Lake Ponchartrain Basin Foundation helps teach kids to fish ~Andrew Canulette, The Advocate

Hidden in plain sight ~Fix the Pumps

Climate Scientist: Manhattan Will Need “Venice-Like Canals” to Stop Flooding ~Claus Jacob, Next City
~Editilla Cotellas~1NONewsladder2 • 6 minutes ago

Mr. Jacobs, 80% of New Orleans flooded from 3 catastrophic engineering failures: 17th Street Canal flood wall, London Ave Canal flood wall and the Industrial Canal flood wall --NOT from hurricane Katrina storm surge. These flood walls breached at below design spec, due to a number of bad calls by the US Army Corps of Engineers, to wit: bad soil (in the case of the London Ave Canal: SAND), Inadequately driven sheet piles, Incorrect design of I-walls instead of T-walls. These are the facts, not the innuendo of media Katrina Shorthand. http://www.ce.berkeley.edu/pro...
I find it disingenuous at best for you to proffer that the devastation of New Orleans 8-29-05 was anything but a man-made disaster. To quote engineering professor Dr. Raymond Seed: "This was a man-made disaster 2nd only to Chernobyl." Hurricane Katrina devastated the MS Gulf Coast. The Corps of Engineers struck New Orleans.
Please educate yourself and adjust your view on this tragic case of criminal product liability.

Oil boom produces jobs bonanza for archaeologists ~Josh Wood

Protesters walk 150 miles carrying 'troubled waters' to Governor's Mansion ~Xerxes Wilson

Coastal lawsuit won't move back to state court ~Mark Schleifstein


Student: My New Orleans school district hires too many white teachers ~Glen Sullivan

A Salute to the James Beard Awards ~Poppy Tooker, It's New Orleans

A Salute To The James Beard Awards June 28, 2014

A Salute To The James Beard Awards June 28, 2014

Louisianans Trek 100 Miles To The Governor's Mansion to protest signing SB-469 ~WKNO

Protests follow school plans at Booker T. Washington site ~Dan Lawton, New Orleans Advocate

Social media mystery: Who’s behind social media campaigns promoting Sheriff Marlin Gusman? ~Charles Maldonado, The Lens

Steve Gleason seeks $500 million to find ALS cure ~WWLTV 

Woman with service dog runs into resistance at local restaurant ~WVUE

Worst Hotel in New Orleans Award Goes To ~Cajun Mama

Somebody End My Miserable Existence – Tony the Tiger, Gas Station Mascot ~Red Schtick

UNDP and IFRC warn of legal gaps in disaster risk management

Sheriff, city still miles apart on plans for jail ~Jim Mustian, New Orleans Advocate

Mayor Mitchmo: ‘New Orleans Robbed Of Its Fair Share’ ~The Hayride

Frenchmen St. businesses upset at lack of rules enforcement ~Eric Paulsen, WWLTV 

New hotels not likely in New Orleans near future

Premium Parking for Web ~Chris Boudy

The Spirit of City Park Photo Contest Winners

Trustees to approve $627 million of BP Phase III early restoration projects over Texas objections ~Mark Schleifstein

Couple suing to have same-sex marriage performed in Iowa recognized in Louisiana ~Katy Reckdahl, The Advocate

Live blog: Mayor Landrieu discusses how he plans to pay looming city expenses ~Charles Maldonado, The Lens

Future bright for sunglasses business launched by local ~Mike Hoss, WWLTV 

Grow Dat’s City Park farm yields an unexpected crop: good jobs for youth ~Johanna Gilligan

Hurricane recovery gave New Orleans reason to band together to offer more healthful food ~Della Hasselle, Washington Post

I think we’ll head on down to KFC today for lunch ~Slabbed 

50-Foot-Tall New Orleans Art Tree House Dismantled ~Sarah Cascone, Artnet News

Jindal the Koch Sucker signs bills to ban AG contracts, restricts states ability to sue corporations ~Mark Ballard, The Advocate

Popular fishing spot off Terrebonne gets a reprieve ~WWLTV

New La. law mandates life-support for pregnant women ~WVUE

Baby Boomers fall for New Orleans ~New Orleans Advocate

BP shuts down internal oil spill claims program ~David Hammer, WWLTV

Flood Into Baton Rouge!

