NOLA News Round-Up

Harry Connick Jr. Back in New Orleans

"On Wednesday, the Maison Bourbon served as a gathering place for Connick, who turned 40 Tuesday, and a handful of residents from the Musicians Village — the project Connick launched with saxophonist Branford Marsalis after Hurricane Katrina to help displaced musicians.
Connick said the city's recovery from Katrina has been painstakingly slow, but he is trying to stay positive."

'Killer Bees' Now Established In New Orleans

"Africanized honeybees have been found in the New Orleans area since July of 2005, but the regularity and frequency of finding them there is new cause for concern."

Cop Show Comes Calling in Battered New Orleans

"For a town still fighting an impression of hopelessness, the arrival of a big-time network television show has been both welcome and somewhat anxiety inducing. It has meant a significant boost to the local economy, plenty of new employment and a chance for New Orleans to reclaim some attention from a nation that seems to have moved on to other concerns."

New Orleans Keeps Narrow Black Majority

"The study determined that while blacks left the city at a much faster rate than whites, New Orleans was still 58 percent black during 2006. Before Katrina, which hit Aug. 29, 2005, the city was 67 percent black, according to the U.S. census."

Rape reported in eastern N.O.

"New Orleans police are investigating an aggravated rape that occurred earlier this week, the third such attack reported in New Orleans in four days. "

City sets priorities, but details are scarce

"Mayor Ray Nagin's recovery office has identified more than 160 neighborhood-level rebuilding projects that officials say should be New Orleans' top priorities as money begins flowing for capital improvements in a city still wrestling with a largely blighted landscape. "