New Orleans CityBusiness articles from May 2004

New Orleans CityBusiness archives from May 2004

Owner of N.O. Hornets pleased with move from Charlotte to New Orleans.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts For George Shinn, moving to New Orleans was like plowing fallow ground. Now, two years after moving his National Basketball Association franchise from Charlotte, N.C., to New Orleans, Shinn is still working to...

George Shinn: From school janitor to NBA franchise owner.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts A key moment in George Shinn's financial life took place one Saturday in Concord, N.C. It was a day when the then-20-year-old Shinn would put in extra hours cleaning Evans Business College where he also studied and...

Owner of N.O. Hornets and his wife start new life in New Orleans.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts You would think George Shinn and his new wife, Denise, had lived in New Orleans their whole lives. At their wedding a year ago at the St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, the celebration included a second-line...

'Naive' Mayor Nagin now knows politics must be played.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts Exactly two years ago this week, a businessman officially became mayor of New Orleans and promised to create a pro-business climate in city government. As a former executive of Cox Communications, Ray Nagin's...

Late restaurant owner's Mercedes-Benz ends up with a friend.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff Britta Jensen, a server at Ruth's Chris Steak House in Toronto, last week won the keys to a Mercedes-Benz that once belonged to the company's late founder, Ruth Fertel. Jensen sold the car to one of Fertel's closest...

La. insurance commissioner files No. 56 insurance fraud case.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff State Commissioner of Insurance Robert Wooley has shut down another agent for fraud, bringing his total to 56 since taking over as acting commissioner in October 2000. Department of Insurance fraud investigators served...

N.O. children's band remains No. 1 fourth week in row.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff The Imagination Movers are movin' on up. For the fourth week in a row, the New Orleans band's song "I Want My Mommy (Time for Bed)" has been tucked in at No. 1 on the XM Kids satellite radio channel. XM boasts...

Commentary: Divisive 9/11 hearings send wrong message to our troops.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Terry O'Connor Zell Miller, a Democrat senator from Georgia, is worried that the Sept. 11 Commission has become a divisive political grandstand. He's far from alone. His "House Divided Cannot Stand" speech on the floor...

Commentary: Plenty of business news is good in New Orleans.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Terry O'Connor The uncertain New Orleans job market has at least six major layoffs in the works or already announced, said Andrala Walker, director of the city's office of workforce development. "That's more than we've ever had...

Commentary: To Gov. Blanco: Your message would sound better at home first.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Mark Singletary Last week, Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco gave a speech urging the House of Representatives to pass two ethics bills. In her comments, the governor said these bills were part of an essential effort to change our...

Port of N.O. struggles to fill security holes left by funding gaps.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Ellen Boyer Louisiana is a national leader in homeland security communications, says the Department of Homeland Security. But when it comes to securing state ports, Louisiana authorities say federal officials often miss the boat....

Communication strategy makes La. a model state.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Ellen Boyer The U.S. Department of Homeland Security points to Louisiana as a communications model for the rest of the country, state technology officials say. "The Department of Homeland Security chose Louisiana to show...

Port searches for funding to expand cruise ship infrastructure.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Ellen Boyer The Port of New Orleans is the fastest growing cruise port in the world, but if it doesn't add more terminal space, its ships could be setting sail elsewhere. As New Orleans grows in popularity for cruise ships, the...

Medicare prescription drug cards present fraud opportunities.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Elisabeth Butler State insurance officials say scamming little old ladies out of their pocket money continues to be a favorite game for con artists. To fight this, the Louisiana Department of Insurance is launching a public...

Web site lets 40 New Orleans museums speak with one voice.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Starting this week, New Orleans museums created an online history-buff headquarters. Neworleansmuseums.com, which launches Tuesday, lists the city's cultural resources and represents cooperation among 40...

Louisiana rig rise bucks national trend.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff The number of active oil and gas drilling rigs in Louisiana rose for the month of April, bucking a national trend. According to Houston-based Baker Hughes, which tracks worldwide rig counts, the number of active rigs in...

