U.S. Supreme Court to weigh if race or politics was the main factor in redrawing
census, it originally passed a map much like the old one, with five majority-White districts and one majority-Black district.
BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will hear oral arguments in the long-running, back-and-forth legal battle over whether Louisiana should have two majority-Black congressional districts. The justices will sort out inconsistent court rulings and issue a decision that will shape politics in Louisiana for years to come. It also could dictate how legislatures across the nation balance the often conflicting requirements of the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection Clause.
A group of Black voters, known as the Robinson litigants, filed a legal challenge arguing the Voting Rights Act required two majorityBlack districts, because roughly a third of the state is Black and the districts could be configured to be compact while linking communities with similar interests.
Black districts. But a second group of “non-African Americans,” known as the Callais litigants, then filed their own lawsuit, claiming the new map relies primarily on race and is an illegal gerrymander under the Equal Protection Clause of the Constitution. A special panel of three federal judges ruled in their favor
That has left Louisiana in a legal limbo that the state wants the Supreme Court to address.
ball, not a player,” state Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a filing to the Supreme Court.
The state and Robinson litigants are now on the same side in pressing for two Black-majority districts. The Callais litigants say they will lean on the special panel’s rulings in arguing their case.
When Louisiana was required to draw new U.S House districts due to population changes in the 2020
A federal judge agreed. Gov Jeff Landry and the Legislature created a new map with two majority-
“To put the situation bluntly, the state is stuck in an endless game of ping-pong — and the state is the
“We’ll be focusing on the threejudge district court’s well-supported factual findings that the second Black-majority district is neither
Donaldsonville dreams of reviving baseball field and the return of an epicenter for new generations
BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
It was Feb 25. Football season had ended. NCAA March Madness was an interminable time ahead. Facing Tennessee, the LSU men’s basketball team slid to 3-12 in conference play Even the earliest-ever opening day for Major League Baseball shimmered
like a distant mirage. But in Donaldsonville — a town at the nexus of the Mississippi River and Bayou Lafourche — baseball season came early. In a small ceremony that late February day, the city took ownership of a historic baseball field from Ascension Parish
ä See FIELD, page 5A
Swamp Sox coach Trae Ourso, center, walks with players Tre Brewer, left, and Carter Womack onto the field near the historic LaLa Regira Baseball Field in Donaldsonville.
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
Entergy’s power plans draw
BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer
Entergy Louisiana’s plans to procure billions of dollars worth of new
The Little Gypsy Power Plant is a gas power plant operated by Entergy in Montz.
Schumer says he won’t step down as leader
WASHINGTON Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says he won’t resign his post, despite pressure from some in his party after he voted to move forward with a Republican spending bill that avoided a government shutdown.
“Look, I’m not stepping down,” Schumer said in an interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press” that aired Sunday The New York senator said he knew voting for the bill backed by Republican President Donald Trump would spark “a lot of controversy.”
“I did it out of pure conviction as to what a leader should do and what the right thing for America and my party was,” he said. “People disagree.”
Democrats last week were confronted with two painful options: Allowing passage of a bill they believe gave Trump vast discretion on spending decisions or letting funding lapse. After Schumer said he’d vote to advance the spending measure, 10 Democrats supported breaking the party’s filibuster and allowing the bill to pass Schumer’s move has sparked outrage from some Democrats and progressive activists who protested at his office and called on him to resign his position. They said they’d like to see him face a primary challenge — perhaps from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The uproar prompted Schumer last week to postpone his book tour amid a series of planned progressive demonstrations. Schumer isn’t up for reelection until 2028.
He told NBC that the spending bill that funds the government through September was “certainly bad.”
Wildfires prompt evacuations in Carolinas
Wildfires forced a mandatory evacuation in one North Carolina county as emergency crews fought separate fires in an area of the state still recovering from Hurricane Helene, while South Carolina’s governor declared an emergency in response to a growing wildfire.
The North Carolina Department of Public Safety announced a mandatory evacuation starting at 8:20 p.m Saturday for parts of Polk County in western North Carolina about 80 miles west of Charlotte.
“Visibility in area will be reduced and roads/evacuation routes can become blocked; if you do not leave now, you could be trapped, injured, or killed,” the agency said in a social media post. The public safety department said a shelter had been established in Columbus, North Carolina
The North Carolina Forest Service’s online wildfire public viewer indicated three active fires in Polk County, with the two largest spanning between 1.7 and 1.9 square miles Two other fires were active in nearby Burke and Madison counties, with a third wildfire burning in Stokes County on the northern border with Virginia.
In South Carolina, Gov Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Saturday as part of an effort to stop a blaze in Pickens County called the Table Rock Fire that started the previous day in an area within the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“As this wildfire continues to spread, the State of Emergency allows us to mobilize resources quickly and ensure our firefighters have the support they need to protect lives and property,” McMaster said in a statement that reinforced a statewide outdoor burning ban issued Friday by the South Carolina Forestry Commission.
Pope released from hospital
Francis spent 5 weeks fighting double pneumonia
BY NICOLE WINFIELD, PAOLO SANTALUCIA and TRISHA THOMAS Associated Press
VATICAN CITY — A frail Pope
Francis returned to the Vatican on Sunday after a five-week hospitalization for life-threatening double pneumonia, and he made a surprise stop at his favorite basilica on the way home before beginning two months of prescribed rest and recovery.
The 88-year-old pope sat in the front passenger seat of his white Fiat 500L wearing nasal tubes to give him supplemental oxygen as he entered the Perugino gate of Vatican City, where his return brought relief after fears that his illness could be fatal or lead to another papal resignation.
Francis’ motorcade from Gemelli hospital overshot the Vatican initially and took a detour across town to stop at St. Mary Major basilica, where the pope’s favorite icon of the Madonna is located and where he always goes to pray after a foreign visit.
He didn’t get out of the car but gave a bouquet of flowers to the basilica’s cardinal to place in front of the Salus populi Romani icon.
The Byzantine-style painting on wood is revered by Romans and is so important to Francis that he has chosen to be buried in the basilica to be near it
The tour through Rome’s historic center came after Francis made his first appearance in five weeks to give a thumbs-up and brief blessing from a hospital balcony Hundreds of people had gathered on a brilliant spring Sunday morning to say goodbye and catch a first glimpse of Francis, who seemed to be gasping for air.
“I see this woman with the yellow flowers. Brava!”
a bloated-looking Francis said in a breathless voice. He gave a weak sign of the cross before being wheeled
Gaza officials say Israel struck major hospital
BY WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip
Israel’s military struck the largest hospital in southern Gaza on Sunday night, killing one person, wounding others and causing a large fire, the territory’s Health Ministry said.
The strike hit the surgical building of Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis, the ministry said, days after the facility was overwhelmed with dead and wounded when Israel resumed the war in Gaza last week with a surprise wave of airstrikes.
Israel’s military confirmed the strike on the hospital, saying it hit a Hamas militant operating there. Israel blames civilian deaths on Hamas because it operates in densely populated areas.
Like other medical facilities around Gaza, Nasser Hospital has been damaged by Israeli raids and strikes throughout the war
More than 50,000 Palestinians have now been killed in the war, the Health Ministry said earlier Sunday
The military claimed to have “eliminated” dozens of militants since Israel ended a ceasefire Tuesday with strikes that killed hundreds of people on
one of the deadliest days in the 17-month war
Israel’s unrest over Gaza and political issues grew Sunday, with anger at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his government voted to express no confidence in the attorney general, seen by many as a check on the power of his coalition.
“I’m worried for the future of this country And I think it has to stop. We have to change direction,” said Avital Halperin, one of hundreds of protesters outside Netanyahu’s office. Police said three were arrested.
Israel’s military ordered thousands of Palestinians to leave the heavily destroyed Tel al-Sultan neighborhood in the southern city of Rafah. They walked to Muwasi, a sprawling area of squalid tent camps. The war has forced most of Gaza’s population of over 2 million to flee within the territory, often multiple times.
The Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said it lost contact with a 10-member team responding to the strikes in Rafah. Spokesperson Nebal Farsakh said some were wounded.
Israel’s military said it had fired on advancing “suspicious vehicles” and later discovered some were ambulances and fire trucks.
back inside.
Chants of “Viva il papa!” and “Papa Francesco” erupted from the crowd, which included patients who had been wheeled outside just to catch his brief appearance.
Doctors say Francis needs two months of rest and convalescence at the Vatican, during which he should refrain from meeting with big groups of people or exerting himself. But they said he should be able to resume all his normal activities eventually His return home, after the longest hospitalization of his 12-year papacy and the second-longest in recent papal history brought tangible relief to the Vatican
and Catholic faithful who have been anxiously following 38 days of medical ups and downs and wondering if Francis would make it.
“Today I feel a great joy,” said Dr Rossella Russomando, who was at Gemelli on Sunday but did not treat Francis. “It is the demonstration that all our prayers, all the rosary prayers from all over the world, brought this grace.”
The Rev Enzo Fortunato, who heads a papal committee dedicated to children, said it was clear that Francis was happy to return home and would surely improve, especially after receiving so many get-well cards from children from around the world.
“If the first medicine was the affection of the children, the second medicine is definitely (going) home,” Fortunato said. “It will certainly speed up his recovery.”
At the Vatican, where a Holy Year is underway, pilgrims cheered and applauded when Francis’ greeting from Gemelli was broadcast live on giant TV screens in St. Peter’s Square.
“For me it was an important emotional experience to see him, because many people were waiting for this moment,” said Sister Luisa Jimènez, a nun from Francis’ native Argentina.
Another nun from the same order, Colombian Sister Angel Bernal Amparo, expressed concern, given his bloating and inability to speak much.
“He didn’t look well,” she said. “He couldn’t (talk) and I realized it was because of his breathing and, well, he left right there. But I was glad to have seen him.” No special arrangements have been made at the Domus Santa Marta, the Vatican hotel where Francis lives in a two-room suite on the second floor next to the basilica. He will have supplemental oxygen and 24-hour medical care as needed, although his personal physician, Dr Luigi Carbone, said he hoped Francis would progressively need less and less assistance breathing as his lungs recover
Ukraine-U.S. talks start in Riyadh
Russia-U.S meeting to follow
BY DARYNA KRASNOLUTSKA Bloomberg News (TNS)
Talks in Riyadh between Ukrainian and U.S. officials, part of an effort to end Russia’s three-year invasion of its neighbor, started on Sunday afternoon, Ukraine’s defense minister said.
The discussions are expected to be followed on Monday by a meeting between the U.S. and Russia. Moscow’s delegation has arrived in Riyadh, Tass reported, citing team member Grigory Karasin, chairman of the Federation Council’s committee on International Affairs.
“We are implementing the president of Ukraine’s directive to bring a just peace closer and to strengthen security,” Ukrainian defense chief Rustem Umerov said on social media, adding that Sunday’s agenda includes proposals to protect energy facilities and critical infrastructure.
“Today we’re working through a number of complex technical issues — our delegation includes energy experts as well as military representatives from the naval and air components,” Umerov said.
Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said that special emphasis on preparation for the meeting took place during a gathering of his military cabinet in Kharkiv Umerov attended that meeting, along with Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander in chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, Andrii Hnatov, the forces’ chief of general staff, and top Zelenskyy aides.
Mike Waltz, U.S. national security adviser said the upcoming talks among “technical teams” would focus on a potential Black Sea maritime ceasefire He suggested that would lead into discussions about
“the line of control, which is the actual front lines” of the conflict, which started when Kremlin forces invaded Ukraine in February 2022.
“That gets into the details of verification mechanisms, peace-keeping, freezing the lines where they are,” Waltz said Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “And then, of course, the broader and permanent peace” including security guarantees for Ukraine.
It’s unclear how far discussions will advance in Riyadh, whether more meetings will be scheduled, or what con-
cessions Russia is prepared to offer Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Russian state TV that negotiators from Moscow will be ready to discuss nuances of resumption of the Black Sea initiative in Riyadh, without elaborating. As of 2024 Russia occupied an estimated 20% of Ukraine in the nation’s east and southeast, including Crimea, with about 3 million Ukrainians estimated to be living under Russian occupation with millions more displaced and many others — including children deported to Russia.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DOMENICO STINELLIS
Pope Francis gestures as he appears Sunday at a window of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic in Rome.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABDEL KAREEM HANA
Displaced Palestinians who fled from Rafah amid ongoing Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip arrive Sunday in Khan younis, Gaza.
ISTANBUL Hundreds of thousands of opposition supporters gathered outside Istanbul city hall Sunday night to protest the arrest of the city’s mayor, a key rival to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Earlier Sunday, a court formally arrested Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and ordered him jailed pending the outcome of a trial on corruption charges.
His detention Wednesday morning sparked the largest wave of street demonstrations in Turkey in more than a decade, with large crowds gathering outside city hall for the fifth night in a row. It also deepened concerns over democracy and rule of law in Turkey.
His imprisonment is widely regarded as a political move to remove a major contender from the next presidential race, currently scheduled for 2028.
Government officials reject the accusations and insist that Turkey’s courts operate independent-
ly
“If you weren’t here today, if you hadn’t rushed here since the first day, if you had yielded to tear gas and barricades, if you had gotten scared and remained at home, then
a
a protest in
to prison.
today a caretaker appointed by Tayyip Erdogan would be residing here in this building,” said Ozgur Ozel Sunday night, pointing at city hall as he spoke to the massive crowd chanting anti-government slogans.
Ozel is the head of the Republican People’s Party, or CHP, to which Imamoglu belongs. The prosecutor’s office said the
court decided to jail Imamoglu on suspicion of running a criminal organization, accepting bribes, extortion, illegally recording personal data and bid-rigging. A request for him to be imprisoned on terror-related charges was rejected although he still faces prosecution. Following the court’s ruling, Imamoglu was transferred to Silivri prison, west of Istanbul.
The Interior Ministry later announced that Imamoglu had been suspended from duty as a “temporary measure.” The municipality had previously appointed an acting mayor from its governing council. Alongside Imamoglu, 47 other people were also jailed pending trial, including a key aide and two district mayors from Istanbul, one of whom was replaced with a government appointee. A further 44 suspects were released under judicial control.
Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said Sunday that 323 people were detained the previous evening over disturbances at protests.
Largely peaceful protests across Turkey have seen hundreds of thousands come out in support of Imamoglu. However, there has been some violence, with police deploying water cannons, tear gas, pepper spray and firing plastic pellets at protesters in Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir some of whom hurled stones, fireworks and other missiles at riot police.
The formal arrest came as more than 1.7 million members of the opposition CHP began holding a primary presidential election to endorse Imamoglu, the sole candidate.
The party has also set up symbolic ballot boxes nationwide to allow people who are not party members to express their support for the mayor Large crowds gathered early Sunday to cast a “solidarity ballot.”
“This is no longer just a problem of the Republican People’s Party, but a problem of Turkish democracy,” Fusun Erben, 69, said at a polling station in Istanbul’s Kadikoy district. “We do not accept our rights being so easily usurped. We will fight until the end.”
Speaking at a polling station in Bodrum, western Turkey, engineer Mehmet Dayanc, 38, said he feared that “in the end we’ll be like Russia, a country without an opposition, where only a single man participates in elections.”
At the time of Sunday night’s protest, the vote count had reached around 15 million people, of which around a little over 13 million were from nonparty members voting in solidarity In a post on social media, Imamoglu praised the result from Silivri Prison, writing that the people had told Erdogan “enough is enough.” “That ballot box will arrive, and the nation will deliver a slap to the administration it will never forget.”
Canada’s PM, his opponent kick off election campaigns
Both say Trump must respect country’s sovereignty
BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press
TORONTO New Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and his Conservative opponent said U.S. President Donald Trump must respect Canada’s sovereignty as they kicked off their election campaigns Sunday against the backdrop of a trade war and annexation threats from Trump. Carney announced there will be a five-week election campaign before the vote on April 28.
“We are facing the most significant crisis of our lifetimes because of President Trump’s unjustified trade actions and his threats to our sovereignty,” Carney said.
“President Trump claims that Canada isn’t a real country He wants to break us so America can own us. We will not let that happen.”
The governing Liberals had appeared poised for a historic election defeat this year until Trump declared a trade war Trump has repeatedly said that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state and he acknowledged Friday that he has upended Canadian politics.
Trump’s almost daily attacks on Canada’s sovereignty have infuriated Canadians and led to a surge in Canadian nationalism that has bol-
stered Liberal poll numbers.
The election campaign for 343 seats or districts in the House of Commons will last 37 days. Although other parties are running, the Liberals and the Conservatives are the only two that have a chance to form a government. The party that commands a majority in Parliament, either alone or with the support of another party, will form the next government and its leader will be prime minister Carney replaced Justin Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January but remained in power until the Liberal Party elected a new leader on March 9 following a leadership race by the governing party.
