Ethics judges found that Friends of King CEO Doris Hicks violated anti-nepotism laws by hiring close relatives at her charter schools. She was ordered to leave her post and fined $20,000. Her lawyer said he plans to appeal.
Posted inInside the News Room
Week in Review: Short-term rental group partners with platform; One fight against the S&WB
Opinion: Lens reporter’s year in S&WB hell: collapsed pipes, collapsed billing system Lens founder Karen Gadbois has been fighting the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans for more than a year. She has a bill upwards of $1,000 and other months she’s received conflicting statements. Some say she owes money, others say the embattled […]
Posted inSchools
Orleans School Board approves $450 million annual budget
$450 million budget is first since the July 1 return of all Recovery School District charter schools to local control. Board also approves going after city for withheld property taxes.
Posted inSchools
Installation of water filters to screen lead will begin this week, Orleans school district says
The long-awaited filters come more than two years after the district promised to test school water for lead.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
As city eyes restrictions, local group partners with HomeAway to tout benefits of short-term rentals
HomeAway and the Alliance for Neighborhood Prosperity are advocating policy changes that they call a compromise. But critics say they would lead to further expansion of short-term rentals.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Orleans school district considers legal action to recover withheld taxes from city
Records filed in another suit show that the city diverted more than $1 million annually in taxes collected on school district’s behalf.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Lens reporter’s year in S&WB hell: collapsed pipes, collapsed billing system
And despite the fiasco, top brass ordered itself big raises.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Cantrell ousts top officials at Sewerage and Water Board
All three ousted deputy directors recently received large pay raises. Meanwhile, the utility, citing a financial crisis, has been shutting off water service to delinquent customers.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Customers on S&WB disconnection list complain of ongoing billing problems
The Lens obtained the names of the first 44 customers who faced disconnection from the Sewerage and Water Board. Some complained of unfair treatment, mysterious bills and longstanding disputes with the utility.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Should we condemn Trump’s assault on the media — or learn to ignore his blathering?
Trump’s lies are a calculated distraction from what he’s actually doing.