Good morning, New Orleans.

NOLA Dogs Race to the Rescue 5K returns to historic Metairie Cemetery on Oct.

11 — participants will join an 8 a.m. dog parade, an 8:30 a.m. 5K run, and a 9:30 a.m. Blessing of the Pets to raise funds for six local animal rescue groups.

Louisiana shipyards have secured a $1.2B Navy contract to build 30 autonomous drone ships that will start delivery in October 2027.

Local companies are ramping up hiring + expanding operations to meet the order and strengthen a workforce that declined since the late 1990s.

New Orleans will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Anne Rice’s debut novel 'Interview with the Vampire' during Halloween week (Oct.

24 to 31) with events including a costume parade, film screening, fan ball and author discussion at Loyola University’s Roussel Performance Hall.

A SmartAsset study released Thursday shows Louisiana workers averaged 19.7 hours on side hustles, exceeding the national average of 13 hours & highlighting ongoing financial strain in the community.

Loyola University New Orleans' School of Music and Theatre Professions was named a top music business school by Billboard in its Oct.

3 issue, marking six years of recognition. Its innovative curriculum + ventures such as Wolf Moon Entertainment mark it as one of two Louisiana universities honored in 2026.

Tulane University A. B.

Freeman School of Business will launch a $10K MBA scholarship for Louisiana residents enrolling in its Executive and Professional MBA programs starting January 2027 - aimed at retaining local talent as the state gears up for major business investments.

New Orleans Public Library reopened its renovated Children’s Resource Center on Oct.

3, adding interactive play areas + early literacy programming for children birth to age 5. The historic facility on Magazine Street hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony with storytimes, crafts and a firetruck visit.

St. Tammany Parish School administrators met with local law enforcement & district attorney’s office Wednesday morning to clarify mandatory reporting protocols and boost campus safety.

Interim Superintendent Steve Alfonso said the two-hour session gave leaders clear guidance on responding to incidents.

Local officials and community members in Plaquemines Parish support the Bird’s Foot Delta Restoration Project aiming to restore 1,000 acres of wetlands by redirecting Mississippi River water during a Venice meeting.

They plan to seek BP settlement funds (between $144–$176 million) so construction can begin in early 2028.

Louisiana student loan borrowers may face an extra federal tax bill averaging $7,668 in 2026 after a key tax break ended on Dec.

31, 2025 (according to Protect Borrowers). Some local borrowers could see their tax bills triple, which may increase financial strain for working-class families.

Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain said the sugarcane harvest is going well this week as insecticides and mild weather keep past mealybug worries at bay; he noted a truck driver shortage and urged south Louisiana motorists to drive cautiously near harvest sites (a recent St. Martinville accident underscores the risk).

New Orleans Health & Human Services is expanding its free, 12-month diabetes prevention program to three neighborhoods with 22 sessions on healthy living.

In New Orleans East, classes start Oct. 19 at Joe Brown Recreation Center (5601 Read Blvd); in Central City and Algiers, courses begin when 10 enroll.

LSU Health New Orleans has recruited radiation oncologist Puneeth Iyengar to lead its new Department of Radiation Oncology and expand cancer care.

He will build an academic program linking patient care, clinical trials and research to advance efforts toward an NCI-designated Cancer Center (plans pending).

WWE Money in Bank, a professional wrestling event, is set to come to New Orleans soon; details on the schedule + venue will be announced shortly.

Fans can look forward to an exciting addition to the local entertainment calendar.