The Times-Picayune 03-18-2025 by The Advocate

Last-minute filings seek to stop execution

Lawyers for Hoffman lodge challenges in state, federal courts

Mary ‘Molly’ Elliott was kidnapped, raped and fatally shot in St. Tammany Parish in 1996.

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN and JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writers

The legal team for death row inmate Jessie Hoffman Jr has filed a flurry of last-minute court challenges in hopes of stopping the death row inmate from becoming the first person in Louisiana to be executed by nitrogen gas on Tuesday night as scheduled Hoffman’s attorneys filed challenges in both state and federal courts on Monday as they sought a judge willing to stop the first Louisiana execution in 15 years. A state judge in East Baton Rouge’s 19th Judicial District Court and a federal judge in New

Orleans will consider two of those challenges Tuesday morning, just hours ahead of the scheduled execution, which is required to happen between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Hoffman is on death row for the 1996 abduction, rape and murder of Mary “Molly” Elliott in rural St. Tammany Parish.

An attorney for Hoffman on Monday ﬁled a request for an injunction in state court that would stop the execution on the grounds that it would violate Louisiana’s religious freedom laws.

Hoffman is a practicing Buddhist. His lawyers have argued that killing him using nitrogen gas

ä See EXECUTION, page 4A

after being found

Trump team urges more cuts to NOAA

Move could impact National Weather Service

BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer

When Chris Franklin and other meteorologists at WWL Louisiana broadcast vital weather forecasts, they don’t do it alone. They are in ongoing communication with National Weather Service forecasters. Franklin said there’s an active chat 24 hours a day, and before severe weather like the strong line of thunderstorms that roared through the re-

gion on Saturday — the conversation ramps up, adding video calls.

“We pick their brains as almost coworkers in forecasting daily weather,” Franklin said “Those are the folks that are issuing those watches and warnings, so when we’re on air talking about a tornado warning, talking about a severe thunderstorm warning or ﬂooding, this is coming from the National Weather Service.”

The importance of weather service forecasts in keeping residents safe has raised concerns about what might happen if the Trump administration follows through on plans for deeper cuts to its parent agency, the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Recent reports indicated that NOAA was preparing to lay off more than 1,000 workers, adding to around 1,300 NOAA layoffs in recent weeks. Before the cuts, NOAA, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, employed some 12,000 people across six departments. The weather service, which includes the National Hurricane Center based in Miami, employs around 4,700 people, according to the agency The ﬁrst round of cuts targeted probationary employees in their positions

ä See NOAA, page 5A

Audit finds worsening prenatal care in Louisiana

Report details lack of doctors, transportation issues

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

A state audit found that pregnant Medicaid patients in Louisiana often struggle to access prenatal and postpartum care because there aren’t enough nearby doctors who accept the government-funded health insurance, provider lists are frequently inaccurate and many people lack reliable transportation, especially in rural areas.

The report, released Monday by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor‘s Ofﬁce, reviewed the state Health Department’s efforts to improve maternal health — an area where Louisiana has long ranked among the worst in the nation.

Despite increased attention and funding, the share of pregnant women in the state who did not receive ﬁrst-trimester prenatal care rose from 22.5% in 2018 to nearly 26% in 2023.

Medicaid patients were most affected, with 3 out of 4 missing timely care. The majority of new babies in Louisiana, 63.5%, are born to women insured by Medicaid.

The audit found that the Louisiana Department of Health spent nearly $400 million on maternal health reform through the Managed Care Incentive Payment program from February 2020 to March 2024, but some initiatives were duplicative or lacked measurable outcomes.

“A lot of money is being put toward it, but there aren’t a lot of measurable outcomes or new things being created,” said Chris Magee, a data analytics manager at the Auditor’s Ofﬁce.

ä See AUDIT, page 7A

Tulane overhauls diversity office

Move comes amid Trump threats to higher education funding

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Tulane University will overhaul its diversity, equity and inclusion ofﬁce, university ofﬁcials said last week, as President Donald Trump’s administration targets diversity programs at schools and colleges.

The shift is a far cry from Tulane’s investment in diversity a few years ago, when the majorityWhite institution pledged millions each year to better support students of color Now, those efforts could jeopardize the university’s $320 million in annual federal funding, Tulane leaders wrote in a letter to the school community Thursday

“This vital funding is now at risk,” said the letter from Tulane President Michael Fitts and two

ä See TULANE, page 7A

PHOTO PROVIDED By THE U.S AIR FORCE

Members of the 403rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Miss., tend to a WC-130J assigned to the hurricane hunters.

PHOTO PROVIDED By JESSIE HOFFMAN JR.’S LEGAL TEAM

Observers sitting outside the new execution chamber at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola will witness the execution.

Jessie Hoffman Jr was sentenced to death in 1998

guilty of Elliott’s murder

Canada’s Carney meets with European allies

LONDON New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney met the leaders of Britain and France on Monday during his ﬁrst ofﬁcial overseas trip, seeking support from two of Ottawa’s oldest allies as U.S. President Donald Trump targets Canada’s sovereignty and economy Canadians have criticized the leaders of the two countries that founded Canada for their muted response to Trump’s attacks. The president has imposed tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and repeatedly commented on turning Canada into the 51st state.

Carney and French President Emmanuel Macron did not take journalists’ questions, and a joint news conference was not scheduled with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, either. An ofﬁcial familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to speak publicly, said the Canadians proposed a news conference in Paris but the French declined. Starmer has called Canada a friend and ally of the U.K. but has declined to directly call out Trump’s talk of annexation — though he went further than he has before by stressing Canada’s sovereignty

“The relationship between our two countries has always been strong,” Starmer told Carney inside the British leader’s 10 Downing St. residence “Two sovereign allies, so much in common — a shared history, shared values, shared king.”

Carney said the relationship between the two countries is “built on shared values” and noted that “we’re at a point in history where the world is being reordered.”

Macron did not address Trump’s attacks on Canada ahead of their talks but noted that tariffs only bring inﬂation and damage to supply chains.

Rebels withdraw from Congo peace talks

DAKAR, Senegal The Rwandabacked rebels who captured key areas of Congo’s mineral-rich east said Monday they were withdrawing from peace talks this week with the Congolese government, saying that international sanctions on the group’s members have undermined such dialogue.

The talks scheduled to start in the Angolan capital of Luanda on Tuesday “have become impracticable” as a result of the sanctions announced by the European Union against some of its members on Monday, M23 rebel group’s spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka said in a statement. Alleged offensives still being carried out in the conﬂict-hit region by Congo’s military also undermine the talks, he said.

“Consequently our organization can no longer continue to participate in the discussions,” he added.

Congo’s government, after initially rejecting such talks, said Monday it would participate in the dialogue in Angola. A delegation representing Congo already had traveled to Luanda for the talks, Tina Salama, the spokesperson for President Felix Tshisekedi, told The Associated Press.

S.C. apartment complex

mourns slain alligator

DANIEL ISLAND, S.C. — Several dozen people gathered Saturday at an apartment complex along the South Carolina coast to remember a longtime resident who died the day before — an alligator named Walter who sunned beside a pond on the property for more than a decade.

Walter was killed on the property after several complaints over the past week, the management of Daniel Island Village told WCIV-TV in a statement.

Neighbors in the apartment complex near Charleston said Walter had been hanging around the complex for more than a decade, not only earning a name but a little fame.

Memorial organizer Rebekah Cole told the TV station that people with pets and children could walk right past Walter and not be bothered.

“He was a piece of the community Even though he was a coldblooded animal, we all loved him and it tore us all up,” Cole said.

Judge questions feds over ignoring his order

Deportation

flight was not turned around despite ruling

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST and REGINA GARCIA CANO Associated Press

A federal judge on Monday questioned whether the Trump administration ignored his orders to turn around planes carrying deportees to El Salvador, a possible violation of the decision he’d issued minutes before District Judge James E. Boasberg was incredulous over the administration’s contentions that his verbal directions did not count, that only his written order needed to be followed, that it couldn’t apply to ﬂights that had left the U.S. and that the administration could not answer his questions about the deportations due to national security issues.

“That’s one heck of a stretch, I think,” Boasberg replied, noting that the administration knew as the planes were departing that he was about to decide whether to brieﬂy halt deportations being made under a rarely used 18th century law invoked by Trump about an hour earlier

“I’m just asking how you think my equitable powers do not attach to a plane that has departed the U.S., even if it’s in international airspace,” Boasberg added at another point.

Deputy Associate Attorney General Abhishek Kambli contended that only Boasberg’s short written order, issued about 45 minutes after he made the verbal demand, counted. It did not contain any demands to reverse planes, and Kambli added that it was too late to redirect two planes that had left the U.S. by that time

“These are sensitive, operational tasks of national security,” Kambli said.

The hearing over what Boasberg called the “possible deﬁance” of his court order marked the latest step in a high-stakes legal fight that began when President Donald Trump invoked the 1798 wartime law to remove immigrants over the weekend. It was also an escalation in the battle over whether the Trump administration is ﬂouting court orders that have blocked some of his aggressive moves in the opening weeks of his second term.

“There’s been a lot of talk about constitutional crisis, people throw that word around. I think we’re getting very close to it,” warned Lee Gelernt, of the ACLU, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs, during the Monday hearing After the hearing, Gelernt said the ACLU would ask Boasberg to order all improperly deported people returned to the United States.

Boasberg said he’d record the proceed-

ings and additional demands in writing.

“I will memorialize this in a written order since apparently my oral orders don’t seem to carry much weight,” Boasberg said.

On Saturday night, Boasberg ordered the administration not to deport anyone in its custody through the newly-invoked Alien Enemies Act, which has only been used three times before in U.S. history, all during congressionally declared wars.

Trump issued a proclamation that the law was newly in effect due to what he claimed was an invasion by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua.

Trump’s invocation of the act could allow him to deport any noncitizen he says is associated with the gang, without offering proof or even publicly identifying them. The plaintiffs ﬁled their suit on behalf of several Venezuelans in U.S. custody who feared they’d be falsely accused of being Tren de Aragua members and improperly removed from the country

Told there were planes in the air headed to El Salvador which has agreed to house deported migrants in a notorious prison, Boasberg said Saturday evening that he and the government needed to move fast.

“You shall inform your clients of this immediately, and that any plane containing these folks that is going to take off or is in the air needs to be returned to the United States,” Boasberg told the government’s lawyer

According to the ﬁling, two planes that had taken off from Texas’ detention facility when the hearing started more than an hour earlier were in the air at that point, and they apparently continued to El Salvador A third plane apparently took off after the hearing and Boasberg’s written order was formally published at 7:26 p.m. Eastern time. Kambli said that plane held no one deported under the Alien Enemies Act.

El Salvador’s President, Nayib Bukele, on Sunday morning tweeted, “Oopsie.. too late” above an article referencing Boasberg’s order and announced that more than 200 deportees had arrived in his country The White House communications director Steven Cheung, reposted Bukele’s post with an admiring GIF

Later Sunday, a widely circulated article in Axios said the administration decided to “defy” the order and quoted anonymous ofﬁcials who said they concluded it didn’t extend to planes outside U.S. airspace. That drew a quick denial from White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who said in a statement “the administration did not ‘refuse to comply’ with a court order.”

The administration argues a federal judge does not have the authority to tell the president whether he can determine the country is being invaded under the act, or how to defend it

Trump warns Iran about further attacks from Yemen’s Houthi

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday explicitly linked the actions of Yemen’s Houthi rebels to the group’s main benefactor, Iran, warning Tehran would “suffer the consequences” for further attacks by the group.

The comments by Trump on his Truth Social website escalate his administration’s new campaign of airstrikes targeting the rebels, which killed at least 53 people this weekend alone. The Pentagon said the strikes were carried out against more than 30 targets and it planned further airstrikes in the coming days.

Meanwhile, the Iranians continue to weigh how to respond to a letter Trump sent them last week trying to jump-start negotiations over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program Houthi supporters rallied in several cities Monday after the strikes, vowing revenge against America and Israel over

blocking aid to the Gaza Strip after its war on Hamas there. The Houthis’ al-Masirah satellite news channel put young boys on air live, who chanted the group’s slogan: “God is the greatest; death to America; death to Israel; curse the Jews; victory to Islam.”

“The Yemeni position is an irreversible position (regarding Gaza), so do whatever you (Americans) want, for we are men who fear no one but God,” said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a Houthi leader who spoke to the demonstration in Yemen’s rebel-held capital, Sanaa.

The United Nations called for a halt to all military activities in Yemen and the Red Sea, urging “utmost restraint” and warning that “any additional escalation could exacerbate regional tensions,” U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Monday

Describing the Houthis as “sinister mobsters and thugs,” Trump warned any attack by the group would be met with “great force, and there is no guarantee that that force will stop there.”

Putin, Trump to speak about war in Ukraine

BY CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON U.S. President Donald Trump will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday in a possible pivot point in efforts to end the war in Ukraine and an opportunity for Trump to continue reorienting American foreign policy

Trump disclosed the upcoming conversation to reporters while ﬂying from Florida to Washington on Air Force One on Sunday evening, while the Kremlin conﬁrmed Putin’s participation on Monday morning.

“We will see if we have something to announce maybe by Tuesday I will be speaking to President Putin on Tuesday,” Trump said “A lot of work’s been done over the weekend. We want to see if we can bring that war to an end.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday morning conﬁrmed the plans for the two leaders to speak on Tuesday but declined to give details, saying that “we never get ahead of events” and “the content of conversations between two presidents are not subject to any prior discussion.”

European allies are wary of Trump’s afﬁnity for Putin and his hardline stance toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who faced sharp criticism when he visited the Oval Office a little more than two weeks ago.

Although Russia failed

in its initial goal to topple the Ukrainian government with its invasion three years ago, it still controls large swaths of the country Trump said land and power plants are part of the conversation around bringing the war to a close.

“We will be talking about land. We will be talking about power plants,” he said, a process he described as “dividing up certain assets.”

Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff visited Moscow last week to advance negotiations.

Russia illegally annexed four Ukrainian regions after launching its fullscale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in the east and the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in the southeast of the country — but doesn’t fully control any of the four Last year Putin listed Kyiv’s withdrawal of troops from all four regions as one of the demands for peace. In 2014, the Kremlin also annexed Crimea from Ukraine. In the occupied part of the Zaporizhzhia region, Moscow controls the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — the largest in Europe. The plant has repeatedly been caught in the crossﬁre since the invasion. The International Atomic Energy Agency, a U.N. body has frequently expressed alarm about the plant because of fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe.

nola.com/subscribe

nola.com/eedition

President Donald Trump departs Air Force One on Friday at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Fla.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MANUEL BALCE CENETA

PHOTO PROVIDED By EL SALVADOR PRESIDENTIAL PRESS OFFICE

A prison guard on Sunday transfers deportees from the U.S. alleged to be Venezuelan gang members to the Terrorism Confinement Center in Tecoluca, El Salvador

St. Patrick’s Day brings celebrations across U.S.

People

ags

By The Associated Press

NEWYORK St. Patrick’s Day, the annual celebration of all things Irish, was marked across the United States on Monday with boisterous parades and festivities.

Across the pond, the Irish capital of Dublin culminated its three-day festival with a parade. Cities such as Liverpool, England, another city transformed by Irish immigration, also hosted celebrations on St. Patrick’s feast day School marching bands and traditional Irish pipe and drum ensembles ambled down Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue with uniformed delegations from the police and ﬁre departments in New York City, which hosts one of the nation’s largest and oldest

Residents clean up after major storms

BY SAFIYAH RIDDLE and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

PLANTERSVILLE, Ala. — Darren Atchison loaded his allterrain vehicle with granola bars and sports drinks, avoiding downed trees Monday as he delivered supplies to a neighborhood pummeled by one of the many deadly tornadoes that ripped through the U.S. South and Midwest.

The three-day outbreak of severe weather across eight states kicked up a devastating combination of wildﬁres, dust storms and tornadoes, claiming at least 42 lives since Friday

Two people were killed by a twister in Atchison’s tiny Alabama hometown of Plantersville. One of the lives lost was that of 82-year-old Annie Free, who “just looked out for everyone,” Atchison

said. The tornado struck her home, leaving only the front patio behind.

More than a half-dozen houses were destroyed while others were left in rough shape, some with walls peeled clean off. The tornado ﬂipped a trailer onto its roof and toppled trees in every direction.

Also killed was Dunk Pickering, a ﬁxture in the community who often hosted live music events and helped neighbors during tough times.

“Whether he knew you or not, he would help anyone. I’ve known him for 20 years. He’s been like that ever since the day I ﬁrst met him,” said John Green, who found Pickering’s body in the wreckage of a building just across the street from Green’s own home

Green and other neighbors spent at least ﬁve hours Sat-

Trump claims

Biden pardons of Jan. 6 committee invalid

BY RYAN TARINELLI and NIELS LESNIEWSKI

CQ-Roll Call (TNS)

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump claimed without evidence early Monday that pardons granted by then-President Joe Biden to lawmakers on the disbanded select House committee that investigated the 2021 Capitol riot were invalid because he used an automatic pen.

“The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen,” Trump posted on Truth Social early Monday “In other words, Joe Biden did not sign them but, more importantly, he did not know anything about them!”

It’s unclear if Trump’s proclamation will be acted upon. Members of the House Jan. 6 select committee who were targeted by Trump in the past with threats of prosecution — have not been charged with violating any committee-related crime.

But it could set the stage for a high-proﬁle legal ﬁght over executive power if Trump’s assertion is used as

a basis to pursue criminal charges.

Trumphasinstalledstaunch allies in key government positions that wield inﬂuence over who is subject to investigation and prosecution by the federal government. Those officials include Attorney General Pamela Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, who previously framed himself as a fighter against the “Deep State” and certain members of the media.

In the post on Monday, Trump said the lawmakers who served on the committee “should fully understand that they are subject to investigation at the highest level.

Trump had told reporters traveling aboard Air Force One that questions about the validity of Biden’s use of the pardon power would be up to the judicial system.

“It’s not my decision. That’ll be up to a court,” Trump said, arguing he is “sure Biden didn’t have any idea that it was taking place.”

Trump has called for the prosecution of Sen Adam B. Schiff, D-Calif., and members of the now-disbanded panel.

Schiff, in a post on social media responding to Trump’s post, said the members of the select committee “are all proud of our work.”

urday night pulling people from the rubble and carrying them to paramedics who were unable to reach the area because roads were blocked by debris.

Wildfires in Oklahoma

Wind-driven wildfires across the state destroyed more than 400 homes over the weekend and will continue to be a threat in the coming days because of high winds.

Dozens of ﬁres were still burning across the state on Monday, said Keith Merckx at Oklahoma Forestry Services, and much of the state including the Oklahoma City area remained under fire warnings.

While conditions over the weekend allowed crews to get a handle on most wildﬁres across Texas and Oklahoma, forecasters at the

National Weather Service said extremely critical ﬁre weather conditions were expected Tuesday over an area spanning from southeastern New Mexico through the Texas Panhandle and into western Oklahoma.

“These ﬁres, once they get started, become really hard to stop. They move more quickly than our resources can keep up with,” Merckx said.

Four deaths so far were blamed on the ﬁres or high winds, the Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management said. More than 70 homes were destroyed by wildﬁre outbreaks Friday in and around Stillwater, home to Oklahoma State University

Tornadoes and high winds

parades.

As a light morning rain fell, the rolling celebration made its way north past designer shops and St. Patrick’s Cathedral, a stunning Neo Gothic landmark that’s the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of New York.

Mayor Eric Adams donned a green cap and scarf and waved an Irish flag while Catholic Archbishop Timothy Dolan greeted marchers wearing a green, white and orange sash — the national colors of the Emerald Isle.

“It’s fantastic to be here,” said Ryan Hanlon, vice chairman of the parade’s board of directors. “We’re getting a little bit of rain at the moment, but as we Irish call it, it’s just liquid sunshine.”

The New York celebration, now in its 264th year, dates

to 1762 14 years before the U.S. Declaration of Independence. The parade was scheduled to last through the afternoon, ending on the east side of Central Park, about 35 blocks from where it started. That’s much, much longer than the 98-foot route in the resort town of Hot Springs, Arkansas, which claims it hosts the World’s Shortest St. Patrick’s Day Parade. And in Savannah, thousands of revelers in gaudy green costumes crowded sidewalks and oak-shaded squares as the South’s largest St. Patrick’s Day parade wound through the historic Georgia city This parade marked its 200th anniversary a year ago, tracing its origins to the day Irish immigrants marched to church in March 1824.

In Mississippi, six people died and more than 200 were displaced by a string of tornadoes across three counties, the governor said. Within about an hour of each other on Saturday, two big twisters tore through the county that’s home to hardhit Tylertown, according to a preliminary report from the National Weather Service.

Scattered twisters and storm damage led to the deaths of at least 13 people in Missouri, including a 30-year-old man who along with his dog was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning after he was using a generator indoors during the storm, authorities said. In Arkansas, officials conﬁrmed three deaths.

Israel strikes Gaza, Lebanon and Syria

Authorities say at least 10 killed

BY WAFAA SHURAFA

Associated Press

DEIRAL-BALAH,Gaza Strip Israel carried out airstrikes in the Gaza Strip, southern Lebanon and southern Syria on Monday, killing at least 10 people, including a child, according to local authorities. The Israeli military said it was targeting militants plotting attacks.

The airstrikes were the latest in what have been frequent and often deadly attacks by Israeli forces during the fragile ceaseﬁres in Gaza and Lebanon. Israel has blocked all food, medicine, fuel and other supplies from entering Gaza the past two weeks, demanding Hamas accept changes in the two sides’ ceaseﬁre deal.

In Syria, Israel seized a zone in the south after the fall of longtime autocrat Bashar Assad in December Israel says it is a preemptive security measure against the former Islamist insurgents who now run Syria, though their transitional government has not expressed threats against Israel.

The strikes hit a residential area in the southern Syrian city of Daraa, killing three people and wounding 19 others, including four children, a woman and

three civil defense volunteers, the Syrian civil defense agency said. It said two ambulances were damaged. Other strikes hit military positions near the city

The Israeli military said it was targeting military command centers and sites in southern Syria that contained weapons and vehicles belonging to Assad’s forces.

It said the materials’ presence posed a threat to Israel.

In central Gaza, two strikes hit around the urban refugee camp of Bureij. One struck a school serving as a shelter for displaced Palestinians, killing a 52-year-old man and his 16-year-old nephew, according to ofﬁcials at nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the casualties were taken. The Israeli military said it struck militants planting explosives. In Lebanon, Israel said it struck two members of the Hezbollah militant group in the southern Lebanese town of Yohmor who it said were “observation operatives.” Lebanon’s state news agency reported two people killed in the strike and two wounded.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROGELIO V. SOLIS

Steve Romero, 23, center hugs his fiancée, Hailey Hart, right, and their friend Jessica Soileau on Sunday in Tylertown, Miss., after recalling how he, Hart and their three dogs rode out Saturday’s tornado in their small 1994 Toyota.

would interfere with his Buddhist breathing exercises, therefore violating his religious freedoms.

That argument failed in federal court but some believe Louisiana’s religious freedom protections are stronger than those in the U.S. Constitution.

Hoffman believes in reincarnation and that he “must practice his Buddhist breathing exercises at the critical transition between life and death,” or else his rebirth may be negatively impacted, according to his petition in Baton Rouge district court.

He argues in court ﬁlings that “his ability to practice his faith at the moment he is put to death is thus substantially burdened under the Nitrogen Gassing Protocol.”

State Judge Richard “Chip”

Moore III will hold a hearing at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday at the 19th Judicial District Courthouse to consider whether to issue an injunction

Hoffman also has several requests pending with federal courts

Hoffman’s attorneys are asking a federal judge in New Orleans to reopen his federal habeas petition, which was denied more than a decade ago.

U.S. District Judge Ivan Lemelle agreed to hold a hearing at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday

Hoffman’s attorneys argue that a pair of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions should allow him to again argue that the all-White jury at his trial was “preoccupied with race,” and that it inﬂuenced the decision to sentence him to death. Rebecca Hudsmith, the federal public defender over much of the state, said it wasn’t a new argument, but that the legal landscape had changed.

Hudsmith acknowledged the ﬂurry of legal action was unusual for capital attorneys in Louisiana, where no executions have taken place since 2010, and none that have been contested in more than 20 years.

“This has been a moving target, and quite difﬁcult,” Hudsmith told Lemelle. “We really have more than a generation of lawyers who haven’t faced this.”

