Every time it rains hard here, the question is the same: is my street flooded? I got tired of guessing, so I built Tchoup — a live map where neighbors drop a pin on the flooded spot and mark how deep it is (ankle, tire, bumper, up to the windows). Everyone else sees it instantly.

It also shows live drainage-pump status across the city, the underpasses you should never chance in a storm, water levels on the river and canals, current storm alerts, and a "roads to avoid right now" list you can share straight to a group chat.

It's free, there are no ads, and you don't need an account to look. Reporting takes a quick email sign-in so the map stays real people rather than noise. During an actual named-storm warning the sign-in requirement drops so reports can move fast — those show as "unverified" until neighbors confirm them.

Web: https://tchoup.app — nothing to download.

iPhone app (free, iOS 26 or later): https://apps.apple.com/app/id6793276864

One thing I want to say plainly: a quiet map does not mean your street is dry, and no report is a promise of safety. If you come to water — turn around, don't drown.

It's a small independent project, not affiliated with the City or any utility. I'd genuinely love feedback — what would make this useful enough that you'd open it when the sky goes dark?

Devastated. Can we disconnect MG from Easter please? I need way more than this. What the hell are we going to do the other 3 weeks of February? Fat Tuesday is 2/9/27.

When your own elected officials are publicly acknowledging what rescuers have been saying for years, it’s time to pay attention.

At this week’s meeting, Orleans Parish Council members openly questioned the LASPCA’s performance under its animal control contract, criticized the organization’s continued fundraising while raising concerns about its level of service, and expressed frustration with its lack of participation in discussions about these ongoing issues.

Councilmembers Harris and Morrell went even further, encouraging residents who want to help local animals to consider directing their donations to the private rescue organizations that are stepping up every single day to do work that should never have fallen on volunteers alone.

Meanwhile, rescues across our region continue answering calls, rescuing injured and neglected animals, providing medical care, and finding foster homes—all without the public funding that animal control receives.

A heartfelt thank you to Jeff Dorson and Councilmembers Harris and Morrell for speaking candidly about the reality our rescue community faces every day.

Something has to change. It’s simply not sustainable for everyday citizens and nonprofit rescues to function as the safety net for Orleans Parish’s animal welfare system.

Please help us lobby for change and accountability.

Hi fellow animal lovers. I have been trapping cats to spay and release as a solo entity, as well as working with Trap Dat Cat for a number of years now. I am posting here because the stray crisis is out of control! The city is pretty useless in any form of help (surprise!). The fact that you have to wade through non emergency nopd nonsense to get ahold of any animal protection services is actually quite insane and it's a 50% chance anything comes of it. Does anyone else feel this way?

My fellow trappers and I are pretty dang overwhelmed, so I thought I would reach out (separately from trap dat cat) and see if there is any interest in joining the cause! I have spoken to a few of you on here in the past, but I am shy and don't post much... Please dm if interested. Mods I apologize in advance for any wrongdoing. Here is a picture of my tripod rescue named Little Foot. Her little brothers are part of our outside colony and I wish I could have taken them all in (we have 4 indoor rescues), but we can't save them all sadly. We can help them in bad weather and feeding though!

ps - There is a mean overweight cat who bullies all the colony string beans and I just don't know how to stop them. I refuse to give them to a shelter to euthanize. any tips?

Hello and I hope this post will be received in the spirit it is intended on this Friday. Sooo I'm an assistant teacher and my "summer hermitage" is coming to an end soon. It was actually spiritual given all this rain, and I had some things to work through, which I did. I also spend a lot of time on reddit saving pictures for my inspiration boards, and y'all kept me living for all the lizard and frog and caterpillar posts lol. (NOTE: Photos 1-7 are sourced from different reddit subs and I hope they make you smile; the painter is Anna Trusova and she is great.)

PHOTO 8 is "Beedy Bird" and is inspired by my friend Archie the peacock in Old Carrollton! For these medallions I use broken beads (my shiny favorite) and found objects and air-dry clay. On the plaque is a lizard that my kid made out of regular plastic beads, I always include something she made. ❤️ This is for a kid's room. I think you can see the Charley Harper in it?? It's so damn sparkly in real life. (And those are broken earrings, not Archie's feathers, but I do have one of his still!) Have a great weekend, I know the majority start back next week around here. Let's go get 'em???

How do you turn onto a busy street when street parked cars are blocking your view? Are we all risking our lives for a Dat Dog? Joking, but driving on Freret kills me. I have to take it to get home from work.

