| By Drew Broach | Deputy metro editor CRIME IN THE CITY: New Orleans City Council members grilled Police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson for hours Thursday over a rise in violent crime but didn't get much in the way of enlightening answers. “What’s the plan that you can show us and show the public? What is the 90-day plan, the 90-day strategy?” council President Helena Moreno asked. “We would love to see those from you. Really, as soon as possible.” Ferguson said he wasn’t ready to release his draft strategic plan, and he mostly declined to get into the details of new police tactics. FIFTH WAVE CRESTING? Louisiana officials say there’s reason to believe the state is nearing a peak in new COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant but cautioned that even when the numbers begin falling, the risk of infection will remain exceptionally high. See the latest data. HELP WANTED: The New Orleans economy is facing an acute worker shortage with barely a month to go before Mardi Gras, something that could hamper the pace of recovery in the near term, industry leaders warned Thursday at the 2022 The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate economic summit. You can read about it and watch a video recording of it. Thanks for starting this chilly day with us. Check more news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 