Drones could start dropping off Walmart packages in New Orleans later this year.

Why it matters: Drone delivery would bring a new form of on-demand retail service as local leaders grapple with how to regulate emerging technologies, including autonomous vehicles and AI-powered surveillance tools.

The big picture: The retail giant and drone delivery company Wing are expanding service to New Orleans as part of a plan to reach more than 40 million customers by 2027.

• Walmart's drone delivery is available in Atlanta, Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston and Charlotte. It's in the works for St. Louis, Orlando, Los Angeles and Miami, among others.
• Yesterday, Wing confirmed it will expand to New Orleans, Memphis and five other metros.

When it lands in New Orleans, groceries and other products could arrive at homes, apartments and offices within 30 minutes.

How it works: Customers within the service range can select the drone delivery option on Walmart's app or website or place an order using Wing's app.

• They'll confirm their delivery spot, like the backyard or driveway.
• Employees will pick and pack the products and load them into the drone for delivery.
• The drone, which flies up to 60 mph, will lower the package to the ground for the customer to pick up. Watch the video.

What we're watching: Walmart expects to launch drone delivery here by 2027, but it's unclear what stores will be included.

State of play: Drone deliveries are arriving as New Orleans officials are already wrestling with how to regulate a wave of new technologies.

• Today, City Council members are expected to start discussions about how to regulate self-driving cars like Waymo. The company has been testing operations in New Orleans and hopes to launch here this year.
• City Council and French Quarter leaders also approved a new type of police drone that doesn't require line-of-sight control. It's modeled after Jefferson Parish's program, which is among the largest in the country.
• Conversations are also ongoing about how to utilize AI-powered facial recognition technology, such as what Project NOLA uses primarily downtown.

Go deeper

Summer is usually when New Orleans restaurant closures start trickling in. We've had at least eight so far.

Yes, but: Entrepreneurs are still opening new spots.

• Here are some recent ones and a few more that are on the way.

Now open

🍞 Gaijin Sandos has Japanese-style sandwiches on St. Claude.

🇸🇳 Dakar relocated to a bigger space. The award-winning tasting menu is available inside, and a new à la carte menu should debut next month on the patio.

🍕 Gendusa's opened a pizzeria in its former Rivertown location.

☕️ Rougabrew is a specialty coffee shop in Metairie near Bonnabel.

🦞 J's Bayou Seafood, based on the West Bank, opened a second location in Gentilly.

🍱 Good Time Sushi, closed since Hurricane Ida, is back in Gentilly. It now has hibachi.

🦪 Crustacean Club — Gulf Coast seafood in the old Effervescence location.

🥃 Tragos Amargos — Vinyl-driven cocktail bar inside Taquerías Carnalito.

🍸 Charles & Julia — Cocktails and rooftop terrace at Hotel Perle, from the Tujague's team.

🥡 Yummie Box Hibachi Express moved from David Drive to Vets near Bonnabel.

🍵 Evolve Coffee + Matcha expanded to the North Shore with a Mandeville location.

Coming soon

🍷 NOLA Art Bar, a new reading lounge from Baldwin & Co., hopes to open later this month.

🍴 Dom Zakuski will have Slavic snacks, savories and sweets in the former Horns location in the Marigny. It's expected to open in September.

🥖 Larry Morrow unveiled a rendering for his new poboy shop.

• Plus, the original Morrow's reopened with a revamped menu after a building remodel.

19 more new spots

The Peggy Martin rose is now Louisiana's official rose after a new legislative resolution.

The big picture: The pink flower, also called the Katrina rose, is a reminder of the region's rebirth after the storm.

• The rose is named after Peggy Martin, who had a collection of more than 450 antique roses in Plaquemines Parish, writes Tobie Blanchard with the LSU AgCenter.
• The rose survived two weeks in Katrina's floodwaters before emerging from the muck on Martin's property.

Go deeper

Five people were arrested yesterday in connection with a 2024 mass shooting that killed a woman and injured 11 people outside Republic NOLA nightclub. (Press release)

🏛️ Gov. Jeff Landry signed into a law yesterday a bill that eliminates three Orleans Parish judgeships. (WWL)

🚂 A train derailed yesterday in Old Metairie, the second in just a few days. (WDSU)

🌱 New Orleans urban farmers who lost access to land are turning to social media and public support as they fight to keep community gardens going. (WWNO)

⚖️ At least three judges have recused themselves from the case involving former Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson. (Fox 8)

📚 A new America 250 exhibit opens today at the State Library of Louisiana. It tells the story of Spanish colonial Louisiana. (Press release)

Other newish exhibits:

• New Orleans-based artist Jonathan Ferrara's first solo exhibition in 23 years. (Press release)
• "God Snapped When She Made Water and Black Women" by Fahamu Pecou. (Details)
• "Sèvres Magnifique," a collection of French porcelain at NOMA.