The Acadiana Advocate 03-25-2025

Hyundai plans to build

steel mill in La.

Landry joins Trump at White House to announce project

BY ALYSE PFEIL, STEPHANIE RIEGEL and DAVID MITCHELL Staff writers

Flanked by Gov Jeff

Landry and U.S. House

Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump on Monday trumpeted carmaker Hyundai’s announcement that it will build its first U.S. steel mill in Louisiana, bringing billions of dollars in investment and thousands of jobs.

Hyundai Motor Group which also owns Kia Corp., will invest $5.8 billion in a new manufacturing facility on a 1,700-acre site in Donaldsonville at the RiverPlex MegaPark on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Ascension Parish, according to a news release from Louisiana Economic Development.

The “ultra-low carbon steel production plant” is expected to create more than 1,300 direct new jobs with an average salary of $95,000, the an-

nouncement says

“Money is pouring in, and we want to keep it that way,” Trump said during a news conference at the White House.

The facility, plans for which were first reported by The Advocate | The Times-Picayune in January, will supply car parts via rail and truck to the company’s U.S. auto factories — which include a Hyundai plant in Montgomery Alabama and a

Kia Plant in West Point, Georgia and other U.S. automakers. Hyundai Steel Company plans to import an estimated 3.6 million tons of iron ore and produce 2.7 million metric tons of steel annually, according to the LED news release

The Donaldsonville site attracted the carmaker because of the state’s cheap natural gas and electricity, both of which could be used to power the plant, and because of easy access to shipping, rail lines and a state highway route that connects to Interstate 10, sources have said previously The Port of South Louisiana and Hyundai are partnering to build a deep water dock on Ascension Parish’s west bank for steel and materials shipments, the LED announcement said. Steel mill construction could begin as early as 2026 and production

Judge won’t drop lawsuit against former library chair

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Controversial former Lafayette Public Library

President Robert Judge lost an attempt to dismiss a federal First Amendment case against him for restricting free speech at meetings.

U.S. District Court Judge Robert Summerhays, Western District of Louisiana in Lafayette, on Thursday dismissed a motion for summary judgment filed by Judge in a First Amendment case brought by Lynette Mejia and Melanie Brevis, founders of Lafayette Citizens Against Censorship.

Brevis, speaking at a Jan. 9, 2023, Library Board meeting, had her microphone turned off and was escorted by off-duty Lafayette Parish sheriff’s deputies away from the speaker’s podium on Judge’s orders. As Library Board president, Judge had the library hire two law enforcement officers to stand guard during meetings, at times next to the Library Board facing the public in the audience and speakers. He also had the state’s disturbing the peace law posted on the meeting room door and the front library door

Mejia says in the lawsuit that those actions along with the treatment of Brevis caused her to self-censor her comments before the Library Board.

Judge in his motion for summary judgment argued, among other things, that he had qualified immunity The qualified immunity doctrine is designed to shield from civil liability government officials acting within their discretionary authority Summerhays, in his decision, wrote that Mejia and Brevis established that Judge’s actions violated the First Amendment and his conduct was “objectively unreasonable in light of clearly established law.” A public body may restrict free speech in a

Trump officials texted Yemen war plans to journalist

Material contained operational details of forthcoming strikes

BY TARA COPP, AAMER MADHANI and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

WASHINGTON Top national security officials for President Donald Trump, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, texted war plans for upcoming military strikes in Yemen to a group chat in a secure messaging app that included the editor-in-chief for The

Atlantic, the magazine reported in a story posted online Monday The National Security Council said the text chain “appears to be authentic.”

Trump told reporters he was not aware that the sensitive information had been shared, 21/2 hours after it was reported The material in the text chain “contained operational details of forthcoming strikes on Iranbacked Houthi-rebels in Yemen, including information about targets, weapons the U.S. would be deploying, and attack sequencing,” editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg reported

It was not immediately clear if the specifics of the military operation were classified, but they often are and at the least are kept secure to protect service members and operational security The U.S has conducted airstrikes against the Houthis since the militant group began targeting commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea in November 2023. Just two hours after Goldberg received the details of the at-

tack on March 15, the U.S. began launching a series of airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen.

The National Security Council said in a statement that it was looking into how a journalist’s number was added to the chain in the Signal group chat, which included Tulsi Gabbard Trump’s director of national intelligence, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Goldberg said he received the Signal invitation from Mike Waltz, Trump’s national security adviser, who was also in the group chat.

In a statement late Monday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said the president still has the “utmost confidence” in Waltz and the national security team. Trump told reporters, “I don’t know anything about it. You’re telling me about it for the first time.” He added that The Atlantic was “not much of a magazine.” Government officials have used Signal for organizational correspondence, but it is not classified and can be hacked Privacy and tech experts say the popular endto-end encrypted messaging and voice call app is more secure than conventional texting. The sharing of sensitive

ä See PLANS, page 4A

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CLAIRE TAyLOR

Deputies with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, hired as security for Lafayette Parish Public Library Board meetings, tell speaker Melanie Brevis to sit down on the order of then-President Robert Judge on Jan. 9, 2023.

Robert Judge

ä See JUDGE, page 4A

Hegseth

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

President Donald Trump flanked by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, left, and Gov. Jeff Landry, speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Monday

London’s Heathrow defends response to fire

LONDON Heathrow Airport executives on Monday defended their response to a fire that shut down Europe’s busiest air hub for almost a day, after Britain’s energy system operator suggested that the facility had enough electricity from other sources to keep running.

More than 1,300 flights were canceled on Friday after a fire knocked out one of the three electrical substations that supply Heathrow with power More than 200,000 passengers had journeys disrupted, and industry experts say the chaos will cost airlines tens of millions of dollars.

The airport reopened after about 18 hours when Heathrow had reconfigured its power supply — something Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said that “required hundreds of systems to be safely powered down and then safely powered up with extensive testing.”

Heathrow said that it ran a full schedule on Saturday and Sunday, with 400,000 passengers passing through on 2,500 weekend flights.

The fire’s huge impact raised concern about the resilience of Britain’s energy system to accidents, natural disasters or attacks. The government has ordered an investigation into “any wider lessons to be learned on energy resilience for critical national infrastructure.”

Flammable devices found at Tesla store

AUSTIN,Texas Austin police say they’re investigating several incendiary devices found at a Tesla dealership Monday on the city’s north side, the latest in a series of events targeting the company owned by billionaire Elon Musk. Austin police responding to a report of hazardous materials found the devices and called in the city’s bomb squad, which took them into police custody without incident, the department said in an email to The Associated Press. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

“This is an open and ongoing investigation, and there is no further information available for release at this time,” the department said.

Attacks on property carrying the logo of Elon Musk’s electriccar company are cropping up across the U.S. and overseas, along with protests nationwide in response to the billionaire’s work with the Trump administration cutting federal funding and the workforce.

On Saturday, a man drove his car into protesters outside a Tesla dealership in Palm Beach County, Florida. No one was injured, and the man was arrested on an assault complaint. In California, police said a counterprotestor was arrested Saturday after activating a stun gun during an anti-Musk demonstration outside a Tesla dealership near downtown Berkeley Nobody was hurt. The 33-year-old man was awaiting charges Monday Several more cases of violence targeting Tesla include Cybertrucks being set on fire in Seattle and shots fired at a dealership in Oregon. Tesla showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars also have been targeted.

Cherry blossom season begins in Japan

TOKYO Japan ‘s official cherry blossom spotters on Monday confirmed the first blooming of the country’s favorite flower, declaring the official start of the festive season in the Japanese capital. An official from the Japan Meteorological Agency carefully examined the specimen tree of Somei Yoshino variety at Tokyo’s Yasukuni shrine and announced that more than five blossoms — the minimum required for the announcement — were flowering on it.

The opening matched the average year and was five days earlier than last year, according to the JMA. Cherry blossoms, or “sakura,” are Japan’s favorite flower and usually reach their peak in late March to early April, just as the country celebrates the start of a new school and business year Many Japanese enjoy walking or picnicking under the trees.

Justices seem divided over La. congressional districts

BY MARK SHERMAN and SARA CLINE Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court seemed closely divided Monday over a challenge to Louisiana’s congressional map, which added a second majority-Black district

Several of the court’s conservative justices suggested they could vote to throw out the map and make it harder, if not impossible, to bring redistricting lawsuits under the Voting Rights Act.

The case involves the interplay between race and politics in drawing political boundaries in front of a conservative-led court that has been skeptical of considerations of race in public life

Just two years ago, the court by a 5-4 vote affirmed a ruling that found a likely violation of the Voting Rights Act in a similar case over Alabama’s congressional map.

Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined their three more liberal colleagues in the outcome.

That decision led to new districts in both states that sent two more Black Democrats to Congress.

