Latest news with #AxiosNewOrleans
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Officials brace for hurricane season ahead of 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina — here's how they're preparing
City leaders in New Orleans are prepared for the 2025 hurricane season, which has officially begun. They said they have learned their lessons from Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago, as well as other extreme storms, and have new and improved disaster preparedness measures in place. As Axios New Orleans reported, New Orleans officials are ready to promptly open shelters and cooling centers for residents to handle extreme summer heat. These efforts can help people avoid suffering from heat-related conditions following power outages and blackouts that can take out residential air conditioning systems. New Orleans now has solar-powered "community lighthouses" at churches and community centers to address fragile grid issues. Meanwhile, the city has strengthened levees and the power grid while improving storm forecasting and communication with and among residents. However, officials still emphasized the need for individuals and families to take disaster preparedness into their own hands and build their own resilience when strong storms hit. Human-induced climate change intensifies and escalates extreme weather events like hurricanes. Storms are becoming more powerful than ever before, posing increased risks to New Orleans and other vulnerable coastal communities. It is encouraging to hear that New Orleans has taken additional precautionary measures to prepare for storms. However, there are also concerns and uncertainties about the future of the national FEMA disaster response under the Trump administration. Although the National Hurricane Center noted in its first daily tropical outlook of the season on May 15 that all was quiet, as Axios shared, the most active hurricane period in the Gulf is typically in August and September. City disaster preparedness actions are undoubtedly helpful, but they might not be enough to keep you and your family safe during an extreme storm. Creating your own personal emergency plan and discussing it with your family members, friends, and neighbors is critical. What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Move somewhere else Reinforce my home Nothing This is happening already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. One thing you can do in advance to boost your storm resilience is to install solar panels. If you generate your own energy rather than relying on the grid, you can keep your appliances and cooling system on to remain safe and healthy during a blackout. EnergySage makes saving up to $10,000 on solar installation costs easy with its free tool to compare quotes from vetted local installers. Due to the upfront costs required, purchasing solar panels isn't a feasible option for everyone. To reduce your initial investment, consider leasing solar panels. If panels are connected to the grid without a battery system or grid disconnection switch, you will generally lose power if the grid goes out, but they still offer plenty of benefits. Beyond being better for the environment than relying on dirty fuels, they can help protect homeowners from fluctuating electricity prices. Palmetto's LightReach solar panel leasing program helps homeowners install panels for no money down while locking in low energy rates. Meanwhile, weatherizing your home makes it more capable of withstanding dangerous conditions. Hurricane prep, such as packing a go-bag, stocking up on non-perishable food, and keeping a supply of fresh water, is also important, while evacuation orders must be followed. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Axios
11-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Bullet's Sports Bar owner looking to sell
One of New Orleans' most beloved 7th Ward bars is on the market. Why it matters: Bullet's Sports Bar has been a cornerstone of New Orleans drinking, second-lines and live music for three decades. What he says: "This industry is gone," Rollins "Bullet" Garcia Sr. tells Axios New Orleans. "The young people don't want this." But, he says, "my son is mad because I promised him this place. But why would I give him something where I don't see a future?" Zoom in: Garcia is looking to sell the business as well as the A.P. Tureaud Avenue building that's been its home since 2020. The intrigue: The decision to sell, however, endangers another example of what New Orleans artist and photographer L. Kasimu Harris calls " Vanishing Black Bars." Harris first started documenting Black-owned bars in 2018, and his photography of the community, camaraderie and culture that New Orleans' editions offer has landed his work in museums around the country. He first wrote about it for The New York Times in 2020. "I think a lot of people are unaware and taking it for granted" how much these establishments mean to the city, Harris says. "These places are closing. … But it's not all lost." Fun fact: Bullet's is one of the city's remaining bars where you can order a set-up — a classic Black bar order where the bartender gives you a cup of ice, a pint of liquor and a cup of your favorite mixer. That, too, is becoming less popular, Garcia says, but his back-bar is still stocked with hundreds of palm-sized bottles of tequila, vodka, whiskey and gin. The order's origin is hard to pin down, but it's a win-win for customers (who can easily pace their drinking) and bartenders (who don't have to pour drinks for the same person over and over). A set-up, Harris says "says I'mma be here for while." "You order a set-up, you're truly lounging," Harris says. The fact is, Garcia says, the neighborhood around Bullet's has changed a lot since he first got into business, which has made it harder to keep things going. Post-Katrina gentrification is a big part of that. "When I first got in, in this area here, we had a lot of customers that were craftsmen, carpenters, bricklayers, plasterers," Garcia says. Many of them have, over the years, been memorialized on a poster near the door that honors customers who have died. What's next: There's no exact timeline for the sale as Garcia looks for a buyer, he says, who can do right by the business and the people who have supported it for so long.
