City of New Orleans Press Releases

Mayor C. Ray Nagin will be joined by members of the New Orleans City Council, other federal and state elected officials, and local arts organizations at 2 p.m. Thursday, January 8, as he hosts a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially reopen the historic Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts. The ceremony, which will be followed by a tour of the refurbished facility, precedes a week of performances showcasing renowned local, national and international talent.

Citizens interested in obtaining a fixed location permit for the 2009 Mardi Gras season must register for the permit lottery with the Department of Finance, Bureau of Revenue next week. Registration will be available from Monday, January 12 until 4 p.m. on Friday, January 16, 2009. The lottery will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2009 in the lobby of the Civil District Court Building, 421 Loyola Ave.

THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HEALTH DEPARTMENT WILL BE PROVIDING FREE FLU VACCINES TO ALL CITIZENS OF NEW ORLEANS, BEGINNING ON FRIDAY, JAN 2, 2009 AND RUNNING CONSECUTIVELY EACH FOLLOWING FRIDAY UNTIL FEBRUARY 13TH.

In an effort to promote the restoration of Louisiana's wetlands, the City of New Orleans Department of Sanitation will host the Annual Christmas tree recycling program that will help in rebuilding the wetlands and assist in the protection of the Louisiana coast line.

The City of New Orleans, Department of Public Works today announced another milestone in the restoration of roadways damaged as a result of Hurricane Katrina. This week, the department began repairing 14 unpaved gravel alleys in Lakeview that were damaged by flooding and as a result of the removal of storm related debris.

Property owners in the City of New Orleans should soon receive their 2009 Real Estate and Personal Property Business tax bills. The bills were mailed over the past several days.

Mayor C. Ray Nagin announced today that the Department of Finance, Bureau of Revenue, will hold its lottery for fixed location permits for the 2009 Mardi Gras at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 22, 2009 in the lobby of the Civil District Court Building, 421 Loyola Ave.

Temperatures are expected to reach 38 degrees or below during the next 24 hours.

The City of New Orleans announces the grand re-opening of Mahalia Jackson Theatre!
Join us for a full week of great performances!

Mayor C. Ray Nagin, joined by members of the New Orleans City Council and local arts organizations, today officially announced the line-up of programs and entertainers that will highlight the re-opening of the Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.

Mayor C. Ray Nagin will be joined by Councilmember James Carter (District D), Director of Public Works Robert Mendoza, and residents when he hosts a groundbreaking ceremony on Friday, December 19 at 3:00 p.m. to mark the beginning of a $14 million construction on approximately one mile of MacArthur Boulevard from Kabel Drive to Woodland Drive. The event will take place on the corner Mac Arthur Boulevard and Kabel Drive in Algiers.

"Today's veto override had little to no effect. In fact, it brought us back to December 1. It did not improve the financial conditions of the city.

Earlier this month, residents in District B began driving on safer, more viable streets as the rehabilitation of 1.75 miles of roadway throughout the Irish Channel and St. Mary neighborhoods was completed.

As part of Mayor C. Ray Nagin’s commitment to offering more opportunities for youth in New Orleans, the City will partner with the New Orleans Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) to collect toys for city youth. Hornets Fans are asked to donate toys for kids during next week’s home game against the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, December 17 at 8:30 p.m. in the New Orleans Arena.

Mayor C. Ray Nagin today hosted a ceremonial opening of the new New Orleans Police Department Third District Station, 4650 Paris Avenue. The city also provided updates on recovery projects, including New Orleans Public Library facilities and Irish Channel and St. Mary neighborhood street repairs among other projects.

Q: What actions did Mayor Nagin take in response to the New Orleans City Council 2009 budget ordinances?
Ordinance No. 23,334 M.C.S., Calendar Ordinance No. 27,227 gives the Mayor of the City of New Orleans the authority to disapprove (veto) and/or reduce appropriations. To that end, Mayor Nagin vetoed all proposals that appropriated new or additional funds to third party agencies. For example:

Some media outlets have incorrectly characterized the cuts that Mayor C. Ray Nagin has implemented to sanitation services effective January 1, 2009. This statement serves to clarify the reduction in services that will take place.

Mayor C. Ray Nagin, Police Superintendent Warren Riley and New Orleans Police Department Third District Major Greg Elder will host a ceremonial grand opening of the new Third District Police Station, 4650 Paris Ave., on Tuesday, December 16. The event will begin at 2:30 p.m.

In response to the New Orleans City Council’s approval of a 2009 operating budget that does not include adequate recurring revenues to support recurring expenses, Mayor C. Ray Nagin today vetoed several budget items, cut spending for all departments except public safety, and issued an executive order that implements a hiring freeze for all departments, including public safety.

WHAT: Mayor C. Ray Nagin will host a press briefing to formally respond to the City Council's 2009 adopted budget. Mayor Nagin has said that he is concerned that the City Council paid recurring costs using one-time funds, failed to allow for an adequate emergency reserve fund, and used the remaining $10 million of the Community Disaster Loan a year early, abandoning the City's five-year financial plan.

WHAT: Mayor C. Ray Nagin will host a press briefing to formally respond to the City Council's 2009 adopted budget. Mayor Nagin has said that he is concerned that the City Council paid recurring costs using one-time funds, failed to allow for an adequate emergency reserve fund, and used the remaining $10 million of the Community Disaster Loan a year early, abandoning the City's five-year financial plan.

The City of New Orleans Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness reports weather forecasts that indicate the temperature or wind chill factor in Metro New Orleans is expected to reach 38 degrees or below during the next 48-hour period. The City's Freeze Plan has been activated to provide temporary shelter for homeless citizens tonight and Friday night.

Advisory:
The City of New Orleans Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness continues to monitor winter weather advisories and will continue to update the public accordingly. All residents of Orleans Parish are asked to drive safely during today’s winter weather event. Roadways are slippery with reports of accumulation of slush, snow and ice.

Today, the City of New Orleans experienced a wintry mix of precipitation mixed with a strong and cold upper level storm system through out the metro area which caused rain to mix with sleet and snow. Caution is advised around overpasses and bridges in the Metro area.