Issues hover over Holy Cross condo towers despite rezoning ~Jaquetta White, New Orleans Advocate

Scientists Unearth Decade-Old Federal Levee Failures Damage Beneath New Orleans’ Streets ~Katy Reckdahl, Next City

ITF, International Food Technology, Expo kicks off in New Orleans ~WDSU

A Louisiana first: Poverty Point named World Heritage Site ~WVUE

Activists use pedal power to oppose fracking ~WDSU

Report: Louisiana ranks high in toxic releases into waterways ~Amy Wold, The Advocate

St. Bernard Sheriff: Three men arrested for stealing $1500 in crab traps ~WWLTV

Causeway Police practice water rescue training ~WVUE

Five years after Corps of Engineers rated Trinity River levees unacceptable, an inspection and an update ~Dallas Morning News

Playing the waiting game in flooded northwest Iowa ~Des Moines Register

St. Rose Stench Traced to Crude ~NOLA DEFENDER

Our Views: The decider is upstairs ~The Advocate

2014 IFT Annual Meeting

New Orleans Based Franchise Expands into Poland ~Digital Journal

Forgotten Bayou, life on the edge of the Bayou Corne Sinkhole

Bobby 'Big Oil' Jindal's political levee board appointees held at bay on their attempt to kill SLFPA-E Lawsuit --for now ~The Advocate

Ironton, LA residents fight to stop proposed 'borrow pit' in backyard ~WWLTV

Officials identify cause of mysterious odor, residents seek medical help in St. Charles Parish ~WVUE

2015 Capital Budget Requests Map ~Nola Report

Cellphone providers ready lines of communication for hurricane season ~WDSU

New architecture in an old city: Is resurgent New Orleans losing its soul? ~Nathan Robinson, The Lens

Landrieu, Cassidy on fracking, St. Tammany ~Stephanie Grace

Sediment diversion project on right path, scientists tell state officials ~Amy Wold, The Advocate

Frustrations mount as St. Rose plant struggles to identify odor ~WWLTV

Mississippi Phosphates ranks high in toxic releases, gets special CEO ~Karen Nelson, Sun Herald

N.O. Sewerage and Water Board makes investment in "green" projects ~WVUE

Judge OKs keeping jail drawings, blueprints secret after sheriff Gusman cites security worries ~AP, via The Republic

GRN Cheers to 20 Years with a Solstice Party in the Park

Gambit's FestivALES 2014

Levees.org fighting for flood protection and to hold industry accountable for erosion: Sandy Rosenthal

Suit filed to block fracking as drillers seek permit in St. Tammany ~Faimon A Roberts III

Jindal Kochsucker on East bank levee authority pushes to consider dismissing its environmental lawsuit against energy companies ~Mark Schleifstein

What Will Come Of New Orleans' Empty, Damaged School Buildings? ~Eve Troeh, WWNO

Bayou Boogaloo goes on the road to spread N.O. culture ~WWLTV 

Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s Ben Jaffe talks about the musical traditions of New Orleans ~Angelle Barbazon, The Elkhart Truth

Helis seeks approval today for north shore fracking site ~WVUE

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell should intervene in coastal damages lawsuit ~Oliver Houck

Judge Sets May 2015 Date for BP Investors’ Suit Over Oil Spill ~Nate Raymond, Insurance Journal ~Hat Tweet @stuartsmithlaw

Arbitrator to decide Jimmy Graham’s grievance with Saints ~Ramon Antonio Vargas, New Orleans Advocate 

Report ranks La. second to last in compensating crime victims ~WWLTV

The sign painters of New Orleans ~Alex Woodward, Gambit 

NOLA History: Voodoo and St. John’s Eve ~Edward Branley, GONOLA

Good Eggs Summer Solstice Celebration!

Analysis: 'Big oil' lawsuit issues linger ~Kevin McGill, AP via SFGate

Despite low coal use, La. must reduce CO2 by 40% ~Amy Wold, The Advocate

Felon alleges legal retribution after gold business shakedown with St. Tammany DA ends ~WWLTV

Placenta…it’s what’s for dinner ~New Orleans Moms Blog!

Tango dancers take hold of New Orleans with return of festival ~Jaclyn Kelly

Analysis: In minicamp, Saints were clicking on offense and defense ~Ramon Antonio Vargas, New Orleans Advocate

I began to broach the issue with my father of my last wishes etc.
It took a second, since Pop was still under the impression that "this can't be happening in America".. that people wearing a uniform meant something and I just needed to go find them and get out of there.. that our country, his country.. well whateva...
About that moment a NOPD car drove by full of BlackWater Mercenaries, all the windows gone with their little rifles sticking out, ball caps on jar heads... I really remember the tiny sunglasses when they looked Directly At Me.
"No, Pop. America doesn't DO uniforms any longer," I said.

