New Orleans CityBusiness articles from October 2006

New Orleans CityBusiness archives from October 2006

Ochsner Health System renames acquired hospitals from Tenet.
October 1, 2006... Byline: Tommy Santora After acquiring three Tenet hospitals for $56.8 million, Ochsner Health System will rename the facilities and open 100 more beds in the city by the end of the year, announced Ochsner's chief operating officer and...

Shrinking Soirees: Event planner in N.O. being left out in the cold.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Fritz Esker Christmas is not always cheery for holiday party planners. Diane Lyons, president of Accent On Arrangements, a New Orleans-based destination management and event planning company, said potential clients are using...

Corporate parties in N.O. boost business for restaurants.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Tommy Santora Restaurants typically depend on company holiday parties to fulfill year-end sales goals and attract return customers in the new year, said Tom Weatherly of the Louisiana Restaurant Association. "Convention business...

Interview with Diane Lyons: Owner of Accent On Arrangements in N.O.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Tommy Santora Age: 50 Hometown: Bogalusa Education: master's degree in education, Louisiana State University; certified meeting professional, Convention Industry Council; and destination management certified professional,...

Commentary: Oil royalty compromise critical to Louisiana recovery.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Mark Singletary Where is Henry Clay when we need him? Henry Clay, known as "The Great Compromiser," helped delay civil war in the United States through his ability to craft legislative compromise. We need a modern-day Henry Clay to...

N.O. spiraling out of control due to an overcrowded prison system.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Richard A. Webster Outside Jackie's, a women's boutique on Jackson Square, an elderly woman sleeps on a bench. Her bloated, cracked feet are splayed out on the cobblestone. A purple sweatshirt draped over her head obscures her face...

Unfinished plans slow developers in N.O.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Deon Roberts In the competition for lucrative incentives to build affordable housing, every point a developer can snag is a feather in the cap. "It's going to be so competitive. Twenty-five points could make the difference," said...

Why Stay in N.O.? Tracie and Ricky Schaeffer, keeping close to family.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Matthew Penix Tracie Morris Schaeffer took one look at her sleeping infant son, Rex, and brushed back his curly hair when the thought hit her: He can't be away from his grandparents. While evacuated to Houston after Hurricane...

Asian businesses drive eastern N.O. recovery.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Greg LaRose Editor's note: This story begins a three-part series into the recovery of the Vietnamese business community in New Orleans. Next week: Outside investment in Asian-American business recovery. The Rev. Vien Nguyen has...

Port of New Orleans insurance deadlock broken.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Jaime Guillet The Port of New Orleans received "verbal confirmation" its primary property insurer, Boston-based Lexington Insurance Co., will soon pay the remaining $3.2 million of its $20-million claim for Hurricane Katrina...

$1B LNG hub closer to fruition.
October 2, 2006... Byline: From CityBusiness Staff Reports McMoRan Exploration Co.'s nearly $1-billion plan to regasify natural gas at a new shallow-water hub in the Gulf of Mexico has no significant impact on the environment, the U.S. Coast Guard announced...

Trump lawyer wants more N.O. planners.
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff The city needs to hire more planners, said a lawyer for a proposed Poydras Street development involving New York businessman Donald Trump. Lawyer Edward Suffern is one of nine business leaders who wrote to...

SBA Loans: Where's the money?
October 2, 2006... Byline: Deon Roberts David Guidry needed help. Two weeks after Hurricane Katrina damaged his Harvey business, which manufactures equipment for the oil and gas industry, he turned to the U.S. Small Business Administration for a loan. The...

Sen. Mary Landrieu says insurance costs threaten rebuilding in Louisiana.
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O CityBusiness Calling the availability and affordability of homeowners insurance "an immense economic issue for the future of Louisiana," Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, said Louisiana and other coastal state governments...

Pregnancy discrimination alleged against Metairie advertising firm.
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Attorneys for The Montalbano Group, a Metairie advertising firm, are defending the company's termination of a pregnant woman in federal court. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed the...

Falling Credit Manager's Index still shows economic expansion.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The seasonally adjusted Credit Manager's Index took another small step down in September. The CMI, a monthly survey of the business economy from the standpoint of commercial credit and collections, asks...