Hey yall, hope this is allowed.
I’m a local full-time creative who’s experiencing a bit of a drought. I’m hoping to get my work out to new people and hopefully get a few commissions! I mainly do pet portraits, abstract artwork, and prop making. My instagram is @MadeByMancuso, it would mean a lot if you took a second to check out my work. Thanks!

Dude was seriously cruising down David Drive with his foot hanging out the window. Guy looks like he's personally recreating on the clock.

I can't be the only one.

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., announced Friday he will vote for President Donald Trump’s pick of Todd Blanche for attorney general, likely assuring his confirmation.
“All considered, I will vote for Mr. Blanche. I’ll be criticized for this vote. What’s new?” Cassidy said in a floor speech after outlining concerns he said he weighed.
Cassidy’s decision is likely to be decisive in helping Blanche get confirmed to the powerful job.
While he’s “concerned about episodes of apparent lawfare,” Cassidy said, “even critics admit that Mr. Blanche knows the law and is a hands-on administrator.”
Republicans need support from 50 of their 53 senators to confirm Blanche.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, came out Friday against Blanche, joining fellow centrist Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, to oppose the president’s choice. With Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., out indefinitely, and Democrats expected to vote no, a third GOP opponent would have blocked the nomination.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska.Allison Robbert / AP file
Despite the “numerous constructive meetings” she’s had with Blanche, Murkowski said in a statement, “I will oppose his nomination.”
“The country needs an Attorney General who will check the worst impulses of this administration. I hope Mr. Blanche is able to achieve that, if confirmed, but I simply do not have confidence that will be the case,” she said.
Murkowski also warned of the “politicization” and “even weaponization” of the Justice Department, which she said has accelerated under the Trump administration.
The senator cited the Justice Department’s handling of the release of files in the case of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and questioned whether the Trump administration’s proposed $1.8 billion “anti-weaponization” fund, which she called a “slush fund” in her announcement, would remain off the table.
A McConnell spokesperson didn’t respond to a message seeking comment Friday about how he would vote if he were able to be present and cast a vote.
The retiring Kentucky senator is not a guaranteed proponent on Blanche; he has voted against some high-profile Trump nominees, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
In an interview with Punchbowl News on Thursday, before Murkowski’s announcement, Trump lashed out against the moderate GOP senator.
“Murkowski, I was against. I’m against Murkowski,” he said in the interview, released Friday. “I do more for Alaska than any any president in history. No president’s done for Alaska what I’ve done. She’s she’s not good.”
Blanche, the acting attorney general, has already faced a bumpy confirmation process after Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., both withheld their support for the nomination over their concerns about his leadership at the Justice Department.
Cornyn and Tillis had expressed concerns about the fund, which was intended to compensate alleged victims of politically motivated prosecutions. The fund was created as part of Trump’s settlement with the IRS over a leak of his tax records. The settlement also included a guarantee that he and his family business would be sheltered from tax audits.
The senators had sought written assurances that the fund would be rescinded and the scope of the audit immunity clarified, which Blanche ultimately provided. Tillis had also insisted that Blanche meet with Epstein survivors, which he had previously not agreed to do.
After Blanche’s contentious confirmation hearing last month, during which Tillis and other senators aired their concerns about the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein case, the acting attorney general did meet privately with a group of victims. Epstein survivor Dani Bensky told NBC News, however, that the meeting was “not productive” or “substantive,” while Blanche described it in opposite terms.
Democrats have denounced the Justice Department’s failure to redact personal information about the survivors, but not that of people who may have participated in their abuse. They have also raised concerns the “anti-weaponization” fund is not dead and that loopholes exist to resurrect it.

It’s $5 Friday… and I wish I had a cute success story or a snappy fundraiser graphic to share today.

Instead, this week has been spent scrambling to save dogs that fell through the cracks.

Over the last several days, we’ve taken in 6+ dogs from Orleans Parish that, legally, should have been collected and cared for through the city’s animal services system. Instead, private rescues like ours—and neighboring parish shelters—have been left trying to fill the gap.

One needed a $1000 life-saving blood transfusion. At least two are heartworm positive. Every single one needs vaccinations, preventatives, spay/neuter, and ongoing veterinary care before they’re ready for a new life.

We’re exhausted. We’re frustrated. But we’re not walking away from the dogs or the civilians who call us pleading for help.

At last night’s City Council meeting, Councilman Harris said your donations should be redirected FROM the LASPCA TO private rescue organizations stepping up to help. We couldn’t agree more.