BEATnik Streams Into NOLA's Consciousness ~Anna Caca, NOLA DEFENDER

Mayor Landrieu passes buck: Up to Jindal to hold energy companies accountable for wetlands damage ~Jeff Adelson, The Advocate

How Bobby Jindal’s Con-Profit and David Vitter’s Super PAC Undermine Democracy ~CenLamar

Jindal budget relies on nearly $1B in piecemeal funding

WWNO Announces New Coastal Reporting Team

Feds renew tariff on frozen Chinese crawfish ~WDSU

New Orleans Convention Center proposes ambitious 47-acre development ~WWLTV 

New Orleans Bounce Battle Heats Up On Social Media ~Darian Trotter, WGNO

What's next for the Charity Hospital building? ~WVUE

March from Grand Ilse to Baton Rouge June 21st, rally at Governor's Mansion June 28th

Cityscapes: Richard Campanella on New Orleans' Second-Largest Flood

Business And Political Leaders Gather For Flood Insurance Meeting ~WWNO

Canal Street ferry to operate for longer hours ~Jeff Adelson, New Orleans Advocate

Business leaders, railroad industry hope to reroute train traffic on west bank ~WDSU

LA- US bishops hear controversial speaker in New Orleans ~SNAP

New GSI Executive Director Margaret Henderson, An Influential Voice For The Gulf ~Ed Lallo

Video of guide feeding gators sparks crackdown ~WWLTV 

Six Sultry Burlesque Beauties of New Orleans ~GoNOLA

Check Out Deep South Studios' $63.5M Plan For Algiers Site ~Curbed

America’s Fracking Boom Spreads ~Tom Ashbrook, On Point NPR 

 Fracking to be topic of North Shore forum Friday

Braithwaite levee sits unfinished with hurricane season underway ~Mike Perlstein, WWLTV

Legislative resolution tells Corps to find mitigation land elsewhere ~Jacob Batte, Houma Courier~State legislators unanimously passed a NIMPY (Not In My Parish Y'all) resolution last month that urges the Corps of Engineers to find property outside of Lafourche and Terrebonne parishes to compensate for hurricane protection in Orleans Parish. 

Man making good time in historic Lake Pontchartrain swim ~WVUE

Check Out Deep South Studios' $63.5M Plan For Algiers Site ~Curbed

For Buckwheat Zydeco, it’s all about respecting the roots ~John Wirt, New Orleans Advocate

NO WAY!!! Louisiana ranks # 2 among states with history of political corruption; South dominates ~Forbes~Hat Tweet @TheLensNOLA

Cadet's waiting game may be coming to end with New Orleans Saints ~Glenn Guilbeau, The Town Talk

Gulf state, not Louisiana, blocking approval of $627 million in BP oil spill restoration work ~Mark Schleifstein

Inaction feeds crisis over Mississippi River, environmentalists say ~Greg Gordon

Obama signs $12.3 billion water projects bill ~Gregory Roberts, The Advocate

University of New Orleans gets grant to enhance turtle excluder devices ~AP, via Daily Journal

New Orleans area banks move to more automation ~Don Ames, WWL

Bruno: Charter School Critics Get Part of Their Wish in New Orleans ~Scholastic

Culture as a Form of Control: All Hail New Orleans’ Go-Cup ~Lisa Wade, Pacific Standard

Shamarr Allen and the Underdawgs, "Typical Rock Star" ~WWOZ

Mississippi reporter fired for remarks about Lafayette ~Megan Wyatt via WWLTV

Defensive line colleagues praise Brodrick Bunkley for unselfishly taking pay cut this offseason ~Ramon Antonio Vargas

Board hits reset button on N.O. airport contract ~Jeff Adelson, New Orleans Advocate

Supreme Court: BP must pay claims during appeal~Janet McConnauhey, AP via Fresno Bee

Chevron goes big in deepwater Gulf of Mexico ~Brian O'Keefe, Forbes

This week in New Orleans music: Free beer and a zydeco weekend ~Leah D. Nelson, AXS

The Single Question That Could Destroy Bobby Jindal’s Political Future ~CenLamar
~With the stroke of the pen, Governor Bobby Jindal likely saved the oil and gas industry billions of dollars in damages for which they otherwise would have been legally responsible, damages that are legitimately owed to hundreds, if not thousands, of hardworking families, businesses, and coastal communities who were devastated by and continue to suffer from the lingering effects of the worst environmental disaster in American history. Governor Jindal may claim this was about ending “frivolous lawsuits” and creating a “more fair and predictable legal environment,” but unfortunately for him, the geniuses on his communications team allowed Don Briggs, the President of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association, to tell it like it is, “a huge victory for the oil and gas industry.” To be sure, that may actually be an understatement.
This wasn’t about ending frivolous lawsuits or better ensuring a fair and predictable legal environment; it was about rigging the law in favor of the biggest, wealthiest, and most powerful industry in Louisiana (and arguably, the world).