At issue in the Louisiana case is a majority-Black district that winds from Shreveport to Baton Rouge. Roberts described it as a “snake” that might violate the standard practice of drawing compact electoral districts.

The case features an unusual alliance of the Republican-led state government, which is defending the congressional map, and civil rights groups that more often find themselves fighting the state’s redistricting plans.

The United States is halfway to the next once-a-decade census, but the court is still dealing with lawsuits that grew out of the last one.

It has been a winding road.

The court fight over Louisiana’s congressional districts has lasted three years. Two maps were blocked by lower courts, and the Supreme Court has intervened twice. Most recently the court ordered the new map to be used in the 2024 election.

The state’s Republican-dominated Legislature drew a new congressional map in 2022 to account for population shifts reflected in the 2020 census. But the changes effectively maintained the status quo of five Republican-leaning majority-White districts and one Democratic-leaning majorityBlack district.

Civil rights advocates won a low-

er court ruling that the districts likely discriminated against Black voters.

The Supreme Court put the ruling on hold while it took up the Alabama case. The justices allowed both states to use congressional maps in the 2022 elections even though both had been ruled likely discriminatory by federal judges.

The high court eventually affirmed the ruling from Alabama, which led to a new map and a second district that could elect a Black lawmaker The justices returned the Louisiana case to federal court, with the expectation that new maps would be in place for the 2024 elections.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals gave lawmakers in Louisiana a deadline of early 2024 to draw a new map or face the possibility of a court-imposed map.

The state complied and drew a new map. One of the questions before the court is whether race was the predominant factor driving the new map. That’s what White Louisiana voters claimed in their separate lawsuit challenging the new districts. A three-judge court agreed.

But Gov Jeff Landry, a Republican, and other state officials argue that politics not race, helped set the boundaries.

The congressional map provides politically safe districts for House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, fellow Republicans.

The state acted to “protect our

most high-profile incumbents,”

state Solicitor General A. Benjamin Aguiñaga told the justices.

Some lawmakers have also noted that the Republican lawmaker whose district was greatly altered in the new map supported a GOP opponent of Landry in the 2023 governor’s race. Former Rep. Garret Graves chose not to seek reelection under the new map. Louisiana argues that dueling lawsuits over redistricting make it almost impossible for states to know what to do.

Justice Elena Kagan was among the liberal justices who seemed supportive of the state, saying that states have to have “breathing room” to comply with court rulings, but also take other factors, including protecting incumbents, into account when redrawing districts.

“If the state can’t do that, the state has no breathing room,” Kagan said.

In a separate case, Louisiana is arguing that the section of the Voting Rights Act that allows minority groups to challenge state redistricting plans is unconstitutional. That issue could come to the high court in the next year or so, but the justices seemed unlikely to address it now

Following arguments, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she’s unsure what the outcome will be but is hoping that the court will give more guidance to legislators about the redistricting process.

Murrill, who was in the courtroom Monday, said it is the Legislature’s job to draw new maps for the state and that the process should not be “a game of litigation experts and constant litigating” in federal courts.

U.S. holds talks with Russians after meeting Ukrainians

BY JON GAMBRELL and ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press

DUBAI,UnitedArab Emirates U.S. negotiators worked on a proposed partial ceasefire in the 3-year-old war in Ukraine on Monday, meeting representatives from Russia one day after holding separate talks with a team from Kyiv

It has been a struggle to reach even a limited, 30-day ceasefire — which Moscow and Kyiv agreed to in principle last week with both sides continuing to attack each other with drones and missiles.

One major sticking point is what targets would be off-limits to strike, even after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with the countries’ leaders, because the parties disagree

While the White House said “energy and infrastructure” would be covered, the Kremlin declared that the agreement referred more narrowly to “energy infrastructure.” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said he would also like to see infrastructure like railways and ports protected.

Talks Monday in the Saudi capital of Riyadh were expected to address some of those differences, as well as a potential pause in attacks in the Black Sea to ensure the safety of commercial shipping. Russian state media reported late Monday local time that the talks had ended.

In an exchange with reporters at the White House, Trump said territorial lines and the potential for U.S. ownership of a key nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine have been part of the talks.

Last week, Trump floated the idea of the U.S. taking control of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. The six-reactor facility one of the world’s largest — was seized by Russia early in the war “Some people are saying the United

EMERGENCy

Firefighters put out the blaze Monday following a Russian attack in Donetsk region, Ukraine.

States should own the power plant — work it that way because we have the expertise” to get the plant operating, Trump said. “Something like that would be fine with me.”

Since falling under Russian control, the plant’s conditions have deteriorated While its reactors have been shut down for years, they still require power and staff to maintain cooling systems and safety features. The facility is connected to Ukraine’s energy grid without producing electricity

U.S. and Russian representatives met in the morning in Riyadh, Russia’s state Tass and RIA-Novosti news agencies reported. The U.S. and Ukrainian teams met Sunday Serhii Leshchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian presidency said the delegation remained in Riyadh on Monday and expected to meet again with the Americans. In his nightly address Monday, Zelenskyy said representatives from Ukraine and the U.S. will meet again, although he did not specify when.

Lawyers seek to free prisoners detained in El Salvador

Venezuelans deported there by U.S. under 18th-century law

BY MARCOS ALEMÁN Associated Press

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador Lawyers hired by the Venezuelan government filed a legal action

Monday in El Salvador aimed at freeing 238 Venezuelans deported by the United States who are being held in a Salvadoran maximum-security prison.

Jaime Ortega, who says he represents 30 of the imprisoned Venezuelans, said they filed the habeas corpus petition with the Supreme Court’s Constitutional Chamber He said that by extension they requested that it be applied to all Venezuelans detained in El Salvador

The maneuver essentially compels the government to prove someone’s detention was justified.

The Salvadoran government has been silent about the status of the Venezuelan prisoners since the U.S. government sent them more than a week ago, despite a U.S. federal judge’s verbal order to turn the planes around.

The Trump administration is using an 18th-century wartime law to justify sending the Venezuelans, who it says were members of the Tren de Aragua gang, which the administration declared an invading force.

“We represent at this moment 30 Venezuelans who have given us the power to act, but by extension, we are asking for habeas corpus for the rest of the Venezuelan citizens who are detained in our country,” Ortega said.

Salvador Ríos, another lawyer with the firm, said they were contracted by the Venezuelan government and the Families of Immigrants Committee in Venezuela. He said the Venezuelans they represent are not members of the Tren de Aragua and had migrated from their country and “don’t have any criminal record.”

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ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MANUEL BALCE CENETA

The U.S Supreme Court seemed closely divided Monday over a challenge to Louisiana’s congressional map, which added a second majority-Black district.

Landry

Judges seem divided in case of Trump’s deportations

Panel hears

arguments about block of use of 18th-century law

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON A panel of appeals court judges appeared divided Monday on a Trump administration push to lift an order blocking deportation of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador under an 18th-century wartime law — a case that has become a flashpoint amid escalating tension with the federal courts. Circuit Court Judge Pa-

tricia Millett said Nazis detained in the U.S. during World World II received better legal treatment than Venezuelan immigrants who were deported to El Salvador this month under the same statute

“We certainly dispute the Nazi analogy,” Justice Department attorney Drew Ensign responded during a hearing of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

Millett is one of three appellate judges who will decide whether to lift a March 15 order temporarily prohibiting deportations under the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. They didn’t rule from the bench Monday. A second judge appeared

open to the administration’s argument that the migrants should be challenging their detention in Texas rather than the nation’s capital. The third judge on the panel didn’t ask any questions.

The administration has transferred hundreds of Venezuelan immigrants to El Salvador, invoking the Alien Enemies Act for the first time since World War II.

President Donald Trump’s administration appealed after Chief Judge James Boasberg blocked those deportations and ordered planeloads of Venezuelan immigrants to return to the U.S. That did not happen.

The Alien Enemies Act allows noncitizens to be deported without the opportunity to

go before an immigration or federal court judge. Trump issued a proclamation calling the Tren de Aragua gang an invading force.

Ensign argued that Boasberg’s ruling was an “unprecedented and enormous intrusion upon the powers of the executive branch.”

“The president has to comply with the Constitution and the laws like anyone else,” said Millett, who was nominated by Democratic President Barack Obama in 2013.

Judge Justin Walker, whom Trump nominated in 2020, seemed to be more receptive to the administration’s arguments based on his line of questioning. Walker pointed to the government’s arguments that the plaintiffs

U.N. to reduce staff in Gaza after strike

World body blames Israel for attack

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, EDITH M. LEDERER and LEE KEATH Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip

The United Nations said Monday it will “reduce its footprint” in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli tank strike hit one of its compounds last week, killing one staffer from Bulgaria and wounding five other employees.