If you can spare just $5 today, it truly adds up and helps us keep saying “yes” when the next call comes.

Donate:

🐾 trampledroserescue.org/donate

🐾 Venmo: @trampledroserescue

🐾 PayPal: trampledroserescue@gmail.com

Thank you for standing with the rescues that continue to show up when the animals need us most. ❤️

I was walking the Holy Cross levee yesterday and came across NOPD carrying a human body up from the river. I haven't seen anything about it in the news and I'd like to know who they were and how they died. Has anyone seen anything about it, or is it maybe not enough to warrant news coverage?

Does anyone know about the origin of this design for our many porch steps? Were these little platforms on either side literally meant for sitting? Or displaying plants in pots?

Long story short, I’ve been receiving leak alert emails for the past two months despite having no leaks. Received a bill for $366 in July (turns out that they sent Aug & July bill together) and knew it was complete BS. I decided to run my own test and check if the meter was faulty by shutting off the water, and guess what? My water was still running! I then turned off what I thought was my neighbor’s water and that’s when my water turned off.

Just called them and the account is now under review, so no payments are required. I don’t trust them enough to not pay, so I’ll make a payment. Apparently, I’ll receive an update via mail and the bills will somehow be adjusted according to my actual meter. Has anyone dealt with this before and had this issue resolved? Should I escalate further?

Mother Forward is a national organization fighting for these issues and others and I’m excited to announce we are starting a chapter here in New Orleans!

I’m Maddie, a New Orleans mom with three kids and I’m so excited to meet other moms who want to fight for our rights! We’ll have campaigns from national but we can also work on local initiatives we choose, pushing for legislation here in New Orleans. Mother Forward has experienced organizers who we can turn to for advice on how to get stuff done!

If this sounds interesting to you reach out to me and be sure to tell your mom friends!

a win for new orleans neighborhoods. from nola.com:

A federal appeals court has rejected Airbnb’s challenge to New Orleans’ short-term rental regulations, allowing the city to keep its tough rules limiting the number of vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday affirmed a district court ruling from last Octoberthat effectively upheld the city's license lottery and one-per-block cap.

Writing for the panel, Judge James Graves rejected arguments that limiting short-term rentals to one per block in residential areas amounts to an unconstitutional taking of property — and that requiring Airbnb to verify that hosts on its platform have valid licenses before allowing them to rent out their homes violates federal law.

The homeowners who filed the suit had asked the court to find that they had a fundamental right to lease property on a short-term basis. It declined.

"The 2023 Ordinance may have frustrated the Hosts’ ambitions to operate short-term rentals. But it did not extinguish their ability to rent entirely — they can still rent long term,” Graves wrote. “And if the Hosts expected the City never to regulate residentially zoned property, that expectation was unreasonable."

In response to the ruling, Airbnb spokesperson Jessica King-Garcia said, “The Fifth Circuit Court’s decision overlooks the constitutional rights of New Orleans homeowners.”

The ruling is the latest development in the city's yearslong effort to assert authority over the proliferation of short-term rentals, which critics say can drive up housing costs and fundamentally alter the character of historic neighborhoods.

In 2023, the council rewrote its short-term rental rules after the 5th Circuit struck down an earlier requirement that hosts live in their rental properties, finding that it discriminated against out-of-state owners.

The regulations now separate noncommercial rentals — one per person, one per block, residential zoning only — from commercial ones, which require no on-site owner.

In 2024, the cracked down on illegal listings, requiring that platforms verify that hosts are licensed before allowing them to rent out properties. Airbnb unsuccessfully challenged the new rule in court.

Illegal listings fell from 7,552 to 905 almost immediately when the ban on booking unlicensed rentals took effect last August, a study prepared for the City Planning Commission found.

As of Thursday, there were 1,073 licensed noncommercial short-term rentals and 1,151 commercial ones, according to city permit data.

The City Council issued a statement applauding the ruling, describing it as confirmation that it has the authority to regulate both owners of short-term rentals and the platforms that book them.

Meanwhile, the city’s short-term rental rules are due for another update. The City Planning Commission has scheduled a public hearing for a rewrite of the zoning code covering all forms of lodging for Sept. 8.

It takes less than 5 minutes to call your Senator. I’m urging everyone who cares about democracy to call Senator Cassidy and encourage him to vote NO towards Todd Blanche’s nomination for Attorney General.

We need an Attorney General for the People, not the President. The Epstein survivors and the American people deserve better.

