Lighting The Road To The Future Chelsey Richard Napoleon’s Data Zone Swearing-In Ceremony Page 6 “The People’s Paper” December 29, 2018 - January 4, 2019 53nd Year Volume 35 www.ladatanews.com A Data News Weekly Exclusive Treading Water Sewerage and Water Board Regroups and Moves Forward with Council Oversight Page 2 Newsmaker State & Local Actress CCH Pounder Local Designer Presents Challenging Aims to Become Art Exhibit a Fashion Mogul Page 4 Page 5 Page 2 December 29, 2018 - January 4, 2019 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com Treading Water Sewerage and Water Board Regroups and Moves Forward with Council Oversight Image of August 5, 2017 flood in NOLA By Calla Victoria public utility during investigations after the August 5, pumps and turbines were offline and inoperable dur- Data News Weekly Contributor 2017 flood that damaged many homes, cars, and busi- ing the time of the heavy rains that caused the flood . ness; had many motorists in a life and death situations As that damaging information came to light S&WB Unless you have been up at the North Pole help- as their cars flooded out and left many New Orleans came under a federal audit concerning spending of the ing Santa for the past year or so, you are well aware of streets completely underwater and impassable . FEMA-Funded Public Assistance Grant in the tune of the mounting problems at the New Orleans Sewerage The resulting investigations uncovered numerous $1 billion that was earmarked for repairing machinery & Water Board . Everything began to unravel for the maintenance problems including the fact that many and infrastructure damaged during Hurricane Katrina . Cover Story, Continued on page 3. DATA NEWS WEEKLY P.O. Box 57347, New Orleans, LA 70157-7347 | Phone: (504) 821-7421 | Fax: (504) 821-7622 INSIDE DATA editorial: [email protected] | advertising: [email protected] Terry B. Jones Contributors Art Direction & CEO/Publisher Calla Victoria Production Pubinator.com Edwin Buggage Tylan Nash Cover Story . 2 Commentary . 8. Editorial Submissions Editor Kimani Hamilton datanewseditor@ Cheryl Mainor bellsouth.net Newsmaker . 4 Health News . 9. Brandon Brown Managing Editor Advertising Inquiries Daeja Richardson datanewsad@ Calla Victoria State & Local News . 5 National News . 11. Julianne Malveaux bellsouth.net Executive Assistant Distribution Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. Data Zone . 6 June Hazeur On The Run Accounting Lauren Victoria Burke Courier Services Please call 504-309-9913 for subscription information or to obtain a back issue of the paper ONLY. Dated material two weeks in advance. Not responsible for publishing or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. www.ladatanews.com Cover Story December 29, 2018 - January 4, 2019 Page 3 Cover Story, Continued from page 2. Mr. Ghassan Korban New Executive Director of the Sewerage & Water Board Councilman J. H. Banks, appointed to occupying newly created City Council seat on New Orleans’ Sewerage & Water Board Then, to add to the deluge of for jobs poorly done?” And for ALL City Council’s Public Works Com- anything done .” Councilman Banks sues would the engineer assigned other problems facing Sewerage of the aforementioned reasons mittee, Councilman Joe Giarrusso stated that from the beginning he to him be advising on? Council- & Water Board, a plethora of cus- there was a massive shake up in could choose to occupy the newly has been very vocal and passionate man Banks was very candid in his tomers began complaining to local management at Sewerage & Wa- created seat on the Sewerage & about the problems with Sewerage response, “Technical engineering media outlets of huge and inaccu- ter Board . The Executive Director Water Board or appoint a liaison . & Water Board and that utility’s is a foreign language to me and I rate water bills . When those irreg- and several high-level 0officials He chose the latter and appointed successful operation is fundamental am not embarrassed to admit that . ularities could not be explained were forced out and a new Execu- Councilman Jay H . Banks to repre- and critical to him . I am not an engineer and I don’t away, officials at Sewerage & tive Director, Ghassan Korban, sent the New Orleans City Council Of the many problems facing speak engineering; therefore, the Water Board begrudgingly admit- was chosen to lead the troubled on the Sewerage and Water Board, the Sewerage & Water Board engineer will be my translator in ted that because of understaffing agency . Mr . Ghassan Korban has and paired Banks with a knowl- Councilman Banks sees public many cases when technical terms issues fostered by low salaries pledged transparency as well as edgeable engineer who advises the image as S&WB’s biggest hurdle . are mentioned in board meetings for meter readers and budgeting community outreach programs to council on Entergy matters and will “Something has to be done now in that I don’t understand . “ problems, many bills were mere address customer complaints and now provide input in Sewerage and order for the public to once again Councilman Banks sees his estimates; while at the same time billing issues . Water Board matters as well . begin to trust the utility . It makes role, in the newly created seat on S&WB was threatening to shut off The voters of New Orleans When Councilman Jay H . Banks no sense to allow the bad feelings the S&WB, as being the eyes and customers water for non-payment . voiced their growing concerns was asked why he thought he was to fester and grow . The billing is- ears of the City Council as well as Coinciding with those mounting and disapproval with the Sewer- selected for the newly created City sues are paramount and if we can the eyes and ears of every citizen allegations and community un- age & Water Board at the polls on Council seat on Sewerage and get the billing situation straight of New Orleans . “At the end of the rest, top level Sewerage & Water December 8th, 2018 by approving Water Board by the Chairman of that would go a long way towards day we are all in the same boat, we Board officials were getting huge a City Charter change that would the City Council’s Public Works restoring the citizens trust in all live in the City of New Orleans bonuses…which had frustrated again place a City Councilmem- Committee his response was, “My Sewerage & Water Board,” Banks and we all have to pay a water bill,” New Orleans residents begging ber on the board at Sewerage and mantra has always been that if the stated . This reporter asked Coun- were Councilman Jay H . Banks’ last the question, “Bonuses for what… Water Board . As Chairman of the city is under water, we cannot get cilman Jay Banks what kinds of is- words at the end to our interview . State & Local City Council Announces Posting of Executive Counsel Position NEW ORLEANS - The New Or- sel to the New Orleans City Coun- siana bar for at least five years, curement/public bid laws, Louisi- salary (with a longevity increase leans City Council is accepting ap- cil . Work includes advising the with at least five years’ of public ana’s Public Records Law, and gov- program), retirement program and plications for its executive counsel . Council and defending legislation sector legal experience and/or erning Revised Statutes; and fringe benefits . Interested appli- The job posting requires a highly that may be challenged in court, government representation, and A practical understanding of gov- cants should send or e-mail a cover responsible individual to assist preparing cases for trial/appeal, le- ten years’ overall experience in ernment organization processes, letter and detailed résumé, com- in the legal representation of the gally representing and appearing in the practice of law . Candidates structure, functions, and legal obli- plete with salary history and one Council and provide legal advice court as requested/needed by the must possess the following: gations . writing sample to: with regards to the Council’s duties City Council . Experience representing or man- The complete job description is and obligations as the governing Qualified candidates must aging litigation in court, both at the available on the Council’s website, City Council Chief of Staff authority of the City of New Or- be residents of Orleans Parish; district and appellate levels, in both council .nola .gov or may be ob- 1E06, City Hall leans . The position reports to the possess a Juris Doctorate in state and federal courts; tained from the Office of the Chief 1300 Perdido Street Council’s Chief-of-Staff . Law from an accredited school - Extensive knowledge of the New of Staff, Room 1E06, City Hall, 1300 New Orleans, LA 70112 Job duties involve legal represen- graduating in the top twenty per- Orleans City Charter, City Code, Perdido Street, New Orleans, LA dsgavlinski@nola .gov tation, legal research, the prepara- cent of their class; be licensed to Louisiana Constitution, Louisiana 70112 (504) 658-1101, e-mail dsgav- tion of legal advice/opinions, and practice law in the State of Loui- Open Meetings Laws, Louisiana’s linski@nola .gov . The deadline for application is the rendering of general legal coun- siana with admission to the Loui- Code of Governmental Ethics, pro- The City offers a competitive 3:00 p .m . on Friday, Jan . 18, 2018 . Page 4 December 29, 2018 - January 4, 2019 State & Local www.ladatanews.com Exhibit Uses Art to Challenge Idea of Black Masculinity By Tylan Nash at the Psychiatry Group in Mem- Data News Weekly phis, Tenn . Contributor During the November home- coming activities, Xavier students In a year that brought strong decided to break the stereotypes Black male characters to the big around gender with a “gender- screen in films like Black Panther swap” day .