Northshore District Attorney Collin Sims’ ofﬁce is ﬁghting the attempt in federal court.

Lemelle, an appointee of former President Bill Clinton, said he plans to issue a ruling shortly after Tuesday morning’s hearing, to give the federal appeals court enough time to weigh in before an execution scheduled for that evening. Hoffman’s legal team also requested a stay of execution from the U.S. Supreme Court, which seeks to strike down Friday’s ruling from the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. They vacated an injunction from U.S District Judge Shelly Dick of Louisiana’s Middle District, who blocked the execution last week Dick had ordered a delay to ﬂesh out whether using nitrogen gas to kill Hoffman would amount to cruel and unusual punishment. Her ruling suggested a firing squad would be more humane.

The state appealed, and a panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed with Dick, ﬁnding a firing squad would be a more painful way to die.

In their petition to the U.S. Supreme Court, Hoffman’s lawyers argue the 5th Circuit did not adequately consider the psychologi-

cal suffering of death by nitrogen gas.

The petition argues the 5th Circuit Court’s decision “ignores Supreme Court precedent holding that psychological terror is a component of cruel and unusual punishment, and it is flatly at odds with the approaches of other circuits that have long recognized that psychological terror and distress is relevant in the constitutional analysis.”

The same judge who signed Hoffman’s death warrant, Judge Alan Zaunbrecher, of St Tammany’s 22nd Judicial District, also denied a last-minute request for a stay of his execution Monday Hoffman argued in filings to the 22nd Judicial District Court that the state violated his right to due process via the “arbitrary denial of any access to clemency and failure to grant him a pardon board hearing.”

Zaunbrecher wrote in an order late Monday that Hoffman’s filings were “without merit.”

The Louisiana Supreme Court on Sunday night also rejected another challenge from Hoffman’s

legal team, who argued that the clock should have reset on his execution when Dick issued a preliminary injunction last week.

Though the injunction was vacated, Hoffman’s attorneys claimed the state still needed to seek a new death warrant to kill him. The State Supreme Court disagreed in a 5-2 ruling, ﬁnding “no merit” to the argument.

“When a federal or state court grants a stay of execution that is dissolved before the execution date, the execution may proceed on the date originally ﬁxed,” the state’s high court ruled.

Justices Piper Grifﬁn and John Michael Guidry dissented. Grifﬁn wrote in a dissent that “the question remains open” about whether nitrogen gas executions violate Louisiana’s constitution. She referenced a citation in the state constitution that says “no law shall subject any person to euthanasia, to torture, or to cruel, excessive, or unusual punishment.

Email Meghan Friedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

NOV. 28, 1996: A duck hunter discovers the body of Mary “Molly” Elliott near the Middle Pearl River in St.Tammany Parish. Elliott was a 28-year-old advertising executive who went missing the night before. The same day, police arrest 18-yearold Jessie Hoffman Jr., who they say abducted, raped and shot Elliott in the head.

SEPT 11, 1998: Hoffman is formally sentenced to death, which a jury recommends after having found him guilty of first-degree murder Lethal injection was the only legal means of execution at the time.

JAN. 20, 2015: The U.S. Supreme Court declines to hear Hoffman’s petition for certiorari on his conviction and death sentence. It’s one of many appeals of his sentence that’s denied over the years.

FEB 10: Gov Jeff Landry says the state is ready to resume executions after a 15-year hiatus and that Louisiana has developed a protocol for using nitrogen gas to put people to death, which the state legalized in 2024.

FEB 12: Judges sign death warrants for Hoffman and another death row inmate in Louisiana, Christopher Sepulvado.

FEB 23: Sepulvado dies at 81, leaving Hoffman as the lone inmate in the state with an execution scheduled.

FEB 26: Hoffman files a lawsuit to prevent the state from executing using nitrogen gas, arguing it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment

MARCH 11: U.S District Judge Shelly Dick grants a preliminary injunction to stop Louisiana from moving forward with the execution until she can hold a full trial on his case.

MARCH 14: The U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals vacates Dick’s preliminary injunction, allowing the execution to go forward.

MARCH 18: Hoffman, now 46, is scheduled to be the first person Louisiana puts to death with nitrogen gas at Angola.

PATRON AND PREVIEWPARTY

WEDNESDAY,MARCH 26

PATRON PARTY 6pm | PREVIEWPARTY 7–9pm

WEDNESDAY,MARCH 26 —SUNDAY,MARCH 30

Floral displayswill be on view to thepublic 10 am –5pm

This five-dayannual eventshowcases interpretive, creative, and breathtaking floral designs by local and regional artists,gardenclubs,florists,designers, and professional landscapers. This year’s theme, LesJardins de la Nouvelle-Orléans will celebratethe gardens of NewOrleans in all of their splendor andbeauty

ARTINBLOOM CHAIRS

CharlotteMeade and KeithPorteous Meade

NOMA VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE CHAIR

Taylor Pospisil

GARDEN STUDYCLUBOFNEW ORLEANS PRESIDENT

Courtney Le Clercq

THANK YOUTOOUR SPONSORS

ORCHID

PRESENTINGSPONSOR

BOUQUET

TIMBER ANDPEGGY FLOYD

EUGENIE AND JOSEPH JONES FAMILYFOUNDATION

IRIS

LYNNE AND RICK McMILLAN

MIGGYAND JAYMONROE

MEDIA SPONSOR

ELIZABETH BOH MARION BRIGHT

CAROLINE AND MURRAY

CALHOUN

SUSAN AND JAMESGUNDLACH

ELLYAND MERRITT LANE

PIXIE AND JIMMY REISS

LYNN AND CHARLIE SMITH

SARAHAND DOUG STOKES

JAYAND SALLYLAPEYRE

SARAHAND GEORGE YOUNG

MAGNOLIA

E. TIFFANY ADLER DEBB ALMEIDAAND

DAVID G. PERLIS

BEN BAGERT, THE BAGERTLAW FIRM

JOHN AND GAIL BERTUZZI

BLACK BAYENERGY CAPITAL

SUSAN AND TIMOTHY BRIGHT

LYNNE BURKART

LEAH ENGELHARDT

SARAHAND GREGFEIRN

SARAHAND RICHARD FREEMAN

DATHEL AND JOHN GEORGES

MRS. NANCYHALESAND

DR. STEPHEN HALES

CAROLAND JOHN HALL

MRS. SUSAN JOHNSON

COURTNEYAND TED LE CLERCQ

PATTI AND ROBERTLAPEYRE

ALLISON CRUTCHER MCASHAN

CHARLOTTE AND JOHN ALDEN MEADE

KEITH AND CHARLESMEADE

PALM ORLEANS

ANNE AND EDMUND REDD

MELISSA AND ALFRED RUFTY

SHLENKER FAMILYFOUNDATION

LIZ AND POCOSLOSS ANNE REILYSUTHERLIN

DOUGLASDOCKERYTHOMAS

PHOTO PROVIDED By JESSIE HOFFMAN JR.’S LEGAL TEAM

Jessie Hoffman Jr is scheduled to be the first person in Louisiana to be executed by nitrogen gas on Tuesday night. The gas will be administered in the new execution chamber at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola using this mask.

Prosecutor forms ‘election accountability’ unit

He previously promoted false 2020 voter fraud claims

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and ALI SWENSON Associated Press

WASHINGTON The top federal prosecutor for the nation’s capital, who promoted President Donald Trump’s false claims that the 2020 election was rigged, has formed a “special unit” to investigate election offenses, according to an email sent to lawyers in his ofﬁce on Monday Interim District of Columbia

U.S. Attorney Ed Martin said the “Special Unit: Election Accountability” has already opened one investigation and “will continue to make sure that all the election laws of our nation are obeyed,” according to the email reviewed by The Associated Press.

Martin, who is awaiting Senate conﬁrmation to permanently take the position, was involved in the “Stop the Steal” movement, which was animated by lies about fraud after Trump lost the 2020 election to Democrat Joe Biden Martin also served on the board of a nonproﬁt that raised money for Capitol riot defendants and their families and legally represented at least three defendants in Jan 6, 2021 Capitol riot criminal cases, including a Proud Boys member who pleaded guilty to felony charges. In the email announcing the new unit, Martin recounted uncovering “voter registration fraud” while serving as chairman of the Board of Elections in St. Louis years ago. That led to the implementation of “accountability measures to make sure that electronic machines had a paper trail,” he wrote.

NOAA

Continued from page 1A

for less than a year or two, though many had years or decades of experience in their ﬁeld.

The weather service ofﬁce for New Orleans and Baton Rouge, located in Slidell, has not been cut so far, said Mike Buchanan, the meteorologist in charge there.

The Mississippi River forecast center that shares the Slidell location had also not seen cuts.

“Our mission is to save lives and protect property,” Buchanan said. “We’re staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

Still, with more cuts planned, Louisiana meteorologists, former NOAA employees and some scientiﬁc coalitions are alarmed about what changes could be ahead. They are also concerned that, even if the weather service is spared, climate research and other projects could be curtailed

“The key here is, when you start reducing personnel, you can’t help but impact the quality and frequency of the forecasts,” said Jay Grymes, Louisiana’s state climatologist. “A reduction in force for NOAA and particularly NWS would put that data availability in jeopardy.”

NOAA, with a $6.5 billion budget, spans weather forecasting, hurricane warnings, climate research, coastal restoration and fisheries management. The weather service has more than 100 ﬁeld stations nationwide. Louisiana has ﬁeld stations in Shreveport, Lake Charles and Slidell, which is the largest, with 25 people. A station in Jackson, Mississippi, also serves parts of northeast Louisiana. At the Slidell office, two meteorologists are always on duty, Buchanan said, and often there are many more, especially in anticipation of severe weather.

From a recent tornado outbreak to intensifying hurricane risk and a record snowfall in January “we have a lot of weather here,” Buchanan said.

The weather service and National Hurricane Center provide the essential data that TV meteorologists and other private companies use daily.

“A lot of folks will say, ‘We don’t need the weather service; we can use our apps,’” Grymes said. “Well, the fact of the matter is the data that goes into those apps is

“Nearly 20 years later, Americans do not have conﬁdence in our election systems,” Martin wrote.

“One of the best ways to restore that conﬁdence is to protect our systems and demand accountability.”

Martin did not provide additional details about the investigation his office has already opened, and spokespeople for the ofﬁce didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Ofﬁcials at the Justice Department didn’t immediately respond to questions about Martin’s effort, which was first reported by Bloomberg Law Democrats reacted skeptically to Martin establishing the unit, noting his involvement with

largely NOAA data, much of it collected or generated by the National Weather Service. Those apps don’t run on their own.”

Retired WDSU chief meteorologist Margaret Orr recently published a column expressing concerns over potential cuts.

“The NWS issues lifesaving timely warnings,” she said. “Local meteorologists broadcast those warnings in hopes of keeping everyone safe.”

While the local weather service office has so far been spared, an employee at the regional office in Fort Worth, Texas, was fired during the first round of cuts but rehired as of Wednesday, Buchanan said The offices in Shreveport, Lake Charles and Jackson referred comments to NOAA.

“Per our long-standing practice, we do not discuss internal personnel and management matters,” an agency representative said According to reports by USA Today, the next cuts might not target weather service forecasting and could more heavily impact NOAA’s research wings including a branch managing a vast network of environmental data.

The conservative roadmap Project 2025 called for NOAA to be dismantled and many of its initiatives eliminated, privatized or placed under state control.

It said that the agency’s Ofﬁce of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research was the “source of much of NOAA’s climate alarmism” and called for most of its climate change research to be disbanded.

Some of those projects are also important for improving the nation’s understanding of weather behavior Jason Dunion who works at a laboratory under NOAA’s research arm, led its hurricane research division last year His team of researchers ﬂy planes into hurricanes to examine “what makes the storms tick.”

When flying into storms, Dunion’s team is equipped with a system called a “tail Doppler radar.” This allows scientists to create a threedimensional image of the storm, like a CT scan, providing insight into factors including locations of the strongest winds and heaviest rainfall.

“The Hurricane Center has also come to find that they can really use that data in the forecasting environment to help their forecasters understand what the

Trump’s efforts to spread false claims about the 2020 election.

California Sen. Alex Padilla, the top Democrat on the Senate Rules Committee, which oversees elections, said he is concerned that the unit would be “more focused on attacking political enemies than protecting all Americans’ right to vote in free and fair elections.”

Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin said Martin’s new unit is “all about installing a nationwide policy of ‘heads I win, tails you lose.’”

“If the GOP wins, there’s a mandate to trash the Constitution; if they lose, it means the election was stolen,” said Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. “America is going to

storm is looking like, and getting all that data into the NOAA forecast models,” Dunion said of his team, which includes around 20 people.

“We have all these different groups, fairly small numbers of people and not a lot of resources doing a lot of work and getting some big improvements in the forecast.”

Louisiana has already seen some effects from the cuts.

A NOAA office in Baton Rouge was one of nearly 800 leases that Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has terminated, according to the DOGE database. The conservation field office is responsible for implementing NOAA’s ﬁsheries service program in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, and also plays a role in storm protection and coastal efforts.

According to NOAA, the office provides assistance during hurricanes and helps plan infrastructure projects, such as levees and port expansions.

An office representative said the lease issue is in ﬂux and directed comments to the Ofﬁce of Public Affairs.

In recent weeks, some government staffers working on ﬂood protection, coastal restoration and community resilience in the wider Gulf region said they lost their jobs. But whether the ﬁrings are permanent is yet to be seen, as two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to reinstate fired probationary employees at federal agencies, including NOAA.

Kenneth Rainer worked at a NOAA ofﬁce in coastal Florida until he was laid off a few weeks ago. He was a probationary employee after working as a NOAA contractor for the previous six years. He had been working on a project preparing workers for high-paying jobs relating to environmental hazards, including one in Louisiana training contractors in ﬂoodproofing and structural elevation — key to lowering skyrocketing insurance costs.

“I thought I found the role I wanted to be in until I could retire,” he said.

Neither Rainey’s direct supervisor nor the director of his ofﬁce knew he was being ﬁred until he told them. As soon as he opened the email dismissing him, his computer system shut down.

“To add vinegar to the wound, to have the American populace think the way they think about us, it really hurts,” he said. “I haven’t

have to defend free and fair elections against these autocrats and veteran saboteurs of democracy.”

The Trump administration had been expected to shift the Justice Department’s priorities around investigating voting and elections.

The agency has historically targeted voter suppression efforts and state laws that could disenfranchise certain groups, but conservatives have called for an increased focus on voter fraud.

The scope of Martin’s unit is unclear and raises questions about whether he is seeking to investigate cases outside the realm of his authority, which is limited to the District of Columbia, said David Becker, a former U.S. Justice

met a single federal employee who did not care about the work that they did to serve the American people.”

LSU graduate Sabrina Valenti, who also lost her job in the ﬁrst round of cuts, had been working on coastal restoration projects in Delacroix, in St. Bernard Par-

Department attorney who leads the Center for Election Innovation and Research, a Washington-based nonproﬁt.

“I’m waiting to see more about what this unit actually is, what jurisdiction it purports to claim, what authority it tends to seize and what laws it purports to enforce,” Becker said.

Voting and elections experts expressed doubts that the new unit would improve American’s conﬁdence in elections.

The false idea that there is rampant fraud in U.S. elections “undermines public faith” in the vote, rather than bolstering it, said Sean Morales-Doyle, director of the voting rights program at the nonproﬁt Brennan Center for Justice,

There is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election. The results were conﬁrmed through multiple recounts, reviews and audits. Trump lost dozens of court challenges, including before judges he appointed during his ﬁrst term.

His allies also have raised the specter of widespread illegal noncitizen voting in U.S. elections, though in reality this form of fraud is exceptionally rare. Republicans in 2024 filed numerous lawsuits ahead of the presidential election about various aspects of vote-casting and voter roll management, setting the stage to contest the results if Trump had lost.

Martin has roiled the D.C U.S. attorney’s ofﬁce since he was appointed to the job in January He recently demoted senior leaders who handled politically sensitive cases and forced the chief of the ofﬁce’s criminal division to resign after directing her to scrutinize the awarding of a government contract during the Biden administration.

ish, to help fortify the area against storm surge.

Valenti did not receive a termination email before she was locked out of the work system, and instead learned she was fired via word-of-mouth.

“It was chaotic, it was disorganized, and it certainly feels very impersonal because they clearly don’t even know what job I did, so I don’t see how they can say I’m unﬁt for continued employment,” she said.

Email Josie Abugov at Josie.Abugov@ theadvocate.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By AMANDA ANDRADE-RHOADES

Ed Martin speaks at an event at the Capitol in Washington in 2023.

BUSINESS

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street up again after last week’s fall

U.S. stocks climbed again on Monday as Wall Street’s wild roller-coaster ride veers back upward

The S&P 500 rose for a second straight gain after it fell 10% below its record late last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq composite also climbed. More big swings could be ahead, with a decision by the Federal Reserve on interest rates coming later in the week and worries continuing about President Donald Trump’s trade war Stocks have been mostly tumbling on worries that Trump’s rat-a-tat announcements on tariffs and other policies are creating so much uncertainty that they’ll push U.S. households and businesses to freeze their spending, which would hurt the economy Surveys have shown sharp drops in conﬁdence, and some companies are already warning about changes in behavior from their customers.

Forever 21 files for bankruptcy protection

Forever 21 has filed for bankruptcy protection for a second time and plans to close down its U.S business as traffic in U.S. shopping malls fades and competition from online retailers like Amazon, Temu and Shein intensifies.

F21 OpCo, which runs Forever 21 stores, said late Sunday that it will wind down the business in the U.S. under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection while determining if it can continue as a business with a partner or if it will sell some or all of its assets.

“While we have evaluated all options to best position the company for the future, we have been unable to ﬁnd a sustainable path forward, given competition from foreign fast fashion companies, which have been able to take advantage of the de minimis exemption to undercut our brand on pricing and margin,” Chief Financial Officer Brad Sell said in a statement.

The de minimis tax exemption lets shipments headed to U.S. businesses and consumers valued at less than $800 to enter the country tax-free and duty-free Forever 21 stores in the U.S. will hold liquidation sales and the website will continue to run while operations wind down The retailer’s locations outside of the U.S. are run by other licensees and are not included in the bankruptcy ﬁling. International store locations and websites will continue operating as normal.

Forever 21 has stores in Baton Rouge New Orleans, Metairie, Lafayette, Gretna and Bossier City

PepsiCo buys prebiotic soda brand Poppi

PepsiCo said Monday it’s acquiring the prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion

The acquisition gives PepsiCo a fast-growing brand in the popular functional beverage category

“More than ever, consumers are looking for convenient and great-tasting options that fit their lifestyles and respond to their growing interest in health and wellness,” PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement.

Allison Ellsworth, the cofounder of Austin, Texas-based Poppi, said the combination with PepsiCo will expand Poppi’s reach.

Ellsworth developed Poppi — then known as Mother Beverage — in her kitchen in 2015 because she loved soda but was tired of the way it made her feel. She mixed fruit juices with apple cider vinegar, sparkling water and prebiotics and sold the drink at farmer’s markets. The brand took off in 2018 when Ellsworth and her husband pitched it on “Shark Tank.” An investor on the show, Rohan Oza, took a stake in Mother Beverage and undertook a major rebrand. Poppi, with its brightly-colored fruitforward cans, was born.

Meta deal ‘changed the narrative’ of La.

Entergy CEO says more opportunities will be available

BY TIMOTHY BOONE Business editor

After luring Meta’s largest data center to Richland Parish, the CEO of Entergy Louisiana said Monday the state is poised to take advantage of economic opportunities driven by the push for artiﬁcial intelligence and renewable energy

“We can’t really name who is out there, but the Meta announcement created a lot of interest,” Phillip May told the Press Club of Baton Rouge. May said Meta’s decision to build a $10 billion data center in

north Louisiana, “changed the narrative” of the state.

caused by retiring facilities and general economic growth.

“Changing that narrative and being able to produce such an outstanding economic win means that we are able to attract more of those opportunities to improve the outcomes of our families in our community,” he said.

Entergy plans on building three new power plants to meet the needs of the Richland Parish facility The plants will be powered by natural gas but will have the ability to generate power from hydrogen and capture carbon dioxide.

Beyond that, May said Entergy is considering adding two additional power plants to meet the needs

Entergy is accepting requests for proposals from operators who would build the plants and sell electricity to the company or sell the generating facilities outright.

The company also is accepting requests for a 3,000-megawatt solar facility, driven by the demands of industrial customers who want clean, reliable power May said.

Those investments will improve service for existing Entergy customers, with Meta absorbing much of the tab, because of the amount of power it will use, he said.

Louisiana is one of the most challenging places to keep electrical power running in the entire U.S., due to the frequency of lightning strikes in population centers like New Orleans and Baton Rouge, tropical storms hitting the state regularly, the fast rate of tree growth and the fact that utility poles sink into the ground.

“In order for us to continue to attract industry to Louisiana, we need a more resilient grid,” May said. “The grid we have today was designed at a time when we dealt with a very different environment.”

Entergy has launched a fivwyear plan to improve the resilience and reliability of the power grid. The work will involve 21,000 projects around the state, including at least 100 projects to harden the system.

Spending patterns at Costco have changed to accommodate a soured view of the economy, including a shift toward ground beef and poultry instead of more expensive cuts of meat, said Costco CEO Gary Millership.

Anxiety over the economy seemingly takes hold

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP business writers

WASHINGTON U.S. shoppers stepped up their spending just a bit in February after a sharp pullback the previous month, signaling that Americans are shopping more cautiously as concerns about the direction of the economy mount.

Retail sales rose 0.2% in February, a small rebound after a sharp drop of 1.2% in January, the Commerce Department said Monday Sales rose at grocery stores, home and garden stores, and online retailers. Sales fell at auto dealers, restaurants, and electronics stores. The small increase suggests Americans may be growing more wary about spending as the stock market has plunged and President Donald Trump’s tariff threats and government spending cuts have led to wide-

spread uncertainty among consumers and businesses.

Some economists were relieved the numbers weren’t worse. Still, many expect consumer spending will grow 1% to 1.5% at an annual rate in the ﬁrst three months of this year, far below the 4.2% gain in the ﬁnal quarter last year

“Consumer spending is on track to slow sharply this quarter but not by as much as we previously feared,” Stephen Brown, an economist at Capital Economics, a consulting ﬁrm, said in an email.

On Friday, a measure of consumer sentiment fell sharply for the third straight month and is now down more than 20% since December Respondents to the University of Michigan’s survey cited policy uncertainty as a leading reason for the gloomier outlook. While the respondents were divided sharply by party — sentiment about the current economy fell among Republicans by much less than for Democrats Republicans’ conﬁdence in the economy’s future dropped 10%.

February sales also fell last month at gas

stations, clothing stores, and sporting goods stores.

The ﬁgures aren’t adjusted for prices, and the cost of gas also declined in February, which likely accounts for most of the drop. Excluding gas and autos, retail sales rose 0.5%, a healthier ﬁgure but still modest after a plunge of 0.8% in January

The retail sales report mostly just covers goods purchases — as well as restaurant sales — but there are signs Americans are cutting back spending on services as well.

Airline executives at JP Morgan’s airline industry conference last week said bookings have fallen.

“There was something going on with economic sentiment, something going on with consumer conﬁdence,” said Delta CEO Ed Bastian at the industry conference.

Expected tariffs on lumber, appliances driving up prices

BY ALEX VEIGA and MAE ANDERSON AP business writers

Shopping for a new home? Ready to renovate your kitchen or install a new deck? You’ll be paying more to do so.

The Trump administration’s tariffs on imported goods from Canada, Mexico and China some already in place, others set to take effect in a few weeks are already driving up the cost of building materials used in new residential construction and home remodeling projects

The tariffs are projected to raise the costs that go into building a single-family home in the U.S. by $7,500 to $10,000, according to the National Association of Home

Builders.

Such costs are typically passed along to the homebuyer in the form of higher prices, which could hurt demand at a time when the U.S housing market remains in a slump and many builders are having to offer buyers costly incentives to drum up sales.

We Buy Houses in San Francisco, which purchases foreclosed homes and then typically renovates and sells them, is increasing prices on its refurbished properties between 7% and 12%. That’s even after saving $52,000 in costs by stockpiling 62% more Canadian lumber than usual.

“The uncertainty of how long these tariffs will continue has been the most challenging aspect of our planning,” said CEO Mamta Saini.

