The Times-Picayune 03-20-2025 by The Advocate

Celebrating St. Joseph

The St. Joseph’s Altar is a tradition born in Sicily, thanking St. Joseph for relief from drought The traditional St. Joseph’s Altar is constructed in the shape of the cross, with three levels honoring the Holy Trinity A statue or picture of Joseph, often seen holding the baby Jesus, stands at the center of the highest tier with flowers surrounding him

ABOVE: Visitors view and take pictures of the St Joseph’s Altar in the gym at St. Joseph Church and Shrine in Gretna on Wednesday. The statue of St. Joseph stands at the center of the highest tier of the altar

RIGHT: Myra Collura Rogers, of Marrero, prays while visiting the St Joseph’s Altar

La. Supreme Court tosses amendment challenge

Lawsuit questioned validity of proposal on March 29 ballot

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

After the Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday ended a lawsuit challenging the validity of one of four proposed constitutional amendments on the March 29 ballot, it is now up to voters whether to approve the mass of changes to state tax law that are part of the measure. The lawsuit ﬁled in February argued the ballot language for Amendment 2 was biased and misleading in violation of state law and that it didn’t comply with constitutional requirements for proposed amendments The plaintiffs, two teachers and a pastor asked the court to block Amendment 2 from taking effect.

But the Supreme Court dismissed their case, and it barred them from any future attempts at suing over the issues they raised.

The ruling afﬁrms that Louisiana’s election procedures “will be upheld,” said Secretary of State Nancy Landry, the state’s chief election ofﬁcer and named defendant in the suit.

“We continue to remind voters that Amendment 2 will be on the ballot,” she said.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who spearheaded the appeal, applauded the decision, saying the court sided with her “ofﬁce’s defense of the ballot language.”

At a broad level, Amendment 2 asks voters to decide if state lawmakers should have more power and ﬂexibility to decide which revenue streams fund government and how to spend that money It would also lower a constitutional cap

ä See COURT, page 4A

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

years of bringing news and feature stories about the local Roman Catholic Church to the city’s faithful, the Clarion Herald will cease publication in its current form at the end of June. The move comes after a committee of local church pastors voted last summer to eliminate two main sources of funding for the newspaper,

Witness attends execution at Angola

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

A waft of spring ﬂowers and a low chant filled the entryway to Louisiana’s execution building on Tuesday as seven designated witnesses ﬁled inside. The source of the chanting soon became apparent: The condemned man’s spiritual adviser dressed in a black robe, appeared through a

side window as prison ofﬁcials led him into the death chamber It was 6:17 p.m. inside Camp F at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, where no one had been executed since 2010. Laminated signs on the walls cautioned: “Nitrogen hypoxia system is active and pressurized.”

A pair of meters on a wall in the viewing room put the air at a healthy 20.7% oxygen, though it was quiet and heavy as a pair of curtains rose on Louisiana’s ﬁrst execution using nitrogen gas. Jessie Hoffman Jr appeared

in execution chamber observed

touching foreﬁngers in a sacred Buddhist pose, as Angola Warden Darrel Vannoy reached for a microphone.

“Would you like to make a last statement?” Hoffman, 46, tossed his head to the side and seemed to say nothing. He’d also declined a last meal, a prison ofﬁcial said later Vannoy adjusted a valve on the mask covering Hoffman’s face.

“The state will now carry out the execution of condemned inmate Jessie Hoffman,” he said. There would be no signal for when the ultrahigh grade nitrogen called for in Louisiana’s new execution protocol would begin to enter the mask and kill Hoffman. Officials said in a briefing later that it happened at 6:21 p.m. and that the gas ran for 19 minutes. Tubing led from the wall under the blanket at Hoffman’s right hand. At 6:22 p.m., his breathing Hoffman’s ﬁnal minutes

through the picture window He was already strapped onto the execution table and draped in a plush gray blanket. A blue, industrial-grade respirator covered his face, leaving little of Hoffman to see as he lay at an incline facing the window, arms splayed on the cruciform table. Only a portion of his neck and his hands were visible, thumbs

ä See EXECUTION, page 5A

STAFF PHOTOS By DAVID GRUNFELD

New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond blesses the altar during a St. Joseph’s Day celebration at St Joseph Church and Shrine in Gretna on Wednesday.

Hoffman

Newly released JFK files reveal more about CIA

DALLAS Newly released documents related to President John F. Kennedy’s 1963 assassination gave readers more details Wednesday into Cold War-era covert U.S. operations in other nations but didn’t initially lend credence to long-circulating conspiracy theories.

Assessments of the roughly 2,200 ﬁles posted by the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration on its website came with a huge caveat: No one had enough time as of Wednesday to review more than a small fraction of them. The vast majority of the National Archives’ more than 6 million pages of records, photographs, motion pictures, sound recordings and artifacts related to the assassination have previously been released.

An initial Associated Press review of more than 63,000 pages released this week shows some were not directly related to the assassination but rather dealt with covert CIA operations, particularly in Cuba. And nothing in the ﬁrst documents examined undercut the conclusion that Kennedy assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone gunman in Dallas on Nov 22, 1963.

“Nothing points to a second gunman,” said Philip Shenon, who wrote a 2013 book about the assassination. “I haven’t seen any big blockbusters that rewrite the essential history of the assassination, but it is very early.”

Ex-engineer accused of stealing Eminem music

A former Eminem studio engineer was charged Wednesday with stealing the Detroit rapper’s unreleased music and selling it online, federal prosecutors announced.

Investigators say more than 25 songs have been played or distributed online without the consent of Eminem or Interscope Capital Labels Group, which owns Eminem’s music. The music was stored on password-protected hard drives kept in a safe at Eminem’s studio in a Detroit suburb, according to an FBI afﬁdavit.

Joseph Strange, 46, of Holly, Michigan, was charged via a criminal complaint with copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods, Acting U.S. Attorney Julie Beck in Detroit said. Strange, who lost his job at Eminem’s studio in 2021, could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted of both counts.

Strange’s attorney, Wade Fink, said in a text to The Associated Press that Strange is a married father of two “with decades of dedication to the music industry.” He called the charges “untested allegations” that haven’t been vetted by a grand jury or a judge.

Vernal equinox marks start of spring season

Spring is here ofﬁcially at least. The vernal equinox arrives Thursday, marking the start of the spring season for the Northern Hemisphere and the fall in the Southern Hemisphere. On the equator, the sun will be directly overhead at noon. Equinoxes are the only time when both the north and south poles are lit by sunshine at the same time.

The events have been marked and celebrated around the world for centuries. Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, is based on the spring equinox, for example. And at the Mayan site Chichen Itza in Mexico, people gather during the equinox to watch the sun create a shadow pattern that resembles a serpent descending a building called El Castillo.

Livestream that lets viewers help fish is a hit UTRECHT, Netherlands — The central Dutch city of Utrecht has installed a “fish doorbell” on a river lock that lets viewers of an online livestream alert authorities to ﬁsh being held up as they make their springtime migration to shallow spawning grounds.

The idea is simple: An underwater camera at Utrecht’s Weerdsluis lock sends live footage to a website When somebody watching the site sees a fish, they can click a button that sends a screenshot to organizers. When they see enough fish, they alert a water worker who opens the lock to let the fish swim through.

Israeli troops retake part of Gaza corridor

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, JULIA FRANKEL and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israel

said Wednesday its troops retook part of a corridor that bisects Gaza, and its defense minister warned that attacks would intensify until Hamas frees dozens of hostages and gives up control of the territory

The military said it had retaken part of the Netzarim Corridor that divides northern Gaza from the south, and from where it had previously withdrawn as part of a ceaseﬁre that began in January

That truce was shattered Tuesday by Israeli airstrikes that killed more than 400 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry

The advances on the ground by Israel on Wednesday which included sending more troops to southern Gaza — threatened to drag the sides into all-out war again. The ceaseﬁre had given warweary Palestinians some respite, allowed a much-needed surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza — and led to the release of dozens of hostages who had been held for more than 15 months.

Within Israel, the resumption of

airstrikes and ground maneuvers has raised concerns about the fate of roughly two dozen hostages held by Hamas who are believed to still be alive Thousands of Israelis took part in anti-government demonstrations in Jerusalem, with many calling for a deal to bring the captives home.

A Hamas spokesman, AbdelLatif al-Qanou, said the moves by ground forces in Gaza was a clear sign that Israel had backed out of the truce and was reimposing a “blockade.”

There have been no reports of rocket attacks by Hamas since Tuesday’s bombardment.

Also Wednesday, the United Nations said one of its employees was killed in Gaza and ﬁve others were wounded in an apparent strike on a guesthouse. It was not immediately clear who was behind the strike, the U.N. said.

The military said its “limited ground operation” in Gaza would create a “partial buffer between northern and southern Gaza.”

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the move would entirely block Palestinians from traveling north or south through the Netzarim Corridor Israel used the roughly 4-mile corridor as a military zone during

the war It ran from the Israeli border to the coast, just south of Gaza City, the territory’s largest metropolitan area. Israel said airstrikes on Wednesday hit dozens of militants and militant sites, including the command center of a Hamas battalion. It denied Palestinian claims that it hit the U.N. guesthouse.

Fares Awad, an official in the Gaza Health Ministry, said an Israeli strike on a gathering of mourners in the northern town of Beit Lahiya killed 17 and wounded 30. The Israeli military had no immediate comment.

Until Israel withdrew from Netzarim in January, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who had ﬂed northern Gaza for the south were prevented from returning throughout the war Many of them have since returned.

But Israel Katz, the Israeli defense minister, said the military would soon order Palestinians to evacuate from combat zones.

Katz said Tuesday’s aerial bombardment “was just the ﬁrst step” in Israel’s plan to ratchet up the pressure on Hamas to release the remaining hostages and give up control of Gaza. Until it does, Israel will attack “with an intensity that you have not known.”

System brings blizzard conditions to Midwest

BY HANNAH FINGERHUT and MARGERY A. BECK Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb — Another storm system is affecting millions of people in the middle of the U.S leaving parts of the Midwest and Great Plains under blizzard conditions and a broad swath of neighboring states at risk of high winds and wildﬁres.

Roughly 72 million people were under a wind advisory or warning Wednesday with winds gusting over 45 mph, according to Bryan Jackson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center

At this time of year, cold air lingering in the north collides with warm air coming in from the south to produce strong, low pressure systems, Jackson said But Wednesday’s weather is the third storm system to rapidly develop in recent weeks and bring high winds to a large swath of the U.S., a “very active pattern” since February Jackson said.

At least 42 people died over the weekend when dynamic storms unleashed tornadoes, blinding dust and wildfires — leaving behind uprooted trees and ﬂattening hundreds of homes and businesses across eight U.S. states in the South and Midwest.

A band from southwestern Kansas up to central Wisconsin was expected to see as little as 2 inches of snow or as much as 1 foot Wednesday. Combined with high winds, forecasters warned of whiteout conditions

The Kansas Department of Transportation closed more than 250 miles of Interstate 70 from the Colorado border east to Salina, Kansas, because of winter weather

The first stretch to close in western

Kansas was also impacted by last week’s high winds. Eight people died after a dust storm resulted in a pileup of 71 cars and trucks.

Blizzard conditions early Wednesday led to near-zero visibility in south central Nebraska, the state patrol said in a Facebook post urging people to stay off the roads. More than 160 miles of Interstate 80 cutting east from Lincoln west to Lexington was closed Wednesday morning. By midday, nearly 70 miles of Interstate 29 running along the border between eastern Nebraska and western Iowa had closed. Stalled cars, jackknifed semitrailers, crashes and downed power lines contributed to road closures throughout the area. Power outages affected households and businesses as heavy snow and high winds knocked down tree branches and snapped utility poles, affecting at least 100,000 customers in Nebraska and 30,000 in Iowa. The sudden storm left many in the region with weather whiplash, following a springlike Tuesday with temperatures in some parts reaching beyond 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Putin, Zelenskyy agree to limited ceasefire

BY HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine and Russia agreed in principle to a limited ceasefire after President Donald Trump spoke with the countries’ leaders this week, though it remains to be seen when it might take effect and what possible targets would be off limits to attack. The tentative deal to partially rein in the grinding war came after Russian President Vladimir Putin rebuffed Trump’s push for a full 30-day ceasefire. The difficulty in getting the combatants to agree not to target one another’s energy infrastructure highlights the challenges Trump will face in trying to fulfill his campaign pledge to quickly end to the war

After a roughly hourlong call with Trump on Wednesday that both leaders said went well, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told reporters that “technical” talks in Saudi Arabia this weekend would seek to resolve what types of infrastructure would be protected under the agreement.

But it was immediately clear that the three parties had different views about what the pact entailed, with the White House saying “energy and infrastructure” would be covered, the Kremlin saying the agreement referred more narrowly to “energy infrastructure,” and Zelenskyy saying he’d also like railways and ports to be protected.

“One of the ﬁrst steps toward fully ending the war could be ending strikes on energy and other civilian infrastructure,” Zelenskyy said on social media following his call with Trump, which came a day after the U.S. president held similar talks with Putin. “I supported this step, and Ukraine conﬁrmed that we are ready to implement it.”

During their call, Trump suggested that Zelenskyy should consider giving the U.S. ownership of Ukraine’s power plants to ensure their long-term security, according to a White House statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security adviser Mike Waltz.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHADALSHRAFI

Displaced Palestinians carry their belongings Wednesday as they travel from Beit Hanoun to Jabaliya, a day after Israel’s renewed offensive in the Gaza Strip

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARGERy BECK Snow covers the streets Wednesday following a storm in Omaha, Neb.

Tuesday protesting the deportation of alleged members of the Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang, who were transferred to an El Salvador prison, in Caracas, Venezuela. Ramirez said she hadn’t heard from her son since he called to say he was with a group of migrants about to be deported on Friday.

Justice Department resists judge’s order

More details on deportation flights demanded

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Justice Department is resisting a federal judge’s demand for more information about flights that took deportees to El Salvador arguing on Wednesday that the court should end its “continued intrusions” into the authority of the executive branch. It’s the latest development in a showdown between the Trump administration and the judge who temporarily blocked deportations under an 18th-century wartime declaration. President Donald Trump has called for the judge’s impeachment as the Republican escalates his conﬂict with a judiciary after a series of court setbacks over his executive actions.

U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg, who was nominated to the federal bench by Democratic President

Barack Obama, had ordered the Trump administration to answer several questions under seal, where the information would not be publicly exposed. There were questions about the planes’ takeoff and landing times, and the number of people deported under Trump’s proclamation.

The judge has questioned whether the Trump administration ignored his court order on Saturday to turn around planes with deportees headed for the Central American country which had has agreed to house them in a notorious prison. In court papers ﬁled hours before the deadline to respond Wednesday the Justice Department said the judge’s questions are “grave encroachments on core aspects of absolute and unreviewable Executive Branch authority relating to national security, foreign relations and foreign policy.” The

department said it was considering invoking the “state secrets privilege” to allow the government to withhold some of the information sought by the court.

“The underlying premise of these orders is that the Judicial Branch is superior to the Executive Branch, particularly on non-legal matters involving foreign affairs and national security The Government disagrees,” Justice Department lawyers wrote. “The two branches are co-equal, and the Court’s continued intrusions into the prerogatives of the Executive Branch, especially on a non-legal and factually irrelevant matter, should end.”

Boasberg later issued an order giving the administration until Thursday at 12 p.m. to either provide the requested information or make a claim that it must be withheld because it would harm “state secrets.”

DOGE official takes a leadership role at USAID

BY MATT BROWN and

ELLEN KNICKMEYER

Associated Press

WASHINGTON A senior ofﬁcial at Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency is taking a leadership role at the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press, giving DOGE a top job at an agency that it has helped to dismantle.

Jeremy Lewin, who has played a central role in DOGE’s government-cutting efforts at USAID and other federal agencies, becomes

at least the second DOGE lieutenant to be appointed to a top job at an agency during the Trump administration, further formalizing the work of Musk’s associates in the federal government. The integral role that DOGE teams have played in the administration’s push to dramatically reduce the size of the government has been divisive among the public and lawmakers. Musk has faced heavy blowback from some and support from others for his chainsaw-wielding approach to laying off workers and slashing programs.

Pete Marocco, a Trump administration political appointee who was serving as deputy head of USAID, disclosed the change in an email Tuesday to State Department staff. It comes after Marocco and DOGE oversaw the gutting of 83% of USAID contracts, shifting the remaining programs under the State Department. Marocco said in his email that he will serve as the State Department’s director of foreign assistance. State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce on Wednesday conﬁrmed his appointment.

Judge moves Palestinian activist’s deportation fight

Columbia student being held in La.

BY SUSAN HAIGH and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEW YORK A Columbia University student activist detained by the U.S government over his participation in pro-Palestinian demonstrations can challenge the legality of his detention, but the case should be heard in New Jersey, rather than in New York or Louisiana, a federal judge ruled Wednesday Mahmoud Khalil, 30, a legal U.S. resident with no criminal record, was detained by federal immigration agents on March 8. He was held overnight at an immigration detention center in New Jersey before being

moved to an immigration facility in Jena.

Judge Jesse Furman in Manhattan called the legal challenge an “exceptional case” in need of careful legal review to determine whether the government “violated the law or exercised its otherwise lawful authority in an arbitrary and discriminatory manner.”

Furman said New Jersey was the appropriate venue because Khalil was detained there when his lawyers sued the government. Federal authorities argued to move the case to Louisiana, saying Khalil was there because of a lack of available detention center beds in the metropolitan New York region and because of a bedbug infestation at a lockup in Elizabeth, New Jersey

Khalil’s lawyers said the transfer was a “retaliatory” action separating Khalil from his lawyers and an effort to find a jurisdiction where judges may be more favorable to the Republican administration’s unusual legal claims. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Government lawyers had said that if the case wasn’t sent to Louisiana, New Jersey was also a proper venue. In a statement released by the American Civil Liberties Union, Khalil’s wife, Dr Noor Abdalla, called Furman’s order a “first step.” “His unlawful and unjust detention cannot stand. We will not stop fighting until he is home with me,” said Abdalla, a dentist and U.S. citizen who is pregnant with their first child.

BY COLLIN BINKLEY and CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON President

Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday calling for the shutdown of the U.S. Education Department, according to a White House ofﬁcial, advancing a campaign promise to eliminate an agency that’s been a target of conservatives.

The official spoke on the condition of anonymity before an announcement.

Trump has derided the Department of Education as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology However, ﬁnalizing its dismantling is likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979.

A White House fact sheet said the order would direct Secretary Linda McMahon “to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure (of) the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and beneﬁts on which Americans rely.”

The Trump administration has already been gutting the agency through layoffs and program cuts. Its workforce is being slashed in half and there have been deep cuts to the Ofﬁce for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation’s academic progress.

The department sends billions of dollars a year to schools and oversees $1.6 trillion in federal student loans. Much of the agency’s work revolves around managing money — both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO ByARIANA CUBILLOS

Jasmin Ramirez holds

photo of her son, Angelo Escalona, at a government-organized rally

Social Security to impose tighter identity checks

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON In an effort to limit fraudulent claims, the Social Security Administration will impose tighter identity-prooﬁng measures

— which will require millions of recipients and applicants to visit agency field offices rather than interact with the agency over the phone

Beginning March 31, people will no longer be able to verify their identity to the SSA over the phone, and those who cannot properly verify their identity over the agency’s “my Social Security” online service will be required to visit an agency field office in person to complete the verification process, agency leadership told reporters Tuesday

The change will apply to new Social Security applicants and existing recipients who want to change their direct deposit information

Retiree advocates warn that the change will negatively impact older Americans in rural areas, including those with disabilities, mobility limitations, those who live far from SSA ofﬁces and have limited internet access

COURT

Continued from page 1A

on state income tax rates, make it more difﬁcult to increase government spending and make it harder to pass new tax breaks, among dozens of other complicated changes to tax policy

Gov Jeff Landry whose administration played a central role in crafting the tax amendment, celebrated the decision.

“This case was flawed and attempted to silence the voice of the people. The people can now speak,” he said in a statement When the high court ruled Tuesday, there had not yet been a hearing on the merits of the case, nor had the challenge gone through a

PUBLICATION

Continued from page 1A

each Catholic school family

Together those sources make up about half of the Clarion Herald’s $1 million annual budget. Without those funds, the paper, which has a circulation of 37,000, can no longer afford to continue as a biweekly newspaper, longtime editor Peter Finney Jr. said recently

Instead, the publication which is an independent afﬁliate of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, will be taken over by the archdiocese and run by its communications department.

Archdiocese spokesperson Sarah McDonald said she has spent the past few months reimagining the Clarion Herald She said she hopes to come up with a lower-cost model that will keep it alive, albeit in a new format. Potential options include going entirely online, further reducing the print schedule to monthly or quarterly or partnering with other publications, among other possibilities.

“All options are on the table, but we are not doing away with it completely,” McDonald said. “It is just going to transform.” Finney, 68, who has served as editor and general manager for more than three decades, will retire when the last issue of the Clarion Herald in its current form is printed at the end of June.

“I’ve been thinking about for the last couple of years,

The plan also comes as the agency plans to shutter dozens of Social Security ofﬁces throughout the country and has already laid out plans to lay off thousands of workers.

In addition to the identity verification change the agency announced that it plans to expedite processing of recipients’ direct deposit change requests – both in

review by the state appeals court, the typical progression for legal challenges.

But the Supreme Court agreed to take up the matter and settle the dispute once and for all.

“Time is of the essence given that early voting commenced March 15 and is ongoing,” the ruling states. “Considering the interests of judicial economy, the need to provide a deﬁnitive resolution of the issue, to prevent confusion or concern about infringement of the right to vote, or the effect of electoral choice, we elect to exercise our plenary supervisory authority under (the constitution).”

The plaintiffs’ constitutional objections to the ballot question had “no merit,” says the unsigned ruling.

The 4-3 decision was support-

even before the financial challenges, and I think it was just time,” said Finney, who said he plans to spend time with his six grandchildren. “I hope they can develop a plan that can really serve peoples’ needs.”

The pending demise of the Clarion Herald is the latest sign of the financial pressure the nation’s second-oldest diocese faces nearly five years after it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy court protection amid a growing number of clergy sex abuse claims

As the church tries to raise money to settle those claims, which will cost more than $100 million, it is shrinking its footprint by closing and consolidating parishes and selling off its nursing homes and surplus real estate.

Though the Clarion Herald is an independent afﬁliate of the archdiocese and therefore is not technically part of the bankruptcy case, half of its budget comes directly from the parishes. Also, like other church afﬁliates, it is controlled by Archbishop Gregory Aymond, the sole member of the nonprofit corporation that oversees the newspaper

Concern about the financial pressures the parishes are already facing, and the likelihood they will be asked to contribute if and when the bankruptcy case is settled, prompted the two dozen pastors who make up the dioceses’ Presbyteral Council to vote last year to cease funding the paper

“With rising insurance costs and all the other expenses of running a parish,

person and online – to one business day Previously, online direct deposit changes were held for 30 days.

“The Social Security Administration is losing over $100 million a year in direct deposit fraud,” Leland Dudek the agency’s acting commissioner, said on a Tuesday evening call with reporters his ﬁrst call with the media.

ed by Justices William Crain, Cade Cole, Jay MaCallum and Jeff Hughes. Chief Justice John Weimer and Justices John Michael Guidry and Piper Griffin dissented.

Represented by New Orleans attorney William Most, the plaintiffs argued the title of the ballot question is not truly a “brief summary of the proposed changes,” as the constitution requires. They also said dozens of changes to Article VII, the section of the constitution dealing with state taxes and ﬁnance, don’t actually constitute “a revision of an entire article,” another constitutional requirement to ﬁt all of the changes under one ballot question.

But the court’s majority said “the ballot language for the

they got to the point where they felt this was money they could no longer afford to spend,” McDonald said.

She added, “the decision was independent of the bankruptcy.”

The Clarion Herald is the latest of countless print publications — both religious and secular — to downsize or shutter altogether over the past two decades as online content has largely replaced traditional newspapers and magazines.

Between 2006 and 2020, the number of Catholic newspapers in the U.S declined nearly 40%, falling from 196 to 118, according to the Catholic Media Association. In the past three years alone, dioceses in Peoria, Illinois; Green Bay Wisconsin; and New York City have done away with their newspapers.

The Clarion Herald has been battling cost pressures for years, amid declining print readership, waning church attendance and a shrinking population in New Orleans After Katrina, the paper did away with mailing issues to readers’ homes. After COVID-19, it further reduced costs by going from a weekly to biweekly schedule.

Finney, who grew up in a newspaper family — his father was the beloved TimesPicayune sports writer and columnist, Pete Finney — has witnessed the changes to the industry since he began his career in the late 1970s. One of his ﬁrst jobs was in New York with United Press International, a now-defunct wire service. He went on to work as a

“Social Security can better protect Americans while expediting service.”

He said a problem with eliminating fraudulent claims is that “the information that we use through knowledge-based authentication is already in the public domain.”

“This is a common-sense measure,” Dudek added.

More than 72.5 million people, including retirees and children, receive retirement and disability beneﬁts through the Social Security Administration.

Connecticut Rep. John Larson, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee, said in a statement that “by requiring seniors and disabled Americans to enroll online or in person at the same field offices they are trying to close, rather than over the phone, Trump and Musk are trying to create chaos and inefficiencies at SSA so they can privatize the system.”

The DOGE website says that leases for 47 Social Security ﬁeld ofﬁces across the country, including in Arkansas Texas, Louisiana Florida, Kentucky and North Carolina, have been or will be ended. However, Dudek downplayed the

proposition at issue is framed in ‘simple, unbiased, concise, and easily understood language,’ ” in accordance with Louisiana state election law

“There is no requirement that every detail of the proposition be stated on the ballot,” states the decision, which also asserts the full amendment has been publicly viewable online for three months.

In a statement Wednesday, Most said the plaintiffs “were weighing their options” and called the high court’s decision to bypass standard hearing and appeals court procedures “unusual.”

He highlighted concerns over transparency raised in the dissents of Guidry and Weimar Weimar said the decision of the Supreme Court served to effec-

sports writer for the New York Post and the New York Daily News before moving home in 1993 with his wife and their four children and taking the reins at the Clarion Herald.

“It’s really sort of a vocation,” said Finney, whose editorial philosophy is to highlight the ways the church is making a positive difference in peoples’ lives. “When you write something nice, it impacts people in such an important way.”

impact of its offices shuttering, saying many were small remote hearing sites that served few members of the public.

Many Americans have been concerned that SSA office closures and massive layoffs of federal workers — part of an effort by President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to shrink the size of the federal government — will make getting benefits even more difficult.

Musk has pushed debunked theories about Social Security and described the federal beneﬁt programs as rife with fraud, and called it a “Ponzi scheme” suggesting the program will be a primary target in his crusade to reduce government spending.

Voters have ﬂooded town halls across the country to question Republican lawmakers about the Trump administration’s cuts, including its plans for the old-age beneﬁts program. In addition a group of labor unions last week sued and asked a federal court for an emergency order to stop DOGE from accessing the sensitive Social Security data of millions of Americans.

tively “upend the normal judicial process,” the absence of which “erodes the respect for the fairness and impartiality of the system of justice.”

“Louisiana has a system of justice that allows for public hearings, the right of review by a court of appeal, and then and only then, a request to this court by way of a writ of certiorari to hear the matter,” Weimar wrote.

Guidry in a separate dissent said speciﬁc questions over the legality of the amendment are not clearcut.

“I strongly disagree with the majority that the proposed ballot language is sufﬁcient and transparent to accurately summarize and put voters on notice concerning what they are being asked to vote for or against,” Guidry wrote.

Over the past year, Finney and his staff spent months trying to raise money and cut costs.

Readers sent in donations — $5, $10, $100 checks — in hopes of saving the paper in its current form. But in the end, the $25,000 they raised was “eternally heartwarming but not enough to bridge the looming budget cuts,” Finney wrote in a recent column announcing his retirement.

The paper has enough

money to continue publishing as normal for several months beyond July 1, but it makes more sense to use existing reserves to “give life to a future communications strategy,” he said. “When that plan becomes more defined, we will let readers know,” Finney wrote. “In the end, God is in control.”

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.

Arizona executes man convicted of 2002 murder

He is second of four prisoners scheduled to be put to death this week in the U.S

BY JACQUES BILLEAUD and SEJAL GOVINDARAO Associated Press

FLORENCE, Ariz. An Arizona man who kidnapped and murdered his girlfriend’s ex-husband was executed Wednesday, the second of four prisoners scheduled to be put to death this week in the U.S Aaron Brian Gunches, 53, was lethally injected with pentobarbital at the Arizona State Prison Complex in the town of Florence, John Barcello, deputy director of Arizona’s department of correc-

EXECUTION

Continued from page 1A

became uneven. His chest rose and he made a jerking motion. A minute later, Hoffman’s body shook and his ﬁngers twitched He appeared to pull at the arms of the table, which is bolted into the ceramic tile ﬂoor of the cinder block chamber.

Hoffman’s hands began to clench. His head stayed turned to his right. His breathing slowed. Birds could be heard chirping under cloudless skies near dusk from the witness room, which included only state ofﬁcials and news reporters, divided by a wall.

Hoffman was 18 when he kidnapped, raped and shot 28-year-old Mary “Molly” Elliott execution-style in a remote area of St. Tammany Parish in November 1996. A duck hunter found her naked and dead on Thanksgiving morning. Her husband then, Andy Elliott declined to attend Hoffman’s execution, and no other family member chose to witness it. Louisiana De-

tions, told news outlets. He was pronounced dead at 10:33 a.m.

Gunches fatally shot Ted Price in the desert outside the Phoenix suburb of Mesa in 2002. He pleaded guilty to ﬁrst-degree murder in 2007.

Sitting up on a gurney, covered with what looked like a white onesie and tucked in with a sheet,

Gunches looked straight ahead and had no ﬁnal words before the execution, witnesses said.

According to Barcello, the prisoner took a few heavy breaths and let out a snoring-type sound after the lethal injection

“By all accounts, the process went according to plan without any incident at all,” Barcello said.

Gunches’ execution had originally been scheduled for April 2023, but was called off after Democratic Gov Katie Hobbs ordered a

partment of Public Safety and Corrections Secretary Gary Westcott denied Hoffman’s family and lawyers a place among the witnesses.

The Rev Reimoku Gregory Smith, the Buddhist spiritual adviser Hoffman chose to accompany his death, knelt on a rug from a few feet away rarely taking his eyes off Hoffman. An oxygen monitor rested nearby on a sill. Hoffman’s head remained tilted toward the room with the nitrogen tanks. At 6:26 p.m., Hoffman’s head moved inside the mask. Less than a minute later, a few seconds before 6:27 p.m., he jerked slightly It would be the last signiﬁcant movement Hoffman would make, in a life he’d mostly spent on death row To his left, Vannoy stood in a charcoal suit and black loafers, beside an anonymous prison official. Minutes passed. Hoffman’s breathing slowed, then became imperceptible.

