Install Rain Barrels Under Your Downspouts to Help Reduce Flooding

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While certainly not a solution to flooding, rain barrels reduce the amount of runoff to the City’s pumps and can reduce your water bill if you are an avid gardener and use a lot of water in your garden. If you connect rain barrels to the downspouts they will be more effective. However, I have one on a stand that still provides a lot of water for the garden. More about rain barrels in the link:
Learn more about rain barrels: CLICK HERE

Also in the photo you will notice open containers that I use to collect rainwater. If you use those, be sure to use the water in them relatively quickly so that you don’t help breed mosquitos. After every rain, remove any standing water from around your home. More about mosquitos in the link: https://fsjna.org/2017/08/remove-standing-water/

New Orleans has a Mosquito Control Board. Learn more in the link below:
http://www.nola.gov/RESIDENTS/Mosquito-Termite-and-Rodent-Control-Board/

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“Thought you would like to know that our front yard did beautifully yesterday!” This message brought to you by the owners of the Broadmoor house that used to get 8″ in their front yard after a hard rain who participated in the #FrontYardInitiative.

The driveway on the left and bioswale on the right now capture and slow water from entering the city’s system. Photo below shows what used to happen after a one-hour 2″ rain (Broadmoor got 5.49″ in a matter of hours on Aug 5.) Evans + Lighter Landscape Architecture Quality Sitework Materials Truegrid Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans. Details about the program in the link:
http://www.urbanconservancy.org/project/fyi/

The Front Yard Initiative is the Urban Conservancy’s response to excessive yard paving. Rampant front yard paving is a community issue that has broad and significant effects on the city of New Orleans from stormwater to safety.

Stormwater management in New Orleans has been characterized by regularly overwhelmed drainage systems, excessive paving and pumping that has depleted groundwater levels and led to a sinking city, and urban water assets being wasted while hidden behind walls, underground, or pumped into the river and lake. All of these issues and the failure of traditional infrastructure (levees, pipes and pumps) to protect the city from Hurricane Katrina, continuous flooding, and subsidence has led to a shift in mindset regarding the most effective and thoughtful way to manage stormwater in South Louisiana. It is clear that the single-minded approach of rushing stromwater over pavement, into pipes and pumping it out of the city needs to be reevaluated.

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Planting a tree on or near your property can reduce flooding!

Trees in our community provide many services beyond the inherent beauty they lend to streets and properties. One of the most overlooked and underappreciated is their ability to reduce the volume of water rushing through gutters and pipes following a storm. This means less investment in expensive infrastructure and – importantly – cleaner water when the runoff reaches rivers, lakes, and bayous.

Details in the link:
http://www.northlandnemo.org/images/800TreeCityUSABulletin_55.pdf

PLANT A TREE AND HELP REDUCE CRIME!

Click here for the original article.

Click here for a PDF from the LSU Ag Center on why you should plant trees

baltimoreThe city of Baltimore’s high crime rate inspired a gritty TV drama. But a new study (Tinyurl.com/TreeCrimeReport) by the University of Vermont’s Transportation Research Center, in Burlington, found that a 10 percent increase in trees in a given area led to a 12 percent decrease in crime. “It’s really pretty striking how strong this relationship is,” says Austin Troy, lead author of the study, published in the journal Landscape and Urban Planning.

Researchers examined the correlation in and around Baltimore using aggregated crime data and combining it with high-resolution satellite images to conduct the analysis. The working hypothesis is that because people enjoy spending time in pleasant outdoor spaces, there are more observers present to hinder criminal activity. Also, a well-maintained landscape seems to send a message that someone may be watching.

To avoid culture bias, the study considered many socioeconomic factors, including housing, age, income and race of residents, as well as variables such as rural versus city setting and population density. The findings should prove helpful to urban planners.

NativeFringeTreeLousiana-500x333Fringetrees are excellent anywhere that a very small tree is needed, such as near a patio, in small yards, or under power lines. Like many white-flowered plants, they look especially nice planted in front of a dark backdrop. They can be used as individual specimens, in groups, in mixed shrub borders or in natural gardens. They are well suited to urban plantings due to pollution tolerance and adaptability to varied soils. Fringetrees are not salt tolerant.

Although fringetrees are adaptable and will grow in most soil types, they prefer moist, deep, well-drained, acidic soils. They grow well in full sun to partial shade. Leaf appearance is best in some shade, but flowering is heaviest in full sun. The ideal compromise would be sun through most of the day, but shade during hot afternoon hours. Fringetrees have low maintenance needs once established.

Due to a naturally strong branch structure fringetrees rarely need pruning. Pruning while young may be desirable if a single stem tree form is preferred. Fringetrees do not transplant well so take care to choose an appropriate permanent location and use proper planting methods. Plant it high, it won’t die!

 

Plant it Low, It Won’t Grow | Plant it High, It Won’t Die

The most important consideration in planting trees and shrubs is the planting depth. Don’t plant too deep!
Plant all trees and shrubs about one inch above the surface of the existing soil. No dirt should be placed on top of the existing roots and nursery soil so as to not smother the root system. Mulch well, leaving a two inch gap around the caliper(s) of the plant.

For the most efficient use of water, construct an earthen berm two to three inches high around the drip zone area of the plant after planting. Water in well after planting!

 

TREES TO PLANT IN NEW ORLEANS

choose-tree

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ONLY WATER GOES INTO CATCH BASINS


Please remind your friends and neighbors to make sure their yard maintenance contractors are not blowing stuff into the storm drains.

· Sec. 66-287.1. – Use of leaf blowers to transfer or direct debris to public drains prohibited.
(1)
Definitions.
Leaf blower. A mechanical, battery-operated or gasoline-powered device which projects pressurized air forward to cause movement of leaves, grass or other debris commonly associated with grass cutting, lawn care, gardening or yard maintenance activities.
Public drain. Includes catch basins or gutters located parallel to public rights-of-way, open segments of city subsurface drainage conduits, flood control and water path canals or drains located on public property and incorporated into the public infrastructure for wastewater management or scipening.
(2)
Use of leaf blower to impede or restrict drainage or water flow prohibited. Use of leaf blower for private or commercial use in any manner which causes or results in the transfer, movement or directing of grass, leaves, yard debris, debris derived from yard maintenance, lawn care or any activities whereby debris is accumulated and projected to public drains or results in impeded water flow of public drains or restricts the public designated purpose of such drains is prohibited by law. Violators shall be subject to citation or administrative adjudication by duly authorized code enforcement officers or duly authorized law enforcement officers.
(M.C.S, Ord. No. 21912, § 1, 4-7-05)

New Orleans Health Department wants to Help You Fight Mosquito-borne Diseases

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“Parts of the United States that once had steady precipitation are now experiencing periods of drought punctuated by heavy rainfall. Sudden deluges leave behind puddles of standing water—moisture that mosquitoes need to hatch their eggs. In addition, hotter weather is shortening these eggs’ incubation times, increasing the overall mosquito population. Female mosquitoes are the ones that bite, and warmer weather makes them more likely to do so.” For the rest of the article from the National Resource Defense Council, please visit the link below:
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/climate-change-bites?gclid=Cj0KCQjwtpDMBRC4ARIsADhz5O77pxziJinrMJzvQ4bT-F4GFHjub3rBfSNaO0XdZ5sDIuPHQmAux4AaAiGcEALw_wcB

The New Orleans Health Department would like to remind everyone of the importance of keeping their facilities and homes as mosquito-free as possible.