The timing of the tariffs couldn’t be worse for homebuilders and the home remodeling industry, as this is typically the busiest time of year for home sales. The prospect of a

trade war has roiled the stock mar-

ket and stoked worries about the economy which could lead many would-be homebuyers to remain on the sidelines.

“Rising costs due to tariffs on imports will leave builders with few options,” said Danielle Hale chief economist at Realtor.com.

“They can choose to pass higher costs along to consumers, which will mean higher home prices, or try to use less of these materials which will mean smaller homes.”

Prices for building materials, including lumber have been rising, even though the White House has delayed its tariffs rollout on some products. Lumber futures jumped to $658.71 per thousand board feet on March 4, reaching their highest level in more than two years.

The increase is already inﬂating costs for construction projects. Dana Schnipper, a partner at building materials supplier JC Ryan in Farmingdale, New York,

sourced wooden doors and frames for an apartment complex in Nassau County from a company in Canada that cost less than the American equivalent.

Half the job has already been supplied. But once the tariff goes into effect it will be applied to the remaining $75,000, adding $19,000 to the at-cost total Once JC Ryan applies its markup, that means the customer will owe $30,000 more than originally planned, Schnipper said.

He also expects the tariffs will give American manufacturers cover to raise prices on steel components.

“These prices will never come down,” Schnipper said. “Whatever is going to happen these things will be sticky and hopefully we’re good enough as a small business, that we can absorb some of that. We can’t certainly absorb all of it, so I don’t know It’s going to be an interesting couple of months.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID ZALUBOWSKI

other top ofﬁcials, citing “federal guidance and threats of drastic funding cuts.”

The university’s Ofﬁce of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion will be refashioned into a new Ofﬁce of Academic Excellence and Opportunity, the letter said.

Tulane’s shift away from openly promoting diversity, equity and inclusion mirrors similar actions taken by colleges and universities across the country in the wake of directives from the Trump administration that claim efforts to bolster enrollment or support for students of color amount to racial discrimination.

In mid-February, the U.S. Department of Education gave schools and colleges that receive federal funding a two-week deadline to end any programs or practices that take into account students’ race. On Friday, the agency said it is investigating 45 universities, including Tulane, for alleged racial discrimination because they partnered with a nonproﬁt that supports Black, Hispanic and Native American graduate students.

AUDIT

Continued from page 1A

Among the examples cited in the report:

n $12.8 million was paid for initiatives related to breastfeeding policies and assessing them for inclusion in the state’s breastfeeding initiative, even though all 16 participating hospitals already had such policies and 15 of the 16 were already part of the initiative.

n $4.26 million was paid for the submission of a risk-stratiﬁcation tool already developed and in use by Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge n $13 million was paid for initiatives that duplicated efforts already funded under another Health Department Medicaid program, including reducing Csection rates, even though the department paid Managed Care Organizations an additional $15.1 million for the same goal.

“In essence, LDH paid for the same improvement twice,” the audit stated.

Tulane ofﬁcials said they remain committed to bringing together people from a “broad array of backgrounds” and offering them equal opportunities, but need to shift focus in light of the Trump administration’s guidance.

“We are monitoring the impact of these evolving guidelines on how we live out our values and advance our shared mission,” said the letter from Fitts, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Robin Forman and Senior Vice President, Chief Operating Ofﬁcer and Treasurer Patrick Norton.

They said the $320 million in annual federal funds supports Tulane faculty and research, as well as ﬁnancial aid, loans and work-study programs that make Tulane more accessible for students who “may have thought a college education was not available to them.”

Because of the high stakes, administrators wrote, Tulane’s diversity office will undergo “a fundamental shift and transition” into the Office of Academic Excellence and Opportunity The letter did not say which if any diversity efforts would continue, only that the new office would be “guided by our principles and by the law, both of which call for opportunities equally open

However, some internal programs did show improvement compared with some of the externally funded programs. The audit highlighted the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative and the Safe Births Initiative as examples of data-driven programs with measurable outcomes that have improved maternal health.

At 21 weeks pregnant, a Louisiana woman couldn’t get care because there were no in-network Medicaid OB-GYNs in her rural area, according to one complaint.

Another pregnant resident missed multiple prenatal appointments because Medicaid-provided transportation never picked her up. At 30 weeks, her doctor threatened to stop seeing her because of the missed visits.

One of the audit’s most striking ﬁndings was that 37.5% of Louisiana parishes had no practicing OB-GYNs serving Medicaid patients. In areas with listed providers, nearly 1 in 5 had not seen any Medicaid patients in the previous six months. Patient complaints reviewed by the auditors showed transportation was a big issue.

to all, without bias for or against any groups.”

Tulane did not immediately respond to questions Monday about the changes.

The Trump administration has been threatening universities with major funding cuts if they do not comply with directives to end diversity efforts and combat antisemitism on campus.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Education cut $600 million in federal grants for recruiting and training teachers across the country, including several grants worth more than $23 million to Louisiana universities such as Tulane, Xavier and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Last week, the agency warned Tulane and dozens of other colleges and universities that they could face consequences if they fail to protect Jewish students from discrimination.

The Trump administration also canceled $400 million worth of grants to Columbia University amid an investigation into whether the university did enough to protect its Jewish students during protests over the conﬂict in Gaza last year

Some Tulane students said they are concerned that the overhaul of the diversity ofﬁce is just the ﬁrst

“There’s a big disconnect between what the provider network looks like versus what it actually is,” said Magee.

The audit found that Managed Care Organizations, which are responsible for coordinating care for most Medicaid enrollees, did not maintain accurate lists of providers, which is “one of the most basic things” they should do said Magee. The auditors veriﬁed that the list was inaccurate by checking it themselves.

“If we can do it, they should be able to do it with their own internal data,” Magee said.

An increase in payment rates might address the provider shortage, said Magee, and analyzing complaints and improving oversight of the organizations could help more Medicaid patients get connected to care.

In response to the audit, the Health Department agreed with all of the auditors’ recommendations. State health officials acknowledged problems with provider network accuracy and access to care, and noted efforts such as a 2024 initiative to clean up organi-

step the university will take to comply with Trump’s directives.

Tulane senior Rory McDonald, who is suspended for his involvement in the pro-Palestinian protests last year, said some members of multicultural student groups worry their organizations could lose funding or be cast off campus.

“Surely there will be more of these orders or letters or commands given by Trump,” McDonald said, “and if we’re rolling over at the ﬁrst command without any legal challenge, that’s pretty scary.”

The diversity office shake-up comes several years after Tulane leadership vowed to pour more funding into efforts to bolster equity and diversity in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protests spurred largely by the death of George Floyd, a Black man who was killed by a Minneapolis police ofﬁcer in the early months of the COVID pandemic.

At the time, Fitts said the university would commit $2.5 million to increase funding for efforts to support “marginalized groups on campus” and would increase diversity among the university’s leadership. Fitts also personally donated $100,000 to create a scholarship for students who “demonstrate leader-

zations’ provider directories. The department also recognized the need for improved case management and transportation services, and emphasized its commitment to improving maternal health outcomes.

In a February public letter, Dr Ralph Abraham, Louisiana’s surgeon general, identiﬁed maternal and infant mortality as a priority for the department.

A spokesperson, however, said officials would not immediately be able to answer questions about efforts to improve access and hold MCOs accountable.

The report said rural areas could be better served by setting up remote care, increasing the number of nurse midwives and making it easier for them to practice, starting group prenatal care and increasing home visiting. While the Health Department has two home visiting services, they serve just 6% of births.

Prenatal care allows for the diagnosis of diabetes or hypertension, which can make pregnancy more dangerous for babies and moms and should be monitored,

ship in racial equity and justice or diversity initiatives.”

Tulane did not respond to inquiries about whether the university fulﬁlled its funding commitments and if the work would continue.

The letter said the new office will be led by Anneliese Singh, associate provost for diversity and faculty development who was hired in 2020 as the university’s first chief diversity officer Singh also teaches in the School of Social Work.

Tulane’s freshman class this fall, the first since the U.S. Supreme Court banned the consideration of race in college admissions in a 2023 decision, was slightly less racially diverse than previous years but included more low-income and first-generation college students than previous classes. Of the university’s 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled this fall, 11% were Black, 11% were Hispanic, 6% were Asian, 4% were multiracial and 63% were White.

“We cannot simply state that we are against racism; we must endeavor to be actively anti-racist,” Fitts said in 2020 when announcing the funding for diversity efforts. “We must commit to making Tulane a more inclusive and supportive home for all.”

said Dr Rebekah Gee, an OB-GYN and founder of Nest Health, which provides in-home primary care to patients. A provider can spot mental health issues or review medications for safety during pregnancy, she said.

But only a handful of appointments need to be in a doctor’s ofﬁce setting, said Gee, who oversaw the Health Department as secretary of health from 2016 to 2020. Many patients could be seen at home or virtually Nest is launching in Arizona and plans to include prenatal appointments in that state, but has found it challenging to partner with health plans to do the same in Louisiana. Gee said a bigger issue is that pregnancy is often treated as separate from women’s overall health. But to support a healthy pregnancy care needs to start before conception and continue during and after birth. Many women start prenatal care late, don’t receive postpartum care and lack regular care between pregnancies, she said.

“Pregnancy is a stress test on women’s health, and we are failing that stress test,” Gee said.

Your hearing is an integral part of your overall health and wellbeing. Studiesshow that untreated hearingloss has been linked to many health issues, including cognitivedeclineand dementia.1

We are hosting aSpecial Eventduring the month of March! During this event, we will be offering these FREE services:

•FREE Hearing Consultations

•FREE Video Otoscope Exam: Hearinglossorjust earwax?

•FREE Clean &Check on currenthearing aids

•FREE Baseline Audiogram Assessment

•FREE Familiar Voice Test

•FREE Demo of Audibel’s latest hearing technology!

AreYou or Anyone YouKnow Experiencing the Following?

1. Asking people to speak up or repeat themselves?

2. Turning theTVuploud tounderstandwhat is being said?

3. Ringing or noises in your ears?

4. Hearing but not understandingcertain words?

Audibelis NOW Offering...

•Hearingaids at NO COST to those who qualify!•

• That’s Right. No Co-Pay!NoExamFee! No AdjustmentFee! If youhavethiscard, youmay qualifyfor free hearing aids! Call today to verifyyour benefits

Simply call one of our ofﬁcesbelow to scheduleyour FREE hearing test.

Appointments areavailable on afirst-come, first-served basis and thereisNOCOST for these services.

MARCH 2025

3026 Gause Blvd., Ste. E 985-718-3589 BOGALUSA 2801 S. Columbia St. 985-545-3733

215 St Ann, Suite 5 985-796-2041

Jan Risher

A shimmy and shake of plans

While the show must go on, sometimes it doesn’t go as planned

In theory the plan for this column was to recount the adventure of my having a walk-on role in Le Petit Theatre’s production of “Jersey Boys” this past weekend

A serious case of laryngitis/bronchitis changed those plans. In fact, the show did go on, but I ended up spending the weekend in bed

Fortunately, Le Petit has more shows. I’ll have my chance to fake my way across this coming weekend. “Jersey Boys” is scheduled to run through April 6, but because of its popularity, they may be adding additional shows

If you haven’t been to Le Petit Theatre, there are things you should know First, I can’t think of a more charming theater anywhere. It is one of those places that has a certain magic to it.

The historic theater got its start way back in 1916. It’s been in its current location, just off Jackson Square in the French Quarter at 616 St. Peter St., since 1922. The theater’s lobby is connected to the restaurant Tableau, in all of its New Orleans glory, with a courtyard so picturesque that every time I look at it, I want to paint the scene — and I draw so poorly that my stick ﬁgures need therapy Even still, when I look at that particular courtyard, I wish I had a canvas. It strikes all the right New Orleans chords.

Theater patrons take in all of that charm before even entering the 300-seat theater Once inside, the space is cozy and feels good Though I’ve only seen one show there, I went to a “Jersey Boys” practice two weeks ago, which I loved since I’ve long been a fan of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons.

What is a sitzprobe?

The theater folks explained that this wasn’t just any old practice, this was the sitzprobe.

If “sitzprobe” leaves you with a puzzled expression, you are not alone. Two weeks post-sitzprobe, I can enlighten you.

First, “sitzprobe” is German for “seated rehearsal.” The event is the rehearsal when the cast and orchestra rehearse together for the ﬁrst time, focusing solely on the music and singing, with no staging or costumes.

Theater people get excited about the sitzprobe. The coming together of different groups of people who have been preparing and practicing separately is monumental. Before the sitzprobe started, the actors were milling around the theater I met Stephanie Toups Abry, who’s playing a double role. Not only is she Le Petit’s development director, she also has the role of Lorraine in “Jersey Boys.” Abry, who is originally from Baton Rouge, got her start at Le Petit when they did “Beautiful” a few years ago.

“It was my ﬁrst kind of dip-mytoe into the audition scene here — and got cast as Cynthia,” Abry said. “I joke that I pestered AJ (Allegra) and Don-Scott (Cooper) until they let me stay.”

Cooper is Le Petit’s producing executive director Allegra is the theater’s artistic director Both take a hands-on approach with every show, and Allegra is codirecting “Jersey Boys.” On cue, Allegra joined us Abry explained that I would have one of the walk-on roles in an upcoming show At this point, it’s important to note that I was recording the conversation, because it wasn’t until I went back and listened that it hit me what Allegra said next — which

ä See RISHER, page 2B

RAMPING UP

Covington-based satellite company celebrates opening of facililty

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Covington-based Globalstar, a satellite company that powers communication between handheld devices, celebrated the opening of its new control center Monday The 10,000-square-foot facility will enable the company to better monitor and manage the satellites and ground stations that power its growing global communications network.

Company executives hosted dozens of business and political leaders, including Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, at the event, which included a tour of the new $5 million center It looks like something out of a high-tech thriller movie, with rows of computers and a wall of digital video screens that track the location and status of each of Globalstar’s 24 satellites and 28 ground stations.

At the event, Globalstar ofﬁcials said the new facility, located within the company’s 66,000-square-foot office building near Interstate 12 and North

Causeway Boulevard, will enhance satellite ﬂeet management, improve network performance and pave the way for new satellites to come online.

“We obviously are a very global company that has the opportunity to impact people’s lives around the world,” said Paul Jacobs, who took over as Globalstar CEO in 2023. “We will really be monitoring that system from this location in Louisiana.”

More than anything, the unveiling is a tangible sign of the 31-year-old company’s change of fortune in the past three years, after it announced a partnership with tech giant Apple.

Since the turn of the millennium, Globalstar has operated low-orbit satellites that power a closed network of handheld communication devices used by hikers, ﬁrst responders, offshore energy workers and others who live and work in places without access to cell networks or standard phone service.

Business was good, but the cost of building, launching and maintaining a ﬂeet of low-orbit satellites and the terrestrial antennae that communicate with them was high.

In 2022, though, the company joined forces with Apple to power the iPhone’s emergency text service. It was a gamechanging deal.

First, Apple announced a $450 million investment, most going to Globalstar, to launch the service. Last year, it announced an additional $1.5 billion commitment to Globalstar to expand it.

“I’m proud to say that we are now in

Group: Judge should face ‘public censure’

Commission dings Foret over language

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

Judge Donald “Chick” Foret‘s use of salty or biased language in several judicial settings warrants a “public censure,” according to the Louisiana Judiciary Commission

The commission issued its recommendation Friday to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which is the ultimate arbiter of discipline for state judges. The commission found that Foret, a former TV news legal analyst before he won a seat on the state bench in Gretna in 2020, violated eight judicial canons over several reported outbursts in his ﬁrst year on the 22nd Judicial District Court.

Among them: Foret lost his temper and allegedly swore at his criminal clerk during an emotional trial. He’s also accused of refusing to recuse himself after expressing bias in a civil case against nursing homeowner Bob Dean over the botched evacuation of seven facilities during Hurricane Ida. In that instance, Foret cut loose his personal sentiments against a local attorney, Jason Baer, during a bench conference at which he described Baer to other lawyers as a “piece of s***”. An ad hoc judge found that Foret could remain on the case, but a state appeals court disagreed and tossed him from it.

In yet another incident, Foret is accused of weighing in for one side in civil settlement talks, instructing one lawyer to tell

the hands of not just a couple hundred thousand people globally but a few hundred million and that number is growing,” said Barbee Ponder, Globalstar’s general counsel, at Monday’s event.

“The work that happens in this room is going to positively impact the lives of millions of people.”

Headquartered in Covington since 2010, Globalstar began years earlier as a joint project between semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm and defense contractor Loral, which partnered in the early 1990s to create a satellite communication service.

The startup launched its ﬁrst satellites in 1998. But high costs and consumer resistance to satellite phone technology prompted the company to seek Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection a few years later

In 2004, Denver-based private equity firm Thermo Capital Partners purchased Globalstar’s assets and, later moved the headquarters to Covington. The idea for the relocation came from Thermo’s managing partner, Jay Monroe, who saw an opportunity to lower operating costs and take advantage of Louisiana’s digital interactive media incentives and tax credits.

Monroe, a Tulane graduate who met and married a New Orleanian, has split time between Colorado and Louisiana ever since.

Then-Gov Bobby Jindal’s administration celebrated the move as a major

Fugitive doctor arrested

Man allegedly tampered with sister’s monitor

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

A New Orleans doctor accused of trying to remove his sister’s ankle monitor ahead of her manslaughter trial has been arrested at a northeast Louisiana hospital, according to authorities.

Dr Kerry Sterling, 49, was wanted by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office on counts including being an accessory after the fact to manslaughter and tampering with electronic monitoring equipment, according to Captain Jason Rivarde, JPSO spokesperson. Sterling was arrested Friday at Madison Parish Hospital in Tallulah where he was working as a traveling physician. Hospital employees tried to prevent Madison Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce

deputies from taking Sterling into custody, Rivarde said. But he was eventually arrested and booked into the Madison Parish jail as a fugitive. Sterling has been on the run since March 11, when a bail bond agent caught him using a soldering iron to cut a GPS monitoring cuff from the ankle of his sister, Kyana Traylor, said Matt Dennis, co-founder of Assured Supervision Accountability Program. Traylor, 37, was wearing the monitor while free on bond while awaiting her Monday trial in the death of George Singleton, according to court records. Traylor is charged with manslaughter, accused of starving and beating the 32-year-old mentally and physically disabled Singleton before allowing him to slowly bleed to death over the course of about 12 hours, Sheriff’s Ofﬁce investigators said.

Traylor was wanted by

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Globalstar executives celebrated the opening of its new $5 million control center in Covington on Monday

SUBTLE GREEN

GLOBALSTAR

Continued from page 1B

economic development win.

At the time the company projected it would create nearly 600 Louisiana jobs by 2020.

Globalstar has about 400 employees worldwide, including 160 or so in Louisiana, a company spokesperson said Monday She could

RISHER

Continued from page 1B

is the biggest clue I have about exactly what I’ll be doing in the show Discovering this added detail was not, shall we say, comforting.

He said, “You’re gonna shimmy and shake like you’re doing a, like you’re doing a beach blanket bingo.”

He went on to tell me that 62 people are working to make “Jersey Boys” happen, including 16 in the cast and 10 people in the orchestra. The rest of the crew are behind the scenes building the sets, creating the costumes, handling the lighting/ sound and directing music/ vocals. There’s also stage management/run crew directors/choreography, wigs/hair and makeup. Then there are the front-of-house

JUDGE

Continued from page 1B

another to “go f*** himself” if he didn’t raise his client’s offer To the commission in December, Foret described the complaints lodged against him mostly as a product of an intense work ethic, an old-school penchant for profanity and mistakenly bringing a lawyer’s mentality to the job of a jurist. A former state and federal prosecutor Foret insisted that he’d cleaned up his act in the more than two years since the incidents that drew complaints. He said he’s sought counsel from a priest and a veteran retired judge, Dennis Waldron.

“I know what mistakes I’ve made,” Foret said then. “As clear as I can hear the

not say why the company’s optimistic hiring projections haven’t materialized. However, Jacobs said Monday he expects to add 75 more Louisiana jobs over the next year The deal with Apple is the main reason the company is ramping up. In late 2022, Apple launched its Emergency SOS service. The functionality is available for customers using iPhone 14s

people, production, and for this show set in New Jersey they hired a dialect coach

I’ve since worked with the theater’s costume department to get my wardrobe. I’m working now to regulate my breathing regarding that “shimmy and shake” thing and mentally preparing My teensy-weensy minor role occurs during the song “Who Wears Short Shorts?” There is one deﬁnite answer to the question that the song title poses: “Not me.” The good news is that seats for “Jersey Boys” are open for all 13 remaining shows as of now and adult tickets start at $47 (including all fees). Student tickets are $27 (including all fees) for all performances (through college, with ID). Go to lepetittheatre.com/ events for ticket information.

Email Jan Risher at jan risher@theadvocate.com.

calliope on the Mississippi River, that’s the clarity I have in my life. I’m not perfect.”

The commission, however, found by “clear and convincing” evidence that Foret had crossed several ethical lines. It cited a “pattern of inappropriate judicial demeanor and comments indicating bias as well as his failure to recuse himself on a matter after questioning his own ability to be impartial.”

Foret’s attorney, Gus Fritchie, issued a statement on Monday

“Judge Foret is pleased that the (commission) concluded that he is a strongly driven, hardworking, and extremely passionate judge who is widely seen as exceptionally well-prepared, conversant about the speciﬁc details of each case, having a good heart, and striving to do the right thing by the parties and

and all models released afterward. It is designed to provide emergency communication for people who are outside the range of cell coverage. iPhone owners can point their devices toward the sky to connect with one of Globalstar’s two dozen low-orbit satellites.

In January in Stevens Pass, Washington, a backcountry skier was rescued after a 1,000-foot fall be-

cause of an Emergency SOS from his iPhone There have been other reports of life-saving moments.

For St. Tammany Parish, the company represents the kind of diversiﬁcation that economic development ofﬁcials have sought to achieve Globalstar will staff the new center with teams of up to 13 employees, who will work two eight-hour shifts daily

The third shift each day will take place at a similar facility in Toulouse, France.

“This gives us tremendous momentum,” said Susan Bourgeois secretary of Louisiana Economic Development. “The Apple partnership puts us on a global stage, and it shows that St. Tammany Parish is an affordable place to do business with great quality of life.”

Alfortish, Kelly Belanger, Eugene Bourgeois Sr., Roland Bridges, Barbara Bruce, Sylvia Chauvin, Ruby Goff, Jo Johnson, Claudette Kimbrell, Ragan Lambert, Jeannette Ponti Sr., Robert Raines Sr., John Robert III, John Trainor, Peggy Wehrer Sr., John Wehrer Sr., John

Bridges, Barbara Trainor, Peggy

Raines Sr., John

Chauvin, Ruby Ponti Sr., Robert Johnson, Claudette Lambert, Jeannette

Bruce, Sylvia Robert III, John

Alfortish, Kelly Bourgeois Sr., Roland Goff, Jo

Alfortish, Kelly Lockwood

It is with

attorneys in his court,” it read.

“Judge Foret also appreciates the fact that the (commission) specifically found that there was no evidence that he exploited his position as a judge to satisfy his own personal desires, rather that, at most, some of Judge Foret’s conduct appeared to result of his frustration or anger when others did not meet his personal standards.”

The Louisiana Supreme Court has not yet set a hearing over the commission’s ﬁndings. A public censure is near the low end of a spectrum of possible discipline for judges available to the court, up to removal from the bench.

The court last suspended a judge last year, when it benched Judge Vercell Fifﬁe of St. John the Baptist Parish for three months for ignoring court orders and failing to sign warrants.

FUGITIVE

Continued from page 1B

authorities after missing a hearing in the case on March 10, according to court records. That same day, Dennis said he suspects Sterling posed as Traylor’s doctor at a local hospital where she was admitted for strokelike symptoms.

Traylor’s “doctor” had asked an ASAP company employee to remove her ankle monitor so she could get an MRI.

The employee removed the monitor, but it was put back on when a bail bond agent, who thought the request was suspicious, later found Traylor trying to leave the hospital, according to Dennis.

Sterling was caught attempting to remove the

cuff the next day while parked on a street in New Orleans’ Bywater neighborhood, authorities said. Traylor was taken to the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna and a judge later revoked her bond, according to court records.

Sterling is expected to be taken to Jefferson Parish in the next few days, Rivarde said.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.

