New Orleans - Questions are mounting about a specific recovery fund controlled solely by the Nagin administration.
It's called the state's revolver fund, a fund used to advance money for programs that are ultimately reimbursed by FEMA.
There's growing concern about whether this critical fund will be depleted far sooner than expected.
Councilman Arnie Fielkow says, "I'm very concerned about number one, are those contracts actually going to be reimbursed. Number two, I want to know if they're going to use revolver dollars for it and if we're going to get reimbursement for those revolver dollars. That's going to put the next administration and the next city council in a very tough position."
Some are predicting that the revolver fund will be depleted by June, a month after Mayor-Elect Mitch Landrieu is sworn in.
Landrieu says, "If you get there and the state revolver fund is depleted and the money's been spent on ineligible projects, it makes the recovery much more difficult and I would encourage the city of new orleans in the next 55 days to be ready to circumspect about that."
A FOX 8 investigation revealed that serious questions were raised last month by the city's former Capital Project's Director, Bill Chrisman.
Chrisman sent an internal memo, obtained by FOX 8 to CAO Brenda Hatfield. In the memo, he expressed concern about the use of the fund and specifically mentioned a number of contracts that started off with cost estimates of hundreds of thousands of dollars and ended up in the millions.
For example, controversial contractor MWH Global, which serves as the project manager for a number of major recovery projects.
In the memo, it's stated that MWH is billing the city at a higher rate than allowed for in federally subsidized projects.
According to our investigative partners at the Lens, the administration forwarded an amendment on MWH's contract to Chrisman's office for approval.
Chrisman, though, rejected it. A couple of weeks later, he was terminated.
Fielkow says the council is reviewing what legal jurisdiction it may have.
Mitch Landrieu and his transition team are very concerned.
Landrieu sent a letter, just after the election, to Mayor Nagin requesting that he not enter into any new contracts that will have long term implications. Landrieu says he has not gotten a formal response to that letter from Nagin.
Monalisa Hunter spends a lot of time wondering -- what might have been -- for two of her sons gunned down in the summer of 2006. Now she wonders -- what will be-- since the man convicted of killing them and three others was granted a new trial. Hunter says, "I went through it the first time. I am asking God to get me through this time, because I want to be there to know the truth. I know the DAs have tough times on their hands, but this is a very tough one here."
A tough one, getting tougher by the day. A judge ordered a new trial for Michael Anderson due to new evidence discovered after the trial -- a video tape the DA's office turned over of the sole eyewitness, contradicting some of what she said in court. Now, the lead investigator in the Anderson murder case, Jeffrey Lehrmann, is the same former NOPD officer federal investigators now say helped cover up the truth in the Danziger bridge shooting.
On the day a jury convicted Anderson for killing five Mid-City teens, DA Leon Cannizzaro praised Lehrmann for his dedication to the case. Now FOX 8 legal analyst Joe Raspanti says it is a certainty Anderson's lawyers will use Lehrmann's involvement in Danziger to poke holes in the Anderson case. Raspanti explains, "If he is the lead investigator and he is sitting on the stand talking about things, you are going to wear him out asking him about his integrity and is it his usual policy to lie on reports.
Markee and Arsenio Hunter's mom wonders if she will ever know the truth about who killed her sons. Monalisa Hunter says, "I am not the police. I am not the DA. I wasn't out there that night. Really and truly, I do not know who committed the crime, but it was a terrible crime where someone should be punished for it." Punishment the DA will have a tougher time convincing a jury to deliver with a key player in question.
The Orleans Parish District Attorney's office tells us it is evaluating and determining the appropriate course of action in regard to the Anderson case. The DA does still plan to appeal to the 4th circuit, hoping to have Michael Anderson's capital murder conviction reinstated.
New Orleans - Business owners have been using surveillance cameras for years, recording crimes on tape or even catching their employees red-handed.
Crimestoppers says more people should consider the added security option.
