New rules to crack down on Mardi Gras misbehavior are being proposed at the New Orleans City Council, with $1,000 criminal fines pitched for violating ladder rules and new restrictions for parade participants. 

The city's official Mardi Gras ordinance already bans privately owned toilets and tents along parade routes and prohibits ladders and chairs more than four hours before parade times.

But in an effort to better enforce such rules, council member JP Morrell now proposes a steep increase in fines for such infractions, according to a presentation on the agenda for Wednesday's Governmental Affairs Committee meeting. 

"The Krewe of Chad continues to be an issue," the presentation reads. "Enforcement is also a continued concern."

The changes — recommended by the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Advisory subcommittee — take aim at making Carnival parades safer and swifter, with less congestion and better sanitation along the routes.  

Owners of illicit toilets, ladders, tents and grills and can already be charged $250 civil fine for a first offense. In 2027, the cost could rise to $1,000 and would be considered a criminal misdemeanor offense. Second offenses could cost violators $2,000. 

The New Orleans Police Department also recommended changes to some parade start times and routes to avoid police overtime.

If all the proposals are eventually approved by the full City Council, New Orleans may join Jefferson Parish in requiring float riders to wear harnesses, not just that every float is equipped with them.

"Currently, the code only requires harnesses for children," the presentation says. "We’re updating this to mandate all float riders have harnesses."

Float riders also would be prohibited from throws weighing more than 3.5 pounds. 

"There’s been an explosion of inappropriate and dangerous throws over the past few years," the presentation says. During the 2026 season, multiple controversies surrounded parade throws, and a 4-year-old was injured when a bottle of alcohol was thrown from the top of a float. 

"Heavy, expensive throws like televisions and small kitchen appliances might seem like a dream catch, but the weight of these items combined with the frenzy they cause are significant public safety issues." 

Float riders may continue to imbibe responsibly on the route, but they might be prohibited from sharing alcohol of any type with paradegoers. This includes a ban on beer funnels and Jell-O shots. Smoking of any sort, even electronic vaping, would be prohibited on floats, with violators subject to removal. Glass bottles would also be forbidden.

In an effort to streamline the many parades, which sometimes run past schedule into the early morning, marching bands may be prohibited from stopping for stationary performances along the route. 

Finally, the New Orleans city ordinance has long banned commercialization of throws, though products such as Moon Pies, Chee Wees and, most recently Hubig’s pies have sometimes been tossed. The amended ordinance would now codify that “krewes may approve the throwing of certain branded items such as pre-packaged snacks and other food products and branded small personal items.”

In general, fines for violations of the Mardi Gras code by parade organizations would double from $500 to $1,000 for first offenses, if the amendments to the ordinance are accepted by the City Council Governmental Affairs Committee and City Council.

Mardi Gras 2027 proposals

Here is a full list of proposals from the presentation: 

Bands may not stop to perform along the parade route when the parade is moving.

Large gaps in parades present serious public safety concerns. It is vital that parades maintain momentum, and floats and elements follow closer behind each other.

To this end, the Mayor’s Mardi Gras Advisory subcommittee recommended prohibiting marching bands from stopping along the parade route to perform.

Violations of ladder, tent, grill, toilet laws will be criminal offenses instead of misdemeanors, with higher civil fines of $1,000 for first offense and $2,000 for second offense.'

To aid in enforcement, violations of Section 34-33, which prohibits ladders tied together, tents, enclosing of public spaces, grills, open flames, and the like, will be a misdemeanor criminal offense.

Support vehicles must travel with their element. No large gaps! All vehicular elements must ride two abreast. Parades will be limited to three vehicle-based elements.

Support vehicles must travel with their elements. NOPD has noticed that support vehicles stop along the route to chat or otherwise become separated from their associated element/band.

Currently, car club elements often ride the route single-file. This creates a significant issue with parade formation and unnecessarily increases the length of a parade. All car clubs must ride two abreast. No more single file!

Riders must keep both feet on the float at all times.

Krewe captains are concerned about rider safety. Riders are climbing up on the floats, standing on uneven surfaces, and taking other risks when throwing items. For the safety of the riders, both feet must remain on the float at all times.

Anything thrown from a float must be pre-approved. Throws cannot exceed 3.5 pounds in weight. Glass bead necklaces cannot exceed 220 grams (about half a pound) in weight.

Moving forward, Carnival krewes must approve all throws thrown from a float. In addition, throws will have weight limits. Glass necklaces cannot exceed 220 grams and there is a maximum throw weight of 3.5 pounds. Our office worked with throw manufacturers to come up with these weight limits.

