Good morning, New Orleans.

Drivers heading from Jefferson Parish to New Orleans faced delays yesterday due to an 18-wheeler fire on I-10 near the I-610 split, with two lanes kept open and the right lane blocked.

Informuta, a New Orleans biotech firm developing tests to predict antibiotic resistance, received a $1.25M NSF Phase II grant today to fund clinical studies and hospital testing of its forecasting platform.

The firm will use the funds to expand lab infrastructure and partnerships for upcoming clinical trials.

Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 will reopen on Oct.

1 with tours led by the Preservation Resource Center; ghost tours will end. Guided 75- to 90-minute groups of up to 16 in the morning will help support maintenance while the city restricts access on visiting days — ensuring respectful, preserved grounds.

Grammy-award-winning Latin-music artist Lucky Diaz will host a virtual author talk today at 6 p.m. via Zoom at the New Orleans Public Library — he will discuss his bilingual picture book Paletero Man inspired by his hit song.

Applied Atomics announced on Wednesday, Sept.

23 that its new headquarters and training center will be located on Chartres Street in the Bywater neighborhood. The advanced nuclear energy company is creating 182 jobs — 41 direct with an average salary of $121,000 and 141 indirect positions expected to boost local growth.

A Board of Regents report says 54% of Louisiana adults now hold credentials beyond high school, driven by dual enrollment and accelerated degrees, with 85,000 graduates in 2026 meeting a 2030 target.

Education advocates say the state must further align programs with workforce demands+ boost job opportunities.

Ronulia Darensburg, a New Orleans native and the only Louisiana student at a Washington, D.C. congressional briefing last week, stressed the vital role of Pell Grant funding for community college students as Delgado Community College warned of a funding shortfall.

SpaceX has announced a new launch facility in Vermilion Parish that may lead to thousands of rocket launches and potential harm to coastal wetlands and migratory birds.

State agencies and environmental experts are reviewing plans to determine mitigation measures (including guidelines on air quality and wildlife protection) for the project.

Former New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu said he is considering a presidential run after the midterms given concerns about the country's direction, and he will decide between November and early 2027 if he believes he can unite the nation.

Entergy New Orleans received a $2 million grant from the Energy Department Tuesday to upgrade 94 distribution poles and strengthen its grid against hurricane winds for more than 1,900 homes and businesses (including a Sewerage and Water Board facility).

Today, the State Bond Commission approved a $5.5 million credit for Lincoln Beach redevelopment along New Orleans East — a project that includes improvements to Monticello Canal and the West Bank Ferry Terminal.

City officials said construction will begin later this year with Lincoln Beach reopening in winter 2027.

Siblings Marcy Delatte and Paul Irons have transformed New Orleans Restoration Properties (NORP) from post-Katrina repairs into a major affordable housing developer by completing Grove Place I and starting a $19 million Grove Place II project in Hollygrove; they plan to expand their team and new projects throughout the city.

Lonzo Ball, 28, retired from the NBA after nine seasons on the Family Podcast, citing ongoing knee injuries that led to multiple surgeries.

The former Pelicans player also played for the Lakers, Bulls, & Cavaliers.