NEW ORLEANS METRO REAL-TIME NEWSBreaking Local News from New Orleans, Louisiana
Obama: Economy showing encouraging signs, but too many out of work
by
Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
Friday May 08, 2009, 12:41 PM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama said Friday there have been "somewhat encouraging" improvements in the country's stricken labor markets, but the rate of joblessness is "still a sobering toll."
The president spoke shortly after the government reported that the jobless rate rose to 8.9 percent in April, although the pace of layoffs slowed to 539,000 from well over 600,000 the previous month. He also announced a new plan to permit jobless people to return to college without losing their unemployment benefits.
Continue reading "Obama: Economy showing encouraging signs, but too many out of work" »New Orleans judge grants short delay in crime-camera civil case as criminal inquiries intensify
by
David Hammer, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 12:59 PM
As criminal inquiries heat up in the New Orleans crime camera contract saga, so too is the civil lawsuit that's exposed the inner workings of the deal involving Mayor Ray Nagin's administration, Dell Inc., city technology vendors, and an affiliated firm that paid for junkets for the mayor.
Continue reading "New Orleans judge grants short delay in crime-camera civil case as criminal inquiries intensify" »St. Tammany Parish Council to consider banning or heavily regulating video bingo
by
Charlie Chapple
Friday May 08, 2009, 12:17 PM
The St. Tammany Parish Council has agreed to consider local laws to either ban or heavily regulate video bingo halls in the unincorporated areas.
Continue reading "St. Tammany Parish Council to consider banning or heavily regulating video bingo" »Mandeville man guilty of holding up Sonic Drive-In employees
by
Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 12:07 PM
A 37-year-old man was convicted of sticking up mother-and-daughter employees at a Sonic Drive-in in Mandeville last year.
Continue reading "Mandeville man guilty of holding up Sonic Drive-In employees" »PHOTO: Standoff Near Lakeside Mall Ends Peacefully
by The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 11:57 AM
Statue of Liberty crown to reopen July 4; $25M in stimulus funding to be used for nearby Ellis Island
by Verena Dobnik, The Associated Press
Friday May 08, 2009, 11:54 AM
NEW YORK (AP) -- The crown of the Statue of Liberty will reopen July 4 for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced Friday.
"On July 4, we are giving America a special gift," Salazar said at a news conference on nearby Ellis Island.
The statue was closed to the public after 9/11 because of security concerns. The base, pedestal and lower observation deck have since been reopened.
Continue reading "Statue of Liberty crown to reopen July 4; $25M in stimulus funding to be used for nearby Ellis Island" »Kenner City Council does not object to breakwater project to protect Kenner pump station
by Mary Sparacello, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 11:16 AM
A breakwater to protect a Kenner pumping station will affect a long-planned marina at the Gabriel subdivision.
Despite that, Kenner City Council members said they needed to put flood-protection first and unanimously voted Thursday to tell Mayor Ed Muniz to write a letter of no objection about the breakwater, while agreeing to set up meetings with Kenner officials, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Gabriel officials to find a way for the breakwater and the marina projects to co-exist.
Continue reading "Kenner City Council does not object to breakwater project to protect Kenner pump station" »Corps of Engineers awards $9 million contract to build breakwater to protect Metairie pump station
by The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 10:59 AM
The Corps of Engineers has awarded a $9.15 million contract to construct a breakwater to help protect the Bonnabel Pump Station at Lake Pontchartrain in Metairie.
The contract went to Boh Brothers Construction Co., and work should be finished by December 2009. It is the first of four breakwaters that will either be newly constructed or improved at each of the major four pump stations along the East Jefferson lakefront, by the start of hurricane season in 2011.
Continue reading "Corps of Engineers awards $9 million contract to build breakwater to protect Metairie pump station" »James Gill: For lawmakers, a question of trust in Gov. Jindal
by James Gill, Columnist, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 10:43 AM
Legislators, being rightly worried about the possibility of reprisal, are typically loath to say boo to the governor, although our current crop is more than usually gutless. Rep. Karen Carter Peterson, D-New Orleans, is one of the few willing to beard Bobby Jindal, but he remains boss. Peterson was quite right, for instance, to denounce Jindal, the self-proclaimed champion of "transparency, " for opposing a bill that would have ended his exemption from the public records law.
