In Plaquemines Parish, “residents live with disasters,” Richard A. Blink Jr. said Friday, the two-year anniversary of the BP oil spill. But as Blink and others pointed out, some residents live with disaster better than others, and indeed, the oil disaster affected residents differently. Blink, a small-business owner, was among those attending the release of […]
Category: Government & Politics
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Local acro-gymnasts go for glory in Orlando World Championships
Acro-gymnastics demands a partnership that combines strength and technical precision with the musicality of dance. credit: wikipedia As work continues on the longer-form topics mentioned in previous posts, here are two notes about local sports news: 1) New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson purchased the New Orleans Hornets basketball team last week, having convinced NBA […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Land Use
City contractor accused in kickback deal is set to plead guilty and is cooperating
As expected, a one-time city contractor facing federal charges in a Nagin-era kickback scheme is cooperating with investigators and is set to plead guilty next week, according to his attorney and U.S. Attorney Jim Letten’s office. Earl Myers, who ran Myers & Sons and Excel Development contracting services, stands accused of collecting more money than […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Investigations, Land Use
Despite $200,000 in recovery grants, Treme mansion faces demolition
Whether a Treme house gets demolished or purposely dismantled — in spite of the city’s stop-work order — it’s clear that thousands in rebuilding money isn’t saving an architectural gem.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Land Use
Demolition order raises tricky question: When is a rundown shotgun really a signpost?
By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writer | One of the great philosophical conundrums of our time played out before the Neighborhood Conservation Committee this week: when is a house a billboard (and vice versa.) At issue was the city’s desire to demolish a blighted Ninth Ward shotgun alongside the old concrete bridge that carries […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Sheriff finds job for chief judge's wife despite lack of appraisal experience
Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman hired the wife of Municipal Court Chief Judge Paul Sens as a real-estate appraiser about the same time the judge hired Gusman’s wife.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Does mob cooperation with the feds happen only in the movies?
Mutual infiltrators Damon, left, and DiCaprio duke it out in Scorsese’s “The Departed.” credit: Warner Bros. Referring to my post on the online rants that cost Sal Perricone his job as a federal prosecutor, a reader asked: “Mr. Moseley of ‘The Lens’: I don’t mean any disrespect, but could you just speak ‘plain English’?” Lo […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Schools
OPEN releases People's Agenda for wide range of continuing education reforms
By Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer | The Orleans Public Education Network will release a set of community recommendations on education reform today. The report, titled The People’s Agenda, addresses several key topics, including recommendations for early childhood education, teacher recruitment and retention, and creating school and community partnerships. The report gives recommendations to […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
New Orleans tightens rules on who gets the boot – and parking revenues soar
By Tom Gogola, The Lens staff writer | Feel like the city’s got a boot on your neck? How about on your tire? There’s a reason why. In the past year, New Orleans parking officials have become much more aggressive in the use of devices that immobilize cars with outstanding parking tickets. “[W]e used to […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Johns usually stay secret, but not Vitter – and now Edwards
John Edwards is making headlines, again, for allegedly being a … john. The New York City crime news site DNAinfo reports that a prostitute claims she serviced Edwards while working for Anna Gristina, the “Millionaire Madam,” during one of Edward’s campaign fundraising trips to the city in 2007. You may recall that, after his unsuccessful […]