The world body will temporarily remove about a third of its approximately 100 international staffers working in Gaza, U.N. Secretary-General spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric. He pointed to the increased danger after Israel relaunched its military campaign last week with bombardment that has since killed hundreds of Palestinians. Israel has also cut off all food, medicine, aid and other supplies to Gaza’s population for the past three weeks.

Dujarric’s statement was the U.N’s first to point the finger at Israel in the March 19 explosion at the U.N. guesthouse in central Gaza He said that “based on the information currently available,” the strikes on the site “were caused by an Israeli tank.”

Hamas members and positions, blaming the group for civilian deaths because it operates among the population.

Air raid sirens and explosions were heard over Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and central Israel on Monday evening as the military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency rescue service said “teams are en route to search areas where reports of rocket strikes have been received.”

should have filed their lawsuit in Texas, where the immigrants were detained.

“You could have filed the exact same complaint you filed here in Texas district court,” Walker told American Civil Liberties Union attorney Lee Gelernt.

“We have no idea if everyone is in Texas,” Gelernt said.

Walker also pressed the plaintiffs’ lawyer to cite any prior case in which a judicial order blocking “a national security operation with foreign implications” survived appellate review

Gelernt accused the administration of trying to use the law to “short circuit” immigration proceedings. Plaintiffs’ attorneys had no way to individually challenge all the

White

deportations before planeloads of Venezuelans took off on March 15, he added.

“This has all been done in secret,” Gelernt said.

Judge Karen LeCraft Henderson, who was nominated by Republican President George H.W Bush in 1990, was the third judge on the panel. She didn’t ask any questions during a hearing that lasted roughly two hours. Boasberg, an Obama nominee, ruled that immigrants facing deportation must get an opportunity to challenge their designations as alleged gang members. He said there is “a strong public interest in preventing the mistaken deportation of people based on categories they have no right to challenge.”

House wants high court to halt judge’s order

on firings

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Monday to halt a ruling ordering the rehiring of thousands of federal workers let go in mass firings aimed at dramatically downsizing the federal government.

The Israeli military repeated its denial that it was responsible for the strike, which took place a day after Israel shattered Gaza’s 2-month-old ceasefire with a surprise bombardment across the Gaza Strip.

Dujarric said the U.N “has made the difficult decision to reduce the Organization’s footprint in Gaza, even as humanitarian needs soar.”

He said the U.N “is not leaving Gaza,” pointing out that it still has about 13,000 national staff in Gaza, mainly working for UNRWA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees.

New Israeli strikes over the past 24 hours killed more than 60 Palestinians around Gaza, the territory’s Health

Ministry said. The ministry’s count does not distinguish between civilians and militants.

The ministry on Monday put out a list of the names of more than 15,000 children, 17 and under, killed by Israel’s campaign since it began more than 17 months ago. The list included nearly 5,000 children under the age of 6 who had been killed, including 876 infants who had not reached a year in age, Israel, which launched its campaign .in retaliation for Hamas’ October 2023 attack, says it has restarted its bombardment and cut off food to Gaza to force Hamas to accept new terms for the ceasefire and release more hostages. It says it targets

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have fired a handful of longrange missiles at Israel in the days since it resumed the war in Gaza. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from the Houthis.

Two rockets from the Gaza Strip were also intercepted after crossing into Israeli territory earlier Monday evening, setting off sirens, the Israeli military said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The emergency appeal argues that the judge can’t force the executive branch to rehire more than 16,000 probationary employees. The California-based judge found the firings didn’t follow federal law, and he ordered reinstatement offers be sent as a lawsuit plays out.

The appeal also calls on the conservative-majority court to rein in the growing number of federal judges who have slowed President Donald Trump’s sweeping agenda.

“Only this Court can end the interbranch power grab,” the appeal stated. The nation’s federal court system has become ground zero for pushback to Trump with the Republican-led Congress largely supportive or silent, and judges have ruled against Trump’s administration more than three dozen times after finding violations of federal law

The rulings run the gamut from birthright citizenship changes to federal spending to transgender rights. Trump’s unparalleled flurry of executive orders seems destined for several dates at a Supreme Court that he helped shape with three appointees during his first term, but so far the majority on the nine-member court has taken relatively small steps in two cases that have reached it.

BY SUSAN MONTOYA BRYAN Associated Press

ALBUQUERQE, N.M. — Au-

thorities have released body camera footage from outside the home of Gene Hackman, where the actor and wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in late February

The redacted footage shows deputies talking with the two workers who called authorities to report seeing someone lying on the

floor inside the home. With no signs of forced entry or other evidence of suspicious circumstances, the deputies asked about the possibility of a gas leak or carbon monoxide poisoning, and the workers said they didn’t see how that could have been the case.

“Something’s not right,” one of the workers said.

Authorities soon determined there were no leaks that could have been fatal, further fueling a mystery

that captured the public’s attention.

It was solved about a week later when medical investigators confirmed that Hackman died of heart disease with complications from Alzheimer’s about a week after hantavirus pulmonary syndrome — a rare, rodentborne disease — took the life of his wife.

The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office released only some of the footage from the investigation.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABDEL KAREEM HANA

An injured United Nations Mine Action Service worker is brought into al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital on Wednesday following an Israeli tank strike in Deir al-Balah, Gaza

could start in 2030, said LED Deputy Secretary and Chief Financial Officer Anne Villa, who also said the agency has been working on the deal for 15 months.

As part of the state’s incentive package, Louisiana is offering Hyundai an annual $20 million performance-based grant for five years.

Louisiana’s economic development agency offered Hyundai several incentives, including longterm tax breaks and rebates in return for creating new jobs, sources said previously Hyundai Chair Euisun Chung on Monday said the company will invest $21 billion in the U.S. over the next four years. He called the Louisiana steel plant “a key part” of that commitment.

Chung added Hyundai this week is also opening a new $8 billion plant in Georgia, allowing the company’s U.S. vehicle production “to exceed 1 million units per year.”

PLANS

Continued from page 1A

information comes as Hegseth’s office has just announced a crackdown on leaks of sensitive information, including the potential use of polygraphs on defense personnel to determine how reporters have received information.

Sean Parnell, a spokesperson for Hegseth, did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why the defense secretary posted war operational plans on an unclassified app. The breach in protocol was swiftly condemned by Democratic lawmakers. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer called for a full investigation.

“This is one of the most stunning breaches of military intelligence I have read about in a very, very long time,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said in a floor speech Monday afternoon.

“If true, this story represents one of the most egregious failures of operational security and common sense I have ever seen,” Sen. Jack Reed, of Rhode Island, the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. He said American lives

JUDGE

Continued from page 1A

limited public forum like a Library Board meeting, Summerhays wrote, as long as the restrictions don’t discriminate against speech on the basis of viewpoint.

Judge, in his affidavit, calls Brevis’ comments during the meeting “rude, discourteous and disruptive personal attacks” on board members, that her reference to former board member Stephanie Armbruster’s participation in a protest years earlier of Drag Queen Story Time did not pertain to library business and that Brevis calling Judge, Armbruster and others groomers violated the board’s rules.

Mejia and Brevis in their written response noted instances where Judge allowed speakers voicing support for the board and individual board members by name were not silenced, even when using terms like

Johnson, a Republican from Benton, said Trump’s leadership is bringing about “great growth.”

“There’s this great sense of relief, almost euphoria out there, because they know that America is back,” Johnson said, referring to his travels last week for campaign and fundraising events. “This is the America-first agenda.”

Landry said securing the deal for Louisiana was a matter of “seeing the America-first policy in action” and of efforts over the last year aimed at public safety, education and tax reform.

Many of the permanent jobs generated by the project will be filled by “individuals trained right here in Ascension Parish,” said Clint Cointment, Ascension Parish president.

“Education and training are essential in addressing poverty and inequality and laying the foundation for lasting economic growth.

Today marks a milestone in our community’s journey toward a brighter and more prosperous future for all of Ascension,” he said

Donaldsonville Mayor Leroy Sullivan on Monday said the project

are “on the line. The carelessness shown by Trump’s Cabinet is stunning and dangerous. I will be seeking answers from the Administration immediately.”

Rep. Jim Himes, of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said in a statement that he was “horrified” by the reports.

Himes said if a lowerranking official “did what is described here, they would likely lose their clearance and be subject to criminal investigation. The American people deserve answers,” which he said he planned to get at Wednesday’s previously scheduled committee hearing

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wants to learn more about what happened.

“Obviously, we got to run it to the ground, figure out what went on there,” said Thune, a South Dakota Republican The handling of national defense information is strictly governed by law under the century-old Espionage Act, including provisions that make it a crime to remove such information from its “proper place of custody” even through an act of gross negligence.

The Justice Department in 2015 and 2016 investigated

grooming against library actions and librarians. Their arguments, Summerhays said, are supported by audio recordings of Library Board meetings. He concluded that the women demonstrated that Judge’s motivation for silencing Brevis was viewpoint discrimination.

