Criminal Justice
Jindal’s Juvenile Justice Reforms — NOLA DEFENDER | Gov. Bobby Jindal says that the many troubled youth in Louisiana who are referred to social assistance programs “are from broken and abusive homes, have not committed a crime, and need help – not jail time.” The article includes praise for the initiative from Dana Kaplan, executive director of the Juvenile Justice Project. Similarly, Jindal proposes to offer rehabilitation rather than jail terms to drug addicts, noting that they “are not a threat to public safety when their addiction is treated successfully.”
Owen Courreges: The mayor’s consent-decree blame game — Uptown Messenger | A strong editorial advising the mayor to face reality: ”Landrieu’s strategy in trying to vacate the consent decree is shameless.”
Government & Politics
Budget debate begins with Jindal plan — The Advocate
The state’s annual budget debate kicks off this week as Gov. Bobby Jindal unveils his multibillion-dollar spending proposals for next year. The presentation of the executive budget will show Jindal’s cards on what he recommends to cut, what facilities he wants to privatize or close and just how much patchwork financing he suggests to piece it all together.
Bobby and the Pill — Gambit | Stephanie Grace offers an in-depth analysis of Gov. Jindal’s proposal to make contraceptives available over the counter, in order to overcome faith-based objections to Obamacare’s mandate that employer insurance programs cover contraception. After grabbing national headlines for the proposal and receiving praise from unlikely quarters, Jindal has ignored the topic. Why?
Schools
Book: Solutions elusive for New Orleans schools — USA TODAY | Former Times-Picayune education reporter Sarah Carr’s new book, “Hope against Hope,” finds that once you’re inside New Orleans schools ,”the war over education no longer seems so stark and clearly defined. Edges blur. Shades of gray abound, and simple solutions prove elusive.” (via EducateNow)
K-5 teacher overload: too many trained, not enough jobs — USA TODAY
The nation is training twice as many K-5 elementary school teachers as needed each year, while teacher shortages remain in the content specific areas of math, science and special education.
Lycée leaders to meet with French council amid parent concerns — The Lens | At a board meeting last night, parents voiced concerns about the school’s relationship with CODOFIL, an organization that provides French teachers. The board voted to allow a consultant to start searching for a new CEO.
Louisiana College Blocks Websites Critical Of Joe Aguillard, Investigates Students For “Disparaging Comments” — CenLamar | Lamar White looks at allegations from Louisiana College students who say President Joe Aguillard blocked their personal websites from school computers because of their criticisms of recent staff firings. The students claim professors were fired because the administration disliked their theological convictions.
Environment
BP attorney argues company was not grossly negligent, won’t see maximum fines — NOLA.com/The Times-Picayune | A BP lawyer denies the company was grossly negligent in its handling of the Macondo oil spill and is “confident” the oil giant will pay much less than the maximum fines of $5 billion to $22 billion allowed under the Clean Water Act. A finding of gross negligence would multiply penalties more than four times; much of the money would fund coastal restoration.
Morganza-to-the-Gulf will never be completed; so who’s kidding whom? — LaCoastPost | A skeptical take from environmental blogger Len Bahr about the skyrocketing costs and, in his view, dubious strategy of the Morganza-to-the-Gulf flood control project.
Gulf of Mexico fish farms move another step closer to reality — NOLA.com The Times-Picayune
The plan would make the Gulf the first region in the country to develop open-ocean aquaculture in federal waters, potentially reaping another 64 million pounds of seafood. The plan prohibits shrimp farming, and only allows the raising of native Gulf species.
Land Use
Gretna struggles with rules to prevent neglect of historic properties — The Advocate | Blight ordinances intended to solve a massive problem have created unexpected, vexing conundrums for the Gretna City Council. Among them: how to decide which homes to target and how to determine whether there was “enough collaboration between the city and public.” Demolition of historic properties in Gretna has “jeopardized the historic district’s place on the national register and allowed some people to skirt rules that others followed.”Energy-Efficient Retrofit at the Lyman Estate – Old-House Online | A thoughtful piece on the cost-benefits of “minimally invasive” energy retrofits on a historical property in Massachusetts. (Via @PRCNO)
Energy-Efficient Retrofit at the Lyman Estate – Old-House Online | A thoughtful article on performing “minimally invasive” energy-saving upgrades on a historic home in Massachusetts. (via @PRCNO)