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CONTE NTS

OCTOBER 5 — OCTOBER 11, 2026 VOLUME 47 || NUMBER 40

FA LL VOTE R GUIDE House and Senate .................. 15 Constitutional and City Charter Changes ................................. 25

NE WS Opening Gambit ....................... 9 Blake Pontchartrain ............... 13

FE ATUR ES Arts & Entertainment................ 7 Eat + Drink.............................. 30 Music Listings ........................ 37 Japan Fest ............................. 40

WITCHES& WISEGUYS AN UPTOWN HALLOWEEN LUNCH OCTOBER 30TH

Stage ...................................... 41 PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE ADVOCATE

Gambit’s Fall Voter Guide

Puzzles................................... 43 COVER PHOTO PROVIDED BY JEREMY TAURIAC COVER DESIGN BY DORA SISON

@The_Gambit @gambitneworleans

S TA F F

EDITORIAL (504) 483-3105 // response@gambitweekly.com Editor | JOHN STANTON Arts & Entertainment Editor |

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Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival

For the culture

Dawn Richard bridges New Orleans’ past and future on ‘Creole Culture’ DAWN RICHARD DOESN’T CONSIDER her newest album, “Creole Culture,” the cap to a trilogy of solo records released since 2019. She prefers to think of the album as the third panel in a triptych. Each album in the triptych — 2019’s “New Breed,” “Second Line,” released in 2021, and now “Creole Culture” — is a distinct entry in her catalog of forwardlooking, genre-defying pop music. Taken together, though, a deeper story unfolds about Richard, her family and New Orleans. Richard has always found influence in her hometown, even when her career took her to New York and Los Angeles, but over the last few years, the dynamic vocalist and songwriter has been in a personal, musical conversation with New Orleans. “New Breed,” her fifth solo album, opened the door as she reconnected to the city’s traditions through the lens of her father, funk musician Frank Richard. The subtle conversation continued on “Second Line,” this time weaving in the perspective of her mother, Debbie, across an album of propulsive electronic dance music. On the newest triptych panel, “Creole Culture,” Richard gives her own version of a New Orleans story — one that’s contemporary, defies genre and gives a connected, futurist vision of Creole culture as pop culture. “I thought ‘New Breed’ would live on its own. ‘Second Line’ would live on its own. But the more I was doing music, the more I kept saying, ‘I think my journey with New Orleans is unfinished,’ ” Richard says.

Richard is laden with gold on the cover of “Creole Culture.” There’s a thick gold chain, gold grill in her teeth and rings lining fingers pulling at her face. She wanted the listener to meet her face-to-face and see a reality of New Orleans that isn’t often considered outside the city, where crawfish, jazz and Mardi Gras are the go-to touchstones. “The first thing I want you to see is the grill, because before it was cool, it was real here. Your mom or your aunt — my grandpa had the Caddy, the Jheri curl and the grill. That’s a real thing,” Richard says. “My dad’s dad, 9th Ward boy, had the rimmed gold tooth, was in Zulu and had a pinky ring. That’s what I remember my childhood being.” But, Richard says, she pointedly wanted the luxury and style to shine through. It’s a statement against racist portrayals of Black culture in the mainstream media and white society.

by Jake Clapp

The free festival brings music and barbecue to Lafayette Square. The lineup features Ruthie Foster and Johnny Sansone on Friday, Oct. 9. There’s Samantha Fish, Cedric Burnside, The Zac Schulze Gang, Linda Gail Lewis and more on Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11, brings Booker T. Jones, George Porter Jr., Kenny Brown, Little Freddie King and more. Food vendors offer an array of barbecue dishes (see 3-course Interview, page 32) in Lafayette Square. The Jazz & Heritage Foundation presents the festival at 5:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, and 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11. Visit crescentcitybluesfest.com for details.

Dawn Richard PROVIDED PHOTO BY JEREMY TAURIAC

“It’s opulence and beautiful and gorgeous,” Richard says. “That’s what the cover is trying to imply. The essence of our culture is luxurious, and whatever you thought it to be is not how I see it.” True to its title, Richard’s vision of modern Creole culture is an undercurrent on her new album, which is out Oct. 9 on Merge Records. Richard will perform an album release show on Oct. 23 at the Music Box Village. She also headlines Gentilly Fest on Oct. 10. Richard grew up in the 9th Ward, and many of the city’s sounds — funk, jazz, brass bands and bounce — as well as Black Masking Indian and second line traditions are baked into the foundations of “Creole Culture.” But it all gets filtered up through Richard’s progressive lens to mix with house, drum and bass, alternative R&B, hip-hop, dancehall and more styles and interspersed with clips of conversations in Kouri-Vini, the Louisiana Creole language. The first things listeners hear on the album are percussive taps on a glass bottle and a thumping bass drum — familiar noises in New Orleans neighborhoods. The introductory track increasingly blooms with keys, a sousaphone and a rich vocal sample from Chocolate Milk, the

New Orleans funk band fronted by Frank Richard in the 1970s and ’80s. But the song pivots at the halfway mark into bassy electronica as Dawn Richard raps with backing from bounce icon Big Freedia. Richard often uses opening tracks to present the underlying ideas of the album, she says. Here, she builds a bridge for New Orleans’ traditions to cross into the future. New Orleans, the birthplace of jazz, has played a foundational role in American music and made essential contributions to rhythm and blues, funk and hip-hop. But “I think sometimes, here, we get comfortable with making our history and our stories museum pieces,” Richard recently said during an interview at a PJ’s Coffee. “There’s nothing wrong with that. I love that people can come here and say, ‘Oh, that’s what inspires New Orleans.’ But there is also a culture here that is modernizing what we have built and making it something new and fresh,” Richard says. She points to DJ and producer Antwigadee and rapper Pell, with whom she released the high-energy track “Go Crazy” last summer. There are “really great artists who are choosing to bend and stretch how New Orleans looks within this space,” she says. “It’s here, but it can get overlooked because the archive is so beautifully received.” PAGE 27

PHOTO BY MATTHEW PERSCHALL / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

Amyl and The Sniffers Australian punk band Amyl and The Sniffers have been riding a wave, middle fingers in the air, since before the release of their 2019 self-titled album. Their third full-length, “Cartoon Darkness,” came out in 2024, and the band is back in the U.S. this month for dates in the South. They play The Fillmore on Thursday, Oct. 8, at 7 p.m. with Hunx and His Punx. Tickets start at $59.50 via thefillmorenola.com.

Gentilly Fest The neighborhood festival’s music lineup includes Dawn Richard, Flagboy Giz, Marlon Jordan, Rachel Jordan, Juice, Kayla Jasmine, T-Ray the Violinist, Jourdan Blue and more. There’s also a gospel tent presenting choirs from across the city, a kids area, a wellness tent with health screenings, a market, food vendors and more. The free event takes place in Pontchartrain Park at 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, noon-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10 and noon-8 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11. Visit gentillyfestival. com for details. PAGE 35

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NEW ORLEANS NEWS + VIEWS

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THUMBS UP/ THUMBS DOWN

114 Sousaphonist Julius McKee and his band BassX recently won a $15,000 grant to support a tour as part of South Arts’ first Jazz Road Rural Tours initiative. The new program by the Atlantabased nonprofit is focused on expanding access to live jazz for rural communities while also supporting artists wanting to hit the road. BassX pushes brass band music into experimental areas and is among 11 artists in the first cohort.

Fred Johnson Jr. will be honored this month by the Louisiana Folklife Commission and the Folklore Society for his community activism and advocacy for New Orleans social aid and pleasure clubs and second line traditions. October is Louisiana Folklife Month, and Johnson, the co-founder of the Black Men of Labor, is one of six honorees from across the state. An awards presentation will be held at 2 p.m. Oct. 28 at the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

New Orleans recently cut the ribbon on a formerly abandoned Central City firehouse redeveloped into an early childhood education center with affordable housing units. People’s Housing Plus and Alembic Community Development led the project, which is the first property to be revived under a city program aiming to redevelop underused and blighted city properties for community use.

The number of times the Saints have played the Atlanta Falcons ahead of their Oct. 5 game at the Superdome. Going into the Monday night game, the loathsome Falcons led the series 58 to 56. Unlike the Saints, Atlanta’s Trash Birds have never won a Super Bowl. They did, however, hilariously lose Super Bowl LI to the New England Patriots after blowing a 28 – 3 lead. Hopefully this week’s 115th meeting will be equally enjoyable.

New Orleans Mayor Helena Moreno, left, and CAO Joe Giarrusso, center PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

We listened to over 7 hours of New Orleans budget hearings last week so you don’t have to OVER THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF BUDGET HEARINGS, the New Orleans City

Council and Mayor Helena Moreno’s administration went through several departments’ proposed budgets with a fine-tooth comb, as they weigh options to make up $77 million next year. It was … boring. BUT budget discussions are also incredibly important, not only for our immediate day-to-day lives but for the long-term health of our community. So here’s what you need to know about last week’s budget talks. City departments requested about $100 million more in funding than the city is projected to bring in next year. The administration found one-time funding to bring that gap and bring the shortfall down to $77 million. But no matter what happens, officials will have to make tough decisions to balance the 2027 budget, as both tax increases and cuts to city services are politically unpopular. In hourslong hearings on Sept. 29 and 30, Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, Department of Finance Director Alyssa Rambeau and

other department heads presented more detailed budget proposals to council members. Officials pointed out several areas that looked like increases in spending but were actually just budgeting for necessary expenses that weren’t budgeted for last year. For example, Chief Performance Officer Abby Vienne said the 2026 budget of $563,000 did not cover their seven full-time equivalent employees, which is why they’re asking for $1.2 million this year. Another instance is on paper, the Department of Finance’s proposed budget is $38.7 million, up from $19.3 million to account for debt service costs that the city didn’t budget for last year. With those costs removed, the department’s budget will be roughly $1 million less.

Recycling programs on the chopping block The previous administration and council defunded the Office of Resilience and Sustainability for 2026, amid a budget crisis. Chief of PAGE 10

C’EST WHAT

Which race are you closely watching this election season?

62.3%

THE SENATE RACE BETWEEN DAVIS AND LETLOW

15.1%

WHEN’S THE NEXT SEASON OF “RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE”?

16.9%

THE PROPOSED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

5.7%

MY DISTRICT’S U.S. REP. ELECTION

Vote on “C’est What?” at www.bestofneworleans.com

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Sustainability Megan Williams is asking for roughly $178,000 in 2027, with the rest of the funding coming from grants. But with near $8 million less in expected in grants, two popular programs are on the chopping block: Christmas tree recycling, which costs around $20,000, and Recycle Dat, which helps collect recyclables during Mardi Gras parades. Williams said the city is required to update its climate action plan to keep its status as a C40 city, but she said she’s searching for other sources of funding to do so, in hopes of restoring funding to the recycling programs. Consent decree also requires the city to do maintenance at sites like Gordon Plaza, for which her department is responsible. Council Member Lesli Harris asked Williams for an analysis on Recycle Dat to see if the program saves the city money by diverting materials like beads and cans from the landfill. “It’s important to know if we actually fund Recycle Dat, then we could save money on proposed cuts to Mardi Gras (cleanup),” she said.

Potential NOPD cuts

NOPD’s proposed includes eliminating its $1.3 million traffic investigative services contract, which pays for people outside of NOPD to respond to the scene of a car accident. The contract with On Scene Services is aimed at reducing the

NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick PHOTO BY ENAN CHEDIAK / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

notoriously long time people spend at the scene of the accident waiting for police to arrive in the city. Council Vice President Matt Willard called eliminating the contract the “hardest to swallow” of the NOPD cuts. He said his mother was in a bad car accident in 2022 and waited for two hours before ultimately leaving to receive medical care. “The flip side is if we eliminate that contract or don’t come up with another alternative ... we’re going to be pulling officers off of patrol to respond to those scenes, and that’s not ideal either right now,” he said. Chief Kirkpatrick agreed, saying “We have to have an alternative.” The proposal also includes a $2.5 million reduction to the contract with AXON, the company NOPD contracts with for its body-worn cameras, tasers and in-car cameras. Currently, every officer who puts on a uniform and goes into public has to wear a body camera. Kirkpatrick says they’re considering changing policy so that detectives would no longer have to wear body cams. The budget, as is, would cut 40 full-time equivalent positions, none of which are sworn officers, Kirkpatrick said.

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Council President JP Morrell suggested cutting the Office of Police Secondary Employment which he said was designed to prevent corruption when it comes to police details and overtime but argued has been an “abject failure” at doing so. He said double billing could be prevented if NOPD was simply in the city’s ADP system. “The fact that we have a decentralized overtime system, we are literally creating the problem that continues to perpetuate problems,” he says. Council Member Eugene Green vowed to “do everything that I can to oppose the reductions in OSS” and also used the opportunity to declare his support for crime cameras. “I want more surveillance,” he said. “The people of the district that I represent want more cameras. They don’t ask for fewer cameras because the cameras are working.”

To roll forward or not to roll forward One way the council can avoid some of the proposed cuts is by increasing property taxes by rolling forward tax millages this year. If all the millages on the table are rolled forward, it would bring in a total of $42 million, helping the city avoid more than half the proposed cuts. The city council will have to decide soon whether to do so. According to officials, a full roll forward would cause property taxes to increase by about $104 a year for person’s $200,000 first home, by $141 for $250,000 homes and $178 for $300,000 homes. By contrast, an owner of a $700,000 home would have to pay $513 more in property taxes per year. The council also could raise some millages and not others. Officials said if the council rolls forward the early childhood education millage and the state continues matching city funding, the city could provide instruction for 200 more children. The program currently reaches 1,000 children. Council Member Freddie King said he doesn’t think the public realizes how much their property taxes would go up should the council roll forward milllages or what services the city would have to otherwise cut to make up the $77 million gap.