On the wall behind his head, a pair of red phones, installed in case of a need to communicate last-minute reprieves, remained still and silent while Hoffman died under bright fluores-

cent light.

review of the state’s death penalty procedures. Late last year, Hobbs ﬁred the retired judge she had appointed to conduct the review, and the state’s corrections department announced changes in the team that lethally injects death row prisoners.

The lethal injection was administered through IVs inserted into Gunches’ arms, according to a handful of news media representatives who witnessed the execution.

In the state’s two previous executions, the IV had been inserted into the prisoner’s femoral artery

The media witnesses reported no visible problems with the execution. But Dale Baich, a former federal public defender who teaches death penalty law at Arizona State University and witnessed the execution, said he believed Gunches suffered from pulmonary edema,

At 6:38 p.m., Smith cast his eyes downward toward the ﬂoor as he knelt. A few minutes later Vannoy pressed a button, and the curtains descended.

Rhythmic, deep vibrato chanting and popping soon could be heard from the obscured chamber Part of Hoffman’s state-approved spiritual send-off, the pops and chants continued for more than four minutes before they wound down.

When the curtains rose again, at 6:52 p.m., Smith had left the room. Westcott, the corrections secretary, had entered it. Vannoy announced that the execution was complete, placing the time of death at 6:50 p.m. Hoffman’s face had been made visible for the first time, the mask used to kill him now removed.

His head was tilted back, teeth exposed in a grimace, as the curtains slowly descended once more.

Editor’s note: John Simerman, staff writer for The Times-Picayune | The Advocate, was one of two media witnesses allowed to view the execution of Jessie Hoffman Jr

when ﬂuid seeps into the lungs and causes people to drown in their own ﬂuids.

“The eight deep breaths and chest heaving, the gurgling sounds and Mr Gunches trying to catch his breath, are all signs of pulmonary edema,” Baich said “Even though it may have looked peaceful, it was not.”

The Associated Press left an email message with corrections ofﬁcials seeking comment. Michael Kiefer of the Arizona Mirror said he did not see any signs of pulmonary edema, such as a shaking or jerking of Gunches’ abdomen.

For his last meal, Gunches had a double western bacon cheeseburger, two sandwiches, french fries, onion rings and baklava for dessert.

Gunches is the second person executed this week in the U.S.

Louisiana executed a man on Tuesday, and two more executions were scheduled in Florida and Oklahoma on Thursday Arizona is the ﬁrst state with a Democratic governor to execute someone since 2017, when Virginia did so under then-Gov Terry McAuliffe.

“The family of Ted Price has been waiting for justice for more than two decades,” Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said at a news conference following Wednesday’s execution. “They deserve closure.”

Price’s sister Karen Price described her brother as a kind and loving person who enjoyed watching the Phoenix Suns and Arizona Diamondbacks and riding his motorcycle. She said her family was devastated by Ted’s death.

SCENE OF GAS EXECUTION OF JESSIE HOFFMAN JR.

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EU aims to break U.S. security dependency

BY LORNE COOK Associated Press

BRUSSELS — The European Union on Wednesday announced a new drive to break its security dependency on the United States, with a focus on buying more defense equipment in Europe.

The EU’s executive branch unveiled its “Readiness 2030” security strategy with the threat of Russian aggression at the forefront of concerns. NATO intelligence estimates suggest that Russia could be capable of launching an attack in Europe again in three to ﬁve years.

Last month, the Trump administration signaled that U.S. security priorities lay elsewhere — on its own borders and in Asia — and that Europeans would have to fend for themselves and Ukraine in the future. That was as Europe’s biggest land war in decades entered its fourth year Under the strategy, member

countries will be urged to buy much of their military equipment in Europe, working mostly with European suppliers — in some cases with EU help to cut prices and speed up orders. They should only purchase equipment from abroad when costs, performance or supply delays make it preferable.

In recent years, the 27 EU nations have placed about two-thirds of their orders with U.S. defense companies.

To qualify for new loans, they would have to buy at least 65% of equipment from suppliers in the EU, Norway or Ukraine.

“The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be taken for granted,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.

“We must buy more European. Because that means strengthening the European defense, technological and industrial base That means stimulating innovation. And

that means creating an EU-wide market for defense equipment,” she added.

The strategy resembles the RepowerEU scheme that the commission proposed in 2022 to wean the bloc off Russian natural gas after President Vladimir Putin ordered his forces into Ukraine and used energy as a weapon to try to undermine EU support for Kyiv

That strategy saw the EU’s dependence on Russian gas imports fall from 45% in 2021 to 15% in 2023.

The new blueprint was unveiled on the eve of a summit of EU government leaders. At emergency talks on March 6 they signed off on proposals to ease budget restrictions and create a $164 billion loan plan for defense projects Defense ﬁrms in the U.S., U.K., and Turkey would be excluded from the loan plan unless those governments sign security agreements with the EU.

Vatican

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ROME Pope Francis’ condition continued to improve Wednesday and he hasn’t needed to use the mechanical ventilation mask to help him breathe, the Vatican said in signalling further progress in his recovery from double pneumonia.

The 88-year-old pontiff is also reducing his reliance on highﬂow supplemental oxygen during the day, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin. His pneumonia infection, while not completely eliminated, is under control, the Holy See press ofﬁce said.

Francis concelebrated Mass on Wednesday, which is an important feast day for the Catholic Church and is the anniversary of his installation as pope 12 years ago.

Francis has been at Rome’s Gemelli hospital since Feb. 14 for a complex lung infection that turned into pneumonia in both lungs. He has been receiving respiratory and physical therapy to help strengthen his lungs.

For two nights in a row, he hasn’t needed to use the noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask, which pumps oxygen into his lungs, and doctors said its use had been “suspended.” Francis was put on the ventilation mask after he suffered a spate of respiratory crises in late February and early March during which he was unable to expel the mucus and ﬂuid that had accumulated in his lungs. Suspending use of the mask means Francis’ lungs are working harder and better on their own.

The Vatican is also again reducing its medical updates as Francis slowly continues his recovery, with the next one not expected before Monday.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella commemorated the 12th anniversary of Francis’ installation as pope by sending him a letter praising his initiatives as pope. Mattarella offered best wishes for the continuation of his pontiﬁcate and “all the more heartfelt wishes for a speedy recovery.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen rings a bell Wednesday to signify the start of the weekly College of Commissioners meeting at EU headquarters in Brussels.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO ByANDREW MEDICHINI Nuns pray Wednesday for Pope Francis in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome, where the pontiff has been hospitalized with pneumonia since Feb 14.

Judge: City owes School Board $10M

Ruling says full settlement was never finalized

BY BEN MYERS Staff writer

Mayor LaToya Cantrell does not have to adhere to a $90 million settlement deal her administration crafted with the Orleans Parish School Board, a judge ruled Wednesday but the city still must pay the board $10 million of that amount that has already been budgeted.

Jefferson Parish mulls water bill complaints

In-person help to be offered to residents

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Jefferson Parish ofﬁcials are exploring new strategies to address water bill complaints, as council members face a steady stream of calls from constituents upset and confused over abnormally high charges

As early as next month, Jefferson Parish plans to begin offering in-person appointments for residents to talk face-to-face with a customer service representative.

The Water Department shuttered its public-facing ofﬁce during the pandemic, and council members have pushed Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng’s administration to restart an inperson option for more than a year

As another solution, at-large council member Scott Walker suggested meter readers snap a photo of every meter they read. He said the measure would provide accountability and transparency for customers who suspect that their meters aren’t getting read accurately

But the idea faced pushback from Lee Sheng and her staff at a meeting Wednesday Sidney Bazley, director of the parish’s Water Department, said taking a photo of every one of the parish’s more than 144,000 meters would “drastically slow production” and lead to longer billing schedules

“In the time that it would take to take one picture, you could read three meters,” Bazley said The Parish Council ultimately approved a resolution directing the Parish Attorney’s Office to

ä See WATER, page 2B

Siding partly with Cantrell, Civil District Court Judge Nicole Sheppard ruled that the $90 million settlement Cantrell backed out of last month had never been ﬁnalized.

Siding partly with the School Board and the City Council Sheppard said the city still must pay the $10 million because it was included in a city budget that passed with Cantrell’s signature. She set a 30-day deadline for the city to

make the payment.

With the old settlement scratched, the School Board’s sixyear-old lawsuit over the city’s practice of keeping a portion of the property taxes it collects on the School Board’s behalf is headed for trial on June 9, barring a new settlement before then. There is “no direct or circum-

stantial evidence that was presented to persuade this court” showing that the settlement was valid, Sheppard said.

board is pleased to have a trial date set and that it is holding out hope that a trial won’t be necessary

Lawyer Ike Spears, representing City Hall, said in court on Wednesday that ongoing disagreements over collection fees have stood in the way of a new settlement that Cantrell could agree to.

“I think that’s almost a threshold issue that we don’t appear to be on the same page,” Spears said.

Lawyer William Aaron, representing the School Board, said the

“The evidence is overwhelming in our favor that, over a decade, the School Board’s money was basically skimmed off the top by the city, to the detriment of schoolchildren,” he said. A City Council

Two dogs rescued after fire

Four other homes damaged, another dog killed in blaze

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

As Fred and Vanessa Populus dug through what was left of their longtime Lower 9th Ward home, after it and several others were destroyed in a raging two-alarm ﬁre Tuesday night, a small miracle happened.

Under the debris and burned foundation was Molly, one of their three dogs, alive in her kennel. And as the couple and neighbors worked to get Molly out Wednesday morning, they heard more barking. It was coming from Ziggy, another canine member of the Populus family who also survived in the rubble overnight.

Shuttered Covington cinema to be demolished

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

Stirling

Neighbors and passersby rejoiced and brought water as Fred Populus carried 3-year-old Molly to safety and cleaned her wounds. Ziggy, who will turn 1 on Saturday, was happily running around soon after his rescue. The dogs survived a ﬁre that, fanned by strong afternoon winds, quickly engulfed a house in the 1000 bock of Charbonnet Street, reducing it to a pile of rubble. The blaze was reported to

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

ä See FIRE, page 2B

to pass Congress before those cuts would take effect. President Donald Trump has said the cuts would come from eliminating fraud and waste and that he would not cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid beneﬁts. But the resolution calls for the committee that oversees Medicaid to cut $880

Cantrell

Avegno

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Fred Populus carries Ziggy after he was rescued from under debris of their home that burned the day before in a two-alarm fire on the 1000 block of Charbonnet Street in the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans on Wednesday

Woman arrested in child’s death

Suspect faces count of firstdegree murder

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

A Franklinton woman was arrested Wednesday on a count of ﬁrst-degree murder after the death of a severely injured 8-month-old child, according to the Franklinton

Police Department. Police said Autumn Hano Harper, 24, was booked into Washington Parish Jail after she implicated herself in a statement to ofﬁcers.

On March 12, Franklinton police were called to Riverside Medical Center about an 8-month-old child with multiple broken bones, both current and healing The child, who WWL Louisiana identiﬁed as Sterling Rogers, was taken to Man-

ning Family Children’s in New Orleans, where he died on Monday, police said. The station also identiﬁed Harper as Sterling’s mother Harper’s arrest follows an investigation into Sterling’s death in which witnesses and suspects were interviewed, police said.

Franklinton Police Chief Justin Brown said in a statement that the case was one of the most shocking of his career

“This was a tragic event which will have a long-lasting effect on all involved,” Brown said. “Our prayers go out to the family for the loss of this beautiful child. In over 30 years in law enforcement, I have never experienced a case like this one; it’s absolutely heartbreaking.”

Email Marco Cartolano at Marco.Cartolano@ theadvocate.com.

Baby jaguar to make debut at BR Zoo April 4

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

The baby jaguar that’s been bonding with her mom behind the scenes at the Baton Rouge Zoo will make her ﬁrst public appearance

April 4, zoo officials said Wednesday

The 5-month-old cub, Lacumba III, is the ﬁrst jaguar born at Baton Rouge Zoo in more than 30 years. She also was the ﬁrst jaguar born in the United States since 2022, according to the zoo. Before her birth, Lacumba’s mother Jenny had experienced stillborn litters.

Her name honors the original “Lacumba,” Southern University’s jaguar mascot in the early 1970s Lacumba was the ﬁrst live exotic mas-

cot at a historically Black college or university. Baby Lacumba will meet the public on exhibit at the zoo’s “Southern University

Day” on the ﬁrst Friday in April.

In addition to the baby jaguar cub, the day will feature early admission and

discounted ticket prices for Southern University students, alumni and faculty, with university identification.

Jaguars are the third-largest cat species in the world and are native to Central and South America. In the wild, they make their homes in jungles and grasslands, but they have faced severe habitat loss, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

“This event is a tribute to the legacy of Southern University and the vital role conservation plays in preserving species like the jaguar,” said Brittany Tully, Baton Rouge Zoo spokesperson.

Email Ellyn Couvillion at ecouvillion@theadvocate. com.

Continued from page 1B

the New Orleans Fire Department at 4:19 p.m. and spread to four surrounding houses, including the home the Populuses had lived in for about 30 years, causing part of the foundation to collapse.

Seven people were left homeless, according to the Fire Department. No injuries were reported, though the Populuses’ third dog, 14-year-old Petey, didn’t make it out alive.

With Molly and Ziggy resting in a car, Vanessa Populus said the company her husband works for got them a room in a Metairie hotel for the next few days Fred Populus said he was at work when a neighbor alerted him to the fire, which several neighbors said had plenty of time to spread before firefighters arrived on the scene.

“My house could have been saved,” he said. “It’s ridiculous.” Clement Richardson, who lives at the end of Charbonnet, said he saw the fire ignite and called 911 six times. The Fire Department said firefighters were on scene within five minutes of the first call. Richardson said the fire spread fast unlike anything he’d ever seen He said his house could have been damaged if it had gone on longer “If hell is like that I don’t want to go there,” Richardson said “Heartbroken” was all Yusuf Ramsey could say to describe his feelings. He was staying with a friend in the house where the fire originated and lost all of his belongings.

Maylene Arbuthnot, who was sitting on her Lamanche Street porch Wednesday morning, said she heard three “booms” and saw dark smoke and green-and-yellow flames as the ﬁre raged.

“I have seen nothing like that before in my life,” Arbuthnot said.

The cause of the ﬁre is under investigation, according to NOFD.

It’s

WATER

Continued from page 1B

negotiate an amendment to its contract with its meter reading vendor, Olameter Jefferson Parish is in the process of replacing its water meters with new automated smart meters, which include technology that allow users to monitor their water consumption through a smartphone app and don’t require an in-person meter reader The parish is almost done installing the new meters in Grand Isle and Laﬁtte, after which it will focus on upper Jefferson. The project will take several years and is part of the parish’s $2.3 billion plan to upgrade the parish’s aging sewer and water infrastructure.

Lee Sheng said the parish typically sees an uptick in complaints at the start of the year, when the rate increase approved by the Parish Council to fund the infrastructure package goes into effect. She said she’d prefer that resources go into beeﬁng up the parish’s customer service call center The Parish Council signed off on temporary stafﬁng contracts last year to supplement vacancies in the call center, after residents complained of sometimes

hourlong wait times. Lee Sheng said the average wait times are now between one and 15 minutes, but that it could still be improved.

Jefferson Parish issues around 900,000 bills each year, and has a complaint rate of around 1.5%, Lee Sheng said.

Council member Hans Liljeberg said taking a photo of every meter “might be like killing a ﬂy with an elephant gun.” Still, he said, “Make no mistake, councilman Walker is 100% right. We do have a problem. We’re getting these calls. We’re not equipped to handle these calls.”

Walker said he wasn’t wedded to the idea of taking photos of every meter, and Parish Attorney Toni Hurley conﬁrmed that the resolution will allow her to discuss other solutions with Olameter. Any amendment to the contract will need approval from the Parish Council.

“I would like to see options,” Walker said. “I want to get to a better way of doing it for the next three, four, five years that we have to deal with these old meters that are problematic.”

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate. com and follow him on Twitter, @blakepater

PHOTO PROVIDED By ST.TAMMANy SHERIFF’S OFFICE

Members of the St. Tammany Parish sheriff’s SWAT team take a break during their recent training exercises inside one of the auditoriums at the closed Hollywood Theaters multiplex in Covington.

THEATER

Continued from page 1B

Theatres and the Grand Slidell is operated by Santikos Entertainment, both national chains.

Efforts to contact Regal Cinemas, Hollywood’s parent company, were not successful.

But Stirling President and CEO Townsend Underhill said the cinema company recently went through a bankruptcy reorganization. Underhill said he thinks the location is the best in the parish for a movie house, but that the movie theater business is difﬁcult.

Stirling will demolish the building and “look at other options” for the property, he said. “We think there might be some better uses for it,” he added.

Movie chains struggle John Woodard, a Stirling vice president, said the multiplex had been at that site for more than a decade.

“We had a good run with Hollywood,” he said, adding the closure “was more about (Regal Cinemas) and less about the Covington market.”

Movie theater chains ﬁnd themselves in an increasingly competitive enter-

TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2025

PICK 3: 9-9-0

PICK 4: 1-6-4-1

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tainment market. Movie theaters also took a big hit during the pandemic, analysts say With the movie theater empty Stirling recently allowed the St Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office to take it over for SWAT training. The Sheriff’s Office Facebook page features several posts showing deputies in camouﬂage and military-like helmets sitting in the auditoriums as if awaiting the start of the latest blockbuster

“Shoutout to Stirling Properties for letting us run the show before the ﬁnal curtain dropped. Lights off. Doors off. SWAT in,” one recent Facebook post said.

New office space

Meanwhile, Stirling is preparing for the start of construction on a 75,000-square-foot office building in River Chase, which will be the third the company has built at the site.

“There’s some good demand for office space in this area,” Underhill said. The company’s second office building, which is Stirling’s corporate headquarters, opened last year and is fully leased. The growing River Chase development includes ofﬁce space, multiple stores, restaurants and homes.

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

The 1000 block of Charbonnet Street is shown after a two-alarm fire in the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans on Wednesday. Seven residents were displaced after Tuesday’s fire.

Nathan Morgan hugs his two-doors-down neighbor Vanessa Populus after both of their homes were destroyed by a two-alarm

re on the 1000 block of Charbonnet Street in the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans on Wednesday. Morgan was home sick from

sleeping

neighbor woke him up to tell him he needed

Molly looks out Wednesday from her kennel stuck under debris under a house that was destroyed by a two-alarm fire in the Holy Cross neighborhood of New Orleans.

PHOTO PROVIDED By BATON ROUGE ZOO

Lacumba III, the jaguar cub born at the Baton Rouge Zoo last fall, is now ready to meet the public, zoo officials said.

Authorities look for man who cut ankle monitor

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

A man facing domestic abuse charges in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court cut his court-ordered ankle monitor Tuesday and is on the run, authorities said.

Calvin Beasley, 39, is facing counts of domestic abuse battery, domestic abuse aggravated assault and possession of a ﬁrearm or weapon by a felon. He is considered dangerous, ac-

RULING

Continued from page 1B

the matter later

The controversy

At issue is the 2% of school-dedicated property taxes the city collects as a service fee, a practice the School Board says is illegal. The aborted settlement agreement would have ended that practice.

The deal also called for the city to pay $90 million over a decade, including two lump sum payments of $10 million apiece The ﬁrst payment was included in this year’s budget, while the second has not been budgeted.

But a controversy blew up when Cantrell said in February that she had never agreed to the settlement, which her top deputy, Chief Administrative Officer Gilbert Montaño, had helped negotiate and had publicly announced in November Cantrell’s finance director, Romy Samuel, also said the city cannot afford to pay the schools in part because it is weathering a fiscal crisis. The board and the council then sought to enforce the deal in court. Their attorneys have argued that Montaño was authorized to sign off on the settlement, and that Cantrell ratified it by signing the city budget ordinance. They pointed to email exchanges with the City Attorney’s Office showing that a cooperative endeavor agreement codifying the terms was in its final stages by the time Cantrell came out against it.

But Sheppard on Wednesday said no deal was signed or approved by the mayor. And the notion that a budget ordinance could be equated with a ratified settlement agreement, she said, is “clearly erroneous.”

The judge said the city’s budget — and the $10 million payout — is legally binding, however On Wednesday Montaño, offering assurance that the city would pay the $10

Continued from page 1B

health care experts said Medicaid fraud doesn’t exist at that scale and predicted millions of people would lose their health care under the Republican plan.

“If that premise is correct, that would suggest the entire agency and everyone who uses Medicaid are fraudsters,” Carter said during the event, which was part of the House Democrats’ Medicaid Day of Action. “You tell me you have to find $880 billion in cuts it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to ﬁgure out where it has to come from.” Avegno, former Louisiana Department of Health Secretary Dr Rebekah Gee and Shondra Williams, a nurse and president and CEO of InclusivCare, comprised a panel of health care experts assembled to

New Orleans Area Deaths

cording to the Association of Supervised Ankle-monitoring Providers. Beasley’s last recorded location was in the 2000 block of Bienville Street in New Orleans, and he was seen leaving the area in a Saturn Outlook XR, according to ASAP Beasley’s ankle monitor was deactivated Tuesday at around 3 p.m

Email Marco Cartolano at Marco.Cartolano@ theadvocate.com

million, said Samuel had presented incomplete information about the city’s ﬁnances.

“We all have a monthly set of bills, and typically we receive two paychecks. At the presentation, what was displayed was all of our bills, but only one of our paychecks,” Montaño said of Samuel’s February presentation to the council on the city’s budget Accounting fees

Meanwhile, the council’s Governmental Affairs Committee on Wednesday backed a proposal to end the collection fees entirely The city has collected about $11 million annually from the School Board under its current policy

The fees are “one of the real linchpins of the settlement,” said District A council member Joe Giarrusso, who led the initial settlement discussions. “And if we’re at a position where we’re saying this should no longer be on the table, then hopefully it pushes the boards to settle.”

Cantrell’s ofﬁce did not return a request for comment, but the city’s legal argument in favor of the fees has hinged on a state law that allows New Orleans to keep up to 2% what it collects from the board and other agencies. Given the state law, its unclear if a council ordinance barring the fees would hold up in court.

The ruling and the proposed fee ban comes as the School Board has been grappling with a $50 million deﬁcit caused by a tax revenue projection error of its own making

On Tuesday, before the ruling, board members advanced a plan that would use the school district’s reserves to cover about half of the deficit. Board members also voted to replenish the reserves with the two $10 million payments, though only one is now coming.

Staff writer Marie Fazio contributed to this story

Email Ben Myers at bmyers@theadvocate com.

address the public at the event. It was part of a coordinated nationwide initiative to mobilize public opposition against proposed Republican budget cuts that could signiﬁcantly reduce Medicaid funding For two hours, the three doctors addressed a crowd of nearly 200 people at a Dillard University town hall and took questions about “the notion that we can unilaterally take to Medicaid with a chain saw,” Carter said, sharing numbers, experiences and personal histories. Williams, who holds a doctorate in nursing, credited community health care for her success, after being born in Charity Hospital to a 16-year-old single mother.

Two-thirds of Louisiana’s births are financed by Medicaid Avegno said as are 75% of nursing home beds. She pointed out that access to preventive care saves health care costs and lives One in two children in America, and one in ﬁve women have Medicaid, Gee said.

“In the richest country on Earth, we shouldn’t deny health care,” Gee said

O'Brien, Frances

Bonneé, Janet Robinson FH

Bonneé, Janet Mary

Davis, John

Fernandez, Patricia

Hubsch, Olga

Kelson, Gloria

Kouloubis, John

LaGrange, Hunter

Landry Sr., Steven

Langley, Betty

LeBlanc, Cindy

Lewis, Roosevelt

Lumas, Sylvia

Mitchell, Eddy

Moorman, William

O'Brien, Frances

Brown, and Lois Gipson; grandparents: George and Ingel Wison, and Leona Hardy Brown and Lem Brown. Relatives and friends of the family are in‐vited to attend the celebra‐tion of life service which will be held on March 22 at St. Paul Baptist Church, lo‐cated at 1509 Monroe Street, Gretna, La., 70053 The visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m., and the service will begin at 10 a.m. Rev Dr. Orin Grant ofﬁciating and interment will be pri‐vate. Funeral planning en‐trusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home 9611 LA-23 Belle Chasse, La 70037 (504) 208-2119. For online condolences, please visit www robinsonfamilyfuner alhome com.

Causey, Keenan Raymond

Brown, Deborah Brown, Deborah Causey, Keenan Williams, Leonard Dabney,Antionette Obituaries Davis, Donna Davis, Donna Marie Dorsey Donna Marie Dorsey Davis entered eternal rest on Sunday, February 23 2025, at the age of 65. She was a native and resident of New Orleans, LA Donna was a graduate of John Ehret High School and De‐lagado Community Col‐lege. She was retired ad‐ministrator with Fehl Price Academy in Beaumont TX Beloved mother of Kendra M Watson and

Payton Jr., Lovell

Picou, Janice

Pierre, Charles

Powell, Olga

Ratcliff, Doris

Scott, Merteal

Sison, Joyce

Weary, Sherman

White Sr.,Alonzo

Wilkins, Leatrice

Williams, Carolyn

Williams, Leonard

Janet Mary Bonneé en‐tered into eternal rest on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at age 88. Janet is survived by her ﬁve daughters, Monique Black Jeanique (Lynell, Sr.) Desdunes, An‐nette Bonneé, Lynette Bonneé, Jeanette (Jeffrey) Lopez; three sons Peter (Chanel) Bonneé III, Perry Bonneé, and Phillip Bonneé, 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; brother Ernest Berniard Jr., sisters, Lynn West and Patricia Berniard as well as a host of other relatives and friends A Mass of Christian Burial honoring the life of the late Janet Mary Bonneé will be held at St Martin de Porres Catholic Church, 5621 Elysian Fields Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70122 on Satur‐day, March 22, 2025 at 11 a.m Visitation begins at 9 a.m in the church Private interment: St Louis Ceme‐tery No. 3, New Orleans, LA

Williams Sr., Willie Brown, Deborah

Zardies, Denise E Jefferson Garden of Memories

LeBlanc, Cindy New Orleans

Boyd Family

Dabney,Antionette

Williams Sr., Willie Charbonnet

Bonneé, Janet

Davis, John

Kelson, Gloria

Lumas, Sylvia Payton Jr., Lovell

Pierre, Charles

Zardies, Denise

DW Rhodes

Ratcliff, Doris

Williams, Carolyn

Gertrude Geddes

Lewis, Roosevelt Mitchell, Eddy

Greenwood

Moorman, William Powell, Olga

Lake Lawn Metairie

Kouloubis, John

Sison, Joyce

Little John FH

White Sr.,Alonzo

Majestic Mortuary

Causey, Keenan

Picou, Janice

River Parish

HC Alexander

Langley, Betty Robottom

LaGrange, Hunter West Bank

Davis Mortuary

Davis, Donna

Landry Sr., Steven

Weary, Sherman

God called his servant, Deborah Lee Brown to her heavenly home on Monday, March 3 2025, at the age of 74. Deborah was born on August 3, 1950, to the union of Moses M. Brown, Sr. and Jessie Mae Davis Brown Sis Deborah was educated in the Jefferson Parish School System She was employed with the Louisiana Metro State School as a supervisor until her retirement in 2005. Deborah continued her career with Crossroads until 2021. One of her greatest joys in life was coaching the Mc‐Donoghville Girls Softball Team for ten years. Debra as she was affectionately known, accepted Christ at an early age and was bap‐tized at St Paul Missionary Baptist Church by the late Rev Paul Payne She con‐tinued to serve under the late Rev. Eugene J Robert‐son until his demise and thereafter served under Rev Dr Orin D Grant, Sr Sis Debra was a member of the Senior Choir where she served as Treasurer, Senior Saints Ministry and the Women's Ministry serv‐ing as Chairperson of many Women's Day Pro‐grams Her quiet spirit did not stop her from being a willing worker for Sis Deb‐orah did not have any nick‐names other than Debra Lee (by few cousins) Sis Debra always said the only name she wanted to be called when the time came was "Servant of God" In her home-going she leaves to mourn and cherish her loving memories, her chil‐dren: Chantrice Monique Ricard and Duane Jesse (Geneva) Ricard; grandchil‐dren: Devine, Zamirah ly‐onna, Robert, Montee, Kinslee, Jesse and Xavier; Siblings: Moses Montee Brown, Jr. Louis Edward Brown, Sr., Rev. Kenneth Obbie (Kathy) Brown, Keith Anthony Brown, and Dedryl Marie Brown, Alton (Phyl‐lis) Wilson, and Dr. Jacque‐line Clark; aunts: Gladys Johnson, Angel Brooks, Au‐drey Collins; uncle: Major (Annette) Wilson; special friends: Rachel Gray, Yvette Mattox- Singelton and Shirley Custard. She also leaves to cherish her loving memory a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends Sis Debra was preceded in death by her parents: Moses M Brown, Sr., and Jessie Mae Davis Brown; siblings: Daisy, Moses Brown, and Lois Gipson; grandparents: George and Ingel Wison, and Leona Hardy Brown and Lem Brown. Relatives and friends of the family are in‐vited to attend the celebra‐tion of life service which

Keenan Raymond Causey entered into rest on Monday, February 24 2025. Keenan was born and raised in New Orleans, La He was the grandson to Florence Causey, Lenard Banks and the late Willie Causey and Annie D Quinn Keenan was a loving hus‐band, father, son, brother and grandfather He was a very giving, outgoing, well respected and funny per‐son Keenan brought so much joy to everyone who knew him. He was a huge fan of fashion, he loved to dress to impress. Music was his comfort zone and he had so much passion behind it. He had a smile that would light up any room he walked in to He was very big on family and being there for everyone in any way that he can He al‐ways put others before himself. Keenan is survived by his mother Lillie Causey and father Keenan Banks His wife of 6 years Shan‐non Cooper-Causey Kids Keenan and Miracle Causey. Stepkids Kyi’Ra, Joel, Kayla Jaydan and Jayveon Franklin. Grandson Kayjé Franklin. Siblings Carlene Causey, Keenya Banks Keenada Jones Kentrell Banks. Along with a host of aunts, uncles cousins and friends Keenan has joined his sib‐lings Keenan Baham Lashawn, Donetta and Earnest Causey. Keenan will forever be loved and missed by so many Rela‐tives and friends of the family are all invited to at‐tend the Funeral Service on Friday March 21, 2025 at Calvary Tabernacle C.M.E Church, 3629 Dryades St , New Orleans, LA 70115. Vis‐itation will begin at 10:00 am. Service starts at 11:00 am. Burial will be private Professional arrangements entrusted to Majestic Mor‐tuary Service Inc. (504) 523-5872.

