In philosophy, empiricism is a theory of knowledge that asserts that knowledge arises from sense experience. Looking through the most recently released e-mails out of Mayor Ray Nagin’s office, it is interesting that he feels the need to define his post-Katrina role: “I am leading this city to full recovery.” In the e-mail to a […]
Category: Government & Politics
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Louisiana House District 93: Feel the excitement!
Forget the Saints off-season. Pay no mind to HBO’s “Treme.” Real New Orleanians are spending day and night anticipating the May 1 special election to fill the House District 93 seat in the Louisiana Legislature. That seat, which includes the Central Business District and parts of the French Quarter, Treme, Irish Channel, Garden District, Mid-City, […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Investigations
Possible contract-selection shenanigans could shift AIDS patients away from providers
The New Orleans Regional AIDS Planning Council, a public body that sets annual priorities for spending millions in federal money, may have improperly gotten involved in recommending a recipient of that money: a member of the council. Aside from the possible conflict of interest, the new contract also has consequences for the patients themselves. That’s […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
If you worked at City Hall, you’d be home now
Mayor Ray Nagin announced his decision in January to close city offices indefinitely on Friday, groans were heard far and wide. Need a construction permit? That’ll have to wait until Monday. Want to file your homestead exemption? Talk to a City Council member? Hold those thoughts. It seemed like the only people not rolling their […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
What do you want to ask Landrieu about chief search?
Mayor-elect Mitch Landrieu plans a 3:30 p.m. press conference today to discuss his controversial search for a new police chief as well as other matters related to his transition. What would you like The Lens to ask him? Send you thoughts in an e-mail to editor@TheLensNola.org and we’ll do our best to get them answered. […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Council president seeks oversight for economic development loans
City Council President Arnie Fielkow plans to introduce an ordinance this week that would require council approval for all loans from the Urban Development Action Grant fund, increasing public oversight of a development subsidy most recently awarded to Zulu organization and the Inspire entertainment complex in the Seventh Ward. The UDAG program is a loan […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Landrieu transition team: We're not required to follow state sunshine laws
Mayor-elect Mitch Landrieu’s spokesman said late Monday that the transition team “strives to follow” the state open-meetings statues, “though it is not required to do so by law.” Spokesman Todd Ragusa was addressing a point raised earlier Monday by Norman Francis, Xavier University president and one of two leaders of Landrieu’s task force to vet […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Mysterious “recovery board” made key decision on project
For all who were wondering who made up the “recovery board” that decided to pull the plug on a contract to develop a long-awaited linear park in New Orleans, The Lens has obtained an answer. Sort of. According to Mayor Ray Nagin spokesman James Ross, the executive branch board is comprised of “staff members who […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Land Use
Like Zulu, nightclub developer may get loan from city
The proposal calls for the former Liberty Hardware Store to become retail on the ground level and a members-only club upstairs. Update: The Thursday City Council meeting where these loans were to be considered has been postponed. The matters likely will be taken up by the council Tuesday at 10 a.m. The oversized check Mayor […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
That old-mayor odor
I saw this quote from Mayor C. Ray Nagin’s interview with CNN: We have this kind of idealism that at some point people are going to understand what we’ve been doing. It’s almost like an underground movement. We’ve been working underground to make sure that this city can fully recover with the hope that at […]