Women sought in shoplifting from three Uptown stores

The NOPD is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying and locating three suspects in multiple thefts at Uptown stores. On May 5, three women entered a boutique in the 5500 block of Magazine Street and shoplifted numerous items of clothing. Second District detectives, after viewing surveillance video, identified three women as suspects. The same women were also spotted allegedly shoplifting from another Uptown shop, in the Sixth District, on the same day and have now been linked to a previous theft in the Second District. Anyone with information regarding this incident or the identity of these subjects is asked to contact Second District detectives at 504-658-6020 or Crimestoppers anonymously at 504-822-1111.

Richard Campanella presents ‘Draining New Orleans’ at Octavia Books

Uptown author Richard Campanella will present and sign his newest book, “Draining New Orleans: The 300-Year Quest to Dewater the Crescent City” tonight (May 10) at Octavia Books. With many other books to his credit, Campanella, a geographer and associate dean for research at the Tulane School of Architecture, wrote “Draining New Orleans” as the first full-length book devoted to “the world’s toughest drainage problem.”

The book chronicles the herculean attempts to reclaim the city’s swamps and marshes and install subsurface drainage for massive urban expansion. It addresses geography, public health, engineering, architecture, politics, sociology, race relations and disaster response. Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St., will host the presentation and signing on Wednesday (May 10) from 6 to 7:30 p.m. See here for more information on “Draining New Orleans.”

Wonderland & Sea on Tchoupitoulas offers ‘elevated fast-casual’ meals

By Marielle Songy, Uptown Messenger

Wonderland & Sea, a restaurant that aims to be sustainable, use local products, and provide employees with a living wage, recently opened on Tchoupitoulas Street across from F&M Patio Bar. 

Wonderland & Sea is owned by Taylor Floy Hoffman, Jonathan Rhodes and chef Joel Brown. Hoffman, a New Orleans native, has previous experience in social and racial justice and museum work. Now an attorney, Rhodes has an extensive restaurant resume that includes two Chicago restaurants, NoMI and Aubriot, recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Brown is from Oregon and, upon moving to New Orleans, has worked at Three Muses, Bacchanal and Café Hope, a training program for underprivileged youth in Marrero. At Café Hope, Brown began experimenting with the restaurant’s garden, learning how to use its plentiful produce. 

“In my experience with the garden there, I got used to going out and picking what I needed for the day,” he said.

Poydras Home’s Green House Project aims to destigmatize aging

 

By Jeanne D’Arcy, Uptown Messenger

Poydras Home on Magazine Street is set to open the first phase of their Green House Project facility that will change the way care is provided to their elderly residents. The concept, according to The Green House Project, is “humanizing care for all people through the creation of radically non-institutional eldercare environments …” So the living spaces are designed to look more like a home and less like an institution. 

The use of the word “green” in this context does not refer to sustainability, nor to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification process. 

“Poydras Home will soon become the first certified Green House Project within the state of Louisiana,” Poydras Home CEO Erin Kolb said. “The Green House Project began as a national movement in dignified and destigmatized aging more than 17 years ago. This model of care is centered around increased resident choice within a small home environment.” 

When speaking to the large group of stakeholders who came to tour the new facilities, Kolb called it a “cultural transformation.” She went on to discuss the rigorous training of staff to implement this new approach to caring for the elderly. 

Green House living introduces the concept of the “Universal Worker” to Poydras Home, where a small team of Care Partners supports all the residents within their home. This strategy results in fewer employees, which also limits infection transmission.

Support GiveNOLA Day by donating to local organizations across the city (sponsored)

As proud New Orleanians, we are thrilled to share with you all about GiveNOLA Day. This annual event is a day dedicated to giving back to the community and supporting local non-profit organizations that work tirelessly to make our city a better place. Today, GiveNOLA Day will be in full swing, and we encourage everyone to donate what they can to support these organizations. From education to healthcare, to the arts and culture, there are so many fantastic non-profits that rely on donations to keep their doors open and to continue their important work. This year, GiveNOLA Day is especially important as our city continues to recover from the challenges of the past year.

Loyola, Tulane plan to increase student housing

Loyola and Tulane universities bring about 11,000 students each year to the Uptown area. Dorms available for students, however, are limited. With insufficient student housing available, both Loyola and Tulane have announced the beginning of new residential buildings on their campuses. In November, Tulane announced through email the beginning of the first phase of a new  project that will add an additional 1,200 beds to their student housing, according to Tulane spokesperson Michael Strecker. By the end of this summer, Strecker said, 700 beds will be added to Tulane’s campus living.

Viewpoint: Support your favorite charities on GiveNOLADay

When the Greater New Orleans Foundation started GiveNOLA Day in 2014, they probably had no idea how successful the event would quickly become. Sponsored in 2023 by Baptist Community Ministries, GiveNOLA Day is an online one-day giving event that raised almost $50 million for deserving nonprofits during its first eight years. In 2022, 947 organizations shared $7.9 million. 

In anticipation of this year’s event, almost 1,000 local nonprofits have been touching base with their previous donors and utilizing social media to increase their reach. Organizations can earn special prizes in categories including the most individual donors. With the early donation program well underway, approximately 4,000 donors have already given almost $600,000 to 600 organizations.

Hoffman Triangle hosts Neighborhood Cares Day

Taylor Park in the Hoffman Triangle hosted a Neighborhood Cares Day on Saturday (April 22) that featured a job fair, tabling from public health workers and community organizations, neighborhood cleanup teams, and clothing and food giveaways. As a DJ played music, attendees browsed brand-new clothing that was donated to Thrive New Orleans, collected free rapid Covid tests from Resilience Force NOLA, and mingled. Free neighborhood events like Saturday’s offer services to residents and a chance to meet people working for the city as well as connect with neighbors and community services. The well-attended event was organized by the Mayor’s office of Neighborhood Engagement, in partnership with District B Councilwoman Lesli Harris, Rebuilding Together New Orleans, the Hoffman Triangle Neighborhood Association, Thrive New Orleans, the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, Resilience Force NOLA, and local businesses. 

College students Milahni and Rylie (students at Xavier and Loyola, respectively) were volunteering and tabling for For Us By Us Market, a farmer’s market that features Black vendors. “I heard about it from my nutrition professor,” said Milahni, while Rylie heard about the event on Instagram.