New Orleans Institute

Simple answers to simple questions  (The Lens)

On May 16, during the biggest oil “spill” in American history, Fox News anchor Britt Hume was troubled by a nagging thought: “Where is the oil?” The nation spent the next eight weeks watching the Macondo oil gusher spew into the Gulf. But now that it's been capped, many have returned to Hume's query, echoing it with a childlike sense of wonder. For example: Washington (AFP) – With BP's broken well in the Gulf of Mexico finally capped, the focus shifts to the surface clean-up and the question on everyone’s lips is: where is all the oil? Some oil has… (continued)

Baton Rouge wins big in race for federal stimulus cash  (The Lens)

A year and a half after Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal dismissed the federal stimulus as a debt-generating waste, the Pelican State has accepted about $5 billion from the program. The Congress-approved cash went to programs ranging from education grants to coastal restoration projects to software modeling of civil works programs' economic impact. In the race to secure these federal stimulus dollars, Baton Rouge received millions more than New Orleans, while Louisiana as a whole lagged behind other states. The state's haul amounts to $1,130 per resident, ranking the state 32 out of 50 according to per-capita takeaway. While Louisiana lagged… (continued)

Jail advisory group will not open meetings to the public, administration says  (The Lens)

Though top city officials have convened a group to advise on a controversial proposed expansion of the Orleans Parish Prison, the group's meetings are not open to the public because it is not a “formal working group,” Mayor Mitch Landrieu's director of intergovernmental affairs told The Lens. The Landrieu administration has “convened different stakeholders” to gather and share information, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Michael Sherman said in an interview. He said the group will present findings to the mayor's top staff and Deputy Mayor Andy Kopplin will “study the issue.” It is unclear how, beyond its freedom to ignore public meetings law,… (continued)

Vitter candidacy scarred by PTSD, among other disorders.  (The Lens)

At this moment in American history, about a third of veterans from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and military suicides are on the rise. Knowing all that, I was hoping this election year would include a frank discussion of military mental health care. Though that, apparently, was asking too much, PTSD has become something of an unexpected background factor in Louisiana’s U.S. Senate race. In June, ABC News ran a story revealing Senator Vitter's aide Brent Furer's checkered history of DUI’s and cocaine possession, as well as an incident in which the aide stabbed… (continued)

As offshore oil war continues, quieter pollution battles being fought on land  (The Lens)

Older or abandoned land-based oil and gas wells across Louisiana have given rise to a new wave of litigation. Photo by Paul Heinrich As the federal government works to hold BP accountable for cleaning up the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Louisiana regulators and residents are engaged in another battle to address decades-old pollution at oil and gas fields across the state. Landowners from Plaquemines Parish to Shreveport who lease their property for energy development have filed hundreds of lawsuits during recent years against oil and gas companies, saying their land was damaged – many years ago,… (continued)

Landrieu depending on furlough-averse City Council to balance this year’s budget  (The Lens)

Mayor Mitch Landrieu's plan to balance this year's budget relies on the cooperation of the City Council, which has already voiced serious opposition to one of his moves: furloughing city employees. In seeking approval of this year's budget, former Ray Nagin asked the council to approve a plan requiring city employees to take 12 unpaid days off this year. The council balked, forcing Nagin to make other cuts. Now Landrieu wants employees to take 11 days off in the next five months. The council will not have a say in Landrieu's furlough decision, though the Civil Service Commission needs to… (continued)

Franklin High principal to get evaluated by board annually  (The Lens)

Editor’s note: With more than three dozen charter schools in New Orleans, each run by its own board, a news organization would have to cover more than three dozen school board meetings to get a full understanding of how all schools are operating. We’ve not seen any media outlets willing or able to do that, so The Lens is stepping into the breach. This coverage is from the first meeting after we decided on our new initiative. In the future, we hope to post as many board meeting notices as possible, as well as the agendas. After four years as… (continued)

Lens: Covering charter schools  (The Lens)

With more than three dozen charter schools in New Orleans, each run by its own board, a news organzation would have to cover more than three dozen school board meetings to get a full understanding of how all schools are operating. We’ve not seen any media outlets willing or able to do that, so The Lens is stepping into the breach. We’ve also requested that each board notify us of each meeting, at least 24 hours in advance, and include the board agenda, both requirements of the state law. We plan to post a schedule of board meetings and make… (continued)

Obama moratorium may be result of being twice bitten  (The Lens)

Despite howls from South Louisiana, President Obama hasn't budged on his deepwater oil drilling moratorium, which will cost thousands of jobs.  Many people can't understand why he is so steadfast on this particular policy response to the BP oil disaster, while being somewhat flexible on other issues, such as  sand berms and skimmers. Many conservative pundits imply that Obama's slow response to the oil disaster and his drilling moratorium policy are payback to Louisiana, which voted for John McCain over Obama in 2008. It's a pretty hideous thought, to which I reply: If the President has such a vendetta against Louisiana,… (continued)

