| By DREW BROACH | Staff writer |
BY THE NUMBERS: Two years into the staffing crisis at the New Orleans Police Department, the number of commissioned officers has fallen below 900 for the first time since the 1940s. At the same time, violent crime is trending down, civilian positions are more than fully staffed, officer applications are up and the current recruit class is the largest since 2019. Here’s a status report. TURNOVER: With five incumbents not running for reelection and eight others drawing challengers on the Oct. 14 ballot, the St. Tammany Parish Council is facing its biggest turnover in almost a generation. CARBON VACCUUM: Louisiana is responsible for more energy-related carbon dioxide emissions than all but five states. Now the federal government is sending $603 million to Louisiana to suck carbon from the air and sequester it underground. See how many jobs are expected and where it will be. Welcome to the weekend. See the latest news, sports and entertainment coverage at NOLA.com. - Drew. | 