New Orleans, known for its food, bars, and hospitality, had a transformative 2020, even more than most US cities. In a year that began with the grand opening of a new airport brimming with locally-owned restaurants and a food scene full of promising anticipated openings and exciting pop-ups, the industry came to a halt shortly after Mardi Gras. The city was hit hard and early by the pandemic, and by mid March the local and statewide bar and restaurant shut downs began.
Now, we look back at a year marked by heartbreaking closures, an industry braced for disaster, old brands beginning new chapters, and more than ever, locals showing their devotion to the neighborhood standbys getting them through it all.
Bars in New Orleans must cease indoor service today, December 30, after the city’s COVID-19 positivity rate surpassed Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’s threshold for the second week in a row. Bars and breweries are prohibited from serving customers indoors after 11 p.m. tonight, but can remain open for outdoor service and go-cups, or to-go drinks.
The city announced the new restrictions Wednesday, the day before New Year’s Eve, following the Louisiana Department of Health’s weekly release of COVID-19 data. After last week’s numbers put the city’s positivity rate at 5.3 percent, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell warned that per state guidelines, bars would no longer be able to offer indoor service if the rate again exceeded five percent this week. Today’s numbers show 5.5 percent of coronavirus tests in Orleans Parish came back positive, up 0.2 percent from the week before. Gov. Edwards’s statewide guidelines, put into place on November 25, dictate that if a parish
December 28, 2020
When Lauren Daigle responded to the backlash of her participating in one of worship leader/anti-lockdown activist Sean Feucht’s gatherings in the New Orleans French Quarter in November, she clearly hoped that would be the end of the story. Instead, she’s gotten caught up in what looks like a partisan wrestling match that involves Louisiana politics, COVID-19 social distancing guidelines and now, the
Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve broadcast.
It all started when Daigle sang at a “Let Us Worship” rally, which was criticized for violating New Orlean’s coronavirus restrictions against large gatherings. Video of the event showed Daigle and Feucht singing before a crowd of worshippers with no apparent social distancing or facemasks. This led to all kinds of takes from every conceivable side of the culture war, from those who praised Daigle for “taking a stand” against restrictions to those who were upset for what they viewed as irresponsible
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âWhat happened to one of our good ones?â 14-year-old killed in New Orleans, family seeks answers
Parents of 14-year-old killed on Christmas beg for answers Share Updated: 9:56 AM CST Dec 28, 2020
Parents of 14-year-old killed on Christmas beg for answers Share Updated: 9:56 AM CST Dec 28, 2020
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Show Transcript THAT ONE PERSON WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN THE NEW ORLEANS EAST WALGREENS PARKING LOT ON CHRISTMAS FEW DETAILS FOLLOWED. WELL THAT ENDED TONIGHT WHEN JIM ARE ALL FRIENDS PARENTS CAME OUT SAYING THAT THE VICTIM IN THAT CASE WAS JUST A CHILD THEIR CHILD AND THEYâRE REMEMBERING AND AS QUOTE ONE GOOD ONES. ITâS EASY FOR A PARENT TO GET UP HERE IN FRONT OF THE MEDIA IN FRONT OF FRIENDS FAMILY TO SEE? THAT MY CHILD WAS A GOOD CHILD. WHAT IS EASIER WHEN YOU KNEW AND YOU KNOW THAT YOUR CHILD WAS A GOOD CHILD? AGAIN VIOLENCE HAS NO LIMITS OF NO MEASURE. IT CAN HIT ANY ONE OF THOSE STEPS AT ANY GI
Robert Ricks poses outside of the National Weather Service with a plaque he received from the U.S. Department of Commerce for his 30 years of service, in Slidell, La., Friday, Dec. 18, 2020. Ricks is retiring after 30 years of with the National Weather Service. He participated in forecasts on 25 hurricanes that affected southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi, from Andrew through Zeta. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)
STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER