Dear friends,

There’s good news in City Council District D. We’ll have more to talk about next week, but it is good to note some recent activity in District D.

• Edward Hynes breaks ground on its new school on the University of New Orleans (UNO) Campus on Leon C. Simon.
• The University of New Orleans (UNO.edu) names its new President, Dr. Kathy Johnson.
• Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO.edu) introduces the Law Enforcement Use of Force Simulator.
• McDonogh 35 Senior High School celebrates a street name change. The legacy educational institution is now located at 4000 Roneagle Way.
• Canseco’s Grocery Store opens its new $5 million location on Filmore Avenue.
• Terviva announces the building of its $25 million food processing plant at 3401 France Road.
• Public Belt Railroad competes France Road rail yard expansion project as part of the $18.2 million New Orleans Gateway Rail Fluidity and Capacity Improvement Project.
• The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary dedicates the Pastor Fred Luter Student Center.
• District D sees the removal of scores of abandoned vehicles and trailers in addition to emergency demolitions of blighted properties in response to community concerns.
• Dillard University announces a federal grant to restore the historic Howard House.

Next week, our office will share images of completed street repairs and of new businesses, and then over the coming weeks of new houses of worship moving into or expanding in District D, and of even more productive work at District D high schools and institutions of higher education. The point? Good news begets more investment.

If you are looking to invest in New Orleans District D, and if government assistance is needed, our office will facilitate the zoning and variances needed for projects that are good for the community. Our office works daily with various city Departments to strengthen infrastructure and enhance the quality of life in important areas. Investment is appreciated and will be rewarded.

See the flyers below and check out the calendar of activities, including festivals taking place in Council District D. Enjoy your weekend and the next couple of weeks. Go Saints, 2-0!

Sincerely,

Councilman Eugene J. Green, Jr. 

LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

NEWS FROM THE SEPTEMBER 21 COUNCIL MEETING

Councilmember Green sponsored or co-sponsored the following legislation that

was passed at yesterday's Regular City Council meeting:

ZONING DOCKET NO. 67/23 – CITY COUNCIL MOTION NO. M-23-329 approved a Conditional Use permit for a 1660 N. Roman Street community center. The Black School will be a 21st-century schoolhouse providing Black art activities for the New Orleans 7^th Ward and surrounding areas.  

CAL. NO. 34,391 will require reporting for contracts executed by the City of New Orleans and the implementation of a DBE procurement set-aside program. 

CAL. NO. 34,362 approved authorization of a 2-year extension of the terminal lease and equipment management agreement between Louis Armstrong International Airport and New Orleans Airline Consortium, LLC.  

CAL. NO. 34,367 approved authorization of a 2-year extension to the airline-airport use and lease agreements with the signatory airlines at the Louis Armstrong International Airport.  

Please click here for more information.

NEW CONSTRUCTION IN DISTRICT D

It is good to see new construction taking place where there was recent demolition. Our District D office appreciates the results of the work with the Office of Code Enforcement and Safety and Permits to facilitate new investments and enhance community and neighborhood safety.

BLIGHT REMOVAL IN DISTRICT D

Please file a report at nola311.gov if you have an abandoned vehicle on your block or nearby, and send the 311 registration number to [email protected]. Our office has worked well with the Department of Public Works to remove scores of abandoned vehicles from our District D streets.

Before

After

STREET WORK REPAIRS IN DISTRICT D

There has been significant disruption caused by ongoing street work but there are also many completed blocks. With new water lines and deep overlay, streets will be less prone to return repairs.

NOPD ANNOUNCES PRELIMINARY CRIME STATISTICS FOR SEPTEMBER 10-16, 2023

CLICK THE IMAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION

Whereas it is clear that there are issues to address on the crime front, it's important to recognize that in certain important areas, violent crime is down. The work of the New Orleans Police Department and its many partners in the criminal justice system is having some results, although there is certainly much more work to be done. 

The following is a weekly report of citywide crime statistics compiled by the NOPD Analytics Unit for the period of September 10-16, 2023.