LOTTERY SUNDAY, MARCH 16, 2025

PICK 3: 3-6-8

PICK 4: 3-1-9-6

PICK 5: 7-2-3-3-9 Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Le Petit Theatre’s cast of ‘Jersey Boys’ rehearses for the first time with the band on March 6. The show will run through April 6, with a chance of being continued. Le Petit Theatre is located in the French Quarter at 616 St. Peter St. in New Orleans.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

The Downtown Irish Club walks along Frenchmen Street during its annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration in New Orleans on Monday The parade kicked off in the Marigny Triangle, rolling through Frenchmen, Decatur and Tchoupitoulas, passing legendary landmarks like Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral, before ending in the Central Business District at Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar Along the way, the group stopped at some of New Orleans’ most beloved establishments, including Marigny Brasserie, Balcony Music Club, Molly’s at the Market, and the newest stop at Mother’s on Tchoupitoulas and Poydras.

financial management. After Hurricane Katrina, she shifted her focus to re‐developing the family’s damaged rental properties and played an instrumen‐tal role in restoring the neighborhood through her work with the Lakeview Civic Association. Later, she dedicated her exper‐tise to helping develop her husband’s family business, bringing her technical knowledge to its success Throughout her entire life there wasn’t a problem Kelly couldn’t solve with her endless patience and perseverance. While she found fulfillment in her professional accomplish‐ments, nothing was more important to Kelly than being the best mother to her beloved daughters. Kelly and Timmy whole‐heartedly supported their daughters’ dreams of sail‐ing competitively and loved traveling with them to their regattas. Kelly found great joy in volun‐teering to promote junior sailing Her unwavering drive to help others and her boundless dedication made her a pillar of sup‐port both within her family and the sailing community Her remarkable spirit and compassion will live on in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know her Relatives and friends are invited to at‐tend the funeral service on Wednesday, March 19 at St. Dominic Church 775 Harri‐son Ave., New Orleans, LA 70124. Visitation will be held from 10:30 am to 12:00 pm, followed by a service at 12:00 pm Burial to im‐mediately follow at Lake Lawn Park 5454 Pontchar‐train Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124. Should you care to make a donation in lieu of flowers please send it in her name to Father Seelos, Saint Mary’s Assumption Church, 919 Josephine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. Family and friends are invited to share condo‐lences and memories by visiting www mothefunera ls com. Arrangements by Mothe Funeral Homes

Belanger, Eugene NicholasGene

Eugene Nicholas Belanger Jr., 75, of Kenner, Louisiana, passed away on March 13th after courageously fighting and winning his battle with ALS.A devoted partner, father, and grandfather, Eugene's life exemplified resilience love, and unwavering dedication to those he held dear. He is survived by his long-time partner, Dotty Carson; his children Kristie Mcdonald (John), Steven (Ashley),Kacie Hasbun (Jose), and Randy (Tiffany); his grandchildren Caiden, Blake, Corey, Carter, Eli, and his "Princess" Ainsley; his sister Gwen Fotos (Ernie), along with numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Eugene, his mother, Edna, and his sister, Barbara Whitfield. Born on June 5th, 1949, at Hotel Dieu Hospital in New Orleans, Eugene attended St. Christopher and later transferred to Rugby Academy. After completing asemester at the University of LSUNO, Eugene enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served overseas during the Vietnam War as an Aircraft Mechanic with Squadron VRC-50 (The Foo Dogs). Upon returning home, Eugene attended Delgado Trades and Technical Institute, where he studied Engineering and Drafting. Over the years, Eugene worked in various fields, including as aPipe Welder, at LP&L, and at Western Auto. With one of his closest childhood friends, he founded B&C Auto Wreckers Inc., proudly calling it a"Recycling Facility" rather than a junkyard. Eugene retired in 2008 after asuccessful 40+ -year career in the salvage industry. In his free time he was passionate about building classic cars, traveling the country, attending swap meets, and cherishing time with his loved ones. Eugene's life was filled with unforgettable moments, many of which stemmed from unexpected adventures. One remarkable incident occurred when he inadvertently walked into abank during arobbery. Moments before he entered, the suspect hadalready fled. Without missing abeat, Eugene was given adetailed description of the suspect and his getaway vehicle. He tracked the thief to the airport, cornered him at the baggage claim, and held him there until the po-

missing abeat, Eugene was givena detailed description of the suspect and his getawayvehicle. He tracked the thief to the airport, cornered himat the baggage claim, and held him there untilthe police arrived. This was just one instance of Eugene's bravery and hisreadiness to act when others might have hesitated.

Eugene's beloved 1961 Corvette,purchasedin California after his return from Vietnam, is asymbol of his adventurous spirit. He welded the front forks of amotorcycle he brought back from Japan to the rear bumper of the Corvette and drove 1,600 mileshome—a journey that would live on in family lore. Hispassion for cars ledhim to buildseveral classic vehicles, including a1936 FordPickup, 1937 Ford Coupe,1952 Ford Pickup, 1954 Chevy Bel Air, 1955 Chevy Bel Air, 1961 Chevy Corvette,1961 Chevy Bel Air, and1972 Hurst Oldsmobile,among many others.

Eugene's greatest passion, beyond hiscars, was his family. He took great pride in watching his grandchildrengrow and always encouragedthem to strive for their best, to positively impact the world Eugene's legacy enduresin the memories he created, the lessons he shared, and the lives he touched. His friends, from coast to coast, can attest to his constant supportand kindness, always stepping in when others couldn't.

Gene's commitment to his family, community,and country servesasa remarkable example of the kind of manhe was—strong, selfless, and loving. Though he is no longer with us, Eugene's memory will forever live in the hearts of all who knew him, and his impact will continue to inspire and guide his loved ones for generations to come.

His family invitesyou to join them to celebrate his life on April 5th, from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm at The Crossing (519 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA 70062). In lieu of flowers, please consider making adonation in Gene's name to the Team Gleason Foundation.

Roland John Bourgeois Sr., passed away peace‐fully on Sunday March 16, 2025 at the age of 89. He is the son of the late Evest J. Bourgeois, Jr and the late Belle Ann Christian Bour‐geois. He is the beloved husband of Gail Keller Bourgeois. He is the loving father of Roland J Bour‐geois Jr (Cheryl), Robert Bourgeois (Ida), Gary Bour‐geois, Dale Bourgeois (Joy) and the late Frank Bour‐geois (Roxanne). He is the devoted grandfather of 9 and has numerous greatgrandchildren. He is the loving brother of Jenny Walthers, the late Daniel Bourgeois (infant), Norman Bourgeois, the late Rita Ni‐colosi, the late Ruth Buras, the late Mack Bourgeois, the late Myrtle Aucoin, the late Clyde Bourgeois (in‐fant), the late Daniel Bour‐geois and the late Anita Oberschmidt. He is also survived by numerous nieces nephews, other family and friends He joined the Air Force served 4 years as a Medic and re‐turned home to Louisiana where he worked in the oil and gas industry for many years. He then worked at the Royal Sonesta in the engineering department until his retirement. He en‐joyed a good joke and ﬁsh‐ing and later on in life found great joy in painting. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. The family would like to thank the kind and car‐ing staff of Passages Hos‐pice for their compassion‐ate care Relatives and friends are invited to at‐tend a Visitation on Friday, March 21 beginning at 10:30 AM followed by a Fu‐neral Mass at 12:00 PM at Mary Help of Christians Church, 600 2nd Ave, Har‐vey, LA. Interment to im‐mediately follow at West‐lawn Memorial Park Ceme‐tery 1225 Whitney Ave Gretna, LA Family and friends are invited to share condolences and memo‐ries by visiting www mot hefunerals com. Arrange‐ments by Mothe Funeral Homes.

Barbara Jones

Barbara Jones Bridges entered her eternal rest on March 9, 2025, at the age of 91. Barbara leaves to cher‐ish her memory four chil‐dren, Michael (Joanne) Dabney, Sherrall (Jerry) Magee, Dave (Paulette) Dabney and Gina Bridges six grandchildren, four step-grandchildren ﬁve great grandchildren, and seven step great grandchil‐dren, along with a host of other relatives and friends.

Preceded in death by her husband Woodrow Bridges, parents Simmie Jones Sr. and Louise Johnson Jones, brother Simmie Jones Jr step-grandson John O’Sulli‐van, and great grandsons Kedrick Morris and Derek Dabney. Born July 7, 1933, Barbara's childhood was spent in Independence, LA where she accepted Christ at an early age at the Mar‐tin Chapel AME Church After moving to New Or‐leans, she joined the Greater Mount Carmel Bap‐tist Church where she sang in the Chancellor choir. Later, upon joining the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, she sang in the Women’s chorus and was active in the Senior Sol‐diers and Culinary min‐istries. Barbara also en‐joyed her working years as a Radiology Technician and a Surgery Technician at the St Bernard General and the DeLaRonde Hospitals

Family and friends are in‐vited to attend the Cele‐bration of Life Service on Thursday, March 20, 2025, for 10:00 a.m at the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, 8282 I-10 Service Road South New Orleans LA Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m Pastor Fred Luter Jr, ofﬁciating Interment will follow at the Mount Olivet Cemetery and Mau‐soleum 4000 Norman Mayer Ave, New Orleans, LA Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear Brooks Boyd and Donavin D. Boyd Owners/Funeral Di‐rectors

Sylvia Schwab Bruce, long time resident of Slidell, LA, born in New Or‐leans, LA passed away on Thursday, March 13, 2025, in her home at the age of 86. She is survived by her brother, Leonard Schwab, Jr (Cheryl), her daughter, Lisa Ann Langley (Jim), her grandchildren, Jacky Joe Bruce, III, Kip Montero (Ashley), Megan Gendusa (Nic), Seth Langley (Des‐tiny), Sara-Ann Pierson and her great-grandchil‐dren Julian, Ada Auden, and Ryder. She was pre‐ceded in death by her hus‐band Jacky Joe Bruce, Sr. her son Jacky Joe Bruce, Jr and her parents Leonard and Rita Schwab. Sylvia along with her late husband, Jacky, were the retired business owners of B & M Propeller Sales and Service Sylvia was the past Matron of the Eastern Star Member of Lakeshore Chapter 59. She was also a past President for the Dahraf Ladies Auxillary and past President of the Lady Bugs of Farhad Grotto Sylvia was a loving Wife Mother Grand‐mother, and Great-Grand‐mother who will be dearly missed by all of her family Sylvia will be remembered for her warm smile kind heart & unwavering sup‐port She was a beacon of love and strength, always putting her family ﬁrst. In honor of her ﬁnal wishes, a private service will be held at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Please visit www honaker forestlawn.com to sign guestbook Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home Inc., Slidell, LA.

Ruby Ann Chauvin, age 94 years, of Metairie, Louisiana, passed away on Saturday, March 15, 2025. Beloved wife of the late Johnnie Chauvin. Devoted mother of Daniel J. (Sandy) Chauvin, Richard L. (Lynne) Chauvin, Clyde D. (Ellen) Chauvin, and RandolphC Chauvin (Jimmy de Blanc). Sister of Leona Kaes and the late Sonny Sampey and Mary Jane Jeansonne. She was the daughter of the late Oliver and Odie Melancon Sampey. Also survived by 5grandchildren, 9great grandchildren and 2great great grandchildren. Mrs. Chauvin was a longtime parishioner of St. Christopherthe Martyr Catholic Church, the Ladies Altar Societyand was an avid seamstress. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend aFuneral Mass on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 12:30 PM from St. Christopher the Martyr Catholic Church, 3900 Derbigny Street,Metairie, with visitation at the church beginning at 10:30 AM. Interment will follow in the Garden of Memories. Please share your condolences online at lakelawnmetairie.com.

Jo Rene Robbins Myers Goff passed away peace‐fully on Mardi Gras evening, Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at the age of 96. Beloved wife of the late Gerald Patrick Goff for 51 years. Mother of Peter Lawrence Goff (Jennifer) and the late Amy Elizabeth Goff. Daughter of the late Hattie Mae Robbins and Lawrence Wesley Myers Sister of the late Patsy Har‐rington Grandmother of Hannah E. Goff Stroud Heather E Israel, David P Israel, and William A Stroud Great grandmother of Audrey Simpson and Sutton Solar. Also survived by nieces and nephews. She graduated from High School in Lake Providence, LA and from Mississippi State College for Women with a degree in Education. She taught school in Clarksdale, Mississippi until 1956, then moved to New Orleans, LA where she worked for the Louisiana Department of Public Wel‐fare until she married in 1963. She was a member of the Aurora United Methodist Church, where she was active as a choir member and as a member of the United Methodist Women. She was also a member of Welcome Neighbors loved garden‐ing, community outreach projects, entertaining in her home and being with her family She was a na‐tive of Providence LA and a resident of New Orleans for the past 69 years. Rela‐tives and friends of the family are invited to attend the Graveside Service on Wednesday March 19, 2025 at 1pm at Westlawn Memo‐rial Park Cemetery, Gretna, LA Donations in her mem‐ory may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. Family and friends are in‐vited to view and sign the online guest book at www mothefunerals com.

Johnson, Claudette Humphrey

Claudette Humphrey Johnson entered into eter‐nal glory on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at East Jefferson Hospital She was 78. Daughter of the late Willie J. Humphrey and Marion Wise Humphrey. She was reared by the late Alex Granderson and Julia Wise Granderson. She was a life long resident of New Or‐leans. She was the mother of the late Charles (Boo) Johnson Jr and Chantella Katina Johnson. She was educated in the Orleans Parish School System She attended F.P. Ricard Ele‐mentary Carter G Wood‐son Jr High and was a 1964 graduate Booker T Wash‐ington High School She also attended Southern University of New Orleans She was the granddaugh‐ter of the late Celestine Theriot Wise and Gertrude Randall She was also pre‐ceded in death by her brother Willie J Humphrey Jr Claudette leaves to cherish her memory, her sister Barbara H Doublet; her brother Tyrone (Pam) Humphrey; her devoted niece Dawn (Randy) Lewis; her grandchildren Keith Charles, Arianne and Damon Cannon. She also leaves behind her nieces Zina and Chanella Humphrey of Ohio; her nephews Sean (Bertha) Doublet and Maurice (Lashon) Humphrey. She is also survived by a host of other relatives and friends and the entire Jefferson Health Care Community. Relatives and friends of the family, also pastors, ofﬁ‐cers and members of St. John Institutional Mission‐ary Baptist Church, Impact Ministries NOLA and New Orleans First Seventh-Day Adventist Church are in‐vited to attend the Cele‐bration of Life service on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 10:00 a.m at Littlejohn Funeral Home, 2163 Aubry Street, N.O LA 70119. Visi‐tation starts at 9:00 a.m Rev. Marvin Turner, ofﬁci‐ating Interment at Provi‐dence Memorial Park, 8200 Airline Dr. Metairie LA Rev. David M Patin Sr and Gwiena Magee Patin, Di‐rectors Professional Ser‐vice Entrusted to: Little‐john Funeral Home, 2163 Aubry Street, Cal K. John‐son, Funeral Director/Man‐ager, Info: (504) 940-0045.

Ragan Kimbrell passed on December 14, 2024 after alongbattle with Alzheimer's and amercifully brief battle with cancer. Her nieces were blessed to be with her holding herhand when she passed peacefully.

Born in Greenville MS, a Delta debutant andgraduate of Greenville High School, Ragan moved to New Orleans in 1966 to attend Newcombe College and knew NOLA was where she wanted to stay. After receivinga graduate degree from Tulane's School of Social Work, she pursued her career with the Orleans Parish school system, directinga day treatment program for children and adolescents. In 1979, she met CharleneCoco, who became herspouse and life partner. Together they dedicated years restoringthe architectural beauty of their home, excavating and cultivating a beautifulgarden with koi pond, and running their Mentone Bed and Breakfast, through which they made lifelong friends. Ragan was an accomplished pianist andart aficionado. Writing checks sometimes for just each month to local artists and galleries, she built abeautiful art collection that reflected herlove of the city and its culture. To family, friends and neighbors, Ragan was knownfor her Southern grace, expansive vocabulary, quick wit, laughter, and fierceprotection of everyoneshe loved. How she loved to people watch and declare, Laissez les bons temps rouler!

She is preceded in death by her spouse, Charlene Coco. Ragan is survived by her elder brother, Bill Kimbrell (Pat) of Lexington KY, nieces LeVan Kimbrell McLain (Pete) of Charlotte

elder brother, Bill Kimbrell (Pat) of Lexington KY, nieces LeVan Kimbrell McLain (Pete) of Charlotte NC and TrishaKimbrell Meloncon (Todd) of Round Rock TX, her preciousfur babies, Gracie Louise and Noah, cousins, and many of her spouse's family. Please consider agift to The Alzheimer's Foundation in her memory.

Lambert, Jeannette Schexnayder

Jeannette Schexnayder Lambert Born on August 29, 1961, and passed away on March 14, 2025 at age of 63. Survived by a son, Adam Joseph Lambert (Jessica); a daughter, Ash‐ley Lambert Simon (Harley); a sister, Odette Schexnayder Vicknair; a brother, Otis Schexnayder, Jr, (Ava); a brother, Charles McCarty (Rosemarie); a grandson, Heath Simon and a loving companion, Paul Babin Preceded in death by her husband, Warren Lambert, Jr.; her parents Otis Schexnayder Sr and Shirley Richard Schexnayder; her siblings, Wayne McCarty and her grandson, Brayden Lam‐bert.Survived by numerous nephews and nieces and loving dog, Beau. She will be greatly missed by all who loved her She worked as a retail store manager for many years She loved her family listening to 60’s and 70’s music as well as Christian music! Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Visitation and Funeral Service at Rose Lynn Funeral Home,1870 Cabanose Ave., Lutcher, LA Visitation will be held on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m and on Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. followed by a Funeral Service at 11:00 a.m with services by Grace Church Pastor Larry Rocquin. Bur‐ial in St. Joseph Mau‐soleum, Paulina, LA. To view or sign the online guest book please visit www roselynnfuneral home com

Sr., Robert J.

J. Ponti, Sr. passed away on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at the age of 93 years, anative of Algiers, LA and aresident of Metairie since 1973. Son of the late Gaetano Carlos Ponti and Evelyn Josephine Schlumbrecht. Beloved husband of Joyce Engelhardt Ponti for 47 years; brother of Eugene O. Ponti; loving father of Jennifer Fontenelle (John) and loving stepfather of Laura Colvin, Tracy Griffin (Larry), Daniel Traugott (Cheryl); grandfather of Michael Ponti, Jr., Catherine Ponti Ortiz (Juan), James Brooks, Logan, Connor, Bryce and Gabe Fontenelle; greatgrandfather of Charlotte Brooks and Matias Ortiz; step grandfather of Brandon Colvin, Dylan Colvin (Shelby), Wayne and Stephen Griffin,Taylor Traugott (Gabrielle) and James Traugott. Robert was predeceased by sons, Robert, Jr. and Michael Ponti, Sr.; daughter, Diana Brooks; step grandson, Justin Thomas Traugott; and brother, Gaetano "Guy" Ponti. Robert was a graduate of St. Aloysius (Brother Martin)High School where he excelled as an All Prep football player. In 1955, he was a graduate of theUnited States Naval Academy. In 1960, he received adegree in Electrical Engineering from theUniversity of Washington and Registered Professional Engineer State of Louisiana. He was commissioned as 2nd Lt United States Air Force, stationed at Ladd Air ForceBase, Fairbanks, Alaska. As USAF Capt., he served as Chief, Quality Control Assurance Branch, Newark, Ohio, the center for USAF service of Minuteman, Atlas and Titan rockets. As supervisor at Chrysler Corporation, Michoud, he directed theSpaceDivision Flight Evaluation Unit on the Saturn Intercontinental

Bridges,

Chauvin,Ruby Ann

Goff, Jo Rene Robbins Myers

Bourgeois Sr., Roland John

Bruce, Sylvia Schwab

Kimbrell, Ragan

rouler! She is preceded in death by her spouse, Charlene Coco. Ragan is survived by her

Ponti

Robert

Calling foul on effort to exempt NIL earnings from state taxes

Perhaps the best response to a new tax-relief idea in the Louisiana Legislature is to quote a famous on-court explosion by tennis great John McEnroe.

“You cannot be serious!”

Forgive us if we express scorn for a proposal by state Rep. Dixon McMakin R-Baton Rouge, which would exempt from state income taxes all “name, image and likeness” money earned by college athletes. The exemption would signify misplaced priorities and values, not to mention a stunning lack of fairness. It also would be just bad tax policy on a macroeconomic level, not to mention a hypocritical step for this particular Legislature.

Let’s take that last point first. This is the same Legislature that late last year lowered tax rates in return for, among other things, significantly dialing back tax credits and special-interest deductions. The dial-backs were a recognition that state government should be providing a level playing field, not picking and choosing economic winners and losers — and also that abundant special-interest credits create economic inefficiencies the state should avoid.

Having just done that, how does it make sense to offer a huge exemption to an extremely small group of people who already are commanding large incomes at a young age? And doesn’t that open the state to yet a new round of supplicants begging for similarly favored treatment?

Next, consider priorities and values The combination of the name image and likeness system with wide-open rules for transferring among universities already has made college sports into an openly rent-a-player enterprise Before NIL and the transfer portal, college athletics at least had a tenuous, even if oft-violated, link to the overall educational enterprise. Transfers and NIL have reduced that tenuous link to a thread.

It’s a thread that tax-free earnings, all for playing a game, ineluctably would sever. And what message would it send about how the state values education if its policy for top athletes already getting paid mountains of cash indicates that the value of a free scholarship — itself an untaxed beneﬁt — is so negligible that the state also will exempt the athletes from regular taxes on personal income that every other worker in the state must pay?

Are we so besotted with the ability to throw balls or run fast that we need to turn athletes into their own, exalted class of citizen who can skate away from otherwise basic obligations of residence and employment in Louisiana?

That brings us to the most basic issue, of fairness. Plumbers must pay state income taxes Attorneys and anesthetists must pay taxes; teachers and truck drivers must pay Why should barely adult athletes, already basking in beneﬁts, be absolved from the same civic requirements?

The Legislature should reject this proposal. It amply deserves a failing grade.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence

The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

OPINION

with new leader

As the search for a new executive director for the Sewerage & Water Board moves forward, all involved should take a step back and come up with a master plan to address its multitude of problems. I don’t know if a master plan exists. If it does, is it the best path forward? I am sure that folks who seem to ﬂood every time we have a heavy rainstorm would appreciate a new approach. We continue to operate (or try to operate) equipment that is over 100 years old on a power grid that only exists for this utility Surely the time has come to replace all pumps and move to the standard power grid. If this were done then new substations could be installed from high-voltage transmission lines to ensure a reliable power source at each pumping station. Yes, I understand that this is really big money For as long as I remember,

they have always said they could pump 1 inch the ﬁrst hour and a half-inch each additional hour Maybe a new design should be at least double that capacity

Since the state seems to be stepping into this, maybe they should get all the specifications and have a contest where any Louisiana university with an engineering department could study this and submit recommendations on how to best fix it. Tell them to think out of the box (pump to the river, different canal flow paths, locations for new drainage or culverts) and include cost estimates. Obviously any new pumps would need to be installed in new locations so older pumps could operate until new ones are put into service. In industry, we called it maintaining production. Surely there must be a better plan.

RICARDO FERNANDEZ Metairie

Learn history before renaming General Meyer

With regard to renaming of General Meyer Avenue, he was not a general in the Confederate Army He was born on Oct. 18, 1842, and was 19 when the war started in 1861. He enlisted in 1862 and served on the staff of General John S. Williams in Kentucky and Tennessee in minor battles. His highest rank was as an assistant to the adjutant general, probably with rank of lieutenant.

He was elected colonel of the First Regiment of the Louisiana State National Guard in 1879 and was appointed Brigadier General by Gov Louis A. Wiltz in 1881 as the commanding ofﬁcer of the state militia. Meyer was elected to Congress and served from 1891 until he died in 1908. He was a leading member of the Jewish community and was active in

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

banking and business circles. Among his many accomplishments as congressman was his work to establish the Naval Support Activity in Algiers, which served at various times as a major drydock and repair yard, as home base for the U.S. Caribbean Fleet and as headquarters for the Eighth Naval District. from 1901 to 2011. It is now the Federal City and home to the Marine Corps Reserve and Coast Guard. Interestingly from 1934 to 1936, during the Depression, the federal Works Progress Administration operated the third largest transient camp in the country on the naval station, where it housed and trained 25,000 homeless men.