Reform panel seeks health care cure.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco last week formed a 29-member health-care reform panel, which includes state officials and a few representatives from nationally recognized health organizations. Blanco charged the group with...

Jefferson Parish to open public tech school.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff Jefferson Parish will have a new public school for science and technology in the fall. A total of 75 seventh- and eighth-graders will attend the Jefferson Parish School for Science & Technology during the 2004-05 academic...

CommTech partner takes on BlackBerry.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff A new partnership between a New Orleans technology firm and Sunnyvale, Calif.-based Good Technology Inc. means new mobile offerings for New Orleanians. CommTech Industries is an authorized vendor of GoodLink products,...

N.O. artists gain chance to brush up on business.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff New Orleans artists looking for ways to build a business out of their craft can apply for the Artist as Entrepreneur program sponsored by the Arts Council of New Orleans. The summer program teaches artists basic business...

Interview with president of N.O. Jazz & Heritage Foundation.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Holly Miller Warren McDaniels is in his second year as the elected president of the 30-member volunteer board of directors for the nonprofit New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation. McDaniels, who retired from the New Orleans Fire...

Organization discusses threat of closure for Belle Chasse Naval Air Station.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff Retain Our Military Alliance, a group of business leaders and elected officials concerned with protecting the area's military from base closings, discussed the threat posed to the Belle Chasse Naval Air Station-Joint Reserve...

French Quarter Festival attracts record crowds.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff The 21st annual French Quarter Festival attracted record crowds totaling about 450,000 people during three sunny days in mid-April. The show featured nearly 60 food and beverage booths and free music performances on 15 stages...

Tournament Players Club of La. at Fairfield opens for play.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff The Tournament Players Club of Louisiana at Fairfield, a new golf course in Westwego, opened for play. A partnership between PGA Tour Inc. and West Bank developer Marrero Land and Improvement Association Ltd. funded...

Pan-American Life Insurance president resigns.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff Jan Jobe, president and chief executive officer for Pan-American Life Insurance Co., resigned for undisclosed reasons. Jobe joined the company in January 1999 as president and chief operating officer and was promoted to CEO...

AT&T Corp. to close Kenner call center.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff AT&T Corp. announced it will close its Kenner call center June 15 as part of a restructuring plan that will cut 493,000 jobs nationwide. The Kenner call center employs 150 workers. The Bedminster, N.J., company's...

City of N.O. begins stadium renovation.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff The city of New Orleans has begun a $1 million project to renovate Larry Gilbert Stadium, a New Orleans Recreation Department facility at 8400 Olive St. Demolition began last week and the stadium is tentatively scheduled to...

Southern Univ. at N.O. receives poor rating.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff Southern University at New Orleans received a poor rating from the Louisiana Board of Regents in its 2003-2004 Institutional Report for the Preparation of Teachers. Out of 19 colleges graded for their teacher education...

La. Board of Regents awards $44M to state colleges.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff The Louisiana Board of Regents awarded Louisiana colleges nearly $22 million to pay for educational and research programs for fiscal year 2003-04. The awards will allow colleges to purchase modern laboratory equipment, create...

La. Dept. of Transportation accepts bids.
May 3, 2004... Byline: Staff The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development accepted bids of more than $18 million, including the $965,000 in improvements to the Crescent City Connection bridges, which went to CEC Inc. of Lafayette. Another...

La. should capitalize on advantage in competition for liquefied natural gas terminals.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Richard Slawsky Louisiana has a distinct advantage in competition for new liquefied natural gas terminals, industry experts say, but construction of those terminals in the state is by no means assured. "It's certainly an urgent...

IPO onrush overwhelms 2003 pace.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Holly Miller A brightening economic climate has brought on a spring shower of initial public offerings. According to Renaissance Capital, an independent IPO research firm in Greenwich, Conn., 118 companies filed IPOs as of...

Tulane housing squeeze inspires debated projects.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts Every year, as thousands of students sign up for a dorm room, Tulane University officials start stressing. Demand for living space on the 110-year-old Uptown campus far exceeds supply with about 250 students...