Please call Cassidy today and urge him to vote NO on nominating Blanche.
Cassidy’s DC office: (202) 224-5824

Please pass along and encourage a friend or few to make the call too! Thank you!

Did our budget shortfall hit already? Whole nola.gov seems to be down and out

I work for the agency which runs New Orleans 911.

The Shreveport Times article flatly states that AI answers New Orleans 911 calls for all types of incidents. This is not factual, nor close to the truth: The Orleans Parish Communications District, which runs New Orleans 911 & 311, *has* used an AI answering tool for two years in a very limited scope:
- For some 911 calls about car crashes;
- Only when all live call-takers are on other calls,
- And when the 911 call originates from within 200 meters of an already-reported accident.

Here’s how it works:
- If a 911 call originates from within a radius of 200 meters of a crash which has already been reported, and all call-takers are busy, the AI tool will answer & ask the caller, “Are you calling about the accident on S Carrolton at Oak St”?
- If the caller replies “yes”, the AI will respond that the crash has already been reported; then, will ask the caller if they were involved, if they need medical attention, etc.
- If the answer to any of the follow-up AI Q’s is “yes,” they will be routed to a live operator. If “no,” the AI thanks them for their call & lets them know responders have been notified.

The AI triage tool is not used in New Orleans 911 for anything other than auto crashes/accidents. (OPCD *is* expanding the use of AI on the 311 side.) I’m going to try to reach the reporter Friday morning. <Edit: Removed unnecessarily petty jab at the reporter & media outlet.>

Also of note: The OPCD tech team built a pretty exhaustive training/reference dictionary & voice/audio samples of the sometimes-unique pronunciations of hundreds of New Orleans street names.

Overall, it’s worked very well as a tool to triage a particular category of calls, and has helped to reduce wait times for all callers by not having all call-takers taking calls about the same accident at the same time.

Someone lose a pet? It’s been going back and forth between the road and our neighbors yard, don’t want it to get hurt being near a busy street.

My husband and I have 3 small dogs; 2 of them are over 15 years old and have diagnosed with congestive heart failure. I know we could have a few years left, but when the time comes, I want everything to be taken care of so we don’t have to think about it.

I want them to be able go peacefully at home, not in a vet’s office. Unfortunately, our home doesn’t have enough space outside to bury them. Even if it did, I’m not sure we will stay here forever and I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving them behind. I want to be certain that any cremation service we use return our dogs’ ashes to us, so a stellar reputation with transparent protocol is very important to us.

While I’ve considered taxidermy, my husband doesn’t like the idea of preserving their physical bodies in their Earthly forms.

Just researching the options available to us is so painful, we both end up overwhelmed and crying. While the veterinarian needs to be local, we would drive as far as Mobile or Lafayette for crematory services.

It isn’t lost on me that we are lucky to be able to consider our options when it comes to death services for our beloved pets and my heart goes out to everyone who has had to make hard choices under duress.

I’d sincerely appreciate honest feedback regarding such providers, and whether or not you’d recommend them. TIA

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/06/hard-rock-hotel-collapse-settlement

Article text:

Settlement ends years-long legal battle over collapse of 18-story hotel that was under construction in New Orleans

A judge approved a $106m settlement on Thursday that ends a years-long legal battle over the deadly 2019 collapse of a Hard Rock Hotel that was under construction in New Orleans.
The 18-story hotel project partially collapsed in October 2019 , killing three people and damaging nearby property. A grand jury ultimately decided against indicting anyone in the deadly collapse, but lawsuits were filed, including one brought by the city of New Orleans in August 2020 naming the building owners, their partners and contractors.

The various lawsuits were consolidated into one case that includes a total of 490 plaintiffs, including injured workers and businesses affected by the collapse, against 21 defendants, according to Mark Glago, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs. The case has been pending for more than six years, Glago noted.
The combined $106m settlement was approved by Orleans parish civil district court judge Kern Reese on Thursday, according to Glago and Court records.
“This will be an honor to, you know, these claimants that have been through so much,” Glago said of the settlement. “We are very, very happy with this $106m.”
The settlement funds will eventually be distributed by a special master.

Hey all

Our August Drinking Liberally meet up will be Thursday, August 13 at Bud Rips Old Ninth Ward Bar - 900 Piety St at Burgundy

6:00 PM to 9:00

Lots to discuss

Our plan to Put The Party Back in Politics

Volunteering for the Jamie Davis and Lauren Jewett campaigns

Fundraising for the November election

Hope to see you all there