| BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer |
Good morning and thanks for joining us. Here are some of the day's top headlines. Active season: The forecast for the 2024 hurricane season is out, and it's not pretty. The return of La Nina and record warm waters have the NOAA predicting more named storms and more major hurricanes than they've ever issued in a May outlook. Mark Schleifstein has the story. Expanding oversight: A bill to merge New Orleans' drainage system under the Sewerage & Water Board passed the House unanimously Thursday. It now heads to a largely procedural hearing in the Senate. The proposal enjoys broad support in the city as a means of improving maintenance of catch basins and small drainage pipes. But as Ben Myers reports, there are still questions about how much the change would cost the city. More gun violence: The metro area saw shootings Thursday afternoon on Canal Street and during a Harvey high school's dismissal. In the Central Business District, three injured men left a trail of blood spatters along the sidewalk for several blocks, while an unrelated shooting injured at 18-year-old student across the street from West Jefferson High School. Thanks for reading, and check out all the latest news, sports and entertainment coverage from The Times-Picayune. Chad | 