Please note that these figures are preliminary and subject to further analysis and revision.

Click on the image below for a larger version:

BUNNY FRIEND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION BOOK FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

KINFOLK PRESENTS: HOME FEST ON BAYOU ROAD ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

MELVIN LABAT PRESENTS: THE KING SIZE JERSEY JAM ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

URBAN LEAGUE OF LOUISIANA AND ENERGY SMART INVITE CAREER SEEKERS TO CLEAN ENERGY CAREER & RESOURCE FAIR ON SEPTEMBER 27

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The Urban League of Louisiana and Energy Smart have teamed up to host a special Clean Energy Career & Resource Fair on Wednesday, September 27, from 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM at Tulane Memorial Baptist Church, 3601 Paris Avenue.

LIBERTY'S KITCHEN GRAND RE-OPENING ON THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 28

NATIONAL FRIED CHICKEN FESTIVAL ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 1

CLICK THE IMAGE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

The National Fried Chicken Festival presented by Raising Cane’s will be held on Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 at the newly-debuted home along the New Orleans Lakefront.

Join us in celebrating the iconic Southern dish that’s been bringing together thousands of locals and visitors alike since 2016. Tickets for #FCF2023 are on sale NOW at friedchickenfestival.com.

LASPCA VACCINE CLINIC ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

GENTILLY FEST 2023 FROM OCTOBER 6 - 8

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MT. CARMEL BAPTIST CHURCH OCTOBER FEST ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS WILL HOST FREE PAPER SHREDDING DURING RECYCLING DROP-OFF EVENT ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

The City of New Orleans announced that the Department of Sanitation will host a paper shredding event on Saturday, Sept. 23, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the City’s Recycling Drop-Off Center (2829 Elysian Fields Ave.).

Given the high demand for Shred Day events, it is recommended that residents arrive early to take advantage of shredding services before capacity has been exhausted.

Shred Day

Orleans Parish residents can bring up to 50 pounds of personal or sensitive documents to be shredded safely and securely on-site.

• The City accepts mixed office paper, light cardboard, and similar materials
• The City does not accept plastic, compact discs, DVDs, or other metal (excluding paper clips and staples)

Please click here for more information.

UL SYSTEM BOARD NAMES DR. KATHY JOHNSON PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ORLEANS

The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System voted to name Dr. Kathy Johnson the eighth president of the University of New Orleans.

Dr. Johnson has over 30 years of higher education experience, including academic and administrative roles. She has most recently served eight years as Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis’s executive vice chancellor and chief academic officer.

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND PARTNERS AWARDED FEDERAL GRANT FOR TREE PLANTINGS AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The City of New Orleans announced it was awarded $8 million from the Urban and Community Forestry program from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forestry Service to plant trees in underserved areas of the city and expand urban forestry workforce training. 

With this funding, the City of New Orleans and community partners will plant and maintain trees in historically disadvantaged neighborhoods across the city. These plantings will help meet the goals of the New Orleans Reforestation Plan and Climate Action Plan of 40,000 new trees planted and at least 10 percent canopy coverage in every neighborhood by the end of the decade. The funding will also allow workforce development organizations to expand their programming to meet the growing demand for forestry professionals needed to grow and maintain the City’s tree canopy. 

Please click here for more information.

TIPS FROM LSPCA ON COYOTE SIGHTING

While a coyote sighting is certainly scary, it’s important to remember that they are wild animals that exist in nature.

There are measures that individuals can take to reduce the appeal of a location to

coyotes:

• Pick up any food that is left outside. Coyotes will be attracted to human-associated food such as pet food, unsecured compost or trash, and fallen fruit in yards.
• Do not leave any standing water outside. Water can be as alluring as food, so remove water bowls set outside for pets and make watering cans unavailable.
• Pets are a normal part of an urban landscape. Coyotes may consider pets as prey or competitors within their territory. Free-roaming pets may attract coyotes into neighborhoods, especially cats and sometimes small dogs. The best way to minimize pets' risk is not to leave them outside unattended.

