Axios New Orleans

October 17, 2025
Morning! It's Friday. Good vibes only.
Today's weather: Mostly sunny with a high of 84.
- Rain possible Saturday and Sunday. We need it.
🎂 Happy birthday to our Axios New Orleans member Alan Bezet!
- And an early happy birthday to member Russell Conner!
🎧 Sounds like: "Goodbye L.A.," a newly rediscovered track by Tony Joe White.
Today's newsletter is 987 words — a 3.5-minute read.
1 big thing: 🛍️ Meet us at the mall
Lakeside Mall will celebrate its first holiday season in at least seven years without any additional space available for lease.
Why it matters: It's a stark contrast as other local shopping centers struggle to stay afloat.
The big picture: The slow, painful death of the American mall has been charted for years, though the pandemic helped somewhat to revive interest, according to Axios' Erica Pandey.
- "The malls caught COVID when the population caught COVID, and those that were fit and strong made it through," says Michael Brown, a partner in consulting firm Kearney's Consumer Products and Retail Practice. "There's a long future for the malls who are doing it right." Go deeper.
Zoom in: Lakeside, which turned 65 this year, is one of the lucky ones, and that's by design, marketing director Erin Graham tells us.
- "Our goal has always been to try to find exclusive retailers, those larger retailers you can't find in this region, and bring them here," Graham explains.
- Lakeside, Graham says, pulls in day-shoppers from a 55-mile radius, which is much larger than the industry standard of 25 miles for a super-regional mall. "The reason is we provide them with retailers they can't find anywhere else locally," Graham adds.
Case in point: Just this year, Lakeside celebrated the first Louisiana openings for Alo, Mango and Garage.
- Anthropologie opens a new store there this Black Friday as it closes its longtime location at Canal Place downtown.
What's next: Holiday shoppers can expect retailer kiosks for temporary tenants scattered throughout the fully-leased mall.
- Plus, Graham says, "we're always trying to find ways so it's not just a place for shopping. It's a community space."
2. 🪖 Waiting on the White House
Gov. Jeff Landry now hopes to deploy the National Guard to New Orleans by November, according to Fox.
Why it matters: That timeline seems to walk back Landry's initial confidence in President Trump's approval on the request.
Catch up quick: For weeks, Trump signaled his support for a National Guard deployment in Louisiana.
- Then, Landry took him up on the offer, issuing the formal request Sept. 29 and breaking the news in an appearance on "Hannity."
- "Have they [the Trump administration] responded?" host Sean Hannity asked.
- "Oh yeah, the president is happy to send us the troops," Landry replied.
Yes, but: It's been more than two weeks, and that approval hasn't appeared.
- It's somewhat mystifying, especially given Landry's friendship with the president.
Between the lines: As governor, Landry, whose staff did not reply to a request for comment, could deploy the Louisiana National Guard at any time, according to Louisiana National Guard spokesperson Lt. Col. Noel Collins, but it would come on the state's dime.
- If Landry secures Trump's approval, then the feds would pay the bill.
A White House official declined to comment on the timeline, noting they "would not get ahead of the President on any potential announcements," Axios' Brittany Gibson reports.
3. 🪽 Fully Dressed: Angel Reese on the runway
🪽 Angel Reese, a former LSU basketball star, became the first professional athlete to walk in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. (AP)
✍️ Gov. Landry is calling state lawmakers back to Baton Rouge next week to reschedule dates for next year's congressional elections. Landry hopes to give the Supreme Court a chance to decide on the state's big redistricting case before holding those elections. (The Times-Picayune 🔒)
👀 Mayor-elect Heleno Moreno is searching for her second-in-command. Applications are now open for the chief administrative officer position.
⚖️ Tulane suspended Delta Tau Delta fraternity after a months-long hazing investigation. (Hullaboo)
📖 Kevin Federline, aka Britney Spears' ex-husband, says in a new memoir that "it's become impossible to pretend everything's OK" with the Kentwood native. (New York Times gift link)
- Spears' response: "The constant gaslighting from my ex-husband is extremely hurtful and exhausting." (Instagram)
4. 🪧 New Orleans joins protests

No Kings protest organizers expect thousands to gather in New Orleans tomorrow in an event Republican lawmakers decry as "a hate America rally."
Why it matters: The latest round of protests comes amid growing frustration about the ongoing government shutdown and widespread opposition to President Trump's military crackdown on Democratic-led cities.
The big picture: New Orleans is one of 10 anchor cities nationally. That means the organizers get additional event and security guidance from national partners.
- The rally is from 3:30 to 5:30pm between North Galvez and North Prieur streets on the Lafitte Greenway. Kermit Ruffins will perform.
- Events are also planned in Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Hammond, Leesville, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe, Ruston and Shreveport.
- More than 2,500 events are planned across all 50 states.
The other side: The recurring movement against the Trump administration has garnered sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers who say Democrats are protesting as a ploy during the government shutdown.
5. 👻 Henri the friendly ghost
We're back with another fun uniquely New Orleans haunting.
This one comes from reader Renee P.: "We have lived amicably with our ghost, Henri, for the past 16 years. ... I went away last weekend for a short trip and came back to find the TVs turned on — a frequent occurrence when Henri feels ignored."
- "Small objects continue to disappear and reappear, and the occasional picture flies off the wall."
Yes, but: "Henri might well be merely a convenient excuse for encroaching absent-mindedness ... but I like to think we have grown comfortable with each other."
Go deeper: Renee has written about Henri for The Times-Picayune.
🍬 Carlie is excited about trunk-or-treating this weekend.
🍞 Chelsea is making fresh bread today.
Tell a mall walker to subscribe.
Thanks to our editor Jen Burkett, who is rooting for the revival of shopping malls.
Sign up for Axios New Orleans