Antionette “Toni” Dab‐ney was born June 21, 1962 to the union of Robert & Mildred Dabney Jr in New Orleans, LA. On Sunday March 9 2025, the Lord looked down upon An‐toinette and called the spirit of our loved one home to rest. Antionette passed at the age of 62 years old She leaves to cherish her husband Rickey G. Myles, one daughter; Ashley PerkinsKelly, stepson; Rickey Myles six grandchildren; Niah Myers, Geneya Brown, Sternesha Tillman, Landyn Hudson, Liam and Noah Perkins, three sisters; Ed‐wina King-Reaux (Leon) Sherry Taylor, Gwendolyn Dabney (Rudy), two broth‐ers; Walter Augustine (Lor‐raine) of Homa LA Micheal Augustine, one godchild Kawana Ford Antionette is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews other rel‐atives, and friends. Family and friends are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, March 22, 2025, for 10:00 a.m at The Boyd Family Fu‐neral Home, 5001 Chef Menteur Hwy.,

Mae Brown, Carolyn Dunn, Rita Mae Dorsey and Ernest “Sunny Boy” Dorsey, Jr. also survived by 10 grandchildren, 7 greatgrandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins other relatives and friends Relatives and friends of the family are in‐vited to attend the Cele‐bration of Life at Davis Mortuary Service 230 Mon‐roe St., Gretna, LA on Fri‐day March 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m Visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m at the above-named parlor Inter‐ment: Will be private Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service, 230 Mon‐roe St. Gretna LA To view and sign the guestbook please go to davismortu‐aryservice.com. Face masks are recommended

Davis, John

John Davis, age 77, a beloved father brother grandfather, and friend was called peacefully to his heavenly home by God surrounded by family on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 John was born on Decem‐ber 7, 1947 to the late Robert, Sr. and Mildred Davis He leaves to cherish his memories, his former wife, Elaine H. Davis and their children, Kim (Charles Jr.) Livingston, and Ter‐rence (Katie) Davis; his companion Lisa Smith; grandchildren, Taylor M Allen and Kennedy T Davis; siblings, Eric (Lenette) Jupiter of Houston TX Robert (Shirldene) Davis, Jr. of Greensboro, NC, and his twin Johnetter Hall He also survived by his nephews Derek Batiste Michael (Jonique) Hall, Darin (Mallory) Carter Robert III (Ilyasah) Davis; niece Shirlene Parker; two sisters-in-law, Carol H Carter and Mary H (Nathan) Carter; two brothers-in-law, Andrew J (Barbara) Hogan, and Calvin L. (Sheila) Hogan; goddaughter Terrolyn P Carter, and a host of other relatives and friends Fam‐ily and friends are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service honoring the life of John Davis at The City of Love Church, 8601 Palmetto St., New Or‐leans, LA 70118 on Friday March 21, 2025 at 11:00 am. Visitation at 10:00 am. Bishop Lester Love,

Carter

Lee

Dabney, Antionette 'Toni'

4B ✦ Thursday,March20,2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ TheTimes-Picayune

ily and friends are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service honoring the life of John Davis at The City of Love Church 8601 Palmetto St., New Or‐leans LA 70118 on Friday March 21, 2025 at 11:00 am Visitation at 10:00 am Bishop Lester Love, Ofﬁci‐ating. Interment: Private Please sign the online guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504) 581-4411.

Fernandez, Patricia Jane White 'PJ' Patricia Jane (PJ) White Fernandez,age 87, passed away on March 13, 2025. She was the wife of the late Wesley James Fernandez,MD. Motherof Lisa Fernandez Cookmeyer, David Fernandez and Christopher Fernandez.Mother-in-law of Perry L. Cookmeyer and Stacie Butcher Fernandez. Grandmother of Samantha Fernandez Teer, Eric Cookmeyer, Evann Cookmeyer and Stephanie Fernandez. Great-grandmother of Kerri Thompson and Ellis Cookmeyer. Sister of the late Irven James (Jimmy) White, Jr Daughter of the late Irven James White, Sr., and Irma (Pat) Rosemary Garvey White. Amemorial service will be held Thursday, April 3, 2025, at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Mandeville, Louisiana. Visitation from 10 a.m.; Mass at 11:30 a.m. Aprivate burial will be held in Roads, Co. Kerry, Ireland. Donations may be madeto Breakthrough T1D at type1strong.org in memory of PJ. To sign and view the Family Guestbook,please visit bagnellfuneralhome.com.

Hubsch, Olga Larrieu

On January 18, 2025, Olga Larrieu Hubsch passed away peacefully in Fort Worth, Texas. Five months earlier, she had enjoyed alovely 100th birthday celebration with her three daughters, Judy, Peggy, and Melanie, their families, her two sisters, and her many beloved nieces, nephews, and friends Born in New Orleans, she was the eldest of seven children with whom she treasured aclose relationship. She lived the first 60 years of her life there After the death of her husband, Edward Albert Hubsch, Jr., she moved to Ponchatoula where she lived for the next 40 years. She was afavorite volunteer at North Oaks Medical Center for 25 years. In her spare time, she liked to hunt for antiques, refinish furniture, travel, and spend time with her family. Although she will be greatly missed by all who adored her, she left countless, cherished memories. Her Celebration of Life will be at Trinity Baptist Church at 10 AM, Saturday, March 22 followed by a graveyard burial. 42062 Pumpkin Center Road Hammond, LA. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Baptist Church or your favorite charity.

Gloria A. Kelson de‐parted this earthly life on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 She was born May 23, 1941 to Everlena Smith and Her‐man Davenport Mrs. Kel‐son was married to the late Rev. Wilmer Kelson for 33 years. She was a mem‐ber of James Chapel Bap‐tist Church in New Orleans, LA prior to Hurricane Kat‐rina and later she became an active member of First Emmanuel Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, LA. Gloria was employed with the Of‐ﬁce of Community Ser‐vices/State of Louisiana for 33 years, where she re‐tired She participated ac‐tively with the OES and served as a Worthy Ma‐tron. She leaves to cherish precious memories, daugh‐ter, Crystal K Williams; son Dwight W Arceneaux; siblings, Tyronne Smith, Sr. Greta Dixon and Gynne Smith; one grandson, two great-granddaughters, two Godchildren, a host of other loving relatives and special friends. A Celebra‐tion service honoring the life and legacy of the late Gloria A Kelson will be held in the Chapel of Char‐bonnet Labat Glapion Fu‐neral Home, 1615 St Philip Street, New Orleans, LA 70116 on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10 am Inter‐ment at Greenwood Mau‐soleum Visitation at 9 am in the chapel. Please sign online guestbook at www

neral Home, 1615 St Philip Street New Orleans LA 70116 on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10 am Inter‐ment at Greenwood Mau‐soleum Visitation at 9 am in the chapel Please sign online guestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com Face mask and social distancing encouraged Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504)581 4411.

Kouloubis, John

John Kouloubiswas born on July 28, 1929 to Fotios Kouloubisand Konstantina Kouloubisin Patras, Greece. John passed peacefully from this life at age 95 yearsand 8months old on March 16, 2025 in his Metairie Louisiana home.John was the fourth of eight siblings. He is preceded in death by his parents, hissiblings Aristotelis (Aristos) Kouloubis, Christina Dagoglou, Susana (Susi) Giovani, Andriana Derekas, Demetrios Kouloubis, Alexios Kouloubis, and his grandson John Mailhes. He is survivedbyhis wifeof 71 years, Mary. Additional survivors include hissister Efstathia (Effie) Madouras; daughter Konstantina (Tina) KouloubisMailhes and her husband Kraig, daughter Katherine Kouloubis Williamson and her husband Adrian, daughter Eleni (Helen) Kouloubis Myers and her husband CharlesBuff; son Frank Fotios Kouloubisand his significant other Darlene Clausing; grandchildren Adrian Williamson IV and his wife Emily, Jonathan Kouloubis Williamson and hisfiancée Emily Ray, Alexander (Alex) Mailhes, Stephen Mailhes; and numerous nieces and nephews. John graduated from high school and joinedthe Greek Air Force in 1949. In 1953, while stationed in Biloxi, Mississippi Keesler Air Force base and also in Denver, Colorado, he met the love of his life, Mary Mariakis of New Orleans at the Greek Orthodox Church.They were married on October 31, 1953. Mary and John lived in Greece until he was discharged from the service.In1955 they moved back to New Orleans where John opened his own TV repair business. Johnstudied TV repairatthe GulfRadio School, a3-year program that he finishedin9 months because of hisextensive knowledge of electronics. Business boomed and John hiredtwo assistants in the first year.He proudly became aUScitizen in 1959. The family grew with Tina in 1960, Katherine in 1961, Helenin 1963, and Frankiein1965. In 1977 the familymoved from their Bell Streethome in New Orleansto4909 Sunny PlaceinMetairie. Johnwas very proud of the fact that he personally drew up plans and remodeledthe new extended den where they had lots of parties. John and Mary hada busy and enjoyable lifetogether. John was alongtime member of the Greek Orthodox community and memberofthe Ahepans and he servedinnumerous leadership roles there. The family took many trips back to Greece to stayconnectedwith hisrelatives there.John owned aboat and lovedtaking it out on Lake Pontchartrain. He also lovedplayingcards with all his friends and backgammon and participating in the Greek Festivals. Friends and family were the most important aspects of hislife.He deeply loved allhis children and grandchildren, and most especially he loved his wife, Mary. In his later years he treasured sitting next to his"sweetheart," holding herhand and reminiscing about the beautiful life that had together and all histrips to Greece to visit family. He leaves behind agreat legacy of family and friends who treasure hislifeand who miss himdearly. Family and friends are invited to attend visitation, Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 PontchartrainBlvd New Orleans, La from 10:00am until 12:00pm. At 12:30pm there will be afuneral service held at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, 1200 RobertE Lee Blvd. New Orleans, LA Entombment will follow at 1:45pm in St. Louis Cemetery No.3,New Orleans, LA. In lieuofflowers, donations may be made to Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. An on-

Entombment will follow at 1:45pminSt. Louis Cemetery No. 3, New Orleans, LA.Inlieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy TrinityGreek Orthodox Church. An online guestbook is available at www.lakelawnmetairie. com.

LaGrange, Hunter Steven

Hunter Steven LaGrange on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 in Baton Rouge, LA Son of Tajuana and Harold LaGrange. Brother of Holden W. LaGrange. Grandson of Steven and Elvina LaGrange, thelate Walter and Emelda Wright Also survived by ahost of aunts, uncles, cousins, other relatives and friends. Age 22 years. Anativeand aresident of Hahnville, LA Relatives and friends of the family also pastors, officers and members of St Matthew Baptist Church and all neighboring churches are invited to attend the funeral service at St Matthew Baptist Church, 604 ES Johnson Street,New Sarpy, LA on Friday, March 21, 2025 at 11:00 AM. Bishop Otis Kenner, Pastor of Fresh Faith Baptist Church, New Sarpy, LA, Officiating. Interment Holy Rosary Cemetery, Taft, LA Visitation at the above named church from 9:00 AM until service time. ROBOTTOM MORTUARY

Steven Landry, Sr. en‐tered eternal rest on Mon‐day March 3, 2025, at the age of 49. He was a native of Marrero LA and a resi‐dent of Orange County, TX Steven was educated in the Jefferson Parish Public School System and he re‐ceived a certification in culinary arts at Little Rock Arkansas Job Corp Beloved husband of Valarie Conway Landry. Loving fa‐ther of Steven Landry, Jr , Ramonte’ Jarrel and Khaleen Johnson, Brittany, Britchel, Gregory and Braneka Williams. Son of the late Charles A. Jones and Patricia A. Landry Brother of Perry and Charles Landry, Charles A Jones, Jr., Isaac Brumfield, Sr. Lisa L Cole Estelle Jones Robinson, and Rene'ta Eskinde, also sur‐vived by 8 grandchildren, 2 goddaughters, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins other relatives and friends Relatives and friends of the family also pastors, officers, and members of Ecclesia Fam‐ily Church Hosanna Fel‐lowship Church of Gretna, Progressive Ministries and neighboring churches are invited to attend the Cele‐bration of Life at Davis Mortuary Service 6820 Westbank Expressway, Marrero, LA on Friday March 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m Pastor Garin James of‐ficiating Visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m at the above-named parlor Inter‐ment: Will be private Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service, 230 Mon‐roe St. Gretna LA To view and sign the guestbook please go to davismortu‐aryservice.com. Face masks are recommended

home she built with her late husband, Herschel Michael Langley. She leaves behind her daugh‐ter, Shawn Louise Taunton her son, David Michael Langley her daughter-inlaw, Suzette Lenora Lang‐ley and her seven grand‐children and three greatgrandchildren who she al‐ways referred to as, "my precious loves." Love and a zest for life is the legacy of Betty She had a beautiful love story with her soul mate, Herschel They met in Golden Meadow, and she jumped at the opportunity to date him because he was the only man she'd ever met who was taller than her. They eloped be‐fore he went away to war And when he safely re‐turned to her, they built the house of their dreams together where they raised their two children They ﬁlled their home with beautiful memories of dancing in the kitchen, hunting ﬁshing shooting competitions, ski trips dur‐ing Mardi Gras, and their infamous pranks. Soon enough, their home heard the pitter-patter of grand‐children galloping through the halls with Betty and Herschel in the lead Betty loved to take her grand‐children on adventures to the zoo, aquarium and any other place they could ex‐plore And that devotion carried on to her greatgrandchildren She was also a devoted paraprofes‐sional educator and teacher She loved her work and students, and es‐pecially her colleagues that were just as important to her as family One of her favorite pastimes was to meet her friends at Dots diner for coffee and con‐versation or on her patio that overlooked her beauti‐ful garden and backyard She loved to cook and bake for her family and friends There was nothing she treasured more than her loved ones gathered around her eating good food and drinking good wine. Betty had the biggest heart She always ex‐pressed her deep love through tender words, pas‐sionate hugs and cheek kisses. No one could ever doubt her love for them. A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday March 22 2025, at 11 a.m. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Luling, LA Visitation will begin at 9 a.m.

Cindy G LeBlanc of Metairie, La entered the Gates of Heaven peacefully on Tuesday March 11, 2025 greeted by her husband Gerry along with Shuggie Her daughter son-in-law and grandchildren, were by her side at home during her time of passing. She was born on December 15 1948 in New Orleans, raised in Metairie where she de‐voted much of her time to the yearly fair at St. Ed‐ward the Confessor School during her children’s atten‐dance and alongside her husband’s many years of service to the school Cindy’s passion for fire‐works followed her parents desire to build a successful firework’s import company in Gretna, La She also owned and operated sev‐eral fireworks locations in Gretna for over 50 years in addition to owning South‐ern Imports for a period of time. For many years Cindy also enjoyed spend‐ing Mardi Gras day with her children, grandchil‐dren, and friends riding in the truck parades in New Orleans and Metairie She was also proud of and loved her husband, her children, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, and five grandchildren Cindy was predeceased by her hus‐band, Gerry LeBlanc and parents Max and Mary Gritzman She is survived by her daughter Melissa Jones and her husband Danny, son, Gerard LeBlanc and wife Abby grandchil‐dren, Sarah, Ashley, Max, Emma, Cole, sister, Doris Buchman and husband Fred and nieces Denise, Katie nephews Ted, Kevin and their children Visita‐tion will be held on Friday March 21, 2025 at Garden of Memories Metairie Fu‐neral Home, 4900 Airline Dr. Metairie LA 70001. Vis‐itation will begin at 12:00 PM with a mass at 2:00 PM Inurnment will take place at a later date at Lake Lawn Metairie Cemetery The family would like to thank Denise Costa Cindy’s niece and God child for traveling in to help out during this diffi‐cult time Auntie knew you were there to support her and we know it meant a lot. In addition we would like to also thank Dr. Tyler

ece child for traveling in to help out during this difﬁ‐cult time, Auntie knew you were there to support her and we know it meant a lot In addition, we would like to also thank Dr Tyler Baker and his entire staff on continuing to check on Cindy and Melissa during Cindy’s illness and helping the family navigate a chal‐lenging time Arrange‐ments are entrusted to Garden of Memories Metairie Funeral Home of Metairie, La.

Roosevelt Lewis age 65 was born on September 26, 1959 in New Orleans, LA. He departed this life on Wednesday, March 5 2025 He was educated in the New Orleans School Sys‐tem He was also a Domes‐tic Engineer for St. Augus‐tine High School until his retirement. Roosevelt was the loving father of Roo‐sevelt Molett. Beloved son of Velma Lewis. Devoted brother of Lloyd Lewis, Clarence Lewis and Kath‐leen Gilbert He was also survived by 3 grandchil‐dren and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends Roosevelt was preceded in death by his siblings Katherine Gilbert Charles and Joseph Lewis Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Ser‐vice on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at Gertrude Geddes Willis Funeral Home, 2120 Jackson Avenue, 2120 Jack‐son Avenue New Orleans LA 70113 at 12:30 pm. Visi‐tation from 11:30 a.m until 12:30 pm. Private Burial You may sign the guest book on http://www ger trudegeddeswillis com. Gertrude Geddes Willis Fu‐neral Home Inc. in charge (504) 522-2525.

Sylvia Rose Lumas passed in the comfort of her own home of natural causes on Thursday, Febru‐ary 27, 2025. Wife of Emile J Lumas, Jr. Mother of Toya Plustache and Dane Lumas Mother-in-law of Daniel Plustache Grand‐mother of Daniel A. and Jonathan P. Plustache Kevin Lumas Also survived by eight great-grandchil‐dren, a host of other rela‐tives and friends A Mass of Christian burial honor‐ing the life and legacy of the late Sylvia Rose Lumas will be held at St. Martin De Porres Catholic Church (Transﬁguration), 5621 Elysian Fields Avenue New Orleans, LA 70122 on Fri‐day March 21, 2025 at 11 am. Interment Mount Olivet Cemetery. Visitation 10 am - 10:45 am. Eulogy 10:45 am - 11 am Please! No ﬂowers Family request Memorial Mass Enrollment or donations to St. Jude, prayers Please sign online guestbook at www cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com Due to Covid pandemic face mask and social dis‐tancing advised Charbon‐net Labat Glapion, Direc‐tors (504) 581-4411.

Wy Mar5 2025. He was a native of Kaplan, LA and a resident of New Orleans, LA He attended Herod High School in Abbeville, LA where his youthful spirit and innate wisdom were already evi‐dent. Shortly after leaving school, Eddy ventured to New Orleans, where he began working at Charity Hospital, a testament to his innate desire to help others He also worked at Acme Welding Company as well as several trucking and construction compa‐nies. Eddy was a man of many passions. He adored cars, was a huge sports fan, found solace in the company of animals-espe‐cially his pony, Danny Boyand lived his faith as a de‐voted member of Star of Bethel Baptist Church in New Orleans, LA. He was a devoted member of the Ambassador Social and Pleasure Club for a number of years. Eddy was a longtime member of the Jugs Social Club Inc. where he reigned as King Nomtoc XXIII in 1992 and looked forward to the annual balls until his health failed him Eddy, ever the entrepre‐neur, opened 'Cozy,' his beloved bar where he con‐tinued his reign as king entertaining visitors with his wit and tales Even in his later years he defied age and embraced technol‐ogy sending hundreds of inspiring and uplifting text messages each day, a cherished blessing to all who received them. Eddy's life is a testament to courage generosity and the enduring power of love He faced adversity with unwavering strength shared his blessings with open hands, and cherished the bonds of family and friendship above all else He defied doctors and lived years longer than they pre‐dicted. He will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him Eddy was the devoted fa‐ther of Tanya Darensburg (Dwyane) and Traci Mitchell Austin (Roy); grandchildren, Dwyane Darensburg Jr. Laci Darensburg, Trey Austin and Peyton Austin; sib‐lings, Joyce Reaux, Love‐less Mitchell (Annette) Mary Eaton (Walter), Iris Simmons, Amy Clanton (William), Peter Mitchell (Billie), Alan Mitchell and Helen Hebert; great-grand‐son, Demauri Dwyane Darensburg; brother-in-law (Nelson Mitchell); and a host of nieces, nephews cousins, friends and friends He was preceded in death by his parents, Douglas and Isabell Mitchell, sisters, Clara Thomas, Rutha Mae Mitchell, Josephine Gilbert Shirley Bernard, and broth‐ers Douglas Mitchell Jr and Parnell Mitchell Sr Relatives and friends of the family, also Pastors, offi‐cers and members of Star of Bethel B.C and Liberty In Christ Christian Church; employees of EEOC and Robert Fresh Market; mem‐bers of the Jugs Social Club, Inc., Krewe of NOM‐TOC and Cozy’s are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service on Saturday March 22, 2025 at Star of Bethel Baptist Church 2217 Harmony Street, New Or‐leans LA 70115 at 10:00 a.m Visitation and Final Viewing from 9:00 a.m until 10:00 a.m Interment Lake Lawn Metairie Ceme‐tery, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124. You may sign the guest book on www ger trudegeddeswillis com. Gertrude Geddes Willis Fu‐neral Home, Inc in charge (504) 522-2525.

Lewis, Roosevelt

Landry Sr., Steven

Lumas, Sylvia Rose

LeBlanc, Cindy G

Kelson, Gloria A.

Moorman, William

Langley, Betty Ann

for 54 years and was pas‐sionate about his work, family and friends. He loved spending time with friends and family tinker‐ing on metal and wood projects listening to music, watching westerns, and learning about history When his wife, Toni, fell ill he took care of her, self‐lessly, for 15 years until her passing. He will be missed by all. He is pre‐ceded in death by his par‐ents and wife Toni Marie Moorman He is survived by brothers, Rodney Moor‐man and Michael (Judy) Moorman; children, William A. (Liz) Moorman, Connie (Eric) Jacobs, and Tiffany (Steven) Neill; niece, Kristy (Jared) Barcia; nephew, Rodney Moorman; and special friends, Nancy Ford and Tatiana Badely Family and friends are in‐vited to attend a visitation at 9:00 am on Friday, March 21, 2025, at Greenwood Fu‐neral Home, 5200 Canal Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124, with a mass at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at Greenwood Cemetery For condolences, visit www greenwoodfh com.

Frances Euvino O’Brien entered into eternal rest on Sunday, March 16, 2025 at the age of 93 at Touro Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana She was born to the late Leah Cheramie Eu‐vino and Joseph Euvino She was the beloved wife of the late Edward “Eddie John O’Brien, Sr. for 56 years She is survived by her three children who dearly loved, respected admired and adored her, Vicki P O’Brien, Edward Eddie” J O’Brien, Jr. and Patti Jo O’Brien (Ken The‐riot) Her greatest joys were her grandson, Edward Doogie” J O’Brien, III and her granddaughter, Frances Isabella O’Brien (Orlando Ortiz). She is the sister of JoAnn Green (the late Paul Green, Sr.) Frances is preceded in death by her siblings, Joseph “Bubba” Euvino (Loucille) Rosemary Rink (John), Donald “Dooley” Euvino (Barbara) and Deanna Williams (Lawrence); her mother-inlaw, Mary O’Brien; her fa‐ther-in-law William O’Brien and her brothers-in-law, William B. O’Brien (Marie) and Charles O’Brien (Alyce). Frances is also sur‐vived by many nieces nephews, great nieces and great nephews whom she loved dearly. Frances was the Office Manager for over 50 years for Doctors Agamy Kistler, Orestano Konrad, Grant, Murphy and Shanableh. She was a de‐voted woman to her Catholic Faith proving this by being a lifetime Parish‐ioner of Immaculate Con‐ception Catholic Church serving her church com‐munity as a Lector, Ladies Altar Society Member, Money Counter and KC Council 4222 Ladies Auxil‐iary Member. In the KC Ladies Auxiliary, she served as President and various other Offices and Committee positions. She was also a member and volunteer of West Jefferson General Hospital Ladies Auxiliary and a Member of the Italian American Soci‐ety where she always served to the best of her ability. Frances loved bak‐ing She was famous for baking all types of Italian Cookies and Angel Food Cakes She was an avid and loving LSU Football Fan holding season tickets for well over 60 years. She also loved traveling taking a ride and shopping (She loved Uncle Clearance) Frances always gave her all to her family, church and to all community services and hobbies. The family would like to thank her guardian angel, Theia Ann Creppel (Tutti) for her un‐failing love, dedication, and care. We would also like to thank her many other caretakers, espe‐cially Peggy Creppel and Newanda Joshua The fam‐ily would also like to thank Touro Hospital for their kindness and compassion Family and friends are in‐vited to attend the Visita‐tion at Immaculate Con‐ception Catholic Church 4401 7th Street, Marrero, Louisiana on Friday, March 21, 2025 beginning at 9:30 a.m The Rosary will be re‐cited at 10:30 a.m Eulogies and Words of Remem‐brance will begin at 12 noon followed by a Funeral Mass at 12:30 p.m A Pri‐vate Interment will be held at a later date Mothe Fu‐neral Home is assisting the family during this difficult time. The family invites you to share your thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at www mothefunerals com.

ner Home as family during this difﬁcult time The family invites you to share your thoughts fond memories, and condolences online at www mothefunerals com.

Payton Jr., Lovell 'Brother'

Lovell Payton Jr., affec‐tionately known as “Brother", departed this earthly life on February 27 2025, surrounded by his loving family Born on Oc‐tober 17, 1953, to Bertha Payton and the late Lovell Payton Sr. Lovell’s legacy is one of dedication, love, and exceptional musical talent Brother was edu‐cated in the Orleans Parish School System and gradu‐ated from Francis T Nicholls High School in 1972. He worked as a Night Watchman for Boh Bros Construction Company for over 30 years before retir‐ing in 2007. Brother, a selftaught multi-instrumental‐ist was a dedicated mem‐ber of 5th Church of God in Christ, where he served as a church guitarist/musi‐cian for the praise team His love for family, music, and his unparalleled talent touched the lives of many, and his inﬂuence on those who knew him will forever live on Brother was a de‐voted husband to Shirley Fisher Payton for 47 years He was a loving and proud father to Lovell Payton III (Antanik) and Niyoka Pay‐ton James (Ron Sr.) and a doting grandfather to eight grandchildren He is also survived by his cherished siblings, Darryl Payton (Linda) Evelyn Adams Sandra Williams (Stanley), Terri Bracey (Kent) and Pamela Ganier (Donald), along with a host of nieces nephews, and numerous loving relatives and friends Brother was pre‐ceded in death by his fa‐ther, Lovell Payton Sr and his sisters, Regina Payton and Roslyn Payton. Rela‐tives and friends of the family as well as members of Macedonia Church of God in Christ 5th Church of God in Christ, former band members, classmates, and employees of Boh Bros Construction Company, are invited to attend the Cele‐bration of Life for Lovell Brother” Payton Jr. at 5th Church of God in Christ, 3007 Law St New Orleans LA 70117on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m Visitation at 9:00 a.m Interment Salvation Church Cemetery, 61562 LA-1091, Pearl River, LA 70452. Please sign the on‐line guestbook at www cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com Charbonnet Labat Glapion Directors (504) 581-4411.

Picou, Janice Ellen Dwight

Janice Ellen Dwight Picou entered into rest on Friday February 28, 2025 She was born September 12, 1924 in New Orleans Louisiana to the union of Osborne and Mary (Smith) Dwight. Being born the 2nd child of four daughters. As a child she was given the nickname of “TuTu” or sometimes known as Ellen by her favorite cousins Janice attended Paul L Dunbar Elementary School, J.J Hoffman Middle School and McDonogh 35 High School After marriage Jan‐ice became a devout Catholic She was a mem‐ber of St Joan of Arc Catholic Church for 80 years Janice was married for over 18 years and from that union there were ﬁve children Osborne Picou, Sr. set of twins: Jean and Joan, Alfred Jr. and Yvette She was employed at Dean's Gate sewing factory for over 30 years and re‐tired in 1990. Being a de‐voted daughter and sister, she was caretaker to her father Osborne and sister Rita for many years Janice hobbies were helping and caring for others she loved to cook and of course being in charge sewing cross stitching, reading the newspaper and her bible on a daily bases, playing Pokeno, and of course walking her favorite baby, her dog, "Cupcuke" Janice

to course being in charge, sewing, cross stitching reading the newspaper and her bible on a daily bases playing Pokeno, and of course walking her favorite baby her dog, "Cupcuke" Janice was very active in her church belonging to the Ladies Sodality, Knights of Peter Clavier Court 22 and the Women’s Ministry Jan‐ice was a member of Gay Orchids Social and Plea‐sure Club and the Thrifty Matrons Savings Pokeno Club, which was her fa‐vorite playing game. Janice was the Matriarch to our family She leaves behind a legacy of love and cher‐ished memories, carried on by her sister, Marion Dwight Stephens her lov‐ing children, Jean Goines, Alfred Picou Jr and Yvette Picou, devoted Grandchil‐dren: Ansanta Cole, John Goines, Jr., Osborne Picou, Jr., Tonia Hall, Alfred Picou, III, Brandi Paige, Adam Picou, Shannon Picou, Brit‐tney I. Wilkins Isreal Picou and Christopher Owens, I, 13 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews cousins, and friends She is preceded in death by her parents Os‐borne and Mary (Smith) Dwight, her children Os‐borne Picou, Sr and Joan Picou Paige, her two sis‐ters Rita Caldwell and Bar‐bara Boissiere, grand‐daughter Diondra Ann Picou and her great-grand‐daughter Alexis M Wheaton. A special thanks to her dear friends Joyce East, Janice Stewart, Ms Lee and her caretaker Gail Lee. Relatives and friends of the family are all invited to attend a Mass of Christ‐ian Burial on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at Blessed Sacrament/St Joan of Arc Church 8321 Burthe St New Orleans, LA 70118. Vis‐itation will begin at 8:30 am. Service will start at 10:00 am. Burial will be in Lakelawn Park Cemetery, 5454 Pontchartrain Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70124 Professional arrangements entrusted to Majestic Mor‐tuary Service, Inc. (504) 523-5872.

