From be6196524b3fffe81d01de377e432fbef4398e62 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Ayyub I Date: Thu, 16 Nov 2023 10:09:45 -0600 Subject: [PATCH] adjusted preprocessing parameters; modified prompt --- .../backend/src/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc | 4 +- .../src/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc | 4 +- ...d for help from new orleans city hall.json | 2 +- ...388 million in federal funds BGR says.json | 9 +++ ...tergy new orleans under new standards.json | 9 +++ ...leans group is addressing youth crime.json | 2 +- ...ol mostly used against black suspects.json | 9 +++ packages/backend/src/preprocessor.py | 6 +- packages/external-data/src/__main__.py | 16 +++--- .../getanswer/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc | 4 +- .../getanswer/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc | 4 +- .../functions/getanswer/inquirer.py | 57 +++++++++++-------- 12 files changed, 81 insertions(+), 45 deletions(-) create mode 100644 packages/backend/src/news_directory/Cantrell administration should boost transparency on 388 million in federal funds BGR says.json create mode 100644 packages/backend/src/news_directory/Frequent outages could lead to big fines for entergy new orleans under new standards.json create mode 100644 packages/backend/src/news_directory/New orleans facial recognition tool mostly used against black suspects.json diff --git a/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc b/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc index 910d1d4b..fdba0591 100644 --- a/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc +++ b/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ outs: -- md5: 9ae45b0c0a22cdadc7dc62da5b53847f.dir - size: 90514481 +- md5: 3878f1ecec272cc887ded3697602a653.dir + size: 89147118 nfiles: 2 hash: md5 path: faiss_index_general diff --git a/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc b/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc index 87e7aba2..6569c3ad 100644 --- a/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc +++ b/packages/backend/src/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ outs: -- md5: 148714197a364fa8c9c5b7b5ee6800d1.dir - size: 90514481 +- md5: f3f1f964db26296ca3f600c2c092bea8.dir + size: 89147118 nfiles: 2 hash: md5 path: faiss_index_in_depth diff --git a/packages/backend/src/news_directory/At lincoln beach volunteer caretakers plead for help from new orleans city hall.json b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/At lincoln beach volunteer caretakers plead for help from new orleans city hall.json index 0c820ac2..b202fc3c 100644 --- a/packages/backend/src/news_directory/At lincoln beach volunteer caretakers plead for help from new orleans city hall.json +++ b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/At lincoln beach volunteer caretakers plead for help from new orleans city hall.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "messages": [ { - "page_content": "Skip to main content\nHomes\nCalendar\nStore\nPublic Notices\nE-Edition\nNewsletters\nSubscribe for $1\nAt Lincoln Beach, volunteer caretakers plead for help from New Orleans City Hall\nResidents, officials try to cooperate as redevelopment unfold\nBy BEN MYERS | Staff writer\nSep 4, 2022\n3 min to read\n1 of 3\nReggie Ford takes a picture from a sailboat that washed up at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nWhen it comes to Lincoln Beach, the long-neglected New Orleans East recreation spot that\u2019s recently had a quiet revival, city officials and the volunteers who tend to it say they want the same thing: a newly restored, pristine Lake Pontchartrain beachfront for everyone to enjoy.\nBut in recent months, as City Hall has begun developing plans to rehabilitate the area, Lincoln Beach advocates say they\u2019ve been frustrated by the slow pace of government action.\nSick of the lack of progress over four mayoral administrations, residents adopted the beach in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. They took it upon themselves to clear thickets, build tables and walking trails, gather thousands of bags of garbage and even install a rudimentary drainage system.\nA pipe that is part of the draining and irrigation system helps move water under a walkway at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nOfficials in Mayor LaToya Cantrell\u2019s administration, meanwhile, say they are pursuing a development plan filled with contracting procedures, permitting requirements and grant applications. Cantrell has set aside $5 million in money borrowed via bond issues, and the Department of Public Works has submitted a formal proposal for money from the BP oil disaster settlement.\nAmid the plodding bureacratic process, garbage continues to accumulate on the 15-acre site. Volunteers have hung signs directing visitors to dispose of waste properly, in strategically placed bins, and warning that glass is not allowed. They have pleaded with City Hall to clear a massive pile of garbage bags - large enough to fill a small apartment - that they have collected under a pavilion.\nBut officials have resisted. They are quick to point out that, technically, nothing is allowed at Lincoln Beach: Setting foot on it is trespassing.\nSpace is cleared of debris at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\n\u201cLincoln Beach is closed. It\u2019s not a safe place to be right now,\u201d Cheryn Robles, the Cantrell administration\u2019s project manager, said during a City Council committee meeting on Wednesday. \u201cIn terms of priorities of how we should be addressing illegal dumping, I would say it's more important for us to be addressing it on roads that are open.\u201d\nThe latest plans \nThe Cantrell administration\u2019s Lincoln Beach revival plans are the latest in a succession of fitful efforts dating from the 1990s. Plans call for a natural recreation environment, and roughly half of the needed money has been committed. The administration produced a site assessment in April 2021, and Robles said designs are in the works. A request for proposals for a master planner could be issued soon, and a construction timeline ready by spring.\nBut residents have grown frustrated with the lack of visible progress and clear information, especially as they continue to maintain the site on their own time and dime.\nReggie Ford walks along a wall next to a ramp that has crumbled in the past few years at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\n\u201cI just bought a $600 lawn mower, and it broke in a week because it hit some old rebar. said artist Reggie Ford, who has worked with community activist Michael Pellet on the site\u2019s upkeep. \"I\u2019m about to buy another one. This is like my fourth lawn mower,\u201d \nFord said he spends as many as six hours a day working at Lincoln Beach, and has spent more than $20,000 on it. Pellet, who also goes by Sage Michael, said he started organizing volunteers in March 2020 so New Orleans East could \u201chave something.\u201d\n\u201cFor this community that's been suffering from disaster after disaster, after false promises after lack of investment,\u201d Michael said.\nClashing priorities \nThe Cantrell administration formed the Lincoln Beach Community Advisory Committee to encourage the volunteers\u2019 commitment, even as officials tiptoe around the appearance of inviting liability. The idea is to consult with residents and report on the latest developments in planning.\nBut there hasn\u2019t been much to report over the last 1\u00bd years, said Blyss Wallace, the group\u2019s president. Getting clear information has been \u201clike pulling teeth,\u201d she said.\nA sign asks visitors to dispose of trash at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nStill, Wallace said she is hopeful for renewed momentum, and better relations with city officials, after the City Council committee meeting on Wednesday. That will start with clearing the trash, which officials finally agreed to help with this month.\nFollowing through on that promise will show good faith, Wallace said.\n\u201cEverybody's so zoned in on [the garbage], and with every right to be,\u201d Wallace said. \u201cRemoving that will show that they're actually working with us.\u201d\nFears of getting left behind\nPart of the reason for concerns about Lincoln Beach\u2019s progress relates to the news last month that Pontchartrain Beach had been turned over to a nonprofit for redevelopment, with plans for a wetlands preserve, dog park and a small marina near the University of New Orleans.\nPontchartrain Beach was a popular attraction but was off limits to Black residents during the Jim Crow era. Lincoln Beach, located far from where most people lived at the time, was offered up as a consolation prize. It was hard to reach, but it hosted a full-fledged amusement park, with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, swimming pools and a performance venue that drew big-name artists.\nReggie Ford picks up concrete blocks so visitors do not hurt themselves near a sailboat that washed up at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nCity Hall left Lincoln Beach to nature once Pontchartrain Beach was desegregated with the 1964 Civil Rights Act. But even with the end of legal segregation at Pontchartrain Beach Black residents were never entirely welcome there.