The Lens (https://thelensnola.org/author/michaelstein/)
Michael Isaac Stein
Michael Isaac Stein covers New Orleans' cultural economy and local government for The Lens. Before joining the staff, he freelanced for The Lens as well as The Intercept, CityLab, The New Republic, and Pacific Standard. He was recently awarded a fellowship from the Heinrich Boll Foundation, which he used to report on water scarcity, division, and colonialism in Cyprus.
Police, DA and city surveillance system get bumps in Cantrell's budget, but public defender appropriation remains steady. Decreased camera tickets could lead to lost funding for defense.
The researcher whose work was used in NOLA for Life, Chicago "heat list" is involved in developing the new program for Cantrell's violence reduction task force. Task force members hope the list will be used to direct residents to social services, not police.
Utility officials didn't notify Cogsdale Corp. for more than a year after citywide billing complaints began, executives from the company told city council members.
Economists who spoke to The Lens say a UNO economic impact study on short-term rentals appears to have been prepared to benefit the industry. When it comes to impact reports, that is not uncommon. UNO refused to provide the data behind the report or a larger report on tourism in New Orleans.
Commissioners voted in favor of recommendations requiring residency for licenses in residential neighborhoods, limit licenses in commercial zones. The proposal now goes to the City Council.
The case involves a dispute between two European billionaires. According to the suit, Crowds on Demand repeatedly defamed Zdenek Bakala as part of a conspiracy to extort millions of dollars from him.
