events

Evans Park to host free outdoor “Jungle Book” screening, Family Fun Fest

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Evans Park is preparing for a busy pair of weekends, with a free outdoor screening of “The Jungle Book” this Friday, and the “Family Fun Fest” scheduled for the following weekend. “The Jungle Book” is part of the New Orleans Recreation Department “Movies in the Park” series, and will start at sunset, roughly between 6:15 and 6:45 p.m. Friday, April 13, at Evans Park, 5100 LaSalle Street. The rain site is Lyons Recreation Center on Louisiana Avenue. The following weekend, the Evans Playground Family Fun Fest will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 21,

“It will be a day of fun in the heart of the Freret Street Neighborhood,” according to the event announcement. “There will be special speakers, sporting events, vendor tables, and food provided by Celebrity Chef Chris Hayes from the Food Network.

crime

Three teens arrested in citywide armed robbery spree that included Lower Garden District and university areas

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New Orleans police have arrested two men and a teen suspect in a spree of more than a dozen robberies across the city in barely a week’s time, including holdups on Bordeaux, Prytania, Urania, Freret and Panola streets, authorities said. James Warrick and Roy Cross, both 19, and a 15-year-old teen whose name is being withheld by police because of his age, have been arrested in connection with a total of 14 armed robberies in both Uptown and downtown neighborhoods between March 31 and April 7, NOPD officials announced Monday afternoon. Warrick was most often the gunman, while Cross served as lookout, police detectives said, and they were found in possession of several items taken during their crimes. For details, see the NOPD news release below:

NOPD detectives have determined the arrested subjects are responsible for the following armed robbery incidents:

March 31 in the Second District, in the 1000 block of Bordeaux Street, at about 12:51 a.m.
April 1 in the Fifth District, in the 2300 block of Marais Street, at about 3:45 a.m.
April 4 in the Sixth District, at the intersection of Prytania and Josephine Streets, at about 12:40 a.m.
April 4 in the Eighth District, in the 1600 block of Pauger Street, at about 1:30 a.m.
April 4 in the Sixth District, in the 1400 block of Urania Street, at about 2:30 a.m.
April 5 in the Fifth District, in the 2500 block of North Rampart Street, at about 11:20 p.m.
April 6 in the Second District, at the intersection of Freret and Joseph streets, at about 12:45 a.m.
April 6 in the Fifth District, in the 3300 block of Dauphine Street, at about 2:40 a.m.
April 6 in the Fifth District, at the intersection of Chartres Street and Franklin Avenue, at about 2:30 a.m.
April 6 in the Fifth District, at the 800 block of Clouet Street, at about 10:36 p.m.
April 6 in the Second District, in the 8200 block of Panola Street, at about 11:45 p.m.
April 7 in the Eighth District, in the 1800 block of North Rampart Street, at about 12:25 a.m.
April 7 in the Eighth District, at the intersection of Rampart and Frenchman streets, at about 12:28 p.m.
April 7 in the Fifth District, at the intersection of Dauphine and St. Ferdinand streets, at about 12:37 a.m.

Investigators discovered that details provided by victims in many of these incidents included similarities, such as suspect descriptions and descriptions of the vehicle used in each of the incidents.

crime

Man robbed at gunpoint on Panola Street, police say

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A man was robbed of his wallet at gunpoint early Saturday morning on Panola Street, New Orleans police said. The victim, a man in his late 20s, was in the 8200 block of Panola (near Dante Street) around 12:10 a.m. Saturday, April 8, when two unknown people got out of a small, dark-colored two-door vehicle, according to the initial NOPD report. “The subjects took the victim’s wallet and fled,” 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.

Group of four victims robbed at gunpoint on Freret, police say

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A group of four people was robbed at gunpoint on Freret Street overnight, New Orleans police said Friday morning. The victims — three men and a woman, ranging in age from 20 to 28 — were near Freret and Joseph streets around 12:45 a.m. Friday, April 6, when a dark-colored, four-door vehicle approached, according to the initial NOPD report. Two armed males got out of the car and demanded the victim’s belongings, then drove away, 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.

sports and recreation

Audubon Master Plan: “We do not advocate for more formal development of the park” — but Zoo Cruise might return (live video)

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With more development of green space in Audubon Park all but ruled out for the next decade, the focus of the new Master Plan will likely be on improving transportation in and around the park, including the possibilities of a new bike and pedestrian path from Magazine Street to the Mississippi River levee and the eventual return of the Zoo Cruise along the river to the Aquarium. The Audubon Nature Institute convened its third public meeting on Thursday evening to receive comments as it prepares a draft of its new master plan, intended to guide the park’s priorities through 2030. Much of the meeting, however, was dedicated to a presentation on the input gathered at both the first two meetings, through a three-month online survey, and in-person interviews in the park that together represent thousands of comments. That input has culminated in a series of 12 broad recommendations in three categories of Improvements, Challenges, and Future Goals that will be used to formulate the draft of the master plan, said Mark Ripple, an architect who is consulting on the master-plan process. The recommendations, however, are not decisions, and the park is still accepting comments and suggestions on how to improve each of them.

crime

Carjacker inadvertently attacks undercover State Trooper on Broadway Street, police say

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A would-be carjacker tried to climb into a vehicle on Broadway Street that turned out to have an undercover Louisiana State Police trooper inside, and after the officer fired a shot at him, the suspect ran away on foot but was arrested soon afterward, police in New Orleans said Friday morning. Around 10:45 p.m. Thursday, April 5, the on-duty Louisiana State Police trooper was sitting in an unmarked vehicle on Broadway Street near Green Street when a dark-colored vehicle approached, according to a crime alert from the Tulane University Police Department. A man got out of the arriving vehicle and tried to get into the officer’s car, so the officer fired his gun, and the suspect ran off, the Tulane report states. The suspect was found nearby shortly afterward, and he was arrested without further incident, according to the Tulane report. Neither he nor the officer were injured, the report states.

colleges

Five New Orleans mayors to share stage tonight at Loyola Institute of Politics

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Three former mayors of New Orleans — Moon Landrieu, Sidney Barthelemy and Marc Morial — will join current Mayor Mitch Landrieu and Mayor-elect LaToya Cantrell tonight in a discussion on the city’s past and future as part of the Loyola Institute of Politics’ annual lecture series. The ninth annual Ed Renwick Lecture is titled “Five Perspectives, One New Orleans” and will start at 7 p.m. tonight (Thursday, April 5) at Loyola University’s Roussel Hall. It is free and open to the public, and the university is also planning a YouTube live stream of the lecture. It can be found at the Institute of Politics website, or below once the event begins:

crime

Backpacks taken in armed robbery near Xavier University campus, police say

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Two women had their backpacks and cellphones taken Wednesday night in an armed robbery on Dixon Street near the Xavier University campus, New Orleans police said. The victims, both 20 years old, were walking in the 4800 block of Dixon Street (which runs between two large parking lots adjacent to university buildings) shortly before 11 p.m. Wednesday, April 4, when they were confronted by an unknown man, according to the initial NOPD report. He “implied he had a gun,” then took their backpacks and cell phones before leaving in an unknown direction, the report states. Further details were not immediately available. Anyone with information is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 822-1111 to leave an anonymous tip that could be eligible for a cash reward.

colleges

Tulane Police chief resigns amid WWL-TV misconduct investigation

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Tulane University Police Superintendent Joey Bishop has resigned and the university has hired an outside law firm to investigate complaints against the department, amid an investigation into misconduct allegations by our partners at WWL-TV. The investigation concerns allegations that improper use-of-force by Tulane officers was covered up by high-ranking members of the department, according to reporting by WWL’s David Hammer: