Lighting The Road To The Future Page 9 DataZone New TD Jakes Movie Breaks Stereotypes “The People’s Paper” January 3 - January 16, 2009 43rd Year Volume 19 www.ladatanews.com Newsmaker Pipeline to the City Prepares for Reopening of People Mahalia Jackson Theater Page 4 Page 11 Photos by Victor Holt Page 2 January 3 - January 16, 2009 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com What’s2009 in store for the City of New Orleans? Shaniece B. Bickham, Ph.D. The year 2008 proved to be one of many ups and downs, and twists and turns for the City of New Orleans . The city has endured political scandals and controversies between the City Council and Mayor Ray Nagin’s administration, education strides and struggles, violent crimes, and continuous recovery efforts and initiatives . Last issue, Data News Weekly revisited the triumphant times of 2008 in the city, so what’s next? This week Data News Weekly will look ahead to the future and explore what the City of New Orleans will have to offer for its citizens in 2009 . Keeping an Eye on Local Government In 2009, New Orleans residents should expect to hear more from the Office of the Inspector General, which Robert Cerasoli spearheads . The office has a staff of approximately 16, and is mainly responsible for en- suring the lawful operations and spending of the city’s money to hope- Mayor Ray Nagin Continued next page. DATA NEWS WEEKLY INSIDE DATA 616 Barrone Street, Suite 584, New Orleans, LA 70113 Phone: (504) 821-7421 | Fax: (504) 821-7622 editorial: [email protected] | advertising: [email protected] Terry B. Jones Contributors CEO/Publisher Benjamin Bates Cover Story . 2 State & Local . 5 NNPA Glenn Jones The New Orleans Agenda VP Advertising & Marketing Art Direction & Production Newsmaker . 4 @Issue . 12 Edwin Buggage MainorMedia.com Editor-in-Chief Editorial Submissions Shaniece Bickham [email protected] Managing Editor Data Zone . 8 National News . 14 June Hazeur Advertising Inquiries Accounting [email protected] Please call (504) 284-3840 for subscription information. Dated material two weeks in advance. Not responsible for publishing or return of unsolicited manuscripts or photos. www.ladatanews.com Cover Story January 3 - January 16, 2009 Page 3 Cover Story, Continued from previous page. fully rid city government of corrupt spend- tary School, being built to house 440 PreK also a much-anticipated recovery accom- ing and waste . The first public report from through 8th graders with an approximate plishment . The arts community in New Cerasoli and his office was released in mid- cost of $17 5. million for construction; (4) Orleans will now have the theater they call December and focused on the city’s use of Andrew Wilson Elementary School, which home to once again showcase ballets, the- take-home vehicles . Cerasoli and staff found will be renovated to modern standards atrical events, concerts and other perfor- among other is- while keeping the historical characteristics mances . sues that the city of the original building with an approximate has 273 take-home cost of $15 for construction, and (5) Fannie Looking Ahead vehicles when C . Williams Elementary School, being com- According the New Orleans Convention a city ordinance pletely renovated with an approximate con- and Visitors’ Bureau, New Orleans has a lot only allows a total struction cost of $13 million . to look forward to in 2009 . A boost in tour- of 60, no appropri- ate documentation Dealing with Crime in New Orleans exists regarding Since Hurricane Katrina, the New Or- assignments of leans Police Department now has over 1,500 vehicles, and fuel officers thanks to a new graduating class of usage is not prop- recruits . Fifty-four graduated in late De- erly monitored or cember, and the department is expecting at documented . least 40 more graduates by June 2009 . The This is just NOPD will also have assistance from the the first report of National Guard a while longer in 2009 . The many to come in state recently approved the National Guard the future from to remain in New Orleans until March 1, the Office of the 2009, at a cost of $1 .8 million . Dr. Ed Blakely heads the recovery efforts for the City Inspector General, On Dec . 