“Judge’s justification for silencing Brevis’ remarks on the ground that they were offensive does not pass constitutional muster,” Summerhays wrote.

The presence of law enforcement officers, the posted state statute and treatment of Brevis could reasonably cause other speakers like Mejia to self-censor their comments, Summerhays wrote, a violation of Mejia’s right to free speech under the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution Further, he wrote, Judge’s actions “were objectively unreasonable in light of clearly established law.”

Last week’s ruling means the lawsuit can proceed

is “proof that the west bank is not just ready, but primed for growth.”

At the state level, the south Louisiana steel mill marks another huge victory for Landry and his economic development chief, LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois. It follows a December announcement that Meta will build its largest data center in Richland Parish in north Louisiana. The $10 billion investment will result in a 4 million-square-foot facility that is expected to employ 500 permanent workers.

The type of operation being planned, an electric arc furnace, is known for its reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

State officials say the mill would have 70% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a traditional blast furnace, which relies on coalbased coke for fuel.

This claim roughly matches those from industry sources and from groups like the nonprofit Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, which advocates for a clean energy transition in manufacturing.

The Nucor Steel mill in Decatur, Alabama, has an electric arc fur-

whether former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton broke the law by communicating about classified information with her aides on a private email server she set up, though the FBI ultimately recommended against charges and none were brought.

In the Biden administration, some officials were given permission to download Signal on their White House-issued phones, but were instructed to use the app sparingly, according to a former national security official who served in the Democratic administration.

The official, who requested anonymity to speak about methods used to share sensitive information, said Signal was most commonly used to communicate what they internally referred to as “tippers” to notify someone when they were away from the office or traveling overseas that they should check their “high side” inbox for a classified message.

The app was sometimes also used by officials during the Biden administration to communicate about scheduling of sensitive meetings or classified phone calls when they were outside the office, the official said. The use of Signal became more prevalent during the

Before having Brevis removed from the speaker’s podium, Judge had Matthew Humphrey, former president of the local chapter of Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, arrested during a February 2022 Library Board meeting for saying one word out of turn. He was handcuffed, led by off-duty deputies to a police car and charged with disturbing the peace.

Three years after the arrest, Humphrey was exonerated in court and received an apology from a local judge.

Judge stepped down as board president in August 2023 as a compromise to resigning from the Library Board under pressure from some residents and Parish Council members after two yearsofcontroversialactions. His current term expires Sept. 30, but Judge is eligible for reappointment by the Parish Council.

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

nace plant that produced about 7% more steel than the proposed Hyundai would. The Alabama mill emitted little more than a ton of potent toxic chemicals like mercury, zinc and chromium but also had about a dozen tons of those metals that were shipped off-site to a landfill, according to an EPA database.

If the Hyundai mill’s emissions are similar to the Decatur mill’s, the proposed plant’s emissions would be dwarfed by the emissions of facilities already in the area, including the CF Industries complex just down the river

The mill would be built in an area of poor, mostly minority communities that federal regulators say is already near the acceptable cancer risk from air pollution. One nearby community near Modeste, has a risk that is twice the federal standard for cancer risk from pollution.

Some environmental groups, like the Louisiana Bucket Brigade and a local Ascension group, Rural Roots, have already come out against the project.

“We are already inundated with polluting facilities and no gov-

last year of the Biden administration after federal law enforcement officials warned that China and Iran were hacking the White House as well as officials in the first Trump administration, according to the official.

ernment agency, state or federal, has protected our interests,” said Ashley Gaignard, president of Rural Roots. “We have no reason to believe there will be any oversight of this plant.”

Electric arc steel furnaces have fewer emissions but rely on scrap steel to operate. It is a step that saves on pollution, but the furnaces still have significant power demands that can result in their own greenhouse gas and other emissions, depending on the source, according to the World Steel Association.

The steel industry also has heavy competition for scrap metal, and it is often sourced from foreign markets.

Entergy President and CEO Phillip May said the company will supply all of the steel plant’s power via transmission lines supported by the company’s existing energy generation plans. Those plans could include proposed power plants in the New Orleans area and in southwest Louisiana, May said.

Email Alyse Pfeil at alyse.pfeil@ theadvocate.com.

The official was unaware of top Biden administration officials — such as Vice President Kamala Harris, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and national security adviser Jake Sullivan — using Signal to discuss sensitive plans as the Trump administration officials did. Some of the toughest criticism targeted Hegseth, a

Secretary of Defense in history, is demonstrating his incompetence by literally leaking classified war plans in the group chat.”

former Fox News

Channel

weekend host Sen. Tammy Duckworth, an Iraq War veteran, said on social media that Hegseth, “the most unqualified

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By The Associated Press

Firefighters in North and South Carolina were battling multiple wind-driven wildfires Monday in rugged terrain that complicated containment efforts, officials said.

Millions of trees knocked down by Hurricane Helene last year combined with long stretches of dry weather this spring are making for a long and active fire season in the Carolinas, North Carolina State University forestry and environmental resources professor Robert Scheller said.

“Helene just dropped tons of fuel on the ground,” Scheller said. “Then these flash droughts allow that fuel to dry out very fast.”

Both South Carolina and North Carolina have issued statewide bans on outdoor burning.

Mandatory evacuations continue for about 165 properties in parts of Polk County in western North Carolina, about 80 miles west of Charlotte, according to county spokesperson Kellie Cannon.

Three fires burned at least 7.5 square miles in the county and the two larger blazes were completely uncontained, Cannon said in a social media update Monday morning.

The Black Cove Fire, one of the larger ones, was moving toward neighboring Henderson County, Cannon said Kim Callaway who lives near one of the evacuated areas in Polk County, has prepared her home, WLOS-TV reported.

“We’ve already actually evacuated everything that we thought that was important,” Callaway said. “And now we’re just staying at the house and trying to do what we can to get our house prepared if the firemen need to show up and hold the line.”

A downed power line sparked the Black Cove Fire, but the causes of the other two fires in Polk County were under investigation, according to North Carolina Forest Service spokesperson Jeremy Waldrop.

A number of other wildfires burning across the state including one that damaged 500 vehicles at a salvage yard in Burke County, officials said.

Two fires in the South Carolina mountains have led Gov. Henry McMaster to declare a state of emergency

One fire was in Table Rock State Park in Pickens County and the other was on Persimmon Ridge in Greenville County Winds and difficult mountainous terrain allowed blazes to grow, the South Carolina Forestry Commission said.

The Table Rock Fire expanded to more than 2 square miles, including several hundred acres that firefighters intentionally burned to try to contain the flames, officials said. The Persimmon Ridge Fire, which started Saturday, spread to more than 1.25 square

miles despite many dozens of water drops, the commission said.

Human activity ignited both the Table Rock and Persimmon Ridge fires. No injuries had been reported, and while no structures were imminently threatened, voluntary evacuations of about 100 homes remained in place.

Scheller, the North Carolina State University professor, predicted this busy fire season if the region saw dry weather following Helene

Scientists saw something similar in 2022 when a fire burned more than 51 square miles of timberland in the Florida Panhandle. The Bertha Swamp Road Fire almost directly followed the eye pattern from 2018’s Hurricane Michael and the fallen pine trees left behind.

Pines and their waxy needles dry out and become very flammable, Scheller said. The fallen trunks can also block roads and paths used to fight fires, experts said.

The last ingredient to fuel wildfires is dry weather Despite recent rain, the Carolinas are undergoing an extreme drought according to federal monitors The common denominator for many fires on the East Coast is human activity whether people burn debris, light a campfire that isn’t well watched or toss out cigarette, Scheller said. And more people living next to areas that

a bigger threat, he said. A

Jan Risher

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

Renovation keeps Alarios busy

Trina Edwards Alario has a definite sense of style.

And she’s taking that style to her husband’s beloved Gretna, on the West Bank of the Mississippi River, just east and across the river from Uptown New Orleans. Since she married John Alario on June 1, 2023, the couple has, until recently, maintained two homes — the one Trina had in Baton Rouge and the home in Westwego where he’s lived for nearly six decades. (He and his first wife built it for $19,000 in 1966.) This month, they sold her Baton Rouge University Club home and plan to eventually sell his Westwego home.

A 99-year-old house on historic Huey P. Long Avenue in Gretna set the couple’s real estate domino effect in motion. They both say they knew it would take a special place, meeting a lot of requirements, for them to consolidate their lives into one home.

Putting it into the universe

“I’m a Baton Rouge girl,” Trina said. “But when John showed me Huey P. Long Avenue in Gretna, I thought, ‘I could live here.’”