It can be the piece of evidence that makes or breaks a case for police.
On march 3rd, a man accused of sexually assaulting a nursing home resident turned himself in to NOPD after surveillance video aired on TV.
2 days later, police used surveillance pictures again to identify and track down a suspect in a home invasion and armed robbery.
And now, the most recent case involving Houston businessman Douglas Schantz, surveillance cameras helped point police in the right direction as they investigated his disappearance.
Video from a number of cameras led police to the riverfront, where they recovered the oil executive's body, 5 days after he went missing.
Steve Tan at So Good Jewelry says in the two years he's been in business on Decatur Street he's never had a problem, but his six cameras do give him peace of mind.
"I think my surveillance very helpful at night, never know what's gonna happen here," he says.
His store's cameras weren't able to help the NOPD in the Douglas Schantz investigation, but Darlene Cusanza with Crimestoppers calls the technology an invaluable tool in so many other cases.
"It's critical because they build a history of what someone did. They zero in and investigate the case. We encourage people, residents and businesses to get them. It's a very helpful tool for law enforcement," Cusanza says.
New Orleans - Business owners have been using surveillance cameras for years, recording crimes on tape or even catching their employees red-handed.
Crimestoppers says more people should consider the added security option.
It can be the piece of evidence that makes or breaks a case for police.
On march 3rd, a man accused of sexually assaulting a nursing home resident turned himself in to NOPD after surveillance video aired on TV.
2 days later, police used surveillance pictures again to identify and track down a suspect in a home invasion and armed robbery.
And now, the most recent case involving Houston businessman Douglas Schantz, surveillance cameras helped point police in the right direction as they investigated his disappearance.
Video from a number of cameras led police to the riverfront, where they recovered the oil executive's body, 5 days after he went missing.
Steve Tan at So Good Jewelry says in the two years he's been in business on Decatur Street he's never had a problem, but his six cameras do give him peace of mind.
"I think my surveillance very helpful at night, never know what's gonna happen here," he says.
His store's cameras weren't able to help the NOPD in the Douglas Schantz investigation, but Darlene Cusanza with Crimestoppers calls the technology an invaluable tool in so many other cases.
"It's critical because they build a history of what someone did. They zero in and investigate the case. We encourage people, residents and businesses to get them. It's a very helpful tool for law enforcement," Cusanza says.

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After being forced from their homes by the British, a group of Acadian exiles eventually made their way to the small river town of St. Gabriel, Louisiana. The Spanish governor in New Orleans wanted a settlement near his western border with the British, who controlled Baton Rouge. The Acadians were given free land, which included a place to build a catholic church. St. Gabriel catholic church was completed in 1776.
"This church was built by the Acadians who were sent here. They were some Acadians who had been deported from what's now Nova Scotia," says Eugene Leblanc, a St. Gabriel parishoner.
St. Gabriel Catholic Church is the oldest surviving church building in the Mississippi River Valley. The giant cypress beams that support this church were cut by hand 240 years ago.
"I can remember coming here to this church and being baptized and made my first communion here," Leblanc says.
Eugene Leblanc can trace his ancestors to the beginning of this old church. The original building had a porch, but that was removed more than a century ago, a taller steeple was added, and three times, the building had to be moved further back from the Mississippi River. in 1953, church services moved to a new brick building.
The church's location in St. Gabriel, between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, proved to be an important site. Spanish soldiers and local militias of Acadians, Germans and Creoles camped here on their way to battle the British fort at Baton Rouge. The force was led by Spanish governor Bernardo De Galvez from New Orleans.
"He figured that the safest way and the best way to defeat, protect New Orleans was to get the British the heck out of the area," says Clifford Normand, a member of sons of the American Revolution.
The first skirmish occurred near St. Gabriel at Bayou Manchac, which provided a back door to Lake Pontchartrain, New Orleans, and the Gulf of Mexico.
It was also the dividing line between the Spanish and British territory in Louisiana. And it was the site of a British outpost called Fort Bute.
"And he let the militia lead the charge. Of course the fort wasn't very heavily manned, there were only about 20 or 30 troops in the fort. But they went in and were able to capture the fort," Normand says.
The British consolidated their defenses at Baton Rouge, at a fort overlooking the Mississippi River, near the present day state capitol.
"Galvez realized when he went to attack that if he attacked it head on with militia and his regular troops that he would probably be severely defeated," he says.
The Spanish set up a diversion on the opposite side of the British fort, firing shots and drawing attention away from movements of Galvez to the south, where cannons were positioned for a morning attack.
"The British stayed up all night shooting at the diversion people. In the meantime he set up all his cannons on the opposite side of the fort, and when the fog finally cleared he started firing on the fort from the opposite direction. And the British had their cannon all facing the wrong direction. He was able to blast them out," Normand says.
Normand has 7 ancestors who fought the British with Galvez's army in what became a crucial, but almost forgotten campaign in the fight for independence.
"What this in essence did, it freed up the Mississippi so that supplies could easily be shipped up the river to the northeast and also to Washington," Normand said.
It's an unlikely link to the past, for a small Acadian church, which can trace its origin to the very beginning of a new nation.
After defeating the British in the battle of Baton Rouge, Governor Galvez and his forces went on to overthrow British forts at Mobile and Pensacola.

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New Orleans - HUD is asking questions about a property HANO gave to a New Orleans non-profit that turned up for sale on Craig's List.
Back in 2007 HANO was looking to get rid of some scattered site low-income properties so the agency started giving them away.
2318 Chippewa went to Galilee Housing Initiative and Community Development Corporation.
Galilee agreed to renovate the property then use it to house homeless people and the disabled. Three years later it doesn't look like any work's been done.
Although David Yanes, who lives next door, says there is at least one homeless person living here.
"She's no threat but she's noisy at times. And you know, you don't want to be calling the police on somebody that's in that situation because to me she's harmless she's just a nuisance," said Yanes.
When HUD approved the donation to Galilee it ordered HANO to add language to the paperwork giving the property back if it wasn't used for its intended purpose.
That language does not appear in the Act of Donation.
A spokesperson for HUD says the omission doesn't bother her because Galilee has said it will move forward with renovations as soon as the non-profit can get funding.
"The HUD spokeswoman was concerned by another issue we brought to her attention. If Galilee wanted to sell property it got from HANO for free, it would have to get approval from HUD first. We found the building for sale on Craig's List with an asking price of $230,000."
In an email to our investigative partner The Lens, HUD's spokesperson wrote that it is talking to Galilee about the advertisement on Craig's List.
David Yanes just hopes, whoever owns, or ends up owning the property, will fix it up soon.
HANO donated another property to Galilee, an apartment building at the corner of Washington and Dryades.
That building has been renovated.
We tried to reach HANO and a representative from Galilee. No one returned our calls.
For more information on this story visit http://thelensnola.org

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BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — An attempt by a Republican Louisiana lawmaker to nullify a federal health care overhaul before it's approved by Congress would be ridiculous and premature, the Democratic leader of the state House of Representatives said Tuesday.
Rep. Karen St. Germain, head of the House Democratic Caucus, said Tuesday that it was too soon for state lawmakers to issue a "blanket no" to federal legislation that hasn't even been completed.
"I find it kind of demeaning to the Legislature to automatically say 'no' before we even know what it's about or the people that it helps or the people that it hurts," said St. Germain, D-Plaquemine. "I'm a little tired of the people who are there to criticize but have no solutions."
A bill filed by Republican Sen. A.G. Crowe asserts states' rights to refuse the federal mandates proposed in the congressional Democrats' health care legislation. State lawmakers will consider the proposal, called the Louisiana Health Care Freedom Act, in the regular session that begins March 29.
