Nagin wants to know how his residents were treated. New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin wants to know how his city’s residents were treated during the latest monster storm, Hurricane Gustav, to rock the Big Easy. As reports have surfaced that some city agencies didn’t learn from dealing with killer Katrina, Nagin has instituted a special phone hotline to gather and grade information on victims’ experiences. “If you evacuated with the city assisted-program, and if you went to a shelter where you want to report something, call our 3-1-1 number,” Nagin said in a news conference. His request came amid widespread reports of unsanitary or inhospitable conditions, mostly at shelters in northern Louisiana, according to The New Orleans Times-Picayune. But many shelter volunteers complained that evacuees threatened them “or acted in an unruly fashion during their stay,” the newspaper reported. The Times-Picayune also speculated that poor conditions at the Department of Social Services shelters could have been what led to the sudden resignation of DSS Secretary Ann Williamson earlier this week. While the city helped transport 18,000 residents out of town, all New Orleanians had the option of staying at DSS shelters.

Hurricane Gustav visited New Orleans but left it relatively unscathed

Eager to get back to the Big Easy, thousands of residents poured back into New Orleans following the city’s encounter with Gustav. But Mayor Ray Nagin was forced to back down from his own decree – that New Orleanians wait until checkpoints were officially lifted before returning – as traffic flooded the Causeway toward the city. By midnight, the surge was seemingly unstoppable for homesick residents, and eight hours later, Nagin gave up. “No one will be turned back if you have an identification card that you live in this area,” Nagin said in a radio interview. “This is not the best time for them to return, but so be it.” The New Orleans Times-Picayune reported that “Nagin’s unexpected decision caused confusion among motorists and law enforcement agencies in both Jefferson and Orleans, who were helping manage reentry traffic.” There were several reasons that officials wanted to prevent residents from returning to New Orleans so soon after Gustav, including downed power lines, flooding, and no power or running water in some areas. Even at that, the destruction wasn’t even close to that of Hurricane Katrina three years earlier.

The man who helped make Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and Wilson Pickett soul music legends has died at age 91. Wexler, who helped produce hits including Franklin’s “Respect” and many other notable tunes by seminal Black recording artists, passed away last week at his Florida home. Richard Schiff portrays Wexler in the 2004 feature film Ray, starring Jamie Foxx.

Disney wants Spike Lee to shut up

Execs backing a forthcoming Spike Lee flick agree with Clint Eastwood that Lee should “shut his mouth.” Lee recently called out Eastwood for the lack of Black actors in two of Eastwood’s war movies, in an obvious attempt to draw attention to Lee’s forthcoming Miracle at St. Anna, a film about Black soldiers in Europe during World War II. Eastwood dissed Lee in return, before Lee called him “an angry old man.” But Disney’s afraid that Miracle at St. Anna, starring actor Michael Ealy, could possibly lose recognition, Lee tells Entertainment Weekly. “I get the thing, ‘Well Mr. Eastwood is so well-beloved,’ and this may have ramifications at Academy time,’” Lee says. “But it’s over. I said what I had to say. He believes what he believes. And that’s that.”

Diddy drops two new fragrances. After succeeding with Unforgivable – aided by the controversy over a sexually suggestive commercial – Diddy’s back with more in the fragrance department. The I Am King cologne has been announced as Sean John’s next product. I Am Queen will follow as the fragrance for women – or for men who want to smell, well…different. Macy’s will begin selling the new cologne in December, just in time for Christmas. New reality show, new colognes and new money – what a combination.