Latest news with #AFreedomFighter
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
Son of fallen NOPD captain hopes to see Sirgo Plaza moved
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) – A tattered American flag flies at half-staff near Sirgo Plaza, which is outside the old NOPD headquarters on South Broad Street in Mid-City. Sirgo Plaza is a memorial dedicated to NOPD's fallen officers. Among those honored is Captain Thomas Albert, Sr. His son, Thomas Albert, Jr., visited the memorial a couple of weeks ago while in New Orleans. 'The monuments were all in good shape,' explained Albert. 'The flame, just like I had checked on it right after Katrina, was not burning, and the whole place had feeling of abandonment.' 'A Freedom Fighter': The life and legacy of Oretha Castle Haley It's a far cry from when a then-teenage Albert, alongside his family, appeared for his father's dedication. At the time of his death at 48-years-old, Captain Albert worked as commander of the 8th District during the 1979 police strike. 'He wouldn't abandon his post essentially. He was responsible for the 8th District, which was the center of the city,' said Albert. 'He was responsible for police headquarters, as my understanding, the entire core complex there, and it was hard for him because the building was surrounded by his own men and other policemen striking.' One night, after being on duty for more than 20 hours without relief, Captain Albert suffered a fatal heart attack while at his desk. Nearly 50 years later, the pain is still there, which is why the Albert family hopes the city and the NOPD will keep their father's memory alive. <NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirpatrick: 'Absolutely, we're going to honor bringing that memorial to a new location, and so some of the family members, I know, have talked with us, and we want to make it very, very nice, but we're not going to leave the memorial out there,' said NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick when WGNO poised the question during a press conference. 'They're going to come with us. We will always honor our fallen.' After learning about Kirkpatrick's response and having a conversation with one of the department's leaders, Albert says he has faith that Sirgo Plaza will be moved. 'I would say based on the way the NOPD has treated my mother ever since my dad died and based on my dad's love for the NOPD, I sort of have no doubt that they will do it,' said Albert. A spokesperson for the department says the plans for the move are still in the Krewe of Music rolls along Jefferson Parish's West Bank Son of fallen NOPD captain hopes to see Sirgo Plaza moved U.S. Army Corps of Engineers activates high-water plan as Mississippi River rises Mylar, confetti cannons banned from New Orleans parade routes Mass graves case: Police officers last to see disappeared individuals alive Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Yahoo
St. John the Baptist Parish deputies warn of tax collection phone scam
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST PARISH, La. (WGNO) — Deputies with the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office are warning residents of a new phone scam. According to the sheriff's office, residents have reported receiving phone calls from people claiming to be from the St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office requesting tax payments. Wrestlemania to return to New Orleans for third time Deputies said the scam involves asking residents to make tax payments over the phone. SJSO officials said the caller 'identified their company as DTAM Services, LLC.' 'A Freedom Fighter': The life and legacy of Oretha Castle Haley Deputies said the sheriff's office will never ask for money through a phone call and residents should not comply with the caller's request if they receive one of these calls. Those who receive scam calls like these can report them to the SJSO at of Paris Road closed in Chalmette due to fire Bonnabel's basketball roster features one of the top talents in the state Trump administration works to end war in Ukraine Trending warmer & drier. Keeping an eye on the storm potential by Lundi Gras-Fat Tuesday. Maryland man arrested for cyberstalking nun in St. Landry Parish Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The life and legacy of Oretha Castle Haley
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — No one played a larger role in the New Orleans civil rights story than that of Oretha Castle Haley. Starting as a teenager, her leadership led us through the pivotal years of the movement. WGNO spoke with her grandson Blair Dottin-Haley about her work and her legacy. New Orleans fine art gallery designed for Black people to 'see themselves' According to Dottin-Haley, 'Oretha Castle Haley was a freedom fighter, organizer, a civil rights leader. Those who followed her called her the general in the civil rights movement. She joined the Dryades Street boycotts at a very young age while she was a student at Southern University at New Orleans and very soon, I think she realized but more importantly those around her realized that they needed to follow her lead.' Our conversation took place at the Ashe Cultural Arts Center on the same Dryades St., now named in her honor. Fellow Civil Rights legend Jerome Smith spoke to Haley's leadership as well. 'Oretha and I were classmates at Clark School. We all come from Clark. You have to deal with that in terms of the spiritual essence of a person. And being female, she could confront a situation with a determination and a sophistication that has yet to have been duplicated.' Haley's involvement in the local chapter of the Congress of Racial Equality or C.O.R.E. led to direct street-level activism, playing a major role in the movement in our city. Dottin Haley says this work continued later in her life. 'In the post civil rights era when I got to spend some time with her, she was running the Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation, she was minority recruiter for LSU, and she was running the campaigns of the first Black woman to be elected at large on the city council Dorothy Mae Taylor and the first Black woman on the school board, Gail Glapion.' Lost recording of MLK speech resurfaces decades later Dottin Haley was only nine when his grandmother died of cancer at only 48 years of age. She lived a full life of achievement, but also full of moving New Orleans forward. According to Smith, the disease deprived her of a promising future and our city of a true leader. 'I don't like to discuss it because I don't know how to express the loss. Because her definition of school was about liberation and betterment of person, and non-surrender,' said defends Musk's 'genius' email to federal workers 'A Freedom Fighter' | The life and legacy of Oretha Castle Haley Judge blocks immigration raids at religious groups suing Trump administration 'Not on my watch': Pro athletes toss support behind Hooters amid bankruptcy speculation New parade forecasts after weather delays Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
