New Orleans CityBusiness back issues from May 2007:
'Broadway South' proposal finds fans in New Orleans City Council
May 01, 2007; ... Tax credits to lure theater productions to Louisiana are one oftwo important economic development needs for the city, CouncilwomanStacy Head said. "From an overall economic development plan for the city," the taxcredits and growing the biomedical industry are two projects ...
U.S. construction spending rose .2 percent in March
May 01, 2007 ... Construction spending nationwide climbed .2 percent March after a1.5 percent increase in February, according to Monday's constructionspending report from the Census Bureau. Steady activity in the single-family homebuilding industry and aboom in nonresidential construction were ...
Louisiana officials support further studies of proposed cargo airport
May 01, 2007 ... The heads of Louisiana's departments of economic development andtransportation on Monday said they support a study to measure theeconomic benefits of a cargo airport between Baton Rouge and NewOrleans. Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Michael Olivier andLouisiana ...
New Orleans Recovery School District interim leader to leave May 31
May 01, 2007 ... Acting Superintendent Robin Jarvis announced today she will leavethe Recovery School District May 31. She said she several offers toconsider but has not yet made a decision on what she will do next. Citing time away from her family as the main reason behind herdeparture, Jarvis ...
Business credit improves, housing market still slack, says Credit Manager's Index survey
May 01, 2007 ... The creditworthiness of businesses in the manufacturing sectorimproved in April, driving a 1.6 percent increase in the CreditManager's Index. The CMI survey asks credit managers to rate favorable andunfavorable factors in their monthly business cycle. Favorablefactors include ...
La. Dept. of Transportation campaign aims to put a stop to pedestrian deaths, injuries
May 01, 2007 ... To reduce pedestrian deaths and injuries on state roads, theLouisiana Department of Transportation and Development has launched apublic service announcement campaign. The pedestrian safety PSAs, which will run throughout May, arepart of the "Wreck Less, Louisiana" highway safety ...
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to advertise two Jefferson Parish drainage projects
May 01, 2007 ... Two Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Damage Reduction projects arescheduled to be advertised for bidders in early summer, the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers said. Grand Cross Canal, a West Bank project, calls for contractors tosupplement two existing 7-by-10 box culverts in the canal ...
CityBusiness online poll asks: What's your favorite N.O. event?
May 01, 2007 ... After just one day of voting, CityBusiness readers are coming outstrongly in favor of Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest as their two favoriteNew Orleans events. Voting concludes at noon next Monday. All survey respondents whocomment online are automatically entered into a drawing to win a ...
Critics: Louisiana's proposed insurance incentives unfair
May 01, 2007; ... Louisiana Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon and Gov. KathleenBabineaux Blanco unveiled a joint package of legislative proposals inMarch to attract new property insurers to the state. Big name insurance companies such as Allstate and State Farm havedeclined to write new policies ...
New Orleans Metro Convention and Visitors Bureau loses major aviation convention
May 02, 2007 ... The New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau haslost another major trade show. The National Business Aviation Association, expected to bring morethan 20,000 people, will meet in Orlando, Fla., next year becauseLakefront Airport apparently can't hold its aircraft ...
Louisiana Recovery Authority Support Foundation meets Thursday
May 02, 2007 ... The charitable arm of the Louisiana Recovery Authority will meetThursday to discuss issues such as a proposed catastrophic insurancepool and community planning following the 2005 hurricanes. The LRA Support Foundation's board of directors will met at 10a.m. Thursday at ...
More than 200 Recovery School District teachers skip class for rally
May 02, 2007; ... More than 200 Recovery School District teachers missed class todayto participate in a rally for higher teacher salaries in Baton Rouge. None of the district's 22 schools were forced to shut down due tothe teacher shortage, according to RSD officials.Curriculum coordinators, ...
Horizon Initiative, of New Orleans, adds to its support
May 02, 2007 ... The Executive Committee of Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans haveendorsed the Horizon Initiative, a coalition of business and civicleaders pressing to lead New Orleans' future prosperity througheconomic development. "Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans is pleased to support ...
High gas prices, hot weather drive demand for scooters
May 02, 2007; ... Climbing gasoline prices are accelerating sales for New Orleans-area scooter and motorcycle dealers. Many business owners had to make tough decisions after HurricaneKatrina about whether to stick it out in a reduced population. Yet,the city retained most of its scooter and ...
