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• Bank robbery suspect arrested at airport

  April 30, 2013 11:42 AM

  METAIRIE - Jefferson Parish sheriff's deputies say a man returning to the area was arrested at Louis Armstrong International Airport for a Metairie bank robbery earlier in April. The Times-Picayune reports 33-year-old Bruce Padilla was booked Monday for a bank robbery on April 12. Col. John Fortunato says authorities caught... more »

• LSU, Southern Miss. game rained out

  April 3, 2013 1:02 PM

  BATON ROUGE - LSU announced today that the Wally Pontiff Jr. Foundation Classic baseball game between LSU and Southern Mississippi scheduled at Zephyr Field in Metairie has been postponed due to bad weather. The game has been re-scheduled for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9 at Zephyr Field. LSU... more »

• Woman accused of mentoring teen prostitute

  December 20, 2012 12:37 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A 25-year-old Metairie woman has been arrested and accused her of teaching a minor how to be a Bourbon Street prostitute. The Times-Picayune reports Emilie "Bunny" Cook was booked at the New Orleans jail on a charge of trafficking of children for sex purposes. State Police say... more »

• Special election set in House District 79

  December 18, 2012 10:49 AM

  BATON ROUGE - State House Speaker Chuck Kleckley has set a March 2 special election to fill the expected vacancy in the House District 79 seat held by state Rep. Anthony Ligi. An April 6 runoff will be held, if necessary. The Advocate reports qualifying for the election will run... more »

• Saints coach: Witnesses lied in NFL investigation

  December 13, 2012 4:01 PM

  METAIRIE - Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt says witnesses in the NFL's bounty investigation of New Orleans' pay-for-pain system have lied about him and the organization and that their stories might change in federal court. Vitt angrily said Thursday he feels the truth will come out in federal court,... more »

• Vitt defends Brees, says Saints still have hope

  November 30, 2012 6:12 PM

  METAIRIE - Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt scoffs at the idea that Drew Brees' recent and uncharacteristic interception epidemic is to blame for New Orleans' fading playoff hopes. Vitt doesn't want the Saints' franchise quarterback to change a thing. Vitt says great quarterbacks have the courage to attempt great... more »

• Saints place rookie RT Bryce Harris on IR

  November 28, 2012 10:18 AM

  METAIRIE - Saints assistant head coach Joe Vitt says the club has placed rookie right tackle Bryce Harris on injured reserve, ending his season. Harris made his first start against San Francisco on Sunday, but left in the first quarter with a broken bone in his right leg. ... more »

• Still eying playoffs, Saints get ready for Falcons

  November 28, 2012 10:17 AM

  METAIRIE - Drew Brees happily entertains playoff possibilities for the New Orleans Saints, even after a loss to San Francisco dropped them to 5-6. New Orleans remains one game out of the NFC wild card race with five games left, which to Brees feels like the Saints are virtually... more »

• Still eying playoffs, Saints get ready for Falcons

  November 26, 2012 6:38 PM

  METAIRIE - Drew Brees happily entertains playoff possibilities for the New Orleans Saints, even after a loss to San Francisco dropped them to 5-6. New Orleans remains one game out of the NFC wild card race with five games left, which to Brees feels like the Saints are virtually in... more »

• Smoothie King HQ to stay, expand in La.

  November 20, 2012 4:06 PM

  METAIRIE - Louisiana-based Smoothie King, which was sold in July to a South Korea-based corporation, will move its headquarters from Covington to Jefferson Parish and expand its 45-person headquarters staff with 60 new jobs. The announcement was made Tuesday by state officials and Greater New Orleans Inc., the economic development... more »

• Greer: Saints 'starting to see some light'

  November 12, 2012 4:50 PM

  METAIRIE - After going winless in September, the New Orleans Saints have clawed back to within one victory of a .500 record, and what looked like a lost season without suspended coach Sean Payton has turned into something with more promise. If the Saints beat Oakland on Sunday, they will... more »

• Superhero Brees looks to save Saints season

  November 2, 2012 4:53 PM

  METAIRIE - Drew Brees dressed as Iron Man for Halloween. He may have to play like a superhero to save the season for New Orleans. With the Saints (2-5) hindered by a historically poor defense and nonexistent running game, all eyes are on Brees to find some way to turn... more »

