city government

Larry Barabino, Jr. named NORD Commission CEO

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from NORD Commission

The New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission approved Larry Barabino, Jr. as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at a Commission meeting at City Hall on Tuesday (Dec. 4). The NORDC Executive Search Committee voted unanimously to recommend Barabino after a three-month search that included nearly 100 applicants and three finalists. The CEO Search
The NORD Commission Executive Search Committee began the process in late July. Through a series of public meetings and listening sessions, they crafted a job description that described the search as seeking a collaborative visionary with strong communications skills and a heart for New Orleans to serve as our next Chief Executive Officer.

city government

Tonight: NORD Commission to host public forum for CEO finalists

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via NORD Commission

The Executive Search Committee of the New Orleans Recreation Development (NORD) Commission will host a public forum with their three CEO finalists tonight (Nov. 26) from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The open forum will afford the public an opportunity to hear brief opening presentations from each candidate, followed by a moderated question and answer session. Members of the public can submit questions in writing via email at NORDCEO@teamamcorp.com or in person at the public meeting. For those interested who may not be able to attend, the forum will be live streamed on NORD’s Facebook page.

arts, books and music

Film festival selection features Central City youth football team and combating violence-based trauma

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The A.L. Davis Park Panthers, its players, and their mental health are the points of focus for the 2018 New Orleans Film Festival (NOFF) selection, The Children of Central City. The 18-minute documentary—shot and directed by Emma Scott, based on the reporting of Jonathan Bullington and Richard A. Webster—shows the impact of the youth football program based in Central City New Orleans, and the violent environment its children must go through. Purpose
The premise of the film is as follows:
For the boys on the Davis Park team, it’s not a matter of if they’ve been exposed to violence– it’s how often. In their young lives, they’ve already attended funerals for slain family and friends, and stepped off school buses to the sight of flashing blue lights and yellow crime scene tape. They can tell the difference between fireworks and gunfire, and they know what to do when they hear the latter.

city government

New indoor pool at Gert Town Natatorium now open for swimmers

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The newly constructed Gert Town Natatorium — next door to the recently-completed New Orleans Police Department Second District station — is now open to swimmers, with classes scheduled throughout the day, according to city recreation officials. The indoor pool shares the same 3411 Broadway Street address with the new police station next door, which opened earlier in September. It is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays — though it closes from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday for cleaning — and also from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. It is closed on Sundays. “The new 15,000 square foot facility houses a six-lane, 25-yard indoor competition swimming pool and shares a community plaza with the neighboring Second District Police Station,” according to the New Orleans Recreation Department Commission.

business

New solarium brings plants-on-wheels concept to New Orleans

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It’s been a few years since the national food truck craze arrived in New Orleans, and now its next evolution has arrived — FAIT NOLA, a mobile nursery and greenhouse that a horticulturist mom and her two daughters hope will help spread their love of decorative succulents and ferns around the city. “It’s like a food truck, but for plants,” explained Laura Joffrion at a launch party for the project Saturday night. More specifically, FAIT NOLA is a plant design studio launched out of a retrofitted laundry truck that has been converted into a greenhouse. The two sisters, Laura Stirling Joffrion and Emily Fields Joffrion, and their mom, Kathleen Robinson, will take the truck to events around the city, selling plants, rocks, sand and glassware and teaching New Orleanians how to build a terrarium. “The whole vision is that we want people to be able to get their hands dirty and really learn how to be creative using plants as that medium,” Emily Joffrion said.

public safety

Audubon Zoo jaguar exhibit to remain closed for months for repairs and upgrades

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The jaguar exhibit at Audubon Zoo will remain closed for several months so that the habitat can be upgraded with stronger steel cables, officials announced. Following the escape of the male jaguar Valerio last month that led to the deaths of nine animals, zoo staff members made a complete review of the jaguar enclosure and are now choosing contractors for the upgrades. “Due to manufacturing time and the installation process, it will be a few months before the exhibit is complete,” according to the announcement from the zoo. “The jaguar habitat will be updated, using material with a larger gauge size of stainless steel cable and decreased spacing between the cable. “Both Valerio and the female jaguar, Ix Chel remain separated in their respective behind the scenes areas.

food and drink

Kristine Froeba: Baseball, hot dogs… and a social media war? New Orleans Baby Cakes battle Scranton over Best Baby

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#TeamBabyCakes

If there is one thing New Orleans likes more than controversy—and even baseball–it’s a social media war. This time it’s not the kale lady, the Disney gumbo video (an abomination), or even that New York travel writer (#besafe). But, yes, the yanks are at it again, literally. The New York Yankees’ minor league baseball affiliate are attacking our team’s king cake baby on several fronts. The Scranton Baby Bombers, to put it delicately, are battling our New Orleans Baby Cakes.

public safety

Jaguar exhibit complied with federal regulations, Audubon says

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The enclosure that a jaguar escaped from over the weekend to kill nine animals at Audubon Zoo was compliant with federal regulations, Audubon officials said. Dr. Kyle Burks, managing director of the zoo, gave a detailed update Tuesday on the investigation into the jaguar’s escape. Officials also noted that the USDA had inspected the jaguar habitat and “found the exhibit compliant to regulations.” To watch Burks’ news conference, see the video below:

sports and recreation

Third fox’s death brings toll to nine animals following escaped jaguar’s attacks at Audubon

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Another fox died Monday morning at Audubon Zoo following Saturday’s attacks by an escaped jaguar, bringing the total number of animals killed to nine — including the zoo’s last surviving alpaca, officials said. The nine animals killed were five alpacas, three foxes and an emu, the first six of which died in the initial attacks Saturday. The alpaca and second fox died Sunday, while the ninth injured animal, another fox, died Monday morning, officials said. “We are sad to announce that Rusty, our fox who was being treated by veterinarians following the attack by our male jaguar, became critical last evening and despite best efforts, passed away this morning,” the zoo announced in an update at 10:15 a.m. Monday. “The outpouring of community support is helping our staff through this devastating time, especially those who care for our animals.

public safety

Zoo to reopen Sunday after escaped jaguar killed other animals

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After a jaguar escaped its exhibit early Saturday and killed six other animals, closing Audubon Zoo to visitors for the day, the zoo will reopen today (Sunday, July 15) but keep the jaguar area off-limits to the public, our partners at WWL-TV reported. Audubon officials say the roof of the jaguar exhibit may have been “compromised,” allowing 3-year-old male jaguar Valerio to escape early Saturday before opening, WWL-TV reported. He killed four alpacas, an emu and a fox, and injured three other animals, before zookeepers tranquilized him and returned to a secure exhibit. Valerio will not be euthanized under any circumstances, Audubon officials told WWL, but his area will remain closed until the repairs are complete.