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NOPD updates immigration policy amid state pressure

News

The New Orleans Police Department updated its decade-old immigration policy during <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mardi Gras" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/mardi-gras" data-vars-content-id="1ce02cfd-996a-4650-9ad8-481291d336bb" data-vars-headline="NOPD updates immigration policy amid state pressure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/mardi-gras" target="_self">Mardi Gras</a>.Why it matters: Immigration enforcement has become a political flashpoint in Louisiana, with Attorney General Liz Murrill pressuring New Orleans leaders over so-called &quot;<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="sanctuary city" data-vars-click-url="https://lailluminator.com/2025/02/14/new-orleans-sanctuary/" data-vars-content-id="1ce02cfd-996a-4650-9ad8-481291d336bb" data-vars-headline="NOPD updates immigration policy amid state pressure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://lailluminator.com/2025/02/14/new-orleans-sanctuary/" target="_blank">sanctuary city</a>&quot; policies and Mayor Helena Moreno issuing an order blocking formal ICE partnerships.

The No. 1 fish cleaning tip from a guy who butchers 500 pounds a day

Food and Drink

If you want to get better at something, it&#x27;s a good idea to ask an expert. So if you&#x27;re looking to improve your fish game, the guy you want to talk to is GW Fins&#x27; Michael Perkins.Why it matters: Perkins has been personally responsible for butchering 300 to 500 or more pounds of fresh-caught fish every day for more than 20 years.

Norman Francis, Xavier's longtime president, dies at 94

"He changed this country, this city, and me for the better."

Norman Francis, the longtime president of Xavier University and a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, died Wednesday, his family said. He was 94. The big picture: Francis led <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Xavier for 47 years" data-vars-click-url="https://www.xula.edu/news//2026/02/remembering-president-emeritus-dr-norman-c-francis-52.html" data-vars-content-id="c6349139-9350-4528-9791-9643babf3aa5" data-vars-headline="Norman Francis, Xavier&#x27;s longtime president, dies at 94" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.xula.edu/news//2026/02/remembering-president-emeritus-dr-norman-c-francis-52.html" target="_blank">Xavier for 47 years</a> and was instrumental in shaping New Orleans&#x27; recovery after Hurricane Katrina.

Where to recycle Mardi Gras beads in New Orleans

Several drop-off sites are open all year.

Mardi Gras

<figure><img alt="Image shows beads, footballs and other Mardi Gras parade throws on the grass." height="450" id="68baf701-5460-42fa-b2b3-9d43def9bb7a" src="https://images.axios.com/2j69gb74-8n9K21a7v71d54_m2M=/2026/02/17/1771360086576.gif" width="800"/><figcaption>Mardi Gras throws include beads, doubloons, cups, footballs and plush items. Image: Carlie Kollath Wells/Axios</figcaption></figure>Several <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="New Orleans" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans" data-vars-content-id="1d319c76-b376-405e-9f75-c2bbf8ef7537" data-vars-headline="Where to recycle Mardi Gras beads in New Orleans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans" target="_self">New Orleans</a> organizations can help keep your <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Mardi Gras" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/mardi-gras" data-vars-content-id="1d319c76-b376-405e-9f75-c2bbf8ef7537" data-vars-headline="Where to recycle Mardi Gras beads in New Orleans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/mardi-gras" target="_self">Mardi Gras</a> beads, stuffed animals and other throws out of landfills.Why it matters: Mardi Gras leaves behind mountains of trash. Recycling cuts waste and supports local nonprofits.

Loyola wins federal approval for prison education Pell Grants

It's one of a few options for Louisiana's incarcerated students.

Loyola University recently became Louisiana&#x27;s first four-year institution for incarcerated <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="students" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" data-vars-content-id="3307be46-5bf2-4a36-ba0c-b6bd44e0ceb4" data-vars-headline="Loyola wins federal approval for prison education Pell Grants" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" target="_self">students</a> to receive U.S. Department of Education approval.Why it matters: Its students can now apply for Pell Grants, which do not need to be paid back, freeing up funding for program expansion for incarcerated student education, its leaders say.

LSU gets new president, chancellor, athletic director

And Gov. Jeff Landry is making his feelings known, too.

Education

In the span of just eight days, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="LSU" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" data-vars-content-id="6a9c0808-6789-4946-8454-e3bd616f3ebd" data-vars-headline="LSU gets new president, chancellor, athletic director" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" target="_self">LSU</a> lost its football coach and athletic director, and tapped a new president, chancellor and replacement athletic director.Why it matters: The changes mark a new era for some of the university&#x27;s most prominent roles.

Louisiana battling chronic absenteeism

Officials are trying a new strategy to keep kids in school.

