elections

Activists begin planning fight against “gerrymandered” Congressional districts

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A group of activists has begun organizing a fight redraw Louisiana’s Congressional districts away from the indescribable shapes of their current “gerrymandered” forms into common-sense arrangements that better represent geographical regions of the state. Members of the “Fair Districts Louisiana” group held a meetup and networking night Wednesday at UrbanSouth Brewery in the Lower Garden District to begin discussing the issue. While the group is still in its infancy, co-organizer Matt Bailey said their primary effort right now is building support and planning a statewide Fair District Summit in the fall. Since losing a seat to Katrina-influenced population loss after the 2010 census, Louisiana has six Congressional Districts. The Second District, which represents most of New Orleans, stretches in an insectoid shape along the Mississippi River to Baton Rouge.

crime

Home invasion on Broadway; shooting on Marengo and carjacking on South Liberty, police say

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Three people were threatened at gunpoint in a home invasion Tuesday afternoon on Broadway Street in the university area, while a woman was shot on Marengo Street and two other people were robbed on South Liberty earlier in the holiday weekend, New Orleans police said. Two men and a woman, all in their early 20s, were inside a home in the 1900 block of Broadway (near Cohn Street) around 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, when “an unknown male walked through an unlocked back door armed with a handgun looking for an unknown male,” according to the initial NOPD report. “He pointed the gun at the victims asking where the male was. “The victims responded they didn’t know [as] they had recently moved to the location,” the report continues. “The subject made several threats and comments then fled out the back door.”

crime

Man robbed of tools at gunpoint on Marengo Street, police say

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A man was robbed of tools from his van at gunpoint Thursday afternoon on Marengo Street near the river, New Orleans police said. The victim, a man in his 30s, was confronted by two unknown men with a gun around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, June 29, in the 700 block of Marengo Street, according to the initial NOPD report. They ordered him away from his van, then took tools out of the back of it and left, the report states. Further details were not immediately available. Anyone with information is urged to call the NOPD Sixth District station at 658-6060 to speak to a detective, or CrimeStoppers at 822-1111 to leave an anonymous tip that could be eligible for a cash reward.

crime

Second man arrested in connection with Olive Street homicide, police say

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A second man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a woman inside an Olive Street home earlier this month, New Orleans police said. Kenneth Murdock, 21, is charged with principal to second-degree murder following his arrest Tuesday morning in connection with the June 14 homicide in the 7800 block of Olive Street, according to a NOPD report. Police responding to a complaint of a possible break-in at a home there heard gunshots on the way, then found the body of an unresponsive woman inside the home, police have said. The woman, 21-year-old Brayanta Ketchens, was pronounced dead at the scene. “Murdock was apprehended at his residence, which is also located on Olive Street in the Second District,” the report states.

city government

Danae Columbus: Councilman James Gray touts resilience in New Orleans East in re-election campaign kickoff

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District E Councilman James Gray celebrated yesterday’s reopening of the Winn Dixie supermarket at 9701 Chef Menteur Highway – which had been closed four months because of tornado damage – as the latest example of how New Orleans East continues to prosper. “Winn Dixie’s reinvestment is part of the $1 billion dollars of economic development New Orleans East residents have benefited from since Hurricane Katrina. We are special people in New Orleans East. We have done well and we are going to do better,” said Gray at his community-wide campaign kickoff held Tuesday night at the Wyndham Garden Inn, one of the East’s newest hotel properties. A long-time civil rights, human rights and housing rights lawyer and activist born in the hamlet of Scotlandville outside Baton Rouge, Gray was first elected to the Council in 2012 to fill the seat vacated by Jon Johnson.

crime

Two arrested, numerous guns seized in Broadmoor drug busts

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Two men were arrested and a large quantity of drugs, guns and money were seized in separate recent busts on Jena and Milan streets in the Broadmoor neighborhood, New Orleans police said. On June 20, NOPD investigators with the Uptown-based Second District were in the 3100 block of Milan Street when they saw a white Honda Accord believed to be associated with several automobile break-ins, according to the NOPD news release. A man got out of the Accord, went into a house in the block, and the Accord drove away, out of sight of the observing officers, the report states. Inside the house, the officers found Jonathan Williams, 26, in possession of a .357 magnum revolver with a laser sight and some marijuana, according to the release. They then searched the home and found four more guns — “a Micro Draco 7.62mmx39mm assault rifle, Glock 43 9mm semi-automatic handgun, Cobra FS380 .380 semi-automatic handgun, and a Kahr CM9 9mm semi-automatic handgun” — in Williams’ bedroom, the report states, so they charged him with multiple counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

city government

Propeller to host panel on Broadmoor housing history and injustice

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The Propeller incubator and the Broadmoor Improvement Association will host a panel discussion Thursday evening on “The History of Housing and Inequity” focusing on the neighborhoods around Broadmoor. “Join us for a panel discussion about housing and inequity, past and present, in the Broadmoor, Zion City, Hoffman Triangle, Gert Town, and Central City neighborhoods,” the event announcement reads. “Featured speakers include former LA State Rep. Rosalind Peychaud, HousingNOLA’s Andreanecia Morris, and longtime Broadmoor resident Bunny Walker. Beer from Urban South Brewery and food from Mona’s Cafe will be served.” The panel begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, June 28, at the Propeller Incubator at 4035 Washington Avenue.

crime

Woman’s purse taken by trio of assailants on Magazine, police say

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A woman had her purse taken by three attackers overnight on Magazine Street, New Orleans police said Wednesday morning. The victim, a woman in her 20s, was near Race and Magazine streets around 4 a.m. Wednesday, June 28, when three males confronted her, according to the initial NOPD report. “One of the males snatched her purse and all three males fled,” the report states. Previously, a man was able to fend off an armed robbery attempt in Central City over the weekend, police reports show. A man in his 40s was near Loyola Avenue and Seventh Street around 7:20 p.m. Friday, June 23, when a man in a silver SUV “pointed a gun at the victim and attempted to take his back pack,” according to the report in that case.

crime

Woman robbed by assailants with assault rifle on Fontainebleau, police say

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A woman was robbed by four assailants armed with an assault rifle on Fontainebleau Drive overnight, New Orleans police said Monday morning. The victim, a woman in her 30s, pulled up to a home in the 4400 block of Fontainebleau shortly before 1 a.m. Monday, June 26, when a silver compact four-door vehicle with four young males inside pulled up alongside her, according to the initial NOPD report. “One of the subjects got out of the vehicle armed with a silver assault weapon and demanded the victim’s purse,” the report states. “When another subject jumped armed out armed with an assault rifle the victim complied.” Further details were not immediately available.

Vehicle taken in Dublin Street home invasion, police say

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A man was forced inside his Dublin Street home at gunpoint on Thursday by an assailant who took his vehicle, New Orlenas police said. The victim, a man in his 30s, was in the 900 block of Dublin Street shortly before noon Thursday, June 22, when an armed assailant forced him inside, according to the initial NOPD report. “The subject told the victim to get on the floor and give him his wallet,” the report states. “The victim complied and mistakenly dropped his keys. The subject grabbed the keys and fled in the victims’ vehicle.”