Coastal systems conference coming to Crescent City
May 02, 2007 ... Economists, sociologists and policymakers from federal, state andlocal governments will attend the second national forum onsocioeconomic research in coastal systems in New Orleans May 20-23 atthe Royal Sonesta Hotel. The conference will give participants a chance to discuss ...
Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan features more than 100 proposals
May 02, 2007 ... The Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan announced today by theLouisiana Recovery Authority and citizen leaders, includes more than100 recommended actions aimed at comprehensively managing futurerisk, reinvesting in existing communities and creating a regionaltransit system. "Katrina ...
Louisiana Recovery Authority releases Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan
May 02, 2007 ... The Louisiana Recovery Authority today released its long-termrecovery plan for south Louisiana after spending last year and partof this year gathering ideas from citizens, elected leaders andothers. The Louisiana Speaks Regional Plan, designed to guide recovery for50 years, ...
Recovery School District in New Orleans plans to cover teacher walkout Wednesday in N.O.
May 02, 2007 ... All 22 schools in the Recovery School District will be openWednesday despite the possibility of a teacher walkout. The RSD is deploying Central Office staff to all schools in theevent of teacher absences because of a planned teacher rally in BatonRouge. "While we may have a ...
Sen. Landrieu disappointed by Bush veto of spending bill
May 02, 2007 ... Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, expressed disappointment afterPresident George W. Bush vetoed the Emergency SupplementalAppropriations Act Conference Report, which passed the Senate andHouse last week. Bush said he vetoed the bill in part due to hurricane recoveryfunding, ...
Commentary: Teacher hooky sends students wrong message
May 03, 2007; ... Teachers from around the state played hooky Wednesday to rally atthe state Capitol to support teacher and school employee pay raises. Education officials estimate 120,000 students were affected byschool closures as a result of the rally, and thousands more weretaught by substitute ...
British singer to join fans in New Orleans homebuilding
May 03, 2007 ... British soul singer Joss Stone plans work beside 40 fans andHabitat for Humanity to build homes in the Upper Ninth Ward. Stone will be in town to perform at the New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival. Stone will meet with ...
Hispanic Resource Center in Kenner to hold Social Security clinic
May 03, 2007 ... The Hispanic Resource Center will hold a Social Security Clinicfrom 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 19. The center is located at 4312 FloridaAve. in Kenner. The clinic will provide information in Spanish and English onprescription plans, disability and supplemental insurance, SocialSecurity ...
Louisiana tourism officials laud 2007 festival attendance
May 03, 2007 ... Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu on Thursday said attendance is up atLouisiana's festivals and special events this year, another indicatorthat the state's tourism industry is recovering from the 2005hurricanes. Landrieu, whose office oversees the Louisiana Department ofCulture, ...
Report: Orleans Parish was at 56 percent of pre-K population in March
May 03, 2007 ... Orleans Parish's population in March was 255,137, a 14 percentincrease over July but still 56 percent of its pre-Hurricane Katrinapopulation, according to a report by New Orleans firm GCR &Associates. In July, the parish had an estimated population of 223,388. The2005 population ...
Cable networks slot $12M in ad time to New Orleans
May 03, 2007 ... Eleven cable television system operators and cable advertiserAdlink are donating $12 million in advertising time on their networksto promote New Orleans tourism. With Cox Communications organizing the effort, participatingnetworks are Bresnan Communications, Bright House Networks, ...
Commentary: PAR: Strategic flexibility needed in teacher pay raises
May 03, 2007; ... Rather than grant the proposed across-the-board pay raise forteachers and school employees, the state should distribute the samestatewide total amount to the districts in the proportion that theyreceive state MFP funding, according to a report by the PublicAffairs Research Council of ...
New Orleans-based Energy Partners Ltd. reports 1Q income fell 75 percent
May 03, 2007 ... Energy Partners Ltd. on Thursday reported first-quarter net incomefell 75 percent to $3.7 million from $14.8 million in the samequarter last year. But oil and natural gas production was up for the quarter versus ayear ago, the company said. First-quarter revenue was $108.5 ...
