By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | A subcommittee of the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission aiming to appoint a new chief executive adjourned a meeting this afternoon without taking any action, after activist attorney Tracie Washington raised fresh concerns about whether the subcommittee had followed public meetings law. Two city councilwomen have now […]
Search results
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Council members criticize Serpas for releasing arrest records of homicide victims
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas defended his department’s approach to stemming homicide in New Orleans before a meeting of the City Council’s Criminal Justice Committee this afternoon. The number of homicides rose by 14 percent during Serpas’ first full year in command from 175 in 2010 to 199 in […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Deputy charged after inmate's suicide
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro has charged former Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Deputy William Thompson with malfeasance in office after the deputy allegedly abandoned his post, allowing an inmate on suicide watch to kill himself. Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman issued a warrant for Thompson’s arrest on Aug. 17. […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Recreation Commission sets important meeting tonight, but doesn't comply with law
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Update, 7:28 p.m.: Landrieu’s spokesman Ryan Berni says the meeting has been rescheduled for tomorrow, January 18, at 5 p.m., after all. To clarify, a meeting of the recreation commission foundation was rescheduled. The executive search committee will meet in the Office of Homeland Security conference room […]
Posted inLand Use
Tulane quest to rezone 'peripheral' properties dominates Master Plan hearing
The Planning Commission as well as the general public logged late hours at City Hall Tuesday night. The occasion was an Amendments to the Master Plan meeting, and while it kicked off smartly at 6 p.m., it didn’t break up until 10. The recently adopted Master Plan has a provision that allows the public to […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics
Nationwide search costing tens of thousands could find NORD boss is already here
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | A search firm paid $42,000 to find a new city recreation director warned officials today that the longer they take to make a decision, the more likely they are to hire the interim director already in place. The more time the process takes, the less rival candidates […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Earlier French Quarter curfew for youths gets mixed reaction; Council set to vote Thursday
Correction: The start time for the proposed weekend curfew was incorrect in an earlier version of this article. By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Some New Orleans City Council members and Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas faced accusations of racism and unequal law enforcement this afternoon over plans to expand a curfew in the […]
Posted inCriminal Justice
Sheriff: Jail will have more inmates in 2012
By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Orleans Parish Sheriff Marlin Gusman expects to increase the number of inmates in his jail from 3,100 to 3,400 next year, he said during a public hearing Friday. Gusman confirmed the expected increase even as an advisory group assembled by Mayor Mitch Landrieu is working to set […]
Posted inOpinion
Saluting Occupy NOLA, a movement as quirky as our schizoid city
By Tiffany Marceaux, The Lens contributing opinion writer | On Oct. 6 I arrived at Duncan Plaza for Occupy NOLA’s first General Assembly with revolution in my heart. And I wasn’t the only one. Nearly 400 people from all over the city had gathered, and the excitement was palpable. A change was coming—we could feel […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics, Investigations
Deputies working private, off-duty details pay into fund used by sheriff for questionable discretionary spending
A lucrative private-security program staffed by deputies provides Sheriff Marlin Gusman with about $100,000 in discretionary money that he uses for questionable expenditures.
