There’s no escaping the need for neighborhood designations, but they often have more to do with bureaucratic arrogance than with on-the-ground realities and our sense of who we are.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Maybe GOP should return St. Pierre’s tainted donations
Don’t you wish you could have joined in one of the poker games Mark St. Pierre held regularly on his party yacht, the Silicon Bayou? Assuming St. Pierre’s card-playing wiles are like his defense strategy against U.S. attorney Jim Letten, a patient gambler could win all kinds of moolah off of him. Just let St. […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Temporary jail buildings beginning to take shape in Orleans Parish Prison complex
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman is making good progress on temporary jail space, which is designed to ease pressure on his existing facilities before a new permanent jail is constructed. Still, it remains unclear whether the sheriff will close down 400 existing beds or simply add to […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
"Devastation" from moratorium was as real as the Rapture, but it got far less buzz
At the Gulf Coast Leadership Summit held in New Orleans on April 19, local businesswoman Leslie Bertucci stood at an audience microphone and passionately explained her story to former Oil Spill Commission Co-Chairman Bob Graham, who listened from the conference room stage. She told him that she was the owner of R&D Enterprises, and that […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Lens' Gert Town investigation draws IG attention; city review met with resistance
By Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer | As a result of an investigation by The Lens, the secretive director of the Gert Town Revival Initiative not only had to provide answers to the city about her finances – but the organization may well have to face the inspector general’s probing eye, too. During a […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Sheriff draws attention to unspent money for city building projects in fund he controls
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Sheriff Marlin Gusman used a 10-minute meeting of his little-scrutinized but extremely powerful law enforcement district this morning to draw attention to the city’s failure to take advantage of millions of dollars for capital projects that have sat dormant in the district’s fund for more than a […]
Posted inOpinion
BGR housing study was complemented, not contradicted, by UNO
Janet R. Howard, The Lens contributing opinion writer | On May 24, The Lens posted an article from Sara Meadows Tolleson on a bill proposed by House Speaker Jim Tucker to consolidate three housing agencies into a new entity. After discussing the need for amendments, Ms. Tolleson attacked the accuracy of a study by the […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Schools
Rethinkers ink pact with RSD and ARAMARK to use local food in 37 school cafeterias
By Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer | The school ratings are out – and, no, we’re not talking LEAP scores. Student reformers from Kids Rethink New Orleans Schools, a coalition of students advocating upgrades in school food choices, on Thursday released their 2011 cafeteria ratings for nine schools. The report card, created with help […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Schools
OPSB blames co-defendant as teachers seek compensation for 2006 mass firings
By Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer | One defendant — the Orleans Parish School Board — tried repeatedly to blame a co- defendant – the state Department of Education — as school board employees who were terminated after Katrina made their case against both parties in Civil District Court on Wednesday. It was the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics, Investigations
Shining a light: One month's NOPD disciplinary proceedings
From letters of reprimand to firing, a month’s disciplinary measures at the NOPD punished a host of infractions — including napping in a patrol car, wrongful arrest and failure to follow up on leads.