Lighting The Road To The Future Zulu’s Celebrate 102nd Data Zone Page 6 Anniversary “The People’s Paper” May 21 - May 27, 2011 46th Year Volume 4 www.ladatanews.com Page 2 Newsmaker Newsmaker SUNO/UNO Merger Xavier Prep New Principal Pulled Off the Table Joseph Peychaud Page 4 Page 4 Page 2 May 21 - May 27, 2011 Cover Story www.ladatanews.com Questioning A Fresh Start ment that fractured an already divided city along lines of race and class . New Orleans was in need of something or someone to navigate the City to some By Chanelle Lauren sort of common ground . To move it forward out of the mire of the political abyss and chaos that characterized the City throughout its history . A little over one year ago the City thought it found its man in Mitch Landrieu . New Orleans: The City that Care Forgot Corruption, nepotism and scandal are familiar words when one thinks of the City and its politics . This is a fact that is known inside and outside New Citizen Landrieu: A Fresh Start Orleans and is much a part of its lore as Mardi Gras, Gumbo and Jazz when Data News Weekly published an article in its May 15, 2010 issue called ‘A one conjures up images of the Crescent City . Fresh Start,’ today the Landrieu Administration is facing a true test of its mis- After Hurricane Katrina the City was placed under the spotlight of the inter- sion to make New Orleans a city that will not stand for corruption . In a recent national media and became the poster child for ineffective leadership . It had profile on the CBS News Magazine ‘60 Minutes’ Landrieu talked about the City become the living embodiment of John Kennedy Toole’s novel, A Confederacy and its fight against wrongdoing . “We are confronting corruption making sure of Dunces . the people of America know we got it and we’re going to do something about it During these tumultuous times the City experienced a political environ- and that is a healthy thing,” said the Mayor to CBS News Byron Pitts . Cover Story, Continued on next page. DATA NEWS WEEKLY P.O. Box 57347, New Orleans, LA 70157-7347 INSIDE DATA Phone: (504) 821-7421 | Fax: (504) 821-7622 editorial: [email protected] | advertising: [email protected] Terry B. Jones Contributors CEO/Publisher Cheryl Mainor Chenelle Lauren Cover Story . 2 Commentary . 8 Glenn Jones Darrell A. Edwards VP Advertising George C. Curry Marc Morial & Marketing Louella Givens Cheryl Mainor James Perry Newsmaker . 4 Opinion . 9 Marvelyn Brown Managing Editor Valorie Bull Edwin Buggage Fred Watkins Editor State & Local News . 5 Health News . 10 Art Direction & Production Melanie Mainor MainorMedia.com Copy Editor Intern Editorial Submissions [email protected] June Hazeur Advertising Inquiries Data Zone . 6 National News . 11 Accounting [email protected] 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 May 21 - May 27, 2011 Page 3 Cover Story, Continued from previous page. of a ‘dog and pony that he was able to develop has the City leadership has changed ric as they advocate change . New In a bold move upon taking of- show ’. begun to erode and people of all from majority Black to a major- Orleans NAACP President Da- fice Mayor Landrieu called for the The City while divided among races are calling for the removal ity White city council, mayor and natus King echoes the words that Department of Justice to conduct lines of class and race on many is- of Serpas,” says Danatus King . police chief, questions are aris- many citizens feel saying, “Crony- an investigation of the New Or- sues are united in their desire to Continuing he says of the long- ing in the City that’s becoming ism cannot continue as this City leans Police Department and on stamp out corruption and crony- term impact of this scandal, “The more polarized . “While race is moves forward, we cannot allow March 16, 2011 they came back ism . “I have lived through the City Mayor has to make a decision if an issue it is about fairness and the continuation of a government with a scathing report saying that being run by both White then the police chief can be effective justice and those that have been that does not work for the better- NOPD was in need of major re- Black political leaders and saw with this cloud hanging over his disenfranchised and left out of the ment of all the people, so maybe forms among the many things that both of them take from the people head .” conversation having a voice,” says this is the one thing that’s gotten needed to be addressed includes, who needed resources the most, Jerome Smith . the people involved and we hope their use of excessive force, un- it is time to bring people in who This scandal seems