More than two weeks after filing a public records request, The Lens has gotten its hands on the proposals that competed with Zulu for a share of the city’s Urban Development Action Grant fund.In addition to the winning $800,000 Zulu proposal, the city considered a plan for a nightclub and multimedia production center on St. […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Investigations
Strip mall that won taxpayer money faces code problems
In January, The Lens reported on taxpayer money collected by DKM Acquisitions and Properties for economic development. At the time, nothing visible had been done to renovate the gutted and unkempt Lake Terrace Shopping Center at Robert E. Lee Boulevard and Paris Avenue. City officials said that the $162,500 given to the company had been […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
$800,000 award from city could end up hurting Zulu
Accepting a recent $800,000 award from City Hall could further jeopardize Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club’s tax exempt status. That’s because its unusual IRS status requires that it get at least 65 percent of its gross income from membership dues. Its latest tax filing, for 2007, shows that it apparently violated that provision, with […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Police station not ‘evicted,’ developer says
See the coverage of this story from our partners at Fox8 News No good deed goes unpunished. That was how real estate developer Pres Kabacoff ended an e-mail sent recently to New Orleans City Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell. The good deed in question was Kabacoff loaning space for a temporary 5th District police headquarters. The punishment, […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
‘Misplaced’ videotape matches defense team narrative
This week, I took in the sights and sounds at convicted killer Michael Anderson’s motion for a new trial. Anderson is sentenced to death for the 2006 murder of five teens in Central City. The massacre resulted in national headlines, local outrage, the deployment of the national guard, and, ultimately, the downfall of former District […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Rose report is awfully cute, also plain awful
Chris Rose has produced a darling little piece for Fox 8 TV on Police Superintendent Warren Riley and Mayor Ray Nagin’s mysterious invocation of the “shadow government” during campaign-season radio appearances on WBOK talk radio. He ‘fesses up to calling in to the show ask for the names of those who comprise the shadow government. […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
“Credibility” is not just a BS political hurdle
In the wake of the most disturbing police coverup conspiracy I’ve ever seen, I questioned whether a local candidate for our next police superintendent, a veteran of this broken NOPD, would be considered a credible leader for the force. Commenter jeffrey responded to the post: Do we want a police department that works in the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
New evidence should mean new trial, says man convicted in 2006 Central City masscre
Before sunrise on June 17, 2006, five young New Orleanians were gunned down in an SUV at Josephine and Danneel streets in what was dubbed the Central City massacre. News of the killings rocked the community and made headlines around the country. The reaction of local elected officials was swift and extreme. Within days, Mayor […]