Entry 7

The issue of what problems Norco, LA is facing depends heavily upon who you ask. If you talk to some of the poorer of lower class sections of town they will stress upon the need for police oversight, and health problems related to the plant. But, one gets a very different picture when talking to business owners or those of middle to upper middle class from the area. They describe problems related to how the schools need to be improved, and how the area could benefit from an influx of new economic development.

These two oppinions are closely related to the individual's circumstance, more specifically, where the individual lives. As we observed and one citizen pointed out, the closer one lives to the plant, generally, the lesser off, the family is. So, it makes sense that the closer a person lives to the plant, the more that that would encomapss their daily lives. Everything from health problems, to disruption via pollution burnings late at night, stems from where the person is located.



On the other hand, the upper-middle, and middle classes tend to live in the central areas of Norco, farther from the plant, bordering the old Diamond neighborhood. Here the houses are much neater and well kept. Most of the parents in this area send their kids to Sacred Heart instead of Norco Elementary. They talk constantly about the poor quality of Destrahan High, and how they wish they could send their kids to a better school. In addition to that, many local business owners worry about the sustainability of their businesses. They notice that the population of Norco is aging, and as kids grow up and move out of Norco, economic growth oppurtuinities are limited.

Entry 4: Jordan Butler

We made another visit to Norco, LA this past Tuesday. We went with the mindset of talking to some local business owners and getting a feel for the local economy.

One of the first people we spoke with was Brittany, an employee of Todd's Cream Shack. She had been working at the Shack for three years, but commutes in everyday from Destrahan. She grew up in Destrahan, went to Norco Elementary, and finished up at Destrahan High School. She told us that a majority of her business comes from refinery workers looking for some refreshment after a long day at the refinery. Her location makes her easily accessible, (Todds cream shack is located right next to the exit for the plant). She also pointed out that during the summers and when kids are out of school, a bunch will come over and buy some ice cream and hang out.

The next person we talked to provided a much different picture than what we had been told about Norco in the past. Jenny, a cashier at the Greaud's Food Market, painted a picture of a vibrant community where people all get along and would "help you out if you were a dollar short at the market". Her family history in Norco goes back over five generations, well before the plant even existed in Norco. She has been working for and operating Greaud's for over 25 years, and her family has owned it even before that. She struck me as a very intelligent person, and given how much she mentioned kids she knows going off to college, I would say she was upper middle class in Norco.

She mentioned drugs as something "not from Norco", telling us that they come mostly from "outsiders" or people that have "migrated into Norco". She told us that most kids stay away from drugs by keeping active in the after school sports programs offered by Destrahan High. She said that the community really comes together over high school sports, and that the park on the east side of town provides a great place for community.

Entry 8: Hurricane Katrina

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit the gulf coast and left a path of flooding and destruction that devastated the area. Fortunately however, Norco was not too badly affected by the storm. Residents explain that Norco didn't experience any flooding, just wind damage. Shell helped the community pull itself together after the storm to repair any damage and provided assistance to any residents in need. Many of the areas surrounding Norco were flooded, so residents of those communities moved to Norco, causing a population explosion in the small town. Tammy, an employee at the Dollar General, expressed that she thought the community had experienced more drug problems since Katrina, and that many businesses were forced to leave the community because the owners lived outside of Norco, where their homes may have been damaged and were forced to move. Ashley, a woman we met at the spillway who grew up in Norco but moved to Destrehan, said that Katrina brought more people to Norco, and therefore there are fewer jobs available to the population. Even though most of the people who came during recovery ended up leaving, some did stay, and continue to hold jobs in Norco. The basic consensus seems to be that Katrina didn't physically hurt Norco too much, but that the effects of the storm did have an impact on the community. 

Entry 6 Photos

The spillway is the biggest hangout area for Norco's residents. People fish, walk their dogs, or drink a few beers with their friends after work. 

The spillway bar is another one of Norco's main hangouts.