Louisiana allocates $1.6M to LSU health sciences professorships.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center received more than $1.6 million in matching funds from the Louisiana Board of Regents Friday morning for endowed chairs for eminent scholars and endowed...

CitiBank plans new N.O. branches.
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Smith Barney's success in New Orleans led its parent company, CitiGroup, to open banking offices in the city, according to the financial advisory firm's CEO. Charles Johnston spoke to New Orleans Smith...

Office expenses in N.O. offset rent bumps.
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Occupancy and rents are up for top-tier office buildings in downtown New Orleans. But many building owners are actually earning less than before Hurricane Katrina due to rising operational costs such as...

Coors Light will sponsor the N.O. Saints.
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff The New Orleans Saints have signed a two-year partnership with Coors Brewing Co. The deal provides Coors with multiple marketing opportunities and supports the Saints as they return to New Orleans for the...

Fair Housing center in N.O. decries 'racist' ruling.
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff The Greater New Orleans Fair Housing Action Center is asking residents of St. Bernard Parish to repeal what it calls a racially discriminatory ordinance recently passed by the Parish Council. The ordinance,...

$330M settlement fuels Murphy Oil recovery in St. Bernard Parish.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Matthew Penix Ellen Schwartz knows her Chalmette street is a hodgepodge of abandoned homes and overgrown lawns. But news of possible compensation for damages from El Dorado, Ark.-based Murphy Oil Corp. has already inspired the...

Commentary: East Coast weather, seafood now at fall peak.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Tom Fitzmorris If you have any reason to take a trip to New York or New England, do it now. There is no more pleasurable time. A week and a half in the Big Apple was most pleasant, even counting the aggravation of having the...

N.O. needs strong inspector general.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff The New Orleans City Council had a great idea when it voted Sept. 19 to create the office of inspector general. The inspector general would have a twofold mission: Help coordinate receipt and use of post-Katrina...

Commentary: Sweet Game Day feels ideal for most in N.O. Saints Superdome.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Terry O'Connor 5:04 a.m. Woke up with an echo ringing in my head: Game Day, Game Day, Game Day. For a football fan, there are no sweeter words. For a New Orleans Saints fan, there is no sweeter day. 6:01 a.m. Breakfast brought...

Commentary: Many N.O. grocery stores could use a good makeover.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Autumn C. Giusti I consider myself a grocery store connoisseur. It's not unusual for me to visit a half dozen different stores in a month, and I've studied the strengths, weaknesses and selection of each. But every time I encounter...

Competition growing fierce among Jefferson Parish's opponents.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Jeff Crouere The Nov. 7 election in the 2nd Congressional District is fast approaching. Voters are starting to pay more attention and several candidates have distinguished themselves in recent weeks. Leading the polls at press...

Energy Partners Ltd. updates 3Q drilling operations.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Energy Partners Ltd. announced two drilling successes -- one on the Continental Shelf and one in the Gulf of Mexico -- in updating its third quarter drilling operations. For the year, EPL has drilled 19...

LSU's van Heerden to speak at inaugural Levees.org meeting.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Ivor van Heerden, deputy director of Louisiana State University's Hurricane Center and critic of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will speak at the inaugural Levees.org membership meeting Tuesday night....

84 Lumber Company opens Hammond location.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report 84 Lumber Company, a privately held supplier of building materials and services to professional contractors, is opening a new facility in Hammond, bringing the company's investment in the Gulf Coast region...

Tour recreates New Orleans' 19th-century mourning customs.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report For more than a decade, the Hermann-Grima/Gallier Historic Houses have prepared for All Saints Day by holding an authentic recreation of the funeral of Judge Felix Grima's mother, the widowed Mrs. Albert...

Louisiana rig count drops by one.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The number of rigs actively exploring for oil and natural gas in Louisiana dropped one this week to 198, while the United States as a whole slumped 10 to 1,744. Of the rigs running nationwide, 1,445 were...

Commentary: New Orleans needs strong inspector general.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Editorial The New Orleans City Council had a great idea when it voted Sept. 19 to create the office of inspector general. The inspector general would have a twofold mission: Help coordinate receipt and use of...

CityBusiness readers say New Orleans Saints homecoming was their best performance.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report An overwhelming majority of CityBusiness survey respondents said the Saints' Sept. 25 homecoming and victory over the Atlanta Falcons was one for the record books. A total 177 online readers responded to...