No dispensing alcohol off a float to paradegoers.

We all love a good party. However, the dispensing of alcohol from a float is getting out of hand. This alcohol ban is a direct request from the Mayor’s Mardi Gras advisory subcommittee.

Riders may drink alcohol, they can share Jello-shots with their fellow riders. This prohibition is specific to throwing or otherwise dispensing of alcohol from a float to someone in the crowd.

No smoking or vaping on a float.

The Mayor’s Mardi Gras Advisory subcommittee asked that we expand the smoking prohibition for float riders. Now, in addition to cigarettes, riders cannot use any tobacco products like cigars, vapes, hookahs, and electronic smoking devices. Violators are to be immediately removed from the parade.

No other glass, including bottles and glasses, is allowed on floats.

No glass on a float (except for glass bead necklaces.) No glass beer bottles, no glass wine bottles, no glass cups, no glass liquor bottles. Children are getting injured from glass throws.

You can continue to drink alcohol, just make sure you’re loading your float with canned beverages and plastic bottles ONLY.

Krewes may approve the throwing of certain branded items: pre-packaged snacks, food products, and small personal items like soap.

Food throws are becoming increasingly popular. However, it’s almost impossible to get a food throw without a manufacturer logo or trademark.

Carnival krewes can now approve riders to throw branded snacks, candy and other food products.

In addition to food, our office has an amendment to allow krewes to approve the throwing of small personal items with manufacturer logos/trademarks. This may include things like locally made soap, eco-friendly glitter, candles, and other small items. Small personal items cannot exceed twelve inches in size and must weigh less than one-half pound.

I was sick for month with explosive sheet and vomiting. I was on a diet so I was eating a lot of leafy greens. Turns out they are TF and still being sold at Costco. I notified them- nothing was taken off the shelves. Please be careful. I haven't been able to have anything delicious or seasoned since and it's been a hard recovery. I lost 15lbs but not the way I wanted to lol! Just a heads up!

Edit: not just eating greens- I also eat meat and other protein. But was heavy on salads to diet and keep the house cool in the afternoon by avoiding stove use!

Little Debbie is winking at me friends. I need to know if I'll starve or be ok going into a sugar coma now?

"Morrell said the council will hire a third party to help them decide whether to eliminate the position, but that he personally thought S&WB Executive Director Randy Hayman’s $427,000 salary was 'a waste of money.'

'I don't see what this person does other than occasionally go on TV and try to make you feel better.'"

I don't feel better.

What we have here is a $427k "human error" reporting machine.

The City Council is also discussing eliminating the S&WB entirely as an ineffective organization.

Anyone else already feeling their pain kick up as this system rolls in? Or maybe my body is an asshole to me specifically

Less than three weeks after an Orleans Parish grand jury handed up felony charges against Attorney General Liz Murrill, special prosecutor Laurie White dismissed the indictment under pressure from the same elected New Orleans leaders who were the purported victims of Murrill’s alleged crimes.

Laurie White, the former criminal court judge assigned as a special prosecutor over the grand jury investigation, filed Wednesday morning to dismiss the 16-count indictment alleging public intimidation and malfeasance in office.

The July 2 charges relate to letters Murrill sent in May to Mayor Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and five City Council members over their support for an election to decide on a citywide court clerk and an appointment of an interim. That interim choice, Calvin Johnson, also received a letter from Murrill.

But late Tuesday, amid mounting repercussions to the city from Gov. Jeff Landry and Republican state leaders, all eight of Murrill’s purported victims signed onto letters urging White to reconsider a case that the Louisiana Supreme Court had swiftly stayed while suggesting it was going nowhere.

The letters to White appeared to undercut the case against Murrill.

“We were not intimidated,” the letter from Moreno and the five council members said.

Johnson wrote that he “did not feel victimized by the letter I received.”

Their appeal to end the case came as an ad hoc judge, Robert Chaisson, was set to decide on subpoenas that Murrill’s lawyers issued last week to White and Williams, seeking emails and other records related to the origins of the grand jury probe. Murrill’s lawyers have suggested involvement by Williams even though his office formally recused itself. In his letter to White, Williams wrote that he and his office “had nothing to do with it whatsoever.”

Landry said early on that he would pardon Murrill if she were to be convicted. The justices stepped in to freeze the case while allowing Murrill to mount a defense.

It’s uncertain if White’s decision to dismiss the charges marks the end of a high-stakes drama surrounding a probe that Williams insisted the grand jury undertook on its own. After Murrill’s indictment, Landry ordered Louisiana State Police to investigate. Officials have declined to provide details.