Council Member Freddie King III at a September council meeting PHOTO BY ENAN CHEDIAK / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

“It’s kind of frightening the amount of misinformation I’ve been hearing surrounding the millages,” he said. Though council members and the administration have held community meetings on the budget, King suggested there needs to be more. “We can go back and forth, but the community meetings didn’t work,” he told Giarrusso. “And I feel a bit disrespected every time I say something, it’s met with ‘Yeah, I hear you, but ...” I was at a barbershop last week, and the people had no idea of the numbers being presented.” Giarrusso replied, “There has been a beginning point of communication, and there needs to be continued communication, and along the way, if the council feels like there’s ways for us to refine the communication as well, we want to do that. King also pressed Giarrusso for the administration’s stance on whether the council should roll millages forward, but he refused to take one, saying he was just there to present “a menu of options.” Morrell said he’s heard the public talk about many potential cuts they don’t like but that he also wanted to hear areas they support making cuts in. “There’s kind of been a general convo between the public and the council as ‘Don’t cut my thing, fund my thing,’ ” he said. “And though we certainly want to hear that, and that was part of the conversation at the mayor’s town hall meetings, what I would put to the public is also: What do you want cut?” — Kaylee Poche

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Hey Blake, I came across a vintage postcard featuring a motorcoach for something called Teche Lines. The bus is shown in City Park, but what else can you tell me about the company and its history?

A Teche Lines postcard PHOTO BY BLAKE PONTCHARTRAIN / GAMBIT

Dear reader, THE TECHE LINES OPENED IN 1920 as the Teche Transfer Co., initially offering bus service between Jeanerette and New Iberia, Louisiana. Originally headquartered in Franklin, Louisiana, its business began to grow after it became an affiliate of Greyhound Lines in 1932. A 1939 Times-Picayune article explained that Teche Greyhound Lines offered 35 daily schedules out of New Orleans at that time. Its offices were located at 400 N. Rampart St., with a “modern, air-conditioned bus station” at Canal and Villere streets. “Locally the Teche Greyhound Lines serves the scenic routes out of New Orleans to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Bayou Teche country in south Louisiana,

the Natchez Trace ... and other major routes and will shortly inaugurate a special service to the New York World’s Fair and the San Francisco Fair – ‘two fairs for one fare.’ ” A 1949 Times-Picayune article boasted that Teche, which offered service through five southern states, had grown from a “small bus transportation system to one of the largest in the nation. During 1948, busses of the line traveled a total of 22 million miles and distributed a payroll totaling $3 million among employees of five states.” By 1954, Teche Greyhound had merged with Southeastern Greyhound Lines, and the local ownership and Teche name were no more.

B L AKEVIE W BEGINNING NEXT WEEKEND, Oktoberfest will draw thousands of people to Deutsches

Haus on Bayou St. John for the annual celebration of German food, beer and music. This week, we honor two noted local chefs known for celebrating their German heritage through their cuisine. Wilhelm “Willy” Coln was a native of Cologne, Germany, whose career as a hotel chef took him around the world before settling in New Orleans in 1972 for a position as executive chef at the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street. Four years later, he opened his own restaurant in Gretna, called Willy Coln’s Chalet. According to the late restaurant critic Tom Fitzmorris on his nomenu.com website, German specialties were a highlight of Coln’s menu, from wiener schnitzel and potato pancakes to beef roulade and a sausage and sauerkraut platter. He offered a special Oktoberfest menu each fall, in addition to a menu that featured other continental fare. Coln closed his restaurant in 1989 and moved to the Inter-Continental Hotel, where he was executive chef of the Veranda restaurant and continued his tradition of offering an annual Oktoberfest menu. He retired two months before Hurricane Katrina and died in 2022. Gunter Preuss, a native of Breslau, Germany, began his culinary career in Europe and rose through the ranks as a hotel chef in New York, Washington, D.C., and Kansas City. He came to New Orleans in 1967 for a position as executive chef at the Fairmont (now Roosevelt) Hotel and its legendary Sazerac Restaurant. In 1972, he and his wife Evelyn opened their own restaurant, The Versailles, inside The Carol condominium complex at 2100 St. Charles Ave. It earned rave reviews and frequently featured German specialties during October, although its menu offered much more. It closed in 1985. The couple also owned and operated Broussard’s in the French Quarter before selling it in 2013.

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ELECTION GUIDE FALL 2026:

SENATE AND CONGRESS AMENDMENTS B Y K AY L E E P O C H E

BY SARAH RAVITS

A N D J O H N STA N TO

THIS FALL’S ELECTIONS ARE FAST APPROACHING.

Early voting starts Oct. 20 and will run through Oct. 27 (excluding Sunday, Oct. 25), and Election Day is scheduled for Nov. 3. Voters will be faced with a number of important choices this fall, including two key federal elections and a host of state constitutional amendments, city charter changes and tax items. Top of mind for most folks will be the two congressional races: In the Senate race, Democrat Jamie Davis is running a spirited campaign against Republican U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow. Although conventional wisdom has Letlow as a prohibitive favorite, Davis has been making waves across the state, and recent

polls have shown he’s within striking distance. Meanwhile, local teacher Lauren Jewett, a Democrat, is looking to make some serious history by upsetting incumbent Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, who also serves as House Majority Leader. Meanwhile, voters are being asked to approve a number of propositions, including a lifetime two-term limit for serving as governor, several tax measures and a ban on the “expropriation of property by a foreign adversary or an agent of a foreign adversary.” New Orleans voters also will be asked to approve a city charter change giving the city council more control over how the executive branch uses budgeted funds.

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which could cause 12 million people to lose their health insurance. Rural hospitals and nursing homes are also at risk, since many of their patients are on Medicaid. According to his website, he also wants to lower prescription drug prices “using Medicare’s buying power, not pharma’s pricing power.”

WHEN JAMIE DAVIS ANNOUNCED HIS RUN for U.S. Senate

last year, most people outside of Tensas Parish hadn’t heard of the small-town farmer and competitive fisherman. The 56-year-old wasn’t a big political name. He’d served one term as vice president of the Tensas Parish Police Jury (similar to a city council) from 2015-2019. In that time, Davis says he and his colleagues got canals dug to fix drainage issues, brought a landfill into compliance, kept a health clinic open and gave raises to parish workers. And when lead was discovered in a local school’s pipes, he worked with both state and federal officials to upgrade the water system. He lost reelection by 28 votes. In 2023, he challenged state Rep. C. Travis Johnson but also lost that race. The only other elected office he’s held is member of the Democratic State Central Committee, in which he’s been working to recruit Democrats to run for races down the ballot. That role got Davis itching to run again. With people upset about the price of everything from groceries and gas to health care and insurance, he thought it was the time for a working-class Senate candidate, or as he puts it, “a common guy with the same values of everyday people,” with a campaign centered on affordability. Indeed, Davis so far is performing better than expected given the odds for a seat held since 2015 by Republican Bill Cassidy in a state that hasn’t had a Black senator since Reconstruction. A poll conducted between Sept. 17-19 had him at 44%, just four points behind Julia Letlow, a sitting Republican Congress member backed by President Donald Trump and Gov. Jeff Landry, at 48%. In the same poll, 8% of respondents said they were undecided. Davis had raised just under $2 million by the end of June, and he had $479,000 in cash on hand. He’s hired digital fundraising companies to send mass texts to Democratic donors across the nation. By drawing in a lot of small donations, these text campaigns bring in significant dollars, but the companies running them usually take a significant cut. But that was still far behind Letlow who brought in $6.2 million between her campaign and associated political action committees (PACs), with $1.4 million on hand. Davis’ biggest challenge is getting his name out to voters, especially those still undecided, while having way less money than his opponent.

Iran war

Davis says if elected, he would vote to end the war in Iran “immediately,” noting that as a farmer, the spike in diesel prices has hit him particularly hard. He also says Trump ran afoul of the constitution by starting a war in Iran without getting congressional approval and has repeatedly called the conflict an “illegal war.” “We’re in a war that we shouldn’t be in,” he says. “The Constitution says that Congress votes to start a war. It didn’t start like that.” PHOTO BY MICHAEL JOHNSON / THE ADVOCATE

But working in his favor is Trump and Landry’s declining popularity. Trump’s tariffs and war in Iran have raised the price of gas and other necessities, and Republicans’ cuts to social services like food stamps and health care have disproportionately harmed poor and working-class people in Louisiana. Landry has come under fire for his signing of NDAs and role in bringing controversial projects like the Meta data center to Louisiana. He also supported the legislature’s efforts to redraw the state’s congressional maps to eliminate one of two majority-Black districts, despite Black people making up roughly a third of the state’s population. In a sign of Landry’s shrinking support, voters overwhelmingly rejected all of the constitutional amendments backed by the governor both this spring and last spring. “The people are mad,” Davis says. “They feel like they’ve been lied to.” The election also will be a litmus test for the Louisiana Democratic Party. Davis’ showing could reveal if Democrats have made real progress in turning the party around and if they can turn the boost in fundraising they’ve had this year into actual results at the polls.

ON THE ISSUES: AI and data centers

On his website, Davis says he’s not opposed to AI and data centers “if they pay their own way, protect our water and land, create real local jobs and play by common-sense rules.”

In a Sept. 30 press release, he declared his support for a ban on new data centers and tax breaks for them. Davis says he’s “totally against” public officials signing NDAs with private companies, like Letlow did with the Meta data center in Richland Parish. On Substack, he vowed to introduce legislation to ban the practice if elected. Davis also has said he believes residents should have a choice in whether giant developments like data centers come to their community. “When it comes to projects like carbon capture and massive data centers, the people should have the final say,” he said in a video in April.

Abortion

Davis has said he supports restoring abortion access nationwide, noting that since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, giving birth has become less safe. “Women have died on operating tables because doctors have been afraid to help,” he told WWNO. “We should restore women’s right to healthcare, trust them as the mothers to make important family and personal decisions, codify Roe, and keep the government out of their business.”

Other health care issues

Davis has said as a small business owner, Republican cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies have raised his health insurance costs from around $680 a month to just under $1,500. As a senator, he says he wants to reverse cuts to health care, including the bill passed last year that’s projected to cut about $1 trillion from Medicaid in 10 years,

Environment

On his website, Davis pledges to enforce the Clean Air Act in the area between Baton Rouge and New Orleans known as Cancer Alley, where Black communities have been disproportionately harmed by industrial pollution. He also says he wants the government to better inspect private industrial companies to prevent mass polluting incidents like the Smitty’s Supply plant explosion in Roseland last year. The plant burned for two weeks, sending oil and chemicals down the Tangipahoa River. He says he supports the government funding health monitoring and clinics in heavily polluted areas in the state. Davis has criticized carbon capture projects and says he’s against the government taking private property for such reasons. He also said he wants to get rid of the 45Q tax credit for companies who capture their carbon. “Those jobs, as far as I’m concerned, are not worth my precious commodity, which is Mother Earth,” he said in an interview his campaign posted in June. “That’s the way I make my living.”

Investigations into Trump administration officials Davis stopped short of vowing to initiate investigations into potential corruption by Trump administration officials, but says he would listen to all the evidence, vowing to “enforce the law to the fullest extent of the law.” “You’re never bigger than the law, regardless of who you are — the senator, the president, the governor,” he says. “Corruption has to be dealt with, no different than any crime. We cannot allow people to use our government in a way that is totally wrong.”

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JAMIE DAVIS (D)

U.S. SENATE

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JULIA LETLOW ENTERED POLITICS after tragedy struck her

young family. Nearly six years later, she is favored to win one of Louisiana’s two U.S. Senate seats. Voters in 2020 elected her husband Luke Letlow to represent Louisiana’s Fifth Congressional District, but he died from COVID-19 before he could take office. The following year Julia Letlow ran to fill his seat, and she was reelected in 2022 and 2024. The 45-year-old Monroe native previously worked for the University of Louisiana at Monroe since 2003 and in 2018 was named to a top administrative position, in which she handled governmental affairs for the university. As a U.S. representative, Letlow sits on two House committees: Appropriations and Education and Workforce. She has co-sponsored successful legislation, but none of her own standalone bills have been enacted into law, and only two have passed through the House. She has the backing of Trump, who wanted to push out the current seat holder, Republican Bill Cassidy, after Cassidy voted to convict Trump for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol after Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election. Letlow, for her part, has been in lockstep with Trump. On her campaign website’s issues page, the first “issue” listed is “Stand with President Trump.” Also on the list are her stances on a host of right-wing culture war issues, including her opposition to transgender women playing on women’s sports teams and to gender-affirming care. “In the Senate, Julia will keep fighting to protect women’s sports, defend parental rights in medical and educational decisions, and stop radical gender ideology from being imposed on children,” her website says. In 2023, Letlow brought forward a bill that would have made schools give parents a list of all the books available in classrooms and libraries. It would have also let parents review course materials and choose to let their child skip courses if the parents didn’t approve. The House narrowly passed the bill, but it died in the then-Democrat controlled Senate.

ON THE ISSUES: AI and data centers

Letlow lives in Richland Parish, where Meta is building its $50 billion Hyperion AI data center. She supports the center, touting the economic development in the area and $50,000 teacher bonuses in a recent interview with The Acadiana Advocate.

PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

When it comes to future projects, she said, “If it’s not safe, then it shouldn’t move forward. That has to be the bottom line before any other discussions can happen.” In August, Gulf States Newsroom reporter Drew Hawkins broke the news that Letlow signed an NDA with Meta about the company’s plans to bring a data center to Richland Parish in 2024 and then bought stock in Meta and Nvidia, the company who makes chips for data centers. She then didn’t report the trades for more than a year, though the STOCK Act requires members to report them within 45 days. Her spokesperson Matt Smith told Hawkins Letlow “had no role in directing any of her trades, including the Meta transactions.” According to Letlow’s campaign website, she supports banning Congress members from trading individual stocks and instead requiring them to be managed by blind trusts.

Abortion

Letlow opposes abortion rights. She also co-sponsored a bill to defund Planned

Parenthood, which in addition to abortion provides services like STD screenings, vaccinations, birth control and mental health care.

Other health care issues

Last year, Letlow voted for the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which didn’t extend Affordable Care Act tax credits and will cut Medicaid spending by about $1 trillion through 2034. As a result, 11.8 million people will lose their health coverage, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

Iran war

Letlow has supported Trump’s war in Iran, saying the president didn’t enter it “lightly or impulsively” and that it was needed to protect national security.

