Aug 162011
 

A Sojourner Truth Academy student paints at Taylor Park in Central City as a service project during one of the spring "Fight the Blight" days. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

With optimism that Sojourner Truth Academy will be able to remain at their current Freret Street campus for another year, students returned to class last week and school officials turned their attention on their most serious challenge for the year: reversing an increasingly perilous erosion in test scores. Continue reading »

Aug 162011
 

The old Priestley campus, photographed in January (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

As the Riverbend community continues its fight to move the Johnson School to the former Priestley campus, neighborhood leaders have released a petition in hopes of showing school officials wide support for the project. Continue reading »

Aug 162011
 

The word “Fresco” means many things in Italian: “fresh” to describe food and drinks, and “outside” when you’re choosing where to dine. At Fresco Cafe on Maple Street, you can experience the best of both worlds, with a fresh, light Mediterranean-inspired menu in a relaxed, casual setting – including that outdoor patio. With a wide variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, pastas, and pizzas, and ordering made easy with both delivery and online orders, Fresco Cafe is the perfect choice for lunch, dinner, or anything in between.

Keep reading to learn about this taste of the Mediterranean in your backyard.

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Aug 152011
 

The Ryans' home at 1431 Constance, photographed in April. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

Amid concerns that a bed-and-breakfast proposed for a historic Constance Street mansion would have too great an impact on its neighbors, the Coliseum Square Association decided Monday night to back off its previous support for the project and remain neutral on the issue while surveying members to get a broader opinion. Continue reading »

Aug 152011
 

Surveillance images show the suspect in Sunday morning's burglary attempt. (via NOPD)

[Update, 5:57 p.m. Monday: Surveillance photos of the suspect have been released NOPD and attached to this article.]

A Magazine Street resident was attacked Sunday morning by a man who slipped inside her apartment while she stepped out for the morning newspaper, police said. Continue reading »

Aug 152011
 

Tonight’s meeting of the Coliseum Square Association will include a reconsideration of the bed and breakfast proposal at 1431 Constance and updates on the Terpsichore finger park and outdoor film screenings, according to the agenda. The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. (Monday, Aug. 15) at the Bridge Lounge, 1201 Magazine.

Aug 152011
 

The Lorraine Apartments on St. Charles Avenue. (Sabree Hill, UptownMessenger.com)

I call it “bureaucratic indifference.”  It’s when a rule is applied rigidly for the sake of rigid application, normally because some government employee or official is too lazy or obtuse to exercise intelligent and appropriate discretion.

This is the mindset that drove the New Orleans City Planning Commission to refuse to rezone the Lorraine Apartments as multi-family residential. Continue reading »

Aug 152011
 

Zatarain’s is proud to support Threadhead Records, an innovative new music company that was formed out of a deep love for New Orleans, its music, and its musical community. Since 2007, Threadhead Records has played a key role in rebuilding the musical fabric of the city after Katrina, with a fan-based, volunteer-run company profile, and a unique business model that supports the production and distribution of new music by some of New Orleans’ most beloved artists.

See below for more details on how Threadhead works, and how you, too, can become a Threadhead.

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Aug 122011
 

A bank surveillance image shows two men police want to question about money believed to have been stolen during a home invasion robbery on Walnut Street. (via NOPD)

A trail of stolen Depression-era dollar bills that are unusual in appearance but not especially valuable led police this week to surveillance images of two men they want to question about a violent home-invasion robbery earlier this week. Continue reading »

Aug 122011
 

Gina B. Womack, executive director and co-founder of Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children, will give the keynote presentation, “School to Prison Pipeline: Current Issues in Juvenile Justice Reform,” on Saturday morning at the August Gillespie Memorial Community Breakfast at First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5212 South Claiborne Avenue. Continue reading »

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Aug 122011
 

Areas highlighted in red will experience low water pressure Saturday.

Repairs to a fire hydrant and valves on a water main will cause low water pressure from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the area along Camp and Magazine streets around Jefferson Avenue, according to the Sewerage and Water Board. Continue reading »

Aug 122011
 

With state and local elections two months away, the Irish Channel got an early start on political season Thursday night with a well-attended social event for candidates at a popular neighborhood bar.

At least eight candidates made appearances at Tracey’s on Magazine Street, all of whom other than state Rep. Walt Leger were running for various judicial seats: Regina Bartholomew, Herbert Cade, Nakisha Ervin-Knott, Ellen Hazeur, Clare Jupiter, Kris Kiefer and Franz Zibilich. The social had a decidedly low-key atmosphere, without formal speeches or introductions. Instead, the candidates and their supporters casually passed from group to group of the 30 or so association members and dozens more patrons in the bar. Continue reading »

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Aug 122011
 

Admiral Security Services provides customized security services for a wide range of individuals and businesses across the Gulf South. Whether you’re a homeowner hosting an event, a business owner securing your property, or a convention organizer safeguarding your exhibitors and their displays, Admiral Security Services provides you more than just protection: it provides you total peace of mind.

Keep reading for further details.

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Aug 122011
 

Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)

Oh, August, why do you have to be so damn hot? Even though I haven’t been a student in quite some time, August always feels like the unofficial summer wind-down as kids go back to school and thoughts shift to fall wardrobes.  However we all know that we’ve got at least two, possibly three more months of pool time. This is also the time of year that I get fed up with all of my warm weather clothes since I’ve been wearing the same things since April. It proves more and more difficult not to leave the house just wearing flip flops and cut off shorts but for vanity’s sake I resist. Continue reading »

Aug 112011
 

Hollygrove Market & Farm needs your help! The Fruit Tree Harvesting Project is a finalist for the Pepsi Refresh Challenge, a nationwide funding program that offers $25,000 grants to winning contestants. The New Orleans Fruit Tree Project, one of Hollygrove Market & Farm’s flagship programs, is in need of your support to make it over the top to win that $25,000 and receive brand new equipment, materials, and supplies to help make it better than ever. Click here to support them NOW.

Keep reading to learn how you can help Hollygrove Market & Farm win this Challenge!

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