Q Television Network picks N.O. company for marketing efforts.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Palm Springs, Calif.-based Q Television Network, which targets a gay and lesbian audience, has selected Deveney Communication in New Orleans to create and implement the network's marketing efforts. "This is a really...

Otis Redding song helps Mayor Nagin weather the storm.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, speaking last week at his second "State of the City" address, said a famous soul singer is his source of inspiration in hard times. Nagin, a former Cox Communications executive who ran for...

N.O. Saints work to build on record 2003 sales.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff The New Orleans Saints went marching into Louisiana last week, kicking off their marketing campaign for the 2004 season with their annual Western Regional Caravan. Coach Jim Haslett, cornerback Ashley Ambrose and other...

Charbonnet & Charbonnet antiques to close.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Charbonnet & Charbonnet antiques will close its store on Magazine Street at the end of this month after more than 30 years in business. Millicent Charbonnet, Charbonnet & Charbonnet founder and owner, opened the store in...

Concierges a powerful conduit for driving restaurant traffic.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Elisabeth Butler One word from a small group of key people can create financial feast or famine for dining businesses in this highly competitive restaurant city. Concierges and front desk clerks wield a lot of influence, say...

Commentary: School system's $1B request should come with strings attached.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Mark Singletary The key phrase for this week's message is $1 billion. CityBusiness and WDSU News Channel 6 have formed a strong partnership. We provide them with business news each morning around 6:45 and they provide us with...

Broadcasters bash brash newcomer in satellite radio.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Richard Slawsky The battle for control of the car radio knob is heating up and neither side is pulling any punches. The fight, however, is no longer taking place from the passenger seat. Over-the-air broadcasters are crying...

Louisiana sees huge potential in $1.4 trillion Brazil economy.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Ellen Boyer After a third trip to Brazil to court its business and government leaders in a bilateral trade agreement, Louisiana trade officials stress the potential business flow to come from such a pact. Brazil is the real...

New Web site promises to fight N.O. blight.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Ellen Boyer Thousands of federally subsidized housing voucher holders in the metro area now have access to more information about rental properties. Under an agreement with the Housing Authority of New Orleans, the Jefferson...

Commentary: Credibility is most important business news commodity.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Terry O'Connor Nothing is more important for a business than maintaining credibility with its customers. If you believe in a product or a person, you want to do business with them. If you do not trust or believe in the product...

Proposed legislation calls for strict pollution rules on cruise ships.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Megan Kamerick An environmental group is claiming victory after a top cruise line said it will install advanced pollution control systems on its vessels. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., based in Miami, notified Washington,...

Port, parish seek compromise to stem damage from waterway.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Ellen Boyer Some St. Bernard Parish residents are hoping a waterway known in the maritime industry as "Mr. Go" will live up to its name and get lost. The Mississippi River Gulf Outlet, a shipping shortcut that connects the...

Airport passenger counts continue to take off.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff March is the seventh month in a row ridership increased at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. The number of departing passengers in March rose 2.5 percent to 452,344 from 441,424, while 5.9 percent more...

Gov. Blanco's Offshore Tech Conference visit changes 'policy'.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco attended the Offshore Technology Conference in Houston last week to make the pitch for liquid natural gas receiving terminals to be built in the state. According to a study by the Center for...

State treasury offers new online resource.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Money management resources are now available online through the Louisiana Department of the Treasury's Web site. The Treasury has partnered with The Bond Market Foundation to provide free online information and resources...

$500,000 Entergy grant earmarked for Xavier University.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Xavier University has received a $500,000 grant from Entergy New Orleans to establish a scholarship program beginning in the 2004-05 academic year. Starting this fall, $100,000 in scholarships will be awarded each year. ...

N.O. travel agents have new option.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff A travel company based in Irvine, Calif., unveiled a new computer program to travel agents in New Orleans last week. TraveLogia introduced Boarding Pass 2.0, software designed to search more than 60 Internet sites for...

New state law requires sellers to disclose flaws in property.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts In less than two months, Louisiana residential property owners will be required by law to spill the beans to buyers. Until this summer, single-family home sellers have not been required to disclose property flaws....