JACK MCGUIRE Mandeville

Morrell stood up for residents by closing loophole

Bravo to New Orleans City Council president JP Morrell for standing up to the wormy way greedy developers are trying to turn New Orleans into a giant slumber party for tourists. This city’s reputation as a place to “have a good time” has now apparently become a commodity like cotton or petroleum to be ruthlessly exploited. The scarcity of affordable housing for residents along with the lack of

well-paying jobs is on track to make New Orleans uninhabitable well before the rising seas claim it. Yes, capitalism is a good thing, but city ofﬁcials are elected to protect our long-term welfare. Please do not be cowed by threats of lawsuits from short-term rental predators.

OWEN JOYNER New Orleans

Does anyone else see the irony of Jefferson Parish ofﬁcials accepting 150,000 pounds of recycled glass sand to restore the wetlands of Bucktown and not having curbside recycling available to residents?

As a staunch recycler who is now paying a private company to pick up my recycling, I can’t believe that the parish government can’t come up with a plan to provide this service. Even our neighbor, Orleans Parish, which many look down on, provides its citizens with this service. Come on, Jefferson Parish, you can do better

MARJORIE MANARD Metairie

Tournament showcased hockey at its finest

The NHL hit the nail on the head with its 4 Nations Face-Off. It made the All-Star games of the NBA and MLB look ridiculous. This game, in reality an All-Star game, meant something. It was almost as big as the Stanley Cup. Congratulations. DAVID BOHNET Slidell

I have had a subscription for over 50 years. Every morning, I wake up with my coffee and my newspaper and I always read the letters to the editor But I must say the letters in the Feb. 26 edition were, in my view, the best ever They all addressed concerns about the current attacks on democracy in a way that all Americans should be concerned. I realize that the only reason that these opinions, and those on both sides of the political spectrum, are available is because of the freedom of the press and the good faith of your newspaper Thank you and please never back down from a ﬁght for our free press.

MARCY GERTLER New Orleans

COMMENTARY

Wall Street flabbergasted Trump is wrecking economy

If only someone had warned them.

Catherine Rampell

Wall Street is apparently shocked that President Donald Trump is destroying the robust economy he inherited. All those self-defeating tariffs! Those arbitrary federal layoffs! Stripping work permits from legal immigrants! The self-dealing! The dismantling of the rule of law! These are among the reasons recession risks are rising and markets are in correction territory (at least 10% below their recent peak). Investors and businesses apparently spent last year wish-casting about Trump’s agenda, assuming he’d implement all the policies they want (tax cuts, deregulation) and none of the ones they don’t (see above) “With hindsight, we did not appreciate the nature of what the administration was going to be like,” a remorseful banker told the Financial Times, to cite just one representative quote. “I do believe they are hurting their stated objectives of peace and prosperity.”

Trump’s close allies and advisers are similarly “rattled,” “spooked” and “unnerved” by the president’s destructive decisions, the Wall Street Journal reports. Were any of these people watching the same campaign the rest of the country saw?

Trump’s self-sabotaging agenda was not subtext; it was explicit text, often delivered in all caps. And some commentators (ahem) tried to convey that even if those precious tax cuts passed, there’s a lot more to capitalism than low taxes.

Maybe investors thought Trump was sufficiently transactional that they’d be able to control him. Or that market losses would temper him. Perhaps they assumed his senior aides would curb his worst impulses — as in Trump’s first term, when his top economic adviser secretly swiped anti-trade documents off the Oval Office desk.

This time around, however, Trump’s personnel choices have prioritized personal loyalty over sound judgment or respect for the law The few “adults in the room” — the Cabinet appointees whom markets might have once trusted have proved spineless, powerless or both. Recall that one of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s first official acts was allowing Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service to infiltrate the sensitive federal payments system. Bessent also repeatedly misrepresented how

much access the DOGE bros had.

Trade adviser Peter Navarro once explained that his “function, really as an economist is to try to provide the underlying analytics that conﬁrm [Trump’s] intuition. And his intuition is always right in these matters.” Needless to say economic analysis is not supposed to reverse engineer evidence to support a predetermined conclusion.

Coincidentally, Navarro is also one of several senior Trump officials who were previously paid by the U.S. steel industry — and who are now urging Trump to wage destructive trade wars benefiting (you guessed it) the U.S steel industry This was all a matter of public record well before Trump took office Markets are only figuring it out now?

To be clear, I do not blame regular, everyday voters for not fully anticipating these outcomes News organizations have proﬁled regretful Trump voters who (wrongly) believed he’d lower prices, make fertility care free or crack down on migrant gangbangers and who are only now realizing just how much they or their families have to lose. Social media greets these stories with schadenfreude and leopards-eating-faces memes. But normal people who are not professionally obligated to follow the news or read white papers — are busy with their jobs, families and other stressors. Many feel disconnected from our bitter politics or lack the bandwidth to digest dense policy pro-

posals. What will or won’t help reduce prices is not always intuitive, and America’s archaic political procedures often obscure what it takes to get even sound policy passed. (Byrd rule? Blue slips? What?) One of my core beliefs, as a journalist and a citizen, is that government complexity always rewards demagogues.

But C-suite executives and market analysts have no excuses for getting Trump’s economic agenda wrong. They are paid to make accurate predictions and to follow incremental regulatory and legislative developments. They were supposed to know that the “Tariff Man” might raise tariffs, and that the guardrails were being dismantled. They went into this eyes-wide-open.

Everyone makes mistakes, I suppose. Even I once naively assumed the private sector would be a ﬁrewall against (at least some of) Trump’s excesses and erratic behavior, because companies know that property rights and the rule of law are critical for a stable business environment But as a recent straw poll of CEOs conducted by Yale shows, executives are staying quiet. Most said market losses would need to double or even triple before they’d be willing to publicly criticize Trump’s policies.

Even the bottom line, it seems, is sometimes an insufﬁcient motivator for mustering courage

Catherine Rampell is on X, @crampell.

Reparations for enslaved descendants a bad idea

A new law, buried inside an otherwise obscure piece of federal legislation, permits the Washington, D.C., City Council to establish a commission that will give “reparations” to descendants of enslaved people who can demonstrate how slavery and Jim Crow laws have negatively affected their lives. Talk about a high bar

recommending reparations of up to $1.2 million to each eligible resident.”

The 12-member commission — yet to be appointed — will include a “social justice expert,” which should tell you all you need to know about its likely liberal slant.

According to reporting by The Washington Times, the reparations will come from government appropriations and private donations.

The project is ripe for abuse, as we are seeing from the alleged misspending exposed by DOGE.

How does one “prove” negative effects from slavery and Jim Crow laws from the 19th and early 20th centuries, the latter of which were created by Southern Democrats? Will money go to African Americans who are in prison? Will it be paid only to the poor, and if so, what if it is misspent and the money runs out? Suppose the recipient has proved irresponsible or is abusing drugs and alcohol?

California passed a reparations measure that allocates $12 million for “reparations bills.” The Times reports: “State lawmakers have not approved cash payments despite a 2023 report

California is noted for some crazy ideas, but this might top them all.

Better to focus on choices one can make for a better life than to assume one’s ancestors have forever trapped their descendants in an endless life of poverty and despair Better to inspire people with the stories of others who overcame difficult circumstances by making decisions that improved their lives with little or no help from the government. History.com tells the stories of five men who were slaves but overcame their circumstances by not taking it as a final verdict. All five became statesmen

“Blanche K. Bruce was the son of an enslaved black woman and her white master He was a house servant on plantations in Virginia and Mississippi. Bruce later worked as a teacher and opened Missouri’s ﬁrst school for Black children before moving to Mississippi in the late-1860s. He arrived in the state with only 75 cents to his name, but within a few years, he became a successful land speculator and planter His sharp mind and genteel demeanor also made him a rising star in the Mississippi Republican Party, leading to jobs as a sheriff, tax collector and county superintendent of education.

“In 1874, the Mississippi legislature elected Bruce to the U.S. Senate, mak-

How AI can make us feel more human

In 1984, when I was in sixth grade, I managed to sneak into an R-rated movie called “Revenge of the Nerds.” (It probably helped that I was almost 6 feet tall.) The movie played on familiar stereotypes about jocks and nerds, culminating in a delightful comeuppance where the nerd fraternity bests the jocks who have been picking on them.

It all feels dated now, and not just because some of the “raunchy, uproarious satire,” as one critic put it, plays differently post-MeToo. The dynamic of jocks oppressing hapless nerds — quite accurate for the time — no longer rings true, because the past 40 years have been one long revenge of the nerds. Silicon Valley became rich and glamorous, and the internet became a sheltered workshop for bookish, awkward keyboard warriors. Alas, what technology giveth, technology also taketh away Artiﬁcial intelligence is best at the very nerdy skills that became so ﬁnancially rewarding over the past few decades, such as writing software code. Oh, it’s not yet good enough to replace a seasoned professional at their peak. But then, it’s only been around for a few years.

Even if you’re not worried that AI will take your job — if, say, you are an obstetric nurse or a federal judge — it’s scary to think of machines taking over tasks that have, until now, seemed particularly human. People have been using substitutes for human muscle for millennia. But we’ve never tried substitute brains. What does society look like if human cognition is no longer unique, or even the best on the block? Will we all end up living in some machine-ruled sci-ﬁ dystopia?

If you’re anxious about that, let me suggest how it might make our lives more human. Yes, AI is likely to be painfully disruptive. But it can also enable — even force — us to focus on our common humanity Job skills are the most obvious: The more inroads AI makes into corporations, the more the jobs of the future will rely on the things we’re still relatively better at, such as people skills and physical presence. That may be a tough transition for the nerds. But it might be a better society if work consisted mostly of interacting with other humans, rather than abstract symbols on a screen. But the more interesting possible transformation is in our personal lives. Take one of the most beautiful human scenes, a pack of kids running around the neighborhood, migrating from house to house and yard to yard as the mood takes them. Unfortunately, that tends to be a scene from an old movie that few kids have ever witnessed in real life.

At 6 years old, even in the bitterest Great Lakes snows, my mother was snapped into a playsuit daily and instructed to go out and play until dinner My freedom was limited to one Upper West Side co-op building. My friends’ kids tend to have organized activities or carefully scheduled playdates.

ing him the second Black senator in American history and the ﬁrst to serve a full six-year term.”

I especially love this one: “Robert Smalls’ journey from slave to U.S. congressman began with a famous act of deﬁance. In 1862, the South Carolina native was serving as a wheelman aboard a Confederate steamer called the Planter When the white crew took an unsanctioned shore leave in Charleston in the early morning hours of May 13, Smalls and several other slaves hijacked the ship, piloted it past Fort Sumter and surrendered it to a Union blockading squadron. Smalls went on to captain the Planter for the Navy After the Civil War ended, he used his reward for capturing the ship to purchase his former master’s home in Beaufort, South Carolina.”

All ﬁve of these former slaves were Republicans, due in part, I suspect, out of gratitude for Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Congress, which has ultimate authority over the District of Columbia, will have an opportunity to reverse the D.C. Council’s reparations legislation. It should. Inspiration, followed by motivation and a considerable amount of perspiration changed the lives of many former slaves and their descendants. These qualities have a better record of improving lives than reparations ever could.

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com.

There are many reasons for this — the lure of screens, the disappearance of housewives who kept a genial eye on the proceedings. But a major one is the ubiquity of the automobile, which made it extremely dangerous to let small children run around in the street. Now imagine that those cars are reliable self-driving ones, which — unlike a human driver — can be counted on to see your kids and stop. Parents could, like my grandmother, turn off the screen, hand the kid a cookie and tell them to go out and ﬁnd some kids to play with.

AI could also make it easier to have those kids. We’ll be richer, for one thing. Even those near the top of the current income ladder who ﬁnd themselves downgraded to some less glamorous position will beneﬁt from the productivity boom.

By increasing our productivity, AI can also give us more time to spend with our families and friends. The ﬁve-day workweek was an invention of the industrial era; ﬁelds and livestock won’t give farmers a couple of days off every week to relax and rejuvenate. The AI revolution might similarly give us more leisure time that we could invest in our relationships with the people around us.

The obvious rejoinder is that people might just use that time to stare even harder at their screens, while human society withers. And indeed, what I’m sketching out will have to be a choice. It will not happen automatically, and AI certainly won’t do it for us.

All I’m saying is that it’s a possibility, a choice we could make with the opportunity before us. And with AI rapidly oncoming, it’s a choice we should prepare to make.

Megan McArdle in on X, @asymmetricinfo.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICHARD DREW

A specialist works at his post on the floor of the New york Stock Exchange.

Cal Thomas

Mega McArdle

New Orleans Forecast

Ponti Sr., Robert J.

Robert III, John Claude

Robert J. Ponti, Sr. passed away on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at the age of 93 years, anative of Algiers, LA and aresident of Metairie since 1973. Son of the late Gaetano Carlos Ponti and Evelyn Josephine Schlumbrecht. Beloved husband of Joyce Engelhardt Ponti for 47 years; brother of Eugene O Ponti; loving father of Jennifer Fontenelle(John) and loving stepfather of Laura Colvin, Tracy Griffin (Larry), Daniel Traugott (Cheryl); grandfather of Michael Ponti, Jr. Catherine Ponti Ortiz (Juan), James Brooks, Logan, Connor, Bryce and Gabe Fontenelle; greatgrandfather of Charlotte Brooks and Matias Ortiz; step grandfather of Brandon Colvin, Dylan Colvin (Shelby), Wayne and Stephen Griffin, Taylor Traugott (Gabrielle) and James Traugott. Robert was predeceased by sons, Robert, Jr. and Michael Ponti, Sr.; daughter, Diana Brooks; step grandson, Justin ThomasTraugott; and brother, Gaetano "Guy" Ponti. Robert was a graduate of St. Aloysius (Brother Martin) High School where he excelled as an All Prep football player. In 1955, he was a graduate of the United States Naval Academy. In 1960, he received adegree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Washington and Registered Professional Engineer State of Louisiana. He was commissioned as 2nd Lt United States Air Force, stationed at Ladd Air Force Base, Fairbanks, Alaska. As USAF Capt., he served as Chief, Quality ControlAssurance Branch, Newark, Ohio, the center for USAF serviceof Minuteman, Atlas and Titan rockets.Assupervisor at Chrysler Corporation, Michoud, he directed the Space Division Flight Evaluation Unit on the Saturn Intercontinental Ballistic Missile. After 22 years of service with South Central Bell/BellSouth, he retired as Operations Manager Engineering and Construction Houma/ Westbank District. Robert and Joyce enjoyed many happy years fishing and taking every opportunity to spend time at their Grand Isle camp. He was an avid outdoorsmanand enjoyed hunting, golfing and coaching his daughter Jennifer's, softball team. Relatives and friends are invited to attend afuneral service held at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 at 11am. Avisitation will be from 10am until the service begins. Interment will follow in Metairie Cemetery.

A Celebration service honoring the life and legacy of the late John A Raines, Sr., will be held in the Chapel of Charbonnet Labat Glapion Funeral Home, 1615 St Philip Street, New Orleans, LA 70116 on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 10 am Inter‐ment Mount Olivet Ceme‐tery. Visitation 9 am in the chapel. Mr. Raines entered eternal rest on Tuesday March 11, 2025. Please sign online guestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com Face mask and social distancing encouraged. Charbonnet Labat Glapion Directors (504)581 4411

Raines Sr., John A.

A Celebration service honoring the life and legacy of the late John A. Raines, Sr., will be held in the Chapel of Charbonnet Labat Glapion Funeral Home, 1615 St Philip Street New Orleans LA 70116 on Thursday, March 20, 2025 at 10 am Inter‐ment Mount Olivet Ceme‐tery Visitation 9 am in the chapel Mr Raines entered eternal rest on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. Please sign online guestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com. Face mask and social distancing encouraged. Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504)581 4411.

Robert III, John Claude

John Claude Robert III entered eternal rest on March 9, 2025, with his lov‐ing wife and family by his side. John Claude was 70 years of age. He was born and raised in New Orleans, LA, and was a lifelong resi‐dent of Slidell, LA. John Claude, affectionately known as "Paw Paw" to his grandkids and Claude to many was the patriarch and rock of his family He was a very religious man with a deep love for family and friends Claude was caring, supportive, and al‐ways full of energy and laughter Claude was both a protector and a teacher He pushed his children sons-in-law, grandkids, and others close to his heart beyond their comfort zones so they could soar Claude enjoyed spending quality time with his fam‐ily His passion for restor‐ing old cars and motorcy‐cles was shared with his grandsons - especially Tris‐ton who was "his world. Claude leaves behind a legacy that will endure in the lives of those he touched John Claude was a well-respected and dedi‐cated UPS employee and driver for 37 years. Before his retirement in 2014 Claude helped to recruit, mentor, and work with many throughout his ca‐reer Claude leaves to cher‐ish his loving wife of 47 years, Chris Coste Robert who was always by his side; his son John Claude Robert IV; his daughters Jaimi R Forte (Bryan) and Jodi R. Slan (Kendrick); his grandchildren, Triston Lear (Brea), Bryan Forte II, Kendrick, Jr., Jedi and Jrue Slan; and his great-grand‐children Triston Jr and Tru Lear. Claude is also survived by his brother Kent Robert; sisters JoAnn, Claudia and Gloria Robert Terri Masters and Grace Prosper; his sisters and

John Claude Robert III entered eternal rest on March 9, 2025, with his lov‐ing wife and family by his side John Claude was 70 years of age He was born and raised in New Orleans, LA and was a lifelong resi‐dent of Slidell, LA. John Claude affectionately known as "Paw Paw" to his grandkids and Claude to many was the patriarch and rock of his family He was a very religious man with a deep love for family and friends. Claude was caring, supportive, and al‐ways full of energy and laughter. Claude was both a protector and a teacher. He pushed his children, sons-in-law, grandkids, and others close to his heart beyond their comfort zones so they could soar Claude enjoyed spending quality time with his fam‐ily. His passion for restor‐ing old cars and motorcy‐cles was shared with his grandsons especially Tris‐ton, who was "his world. Claude leaves behind a legacy that will endure in the lives of those he touched. John Claude was a well-respected and dedi‐cated UPS employee and driver for 37 years. Before his retirement in 2014, Claude helped to recruit, mentor, and work with many throughout his ca‐reer Claude leaves to cher‐ish his loving wife of 47 years, Chris Coste Robert who was always by his side; his son John Claude Robert IV; his daughters Jaimi R. Forte (Bryan) and Jodi R Slan (Kendrick); his grandchildren, Triston Lear (Brea), Bryan Forte II, Kendrick, Jr., Jedi and Jrue Slan; and his great-grand‐children, Triston, Jr. and Tru Lear Claude is also survived by his brother Kent Robert; sisters JoAnn, Claudia, and Gloria Robert Terri Masters and Grace Prosper; his sisters and brothers-in-law, and a host of nieces nephews, god‐children, cousins, friends, and extended family Claude was preceded in death by his parents John Claude Robert Jr and Irene Rivarde Robert, and his sisters Vangi and Irene Robert, and Peggy Meilleur. A mass will be held at St. Genevieve Catholic Church 58203 Hwy 433, Slidell, LA 70460, on Thursday, March 20 2025. Visitation will begin at 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, the Rosary at 10:30 AM, and the funeral at 11:00 AM. Fu‐neral arrangements were entrusted to Honaker Fu‐neral Home. Please visit www honakerforestlawn. com to sign guestbook Arrangements by Honaker Funeral Home Inc. Slidell LA.

Trainor, Peggy Boudreaux

Peggy Boudreaux Trainor passed away on March 9, 2025, at the age of 86 Survived by her children, John B. Trainor Jr Colleen Hornung (Brian), Amy Trainor (Katherine Dumal) grandchildren, Tiffany Gomez (Dustin), Olivia Rit‐ter (Nicholas), Jacob Wind‐stein Maddie Drake (Sarah), Logan (ﬁancée Madeleine) and Justin Hor‐nung (Kaylee), Nolan and Margaret Dumal-Trainor, great grandchildren Sebas‐tian, Christian, Lincoln and Hailyn Gomez Ellie, Otis and Waylon Drake, aunt TC Navarre and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins Preceded in death by her husband, John B Trainor and her parents Mary and Nolan Boudreaux. Peggy was born in Napoleonville, LA and grew up in the Carrollton neigh‐borhood of New Orleans attending Mater Dolorosa School and St. Joseph High School where she formed friendships that lasted her lifetime. After an early ca‐reer in banking she and

Peggy Boudreaux Trainor passed away on March 9, 2025, at the age of 86. Survived by her children John B. Trainor, Jr., Colleen Hornung (Brian), Amy Trainor (Katherine Dumal) grandchildren, Tiffany Gomez (Dustin) Olivia Rit‐ter (Nicholas), Jacob Wind‐stein, Maddie Drake (Sarah), Logan (fiancée Madeleine) and Justin Hor‐nung (Kaylee), Nolan and Margaret Dumal-Trainor, great grandchildren Sebas‐tian, Christian, Lincoln and Hailyn Gomez, Ellie Otis and Waylon Drake, aunt TC Navarre and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins. Preceded in death by her husband, John B. Trainor, and her parents Mary and Nolan Boudreaux Peggy was born in Napoleonville, LA and grew up in the Carrollton neigh‐borhood of New Orleans attending Mater Dolorosa School and St. Joseph High School where she formed friendships that lasted her lifetime After an early ca‐reer in banking she and John started John B Trainor & Associates where she worked until retire‐ment. Peggy was devoted to her faith, family and friends and was always ready for a good time. Her infectious laugh filled the room Lovingly known as Lil’ Peg and Mimi, she was The Gift” to her family who will miss her greatly and remember her fondly The family would like to thank the staff and resi‐dents of St Francis Villa where Peggy enjoyed the last four years of her life and the Ochsner NSCC Unit staff who provided com‐passionate care in her final days. Family and friends are invited to attend a Fu‐neral Mass on Friday March 21, 2025, at Mater Dolorosa Catholic Church for 12:00 noon Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m In‐urnment to follow at Lake Lawn Cemetery, New Or‐leans LA Online guest‐book: www anewtraditi onbegins com (504) 2820600. Donavin D. Boyd and Linear Brooks Boyd Own‐ers/Funeral Directors.

John Jude Wehrer, Sr passed away in Harvest AL on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at the age of 83. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Frances Ann Wehrer He will be missed by his sons, John J Wehrer, Jr. (Vickie) and Kevin M Wehrer (Joan) as well as 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren John dedicated his entire career to sales, providing innovative solutions for the petrochemical industry Beyond his professional life, he had a deep passion for amateur radio and was an active member of both the Jefferson Amateur Radio Club and the Huntsville Amateur Radio Club known by his call sign, KA5CSI

John Jude Wehrer, Sr. passed away in Harvest AL on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at the age of 83. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Frances Ann Wehrer He will be missed by his sons, John J. Wehrer Jr (Vickie) and Kevin M. Wehrer (Joan) as well as 5 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren. John dedicated his entire career to sales, providing innovative solutions for the petrochemical industry. Beyond his professional life he had a deep passion for amateur radio and was an active member of both the Jefferson Amateur Radio Club and the Huntsville Amateur Radio Club, known by his call sign, KA5CSI. A lifelong car enthusiast he found joy in owning, working on, and racing cars. He was an ac‐tive member of the Sports Car Club of America for many years, competing in both drag racing and track racing His love for motor‐sports extended to watch‐ing NASCAR, a pastime he truly enjoyed. In addition to his love for cars, he gave his time generously as a volunteer at the Huntsville Botanical Garden He also had a passion for travel, al‐ways seeking new experi‐ences and places to ex‐plore He will be remem‐bered for his enthusiasm, dedication and the many lives he touched through his work, hobbies, and vol‐unteer efforts. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Services at Garden of Memories Fu‐neral Home & Cemetery 4900 Airline Drive Metairie, LA 70001 on Thursday March 20, 2025. Visitation will begin at 9:30 am with a service starting at 11:00 am followed by burial To order ﬂowers or offer con‐dolences, please visit www gardenofmemorie smetairie.com

Trainor, Peggy Boudreaux

Raines Sr., John

Wehrer Sr., John Jude

Wehrer Sr., John

DEATHS

You’ve added the food delivery service to your list of favorites on your cell phone, completed your exhaustive search to ﬁnd which channel TruTV is on and double-checked the number of sick days you have banked with your job. Maybe, after March Madness, it’s best to just ﬁnd another job. At last it’s

Moore helped convince Johnson to stay in N.O.

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Sometime earlier this month

— he doesn’t remember exactly when — Juwan Johnson couldn’t sleep.

It was around 11 p.m. or midnight, and the tight end had grown restless over his free agency He wasn’t sure whether to re-sign with the New Orleans Saints. The team had made a strong initial offer, but Johnson didn’t know how he’d ﬁt into its new offense. He wanted to know the plan. He needed to know why the Saints wanted him back.