Axios
09-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Michelin Guide will reveal South region winners this November
The Michelin Guide will host the inaugural American South Ceremony on Nov. 3 in Greenville, S.C. Why it matters: Michelin Guide Inspectors have been scoping out restaurants in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, which encompass the Guide's first new regional selection since its North American debut in 2005. Driving the news: The ceremony will reveal which restaurants in the South region will receive Michelin stars and other top honors from The Michelin Guide. It will take place at the Peace Center in downtown Greenville and it's invite-only. What they're saying:"South Carolina is home to southern staples, fresh seafood and a homegrown culinary community full of passion and innovation, making it the perfect place to celebrate the region's culinary talents," said Gwendal Poullennec, International Director of the Michelin Guide. "Our anonymous Inspectors look forward to finally sharing their discoveries with the world," she added. The big picture: A Michelin star is one of the culinary world's top honors, and state tourism boards paid top dollar to bring the Guides to the South. Cities and states across the South will collectively contribute $1.65 million per year under a three-year contract to bring the Michelin Guide to the region, according to records obtained by Axios New Orleans. Zoom in: North Carolina tourism offices will pay $345,000 annually over multiple years for the chance to be included in the Michelin Guide's expansion into the South, Axios' Alex Sands previously reported. What's next: During the Nov. 3 ceremony, Michelin Guide will honor restaurants with one, two and three Michelin Stars, which identifies "establishments serving exceptional cuisine that's rich in flavor, remarkably executed and infused with the personality of a talented chef," according to their guidelines. Some restaurants will receive a Bib Gourmand, which is a "designation given to select restaurants that offer good quality food for a good value." Others will receive the Michelin Green Star, which "honors restaurants that are pioneers in sustainable gastronomy."
Axios
30-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Trump's student visa pause threatens restaurant staffing
Since reopening in 2014, Brennan's Restaurant in the French Quarter has struggled to stay fully staffed — but general manager Christian Pendleton says they've gotten closer in recent years thanks to overseas recruiting. Why it matters: Now, that's in jeopardy as the Trump administration cracks down on the student visas that Brennan's and others in the hospitality industry use to fill their ranks. Catch up quick: Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a directive this week ordering U.S. embassies to pause student visa applications, Axios' Jason Lalljee reports. The Trump administration is also considering requiring a review of visa applicants' social media. State of play: At Brennan's, which needs about 250 people to operate, the restaurant hires staff as interns through culinary and hospitality schools in the students' home countries. Once here, they work through a yearlong track either in front-of-house hospitality or in the kitchen, owner Ralph Brennan tells Axios New Orleans. The students, Brennan said, earn the same wages and benefits as their local counterparts. How it works: The visas that interns for Brennan's and other hospitality industry employers use fall under the J-1 category, which is impacted by the pause. F-1 visas are for those enrolled in academic programs, such as at colleges and universities, and J-1 visas are for those enrolled in specific educational exchange programs. What they're saying:"We were worried about places that could take students just to use them as cheap labor, but we don't feel that way," said Princes Arevalo, a previous Brennan's exchange staffer, in a 2016 conversation with The Times-Picayune's Ian McNulty. "We feel lucky to be here, because they have a program and a plan for us." Brennan declined to connect Axios New Orleans with a current student out of concern for their visa status. Flashback: Soon after the restaurant's 2014 reopening, Pendleton went to Brennan with an idea to explore hiring students from overseas. "Ralph was apprehensive," Pendleton said during a media event this week. "He wanted Americans to have these jobs, especially New Orleanians." But, eventually, as hiring remained difficult, Brennan relented, telling him to "give it a shot," Pendleton recalled. Pendleton hit the road to interview students interested in learning high-end hospitality in the Southern U.S. He has since made near-annual recruiting trips. The first group of students came from the Philippines. Soon enough, others followed from Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and South Africa, especially. "The first year … we interviewed like 600 kids," Pendleton said, noting that the hiring source has been especially valuable since the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, the interns have become a unique part of Brennan's staff as they experience life in New Orleans and exchange cultural experiences — especially food — with their new colleagues. By the numbers: Today, about 10% of Brennan's staff are J-1 visa holders, Brennan says, which is the most the government allows. If their ability to continue the program disappears, Brennan says, "it will have an impact." "It won't be crushing," he clarifies, "but I hope it doesn't [disappear] because it's been a very successful program for us." What we're watching: It's not clear when the Trump administration will lift its pause on visa application interviews. "I don't know what [the post-pause] process will be, but we've had no trouble with any of these individuals because they're here to learn," Brennan said. "They ask a lot of questions, they work really hard, they want to learn and take their skills back to their home country."