Environment

Letlow is a member of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus and attended COP28, the

2023 United Nations climate change conference held in the United Arab Emirates. Letlow opposed the Biden administration’s pause on new natural gas export terminals. She supports carbon capture and sequestration, though she says she doesn’t believe the government should force people to give up their private property to build pipelines and that local communities should have the final say. Her fiancé, Kevin Ainsworth, is a lobbyist for carbon capture and sequestration companies. “Julia will keep fighting for oil and gas, offshore production, refining, pipelines, LNG exports, and the Louisiana workers and communities who power our country,” her website reads.

Investigations into Trump administration officials Given Letlow’s unwavering support of Trump over the years, it’s unlikely she’d support investigations into his administration.

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

U.S. SENATE

JULIA LETLOW (R)

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THIS CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT covers a small slice of

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LAUREN JEWETT (D) AS A DEMOCRAT LIVING IN METAIRIE, this is not Lauren Jewett’s

first rodeo when it comes to running for office in a heavily Republican district. The 39-year-old special education teacher ran for Jefferson Parish School Board in 2022 and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (state school board) in 2023. She lost both races, earning nearly 30% of the vote. Now she’s taking on one of the most powerful men in D.C.: House Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Jewett moved to South Louisiana in 2009 and has worked in New Orleans area schools for the last 15 years, including at the direct-run Leah Chase School. Having an aunt with Down syndrome helped spark her interest in disability rights and working in special education, according to her website. Her grandmother also was a special education teacher. As Jewett has pointed out, Scalise has held the House seat for about as long as her teaching career. Since 2024, she’s held seats on the Jefferson Parish Democratic Executive Committee and the Democratic State Central Committee, but the congressional seat would be her first major political office. Jewett told Gambit last fall that she’s running because she’s frustrated with watching Trump and congressional Republicans cut services like health care, food assistance and education and wants to take action. “I really believe that people in my congressional district and in the state deserve somebody like myself who has a history of documented public service,” she said. “My whole career is advocating for people who are vulnerable.” Jewett has been active in the United Teachers of New Orleans labor union, serving on its executive council from 2013 to 2022. And she was part of the union organizing committee at The Leah Chase School. She launched her campaign last year on Labor Day. It’s not hard to spot her volunteering around the area, donning colorful headbands and big earrings, whether that’s

PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE ADVOCATE

sending books to incarcerated people with Louisiana Books 2 Prisoners, offering brake light assistance with the New Orleans chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America or delivering free meals to families in need with Toups Family Meal. In talking to voters, Jewett says people are most worried about the cost of living and trying to make ends meet. She says Scalise and others in power aren’t doing enough to make living affordable. “There’s severe concern from people, and they just don’t feel like their voices are being heard or represented,” she said, adding “If you’re not doing your job, I’m going to apply for your job and fight for your job.”

ON THE ISSUES: AI and data centers

Jewett says on her website that she’d call for a moratorium on new AI data centers and an analysis of their environmental and labor impacts. She also supports requiring them to publish how much energy and water they estimate they’ll use before they can get permits to build and holding the companies, not the taxpayers, responsible for those costs. Jewett says she will advocate for laws to address AI deepfakes, political misinformation and sexual abuse or harassment. She also says she doesn’t want the technology “used as a tool for over-surveillance of communities or discipline and displacement of workers.”

“Congress must use its power to conduct research, pass legislation, and create regulations ensuring artificial intelligence methods and technologies are used in ways that are ethical, responsible, transparent, and regulated,” her website says.

“The fact that we bombed a school of children, if that was the vote to do that, no,” she said, adding “I’m always going to stand on the side of, when we’re dealing with foreign policy, humanitarian rights, civilian rights.”

Abortion

Environment

Jewett supports the Women’s Health Protection Act, which would legalize abortion nationally.

Other health care issues

Jewett supports Medicare for All, which would create a universal single-payer national health insurance system. Under the system, the government would pay for most medical care through taxes and savings from the elimination of insurance company overhead and more. In the meantime, she says she’d push to expand the Affordable Care Act and add vision, dental, and hearing benefits to Medicaid and Medicare. She also wants to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to a full year.

Iran war

Jewett has said she is opposed to how Trump began a war with Iran without approval from Congress. When asked in an interview with The Bayou Progressive if she would have voted for the war had the president sought congressional approval and she’d been a member of Congress, she said she wasn’t sure but was against attacks on schools.

Jewett says on her website that she’ll fight for coastal restoration funding and to fully fund the Army Corps of Engineers’ Morganza to the Gulf hurricane protection project. She also supports investing in offshore wind, which has essentially been put on hold in Louisiana because of the Trump administration’s opposition, as well as other alternative energy sources. She opposes additional carbon capture projects and the 45Q federal tax credits that incentivise them.

Investigations into Trump administration officials

Jewett supports several policies aimed at preventing corruption among government officials. That includes term limits on Congress members, banning them from becoming lobbyists until at least five years after their terms and from stock and insider trading while in office. She also says she believes in protection for whistleblowers who expose corruption. “We must vote to check abuses of power no matter which party is in the White House,” she says on her website.

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

U.S. HOUSE DISTRICT 1

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ELECTION GUIDE FALL 2026 23

FOR MOST VOTERS IN THE AREA, Steve Scalise needs

no introduction. Scalise, who turns 61 Oct. 6, is a Jefferson Parish native and has held his U.S. House seat since 2008. Before that, he spent 12 years in the state House and a few months in the state Senate. In 2023, he became U.S. House Majority Leader, the most powerful position in the House behind Speaker Mike Johnson, a fellow Louisianian who Scalise has known for decades. Scalise has been a fierce loyalist to President Donald Trump, a relationship he’s worked to build over the years with the goal of advancing Republican policies. That’s included last year’s passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which will cut taxes by $4.5 trillion over the next decade, $2.3 trillion of which will benefit the richest 10%. Meanwhile, the act is cutting more than $1 trillion to social services to poor people like Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid. Scalise’s tactic for defending the president includes deflecting and bringing up Democrats, often making misleading or entirely false claims about them. Just recently, he defended Trump’s attempts to shut out certain news outlets he dislikes from the White House, making false statements about Biden’s media credentialing policies. “I don’t think we’ve had a president that’s been more open to the press,” Scalise said about Trump. In 2021, Scalise voted to decertify Joe Biden’s legitimate election victories in Pennsylvania and Arizona, supporting Trump’s attempt to try to overturn the election. And last year, when Trump pardoned the Jan. 6 rioters, he said Trump was keeping a campaign promise and brought up Biden pardoning his family members. Before he became majority leader, Scalise was chairman of the Republican Study Committee and GOP whip. During Scalise’s bid to become majority whip, reports resurfaced that he’d given a speech to a group led by former KKK leader David Duke back in 2002 when he was a state lawmaker. Scalise said he regrets speaking to the group and condemns their views. In this race, Scalise’s Democratic opponent Lauren Jewett has brought the

PHOTO BY BRETT DUKE / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

speech up several times during her campaign, including in mass fundraising texts.

ON THE ISSUES:

“The court corrected a historic injustice and returned the power to the people and their elected representatives to protect the sanctity of life,” he said in a 2024 statement.

AI and data centers

Other health care issues

Scalise voted for a bipartisan resolution on Sept. 16 aimed at getting companies that own large data centers to cover the increase in energy costs, rather than pass them down to residents. The House vote was 417-3. However, Scalise took the opportunity to praise data centers and their economic benefits, particularly the one Meta is building in Richland Parish. He said in communities that have “embraced” data centers, “It’s not a burden on that community. It’s actually a tremendous benefit.”

Abortion

Scalise is anti-abortion rights. He celebrated the Supreme Court decision in Dobbs, which overturned the nationwide right to abortion in 2022, causing Louisiana’s near-total abortion ban to go into effect.

Scalise helped pass the Republican-backed One Big, Beautiful Bill Act last year, which didn’t extend Affordable Care Act tax credits and put extra administrative hurdles in order to receive Medicaid, including work requirements. The act will cut Medicaid spending by about $1 trillion through 2034. The health care changes will cause 11.8 million people to lose their health coverage over that time, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

Iran war

Scalise has voted to continue the war in Iran. He’s also repeatedly defended the war as necessary to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. When asked about the spikes in gas prices due to the war, he’s deflected, arguing

gas prices were high at some points during the Biden administration.

Environment

Over the years, Scalise has tried to cast doubt on the overwhelming scientific consensus that humans have contributed to the accelerated warming of the planet. In a 2023 article, Politico called him “one of the House’s most prominent fossil fuel defenders.” At that point, he was the Congress member with the third highest amount of campaign contributions from the oil and gas industry. He also has spoken in support of the wind industry. Last year, he voted to roll back Clean Air Act protections and make it easier to end environmental protections.

Investigations into Trump administration officials

Given Scalise’s staunch defense of Trump over the years, it’s unlikely he’d support investigations into the administration. —KAYLEE POCHE

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

U.S. HOUSE DISTRICT 1

STEVE SCALISE (R)

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ELECTION GUIDE FALL 2026 25

AMENDMENTS ON THE 2026 BALLOT IN ADDITION TO ELECTED OFFICIALS, there’s a number of consti-

tutional amendments and a New Orleans Home Rule Charter change on the November ballot. Here’s a breakdown of the 10 proposed constitutional amendments and one city charter change. Keep in mind, when voting, a ‘no’ vote would be against adopting the change.

TAX RELATED CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT 1: Allows a one-time transfer of a property tax exemption for a surviving spouse of a disabled veteran. Under current law, veterans with servicerelated disabilities are given property tax exemptions, and their surviving spouses can continue receiving those tax breaks after the veteran dies, in their previously qualifying home. The exemptions are no longer effective if the surviving spouse sells the exempted house. If the amendment is passed, however, surviving spouses’ flexibility would expand, allowing them to sell their properties and move into a new home while continuing to receive the exemption on their new property. The transferred exemption cannot be bigger than the exemption on the previous home. AMENDMENT 2: Allows taxing authority to continue lower millage rate without losing ability to adjust to max rate Current law states that a local government, upon lowering its millages (tax rates), loses the ability to reverse that decision and return to the maximum rate, unless voters approve. The amendment gives local governments more flexibility to manage property tax rates with less input from taxpayers. If passed, local governments could temporarily lower property tax rates — for example, while trying to lure in developers — but later restore them to their previously authorized maximum amount for taxpayers without requiring their approval.

AMENDMENT 6: Authorizes extension of an additional property tax exemption for owners who are 65 or older If passed, this amendment would give local governments the power to offer additional property tax exemptions for homeowners 65 and older. Local governments that choose to offer this exemption would end up collecting less tax revenue — meaning less money for schools and other public services. AMENDMENT 9: Increases the income limit to qualify for the special assessment level for a homestead exemption The amendment proposes raising the income limit from $100,000 to $150,000 for seniors to qualify for the state’s special assessment level, which freezes a home’s taxable value. AMENDMENT 10: Allows property tax exemption of rehabilitated blighted property under conditions provided by law The amendment creates an optional property tax break for rehabilitated or derelict property and requires the legislature to set rules for local governing bodies to administer it. The amendment could encourage investment in abandoned or deteriorating properties, but it would also shift the tax burden, resulting in another group of taxpayers picking up the slack.

NON-TAX CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS AMENDMENT 3: Prohibits release on bail for defendants who have been convicted of certain offenses against a child Judges can currently determine, on a caseby-case basis, whether or not someone may be released on bail after being convicted of a crime involving minors. Typically this happens if a convicted person is engaging in the appeals process and when new evidence is presented that could help overturn their conviction. Voting “yes” on this amendment

Election Day is Nov. 3, but Louisiana voters can cast early ballots starting Oct. 20. PHOTO BY JAVIER GALLEGOS / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

means people convicted of certain aggravated crimes would not under any circumstances be allowed release on bail and they would remain in custody throughout the appeals process. While ostensibly this amendment is meant to increase public safety and protect children who are victims, it’s also a blanket rule that erodes judicial discretion, particularly for those involved in complicated cases that may result in overturned convictions and those who have been falsely accused and convicted on shaky evidence. AMENDMENT 4: Sets a lifetime term limit on a person who has served as governor more than one and one-half terms. Under the current constitution, governors are explicitly limited to serving two consecutive terms, but it does not limit the number of lifetime terms someone can serve. Amendment 4 would bring Louisiana in line with other states which limit the governors to two terms in office, regardless of whether they are served consecutively. As a result, if passed, former Gov. John Bel Edwards, whom many Democrats are hoping will run against Gov. Jeff Landry, would be barred from serving a third term. AMENDMENT 5: Authorizes retirement systems to apply funds to any unfunded accrued liability, not only the oldest This amendment gives state retirement systems greater discretion to decide which pension liabilities to reduce first, instead of requiring them to adhere to the current “oldest first” rule. AMENDMENT 7: Authorizes the use of public funds to identify, inventory, remove, or replace certain water lines The federal government has earmarked $150 million to fix hazardous drinking water

lines, but the current law only allows these funds to go toward mitigating hazardous lines on public property. If the amendment passes, the money could additionally be spent fixing lines on private property, including people’s homes — like many in New Orleans — with lead pipes. AMENDMENT 8: Prohibits expropriation of property by a foreign adversary or an agent of a foreign adversary Amendment 8 would prohibit companies owned in whole or partially by a “foreign adversary” or someone acting in their capacity from using state law to attempt to force the sale of someone’s property. In recent years Republicans in the legislature have sought to impose restrictions on property ownership by foreign companies and individuals, particularly those from countries the United States is at odds with.

