schools

Newman School begins construction on new science building

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The Isidore Newman School marked the start of construction this week on a new $15 million, 30,000-square-foot science center at the edge of its football field, expected to open in the fall of 2018. The actual groundbreaking for the building was performed by a remote-control shovel-wielding robot built by Newman science students. For details, see the news release from the school:

Isidore Newman School broke ground Tuesday evening on a state-of-the-art, 30,000 sq. ft. Science and Technology Center on its Uptown campus.

city government

Danae Columbus: Derrick Edwards joins crowded race for state treasurer

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There are few obstacles Derrick Edwards won’t tackle. A former John F. Kennedy High School football star paralyzed from the neck down in a 1989 catastrophic injury, Edwards is undaunted by a crowded field of moneyed Republicans seeking to become Louisiana’s next state treasurer. He is a Democrat and resides on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish. Edwards is on the campaign trail today because his mother Madeline, a single parent with few resources, refused to place him in an institution at the time of his accident. “If God did not take Derrick the night of his injury, then I’m bringing him home with me,” she told the attending physicians.

crime

Workers robbed at gunpoint on Misteltoe Street, police say

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Two men working on a vacant home on Mistletoe Street in Hollygrove were robbed of their wallets at gunpoint Thursday afternoon, New Orleans police said. The victims, one man in his 50s and the other in his 40s, were working inside a house near Mistletoe and Oleander streets around 4:15 p.m. Thursday, April 7, when they were confronted by a heavyset man with a gun, according to the initial NOPD report. He ordered them to the ground, demanded their wallets and then left the house, the report states. Further details were not immediately available. Anyone with information is urged to call the NOPD Second District station at 658-6020 to speak to a detective, or CrimeStoppers at 822-1111 to leave an anonymous tip that could be eligible for a cash reward.

arts, books and music

Radiohead, Arcade Fire make late-night, post-concert stop on Oak Street

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Thousands of people packed the sold-out Smoothie King Center on Monday night to hear Radiohead play, but after their two-hour set, they did what any music-savvy visitor to New Orleans did: swung by Oak Street to catch an act at the Maple Leaf, specifically George Porter Jr.

People in the audience said that the Radiohead members attended the show with members of Arcade Fire and Ben Jaffe of Preservation Hall, who has collaborated with Arcade Fire. The internationally known musicians kept a relatively low profile in Porter’s audience, however, though Porter slyly noted from the stage that he had guests from out of town. “Maple Leaf regulars were surprised to realize that they were sharing the dance floor with members of Radiohead, Arcade Fire, and Preservation Hall — all who seemed pleasantly surprised to be able to actually enjoy themselves off-stage as members of an audience for a change,” said Michelle B. Perez, WTUL’s DJ Serpentina. “While there was certainly a little excited buzz about it (Porter, himself, acknowledged his appreciation for a certain “traveling band” who was amongst us in the crowd) and hopes were high for an impromptu collaboration, it was obvious that people were just happy to be there together for the night and were intentionally going out of their way (even stepping aside to let band members take photos of the show) to ensure everyone was having a genuinely good time,” Perez continued. “It was pretty surreal to see legends from different genres and generations coming to pay homage to legends — especially knowing that Radiohead and other audience members were coming from such a massive event to then share a small, sacred space that has famously hosted many local artists who’ve helped forge a path in the musical landscape for them.

crime

Carjackings reported minutes apart near Adams and Panola, police say

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Armed men tried unsuccessfully to carjack one man on Adams Street, and moments later another man’s car was taken in a carjacking around the corner on Panola Street, New Orleans police said. At 10:12 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, a man in his 20s was sitting in his vehicle in the 2000 block of Panola when he was approached by two assailants armed with semi-automatic handguns, according to the initial NOPD report. They took his keys and forced him out of the car, but couldn’t start the vehicle, so they left on foot on Panola Street with his cell phone in hand, the report states. Two minutes later, a man in his 30s inside a car in the 7700 block of Panola was confronted by two assailants with an implied weapon, according to the report in that case. They forced the victim out of the car, a 2006 Nissan Sentra with Louisiana license plate PYD 357, and drove off in it, the report states.

