AND THE WINNER IS ... The on-again, off-again effort to redevelop the former Six Flags amusement park site in New Orleans East has found a champion, and it's local businessman Troy Henry. A development group led by Henry was after the competing bidder — a team that included former Saints quarterback Drew Brees — withdrew as the community lined up behind Henry's group. You can see what the plans look like here.
THE GREAT OUTDOORS: One of the adaptations the coronavirus pandemic forced on everyday life in New Orleans was the shift to outdoor dining, as sidewalks and parking lots became home for the tables and chairs necessary to keep local restaurants afloat. Now that owners and patrons have gotten used to the change, it is likely here to stay.
IN THE BLACK:After years of struggling with billion-dollar shortfalls, the state has found itself in the rather unique position of having a surplus as the budget year begins. Our Capitol Bureau's Mark Ballard has a look and what's behind the change in fortune and what happens next.
Thanks for starting your day with us on The Front Page and at Nola.com.
Along the run of small strip mall storefronts on busy Earhart Boulevard, Nice Guys Bar & Grill has added something different: an outdoor oasis where the aroma of charred oysters wafts from the grill and people gather over plates of praline chicken wings and crawfish hot sausage quesadillas. Read more