| By DREW BROACH | Deputy metro editor |
BLASTED: A devastating storm that spawned tornadoes across Louisiana left at least three people dead, destroyed houses and entire neighborhoods and cut power to tens of thousands of residents. It dealt a cruel second blow to Friscoville Avenue in Arabi, still reeling from a powerful twister that struck just nine months ago, after cutting across the west banks of St. Charles, Jefferson and Orleans parishes. One woman was killed in Killona. Two schools in Arabi and two in West Jefferson will remain closed Thursday. INTERNAL AFFAIRS: It’s not just crime that challenges New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell and whomever she picks to succeed police Superintendent Shaun Ferguson. Fully 86% of the officers who responded to a recent poll by the Fraternal Order of Police and the City Council said they were unhappy with the agency itself, and 79% with its process for getting ahead, often citing cronyism and favoritism. RESTRICTED ACCESS: Amid growing concerns from conservative and liberal parents alike, the St. Tammany Parish Library Board has decided to remove 83 challenged books from the stacks and place them behind the circulation desk, pending a four-month review of their content. It was the latest development in a controversy that began in June, when the libraries erected displays for Pride Month. Some parents have demanded permanent removal of books they consider inappropriate for children, while others have pushed back against efforts to suppress LGBTQ material. Thanks for starting your Thursday with Morning Headlines. Catch the latest news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 