The opposition Conservatives hoped to make the elec-
California fire captain is arrested in Mexico
By The Associated Press
SAN DIEGO A month after an official with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection was found slain at her home, the woman’s wife has been arrested in Mexico on suspicion of murder, authorities said. Investigators had named Yolanda Olejniczak Marodi as the prime suspect in the Feb. 17 stabbing death of Cal Fire Capt. Rebecca Marodi, 49, in Ramona, near San Diego. Olejniczak Marodi was arrested Saturday at a hotel in the city of Mexicali, just south of the U.S. border, according to officials in Mexico. Mexican state security agents transferred her to U.S. marshals and she
was returned to the United States, according to a statement from the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office. It wasn’t known Sunday if Olejniczak Marodi, 53, has an attorney.
She will be booked into custody in San Diego, and the investigation into Marodi’s killing remains ongoing, the statement said.
Marodi, a decorated captain with the state agency, was part of the battle against the Eaton fire in January near Los Angeles. She and Olejniczak Marodi had been married for just over two years.
Olejniczak Marodi was previously convicted in the fatal stabbing of her thenhusband, James Joseph Olejniczak, the Los Angeles
Times reported. She pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after the stabbing in 2000 and served nearly a decade in prison.
Olejniczak Marodi had been at large since Marodi’s death and had driven into Mexico the night of her death, according to the statement from the Sheriff’s Office. She was seen on surveillance video earlier in the evening “arguing with Rebecca and physically assaulting her” before leaving the house, the statement said.
Home security footage from a surveillance camera at the couple’s home depicted a brutal scene on the evening of Feb. 17, according to an arrest warrant obtained by the Times.
tion about Trudeau, whose popularity declined as food and housing prices rose and immigration surged. But after decades of bilateral stability, the vote is now expected to focus on who is best equipped to deal with Trump.
Carney said the choice for Canadians is a “Canadian Trump or a government that unites the country.”
Trump put 25% tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminum and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products — as well as all of America’s trading partners — on April 2.
Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the Conservatives, is Carney’s main challenger The party and Poilievre were
heading for a huge victory in Canada’s federal election this year until Trump’s near-daily trade and annexation threats derailed them.
Poilievre said he will stand up to Trump but Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, a conservative ally, said in an interview that Poilievre would be “very much in sync” with the “new direction in America.”
“The content of this interview is very bad news for the Conservatives because it reinforces the Liberals’ narrative about Pierre Poilievre and his perceived ideological proximity with Donald Trump,” said Daniel Béland, a political science professor at McGill Univer-
sity in Montreal. Poilievre said he will stand up to Trump.
“I will insist the president recognizes the independence and sovereignty of Canada. I will insist he stops tariffing our nation,” Poilievre said as he launched his campaign.
“I know a lot of people are worried, angry and anxious. And with good reason as a result of the president’s unacceptable threats against our country.”
Carney still hasn’t had a phone call with Trump and that might not happen now until after the election. Trump mocked Trudeau by calling him governor but he has not yet mentioned Carney’s name.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HUSEyIN ALDEMIR Riot police officers use pepper spray to clear
protester Sunday during
Istanbul after Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was arrested and sent
DISTRICTS
LOUISIANA’S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS
Louisiana's congressional districts, redesigned After a frenzied special session, the Legislature has redrawn the state’s six congressional districts to
Black district.
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will hear oral arguments in the longrunning, back-and-forth legal battle over whether Louisiana should have two majority-Black congressional districts. compact nor consistent with traditional redistricting principles. It was purposely drawn relying predominantly on race,” said Edward D. Greim, the Kansas City lawyer representing the Callais parties.
But Cleo Fields, the Baton Rouge Democrat who occupies the newly created seat, believes the high court will deem the Legislature’s map appropriate.
Fields
While acknowledging that “it is not the most compact district,” Fields said he thinks the Supreme Court will find the state complied with both the Voting Rights Act and the Equal Protection. Fields added that other Louisiana congressional districts are more spread out.
“For the Supreme Court to say you can’t do it like that would mean that no legislature in the country can draw congressional lines,” he said.
Race or politics?
The ultimate question before the Supreme Court is whether in trying to comply with the Voting Rights Act, the Legislature relied too much on race, violating the Equal Protection Clause.
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 was passed because Southern states had created obstacles that kept Black citizens from participating in elections, including diluting Black voter strength by spreading their numbers across districts with White majorities.
Voters in Louisiana’s majorityWhite districts have never elected a Black candidate to Congress.
Section 2 of the Voting Rights
Act requires legislators to create a minority-majority district when populations are large enough, geographically compact and follow traditional redistricting principles such as linking communities that share similar interests.
But the Equal Protection Clause forbids using race as the predominant factor in creating congressional districts. The clause is in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which was passed in 1868 to protect recently freed slaves.
The Callais parties argue that Louisiana’s Black population doesn’t live close enough together to support creating two majorityBlack districts. The fact that the new district stretches from Baton Rouge to Lafayette to Shreveport is evidence legislators were using race to draw a district with the goal
ward with its plans.
Letlow of Start, and also targeted Baton Rouge Republican Rep. Garret Graves, who had run afoul of Landry and Scalise.
Victoria Wenger a New York lawyer with the Legal Defense Fund, which represents the Robinson litigants, pointed out that her clients preferred a second Blackmajority district between Monroe and Baton Rouge that had a sufficiently large and geographically compact minority population. But that map would have endangered the reelection of Letlow and Johnson, so legislators chose to target Graves’ 6th Congressional District instead.
“We certainly say politics was on par, if not superseding how race was considered,” Wenger said. What justices might do
of creating a second Black district, they argue.
That argument resonated with two of three judges on the special panel deciding the Callais challenge. They ruled race was the predominating factor for the Legislature’s 2024 map. The Supreme Court’s ultimate decision will be made in the context of whether the panel’s majority was correct.
The third panelist, former 5th Circuit Chief Judge Carl Stewart, of Shreveport, disagreed with the majority He said the Robinson claimants presented evidence that while race was a factor, politics predominated. The new maps protected White majorities in the districts of three Republicans, House Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Jefferson and Rep. Julia
After Monday’s hearing, a decision by the Supreme Court likely won’t come until late May or June.
The court has several options.
It could accept the Legislature’s map, which would guarantee the second majority-Black district until the next U.S. census in 2030, or order legislators to redraw the map following instructions by the justices that may or may not require a second majority-Black district. Another possibility is sending the case back to the threejudge panel for a new map and a decision on whether a second Black-majority district is needed or possible.
Two recent Supreme Court rulings, one from Alabama in 2022 and the other from South Carolina in 2024, offer clues to what the justices might be looking for in the Louisiana case.
The Alabama decision, which required the state’s legislature to redraw its congressional map to include a second Black-majority district, found that race can be a factor under the Voting Rights Act in states with a history of diluting
Black voter strength, provided the second minority-majority district complies with traditional redistricting principles, such as compactness.
The South Carolina case allowed moving precincts because of race as long as state legislators have a political reason for doing so — in that case to preserve a Republican seat in the U.S. House.
Several attorneys general from GOP-run states argued in a friendof-the-court brief in the Louisiana case that the Voting Rights Act is violated only if minority populations are forbidden from registering to vote or are blocked from voting. Attorneys general from 19 Democrat-run states countered that spreading minority voters in small numbers across districts packed with White voters effectively keeps minorities from being represented properly
A March 6 report from the Brennan Center for Justice, which is affiliated with the New York University Law School, found Black voter turnout in Louisiana’s new majority-Black district increased by about 6% in the November election.
Alice Washington, of Baton Rouge, one of the Robinson litigants, said she became involved when trying to understand voter apathy
“I discovered that people didn’t feel that their vote mattered. They didn’t feel they had a voice,” Washington said. “In districts where you got a 70% majority and like a 30% minority population, there was never an opportunity where we were going to win and get our person in, no matter what we did. A second majority-minority district encourages citizens to want to vote, to want to become a part of the legislative process.”
Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.
The Louisiana Energy Users Group, in a letter filed with the state regulator recently forecasts rates will rise by nearly 90% by 2030 compared with 2018 costs.
Louisiana does have lower electric rates than the national average. But that doesn’t tell the whole story
it’s creating strange bedfellows, with climate advocates aligned with the petrochemical industry in taking on Entergy the state’s dominant utility “What is being put into their pipeline is stunning,” said Logan Burke, executive director of the Alliance. “There’s just no other word for it.”
Now a yearslong debate over whether industrial customers should be able to break out of Entergy’s control over the power sector is coming to a head.
Entergy wants to buy 2 gigawatts of gas power to replace power stations that will be deactivated in the coming years. It is also asking for regulatory approval to build 2.4 gigawatts of natural gas-fired power stations to service Meta’s massive data center planned for Richland Parish. A 1-gigawatt power plant can power about 876,000 homes per year, according to the Carbon Collective, an investment adviser
Those investments, along with other proposals by Entergy to build new infrastructure, will cost billions. And a group of petrochemical plants who are fighting to inject more competition into the market expect that ratepayers will see bills skyrocket if Entergy moves for-
The prospect of huge rate hikes comes at a time when customers are reeling from high costs everywhere, from utility bills to property insurance premiums.
The group, composed of big petrochemical companies such as Chevron and ExxonMobil, is seeking permission for those companies to build or buy their own power without going through Entergy Those plans have heightened a long-simmering argument between industry and Entergy.
Petrochemical companies say having their own power supplies would save residential customers money, but Entergy argues it would cost residential customers more in the long run
The industrial customers want to instead be allowed to find other developers to produce 1,500 megawatts of renewable power and another 2,000 megawatts of “cogeneration” power, using heat to produce power more efficiently than traditional gas-fired power
The group wrote in a letter to regulators last month that continued delay with no action on the Louisiana Energy Users Group proposal “benefits Entergy at the expense of all ratepayers.”
The decision now rests in the hands of the Public Service Commission, which regulates Entergy and has debated for years about whether to allow more competition into the market. But Entergy is asking the commission to end the debate over the so-called “customer centered options” docket and allow it to move forward with building or buying gasfired power plants.
The commission could take up Entergy’s request as soon as Wednesday Entergy called the projections from the Louisiana Energy Users Group of rate increases a “misleading ploy.”
Spokesperson Brandon Scardigli said Entergy’s low rates for industrial users are a big reason companies choose to set up shop here.
“Louisiana has some of the lowest electric rates in the U.S. according to published data from the Energy Information Administration and expects that to continue when the legacy units are deactivated and replaced with highly efficient units,” Scardigli said.
He said the proposal from LEUG would not address problems with aging legacy units in areas where there are not enough transmission lines to get power in from other areas. If the Public Service Commission approves its proposal, he predicted it would shift “hundreds of millions of dollars a year to residential customers in Louisiana.”
A state audit released in January found Louisiana residents have paid increasingly more, on average, for electricity over the past decade while experiencing increasingly less reliable service. That’s because residents use far more power
than other states, utilities rely heavily on natural gasfired power plants and state regulators are understaffed, among other problems, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found.
Louisiana has long struggled with high energy usage because of hot summers and homes that are not energy efficient.
inject more competition into Louisiana’s power sector have long argued it would help address some of the state’s chronic problems. Entergy asked the PSC in January to end that debate and allow it to move forward buying and building new power plants. In response, LEUG and the
Continued from page 1A ä See ENTERGY, page 5A
Proponents of the effort to
It was one of the best fields in the state of Louisiana,” said Reginald “Duck” Brown, who played on the diamond for the Donaldsonville Grays semipro baseball team in the 1970s after the team was integrated.
“There was a lot of American Legion Baseball big tournaments held on our field, and a lot of people came and paid a lot of compliments. It was sort of like the Wrigley Field of Donaldsonville.”
The LaLa Regira Field, named in honor of former longtime Mayor Lawrence “LaLa” Regira Sr., has hosted countless games throughout its history
Previously owned by the South Louisiana Fairgrounds until its earlier transfer to the parish, the field has been home to Ascension Catholic, Donaldsonville High School, Grays semipro team and the American Legion Baseball team.
Like Donaldsonville, which has been plagued by economic problems in recent decades, the field has seen better days. The grass is overgrown. The grandstand needs repairs. With the transfer — and funding set aside for improvements — what was once a core community artery could soon see a revival.
A community treasure
Musing on the distinct flavor of baseball stadiums across the country, Washington Post retired sports columnist Thomas Boswell once wrote in these places, “we find that we are still a nation of countless shades and shapes, heartening and hearty.”
“Orwell’s fears have made little headway at the ballpark,” Boswell wrote in 1984. “There, we still find it easy to remember where we are and why we came.”
And so it is at the LaLa baseball field where generations of residents have honed their skills. It was here that Gerald Alexander, who went on to pitch for the Tex-
ENTERGY
Continued from page 4A
Alliance for Affordable Energy have hit back, arguing regulators should evaluate whether big chemical plants can save everyone money by finding their own power
Both sides argue the other would raise rates on customers.
“If they get all this approval for this new generation and it hits the ratepayer, we know that rates are going to skyrocket,” said Jay Connaughton, spokesperson for Amplify Louisiana, which represents several large power providers allied with LEUG.
He said it would be a “huge win” if they could keep the increases from hitting customers.
Whether residents would ultimately save money relies on a complex question of who is on the hook to pay for fixed costs already incurred by Entergy The Alliance for Affordable Energy suggests the commission could look at industrial customers paying an “exit fee” to offset those costs.
Connaughton said his group is supportive of the Meta plant and other data
as Rangers, got his start. And it’s where Brown pitched for the Donaldsonville Grays.
centers eyeing Louisiana. And he argues the state could be better-positioned to get new data centers if more power providers are allowed in Data centers require enormous amounts of electricity, straining the grid at a time when many states and utilities including Entergy — say they are working to move away from carbonemitting resources. The crush of new data centers being built to power AI projects are causing a supply chain crunch for parts needed to build gas plants, driving up costs. Entergy said in a statement it has been able to secure enough equipment to build the new power Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta, a Republican who often sides with Entergy, said he doesn’t see any reason to move away from the current system, where Entergy handles power for customers.
Skrmetta said he believes President Donald Trump’s administration will fix supply chain issues, and took issue with LEUG’s forecast about rates climbing He argued in favor of the current system, saying “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
“Nothing stops these companies from building what
“People
can join together and get involved in sports, and they could put their differences aside and
they want for themselves on their property They don’t want that,” he said. “I see them trying to game the system to the disadvantage of the residential and commercial ratepayers of the state.”
Skrmetta is also working to curtail the state’s energy efficiency program, designed to fund projects to reduce the amount of energy customers use, calling the program “inflationary.”
Commissioner Davante Lewis, one of two Democrats on the panel, said the commission must grapple with who is going to bear the cost of the growth in power needs from data centers and industrial growth.
“Why should residential and small commercial users have to share some of these costs when if industry is the reason that we need more generation, shouldn’t they just pay for it?” he said.
Burke, of the Alliance for Affordable Energy, said Entergy is trying to build new gas plants because that’s what they know best, and because they’ve backed themselves into a corner by under-building the transmission system. Renewable developers have long argued that Entergy’s lack of investment in transmission
color and creed and all that stuff,” said Brown, a longtime Donaldsonville city employee. “On a Sunday afternoon, you can go out and have a baseball game.”
Randy Lanoix, 71, a lifelong Donaldsonville resident, estimated the city had eight youth teams at one point.
“I remember in 1963 when Father Jerome Dugas and Mr Frank Sotile formed a CYO youth baseball league. And I was like, 9 years old at the time and was on the 9- to 12-year-old team,” he said. “So, we had a vibrant, really successful youth baseball team.”
The late Frank Sotile Jr., known as “Mr Baseball,” had a pavilion adjacent to the field named after him for all the youth teams he coached. His nephew, David Matassa, called Sotile “a legend.”
“He was so active in the community with the leagues,” Matassa said. “He was in charge of getting
— long-range, high-voltage power lines — has stifled their ability to create more alternative energy sources. Burke said the commission should take time to
the teams together.”
And Lanoix, who Regira himself coached, said Regira was “one of the biggest proponents of youth baseball ever.”
“He was the best. He loved baseball. He was always in a good mood He just promoted baseball every way he went,” Lanoix recalled.
“But man, there was so many volunteer coaches through the years, too numerous to name, but the whole Donaldsonville community was involved in youth baseball.”
‘Building a brighter future’
Local officials hope gaining ownership of the baseball diamond is the start of bringing the community back.
Mayor Leroy Sullivan previously told The Advocate it “was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up” to assume ownership of the community treasure baseball field Ascension Parish President Clint Cointment praised working with Sullivan and said he looked “forward to seeing the impact this complex will have under their leadership.”