 

This is important to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne diseases such as Zika, dengue, and West Nile virus. Mosquitoes in New Orleans are able to carry and infect humans with all three diseases. Zika has been proven to be transmitted through unprotected sex.

In order to help you become mosquito-free, the Healthy Environments team at the New Orleans Health Department is happy to visit your facility and offer a number of services.

The New Orleans Health Department can provide mosquito education training which discusses the importance of a mosquito-free environment, risk factors for disease, and personal protection methods.

Additionally, the New Orleans Health Department can provide mosquito repellent or an inspection of your facility to help you make sure that you are doing everything possible to be healthy and mosquito-free.

If your organization is hosting an event and would like for the New Orleans Health Department to attend the event and provide information to participants, please send an email to [email protected] or call (504) 669-2659.

To help keep you and your community safe, follow the tips outlined in the PDF in the link below:
Zika1info

Following a review of existing research on Zika virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has concluded that Zika virus causes microcephaly and other severe brain defects in babies. The CDC finding was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In their review, researchers looked at studies conducted in Brazil and French Polynesia during recent outbreaks of Zika virus. In September 2015, researchers in Brazil reported an increasing in the number of infants with microcephaly. French Polynesia noted a similar increase of this brain defect during an outbreak there in 2013 and 2014.

One Brazilian study of 88 pregnant women infected with Zika who underwent prenatal ultrasonography testing found fetal abnormalities in 29 percent of the cases.

The CDC is concerned that the American public is not well-informed or well-prepared with regard to the Zika virus despite its best efforts. An Associated Press poll found that four out of 10 Americans have heard little or nothing at all about Zika virus.

Ninety percent of Americans who have heard of Zika know it can be spread through the bite of a mosquito carrying the virus but only 57 percent were aware the virus can be spread through sexual intercourse with an infected person.
To date, Americans infected with Zika have acquired it through travel to countries with active mosquito-borne transmission of the virus. The CDC has posted travel warnings for Americans traveling to these Latin American and Caribbean countries.

The CDC has advised women who are pregnant or hoping to become pregnant to avoid travel to Zika- affected areas. It has also expanded the initial guidance to include women’s partners, as it has become more clear that the virus is spread through sexual contact.

Currently, the mosquitoes that carry the virus, Aedes aegyptiand Aedes albopictus, are present in at least 30 U.S. states, according to the CDC. Since no vaccine exists to prevent Zika, the agency is recommending the following preventive measures:

Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.
Stay in places with air conditioning or that use window and door screens to keep mosquitoes outside.
Use insect repellents, even if pregnant or breast-feeding.
Treat clothing with permethrin.
Prevent sexual transmission by using condoms or abstaining from sex.

Reviewed by Dr. David Priest, medical director for infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship, Novant Health

Article above courtesy Novant Health:
https://www.novanthealth.org/home/about-us/newsroom/healthy-headlines/articleid/279/protect-yourself-from-zika-this-mosquito-season.aspx?mobilewidthcheck=y

The New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board works to enhance the quality of life in New Orleans by monitoring and controlling populations of mosquitoes, termites, and rodents, to reduce rodent and insect-borne disease and destruction.

The Board manages all pest populations in the most environmentally safe, efficient and economical manner.

Integrated Mosquito Control
An integrated mosquito management approach is used by The City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board (NOMTCB).  This involves vector population surveillance, public education, larval mosquito habitat reduction, and chemical control of larval and adult mosquitoes. Larval source reduction (i.e. the physical elimination of larval breeding sites) involves the inspection and removal of man-made containers (including tires), clutter and trash around residences. For sites that cannot be removed or drained, biorational larvicides are used to target developmental stages. Adult mosquitoes can be treated on a yard, block or residential level using a variety of equipment; backpack or hand-held sprayers, trucks and airplanes. Click Here for Audio Visual Presentation

For more information about the City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite, and Rodent Control Board please visit the link below:

https://www.nola.gov/mosquito/

Litter Education for Grades K-5 Receives Unanimous Support

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litter educationphoto courtesy keeplouisianabeautiful.org

LITTER EDUCATION RECEIVES UNANIMOUS SUPPORT

By Susan Russell / Executive Director, Keep Louisiana Beautiful

At a time when our national and state politics are fraught with partisan discord, it’s significant to note that there are some policies that find favor on both sides of the aisle. Such a case occurred last month, when House Bill 111, which calls for the incorporation of litter education into the K-5 curriculum, received unanimous support from the House and Senate — to a round of applause. The bill was signed into law earlier this month as Louisiana Act 72, and Governor Edwards gave it his executive approval surrounded by Keep Louisiana Beautiful representatives, Representative Stuart Bishop (R-Lafayette, author of HB111), First Lady Donna Edwards and Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, all of whom have been ardent supporters of anti-litter initiatives in our state.

Much has been said about Louisiana’s dirty habit: we have a crippling litter problem that seems to be getting worse. Much time and resources have been spent bemoaning the problem, pointing well-intentioned fingers in different directions, all trying to find out exactly what the problem is here that you don’t see in many of our neighboring states. As in most complicated social problems, there is no magic bullet to apply to this issue and a multi-pronged approach from all aspects of our society will be required. While parents assume a huge responsibly to teach their children not to litter, we cannot put this squarely on the back of those that are oftentimes the biggest offenders. The problem will only be resolved when all of Louisiana embraces three core initiatives: improving infrastructure and policy to make it easier to reduce littering and increase recycling; increasing enforcement of the litter laws; and influencing behavior change through environmental education. Louisiana Act 72 will go a long way to address the latter.

Teaching environmental stewardship and litter education is the first step we can make towards changing our prevailing cultural attitude from one of environmental disregard to one of true stewardship. Litter education goes beyond simply not throwing trash on the ground– it includes full understanding of the impact of litter on the health of our wildlife, waterways, and economy. Most importantly, it focuses on prevention rather than spotty-at- best treatment.

Keep Louisiana Beautiful, its statewide network of 40 affiliates that boast a combined force of 35,000 volunteers, and all of its many partners and supporters extend a sincere thanks to Representative Stuart Bishop and the state’s top leadership body for supporting legislature that teaches our children environmental responsibility. We hope that this measure will spark a new level of commitment and care for our state and its natural resources.

