The groundbreaking ceremony of a new Walmart in eastern New Orleans on Monday began with a prayer. The construction marks a milestone in the community’s rebuilding: The superstore has been absent from the area since Hurricane Katrina and the Federal Flood, which closed a location at 6901 Bundy Road.

by M.D. Dupuy

It didn’t seem much like Black Friday at Wal Mart on Tchoupitoulas this afternoon. Customers had their choice of parking spaces, lines were one and two deep, and no one was scrambling for the last discounted TV or kitchen appliance. “Black Friday,” actually began Thanksgiving night at 8pm, and not everyone was happy about the extended bargains. Beginning at 11am, approximately 40 people stood in solidarity with Walmart employees, demanding fairer practices and scheduling.

The local rapper behind Wally World was arrested Saturday after allegedly threatening to kill his neighbor, and barricading himself inside his house, according to New Orleans police. Mr. Ghetto - real name Robert Maize - was taken into custody Saturday night following a standoff with a SWAT team that ended after 6 hours with police deploying gas into he 26-year-old's house in Gentilly.

Wally World is coming to New Orleans East, but bachelors lookin' to cruise the aisles aren't the only ones rejoicing. Upon the announcement that a 200,000-foot store would move into the former Lakeland Medical Center at 6000 Bullard Ave., our elected officials jumped at the chance to spotlight the move as economic development. Read their statements after the jump.

A moment of fussing wih the tape recorder provided just enough time for Mr. Ghetto's phone to ring, again.

"Wally wally wally wally wally wally wally wally. "

NOLA Bounce artist Mr. Ghetto had a viral video in his grasp, only to see it slip away. Those of us who attempted, for the 56th time, to bathe ourselves in the glory of seeing honeys get their booty slapped by a Louisiana Purchase card were loathe to find the video wasn't available this afternoon. When clicking play, the YouTube player produces a message that says the video has been "removed as a violation of YouTube's policy on nudity or sexual content." But, really, it's not like there aren't any other Bounce videos on the Tube. Haven't they ever been to Club Caesar's? Luckily, the video is still available via Perez Hilton. Click through to see it again.

At long last, the cultural excursion that is going to the St. Thomas - sorry, River Garden - Wal Mart has been crystallized for all the world to behold. Though it's only May, Bounce rapper Mr. Ghetto is positioning himself for the hit of the summer with his ode to that big-in-the-box store on Tchoupitoulas, "WalMart." If the video starts with a flashy car cruisin' the "Wally Wally Wally World" parking lot, do you even have to wonder if it's going to be good? The song also includes the line: "All the women be in WalMart, y'heard me?" The rest of the Internet tells us the video is already going viral. Just don't tell Stacy Head. Click through to check out the video! (Since it's Bounce, proceed with caution in the SFW department.)