environment

Nola.com: Officials worry about New Orleans levees if Morganza is not opened

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As floodwaters make their way down the Mississippi, officials are concerned about potentially devastating levee breaches in New Orleans that could inundate Uptown if the Morganza spillway is not opened, according to reporting by Mark Schleifstein of the Times-Picayune. “We have a good bit of experience dealing with seepage and sand boils, saturated soil conditions when the river stages are around 17 feet,” Bob Turner, executive director of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East, told the newspaper. “Once the river gets over 17.5 feet, I don’t know that we’ve got a lot of experience dealing with those same issues. Seepage and sand boils, that uncertainty gives us some concern. My gut is if it gets higher, it’s going to be more difficult to keep those things under control.”

arts, books and music

Kermit Ruffins headlines two-day Soul Fest at Audubon Zoo this weekend

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Audubon Zoo’s Soul Fest will feature Kermit Ruffins and a number of other jazz, hip-hop, gospel and R&B performers as well as soul food and cultural displays Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Last year’s festival drew an estimated 21,000 attendees, according to the park. See below for a complete lineup of performers each day. Saturday

11 a.m. Opening Remarks
11:05 a.m. National Anthem
11:10 a.m. Thelonious Monk Institute
12 p.m. African American Firsts
12:45 p.m. Tara Alexander
1:45 p.m. Michael “Soulman” Baptiste
2:45 p.m. Clark Knighten & 4×4 Connection (Tribute to Teena Marie)
3:45 p.m. Kermit Ruffins

Sunday

11 a.m. Opening Remarks
11:05 a.m. National Anthem
11:10 a.m. Thelonious Monk Institute
11:45 a.m. Lyle Henderson/w Emmanuel
12:45 p.m. BRW
1:45 p.m. Phillip Manuel
2:45 p.m. Gina Brown
3:45 p.m. Chocolate Milk

For more information, visit Audubon Zoo’s website.