New Orleans CityBusiness articles from April 2009

New Orleans CityBusiness archives from April 2009

U.S. Geological Survey study reveals biggest contributors to Gulf of Mexico dead zone.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report For the first time, the U.S. Geological Survey has identified the top 150 polluting watersheds in the Mississippi River Basin that cause the annual 8,000-square-mile dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. Based...

National contractors group's analysis calls federal union bill 'problematic'.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report In its latest analysis of a bill that would make it easier for employees to organize, the Associated General Contractors of America says the legislation poses real risks for the nation's union construction...

Environmentalist group to protest expanded coal power production in Louisiana.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report A coalition of environmentalists will gather at 5 p.m. today outside Entergy's Loyola Avenue headquarters to protest plans to expand coal power production in Louisiana. Calling Louisiana ground zero for...

Report: Job cuts by U.S.-based employers fall 19 percent in March.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The number of planned job cuts announced by U.S.-based employers declined for the second straight month in March, falling 19.3 percent to 150,411 from 186,350 in February, according to a report released...

Job fair targets Louisiana college grads.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Louisiana Association of Colleges and Employers will hold the first-ever state of Louisiana Collegiate Career Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 17 at the Baton Rouge River Center. The event will feature...

Reservations still available for New Orleans CityBusiness' Culinary Connoisseurs event.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Reservations are being taken for CityBusiness' 2009 Culinary Connoisseurs cocktail reception to be held from 5-8 p.m. Tuesday at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Groups of 10 can register for $850. To make a...

New Orleans' WDSU anchor Roop Raj going to Detroit station.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report WDSU morning anchor Roop Raj is leaving the NBC affiliate in early May to join the staff of WJBK in Detroit and become a consultant with James Hartman & Associates, a North Shore-based consulting firm. The...

Groundbreaking for new Taylor Academy in Avondale set for Thursday.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Jefferson public school officials, along with business and political leaders, will break ground Thursday for the future home of the Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Regional Academy at the Churchill...

Louisiana Realtors oppose homestead exemption increase.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Louisiana Realtors Association has come out in opposition of attempts to raise the state's $75,000 homestead exemption in the upcoming legislative session. Louisiana Realtors (Association) understands...

Wednesday at the Square kicks off 10th annual concert series in New Orleans.
April 1, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Young Leadership Council is launching its 10th Annual YLC Wednesday at the Square concert series today. The free concert series runs every Wednesday from April 1 to June 17 from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in...

Houma area has nation's lowest unemployment rate for second month.
April 2, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report With a February unemployment rate of 3.5 percent, Houma had the lowest rate of the nation's 372 metropolitan statistical areas according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report. Houma's January rate of...

New Orleans City Council vote will slash bills for Entergy customers.
April 2, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The New Orleans City Council voted unanimously today to approve a new rate schedule for Entergy New Orleans customers that will lower electric rates by about $35 million. The electric rate reduction will...

Missing Link Marketplace highlights New Orleans-area entrepreneurs.
April 2, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Urban League of Greater New Orleans and the Women's Business Resource Center will host the Missing Link Marketplace, a showcase of WBRC clients. The event is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. to 4...

Corps releases final Industrial Canal lock replacement report for review.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The final environmental impact statement for the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal lock replacement project is available for review today and tomorrow. The final report addresses comments we received on the...

New Orleans Aviation Board picks firm to manage taxi, transportation services.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The New Orleans Aviation Board has selected national transportation company Dulles Airport Taxi to manage taxi cab and transportation services at Armstrong International Airport. The board said the Falls...

N.O. area sees second-straight rise in first-time unemployment claims.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The New Orleans area saw a second-straight increase in initial unemployment claims for the week ending March 28 to 975 from 922. The area, comprised of Jefferson, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St....

Construction starts down in 2009, report says.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports New construction starts in the U.S. in 2009 are down by 15 percent from last year, according to a recent report released by McGraw-Hill Construction. The 2009 Construction Outlook Spring Update says that...

Jobs report highlights construction needs, economist says.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The chief economist for a national construction association said today's news that the nation's jobless rate jumped to its highest rate since 1983 highlights the need to turn stimulus money into contract...

