city government

City drops security-guard requirement for Verret’s Lounge, allowing sale to wine bar

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The city’s alcohol board freed Verret’s Lounge on Washington Avenue this week from a requirement that it keep a security guard on site following a fatal shooting inside the bar last year, clearing the way for the business to be sold to new owners who add more of a wine focus to the menu. Verret’s owner Powell Miller returned to the city’s Alcohol Beverage Control board on Tuesday, April 18, for his third time in six months, asking again to be released from the agreement the bar signed with the city last year to keep its doors open following the fatal Jan. 31 shooting of 42-year-old Gregory Young inside the bar. In February, Miller told the alcohol board that he wanted to sell the bar to Joanne Close, but that the security-guard requirement was an excessive expense that the new owners did not want to be responsible for. Young’s shooting was the result of an interpersonal dispute between him and someone else, not any misbehavior that began inside the bar, Miller said.

crime

Advance Auto Parts on South Claiborne robbed at knife point

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The Advance Auto Parts on South Claiborne Avenue was robbed of merchandise at knifepoint on Wednesday morning, New Orleans police said. A man walked into the store at 2600 South Claiborne around 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, April 20, and “picked up two auto craft tow sets valued at $49.99 each,” according to the initial NOPD report. “The cashier attempted to approach the subject as he was exiting,” the report states. “The subject turned toward the cashier and displayed a knife which was in his right hand. The subject then fled the location.”

Man shot on Danneel Street, police say

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A man was shot Wednesday afternoon on Danneel Street at the edge of Central City, New Orleans police said. The shooting took place at Danneel and Toledano streets, said NOPD spokeswoman Dawne Massey around 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 19. “The initial report states there is one male victim,” Massey said. “No further details are available at this time.” Anyone with information is urged to call the NOPD Sixth District station at 658-6060 to speak to a detective, or CrimeStoppers at 822-1111 to leave an anonymous tip that could be eligible for a cash reward.

business

Family Dollar cashier takes a bite out of criminal, police say

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A robbery suspect escaped the Family Dollar on South Carrollton with an unknown amount of cash from the register, but not before the cashier trapped his hand and bit his arm, New Orleans police said. The man entered the Family Dollar at 3612 South Carrollton shortly before 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 16, and asked the cashier for change for a dollar, but she said told him he had to wait until the register was already open, according to the NOPD report. After completing a transaction with another customer, the register drawer opened, and the man stuck his hand in to grab money, the report states. “The cashier then closed the drawer, trapping the suspect’s hand,” the report states. “The cashier then bit the individual on the left arm, before the individual fled the store onto Palm Street in the direction of Leonidas Street.”

city government

Delachaise Neighborhood to explore tax-based security district

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After two homicides so far this year just blocks apart in the nearby Milan neighborhood, members of the Delachaise Neighborhood Association decided Tuesday night to begin exploring the idea of a tax-funded security and improvement district to pay for extra police patrols. The formal boundaries of the Delachaise Neighborhood Association are between St. Charles Avenue and South Saratoga Street (between Louisiana Avenue and Marengo Street), and the members of the group paid voluntarily for an off-duty NOPD officer to patrol the area a few hours a week for years. As people who contributed to the fund dwindled, however, the association gradually disbanded the patrol effort. “It could never afford to do much, and we eventually just let it slide,” recalled association member Andrew Nahm.

Armed robberies reported on Valmont, Clara streets, police say

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Back-to-back armed robberies were reported Friday evening on Valmont and Clara streets, New Orleans police said. Shortly after 8:30 p.m. Friday, April 14, a man in his mid-20s was walking in the 2500 block of Valmont Street when someone grabbed him by the neck from behind and pointed a black revolver at him, according to the initial NOPD report. “The subject demanded the victim’s property,” the report states. “The victim complied and the subject fled in a newer model red 4-door Hyundai on Valmont towards the river in possession of the victim’s wallet and backpack.” About 8:50 p.m., two women in their 20s were walking in the 5100 block of Clara Street when a man grabbed one of them and pointed a black-and-silver pistol at them, ordering them to the ground, the report in that case states.

Bar association to sponsor free legal fair Saturday

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The Young Lawyers’ Section of the New Orleans Bar Association will sponsor a free legal fair Saturday in Carrollton, the group announced. The legal fair will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 22, at the AARP Community Resource Center at 3502 South Carrollton, according to the announcement.

crime

Victim identified in fatal shooting on Freret Street

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The victim in last week’s fatal shooting on Freret Street in the Milan neighborhood has been identified as a 26-year-old man, according to the Orleans Parish Coroner. Kelvin Stevenson, 26, died of gunshot wounds following the shooting Wednesday, April 12, in the 3700 block of Freret Street, according to Coroner Jeffrey Rouse’s office. Stevenson was found in the driver’s seat of a white, four-door Acura parked in the block, and he died after being taken to the hospital, police said at the time. Anyone with information is urged to call the NOPD Homicide Division at 504-658-5300 to speak to a detective, or CrimeStoppers at 822-1111 to leave an anonymous tip that could be eligible for a cash reward.

crime

Man robbed of vehicle at gunpoint on Spruce Street; pedestrian robbed on South Jefferson Davis Parkway

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One man was robbed of his vehicle at gunpoint early Thursday morning, and a teen walking on South Jefferson Davis Parkway was robbed of his belongings that evening, New Orleans police said. Around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, April 13, a man in his 40s was getting his things out of his vehicle in the 7800 block of Spruce Street (near Burdette Street) when he was confronted by a man with a gun, according to the initial NOPD report. The gunman took the victim’s vehicle and left, the report states. Shortly before 11 p.m., an 18-year-old was walking in the 1000 block of South Jefferson Davis Parkway when a man approached him “implying a weapon,” according to the report in that case. “The subject demanded the victim’s backpack, watch and cellphone,” the report states.

city government

District B City Council race draws another contender

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With City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell now officially in the race for mayor of New Orleans, the contenders for her open District B seat are beginning to line up, with political consultant Timothy David Ray the latest name to join the race. Timothy David Ray, an attorney and political consultant, has begun quietly campaigning for the seat, handing out campaign materials at community events directing voters to his website, timothydavidray.com. In his legal career, Ray has represented the the Animal Legal Defense Fund, and teaches mediation courses at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany, as well as serves as an adjunct in the political science department at the University of New Orleans, according to his website. Among the past clients of Ray’s consulting firm are former District E City Councilman Freddie Charbonnet, Judges Monique Barial and Ben Willard, former Judge Yolanda King, and judicial candidates Dennis Moore and Clint Smith. Among other candidates, Eric Johnson has said he is definitely running for the seat.