| BY JEFF ADELSON | Staff writer |
Good morning and thanks for starting the week with us. Here are some of the day's top headlines. Unemployment: Louisiana already offers some of the least-generous unemployment benefits in the country. And they're about to get even lower. A bill approved by Gov. Jeff Landry and Republican lawmakers will reduce the amount of time people can claim the benefits, which max out at $250 a week. Tyler Bridges reports on the changes, which critics have called punitive and supporters say are designed to push people back to work and cut taxes on businesses.An unusual development: It's rare to see environmentalists and developers working together. But that's exactly what's happening in St. Tammany Parish, where plans for a subdivision on the Little Bogue Falaya include a 60-acre nature preserve and 40 acres of parks in addition to 141 homes. The proposal could be a case study for the theory that people will pay a premium to live in beautiful, natural surroundings, according to Alex Lubben. Tragedy in Metairie: Two girls, both younger than 5-years-old, drowned in the pool of a Metairie apartment complex on Sunday, Jillian Kramer reports. Thanks for joining us. Check back to nola.com throughout the day for the latest updates. Jeff | 