New sheriff in town: The biggest news coming from the slate of elections in New Orleans Saturday night was Susan Hutson's defeat of longtime Sheriff Marlin Gusman, more evidence of a movement to reform the city's criminal justice system, Matt Sledge reports.
Meanwhile, a handful of New Orleans City Council runoffs were decided, and the incoming council will have a new look.
Seven-out for the Slidell casino: An expensive campaign in St. Tammany to win permission to build a $325 million casino and hotel crashed on Saturday -- and it wasn't even close with 63% of voters saying "no," Sara Pagones reports. Saturday's referendum marks the second time since 1996 that St. Tammany voters resoundingly said no dice to casino gambling.
IDEAL IRRITANT: Kindergarten teacher Keely Hill, 32, of New Orleans met some friends recently to slurp oysters at Superior Seafood. When they were down to the very last one, everyone agreed it should go to Hill. Lucky her: Inside it, she discovered 12 pearls.
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St. Tammany Parish voters overwhelmingly defeated a controversial $325 million casino project near Slidell on Saturday, a victory for casino opponents that followed a high-temperature and costly battle for votes between the California-based developer and an alliance of churches, local businesses and some local elected officials. Read more
“It was such a bizarre experience,” said Keely Hill. On a Saturday afternoon in early December, the 32-year-old kindergarten teacher had met some friends at Superior Seafood in Uptown New Orleans for a few raw oysters. When they were down to the very last one, everyone agreed it should go to Hill. After all, she’d ordered that last half-dozen. Read more