2017 Bastille Day in Faubourg St. John Celebrates Joie de Vivre

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photos by Mona McMahon


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Join the fun in the 3100 block of Ponce de Leon for the Faubourg St. John Bastille Day block party in New Orleans on Saturday (July 15) from 4:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. The celebration will include food, music, children’s activities, and an art market. There will also be a contest for the best Marie Antoinette or Napoleon costume.

Many people will enjoy the Faubourg St. John Bastille Day block party in the 3100 block of Ponce de Leon in New Orleans on Saturday, July 15, 2017. The celebration will include food, music, children’s activities, and an art market.

On July 14, 1789 more than 8,000 men and women stormed a prison fortress in Paris known as the Bastille, demanding the release of the political prisoners being held there, plus the prison’s store of weapons. The storming of the Bastille was the spark that set off the French Revolution, an event that had a significant impact not only on France itself but its colonies and former colonies as well, including New Orleans.

Arising from the tumult and chaos of the French Revolution was a young, ambitious general named Napoleon Bonaparte. In order to help finance his wars in Europe Napoleon sold off his country’s largest North American colony in what became known as the Louisiana Purchase. With that 1803 transaction, New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana – plus a vast swath of land between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains – became part of the United States.

bastille-day-faubourg-st-johnBastille Day is commemorated in New Orleans on the closest Saturday preceding the 14th of July. The occasion is celebrated with a block party in the 3100 block of Ponce de Leon Street in the city’s historic Faubourg St. John neighborhood, adjacent to Esplanade Avenue. This quiet, residential section of the city was once the home of many families of French Creole aristocracy. Most of the historic houses they lived in are still visible and in use today.

The Faubourg St. John Bastille Day party on Saturday, July 15, 2017 features live music, food and drinks to toast the memorable occasion. This is a family-oriented event with fun things for the kids to do, including arts and crafts and games. All of the neighborhood’s stores and businesses actively participate.

article courtesy neworleansonline.com

Gotta Have a Plan Man – Tropical Storm Cindy – Stay Steady But Be Ready

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GOTTA HAVE A PLAN

HURRICANE SUPPLY LIST FROM THE COAST GUARD

https://www.uscg.mil/d7/airstaborinquen/docs/hurricanepage/suggested%20hurricane%20supply%20kits%20.pdf

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Entergy’s Storm Ready Guide

http://entergystormcenter.com/pdfs/StormReadyGuide.pdf

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Tropical Tidbits

http://www.tropicaltidbits.com/

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cindy

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If you think the City of New Orleans is going to clean the catch basin in front of your home please rethink that plan.

If you don’t clean the catch basin in front of your home it is you who will suffer the consequences.

Please consider cleaning the catch basins in and around your home NOW!

A catch basin, which is also known as a storm drain inlet or curb inlet, is an opening to the storm drain system that typically includes a grate or curb inlet at street level where storm water enters the catch basin and a sump captures sediment, debris and associated pollutants. Catch basins are able to prevent trash and other floatable materials from entering the drainage system by capturing such debris by way of a hooded outlet. The outlet pipes for catch basins on combined sewers (sanitary waste and storm water in a single pipe) are also outfitted with a flapper (trap) device to prevent the backflow of any unpleasant odors from pipes. Catch basins act as pretreatment for other treatment practices by allowing larger sediments to settle in the basin sump areas.

 

In this photo, Tommy Lewis shows the simple tools necessary to prevent flooding on your street.
Tommy Lewis shows just how simple it is to prevent flooding.

It is important to maintain catch basins to prevent storm sewer blockages and minimize the amount of pollutants entering storm sewers which may eventually discharge into local streams and waterways such as Lake Ponchartrain. Clogged catch basins can also result in the ponding of water along streets and parking lots causing a nuisance to motorists, pedestrians and businesses.

How you can help: When you are clearing your sidewalk or driveway, dispose of waste in trash receptacles instead of sweeping it into the gutters or catch basins.

If leaves or other debris are blocking a catch basin near your house or business, remove and dispose of the debris properly. Article from: http://www.bwsc.org/PROJECTS/Maintenance/catchbasin.asp

Some may remember that the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association has reminded people through the years to use their brains and clean their drains.  Anyone who has been through a major storm or regular rainfall in New Orleans knows that clogged catch basins contribute significantly to street flooding.

The pumps can’t pump what they can’t get. If your catch basin is clogged, please clean it today. If you need help, get with your neighbors and clean all the catch basins on your street. If you still need help, write to [email protected] and we’ll help you get it done.

If your catch basin requires mechanical cleaning or maintenance, call 311 to report the problem.


THE CITY IS ASKING THAT YOU CALL 311 FOR
CATCH BASINS THAT NEED MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT TO CLEAR

HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP: Clean litter and debris from the catch basins near your house. Also, clean the surrounding curb area, because any litter, leaves, or grass on the street or sidewalk can end up in the catch basin. Do not lift the drain cover or attempt to disassemble the catch basin; just clean what you can see. All you need is a pair of work gloves, a shovel or small rake, and a trash bag. Remember: If your neighbor is elderly or disabled, please help clean their catch basin too.

2) Dispose of trash and lawn clippings in trash cans. Do not sweep or blow yard waste into the gutters and catch basins. Remember: Trash in our streets ends up as trash in our lake!

3) Construction sites or sites with hazardous materials must take special precautions to properly dispose of their paint and chemicals. They should not sweep, blow or hose waste into the catch basins. Report any improper actions to the City of New Orleans by calling 311.

Residents are advised to stay at home during the severe weather unless an emergency makes it absolutely necessary for them to get on the road. The NOPD will ticket motorists who drive faster than 5 mph on streets with standing water.

The following is a list of streets prone to significant flooding during severe weather.

Calliope @ Claiborne towards Tchoupitoulas St
Calliope & Tchoupitoulas St On-ramps
I-10 and Tulane Exit towards Claiborne
Airline & Tulane Ave intersection
4400 Block of Washington
Washington Ave. near Xavier
All surrounding streets to St. Charles flooded, Gravier/Tulane/S Dupre, S Claiborne/Washington.
Claiborne/Orleans Ave.
S Carrollton/Palmetto
Magazine/St Mary
Broad/Louisiana Ave./S.Claiborne
Josephine/Prytania
Earhart/Jeff Davis-Carrollton
500 blk of Lake Marina
Canal Blvd/I-10/Navarre
Erato/S Genois/City Park/Carrollton
Washington Ave. near Xavier, Washington
Gravier/Tulane/S Dupre
S Claiborne/Washington
Simon Bolivar & Calliope coming from Loyola Ave under the overpass
Poland Ave from St Claude to N. Claiborne
S. Claiborne at Joseph
Holiday to the Crescent City Connection
Shirley and DeGaulle
DeGaulle under the Westbank Expressway
General Meyer from Pace to Shirley
Richland and General Meyer
MacArthur and Holiday
Tullis
Garden Oaks
Chelsea
Vespasian and Wall
The City’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness is monitoring the severe weather and will keep residents updated through e-mail alert and the Twitter handle @nolaready.

