New Orleans CityBusiness back issues from April 2008:
United Way of Greater New Orleans reaches $20M mark with fewer donors
Apr 01, 2008; ... Despite a substantial drop in the number of donors sinceHurricane Katrina, this year's United Way of Greater New Orleansfundraising drive netted more than $20 million to help fund theorganization's 64 agencies. The 2007-08 drive, which ends today, has relied on 15,500individual ...
Commentary: Gov. Jindal remains on a roll
Apr 01, 2008 ... Gov. Bobby Jindal followed up the "grand slam" of his EthicsSpecial Session by "batting 1.000" at the Business Special Session.These were descriptions the governor himself applied to thesessions. Some pundits quibbled about the governor's sports hyperbole butnone can question ...
Legal experts to meet in N.O. about criminal indigent defense
Apr 01, 2008; ... Legal experts from around the country are scheduled to discussthe challenges of criminal defense for Louisianians who can't affordit during a symposium at Loyola University New Orleans. Loyola's College of Law's Public Interest Law Journal issponsoring the symposium from 9 a.m. to ...
N.O.-area unemployment rate stays below national, state figures
Apr 01, 2008; ... The unemployment rate for the New Orleans area dropped inFebruary to 3.1 from 4.1 in January and 3.2 in February of 2007, theLouisiana Department of Labor reported today in unrevised figures. The February 2008 unemployment rate for the New Orleans area wasbelow the national rate ...
Tulane to present 4th Celebracion Latina
Apr 01, 2008; ... Tulane University's Stone Center for Latin American Studies willpresent the fourth annual Celebracion Latina from noon to 6 p.m.Sunday at the intersection of Napoleon Avenue and Magazine Street inLaurence Square. The free festival, ...
Company: First U.S.-approved Swiss absinthe to debut in N.O.
Apr 01, 2008; ... A Swiss absinthe maker has chosen New Orleans to debut what itsays is the first authentic Swiss absinthe - using an originalrecipe that includes wormwood - to be legalized in the United Statesin nearly 100 years. Blackmint Distillery and Altamar Brands will showcase the ...
FEMA: 18,176 trailers remain in Louisiana
Apr 01, 2008; ... The number of government-issued trailers in Louisiana has fallen37.2 percent since a phaseout of the units began on Nov. 26, theFederal Emergency Management Agency said today. As of today, there are 18,176 trailers and mobile homes servingas post-hurricane housing in the state, ...
Nonresidential construction up despite homebuilding decline
Apr 02, 2008 ... Despite another lackluster month for homebuilding in February,nonresidential construction rose 0.1 percent over January and was up11 percent over the past year, the Associated Builders andContractors said. Citing U.S. Department of Commerce data released Tuesday, ABCsaid of the ...
New Orleans-based EPL makes second discovery this year in Bay Marchand
Apr 02, 2008 ... Energy Partners Ltd. today said it made its second discovery of2008 in the Bay Marchand field on the Gulf of Mexico shelf and hasbegun drilling its third well in the program. The field is located just north of the company's South Timbalier26 field. The No. CC-15st well, ...
'Lifetime experience': CEO Les Hirsch departs after leading recovery of Touro Infirmary in N.O.
Apr 02, 2008; ... Les Hirsch officially started his job as CEO of Touro InfirmaryAug. 22, 2005. Seven days later, Hurricane Katrina hit the GulfCoast, the levees gave way and floodwaters covered more than 80percent of the city. Just a week into his new job, Hirsch had to lead the evacuationof ...
SEC commissioner to speak at Tulane corporate law forum
Apr 02, 2008 ... Paul Atkins, commissioner for the Securities and ExchangeCommission, will be the keynote speaker at Tulane University's 20thannual Corporate Law ...
FEMA chief to face questions about hurricane preparedness
Apr 02, 2008 ... Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator David Paulisonwill testify Thursday before a Senate committee evaluating FEMA'sability to handle a national catastrophe. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, will also be at the SenateCommittee on Homeland Security and Government ...
Survey: Merger business could pick up in a year
Apr 02, 2008 ... A slight majority of leading merger and acquisition advisersbelieve that the economy is fundamentally sound and the mergerbusiness will pick up in one year to 18 months, according to a newsurvey by Brunswick Group LLC. The survey results were releasd today, the day before the ...
