Tag: coronavirus

Capt. Anthony Caprera promoted to lead NOPD 8th District; ex-station chief demoted

A New Orleans Police lieutenant with the 8th District was promoted to the rank of captain on Friday and will now lead the station as its new commander.

Capt. Anthony Caprera (pictured left), who is now in charge of the 8th District, was promoted from lieutenant during a private ceremony in Superintendent Shaun Ferguson’s office on Friday, according to New Orleans Police.

Additionally, Capt. Preston Bax, formerly a lieutenant and assistant commander with New Orleans Police’s 4th District, was promoted to captain and commander of the 6th District during the same ceremony.

The ceremonies were held separately and in private in order to practice social/physical distancing measures to stop coronavirus spread, the New Orleans Police said.

NOPD 8th District officer dies after battle with coronavirus

Caprera takes on responsibility for the district, which includes the French Quarter, the Central Business District and parts, other parts of downtown and a portion of the Marigny.

Caprera replaced his former boss, Lt. Octavio Baldassaro (pictured right), who was demoted from captain following an undisclosed and ongoing internal administrative investigation conducted by the Public Integrity Bureau, New Orleans Police said.

Baldassaro was previously investigated for an excessive force incident in which he was filmed throwing a woman to the ground while arresting her for fighting during French Quarter Festival in 2019, but was later cleared of wrongdoing, according to The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate.

NOPD 8th District officer dies after battle with coronavirus

A 30-year New Orleans Police veteran and 8th District officer passed away on Thursday following complications from COVID-19, according to the department.

Mark Hall Sr., a police officer assigned to NOPD’s 8th District in the French Quarter, died Thursday after he was diagnosed with coronavirus on April 3.

Hall served more than 30 years with the department, most recently with the 8th District, when he died. The NOPD announced his passing in a public statement posted to Facebook.

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin gets early release from federal prison due to coronavirus pandemic

“It is with great sorry that the New Orleans Police Department announce the passing of a brother in blue due to complications from COVID-19,” the statement said. “Hall was a veteran of the NOPD with more than 30 years of service, most recently with the 8th District. Please keep his family in your prayers.”

The Louisiana Department of Health reported 447 coronavirus deaths and 6,557 confirmed cases in Orleans Parish, according to its most recent data published on Monday.

Additionally, public health officials on Monday reported a total of 29,673 confirmed coronavirus cases and at least 1,991 deaths statewide.

Former New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin gets early release from federal prison due to coronavirus pandemic

Former New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin was released early from federal prison Monday due to the COVID-19 pandemic after serving seven years of a 10-year sentence on corruption charges, according to The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate.

The former mayor walked out of jail early thanks to a memo from Attorney General William Barr that ordered the release of inmates who are at risk for coronavirus.

Nagin was a “perfect” candidate for release given his lack of prior criminal record and because he served, according to the Times-Picayune | Advocate.

Nagin served as mayor from 2002 to 2010 (re-elected in 2006 and terming out in 2010).

He was re-elected despite his response to Hurricane Katrina, but later indicted on 21 federal corruption charges related to accepting thousands of dollars in bribes and free granite slabs for a family business in exchange for city contracts.

A jury found Nagin guilty on 20 out of 21 charges and he was sentenced in 2014 to 10 years in prison, which was below the 15 to 20 years recommended by federal sentencing guidelines.

Mystic Krewe of Barkus launches fund to assist pet owners with vet care during COVID-19 pandemic

The Krewe of Barkus parade in 2009. Photo by Mark Gstohl | CC.

A fund was launched by the Mystic Krewe of Barkus on Sunday to assist pet owners with veterinarian care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Barkus is a canine-centric krewe. Founded in 1993, the krewe parades with dogs and their human companions through the French Quarter during Mardi Gras.

The fund, however, isn’t meant only for dogs.

The crowd-sourced Barkus COVID Care Fund was established by the krewe to help pay for urgent, non-emergency care for any pets.

Other serious veterinary care needed beyond routine procedures, including surgery and medications, will also be considered.

Additionally, pets with serious chronic health problems will be reviewed.

Since launching on April 13, the fund has generated more than $400.

Funding applications and instructions are found on barkus.org. The amount provided is determined on a case-by-case basis and goes directly to the veterinarian, not the individual.

For more information or to consider donating, email info@barkus.org or visit the krewe’s Facebook page.

Brennan’s bunny hops and pops champagne down Royal Street in uplifting, slightly terrifying Easter video

Courtesy of @CityOfNola.

Note: video is not optimized for smartphones or tablets.

Easter Sunday — a holiday normally celebrated with parades and festive crowds was instead marked by a lone Brennan’s restaurant Easter Bunny prancing down Royal Street with saber in hand, popping champagne bottles amid the backdrop of a shuttered and empty French Quarter during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city of New Orleans’ official Twitter account shared an April 11 video of a person in a bunny suit skipping down Royal Street and stopping twice to pop champagne bottles with a saber, all while reminding us to social distance six feet apart from each other.

A scene that normally depicts a bustling scene of pedestrians, traffic and commercial activity instead portrayed a picturesque, yet bleak urban landscape nearly devoid of human presence — with the exception of a person in a bunny suit holding a sword while skipping to a recorded singsong tune.

The video is an uplifting sign because the French Quarter hasn’t completely lost its weirdness during the pandemic.

A March 22 stay-at-home order issued by Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards closing nonessential businesses and limiting physical movements of citizens to curb the spread of coronavirus, and a proactive local campaign enforcing gatherings, has led to a virtual shutdown of the French Quarter and its tourist economy.

More than 525,000 presumptive cases, including at least 20,000 deaths, of coronavirus were reported in the U.S. on Sunday, according to data published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Louisiana public health officials have confirmed more than 20,000 cases of coronavirus, which is attributed to at least 840 deaths across the state, according to statistics reported on on Sunday.

At least 5,600 cases, and 235 deaths, attributed to coronavirus have been reported in Orleans Parish.

Thanks for the champagne, Brennan’s bunny. When the pandemic is over, quarter rats will be popping bottles too.