The Lens wants to hear from people who have filed a claim for damages related to BP’s oil spill in Gulf of Mexico.
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Simple answers to simple questions
On May 16, during the biggest oil “spill” in American history, Fox News anchor Britt Hume was troubled by a nagging thought: “Where is the oil?” The nation spent the next eight weeks watching the Macondo oil gusher spew into the Gulf. But now that it’s been capped, many have returned to Hume’s query, echoing […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Baton Rouge wins big in race for federal stimulus cash
A year and a half after Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal dismissed the federal stimulus as a debt-generating waste, the Pelican State has accepted about $5 billion from the program. The Congress-approved cash went to programs ranging from education grants to coastal restoration projects to software modeling of civil works programs’ economic impact. In the race […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Jail advisory group will not open meetings to the public, administration says
Though top city officials have convened a group to advise on a controversial proposed expansion of the Orleans Parish Prison, the group’s meetings are not open to the public because it is not a “formal working group,” Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s director of intergovernmental affairs told The Lens. The Landrieu administration has “convened different stakeholders” to gather and […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Vitter candidacy scarred by PTSD, among other disorders.
At this moment in American history, about a third of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and military suicidesare on the rise. Knowing all that, I was hoping this election year would include a frank discussion of military mental health care. Though that, apparently, was asking too much, […]
Posted inEnvironment, Investigations
As offshore oil war continues, quieter pollution battles being fought on land
As the offshore spill cleanup progresses, Louisiana regulators and residents are engaged in another fight against oil pollution on land.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Landrieu depending on furlough-averse City Council to balance this year’s budget
Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s plan to balance this year’s budget relies on the cooperation of the City Council, which has already voiced serious opposition to one of his moves: furloughing city employees. In seeking approval of this year’s budget, former Ray Nagin asked the council to approve a plan requiring city employees to take 12 unpaid […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Lens: Covering charter schools
With more than three dozen charter schools in New Orleans, each run by its own board, a news organzation would have to cover more than three dozen school board meetings to get a full understanding of how all schools are operating. We’ve not seen any media outlets willing or able to do that, so The […]
Posted inSchools
Franklin High principal to get evaluated by board annually
After four years as a charter school separate from the city’s beleaguered system, Benjamin Franklin High School’s leaders on Thursday fell into compliance with a state law that requires the principal to be evaluated.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Obama moratorium may be result of being twice bitten
Despite howls from South Louisiana, President Obama hasn’t budged on his deepwater oil drilling moratorium, which will cost thousands of jobs. Many people can’t understand why he is so steadfast on this particular policy response to the BP oil disaster, while being somewhat flexible on other issues, such as sand berms and skimmers. Many conservative pundits imply […]