So he called Kellen Moore. The ﬁrst-year Saints coach answered the phone. And for the

next 15 to 20 minutes, Moore laid out his vision for how he’d use the 28-year-old.

“I think just us having a candid conversation was the biggest thing,” Johnson said.

The conversation led Johnson to sign a three-year, $30.75 million contract to remain with the Saints. But here’s the thing about those talks: There wasn’t one speciﬁc answer that convinced the tight end he needed to stay with the franchise, Johnson said.

Rather, Johnson was ﬂattered that Moore took the time that late at night to be there for him.

“So I really had to just understand where we wanted to go because something in my heart was telling me, ‘Man, I got to stay in New Orleans,’ “ Johnson said. “But if I stay in New Orleans, it’s got to make sense. I’ve got to make a wise decision.” That decision didn’t come easy

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

LSU baseball started off Southeastern Conference play on the right

weekend, sweeping Missouri at Alex Box Stadium to improve to 20-1. LSU took down Missouri 12-5 on Friday before squeaking by with a 7-6 win on Saturday It clinched the sweep on Sunday with a 10-5 victory Here are five takeaways from the series.

Bullpen issues

Walks and home runs were a problem for LSU’s bullpen against Missouri. The unit walked 10 hitters, hit three batters and allowed three home runs over the weekend. Control issues from freshman right-handers Casan Evans and William Schmidt nearly cost LSU the win Saturday, as Missouri loaded the bases in the seventh and eighth innings primarily on walks. But Evans locked in when he had to, getting a groundout to end the seventh and two consecutive strikeouts in the eighth to escape trouble.

Getting out of jams was a specialty for LSU relievers all weekend. Missouri was just 5 for 22 with runners in scoring position, including 1 for 7 on Saturday

“Our pitchers did a great job of leaving guys on base tonight,” Johnson said Saturday “I don’t know how many they left on, but it seemed like it was a lot in key spots.”

Overall, LSU’s bullpen posted a 4.05 ERA with 18 strikeouts in 131/3 innings. Without including the run allowed in the ninth inning Sunday which happened when LSU was already leading by six and allowed Missouri to put a runner in scoring position on defensive indifference — the group’s ERA dropped to 3.38.

Even if the control and homer concerns are valid, it wasn’t a disastrous weekend for LSU’s relievers, especially considering that its Saturday and Sunday starters didn’t get out of the fourth inning.

Brown under the radar

Few LSU hitters have been as consistent as sophomore Jake Brown has been at the plate.

The right fielder didn’t even start Friday and still went 2 for 2 with four RBIs. On Saturday, he hit a triple before blasting his first homer of the season into the right field bleachers Sunday After this weekend, Brown has a .393 batting average, good enough for third among LSU hitters with at least 10 atbats.

“I’ve improved all around,” Brown said Tuesday “I mean, I’ve gotten a little bit stronger I’ve gotten a better approach.

“I think I’m a little comfortable now because it’s not my ﬁrst time doing it anymore.”

Starters not going long

Sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson made the longest start of his career Friday, going 61/3 innings.

The 46-point loss tied the re-

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Alvarado and Bruce Brown combined to take 18 shots in the ﬁrst quarter. They missed all of them. And just like that, this game got away from the Pelicans early on their way to an embarrassing 127-81 loss to the Detroit Pistons

Pels’ second-straight lackluster performance in the Smoothie King Center, following last Thursday’s beatdown at the hands of the Orlando Magic Pelicans coach Willie Green

But neither junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson nor sophomore righthander Chase Shores reached the ﬁfth inning in their starts. Combined, they allowed seven earned runs in 71/3 innings. Johnson said Saturday the plan was for Eyanson to get through the order twice before handing the ball to lefthander Conner Ware. That’s what happened, but the only problem was that Eyanson allowed a three-run homer just before he exited the game.

“We almost got there I mean, he was literally two strikes or one hitter away from getting the job done,” Johnson said, “which I would have let him probably go back out there (for the ﬁfth), but he’ll be ﬁne.” Shores didn’t allow any homers, or as many hard hit balls, but his command was spotty (three walks and a hit batter) and his pitch count ballooned to 87 by the time he exited with two

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Mikaylah Williams uses the screen to break free during a game against Tennessee on Feb 9 at the PMAC.

LSU coach Kim Mulkey walks across the court to greet Tennessee coach Kim Caldwell before the game on Feb 9 at the PMAC.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PETER FOREST

Pistons

Jalen Duren passes while being defended by

Hawkins, left, and forward Kelly Olynyk during

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

Stingley becomes highest-paid CB

BY KRISTIE RIEKEN

AP sportswriter

HOUSTON Former LSU star Derek Stingley has agreed to a threeyear, $90 million contract extension with the Houston Texans that will make him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Monday The deal includes $89 million guaranteed, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced it

It makes his average yearly salary more than that of Carolina’s Jaycee Horn, who set the record for cornerback contracts last week when he agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension Stingley, the third overall pick in the 2022 draft, is coming off a season when he was named to his ﬁrst AP All-Pro team after ranking second in the NFL with 18 passes defended and tying a career high with ﬁve interceptions. His breakout season came after he was slowed by injuries in his

first two seasons. Stingley missed 14 games combined in his first two years before playing every game last season. Rather than picking up the fifthyear option on Stingley’s rookie deal by the May 1 deadline, which would have certainly been a nobrainer, the Texans instead rewarded one of their finest homegrown defenders long before free agency would ever come knocking. The 23-year-old logged five interceptions for the second straight year His 18 passes de-

fensed ranked second in the NFL, the same as his 84.4 PFF coverage grade among corners. Stingley earned such a mark in part by limiting opponents to 42 receptions on 90 targets as the nearest defender, good for a 46.7 completion percentage and 56.9 passer rating allowed.

Stingley importantly shined even brighter during the playoffs, as he added two interceptions and another ﬁve passes defensed in the Texans’ surprising 32-12 wildcard drubbing of the Los Angeles Chargers.

Stanley’s return keeps Ravens stable at LT

BY NOAH TRISTER AP sportswriter

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Once again, the Baltimore Ravens were able to keep their top free agent from leaving.

Ronnie Stanley’s return saves Baltimore the trouble of trying to replace its left tackle and gives the team an opportunity to bring back its offense largely intact after a record-setting 2024 season. The Ravens reached a deal with Stanley before he hit the open market, and on a video conference Monday, he said he never reached the point where he seriously had to consider joining another team “I don’t think we ever got that far to really feel that about it. I didn’t really feel that yet,” Stanley said. “They showed interest We were talking, so I think just through the whole time I knew that they were interested, and we were possibly going to get something done.”

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

Johnson called his free agency “exhausting” and “taxing” as he was unsure whether to uproot his family and leave the franchise that took a chance on him as an undrafted free-agent wide

receiver At ﬁrst, Johnson said he grew frustrated in the months leading up to free agency that he had heard little from Saints about a new contract. Across the league, Johnson noticed teams re-signing their own left and right only for New Orleans to keep quiet.

That changed, however, in the days before free agency opened. The Saints presented an offer that impressed Johnson, who

Two offseasons ago, it was star quarterback Lamar Jackson who was a free agent and eventually signed a long-term deal after the Ravens put the franchise tag on him. It was a similar if less dramatic, scenario last year when defensive lineman Justin Madubuike returned

The Ravens didn’t have to use the franchise tag before Stanley agreed to come back. He has played all nine of his NFL seasons with Baltimore. “I think it just goes back to the fact that they drafted me straight out of college (and) took a chance on me,” Stanley said. “So I’m always going to give them first dibs when it comes to things like that, out of respect.” As recently as a year ago, this partnership seemed on shakier ground after Stanley had played in only 31 games in his previous four seasons. Then he started all 17 in 2024 and made the Pro Bowl for the first time in five years.

said he felt respected since the team didn’t try to low-ball him with an initial number

Still, Johnson wanted to explore his options And those options made the decision even harder Old coaches jumped into the mix with the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks both wanting to sign him.

In Denver Johnson would have reunited with Sean Payton — the former Saints coach who once convinced him to switch to tight end. In Seattle, Johnson would have been paired with Klint Kubiak — last year’s offensive coordinator in New Orleans who got a career year out of the veteran.

But during the process, Johnson thought back to his time in college when he transferred from Penn State to Oregon as a senior

“I’m so grateful I went to Or-

“I think part of it is luck,” Stanley said. “You have to get a little lucky to not have something bad happen in this game, but the other side of it is taking care of your body and I feel like that’s something I always try to put an emphasis on throughout my whole career I always try to look to get different advantages or the ﬂexibility hydration, whatever it is.” The Ravens aren’t returning everyone from their offensive line. The versatile Patrick Mekari moved on to Jacksonville.

“I think Pat’s one of the best examples of what a professional football player should be like,” Stanley said. “I know Jacksonville — they got a great player in him, and he’s going to be a great leader for them, and we’re deﬁnitely going to miss him here. He has been a great player for us. He’s played every single position. He’s a unicorn.” Still, Stanley’s return means Baltimore doesn’t have to ﬁgure

egon, but there was something about me, it’s just like, ‘Man, I felt like I should stay,’ “ Johnson said. “And I said, ‘When I get this opportunity again, I’m going to stay.’” Johnson said he felt peace with his new contract, which makes him the 12th-highest-paid tight end in terms of annual average value. Now he’ll look to build upon the 50-catch, 548-yard season he put together in 2024. Though the numbers were personal highs, Johnson indicated he wasn’t satisfied with his performance. Not only did he again start the season slow — a throughline over his ﬁrst ﬁve seasons — but his best outings also came when Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed were hurt.

“It makes me happy but also makes me upset,” Johnson said.

“Because I don’t want to just be

Invitation to S. Alabama ‘avoidable’ error by NIT

MOBILE, Ala. — Even amid the backdrop of college basketball’s chaotic postseason, what happened to South Alabama was “avoidable” and “unfortunate,” the school’s athletic director said Monday

The Jaguars received an invitation to the NIT following the reveal of the NCAA Tournament bracket Sunday and immediately accepted. An hour later, the NIT called back and rescinded the offer because it had overbooked the bracket.

The issue? NIT ofﬁcials thought a spot opened because UC Riverside was locked into another postseason tournament, the College Basketball Invitational. But UC Riverside got out of the CBI and accepted the NIT offer

Bengals agree to terms with WRs Chase, Higgins

The Cincinnati Bengals agreed to four-year extensions with receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, assuring that Joe Burrow will have his top two targets with him for some time.

A person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press that Chase, a former LSU star, will become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, earning $161 million, including $112 million guaranteed. That surpasses the $40 million per year average by Cleveland pass rusher Myles Garrett. Higgins will get $115 million

The Bengals placed the franchise tag on Higgins but were hopeful of getting a new deal done. Chase led the league in receptions (127), yards receiving (1,708) and touchdown catches (17) this past season, becoming just the sixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl era to achieve the receiving triple crown.

Iona fires Anderson two years after he replaced Pitino NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y Iona ﬁred Tobin Anderson on Monday, just two years after he replaced Rick Pitino as the school’s coach.

The Gaels made the announcement two days after losing in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship game and missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid. Iona was the No 4 seed and knocked off top-seeded Quinnipiac in the semiﬁnals before falling to No. 6 Mount St Mary’s 63-49 in the title game. That dropped the Gaels to 17-17 this season after they went 16-17 in Anderson’s ﬁrst season

out a new plan at the crucial left tackle position — or worry about him signing with a conference rival. Baltimore won a second consecutive AFC North title behind an offense that averaged an NFLrecord 5.76 yards per rush. Jackson, running back Derrick Henry and a collection of solid receiving threats helped the Ravens average a league-best 425 yards of offense per game. In free agency, Baltimore has added veteran receiver DeAndre Hopkins, while keeping receiver Tylan Wallace and fullback Patrick Ricard.

“I had a huge smile on my face when we signed D-Hop,” Stanley said “You know what you’re getting with that guy I think he’s a Hall of Fame-caliber wide receiver, and I still think he has a lot of good reps, years, seasons in him. And he’s a physical player, he’s a competitive player, and I think he’s going to ﬁt into our team really well.”

a guy that’s used just when guys are down.” Johnson said he feels he’s demonstrated the player he can be in practice, but that his goal is to put together a more consistent season from start to ﬁnish. He also said he doesn’t want to be known as just a pass-catching tight end, telling reporters he wants to keep improving as a run blocker — an area he said he made strides in last year

But Johnson made clear he’s capable of more. At 28, he signed the third contract of his NFL career — and while many players don’t get an opportunity for a fourth deal, Johnson said he still believes he has six or seven years left.

“Yeah, this is a three-year contract, but I want to be in New Orleans a lot longer than that,” he said.

Sanders suggests playing another team in spring BOULDER, Colo. — In a time when programs are rethinking their annual spring football game, Deion Sanders has his own suggestion — bring in another team.

Just like the NFL sometimes does before exhibition games. The Colorado coach ﬁgures with just about everything else changing in college football — transfer portal, name image likeness deals, roster limitations — it’s about time to ﬁnd a way to make what’s usually an intra-squad scrimmage better for fans and teams alike. Such a change would require the NCAA to alter its rules on spring ball. His concept would be similar to a preseason game in the NFL, where a team comes in for a few days of joint practices before their exhibition game.

76ers forward George to miss the rest of season

PHILADELPHIA Paul George will miss the rest of the season to recover from his injuries, ending a difﬁcult ﬁrst year in Philadelphia for the nine-time All-Star The 76ers announced Monday that George had received injections in his left adductor muscle and left knee, following consultations with specialists.

“Following the procedure, George is medically unable to play and will be out for at least six weeks,” the team said in its statement. Philadelphia carried a 23-44 record into Monday night’s game at Houston. Its last game of the regular season is on April 13. George, who turns 35 on May 2, signed a $212 million, four-year contract in free agency last summer But his ﬁrst year in Philly was marred by injuries that resulted in the forward having one of the worst years of his NBA career

ASSOCIATED PRES FILE PHOTO By DAVID J PHILLIP

Former LSU cornerback Derek Stingley gestures as he is introduced before a game against the Baltimore Ravens on Dec 25 in Houston.

Health biggest question for LSU entering tournament

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

While the LSU women’s basketball team awaited its NCAA Tournament fate, both Flau’jae Johnson and Aneesah Morrow ambled around the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in walking boots — large, unwieldy reminders that they’re each battling injuries.

Johnson is dealing with shin inflammation while Morrow is recovering from a sprained foot

Coach Kim Mulkey reiterated Sunday that both stars are “good to go” for the No. 3-seeded Tigers’ first-round game against No. 14 San Diego State on 9:15 p.m. Saturday (ESPN).

Exactly how close are Johnson and Morrow to full strength? And will they have to shake off any rust once the tournament begins?

“You do worry about it,” Mulkey said, “but you watch what your trainers are doing with them to make sure that they stay in sync. Both of them were shin and foot injuries, so you can’t just (go) up and down the ﬂoor with that, but you could get some shots up and do some things.” Johnson and Morrow now have five days prepare for the Big Dance.

The bracket is set, which means LSU can start to map out a path to the Final Four in Tampa, Florida.

The Tigers cannot face either South Carolina or Texas until the national championship game The same is a true for Hailey Van Lith’s Big 12 champion TCU team, coach Kara Lawson’s red-hot Duke squad and point guard Hannah Hidalgo’s star-studded Notre Dame team,

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

Gamecocks aren’t the No. 1 overall seed (UCLA is), just a No. 1 regional seed. Looking for something to be mad about, I guess.

E is for ESPN which gave LSU and San Diego State a 9:15 p.m. tip time Saturday I quote our LSU beat writer, Reed Darcey, who called it “absurd” and leave it at that.

F is for NCAA tournament ﬁrst-timers: Omaha in the men’s tourney; Arkansas State, Fairleigh Dickinson, George Mason, Grand Canyon, UC San Diego and William & Mary on the women’s side.

G is for Baton Rouge’s Mark Grant in his third year as lead director for CBS coverage of the NCAA Tournament. If you still can’t ﬁnd TruTV, give him a call

H is for the UConn Huskies trying to be the ﬁrst to win three straight NCAA men’s titles since UCLA (1967-73). Don’t bet on it: If the Huskies survive an 8-9 game with Oklahoma, they get Florida in the second round.

I is for the Ivy League, which has three teams (Columbia, Harvard and Princeton) in the women’s tournament for the ﬁrst time.

J is for Julian Reese, brother of former LSU All-American Angel Reese, who plays for Maryland as a No. 4 seed in the West.

K is for LSU women’s coach

Kim Mulkey She is 21-0 in the ﬁrst round since losing her ﬁrst NCAA game at Baylor in 2001.

L is for Luther Vandross, whose

“There were a couple of those games that we fell short, but I don’t change my mind. I made the right decision to sit Flau’jae. It didn’t affect us one way or the other. Two seed, three seed. It didn’t matter.”

KIM MULKEy LSU coach

ä San Diego State at LSU 9:15 P.M.SATURDAy,ESPN

which slipped into a No 3 seed on the other side of the bracket in one of the surprises of Selection Sunday

But who’s standing in LSU’s way of the Final Four?

Not Southern California and National Player of the Year frontrunner Juju Watkins. The Trojans drew the No. 1 seed of the Spokane 4 region and a possible Elite Eight collision with No. 2 seed UConn, which is hoping to win a national title before All-American guard Paige Bueckers moves on to the WNBA. The Huskies have 11 national championships, but they haven’t won the tournament since 2016.

Those committee decisions left LSU grouped in Spokane 1 with teams such as No. 1 overall seed UCLA, No. 2 seed North Carolina State, No. 4 seed Baylor and No. 5 seed Ole Miss.

The Tigers have already faced the Wolfpack this season. That matchup ended in a decisive 8265 win for LSU, but it tipped off in The Bahamas way back on Nov 27. N.C. State has since won all but

voice during the “One Shining Moment” montage after the men’s ﬁnal is one of the best traditions in sports.

M is for the aforementioned Omaha Mavericks, who destroy the nearest trash can after every big win. If they upset No. 2 St. John’s, they’ll probably go for a garbage truck.

N is for the NIT, now on the endangered list since Fox Sports has created a 16-team tourney in Las Vegas called, pompously, the College Basketball Crown Tulane is in the CBC, but only four power conference schools are in the NIT

O is for Otega Oweh of Kentucky and the rest of our all-name starting ﬁve: Boogie Fland, Arkansas; Saylor Poffenbarger, Maryland women; Bella Smuda, Liberty women; and Solo Ball, UConn. Solo Ball has to be deadly at oneon-one.

P is for Rick Pitino He may be one of the shadier coaches around — his 2013 Louisville team had its NCAA title stripped — but the 72-year old can still coach. St. John’s is the sixth program Pitino has taken to the NCAA Tournament.

Q is for quick quiz: What is still the lowest seed to reach the men’s Final Four? Yes, an 11 seed. LSU did it in 1986, followed by George Mason (2006), VCU (2011) and UCLA (2021).

R is for the Red Flash of St. Francis (Pennsylvania), in the men’s tournament for the ﬁrst time since 1991.

S is for South Alabama, invited to the NIT then uninvited when UC Riverside got out of a commit-

Tulane receives bid in inaugural Crown basketball tourney

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

The Tulane men’s basketball team’s strong conference play paid off Monday with its first postseason bid in 11 years. The Green Wave will play in the inaugural College Basketball Crown, a 16-team tournament that will take place in Las Vegas from March 31 to April 6 and will be televised by Fox and FS1.

The field was announced Monday morning on FS1, and Tulane (19-14) will face USC (16-17) in the first round on April 1 (10 p.m., FS1) in the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The Trojans, who tied for 12th in the 18-team Big Ten, are one of 11 major conference schools in the field, in stark contrast to the NIT, which has only four of 32 teams from the top five leagues.

The winner of the Tulane-USC game will face the winner of Colorado-Villanova in a quarterﬁnal on April 3 at 8:30 pm, also on FS1.

“I’m so excited about this,” Tulane coach Ron Hunter said.

ä Tulane vs. USC 10 P.M.APRIL 1,FS1

in the ﬁnal 30 seconds, ending its pursuit of its ﬁrst NCAA tournament bid since 1995.

Although Tulane’s NET rating (145) was not high enough to gain entry to the NIT, which passed over the Wave to take the Owls and eighth-place Wichita State, Hunter said he preferred the landing spot in the new tournament.

“It’s one thing to go play in a tournament where we’re just playing other American teams, but we’re playing against a Big Ten team and the Big East,” he said. “This is great for us to kind of springboard for next year This is something we’re getting invited to.

“It’s not something we’re paying (to get a spot). We had to be selected to play in this.”

two of its 18 conference games and reached the ACC Tournament title contest.

LSU also has a recent win over the Bruins. Last season, those two teams met in the Sweet 16, and the Tigers won 78-69. That night, Johnson scored 24 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked two shots.

The Tigers may need a similar performance from her if the two teams clash again, this time with a trip to the Final Four as the stakes.

But exactly how much pain will Johnson still be battling?

Mulkey decided to shut her down with LSU’s ﬁrst-round matchup in mind. That game will tip off on Saturday, a little more than three weeks since the star junior last saw the ﬂoor The Tigers dropped two of the three games they played without her, suffering a pair of losses that might’ve cost them a No. 2 seed.

“There were a couple of those games that we fell short,” Mulkey said, “but I don’t change my mind. I made the right decision to sit Flau’jae.

“It didn’t affect us one way or the other Two seed, three seed. It didn’t matter.”

What does matter is Johnson and Morrow’s health and the chances that their injuries stand in the way of LSU’s hopes of returning to the Final Four

That uncertainty won’t be settled until at least Saturday, when the Tigers begin their run at another national title.

“You always worry about that,” Mulkey said, “but you just get the rust off when you can and sub them in and out and let them get back in the ﬂow.”

ment to play in the CBI and took its bid back. Coach Richie Riley called the episode “unacceptable.” No kidding.

T is for Ta’Niya Latson, who leads the nation in scoring (24.9 ppg) and will try to lead Florida State out of Baton Rouge and to the Sweet 16.

U is for unbelievable political grandstanding. West Virginia Gov Patrick Morrisey is threatening legal action because West Virginia (19-13) got left out of the tourney and North Carolina got in. Admittedly it’s not a good look that UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham chairs the selection committee.

V is for Hailey Van Lith, the former LSU transfer from Louisville who led her third team, TCU, to a No. 2 seed.

W is for McNeese State coach Will Wade His Cowboys are 27-6 and have Clemson in their sights for one of those traditional 5-12 upsets.

X is for xylophone I love a basketball band with a xylophone or plays the theme from “Hawaii Five-O.”

Y is for the Indiana women’s Yarden Garzon, a native of Israel who is shooting a toasty 41.5% from 3-point range.

Z is for the Akron Zips, whose coach John Groce had to beat his brother Travis Steele (yes, they are brothers) to win the MAC’s automatic bid. Enjoy the madness, y’all, and may your brackets stay unbusted. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

“This is great. At midnight we were struggling to get in, and we ended up getting one of the last two spots. I’m just thrilled for our guys. The conﬁdence level is so high right now.”

Tulane rebounded from a dismal non-league performance to finish 12-6 in the American Athletic Conference, earning a double bye as the No. 4 seed for the league tournament in Fort Worth, Texas. The Wave beat No. 5 seed Florida Atlantic in the quarterﬁnals and nearly upended top-seed, No. 16 Memphis in the semiﬁnals, losing 78-77 in gut-wrenching fashion after two controversial calls went against it

Tulane bought its way into its last postseason appearance — a first-round home loss to Princeton in the CBI in 2013-14. The Wave played in the small-conference CIT the previous season, advancing to the second round, but has not been to a signiﬁcant tournament since losing at North Carolina State in the ﬁrst round of the 2000 NIT

A lack of interest from major conference schools helped get Tulane into the ﬁeld. The top two teams that missed the NCAA tournament from the Big East, Big Ten and Big 12 — the three leagues Fox televises during the regular season — were barred from participating in the NIT, but Indiana, Ohio State and West Virginia among others turned down College Basketball Crown invitations.

Continued from page 1C

“I’m good with where Chase is at,” Johnson said Sunday, “and I think he’ll take from today and learn from it.”

LSU’s bullpen is better equipped to make up for short outings from its starters this season as opposed to last year However, relying on the unit too much as the season goes along could wear down arms by the time the playoffs begin.

