THUMBS UP
The U.S. Department of Transportation
has given $61.5 million to the city to improve pedestrian and cyclist pathways in New Orleans East. The city’s Connecting New Orleans East for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety and Mobility project plans to build shared-use paths along the North and South I-10 Service Roads for people walking and cycling. The project also will build a new walking bridge across I-10.
THUMBS UP
The Descendants Project,
a nonprofit working for racial and environmental justice in the River Parishes, recently purchased the 1811 Kid Ory Historic House in LaPlace, the site of the beginning of the 1811 German Coast uprising and the birthplace of jazz great Kid Ory in 1886. Sisters Joy and Jo Banner plan to reopen the historic house as an educational center on the slave uprising, Kid Ory and the impact petrochemical companies have had on the area.
THUMBS DOWN
Gov. Jeff Landry
tried to name a Texas business owner and major campaign donor with no past connections to New Orleans as chair of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center oversight board. The board oversees operations at the economically important facility as well as development of the $1 billion River District project. The Louisiana Restaurant Association refused to nominate Russell Allen, despite pressure from Landry, because he’s not an LRA member. In response, Landry reportedly has refused to name any of the LRA nominees to the board, as required by law.
