Neighbors Act on Overgrown Area

October 28, 2017 by Charlie London

photos and details supplied by Robert Thompson

FLASH CLEAN – City Beautifiers strike neighborhood eyesore



Esplanade public right of way returns to “civilized” levels. Fire hydrant discovered! Planted shrubs uncovered! Trash removed, all thanks to volunteer efforts.

At 10 a.m., on Saturday, October 28, 2017, Robert Thompson led the charge for a FLASH-CLEAN! Neighbors met in front of the old Circle K-Half Shell (3101 Esplanade) and mowed, trimmed and cleaned the right-of-way on Esplanade. Robert said he was tired of visitors seeing this mess. Many hands made quick work. Robert brought supplies and tools as did the neighbors who participated. The City Beautiful Committee struck and the area is much nicer now.

This area on Esplanade at Grand Route Saint John needed attention. Robert Thompson organized neighbors to give the area some love.

Brod Bagert uncovers fire hydrant and hawthorne bush previously lost to the thicket. Despite a claim to advanced years, Brod tackled the weeds like a young whippersnapper!

Sally and Catherine knock down blight. They rescue a blooming azalea from the choking weeds!

about a dozen bags of trash. Now visitors can see Faubourg St John and not think it’s unkempt.

Fire hydrant and Indian Hawthorne finally see the light of day again. Thanks to all who helped!

Filed Under: More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, citizen action, clean up, cleanup, esplanade, faubourg st john, grand route, neighbors take action, New Orleans

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

June 10, 2017 by Charlie London

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])

Filed Under: CRIME, HISTORY, Living Well, More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou clean-up, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, clean up, community service, faubourg st john, fun, fun ways to help in new orleans, how can I help, invasive species, kayakitiyat, New Orleans, volunteer, water hyacinth

Keeping Faubourg St. John Clean and Green

November 29, 2016 by Charlie London

Neighbors Making A Difference

by Craig Kraemer

Robert Thompson is a neighborhood volunteer organizer. Thompson’s primary interest is in small public green spaces, an interest that many of his friends and neighbors share with the Faubourg St. John resident.

Through social media, Thompson helps to facilitate neighborhood projects by spreading the word about neighbor activities and interests, and encouraging people who live in the area to volunteer their help. Thompson also coordinates with NOLA Parks For All, a non-profit support organization that encourages neighbors to take care of their parks and green spaces. The organization often supplies neighborhood volunteers with trash bags and other needed materials as well as helpful tips and information on maintain safe and beautiful green spaces. For practical advice on how to maintain your neighborhood green spaces, contact NOLA Parks For All, or just pick up a rake to get started.

Listen to the podcast here.

Article above courtesy Craig Kraemer

Cynthia Sylvain-Lear, Director of City Sanitation, made sure all debris and trash from each of the clean ups was picked up promptly. Thank you!

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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.

Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY, Living Well Tagged With: bayou st john, bus stop, clean up, faubourg st john, fix up, New Orleans, parks, robert thompson, volunteer

PEOPLE START POLLUTION, PEOPLE CAN STOP IT

January 30, 2016 by Charlie London

If you were a child in the early 1970’s, you may remember the public service announcement in the link below. The message is just as a poignant today.

Some people have a deep abiding respect for the natural beauty that was once this country.




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Thank you to the great volunteers from near and far
who came out to help keep New Orleans beautiful.
 


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Filed Under: Featured, HISTORY Tagged With: bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, clean up, don't trash dat, faubourg st john, keep america beautiful, keep new orleans beautiful, litter, New Orleans

Keeping the Greenway Clean

April 11, 2015 by Charlie London

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With the opening of the Lafitte Greenway fast approaching (end of Summer 2015), NOLA Trash Mob teamed up with Friends of Lafitte Corridor and volunteers from the LSU School of Public Health to clean up the Lafitte Greenway around the 2200 block of Lafitte Street on Saturday, April 11, 2015.

Friends of Lafitte Corridor,  ladies from the LSU School of Public Health and the Trash Mob cleaned the Lafitte Greenway on April 11, 2015.
Friends of Lafitte Corridor, ladies from the LSU School of Public Health and the Trash Mob cleaned the Lafitte Greenway on April 11, 2015.
A few of the ladies from the LSU School of Public Health who helped clean the Lafitte Greenway on April 11, 2015.
A few of the ladies from the LSU School of Public Health who helped clean the Lafitte Greenway on April 11, 2015.
Volunteers enjoyed treats provided by the ladies from the LSU School of Public Health.
Volunteers enjoyed treats provided by the ladies from the LSU School of Public Health.
Children enjoying the playground at 2200 Lafitte Street in New Orleans.
Children enjoying the playground at 2200 Lafitte Street in New Orleans.
The Lafitte Greenway is projected to be complete at the end of Summer, 2015.
The Lafitte Greenway is projected to be complete at the end of Summer, 2015.
The Lafitte Greenway as of April 11, 2015.
The Lafitte Greenway as of April 11, 2015.
The Lafitte Greenway as of April 11, 2015.
The Lafitte Greenway as of April 11, 2015.
Lafitte Greeway progress as of April 11, 2015.
Lafitte Greeway progress as of April 11, 2015.
Work continues on the Lafitte Greenway which should be complete at the end of Summer, 2015.
Work continues on the Lafitte Greenway which should be complete at the end of Summer, 2015.
Progress on the Lafitte Greenway as of April 11, 2015
Progress on the Lafitte Greenway as of April 11, 2015
Lafitte Greenway progress as of April 11, 2015
Lafitte Greenway progress as of April 11, 2015

dontrashdat

The Friends of Lafitte Corridor distributed the flyer below at the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association meeting on April 7, 2015.
Click on any of the pages below for a larger view.

