Col Alvin Lee, US Army Corps of Engineers

Michael Eckert, meteorologist and Senior Branch Forecaster, National Weather Service

Terence Blanchard is a prolific composer and musician. He’s written film scores for over thirty movies including, “Malcolm X”, “When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts”, “Inside Man” and “Miracle At St. Anna”, Spike Lee’s upcoming film about the lives of four African-American soldiers fighting in World War 2. Three years ago Blanchard was working on the score of “Inside Man” in Los Angeles when he turned on the television and saw hurricane Katrina hit his home city of New Orleans. Recovering from the disaster and rebuilding and reinvigorating the Crescent City has been his passion ever since. Terence Blanchard joins The Takeaway on the eve of the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina hitting New Orleans, to talk about how he’s using music to rebuild the city he loves.

Guest: Blair Heusdens, spokeswoman with the Florida Division of Emergency Management

Agriculture is a $31-billion industry in California — no state is bigger for farming. But with California in a drought, state-enforced water rationing is forcing farmers to abandon fields and lay off workers. The Takeaway talks to the mayor of Mendota, California, where hundreds have been left hungry, and with Sacramento Bee reporter Matt Weiser about the difficult choices the state is facing.

China is tightly managing every aspect of the Olympics, even trying to control the weather. They’re using cloud-seeding techniques, both to create rain to reduce smog and to steer rain away from outdoor events. The Takeaway takes a closer look at the often colorful efforts to control the weather.

Guest: Stephen Dubner, Freakonomics author

As floods reach record levels in the Midwest, thousands of people have been displaced. Homes, businesses and crops have been destroyed. Are humans partly to blame for this increased risk of flooding? The Takeaway turns to Robert Holmes, National Flood Coordinator for the U.S. Geological Survey, for the answers.

Guest: Randi Rundl

The waters of the Cedar River are starting to recede in eastern Iowa, an area that was forced to evacuate nearly 24,000 people after heavy rains pounded the area. As residents slowly return, they are finding high waters remain. Iowa public media correspondent Dean Borg speaks with The Takeaway from his home outside Cedar Rapids.