Who will lead the New Orleans Saints in receptions this season?~H/T Black and Gold

New airport terminal discussion continues after protest ~Casey Ferrand, WDSU

Design, Construction of $615M PCCP Canal Closures Project Moves Forward ~Brenda Roggiero, Construction Engineering Guide

Rush Masonry Delivers High-Performance Exterior for Loyola University New Orleans Renovation of Monroe Hall ~Digital Journal

New Orleans librarian wins $3,000 prize ~AP via WVUE

New Orleans restaurant boom creates lack of skilled staffers ~Don Ames, WWL

Tab Benoit, "Medicine" ~WWOZ

Saints' Vaccaro doesn't plan to tone down his style of play ~Bret Martel, WWLTV

James Gill: Time has come for settlement on coast damage ~New Orleans Advocate

Quin Hillyer: On new terminal, questions must be aired

Lawyers: BP claims at risk if Jindal signs levee lawsuit bill ~Richard Thompson

St. Tammany leaders approve court fight against fracking ~Ashley Rodrigue, WWLTV

Sheriff Gusman eyes plan to move mentally ill inmates to St. Gabriel, nearly 50 miles away ~Jim Mustian, New Orleans Advocate

2014 hurricane season message: Despite upgraded levees, don't let your guard down ~Mark Schleifstein

DEQ sends hurricane resource manual to parishes ~AP

AG recommends veto for levee board lawsuits bill ~New Orleans Advocate
~ Caldwell wrote Jindal that the bill’s wording carries “the potential for an unintended effect on the state’s, or a local governmental entity’s, claims against BP related to the Deepwater Horizon incident.” But Jindal’s top legal adviser disagreed, saying the views expressed during a Wednesday morning meeting were “the same as those offered by the opponents of the bill.” Thomas L. Enright Jr., the governor’s executive counsel, wrote Caldwell on Wednesday, “I must respectfully disagree that the proper course of action is to veto the bill.”

~Letter contradicting Thomas Enright, Governorcist Jindal’s executive counsel, from Robert R.M. Verchick Gauthier-St. Martin Eminent Scholar Chair in Environmental Law, Loyola College of Law

Dear Mr. Enright,

I have obtained a copy of your letter of June 4, 2014, addressed to Attorney General James D. Caldwell, which you furnished to the media. While I understand your position, I find your reasoning unpersuasive and, in some cases, based on inaccurate facts.

First, you write that the reasons set forth by the Attorney General for vetoing SB469 lack “specificity” as to the bill’s “unintended consequences.” To that end, I direct your attention to the legal analysis provided by my colleagues and me and encourage you to review our memorandum. That document —seven pages long and signed by more than 20 legal professors and scholars from the most prestigious law schools across the country, including our very own Loyola, Tulane and LSU law schools—reports in stark and detailed language the many ways that SB469 threatens billions of dollars worth of claims related to the BP oil spill. I’m frankly baffled at how such consequences could go ignored in the Governor’s rush to sign this bill into law. For that reason, I include a copy of our full analysis for you to review. In addition to the reasons outlined in that document, we are now also concerned, as you no doubt know, that NOAA has expressed serious questions about SB469, which could result in the loss of federal funding to protect our coast. Federal approval of the bill was never obtained as is required by federal law or even sought as of yesterday, June 3, 2014. In addition, the weakening of parish authority to protect their coastlines could lead NOAA to rescind the state’s coastal management program, depriving the state of needed federal revenue.

Second, you say, “this piece of legislation was fully debated, was the subject of intense mediacoverage throughout the session and now represents the Louisiana Legislature’s intent.” But SB469 was not fully debated. As you know, in the legislative process, discussion by the public can only take place in committee hearings. The bill was first assigned to Senate Committee Judiciary A, where it was clear the bill would have failed. When the author of the bill learned of its obvious fate, the bill was hastily moved, rewritten, and then heard in Senate Natural Resources Committee less than 18 hours later. There was next to no public notice, and debate on the bill was thus cut short. Furthermore, when the bill moved to the House of Representatives, it was assigned to the House Natural Resources Committee, instead of the Civil Law Committee where legislators skilled and experienced in the issues presented by SB469 could have addressed same. Worse, Representative Gordon Dove, Chair of the House Natural Resources Committee cut off debate.

Regardless, and contrary to the suggestion, neither legislative debate – nor media coverage – can substitute for thorough legal analysis by experts in the field. SB469 has been subject to just such an analysis, and under that analysis SB469 fails. As our analysis shows, SB469 fails to protect the local governments whose concerns your letter concedes are at issue and puts at risk billions of dollars of local government claims against BP. And, here, it should be noted that BP heavily lobbied for the passage of SB469 – a fact strongly suggesting that the now known consequences of SB469 were not unintended at all. The bill may even fail to achieve its original goal— termination of the SLFPAE’s lawsuit. The bill says it applies only to "local government entities," a term with a specific legal meaning that does not include regional flood protection authorities or the levee districts that make up SLFPAE. And, in the one place SB469 does mention regional flood protection authorities, the bill fails to include levee districts. The
SLFPAE lawsuit is filed on behalf of the East Jefferson Levee District, the Orleans Levee District, and the Lake Borgne Basin Levee District as entities distinct from SLFPAE itself. So those levee districts' claims in the SLFPAE lawsuit could well remain untouched. In sum, SB469 fails in every regard.

