With Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Superdome was damaged to the point that the huge Golf Industry Show was moved to Houston?EUR??,,????'???s George Brown Convention Center . . . And then Hurricane Rita just missed Houston. I?EUR??,,????'???ll bet those GCSAA folks were biting their fingernails over that one! Who knows what will happen before the hurricane season ends in late October . . .

?EUR??,,????'???? One thing I know is that the construction (read that ?EUR??,,????'??landscape?EUR??,,????'??) industry will be busy in the bayou for the next several months . . . With all that devastation and mud, there will be a need for landscape contractors like never before. Right from the start there is a whole lot of dirt to move and who better than you to do the moving . . . Ya boy . . . Business, she be boomin!

?EUR??,,????'???? There is one catch, though . . . If you are in that area or are looking to expand you may want to be organizing your crews now. As we all know, a good part of the Caribbean south was moved out at one point or another and finding available labor is going to be an issue. Those who are there and available will be snatched up and those who want to work will have to find housing . . .

?EUR??,,????'???? And speaking of supply and demand, these hurricanes have done more than raise the price of gas . . . As if there wasn?EUR??,,????'???t already a crunch on concrete, lumber and steel, all those buildings will need all those things if they are to be rebuilt. It really depends on how fast the developers and governments can move forward. But if they make haste, it may lay waste to your ability to get the things and people you need . . . No matter where you are in the good ol' USA.

?EUR??,,????'???? I did hear, though, that with all the downed trees, the lumber industry may have a surplus of lumber and prices my dip as supplies increase. Not that it helps the landscape industry, but it would be kinda ironic that who taketh away can also giveth back . . .

?EUR??,,????'???? But back to the shows . . . Trade shows, I mean . . . Over the next two months, LCN will be exhibiting at the ?EUR??,,????'??EXPO 2005?EUR??,,????'?? in Louisville, the GIE Show in Orlando, the Regional Turf Show in So. Cal, and the IA show in Phoenix. In addition there are 3 or 4 other shows LCN will just be attending . . . That is if there are facilities in which to hold these events . . . In all, LCN exhibits in, or attends, at least 15 major trade shows every year . . . Wind, rain, sleet or snow . . .

?EUR??,,????'???? If you didn?EUR??,,????'???t already know this, trade shows are one of the best ways to help advance your business. You?EUR??,,????'???ll see every new product, all the newest techniques and tools and can attend a host of seminars all aimed at making your business sing . . . At the very least, you should be attending your local landscape industry show. When you?EUR??,,????'???re fishing from your new boat on a Wednesday morning, you?EUR??,,????'???ll thank me for getting you to go . . .

?EUR??,,????'???? And speaking about advancing your business, LCN has had another record year, growing by better than 20% in revenue, ad pages, and editorial. All the while growing in total pages, circulation, readership and response as well. So for that, we all offer a hurricane-sized LCN ?EUR??,,????'??Thank You?EUR??,,????'?? for picking up the magazine and putting us on the leader board . . . Oh, sorry, no Golf in LCN . . .

Stay dry, see you at the shows and of course . . .

?EUR??,,????'??+God Bless!!!