| BY JOHN SIMERMAN | Staff writer |
Thanks for starting your day with Morning Headlines. Here are some of our top stories. Young homebuyers gulp: Young first-time homebuyers in the New Orleans area face daunting challenges that have stymied many. A sales market with little that’s affordable, higher interest rates, surging insurance premiums and other headwinds have frustrated hopes for young buyers in particular. Marie Fazio and Stephanie Riegel have the story. Battle of the bulge: Louisiana is likely soon to become the 28th state to let people carry concealed weapons without a permit, to the dismay of New Orleans officials. One NOPD deputy chief says it will shake up policework in a city where police seize many guns based on an officer citing a suspicious bulge. I explore the topic. 'Downward spiral' in child welfare: The picture remains bleak inside the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, reports Andrea Gallo, more than a year since state lawmakers demanded changes after a swell in child deaths. The agency’s new director, David Matlock, is pleading for more money. Check out all the latest news, sports and entertainment coverage from The Times-Picayune. John | 