The problem was that the homes of Gretna’s Historic District are loaded with curb appeal and rarely come on the market — a reality that did not deter her Once she decided that was where she wanted to go, when people asked, she would simply say, “Oh, we’re moving to Huey P Long Avenue.” If they asked, “Which house?”

She would reply, “I don’t know yet.”

Trina isn’t shy about putting into the universe what she wants. She’s a woman who knows a lot about dreaming big.

In April 2024, she got exactly what she wanted — the perfect house on Huey P. Long in Gretna. Though she wouldn’t describe the path toward its renovations as “dreamy,” the home is coming together, after much ado and with a dedicated design team.

After months of meetings with the Gretna Historical Society for approvals, they’re making progress

A rule follower

In the past few weeks (since photos for this story were taken), the outside of the couple’s new home has been painted — with a historical society-approved color, of course. The walls have been finished on the inside and some have been painted.

“Other than that, it’s going slow as hell,” Trina said Monday

The Alarios are working with Flynn Designs in River Ridge to redecorate the home, which was originally built in 1926. They have gutted and re-imagined it keeping its architectural integrity and abiding by all rules and historical society recommendations.

Trina describes her husband as a rule follower.

“I married one rule breaker and one rule follower,” she quips, referencing her previous husband, Edwin Edwards, who died in 2021 at 93 years old. Edwards served four terms as Louisiana’s governor — along with an eight-year stint in federal prison after he was found guilty of racketeering charges.

Edwards and John Alario were close friends and longtime political allies in Louisiana government. John Alario served 48 years in the Louisiana Legislature, both as president of the Senate and speaker of the House. These days, he’s playing a different role, by Trina’s side, making decisions about a different house.

As the couple reviews plans for John Alario’s writing desk, they look at a photograph of the chair they will use, adding that

Former chief dismissed from suit

Ex-lieutenant

alleged retaliation over reports

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Former Eunice Police Chief Ran-

dy Fontenot was dismissed Thursday from a federal lawsuit filed by a lieutenant alleging he was retaliated against for reporting wrongdoing Judge Robert Summerhays, of the U.S. District Court’s Western District of Louisiana in Lafayette,

dismissed Fontenot from the lawsuit primarily because the chief is retired.

Michael Dunn alleged in the June 4, 2021, lawsuit he suffered retaliation under the First Amendment and whistleblower law after reporting “pervasive corruption and misconduct” at the Eunice Police Department under Fontenot from 2017 until he resigned in December 2022.

Dunn’s allegations included instances of misconduct by fellow officers like excessive force, neglect of inmates’ medical needs, the mishandling of evidence and the misuse of funds.

The lawsuit states that Dunn in-

formed various local, state and federal authorities of the problems, including the selective enforcement of the law by Fontenot, who Dunn alleges protected family members, friends and political allies from criminal charges. Those authorities took no action.

When Fontenot learned of Dunn’s reports in June 2020, the lawsuit alleges Fontenot and other officers retaliated in an attempt to force him to resign.

Dunn wanted a court declaration that Fontenot’s actions were unconstitutional, a permanent injunction ordering the chief to stop unlawful and unconstitutional actions and a public apology

Summerhays ruled that because Fontenot is no longer police chief, Dunn’s personal stake is moot Dunn also sought a declaratory judgment ruling that Fontenot violate the First Amendment and Louisiana law, but there is no ongoing action or future action to halt. It “appears to be an attempt at vindication for Dunn going forward with no clear prospect of remedying any legal cognizable interest,” Summerhays wrote. Regarding the public apology demand, the judge wrote that Dunn hasn’t shown that a public apology would correct the harm to his reputation and prospects for employment.

ABOVE: The old Celebrity Theater is demolished to make way for redevelopment on Thursday in Broussard.

RIGHT: Water is sprayed during demolition to minimize dust.

FINAL SHOW

Lake Charles to open children’s museum

Port Wonder will be kid and family friendly

BY COURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer

Children in the Lake Charles area soon will have the opportunity to pretend to be an ant, experience the water cycle, explore the human body systems and learn about the local ecosystem all in one building. Two-thirds of Port Wonder, 1011 N. Lakeshore Drive in Lake Charles, will be the new home of the Children’s Museum of Southwest Louisiana and the remainder will house the area’s first Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Nature and Science Center

The $25 million complex is a public-private partnership with

several entities, including the state of Louisiana, city of Lake Charles and the Children’s Museum of Southwest Louisiana.

Museum Executive Director Allyson Montgomery said the goal of Port Wonder is to have a learning experience for children to explore the world around them.

“Children learn best through play,” Montgomery said “For us to be able to bring concepts that they can manipulate with their hands, explore with their minds and discover just all of the things that they can be whenever they grow up is very important in their learning experiences.”

Final touches are being done to Port Wonder before the opening. There’s not a firm date yet for the public opening. Last week, there was an invite-only

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

Carolyn Baker Marzette broke barriers when she was called to serve as the first Black female officer at the Opelousas Police Department. More than 20 years later, Marzette is being honored for overcoming gender biases and racial discrimination and for being a pillar of strength and service, leading the way for generations of female officers to come. There will be a

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

PROVIDED PHOTO

Carolyn Baker Marzette served as the first Black female officer at the Opelousas Police Department.

OPINION

OUR VIEWS

Census data show state needs to redouble efforts to stem outmigration

The latest U.S. Census figures for 2024 reveal a mixed bag for Louisiana, which has long struggled to stem the tide of its residents leaving for better jobs and better lives elsewhere While the state’s population ticked up a bit, nearly two-thirds of Louisiana parishes saw population declines — bad news that shows the widespread nature of the population loss.

Even worse news is that two parishes — Orleans and Caddo — were in the top five in the country for population loss among counties with 100,000 or more people. Caddo’s population dip of 1,567 people, or .71%, was the fourth fastest rate of population loss from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024, among large counties. Orleans Parish’s decline of about 2,466 people, or 0.68%, gave it the fifth fastest rate of population loss in that time period. This was at a time when two-thirds of the nation’s largest counties saw population gains.

Among metro areas, the New Orleans region was among those losing population at the fastest clip year over year Looking over the threeyear period from 2000-2023, it topped the list of fastest-shrinking metro areas, with a population loss of 3.9%. Further underscoring New Orleans’ slide is that nine of the top 10 fastestgrowing metro areas were in the South

However there were some bright spots in the census report. And it’s important that we focus on these, because they may well provide a road map to how the state can turn things around. Five parishes — Calcasieu, Livingston, Ascension, Tangipahoa, and Lafayette saw population gains of between 1% and 2%. After years of population declines, East Baton Rouge and Jefferson posted growth of 0.5% and 0.4% respectively

The largest growth was in Lafayette Parish, which added 3,760 people, a 1.5% increase. It also had the largest amount of net migration at 2,536 residents. Its international migration was the fourth-highest in the state.

So what to make of all these numbers? First, we must admit that reversing out-migration is a tougher problem than many thought. We note that Gov Jeff. Landry has made it a point from his inaugural address, to send the message that Louisiana residents who have fled the state in recent years are now “welcome home ” His economic team has made impressive strides in attracting new jobs and new industries to the state by embracing new strategies, but we’d like to see similar coordinated actions to tackle outmigration.

Louisiana must send a message that we are open to all who want to build a prosperous life We must redouble our efforts to improve the quality-of-life measures that we so often score low on. We must have all parts of our society engaged in this fight — from businesses and civic leaders to activists and artists.

With all hands on deck, we have no doubt that Louisiana can turn the tide and finally be a place that lives up to its promise for newcomers and long-suffering residents as well.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com. TO SEND US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

Ukraine’s demands are reasonable given history and promises made

When Ukraine declared its independence from the communist U.S.S.R. in 1991, 1,700 nuclear warheads remained on Ukrainian territory, some housed in underground launch silos. Ukraine became the third largest nuclear power in the world, with the knowledge of how to design and produce even more weapons. The other nuclear powers convinced Ukraine that it did not need to rely upon nuclear deterrence. On Dec. 5, 1994, the Budapest Memorandum was signed by the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia, where these nuclear powers agreed to respect the independence and sovereignty of Ukraine and its existing borders if Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons.

These three countries promised to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of Ukraine.

In 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine and took possession of the Crimean peninsula and parts of Eastern Ukraine. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine again,

seeking to capture Kyiv within weeks and to force the country to surrender Ukraine resisted. Russia responded by blowing up Ukraine’s power plants and hospitals and targeting civilian populations with rockets and drones. Russian troops have raped and tortured women and children, and have taken more than 19,000 hostages, transporting them to Russia. More than 6 million Ukrainians have become refugees, and more than hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians have been killed or injured by the invading Russian and North Korean soldiers supported by drones and missiles made in Iran. Russia has repeatedly violated its 1994 agreement and U.N. resolutions. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is only asking the United States to honor its 1994 commitment, provide a meaningful deterrence against future Russian aggression and restore its land that was seized by the Russians.

