BY VICKI FERSTEL | Staff writer USA had quite the Olympic medal haul: When all was said and done, Team USA logged in 40 gold, 44 silver and 42 bronze medals for a total of 126. So, did we win the medal count? Like the opening ceremony, this issue also has its controversial side. Sports columnist Scott Rabalais weighs in on the matter. The closing ceremony, he says, was spectacular, with a special Tom Cruise appearance to promote the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Read about that here. Before we bid adieu to Paris, the City of Light will host the Paralympics on Aug. 28-Sept. 8. What to expect this school year: The state has adopted measures to ban teachers from discussing sexual orientation or gender identity in class, force students to stow away their cell phones during school and remove disruptive students from their classrooms. Another new law, which is being challenged in court, gives public schools until January to post the Ten Commandments in every classroom. Nevertheless, most of the educators and students our staff writers talked to are optimistic about the 2024-25 school year. Here's their report. Talk about a to-do list! With only six months until the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 at Caesars Superdome, there's plenty of work yet to do. Staff writer Anthony McAuley reports on the army of folks organizing all the details, from potholes to parking and more. Read his story here. | 