Louisiana Dept. of Transportation and Development issues Easter holiday travel advisory.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development has advised drivers of upcoming work schedules for interstate and major road projects throughout Louisiana for Easter weekend, April 10-12. In the...

Downtown Development District in N.O. receives $750,000 to help attract entrepreneurial work force.
April 3, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The Downtown Development District has received a $750,000 grant from the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration to develop and implement an economic strategy that will help attract...

Lee-Sheng wins Jefferson Parish Council seat.
April 5, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Cynthia Lee-Sheng defeated state Sen. Julie Quinn and two other candidates in the race for Jefferson Parish Council. Lee-Sheng, the Republican daughter of late Sheriff Harry Lee, took nearly 53 percent of...

Port of New Orleans braces as U.S. cargo figures fall but finds bright spot with cruise business.
April 5, 2009... Byline: Jaime Guillet Gary LaGrange's recent customer call at the Port of Miami left him with a little bit of relief. The shipping industry isn't doing so hot in Miami either. When the Port of New Orleans president and CEO visited the...

Shaddinger re-elected Westwego mayor.
April 5, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Democrat John I. Johnny Shaddinger Jr. was re-elected in Westwego's mayoral race with 58.93 percent of the vote, defeating Democrat Lisa Valence, who received 34.85 percent of the vote, and Stephen...

Zoo-To-Do to benefit elephant exhibit at New Orleans-area zoo.
April 5, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Ticket sales for this year's Zoo-To-Do, the annual soiree benefiting the Audubon Zoo, go to build a brand new home for Jean and Panya, the zoo's Asian elephants, in the restoration and expansion of the...

Commentary: 'Sorry' seems to be the easiest word.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Mark Singletary I've searched high and low for true wisdom and I found it -- at the dry cleaners. The laundry is a pretty important stop in my life's journey. I'm a spiller and a dripper. My shirts, ties, slacks and jackets...

Eco-friendly music fest set for Mississippi Riverfront in New Orleans.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports A new music festival with an emphasis on all things Earth-friendly is planned for Sept. 5, the Saturday before Labor Day, on the Mississippi Riverfront. But instead of using a familiar venue such as...

New Orleans Office of the Inspector General releases first full-year report.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The New Orleans Office of the Inspector General released its 2008 annual report Tuesday, outlining the accomplishments in its first full year of operations, as well as recent developments and a look at...

Contractors stretched with $3.2B in corps projects.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Angelle Bergeron Contractors will have to do a little dance called the hustle if they want to keep pace with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers work that will be awarded in the New Orleans area this year. The corps will award more...

Louisiana cultural group saves musicians' health care program, expands reach.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Richard A. Webster Two years ago, and with little fanfare, the Louisiana Cultural Economy Foundation took control of the Acadiana Musicians' Clinic, saving it from certain bankruptcy. Instead of being content to rescue the health...

Entergy Louisiana pitches 3-year delay for Little Gypsy repowering project.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports Entergy Louisiana filed a report with the Louisiana Public Service Commission late Wednesday afternoon recommending a delay of three years or more on its Little Gypsy repowering project. The utility says...

Off the Clock: Dr. Jeffrey Wiese, Tulane University School of Medicine associate dean.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Christian Moises Age: 39 Family: wife, Michelle Guidry Education: bachelor's degrees in sociology, philosophy and biology, Drake University; doctor of medicine, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine Hometown: Kingfisher, Okla. Dr....

New Orleans Medical Briefs: April 6, 2009.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports More public input sought on plans for new LSU, VA hospitals With debate continuing over building new Louisiana State University and Veterans Affairs hospitals in Mid-City, 41 local and national...

In Other Words: Has there been any improvement in seeking reimbursement when caring for uninsured.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jennifer Nall Shirley Hsing senior vice president and chief financial officer North Oaks Health System No, there has not. The only source of funding is from Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals' disproportionate share...

Commentary: Higher exemption no real break.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Editorial There are certain things you can count on in the spring in Louisiana -- a lovely golden coat of pollen on your automobile, severe thunderstorms to wash it off and a funky smokescreen from state...

