UPDATE: Mandatory Evacuation Lifted in Chemical Release and Fire Reported at Garyville Petroleum Refinery

August 25, 2023

Emergency responders are on the scene of a large fire and chemical release at the Marathon Petroleum refinery in St. John the Baptist Parish. According to parish officials, there was a release of naptha, a flammable liquid hydrocarbon found in crude oil. The fire started in a storage tank at the refinery, and so far is contained to refinery grounds.


We’ll give you $400k if the victim stops cooperating with the police investigation

August 7, 2023

JEFFERSON PARISH (SCSA) The V.M. Wheeler case has always been peculiar and sparked our interest. Wheeler, an Attorney and a Catholic Deacon in the New Orleans Archdiocese, died of pancreatic cancer just months into serving a sentence of probation. He was originally charged with 1st Degree Rape of a Child Under 13, using a weapon. […]


OPINION: Can Catholic Federal Judges Rule Objectively In Catholic Church Cases?

June 26, 2023

There is a crisis in the Federal Louisiana Eastern District Courts. Federal Judges Wendy Vitter, Jay Zainey, Sarah Vance, Ivan Lemelle, Lance Africk immediately recused themselves from the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ Federal Bankruptcy case. They are some of New Orleans’ fourteen federal district judges and five magistrates, who mostly handle pre-trial matters. Later, under pressure, Federal […]


Audio Tapes of Jeffrey Vappie Investigation by Public Integrity Bureau Now Available on Big Easy Magazine

March 16, 2023

Though officials pledged that the audio tapes from the investigation of NOPD officer Jeffrey Vappie were secure, a city employee in the Law Department mistakenly handed a flash drive containing 11 interviews of Vappie and other officers to an unidentified member of HANO’s board of directors earlier on Monday, March 13. Though the investigation is […]


Independent Police Monitor Report Details Police Corruption in Batiste/Banks Confrontation

October 4, 2022

In an 18-page report, the OIPM identified numerous instances where NOPD officials repeatedly attempted to intimidate Batiste, provided preferential treatment to Banks, produced inconsistent reports with multiple errors, omissions and contradictory statements, and covered up conflicts of interest by failing to thoroughly and properly investigate Batiste’s many well-founded allegations.


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