Nonprofit Spotlight: New Orleans Medical Mission Services Foundation.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Elisabeth Butler New Orleans Medical Mission Services Foundation Inc. takes its public service on the road. The nonprofit transports doctors, medical support staff and supplies to Latin America to reach out to developing...

Interview with co-chairwoman of New Orleans Greek Festival.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Holly Miller New Orleans' Greek Festival, held every year by volunteers from Holy Trinity Cathedral, celebrates its 31st anniversary May 28 through May 30. The festival includes gourmet Greek cuisine, traditional Greek dancers,...

N.O. Jazz & Heritage Festival attendance totals 346K.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Attendance at the 2004 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival totaled 346,000 over six days compared with 452,000 over eight days in 2003. Average daily attendance remained roughly the same from 2003 to 2004 as rainy weather...

N.O. mayor gives State of the City address.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin gave his second State of the City address to a packed house at Delgado Community College's City Park campus. The mayor painted a favorable picture of the city's business status. Jobs grew by...

Commercial real estate markets seeing more business.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff The National Association of Industrial and Office Properties said commercial real estate markets are experiencing more business fueled by perceptions that the nation's economy is improving. Last month, the association...

House committee review lead poisoning blood test requirement.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff The Louisiana Legislature's House Committee on Health and Welfare reviewed a bill to mandate blood testing of children who live in areas shown to have "high risk for lead poisoning." HB 1627, authored by state Rep. Charmaine...

Norwegian Cruise Line names replacement vessel for N.O. cruise.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff The Norwegian Cruise Line named the Norwegian Sun as a replacement vessel for the Norwegian Dream, which called New Orleans home from October through April. The Norwegian Dream will remain in New Orleans through April 2006....

Golfer Vijay Singh wins HP Classic of New Orleans.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Golfer Vijay Singh captured a victory and $918,000 as the HP Classic of New Orleans played its last round at English Turn Golf & Country Club. Rainy weather pushed the final round to Monday, and officials made admission and...

N.O. Hornets announce retirement of general manager.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff The New Orleans Hornets announced the retirement of General Manager Bob Bass, executive vice president of basketball operations, effective June 30. He will oversee the Hornets' draft June 24. The two-time NBA Executive of the...

N.O. Hornets end season with playoff loss.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff The New Orleans Hornets ended their season with an 85-77 loss to the Miami Heat at Miami in the seventh game of their first-round playoff series. It was the Hornets' final game as a member of the Eastern Conference. The team...

Federal officials tour U.S. Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Center at Canal Place.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Federal Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell and Michael Gallagher, acting Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information in the U.S. Department of Commerce, toured the U.S. Coast Guard Vessel Traffic...

Data Evolution Holdings introduces new notebook computer.
May 10, 2004... Byline: Staff Data Evolution Holdings Inc., introduced the Cathena, a notebook computer aimed at the education and government services markets. The New Orleans computer development firm released the computer through its subsidiary, Data...

GeneScan USA Inc. tests genetics of food grown in US before it can be exported.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Mike Russell loves picky eaters. They pay his salary as president at GeneScan USA Inc., a company in Jefferson Parish that tests the genetics of food grown in the United States and shipped overseas. Using...

Top property sold for $4M on Veterans Blvd. in Metairie.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts One developer calls it the "nicest piece" of undeveloped property in Metairie. Three weeks ago, two blocks of vacant land - a rare find along busy Veterans Boulevard - sold for just more than $4 million. The...

Federally funded Job One scrambles during record layoffs in Louisiana.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Deon Roberts Job One has a big job on its hands. Since January, eight layoffs have delivered 1,500 displaced workers to the door of Andrala Walker, director of the city agency designed to improve worker skills and increase...

CityBusiness coverage earns four LPA awards.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Staff New Orleans CityBusiness captured awards for the Best News Coverage, Best News Story, Best Feature Story and Best Front Page at the Louisiana Press Association Better Newspaper Competition this year. CityBusiness Art...

Notorious Galatoire's waiter begins work at new restaurant.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Staff One of Galatoire's most infamous ex-waiters started work at a new restaurant last month. Gilberto Eyzaguirre, fired from Galatoire's two years ago after co-workers accused him of sexual harassment, now waits on customers at...