Primeaux’s importance

If LSU opening SEC series proved anything, it’s that sophomore left-hander DJ Primeaux is probably going to play a big role in the bullpen this season. Primeaux pitched in all three games this weekend, throwing more innings against Missouri than he had all of last season in SEC play

“I saw some things where I thought he could be successful,” Johnson said.

The results this weekend for Primeaux were a mixed bag. He helped LSU get out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh inning Saturday by forcing a double play, but he also walked a batter and hit another in the inning. He then gave up another walk and a single Sunday that allowed an inherited runner to score.

Friday was his strongest performance as he retired both batters he faced on a groundout and a strikeout.

“I don’t know how they do it,” Johnson said, “but the one (inherited) run he gave up (Sunday), you should put that on the coach’s ERA for asking him (to pitch) for three days in a row.”

Without a plethora of left-handed pitchers on its roster as LSU had last season — Johnson will likely continue to lean on Prime-

WHO: UNO (11-7) at LSU (20-1) WHEN: 6:30 p.m.Tuesday 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. 2 by D1Baseball; UNO is unranked

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

PROBABLE STARTERS: LSU — TBA; UNO — TBA PREGAME UPDATES: theadvocate. com/lsu ON X (FORMERLY TWITTER): @ KokiRiley

WHAT TO WATCH FOR: LSU threw both of its midweek starters over the weekend. Junior left-hander Conner Ware and freshman right-hander William Schmidt combined to toss three innings, likely ruling both out for starts on Tuesday game. UNO swept Incarnate Word this past weekend.

KokiRiley ON DECK

aux to retire lefty hitters for the remainder of conference play

Guidry injury update

Junior right-hander Gavin Guidry was unavailable for a fourth consecutive weekend against Missouri, as he was listed as out on the SEC availability report before each game of the series.

Guidry has been out with a back injury Johnson didn’t have an update on his status Sunday, only saying that he’s still playing catch.

“I’m just waiting for the green light,” Johnson said.

PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson shrugs after hitting a 3-pointer against Mississippi State on Feb 2 in the PMAC. Johnson and Aneesah Morrow are recovering from injuries ahead of the Tigers’ NCAA Tournament opener

McIlroy takes drama out of playoff

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

stuff this week,” McIlroy said. “But I was still able to win one of the biggest tournaments in the world That’s a huge thing.”

It’s the ﬁrst time in his career he has won twice going into the Masters, the major that for more than a decade has kept him from joining golf’s most elite group with the career Grand Slam.

PONTEVEDRA BEACH,Fla. The playoff was only three holes. Rory McIlroy needed only three swings. And yet his victory Monday over J.J. Spaun in The Players Championship revealed so much about the state of his game and the cruel nature of the notorious TPC Sawgrass McIlroy delivered an early knockout against J.J. Spaun with his best drive of the week that set up a simple birdie, followed by a threequarter 9-iron into a cold, cackling wind that found land on the island green at the par-3 17th.

“By no means did I have my best

LSU gymnast Aleah Finnegan finishes her vault routine against George Washington on Feb 28 at the Raising Cane’s River Center

JOHNSON

Spaun thought he had the perfect answer until he saw his 8-iron sail over the island on the second playoff hole, ending his hopes of the biggest win of his career

“Can I watch this?” Spaun said as he sat at a table his eyes trained on a television in the back of the media center showing a replay of his tee shot on the 17th. It was his first time seeing where the ball landed just beyond the wooden frame and into the water He had heard only groans from

the gallery And he still couldn’t believe it “I never thought it was long,” he said quietly “I never thought it was long.”

So ended a memorable week at golf’s richest tournament, where thousands of spectators showed up in the cold and wind for 47 minutes of golf between McIlroy — among the most celebrated players who now has 39 worldwide wins and Spaun, a 34-year-old with one PGA Tour title who until this week had never broken 70 on the TPC Sawgrass.

McIlroy said he woke up at 2 a.m. and couldn’t get back to sleep

Whether this was about trying to win or trying not to lose — he had a three-shot lead with ﬁve holes to play in the ﬁnal round Sunday didn’t matter

He worked on his tee shot with

LSU in Session II with other top 4 SEC seeds

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

The seeds and rotations are set for the Southeastern Conference gymnastics championships Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama. Oklahoma LSU, Florida and Missouri are the 1-4 seeds that will take part in the Session II at 7 p.m. inside Legacy Arena. Kentucky, Georgia, Auburn and Alabama are seeds 5-8 and will compete at 2:30 p.m. in Session I. Arkansas had the lowest National Qualifying Score among the nine SEC teams and did not earn a berth in the championships. Both sessions will be televised on the SEC Network.

Despite the fact that LSU and Oklahoma were SEC regular-season co-champions and the Tigers beat the Sooners in a home meet Feb. 14, OU got the top seed based on NQS (198.040 for Oklahoma, 198.005 for LSU).

The Sooners chose the Olympic or traditional home rotation and will go vault, bars, beam and ﬂoor LSU chose to start on bars and will then go beam, ﬂoor and vault.

“It’s familiar,” LSU coach Jay Clark said. “You start on bars half the dual meet season. You’ve got to do all four events anyway, but psychologically it’s comfortable.” Florida is ranked No. 3 nationally coming off posting a nation’sbest score of 198.625 on Friday

LSU NOTEBOOK

against Kentucky that eclipsed LSU’s nation’s-best score of 198.575 the week prior against Georgia. Missouri is also ranked No. 7. “This will be a slobber knocker,” Clark said of Saturday’s evening session. “I don’t think there’s ever been an evening session that stacked.”

Chio No. 1 on vault

Coming off her perfect 10 on vault Friday at Auburn, LSU freshman Kailin Chio is ranked ﬁrst nationally in that event with an NQS of 9.955 She is one of three gymnasts with 10.0 scores on vault along with Florida’s Selena Harris-Miranda and Danie Ferris

Chio and senior Aleah Finnegan are ranked ﬁfth and 10th nationally as all-arounders (senior Haleigh Bryant doesn’t have enough scores to qualify), while Chio is also tied for sixth on beam. Bryant is also ninth on ﬂoor and tied for 10th on vault.

Returning champions

LSU returns four gymnasts who won a total of ﬁve SEC individual titles last year at the Smoothie King Center: Bryant (all-around, vault), Konnor McClain (beam), Ashley Cowan (bars) and KJ Johnson (ﬂoor). Johnson will likely compete

Saturday on vault, but Clark said he doesn’t expect her on ﬂoor as she continues to recover from an ankle injury

“KJ hasn’t touched ﬂoor since before the Kentucky meet (Feb. 21), so I don’t see that on the horizon,” Clark said “She’s feeling better and her ankle is good, but we need her on vault.”

Clark also said McClain will be ready by NCAA regionals to compete on the so-called leg events (vault and ﬂoor) for the ﬁrst time since an Achilles tendon injury in May, but that would mean disrupting one or two lineups.

March Madness … ish

Don’t ask Bryant or Finnegan for help filling out your NCAA tournament bracket.

Both gymnasts admitted Monday they are much to focused on what March means in their sport, the start of championship season, to have much interest in what’s going on with basketball.

“I heard they could go to Spokane or something,” Bryant said of the LSU women’s team. Indeed, the Tigers are the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Spokane 1 regional and could advance there if they win two games at home this weekend.

“It’s cool to see,” Finnegan said. “I don’t follow it super closely But it’s really March Madness in all sports at LSU We’re all going for the same things.”

the same helping wind off the right. To practice in the right wind for the 17th, McIlroy turned and hit balls from the range toward the third green.

McIlroy had been spotty off the tee all week, missing nearly half of his fairways He set the tone with his best of the week, a 336-yard blast right down the middle that set up a pitching wedge from 176 yards into the par-5 16th for a twoputt birdie from 35 feet.

“I thought if I could get the ball in the fairway there, it sort of puts a little bit of pressure on J.J.,” he said. “To step up and make that swing was awesome.”

And then it effectively ended on the 17th.

“When my ball was in the air, I was telling it to get down,” McIlroy said.

Spaun hit his 8-iron with a higher

trajectory into a hurting wind off the right, and his ﬁrst instinct was to yell, “Get up.”

“It just looked like it was going to be short,” Spaun said. “I was stunned. I couldn’t believe it was long I’m happy with the swing I put on it — I am. The wind must have just laid down just a little too much, and it just went through the wind. Wasn’t my time.”

The ﬁrst three-hole playoff in 10 years at The Players was caused by a four-hour rain delay on Sunday McIlroy had to make a 4-foot par putt on the 72nd hole. Spaun had a 30-foot birdie putt for the win that stopped inches short.

McIlroy, disappointed and having lost a three-shot lead on the back nine, looked ahead to the playoff by saying, “Make ﬁve good swings tomorrow morning and get this thing done.”

Tar Heels get chance to justify tournament berth

BY JEFF WALLNER Associated Press

DAYTON, Ohio North Carolina was

a controversial selection for the NCAA Tournament, but the Tar Heels can silence some skeptics with a win over San Diego State on Tuesday night at the First Four

The winner will face No. 6 seed Ole Miss on Friday in Milwaukee.

The Tar Heels (22-13) seemed a long shot to make the tournament with a 1-12 record in Quad 1 games, but were chosen Sunday thanks to a strong nonconference schedule.

“I didn’t listen to bracketology,” North Carolina coach Hubert Davis said. “I didn’t listen after our name was selected on CBS. I didn’t listen to the telecasts. I haven’t listened to anybody’s comments in regards to selections, seedings. I know that we’re really excited to be a part of this, and we’re looking forward to tomorrow night.”

UNC’s inclusion fueled some conspiracy theories, with athletic director Bubba Cunningham being chair of the selection committee. Rules state that Cunningham could not participate in the debate about his team, so the vice chair, Sun Belt Conference commissioner Keith Gill, presided over discussions about the Tar Heels.

San Diego State (21-9) isn’t going to make things easy for the Tar Heels.

The Aztecs lead the nation in ﬁeld goal percentage defense (.378) and rank 13th in defensive efﬁciency

“I think our identity is in our defense and our effort,” forward Jared Coleman-Jones said. “I think that if we play really good defense and we play with effort and we play with swagger, I think everything else is going to handle itself.”

RJ Davis carries the load for the Tar Heels, averaging 17 points and 3.7 assists per game.

The No. 11 seed is the lowest ever for North Carolina, which is making its 54th NCAA Tournament appearance, second-most to Kentucky’s 62. Despite the questions about their résumé, the Tar Heels practiced Sunday and prepared to play

“I think we’ve all kind of felt the hate, the disagreement, all that,”

guard Seth Trimble said. “We’re just running with it. We deﬁnitely feel like we’ve got something to prove.”

Familiar foes

When No. 11 seeds Texas and Xavier play on Wednesday night in Dayton, it will mark the fourth time since 1990 the teams have met in the NCAA Tournament.

The Longhorns (19-15) beat the Musketeers 83-71 in the 2023 Sweet 16. In 2004, Xavier beat Texas 79-71 to reach the Elite Eight before losing to top-seeded Duke 66-63.

Zach Freemantle returned from injury and averaged 19.8 points during a seven-game winning streak to close the regular season, helping the Musketeers (21-11) return to the tournament after missing out last year

The First Four extends the standout freshman season for Longhorns guard Tre Johnson, who led the SEC in scoring with 19.8 points per game.

The Longhorns and Musketeers were ﬁrmly on the bubble entering Selection Sunday The winner will face No. 6 seed Illinois on Friday night in Milwaukee.

“It’s so difﬁcult to make the tournament,” Xavier coach Sean Miller said “There’s so much invested. We played our best basketball as we entered March.”

Unlikely dancers

Saint Francis (PA) made an unlikely return to the University of Dayton Arena after becoming the 19th team to reach the NCAA Tournament with a losing record.

The Red Flashes (16-17) lost their season opener 87-57 to the Dayton Flyers on Nov 4, and few would have predicted they’d return to the same building in March.

“We’re obviously very excited we’ve already played here before,” Saint Francis guard Riley Parker said. “The first game we played here didn’t turn out our way, so we’re just trying to come back here and make it right.” Saint Francis is making its second NCAA Tournament appearance and its ﬁrst since 1991.

The Red Flashes face Alabama State (19-15) in a matchup of No. 16 seeds on Tuesday night. The Hornets’ last tournament appearance was in 2011.

Poll breaks down why people ﬁll out March Madness brackets

BY LINLEY SANDERS Associated Press

WASHINGTON — As March Madness takes over this week, how many people are ﬁlling out NCAA brackets — and why?

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows what share of Americans typically take a shot at bracket predictions and their motivation for joining in the madness. The survey found that about one-quarter of Americans fill out a men’s March Madness bracket “every year” or “some years.” But what about the women’s tournament? High-profile NCAA women’s basketball games have closed the gap with men’s tournaments in terms of viewership and there is more money flowing

in and around women’s sports in general; women’s teams will now be paid to play in the tournament, just like men have for years. It all points to higher interest in how women’s teams fare even if the bracket frenzy has not quite caught up.

The survey found that 16% of U.S. adults fill out a women’s tournament bracket “every year” or “some years.” And it’s much more common for bracket participants to only fill out a bracket for the men’s tournament than the women’s — about 1 in 10 U.S. adults only fill out a men’s tournament bracket, while only 2% fill out only a women’s bracket. Another 14% fill out a bracket for both tournaments at least “some years.” So, a sizeable chunk of Americans are into NCAA bracketology but what’s behind the hype?

Among those who ﬁll out brackets at least “some years,” about 7 in 10 say a reason for their participation was for the glory of winning, the chance to win money or the fact that other people were doing it.

They’re less likely to be motivated by support for a specific school or team and in particular, to say this was a “major” reason for their participation.

There’s certainly a financial motivation for correctly predicting the Final Four, and it’s hard to deny NCAA college basketball is in a betting-heavy era. More Americans can legally bet money on the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments than in previous years, and many will place a wager on their bracket’s success. Does that mean Americans

think the tournaments are all about wagering, or that it’s technically gambling to enter a friendsand-family pool with only a modest payout at stake?

Most U.S. adults — 56% — say that if someone enters a March Madness bracket pool for money, they consider that to be gambling. About 2 in 10 say it depends on the amount of money, and another 2 in 10, roughly, say this is not gambling.

Who are the diehards?

Those who only ﬁll out a bracket for the men’s tournament are also overwhelmingly men About 7 in 10 people who ﬁll out a men’s bracket — and not a women’s bracket — “every year” or “some years” are men. About 4 in 10 are men over 45, and about 3 in 10 are younger men. Just avoid them?

Not everyone wants to risk a bracket buster and people avoiding the Madness this month are hardly alone. About 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they “never” fill out a men’s or women’s bracket. This group leans more female: About 6 in 10 bracket avoiders are women. And roughly one-third in this group are women over 45.

Men tend to make up the bulk of the regulars who ﬁll out a bracket at least “some years.” Among the March Madness bracket regulars, about 6 in 10 are men, including about one-third who are men under the age of 45. These bracket regulars are less likely to be women; only about 4 in 10 are women, and they’re about evenly split between being older or younger.

McIlroy

By KIRK MECHE

The McAllister pressure cooker

Son of ex-Saints great helped make Cajuns’

press go

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

LAKE CHARLES Curtis McAllister

became a starter on the Country Day basketball team late in the season because of the impact he could make on the defensive end of the ﬂoor

He quickly began to make the same kind of impact with the basketball in his hands on offense too.

McAllister, the son of former Saints legend Deuce McAllister, showed his quickness and skill on both ends of the ﬂoor as he scored 17 points with nine rebounds, three assists and two steals as the thirdranked Cajuns defeated No. 1 Calvary Baptist 59-56 in the LHSAA Division III select state championship at Burton Coliseum.

He played well enough to be selected as the LHSAA outstanding player for the championship game

“He’s a heck of a freshman,” Country Day coach Mike McGuire said of the 6-foot-3 guard

McAllister generated most of his offensive production with what he did as the front person of the Cajuns’ full-court pressure defense.

“When he gets to the top of that press with his length and quickness and anticipation, I don’t know how many deﬂections he had, but you saw it with your own eyes,” McGuire said.

“He just touches balls and grabs balls and goes downhill and it starts to rattle those other players.

(Calvary has) three outstanding

PELICANS

Continued from page 1C

called his team “soft” after that loss. Monday night’s loss surely didn’t do anything to change his mind about that assessment.

The Pelicans trailed 35-12 at the end of the first quarter earning boos from the crowd.

The hole got even deeper by halftime as the Pistons built a commanding 63-32 lead.

The Pelicans made just 10 of 37 shots in the first half (21.3%). Kelly Olynyk’s 3-pointer in the first 90 seconds of the game is the only one they made in the first half. They were 1 of 16 from beyond the arc in the first two quarters. Alvarado was 0-for-7 on 3s in the half. He ended his drought and the Pelicans’ 3-point drought midway through the third quarter For the game, the Pelicans shot 32.6 % from the floor, and made just 5 of 32 3-pointers.

Making matters even worse is Trey Murphy left the game in the ﬁrst minute with a right shoulder injury Murphy hurt his shoulder chasing a loose ball and went to the locker room with 11:11 left in the

Manning Award winner is staying level-headed

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Cam Ward is projected to be the

No 1 pick in the NFL draft next month, and while the star quarterback from the University of Miami will be honored if it happens, it’s not a priority for him

For a former no-star recruit out of tiny West Columbia, Texas, just making it to the NFL will be the fulﬁllment of lifelong dream.

“I’m not worried too much about where I’m picked,” Ward said Monday night before ofﬁcially receiving the Manning Award at a ceremony at the Caesars Superdome. “I just want a jersey number so I can play football.”

Ward’s humble answer drew a round of applause from the crowd attending at the Manning Award ceremony The Manning Award has been awarded by the Allstate Sugar Bowl to the top quarterback in college football since 2004, but Ward is the ﬁrst Hurricanes quarterback to receive the honor

Other finalists were Carson Beck (Georgia), Jaxson Dart (Ole Miss), Quinn Ewers (Texas), Dillon Gabriel (Oregon), John Mateer (Washington State), Kyle McCord (Syracuse), Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Kurtis Rourke (Indiana), and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado)

“Cam is a great Manning Award winner,” Archie Manning said. “He’s played a lot of college football and had a great career, outstanding senior year He’s battletested. He’s ready for whatever happens (in the NFL).”

Kosar in 1984 (262 completions, 3,642 yards).

If the Tennessee Titans or another team makes Ward the top selection in the draft, he would become the eighth Manning Award winner to go No. 1, following Jamarcus Russell, Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, Baker Mayﬁeld, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow and Bryce Young.

“The pick is never anything,” Ward said, when asked what it would mean to him to be selected No 1. “If someone wants to be known for a pick, they’re not playing for the right reasons.”

recruit. He was essentially a nostar recruit out of Columbia High School, where his mother was the girls basketball coach. The Roughnecks ran the Wing-T offense, so Ward attempted only about 12 passes a game on average. Consequently, his only scholarship offer was from the University of the Incarnate Word, a private FCS school in San Antonio that began playing football in 2009.

guards — as good as any guards we’ve seen. And he doesn’t back down.”

McAllister scored 11 points to help Country Day to a 25-16 lead in the ﬁrst half. He scored several points in transition off turnovers forced by the Country Day pressure defense. He blocked one shot near the perimeter and took the ball toward the hoop for a contested layup

“The press, that helped me a lot, to speed up and just play aggressive and getting downhill,” McAllister said. “I’d say that was the best part of my game, and once I was doing that, I’d say I was pretty good.”

McAllister who scored another big basket that broke a tie with about a minute remaining, moved into the starting lineup late in the season as Country Day started to rely more on its full-court pressure defense. His offensive game grew from there — enough for him to score the basket that put Country Day ahead for good in the ﬁnal minute of a semiﬁnal win against Dunham on Feb. 11.

McAllister figures to have a bright future in more than one sport He played wideout and defensive back on the Country Day football team — but one that struggled to a 4-7 record last season.

New head coach Ben Powell said after Country Day hired him in February that the team will “start from a four-wide environment and probably throw the football,” potentially creating chances for McAllister to make an impact there.

But for now, the greatest team success for McAllister in high school has come on the hardwood.

“I wanted to play hard for those seniors,” McAllister said.

opening quarter It was all downhill from there.

The Pelicans (18-51) came into the game having won their past seven games against the Pistons (38-31). Before Monday, the Pistons hadn’t lost to Detroit since Valentine’s Day of 2021 Green, born and raised in Detroit, lost for the ﬁrst time against the team he grew up watching. He’s now 6-1 against them.

Zion Williamson, who missed Saturday’s game against the Spurs for personal reasons, returned to the lineup. So did rookie Yves Missi, who had missed the previous two games with an ankle injury, also returned. None of it really mattered. Williamson scored a team-high 30 points, including 22 in the second half.

Missi recorded his 11th doubledouble, ﬁnishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds. McCollum shot 1 of 15 from the ﬂoor, 0 for 7 on 3-pointers and 1 of 5 from the free-throw line.

The Pelicans have now lost ﬁve games by 30 or more points this season.

The Pelicans begin a three-game road trip, with two games against the Minnesota Timberwolves Wednesday and Friday and a rematch against Detroit on Sunday

Ward took a break from his hectic workout schedule of draft preparations in Miami to ﬂy in for the event. His parents, Calvin and Patrice, ﬂew in from Texas to join him for the festivities.

“I’m blessed to receive this award, especially because of the Mannings and the history that they have, just football knowledgewise,” Ward said “This is a team award. It’s just got my name on it.”

In his lone season at Miami, Ward turned in one of the best passing campaign in Hurricanes history He completed 305 of 454 passes for 4,313 yards and a school-record and nation-leading 39 touchdowns. He was a consensus All-American, the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and a ﬁnalist for the Heisman Trophy His 4,313 passing yards and 305 completions broke school records set by Bernie

NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms recently ranked Ward the top quarterback in the draft.

“He’s a franchise quarterback, and I think that’s a big reason why you haven’t heard the Titans involved in any conversation with any veteran quarterback is because I think they see what I see,” Simms said on his “Unbuttoned” podcast “I’d be shocked if any team didn’t have Cam Ward No. 1 on their (draft) board. This is a slam dunk.”

Ward’s relationship with the Mannings dates to 2023, when he attended the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux. He was part of a counselor class that summer that included, among others, Drake Maye, Michael Penix, Jayden Daniels, Garrett Nussmeier and Quinn Ewers.

Unlike many of his predecessors, Ward was not a blue-chip

He put up mind-boggling numbers there in 2021, passing for more than 6,900 yards and scoring 74 touchdowns through his ﬁrst 19 college games, before following then-UIW head coach Eric Morris to Washington State. After two record-breaking seasons with the Cougars, the 6-foot-2, 223-pound Ward transferred to Miami this past offseason and led the Hurricanes to a 10-3 record and No 13 national ranking.

“I just put my head down, worked every day, and that’s what I did going from UIW to Wazzu to Miami,” Ward said. “I’ve been praying for this moment since I was 6, and so I’m just blessed to be here. To everybody who was in a situation like me, who’s still going to be in a situation like me, not having scholarships and all of that, all you got to do is believe in God and work. Those two things, they’ll take care of everything.”

Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@ theadvocate.com.

Brother Martin pitcher throws no-hitter by pitching to contact

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Cole Navarro threw a no-hitter for the ﬁrst time in his high school career last week against St. Paul’s.

The Brother Martin senior achieved the feat — not by striking out as many batters as possible — but by generating the kind of contact that let defenders behind him make plays.

“Let them hit the ball,” Navarro said. “Don’t be scared to let them hit it. Let the guys behind me make plays.”

Navarro, a University of New Orleans signee, learned through experience that a pitcher can perform better when he can trust the players behind him to do their jobs. The right-hander noted one impressive play by sophomore Brady McCluskey in center ﬁeld in the later innings — coming after Navarro realized for the ﬁrst time in the fourth inning that he had a no-hitter going.

On that play Navarro threw “a fastball in,” he said, “and one of the St. Paul’s batters hit it to center ﬁeld and I heard people say, ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh.” Then Brady McCluskey made a good run to the ball, and he got to it.”

Senior Reese Roussel tracked down a fly ball down the rightﬁeld line for another impressive out, Navarro said.

Third baseman Ryan Darrah caught a popup in foul territory for the ﬁnal out.

Navarro (4-1, 1.06 ERA) struck out five and walked one in that 4-0 victory at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium.

A three-run double by pinch hitter Christian Michel in the fourth inning keyed the win Navarro threw 79 pitches.