• Saints remain defiant after post-bounty loss

  September 10, 2012 4:07 PM

  METAIRIE - New Orleans defensive captain Malcolm Jenkins says he appreciates that the Saints did nothing to change the minds of those who suspect the bounty scandal and related suspensions will derail their season. He also points out that previous playoff seasons included setbacks that looked a lot like their... more »

• Kromer formally takes over Saints' coaching staff

  September 3, 2012 4:58 PM

  METAIRIE - Aaron Kromer has begun his six-game stint handling head coaching duties for the Saints by providing his team with a dose of perspective. Kromer says whatever adversity the Saints must overcome because of suspensions related to the NFL's bounty investigation pales in comparison to fans whose homes were... more »

• 'Spags' has Saints defenders trying on new roles

  July 30, 2012 12:49 PM

  METAIRIE - When Steve Spagnuolo took over as New Orleans defensive coordinator this year, he brought a philosophy that it is good to ask players to do things they've never done, as long as he believes they can do it. Spagnuolo's fresh look at personnel already has led to a... more »

• Woman killed trying to flag down motorists on I-10

  June 18, 2012 3:58 PM

  METAIRIE - State police say a 35-year-old St. Bernard Parish woman who tried to flag down motorists on Interstate 10 in Metairie to avoid a man who was beating her was hit by two vehicles and killed. Trooper Melissa Matey says Lucretia Hampton was pronounced dead at the scene shortly... more »

• Saints move forward without Drew Brees

  May 22, 2012 8:38 AM

  METAIRIE, La. - While Drew Brees holds out for a new contract, the Saints say they have the experience and leadership to have productive offseason practices even without their star quarterback. Right tackle Zach Strief says Brees is important to the Saints "in a million different ways, but it... more »

• Metairie residents complain about 1-10 noise

  May 22, 2012 7:52 AM

  METAIRIE - State highway officials have asked the original contractor that install Interstate 10 sound walls in Metairie to come up with a fix following complaints from residents. Mike Stack, district administrator of the state Department of Transportation and Development, says the Federal Highway Administration is on board, a necessary... more »

• Investigators: Stove left on caused fatal fire

  March 20, 2012 10:39 AM

  METAIRIE - Fire investigators say at 68-year-old man was found dead inside a burning apartment in Metairie. His identity has not been released. The fire broke out shortly after midnight. A neighbor spotted heavy smoke coming from the second floor apartment. Investigators say the man's body was found just... more »

• Jarrett Lee, T-Bob Hebert serve as Zeus grand marshals today

  February 20, 2012 11:06 AM

  METAIRIE- Two LSU football players will lead the Krewe of Zeus when it rolls today at 6:30 p.m. Jarrett Lee and T-Bob Hebert will serve as grand marshals for their 2012 Mardi Gras parade. Wayne Vizzini with the Krewe of Zeus said Lee and Hebert were chosen because... more »

• Metairie man arrested for sexually abusing dog

  January 20, 2012 8:59 AM

  METAIRIE- Louisiana State Police Troopers arrested a man they say was sexually abusing a dog, videotaping the acts and posting them to the Internet. During a search warrant, detectives found computer evidence of Blake Sanderford engaged in sexual activity with the dog. The computers were seized and further forensic... more »

• Deputy shoots suspect trying to steal cruiser

  January 14, 2012 4:16 PM

  METAIRIE - A Jefferson Parish Sheriff's deputy shot a man in the shoulder who took a police car to try to escape. Sheriff's department spokesman John Fortunato says 34-year-old Corey Rebaldo of Metairie, jumped from his truck and fled from the deputy, then doubled back and jumped into the police... more »

• Father turns in son accused in bank robbery

  December 17, 2011 3:38 PM

  METAIRIE - A 73-year-old man says he turned in his son after he was identified as a suspect in a bank robbery. The Times-Picayune reports that Walton Duplantis saw a newspaper article on Nov. 18 about the robbery of a Whitney National Bank branch in Metairie. At the time, the... more »

• Flying baby crib causes crash on I-10

  December 2, 2011 8:50 AM

  METAIRIE - State police say an unsecured baby crib flew out of the back of a pickup on eastbound Interstate 10 in Metairie, causing a four-car crash. Troopers say the chain-reaction wreck occurred just after 10 a.m. Thursday near Causeway Boulevard. Trooper Melissa Matey tells The Times-Picayune the empty... more »