“This investment is about more than just a baseball field it’s about supporting our youth, strengthening our community, and building a brighter future for Donaldsonville,” Cointment said. With the ownership transfer comes money for the field’s renovation The parish’s lighting district is providing $400,000 to install new field lights, and $133,000 from the parish’s general fund will be spent to renovate and upgrade the grandstands.
Matassa said he thinks the transfer is “great for the community.”
“It’s another asset. Because Donaldsonville, at one time, was a hub, but of course as times change, nothing stays the same. The city took a pretty good, hard hit,” he said. “But currently, there’s a lot of rhythm in the city of Donaldsonville as far as businesswise. And people realizing that, ‘Hey, we’ve got a community here.’”
Email Christopher Cartwright at christopher.cartwright@ theadvocate.com.
evaluate how to best handle the onslaught of new power needs without burdening residents. And, she argued, the status quo is untenable, with people already strug-
gling to pay their bills.
“How do we do this without bankrupting families who already can’t afford to keep the lights on?” she asked.
A branch hangs over the scoreboard at the field, which
Swamp Sox baseball team players stretch together with coach Trae Ourso, center, near the historic LaLa Regira Baseball Field, which has hosted countless games
Through May 14, some 23 sculptures will be on display at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge, each a bronze-colored silicon bust representing a man exonerated after a wrongful conviction in Louisiana. Collectively, these men spent 644 years behind bars for crimes they didn’t commit.
Baton Rouge artist Becky Parsons Gottsegen created the sculptures after being moved by the stories shared at an Innocence Project New Orleans gala The nonprofit has freed 46 innocent people in Louisiana since 2001. Gottsegen initially gifted the exonerees sculpted portraits later creating replicas after realizing she could amplify their stories and highlight the organization’s crucial work through an art exhibit
“We are now seeing them as humans making them visible to our communities,” said Jee Park, executive director of Innocence Project New Orleans. “People need to realize that our legal system is fraught with errors; it’s racially biased and disproportionately impacts poor people.”
While based in New Orleans, the group works statewide. It is an independent organization but collaborates with the Innocence Project New York and a network of 70 similar organizations across
the country Park said it has also freed 26 people in Louisiana from excessive sentences, including one recently released from a life sentence for a marijuana offense.
Jarvis Ballard, one of nine exonerees at the opening reception on Sunday, knows firsthand the challenges of rebuilding life after wrongful imprisonment.
“It’s a struggle,” Ballard said. After decades behind bars, finding a lasting career has proved difficult.
“It’s like you just graduated high school; you have to do a lot of odd jobs.”
Ballard was only 18 when he was wrongly convicted of rape in Orleans Parish. Despite two other people confessing to the crime, he spent 23 years praying for his freedom. Innocence Project took his case in 2008, and in 2021, his conviction was vacated.
“I like the fact that people still think of us,” Ballard said of the exhibit. “This is letting me know they don’t forget you.”
Sullivan Walter, who spent 36 years incarcerated after being wrongfully convicted of rape at age 17, also attended the opening. He endured the longest known wrongful incarceration of a juvenile in Louisiana history Evidence proving his innocence was not presented at his trial due in part to his attorney’s negligence, but Innocence Project discovered his case in 2022, leading to his release two months later
“It’s a work that’s necessary,” Walter said of Gottsegen’s sculptures. “Becky created an opportunity where our stories will be heard.”
Earl Truvia holds his book about his life in prison for a crime he did not commit while next to his bust created by sculptor Becky Parsons Gottsegen at the opening of the show ‘Exonerated: Portraits of the Wrongfully Convicted’ at the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge on Sunday.
The organization estimates that between 2.3% and 5% of people in U.S. prisons are wrongfully convicted. As of 2022, Louisiana had 26,100 people behind bars, one of the highest incarceration rates in the world. Park and Gottsegen are also using the exhibit to raise awareness of Act 10, a 2024 law that restricts the time frame for filing postconviction relief applications. The law now mandates that district attorneys object to late applications, even if new evidence suggests in-
nocence.
“If it wasn’t for the Innocence Project, I wouldn’t be here today,” said Walter though under Act 10, it’s unclear how effective the organization would be with similar cases.
“Basically, we get one bite of the apple,” Park said, urging attendees to contact their legislators. “It gets really hard when you get one shot.”
Email Aidan McCahill at aidan mccahill@theadvocate.com.
Fleeing the flock
Louisiana medical students take next step in careers
“On Sunday (March 16), I didn’t sleep well at all. Some don’t sleep well all week, especially those with competitive specialties,” Roberie said. “But when I got that email on Monday that I had matched, the nervousness was off a bit.”
medical students matched with residency programs. Of those, 49.5% or 93 students, will stay in Louisiana programs.
Ochsner to either celebrate their matches or find a match that best fits with the specialty they wish to practice.
BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer
BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer
They call it Match Day That’s when medical students select their top residency programs, and residency programs select their students. It all happened on Friday when some 35,984 medical students across the country found out what medical residency program they were paired with to continue their medical education. Medical residencies, a postgraduate training program where doctors gain specialized, in-depth training in a specific medical specialty, typically last three to seven years. Most medical students in the matching program found out March 17 if they were matched with a residency program, although they were not told where they were going. If students weren’t matched, they had the opportunity to interview during the next four days with programs with open spots.
After not getting into LSU Health Shreveport for medical school, Roberie had options: start building a career in medicine without medical school, retake the MCAT or apply to another medical school farther from home
Roberie chose to study at American University of the U.S Virgin Islands, where he studied in St. Martin for two years, before moving to clinical rotations in Miami and Baton Rouge
This year at 11 a.m. Friday, nearly 650 fourth-year students across Louisiana opened envelopes that told them where they will take their next steps in medical training 34% were matched with programs in Louisiana.
Of 65 University of QueenslandOchsner medical students in New Orleans participating in the match 64 were paired with residency programs — 22% will stay in Louisiana. Ochsner also offers a residency program with their sister school in Australia, where five students from their program chose to continue their education.
Of 148 Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine students in Monroe, 100% were paired with residency programs across 30 states. Of those students, 30 will stay in Louisiana. Retaining students in Louisiana for their residency is critical for addressing Louisiana’s projected physician shortfall.
“It’s a lot of pressure and a lot of tension and deadlines, but getting to Friday afternoon and seeing the joy on these students’ faces and the success that they have achieved in a fairly short period of time, is amazing to me,” Amedee said.
“That’s a great privilege, and I’m very thankful for it.”
Closer to home
When it was time for the matching process to come around, Roberie knew he wanted to stay in Louisiana.
“I love Baton Rouge. The people. The food It’s not far from home,” said Roberie, a Morgan City native. “It really is an ideal location to spend the next three years.”
South
BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer
The shelves are standing. The books are lined up and ready to be checked out. The Teen Room and Children’s Room are ready for their younger patrons. The computers are set up and connected.
The long-anticipated opening of the South Branch of the East Baton Rouge Parish Library is finally here.
The South Branch neighborhood library, open Monday, will include meeting rooms, a public art gallery wall, an adult section, a teen section, a children’s room, computers, Wi-Fi and space for programming for all ages. Down the street from Glasgow Middle School and near St. Aloysius Catholic School, Trinity Episcopal Day School and Liberty Magnet High School, the South Branch is ready to welcome children and teens into its doors.
One-third of class will take residencies in state LOTTERY SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 2025 PICK 3: 1-2-2 PICK 4: 0-4-6-1 PICK 5: 6-1-4-6-8 EASY 5: 4-11-16-24-31
Cody Roberie, a graduating senior at American University in the U.S. Virgin Islands, said the nerves kicked in the night before
At Tulane University School of Medicine, 157 students matched with residency programs in 25 states — with 28 students, 17.8%, staying in Louisiana.
At LSU Health Shreveport, 96.1% of the medical students were matched with residency programs.
Of those 152 matched students, 46% or 70 students, will stay in Louisiana programs.
At LSU Health New Orleans, 188
According to the American Medical Association, Louisiana is projected to have the third-worst physician-shortage ratio in the U.S. by 2030, with an undersupply of 100 doctors for every 100,000 people.
Although many students will leave the state to further their medical education and expertise many will come back to Louisiana to practice after residencies.
Dr Ronald Amedee has been in academic medicine for 44 years.
For Match Day Amedee worked with 66 graduating students at UQ-
Roberie will join some familiar colleagues come July when he starts his residency at Baton Rouge General in internal medicine.
Although he doesn’t know where the medical road will lead him after residency — a fellowship, hospital medicine, family medicine, etc. — Roberie is happy to be doing it in his home state.
“It’s a lot of weight lifted off of my shoulders,” Roberie said.
“Match Day is the culmination of hard work and years of education.”
This neighborhood library will have temporary hours until the staff is trained and all the furniture is installed.
The library will operate on a six-day service instead of the eventual seven-day schedule Hours of operation will temporarily be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday A later official dedication will take place once all furniture is in, which should be in May or June. For more information, visit ebrpl.com. Email Joy Holden at joy holden@theadvocate.com.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
WEST BATON ROUGE
(India), MaxwellBreaux (Megan), Chelsie Granier (Drew), and Seth Breaux; four great grandchildren, Annelise Breaux, Evie Lutz, Asher Breaux and Cooper Knaub; three siblings, Peggy Montalbano, Leroy Boudreaux (Brenda)and Dolores Folse (Alfred) and her sister-in-law, Roberta Daigle. She is preceded in death by her husband, Leonard Breaux; parents Milton and Mathilde Navarre Boudreaux and her five siblings, RosalieSt. Germain, Catherine Kitty" Gaudet, Noland, Milton and Lawrence Boudreaux.
The Breaux family would like to thank her caregivers, Angel, Jo,Joy and Brenda, her nurses, Megan and Haley fortheir care and supportthroughout this difficult time as well as her special friend Tesha.
Avisitation will be held at Ourso Funeral Home in Pierre Part, LA, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 from 9am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11am atSt. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with interment to follow in the church mausoleum.
Groat,Charles G. 'Chip'
Ruby Marie Boudreaux Breaux, 90 passed away on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. She was aloving wife, sister, mother, Maw, great grandmother and friend. Always eager to serve her church and community in anyway she could. She was adedicated homebound and Eucharistic minister, lector/commentator, bingo coordinator, religion teacher and Catholic daughter for the St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church. In the Pierre Part community, Ruby coordinated the Blood Center blood drive and was a faithful member of the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary. She was honored as the 2001 Grand Marshal for the Pierre Part/Belle River Christmas Parade. Ruby enjoyed spending time and traveling with her family and gardening. She leaves behind to cherish her memory her four children, Darwin Breaux (Susie), R.P. Breaux (Betty), PaulaBergeron (Ricky), and BarryBreaux (Sherry); eight grandchildren, Candice Breaux Heather Lutz (Mike), Evan Bergeron, Heidi Knaub (Devin), Stefan Bergeron (India), Maxwell Breaux (Megan), ChelsieGranier (Drew), and Seth Breaux; four great grandchildren, Annelise Breaux, Evie Lutz,
Charles G. "Chip" Groat, Ph.D., age 84, passedaway on March 14, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, due to complications from Parkinson's disease and heart failure. Born on March 25, 1940, in Westfield,New York, Chip lived alifededicated to his family, education, and the advancement of geological sciences. A devoted husband, father, and mentor, Chipissurvived by his belovedwife of 61 years, Barbara F. "Bobbie"Groat, his son Douglas A. Groat, and his daughter Lisa A. Groat. He is also mournedbyhis brothers, RobertH.Groat and Richard W. Groat. He was preceded in death by his mother, BeatriceFoote Groat, and hisfather Howard Henry Groat. Chip was an avid runner, often logging several miles daily, regardless of the weather. His love for running took him through asnowstorm in Russia and atorrential downpour in Vietnam. He also had apassion for sailing and would race with his crew on aJ/24 sailboat on Lake Pontchartrainand the Gulf of Mexico during the 1980s. An accomplished world traveler, his journeys took himfrom South America to the Middle East, throughout Europe,Asia, and Africa, and to the remote wilderness of Alaska. Hisdistinguishedcareer in geology began with aB.A. from the University of Rochesterin 1962, followedbyanM.S. from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1967. It was hereduringhis graduate studies that he met and marriedhis wife Bobbie in September 1963. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in 1970. Overhis career, Chip held several positions in academia, government, and research institutions. He servedasa research geologist, followed by associate and acting director of the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin (1968-1976) and associate professor in the Department of Geological Sciences (1974-1976). He then served as associate professor and chairman of the Department of Geologi-
associate professor in the Department of Geological Sciences (1974-1976). He then served as associate professor and chairman of the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Texas at El Paso (1976-1978). From 1978 to 1990, he was aprofessorat Louisiana State University's Department of Geology and Geophysics. He also played akey role in state government,serving as Assistant to the Secretary at the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources (1983 -1988) and as Director and State Geologist forthe Louisiana Geological Survey (1978-1990). From1990 to 1992, Chip served as the Executive Director of the American Geological Institute, followed by his tenureasExecutive Directorofthe Center for Coastal, Energy, and Environmental Resources at Louisiana State University (1992-1995). He later joined the UniversityofTexas at El Paso, where he was the Director of the Center for Environmental Resource Management and Director of the Environmental Science and Engineering Ph.D. Program, Professor of Geological Sciences, and Associate Vice President forResearch and Sponsored Projects (1995-1998). In 1998, Chip was appointed the 13thDirector of theU.S. Geological Survey (USGS) by President Bill Clinton and was retained in this position by President George W. Bush. He led the agency until 2005, overseeing critical research on energy resources, water policy, and environmental sustainability. Chip was awarded theAGI (American Geosciences Institute) Campbell Medal forSuperlative Service to the Geosciences in 1998. This Medal is presented each year to anationally recognized, living geoscientist with adistinguished record of significant achievementsinscience, education, and administration, in support of the profession of geology and its role in society. It is AGI's most distinguished award Following his tenure at USGS, Chip returned to the University of Texas at Austintodirect theEnergy and Earth Resources Graduate Program and the Center for International Energy and Environmental Policy. In 2008, he was named interim dean of the Jackson School of Geosciences. In 2011, Chip became the founding president and CEO of theWater Institute of theGulf, where he championed scientific and engineering research to address coastal and environmental challenges. From 2019 to his retirement in 2021, he served as acting Director of the Louisiana Geological Survey. Chip's leadership in the field of geology was widely recognized, and he was an active member of the Geological Societyof America, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Geophysical Union, and the American Association of Petroleum Geologists. He also served on numerous scientific boardsand committees and contributed extensively to research publications on earthsciences and environmental policy. Adevoted family man, he was deeply involved with his children, offering them guidance and unwavering support throughout their lives. He served as adedicated Scoutmaster, president of thechurch council, and as church treasurer. Service to others was a central partofhis life. He took great pride in supporting his family's education and aspirations, always encouraging them to follow their dreams. Chip's legacy will be remembered through his contributions cience, his orship
Daigle. She is preceded in death by her husband, Leonard Breaux;parents Milton and Mathilde Navarre Boudreaux and her five siblings, Rosalie St. Germain, Catherine "Kitty" Gaudet, Noland, Milton and Lawrence Boudreaux. The Breaux family would liketothank her caregivers,Angel, Jo,Joy and Brenda, her nurses, Megan and Haley for their care and support throughout this difficult time as well as her special friend Tesha.