BRUCE A. GAUDIN Opelousas

Proposal to remove fluoridation will cause harm

Every dentist in Louisiana should be excited and happy to support the proposed legislation by state Sens. Mike Fesi and Patrick McMath to eliminate fluoridation in our water It will be a great boon for dentists in our state. Their practices will increase with the need for more teeth to repair more extractions and more bridges and dentures for their patients.

You would think that after decades of scientific proof of the advantages of fluoride to our water to help improve oral health, these senators would turn their attention to some of the real problems facing Louisiana such as a new bridge in Lake Charles or an Interstate

12 roundabout in Baton Rouge and not another bridge to nowhere for Interstate 10. After spending my whole life and career in Louisiana, almost nothing surprises me about politics in our state. I would hope if this proposal goes forward, that Dr Ralph Abraham would testify against it. If it should ever reach Gov Jeff Landry’s desk, I would hope that he would immediately veto this ridiculous bill for the protection of oral health for the children and citizens of Louisiana.

DR. RONALD B MARKS past president, Louisiana Dental Association and Louisiana State Board of Dentistry

Where is the proof of fraud claimed by Elon Musk?

So, isn’t it impressive that the Trump administration, with the help of Elon Musk, has found “billions and billions” of dollars of fraud and corruption within the federal government? I assume the courts will be overwhelmed with all the cases against the people responsible. With billions involved, there must be thousands of miscreants.

Wait! What? Not one person has been charged? How can that be? Why haven’t they provided details or proof of any specific crime? Not one?

It’s become painfully obvious that all these claims of fraud and corruption are

just generalized assumptions. To add insult to injury, their firings are being blamed on unsatisfactory performance, a charge not substantiated by previous performance reviews in most, if not all, cases. No one denies that there is waste and corruption in the federal workforce, but eliminating qualified, dedicated personnel that protect U.S. citizens every day from all kinds of dangers, diseases, financial scams, etc., is not the way to approach it. This will not end well. PAUL DUFFY Baton Rouge

‘Demand that the people who represent us mirror our values’

Our country is based on the premise that our nation is governed by members of the adult citizenry who are duly elected by free and fair elections to represent their constituents. These elections, the will of the people, allow our democracy to survive. We must accept the results of the elections and work together to enjoy the freedoms this country provides. Further, it is imperative that to survive as a nation we must conduct ourselves in a civilized manner that instills professionalism, integrity and pride. Currently, many elected officials are disgruntled, angry, bitter and belligerent. Their behavior is embarrassing and vile. It is an insult to our nation and the American people.

As Americans, we must not accept this type of behavior We must demand that the people who represent us mirror our values. If that is not possible, if they will not display the professionalism and integrity that is required of our representatives in the sacred halls of Congress, we must demand that they are held accountable for their actions.

To accept this behavior is an insult to the men and women who have valiantly sacrificed, fought and died for the freedoms we are blessed to have. Our country stands with pride and integrity and no one has the right to tear it down.

LINCOLN SAVOIE past state commander, Department of VFW Louisiana Sunset I find it hypocritical of Gov Jeff Landry and his administration to be so pro-life but have no problem newly implementing execution by nitrogen gas, which is an horrific death. They’re pro-birth, not pro-life.

KATHY

BUCKMAN New Orleans

Could the courts be the answer for bad water?

Monterey is a tiny unincorporated community on the banks of Black River Lake, a sinewy oxbow nestled in Concordia Parish about 25 miles southwest of Natchez. It’s in the heart of Louisiana’s prime agricultural zone, surrounded by some of the most fertile soil in the state. So unless you really like to farm or bass fish, you probably haven’t been to Monterey And if you like drinking water from the tap, it might be best to stay away Its obscurity may not last long, however Earlier this month, a group of Monterey residents filed a lawsuit against their local water system, called the Monterey Rural Water System, and its management company, Harrisonburg-based JCP Management.

The system responded in a series of letters noting that the water plant needed significant repairs because some drains on its water softeners had corroded. Necessary parts took weeks arrive, and the repairs were complex. In addition, a company installing fiber had repeatedly punctured water mains during the fall, necessitating more boil advisories.

At the time the suit was filed on March 7, the entire system had been under a boil advisory for more than one month, the suit says.

The suit, filed on behalf of a handful of residents but seeking class action status, alleges that the district and the company have been negligent in providing the system’s roughly 1,800 customers with “clean, safe and potable water.”

It’s not hard to see why they’re frustrated. One resident, who is not a named plaintiff and did not want her name used, said she often gets a chlorine smell from the water handwashes all her dishes and refuses to cook with the tap water or give it to her pets. Dozens of pictures on a Facebook page for Monterey Rural Water System customers showed brown water running from taps. Sometimes, it was silty or salty, residents noted. After scores of comments were posted, the Facebook page’s admins collected a list of 85 complaints and sent them to both the system and to the Louisiana Department of Health.

Providing clean water is one of the basic services of a functioning government. No one should have to go to court to make sure they get it. But more and more, residents in Louisiana towns and cities are not able to rely on the water their local authorities provide.

In Killian, a well problem forced Livingston Parish officials to spend thousands of dollars per day to truck in water

In Richland Parish, low water pressure allowed a farmer’s herbicide to backfill into the system, and residents were warned not just to avoid drinking the water, but to avoid touching it.

Urban areas are not immune. The saltwater wedge moving up the Mississippi River in 2023 threatened both New Orleans and Jefferson Parish. Baton Rouge is facing saltwater increasingly creeping into its aquifer Shreveport’s system could use significant upgrades. In a state where water is abundant — under the ground, on top of the ground and, often, falling from the sky — Louisiana has long treated it as an inexhaustible resource. But that’s

changing. In places all over the state, officials and residents are grappling with aging infrastructure and declining water quality It’s rapidly becoming a real crisis, one that will not yield to a quick — or cheap — solution.

That may be a hard pill for many residents, who have been accustomed to cheap water for decades and balk at higher fees and taxes. Many politicians are hesitant to implement them because of the perceived political cost.

But what would be the cost of a major failure, such as what happened in Flint, Michigan, or Jackson, Mississippi? Then we won’t be talking about political futures, but people’s health and lives.

This is where the Monterey lawsuit comes in. If the residents there are successful, if they win some sort of legal victory against the water system, then other communities may take notice. Some of them may decide to take their problems to the courts, and Monterey could provide the playbook. The suit could also jolt elected leaders and their voters into doing something meaningful about water problems.

A 2021 law passed by the Legislature assigns grades to water systems, largely based on the condition of their infrastructure, operations and financial viability The grades take into account whether the system has had any federal or state water quality violations and customer complaints.

It’s a good first step, but more is needed. Just ask Monterey residents. In 2023, the last year for which grades are available, their system got an A. Faimon A. Roberts III can be reached at froberts@theadvocate.com.

Trump distracts from a more dangerous threat

Obscured by the absurd theatricality of this Donald Trump presidency is a dangerous erosion of the principle upon which the nation was founded: the rule of law

The genius of the Constitution is its system of checks and balances, with three equal branches of the federal government sharing power Trump is claiming the authority to rule as he pleases, arrogantly daring Congress and the judiciary to stop him.

Last Saturday, in defiance of a federal court order, Trump used the Alien Enemies Act — a 1798 law previously invoked only in wartime — to deport 137 Venezuelan migrants flying them and 124 others to El Salvador for open-ended detention in a grim prison complex accused of brutal human rights violations The White House claims, without offering proof, that the Venezuelans were members of a violent gang called Tren de Aragua, which officials call a “terrorist” group waging “war” against the United States.

The irony is rich, because the whole made-for-television episode — complete with video of migrants being hauled away in shackles, having their heads shaved and being forced to kneel before their Salvadoran jailers — was clearly intended to terrorize the millions of undocumented migrants who remain in the United States.

Early Saturday evening, U.S District Judge James Boasberg issued a ruling barring the deportations and ordering that aircraft ferrying the migrants be turned around if necessary Yet according to The Post’s analysis of flight records, the three planes landed in El Salvador hours after Boasberg’s ruling. “I don’t care what the judges think,” said Tom Homan, Trump’s border czar Trump went so far as to call Boasberg a “Radical Left Lunatic of a Judge” on social media and proclaim that he “should be IMPEACHED.” That outburst prompted a rare statement from Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., who said that “impeachment is not an appropriate response to a disagreement concerning a judicial decision” and that the “normal appellate review process exists for that purpose.” No one should have sympathy for violent criminals who have no legal right to remain in the United States.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE

I certainly don’t. But I do cherish the rule of law — and you should, too. We have no way of knowing whether those deported migrants are gangsters, because they were given no due process. They never had their day in court.