Landrieu’s group studying jail meets in private; no plans to take comments from public  (The Lens)

A mayoral advisory group examining the controversial planned expansion of the Orleans Parish Prison apparently held its first meeting recently, but Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration said the group is meeting privately and is not open to public input. “The public process will take place at City Council when they hear the recommendations,” of the group, said Devona Dolliole, Landrieu's communications director. (Note: Earlier versions of this story incorrectly quoted Dolliole referring to a “working group.”) However, the state open-meetings law applies to advisory boards. Public officials are often under the “mistaken impression if they just meet to talk about an… (continued)

Gulf Coast states lag behind other states in getting contracts for oil disaster work  (The Lens)

An overwhelming number of federal contracts related to the BP oil disaster have gone to companies outside of the area most affected by the environmental and economic catastrophe, according to data from government agencies. About $6.5 million in federal contracting money has gone to Louisiana since the Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the state's coast three months ago, according to the federal procurement database. The number represents about 12 percent of the $53.3 million that's been reported by federal agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Fish and Wildlife Service, Coast Guard and Minerals Management… (continued)

Officer connected to Serpas’ daughter totaled NOPD cruiser while driving drunk  (The Lens)

The one time live-in boyfriend of New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas' daughter is back in blue after serving an unpaid 60-day leave for totaling a NOPD car he was driving drunk. Mandy Serpas, 28, was living with Special Operations Officer Travis Ward when the accident occurred in February 2009 on the first night of Carnival parades, according to public records recently released by the NOPD in response to a public records request submitted in May. The Lens reported on the connection between the Serpas family and Ward in May, prior to Mayor Mitch Landrieu's appointment of the new… (continued)

Reduced! Fancy sink included  (The Lens)

Businessman and unsuccessful mayoral candidate John Georges put his French Quarter property on the market recently for $1.5 million. That's more than double the value the city assessor put on the property – and upon which Georges has been paying property taxes. Georges bought the property in 2006 for $800,000 and paid taxes on that amount in the next year, but the assessment has dropped since then to $617,970. He said he pays about $24,000 in taxes and insurance on the property. The recently listed Chartres Street property, which is not his residence, has a street-level boutique and an apartment… (continued)

Landrieu tightens take-home car policy  (The Lens)

Fewer city employees are expected to be fueling up take-home cars at this city gas facility on North Broad Street, one of two the city runs. As he struggles to close a $67 million budget gap, Mayor Mitch Landrieu announced a measure Thursday that likely will reduce the number – and cost – of taxpayer-subsidized take-home cars for city employees. The policy, which sets a residency requirement and requires on-call employees to really be called into work sometime, will result in more than 100 employees losing their city cars, Landrieu's top lieutenant said. As of May 24, 185 employees enjoyed… (continued)

NOPD might need consultant for password management  (The Lens)

With the city on track to blow out its budget by $67 million this year, it's obvious that some departments have been a little loose with their spending. But going over budget by 2,464 percent? And only halfway through the year? Really? That's the rate of overspending on the line-item for consultants by the New Orleans Police Department. The department had allocated $188,920 to pay for consulting for 2010, but it has already spent a whopping $4.7 million as of the end of June. What'd they spend it on? Good question. The Lens put in a public-records request Monday (Note:… (continued)

Legislators seek transparency from BP but feel snubbed  (The Lens)

Two state lawmakers who persuaded the Legislature to call for BP to provide full access to its oil-spill information now say they're frustrated with the oil giant's continued lack of compliance. Leger Richmond The state House and Senate in June unanimously passed House Concurrent Resolution 208, sponsored by New Orleans Democratic Reps. Walter Leger III and Cedric Richmond. Though it doesn't have the force of law, the measure asks that BP provide researchers, news media and the general public with all of its scientific data on the spill, particularly the rate of flow. A BP spokesman says the company is… (continued)

“We don’t ground all planes” analogy crashes and burns  (The Lens)

On March 31, President Barack Obama surprised many when he announced plans to lift oil drilling moratoriums along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts – a move described at the time as potentially the “biggest expansion of offshore energy exploration in half a century.” Three weeks later, the Deepwater Horizon rig exploded and a catastrophic oil gusher commenced. Then 10 days after that, on April 30, as the scope of the disaster widened, Obama temporarily shelved his plans to expand new offshore drilling pending a 30 day safety review. Four weeks later, Obama decided to extend the deepwater drilling moratorium six… (continued)

Landrieu ditches Nagin plan  (The Lens)

Call it the off-target plan. Mayor Mitch Landrieu is moving away from predecessor Ray Nagin's recovery strategy of pushing projects in 17 “target zones” across the city. “Frankly, it was a previous administration's plan,” mayoral spokesman Ryan Berni said. Berni acknowledged today that Landrieu has yet to finish his own recovery plan. His administration is assessing the 655 projects that Nagin began, but until more is known, it is tough to talk about a cohesive strategy, Berni said. Since taking office in May, Landrieu has been clear that the city needs to rethink its $1.5 billion rebuilding plan – mainly… (continued)

