Category Archives: illegal economy

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A Red Light Look at New Orleans History

Wednesday: THNOC librarian & curator Pamela Arceneaux, sheds light on the history of prostitution with library presentation in Gentilly
Wednesday, May 21 • 6 p.m.
Norman Mayer Library
3001 Gentilly Boulevard
Admission is free.

Pamela Arceneaux, THNOC senior librarian/rare books curator, will present a lively history of prostitution in New Orleans, including references to the “correctional” girls and the casket girls, quadroon balls and the system of plaçage, red light areas prior to Storyville, prominent personalities, the Blue Books, jazz, and the demise of Storyville.
She will discuss the popular topic again on Wednesday, May 28, at 6 p.m. at the Algiers Regional Library, 3014 Holiday Drive.

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Artist colony in our midst

I think there is a lot to be discovered about self organization, itinerant communities, illegal and informal activities and much more from the Jackson Square community. There is much good and maybe some bad to this place no doubt, and the more that city officials, police and nearby businesses and residents understand it and specifically understand how the space works (or doesn’t) with new groups taking control at different times of day and events, the better.
Jackson Square artists

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Notes from meeting with city about Jackson Square issues

Jackson Square meeting

Scott Hutcheson, Asante Salaam, and city attorney had a second meeting with folks interested in maintaining Jackson Square as a dynamic public space.
Artist, musician and psychic spokespeople were in attendance and spoke convincingly about their wish for a viable community space in Jackson Square. Here are my notes from the meeting: in the notes below, the statements were made by the artists, musicians and readers that attended the meeting. SH is Scott Hutcheson, Mayor’s Advisor on Cultural Economy and is the city staff person who responded during meeting, and his responses are in italics. Overall, it was a very amiable meeting.

SH has talked to Farmers Market Corporation (FMC)
FMC security may start patrolling the Square
City can do in-depth training with FMC security personnel
FMC has 11 security personnel, 3 full-time, the rest part-time

Psychic org: fine with that, but no one will still have permit oversight.

Recently, readers leaving set-ups 24 hours a day.

Vendors illegally chalking their spaces to hold, including artists.

Out of control artists ignoring rules and entreaties from peers to follow rules; video on YouTube of artist on Square passed out with needle in arm.

Can licenses be in jeopardy when they ticket?

NOPD has said in past that they will not enforce the rules, they have just woken people up and told them to stay awake.

SH said they ticketed Thursday before FQF

Ticket should go to revenue dept, rather than municipal court to relate the infractions back to license.

All artists should have to show licenses. Some scofflaws leave a homeless person with their stuff so it is “attended”.

Guidelines before Katrina were clear and enforceable, need to go back to that.

Pre-Katrina: Set up more than an hour was unattended, the setup would be moved by NOPD or other readers or artists.

SH: not sure it’s legal to do that, have to be clear about codified law versus standards of conduct

Illegal activity is widespread and unenforced.

Calling emergency services is almost impossible as they want street addresses.

Extra space when big events for artists? State museum says yes, but FQF says no.

Want to talk to French Market about using more space.

Dutch Alley, used to be an open spot, street entertainers still get run off.

SH: FMC asks street performers only to “register”, although it says “permit” on it.

SH: No such thing as a street performer permit in the city.

dba licenses, can anything be done? (No says city attorney)

Enforce before 6 pm on St. Peter and St. Ann that readers cannot hold spaces.

FMC security already has oversight over Jackson Square: can manage city owned property.

FMC demanded FMC permit for Decatur reader

Illegal vending happens on Jackson Square and artists/readers are powerless to stop.

Vieux Carre church sets up table and does ceremonies illegally.

Segways in the square are problem.

Stanchions-have a hard time getting them unlocked in emergencies and locked to stop cars and trucks.

Slope of the entryways is problematic for older people, needs to be textured.

Loading zone tickets are given to musicians and artists even though they have been told they can use them to unload and load.

NOPD says artists and musicians can unload in the “curve” but only informally.

Barkers are working illegally, overwhelming honest vendors.

Street performers with amplifiers are a problem.

Television from museum plays constantly and loudly.

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Letter to Councilperson Palmer

I would like weigh in on the ordinance to ban pedestrians in Jackson
Square between 1 am and 5 am. As someone who grew up in the Quarter
and often walked home from my second shift job after 1 am, having the
“eyes on the street” in the Square made that the safest route home.
I also recently lived on Saint Ann for a year a half a block from the
square and often saw tourists make their way there to get their
bearings late at night. The “regulars” who are there actually reduce
the opportunity for petty crimes.
I am SURE that shutting down the square is a bad move for safety. I
also know that it takes about 45 minutes for the cleaners to power
wash the square and that they do it around 6 am.
I appreciate the way that your office has shown leadership and a
thoughtful approach to representing your district. Most of the time, I
am fully behind your initiatives, but this one is misguided at best,
and at worst, is pandering to the few residents that want to believe
they live on a residential street, rather than the public square that
it truly is.
There are ways to restrict loud activity (if that is what you mean to
target) and ways to reduce, well whatever this is designed to reduce
without creating a safety vacuum.
How do you penalize staff working late who might be standing outside
of their door, or someone using the light to check a map? Who are
these people that must be removed for 4 hours anyway? How will this
assist the city in building a more vibrant future?
Please reconsider.

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Short Storyville history

As I was searching for a history of the Tango District of the French Quarter, I found this, which is a good primer on the history.