More of the spillway

Danny, a friendly Norco volunteer firefighter

Entry 6

In terms of urban form, Norco is definitely a small town, in both size and population. Based on what we have learned from meeting Norco residents it seems apparent that the community is very close-knit and that everyone seems to know everyone else. Furthermore, Norco appears to be a family-oriented community, such that people acquire property, homes, and jobs through familial connections. The residential areas of Norco are very nice; many homes are small but are well-kept with nicely manicured lawns. For the most part, there doesn’t seem to be many visible distinctions between social classes, but one resident told us that the majority of the upper class people move to a nearby town called Montz.

As a result of its small size, there does not seem to be many options for community activity. There are a few bars in Norco where adults hang-out, including Club 99 and the Spillway Bar. There are also a few food places including Sub Express, the Cream Shack, and two other sandwich-type places. For the most part, however, residents spend time at the Bonnet Carre Spillway, which can be likened to “the levee” or “the fly” here in New Orleans. People go to the Spillway to fish, to ride in boats, to picnic, or basically to meet down by the water. From what we could tell, people from Norco either spent their time at the bars, at the Spillway, or out in Metairie, Kenner or Destrehan.

Entry 5 Photos

Entry 5

In Norco, the town’s economy is and has been overwhelmingly stable due to the presence of the Shell Oil and Chemical refineries.The refineries employ enough people to sustain the local businesses. Many of the refinery employees travel from nearby communities. In result, these workers also contribute Norco’s economy. The town businesses give the citizens the bare necessities, meaning mostly food and gas. For any sort of entertainment, like a movie, a Norco resident must go else where. However, the town does offer two bars, the Spillway Bar and Club 99, which are popular spots for Norco residents and refinery workers.

Entry 4 - Teddy Hart

After learning the history of Norco, I pictured a small town with little charm that is completely dependent on the Shell Oil and Chemical Refineries. Half of my speculation was correct. The Shell refineries employ hundreds of local Norco citizens and other habitants of nearby communities. As we travled down Route 61, the first thing I noticed was the refinery which spanned for miles before we actually made it to the main street of Norco.

As we travled down Apple Street, the main steet in Norco, we had to wait for several mintues for a train traveling to the refinery to pass. When I got out the car in front of Gréaud Market, the local grocery store, I could not help but notice the stench of pollution in the air. It was about 1:30 in the afternoon and the weather was cloudy. There were not many people out and about so we walked across the train tracks to Todd’s Cream Shack where we met a lady known as Brittany. Brittany is a white woman most likely in her early to mid - 20s. She was born and raised in Destrehan, but moved to Norco three years ago. She could not provide much of an description for what life was like in Norco, but explained that she obtained most of her business from refinery workers and local students.

We then walked back to Gréaud Market where we began talking to Jenny, a store clerk. Like Brittany, Jenny was white, but most likely in her mid fortys if I had to guess. She was born and raised in Norco and has remained there throughout her life. Jenny claimed that her family has been in Norco since the refinery was built in the early 20th century. It was from Jenny that we got a descriptive summary of life in Norco. When asked “What is there to do in Norco?” She chuckled as she responded “This is it.” We first discussed race relations with her. Jenny explained that there has been very little tension between the whites and blacks of Norco, but did point out that there has always been spatial segregation as blacks typically lived in the Diamond neighborhood. We then talked about the people of Norco. She expressed that Norco citizens were generally very friendly. “If you ask someone for a dollar for something, they’re going to give it to you,” she remarked. She then noted that Norco is a close-knit community that does not face too many problems. I asked her how the recession has affected Norco’s economy. Jenny replied that the recession has not affected Norco at all. The refinery and refinery’s employees give the town enough business to do generally well.

After leaving Gréaud Market, we took a ride down Apple street. Houses varied in size and there are slso numerous churches. A learning center provided free adult education for obtaining a GED. We then drove a short distance to the Diamond neighborhood. Almost every street you travel, there is some evidence or sight of the refinery. In the Diamond neighborhood, I observed small houses that are spaced far apart. One house had burnt down. At the end of the road, there are baseball and softball fields as well as a playground. All of this is sitting right next to the refinery as you can see in one of the pictures.

Subsequent to seeing this area, I can conclude that Norco is a town where people are generally satisfied with their way of the life. Shell takes care great of the town and the citizens and, according to Jenny, there is little tension between the company and the people. Though there is little to do, there is a large presence of “small-town charm.”