\nSome Black New Orleanians worry that Lincoln Beach will get left behind again, said Dawn Hebert, president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission.\n\u201cLincoln Beach is more of an African American historical site that the community wants to restore,\u201d Hebert said. \u201cThe city just decided to abandon Lincoln Beach completely.\u201d\nEmail Ben Myers at bmyers@theadvocate.com. Follow Ben Myers on Twitter, @blevimyers.\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nThis Day in History\nSponsored by Connatix\nRecommended for you\nRecommended by\nSECTIONS\nHOME\nNEWS\nOPINION\nSPORTS\nENTERTAINMENT/LIFE\nNEWSLETTERS\nGAMES\nSERVICES\nCLASSIFIEDS\nSEARCH\nSUBSCRIBE | GROUPS\nDIGITAL ADVERTISING\nHELP/CONTACT US\nRSS FEEDS\nMEDIA KIT\nEEDITION\nCAREERS\nTEACHER'S LINK\nREVIEWING THE RECORD\nOUR SITES\nOBITUARIES\nJOBS\nCELEBRATIONS\nNIE\nCLASSIFIEDS\nHOMES\nPETS\nARCHIVES\nSTORE\nCONTACT INFORMATION\nnola.com\n840 St. Charles Avenue\nNew Orleans, LA 70130\nPhone: 504-529-0522\n\nNews Tips:\nnolanewstips@theadvocate.com\nOther questions:\nsubscriberservices@theadvocate.com\nNeed help?\nReport a delivery issue\nCreate a temporary stop\nSign up for recurring payments\nPay your bill\nUpdate your billing info\n\n\u00a9 Copyright 2023 NOLA.com 840 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy\nPowered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital.\n This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential website functionality, marketing, personalization and analytics. By remaining on this website you indicate your consent. See updated terms and conditions.", + "page_content": "Skip to main content\nHomes\nCalendar\nStore\nPublic Notices\nE-Edition\nNewsletters\nSubscribe for $1\nAt Lincoln Beach, volunteer caretakers plead for help from New Orleans City Hall\nResidents, officials try to cooperate as redevelopment unfold\nBy BEN MYERS | Staff writer\nSep 4, 2022\n3 min to read\n1 of 3\nReggie Ford takes a picture from a sailboat that washed up at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nWhen it comes to Lincoln Beach, the long-neglected New Orleans East recreation spot that\u2019s recently had a quiet revival, city officials and the volunteers who tend to it say they want the same thing: a newly restored, pristine Lake Pontchartrain beachfront for everyone to enjoy.\nBut in recent months, as City Hall has begun developing plans to rehabilitate the area, Lincoln Beach advocates say they\u2019ve been frustrated by the slow pace of government action.\nSick of the lack of progress over four mayoral administrations, residents adopted the beach in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. They took it upon themselves to clear thickets, build tables and walking trails, gather thousands of bags of garbage and even install a rudimentary drainage system.\nA pipe that is part of the draining and irrigation system helps move water under a walkway at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nOfficials in Mayor LaToya Cantrell\u2019s administration, meanwhile, say they are pursuing a development plan filled with contracting procedures, permitting requirements and grant applications. Cantrell has set aside $5 million in money borrowed via bond issues, and the Department of Public Works has submitted a formal proposal for money from the BP oil disaster settlement.\nAmid the plodding bureacratic process, garbage continues to accumulate on the 15-acre site. Volunteers have hung signs directing visitors to dispose of waste properly, in strategically placed bins, and warning that glass is not allowed. They have pleaded with City Hall to clear a massive pile of garbage bags - large enough to fill a small apartment - that they have collected under a pavilion.\nBut officials have resisted. They are quick to point out that, technically, nothing is allowed at Lincoln Beach: Setting foot on it is trespassing.\nSpace is cleared of debris at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\n\u201cLincoln Beach is closed. It\u2019s not a safe place to be right now,\u201d Cheryn Robles, the Cantrell administration\u2019s project manager, said during a City Council committee meeting on Wednesday. \u201cIn terms of priorities of how we should be addressing illegal dumping, I would say it's more important for us to be addressing it on roads that are open.\u201d\nThe latest plans \nThe Cantrell administration\u2019s Lincoln Beach revival plans are the latest in a succession of fitful efforts dating from the 1990s. Plans call for a natural recreation environment, and roughly half of the needed money has been committed. The administration produced a site assessment in April 2021, and Robles said designs are in the works. A request for proposals for a master planner could be issued soon, and a construction timeline ready by spring.\nBut residents have grown frustrated with the lack of visible progress and clear information, especially as they continue to maintain the site on their own time and dime.\nReggie Ford walks along a wall next to a ramp that has crumbled in the past few years at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\n\u201cI just bought a $600 lawn mower, and it broke in a week because it hit some old rebar. said artist Reggie Ford, who has worked with community activist Michael Pellet on the site\u2019s upkeep. \"I\u2019m about to buy another one. This is like my fourth lawn mower,\u201d \nFord said he spends as many as six hours a day working at Lincoln Beach, and has spent more than $20,000 on it. Pellet, who also goes by Sage Michael, said he started organizing volunteers in March 2020 so New Orleans East could \u201chave something.\u201d\n\u201cFor this community that's been suffering from disaster after disaster, after false promises after lack of investment,\u201d Michael said.\nClashing priorities \nThe Cantrell administration formed the Lincoln Beach Community Advisory Committee to encourage the volunteers\u2019 commitment, even as officials tiptoe around the appearance of inviting liability. The idea is to consult with residents and report on the latest developments in planning.\nBut there hasn\u2019t been much to report over the last 1\u00bd years, said Blyss Wallace, the group\u2019s president. Getting clear information has been \u201clike pulling teeth,\u201d she said.\nA sign asks visitors to dispose of trash at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nStill, Wallace said she is hopeful for renewed momentum, and better relations with city officials, after the City Council committee meeting on Wednesday. That will start with clearing the trash, which officials finally agreed to help with this month.\nFollowing through on that promise will show good faith, Wallace said.\n\u201cEverybody's so zoned in on [the garbage], and with every right to be,\u201d Wallace said. \u201cRemoving that will show that they're actually working with us.\u201d\nFears of getting left behind\nPart of the reason for concerns about Lincoln Beach\u2019s progress relates to the news last month that Pontchartrain Beach had been turned over to a nonprofit for redevelopment, with plans for a wetlands preserve, dog park and a small marina near the University of New Orleans.\nPontchartrain Beach was a popular attraction but was off limits to Black residents during the Jim Crow era. Lincoln Beach, located far from where most people lived at the time, was offered up as a consolation prize. It was hard to reach, but it hosted a full-fledged amusement park, with a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, swimming pools and a performance venue that drew big-name artists.\nReggie Ford picks up concrete blocks so visitors do not hurt themselves near a sailboat that washed up at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans on Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022.\nSTAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER\nCity Hall left Lincoln Beach to nature once Pontchartrain Beach was desegregated with the 1964 Civil Rights Act. But even with the end of legal segregation at Pontchartrain Beach Black residents were never entirely welcome there.\nSome Black New Orleanians worry that Lincoln Beach will get left behind again, said Dawn Hebert, president of the East New Orleans Neighborhood Advisory Commission.\n\u201cLincoln Beach is more of an African American historical site that the community wants to restore,\u201d Hebert said. \u201cThe city just decided to abandon Lincoln Beach completely.\u201d\nEmail Ben Myers at bmyers@theadvocate.com. Follow Ben Myers on Twitter, @blevimyers.\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nThis Day in History\nSponsored by Connatix\nRecommended for you\nRecommended by\nSECTIONS\nHOME\nNEWS\nOPINION\nSPORTS\nENTERTAINMENT/LIFE\nNEWSLETTERS\nGAMES\nSERVICES\nCLASSIFIEDS\nSEARCH\nSUBSCRIBE | GROUPS\nDIGITAL ADVERTISING\nHELP/CONTACT US\nRSS FEEDS\nMEDIA KIT\nEEDITION\nCAREERS\nTEACHER'S LINK\nREVIEWING THE RECORD\nOUR SITES\nOBITUARIES\nJOBS\nCELEBRATIONS\nNIE\nCLASSIFIEDS\nHOMES\nPETS\nARCHIVES\nSTORE\nCONTACT INFORMATION\nnola.com\n840 St. Charles Avenue\nNew Orleans, LA 70130\nPhone: 504-529-0522\n\nNews Tips:\nnolanewstips@theadvocate.com\nOther questions:\nsubscriberservices@theadvocate.com\nNeed help?\nReport a delivery issue\nCreate a temporary stop\nSign up for recurring payments\nPay your bill\nUpdate your billing info\n\n\u00a9 Copyright 2023 NOLA.com 840 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy\nPowered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital.