Mid-City Neighborhood Organization

MID-CITY LIBRARY FEST!!!
Sat., April 5, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
At our branch library (330 N. Carrollton, at Conti St.)

EVENTS: Crawfish boil & BBQ, Musical groups, Storyteller, Hornets bookmobile giving away kids’ books, Trivia games for all ages, Activities for kids, Booksale, Raffle items … (more details later)

Attendance at the Fest is free, with tickets sold for food, drink, and some of the activities.

This event is to raise funds for our Mid-City branch library (part of the New Orleans Public Library system)

ADD TO YOUR CALENDAR NOW — COME AND JOIN IN THE FUN ON APRIL 5th!!

OK, now that you’ve got the event on your calendar, please think about volunteering! We need help in all areas: serving food & drinks, help with kids’ activities, ticket sales, used booksale & raffles… Two-hour shifts are available (11-1, 1-3, 3-5) as well as help with setup and cleanup. Free food & drink will be provided for each shift worked. To sign up to volunteer, please contact: Stephanie Martin redstick49 [at] cox [dot] net.

Mid-City resident Mr. Brock writes the following:

Myself along with others have notice a growing number of ant homes on the Jeff Davis bike path. I walk my dog every morning on Jeff Davis. Today I notice a larger number of ants homes up and down Jeff Davis. This creates a large problem, from our dog, to people standing too long in one area trying to talk to one another and child trying to play. Therefore I am ask for your help on Saturday October 27 @ 8am! I am looking for volunteers to help me purchase ant killing powders and spray, then help with placing the powder and spraying on the ant homes.

We will be meeting at 8am on Jeff Davis & Bienville.

If your interested in volunteering/ or donating ant killer powder or spray on Jeff Davis at 8am, please call me Brock at 504.758.6899

Neighborhoods Partnership Network is sponsoring a forum which will try to answer the question “How Can We Participate Effectively in Our Neighborhood Schools?” The forum will take place at Warren Easton High School, 3019 Canal Street, on Wednesday October 24th from 6-8PM. Participating education advocates include: Karran Royal (Oak Park Civic Improvement Association), Hal Brown (Board Chairman of NO College Prep), Shakoor Aljuwani (St. Luke’s Homecoming Center), as well as MCNO. For any questions, call NPN at (504) 940-2207.

Mid-City Neighborhood Organization is co-sponsoring a candidate forum for the upcoming City Council At-Large election.

Date: Thursday, October 4, 2007
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Nunemaker Auditorium, 3rd Floor, Monroe Hall, Loyola University
Free parking available in the West Road Parking Garage (enter from St. Charles Ave.)
Click here to download a PDF map of Loyola Campus

Moderator: Lee Zurik, Anchor/Reporter WWL-TV

Mid-City Neighborhood Organization is co-sponsoring this event with a lot of other groups.

We are gearing up for our big free community BBQ on Monday, July 2 (6:30 PM at Grace Episcopal, 3700 Canal). I hope you’ll be able to make it. The main idea behind this event is to broaden the circle of inclusion, to foster a sense of community in the Mid-City neighborhood.

Our goal is to get a flyer to every occupied household in Mid-City. However, our Block Captains do not yet provide coverage for all of the Mid-City neighborhood. Therefore we are organizing a brigade of volunteers to distribute flyers in the areas we don’t cover too well yet.

In short, WE NEED YOUR HELP to distribute these flyers around Mid-City. Mostly we will focus on the area between Banks and Pontchartrain Expressway.

TIME: Saturday June 30, 10 AM
PLACE: Banks and Jeff Davis, by the statue of Jose Marti

We will spend a couple hours distributing flyers. If people are interested, we may meet again for lunch afterward.

The following list of helpful phone numbers and information is adapted from a mailing from Councilmember Stacy Head.

Debris Removal:

Homeowners should take their storm-related debris to one of the citizen drop off- sites for disposal. These locations are: 2829 Elysian Fields between 8 and 5:30pm or Crowder Blvd. at the I-10 Service Road between 6am and 5:30pm.