NEW ORLEANS HOME RULE CHARTER AMENDMENT

The charter amendment would bar the executive branch of the city government from moving funding around if it “will cause, or that are reasonably anticipated to cause” a department’s spending to exceed what had been previously approved by the City Council without prior approval from the council. The amendment also includes monthly reporting requirements to help the council conduct spending oversight. The amendment is part of the council’s push to tighten spending controls following last year’s budget crisis. —SARAH RAVITS AND JOHN STANTON

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

AMENDMENTS

CONSTITUTIONAL AND NEW ORLEANS HOME RULE CHARTER

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

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Along with Big Freedia, “Creole Culture” features two more great New Orleans-born vocalists. Tarriona “Tank” Ball of the Grammy-winning Tank and the Bangas closes the track “l v r” with a spoken word poem full of confidence. Jelly Joseph, a regular collaborator with funk band Galactic, can be heard on “chuuuuurch,” a pulsing dance track that crescendos into a gospel choir as Richard reflects on holding onto self-worth in a harsh music industry. Ohio-born vocalist Durand Bernarr, who earlier this year took home the Grammy for best progressive R&B album, also appears later in the album in a duet on the lush, smooth “baby, can we?” Back in 2019, Richard closed her “New Breed” song “Shades” with a nod to Chocolate Milk’s soulful funk classic “Groove City.” Richard now spotlights her father’s voice in her own version of “groove city,” re-interpreting the song as a drum and bass track. The first verse hews closely to the original, but Richard puts her own swaggering stamp on the song while still keeping the heart — “All you got to do is let your hair down and be free / no special pattern to follow / just do your own thing, be what you wanna be.” Richard says with the track she wanted to share her father’s legacy while also adding her own spin. “I wanted to have something new that he could experience when he heard it,” Richard says. “And if I was going to do it, I wanted to take it and make it fit for today so that it could have legs to become something else.” Richard executive produced “Creole Culture” with the Inglewood, California, contemporary jazz group Katalyst Collective. Its members — drummer Greg Paul, keys players Brandon Cordoba and Brian Hargrove, bassist Marlon Spears, percussionist Ahmad Dubos-Dawson, saxophonist David Otis and trombonist Jonah Levine — along with guitarists Brian Sanborn and Caleb Wright play across the album. “That began one of the funniest production journeys because we were tugging and pulling the whole time,” Richard says of working with Katalyst. There also are tracks produced by Machinedrum, the electronic dance musician Travis Stewart, who has been a longtime Richard collaborator. A voice note closing the jungle-influenced track “only fans” dates back to a 2011 collaboration. Richard can be heard talking about elevating Black women in electronic music — a mission shared 10 years later with “Second Line.”

swaggering to humble and reflective as the album plays. There are tracks about learning self-worth, whether it’s in romance like on “enough” or in the music industry on “chuuuuurch.” And there are celebrations of freedom and self-confidence, like on “groove city.” The final song “faith in the fire,” though, closes the album on a relatively slower, almost meditative mood. Similar to an introductory track, Richard says she likes to end her albums with reflection. The “lyrics, with what I’ve gone through, it puts it beautifully,” Richard says. “Where my career, my life has gone, I kind of have thrown it all into the fire, and for whatever reason, it didn’t douse it. The flames flew, and that faith is more kerosene than anything else … It has to be for a reason because I fought so hard for my career.”

A visual artist and animator — and the first Black artist to be a creative consultant for Adult Swim — Richard introduced the half-human, half-android persona King Creole with the release of “Second Line.” The “assassin of stereotypes” has been navigating a post-apocalyptic New Orleans, and Richard returned to King Creole with “Creole Culture.” “In my eyes, it’s a dystopian, ‘Blade Runner’ New Orleans,” Richard says. “This is New Orleans after the second line and we gave the funeral, and now King Creole is left with this clean slate of a world.” She’s now re-building a Creole city, Richard says. Across “Creole Culture,” Richard includes short clips of people talking in Louisiana Creole, also called KouriVini. Her mother, Debbie, is a Creole woman from New Iberia, and Richard remembers hearing the language when she’d visit family. (Richard’s father is of Haitian descent, and the nation has its own Creole language.) Fewer than 10,000 people today speak Kouri-Vini, which developed in 18th-century Louisiana among Creoles blending French and West African

Queens of the Washitaw Nation, including Dawn Richard, right, pose on Mardi Gras Day 2026. PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

dialects. But there’s been a resurgence in recent years: Zydeco musician Cedric Watson has recorded in the language; last year, a group of Baby Dolls re-learned several Creole songs ahead of Carnival; and in June, Jermaine from the South released what may be the first hip-hop album entirely in Kouri-Vini. The conversations heard on “Creole Culture” also are modern and feature Clif St. Laurent and Christophe Landry, educators working to preserve the language. “I wanted to show we can put this on a large scale,” Richard says. “This album is putting the language out there for the world to see.” Richard also wanted to connect New Orleans to the Caribbean world on “Creole Culture.” She samples Jamaican dancehall artist Sister Nancy’s “Bam Bam” on “enough,” and the penultimate “fiesta” has an Afro-Latin vibe. Richard is vibrant and frank in her songwriting on “Creole Culture,” and songs glide from sexy to serious,

When Richard sat down with Gambit, she was wearing a hat that read “Indie but major.” It’s a fitting description for the past 15 years of her music career. Richard has worked hard to be an independent artist in control of her music, and she approaches her work with vision and detail. Richard grew up around music and dance and began performing in her early teens, largely leaning into her love for pop. “Wild Wayne will tell the story of how he would host these things and it would be like 5th Ward Weebie and another bounce rapper and then just me doing pop with dancers and everything,” Richard says. “Even then I’d just kind of be over here dancing to Gwen Stefani and trying to do my own little thing.” In 2004, Richard was cast on Sean “Diddy” Combs’ “Making the Band 3,” taking her to New York. After Hurricane Katrina and the federal levee failures in 2005, Richard’s family relocated to Baltimore, Maryland. The reality show led to the formation of the pop group Danity Kane and later the duo Dirty Money with Kalenna Harper. (Richard in 2024 filed a lawsuit against Combs, alleging abuse and sexual assault, and last year, she testified in court against the disgraced mogul during his sex trafficking trial. Combs was found guilty of lesser prostitution-related offenses and is now serving a four-year sentence.) By 2011, Richard was working toward an independent career, wanting to shake off the rigors and toxicity of the music industry system. Following a mixtape and two EPs, she in 2013 released “Goldenheart,” her second solo album (her first, “Been a While,” came in 2005). PAGE 28

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

A R T S & E N T E R TA I N M E N T

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“Goldenheart” kicked off a well-received trilogy for Richard — this trio of albums was planned, she says — and she put out “Blackheart” and “Redemptionheart” in 2015 and 2017. Richard was then based in Los Angeles, but she still drew from influences and musicians from her hometown, including Trombone Shorty and PJ Morton, on those records. As she started working on what would become “New Breed,” Richard felt like the time was right to return to her hometown. She wanted to be closer to her parents, who had moved back to the New Orleans area. “New Breed” was met with acclaim, and outlets like Vogue and NPR spoke with Richard about her view of New Orleans. A couple years later, The New York Times and The New Yorker took interest in “Second Line,” which she filled with interviews with her mother about Creole identity, love and second-line culture. Richard also in 2022 and 2024 collaborated with contemporary composer Spencer Zahn for two stunning albums, “Pigments” and “Quiet in a World Full of Noise.” Richard has been deliberate in the ways she’s making space for herself again in New Orleans. She’s taking “the time to learn the soul, to learn the city, making sure I respect other artists and my peers,” Richard told Gambit earlier this year ahead of her French Quarter Fest debut. “Even though I’m from New Orleans, there’s this massive respect of how you come into our home space.” Learning about her family’s Black Masking Indian history led her to begin masking with the Washitaw Nation. This year she stepped out with the tribe for the fifth year, and she brought members of her

Dawn Richard with The Soul Rebels at the inauguration ceremony for Mayor Helena Moreno PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

tribe onstage during French Quarter Fest. Richard has moved her Recording Academy membership to the Memphis Chapter, which covers New Orleans, and she is now working with the artist management firm MidCitizen, which also represents Big Freedia and Tank and the Bangas. She also has given her support to environmental justice groups like RISE St. James as well as to the Hip Hop Caucus, which works on racial, climate and economic justice issues across the country but often organizes events in New Orleans. And last month, Loyola University New Orleans announced Richard had joined the university as an adjunct professor in Popular & Commercial Music. She’s working with an ensemble class, she says, teaching them how to perform and how to promote themselves. She’s preparing the students for a performance this fall at Tipitina’s. Making her career as an independent artist has come with successes and struggles. And Richard says the past few years have been difficult as her parents have had health struggles and as Combs’ abuses and crimes became more widely known. But she has “seen bottom a few times, and I’ve come out,” Richard says. “Redemption has been beautiful, and recovery has been my best journey. So I’m unafraid to be unpolished. That relatability, to me, is what helps people see possibility.” Find Dawn Richard’s music at dawnrichard.io.

A GAMBIT ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

CALENDAR PRE-SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY, AND HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE GREATER NEW ORLEANS AREA

WARREN EASTON CHARTER HIGH SCHOOL

ST. GEORGE’S EPISCOPAL SCHOOL

Grades: 9–12 Open House: October 27, 5:00 – 6:30 PM Website: warreneastoncharterhigh.org

Grades: Nursery–8 Open Houses: October 16 and November 21 Website: stgnola.org

THE WILLOW SCHOOL Williams Campus

CABRINI HIGH SCHOOL

Grades: 8–12 Open House: October 22 from 4:00–8:00 p.m. Website: cabrinihigh.com/open-house

CHRISTIAN BROTHERS SCHOOL Canal Street Campus Grades: PK–7 Family Tour Days: October 14, October 21, October 28, November 4, November 18, December 2 and December 9

City Park Campus

ÉLAN ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL

Grades: 5–7 Open House: October 29 at 6:00 p.m.

Grades: Pre-K4–8 Contact the school to schedule a tour. Website: elanacademy.org

Grades: 5–7 Open House: October 27, with tours at 4:30 PM and 6:30 PM School Day Visits: November 3, November 10, November 17 and December 2 Website: cbs-no.org

Brimmer Campus

DE LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL

MORRIS JEFF COMMUNITY SCHOOL Lower School – Lopez Campus

Grades: K–4 Open Houses: November 2 at 6:00 p.m. and November 12 at 6:00 p.m.

Marsalis Campus

Grades: 8–12 Open House: December 3, with continuous tours from 5:00–7:00 p.m. Website: willowschoolnola.org

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF LOUISIANA (ISL) St. Roch Campus Grades: K–3 Open House: November 14 at 10:00 a.m.

Westbank Campus Grades: K–5 Open House: November 14 at 10:00 a.m.

Uptown Campus Grades: 4–8 Tours: Contact the school to schedule a tour. Website: isl-edu.org

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS & SCIENCE SCHOOL Jefferson Campus Grades: Pre-K–5

Laurel Campus Grades: 6–8 Tours: Contact the school to schedule a tour. Website: babyben.org

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HIGH SCHOOL

Grades: 9–12 Open House: October 22 from 5:00–7:00 p.m. Website: bfhsla.org

ARDEN CAHILL ACADEMY

Grades: Infant–12 Open House: October 21 from 4:00–6:30 p.m. Website: ardencahillacademy.com

MOUNT CARMEL ACADEMY

Grades: 8–12 Open House: October 8 from 3:00–7:30 p.m. Website: mcacubs.com

Grades: 8–12 Open House: October 27 from 4:00–7:00 p.m. Website: delasallenola.com/openhouse

CHRIST EPISCOPAL SCHOOL Early Childhood Program Grades: Early Pre-K–Kindergarten Open House: October 13 at 9:00 a.m.

UPPER SCHOOL

Grades: 8–12 Open House: October 27 at 5:30 p.m. Website: christepiscopalschool.org

UNIVERSITY VIEW ACADEMY Online Charter School Grades: K-12 Apply online Website: universityview.academy

VICTORY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Grades: Preschool–8 Private tours are available by appointment. Website: vcagators.net

ST. LOUIS KING OF FRANCE SCHOOL

Grades: 6 weeks old–7 Private tours are available by appointment. Website: slkfschool.com

ARCHBISHOP CHAPELLE HIGH SCHOOL

Grades: PK4–7 School Tours: Tuesdays at 9:30 AM and the first Wednesday of each month at 4:00 PM

Upper School – Frantz Campus

Grades: 8–12 School Tours: Thursdays at 9:30 AM and the second Wednesday of each month at 4:00 PM

NEW ORLEANS CHARTER SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS HIGH SCHOOL (SCI HIGH) Grades: 9–12 Open House: November 4, 5:00–7:00 PM Website: noscihigh.org noscihigh.org

DISCOVERY SCHOOLS Grades: PK4–12

Kenner Discovery High School

Grades: 9–12 Open House: October 21, 5:30–7:00 PM

Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Grades: PK4–12 Tours: Scheduled tours available for prospective PK4 and kindergarten families

Dr. John Ochsner Discovery Health Sciences Academy

Grades: PK–8 Tours: Scheduled tours available for prospective PK and kindergarten families Website: discoveryhsf.org

Grades: 8-12 Open House: November 5 from 4:00 p.m to 6:00 p.m Website: archbishopchapelle.or

EDWARD HYNES CHARTER SCHOOLS Hynes–Lakeview

NEW ORLEANS MILITARY & MARITIME ACADEMY (NOMMA)

Hynes–LSU New Orleans

Grades: 8–12 Open House: November 5, November 17, January 7 and January 20 at 6:00 p.m Website: nomma.net

Grades: Gifted PK and K–8 Grades: K–8

Hynes–Parkview

Grades: K–8 School Tours: November 12, November 19 and December 3 at 8:00 AM at each campus Website: hynesschool.com

YOUNG AUDIENCES CHARTER SCHOOLS YACS Westbank – Adella Gautier Campus Grades: PK4–6

YACS Westbank – Burmaster Campus Grades: 7–12

YACS Uptown – Lawrence D. Crocker Campus

Grades: PK4–8 Tours: Schedule a tour through the school’s website Website: yacs.org

EINSTEIN CHARTER SCHOOL AT SHERWOOD FOREST Grades: PK–8 Open House: November 11 at 5:00 PM Website: einsteincharterschools.com

ROOTED SCHOOL NEW ORLEANS Grades: 9–12 Tours: Contact the school to schedule a tour Website: rootedschoolneworleans.org

ESPERANZA CHARTER SCHOOLS Esperanza Foundational Academy Grades: PK–4

Esperanza Middle School

Grades: 5–8 Tours: Contact the school at 504-434-0521 to schedule a tour of its Spanish-English dual-language program Website: communityacademies.org

LAKE FOREST CHARTER SCHOOL Grades: K–8 School Tours: October 28, November 18, December 9, January 20, February 24 and March 24, from 9:30–10:30 AM Website: lakeforestcharter.org

