Steve Gleason will unveil new, AI-generated artwork tonight, offering a glimpse of the former New Orleans Saint and ALS activist's first pieces since he lost the ability to move his limbs.

Why it matters: The "Resilient Spirit" collection symbolizes one solution for Gleason, who has said he was "desperately" searching for meaning in an increasingly difficult life, while also paving a new pathway for artists with disabilities to continue creating.

What he says: "ALS is a training ground for wanting only what you have," Gleason writes in his forthcoming memoir, "A Life Impossible," co-authored with sports columnist Jeff Duncan.

• "As you have less, you must learn to want less. You must find new creative ways to explore and expand."

After starting to experiment with AI art, Gleason connected with Adobe through the Nieux Society, a New Orleans tech collective.

• In that collaboration, Gleason got early access to Adobe's art generating tool Firefly, including a feature that lets him teach the system about his own creative style using private sketches he created prior to his diagnosis.
• It's a lot like voice banking, where Gleason has worked with other tech leaders like Microsoft and Google to create a realistic rendition of his voice using AI and early recordings.
• "This is a way to save your creativity, for folks to be proactive when they are diagnosed with ALS," says New Orleans-based Adobe customer success senior manager Adam Wood. "It opens up a whole new world."

What's next: Tonight's showing is private, but Gleason and the Nieux Society hope other artists diagnosed with ALS will create new works for an art exhibition coinciding with the Super Bowl in 2025, according to a press release.

• A signing for Gleason's memoir is scheduled for May 9 with Octavia Books. A location is TBD.

Full story

Louisiana has almost twice as many bridges in poor condition as the national average, federal numbers show.

Why it matters: While the bridge collapse in Baltimore was due to a series of accidents rather than crumbling infrastructure, it put renewed focus on the vulnerability of bridges.

The big picture: 12.2% of Louisiana bridges are in poor condition compared with 6.8% nationally, according to the Department of Transportation.

State of play: Louisiana has more than 12,700 bridges, and 3,149 need repairs, according to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

• The I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge in Lake Charles is the most structurally deficient bridge, the group said.
• The state is looking at building a new toll bridge to replace it.

Zoom in: Nine bridges in New Orleans metro are closed because they failed inspections, according to DOTD and Fox 8.

• The Seabrook Bridge closed last month, DOTD said, and should be repaired late this summer.
• Six bridges are closed in Venetian Isles and along the West Pearl River and its tributaries. Most won't reopen until at least 2028.

Go deeper to read about the Crescent City Connection

🎥 John Goodman, a New Orleans resident, stars in the new "Smurfs" movie. It hits theaters in February 2025. (WGNO)

👀 U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson's job is on the line, but the Shreveport native still has a chance get foreign aid bills passed. (Axios Sneak Peek)

⛈️ Last week's deluge overtopped Jefferson Parish canals for the first time in at least 10 years. (NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune 🔒)

• Eight tornadoes hit the region that day, the National Weather Service says. (X)

🏡 Two New Orleanians used "simple materials and recycled finds" to build a modern home. (Dwell 🔒)

🚓 NOPD is launching a formal investigation into officer Jeffrey Vappie after his meal with Mayor LaToya Cantrell. (WDSU)

Bronwen Wyatt is closing her bakery, Bayou Saint Cake, but maintaining the brand as she transitions into a new phase of her career, the pastry chef announced Wednesday.

Why it matters: Wyatt has led pastry programs at some of the city's most notable restaurants, emerging in recent years as a national trendsetter.

Zoom in: Wyatt's distinctive squiggly style and whimsical flavors earned her features in Food & Wine and Bon Appetit and landed on the cover of Bitter Southerner.

But for a long time, Wyatt has felt a call to pursue a different passion, she writes in her Substack newsletter.

• "I never planned on becoming an entrepreneur or cake 'influencer' — I never planned on becoming a cook, period," she writes.
• "When I was a kid, I said I wanted to be an artist and a writer, and at forty, nothing about that has changed."

What's next: Wyatt has other projects in the works, like a cooking class May 23.

🎭 Xavier University stages "The Pirates of Portsmouth" opera tonight and tomorrow. (Details)

🐢 The Krewe of Turtles parade rolls through the French Quarter at 10:30am Saturday. (Details)

Two festivals celebrate marijuana Saturday: Mid City Mid Fest at Bayou Wine Garden and LA420 at Washington Square Park.

🇭🇷 The Croatian Fest is Saturday in Belle Chasse. (Details)

📚 Friends of the New Orleans Public Library hosts their annual used book sale Saturday. (Details)

See more things to do

The Chase family will be the first to ride Tiana's Bayou Adventure when it opens this summer at Walt Disney World.

The big picture: Chef Leah Chase was the inspiration for Princess Tiana.

• Executives surprised the family at Dooky Chase yesterday with the invitation.

Go deeper for more photos