Dear Readers:
As we close out 2023, I want to thank you – our readers and supporters. I also want to assure you that your support is not taken lightly. Your passionate response to the stories we cover inspires us to keep serving the communities in New Orleans long ignored by mainstream media.
As we prepare for the new year, we’d like to look back on some of our stories from 2023:
- Verite reporter Richard A. Webster covered the story of Louisiana prisoner Markus Lanieux, who was sentenced to life in prison under Louisiana’s habitual offender law after fleeing a traffic stop in Kenner. Lanieux briefly believed he had a shot at freedom when his lawyer tried to take advantage of a new criminal justice-reform law that allowed prosecutors revisit and reduce excessive sentences. Then tough-on-crime Attorney General (now Governor-elect) Jeff Landry stepped in.
- Webster’s story on Markus Lanieux was one of several that he co-published with ProPublica. And in December, Verite and Webster were selected to join ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network, a two-year commitment to produce deeply reported, impactful work in partnership with the national investigative news outlet.
- We published the “In the Dark” investigative series on the Baton Rouge Police Department Internal Affairs Division. The series focused on long-running “civil war” between BRPD’s reform-minded chief and the local police union, which eventually led to the chief’s resignation.
- Reporter Lue Palmer uncovered a problem with Entergy’s account setup system that left about 600 New Orleans customers — and an unknown number throughout the state — without power for extended periods during this summer’s record-breaking heat wave. Within a week of publishing, the backlog in the city was down to 15 customers, company officials told the New Orleans City Council.
- Josie Abugov reported on a little-noticed proposed agreement between the city of New Orleans and 44 Blue Productions, the company that makes the reality show “Nightwatch,” which takes cameras inside city ambulances while they are transporting patients. Her work raised questions about consent and privacy and highlighted a possible conflict of interest involving Councilman Oliver Thomas, who was sponsoring the ordinance approving the agreement on Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s behalf. The agreement has since been shelved.
- Reporter Michael Isaac Stein uncovered an alleged payroll fraud scheme at the Sewerage & Water Board that cost the agency hundreds of thousands of dollars over several years. The story also revealed the existence of an unauthorized break room inside the water treatment plant that was the subject of a sexual harassment complaint from a whistleblower.
- Bobbi-Jeanne Misick has done multiple stories on bicycle safety in New Orleans, which has the highest rate of bike fatalities among all major cities in the U.S. She has also brought her experience and expertise on the immigration beat to Verite News, reporting on the dozens of grievances a Louisiana ICE detainee filed prior to his in-custody death in June.
- Reporter Drew Costley reported on the difficulties queer and transgender residents have surviving storms. A local group created a hurricane guide for these members of our community.
- A column by housing activist Delaney Nolan brought to light how homelessness in the city has risen 16% since last year, a sharper rise than even the startling nationwide increase of 11%. Nolan’s report challenged city leaders to treat the city’s homeless population as vulnerable rather than dangerous.
We are thrilled that you have supported us on this journey and look forward to delivering to you more compelling journalism in 2024. For more of our most-read stories, check out our 2023 Recap.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