\nThis website stores data such as cookies to enable essential website functionality, marketing, personalization and analytics. By remaining on this website you indicate your consent. See updated terms and conditions.\n ", "url": "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/at-lincoln-beach-volunteer-caretakers-plead-for-help-from-new-orleans-city-hall/article_2cd4c6e4-2b98-11ed-b0b7-1b46c1cb095d.html", "title": "At lincoln beach volunteer caretakers plead for help from new orleans city hall" } diff --git a/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Cantrell administration should boost transparency on 388 million in federal funds BGR says.json b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Cantrell administration should boost transparency on 388 million in federal funds BGR says.json new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d789f44b --- /dev/null +++ b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Cantrell administration should boost transparency on 388 million in federal funds BGR says.json @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +{ + "messages": [ + { + "page_content": "Skip to main content\nHomes\nCalendar\nStore\nPublic Notices\nE-Edition\nNewsletters\nSubscribe for $1\nCantrell administration should boost transparency on $388 million in federal funds, BGR says\nBY MATT SLEDGE | Staff writer\nDec 18, 2022\n4 min to read\n1 of 8\nMayor LaToya Cantrell answers questions during the Community Budget Meeting at Lakeview Christian Center in New Orleans, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nWhen the New Orleans City Council passed a massive, $262 million amendment to the 2023 budget in the waning hours before a Dec. 1 deadline, local activists were surprised.\nThere\u2019d been no formal notice that Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the council had hammered out a deal to tap hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic relief funds and other money, said Maxwell Ciardullo, the spokesperson for the Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center.\n\u201cEveryone was totally caught off guard,\u201d Ciardullo said.\nNow, organizers are preparing for another debate early next year over how to use the rest of the city\u2019s one-time funds.\nWhen that happens, the Cantrell administration should open the curtain on how it is spending American Rescue Plan Act funds and a huge general fund balance, the Bureau of Governmental Research said in a report this week.\nThat report faults the administration for a lack of transparency thus far. But it also notes that there is time for a course correction given the huge sums yet to be spent.\nA growing surplus\nWhen the pandemic walloped the city\u2019s tourism industry in 2020, the Cantrell administration prepared for a downturn in sales and hotel taxes for years to come. The city planned employee furloughs in 2021 that would save $26 million, plus another $92 million in general budget cuts, according to the BGR report.\nHowever, in March 2021, the U.S. Congress passed into law the American Rescue Plan Act, which was designed to provide a lifeline to local governments. Suddenly, New Orleans was in line to receive $388 million in federal funds in two installments.\nThe federal law placed some limits on how local governments could spend the money. The city plugged $187 million from the first installment into the police and fire departments, freeing up general fund dollars that would have been spent there as the city saw fit.\nThat didn\u2019t violate federal law. But the fact that the city only explained how it was using the money on the front end in an online dashboard, the Bureau of Governmental Research said, \u201cdoes not provide the public with the information necessary to understand ARPA\u2019s real impact on funding for other departments or the city\u2019s finances.\"\nMayor LaToya Cantrell answers questions during the Community Budget Meeting at Lakeview Christian Center in New Orleans, Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\nIn addition to the federal aid, another factor bulked up the city\u2019s bank account. Hundreds of unfilled positions, many in the New Orleans Police Department, contributed to a huge balance of leftover funds at the end of 2021. In total, the city spent $532 million in 2021, $100 million short of its trimmed-down budget.\nThe BGR report found that even without the federal funds, last year the city would have been able to meet all of its expenses while generating a $25 million surplus. In effect, the federal relief dollars helped grow the city's fund balance.\nThe Cantrell administration has portrayed its conservative budgeting as a prudent response to the uncertainty of the pandemic. Even after Congress passed ARPA it warned of budget shortfalls lasting into 2025. It has also said that the savings have allowed it to sock money into a much-needed rainy-day fund. Yet the drop in spending coincided with widespread complaints about the quality of municipal services.\nRebecca Mowbray, the president and CEO of BGR, said the group didn\u2019t try to determine how the two factors were related.\n\u201cOur task here really was just to follow the money and see where it went. We didn\u2019t so much make judgments about how they were spending it,\u201d she said.\nSpending the pot\nThis summer, the federal government sent the city its second, $194 million block of pandemic relief funds. Heading into the November budget season, Cantrell held a series of town halls.\nIn some settings, Cantrell didn't typically distinguish between sources of funds and the timing of City Council votes. But administration officials also stated that the city would allocate general funds through the ordinary budget process before turning to the federal dollars.\nInstead, the Cantrell administration and the City Council passed the last-minute amendments to the mayor\u2019s proposed budget that caught organizers off-guard. Those amendments allocated $124 million in ARPA funds and $151 million in fund balance dollars, according to BGR.\n\u201cUltimately, they went ahead and passed everything all at once, not really giving citizens the opportunity to know the details,\u201d said Susie Dudis, a BGR research analyst.\nIn a statement, a city spokesperson pushed back at the idea that there wasn\u2019t advance notice, pointing to the town halls and budget hearings. John Lawson, the spokesperson, said the amendment included priorities that had emerged as consensus priorities, like fighting crime and blight.\n\u201cThe first set of appropriations invested in projects and initiatives in response to what we heard from the public as core/vital basic needs,\u201d said Lawson.\nGilbert Monta\u00f1o, bottom center, chief administrative officer for New Orleans, talks about the details of Mayor LaToya Cantrell's 2023 operating budget to the New Orleans City Council on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at City Hall. (Photo by Chris Granger | The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSTAFF PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER\nThe budget amendment, unlike previous appropriations, sends the federal relief funds to specific departments rather than flowing it through police and fire. But even with that added level of detail, BGR\u2019s report faulted the administration for falling short on transparency.\nA $5 million outlay for \u201cunhoused populations,\u201d for example, was described in an internal memo as going to a \u201cfull-time staff member and consulting team to develop a comprehensive program to support unhoused populations in the city.\u201d\nThe BGR, Dudis said, is \u201choping we will see more of the actual plan details... their time frame, what are the objectives, what is the population of people being served. That, we don\u2019t have at this point.\u201d\nMoney in the bank\nDistrict A Council member Joe Giarrusso, the chair of the City Council budget committee, agreed with the Cantrell administration that the budget amendments reflected a broad consensus. But he also agreed with BGR that the city and council could have done a better job of communicating how they planned to allocate ARPA funds.\nThe issues raised in the BGR report, he said, pointed to the larger problem of compressing complex budget discussions into November. He favors expanding budget season to include October.\nGiarrusso said he expects to hold hearings on how to spend the remainder of one-time dollars from ARPA and the fund balance in January and February. That amounts to about $70 million in federal dollars plus at least as many fund-balance dollars, he\u2019s said previously.\nCiardullo and other activists are pushing for the city to spend the money on a wide variety of needs. His group\u2019s priority is up to $90 million to tackle what he called \u201ca tremendous shortage of affordable rental housing.\u201d\nGiarrusso said that under a new approach he is pioneering next year, there will also be quarterly hearings on how the city is spending its money. The Cantrell administration said that it will also be expanding an online dashboard in early 2023 to include spending outcomes and the use of fund balance dollars.\nEmail Matt Sledge at msledge@theadvocate.com.