BAYOU ST. JOHN WATER LEVEL TO RISE

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Flood gate at Lake Ponchartrain to be opened today February 26, 2019

photo by Charles London

While we (Flood Protection Authority) have kept the water level in BSJ low the last few weeks to support the invasive species efforts, the water level is now too low and causing other issues. We need to add more water now, and must do it today since the Corps is opening the Bonnet Carre spillway tomorrow. If we wait, the spillway water in the lake will cause greater impacts to BSJ if we open the gate later in the week.

After consulting with John Lopez and LPBF, we have decided to open the gate halfway at 1pm today for approximately 2 hours to add an additional 1+ foot of water to the bayou. We are opening the gate vs using the valves because there is a large quantity of giant salvinia stacked up against the valves. LDWF has their boom on the inside of the gate which should help stopping any plants from getting too far in. We have also been coordinating with LDWF about spraying and the additional boom on the outside; I know they are working the issue but weather has hindered them and we cannot wait any longer.

Thanks,

Derek

Derek E. Boese Chief Administrative Officer Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority – East Email: [email protected] Office: 504-286-3100 

photo by Charles London

Community Works to Combat Invader

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There is an invader in the bayou. It must be stopped.

Cuyler Boad of Innovative Aquatic Solutions uses his
custom made machine to help clear Giant Salvinia from Bayou St. John. 
photo courtesy Maria Wickstrom

Volunteers cleaning out Giant Salvinia from Bayou St. John across from 6600 Beauregard

Neighbors met on the Lafitte Street end of Bayou St. John at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, February 9, 2019

Giant Salvinia, to use the local vernacular, “ain’t no joke”.   

Introduced in Bayou St. John just two weeks ago, the invasive species has covered much of Bayou St. John.   People began to notice large patches of growth that seemed to grow overnight.   That’s not an exaggeration as a single plant of Giant Salvinia can multiply 3 times in just one day.

As you can see in Gary Parky’s photo, Giant Salvinia is quickly taking over Bayou St. John.

Giant Salvinia is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately!

On February 9, 2019, neighbors are gathered to remove Giant Salvinia.

This must be done immediately and is a “all hands on deck” moment.

Federal, State, and Local agencies have already had meetings about this and are arranging to take action. For many agencies to come together about one issue so quickly emphasizes the importance of everyone working together to remove Giant Salvinia from Bayou St. John.  The first step is physical removal of the plants.   Government agencies will be taking action but coordination takes time and Giant Salvinia waits for no man!

So, please, make plans now to meet your neighbors at the Lafitte Street end of Bayou St. John this Saturday morning, February 9, 2019 at 8:30 a.m.   Let’s use pitchforks, pickup trucks, and people to show Giant Salvinia what we can do!

Click on the graphic to learn more about Giant Salvinia
photo courtesy the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Ranchers Association

Volunteers Work With City to Improve Park

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Helpful neighbors will be in Fortier Park between 8 a.m. and noon tomorrow (this Sat, Sep 29). Parks and Parkways will be there too!
Fortier Park is in the 3100 block of Esplanade.

Come on out, meet some neighbors, help if you can, and thank the fine folks at Parks & Parkways for the great work they do!

Parks and Parkways arrived in full force in Fortier Park at 7:30 a.m. on September 24, 2018 with 11 people and lots of equipment. They trimmed the large oaks and palm trees. They also removed one large palm tree that was dead.

Parks and Parkways did their part, now it is time to do ours!

This Saturday September 29, volunteers will do a major cleanup of Fortier Park (3100 block of Esplanade)

Volunteers will be cleaning up some of the underbrush to bring more visibility to the park. The hot/wet summer has facilitated much unwanted growth and it is time to remove it!

Volunteers will build small flagstone walking paths through the corners of Esplanade and Mystery as well as Grand Route and Mystery.

This is a great opportunity to meet neighbors and keep your community beautiful!

Bring gloves, shovels, gardening tools, and a winning attitude!

Thank you for all you do to move New Orleans forward!

Desmare Playground Gets Love

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Many neighbors and volunteers from far and wide came out with their children to plant trees in Desmare Playground at 3456 Esplanade Avenue on Saturday, May 19, 2018 from 10 a.m. until noon.

From Susannah Burley:

“Thank you so much for your time and energy this morning in planting 11 beautiful trees that will drink a whole lot of stormwater, provide shade for the playground, and clean our air, soil and water. Thanks also to Wiley & Tommy Lewis for funding the trees, Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association for their leadership and partnership, Dana Brown and Associates for their design, John Benton of Bayou Tree Service for advising, Benton Tree Service for donating the mulch, and YOU for planting the trees!”