Pierre, Charles 'Charlie Chicken'

Charles "Charlie Chicken" Pierre, passed away at home on Tuesday March 11, 2025. Mr. Pierre was born on May 28, 1949 to the late Lucille Pierre and James Isaac He leaves to cherish precious memo‐ries, his loving wife of 18 years, Avrell Walker Pierre; one stepson; four daugh‐ters; twenty-one grandchil‐dren; five great grandchil‐dren; Mother in law; two sisters in law; two sisters and a host of nieces nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends Rela‐tives and friends; Pastor, officers and members of Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist and all neighboring churches; Staff of Compas‐sus Hospice, Ms. Selena w/Quality Services, Care and Development Health Services Orleans Parish Sewerage and Water Board are invited to attend the funeral. A Celebration ser‐vice honoring the life and legacy of the late Charles Pierre will be held at First Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, 2919 Sixth Street New Orleans LA 70115 on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 10 am Uyless D Landry, III, Officiating In‐terment Carrollton Ceme‐tery, 1701 Hillary Street, New Orleans, LA 70118. Vis‐itation from 9 am until 9 50 am in the church Please sign online guestbook at www charbonnetfuneralho me.com Face mask and social distancing encour‐aged Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504)581 4411.

Face mask and social distancing encour‐aged Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504)581 4411.

Powell, Olga Florence Falati

Olga “Tookie” Florence Falati Powell passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 5 at the age of 85 She was born and raised in the Irish Channel, a gradu‐ate of Redemptorist High School and a lifelong resi‐dent of New Orleans. Olga was the loving wife for 59 years of the late Morris “Moe” Powell Jr Everyone who knew her, knew she had a special needs daugh‐ter Annie, who she loved and cared for She was a priority in Olga’s life Olga enjoyed visits from her grandchildren and always had wonderful meals pre‐pared when they arrived She loved taking them shopping for new clothes or whatever they wanted Olga was involved in the Westbank Women’s Aglow and at one time held the ofﬁce of president. She also worked as a recep‐tionist in a dentist ofﬁce in Gretna for many years She resided in Oklahoma her last year of life near grand‐children and great-grand‐children Her beautiful smile and infectious laugh brought joy to everyone around her She was pre‐ceded in death by her par‐ents Olga Stromeyer Falati and Joseph Falati Sr. She is the sister of the late Joseph (the late Mary Lou) Falati Jr., Lois Ann Meyers, Richard (Connie) Falati and Regina “Jeannie (David) Falgoust. She is sis‐ter-in-law to Mildred Anne (the late Weldon “Wimpy”) Brechtel and the late Glen‐non “Silky” (Connie) Pow‐ell Olga was the mother of Caroline (Brent) Coussens of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Morris Powell III of New Orleans, the late Mark Powell, Ann Powell of New Orleans, and Patricia (Jay) Hymel of Frisco, Texas She was Mawmaw to: Jonathan (Janne) Coussens Stephanie (Caleb) Huene, Catherine (Austin) Mc‐Carter, Nicholas Hymel and eight great-grandchildren: Chloe, Joshua, Taylor, Cora, Cooper Carson, Lucy, and James A private family memorial will be held at Greenwood Cemetery in New Orleans.

y a eces nephews, extended family, and friends. A dedicated worker throughout her life, Doris was employed at Raintree Children’s Ser‐vices Touro Hospital Wal‐mart, Harrah’s Casino, and the Windsor Court Hotel She was also a devoted member of Ephesian Bap‐tist Church and First Dis‐trict Missionary Baptist As‐sociation, where her faith guided her in service to others Doris Holmes Rat‐cliff will be remembered for her kindness, strength and the love she shared with everyone who knew her Her spirit will live on in the hearts of those she touched A Christian Burial service will be held on Sat‐urday, March 22, 2025, at 10:00 a.m at Ephesian Bap‐tist Church 4020 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., New Orleans, LA. Visitation will begin at 8:00 am. Interment will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery, 4000 Norman Mayer Ave., New Orleans, LA. Following the inter‐ment, a repast will be held from 2:00 p.m to 5:00 p.m at KP Event Palace, 8700 Lake Forest Blvd Suite 102 New Orleans, LA. Arrange‐ments are entrusted to D.W Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave New Orleans, LA. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guest book at www rhodesfuneral com.

Merteal Elizabeth Scott, born September 26, 1947, and adevoted theologian, educator, and humanitarian, passed away on March 9, 2025, after alife marked by resilience and dedicated service to her faith and community. She married Kenneth Scott in 1967, raised three children,and served in various roles at Greater Macedonia Baptist Church and New Hope Baptist Church, later continuing her ministry in Houston at Brook Hollow Baptist Church. Sis. Scott is survived by her children, grandchildren,sister, goddaughters, and numerous other relatives.

Lee Weary

rest on Fri‐day, March 7, 2025, at the age of 62. He was a native of New Orleans, LA and a resident of Marrero, LA Sherman was a graduate of L B Landry High School and Louisiana Tech Univer‐sity. He was employed as an accountant for Ernest D

(Lee) Newell, Deandra Guy, Barry (Monique) Guy Troy Guy, and the late Benny Earl Weary. Brother-in-law

Ratcliff, Doris Holmes Doris Holmes Ratcliff, a cherished mother, grand‐mother, great-grand‐mother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on March 12, 2025, at the age of 94. A lifelong resident of New Orleans, LA, Doris was known for her warmth, re‐silience, and unwavering devotion to her family and faith She was preceded in death by her parents, Mer‐cedes Holmes and Delaney Holmes Sr.; her siblings, John Holmes Delaney Holmes Jr., Oliver Holmes, Preston Holmes, Mary Braud, Gloria Anderson, and Mercedes Schexnay‐der; her children, Stephen E Ratcliff Sr and Mark F Ratcliff; and her grandchil‐dren, Dwyne J Brown, De‐shawn Ratcliff, and Court‐ney Clair Doris leaves be‐hind a lasting legacy in her children, Shelia A. Brown and Karl M. Ratcliff (Glenda); her sisters, Ann White (late Alvin) and Cheryl Gilbert (Leonard); her 14 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren She will also be deeply missed by a host of nieces, nephews extended family and friends A dedicated worker throughout her life Doris was employed at Raintree Children’s Ser‐vices, Touro Hospital, Wal‐and otel ted ap‐Dis‐As‐aith to Rat‐ered gth, red new on in she urial at‐at ap‐rtin New will ent vet Cemetery, 4000 Norman Mayer Ave. New Orleans LA Following the inter‐ment, a repast will be held

Joyce Cacioppo Sison entered peacefully the gates of heaven on Monday, March17, 2025, at the age of 91. Born March 12, 1934. Joyce picked agreat day to go home, living on the parade route, St. Patrick's Day wasalways full of celebrations, parades, and family gatherings. Anative of Metairie anda resident of Chalmette Daughter of thelate Frances Cannatella Cacioppo and Gaspar "Johnny" Cacioppo. Wife of the late Frank Peter Sison devoted and loving mother to Beth S. Ganguly (Clayton), Karen S. Methvin,Lisa S. Anastasio (Charles), Mark John Sison. Grandmother of Joshua and Justin Ganguly, Melissa Methvin Franatovich(Justin), Matthew David Methvin and Ashley Anastasio DelCambre (Joshua). Loving great grandmother of Dylan, Cole, Liam, Mason, Aiden andLily. Sister of Peter Cacioppo, and the late John, Raymond, James, Paul Cacioppo andPatricia C. Mocklin. Joyce is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Relatives and friends are invited to attend Friday, 3:00pm. gin Lake Mausoleum. lences www.lakelawnmetairie.co m

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., Jugs Social Club Inc, and Krewe of NOMTOC are invited to at‐tend the Celebration of Life at Second Zion Baptist Church, 6520 Second Zion Ave Marrero LA on Friday March 21, 2025, at 10:00 a.m Bishop James Nelson Brown ofﬁciating Visita‐tion will begin at 8:30 a.m at the above-named church Interment: West‐lawn Cemetery-Gretna, LA Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service 230 Mon‐roe St., Gretna, LA To view and sign the guestbook please go to davismortu‐aryservice.com. Face masks are recommended

Minister Alonzo George White Sr entered eternal rest on March 9, 2025, at 40 Born December 9 1984, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Alonzo was a beloved son spouse, father, brother, uncle and friend whose love, compassion, and wis‐dom touched everyone he met Alonzo was Ashley Brumﬁeld's cherished companion and the loving son of Trosula GibsonWhite, Tyrus Micheal White Sr., and Freddie Martin As a devoted father he poured out his heart into raising his kids, Ericshay, Zoerion, Zariyah, Zamadje, and Alonzo Jr. His love ex‐tended t

'Tookie'

Weary, Sherman Lee

O’Brien, Frances Euvino

Scott, Elizabeth

Sison, Joyce Cacioppo

White Sr., Alonzo George

It is with indescribable sadness that we read of the death of Caleb Wilson, a 20-year-old Southern University student who died in an alleged fraternity hazing incident last month. In the aftermath, three men have been arrested on counts of felony hazing One also faces a count of manslaughter

The resolution of any criminal charges is a process properly left to the court system. But Wilson’s death highlights the fact that the laws under which these men may be charged have not eradicated the pernicious practice of hazing. We likely do not need to remind readers that state laws making hazing a felony were passed in 2018 after the tragic 2017 death of LSU student Maxwell Gruver, who died of alcohol poisoning while trying to pledge a fraternity Gruver’s death provoked a broad reckoning with the pervasive practice across Louisiana campuses

But laws are not the only attempt to address the problem. Southern University has strict anti-hazing policies, as does Omega Psi Phi, the fraternity Wilson was attempting to join. But none were sufﬁcient to prevent what happened to Caleb Wilson.

It’s not difﬁcult to see why hazing has continued. Few things create faster or stronger bonds between humans than a shared “ordeal.” In initiation rituals, these manufactured ordeals test and strengthen a recruit’s loyalty to the organization

What’s more, hazing has a long history in American higher education and especially in Greek organizations. Over the last century, as laws and policies cracked down on the practice, hazing has often moved underground and off campus. That’s what has made it so difﬁcult to police.

Wilson’s death should provoke another broad evaluation of how to do so. Already, some steps have been taken. Southern has suspended all club and Greek life recruiting through the end of the year, and Omega Psi Phi, the fraternity involved, was ordered to stop all activities.

Other measures are likely to follow Southern University Board Chair Tony Clayton has suggested removing responsibility for recruiting and initiating new members of Greek organizations from undergraduate chapters to graduate chapters made up of “professional men and women.

Former state Rep. Ted James, a member of the Black fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha, and state Rep. Vanessa LaFleur, a member of the Black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, also said they plan to reinforce anti-hazing policies and measures, especially by speaking out against the practice. We applaud these efforts. We know that hazing is deeply ingrained and difﬁcult to root out. That’s why any attempt to further reduce it will need to extend beyond new laws or policies — which do little if they are ignored — to include educating students on the dangers and potential consequences of hazing Adopting such a multi-level approach offers the best hope of preventing another tragedy. Caleb Wilson’s life, along with that of Maxwell Gruver demands nothing less.

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.

I’m a Louisiana senior who has paid into Medicare my entire working life — decades of hard-earned wages to ensure care in my later years. Now, as a Medicare patient, I rely on my doctor for checkups and managing health challenges. But a 2.83% cut to physician payments that took effect on Jan. 1 threatens that care. These cuts are just the latest in a long list of troubling statistics facing Medicare patients like me. The American Medical Association reports that practice costs have soared over 50% since 2001, yet Medicare payments to physicians, adjusted for inﬂation, have dropped 33%. While hospitals have seen hefty increases — nearly 80% — physician payments have inched up only 10%. Physicians feel it, and so do we. Some may limit Medicare patients or shutter their doors — options no senior should face. Surveys show 1 in 5 doctors might leave their practices soon, worn thin by ﬁnancial pressures. For me and countless others from New Orleans to Shreveport, losing a doctor means scrambling for

care, often far from home That’s not the Medicare I paid for. I’ve earned fair treatment, as have all seniors. We need physicians to be reimbursed properly so they can keep serving us. Congress has dodged this issue too long, offering temporary ﬁxes or nothing at all. That must change.

My friends and I are encouraging Speaker Mike Johnson to support H.R. 879, the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act, to reverse the recent cut starting April 1 and add a 2% payment boost to steady practices. Then, lead on a permanent ﬁx: Tie payments to inﬂation so doctors aren’t squeezed while costs climb.

I’ve trusted Medicare to honor my contributions. Now, I’m counting on our very own Speaker Johnson to ensure it does — by keeping physicians paid fairly and accessible. Seniors across Louisiana deserve that security ANNE PRICE deputy chair Republican Party of Louisiana Bossier Parish

I am a recently widowed retired federal worker It pains me to see the Trump/Musk debacle slashing the employment of federal workers in what is touted as reducing waste and cutting fraud.

The current federal workforce as a share of all U.S. workforce is at 2%, an all-time low The largest number of federal workers are in health care, including Veterans Affairs hospitals.

My husband of 44 years died in September While grieving the loss of my partner, I tried to change my health insurance coverage from “self plus one” to “self-only” during the October open enrollment. I was informed by the sympathetic woman at my health insurer that this change had to be coordinated by the Ofﬁce of Personnel Management. The October open enrollment is OPM’s busiest time of year There is no online option to make any life status change and calls to OPM during open enrollment aren’t answered because they don’t have the staff to do so.

In November, I wrote OPM and included my husband’s certified death certificate. OPM returned the death certificate and told me they would send the form I needed to complete. I received the form through the mail on Feb. 20.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

This is in response to the article, “White House says it ‘will determine’ which news outlets cover Trump” by The Associated Press on Feb. 26. Every day we are affronted, appalled and assaulted by the narcissistic, tyrannical and calculated actions of Donald J. Trump. This is an assault that began not on Jan. 20, 2025, but on Jan. 6, 2021. And tragically, when the insurrectionists of Jan. 6 were pardoned, that was akin to pouring acid into a wound.

Buoyed by politicians like Gov Jeff Landry, the extremist Republican Congress, a questionable Supreme Court the New Apostolic Reformation movement, the White supremacist movement, and growing nationalism, we are on a dangerous road to an authoritarian government, and an erosion of our freedoms — including one of the most important, freedom of the press. In yet the latest affront, the Trump administration wants to control the press and essentially control what the American

people are told and not told.

The press is one of the key tenets of democracy

Being aware of what is happening in our government is how we keep power in check and ensure there are checks and balances, so our freedoms and constitutional rights are not assaulted and eroded.

One of Trump’s most dangerous lies is that the press is the enemy of the people. The press, especially now, is needed more than ever to ensure that the public — Democrats, Republicans, Independents, whatever one’s political party have access to all information about our government.

During a recent global conference in Europe, JD Vance stated that those who speak out against nationalism are the “enemy within.” Ironically, the biggest “enemy within” the United States today resides at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

GLORIA DAUPHIN Gretna

If President Donald Trump and his puppeteer Elon Musk were really interested in reducing government fraud and abuse, they would invest in computerized and secure systems to complete government business, not in slashing the number of federal employees.

The Trump/Musk team’s actions endanger cybersecurity veteran and civilian health, responses to natural and man-made disasters and access and enjoyment of national parks, and they entail many unidentiﬁed risks.

The government employees I worked with throughout my career and in my grief have been competent and caring. They don’t deserve the mischaracterizations and wholesale loss of employment engendered by the Trump/Musk team.

DEIDRE CHARLOT New

Orleans

Saints obsession an incurable, wonderful ailment

“We really need a guard. Why haven’t we made a strong play for a starting left guard?!?”

Note the “we.”

This is how obsessive New Orleans Saints fans many tens of thousands of us — talk about Louisiana’s major professional football team. It’s visceral. Sure, other fan bases identify with their teams, but there really is something different, something profound, in the combination of a love affair and borderline codependency between the Saints and our fans. (“Our,” not “their.”)

the coach he refused to leave, and then became an All-Pro, and a whiskey-swilling quarterback who had been a tailback before a car accident so bad that doctors feared he might never walk again.

Quin

And as if Danny Abramowicz and Billy Kilmer didn’t provide enough underdog vibes, we then latched onto a half-footed kicker whose astonishing 63-yard ﬁeld goal couldn’t be heard on live radio because a swarm of bees ﬂew into the transmitter

ways with a sense of humor: Four years before the famous “baghead” fans during the 1-15 season in 1980, the Saints played so badly in a 1976 season-opening 40-9 loss to the Vikings that the biggest (and perhaps only) cheers came for a paper airplane lofted from one sideline terrace that managed to waft all the way to the other side. And never let it be said that Saints fans aren’t trend-setters: That paper airplane feat catalyzed a brief mania of paper airplanes in losing NFL stadiums across the land.

We all know this instinctively and experientially, of course, but it’s still worth considering why and how this love-dependency happened.

Was it that the denizens of this state so accustomed to beating nature’s odds, so scrappily insistent on joy amid hurricanes and epidemics, identiﬁed so strongly with the early, misﬁt Saints?

There we were with our two most prominent players being a slowfooted wide receiver who was cut from the team but literally told

At least kicker Tom Dempsey had a “normal,” un-jokeiﬁable name. Unlike his successor, Happy Feller, and unlike Joe Don Looney D’Artagnan Martin, Cephus Weatherspoon, Wimpy Winther, or the nickname my dad had for Margene Adkins — Margarine Adkins — because he supposedly had “butterﬁngers” and couldn’t hold onto the ball.

Saints fans embraced our woebegone team not just despite the seemingly doomed prospects, but in some ways because the odds against us were so long. And al-

Louisiana needs to get a plan to fix ailing infrastructure

Resolutions for 2025:

Put together a plan to fund and replace the bridges on U.S. 90 between Slidell and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, by the end of 2026.

Pass a recurring, dedicated tax that will raise a minimum of $500 million per year and increase yearly with the rate of inﬂation to increase transportation funds.

The recently passed changes regarding taxes have been hailed as a success that will avoid the “ﬁscal” cliff previously forecast for ﬁscal year 2025 and may even provide a surplus. A large portion of that “success” was due to moving the sales tax on new vehicles previously dedicated to the transportation department back into the general fund.

“It’s good that they don’t have a ﬁscal cliff to deal with next year, but there is a reliance on temporary changes” to cover the shortfall, said Jan Moller, executive director of Invest in Louisiana, a left-leaning think tank.

It is easy to move money around in the good years to provide an appearance of making a dent in the backlog of infrastructure projects. It is much harder to fund those projects with a stable, recurring money source when any type of new tax is summarily rejected.

Fiscal responsibility of the Legislature is not just about cutting taxes. It is about ensuring that enough money is coming into the state to properly fund needed services. Given the enormous backlog of infrastructure projects, this has obviously not been done in this area.

MARK DELANEY Jefferson

We need civility before we can begin to address state’s issues

If we all truly want Louisiana to be a better place to live, there is a New Year’s resolution that would go a long way toward achieving that goal. Each of us, every day should resolve to treat everyone with whom we interact with the same love, compassion, kindness, dignity, respect and charity that we always display after each natural or manmade disaster After this, all the other important things can more easily be accomplished BO BIENVENU Prairieville

So, yes, the Saints matched the whimsy of their southern Louisiana home. And when, under Tom Benson and Jim Mora, the Saints ﬁnally began winning, the emotional cocktail produced a longlasting high.

Of course, years later everybody well understood how the Saints became an ongoing symbol of civic renewal after Hurricane Katrina. Steve Gleason’s blocked punt; Drew Brees’ mind-bending excellence; the onside kick; the Super Bowl victory Oh, how great it felt to be with the Saints,

alive! Since then, we’ve had selfinflicted wounds (the Seahawks going “Beast Mode,” the “Minneapolis Miracle”) and awful breaks (the Rams mugging Tommylee Lewis without a flag, the Vikes’ Kyle Rudolph committing unpenalized offensive pass interference). The repeated heartbreaks combined to add to Saints fandom an us-against-the-world mentality that made the bond between team and supporters even more allencompassing. There’s nothing, anywhere, like a Saints-obsessed fan a fan, for example, like the one in my own mirror That’s why, once the free-agent “tampering” window opens, some of us refresh our Saints web search at least 20 times a day all the way to and through the first week after the NFL draft. We keep hoping for that free agent, rock-solid guard to come aboard, hoping not to lose our favorite Saints veteran, hoping for the “wow” of an unexpected splash of a dazzling receiver or runner somehow fitting under our salary cap.

General Manager Mickey Loo-

TOWN SQUARE | PRIORITIES FOR LOUISIANA

At the beginning of the year, we asked you to make a New year’s resolution for the state.We received a number of responses addressing everything from roads to education. Here are some of the best suggestions we received.

Goal should be for state to be at the top of all rankings

mis’ annual cap manipulations are like a high-wire act, infuriating but also adding to the spectacle and fun. The same obsessive fan-hood is why we all think that reading a host of scouting reports and watching ﬁve minutes of highlight footage can give us better judgment than Loomis on a potential college draftee. We all have our “I-toldja-so” stories about how we were on record desperately wanting to draft Alvin Kamara (hooray!), Pro-Bowler Cooper Kupp (the Rams got him) and Chiefs tackling machine Nick Bolton, while conveniently forgetting that we swore Kellen Mond (out of the NFL already) would be the next superstar quarterback. We think we know so much, and by gosh, if the Saints would just listen, we’d be back in the Super Bowl again. And oh, in case you’re wondering, the Saints need to draft safety Nick Emmanwori this year His athleticism and production, you see, are off the charts, and Quin Hillyer can be reached at quin.hillyer@theadvocate.com.

Take concrete steps to reduce gun

In February, the newspaper reported that a 27-year-old plumber was killed by a stray bullet while returning to a job after buying parts. His grieving father said, “It could have happened to anybody Anybody could have been there at the wrong place at the wrong time”

In recent years, Baton Rouge residents know gun violence has happened to “anybody.” High-proﬁle incidents include a young woman waiting for a train to pass on Government Street, a young boy leaving a barbershop with his family before Thanksgiving, a toddler killed at a poolside birthday party and a young boy hit by a stray bullet while lying in his bed. These random people were killed simply because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time.

The level of gun violence in Louisiana is staggering. Right now, in 2025, Louisiana ranks second nationally in the number of gun deaths per 100,000. On average, 1,153 people die and 3,345 are wounded by guns each year, and between 2013 and 2022, the rate of gun violence in Louisiana rose by 46% as compared to 36% nationally Furthermore, Louisiana spends $14.3 billion each year for costs associated with gun deaths and injuries, money spent on police investigations, medical care and judicial costs.

In 2024, Louisiana lawmakers passed a “constitutional carry” bill that allows anyone at least 18 years old to carry a concealed ﬁrearm without a permit. Additionally, a permit, background check or ﬁrearms registration is not required when buying a handgun from a private individual. This is unfortunate, because in states with permitless concealed carry laws, gun violence has increased by 10%.

Public safety should be our state’s top priority, and currently, that is not the case. Lawmakers in Louisiana know that states with more comprehensive gun safety laws have fewer incidents of gun violence, so let’s do something about it. Let’s make our state safer by conducting background checks, requiring owners to be trained and repealing the concealed carry law These things work in other states, safer states, so let’s try them here to save lives, reduce costs and lessen the anguish caused by guns.

Louisiana ﬁrst. Be among the ﬁrst of the states for good things for a change. I’ve noticed for a very long time that with anything good, our state always ranks at or near the

Anything bad, yes you guessed it, our state is always at or near the top. Let’s put forth every effort to be a top leader in the good things for the great state of Louisiana, where people will want to come and raise a family because we have great education opportunities, safer environment, affordable housing and great health care. Now, that’s a great gumbo recipe for a good New Year’s resolution.

Some people hold onto the notion that the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. However, the statistics cited above do not distinguish between bad guys, good guys or random people who just happen to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. To make our state safer, we must take steps to reduce gun violence, and that’s my New Year’s resolution for Louisiana. Let’s make a commitment to something because as we all know, gun violence can happen to anybody — but it’s more likely to happen in Louisiana.

JANICE

PATRICIA B FREDERICKS Baton Rouge

HINSON Baton Rouge

Hillyer

PROVIDED PHOTO By RANDy ROUSSEL

Janice Hinson

Holy Ghost Catholic School, followed by a ful‐

New Orleans Forecast

DEATHS continued from

Minister Alonzo George White Sr entered eternal rest on March 9, 2025, at 40. Born December 9, 1984, in New Orleans Louisiana, Alonzo was a beloved son, spouse father brother, uncle, and friend whose love, compassion, and wis‐dom touched everyone he met. Alonzo was Ashley Brumﬁeld's cherished companion and the loving son of Trosula GibsonWhite, Tyrus Micheal White Sr. and Freddie Martin As a devoted father, he poured out his heart into raising his kids, Ericshay, Zoerion, Zariyah, Zamadje, and Alonzo Jr His love ex‐tended to his nieces, nephews and godchildren whom he adored deeply Alonzo was preceded in death by 1 brother Tyrus White Jr and 1 sister Tane‐sha White He is survived by 2 brothers, Minister An‐thony Joshua and Elmore White, 1 sister Calena White, and 1 God sister Mircle Carter all of whom he loved dearly Alonzo ac‐cepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and was ordained as a Minister at his church God’s House N/D Church in Fort Worth, TX. His faith was a guiding force in his life, providing him with a deep commit‐ment to caring and sharing the word of God with oth‐ers Alonzo attended Joseph S. Clark High School Alonzo worked at The Four Seasons and pre‐viously at Dragos in the Hilton. Alonzo, fondly known as Chef will be missed for his culinary and catering skills with his fondest job being feeding the homeless at his church in Texas. Alonzo leaves a host of aunts, uncles, and cousins to cherish a life‐time of memories. His legacy of love, wisdom counsel, and love of God and His word will never be forgotten Rest in love Zo! You will be missed but never forgotten Funeral services will be held on Fri‐day March 21, 2025, at St James Methodist Church of Louisiana 1925 Ursuline Ave., New Orleans, LA at 10 am. Viewing at 9 am. The repast will be held at 3629 Washington Ave. Profes‐sional service entrusted to Littlejohn Funeral Home 2163 Aubry Street, Cal K Johnson, Funeral Direc‐tor/Manager, Info: (504) 940-0045.

Wilkins, Leatrice

Leatrice Barback Wilkins of Metairie, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at the age of 93 in Covington, LA She was born in New Orleans to the late Lester A Bar‐back and Louisa Wertz Bar‐back on December 9, 1931. Preceded in death by her beloved husband of 48 years Donald J. Wilkins Sr., her grandson, Paul A Wilkins, Jr. her brother Lester L. Barback and sis‐ter-in-law, Isabella Bar‐back. She is survived by her children, Donald J Wilkins, Jr. (Kimberly) Melissa W Kelly (Jim), Paul A Wilkins, Sr. (Holly) Den‐nis J Wilkins (Sheri) and Melanie W Schultz (Den‐nis) and her grandchildren, Haskell Wilkins (Keri) Nicholas Wilkins (Paige), Emily W Willard (Trent) Lauren S Futch (Justin), Michael Kelly (Chynna), Daniel Grant Schultz (Heather), Benjamin Wilkins (Brooke) Danielle W Trosclair (Travis), Meghan K. Marino (Taylor) Rebekah W. Springer (Jake), Destiny W. Cooper Collin Wilkins, Audrey Wilkins, Matthew Wilkins and 21 great grandchil‐dren. She will be remem‐bered for her love of family and living life to the fullest Leatrice enjoyed the com‐pany of friends and family She was a devote catholic and had a special devotion to the Blessed Mother The family would like to thank the staff at Forest Manor nursing home for the care given over the last few months. Family and friends are invited to visitation Fri‐day March 21, 2025 at St Catherine of Siena Church from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm followed by a funeral mass at 12:00 Interment will be private at Lake Lawn Mau‐soleum. In lieu of ﬂowers the family ask for masses.

Carolyn Hall Williams transitioned from labor to reward on March 8, 2025, at the age of 76. Born on Feb‐ruary 11, 1949, in New Or‐leans, LA, she was the daughter of the late James Hall and the late Betty Bap‐tiste Hall Her foundational education took place at Holy Ghost Catholic School followed by a ful‐filling experience at Xavier University Preparatory High School, which she cherished After graduat‐ing from high school she pursued higher education at Xavier University, earn‐ing a Bachelor of Arts de‐gree in Elementary Educa‐tion in 1971. She then be‐came an educator within the New Orleans Public School System Driven by a desire to enhance her stu‐dents’ learning, she re‐turned to her alma mater Xavier University, and achieved a Master of Arts Degree in Education in 1984. Carolyn continued her teaching career at L.V Hansberry as a third and fourth grade teacher, where she was recognized for twenty-five years of dedicated service to the students of Hansberry After retiring from New Or‐leans Public Schools, she felt her gift and passion for teaching was not yet ful‐filled She joined the Arch‐diocese of New Orleans and taught at St. Simon Peter for nearly a decade where she loved shaping the minds of her young scholars Upon her second retirement, she opted to relax and embrace the joys of life, spending quality time with the love of her life, her husband, Warner They enjoyed traveling to‐gether and attending his live performances as a mu‐sician, all while relishing their role as grandparents and cherishing time with their grandchildren She leaves to cherish her mem‐ory, her stepdaughters, Terri Mercadel-Luster (Brian) and Regina Mer‐cadel of New Orleans LA and Shannon Riddell of Os‐hawa, Canada; her grand‐children, Julius Gibbs (Kahlia) of Houston TX, Shelrick Bezue, Kieron Bezue and Tajh Mercadel of New Orleans LA and Bri‐ana Riddell (Cory) of Os‐hawa, Canada; along with four great-grandsons, Kruze Raymond Gibbs and Kole Joseph Gibbs of Hous‐ton TX and Kingsley and Gabriel Wilding of Oshawa, Canada; her brothers-inlaw Vincent and Brennan Williams of New Orleans, LA; her best friend Diane Whitlow and a host of nieces, nephews family and friends She was pre‐ceded in death by the Love of her life, her husband Warner Joseph Williams her parents James Hall and Betty Baptiste Hall, her sis‐ter-in-law Idara Williams Elam and her brother-inlaw Vaughn Williams Fam‐ily and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christ‐ian burial that will be cele‐brated at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 7300 Crowder Blvd. New Or‐leans, LA on Friday, March 21, 2025. The visitation with the family will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by the Mass

filling experience at Xavier University Preparatory High School which she cherished After graduat‐ing from high school she pursued higher education at Xavier University earn‐ing a Bachelor of Arts de‐gree in Elementary Educa‐tion in 1971. She then be‐came an educator within the New Orleans Public School System Driven by a desire to enhance her stu‐dents’ learning, she re‐turned to her alma mater Xavier University, and achieved a Master of Arts Degree in Education in 1984. Carolyn continued her teaching career at L.V. Hansberry as a third and fourth grade teacher, where she was recognized for twenty-five years of dedicated service to the students of Hansberry After retiring from New Or‐leans Public Schools, she felt her gift and passion for teaching was not yet ful‐filled. She joined the Arch‐diocese of New Orleans and taught at St Simon Peter for nearly a decade, where she loved shaping the minds of her young scholars. Upon her second retirement, she opted to relax and embrace the joys of life, spending quality time with the love of her life, her husband, Warner. They enjoyed traveling to‐gether and attending his live performances as a mu‐sician, all while relishing their role as grandparents and cherishing time with their grandchildren. She leaves to cherish her mem‐ory, her stepdaughters, Terri Mercadel-Luster (Brian) and Regina Mer‐cadel of New Orleans, LA, and Shannon Riddell of Os‐hawa, Canada; her grand‐children, Julius Gibbs (Kahlia) of Houston TX, Shelrick Bezue, Kieron Bezue and Tajh Mercadel of New Orleans, LA and Bri‐ana Riddell (Cory) of Os‐hawa Canada; along with four great-grandsons, Kruze Raymond Gibbs and Kole Joseph Gibbs of Hous‐ton, TX and Kingsley and Gabriel Wilding of Oshawa, Canada; her brothers-inlaw Vincent and Brennan Williams of New Orleans, LA; her best friend Diane Whitlow and a host of nieces nephews, family and friends. She was pre‐ceded in death by the Love of her life, her husband Warner Joseph Williams her parents James Hall and Betty Baptiste Hall, her sis‐ter-in-law Idara Williams Elam and her brother-inlaw Vaughn Williams Fam‐ily and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christ‐ian burial that will be cele‐brated at St Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 7300 Crowder Blvd. New Or‐leans, LA on Friday, March 21, 2025. The visitation with the family will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by the Mass at 10:00 a.m Interment will take place at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Ceme‐tery. Professional services are entrusted to D W Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Ave.