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Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: abatement, bayou st john, clean up, cleanup, faubourg st john, flyer, folc, friends of lafitte corridor, help, litter, LSU, saturday, trash mob, volunteer

Volunteers Help Keep New Orleans Beautiful

February 28, 2015 by Charlie London

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Thank you to the great volunteers from near and far
who came out to help keep New Orleans beautiful.


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Get ready for the Great American Clean-Up Day,
co-hosted by the good people of the Friends of Lafitte Corridor and
NOLA Trash Mob.
On Sunday 8 March, community service organizations will come together across from the U.S. Post Office on Bayou St. John (501 N Jefferson Davis Pkwy) at 9:30am for coffee and pastries compliments of Mid-City Market!

This will be a major Trash Mob event. It’s an offer you can’t refuse.

cleanup2-2015mar8The event will start with background information and tips on how to be safe when picking up litter. Around 10am, participants will split up into small teams and focus on areas adjacent to the Lafitte Greenway. The clean-up should last for about two hours. When the mission is complete, the group will gather together to take some pictures in front of the trash collected.

In addition to FOLC and NOLA Trash Mob, the University of Georgia’s IMPACT program will join the mob at 9:30 a.m. on March 8th where Bayou St. John meets Jefferson Davis Parkway. This should be a fun trash mob that makes a big difference.

Some supplies, including bags for trash and recycling and gloves will be provided. A limited number of grabbers and orange vests will be available for those who want them. Please feel free to bring your own supplies. Bringing your own supp that would be most awesome and sincerely appreciated.

Please join the fun at 9:30 on Sunday, March 8th where Jefferson Davis Parkway meets Bayou St. John!

uga-logoThe University of Georgia’s Urban Environmental Awareness group will travel to New Orleans, Louisiana to explore the relationship between busy, bustling cities and mother nature. During the week of service the uga-impactgroup will be going to places like Green Light New Orleans, The Green Project and will join in the Great American Clean-up at 9:30 a.m. on March 8th at Jefferson Davis Parkway and Bayou St. John in New Orleans, LA. From these local environmental service and advocacy organizations the students will learn what they can do to make cities more sustainable. In addition to community service, the group will get the chance to explore the rich culture of New Orleans.

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: bayou clean-up, bayou st john, best neighborhood in New Orleans, clean, clean up, community service, faubourg st john, impact, mob, New Orleans, trash, uga, university of georgia

TRASH MOB SUNDAY

November 1, 2013 by Charlie London

tires-contiPlease share this Sunday’s event with your networks: http://tinyurl.com/kjznotvInline

We will meet at Jefferson Davis Parkway and Conti Street at 10:30am. Bring bags and gloves if you can, but we will provide a limited supply. Trash mob lasts only an hour, so bring friends to make that hour count!

Upcoming trash mobs:
Please contact us if you would like to jump in for any of the open days for which we don’t have anything scheduled yet. Most listed below are very tentative, so don’t hesitate to request a trash mob for a specific littered location!

Sunday, 11/3/2013 – Conti and Jefferson Davis Pkwy
Sunday, 11/10/2013 – OPEN: YOUR TRASH MOB HERE!
Sunday, 11/17/2013 – Tulane Avenue
Sunday, 11/24/2013 – Broad and Washington: Recall the Wetlands Installation
Sunday, 12/1/2013 – OPEN: YOUR TRASH MOB HERE!
Sunday, 12/8/2013 – Claiborne and MLK
Sunday, 12/15/2013 – Dorgenois and Washington
Sunday, 12/22/2013 – OPEN: YOUR TRASH MOB HERE!
Sunday, 12/29/2013 – Musician’s Houses
Sunday, 1/5/2014 – Second Line Mob

Still to be confirmed:
– New Orleans East Trash Mob, Crowder and I-10, Dwyer
– Irish Channel Mob
– Milan Mob

Thank you for your time and please look through the schedule as well as our Facebook events, spread the word, and come join NOLA Trash Mob!