Landrieu fills position for environmental affairs after all  (The Lens)

Though Mayor Mitch Landrieu's administration initially was vague on whether it would continue to have an Office of Environmental Affairs during the nation's largest oil disaster, the position has now been filled. Charles Allen, formerly at Tulane University in the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research, started running the office two weeks ago. Allen is a Xavier University undergrad and received his master's degree in public health from Tulane in 1998. Allen helped form the Lower 9th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development post-Katrina, an organization dedicated to the rebuilding of the Lower 9th Ward. Check back at The Lens… (continued)

Imagineering an oil disaster  (The Lens)

I drove my wife and daughters to Florida to see relatives and have a little holiday in the sun. Tomorrow we'll visit Disney World, where we'll delight in sterile fantasies and admire the Magic Kingdom's “Imagineering”. Don't worry. We'll take a lot of pictures, just in case. In the meantime, I wanted to recommend this Sports Illustrated piece on the oil disaster. Please read it in full, if you haven't done so already. It skillfully weaves important larger facts about the disaster into a personal, human narrative which puts the “world of sports” into its proper context. For me, the… (continued)

Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance Revision Meeting Schedule 

The City Planning Commission is holding a series of planning district public meetings for the revision of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, which regulates the use of land throughout New Orleans. Please attend the Planning District meeting for your area and please pass this message on to your association memberships and neighbors. Thank you! You may obtain the meeting information at www.nolamasterplan.org or www.neworleansmatters.org (continued)

Old Earhart plan causes new concerns among neighbors about appropriateness  (The Lens)

The intersection of Earhart Boulevard and Carrollton Avenue has reduced Earhart to a single lane temporarily. Few people would argue that the 1.3-mile bone-jarring portion of Earhart Boulevard from Jefferson Parish into the Gert Town neighborhood was sorely in need of improvement. But neighbors in the area have a host of questions over whether the $8.9-million, 16-year-old plan now being executed – suddenly brought to life through last year's federal stimulus package – reflects either the post-Katina needs of the smaller population or the evolved thinking of urban roadway planning: * Are six lanes still necessary where there used to… (continued)

The Small Print  (The Lens)

Tossing out more blight – It seems the Housing Authority of New Orleans is finally doing something about one of the city's many scattered sites. Christopher Park, a largely abandoned housing complex in Algiers, is being considered for demolition. You may remember Christopher Park for another reason: In January, community organizers and reporters found file cabinets full of confidential tenant information in one of rooms of the decrepit complex. Since then, HANO removed the information, but the building still stood, even though HANO rendered it unfit for habitation prior to Katrina. Tearing down these buildings means activity in the 100-year… (continued)

Prison expansion on hold until advisory group speaks out  (The Lens)

In response to community concerns, the New Orleans City Council on Thursday said it will delay final action to let the Orleans Parish Sheriff greatly expand his prison. Though council members approved a zoning matter for the prison Thursday, they said they will wait to vote on a related measure until a newly formed mayoral advisory group studies the issue and makes a recommendation. In advance of the council meeting, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a statement asking that the council reject the plan to increase the capacity to more than 5,800 beds. That statement came after a report… (continued)

Juveniles face sexual abuse in state prisons, report says  (The Lens)

More than 16 percent of youth incarcerated in Louisiana's largest juvenile jail told federal officials that they were sexually abused while imprisoned, according to a report issued Thursday by a New Orleans nonprofit. The rate of abuse reported at the Swanson Center for Youth in Monroe is higher than the national average of 12 percent, according to the Juvenile Justice Project of Louisiana report.  Disproportionately targeted for abuse are gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender youth, which account for roughly 15 percent of the 450 juveniles incarcerated annually in Louisiana, according to the report. The report (click here) relies on statistics… (continued)

Twilight for Gulf Coast  (The Lens)

Ten weeks into the oil gusher, Coast Guard officials claim more oil response assets are “urgently” required, and their need for more skimmers approaches “critical mass.” What a timely assessment! Can Professor Prompt award them all honorary degrees for foresight? And then the Obama administration informs us that the screening process to assess offers of assistance from foreign countries takes four to six weeks, and this week told  everyone that the world’s biggest superskimmer has finally arrived from Portugal. Whale of an idea, that. Again, it's more than 70 days into this mess. The White House was pro-active on some… (continued)

Missing money … still missing  (The Lens)

Update: City Council President Arnie Fielkow has asked New Orleans Inspector General Ed Quatrevaux to investigate the missing $16.7 million from the city's Urban Development Action Grant program, he said Thursday. After a month of investigation, City Hall officials have failed to find documentation of $16.7 million loaned by previous administrations to private businesses but never repaid, Deputy Mayor of Facilities, Infrastructure, and Community Development Cedric Grant told members of the City Council. The information is “a lot harder to find” than other financial records, Grant said at a meeting of the City Council Budget Committee on Wednesday afternoon. At… (continued)