N.O. charter schools looking for certified teachers
Apr 02, 2008 ... Certified teachers are invited to join the New Orleans charterschool movement by attending the second annual New Orleans CharterSchools Certified Teacher Fair from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at XavierUniversity's Student Center Ballroom, 4980 Dixon St. "Full- and part-time positions are ...
Public schools in Louisiana shrug off private school tax break
Apr 02, 2008; ... Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a bill providing a tax deduction forprivate school tuition into law March 24, but lawmakers and schoolofficials doubt it will have much effect on pubic or private schoolfunding. Senate Bill 5 by state Sen. Robert Marionneaux Jr., D-Livonia,provides a ...
Parc des Familles in Jefferson Parish gets first major roadway
Apr 02, 2008 ... Parc des Familles, which at 610 acres will be the largest park inJefferson Parish once complete, has its first major roadway, pavingthe way for additional park construction, Jefferson Parish saidWednesday. The entrance to the new, one-mile roadway is on Leo KernerParkway on the ...
North Shore company in Lacombe pleads guilty to federal environmental offense
Apr 03, 2008 ... M&N Foods Inc., a Lacombe manufacturer of spaghetti sauce andsalad dressing, on Thursday pleaded guilty before a federal judge tofailing to file reports for more than two years with the LouisianaDepartment of Environmental Quality, U.S. Attorney Jim Letten'soffice said. The ...
Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District wants feedback on borrow sites
Apr 03, 2008 ... The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District wantspublic input on five potential sites where it will obtain borrowmaterial to build and improve levees. Comments on three sites on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish andtwo in Plaquemines Parish, detailed in the Corps' ...
Gourmet hamburger restaurant planned for Magazine Street in N.O.
Apr 03, 2008; ... Charcoal, a two-story, 6,300-square-foot gourmet hamburgerrestaurant, is slated to be built at the intersection of MagazineStreet and Jackson Avenue. Craig Walker Jr. and Blaine Prestenbach, 20-somethings who met incollege at the University of New Orleans, acquired the property ...
N.O. lawmakers want state funding for public school infrastructure
Apr 03, 2008 ... Two state lawmakers from New Orleans are calling for stategovernment to begin providing funding for school infrastructureneeds, saying 41 other states already provide such funding. Sen. Cheryl Gray and Rep. Karen Peterson, both Democrats, plan apress conference at noon today at the ...
Jefferson Parish Street Beat: April 4, 2008
Apr 03, 2008 ... Phone call turns into firearm pilfering A Gretna man was arrested Saturday after authorities say heattempted to steal a gun from a man who had let him into his home. Police say Andrew McIntyre, 37, was allowed into the home by thealleged victim to use the phone. The victim ...
N.O. Mayor Nagin to attend mayors forum in China
Apr 03, 2008 ... Mayor C. Ray Nagin will travel to Zhengzhou, China, on Sunday tojoin 400 other mayors from China and worldwide citiies for theInternational Mayors' Forum on Tourism April 9-11. At the conference, city leaders discuss the future of worldtourism. Stephen Perry, president and ...
State of Louisiana streamlines FEMA reimbursement process for parishes
Apr 03, 2008 ... One month after the state implemented a new system to speed upreimbursements to hurricane-affected governments, the wait time hasbeen cut by about 70 percent, from as high as 60 days to just aweek. The administrators of the new program, the Louisiana RecoveryAuthority and the ...
Parents back Mid-City school in N.O.
Apr 03, 2008; ... The once-busy entrance to Morris F.X. Jeff Elementary School onRendon Street is boarded up and glass from shattered windows isscattered across its trash-strewn lawn. Damage from Hurricane Katrina has led the school facilitiesmaster planning team for Orleans Parish to recommend ...
La. Sen. Landrieu asks NASA to keep Michoud jobs
Apr 03, 2008 ... Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, wants a meeting with NASAAdministrator Michael Griffin to prevent job cuts at MichoudAssembly Facility in eastern New Orleans. On Tuesday, NASA said more than half of the 1,900 jobs associatedwith external fuel tank production at Michoud will be ...
Wal-Mart roadway construction in Jefferson Parish begins Monday
Apr 03, 2008 ... Roadway construction for a proposed Wal-Mart will affect trafficfor a little more than a month. Beginning 9 a.m. Monday and ending 4 p.m. May 15, one laneeastbound and one lane westbound on Veterans Boulevard betweenRoosevelt Boulevard and Massachusetts Avenue will close ...
