Don't take our mayor for granite

Mayor Ray Nagin is understandably upset. After all, WWL-TV had no sooner finished an investigation of his day planner and put his family "at risk," when those nosey Times-Picayune reporters started investigating his family's ties to Home Depot. It was another headache for the mayor, having that pesky Fourth Estate investigate his family ties to the giant home improvement firm. Home Depot, busy putting the finishing touches on its first location in Orleans Parish's Central City, just happens to have a firm that will supply stone countertops called Stone Age, LLC. Stone Age, LLC just happens to be run by Nagin's two twenty-something sons. The fact that Home Depot secured a number of tax incentives and abatements in its plans to move into the city run by hizzoner seems to be a mere coincidence. For his part, the mayor calls foul. He is just a "financier." The business is to be run by his boys, after all, but since he put up most of the scratch, he and his wife will naturally control a small portion of the business. Whether the state's ethics laws were violated would depend on just how high a percentage the mayor holds. Anything less than 25% will probably pass muster. But don't expect any details to be forthcoming from the illustrious leader. The mayor's mouth is mum. And now that Nagin has left his regular gig at WWL-TV to take on a weekly similar time slot at competing station Fox 8, he probably won't have to worry about being grilled by those incovenient investigative reporters.
King James dethroned? That was the New Orleans Hornets finishing off the Cleveland Cavaliers last night 100-99 in a last second thriller. Despite a very impressive 21-point performance by legendary player and Vogue cover model LeBron James, the Hornets posted another scrappy win for the leaders of the NBA West. Who woulda thunk?