West Jefferson Medical Center Archives

Friday Open: Where does the time go?

I’m fighting numerous deadlines thus the lack of new material. That does not means the news cycle is not happening though, especially the continuing dust-up involving Consultant Joshua Nemzoff’s airing of the sweetheart insider dirty laundry in a full page ad to the Times Picayune. I personally don’t understand why Channel 8 doesn’t just lend Chris Roberts a camera man and microphone for the week while Lee Zurik explores anew why John Young likes a well compensated secretary. Maybe Zurik should explore how Robert’s makes his money but we’d all die from asphyxiation holding our breath waiting for that.

Today’s featured restaurant is The Red Maple

Just a stone’s throw from the Jefferson Parish Courthouse and City Hall in the heart of Old Gretna you’ll find some of the finest food and spirits in New Orleans. A mainstay of the parish political and business crowd for generations, the Red Maple was originally owned and operated by the Trauth Family, a German-American family of restaurateurs spanning 100 years in Gretna. Continue Reading……….

Thursday Tease

The bat line has been ringing off the hook today with tips concerning public officials in a two state area that I would describe as simply Slabbed since it is information the public should know but which would never see the light of day in the main stream media. I am also pleased to report today that some of you guys that read these pages have stepped up in a big way today on the donor front. I appreciate the support including the very generous donation Slabbed received today from the Jackson area.

First things first, Slabbed has been covering two hospital disasters through time though one has been the slow motion variety that you good folks with SRHS reading Slabbed today are likely not familiar in West Jefferson Medical Center, its politically connected CEO Nancy Cassagne and the Parish’s attempt to privatize the Hospital.

It is a strange world at WJMC that over the last two weeks has seen a respected community hospital M&A expert smeared by a TeeVee outlet that took its tip from a politician that should have made the cut to be featured in the Peabody Award winning news series Louisiana Purchased but for whatever reason always seems to get a free pass from the TeeVee media in New Orleans. The hypocrisy is simply too much for Slabbed New Media to resist, especially coming out of a sweep month when the archives here are getting a workout and that has been the case over the past week here at Slabbed New Media with WJMC. As a bonus we even have one of those pesky audit adjustments to examine to boot.

Finally I’m getting information on another Jackson County blast from the past that features all the usual suspects from Maxwell-Walker Consulting to the Jackson County Board of Sups and I am working diligently to source the leads.

Tuesday in side of the “Beltway” and otherwise

Here ya go folks, some of the best links money can’t buy:

Thad Cochran’s Executive Assistant Accompanied Him to 42 Countries on 33 Taxpayer-Funded Trips ~ Matthew Boyle

Staying with the election theme:

Gene Taylor says Steven Palazzo cast three unforgivable votes ~ Paul Hampton

Actually Gene was kind to Palazzo leaving off the wild parties that trashed beach houses, Palazzo’s former Chief of Staff heading to the Federal Pokey, using his taxpayer funded staff to conduct his and wifey’s personal business, etc, etc. etc.

Next up, from the how much damage can a packaged out former tampon salesman cause before he is packaged out again (Russell feel free to chime in here):

Chiquita verifies company considering a move from Gulfport ~ Anita Lee

Yo Fernando…..;-)

Speaking of Yo. Yo Gordon. 😉

Woman was aiding FBI in scrutiny of DA Harry Morel ~ Gordon Russell and Richard Thompson

This case simply won’t go away. Kinda like Slabbed.

Finally, from the disaster that is the Jefferson Parish Hospital Privatization Process:

Children’s, Ochsner sign up same consultant to relieve financial pressures ~ Ben Myers and Rebecca Catalanello

Bonus heard on the street. Councilmen Roberts and Spears are butting heads these days. The conflict evidently traces to one of the JP public hospitals.

Thursday Mix and Match

No state lines today folks, just links:

Must Read: Shades of Harry Lee: Louisiana sheriff convicted of hunting-related crime

Specifically this part as it cuts across many of the Jefferson Parish topics we’ve tackled here:

Carlos Marcello was a Mafia boss who presented himself as a tomato salesman. He lived in Metairie and died in 1993.

Lee was Jefferson’s sheriff from 1980 to 2007. But he was the parish attorney when he dined at Marcello’s Grand Isle camp July 7, 1979, and spent the night there. That pre-dates digital journalism, but you can read this States-Item story about their evening. (Hat tip to Danny Gamble, our chief librarian, for the clip.)