April 7 - 14.
April 6, 2009... Byline: From CityBusiness Staff Reports April 7 The Historic New Orleans Collection will host the opening reception of Josephine Crawford: An Artist's Vision from 6-8 p.m. in the Boyd Cruise Room at the Williams Research Center, 410...

Stanford University study examines party, position in assigning Katrina blame.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports A study from Stanford University on where Hurricane Katrina victims place the blame for the storm's aftermath shows that while the government officials' party affiliation played some role in their...

New Orleans Saints staying at home for preseason training camp.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports The New Orleans Saints will conduct its annual training camp at its training facility on Airline Drive after spending the past three preseasons at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss. The Saints last held...

New Orleans CityBusiness Question of the Week results: Automakers' woes don't impact buying choices.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Despite the troubles of American automakers, 32.79 percent of CityBusiness readers last week said the financial status of U.S. automakers does not impact their buying decisions. Meanwhile, 32.79 percent...

$13M in New Orleans' West Esplanade Avenue canal improvements planned.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report A $13 million project to make canal improvements along West Esplanade Avenue begins this weekend. Ffrom 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturdays through May 2, one lane of West Esplanade between Academy Drive and...

IberiaBank to rebrand Arkansas branches.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Arkansas institutions that IberiaBank has purchased the last two years have retained a Natural State identity, but their Louisiana owner will rebrand them in May. Pulaski Bank and Trust, acquired in...

As other cities reach crisis point, homeless advocates urge them to look to New Orleans.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Richard A. Webster The photo on the front page of the March 25 edition of The New York Times looked eerily familiar -- a patchwork of tents under a freeway overpass, small huddled figures shuffling past piles of debris and shopping...

New Orleans businesses face headaches amid hope for $5.4M Oak Street reconstruction.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Emilie Bahr Oak Street is teeming with activity, but not of the sort that is of much immediate benefit to the merchants operating along the Riverbend corridor. Last Monday morning, men in hard hats sloshed through the sand and...

Teacher cultivates lessons through garden in New Orleans' 9th Ward.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Stephen Maloney Two blocks off North Claiborne Avenue in a Lower 9th Ward neighborhood abandoned by all but a few scattered residents, Nat Turner is growing a sustainable future one seed at a time. The 37-year-old New York native...

Commentary: Higher taxes forcing smokers to butt out.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Christian Moises I am -- or was -- a smoker. I'm not proud of it. I'm aware of the health risks, I know it's expensive, I understand I'm affecting other people's health and I know it makes me smell bad. But that's all over. The...

New Orleans Bywater facility could become emergency operations, retail center when vacated in 2011.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Emilie Bahr The 25-acre military facility that lies along Poland Avenue at the far end of the Bywater is being re-envisioned as a mixed-use site that could bring new jobs, services and residents to the neighborhood. The Naval...

Commentary: Speculation mounts as N.O. mayor's ballot remains empty.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jeff Crouere At this point, the New Orleans mayoral election is only about 10 months away. During the next few months, potential candidates will gauge their support level and conduct initial polls. With Mayor C. Ray Nagin term...

Sustainable practices in New Orleans give way to economy.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Jaime Guillet Environmentally friendly and green business practices, already stymied by Hurricane Katrina, have taken a hit once again during the nation's economic downturn. It started in the months after the 2005 storm. The...

Homebuyers' Guide insert now online, announces New Orleans CityBusiness.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report CityBusiness' 2009 Homebuyers' Guide insert can now be found online under the "In and Around CityBusiness" section in the lower-right corner of the CityBusiness Web site.

Louisiana airport conference being held in New Orleans.(Conference news)
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Louisiana Airport Managers & Associates is holding its annual conference in New Orleans from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and Tuesday at the Astor Crowne Plaza hotel, 739 Canal St. Members include the seven air...

Report: Tech sector sees largest job-cut total since 2002.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Firms in the U.S. technology sector announced planned job cuts totaling 84,217 in the first quarter, up 27 percent from 66,312 in the previous quarter. It was the largest quarterly job-cut tally for the...

Construction lawyers bring green forum to New Orleans.
April 6, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report With environmental conditions prompting the green movement in the construction industry, the American Bar Association will hold a forum in New Orleans to address the growing popularity of sustainable...

