Flau'jae Johnson at the 2026 WNBA Draft in New York. Photo: Kristina Bumphrey/WWD via Getty Images
🏀 LSU star Flau'jae Johnson was the No. 8 pick in the WBNA Draft on Monday. She went to the Golden State Valkyries, who then traded her to the Seattle Storm. (Defector, plus Getty photos from the event)
She'll earn a base salary of $309,622 in her first season, which is nearly four times what last year's No. 1 pick made. (Yahoo)
🛰️ Amazon agreed yesterday to buy Covington-based Globalstar for around $11.6 billion. The deal gets Amazon deeper into the space race. (Axios and press release)
🚮 IV Waste's trash contract for the French Quarter is expected to be extended through 2027. A City Council committee approved it yesterday. It goes to the full council now. (The Times-Picayune🔒)
🎶 Gretna Fest is canceled this year as the city starts renovating the downtown gathering space. The fest will be reimagined as a fall concert series. (Fox 8)
💰 Tax refunds are up this year but are still falling short of expectations for many Americans. The average check is $3,462. (Axios)
🚧 Demolition could start this summer on the former Lindy Boggs Medical Center, also known as Mercy Hospital. The city finalized a deal with developers that includes $11.5 million in public money. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)
🏖️ The city hosts a community meeting tomorrow to talk about next steps for Lincoln Beach. It's at 6pm at Joe Brown Park's gym. (Instagram)