to have it continues until we can have the constitutional stops, searches understand that they are there to One New been the fire that has lit the wick type of leaders and government and arrests, and racial profiling . serve the people and not them- Orleans… as the citizens are beginning to that’s effective and we can live in Also listed was a failed system selves, but it is up to us to make question policies and practices in a City we can be proud of ”. of police recruitment, promotion sure they are held accountable,” Questioned? politics; and demanding that politi- and evaluation, in their findings says Jerome Smith a longtime As the political landscape of cians in practice match the rheto- Daughters of Charity Health Centers Full-Service Family Dental Practice Police Chief Ronal Serpas Danatus King, President NAACP New Orleans Chapter Dental care is very important to your it was concluded that there were community activist . ineffective systems of complaint total health and wellness — especially intake, investigation and adjudica- children and pregnant mothers. tion . But the one thing mentioned Scandal and its in the report that has been mak- Impact at City Hall ing recent headlines is their failed paid detail system . The recent scandal inside of Dr. Jay Dumas the police department have citi- zens questioning how transparent Defiant Voices is the Landrieu Administration in Dr. Willard Dumas Speak Out dealing with this issue and has segments of the community in an Some in the community have uproar . And they feel that more Dental Evaluations/Exams voiced their outrage over what should be done in investigating they see is the continuing practice Serpas and the potential of his Digital X-rays of cronyism that runs counter to prior knowledge of the problems Cleanings Landrieu’s rhetoric, “Nepotism, regarding paid details by his of- cronyism and corruption is alive ficers . Fluoride Treatments and well in New Orleans, just look- His critics say it is highly un- ing at the detail system, when you likely that Serpas did not have Fillings, Crowns, Dentures see some of the top commanders knowledge of details and contracts on the force making the type of surrounding traffic cameras given Teeth Whitening money their making and having his good friend, son-in-law and Medicare, Medicaid and the power to control who gets to driver were involved and that it is Extractions Commercial Insurance Accepted work,” says Danatus King, Presi- highly unlikely this would never dent of the New Orleans Branch come up in conversation . of the NAACP and has been a vo- The chorus of voices calling cal critic of the Mayor and Chief for Serpas to resign or the May- Serpas . or to take more vigilant action is Some are saying that the selec- growing . Because some feel it is tion process of the Police Chief impacting the already strained was flawed from the beginning relations between NOPD and its and smelled of good-ole-boy poli- citizens, notwithstanding the De- tics New Orleans style . That Ser- partment of Justice Report and its Daughters of Charity Dental Office Locations pas whose father was an NOPD findings . Bywater/St. Cecilia (504) 941-6041 officer and former bodyguard for “Mayor Landrieu has been on Carrollton (504) 207-3060 1030 Lesseps St. Maurice Edwin “Moon” Landrieu his soapbox saying the police can 3201 S. Carrollton Ave. has been long affiliated with the only be effective when the citizens New Orleans, LA 70118 New Orleans, LA 70117 family was a ‘shoe in’ and the ‘na- are involved and in the present cli- tionwide search’ resembled more mate and the confidence and trust Primary & Preventive Medical Care for All Ages • Dental • Pharmacy • Behavioral Health • MEDICAID Enrollment Page 4 May 21 - May 27, 2011 Newsmaker www.ladatanews.com SUNO/UNO Merger Pulled Off the Table By Cheryl Mainor and White in New Orleans, and happy to have been able The House Speaker pulled all The proposed merger between was so contentious that it drew na- to galvanize the entire references to SUNO from the bill, Southern University of New Or- tional attention from activists and SUNO family to fend off according to District 100 State leans and the University of New educators nation-wide . The Loui- this attack on the SUNO Rep . Austin Badon . Instead, some Orleans was pulled from consider- siana Legislative Black Caucus System .” He continued, lawmakers want to consider mov- ation by the State Legislature on members opposed any attempt “This was a campaign of ing UNO into the University of Wednesday with House Speaker to merge the University of New misinformation which Louisiana System, Badon said .