What are catch basins?

Catch basins are the grated storm drains that you see on almost every street corner. They are storm sewer inlets – typically located next to street curbs – that are the entryway from our streets to our pumping system and represent the first step in stormwater collection and disposal. On rainy days, rainwater and anything else on the streets enter catch basins.

How do catch basins get clogged?

Catch basins have grids to prevent large objects from falling into the sewer system. However, the bars are fairly widely spaced so that the flow of water is not blocked. Consequently, many objects fall through.

What are the consequences of clogged catch basins?

When catch basins get clogged with recently fallen leaves and debris, water can no longer be drained from the street. Water ponds along streets and can flood intersections and homes. Localized street flooding can be a hazard to the traveling public.

Contrary to popular belief, pet wastes, oil and other materials dumped into catch basins do not go to the wastewater treatment plant, but instead  flow directly into Lake Ponchartrain.  For example: dumping oil into a catch basin can have almost unthinkable consequences. If it reaches a river, lake, or stream, five quarts of oil can create a slick as large as two football fields and persist on mud or plants for six months or more.

It is important to monitor and clean catch basins to prevent street flooding, property damage, and hazards to the traveling public.

How can you help keep catch basins clean?

To lessen street flooding, the City asks residents to help clean the inlets and catch basins near your house or business. The grates of catch basins can become clogged with leaves or litter, especially in the fall and winter. Regularly inspect the grate and remove debris.

Stand on the curb and use a rake or pitch fork to clear leaves, limbs, and debris from the catch basin. Do not attempt to remove the grate, only the debris on top of the grate. Dispose of the debris properly.

The best time to inspect the catch basin in front of your house or business is prior to a rain event. Monitor and clean the catch basin in the fall when the trees are shedding their leaves. When the forecast calls for heavy rainfall, remove debris from the catch basin before a storm. After a storm, maintain the openings to catch basins by clearing away any debris.

Disposing of leaves and debris

When you are clearing your sidewalk or driveway, dispose of waste in trash receptacles instead of sweeping it into the gutters or catch basins. Please do not rake or blow the leaves from your yard into the street.. Dispose of leaves and yard debris in trash containers for pick up.

Getting help

If you see a catch basin filled with debris below the grate, or if you cannot clear the basin near your property yourself, call 311. Never attempt to remove catch basin grates, only the debris on top of the grate.

How you can help keep catch basins clean

The following simple actions can help keep streets open and catch basins clean:

  1. Monitor and clean the catch basin near your house or business, especially prior to a rain event.
  2. Stand on the curb and use a rake or pitch fork to clear leaves and debris from catch basins so that water can drain easily. Do not try to remove the grate.
  3. Do not rake or blow leaves from your yard into the street. Bag them at the curb in the parking strip and prepare them for curbside pickup by your garbage hauler.
  4. Dispose of waste in trash receptacles instead of sweeping it into the gutters or catch basins. Dispose of leaves and yard debris in curbside yard debris containers. Pile shoveled snow where it can be absorbed into the ground.
  5. Notify the City at 311 if you cannot clear a catch basin yourself.

What else can I do to prevent flooding?

Use non-phosphorus detergents
Do not pour or throw anything into a storm drain.
Use native plants for landscaping around your home
Limit the use of fertilizers on your yard, especially before a large rain
Pick up pet waste from your yard and while walking your dog
Build a rain garden to capture storm water runoff from your house and yard
Install a rain barrel or cistern to store rain water to water plants
We could change the world
in the night while we are sleeping
The power’s in my neighborhood
https://youtu.be/Gkgna7erlqw

 

keep-calm-cause-i-have-a-planMake a Plan The reality of a disaster situation is that you will likely not have access to everyday conveniences. To plan in advance, think through the details of your everyday life.

Develop a Family Emergency Plan.Your family may not be together when disaster strikes, so plan how you will contact one another and review what you will do in different situations.

Consider a plan where each family member calls, or e-mails, the same friend or relative in the event of an emergency. It may be easier to make a long-distance phone call than to call across town, so an out-of-town contact may be in a better position to communicate among separated family members. Depending on your circumstances and the nature of the attack, the first important decision is whether you stay put or get away. You should understand and plan for both possibilities.

Watch television and listen to the radio for official instructions as they become available.

Create a Personal Support Network: If you anticipate needing assistance during a disaster, ask family, friends and others to be part of your plan. Share each aspect of your emergency plan with everyone in your group, including a friend or relative in another area who would not be impacted by the same emergency who can help if necessary. Include the names and numbers of everyone in your personal support network, as well as your medical providers in your emergency supply kit. Make sure that someone in your personal support network has an extra key to your home and knows where you keep your emergency supplies. If you use a wheelchair or other medical equipment, show friends how to use these devices so they can move you if necessary and teach them how to use any lifesaving equipment or administer medicine in case of an emergency. Practice your plan with those who have agreed to be part of your personal support network. Inform your employer and co-workers about your disability and let them know specifically what assistance you will need in an emergency. Talk about communication difficulties, physical limitations, equipment instructions and medication procedures. Always participate in trainings and emergency drills offered by your employer.

Consider Your Service Animal or Pets: Whether you decide to stay put or evacuate, you will need to make plans in advance for your service animal and pets. Keep in mind that what’s best for you is typically what’s best for your animals. If you must evacuate, take your pets with you, if possible. However, if you are going to a public shelter, make sure that they allow pets. Some only allow service animals. Fire Safety: Plan two ways out of every room in case of fire. Check for items such as bookcases, hanging pictures or overhead lights that could fall and block an escape path.

Make-a-PlanCreate a Plan to Shelter-in-Place: There are circumstances when staying put and creating a barrier between yourself and potentially contaminated air outside, a process known as sheltering-in-place and sealing the room can be a matter of survival. If you see large amounts of debris in the air, or if local authorities say the air is badly contaminated, you may want to shelter-in-place and seal the room. Consider precutting plastic sheeting to seal windows, doors and air vents. Each piece should be several inches larger than the space you want to cover so that you can duct tape it flat against the wall. Label each piece with the location of where it fits. Immediately turn off air conditioning, forced air heating systems, exhaust fans and clothes dryers. Take your emergency supplies and go into the room you have designated. Seal all windows, doors and vents. Understand that sealing the room is a temporary measure to create a barrier between you and contaminated air. Listen to the radio for instructions from local emergency management officials.

