Race was overshadowed by feud between Bruno and entrepreneur Sidney Torres, who backed Medley. Other Civil District Court incumbents running on Tuesday won their races.
Author Archives: 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.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Mayor may have committed misdemeanor by publicizing confidential information on Civil Service Commissioner
Days after a story about the Civil Service Commission, Cantrell sent a confidential Ethics Board letter to The Lens.
Posted inEnvironment
Cantrell gives update ahead of vital weekend for Hurricane Zeta recovery
The City of New Orleans remained in recovery mode on Friday, two days after Hurricane Zeta quickly and ferociously tore through southeastern Louisiana. There are still a lot of open questions about the hurricane’s impact, some of which the city will have to answer by the end of the weekend, including whether in-person schooling will […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Edwards, speaking in New Orleans, briefs public on Zeta damage
The biggest problem locally is mass power outages. Edwards said that while bringing everyone back online could take days, major transmission lines took little damage.
Posted inEnvironment
‘We will get impacts from this’: City officials prep for Hurricane Zeta
Wind, not rain, is expected to be the major threat during this fast-moving storm.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Cantrell unveils 2021 budget with deep cuts to expenditures and public information
The 2021 budget proposal would cut nearly $100 million from the city’s adopted 2020 general fund. Cantrell has also proposed cutting personnel by about 300 positions.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
City shuts down competing plan for French Quarter security
A French Quarter sales tax has funded State Police patrols for several years. But the city wants to end that agreement, instead using the tax for supplemental NOPD and civilian patrols.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
With city personnel cuts looming, Cantrell quietly moved to replace Civil Service Commission chair
In a departure from prior appointments, the council only considered one of three nominees in a public meeting, apparently reaching a ‘consensus’ in private. That could violate state sunshine laws.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Judicial campaign accuses opponent of conspiring with Sidney Torres to circumvent campaign contribution rules
Torres loaned Jennifer Medley $100,000, shortly before she loaned her own campaign the same amount.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Surveillance ordinance deferred again
Council official says there wasn’t enough time last week to finalize the ordinance as the city was dealing with several pressing issues including Hurricane Delta.