Avisitation will be held at Ourso Funeral Home in Pierre Part, LA, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 from 9am untilMass of Christian Burial at 11am at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church with interment to follow in the church mausoleum.
ty's Departme gy and Geophysics. He also playeda key role in state government, serving as Assistant to the Secretary at the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources(1983 -1988) and as Director and State Geologist for the Louisiana Geological Survey (1978-1990). From 1990 to 1992, Chip served as the Executive Director of the American Geological Institute,followedbyhis tenure as Executive Director of the Center for Coastal, Energy, and Environmental Resources at Louisiana State University (1992-1995). He later joined the University of Texasat El Paso, where he wasthe Director of the Centerfor Environmental Resource Management and Director of the EnvironmentalScience and Engineering Ph.D. Program, Professor of Geological Sciences, andAssociate Vice President for Re-
tion and aspirations, al-
ways encouraging them to follow their dreams. Chip's legacy will be remembered through his contributions to science, his mentorship of future geologists, his kindness, generosity, and the love he had for his family. The family extends aspecial thanks to the caregivers at Our Lady of the LakeHospital and St. Joseph's Carpenter House Hospice who made Chip's last days comfortable. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2021 Tara Blvd on March 25 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be from10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. In lieuof flowers, please consider a donation to the Parkinson Research Foundation(PRF) at https://parkinsonhope.o rg/
Donell “Nell” Mathews departed this life on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, at Marin Health Med‐ical Center in Greenbrae, CA. He was 44, a native of Thibodaux LA and a resi‐dent of Marin, CA Visita‐tion on Monday March 24 2025, at Williams & Southall Funeral Home from 4:00pm to 6:00pm Visitation on Tuesday March 25, 2025, at Moses Baptist Church from 9:00am to religious ser‐vices at 11:00am Inter‐ment in St. Matthews Bap‐tist Church Cemetery in Lockport LA Arrange‐ments by Williams & Southall Funeral Home 1204 Cleveland St., Thibo‐daux, LA (985) 447-2513. To sign the guest book and offer condolences, visit our website at www william sandsouthallfuneralhome. com
years, Alice McCrory May‐ers, his three daughters (with Tammy) Ronna Tan‐ner and husband Cleve; Brock West and husband, Chris, Shay Parker and husband, Curtis Parker and Alison Chase Haygood and husband, Davis and Jackie Chase. Glynn was lovingly known as “Poppy” to his grandchildren, Nicholas (Sierra) West, Jacob (Amanda) Parker Denver West, Kobe West, Hayes West, Jamey Tanner Gracie West, Sam Haygood, Andi Chase, and Aaryn Chase He is preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Gwendolyn “Tammy” T Mayers, par‐ents, Roy and Helen May‐ers, brother, Wayne May‐ers and granddaughter Ali Elizabeth Chase Pallbear‐ers will be his grandchil‐dren. Glynn was a lifelong member of Our Lady of As‐sumption Catholic Church and a LifeTime member of Clinton Vol. Fire Depart‐ment where he served as Assistant Chief for many years Glynn was a devoted husband, father and grandfather He loved his community and was al‐ways eager to lend a help‐ing hand. He was one of the “Good Ones.” He was always there for his girls supporting them and en‐couraging them in every aspect of their lives. He was the epitome of 1 Corinthians 13:4 “Love is patient, love is kind, It does not envy, it does not boast it is not proud.” Memorial donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Clinton Vol Fire Depart‐ment. Share sympathies, condolences and memo‐ries at www CharletFune
Williams, Albra Barnes Albra Barnes Williams entered into eternal rest at Our Lady of the Lake Re‐gional Medical Center on March 17, 2025. She was a 53-year old native of Baker Louisiana Celebration of Life Service at Miller & Daughter Mortuary on Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 10:00 i te nt t
caregivers at Our Lady of the LakeHospital and St. Joseph's Carpenter House Hospice who made Chip's last days comfortable. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 2021 Tara Blvd on March 25 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be from10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. In lieuof flowers, please consider a donation to the Parkinson Research Foundation(PRF) at https://parkinsonhope.o rg/
Glynn Raymond Mayers a lifelong resident of Clin‐ton passed away peace‐fully at his home in Clinton on Wednesday March 19 2025. He was 77 years old and was a loyal and trusted employee of Charlet Funeral Home for over 4 decades. Visitation will be at Our Lady of As‐sumption Catholic Church on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 10 am until Mass of Christian Burial at 1 pm He will be buried in Masonic Cemetery in Clinton He is survived by his wife of 11 ½ years, Alice McCrory May‐ers, his three daughters (with Tammy), Ronna Tan‐ner and husband Cleve; Brock West and husband, Chris, Shay Parker and husband, Curtis Parker, and Alison Chase Haygood and husband Davis, and Jackie Chase Glynn was lovingly known as “Poppy” to his grandchildren, Nicholas (Sierra) West, Jacob (Amanda) Parker, Denver West, Kobe West, Hayes West Jamey Tanner, Gracie West, Sam Haygood, Andi Chase and Aaryn Chase. He is preceded in death by his wife of 36 years, Gwendolyn “Tammy” T. Mayers par‐ents, Roy and Helen May‐ers, brother, Wayne May‐ers and granddaughter, Ali Elizabeth Chase. Pallbear‐ers will be his grandchil‐dren Glynn was a lifelong member of Our Lady of As‐sumption Catholic Church and a LifeTime member of Clinton Vol Fire Depart‐ment where he served as Assistant Chief for many years. Glynn was a devoted husband, father
by President Bill Clinton and was retainedinthis positionbyPresident GeorgeW.Bush. He led the
Mathews, Donell 'Nell'
Breaux, Ruby Boudreaux
Mayers, Glynn Raymond
How to make a Canadian curse
The old saying goes, “If you are ever bored by a Canadian’s politeness, just call him an American and see what happens.”
It’s odd, but not being American is what binds us Canadians most. It’s not that we hate America, though I worry that may be changing, but we define ourselves by our differences.
That’s why America is sticking a finger in every Canadian’s eye each time President Donald Trump calls us the 51st state. Imagine how Americans would react if a larger country announced plans to absorb them. This month, all my Canadian friends, both liberal and conservative, have canceled their trips here to see us in New Orleans. Canadians are now hardened against America such that voluntarily joining is not even conceivable We feel betrayed. We stormed the beaches of Normandy with Americans. We fought and died with you in Korea, Iraq and Afghanistan. We housed you after 9/11, fought your fires in Los Angeles, and, by many accounts, our Mounties were the first help to arrive in Chalmette after Katrina.
In the coming months, we should expect a disinformation campaign claiming that Canada has suddenly become communist, and that we now suppress free speech and enable fentanyl. They will say we practice unfair trade, but Trump himself negotiated the current trade agreement in 2018, calling it “the fairest, most balanced and beneficial trade agreement we have ever signed into law.”
The fact is Canada actually has a trade deficit with the U.S. if you subtract the energy we export to keep American factories running.
Taking over Canada is Trump’s shallow quest for personal glory and nothing more. Please don’t believe the hype. There is too much to lose. I can’t think of two countries with a stronger friendship.
DAVE DENNY New Orleans
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name 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. TO SEND US A LETTER SCAN HERE
YOUR VIEWS
Secretary of Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections Gary Westcott,
holds up a photo of murder victim Molly Elliott, while Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill speaks at the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola following the execution of Jessie Hoffman on March 18. To Murrill’s left are Angelique Freel, executive counsel to the governor; Seth Smith, chief of operations at DOC; Adrienne Aucoin, general counsel for DOC; and Jonathan Vining, executive counsel for DOC
Legal
process is what makes executions ‘cruel and unusual’
The biggest problem with the death penalty in Louisiana, and in the other states utilizing capital punishment, is that the fatuous legal (don’t call it judicial; that adjective accords the system too much honor) priesthood condones and effectively encourages the penalty’s transformation into a cruel, cowardly, haphazard, horribly expensive, time-consuming, serial appeals game and never-ending drama of eleventh-hour delays. It’s wrong to ask victims’ families to help determine when and if the ultimate penalty will be sought and to shoulder for decades what should be society’s burden of defending the more moral and humane thing to do in the face of inevitable criticism by selfrighteous do-gooders and their fellow saints basking in mutual moral acclaim. What’s deemed unusual by the latter people — essentially capital punishment in its entirety — would be usual if the intent of the Legislature were followed reasonably And the objectors’ arguments regarding the cruelty of various means of execution are often no more than quackish opinion.
According to the lawyers representing
him, Jessie Hoffman should not have been lawfully killed for the notably cruel 1996 abduction, rape and murder of Molly Elliott because Jessie Hoffman’s method of execution, nitrogen gas, would prevent him from practicing his Buddhist breathing meditation during “the period between life and death,” whatever that means.
According to former Gov John Bel Edwards, for whom I voted twice and still like but who turned out to be a death penalty opponent on the sly, Louisiana somehow cannot find lethal and painless execution drugs while the U.S. is awash in fentanyl and other opioids that in 2021 put over 70,000 Americans to sleep, presumably accidently and reasonably comfortably but certainly permanently Possibly since confiscated drugs are illegal, we cannot use them because they might be hazardous to the health of people being executed. The arguments against capital punishment are often astoundingly stupid and disingenuous.
RON SAMMONDS Baton Rouge
Congress must reclaim its authority to rein in Trump
Jan. 20 marked both Donald Trump’s inauguration and Martin Luther King Day, alongside a significant snowstorm in Baton Rouge. While the weather is uncontrollable, voters have a say in choosing their leaders. Trump and his supporters claim a mandate for his policies, but his 2024 election win, receiving only 32% of eligible votes, contradicts this assertion. Kamala Harris garnered 31%, with 37% abstaining from voting, showing widespread disillusionment with both candidates and the political system.
The Democratic Party’s decision to stick with Joe Biden, despite concerns about his mental fitness, led to Harris, an unqualified choice for president. Many voters rejected Trump due to his divisive rhetoric, narcissism and role in the Jan. 6 Capitol attack. His attempts to undermine democracy further damaged his credibility The Constitution’s checks and balances are meant to prevent the concentration of power in one individual, yet many Republicans who initially condemned Trump later changed their stance.
Trump’s early actions, including immature proposals like making Canada the 51st state and pardoning those involved in the Jan. 6 attack, reflect a disregard for diplomacy and the rule of law His handling of the conflict in Ukraine, claiming Ukraine started the war, further highlights his lack of integrity and credibility Trump’s admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin and his authoritarian style raise alarms about his potential ambitions to implement a similar system in the U.S.
Jessie Hoffman spent almost 30 years on death row for the rape and murder of a young married woman when he was 18 years old. There were many reasons to oppose his execution. Two stand out.
One, the death penalty does not work. If anything it may incite crime, including rape and murder Two, we don’t yet have the tools to understand violent crime. Why did Hoffman violate and murder a young woman who he did not know and had no reason to harm? If we cannot answer this question, how can we say the punishment fits the crime in this, or any murder case? It was my unpleasant duty to defend a firstdegree murder case in Tennessee almost 50 years ago. The first thing my able co-counsel
did was to ask our client to write down the story of his childhood and adult life. We presented the awful facts of his childhood (e.g. his mother slit her wrists in his presence when he was 3 years old) to the jury, and that’s what kept him out of the electric chair Did the lawyer who defended Hoffman paint a picture of his miserable childhood to the jury that voted to have him executed? Knowing the facts, would the jury have spared Hoffman’s life? I haven’t read the trial transcript in the case. But chances are that the jury was not well informed in his old trial or we would not have been debating his fate.
ROGER STETTER New Orleans
Cassidy must take on leading role in promoting vaccine safety
“First, Do No Harm”: It’s an ancient principle of medicine, dating back to Hippocrates, but U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a physician, has done harm — to us and to the children of Louisiana by betraying his country and his own legacy as a leader in public health when he put the Department of Health and Human Services into the hands of a medically ignorant, uniformed anti-vaccine activist with no health care training or experience.
As health care professionals who have, in fact, seen the dire consequences of vaccinepreventable illnesses, we call on Cassidy to protect the childhood vaccine schedule for our nation and our state by using his power
as the chair of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to call for hearings on vaccine safety, demanding carefully researched evidence under oath. We also remind our neighbors that there is an active measles outbreak in Texas, caused by low vaccination rates. This outbreak has spread into other states as well. And measles is more contagious than COVID; if your children haven’t yet been vaccinated, today would be a great day to get that done.
MARY ELLEN ALEXANDER registered nurse
DONNA GLEE WILLIAMS, registered nurse
VERONICA P. ALEXANDER, M.D
The health of our democracy requires commitment to integrity, accountability and the rule of law Congress must protect these values, rather than blindly following a false narrative of a “mandate.” Otherwise, we risk descending onto a path that undermines the core principles of our nation.
BESE does no service to La.’s students with renaming Gulf
It is truly sad to hear that the Louisiana BESE members have agreed to the current U.S. president’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. They would have done much better for the Louisiana people by standing up for what makes sense and not bowing down to what seems to be merely one person’s isolationist ego trip.
Today it’s the Gulf of Mexico. What will be next? In George Orwell’s book, “1984,” the powersthat-be control the people’s history and language and can alter it whenever they choose. Is that what they really want? Because that is just what has happened here. And I live very near the Gulf of Mexico.
DENISE L. PADDOCK New Orleans
LINTON NAQUIN JR. Baton Rouge
STAFF PHOTO By JAMES FINN
far right,
COMMENTARY
ROLE REVERSAL
Louisiana’s deep into crawfish season and loving it, but it looks like this guy is in deep trouble and needs some help! What can he possibly say to get outta this predicament?! Send in your funniest punchlines and see if you can save him… and WIN!
Be witty, funny, crazy, absurd or snarky — just try to keep it clean.There’s no limit on the number of entries.
The winning punchline will be lettered into the word balloon and run on Monday, March 31 in our print editions and online. In addition, the winner will receive a signed print of the cartoon along with a cool winner’s T-shirt!
Some honorable mentions will also be listed.To enter, email entries to cartooncontest@theadvocate.com
DON’T FORGET! All entries must include your name, home address and phone number Cell numbers are best.The deadline for all entries is midnight on Thursday, March 27. Have fun, folks!— Walt
Congress key to rescinding Biden-era tax rule
Last November, Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of President Donald Trump’s agenda to eliminate waste, end government overreach and cut through bureaucratic red tape. Yet in the waning days of Joe Biden’s lame-duck presidency, his administration snuck in destructive rules and regulations that have stymied American companies by subjecting them to needless oversight and bureaucratic hoops. Among them is an unlawful set of new reporting requirements for business partnerships and their basisshifting transactions.
Michael Chittom GUEST COLUMNIST
businesses, including many here in Louisiana. The Biden-era unit is funded by the Inflation Reduction Act, billions of taxpayer dollars which Democrats claimed would in part modernize IRS systems and go after tax cheats. In reality, the money is being used to force companies to submit redundant reports on transactions that had already been fully reported on their previous tax returns.
Scalise to tackle the bloated federal bureaucracy Our delegation has fought consistently to rein in an IRS that has been hellbent on harassing businesses and American taxpayers. Speaker Johnson has consistently pledged that the Republican majority would work with the Trump administration “to eliminate wasteful spending and policies that do not serve America’s interests.”
In state focused on LSU law prof, injustices rampant
I hate cruelty I’ve hated it all my life Still, I’m fascinated by it. I have always wondered how any person could deliberately harm another human being or animal and not feel terrible about it.
Ken Levy GUEST COLUMNIST
As many readers know, over nine weeks ago, I was suspended without notice or a hearing from teaching at LSU Law School because an anonymous student alleged that I had made “inappropriate” remarks in my very first Administration of Criminal Justice class ever on Jan. 14. Specifically I referenced Louisiana Gov Jeff Landry in the context of explaining why I inserted a rule in the syllabus that students may not record or distribute recordings of my class. Ironic, right? And I referenced President Donald Trump in the context of giving an overview of the course and the casebook.
In both cases, I used profanity There is no rule at LSU against using profanity or making relevant political comments. And if the two separately are permissible, then the two together are equally permissible.
On Jan. 28, I filed a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against LSU in state court in Baton Rouge. On Jan 30, Judge Don Johnson granted my TRO, but the First Circuit Court of Appeal stayed it on the grounds that LSU could not be ordered to reinstate me until after an evidentiary hearing. We had the evidentiary hearing on Feb. 10-11, and Judge Tarvald Smith granted my injunction.
But once again, the First Circuit first stayed the ruling and then ruled on Feb. 20 that, even with an evidentiary hearing, the courts cannot order LSU to reinstate me.
In order to arrive at this conclusion, they had to invent a brand new rule: There is just no such thing as a mandatory preliminary injunction. On March 5, I appealed this baseless decision to the Louisiana Supreme Court. That very same day, LSU filed a “reconventional demand,” which is a fancy term for trying to make me pay their attorney’s fees.
Basis-shifting is a commonly used, fully legal process, and the targeting of these transactions runs counter to the tax laws passed by Congress. To enforce these nonsensical requirements, the Biden IRS established a specialized investigative unit, filled with career IRS staff, to engage in onerous and unlawful audits meant to instill fear in American
The unit also forces companies to tediously comb through every transaction made over the last six years to avoid massive financial penalties for alleged noncompliance. The whole process is a classic case of costly government overreach, throwing job-creating companies into an unnecessary and destructive limbo funded by the American taxpayer Louisianans elected a strong federal delegation including Sen. John Kennedy, Sen. Bill Cassidy, Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve
While the Department of Government Efficiency team works to weed out wasteful and inefficient government programs, the sheer scale of bureaucratic bloat means our congressional representatives will be key to highlighting programs and rules ripe for elimination. Our Louisiana delegation should continue to act on behalf of taxpayers and call on Trump to disband the Biden-era investigatory unit for good and rescind the onerous reporting rules.
Michael Chittom is the former chair of the Republican Party of East Baton Rouge Parish.
Russia’s Putin on the blitz in Ukraine
The cliche has been that the ball is now in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s court Not any longer Putin has responded to U.S. appeals for a cease fire in the war with Ukraine with a strong backhand, rejecting a cease fire in his unprovoked invasion. Now the ball is in President Trump’s court. What will he do?
On “Face the Nation,” Ambassador Steve Witkoff, the U.S. Special Envoy to the Middle East, said Putin and President Donald Trump would hold a phone call. Witkoff said he met in Moscow with Putin for more than three hours. He called it a “positive momentum” that the two presidents would be talking to each other, but gave no indication of where that “momentum” might lead.
