He Won’t Miss Nossiter   

Regarding your article on the departure of New York Times reporter Adam Nossiter from New Orleans (The Beat, June/July), I can say without reservation that I, for one, celebrated his exit from our city. While there may have been many fair and objective reports by journalists in the aftermath of Katrina, a preoccupation with the descent of the city seemed to captivate the national media, with Nossiter always leading the way. His sensationalism bled into the national psyche, turning Americans against our recovery, frightening potential visitors, driving away many who might consider relocating here.

Nossiter's reporting did significant damage to our reputation and our recovery by reinforcing the agenda of some outside the city who dismissed our rebirth as extravagant or impractical. His so-called commitment to keep us in the American consciousness was poisoned by the tone of his reporting and, in the end, his version of our recovery impeded rather than promoted the city's rebirth. He is no hero in the story of our recovery.

Gary Dohanich

New Orleans, Louisiana