Despite state mandate to keep students in class, some schools continue to have high suspension rates
High suspension rates plague New Orleans schools. Seven years after an attempt to lower them, educators see little progress.
Category
Investigations
In-depth reporting that uncovers the truth behind complex issues affecting New Orleans and beyond. This category features stories grounded in evidence, accountability, and public interest—where photography and journalism come together to reveal what’s often hidden in plain sight.
Drivers rejoice: FEMA and city find a way to start fixing neighborhood streets damaged by Katrina floodwaters
Tens of millions of new federal dollars are about flow into neighborhoods to fix one of the least sexy but most widely felt problem since Hurricane Katrina: The streets we love to hate.
Pioneer of urban farm and school learns lessons of his own, hopes struggles lead to success
An idealistic New Yorker last year drew praise and donations for his urban farm and alternative school in the Lower 9th Ward, but after barely making it through the year, he admits he has a lot to learn.
Overmedicating young inmates called chemical restraint
Antipsychotic drugs like Seroquel, developed specifically for bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, are being prescribed to manage young inmates without either disorder, despite dangerous side effects.
Questions surround DA's decision to drop charges in gun-waving cop's case
Ex-cop Devyn Swanier lost his job but not his liberty. The young man he bullied thinks justice has not been served. Experts are split on the question.
Workplace deaths raise questions about OSHA experiment in self-regulation
A federal program rewards companies that profess a commitment to exemplary safety standards. The commitment, however, has not meant an end to workplace fatalities.
Crackdown on Lower Garden District blight outs cop with dual homestead exemptions
Organizer who specialized in catastrophe conferences admits to financial disasters
A self-described "philanthropist-entrepreneur" specializes in disaster conferences, drawing high-powered speakers but leaving behind-the-scenes contractors looking for a paycheck.
Shining a light: One month's NOPD disciplinary proceedings
From letters of reprimand to firing, a month's disciplinary measures at the NOPD punished a host of infractions — including napping in a patrol car, wrongful arrest and failure to follow up on leads.
Despite health fears, trailers are housing disaster victims
FEMA trailers that sheltered New Orleanians after Katrina after back in service on the resale market, despite health warnings and a government ban on their use as housing.