Cal Thomas
Just think about that: LSU not only suspended me without notice or a hearing for mere words; they now want me to pay them for having the nerve to ask the courts to repair this injury And this is on top of the $50,000-plus I have already racked up in legal bills. Fortunately, my GoFundMe, “Leave Levy Alone,” has received this much in donations. People across the state and country know injustice when they see it.
What I have not been able to figure out is why LSU is so hellbent on destroying me Even if my use of profanity and criticisms of two Republican politicians had been untenable (which they weren’t), nobody got hurt. My words did not cost anybody their lives or health or jobs or money
Yet LSU has been pursuing me as if they had. Why the absolute ruthlessness? Why the crusade to ruin my reputation and career? Why the unwavering effort to reduce my 16 years of teaching at LSU, and me, to a few selected seconds of just one class — again, my very first class teaching a new subject?
Let’s not forget who the real villain is and it’s not Ukraine. Russia now occupies about 20% of that country Given Putin’s stated goal of reclaiming all the former Soviet territories, it’s unlikely he will cede a foot to Ukraine. Trump has repeatedly bragged about the personal relationships he has with Putin, North Korea’s Kim Jung Un and China’s Xi Jinping.
In a forthcoming column for the publication Independent Arabia, Trump’s former National Security Adviser John Bolton a frequent critic of the president — writes: “Personal relations have a place in international affairs, as in all things, but they are not decisive factors in national-security decision-making, especially for the world’s hard men. These authoritarians are cold-blooded and clear-eyed in knowing what their national interests are, and they pursue those interests unhesitatingly.”
In the disastrous meeting in the Oval Office with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump said to Zelenskyy: “You’re not in a good position. You don’t have the cards right now.” It would
Witkoff declined to answer a question by host Margaret Brennan about comments made by French President Emmanuel Macron that Putin is not genuinely seeking peace He said he didn’t know what Macron had said (easy enough to Google) and so would not comment. On the same program, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, “ It’s hard to negotiate an enduring end of a war as long as they’re shooting at each other, and so the president wants a cease fire That’s what we’re working on, assuming we can get that done.” Putin has laid down heavy conditions for a cease fire and has claimed reaching one might only give Ukraine time to re-arm
appear that Putin not only has the cards, but the entire deck and he’s the dealer Putin is not likely to give up much, if anything, by appeals to his ego. That might work in some cases with Trump, but dictators are different Even a cursory look at history proves the point. The problem all along is that under former President Biden the objective was never clear Biden provided just enough arms to Ukraine to create a stalemate with Russia, but not enough for victory Putin apparently believed he could wait out Biden, even while thousands of his soldiers were slaughtered, thinking he might get a better deal with Trump.
After watching the film “A Complete Unknown” about the life of Bob Dylan, I was reminded of when in 1963 Dylan and Joan Baez performed a version of the Pete Seeger song “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?” Where have all the soldiers gone? Gone to graveyards every one. When will they ever learn? When will they ever learn?
That sentiment appears to be of great concern to President Trump, though his goal of a cease fire looks remote without conceding victory to Putin. As for the Russian dictator, graveyards for his soldiers appear to be of no concern at all. Email tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
There is so much injustice in Louisiana alone, and yet the “wrong” that LSU is choosing to concentrate all its efforts on is profanitylaced criticism of public officials? How do LSU leadership and LSU’s counsel in this matter, Jimmy Faircloth, continue with this vicious campaign, day after day, and not have any misgivings? Where is their conscience?
In his very popular book “The Power of Now,” Eckhart Tolle suggests that people inflict “mental, emotional and physical violence, torture pain, and cruelty on each other” because, rather than being “in touch with their natural state, the joy of life within,” they are “in a deeply negative state” and “feel very bad.” I will not speculate on whether LSU leadership or Faircloth “are in a deeply negative state” or “feel very bad.” I am certainly not in a position to psychoanalyze any of them. But it is difficult for me to imagine decent, compassionate human beings knowingly and willingly engaging in this kind of relentless inhumanity If LSU didn’t like what I said in class, the reasonable, proportional response would have been to do what initially happened two days after the infamous class: ask me to tone down the profanity It was not to suspend me without notice or a hearing a suspension that has now lasted over nine weeks. It was not to fight tooth and nail in court to continue this unconstitutional suspension. And it was not to make me pay over $50,000 in legal bills — or thousands more to LSU in attorney’s fees simply to keep doing my job.
Ken Levy is the Holt B. Harrison Distinguished Professor of Law at the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at LSU.
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Flau’jae fuels LSU’s
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
The LSU women’s basketball team’s first shot of the NCAA Tournament doubled as the first field-goal attempt Flau’jae Johnson had taken in over three weeks.
The star junior stood in the left corner, open behind the 3-point line The shot she tried wound up rolling off the rim, bouncing off the backboard and pausing for just a fraction of a second above the front of the iron.
“Then the ball rattled in,” Johnson said.
And what followed was not only one of LSU’s most dominant wins of the season, but also one of its most commanding performances of the past four years.
The No. 3 seed Tigers beat No. 14 seed San Diego State on Saturday 103-48, setting a program-record NCAA Tournament points total in the process.
Since 2021, LSU has won 11 games by more than 55
RILEY Staff writer
Following SEC title, LSU gym ranked No. 1 seed
Tigers head to regionals with top ranking for 1st time
BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer
BIRMINGHAM,Ala. The confetti came down, the smiles came up, and one important point came to LSU coach Jay Clark’s mind as he watched his Tigers celebrate their second straight Southeastern Conference gymnastics championship.
“I told them they didn’t have to share this one,” Clark said Saturday on the SEC Network after the meet.
LSU and Oklahoma tied for the SEC regular-season title despite the fact the Tigers beat the Sooners head-to-head in a conference dual meet on Feb. 14. LSU finished runner-up to OU in January in the four-team Sprouts Collegiate Quad in Oklahoma City The Sooners, competing in their first SEC championship meet, were ranked No. 1 from the preseason until Saturday, but no more. LSU’s score of 198.200 gave the Tigers the nation’s top National Qualifying Score at 198.115. OU dropped to No. 2, though its NQS remained unchanged at 198.040. It is the first time LSU will go into NCAA regionals ranked No. 1 nationally The Tigers will have the No. 1 overall NCAA seed when regional announcements are made at 11 a.m. Monday on ESPNU. NCAA regionals will be April 2-6 at Alabama, Penn State, Utah and Washington. The top two teams from each regional advance to the NCAA Championships, April 17-19 in Fort Worth, Texas.
“I’m not one who is hung up on ranking and scores,” Clark said Sunday “But I think it is a testament to the resilience and growth
points. All of those contests tipped off in either November or December, the months in which the Tigers play mostly tune-up games against mid-major opponents. Not March. In fact, coach Kim Mulkey’s LSU teams hadn’t won an NCAA Tournament matchup by more than 27 points before Saturday Their largest margin of victory to date in such games was the one they earned last season in a second-round meeting with Middle Tennessee, a No. 11 seed that forced the Tigers to first erase a nine-point third-quarter deficit before they could advance to the Sweet 16. LSU didn’t play lopsided games in the first round either In Mulkey’s first three years with the program, it began its tournament runs by beating Jackson State by six, Hawaii by 13 and Rice by 10. That’s an average margin of victory of 9.7 points per game.
See LSU, page 4B
BY ROD WALKER Staff writer
Six days ago, the New Orleans Pelicans suffered the worst regular season homecourt loss in franchise history to the Detroit Pistons. The Pelicans got another shot at the Pistons on Sunday, this time at Detroit’s Little Caesars Arena. The result wasn’t embarrassing this time, but the Pelicans still found themselves on the wrong side. This time, a 136130 loss to the Pistons.
“I though the effort was there,” said Pelicans coach Willie Green. “The guys played together and shared the
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson drives past San Diego State guard Naomi Panganiban in the third quarter of their firstround NCAA
Larson wins Cup Series at Homestead
BY ALANIS THAMES AP sportswriter
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Kyle Larson passed Alex Bowman with six laps remaining in NASCAR’s Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday giving the Hendrick Motorsports driver the 30th win of his career at one of his best tracks. Larson sped by as Bowman scraped the wall on Turn 4 with the lead. Larson extended his edge to more than a second over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, then held on to beat Bowman by 1.205 seconds for his second career Cup Series win at Homstead, and his second victory of the weekend Larson fell one race short of sweeping the triple-header weekend. He won the Craftsman Truck race on Friday and finished fourth in the Xfinity Series on Saturday. He was hoping to join Kyle Busch as the only drivers to sweep a triple-header weekend — Busch did it at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2010 and 2017.
He was far from dominant on Sunday Larson, driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, led just 19 of 267 laps and had to overcome poor starting position, pit road mishaps and bad restarts to pull off the win — his first victory of the season and first in the Cup Series at Homestead since 2022. Bowman, who was Saturday’s pole winner, finished second in the No. 48 Chevrolet. Bubba Wallace was third for 23XI Racing after leading 43 laps — the most laps he’s led in a race since September 2023. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five. Ryan Blaney was running third when his engine blew up on Lap 207, causing a thick cloud of smoke to cover the track and a
lengthy cleanup. It had been a strong race for Blaney before then. He led 124 laps and won Stage 1 after starting sixth. It was the second time in three races that Blaney did not finish a race because of an engine failure with his No. 12 Team Penske Ford.
“It just stinks,” Blaney said. “Led a lot of laps. Lost a little bit of track position there with some stuff on pit road but got back to third. And it was a great race between me, Bubba and Larson. It
was going to be a heck of a battle the last 60 laps or so, but just didn’t really work out for us. We’ll keep our head up.
“It’s one of those things where it’s not really going our way right now, but the good news is we’re bringing fast cars.”
Pit road mishaps
While exiting pit road on Lap 84, Josh Berry’s No 21 Ford hit the side of Larson’s car then hit Joey Logano’s No. 22 Ford. Both Logano and Berry spun then went the wrong direction into their pit stalls to check the damage. Larson’s car was slightly damaged from the contact.
Another incident happened on Lap 172. Chase Elliott received a penalty for not being line up single-file coming into pit road, even though Elliott could be heard on his in-car feed saying the he had veered left to avoid hitting someone, but gave the spot back. Elliott, driving a No. 9 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, finished 18th.
Up next
The Cup series races next at Martinsville Speedway, where Blaney won in November to punch his ticket into last season’s playoff final four Wiliam Byron won Martinsville last spring.
Hovland finds swing, rallies to win at Innisbrook
The Associated Press
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Viktor Hovland won the Valspar Championship on Sunday and has no idea how it happened.
His swing is so out of sorts that Hovland has gone through five coaches since he won the FedEx Cup in 2023. He had gone eight months without making a 36-hole cut against a full field and felt so lost he wasn’t even sure he was going to play this week. And then he delivered one worldclass shot after another, none more impressive than a 7-iron from 186 yards over a bunker to 5 feet on No. 16, the toughest hole on the Copperhead course.
Three shots behind with five to play, he rallied with three birdies to pass Justin Thomas and close with a 4-under 67 for a one-shot victory
“It’s been quite the struggle the past year-and-a-half, so for me to come back and win this tournament is quite incredible,” Hovland said. “I was not very hopeful with my game leading into this week. Just goes to
PELICANS
from page 1B
let it happen again.”
Nobody was more up to the task than McCollum, who had one of the worst shooting nights of his NBA career in last week’s loss. He shot 1 of 15 from the floor,
show this game is pretty crazy
“Wasn’t sure I was going to show up, but I’m glad I did.”
He didn’t leave satisfied that his game was back in order There’s still too many errant shots, too many times he feels the club is out of position and he has to find a fix on the way down.
But he found a swing that worked on the toughest stretch of Innisbrook.
“I honestly did not believe I could do it this week,” Hovland said.
It looked bleak even after Hovland and Thomas finally separated from the pack during a final round so tight that nine players had at least a share of the lead at some point.
Hovland was three shots behind Thomas when he holed a 12foot birdie putt on the par-5 14th to start his amazing run. He hit 7-iron at a tucked pin on the 16th hole — the toughest hole on the Copperhead course — to 5 feet for birdie that tied him for the lead.
And then he took dead aim to a back pin on the par-3 17th to 12
0-for-7 from 3-pointers and 1-for5 from the free throw line to finish with 3 points He responded in a big way with his fourth game of 40 points or more this season. He also had seven assists. For the first time in franchise history, the Pelicans had four different players to record seven or more assists in a game. Jose Alvarado, Kelly Olynyk and Jeremiah Rob-
feet for birdie, which turned into a two-shot cushion when Thomas faltered late.
Thomas made it a little easier on Hovland. He made four birdies in a five-hole stretch on the back nine and was ahead by three when he walked off the 15th green. But he chose driver on the 16th and hit that into the trees, leaving him no choice but to chip out to the fairway Thomas had to get up-anddown from a bunker to escape with bogey Hovland caught him with his birdie on the 16th, and Thomas was in trouble on the 18th with a drive into deep rough on the left that led to bogey He was 7 under through 15 holes but had to settle for a 66.
Hovland played it safe on the 18th with a two-shot lead, and his bogey only determined the final margin. He finished at 11-under 273 for his seventh career victory that moves him back into the top 10 in the world. This one he might not have seen coming.
Hovland spoke openly about the frustrations of his supreme ball-
inson-Earl had eight assists each.
The 35 total assist was two shy of the team’s season high.
“It’s the way we want to play,” Green said. “We want to share the basketball.”
The Pelicans (19-53) gave themselves a chance despite playing without three players from last week’s game. Zion Williamson (low back contusion), Yves Missi
striking becoming a liability He missed three straight cuts coming into the Valspar Championship, including an 80 in the first round of The Players Championship a week ago. Hovland’s last made cut against a full field was the Scottish Open last summer
So, what happened?
“I’ve got no idea,” he said with a laugh when his victory was secure. Jacob Bridgeman who started with a three-way share of the lead, needed to hole out from the fairway on the 18th to force a playoff. He wound up with a par and finished third.
“I hit a lot of disgusting shots, but they happened to go where I looked,” Hovland said. “Somehow I was able to hit the good shots I can a lot more often.”
There were only great shots down the stretch. Hovland chose to lay up on the 14th he went for the green in two on Saturday and made bogey — and had to rely on a 12-foot, slippery birdie putt to have any chance. That was a big one to make it.
(right hip soreness) and Trey Murphy (out for remainder of season with a torn labrum and partially torn rotator cuff in right shoulder) were all missing.
The Pistons (40-32), meanwhile, were without starters Cade Cunningham and Tim Hardaway, Jr
The Pelicans return home and will host the Philadelphia 76ers Monday
LSU signee Reece to play in Jordan Brand Classic
LSU men’s basketball signee Jalen Reece made the Jordan Brand Classic boys team roster according to the Jordan Brand social media. The prestigious high school all-star game is on April 18 at CareFirst Arena in Washington, D.C. The last LSU high school signee to make the Jordan Brand Classic was Efton Reid in 2021. Reece committed to LSU on Oct. 16, 2024, and signed on Nov 13. The Orlando, Florida, native is the No. 71 player and No 10 point guard in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite.
After the 6-foot guard from Oak Ridge High School signed, LSU coach Matt McMahon expressed his excitement for the point guard. Reece chose LSU after receiving offers from Alabama, Ole Miss, Providence and Cincinnati.
U.S. runner wins silver in return from burrito ban
American runner Shelby Houlihan returned to the big stage after a muchdebated four-year doping ban and won a silver medal in the 3,000 meters at the world indoor championships.
The U.S. record holder at 1,500 meters and former record holder in the 5,000 sat out the Paris Olympics because she tested positive after eating a burrito she claimed was tainted with a performanceenhancing drug. The 32-year-old runner said she was flooded with a range of emotions after her second-place finish Saturday In the lead-up to Olympic trials in 2021, Houlihan revealed she had tested positive for nandralone and claimed it came from a tainted pork burrito she’d bought from a food truck. A slew of appeals ensued, but Houlihan’s argument was ultimately rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Piastri wins F1 Chinese GP, leads McLaren 1-2 finish
SHANGHAI McLaren driver Oscar Piastri cruised to his maiden Chinese Grand Prix win from pole position with the Australian untouchable ahead of his teammate Lando Norris as the pair completed McLaren’s milestone 50th onetwo placing in Formula 1. Piastri who took his maiden pole position on Saturday, got a great start in Sunday’s race to lead into the first corner, as Norris passed George Russell’s Mercedes for second. The Australian then slowly stretched his legs in an untroubled drive for his third career win, after Hungary and Azerbaijan last year
The full result was altered by stewards after the race when Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton as well as Alpine’s Pierre Gasly were disqualified.
