The Acadiana Advocate 03-07-2025

President postpones more tariffs

Trump changes course amid fears of economic fallout

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, JOSH BOAK and ROB GILLIES Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Thursday postponed 25% tariffs on many imports from Mexico and some imports from Canada for a month amid widespread fears of the economic fallout from a broader trade war The

iffs are about stopping the smuggling of fentanyl, but the taxes proposed by Trump have caused a gaping wound in the decades-old North American trade partnership. Trump’s tariff plans have also caused the stock market to sink and alarmed U.S. consumers. In addition to his claims about fentanyl, Trump has insisted that the tariffs could be resolved by fixing the trade deficit and he empha-

sized while speaking in the Oval Office that he still plans to impose “reciprocal” tariffs starting on April 2.

“Most of the tariffs go on April the second,” Trump said before signing the orders. “Right now, we have some temporary ones and small ones relatively small, although it’s a lot of money having to do with Mexico and Canada.” Trump said he was not looking to

extend the exemption on the 25% tariff for autos for another month. Imports from Mexico that comply with the 2020 USMCA trade pact would be excluded from the 25% tariffs for a month, according to the orders signed by Trump. Auto-related imports from Canada that comply with the trade deal would also avoid the 25% tariffs for a month, while the potash that U.S. farmers import from Canada would be tariffed at 10%, the same rate at which Trump wants to tariff Canadian energy products.

Plaquemines plant visit highlights LNG expansion

Trump officials say $18B project will make facility largest in North America

BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer

Top Trump administration officials visited one of Louisiana’s largest liquefied natural gas terminals Thursday as the company announced an $18 billion expansion it says will make the facility in Plaquemines Parish the largest in North America.

The visit from U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, along with Gov Jeff Landry and other state officials, was intended to show support for U.S. energy production despite concerns over climate change The Biden administration had paused export permits for LNG plants in part to study the facilities’ impact on global warming,

visit to the Venture Global facility

Standing before a crowd of thousands of workers in hard hats, company CEO Michael Sabel announced the expansion, saying “that’s what we’re here to do — dominate global energy markets in LNG.”

While LNG has positioned the United States as a major exporter of natural gas and generated thousands of construction jobs along Louisiana’s coast, there have long been concerns over emissions linked to the plants. Near the end of Biden’s term, the Department of Energy released a critical study of the LNG landscape, stating that the fossil fuel transport method poses serious economic and environmental problems, such as increased costs for consumers, heightened greenhouse gas emissions and a strain on already-burdened areas.

Roughly 62% of imports from Canada would likely still face the new tariffs because they’re not USMCA compliant, according to a White House official who insisted on anonymity to preview the orders on a call with reporters. Half of imports from Mexico that are not USCMA compliant would also be taxed under the orders being signed by Trump, the official said. Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum has planned to announce any

TARIFFS, page 5A

‘Kid with a heart and soul full of life’

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

while Trump has vowed to move ahead quickly

“Louisiana is going to become a larger exporter of liquefied natural gas than any nation on earth,” Wright said during the

But officials on Thursday presented a bright future for LNG and rejected the concerns of the previous administration.

ä See PLANT, page 7A

State plans to use nitrogen gas for executions,

BY ANDREA GALLO and JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writers

Attorneys for the state and for death row inmate Jessie Hoffman Jr agreed Thursday to unseal a redacted version of Louisiana’s new

protocol for using nitrogen gas in executions, shedding public light on how the state plans to put him to death on March 18.

The protocol states that Louisiana prison officials will strap the death row inmate to a gurney ahead of his execution and bring

them to the execution chamber Prison staff will perform a final inspection of the state’s nitrogen hypoxia system Then they’ll place a mask and a pulse oximeter onto the inmate, and allow a spiritual adviser to meet with him and have him make a final statement.

“The mask is a continuous-flow, full face, supplied air respirator with head straps,” the protocol states. Prison officials will turn on the nitrogen hypoxia system and either allow the gas to flow for 15 minutes or for 5 minutes after

An Acadiana family has identified a second victim in a mass shooting at a Mardi Gras concert in Mamou.

Alaya Christian, a student at Lafayette Renaissance Charter High, was identified by the school on Wednesday as one of two teens fatally shot during the outdoor concert on Mardi Gras day in Mamou. The second victim, Bryson Green, was identified Thursday by his family as the other victim killed during the Mardi Gras festivities.

According to Green’s family, a video surfaced on social media showing his body on the ground. The family has asked that the video not be shared and that their privacy be respected as they grieve.

“It hurts seeing that video. We are grieving. I always see videos like that but never expected to see one of someone I love,” said Bryson’s oldest sister, Brianna Green.

Bryson was a student at Cecilia High and the second-youngest of six siblings. His family described him as someone who loved to laugh and was full of life. In his spare time, he enjoyed making music and was hopeful to get a new job once he turned 18. Brianna said she last spoke with her brother the morning before he was killed, as he headed to the Mamou festivities.

“Bryson was one of those kind of people you keep close to your heart because you don’t find kids with the power and potential that can touch the hearts of so many homes with their energy words or presence,” said his older brother, David Francis.

He said Bryson was “a kid with heart and soul that was full of life

Lafayette teen ID’d as second victim in Mamou shooting ä See VICTIM, page 7A

protocols show

the inmate’s heart rate reaches a flatline on an EKG, whichever is longer Both the execution chamber and the witness room will have oxygen monitors set up in them. The protocol closely mirrors that

ä See EXECUTIONS, page 5A

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, right, greets workers at Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG export facility

STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE

Workers gather as U.S Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Gov Jeff Landry speak at Venture Global’s Plaquemines liquefied natural gas export facility on Thursday in Plaquemines Parish.

New Mexico adult dies with measles

An adult who was infected with measles has died in New Mexico, state health officials announced Thursday though the virus has not been confirmed as the cause.

The person who died was unvaccinated and did not seek medical care, a state health department spokesperson said in a statement. The person’s exact age and other details were not immediately released.

The person was from Lea County, just across the state line from the West Texas region where 159 measles cases have been identified and a schoolage child died last week. New Mexico health officials have not linked the outbreak there to the Texas cases.

The person is the 10th in Lea County to have a confirmed measles infection. Seven were unvaccinated. The vaccination status of the other three is unknown. Six of the cases are in adults and the rest are in children younger than 17.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that they were sending a team to Texas to help local public health officials respond to the outbreak, which began in late January.

Measles is a respiratory virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours. Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the CDC.

South Korea jets drop bombs accidentally

SEOUL, South Korea Two South Korean fighter jets accidentally dropped eight bombs on a civilian area during a joint live-fire exercise with the U.S. military on Thursday injuring eight people, officials said. The MK-82 bombs released by the KF-16 fighter jets fell outside a firing range, the air force said in a statement. It apologized and expressed hopes for a speedy recovery of the injured and said it would offer compensation and take other necessary steps.

The air force said the fighter jets were taking part in the oneday firing drill with the U.S military in Pocheon, a city close to the heavily armed border with North Korea.

The air force also said a committee would investigate the accident and examine the scale of the damage inflicted.

An unidentified air force official told local reporters that a pilot of one of the KF-16s had entered wrong coordinates for a bombing site. An unidentified Defense Ministry official told reporters that further investigation was needed to determine why the second KF-16 also dropped bombs on a civilian area.

Firm: Lunar lander may have fallen over CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. A privately owned lunar lander touched down on the moon with a drill, drone and rovers for NASA and other customers Thursday, but quickly ran into trouble and may have fallen over

Intuitive Machines said it was uncertain whether its Athena lander was upright near the moon’s south pole — standing 15 feet tall — or lying sideways like its first spacecraft from a year ago. Controllers rushed to turn off some of the lander’s equipment to conserve power while trying to determine what went wrong. It was the second moon landing this week by a Texas company under NASA’s commercial lunar delivery program. Sunday’s touchdown was a complete success. The company’s newest Athena lander dropped out of lunar orbit as planned. The hourlong descent appeared to go well until the final approach when the laser navigation system began acting up. It took a while for Mission Control to confirm touchdown. “We’re on the surface,” reported mission director and co-founder Tim Crain. A few minutes later, he repeated, “It looks like we’re down We are working to evaluate exactly what our orientation is on the surface.”

Trump envoy says Ukraine ‘brought it on themselves’

Official says U.S. gave ‘fair warning’ before aid, intel sharing paused

BY AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

WASHINGTON Ukraine was given “fair warning” by the White House before President Donald Trump this week ordered a pause on U.S. military assistance and intelligence sharing with Kyiv, a senior administration official said Thursday

The Republican administration announced the pauses this week after Trump and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Oval Office meeting devolved into a shouting match, with the U.S. president and Vice President JD Vance excoriating the Ukrainian leader for being insufficiently grateful for the tens of billions of dollars in U.S. assistance sent to Ukraine since Russia invaded three years ago.

Retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine and Russia, said the pause is already having an impact on Kyiv adding that the Ukrainians “brought it on themselves.”

“The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a two-by-four across the nose,” Kellogg said at an event Thursday at the Council on Foreign Relations.

“You got their attention.”

Kellogg said it was made clear to the Ukrainians before last week’s Oval Office meeting that the talks would focus on signing a critical minerals deal. The agreement, which the two sides still have not signed, would give the U.S access to Ukraine’s rare earth deposits and could be of value to U.S. aerospace, electric vehicle and medical manufacturing.

Trump administration officials have said the economic pact would bind the U.S and Ukraine closer together and would give Russian President Vladimir Putin pause before considering malign action against Ukraine in the future. Zelenskyy had been pressing the White House for explicit security guarantees, to no avail.

Kellogg said last week’s talks went sideways because Zelenskyy pressed Trump who is trying to play the role of intermediary to broker peace between Ukraine and Russia to side with Kyiv

Zelenskyy later called the heated words “regrettable” and said he’s ready to sign an agreement.

Trump in an exchange with reporters on Thursday said he believed his administration had made “a lot of progress” in recent days with both Ukraine and Russia, but did not specify how

“I think what’s going to happen is Ukraine wants to make a deal, because I don’t think they have a choice,” Trump said. “I also think that Russia wants to make a deal because in a certain different way a different way that only I know, only I know — they have no choice either.”

In his nightly address Zelenskyy confirmed that talks between Ukraine and the U.S are scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia next week.

“I am scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia to meet with the crown prince,” said Zelenskyy, referring to Mohammed bin Salman, the heir to the throne of the oil-rich kingdom. “After that, my team will stay in Saudi Arabia to work with American partners. Ukraine is most interested in peace.”

Another Trump special envoy, Steve Witkoff, confirmed that senior administration officials are arranging to hold talks with top Ukrainian officials in Saudi Arabia. Witkoff noted that Zelenskyy has been apologetic in recent days about the White House blowup and expressed gratitude. He was circumspect about whether the minerals deal would be signed during the expected meeting in Saudi Arabia “We’ll see if he fol-

lows through,” Witkoff said.

But Kellogg said he couldn’t guarantee a resumption of weapons deliveries even if Zelenskyy accepts the deal.

“That’s up to the president,” Kellogg said. He added, “You don’t negotiate peace discussions in public. You don’t try to challenge the president of the United States in the Oval Office.”

Trump said in a speech before Congress on Tuesday that Zelenskyy had written to him to say he appreciates U.S. support for his country in its war with Russia.

Trump said Zelenskyy told him that Ukraine is ready to negotiate a peace deal with Russia as soon as possible and would accept the minerals agreement with the U.S. to facilitate that.

Although Trump said he “appreciated” getting the letter he did not say if it would affect his policy toward Ukraine.

The suspension of U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine will damage Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against ongoing Russian attacks against military and civilian targets, according to an assessment by the Institute for the Study of War. The research group said suspension of all U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine would also allow Russian forces to intensify their drone and missile strikes against the Ukrainian rear, affecting millions of Ukrainian civilians and the growth of Ukraine’s defense industrial base.

AP writer Susie Blann in Kyiv and Michelle L. Price contributed reporting.

Hamas brushes off Trump’s threat about hostage release

Group says Israeli captives to be freed in return for lasting truce

BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

CAIRO Hamas on Thursday brushed off President Donald Trump’s latest threat and reiterated that it will only free the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for a lasting ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

The militant group accused Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to back out of the ceasefire agreement they reached in January The agreement calls for negotiations over a second phase in which the hostages would be released in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a permanent ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.

Hamas spokesperson Abdel-Latif al-Qanoua said the “best path to free the remaining Israeli hostages” is through negotiations on that phase, which were supposed to begin in early February Only limited preparatory talks have been held so far.

On Wednesday, Trump issued what he said was a “last warning” to Hamas after meeting with eight former hostages. The White House meanwhile confirmed it had held unprecedented direct talks with the militant group, which Israel and Western countries view as a terrorist organization.

“Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “Only sick and twisted people keep bodies, and you are sick and twisted!”

Both Israel and Hamas have a longstanding practice of holding onto the remains of their adversaries in order to

trade them in hostage-prisoner deals. Hamas is believed to still have 24 living hostages taken in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war including IsraeliAmerican Edan Alexander It is also holding the bodies of 34 others who were either killed in the initial attack or in captivity, as well as the remains of a soldier killed in the 2014 war

Hamas released 25 Israeli hostages and the bodies of eight more in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners in the first 42-day phase of the ceasefire, which ended on Saturday Israel supports what it says is a new U.S. plan for the second phase in which Hamas would release half the remaining hostages immediately and the rest when a permanent ceasefire is negotiated. Hamas has rejected the proposal and says it is sticking with the agreement signed in January Israel has cut off the delivery of food, fuel, medicine and other supplies to Gaza’s roughly 2 million Palestinians in an attempt to pressure Hamas into accepting the new arrangement It has threatened “additional consequences” if Hamas does not resume the release of hostages.

Pope thanks people for their prayers

Weakened Francis records message amid recovery

BY COLLEEN BARRY and NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ROME A weak and breathless Pope Francis thanked people for their prayers for his recovery in a remarkable audio message broadcast Thursday the first public sign of life from the 88-year-old pope since he was hospitalized three weeks ago with double pneumonia. Francis’ feeble voice, discernible through his labored breaths and in his native Spanish, was recorded Thursday from the hospital and broadcast to the faithful in St. Peter’s Square who had gathered for the nightly recitation of the rosary prayer

“I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my health from the square, I accompany you from here,” he said, his soft voice piercing the hushed square. “May God bless you and the Virgin protect you. Thank you.”

For anyone used to hearing Francis’ voice, which is often so soft it sounds like a whisper the audio was an emotional punch to the gut that hammered home just how sick he is.

The cardinal presiding over the prayer Cardinal Ángel Fernández Artime, had told the crowd at the start of the service that he had “beautiful news, a beautiful gift” to share. The clearly surprised crowd broke into applause and then applauded again after Francis’ final “Gracias.” Fernández Artime, for his part, bowed his head as he listened.

The 88-year-old pope has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man.

The Vatican has given twice-daily updates on Francis’ medical condition, but has distributed no photos or video of him since the morning of Feb. 14, when he held a handful of audiences at the Vatican before being admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital for what was then just a bad case of bronchitis.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By EVGENIy MALOLETKA

U.S. Special Envoy for Ukraine and Russia Keith Kellogg, right, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speak Feb 20 during their meeting in Kyiv Ukraine.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ODED BALILTy

Demonstrators hold photos Thursday in Tel Aviv, Israel, depicting the faces of Israeli hostages who are being held in the Gaza Strip, during a protest demanding their release from Hamas captivity

EU leaders commit to work together on defense

BY RAF CASERT and LORNE COOK Associated Press

BRUSSELS European Union leaders on Thursday committed to working together to bolster the continent’s defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security after U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated warnings that he would cut them adrift to face the threat of Russia alone.

With the growing conviction that they will now have to fend for themselves, countries that have faltered on defense spending for decades held emergency talks in Brussels to explore new ways to beef up their security and ensure future protection for Ukraine.

The move underscored a sea change in geopolitics spurred on by Trump, who has undermined 80 years of cooperation based on the understanding that the U.S would help protect European nations following World War II.

The 27 EU leaders signed off on a move to loosen budget restrictions so that willing EU countries can increase their military spending. They also urged the European Commission to seek new ways “to facilitate significant defense spending” in all member states a statement said.

The EU’s executive branch estimates that about $702 billion could be freed up that way The leaders also took note

of a commission offer of loans worth $162 billion to buy new military equipment and invited EU headquarters staff “to examine this proposal as a matter of urgency.”

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a staunch supporter of Trump and considered to be Russian President Vladimir Putin’s closest ally in Europe, refused to endorse part of the summit statement in favor of Ukraine.

But all 26 other EU leaders approved the bloc’s stance that there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine and that the Europeans must be involved in any talks involving their security The Europeans have so far been sidelined in the U.S.-led negotiations with Russia.

