Wow, what a mess

How absolutely brazen--and of course, it's the libraries and their patrons that will suffer because of it. This is a good reminder of the importance of maintaining transparency and also accountability of boards:

In New Orleans, scandal tarnishes a jazz star and the libraries he was asked to help

The lavish spending during this time by NOJO [The New Orleans Jazz Orchestra] has made the Grammy-winning trumpeter the target of a three-year federal probe following media reports that showed how he [Irvin Mayfield] and business associate Ronald Markham directed more than $1 million from a private foundation tasked to aid the city’s beleaguered public library system to NOJO, where both men have drawn six-figure salaries. The situation has enraged the city’s philanthropic community and shrunk library donations. A financial audit released late last year shows that NOJO paid Mayfield’s production company hundreds of thousands of dollars. An accounting of where and how money was spent was practically nonexistent.

From flood to light

The White House Hanukkah Ceremony Menorah: A Reminder of Tragedy and a Source of Inspiration

The gorgeous menorah (or perhaps more properly, the hanukiyah) used in the White House ceremony was one of the few things to survive from Congregation Beth Israel in New Orleans after they were hit by Hurricane Katrina. It was found, caked in dirt and mould, but like the synagogue, continues. They just broke ground for a new building.

Check out the picture on the White House blog post. It's nice, large, and must have been a pain to clean with all those flourishes, but well worth it.