Kenner deadline for FEMA trailers approaching
Apr 05, 2008; ... By May 31, 2008, any temporary housing unit, including FEMAtrailers or camper-type trailers, that have been identified by theCity of Kenner and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)must be removed from the property. No extensions will be granted beyond May 31, 2008. After ...
Construction jobs down for month, year
Apr 06, 2008; ... On April 4, 2008, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) releasedemployment data for March which shows a clear decline innonresidential construction employment, from both monthly and year-over-year perspectives. Nonresidential construction employmentdeclined by 20,500 jobs in March ...
State Sen. Cheryl Gray holds town meeting
Apr 06, 2008; ... State Sen. Cheryl Gray invites residents of Senate District 5 toa town meeting to discuss security districts at 6:30 p.m. April 14at St. Matthew United Church of Christ, 1333 S. Carrollton Ave. inNew Orleans. Gray will discuss the necessity and benefits of legislation forthe ...
Louisiana to participate in National Early Childhood symposium
Apr 06, 2008; ... As part of an effort to build states' capacity for developingscience-based policies that enhance children's learning, behaviorand health, Louisiana, along with 13 other states, has been selectedto participate in the National Symposium on Early Childhood Scienceand Policy. The National ...
National World War II Museum celebrates expansion Monday
Apr 06, 2008; ... The National World War II Museum celebrates their $300-millioncapital construction expansion at special event Monday with militaryflyover, historical artifacts and political leaders, including Gov.Bobby Jindal, City Council President Arnie Fielkow, Sen, MaryLandrieu, Lt. Gov. Mitch ...
Whole Foods Markets will attempt Guinness World Record April 12
Apr 06, 2008; ... Whole Foods Market will attempt to set a Guinness World Recordfor simultaneously "cracking open" hundreds of hand-selected wheelsof two-year-aged Parmigiano Reggiano wheels at their stores aroundthe country. Whole Foods Market cheesemongers will demonstrate the ancient artof ...
Emeril Lagasse to host Chef Jam! fundraiser
Apr 06, 2008; ... Chef Emeril Lagasse will headline the Chef Jam! fundraiser to be held April 17 at the New Orleans Board of Trade, 316 MagazineStreet. Chef Jam! will run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Music and food will beincluded as part of the event, which benefits the Culinary Trust,the ...
Delgado Community College hosts advanced registration through May 16
Apr 06, 2008; ... Delgado Community College is holding Advanced Registration for2008 summer Session and Fall Semester.For summer 2008 classes, continuing, transfer and readmitstudents may register online at www.dcc.edu and in person throughMay 16. New students are able to participate in Summer ...
Ochsner Health System, Hornets to hold blood drive in New Orleans
Apr 07, 2008 ... Ochsner Health System is partnering with the New Orleans Hornetsto hold blood drive Tuesday at the "Ochsner Night at the Hornets"home game against the Utah Jazz. The Ochsner Bloodmobile will be part of Buzz Fest from 3 p.m. to7 p.m. outside the New Orleans Arena. "We're ...
Construction begins in N.O. on $300M WWII museum expansion
Apr 07, 2008; ... National World War II Museum officials today broke ground on thetheater-canteen complex, the first portion of a $300-millionexpansion of the museum. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, and museum officials gatheredat noon for the groundbreaking of the theater-canteen complex, ...
'American Idol' selects Louisiana charity for fundraiser episode
Apr 07, 2008 ... A Louisiana charity will be featured on "American Idol" this weekfor the television show's "Idol Gives Back" annual fundraiser.The Louisiana Children's Defense Fund's New Orleans FreedomSchool and local families will appear on the 7 p.m. show Wednesday. Idol Gives Back was ...
U.S District Court in New Orleans orders St. Bernard to restore electricity for rentals
Apr 07, 2008; ... A federal judge has stopped the St. Bernard Parish Council fromproceeding with a plan to evict a group of tenants from single-family homes that were never granted required permits for rental useby the council. The temporary restraining order was handed down Thursday by JudgeSarah ...
Razed and confused: Lawsuit alleges city of N.O. illegally ordered demolitions
Apr 07, 2008; ... When Michael Duronslet arrived at the corner of St. Ferdinand andNorth Galvez streets and saw only a plot of reddish-brown dirt wherebefore there had been a boarded-up home, his first thought was hewas standing on the wrong block. "When I got there, the house was down and I was ...
