Sean in New Orleans
December 24th, 2005, 06:34 AM
Mayor lifts curfew in most of city
But it remains east of Industrial Canal
Thursday, December 22, 2005
By Gordon Russell
Staff writer
In a sign that at least one aspect of life is returning to normal in most of New Orleans, tonight will be the last time late-night revelers will hear the dreaded words that usually echo through bars in the rest of America in the predawn hours: "last call."
Mayor Ray Nagin on Wednesday said the city will suspend its curfew, which has been in effect since Hurricane Katrina hit Aug. 29, in all neighborhoods west of the Industrial Canal starting Friday night.
"The roar erupts from Bourbon Street," Nagin said with a sardonic grin as he delivered the news, alluding to criticism of the curfew from bar owners in the French Quarter and other areas that did not flood.
Nagin also said residents of all areas west of the Industrial Canal are now free to return to their homes permanently if they choose. That means people can officially reoccupy their homes in Gentilly, Lakeview, the Upper 9th Ward and other areas in four ZIP codes: 70122 and 70124, as well as parts of 70117 and 70126. The rest of the city west of the Industrial Canal was already open for returnees to stay.
Spotty adherence
Previously, under the mayor's "look and leave" policy, residents of the newly reopened ZIP codes were allowed to enter their homes but were supposed to leave by 2 a.m. Those rules, however, have been widely ignored.
Nagin said a midnight-to-6 a.m. curfew will remain in effect east of the Industrial Canal, covering eastern New Orleans and the Lower 9th Ward. While residents there will still be technically required to exit by midnight each day, Nagin said police will not be forcing people who are inside their homes to leave.
The lifting of the curfew came as welcome news to many bar owners, who have been chafing at the restrictions, previously unheard of in New Orleans.
"We're very happy the mayor has gone ahead and done it," said Earl Bernhardt, president of the Bourbon Street Alliance and owner of five French Quarter bars. "It was essential that it be lifted, and we're very happy the mayor finally listened to our pleas."
Bar owners had said the curfew cost them money, forcing them to close their establishments even when they were full.
Dan King, chairman of the Hotel and Lodging Association of New Orleans, said he hopes dropping the curfew will help jump-start New Year's Eve celebrations. In the longer run, as hotel rooms now occupied by displaced residents empty, it should also spur regional tourists to return, he said.
"We're hoping we can get people to start visiting again," he said.
Restoring city's image
On a philosophical level, Bernhardt said the curfew went against the anything-goes ethos of New Orleans, home of the go-cup. It also sent the wrong message to would-be bar hoppers, he said.
"It's just not the same place (with a curfew)," he said. "This has always been the city that never closes, where the party never stops. The curfew put a damper on that image."
Adam Shipley, music director at Tipitina's, said the curfew cut into the city's musical traditions as well.
"New Orleans bands have always been bands that could play for as long as they wanted, and they always had the material to do it," he said. "When the Radiators played (on a recent weekend), it was the first time in 15 years when you knew exactly when the show was going to be over."
Bernhardt also said that keeping a curfew created an impression that the city was unsafe, though crime has remained extremely low since Katrina reduced the city's population.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley on Wednesday said the force, which lost more than 200 officers to termination, resignation and retirement in the chaos of Katrina, will be able to handle the extra responsibilities all-night revelers will bring. With the city's population down by at least two-thirds, Riley said the force is actually much larger on a per-capita basis than it was before the storm. .......
http://www.nola.com/archives/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1135250274277260.xml&coll=1
But it remains east of Industrial Canal
Thursday, December 22, 2005
By Gordon Russell
Staff writer
In a sign that at least one aspect of life is returning to normal in most of New Orleans, tonight will be the last time late-night revelers will hear the dreaded words that usually echo through bars in the rest of America in the predawn hours: "last call."
Mayor Ray Nagin on Wednesday said the city will suspend its curfew, which has been in effect since Hurricane Katrina hit Aug. 29, in all neighborhoods west of the Industrial Canal starting Friday night.
"The roar erupts from Bourbon Street," Nagin said with a sardonic grin as he delivered the news, alluding to criticism of the curfew from bar owners in the French Quarter and other areas that did not flood.
Nagin also said residents of all areas west of the Industrial Canal are now free to return to their homes permanently if they choose. That means people can officially reoccupy their homes in Gentilly, Lakeview, the Upper 9th Ward and other areas in four ZIP codes: 70122 and 70124, as well as parts of 70117 and 70126. The rest of the city west of the Industrial Canal was already open for returnees to stay.
Spotty adherence
Previously, under the mayor's "look and leave" policy, residents of the newly reopened ZIP codes were allowed to enter their homes but were supposed to leave by 2 a.m. Those rules, however, have been widely ignored.
Nagin said a midnight-to-6 a.m. curfew will remain in effect east of the Industrial Canal, covering eastern New Orleans and the Lower 9th Ward. While residents there will still be technically required to exit by midnight each day, Nagin said police will not be forcing people who are inside their homes to leave.
The lifting of the curfew came as welcome news to many bar owners, who have been chafing at the restrictions, previously unheard of in New Orleans.
"We're very happy the mayor has gone ahead and done it," said Earl Bernhardt, president of the Bourbon Street Alliance and owner of five French Quarter bars. "It was essential that it be lifted, and we're very happy the mayor finally listened to our pleas."
Bar owners had said the curfew cost them money, forcing them to close their establishments even when they were full.
Dan King, chairman of the Hotel and Lodging Association of New Orleans, said he hopes dropping the curfew will help jump-start New Year's Eve celebrations. In the longer run, as hotel rooms now occupied by displaced residents empty, it should also spur regional tourists to return, he said.
"We're hoping we can get people to start visiting again," he said.
Restoring city's image
On a philosophical level, Bernhardt said the curfew went against the anything-goes ethos of New Orleans, home of the go-cup. It also sent the wrong message to would-be bar hoppers, he said.
"It's just not the same place (with a curfew)," he said. "This has always been the city that never closes, where the party never stops. The curfew put a damper on that image."
Adam Shipley, music director at Tipitina's, said the curfew cut into the city's musical traditions as well.
"New Orleans bands have always been bands that could play for as long as they wanted, and they always had the material to do it," he said. "When the Radiators played (on a recent weekend), it was the first time in 15 years when you knew exactly when the show was going to be over."
Bernhardt also said that keeping a curfew created an impression that the city was unsafe, though crime has remained extremely low since Katrina reduced the city's population.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Warren Riley on Wednesday said the force, which lost more than 200 officers to termination, resignation and retirement in the chaos of Katrina, will be able to handle the extra responsibilities all-night revelers will bring. With the city's population down by at least two-thirds, Riley said the force is actually much larger on a per-capita basis than it was before the storm. .......
http://www.nola.com/archives/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-4/1135250274277260.xml&coll=1