School zone speed enforcement ends Friday
Neighborhood security stopped 3 young Black males; A federal judge is weighing a lawsuit over it
Lycée Français board considers $165K CEO contract amid financial concerns
Superintendent eyes racial disparities in school enrollment
Williams presented data on what she called “eligibility schools,” or the handful of New Orleans public schools with some type of eligibility requirement. She identified 10 schools, four with academic requirements and six with a language requirement.
Orleans jail monitors disclose for first time issues found under Hutson’s leadership
Monitors tasked with overseeing the New Orleans jail and tracking its compliance with the long-running federal consent decree said staff falsified suicide-watch documentation, rubber-stamped investigations to justify uses of force, and that the facility is dangerously understaffed.
A charter group closes final school, makes decision on future of daycare
NOCP CEO J’Vann Martin said the board directed the center’s staff to report directly to them and has implemented “strict financial controls” and will help ensure the center has back-office support from NOCP or a third-party business vendor.
Louisiana leads nation in percentage of people in adult prisons for crimes they committed as kids
After 23 years in prison for killing her abuser, she hopes no one in Louisiana has to do that again
Gifted group asks school district to expand services
Orleans Parish Sheriff Hutson withholding investigative records related several ‘serious’ uses of force on mental health tier
Drug-related deaths at Angola prompted strip searches, but who is bringing in contraband?
In Linda Frickey case, DA Williams using controversial legal doctrine to seek life sentences for 4 teens
The decision by District Attorney Jason William to charge the teens as adults was controversial, if not surprising. During his campaign for DA, Williams promised to keep all cases involving kids in juvenile court, and frequently cited research on youth brain development that indicates kids are more susceptible to peer pressure, more likely to engage in risky behavior, and less likely to consider the consequences of that behavior.
Leaks beneath pump stations responsible for New Orleans’ drinking water went uninvestigated for two years
How will the DA’s decision to revive the habitual offender law impact plea negotiations in New Orleans?
Proposal to give police 25-foot buffer raises constitutional concerns
School zone lights must now work in order to ticket drivers
An ordinance passed by the New Orleans City Council requires school zone flashing yellow lights to be working properly for camera tickets to be valid
Judge dismisses suit over Plaquemines LNG facility, environmental groups review options
Judge Wilson Fields of the 19th Judicial District Court in Baton Rouge on Monday sided with the state in dismissing the group’s petition but did not rule on the merits of their case. The environmental groups are now evaluating their legal options.
Bill would end eminent domain for carbon capture pipelines
Fears of explosions prompt CO2 pipeline bill.
Urban farmers in New Orleans are turning to social media, public support after losing their land
With three longtime local gardens facing recent threats and displacement, it seems as though New Orleans may undervalue its community greenspaces. "Urban agriculture is seen as a temporary land use," said Devin Wright, from Sprout.
Learning to live inside freedom, 30 years after death row
Wrongfully sentenced to death at 16, Shareef Cousin survived a decade behind bars before being exonerated and released. Three decades later, he is determined to find his own sense of freedom, through a cross-country journey with his son.
New Louisiana law limiting disclosure of juror information takes effect August 1
While supporters say that Act 284 protects juror privacy, critics say that it goes too far, by not allowing exceptions for investigating case improprieties, making it impossible for wrongly convicted people to expose the errors in their convictions.
“Point of no return?” Part 2: Staying, adapting and defending New Orleans’ future. (Audio)
As debate continues over a recent study suggesting New Orleans may face an unavoidable future because of rising sea levels, Steve Cochran, Ned Randolph, Katy Reckdahl and Gus Bennett take a deeper look at the challenges and choices ahead. In Part 2, the conversation explores climate adaptation, coastal land loss, public policy, culture, and resilience, asking whether one of America's most distinctive cities can continue to adapt and endure in the face of a changing environment.
Point of no return? Time for a new paradigm
The writer doesn’t take issue with the science behind the new Tulane study, but rather some of the social-policy assumptions built into the recommendation.
Louisiana deflates mylar balloon releases with new ban, starting in August
A new Louisiana law will prohibit the intentional outdoor release of mylar and latex helium balloons beginning Aug. 1. Supporters say the measure will help protect wildlife, reduce litter, prevent power outages, and keep waterways cleaner across the state.
Why Louisiana parents stand behind school vaccine protections
Though Louisiana legislators again introduced the "Medical Freedom Act," which prohibits vaccine requirements, the version that made it through the Louisiana House was amended so that it did not apply to schools or daycares. There is widespread bipartisan support for school vaccine protocols - and here's why, says the writer, the co-director of Louisiana Families for Vaccines.
As SpaceX rumors circulate in coastal Louisiana, so do worries of losing generational land
Coastal residents are rattled by a reported effort by a major aerospace company to acquire 136,000 acres of coastal marshland in Vermilion Parish.
“Point of No Return?” Part 1: A Conversation About Sea Level Rise and the Future of New Orleans (AUDIO)
A measured response to the latest study suggesting New Orleanians should abandon the city due to the imminent threat of sea level rise. Public policy advocate Steve Cochran, journalist and author Ned Randolph, photojournalist Gus Bennett and Lens editor Katy Reckdahl discuss the story from The Guardian which has the town talking. Part 1 this week.
U.S. citizen stopped in Lafayette, shackled, and detained in Louisiana ICE facility
The U.S.-born woman presented ICE and Lafayette sheriff’s deputies with her state-issued ID and Social Security card. ICE detained her anyway.
