| By Jerry DiColo | Metro Editor |
Crevasse: When is a break in the Mississippi River's banks cause for alarm, and when is it a blessing? That's the debate underway near the mouth of the river after a gap has widened into a full-blown channel known as "Neptune Pass." Mark Schleifstein reports that while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is making plans to close the channel in order to avoid causing navigation issues, the sediment is already helping rebuild land and some state officials wonder if it ought to be kept open. Mourning a spyboy: Freddie Washington, a well-known spyboy from the 7th Ward was shot and killed at age 39. On Friday, the chiefs and others involved in the Mardi Gras Indian tradition, also known as Black Masking Indians, mourned his early death. As Katy Reckdahl notes, a spate of tragedies has befallen the tight-knit community in recent years. Capitol Apartments: Tyler Bridges and Sam Karlin have the latest in the ongoing controversy over the below-market rate apartments some Louisiana legislators are allowed to rent in the Capitol Complex. A move by House Speaker Clay Schexnayder to try and transfer control of the buildings is dead. Police bonus pay: New Orleans police are one step closer to getting regular retention bonuses after the Louisiana Attorney General said Mayor LaToya Cantrell's bonus plan passed constitutional muster. Matt Sledge has the details. Enjoy the weekend. JD | 