New Orleans agency signee drafted by Miami Dolphins.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Staff Fusion Sports Management Inc. of New Orleans scored for the first time during this year's National Football League draft when the Miami Dolphins picked Tony Bua in the fifth round. "We're pretty excited it was the...

Utility union urges reform for Entergy CEO severance.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Staff The Utility Workers Union of America wants to trim Entergy Chief Executive J. Wayne Leonard's golden parachute. Union representatives sent letters to Entergy shareholders and institutional investors urging a vote in favor...

Fleet blessing for New Orleans District of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers draws crowd.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Staff Fleet blessing ceremonies are an age-old tradition in Louisiana where shrimpers and fishermen earn a living on the water. But last week, the New Orleans District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers blessed its own fleet...

Debt collection companies advise business owners about recovering unpaid accounts.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Michael Giusti Debt collectors tell clients overdue bills are not like fine wine - they only worsen with age. As every day ticks by, business owners run a slimmer chance of collecting unpaid accounts. After an overdue account...

Commentary: New Orleans must take advantage of position as 'Wealth Builder' city.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Mark Singletary Interesting public policy statements are a rare find. So when I trip across one, I delight in its relevance as much as its readability. "Growth Without Growth: An Alternative Economic Development Goal For...

New Orleans-based Deveney Communications signs new TV network for its growing client roster.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Richard Slawsky When New Orleans-based public relations firm Deveney Communication does its best work, often nobody notices. Behind-the-scenes work has propelled the firm into the top ranks of boutique PR firms around the...

Louisiana Dept. of Social Service's poverty reduction program loses funding.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Holly Miller A statewide program that helps low-income workers build savings and repair their credit will suspend operations this summer while searching for additional funding. The IDA Collaborative of Louisiana helps...

Prices prompt producers to keep impurities in natural gas.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Richard Slawsky As the price of natural gas climbs above $6 per 1,000 cubic feet, industries reliant on natural gas liquids are changing how they process the product. Natural gas liquids such as ethane, butane and propane,...

Commentary: Economic development bills won't work for Louisiana.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Terry O'Connor The theory sounds plausible, particularly for those involved in the intensely competitive economic development arena: Don't release any state-level business negotiation details until a deal is sealed. Otherwise, the...

Commentary: Editor's Notes: Gas prices should recede greatly from $40 to $31.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Terry O'Connor The Chicken Little response of the national media every time oil and gas prices rise is predictable but faulty. Many act as if it's a crime against Americans for the cost of gasoline to actually rise above $2 a...

New Orleans Medical Briefs: May 17, 2004.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Elisabeth Butler Louisiana is the second state in the nation to pass legislation to allow trained psychologists to prescribe drugs. It may become the first state to implement the changes. New Mexico passed legislation in 2002...

French Market targets locals in latest revitalization efforts.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Ellen Boyer In the late 1700s, Native Americans set up trading posts along the Mississippi River banks in what eventually became the French Market. Immigrants at the spot sold produce and spices while coffee roasters brewed mocha...

Houma-based Trico Marine Services considering sale of assets to trim debt.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Richard Slawsky Officials at Houma-based Trico Marine Services Inc. are exploring a number of options to keep the oil and gas marine service company afloat. Barring a dramatic change in market conditions in the oil and gas...

Interview with Bob Bass, general manager of New Orleans Hornets.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Holly Miller On June 30, Bob Bass, executive vice president of basketball operations and general manager of the New Orleans Hornets, will retire from basketball after a 54-year career. Before joining the Hornets in 1995, Bass spent...

Academic restructuring at Delgado Community College to affect 15 tenured faculty members.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Staff Delgado Community College officials said 15 tenured faculty members will be affected by a major academic restructuring spearheaded by Alex Johnson, the school's new chancellor. Of the 15 employees, five will be named...

Adams to leave post with Jefferson Parish Economic Development Comm.
May 17, 2004... Byline: Staff Scott Adams announced he will leave his post as executive director of the Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission for a new job supervising business development for Las Vegas. Adams, hired in 1998, will remain with...