Amid brutality, racial profiling and discrimination, a scathing critique of the NOPD's treatment of K9 dog-cops didn't make major headlines when the U.S. Department of Justice's damning report on the NOPD was released. That might've been because the force's dog squad was put on hiatus months before the report came out. After spending the interval working out the kinks, and seven hours of DOJ progress tests last week, the K9 unit was reinstated today, according to a press release issued by the city. 

The neighborhood around the Fair Grounds (historically called...Fair Grounds) is set to be known by another name come JazzFest time. Mayor Mitch's office announced today that the residential area around the festival grounds where everyone parks will henceforth be known as the "clean zone." Inconvenient rhyme with Green Zone aside, the mayor just wants to make sure everyone pays their fair share.

At the behest of Mayor Mitch Landrieu, the city went forward with demolition of the five properties that form the backdrop of promotion materials for the HBO show "Treme" this afternoon. Located across from a playground at the 2700 block of S. Derbigny St., the blighted properties were described by the city as unsafe. The producers of the show sent a letter last week opposing the demolitions, but "Treme" creator David Simon spoke with Mayor Mitch Landrieu earlier today, and the two apparently came to some common ground.

This afternoon, the City of New Orleans will demolish a row of houses in the 2700 block of S. Derbigny as part of Mayor Mitch Landrieu's initiative to reduce blight. But the row of houses, across from Taylor Park, aren't just another run of overgrown lots. They appear on promotional materials, and now DVD covers, for the HBO series, "Treme." The producers of the show have protested the city demolishing the property. In a letter obtained by NoDef that was delivered to the city and signed by executive producers David Simon, Eric Overmeyer and Nina Noble, they urged a halt to the demolition of the properties.

Plan B's dramatic closing gave way to rumors of retaliation from the cops, which in turn gave way to rumors of retaliation by the neighbors. But, after a little talk with their friends at City Hall, the bike workshop has all the proper permits, and they're set to reopen at their original location in the ARK building (511 Marigny St.) next week. Kum Bay Yah! In fact, they're proud of their permits. Like a kid who got his first A on a spelling test, they even posted them over on the virtual refrigerator that is Facebook. We would be remiss if we didn't point out that they got them for free. A little lagniappe for their troubles, perhaps?

As Mayor Mitch keeps reminding us, everyone in New Orleans has to pay their fair share. So perhaps it's fitting that artists selling Mardi Gras costumes at the Blue Nile, radical bookstores and street musicians aren't the only ones getting tagged for practicing their craft without paying the piper these days. It seems dudes selling stuff out of the back of their car at random intersections might also become faces of the crackdown. Yesterday afternoon, New Orleans police issued a summons to Jermond Houston, 30, for selling "boot-leg" - as a statement from police put it - DVDs at the corner of St. Bernard Ave. and O'Reilly St. in the Seventh Ward.

Curbside recycling is set to return! Well, almost. The start date got pushed back about 45 days. But, by then we'll all have a bin and be good to go, right? Sort of. To make sure there are no more disputes over how many houses the garbage companies are collecting from, everyone who wants recycling service has to sign up with the City. In advance of the May 2 start date, the City began distributing fliers (pictured) that residents in the designated areas (Sorry, Quarter rats) can fill out the flier. For those more inclined to use the Interweb, http://recycle.nola.gov is the spot.

by Emily Snyder

Sparked by recent action on the part of the organization NOLA Unleaded, and the subsequent closure and remediation of Markey Park, the City's Department of Health and Office of Coastal and Environmental Affairs has begun testing the lead levels in New Orleans parks. Howard Mielke, a Tulane University bioenvrionmental professor who has spent the last several decades telling the city which parks are contaminated with lead. Heeding the call that was spurred by parents around Markey Park, City officials are conducting their own tests.Three of the parks--Danneel, Taylor, and Annunciation--were immediately closed.

Upon release of the scathing U.S. Department of Justice report on the widespread faults of the New Orleans Police Department, Mayor Mitch Landrieu commented that no one in the room seemed shocked.

With bonafide grocery stores east of Canal St. still only taking one hand to count, the time has apparently come for the city to offer those who would build such food outlets a carrot. Mayor Mitch announced today the city would make available $14 million in loan money for grocery store developers who plan to build in areas that lack options for fresh produce, according to a city hall press release. The funding could go to existing grocery stores, but they must be in underserved areas, the press release states.