Chavez back with Braves on minor league deal
NORTH PORT Fla. — Jesse Chavez returned to the Atlanta Braves once again — and got right back to work. The 41-year-old Chavez pitched two innings on Sunday against Baltimore. The right-hander allowed two runs, one earned, and three hits. Chavez is trying to win a spot in Atlanta’s bullpen after he was released by Texas on Friday He agreed to a minor league deal with the Braves on Saturday Chavez appeared in regular-season games with Atlanta in 2010 and each of the previous four years. He faced a similar situation in 2024, when he was released by the White Sox near the end of spring training and agreed to a minor league contract with the Braves.
of our pursuit and the process this team has been through. They believe, and they’ve overcome some stuff and gotten better when they’ve been challenged. They’ve put in the work to be the No. 1 overall seed.”
The Tigers led most of the meet at Birmingham’s Legacy Arena, across the street from the SEC’s headquarters. Starting on uneven bars, LSU posted a season hightying 49.600 and still had the lead halfway through the meet at 99.050 to Oklahoma’s 98.925 after the Tigers went 49.450 on balance beam. Seniors Haleigh Bryant and Aleah Finnegan led LSU with 9.925s, which would tie for the SEC beam title with Missouri’s Helen Hu and Oklahoma’s Faith Torrez. LSU then went to floor for the third rotation and posted its best
event score of the night, a 49.625, led by 9.95s from Bryant, freshman Kailin Chio and sophomore Amari Drayton. Still, it wasn’t good enough to retain the lead because Florida soared to the best score in the nation on bars this season, a 49.850 led by perfect 10s from Leanne Wong and Riley McCusker Going to the final rotation, LSU on vault and Florida on beam, the Gators led the Tigers 148.725148.675, with OU a close third going to floor at 148.450. Florida, however, didn’t measure up to its No. 2 national ranking on beam, forced to count a 9.775 from Alyssa Arena that led to a 49.100. Meanwhile LSU, No. 1 nationally on vault, went 49.525 on that event, led by a 9.95 from Bryant in the anchor spot to clinch it.
LSU’s 198.200, its best-ever score at SECs, outdistanced SEC first-timer Oklahoma (197.925) and Florida (197.875). Missouri was fourth at 197.400. “It was a test of wills there at the
end,” Clark said. LSU was the only team in Saturday’s evening session not to post a perfect 10 Mizzou’s Mara Titarsolej also had one on bars, Florida’s Selena Harris-Miranda had one to win vault and Torrez had a 10.0 score to win floor The Tigers’ best score was a 9.95, but LSU never had to count a score of lower than 9.85, which the other three teams did. “This was like a final four,” said Bryant, who posted a 39.725 in the all-around. “We knew what we needed to do. It’s a really great step toward where we want to go.” With her performance, Bry-
ant achieved yet another career milestone. The fifth-year senior joined Sarah Finnegan and Rheagan Courville as the only LSU gymnasts with five career SEC individual championships including two all-around titles. Sandra Smith also won five SEC titles on vault and floor Bryant won the all-around for the second straight year, something Sarah Finnegan also did in 2018 and 2019. Bryant also won SEC vault titles in 2021 and 2024. Aleah Finnegan finished her SEC career with her first conference title and tied for second in the all-around with Harris-Miranda (39.675). Chio made an impressive SEC debut, finishing fourth at 39.650. Clark said he was proud of the fact that despite last year’s success, this edition of the Tigers have stayed hungry and haven’t been complacent. “It’s the fire,” Finnegan said, “that burns.”
Ortiz wins in Macau, earns spot at British Open MACAU, China Carlos Ortiz of Mexico made two early birdies and pulled away Sunday for a 6-under 64 and a three-shot victory over Patrick Reed in the International Series Macau, his second Asian Tour title since joining LIV Golf. Ortiz, Reed and Jason Kokrak — all with LIV Golf were the top three players and earned spots in the British Open this summer. It will be the first major for Ortiz in two years. Sergio Garcia finished fourth, one shot away from getting one of the International Finals Qualifying exemptions to the British Open. Ortiz, who has one victory on LIV Golf, also won the International Series Oman a year ago. He finished at 22-under 258 at
and
Golf and Country
$360,000.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TERRy RENNA
Kyle Larson made his move with six laps left to win the NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla
Florida ends UConn’s bid for national title
BY STEVE REED Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C For 30 minutes, UConn showed the mettle and toughness that delivered back-to-back national championships for Dan Hurley, outplaying topseeded Florida in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. And then Walter Clayton took over The Gators’ first-team AllAmerica guard scored 13 of his 23 points in the final eight minutes on Sunday, including two crucial 3-pointers down the stretch and Florida rallied to a scintillating 77-75 victory over the Huskies, ending UConn’s pursuit of a third straight title.
Florida (32-4) advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2017 and will play Colorado State or Maryland in the West Region semifinals in San Francisco.
“This is a great win for our program,” coach Todd Golden said. “The time was now for us to take that next step. Again, Florida basketball, back where it belongs. Being in the Sweet 16 is a great step in the right direction. We made winning play after winning play down the stretch in the last six minutes.”
There’s little doubt about that.
But they also had help from the Huskies, who made some uncharacteristic mistakes, including twice allowing the Gators to corral offensive rebounds off missed free throws, resulting in four secondchance points.
The Huskies (24-11) came in with modest outside expectations as a No. 8 seed but led for most of the second half. During his postgame news conference, Hurley struggled several times to hold back tears.
“This was just historic run that these guys have been on and the guys that have worn the uniform the past couple years,” Hurley said. “If it’s going to come to an end for us, I wouldn’t have wanted it to be in a game where we lost to a lower seed.
“There’s some honor, I guess, in the way that this went down.”
UConn was seeking to become the first team to threepeat since UCLA’s run of seven straight titles from 1967-73.
The Huskies won the 2023 title in Houston and last year in Glendale, Arizona, joining Duke (1991-92) and Florida (2006-07) as the only schools to win back-to-back since the Bruins’ run under John Wooden
Florida entered the game as a 9 1/2-point favorite and ranked No. 1 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency by scoring 128.9 points per 100 possessions, and the Gators of the powerful Southeastern Conference joined fellow 1-seed Duke as the only teams to rank in the top 10 on both sides of the ball, making them a popular pick to cut down the nets.
But the Huskies’ defense stymied Clayton and company for most of the game, holding Florida to 35% shooting through the first 30 minutes to build a 52-46 lead.
The Gators chipped away and then Clayton showed why he’s one of the best players in the country
He made a 3 from the right wing with 2:54 left to put Florida ahead 62-61, and teammate Will Richard followed with a steal and dunk.
Clayton’s 3 from the same spot with 1:06 left made it 70-64 — part of a 14-3 run that gave Florida an eightpoint advantage with 40 seconds left.
Champs battle to buzzer
Even when Florida seemed to have the game in hand, UConn kept fighting. Thomas Haugh’s two free throws with 5.9 seconds left pushed the Gators’ lead to five to seal the win.
Hurley watched, arms folded, standing on the sideline as Liam McNeeley’s 3-pointer at the buzzer sailed skyward and dropped through the net as the horn sounded.
Aft erward, Clayt on thanked his teammates for believing in him after his rough start.
“We knew this game wasn’t going to be easy,” Clayton said. “(UConn) has got a championship pedigree, back-to-back champions. That’s a great team. They had that experience. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy We kept our composure.”
McNeeley led UConn with 22 points and Alex Karaban scored 14. Alijah Martin contributed 18 points for Florida and Richard had 15.
Proctor, Flagg help Duke roll past No. 9 Baylor
The Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. — Tyrese Proctor made seven 3-pointers and scored 25 points to continue his recent tear, helping No. 1 seed Duke beat Baylor 89-66 on Sunday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Freshman star Cooper Flagg had 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Blue Devils (33-3), the headliner in the East Region and one of the favorites to win it all. They will face either Oregon or Arizona in the Sweet 16 on Thursday in Newark, New Jersey
Proctor, a junior, made 7 of 8 3-pointers his third straight game with at least six 3s and an abrupt turnaround after going 0 for 10 in his first two Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament games He made 9 of 10 shots overall Sunday Duke shot 64.4%, hit 12 3-pointers and turned it over just six times.
Freshman V.J. Edgecombe scored 16 points for the ninth-seeded Bears (2015), who haven’t reached the tournament’s second weekend since Scott Drew’s team won it all in the Indianapolis bubble in 2021.
Duke took over in the 7 1/2 minutes before halftime, outscoring Baylor 24-6 with clean offensive execution while also holding up better against the Bears’ relentless work on the offensive glass that upped the physicality of the game. That included Flagg sporting a red, puffy right eyelid and teammate Mason Gillis picking up a bright red scratch stretching from the right side of his neck around toward his throat.
Duke led 47-30 at the half, and Baylor got no closer than 13 points afterward The Bears shot 36.8%.
KENTUCKY 84, ILLINOIS 75: In Milwaukee, Koby Brea matched a career high with 23 points and Kentucky beat Illinois 84-75 on Sunday to advance beyond the NCAA Tournament’s opening weekend for the first time since they reached the Elite Eight in 2019.
Kentucky (24-11), the No. 3 seed in the Midwest Region, faces No. 2 seed and Southeastern Conference rival Tennessee on Friday in Indianapolis. The Wildcats have already beaten the Volunteers twice this season.
ALABAMA 80, ST. MARY’S 66: In Cleveland, Alabama
thundered past Saint Mary’s 80-66 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday night, using a steady stream of alley-oop dunks to reach the Sweet 16 for a third consecutive year Chris Youngblood led the second-seeded Crimson Tide (27-8) with 13 points. Six players finished in double figures for Alabama, including forward Grant Nelson, who had 12 points and eight rebounds after sitting out the majority of a first-round game against Robert Morris due to a knee injury MARYLAND 72, COLORADO 71: In Seattle, Derik Queen banked in a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer, and Maryland advanced to the Sweet 16 in a thriller, beating Colorado State in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday Jalen Lake drilled a rainbow 3-pointer with 6 seconds left for No. 12 seed Colorado State, which was seeking to become the lowest-seeded team to advance to a regional semifinal in this
NC State
By The Associated Press
The number of perfect March Madness brackets is down to single digits. The final perfect brackets on Yahoo Sports and CBS Sports were shredded with Saturday’s games
Top-seeded Florida’s 77-75 win over two-time reigning national champion UConn continued the carnage on Sunday
The end of the Huskies’ reign dropped the number of perfect brackets on the NCAA’s platform down to two out of 34 million. That’s 0.000000005% for those of you who can’t do the math
ESPN’s tracker was also down to two out of 24.3 million following Florida’s win. The two remaining brackets are split between secondround opponents Duke and Baylor, so one is guaranteed to reach 42-0 while the other will drop out.
Michigan’s 91-79 win over Texas A&M on Saturday night shredded the final perfect Yahoo Sports bracket Poor Shawno had been correct on every pick with his Grand Bracket until the fifthseeded Wolverines sent the fourthseeded Aggies home.
CBS Sports lost its last perfect bracket with Saturday night’s games, including No. 6 seed BYU’s two-point win over third-seeded Wisconsin and Texas Tech’s 77-64 win over No. 11 seed Drake. Creighton was listed as ESPN’s top bracket buster after its 8975 win over Louisville in Thursday’s first game, knocking out 13,339,089.
On the other end of the spectrum, ESPN reported that every pick was wrong on 30 of its brackets a nearly impossible feat in its own right even if a contestant were trying to pick all losers.
WADE OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED AS WOLFPACK MEN’S BASKETBALL COACH: McNeese’s Will Wade is officially the Wolfpack’s new men’s basketball coach.
The school announced the hiring Sunday, coming a day after Wade’s McNeese team lost to Purdue in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
An introductory news conference for Wade is scheduled for Tuesday, capping a week in which Wade was unusually open about his conversations with N.C. State compared to coaches typically deflecting questions or playing word games when asked about other jobs.
In that regard, the eventual hiring who has signed a sixyear deal — has been an open secret for days. The contract is pending approval from the uni-
TRANSFORMING TRAUMA RECOVERY
versity trustees. Now N.C. State and athletic director Boo Corrigan finally have their man. The N.C. State job will present a new challenge. It comes in the Atlantic Coast Conference in a time of transition for the tradition-rich league, with numerous long-time coaches — North Carolina’s Roy Williams, Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, Virginia’s Tony Bennett, Notre Dame’s Mike Brey, Miami’s Jim Larranaga and Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton — all exiting in the past four years amid a rapidly changing college landscape.
Texas
TERRY FIRED AFTER LONGHORNS MAKE ANOTHER QUICK EXIT FROM TOURNEY: The University of Texas fired basketball coach Rodney Terry on Sunday after a disappointing first season in
the Southeastern Conference and another quick exit from the NCAA Tournament.
The move comes two years after Terry led Texas to the Elite Eight in the 2022-2023 season when, as an assistant coach, he took over the program at midseason after thencoach Chris Beard was arrested on a felony family violence charge and was fired. The charge against Beard was later dismissed.
Terry’s ability to keep the team together and thrive amid the turmoil saw Texas win the Big 12 Conference Tournament, then make its deepest run in the NCAA Tournament since 2008. He was rewarded with the full-time job and a fiveyear, $15 million contract.
But duplicating anything close to that success was a struggle, and he was fired with three years left on his deal. Terry was 40-29 in his two full seasons as head coach.
Guillaume Spielmann,PhD Lead TraumaResearcher, Our Ladyofthe LakeHealth AssociateProfessor of Kinesiology, LSU Health
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOOT By CHRIS CARLSON
Florida guard Walter Clayton celebrates after scoring against UConn during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday in Raleigh, N.C.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH Duke guard Tyrese Proctor celebrates after making a 3-pointer against Baylor in the second half of their second-round NCAA Tournament game on Sunday in Raleigh, N.C.
NCAA TOURNAMENT
Fast-paced FSU to challenge LSU women’s defense
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
Two of the nation’s six best scoring offenses will collide on Monday in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center with a trip to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 on the line.
The LSU women’s basketball team is scoring 85.0 points per game, No. 6 nationally.
ers that can also shoot the 3.”
On Saturday, Florida State erupted for 31 fourth-quarter points, racing past No. 11 George Mason for a 94-59 win. Latson finished with 28 points after she converted 8 of her 16 field-goal attempts and 11 of her 14 free throws. That outing was her 16th 25-point game this season; only two Division I players have posted more this year
“We’ll have multiple people that have the assignment to guard her,” Mulkey said.
NCAA WOMEN’S ROUNDUP
Gamecocks pull away in 2nd half
By The Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Bree Hall had 11 points and Chloe Kitts scored all 10 of her points in the second half as top seed South Carolina pulled away after trailing at halftime to beat ninth-seeded Indiana 64-53 on Sunday in the women’s NCAA Tournament and reach the Sweet 16 for the 11th straight time.
Notebook
Florida State, the third-seeded Tigers’ second-round opponent, is tallying 87.4 per night — the second-most among Division I teams.
“I would expect you’re going to see a lot of scoring,” coach Kim Mulkey said.
That expectation is a relatively new one for LSU.
The Tigers have hosted NCAA Tournament games in each of Mulkey’s first three seasons in charge, yet they haven’t faced a top-10 scoring offense in the first two rounds of the bracket since 2022. That year they battled Jackson State’s fourth-ranked offense in the first round before falling to Ohio State’s eighth-ranked attack in the second.
LSU has won all six first and second-round games it’s played since
Yet the best scoring team it faced over that stretch was Michigan and its 42nd-best offense, which visited the PMAC for a second-round game in 2023.
The No. 6 seed Seminoles are a different challenge. They have not only the nation’s leading scorer in junior guard Ta’Niya Latson (25.0 ppg), but also two more 15-point per game scorers, senior forward Makayla Timpson (17.6) and senior guard O’Mariah Gordon (16.2).
“We want to play with pace and space,” Florida State coach Brooke Wyckoff said. “We want to be the fastest team in the country, not just score the most points. Really, that comes down to players that are able to take the ball and go get a layup, first and foremost. And then play-
The Seminoles also play at the sixth-fastest pace in the country, according to Her Hoop Stats, and they rarely turn the ball over They rank top five among Division I teams in turnovers per game (11.0) and turnover rate (12.1%).
LSU, however, does have an edge on defense.
The Tigers are allowing 83.9 points per 100 possessions, a top-40 national rate, while Florida State is giving up 91.0 points per 100 possessions, which ranks just 148th among Division I teams.
“Hopefully the team that plays just a little bit of defense wins,” Mulkey said, “because I’m a defensive coach.”
Johnson talks WNBA draft
LSU is embarking on an NCAA Tournament run, which means that Flau’jae Johnson’s career will soon arrive at a crossroads.
The star junior can either return to the Tigers or declare for the 2025 WNBA Draft.