Commentary: More than meets the eye at Mosca's roadside digs.
April 6, 2009... Byline: Tom Fitzmorris Mosca's $$$$ Creole Italian 4137 U.S. Highway 90, Waggaman 436-9942 Dinner Tuesday through Saturday. Closed in August. No credit cards Price ratings are what one person should expect to spend on a meal. Each $...

$750,000 federal grant to fund Downtown Development District of New Orleans study.
April 7, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Downtown Development District of New Orleans will receive $750,000 from the U.S. Commerce Department's Economic Development Administration to, among other things, study what is hampering the city's...

Former Vieux Carre Commission director dies.
April 7, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Marc Cooper, a former director of the Vieux Carre Commission, died Sunday after a battle with a brain disease, the VCC said today. In 1995, then-Mayor Marc Morial appointed Cooper to head the VCC, a...

Second business opens in New Orleans with aid of Women's Business Resource Center.
April 7, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report A second business is opening with the aid of the Women's Business Resource Center. McGee's Apparel will hold a grand opening from 10 a.m. to noon today at 4501 Downman Road. The event is free and open to...

Louisiana raises cap on elevation grants.
April 7, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The state is increasing the maximum size of elevation grants funded by the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program from $30,000 apiece to $100,000. The program is funded with $750 million in HMGP funds from the...

Kenner's flood insurance rating raised.
April 7, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Flood insurance is expected to get cheaper for Kenner residents, now that the city has been moved into a higher classification in the National Flood Insurance Program's community rating system, Kenner city...

N.O. CityBusiness gives away iPod to Daily Update subscriber.
April 8, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report CityBusiness today gave an 8-gigabyte iPod touch to Lucille Johnson, of Harahan, who won the iPod for becoming a subscriber to CityBusiness' Daily Updates. Johnson's name was chosen at random from a list...

Camellia Grill in New Orleans to open Destin location.
April 8, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Camellia Grill, a culinary landmark in New Orleans, will have a presence outside of New Orleans for the first time when it opens a location in Destin next week. The restaurant is set to open at 6 a.m....

Memorial service set for former Vieux Carre Commission director.
April 8, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report A memorial service for Marc Cooper, a preservationist and former director of the Vieux Carre Commission who died Sunday, will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Beauregard-Malus house at the...

Riverwalk Marketplace in New Orleans to create artist co-op.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Riverwalk Marketplace will soon feature an artist co-op. Once the list of participating artists is finalized, the co-op will open later this spring. The Riverwalk will hold an information session and...

Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu: HUD did not adequately monitor Housing Authority of New Orleans.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Sen. Mary Landrieu today said a new report shows the federal government did not adequately monitor the Housing Authority of New Orleans when it took over HANO in 2002. The U.S. Department of Housing and...

Groups to hold meeting in New Orleans on climate change, coastal restoration.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Local environmental and advocacy groups will host a town hall meeting here next week on climate change, coastal restoration and the future of energy. The forum, sponsored by the Alliance for Affordable...

Louisiana Mineral Board collects $773,000 in lease sale bonuses.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The state Mineral Board on Wednesday collected more than $773,000 in bonus payments as part of its monthly lease sale held in Baton Rouge. The sale brings to $194.9 million the total collections on mineral...

Bollinger Marine Fabricators delivers oil tank barge to New York company.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Bollinger Marine Fabricators has delivered B. No. 262, a double-hull, 60,000-barrel oil tank barge, to Bouchard Ocean Services Inc. of Melville, N.Y. The barge meets the requirements of the Oil Pollution...

Whitney National Bank opens Old Mandeville branch.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Whitney National Bank plans to open a branch in Old Mandeville Monday at 1902 Florida St. A ribbon-cutting will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Whitney is growing where our customers are going, said Gary...

City of New Orleans invites public to review designs for Alcee Fortier Boulevard project.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The city is inviting the public to view the designs for an upcoming $400,000 streetscape enhancement project on Alcee Fortier Boulevard from Chef Menteur Highway to the Michoud Lagoon. Residents can learn...

N.O. area posts 2nd highest average weekly wage, highest average employment.
April 9, 2009... Byline: Christian Moises The New Orleans area posted the state's second highest average weekly wage in the third quarter of 2008 at $832 and the highest average employment with 506,964, according to the Louisiana Department of Labor's...

