Gulf States Newsroom

Former vice president Kamala Harris on stage at the Mahalia Jackson Theater with New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno on Aug. 7, 2026.

New Orleans students get advice from Kamala Harris at back-to-school rally

Aubri Juhasz

InspireNOLA, one of the city’s largest charter operators, hosted the “Inspire the City” event for its students on Friday at the Mahalia Jackson Theater.

Attorneys representing Meta, Entergy Louisiana and intervenors argue before administrative law judge Judge Melanie Verzwyvelt in the Galvez Building in downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.

Judge sends Meta subpoena fight to full Public Service Commission

Drew Hawkins

Judge sends Meta subpoena fight to full Public Service Commission in Louisiana.

In this file photo, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry records a social media video outside the White House, Monday, March 24, 2025, in Washington.

Gov. Jeff Landry personally signed an NDA with Meta. Here’s what it says.

Drew Hawkins

Records show Landry personally executed a "Mutual Non-Disclosure Agreement" in April 2024 with Laidley LLC, the data center subsidiary of Meta Platforms.

An illustration shows the mutual nondisclosure agreement Gov. Jeff Landry signed on behalf of the "Office of the Governor" with an LLC in April 2024. LED released the document in response to a request for records involving Meta or Laidley LLC, Meta’s data center subsidiary.

‘Gag order’: More than 100 Louisiana state employees signed NDAs with Gov. Landry’s office

Drew Hawkins

Legal experts warn that the NDAs could create a culture of fear and chill employees’ constitutionally protected speech.

Members of Oka Homa's stickball team stand on the sidelines during the championship game of the 35 and Older division of the World Series of Stickball in Choctaw, Mississippi, on July 18, 2026.

The 'World Series of Stickball' honors Choctaw heritage, sports culture in Mississippi

Joseph King

The Gulf States Newsroom’s Joseph King went to a few games at the 76th annual Choctaw Indian Fair to report on one of the oldest sports in the nation.

Christine Wells-Wonsley (center) is flanked by her husband, Elmore (second from left), attorney Ben Crump (left), and the Rev. Al Sharpton (right) during a memorial service on Monday in Ocean Springs, Miss., for her son Nolan Xavier Wells, an 18-year-old found dead after taking a July 4 boat trip with friends.

At Mississippi funeral, civil rights leaders call for justice for Nolan Wells, 18

Elise Gregg

The parents of Nolan Wells, who was found dead on Horn Island in Mississippi, held a funeral for the 18-year-old on Monday. Wells was with friends for the Fourth of July and did not return home.

Cherice Harrison-Nelson reads to campers at Kuumba Academy in New Orleans on July 9, 2026.

Summer camp is out of reach for many families. Here’s how 2 in Louisiana stay affordable

Aubri Juhasz

Nearly everything costs more this summer, from groceries to gas. But families still need childcare or just want to send their kids to camp.

As nighttime temps rise in New Orleans, so do calls to Louisiana’s 988 helpline

Drew Hawkins

A new study analyzed nearly 12,000 calls to the Louisiana 988 helpline and found suicide-related calls rose sharply following unusually hot nights.

An undated photo of Nolan Wells provided to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office.

What we know about Nolan Wells, the student-athlete found dead off the coast of Mississippi

Elise Gregg

The Jackson County Sheriff's Office said the investigation remains "active and ongoing" and is asking for photos and videos from the northwest part of Horn Island on July 4, where Wells' body was found.

People stand in line outside of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on day one of the Essence Festival of Culture in New Orleans, on July 3, 2026.

Essence Fest is over, but the group chat is still going

Whether Essence Fest is changing or simply growing depends on who you ask. The Gulf States Newsroom's Tanner Riley attended the 2026 festival. Here's what he saw.