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In 1980, a 19-year-old Black man was sentenced to life in prison — despite the jury being split along racial lines. “I knew that my voice would not matter,” said one of the only two Black jurors. “I cannot believe that Lloyd Gray is still in prison.” veritenews.org/2025/08/25/l...

Trump education department to divert grants from colleges serving students of color The U.S. Department of Education announced it will withhold $350 million of congressionally approved funds to colleges and universities that serve students of color and divert the funds elsewhere, saying that the…

FEMA staff warns of Katrina-like disaster response under Trump administration FEMA Employees say that the agency’s leaders have compromised its ability to address natural disaster response.

Cardi B to debut at Essence Fest 2026 as first batch of performers announced It will be Cardi B’s first time performing at the festival, according to the event’s organizers.

Veronica Brown Hill demanded equal pay for Black teachers Hill left a legacy of equal pay and union leadership that changed teaching in New Orleans.

Press freedom nonprofit expands legal initiative to Louisiana The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press is adding four new states, including Louisiana and Mississippi, to its local legal initiative, which provides attorneys for journalists to consult.

Valena C. Jones was a Black school facility before its time As plans emerge to repurpose the Valena C. Jones Elementary School building, its history is a reminder of what it once meant to this community.

Appellate court limits options for immigrants to seek release from detention The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals eliminates the pathway to release from detention that freed a Salvadoran man in Jackson Parish Correctional Center in Jonesboro, La. in October 2025.

In Louisiana, Bill Cassidy faces the music for voting to confirm Kennedy and impeach Trump A year after Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, warily cast the vote ensuring Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s ascension to health and human services secretary, his life’s work — in medicine and in politics —…

Redevelopment of historic school, originally opened for Black students and shuttered after Katrina, must include educational component The Orleans Parish School Board wants a developer to take over the Valena C. Jones Elementary building. A legal analysis by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority…

Mocktail Mondays: Succotash NOLA Welcome back to Mocktail Mondays, a series dedicated to taking a break from alcohol with fun, non-alcoholic drink recipes from some of New Orleans’ best restaurants. Dr. Robert Spears Jr., DDS, talks about how alcohol affects teeth and gums (acid wear, dry mouth)…

The N.O. jail’s population limit is 1,250. It was above that throughout last year. New Orleans’ jail population remained well above its legally mandated cap in 2025. Is a recent decline progress—or an outlier?

Federal funding for people in poverty heading to anti-abortion centers instead Louisiana has redirected $12.3 million in TANF funds to crisis pregnancy centers since 2017.