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Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola, running to unseat Sen. Dan Sullivan in one of the midterms' most closely watched Senate races, is facing scrutiny after a New York Times investigation detailed a pattern of volatile behavior toward staff dating back to her time in the U.S. House. Nine former aides told the Times that Peltola directed profane outbursts at staff, including one incident in which she reportedly shoved a male aide on his chest, and that she used slurs, including an offensive term for gay people and "retard," on multiple occasions, allegations her campaign has denied or disputed while acknowledging some language. Aides also described her disparaging Planned Parenthood in a text message during a 2024 vote dispute, and some recounted being asked to feed her family's pet chameleon while she traveled.

The report says low morale culminated in a major campaign shake-up in August, just before Alaska's top-four primary, in which her campaign manager was fired and her chief of staff demoted, with two longtime political contractors also reassigned or dismissed. Peltola's campaign attributed any behavioral lapses to grief following the deaths of her mother and husband in 2023, denying claims of mistreatment. Peltola finished first in the August primary, keeping Alaska's Senate race, complicated by ranked-choice voting and other candidates on the ballot, among the contests likely to determine Senate control.

New Orleans officials are considering a new fee structure for Mardi Gras parade krewes as the city grapples with a budget deficit. Under the proposal, krewes would pay $5,000, $7,500 or $10,000 per parade depending on size, starting in 2027, replacing the current range of $750 to $1,500. The change would generate roughly $265,000 in new revenue, or about $6.64 per rider, according to city estimates.

Mayor Helena Moreno's administration says the fee increase addresses a gap between what the city spends on Carnival and what it recoups in tax revenue. A 2024 Tulane study found the city's tax take from Mardi Gras is split among multiple agencies, leaving a $3.75 million shortfall in 2023 despite the event's large economic footprint. City leaders liken the situation to lessons learned from Taylor Swift's "Eras Tour." The new tiered plan replaces earlier proposals for per-rider and per-float fees that drew pushback from the community. The measure goes before the full City Council on September 3.