In other developments Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said talks between Ukraine and the U.S. on ending the war will take place in Saudi Arabia next week. In his nightly address, Zelenskyy said he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet the country’s crown prince, and his team would stay on to hold talks with U.S. officials.

In recent weeks, Trump has overturned old certainties about the reliability of the U.S. as a security partner as he embraces Russia, withdraws American support for Ukraine and upends the tradition of cooperation with Europe that has been the bedrock of Western security for generations.

Polish Prime Minister

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, center as they

European Council building in Brussels.

Donald Tusk, whose country holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said that three years of war in Ukraine and a shift in attitudes in Washington “pose entirely new challenges for us, and Europe must take up this challenge and it must win.”

“We will arm ourselves faster, smarter and more efficiently than Russia,” Tusk said.

Zelenskyy welcomed the plan to loosen budget rules and expressed hopes that some of the new spending could be used to strengthen Ukraine’s own defense industry, which can produce weapons more cheaply than elsewhere in Europe and closer to the battlefields where they are needed.

“We are very thankful that we are not alone, and these are not just words. We feel it. It’s very important,” Zelenskyy said, looking far more relaxed among Europe’s leaders in Brussels than almost a week ago when he received a verbal lashing from Trump in Washington.

Friedrich Merz, the likely next chancellor of Germany, and summit chairman Antonio Costa discussed ways to fortify Europe’s defenses on a short deadline. Merz pushed plans this week to loosen his nation’s rules on running up debt to allow for higher defense spending. Others too appeared ready to do more.

“Spend, spend, spend on defense and deterrence.

That’s the most important message,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen told reporters. The call is a sharp departure from decades of decline in military spending in Europe, where defense often ranked low in many budgetary considerations after the Cold War.

In an address to his country Wednesday evening, French President Emmanuel Macron said the bloc would “take decisive steps.”

“Member states will be able to increase their military spending,” he said, noting that “massive joint funding will be provided to buy and produce some of the most innovative munitions, tanks, weapons and equip-

ment in Europe.” Macron was expected to confer with his EU counterparts about possibility of using France’s nuclear deterrent to protect the continent from Russian threats.

The short-term benefits of the budget plan offered by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen were not obvious. Most of the increased defense spending would have to come from national budgets at a time when many countries are already overburdened with debt.

Part of the proposal includes measures to ensure struggling member states will not be punished for going too deep into the red if additional spending is earmarked for defense.

“Europe faces a clear and present danger, and therefore Europe has to be able to protect itself, to defend itself,” she said.

France is struggling to reduce an excessive annual budget deficit of 5% of GDP, after running up its total debt burden to 112% of GDP with spending on relief for businesses and consumers during the COVID-19 pandemic and the energy crisis that followed Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Five other countries using the euro currency have debt levels over 100% of GDP: Belgium, Greece, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Europe’s largest economy, Germany, has more room to borrow with a

Assad loyalists kill at least 13 police officers in ambush in Syria

BY OMAR ALBAM Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria Gunmen

ambushed a Syrian police patrol in a coastal town Thursday, leaving at least 13 security members dead and many others wounded, a monitoring group and a local official said. The attack came as tensions in Syria ’s coastal region between former President Bashar Assad’s minority Alawite sect and members of Islamic groups escalate. Assad was overthrown in early December in an offensive of insurgent groups led by the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham.

The U.K.-based Syrian Ob-

servatory for Human Rights said the ambush in the town of Jableh, near the city of Latakia, killed at least 16. It added that security forces killed 28 Assad loyalists as well as three civilians.

Rami Abdurrahman, head of the monitoring group, said the gunmen who ambushed the police force are Alawites. He added that on Thursday night, pro-Assad gunmen were in full control of the former president’s hometown of Qardaha

“These are the worst clashes since the fall of the regime,” Abdurrahman said.

A local official in Damascus told The Associated Press that 13 members of the

General Security directorate were killed in the ambush. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because

he was not authorized to release security information to the media. Conflicting casualties fig-

ures are not uncommon in the immediate aftermath of attacks in Syria’s 13-year conflict that has killed half a million people. The Observatory gave the death toll on both sides, while the official only gave the numbers of policement killed.

The Pan Arab Al-Jazeera TV broadcaster said its cameraman Riad al-Hussein was wounded while covering the clashes.

State media reported that authorities imposed a 12hour curfew in the nearby city of Tartus where people were urged to stay at home and avoid any gatherings in public places.

The SANA state-news

agency reported that large reinforcements were being sent to the coastal region to get the situation under control.

The Syrian Observatory said helicopter gunships took part in attacking Alawite gunmen and Jableh and nearby areas It added that fighters loyal to former Syrian army Gen. Suheil al-Hassan, also known as Tiger took part in the attacks against security forces.

Tensions have been on the rise in Syria with reports of attacks by Sunni militants against Alawites who had led the rule in Syria for more than five decades under the Assad family

BY LEA SKENE and BRIAN WITTE Associated Press

BALTIMORE Adnan Syed, whose case amassed a worldwide following of “Serial” podcast listeners, will remain free even though his murder conviction still stands, a Baltimore judge ruled on Thursday

The judge agreed to reduce Syed’s sentence to time served under a relatively

new state law that provides a pathway to release for people convicted of crimes committed when they were minors.

“This sentence will be followed by a period of five years of supervised probation,” Judge Jennifer Schiffer wrote in her decision, adding that Syed “is not a danger to the public” and that the interests of justice will be better served by a reduced sentence

The judge’s ruling followed a hearing last week that included emotional testimony from Syed and relatives of the victim, Hae Min Lee, who was strangled and buried in a shallow grave in 1999.

Both prosecutors and defense attorneys told Schiffer that Syed, now 43, doesn’t pose a risk to public safety Lee’s brother and mother urged the judge to uphold his life sentence.

Syed, who has maintained his innocence, was released from prison in 2022 after Baltimore prosecutors uncovered problems with the case and moved to vacate his conviction, which was later reinstated on appeal.

Since his release, he’s been working at Georgetown University’s Prisons and Justice Initiative and caring for aging family members.

Schiffer’s decision to allow Syed’s continued freedom

marks a somewhat anticlimactic milestone for the case, which has received extensive media coverage and multiple court challenges over the years.

At trial, prosecutors painted Syed as Lee’s jealous exboyfriend and built their case around a key witness whose credibility has been heavily questioned. But all these years later, arguments about whether to reduce Syed’s sentence notably side-

stepped the issue of guilt or innocence.

The current Baltimore State’s Attorney, Ivan Bates, who publicly raised doubts about the integrity of the conviction before becoming the city’s top prosecutor, said last week that his office believes in the jury’s verdict and has no plans to continue investigating the case. His predecessor Marilyn Mosby tried to get the conviction thrown out in 2022.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OMAR HAVANA

Leyen, right, speaks with Ukraine’s

arrive Thursday for an EU Summit at the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OMAR SANADIKI

A member of the Syrian government security forces stands guard Thursday at a street in Damascus, Syria.

Judge orders White House to pay foreign aid debts

BY ELLEN KNICKMEYER and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON A federal judge on Thursday gave the Trump administration until Monday to pay nearly $2 billion owed to partners of the U.S. Agency for International Development and the State Department, thawing the administration’s six-week

Trump casts doubt on NATO solidarity

BY MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed uncertainty that NATO would come to the U.S.’s defense if the country were attacked, though the alliance did just that after Sept. 11 — the only time in its history that the defense guarantee has been invoked.

Trump also suggested that the U.S. might abandon its commitments to the alliance if member countries don’t meet defense spending targets, a day after his pick for NATO ambassador assured senators that the administration’s commitment to the military alliance was “ironclad.”

Trump’s comments denigrating NATO, which was formed to counter Soviet aggression during the Cold War, are largely in line with his yearslong criticism of the alliance, which he has accused of not paying its fair share toward the cost of defense. But they come at a time of heightened concern in the Western world over Trump’s cozy relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has long seen NATO as a threat, and as the U.S. president seeks to pressure Ukraine into agreeing to a peace deal with the country that invaded it three years ago.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sent the alliance

funding freeze on all foreign assistance

U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled in favor of nonprofit groups and businesses that sued over the funding freeze, which has forced organizations around the world to slash services and lay off thousands of workers.

Ali’s line of questioning suggested skepticism of the Trump administration’s ar-

gument that presidents have wide authority to override congressional decisions on spending when it comes to foreign policy, including foreign aid.

“It would be an “earthshaking, country-shaking proposition to say that appropriations are optional,” Ali said.

“The question I have for you is, where are you getting this from in the constitu-

tional document?” he asked a government lawyer, Indraneel Sur Thursday’s order is in an ongoing case with more decisions coming on the administration’s fast-moving termination of 90% of USAID contracts worldwide.

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON A federal judge ruled Thursday that President Donald Trump acted illegally when he fired a member of an independent labor agency, and the judge ordered that she be allowed to remain on the job.

U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell in Washington, D.C., found Trump did not have the authority to remove Gwynne

into upheaval last month when he said in a speech that the U.S. would not participate in any peacekeeping force in Ukraine, which is not a NATO member, and would not defend any country that participated in it if attacked by Russia.

Trump said Thursday in the Oval Office that other countries would not come to the defense of the U.S. — though they have done exactly that, in the only instance that the Article 5 defense guarantee was invoked.

“You know the biggest problem I have with NATO? I really I mean, I know the guys very well They’re friends of mine. But if the United States was in trouble, and we called them, we said, ‘We got a problem, France. We got a problem, couple of others I won’t mention. Do you think they’re going to come and protect us?’ They’re supposed to. I’m not so sure.”

Article 5 was invoked after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, leading to NATO’s largest operation in Afghanistan France’s military participated in the operation

“We are loyal and faithful allies,” French President Emmanuel Macron responded Thursday, expressing “respect and friendship” towards U.S. leaders.

“I think we’re entitled to expect the same,” he said.

Macron invoked “centuries-old history,” namechecking the Marquis de Lafayette, a 19-year-old French nobleman, who was a majorgeneral in the American Continental Army during the Revolutionary War, and Gen. John Pershing, commander of the American army in France during World War I. Macron added that a few days ago, he met American World War II veterans who landed on Omaha Beach as part of the D-Day invasion of Nazi-occupied France.

France and the U.S. “have always been there for each other,” Macron said.

When asked Thursday if it he was making it U.S. policy that the U.S would not defend NATO countries that don’t meet military spending targets Trump said, “well, I think it’s common sense, right? If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them. No, I’m not going to

Ali’s ruling comes a day after a divided Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s bid to freeze funding that flowed through USAID. The high court instructed Ali to clarify what the government must do to comply with his earlier order requiring the quick release of funds for work that had already been done.

defend them.”

Trump has suggested since his 2016 presidential campaign that the U.S. under his leadership might not comply with the alliance’s mutual defense guarantees and would only defend countries that met targets to commit 2% of their gross domestic products on military spending.

The U.S. is the most powerful nation of the seven-decade alliance, has the largest economy among members and spends more on defense than any other member

The U.S was one of 12 nations that formed NATO following World War II to counter the threat posed by the Soviet Union to Western European during the Cold War. Its membership has since grown to 32 countries, and its bedrock mutual defense guarantee, known as Article 5, states that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.

Trump on Thursday also seemed to suggest the U.S. commitment to NATO might be leveraged in his trade war as he seeks to target what he says are unfair trade policies with other nations, including the European Union.

The funding freeze stemmed from an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

The administration appealed after Ali issued a temporary restraining order and set a deadline to release payment for work already done. The administration said it has replaced a blanket spending freeze with individualized determinations, which led to the cancellation of 5,800 USAID contracts and 4,1000 State Department grants totaling nearly $60 billion in aid.

Administration delays order to eliminate education department

BY CAYLA BAMBERGER and DAVE GOLDINER New york Daily News (TNS)

President Donald Trump on Thursday delayed plans to order the elimination of the federal Department of Education, a move that would likely face fierce opposition from Congress and in the courts.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt called reports that Trump would sign the order “fake news” and said no signing was immediately planned.

Aides said the White House was still working on “messaging” around a possible order and concerns that some Republicans might criticize it.

A draft of an executive order reportedly instructs newly confirmed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to take all available steps “permitted by law” to close the sprawling department, which has more than 4,000 employees and an annual budget of $240 billion.

“The federal bureaucratic hold on education must end,” Trump’s planned order says, according to ABC News. “The Department of Education’s main functions can, and should, be returned to the states.”

The order would call for an end to the agency that it calls an “experiment of controlling American education through Federal programs and dollars” that has “failed our children, our teachers, and our families.”

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul denounced the potential elimination of the Education Department, saying it amounted to Trump’s trading funding a “math class” for “tax breaks for buddies at Mar-a-Lago.”

country,” King said.

Trump has long argued that the Department of Education is unnecessary and wasteful, calling it a “con job” on the presidential campaign trail last year

It’s unclear whether Trump has the legal authority to eliminate the department, since it is funded by Congress, which controls the power of the purse under the Constitution.

The Department of Education has been a Cabinetlevel department in the federal government since the 1860s. It took on its current form in 1980 in a reorganization engineered by former President Jimmy Carter McMahon, who won Senate confirmation Monday said during her confirmation hearing that she believed eliminating the department would require congressional approval.

Hours after being confirmed, McMahon sent a message to staff titled “Our Department’s Final Mission,” in which she invited staff to embrace the phasing out of the agency

“This is our opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students,” she said.

Republicans control both houses of Congress and the White House, but there could be significant resistance within the GOP to a vote to eliminate the Department of Education.

Wilcox from the National Labor Relations Board.

“An American president is not a king — not even an ‘elected’ one — and his power to remove federal officers and honest civil servants like plaintiff is not absolute,” Howell wrote.

She acknowledged the administration’s argument that the Supreme Court may be inclined to overturn a 90-year-old decision restricting the president’s power to

remove members of independent agencies. But the judge said that until and unless the high court acts, current law clearly supports keeping Wilcox in her role.

The Trump administration quickly appealed her ruling, Wilcox sued Trump after he fired her and the agency’s general counsel, Jennifer Abruzzo, on Jan. 27.

Wilcox’s attorneys said no president previously had tried to remove an NLRB

member They argued that board members can only be fired “for neglect of duty or malfeasance in office” and only after giving notice and holding a hearing.

Trump’s “only path to victory” in Wilcox’s case would be to persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to ”adopt a new, more aggressive vision of presidential power that would effectively abolish independent agencies” in the U.S., her lawyers wrote.

“(Education is) an investment in the future workforce,” Hochul said. “If we stop these investments now, then we’re basically saying we give up. We’re not even going to compete.”

State University of New York Chancellor John King, who served as education secretary in the Obama administration, ticked off a laundry list of school programs that could be cut, such as AP courses and after-school enrichment programs.

“This is exactly the wrong direction for the

It’s unclear what would happen to some of the programs overseen by the department if it were eliminated, such as educational plans for special needs children and federal funding programs for K-12 schools that help support the education of students from low-income families and children with disabilities.

Funding for special needs children would likely be shifted to the Department of Human Services, while student loans could be administered by the Treasury Department.

Support for low-income students could be shifted to the states, but Congress would have to approve such a move.

Trump claims he has the right to shut down agencies via executive order

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By WIN MCNAMEE

President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress Tuesday at the Capitol in Washington.

retaliatory measures on Sunday, but Trump credited her with making progress on illegal immigration and drug smuggling as a reason for again pausing tariffs that were initially supposed to go into full effect in February.

“I did this as an accommodation, and out of respect for, President Sheinbaum,” Trump said on Truth Social. “Our relationship has been a very good one, and we are working hard, together on the Border.”

Trump’s actions also thawed relations with Canada somewhat, after its initial retaliatory tariffs of $30 billion Canadian (or $21 billion in U.S.) on U.S. goods. The government said it had suspended its second wave of retaliatory tariffs on additional U.S. goods worth $125 billion (or $87 billion in U.S.)

Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs threats have roiled financial markets, lowered consumer confidence and enveloped many businesses in an uncertain atmosphere that could delay hiring and investment.

Major U.S. stock markets briefly bounced off lows after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick previewed the monthlong pauses on CNBC on Thursday

Significant declines already seen this week resumed within an hour

The S&P 500 stock index has fallen below where it was before Trump was elected.

Asked whether the stock market decline was due to his tariffs, Trump said: “A lot of them are globalist countries and companies that won’t be doing as well because we’re taking back things that have been taken from us many years ago.”

Sheinbaum said she and Trump “had an excellent and respectful call in which we agreed that our work and collaboration have yielded unprecedented results,” on a post on the social media platform X, formerly Twitter

Mexico has cracked down on cartels, sent troops to the U.S. border and delivered 29 top cartel bosses long chased by American authorities to the Trump administration in a span of weeks. At a news conference, Sheinbaum elaborated on her call with Trump on Thursday, saying that she told the president that Mexico was making great strides in fulfilling his security demands

chance to scrutinize it.

