NUSSMEIER RECOUNTS FRUSTRATING SEASON AT LSU 1C
N O L A.C O M
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T h u r s d ay, J a n u a ry 29, 2026
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A FESTIVE START Washington Mardi Gras — a party with a purpose — kicks off despite some travel snags
River District back on track Convention Center makes new deal with developers
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER
Queen Sarah Heebe, from left, and King Gray Stream stand with House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, during the Wednesday kickoff to Washington Mardi Gras at the home of France’s ambassador to the United States. BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON — Despite icy streets and slippery sidewalks, Louisiana folks streamed into the Washington Hilton — the state’s 65th parish for now — as the 77th edition of the Washington Mardi Gras got underway Wednesday. The traditional kickoff for the four days of festivities hit a weather-related snag as Carnival officials reacted to delayed flights and continued cleanup from the winter storm that hit earlier in the week. But, at a slightly later time than planned, the traditional toast to this year’s Washington Mardi Gras
King Gray Stream and Queen Sarah Heebe took place at the home of France’s ambassador to the United States, Laurent Bili. “It’s good to see you,” said U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, referring to the travel woes. “It’s so cold. Traffic is such a delight. It’s like we’re in Baton Rouge.” In lighthearted remarks in which he occasionally went into his wellknown imitation of President Donald Trump, Johnson paid tribute to the long-standing friendship between France and the U.S. — Louisiana in particular. Johnson, who is from Benton,
Mardi Gras decorations adorn the door of the office of Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, as he hosts an open ä See FESTIVE, page 9A house Wednesday.
The long-stalled River District project, a planned mixed-use neighborhood on 47 acres of New Orleans riverfront controlled by the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, is back on track after the project’s developer and the Convention Center board agreed to a revised deal. The agreement, which was approved by board members on Wednesday, gives the Convention Center control over more parcels of land while shifting more of the financial burden for the project to the state-controlled agency. It also clears a path for hundreds of new apartments, potentially on the property once slated for a Topgolf driving range. Only a few months ago, the entire project was thrown into question after the development group, River District Neighborhood Investors, known as RDNI, led by Louis Lauricella, backed out of talks with the Convention Center after missing performance and payment deadlines. Now, both sides say that there’s a path forward for a development that aims to fill a barren area along the Mississippi River with offices, apartments, retail and entertainment, and that civic leaders argue is vital for New Orleans’ hospitality sector. Following approval of the new agreement at the agency’s monthly meeting, Convention Center Board Chair Russell Allen praised Convention Center CEO Jim Cook and those involved in the months of high-stakes negotiations for reaching an agreement. “This is two years in the making, back and forth, and I really want
ä See RIVER, page 10A
NOPD fires veteran officer, FBI task force member who faced probe BY JAMES FINN and MISSY WILKINSON
fice of Inspector General into his conduct, his attorney confirmed. Records The Times-Picayune obStaff writers tained through a public records reA veteran New Orleans Police quest show NOPD internal affairs Department officer who served on investigators began scrutinizing an FBI task force and played a cen- Chad Cockerham, a senior officer, tral role in investigating drug and based on a 2024 complaint alleging firearm cases in the city was fired public payroll fraud and “secondTuesday amid investigations by ary employment” violations. the Police Department and the OfTwo of four complaints against
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Cockerham, who joined the force in 2009, were sustained in August, the records show. Separately, an Office of the Inspector General probe into allegations of bias in high-level NOPD promotions recently found Cockerham had been uncooperative in that investigation, according to people familiar with that case. The Office of Inspector General de-
clined to comment and the NOPD said it was looking into the matter. Brigid Collins, Cockerham’s attorney, confirmed on Wednesday that he was fired for untruthfulness over allegations related to the inspector general’s investigation into promotions. The scandal involved then-Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who cried foul in October 2024 after reviewing the final
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scores of candidates to fill captain and major positions at the department. The top scorers for police major included two captains who had conducted an internal probe into the time sheets of Cantrell’s former bodyguard, Jeffrey Vappie, her alleged paramour. Cantrell
ä See NOPD, page 10A
13TH yEAR, NO. 170