New Orleans Police responded to a reported bomb threat on Bourbon Street Thursday, although a bomb wasn’t located, officials said.
Police logs show the bomb threat was reported at about 8:40 p.m. in the 700 block of Bourbon Street.
Upon responding to the scene, police units investigated the area but did not discover anything to support a bomb threat, NOPD said.
A man operating a motorcycle died following a collision Saturday near the intersection of North Rampart and St. Philip streets, according to New Orleans Police.
The NOPD said the collision occurred at about 8:18 p.m. when the motorcyclist, identified as an adult Black male, attempted to change lanes and lost control of the motorcycle before crashing into two vehicles.
The victim was transported to a local trauma center by New Orleans Emergency Medical Services personnel, but died after arriving, the NOPD said.
A portion of Decatur Street is scheduled to be closed for up to two days starting Tuesday to conduct water main repair assessment, according to the Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans.
The SWB said the Canal Street-bound lane of Decatur Street from Dumaine Street to Wilkinson Street will be closed starting at 9 a.m. to begin work assessing and cleaning the water main.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane and for local traffic only starting at Dumaine Street and leading up to Wilkinson Street. The lane closure will be lifted at 4 p.m. to minimize the impact on traffic, according to the SWB.
Signs and traffic control measures, such as barrels and fencing, will be onsite to direct drivers and pedestrians.
The traffic lane closures are for the initial phase of work. An upcoming work phase that will require an additional lane closure in the same location has not yet been announced, although details will be announced before work commences, the SWB said.
For questions or additional information, email outreach@swbno.org.
A gunman who shot a person on Decatur Street last week was injured with his own firearm by the victim, who managed to take the weapon away during a physical altercation, according to New Orleans Police.
The incident occurred shortly after 12:30 a.m. on Nov. 6 in the 200 block of Decatur Street, according to NOPD logs. Police said that the alleged shooter, identified as 38-year-old Justin Webber, shot the victim and then a fight ensued between both individuals.
During the altercation on the ground, the victim grabbed the gun and shot Webber, wounding him, according to the NOPD. Officials added that Webber was caught at the scene and was transported to a local hospital, along with the victim.
Police said Webber is suspected of various gun crimes, including illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and illegally possessing a gun in an alcoholic beverage outlet.
Two New Orleans City Council members have proposed the designation of a permanent historic landmark at 1031 Canal St., where three construction workers were killed and dozens more were injured in the 2019 collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel.
In a joint press release issued Wednesday, District “C” Councilmember Freddie King and At-Large Councilmember Helena Moreno said they’ve brought a motion to initiate the process of designating the collapse site as a historic landmark and memorial to honor the lives of Jose Ponce Arreola, Anthony Magrette and Quinnyon Wimberly, who were killed following the Oct. 12, 2019 collapse of the Hard Rock Hotel during construction.
The landmark will also mark the location of the 1960 Woolworth lunch counter civil rights sit-in.
If the historic designation is approved, any future development of the location will require oversight from by Central Business District Historic District Landmark Commission, city officials said.
The proposal came in response to requests from family members of the three men who died in the collapse, according to officials.
Before the building was ultimately demolished, the bodies of Arreola and Wimberly remained in the ruins of the collapse Hard Rock Hotel for months, allegedly because recovery teams weren’t able to reach them due to the instability of the collapsed structure.
In prepared statements, King said recognizing the site’s historical significance is a priority for his office, while Moreno said she hopes to “move forward expeditiously to get this done.”
“This site stands as a reminder of pivotal moments, from the courageous civil rights sit-in to the tragic Hard Rock Hotel collapse. Preserving places like this is essential to honoring our community’s history, reminding us of our resilience and the lessons we carry forward,” King said.
A motion for the proposed landmark will be heard Thursday at the New Orleans City Council meeting at 11 a.m. The meeting can be viewed in person or live at Council.Nola.Gov/Live.
