...To New Orleans

The Association for Law Enforcement Aviation will continue plans for its conference in New Orleans next July, despite the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina in the Big Easy.

The ALEA decision came just weeks after the NBAA, which had scheduled its annual convention in New Orleans for later this year, decided to pull out because of the terrible storm damage throughout the city.

In a statement released to Aero-News on Wednesday, ALEA Executive Direcdtor Sherry Hadley said, "We are confident that New Orleans will be ready to host our Conference next July. We are monitoring the situation very closely, however, and will make a final decision in a few weeks as we verify the restoration progress with the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

"The main areas that we will be using, the Morial Convention Center and the French Quarter, will be back in business very soon as they did not flood. The Fairmont Hotel is only a half mile from the Convention Center and they should be open for business very soon as well.

"Hang in there with us," she concluded. "New Orleans needs our business and support!"

FMI: www.alea.org