The Jefferson Parish DA’s turned over 92 “DA subpoenas” in response to a public records request from The Lens. The documents date from 2016 and 2017, before DA Paul Connick ended the practice.
Posted inSchools
District could have acted earlier as Cypress Academy neared collapse
The Orleans Parish School Board cast itself as a rescue squad in taking charge of Cypress Academy after the charter school announced, three days before summer vacation, that it would not be reopening in the fall. Some parents and education community leaders are wondering if the school board’s hands-off approach wasn’t the problem from which […]
Posted inInvestigations, Land Use
How a house built with public funds for affordable housing became a $500-a-night Airbnb
The house was moved from the site of the VA hospital, torn down at its new location and then replaced.
Posted inInside the News Room
Week in Review: Super Bowl 2024; Are “super-natives” loving the city to death?
Reporter Charles Maldonado received an award for his investigation into fake subpoenas.
Posted inOpinion
Anxiety and authenticity: Are ‘super-natives’ loving New Orleans to death?
One irony: STRs are gutting the neighborhoods tourists want to stay in.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
School board, city in talks about diverted property taxes
City may have improperly used millions in special taxes to satisfy state pension obligations.
Posted inSchools
Responding to parents, Orleans Parish school district agrees to run Cypress Academy for two years
If the school closes after the 2019-20 school year, students would get priority in the citywide enrollment lottery.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
City of New Orleans promises $800,000 in local tax rebates to host 2024 Super Bowl
It has also pledged police protection and zones where only NFL-sanctioned commercial activity will be allowed.
Posted inInvestigations, Schools
Personalized learning: The little-noticed educational experiment in New Orleans schools
Personalized learning is transforming schools in the Crescent City, but what does that mean for students? Some educators support the philosophy but worry it’s causing kids to spend too much time learning alone in front of a screen.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
It’s not enough to ban fakery at Council hearings; we need a real Community Participation Program
A way to generate citizen involvement and grassroots power