If you are unable to bring the debris yourself, call 311 to schedule an appointment to have the debris picked up. It should be removed within approximately 21 days.

Illegal Building:

If you notice that building construction is taking place that looks sub-standard or potentially outside of zoning laws, contact 658-7200 to report the problem and demand an investigation.

Illegal Dumping:

If you see anyone dumping illegally, please get as much information as you can, such as license plate numbers, and contact the Sanitation Department at 658-3800.

Street Lights:

Report any dark street lights to 1-800-ENTERGY.

Traffic Signals:

The Department of Public Works is now creating a punch list for missing or incorrect signage, lamps out, fixtures turned or missing. Please assist by providing such information to 311.

Illegally parked cars:

To have an illegally parked car towed, call 658-8100 until 11pm.

Pot Hole Repairs:

You can report pot holes by calling 658-2299. Please have the address of the location or the intersection where the pot holes can be located.

Public Schools:

Check out this guide to the confusing world of New Orleans Public Schools.

From our friends at Silence Is Violence:

SilenceIsViolence an anti-violence campaign City Walk #3: Mid-City to Gert Town Sunday, April 15, 7pm SilenceIsViolence City Walks are weekly evening strolls from one New Orleans neighborhood to another. The walks take place each Sunday evening and are intended to establish a positive, sustainable anti-violence presence in our neighborhoods. We walk 1-2 miles each week and hold a small reception at our destination establishment. Transportation is provided back to the departure establishment.

City Walk #3 will take place on Sunday, April 15, departing at 7pm sharp!

START: Parkway Bakery and Tavern, 532 Hagan Ave. at Bayou St. John. Proceed up Jeff. Davis Pkwy. to Tulane Ave. Walk across the overpass; at the bottom, turn RIGHT onto Drexel Dr. Walk across Xavier University campus on Drexel Dr. Turn LEFT onto the last footbridge and cross the canal. Cross Washington Ave. and continue straight on Pine St. Turn RIGHT onto Stonelitz and LEFT onto Short St. Continue up Short St. to Earhart; cross Earhart to Daquiri Island.

STOP: Daquiri Island, 7908 Earhart Blvd. (2 miles total) Reception with music by the Soul Rebels Brass Band. Transportation will be provided back to Parkway between 8 and 9pm

Last night, our good Capt. Colin staged a drug bust at 3031 Banks Street.

Six people were arrested. A shotgun, pistols, cash, pot and 75 rocks of crack were seized. This was combined effort of DEA, FBI and NOPD.

Capt. Colin gets a big round of applause. Standing ovation.

Capt. Colin and I are working on bringing civil actions to shut down drug properties and to force the owners to post bond of up to $10,000 as insurance to prevent the property owner from continuing to rent to criminals.

However, in order to make a case against these landlords, we need your assistance.

At 3031 Banks, despite Capt. Colin receiving numerous complaints about the property which led to this undercover operation and raid, when he went NOPD’s complaint register he found only one call. He was very surprised.

In order to put on a case against the bad landlords, Capt. Colin has asked that you notify him, but also that you call NOPD’s non-emergency number to report drug activity, prostitution or whatever criminal acts that you might see — however minor.

We need a record of complaints to introduce into evidence in court.

The number to call is 821-2222.

Since a lot of us live in House District 94, I wanted to remind you of these important dates and how to register/change address if you need to.

Election:

March 10 Primary Election
March 31 Run-off

Voter Registration Information

February 28 last day to register or change address for the March 31 run-off.

To change your voting address, write a letter with the following: name printed and signed, old address and new address, day of birth, phone number.
Change address: at City Hall, or mail or fax.
Register to vote at City Hall or mail form.
Form is available on internet at the Secretary of State’s website.
www.sos.louisiana.gov

Early voting Information:

February 26-March 3 for the March 10 primary.
March 19-March 24 for the March 31 run-off.

Here’s where to go to vote early:

Registrar of Voters
City Hall, Room 1W23
1300 Perdido St.
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 658 8300 Fax: 658 8315
Parking: LaSalle and Perdido Streets where covered meters saying “voting”.