Axios
21-05-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: With Michelin's Southern expansion, tourism boards made restaurant recommendations
Cities and states across the South will collectively pitch in $1.65 million a year in a three-year contract bringing the Michelin Guide to the region, according to records obtained by Axios New Orleans. Why it matters: The agreements shed light on what it took for the prestigious travel adviser to consider expanding, as well as what kind of influence the state marketing agencies have over which restaurants Michelin might consider for recognition. The big picture: Michelin's expansion into the U.S. has come about as tourism agencies are coughing up cash for the honor of being considered among the food world's best and brightest, the New York Times reported in 2023. Some agencies have seen the value in it, such as with Michelin's expansion last year into Texas, which Eater reported came at a cost of $2.7 million over three years. But others have declined the expense. Virginia, for example, said no to being part of the American South expansion, Axios' Karri Peifer reports, citing the cost. Zoom in: Michelin's $1.65 million entrance into the South includes $350,000 per year from Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, and $125,000 annually from Mississippi and Alabama, according to the documents, which Axios New Orleans received after a public records request through the Louisiana Office of Tourism. Louisiana's first payment was due April 1, according to an agreement in the documents. The three-year contract between the tourism office and Travel Southruns through 2028. Michelin also shared a slide deck with participants warning about "sticky" questions they may receive, reminding them not to share financial details with the public. "Prohibited," one chart reads: "Any specific budget breakdown by activity. On the other hand, you can reveal what this partnership will achieve globally and objectives of your organization." Multiple references are also made to NDAs for those involved. Behind the scenes: The terms of the deal required a route through Travel South USA, a regional marketing agency, which contracted with Michelin. Then, Travel South USA subcontracted with agencies across each of the states, including city partners, to pool the funds. The documents include emails exchanged between Michelin staffers and tourism officials across the involved states. Some make reference to the push and pull among tourism agencies. "A few states are concerned they wouldn't get any recognition and are reluctant to commit," writes Travel South USA CEO Liz Bittner in one thread. "Atlanta likes being alone in the South – and mentioned that they don't think Michelin doesn't (sic) have enough inspectors to cover the entire region – that being said – (Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau president) William Pate also recognizes that this is probably going to happen – so he is willing to find a win-win." Full state buy-in was required, the emails show, because Michelin would no longer consider single-city expansion, as it did for Atlanta. The intrigue: The process for restaurants to obtain Michelin stars is a closely guarded secret, but one email references how tourism agencies can offer a bit of an edge. In preparing for the initial announcement about Michelin heading to the South, Bittner held a meeting with state representatives. That meeting's agenda included discussion of a "requested list of restaurants for consideration," which was due Feb. 14, about a month and a half before the announcement. "As you put the lists for consideration together," Bittner directed in a follow-up, "think about quality over quantity … beyond the white tablecloth … awarded chefs such as Top 50 lists or James Beard or local awards … Rising chefs with profile in the community (and) chefs/restaurants that highlight the local agriculture, farming or sustainable seafood production." In a statement Tuesday, Bittner said, the tourism agencies "have no control over the content of the selection or its recommendations. In fact, we all learn of the selected restaurants at the same time as the media and chefs – at the Michelin Guide Ceremony. There is no preferential treatment or guarantees given to the (destination marketing organization) in the partnership." In one slide deck image, which a Michelin staffer seems hesitant to use in presentations to state representatives, a map shows states across the South in varying shades of blue. The colors emphasize each state's "culinary maturity," a key standard for determining whether the guide enters a market, the New York Times has reported. Notably, Georgia remains a lighter shade of blue than Louisiana. Michelin entered the Atlanta market in 2023.
