| BY CHAD CALDER | Staff writer |
Thanks for starting your day with Morning Headlines. Here are some of our top stories. Carnival went off with any major hitches — comparatively speaking — but there will still be much to talk about when city leaders and krewe captains convene in April. There is the question of what should be done about sparse crowds and dwindling riders for the Mystic Krewe of Nyx, and the problem of people reserving big patches of the neutral ground well ahead of parades, for starters. Sophie Kasakove has the rundown. A pillar of the local brass-band music scene is dead after being struck by an alleged drunk driver in the early morning hours of Mardi Gras. Gabriella Killett has this story of the community's mourning of Grammy winner Kerry "Fatman" Hunter, which included a massive second line Wednesday night. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana has tabled its controversial, $2.5 billion deal to sell to Elevance Health. It's the second time such a proposal has fallen apart, raising questions about what happens next. Stephanie Riegel has the details. Check out all the latest news, sports and entertainment coverage from The Times-Picayune. Chad | 