‘Raising the Roof,’
a program aimed at building or renovating homes for New Orleans artists and musicians, was introduced last week by its primary sponsor, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. The project — also backed by the city, Hibernia National Bank and Dryades Savings Bank — will make it easier for recipients to buy houses. Raising the Roof will begin by establishing 10 homes with $1.5 million.
Leni Sloan
a New Orleans choreographer, designed two dance pieces for the American Experience presentation of the documentary Stephen Foster, a film that explores the life of one of America’s most important early songwriters. The show will air at 8 p.m. Monday, April 23 on WYES-TV Channel 12.
The Department of Health and Hospitals
knew for years about two contaminated drinking water sites in Plaquemine but didn’t make the findings public until recently. Routine testing of wells serving a trailer park revealed dangerous levels of vinyl chloride in 1997, and increased in 1998 — but DHH neglected to inform residents until last month. Also in ’98, DHH found high arsenic levels at the water system of Georgia Gulf’s Plaquemine plant, but only informed plant officials two weeks ago.
Mohammed
Saleh-Zibari
the town engineer for Grand Isle and Westwego, admitted in federal court that he manipulated bids for federal contracts and accepted a contractor’s kickback for $8,000. The contractor, Gary Willingham, has also pleaded guilty to bribery charges and to submitting falsified bids for Grand Isle projects funded in part with federal money.
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