Overcrowded prison system in New Orleans impacts French Quarter businesses.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Richard A. Webster Outside Jackie's, a women's boutique on Jackson Square, an elderly woman sleeps on a bench. Her bloated, cracked feet are splayed out on the cobblestone. A purple sweatshirt draped over her head obscures her face...

Chase Bank to reopen 83 percent of New Orleans branches.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Greg LaRose Chase Bank had 56 branches in its New Orleans market before Hurricane Katrina and has plans to reopen 48 of them. Chase's New Orleans retail market manager Michael Lulich says telecommunications have been the chief...

N.O. inspector general or no?
October 2, 2006... Byline: Richard A. Webster The New Orleans City Council wanted to send a message to the country when it gave preliminary approval Sept. 19 to a plan to create an office of inspector general. As billions of post-Katrina dollars are being...

Administrative costs can eat up chunks of relief cash.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Jaime Guillet The terrorizing trio of the 2005 storm season -- hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma -- wrought destruction on an area larger than North and South Carolina combined. The humanitarian aid and charitable donations for...

Upcoming Events in New Orleans: October 2, 2006.(Calendar)
October 2, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Reports The following calendar of business meetings and events is for Oct. 2-7. The deadline for submissions to the business calendar is 10 days prior to publication date. Oct. 4 Artists' Responses to...

Court dismisses Saulet Apartment complex's bankruptcy filing.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Deon Roberts The 703-unit Saulet Apartment complex has had its federal bankruptcy filing dismissed, a property spokesman announced today. "We are well on our way to beginning the process of repairing and reopening the property, a...

Former Louisiana law enforcement leaders endorse Karen Carter in 2nd Congressional District race.
October 2, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Former Attorney General Richard Ieyoub, former New Orleans District Attorney Harry Connick and former New Orleans Police Deputy Superintendent Sidney Cates III today announced their endorsement of state...

Murphy Oil Co. to pay out 15-cent quarterly dividend.
October 2, 2006... Byline: Matthew Penix Murphy Oil Corp., the oil production company whose Hurricane Katrina-induced oil spill in St. Bernard Parish spawned the largest class-action environmental lawsuit in state history, announced today a quarterly...

Fitch upgrades LA-based Ochsner Health System's bond ratings.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Fitch Ratings revised its outlook for $318 million in Ochsner Health System bonds from negative to stable. According to Fitch, its "A-" rating affirmation and stable outlook reflects Ochsner's continued...

Louisiana speeders issued more than 53,000 tickets during 100-day campaign.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Louisiana Highway Safety Commission officials are confident that their 100 Days of Summer Heat campaign met its goal of raising awareness among motorists of the dangers and consequences of driving too fast....

Shareholders of Regions Financial Corp. and AmSouth Bancorp. approve merger.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Shareholders of Regions Financial Corp. and AmSouth Bancorp. approved the nearly $10 billion merger between the two banks. The combined companies will have $142 billion in assets, nearly $100 billion in...

Trio of top speakers highlight Tulane event.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Tulane Business Forum will focus on "Leadership and Vision." For the last 27 years, the Tulane Association of Business Alumni and the A.B. Freeman School of Business have presented forums on topics...

Comeptition heats up in New Orleans for GO Zone funding.
October 3, 2006... Byline: Deon Roberts In the competition for lucrative incentives to build affordable housing, every point a developer can snag is a feather in the cap. "It's going to be so competitive. Twenty-five points could make the difference," said...

CreateAthon benefits New Orleans nonprofits.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Gallinghouse and Associates, a Northshore marketing and communications firm, completed 20 projects valued at more than $100,000 during the fourth annual CreateAthon pro-bono 24-hour marathon. The nonprofit...

State of Louisiana warns Oct. 16 is final tax deadline.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Louisiana Department of Revenue today reminded taxpayers from areas most severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina that the deadline for filing tax year 2004 and 2005 individual income tax returns is Oct....

University of New Orleans holding delayed opening of Kirschman Hall.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The University of New Orleans College of Business Administration will hold the grand opening ceremony for Kirschman Hall at 3 p.m. Oct. 20. Kirschman Hall, a $20 million facility, houses the Lester E....

