Louisiana's measles vaccination coverage has dipped below the threshold generally accepted to prevent community transmission.

Why it matters: "Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to mankind," Louisiana state health officer and medical doctor Joseph Kanter tells Axios, but outbreaks are "entirely preventable" through vaccination.

State of play: Louisiana has some of the nation's loosest exemption laws for families wishing to forgo childhood vaccinations, Kanter says, but historically some of the highest vaccination rates.

By the numbers: Vaccine exemptions for kindergartners are slowly creeping up nationally and in Louisiana, according to CDC data gathered by Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Kavya Beheraj.

• In Louisiana, 1.1% of kindergartners were exempted in 2022, below the national average of 2.7%.
• For measles specifically, 95% of a community should be vaccinated to prevent spread, according to Kanter, and Louisiana dropped to 93.5% for the 2021-2022 school year.

What he's saying: Put simply, Kanter says, "I don't like the direction we're heading."

What we're watching: Kanter hopes the latest data is "a blip" and not a continuing trend as families get back into their pre-pandemic routines and medical professionals fight against misinformation.

• "This is the alarm bell," he says. "It takes years — sometimes decades — to recover lost ground. Sometimes it takes longer to recover lost trust for the people who have fallen victim to false truths out there."

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👋🏻 Carlie here. We're wrapping up our snoball series as Labor Day weekend approaches.

Driving the news: I spent the last few months eating my way through New Orleans metro. Here are five of my favorite snoball stands I visited.

• Chance in Hell SnoBalls in Bywater: Pop-up stand that opened in a permanent location this month and is known for small-batch flavors that change regularly.
• Stop Jockin in the St. Bernard neighborhood: Great snoballs and known for its shrimp nachos, cheese fries, crawfish quesadillas and other snacks.
• Droopy's in Harahan: Crowned the best snoball in Jefferson Parish two years in a row and is known for its top-secret namesake syrup.
• Hansen's Sno-Bliz in Uptown New Orleans: Fluffy ice, specialty syrups and a ton of topping options.
• Buck's Sno-Wiz in Westwego: Convenient drive-thru with snoballs, boudin, boiled potatoes, frozen coffee, hot dogs and other snacks.

What's next: Look for our new gumbo series in September. But don't worry — it's still going to be hot enough for snoballs for weeks. 🙃

Go deeper for 5 more excellent stands

🏈 The Saints fell to the Houston Texans, 17-13, in their last preseason game. The regular season starts Sept. 10 against the Titans. (Recap)

Wildfires are forcing evacuations across the state. So far, two people have died, and at least 24 homes have been destroyed. (Louisiana Illuminator)

• The smoke reached New Orleans metro on Sunday, making the air smell noticeably smoky. Officials say people with respiratory issues should avoid outdoor activities today. (National Weather Service)

🍴 High Hat has new owners, but they say nothing is going to change at the popular Freret Street restaurant. (NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune 🔒)

😷 An indoor mask mandate is in effect at Dillard University, with officials citing increasing COVID cases. (WDSU)

🏭 The fire at Marathon Petroleum refinery in St. John the Baptist Parish is mostly extinguished, but firefighters stayed on site through the weekend to put out "small spot fires." Air monitoring continues. (St. John government)

Princess Tiana's new restaurant in Disneyland has unveiled its menu, and it features the New Orleans hometown classics of the "The Princess and the Frog" star.

Why it matters: Princess Tiana is largely inspired by New Orleans chef Leah Chase. Her family has been actively involved in the creative process with Disney as the company expands Tiana's presence in the parks.

Driving the news: Tiana's Palace opens Sept. 7 in California.

• The new items include beignets, gumbo with andouille and chicken, red beans and rice, shrimp and grits and a roast beef poboy.

Zoom in: Some of the descriptions are a little weird ("olive relish" instead of olive salad on a muffuletta), but overall the dishes seem OK for New Orleans food outside of New Orleans.

Go deeper to learn more about Tiana's new ride

Today is the 60th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington, where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech at the Lincoln Memorial, writes Axios' Russell Contreras.

• New Orleans native Mahalia Jackson sang at the event and encouraged King to "tell them about the dream," leading him to improvise his most-famous speech.

Read how the speech is fading from memory

Tropical Storm Idalia is expected to rapidly strengthen into a Category 3 hurricane before landfall in Florida, writes Axios' Andrew Freedman.

See the latest watches and warnings