30, 2008, the City had 178 report- of New Orleans overseeing the various phases of redevelopment. especially in light ed murders as compared to 208 around that of the fact that the time last year, which represents a small de- City Council has began to add on even more crease . As the police department continues Police Chief Warren Riley is expecting the New Orleans Police Department to grow duties for Cerasoli’s staff . Particularly, the to increase the size of its force, hopefully the to 1,550 officers in 2009. Council voted 6-1 for Cerasoli to offer advice murder rate and overall crime statistics will on how to revise the budget-review process . reflect a decrease at the end of 2009 . ism and conventions will be a definite boost He plans to have a report regarding the bud- On the prosecution end of crime-fighting, for the City, especially for downtown and get-review process to the Council by March Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Can- French Quarter businesses that rely on the 30, 2009 . nizzaro also has big crime-fighting initia- tourism industry for stability . Recent stud- tives planned for 2009 . Just before the New ies also show that although the American Improving Public Education in New Year, Cannizzaro announced that he was economy is in a downward slope, the econo- Orleans disbanding the Violent Offenders Unit of his my in New Orleans is holding steady, mostly The Recovery School District has plans office . Lawyers who were assigned to this because of the active rebuilding work taking to open five new facilities for schools dam- unit have been reassigned to the Homicide place in the area . aged by Hurricane Katrina . Groundbreak- Screening Unit and the Trial Section of the It is difficult to say where the state stands ings for four of the five schools have already District Attorney’s Office . Cannizzaro said financially, however . Gov . Bobby Jindal re- taken place . The new buildings are part that his decision will make the office more of the Quick Start Initiative to increase the productive . number of new school constructions in New Orleans . Original plans have occupancy Continuing Recovery Initiatives scheduled for September 2009 for all five December 2008 proved to be a busy schools . month for the City’s recovery efforts . To name a few, the NOPD Third District was able to move into its new station after its original facility was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina and Irish Channel residents re- ceived much-needed street improvements . There are also plans in the works to reopen public libraries in the near future . Recovery efforts for the city have been overseen by Ed Blakely since 2007 . While progress has been made, there has been much criticism regarding the slow rate of recovery and re- building of the neighborhoods . In addition, the fate of Blakely’s stay in New Orleans is still in limbo as he decides how much lon- Gov. Bobby Jindal recently announced severe budget cuts for Louisiana due to a $341 million deficit in the state’s 2009 budget. ger he plans to remain in his post with New Inspector General Robert Cerasoli and his staff have the important job of Orleans . serving as a watchdog over local government. Other recovery plans include a new LSU- cently announced a $341 million deficit in VA hospital with a medical campus that will the State of Louisiana’s 2009 budget . The The schools receiving the new facilities spread westward from Claiborne Avenue governor’s proposed cuts to deal with the are: (1) Lake Area High School, being built towards the criminal courthouse at Tulane deficit include $118 million from the Depart- as a high-tech academy for 750 students Avenue and Broad Street . There is con- ment of Health and Hospitals, $20 million in grades 9-12 with an approximate cost of cern from this neighborhood’s residents, from the Department of Social Services, $11 $35 million for construction; (2) L .B . Lan- however, because residents and small busi- million from the Department of Education, dry High School, being built to accommo- ness owners will have to relocate in order to and $55 million from the Department of date 950 students from grades 9-12 with make room for the new hospital . Higher Education . an approximate cost of $40 million for con- The reopening of the Mahalia Jackson struction; (3) Langston Hughes Elemen- Theater of Performing Arts next week is Page 4 January 3 - January 16, 2009 Newsmaker www.ladatanews.com The Mahalia Jackson Mayor Nagin And Local Arts Organizations Announce Theater’s Grand Opening Celebration!! Reopening of the Mahalia Jackson Theater The City of New Orleans announces the grand re-opening of Mahalia Jackson Theatre! Storm-damaged facility updat- Join us for a full week of great perfor- mances! ed with state-of-the-art features Mayor C . Ray Nagin, joined The New Orleans All Star Review by members of the New Orleans Thursday, Jan. 8, 2009, 7p.m. City Council and local arts orga- Featuring: Preservation Hall, Rebirth, nizations on Dec . 19, officially Kermit Ruffins, Irma Thomas, Marva announced the line-up of pro- Wright, Jeremy Davenport, Ingrid Lucia, Phillip Manuel, Michael Ward and Freddy grams and entertainers that will Omar highlight the re-opening of the Free Concert – Tickets required Mahalia Jackson Theater for the (limit 4 per person)– Tickets available Performing Arts . at Ticketmaster Outlets: Major Video, 3020 Veterans Blvd., Metairie and Major Opening events will begin on Video, 400 Lapalco Blvd, Gretna.