Tag: French Quarter

Large oak tree branch falls, injures teen in Jackson Square

Photos by Eric T. Styles
A male teenager was critically injured after a large branch of an oak tree snapped off and fell on him Friday afternoon in Jackson Square.

The teen was rushed to the hospital, where he received treatment for his injures. His condition isn’t known at this time.

It’s not clear what caused the large branch to break off from the tree. Witnesses at the scene heard screaming and a crowd gathered at the scene to and pulled away debris in an attempt to rescue the teenager.

Shortly after the incident, a bucket truck was at the scene, where workers were seen cutting down the rest of the tree.

Hurricane Ida makes landfall in the French Quarter

Hurricane Ida has made landfall in the French Quarter. I produced a short video with some of the footage I filmed from the balcony of my Toulouse Street home. Thankfully, there was no major damage, although the storm gave us a pretty good scare.

Video by Eric T Styles

French Market hosting free COVID-19 testing Tuesday and Wednesday

(Photo: The French Market in 2017. | xiquinhosilva/CC)
The French Market will host a free, walk-up COVID-19 testing set on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The testing site is in partnership with the New Orleans Health Department and will be located at the Flea Market space located at 1235 N. Peters St. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on June 30 and July 1.

Oral swab tests will be given, with results available in three to four days.

Appointments, insurance and IDs are not required.

Only people not showing symptoms are asked to get tested at this location. If you are showing symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to coronavirus, call the Louisiana Department of Health directly at 877-766-2130.

The Louisiana Department of Health on Monday reported 7,796 and 532 cumulative coronavirus cases and deaths, respectively, in Orleans Parish.

Suspects sought by NOPD in connection to residential burglary on Burgundy Street

(Photo: NOPD)
New Orleans Police are asking the public’s help in identifying suspects wanted in connection to a Tuesday residential burglary in the French Quarter.

The burglary occurred shortly after 9 p.m. when two suspects (pictured above at left) entered the side walkway into the rear courtyard of a residence in the 1000 block of Burgundy Street, according to New Orleans Police.

The suspects allegedly took two firearms, two bicycles and a backpack before fleeing the location towards Esplanade Avenue.

About six hours later, at about 3 a.m. on June 24, an unknown Black male (pictured above at right) used a credit card belonging to one of the victims at the Brown Derby convenience store on Tulane Avenue and Jefferson Davis Parkway, according to New Orleans Police.

Anyone with additional information on the incident or the identities and locations of the suspects is asked to contact NOPD Eighth District Detectives at 504-658-6080. Anonymous callers can contact Crimestoppers of Greater New Orleans at 504-822-1111 or toll-free at 877-903-7867.

Woman arrested in connection to Decatur Street business burglary

Today marks 47 years since nearly 3 dozen were killed in the UpStairs Lounge fire

(Photo: Location of the former UpStairs Lounge; picture taken in 2016 by Infrogmation | CC)
Wednesday marked 47 years since nearly three dozen people were killed in the UpStairs Lounge fire at 141 Chartres St. in the French Quarter.

The fire was first reported shortly before 8 p.m. on June 24, 1973 as people were enjoying a party on the second floor of the building during the last day of Pride Weekend.

While arson is suspected, no one was ever prosecuted. The fire is often forgotten even though it was the deadliest known attack on an LGBTQ+ club until the 2016 Pulse nightclub mass shooting in Orlando.

The fire’s anniversary comes days after the six-alarm blaze at the Quarter House hotel at 129 Chartres St. in which two firefighters were injured, just a few doors down near where The Jimani bar now sits.

UPDATED Crews battle 6-alarm blaze at Quarter House Hotel; two firefighters injured

The UpStairs fire killed 32 people and injured 15 more. Two white males who died in the fire have not been identified. Those who died include:

Willie Inez Warren, 59
James Curtis Warren, 26
Eddie Hosea Warren, 24
Luther Boggs, 47
Rev. William R. Larson, 47
Dr. Perry Lane Waters, Jr., 41
Horace “Skip” Getchell, 35
Leon Richard Maples, 31
George Steven “Bud” Matyi, 27
James Wall Hambrick, 45
Larry Dean Stratton, 25,
Joe William Bailey, 29
Clarence Joseph McCloskey, Jr., 48
Adam Roland Fontenot, 32
Ferris LeBlanc, 50
Donald Walter Dunbar, 21
Kenneth Paul Harrington, 48
Gerald Hoyt Gordon, 37
John Thomas Golding, Sr., 49
Douglas Maxwell Williams, 20
Robert Lumpkin, 29
David Stuart Gary, 22
Guy D. Anderson, 41
Duane George Mitchell, 31
Louis Horace Broussard, 26
Reginald Adams, Jr., 24
Joseph Henry Adams, 51
Herbert Dean Cooley, 32
Glenn Richard Green, 32
Larry Norman Frost, 32