Cantrell seeks to quell growing concerns over surge in crime

The Front Page: Cantrell seeks to quell growing concerns over surge in crime

By Chad Calder

Confidence craters: New Orleans residents feel even less safe than they usually do, and Mayor LaToya Cantrell held a press conference Tuesday to allay concerns about public safety. We've got the findings of a survey released by the New Orleans Crime Coalition and what the mayor says is being done to stem the tide.

Lottery boosts vaccines: Louisiana's vaccination effort appears to have gotten its own shot in the arm from the state's $2.3 million lottery. But we're not talking Pfizer, Moderna or even Johnson & Johnson numbers here. The number of people in Louisiana who received their initial COVID-19 vaccine increased by 14% in the week after the lottery began. Better than nothing, but health officials note vaccination rates in Louisiana remain at historic lows.

Unfriendly skies: Here's something you haven't had to worry about for the last 15 months: clear-air turbulence. We've got some details on an American Airlines flight diverted to New Orleans last week after a rough patch sent some passengers flying from their seats. Eight passengers and two flight attendants were taken to the hospital with injuries.

Boxed in: The mayor's hopes to move City Hall to the Municipal Auditorium have taken another hit, as a second member of the city council works up a proposal that would make such a move more complicated and less likely.

All this and much more in today’s Front Page. Thanks for starting your day with us.

CC