Continued from page 1A

of Alabama, the only state to have carried out nitrogen gas executions in the modern era. Several key clauses in Louisiana’s protocol match Alabama’s game plan word for word.

The decision to unseal the protocol came after U.S District Chief Judge Shelly Dick of Louisiana’s Middle District on Wednesday ordered the two sides to reach an agreement on making a redacted version available for public view She imposed a deadline of 10 a.m Thursday for them to do so, saying she’d hold a court hearing Thursday afternoon if they could not agree. Dick then ordered the protocol unsealed Thursday morning after both sides agreed to it in the court record.

Her decision came ahead of a court hearing scheduled for Friday as she considers Hoffman’s request for a preliminary injunction that would affect the state’s ability to move forward with his execution. Dick was appointed to the federal bench by former President Barack Obama. In a ruling late Thursday, Dick said she will largely focus in the upcoming hearing on arguments that Hoffman’s nitrogen gas execution is cruel and unusual punishment and on arguments about his right to counsel and access to courts. She agreed to dismiss other arguments, including that nitrogen gas would violate Hoffman’s religious beliefs.

Hoffman’s attorneys asked Dick earlier this week to unseal the execution protocol, arguing that it’s a public record under Louisiana law and that the public should have the

Attorneys for the state initially opposed the unsealing attempt, saying the document should be off-limits and that keeping it secret was a matter of safety

The state recently denied a public records request for the protocol from The Advocate | The TimesPicayune, saying that state law exempted its release.

When lawmakers and Gov Jeff Landry agreed last year to add nitrogen gas and electrocution to lethal injection as approved execution methods, they added new layers of secrecy to the execution process to prevent public release of information about suppliers of death penalty materials.

Hoffman’s attorneys argue that the state aims to “make Mr Hoffman the test case for an experimental method of execution that has been shown in the handful of times it has been used to cause terror, agony and prolonged excruciating deaths.”

Louisiana’s nitrogen gas system was tested on March 1. The state’s expert placed a mask on a mannequin, according to court filings.

Hoffman, 46, was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the 1996 killing of a 28-year-old woman named Molly Elliott on a remote dock in St. Tammany Parish, after kidnapping her from a parking lot in New Orleans and raping her

A few months past his 18th birthday at the time, Hoffman has transformed himself in prison, his attorneys say, following Buddhist practices and becoming a mentor to others on death row His attorneys say Hoffman also suffers post-traumatic stress that will exacerbate his suffering if he’s executed by nitrogen gas.

Along with the federal case, Hoffman’s attorneys have lodged

“I told him we’re getting results,” Sheinbaum said But the U.S. imposed the tariffs, so she asked Trump “how are we going to continue cooperating, collaborating with something that hurts the people of Mexico?”

She added that “practically all of the trade” between the U.S. and Mexico will be exempt from tariffs until April 2.

She said the two countries will continue to work together on migration and security, and to cut back on fentanyl trafficking to the U.S. From January to February, the amount of fentanyl seized at the border dropped more than 41%, according to Sheinbaum, citing

a clemency petition with the state while urging Landry to halt the killing in the meantime. That plea is pending.

The newly released protocols, though redacted, reveal several details about the state’s plans to use nitrogen gas. The state is required to carry out the execution between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Hoffman will have his final meal by noon on the day of the execution and he can receive visitors until 3 p.m., though his spiritual adviser and lawyer may be able to stay longer

An hour before he’s set to be executed, prison officials should brief the media and shave Hoffman. Several witnesses can be present for the execution, including the West Feliciana coroner or his designee, the prison warden, a physician of the warden’s choosing, the executioner, media representatives and the spiritual adviser Two people connected to the victim in Hoffman’s case will also be allowed as witnesses.

Nitrogen gas will flow through the mask at 70 liters per minute. Hoffman’s spiritual adviser will be required to sign a form saying that they understand there’s an unlikely possibility that “an area of free-flowing nitrogen gas” could happen if the hose to the breathing mask detaches in the execution chamber

“I understand and agree to remain at least 3 feet away from the mask or any outflow of any breathing gases discharged from the system,” the form states.

The execution protocol in Alabama specifies that it is a public document.

Another difference: Alabama’s execution protocol allows death row inmates to choose whether to be put to death with nitrogen gas. In Louisiana, state law says the

data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection. She cited the dip as meeting a commitment made to Trump. Still, relations between the United States and Canada remain frosty because of the tariff pressures.

A senior Canadian government official said Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s call on Wednesday with Trump became heated. The U.S. president used profanity while complaining about protections in Canada’s dairy industry The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly about the call, said Trudeau did not use profanity

decision is up to the corrections secretary.

Alabama’s execution protocol states the morning of the execution, the warden or his designee should “pressurize and assess” the nitrogen gas system and secure lockout valves. There are similar provisions in Louisiana’s execution protocol.

When it’s time to put the inmate to death, prison staff will bring a mask to the execution chamber and connect it to breathing gas tubes.

They’ll place a pulse oximeter on the inmate, then place the mask on the inmate’s face. A spiritual adviser is allowed to be present.

Alabama’s execution protocol also says they’ll either administer nitrogen gas for 15 minutes or for five minutes after the person’s heart flatlines on an EKG, whichever is longer Their protocol says breathing air and nitrogen gas should both be set to 500 PSI.

Louisiana’s protocol calls for the same specifications.

Both Alabama and Louisiana’s execution protocols were reviewed by Dr Joseph Antognini, a California anesthesiologist.

Antognini reviewed Alabama’s execution method and helped it pass federal court muster He figures to play a prominent role in Friday’s hearing in Baton Rouge, after Hoffman’s attorneys deposed him on Mardi Gras.

“Nothing in the Louisiana protocol or the nitrogen hypoxia system developed by Louisiana would lead to the inmate suffering pain, aside from pain that would be associated with the inmate struggling while being moved to the execution chamber and being secured to the gurney and any attempts by the inmate to remove the mask by violent shaking of his head from side-to-side,” Antognini claims.

A professor emeritus of anesthe-

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, the leader of Canada’s most populous province, said that starting Monday, the province will charge 25% more for electricity shipped to 1.5 million Americans in response to Trump’s tariff plan. Ontario provides electricity to Minnesota, New York and Michigan.

“This whole thing with President Trump is a mess,” Ford said Thursday “This reprieve, we’ve went down this road before. He still threatens the tariffs on April 2.” Ford’s office said that the tariff would remain in place even if there’s a one-month reprieve from the Americans. Ford has said that so long as the threat of tariffs continue, Ontario’s position will not change.

Lutnick said that he will be watching fentanyl overdose deaths in the U.S. as a key “metric” he will focus on when evaluating Canada and Mexico’s efforts to combat the synthetic opioid.

In his speech to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, Trump portrayed tariffs — which he has also levied on China at 20% due to their role in fentanyl production as a source of increasing wealth and power for the United States. Yet most economists expect the import duties to send prices higher, slow the economy, and potentially cost jobs.

The Yale University Budget Lab has estimated that the tariffs on Canada, China, and Mexico would increase inflation by a full percentage point, cut growth by half a percentage point and cost the average household about $1,600 in disposable income.

Trump appeared to acknowledge Tuesday night that there could be some pain: “There’ll be a little disturbance, but we’re OK with that. It won’t be much.”

siology at University of CaliforniaDavis, Antognini said in his deposition that he’s served as an expert on behalf of parties seeking executions in “15 to 20” cases over nine years.

Antognini acknowledged that he hasn’t personally witnessed an execution by gassing and said he wasn’t opining on Louisiana’s protocol in a recent declaration. In his view, nitrogen “quickly enters the mask, and in the absence of breath holding, within four or five breaths, the inmate is breathing nearly 100% nitrogen.”

Breathing rate would make a difference, but he testified that he “would expect them to become unconscious within that 30- to 40-second period after they’ve started to breathe that nearly 100% nitrogen.”

Antognini said he based that estimate on three research papers on animals or videos of assisted suicides, two of them authored by the same sociologist. Antognini’s views on nitrogen gas executions in Alabama are based on reports from reporters or an inmate’s spiritual adviser, he acknowledged.

Others who witnessed executions in Alabama by nitrogen gas reported seeing those prisoners labor far longer, in some cases several minutes past when it appeared the nitrogen had started entering the mask.

Federal judges have been unpersuaded that Alabama’s protocol violates the U.S. Constitution’s 8th Amendment’s prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. Before the most recent execution, a federal district judge leaned on Antognini’s opinions to deny a stay An attorney for Hoffman drilled Antognini over the bases for his opinions and authority, however, noting that studies he cited involved not nitrogen, but helium.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ADRIAN WyLD

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau holds a news conference on U.S tariffs on Tuesday as, from left, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly, Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Public Safety Minister David McGuinty look on in Ottawa, Ontario.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Walgreens agrees to be acquired in $10B deal

Walgreens Boots Alliance says it has agreed to be acquired by the private equity

firm Sycamore Partners as the struggling retailer looks to turn itself around after years of losing money

Walgreens said Thursday that Sycamore will pay $11.45 per share, giving the deal an equity value just under $10 billion. Shareholders could eventually receive up to another $3 per share under certain conditions. A buyout to take the drugstore chain private would give it more flexibility to make changes to improve its business without worrying about Wall Street’s reaction. The company has already been making some big changes as it seeks to turn around its business. Walgreens has been a public company since 1927.

Walgreens, founded in 1901, has been dealing with thin prescription reimbursement, rising costs, persistent theft and inflation-sensitive shoppers who are looking for bargains elsewhere.

Walgreens is in the early stages of a plan to close 1,200 of its roughly 8,500 U.S. locations.

The Deerfield, Illinois, company had already shed about a thousand U.S stores since it grew to nearly 9,500 after buying some Rite Aid locations in 2018.

Mortgage rates decline, but outlook is cloudy

Mortgage rates have been mostly declining in recent weeks, helping encourage prospective home shoppers just as the spring homebuying season gets going.

But the same factors that have pulled mortgage rates to their lowest level since December — signs that the U.S. economy is slowing and uncertainty over the potential fallout from the Trump administration’s tariffs on imports are clouding the outlook for where mortgage rates will go from here.

“We do not anticipate significant relief from high mortgage rates soon because of inflation remaining stubbornly high, which will not be helped by the tariffs that the Trump administration appears committed to rolling out,” said Joel Berner, senior economist at Realtor.com.

The average rate on a 30year mortgage in the U.S. has declined seven weeks in a row from 7.04% in mid-January to 6.63% this week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. A year earlier, it averaged 6.88%.

The average rate is now at its lowest level since Dec. 12, when it was 6.6%. It briefly fell to a two-year low last September, but remains more than double the 2.65% record low the average rate hit in January 2021.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, also eased this week. The average rate fell to 5.79% from 5.94% last week A year ago, it averaged 6.22%, Freddie Mac said.

U.S. applications for jobless benefits fall

Applications for U.S. jobless benefits fell last week as the labor market remains sturdy ahead of an expected purge of federal government employees.

The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell by 21,000 to 221,000 for the week ending Saturday, the Labor Department said Thursday That’s significantly fewer than the 236,000 new applications analysts expected.

Weekly applications for jobless benefits are considered a proxy for layoffs, which have remained mostly in a range between 200,000 and 250,000 for years The four-week average, which evens out some of the week-to-week volatility inched up by 250 to 224,250.

Some analysts expect layoffs ordered by the Department of Government Efficiency to show up in the report in the coming weeks or months.

Tariff whiplash drags markets down

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK — Wall Street’s sell-off kicked back into gear on Thursday, and a U.S stock market rattled by the whiplash created by President Donald Trump’s tariffs and uncertainty about the economy fell sharply

The S&P 500 tumbled to resume its slide after a mini-recovery from the prior day clawed back some of its sharp drop over recent weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped and the Nasdaq composite sank to finish more than 10% below its record set in December

Stocks fell even though Trump on Thursday offered a one-month reprieve from his 25% tariffs on many goods imported from Mexico and Canada. That’s unlike the bounce stocks got the prior day from his giving a one-month exemption specifically for automakers. All the moves keep hope alive that Trump may be using tariffs as just a tool for negotiations rather than as a permanent policy and that he may ultimately avoid a worst-case trade war that grinds down economies and sends inflation higher But Trump is still pressing ahead with other tariffs scheduled to

take effect April 2. And the growing pile of dizzying back-and-forth moves on tariffs is only amping up the uncertainty It was just on Monday that Trump said there was “no room” left for negotiations that could lower the tariffs on Mexico and Canada, which took effect Tuesday

“These exemptions don’t do much to resolve the general air of uncertainty,” said Yung-Yu Ma, chief investment officer at BMO Wealth Management. “Businesses will still be cautious in the current environment until a lot more of the tariff picture is clear.”

U.S. businesses are already saying they’re confronting “chaos”

because of all the uncertainty coming out of Washington. while U.S. households are bracing for higher inflation because of the tariffs, which is sapping their confidence. Such reports have raised the possibility of a worst-case scenario known as “stagflation,” where the economy is stagnating and inflation is high It’s something that policy makers at the Federal Reserve don’t have a good tool to fix.

“Much will depend on whether these new tariffs prove temporary or are toned down,” according to strategists at BNP Paribas. “But even if they are ultimately removed, we anticipate lasting damage to global economic activity.”

Erratic policies baffle businesses

Ever-changing trade policies cause delays, cancellations

BY PAUL WISEMAN, ANNE D’INNOCENZIO and MAE ANDERSON AP business writers

WASHINGTON Marc Rosenberg, founder and CEO of The Edge Desk in Deerfield, Illinois, is getting ready to introduce a fancy ergonomic chair designed to reduce customers’ back pain and boost their productivity He figures the most expensive one will sell for more than $1,000 But he can’t settle on a price, and he is reluctantly reducing the shipment he’s bringing to the United States from China.

There’s a reason for his caution: President Donald Trump’s ever-changing, on-again, off-again tariff war with America’s three biggest trading partners — Mexico, Canada and China.

The latest reversal came Thursday Two days after imposing 25% taxes — tariffs — on all imports from Canada and Mexico and threatening to detonate more than $1.3 billion in annual U.S. trade in North America, Trump announced that he was suspending many of the levies on Mexico and some of them on Canada for a month. This was an expansion of his Wednesday announcement when he exempted auto imports from both countries for 30 days, and it also comes after a previous monthlong tariff reprieve for Canada and Mexico right before they were to take effect Feb. 4.

Rosenberg and his ergonomic furniture, meanwhile, are contending with a 20% tariff on imports from China which Trump on Tuesday raised from 10% — but he’s not sure where the tariff will actually land.

“The misdirection is making it very tough to plan for the year,” he said.

Swings typical of market

BY STAN CHOE and CORA LEWIS AP business writers

NEW YORK Much like all the upheaval shaking the world, the huge swings rocking Wall Street may feel far from normal. But, for investing at least, all this is typical. Sharp moves for the U.S. stock market, such as its recent 6% drop in just a couple of weeks happen regularly. Stomaching them is the price investors have to pay for the bigger returns that stocks can offer over other investments in the long term

This time doesn’t look much different, experts say The S&P 500 has regularly seen declines bigger than this recent one, of 10% or more, every year or so. Often, experts view them as a culling of optimism that can otherwise run overboard, driving stock prices too high.

Before this recent stumble, many critics were already saying the U.S. stock market was too expensive after prices rose faster than corporate profits. They also

pointed to how only a handful of companies were driving so much of the market’s returns. A group of just seven Big Tech companies accounted for more than half of the S&P 500’s total return last year, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Anytime an investor sees they’re losing money, it feels bad. This recent run feels particularly unnerving because of how incredibly calm the market had previously been. The S&P 500 is coming off a second straight year where it shot up by more than 20%, the first time that’s happened since baggy pants were last in style before the millennium

Selling may offer some feeling of relief. But it also locks in losses and prevents the chance of making the money back over time. Historically, the S&P 500 has come back from every one of its downturns to eventually make investors whole again. That includes after the Great Depression, the dot-com bust and the 2020 COVID-19 crash. Some recoveries take longer than others, but experts often recommend not putting money into stocks that you can’t afford to lose for several years, up to 10.

“Data has shown, historically that no one can time the market,”

Tariffs cause economic pain in part because they’re a tax paid by importers that often gets passed along to consumers, adding to inflationary pressure. They also draw retaliation from trading partners, which can hurt all economies involved.

But import taxes can cause economic damage in another way: by complicating the decisions businesses have to make, including which suppliers to use, where to locate factories, what prices to charge. And that uncertainty can cause them to delay or cancel investments that help drive economic growth.