ST. RITA SCHOOL

Grades: PK–8 Open House: October 22 at 6:30 PM Website: school.stritaharahan.com

ÉCOLE BILINGUE DE LA NOUVELLE-ORLÉANS Grades: 18 months–8 Open House: November 4, 5:30–7:00 PM (adults only) Website: ebnola.net

NEW ORLEANS JCC EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

Ages: 13 months–5 years School Tours: October 15, October 29, November 19, December 10 and December 17, from 10:00–10:45 AM Website: nojcc.org/prospectiveparents

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

E AT + D R I N K

By the sea

FOR K + CE NTE R

Procida opens in Marigny | by Beth D’Addono

Email dining@gambitweekly.com

FOR DEVOTED EATERS and curious

travelers, Procida, the new southern Italian restaurant in the Marigny, is an appealing destination. The restaurant is an authentic Italian dining experience that represents the sum of chef Valeriano Chiella’s family roots and cooking experience. The 36-year-old named it after a colorful island that’s a ferry stop between Naples and Capri, an area worthy of many travel bucket lists. “I’ve only been there once,” says Chiella, who was born in southern Italy in a little town near the Amalfi Coast. “But it made a big impression.” The volcanic island is known for its fishing villages, slow pace and food as its beating heart. Chiella started working in his family’s restaurant after they moved to Florence when he was 11. A dozen years ago, he moved to New Orleans and worked in restaurants including Domenica, Shaya, August and Pizza Domenica. Then he went out on his own with the Italian pop-up Fico Cucina. “I wanted to do something authentic, real southern Italian cuisine,” he says. Opening Procida was the next logical step because Chiella considers New Orleans home. He met his wife here, and the couple just had their second son. So far, the response from the neighborhood has been overwhelming. On a recent Thursday night, the restaurant was fully committed through two seatings, and neighbors table-hopped and chatted over plates of food. “We’ve worked to build a good relationship with neighbors,” the chef says. The food on Procida’s menu is related to Creole Italian like distant cousins raised on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Dishes are familiar, but everything from the amount of sauce and use of cheese to the emphasis on seafood are different. For early birds, it’s worth it to bring a few friends and sample everything from the happy hour menu, offered from 5 to 6 p.m. There’s a selection of five appetizers and four pastas that provide a wonderful introduction to the chef’s

Venezia in Kenner ONE OF THE BEST-KNOWN RESTAURANTS

Chef Valeriano Chiella opened Procida. PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER / GAMBIT

sensibilities. Ordering them all costs about $100, with plenty to feed four or five people. There are also $8 and $10 apertivi and $10 glasses of wine. “I wanted to create something beyond the usual discounted drinks and food,” Chiella says. Depending on the night, there might be ricotta bruschetta, with creamy fresh cheese slathered on three rafts of focaccia and topped with local figs, pistachio pesto and bits of fresh mint. Sicilian arancini arrives atop seafood ragu, with nibs of smoked scamorza cheese melted in with the ricotta. There’s always a crudo, and one recent version featured thinly sliced swordfish drizzled with chili-lemon vinaigrette. The pastas offer an enchanting array of flavors. The spaghetti limone and parmigiano is simple, but every citrus-tinged bite is full of umami, informed by a sauce made with colatura di acciughe, a clear Italian fermented anchovy fish sauce. Ziti alla Genovese is served with a flavorful ragu of beef, onions and tomatoes. Handmade gnocchi are served with fresh mozzarella and Pecorino Romano in a silky vodka sauce. Instead of the usual eggplant Parmesan, Procida offers eggplant

caponata. Chiella uses his mother’s recipe to make the sweet-and-sour Sicilian dish of roasted diced eggplant with vegetables and olives. Instead of the usual slightly sweet red gravy served at many Creole Italian places, Chiella’s tomato sauce is light, savory and chunky with tomatoes. There are house-made meatballs served in pomodoro sauce along with chunks of tender braciole. “People think there is heavy red sauce in the south,” Chiella says. “That’s more what is served in Italian-American restaurants. The south of Italy has so many seafood dishes. I think that’s overlooked sometimes.” His grilled whole branzino is served with lemon gremolata and fresh herbs. “We go through about 70 whole fish a week,” he says. Flounder Siciliana is made with blue crab, cherry tomatoes, Castelvetrano olives, pine nuts and capers. For now, Procida is open Wednesday through Sunday. The chef plans to add weekend brunch and another day for dinner, but he’s taking it slowly. “That’s the second phase,” he says. “For now, we are focused on offering New Orleans a different kind of Italian food experience, and we will grow from there.”

? WHAT

WHERE

WHEN

HOW

CHECK IT OUT

Procida Restaurant

2000 Burgundy St., (504) 273-1100; procidarestaurant.com

Dinner Wed.-Sun.

Dine-in

A new Marigny spot with southern Italian dishes

for Creole-Italian cooking in New Orleans is opening a third location, replacing a longtime anchor of Kenner’s Rivertown. Venezia, the restaurant that’s been serving red sauce and pizza in Mid-City for seven decades, has taken over the former home of Gendusa’s restaurant at 325 Williams Blvd., the cottage-style restaurant behind a white picket fence. Owner Troy Gendusa has closed all of his locations, including Gendusa’s Pizzeria and Gendusa’s Italian Eatery at 2717 Williams Blvd., as he steps away from the restaurant business. Venezia proprietor Nicholas Bologna confirmed he’s signed a long-term lease on the Rivertown property. Renovations are underway. He expects to open on Oct. 7. “We’ll be here for a long time,” he says. It’s the second time in as many years that Venezia has expanded by taking over from another local Italian restaurant.

Venezia Restaurant on Carrollton Avenue PHOTO BY CHRIS GRANGER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

In 2024, Venezia opened in Gretna in the former home of Tony Mandina’s, at 1915 Pratt St., after the West Bank institution closed earlier that year, ending a four-decade run. Both expansions are tied to the long history of Venezia and demographic shifts around the New Orleans area. “Venezia has become such a tradition for so many families, and as these families are growing, as children and grandchildren move to other parts of the region, it gives us an opportunity to serve them closer to where they are,” Bologna says. Venezia got its start in Mid-City in 1957 at a time when many Italian residents were moving from the French Quarter

(once a bastion of Italian immigrants) to other neighborhoods. It was the restaurant that introduced many in New Orleans to pizza back in the 1950s. The Bologna family bought the business in 1987 and has run it since. The Kenner restaurant will serve the same menu as the original Venezia on 134 N. Carrollton Ave., including pizza, steaks, cannelloni and stuffed shells and seafood-stuffed fried eggplant Vatican (created in 1987 after Pope John Paul II’s visit to New Orleans). The original Venezia is a block from Angelo Brocato Ice Cream, the Sicilian dessert emporium that has long supplied the restaurant with desserts. That will be the case for the menu at the new Kenner location too. “Venezia and Brocato’s, it just goes together perfectly, so of course we’re doing that here too,” Bologna says. The Kenner Venezia has about 90 seats, similar in size to the Mid-City location, while the Gretna location can accommodate around 200 people with room for banquets and events. The Kenner location will have the same hours as the Gretna restaurant, open Wednesday through Sunday (the Mid-City location is open every day except Tuesday). The Rivertown property became available as Gendusa’s restaurant founder Troy Gendusa has decided to step away from the restaurant business. The move comes after an 11-year stretch that has brought more than its fair share of changes. Gendusa was working as a commercial fisherman before he opened what he initially called Gendusa’s Italian Market in 2015, also in Rivertown, in a small storefront at 405 Williams Blvd. It was a specialty food store. But it also served specials from the kitchen, and the business quickly evolved into a restaurant. It won a following for big flavors and generous portions, with specialties like softballsized meatballs over spaghetti, fresh pasta, a steak night special and pizzas covered in toppings. A fire struck Gendusa’s original location in June 2020, just as local restaurants were beginning to reopen during the pandemic crisis. Two days later, Gendusa and his crew were cooking again with an outdoor restaurant swiftly assembled with help from friends in the hospitality business and Kenner city officials. Within weeks, the restaurant moved to a new home a block away at 325 Williams Blvd. Earlier this year, Gendusa moved into a larger location, the former Messina’s near the busy intersection

GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

FORK & CENTER

with Veterans Memorial Boulevard. A few months later, he also reopened the Rivertown location as a pizzeria, citing customer demand. For a while, both operated concurrently, with the Rivertown original called Gendusa’s Pizzeria and the newer restaurant doing business as Gendusa’s Italian Eatery. Both restaurants are now closed, but Gendusa still has a hand in the food business. He makes and sells his Gendusa’s Gold honey brand and is planning to set up at more local farmers markets, bringing back the fig cookies, seed cookies and other Italian baked goods that first drew him into the food business. “I’m going back to my first passion,” Gendusa says. — Ian McNulty / The Times-Picayune

Smoke & Honey restaurant closes SMOKE & HONEY, A NEIGHBORHOOD SPOT in Mid-City that combined

Greek and Jewish cuisine, has closed after more than two years at 3301 Bienville St. The restaurant closed its doors after “a big lamb party” on Sept. 26-27.

FOR GOD | FOR LEARNING | FOR LIFE

OPEN HOUSE October 8 | 3 - 7:30 PM

Smoke & Honey has closed. PHOTO BY IAN MCNULTY / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

“Building Smoke & Honey, getting to know and share memories with this cherished community, and contribute to the joy, family, and friends of New Orleans has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” owner Vassiliki Ellwood Yiagazis said in the post on Instagram. After opening in 2024, Smoke & Honey became a popular brunch destination in Mid-City, serving comfort food like gyro breakfast sandwiches, a leg of lamb po-boy called the “lambeaux” and Greek salad. Yiagazis began the concept as a pop-up during the pandemic, when the actress and filmmaker needed to pivot during the shutdown of the film industry. It found a home at Pal’s Lounge before branching out into the brick-and-mortar location. — Marco Cartolano / The Times-Picayune

mcacubs.com | Scan to RSVP Mount Carmel Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies.

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GAMBIT > BESTOFNEWORLEANS.COM > OctOber 5 - 11 > 2026

JOHNSON

OCTOBER 22, 2026 5-7 PM

BFHSLA.ORG

3 COURSE INTE RVIE W

Jose Meza Chef by Will Coviello JOSE MEZA CAME TO NEW ORLEANS FROM HONDURAS a

dozen years ago. He’s part of the Garifuna community of Afro-Caribbean descendants who were forced out of the original home of St. Vincent around 1800 and settled in Honduras and other Central American countries. He created his food pop-up Numada to share Garifuna and Caribbean food, especially at festivals. Numada will be one of the vendors at the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival on Oct. 9-11 in Lafayette Square. For more about Numada, go to @numada1111 on Instagram. For more about the festival, see crescentcitybluesfest.com.

How did you learn to cook? JOSE MEZA: I am from Honduras originally. Back home, you start cooking early. You’ve got to know how to cook rice for your family, even if you’re 10 years old. You have to know how to do those things. I have been in America about 12 years. I love New Orleans culture and music. Those are big time flavors here. Five to six years ago, I realized that they don’t have the kind of food that I like, meaning Garifuna food. Garifuna is Black people from Honduras, Caribbean people. I want to be represented, and I don’t see anybody representing us. A lot of people don’t know that there are Spanish Black people. You don’t see Black people on the news that speak other languages. So I made it my mission to say, I need to start cooking and I need to start going to festivals so people can know me. Numada means friend in the Garifuna language.

What is Garifuna food? M: The Garifuna people live on the coast, so seafood is plentiful, any kind of fish, lobster, crabs and things like that. Garifuna food is seafood most of all. If you go to any country in the world, everybody has soul food. We have a lot of that stuff. The first dish I did was Levanta Muerto. It means “raising the dead.” They call it that because it’s so full of seafood. There’s fish, shrimp, crab, mussels and

Jose Meza, second from left, with the Numada team. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JOSE MEZA

conch. It’s supposed to give you vitality. It’s supposed to give you energy.

What are you serving at festivals? M: My menu is based on festivals. It’s Garifuna food, and it’s also from the Caribbean. I do oxtails and jerk chicken and red snapper, either the fillet or the whole fish. We grill it or we fry it. Everybody has their own way to cook oxtails. I source my oxtails and cut all the fat off. We marinate the oxtails for three days. Then we cook it with a little bit of curry. Then I put coconut milk in there so it’s creamier. We serve it with rice and peas with coconut milk in there. Or with yellow rice and plantains and steamed vegetables. I bring grilled snapper to all the festivals. We marinate it and season it well. I put a lot of ginger, thyme and basil in. We serve it with chimichurri sauce and sauteed vegetables and mushrooms on top. We serve it with rice and peas or yellow rice and yellow plantains and cabbage. It’s a whole meal. It’s not one of these little paper boat things. It’s a whole meal. Egg rolls are a Caribbean thing. We use jerk beef in egg rolls. We marinate the beef with a lot of ginger, and we make our own jerk sauce. I have a big menu, but at festivals, you’re limited. You have to do just a few dishes. (Some) festivals don’t allow us to do drinks. I’d love to bring natural juices like papaya, mango, guava, passion fruit, berry juice and sugar cane juice. We do about 40 festivals a year. We were just at Westbank Heritage Festival and the International Arts Festival. We’ll be at the Funk Fest. Sometimes we go to Gonzales or Baton Rouge.