Create a Plan to Get Away: Plan in advance how you will assemble your family and anticipate where you will go. Choose several destinations in different directions so you have options in an emergency. Become familiar with alternate routes as well as other means of transportation out of your area. If you do not have a car, plan how you will leave if you have to. If you typically rely on elevators, have a back-up plan in case they are not working. Talk to your neighbors about how you can work together.

You need to be ready… NOLA READY!

nola-ready

 

On the Web – http://new.nola.gov/ready/

 

Via Email – http://new.nola.gov/ready/emergency-alerts/

 

On Twitter – https://twitter.com/nolaready

 

On Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/NOHSEP

 

Readiness starts with you

Whether manmade or natural, every emergency situation is different, and requires both citizen and City to be prepared. From the Final Four to the Super Bowl, all-hazards alerts to hurricane evacuations, 24/7, 365 days a year, agencies across the City of New Orleans work to keep you safe and our city prepared for any event or emergency.

For our City to be ready, our citizens must be ready.

We must take all take important steps to prepare for an emergency. At NOLA Ready, we provide all the information residents need to travel their own road to being ready, including how to:

 

City-Assisted Evacuation

City-Assisted Evacuation assists Orleans Parish residents and/or tourists who cannot self-evacuate during a mandatory City-wide evacuation by providing transportation from designated City evacuation pick-up points to the Union Pacific Terminal bus station, for outbound transportation to State and Federal shelters. Learn more here.

Sign the NOLA Ready pledge

Join Mayor Mitch Landrieu and make a commitment to the City committed to you. Make a Plan. Mark Your Name.

Because I love New Orleans, I know how I will leave New Orleans. I am New Orleanian. I am NOLA Ready.

Sign the Pledge

Get notified: Emergency Alerts

Accurate, immediate information, straight from the City of New Orleans to you via text, call, or email. NOLA Ready is the CIty of New Orleans’ emergency alert system and official source of information about every emergency situation, from power electrical outages to hurricane evacuations. What you need to know, when you need to know it, wherever you need to know it. Sign up here.

 

 

A CHECKLIST OF ITEMS FOR HURRICANE PREPARATION

 

  • Prescription medication for a month
  • Aspirin and non-prescription medicine
  • FIRST AID KIT
  • Antibiotic ointment
  • CASH
  • Drinking water (2 gallons per day per person)
  • Containers for storing water
  • Non-perishable food
  • Eating utensils, paper plates and towels
  • Baby supplies (up to 3 weeks)
  • Non-electric can opener
  • Battery powered TV or radio
  • TOILET PAPER
  • Boards for your windows
  • Matches
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • Flashlight with extra batteries
  • Lantern with extra fuel
  • Fuel for your generator or saw
  • Aluminum foil
  • INSECT REPELLENT
  • Month’s supply of pet food
  • Cat litter
  • Tools and shovel
  • Latex and regular work gloves
  • SIGNAL LIGHT
  • AX IN ATTIC
  • Rope or heavy cord
  • DISINFECTANT
  • Toiletries and feminine supplies
  • Soap and liquid detergent
  • Household bleach without lemon
  • GARBAGE BAGS
  • Sturdy work shoes or work boots
  • RAIN GEAR AND A CHANGE OF CLOTHES
  • Have a plan of action for your pets. Many shelters will not take them. Call the SPCA for more information to help you prepare for evacuating your pets… (504) 368-5191.
  • http://www.la-spca.org

from the LSU AG CENTER



 

Click here for a PDF of the full presentation.

 

For more information, please visit the LSU AG CENTER online at http://lsuagcenter.com

***

You may want to consider evacuating with help of Evacuteer.org. This  resource is designed to help New Orleans residents safely evacuate. As travel around the city, you will notice the addition of 14-foot sculptures in your neighborhood. These art pieces resembling waving figures are the culmination of art and functionality. These are designated evacuation pickup points (EvacuSpots) across the city. In the event of an evacuation, these EvacuSpots will be run by Evacuteers who will register and assist evacuees with luggage and pets at each of the locations.

EVACUTEER1photo courtesy Kirsten & Allie Kirsten & Allie said, Its pose seems symbolic as much as aesthetic, drawing people to it as if to say, “stick with me and I will guide you.” And that’s exactly what the statue does, because it marks an ‘EvacuSpot.’ Check out their article about EVACUTEER at: http://adaptationstories.com/2013/07/18/new-orleans-gives-evacuation-plan-an-artists-touch/

Evacuteer.org recruits, trains, and manages evacuation volunteers who assist with New Orleans’ mandatory evacuations.

During an activation, volunteers work to move 30,000+ citizens without access to reliable transportation. Evacuteers work at each one of the 17 EvacuSpots, at the Union Passenger Terminal for evacuee processing, and at City Hall to assist with the 311 Call Center.

“Thought you would like to know that our front yard did beautifully yesterday!” This message brought to you by the owners of the Broadmoor house that used to get 8″ in their front yard after a hard rain who participated in the #FrontYardInitiative.

The driveway on the left and bioswale on the right now capture and slow water from entering the city’s system. Photo below shows what used to happen after a one-hour 2″ rain (Broadmoor got 5.49″ in a matter of hours on Aug 5.) Evans + Lighter Landscape Architecture Quality Sitework Materials Truegrid Water Collaborative of Greater New Orleans. Details about the program in the link:
http://www.urbanconservancy.org/project/fyi/

The Front Yard Initiative is the Urban Conservancy’s response to excessive yard paving. Rampant front yard paving is a community issue that has broad and significant effects on the city of New Orleans from stormwater to safety.

Stormwater management in New Orleans has been characterized by regularly overwhelmed drainage systems, excessive paving and pumping that has depleted groundwater levels and led to a sinking city, and urban water assets being wasted while hidden behind walls, underground, or pumped into the river and lake. All of these issues and the failure of traditional infrastructure (levees, pipes and pumps) to protect the city from Hurricane Katrina, continuous flooding, and subsidence has led to a shift in mindset regarding the most effective and thoughtful way to manage stormwater in South Louisiana. It is clear that the single-minded approach of rushing stromwater over pavement, into pipes and pumping it out of the city needs to be reevaluated.

NEIGHBORS TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES FROM BAYOU ST. JOHN ON JUNE 20 and JUNE 24

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by Sara Beth Howard

NEIGHBORS TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES FROM BAYOU ST. JOHN ON JUNE 20 and JUNE 24

Kayakityat ( http://kayakitiyat.com/ ) is hosting two events on June 20th and June 24th to remove the invasive water hyacinths from the north end of Bayou St John.