Not sure if you are in District 94? Check this map.

Update: The League of Women Voters has posted a candidate guide.

The City Council has called the Superintendent and the District Attorney to appear before them to answer some questions. I hope that concerned neighbors can make this meeting on Monday, February 12, to show that the community is paying attention.

Here’s the fax: (more…)

After seeing this house listed on Squandered Heritage, I had to ask FEMA not to spend our public money to demolish it. It’s a classic New Orleans shotgun single.

I would like to suggest an alternative to demolition for 314 N Gayoso Street, New Orleans LA 70119.

The specific alternative I would like to suggest is: renovation.

The owner should feel free to contact the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization if he or she needs help figuring out alternatives to demolition. MCNO is forming a housing committee to address helping property owners who may be confronting difficult problems renovating historic properties such as this. The MCNO website is at http://mcno.org/

This house is part of the distinctive housing stock of a national historic district. Please don’t tear it down. I live two blocks from here and feel that tearing this house down would diminish the neighborhood.

It’s easy to leave comments for FEMA on their website. Do it here. Do it today.

FEMA has asked neighbors to critically examine certain properties which are slated for demolition with public funds, including numerous historic buildings in the Mid-City area. As always, Squandered Heritage is doing an excellent job of documenting. But it’s up to neighbors to challenge the demolitions — this means you.

This one has roof damage that the owner has done nothing about. So it’s in good shape if they would have tarped it.

This one has little damage and the whole block is renovating. It would be a huge gap.

Also look at this one.

You can see more at-risk Mid-City buildings on Squandered Heritage.

And you can make your comments known to FEMA here.

On Feb. 6, 7, 12 & 13, volunteers are needed to prepare the site and install Kaboom playground equipment at Dibert Elementary on Orleans Avenue, the only elementary school open in Mid City. The work day starts at 8:30 a.m. and lasts until approximately 3:00 p.m. If you can volunteer a few hours during that time, you are welcome to
join in the effort.

I know that the dates are weekdays, but those are the dates in which Kaboom selected. If you can make it or have any questions, please email Phil Costa at zbigez - yahoo - com.

Mid-City is organizing to start our march against violence beginning from Helen Hill’s home at 3438 Cleveland Avenue. The details follow. We will meet the larger group, which is starting at the Aquarium, at City Hall.

Please invite all neighbors, friends, business owners & employees to join us in this effort.

• What: March Against Violence
• When: Thursday January 11
  Meet between 10:30 and 10:45am
  March at 11:00am
• Where: 3438 Cleveland Avenue (corner of S. Clark)
  March to City Hall

Feel free to join us along the route. [map] or meet us at City Hall at noon.

This march is not just about Helen Hill. It is about all of us.

• Wear a white shirt
• Carry a photo or sign with name of anyone in your life who has been a victim of violent crime.

Questions? Contact MJ Sauer mjcs [at] bellsouth [period] net or Bart Everson at 812-391-0818

It would be great if Central City would march in from one direction, Uptown / Garden District from another, Algiers yet another etc., all converging on City Hall. If your neighborhood can’t put an individual march together, please join in the march from the aquarium, but bring signs representing your neighborhood.

Update: Here is a flyer you can print out. (It is a 1MB PDF.) Remember most people in Mid-City don’t look at this website. Please print out this flyer and make sure everyone on your block sees it!

Update #2: Here is a Spanish version of the flyer. (Thanks to the Molinas for translating.) Please print it out for your Spanish-speaking neighbors!

The Louisiana Recovery Authority and Office of Community Development published an action plan amendment for public comment Friday. Among the stuff they’re proposing is the the construction of the “Medical Center of Louisiana - New Orleans,” also called MCLNO — not to be confused with MCNO of course! The MCLNO is the BIG hospital planned for the Tulane/Gravier neighborhood. We all know this is a part of Mid-City, which just happens to be on the other side of Broad. The construction of the MCLNO is an important issue all Mid-Citizens should care about. Let’s see it done right.

