There have been cycles in the destruction of St. Charles Avenue, and we may be on the brink of a new one. The city’s most famous boulevard was once largely residential almost all the way from Uptown to Lee Circle, though you wouldn’t know it from the proliferation of Burger Kings and Speedy Oil Change […]
Category: Government & Politics
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Council vows to keep closer eye on Algiers Development District
New Orleans City Council members said Thursday they will more closely monitor the spending of the Algiers Economic Development District, which benefits from about $1.5 million annually in financial support from the city. The remarks came during a joint meeting of the council’s Budget, Audit and Board of Review committees. A critical report from the […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Schools
State lifts OPSB financial status; will charters remain wary?
The Orleans Parish School Board has finally escaped a state designation that has stigmatized it for the past eight years. Its financial status is no longer deemed “high-risk,” board president Thomas Robichaux announced Thursday. The state Department of Education first slapped the high-risk label on the School Board in 2004, after the then-bankrupt district was […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Land Use, Squandered Heritage
Sometimes you win; sometimes the game is delayed by rain
Checking back in on a couple of stories we’ve been monitoring, it seems that, while some things change, some stay the same. Bienville Street, before: a parking pad for four cars The story about the front yard at 4136 Bienville that – without benefit of city permits – was paved over to make a four-car […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Schools
Would-be charter school managers file paperwork
At least four would-be charter operators were expected to submit their applications to the Orleans Parish School Board today at noon. The groups are applying for Type 1 charters, meaning they will be new school start-ups that will likely need to secure their own buildings. The School Board will award charters in December. Here are […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Inspector general rips S&WB as agency angles for huge rate hike
In a scathing denunciation of the Sewerage & Water Board, city Inspector General Ed Quatrevaux has advised Mayor Mitch Landrieu to hold off on a giant rate hike sought by the agency until key reforms have been implemented. Click here for updates to this story throughout the day No one doubts the need for infrastructure […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
The Lens: Established, engaged and leading the way
Dear friends, It’s been quite a week for The Lens. First, we were named the best local news website in the Press Club of New Orleans awards, beating nola.com. We also took top honors for best print investigative story – for the second year in a row – and for publishing the best news-affiliated blog. […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
UNO to create major newsroom, drawing work from The Lens
Working through WWNO-FM, the University of New Orleans will create a new nonprofit newsroom before the end of the year, the school announced this morning. As previously announced, The Lens and NolaVie.com have been in talks with WWNO since late last year about a collaborative relationship, and both nonprofit operations will be contributing to this […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Investigations
After storm, flood, frustration and demolition, family finally gets a home
By Bob Butler, Fellow, G.W. Williams Center for Independent Journalism, and Danielle Bell, The Lens staff writer | Seven years to the day since Jewell and Kisa Holmes moved into their first house in New Orleans, they moved into their second. What happened in between was a tale of financial confusion, pressure, bureaucracy and frustration that is sadly […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Punchline drunk: Knock-down fight at a stand-up comedy club
Weapon of choice for open mic stand-up hopefuls. Comic punchlines were interrupted by actual thrown punches last night at Carrollton Station during the weekly “Think You’re Funny?” open mic stand-up comedy show. Green performs at Carrollton Station, sans assailant. photo: Scotland Green Only 10 minutes into the program a fight erupted in the side alcove […]