• Police: La. man arrested in Miss. sex case

  August 12, 2011 12:52 PM

  BILOXI, Miss. - Police say a 46-year-old Louisiana man who traveled to Biloxi to have sex with a child has been arrested on a charge of attempted sexual battery. The Sun Herald reports Richard Berner of Metairie was taken to the Harrison County jail Wednesday on a $50,000 appearance... more »

• Senate rejects bill to drug test welfare seekers

  June 21, 2011 5:06 PM

  BATON ROUGE - The Senate has voted to scrap a Metairie representative's proposal to require drug testing of welfare recipients who receive cash assistance. Republican John LaBruzzo says random screening would help break the cycle of addiction among welfare recipients. But critics say it is inaccurate - and potentially... more »

• Senate panel approves House drug testing bill

  June 15, 2011 4:11 PM

  BATON ROUGE - A Senate committee has approved a Metairie lawmaker's proposal to require drug testing of welfare recipients, despite concerns the bill may be unconstitutional. Republican John LaBruzzo says the courts should decide whether it will be overturned, similar to a program in Florida. At issue is whether... more »

• La. House committee approves ban on abortions

  May 24, 2011 1:01 PM

  BATON ROUGE, La. - A proposal to ban abortions in Louisiana has won approval from a House health care committee. Republican John LaBruzzo, of Metairie, says his bill would threaten the U.S. Supreme Court's 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling by prompting lawsuits from pro-choice groups. The measure would... more »

• Landlord charged with theft of housing funds

  April 16, 2011 10:04 AM

  NEW ORLEANS- A former landlord from Metairie has been charged with illegally receiving housing subsidies. Federal prosecutors say the Jefferson Parish housing Authority assigned 71-year-old Jefferson Thompson a tenant whose rent was federally subsidized. A contract barred him from receiving any other government funds to pay for the tenant's... more »

• Ejected from car, victim found in canal

  February 26, 2011 5:19 PM

  METAIRIE- The body of a man who was apparently ejected from a car that rolled over several times after the driver lost control was found in a suburban New Orleans drainage canal. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office says the accident happened early Saturday as a Honda Civic driven by... more »

• Bedingfield, Tito Jackson headline Family Gras

  February 2, 2011 8:07 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A family-oriented Mardi Gras celebration in suburban Metairie will feature performances by British pop star Natasha Bedingfield, country star Darryl Worley and Tito Jackson, a member of the famous Jackson Family and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Times-Picayune reports that Jefferson Parish is bringing Family... more »

• Bedingfield, Tito Jackson headline Family Gras

  February 1, 2011 4:54 PM

  NEW ORLEANS - A family-oriented Mardi Gras celebration in suburban Metairie will feature performances by British pop star Natasha Bedingfield, country star Darryl Worley and Tito Jackson, a member of the famous Jackson Family and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The Times-Picayune reports that Jefferson Parish is bringing Family... more »

• Marsh fire will burn self out

  January 22, 2011 2:54 PM

  METAIRIE, La.- A marsh fire near Lake Cataouatche is inaccessible to fire trucks but does not pose any hazards and likely will burn itself out, the Jefferson Parish Fire Department reports. The Times-Picayune reported on Saturday that although the fire poses little threat, its billows of dark smoke had... more »

• Grand jury has indicts a Metairie man in a hit-and-run crash

  December 16, 2010 6:31 AM

  BATON ROUGE- A grand jury has indicted a Metairie man in a Jan. 31 hit-and-run crash in Baton Rouge that killed a Hammond woman who was checking on a motorist involved in a separate accident. Thirty-four-year-old Christian Cvitanovich faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. more »

• Man sentenced for falsifying company records

  November 9, 2010 6:02 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A Metairie man has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for illegally inflating an orthodontic company's revenues and assets while he was the chief financial officer. Bartholomew Frank Palmisano Jr. was sentenced for falsifying corporate records and lying to auditors and accountants. He was... more »

• La. man dies after French Quarter stabbing

  November 1, 2010 6:01 AM

  NEW ORLEANS - A 23-year-old Metairie man died from stab wounds after getting into an argument with a motorist in the French Quarter. New Orleans police say the stabbing occurred shortly after 3:30 a.m. Sunday when Ryan Lekosky and his wife were walking on the sidewalk when a man drove... more »

• Man gets 90 years for $60 robbery

  October 26, 2010 4:23 AM

  A man who rejected a 25-year plea bargain has been sentenced to 90 years in prison for robbing a 77-year-old woman in the garage of her Metairie home. Luhron Gorman was convicted of armed robbery by a jury in Gretna earlier this month. He also was found guilty of being... more »