But most members of the House committee considering the bill were easily cowed by Jindal's executive counsel, Jimmy Faircloth, and that was the end of that.
Continue reading "James Gill: For lawmakers, a question of trust in Gov. Jindal" »Kenner councilman Marc Johnson sworn in as state appeal court judge
by Mary Sparacello, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 10:32 AM
"It's been a great run for me," said Johnson, who had served on the council since 1994. He was elected April 4 to the Louisiana 5th Circuit Court of Appeal, defeating 24th Judicial District Judge June Berry Darensberg.
Continue reading "Kenner councilman Marc Johnson sworn in as state appeal court judge" »Gunman tries to rob school uniform store in Slidell
by The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 9:58 AM
An armed man tried to rob a school uniform store in Slidell on Thursday but ran away after an employee told him she was calling the police, authorities said.
Wildfire raging near Santa Barbara, Calif.; 30,000 evacuated
by Raquel Maria Dillon, The Associated Press
Friday May 08, 2009, 9:40 AM
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) -- Firefighters struggled Friday to get ahead of a raging wildfire that was moving dangerously close to heavily populated areas in this idyllic coastal city and had forced the evacuation of an estimated 30,000 residents.
Continue reading "Wildfire raging near Santa Barbara, Calif.; 30,000 evacuated" »Layoffs slow to 539,000 in April; jobless rate rises
by Jeannine Aversa, The Associated Press
Friday May 08, 2009, 9:37 AM
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The pace of layoffs slowed in April when U.S. employers cut 539,000 jobs, the fewest in six months. But the unemployment rate climbed to 8.9 percent, the highest since late 1983, as many businesses remain wary of hiring given all the economic uncertainties.
Continue reading "Layoffs slow to 539,000 in April; jobless rate rises" »Man accused of beating his parents to death now in mental hospital
by Ramon Antonio Vargas, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 8:48 AM
Michael Singreen, who was accused of beating his parents to death inside their Uptown home in January, is being treated at the state's forensic psychiatric hospital in East Feliciana Parish, his attorney said Thursday.
Singreen, 28, who has been indicted on two counts of first-degree murder, will remain in the hospital until authorities determine he is able to assist his attorneys in his defense, said capital defense attorney Kerry Cuccia. Singreen could receive the death penalty if convicted.
Continue reading "Man accused of beating his parents to death now in mental hospital" »Contractor gets probation in death of Afghan prisoner
by Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 8:38 AM
Read more
• Security contractor pleads to voluntary manslaughter in killing of prisoner
Don Ayala, who moved to New Orleans about six years ago, will serve no prison time, but will have to pay a $12,500 fine.
U.S. District Court Judge Claude Hilton said he was sympathetic to the horror of what Ayala went through after learning that a friend and colleague had been brutally attacked. Federal sentencing guidelines called for a prison term of 78 to 97 months for the voluntary manslaughter charge for which Ayala pleaded guilty. Federal prosecutors had said they believed Ayala deserved substantial time in prison.
New attractions at National World War II Museum to open with Nov. 6 weekend celebration
by Susan Finch, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 8:25 AM
Officials of the National World War II Museum announced details Thursday for a three-day grand opening of the museum's newest phase: a 70,000 square foot complex where visitors can experience the sights, sounds, tastes and feel of the way life was for American soldiers on the battlefield and for their folks back home.
Continue reading "New attractions at National World War II Museum to open with Nov. 6 weekend celebration" »Jazz Fest attendance surpasses 400,000
by Keith Spera, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 7:45 AM
If the recently concluded New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival presented by Shell felt a bit more crowded this year, that's because it was.
Total ticket sales for the seven days at the New Orleans Fair Grounds topped 400,000, organizers said.
Continue reading "Jazz Fest attendance surpasses 400,000" »Lynn Cunningham named Times-Picayune online editor
by The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 6:04 AM
Lynn Cunningham, assistant to the editor of The Times-Picayune, has been named the newspaper's online editor.
