Last week, Arizona’s governor signed a strict immigration bill into law designed to crack down hard on undocumented immigrants. A firestorm of controversy erupted around the new law because it requires police to ask for documents from anyone they have a “reasonable suspicion” may be in the country illegally. Because the law does not illuminate […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Recovery contractor wants to work more closely with city
The CEO of the company managing most of New Orleans’ 600 recovery projects has recommended to Mayor-elect Mitch Landrieu that he speed up rebuilding by breaking down walls between city bureaucrats and contracted project managers particularly in the area of financial planning. Under its contract with MWH Americas, Inc., the city pays hourly rates for […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Landrieu team giving boot to top Nagin administrators
With barely more than a week left before taking office, Mayor-elect Mitch Landrieu sent letters Thursday notifying top officials in the administration of Mayor Ray Nagin that their services would no longer be needed come May 3. Transition team spokesman Todd Ragusa would not say who received the pink slips, saying only that the notified […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Speaker Tucker seeks more oversight of budgets
Speaker of the House Rep. Jim Tucker (R-Algiers) has hinted for months that he’d like to have more eyes on the Louisiana Housing Finance Agency budget, with its hundreds of millions of dollars in bond money and federal tax credits – as well as millions more in federal grants with the Louisiana Recovery Authority. Now […]
Posted inLand Use
City’s share of VA hospital revealed: $107.4 million
New Orleans will kick in $107.4 million for the construction of a new Veterans Affairs hospital in Mid-City. “That is the total as far as I am aware,” Deputy City Attorney Brenda Breaux told the City Council Thursday. Members wanted to know how much city money would be going to the $995 million hospital planned […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
LaBruzzo’s war on welfare continues with drug test
Last year, State Rep. John LaBruzzo, R-Metairie, earned national infamy with his proposal to pay female welfare recipients to get sterilized. He was duly punished for his tribute to the eugenics movement and homage to former Metairie legislator David Duke: He was removed from his seat on the Health and Welfare Committee to demonstrate Louisiana’s […]
Posted inEnvironment
Green groups press council members for promises
Environmental groups from eastern New Orleans took representatives from four City Council members’ offices on a tour Wednesday to show them the problems of illegal trash dumping, the burdens of land-exhaustive borrow pits, and the blight of failed housing developments built upon landfills. When it was over, the activists wanted to know whether their elected […]
Posted inInvestigations, Land Use
City's double standard hangs up dozens of Road Home sales and renovations
By Karen Gadbois – staff writer – State and city redevelopment authorities have suspended a program to sell Road Home properties until New Orleans permit officials resolve a problem that has thwarted would-be renovators by requiring costly home elevations. Dozens of property closings across the city are on hold while the matter is resolved. It’s […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Bill to punish law clinics could unexpectedly hit medical care
A bill to stop university law clinics in Louisiana from filing lawsuits and seeking monetary damages against businesses and government agencies, would financially penalize not only university violators, but also residents seeking health services if the bill passes. The bill by state Sen. Bill Adley, R-Benton, is aimed at the environmental law clinic at Tulane […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Let’s get high! (On the latest marijuana prohibition news)
It’s 4/20, brah. That means it’s time to breathe in some of the latest in the surging movement to decriminalize or legalize marijuana. All around the country, states and municipalities are considering measures that would ease restrictions on marijuana possession and use. Not only are some local governments pining for the revenue that could be […]