| BY BOB WARREN | Staff writer |
Carnival kickoff: Saturday marks the “official” start of Carnival, and, well, the king cake season. Mardi Gras guru Arthur Hardy has this look at some of the weekend’s events in New Orleans, Mandeville and Covington. And, speaking of king cake, check out our king cake bracket. Vote now for your fave. River District questions: The $1 billion River District project is in the news again. The ambitious project upriver from the Convention Center in New Orleans prompted pointed questions from some New Orleans City Council members, Tony McAuley reports. Cold case murder: A woman appeared in court Thursday in connection with a 39-year-old murder investigation in Jefferson Parish, Michelle Hunter reports. The investigation stems from the disappearance of a Grand Isle bar owner in 1984. Saints-Falcons, the rivalry: The Saints and Falcons will play the latest game in their intense rivalry on Sunday. Author Erin Grayson Sapp tells us the rivalry actually pre-dates the teams meeting on the field. Speaking of the Saints, offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael has taken a lot of heat from the fans this season. But Matthew Paras reports that Carmichael isn’t dwelling on his future with the team this week – just the Falcons. Thanks for reading Lunch Line. If you're not a subscriber to The Times-Picayune, here's our best offer for you. Cheers, Bob | 