Man attacked in Nelson Street carjacking

A man standing next to his car was hit in the head from behind by two attackers who took his car on Nelson Street early Wednesday morning, New Orleans police said. The victim, a man in his 30s, was standing next to his gold 2001 Buick Le Sabre in the 8200 block of Nelson Street (near Dante) around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 13, when the two assailants approached from behind, according to the initial NOPD report. They hit him in the back of the head, and then drove off in his car, the report states. Further details were not immediately available.

Woman sought in Magazine Street shooting investigation

A woman believed to have fled the scene of a shooting last month on Magazine Street is now wanted on an obstruction-of-justice charge, New Orleans police said. Bionka Fobbs, 26, is believed to have been at the scene of the Aug. 25 shooting at Magazine and St. Mary, and have left in a beige 2008 Mazda MZ6 with black rims with Louisiana license plate “ZCF 759,” according to a NOPD news release. A stylist from the nearby Stardust salon was wounded in the mid-afternoon gunfire, and the incident was later classified as an attempted second-degree murder, police said.

Starbucks plans “early 2018” opening for Freret Street

The new Starbucks planned for the former Village Coffee building at the Uptown entrance to the Freret Street commercial corridor is scheduled to open in “early 2018,” according to the real-estate agents that negotiated the deal. The store will be on Freret at the corner of Jefferson Avenue, in the two-story building that was home to Village Coffee. Starbucks has announced a plan to open 12,000 new locations across the world in the next four years, bringing its total number of international locations to 37,000, according to USA Today. Jonathan Fawer of Corporate Realty represented Starbucks in the search for the Freret Street location, one of 55 locations he has assisted the company with around the Gulf South since 2002, according to an announcement from Corporate Realty. Starbucks is still looking for more possible locations in the region, focusing on free-standing locations of 2,200 square feet with a preference for drive-through possibilities.

Teen injured in General Taylor Street shooting, police say

A teenager walking on General Taylor Street was struck several times in a shooting late Monday afternoon, New Orleans police said. The victim, who is 18, was walking in the 2400 block of General Taylor (near Freret Street) around 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 11, when someone began shooting at him, according to the initial NOPD report. He was hit multiple times and taken to the hospital by ambulance, the report states. Further details were not immediately available.

Weekend robbery incidents reported on Broad and Simon Bolivar, police say

One man fended off a carjacking attempt Friday afternoon on South Broad Street, but another man was robbed at gunpoint that night on Simon Bolivar Avenue, New Orleans police said. Around 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, a man in his 30s was in his vehicle on South Broad near Erato Street when an unknown woman got in, drew a black semi-automatic handgun and ordered him to drive to a specific location while starting to go through his pockets, according to the initial NOPD report. A struggle ensued, and the woman ended up getting out of the car without any of his belongings, the report states. Around 1 a.m. Saturday, a man in his 50s was near Simon Bolivar Avenue and Josephine Street when a man rode up on a bicycle and demanded his belongings at gunpoint, the report in that case states.

Mayoral candidate Troy Henry promises focus on attracting Fortune 500 companies

The key to addressing New Orleans’ social problems is by focusing on the economy, and the best way to do that is an aggressive focus on attracting Fortune 500 companies to relocate to the city, mayoral candidate Troy Henry told an Uptown neighborhood group late last week — arguing that his background in business uniquely qualifies him for the job. Addressing the Audubon-Riverside Neighborhood Association, Henry described a career that led him from a Stanford University education to jobs at IBM and other major companies before his last run for mayor in 2010. Those positions in business, he said, make him the ideal person to begin a project of recruiting major new employers to New Orleans. Specifically, Henry said he’ll select about 200 growing companies from the Fortune 1000 list and prepare aggressive pitches to them about why they should consider locating in New Orleans. If he can succeed with 8 to 10 percent of them, he said, that’s 16 to 20 major new employers for the city — a major shot in the arm to the economy, restoring it to its rightful place as a business leader alongside Houston, Atlanta and other major Southern population centers.

Woman killed in Jackson Avenue shooting

The NOPD is investigating a fatal shooting that occurred today (September 11, 2017) in the 2800 block of Jackson Avenue. At about 3:32 a.m., Sixth District officers responded to a call of a disturbance in the area. Upon arrival, officers discovered an unresponsive female lying in a parking lot of an apartment complex suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. The victim was transported to an area hospital, where she was later pronounced dead. Investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Coquette chefs plan new restaurant in Lower Garden District building

The celebrated chefs at Coquette are planning to open a new restaurant in a Lower Garden District building with a storied history at the corner of Constance and Thalia streets. Chefs Kristen Essig and Michael Stoltzfus will operate the new restaurant in the renovated building at 1245 Constance Street that once was home to the Shamrock Tavern, according to a letter that property owner Beverly House sent to neighbors. Plans show space for 12 tables and a small holding bar with seven seats. “Kristen and Mike are not only well-respected New Orleans chefs, they are also residents of the Lower Garden District,” House told neighbors. House declined to elaborate on the details of the chefs’ plans, deferring to Essig, who could not be reached for comment late Friday morning.