St. Tammany event to put 41 homes on parade
May 03, 2007 ... Forty-one St. Tammany Parish homes will be open for potential homebuyers to tour during the 2007 Parade of Homes. The 28th annual event will be held noon to 5 p.m. Saturday throughSunday and May 12-13 and 19-20. The homes, built by 30 area builders and selling in various ...
San Francisco nonprofit to help St. Bernard Parish with Katrina recovery
May 03, 2007 ... One Brick, a nonprofit that helps link volunteers with othernonprofits and community organizations, plans to help rebuildhurricane-ravaged St. Bernard Parish from Sunday through May 11. It is the first national volunteer trip in One Brick's history. "New Orleans is starting to ...
Commentary: Road Home success problem indicates population surge
May 03, 2007; ... The Road Home program has a success problem. More people are applying than expected, which is good because itindicates repopulation will be more robust than expected. But the heavy homeowner demand could drain the $7.5 billionallocated to the program before satisfying all ...
Donation by New Orleans doctor shapes glass exhibit
May 03, 2007 ... Works of the internationally renowned Lalique family ofglassmakers will be on display at the New Orleans Museum of Art untilDec. 30. "Lalique, Lalique, Lalique: Legends In Glass" features the 20thcentury work of three generations of Lalique designers. The collection includes ...
Kenner Police Department arrests 14 in prostitution sting
May 04, 2007 ... The Kenner Police Department conducted a sting operation Thursdayto identify and arrest individuals seeking the services ofprostitutes. Female undercover officers, posing as prostitutes,worked an area along Airline Drive and a second group worked VeteransBoulevard. During the ...
Annual inspection and Mass to be held for N.O. first responders
May 04, 2007 ... The annual inspection and memorial Mass celebrated by the NewOrleans police, fire, and emergency medical service departments willbe held Sunday in Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral. Police, firefighters and EMS officials will assemble for a 10:15a.m. inspection by Mayor C. Ray ...
New Orleans-area Regional Transit Authority drivers stage sickout
May 04, 2007; ... Sixty-one of 65 bus and streetcar drivers for the Regional TransitAuthority staged a sickout today, as the drivers' union and RTAcontinue to negotiate a contract that predates Hurricane Katrina. RTA spokeswoman Rosalind Blanco Cook said service has beenaffected by the ...
Construction economist: Housing construction to pick up in 2008
May 04, 2007 ... The nationwide decline in single-family home construction will notturn around until the second quarter of 2008. That's according to a construction outlook report released Fridayby Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated GeneralContractors. March single-family housing ...
Former Philly superintendent takes on N.O. challenge
May 04, 2007 ... State Superintendent of Education Paul Pastorek announced todayPaul Vallas will be the new superintendent of the Recovery SchoolDistrict. Vallas, CEO of the School District of Philadelphia, has beenworking in the RSD as a consultant for several weeks. He agreed toaccept the top ...
Hollywood production company considers filming revenge thriller in Louisiana
May 04, 2007 ... Big Screen Entertainment Group said it is considering locations inLouisiana and Florida to shoot an upcoming revenge thriller, "ToolGirls." "We're also very intrigued by the Shreveport/Bossier City area ofLouisiana," said Big Screen Senior Vice President Michael Manasseri ....
Jefferson Parish to end free home demolitions June 29
May 04, 2007 ... Jefferson Parish homeowners who want assistance with demolishinghurricane-damaged homes have until June 29 to apply. The deadline applies to unincorporated parts of the parish and thecommunities of Gretna, Kenner, Harahan, Westwego, Jean Lafitte andGrand Isle. Residents must ...
New Orleans Zephyrs to hold baseball clinic for kids
May 04, 2007 ... The New Orleans Zephyrs and the city will hold a kids baseballclinic 9 a.m. Saturday at Taylor Park at the intersection of SouthDurbigny and Third streets. The New York Mets, the major league affiliate of the New OrleansZephyrs, have donated $20,000 to the Zephyrs and the Greater ...
Group plans to finish rehab of 61 N.O.-area apartments in 60 days
May 04, 2007 ... Downtown Development Group said it plans to finish theredevelopment of 61 low- to moderate-income apartments in New Orleansand Metairie within 30 to 60 days. The buildings are Washington Gardens, 2119 Washington Ave.,Washington Place, 2316 Washington Ave., and Metairie Heights, at ...