In her new job, Cunningham, 58, will coordinate and direct The Times-Picayune's content on NOLA.com, the newspaper's affiliated Web site.
Cunningham has been assistant to the editor since 1993. She joined The Times-Picayune staff in 1977. During her tenure at the paper she has been a reporter and an assistant city editor. A graduate of St. Mary's Dominican High School and the University of New Orleans, Cunningham is a native of New Orleans.
Lynn Cunninghman can be reached at lcunningham@timespicayune.com.
Drug testing law snagged for Jefferson Parish officials
by Richard Rainey, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 08, 2009, 1:00 AM
For the past few weeks, the Jefferson Parish Council has wanted to show it's not above the law. But to its members' chagrin, the law, pesky as it is, keeps getting in the way.
Continue reading "Drug testing law snagged for Jefferson Parish officials" »Gene Katsanis pulled in two directions at Jefferson Parish School Board meeting
by Barri Bronston, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 11:30 PM
Rapper Snoop Dogg sings praises of education to kids in event organized by Rev. Toris Young
by Brendan McCarthy, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 10:46 PM
The students at Dr. Charles R. Drew Elementary climbed over each other Thursday, pressing their hands and faces to the classroom windows.
Girls puffed their cheeks and covered their mouths with both hands. Boys arched their eyebrows and unleashed a collective gasp.
Snoop Dogg, the controversial rapper and pop culture icon, was here to teach a lesson.
Continue reading "Rapper Snoop Dogg sings praises of education to kids in event organized by Rev. Toris Young" »Chicken plant subsidy approved by Legislature
by Robert Travis Scott, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 10:12 PM
BATON ROUGE -- Many chickens may die in north Louisiana to bring another Super Bowl to New Orleans.
In Louisiana style, those seemingly dissimilar events are coinciding in the state Legislature, which on Thursday approved a $50 million rescue of a Farmerville chicken plant that could start a domino effect felt all the way to the National Football League's championship game in 2013.
Continue reading "Chicken plant subsidy approved by Legislature" »Airport taxi deal rigged, lawsuit says
by David Hammer, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 10:06 PM
In what was billed as an effort to overhaul Louis Armstrong International Airport's heavily criticized taxi service, the New Orleans Aviation Board used secret meetings and contradicted its own bid rules to keep the same company in charge of the curbside cabs, according to a lawsuit filed this week by a rejected competitor.
Continue reading "Airport taxi deal rigged, lawsuit says" »St. Tammany Parish Council makes budget cuts
by Charlie Chapple, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 9:56 PM
The St. Tammany Parish Council slashed the 2009 operating budgets of all parish departments and agencies by 3 percent as expected Thursday night amid concerns that more cuts could be necessary before the year is out.
Continue reading "St. Tammany Parish Council makes budget cuts" »Police investigate homicide in Hollygrove neighborhood
by The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 9:26 PM
New Orleans police are investigating a shooting death in the Hollygrove neighborhood.
Police responded to a report of shots fired and found the body of the 31-year-old man in an empty lot in the 3600 block of Hollygrove shortly after 9 p.m. He had multiple gunshot wounds, said Officer Shereese Harper.
Police unions fight access to internal investigation files
by Laura Maggi, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 8:58 PM
Police unions trying to block news organizations' access to internal police investigations of New Orleans officers also are waging a campaign in the civil and criminal courts to keep such records out of the hands of the city's public defenders office.
Continue reading "Police unions fight access to internal investigation files" »Inshore shrimping seasons announced
by Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 8:47 PM
Louisiana's inshore shrimp season will open across most of the state Monday.
Continue reading "Inshore shrimping seasons announced" »Jeff Parish School Board raids savings to finance budget
by Jenny Hurwitz, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 7:57 PM
With its revenue dipping to unanticipated levels, the Jefferson Parish School Board has been forced to scoop even deeper into its savings to make up for a more than $25 million projected shortfall in its budget for this school year.
Continue reading "Jeff Parish School Board raids savings to finance budget" »Hispanics upset about sentence of former Slidell cop
by Benjamin Alexander-Bloch
Thursday May 07, 2009, 6:38 PM
The probation given to a former Slidell police officer who shook down Hispanic motorists has outraged some members of the New Orleans area's Hispanic community, who decried the sentence as too light and said it is a reflection of how many people see Hispanics as second-class citizens.
