Kaitlin Tymrak becomes the first woman to run S&WB operations in New Orleans as the utility confronts water‑main breaks and pump challenges. She moves up from deputy to lead operations.

A new Bywater counter is serving Japanese-inspired sandos on house milk bread and crunchy sides from a compact St. Claude storefront. The concept grew from pop-ups into a permanent spot this spring.

A Heat Advisory runs noon–6 p.m. Saturday as showers and thunderstorms become likely; heat indices could top 105–108°F with pockets of heavy rain and localized flooding.

National gas averages dipped below $4; analysts predict more relief but warn a Gulf storm could quickly reverse gains.

A 23‑year‑old Alabama man pleaded guilty in New Orleans after admitting he and his father staged a drowning on the Mississippi River in August 2023 to avoid sex‑crime charges. The scheme triggered a costly Coast Guard search and now carries federal penalties.

A small funnel cloud passed through Arabi Friday, closing streets and prompting deputies to search for downed lines and debris.

A fire at the Williams midstream facility in Paradis was extinguished Friday; parish officials say there were no injuries or releases while investigators secure the scene.

A lightning strike in Slidell ruptured a gas line and produced a large flame, video from the fire district shows.

Trustees' Draft Phase 2 plan would allocate about $101.2M to restore roughly 1,320 acres of the East Orleans Landbridge, reviving marsh and bolstering surge protection near the Rigolets.

A Slidell homeowner and a Station 14 crew corralled a porch alligator, secured its jaw, and released it into nearby wetlands.

Tulane’s Dr. Sina Pourtaheri is combining protein nanocapsules that restored movement in mice with biodegradable antibiotic spheres aimed at preventing post‑surgical infections. Federal and university backing is pushing the work toward translation.

Louisiana ordered two‑year revalidations for high‑risk Medicaid providers and may pause new enrollments for some DME and home‑health agencies to curb improper billing. The state is also stepping up screenings and data analysis.

Heat Advisory Friday in New Orleans with highs near 93°F and heat‑index values into the low 110s. Slight afternoon storm risk and cooling centers listed.