“It creates an enormous amount of uncertainty for multinational companies that sell products worldwide, that import from the rest of the world, that run these complex supply chains through multiple countries,” said Eswar Prasad, an economist at Cornell University “The uncertainty is going to be very unsettling for businesses and it will hurt business investment.”

said Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEO of WalletHub. “No one can consistently figure out the best time to buy and sell.”

The proliferation of online trading platforms and the ease of smartphones have helped create a new generation of investors who may not be used to such volatility

But the good news is younger investors often have the gift of time. With decades to go until retirement, they can afford to ride the waves and let their stock portfoli-

os hopefully recover before compounding and eventually growing even bigger People who have already retired may want to cut back on spending and withdrawals after sharp market downturns, because bigger withdrawals will remove more potential compounding ability in the future. But even retirees, at least in the early part of retirement, should still be invested in stocks to prepare for the possibility of decades of spending ahead.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy

A truck loaded with produce from Mexico and Canada passes through Pharr, Texas, on Tuesday

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG

VICTIM

Continued from page 1A

and purity at just 17 years old.”

The shooting took place at an outdoor zydeco concert on the north side of Mamou just 24 hours after another shooting Monday night at a Lundi Gras gathering in which three people were injured. In several videos of the shooting shared on social media, Chris Ardoin and his band NuStep Zydeko were playing when the event was interrupted by several individual shots and then rapid gunfire After Tuesday’s shooting, Ardoin posted live on Face-

book saying he will not perform outside anymore.

People dove for cover and ran screaming in many directions.

One woman said she hid behind a car when she heard the barrage of shots, along with a man who was using his body to shield a baby in a stroller

Another witness said on social

media that she had never seen the Mardi Gras celebration so packed. She said many of the attendees were teenagers who appeared to have been drinking.

Several people reported seeing three bodies on the ground in the immediate aftermath of the shooting.

The victims’ identities have not

been confirmed by authorities.

The Evangeline Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana State Police are assisting in the investigation, Mamou Police Chief Charles “Pat” Hall said Wednesday in a prepared statement.

Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori. madison@theadvocate.com.

Since Trump took office in January, his administration has begun approving LNG terminals and cutting barriers that restricted the use of the fuel.

“One of our pathways to energy dominance is just unleashing the incredible resources that we have in this country: getting the red tape, getting the federal government off the back of the worker, off the back of companies,” said Burgum, who chairs Trump’s “national energy dominance council.” Louisiana is the epicenter of the global LNG export market. produ the The massive natural by the ers Natural as coal Ov U.S. largest est But found be do powerful heat-trapper, and methane leaks throughout the

eron Parish that garnered national attention and faced opposition from environmental groups. CP2 is still awaiting approval. Sabel said CP2 is “getting ready to launch as soon as we get maybe a couple more permits from the federal government.”

One of the central concerns from residents and environmental advocates has been allegations of a multitude of permit violafrom the company’s initial Calcasieu Pass terminal. Sabel said the company satisfies all the standards for greenhouse gases and other emissions. While the Virginia-based company is expanding its Louisiana operations and expressing confidence in

STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE

Burgum, far left, and Gov Jeff Landry listen at Venture Global’s Plaquemines

School worker injured in I-10 crash

Former Southside High football coach, family h

BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer

Former Southside High School football coach and current district employee Josh Fontenot and his family were injured and hospitalized after a car crash on Mardi Gras.

The family was traveling on

Interstate 10 near Iowa about 3:30 p.m when they were involved in the accident that involved a dump truck and 18-wheeler, according to Louisiana State Police. There was heavy congestion on the highway at the time, police said. The Fontenots were in a pickup and a dump truck behind them failed to stop, sandwiching the pickup between and an 18-wheeler Fontenot; their two children ized after t police, who member was in critical condition. family members surgeries”

the hospital. Those donations can be dropped off at St Joseph Catholic Church, 100 E. Milton Ave., Lafayette, or mailed to the church at P.O. Box 299, Milton, LA 70558. Josh Fontenot was Southside High’s first head football coach and served in the position for seven seasons. He spent more than two decades in a coaching position, including at Crowley High.

GOOD CLEAN FUN

ABOVE: Gillian Moody and other volunteers participate in the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Krewe de Coulee post-Mardi Gras cleanup event along the parade route in Lafayette on Thursday. The goal of the event, which is hosted by the UL Office of Sustainability and Community Engagement and Parish Proud, is to remove litter and Mardi Gras throws from the ground before they make their way to coulees and waterways. LEFT: The Coulee Monster mascot makes an appearance on Thursday. RIGHT: Volunteers Caiya Searls and Tylor Smith pick up trash along the parade route on Thursday. STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Working as a travel agent in Lafayette, it wasn’t unusual for Taylor Moore Meche to take impromptu trips to find the best deals for travelers. But this particular trip to California ended with her winning $41,000 in prizes. After reading “The Price is Right” game show was being filmed in Los Angeles during the same time as her visit, Meche decided to snag

OPINION

New DNC chair can win back red areas

mittee chair election.

Since they woke up on Nov 6, Democrats around the country have reflected on what went wrong to allow the election of a Republican trifecta. Many have blamed President Joe Biden’s late exit from the race, the “Joe Rogan Effect” or the campaign messaging that was unable to break through.

Similarly, we at the Young Democrats of Louisiana have had these same discussions, particularly through our strategic planning month of January Through these discussions, my take has become clear: Democrats have lost touch with the everyday Americans that have powered the party since President Franklin D. Roosevelt created Social Security and guided us through the depression and President Lyndon B. Johnson brought us Medicaid and Medicare and his Great Society

Indeed, we have been unclear in our focus on the kitchen table issues that affect everyday Americans. As the famed Louisiana Democrat James Carville once said, “It’s the economy stupid!

While Vice President Kamala Harris had plans that would help millions of Americans — from down payment assistance for first-time homeowners and expanding the child tax credit that brought 3 million children out of poverty in 2022 to capping the out-of-pocket cost of prescription drugs at $2,000 a year and lowering taxes for families — this was not the message that voters heard and felt

They instead saw a party of Ivy League elite more focused on conceptual threats to democracy than helping them afford milk and eggs. As the party moves forward, that is the narrative we must change, and nowhere is there a better opportunity to recenter our message than through the Democratic National Com-

With that in mind, the Young Democrats of Louisiana found that no candidate for DNC chair was as focused on lowering costs and improving the lives of everyday Americans than current Minnesota Democratic-FarmerLabor Chair Ken Martin.

Martin served in the role since 2011, and in that time completely helped to turn the DFL around. When his term began, the party was in turmoil.

Since then, Martin’s Minnesota DFL has gone 25-0 in statewide elections. Why? Because it has relentlessly made clear its commitment to a better Minnesota. He has cultivated a party that does not just knock on your door every four years and take your vote for granted. Instead they earn it through year-round organizing and results.

Since 2011, Minnesota has expanded Medicaid resulting in over 200,000 people gaining insurance, expanded paid leave for new parents and enacted uni-

NOAA cuts could raise danger of severe weather

Extreme weather is increasing. For the naysayers, just look at recent experience. Depending on where you were, between 8 and 12 inches of snow fell in New Orleans on Jan. 22. The last time we had 8 inches of snow in New Orleans was 130 years ago on Feb. 14, 1895. Wildfires are burning in South Carolina and North Carolina right now, but nothing like what happened in Los Angeles. Just a couple of weeks before New Orleans had snow, 40,000 acres burned in parts of L.A. To put that into perspective, that’s about one quarter of New Orleans gone In Los Angeles, over 15,000 buildings and homes went up in smoke. At least 29 people lost their lives. An extreme drought, dead vegetation and Santa Ana winds gusting to 100 miles-perhour were the perfect setup for the inferno. Here in New Orleans, we know the impacts of wildfires. Remember the record heat of 2023? There were 17 100-degree days at the airport. We hit an all-time record high of 105. At one point we were 30 inches of rain below average for the year Wildfires were burning.

On Oct. 22, 2023, the skies of New Orleans filled with smoke I was on the air that night and warned of a major fog event. Dense fog was forecast. The combination of smoke and fog made for a “super fog” event. The morning of Oct. 23, there was a 168-vehicle pileup on Interstate 55. Seven people died. Tornadoes. We’ve had a major wake up call. For the first time ever an EF-3 tornado hit New Orleans in New Orleans East on Feb. 7, 2017 The large wedge tornado was on the ground for 10 miles and destroyed 638 homes and 40 businesses. Thankfully no one died, because there were plenty of warnings.

On March 22, 2022, an even stronger tornado hit New Orleans. The large wedge tornado slammed into Arabi with 160 mph winds A four-block area was hardest hit. A young man died trying to save his dog. A young woman died a few days later Her home was moved off its foundation

On Dec. 14 that same year, an EF-2 hit Montz and Edgard, killing an elderly woman. That same tornado crossed

the Bonnet Carre Spillway Thankfully no cars flew into the lake.

We know hurricanes all too well here We’ve had devastating hurricanes like Betsy, Camille and Katrina, but things are changing.

We see strong hurricanes more often. Before 2020 the Louisiana coast was hit by one Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds. That was the Last Island Hurricane of 1856. Hurricane Laura hit near Cameron with 150 mph winds Aug. 27, 2020. One year later, on the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida made landfall at Port Fourchon at 11:56 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, 2021, with 150 mph winds. So, we had two Category 4 hurricanes with 150 mph winds within two years and the previous Category 4 hurricane with 150 mph winds was 164 years earlier!

Hurricanes are now intensifying rapidly That means they are going through a 35 mph wind-speed increase within 24 hours.

Harvey in 2017 went from depression to landfalling hurricane within two and a half days. Michael in 2018 went from depression to landfalling Category 5 hurricane in three and a half days. Two days and two hours after Laura entered the Gulf, it made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane.

Hurricanes do not just impact the coast. They impact areas far inland.

I can testify to the fact that the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service, both part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, give lifesaving information during these events. Their whole purpose is to save lives. They give specific information on what areas are at risk for severe storms, floods, drought, fire, snow, wind, hail and tornadoes

I understand the need to cut waste and balance the budget, but leave the chainsaw at home for when you have a tornado, flood or hurricane. Do you want timely warnings? Cuts to NOAA and ultimately the National Hurricane Center and the National Weather Service must be made with the safety of all people in mind.

“Game of Thrones” made the expression “Winter is coming” famous. Here’s a dose of reality Hurricane season is coming.

Meteorologist Margaret Orr retired in 2024 after 45 years at WDSU in New Orleans

versal free school lunches so no child goes hungry

Moreover, Martin understands what we at YDLA do, too: The Democratic Party is not built for the New York City and Los Angeles elite; it’s built for everyone in between Shreveport and New Orleans, for those in both East Baton Rouge and Evangeline

He has repeatedly argued for a “57 state” strategy, committing to building the party in every state and territory He said he will work to increase funding for state parties through the State Partnership Program and the Red State Fund, and we’ve seen him carrying out this action before. As president of the Association of State Democratic Committees, Martin has campaigned in 50 states and two U.S. territories during the recent election cycles.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with the major candidates for DNC chair at the Young Democrats Winter Meeting. I watched multiple candidate

panels and got to speak with each one individually and was impressed with all of them. It’s true Ben Wikler has done amazing things in Wisconsin, and I’m grateful for Gov Martin O’Malley’s service to Maryland and the Social Security Administration.

When I spoke to Martin, it felt different. He lit up when I mentioned my hometown of Shreveport — he launched into an extensive plan on how we can win back rural and red communities, before finishing with admiration for Gov John Bel Edwards and the impressive work he’d done Martin gets states like Louisiana people from states like Louisiana and how to win in Louisiana Martin can help us to win back the everyday Americans that have powered our nation to become the greatest country in the world.

Colin Carter is the national chair for Young Democrats of Louisiana.

Decreases to USAID have implications for world, La.

Sweeping changes to U.S. foreign aid under the second Trump administration are reshaping America’s role in global health, affecting efforts to fight disease, grow the economy and stabilize key regions vital to U.S. interests. Recent actions marked a stunning escalation with the decision of the Trump administration to terminate nearly 10,000 USAID awards. For decades, USAID has played a crucial role in fighting diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria while improving maternal and child health and food security Programs like the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the President’s Malaria Initiative and nutrition initiatives have saved millions of lives and strengthened health systems worldwide. These abrupt cuts create dangerous gaps in health systems, weakening U.S. preparedness against global health threats and increasing the risk of disease outbreaks reaching American communities and trade partners.

The consequences extend far beyond international aid. USAID’s collapse disrupts key economic sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing and health innovation, with Louisiana’s agricultural industry already feeling the effects. Louisiana rice farmers, who relied on USAID’s Food for Peace program, now face financial uncertainty and potential job losses. In 2024 alone, USAID purchased over $126 million worth of U.S. rice. As The Advocate |

The Times-Picayune recently reported, farmers are bracing for lost revenue as USAID, a major buyer of American agricultural exports, is dismantled.

Tulane University’s Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine — the oldest school of public health in the U.S. — has played a critical role in strengthening health systems in low- and middle-income countries by supporting schools of public health, training professionals and generating evidence to inform health policy

However, recent terminations of USAID-supported projects now threaten Tulane’s ability to sustain these partnerships, cutting off critical training programs, weakening disease surveillance efforts and disrupting collaboration with global health partners.

Tulane’s global health research has been used to strengthen local public health responses. For example, Tulane’s spatial analyses expertise — developed through work in Africa — was applied in New Orleans during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic to identify underserved areas for testing, leading to targeted interventions that improved access to care.

This shift raises broader concerns about the future of public health leadership as USAID funding cuts jeopardize ongoing efforts to maintain progress in improving global health security and supporting recipient countries to become more self-sufficient. The next generation of public health professionals must be prepared to navigate a system that depends less on U.S. government funding and more on regional leadership, public-private partnerships and alternative financing models.

As the U.S. shifts its foreign assistance approach, other

global health partners are attempting to fill gaps. However taken together they are unlikely to fully replace the resources and technical assistance the U.S. has historically provided. With USAID’s cuts taking effect, the consequences are already unfolding. The key question now is: What comes next for U.S. foreign aid and its role in global health? U.S. global health leadership has withstood past funding challenges and political shifts, and continuing this leadership is in our national interest. Strategic investment in global health not only saves lives abroad but also strengthens economic opportunities for American farmers and businesses, ensures stability in key regions and reduces the spread of infectious diseases that can impact U.S. citizens.

Now is the time to reinforce — not abandon — our role in global health. Smart investments in foreign assistance protect American economic interests, prevent costly global health crises and ensure that the U.S. remains the leader — not the follower — on the world stage. The world is watching how the U.S. responds to these challenges. New Orleans has a long and distinguished history of building capacity in the health sector of low- and middle-income countries, driving innovation, collaboration and training future professionals. To uphold this legacy, Congress must act now — sustaining investment, strengthening partnerships and equipping the next generation of health professionals to tackle future challenges. David R. Hotchkiss is a health economist and Mai P. Do is a physician and health researcher at Tulane University’s Celia Weatherhead School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

COMMENTARY

ROOM FOR DEBATE FEDERAL CUTS

As the effect of President Donald Trump’s cuts to government programs and the federal workforce begin to be felt across the country, some wonder whether support for his policies will start to wane.At some recent town halls, Republican lawmakers have faced fierce questioning from constituents about the cuts. Still, the president retains strong support among a large swath of the country, particularly young men.Will the president be able to retain his popularity even amid economic uncertainty or will opposition grow if his policies don’t produce results quickly? Here are two perspectives:

Why Gen Z men love Trump’s running riot

Many Americans are disturbed by President Donald Trump’s trampling of the Constitution and nuking of the federal government. But one group seems to love what Trump is doing: young men. New survey data show that support for Trump among this demographic has surged since the election.

In November men ages 18 to 29 voted for Trump by a 14-point margin (56% to 42%). It was the first time a GOP presidential candidate claimed an outright majority of the group since 1988 (when George H.W Bush swept most age and gender combinations in a landslide victory, unlike Trump’s slim popular-vote win).

Democrats have conducted many postmortems since November examining how they could reclaim the Gen Z “bro vote.” But they haven’t stemmed the losses so far In a recent YouGov survey, young men gave Trump a “net favorability” rating (the share of who approve of Trump’s performance as president minus those who don’t) of +20 The numbers are noisy week to week, because this is a small subset of the overall population. But even monthly trends with larger sample sizes show Trump comfortably above water among young men since the election.

Older men like Trump on net, too, though young men’s approval has been stronger on average over the past few months.

Young men have been up for grabs politically for years, argues Richard B Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men. Endless white papers and activist groups have tackled the challenges facing girls and women. Social movements have championed feminist causes (the Women’s March, #MeToo). Meanwhile the economic, social and psychological problems affecting men have been largely neglected — sometimes even mocked — by progressives.