It’s not an emergency. In the same way that animals like squirrels and alligators exist in nature within our urban community, coyotes are wild animals. However, if a human life is being threatened by a companion or wild animal, residents should call 911 immediately.

People who feed feral cats are often concerned that coyotes might prey on the cats. These concerns are well founded, as coyotes will be attracted to the outdoor pet food. We recommend feeding cats only during the day and at a set time—and pick up any leftovers immediately, this will help with both rodents and coyotes. Small, unattended dogs may also be seen as potential prey for coyotes. It is important to either keep dogs on a leash shorter than 6 feet when outdoors or to stay within 6 feet of them when outside.

COMMUNITY YOUTH DAY AT SAM BONART PARK ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

CITY PARK CONSERVANCY MASTER PLAN SURVEY AND PUBLIC MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

City Park Conservancy wants to hear your vision for the future of New Orleans City Park. As a component of the Park’s Master Planning process, an online survey has been launched to learn how the community currently uses the Park and what they’d like to see in the Park.

It is important that people of all ages and from all neighborhoods have a say in the future of this beloved Park.

Please take this brief introductory City Park planning survey.

Also, mark your calendars for the first public meeting on Wednesday, September 27, from 5:30 PM to 7 PM at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters. For more information on the master planning process, visit neworleanscitypark.org.

CITY OF NEW ORLEANS NEIGHBORHOOD SUMMIT ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21

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HHS ANNOUNCES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COMMUNITY INNOVATOR CHALLENGE

The HHS announces a new Environmental Justice Community Innovator Challenge funding opportunity. This Challenge aims to engage local problem solvers on community-level solutions that advance environmental justice and health equity. This effort is part of HHS’ broader work to support disadvantaged communities and Tribes facing the brunt of environmental injustices, including health harms due to climate change.

The Challenge has two phases, with a total of $1,000,000 to be awarded. All eligible entries will be evaluated, and separate awards will be given for each phase. Participants will have access to a technical assistance opportunity in each phase of the Challenge.

• Phase 1 will focus on design of concept or development of approach. Entries for Phase 1 will be accepted from September 18, 2023, until January 30, 2024. Up to 12 submissions may be selected to each receive a prize of up to $25,000.
• Phase 2 will focus on small-scale testing or implementation.  Up to 10 submissions may be selected to each receive a minimum prize of $70,000.

Phase 1 of the Challenge is now open! The deadline for submissions is January 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET. Click here to view an overview of the Challenge, including the judging criteria, rules, and entry submission requirements.

McDonogh 35 Senior High School students, alumni, and supporters celebrated the legacy institution’s 106 anniversary on Monday. Councilman Green joined hundreds in celebrating the change, by approved Council Ordinance, of the naming of the street on which McDonogh 35 is located to Roneagle Way. In addition, Councilman Green presented a Proclamation to Mrs. Elouise Stevens Louis in celebration of her hundredth birthday: 4000 Roneagle Way, New Orleans, Louisiana, 70122, in City Council District D.

The New Orleans City Council recently celebrated the successes of Bailee Villavaso, the daughter of Attorney Branden Villavaso and Mrs. Chloe Villavaso. Bailee recently returned from the AAU Junior Olympics tournament in Des Moines, Iowa, with a first-place finish in the 17-18-year-old category of the pole vault competition. Bailey, a scholar at Cabrini High School, has competed in that category for only one year, a tremendous accomplishment. Congratulations, Bailee and family.

The New Orleans City Council recognized Coach William Montgomery in appreciation of his decades of positive contributions to youth through his work with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission through his founding of the Spartan Boxing Club, which operates out of the Milne Recreation Center in Council District D. 

Councilman Eugene Green with Chancellor Larissa Littke-Steib at the Building Futures Foundation Luncheon in support of Delgado’s Academic Programs.

Councilman Green with Foundation Luncheon Guest Speaker Michael Hecht, President and CEO, Greater New Orleans, Inc., I. William Sizeler, Director and Mrs. Sizeler.