Williams, Leonard

Leonard Williams transi‐

tioned from his early life on February 5, 2025, at the age of 76. Leonard was born August 12, 1948, to the late Gladys Williams and Alex Williams Leonard was the father of Shelby Williams Leonard Williams Jr., and Ivory Williams Leonard was the brother of Elouise Marie Cooper, Linda Mae Williams and Earlene Williams Leonard worked as a Laborer for US Maritime Service, Dixie Ma‐rine. Leonard was a loving uncle brother and an un‐wavering friend to many He cherished time spent with family, especially his time ﬁshing dancing rap‐ping and being the TV Hog He was known for his kind‐ness, helpfulness, sense of humor He was also a loyal member of "Sum Serious Ent." He is preceding in death by his parents Gladys and Alex Williams Six Brothers; Alex Williams Oliver Williams, Joe Williams James Williams Samuel Williams and Fred‐die Williams. Three Sisters; Francis Williams, Precilla Williams and Yolanda Williams He is also sur‐vived by a host of nieces, nephews,cousins, other relatives, and devoted friends Relatives and friends of the family are in‐vited to attend the Memor‐ial Service which will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2025, at Robinson Fam‐ily Funeral Home 9611 La23, Belle Chasse, La 70037 Services will begin at 10 a.m Funeral planning en‐trusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home 9611 La - 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037(04) 208 - 2119. For online con‐dolences please visit www

Williams Sr., Willie James

Williams, Leonard

Leonard Williams transi‐tioned from his early life on February 5, 2025, at the age of 76. Leonard was born August 12, 1948, to the late Gladys Williams and Alex Williams. Leonard was the father of Shelby Williams Leonard Williams Jr., and Ivory Williams Leonard was the brother of Elouise Marie Cooper, Linda Mae Williams and Earlene Williams. Leonard worked as a Laborer for US Maritime Service, Dixie Ma‐rine Leonard was a loving uncle brother and an un‐wavering friend to many. He cherished time spent with family, especially his time ﬁshing dancing rap‐ping and being the TV Hog. He was known for his kind‐ness, helpfulness, sense of humor He was also a loyal member of "Sum Serious Ent." He is preceding in death by his parents, Gladys and Alex Williams Six Brothers; Alex Williams Oliver Williams, Joe Williams James Williams Samuel Williams and Fred‐die Williams Three Sisters; Francis Williams, Precilla Williams and Yolanda Williams He is also sur‐vived by a host of nieces, nephews,cousins, other relatives, and devoted friends. Relatives and friends of the family are in‐vited to attend the Memor‐ial Service which will be held on Saturday March 21, 2025, at Robinson Fam‐ily Funeral Home 9611 La 23, Belle Chasse, La 70037. Services will begin at 10 a.m. Funeral planning en‐trusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home 9611 La - 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037(04) 208 - 2119. For online con‐dolences please visit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

Willie James Williams Sr. was born on May 27 1934, in Frierson, LA to the late Robert Scott and Melv‐ina Williams Scott. He de‐parted life peacefully at the age of 90 on March 3 2025. He resided in New Or‐leans LA where he served as a Private in the Army, for a short period and re‐tired as a masonry in the construction industry Af‐fectionally known as Sonny” by his family and friends, he was a loved brother, father, compan‐ion, and friend He is pre‐ceded in death by his wives Iceleen Smith Williams and Edna Daniels Williams; siblings, Annie Mae Scott Clark, Velma Scott Edmonds Bob “Tommy” Scott, and Melvin Scott. Willie James Williams Sr. is survived by his children Vanessa (Gov‐ernor) Boyd, Willie James Williams Jr., Merdys (Joseph) Richardson Dwayne (Angela) Williams, and Curtis “Skip” Williams; siblings; Melvina Scott Benefield, Shelby Lee Scott, Helen Scott Brooks, Lucille Scott Verrett, Re‐becca Scott, Willie Dale Scott, Ethel Scott Taylor Joannie Scott Elliot, Ed‐ward Scott Sr., and Marita Scott Lee. Also survived by his bonus children Harold August Jr. and Raphael Au‐gust Sr., goddaughter; Janell Benefield, grandchil‐dren, great-grandchildren, and a host of extended family and friends Family and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service on Friday, March 21, 2025, for 10:00 a.m at Metropoli‐tan Baptist Church, 943 N Tonti Street New Orleans LA 70119. Viewing will begin at 9:00 a.m. Pastor Rodney Baptiste, Officiat‐ing. Interment will follow

Willie James Williams Sr was born on May 27, 1934, in Frierson, LA to the late Robert Scott and Melv‐ina Williams Scott. He de‐parted life peacefully at the age of 90 on March 3 2025. He resided in New Or‐leans, LA where he served as a Private in the Army, for a short period, and re‐tired as a masonry in the construction industry. Af‐fectionally known as “Sonny” by his family and friends, he was a loved brother, father, compan‐ion, and friend. He is

becca Scott, Willie Dale Scott, Ethel Scott Taylor, Joannie Scott Elliot, Ed‐ward Scott Sr., and Marita Scott Lee. Also survived by his bonus children Harold August Jr and Raphael Au‐gust Sr., goddaughter; Janell Beneﬁeld, grandchil‐dren great-grandchildren and a host of extended family and friends Family and friends are invited to attend the Funeral Service on Friday, March 21, 2025, for 10:00 a.m at Metropoli‐tan Baptist Church, 943 N. Tonti Street New Orleans LA 70119. Viewing will begin at 9:00 a.m Pastor Rodney Baptiste Ofﬁciat‐ing Interment will follow at Restlawn Memorial Park, Avondale, LA 70094 Guestbook Online: www anewtraditionbegins com (504) 282-0600. Linear Brooks Boyd and Donavin D Boyd Owners/Funeral Di‐rectors.

Denise Mae 'Mommie' 'Deedy'

Denise Mae "Mommie "Deedy" Zardies, age 71, peacefully passed away on Monday, March 10, 2025 surrounded by her loving family in Georgia She was born on October 2 1953 in New Orleans, LA to Melvin, Sr. and Gloria Zardies Denise is survived by her devoted children, Tyrek Sr (Courtney), Tyran, Sr (Kizzy) and Tyese Zardies

Barback

Williams, Carolyn Hall

White Sr., Alonzo George

Williams Sr., Willie James

Zardies,

SPORTS

‘MIRACLE RUN’

Xavier making ‘herstory’ with first NAIA Sweet 16 appearance

Kam Shelley knew Saturday was special as she climbed the ladder to take her turn cutting the nets at the Convocation Center on the campus of Xavier University

But the Xavier guard didn’t know just how special it was. Yeah, she knew the 72-47 thumping Xavier had just put on William Carey in the second round of the NAIA punched Xavier’s ticket to the Sweet 16 in Sioux City, Iowa.

What she didn’t know is that it’s a place no other Xavier women’s basketball team has gone before.

“Wow, we are really breaking records,” Shelley thought when she eventually found out. “We are making history. Well, really making HERstory because we are women. It’s just a surreal feeling knowing that we came here and did something so special.”

Sister Katharine Drexel, who founded Xavier exactly 100 years ago, would surely be proud of what these ladies have accomplished at the nation’s only Black Catholic university. While Xavier celebrates its centennial this year, they would also like to celebrate a national championship.

“Celebrating 100 years makes this special,” said Xavier coach Bo Browder “That’s truly made this season a miracle run. That’s what I’ve been calling it.” Xavier (29-3), the No.6 seed in the tournament, takes the next step towards that quest for a title on Thursday at 3 p.m. when they play secondseed Southern Oregon (33-0)

you can work hard and do all the right things and put your best effort forward, but that doesn’t guarantee that you’re going to get everything you want. All hard work does is give you a chance. The only way you have a chance is to put the work in if you want to do something special.”

Pelicans bounce back, stun T-Wolves

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

For the New Orleans Pelicans, Wednesday’s game against the Minnesota Timberwolves was a chance to show just how mentally tough they were.

The Pelicans were 48 hours removed from tying the franchise record for worst regular season loss in franchise history On top of that, they were still dealing with the season-ending loss of Trey Murphy

The Pelicans showed plenty of grit as Zion Williamson led the the Pels to a 119-115 victory over the Timberwolves at the Target Center

“It shows the resiliency of our team,” Williamson said in his postgame television interview Williamson ﬁnished with 29 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

The Pelicans (19-51) snapped a three-game losing streak. They responded in a big way after Sunday’s 46-point blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons. Murphy tore his labrum and partially tore the rotator cuff in his right shoulder in the opening minute of that game. Murphy’s absence wiped 21.2 points per game from the Pelicans’ lineup.

“You try to move forward,” Green said prior to Wednesday’s win in Minnesota. “It’s by committee. That won’t be on one particular player Guys will do it together That’s a part of the beauty in basketball is you get a chance to step on the ﬂoor together and get after it. We’ll need guys to step up in Trey’s absence.” They did.

It’s been a long time coming for the program and for Browder In his 26 seasons as Xavier’s head coach, Browder has had just one losing season. But despite all his success, he couldn’t quite get over the hump of the second round. He was 0-5 in the second round before Saturday His predecessor Janice Joseph was 0-4, making the school 0-9 all-time in the second round.

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The LSU women’s

of stars in the country, and on Wednesday, each of them were recognized with 2025 Associated Press All-American honors. Aneesah Morrow is a second-team All-American, Flau’jae Johnson is a third-team All-American, and Mikaylah Williams is an All-American honorable mention. Morrow is now a three-time AllAmerican. Last season, she was an honorable mention, and in her sophomoreyearatDePaul,shewasnamedtothe third team. Johnson and Williams appeared in the awards for the ﬁrst time in their careers. LSU’s trio of stars receives AP All-America team nods

team

“It’s a wonderful feeling,” Browder said. “I am an old school Christian guy I know that in life sometimes

Though Browder may be old school, he’s able to adapt with the changing landscape of college athletics. It’s why four of his ﬁve starters this season are transfers in their ﬁrst season. Shelley transferred from Langston University Point guard Joy Campbell came from Old Dominion. Janiya Reed and Lauren Banks transferred from Saint Augustine’s, ä See WALKER, page 4C

either of the teams adom played for, he

keen sense for the coach’s ability since worked closely with the defensive San Francisco. really excited to work with him Yiadom said. “I love the way he the way he’s detailed and the way defensive backs. Now that he’s D-coordinator again, I think he’ll get a to cook some stuff up.” spoke about Staley as someone willing to adapt his defenses on a week-to-week basis, depending on the opand what they do well — which, as a he appreciates. feel like we play a little bit of evthat’s always a good mix to have. not one-dimensional, it’s not like offenses can sit there and pick you apart. I’m excited about that diversity this debrings.”

lliams had a front row seat to one of the defensive seasons in recent memory an undrafted rookie with the Rams when Staley coordinated the NFL’s

PROVIDED PHOTO By XAVIERATHLETICS

Xavier coach Bo Browder celebrates with his team after a game. Browder and the Golden Nuggets will play against No. 2-seed Southern Oregon in the NAIA Tournament Sweet 16.

Rod Walker

AP PHOTO ByABBIE PARR Pelicans forward Zion Williamson dunks the ball during the first half against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday in Minneapolis.

5:50

at Vanderbilt SECN

6:30 p.m. Tennessee at Alabama ESPNU MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL

11:15 a.m.Creighton vs. Louisville CBS

11:40 a.m.High Point vs. Purdue TRUTV

12:30 p.m.Montana

Scheffler’s Masters dinner includes ravioli

Dish to blame for PGA star’s injury to right hand

BY DOUG FERGUSON APgolfwriter

Scottie Scheffler added a few wrinkles to the menu for the Masters Club dinner he will host for past champions. And yes, there will be ravioli. Ravioli is to blame for Schefﬂer still trying to reach full strength in his right hand.

Glass punctured his palm when he used a wine glass to cut ravioli he was making for Christmas dinner, requiring surgery that kept him out of golf for a month.

He is serving cheeseburger sliders and ﬁrecracker shrimp again as appetizers, along with a choice of ribeye or redﬁsh for the main course. He added Texas-style chili from the recipe of Randy Smith, his longtime swing coach.

As for the ravioli?

That’s listed as “Papa Scheff’s Meatball and Ravioli Bites.” That was a specialty of his father, Scott Schefﬂer, when Scottie was growing up.

“Any time he made them, we were all jacked up about it,” Schefﬂer said Wednesday during a conference call for the Masters “Thought it would be fun to put them on the menu this year And the raviolis were a nice touch, as

his shot on the second green during the final round of The Players Championship on Sunday in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. The Masters begins April 10.

well.”

Schefﬂer won’t be making them, so all is well. Now it’s a matter of getting the pieces together as he goes after a third Masters green jacket on April 10-13. The Masters

champion lost out on his typical start to the season by missing The Sentry at Kapalua and The American Express in the California desert while waiting for his hand to heal While the hand is pain-free,

Schefﬂer said it has taken time to regain full strength in it.

“I have absolutely no pain in the hand, but getting the full total range of motion out of my hand is a little bit of a different story just because you’re not able to use a certain muscle for almost a month’s time. You have to build back strength in that hand.”

Schefﬂer has two top 10s in his ﬁve starts since returning at Pebble Beach, with his worst finish a tie for 25 in the Phoenix Open. He has one more tournament, the Houston Open next week, before heading to Augusta National.

“I think it would be silly to say that it didn’t set me back a little bit because I had to take a good amount of time off,” he said. “I’m a right-handed golfer So any sort of injury you have to that hand, especially a surgical one, is going to have some sort of effect.

“But each day, my hand continues to improve,” he said. “My body continues to get back to where it needs to be, and I think my swing is coming around, as well. So I’m deﬁnitely excited about the improvements that I’m making.”

Scheffler is two weeks away from reaching 97 consecutive weeks at No. 1 in the world ranking. Tiger Woods is the only other player to hold the top spot longer Woods had streaks of 264 weeks and 281 weeks Schefﬂer will try to join Woods, Nick Faldo and Jack Nicklaus as the only repeat champions at Augusta National.

Georgia man sentenced for theft of Masters memorabilia

BY SOPHIA TAREEN AssociatedPress

CHICAGO A former Georgia warehouse worker for the Augusta National Golf Club was sentenced to one year in prison Wednesday for transporting millions of dollars’ worth of stolen Masters tournament me ing one of Arnold green jackets. Richar 40, pleaded guilty count of transportin across state lines. He appeared cago’s federal cour and red tie. With his parents in the courtroom apologized for U.S. District Judge son Coleman handed down the sentence.

who then sold them online at a markup, according to prosecutors.

Globensky was paid through a limited liability company set up in his wife’s name, among other ways. The scheme lasted for more than a decade, earning him over $5 million.

“The violation of trust was very

“I deeply regret the decision that led me to this moment,” he said, his voice breaking. “I have taken full responsibility for my actions and remain committed to doing everything in my power to make amends.”

Globensky and his attorney did not respond to reporters’ questions as they left federal court. Under the sentence, he will also have to pay more than $3 million in restitution and face one year of supervised release. Federal prosecutors had sought a 16-month sentence, while defense attorneys wanted probation.

Globensky took items from the warehouse for sellers in Florida,

PELICANS

Continued from page 1C

The Pelicans trailed by as many as 14 in the first half, but roared back to take a 62-61 lead. Williamson scored 16 of his points in the first half. CJ McCollum, who had one of the worst games of his NBA career Sunday, bounced back to help Williamson shoulder some of the load. McCollum finished with 18 points, bouncing back from a game he made just 1 of 15 shots, including 0-for-7 on 3-pointers. Bruce Brown came off the bench and had 15 points 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

y ify the third party as “Individual A,” along with an associate “Individual B.” Hayes said Globensky also preemptively sold his house and gave the proceeds to the government

The items, which were stolen between 2009 and 2022, included such historic memorabilia as tickets to Masters tournaments in the 1930s, as well as T-shirts, mugs and chairs, according to prosecutors.

Among the stolen legendary green jackets were those won by Palmer, Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen. Some of the stolen goods were recovered in the Chicago area, which is why the court case was at the downtown courthouse.

Globensky who had worked at the warehouse since 2007, would secretly photograph items and

The Pelicans’ starting lineup of McCollum, Williamson, Jose Alvarado, Kelly Olynyk and Yves Miss was the 35th different one the Pels have used this season. Olynyk, Missi and Jordan Hawkins scored 13 points each.

The Pelicans play the Timberwolves (40-31) again Friday

“We’re playing against teams that are preparing to play in the playoffs,” Green said “That’s an opportunity for guys to step on the ﬂoor and see where they measure up. The non-negotiables for us is we’ve got to compete at a high level and play together Work and outwork and continue to go after it and have fun doing that.”

send them to a Florida-based seller

Globensky would then sneak out items that they were interested in, taking small quantities to avoid the risk of Augusta National’s auditing practices, according to court documents. Items were hidden in an offsite storage facility and shipped.

Prosecutors say the money was used to fund a luxurious lifestyle, including $370,000 to buy vehicles and a boat, $160,000 for Disneythemed vacations and $32,000 for items at Louis Vuitton, according to court documents made public earlier this month.

In court, Globensky’s defense attorney, Thomas Church, said it wasn’t uncommon for employees to occasionally take items from the warehouse, his client had expressed remorse and wasn’t a danger to the public.

“This is not a case where he went and broke into any vaults. He didn’t manipulate any data or access any electronic data,” Church said in court, explaining that his client saw the opportunity to take items that were set to be destroyed or weren’t selling.

The total loss to Augusta National was more than $3 million, according to prosecutors. An Augusta National spokesman asked for comment Wednesday pointed to a victim impact statement submitted to the court during the hearing.

“We were severely disappointed to learn several years ago that a former Augusta National employee betrayed that principle, and our

trust, by stealing from the Club, Tournament and even a number of legends whose accomplishments at the Masters and in the game of golf are revered by all,” Augusta National said in the letter “In short, the employee made signiﬁcant personal gain with no regard for the impact his selﬁshness would have on the Club, players, the Tournament, and his fellow employees.”

Augusta National hosts the annual Masters golf tournament each year in April, which Scottie Schefﬂer won last year Palmer, who died in 2016 at age 87, won four green jackets.

He’s widely credited with introducing golf to the masses and hit the ceremonial tee shot every year at the Masters for years after he stopped playing in the tournament in 2004. Getting a ticket to the Masters also gives fans the chance to buy exclusive merchandise that’s not ofﬁcially sold online.

But the green jackets are particularly guarded by the Georgia company that owns Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters golf tournament.

The company sued in 2017 to stop a golf memorabilia company from auctioning off items, including a champion’s green jacket.

Augusta National Inc. ﬁled a federal lawsuit against the Floridabased auction company seeking to stop it from selling a champion’s green jacket and two member green jackets, along with other items.

Pelicans guard CJ McCollum works toward the basket as Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert defends on Wednesday in Minneapolis.

AP PHOTO By ABBIE PARR

Webpage on Jackie Robinson goes down

A Department of Defense webpage describing baseball and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson’s military service was restored Wednesday after it was missing earlier in the day

That development came after pages honoring a Black Medal of Honor winner and Japanese American service members were taken down the Pentagon said that was a mistake — amid the department’s campaign to strip out content singling out the contributions by women and minority groups, which the Trump administration considers “DEI.”

The page on Robinson includes biographical information about his Army service during World War II, which occurred prior to his famously breaking baseball’s color barrier in 1947 with the Brooklyn Dodgers.

Wings to play against Clark, Fever at home

DALLAS The Dallas Wings, who have the No. 1 overall pick in next month’s WNBA draft, will play their June 27 game against 2024 top pick Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever at the home of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks. The Wings announced Wednesday that the game will be held at the 20,000-seat American Airlines Center, where Clark played in the Final Four with Iowa two years ago. That is about 20 miles from College Park Center at UT-Arlington, which has a capacity of 6,251 and where the Wings are playing their 10th and expected final season since the franchise moved from Tulsa, Oklahoma, in 2016. They are planning to move next year into an arena being renovated that is part of the Dallas convention center

Athletics, Giants, Phillies games available locally

NEW YORK — Fans of the Athletics, San Francisco Giants and Philadelphia Phillies will be able to stream their games on a direct-to-consumer basis this season through MLB. tv

Viewers in the team’s home markets who do not have cable or satellite subscriptions will be able to purchase a package and watch games live or on demand without blackouts, along with live pre- and post-game shows.

The A’s and Giants package will be available for a monthly cost of $19.99 and can be bundled with MLB.tv’s out-of-market games for $39.99 a month. The Phillies package is $24.99 per month and can be bundled with the out-of-market package for $44.99 per month.

Openly gay soccer player faces online death threats

ADELAIDE,Australia The ﬁrst openly gay man to play in Australia’s domestic soccer league says he’s still subject to death threats four years after going public about his sexuality Josh Cavallo, who plays for Adelaide United in the A-League, told the FIFPro Footballers Unﬁltered podcast that “in a world of football, being a gay player is a very toxic place.” Cavallo was 21 in 2021 when he decided to come out, acknowledging his video message “took the world of football for a shock.” He still regards it as “the best move and decision” he’s made, but warns that there’s “mountains of downside.” Cavallo didn’t detail the online threats. He continues to train and play as a professional footballer every week.

Bettman says NHL, NHLPA will begin CBA talks soon NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said Wednesday the league and the Players’ Association will sit down to begin negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement the week of April 1. Bettman and other league officials updated general managers on the situation at their annual spring meeting this week and got their thoughts on potential CBA changes that could be considered. Unlike some more contentious situations in previous decades that led to work stoppages, there is optimism about getting a resolution done in the coming months well before the current agreement expires in September 2026.

The working relationship between the league and union is at its highest point in recent history with business booming setting records.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON Scottie Scheffler lines up

Thompson looking to make his mark at TE

Former QB trying new position in final season at Tulane

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Nothing went right for Ty Thompson in his only start at quarterback for Tulane, but he still has a chance to make sure a 33-8 loss to Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl will not be the last memory of him in a Green Wave uniform.

nitely work that I put in, too, coming out with all the tight ends catching on the Jugs (machine) and throwing to each other.”

After three years on the bench at Oregon as a quarterback and a season as a change-of-pace wildcat quarterback at Tulane, Thompson burns to earn regular playing time. It was not going to happen at quarterback, but he will do everything in his power to change the narrative at tight end.

his high school ratings at quarterback. He lost out to Darian Mensah in a preseason camp battle, rushing for 260 yards and six touchdowns while throwing only 11 passes in a wildcat role that decreased by the end of the regular season.

He does not know whether he will get that opportunity again next fall as his focus is on being a tight end.

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

St. Charles hadn’t been playing the kind of baseball that helped it reach every LHSAA state tournament held since 2019.

But after the Comets played Wednesday in LaPlace against River Parish rival Destrehan, coach Wayne Stein said his team might have shown the kind of aggressiveness that could lead to some late-season success.

“Just being aggressive at the plate, being aggressive in every aspect, trying to throw strike one, all those types of things,” Stein said.

“I’m proud of the way they responded.”

St. Charles posted 12 hits and was aided by three Destrehan errors during a six-run second inning on the way to a 13-2 victory shortened to ﬁve innings by mercy rule.

Senior Jackson Doster went 3 for 3 with a double, triple, three RBIs and two runs. Junior Dax Pregeant had two hits, including a solo home run in the fourth inning Sophomore Landree Leblanc had three singles and scored two runs. All three played on the

team that reached the state ﬁnal last season.

“Today we came out here and we knew who we were,”

Pregeant said “We had to do what we had to do. It’s Destrehan a big rivalry. The stakes were high, and we just played like ourselves. We did what we needed to do.”

The win came two days after a 9-2 loss at Live Oak.

“I kind of challenged our kids after Monday to see some of that old St. Charles juice, and I saw some of that today,” Stein said St. Charles (11-9) found plenty of success by simply putting the ball in play

The first Destrehan error came when Leblanc hit a sharp single that skipped off the glove of the center fielder to put runners on second and third with one out. Another batter reached on a ﬁelding error And later, with St. Charles leading 2-0, a bunt down the third-base line resulted in a throwing error that let the third run score.

Doster doubled in another run. The next run scored on a wild pitch. Doster scored when Pregeant drilled an RBI single to right-center ﬁeld.

Destrehan coach Chirs

Mire said his team needed to be better at making the play that would get it out of the inning. He said each loss for Destrehan (13-7) included a big inning for the opposition.

“It’s something that we talked about a lot over the past couple of weeks,” Mire said. “And instead of feeling like the victim, saying, ‘Here we go again,’ we’ve just got to get tired of it and say we’re going go make a play and get out of this.”

St. Charles had another big inning with seven runs in the fourth against three Destrehan pitchers. Senior Reshawn Hilaire singled in a run. Senior Logan Kilibert hit a sacriﬁce ﬂy Doster tripled in two runs.

Winning pitcher Bryce Waguespack, a sophomore, pitched into the fifth inning. Destrehan sophomore Chase Marcotte hit a tworun home run after a hit batter put a runner on base in the fifth inning. The next batter walked, and Stein put Leblanc on the mound to get the last two outs. This is the first season for St. Charles in Class 4A. Still to come are district series against Belle Chasse and Shaw The first game against Belle Chasse is Monday on the road.

Ohtani didn’t disappoint in Tokyo Series vs. Cubs

BY DAVID BRANDT AP baseball writer

TOKYO Shohei Ohtani’s every step, swing and smile were intensely followed this week during his homecoming at the Tokyo Dome, an event that would make most mortals wilt under the pressure. The Japanese slugger was introduced before each atbat to loud roars that continued until a few seconds before the pitch, when the crowd went into a silent trance that’s normally reserved for events like Wimbledon or the Masters. Every mighty hack even if it produced a foul ball — drew gasps as roughly 42,000 fans waited to see if the national hero would deliver And then, he did. Because of course he did. Ohtani hit a towering solo homer in his return to Japan, taking Chicago Cubs pitcher Nate Pearson deep with a ball that barely cleared the fence in right-center field and helping the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Chicago Cubs 6-3 to sweep the twogame series in Tokyo.

“It’s kind of ridiculous,” Dodgers teammate Tommy Edman said. “It like he’s just playing a video game. We’re all out there grinding, trying to do anything we can to win a game, but he’s just playing a different game altogether

“It is pretty crazy to see the stuff he does on a daily basis.”

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani follows through on a solo home run in the fifth inning of an MLB Tokyo Series game against the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday in Tokyo.

It’s hard to fathom how much pressure Ohtani felt during his much-anticipated return to his home country, and manager Dave Roberts said he could feel the star’s emotions, particularly during the Japanese national anthem on Tuesday night. It seemed like his picture was on half the billboards in Tokyo, and a huge chunk of the pregame advertisements on the center ﬁeld video board featured his face. After admitting to some nerves during Tuesday’s opener, the slugger was more relaxed a day later It led to another baseball moment that will live in MLB lore for quite a while.

Ohtani turned on a 99 mph fastball from Pearson and the crowd roared as the ball traveled on a majestic arc deep into the outfield.

A few fans reached for the ball but couldn’t make the catch Cubs outﬁelder Pete Crow-Armstrong threw the ball back into the stands and a 10-year-old Japanese boy was the lucky recipient to a valuable souvenir

“I was happy I was able to hit a homer off a pretty good pitcher,” Ohtani said. “I thought the ball was going to travel a little bit more but I’m glad it at least got in (the stands).”

The homer was upheld after an umpire review and gave the Dodgers a 6-2 lead, much to the delight of the roughly 42,000 in attendance. It was another example of Ohtani rising to the moment in a big occasion. The 30-year-old also homered in an exhibition game on Saturday against the Yomiuri Giants.

Thompson, a senior and former ﬁve-star prospect, exited the transfer portal after that performance and stayed at Tulane, where he will try to make an impact at tight end this spring. With Anthony Thompson’s one catch for 4 yards the only statistic for a returning player at the position, the opportunity is there if Thompson can adjust to the change.

“It’s just playing football for me,” said after the Green Wave’s ﬁrst spring practice. “I know the offense top to bottom and inside and out. It’s really just moving to a different area on the ﬁeld.”

Thompson looked good running routes and catching passes on Tuesday in shorts and shoulder pads. He seems to have the raw skills of a productive receiver, but a truer picture will emerge when he has to block in full-contact practice.

“It’s definitely a change of pace, but it’s something I’m ready for and very willing to dive into to help the team win and get me on the field,” he said. “It kind of just comes naturally I’ve always had pretty good hands, and it’s defi-

This winter he bulked up from 215 to 235 pounds on his 6-foot-4 frame, and he carries the extra weight well. With Alex Bauman transferring to Miami, his spring competition at the position is Miller; Maryland transfer LeRon Husbands, who didn’t catch a pass in four years with the Terrapins; Southern Miss transfer Justyn Reid, who had seven catches for 145 yards as a sophomore in 2024; and redshirt freshman Guiseann Mirtil, who is returning from a torn ACL he suffered last spring.

“I’ve been pleased with Ty,” coach Jon Sumrall said.

“He’s a big, athletic guy who runs well. He caught a really nice ball on one of our vertical routes today

It’s going to be a fun thing to watch how that goes.”

Sumrall said there is plenty of uncertainty

“I don’t think he’s going to be soft, but we’ll have to see how he holds things at the point from a blocking standpoint,” he said. “Will he put his face on you and block you?”

A year ago at this time, Thompson was dealing with a foot injury that dated to Oregon and feeling pressure to live up to

“I feel like I’m really playing football again, getting into it with my boys,” he said. “I’m having a lot of fun. I’m really just blessed and grateful for the opportunity at this position.”