\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nThis Day in History\nSponsored by Connatix\nRecommended for you\nRecommended by\nSECTIONS\nHOME\nNEWS\nOPINION\nSPORTS\nENTERTAINMENT/LIFE\nNEWSLETTERS\nGAMES\nSERVICES\nCLASSIFIEDS\nSEARCH\nSUBSCRIBE | GROUPS\nDIGITAL ADVERTISING\nHELP/CONTACT US\nRSS FEEDS\nMEDIA KIT\nEEDITION\nCAREERS\nTEACHER'S LINK\nREVIEWING THE RECORD\nOUR SITES\nOBITUARIES\nJOBS\nCELEBRATIONS\nNIE\nCLASSIFIEDS\nHOMES\nPETS\nARCHIVES\nSTORE\nCONTACT INFORMATION\nnola.com\n840 St. Charles Avenue\nNew Orleans, LA 70130\nPhone: 504-529-0522\n\nNews Tips:\nnolanewstips@theadvocate.com\nOther questions:\nsubscriberservices@theadvocate.com\nNeed help?\nReport a delivery issue\nCreate a temporary stop\nSign up for recurring payments\nPay your bill\nUpdate your billing info\n\n\u00a9 Copyright 2023 NOLA.com 840 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy\nPowered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital.\nThis website stores data such as cookies to enable essential website functionality, marketing, personalization and analytics. By remaining on this website you indicate your consent. See updated terms and conditions.\n ", + "url": "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/cantrell-administration-should-boost-transparency-on-388-million-in-federal-funds-bgr-says/article_6b591a1a-7d7c-11ed-b58f-0371d99e2538.html", + "title": "Cantrell administration should boost transparency on 388 million in federal funds BGR says" + } + ] +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Frequent outages could lead to big fines for entergy new orleans under new standards.json b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Frequent outages could lead to big fines for entergy new orleans under new standards.json new file mode 100644 index 00000000..baf7079f --- /dev/null +++ b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Frequent outages could lead to big fines for entergy new orleans under new standards.json @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +{ + "messages": [ + { + "page_content": "HOME\nABOUT\nSUBSCRIBE\nDONATE\nELECTION 2023\nGOVT + POLITICS\nENVIRONMENT\nHEALTH\nCRIMINAL JUSTICE\nEDUCATION\nBUSINESS + LABOR\nGOVT + POLITICS\nWEATHER\nFrequent outages could lead to big fines for Entergy New Orleans under new standards\nBY: MICHAEL ISAAC STEIN, VERITE - FEBRUARY 18, 2023 10:00 AM\nEntergy\u2019s New Orleans Power Station. (Photo by Julie Dermansky)\nThe New Orleans City Council established a new set of reliability standards Thursday for Entergy New Orleans that could lead to fines up to $3.7 million per year if the number of annual blackouts exceeds those standards. The council is the regulator of Entergy New Orleans.\n\u201cEntergy New Orleans must meet our standards or owe the people of New Orleans, their customers, millions of dollars in fines,\u201d Councilwoman Helena Moreno said at a utility committee meeting this month. \u201cI believe we\u2019re one of the only regulators in the southern region that\u2019s set up these types of reliability standards.\u201d\nThe council hopes the new standards will finally allow it to collect a $1 million fine it imposed on Entergy in 2019 over frequent outages. The fine was levied after a council investigation found that the grid\u2019s reliability fell sharply shortly after the company cut millions of dollars from its budget to maintain it.\nEntergy challenged the fine in court, arguing it was unfair because the council hadn\u2019t established reliability standards. An Orleans Parish Civil District Court judge ruled in Entergy\u2019s favor in June.\nMoreno\u2019s chief of staff Andrew Tuozzolo told Verite that the council\u2019s plan was now to re-levy the $1 million fine, in the hopes that the new reliability standards will make it easier to defend in court.\nThe new standards only apply to \u201cfair-weather day\u201d outages, and exclude outages caused by major events like hurricanes. The council is currently conducting a separate process to create new rules and improvement plans for the grid\u2019s storm resilience.\nWhile hurricane-related outages are a well-known and deadly occurrence in New Orleans, the city has also struggled for years with frequent outages on sunny days. In fact, the process to pass these new rules began in 2017, when complaints grew about the number of blackouts happening on clear days, when the grid should have been operating normally.\nIn 2019, a council investigation found that Entergy failed in its responsibility to maintain an adequate grid. It found the city experienced 2,599 outages between June 1, 2016 and May 31, 2017 alone, the majority of which occurred on fair weather days. The report said the main cause of the outages were equipment failures in the local distribution grid \u2014 the poles and lines that run down every street and deliver electricity directly to buildings.\nThe investigation also found that the grid\u2019s reliability started to fall shortly after Entergy New Orleans made multi-million dollar cuts to investing in distribution system maintenance and improvement. That investigation led to the council\u2019s decision to fine Entergy $1 million.\nUnder the measure passed Thursday, Entergy will have three new reliability standards that could lead to the fine.\nThe first standard is how many fair weather outages New Orleans customers face each year. That\u2019s based on an industry standard called the system average interruption frequency index (SAIFI). The minimum SAIFI established by the council is 1.53 \u2014 meaning that a customer in New Orleans should experience, on average, 1.53 outages per year. The exact fine depends on how off that mark Entergy was in a given year, with a maximum penalty of $2.7 million.\nSUPPORT NEWS YOU TRUST.\nDONATE\nThe second standard is about the duration of fair weather outages every year, based on the system average interruption duration index (SAIDI). The maximum baseline SAIDI score for Entergy was set at 178.2, meaning New Orleans customers on average would experience 178.2 minutes \u2014 roughly three hours \u2014 of outages each year. Entergy could face an annual fine of $500,000 for failing to achieve that.\nThe last standard could lead to fines up to $500,000 if Entergy fails to adequately improve the grid\u2019s worst performing feeders \u2014 a piece of equipment in the distribution system that has been blamed for outages in the past.\nThe council\u2019s ordinance notes that under the newly established fine schedule, Entergy\u2019s poor reliability in 2016 and 2017 \u2014 for which the council originally levied a $1 million fine \u2014 would have resulted in a fine of almost the exact same amount \u2014 $1,005,000.\nRepresentatives of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, which advocates on behalf of customers, applauded the move. But they also said they believe the council should go farther and use these new standards as a starting point.\n\u201cWe\u2019re certainly supportive of having them in place, but we\u2019d like to note this is merely a first step,\u201d Alliance policy director Jesse George said at the utility meeting this month. \u201cWe encourage the council to continue making these standards more stringent over time.\u201d\nThe council\u2019s utility advisers noted that from 2013 through 2021, Entergy New Orleans would have only run afoul of the new standards in two years, 2016 and 2017.\n\u201cI think if you ask the average New Orleanian whether their electric service was reliable over the last five years they would probably say no,\u201d George said in a recent Facebook video.\nMoreno said during the committee meeting that because of pressure from the council, Entergy New Orleans had improved its reliability.\n\u201cTheir reliability is definitely not perfect, but it has improved due to insistence from the City Council,\u201d Moreno said. \u201cEntergy New Orleans has now increased its reliability performance to just above the national average. This is progress, but we are certainly far from done.\u201d\nEntergy did not respond to a request for comment.\nThis article first appeared on Verite and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.\nREPUBLISH\nOur stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.\nMICHAEL ISAAC STEIN, VERITE\nBefore joining Verite, Michael Isaac Stein spent five years as an investigative reporter at The Lens, a nonprofit New Orleans news publication, covering local government, housing and labor issues. Before working at The Lens, Stein was a reporter for WWNO New Orleans Public Radio and freelanced for various national publications including The Intercept, The New Republic and Bloomberg\u2019s CityLab. He holds a bachelor\u2019s degree from the University of Michigan\u2019s Ford School of Public Policy.\nMORE FROM AUTHOR\nRELATED NEWS\nEntergy threatens \u2018expensive litigation\u2019 over $1 million\u2026\nBY MICHAEL ISAAC STEIN, VERITE\nMay 13, 2023\nEntergy can recover $170 million in Ida costs from\u2026\nBY MICHAEL ISAAC STEIN, VERITE\nAugust 28, 2023\nSHINING A LIGHT ON THE BAYOU STATE\nDemocracy Toolkit //\nRegister to vote\n|\nFind your voting precinct\n|\nBecome an election worker\n|\nConduct a voter registration drive\n|\nContact your state and federal lawmakers\nABOUT US\nThe Louisiana Illuminator is an independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization with a mission to cast light on how decisions in Baton Rouge are made and how they affect the lives of everyday Louisianians. Our in-depth investigations and news stories, news briefs and commentary help residents make sense of how state policies help or hurt them and their neighbors statewide.