 | By DREW BROACH | Deputy metro editor |
SIGN HERE: As organizers of the campaign to recall New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell argued in court to reduce the number of signatures they needed for a referendum, the judge presiding over the case failed to disclose a curious point: She herself had signed the public recall petition.
HELP WANTED: Amid a furor over rising crime and the plummeting ranks at the New Orleans Police Department, the police chief agreed six months ago to adopt a longstanding recommendation to augment the force with 50 new civilian workers. The jobs were quickly advertised, but only three have been filled -- and the number of commissioned officers keeps falling.
CASH FOR COAST: Louisiana was granted the final necessary money Wednesday to build the unprecedented Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion, with construction expected to start this year on the almost $3 billion project to slow the land loss south of New Orleans. For more environment articles, subscribe to our Louisiana Coastal Watch newsletter, emailed weekly. It's free.
Thanks for starting your Thursday with Morning Headlines. Catch up with the latest news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 
