Good morning, New Orleans.

Over 200 homeless veterans received food, clothing, health screenings, dental care and job help at the annual Homeless Veterans Stand Down held Saturday, Oct.

25 at the New Orleans VA Medical Center—volunteers escorted veterans through service stations and assisted with DD-214 paperwork and benefit applications.

King Cake Hub, a New Orleans pop-up selling king cakes from local bakeries, has moved to a larger 6,000-square-foot space on Gravier Street in Mid-City after closing its former Zony Mash site.

The vendor will open on January 6 and run through Lundi Gras— the new space also houses local bitters maker El Guapo and offers 60 parking spaces.

Lighting the Path: A Testament to the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament is open now through the end of the semester at the Xavier University Art Gallery in the Administration Building on the 1st floor—visitors can see artwork, photographs, recordings and archival pieces that honor the legacy of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament founded by Saint Katharine Drexel in 1891.

The 7th Annual NOLA Reggae Fest is postponed to November 15 due to a rainy forecast that forced a reschedule from Congo Square in Louis Armstrong Park.

A benefit dinner will be held on Oct. 28 at Paradigm Gardens—tickets cost $100 and proceeds will go toward hurricane relief in Jamaica with live performance by Inna Vision.

Despite rainy weather, crowds celebrated the 10th anniversary of Treme Fall Fest with music, art, and local vendors.

Organizers supported St. Augustine Church & local musicians during the event.

Halloween New Orleans returns with 'Myths and Legends' this weekend as a three-day event that will feature a black-tie ball on Friday, a costume dance party on Saturday at the Fillmore, and a riverboat cruise with a second line on Sunday—proceeds will benefit Project Lazarus to support people with HIV and AIDS.

The Economist's Carrie Bradshaw index showed that studio apartments in New Orleans now require a median wage of $50,800—$4,830 more than local earnings to rent a space.

Baton Rouge and Shreveport offer more affordable options with required wages of $28,000 and $29,600 respectively.

Sharon Clark, a state education board member with 30 years in teaching, said improved data collection is needed to track student absences uniformly and lower chronic absenteeism statewide; student absences rose between 2022 and 2024 before declining slightly last year+her truancy work group met in Baton Rouge to set consistent standards.

Almost 13,000 women engineers gathered in New Orleans at the SWE conference to mentor the next generation of STEM leaders.

Yesterday, 300 local middle and high school students took part in the Invent It. Build It. event at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center—while SWE will host a virtual High School Leadership Academy on Wednesday featuring a local engineer.

KID smART, a local nonprofit with over 25 years in New Orleans, is growing its arts programs by breaking ground on a new 7th Ward facility (with classrooms, training rooms, and a performance venue) to bring art into more schools and help students learn in subjects like social studies and language arts. The organization aims to give more students access to creative education as school budgets shrink and arts programs face cuts.

Early this morning, New Orleans experienced strong storms with damaging winds, heavy rain, and the risk of tornadoes and hail while scattered showers continued through the afternoon.

Residents were advised to carry ponchos at events (flash flooding was also possible).

Louisiana has seen few effects from the federal shutdown so far because a small federal workforce keeps most projects running—state officials warn that SNAP benefits set to run out on Nov 1 and dwindling food bank supplies may soon hit vulnerable families.

Gov. Jeff Landry declared an emergency order Friday and is working with lawmakers to use state funds if the shutdown continues.

The Louisiana Supreme Court accepted appeals challenging St. James Parish’s land use decision that approved a $185 million expansion of Koch Methanol—environmental groups, Mount Triumph Baptist Church, and residents argued the parish did not follow its own rules and the briefs are due later this fall with oral arguments to be scheduled.

The Spurs defeated the Pelicans 120-116 in overtime at the Pelicans’ home opener on Oct.

24—Zion Williamson scored 27 points while Trey Murphy added 24 and Jordan Poole made 21 in his debut. The Pelicans will host the Celtics on Monday at the Smoothie King Center.

Boston Celtics vs. New Orleans Pelicans

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Smoothie King Center — Tickets starting at $12 — Catch the action as the Celtics take on the Pelicans in an exciting NBA matchup.

Alexandra Kay Concert

7:00 – 8:30 PM — House of Blues New Orleans — Tickets from $42 — Catch live music from rising star Alexandra Kay at this local venue.

Pete Sawyer & The Left Hand Monkey Wrench Gang

10:00-11:30 PM — Toulouse Theatre — Ticket info not provided — Experience a high-energy tribute to the Grateful Dead from a rising California band.

Lisa Fischer Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market — Ticket info available — Experience the powerful voice of Grammy-winning artist Lisa Fischer accompanied by Grand Baton.

Anne Rice Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Orpheum Theater New Orleans — Tickets available — Experience high-energy performances and crowd interaction at an unforgettable concert.

Sue Foley Concert

7:30-9:30 p.m. — New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market — Check venue for pricing — Experience the soulful sounds of an acclaimed blues musician transforming your night into a classic Texas roadhouse vibe.

z-PAX Connect at the LNHA Convention & Trade Show

November 3-5 — Hyatt Regency New Orleans — Registration required — Experience a lineup of educational sessions focused on improving quality care in nursing homes with an '80s theme.

Jason Marsalis Performance

6:30-8:00 p.m. — Ellis Marsalis Center for Music — $15 General Admission, $45 Reserved Seating — Experience the dynamic rhythms of Jason Marsalis in an evening of jazz fusion.

The Soul Rebels

11 PM – 2 AM — Le Bon Temps Roulé — Cost info not provided — Experience the vibrant sounds of the Soul Rebels in an iconic New Orleans music venue.

The Soul Rebels Concert

10 PM – 1 AM — DBA — Ticket prices vary — Experience a vibrant night of music with The Soul Rebels, known for their dynamic performances following collaborations with major artists.