\nOur stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site.\nDEIJ Policy | Ethics Policy | Privacy Policy\n\u00a9 Louisiana Illuminator, 2023", + "url": "https://lailluminator.com/2023/02/18/frequent-outages-could-lead-to-big-fines-for-entergy-new-orleans-under-new-standards/", + "title": "Frequent outages could lead to big fines for entergy new orleans under new standards" + } + ] +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Meeting people where they are How a new orleans group is addressing youth crime.json b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Meeting people where they are How a new orleans group is addressing youth crime.json index f62c3ab9..4e8353a4 100644 --- a/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Meeting people where they are How a new orleans group is addressing youth crime.json +++ b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/Meeting people where they are How a new orleans group is addressing youth crime.json @@ -1,7 +1,7 @@ { "messages": [ { - "page_content": "Skip to main content\nHomes\nCalendar\nStore\nPublic Notices\nE-Edition\nNewsletters\nSubscribe for $1\nMeeting people where they are. How a New Orleans group is addressing youth crime\nBy JONI HESS | Staff writer\nFeb 19, 2023\n4 min to read\n1 of 4\nErnest Johnson, founder of the Ubuntu Village, poses at the Broadmoor Community Church in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The organization helps families navigate the juvenile justice system. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nUbuntu is a South African term meaning I am because we are. Ubuntu Village, a New Orleans-based nonprofit, is building a coalition of families whose lives have been impacted by a myriad of factors, including a lack of community investment compounded by confrontations with the juvenile justice system.\nErnest Johnson, the director and co-founder of Ubuntu, has a deep desire to help families, as he was incarcerated at a young age. He feared that he would succumb to a trajectory commonly associated with Black men in America, so he decided to do something about it. \nSeeking to remove himself from that narrative, Johnson became self-employed. He didn't want to fall under the constraint of minimum wage work, so he started a lawn care business, as well as other small entrepreneurial ventures. He made peace with his life, started a family and began organizing around social justice issues.\nAccording to the Vera Institute, in Louisiana, Black people constituted 33% of state residents, but 52% of people in jail and 67% of people in prison. In New Orleans, Black people are more likely to have received fewer years of traditional schooling, with 23% obtaining a college degree compared to nearly 70% of White people. \nErnest Johnson, founder of the Ubuntu Village, poses at the Broadmoor Community Church in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The organization helps families navigate the juvenile justice system. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\nWhen his 14-year-old son was accused of a crime, Johnson sought to advocate for his son at all costs, even taking some of the blame. But disbelief weighed heavy.\n\u201cIs this karma or a generational curse?\u201d he said. \nIn a city where juvenile gun violence seems to be normalized and a juvenile justice center nears a tipping point in capacity, organizations like Ubuntu are working to meet families where they are.\nChange how we care\nJohnson said that from its inception, Ubuntu Village has been intentional about empowering vulnerable communities through a holistic perspective. As such, they've rallied behind a series of initiatives that address underlying life circumstances: housing instability, mental health issues and poverty.\n\u201cUntil we change the philosophy on how we care, or the type of lens through which we look at individuals, we're going to continue with this cycle we see,\u201d Johnson said.\nTo break that cycle, Ubuntu has established a mentor program at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center and the Bridge City Center for Youth where they also help cultivate social/emotional skills through theatre and dance. Additionally, Ubuntu hosts a series of programs, including parent leadership classes where groups meet regularly as a means of support.\nIn 2021, Ubuntu helped to pass a bill into law that called for the elimination of administrative fees such as drug testing or electronic monitoring costs in the juvenile court system, an issue that was particularly stressful on vulnerable communities.\nIn cases where someone can't afford bail, recognizing a need for alternatives other than jail time, the nonprofit created a program to help people resume their lives after an arrest. The program helps people avoid some of life's pitfalls \u2014 job loss because of missing work, home loss because of missing income or missing school \u2014 all problems that may arise while someone is waiting to be formally charged.\nWhen Tiffany Hicks' son was incarcerated for six months in 2017 during his senior year of high school, she became affiliated with Ubuntu and started attending parent meetings. Eventually she became a parent navigator, a role she still carries out today, despite her son's current enrollment in his third year of college.\n\u201cI love it,\u201d she said. \u201cI get to meet different parents. We bond over things that are meant to take us down.\u201d\nNavigating the courts\nThe Parent Navigator Program at Orleans Parish Juvenile Court enlists two peers who help educate and empower other parents so that they are able to fully participate in their child\u2019s court proceedings. Parents or guardians who have completed parent leadership classes and undergo training can volunteer to assist other parents to navigate and help make sense of the legal process.\nTo get involved with the program, interested parties can stop by the Ubuntu Village office located at 2021 South Dupre St. in New Orleans \u2014 or visit their website for more information. \nJohnson said he was able to work his way through the court system on his son\u2019s behalf with a sense of boldness and familiarity not embraced by everyone, especially Black mothers and grandmothers who make up the majority of court attendants. Johnson said the women often seemed \u201cbeat down\u201d by the complicated, cumbersome and overwhelming process.\nSome families reported having to wait four or more hours in the courtroom, only for their case to be delayed another day \u2014 delays which cause individuals to take more time off work and put their jobs at risk. \nHaving been through the court system himself, Johnson understood the landscape and felt more informed. He said he went in with little trust for the judges, lawyers and the overall process. \nUbuntu Village's Delinquency Case Flow Chart breaks down what happens when a child is arrested at the Broadmoor Community Church in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The organization helps families navigate the juvenile justice system. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\n\u201c[These women] are dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Now they have to entrust a lawyer, a judge and an institution,\u201d Johnson said.\nJohnson and his team at Ubuntu compiled research that details some of the core issues that plague families of system-involved youth \u2014 including the difficult task of deciphering legal jargon, which is important to understand to advocate for their children. \nAn ill-equipped system\nThe report also notes a lack of long-term support for families and formerly incarcerated youth, who often leave the judicial system ill-equipped to manage existing trauma worsened by their detention stay.\n\u201cOur juvenile system perpetuates a numbness,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cIf behavior isn\u2019t curtailed, they end up in the adult system.\u201d\nThe organization hopes to continue its advocacy efforts by building relationships and changing the storyline, including the false narrative that parents don't care.\n\"Even in the worst circumstances, I\u2019ve seen that parents care about their children,\" Johnson said. \"Have they done everything they were supposed to do? Maybe not. But from the heart, the care and the love is always there.\"\nJohnson and other leaders in the justice reform arena recently developed an art exhibit at the Tulane Newcomb Art Museum, \"Unthinkable Imagination: A Creative Response to the Juvenile Justice Crisis.\"\nThe exhibit showcases the experiences of more than 20 judicial system-impacted youth through painting, sculpture, performance and other mediums. \nCommunity members can view the exhibit until June 10, 2023, on Tulane's campus, 6823 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, 70118.\nEmail Joni Hess at joni.hess@theadvocate.com.\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nSECTIONS\nHOME\nNEWS\nOPINION\nSPORTS\nENTERTAINMENT/LIFE\nNEWSLETTERS\nGAMES\nSERVICES\nCLASSIFIEDS\nSEARCH\nSUBSCRIBE | GROUPS\nDIGITAL ADVERTISING\nHELP/CONTACT US\nRSS FEEDS\nMEDIA KIT\nEEDITION\nCAREERS\nTEACHER'S LINK\nREVIEWING THE RECORD\nOUR SITES\nOBITUARIES\nJOBS\nCELEBRATIONS\nNIE\nCLASSIFIEDS\nHOMES\nPETS\nARCHIVES\nSTORE\nCONTACT INFORMATION\nnola.com\n840 St. Charles Avenue\nNew Orleans, LA 70130\nPhone: 504-529-0522\n\nNews Tips:\nnolanewstips@theadvocate.com\nOther questions:\nsubscriberservices@theadvocate.com\nNeed help?