Please join your neighbors for some fun and help make a difference on June 20 and June 24

Tuesday, June 20th 12PM to 2PM
https://www.facebook.com/events/487442778269543

Saturday, June 24th 9AM to 11AM
https://www.facebook.com/events/1790765734586521

For more information, please visit the facebook pages above or contact Sara at
[email protected] , or call 985-778-5034 or 512-964-9499

WATER HYACINTHS ARE SPREADING RAPIDLY IN BAYOU ST. JOHN AND NEED TO BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY

CLICK ON THE MAP FOR A LARGER VIEW OF THE SPREAD OF WATER HYACINTHS IN BAYOU ST. JOHN

Late last Fall, water hyacinths were introduced into the north end of Bayou St. John.
In just six months, it has multiplied many times. It now lines the west bank of Bayou St John from Robert E Lee Blvd to Filmore Ave.
It moves with the wind, so parts have broken off and made their way to other parts of the bayou, likely even beyond the Filmore Avenue bridge.

According to the University of Florida, one plant can grow to cover an acre in one growing season!

This is a very prolific and dangerous invasive aquatic plant that is now threatening the health of Bayou St John. We must carefully manually remove every piece. If one tiny portion of a plant is left, it’ll will become a whole new reproducing plant. We must dispose of it in a place where it dies completely and cannot re-enter any waterways including storm drains that lead back out to Lake Pontchartrain.

This does not only threaten the recreational use of Bayou St. John but, the ecological health we’ve worked so hard to improve.

Kayakityat is coordinating two removal days within a week to in order to ensure the most thorough removal, ideally eradication. It will be up to all of us individually to remove plants as we see them pop up through-out the future.

DAY 1: 12PM to 2PM Tuesday, June 20th. The Barman’s Fund has graciously offered their services.
It is specially scheduled to accommodate service industry folks. Anyone is welcome to join! This will be the bulk of the removal; we’ll get the big obvious patches.

DAY 2: 9AM to 11AM Saturday, June 24th. This removal will be a bit more meticulous.
We’ll have to spread out and look for hidden patches and individual plants along the banks.

Each event will be followed by a swim in Lake Pontchartrain and a bit of lakefront chillin’!

We need the following supplies; any donations are welcome!

2 Pick-Up Trucks that can handle some weight. We need to transport the plants to a composting sight; it may take multiple trips.

Canoes. If you have one, bring it with you. They can hold more plants than a kayak.

Pitch Forks. 3 to 6 at minimum for removal from banks.
Nets with short handles for removal from boats.

Dump Site. Ideally, all this vegetation should be composted. If anyone knows of a business that will take it, let us know.

Anyone with experience removing water hyacinth or taking on similar projects, please share suggestions and/or equipment.

Those interested can contact Sara at 512-964-9499 or [email protected])

AUTOMATIC RETRACTABLE SCREEN STORMWATER INLET PROTECTION DEVICES

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Thanks to Robert Thompson for sending this in…
Article courtesy Forester Magazines

Protecting Storm Drain Inlets

Everybody loves a party, and nobody loves a good time more than New Orleans, particularly during Mardi Gras when nearly one and a half million visitors flood the city, more than tripling its usual population. But after any good time, there is a lot to clean up from the festivities, and street trash is an overwhelming burden. This year the city had help, thanks to the Wing-Gate automatic retractable screen (ARS) stormwater inlet protection devices from California-based United Storm Water Inc. and United Pumping Services.

Company stormwater sales manager Terry Flury explains how the specialized protection devices help municipalities cope with the everyday headache of trapping trash and protecting stormwater. “Although we originated in southern California, compliance with increasingly stringent policies of municipal separate stormwater sewer systems [MS4s] across the country is helping drive our popularity. Our full-capture devices are all stainless steel and have a five-millimeter perforated screen that prevents items as small as a cigarette butt from entering storm drains.

“We also have stormwater filter DrainPacs that filter out hydrocarbons, and we can customize the filter media to address whatever the customer needs. For example, if you’re concerned about heavy metals, oils, or fertilizer, the filter media could be Perlite, activated carbon, or whatever you might need to address the problem.”

And customizing the product is all in a day’s work, even when it’s a rush to meet the deadline for arguably the country’s biggest, or at least most enthusiastic, outdoor party.

“We recently did a Wing-Gate screen install on Bourbon Street in New Orleans,” explains Flury, “and we had to come up with a special design. Our standard ARS screens are configured completely different and could not accommodate the New Orleans street grate models, which are very unusual and strange looking, made around 1900, and all cast iron with multi-phased support legs.”

Flury says the city wanted something in place by Mardi Gras 2016, so the design team was challenged to come up with a new configuration.

“We did a pilot test of 30 basins and came up with a Wing-Gate design that was completely different. This went through [the city’s] approval process and we had the screens in place well before Mardi Gras.”

City officials were pleased, he says. “We’re now working on a plan to eventually do the whole city.”

The Wing-Gate devices, he explains, are automatic retractable screens that respond to the incoming water, both retaining trash and allowing water to flow. The ARS fits right into the curb openings; in dry months the screen prevents trash from entering the catch basins, and during rain events it opens after water reaches about 40% of curb height. Connector screens then act as a second line of defense for debris, protecting the outlet pipes.

Sometimes meeting client needs has to address more than making a new size or configuration. Flury describes how the bright stainless steel of the ARS was virtually a magnet for scrap collectors in some urban areas. “So for customers who need it, what we’ve done is simply finish the stainless in flat black paint with a powder coating, which replicates plastic and draws far less attention and protects their investment.”

Since the company actually comprises two entities—United Stormwater and United Pumping—Flury says they can manage not only client stormwater needs, but also hazardous waste.

“If we run into a hazardous waste issue, we can act in a remedial capacity. For example, if we run into an oil spill, oil in storm drains, our crews will come and dam up the area and either broom off or vacuum the oil. We really have the best of both worlds when it comes to managing and protecting our water.”

Bayou Cutters Sail Along the Banks of Bayou St. John

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This morning, the Orleans Levee Board cut the grass on the banks of Bayou St. John.
As the photo below sent in by Tommy Lewis shows, they did a tremendous job!

Bayou cutters sailed through the grass on the banks of Bayou St. John this morning. Click on Tommy Lewis’ photo for a larger view.

***

Orleans Levee Board Continues to Impress with Work on Bayou St. John

The Orleans Levee Board takes care of the banks of Bayou St. John.
As you can see from Charlie London’s photos below of today’s work on the bayou, they continue to do high quality work for you and me.

***

Bayou St. John is the Reason for New Orleans


by Angela Carll
Times Picayune – November 15, 1985
Bayou St. John is the reason New Orleans is located where it is. The bayou provided a connection from the Mississippi River overland via an old Indian path to Lake Ponchartrain.

A number of historic landmarks still stand in this neighborhood to remind visitors of the city’s heritage.

The Old Spanish Custom House, built in 1784 at the corner of Moss Street and Grand Route Saint John, is the oldest structure in this neighborhood.
Another renowned home is the Pitot House, named for James Pitot, the second mayor of New Orleans. Built in 1799 at 1370 Moss Street, the Pitot House was later moved a short distance up the bayou to 1440 Moss in 1970.