Sincerely,

Robert R.M. Verchick
Gauthier-St. Martin Eminent Scholar Chair in Environmental Law
Loyola College of Law 
 
New Orleans City Council asks Gov. Jindal to veto levee board lawsuit bill ~Richard Rainey

Right and left partnered in fight to reduce incarceration, but sheriffs killed most bills ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens

Lower 9th Ward revitalization plan to go before voters ~Marsha Schuler, New Orleans Advocate

Third District police officers encouraged to make more bicycle stops ~Della Hassell, Midtown Messenger

Update: Lafourche Parish declares state of emergency after levee breach ~WDSU

More details on Jindal’s “Duck Dynasty” appearance ~The Advocate

Murky outlook on oyster beds this year means high prices ~Meg Farris, WWLTV 

French Market’s Annual Creole Tomato Festival, 2014 ~WWOZ

Gov. Jindal delays signing law against levee lawsuit ~New Orleans Advocate

Plan to create special taxing district in New Orleans dies on last day in Legislature ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens

Jindal department rampant with fraud and corruption ~C.B. Forgotston

New Orleans USCG prepares for hurricane season ~WVUE

Ascension Parish residents upset at response to ‘perfect storm’ floods ~The Advocate

Portable generators demand safety during the hurricane season ~WWL

Impact of signing retroactive anti-levee authority lawsuit bill questioned ~ WWLTV

Louisiana's regulation and inspection of oil and gas wells, including 'orphaned' wells, is inadequate, Legislative Auditor finds ~Mark Schleifstein

Anti-fracking fight in Texas draws St. Tammany interest ~Faimon A. Roberts III

St. Bernard gets oyster reef to help protect shoreline ~Amy Wold, The Advocate

What To Do With Bayou Bienvenue?: Amanda Moore ~WWNO

LSU researchers study storm surge data with hopes of minimizing hurricane damage ~David Lippman

The View from Inside the Eye ~National Hurricane Center Blog

New Orleans nearing a ‘privatized’ public school system ~Kari Dequine Harden, Louisiana Weekly

Businesses grow as Hollywood embraces Louisiana ~Stacie Plaisance, AP via WVUE

Hurricane season begins; eight years without a major storm ~Amy Wold, The Advocate

Anti-Levee Board bill SB 469 could have disastrous impact on local governments with pending BP spill claims ~Louisiana Voice

Court monitor says Gusman is behind schedule on jail reforms ~Charles Maldonado, The Lens

Acme World Oyster Eating Championship

Holy Cross Neighborhood Assn files lawsuit to stop riverfront condo tower development

How New Orleans Saints Are Building One of the NFL's Most Potent Defenses ~Bleacher Report
 
Despite improvements in storm protection, evacuation plans are still vital, officials say ~Richard Thompson, New Orleans Advocate

Small island slammed in oil spill may be saved ~John Snell, WVUE

Which Came First: The Mockingbird Or The Musician? ~Eve Abrams, WWMO

"The Dirty Dozen" local legislators dishonor constituents to protect Big Oil ~Clancy Dubos, The Gambit

LPBF: Fracking on the north shore could lead to thousands of wells ~John Snell, WVUE

Supreme Court justice has close ties to BP's lawyers ~David Hammer

Louisiana House of Oil & Gas votes to kill levee board lawsuit ~Mark Ballard, The Advocate

Stephanie Grace: At Capitol, not all petitioners are equal

House Natural Resources Comm. kills SELPA-E suit even as committee chairman cited for dumping toxic oilfield wastes ~Louisiana Voice

Endgame: Disaster Capitalism, New Orleans, and the Charter Scam ~P.L. Thomas

Armed citizens form group to keep eye on French Quarter ~WDSU

New Orleans metro area officials talk about hurricane preparedness and public safety ~AP via The Republic

Hurricane season begins June 1st. Register to train at Evacuteer

Preparing Your Pet For Hurricane Season ~Ana Zorrilla, WWNO

Papa Grows in a New Direction: John “Papa” Gros Finds Balance ~Stephen Maloney, offBeat

Ownership, operations of flood defenses moved to SLFPA-E ~Jeff Adelson, N.O. Advocate

Safety questions raised after tornado hits Marathon refinery ~Thanh Truong, WWLTV

Lafourche residents denounce Corps' land plan ~Channing Parfait, Tri-Parish Times

Brown Shrimp Season Opens With High Prices, Future Remains Uncertain ~Eve Troeh, WWNO

Dolphins are dying in fresh water and scientists are asking why ~Danielle Thomas, WVUE

In New Orleans, major school district closes traditional public schools for good ~Lyndsey Layton, Washington Post

Rents and occupancy rates remain high in New Orleans' apartment market ~WWL

The Listening Post Asks: Is Housing Affordable In New Orleans? ~WWNO

Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival moves to green and shady Armstrong Park in New Orleans ~Chris Waddington

Judith Owen to play Cafe' Istanbul tonight! ~Allison Fensterstock

Fest brings oyster lovers out of their shells ~Suzanne Pfefferle ~Oyster Fest Schedule

IG: NOPD doesn't have enough cops answering service calls ~WWLTV 

No escape if you’re late: Even small surges will flood sections of I-10 east and west ~Bob Marshall, The Lens

Drones are newest hurricane research tools ~AP via Washington Post

New Orleans Advocate reporters being compelled to testify in Telly Hankton case ~Justin Mustien, New Orleans Advocate

A New Orleans Bicycle Wedding!

