New Orleans city officials are aggressively pushing back against a “devastating” proposed $15 million cut to inpatient mental health and substance abuse services now being offered at LSU Interim Hospital. The cuts were included in Gov. Bobby Jindal’s recent budget, and they are part of an effort to close a $251 million state budget shortfall […]
Category: Government & Politics
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Talk about a bit of chutzpah: Asking for overtime after being caught gambling
As I recall, the quintessential example of “chutzpah” is when a kid kills his parents over and over again but keeps expecting different results. This statue shows Einstein on a bench, probably during working hours, imagining the advent of video poker. Photo by maveric2003 via Flickr, under Creative Commons license Now… that’s always seemed like […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Yet again, GOP voters go whole hog for ‘anybody but Romney’
Rick Santorum on the campaign trail: the latest Romney option. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr Creative Commons) Back in December, I advised my vast army of readers to bet on unusual permutations in the 2012 Republican primaries. So imagine this post being typed on an imaginary aircraft carrier, with a banner behind the author declaring “Weirdness Accomplished.” Tuesday […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
NORD Commission picks new director; interim chief kept after national search
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission tonight appointed interim director Vic Richard as its new chief executive after a special hearing where the four finalists were interviewed. All but one member of the commission, Bobby Garron, who abstained, voted for Richard’s appointment. The commission hired a headhunter […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Land Use
Because of Winn-Dixie: City lets grocery add vehicle crossing over pedestrian greenway
Click to enlarge. The city has agreed to let Winn-Dixie cross the proposed Lafitte Greenway in one direction, from the mail lot into the satellite lot, despite objections from greenway supporters. Map courtesy of Google Maps. By Ariella Cohen and Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writers | Over the objections of Lafitte Greenway advocates, Mayor Mitch Landrieu […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
NOPD ends controversial practice of releasing criminal records of homicide victims
Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas announced today he will no longer release the arrest records of homicide victims, reversing a controversial and unevenly applied practice.
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Anxious Algiers residents seek answers to crime day after Samaritan killed in carjacking
By Kelsey Foster, The Lens contributing writer | A day after a good Samaritan was shot and killed while trying to stop a carjacking in Algiers Point, a beefed-up police presence was evident in the usually quiet West Bank neighborhood, as police cars trolled the streets and a helicopter circled above. But the efforts of […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
NORD finalist asks for public discussion
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | One of the finalists to run the city’s recreation program asked this week that a discussion of his candidacy be held in public, rather than in a closed-door session of the screening committee, city records show. Two days after that request, a subcommittee of the New Orleans […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Despite recent practices, NOPD silent on arrest record of Samaritan killed in Algiers
Update, 2:35: The city, through its Nola Ready alert system, has released the victim’s criminal record. By Karen Gadbois, The Lens staff writer | In what appears to be a departure from the recent New Orleans Police Department practice of releasing criminal records of homicide victims, the department has not released the arrest record […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Mayor, independent NORD commission reach same conclusion; 4 to interview for top job
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | A subcommittee of the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission aiming to recommend a new chief executive insisted this afternoon that it is independent, despite following Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s latest wishes on the issue to the letter. An assistant city attorney working with the subcommittee also appeared to […]