• Former state senator Ken Hollis dies

  September 10, 2010 12:46 PM

  Former state Sen. Ken Hollis, who worked to keep the Saints in New Orleans and to bring state-sponsored property insurance to Louisiana, is dead at the age of 68. His wife, Diane, says he died Friday morning of cancer. Funeral arrangements have not yet been made. The... more »

• Metairie man gets 45-year term in slaying

  August 20, 2010 7:02 AM

  A 33-year-old Metairie man has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for storming into his former girlfriend's Baton Rouge home, shooting her and killing her new boyfriend. An East Baton Rouge Parish jury found John Burks II guilty in March of manslaughter and aggravated battery in the killing of... more »

• Metairie man arrested after counterfeiting investigation

  August 4, 2010 12:58 PM

  A Metairie man is in jail after he was caught with hundreds of counterfeit money orders. State Police Troop B says investigators discovered a FedEx package containing 325 bogus money orders being sent to 54 year old Brian Kent. It was sent from Nigeria. U.S. Immigration and... more »

• Man arrested for impersonating a police officer

  July 5, 2010 6:34 AM

  A Kentucky man is charged with impersonating an officer after he allegedly stopped a car on I-10 in Metairie and pulled a gun on the driver. Deputies say Herman Justice had a red flashing light on his car and an arsenal of weapons including assault weapons and knives. Investigators say... more »

• Senator fined by ethics board

  May 21, 2010 3:55 PM

  A state senator from Metairie has been fined by the Louisiana Board of Ethics for failing to file accurate campaign finance reports from her last three elections. The board approved the settlement with Republican Sen. Julie Quinn on Friday. In the settlement, Quinn acknowledged she didn't file all... more »

• Jindal asks cosmetology appointee to resign

  May 21, 2010 3:22 PM

  The chair of the state's cosmetology board says he has resigned at the request of Gov. Bobby Jindal after allegations he had sexually harassed male employees of his spa surfaced. Michael-John Gaspard confirmed Friday that he resigned a week earlier at the governor's request. Gaspard denies the allegations... more »

• Man's body found in Miss. River

  May 21, 2010 10:41 AM

  The Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office is investigating the discovery of a man's body found floating in the Mississippi River. The East Jefferson Levee District contacted the sheriff's office Thursday after the body was found in the river, at River Road and the River Batture in Metairie. The sheriff's... more »

• Judge delays trial in baby's death

  March 15, 2010 10:45 AM

  The trial for a 22-year-old Metairie woman charged in the death of her newborn in Lake Pontchartrain in Kenner has been postponed to July. Ciara Craig had been scheduled to stand trial this week on a charge of second-degree murder. She is accused of giving birth in her Metairie home... more »

• Toddler injured at block party shooting

  March 15, 2010 8:03 AM

  Three people, including an 11-month-old child were injured, after a shooting erupted at a block party in Metairie. Deputies say an 18-year-old woman was shot in the arm and an 11-month-old child received a graze wound to the head. Crime scene technicians say they recovered a number of spent shell... more »

• Suspect identified in deadly hit-and-run

  February 11, 2010 10:56 AM

  Baton Rouge police say an arrest warrant has been issued for a Metairie man in the Jan. 31 fatal hit-and-run accident on Interstate 10 near College Drive. L' Jean McKneely, a police spokesman, says 33-year-old Christian J. Cvitanovich is wanted in the death of 20-year-old Mikel Carson of Hammond. When... more »

• Two arrested in phone-card scam

  February 4, 2010 6:29 AM

  Alexandria Police have arrested two men who they say scammed a Texas man out of $19,000. Police say 26-year-old Abdel J. Yousef of Metairie and 31-year-old Saed Mousa Yousef of Bossier City have been charged with theft of more than $500. Police say the Katy, Texas, man arranged to meet... more »

• Cooking celeb Rachael Ray to lead Metairie parade

  January 7, 2010 4:50 AM

  Krewe of Argus co-captain Lawrence Chehardy says the group's parade on Mardi Gras will feature cookbook author and cooking show host Rachel Ray as grand marshal. The group's past celebrity grand marshals have included weather broadcaster Al Roker, newswoman Hoda Kotb and "Wheel of Fortune" game show host Pat Sajak. more »