Louisiana is home to four billionaires, according to Forbes' 2026 list of the world's richest people.

Why it matters: The state's wealthiest residents reflect the industries that power the Bayou State — restaurants, sports, liquor and offshore energy.

🐔 Todd Graves, 54, is the richest person in Louisiana, Forbes says.

• He more than doubled his net worth in the past year and is now worth $22 billion. As of yesterday, he was the 114th richest person in the world.
• The Baton Rouge resident founded Raising Cane's 30 years ago and remains the CEO. The chain recently opened its 1,000th store.

🏈🏀 Gayle Benson, 79, also grew her wealth last year. She's now worth $7.9 billion, Forbes says, and was ranked No. 438 as of yesterday.

• Benson lives in New Orleans and owns the Saints and the Pelicans. She's the first woman to be the principal owner of both an NFL and an NBA team.

🥃 William Goldring, 83, lives in New Orleans and is worth an estimated $6 billion, Forbes says. He was the 668th richest person in the world as of yesterday.

• The Tulane grad is the chairman of the Sazerac Co., which owns roughly 500 alcohol brands and a dozen distilleries around the world.

⚓️ Gary Chouest, 81, is worth $2 billion and was ranked No. 2,053 on the world's billionaires list as of yesterday.

• The Cut Off resident is the owner and president of Edison Chouest Offshore, which Forbes says owns more than 200 offshore vessels for the oil, gas and wind power industries.

Go deeper: Full list of billionaires

It's been a busy week for Louisiana basketball.

Driving the news: Will Wade is back at LSU. The former men's head coach says he's leaving North Carolina State University because "it's a chance to go home."

• He replaces Matt McMahon, whom ESPN says the school fired yesterday.

In New Orleans, Percy "Master P" Miller and UNO have parted ways, school officials confirmed to The Times-Picayune.

• Miller just wrapped his first season as the school's unpaid president of basketball operations and assistant men's basketball coach.
• LaToya Cantrell also appointed him the city's entertainment ambassador in 2024. The city at the time said it was an unpaid volunteer role. He was active with the Walk of Fame initiative.
• Mayor Helena Moreno's team didn't immediately respond to questions about his current status.

Meanwhile, the LSU women's basketball team plays Duke at 9 tonight in the NCAA Sweet 16. Go Tigers!

✈️ President Trump says he will sign an order to circumvent Congress and restore pay for TSA workers. (Axios)

• Other DHS employees — including FEMA, Coast Guard, ICE and Border Patrol — don't have a deal yet. (Axios)
• It's unclear when lines could improve at MSY. Officials urge passengers to arrive at least three hours early on Sundays and Mondays, MSY's busiest days.
• Want to skip the line? A Baton Rouge man says he'll hold your spot for $600. He says he has strong legs and a strong bladder.

🏨 The AC Hotel by Marriott breaks ground today across from the convention center. (Facebook)

💰 Future Use of Energy in Louisiana, a startup accelerator and workforce development program, received $45 million from the National Science Foundation. (Axios Pro 🔒)

🐦 A Harahan judge ruled that a couple's purple martin birdhouses are a nuisance for neighbors who are upset about bird poop. The couple says they will appeal. (WWL)

🚔 Hundreds of marijuana plants and guns were seized recently in Jefferson and Orleans parishes during a joint NOPD-JPSO drug bust. (Press release)

Drought conditions continue to spread in Louisiana.

• Nearly 79% of the state is in a drought, with another 10% abnormally dry, according to data yesterday from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
• Orleans and Jefferson parishes are in a severe drought. The city is 4.5 inches of rain below normal for the year, NWS says.

Explore the data.

🐇 Easter festivities: The Easter Bunny makes appearances across the region this weekend. Plus, there are several egg hunts and crawfish boils.

• Be on the lookout for "Kreeps" aka creepy Peeps sculptures from the Krewe of Krampus.

🍝 World's largest pasta bowl: The Italian American St. Joseph Society hosts its annual pasta party at 11am today at the Hilton Riverside.

🎉 So many festivals:

• Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
• Saints + Sinners Literary Festival
• Congo Square Rhythms Festival
• New Orleans Opera Festival
• Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival
• Louisiana Crawfish Festival
• Mud Fest

🍻 Cheers! NOLA Brewing and Urban South have parties to celebrate their 17th and 10th anniversaries, respectively.

🤣 Comedian Nate Bargatze is at the Smoothie King Center tonight.

⛸️ Disney on Ice is at UNO Lakefront Arena all weekend.

🇮🇹 The St. Joseph's Day Parade makes its way through the French Quarter tomorrow on a new route.

• Also new this year: Custom lemon throws.

🎣 Big Bass Fishing Rodeo is at City Park tomorrow.

🤩 Downtown Super Sunday is this weekend too.

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