| By Bob Warren The HUGE Carnival weekend is here, folks. Parades are scheduled across the region. The French Quarter packed with people. Costumes are everywhere. Arthur Hardy tells us what’s on tap tonight. (And please check out our Mardi Gras page for all things Carnival.) Meanwhile, police released a little more information this morning about a shooting on the parade route Thursday night. NOPD said a 17-year-old boy who was shot multiple times was trying to break up a fight. Here’s the latest.
Payton's next gig? Will we be seeing a lot of Sean Payton during NFL games this season? Maybe. Saints beat writer Luke Johnson says that Payton, who stepped away from coaching last month, could be working the TV booth for Fox Sports.
DNA backlog: The State Police Crime Lab has a backlog of 2,500 DNA cases, an official says. The causes? Personnel shortages and heavy demand. The massive backlog is a huge problem: It could stall a host of pending criminal trials, John Simerman reports.
Toxic: Speaking of backlogs, you might have noticed some street repair projects slowing to a crawl around New Orleans. City officials plan to crack down on contractors. But the contractors say it's actually the city that's slowing the process, with one industry rep even describing the relationship as "toxic."
Party Central: Finally, one last Carnival note. We've all passed houses hosting parties near the parade routes. You know. The ones where you say, 'Wish they'd invite me." Karen Taylor Gist checked in with one of those right-near-the-Uptown-route places.
Hoped you enjoyed today’s Lunch Line newsletter. Thanks for taking a break with us. BW | 
