The weekend may be over, but the workweek is short with Thanksgiving on the horizon. With the holidays approaching and the hustle and bustle of eating, buying, wrapping, packing and shipping almost at its zenith for 2019, we cooked up this feast of headlines from around the city to keep your noggin fed and stuffed with the information you should know. Additionally, we have some side dishes of fun and a pleasant piquant after-dinner selection of stories from yours truly. Bon appétit! – Clint

Hard Rock Hotel Collapse: Crane Secured, Evacuation Zone Reduced

The evacuation zone surrounding the construction site of the Hard Rock Hotel in downtown New Orleans was reduced after a dangling crane was secured, according to city officials. The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate reports, engineers told the New Orleans Fire Department that an operation to strap the damaged crane and boom that hovered over Canal Street had been completed. Now that the crane is in a safer position, the Saenger could reopen in early December. The sidewalk along Canal Street had been closed since the collapse happened Oct. 12, the newspaper said. The sidewalk will now be open. According to the city, a number of businesses, including the Saenger, will now be able to reopen. Rampart Street from Canal Street to around Iberville Street, and Iberville Street from Rampart to Burgundy Street, and Burgundy from Canal to Iberville will remain closed. (NOLA.com)

Limited OMV Offices Reopen After Cyberattack

After a ransomware attack forced the closure of the Office of Motor Vehicles around Louisiana for a week, eight locations reopened Monday morning. According to WWLTV, long lines began forming as early as 5 a.m. at the office on Veterans Boulevard. The TV station reported that a sign on the door said that there would be no reinstatements and no testing. State police asked for people to refrain from going to the OMV offices unless they have critical or urgent needs. The eight office locations included one each in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Alexandria and Monroe. (WWLTV)

State Of Emergency Declared Over State-wide Cyberattack

Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards declared a state of emergency after a ransomware attack that happened last week, shutting down multiple state websites, email accounts and the Office of Motor Vehicles. According to WDSU-TV, the declaration will allow several agencies to take actions, including waiving fees and fines, to assist members of the public. The state did not lose any data, nor did it pay a ransom. Louisiana State Police and several federal agencies are investigating this attempted ransomware attack, the station reported. (WDSU-TV)

Not Making The Grade: Nearly Half Of NOLA All-Charter District Schools Failing

A look at school performance scores by The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate revealed that 35 of the 72 schools in the all-charter district scored failing or near-failing grades of a D or F in the school year ending this year. Since then, the paper said, six of the 35 schools have closed. The finding showed that this year showed the highest percentage of failing schools in the past five years. (NOLA.com)

What To Do

Monday

Red Beans and Rice Thanksgiving Celebration | 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. | NOCHI | Free

Camelia Beans and NOCHI is showing love and appreciation for our hometown and its amazing people with a “Gather ‘Round” red beans street party. What better way to start off Thanksgiving week than to take a break from holiday preparations and enjoy the company of friends and strangers alike – over steaming bowls of red beans and rice.   

Tuesday

Canal Street Lighting Ceremony | 5:30 p.m. | Astor Crowne Plaza | Free

The Downtown Development District and the Astor Crowne Plaza would like to welcome everyone as they “flip the switch,” turning on more than 1 million twinkling lights on historic Canal Street and throughout downtown NOLA. The Voices of Peter Claver and a special visit from Santa Claus will accentuate this year’s event! Kids who bring an unwrapped toy can join Santa and decorate holiday cookies.

Wednesday

FitNOLA Urban Swing Partner Dancing | 6:30 p.m. | Treme Recreation Community Center | Free

This partner dance class is set to contemporary R&B, blues, soul and neo-soul music. You can come alone; there’s no partner required to learn!

Thursday

Happy Thanksgiving! If you’re not at the table getting your fill of turkey and pecan pie, there’s plenty to do in the city. Click here for our article on how to spend Thanksgiving in the city.  

Friday

Christmas light displays | Audubon Zoo and City Park | Dusk | Ticket prices vary

It’s the day after Thanksgiving and the holiday light displays are open! The city has two big ones, the newest being at the Audubon Zoo. Celebration in the Oaks is celebrating its 33rd year, with over a million lights throughout 25 acres of the park.  

Quick Headlines

• Hoda Kotb announces engagement to longtime boyfriend (WWLTV) 
• Orleans school board chair to review superintendent’s decision not to renew two charters (The Lens)
• The demographics and economics behind the vegan boom on Broad (Mid-City Messenger) 
• Young child hit by car while crossing street with adult in 7th Ward (WWLTV) 
• Photos: Greek royals meet New Orleans’ Rex at charitable dinner at Antoine’s (The Advocate/NOLA.com)

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