The public comment period will conclude at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, January 8. That gives us a week to voice any concerns. Public comments appear to be taken over the internet.

You can find the actual proposal here:

http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/cdbg/dractionplans.htm

It’s the “Proposed Action Plan Amendment No. 1 for Disaster Recovery Funds Allocated by P.L. 109-234″ which is available as a PDF.

There’s also a link for public comment:

http://www.doa.louisiana.gov/cdbg/dramend1-2comment.htm

So… What to say? Well, say what you like of course, but the people who live closest to the site have thought about it the most. The Phoenix of New Orleans group (aka PNOLA) has been mighty active in this area since the levee failures of 2005. I’ve consulted with Paul Ikemire of PNOLA to craft the following five points which I am pasting below. Please feel free to use any or all of these points when you make your comment. It only takes a minute!

1. The housing and community facilities between Galvez - S. Roman - Palmyra and Cleveland should be preserved. This includes the school for health careers and Deutches Haus on Galvez.
2. The community should be involved through direct participation and through dialog with two organizations in particular that are active in the neighborhood: Phoenix of New Orleans and Tulane/Canal Neighborhood Development Corporation. There should be housing, security and economic incentives for attracting staff and students to the neighborhood area.
3. Green infrastructure should be incorporated into land use plan in order to absorb and improve flood control issues in the Tulane/Gravier neighborhood.
4. The preferred location of main hospital towers and ER should be along Poydras OR proper sound barrier and design measures should be used to buffer the activity between the main hospitals and the housing units within the footprint area and the Galvez Promenande cultural and open space corridor (along Galvez St).
5. Urgent Care and Primary Care facilities should be available to low-income and uninsured residents, in coordination with community clinics and advocacy centers within the surrounding downtown area.

Mid-City Neighborhood Organization is on the City Council’s agenda for Thursday, December 14, 2006, to address “the topic of Endymion’s return to the Mid-City route for Mardi Gras 2007.” The Council meets at 10:00 A.M. in City Hall Council Chambers, with this item as the second order of business.

If you would like to see Endymion return to Mid-City in 2007, please come out. MCNO yard signs, Mardi Gras beads and/or Endymion shirts are encouraged. We need a big turnout to show that the issue is not forgotten and that Endymion’s immediate return is very much an economic development issue that is part of our neighborhood plan. To understand why this issue is important to Mid-City, here are some letters written by our neighbors last month: (more…)

FEMA is planning to tear down a number of houses in Mid-City. In some cases there may be good reason to demolish these homes, but in other cases it’s not so clear. How to decide? Since these homes are historic and eligible for the National Register, FEMA has asked for public input.

You can see a listing of houses proposed for demolition and you can leave a comment or read others’ comments.

So far there are only four comments. There are only two days left for the public to make comments, as the period ends December 14th.

You’ll find most if not all these properties indexed on Squandered Heritage website. Feel free to leave comments there too.

Also, you can see a picture of one of these houses plus some more rambling thoughts on my personal website.

I hope everyone concerned about demolitions in Mid-City is checking out “Squandered Heritage,” the excellent blog by Karen Gadbois.

Although Karen lives in Northwest Carrollton, she’s documenting a lot of properties in Mid-City. Unfortunately, the posts relating to Mid-City are not tagged or categorized as such, so you’ll have to hunt a bit to find them. Consider, for example, the corner store at 3036 Banks Street which is slated for demolition by FEMA.

FEMA is currently seeking public comment on these historic properties that it has slated for demoliton. I hope neighbors in Mid-City are paying attention.

Don’t forget there’s an election this Saturday, with thirteen constitutional amendments on the ballot. You can get a sample ballot from the Secretary of State. They can also tell you where to vote.

Also, I started compiling a listing of recommendations from various organizations. I hope it is useful!

Where: City Park Island (by the paddle boats) — park by the Casino, meet at the foot bridge
When: Saturday, September 30th 8 am til Noon
What to bring: gloves, rakes, weed-eaters