New Orleans City Council voices support for UNO athletics, SUNO
by Bruce Eggler, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 6:31 PM
Having little significant legislation of its own to deal with, the New Orleans City Council spent much of its meeting Thursday offering advice to state lawmakers and Gov. Bobby Jindal.
Obama budget would hold spending on Avondale ship project
by Bruce Alpert, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 6:04 PM
WASHINGTON -- Louisiana lawmakers are praising President Barack Obama's plan to trim about $17 billion in federal spending in his record $3.4 trillion federal budget proposal, but question his decision to hold off financing on an 11th amphibious Navy ship, a project centered at Northrop Grumman's Avondale Shipyards.
In its budget proposal Thursday, the administration says a delay in advance procurement for the LPD 17 "allows the Navy more time to fully analyze required amphibious fleet capabilities."
Continue reading "Obama budget would hold spending on Avondale ship project" »Chalmette teen booked after bus stop fight
by The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 5:54 PM
A Chalmette teen has been booked with second-degree battery after allegedly beating up another teen at a bus stop, authorities said.
Continue reading "Chalmette teen booked after bus stop fight" »Vietnam Memorial replica exhibit opens in Destrehan
by Sandra Barbier, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 5:33 PM
More than three decades after the end of the Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and replicas such as The Wall That Heals are still opening deep emotions held back for years.
Louisiana Senate panel considers high school curriculum change
by The Associated Press
Thursday May 07, 2009, 4:56 PM
BATON ROUGE -- Louisiana lawmakers are considering a change in high school curriculum at the state's public schools.
Continue reading "Louisiana Senate panel considers high school curriculum change" »Two boys arrested for arson at Kenner middle school
by The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 4:21 PM
A 13- and a 14-year-old have been booked with aggravated arson for setting fire to a toilet paper dispenser that caused Roosevelt Middle School to be evacuated, Kenner police said today.
Beating at Slidell motel may leave man with brain damage
by Jeff Adelson, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 4:11 PM
A display of boxing techniques turned into genuine violence early Thursday morning when a Texas man and his 16-year-old nephew severely beat another man in their Slidell motel room, authorities said.
Continue reading "Beating at Slidell motel may leave man with brain damage" »Times-Picayune reporter wins national writing award from Columbia University
by The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 3:34 PM
Times-Picayune police reporter Brendan McCarthy on Thursday was named the winner of the 2009 Mike Berger Award for in-depth, human-interest reporting, granted by Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism in New York City.
Continue reading "Times-Picayune reporter wins national writing award from Columbia University" »Key lawmaker has concerns about Saints deal
by Ed Anderson, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 3:02 PM
BATON ROUGE -- The proposed deal between the state and the New Orleans Saints is still a concern to lawmakers who feel that tapping $85 million in state surplus money to renovate the state-owned Superdome is not the best use of the money, the chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee said Thursday.
"You still have a number of members concerned about whether this is the right way to spend" parts of the state's $865 million surplus from last fiscal year, said Rep. Hunter Greene, R-Baton Rouge, one of Gov. Bobby Jindal's floor leaders. "There are a number of different regions in the state interested in the surplus" being used in other ways.
Lane closures continue on I-12 due to construction work
by The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 2:11 PM
Motorists can expect intermittent nighttime lane closures on Interstate 12 between the Tangipahoa Parish line and the Slidell area because of on-going construction projects.
Loan requirements adjusted for Lacassine sugar mill
by Robert Travis Scott, The Times-Picayune
Thursday May 07, 2009, 1:23 PM
BATON ROUGE -- A financially struggling firm that took over a state-built sugar mill in Lacassine is postponing debt payments to a Louisiana bank under a deal approved by an agriculture commission today.
The payment extension gives Lake Charles Cane-Lacassine Mill LLC six months to find a new investment partner so that it can stay in business and meet its loan obligations, or otherwise the state would have to pay millions of dollars in defaulted loans.
Continue reading "Loan requirements adjusted for Lacassine sugar mill" »- BREAKING NEWS UPDATES
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