Axios New Orleans

April 02, 2026
🐰 Morning, friends! It's Thursday. Let's hop to it.
Today's weather: Mostly sunny with showers possible. High of 81.
🎧 Sounds like: "All Dogs Go to Heaven" by $uicideBoy$, who bring their new tour to the Smoothie King Center in October. Ticket sales start today.
- Fun fact: The rap duo is from New Orleans. Ruby's dad owns Russell's Marina Grill.
🚀 Situational awareness: Artemis II successfully launched yesterday. Go deeper.
- Workers at Michoud built a major part of the space rocket.
Today's newsletter is 982 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: 🍫 Easter means Elmer's
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Easter in New Orleans isn't complete without an Elmer chocolate egg in your basket.
Why it matters: The longtime Louisiana company still anchors Easter traditions across the Gulf Coast, even after last year's sale.
The big picture: Elmer's started in New Orleans more than 170 years ago.
- It was the country's oldest family-owned chocolate company before last year's sale to the Hoffmann Family of Companies, a Chicago-based equity firm.
- Rob and Michael Nelson, the third-generation family owners, retained partial ownership and remain involved in the company's leadership, Hoffmann said at the time of the sale.
- The purchase was a "pure expansion and growth play" for the firm and didn't include job cuts, Hoffmann's co-CEO told The Times-Picayune.
Zoom in: Elmer's primary business is making boxed chocolates for Valentine's Day, CEO Rob Nelson previously told us.
- But its Easter candy has a loyal Gulf Coast following that snaps up the eggs every spring.
- Heavenly Hash Eggs are the bestseller, he says, closely followed by Gold Brick Eggs then Pecan Eggs.
Catch up quick: Elmer's was founded in 1855 as the Miller Candy Co., according to 64 Parishes.
- The company changed its name to the Miller-Elmer Candy Company and invented CheeWees about a dozen years before Cheetos were introduced.
- The cheese curl business was spun off and is now made by Elmer's Fine Foods.
- The Nelson family bought Elmer Chocolate in the 1960s and later moved manufacturing to Ponchatoula.
2. We ❤️ chocolate

If you tell someone to "touch grass" in Virginia, Delaware or Hawaii this week, they might think you're talking about candy.
Why it matters: DoorDash analyzed which Easter basket treats over-index by state — and Haribo Sour Easter Grass uniquely dominates in those three.
The big picture: Reese's is the national MVP, with Peanut Butter Bunnies uniquely popular across the country.
3. Fully Dressed: 📺 WWL, WGNO changes
📺 WWL's and WGNO's parent companies are merging. Employees at the TV stations are bracing for changes and possible layoffs. (The Times-Picayune🔒)
📜 UNO is dropping or consolidating several degree programs as part of its transition to LSU New Orleans. (Press release)
🚘 Hyundai teased its first pickup truck concept, saying it will be built in the U.S. using steel from its newly announced Louisiana plant. (Axios)
🐾 Immigrants arrested during the federal crackdown in New Orleans left behind their pets. Rescue groups are scrambling to find them homes. (New York Times gift link)
🍼 Manning Family Children's Hospital broke ground recently on a new NICU that will nearly double its capacity for caring for critically ill newborns. (Renderings)
- Louisiana has the second-highest preterm birth rate in the country.
4. 🗣️ "Safest Mardi Gras" in decades
President Trump says he recently spoke with Gov. Jeff Landry about crime rates in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
What he said: "Jeff Landry just called me. He said it's the safest Mardi Gras in 58 years, because of us," Trump said Tuesday in the Oval Office.
- The comments came as he discussed National Guard deployments and immigration enforcement in several cities.
- He added that the federal government may need to "force ourselves" upon cities during major events like the World Cup and America 250 to help with crime.
Zoom in: This isn't the first time the president has taken credit for improving crime rates in New Orleans.
- He met with Mayor Helena Moreno in January and later used that conversation to justify deploying soldiers to help law enforcement.
- Moreno has credited multiyear efforts by NOPD and said she supports the National Guard's help to "assist" at major events.
- An NOPD statement yesterday said the department was "proud of the collaborative effort" at Mardi Gras.
What's next: The National Guard was set to leave New Orleans at the end of February, but the federal deployment was extended another six months.
5. 😆 Don't get got
April Fools' jokes we thought were clever yesterday:
- Perino's crawfish plants
- French Truck's red beans coffee
- Fleurty Girl's switch to K&B purple
- Siberia's rebrand to an internet cafe called Cyberia
- Stein's expansion at Tulane
- Breaux Mart's annual Brah Mart joke
- Deep Fried Advertising's rebranding
- Raising Cane's Sauce Coke
- Krispy Kreme's pickle doughnuts
- Liquid IV's collab with Grillo's Pickles
- JPSO's feline division
😬 Jokes that worried us:
- Banh Mi Boys said it was closing its Metairie location. The management tells us it was a prank. Phew.
- Krewe of Freret said it was retiring its hat throw.
6. 🤩 3 down and many more to go

👋 Carlie here. I'm celebrating my third anniversary this week at Axios and wanted to take a moment to thank you for another action-packed year.
- Thanks for reading this newsletter and responding with your tips, advice, jokes and questions. I love hearing from you. (And I still owe some of y'all replies — sorry! Working on it.)
Zoom in: This past year, I've tortured my tastebuds with Popeyes' pickle menu, practically lived at City Hall, dressed up like a vampire and partied at the Super Bowl.
- I dug into the NOLA acronym, broke down the mayoral indictment and even built some questionable snowmen.
- This is the best job, and I'm so thankful to each of you for reading.
What's next: If you want to support this work, consider becoming an Axios New Orleans member. Contributions start at $25/year.
🥣 Carlie is eating gumbo z'herbes at Dooky Chase today.
🐊 Chelsea is on parental leave but keeps sending Carlie gator news.
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Thanks to our editor Crystal Hill, who thinks Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs are elite.
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