This story from #VeriteNewsNOLA shows just how rampant corruption is in #NOLA’s Sewage and Water Board. Leadership may try to blame their protection of bad managers on workforce pressures, but the truth is that corruption is embedded in the culture. At this point, I find any other argument incredibly hard to believe.

https://veritenews.org/2023/06/26/payroll-fraud-and-a-secret-sex-room/

#VeriteNewsNola has another update on the status of #RoyalStreet in #NewOrleans.

#Louisiana’s Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser has agreed to have his office, which includes the State Department of Tourism, ensure the pedestrian mall hours are enforced. He will be temporarily taking over for #NOPD, which has done a terrible job of managing the barricades (though they have happily ticketed illegally parked vehicles). Let’s see if his office can do a better job.

https://veritenews.org/2023/05/02/nungessers-office-will-take-over-pedestrian-mall-barricades/

#Louisiana’s Universities and Community Colleges are leading the way in developing the state’s #OffshoreWind workforce.

From #VeriteNewsNola:

https://lailluminator.com/2023/04/25/offshore-wind-workforce-a-weak-link-in-plan-to-build-out-renewables/

The city of #NewOrleans and #RIPMedicalDebt are pairing up to buy and cancel medical debt, but they won’t be able to do it without the cooperation of the two biggest medical providers in the region, #Ochsner and #LCMC.

From #VeriteNewsNola:
https://veritenews.org/2023/04/20/medical-debt-relief-program-depends-on-ochsner-lcmc/

The #EPA announced it’s desire to require fence line monitoring for chemical plants near a facility in #StJohn. The idea would be to publish this data so that communities can know what is being put in their air by local petro-chemical companies. This would also allow the EPA and state-level agencies to enforce existing and future regulations on emissions and pollution.

From #VeriteNewsNola:
https://lailluminator.com/2023/04/06/epa-wants-to-require-fenceline-monitoring-for-air-toxins-at-chemical-plants/

#CancerAlley #Pollution #Environment

The #RoyalStreet saga continues:

After #NOPD said they did not have the man power to enforce the pedestrian mall on Royal Street by setting temporary barricades daily, Department of Public Works employees were seen ticketing people for parking in an area designated as a pedestrian mall.

Seems like the city would prefer to have it both ways. And why not? It’s free revenue from confused drivers (to the tune of nearly $60k in the last year).

From #VeriteNewsNola:

https://veritenews.org/2023/03/16/hundreds-of-parking-tickets-issued-in-closed-pedestrian-mall/

#DeepSouthToday, the parent organization of #MississippiToday and #VeriteNewsNola, is looking for a CEO to help realize it’s mission of enabling a robust local news ecosystem across the Deep South.

https://veritenews.org/2023/03/16/deep-south-today-seeks-ceo-for-networked-hub-of-nonprofit-newsrooms/

#LocalNews #NonProfitNews #News

When #NOPD introduced live video surveillance in 2017, the city claimed it was meant to help them solve crimes that had already occurred. More and more, these live feeds are used to justify arrests before a crime has occurred or been reported. As one might imagine, this includes the stopping and arresting of individuals who have done nothing wrong.

From #VeriteNewsNola:

https://veritenews.org/2023/03/14/suit-highlights-growth-of-surveillance-based-police-stops/

#Crime #Policing #CriminalJustice #NOLA

Some long time buskers even took to erecting their own barricades or moving existing barricades themselves, knowing that it was their right to have the street closed off. These individuals were met with threats of fines from private security personnel employed by the French Quarter Management District.

Walking down Royal a “must do” for anyone going to The Quarter. The city make good on the promise 50 years ago to protect #RoyalStreet

From #VeriteNewsNola

https://veritenews.org/2023/03/07/musicians-forced-to-dodge-traffic-in-order-to-perform/

#FEMA will extend the deadline for claims related to #HurricaneIda by 90 days. This is a big win for the people of #Louisiana’s bayou parishes, especially those who live in remote locations, such as Grand Bayou Indian Village.

From #VeriteNewsNola:
https://veritenews.org/2023/03/03/fema-gives-90-more-days-for-hurricane-ida-appeals/

#Louisiana will drop lawsuits against recipients of grants through the #RoadHome program launched in the wake of #HurricaneKatrina. In the rush to get money out to people, many ineligible homeowners were granted money or advised to use grant funds for ineligible repairs. In the years since, the state and federal government sought to recover “misused” funds, re-victimizing people who were just trying to get their lives back.

#VeriteNewsNola

https://veritenews.org/2023/02/16/state-to-drop-thousands-of-suits-against-road-home-recipients/

It took us over a year to get our home repaired after #HurricaneIda. We had the means to float many expenses and fight insurance on recoverables. We had the flexibility in our jobs to take phone calls and write emails.

I can’t imagine what the recovery process is like for people in remote communities like #GrandBayou who bore the brunt of the storm. These people desperately need #FEMA to extend their operations related to Ida in #Louisiana.

From #VeriteNewsNola:

https://veritenews.org/2023/02/14/fema-to-cut-off-hurricane-ida-assistance/