“He’s got an assortment of pitches he can throw for strikes in any count,” Brother Martin coach

Jeff Lupo said. “So, when the hitter doesn’t know exactly what’s coming, it forces some defensive swings and taking advantage of that team’s aggressiveness and he was able to do that consistently He’s done that all year.”

The no-hitter was the first by a Brother Martin pitcher since Kevin Berry in a 2008 game against Chalmette that clinched the district championship, Lupo said.

Navarro, who bats cleanup in every game and plays third base when he doesn’t pitch, is a fouryear varsity player He threw some impactful innings as a freshman, particularly when he got the ﬁnal outs in Game 3 of a state quarterﬁnal series against St. Augustine. This is his third season as a starter

“We’ve been getting really good starting pitching,” Lupo said. “It’s probably been the more consistent part of our team so far.” Lupo listed seniors Jude

Tingstrom, Patrick Laiche and Cole Heap along with juniors Blaise Tingstrom and Drake Amedee among other pitchers with experience in pressure situations.

“We have total conﬁdence in putting them out there on the mound at any given point,” Lupo said. Brother Martin (14-5, 2-0 District 9-5A) will take a seven-game winning streak into its district game against undefeated Holy Cross (17-0, 2-0) on Tuesday Those teams will play at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Holy Cross and 4 p.m. Thursday at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium.

Navarro will start Tuesday The no-hitter was something special.

“It felt amazing,” Navarro said about getting the ﬁnal out. “I saw the team run out. Everybody was happy for me — they were happy for the team. It was just great.”

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

PHOTO

Country Day’s Curtis McAllister is fouled by Calvary Baptist’s Ronald Strong while going for a layup during the Division III select championship on Friday at Burton Colesium in Lake Charles.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Brother Martin’s Cole Navarro threw a no-hitter against St. Paul’s Navarro struck out five and walked one in the Crusaders’ 4-0 win.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Archie Manning, left, presents former Miami quarterback Cam Ward with the Manning Award during a ceremony Monday at the Caesars Superdome.

Keeping tradition

Minister discusses the origins of her St. Joseph’s Altar on Frenchmen Street

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

St. Joseph’s Altars will spring up around New Orleans next week. Heaped with bread, fruit, beans, cookies and other edibles, the lavish altars give thanks to the earthly father of Christ for ending a 19th-century drought in Sicily

These temporary displays began as a Catholic tradition, but in New Orleans you might ﬁnd the practice within other denominations as well. The Rev Emma Brock, the system pastor of the Outreach Spiritual Ministry Church of Christ, plans a St. Joseph’s Altar in the 7th Ward.

Brock’s church is in Baton Rouge. But, she explained, people there don’t understand the St. Joseph’s Day practice of building edible altars the way they do in New Orleans. So, Brock has arranged to present her church’s altar in the Israelite Divine Spiritual Church on Frenchmen Street, near Interstate 10.

The Rev Brock, 73, said she was born in Kentwood, Louisiana, but moved to New Orleans when she was 15 with her parents, who became members of the congregation of the Israelite Divine Spiritual Church

Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Fest brings three days of music to New Orleans Jazz Museum

BY WILL COVIELLO Gambit Weekly

The Danny Barker Banjo & Guitar Festival celebrates Barker’s long career and many contributions to New Orleans’ music as a musician, mentor, preservationist and personality

The performing lineup is full of musicians who as teens were mentored by Barker

Faith communities in the New Orleans area devote hundreds of hours to preparing the special foods and arrangements to display on St. Joseph’s Altars. Here is a partial list of area altars.

ST. JOSEPH’S ALTARS

JEFFERSON

ARCHBISHOP CHAPELLE HIGH SCHOOL: 8800 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie in the gym. On March 18, the blessing will be held at noon with the altar open until 8 p.m. On March 19, viewing is 9 a.m.-4 p.m., with Tupa Tupa and meals in cafeteria at noon. www.archbishopchapelle.org.

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP CHURCH: Larose Center, 2008 Short St. in Kenner, with viewing March 19, 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Meals will be served March 19, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

This year’s festival runs March 18-23, and includes tributes and mentoring events throughout the week, as well as a three-day mini-festival

Friday through Sunday at the New Orleans Jazz Museum. Barker was born into a musical family and was the nephew of Paul and Louis Barbarin. He was in Cab Calloway’s band and played with Jelly Roll Morton, Sidney Bechet, Red Allen and many more. He married local jazz and blues singer Louisa Dupont, who became better known as Blue Lu Barker, the voice behind their recording of “Don’t You Feel My Leg.”

Danny Barker influenced generations of New Orleans musicians as a mentor, in-

cluding Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Herlin Riley, Leroy Jones, Gregg Stafford and Michael White. He created the Fairview Baptist Church Band to teach traditional music to young people, and its members went on to launch many brass bands that both carried on the tradition and incorporated popular music into the brass band format.

One of the highlights of the festival is A Touch of Blue, a tribute to Blue Lu Barker featuring vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater at the New Orleans Museum of Art. She’ll

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

A sample of the sort of offerings found on a typical St. Joseph’s Altar

Staff report

By SCOTT THRELKELD

Boutte performs during the sixth annual Danny Barker Banjo and Guitar Festival

Owner’s manual handy guide

Dear Heloise: I have seen several letters suggesting that fabric softener sheets can be used to clean a dryer’s lint screen. I suggest that folks check the owner’s manual for their dryer I checked mine and found that my dryer’s manufacturer does not recommend this because these sheets (new or used) can leave residue on the lint screen and cause clogging. Their suggestion was a dry ﬁnger or one that is slightly moistened with water Thanks for your attention to this problem. Have a great day! — Betsy Leister, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania

Reheating grains

Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: I’ve heard complaints from people who say that microwaving leftover rice or pasta dries it out. I add a dash or two of water to the bowl, cover it, then heat it up. The steam revives the food. Similarly, to revive bread, wet a paper towel and

ORIGINS

Continued from page 1D

Brock said that she recalls St Joseph’s Altars at the church in the 1960s, but she has no idea how long the

ALTARS

Continued from page 1D

ST. ANN CHURCH AND NATIONAL SHRINE: 3601 Transcontinental Drive in Metairie, in the Ministry Center on Loveland Street. March 18, noon-8 p.m.; and March 19, 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Kay Boutte (504) 455-7071 stannchurchandshrine.org

ST. BENILDE CHURCH: 1901 Division St. in Metairie. March 19, with a blessing at 9 a.m and viewing 9 a.m.-5 p.m. stbenilde.org.

ST CATHERINE OF SIENA CHURCH: 105 Bonnabel Blvd in Metairie. March 19, with a blessing at 9:30 a.m. and viewing 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (504) 835-9343, https://scschurch. com.

ST. CLEMENT OF ROME CHURCH: 4317 Richland Ave in Metairie. A blessing with viewing will be held March 18 at 6:30 p.m. On March 19, viewing is 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Katie Fabian at kfabian@scrparish org, www.scrparish.org.

ST. CLETUS CHURCH: St. Jerome Hall at the church, 3600 Claire Ave. in Gretna. March 18 at 6:30 p.m., followed by a rosary. Viewing will be held March 19, with food served 11:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. or until food runs out. Bill Landry (504) 909-1685, stcletuschurch.com.

ST. FRANCIS VILLA ASSISTED LIVING: 10411 Jefferson Highway in River Ridge. On March 19, a blessing will be given at 10:30 a.m., with viewing 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Pasta Milanese and artichoke casserole will be served to the public 2-5 p.m. (504) 738-1060, stfrancisvilla.com

ST. FRANCIS XAVIER PARISH: School auditorium at 215 Betz Place in Metairie. Viewing March 18-19, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. March 19, the Tupa Tupa will be after 8 a.m. Mass, with meals served 11 a.m.-2 p.m. church.stfrancisxavier.com

ST. JOACHIM CHURCH: 5505 Barataria Blvd. in Marrero. Viewing March 19, 9 a.m.6 p.m. www.stjoachimmarrero.org

ST. JOHN PAUL II CHURCH: Parish Hall at 6851 River Road in Waggaman. A blessing will be held March 18, 6:10 p.m. On March 19, viewing begins at 11:15 a.m. Tupa Tupa with viewing and meals noon6 p.m. Ray Milligan (504) 7229943, jpiiwestbank.org

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH AND SHRINE ON THE WESTBANK: 610 Sixth St. (gym at corner of 7th and Newton streets) in Gretna. Rosary and prayer service will be held March 18, 5 p.m., with viewing until 7 p.m. Blessing and the Tupa Tupa will be held March 19 after 10 a.m. Mass, with viewing and meals 12 noon-4 p.m. Debbie Swiler (504) 722-5958, stjosephgretna.com

ST. PHILIP NERI PARISH AND SCHOOL: Parishioners’ Center at 6500 Kawanee Ave. in Metairie. March 19, public viewing 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and a blessing at 10 a.m. Children’s story time will be held at 4 p.m., living rosary at 4:30 p.m. and community dinner at 5-7 p.m. Crystal Vaccaro, (504) 4506258; spnparish.net

ST. RITA CHURCH: 7100 Jef-

wring the excess water Then wrap it around the bread and seal it inside a plastic bag, removing any excess air for expansion. Heat for 20 seconds or less. — Mark Korba, via email Coupon anxiety Dear Heloise: I can definitely see both sides of the coupon debate! For me, using coupons tends to be more of a situational thing. While I love saving money, I’ve found that the time it takes to sort through them, match them to my shopping list, then use them at checkout can sometimes feel like more trouble than it’s worth — especially with the increasingly limited checkout areas in most grocery stores. With fewer cashiers and longer lines, the pressure of using coupons becomes even more intense. There’s that subtle stress of feeling like everyone’s waiting on you, which can make the whole experience uncomfortable. The reduced

practice had taken place before that.

Brock said that visitors to the altar can expect a cake, fruit of all sorts and bread that is baked in the shape of Jacob’s ladders, Jesus’ sandals and wine chalices. The church kitchen will be

ferson Highway in Harahan. Viewing is open March 19, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., with a blessing at 9:15 a.m. and meals 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Alden Ross (504) 577-4612, stritaharahan. com

SPANO FAMILY ST. JOSEPH ALTAR: 1721 Robin Drive in Marrero. Mary Hennegan Spano, along with family and friends, will host a viewing for the general public March 19, noon to 6 p.m.

NEW ORLEANS ALL SAINTS CHURCH: 1441 Teche St. Altar viewings March 18, 7 a.m.-1 p.m.; and March 19, 7 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Mass, followed by meals in the Parish Hall, 7-8 p.m. (504) 361-8835, allsaintschurchnola.org

BLESSED FRANCIS XAVIER

SEELOS PARISH: 3037 Dauphine St. Viewing is March 18 and 19, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. March 19, a noon blessing will be followed with to-go meals. seeloschurchno.org

BROTHER MARTIN HIGH SCHOOL: James. B. Branton Chapel at the school, 4401 Elysian Fields Ave. On March 18, the blessing will be at 3 p.m., with the altar open until 6 p.m. On March 19, the altar is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. (504) 283-1561, www.brothermartin. com DE LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL: In the lobby at 5300 St. Charles Ave. on March 19. A blessing will be given at 7:50 a.m., with viewing 8 a.m.-4 p.m. communications@DeLaSalleNola. com, delasallenola.com

HISTORIC BK HOUSE & GARDENS: 1113 Chartres St. March 20-21, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Each visitor will be given a traditional prayer card, an Italian cookie, blessed bread and a lucky bean. www bkhouse.org

HOLY SPIRIT CHURCH: Allen Roy Life Center at 6201 Stratford Place in Algiers. Viewing on March 18 is 4-8 p.m. On March 19, St. Joseph Mass will be held at 2:15 p.m. in the church, followed by the Tupa Tupa in the center at 3 p.m. Viewing and meals will be 3:30-8 p.m. (504) 394-5492, holyspiritchurchnola.org ISRAELITE DIVINE SPIRITUAL CHURCH: 3000 Frenchmen St., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Hosts Min. Emma Brock and Bishop Brock. Pastor, Archbishop J. Wilson.

MOUNT CARMEL ACADEMY: 7027 Milne Blvd. in Cafe Campbell. A blessing will be given at 8 a.m. March 19, with viewing until 5 p.m. sburas@ mcacubs.org, www.mcacubs. com

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE/ SHRINE OF ST. JUDE: 411 N. Rampart St. On March 18, Tupa Tupa will be held at 5-6 p.m. March 19, a blessing will be held after 7 a.m. Mass with viewing until 5 p.m. judeshrine.com

OUR LADY OF THE ROSARY CHURCH: Vincent Hall at 1342 Moss St. Viewing March 19, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Nick Scramuzza (504) 483-8168, www.olr-nola. org

ST. ALPHONSUS PARISH/ ST. MARY’S ASSUMPTION CHURCH: 923 Josephine St. March 19-24. On March 19, the altar will be open 8 a.m.-2 p.m., with a blessing at 11 a.m. followed by 11:30 a.m. Mass. March 20-21,

number of checkout lanes means that when someone is carefully scanning and applying multiple coupons, the wait time for other customers becomes even more pronounced. That being said, saving $14 in one trip is impressive, and I admire Dorthy’s dedication! Maybe I just need to get better at organizing my coupons ahead of time or ﬁnding stores with more efﬁcient checkout processes. Perhaps using digital coupons or shopping during less busy hours could help minimize the social anxiety of coupon use. — James, in Virginia Disposing pills in coffee

Dear Heloise: Another answer to pill disposal comes from my pharmacist — coffee grounds Just put your unusable pills in your wet, used coffee grounds It will dissolve the pills, and then they can be thrown in the garbage. Carolyn, Baton Rouge

Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

serving spaghetti to those who care to eat.

The Outreach Spiritual Ministry Church of Christ St. Joseph’s Altar will be viewable from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on March 19 at the Israelite Divine Spiritual Church, 3000 Frenchmen St.

viewings through the Seelos Shrine of the church will be held 9 a.m.-2 p.m. On March 22, Vigil Mass will be held at 4 p.m. On March 23, altar food will be dispersed for all to enjoy following the 12:30 p.m. Spanish Mass. (504) 522-6748, stalphonsusno.com

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI CHURCH: 631 State St. Viewing is 8 a.m.-8 p.m. March 19, with blessing at 6 p.m. Caroline Toso (504) 891-4479, stfrancisuptown.com

ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH: Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. The blessing will be held March 19 at 9 a.m. with viewing until 5 p.m. Ann Moll (504) 392-8784, goldensteeple.com

ST. JOSEPH CHURCH: 1802 Tulane Ave. March 19, with Mass at noon, followed by a blessing. Public viewing is 9 a.m.-noon and 1-5 p.m. (504) 522-3186, stjosephchurch-no.

org ST. PAUL THE APOSTLE CHURCH: St. Paul’s Chapel, 6828 Chef Menteur Highway. March 19, blessing at 8 a.m. and viewing 8:30 a.m.5:30 p.m. www.stpaultheapostlechurch-nola.org

ST. RITA CHURCH: 2729

Lowerline St. March 19, with a blessing after 7 a.m. Mass and viewing until 6 p.m. ofﬁce@stritanola.com, www stritanola.com

ST. TAMMANY

MOST HOLY TRINITY CHURCH: Family Life Center at 501 Holy Trinity Drive in Covington. March 19, blessing with Tupa Tupa will be held at 9:30 a.m Viewing and meals will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m., with dinein or takeout. Lynette Hatty (504) 481-3317, www.mhtcc. net OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL: The Latin Mass Community of the North Shore will hold an altar at the American Legion Hall, 2031 Ronald Reagan Highway in Covington, on March 22. Blessing will be held at 11 a.m., followed by the Tupa Tupa and public viewing and meal, noon to 4 p.m. (985) 705-3324, www facebook.com/groups/ourladymc/

ST. GENEVIEVE CHURCH: Parish Life Center, 58203 La. 433 in Slidell. March 19 Mass is at 10 a.m., followed by a blessing and the Tupa Tupa. Viewing and meals will be served 11:30-4 p.m. Edolia Barros, (985) 285-1561; Mary Strecker (985) 640-5971; stgenevieve.us

ST. JANE DE CHANTAL

CHURCH: St. Jane Hall, 72040 Maple St. in Abita Springs. A March 19 blessing is set for 9 a.m. after 8 a.m. Mass, with the Tupa Tupa at 9:30 a.m. Viewing is noon-6:30 p.m., with meals served until food runs out. June Frechou jfrechou@arch-no.org, stjaneabita.org

ST. LUKE THE EVANGELIST

CHURCH: Family Life Center at the church, 910 Cross Gates Blvd. in Slidell. The March 19 blessing will be at 9:45 a.m., following 8:45 a.m. Mass. (985) 641-6429, saintlukeslidell.org

STS. PETER AND PAUL

CHURCH: 66192 St. Mary Drive in Pearl River. March 19 blessing will be held at 11 a.m., the Tupa Tupa at 11:30 a.m. and meals served at noon. Karen Dickerson (985) 863-7935, sppcprla.com/

Former queens have annual tea

The annual Queens Tea of the Phunny Phorty Phellows was recently held at the Backstreet Cultural Museum. Standing are, from left, Pat Jolly Dee Hurtt, Sarah Hoffpauir, Eileen Curtis, Patricia Morris, Jolie Bonck Hobbs, Sharyl Hackett, Beth Galante, Angela Larson, Barbara LaFleur Douglass, Constance Bourgeois, Patty Poirier, Denise Berthiaume, Sue Weishar Dude, Bernadette R. Lee and Julie Holman. Seated are Hazel Schlueter, Sue McCormick, Corinne Fox, Christine Maier, Karen Martin, Nicole Merediith (2025), Marlane Drake (2024), host; Peggy Scott Laborde (captain), Caryl Curtis and Anne Hebert Winston.

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday, March 18, the 77th day of 2025. There are 288 days left in the year

Today in history:

On March 18, 1925, nearly 700 people died when the Tri-State Tornado struck southeastern Missouri, southern Illinois and southwestern Indiana; it remains the deadliest single tornado in U.S. history

On this date:

In 1922, Mohandas K. Gandhi was sentenced in India to six years’ imprisonment for civil disobedience. (He was released after serving two years.)

In 1937, in America’s worst school disaster nearly 300 people — most of them children — were killed in a natural gas explosion at the New London

FESTIVAL

Continued from page 1D

be backed by a band including White, Wendell Brunious and guitarist Detroit Brooks, who is an organizer of the festival New York jazz singer Catherine Russell, whose father was a band director for Louis Armstrong, often visits New Orleans to perform at the Satchmo SummerFest. She’ll lead tributes to Barker at Snug Harbor at 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. Thursday Events at the Jazz Museum kick off with second line parades on Friday and Saturday morning. The festival has a music stage in the courtyard, as well as an indoor stage on the museum’s third floor and an interview stage on the first floor Drummer Shannon Powell leads off on the outdoor stage at 11 a.m. Friday, and the day concludes with Ker-

Consolidated School in Rusk County, Texas.

In 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order authorizing the War Relocation Authority, which forced Japanese-Americans into internment camps during World War II.

In 1963, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Gideon v. Wainwright, ruled unanimously that state courts were required to provide legal counsel to criminal defendants who could not afford to hire an attorney on their own.

In 1965, the ﬁrst spacewalk took place as Soviet cosmonaut Alexei Leonov went outside his Voskhod 2 capsule, secured by a tether

In 1990, two thieves posing as police ofﬁcers subdued security guards at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum of Art in Boston and stole 13 works of art valued at over $500 million in the biggest art heist in history In 2018, a self-driving Uber SUV struck and killed a pedestrian in Tempe, Arizona, in the ﬁrst death involving a fully autonomous test vehicle. Today’s Birthdays: Composer John Kander

mit Rufﬁns and the Barbecue Swingers at 4-5 p.m.

The indoor stage kicks off with bluesman Chris Thomas King at 11:30 a.m. Interview sessions include Powell and Riley talking about drumming at 1 p.m., and a discussion of the Junior Pinstripe Brass Band with Brice Miller and Ronell Johnson.

On Saturday, the outdoor stage starts with vocalists Charmaine Neville at 11 a.m. and John Boutte at 12:15 p.m. Guitarist and composer Mahmoud Chouki follows at 1:30 p.m. Bluesman Little Freddie King performs at 2:45 p.m. and the stage ﬁnishes with the Treme Brass Band and the Black Men of Labor social aid and pleasure club.

The indoor stage features Cuban vocalist Yusa at 11:30 a.m., longtime Preservation Hall bandleader and trumpeter Wendell Brunious at 12:30 p.m., and Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes at

1:30 p.m. On the interview stage, Jazz Museum curator David Kunian talks to Kermit Ruffins, Eric Cager talks to brass band leader and drummer Benny Jones, and Armand Sheik Richardson talks to trumpeter Leroy Jones, a veteran of Barker’s Fairview Baptist Church Band, and for a while its bandleader On Sunday, Jones leads his band at 12:15 p.m., and the outdoor stage finishes with the Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The indoor stage leads off with the harmonies of The Pfister Sisters at 11:30 a.m. and concludes with The Dixie Cups at 3:30 p.m. On the interview stage, Gregory Davis and Roger Lewis discuss the Dirty Dozen. For a full schedule of events and tickets, visit dannybarkerfestival.com. Email Will Coviello at wcoviello@gambitweekly com.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Simplify your plans to make your life easier today Cap what you want to spend and refuse to venture outside your comfort zone regarding money, emotions or physical risks.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Refuse to let anyone step in and take your post. Avoid being neglectful or letting your mind wander. Stick to your responsibilities and avoid temptation and impulsive actions.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Serious people, plans and possibilities will attract you. Before you begin a project, check out which regulations, paperwork and preparations are mandatory. Stick to the basics and trust your instincts.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Stop short of too much. Promising more than you can realistically deliver will put you in an awkward position with someone you want to impress. The past will haunt you if you exaggerate or take undue privileges.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Stay under the radar to achieve your goals. Networking functions will offer insight into what others want. Change is brewing, and you can be at the forefront of it.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Be careful what you wish for. Acting too quickly will put you in a weak spot. Play to win; use your experience, knowledge and connections to make your way forward.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Steadiness is the key to success. You can hold your own in any situation today if you are

straightforward and willing to compromise. Positive change is within reach.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Your home and family need attention. Express your feelings, and you'll gain insight into how and what you can do to appease others without burning out or losing face.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Live, love, learn and be happy Take the time to indulge in what brings you joy and introduces you to something or someone that excites you. Travel or doing something creative will change your perspective.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Someone will misinterpret what you convey, causing havoc within your inner circle. A secretive, charming approach will help you ferret out whoever is being two-sided before trouble can brew.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Say less and do more. Put your emphasis on money, professional or investment gains and a lifestyle you can afford. The goal is to ease stress and enjoy what you've worked so hard to build.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Physical action and bold talk will help you win over those skeptical of the changes you want to enforce. Offer innovative ideas and suggestions regarding what others can contribute.

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

c EQuALs B

FAMILY CIrCUS

toDAy's cLuE:

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

FrAnK And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

bIG nAte

nea CroSSwordS

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 Bridge

Friedrich Schiller, a German poet, philosopher, historian and playwright who died in 1805, said, “It is easy to give advice from a port of safety.”

That would also be easy for me to say. Somedeclarers,though,insteadofworking safely in port to make their contract, take risks on the high seas of bad distribution.

In this example deal, South is in three no-trump. West leads the heart eight (top of nothing), East wins with his king and shifts to the diamond queen. West correctly wins with his king and returns the 10, East overtaking with his jack. South ducks and wins the next diamond, West and dummy discarding hearts. How should South continue?

North’s two-club rebid was New Minor Forcing, indicating at least gameinvitational values and asking South to describe his hand further. Two no-trump denied three spades and four hearts.

This auction kept dummy’s heart suit hidden momentarily, but resulted in the most damaging defense. Yesterday we saw that when North rebid a gameforcing three hearts, West led a club, the unbid suit. Then South took a safety-play in spades (cash the ace, followed by low to dummy’s 10) to ensure his contract.

Even now it looks as though dummy’s spades will provide the necessary tricks

However, a cautious declarer will cash his club winners first. Here he learns that West started with four hearts (presumably), two diamonds and two clubs. He seems marked with five spades. So declarer cashes his spade ace and plays a spade to dummy’s 10. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD — HostILIty: hah-STIL-ih-tee: A deep-seated, usually mutual ill will.

Average mark 20 words

Time limit 35 minutes

Can you find 22 or more words in HOSTILITY?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD — yoWLInG

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard fillmore

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

WiShinG Well

Scrabble GramS