Tenet Healthcare completes sale of Lindy Boggs Medical Center in Mid- City
May 04, 2007 ... Tenet Healthcare Corp. has completed the sale of Lindy BoggsMedical Center, a 187-bed hospital in Mid-City, to Victory RealEstate Investments of Columbus, Ga. The hospital, which sustained significant damage and closed afterHurricane Katrina made, lies within the 20-acre footprint ...
New Orleans-based Tidewater Inc.'s executive Cliffe Laborde leaving company
May 04, 2007 ... Tidewater Inc. announced Cliffe Laborde, the company's executivevice president, secretary and general counsel, will leave the companyJune 29 to pursue business opportunities. Laborde has been with Tidewater for over 15 years. "Cliffe Laborde has been an integral part of ...
N.O. poised to reverse retail slump
May 04, 2007; ... Thanks to new and returning businesses opening in 2006, retailsales tax collections in Orleans Parish are emerging from a steeppost-Katrina decline. Sales tax collections in Orleans Parish made big gains in Januaryand February compared with the same period in 2006, while ...
Audits reveal questionable spending, hiring at East Jefferson clinic
May 04, 2007; ... Three years after audits uncovered possible embezzlement andmisspent clinic funds at East Jefferson Community Health Center,federal authorities are investigating the clinic's management duringthe time in question. State and independent auditors have uncovered missing clinicfunds, ...
Louisiana bills ignite changes in smoking law
May 04, 2007; ... The cigarette is about to stage a comeback in Louisiana if twolegislators have their way. State Reps. Alexander Heaton, D-New Orleans, and Robert Faucheux,D-Gramercy, proposed bills that anti-tobacco forces fear could gutthe 2006 Louisiana Smoke-Free Air Act. Heaton's bill ...
New Orleans Small Business Briefs: May 5, 2007
May 05, 2007; ... More small businesses will soon land large federal contracts. House Resolution 1873, introduced April 17 and also known as theSmall Business Fairness in Contracting Act, will reauthorize SmallBusiness Administration programs and activities relating to obtainingfederal contracts ....
Covington-based Hornbeck Offshore Services' 1Q income rises 17 percent
May 05, 2007 ... Hornbeck Offshore Services Inc. reported first-quarter net incomeof $17.5 million, or 67 cents per diluted share, an increase of 17percent from $14.9 million, or 54 cents per diluted share, versus thesame quarter last year. Included in first-quarter net income was about $6 million, ...
CityBusiness online poll results: Mardi Gras wins as favorite N.O. event
May 07, 2007 ... Mardi Gras was the favorite New Orleans event for the majority ofvoters on CityBusiness' online poll. A total of 160 votes, or 33.9 percent, were cast for Mardi Grasover the past week. The poll received a total of 471 votes. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival ...
Louisiana or Alabama? ThyssenKrupp might make decision Friday
May 07, 2007 ... Louisiana and Alabama officials may learn this week where steelcompany ThyssenKrupp will choose to build a $2.9-billion U.S. steelplant. ThyssenKrupp today announced that its supervisory board will takeup the issue Friday in Duesseldorf, Germany. Company officials areexpected to ...
Tulane University expects record number of freshmen in fall
May 07, 2007 ... The number of freshmen coming to Tulane University in the fallwill set a Tulane record, the university said. More than 1,375 high school seniors are expected to enroll inAugust, an increase of 55 percent over the 882 freshmen in the fallof 2006. "This is the largest one-year ...
New Orleans luncheon to focus on Louisiana shipping facilities
May 07, 2007 ... Transportation officials will discuss Louisiana's shippingfacilities during a May 16 luncheon in Room 1830 of the World TradeCenter, 2 Canal St. The discussion will be held during National Transportation WeekMay 14-18. Conrad Appel, chairman of the Port of New Orleans' board ...
New Orleans expo to offer businesses cyber crime solutions
May 07, 2007 ... The top five Internet security risks for businesses will be thefocus of the two-day IT Conference and Expo scheduled for May 22-23at the Hilton Riverside hotel. The conference will not only review the risks but also offer waysto fight cyber crime, said Chandra Gogineni, conference ...