He said his decision to stay at Tulane was a difﬁcult one, but one he does not regret.

“I talked to my family and talked to God a lot,” he said. “At the end of the day you put your emotions to the side, do what you think is best for yourself and for whatever God has planned for you.”

Sign of the times More than a third of the 97 players on the spring roster are newcomers — 27 transfers and six early-enrolling freshmen running back Javin Gordon, wide receiver Oliver Mitchell (Karr), wideout Antwaun Parham, defensive linemen Nik Alston and walk-on long snapper Jason Arredondo, a product of Las Vegas powerhouse program Bishop Gorman.

“That’s just the world we live in right now,” Sumrall said.

“We’ll probably look up in August and go half the team’s brand new from a season ago.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HIRO KOMAE

Thompson

St. Charles meets Stein’s challenge in beating Destrehan

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

St Charles Catholic’s Jackson Doster reacts after hitting a single against Destrehan on Wednesday in LaPlace. Doster went 3 for 3 with a double, a triple, three RBIs and two runs in the Comets’ 13-2 run-rule victory.

Wade to leave McNeese State for NC State job

Former LSU coach readying Cowboys for first-round tourney game against Clemson

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staffwriter

Former LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade has reached an agreement to be the new coach at North Carolina State, according to reports from Joe Giglio and ESPN

The deal is reportedly not yet finalized with Wade currently coaching No. 12 seed McNeese State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Cowboys play No. 5 Clemson at 2:15 p.m. Thursday Wade coached at LSU from 2017-22 after two years leading VCU. He went 105-51 in ﬁ ve sea-

ä McNeese St. vs. Clemson, 2:15P.M.THURSDAyTRUTV

sons and led the Tigers to NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022.

Before the 2022 NCAA Tournament, he was ﬁred four days after the university received a notice of allegations from the NCAA, which included several Level I violations involving the men’s basketball team.

After the conclusion of the 2021-22 season, Wade took a season away from coaching college basketball and was hired at McNeese State.

He was ultimately given a twoyear show-cause order and a 10game suspension in June 2023 for three Level I violations.

Wade has led the Cowboys to a 57-10 overall record and back-toback NCAA Tournament appear-

ances in two seasons. The team was 30-4 last season, and fell to Gonzaga in the Round of 64.

Wade has ﬁve tournament appearances overall between his time at VCU, LSU and McNeese State. He has a 253-106 career coaching record.

LSU has been led by coach Matt McMahon since Wade’s exit. In the three seasons under McMahon, the Tigers are 45-53, missing the NCAA Tournament each year

The program finished with a disappointing 14-18 record this season and declined its bid to the National Invitational Tournament.

Sources said McMahon will be back for a fourth season and that LSU will provide more NIL funding as the staff directs its attention to the transfer portal

Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com

Unselﬁshness, depth have become calling card for South Carolina

BY STEVE REED AP sportswriter

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Midway through the ﬁrst quarter of South Carolina’s Southeastern Conference Tournament quarterfinal game against Vanderbilt, coach Dawn Staley sensed her team needed a boost with the scored knotted at 9-9. Backup point guard MiLaysia Fulwiley checked into the game. Fulwiley closed the quarter with a flurry, making two remarkable plays. She grabbed a long rebound and outraced two Commodores to the basket for a layup — causing one of them to trip over her own feet — with 19 seconds left. As Vanderblit looked for a last-second shot, Fulwiley bolted in front of a pass, raced the ball up the court and, sensing the game clock was about to expire, pulled up for a 3-pointer and knocked it down. Just like that, the Gamecocks led by nine.

Fulwiley would finish with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals in just 22 minutes as South Carolina went on to win 84-63. The Gamecocks’ bench outscored Vanderbilt’s 33-4 that day, and Fulwiley would go on to make the all-tournament team as South Carolina won all three games by at least 18 points. After the game, Staley called Fulwiley a “generational talent,” saying she can do things that she’s never seen before from a female basketball player

Not bad for a reserve

a Division II school in North Carolina. The ﬁfth starter, Patricia Sosa Lora, was the only returning player from last season.

“In the past, we really didn’t recruit a lot of transfer students,” Browder said. “We made the adjustments and said we would go out and get more veteran players in the recruiting process. The game is changing. I’ve been in the business a long time and if I’m going to stay in the game, I’ve got to make the adjustment also.” It helps, Browder says, when the transfers mesh with the players already on the roster That’s

Carolina

ä South Carolina vs. Tenn.Tech, 3P.M.FRIDAy ESPN

Fulwiley is one of several South Carolina reserves who could start for almost any other team in the country And yet she seems content with coming off the bench for the Gamecocks, who enter the NCAA Tournament as a No 1 seed for the ﬁfth straight year in search of their third national championship in four seasons.

“I think here we all just have the same mindset, and that’s winning,” Fulwiley said. “Whether you’re doing it from coming off the bench or starting the game. We all just want to win. I think the ﬁrst group, they pushed the bench to be a better version of ourselves.”

That second-ranked South Carolina (30-3) has a plethora of

been the case.

“The chemistry developed really quickly,” Browder said.” A lot of times when you deal with transfers and a lot of kids returning, sometimes it’s a major struggle on who is going to lead the team and take the most shots.”

It didn’t take long to see the chemistry Xavier started the season 18-0, the best start in school history

There were some games during that fast start that let the players know this could be their year

For Campbell, it was when they made the short drive Uptown to hand Loyola a rare loss on their home court. The players got word of Loyola’s home winning streak prior to tip-off. “There was instant energy in the room,” Campbell said. “Everyone

Top seeds have faced tricky paths in the transfer portal era

BY AARON BEARD AP basketball writer

It seemed a perfect and even relatively safe setup for Arizona.

The Wildcats held a No. 2 seed in last year’s NCAA Tournament and headed to Los Angeles within their long-running Pac-12 regional footprint with a chance to reach the Final Four Instead, a sixth-seeded Clemson team that had traveled across the country and hadn’t reached a regional ﬁnal in more than four decades sent the Wildcats home.

“It’s all about matchups at the end of the day,” said Tigers forward Ian Schieffelin, who had 14 points in that upset and is part of Clemson’s ﬁfth-seeded team this year “Whether you’re a 6 or an 11, it really doesn’t matter.”

That’s always been one of the biggest selling points of March Madness, that anything-can-andwill-happen vibe on everything from buzzer-beaters and memorable upsets to the best teams abruptly stalling at a shocking time. But the road to college basketball’s biggest stage for the top seeds has been even trickier in the four tournaments since the COVID-19 pandemic, with lowerseeded opponents making deeper runs to put more potential chaos into the bracket.

It just so happens that volatility has come amid the growing use of the transfer portal, which has granted freer player movement to distribute talent more widely in the college version of free agency That’s been particularly true with many players carrying a ﬁfth year of eligibility after competing during the pandemic, though this year largely marks the final crop of those players coming through the tournament.

Tougher ask

“I think winning a championship is harder the path is harder,” said ACC Network analyst Luke Hancock, who was the Final Four’s most outstanding player during Louisville’s run to a later-vacated national title in 2013. “You don’t have teams that have just ﬁve, six, seven upperclassmen who have played together three, four and ﬁve years, where they play a certain way and know each other and there’s continuity

“It’s more about how you build your team, roster management, how you can navigate the portal. I think there will be more variance.”

There’s already been an uptick in that starting with the bizarre “bubble” tournament of 2021, both when compared to the four years

immediately before the pandemic as well as going back to the expansion of the tournament to 64 teams in 1985. A look at the combined seeds of teams reaching speciﬁc points in the tournament offers a glimpse as to just how much, with higher averages indicating the presence of more teams with bigger numbers alongside their names in the bracket. And trouble has come throughout the bracket for the teams carrying those No. 1, 2 or 3 seeds, most notably Fairleigh Dickinson joining UMBC as the only 16-seeds to take down a No. 1 by beating Purdue in the 2023 ﬁrst round.

Final Four

The average combined seeds of teams in the Final Four was 17.0 from 2021-24, up from 13.5 from 2016-19 and 11.3 for the 35 tournaments from 1985-2019. It was only two years ago when 4-seed UConn was the top team in an unusual Final Four in Houston, marking the ﬁrst time there was no 1-, 2- or 3-seed in the national semiﬁnals dating to ‘85.

Additionally, there has been at least one team seeded eighth or lower in four consecutive Final Fours for the ﬁrst time dating to the 1985 expansion, with 11thseeded N.C State as last year’s improbable example.

Elite Eight

The average combined seeds for teams in the regional finals has been 38.3 from 2021-24, up from 27.8 from 2016-19 and 25.6 dating to 1985. The biggest outlier came in 2022, when St. Peter’s stunned Kentucky in Round 1 on the way to becoming the only 15-seed ever to reach a regional ﬁnal. The Peacocks’ opponent? Another surprise team in eighth-seeded North Carolina, which went all the way to the national title game. Meanwhile, only six No. 1 seeds have reached the Elite Eight from 2021-24. That’s half the total of the same span immediately before the pandemic.

Sweet 16

Just getting to the tournament’s second week has been tricky, too. The average combined seeds since the pandemic is 77.5. That’s up from 66.3 immediately before the canceled 2020 tournament and 70.6 from 1985-2019.

The aforementioned 2023 tournament had only two No. 1 seeds — Alabama and Houston — survive the opening weekend. And that had happened only three times previously going back to 1985 (2000, 2004, 2018).

riches when it comes to talent is nothing new

Staley has built a powerhouse in Columbia, not unlike what Connecticut and Tennessee have done in previous decades, and there’s no shortage of players who want to play for the two-time national coach of the year and three-time national champion To do so often means a direct path to the WNBA.

South Carolina’s bench is the best in women’s college basketball, and it’s not even close. The Gamecocks average 41.5 points per game from their reserves — nearly 10 points more than the next closest Division I team. The Gamecocks, which host 16 seed Tennessee Tech in their NCAA opener on Friday, are averaging 80.5 points per game this season, but it’s not uncommon for their leading score to have fewer than 15 points.

was like ‘Well, they are going to lose tonight.’ I saw the ﬁght and grit that everybody had that game.”

For Browder, it wasn’t a win that gave him hope. It was a loss, one that didn’t even count on the record. It was a 114-53 loss in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in an exhibition against Kim Mulkey’s nationally ranked LSU. Xavier, down 68-19 at halftime, outscored LSU 23-21 in the third quarter

“Scoring 20 points in a quarter against one of the best teams in the country, I felt like we had a chance to be pretty good for our (NAIA) level,” Browder said. “One thing I know about coach Mulkey is she plays one speed once she steps between those lines. We ended up scoring more points on them than their ﬁrst four opponents

scored. When I saw that, I thought we could be special.” Turns out, he was right. The 29 wins ties the school record for most wins in a season. They can eclipse that with a win Thursday that would send them to Saturday’s quarterﬁnals.

Campbell takes pride in being one of two HBCUs remaining in the ﬁeld. (Langston is the other.)

“I feel like a lot of times we are overlooked because we are an HBCU,” Campbell said. “I know there are lot of other programs that have a lot more money than us, who have more gear than us or better facilities or whatever This allows us to put other HBCUs on the map. We may not have a lot of resources, but we can play All that matters is who has the ball,

how many times it goes in the net and who plays good defense.” The Gold Nuggets have done both this season, putting the ball in the net and playing the type of defense that is a requirement to play for Browder They’ve come a long way on this miracle run. A few reminders this week tell the story of just how far they’ve come. The team took its ﬁrst plane ride of the season Tuesday as they made their way to Iowa, over 1,100 miles away from New Orleans. When they woke up Wednesday morning, they were greeted by a blizzard. They were prepared for the snow and are focused on the task at hand.

“We’ve made it this far,” Shelley said. “It’s only right that we win it all.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL CONROy Fairleigh Dickinson guard Grant Singleton celebrates after a basket against Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio on March 17, 2023.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NELL REDMOND

South

head coach Dawn Staley reacts as her team plays against UConn in Columbia, S.C on Feb 16.

PROVIDED FILE PHOTO By MCNEESEATHLETICS

McNeese State coach Will Wade celebrates the Cowboys’ Southland Conference Tournament championship win against Lamar on March 12 in the Legacy Center in Lake Charles.

Vikings committed to McCarthy as starting QB

TheAssociatedPress

MINNEAPOLIS The Minnesota Vikings have committed to moving forward with J.J. McCarthy as their starting quarterback this season after deciding not to offer Aaron Rodgers a contract, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Vikings were not commenting publicly on their plans.

NFL Notebook

Rodgers, the four-time NFL MVP award winner, was released last week by the New York Jets. With Pro Bowl pick Sam Darnold departed in free agency for the Seattle Seahawks after his breakout performance, the Vikings prepared to turn their offense over to McCarthy, the 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft whose rookie year was spent rehabilitating from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. Trade inquiries from other teams for McCarthy were rejected, the person said.

Rodgers was widely reported to be interested in joining his former rival from his time with the Green Bay Packers, and Vikings leaders took their time to consider the bold move of bringing in a 41-year-old player whose ability, accomplishments and personality have the potential to alter a locker room dynamic that by all accounts contributed to Minnesota’s 14-win ﬁnish last season.

The Vikings also have been able to spend big on free agency this month because of the ﬂexibility afforded by a quarterback on a rookie contract, primarily bolstering their defensive and offensive lines.

They still need another veteran to help support McCarthy and capably ﬁll in if he were injured again, however, for the bridge role they originally envisioned for Darnold.

The Vikings wanted former New York Giants starter Daniel Jones back, but he signed with the Indianapolis Colts for a stronger opportunity to win the job. Minnesota’s primary backup for the previous three seasons, Nick Mullens, signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars. The only other quarterback currently on the roster is Brett Rypien, who has four career starts in six years in the league.

The most proven available quar-

terbacks on the market are currently Joe Flacco and Ryan Tannehill, though the Vikings could work out a trade for one or ﬁnd someone else available later in the offseason once teams adjust their rosters after the draft, or even during training camp once health and performance more clearly dictate depth charts around the league.

Dolphins

Former Saints LB Gay signing 1-year deal with Dolphins: Veteran linebacker Willie Gay agreed to a one-year contract with the Miami Dolphins, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Wednes-

Ban on tush push among proposed NFL rule changes

BY JOSH DUBOW AP pro football writer

The Green Bay Packers have formally proposed a rule change to ban the tush push and the Detroit Lions proposed that playoff seeding be done based on record instead of automatically placing division winners in the top four spots. Teams made several other proposals released Wednesday that will be added to additional ones made by the competition committee to be considered at the league meetings later this month, including a change to the overtime rule and the so-called legal tampering period in free agency

Any rule change must be approved by 24 out of 32 team owners.

Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst said last month at the scouting combine that his team wanted to ban the tush push, which is a modiﬁed quarterback sneak where two or three teammates line up behind the quarterback and push him forward to help him try to gain the yardage necessary for a ﬁrst down or touchdown Philadelphia has used the play successfully behind Jalen Hurts for the past three seasons in shortyardage situations, including during a 40-22 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 59. Other teams have tried to use it as well but without the success of the Eagles.

The proposed rule states that

SAINTS

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No. 1 total and scoring defenses. Like Yiadom, he saw someone willing to ﬁt the week’s game plan to the opponent. “It was cool every week seeing the game plan come together,” Williams said. “He wasn’t stubborn about, ‘We have to do it this way every week.’ It was ‘What is the offense showing on tape, and how can we put our guys in the best position?’ ” Moore drew some similar praise. While Stoll wasn’t with the Eagles for their Super Bowl run last year — he was on their practice squad until November, when he was waived and the Miami Dolphins claimed him — his couple of months with Moore as the coordinator were informative.

He sees Moore as someone who finds ways to put his players in the right position to make plays

no offensive player may “immediately at the snap, push or throw his body against a teammate, who was lined up directly behind the snapper and received the snap, to aid him in an attempt to gain yardage.” Doing so would result in a 10yard penalty

The playoff change proposal by the Lions would have led to signiﬁcant changes last season when Minnesota had to go on the road for a wild-card game against the Rams despite winning four more games than Los Angeles in the regular season. The Vikings would have hosted a game as the third seed under the proposal.

The Chargers also went on the road as a wild-card team against division-winning Houston despite having one additional win.

Under the proposed rule, the ﬁrst tiebreaker among tied teams would be based on winning the division.

The Eagles proposed a change in overtime rules to align it more like the playoffs when each team is guaranteed an opportunity to score. The proposal would extend regular-season overtime from 10 minutes to 15 and the game wouldn’t end if the team that got the ball ﬁrst scored a touchdown.

League executive Troy Vincent said last month that changes were needed to overtime rules to decrease the advantage of winning the coin toss. Receiving the ball first has become more of an advantage than before 2011, when overtime was sudden death. Re-

— something he saw play out with the Eagles last year, when the normally pass-heavy Moore shifted his offense to feature Saquon Barkley and Philadelphia’s standout offensive line.

“He’ll do everything he can to make sure all the players are successful, which I think in turn leads to a team being successful in an offense,” Stoll said. “He’s a brilliant offensive mind. Seeing how he adapted his offense to the personnel that they had in Philly, that’s something that I thought was phenomenal.

“He had his system he had with Dallas and LA, and when he took it to Philly he saw the personnel and adjusted his system accordingly to make it successful. I think that’s something that is very difficult to do. Obviously it worked out pretty well for him.”

Clapp spent two seasons with the Chargers. Staley was his head coach for both of them, and Moore was his offensive coordinator for his second year He

day

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not announced the signing. ESPN ﬁrst reported the deal.

Gay played for New Orleans in 2024 after spending the ﬁrst four seasons of his career with Kansas City A second-round pick by the Chiefs in 2020, Gay won back-toback Super Bowls with Kansas City in 2023 and 2024.

He started 47 games for the Chiefs — and nine playoff games recording 233 tackles, five sacks, 17 tackles for loss and four interceptions in the regular season He had 29 postseason tackles, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and 1/2 sack. For the Saints last season, Gay recorded 28 tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss and three pass breakups.

Commanders

Commanders rework Samuel’s contract to guarantee $17M in 2025: Deebo Samuel and the Washington Commanders have reworked the wide receiver’s contract to guarantee $17 million this season with $3 million in additional incentives, according to a person with knowledge of the move. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the team did not announce the restructuring. Samuel, 29, is entering the ﬁnal season of the three-year, $71.55 million extension he signed with San Francisco in 2022; his previous base salary wasn’t guaranteed. The Commanders acquired him from the 49ers on March 1 for a ﬁfthround pick in next month’s draft.

Samuel is one of several highproﬁle additions made by secondyear general manager Adam Peters after his team’s improb-

able run to the NFC championship game, led by Offensive Rookie of the Year quarterback Jayden Daniels. Washington also traded for standout left tackle Laremy Tunsil and signed defensive linemen Javon Kinlaw and Deatrich Wise, cornerback Jonathan Jones and safety Will Harris.

Samuel, who immediately becomes the No. 2 receiver for Daniels after Terry McLaurin, made 51 catches for 670 yards and three touchdowns last season with the 49ers. The South Carolina product has 334 receptions for 4,792 yards and 22 TDs since making his NFL debut in 2019.

Rams

CB Witherspoon re-signs for a 3rd season with Rams: Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon agreed to a one-year contract Wednesday to return for a third season with the Los Angeles Rams.

Witherspoon started every game for the Rams during the 2023 season, but went unsigned last summer He returned to the Rams’ practice squad last Sept. 11 and soon resumed a major role on the defense, starting ﬁve regular-season games and both postseason games for the NFC West champions while ﬁnishing with 31 tackles and one interception.

The Rams aren’t waiting this year to secure Witherspoon, who is entering his ninth NFL season. The Northern California native spent his ﬁrst four NFL seasons with the San Francisco 49ers before playing two years for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Witherspoon frequently played alongside starting cornerbacks Darious Williams and Cobie Durant for the Rams, who are expected to look for cornerback depth in the draft next month.

ceiving teams won 56.8% of overtime games from 2017-24, up from 55.4% from 2001-11.

Other changes

The Lions proposed that illegal contact and defensive holding penalties would not give the offense an automatic ﬁrst down.

The Steelers proposed that teams would be allowed to have one video call or phone call with prospective unrestricted free agents from other teams and their agents during the two-day negotiating window before the start of the league year

Currently teams are allowed to talk only to agents during this period. It also would allow for teams to arrange travel for prospective free agents as long as the travel didn’t start until after the league year

The Lions proposed that players put on injured reserve before or on the day that rosters are cut to 53 shouldn’t count on the 90-man roster limit, unless they will be designated to return during the season.

Several clubs proposed allowing teams to prepare the special kicking balls before the day of the game like they can with regular balls.

Washington proposed allowing teams to obtain scouting credentials for games in Weeks 17 and 18 for potential playoff opponents in the conference and requiring teams hosting wild-card games to grant scouting credentials to any team in their conference that is in the playoffs

called the offense he ran under Moore in 2023 his “favorite offense that I’ve been in” during his seven-year playing career

He liked everything about it, from the playbook to the game day operation. And, as an offensive lineman, he speciﬁcally enjoyed the adaptability of the run game.

Last season, New Orleans predominantly deployed a zone run scheme. It was largely effective, but there were notable weeks where the rushing offense was shut out by a smart defense across the line of scrimmage. While Moore’s rushing offense struggled in his lone season with the Chargers, Clapp still saw a scheme that emphasized attacking opposing defenses’ weak spots.

“The way to describe it is probably anything and everything,” Clapp said. “They will use anything that will expose a weakness, or anything that we feel that our group can do better than

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow looks to throw against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Jan. 4 in Pittsburgh.

Burrow among several QBs featured in new season of Netﬂix series

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES Cincinnati’s Joe Burrow, Atlanta’s Kirk Cousins and Detroit’s Jared Goff will be featured on the second season of Netﬂix’s “Quarterback” series. The streamer announced the series will debut in July with a promotional video released on Wednesday “Quarterback” debuted in 2023 and was one of Netflix’s top-streamed series. Last year, NFL Films, Omaha Productions and 2PM Productions had the series “Receiver,” following ﬁve wide receivers and quarterbacks throughout the 2023 season.

Burrow, Cousins and Goff had their 2024 season chronicled on and off the ﬁeld.

Burrow led the league with 4,918 passing yards and 43 touchdowns, but had his house broken into in December while the Bengals were in Dallas facing

your group.”

Left (guard) unanswered

Before he rejoined the New Orleans Saints last week offensive lineman Will Clapp played more than 1,000 snaps in his three seasons away from the team. Most of them were at center — not guard.

But as he returns for a second stint, Clapp likely realizes he could be asked to play more guard this time around.

That’s a spot, after all, that remains a giant question mark for the Saints after the ﬁrst wave of free agency Last year, the Saints used ﬁve different players at left guard because of injuries and poor performance. And so far this offseason, New Orleans has taken a quieter approach to address the position.

On paper, Clapp could be in the mix to compete at guard, alongside Landon Young, Nick Saldiveri and Kyle Hergel.

“I haven’t talked to (the coaching

the Cowboys in a Monday night game. Cincinnati ended the season on a ﬁve-game winning streak and ﬁnished 9-8, but missed the playoffs.

Cousins — who also was on the first season of “Quarterback” — signed a four-year $180 million contract last March with the Atlanta Falcons that included $100 million guaranteed. Cousins, however, was benched as rookie Michael Penix started the final three games. Atlanta finished 8-9 and missed the playoffs after leading the NFC South late in the season. Goff was a finalist for AP NFL Most Valuable player after he led Detroit to consecutive division titles and the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time in franchise history with a 15-2 record. Goff passed for 4,629 yards and 37 touchdowns, but the Lions were eliminated in the divisional round by Washington.

staff) about any roles,” said Clapp, the former LSU product whose ﬁrst stint with the Saints was from 2018-2021. “Nothing’s been deﬁned yet.”

Of course, the Saints may not be done adding to the position.

Several notable guards remained unsigned, including Lucas Patrick (last year’s primary starter at left guard for the Saints) and Brandon Scherff. The draft also remains an option for New Orleans to add another interior lineman.

More cap space

The Saints have roughly $30 million in 2025 cap space available after restructuring several contracts early this week.

The Saints performed simple restructures on both receiver Cedrick Wilson and defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, creating more than $4 million in 2025 cap space in the process.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

AP FILE PHOTO By MATT FREED

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By RyAN SUN

Minnesota Vikings quarterback JJ McCarthy stands before a game against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 24 in Inglewood, Calif.

| Thursday, March 20, 2025 1dN

Sharing a bit of Kentucky in a Louisiana kitchen

Typically with this column, readers send in recipes, and I cook them in my kitchen. Then, we compare notes. This week is different.

Recipe, Kentuckystyle Barbecue, Beans and Cornbread 2D

When Stephanie November invited me into her New Orleans kitchen to make some of her mother’s favorite Kentucky dishes, I said, “Absolutely!” November, the daughter of a high school band director and home economics teacher, grew up in Princeton, Kentucky

Her mom, Brenda Stephens, was a marvelous and generous cook. In full disclosure, I ﬁrst met November and her mom 15 years ago when our young daughters were in “Charlie Brown” together

Watching the young cast sing about Charlie Brown being a good man and happiness being two kinds of ice cream over and over again, she and I became friends. We bonded, in large part, over being the children of school teachers in small Southern communities.

Since those days, we’ve both moved to different cities, but we’ve stayed in touch. When she proposed teaching me to make one of her mom’s classic Kentucky dishes, I couldn’t resist. Not only because it would be fun to visit, but because her mom was one of my favorite people. I love celebrating her memory Stephens was the kind of person who spread joy Her generosity was contagious. She passed those genes on to her daughter As we were preparing the dishes, she told me about how every night at dinner, her dad would ﬁgure out how much the cost for the meal was. He

ä See THE DISH, page 2D

BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER

News Service (TNS)

Tuna Crispy-Rice is a make-ahead dream recipe for Lent and beyond

BY APRIL HAMILTION | Contributing writer

Iwas raised on fresh ﬁsh, farm stands and Mom’s fried chicken on the east coast of central Florida. Each of these provisions had its cadence.

Fried chicken was always a Sunday affair, the farm stands a weekly stop. Fresh ﬁsh was every Friday, especially during Lent. My brothers skipped down to the beach to see what was biting and Mom would cook it up. If they returned empty-handed, our meatless meal was eggs and toast and fresh squeezed orange juice, today’s trendy breakfast for dinner My truth is that the fresh catch, or any seafood, was on my “no thank you” list until college when I experienced a perfectly blackened mahi mahi on a spring break trip to the Caribbean. From this conversion, my world changed and now the ﬁrst place I turn to on any restaurant menu is “today’s catch.”

Tuna Crispy-Rice PHOTO ByAPRIL BUFFINGTON

Jan Risher THE DISH

Try this trick for the microwave

Dear Heloise: I wanted to share a hint that I’ve never seen before I always keep a small jar of water in my microwave in case I happen to turn it on by mistake when it’s empty This tip has saved me from disaster You can also eliminate unwanted odors by putting some vinegar in the jar and letting it

sit overnight. Thanks for all your great ideas! — Molly S., Dayton, Ohio

Hints from Heloise

Men using coupons

Dear Heloise: I am responding to your question about men using coupons. I’m a happily married 80-year-old man who is ﬁnancially well-off. I have no idea how long I’ve been using cou-

pons, but it’s been several decades. I used to do most of the grocery shopping, but now that I can’t drive, my shopping has been reduced. I’ve been using coupons for decades. To me, coupons are tax-free money, so why not take advantage of them? — Len Smith, via email Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

PHOTO By

Stephanie November shares her family recipe of a western Kentucky favorite, barbecue, beans and cornbread.

Place griddle or large skillet on burner Add small amount of butter (as you would for a pancake) and heat skillet on medium heat until butter melts.

5. Brown cornbread pancake on one side until little holes start showing near the edges and it is ready to be ﬂipped with a spatula.

6. Flip pancake and cook about 3 to 5 more minutes, depending on heat.

Navigating teen turmoil

DearAnnie: My girlfriend and I have been together for four years, and most of that time has been great. The last year and half, however has become quite complicated and strained due to her 14-year-old daughter I’ll call her “Rose.”

When her mother and I got together, Rose was 10, and up until about a year or so ago, she was a great kid. She warmed up to me pretty quickly and we had fun playing games, gooﬁng around, etc. Of course, we knew things would change as she got into her teen years, but I can’t say either one of us saw this coming. Over the last year to year and a half, as she has gone through the changes that come with coming of age, she has unfortunately gone from being that great kid to the 14-year-old female version of her selfcentered, manipulative, narcissistic father

She’s very disrespectful not just to me but even more so to her mother The way she treats her mother is absolutely appalling. I stopped going over to the house four months ago because the tension in the house when she is there is unbearable.

In the last month, Rose has chosen to live with her father because she hates her mother (and she used to absolutely dread going to her dad’s house). This is a girl who told her therapist she doesn’t care how it makes her mom feel (though she hasn’t seen the therapist in 10 months).

Unfortunately, my girlfriend deals with depression and anxiety issues, and I don’t know how to help her Rose moving out is best for both of them, and as sad as it is to say, downright estrangement would probably be ideal because they can’t be together and not blow up at each other My girlfriend broke down crying last night. She feels like she has to walk on eggshells around her daughter

My question is how do I help her? She needs to kick Rose out (for good) to her father’s house and tell her she’s not welcome in her house and to not contact her, but of course, she can’t bring herself to do it, no matter how badly Rose verbally beats her down. I’m at a loss and don’t know how to help her, and I really worry about her with the toll it is taking. — Helping a Mother of Narcissistic Daughter

Dear Helping: Though you say you’re trying to help, advocating that your girlfriend kick her daughter out of the house and demand no contact is doing quite the opposite. Rose is 14 years old — an age that comes with a lot of angst, hormonal changes and parental conﬂict. The fact that she’s being rude to her mother is sad, of course, but it’s also a tale as old as time and a phase she’ll likely outgrow What she won’t outgrow however, is the trauma of being banished from her mother’s house because her mother’s boyfriend would rather not deal with all the trials and tribulations that come with raising a teenager The best way to support your girlfriend is to support Rose. Be patient with her Ask her questions about her life. Convince her to resume therapy Set healthy boundaries at home. It won’t be easy, nor will it be a quick ﬁx, but if you truly see a future with your girlfriend, you need to prove that you care about her daughter, too. Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

4. Pour batter about until it spreads to about 4 inches in diameter

7. Serve on a plate and top with the barbecue and beans mixture.

Brenda’s Chex Mix

Recipe by Brenda Stephens. Makes 7 quarts.

4½

6 cups salted dry-roasted peanuts, mixed nuts or cashews

1. Preheat oven to 275 F 2. Melt butter 3. Once butter is melted, add onion salt, garlic powder, celery salt, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco.