Louisiana <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="education" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" data-vars-content-id="9ae82835-a8d9-4ffc-81e8-ead361eb9e47" data-vars-headline="Louisiana battling chronic absenteeism" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" target="_self">education</a> officials are trying a new strategy to keep kids in school this year. Why it matters: Truancy has been linked to lower test scores, negative impacts on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="social-emotional development" data-vars-click-url="https://seis.ucla.edu/news/the-effects-of-absenteeism-on-academic-and-social-emotional/" data-vars-content-id="9ae82835-a8d9-4ffc-81e8-ead361eb9e47" data-vars-headline="Louisiana battling chronic absenteeism" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://seis.ucla.edu/news/the-effects-of-absenteeism-on-academic-and-social-emotional/" target="_blank">social-emotional development</a>, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="increased substance use" data-vars-click-url="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2815052/" data-vars-content-id="9ae82835-a8d9-4ffc-81e8-ead361eb9e47" data-vars-headline="Louisiana battling chronic absenteeism" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2815052/" target="_blank">increased substance use</a>, increased chances of trouble at home and higher likelihoods of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="criminal activity" data-vars-click-url="https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles/truncy.pdf" data-vars-content-id="9ae82835-a8d9-4ffc-81e8-ead361eb9e47" data-vars-headline="Louisiana battling chronic absenteeism" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.ojp.gov/pdffiles/truncy.pdf" target="_blank">criminal activity</a>.

Louisiana among states with highest COVID cases

A surge is unsurprising during back-to-school days.

Health

Louisiana is among a group of states with the highest rate of COVID cases right now, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="&quot;stratus&quot; COVID variant" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/08/08/covid-19-stratus-variant-symptoms-cases-cdc" data-vars-content-id="08268821-f2fd-4076-9ab6-155d7332d5b4" data-vars-headline="Louisiana among states with highest COVID cases" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/08/08/covid-19-stratus-variant-symptoms-cases-cdc" target="_self">&quot;stratus&quot; COVID variant</a> is surging throughout the country, and with kids heading back to school, it&#x27;s not exactly surprising.

New Orleans students more likely to attend school in extreme heat

Some schools already struggle to keep classes cool.

As K-12 students head back to school in New Orleans this week, more will be sitting in classrooms in extreme <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="urban heat zones" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/11/heat-islands-us-record-temperatures" data-vars-content-id="12e05d0f-ef26-49e9-82aa-76d156be4ba0" data-vars-headline="New Orleans students more likely to attend school in extreme heat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2024/07/11/heat-islands-us-record-temperatures" target="_self">urban heat zones</a> than the U.S. average, a new analysis finds.Why it matters: The heat island effect can make some neighborhoods notably warmer than others, especially during <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="heat waves" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/heat-wave" data-vars-content-id="12e05d0f-ef26-49e9-82aa-76d156be4ba0" data-vars-headline="New Orleans students more likely to attend school in extreme heat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/23/heat-wave" target="_self">heat waves</a>.Flashback: Some regional schools started last year with canceled classes because of <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="inadequate air conditioning" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/09/04/louisiana-schools-air-conditioning-heat-waves" data-vars-content-id="12e05d0f-ef26-49e9-82aa-76d156be4ba0" data-vars-headline="New Orleans students more likely to attend school in extreme heat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/09/04/louisiana-schools-air-conditioning-heat-waves" target="_self">inadequate air conditioning</a>. Driving the news: About 76% of public K-12 students in the 65 most populous U.S. cities attend schools where the heat island effect increases temperatures by at least 8°F, per a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="new analysis from Climate Central," data-vars-click-url="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/schools-and-urban-heat-2025" data-vars-content-id="12e05d0f-ef26-49e9-82aa-76d156be4ba0" data-vars-headline="New Orleans students more likely to attend school in extreme heat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/schools-and-urban-heat-2025" target="_blank">new analysis from Climate Central,</a> a climate research group.<ul><li>Researchers there examined more than 12,000 schools, with nearly 6.2 million students.</li><li>The group&#x27;s analysis is based on its previous work modeling urban heat zones, as well as National Center for Education Statistics data.</li></ul>What&#x27;s next: New Orleans is among cities working to alleviate its <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="heat island effect" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/07/23/new-orleans-heat-island-effect-mapped" data-vars-content-id="12e05d0f-ef26-49e9-82aa-76d156be4ba0" data-vars-headline="New Orleans students more likely to attend school in extreme heat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/07/23/new-orleans-heat-island-effect-mapped" target="_self">heat island effect</a>, with city leaders last year announcing plans to create a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="heat mitigation plan" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/07/16/new-orleans-heat-mitigation-plan-extreme-weather" data-vars-content-id="12e05d0f-ef26-49e9-82aa-76d156be4ba0" data-vars-headline="New Orleans students more likely to attend school in extreme heat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/07/16/new-orleans-heat-mitigation-plan-extreme-weather" target="_self">heat mitigation plan</a>.

