Sept. 23, 2005 -- In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, many business owners from the New Orleans area and the Gulf Coast ended up in Baton Rouge, the capital of Louisiana, where they have begun the difficult steps toward recovery.

Help has come in many forms from many directions, including from Arkansas State University's Delta Center for Economic Development, according to Dr. Len Frey, dean of the College of Business at ASU.

The center's Netmobile, a minivan filled with hi-tech computer equipment and satellite access to the Internet, is now stationed at Louisiana State University's research park.

"An EDA representative called and asked that we deploy the Netmobile to Baton Rouge to assist with the economic recovery by providing Internet access to business owners from New Orleans," explained Jerry L. Smith, director of the ASU Center for Regional and Community Development, a part of the Delta Center. "We were happy to help."

Business consultants from the federal government are now utilizing ASU's Netmobile to assist business owners with finding and acquiring the resources they need to get back into operation, stated Mark Young, director of the Delta Center at ASU.

ASU's Netmobile and similar units at two Texas universities were requested by Economic Development Administration officials helping with the disaster response. The EDA, which supported the Netmobile at ASU through a two-year grant, also provides funds to ASU's Center for Regional and Community Development.

ASU's Department of Information and Technology Services provided a technician to drive the unit to Baton Rouge, where it has been temporarily loaned to EDA representatives. Business assistance counselors from the federal government and LSU are now utilizing the Netmobile.