Author: Douglas Handshoe

From the problem with keeping yer lies straight files: Jefferson Parish Councilmen Elton Lagasse and Chris Roberts want you to know they are not crooks.

Margie Seeman would like a word with the Slabbed Nation. Following is the last Citizens for Good Government Email blast in total:

The speeches at the end of the Jefferson Parish Council meeting by Citizens for Good Government Chairman Margaret Baird and myself were on discrepancies between the campaign contributions reported by the councilmen and the amounts shown on the campaign contribution affidavits submitted by contractors. These affidavits are now required to be submitted by any person or firm contracting or proposing to contract with Jefferson Parish, and most are now available online.

In my speech I stated that Citizens for Good Government has been an enthusiastic supporter of this ordinance, which provided for campaign contribution disclosure by contractors, and we commended the Council for passing this ordinance, and also commended Ms. Eula Lopez and her staff for making available online so many campaign disclosure affidavits. Continue reading “From the problem with keeping yer lies straight files: Jefferson Parish Councilmen Elton Lagasse and Chris Roberts want you to know they are not crooks.”

Anita Lee profiles Judge L. T. Senter on the day of his retirement.

I’ll never forget the first time we met with policyholder lawyers after Nowdy and I established Slabbed. One of the things that made that first meet and greet fun for me was the fact the gang of Louisiana based lawyers looked over the state line into Mississippi with a bit of envy for their counterparts here on the coast. It initially puzzled me because to that point the bigger dollar verdicts were coming from the Louisiana Eastern District Federal Courts. When I inquired why that was the response was telling:

You have a judge who isn’t afraid to try cases….

Today Anita Lee at the Sun Herald checks back in with a detailed profile of Judge Senter on the day he retired from the bench in a story that is actually worthy of two posts. Today, Slabbed comes to praise Judge Senter, not to bury him as I quote not from Anita’s story (which is well worth the read) but from policyholder lawyer Judy Guice, whom the Sun Herald quoted in related coverage: Continue reading “Anita Lee profiles Judge L. T. Senter on the day of his retirement.”

"Parting is such sweet sorrow". Thanks Nowdy for the memories…

Shakespeare coined the phrase and it applies as my excitement with the new Slabbed is tempered by the fact I’ll be here without my partner-in-blog for the past 3 years Nowdy, at least for the time being.

In making the jump to the new site I set a redirector on the old site which sends all Slabbed traffic here. Because of the timing of the jump to Slabbed.Org, Nowdy was unable to say a proper goodbye and I regret to say that post was coming whether or not we moved. Earlier tonight I disabled the site redirector so that Nowdy’s farewell for now post could appear first on the website she loved and devoted so much time and energy towards making a success. I use the words “could appear first” because Nowdy has agreed to move all her posts over to the new site and each of her posts, including her last, will appear on these pages shortly after I set the redirector back.  As I said earlier this week I remain forever grateful for her help on the blog and her dedication to the people of the Gulf Coast. Continue reading “"Parting is such sweet sorrow". Thanks Nowdy for the memories…”

Another Jefferson Parish inside fix: Veolia Transportation’s bus bid was 10% high. Once again the taxpayers get shafted.

‘Gate’s insightful comment today on the Veolia Transportation contract can be found here. Rich Rainey’s story for the Times Picayune on this can be found here. Here is a lengthy excerpt from ‘Gate’s comment on the old Mamoulides post I made sticky today:

JE VU…River Birch…

I had commented earlier on this matter with similar feelings that I have now…I am becoming suspect when I read these quotes from Young: Continue reading “Another Jefferson Parish inside fix: Veolia Transportation’s bus bid was 10% high. Once again the taxpayers get shafted.”

From the you’re never too old to stop thinking with the smaller head files I offer legendary Mardi Gras mogul Blaine Kern for the consideration of the Slabbed Nation.

 

Times Picayune Archival Photo: Blaine and Holly Kern

Sued by your own son? If this were a movie project I think the working title could be The Witch that Stole Mardi Gras. Only in New Orleans folks LOL.

Artists tend to lead colorful lives.

sop

A Slabbed right of spring: NFIP re-authorization and early Hurricane season predictions.

Folks early indications are with the GOP in charge of the House FEMA’s name will be changed to FEMA, Inc. with the NFIP expected to get a similar name change.

Regarding the proposed actuarially sound rates mentioned in Maria Recio’s article on the topic, I wonder if those rates include the wind damage amounts private insurers dumped on the program after every Hurricane?  I suspect it does.

I think everyone that buys flood insurance should get ready to grab yer ankles because I’m perceiving another taxpayer-funded giveaway to unregulated global insurance companies.

In other news the early Hurricane Season predictions are out (h/t Editilla) and despite the fact they are Continue reading “A Slabbed right of spring: NFIP re-authorization and early Hurricane season predictions.”

Federal Judge L.T. Senter is retiring. Ex Rel Rigsby to be transfered to another judge.

I’ll try to get the story behind the story on Judge Senter’s retirement mid-case in Ex Rel Rigsby but the early speculation centers on his health.  Here on Slabbed, Senter has been both praised and criticised but he is also well-respected.  We’ve been covering judges in this area for over 3 years now and without doubt Judge Senter is one of the best in terms of his understanding and application of the law.  He will be missed.

Anita Lee at the Sun Herald broke this story yesterday afternoon and she promises to have more on Friday.  We look forward to Anita’s reporting.

sop

I had no idea you cared…..

We had lots of pages on the old site devoted to certain civil and criminal cases we’ve followed and/or covered through time.  Evidently the crowded masthead caused some of the Slabbed Nation to miss the two pages that better explain the genesis of this blog in the story of my Katrina experience and a few pictures of the aftermath.  These pages are Slabbed originals from back before there even was a blog and will remain a fixture here while we transition. That said I may bring the legal archives over when a get a spare minute but in a different page structure that does not result in an overly crowded masthead.

I do not write much about myself but for those of you that are curious (and evidently there are several of you folks based on yesterday’s site traffic) I have another post that explains a bit more about my roots here.

sop

Jim Brown: Death Row, New Orleans and the Supreme Court’s Betrayal of Justice

Thursday, April 7th, 2011
New Orleans, Louisiana

DEATH ROW, NEW ORLEANS, AND THE SUPREME
COURT’S BETRAYAL OF JUSTICE

There is an aura of myth that surrounds Lady Justice, who is pictured standing tall with the balanced scales of justice in her hands. She is blindfolded to assure impartiality and fairness. But if she read the decision about the death row inmate from New Orleans that was handled down by the U.S. Supreme Court last week, one could only wonder whether she dropped her scales, pulled off her blindfold, and wept.

If there was ever any doubt about the lack of fairness, competence and fundamental decency among the current majority composition of the Supreme Court, such doubt was put to rest by a decision that would make any oppressive and dictatorial government proud. Heavy words, that’s true. But one would have to look long and hard to find a more repugnant decision. Continue reading “Jim Brown: Death Row, New Orleans and the Supreme Court’s Betrayal of Justice”