Axios New Orleans

April 24, 2026
Happy Friday!
β Today's weather: Partly sunny, with a high of 83 and a low of 69.
π§ Sounds like: "HEAVEN" by Ledisi, who performed at last year's Jazz Fest.
Situational awareness: Police said a shooting at the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge left one person dead and five people wounded, AP reports.
Today's newsletter is 809 words β a 3-minute read.
1 big thing: Try these classic New Orleans cocktails
New Orleans may or may not have invented the cocktail, but we feel pretty confident that the city's bars and bartenders perfected it.
Why it matters: There's no better place to get in touch with your favorites, whether they're shaken or stirred.
We've rounded up 10 classic New Orleans cocktails, including:
π₯ Vieux Carre: This homage to the French Quarter was first mixed up at the Hotel Monteleone's Carousel Bar by head bartender Walter Bergeron in the 1930s.
- The stout beverage is served up with rye whiskey, cognac, vermouth, Benedictine and bitters.
π₯ Cafe Brulot: Antoine's Restaurant in the French Quarter was the start of a few New Orleans culinary traditions, and setting this after-dinner beverage on fire was one of them.
- The Cafe Brulot was created by Jules Alciatore with brandy, orange liqueur, citrus oil, sugar, cloves, cinnamon, coffee β and a lighter.
βοΈ Sazerac: Old New Orleans apothecary owner Antoine Peychaud is said to have first stirred up his namesake bitters with absinthe, sugar and a batch of the local Sazerac company's cognac, creating what's perhaps the city's most well-known cocktail.
πΉ Hurricane: Invented at Pat O'Brien's, the hurricane is a product of wartime limitations. Back in the 1940s, it was tough to get much domestic liquor, but the popular Bourbon Street bar had no problem getting lots and lots of rum.
- So, the bar staff came up with a concoction that included passion fruit and lemon βΒ and the hurricane was born.
βοΈ Frozen Irish coffee: A stop at Molly's at the Market isn't complete until you've had this creamy, coffee-swirl-topped drink.
- It's been a French Quarter favorite for more than four decades, and it's churned out of a frozen drink machine more closely related to a Wendy's Frosty than a slushee.
2. π How to change a flat tire
Got a flat tire? Axios' Travis Meier will show you how to fix it β no mechanic required.
Why it matters: It's important to know how to change your tire, especially with potholes on the road. Let's take it back to driving 101.

Zoom in: Check in advance that your car has the right stuff. You should have a spare wheel and tire, a lug nut wrench, and a jack with a detachable handle.
- If you get a flat on the road, try to pull off somewhere safe. If you need to park on the shoulder, turn on your hazard lights.
First: Place the jack near your wheel under the steel frame of your car. Attach the handle and start spinning until the jack meets the metal and starts raising the car.

Second: Before the tire comes off the ground, use the wrench to loosen the lug nuts.
- You'll want the friction of rubber on concrete to keep the wheel from spinning, and you'll have to use some elbow grease.

Third: Raise the wheel completely off the ground, take off the lug nuts, and pull the wheel off.
- If the wheel won't let go, my trick is to sit down and kick the sides until it jars loose. Just be careful not to hurt yourself.

Finally: Put the spare on, screw the lugs on most of the way, lower the car till the tire touches, tighten the lugs all the way, and collapse the jack.
3. Fully Dressed: Voter registration deadline approaches
π³οΈ Tomorrow is the last day to register online to vote in the upcoming U.S. Senate primary. The state rules have changed, so you'll need to check your party affiliation. (Axios)
A Shreveport man is facing charges in connection with a firearm Shamar Elkins used to kill eight children on April 19, federal authorities said.
- Police said two women wounded in the attack are expected to survive. (KSLA)
π΅ "Michael" β the biopic about pop superstar Michael Jackson β hits theaters this weekend. Check out Axios reporter Troy Smith's review.
A North Carolina man was arrested in Florida for alleged plans to travel to a "festival in New Orleans to conduct a mass shooting," the Okaloosa County Sheriff's office said. (Facebook)
- The Times-Picayune reported that the suspect is a former law enforcement officer.
4. 1 new Saint to go
The Saints selected Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson with the No. 8 overall pick in the NFL Draft last night.
Why it matters: Tyson was widely seen as a top prospect for the Saints.
State of play: The Saints have eight picks in this draft.
Go deeper: A casual Saints fan's guide to the 2026 NFL Draft
π§ββοΈ Carlie is off this week.
π£ Chelsea is on parental leave.
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Thanks to our editor Crystal Hill.
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