New Orleans School Start: Students across the city’s charter network are heading back to class this week, with Abramson Sci Academy welcoming its freshman class Monday and Leah Chase School starting Friday—amid new grading rules and budget pressure. City Finances: Mayor Helena Moreno’s team is scrambling to avoid a cash crunch, proposing delays to $35M in infrastructure work and tapping emergency and grant reimbursements to cover a $110M gap. Public Safety & Courts: Jefferson Parish’s inspector general alleges the building department accepted reports from unregistered third-party inspectors, citing patterns tied to past falsified inspections and fraud concerns. Health Coverage: New data show ACA marketplace enrollment fell in Louisiana and most states, with effectuation dropping nationally for the first time since 2019. Local Crime/Justice: A federal inmate serving life for kidnapping and murder died at USP Pollock in Louisiana. Community & Education: Louisiana honored educators at the Cecil J. Picard Educator Excellence Awards Gala, including a Zachary-area connection, while Uniforms for Kids nears its final donation deadline in Baton Rouge. Environment & Weather: Humidity and rain chances are returning to the New Orleans area; the Louisiana National Guard also helped place recycled Christmas trees into Lake Pontchartrain marsh restoration.