Trump has been equally contemptuous of the legislative branch. Article I of the Constitution gives Congress the exclusive authority to write laws and set spending levels. This president seeks to usurp those powers as well. Using the world’s richest man, Elon Musk, as his sledgehammer, Trump has smashed an entire agency established and funded by Congress — the U.S. Agency for International Development and threatens to eliminate another, the Education Department. Federal judges have repeatedly ordered the administration to disburse billions of dollars in congressionally authorized spending by USAID, much of it to provide lifesaving food, shelter and medical care in countries racked by war and disease. But by all accounts, only a trickle of that money is getting through The will of Congress, as expressed in its appropriations legislation, is being ignored. The will of the federal judiciary, as expressed in multiple court rulings, is being ignored. “Judges aren’t allowed to control the executive’s legitimate power,” Vice President JD Vance declared last month. That is indeed true. But Trump is exercising

power that does not legitimately belong to him — and challenging Congress and the courts to do anything about it.

That’s what is really happening while Trump distracts everyone with relentless bluster and a nonstop barrage of look-over-here pronouncements. He trumpets punishing tariffs against our trading partners, then cancels them, then reimposes them. Or maybe not. He picks fights with our closest allies and makes a show of renaming the Gulf of Mexico.

Recently apropos of nothing, he declared on social media that the preemptive pardons President Joe Biden issued to members of the Jan. 6 Committee were “VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen.”

He also announced the immediate withdrawal of Secret Service protection for Biden’s son Hunter and other members of the former president’s family And he floated the idea of serving as emcee in chief at the next Kennedy Center Honors ceremony

I get it. Every day is a new episode of Trump’s reality show and another opportunity for boffo ratings. But each day is also another step in the weakening of the rule of law — and the undemocratic, un-American concentration of power in one man’s hands. Eugene Robinson is on X, @Eugene_ Robinson.

Even Will Rogers might be hard pressed to come up with an appropriately harsh jibe about the current state of the Democrats.

“I am not a member of any organized political party,” the 20th-century humorist famously said.

“I am a Democrat.”

Now, the problem isn’t a lack of organization per se, but the hangover of their dogged, dishonest support for a comprehensively failed presidency, joined to an irrational commitment to outlandish positions on cultural issues.

The Democrats shouldn’t be shocked that after insisting that Joe Biden was hale and hearty and fit to serve as commander in chief until January, 2029, the public has a dim view of their party

The Democrats attempted to perpetrate one of the worst frauds on the American public in recent history, and then followed it up with another lie — that Biden’s overmatched emergency replacement, Kamala Harris, was joyful and impressive.

In a new CNN poll, the Democratic Party’s favorable rating is 29% — a record low going back to 1992.

In a new NBC poll, the Democratic Party’s favorable rating is 27% — a record low going back to 1990.

Detect a pattern?

Part of the reason for the dismal rating is that Democrats themselves want their party to be more confrontational with Trump and are dissatisfied.

But the party has taken a broader hit in the NBC poll, only 11% of independents have a favorable view of it, and 56% unfavorable.

The agonized state of the party was encapsulated by its psychodrama over the so-called continuing resolution that 10 Senate Democrats, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted to pass recently Progressives consider Schumer’s support a rank betrayal, and he’s had to postpone a book tour amid “security concerns.”

The New York senator, who warned conservative Supreme Court justices a few years ago, “You have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price,” is now paying one himself. Schumer made the right tactical call. If Senate Democrats had successfully filibustered the spending bill, they would have been blamed for the resulting shutdown, further tanking the party’s image with the middle of the electorate. In the fierce backlash against Schumer for saving his party another embarrassment, the left-wing congresswoman from New York, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is getting promoted as a potential primary challenger to Schumer, and even a national leader for Democrats.

In the CNN poll, Democrats were asked which political figure best represents the “core values” of their party, and AOC narrowly led.

She has as good a claim to this title as anyone — and that’s the problem.

AOC is Kamala Harris, if the California Democrat hadn’t flipped-flopped away from all the fringy things she said in 2019.

She’s Bernie Sanders, if the Vermont socialist were about 50 years younger and could plausibly appear on the cover of Vanity Fair wearing the latest fashion.

She’s Mahmoud Khalil, if the Columbia University activist that the Trump administration wants to deport somehow managed to get himself elected to Congress.

AOC rejects the term “woke,” but there is no woke policy that she doesn’t support.

She loved the neologism Latinx (“gender is fluid, language is fluid”), and still supports biological males competing in female sports (“trans girls are girls”).

She’s never met an immigration restriction that she likes.

The reason Joe Biden won in 2020 is he didn’t seem like a progressive, and one reason his party lost in 2024 is that he governed like one.

AOC’s brand is the 2024 Biden rather than the 2020 Biden, except even more so.

She’s charismatic and adept at social media, which easily could bring her greater fame and influence, but she’s a cartoonish version of the Democratic Party that the GOP hopes to run against.

Will Rogers also once commented, “You’ve got to admit that each party is worse than the other The one that’s out always looks the best.” If their fervor to oppose Trump throws Democrats into the arms of AOC, they will test the accuracy of this proposition.

Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry.

Faimon Roberts

Rich Lowry

Eugene Robinson

ABACA/TNS PHOTO By yURI GRIPAS

President Donald Trump speaks March 13 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington.

dad and a mother who implemented rigid rules and structured living for her and her five siblings, she said some of her most bittersweet memories stem from time spent with her mother teaching her and her siblings how to properly dress, making sure the bed was made each day and being well-mannered

After graduating high school, Marzette’s strong belief in structure led her to a career of serving. She answered the call to serve her country by enlisting in the United States Air Force. During her time in the military, she was able to reinforce her childhood values of discipline, which would guide her throughout her career

“The military was like a second teacher, but my parents were my first,” she said. “Between my experiences and my parents, I knew I’d endure obstacles along whatever route I took, but I was God fearing.”

After two years in the military, she relocated to California, where she married her late husband. Together, the couple had two sons, David Baker and Daryl Baker and a daughter, Chanieta Smith.

After relocating from California to Missouri with her family, she longed to be back in her hometown to figure out her next step. In the late 1970s she moved back to Louisiana for a final time She learned about an opening for a female officer at the Police Department, applied and was hired in April 1975.

“I knew I wanted to help others and the opportunity presented itself,” Marzette said. “Once I got the job, I always said that I will stay true to my mission, which was help others and serve my community.”

She served more than two decades at the Police Department and built lifelong relationships with local business owners and the community. She said those relationships are what allowed her to ensure that law enforcement was not just about protection, but also partnership.

Over the years, she became a respected officer in the Opelousas community

Her work inspired many others to join in helping make a change, including her youngest brother, Ernest Brown, who served as a State Police trooper, and her sister, Janice Brown, who also joined the military

“She’s always been my hero,” her daughter said. Smith said her mother’s lifestyle has also been a blueprint for her as she navigates life.

“I thank God for her and now the city of Opelousas for recognizing her great work. My mother is a pioneer and deserves to be celebrated. I couldn’t be more proud to be her daughter,” Smith said.

RISHER

Continued from page 1B

the room will also include his chair from when he was president of the state Senate.

“I had to buy from the state,” John Alario said, adding that it cost about $1,300.

Designing a new home

The Alarios invited me to join them for one of their regularly scheduled meetings with Kristine Flynn, owner and designer at Flynn Designs, and designer Jennifer Cheatham, followed by a visit to their work-in-progress Gretna home. Before the meeting at the designers’ office, they had arranged for five test wood stains on the Gretna home’s recently sanded

soft openi event Montgomery expected the opening to be in a few weeks.

Port Wonder has been a concept for 10 years and in the works for seven In fact, over its 37 years, the Children’s Museum of Southwest Louisiana has had several homes before this one, including one in an abandoned department store and a basement of a former school.

Lake Charles Mayor Nicholas “Nic” Hunter said while the journey to bring the attraction to Lake Charles has been a long one, delayed by tropical storms and a global pandemic, there have been many individuals intent on bringing the experience to Lake Charles. “What we have built for you

floors, awaiting the couple to choose the winner

“Oh, this what I wanted to tell you,” Flynn said “The floors are not white oak They’re red oak — that’s why it keeps pulling the red.”

The wood-stain choice was only one of the decisions to review

Alongside pages of oversized architectural plans, five large acrylic trays each representing a different room and filled with samples and swatches of tiles, fabrics, decorative trims for curtains, carpets, paint colors, molding and wood stains crowded the meeting table.

The tray dedicated to Jan Alario’s room got a lot of attention as everyone in the room is highly considerate of what John Alario’s 57-year-old daughter, who has Down syndrome, wants her room to be.

here with Port Wonder is not only something that is first class in Lake Charles, not only something that’s first class along the entire Gulf Coast,” Hunter said. “Port Wonder

would be a first-class, familyfriendly, family fun, educational, quality of life, tourism, inducing amenity in any major city in the United States of America.”