This year, players in her position must make that decision by March 31 — or, if their teams are still alive in the tournament past the deadline, within 48 hours of their final game.
Most collegiate stars have to play four full seasons before they can declare for the WNBA draft. But Johnson, a draft-eligible junior, is not one of them. League rules allow prospects to declare for the draft of the calendar year in which they turn 22 years old regardless of how much NCAA eligibility they
Florida State guard Ta’Niya Latson leads the nation in scoring with a 25-point average. LSU hosts Florida State in a second-round NCAA Tournament game Monday.
have left.
“I haven’t really thought about the draft,” Johnson told The Advocate on Sunday “Kind of just focusing on trying to win this championship. I’m just waiting on God to tell me what to do, for real. I haven’t really thought about it.”
This year, the three-round draft will have two more selections than it usually does because the Golden State Valkyries — one of the WNBA’s two expansion franchises — have the fifth, 17th and the 30th picks. (The league stripped a firstround selection from the Las Vegas Aces in 2023). Still, the WNBA is a tough league to crack, especially for potential rookies such as Johnson. Only 12 prospects will be first-round picks. Most of the other 26 that are drafted this offseason will have to battle other first-year players and veterans for one of the league’s 144 roster spots.
If Johnson does declare, then WNBA teams must decide where she fits in a star-studded group of guards. In a recent mock draft by The Athletic, nine of the 12 firstround picks were either guards or wings. That group does not include LSU senior Aneesah Morrow, a forward who was projected to come off the board when the Connecticut Sun se-
lects a player with the No. 7 overall pick. A team could choose Johnson around the same spot, but only if she declares.
“It’s a lot of factors,” Johnson said. “A lot of family factors. But like I said, it’s gonna come time to make a decision.”
The WNBA draft is scheduled for April 14.
Scoring records
LSU has now set three singlegame program scoring records this season.
On Jan. 30 against Oklahoma, the Tigers scored 107 points — the most they’ve tallied against a Southeastern Conference opponent in team history
Then on March 7, they notched 101 in a win over Florida, setting a program record for points scored in an SEC Tournament game.
LSU set the last record on Saturday, when it buried San Diego State under 103 points, the highest scoring output it’s posted in an NCAA Tournament game, including the 2023 national championship win over Iowa.
The Tigers may need a similar outing to reach the Sweet 16.
Their do-or-die game against Florida State will tip off at 5 p.m. Monday on ESPN.
SU women show their mettle at tourney
BY CHARLES SALZER
Contributing writer
The Southern women’s basketball team was hoping for a longer stay in the NCAA Tournament, but its five-day trip to Los Angeles was enough time for the Jaguars to make their mark.
While its easy to wonder what might have happened had Southern not played one of the tournament favorites in the first round, the Jaguars did more than just show up. They showed they belonged.
“The NCAA did a great job hosting us and making sure we had a spectacular time,” coach Carlos Funchess said. “That part of it was really good, and also just having the opportunity to win the first NCAA game in school history.” That win, a 68-56 victory against
LSU
Continued from page 1B
The game against San Diego State followed a much different script. The Aztecs never led, and LSU kept widening its cushion until the waning seconds of the second half. It took its largest lead of the night (56 points) at the 1:43 mark of the fourth quarter, then set the program tournament scoring record with a pair of free throws on the game’s last possession.
Kailyn Gilbert converted those freebies, giving the Tigers’ bench its 44th and 45th points of the night the second-most the LSU reserves have chipped in all season
“It was impressive,” San Diego State coach Stacie Terry-Hutson said. “We were talking about what did we see that we didn’t expect I didn’t expect the bench to come in and shoot the ball as well as they did. And that makes LSU really, really dangerous when they can go as deep as they did tonight.” Shayeann Day-Wilson notched a
UC San Diego, was also a first for any SWAC school in the NCAA Tournament Even though Southern lost the ensuing first round game 84-46 to UCLA, the Jaguars finished 21-15 overall, their second 20-win season under Funchess.
Southern was a 411/2-point underdog to UCLA, the top seed in the entire NCAA Tournament, but the Bruins didn’t take full control until late in the third quarter
Trailing the Bruins 36-16 early in the second, Southern used its defense to get back in the game A strong suit for the Jaguars all season, defense paid off again. UCLA went scoreless for five minutes before Southern finished off a 10-2 run to close the first half.
Southern got two stops to open the third quarter and had two chances to pull closer, but 3-point shots by D’Shantae Edwards and
season-high 11 points, and Mjracle Sheppard added 10. Sophomore center Aalyah Del Rosario finished with 9, the most she’s scored in a game since Nov 12.
Six LSU contributors scored in double figures. That number includes both Johnson and Morrow the pair of stars who returned from injury and eased back into action. Morrow saw only 25 minutes of run, and Johnson played just 22 the second fewest she’s logged in a game this season. Johnson has said that the shin inflammation she battled and treated through the previous month of games sapped most of her explosion. Her three-week layoff appears to have served her well. On Saturday, Johnson didn’t wear any effects of the pain that forced LSU to shut her down for the Southeastern Conference Tournament. Her legs could power her jumpers on offense and shuffle her feet on defense. They could also buoy her through the lane and toward the rim, where she finished a few transition layups off San Diego State turnovers she forced. Johnson recorded a game-high
Aniya Gourdine were off the mark.
Southern missed its first seven shots of the quarter and trailed by 21 points before Gourdine hit a jumper with 5:33 left in the third.
“(UCLA) is dominant on the inside and they have a lot of size on the perimeter,” Funchess said “At the start of the third quarter we had some really good looks, but we just didn’t make the shots. We’ve gone through lulls like that before, but they had a lot to do with it. When you’re trying to shoot over a 6-2 guard, its a little different than shooting over someone 5-9.” Inside, the Bruins relied on 6-7 All-American center Lauren Betts, and forwards Angela Dugalic Zania Socka-Nguemen. The trio combined to grab 24 of UCLA’s 44 rebounds and were the main reason Southern was held to
22 points and 4 steals, enough to tie her season high. And now she’s rested for a 5 p.m. Monday matchup with No. 6 seed Florida State and the nation’s leading scorer, Ta’Niya Latson.
“I was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m gonna be when I get back,’ Johnson said. “Even though I had good practices, but the game is
23 rebounds
Still, while UCLA’s size and athleticism took center stage, Southern kept its focus After playing a preseason schedule that included seven teams that made the NCAA Tournament, Southern was not intimidated.
“We competed the entire game,” Funchess said “I thought UCLA made a lot of tough shots. We had to pick our poison on whether to trap down low and force them to shoot 3s or stay out on the shooters and let them kill us in the paint. We mixed it up a little bit, but they were knocking down a lot of 3-point shots.”
UCLA made 9 of 20 3-pointers and shot 55.3% from the field, totals you would expect from a team of UCLA’s caliber but Southern made them work to hit their numbers.
way different. I was just happy I just felt like I played solid.”
The Seminoles are scoring 87.4 points per game, the second most among Division I teams. They’re also one of four NCAA Tournament squads with at least three players who score at least 15 ppg: Latson (25.0), forward Makayla Timpson (17.6) and guard O’Mariah Gordon (16.2).
On Saturday, that trio combined to score 64 points on 59% shooting in Florida State’s 94-59 win over No. 11 seed George Mason. Latson led the way with 28 points.
“We’ve got our hands full,” Mulkey said. “They have so much length, and they alter shots, and they’re athletic. They just get over screens, and they run. It’s going to be quite a challenge for us. I hope we’re a challenge for them.”
LSU can be, especially because Johnson is back on the floor, rattling in the kind of 3-pointers that can kickstart one of the most productive, high-stakes offensive nights in team history
“I said, ‘OK, God with me today,’” Johnson said. “So I’m gonna be confident.”
The Gamecocks (32-3) will take on either fourth-seeded Maryland or fifth-seeded Alabama in the Birmingham 2 Regional next week. Those teams play Monday night.
South Carolina had a dreadful first-half where they shot 10 of 29 and trailed the Hoosiers 26-25 at halftime. But the Gamecocks came out on fire in the third quarter, hitting nine of their first 10 shots for a 20-7 run to take control.
TCU 85, LOUISVILLE 70: In Fort Worth, Texas, Agnes EmmaNnopu scored 23 points with four 3-pointers, Hailey Van Lith had a double-double against her former team and second-seeded TCU advanced to its first NCAA Sweet 16 with a win over seventh-seeded Louisville.
Van Lith had 16 points and 10 assists after going to a Final Four and two other Elite Eight games with Louisville from 2021-23. She played in her 19th tourney game, the most among active players, after going to another Elite Eight with LSU last season.
Sedona Prince had 19 points and Donovyn Hunter 18, including three 3-pointers in a 17-0 run that put the Horned Frogs (33-3) ahead to stay Jayda Curry had a careerhigh 41 points for the Cardinals (22-11).
OLE MISS 69, BAYLOR 63: In Waco, Texas, Madison Scott scored 14 points, including a tiebreaking jumper in the final minute, and Ole Miss advanced to the Sweet 16 with a victory over Baylor on the Bears’ home court.
Sira Thienou scored 16 points as the Rebels won twice in Waco three years after a firstround loss that was the first tournament victory for South Dakota.
Aaronette Vonleh scored 16 points for the Bears.
TENNESSEE 82,OHIO STATE 67: In Columbus, Ohio, Talaysia Cooper had 19 points, eight rebounds, seven steals and five assists and Zee Spearman added 17 points as fifth-seeded Tennessee beat fourth-seeded Ohio State. Ruby Whitehorn added 14 points and five rebounds and Samara Spencer had 10 points for Tennessee (24-9).
The Lady Vols advanced to play either No. 1 seed Texas or No 8 seed Illinois in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday. KANSAS STATE 80, KENTUCKY 79 (OT): In Lexington, Kentucky, Temira Poindexter hit a corner 3-pointer with 56 seconds left in overtime — her eighth 3 of the game — and fifth-seeded Kansas State dodged four misses by No. 4 seed Kentucky in the closing seconds to win a second-round game. Kentucky star Georgia Amoore missed a jumper with 21 seconds left, a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining and then a baseline layup at the buzzer Poindexter missed her first six shots but finished 8 of 15 beyond the arc to score 24 points.
The visiting Wildcats will face either Southern California or Mississippi State in the Sweet 16.
DUKE 59, OREGON 53: In Durham, North Carolina, Ashlon Jackson scored 14 of her 20 points in the third quarter to power No. 2 seed Duke to a victory over 10th-seeded Oregon.
Duke played without leading scorer Toby Fournier the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year who averages 13.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.
Duke coach Kara Lawson said team doctors didn’t clear Fournier to play NOTRE DAME 75, MICHIGAN 55: In South Bend, Indiana, Hannah Hidalgo scored 21 points and No. 3 seed Notre Dame routed No. 6 seed Michigan. The Irish will have a rematch in Birmingham against TCU.
AP PHOTO By MATTHEW HINTON
LSU forward Aneesah Morrow reacts after a shot by San Diego State during their first-round NCAA Tournament game on Saturday.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU snaps 14-game winning streak in loss to Bulldogs
Staff reports
The third-ranked LSU softball team suffered its first SEC loss, a 7-2 setback to No. 13 Georgia on Sunday at Jack Turner Stadium in Athens, Georgia.
LSU is 29-2 this season and 5-1 in the SEC, and Georgia avoids the sweep to move to 23-8 and 3-6 in league play The Tigers’ 14-game winning streak ended, and the club was run-ruled for the first time this season.
Pitcher Sydney Berzon was handed her first loss in the circle this year and is now 13-1 after striking out four batters and allowing nine runs on eight hits and a walk in 3.1 innings. Pitcher Tatum Clopton entered the circle in relief for her first SEC appearance, throwing the final 0.2 innings of the game where she allowed two runs on one hit and two walks.
Georgia pitcher Randi Roelling (7-4) earned the win to move to 1-1 on the weekend. Roelling had one strikeout and surrendered six hits, three runs and four walks in 5.0 frames.
LSU had six hits in the game, led by outfielder Jadyn Laneaux, who had a 2-for-3 outing and one RBI LSU scored first with two runs in the top of the third inning thanks to RBI singles by outfielder McKenzie Redoutey and infielder Sierra Daniel. However, Georgia put up seven runs on six hits in the bottom half, highlighted by a grand slam by infielder Mua Williams, to cap the inning with a 7-2 lead.
The Bulldogs continued to pour it on in the fourth inning by scoring four more runs to increase their margin to 11-2. The Tigers got one run back in the fifth with a run-scoring single by Laneaux.
On Saturday, things were looking better when LSU scored nine unanswered runs, highlighted by outfielder Jalia Lassiter’s grand slam in the fourth inning to runrule No. 13 Georgia 10-2 in six innings. LSU secured the series against Georgia, marking the seventh consecutive series victory for the Tigers over the Bulldogs. Saturday’s run-rule triumph was the first against Georgia in Athens
FILE
LSU second baseman Sierra Daniel makes the catch on a Penn State pop up in the first inning on Feb 21 at Tiger Park.
since March 31, 2001 (8-0, five innings) The Tigers trailed 2-1 after three innings but blew the game open in the fourth with six runs on four hits and scored three runs in the final two innings combined to secure the run-rule After the Bulldogs scored two runs in the third, pitcher Jayden Heavener allowed only one hit for the remainder of the game, and the defense sent the Dawgs out in order in the sixth to end the game. {p class=”p1”}Lassiter led the Tigers with a career-best 4-for-4
performance, including her grand slam, which was her first homer as an LSU Tiger Lassiter also scored two runs. Infielder Tori Edwards was 3-for-4 at the plate to log her 11th multi-hit game this season and scored two runs. Infielder Sierra Daniel drove in a career-high three RBI in the win. Heavener (8-1) received the complete-game win with five strikeouts and rendered only two hits and two runs. LSU will face UL for the second time this season at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Lamson Park in Lafayette.
SERIES
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took down LSU 6-2 in the series finale.
The defeat was LSU’s first series loss in Southeastern Conference play
“They did a better job with two strikes than we did,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “I think that was the difference in the game.”
Shores surrendered a runscoring single in the first inning before allowing another runscoring single and a groundout that resulted in a third run in the second. He tossed a scoreless third and nearly got through the fourth unscathed, but the big righty gave up a two-run home run with two outs to junior right fielder Max Belyeu.
Shores threw a career-high 96 pitches. Only 59 of them were strikes.
“I don’t have a lot to say on that right now,” Johnson said when asked why opponents have seen the ball well against Shores. Shores’ start put LSU’s attack in an early hole, but it wasn’t a good day for the offense.
LSU (22-3, 4-2 SEC) scattered five hits through the first five innings and didn’t score until the sixth when sophomore Jake Brown ripped a run-scoring single. Brown also helped the second run come across by getting in a rundown between first and second base. He eventually got tagged out sliding into second, but he kept himself in the pickle long enough to allow sophomore Steven Milam to score from third base. Sunday had its highs and lows for Brown. He had a good day at the plate, but he also dropped a routine fly ball in right field and dropped a potential double play after moving to first base in the sixth inning.
The next batter hit a triple into left field that extended the Longhorns’ lead to 6-2 Freshman Derek Curiel made a diving attempt but fell short, allowing the ball to roll past him and letting a run score.
“With a guy on first, we can’t dive in that situation,” Johnson said. “If there was a guy in scoring position, I wouldn’t have had a problem with that. (Curiel) recognized (the mistake) right away.”
The bright spot of the afternoon for LSU was freshman right-hander Casan Evans. He replaced Shores in the fifth inning and struck out five batters in 32/3 innings.
“I thought he did a great job,” Johnson said. Evans ran into a little trouble in the eighth, allowing two singles and reaching a career-high 60 pitches.
But he got a big strikeout with two runners in scoring positon for the second out before exiting for freshman left-hander Cooper Williams. Williams only threw four pitches before Texas (19-3, 4-2) unsuccessfully tried to steal home plate.
The long inning didn’t result in any runs for Texas, but it did result in Johnson getting ejected for arguing a check swing call with the first base umpire.
“There’s some history with that umpire and a similar play that affected our team last year,” Johnson said.
Before he got ejected, Johnson also got funky with his substitutions in the sixth inning when freshman left-hander Dylan Volantis entered the game to face left-handed hitter Tanner Reaves.
Junior Ethan Frey — known for his prowess against lefthanded pitching — pinch-hit for Reaves But when the sixth ended, instead of replacing Frey with senior third baseman Michael Braswell, Johnson moved junior Jared Jones to third base, slid Brown to first and had Frey play right field.
Jones cleanly fielded the only grounder hit to him in the seventh inning.
“It’s funny, that guy can play anywhere I feel like,” Reaves said. “He’s athletic.”
The defensive adjustments were meant to maximize LSU’s offensive output, but the Tigers were shut down by Volantis instead. After replacing right-handed starter Ruger Riojas in the sixth inning, he tossed 31/3 shutout innings and didn’t allow a hit.