The Tivoli amusement park once stood where the Pitot House is now. It featured a pavillion, orange trees, and dances were held there on Sundays.

Much of Bayou St. John remained swampy and unable to be developed while the city was attempting to drain the area, which was called “back of town” as early as 1835.

In 1866, the city started using the bayou as a drainage receptacle, and a community of houseboats grew up along it. In 1936, the State House of Representatives declared the bayou a non-navigable stream.

Fort St. John, where the bayou and lake meet, was originally built as a fortification by the French and later became the most prominent resort area in New Orleans during the 1930s. The Old Spanish Fort still stands on this site.

The fort is a modern-day battleground. The Orleans Levee Board has proposed replacing the Lakeshore Drive bridge that spans the bayou at its entrance to the lake with a grade-level crossing using culverts for water to flow back and forth from the lake to the bayou.

Members of the Bayou St. John Improvement Association sued the Levee Board to halt construction, arguing that wind moves water currents and that the City Park lagoons which are fed by water from the bayou will stagnate. They also contended that closing the mouth of the bayou will damage an important part of the city’s historical heritage. (The “waterfall dam” near the mouth of Bayou St. John was removed in 2013. Please visit the link for more information: https://fsjna.org/2012/08/update-on-dam-removal/)

Although the bayou today lacks even the rowing clubs, which were popular in the last century, a drive along its curving shore shows typical Louisiana country homes. It still exists to remind us of New Orleans’ earliest beginnings, and why the city was built in a place that seems most improbable to us today.

 

CLICK HERE TO VIEW A PDF OF THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE.

 

Faubourg St. John was a community ten years before the founding of New Orleans in 1718.

Click on the map of Faubourg St. John for a larger view.

For more information, please visit the ABOUT and HISTORY tabs at FSJNA dot ORG

Parkway People Perfect Parks Proudly

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photo and info from Robert Thompson

parks and parkways

click on the photo for a larger view

 

Whether you call it the “neutral ground” or the median strip, residents and visitors can agree Esplanade Avenue has lush greenery.

This hard working crew from Parks and Parkways keeps it that way!

Today, James and his crew were removing the oak leaf blanket which attempts to hide our roadway and choke our plantings.

These guys never seem to lack enthusiasm for the work and deserve our gratitude.  The truck in the background of the photo above is full of bags of debris they picked up today.

Please say “hello” and “thank you” on occasion, and recognize these workers and the pride they take in beautifying our public spaces.

***

New Orleans offers thousands of acres of green space for visitors and residents to enjoy, which includes parks, playgrounds, city squares, neutral grounds, and street trees. Parks and Parkways manages, maintains, develops, beautifies and preserves over 2,000 acres of New Orleans’ public green space, which includes 2 major parks, 200 smaller parks and squares, including Jackson Square, Armstrong Park/Congo Square, and Lafayette Square, New Orleans’ neutral grounds, the 18-hole Joseph M. Bartholomew Municipal Golf Course, located in Ponchartrain Park, and over 450,000 trees.

Virtually every neighborhood in New Orleans contains a park, square, or outdoor green space. These green spaces are largely regulated and maintained by two regulatory agencies, Parks and Parkways and the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission.

Three major exceptions are City Park external link, which is regulated by a unique state agency of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism operated by the non-profit City Park Improvement Association (CPIA), and Audubon Park external link and Woldenberg Park external link along the downtown riverfront, regulated by The Audubon Commission, which was established by State Act in 1914 to maintain and develop Audubon Park.

Click here to download a PDF of the Parks and Greenspaces by Jurisdiction Map.

For more information about Parks and Parkway and the great work they do for all of us, please visit the link below:
http://www.nola.gov/parks-and-parkways/

Are Delivery Trucks Causing Injuries at Esplanade and Mystery Streets?

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Click on the photo for a larger view

 

Let me preface this post by saying this is NOT an April Fool’s joke.

The yellow Americans with Disabilities Act mat on the corner of Esplanade and Mystery is causing injuries.

One man tripped over the mat sticking up at Esplanade and Mystery and literally fell flat on his face which bloodied his nose and caused him to lose his glasses.   Karen at Terranova’s said an ambulance was called.

A woman wearing sandals caught her toe in the protruding mat and she bled profusely leaving blood on the corner.

Trucks delivering to Canseco’s warehouse door on Mystery Street appear to be sitting on and rolling over the ADA mat on the corner of Esplanade at Mystery Street.

Click on the photo above to get a better view of the large crack above the Americans with Disabilities Act mat at the corner of Esplanade and Mystery Streets.   The crack does not appear to be one caused by settling but by a large amount of weight pressing on the area.

Large bollards on either side of the mat could alleviate the problem of trucks rolling over and sitting on the ADA mat on the corner of Esplanade and Mystery Streets.

Please call 311 if you believe that this is a situation that should be immediately repaired.   I have called but, there is strength in numbers.   This really should be repaired right away.

Let’s Not Meet by Accident

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photo sent in by Robert Thompson

Click on the photo for a larger view

 

Robert Thompson reported that at 7:30 a.m. this morning two folks met by accident at the corner of Broad and Esplanade.

Please slow down, the life you save may be your own.

***

info below gathered by Charlie London

 

Learn more about ways to reduce speeding in Faubourg St. John in the link below

http://peds.org/?s=speeding

Much of the threat to pedestrians comes from speeding cars. Fortunately, you’ve got plenty of ways to encourage drivers to slow down. Take action!

  1. Spread the word. Neighborhood websites, e-newsletters, Facebook Pages and twitter are all great ways to reach out.
  2. Use yard signs to remind drivers to slow down. Pick up signs at DRIVE LIKE YOUR KIDS LIVE HERE — or use plywood or laminated poster-board to create your own. Keep it simple.  Short messages and big letters work best.
  3. Set the pace. Driving at or below the speed limit forces others to do the same.
  4. Park your car in the street, and ask your neighbors to do the same. Narrow travel lanes prompt drivers to slow down.
  5. Install radar signs that show drivers how fast they’re going.
  6. Reduce speed limits. If the speed limit where you live is over 30 mph, ask transportation agencies to change it.
  7. Take back your street. Walk, ride a bicycle, sit on the front porch — and put some toys in your front yard.   Reminding motorists that streets are for people encourages them to slow down.

Bump outs like this one make crossing the street safer for pedestrians. And, in the middle of the street is a brick section with a gradual rise on either side. This helps slow traffic.
Bump outs like this one make crossing the street safer for pedestrians. And, in the middle of the street is a brick section with a gradual rise on either side. This helps slow traffic.

How a Dutch neighborhood pioneered an innovation now sweeping the globe

TRAFFIC CALMING HAS SWEPT THE WORLD over the past 20 years. It’s based on the rather simple idea that cars and trucks don’t have exclusive ownership of our streets. Streets are shared public space also belonging to people on foot and bicycles, in baby strollers and wheelchairs. Reminding motorists of this fact, traffic calming uses design features such as narrowing roads or elevating crosswalks to slow traffic and assert pedestrian’s right to cross the street.

