Five-alarm fire breaks out in Lower Garden District short-term rental

Tourists staying in the Lower Garden District noticed smoke coming from the air-conditioning vents of their Magazine Street short-term rental around noon on Friday (Sept. 1). The New Orleans Fire Department arrived at 12:05 p.m. and found smoke coming from the HVAC vents on the second floor. There were no visible flames in the three-story wood framed building, according to the NOFD. The fire eventually broke through the walls on the second floor and extended through the roof of the third floor.

Roadwork ahead: Palmer to close for University area drainage project

Palmer Avenue will be partially closed between Loyola Avenue and Freret Street for about three months beginning Tuesday (Sept. 5), the Mayor’s Office announced Friday. Crews will be completing subsurface utility repairs and roadway restoration. Construction crews will begin the work in the 1800 block of Palmer Avenue and will progress toward the 2000 block, ending at Freret Street. During construction, crews will work on one block at a time, requiring a partial road closure.

City officials cut the ribbon on completed Central City roadway project

City and officials gathered in Central City on Thursday (Sept. 31) to mark the completion of a road construction project. The $10.8 million 15-block Central City Group A Roadway Project began in September 2020 with an exploratory excavation. At the time, city officials said the construction costs would total $9.1 million and the work would be completed in the fall of 2021. The scope of work included replacing damaged underground water and drainage lines; repaving the roadway; replacing damaged sidewalks and driveway aprons; and installing Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant curb ramps at intersections.

Man shot to death in Dixon area

A man was shot to death mid-day on Thursday (Aug. 31) in the Dixon neighborhood, the New Orleans Police Department reported. Shortly after noon, NOPD Second District officers responded to a call of a person down in the 8800 block of Palmetto Street. They found an unresponsive adult male with gunshot wounds. Emergency Medical tServices declared him dead at the scene.

Viewpoint: Can the city fix its broken bureaucracy?

Most New Orleanians shudder at the thought of having to go to City Hall to get a permit — any permit. It’s not now, nor has it ever been, a quick, easy or transparent process. The requirements are hard to understand. A staff person might not be available to discuss or explain a puzzling issue, which can add more time and more cost to the already lengthy, expensive process. If citizens are able to actually connect with a live staffer in person or on the phone, that individual might be less than user friendly.

After 50 years, Dew Drop Inn gets ready to open its doors

Beginning this fall,  the legendary Dew Drop Inn in Central City is set to host live music for the first time in more than half a century. The city’s leading Black music venue for three mid-century decades, the club billed as “the swankiest spot in the South” holds a hallowed place in New Orleans cultural history and in rock ’n’ roll and rhythm-and-blues history. Lead developer Curtis Doucette Jr. told Uptown Messenger they are planning a mid-October opening for the music club. No word yet on the opening act, but he said he wants to bring back as many of the original Dew Drop musicians as he can. Of course, the Dew Drop community of musicians dates from the 1940s to 1970, so few remain on the scene.

Christopher A. Etienne, Sr., Letters From A Father: I Love You (Sponsored)

Dear Son,

My heart is filled with appreciation and gratitude for the love and enthusiasm you display for the church, classroom, community, and culture. I remain committed to creating a culture of excellence for you to thrive and excel in this life’s journey. Indeed, we live in a time of transition for the working family. However, the strength and stability of a healthy, loving family life continue to remain the foundation on which our society is organized. Former U.S. President Bill Clinton argued, “Being a good parent means much more than protecting our children from harm.

Neutral Ground Coffee House planning move to Carrollton area

Neutral Ground Coffee House owners Caroline “Phant” Williams and James Naylor were driving through the Carrollton neighborhood recently in their quest to find a new home for the city’s oldest coffeehouse and entertainment venue. They had decided Carrollton would good fit for the Neutral Ground, exiled since it lost its lease on its longtime Danneel Street space in April. At the corner of Oak and Adams, the partners noticed an empty, dilapidated commercial building. “There’s just something very attractive about this building,” Williams said. “So we stopped and were like, ‘Wow, wouldn’t this be a great spot!’”

After a Google search failed to turn up any information on the building, they dropped the idea.