| By KASEY BUBNASH | Staff writer |
Good morning and happy Friday. Here's a look at some of our top headlines. A broken city: New Orleans' deteriorating streets and general dysfunction are often blamed on the city's swampy terrain or lack of funding. In the first part of our new series, "Broken City," Joseph Cranney debunks many of the usual excuses officials so often use to skirt responsibility for the city's sad state. Take a minute to read it here. Skipping school: Chronic absenteeism surged in schools across the U.S. after the pandemic. But as some parts of the country started to see a decline in absenteeism, Louisiana’s students started missing even more school. Elyse Carmosino has this look at what local schools are doing to get kids back in class. Short-term rentals: City Hall officials have started making progress toward their goal of reining in the city's stock of short-term rentals. But three out of four rentals in the city are operating without an active permit. In her latest update on the issue, Sophie Kasakove explains what hurdles officials still face in shutting down illegal vacation homes. We've got plenty more news, entertainment and sports from The Times-Picayune here. Thanks for reading. Kasey | 