This week’s Entergy vote. A troubling warning about the wastewater situation in St. James Parish. And The Lens’ new series on school closures in New Orleans.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Entergy fined $5 million, can move forward with new power plant
The vote on a settlement with company automatically cancels proposed resolutions to repeal the City Council’s March 2018 power plant approval. Plant opponents criticized council members for taking contributions from the company.
Posted inSchools
Class Dismissed: How and when New Orleans schools close
The Orleans Parish school district is closing five schools this spring. In the first part in a series on school closures, The Lens talks to experts, advocates and parents about how a decision to close a school is made, and how it should be made.
Posted inEnvironment
Hard-hit Blind River wildlife could suffer badly in Mosaic wastewater release
Slight lateral movement continued to be reported along the north perimeter, crest and slope of Mosaic Fertilizer’s Gypsum Stack No. 4, which holds back hundreds of millions of gallons of wastewater. But the company says the overall rate of movement has slowed substantially.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Public defender sues city for records on surveillance camera locations
CIty denied a public records request from the defense attorney last summer, claiming it would reveal sensitive information related to terrorism prevention. But civil rights groups representing her say the cameras are, in fact, normally used for routine law enforcement and criminal prosecution.
Posted inSchools
School district cites “exceptional circumstance” at Harney fund transfer
The full board will consider the $754,236 request on Thursday.
Posted inInside the News Room
Week in Review: Council committee takes no action on Entergy sanctions resolution, moving it to full council
The council scrapped its plan to revote on the plant earlier this week.
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Fighting Formosa in solidarity with Rise St. James
On a sunny, cold Tuesday afternoon, 20 or so of us pile into a school bus bound for Vacherie. (Why don’t school buses have seat belts?) Most of us are members of Justice and Beyond, a black-led New Orleans coalition of justice-seeking organizations. Co-founder Pat Bryant is aboard as are co-moderators Sylvia McKenzie and the […]
Posted inBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens episode 19: ‘We no longer can suffer another no-call’
Michael Isaac Stein covers the City Council hearing on Entergy’s $5 million fine. Tom Wright updates the Mosaic wastewater crisis. Audubon’s Kara Lankford promotes a new vision for Gulf restoration.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
City Council directed Entergy to pursue power plant in 2015, months before company’s application for Michoud site
In an ongoing lawsuit, plant opponents say a 2015 council resolution shows that the approval of a new plant may have been predetermined. But City Council utility advisers say opponents are misinterpreting the resolution.