Crowe's bill mirrors similar legislation proposed in more than 30 other states. Virginia was the first state to enact such a proposal when a bill that says no state resident shall be required to get health insurance became law last week, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. A similar measure awaits a decision from Arizona voters in November, according to NCSL.
The health overhaul championed by President Barack Obama and led by congressional Democrats remains stymied in Congress in the face of staunch Republican opposition. Democratic leaders are trying to pull together a compromise plan that can get final passage.
Crowe, R-Slidell, said the federal government doesn't have the right to require a state to enact proposals opposed by the state's residents.
"We want to make the fundamental argument about the power of the federal government," Crowe said. He added, "This is about states' rights, which in turn mean individual rights."
St. Germain said state lawmakers should wait to see what emerges from Congress, determine its effects on state citizens and businesses and discuss the final health care legislation with constituents before deciding how Louisiana's Legislature should proceed.
"A blanket no before we even see what it is, that's ridiculous," she said. "Before we say no and lose something for our citizens, we need to look at it."
Crowe's bill references U.S. Supreme Court rulings and the U.S. Constitution. The bill says health care and insurance are not issues delegated to the federal government under the Constitution. It contends the federal government can't force states to pay for unfunded mandates and that the federal government can't require people to buy insurance.
Gov. Bobby Jindal hasn't taken a position on Crowe's proposal, but a Jindal spokesman said the governor would consider the idea if the congressional health care legislation is approved.
___
On the Net:
Senate Bill 26 can be found at www.legis.state.la.us
©2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — An attempt by a Republican Louisiana lawmaker to nullify a federal health care overhaul before it's approved by Congress would be ridiculous and premature, the Democratic leader of the state House of Representatives said Tuesday.
Rep. Karen St. Germain, head of the House Democratic Caucus, said Tuesday that it was too soon for state lawmakers to issue a "blanket no" to federal legislation that hasn't even been completed.
"I find it kind of demeaning to the Legislature to automatically say 'no' before we even know what it's about or the people that it helps or the people that it hurts," said St. Germain, D-Plaquemine. "I'm a little tired of the people who are there to criticize but have no solutions."
A bill filed by Republican Sen. A.G. Crowe asserts states' rights to refuse the federal mandates proposed in the congressional Democrats' health care legislation. State lawmakers will consider the proposal, called the Louisiana Health Care Freedom Act, in the regular session that begins March 29.
Crowe's bill mirrors similar legislation proposed in more than 30 other states. Virginia was the first state to enact such a proposal when a bill that says no state resident shall be required to get health insurance became law last week, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. A similar measure awaits a decision from Arizona voters in November, according to NCSL.
The health overhaul championed by President Barack Obama and led by congressional Democrats remains stymied in Congress in the face of staunch Republican opposition. Democratic leaders are trying to pull together a compromise plan that can get final passage.
Crowe, R-Slidell, said the federal government doesn't have the right to require a state to enact proposals opposed by the state's residents.
"We want to make the fundamental argument about the power of the federal government," Crowe said. He added, "This is about states' rights, which in turn mean individual rights."
St. Germain said state lawmakers should wait to see what emerges from Congress, determine its effects on state citizens and businesses and discuss the final health care legislation with constituents before deciding how Louisiana's Legislature should proceed.
"A blanket no before we even see what it is, that's ridiculous," she said. "Before we say no and lose something for our citizens, we need to look at it."
Crowe's bill references U.S. Supreme Court rulings and the U.S. Constitution. The bill says health care and insurance are not issues delegated to the federal government under the Constitution. It contends the federal government can't force states to pay for unfunded mandates and that the federal government can't require people to buy insurance.
Gov. Bobby Jindal hasn't taken a position on Crowe's proposal, but a Jindal spokesman said the governor would consider the idea if the congressional health care legislation is approved.
___
On the Net:
Senate Bill 26 can be found at www.legis.state.la.us
©2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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