Viewpoint: Before Kamala Harris, a very long battle for women in politics

U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris’ selection as the 2020 Democratic vice presidential nominee — and potentially the most consequential vice president in American history — is the crowning glory of more than 150 years of incredible work by countless suffragists who first fought for the right to vote and later battled for unfettered access to the top echelons of U.S. government. Though Hillary Clinton, Geraldine Ferraro, Shirley Chisholm and others mightily aspired to reach the White House, polls currently show that the Biden-Harris team has more than a fighting chance to meet that goal. As America remembers the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment, which cracked open the doors for Harris and many others, there is no better way to celebrate than registering a friend or family member to vote. History tells us that the national women’s suffrage movement began in 1848 at the Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, New York, which was organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott and Mary Ann McClintock.   

The suffrage movement started a little later in Louisiana because of an antebellum-influenced view of the Southern lady, delicate as a magnolia blossom in the spring.  Southern males believed the women’s rights movement could only be attributed to an inferior Northern culture and likened it to abolitionism.  Equality of the sexes was a blatant disregard of social distinctions, according to author Armantine M. Smith writing in the Louisiana Law Review. In 1861 men began leaving home to fight in the Civil War, thereby compelling womenfolk to take the lead in caring for children and the elderly.

Victims identified in Olive Street, MLK Boulevard homicides

The Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office has identified the victims of two recent homicides in Uptown neighborhoods. Cleve Baham, was shot to death in Gert Town on Friday (Aug. 7), according to police reports. Officers responding to a report of shots fired in the 7900 block of Olive Street at 9:10 p.m. found Baham suffering from gunshot wounds. The Emergency Medical Service took him to the hospital, where he died.

Police blotter: Carjacking, two robberies

A carjacking and two robberies were reported in Uptown neighborhoods over the weekend, according to the New Orleans Police Department. A woman was carjacked Sunday afternoon in Central City, the NOPD reported. A man shoved the 28-year-old victim to the ground at South Tonti Street and Martin Luther King Boulevard at about 1:30 p.m., the report states. He then took her keys and fled in her car. The police report states the NOPD knows the identity of the assailant, but his name was not provided.

Viewpoint: Gusman says additional health care facilities could save lives at parish prison

Armed with the ruling yesterday (Aug. 5) by U.S. District  Judge Lance Africk, which returned control of the Orleans Justice Center to Sheriff Marlin Gusman, the sheriff said he is moving ahead with his push to build a new facility to house inmates with severe health and mental health needs and to repurpose Templeman V as a temporary facility for COVID-19 inmates. “I’m trying to save lives,” said Sheriff Marlin Gusman after Wednesday’s ruling, as he discussed plans for new or repurposed health facilities for prisoners. 

Court-appointed monitors reported in July that the OPSO was in partial or substantial compliance with the majority of federal reform provisions. Though Judge Africk returned control of the Orleans Justice Center to Gusman, the consent decree continues. 

On Wednesday, Gusman said his immediate concern is containing the spread of the coronavirus within the prison walls. “NOPD officers are bringing known COVID-19 positive patients to the Orleans Justice Center,” Gusman said.

Viewpoint: Nuns at Xavier Prep set Judge Piper Griffin on her path

As she campaigns to become the second Black female and third Black jurist to serve on the Louisiana Supreme Court, Civil District Court Judge Piper Griffin, 58, credits the nurturing she received during her teen years at Xavier Prep for her courage and tenacity. “The nuns told me I could do anything if I put my mind to it, and I believed them,” said Judge Griffin. Her first dream, however, was to become an astronaut. “I loved exploring and being exposed to different things,” she said. When Judge Griffin began college at the University of Notre Dame, she realized aerospace engineering was not her forte.

NOPD: Vehicle of interest, occupants sought in homicide investigation

The NOPD is seeking to locate a vehicle and its occupants in the investigation of a homicide that occurred on July 26 at the intersection of Fourth Street and South Claiborne Avenue. On the listed date, NOPD Sixth District officers responded to a shooting at the listed location. A male subject was discovered at the location suffering from several gunshot wounds and later was pronounced deceased. The pictured vehicle is believed to have been used by the unknown perpetrators in this incident. It is believed to be an early 2000s BMW X5 SUV, likely to have significant damage to the rear bumper area.

Forward New Orleans for Public Schools releases platform for school board elections

Forward New Orleans for Public Schools seeks candidate pledges on issues to improve educational opportunities and outcomes. FNOPS is a coalition of civic, business, and neighborhood organizations committed to increasing the number of quality public school options and ensuring equal access to quality education citywide. The coalition released an issue-based platform ahead of the Orleans Parish School Board elections scheduled for Nov. 3. The platform establishes issues FNOPS defines as most important to improving educational opportunities and outcomes for New Orleans public school students.

Sponsored: Judge Terri Love for Supreme Court

Dear Friend,

After 5 years as a Civil District Court Judge in Orleans Parish and 20 years as a Judge on the Louisiana Fourth Circuit Court of Appeal, I look forward to the honor and opportunity to serve our state as a member of our highest court, the Louisiana Supreme Court. If you missed our official “virtual” announcement on the Committee to Elect Judge Terri Love Facebook page, click to watch the video below. Please share our exciting news! 
In addition to our announcement, visit my campaign committee’s website, judgeterrilove.com, to learn more about me and my campaign. I hope I can count on your support and vote.