Economy takes bite from New Orleans-area menus
Apr 07, 2008; ... Restaurants are increasing prices, downsizing portions and, insome cases, removing certain items from the menu -- necessaryresponses, owners and chefs say, to a run-up in food, energy andinsurance costs the likes of which some have never seen. "Across the board, everything is ...
Community defense links public with Orleans Parish justice system
Apr 07, 2008; ... When Christine Lehmann came on board as chief of the OrleansParish Public Defender's Office in October 2006, the first thing shenoticed was the phone hardly rang, a rarity for criminal defenseattorneys who are used to their clients calling several times a day. Lehmann said she ...
Commentary: Lights (red), camera, action -- tickets
Apr 07, 2008; ... The city of New Orleans might soon be licking its chops over morethan $6 million in new revenues. How might the newfound money bestbe spent? And, where is it coming from? Beginning last week, on April Fool's Day no less, traffic camerasbegan spitting out pictures of cars and the ...
Brewing dispute: Pair moves forward with plans to build gourmet hamburger restaurant in N.O.
Apr 07, 2008; ... After getting the go-ahead from the City Planning Commission, the Historic District Landmarks Commission and the Garden Districtand Irish Channel neighborhood associations, Craig Walker Jr. andBlaine Prestenbach believe they will be able to move ahead withplans to build their gourmet ...
University of New Orleans students map recovery
Apr 07, 2008; ... In a studio on the top floor of a building on the University ofNew Orleans' Lakefront Campus, a small group of graduate students isdeveloping a plan for a tightknit Vietnamese community in easternNew Orleans. The students are part of UNO's Department of Planning and UrbanStudies, ...
Where We're At -- New Orleanians tell CityBusiness how they think the recovery is progressing.
Apr 07, 2008; ... Since taking over Pan-American Life Insurance Co. in 2004,President and CEO Jose Suquet has shot down rumors that hisdownsizing and streamlining of the company was a precursor for itsrelocation to Miami, where Suquet has business ties dating to 1985. Suquet pared the company's ...
N.O.-based Whitney Holding Corp. promotes John Turner to president, succession complete
Apr 07, 2008; ... Whitney Holding Corp., parent company of Whitney National Bank,has promoted John Turner Jr. to president of the company and thebank. Turner replaces John Hope III, who became chairman and CEO March16 after William Marks retired. R. King Milling remains board ...
N.O. begins red light traffic camera enforcement
Apr 07, 2008; ... As of Tuesday, the city of New Orleans began issuing citations tored-light traffic camera violators at four intersections. Thecitations follow a monthlong warning and training period. "Our goal is to stop red-light violators and prevent trafficcollisions," said Robert Mendoza, ...
New Orleans developer HRI, Deuce McAllister team to renovate historic Mississippi hotel
Apr 07, 2008; ... New Orleans developer HRI Properties, Saints running back DeuceMcAllister and Jackson, Miss., attorney David Watkins are teaming onan $82-million renovation of the historic King Edward Hotel indowntown Jackson. The project calls for the 145-year-old building to be redevelopedinto ...
NASA transition will cut 1,100 Michoud jobs
Apr 07, 2008; ... More than half of the 1,900 jobs associated with external fueltank production at a NASA facility in eastern New Orleans will becut by 2010 after the space shuttle program is shut down, NASAofficials said last Tuesday. But employment should increase over time at the Michoud ...
Developers to open Crowne Plaza in Kenner
Apr 07, 2008; ... A group of Metairie developers plans to open a franchised CrownePlaza hotel in Kenner sometime in the third quarter. Joe Jaeger Jr. of the MCC Group LLC confirmed he is one partnerinvolved with converting the former Holiday Inn Select at 2929Williams Blvd. into a 307-room Crowne ...
Lauricella Land Co. pitches $80M plan to save Colonial Country Club
Apr 07, 2008; ... An Elmwood company plans to redevelop Colonial Country Club intoBelle Rive, an $80-million-plus project designed to save thefinancially challenged golf course. Lauricella Land Co. has relieved the cash-strapped course of $4.4million in debt and proposes overhauling the course and ...
What others say
Apr 07, 2008 ... 'Vallas: New Orleans is a breeze,' Philadelphia, March 29 Reforming the hurricane-ravaged New Orleans school system hasproven an easier task than running the schools in Philadelphia,former city schools chief executive Paul Vallas said. In his first appearance in the ...
