| BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer |
Young mothers, slain: A mother of a 5-year-old girl was shot dead in front of her apartment complex in West Lake Forest Thursday morning, the most recent in a string of killings involving mothers. Missy Wilkinson has a look at a disturbing trend. Council vs. S&WB: The New Orleans City Council took steps Thursday to penalize New Orleans' embattled water utility if it doesn't follow rules laid out to curb chronic billing problems. Ben Myers has the story. Ochsner layoffs: Ochsner Health, one of the state’s largest private employers, laid off 770 people in Louisiana and Mississippi on Thursday. That's 2% of its 38,000-person workforce. Stephanie Riegel explains what happened, and Jerry DiColo has a breakdown of five things you need to know. Coming soon: Get the biggest Jefferson Parish stories direct to your inbox each weekday — for free. Sign up for our Jefferson Parish Today newsletter. Thanks for starting your day with Morning Headlines. Catch up on the latest news on NOLA.com. Chad | 