25th Annual Crawfish Fest in New Jersey to Host New Orleans’ Finest Musicians ~Nick Fitanides 

The Shuck-town All Stars: Oyster Fest 2014 ~NOLA DEFENDER

Lake foundation asks Corps to hold up action on permit for fracking oil well ~Faimon A. Roberts

Coastal erosion lawsuit is about protecting people and property in Louisiana ~G. Paul Kemp~Editilla Consuellas~ Please register your opposition to this dangerous legislation with the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee

Bald Eagles in New Orleans ~NOLAFemmes

The Bright Side Of An Economic Disaster: Jeanne Nathan Reflects On The 1984 World's Fair ~WWNO

Nation pours millions into City Park recovery from Hurricane Katrina ~WWLTV

Crowds enjoy Memorial Day along newly enhanced N.O. lakefront despite trash, lack of trash cans ~Scott Satchfield, WVUE

 Jindal ambitions impairing effectiveness in La., some say ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens

Governor Jindal refuses to answer questions over travel ~The Advocate

Levee anti-lawsuit bill going down to the wire ~Jim Beam American Press

Memorial Day events across New Orleans metro area

Former home of Anne Rice for sale in Uptown ~WDSU

Can Cop-Worn Cameras Restore Faith In New Orleans Police? ~Martin Kaste, NPR

 U.S. Senate approves $12.3 billion water project

Corps of Engineers: $60 billion backlog in projects as Corps studies our nation to death

Harvesters worried about oyster-catch size shrinking ~WWLTV

LaPolitics Publisher John Maginnis Dies at 66

New jail’s opening delayed as questions abound ~Jim Mustian, New Orleans Advocate

13 New Orleans-Area Military Monuments and Memorials ~Sarah Chase, Curbed NOLA

RB Pierre Thomas fighting for his Saints future ~Gary Estwick, New Orleans Advocate

NORA unveils initiative to turn empty lots to green space, community gardens ~Thanh Truong, WWLTV

New Orleans’ National WWII Museum Honors Memorial Day ~Crave Online

13 New Orleans-Area Military Monuments and Memorials ~Sarah Chase, Curbed NOLA

Delgado delight: New Orleans squad ready for World Series ~Patti Arnold, Sun Sentinel

Fun On the Halfshell: The 2014 New Orleans Oyster Festival ~Paul Broussard, GoNOLA

Hurricane prep items exempt from state sales tax Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 ~WDSU

National Hurricane Center leaders visit New Orleans to preview upcoming 2014 hurricane season ~Mark Schleifstein

Property bill advances for Lower 9th Ward Neighbors would get first purchase rights

Corps OKs extended comment period on fracking ~New Orleans Advocate

Oyster harvesters alarmed at finding fewer oysters ~WWLTV

Financial agreement to keep CCC lit set to expire in June ~WVUE

Susan Cowsill: The Sound Of Happy ~WWNO

La. House committee votes to kill levee board lawsuit ~Mark Ballard, The Advocate

LSU projections show storm surge swamping Southeast Louisiana by century’s end ~Bob Marshall, The Lens

New restrictions planned for La. abortion clinics 

Lee Zurik Investigation: When you don't like the questions, you stop answering

Talk the beat with Lens reporters at BrottWorks Design Studio on May 22

Payments from BP claims settlement could resume soon — or maybe not ~Richard Thompson, New Orleans Advocate

Dozens of Raceland landowners could lose property to N.O. hurricane protection ~Jacob Batte, Daily Comet

New Orleans Convention Center readying plans for major upriver expansion ~Robert Morris, Uptown Messenger

This 7th Ward Skate Park Comes With A Water Management Plan ~Laine Kaplan-Levenson, WWNO

City says cracking down on illegal short term rentals is difficult ~WWLTV 

Closed case file reveals new details about Landry shooting

80-year-old New Orleans firm cranks out 'snoballs' ~David Dennis, CNN Money

Letter: Honor constitution, rights ~Russell Honore', The Advocate

Citizens Fight Fracking Near New Orleans, sue Corps of Engineers over legally inadequate permitting process ~Courthouse News Service

Fictional Hurricane Phil tests Corps' fictional flood control system days before 2014 season begins ~Mark Schleifstein

Appeals court won’t rehear BP settlement issue ~Kevin McGill, AP via The Advocate

Plans to open lake floodgate on Bayou St John steps closer to reality ~Tania Dall, WWLTV 