\nReport a delivery issue\nCreate a temporary stop\nSign up for recurring payments\nPay your bill\nUpdate your billing info\n\n\u00a9 Copyright 2023 NOLA.com 840 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy\nPowered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital.\n This website stores data such as cookies to enable essential website functionality, marketing, personalization and analytics. By remaining on this website you indicate your consent. See updated terms and conditions.", + "page_content": "Skip to main content\nHomes\nCalendar\nStore\nPublic Notices\nE-Edition\nNewsletters\nSubscribe for $1\nMeeting people where they are. How a New Orleans group is addressing youth crime\nBy JONI HESS | Staff writer\nFeb 19, 2023\n4 min to read\n1 of 4\nErnest Johnson, founder of the Ubuntu Village, poses at the Broadmoor Community Church in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The organization helps families navigate the juvenile justice system. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nUbuntu is a South African term meaning I am because we are. Ubuntu Village, a New Orleans-based nonprofit, is building a coalition of families whose lives have been impacted by a myriad of factors, including a lack of community investment compounded by confrontations with the juvenile justice system.\nErnest Johnson, the director and co-founder of Ubuntu, has a deep desire to help families, as he was incarcerated at a young age. He feared that he would succumb to a trajectory commonly associated with Black men in America, so he decided to do something about it. \nSeeking to remove himself from that narrative, Johnson became self-employed. He didn't want to fall under the constraint of minimum wage work, so he started a lawn care business, as well as other small entrepreneurial ventures. He made peace with his life, started a family and began organizing around social justice issues.\nAccording to the Vera Institute, in Louisiana, Black people constituted 33% of state residents, but 52% of people in jail and 67% of people in prison. In New Orleans, Black people are more likely to have received fewer years of traditional schooling, with 23% obtaining a college degree compared to nearly 70% of White people. \nErnest Johnson, founder of the Ubuntu Village, poses at the Broadmoor Community Church in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The organization helps families navigate the juvenile justice system. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\nWhen his 14-year-old son was accused of a crime, Johnson sought to advocate for his son at all costs, even taking some of the blame. But disbelief weighed heavy.\n\u201cIs this karma or a generational curse?\u201d he said. \nIn a city where juvenile gun violence seems to be normalized and a juvenile justice center nears a tipping point in capacity, organizations like Ubuntu are working to meet families where they are.\nChange how we care\nJohnson said that from its inception, Ubuntu Village has been intentional about empowering vulnerable communities through a holistic perspective. As such, they've rallied behind a series of initiatives that address underlying life circumstances: housing instability, mental health issues and poverty.\n\u201cUntil we change the philosophy on how we care, or the type of lens through which we look at individuals, we're going to continue with this cycle we see,\u201d Johnson said.\nTo break that cycle, Ubuntu has established a mentor program at the Juvenile Justice Intervention Center and the Bridge City Center for Youth where they also help cultivate social/emotional skills through theatre and dance. Additionally, Ubuntu hosts a series of programs, including parent leadership classes where groups meet regularly as a means of support.\nIn 2021, Ubuntu helped to pass a bill into law that called for the elimination of administrative fees such as drug testing or electronic monitoring costs in the juvenile court system, an issue that was particularly stressful on vulnerable communities.\nIn cases where someone can't afford bail, recognizing a need for alternatives other than jail time, the nonprofit created a program to help people resume their lives after an arrest. The program helps people avoid some of life's pitfalls \u2014 job loss because of missing work, home loss because of missing income or missing school \u2014 all problems that may arise while someone is waiting to be formally charged.\nWhen Tiffany Hicks' son was incarcerated for six months in 2017 during his senior year of high school, she became affiliated with Ubuntu and started attending parent meetings. Eventually she became a parent navigator, a role she still carries out today, despite her son's current enrollment in his third year of college.\n\u201cI love it,\u201d she said. \u201cI get to meet different parents. We bond over things that are meant to take us down.\u201d\nNavigating the courts\nThe Parent Navigator Program at Orleans Parish Juvenile Court enlists two peers who help educate and empower other parents so that they are able to fully participate in their child\u2019s court proceedings. Parents or guardians who have completed parent leadership classes and undergo training can volunteer to assist other parents to navigate and help make sense of the legal process.\nTo get involved with the program, interested parties can stop by the Ubuntu Village office located at 2021 South Dupre St. in New Orleans \u2014 or visit their website for more information. \nJohnson said he was able to work his way through the court system on his son\u2019s behalf with a sense of boldness and familiarity not embraced by everyone, especially Black mothers and grandmothers who make up the majority of court attendants. Johnson said the women often seemed \u201cbeat down\u201d by the complicated, cumbersome and overwhelming process.\nSome families reported having to wait four or more hours in the courtroom, only for their case to be delayed another day \u2014 delays which cause individuals to take more time off work and put their jobs at risk. \nHaving been through the court system himself, Johnson understood the landscape and felt more informed. He said he went in with little trust for the judges, lawyers and the overall process. \nUbuntu Village's Delinquency Case Flow Chart breaks down what happens when a child is arrested at the Broadmoor Community Church in New Orleans, Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023. The organization helps families navigate the juvenile justice system. (Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate)\nSophia Germer\n\u201c[These women] are dealing with the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Now they have to entrust a lawyer, a judge and an institution,\u201d Johnson said.\nJohnson and his team at Ubuntu compiled research that details some of the core issues that plague families of system-involved youth \u2014 including the difficult task of deciphering legal jargon, which is important to understand to advocate for their children. \nAn ill-equipped system\nThe report also notes a lack of long-term support for families and formerly incarcerated youth, who often leave the judicial system ill-equipped to manage existing trauma worsened by their detention stay.\n\u201cOur juvenile system perpetuates a numbness,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cIf behavior isn\u2019t curtailed, they end up in the adult system.\u201d\nThe organization hopes to continue its advocacy efforts by building relationships and changing the storyline, including the false narrative that parents don't care.\n\"Even in the worst circumstances, I\u2019ve seen that parents care about their children,\" Johnson said. \"Have they done everything they were supposed to do? Maybe not. But from the heart, the care and the love is always there.\"\nJohnson and other leaders in the justice reform arena recently developed an art exhibit at the Tulane Newcomb Art Museum, \"Unthinkable Imagination: A Creative Response to the Juvenile Justice Crisis.\"\nThe exhibit showcases the experiences of more than 20 judicial system-impacted youth through painting, sculpture, performance and other mediums. \nCommunity members can view the exhibit until June 10, 2023, on Tulane's campus, 6823 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, 70118.\nEmail Joni Hess at joni.hess@theadvocate.com.\nFacebook\nTwitter\nEmail\nPrint\nCopy article link\nSave\nSECTIONS\nHOME\nNEWS\nOPINION\nSPORTS\nENTERTAINMENT/LIFE\nNEWSLETTERS\nGAMES\nSERVICES\nCLASSIFIEDS\nSEARCH\nSUBSCRIBE | GROUPS\nDIGITAL ADVERTISING\nHELP/CONTACT US\nRSS FEEDS\nMEDIA KIT\nEEDITION\nCAREERS\nTEACHER'S LINK\nREVIEWING THE RECORD\nOUR SITES\nOBITUARIES\nJOBS\nCELEBRATIONS\nNIE\nCLASSIFIEDS\nHOMES\nPETS\nARCHIVES\nSTORE\nCONTACT INFORMATION\nnola.com\n840 St. Charles Avenue\nNew Orleans, LA 70130\nPhone: 504-529-0522\n\nNews Tips:\nnolanewstips@theadvocate.com\nOther questions:\nsubscriberservices@theadvocate.com\nNeed help?\nReport a delivery issue\nCreate a temporary stop\nSign up for recurring payments\nPay your bill\nUpdate your billing info\n\n\u00a9 Copyright 2023 NOLA.com 840 St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans, LA | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy\nPowered by BLOX Content Management System from BLOX Digital.