Good morning, New Orleans.

New Orleans Public Libraries hosts a busy schedule: a nature walk at Alvar Library today (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.), yarn dyeing at Latter Memorial on Aug.

21, a record swap on Aug. 22, a Zoom talk on Aug. 25, and a writers circle on Aug. 26 at the REACH Center.

NAMI Southeast Louisiana is hosting its annual Audubon Park walk on Sept.

26 to raise $175,000 for free mental health services in nine parishes. The event starts at 9 a.m. at Newman Bandstand & features pet activities, food, and children’s fun.

The Ehrhardt Group in New Orleans hired three new team members and promoted two staff to boost its regional services.

The firm said these changes will strengthen its support for clients across the Gulf South.

Amtrak's Mardi Gras Service is exceeding expectations by carrying nearly 150,000 riders in its first full year from New Orleans to Mobile along the Mississippi coast—extra capacity will be added for Saints home games as regional planners consider a stop in Ocean Springs.

City leaders in Gretna announced that the reimagined Gretna Fest will run as a month-long concert series in October downtown amid renovations at Gretna Marketplace.

Headliners include Third Eye Blind + The Spinners with Irma Thomas + Shane Smith and the Saints + Gretchen Wilson with Amanda Shaw.

Frank Lastie was a pioneering jazz drummer from the Lower 9th Ward who taught his unique finger-drumming technique to his children including Walter (Popee) Lastie, who later played with Fats Domino and other legends.

His legacy at Guiding Star Spiritual Church endures in New Orleans.

The 10th annual National Fried Chicken Fest returns to New Orleans Lakefront with musical acts like Nelly, 2 Chainz, Ying Yang Twins and more.

The three-day event runs from Oct. 2-4 and features vendor booths, restaurants & family activities.

W.I.S.E. Women NOLA, a mentorship program by GNO, Inc., is growing its STEM pipeline as every college-bound participant opts for a STEM major — the 2026 cohort of 24 students from Jefferson, Orleans, and St. Bernard parishes received scholarships and hands-on experiences from industry partners like NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility.

Jefferson Parish Schools will launch its new Diligent Community platform on Aug.

21 to replace BoardDocs and improve public access to School Board meetings, documents, and policies. The system offers notifications and an advanced search function (available on the district website).

Louisiana's MMR coverage dropped to 90.3 percent among kindergarteners as vaccine exemptions rose to 4 percent due to a law notifying parents of their options + public health officials warn that the low rate may lead to measles outbreaks if vaccination efforts do not improve.

Louisiana health officials are expanding WIC outreach — using mobile teams and electronic benefits — to help over 100,000 eligible families access nutritious food, with enrollment rising from 103,655 in May to 106,088 in July.

The approach aims to reduce unused funding and improve service.

Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints avoided serious ligament damage after a knee injury during Tuesday’s joint practice with the Cowboys and will miss the remainder of the preseason on a week-to-week basis as Travis Etienne Jr. is set to take over first-team reps.