Two injured in Thalia Street shooting, police say

Two men were injured Wednesday evening in a shooting in the 2100 block of Thalia, New Orleans police said. Shortly before 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, a gunman opened fire from behind a garbage can in the 2100 block of Thalia Street (near South Saratoga), according to the initial NOPD report. Two men were injured, one in his 20s and one in his 40s, the report states. “Both victims were transported to the hospital, listed in stable condition,” the report states. Further details were not immediately available.

Nude, confused woman found under overpass prompts rape investigation, police say

The discovery of a naked, confused woman walking around near the overpass at the edge of the Lower Garden and Central Business districts this weekend has prompted a rape investigation, New Orleans police said. Shortly 4:30 p.m. Friday, April 21, a passer-by spotted the 27-year-old victim walking naked near Calliope and Camp streets, according to police reports. “The victim’s speech was nonsensical,” the report states. “Officers relocated her to a local hospital where she was placed on psychological hold. The victim stated she was sexually assaulted but had no recollection of the incident.”

Political pollster Frank Luntz to discuss 2016 election at Loyola

Frank Luntz, a nationally-known pollster and political commentator, will speak about the 2016 Presidential election Thursday night at the Loyola University Institute of Politics for the annual Ed Renwick lecture. The lecture is open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 27, in the Roussel Performance Hall in the Communications building at the corner of St. Charles and Calhoun streets. For details, see the announcement from the university below:

This week at Loyola University New Orleans, public opinion guru, political pollster, and American political consultant Frank Luntz will present “Frankly Speaking: Bringing the American Political Process into Focus after the 2016 Election.” The lecture, hosted by Loyola’s acclaimed Institute of Politics as the eighth annual Ed Renwick Lecture, begins at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 27 in the Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall located in the Communications/Music Complex on Loyola’s main campus, 6363 St.

Gunman takes woman’s purse after struggle, man beaten in robbery attempt at edge of Garden District

A woman was robbed of her purse at gunpoint despite struggling with her assailant Monday night at the edge of the Garden District, and a man was beaten in a robbery attempt a block away 24 hours later, New Orleans police said. Shortly after 9 p.m. Monday, April 24, a woman in her 40s was confronted by a man with a handgun in the 1700 block of Toledano Street (near Carondelet), according to the initial NOPD report. “The subject demanded the victim’s property and she attempted to flee,” the report states. “There was a scuffle and the perpetrator managed to take the victim’s purse.” At the same time Tuesday night, a man in his 30s was at Eighth and Carondelet streets when a stranger asked for a cigarette, the report in that case states.

Owen Courreges: Mandatory affordable housing forces everyone else’s rent up

One of the first things young writers are often taught is to begin an opinion piece with a strong thesis statement. It’s all about laying your cards on the table and presenting an assertion that grabs the reader, delivering an opinion without equivocation. Thus, without further ado, here is the thesis statement of this column: Inclusionary zoning doesn’t work. Not strong enough? Ok, how about this instead: Inclusionary zoning is a counterproductive policy tool thought up by corrupt morons and adhered to by people who understand neither logic nor statistics; alas, its juvenile inanity is only matched in degree by its unwarranted popularity.

Two robberies reported an hour apart near South Claiborne, police say

One man was robbed of a gun near South Claiborne Avenue late Sunday night, and another man was robbed of his belongings farther up the Claiborne corridor an hour later, New Orleans police said. Around 11:45 p.m. Sunday, April 23, a man in his late 20s was with a male acquaintance near Martin Luther King and South Claiborne Avenue, when they were confronted by an armed man demanding money, according to a NOPD news release. “The victim stated he had no money to give,” the report states. “The male acquaintance took the victim’s gun and both subjects fled the location.” Around 12:55 a.m. Monday, a man in his late 40s was was in his vehicle in the 4100 block of South Claiborne when an armed man confronted him, the report in that case states.

Audubon Charter students beseech Orleans Parish for emergency repairs to Milan campus (live coverage)

In some classrooms at Audubon Charter School’s Milan Street campus, the air conditioner is so loud it shakes the whiteboard, and in others, it doesn’t work at all. The locks on the bathroom doors frequently malfunction, trapping students inside, and the school had to give up its library to squeeze in another classroom. After three Audubon middle school students recited a litany of discomfort Saturday morning before the school’s governing board, a top Orleans Parish School Board official promised to dedicate emergency funding within a week to some of the most pressing problems. A long-term solution to the woes of Audubon’s “temporary” campus, however, is still beyond the horizon. The students’ complaints came in the form of letters written to individual Orleans Parish School board members, read aloud before the Audubon Charter School governing board at their April meeting on Saturday morning. “Did you know that the paint on our walls is peeling, exposing the lead paint beneath?”

McMain will become charter school run by InspireNOLA, OPSB decides; no decision on Mahalia Jackson

Eleanor McMain Secondary School will become a charter school operated by the InspireNOLA network, but a decision on the future of Mahalia Jackson Elementary has been postponed for further discussion after the Orleans Parish School Board met Thursdsay night. Meanwhile, the OPSB also approved the transfer of eight charter schools back to its governance from the Recovery School District — including Lafayette and Esperanza from the Choice Foundation, Samuel J. Green and three others operated by Firstline Schools, Harney and several others. The schools will still be run by their same charter operators, but will be overseen by the OPSB instead of the RSD. For more information about the decisions, see the report from the OPSB below:

At the Orleans Parish School Board Business Meeting Thursday evening, April 20, the School Board unanimously approved the recommendation to transition Eleanor McMain Secondary School to InspireNOLA. Additionally, resolutions accepting OPSB jurisdiction of several New Orleans public schools and a motion to expand education program services to students at the New Orleans Justice Center were approved.

Suspects arrested in Spruce Street armed robbery, Family Dollar cash grab

A teenager has been arrested in connection with an armed robbery earlier this month on Spruce Street, and another man was arrested after allegedly grabbing cash out of the register of a Family Dollar store on South Carrollton, New Orleans police said. Travon Johnson, 18, is charged in connection with an April 13 armed robbery in the 7800 block of Spruce Street, in which the victim was unloading his 2002 Ford Explorer around 6:30 a.m. when an armed man pointed a gun at his face, took his keys and drove off, police said at the time. Officers in the Fifth District spotted the stolen Explorer driving in the 5100 block of St. Claude Avenue four days later and stopped it, according to NOPD reports. The victim was able to identify one of the occupants of the vehicle as the person who took it from him, and Johnson was arrested on charges of armed robbery, illegal possession of a gun by a convicted felon and illegal possession of stolen property, the report states.

Eric Johnson formally announces run for District B seat on City Council

Dr. Eric Johnson, a native New Orleanian who started a career in urban development as an aide to City Councilman Jim Singleton and has since worked in major cities around the country, made a formal announcement Thursday of his candidacy for the District B seat on the City Council that will be vacated by LaToya Cantrell’s run for mayor. Johnson planned to announce his candidacy at a private fundraiser Thursday evening, according to his campaign. Read the text of his announcement below:

Related coverage from Mid-City Messenger:
“Joe Giarrusso makes formal announcement for District A City Council seat”

Johnson is president of Urban Regeneration Advisors, an urban development firm, dedicated to providing the public, private and non-profit sectors with the tools, knowledge and strategies to develop and implement solutions to pressing urban and economic development issues. His interest in public service and policy began as a legislative aide to former City Councilman, Jim Singleton. Eric served as Director of Public Safety and Special Projects for the New Orleans Downtown Development District where he managed the NOPD contract and established the Downtown Hospitality Ranger program.