Louisiana might take notes from Florida's Everglades plan ~John Snell, WVUE

Electric cars in New Orleans ~Robert Morris, Gambit

Lucinda Williams ~House of Blues

Retired Gen. Honore storms fracking battlefield in St. Tammany as recall efforts begin for elected officials ~David Grunfeld

Use your influence to stop La Sen Bill 469 ~Louisiana Sportsman

B&B owners affected by illegal short-term rentals want city enforcemen ~WWLTV

Our Views: Don’t gut 2006 reforms ~New Orleans Advocate

 Reginald Adams, free after 34 years, takes to his mother’s porch ~John Simerman

EPA proposes new air quality monitoring plan for refineries ~Rachel Wulff, WDSU

Blogger's arrest shakes up Mississippi Republican primary ~CNN

New Orleans Saints sign former Tulane safety Devon Walker ~WhoDat Dish

Margaret Orr: Looking at hurricane history gives us insight into possible future activity

Brews News: Wayward Owl Founder Talks Plans to Open Brewery in NOLA, Catnip ~Sam Nelson, NOLA DEFENDER

Plaquemines Parish Seafood Festival highlights post-oil spill challenges

Bayou Boogaloo fighting proposed city fees ~WWLTV

Terminally ill boy dies shortly after N.O. firefighters grant 6 year old's wish to wear a NOFD Badge ~Meg Farris, WWLTV

Unlearning Katrina’s lesson: Bills would again make levee board a governor’s plaything ~Ruthie Frierson

Live chat: Discuss city’s storm protection system with Tulane professor, Corps of Engineers official ~The Lens

BGR opposes levee boards’ restriction ~N.O. Advocate, Capital Bureau

New Jefferson Parish flood maps to be delayed by two years

House approves bill restricting 'legacy lawsuits' against oil companies, returns it to Senate ~Mark Schleifstein

Sustainability and Traceability Key at Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Sustainable Foods Institute ~Gulf Seafood Institute

Louisiana sees a mirror image in efforts to save Florida's Everglades ~John Snell, WVUE

Federal judge: Ethics gag law is unconstitutional ~Sarah Pagones and Faimon A Roberts III

Vietnam War Memorial replica visits Kenner ~Casey Ferrand

At A New Orleans High School, Marching Band Is A Lifeline For Kids ~NPR

Temporary restraining order filed to stop Northshore fracking ~WDSU

NOLA Pipeline Panel to Discuss Levee Board Lawsuit ~NOLA DEFENDER

James Cullen Says Grandma's Cooking is the Best Cooking ~EATER New Orleans

North shore group sends cease & desist letters over fracking proposal ~Meg Gatto, WVUE

New Orleans’ flood protection system: Stronger than ever, weaker than it was supposed to be ~Bob Marshall, The Lens
DA's office refuses to accept case against Merritt Landry ~WWLTV 

The New Orleans Saints Take 2014 Pole Position in NFC South ~Saints Tailgate

LaSPCA: reward in pregnant rabbit cruelty case

Read more here: http://www.islandpacket.com/2014/05/15/3112219/laspca-reward-in-pregnant-rabbit.html#storylink=cpy

Chiquita bringing banana imports back to New Orleans ~Andrew Vanacore, New Orleans Advocate

Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans Celebrates 40th Anniversary

Louisiana French Road Signs Approved ~Janaya Williams, WWNO

New Orleans Central Maintenance Garage by Steven Houser Photography ~Steven Houser Photography

James Cullen Says Grandma's Cooking is the Best Cooking ~EATER New Orleans

Sen. Landrieu pushing to limit coastal fund use to stop Governor Jindal from stealing it to cover budget ~AP via New Orleans Advocate

Corps of Engineers Hands Over Control to Local Levee Authorities – First Time Since They Flooded New Orleans 8-29-05 ~WGNO

Audit shows NOPD underreported rape ~Jim Mustian, New Orleans Advocate

NPR fluff piece: New Orleans Police Hope To 'Win The City Back,' One Kid At A Time

Prosecutors seek delay in trial linked to 2013 Mothers Day second-line shooting ~WDSU

Helis offers PR 'compromise' on St. Tammany Parish well ~Faimon A. Roberts III, BR Advocate

Will this be the year U.S.'s luck runs out on hurricanes?