THE DISH

Continued from page 1D

took great pride in eating at home and on a budget.

“My brother and I were just talking about how most every night at dinner, my dad would itemize the fact that we were feeding the four of us this whole meal for under $7,” she said. “Dad was the one that was always mindful about what the calculus of the per-person cost was versus what that would have cost us to eat out.”

Her mother’s signature recipe was Chex Mix, which she shared in droves

We followed her recipe last week. The dish was so synonymous with Stephens that they even put her recipe on the back of the prayer card at her funeral. November and I made the Chex Mix with cashews, and November told me that growing up they would

ByTheAssociated Press

Today is Thursday, March 20, the 79th day of 2025. There are 286 days left in the year

Today in history

On March 20, 1995, in Tokyo, packages containing the deadly chemical sarin were opened on ﬁve separate subway trains in a domestic terror attack by members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, causing 14 deaths and injuring more than 1,000.

On this date: In 1815, Napoleon Bonaparte returned to Paris after escaping his exile on Elba, beginning his “Hundred Days” rule. In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s inﬂuential novel about slavery, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin,” was ﬁrst published in book form after being

have used salted peanuts.

“Because they were cheap,” she said “That’s the theme of this whole demo. Except for the cashews, what we’re making is inexpensive — and it would stretch.”

Every home economics teacher I’ve ever known was a master of stretching. There’s no coincidence that “economics” is part of the title.

“My dad would have told you that, ‘Oh you don’t need cashews when you can buy peanuts for half the cost,’” she said November said the economics of a meal played a big role even on holidays in the Stephens household. On Christmas Eve, her parents hosted an all-day open house. People would come and go. Her mother made a gigantic pot of what she calls, “Barbecue, beans and cornbread,” which is a pork and beans and barbecue concoction on a cornbread

TODAY IN HISTORY

serialized in the abolitionist newspaper The National Era; it would become the best-selling novel of the 19th century In 1854, the Republican Party of the United States was founded by opponents of slavery at a schoolhouse in Ripon, Wisconsin In 1996, a jury in Los Angeles convicted Erik and Lyle Menendez of ﬁrst-degree murder in the shotgun slayings of their wealthy parents. (They were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.) In 2014, President Barack Obama ordered economic sanctions against nearly two dozen members of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s inner circle and a major bank that provided them support, raising the stakes in an East-West showdown

5. Pour melted butter mixture over cereals and stir well.

6. Bake for one hour, stirring thoroughly every 10 minutes

7. Cool completely before portioning into containers for sharing.

4. In the largest roasting pan you have (a 16-quart pan is ideal), combine cereals, crackers, pretzels and nuts.

pancake — something I had never tried before.

“Maybe this is what a hoecake is?” November said as she was ﬂipping one of the cornbread pancakes. “But we always just called this cornbread when we made this dish.”

One critical component of the dish is the barbecue sauce. November recommends a sauce she describes as “tomato based but vinegar forward — mustardy and not a vinegar sauce because that is different.”

I knew exactly what she meant.

You, too, can send in the recipe for your signature dish. Each week, Jan Risher picks a different dish to prepare. She compares notes with the cook who sent in the recipe. If you’ve got a great dish you think others would love, email Jan. Risher@theadvocate.com.

over Ukraine. In 2018, in a phone call to Vladimir Putin, President Donald Trump offered congratulations on Putin’s reelection victory; a senior ofﬁcial said Trump had been warned in brieﬁng materials that he should not congratulate Putin.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Hal Linden is 94. Basketball Hall of Fame coach Pat Riley is 80. Hockey Hall of Famer Bobby Orr is 77. Guitarist Jimmie Vaughan is 74. Film director Spike Lee is 68. Actor Holly Hunter is 67. Model-entrepreneur Kathy Ireland is 62. Actor David Thewlis is 62. Actor Michael Rapaport is 55. MMA commentator and former champion Daniel Cormier is 46. Actor-singer Christy Carlson Romano is 41. Tennis player Sloane Stephens is 32.

Tuna Crispy-Rice

This is a do-ahead dream recipe if planning ahead is an option. Make the rice, pat it out and chill it overnight before cutting it into little squares and browning/ crisping in a hot skillet. The water ratio here is from the rice package — follow the instructions according to the rice you use.

FOR THE RICE:

2 cups uncooked short-grain rice (sushi rice)

3 cups water for the rice

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons fine salt Coconut oil for cooking

1. Place the rice in a ﬁne mesh strainer and run cold water through it for 1 minute, until the water is running almost clear Shake the strainer to remove most of the water from the rice.

2. Combine the rinsed rice and 3 cups water in a medium saucepan with a tightﬁtting lid. Set over mediumhigh heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to mediumlow Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let it continue to steam for 10 minutes

TUNA

Continued from page 1D

My brother-in-law is from Japan and crafts sushi as elegantly as any of the masters. I once took a class in his restaurant kitchen and realized the skill requires more than a sharp knife. I do enjoy dabbling in the art and employ my sushi rolling mat for extensive kitchen fun. (More on this later, stay tuned) In my Baton Rouge neighborhood I am now two handshakes away from the freshest ﬁsh. Cue the glee when the inquiry arrives from my friend Alison: “Would you like some fresh my son just caught?”

3. Fluff the cooked rice with a large fork and transfer to a large bowl.

4. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, sugar and salt until the sugar is dissolved. Drizzle over the cooling rice in the bowl and fold together to incorporate.

5. Line a 13-inch by 9-inch baking pan with plastic wrap. When the rice is cool, turn it out into the prepared pan and press ﬁrmly into a half-inch-thick layer, dampening fingers if the rice sticks to your hands. Cover the baking pan with a sheet of plastic wrap and slash a few holes in the wrap with a paring knife to let it dry out just a bit while it chills. Refrigerate overnight or freeze for 1 hour

6. When the rice is cold, transfer the whole slab to a cutting board, carefully removing the plastic wrap. Cut into 4 dozen rectangles with a sharp knife.

7. Heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the rice rectangles in batches, turning after the ﬁrst side

Fill in the blank. I recall the red snapper that fed my crowded table and the grouper filets that I blackened per my Caribbean taste memory Last week, the fresh catch call was tuna. I could not believe my luck. I pondered the myriad menu possibilities before picking up this prize. I imagined a single serving that I could stretch to feed two and instead was handed three tenderloin-sized hunks of sushi-grade tuna. My mind flashed to my last trip home to Florida when a generous fisherman shared the bounty with my nephew Thomas and his girlfriend Brianna. I only half observed their process of making rice, dicing the tuna and mixing it with

is browned and crisp, about 5 minutes total. Transfer them to a serving platter as they are cooked. Repeat until all of the rice rectangles are crisped, or refrigerate extra un-crisped rice in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

FOR THE TUNA: Following Brianna’s lead, measure with your heart. I provide my ratios here for a starting point. Prepare the tuna just before you begin crisping the rice. Refriger-

some special sauce. They cut the slab of cooled rice into squares and seared them in a hot skillet ﬁlled with coconut oil which perfumed the whole house with nutty fragrance. They plated their spicy tuna concoction onto platforms of crispy rice and garnished each piece with avocado and fresh jalapeño. In a single phone call, I was able to recreate the delicacy with Brianna’s reassurance, “First of all, I measure with my heart,” followed by “It’s not hard at all.” Now that my grown-up tastebuds appreciate the bounty of the sea, I am ready to spring into action when the generous neighborhood ﬁsherman shares his haul.

PHOTO ByAPRIL BUFFINGTON

Crispy-Rice

STAFF

JAN RISHER

Annie Lane DEARANNIE

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Discipline and hard work will pave the way to a better lifestyle. Get out, be active and do your best to choose healthy alternatives. A professional change looks promising.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Tidy up your finances, investments and spending habits. Put debt to rest and pay down outstanding balances. Sell off unnecessary items. Fiscal health will improve your physical health.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take uncertainty out of the equation by being blunt about what you want to know. Positive change begins with the facts a plan and taking the initiative to make things happen.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Partnerships will lead to opportunity. It's OK to wheel and deal, but if you want a relationship to be ongoing, you'll have to include compromise, honesty and a strong moral compass.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) You'll have to weigh today's pros and cons when doing business, buying and selling or handling matters that can influence your reputation. Change is inevitable.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Put your thinking cap on and prepare to learn. Let your heart lead the way. Expose yourself to new concepts and technology that helps spin old favorites into something new and exciting.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Emotions will surface over situations you encounter at home or work. Be ready to look

for alternative methods to make ends meet. Accurately assessing your cost of living will help you get ahead.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take a break and do something that will spark your imagination and give insight into how you can put your attributes to better use. Love partnerships and social engagement will enhance your life.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Stop obsessing about the past and focus on what you can do to build a better future. Put your energy into learning, exercising your rights and making things happen. It's your life to live, so get moving.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Tidy up loose ends, clear the path and start anew. Refuse to let the past hold you back when it's time to put your best foot forward and find your passion.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Get involved in something that matters to you. The people you meet and the difference you make will change how you feel about your life and what you do for an income.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Consider what you enjoy most and turn it into an occupation or favorite pastime. Whether it concerns work, money or morals, satisfying your soul will impact you profoundly and shape your path forward.

FAMILY CIrCUS

For better or For WorSe

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

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

Julia Child said, “I think careful cooking is love, don’t you? The loveliest thing you can cook for someone who’s close to you is about as nice a valentine as you can give.”

Yourbridgepartnerwillbeveryhappy if you play bridge carefully, whether or not on Valentine’s Day. In this deal, how should South play in four spades after West leads the heart king?

In Standard American, the auction is straightforward.Ifyouusetwo-over-one game-force, North would rebid three spades,andSouth,withaminimumopening, would sign off in game.

Declarer has four potential losers: one diamond and three clubs. He has only nine top tricks: six spades, one heart and two diamonds. South can hope that East has the club ace, or try to establish dummy’s diamond suit. But the actual layout is the one that South should fear. If he takes the first trick, draws trumps and plays on diamonds, East will win a trick and can shift to the club queen. Then, as long as neither defender tries to cash a heart trick, declarer will lose one diamond and three clubs.

What is the secret?

South must keep East off the lead. And the way to do that is not to win the first trick; let West take it. Suppose he continues with another heart.

Declarer wins with dummy’s ace and discards a diamond from his hand. Then he plays a trump to his ace before attacking diamonds. South takes dummy’s two winners, ruffs a diamond high, and (when they split 3-2) draws trumps ending on the board. Finally, declarer cashes dummy’s remaining two diamonds, throwing club losers from his hand.

wuzzles

Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

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 uPRosE: UP-roze: Stood up or got out of bed.

Average mark 22 words Time limit 30 minutes

Can you find 28 or more words in UPROSE?

YEstERDAY’s WoRD — nEoGEnEsIs

nene neon ness nine noes noise none nose nosing egis engine

ensign oneness geese gene geneses genesis genie gesso gneiss goes gone seeing seen seine sense sensing siege sign signee sine sing singe soigne sone song

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles hidato mallard

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

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe

animal crackerS

DuStin

Drabble

Wallace the brave

breWSter rockit

luann

AN ORDINANCEtoamend and reordainChapter 162, Sections 162-1, 162-190, 162-191, and 162-947 of the Codeofthe City of New Orleans to provide for the definition and regulation of per capita fixed-route continuous-loop sightseeing tour vehicles; and to otherwise providewith respect thereto. WHEREAS, Municode provides regulations for per capita fixed-route continuous-loop sightseeing vehicles, but does not reflect the previous ordinances adopted by the City Council; and WHEREAS, this ordinance amends and reordains certainprovisions primarily for clarity.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HEREBY ORDAINS, That Chapter 162 is hereby amended and reordained to read as follows: Sec. 162-1. Definitions. Per capita fixed-route continuous-loop sightseeing tour vehicleisatour vehicle within a fleet of no less than 6vehicles that seat no less than 30 passengers on avehicle. Such vehicles operate on a fixed route with a continuous loop allowing multiplestops and points of boarding and exiting with passengers able to utilize any vehicle operating on the loop.During hoursofoperation, at least 3buses shallbeoperating on the fixed route. Sec. 162-190. Types for buses and limousines.

7. Per capita continuous loop, fixed-route sightseeingIncludes allservices defined under subsections (1) and (2) of this section, but in addition permits sightseeing tours to operate on a fixed-route with acontinuous loop allowing multiple stops and points of boarding and exiting. Sec. 162-191. -Existing CPNC may apply for other typeoflicense.

(6) All existing tour bus CPNC holders (not currently conductingper capita sightseeing tours) and van CPNC holders shall beeligible for per capita sightseeing tours (upon successfulapplication with the department of public works); alicensed tour guidemust be on boardtoconduct tours. Conducting transportation services (exclusive of tour)are strictly prohibited. And the penalty for violating any of the provisions of thissection shall be asuspension of the per capita CPNC for aduration of 90 days for the first offense, and revocation of the CPNC for the second offense.

Sec. 162-947. –Regulation of per capita continuousloop, fixed-route sightseeing tour vehicles.

(a) Per capita continuous loop, fixed-route sightseeingtour vehicle stops located on city-owned streets or other city-owned property require approval by the director of public works.

(b) Signage located on city-owned streets or other city-owned property identifying the location of per capita continuousloop, fixed-route sightseeing tour vehicle stopsisrequired,the design and placement of which requires approval by the director of public works.

(d) Per capita continuous loop sightseeingstopsoncity-owned streets thatare co-located with regional transitauthority stops arepermitted, subject to the approval of the director of public works.

(e) The executive director of the regional transitauthority shallbenotified of the locations of the continuousloop, fixed-route sightseeingtour vehicle stops.

(f) The regional transit authority shall be notified by the department of public works of any application for avehicle stop at the same location whereanregional transit authorityhas astop.

(g) The director of the departmentofpubl cworks is hereby authorized, as apolice measure, to designate the location of continuous loop sightseeing stops on the streets and other public places in the city.Such stands shall be marked by appropriate signs and shallbereserved exclusivelyfor the parking of taxicabs or other for-hirevehicles as specified by such signs, while waiting to pick up passengers for hire.”

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DECEMBER 19, 2024

HELENA MORENO

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON DECEMBER20, 2024

APPROVED: DECEMBER 23, 2024

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON DECEMBER 30, 2024 AT 9:45 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Morrell,Thomas -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Moreno -1

RECUSED: 0

THIS ORDINANCE WASRETURNEDAND SIGNEDBY THEMAYOR ON 30TH DAYOFDECEMBER, 2024. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3-113(2) OF THE HOME RULE CHARTER, THIS ORDINANCE BECAME EFFECTIVE ON DECEMBER 29, 2024. (THE TENTH CALENDARDAY

FOLLOWING ITS ADOPTION).

ENGROSSED VERSION: SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HEREBY ORDAINS, That Chapter 162 is hereby amended and reordained to read as follows:

Sec. 162-1. Definitions. *** Per capita fixed-route continuous-loop sightseeing tour vehicleisatour vehicle within a fleet of no less than 6vehicles that seat no less than 30 passengers on avehicle. Such vehicles operate on a fixed route with a continuous loop allowing multiple stops and points of boarding and exiting with passengersable to utilize any vehicleoperating on the loop. During hours of operation, at least 3buses shallbeoperating on the fixed route. Sec. 162-190. Types for buses and limousines.

7. Per capita continuous loop, fixed-route sightseeing tour vehicle. Includes all services defined under subsections(1) and (2) of thissection, but in addition permits sightseeingtours to operate on a fixed-route with a continuous loop allowing multiple stopsand points of board ng and exiting with passengersable to utilize any vehicleoperating on the loop with custom signage for stops. Sec. 162-191. -Existing CPNCmay apply for other typeoflicense.

1. All existing tour bus CPNCholders (not currently conductingper capita sightseeing tours) and van CPNC holders shall beeligible for per capita sightseeing tours (upon successfulapplication with the department of public works); alicensed tour guidemust be on board to conduct tours. Conducting transportation services (exclusive of tour) arestrictly prohibited. And the penalty for violating any of the provisions of this section shall be asuspension of the per capita CPNC for aduration of 90 days for the first offense, and revocation of the CPNC for the second offense.

2. All existing tour bus CPNC holders shallbeeligiblefor aper capita continuous loop, fixed-route sightseeingCPNC upon successful application with the department of public works. *** Sec. 162-947. –Regulation of per capita continuousloop, fixed-route sightseeing tour vehicles.

(a) Per capita continuous loop fixed-route sightseeingtour vehiclestops located on City-owned streets or other City-owned property require approval by the Director of Public Works.

(b) Custom signage located on City-owned streets or other City-owned property identifying the location of specificper capita continuousloop, fixed-route sightseeing tour vehiclestops is required,the design and placement of which requires approval by the Director of Public Works.

(d) Per capita continuous loop sightseeingstops on city-owned streets that areco-located with regional transitauthority stops arepermitted, subject to the approval of the director of public works.

(e) The executive director of the regional transitauthority shallbenotified of the locations of the continuousloop, fixed-route sightseeingtour vehicle stops.

(f) The regional transit authority shall be notified by the department of public works of any application for avehicle stop

be marked by appropriate signs and shall be reserved exclusively for the parking of taxicabs or other for-hirevehicles as specified bysuch signs, while waiting to pick up passengers for hire.

(c) Per capita continuous loop fixed-route sightseeingtour vehicles stops located on City-owned streets or other City-owned property shall be for

loading and unloading and not used for staging. (d) Per capita continuous loop fixed-route sightseeingstops on cityowned streets that areco-located with regional transitauthority stops are permitted, subject to the approval of the director of public works.” ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: December 5, 2024 CALENDAR NO. 34,944 NO. 30195 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREENAND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amend and re-ordain Ordinance No. 29,737 M.C.S., entitled “An Ordinance Providing aCapital Budget for the Year 2024”,

PUBLIC WORKS

LA ST REVOLVING FD 43000- CITYWIDE STREET IMPROVEMENTS $83,450

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS Total $83,450

DEPARTMENT OF SANITATION FEMA KATRINA H0002FKC -FLORIDA AVETRANSFER STATIONPW7781

DEPARTMENT OF SANITATIONTotal $59,876

NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT

FEMAKATRINA 30255 -CD-EARLYWARNING SYSTEM SRIA PW 20947

NEW ORLEANS POLICE DEPARTMENT Total $865,511

NEW ORLEANS RECREATIONDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

LA ST REVOLVING FD 43000 -CITYWIDE PARK &PARKWAYS$243,772 NEW ORLEANS RECREATIONDEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

APPROPRIATION

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

PERMANENT REVOLVER 43001 -DPW MULTI-PURPOSE SITE $33,528

CHIEF

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS& PARKWAYS

PERMANENT REVOLVER

-JOE BARTGOLF COURSE

-PW5151 IDA -NOFD

-NOPD WAREHOUSE/CARPENTER

ORLEANS RECREATIONDEVELOPMENT

IDA

-HURR IDA -PW2715-BEHRMAN STAD, OAK PARK PLGR $67,380 30064 -STALLINGS ST.CLAUDE CTR &POOL PW 4835 $55,135

HAZARD MITIGATION GRANT PROGRAM 30712 -JOE BROWN

OFFICE OF RESILIENCE &SUSTAINABILITY FEDERAL AID -EPA 12007 -MEASURE 5- MUNICIPAL BUILDING DECARBON– PMC

$631,348 10509- NATIONAL FISH &WILDLIFE FD GRT-BAYOU BIENVENUE

$840,000 FEDERAL REVENUE (COMMERCE) 10510 -NOAA COSTAL HABITAT RESTOR -BAYOU BIENVENUE

$489,813 OFFICE OF RESILIENCE &SUSTAINABILITY Total $1,961,161

APPROPRIATIONTotal $29,829,754 Grand Total $27,314,054

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DECEMBER 19, 2024 HELENA MORENO PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON DECEMBER 20, 2024

APPROVED: DECEMBER 23, 2024

LATOYA CANTRELL

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THE MAYORONDECEMBER 30, 2024 AT 9:45 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Morrell, Thomas -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Moreno -1 RECUSED: 0

THIS ORDINANCE WASRETURNED AND SIGNED BY THE MAYORON 30TH DAYOFDECEMBER, 2024. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3-113(2) OF THE HOME RULE CHARTER, THIS ORDINANCE BECAME EFFECTIVE ON DECEMBER 29, 2024. (THE TENTH CALENDAR DAY FOLLOWING ITS ADOPTION).

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: December 5, 2024

CALENDAR NO.34,945 NO. 30196 MAYORCOUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amend and re-ordain

Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Morrell, Thomas -6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Moreno -1 RECUSED: 0 THIS ORDINANCE WASRETURNED AND SIGNED BY THE MAYOR ON 30TH DAYOFDECEMBER, 2024. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3-113(2) OF THE HOME RULE CHARTER, THIS ORDINANCE BECAME EFFECTIVE ON DECEMBER 29, 2024. (THE TENTH CALENDAR DAY FOLLOWING ITS ADOPTION).

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: December 5, 2024 CALENDAR NO. 34,946 NO. 30197 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No. 29735 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2024”,toappropriate additional grant funds to the Office of the Mayor to purchase equipment and supplies for the projects that areawarded on the FY23 State Homeland Security Grant; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HEREBY ORDAINS, That Ordinance No. 29735 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein contained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated therein as follows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES –FUND 6699 Intergovernmental Revenues Grants, Contributions, and Fund Transfers $8,600

TOTAL $8,600 TO: LOUISIANA MILITARYDEPARTMENT –FUND 4412

Total of Louisiana Military Department $8,600

TOTAL $8,600

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DECEMBER 19, 2024

HELENA MORENO PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON DECEMBER 20, 2024

APPROVED: DECEMBER 23, 2024 LATOYA CANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON DECEMBER 30, 2024 AT 9:45 A.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Morrell, Thomas -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Moreno -1

RECUSED: 0 THIS ORDINANCE WASRETURNED AND SIGNED BY THE MAYOR ON 30TH DAYOFDECEMBER, 2024. IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3-113(2) OF THE HOME RULE CHARTER, THIS ORDINANCE BECAME EFFECTIVE ON DECEMBER 29, 2024. (THE TENTH CALENDAR DAY FOLLOWING ITS ADOPTION).

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: December 5, 2024

CALENDAR NO. 34,947 NO. 30198 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No. 29736 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2024”,toappropriate additional grant funds to the Office of the Mayor to purchase equipment and supplies for the projects that areawarded on the FY23 State Homeland Security Grant; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

WHEREAS,

YEAS: Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Giarrusso, Thomas -2 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO.M-24-794

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL, MORENO, KING AND THOMAS

WHEREAS, pursuant to Section 3-130 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans (“Charter”), the New Orleans City Council exercises powers of supervision, regulation, and control over electric and gas utilities providing service in the City; and WHEREAS, Section 158-432(b) of the Code of the City of New Orleans (“Code”) provides that the Council may appoint ahearing officer to preside over utility regulatory proceedings in accordance with the Charter and Chapter 158 of the Code; and WHEREAS, September 14, 2017, the Council adopted MotionM-17-477 authorizing the issuance of a request for qualificationsand proposals (“RFQ/P”) and acompetitive selectionprocess pursuant to Council Rule 42 to identify highly qualified and experienced individuals to preside over Council regulatory proceedings;and WHEREAS, in response to the RFQ/P,three (3) responses were delivered to the Council Utilities Regulatory Office from: (1) Maria Auzenne, (2) Jeffrey Gulin, and (3) Calvin Johnson; and WHEREAS, the staffselection review committee met on Tuesday,November 26 and evaluated each response, deemed each to be responsive to the RFQ/P,and referred each to the Council for their consideration; and WHEREAS, on December 19, 2019, the Council adopted MotionM-19-525 selecting Auzenne &Associates and Jefferey Gulin to serve as administrative hearing officers for the year 2020; and WHEREAS, on July 1, 2021, the Council adopted MotionM-21-235 selecting Auzenne &Associates and Jeffrey Gulin to serve as administrative hearing officer for the year 2021; and

WHEREAS, on December 15, 2022, the Council adopted MotionM-22524 selecting Jeffrey Gulin and Calvin Johnsontoserve as administrative hearing officers for the year 2023; and WHEREAS, on December 14, 2023, the Council adopted MotionM-23550 selecting Jeffrey Gulin and Calvin Johnsontoserve as administrative hearing officers for the year 2024; and WHEREAS, the Council deems it in the public interest to extend the agreements with Mr.Gulin and Mr.Johnson; NOW THEREFORE BEITMOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the President of the Council is hereby authorized to sign contracts with Jeffrey Gulin and Calvin Johnsonfor aperiod not to exceed one year beginning January 1, 2025, with amaximum compensation of $70,000 for said year BE IT FURTHER MOVED BY THECOUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Council Utilities Regulatory Office is direct to issue a request for qualifications (“RFQ”) pursuant to Council Rule 42 to identify highly qualified and experienced individuals to preside over Council regulatory proceedings. THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THEROLL WASCALLED ONTHE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED ASFOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Giarrusso, Thomas -2 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-795 BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL, MORENO, KING AND THOMAS WHEREAS, pursuant to Section3-130 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans (“Charter”), the New Orleans City Council exercises powers of supervision, regulation, and control over electric and gas utilities providing service in the City; and WHEREAS, on September 2, 2021, the Council adopted MotionM-21331 authorizing the issuance of arequest for qualificationsand proposals (“RFQ/P”) and acompetitive selectionprocess pursuant to Council Rule 42 to advise and represent the Council on electric and gas utility regulatory matters associated with the provisionofelectric and natural gas services in Orleans Parish and to address abroad range of utility issues as directed for atotal period of up to five years renewable on an annual basis; and WHEREAS, Council staffissued the RFQ/P on September 24, 2021, with a deadline for responses set for December 1, 2021; and WHEREAS, on January 20, 2022, the Council adopted Motion M-2255 selecting Legend ConsultingGroup (“Legend”) to serve as technical advisors on utility matters; and WHEREAS, on December 15, 2022, the Council adopted MotionM-22-527 selecting Legend to continue to serve as the Council’stechnical advisors through 2023; and WHEREAS, on December 14, 2023, the Council adopted MotionM-23-551 selecting Legend to continue to serve as the Council’stechnical advisors through 2024; and WHEREAS, in order to ensurethat the Council is able to continue to exercise regulatory authority,itisinthe public’sbest interest for Legend to continue asthe Council’stechnical advisors through 2025; NOW THEREFORE BEITMOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,That the President of the Council is hereby authorized to sign acontract with Legend Consulting Group to provide consulting services to the Council in electric and gas utility regulatory matters for aone year period beginning January 1, 2025, for maximum compensationof$2,237,500 for said year THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WASCALLED ONTHE ADOPTION THEREOF AND RESULTED ASFOLLOWS: YEAS: Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -5 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Giarrusso, Thomas -2 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. R-24-796 BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL, MORENO, GIARRUSSO, HARRIS, KING, GREEN AND THOMAS WHEREAS, on July 21, 2022, the Council of the City of New Orleans adopted Ordinance No. 29,116, M.C.S.establishingthe New Orleans Recreation and CultureFund; and WHEREAS, the Council allocated $7,000,000.00 in funding to be split among the seven councilmanic districts; and WHEREAS, the Fund is administered by theGreater New Orleans Foundation through aCooperative Endeavor Agreement with the City of New Orleans; and WHEREAS, the Greater New Orleans Foundationcollected applications from August 5, 2024 until September 6, 2024, and then forwarded those applications to the Council for consideration; and WHEREAS, the purpose of the Fund is to support nonprofitcommunity organizations, youth recreation organizations, and culture bearer organizations that contribute substantially to the well-being,development, and growth of the New Orleans community;NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,

BUSINESS

BRIEFS FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street rallies after Fed decision on rates

U.S. stocks climbed Wednesday after the Federal Reserve said the economy still looks healthy enough to keep interest rates where they are. Wall

Street also got a boost from easing yields in the bond market

The S&P 500 jumped. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq composite also rose.

Stocks also got a boost from lower Treasury yields in the bond market. When Treasurys are paying investors less in interest, they can encourage investors to pay higher prices for stocks.

Greenpeace must pay $650M in protest case

Environmental group Greenpeace must pay more than $650 million in damages for defamation and other claims brought by a pipeline company in connection with protests against the Dakota Access oil pipeline’s construction in North Dakota, a jury found Wednesday Dallas-based Energy Transfer and subsidiary Dakota Access had accused Netherlandsbased Greenpeace International, Greenpeace USA and funding arm Greenpeace Fund Inc. of defamation, trespass, nuisance, civil conspiracy and other acts. The damages owed will be spread out in different amounts over the three entities.

Greenpeace said earlier that a large award to the pipeline company would threaten to bankrupt the organization. Following the nine-person jury’s verdict, Greenpeace’s senior legal adviser said the group’s work “is never going stop.”

The organization later said it plans to appeal the decision.

Energy Transfer called the verdict a “win” for “Americans who understand the difference between the right to free speech and breaking the law.”

The case reaches back to protests in 2016 and 2017 against the Dakota Access oil pipeline and its Missouri River crossing upstream of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s reservation

Attorneys for Energy Transfer alleged Greenpeace paid outsiders to come into the area and protest, sent blockade supplies, organized or led protester trainings, and made untrue statements about the project to stop it.

Ben & Jerry’s alleges CEO unlawfully fired Ben & Jerry’s says its CEO was unlawfully removed by its parent company, Unilever, in retaliation for the ice cream maker’s social and political activism.

In a federal court ﬁling late Tuesday, Ben & Jerry’s said Unilever informed its board on March 3 that it was removing and replacing Ben & Jerry’s CEO David Stever Ben & Jerry’s said that violated its merger agreement with Unilever, which states that any decisions regarding a CEO’s removal must come after a consultation with an advisory committee from Ben & Jerry’s board Unilever acquired Ben & Jerry’s in 2000 for $326 million At the time, Ben & Jerry’s said the partnership would help the progressive Vermont-based ice cream company expand its social mission.

But lately, the marriage hasn’t been a happy one. In 2021, Ben & Jerry’s announced it would stop serving Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and contested east Jerusalem. The following year, Unilever sold its Israeli business to a local company that said it would sell Ben & Jerry’s under its Hebrew and Arabic name throughout Israel and the West Bank.

Last May, Unilever said it was planning to spin off its ice cream business — including Ben & Jerry’s by the end of 2025 as part of a larger restructuring. Unilever also owns personal hygiene brands like Dove soap and food brands like Hellmann’s mayonnaise.

Fed keeps key rate unchanged

Two cuts still expected this year

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday and signaled that it still expects to cut rates twice this year even as it sees inﬂation staying stubbornly elevated

The Fed also now expects the economy to grow more slowly this year and next than it did three months ago, according to a set of quarterly economic projections also released Wednesday It forecasts growth falling to 1.7% in 2025, down from 2.8% last year,

and 1.8% in 2026. Policymakers also expect inﬂation will pick up slightly, to 2.7% by the end of 2025 from its current level of 2.5%. Both are above the central bank’s 2% target.