Pro Bono Project plans Nov. 10 fete at City Park in New Orleans.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report After Hurricane Katrina forced the cancellation of its main fundraiser benefit, the Pro Bono Project has set a new date and location for the event. The Justice for All Ball is set for 8 p.m. Nov. 10 at...

Small Business Administration sets loan record for fiscal year 2006.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Small businesses turned to the Small Business Administration for commercial financing in record numbers in fiscal year 2006, setting records for the number of loans and the dollars loaned, SBA...

Accident disrupts electricity at New Orleans-based John McDonogh High School.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Students at John McDonogh High School were dismissed this morning after the school lost power. The outage was caused by an accident in the area that downed power lines. "We understand that Entergy has...

Small Business Administration touts sixth record loan year in row.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The Small Business Administration announced today it has set another record by issuing more than 100,197 commercial loans in fiscal year 2006. The total loan value of $19.1 billion in SBA's two primary...

The Shaw Group lands $500M Air Force contract.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report One of The Shaw Group Inc.'s newly restructured business sectors was one of eight firms awarded a $500-million government contract for environmental projects worldwide, company officials announced Tuesday....

FEMA, Louisiana Recovery Authority to cover balance of port damages.
October 3, 2006... Byline: Jaime Guillet The Louisiana Recovery Authority announced today the federal government will cover at least $3.6 million of the Port of New Orleans' expected $32.9 million shortfall in Hurricane Katrina damage expenses. With $164.2...

Mount Carmel Academy open house set for Oct. 12.
October 3, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Mount Carmel Academy will hold its annual open house from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 for all interested elementary school students, especially fifth- through eighth-graders applying for eighth or ninth...

Swift Energy buys 5 Louisiana oilfields for $157M.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Swift Energy Co. closed the vast majority of the property interests of a previously announced acquisition from BP America Production Co. with an effective date of April 1. The property interests are located...

'Frightening' land loss from Katrina-Rita up to 217 square miles.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report New analysis from the U.S. Geological Survey's National Wetlands Research Center now shows 217 square miles of Louisiana's coastal lands were transformed into water during hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The...

NO Regional Leadership Institute names first class post-Katrina.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Thirty six people have been selected for the seventh class of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute, which is conducting its first class since a one-year break post-Katrina. NORLI is designed to...

$58M Westwego gated community closer to reality.
October 4, 2006... Byline: Deon Roberts Developers won parish council rezoning approval today for a $58-million project involving nearly 300 townhomes and commercial space in Westwego. Coastal States Development, a Tampa, Fla.-based real estate development...

Jefferson Parish preparing for massive aerial spraying to combat mosquitoes.
October 4, 2006... Byline: Greg LaRose Jefferson Parish is preparing for massive aerial spraying this weekend to combat an increase in mosquitoes and West Nile Virus. There are six reported human cases of West Nile Virus in Jefferson Parish -- five on the...

Gov. Blanco to sue 'arrogant' MMS for 'frightening' land loss.
October 4, 2006... Byline: Stephen Maloney "The USGS, an agency within the U.S. Department of Interior, just released an official report that 217 square miles of Louisiana's coast was turned into open water during the two days of Katrina and Rita, almost...

Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West's ReStore grand opening set for Saturday.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West will dedicate its new ReStore at 9 a.m. Saturday with a dedication ceremony followed by a grand opening celebration. Adults can drop off extra building materials to be...

N.O. retro shop Sputnik Ranch to open on Magazine Street.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Gary and Debra Parky of the SophistiCats & the SophistiKittens today announced the grand opening of their new shop, Sputnik Ranch at 3029 Magazine St., wil be held from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Saturday. Slim...

Drainage woes close Wicker Elementary.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Poor drainage meant no school today at Wicker Elementary School. "We were informed Tuesday afternoon that Wicker Elementary would not have adequate sewer and water service tomorrow," said Recovery School...

3,500 physicians treat N.O. to Nov. 1-4 conference.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The New Cardiovascular Horizons meeting, the fourth-largest cardiovascular conference in the nation, will bring 3,500 physicians to the New Orleans Marriott Nov. 1-4. The educational multidisciplinary...

Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc. dividends, shares run high.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Inc. today declared a 31 cent quarterly dividend per share of common stock and $13.75 per share of its 5 1/2 percent convertible perpetual preferred stock. Dividends will be...

Jeff Parish Council seeks outside help in blight fight.
October 4, 2006... Byline: Jaime Guillet Jefferson Parish Council members acknowledge a critical blight issue in the parish -- before and after Hurricane Katrina. In response they voted Wednesday to employ a private firm to help identify offenders. District...

City launches Armstrong Park renovation.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report The National Park Service and New Orleans city officials today launched the post-Katrina renovation of historic Perseverance Hall and restoration to Armstrong Park. This project should be the catalyst for a...

Jeff Council seeks tougher liquor laws.
October 4, 2006... Byline: Jaime Guillet Jefferson Parish Council members want to get tough with barrooms, restaurants and night clubs if they have crime revolving around their establishment. At Wednesday's meeting, District 1 Councilman Chris Roberts and...

Fifth Breaux Mart Supermarket to open in Chalmette.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Breaux Mart Supermarkets is opening its newest location at 315 East Judge Perez in Chalmette begining at 7 a.m. Friday. The newest addition to the Breaux Mart Supermarkets chain of grocery stores will have...

Coldren Oil founder resigns; HQ to move to Houston.
October 4, 2006... Byline: Jaime Guillet Coldren Oil and Gas Co., a New Orleans-based oil and gas exploration and production company, will soon close its Crescent City and Lafayette offices and move to Houston. It will also by run by a new, president and may...

Muriel's Jackson Square hires new chef.
October 4, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness Staff Report Muriel's Jackson Square today named Guy Sockrider its new executive chef. Sockrider, a native of Omaha, Neb., has worked in a number of the kitchens around the United States and France, including Le...

Opening of "Flags of Our Fathers" free to film and history majors from Univ. of N.O.
October 5, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Director and producer Clint Eastwood and producer Steven Spielberg will open their new World War II film, "Flags of Our Fathers," at the National World War II Museum. Two of the film's stars, Ryan Phillippe...

Fitch rates Louisiana transportation bonds 'A+'.
October 5, 2006... Byline: CityBusiness staff report Fitch Ratings Service has assigned an A+ rating with a stable outlook for $1.08 billion in Louisiana gasoline and fuels tax revenue bonds, which will be sold Oct. 16. The state uses the money from these...

N.O.-based Whitney Holding Corp. offers $61.7M for St. Pete bank.
October 5, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Whitney Holding Corp., the parent company of Whtiney Bank, has made an offer to Signature Financial Holdings Inc. of St. Petersburg, Fla. The $61.7-million cash and stock transaction will add the Signature...

Commentary: Winging Road Home program creates heavy decisions.
October 5, 2006... Byline: Terry O'Connor The road is long With many a winding turn That leads us to who knows where, Who knows where. The Road Home released its first payout figures this week to the statewide media. And Road Home officials have managed to...

$12.5M in historic propperty grants now available in Louisiana.
October 5, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness staff report Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu today announced hurricane recovery grants ranging from $5,000 to $45,000 are available for owners of historic Louisiana properties damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. ...

Fat Tuesday/New Orleans Original Daiquiris to reopen two downtown sites.
October 5, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Fat Tuesday/New Orleans Original Daiquiris today announced the reopening of two of its downtown locations. Fat Tuesday is returning to Spanish Plaza next to the Riverwalk Marketplace Oct. 20 and the Paradise...

North Shore mental health gains $6.2M shot in the arm from LA Department of Health and Hospitals.
October 5, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff The Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals awarded Volunteers of America-Northshore a $6.2-million grant to provide crisis counseling services to people affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina....

SBA criticized for scrimping on loan programs.
October 5, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff Businesses receiving loans from the Small Business Administration in the past 12 months lost money to higher fees. That's according to Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., a member of the House Small Business Committee,...

Port of New Orleans reduces loss claim by $35M.
October 5, 2006... Byline: N.O. CityBusiness Staff The Port of New Orleans today decreased of its preliminary Katrina-related loss estimate from $164 million to $128.9 million after a meeting between the Port, the Louisiana Recovery Authority and Gulf Coast...

Holy Cross land sale splits Jefferson School Board.
October 5, 2006... Byline: Stephen Maloney After four hours of debate, the Jefferson Parish School Board reached a last-minute compromise and approved the sale of 20 acres of north Kenner land to Holy Cross High School by a 5-4 vote. The fate of the land...