Attorneys suing the St. Tammany Parish Jail over extended use of holding cells, keeping inmates there for days -- if not weeks -- are asking a judge to step in and force the jail to stop those practices amid the COVID-19 outbreak in Louisiana.
Testing has been a crucial focus of determining the true scope of the spread of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19, but FOX 8 has learned hundreds of tests performed at Ochsner screening sites are still outstanding more than a week after patients were tested.
State and local leaders are very concerned that the ventilator supply for the New Orleans area may run out as soon as next week, as the state continues to respond to the Coronavirus outbreak which has sickened more than a thousand Louisianians.
A lawsuit has been filed against the St. Tammany Jail and their practice of keeping inmates in crammed holding cells for days, a practice FOX 8 first exposed in a Lee Zurik Investigation. Lawyers say the situation is especially concerning in the time of social distancing to prevent COVID-19.
State leaders are very concerned with hospital capacity in the New Orleans area during the novel coronavirus outbreak that is being seen across the state.
When FOX 8 took first exposed the crowded holding cells in St. Tammany Parish that kept inmates well past the 48-hour minimum jail standard, a department official said the problem was “not just in St. Tammany." However, a review of area jails paints a different picture.
The City of New Orleans will be demoting Zachary Smith, the head of the city’s Department of Safety and Permits, the city’s chief administrative officer confirms to FOX 8 News on Monday. The move comes after discrepancies were exposed in a series of FOX 8 Investigations.
Holding cells are meant to hold inmates for their first few days in custody. But a FOX 8 Lee Zurik Investigation found one jail was keeping people in these holding cells for weeks, against state standards.
FOX 8 has uncovered additional discrepancies between the New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits inspection logs and GPS data from vehicles in the department.
Two inspectors with the City of New Orleans Department of Safety and Permits have been placed on emergency suspension, following a series of FOX 8 reports that revealed discrepancies between city inspection logs and GPS records of the department’s vehicles.
A third inspector likely did not visit the Hard Rock Hotel construction site despite signing off on work at the site, according to FOX 8′s ongoing analysis of GPS data from the City of New Orleans.
A New Orleans university continues to be plagued by a financial crisis they say is due to declining enrollment and cuts from state funding. But FOX 8 News found past chancellors are able to stay on the payroll at the institution and collect paychecks higher than what is stated in their contracts.
An examination of the City of New Orleans GPS records shows additional discrepancies with more city inspectors at the site of the Hard Rock Hotel. The records were requested by FOX 8 News in December 2019, following the deadly collapse in October that killed three men.
A city inspector that performed several inspections at the Hard Rock Hotel construction site was not certified during some of those inspections, records obtained by FOX 8 show.
New Orleans City Hall officials are investigating whether employees signed off on inspections at the construction site of the Hard Rock Hotel without visiting the project. The site collapsed in October killing three men and leaving a scar on the city's skyline.
At least two Louisiana lawmakers plan to address an issue exposed in an InvestigateTV investigation into the so-called ‘Patriot Penalty’ where servicemembers pay more for auto insurance after being deployed.
Service members who cancel their car insurance to serve overseas may come back to find higher rate quotes after telling companies they didn't have coverage because of deployment.
A mural that cost the Port of New Orleans (Port NOLA) thousands to purchase and even more to install will be coming down following employee concerns, according to a memo from the agency’s CEO obtained by FOX 8 News.
When Mayor LaToya Cantrell went before cameras on Friday, Jan. 31, to explain federal tax liens placed on her and her husband’s Broadmoor home, she repeatedly tried to downplay the severity -- saying it was mostly interest and penalties.
Current and former NFL players say they have tested positive for drugs because of contaminated supplements. Scientists say it's a problem not just for athletes but anyone taking supplements - particularly those in performance-enhancement categories like weight loss and muscle building.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell spent nine minutes answering questions about a Lee Zurik Investigation that uncovered her and her husband’s taxes that have not been properly filed in eight of the last nine years.
As taxes begin to be filed for another year, the Internal Revenue Service is still trying to collect a hefty sum from New Orleans’ top-elected official.
The Port of New Orleans installed a new piece of artwork at their headquarters they say is to welcome visitors, but an investigation by FOX 8's Lee Zurik found the painting that costs thousands of public money isn't easy for the public to see.
A father has new questions surrounding the trial for the man who killed his son and claimed self-defense. Fouad Zeton questions whether video not shown during the trial for James Nero would have rendered a verdict other than acquittal based on the state’s 'Stand Your Ground’ Law.
A person who worked on the Hard Rock Hotel construction site in New Orleans, said the job was ‘rushed’ and there were warning signs ahead of the collapse on October 12 that killed three men and injured several more people.
State Senator Wesley Bishop is on paid leave from his position at Southern University at New Orleans following a charge filed against him in federal court.
Board members of the 9th Ward Field of Dreams tried to explain to alumni how nearly a million dollars was spent by the group with no field to show for it. However, the claims made by the board don’t line up with responses by the National Football League and Orleans Parish School Board.
State Senator Wesley Bishop has been charged by federal authorities for making a false statement to a federal agency.According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Bishop made a false statement to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Alumni of George Washington Carver High School gathered in New Orleans demanding answers to what happened to nearly a million dollars that was supposed to be used to build the school its own football stadium. In a series of reports entitled, Empty Field of Dreams, FOX 8 and The Athletic revealed the
The former Executive Director of the 9th Ward Field of Dreams continues to refuse to answer questions from WVUE-TV and The Athletic in response to our joint investigation, Empty Field of Dreams. Betty Washington, is, however, sounding off on social media calling the reports ‘lies.'