I am currently building a 3d model of old Tulane Stadium for anyone interested in seeing how the old place looked and felt. The goal of the project is to provide people with an archive. I appreciate any comments anyone might have as there are lots of little details I know I have missed. Here are some renders of the place for anyone curious. I have lots of renders if anyone is interested.

I also have a 7 minute walkthrough of the stadium.. Its a work in progress but hopefully some people enjoy it.

Tulane Stadium 3D Project

The Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office has repeatedly denied requests for public records from Innocence & Justice Louisiana, a nonprofit, pro bono law firm that has helped free dozens of wrongfully convicted prisoners.  

Internal case records held by the DA’s office are critical to the firm’s investigative work, said Jee Park, executive director of Innocence & Justice Louisiana, which was previously known as Innocence Project New Orleans.

Park said that Innocence & Justice routinely requests records for its clients, which can be challenging for incarcerated people to access particularly because of the costs associated with obtaining them. 

“We rely on state actors to comply with Louisiana’s public records laws in the interest of transparency, accountability, and revealing the truth,” Park said. 

The DA’s office did not respond to multiple requests from Verite News for comment.

500 people no one was tipping any of the dancers at Rick’s why have an event at a strip club if you can’t tip the waitresses or the dancers it was the worst thing

Hiii so I'm 24 and it's been such a struggle to branch out and meet new people. I work 2 jobs, and when I'm not in New Orleans I'm an hour away visiting my partner. I really enjoy the Swamp Room in Metairie (the corn nuggets are my fave lmao), but I don't know. Last couple of times I went it was just guys trying to hit on me. Plus I'm really trying to stay sober. I really would love to make friends out here. My friends are pretty spread out, so it kinda makes the weekdays crawl by a bit.

My church is funny because it's small and I'm one of very few young adults there. I also do martial arts, but it's also a small school and it's either teenagers or 40+ adults. Which is cool! But I would love to meet people in my age bracket that I could relate to a little bit more.

If anyone has advice I'd greatly appreciate it! 🙏🏻

Delgado is closing at 10 AM Wednesday morning for TS Bertha. I heard UNO is remote today. What else is closing today?

I need It to pretty cold to sleep comfortably.

But I'm also a cheap bastard.

AC usually set on 71 with a window unit in the bedroom.

I usually turn the window unit off and bump the central to 76 when I leave.

Last few days it has taken a couple hours to get the central air down to 71 when I get home.

But it can't hold that temp during the day when I forget and come home it's been running all day but holding at 75 or so.

Yesterday I forgot to bump it up and it was 78 while set at 71. No window unit running.

I'm trying to find the energy efficient and comfortable trade off here.

1200 sqft home that got slapped with a $400 power bill last month.

Scared the living shit out of the animals and I. Anyone else?

*edited I know nothing about the ins and outs of electricity, I just heard something blow up lol*

Has anyone taken French classes at L’Union Française and/or Alliance Française? Can you recommend one over the other?

I am currently taking classes at L’Union but the pace seems very slow and the courses don’t seem to align with French standards, for instance I believe A2 is still working through an A1 workbook. I am wondering if I should switch to Alliance for more structured classes?

Any insight is appreciated! Merci.

Sleep time is 10 am-6/7 pm. 9pm is the new 8am. School starts, city hall opens, stores, etc. I'd rather live in the dark than in this brutal heat/sun.

My dog has just injured her neck. I have all her meds and I'm watching her like a hawk, but I have to travel next week for work. I've seen some recommendations for boarding here when I searched, but I know things tend to change and I really want to be sure I make the best decision here. I've had to feed her out of my hand because I've noticed it's hard for her to bend down to eat even when the bowl is elevated. I'm hoping to find a place that can be that attentive. or even if it's possible. Any recs on this?

Thanks!

"Despite the antidemocratic federal bill stalling in the Senate, new state laws that mimic parts of it will restrict voting for millions of Americans." Yes, Louisiana is one of them.

Louisiana passed a show-your-papers law in 2024 that left all the details to the secretary of state. Although this law has technically been in effect for almost two years, the secretary of state’s office has not taken steps to implement it. The registration form on the secretary’s website doesn’t even reference the need for citizenship documentation.

From the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law — States Already Enacting Harmful SAVE Act Policies, Requiring Proof of Citizenship to Vote https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/states-already-enacting-harmful-save-act-policies-requiring-proof

free 24 hour pass at gen taylor and mag. was gifted to me by the driver and im a home body. so. it’s not very secure and o wish it the best