Councilman Jay Banks was criticized at the meeting after it was revealed that he recently worked for one of the council’s utility advisers, a fact that does not appear in Banks’ financial disclosures.
Posted inSchools
New Orleans schools again push back deadline to finish lead filter installation
The district has installed filters in 30 schools, fewer than half of the city’s public schools. That’s three sites shy of its December goal.
Posted inEnvironment
Mosaic says it can keep wastewater on site in case of breach
Representatives of Mosaic Fertilizer say they are confident about their ability to prevent a potential breach of its gypsum-walled reservoir in St. James Parish. Even so, Mosaic is taking steps to secure the reservoir to ensure that any potential leak of acidic wastewater does not escape from their property
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
‘Trashforming’ Carnival from a mountain of waste into a recycling bonanza
Innovative krewe rolls Saturday night.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
City Council scraps planned power plant repeal vote
A resolution to repeal the City Council’s approval of a $210 million Entergy power plant in eastern New Orleans will be withdrawn. A new resolution will impose a $5 million fine and require cost protections, maintenance requirements.
Posted inInside the News Room
Week in Review: Plaquemines Parish residents seek answers on state coastal restoration efforts
Plus, a City Councilwoman wants the RTA to stop sharing hotel tax revenues with the tourism industry. And a new financial audit of Harney elementary’s former charter operator reveals more problems.
Posted inBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens episode 18: ‘A very difficult and unpleasant decision that is part of the landscape in New Orleans’
Marta Jewson talks about how school closure decisions are made. And Tom Wright goes to Braithwaite to talk about state coastal restoration efforts.
Posted inCharter Schools, Opinion, Schools
Time to get real about ‘open’ enrollment: what works, what’s a workaround?
I was proud that, as the most recent school performance scores were released, the state honored Harriet Tubman Charter School for both “equity” in its admissions practices and for achieving “top gains” in its academic performance. The twin designations mean that Tubman students of all ethnicities, economic backgrounds, and special-need status are making strong academic […]
Posted inEnvironment
Residents seek answers as CPRA preps for big river diversions
The Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority has a plan for reconnecting the Mississippi River with coastal regions that have steadily disappeared under Gulf waters. But can they connect with public support?
Posted inGovernment & Politics
City councilwoman wants to shift tourism funding to public transportation
A nearly 20-year-old agreement, resulting from a lawsuit, means that the RTA shares about half of its hotel taxes with tourism interests. Councilwoman Kristin Palmer wants all that money going to public transit.