| BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer |
Untested DNA evidence from New Orleans crime investigations is piling up, to the tune of more than 96,000 samples. And that's up from about 73,000 since early last year. The NOPD's crime lab is still years away from being able to do the job, which is currently being handled by the Louisiana State Police. Missy Wilkinson has the story. After years of setbacks, construction will soon begin on the Mirabeau Water Garden, a 25-acre green infrastructure project that should divert storm water into new lagoons and reduce street flooding in Gentilly. The city held a ground-breaking ceremony for the project Monday, though questions about how to pay for it remain. Ben Myers has this report. Cameron Parish and the state of Louisiana have reached what could be a landmark settlement with the oil giants BP, Shell and Hilcorp. It's the first deal among the more than 40 lawsuits filed by parishes seeking billions of dollars for wetlands loss caused by the oil and gas industry. Mark Schleifstein has the details. Thank you for starting your day with Morning Headlines. Check out all the latest news, sports and entertainment coverage from The Times-Picayune. Chad | 