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It is a weekend for Jazz harp. The New Orleans Chapter of the American Harp Society is hosting its first Jazz and Pop harp weekend at the University of New Orleans, helping students from around the country improve their Jazz harp skills.  Professional members of the local harp society and guest artists will perform in two public concerts.

Actor Kevin Costner has testified in the trial of a lawsuit in New Orleans that he was heartbroken watching the Gulf oil spill disaster in 2010 and headed to the area with oil cleanup devices to aid the recovery.

Costner testified yesterday in connection with a multimillion-dollar business dispute over the devices involving fellow actor Stephen Baldwin. 

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — After months of delays, the planned demolition of the Pallas Hotel on Canal Street in New Orleans has been set. State contractors are scheduled July 22 to implode the vacant hotel. 

Tulane University has opened a new health center inside the former Ruth’s Chris Steak House on North Broad Street. Up to 1,500 patients can receive care at the center every month — with or without insurance.

The New Orleans Police Department's traffic division will conduct a sobriety checkpoint tonight in the "Uptown area," the department said in a news release.

The checkpoint will begin at approximately 9 p.m., and last until about 5 a.m. Friday morning. In addition to a lack of alcohol, police are advising motorists to have proper documentation if stopped, including proof of insurance and a driver's license.

"I would like to remind all drivers to always drink responsibly and use a designated driver," Police Superintendent Ronal Serpas said in the release.

The Loyola University Alumni Association will honor former voice and French diction teacher Mary Tortorich at a reunion celebration on Loyola’s main campus.

The celebration will begin at 1 p.m. on June 9 at Holy Name of Jesus Church, with a celebratory Mass featuring several of her former students singing in her honor. At 7 p.m. the celebration will continue in Louis J. Roussel Performance Hall, with a gala concert performed by some of her most accomplished singers.

BILOXI, Miss. — The Gulf States Hurricane Conference is under way in Biloxi, Miss., with more than 300 emergency managers and first responders attending from Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama and Texas. The location of the conference rotates among the states. 

BATON ROUGE — The divvying up of the state Republican Party's delegates to the national convention has melted down into a dispute between party leaders lining up behind presumed nominee Mitt Romney and supporters of libertarian Ron Paul.

If the two sides can't work out their differences, national party officials might be called on to decide which delegates from Louisiana can go to Florida in August. 

BATON ROUGE — With the state strapped for cash, Louisiana lawmakers have turned to the state's construction budget for their pet projects.

In coordination with Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration, the House and Senate piled in millions of dollars for local parks, sewage and water projects, economic development initiatives and more — $120 million more than the state can afford to spend on construction projects.

Former State Senator Diana Bajoie is the newest member of the New Orleans City Council. Mayor Mitch Landrieu appointed the longtime legislator to represent District B for the next six months.