| By Bob Warren
Dropping masks: Masks are now optional at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and on public transportation in New Orleans. Missy Wilkinson has the latest.
Broken system: The man who fatally shot the niece of famed New Orleans musician Kermit Ruffins in 2018 was shot to death himself last week, New Orleans police said. The family of Milan Arriola, Ruffins’ niece, found little closure in the news. “For me, it shows our system doesn’t work,” her father, Roy Arriola Jr., said.
Nungesser burglary: The Plaquemines Parish home of Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser was burglarized sometime last week. Among the missing stuff: Lots of political and sports memorabilia, including jerseys from Drew Brees and Pete Rose and keepsakes collected by his father, Louisiana Political Hall of Famer William “Billy” Nungesser. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating.
Pelicans playoffs: The Pelicans take on the Suns tonight with a chance to get back to even in their best-of-seven playoff series. No small task, right? The Suns are . . . well, only the top-seeded team in the West Conference. Scott Kushner says Sunday’s loss is a teachable moment for the young Pels.
'5 sips of separation': Mike Scott, one of our resident history buffs, opens his most recent gotta-read-about-this-building story thusly: 'Somewhere, Ignatius J. Reilly’s pyloric valve is most certainly backing up, bless his swollen heart.' The building, Mike writes, has a literary and beer brewing legacy. You had me at Ignatius J. Reilly . . .
A correction: I messed up the bold lead in on the item about the death of Rio Hackford in yesterday’s Lunch Line. The lead-in mistakenly identified his father, Taylor, who is still alive. My apologies. Hope you enjoyed today’s Lunch Line. Thanks for taking a break with us. And of course, be sure to check out NOLA.com for more news throughout the day. BW | 
