The head of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality and the president of St. John Parish said the West Bank is “now open for business.” The post Great River Road dropped from consideration as a National Historic Landmark, for now appeared first on The Lens.

While recent furor has focused on the city’s fumbled $20 million deal with the Orleans Parish School Board, district leaders say it’s more important to stop the city from taking a “collection fee” off the top of school tax payments. The post OPSB goes to court to get $20 million – and to stop the city from skimming money from school kids appeared first on The Lens.

Voters have a chance on March 29 to turn the tide against Gov. Jeff Landry and his legislature’s extensive, expensive plans to expand the criminal-justice system in Louisiana, which already incarcerates more people per capita than any other state The post Vote to reject the state’s costly push to fill Louisiana jails and prisons appeared first on The Lens.

The Lens spent January talking to Lower 9th Ward residents to tell their stories, narratives a Super Bowl committee wanted to control. The post Behind The Lens episode 264 Part II: ‘Our Katrina narrative’ appeared first on The Lens.

"As a researcher who has closely observed, personally experienced local struggles," says the writer, Bethany Garfield, "it’s with a heavy heart that I say that investigations into the state of our city’s protective plans and systems will likely garner the following conclusion: New Orleans isn’t ready for much of anything.." The post True Terror: New Orleans Likely Not Prepared for Much appeared first on The Lens.