The More You Know
There is no precedent for the current state of the world and the impact of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19. Many of us feel we are grasping at straws to know where to begin in the “new normal.” We’ve…
No Stopping Love
What a time we are having! As I write this month’s publishers note (in early March) we are in an all-out virus crisis with events shutting down left and right. My hope is that by the time our April issue…
How to Work from Home …When Everyone is Home
“Work from home,” they said. “It’ll be fun,” they said. What they didn’t say was that a nationwide pandemic would cause your kids and your spouse and the dog to work from home, too. And they didn’t say how…
Chef’s Brigade
Local healthcare workers and first responders are commonly eating out of vending machines and grabbing snacks wherever they can, while, at the same time, restaurants are struggling for business. Looking to provide relief to both groups, local author Troy Gilbert,…
“Hang in there and maintain hope”
The potential impact of the COVID-19 outbreak didn’t really register for many around the world until sports were affected. At first, leagues around the world planned to move forward through the pandemic by playing in empty stadiums. It wasn’t…
Coronavirus Puts Thousands Out of Work
When the world is in crisis, it’s easy to give in to the feelings of anxiety and fear. Sometimes you need to, maybe for 30 minutes, before you pull yourself back out of that place and refocus on moving…
T-shirts That Give Back
Resilient, resourceful, and ready-for-action are the descriptors for most of us New Orleanians. And nowhere is that more evident than in the teaming of hospitality worker Monica Bourgeois and Blake Haney, owner of Dirty Coast, a community conscious t-shirt business.…
Brady Makes It Personal
In a week dominated by news of the Covid-19, the beginning of the NFL’s new year broke through disaster coverage to remind us of life beyond the virus. Drew Brees re-signed with the New Orleans Saints, Teddy Bridgewater left…
Week in Review, March 20: Scenes from a Pandemic
NEW ORLEANS - There were about 100 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Louisiana on Monday. By Friday morning, there were almost 500 cases and 10 deaths. About 300 of the confirmed cases are located in New Orleans. The numbers…
From Hurricane Katrina to COVID-19: Lessons in Public Relations
NEW ORLEANS - The past several days have been haunting: Hurricane Katrina all over again. As a 30 plus year public relations veteran, I consider Katrina one of the most important times in my career. Indeed, I find the same…
Coronavirus Making Immediate Impact on Tourism and Hospitality Workers
Cases of coronavirus, or COVID-19, are now in every state in the U.S., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the number of cases will continue to increase. On Monday, March 16, Louisiana Gov. John Bel…
Communication Is Key
These are anxious times. We’ve been bombarded by messages, data, scenarios, facts and fictions about COVID-19, a pandemic that doctors and experts have never seen before. People want to know that their government/management/ownership care about them and their overall…
Week in Review, March 13: A Virus Among Us
NEW ORLEANS - In a stunning example of how fast the modern news cycle operates, this week began with coverage of a Gov. Edwards speech to the legislature about the importance of education. Four days later, the top story is…
Irresponsible Rhetoric & March Madness
Sports, for many of us, have been described as a matter of life and death, but seemingly overnight Wednesday, that point of view was put into perspective when the NBA announced a player had contracted COVID-19 and suspended the…
Coronavirus Disrupts Tourism
On Monday, the city of New Orleans declared its first presumed case of coronavirus, or COVID-19. There are now at least three such cases in the city being treated at three different hospitals. On Tuesday night, the state of…
Limousine Livery Invests in Luxury
For more years than I care to admit, I’ve traversed this pot-holed city in a variety of beaters — unattractive, high-mileage cacophonous cars. Often, while stuck in traffic on Claiborne Avenue or Veterans Blvd, I’d muse about sitting in a…
Week in Review, March 6: Virus Chaos, Hollywood Deals and New Nonstops
NEW ORLEANS - The biggest international story this week remains the uncertainty about the coronavirus and the effect it's having on economies worldwide. In the U.S., the Dow Jones Industrial Average has been a seesaw: up 1,293 Monday, down 786…
Keep Calm and Wash Your Hands
Communicable diseases bring a certain dread to those who work in the tourism and hospitality industry. Since news of Coronavirus, or Covid-19, first made headlines, those who are responsible for the health and safety of travelers and conveners have been…
Digging In
I grew up in Milwaukee where the coming of spring bursts into one’s life with intoxicating hope and exuberant color. There was never anything subtle about the season. With sun yellow blossoms poking through the winter’s last snow, daffodils…
Back to Work
Mardi Gras is now behind us and French Quarter and Jazz Fest are up ahead, so March is the month things have to happen. This month Idea Village and the Tulane Freeman School of Business will again co-produce New Orleans…
Week in Review, Feb. 28: Coronavirus Concerns, Mardi Gras Safety ... and Nutria in the Crosshairs
NEW ORLEANS - The biggest story of the week is the coronavirus that has killed almost 3,000 people and caused economic turmoil worldwide. U.S. Markets are headed for what could be their worst decline since the 2008 financial crisis because…
One For The Road
"Love you #WhoDatNation. Let's make another run at it!" With an Instagram post 10 days ago, Drew Brees announced his intention to return to the New Orleans Saints for the 2020 season. With that, the Saints’ future – at…
Break a Leg
When people travel, they are wise to look for cultural gems off the beaten path. That is especially true for New Orleans and the larger metro region. Ask most locals what they do on a Friday night, and few would…
Revitalizing the New Orleans Chamber
New Orleans Chamber of Commerce's executive vice president and COO, Sandra Lombana Lindquist takes pride in her ability to cultivate and nurture businesses. She knows that she’s chosen the right professional calling – economic development. “I like to see things…
