For those looking explain the city's off-the-charts murder rate, just look at the soil. A new paper out today from the man who has become the city's leading lead researcher connects the toxin to violence. In the study, which was published in the journal Environment International, Tulane's Howard Mielke and another researcher found a direct correlation between the release of lead dust and aggravated assault - which are crimes that involve an inent to injure and, typically, deadly weapons.

We've made a lot of noise about our lead-contaminated playgrounds. But a new Tulane University study shows there's no shortage of lead in our homes since the federal flood, as well. Researchers were "surprised" to find that more than 60 percent of homes in post-K New Orleans had dangerously high lead levels, and that the hazard cut across income demographics. The research examined indoor dust and yard samples in occupied homes during 2007-08, found that lead levels were 37 percent higher than they were at the turn of the millenium. 

Earlier this year, the city was finally encouraged to close 11 playgrounds in order to get lead out the soil. Despite the years of alarm-sounding that lead to the closures, the remediation jobs only took a few months. Today, the City is reopening eight of the 11 playgrounds. The final three are tied up in procedural matters, a statement from the Mayor Mitch's office indicated. Click through to check out the list of reopened playgrounds.

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.

Between the time Laura Grenda's son began playing at Bywater's Mickey Markey Park when he was six months old and last month's closure of the park to remediate the "off the charts" levels of lead in the soil, all that changed was public awareness about the toxins.

Whether citizens or city officials noticed, the toxins were always there.

by Shay Sokol

“Billy! Don’t put that in your mouth” has a whole new meaning this week. Another dark cloud hovers over New Orleans as many of its playgrounds have been deemed hazardous to kids' health. Recent tests have found at least 37 city parks to have dangerous levels of lead in the soil. Markey Park in the Bywater has been closed for cleaning, which should take about a week. In six to eight weeks, NORD should finish sampling other parks.