\nThis website stores data such as cookies to enable essential website functionality, marketing, personalization and analytics. By remaining on this website you indicate your consent. See updated terms and conditions.\n ", "url": "https://www.nola.com/louisiana_inspired/meeting-people-where-they-are-how-a-new-orleans-group-is-addressing-youth-crime/article_13c74dca-a70d-11ed-9d8f-9b9d4dc1239f.html", "title": "Meeting people where they are How a new orleans group is addressing youth crime" } diff --git a/packages/backend/src/news_directory/New orleans facial recognition tool mostly used against black suspects.json b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/New orleans facial recognition tool mostly used against black suspects.json new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9ede98d0 --- /dev/null +++ b/packages/backend/src/news_directory/New orleans facial recognition tool mostly used against black suspects.json @@ -0,0 +1,9 @@ +{ + "messages": [ + { + "page_content": "Subscribe\nMenu\nNEWS\nSPORTS\nVOICES\nCULTURE\nLIFESTYLE\nTRAVEL\nPREMIUM\nNewsWorldAmericas\nNew Orleans facial recognition tool mostly used against Black suspects\nOnly six of the 15 facial recognition requests resulted in matches \u2014 and half of those were erroneous\nKelly Rissman\nTuesday 31 October 2023 22:42 GMT\nComments\nRelated video: New Orleans struggles with solutions to deadly gun violence\nSign up to our Evening Headlines email for your daily guide to the latest news\nSIGN UP\nI would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice\nAfter the New Orleans City Council voted to allow the use of facial recognition software to identify criminals more readily and accurately, reports indicate that the technology was ineffective and erroneous.\nThis system went into effect in the summer of 2022, and Politico obtained records of the year\u2019s worth of results. The outlet found that not only was the facial recognition tool vastly incapable of identifying suspects, but it was also disproportionately used on Black people.\nAnd from October 2022 to August 2023, almost every facial recognition request regarded a Black suspect.\nPolitico reported that in total, the department made 19 requests. However, two of them were thrown out because police had identified the suspect before the system\u2019s results came back, while two others were rejected because the program\u2019s application didn\u2019t extend to those crimes.\nSo, of the 15 requests made by the New Orleans Police Department, 14 concerned Black suspects, the outlet wrote. On top of this, only six of these requests turned up with matches \u2014 and half of those were erroneous \u2014 while the remaining nine did not pull up a match.\nFacial recognition technology has long been controversial. The city of New Orleans previously had banned the use of facial recognition software, which went into effect in 2020 following the death of George Floyd. Then, in 2022, the city reversed course, allowing it to be used.\nIn the wake of the reversal, the ACLU of Louisiana Advocacy Director Chris Kaiser called the new ordinance \u201cdeeply flawed.\u201d He not only pointed out research that indicated that \u201cracial and gender bias\u201d affected the program\u2019s accuracy but also highlighted privacy concerns around the data that the program relies on when identifying potential suspects.\nA previous investigation by The Independent revealed that at least six people around the US have been falsely arrested using facial ID technology; all of them are Black. One such arrest occurred in Louisiana, where the use of facial recognition technology led to the wrongful arrest of a Georgia man for a string of purse thefts.\nRegardless of the false arrests, at least half of federal law enforcement agencies with officers and a quarter of state and local agencies are using it.\nAt least one council member acknowledged the shortcomings of this technology. \u201cThis department hung their hat on this,\u201d New Orleans Councilmember At-Large JP Morrell told Politico. Mr Morrell voted against using facial recognition last year. After seeing the police department\u2019s data and usage, he said the tool is \u201cwholly ineffective and pretty obviously racist.\u201d\n\u201cThe data has pretty much proven that advocates were mostly correct,\u201d Mr Morell continued. \u201cIt\u2019s primarily targeted towards African Americans and it doesn\u2019t actually lead to many, if any, arrests.\u201d\nCity councillor Eugene Green, who introduced the measure to lift the ban, holds a different view. He told Politico that he still supports the agency\u2019s use of facial recognition. \u201cIf we have it for 10 years and it only solves one crime, but there\u2019s no abuse, then that\u2019s a victory for the citizens of New Orleans.\u201d\nIt is important to note that despite hiccups with the system\u2019s results, the agency\u2019s use has led to any known false arrests.\n\u201cWe needed to have significant accountability on this controversial technology,\u201d council member Helena Moreno, who co-authored the initial ban, told the outlet.\nNew Orleans has a system in place in which the police department is required to provide details of how the tool was used to the City Council on a monthly basis; although Politico disclosed that the department agreed with the council that it could share the data quarterly.\nWhen asking about the potential flaws with the facial recognition tool, as outlined by Politico\u2019s reporting, a New Orleans Police Department spokesperson told The Independent that \u201crace and ethnicity are not a determining factor for which images and crimes are suitable for Facial Recognition review. However, a description of the perpetrator, including race, is a logical part of any search for a suspect and is always a criterion in any investigation.\u201d\nThe department spokesperson also emphasised that its investigators do not rely solely on facial recognition, \u201cbut it is one of multiple tools that can be used to aid in investigations,\u201d like evidence and/or forensics, adding that officers are trained to conduct \u201cbias-free investigations.\u201d\n\u201cThe lack of arrests in which Facial Recognition Technology was used as a tool, is evidence that NOPD investigators are being thorough in their investigations,\u201d the statement concluded.\nMore aboutNew OrleansPoliceAIFacial Recognition\nJoin our commenting forum\nJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies\nComments\nGET IN TOUCH\nContact us\nOUR PRODUCTS\nSubscribe\nRegister\nNewsletters\nDonate\nToday\u2019s Edition\nInstall our app\nArchive\nOTHER PUBLICATIONS\nInternational editions\nIndependent en Espa\u00f1ol\nIndependent Arabia\nIndependent Turkish\nIndependent Persian\nIndependent Urdu\nEvening Standard\nEXTRAS\nAdvisor\nPuzzles\nAll topics\nBetting\nVoucher codes\nCompetitions and offers\nIndependent Advertising\nIndependent Ignite\nSyndication\nWorking at The Independent\nLEGAL\nCode of conduct and complaints\nContributors\nCookie policy\nDonations Terms & Conditions\nPrivacy notice\nUser policies\nModern Slavery Act", + "url": "https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/new-orleans-facial-recognition-black-b2439294.html", + "title": "New orleans facial recognition tool mostly used against black suspects" + } + ] +} \ No newline at end of file diff --git a/packages/backend/src/preprocessor.py b/packages/backend/src/preprocessor.py index 08256e48..d8e9f34e 100644 --- a/packages/backend/src/preprocessor.py +++ b/packages/backend/src/preprocessor.py @@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ def create_db_from_news_transcripts(news_json_directory): data = loader.load() text_splitter = RecursiveCharacterTextSplitter( - chunk_size=1000, chunk_overlap=500 + chunk_size=10000, chunk_overlap=5000 ) docs = text_splitter.split_documents(data) all_docs.extend(docs) @@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ def create_db_from_public_comments(pc_json_directory): data = loader.load() text_splitter = RecursiveCharacterTextSplitter( - chunk_size=1000, chunk_overlap=500 + chunk_size=10000, chunk_overlap=5000 ) docs = text_splitter.split_documents(data) all_docs.extend(docs) @@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ def create_db_from_youtube_urls_and_pdfs( pc_docs = create_db_from_public_comments(pc_directory) news_docs = create_db_from_news_transcripts(news_directory) - all_docs = fc_video_docs + cj_video_docs + pc_docs + news_docs + all_docs = fc_video_docs + cj_video_docs + news_docs + pc_docs db_general = FAISS.from_documents(all_docs, general_embeddings) db_in_depth = FAISS.from_documents(all_docs, in_depth_embeddings) diff --git a/packages/external-data/src/__main__.py b/packages/external-data/src/__main__.py index 0d843485..3b2c74ae 100644 --- a/packages/external-data/src/__main__.py +++ b/packages/external-data/src/__main__.py @@ -27,24 +27,26 @@ def process_url(url): def main(): url_list = [ - # "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/how-should-new-orleans-spend-millions-of-one-time-funds-new-debate-begins/article_ef36af06-d320-11ed-b9fe-978f03c2909b.html", - # "https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/judge-offers-no-ruling-on-citys-motion-to-exit-consent-decree/article_1871f7dc-15c9-11ee-ad6c-afaeccd8e9dc.html", # "https://www.nola.com/news/environment/new-orleans-prepares-for-three-months-of-salt-intrusion/article_03452ac2-5d64-11ee-ba66-2fb982d2b7c1.html", - "https://lailluminator.com/2023/07/28/new-orleans-police-use-of-facial-recognition-nets-zero-arrests-in-9-months/", # "https://lailluminator.com/2023/06/03/theyre-guzzlers-new-orleans-ignores-clean-fleet-law-during-50-million-vehicle-buying-spree/", - # "https://thelensnola.org/2022/12/02/council-approves-2023-budget-with-surprise-addition-of-124m-in-federal-coronavirus-relief-spending/", # "https://www.fox8live.com/video/2023/03/15/city-council-questions-911-call-center-director-tyrell-morris-over-life-threatening-failures/", # "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/swb-needs-major-changes-to-avoid-more-failures-bgr-says/article_1d13e9c8-f50b-11ed-9c45-67da1c67c50c.html", - # "https://lailluminator.com/2023/02/18/frequent-outages-could-lead-to-big-fines-for-entergy-new-orleans-under-new-standards/", # "https://www.nola.com/gambit/news/the_latest/no-excuses-frustrated-council-members-press-richard-s-disposal-over-garbage-failures/article_e62546c4-8df8-11ed-bab6-2b43058e872b.html", # "https://www.wdsu.com/article/new-orleans-council-members-consent-decree-mayor-concerns/43556031", # "https://fightbacknews.org/articles/city-new-orleans-attempts-exit-consent-decree-protesters-demand-community-control-police", - # "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/council-tables-plan-to-bar-food-distribution-to-homeless/article_1ba8e916-2a40-11ee-bcb2-dbfdb794bc4f.html", # "https://www.wwno.org/news/2023-07-13/meeting-on-controversial-new-orleans-jail-project-draws-passionate-comments-and-a-heated-exchange", # "https://www.wwltv.com/article/news/local/orleans/new-orleans-affordable-housing-city-council-32-million/289-7516fd45-2562-4414-94eb-2c46e810515c", # "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/new-orleans-swb-floats-rolling-forward-tax-rate/article_a6ce3f46-6474-11ee-b72f-b7a906a8f9ef.html", # "https://www.wwno.org/news/2023-04-04/advocates-to-city-council-spend-covid-aid-surplus-dollars-on-housing-and-youth-development", - # "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/cantrell-administration-should-boost-transparency-on-388-million-in-federal-funds-bgr-says/article_6b591a1a-7d7c-11ed-b58f-0371d99e2538.html", + # "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/how-should-new-orleans-spend-millions-of-one-time-funds-new-debate-begins/article_ef36af06-d320-11ed-b9fe-978f03c2909b.html", + # "https://www.nola.com/news/crime_police/judge-offers-no-ruling-on-citys-motion-to-exit-consent-decree/article_1871f7dc-15c9-11ee-ad6c-afaeccd8e9dc.html", + # "https://thelensnola.org/2022/12/02/council-approves-2023-budget-with-surprise-addition-of-124m-in-federal-coronavirus-relief-spending/", + # "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/council-tables-plan-to-bar-food-distribution-to-homeless/article_1ba8e916-2a40-11ee-bcb2-dbfdb794bc4f.html", + # "https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/31/new-orleans-police-facial-recognition-00121427", + "https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/new-orleans-facial-recognition-black-b2439294.html", + "https://lailluminator.com/2023/07/28/new-orleans-police-use-of-facial-recognition-nets-zero-arrests-in-9-months/", + "https://lailluminator.com/2023/02/18/frequent-outages-could-lead-to-big-fines-for-entergy-new-orleans-under-new-standards/", + "https://www.nola.com/news/politics/cantrell-administration-should-boost-transparency-on-388-million-in-federal-funds-bgr-says/article_6b591a1a-7d7c-11ed-b58f-0371d99e2538.html", "https://www.nola.com/louisiana_inspired/operation-restoration-gives-women-in-prison-health-care-path/article_a7d64b56-6081-11ed-8509-57a5911972bf.html", "https://lailluminator.com/2023/06/02/zombie-bill-to-ban-trans-youth-healthcare-advances-from-louisiana-senate-committee/", "https://kresge.org/news-views/qa-jane-place-neighborhood-sustainability-initiative-chief-on-increasing-housing-security/", diff --git a/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc b/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc index 910d1d4b..fdba0591 100644 --- a/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc +++ b/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_general.dvc @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ outs: -- md5: 9ae45b0c0a22cdadc7dc62da5b53847f.dir - size: 90514481 +- md5: 3878f1ecec272cc887ded3697602a653.dir + size: 89147118 nfiles: 2 hash: md5 path: faiss_index_general diff --git a/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc b/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc index 87e7aba2..6569c3ad 100644 --- a/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc +++ b/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/cache/faiss_index_in_depth.dvc @@ -1,6 +1,6 @@ outs: -- md5: 148714197a364fa8c9c5b7b5ee6800d1.dir - size: 90514481 +- md5: f3f1f964db26296ca3f600c2c092bea8.dir + size: 89147118 nfiles: 2 hash: md5 path: faiss_index_in_depth diff --git a/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/inquirer.py b/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/inquirer.py index e26973f2..566d0937 100644 --- a/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/inquirer.py +++ b/packages/googlecloud/functions/getanswer/inquirer.py @@ -151,39 +151,46 @@ def get_indepth_response_from_query(df, db, query, k): llm = ChatOpenAI(model_name="gpt-4") - # template_date_detection = """ - # Analyze the following query: "{query}". - # Does this query pertain to a specific date or time period, or require sorting the city council documents by date? - # Respond with 'yes' or 'no'. - # """ + template_date_detection = """ + Analyze the following query: "{query}". + Does this query pertain to a specific date or time period, or require sorting the city council documents by date? + Respond with 'yes' or 'no'. + """ - # prompt_date = PromptTemplate( - # input_variables=["query"], - # template=template_date_detection, - # ) - # is_date_related_chain = LLMChain(llm=llm, prompt=prompt_date) + prompt_date = PromptTemplate( + input_variables=["query"], + template=template_date_detection, + ) + is_date_related_chain = LLMChain(llm=llm, prompt=prompt_date) - # is_date_related = is_date_related_chain.run(query=query) + is_date_related = is_date_related_chain.run(query=query) - # # Modify the query if it is date-related - # if is_date_related.strip().lower() == "yes": - # print("Date related") - # query = transform_query_for_date(query) + # Modify the query if it is date-related + if is_date_related.strip().lower() == "yes": + print("Date related") + query = transform_query_for_date(query) doc_list = db.similarity_search_with_score(query, k=k) + print(doc_list) docs = sort_retrived_documents(doc_list) docs_page_content = append_metadata_to_content(doc_list) template = """ - Transcripts: {docs} - Question: {question} - - Based on the information from the New Orleans city council transcripts provided, answer the following question: {question}. - Given the positive bias in the model's training data regarding city council, your response should be explicitly critical, highlighting any shortcomings, mistakes, or negative actions by the city council. - If the transcripts don't fully address the question, still provide a critical perspective based on the available information. + Documents: {docs} - The final output should be in paragraph form without any formatting, such as prefixing your points with "a.", "b.", or "c." - The final output should not include any reference to the model's active sorting by date. + Question: {question} + + + Based on the information from the New Orleans city council documents provided, answer the following question: {question}. + + If possible, extract the key points, decisions, and actions discussed during the city council meetings relevant to {question}; + highlight any immediate shortcomings, mistakes, or negative actions by the city council relevant to {question}; + elaborate on the implications and broader societal or community impacts of the identified issues relevant to {question}; + investigate any underlying biases or assumptions present in the city council's discourse or actions relevant to {question}. + + Summarize your answer from the analysis regarding {question} into one cohesive paragraph. + The final output should be in paragraph form without any formatting, such as prefixing your points with "a.", "b.", or "c." + The final output should not include any reference to the model's active sorting by date. """ prompt = PromptTemplate( @@ -192,7 +199,7 @@ def get_indepth_response_from_query(df, db, query, k): ) chain_llm = LLMChain(llm=llm, prompt=prompt) - responses_llm = chain_llm.run(question=query, docs=docs_page_content, temperature=0) + responses_llm = chain_llm.run(question=query, docs=docs_page_content, temperature=1) return process_responses_llm(responses_llm, docs) @@ -222,7 +229,7 @@ def get_general_summary_response_from_query(db, query, k): return card_json -def route_question(df, db_general, db_in_depth, query, query_type, k=10): +def route_question(df, db_general, db_in_depth, query, query_type, k=20): if query_type == RESPONSE_TYPE_DEPTH: return get_indepth_response_from_query(df, db_in_depth, query, k) elif query_type == RESPONSE_TYPE_GENERAL: