The Times-Picayune 02-12-2025

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W e d n e s d ay, F e b r u a ry 12, 2025

“I am excited to join the New Orleans Saints and deeply appreciate the faith that Mrs. (Gayle) Benson and the entire Saints organization have placed in me.” KELLEN MOORE, newly hired Saints head coach

Saints hire Moore Philadelphia offensive coordinator considered one of NFL’s brightest young offensive minds

$2.00X

Universities fear cuts to NIH funds Leaders warn critical research could be derailed

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

The presidents of Louisiana’s largest public and private universities this week warned of severe financial deficits that would derail critical research, cost hundreds of jobs, and push top talent out of the state if a proposed cut to federal research funding is allowed to take place. President Donald Trump administration’s plan to slash $4 billion in research support would leave Louisiana institutions scrambling to cover an estimated $28 million funding gap annually, which could devastate projects on cancer, metabolic disorders and environmental toxins. For now, a federal judge has ordered the administration to halt the cuts, which were set to go into effect Monday. “Without sufficient support, lifesaving discoveries will stall, and research institutions across the state and nation will face crippling financial shortfalls,” LSU President William F. Tate IV said in a statement Tuesday. Tulane University President Michael Fitts said the policy change is “of great concern” in a letter to staff on Monday. University officials are contacting congressional leaders and working “around the clock” to assess the impact of the

ä See CUTS, page 6A

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Philadelphia Eagles offensive coordinator Kellen Moore smiles before the start of Super Bowl LIX on Sunday. BY LUKE JOHNSON and MATTHEW PARAS Staff writers

When the New Orleans Saints last changed the trajectory of their franchise, they tabbed a young offensive mind with NFC East roots to lead them out of the cellar. Perhaps they’re trying to rekindle the spark of the Sean Payton era: The Saints officially named Kellen Moore their 12th head coach in franchise history. “I am excited to join the New Or-

leans Saints and deeply appreciate the faith that Mrs. (Gayle) Benson and the entire Saints organization have placed in me,” Moore said in a statement. “I look forward to embracing the challenges ahead and am eager to get started. I would also like to thank the Philadelphia Eagles for an incredible 2024 season. I’m excited to begin this new chapter.” This marks the end of a monthslong search that began when the Saints fired former head coach Dennis Allen on Nov. 4 after the team’s seventh consecutive loss.

New Orleans was the last of seven teams to fill a head coaching vacancy this offseason. The process dragged on for 99 days, as several candidates either accepted another job or withdrew their name from consideration, but within the last few weeks, the Saints zeroed in on Moore as their primary target. “At the start of the interview process, it was important to find a head coach who was the right fit for the New Orleans Saints organization,”

ä See MOORE, page 6A

La. efficiency task force pauses meetings Questions raised about panel’s secret sessions

Steve Orlando, a business owner who chairs the Fiscal Responsibility Program, cited news reports for his decision, writing to legislative leaders on Monday that “the media has attempted BY TYLER BRIDGES to complicate our process by framing Staff writer our informal meetings under public A task force that had begun meeting meetings laws.” Orlando’s letter comes a week after secretly to eliminate wasteful state government spending will temporarily The Times-Picayune | The Advocate suspend its work because of questions first reported that the group had been about whether the group must hold its meeting privately. In a second news story last week, the sessions in public.

WEATHER HIGH 83 LOW 59 PAGE 8B

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Gov. Jeff Landry, right, talks to the media inside the Louisiana Now Pavilion, set up to highlight the Louisiana economy during Super Bowl LIX.

Landry wants changes to draw business Infrastructure oversight, solution to homelessness sought

BY ANTHONY McAULEY

newspaper quoted Gov. Jeff Landry saying the group would keep meeting privately even though experts in this area of state law said the task force is clearly subject to public meetings requirements. Landry created the commission in December through an executive order. It includes eight state legislators and has met twice recently — once at the Governor’s Mansion and once in the

Gov. Jeff Landry made it clear over the past year that he saw hosting the Super Bowl as, above all else, a rare opportunity to sell New Orleans and Louisiana to the world’s top executives as business friendly. With the world’s media attention focused on New Orleans, that meant not only highlighting traditional business topics like tax reform, but also

ä See MEETINGS, page 8A

ä See LANDRY, page 8A

Staff writer

Business ...................12A Commentary ................7B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................8D Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-7D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C

12TH yEAR, NO. 184


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