city government

Approximately a dozen bike-share stations planned for Lower Garden District/Central City as program launches

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When the city of New Orleans rolls out 70 high-tech bike-rental stations through six neighborhoods later this year, the Central City-Lower Garden District area is expected to receive about a dozen of them, participants in a planning workshop Wednesday night learned. The city is launching a fleet of 700 “social bicycles” this fall that will be located at 70 stations in neighborhoods and gathering points, officials have said. Members of the bike-sharing program will be able to unlock them using electronic card readers, and the bicycles will have GPS to track their locations. Related coverage from Mid-City Messenger:
“Residents critique, recommend proposed bicycle share station locations at public workshop”

The specific locations for the docking stations have yet to be determined, but the city plans to distribute them roughly evenly in six core neighborhoods first: the Central Business District, the French Quarter, Maringy/Bywater, Mid-City/Bayou St. John, Treme/Esplanade Ridge, and Central City/Lower Garden District.

crime

Four intruders barge into Pine Street home and rob resident at gunpoint, police say

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Four people — two of whom were armed — barged into a Pine Street home Monday afternoon and robbed the resident there at gunpoint, New Orleans police said. The victim, a 20-year-old man, was at home in the 900 block of Pine Street (between Burthe and Freret streets) shortly after 3 p.m. Monday, March 3, when the four intruders came in through a back door, according to the initial NOPD report. “The armed subjects pointed their weapons at the victim and demanded property from the residence,” the report states. “The victim complied and the subjects fled the location.” Further details were not immediately available.

crime

Suspect sought after breaking into Midway Pizza on Freret, police say

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After a man broke into Midway Pizza early Thursday morning, New Orleans police are hoping that surveillance video can help identify him, authorities said. Early in the morning of Thursday, March 30, a man shattered a glass pane next to the front door of Midway Pizza at 4725 Freret Street to get inside, according to a NOPD report. The video showed the man to walk “with a noticeable limp,” the report states. Anyone with information is urged to call the NOPD Second District station at 658-6020 to speak to a detective, or CrimeStoppers at 822-1111 to leave an anonymous tip that could be eligible for a cash reward.

city government

Workshop to discuss Uptown locations for New Orleans bike share programs

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The city of New Orleans will host a workshop Wednesday evening to discuss where stations for the new bike-sharing program should be placed in the Lower Garden District and Central City. This fall, the city is placing 700 custom-designed bicycles at an estimated 70 stations around the city, with a built-in lock keeping them secure until a rider with an account card “hires” the bike. Officials are seeking neighborhood input on specific locations for the stations, and will hold one such discussion session at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 5, at the Peoples Health New Orleans Jazz Market at 1436 Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard. For more information, see the announcement below:

The City of New Orleans and Social Bicycles are holding a series of six community meetings to gather input on the coming New Orleans bike share system. Come out to give your input on where bike share stations should be located in Central City and the Lower Garden District!

city government

LaToya Cantrell’s website confirms candidacy for mayor, opening District B field

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City Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell has formally embarked upon her campaign for mayor of New Orleans, her website now confirms, which will leave her District B seat open. Cantrell’s website (latoyacantrell.com) now solicits donations for “LaToya’s campaign for Mayor of New Orleans,” as it highlights her leadership in Broadmoor’s recovery, her career on the City Council, and the disparities she sees between post-Katrina growth and the neighborhoods it hasn’t reached. Meanwhile, Cantrell has also begun accepting $5,000 donations for the seat — whereas she would have been limited to $2,500 donations for a council seat, according to our partners at The New Orleans Advocate, who first uncovered the changes to Cantrell’s website late Friday morning. At least three names are already in the ring for Cantrell’s District B seat. Two prospective candidates — former Zulu king Jay Banks and former Orleans Parish School Board member Seth Bloom — had said they would consider running if Cantrell vacates the seat, and urban planner Eric Johnson had said he would run regardless.