New Orleans Free Academy to receive 3,000 donated books
May 07, 2007 ... More than 3,000 books are being donated to the new library at theNew Orleans Free Academy.The books were collected through Book by Book, a drive to collectnew and used books for the New Orleans Charter Schools Foundation.The book drive was made possible by law firm Frilot ...
Louisiana unemployment claims drop 37 percent
May 07, 2007 ... Initial claims for unemployment insurance for the week ended April28 decreased 37 percent from the previous week, the LouisianaDepartment of Labor said. There were 2,527 initial claims for the week, down from 3,993. Initial claims were also lower than the 2,550 claims from ...
Commentary: Wanted: Grownups to spend Louisiana surplus wisely
May 07, 2007; ... There ought to be some grownups in charge of our state budget.Maybe it's us, the taxpayers. Like I read in CityBusiness Social Media Editor Deon Roberts'online blog last week, Louisiana has an abundance of cash to spend inthis fiscal session. Nearly $2 billion in extra cash has ...
Public comment period nears end for New Orleans public schools study
May 07, 2007 ... The final town hall meeting for a study seeking public input onNew Orleans public schools will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday atMcDonough 35, 1331 Kerlerec St. In March, the New Orleans City Council's Education Committee,Tulane University's Scott S. Cowen Institute for Public ...
New Orleans Jazz Fest officials estimate 2007 attendance hit 375,000
May 07, 2007 ... The 2007 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival drew an estimated375,000 visitors, according to Jazz Fest officials. The event ended ...
Louisiana port boards disdain consolidation
May 07, 2007; ... Hurricane Katrina helped spur consolidation of the state leveeboards but don't look for it to do the same for the various portboards. Port officials statewide have discussed the need for Louisiana's27 operational ports to share ideas for growth but stop short ofsuggesting ...
Commentary: Nuvolari's retooled menu hits culinary sweet spot
May 07, 2007; ... Nuvolari's $$$$ 246 Girod St., Mandeville Dinner only, seven nights. At the end of my third recent dinner at Nuvolari's, I beganmentally composing this column, starting like this: "The mostexciting restaurant in the New Orleans area right now is ...
Tariff dispute nets jumbo headaches for shrimpers in La.
May 07, 2007; ... With foreign shrimp flooding the American market, fuel pricesalready sky high and seafood tariffs a never-ending debate, thebanged-up Louisiana shrimp industry is limping into its springharvest. The Louisiana Shrimp Association and the Southern Shrimp Alliancehave been wrangling ...
Why Stay? N.O. bartender, firefighter says attitude of residents is behind his dedication to city
May 07, 2007; ... For bartender and firefighter Jan Soeten XV, 36, life is aboutconnecting with people, and the friendly attitude of New Orleansresidents is behind his dedication to the city. Soeten said no matter what else is going on in New Orleans,strangers walking past him on the street almost ...
First Bank and Trust tower in N.O. lights up
May 07, 2007 ... First Bank and Trust has added its name to the New Orleans skylineby unveiling brightly lit signs 36 floors above Poydras Street. "It's exciting for us to become part of the New Orleans skyscape,"said First Bank and Trust President J. Michael Brown. "The sign is asimple way to let ...
University of New Orleans' Jumpstart program pairs tutors with tiny tots
May 07, 2007; ... The youngest students on the University of New Orleans Lakefrontcampus aren't worried about taking notes or cramming for finals. Instead, preschoolers in the New Orleans Jumpstart program, whichpairs 3- to 5-year-olds with college-age mentors, are acquiring theeducational building ...
Metairie student honored in Washington for volunteer work
May 07, 2007 ... A student from Metairie who helped create a summer camp wherechildren with disabilities interact with other kids was honored forher volunteer work at the 2007 Prudential Spirit of Community AwardsSunday night in Washington, D.C. Noel Netzhammer, 13, an eighth-grader at Archbishop ...
Kenner's University City residents still rely on temporary trailers
May 07, 2007; ... Nearly two years after Hurricane Katrina, some Kenner residentsare still struggling to get out of FEMA trailers and back into theirhomes. For University City residents, the Federal Emergency ManagementAgency's trailers were supposed to be temporary - a quick fixdesigned to ...