“A lot of young men had the sense that the Democrats didn’t see them as having problems,” Reeves said. “They saw them as being the problem.”

Yet in many ways, men are faring worse than their female peers. Young men have lower academic achievement. They’re more likely to still live with their parents. They suffer more deaths caused by opioid overdoses and suicide. Younger White men from low-income households in particular

are worse off than their fathers on most economic and social measures.

Smartphones, which enable consumers to sort into their own polarized echo chambers, might help explain why a political gender divide appears to be emerging among youths globally, says scholar Alice Evans. She notes that young women worldwide have also become much more progressive over time, which has in turn fed a backlash that alt-right podcasters and influencers tap into.

What about Trump’s policy choices since coming into office?

Some seem tailored to appeal to stereotypical right-wing bros, such as his war on diversity, equity and inclusion programs. The administration has also advocated on behalf of self-proclaimed “misogynist” influencer Andrew Tate, who faces criminal charges in Romania related to human trafficking, sexual misconduct and money laundering.

On other Trump moves, the verdict is still out. The most recent monthly YouGov data show a dip in young men’s net approval for the president, though it’s still positive. A separate Post-Ipsos survey instead finds young men are roughly neutral on the president now On some level, the very things that disturb fussy establishment pundits like me Trump’s strongman tendencies; his propensity to arbitrarily fire people and break stuff without regard to consequences might appeal most to young male populists frustrated by a system they believe has abandoned them These actions are certainly consistent with the “high-energy, edgy, almost transgressive” rhetoric that won young male voters over in November Reeves surmises. On the other hand, outcomes presumably matter, regardless of age and gender If Trump’s agenda results in, say, more economic stress (higher prices, fewer jobs) and less access to mental health or substanceabuse care — both outcomes that seem likely young men will suffer too. Maybe their affection for Trump will curdle. Ultimately, the key to winning young men back — whether you’re a politician, concerned parent or potential partner — is to stop “pathologizing” them Reeves admonishes. Instead, start listening.

Email Catherine Rampell at crampell@ washpost.cotam. She is on X, @ crampell.

When policy proposals run into harsh realities

“Trump’s honeymoon is over,” headlines the Washington Post. “At Testy Town Halls, Republicans Take Heat for Trump’s Bold Moves,” reports the Wall Street Journal. Certainly, the president’s honeymoon is not over with his loyal supporters; most Republican lawmakers remain so intimidated that they have approved all of his cabinet choices, including those who are undeniably unqualified. But there are small signs of a gathering backlash against the new president. In five recent national polls, his approval rating stayed stuck between 44% and 47% — not a majority in any of them. And as the news site Puck reports, “Republican House members scattered home to their districts and faced constituents’ uncorked fury over the efforts of Elon Musk and Donald Trump to seize the power of the purse from Congress.”

As result, a few GOP dissenters are starting to emerge. “It requires speaking out. It requires saying, ‘That violates the law That violates the authorities of the executive,’” asserted Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Trump’s looming problems are rooted in this plain fact: He has sold two myths to the American people — told two lies so often that his fervent acolytes have embraced them. But those myths are now running into reality

The first myth is summed up in the banners that appeared at his campaign rallies: “Trump Will Fix It.” Indeed, he often promised that the country’s problems were so simple that he’d start improving things on “day one.” But that’s a totally impossible standard, especially regarding the issues that voters care most about: inflation and the cost of gas and groceries.

Since the new political season premiered last month, Trump has successfully launched his reality TV series, “The President.” In various episodes, he’s driven around the Daytona racetrack waved at the Super Bowl and promoted a fake magazine cover that features him wearing a crown. Cameras have documented his armed agents rounding up undocumented immigrants. “The second Trump administration is using imagery to project an air of authority and invincibility,” wrote The New York Times TV critic James Poniewozik. Here’s the problem: This is all a show a

performance. Despite his promises to fix it, Trump hasn’t done anything about inflation because he can’t. No president has any real power to affect prices, as Joe Biden discovered painfully In fact, inflation rose by half a point in January Gasoline has dropped from its peak, but it remains well over $3 a gallon Don’t even mention eggs, now averaging almost $5 a dozen And Trump’s bluster about imposing tariffs on imported goods has only aggravated consumer anxiety

No wonder 62% of voters told CNN that Trump was not doing enough to curb inflation, about the same number that called inflation a “very big problem” in a new Pew poll.

“For many Americans,” summarized Barron’s, “the Trump administration’s recent policy changes have heightened uncertainties about the economic outlook.” The second myth Trump keeps repeating is that government programs only benefit other people — mainly the undeserving poor, like the “welfare queens” demonized by Ronald Reagan Accordingly, billions of dollars in “waste, fraud and abuse” could be slashed from the federal budget without hurting hard-working, tax-paying Trump voters. But the truth is that every American community, every family, is affected by government programs all the time. Veterans benefits and farm supports, subsidies for mass transit and school lunches, inspectors who protect wetlands and wildlife, regulators who enforce rules promoting clean water and safe workplaces and effective drugs — the list is endless. If Republicans adopt a budget mandating reductions in programs like Medicaid and food stamps to finance tax breaks for the rich, Trump’s political problems will only get worse. As one Republican operative told Puck, Trump’s slash-and-burn crusade, spearheaded by his billionaire buddy Elon Musk, has “energized Republicans, but it also woke Democrats up when they were quite depressed.” Trump has always been a brilliant TV performer, a “ratings magnet,” as he likes to boast. But as president, he has to produce tangible results, not just transitory reactions. And when the myths he spreads encounter reality, reality will always prevail.

Email Steven Roberts at stevecokie@ gmail.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

Demonstrators rally in support of federal workers recently outside of the Department of Health and Human Services in Washington.

Catherine Rampell

Steve Roberts

Levee board nominating process under scrutiny

Landry adviser wants to upend reform

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

A top adviser to Gov Jeff Landry is leading a push to upend a key post-Katrina reform at the New Orleans area’s levee authorities, drawing sharp criticism from government watchdogs who say he risks seriously harming the region’s vital flood protections. After the New Orleans area’s levees crumbled during the storm 20 years ago, a constitutional amendment that voters overwhelmingly approved reformed the region’s flood control agencies. Among other changes, it created an independent committee to nominate members to the regional levee boards. Those agencies are responsible for maintaining and operating the levees and pumps that protect the city from storm surge flooding.

Now, Shane Guidry, who is not elected or appointed to any official office and serves as an adviser to the governor in an informal capacity, is

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contestants wait to be no-

tified via email if they received priority tickets.

Priority tickets guarantee a spot in the audience. Line voucher tickets and waitlist tickets are also distributed via email, which both follow additional rules to be selected as an audience member With about 100 contestants receiving priority tickets, Meche was ecstatic to see she had been selected as an audience member

“I remember arriving on set super nervous, and I assumed we would jump right into filming,” said Meche.

“But what people don’t know is although your ticket guarantees you’re in the audience, you (have to be) selected to be one of the contestants that are called up.”

It’s not just by luck that audience members are called to come on down. Contestants undergo preliminary interviews Before filming, Meche said, half of the day consists of producers scouting the wildest and loudest personalities. Audience members are grouped into eight or nine and are interviewed by

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recommending to lawmakers that they do away with the nominating committees. He did not specify how the nominating process would be restructured, but Landry has already reformed other state boards to give the governor more power over them.

Following the Katrina reforms, two agencies have been charged with overseeing flood protections in the New Orleans area, the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East and -West.

“We have sat for a year watching how our boards operate. We’re watching for checks and balances on how money is being spent. We’re finding that’s not happening,” Guidry said. “A lot of this is happening because people get nominated to the board through a process we don’t agree with.”

He referred to members of the current nominating committees as “scammers who are just out for themselves, and we’re going to put a stop to it.”

He stressed repeatedly that he and the governor are seeking to ferret out “waste, fraud and abuse,” echoing language used by President

producers. Meche said she only hoped that her cartwheels, high-pitched yelling and dancing were enough

“I’d say it’s not just about screaming or clapping but standing out because they’re looking for how come in and out of that interview room, how much you stand out from those beside you,” Meche said Met by a vibrant and colorful set that featured a large stage area for showcasing prizes and playing games, and a sitting area with more than 200 seats, producers play music to prepare for the start the show Contestants continue to dance and show their personalities as they are directed to their seats.

‘Come on down!’

Although the show was filmed in October, its airdate was Jan. 2, kicking things off with the first episode of the year

“Come on down,” says Drew Carey to the first contestant, then again to another The third time the famous catchphrase was followed by Meche’s name.

“I mean for a second I kind of stood there until I heard my friend say ‘Get up and go.’ You have to remember there were hun-

Donald Trump and Elon Musk. But Guidry provided no evidence of any waste or wrongdoing.

Sen. Patrick Connick, RMarrero, said that he had not seen draft legislation yet, but confirmed that the Governor’s Office had approached him about introducing a bill that would reform the nominating process for positions on levee boards statewide.

Kate Kelly, a spokesperson for the governor, said she could not offer any additional details on the plans.

‘Experimenting with lives’

The nominating committee is intended to be an independent panel that ensures that the levee authorities’ boards includes people with expertise in hydrology and engineering required to oversee the maintenance of the region’s flood control infrastructure.

In an article about the postKatrina flood protection reforms for the New England Journal of Public Policy, Ruthie Frierson, a former real estate agent who started Citizens for 1 Greater New Orleans, wrote that the nominating committee was seen as crucial for boosting the public’s confidence in the

dreds of people that were interviewed and knowing that there is a 1% chance of being called up, you truly don’t expect it,” Meche said.

Meche made it to the stage after winning the one-bid round game. Then she won a pricing game. Finally, she made it as one of the top two contestants that compete in the big showcase at the end.

In the final showcase, the contestant who bids closest to the actual price without going over wins.

As the winner Meche took home a total of $41,000 in prizes that included a 2025 Chevy Equinox, a gray sectional that has enough room for a family of five, a coffee table and a fully paid vacation to Lake Tahoe that includes food, a three-night stay and a car for travel.

“I travel for work so having a new car and a trip to somewhere I never been was just the icing on the cake I am waiting for everything to arrive so I can soak it in again,” said Meche.

Her trip to Lake Tahoe has been booked for June, and her living room set and SUV were scheduled to be delivered to her home.

Although taxes are expected to be paid on all gifts she accepted, Meche said

levee boards.

“I think we should avoid experimenting with lives, property and our region’s future by reducing the independent local oversight that brought focus, integrity, and competence to flood protection,” she told The TimesPicayune last week, noting that 94% of New Orleanians voted in favor of the constitutional amendment that created the regional levee authority in 2006.

Good-government groups also expressed opposition to scrapping the nominating committees.

The head of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana (PAR), Steven Procopio, said he believes the nominating committee should stay in place.

“Eliminating the levee board nominating committee would be a serious mistake,” he said. “If we allow direct political appointments, we’re putting Louisiana’s flood protection system and the people who rely on it at risk.”

Barry Erwin, who runs the Council for a Better Louisiana (CABL), echoed Procopio’s concerns. So did Becky Mowbray, the president and CEO of the nonprofit Bureau of Governmental Research.

it’s still worth it.

“I got to do something I never thought I’d do It has broadened my horizons on new thing to try, so I am here to say it first, I am applying to another show as well. I can’t say which one but it’s going to be another wow,” said Meche.

“The Price is Right” can be watched on Paramount+ or Amazon Prime Video. For those interested in applying, visit On Camera Audiences website.

Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

Dupre, Curtis Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette, LAat 11am.

Obituaries

Flynn, Sidney B.

ceased by his lovingand devoted wife, Mary;sons Frank, George Kevin, and Steven; and his cherished youngest daughter, Mary Kathleen Stelly (Terry). He was also preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Frank "Son" Flynn, Marie Powe, Gerald Flynn, and Avice Pias. The family requests visiting hours be observed from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 8th,2025 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 600 Lakeview St., Pineville, LA, followed by the funeral Mass at 1:00 p.m. Graveside services immediately following Mass at Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery, 2202 Military Hwy. Pineville, under the direction of JohnKramer &Son Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributionsin Sidney's memory to Shriners' Children's Hospital, 3100 Samford Ave, Shreveport, LA 71103, 857-491-9155, https://www. shrinerschildrens.org/en/g iving. This is acause very close to Sidney's heart after spending several summers recovering from childhood polio at Shriners in Shreveport. The family would also like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the staff of St. James Place and The HospiceofBaton Rouge. To extend online notes of condolence to the family, please visit www.KramerFunerals.com.

“The Lafayette Parish School System stands with Mr Fontenot and his family during this difficult time,” Superintendent Francis Touchet said Thursday in a prepared statement

“Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they fo-

He stepped away from his position at Southside last February to take a position at the Lafayette Parish School System district office to work as the director of construction, facilities and maintenance.

cus on healing. Our team is coming together to provide whatever is needed for him and his family, and we are grateful for the outpouring of support from the community.”

Email Ashley White at ashley.white@ theadvocate.com.

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An investigation is ongo-

ing

Anyone with information regarding this case can contact the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives at (337) 369-3714 or submit a tip on the Iberia sheriff’s app.

Police: Woman dies from injuries in crash

A Church Point woman died Monday from injuries suffered in a crash Friday in Opelousas. The crash occurred shortly before 2 a.m. and claimed the life of 86-year-old Anna Landry of Church Point, according to Louisiana State Police.

A preliminary investigation by revealed that a 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by 58-year-old Beverly

Landry, of Church Point, was traveling south on La. 357 near its intersection with La. 358. For reasons still under investigation, the Chevrolet veered off the road to the left and entered a ditch before hitting a mailbox and overturning onto the roof of the car Anna Landry, who was an unrestrained passenger, suffered serious injuries. Beverly Landry, who was restrained, suffered moderate injuries. Both were transported to a hospital for treatment, police say Anna Landry later died from her injuries.

“While not all crashes are survivable, wearing seat belts correctly can significantly improve your chances of survival and reduce injury severity These measures are crucial for arriving at your destination safely,” State Police wrote in a news release. “Additionally distracted and inattentive driving remains a

leading cause of crashes in our state. Adhering to these simple precautions and following all traffic laws can significantly enhance road safety.”

As part of the ongoing investigation, routine toxicology samples were obtained from Beverly Landry for analysis. The crash remain under investigation.

LOTTERY

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2025

PICK 3: 7-9-2

PICK 4: 4-5-1-7 PICK 5: 7-7-1-6-4 EASY 5: 2-7-20-27-37

"It's All Part of the Adventure" was afavorite saying of our patriarch Sidney B. Flynn, lovingly known as "Popie". His earthly adventure concluded on February 23rd, 2025. His 99 years of life were filled with abundant blessings, joy, success and laughter. Born and raised in Alexandria, Louisianato Francis andMarie McGowan Flynn, Sidney was a1943 graduate of Holy Savior Menard High School then proudly served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Upon his return from the war, he graduated from Louisiana College in Pineville. In December of 1950, he met his future bride, Mary Elizabeth "Tootsie" Fields, on atrain bound for the Tulane vs LSU football game in New Orleans. They married in September of 1951 and were blessed with 9children. Sidney was adevoted husband, lovingfather and grandfather, successful self-employed businessman, avid reader and world traveler whoalways had asongtosingorwisdom to share. "Let your smile be your umbrella on arainy, rainy day" and "Always leave aplace cleaner than you found it" were favorites. Sidney closed each day by saying "Brush your grimees (aka teeth), say your prayers and love your family". He will be deeply missed, but his quick wit, sayings and songs will never be forgotten. Left to cherish many heartfelt memories are his children Delia, Lydia, Tim, Elizabeth and Kyle; daughters-in-law, Nan (Tim) and Chris (Kyle); sons-in-law Paul (Elizabeth)and Terry (Lisa). Sidney's legacy includes fourteen grandchildren Ryan (Carleigh), Loren (Chris), Kevin (Kayla), Drew (Lauren), Kaitlin (Travis), Jeremy, Jeanine(Ethan), Mary Elizabeth,Patrick (Bridget), Meghan (Andrew), Colin,Samantha, Sydney (Chaz) andKate; 12 great grandchildren,Eli, June, John Patrick, Haley, Cruz, Chandler, Emily, Frankie Rose, Benjamin, Sloane, Wyatt and Caroline. He is also survived by his sister Rosemary Gist, andmany nieces and nephews. Sidney was predeceased by his lovingand devoted wife, Mary;sons Frank, George Kevin, and Steven; and his cherished youngest daughter, Mary Kathleen Stelly (Terry). He was also preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Frank "Son" Flynn, Marie Powe, Gerald Flynn, and Avice Pias. The family requests visiting hoursbeobserved from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 8th, 2025 at Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 600 Lakeview St., Pineville, LA, followed by the funeral Mass at 1:00 p.m. Graveside services immediately following Mass at Greenwood Memorial Park Cemetery, 2202 Military Hwy., Pineville, under the direction of JohnKramer &Son Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider contributions in Sidney's memory to Shriners' Children's Hospital, 3100 Samford Ave, Shreveport, LA 71103, 857-491-9155, https://www. shrinerschildrens.org/en/g iving. This is acause very close to Sidney's heart after spending several summers recovering from childhood polio at Shriners in Shreveport. The family would also like to extend their thanks and appreciation to the staff of St. James Place and The HospiceofBaton Rouge. To extend online notes of condolence to thefamily, please visit www.KramerFunerals.com.

