| By DREW BROACH | Deputy metro editor |
OLD MAN RIVER: The Mississippi River is shriveling this fall, barges are running aground and the country’s shipping industry is concerned. Recent weeks have been a reminder of how much the United States depends on rainfall and where it drains. (Want more environment articles? Sign up for our free Louisiana Coastal Watch newsletter, emailed weekly.) ALTERNATIVE APPROACH: Faced with a crime surge that’s dragged New Orleans’ collective mood to depths not reached since Hurricane Katrina's aftermath, Mayor LaToya Cantrell is preparing to unveil her most consequential spending plan in 2½ years. She’s already committed to spending a big chunk trying to keep police officers from leaving the force, but she’s also likely to request millions of dollars to tackle crime from other angles. TERMINATED: The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office fired Capt. Calvin Lewis in 2017. He was living with a felon, and the agency had policy forbidding that. Lewis sued, but a federal judge ruled in favor of the Sheriff’s Office. Lewis appealed, and now a higher court has weighed in. For more St. Tammany Parish news, subscribed to our free North Shore Report newsletter, emailed weekly.) Thanks for starting your Sunday with Morning Headlines. Catch the latest news all day on NOLA.com. D.B. | 