Out to Eat is an index of Gambit contract advertisers. Unless noted, addresses are for New Orleans and all accept credit cards. Updates: Email willc@gambitweekly.com or call (504) 483-3106. 3rd Block Depot — 316 Chartres St., (504) 552-

4095; 3rdblockdepot.com — The menu ranges from seafood and sausage gumbo and Gulf shrimp ceviche to smashburgers and steaks. Brunch brings crab cake Benedict with hollandaise on an English muffin. Reservations available. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Acropolis Cuisine — 3841 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-9046; acropoliscuisine.com — The menu of classic Greek dishes includes souvlaki, gyros and pita wraps, spanakopita, hummus and Greek salads. Moussaka has layers of eggplant, potatoes, zucchini, ground beef and bechamel. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Angelo Brocato’s — 214 N. Carrollton Ave., (504) 486-1465; angelobrocatoicecream.com — This Mid-City sweet shop serves its own gelato in flavors like praline, salted caramel and tiramisu, as well as Italian ices in flavors like lemon, strawberry and mango. There also are cannolis, biscotti, fig cookies, tiramisu, macaroons and coffee drinks. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $ Annunciation — 1016 Annunciation St., (504) 568-0245; annunciationrestaurant. com — Gulf fish Capri includes artichokes, crawfish, tomatoes and capers. There also are oysters, seafood pasta dishes, salads, steaks, lamb chops and desserts like bananas Foster bread pudding and lemon icebox tart. Reservations recommended. Dinner Thu.-Mon. $$$ Audubon Clubhouse — 6500 Magazine St., (504) 558-1200; audubonclubhouse. com — The menu by Dickie Brennan and Co. includes crabmeat cheesecake, shrimp remoulade, fried oysters, burgers, sandwiches and more. Shrimp Tchefuncte combines house-made andouille, mushrooms, popcorn rice and Creole meuniere sauce. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Banana Blossom — 500 9th St., Gretna, (504) 500-0997; 504bananablossom.com — There are traditional Thai dishes like pad thai, green curry, pineapple fried rice, drunken noodles and coconut shrimp as well as original creations. Beef rib Chiang Mai features a slow-braised beef rib with yellow curry, egg noodles, pickled mustard greens, cilantro and chili oil. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$ Budsi’s Authentic Thai — 1760 N. Rampart St., (504) 381-4636; budsisthai.com — Chef Budsaba Mason prepares dishes from her native Issan region of Thailand and other popular Thai dishes like papaya salad, grilled pork shoulder, larb, khao soi, pad thai and red curry. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sun. $$ Chef Ron’s Gumbo Stop — 2309 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, (504) 835-2022; gumbostop.com — The Gumbo Stop has several gumbo varieties including chicken and sausage gumbo and seafood gumbo with shrimp, crab and crawfish. The menu also has boudin balls, Bayou shrimp scampi, crawfish etouffee and fried shrimp po-boys. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$

$ — average dinner entrée under $10 $$ — $11-$20 $$$ — $20-up

The Commissary — 634 Orange St., (504)

274-1850; thecommissarynola.com — Dickie Brennan’s Commissary supplies his other restaurant kitchens and also has a dine-in menu and prepared foods to go. A smoked turkey sandwich is served with bacon, tomato jam, herbed cream cheese, arugula and herb vinaigrette on honey oat bread. The menu includes dips, salads, sandwiches, boudin balls, fried oysters and more. No reservations. Outdoor seating available. Lunch Tue.-Sat. $$ The Country Club — 634 Louisa St., (504) 945-0742; thecountryclubneworleans.com — The Bywater restaurant and pool has a menu of crab beignets, truffle mac and cheese, shrimp and grits, burgers and more. Seared redfish is served with kale, toasted chickpeas, sesame seeds, chili crisp and whipped tahini. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch, brunch and dinner daily. $$$ Delacroix Restaurant — 1 Poydras St., (504) 655-9002; delacroixrestaurant.com — With views overlooking the Mississippi River, the restaurant serves a mix of South Louisiana dishes like smoked duck gumbo, crawfish bisque, shrimp Creole, blackened redfish and crawfish étouffée. Drum amandine is served with green beans and stewed potatoes. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Desire Oyster Bar — Royal Sonesta New Orleans, 300 Bourbon St., (504) 586-0300; sonesta.com/desireoysterbar — A menu full of Gulf seafood includes oysters served raw on the half-shell or char-broiled with with Parmesan, garlic and herbs. The menu also includes po-boys, gumbo, blackened fish, fried seafood platters and more. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Dickie Brennan’s Bourbon House — 144 Bourbon St., (504) 522-0111; bourbonhouse. com — There’s a seafood raw bar with raw and char-broiled oysters, fish dip, crab fingers, shrimp and more. Redfish “on the half-shell” is cooked skin-on and served with crab-boiled potatoes, frisee and lemon buerre blanc. The bar offers a wide selection of bourbon and whiskies. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse — 716 Iberville St., (504) 522-2467; dickiebrennanssteakhouse.com — The menu includes a variety of steaks, plus seared Gulf fish, lobster pasta, barbecue shrimp and more. A 6-ounce filet mignon is served with fried oysters, creamed spinach, potatoes and bearnaise. Reservations recommended. Dinner Mon.-Sat. $$$ Domenica — 123 Baronne St., (504) 6486020; domenicarestaurant.com — The Italian restaurant offers a mix of wood-fired Napolitano-style pizzas and house-made pastas. Appetizers include various salumi and cheese boards, antipasti, roasted cauliflower and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Don’s Seafood — 4801 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 888-1555; donsseafoodonline.com — The seafood options range from char-broiled oysters to seafood gumbo, fried shrimp and catfish platters and stuffed

flounder. The menu also has rib-eye steaks. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Elizabeth’s Restaurant — 601 Gallier St., (504) 944-9272; elizabethsrestaurantnola. com — Elizabeth’s is known for its signature praline bacon, and the menu also includes boudin balls, shrimp and grits, chicken and waffles and eggs Florentine. Outdoor seating available. Reservations accepted for parties of 10 or more. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Katie’s Restaurant — 3701 Iberville St., (504) 488-6582; katiesinmidcity.com — The Cajun Cuban is stuffed with roasted pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard. The eclectic menu also includes char-grilled oysters, sandwiches, burgers, pizza, fried seafood platters, pasta, salads and more. Delivery available. Reservations accepted for large parties. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ King Brasserie & Bar — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3000; kingbrasserieandbar.com — The restaurant’s menu is inspired by the cuisine of the Riviera and southern France. There are dishes like steak frites and bouillabaisse as well as blackened Gulf fish and barbecue shrimp and oysters. Reservations recommended. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Legacy Kitchen’s Craft Tavern — 700 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 613-2350; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes oysters, flatbreads, burgers, sandwiches, salads and sharable plates like NOLA Tot Debris. A slow-cooked pulled pork barbecue sandwich is served with coleslaw on a brioche bun. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Legacy Kitchen Steak & Chop — 91 Westbank Expressway, Gretna, (504) 513-2606; legacykitchen.com — The selection of steaks and chops includes filet mignon, bone-in rib-eye, top sirloin and double pork chops and a la carte toppings include bearnaise, blue cheese and sauteed crabmeat. There also are burgers, salads, pasta, seafood entrees, char-broiled oysters and more. Reservations accepted. Outdoor seating available. Lunch and dinner Mon.-Sat. $$ Luke — 333 St. Charles Ave., (504) 378-2840; lukeneworleans.com — The raw bar offers oysters, boiled shrimp, cured tuna, smoked trout dip and more. The menu has dishes like shrimp and grits, crab omelets, crawfish etouffee and steak frites. Reservations encouraged. Breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Lyons Corner — 537 Gravier St., (504) 5270006; lyonscornernola.com — The eclectic menu includes Cajun prawns, bang-bang fried oysters, chicken sandwiches, salads and more. In the morning, there are breakfast empanadas, muffins, croissants, scones, beignets and more. Delivery and takeout available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Mikimoto — 3301 S. Carrollton Ave., (504) 488-1881; mikimotosushi.com — The menu of Japanese cuisine includes sushi, signature rolls, tempura fried items, udon noodles, teriyaki, salads and more.The South Carrollton roll includes tuna tataki, avocado, snow crab, green onion and wasabi roe. Reservations accepted. Delivery available. Lunch Sun.-Fri., dinner daily. $$ PAGE 34

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Mosca’s — 4137 Highway 90 West,

Notice of Initial Public Meeting

Wednesday, November 11, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. New Orleans City Council Chamber, City Hall, 1300 Perdido St., Room 1E07, New Orleans. New Orleans City Council Utility Docket UD-26-02, Entergy 2027 Integrated Resource Plan Every three years an Entergy New Orleans (ENO) Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is produced. This is the planning process by which Entergy assesses the resources available to meet the power supply needs of New Orleans. The IRP is produced following an open, transparent planning process through which all relevant resources are investigated. Resources considered include supply-side (such as power plants, including both conventional and renewable sources of power) and demandside (programs to modify customer loads to reduce or shift loads from hours with high electricity costs or reliability constraints to other hours, such as demand response programs, the Energy Smart energy efficiency program, and energy storage). The factors influencing choice among these resources are considered in the planning process. The goal is to identify the optimal set of resources to meet current and future electric service needs at the lowest total cost to customers and ENO, in a manner consistent with the long-run public interest and the Council’s energy policy goals. The expected combination of costs, reliability, risks, and uncertainty are considered. The planning process to develop the 2027 IRP is underway. An initial public meeting will be held: Wednesday, November 11, 2026 from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. New Orleans City Council Chamber, City Hall, 1300 Perdido St., Room 1E07, New Orleans. The public is invited and encouraged to attend/view this meeting, to hear presentations by the Council’s Advisors and/or ENO regarding (1) the purpose of the IRP; (2) the IRP process, timeline, and procedural schedule; (3) analyses performed in the IRP process, including the inputs and assumptions thereto; and (4) ways in which the public may participate in the proceeding. The Council’s Utilities Regulatory Office will maintain a sign-up sheet for Interested Persons who wish to receive copies of all filings, issuances, and notices occurring in the proceeding. If you wish to be included on this list, please contact CURO at 504-658-1113 or by email to Byron Minor at Byron.Minor@nola.gov. You are also welcome to watch the meeting, either as it is live-streamed or once it is archived, at http://www.nolacitycouncil.com/video/video_legislative.asp.

Westwego, (504) 436-8950; moscasrestaurant.com — This family-style eatery serves Italian dishes and specialties including shrimp Mosca, baked oysters Mosca and spaghetti bordelaise and chicken cacciatore. Chicken a la grands is sauteed with garlic, rosemary, Italian herbs and white wine. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.Sat. Cash only. $$$ Mother’s Restaurant — 401 Poydras St., (504) 523-9656; mothersrestaurant.net — This counter-service spot serves po-boys dressed with sliced cabbage like the Famous Ferdi filled with ham, roast beef and debris. Creole favorites include jambalaya, crawfish etouffee, red beans and rice and more. Breakfast is available all day. Delivery available. No reservations. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Orleans Grapevine Wine Bar & Bistro — 720 Orleans Ave., (504) 523-1930; orleansgrapevine.com — The wine bar offers a selectoin of cheese boards and appetizers. Creole pasta combines shrimp and andouille in tomato cream sauce. Reservations accepted for large parties. Outdoor seating available. Dinner Thu.-Sun. $$ Pascal’s Manale — 1838 Napoleon Ave., (504) 895-4877; pascalsmanale.com — This Creole-Italian spot invented New Orleansstyle barbecue shrimp, and the menu also includes seafood gumbo, crab cakes, oysters and Italian-style pasta dishes. There’s also an oyster bar. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner Tue.-Sat. $$$ Peacock Room — Kimpton Hotel Fontenot, 501 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 324-3073; peacockroomnola.com — At brunch, braised short rib grillades are served over grits with mushrooms, a poached egg and shaved truffle. The dinner menu has oysters, salads, pasta, shrimp and grits, a burger, cheese plates and more. Reservations accepted. Dinner Wed.-Mon., brunch Sun. $$ Pizza Domenica — 4933 Magazine St., (504) 301-4978; pizzadomenica.com — Pizza is the focus of this offshoot of the Italian restaurant Domenica. There also are meatballs, roasted cauliflower and house-made pastas. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Restaurant August — 301 Tchoupitoulas St., (504) 299-9777; restaurantaugust.com — The fine dining restaurant serves Creole and contemporary dishes featuring foie gras, Gulf fish, duck and more. Gnocchi are served with crab, summer truffles and Parmesan. Reservations recommended. Dinner Sun.-Fri., lunch Fri. $$$ Rivershack Tavern — 3449 River Road, Jefferson, (504) 834-4938; rivershacktavern. com — This tavern along the levee offers a casual menu of roast beef po-boys, burgers, wraps, fried shrimp platters, catfish and gumbo. A country fried steak is served with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables and salad. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner daily. $$ Shaya — 4213 Magazine St., (504) 891-4213; shayarestaurant.com — The Mediterranean and Middle Eastern menu includes dishes like hummus, falafel, kebabs, grilled chicken and wood-oven pita bread. A chicken schnitzel sandwich is dressed with little gem lettuce, pickles and harissa mayonnaise on sesame brioche bread. Outdoor seating available. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Stingray’s Restaurant & Bar — 1303 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner, (504) 443-4040;

stingraysseafoodrestaurant.com — Zydeco fish is stuffed with crabmeat dressing and topped with shrimp cream sauce. The menu also includes fried shrimp and oyster platters, grilled redfish, crabmeat jalapeños, and boudin egg rolls. Reservations available. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Tableau — 616 St. Peter St., (504) 934-3463; tableaufrenchquarter.com — The menu features traditional and creative Creole dishes. Pasta bouillabaisse features squid ink mafaldine, little neck clams, Gulf shrimp, squid, seafood broth, rouille and herbed breadcrumbs. Outdoor seating available on the balcony. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun., brunch Thu.-Sun. $$$ Tacklebox — 817 Common St., (504) 827-1651; legacykitchen.com — The menu includes raw and char-broiled oysters, seafood platters, po-boys, fried chicken, crab and corn bisque and more. Redfish St. Charles is served with garlic-herb butter, asparagus, mushrooms and crawfish cornbread. Reservations accepted. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Tavi — 330 N. New Hampshire St., (985) 200-2045; tavirestaurant.com — The menu combines dishes from the Middle East, North Africa and the Mediterranean. There’s hummus, falafel, kebabs, flatbreads, grilled fish, lamb burgers and more. Reservations accepted. Lunch and dinner daily. $$$ Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza — 1212 S. Clearview Parkway, Elmwood, (504) 7333803; 2125 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 510-4282; 4024 Canal St., (504) 3021133; 4218 Magazine St., (504) 894-8554; 70488 Highway 21, Covington, (985) 2349420; theospizza.com — A Marilynn Pota Supreme pie is topped with mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, hamburger, mushrooms, bell peppers and onions. There also are salads, sandwiches, wings, breadsticks and more. Delivery available. Lunch and dinner daily. $ The Vintage — 3121 Magazine St., (504) 324-7144; thevintagenola.com — There’s a full coffee drinks menu and baked goods and beignets, as well as a full bar. The menu has flatbreads, cheese boards, small plates and a pressed vegetable sandwich with avocado, onions, arugula, red pepper and pepper jack cheese. No reservations. Delivery and outdoor seating available. Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. $$ Vyoone’s — 412 Girod St., (504) 381-4384; vyoone.com — The French-Creole menu includes dishes like escargot, crawfish beignets, crab cakes, shrimp pasta, duck a l’orange and lamb chops. Reservations recommended. Dinner Wed.-Sun. $$$ Willa Jean — 611 O’Keefe Ave., (504) 5097334; willajean.com — The bakery and cafe serves biscuits with honey butter, cookies, pastries, breakfast sandwiches, shrimp and grits and more. Avocado toasts are made with house-baked ciabatta topped with tomatillo, spiced pepitas, pickled onion, cilantro and chipotle aioli. Outdoor seating available. No reservations. Breakfast and lunch daily. $$ Yinzer’s Amazing Cheesesteaks — 1514 Delachaise St., (412) 860-6801; yinzersamazingcheesesteaks.com —There are classic and original cheesesteaks filled with steak, chicken and more. Diners can opt for toppings like provolone, house-made cheddar whiz, mushrooms, onions, banana peppers and more. Delivery available. No reservations. Lunch and dinner Wed.-Sun. $

PAGE 7

Que Pasa Fest The Latin music festival marks its 15th anniversary, and programming will include nods to a traditional quinceanera. The music lineup features Grupo Recuerdos, Las Chicas Rolands from Honduras, Damian CH, Centro Norteno, Rumba Buena, La People, Los Guiros, Javier Olondo and AsheSon and more. There also are art and food vendors and more in Lafreniere Park in Metairie. At 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, and Sunday, Oct. 11. Admission is $5, and children under 13 get in free. Find a schedule and details at quepasafest.org.