Photos from S.O.U.L. and more info in the link:

https://soulnola.org/desmare-park-planting/


photos above by Charlie London

November 20, 2019 article about Desmare Playground progress in the Mid-City Messenger

Catch Basin at DeSoto and Crete Gets Upgrade

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Info and photo from Robert Thompson

Catch basin removed at Crete and DeSoto.

This catch basin will be replaced by a deluxe version incorporating a man-hole.

Catch basin removed at Crete and DeSoto, to be replaced by a deluxe version incorporating a man-hole.

Click on the photo for a larger view

Local Businesses Participate in Tree Planting Program

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Photo above of volunteers planting trees is from SOUL NOLA’s Facebook page.

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Volunteers planting trees in front of Terranova’s
photo by Tommy Lewis

Both Terranova’s and Cafe Degas participated in the November 4, 2017 tree planting organized and sponsored by the group Sustaining Our Urban Landscape (SOUL) founded by Susannah Burley.   Faubourg St. John neighbors at  2816 Grand Route Saint John, 2934 Grand Route Saint John, and 2832 Ponce de Leon also received free trees.

What is SOUL?

“It’s an acronym for Sustaining Our Urban Landscape, and the idea is to work neighborhood by neighborhood to help residents form a strategic plan to reduce dramatically the amount of stormwater that goes into catch basins and the drainage system,” said Burley, who also holds a master’s degree in landscape architecture from LSU.   Quote from an article by Stephanie Bruno which you can see here:  https://soulnola.org/news/

Everyone knows money doesn’t grow on trees nor does it grow for trees.  If you would like to donate to help put more trees in the neighborhood, please contact Susannah Burley at:  (504) 616-6888 or you can donate to SOUL online at the Trust for Conservation Innovation’s website.   Learn more about donating to SOUL online at:  https://soulnola.org/donate/ or just call Ms. Burley at (504) 616-6888

Cafe Degas participated in SOUL’s November 4, 2017 tree planting

Terranova’s participated in SOUL’s November 4, 2017 tree planting

Photos above of trees by Cafe Degas and Terranova’s are by Charlie London
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Photos below are from SOUL NOLA’s Facebook page

Jacques Soulas was very happy to receive trees next to Cafe Degas

Volunteers gather at Terranova’s to help plant trees

Lots of opportunities to help during the tree planting. These folks helped by delivering trees. They are pictured next to Cafe Degas

Your City Sanitation Department Wants You to Know about Recycling and More

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What exactly can I put in my recycle bin?
Please visit the link below to find out:
https://www.nola.gov/sanitation/recycling/sort/

CURBSIDE RECYCLING*

PLEASE DO NOT PUT SOILED PAPER OR STAINED PIZZA BOXES IN THE RECYCLE BIN

ITEMS ACCEPTED:  newspapers, junk mail, phone books, catalogs, office paper, plastics: #1 through #7, small metal cans, cardboard, boxboard (cereal boxes/soft drink boxes), wax board (juice boxes/milk cartons)    *Eligible properties: 4 units or less, not a hotel, restaurant or bar and within volume limits

 

DROP-OFF RECYCLING

SECOND SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH  |  2829 ELYSIAN FIELDS AVENUE  |  8:00 a.m.  –  1:00 p.m.


The recycling drop-off center is at 2829 Elysian Fields
(the huge pink building just down the street from Lowe’s)

ITEMS ACCEPTED: newspapers, junk mail, phone books, catalogs, office paper, plastics: #1 through #7, small metal cans, cardboard, boxboard (cereal boxes/soft drink boxes), wax board (juice boxes/milk cartons), Glass, Mardi Gras beads, **E-waste (computers, laptops, telephones/telephone systems, keyboards, speakers, telephone/computer cables, x-Boxes, playstations, Wii, MP3/DVD/CD Players, UPS, circuit boards, Portable Navigation/GPS devices, ink jet/toner cartridges, digital cameras/video recorders (DVRs), fax machines, LCD Monitors, Processors, Networking equipment, stereos, security systems), **Batteries (AA, AAA, AAAA, C, D, 6 & 9 volt, Lithium), **light bulbs (incandescent and fluorescent), **televisions/microwave ovens/tires (limit 4)

 ITEMS NOT ACCEPTED CURBSIDE OR AT DROP OFF: Soiled paper or cardboard (pizza boxes) or Styrofoam

 ***                                                                    

REMAINING 2017 DROP-OFF SCHEDULE

                                                                        NOVEMBER 11, 2017

                                                DECEMBER 9, 2017 –  SHRED DAY- Limit 50 lbs.