Best,
Daniel Paschall and Chandler Moore
NOLA Trash Mob

E-mail: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NolaTrashMob
Website: http://nolatrashmob.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NOLATrashmob

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: clean up, conit, litter, mid-city, New Orleans, tires, trash mob

Trash Mob Sweeps Clean Sunday

May 26, 2013 by Charlie London

photos by Daniel Paschall
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Best mob yet! We were able to take on a very trashed lot with standard drink and food containers and wrappers as well as heavy debris, and we cleaned up in and around Comiskey Park. A big thanks to everyone who got the word out and came out to mob! ~Daniel Paschall
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Jefferson Davis Parkway at D’Hemecourt Street, New Orleans

Trash Mob is set to clean up in and around the beautiful park between Jeff Davis and S. Clark and between Baudin and D’Hemecourt. The trash is especially dense along the sidewalk along Jefferson Davis Parkway between Tulane Ave. and D’Hemecourt, so we will also pick up along that sidewalk as well.

For those that are new to NOLA Trash Mob, we are a group of volunteers who want to change the way New Orleans thinks about litter, primarily through clean-ups or “trash mobs”. For these trash mobs, we select a public space, usually a particular city block or area that has a significant amount of litter, and we set a time and day to go and pick up trash there. They usually are scheduled about once a week on Sunday mornings. The trash mob will last for about 1.5 to 2 hours, but people can participate however long they would like.

Participants are encouraged to bring their own gloves and garbage bags, but we will try to bring a limited supply of extras.

We welcome feedback from the community of where areas there is a lot of litter to target for future trash mobs. Additionally, if anyone knows of any organizations that would like to publicize and/or sponsor a trash mob event, we are always in need of publicity, incentives for participants, and trash grabbers to save the mob’s back.

So tell your friends and come on out this Sunday to join NOLA Trash Mob!

Filed Under: More Great Posts! Tagged With: clean up, cleanup, comiskey, mid-city, mob, New Orleans, trash mob

Bayou Clean Up April 20th

March 18, 2013 by Charlie London

Bayou Clean Up | Saturday | April 20th | 9-12

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It’s that time of year again, the flowers are blooming the birds are singing and people are paddling. The winds have been blowing and debris has been making it’s way into the bayou and Bayou Kayaks needs your help to keep Bayou St John beautiful.

Bayou Kayaks is organizing a Bayou Clean Up in preparation for the Earth Day Festival. Volunteers are needed to make sure the bayou is ready.

Volunteers will meet at the Bayou Kayaks launch site at 1101 Florida Ave (by the LSU Dental School) at 9 a.m. on April 20th and collect debris until noon.
There will be refreshments and a few supplies to aid in the clean up. Kayaks will be available for use on a first come first serve basis. Volunteers on foot are especially important as there are many items to be collected along the banks.

Please join this Bayou Clean Up on Saturday, April 20th to keep Bayou St John beautiful.

Filed Under: More Great Posts! Tagged With: bayou, bayou st john, best, best neighborhood in New Orleans, clean, clean up, cleanup, eclectic, faubourg st john, kayak, neighborhood, New Orleans, new orleans best neighborhood

Help Clean the Bayou this Saturday

September 15, 2011 by Charlie London

WHO: Bayou Kayaks and YOU

WHAT: Bayou Klean Up

WHERE: 1101-1175 block of Florida Ave, near the LSU Dental School

WHEN: 9 am to 1 pm this Saturday, September 17th

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation’s 2011 Beach Sweep is Saturday, Sept 17th! Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation’s 22nd annual Beach Sweep will be held Saturday, September 17th from 9am-noon followed by a thank-you picnic for registered volunteers. Visit www.saveourlake.org for more information.

Bayou Kayaks and Life City are teaming up to clean up Bayou St. John during the Annual Beach Sweep hosted by the Lake Pontchartrain Foundation.

Please meet at the Bayou Kayaks launch site, 1101-1175 block of Florida Ave, near the LSU Dental School. Get more info on the location and RSVP a kayak on bayoukayaks.com. And, be sure to register for the Beach Sweep by emailing [email protected] (this gets you into the free picnic after the Beach Sweep on
Pontchartrain Beach).

Rhonda Ardoin started Bayou Kayaks this year to pursue her passion, provide a green service in the community, and help others take advantage of our surrounding water resources.

“My goal is to make a big impact on the community while leaving a small footprint on the environment,” says Ardoin.

Bayou Kayaks is committed to social and environmentally responsible practices. Not only does her day-to-day operations enforce a “leave no trace” policy, Ardoin is going above and beyond by organizing a free kayaking event to clean up the bayou this Saturday.

The Bayou Klean-Up help beautify the area, increase community involvement, allow businesses and customers to interact together, strengthen the image of the area’s small businesses, and create a sense of pride and accomplishment within the community. It’s a win-win for everyone! Also, there are prizes for the following categories:

Prize Categories:
1. Largest Group
2. Largest Business Group
3. Largest Non Business Group
4. Most trash picked up from individual
5. Largest item recovered from the bayou

Directions for the event can be found on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ba?youkayaks?sk=app_206541889?369118

Bayou Kayaks rents Kayaks Thursday through Sunday with the following prices:

Early Bird $20 6:00 am – 9:00 pm
Half Day $20 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
Half Day $20 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Half Day $20 5:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Full Day $40 10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Filed Under: Featured Tagged With: ardoin, bayou kayaks, bayou st john, clean up, faubourg st john, fsjna, keep new orleans beautiful, litter abatement, New Orleans, rhonda

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