“He’s a high slot guy that does a great job of throwing the ball down,” Johnson said, “and that’s a very unique characteristic to deal with.”
LSU returns to Baton Rouge to face UL on Tuesday First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be available to stream on SEC Network+
Email Koki Riley at Koki. Riley@theadvocate.com.
STAFF
PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
The French bulldog is still the top U.S. breed, but another pup is gaining
momentum
BY JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press
NEW YORK
The U.S. still has a major case of French bulldog fever, but a very different breed is staunchly chasing dog lovers’ hearts, according to American Kennel Club statistics released Wednesday
For the third year in a row, the comical, controversial Frenchie tops the club’s annual rundown of the nation’s most prevalent purebred dogs. Frenchies are followed by Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, German shepherds, poodles and some other longtime faves (Rounding out the top 10: dachshunds, beagles, rottweilers, bulldogs and German shorthaired pointers.)
Yet keep an eye on the cane corso. The powerful, protective breed vaulted from nearly 50th to 14th in the rankings in just a decade.
Popularity is seen as a mixed
‘Ted Lasso’
BY ALICIA RANCILIO Associated Press
blessing among dog breeders and as an outright scourge by their critics. Some animal welfare activists say the AKC rankings drive fads that fuel puppy mills. The AKC says the list documents, not promotes, dogownership trends, and the nonprofit club notes that it conducts thousands of breeder and pet store inspections per year Amid the arguments, there’s no disputing that there are plenty of lovable dogs in the nation’s animal shelters
Here’s a look at the trends and what they mean.
The Frenchie phenomenon
The AKC ranking reflects purebreds, mostly puppies, that were added last year to the nation’s oldest dog registry Nearly 74,500 were Frenchies.
That’s down from 98,500 in 2023 and 108,000 in 2022, but the AKC isn’t saying that the wave
is making a
Jason Sudeikis’ mustache is making a comeback. “Ted Lasso,” the dramedy about a fiercely optimistic American soccer coach in London, is set to return for a fourth season, Apple TV+ announced. The streamer did not say when the new episodes would become available or where they are in the production process. In a statement, Sudeikis, the show’s star and an executive producer, hinted the new episodes would be about taking chances.
comeback to the pitch
“In season four, the folks at AFC Richmond learn to LEAP BEFORE THEY LOOK, discovering that wherever they land, it’s exactly where they’re meant to be.” Ted Lasso the character was first introduced by Sudeikis in 2013 to promote NBC Sports’ coverage of the England Premier League. In a short film, Lasso was the coach of London’s Tottenham Hotspur Football Club. It was quickly clear that he knew little if anything about soccer “They’re gonna play hard for all
four quarters,” Lasso said of the players in a mock news conference. “Do we have any goals this season? Absolutely We’re gonna win a lot of games and we’re gonna get in the playoffs.” “There’s no playoffs” a reporter corrected from the audience. The bit was so popular that Sudeikis was tapped to reprise the character again the
Is there a link between age-related macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease?
Age-related macular degeneration, or AMD, is a common eye condition and also a leading cause of vision loss among individuals ages 50 and older
The condition causes damage to the macula, a small spot near the center of the retina, which is the area of the eye needed for sharp, central vision. One marked similarity between AMD and Alzheimer’s disease is that the most common risk for developing both conditions is age; hence they are both age-related. Additionally, both conditions affect thousands of people worldwide. According to PreventBlindness.org, a 2022 study, The Prevalence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration in the United States, found that an estimated 19.83 million Americans were living with some form of age-related macular degeneration. And, caring for those with AMD is expensive, with an estimated cost that generally ranges from $8,814 to $23,400 per year with potential costs reaching up to $70,200 over a three-year period, according to the prevent blindness website.
Alzheimer’s disease ranks second behind AMD as an aging disorder that causes a high degree of damage. Currently, according to reports from the Alzheimer’s Association, there are about 6.7 million Americans with the disease, and this number is expected to increase to 13.8 million by 2060. Similarly both AMD and Alzheimer’s disease are found more frequently in women than in men, and 5% to 15% of cases are found in more than one family member Additionally, there remains a genetic risk factor in both diseases. The lipid transport protein called Apolipoprotein E provides an elevated risk to individuals for AMD if they carry the allele-2 variant and a higher risk for Alzheimer’s in individuals if they carry the allele-4 variant. Furthermore, there are three events that make pathologies very similar in both diseases, with the exception that they are found in different locations: either the retina or the brain. The first similar pathology is the amyloid beta protein, which accumulates in large quantities identified in the brain of an individual with Alzheimer’s, and the presence of these plaques is defining in the disease. With those individuals diagnosed with AMD, amyloid-beta deposits are also found and accumulate underneath the retina and eventually form small clumps of protein-lipid materials called drusen. The accumulation of the amyloid protein causes eventual widespread cell death in both diseases. The second similar pathological feature in AMD and Alzheimer’s is that there are
Sudeikis
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MARy ALTAFFER
A cane corso competes at the 140th Westminster Kennel Club dog show in 2016 at Madison Square Garden in New york.
The small, pointy-eared French bulldog breed with a big personality is still way ahead of the once-dominant Lab, according to recent American Kennel Club statistics.
Research suggests herb may lower blood glucose
Dear Doctors: I take medication for Type 2 diabetes. I also enjoy horehound candy I recently ate three candies after taking my medication and experienced a sharp drop in blood sugar Afterwards, I read that white horehound is attributed to lowering blood sugar Do you know if this is true?
Dr. Elizabeth Ko Dr Eve Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS
Dear reader: White horehound is the common name for a flowering herb in the mint family Its use as a candy flavoring, and also as a medicinal aide, dates back to ancient Egypt. Often referred to simply as horehound, the botanical name is Marrubium vulgare, a mix of Latin and Hebrew Vulgare means common in Latin, and Marrubium is believed to derive from the Hebrew words for bitter juice. Botanists suspect the “hore” portion of the name may come from the white fuzz that covers the stems of the plant, which looks like hoarfrost. And just to clear up any possible confusion, there is a plant in the same family known as black horehound. Its botanical name is Ballota nigra. However it is not the plant you are asking about. Horehound is quite fragrant, with a pungent and bitter flavor It is also highly bioactive. Thanks to its complex chemical composi-
DOGS
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has crested. Registration is voluntary, and spokesperson Brandi Hunter Munden notes that the numbers can fluctuate year-to-year
The small, pointy-eared bulldog breed with a big personality is still way ahead of the once-dominant Lab, which logged 58,500 new registrations last year French bulldogs have existed in the U.S. since at least the 19th century, but they’ve been on a tear in the 21st, fueled partly by celebrity owners and social media.
“They are fabulous companions,” the AKC’s Gina DiNardo said.
Frenchie folk praise the dogs’ modest grooming and exercise needs, generally confident and friendly demeanor and, of course, those smushy mugs that fans find irresistible — but critics call irresponsible. There can be health problems associated with squished faces and other features, and both detractors and devotees lament that the breed has become too hyped for its own good, attracting unprincipled breeders, unprepared owners and sometimes violent thieves.
The can-do cane corso
If a Frenchie is sometimes described as “a clown in the cloak of a philosopher,” a cane corso is a protector with no use for a cloak. Big, strong and athletic, the cane corso (pronounced KAH’-neh KOHR’-so) served as a Roman war dog and later a farmer’s helper boar hunter and household guardian.
Today’s cane corsi (the proper plural) are prized as loyal, rather august companions and adept dog-sports competitors. But breeders worry that social media is spreading misconceptions about the dogs, which they say are not suitable for everyone.
Breeder Vickie Venzen insists that would-be puppy buyers visit her Maryland home, where she introduces them first to an outgoing, easygoing corso and explains that such a temperament isn’t standard for the breed. Then she will bring out a corso with a classic and desirable demeanor: likely
FACTORS
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tion, the herb has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant and antimicrobial properties. It has been used to thin mucus secretions in the respiratory tract, stimulate appetite, reduce gas and bloating, manage swelling, ease breathing and help fight off topical and parasitic infections. If you read the labels of cough syrups and lozenges that advertise themselves as an expectorant, you may find horehound in some of the ingredient lists. More recently, research has begun to look at the possible effects of horehound on blood glucose.
A study conducted in 2012 that investigated that question yielded mixed results. But subsequent reviews of the data suggest the herb may, in fact, lead to a drop in blood glucose. The researchers pointed
out the inherent difficulties in assessing herbal products, which contain a wide array of bioactive ingredients. They suggested that, by broadening the scope of the analysis of the data, an effect on blood sugar could be seen.
A definitive answer regarding how white horehound may affect blood sugar levels requires further study However, the initial data, along with a body of anecdotal evidence, suggest that the herb may, indeed, have a hypoglycemic effect. That means people like yourself, who are living with Type 2 diabetes, should be aware of that possibility Medications for Type 2 diabetes work to lower blood sugar Using a product that contains white horehound, whether it is a candy or a cough syrup or lozenge, may complicate blood sugar control. We think it would be wise for you to reach out to your health care provider and tell them of your experience with the horehound candy If they are not familiar with this potential side effect of the herb, ask them to research it. It is possible you will receive guidance for a safe way to indulge in the treat. But you should also be prepared for the idea that you will have to limit horehound candy, or possibly eliminate it from your diet. Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla. edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.
to greet an invited visitor peacefully, but without tailwagging effusiveness. After its greeting, the dog may walk off and watch with cool vigilance.
Next comes one of her “hard dogs”: one that’s a bit too quick to display its protective instincts. The point is to show the spectrum of corsi temperaments and make clear that they’re neither lapdogs that just look tough nor roughand-tumble creatures that can be left outside to guard They’re very sensitive to their families, Venzen said.
“They’re very good dogs, and they’re very versatile, and they can be taught a lot,” said Venzen, who was delighted to learn recently that a dog she bred mastered paddleboarding. “But you can’t be so foolish as to think you can put it in any situation and the dog will understand.”
New dogs
The newest breed to be counted the Lancashire heeler, came in at 189th out of AKC’s 201 recognized breeds last year
The next-newest, the bracco Italiano, sprang last year from 152nd to 132nd, and some longtime aficionados already are concerned about its trajectory, said owner Deb Pereira of North Stonington, Connecticut. She stresses that the substantial, handsome and sociable hunting dogs need a good deal of
cell death occurring in the retina and the brain. The third pathological similarity is that both diseases suffer damage to the mitochondria, which are small units within the cell that remain critical in keeping the cell alive. The mitochondria work like batteries in that they provide energy to keep the retina and brain cells functioning. When the mitochondria begin to lose this energy and die, the cells lose their function and eventually cell death occurs. Mitochondria are critical in the function of cells and in keeping them alive, and this is true for all types of cells in our bodies, including nerve cells, muscle cells, retina cells, heart cells, etc. While research has determined that there is no association between having AMD and then developing
‘TED LASSO’
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following year The idea came up to write a show around the character but it didn’t come to fruition until Bill Lawrence (“Scrubs,” “Cougar Town”) helped get it picked up by Apple TV+. “Ted Lasso” debuted in August
2020, in the middle of the pandemic lockdown. This version of Lasso was the new coach of a fictional soccer team in London called AFC Richmond. Lasso’s cheery disposition allowed him to win over even the surliest of soccer fans, not to mention viewers tired of staying indoors. “He’s the version of me that I wish I could be,” Sudeikis told the AP ahead of
physical and mental exercise. Quite a few still hunt; Pereira’s bracco, Elvira, is an agility champion, and her daily walks cover about four miles.
Few dogs
The five rarest AKCrecognized breeds are the sloughi, the Norwegian lundehund, the grand basset griffon Vendéen, the Bergamasco sheepdog and, at 201st, the English foxhound. Doodle doings
To date, the AKC hasn’t recognized any sheepadoodles, Havapoos, borgis or other “designer” hybrids. The club said it has gotten some inquiries, but no doodle or other designer breed fanciers have formally begun the often yearslong process of seeking recognition. About the everydogs
There’s no census of everyday mixed-breed dogs in the U.S., but the American Veterinary Medical Association estimates the country has about 90 million dogs — purebreds, designer mixes and others.
After animal shelters cleared out during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and then filled to overflowing, last year’s data from advocacy groups Shelter Animals Count and Best Friends Animal Society differ as to whether dog arrivals and adoptions rose or fell and by how much. That’s not inex-
Alzheimer’s or dementia, the diseases share common risk factors in addition to aging such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and cigarette smoking.
Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts “The Memory Whisperer.” Email her at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.
its debut. “He has highs and lows like anyone. But he’s eternally optimistic and hopeful and sincere.”
“Ted Lasso” has won seven Primetime Emmy Awards, including outstanding comedy series for its first two seasons. It made stars out of its supporting cast, including Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham and Juno Temple.
plicable, as the two groups count different sets of organizations.
But both emphasize that purebreds and mixed-breeds come up for adoption.
“Really, if you find it in your heart to rescue or adopt a pet, that’s the way to go,” Best Friends Animal Society CEO Julie Castle said.
By The Associated Press
Today is Monday, March 24, the 83rd day of 2025. There are 282 days left in the year Today in history
On March 24, 1989, the supertanker Exxon Valdez ran aground on a reef in Alaska’s Prince William Sound and began leaking an estimated 11 million gallons of crude oil.
On this date:
In 1921, the Women’s Olympiad, the first international women’s sporting event, began in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
In 1980, Catholic Archbishop Óscar Arnulfo Romero of El Salvador was shot to death by a sniper as he celebrated Mass in San Salvador
In 1999, NATO launched airstrikes against Yugoslavia, marking the first time in its 50-year existence that it attacked a sovereign country In 2015, Germanwings Flight 9525, an Airbus A320, crashed into the French Alps, killing all 150 people on board; investigators said the jetliner was deliberately downed by the 27-yearold co-pilot, Andreas Lubitz. In 2016, a U.N. war crimes court convicted former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadžic of genocide and nine other charges for orchestrating a campaign of terror that left 100,000 people dead during the 1992-95 war in Bosnia; Karadžic received a
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JULIA NIKHINSON
Golden retrievers compete in breed group judging at the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog show in 2024 in New york.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Trust your instincts, change what isn't working for you and set a high standard for others. Engage in what makes you feel content and secure. Turn your home into your comfort zone.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take the initiative. A change will point you in a new direction. Put your energy and skills into getting ahead and reaping the rewards you deserve.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) An optimistic attitude is terrific; however, weigh the pros and cons before you take a leap of faith. Don't ignore any uncertainty or go overboard with your plans. It's better to be safe than sorry.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) You'll have the energy to finish what you start. Enlist the best of the best to help you reach your target. You stand to gain recognition that will lead to unexpected rewards.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Deal with relationship issues head-on and avoid misunderstandings that can compromise your position. Manufacture your success instead of waiting for it to happen.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Make adjustments to your environment or become active in a group that shares your beliefs. Your contributions will lead to an opportunity you cannot resist.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Whether you want to improve your physical, emotional or financial well-being, taking
the first step will be necessary. On your mark, get set, go!
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Know what and who you are up against, and play to win. Engage in hands-on learning and don't rely on secondhand information. Participate in positive change and forward thinking.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Refuse to let anyone stand in your way. Bypass negativity, and take the path that accommodates your desires. Concentrate on what matters most, and you won't be disappointed.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Look closely at who is involved in whatever you participate in before signing up. Take a leadership position if it allows you to control situations.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Put pressure where needed most and move forward with a plan. Refuse to let uncertainty set in or cost you time and money. Set up a workspace conducive to doing your best and achieving the most.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Jettison what is no longer of value. Simplify your life and rethink what's meaningful to you. Redesigning how you move forward will be an adventure. Live life your way, and you'll have no regrets.
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
FAMILY CIrCUS
TODAy'S CLUE: T EQUALS K
CeLebrItY CIpher
For better or For WorSe
FrAnK And erneSt
bIG nAte
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.
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
THe wiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
Bridge
BY PHILLIP ALDER
Erma Bombeck said, “My theory on housework is, if the item doesn’t multiply, smell, catch fire or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one else cares. Why should you?” At the bridge table, if someone makes a smelly play, even if the cards do not instantly catch fire, you should care. Try to work out what is happening and what you can do to stop your opponent’s score from multiplying. In this deal, South is in three no-trump. West leads the spade nine. How should East plan the defense? North was right to jump to three notrump. With no singleton or void and insufficient points to think about a slam, just go for the nine-trick game. South starts with eight top tricks: three spades and five clubs. He needs to get a heart trick, but if the opponents take their heart ace and shift to diamonds, they might be able to take four tricks there for down one Declarer’s best shot is to win the first trick with his spade king, cross to the dummy, and call for a heart.
If East is napping and plays low, South gains his ninth winner and can claim.