Where to find free school supplies in New Orleans

Tariffs are making back-to-school budgets tighter.

Parents heading into the back-to-school season are facing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="rising prices" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/10/trump-tariffs-shoes" data-vars-content-id="0d16fc37-4d73-4aae-9d18-3d5387943b1a" data-vars-headline="Where to find free school supplies in New Orleans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/07/10/trump-tariffs-shoes" target="_self">rising prices</a> and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="looming tariffs" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/economy/tariffs" data-vars-content-id="0d16fc37-4d73-4aae-9d18-3d5387943b1a" data-vars-headline="Where to find free school supplies in New Orleans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/economy/tariffs" target="_self">looming tariffs</a> — forcing them to shop smarter and earlier.Catch up quick: New U.S. tariffs on <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Chinese imports" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/11/trump-china-tariffs-magnets-visas" data-vars-content-id="0d16fc37-4d73-4aae-9d18-3d5387943b1a" data-vars-headline="Where to find free school supplies in New Orleans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2025/06/11/trump-china-tariffs-magnets-visas" target="_self">Chinese imports</a> — including backpacks, pens, binders and shoes — kicked in earlier this year and remain historically high.

School zone camera revenue still in limbo in New Orleans

A new law requires the city to share the fines with schools.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="School zone cameras" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/10/07/new-school-zone-rules-cameras-times-appeal-tickets" data-vars-content-id="895899f4-273a-45c7-a571-867d45f2b1b9" data-vars-headline="School zone camera revenue still in limbo in New Orleans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/10/07/new-school-zone-rules-cameras-times-appeal-tickets" target="_self">School zone cameras</a> are expected to turn on Friday in <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="New Orleans" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans" data-vars-content-id="895899f4-273a-45c7-a571-867d45f2b1b9" data-vars-headline="School zone camera revenue still in limbo in New Orleans" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans" target="_self">New Orleans</a>, but the fight over where the fines go is still unresolved. Why it matters: Parents and school leaders want to know if ticket revenue will reach classrooms this year.

High lead levels lead to sudden day care closure

The Algiers Point day care had 30 students.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="High lead levels" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/11/25/lead-pipe-map-jefferson-parish-water-testing" data-vars-content-id="fabe44c1-50fe-4527-b4b5-fabe7a3190cd" data-vars-headline="High lead levels lead to sudden day care closure" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2024/11/25/lead-pipe-map-jefferson-parish-water-testing" target="_self">High lead levels</a> have led to a lease dispute and the sudden closure of an Algiers Point day care.Why it matters: The closure leaves 30 young New Orleanians and their families without day care, and raises questions about why state officials didn&#x27;t make sure a lead test had happened before it even opened.

More Northeast students are heading to LSU

Politics, warm weather and school spirit are big draws.

More Northeastern teens are heading to the South for large state schools, with <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="LSU" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" data-vars-content-id="0d179aa6-6cc0-4dd2-83b8-e437d0fa3048" data-vars-headline="More Northeast students are heading to LSU" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/education" target="_self">LSU</a> seeing a nearly 500% increase in attendance from students in the Northeast between 2014 and 2023, an Axios data analysis shows.Why it matters: It seems like everyone wants to be a Tiger.

Louisiana's kids are not OK

The new Kids Count report highlights challenges for Louisiana.

<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Louisiana" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans" data-vars-content-id="c4c8bed1-ba71-4d2e-8b88-e1ddbde4a3c5" data-vars-headline="Louisiana&#x27;s kids are not OK" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans" target="_self">Louisiana</a> ranks second to last in the U.S. for <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="overall child well-being" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2023/07/25/louisiana-children-health-ranking" data-vars-content-id="c4c8bed1-ba71-4d2e-8b88-e1ddbde4a3c5" data-vars-headline="Louisiana&#x27;s kids are not OK" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2023/07/25/louisiana-children-health-ranking" target="_self">overall child well-being</a>, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.Why it matters: The numbers offer a yearly check-in on how well the state is serving its youngest residents and where it&#x27;s falling short, especially in areas like child poverty and health.

Education 📚

Student absences spike during first week of immigration sweeps in New Orleans

New Orleans schools earn B grade, but new rating system looms

Loyola wins federal approval for prison education Pell Grants

LSU gets new president, chancellor, athletic director

Louisiana battling chronic absenteeism