This idea has altered the literal landscape of urban life in the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany and Australia as people move about their cities with more ease and pleasure—and it’s now taking off in other parts of the world.

bumpout1THE ORIGINS OF THIS INGENIOUS IDEA CAN BE TRACED TO DELFT, NETHERLANDS, where residents of one neighborhood were fed up with cars racing along their streets, endangering children, pets and peace of mind. One evening they decided to do something about it by dragging old couches, planters and other objects out into the roadway and positioning them in such a way that cars could pass but would have to slow down. Police soon arrived on the scene and had to admit that this project, although clearly illegal, was a really good idea. Soon, the city itself was installing similar measures called woonerfs (Dutch for “living yards”) on streets plagued by unruly motorists.

One can only imagine the response of city officials if these neighbors had meekly come to city hall to propose the idea of partially blocking the streets; they would have been hooted right out of the building. But by taking direct action, they saved their neighborhood and changed the face of cities around the world.
***

Everything is Coming Up Roses at Capdevielle

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 Robert Thompson has been on a mission.   The once neglected Capdevielle Place has received much love and attention from neighbors rallied by Robert.

 Today, roses and palms became the stars of Capdevielle Place in the round centerpiece of the pocket park.   Check out the photos and a statement from Robert Thompson  below:

“Things are coming together at Capdevielle Place.  A vision from the get-go, rehabbing of the bed in Capdevielle Park, seemed like an impossible dream. After many ideas, much  sweat equity, cooperation from a committed Parkways staff, a generous gift (more later on that), and some professional help, a major improvement was born.  Not everything we had  wished for may have happened yet, but the best decisions from the plants people in charge developed the current implementation with resources available.  I hope everyone agrees this  is a win!

Thanks are due so many and I intend to let all know who made this possible soon.

Their generosity and work made this happen, and now we City Beautifiers must keep up with watering and weeding this gift.”

Robert Thompson

Here are some photos:

Before Robert Thompson made Capdevielle Place his mission, it was looking tired and lonely

 

The centerpiece of Capdevielle Place received palms and roses

 

Workers arrived early to begin the transformation

 

Work began immediately after the crew arrived

 

Everything is coming up roses at Capdevielle Place

 

Today, Capdevielle Place is an inviting respite due to the vision of Robert Thompson and help from enthusiastic volunteers and supporters

 

Paul Capdevielle (1842-1922)

Paul Capdevielle, the forty-second Mayor was of French descent. He was born in New Orleans, January 15, 1842. His father, Augustin Capdevielle, was born in France, but settled in New Orleans in 1825, becoming a prominent merchant in the commission business and active in politics. It was from his father’s interest in politics that young Paul inherited his interest in governmental affairs. His mother, Virginia Bertrand, was born in New Orleans in 1816.

Paul Capdevielle was educated at the Jesuit’s College in New Orleans from which he was graduated in 1861. He served with credit in the War between the States, enlisting in the New Orleans Guard Regiment of Infantry, but in 1862 joined Boone’s Louisiana Artillery, and was wounded at Port Hudson.
After the close of the war he returned to civil life, taking up the first employment that offered itself, studied law in April 1868 was graduated from Louisiana State University. In 1892, he gave up law to accept the presidency of the Merchant’s Insurance Company. He served as its President for sixteen years, until it was liquidated and sold.

His political history began in 1877 when he was appointed to the School Board. Later he was a member of the Orleans Levee Board, a Commissioner of Prisons and Asylums and Chairman of the Finance Committee of the drainage commission. Mr. Capdevielle was an outstanding figure in Louisiana politics from the time of his election as Mayor of New Orleans in 1899. He was appointed auditor of Public Accounts in 1904, and re-elected three times, and held this office up to the time of his death. He survived the political storms attending the fall of the state administrations, the last in 1920, when Governor Parker was swept into office.

The Flower administration was a turning point in the history of New Orleans. It closed one epoch and opened another. With it began the period of commercial prosperity which extends into the present time.
Mayor Capdevielle’s administration was noted for two events, both inseparably connected with the beginning of New Orleans’ industrial development; the installation of the modern sewerage system and the organization of the Public Belt Railroad. The Board of Port Commissioners also began to function actively during this period.

City Park stands as a monument to his energy and civic spirit. The upbuilding of the park was his constant care, and he served continuously as President of the City Park Improvement Association for more than two decades, holding the office at the time of his death.

The new administration went into office May 9, 1900, at the beginning of the twentieth century when a wave of prosperity passed over the country and was felt in New Orleans. Mayor Capdevielle in his inaugural address spoke of the drainage system about to be constructed and stated if the city desired to have its own electric light plant it could do so without great additional cost by using the power house of the drainage system.

The contract to erect a modern jail, to be called the House of Detention, was awarded for $112,800 and the site of the old Marine Hospital, on Tulane Avenue and Broad Street, was selected.
The Clay statue, being in the way of safe operations of the street cars, was removed from Canal Street to the Lafayette Square on January 12, 1901. The consolidation of various street railways into one corporation under the name of the New Orleans Railways Company was an important factor of the years 1901-1902.

On May 1, 1901, New Orleans was honored by the visit of the President of the United States, William McKinley, accompanied by Mrs. McKinley and Secretaries John Hay, Charles Emory Smith, and E. A. Hitchcock. He was received in the Cabildo by the Governor of Louisiana, attended by his staff in full uniform. The bells of the Cathedral of St. Louis announced the arrival of the President and his cabinet, escorted by Mayor Paul Capdevielle, and a committee of distinguished citizens. As the cortege entered the Supreme Court Hall, Chairman Zacharie announced in a loud voice “The President,” and the assembly arose and remained standing while the Chief Justice conducted the President to a seat of honor at his right on the Supreme Court Bench. The Governor of Louisiana took a seat on the left of the Chief Justice, and the Mayor of New Orleans the one on the right of the President, the Justices occupying seats immediately in the rear of the bench. Chairman Zacharie then conducted the members of the cabinet and their wives to places on the left of the dais, where a seat, filled with roses, had been reserved for Mrs. William McKinley, who, at the last moment, was too ill to attend.

In 1873, Paul Capdevielle married in New Orleans, Miss Emma Larue, who died several years ago. Three sons and two daughters blessed this union; the sons are Christian, Auguste and Paul, Jr., and the daughters are the Misses Edith and Yvonne Capdevielle.

Paul Capdevielle was found dead at his home in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, August 13, 1922, following a long illness, at the age of eighty years and six months and is buried in St. Louis Cemetery No. 2. Besides his children, a sister, Mrs. Virginia Buddecke and five grandchildren also survived.