| By DREW BROACH | Deputy metro editor |
A BANKER’S DOWNFALL: Six years after First NBC Bank’s dramatic collapse, a federal jury on Thursday convicted Ashton Ryan Jr., its founder and CEO, on 46 counts of bank fraud, conspiracy and other charges in a stunning fall for one of New Orleans' most prominent citizens. The patrician banker, who said he founded First NBC with hopes of helping to rebuild New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, now faces the possibility of decades in prison, a potential life sentence for the septuagenarian. THE MISSING CHILDREN: Almost 20,000 school-age children in Louisiana have fallen off the education map, students who should be in class but are missing from school rosters, according to a new analysis of enrollment trends during the COVID-19 pandemic. A FAMILY KILLED: Authorities suspect it was Timothy Earl Ragas who called 911 to report that he, his wife and two sons were going to die. "We can't live like this anymore," Ragas, 43, told the call taker. "You'll find four bodies when you get here." When officers arrived at their house, they discovered the New Orleans' area's fifth mass shooting in two months. Thank you for starting your Friday with Morning Headlines. Stay up to date with the latest news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 