 

 2018 DROP-OFF SCHEDULE

JANUARY 13, 2018                                                      

FEBRUARY 10, 2018

MARCH 10, 2018                                                                                                 

APRIL 14, 2018-SHRED DAY- Limit 50 lbs.                

MAY 12, 2018-HHW MATERIALS COLLECTION DAY                      

JUNE 9, 2018                                                              

 JULY 14, 2018-SHRED DAY- Limit 50 lbs.

AUGUST 11, 2018

SEPTEMBER 8, 2018  

OCTOBER 13, 2018-SHRED DAY- Limit 50 lbs.

NOVEMBER 10, 2018

DECEMBER 8, 2018-SHRED DAY- Limit 50 lbs.

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For More Information or to Register for FREE Curbside Recycling and to

Receive a FREE Recycling Cart or Bin, CALL 311

ORLEANS PARISH RESIDENTS ONLY

For General Information, visit: nola.gov/sanitation

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IRON MOUNTAIN is providing shredding, CACRC is providing e-waste recycling and Republic Services is providing single stream recycling, free of charge, as a service to the community, in conjunction with the City of New Orleans

NEXT HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS MATERIALS COLLECTION DAY

 SATURDAY, MAY 12, 2018     –    FROM 8:00 A.M. UNTIL 1:00 P.M.

**PESTICIDES **ANTIFREEZE **DRANO, BLEACH
**GARDEN CHEMICALS **PAINT (Latex and oil based) **FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS
**MURIATIC ACID **PAINT THINNER, VARNISH **MERCURY DEVICES
**AEROSOLS **GROUT **POOL SHOCK
**HOUSEHOLD CLEANERS **OIL, GASOLINE **BATTERIES (Auto/Motorcycle)

Not accepting: explosives, radioactive materials, medical waste, asbestos, tanks, hazardous waste from businesses or schools

**These items should never be placed in garbage or curbside recycling carts or bins.

Community Partners Providing Services at no cost: Keep New Orleans Beautiful, CACRC, The Green Project, Heritage Crystal Clean, Young Artist Movement, Rebuilding Together, Hollygrove Farm and Market, Sewerage and Water Board, Young Leadership Council

 

LANDFILLS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC FOR DISPOSAL FOR A FEE

SITE LOCATION PHONE TYPE DAILY HOURS OF OPERATION TYPE OF DEBRIS ACCEPTED
Gentilly Landfill 10200 Almonaster

N. O. LA 70127

 (504)

240-0380

 III Monday – Friday: 7:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday: 7:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (noon)

Sunday: CLOSED

 Construction & Demolition and vegetative/woody
River Birch Landfill 2000 South Kenner Rd.

Avondale, LA 70094

 (504)

436-1288

 II Monday – Friday: 5:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday: 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Sunday: 6:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (noon)

 Garbage
River Birch Landfill 5000 Hwy 90

W  Avondale, LA 70094

 (504)

436-1632

 III Monday – Friday: 6:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday: 6:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (noon)

Sunday: CLOSED

 Construction & Demolition and vegetative/woody

 

COMPOSTING SERVICES AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC***  

SITE LOCATION PHONE DAILY HOURS OF OPERATION FEE SERVICES
The Composting Network 11201 Old Gentilly Road

N. O. LA 70129

 (504) 206-9298 Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Sunday: CLOSED

 Yes Commercial Collections

Residential Collections

Green waste : Landscapers only
Compost Now Various Collection Sites   www.facebook.com/CompostNewOrleansWaste No Drop Off: frozen vegetable and fruit, nuts, tea/coffee grounds…

***There are some community gardens which accept organics for composting

 

     HOW LONG WILL OUR TRASH BE AROUND?                                                         

ALUMINUM CANS AND TABS 500 YEARS Recycling aluminum can save up to 95% of the energy used to make aluminum; recycling 1 ton saves 27 cubic yards of landfill space
TIN CANS 50 YEARS Tin cans are 99% steel
PLASTIC BOTTLES INDEFINITELY U. S. citizens use 4 million plastic bottles every hour
PLASTIC COATED PAPER 5 YEARS Recycling 1 ton of paper saves about 17 trees, 463 gallons of oil, 6,953 gallons of water and 3 cubic yards of landfill space
GLASS BOTTLES 1,000 YEARS The energy saved by recycling one glass bottle can light a 100 watt bulb for four hours; glass can be recycled again and again
STYROFOAM INDEFINITELY Recycle packing ‘peanuts’; reduce purchases
PLASTIC BAGS 10 – 20 YEARS Reduce, Recycle, Reuse

 

CITIZENS CAN IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN OUR CITY BY OBSERVING THE FOLLOWING CODES:

