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News

Timely coverage of the people, policies, and events shaping New Orleans and Louisiana. This category delivers clear, factual reporting that keeps readers informed about local government, community issues, and stories that matter most to everyday residents.

Lycée Français de la Nouvelle Orléans faces budget deficit and plummeting enrollment amid turmoil

Despite its “A” rating, the French immersion school has been battling an exodus of students and teachers, and ticking off parents, for several years. Parents say it’s because of the administration.
by Vivi Smilgius October 28, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026

New Orleans rapper Lil Real One suffers fatal stabbing while shackled at Angola prison, family says

Brandon Guidry, known as Lil Real One, was handcuffed and shackled when another incarcerated man stabbed him, according to family members, who have not yet heard from prison officials.
by Lens staff October 25, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026
Davis smiles broadly with his hands clasped in front of him, wearing a black polo shirt bearing his campaign logo, “Jamie Davis for U.S. Senate.” Photographed against a plain, light-colored background, the portrait captures the candidate in a relaxed and approachable pose.

Jamie Davis trims Julia Letlow’s lead in Senate race

Davis is closing the gap as he bids to be Louisiana’s first Black U.S. Senator since Reconstruction, leaving Letlow without the sure victory Republicans had hoped for. ‘This is not going to be a slam dunk,’ a pollster warns.
by Danny Cherry Jr. October 23, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026

With a lifelong New Orleanian at its helm, the district’s attendance office chips away at students missing days — but there’s still work to be done

Lerone Crayton, whose aim is to improve attendance in a district where a third of students are chronically absent, says that he is a “living example” of the importance of attending school every day. (Photo by Gus Bennett / The Lens)
by Vivi Smilgius October 21, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026

No justice for New Orleans teens killed in occupied West Bank

Deep ties connect New Orleans to a cluster of West Bank villages where several Palestinian-Americans have been killed. To date, Israeli prosecutors have not even released the shooters’ names.
by Delaney Nolan, The Lens (story-photos), with Kathleen Flynn (photos) October 19, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026

Medicaid provider might end its coverage for Ochsner network, affecting 70,000

About 70,000 Louisiana Medicaid patients could lose in-network access to Ochsner Health providers after Dec. 1 as contract negotiations between Ochsner and Louisiana Healthcare Connections remain unresolved.
by Julie O'Donoghue, Louisiana Illuminator October 14, 2026 Updated October 13, 2026

The yellow and turquoise school filling a critical gap for kids with autism in New Orleans

Crescent City Schools' Constellations program fills crucial service gaps in New Orleans’ decentralized school system by offering specialized education for students with cognitive disabilities.
by Vivi Smilgius October 13, 2026 Updated October 29, 2026

Exposure to gun violence can accelerate biological age, study finds

A growing body of work illustrating the effect of gun violence on overall physical health. That matters in Orleans Parish, which has historically ranked among the worst in the nation for per-capita gun violence.
by Fairriona Magee, The Trace October 12, 2026 Updated October 11, 2026

‘Lettuce build a better food system’: how New Orleans advocates are fighting food deserts after cyclospora

As a national parasite outbreak leaves New Orleans residents looking for regionally grown produce, corner stores and growers step in to fill healthy food gaps.
by Fallon Brannon October 9, 2026 Updated October 9, 2026
SpaceX reps from L to R: senior manager Ben Lancaster, engineer Mark Soltys, environmental regulatory affairs director Katy Groom, and senior manager Owen McDonough (Gus Bennett)

From ‘pinky promises’ to reality: SpaceX admits 30 launches a day will block local access

In tense meeting, SpaceX managers told locals the massive spaceport won’t affect them at all, until locals pressed them for specifics
by Delaney Nolan October 8, 2026 Updated October 9, 2026

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The Lens fights to reveal and report on issues that impact the community and the region. Staunchly defending the public's right to know and deeply committed to sharing our knowledge with the community at large. We center human impact in all our work.
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