| BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer |
Thanks for starting your day with Morning Headlines. Here are some of today's top stories. East Jefferson residents are struggling through their second day of not being able to use their tap water following a major line break on Tuesday. As it turns out, the crippling infrastructure failure is a stark example of problems parish leaders have said are replete throughout the system. Marie Fazio and Blake Paterson have this report on the ambitious $2.3 billion program enacted to make the necessary upgrades. Racquel Smith, the wife of slain Saints star Will Smith, took the stand Wednesday in the retrial of Cardell Hayes, the man accused of shooting the couple eight years ago in the Lower Garden District. She described waking up in the hospital, her legs shattered, to find out her husband had died. Jillian Kramer has the story. The on-again off-again effort to build a new hotel at the upriver end of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is on again, perhaps, with officials in talks with a major hotel group interested in reviving the project. Tony McAuley has the details. Check out all the latest news, sports and entertainment coverage from The Times-Picayune. Chad | 