Oktoberfest Deutsches Haus presents its annual celebration of the German fall festival complete with bratwursts, schnitzel, Bavarian pretzels and plenty of imported and local German-style beers, live music, chicken dancing, beer stein-holding contests and more. At Deutches Haus at 1700 Moss St. along Bayou St. John. At 4-10:30 p.m. Fridays and 1-10:30 p.m. Saturdays from Oct. 9 through Oct. 24. Admission $10, and children under 13 get in free. Find information at oktoberfestnola.com.

Bard @ The Batture: Ladies Night Crescent City Stage presents a show highlighting some of Shakespeare’s leading women, with monologues from Lady Macbeth, Cleopatra, Portia and more. Michael Newcomer directs Nia Ragini, Wendy Miklovic, Erin Cessna, Lorene Chesley, Elizabeth Elkins Newcomer and Tenea Intriago. The show starts outdoors at The Batture at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, and Tuesday, Oct. 5. Tickets $41.04-$51.54 at crescentcitystage.com.

Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs

productions of “Thelma” and “Minette Fontaine,” as well as a salute to Beyonce and women composers. Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and Don Vappie join the company for the performance. At 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8, at Cafe Istanbul. General admission $40, and $15 for kids, via operacreole.org.

anniversary of its landmark second album, “Tweekend,” which included “Name of the Game,” featuring Tom Morello, “Murder” and more. The tour is co-headlined by British producer and DJ Paul Oakenfold. At 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at House of Blues. Tickets $57 and up via ticketmaster.com.

S.G. Goodman

The Spinners and Irma Thomas

For her 2025 album, “Planting By the Signs,” Kentucky alt-country musician S.G. Goodman was inspired by the old wisdom to plant gardens and perform other tasks to the cycles of the moon. It was a reminder to slow down during a time when everything is speeding up. Earlier this year, she released an expanded version of the album, including a version of the title track covered by Tyler Childers and Senora May. Goodman plays Chickie Wah Wah at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, with New Orleans’ Thomas Dollbaum, who released “Birds of Paradise” earlier this year. Tickets are $32.61 via chickiewahwah.com.

Sherelle Bass DJ and producer Sherelle was already becoming known for footwork and jungle music around her home in London when she broke out in 2019 with a viral Boiler Room set. In the years since, she’s been named in Mixmag’s top 25 producers, awarded in DJ Mag’s Best of British and celebrated for pushing high speed dance music. With a love for tempos of 160bpm and above, her style includes elements of jungle, dance hall and drum and bass. Sherelle is in New Orleans for a show Thursday, Oct. 8, at 10 p.m. at Arora. Chore Boys, Freak POV and Toki Doki Hoe also perform. Tickets are $27.57 via aroranola.com.

HUMP Film Fest

Guitarist Mike Campbell played with Tom Petty before the formation of The Heartbreakers. Over four decades, Campbell helped shape the band’s sound, from “Damn the Torpedoes” on. Since Petty’s death in 2017, Campbell has released four albums with the Dirty Knobs, including this year’s “Mission of Mercy,” a mix of familiar rock and mellower Americana sounds. Sarah Lee Guthrie opens at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6, at The Joy Theater. Tickets $33.80 and up via ticketmaster.com.

Dan Savage’s amateur porn film festival returns to the Broad Theater with a new slate of 24 short films featuring all sorts of sexualities, body types, kinks and more. Films range from serious to comical with stories about cowboys, mad scientists, food, vengeance and more, and settings from forests and deserts to Berlin nightlife and mythical fantasies. Screenings are at 7 & 9:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10. Tickets are $25.82 at humpfilmfest.com.

La Fete Creole

The Crystal Method

OperaCreole presents a program including scenes from its past

The electronic music duo Crystal Method is on tour celebrating the 25th

The Gretna Festin’ concert series continues with Irma Thomas and Motown group The Spinners. They put put out R&B, soul and disco hits including “Working My Way Back to You / Forgive Me, Girl,” “The Rubberband Man,” “I’ll Be Around” and “Could It Be I’m Falling in Love.” None of the original members remain, but the band continues to tour. At 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, at the Gretna Riverfront. Find information at gretnafest.com.

Cumbiafest El Dusty and the Homies features Corpus Christi DJ Dusty Oliveira on the console with Angelito playing congas and providing samples. The duo headlines Cumbiafest at the New Orleans Jazz Museum, and there’s a DJ set by Santero. At 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. Admission is free. Find information at nolajazzmuseum.org.

Bachtoberfest The Musical Arts Society of New Orleans presents the Electric Yat Quartet, pianist Andre Bohren and violinist Vance Woolf. At 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the courtyard at the Margaret Place Hotel. There’s complimentary charcuterie and a cash bar. Tickets $41.60 via masno.org.

NOVA Chorale New Orleans Vocal Arts (NOVA) opens its 2026-27 season Tuesday, Oct. 6, with a program focused on renewal and new days. The concert, titled “Awake,” will feature James MacMillan’s “O Radiant Dawn,” Benjamin Britten’s “Rejoice in the Lamb” and Randall Thompson’s “Frostiana,” a set of seven songs based on Robert Frost poems. This is NOVA’s first full season under Artistic Director Brian Martinez, and there are concerts in December and April. “Awake” begins at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral and admission is $20 suggested donation. Go to novachorale.org for more info.

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MONDAY 05 30/90 — Margie Perez, 6 pm; Piano Man ‘G,’ 10 pm ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Betsey Propane’s Smoke Show, 7 pm APPLE BARREL — Decaturadio, 6 pm; Bread for Sale, 10 pm BACCHANAL — Byron Asher Duo, 7 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Red Beans & Blues with The Rump Shakers, 9 pm BROADSIDE — Hot Summer Salsa Nights with DJ Lady B, 7 pm BUFFA’S — David Doucet, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Keep It Rolling Brass Band, 9 pm CARROLLTON STATION — Biscuits n’ Jam with Meryl Zimmerman & Friends, 10 pm DBA — Secret Six Jazz Band, 6 pm; Corey Henry & the Treme Funktet, 9:30 pm FRITZEL’S JAZZ CLUB — Tin Men, 5 pm; Richard Scott & Friends, 8 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — VetJams, 11 pm MAHOGANY JAZZ HALL — Tom Hook, 6 pm; The Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, 8 pm THE MAISON — Gene’s Music Machine, 8 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — George Porter Jr. Trio ft. Chris Adkins, 7 pm; 10 pm OKAY BAR — Django Jazz Jam + Red Beans with Bayou Manouche, 7:30 pm SATURN BAR — Saints & Dirty Birds Monday Night Football, 6 pm SIBERIA — Jock Jams Line Dancing with Giddy Up Two Step, 6:30 pm SPOTTED CAT — Jenavieve Cooke & the Winding Boys, 2 pm; Dominick Grillo & the Frenchmen Street All-Stars, 6 pm; Saskia Says, 9:30 pm TRUE SOUTH — Danny Alexander Blues Jam, 8 pm

TUESDAY 6 30/90 — Sugar & The Daddies, 6 pm; Higher Heights Reggae, 9 pm APPLE BARREL — Bubbles Brown, 6 pm; Jackson’s Flying Circus, 10 pm BACCHANAL — Tangiers Combo, 6 pm BAMBOULA’S — “Lawdy Lawdy Caitie B. Turns 40” Birthday Bash, 9 pm BUFFA’S — Alex McMurray, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — The Super-MostFantastic-Blues-N-Such Jam, 7 pm CAROUSEL BAR — Naomie April, 8 pm

CHICKIE WAH WAH — Chris Smither, 9 pm DOS JEFES —Kris Tokarski, 8:30 pm FRITZEL’S JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 1 pm; Colin Myers Orchestra, 5 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band with Jamil Sharif, 8 pm GASA GASA — Miss B. Haven, 9:30 pm JOY THEATER — Mike Campbell & the Dirty Knobs, 8 pm MAHOGANY JAZZ HALL — Victor Campbell, 6 pm; Joe Lastie’s New Orleans Sound, 8 pm THE MAISON — Jacky Blaire & the Hot Biscuits, 5 pm; Paradise Jazz Band, 8 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — Very Good Tuesday, 8 pm OKAY BAR — Big Easy Stompers Line Dancing & Lessons, 8 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Rebirth Brass Band + Mardi Gras Indians, 10 pm REPUBLIC NEW ORLEANS — Akeem Ali, 8 pm SALON SALON — Or Shovaly Plus, 7 pm SATURN BAR — Gold Connections + Josiah Day + Aubrey Jane, 9 pm SPOTTED CAT — Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; Sweetie Pies of New Orleans, 6 pm; Smoking Time Jazz Club, 9:30 pm VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE — Cuttin’ Up with Lil Prince & the Youngbloods, 10 pm

WEDNESDAY 7 30/90 — Josh Benitez Band, 6 pm; The Budz, 9 pm APPLE BARREL — Hobo Gadget, 6 pm; Gale Robertson Blues Band, 10 pm

BACCHANAL — Jesse Morrow, 6 pm BAYOU BAR — Firm Roots, 8 pm; 10 pm BLUE NILE — Kota Dosa, 9 pm CAFÉ ISTANBUL — Songs For The People with Lisa Mae O’Neill, Burris, Skye Jackson & Sariyah Idan, 8 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Jam-ilton, 7:30 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — S.G. Goodman with Thomas Dollbaum, 9 pm DOS JEFES — Z2, 8:30 pm FRITZEL’S JAZZ CLUB — Richard “Piano” Scott, 1 pm; Fritzel’s All Star Band with Kevin Ray Clark, 8 pm GASA GASA — Vincent Neil Emerson with Hayden Redwine, 8 pm HOLY DIVER — The Amazing Henrietta, 8 pm JAZZ PLAYHOUSE — Funkin’ It Up with Big Sam, 3 pm; 7:30 pm MARGARET PLACE HOTEL — MASNO Presents Bachtober Fest ft. The Electric Yat Quartet with André Bohren, 6 pm THE MAISON — Gene’s Music Machine, 6 pm PAULIE’S — PUPS Jam, 8 pm REPUBLIC NEW ORLEANS — Xavier Wulf, 8 pm SANTOS BAR — Chambre Noir with Paco, 10 pm SATURN BAR — Thelonious Monk Birthday Tribute with BC Coogan, 8 pm; 10 pm SIBERIA — Teddy & the Rough Riders, 9 pm SPOTTED CAT — Chris Christy Band, 2 pm; Shotgun Jazz Band, 6 pm; Marty Peters & The Party Meters, 9:30 pm

Bouffant Bouffant plays Saturn Bar Friday, Oct. 9 at 10 p.m. PHOTO BY MADDIE SPINNER GAMBIT

ST. ROCH TAVERN — Toxic Flood Waters CD Release + Slick Skillet Serenaders + The Broad Street Misdemeanors, 9 pm VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE — Robin Rapuzzi’s Glo Worm Trio, 8:30 pm

THURSDAY 8 30/90 — The Dapper Dandies, 6 pm; Deltaphonic, 9 pm APPLE BARREL — Bubbles Brown, 6 pm; Johnny B, 9 pm BACCHANAL — Raphael Bas, 6 pm BEANLANDIA — Swing Night with James McClaskey & The Rhythm Band, 7 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Hanoun Brass Band + Blow Gun, 9 pm BLUE NILE — Irvin Mayfield’s Music Church, 9 pm; DJ T-Roy (upstairs), 10 pm BROADSIDE — Juke Joint Showcase, 8 pm BUFFA’S — Tom McDermott & Aurora Nealand, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Gabe Stillman Band, 8 pm; Gumbo Funk, 10 pm CAROUSEL BAR — Leslie Martin, 5:30 pm; Lena Prima & Her Band, 9 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — Joshua Ray Walker + Cecilia Castleman, 9 pm DOS JEFES — Mr. Kohl, 8:30 pm DOUBLE DEALER — Izzy Chase, 9 pm PAGE 39