New Orleans City Council toughens code for abandoned buildings
Apr 07, 2008; ... Strengthening neighborhoods is behind new, aggressive codeenforcement procedures to tackle abandoned properties in NewOrleans, said Office of Recovery and Development AdministrationDirector Ed Blakely. City Hall, through ORDA and the City Council, has established anew framework ...
Commentary: Colombian flare sets Baru apart from crowd
Apr 07, 2008; ... *** Baru Bistro and Tapas $$$ 3700 Magazine St. No reservations. 895-2225. Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday www.barubistro.com No part of New Orleans has more interesting restaurants than theentirety of Magazine Street. It emerged ...
Commentary: Jindal solutions target N.O.
Apr 07, 2008; ... Gov. Bobby Jindal said it is time to focus on solutions. In his own words, Jindal said we must restore the charminghistory of New Orleans while building a foundation for a prosperousfuture in the modern, knowledge-driven economy. Jindal said we must protect the history, culture ...
Commentary: Finally a big cost break for business insurance
Apr 07, 2008; ... Commercial property insurance rates and coverage are not sexytopics unless you are a business owner paying though the nose inLouisiana for such coverage. Then the past two months have beenexciting indeed. A massive, positive shift over the past 60 days has droppedpolicy coverage ...
Commentary: Scalise's congressional bid creates state Senate vacancy
Apr 07, 2008; ... In the special election for the 1st Congressional District seatformerly held by Gov. Bobby Jindal, state Sen. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, is locked in a spirited GOP run-off against state Rep. TimBurns, R-Mandeville. If Scalise prevails, he will vacate the Senate seat he just ...
Hospital headache: Questions about new facility in New Orleans
Apr 07, 2008; ... A state Senate panel convened a hearing March 25 to clarify thestatus of Louisiana State University's proposed $1.2-billion, 484-bed teaching hospital. But the meeting raised just as many questionsas it answered. Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Alan Levineexpressed ...
New Orleans Medical Briefs: April 7, 2008
Apr 07, 2008; ... Newborns given wider screenings The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals is finalizingnew regulations to screen for an additional 18 genetic diseases innewborn babies. Previously, only 10 genetic disorders were screenedfor at birth. About 65,000 babies are born in ...
Look Who's Talking...Samir S. El-Dahr, M.D. and Professor of Pediatrics and Physiology at Tulane
Apr 07, 2008; ... Age: 49 Family: wife, Jane; and sons C.J., 20, Sami, 13 Education: doctor of medicine, University of Aleppo, Syria;pediatric residency at University of Maryland; fellowship inpediatric nephrology, University of Virginia at Charlottesville Hometown: Aleppo, ...
Calendar April 9 - May 9
Apr 07, 2008 ... April 9 EnCourage support group will have a group meeting on how to talkto your children about cancer at The Center for Restorative BreastSurgery located at 1717 St. Charles Ave. from 5-7 p.m. The meetingsare free and open to the public and take place every secondWednesday of the ...
Cypress Bend Real Estate Development breaks ground on $48M Covington office park
Apr 07, 2008 ... Cypress Bend Real Estate Development has started construction ona $48-million, 24-acre office park in Covington. The developmentincludes a four-story, 105,000-square-foot Class A office building,an adjoining executive conference center and a health club. TheLemoine Co. of Lafayette is ...
Culinary Institute of America adds New Orleans' Brennan family to Hall of Fame
Apr 07, 2008 ... The Brennan family of Commander's Palace fame is one of thenewest members of the Culinary Institute of America's Hall of Fame. The New Orleans family is one of only three families to ever winCIA's leadership award. "The Brennan family has combined extraordinary culinary flair ...
FEMA: More than 18,000 trailers remain in Louisiana
Apr 07, 2008 ... The number of government-issued trailers in Louisiana has fallen37.2 percent since a phase-out of the units began Nov. 26, accordingto the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As of last Tuesday, there were 18,176 trailers and mobile homesserving as post-hurricane housing in the ...
Corps watches Louisiana levees as Mississippi River rises
Apr 07, 2008 ... The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has increased its monitoring ofMississippi River levees in Louisiana as the river continues torise. On Saturday, the Corps said it was watching the water level todetermine whether the Bonnet Carre Spillway will need to be openedin the next two ...