Even though the Fed maintained its forecast for two cuts, economists noted that under the surface there were signs that the central bank is likely to stay on hold for some time. That is likely to keep borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards unchanged in the coming months.

Eight of the 19 Fed ofﬁcials said they see only one or zero rate reductions this year In December, four were projecting one or less rate cuts.

“It will be harder for them to cut rates this year with inﬂation

moving sideways,” said Michael Gapen, an economist at Morgan Stanley

Fed Chair Jerome Powell, at a news conference, said that President Donald Trump’s tariffs have started to push up inﬂation a bit and would likely stall out the progress the central bank has seen in reducing inﬂation in recent years.

“I think we were getting closer and closer” to price stability, Powell said. “I wouldn’t say we were at that. I do think with the arrival of the tariff inﬂation, further progress may be delayed.”

But he added that the Fed does still expect inflation to get back nearly 2% by the end of next year That statement suggests Powell is more inclined to see the inﬂationary effects of tariffs as a one-time

change, rather than an ongoing rise in prices.

“They’re talking about tariffs in a totally different way,” compared to their last meeting in January, said Luke Tilley chief economist at Wilmington Trust.

Fed policymakers also expect the unemployment rate to tick higher, to 4.4%, by the end of this year, from 4.1% now The economic projections underscore the tight spot the Fed may ﬁnd itself in this year: Higher inﬂation typically would lead the Fed to keep its key rate elevated, or even raise rates. On the other hand, slower growth and higher unemployment would often cause the Fed to cut rates to spur more borrowing and spending and lift the economy

Venture Global has export OK

More countries can get LNG from Cameron Parish site

BY TIMOTHY BOONE Business editor

Venture Global said it has received approval from the U.S. Department of Energy increasing the number of countries that can receive liqueﬁed natural gas from its second Cameron Parish facility

The approval means Venture Global can export LNG from its Calcasieu Pass 2, or CP2, project to any country, including Europe Previously the plant was limited to exporting to the 20 countries the U.S. has free trade agreements with, which includes nations such as Australia, Canada, Israel, Korea, Mexico and Singapore.

“Expanding U.S. LNG exports bolsters our economy, supports American jobs and provides reliable, secure AMERICAN energy production to the American people and our allies around the world,” the Energy Department said in a post on X.

Venture Global CEO Mike Sabel thanked

the Trump administration for returning to “regulatory certainty” that allows the company to expand LNG imports. President Donald Trump has repeatedly vowed to move ahead with permitting LNG facilities quickly, while the Biden Administration paused export permits for CP2 in order to study its impact on global warming. This is the ﬁfth LNG-related approval from the Energy Department since Trump returned to the White House two months ago.

“This will enable us to provide our allies around the world with American LNG in just a few years and for decades to come,” Sabel said in a statement.

The process for making a ﬁnal investment decision on CP2 was launched earlier this month. Venture Global said it has purchase agreements with companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron and China Gas for the LNG produced at the plant.

Sabel said CP2 is “getting ready to launch as soon as we get maybe a couple more permits from the federal government.”

The LNG export business has been booming in Louisiana since at least 2010 when Cheniere Energy ﬁrst applied to ship the fuel

from its then-planned Sabine Pass terminal in southwest Louisiana. Three other LNG terminals have opened in the state since then, most recently Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG, which started production in December Venture Global announced plans earlier this month for an $18 billion expansion of Plaquemines LNG, which would make it the largest exporter in North America.

CP2 would pump out about 20 million tons of LNG annually, which would make it the third-largest LNG exporter in the nation. Environmental groups criticized the Energy Department’s export approval, noting that comments on CP2 will be accepted until Thursday afternoon.

“By conditionally approving this massive project, Trump’s Department of Energy is once again failing to protect the American people from an unnecessary LNG project set to generate billions for corporate executives and leave everyday people with higher energy costs,” Mahyar Sorour, Sierra Club director of beyond fossil fuels policy, said in a statement.

Email Timothy Boone at tboone@ theadvocate.com.

Purdue Pharma submits settlement plan to resolve opioid lawsuits

BY GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press

Purdue Pharma asked a bankruptcy judge late Tuesday to consider the latest version of its plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the toll of the powerful prescription painkiller OxyContin, a deal that would have members of the Sackler family who own the company pay up to $7 billion. The ﬁling is a milestone in a tumultuous legal saga that has gone on for more than ﬁve years. Under the deal the family members — estimated in documents from 2020 and 2021 to be worth about $11 billion — would give up

ownership of the company in addition to contributing money over 15 years, with the biggest payment up front.

Family members resigned from Purdue’s board, stopped receiving money from the company and ceased other involvement before it ﬁled for bankruptcy protection in 2019 as it faced lawsuits from thousands of state and local governments, plus others. The new entity would be run by a board appointed by state governments, and its mission will be to abate the opioid crisis that has been linked to hundreds of thousands of deaths in the U.S. since OxyContin hit the market in 1996. The first

wave of deadly overdoses were tied to OxyContin and other prescription drugs, and subsequent waves have involved heroin and more recently illicit versions of fentanyl. This settlement plan was hammered out in months of mediation involving groups that sued Purdue, and nearly all of them are supporting it, according to mediator reports ﬁled in court. Approval would take at least several more months.

A previous version had bankruptcy court approval but was rejected last year by the U.S. Supreme Court because it protected members of the Sackler family from civil lawsuits even though none of them ﬁled for bankruptcy

protection themselves. Under the new version, plaintiffs will have to opt in to get full shares of the settlement. If they do not, they can still sue Sackler family members, who agreed to put in about $1 billion more than under earlier plans. The Sacklers’ cash contribution would depends in part on how many parties join the settlement and on the sale of foreign drug companies. Some of the money they put into the settlement is to be reserved to pay any judgments if they are sued and lose; but if that doesn’t happen, it’s to go into the main settlement. Members of the family continue to deny any wrongdoing.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Venture Global CEO Michael Sabel, Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Venture Global Executive Co-Chairman Robert Pender talk during a tour of Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG export facility on March 6 in Plaquemines.

Alvin

Legendary choreographer’s best-known work comes to New Orleans

page 6

Tennessee Williams Fest pushing boundaries page 8

Banjo & Guitar Festival honors

Danny Barker page 4

don’t miss don’t miss don’t miss

st. joseph day parade and pasta party

The Italian American St. Joseph Society takes to the streets of the CBD and the French Quarter at 6 p.m. Saturday, starting and ending at the Hilton Riverside New Orleans, 2 Poydras St. The annual procession works its way to Canal Street, heads into the Quarter on Chartres Street and out on Royal Street, then returns to the hotel. At noon Friday, the society dishes up its giant bowl of pasta con le sarde, a traditional St. Joseph’s Day dish, at the Hilton. italianamericansociety.org.

crawfish festival

Head to Chalmette for four days of crawﬁsh dishes in a variety of combinations, plus entertainment from Chapel, Laine Hardy and the Chee-Weez; carnival rides; and arts and crafts. The 50th anniversary celebration is at the Frederick Sigur Civic Center on West Judge Perez Drive. Tickets start at $10. Hours are from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursday, 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. louisianacrawﬁshfestival.com

irish-italian parade

Two rich cultures combine with ﬂoats, trucks and marching groups on the traditional Veterans Memorial Boulevard route in Metairie, starting at noon Sunday. The 43rd annual procession starts at the Clearview City Center and ends at Martin Behrman Drive, looping onto Severn Avenue. lairishitalian.org.

bayou bluegrass fest

East Nash Grass, Catahoula Drive, The Tanglers and more perform from noon to 9 p.m. Saturday at Deutsches Haus, 1700 Moss St. Tickets, a portion of which beneﬁt the Special Olympics of Louisiana, start at $35. deltahayride.com.

sacred music festival

From gospel choirs and Buddhist chants to West African spiritual drumming and Vodou drumming, celebrate the varied types of music included in worship and sacred moments. A peace walk from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday starts at St. Roch Park, 1800 St. Roch Ave., and heads to the New Orleans Healing Center, 2300 St. Roch Ave. There will also be interactive workshops, a youth program, altars and more. neworleanshealingcenter org.

music music music

International piano champions return to New Orleans for showcase with LPO

Staff report

The Musical Arts Society of New Orleans will hold its Concerto Showcase XII at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Roussel Hall at Loyola University New Orleans.

In summer 2024, the musical society held its 29th New Orleans International Piano Competition. More than 200 international applicants traveled to New Orleans for a week of competition, vying for cash, performance and recording prizes totaling more than $100,000.

Twelve semiﬁnalists were selected, and of those, the top three prizewinners were Zhu Wang (gold), Yungyung

Guo (silver) and Yubo Deng (bronze), all from China.

All three winners will be featured in the musical society’s showcase in partnership with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. Maestro Timothy Mufﬁtt will conduct the LPO.

The program will include: Mozart Piano Concerto in B-ﬂat Major, No. 27,

featuring Yungyung; Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in E Minor, featuring Yubo; and Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, featuring Zhu. For tickets and information, visit masno.org.

The New Orleans International Piano Competition is a member of the Alink-Argerich Foundation and The World Federation of International Music Competitions. Concerto Showcase XII is being presented with support from Steinway of New Orleans, Steinway & Sons, Loyola University College of Music and Media, the Gauthier Family Foundation, WWNO 89.9 and Classical 104.9 FM, and Richard Goula | The Thistlewood Foundation.

ABOUT LAGNIAPPE

The Lagniappe section is published each Thursday by The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. All inquiries about Lagniappe should be directed to the editor.

LAGNIAPPE EDITOR: Annette Sisco, asisco@theadvocate.com

COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Victor Andrews, Brad Rhines, Dean M. Shapiro, Keith Spera

GET LISTED IN LAGNIAPPE

Submit events to Lagniappe at least two weeks in advance by sending an email to events@theadvocate.com.

ON THE COVER

Chalvar Monteiro performs in Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s “Revelations,” which is closing out the season for the New Orleans Ballet Association. Photo by Dario Calmese. Story by Dean M. Shapiro on Page 6.

Zhu Yungyung Yubo

DANNY BARKER BANJO & GUITAR FESTIVAL

FRIDAY-SUNDAY, NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM

Guitarist, banjoist, vocalist and storyteller Danny Barker lived “A Life in Jazz,” as the title of his autobiography indicated. He moved from New Orleans to New York in the 1930s with his wife, vocalist Blue Lu Barker, and played rhythm guitar with Cab Calloway He also recorded, performed and/or toured with Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Billie Holiday, Dizzy Gillespie and Sidney Bechet. He moved back to New Orleans in the mid-1960s and founded the Fairview Baptist Church Christian Band, which produced the next generation of brass band musicians. In 1988, he released the charming “Save the Bones,” which the Tipitina’s Record Club reissued on vinyl in 2021. In his ﬁnal years, Barker assumed the role of beloved jazz elder statesman and raconteur and contributed to albums by Dr John, Wynton Marsalis, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Kermit Rufﬁns.

The Danny Barker Banjo & Guitar Festival honors his legacy From Friday through Sunday, the New Orleans Jazz Museum at the Old U.S. Mint hosts programming both inside and outside, plus an interview stage; the Dirty Dozen Brass Band closes it out on Sunday. General admission tickets are $15 per day, or $10 for students, active-duty military and children. Go to www.dannybakerfestival.com for details and the full schedule.

Keith Spera SOUND CHECK

New Orleans hosts a new bluegrass festival, a festival devoted to a beloved jazz banjoist and much more this week.

JASON MEWES

SATURDAY,THE HOWLIN’WOLF

Jason Mewes is best known as his alterego “Jay,” the fast-talking, foul-mouthed foil to Kevin “Silent Bob” Smith in a series of low-budget films starting with the 1994 cult classic “Clerks.” His run of films with Smith continued through “Mallrats,” “Chasing Amy,” “Dogma,” “Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back” and “Clerks II.” Drug addiction derailed Mewes’ career, but after numerous unsuccessful attempts, he finally got sober and started making movies again. He directed and starred in the 2019 crime comedy “Madness in the Method.” That same year, he reunited with Smith for “Jay and Silent Bob Reboot” and again in 2022 for “Clerks III.” Mewes has also developed a career as a stand-up comedian. He brings his show, “Jason Mewes: Diary of a Man Child,” to the Howlin’ Wolf on Saturday Showtime is 8 p.m.; general admission seating starts at $27.

OTHER NOTEWORTHY SHOWS

THURSDAY

As an extension of the Danny Barker Banjo & Guitar Festival, jazz vocalist Catherine Russell — whose father, Panamanian pianist Luis Russell, was Louis Armstrong’s longtime musical director — leads the Danny Barker Tribute Band at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. The band includes Jamil Sharif,Freddie Lonzo,Detroit Brooks,Steve Pistorius,TylerThomson and Herman LeBeaux Tickets are $40.

Singer-songwriter Matt Nathanson scored a breakthrough hit with the single “Come on Get Higher.” His catalog of compositions also includes “Faster,” “Run” and “Used To Be.” But he’s also known for his interpretations of other artists’ hugely popular albums, including Def Leppard’s “Pyromania” and U2’s “Achtung Baby.” Nathanson brings his King of (un)Simple Tour to Tipitina’s on Thursday with KT Tunstall. Tickets are $45.

Kyle Roussel is featured for the weekly “Booker Sessions” piano showcase at the Maple Leaf at 6 p.m. ($10). Later, drummer JohnnyVidacovich holds court at the Leaf ($15 advance, $20 at the door).

LucindaWilliams is back at Chickie Wah Wah for the third of her four sold-out shows.

Cavalera tops a heavy bill at the outdoor Broadside ($30).

Dirty Dozen Brass Band

Jason Mewes

Kyle Roussel

music music music

FRIDAY

Phish guitarist and vocalist TreyAnastasio performs a solo acoustic show at the Saenger Theatre. Tickets start at $49.50 plus fees.

Pianist, vocalist and composter Kyle Roussel is a member of the traditional Preservation Hall Jazz Band and the modern jazz ensemble the Headhunters. Both mindsets informed his ambitious “Church of New Orleans” album. He performs at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Friday with a quartet at Snug Harbor ($35).

Johnny Sketch & the Dirty Notes mix up rock, jazz, funk and a sense of humor at Tipitina’s with Bakey’s Brew ($15).

Singer-songwriter Dave Jordan hosts his “Swamp Sessions” at the Broadside’s indoor stage ($20).

Costumed cover band Bag of Donuts rocks Rock ’N’ Bowl ($15).

SATURDAY

The inaugural New Orleans Bayou Bluegrass Festival takes over the grounds of the Deutsches Haus, 1700 Moss St., along

Bayou St. John from noon to 9 p.m. Presented by the Delta Hayride Association, the festival features a blend of traditional and progressive bluegrass from the Edgar Loudermilk Band,theTanglers,the Spring Chickens, the mandolin duo Wyatt Ellis & Christopher Henry,East Nash Grass and Catahoula Drive General admission tickets are $35. A portion of the proceeds beneﬁt Special Olympics Louisiana. deltahayride.com.

Keyboardist Jon Cleary & theAbsolute Monster Gentlemen funk up the Maple Leaf at 8 p.m. ($20 advance, $25 door). The Noah YoungTrio takes over the Leaf at 11 p.m. ($15 advance, $20 door).

The Rebirth Brass Band headlines Tipitina’s, with Electric Ramble opening ($27).

Master New Orleans drummer Herlin

Riley powers a quartet at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m and 9:30 p.m ($45)

Austin Meade brings his “Happier Alone Forever Tour” to Chickie Wah Wah ($19). Zita rocks the indoor stage at the Broadside ($10).

SUNDAY

The HappyTalk Band and the Tin Men are featured for the Broadside’s early afternoon “Picnic” from noon to 3:30 p.m. ($15).

Cajun accordionist and singer Bruce Daigrepont hosts his monthly fais do do at Tipitina’s starting at 5:15 p.m ($15).

At Snug Harbor, saxophonist BradWalker presents “Mysteries: the music of Keith Jarrett” at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($35).

MONDAY

Grammy-winning New Orleans pianist and composer Sullivan Fortner has worked with the likes of Wynton Marsalis, John Scoﬁeld, Paul Simon and Roy Hargrove, among many others, even as he composes his own music. On Monday, he and his trio play the ﬁrst of two consecutive nights at Snug Harbor, with shows at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($40).

TUESDAY

Pianist and composer Sullivan Fortner is back for his second of two nights at Snug Harbor ($40).

WEDNESDAY

Keyboardist Jon Cleary plays a solo set at Chickie Wah Wah ($20).

Thais Clark & the Jazzsters play a free show at Snug Harbor at 5 p.m. Later, trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra take over Snug at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($45).

stages stages stages

CLOCKWISE FROM

ABOVE LEFT: Lar Lubovitch is the choreographer of ‘Many Angels,’ by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; ‘Sacred Songs,’ choreographed by Matthew Rushing; and members of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will perform ‘Revelations.’

Alvin Ailey D

PROVIDED PHOTOS By PAUL KOLNIK

PROVIDED PHOTO

By DARIO CALMESE

ALVIN AILEY DANCE THEATER

WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday | WHERE: Mahalia Jackson Theater, Louis Armstrong Park TICKETS: $35-$199 | INFO: (504) 522-0996, nobadance.com

movement Meaning in

Dance

Theater brings its best-known work to New Orleans, thanks to NOBA

BY DEAN M. SHAPIRO

Contributing writer

The “Revelations” are coming!

The best-known and most frequently performed dance, originally designed and choreographed by the late Alvin Ailey for the members of his Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s ballet touring company, is on its way “Revelations” will be performed by the touring company on Friday at the Mahalia Jackson Theater as the ﬁrst in a series of two separate stagings sponsored by the New Orleans Ballet Association. It is the ﬁnal mainstage production of NOBA’s 2024-25 season.

Created and premiered in 1960, “Revelations” explores the African American experience from slavery to freedom and is inspired by spirituals, other songs and Ailey’s childhood memories from his Texas hometown. Considered the company’s signature work, it has been performed thousands of times all over the world.

The touring company will perform three dance pieces at 7:30 p.m. Friday and four pieces at 8 p.m. Saturday, including a new piece by Ronald K. Brown, whose dance company has performed in New Orleans many times. Brown will be in the house Saturday directing “Grace,” which features the music of Duke Ellington

‘Sacred Songs’ to begin the evening

Leading off the Friday night performance will be a piece titled “Sacred Songs,” designed by the Ailey company’s interim director, Matthew Rushing Rushing said he used familiar songs that were taken out of the original version of Ailey’s “Revelations” in order to shorten the performance.

“The original version of it was over an hour long, and it put a strain on the dancers’ bodies,” said Rushing, who is directing both nights of the company’s New Orleans appearance. “So when it was time for Mr. Ai-

ley to take the ballet on tour, he condensed it into nine of the songs, and that’s how we got to the version of ‘Revelations’ that we see today.

“When I came across these songs that he took out of the original ‘Revelations,’ I decided to do a new piece by resurrecting them as a tribute to ‘Revelations.’ And so that’s how I got to ‘Sacred Songs.’”

Not all of the dances being performed on both nights are original pieces designed solely by Ailey, Rushing said.

“Ailey is a repertory company, which means all of our repertory is not from one voice,” he said. “This is something that Mr. Ailey built the company on. He wanted to create a company where other choreographers can have the opportunity to express their voices. He also wanted a place where he could give opportunities to up-and-coming choreographers.”

Brass band joins in

Rounding out the Friday performance will be a piece titled “Finding Free,” designed by Hope Boykin with music by Matthew Whitaker

In addition to Brown’s “Grace,” the Saturday lineup will consist of “Many Angels,” created by Lar Lubovitch with music by Gustav Mahler, and “Century” by Amy Hall Garner accompanied by music by Ray Charles, Count Basie and New Orleans’ Dirty Dozen Brass Band.

Noting the connection to New Orleans, Rushing said that Garner — although not from the city — designed the piece for her grandfather, who was living in New Orleans and had just turned 100 years old. “So a lot of the music is jazz, gospel, big band and second line music,” Rushing said.

The ﬁnal piece on Saturday will be another original from Ailey, titled “A Song for You,” with music by Leon Russell and performed by Donny Hathaway.

The touring company has dedicated the season to the life and legacy of Judith Jamison, who died in November after serving as the company’s artistic director from 1989 to 2010.

“Bringing the Alvin Ailey company back to New Orleans is an honor, and we’re thrilled to host them again,” NOBA Executive Director Jenny Hamilton said of the upcoming performances. “Our audiences will experience the full breadth of the power and the magnitude for the company in two different programs. Watching them perform continues to be so inspirational.”

stages stages stages

TO P TE NN

Last Bohemia series makes space for offbeat offerings

BY BRAD RHINES

Contributing writer

Back in 1955, Tennessee Williams told reporter Pen Wilson, of The Times-Picayune, that he considered New Orleans “one of the last frontiers of Bohemia” and “my favorite place to write.”

Williams

Seventy years later, the city still celebrates that same bohemian spirit, and so does the Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival, happening March 26-30, with the Last Bohemia programming series, a slate of offbeat events and performances rooted in the boundary-breaking essence of the city’s adopted playwright.

The festival includes literary discussions, writer workshops, walking tours, music and culinary events, and of course theater, with the bulk of this year’s performances presented under the Last Bohemia banner.

The half-dozen pieces included in the series encompass a broad range of comedy, tragedy and camp, but they all have in common a boldness of expression inspired by the fearlessness of Williams’ artistic approach.

Now in its fourth year, the Last Bohemia offerings are overseen by Gregory Gajus, festival president, as an opportunity to

ä See BOHEMIA, page 10

Benjamin Dougherty plays musician Val who comes to a small Mississippi town where Lady, played by Leslie Claverie, offers him a job and more in Tennessee Willliams’ ‘Orpheus Descending,’ opening next week at Loyola University’s Marquette Theater, presented by the Tennessee Williams Theatre Company.

PROVIDED PHOTOS By JAMES KELLEy

‘Orpheus Descending’ tops Tennessee Williams Company season

Two powerhouse productions join the live action on New Orleans stages this week, with a bit of Tennessee Williams and a one-man show about serious topics.

Victor Andrews

Williams’ “Orpheus Descending” hasn’t been produced often.

Filled with murder, mayhem and loads of heavy topics, the show is a examination of the Greek tragedy of Orpheus, who descended into the underworld to retrieve his new wife, only to lose her permanently

The Broadway lineage of the work is abbreviated, at best, having run only short stints in the 1950s and ’80s.

James Wright is

and Charlie Carr is Carol.

Jabe

stages stages stages

It’s a tough show, ﬁlled with tough characters having to make tough choices set against a backdrop of passions and secrets. But Williams has given the ensemble his signature eloquence in the face of disaster

The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company opener runs March 27 to April 13. It coincides with the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival going on Sunday through March 30.

Benjamin Dougherty takes the role of Val, the meandering musician who seems to be the ﬂint in the kindling of this Mississippi hamlet. Local stage vet Leslie Claverie is Lady, the central ﬁgure in the goings on; her dying husband, Jabe, is played by James Wright. And Charlie Carr is Carol, the black sheep of her well-to-do family Also taking roles in the show are Judy Lea Steele, John Jabaley, Robert Mitchell, Andrew Niemann, Lalanya Gunn, Desirée Burrell, David Sellers, John Wettermark, Ryan Darby, Lizzy Bruce and Mia Frost.

A.J. Correro, one of the company’s

producing artistic directors, takes the helm for this production.

The show, which includes adult themes and language, plus gunshots, will be at Loyola University’s Marquette Theater on the second ﬂoor of Marquette Hall, 6363 St. Charles Ave.

The show is at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays. Tickets start at $25. Visit twtheatrenola.com.

The best medicine?

A play about depression hardly seems the stuff of comedy and jest, but cowriters Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe have taken truth and ﬁction and melded them into a story that provides an insight into a family coping with its effects.

“Every Brilliant Thing” is a one-man show written from the point of view of a 6-year-old whose mother is in the hospital because, as the dad says, she has “done something stupid.”

In an effort to help her, a list is started of things worth living for, like ice cream, Kung Fu and “laughing so

hard you shoot milk out of your nose.”

A central storyteller moves the action along, but the audience is involved in the production.

That’s the format for The NOLA Project’s latest production, featuring Alex Martinez Wallace and directed by Natalie Boyd.

The show, widely lauded from its British beginnings to a fourmonth stint in New York, is described as “an uplifting play about depression.”

NOLA Project Artistic Director Tenaj Wallance said the show “is a powerful reminder of all the small things that really make life worth living — things we probably take for granted. And at a time when mental health conversations are more important than ever, The NOLA Project really wanted to invite our audience into a story that’s so universally resonant.

“It’s interactive, it’s intimate, but —

most importantly — it’s deeply human.”

The show will run at 7:30 p.m. on various days March 27 through April 6 and 3 p.m. Sundays at Big Couch New Orleans, 1045 Desire St. Tickets start at $20. nolaproject.com.

Everything’s coming up ‘Rosie’

BB’s Stage Door Canteen raises a glass (actually two) to the women who helped build the equipment for American servicemen in World War II with a new show that celebrates a dynamic duo.

“Rosie” uses music and more to tell the story of the Rosie the Riveters and Wendy the Welders, popular symbols of the home front efforts of women to work in the military-industrial factories during the war era.

Millions of American women headed to the workplace to build planes, tanks, ships and more, and their stories come to life through 1940s-inspired songs, dance and storytelling.

ä See ORPHEUS, page 11

Wallace

stages stages stages

BOHEMIA

Continued from page 8

infuse the fest with “new experimental theater and conceptual performance” in the spirit of Williams.

“One thing Tennessee did in his work was to speak things that were unspeakable,” Gajus said in describing the process of selecting pieces for the Last Bohemia.

“In the era that his work was coming out, the themes he was dealing with — mental health, domestic violence, queer aesthetics —these themes were unspeakable. So what do people have a hard time talking about right now?”

Life on the edges

Most of the Last Bohemia productions are situated outside of the French Quarter along the St Claude Avenue corridor, an intentional move aimed to nudge festgoers into other parts of the city and a decision that reﬂects the content of the shows.

“We saw Last Bohemia as a fringe fest to the Tennessee Williams Fest,” Gajus said. “We literally put it on the physical edge, but also on the creative edge, of the festival.”

At the Mudlark Public Theater, the Mudlark Puppeteers take on Williams’ rarely produced one-act play “A Recluse and His Guest.” Told through rod puppetry, marionettes and dimensional shadows, this grim tale centers on a pair of outcasts in a remote village who seek uneasy solace in each other’s company.

Offerings at the Allways Lounge include original works like “Harold and St. Claude,” an homage to the classic ﬁlm “Harold and Maude” set in 1982 at the beginning of the AIDS pandemic, where young Harold explores his newfound sexuality and meets Claude, an older drag queen, as the pair wrestle with life, death and love.

Also at the Allways is “Seeking Asylum,” an immersive two-character play by local writer Mari Kornhauser Set in the not-so-distant future, the play pulls from the United States’ history as a nation of immigrants and examines the tricky politics of people and power in an uncertain world to come.

At the Toulouse Theater, the festival welcomes performer Tim Murray and his show “Tim Murray is Witches,” which was a big hit at last year’s Ed-

PROVIDED PHOTO By STEPHANIE CREEKPAUM

The Mudlark Puppeteers take on Tennessee Williams’ rarely produced oneact play ‘A Recluse and His Guest,’ from the Last Bohemia programming series.

TENNESSEE WILLIAMS AND NEW ORLEANS LITERARY FESTIVAL

WHEN: March 26-30

INFORMATION: Schedule at tennesseewilliams.net.

TICKETS: Events are ticketed separately. The festival also offers a VIP Pass ($600), a Scholars Conference Pass ($30) and a LitPass ($40 per day or $100 for the weekend).

inburgh Fringe Festival. In the show, Murray combs pop culture for witchy characters, from “Wicked” to “Sabrina the Teenage Witch,” and uses their stories as a parallel for both the metaphorical witch hunt levied against gay culture and also the coven-like magic of tight-knit queer communities.

‘Stella!’ starts the festival

The Last Bohemia series is a small slice of the wide-ranging events planned for this year’s Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival.

Stole

The festival soft launches on Sunday with the annual “Stella!” shouting contest in Jackson Square, then kicks off in earnest on Wednesday with “Mink Stole at the Monteleone,” an opening-night, cabaretstyle show featuring songs and stories

stages stages stages

from actress Mink Stole, best known for her work with iconic director John Waters’ in ﬁlms like “Pink Flamingos” and “Serial Mom.”

The Tennessee Williams Theatre Company of New Orleans presents Williams’ play “Orpheus Descending” — the only full-length Williams production of the year’s festival — a Southern noir potboiler about a repressed small-town shop owner and the mysterious stranger who saunters into town and captures her attention.

The fan-favorite Williams tribute reading happens Thursday, with festival luminaries diving into a rich trove of Williams’ one-act plays, and another tribute reading on Sunday honors the late author Dorothy Allison, perhaps best known for her acclaimed best-selling novel “Bastard Out of Carolina.”

Writer’s craft sessions will cover a variety of topics throughout the weekend for both aspiring and accomplished authors of ﬁction, nonﬁction and poetry, and the literary discussion series will offer sessions on a wide variety of

topics and genres including, but not limited to, Tennessee Williams and New Orleans-related works.

Now in its 39th year, the Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival has grown signiﬁcantly from its humble origins, and organizers hope to continue ﬁnding ways to attract new and diverse audiences through extensive offerings that intertwine historical and contemporary issues, literary and pop-culture topics, and events both high-minded and good-timing — including the burgeoning “Last Bohemia” series.

“We all approach it by thinking about what improves the festival, what expands it, what helps it grow over time,” said Gajus. “We grow older, the audience grows younger, so we have to be careful to reinvent in a way that we’re drawing new audiences every year to help build the festival.”

Brad Rhines writes about theater Contact him at bradfordrhines@ gmail.com.

ORPHEUS

Continued from page 9

The two-woman show will open at 2:30 p.m. Friday and continues Saturday and Sunday at The National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine St. Tickets start at $20. Visit nationalww2museum.org.

The ‘bombshell’ and ‘Joltin’ Joe’ Valentine’s Day has passed but love is in the air at the Westwego Performing Arts Theatre this weekend for “Joe & Marilyn: A Love Story,” the latest production from Jefferson Performing Arts.

Jonathan Mares and Sarah Colbert star in this two-person show about Joe Dimaggio and Marilyn Monroe’s tragic relationship, from their ﬁrst meeting to their brief marriage. Janet Shea directs the intimate portrayal of the famous star-crossed lovers.