Republican Chris McDaniel Leads Incumbent for U.S. Senate in Mississippi ~ WXXV

Another must read as I take a victory lap regarding the HCA offer for the Jefferson Parish hospitals:

Jefferson Parish hospital lease consultant presents harsh critique of suitors ~ Ben Myers

The heuristics is straightforward: Someone that wants to “buy a spot in the line” is willing to pay more than existing market participants for that spot. Excuse me while I take another lap….

Hancock Medical adds to lawsuit ~ Dwayne Bremer

WYATT EMMERICH: Tax incentives are a high price to pay for bragging rights ~ Sun Herald

Mardi Gras Three Pack

Been going nonstop since Thursday folks as it is that magical time of the year so without further adieu:

Jefferson Parish Council botches hospital management process ~ City Business

Jefferson Parish hospital lease competitors flip the script, leaving uncertain future ~ Ben Myers

Federal judge pleads guilty to DWI in Lake Charles ~ AP

Thursday Links: The Walkers cave as the jailbreak begins

You gotta figure Mr. Ziegler and Ms. Shumate can’t be far behind. As for me I think I need a bit more coffee. 😉

Bill and Scott Walker ready to plead guilty to felonies ~ Anita Lee

From the it must be nice to know Fugate files…… (h/t Sun Herald)

Why Taxpayers Will Bail Out the Rich When the Next Storm Hits ~ Bill Dedman

Meet the Flood Insurance ‘Robin Hood’ Who Saves Condo Owners Millions ~ Bill Dedman

So there you have it folks, people with side condos on the beach get the NFIP’s best rates while homeowners in Bay St Louis get stuck with their bill. Worth noting is Congressman Steven Palazzo voted for Biggert-Waters Act, an act that will likely bankrupt substantial numbers of his own constituents. Heckuva job Palazzi!

3 Doors Down’s Todd Harrell needs an intervention ~ Sun Herald Editorial Board

Cochran’s not the only one who doesn’t know McDaniel ~ Paul Hampton

Finally a two pack from the Advocate:

Jefferson hospital consultant to review only proposals to run both facilities ~ Jeff Adelson

Man charged with running ‘child exploitation’ ring ~ Jim Mustain

News schizophrenia on the Jeff Parish Hospital Beat while the reasons for Chris Robert’s SBA default come into sharper focus

I’ve sat back and watched the spectacular disaster that is the Jefferson Parish hospital privatization effort unfold as told by the beat gang at both the NOLA.com and the Advocate and I certainly came away wanting more information and even more important perspective. Call me a harsh critic folks but I’m not feeling it from the beat as it appears on this issue the newspapers have become mere mouthpieces for the politicians.

The history of the process and the attempts of Chris Roberts, Elton LaGasse and Ricky Templet to derail it are too numerous to mention in the limited time I have this morning. There the newspapers have done a decent job following the gyrations albeit sans any useful analysis but there are a couple of examples of reporting where I read the news and came away thinking, “Myers sure had someone blowing mega smoke up his ass” or “Quinlan is giving Roberts another redo”. I know they are better than the slop being served but it is what it is. First up from the smoke up Ben’s ass files I have this from January:

Jefferson hospital lease process started with ‘one parish,’ wound up with division ~ Ben Myers

In this piece the Parish council is thoroughly infantilized by Myers, who pinned the blame that day for the disaster on the Hospital Boards and the consultant hired by the Parish. The fix for Children’s Hospital had been in for way longer than last September. In fact astute political observers who speak to Slabbed on the condition of anonymity indicate Children’s Continue reading “News schizophrenia on the Jeff Parish Hospital Beat while the reasons for Chris Robert’s SBA default come into sharper focus”

My view: Self Interest dictates Jefferson Parish Council’s choice for JP Hospitals

And yes Virginia, there are financial side to the stories to the privatization of the 2 taxpayer funded Jefferson Parish Hospitals that everyone in the media has been made aware and you’ll only see it one place and that is right here on Slabbed. Let’s start with Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts and the money he makes from West Jefferson Medical Center.

Step one: Obtain latest Chris Roberts ethics filing, which Roberts finally and belatedly filed with the Louisiana Ethics Administration (hint to the gang in Baton Rouge the extended deadlines for filing income taxes passed in October and November). Note that Roberts still owns the a portion of the West Bank Beacon.

Step two: Play some lovely music.