Elizabeth Smart to speak at Nicholls on child abduction/recovery issues ~Aline Carambat, Houma Courier via WWLTV

Letter indicates Chiquita leaving Gulfport for New Orleans ~Anita Lee, Sun Herald.com

Read more here: http://www.sunherald.com/2014/05/14/5573387/letter-indicates-chiquita-leaving.html?sp=/99/100/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy

Tammany residents turn out once again to oppose fracking well, company again no-show ~Faimon A. Roberts III, The Advocate

Helis Oil Co. agrees to drill vertically in St. Tammany, study results before fracking ~Robert Rhoden

A State Tax Holiday For Buying Emergency Supplies ~AP, via WWNO

Execution problems spring up in Louisiana ~Michelle Mollhollon, The Advocate

Grant would fund study of rail service expansion

Torres, Khodr partner to buy Board of Trade building ~Greg LaRose, N.O. City Business

Remembering the World's Fair, 30 years late ~Bill Capo, WWLTV 

Tangier Island, VA is a step back in time, but with a very hazy future ~Ian C. Bates, Aljazzera

Recipe: Breaux Bridge Crawfish Bisque with Cornbread Stuffed Shell ~Danielle Dietze, WWOZ

James Gill: Oil and gas owe Louisiana big time

La. Sugar Growers Push Trade Tussle With Mexico ~NOLA DEFENDER

Garrison Keillor, Tuesday at Le Petite Theater

New children’s books explore New Orleans, its culture ~Chere Cohen, The Advertiser

Original Big 7 Mother's Day Second Line, Downtown Super Sunday

"I'm going to be at the parade, in the parade, all around the parade, all over the parade. I am the parade,"

The Fourth Battle of New Orleans ~Mark Folse, Oddwords~The issue is: where do we draw a line in the sand? New Orleans is undergoing an ugly, greed-fueled transformation I predicted almost ten years ago on my blog Wet Bank Guide. Many things have been proposed since the storm in the name of redevelopment. Sean Cummings’ Elisio Lofts, another high-rise abomination at the foot of Elysian Fields, was stopped. The redevelopment of the old Holy Cross School site with another inappropriately sited high-rise proposed by Perez APC, has just won approval from the New Orleans City Council.
Enough.

Saints trade up; select Oregon State's Cooks ~Ted Lewis, New Orleans Advocate

Lee Zurik Investigation: Lawmakers pocketing your tax dollars by double billing

Report: New Orleans A National Leader In Infrastructure Jobs ~Eileen Flemming, WWNO

'It could have been me' - Dillard student on abduction of Nigerian girls ~WWLTV

New Orleans City Council blasts bills aimed at killing levee lawsuit ~Robert McClendon

City Council approves Holy Cross development ~Jaquetta White, New Orleans Advocate

Oil Washes over the Louisiana Senate ~Steve Murchi, Gulf Restoration Network

Senate OKs bill that could halt levee suit ~Mark Ballard, New Orleans Advocate

BP continues fighting claims process that it agreed to ~David Hammer

Churchill Downs vows to make improvements ~Michelle Mollhollon

New measurements show sea level rise swallowing Grand Isle at record rate ~Bob Marshall, The Lens

Mayor Mitch Landrieu voices support for Holy Cross development, opposition faces long odds ~Robert McClendon

New Orleans City Council should wait on Holy Cross development vote: Editorial

Live blog: Lawmakers to vote on two Landrieu-backed taxes ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens

Flood Law Fixes Existing Insurance Rates ~Stephen Babcock, NOLA DEFENDER

Gymnastics... The sport that lives in my heart ~Karla's Chronicles

Heart of Louisiana: Atchafalaya Basin Keeper

Drone bill dies in House committee ~Michelle Millhollon, The Advocate

Federal National Climate Assessment Says Louisiana Is Vulnerable ~AP, via WWNO

 City Council prepared to vote Thursday on riverfront condo towers in Holy Cross ~Jaquetta White, N.O. Advocate

Use our calculator to see how much property tax increase would cost you ~Tyler Bridges, The Lens

Jindal to use Coastal Restoration funds for budget? ~C.B. Forgotston

Still Counting Gulf Spill’s Dead Birds ~Mark Schrope, NYT

Sterling Farms to close flagship store in Marrero ~WDSU

UNO Announces Partnership with U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Iconic New Orleans Snoball Stand Honored With A James Beard Award ~WWNO

Predicted exodus of offshore rigs from Louisiana turns out to have been mere Obama bashing ~Mark Moseley, The Lens

Environmental groups protest bill aimed at levee board lawsuits ~The Advocate

Public comment period extended on permits sought for oil drilling proposal near Mandeville ~Robert Rhoden

GiveNOLA ~NOLA DEFENDER

La. Senate rejects Medicaid expansion proposal

Whistleblowers claim Dupont hid leaks in Louisiana ~David J. Mitchell, N.O. Advocate

IndyCar commits to New Orleans race in 2015 ~Brett Martel, AP

The Ebb And Flow Of Louisiana Seafood ~Poppy Tooker, WWNO

Well there ain’t no time to wonder why, whoopie! we’re all gonna die ~Moosedenied

Meet Save Lake Peigneur, Inc.

Stephanie Grace: Pipeline bill has complicated politics

Questions surround legal case of Marigny homeowner involved in shooting ~WVUE

Drones deployed over disaster zones raise concerns at FAA ~Mark Strassman, CBS

Jazz Fest Preview: Glen David Andrews Thinks Big ~My Spilt Milk