UL’s season ends in SBC tourney loss to Marshall

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

It shouldn’t have surprised anyone the rematch between UL and Marshall wasn’t nearly as high scoring as the first meeting when the Ragin’ Cajuns survived an overtime game with 180 points scored

It just turned out to be way way lower scoring, and the No. 7-seeded Cajuns made far too many turnovers

The result was a season-ending 48-46 loss to No. 11 Marshall in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament at the Pensacola Bay Center.

“Always in my experience, in the postseason, the scores get lower and lower,” Marshall coach Juli Fulks said. “You’ve got to be able to defend, get stops and get rebounds.”

The rebounding battle was even at 39-all, but when it really counted, the Thundering Herd got the key stops to prevail.

After a key turnover with 30 seconds left, the Cajuns got possession potentially for the last shot down 47-46.

Marshall’s defense kept the ball out of the middle of the floor and into the left corner, resulting in a poor pass and turnover with

UL’s Skylah Travis continued her strong finish to the season with 13 points and 15 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Marshall.

Cajuns

much-needed victory over Seahawks

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

It certainly wasn’t what UL’s coaching staff would have envisioned But after coming off a rough weekend on the West coast and a top 25 club on deck, the Ragin’ Cajuns weren’t picky about the method.

Halfway through Wednesday’s contest with UNC Wilmington at Russo Park, the visiting Seahawks were outhitting UL 10-1. Somehow the Cajuns won the game 6-5

“It was big,” UL coach Matt Deggs said of the win. “That’s a perennial regional team. They’ve already got a top five win under their belt this season (Georgia). Their coach is as good as anybody and they’ve got good players.

“When you match up mid-majors that are of the same caliber, they want to hurt each other. That’s what you saw tonight – a lot of great compete.”

A two-run single by Connor Cuff in the sixth inning gave UL the lead for good and the Cajuns’ bullpen did the job of cooling off the Seahawks’ lineup until things got really hairy in the ninth. Parker Dillhoff was brought in to try to nail down the save, but he walked the first two batters he faced.

“JR (Tollett) had a really good eighth inning,” Deggs said. “I had already preset in my head that I wanted to see Dilly in this spot if we get the chance tonight. If I hadn’t preset

ä See CAJUNS, page 3C

LEVELING UP

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

game

GREENVILLE, S.C. — Maybe three or four times a month, Derrick Parker will start his car at 2 a.m. A long, dark drive awaits the Shreveport-based basketball trainer on these nights, the ones in which he finds himself racing the sunrise to Baton Rouge.

There, Mikaylah Williams waits for him. She wants to squeeze in an early-morning workout, and she wants the trainers who know her best to run her through it. These days, those requests pull Parker and his colleague Tyrone Hamilton out of bed and onto Interstate 49, the artery that connects Williams to her Bossier City roots.

“It’s constant,” Parker said. “It never stops.” Inside the process that ‘unlocked’ LSU guard Williams’

But don’t get it twisted: Parker is glad to take on those difficult drives and facilitate that extra work. Especially since it’s all starting to pay off.

The LSU women’s basketball team will likely soon host NCAA Tournament games again, regardless of what happens after its Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinal game tips off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday (SEC Network). The No. 3-seeded Tigers almost certainly wouldn’t be in that position had

Williams not worked to elevate her game between her freshman and sophomore seasons.

Last year, the prized recruit torched most of LSU’s nonconference competition. Then her scoring ebbed and flowed through SEC play

In those games, she notched at least 20 points as many times (three) as she chipped in fewer than five.

Now Williams is a more consistent force. Coach Kim Mulkey has tossed her the keys to LSU’s offense in tight

games, and the star sophomore has driven the Tigers to wins. She improvised a free-throw line jumper that forced overtime against Stanford. She devised a 3-pointer that sealed a victory over Oklahoma. Then she either scored or assisted on more than half of the second-half field goals LSU converted to beat Kentucky orchestrating an important come-from-behind road win.

Evans’ focus on pitching transformed his career

Tigers reliever made ‘immediate jump’ after decision to stop hitting

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Casan Evans had a decision to make.

As an incoming freshman from St. Pius X High in Houston, Evans arrived at LSU as a two-way player and spent the first few weeks in the fall as a hitter and a pitcher Then, he made a choice.

He’d be a pitcher only Hitting would go to the wayside.

“I was hitting in the games and everything, and I just saw that pitching was taking off,” Evans said. “So I was like, might as well just focus in on this and get prepared for the season with one thing, rather than do both.” Evans’ decision has already paid off.

the Week on Monday He’ll spearhead the Tigers’ bullpen as it returns home for this weekend’s threegame series with North Alabama beginning on Friday (6:30 p.m., SEC Network+) “Similarly to Paul Skenes or to (Gavin) Guidry by only focusing on pitching, both those guys made real positive jumps,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said before the preseason started. “And that happened this fall (with Evans).

“There was an immediate jump.” Evans shifting his focus to the mound was not something anyone forced him to do. It was a decision he made for himself. Johnson was prepared to let him contin-

PROVIDED PHOTO By SUN BELT CONFERENCE

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Mikaylah Williams finishes a layup against Auburn forward Syriah Daniels in the fourth quarter of their game on Jan. 5 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

LSU RHP Guidry likely out vs. North Alabama

LSU junior right-handed pitcher Gavin Guidry will “probably” be unavailable to pitch this weekend, coach Jay Johnson said Wednesday

Guidry has been dealing with a mid-body injury that has kept him out the past two weekends. He has not to pitched yet this season.

“We’ve made some good strides,” Johnson said, “but what I don’t want to do is have a setback that’s going to lengthen getting him out there.”

Homecoming bittersweet for UL’s Habetz

Cajuns coach trying to put run-rule loss behind before heading to ‘home away from home’

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

While she’s one of the most jovial person anyone will ever meet, UL softball coach Alyson Habetz may not be in the best of moods when her Ragin’ Cajuns begin play in her second home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Friday Wednesday’s 14-1 beating at Mississippi State was a drastic enough gut punch to stun any team for a spell.

But Habetz’s Cajuns don’t have much time to sulk with the Spring Break Showdown this weekend at Rhoads Stadium in Tuscaloosa.

UL (11-7) opens play at 2 p.m. Friday against Iowa (13-5) before playing No. 21 Alabama (16-6) at 4 p.m. Saturday’s schedule has the Cajuns playing Iowa at 11 a.m. and Alabama at 3 p.m.

Most of Habetz’s coaching career was spent with former UL assistant coach Patrick Murphy at Alabama Habetz retired from coaching before last season and then was talked into becoming UL’s coach in the offseason

“Going to Alabama is going to be emotional for me, because it’s my home away from home and has been for 25 years,” Habetz said.

“I’m looking forward to that just seeing a lot of people I know and a lot of family there

“It’ll be great to see people annd bring my home here. It’ll be something different that I’ve never done before, so I’m looking forward to it.”

While meeting those close friends will be enjoyable, Habetz’s first job is getting the bad taste from Wednesday’s loss out of her mind. The No. 22 Bulldogs got 17 hits, including three home runs and two doubles in a five-inning run-rule win.

It was UL’s worst loss since a 15-1 home defeat to Michigan in

PITCHING

Continued from page 1C

ue to hit and pitch. All he told Evans was that he needed to choose one path by his junior year to help him prepare for the MLB Draft.

But Evans knew he’d reap more of the benefits if he decided to focus on one side of the ball sooner An injury in high school helped him realize the perks of being a pitcher

“That happening made me realize that doing one thing is a lot easier than doing both,” Evans said Johnson knew he was athletic enough to be a positional player, but he had a feeling his pitching career would take off once he stuck to just that.

“You can see how good he is on a mound,” Johnson said last Thursday “And when you’re that good on a mound, a coach is usually going to let you do whatever you want to do.”

By just pitching, Evans saw his velocity jump up to 99 mph in the fall. His fastball has mostly been in mid 90s since the start of the season, but it reached 98 mph on opening day

He’s paired that improved velocity with a slider and a changeup The slider, in particular, has been a point of emphasis. It was a pitch he had never thrown until he arrived at LSU.

Instead, he had a curveball in high school.

“It’s high school, so I could get away with the curveball,” Evans said. “It was just big and loopy And I feel like if I threw that here, it would just get destroyed.”

The fastball and changeup were already calling card pitches, but the new breaking ball has quickly become a strong offering for Evans. On Wednesday against Dallas Baptist, he threw the slider four

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

UL coach Alyson Habetz is bringing her Ragin’ Cajuns back to Alabama, where she coached for 25 years.

2014. The Cajuns will likely count on senior transfer pitcher Tyra Clary finding her groove this weekend. A knee injury stifled her transition to the Cajuns after three years at Nevada.

Last weekend at Auburn, the right-hander had one good outing and one shaky one

“Her command for some reason wasn’t that good,” Habetz said of the game against Auburn when

she was pulled in first inning. “She hadn’t really done that really, but for the first game of the season. She’s said that before that sometimes the first inning is her worst inning just trying to get in a groove and she couldn’t find the groove. It just got her in trouble.”

UL pitchers Bethaney Noble, Mallory Wheeler and Sam Ryan were all hit hard at Mississippi State. This weekend, UL’s staff will

times and got two swings and misses and a called strike, according to Baseball Savant. Playing catch with right-handed junior Anthony Eyanson and fellow freshman right-hander Mavrick Rizy before games has helped him learn how to throw the pitch.

“We’ve been working on it pretty much all fall, and kind of toning it in right now,” Evans said. “So just being able to throw that for a lot more strikes, and we’re going to try and throw it harder later in the season.”

Evans’ cue to throw it effec-

tively is to release it out in front and flick his wrist at the end of his delivery That’s enabled him to throw the pitch for more strikes

while generating greater velocity and later break. Anytime he shapes the pitch early in his release — with the ball behind his head — it pops out of his hand and often winds up becoming a ball.

“Or if it was a strike, the hitters would be able to see it early,” Evans said. Evans may have decided to stop hitting, but he still misses stepping into the batter’s box. It was something he’d been doing for his entire life.

And it wasn’t like he was a bad positional player He was the No. 19 shortstop in the nation coming out of high school according to Perfect Game.

ä UL vs. Iowa, 2 P.M.FRIDAy

face two very different lineups in Iowa and Alabama.

Iowa has a .286 team batting average with 11 homers and 10 stolen bases and is averaging 5.2 runs a game.

The top hitters are Talia Tretton (.381, HR, nine RBIs), Hannah Lindsey (.348, three HRs, 20 RBIs) and Tory Bennett (.319, seven RBIs).

The Hawkeyes have a 3.02 team ERA, allowing 96 hits and 58 walks while striking out 77 in 1062/3 innings.

Leading the way for Iowa is ace Jalen Adams (10-1, 0.69 ERA, 61 innings, seven complete games) and Tretton (3-1, 2.50, 361/3 IP).

Iowa has wins over Marshall and a 3-2 loss to Missouri, but hasn’t competed well in losses to powerhouses Texas Tech, Tennessee and Arkansas twice.

Alabama has a team batting average of 364 with 25 homers and 64 stolen bases.

The Crimson Tide’s top hitters are Audrey Vandagriff (.483, 14 RBIs, 27 stolen bases), Abby Duchscherer (.444, two HRs, 10 RBIs) and Alexis Pupillo (.371, five HRs, 22 RBIs).

Alabama has a team ERA of 2.40 with 54 walks and 120 strikeouts in 1371/3 innings.

Catelyn Riley (5-1, 2.46 ERA, 422/3 IP), Jocelyn Briski (5-5 2.44 ERA, 512/3 IP, 50 strikeouts) and Emily Winstead (5-0, two saves, 1.86) have been the top Tide pitchers. Alabama has two wins over Washington and one over Virginia Tech, but has losses to Arizona, UCLA, Oklahoma State and Virginia Tech.

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

ON DECK

WHO: North Alabama (3-8) at LSU (13-1) WHEN: 6:30 p.m. Friday WHERE: Alex Box Stadium ONLINE: SEC Network+ RADIO: WDGL-FM, 98.1 (Baton Rouge); WWL-AM, 870 (New Orleans); KLWB-FM, 103.7 (Lafayette) RANKINGS: LSU is No. 1 by D1Baseball; North Alabama is not ranked PROBABLE STARTERS: LSU — LHP Kade Anderson (2-0, 2.30 ERA); North Alabama — RHP Brycen Parrish (0-3, 5.82 ERA) PREGAME UPDATES: theadvocate. com/lsu ON X (FORMERLY TWITTER): @KokiRiley

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: LSU turns to Anderson after he struck out 10 batters in 51/3 innings last weekend against Kansas State.The lefty was throwing a shutout until the sixth inning when he surrendered a pair of solo home runs North Alabama enters this weekend’s series after losing to Belmont on Tuesday. Koki Riley

“He’s such a good athlete. He’s such a good competitor,” Johnson said. “I mean, you could easily see how he could be an infielder and a position player, and he’s twitchy and athletic.”

But his rise on the mound may have not been possible if he hadn’t decided to cut bait on his career as a positional player

“It’s just made life so much easier, being able to focus on one thing and not trying to do both,” Evans said. “... It’s hard to explain.”

Email Koki Riley at Koki. Riley@theadvocate.com.

Johnson hopes Guidry can return to the mound next week when LSU opens Southeastern Conference play with Missouri at Alex Box Stadium. The injury he’s been dealing with is not arm related, but Johnson said last week that he thought Guidry would be back pitching this week.

Florida QB Lagway is limited during practice

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Florida quarterback DJ Lagway will be “limited in throwing activities” during spring practice, coach Billy Napier said Thursday Napier also said Lagway was dealing with a lower-body injury, but the coach provided few details other than saying the quarterback didn’t have any offseason surgery Lagway missed a game last November while recovering from a strained left hamstring he suffered against Georgia.

But he started every game after, including Florida’s bowl victory against Tulane in December. Lagway completed 60% of his passes for 1,915 yards, with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions as a freshman last season.

Auburn fires coach

Harris after early SEC exit

AUBURN, Ala. — Auburn fired women’s basketball coach Johnnie Harris on Thursday one day after the Tigers lost to Florida 60-50 in the first round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament.

Harris had gone 58-63 in four seasons. Auburn earned its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019 last season, but the Tigers followed that up by going 12-18 overall and 3-13 in SEC competition this year

Auburn’s SEC Tournament defeat marked its seventh consecutive loss. The Tigers finished the regular season in a four-way tie for last place in the SEC with Missouri, Texas A&M and Arkansas. She went 10-18 her debut season at Auburn, which had gone 5-19 the year before her arrival.

Los Angeles release LB Bosa after 9 seasons

The Los Angeles Chargers released Joey Bosa on Wednesday night, ending the linebacker’s nine-season tenure with the franchise.

The move, which came less than a week before the start of the new league year, was expected due to Bosa’s large salary cap number and injury history. Bosa had a cap number of $36.47 million for the 2025 season, but the Chargers will save $25.36 million in cap space.

Bosa was the third overall pick by the Chargers in the 2016 NFL draft and was the last player on the roster from when the team played in San Diego.

He signed a five-year extension worth $135 million in 2020 that made him the league’s highestpaid defensive player at the time.

McNeese State fires women’s coach Kennedy

McNeese State athletic director Heath Schroyer announced Thursday that the university will not renew the contract of women’s basketball coach Lynn Kennedy Kennedy, whose team finished 10-21 and 5-15 in the Southland Conference this season, just completed the fourth season.

“I really appreciate coach Kennedy’s efforts in leading our women’s basketball program over the last four years. He’s a good man and I wish him nothing but the best moving forward,” Schroyer said. A search for the next head coach will begin immediately Kennedy signed a three-year deal after coming from Portland State on March 30, 2021. McNeese hosts the SLC tournament, which starts for the women on Monday

PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

LSU reliever Casan Evans throws a pitch in the ninth inning of a game against Omaha of Feb 21 at Alex Box Stadium.

UL’s season comes to an end with loss to Old Dominion

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

The fight never left the UL Ragin’ Cajuns under interim coach Derrick Zimmerman’s leadership, but the opportunities did with Wednesday’s 67-49 loss to No. 10-seeded Old Dominion at the Pensacola Bay Center

The Monarchs ended the Cajuns’ season at 12-21 while improving to 13-19 with a strong 38-point second half.