After several strange clues, a Michigan father questions whether his water filters are authentic. Experts say counterfeit filters are a growing problem in the United States.
Tens of thousands of dollars are still owed to several companies who did work in the planning stages of the 9th Ward Field of Dreams, a football stadium proposed for the 9th Ward of New Orleans. To date, little to no visible work has been done on the stadium’s proposed site.
On the Westbank, a field took shape thanks to one group's vision and fundraising efforts. They share how their project was able to be done and how some of their plans mirror those initially in place for the 9th Ward Field of Dreams.
A general contractor not affiliated with the 9th Ward Field of Dreams raises questions surrounding the contract and invoices for the 9th Ward Field of Dreams obtained by FOX 8 News and The Athletic.
Following Hurricane Katrina, a story of hope emerged in the form of a football stadium for Carver High School in the city's 9th Ward. A joint investigation by FOX 8 and The Athletic found what resulted fourteen years later is simply an empty field of dreams.
The Office of Disciplinary Counsel with the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board filed formal charges against Timothy David Ray for three possible violations of the Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct, a set of rules that govern how attorneys should practice.
A subpoena obtained by FOX 8 shows the focus of a federal corruption investigation into State Senator Wesley Bishop, D-New Orleans, and his payroll records during his primary job as Vice-Chancellor at Southern University at New Orleans.
State records obtained by FOX 8 News show that while staffing has remained largely unchanged at the Office of Motor Vehicles, wait times have been steadily increasing at facilities across the state.
A Louisiana woman is puzzled how a bill for basic blood tests can be hundreds of dollars more than a co-worker who had the same tests performed. Kim Christina, of Hammond, said her doctor sent her to North Oaks Hospital for a routine blood test and a month later she received an ‘exorbitant bill.’
With water quality and safety concerns across the country, many families are turning to water filters. But there are counterfeit filters and filters carrying fake certification marks.
A bill in the U.S. Senate could help stop the surprise medical bills that cost Americans thousands each year.Senator Bill Cassidy, R-Louisiana, helped write the Stop Surprise Bills Act of 2019. A bill that has 27 co-sponsors, more than a quarter of the U.S. Senate.
The FDA has a new strategy for imported food safety, and Congress has increased seafood inspection funds. But the U.S. still lags behind some other countries when it comes to inspections and regulations.
The Louisiana Department of Education has allowed at least seven 'for-profit' schools into the state's scholarship program despite a rule saying that state and federal money cannot go to 'for-profit' schools.
Governor John Bel Edwards plans on pushing for more changes to the state’s program that allows children at poor-performing public schools to attend certain private schools on a voucher or scholarship.
A member of the eleven-person board overseeing educational policies in Louisiana said he supports the scholarship system and says it is ‘working very well’ despite findings to the contrary in our recent Cost of Choice investigation.
By
Lee Zurik,Kim Chatelain,Jess Clark andCody Lillich
Teachers, students and parents from an early childhood program held signs in protest outside LSU Health New Orleans, opposing a decision to end a nearly million-dollar grant with the school.
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Lee Zurik,Kim Chatelain,Jess Clark andCody Lillich
The largest participant in the Louisiana Scholarship Program, the New Orleans Archdiocese with 3,700 scholarship students, has more than half of the total students in the program.
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Lee Zurik,Kim Chatelain,Jess Clark andCody Lillich
The Louisiana Scholarship Program allows schools to simply notify the state to participate in the program rather than a lengthy application process like public and charter schools face for approval.
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Lee Zurik,Kim Chatelain,Jess Clark andCody Lillich
Many parents said they are unaware of how their child's school performs in the Louisiana Scholarship Program. As a part of the joint investigation, The Cost of Choice, a searchable database is created containing all of the state's data on scholarship schools.
A joint investigation found many students in the Louisiana Scholarship Program are going to lower performing schools, the opposite of what was touted during the program's launch in 2012.
By
Lee Zurik,Cody Lillich,Jess Clark andKim Chatelain
Tonnette ‘Toni’ Rice repaid $70,682 to the New Orleans Multicultural Tourism Network, a non-profit where she used to serve as the former president. A FOX 8 Lee Zurik Investigation uncovered Rice stole more than $70,000 from the organization.
One recipient of questionable spending during a court clerk's final days in office drops off check and cash after a FOX 8 Investigation. Meanwhile, the court has sent findings of a financial audit to law enforcement to review.
A fraud examination report released to FOX 8 shows financial investigators have suggested a possible criminal investigation into the actions of a now-former court clerk.
Timothy David Ray was appointed to First City Court Clerk after Ellen Hazeur won a judgeship in March 2018. In November 2018, Ray lost the election for that office to Austin Badon. In Ray’s last days in office, he wrote two questionable checks, totaling nearly $10,000.
The issue of sky-high auto insurance rates in the state has gotten the attention of lawmakers who are planning ways that could lower the rates -- if they can make it through the legislature.
Louisiana has a ranking many people are not proud of -- home of the highest auto insurance rates in the nation. But the factors behind the distinction -- depend on who you ask.
According to government reports, there is evidence that the main oversight agency for seafood, the Food and Drug Administration, has failed to meet new mandates to increase inspections at foreign food facilities.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar visited with Louisiana pharmacists about drug prices in the U.S. and how future changes could mean savings for customers.
The Louisiana State Judiciary Commission is looking into four New Orleans judges who were part of a FOX 8 investigation into overcharging couples for weddings.