  1. Do not litter or place signs on public rights of way such as neutral grounds or utility posts or boxes.
  2. Properly contain solid waste for collection and remove carts from the public rights of way once emptied.
  3. Call 311 to schedule pick-up of bulky waste, such as furniture, bundled carpet or more than 6 bundles of tree branches (both, cut 4-foot or less), and up to 4 tires. Businesses are not eligible for bulky waste collection. (Section 138)
  4. Arrange for the private disposal of debris related to construction, renovations or the clearing of property. (Section 138)
  5. Ensure that all permanent dumpsters are screened from public view.
  6. Cut grass and remove litter, grass cuttings, and leaves from properties, extending 1.5 feet from the curb. Grass should not be allowed to grow above 18 inches in height.
  7. Do not sweep, blow, or pour items into storm drains. Water from storm drains flows into Lake Pontchartrain.
  8. Do not keep more than 20 tires on a property and do not transport more than 20 tires, unless specifically permitted by the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.
  9. If hauling garbage, trash or other loose items in vehicles, securely cover the contents.

New Orleans is the first city in the nation to recycle cigarette butts.
Please visit the link below for more:
https://www.usatoday.com/videos/news/nation/2014/07/22/12972307/

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Recycled Christmas Trees help prevent erosion of marshes

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The Green Project

Dat City Cares

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Dat Way Sign at 3301 Grand Route Saint John in Faubourg St. John

Many years ago, I purchased a Dat Way sign. I put it up on the side of the house and received many inquiries about where to get one. The Dat Way sign on my house has been photographed hundreds of times especially during Jazz Fest.

Faubourg St. John neighbor Mark Laiche came up with the idea for the signs as a way to raise funds to support programs for people with autism.

All of the products and shipping material for the Dat Way and Dat City brands are locally produced in the Greater New Orleans area and Mark and his wife Terri love to support local artists, products, and ideas.

Mark and his wife Terri now have a website where you can purchase all manner of Dat City Stuff.

If you are interested in any of the products or want to know more about his foundation to support programs for people with autism, you can call Mark directly at (504) 259-3925

Neighbors Act on Overgrown Area

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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!

A DOG PRODUCES TEN TIMES THE FECAL COLIFORM OF A COW

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A dog, per pound of body weight, produces 10 times the fecal coliform of a cow.

Simply walking in a infected yard then entering a home will track in the bacteria and can infect anyone in the household and quickly sicken or hospitalize high risk individuals such as young children, pregnant women or elderly.  Individuals with an autoimmune disease, flu or reduced ability to fight infections are at risk of hospitalization or even death. 

In fact, testing of average sidewalks where dogs are commonly walked showed extremely high levels of bacteria.

*** Contrary to popular belief, dog feces is not fertilizer and does not provide any benefit to the soil.

*** Using dog feces as garden fertilizer can make people sick when eating the vegetables harvested.

*** Dog feces is the third leading cause of contaminated water.

*** Dog poop washes into water supplies and kills wildlife.

*** Children can get sick and even die from dog poop bacteria washing from a neighboring yard.

*** Dog feces is a protein by-product that attracts rats that will eat the undigested protein found in the fecal matter.

*** Having rats in your yard will attract feral cats and snakes compounding the dangers to pets and humans.

*** Poop is a breeding ground for many varieties of flies that can carry diseases and bacteria into homes, on to human skin, food and other areas that will make people sick.

*** Dog poop contaminates recreational water ways, lake and rivers. Studies have found that 20% of the bacteria contaminating some waterways can be traced back to dog poop.

*** Dog poop can carry a number of zoonotic diseases (those that can be transferred from pets to humans)

To avoid potential infection, dog feces should be removed from the yard every 1 – 7 days, depending on the size of the dog and number of dogs in the household. Larger dogs will need more frequent cleanups, as will households with more than 1 dog.

Ask your neighbors to clean up after their pets because when the parasites run off into the ground water and your dog drinks from a puddle, creek or pond then your dog will ingest the parasites causing sickness and even death. If your children walk barefoot though a puddle in your own yard they can contract a disease or parasites directly from your neighbors’ pets.

More in the link:  http://mrdogpoop.com/howbadispoop.html

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It has been estimated that a single gram of dog waste can contain 23 million fecal coliform bacteria, which are known to cause cramps, diarrhea, intestinal illness, and serious kidney disorders in humans. EPA even estimates that two or three days’ worth of droppings from a population of about 100 dogs would contribute enough bacteria to temporarily close a bay, and all watershed areas within 20 miles of it, to swimming and shell fishing.

Dog feces are one of the most common carriers of the following diseases:

If you aren’t worried about the state of your local waterways, you may be a bit more concerned about the impact of dog waste a little closer to home. The thing about persistently disposing of stools improperly (or not at all) is that it kicks off a harmful cycle that can affect your whole family—including your pet.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pet droppings can contribute to diseases animals pass to humans, called zoo-noses. When infected dog poop is deposited on your lawn, the eggs of certain roundworms and other parasites can linger in your soil for years.  Anyone who comes into contact with that soil—be it through gardening, playing sports, walking barefoot or any other means—runs the risk of coming into contact with those eggs; especially your dog.

More in the link:  http://www.doodycalls.com/resources-toxic-dog-waste/

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An artist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Matthew Mazzotta, invented a waste digester for a Cambridge dog park that produces and burns methane to light the park. It’s a small-scale solution, but one that could be deployed at a much larger scale, putting Fido’s feces to use as a clean-energy resource.  More in the link:  http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-oe-lewis-dogs-environmentalism-20141102-story.html

Magnolia Bridge to Get Refurbished in 2018

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City to begin overhaul of Magnolia Bridge over Bayou St. John in January

BY CHAD CALDER | [email protected] Oct 23, 2017

After a few false starts, the Magnolia Bridge over Bayou St. John will soon get its long-awaited facelift.

A $1.3 million contract has been awarded to Hard Rock Construction LLC, which in January will begin refurbishing the pedestrian bridge — one of the oldest bridges in the city.

Crews will clean and paint it, seal cracks in the substructure and replace some of the decking, beams and other structural components.

City Councilwoman Susan Guidry, who has worked along with civic groups such as the Faubourg St. John Neighborhood Association for years to get the project off the ground, said Monday that the roughly 10-month job should restore the bridge to its “fairly original, glorious state.”

“It’s a part of our history,” she said of the bridge, which is sometimes known as the Cabrini Bridge because of the nearby Cabrini High School. “It’s iconic. People often take photos of the bridge as a symbol of New Orleans and our way of life.”

The Magnolia Bridge was built in the late 1800s and originally included streetcar tracks. As a swing bridge, it had a center piling that allowed it to rotate, turning the bridge parallel to the waterway so that boats could pass on either side, though the bayou was closed to river traffic in the early 20th century.

The bridge was restored and stabilized in 1937 and again in more recent decades, though it’s unclear when it was converted to being strictly for pedestrians.

These days, numerous walkers, joggers and cyclists cross the bridge, while neighbors often sit on on its decking among the peeling beams. Photographers shoot pictures of and from the bridge, which has been the site of more than a few weddings.

“It’s really the only waterway we have within the city that draws people to its banks to use, whether it’s families having picnics or the festivals we now have there,” Guidry said of Bayou St. John. “The bridge connects the two sides of the bayou, so for those of us who like to walk, run and bicycle, it connects our neighborhoods.”

The cost of the work is being shared by the city’s Department of Public Works, the Regional Planning Commission and federal funding through the state Department of Transportation and Development.

Mary Jo-Webster, who founded the group Re-Bridge about seven years ago to rally support for rehabilitation of the Magnolia Bridge and the nearby Dumaine Bridge, said she is glad to see the project finally move forward.

“To me, it’s important historically,” she said, noting the nearby Pitot House and other landmarks, “but it’s also just gorgeous.”

Unlike the Magnolia Bridge, the Dumaine Bridge’s issues are only cosmetic, not structural, so Webster said the bulk of the money the group raised will likely be used for that work when it happens. She said the city recently informed her it is working on a cooperative endeavor agreement for that project.

Webster said the community is going to handle the spot painting and graffiti abatement on the Magnolia Bridge after the rehab project is complete.

Article courtesy The Advocate:
http://www.theadvocate.com/new_orleans/news/article_f9a66d86-b040-11e7-b126-ef36b74086e6.html

MagnoliaBridgeRefurb2018

Round and Round at Stallings Playground on Gentilly

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Ms. Thibodeaux demonstrates the fun you can have hula hooping

You and your family are invited to join in on Tuesdays from 5:00pm-6:00pm at Stallings Gentilly for an hour of hula hooping

This super-casual class is perfect for hoop beginners!

It’s a low-impact, total body work-out.

It’s fun, and easier than you think!

We’ll practice basic on-body and off-body hoop moves. Handmade, adult-sized hula-hoops are provided. No registration needed, just come! Kids are welcome. We’ll be by the swings and playground equipment.

We look forward to seeing you!

For more information, contact:  Gabrielle Lewis, Fit NOLA Programming Assistant, New Orleans Recreational Development Commission 504-658-3083 (direct) 504-658-3052 (main) [email protected]

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