“We’re really a no-excuse team,” Zimmerman said. “It (back-to-back days) might have had something to do with our legs, making shots on our 3s. But we were right here we tied it up (in sec-

CAJUNS

Continued from page 1C

that, because I’ve got to know what we can do who can do what and who fits where, I would have probably just rode JR because that was really efficient.”

Alex Rosario relieved him, but was greeted with an RBI double from Alec DeMartino. Suddenly, the go-ahead runner was at second base with no outs. Rosario then stabilized things with a pop out to shallow right. In came sophomore southpaw Riley Marcotte.

“He’s pitched pretty well, but he’s never pitched in that spot,” Deggs said. “He looked pretty comfortable and those are the things that we’re finding out.”

First, Bromley Thornton hit a smash to third baseman Connor Cuff, who kept the ball in the infield and the runner on third, but the bases were loaded.

Marcotte struck out Ryker Galaska and then got Mac Gillespie to ground out to end the threat for his first save of the season.

“I was ready,” Marcotte

LSU

Continued from page 1C

On Tuesday, the league revealed that its coaches had voted Williams onto the AllSEC first team That recognition is a nod to her maturation. In the offseason, she slowed down the game and accelerated her development, unlocking the skills she needs to fill all four positions the Tigers have asked her to play this season, while also transforming into a more efficient scorer Williams has shot 47% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc since January Those rates are much higher than they were last year, when she converted 43% of her field goals and just 29% of her 3-pointers. Thanks to those improvements, she’s elevated her scoring average from 12.1 points per game to 18.4. In its first postseason action, LSU will need Williams to provide that scoring output and likely more. Flau’jae Johnson (shin) will sit the SEC Tournament, a fact that diminishes the Tigers’ hopes of taking the crown but expands Williams’ chances of using the tools she added to her game over the offseason.

“We just wanted to make sure that she unlocked her whole game coming into this year,” Parker said. “So that was the main thing.”

••• Williams grabbed one end of yellow rubber resistance bands, held it above her head and jumped. A foot to her left, a trainer named Donny Beacham held the other end tight, creating tension designed to pull his trainee off balance

It was July Outside the gym, the Dallas, Texas heat hit 95 degrees.

Inside, a talent scout named Michael Simmons videoed this odd-looking exercise, capturing the wince that crossed Williams’ face as she fought the resistance bands. They threw one of her jumps off kilter The next few were more vertical. What exactly was she doing?

“Focusing on balance,”

points on 9-of-15 shooting.

ond half). We just could not get a bucket and couldn’t get a stop down the stretch.”

Rebounding has been an issue for most of the season and it played a huge role in being eliminated, with ODU outrebounding UL by a whopping 43-24 margin. As a result, the Monarchs held a 17-5 edge over the Cajuns in second-chance points. Also fitting was Mostapha El Moutaouakkil going out as UL’s leading scorer after displaying incredible consistency as the Cajuns’ only legitimate scoring threat all season. He finished with 22

said. “My approach was to attack. I wanted to be the one who threw the first punch, especially the situation. I knew I couldn’t really b fine It wasn’t the time for that. It was the time to get right out and get outs, so that was kind of my mindset.”

The Cajuns improved to 6-7 with the win, while the Seahawks is now 7-6. UL will nowawaitahomeweekendseries with No. 21-ranked Dallas Baptist at 6 p.m. Friday

After Kevin Jones led off the game with his first homer of the season, the Cajuns responded with two runs in the bottom of the first by taking advantage of the wildness from UNCW starter Khris Morris.

He walked four and hit on to chase home two runs.

The Cajuns took a 3-2 lead in the second with a long one-out home run to left by Luke Yuhasz, who was batting in the leadoff spot for the first time this season

“He leads off all the time in practice,” Deggs said. “So it’s not foreign to him.”

The Seahawks kept the pressure on UL starter Tate Hess with another run in the second onAidenEvans’two-outsingle.

Then in the fourth, Bryan

Beacham said When Beacham first met Williams about three years ago, her shooting mechanics were already flawless. The work he’s since done with her, he said, was crafted to make sure she kept her form consistent and never lost her balance. This summer, he also used his 6-foot5, 200-pound frame to help her perfect the timing of her moves and the efficiency of her steps, ensuring she wouldn’t waste movement or misuse her dribbles.

“I’m really big on contact,” Beacham said, “so I’m gonna hit you. I’m gonna slap you when you’re dribbling, and when you go into your jumper, none of what I did before your jumper should affect you.”

Not little elbow jabs or small two-hand pushes, the contact Beacham initiated against Williams over the summer at North Dallas High School to test her balance. Her challenge was to create space anyway, using quick inside-out dribbles, crossovers and jab steps to wedge pockets of open floor between her and Beacham and Parker — her taller, longer defenders. Every move was quick and decisive.

“When I got with her this summer,” Beacham said, “it was talking about the efficiency in her steps So, when she takes a dribble, I want her to cover ground with her first step, move the defender with the first step. So, if you can move the defender with the first step, then it will allow you to get off a move, get off a shot in less dribbles.”

That emphasis has translated to the court. If you look back at LSU’s Jan. 30 win over Oklahoma, watch all 12 shots that Williams drained and count the dribbles she used to create those looks, you’ll end up with only around 25.

That night, Williams scored 37 points a season-high. And her shooting form on the seventh and final 3-pointer she nailed — a game-sealing pull-up off a screen set near the top of the key

looked just like it did on her first, a transition shot she stepped into on the left wing early in the second quarter

Michael Thomas had another big finish to his senior season with 14 points after scoring 21 in Tuesday’s win over UL-Monroe.

“I’m just going to go out and say that these two kids (El Moutaouakkil and Thomas) should make the all-tournament team based on their two-game performances,” Zimmerman said. “I know they probably won’t make it, but the way they played these last two games has been phenomenal.

No other Cajuns player had more than four points. Senior Kentrell Garnett finished with two points on 1-of-8 shooting.

Arendt and Evans singled at the bottom of the order to set up a double play off reliever Blake McGehee that tied the game at 3-all but averted further damage.

The Seahawks took the 4-3 lead in the fifth when Trevor Lucas led off with a single and scored on Gillespie’s RBI sacrifice bunt.

UL’s offense finally came alive with three runs in the sixth with a little help from the visitors.

Drew Markle led off with a bunt single, before the fly ball to left by Conor Higgs was dropped.

Jose Torres then got the sacrifice bunt down and it was thrown away to chase home the game-tying run Cuff followed with the tworun single to right to give UL the lead for good.

“I was just in a position where the infield’s in, so I was just looking for a good pitch to drive and drive in some runs,” Cuff said. “It felt really good. I’ve kind of been struggling recently at the plate. I was just put in a position and coach trusted me, so it felt really good.”

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

“The things Mikaylah is doing now,” Parker said, “are things that we’re accustomed to seeing her do most of her life.”

•••

Proximity to home was one of the reasons Williams signed with LSU. Her family lives only three or four hours north of Baton Rouge, and so do Parker and Hamilton, the two trainers who helped the Bossier City star harness her talent before she was a top recruit, then add elements to her game by the time her sophomore year began.

Williams’ most recent work, Parker said, was as much mental as it was physical. She wanted to strengthen her emotional maturity, an improvement that arose from an added emphasis on conditioning.

Her wind, Williams thought, needed to power her through the rigors of a 16-game SEC slate and the physical nature of a tougher conference. Only then could her training take hold, allowing her to play at her best on both offense and defense.

“I think she’s more confident,” Mulkey said on Sunday “What I feel bad about, as her coach, is I’m having to ask her to play multiple positions, and I just don’t think that that’s fair But she takes it like a trooper, and she does whatever you ask her to do. She’s just a baller.”

When Mulkey wants to throw out a smaller lineup, she’ll slide Williams down near the block, stationing her next to Aneesah Morrow in the LSU frontcourt. The sophomore can play there because she’s comfortable in the post, and she can use those kinds of touches to create open shots either for herself or her teammates.

When the Tigers’ offense gets stuck, Williams can run the point. At that position, she’ll fire passes through tight windows. She’ll also dribble around screens, navigating different kinds of coverages in search of open space.

“I think those are all parts of our game that were there,” her father, Patrick Williams, said. “They’re just being put on display a little bit more.”

points and 10 boards.

UL shot 35.2% from the field and only 2-of-18 shooting from 3-point land for 11.1%.

“We felt really good coming into the tournament,” Zimmerman said. “We had a pretty good game plan coming into the tournament in how we were going to attack people doing some different things, but we could never find our rhythm tonight, like we did (Tuesday) night.”

Old Dominion made five 3-pointers in 13 tries and shot 46.4% from the field overall.

Sean Durugordon led the way with 21 points and 10 rebounds, while Caelum Swanton-Rodger added 18

“I think he’s 7-feet,” Zimmerman said of SwantonRodger “A lot of them rebounds that he got, our guys obviously couldn’t get up there, because we don’t have a 7-footer He was just catching them off the rim and putbacks, putbacks.”

Point guard Jaden Johnson only scored four points, but had nine assists and five rebounds. The first half of the game was close throughout. A Thomas 3-pointer with 8:22 left in the half cut ODU’s lead to 19-17.

The Cajuns only scored four points the rest of the way in the first half A Thom-

as layup at 4:47 made it 23-21 and a jumper with 3:05 left cut ODU’s lead to 27-23. The Monarchs took a 29-23 lead into intermission and the Cajuns hung tough for half of the second half.

Two free throws by El Moutaouakkil with 14:03 left tied the game at 38-all.

“Mo is fasting right now because of his religion, so he can’t eat and do certain things that everybody can do normally, but he never complained about it,” Zimmerman said. “This kid over here (Thomas) a warrior He missed 10 games with a concussion. These kids just fight, just find a way to fight and compete.”

Continued from page 1C

3.7 seconds left.

“We were trying to run a play, and the ball got caught in the corner,” UL coach Garry Brodhead said. “We just made a bad decision. The goal was to try to run a play and try to get the ball in the middle and they denied it, and we didn’t take advantage of some of the other things that were open.”

But after fouling immediately, Timberlynn Maier missed the first of two free throws and UL quickly called a timeout with 3.2 seconds left still only down by two points.

The Cajuns got a shot off this time, but it was an off balance 3-pointer that was way off the mark.

“In the second time, we were actually trying to post up (Skylah Travis) and they just doubled up and we had to go away from it,” Brodhead said. “Tamiah (Robinson) was able to catch the ball out and try to get a shot off, but it wasn’t exactly what we were looking for.”

The Cajuns’ season ended with 13-16, while Marshall improved to 14-19 with its

“We just made a bad decision. The goal was to try to run a play and try to get the ball in the middle and they denied it, and we didn’t take advantage of some of the other things that were open.”

GARy BRODHEAD, UL coach

third straight win in Pensacola after beating South Alabama 73-59 and Texas State 68-62 the previous two days.

The Cajuns’ defense limited Marshall to 26.2% shooting from the field and 26.5% from 3-point land, while UL shot 39.6% from the field and only 16.7% from 3-point land on 2-of-12 shooting. Once again, UL’s lateseason deemphasis of the 3-pointer failed to work in the Cajuns’ favor Marshall gained an advantage by hitting nine 3-pointers to UL’s two.

The real problem, however, is Marshall also attempted and made more free throws than UL produced.

The Cajuns were 6-of-8 shooting at the line, com-

pared to 7-of-14 for the Herd.

“We had so many huge boxouts and down the stretch when we needed to get every stop, not only were we getting stops but we were getting seals,” Fulks said. “We had such good defensive rotations.” Marshall’s defense also neutralized Erica Lafayette, especially down the stretch. Lafayette scored 26 points in UL’s win at the Cajundome, but she settled for five points on 1-of-5 shooting from 3-point land.

“We knew we had to keep the ball out of her hands down the stretch and I think that really mattered,” Fulks said of Lafayette. Travis played tremendously again with 13 points on 6-of-9 shooting to go with 15 rebounds, but she was UL’s only double-digit scorer Aislynn Hayes led Marshall with 21 points on 4-of11 shooting from 3-point land. The other obstacle for UL was 19 turnovers, compared to only 10 for Marshall.

“Their adjustment of doubling up and pressuring the ball a little bit and us turning it over a little bit hurt us,” Brodhead said.

FEEL-GOOD

VIBES

to skate onto stage

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

The misty, airbrushed dream that is “Xanadu” will skate across Theatre Baton Rouge’s Main Stage beginning Friday, sharing feel-good vibes while giving Sonny Malone a mission in life. The show also will mark the final production for Theatre Baton Rouge before it permanently closes its doors on March 23. Still, the show must go on. So, who is Sonny Malone? He’s the artist whose mural of the Greek muses signals their help His art and life aren’t going as he envisioned, and he considers ending it all. That’s when the youngest of the Greek muses, Clio, keys in on Sonny’s dilemma through his mural and convinces her eight sisters to leave their perch on Mount Olympus for Sonny’s home city of Venice Beach, California. The music and magic of ‘Xanadu’

Kamryn Hecker plays the Greek muse Clio, who changes her name to Kiera upon meeting love interest Sonny Malone, in Theatre Baton Rouge’s final production ‘Xanadu.’

They show up in an era of transition between the end of the 1970s disco era and the newly dawned 1980s, where leg warmers are a fashion statement and roller discos are a thing. And speaking of roller discos, Sonny’s muse-inspired enthusiasm leads him to the long abandoned art deco theater, Xanadu, where he plans to combine the arts into something athletic. This, of course, would be a roller disco.

Meanwhile, Sonny and Clio, who is guiding him along the way under the pseudonym Kiera, are falling in love, which is forbidden by her father, Zeus. So, can this star-crossed couple find happiness?

Well, the answer can be found at Theatre Baton Rouge, where Kamryn Hecker plays Clioturned-Kiera and Don Fields plays Sonny Malone.

ä See 'XANADU', page 6C

‘XANADU’

Friday-Sunday, and March 14-16 and 20-23. Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m.All other performances begin at 7:30 p.m. l Theatre Baton Rouge, 7155 Florida Blvd. l $43-$48 l (225) 924-6496 or theatrebr.org

Toasting Dolly

Three bars, free shots, wigs and free swag — it’s a downtown bar crawl honoring country music darling Dolly Parton on Saturday. Registration will take place at Somewhere Neighborhood Bar from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Then it’s on to Squeaky Pete’s and O’Haras Irish Pub $25 at eventbrite.com.

In August, Houma-raised Tab Benoit released ‘I Hear Thunder,’ his first album in 13 years.

KEEPING THE MUSIC GOING

Houma road warrior Tab Benoit returning to old stomping grounds

BY JOHN WIRT Contributing writer

Tab Benoit’s tour schedule gives the impression he lives on the road.

A blues-infused, mighty singer-guitarist from Houma who launched his career in Baton Rouge, Benoit tours even when he doesn’t have new music to promote In August, he released “I Hear Thunder,” his first album in 13 years.

“This is what I do,” the south Louisiana-accented Benoit said last week from a show in Hobart, Indiana. “This is how I’ve made a living for the past 36 years. On the road, traveling state to state, seeing the country for what it really is.”

Benoit’s touring this year brings

TAB BENOIT/GHALIA VOLT

8 p.m Thursday, March 13 l Chelsea’s Live!, 1010 Nicholson Drive, Baton Rouge l $35 l chelseaslive. com and tabbenoit.com

him to Baton Rouge on Thursday, March 13, for a show at Chelsea’s Live. His place in Houma is a relatively short drive from Baton Rouge, but he doesn’t expect to make it home.

“Last year I did a show in Houma during a tour and I didn’t go to my house,” he said. “I was on the road even though I was in my hometown. It’s always about we’ve got a job to do, places to go.”

“Once you get past Texas, man, that’s a whole lot of space out there,” he said. “The East Coast cities are packed up along the coast, so we get to a lot more places with a lot less driving.”

In the fall of 2020, before COVID-19 vaccines were available, Benoit toured during the pandemic.

“Every town’s mayor had his or her own rules for how to handle it,” he recalled. “At first, we played places where tables had to be at least 6 feet apart. And then they had plexiglass around them. I played a place where they plexiglassed the stage. We couldn’t see

ä See BENOIT, page 6C

Playing as many as 28 concert dates in a 30-day period translates to being away from home much of the year For cross-country trips, Benoit, his two band members and their three-man crew don’t even need a map.

