The City Planning Commission’s 6-2 vote in favor of the proposed Costco on South Carrollton wasn’t for any lack of support for the project. In fact, the two dissenting votes were from members who said the city’s recommendations don’t support Costco enough. Continue reading »
Workers "clear the air" on Napoleon Avenue. (photo by Jean-Paul Villere for UptownMessenger.com)
A neighbor returned from a road trip last week, and their first text to me upon being back in New Orleans said, “What’s with the hack job on the oak trees on Napoleon between Freret and St Charles???” Indeed. Continue reading »
Tulane President Scott Cowen urges members of the City Planning Commission to reject an interim zoning district that would prohibit major construction projects on university campuses. (Robert Morris, UptownMessener.com)
The law that allows Tulane to build a football stadium on campus without any oversight from city leaders may be out of date, and the construction project may raise serious issues that need more scrutiny, but the university ought not to be made to follow regulations that are not yet on the books, the city planning commission ruled on Tuesday.
By a 7-1 vote, the commissioners will recommend against creating an interim zoning district that would require universities to seek city permission for large construction projects. What remains to be seen is whether Tulane’s victory Tuesday is fleeting — as the same City Council members who voted to begin the IZD process can ignore the recommendation and vote to approve it — or if it provides a spark of momentum that builds into a win before the City Council as well. Continue reading »
By Nick Kindel
The City Planning Commission (CPC) is about to take a big step forward in getting resident participation in its decision making process. City Planning is working on its Neighborhood Participation Program (NPP), which is one important part of the City Charter’s call for “a system of organized and effective neighborhood participation in land use decisions and other issues that affect quality of life.” Continue reading »
Construction barriers and ripped-up sidewalk wrapped around the front door of the High Hat Cafe for 28 calendar days, running off potential customers for nearly a full month during the new Freret restaurant’s first JazzFest. A few blocks down, the owner of Kehoe Automotive believes his employees could do the work faster with hand shovels than city employees have. And another Freret restaurant owner has threatened that if construction in front of his front door lasts more than 10 days, he’s actually going to finish it himself.
“Our anger comes from a very honest place,” Michelle Ingram, owner of Zeus’ Place, told city officials during a Monday night meeting with The New Freret business and property owners’ association. Continue reading »
Owen Courreges
For those of you who don’t know, I was arrested six weeks ago. The story of how this happened is chronicled in an earlier column of mine, one which is filled with intrigue, action and police corruption (well, actually none of those things, except perhaps the whole police misconduct angle).
The long story short is that Second District Police Officer Terry Baham arrested me for doing nothing more than standing on a public sidewalk. The charges were for Disturbing the Peace end Public Drunkenness, but I was guilty of neither charge because I wasn’t doing anything that would threaten anybody’s life, health or property (prerequisites to those crimes). Continue reading »
The New Orleans Mission, which announced earlier this week that it would be closing for lack of money, will remain open after an infusion of cash, but its directors will be stepping down, officials announced. Continue reading »
Saints quarterback Drew Brees extends a hand to Maple Street resident Teddy Martin after the New Orleans City Council approved his new Jimmy Johns franchise on the corridor. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
An appearance by Saints quarterback Drew Brees before the New Orleans City Council helped his proposed Jimmy John’s sandwich shop over the goal line Thursday afternoon, and the redevelopment of the LaSalle School that has bitterly divided one Uptown neighborhood also won approval without so much as a comment in opposition. Continue reading »
New District B Councilwoman Diana Bajoie receives a gift of flowers from her colleagues as she joins the city council as Councilwoman Kristen Giselson Palmer smiles beside her. (Robert Morris, UptownMessenger.com)
The political acrimony that dominated city politics during a month-long stalemate was seemingly swept aside Thursday morning, when the City Council was all smiles and roses as they welcomed Diana Bajoie to the District B seat.
“I’m excited about all the good work I know you’re going to do in District B,” said Councilwoman-at-Large Stacy Head, whose own choice for the seat was passed over by Mayor Mitch Landrieu in choosing Bajoie on Tuesday. Continue reading »
Diana Bajoie smiles broadly as Mayor Mitch Landrieu leads a round of applause for her after announcing her appointment as the interim representative of City Council's Uptown-based District B. (photo by Danae Columbus for UptownMessenger.com)
The citizens of New Orleans scored a big victory yesterday when Mayor Mitch Landrieu appointed former state senator Diana Bajoie to fill the interim District B City Council seat. A skilled legislator and smart negotiator, Diana is moderate in tone and quite capable of bridging the gap between the Council’s various factions and working effectively with Mayor Landrieu. Continue reading »
Several blocks of Richard, Annunciation and Constance in the Lower Garden District will be closed for filming from Thursday morning through Monday evening, city officials announced. Continue reading »
Diana Bajoie (via wwltv.com)
Two proposed developments — the conversion of the historic LaSalle School on Perrier Street into upscale condos and the creation of a Jimmy Johns sandwich shop on Maple Street — could receive long-awaited decisions when the City Council reconvenes Thursday after its recent hiatus. Continue reading »
The New Orleans Mission on Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard will close Friday until mid-September for lack of money, according to our partners at WWL-TV. “The mission houses between 160 to 180 people per night, and serves roughly 12,000 meals — breakfast, lunch and dinner — per month,” the station reports.
Mayor Mitch Landrieu has not said whom he will choose to serve in the District B seat, but he sent council members a letter Monday saying that the city attorney has determined George does not fit the legal requirements of having held a primary residence in District B for two years, and thus will not appoint him, reports Gambit’s Clancy Dubos. The person Landrieu selects will serve until this fall, when District B voters elect a representative to finish out Stacy Head’s term to 2014.
Eric Strachan (submitted photo)
As the residents of District B wait to learn whom Mayor Mitch Landrieu will appoint to represent them until a special election in November, the man who has been running the office unofficially for the last month is “strongly considering” his own bid for the seat in the fall. Continue reading »
Errol George, Stacy Head's nominee to fill her former District B seat on a temporary basis, appearing in a video during her campaign for the At-Large seat. (via vimeo.com)
With the 30-day deadline expiring last week for the City Council to choose a temporary successor to Stacy Head for the District B seat, the job falls to Mayor Mitch Landrieu. Who should he pick?
Diana Bajoie
Express your own choice in our survey, and add your thoughts in the comments.
LaToya Cantrell (courtesy of the candidate)
Citing her experience with crime, quality of life and development issues as leader of a neighborhood that has been emblematic of the city’s recovery, the president of the Broadmoor Improvement Association announced her candidacy this week for the District B seat on the City Council.
“Based on the great training ground of Broadmoor in terms of working with a diverse community on every level, I would like to expand my scope of leadership to the next level, which is district wide,” said LaToya Cantrell in a telephone interview Thursday afternoon. Continue reading »
Allan Katz and Danae Columbus
Earlier this week, Allan and Danae taped one of our “Louisiana Newsmaker” TV shows with Police Chief Ronal Serpas, who spoke optimistically about New Orleans’ chances of shaking the title of “America’s Murder Capital.”
But just 30 minutes after the chief’s upbeat TV interview, he was racing to Simon Bolivar Avenue where three gun-toting young men fired a fusillade of shots into a birthday party for a 10-year-old, killing a 5-year-old child and a 33-year-old woman who was driving her car three blocks from the birthday party and was hit by a stray bullet. Wounded were a 10-year-old boy, and two men, ages 20 and 24. Continue reading »
A rendering of the proposed Tulane stadium. (via TulaneStadium.com)