Gov. Bobby Jindal wants to take the dramatic step of abolishing the state income tax on individuals and corporations, offsetting the revenue loss by raising sales taxes by 3 percentage points. That would push the total tax rate in New Orleans to 12 percent, raising concerns that his plan will shift the tax burden from […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
DEA agent to retire after bidding to monitor NOPD consent decree
Jimmy S. Fox III, special agent in charge of the New Orleans division of the Drug Enforcement Administration, will retire from the agency Friday, according to a Jan. 4 email obtained by The Lens. Fox has been under fire for possible federal ethics-law violations since a recent Times-Picayune report called the 26-year DEA veteran to […]
Posted inSchools
RSD’s offer to Abramson kids: Leave one F school for another
Erica Larkins took a risk when she took a job at Abramson Elementary in eastern New Orleans. The school was failing. There were reports of cheating and student violence. Still, she joined the staff and enrolled her daughter Elexi into the school’s second grade. A year later, Larkins is happy with her position and with […]
Posted inOpinion
Tarantino’s ‘Django Unchained’: About race or just plain racist?
An exploration of Quentin Tarantino’s intent that goes beyond his use of the n-word.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Would-be NOPD monitor still working for federal drug agency
Did a company bidding to monitor the New Orleans Police Department’s federal consent decree misrepresent the employment status of a local narc now under fire for possible ethics-law violations? The company says it didn’t. But in its bid, currently being reviewed by the city and U.S. Department of Justice, KeyPoint Government Solutions indicated a half-dozen […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Investigations
Despite PSC vote, phone rates to remain high at Orleans jail, state prisons
Officials inked new phone contracts for the state prisons and Orleans jail before rules cutting phone commissions went into effect, so families will continue to pay high fees to speak with inmates. Sheriff Gusman stands to collect $1.5 million in phone call commissions this year.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Hey, all you bloggers out there: Any word from Perricone lately?
Ouroboros: the beast that devours its tail. Wikipedia To “Jack,” an open letter: Many thanks for your comment on my Dec. 11 column about U.S. Attorney Jim Letten’s resignation. Your overarching message seems to be that Letten’s disgraced former assistant Sal Perricone really did nothing wrong in commenting publicly on federal cases the office was handling. Informed feedback […]
Posted inSchools
Lycée parents ask state education chief to investigate school’s board
A group of parents from Lycée Français de la Nouvelle-Orleans charter school have asked the state’s public education chief to investigate its board’s actions regarding recent hiring and firing decisions, including the manner in which it hired its interim chief executive officer. State schools superintendent John White last month praised Lycée’s board for hiring Gisele Schexnider, whom he […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Politics and prosecutors: tortuous route to an all-powerful office
Aspirants to the office of United States Attorney don’t openly campaign for it. That’s unseemly. Protocol dictates that they urge friends to lobby political party leaders on their behalf—governors, senators and representatives on down. The partisan bigwigs then narrow the list of aspiring candidates based on… what precisely? Loyalty? Patronage? Owed favors? We’ll never find […]
Posted inCharter Schools
Algiers charter board rejects schools’ return to OPSB
The Algiers Charter Schools Association voted 5-2 Thursday night to keep three schools under Recovery School District jurisdiction, despite months of pleas from many in those school communities to let them go. Improved student test scores at O. Perry Walker High School, Martin Berhman Elementary and Dwight D. Eisenhower Elementary made the schools eligible return to Orleans Parish […]