That’s what I’ve always felt about music — it’s about helping people get through tough times. Music has always been that thing that soothes your soul when nothing else can say the right thing.” TAB BENOIT

PROVIDED PHOTO By DOUG HARDESTy PHOTOGRAPHy

PROVIDED PHOTO By JACKIE HAXTHAUSEN

Repurposing old brooms

Dear Heloise: An old broom can be used to “corral” rolls of tape. Love your column! — Ann G., via email

Ann, I love to repurpose items when I can. I had an old broom handle that I mounted on a wall in my crafting room. I took all my rolls of ribbons and string, then strung them on the pole It was so easy to just pull out a length of ribbon when I was wrapping a gift

Hints from Heloise

Do any of my readers have other handy hints like this to add to our collection? Let us know by writing to Heloise@Heloise. com. Heloise

Two hints in one

Dear Heloise: My first hint is about using leftover plastic bags. The best suggestion is to simply keep a few fabric reusable bags in the car for your shopping errands. They hold more, are stronger and last for years.

My second hint is that I love liquid flavored coffee creamers, but I only drink 1 cup of coffee a day After a few weeks, the creamer starts to thicken and ultimately

spoils. If it’s kept in the freezer it doesn’t freeze solid, and the flavor never changes. With your spoon, you can “scoop out” as much or as little as you prefer Ken Cohn, via email Ken, this is a good hint on how to save money by making your creamer last longer I always hated to toss out food that has gone bad because it wasn’t used up — Heloise Travel hint

Dear Heloise: I travel about 105 nights a year on average, so I’ve learned a thing or two about packing If you are packing shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, or anything that can be sprayed or is liquid, no matter how tight the lid is, always place those items in a large zip-close bag to keep any spillage from ruining your clothing. Always roll up your jeans and T-shirts, and don’t forget to pack slippers to wear around your hotel room. — H.S., in Detroit Email heloise@heloise.com.

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, March 7, the 66th day of 2025. There are 299 days left in the year

Today in history

On March 7, 1965, a march by over 500 civil rights demonstrators was violently broken up at the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama; state troopers and a sheriff’s posse fired tear gas and beat marchers with batons in what became known as “Bloody Sunday.”

On this date:

In 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a U.S. patent for his telephone.

In 1936, Adolf Hitler ordered his troops to march into the Rhineland, thereby breaking the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties

In 1994, the U.S. Supreme

Court unanimously ruled that a parody that pokes fun at an original work can be considered “fair use.” (The ruling concerned a parody of the Roy Orbison song “Oh, Pretty Woman” by the rap group 2 Live Crew.)

In 2010, filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director taking the prize for directing the film “The Hurt Locker.”

Today’s birthdays: Hall of Fame auto racer Janet Guthrie is 87. Actor Daniel J. Travanti is 85. Entertainment executive Michael Eisner is 83. Football Hall of Famer Lynn Swann is 73. R&B musician Ernie Isley (The Isley Brothers) is 73. Actor Bryan Cranston is 69. Tennis Hall of Famer Ivan Lendl is 65. Singer Taylor Dayne is 63. Author E.L. James is 62. Author Bret Easton Ellis is 61.

BENOIT

Continued from page 5C

anybody because of the lights. It looked like us in a mirror It was a very strange gig. All these changes we had go through, just to keep the music going.”

Despite the pandemic’s challenges, Benoit was on a mission. Like his fellow Louisiana musician, Aaron Neville, he believes music is a healing force.

“That’s what I’ve always felt about music — it’s about helping people get through tough times,” he said. “Music has always been that thing that soothes your soul when nothing else can say the right thing.” When Benoit plays Chelsea’s Live next week, he’ll be in his old stomping grounds. During his 1980s college years at LSU, he played guitar in Taü, an indemand band that performed the popular college rock music of the day He also got a blues education, jamming at Tabby’s Blues Box and Heritage Hall and Phil Brady’s Bar and Grill Benoit found time to do standup comedy at the Grin Room, too.

“They had stuff available in Baton Rouge they just didn’t have in Houma,” he said. “Baton Rouge was the big city for me. It was a great place to learn myself and learn what I was good at it. Everybody was helpful They let me be part of the family

Friend loses touch in grief

Dear Harriette: One of my good friends has retreated completely Last year her best friend passed away, and I think that loss is taking a major toll on her At first, she was holding up all right, but now she doesn’t really respond to me or any other friends. I don’t think she’s active physically or socially, aside from work. I know grief can be overwhelming, so I worry about her Would it be invasive to pop up at her home and check on her? — Tucked Away

tea. Suggest that you two go for a walk or visit a museum. Simple activities that don’t cost much but that require human interaction can be healing for someone deep in grief. Give her the opportunity to talk about how she’s feeling, and let her know that you’re there for her

Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITy

Dear Tucked Away: Looking out for friends during tender times is a sign of true friendship and compassion. By all means, go to check on this person. She may not like it, but your overture could be the lifeline she needs. People handle grief in many ways. It can seem impossible to go on for some people when key loved ones die. For this friend to see that you care about her right now may mean the world to her After that initial wellness check, do your best to coax her out of the house. Invite her for

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Cane River Pecan Company Pie Bar, New Iberia, 5 p.m.

DUSTIN GASPARD: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6 p.m. ORY VEILLON: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson, 6 p.m.

FRIDAY NIGHT JAMS: City of Scott, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s

Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

KALEN OLIVIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

FIRST FRIDAY: PISCES

SEASON: The Brass Room, Lafayette, 7 p.m.

SADNEY CD RELEASE PARTY: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

WILL WESLEY: The Bank Bar and Patio, New Iberia, 9 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Cowboys Nightclub, Scott, 10 p.m.

SATURDAY

STEP RIDEAU & THE ZYDECO OUTLAWS: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8 a.m.

DONNY BROUSSARD BAND: Fred’s, Mamou, 8 a.m.

CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park, Lafayette, 9 a.m.

CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC

JAM: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1 p.m.

ZYDECO CAPITAL JAM: St. Landry Parish Visitor Center, Opelousas, 1 p.m.

DIKKI DU ZYDECO KREWE: Bayou Teche Brewing, Arnaudville, 4 p.m.

MARDI GRAS WIND DOWN WITH ZYDECO ROUX: Wildcat Brothers at Gator

“At the blues clubs, you’d make 50 bucks a man plus tips,” Benoit recalled. “The college gigs with the band, playing songs by the Smiths, R.E.M., the Cure, Talking Heads, man, we were making thousands. I had nice furniture in my apartment because I played in that band. I also learned a lot by doing our sound, lights and production, valuable lessons that I still use today Nothing I do is wasted.”

Benoit used his multiple skills to make his latest album, “I Hear Thunder.” In addition to writing songs, singing and playing guitar, he produced, engineered, mixed and mastered the recording.

“I Hear Thunder” is the first album Benoit has recorded following the end of the restrictive record deal he signed as a young artist in the early 1990s.

Before that bad deal’s end, Benoit said, “I always wrote and recorded music knowing that somebody’s going to pick it apart and they own it. In music, that’s a hard thing to deal with. It feels horrible to give your baby away like that. You go in the studio, you play your heart out and then you just hand it over to some record label, and it’s not yours anymore.”

Benoit finally is free to make recordings exactly the way he wants them.

“This is the first album I’ve done that belongs to me.”

Email John Wirt at j_wirt@msn. com.

Dear Harriette: What do you think of the right person, wrong time when it comes to romantic relationships? An ex and I keep finding our way back to each other — not in an on-and-off kind of way but in times of need or celebration, we always end up helping each other or supporting each other in one way or another Whether it’s job references, catering an event, helping each other’s families or periodic perfectly timed check-ins, we always seem to be there for each other despite general and consistent distance. Am I in denial? Too Comfortable Dear Too Comfortable: Clearly there’s a “there” there in this relationship. Some bonds change in dynamics over time. The two of you may

not be destined to be lovers, but since obviously there’s something keeping you together at pivotal moments, you can acknowledge and be grateful for that. Why not sit down and talk about it? Speak about the elephant in the room. Ask what you want and need from each other and if these seemingly happenstance encounters are enough, or if you want to try to see if there’s more to your bond. Speak to each other as mature adults who have the capacity to make sound decisions about something as valuable as your friendship. This is key, as sometimes mature people lose their strength and focus when dealing with love relationships. Don’t do that. You two obviously have something special between you. Discover together how best to nurture that in respectful and loving ways. Don’t believe you have to follow any particular prescription for what your relationship ultimately looks like. Just figure it out together

Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com.

SHOWS TO WATCH — ACADIANA

Cove, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s

Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Randol’s Cajun Restaurant, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

SEAN TRCALEK: Tap Room, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

KIP SONNIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

LIL NATE WITH DJ VOS: El Sido’s Zydeco & Blues Club, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

JACOB’S LADDER + MIKE

LARSON AND FRIENDS + THE SPECKLERS: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

JULIAN PRIMEAUX: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

4-HORSES: La Poussiere Cajun Dancehall, Breaux Bridge, 8 p.m.

NIK-L BEER: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9 p.m.

SUNDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

LE BAL DU DIMANCHE — WILLIE T & THE CYPRESS BAND: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1 p.m.

CAJUN JAM: Bayou Teche Brewing, Arnaudville, 2 p.m.

JUNIOR LACROSSE: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson, 4:30 p.m. CHUBBY CARRIER: Rock ‘n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 5 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m. STOP THE CLOCK COUNTRY JAZZ: Feed n’ Seed, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Randol’s Cajun Restaurant, Breaux

‘XANADU’

Continued from page 5C

“The show is fantastic and fun and energetic,” director Marion Mayfield said. “I mean, it’s just a downright good time. There are some shows that you leave the theater happy, and this is one of those shows It’s kind of like one of those escapes from everything that’s happening in the world today, and we have these very talented actors who are giving you two hours to just enjoy.”

There are really no deep messages in “Xanadu,” which also was the case for the 1980 film on which it’s based. The film is probably best remembered for its main star, Olivia Newton-John, who played opposite

COMIC CON

Continued from page 5C

Lousiana-wise, Lafayette comic book artists Rob Guillory and Kody Chamberlain will appear, along with Baton Rouge’s Scott Innes, most known as the voices of Scooby-Doo, Shaggy and Scrappy-Doo. Other regional and national guests include Kathleen Herles, Dallas Page, Lori Petty, John Ratzenberger, David Yost, Charles Wright, Fred Williamson, Mallorie Rodak, Douglas Tait, Brett Wag-

Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

MONDAY PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Cafe Habana City, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

TUESDAY

TERRY HUVAL & FRIENDS: Prejean’s Restaurant, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

KID’S CAJUN JAM NIGHT: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6 p.m.

WEDNESDAY

DULCIMER JAM: St. Landry Visitor Center, Opelousas, 10 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Park Bistro, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

TRIVIA NIGHT WITH JAY

STEINER: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7 p.m. CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

BRANDON MENARD: The Tap Room, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY

AFTER FIVE FEATURING DJ MIKE JAMEZ: The Ruins Lounge, Lafayette, 5 p.m.

Michael Beck. It also featured the legendary Gene Kelly in his final film role.

“The musical is based on the film, but the musical is slightly different from the film theatrical version,” Fields said. “It’s right on the cusp of the ’80s, so it still has so many disco elements and so many elements of the late ’70s, as well as the early ’80s. It’s just that hybrid between Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra.”

Now, the choreography won’t exactly require dancing from Fields and Hecker They’ll have to skate through some of the songs, a skill each has had to learn through the rehearsal process.

“I think I had skated only twice in my life before this,” Hecker said.

“But she’s really come a long

ner, Ogie Banks, Brad Hawkins, Vincent Martello, David Errigo, Olivia Olson, Christopher Wehkamp, Andy Field, Sam Lofti, Nick Pitarra, Jim Wahfood, Cootie Von Ghoul, Kettlebriar’s Workshop, Miss Oolala, Strangecat Cosplay, Pixel Vixx and Orion’s Envy Q&A Panels

SATURDAY

n NOON: David Yost

n 1 P.M.: John Ratzenberger

n 2 P.M.: Charles Wright (“The Godfather’) and “Diamond” Dallas Page

n 3 P.M.: Lori Petty

n 4 P.M.: Vincent Martella, David

LADIES NIGHT WITH DJ DONOVAN IN THE MIX: Cowboys Nightclub, Scott, 6 p.m.

DANIEL SIMONSEN (COMEDY): DoubleTree by Hilton, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

THE HAS BEANS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 7 p.m. RORY SUIRE: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m. HUNTER COURVILLE: Rock ‘n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, varies YEAH, COMEDY! A STANDUP COMEDY OPEN-MIC +SPECIAL GUEST: Legends Pub, Lafayette, 8 p.m. LADIES NIGHT OUT WITH MIKE JAMEZ IN THE MIX: The Ruins Lounge, Lafayette, 8 p.m.

Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want your venue’s music listed? Email info/photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper.

way,” said music director Jamie Leonard-Brubaker, who also is playing the Greek muse Calliope.

“She was scared at first, but now she’s skating up and down the ramps we have on stage.”

Yes, skating is much different on stage than in the rehearsal room, where there were no boundaries or ramps.

“It’s been fun,” Fields said.

“And it’s been fun practicing. On the first day I came in, I was doing some little tricks and spinning around, and I fell.”

But no one is falling in the Xanadu theater now, where the music drives the energy and Greek muses inspire magic.

Email Robin Miller at romiller@ theadvocate.com.

Errigo and Olivia Olson

n 5 P.M.: Kathleen Herles

SUNDAY n NOON: Rob Guillory, Kody Chamberlain, Jim Mahfood, Sam Lotfi and Nick Pitarra

n 1 P.M.: Fred “The Hammer” Williamson, Brett Wagner and Douglas Tait

n 2 P.M.: Ogie Banks, Brad Hawkins and Andy Field n

P.M.: Christopher Wehkamp and Mallorie Rodak n

P.M.: Scott Innes Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.

FILE PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Catch Dustin Dale Gaspard at 6 p.m. Friday at Adopted Dog Brewery in Lafayette.

PROVIDED PHOTO By DOUG HARDESTy PHOTOGRAPHy

Playing as many as 28 concert dates in a 30-day period translates to artist Tab Benoit being away from home much of the year.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Stay focused on your goal and budget. Do the work yourself if it will save money and help you add to your skills and qualifications. Refuse to let outside influences stifle your desire and productivity.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Expand your circle of friends, knowledge and interests. Refuse to let trivial issues get you down or hold you back. Trust your instincts instead of following the crowd.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Physically finetune your surroundings to ensure you achieve the most. Running an efficient household can help you save time and money. It's time to replace worry and stress with practical solutions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Putting things off will only worsen matters. Innovative ideas and following through with your plans will encourage better prospects. Participate in something worthwhile.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Emotions will spike and encourage you to make things happen. Look over your options and separate your ego and emotions to ensure you do what's best for you in the long term.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) An open invitation to those you want to share ideas with will pay off. There is wisdom and glory in earning recognition Accept the choices others make and go about your business.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Moderation is the key to longevity in all aspects of life. Trust your instincts and favor what you feel most comfortable doing. Wise

choices come from understanding who you are and what works best for you. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Be direct, open and willing to compromise. Life choices require insight, a trial-and-error approach and taming the ego. If necessary, express and defend your position, focus on your goals and move forward alone.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Follow your gut, and use imagination and creativity to reach your goals. Networking will help you further your plans by gaining financial, physical or emotional support. Implement change.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Opportunity is apparent, but so are pretenses and expectations. Ask questions, research possibilities and refuse to let anyone push you in a direction that can be restrictive.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Dedicate yourself to wisely investing your time and money. Refuse to let anyone talk you into getting involved in a plan or project that benefits them more than you. Look, see and do.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Revisit how you want to spend your time, and rearrange your space to accommodate your plans. Turn your home into a place that makes you feel alive, safe and in control.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, Inc. dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

BY PHILLIP ALDER

J. William Fulbright, a senator from Arkansas for 30 years and the longestserving chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said, “We must dare to think ‘unthinkable’ thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us.”

That certainly applies to bridge players. In today’s deal, look at the North and East hands. South is in four hearts. West leads the club nine: three, ace, jack. How should East plan the defense?

North’s two-diamond response was a transferbid,showingfiveormorehearts.

South’s jump to three hearts, a superaccept, promised a maximum with four hearts and a doubleton somewhere.

Bridge is full of little ditties that were designedtohelpthelesscapableplayers. Here, many Easts will think of “return partner’s lead.”

Yesterday we learned that playing a club back at trick two is not necessarily fatal. A crafty South will win that trick and cash his third club, discarding a spade from the dummy before taking the heart finesse. But the defense can still triumph.

However, at trick one, East should analyze his partner’s lead. It must be top of nothing. So why continue clubs? It cannot help. Instead, East should shift to a spadeordiamond,andgiventhedummy, a spade seems the natural choice.

South does best to win with his ace and cash his two clubs, discarding a spade from the dummy. But East should note his partner’s discouraging spade two. Then, when

By Andrews McMeel

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C. PiCKles