N.O. average gas price unchanged overnight.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report City gas prices went unchanged overnight, lingering at an average $1.955 per gallon of regular grade this morning, according to AAA. A month ago, the average price stood at $1.849. A year ago, it was...

$4.5M apartments for senior citizens opens in New Orleans.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report A $4.5 million, 34-unit apartment complex for senior citizens opens today at 1420 Charbonnet St., Mayor C. Ray Nagin's press office said. Rising Sun Homes is open to low-income people 55 and older. The...

New Orleans CityBusiness' Health Care Heroes class of 2009 selected.
April 9, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Reservations are being taken for CityBusiness' 2009 Health Care Heroes cocktail reception to be held from 5-8 p.m. May 14 at the New Orleans Museum of Art. Groups of 10 can register for $750 by contacting...

Corps of Engineers watches Mississippi River levels.
April 13, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Corps of Engineers today began patrolling the water levels of the Mississippi River, assessing "hot spots" identified during last year's fight against high water. The Bonnet Carre Spillway had to be...

Levees.org requests meeting with La. Governor Jindal over van Heerden firing.
April 13, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Levees.org, a grassroots group formed after the levee failures of Hurricane Katrina, is calling for a meeting with Gov. Bobby Jindal about Louisiana State University's firing of a coastal scientist. LSU...

Louisiana Lottery pays out nearly $14M in March.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Christian Moises The Louisiana Lottery paid out $6.3 million in March from draw-style games, while players buying scratch-off tickets collected $7.4 million, lottery officials said today. March's winning draw-style tickets included...

Commentary: My family tree is planted in New Orleans.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Mark Singletary I was lured in by jealousy. It seems everyone I know has knowledge of their ancestry. I didn't until very recently and hadn't been very interested until now. I suspected my family tree was shady, but drought...

Cox Communications merger in Louisiana won't cut jobs, services.
April 13, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports Customers won't notice any changes, but Cox Communications officials say merging its New Orleans presence with its other Louisiana markets puts the region higher in the pecking order when it comes to new...

Job fair in Baton Rouge will shuttle job seekers.
April 13, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports Upcoming and recent Louisiana college graduates looking for work are invited to a first-of-its-kind job fair this week in Baton Rouge. And if they need it, they can get a ride from campus. The Louisiana...

Feds provide Louisiana with $37M for emergency prep.
April 13, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Reports Louisiana will receive about $37.7 million from the federal government to improve emergency preparedness, The money will go toward projects at the Port of New Orleans and area businesses. The funds come...

Camellia Grill to open Destin location.
April 13, 2009... Byline: From CityBusiness Staff Reports Camellia Grill will have a presence outside of New Orleans for the first time when it opens a location in Destin, Fla., this week. The restaurant is set to open at 6 a.m. Thursday at Harbor Walk...

New Orleans City Council members adhere to personal spending limits.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Jaime Guillet A review of what New Orleans City Council members spend running their offices shows most are in line with the limits placed on them. And the one member who exceeded her budget says the money was spent to ensure her...

Port of New Orleans officials weigh impact of downriver cargo facility.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Jaime Guillet Louisiana trade and economic development officials have a lot of decisions to make -- and the clock is ticking. It has become a foregone conclusion that when the Panama Canal expansion is complete in 2014, maritime...

Commentary: Brasserie staying hip as top spot in Marigny.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Tom Fitzmorris Marigny Brasserie $$$$ Contemporary Creole 640 Frenchmen St., Marigny 945-4472 Lunch and dinner continuously seven days Sunday brunch Casual www.marignybrasserie.com Price ratings are what one person should expect to...

Commentary: Health care cuts have high cost in New Orleans.
April 13, 2009... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Editorial If there ever was an urgent call to change the way the state of Louisiana balances its budget, it is coming now from New Orleans, where the fragile status of the public mental health care system is...

Commentary: Customer service a casualty of recession.
April 13, 2009... Byline: Deon Roberts I thought we were in a recession. I thought businesses were supposed to be giving us customers the royal treatment because they desperately need every red cent from us these days. Instead, I've noticed a disturbing...