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PAGE 37

THE FILLMORE — Amyl & The Sniffers, 7 pm GASA GASA — Sophie Hunter STEREOSCOPE The Tour, 7 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULE — Blue Tang People’s Vinyl Release Party, 11 pm MAPLE LEAF BAR — Booker & Beyond: Shea Siraj, 8 pm MARIGNY OPERA HOUSE — The Joshua Constantine Quartet, 7 pm OKAY BAR — New Fools + Oh Dang + Swarm Comp, 8 pm ORPHEUM THEATRE — Concierto en Tango with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, 7:30 pm PEACOCK ROOM — Da Lovebirds: Robin Barnes & Pat Casey, 8 pm SALON SALON — Victoria Doutón, 7 pm SATURN BAR — Static Static + Friendly Spectres + Drugstore Lipstick, 9 pm SIBERIA — Xasthur + Temple of The Fuzz Witch + Slowhole, 9 pm THREE MUSES — Kyle Sharamitaro, 7 pm VAUGHAN’S LOUNGE — Corey Henry & The Treme Funktet, 10 pm

FRIDAY 9 30/90 — The New Orleans Johnnys, 8 pm ANNA’S — The Upstairs Tee Na Na Nay with DJs Lady Li, Karo & Rey Roge, 9 pm BACCHANAL — David Sigler, 1 pm; Willie Green, 7 pm BANKS STREET BAR — Honest Man Happy Hour with Domenic Fusca, 4 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — Gabrielle Cavassa, 9 pm THE BLUE CRAWFISH — Free Agents Brass Band, 6:30 pm BLUE NILE — Kermit Ruffins & the BBQ Swingers, 10 pm BROADSIDE — Prine Time: A John Prine Birthday Celebration, 8 pm BROTHERS THREE LOUNGE — Brother Tyrone & The Mindbenders with Special Guests, 9:30 pm BUFFA’S — T Marie Trio, Stories & Songs, 8 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Jamey St. Pierre & THC, 6:30 pm; Higher Heights Reggae, 10 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — Layla Musselwhite, 9:30 pm COMMON HOUSE — Or Shovaly Plus, 7 pm DBA — Michael Watson & The Alchemy, 6 pm; The Soul Rebels, 10 pm DOUBLE DEALER — The Satin Strings, 9:30 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — Owen Finley Electric String Band Club, 11 pm THE MAISON — The Feral House Cats, 8 pm OKAY BAR — Sky Choice + Mars & Other Planets + Josephine Alphanzo, 8 pm

Big Sam plays the Jazz Playhouse Wednesday, Oct. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

ORPHEUM THEATER — Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra with Tank & The Bangas and Dawn Richard, 7:30 pm THE RABBIT HOLE — Hex & The City ft. DJs 504Icygrl, Kota Dosa, Big Red & More!, 11 pm THE SAINT — Free Swim with S.K.B. & YRSTRLY, 11 pm SANTOS BAR — Resurrection Goth Night with DJs Mange, EveHill & Kacey Chaos, 10 pm SATURN BAR — Bouffant Bouffant’s Homo Cosmic Cajun Discotheque, 10 pm SIBERIA — Club Slayyy- Slayyyter & Charlie XCX Dance Party, 10 pm THREE MARIES — Gumbo Funk, 6 pm; Anaïs St. John, 9 pm TIPITINA’S — Keller & The Keels, 9 pm TRUE SOUTH — Father Ron, 6 pm

SATURDAY 10 BACCHANAL — Nahum Zdybel, 1 pm; Miles Berry, 7 pm BANKS STREET BAR — The Brewing Means, 9 pm BJ’S LOUNGE — BBQ Blues Fest Afterparty with Kenny Brown + Leopard Hounds + Ryan Lee Crosby, 8 pm BLUE NILE — The Caesar Brothers’ FunkBox, 8 pm; Afrobeat NOLA, 10 pm BROADSIDE — Where Y’acht presents You Should Be Dancin’: A Tribute

to ABBA & BeeGees ft. Electric Yat Quartet, 8 pm CHAMPION SQUARE — The Haley Williams Show with Magdalena Bay & Rico Nasty, 7 pm CHICKIE WAH WAH — Papa Mali & Friends, 10:30 pm DOUBLE DEALER — The Slick Skillet Serenaders, 9:30 pm GASA GASA — LAUNDRY DAY + Illusion Hills, 8 pm KERMIT’S TREMÉ MOTHER-IN-LAW LOUNGE — Kermit Ruffins & The BBQ Swingers, 6 pm LE BON TEMPS ROULÉ — Jackson’s Flying Circus, 11 pm REPUBLIC NEW ORLEANS — Emo Night ft. DJs SUPERBLOOM, Dan the Lion, Lafourch & SNAXX, 11 pm SAENGER THEATRE — Parcels, 8 pm SATURN BAR — Mod Dance Party, 9 pm SIBERIA — Toth + Anna Moss + William Alexander, 9 pm THREE MARIES — Chloé Marie, 6 pm TIPITINA’S — Johnny Sketch & The Dirty Notes, 9 pm

PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER / THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

APPLE BARREL — Shwag, 6 pm; Steve Mignano, 10 pm BACCHANAL — Christien Bold, 1 pm; Noah Young, 7 pm BROADSIDE — Alune Wade: A Family Affair + Max Moran’s Bridge Trio, 7 pm THE BROAD THEATER — Sassyfras Documentary + Live Performance, 7 pm CAFÉ NEGRIL — Sugar & The Daddies, 1 pm; John Lisi & The Delta Funk, 5 pm; Ashley Paige and The Soulcial Club, 9 pm GASA GASA — Evanora Unlimited, 7 pm HOWLIN’ WOLF — Hot 8 Brass Band, 10:30 pm OKAY BAR — Irish Folk Jam hosted by “Buds Rip,” 4 pm; A1 Jesus + Grace Sarre + Saucy Momma + Not Scared To Cry, 9 pm SATURN BAR — Panasoul and De Los Proyectos, 9 pm SIBERIA — Brody Price + Pope + Maddy Kirgo, 9 pm TIPITINA’S — The California Honeydrop + Jontavious Willis, 8 pm

SUNDAY 11 30/90 — The Andre Lovett Band, 3 pm; Manic Mixtape, 9 pm ALLWAYS LOUNGE — Sunday Swing with Betsy Propane & the Accessories, 8 pm

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GOING OUT

Tokyo drift by Will Coviello

WHEN HE WAS STUDYING MUSIC IN TOKYO, Satoru

2026 Fall

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Ohashi got to play with visiting jazz artists including Hannibal Lokumbe, Richard Davis, John Hicks, a pianist for Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and more. When Ohashi visited New Orleans for the first time, he brought his trumpet to play on Bourbon Street, and Anthony “Tuba Fats” Lacen saw him and invited him to play with his group. For most of the years since, Ohashi has lived and played at least half of the time in New Orleans, including writing songs for and recording with the New Orleans Nightcrawlers and becoming a member of the late Walter “Wolfman” Washington’s Roadmasters. This week, he’s leading a band at Japan Fest, which takes place Saturday, Oct. 10, at the New Orleans Museum of Art and Sydney and Walda Bestoff Sculpture Garden. There are performances and demonstrations of taiko drumming, martial arts, a J-Pop showcase, tea ceremonies and more. The annual event is organized by NOMA, the Japan Club of New Orleans and the Consulate General of Japan in Nashville. Ohashi’s father taught classical music, but in college, Ohashi started playing in a big band and focusing on jazz. Eventually, that brought him to the Berklee College of Music and then jazz studies at the then University of New Orleans and The Juilliard School in New York. But he loved the street sounds of brass bands and jazz. At his show at noon inside NOMA’s Lapis Center, he’ll play traditional jazz, as well as some jazz arrangements of enka, a genre of Japanese folk music, and more. Other musical performances include taiko drumming, in which musicians play large, barrel-sized drums. Kaminari Taiko of Houston performs on the steps of the museum at 3:30 p.m., and there’s a taiko workshop with New Orleans Taiko at 2:15 p.m. There’s also a showcase of J-Pop presented by Candy Mix Maids, a local group of J-Pop enthusiasts who often dress in candy-themes and perform to classic J-Pop songs with choreographed dancing and more. They have performed at comic con-type events and past Japan Fests. They encourage

PROVIDED PHOTO BY KATIE LAROCCA

audiences to respond with certain chants and light sticks indicating favorite costumes and more. At 3:15 p.m., they’ll present their Kaigai Idol show, a term indicating foreigners who appreciate Japanese culture. Ash Alonzo is organizing both the Lolita Fashion Show and the cosplay contest. Lolita fashion is the term Japanese women chose for some very feminine styles, and that’s not because of the Vladimir Nabokov novel. Alonzo’s group, the New Orleans Ruffle Butts, uses the term Elegant Gothic Lolita (EGL) to describe the mix of frilly Victorian details, ruffles, lace and more. Anyone can participate in the fashion show by signing up at the Ruffle Butts’ table in the sculpture garden. The show is at 2 p.m. on the museum steps, and it is open to Japanese styles including lolita, decora, menhera, jirai kei, kimono and more. Fashion is not the same as cosplay costuming, but Alonzo is running that event as well. There are categories for kids and adults, and anime and video game characters are welcome. Sign-up is at the Ruffle Butts table, and the contest follows the fashion show. Festival attendees can try on samurai suits, and there are workshops on the game go, Japanese language lessons and more. There also are museum tours, including of the just opened exhibit “Second Nature: Japanese Rinpa Paintings from the Gitter-Yelen Collection.” Various groups will have tables set up in the sculpture garden, and there is a market with Japanese food, crafts and more. Japan Fest is 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10. Visit noma.org for schedule and details. Admission is $10, $5 for NOMA members.

STAGE

MOST INTERESTING MAN.

by Will Coviello

WHEN KING TUT’S TOMB WAS DISCOVERED in 1922,

it revealed vast riches in a previously undisturbed burial chamber. The world was captivated by the ancient vault, and also mystified as many people associated with the expedition died soon after, including a scientist who handled the mummy. Those deaths became the latest “evidence” that a curse would fall upon anyone defiling the graves of the pharaohs. That, in turn, became a font of horror tales and later movies, including “The Mummy’s Curse,” which was set in the Louisiana swamps. Now the NOLA Project is unearthing an original mummy horror story. “The Curse of the Mummy” comes to Greenway Station on the Lafitte Greenway on Oct. 8-24. The story is set just over a century ago, as competing expeditions race to find a buried mummy, but it’s also a modern tale. “There was an obsession in a lot of Western pop culture as soon as we were opening tombs and feeling a sense of manifest destiny in this space,” says Peter McElligott, a longtime NOLA Project member who wrote the script. “Curse of the Mummy” is the latest original adaption of a classic horror story by the local company. Its recent Halloween-time offerings included a comic version of the Frankenstein tale and “Dracula” as a romantic comedy. “Curse of the Mummy” is a madcap mix of boisterous adventure, comedy and monster mashup. It’s also full of modern sensibilities, and some of the content is for mature audiences. In this story, raiding Egyptian tombs is not easy work. There are many casualties in the search for this mummy, and the Frenchman Jean-Pierre Pierre-Jean’s efforts have met a catastrophic end and the loss of much of his crew. A couple of American explorers, however, are undeterred, and they have their own motives. Emilia Loudon is one of the fearless adventurers. She’s not an archeologist but an inventor. She’s trying to build an electrical grid to power a city, following in the matriarchal line of her striving mother and grandmothers. She hopes to use technology to build a new world and put her family name on progress.

WIN

THE MOS ST T T INTERESTING PROVIDED PHOTO BY JILLIAN DESIRÉE OLIVERAS MALDONADO

She thinks the mysteries of the ancient tombs will help her unlock useful powers. It’s not a far-fetched idea, either. There has long been speculation, maybe more conspiracy theory than not, that Egyptian hieroglyphs refer to electricity, which McElligott alludes to in the show. Emilia’s rival is one of the era’s foremost inventors, Thomas Edison, creator of the lightbulb, phonograph and early moving pictures. This Edison is a hilariously egotistical and driven figure. He’s also crafty and devious. He hires a spy to infiltrate Emilia’s expedition. The expedition team is a colorful mix of oddball characters. Some of them also want to find the mummy, but all are smitten by Emilia. They board a ship, and a wild journey begins, as they find the mummy’s tomb and calamities descend on the mission. The ship’s crew is a clownish and superstitious bunch. They’re very concerned that having “ladies” on board is a bad omen for sea voyages, and they’re far more superstitious than observant. The journey also nods to the NOLA Project’s past horror tales. Leslie Claverie directs Khiry Armstead, Emily Bagwill, Natalie Boyd, Arrianna Chai, Keith Claverie, PJ Ruffins, Matthew Thompson and Alex Martinez Wallace. The show is outdoors at Greenway Station. Attendees can bring their own chairs. There will be a bar offering drinks and snacks. McElligott has written several scripts for the NOLA Project, including the horror stories and adaptations of “Don Quixote” and “The Three Musketeers.” He lives in New York and is the founder of Ten Bones Theater. General admission is $25, and $60 premier tickets include seating, via nolaproject.com.

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33 Avian symbol of Central America 37 BLT spread 38 Filmmaker -- B. DeMille 40 Feel crummy 41 Raw metals 43 Unit of information in some superfast computers 47 Super-harsh 50 Immoral deed 53 Kind of PC port 54 MIT business school 55 White cheese popular in Latin America 57 Archipelago unit: Abbr. 58 “E pluribus --” 59 -- -frutti

60 Smooth transitions 61 Mao -- -tung 62 -- Vegas 63 Hit the slopes 64 Suffix with opal 66 Toe the line 67 Like a circular-reasoning logical fallacy 72 Popular sauce brand 75 Era upon era 76 Ill-bred guy 77 Prez between WJC and BHO 78 It includes the folks and sibs 81 Narcissistic sort 84 Hold off on 86 Golfer -- Aoki

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79 “Relax, GI!” 80 S&P competitor 82 Grassy turfs 83 Hussein adviser Aziz 85 Go by plane 86 Roman “3” 89 Boyfriend 90 Hip-hopper’s headwear 94 “-- Sera, Sera” 95 Correct 96 Slumbering 97 Costello’s comic partner 99 Cooked on a grill, for short 100 Get together with alumni 101 Advil rival 103 “It --” (identifying reply) 104 Divisions of some leagues 105 Western lake 106 Chef’s tall hat 107 Applied grease to, for short 108 Combs of the old Yankees 111 Writers Rule and Radcliffe 114 French city on the Orne 116 “-- gather!” 117 X Games racing vehicle 118 Opposite of neg. 120 Once surnamed 121 Liquidy gunk

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