Carrollton neighbors back “Marsalis Unity Park” as the new name for Palmer Park

The Carrollton area neighbors of Palmer Park agreed on “Marsalis Unity Park” as a new name for the park at a meeting hosted by Carrollton United.
Palmer Park, which sits at the corner of Carrollton and Claiborne avenues, is currently named after the Rev. Benjamin Palmer, a 19th century minister who was a staunch vocal supporter of both slavery and the Confederacy.

Traffic advisory: Temporary road closure of Broadway extended through mid-June

From the Mayor’s Office

Due to weather and construction-related delays, the 3100 block of Broadway Street between Earhart Boulevard and Colapissa Street will remain closed through mid-June 2021. Department of Public Works contractor Wallace C. Drennan Construction Co. will continue sewer-line replacement operations as part of the Marlyville-Fontainebleau Group C infrastructure improvement project. View the original project presentation with more information on the construction here. Residents and commuters are reminded to use caution when driving, bicycling and walking near the construction site.

School Board takes steps to replace the Fortier name

The Alcée Fortier school building on Freret Street, now home to Lusher Charter School, will be renamed soon, according to NOLA Public Schools. 

Alcée Fortier High School closed in 2006, but Fortier’s name remains with the building that now serves as Lusher’s secondary school campus. The OPSB has the authority to change the outward facing name on any of its buildings but cannot change the school name, which is designated by the charter management organization. 

Lusher Charter School itself is named for Robert Mills Lusher, a Confederate official and fervent supporter of school segregation. A name change has long been discussed, but Lusher’s board, the Advocates for Arts Based Education, has not publicly stated whether it is considering a new name. Alcée Fortier, a late-19th and early-20th century writer, language professor and Tulane University administrator, was also known as a white supremacist. He praised the work of Robert Lusher and viewed public support for the education of White children as a means of fortifying White dominance, according to the NOLA-PS Renaming Committee. 

Fortier was among the White League fighters in the 1874 Battle of Liberty Place, an unsuccessful attempt to overthrow the state government because of its commitment to racial equality.

Viewpoint: State Police presence is only a Band-Aid to cover the city’s real crime problem

Operation Golden Eagle, the new collaborative partnership between the Louisiana State Police and the New Orleans Police Department, began Tuesday (June 1). Though Mayor LaToya Cantrell is unable to quantify exactly how many state troopers are participating, both she and NOPD Superintendent Shaun D. Ferguson are quick to note that the emphasis is on “constitutional policing.”  The State Police officers will also be working in crime-ridden neighborhoods outside the French Quarter.  

NORD’s outdoor pools are opening for the summer

The New Orleans Recreation Development Commission outdoor pools are opening for the summer on Monday (June 7) with free summer swim lessons and other aquatic activities. 

Programming at select pools includes open swim, lap swimming, water aerobics and swim lessons. All programming is available free of charge to New Orleans residents. This summer, NORD has 10 season pools and three year-round pools open throughout the city. Four are currently closed. Swimmers have to plan ahead to use the pools — reservations are required for open swim times and lap swimming as well as for classes.

Suspects sought in Broadmoor vehicle theft, Irish Channel shooting

The New Orleans Police Department has obtained arrest warrants in two crimes committed in Uptown neighborhoods. Kevin Lee, 43, is wanted for a vehicle theft that occurred on May 4. Lee is accused of taking an acquaintance’s car keys after she fell asleep around 2:30 a.m. Her Honda SUV was stolen from the 3700 block of South Roman Street. On May 23, NOPD Sixth District detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Darryl Jones, 33, for aggravated battery by shooting and convicted felon in possession of a firearm. A photo of Jones was not available, police said.