Todd Hancock, Sasol Chemicals vice president of U.S. operations, said his company donated to Port Wonder to help increase the amount of science, technology and engineering awareness for Calcasieu Parish and beyond. When Port Wonder opens,

Jan Alario will have her own space downstairs, as will Trina’s 11-year-old son with Edwards, Eli.

“She doesn’t want sconces,” Trina said. “She says that those are too hard to work. She wants desk lamps.”

Desk lamps it is.

“I thought the process was gonna be more difficult for Jan, but really, she’s been very decisive,” Trina said.

Jan Alario has charmed the design team, as has her father, who, throughout the process, has been his usual diplomatic self.

The designers agree that the Alarios have similar tastes, with few style differences.

“But every now and then, he’s the tiebreaker,” Flynn said.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

Former Cajuns standouts comfortable at pro day

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

It’s all about putting your best foot forward when the NFL eyes are watching.

That was the case for 15 former Ragin’ Cajuns football players in front of just less than 30 team representatives Monday at UL’s Pro Day at the Moncla Indoor Practice Facility

“It’s a lot of stress and a lot of pressure, because you’ve been working all these months with your head down buried under the water and you finally come up and have to put it all on display in one day,” left guard A.J. Gillie said.

Quarterback Ben Wooldridge remained as cool as ever

“This is just bouncing around with your boys and you’ve got a couple more eyes watching you,” Woolridge said “It’s all fun, it’s all good and then understanding the seriousness of it as well.”

Cornerback Keyon Martin showed off his speed with a sub-4.4 time in the 40-yard dash.

“I think this is the most nervous that I’ve ever been,” Martin said. “It’s just the anticipation up to it. You know you only get one shot to get it right. In a game you’ve got multiple plays. Today, that pressure was

SWEET VICTORY

LSU rides third-quarter avalanche to win over FSU, moves on to Sweet 16

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

If it wanted to reach the Sweet 16, the LSU women’s basketball team had to first outrun, outgun and outcompete No. 6 seed Florida State, which operates one of the quickest, most productive offenses in the country

The No. 3 seeded Tigers checked all of those boxes in a lopsided third quarter LSU outscored the Seminoles 31-6 in that frame, propelling itself to a 101-71 win and a third consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16. On Saturday, the Tigers scored a program-tournament-record 103 points in a command-

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Sports columnist

Every week, it seems, LSU gymnast Konnor McClain gets a notification on her phone about some new historic thing the program has done.

ing win over No. 14 seed San Diego State.

On Monday, the Tigers shot 56% from the field and assisted 29 field goals, seven more than their previous season high. They also held Florida State, the nation’s No. 2 scoring offense, to a 36% shooting night.

This Round-of-32 game was a relatively new challenge for LSU. The Tigers hadn’t faced a top-10 offense in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament since 2022, coach Kim Mulkey’s first season in charge That year ended in a close Round 2 loss to No. 6 seed Ohio State, which entered that matchup averaging 78.2 points per game.

No. 1 LSU headed to Penn State Regional UL plays home-away combo games with LSU teams

What the Tigers achieved Monday, in some ways, tops them all.

LSU earned the No 1 overall seed for the 36-team NCAA gymnastics championships on Monday the first such distinction for the Tigers LSU, which won the Southeastern Conference championship on Saturday in Birmingham, Alabama, will be the top seed in the nine-team Pennsylvania Regional, April 2-6 at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania.

“It means everything to us ” McClain said after the team held a low-key gathering in its practice facility to watch the regional assignments. “We started out the season pretty well and each week we accomplished something more.”

LSU’s regional semifinal is set for 6 p.m. April 3 and will be streamed live on ESPN+. The Tigers will compete in their semi along with No. 16 national seed Arkansas,

weekends.

Cajuns softball plays at home, while baseball team travels to Alex Box

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Tuesday’s a unique night for UL athletics with a doubleheader against two powerful LSU squads. On the softball side, coach Alyson Habetz’s Ragin’ Cajuns await No. 3-ranked LSU at 6 p.m. at Lamson Park (ESPN+).

In baseball, coach Matt Deggs is traveling to challenge No. 8-ranked LSU at 6 p.m. at Alex Box Stadium (SEC+).

“You go over there and you put the best group that you can possibly put out there and you play the best game that you can possibly play with the expectation of winning the ball game,” Deggs said.

“I’m not saying it’s the same team by a long shot, but two years ago, they were No. 1 in the country and we went over

there without DeBo (Kyle DeBarge) and without Julian (Brock) and were able to find a way to win that ballgame.

“It’s baseball, you just don’t know. You never know.”

Softball already made the trip to Baton Rouge, losing 14-0 in five innings on March 11. The common denominator with each team right now is coping through injuries. Habetz’s club (16-14, 3-3) got freshman first baseman Emily Smith back this weekend after missing two weeks with a concussion and her impact was immediate, including a two-homer game Saturday Unfortunately, left fielder Kayla Falterman suffered a similar injury on the basepath in Sunday’s loss to UL-Monroe.

“With Kayla, we’re playing for her really,” teammate Gabbie Stutes said. “Whoever goes in for her they’re playing to have her back. They’re playing for her while she’s out.”

See LSU, page 3C

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Mikaylah Williams looks to move the ball as Florida State guard Sydney Bowles defends in the first quarter of their NCAA Tournament second-round game on Monday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

Cornerback Keyon Martin runs the 40-yard dash during UL’s Pro Day at Moncla Practice Facility

LSU loses Williams, Chest to portal

BY TOYLOY BROWN III

Staff writer

LSU’s Mike Williams, a sophomore, entered the transfer portal, according to multiple reports, including 247Sports and On3.

The 6-foot-3 shooting guard played 24 games and averaged 4.0 points, 1.4 rebounds and shot 31.3% from the field in 11.2 minutes per game. Williams’ position in the rotation was in flux for most of the year He played a more diminished role than his freshman season when he started 22 games and played 33. He averaged 7.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and shot 37.1% in 19.5 minutes.

The Baltimore native did not start a game this season.

Coach Matt McMahon incorporated him more in the rotation late in the season once he employed four-guard lineups for the majority of games. Williams played 19.7 minutes and scored 7.6 points on 38% field-goal shooting in the final seven games. The scoring guard’s best game was a season-high 13 points on 4-of-5 shooting and one turnover in 14 minutes against South Carolina on Feb. 18. He was the team’s second-leading scorer, and his three 3-pointers were a team-high. McMahon during the season complimented the guard’s work ethic as his place on the team fluctuated.

“I’m really proud of him,” McMahon said after the South Caro-

lina game. “He’s had a challenging year, disjointed at times But, you know, I think he’s been really good for us here of late. He’s practiced at a high level. I think he’s invest-

ed time in the gym.” Williams was the No. 166 player and No. 26 shooting guard in the country in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports Composite. Chest

was the only other signee in that recruiting class.

Chest also enters portal

Corey Chest, a redshirt freshman, will also enter the transfer portal, according to his social media.

The 6-foot-8 forward played 26 games and averaged 6.1 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 20.1 minutes per game.

Chest didn’t play the final four games of the 2024-25 season because of a foot issue. Before his injury, he was replaced in the starting lineup after making 19 starts. McMahon employed a four-guard lineup and kept redshirt junior Daimion Collins as the lone big.

McMahon repeatedly complimented Chest’s rebounding abilities and motor this season.

“It’s energy it’s effort,” McMahon said. “Nothing I can coach. He just has a natural feel for how to go chase rebounds and pursue the ball, and he continues to do it at a high level. One of the better instinctual rebounders I’ve been around in my time.”

The athletic forward’s best game was a 12-point and 18-rebound outing against then-No. 4 Alabama on Jan. 25.

Chest was the No. 121 player and No. 27 power forward in the country in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports Composite.

Williams and Chest join Tyrell Ward in the transfer portal, which officially opened on Monday

Booker and No. 1 Texas dispatch No. 8 Illinois

BY JIM VERTUNO

AP sportswriter

AUSTIN, Texas Madison Booker scored 20 points and No. 1-seed Texas used a smothering defense to earn a 65-48 victory over No. 8 Illinois on Monday, sending the Longhorns to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

Ndjakalenga Mwenentanda added 19 points for Texas (33-3), which will meet Southeastern Conference rival No. 5 Tennessee (24-9) in Birmingham, Alabama, on Saturday Texas outscored Illinois 18-6 in the second quarter, then broke the game open at the start of the third when the Longhorns stretched the lead to 24 after steals by Booker and Rori Harmon led to quick baskets.

Texas’ relentless ball pressure harassed Illinois (22-10) the entire game, and the Longhorns scored 23 points off 20 Illini turnovers. Mwenentanda had started 12 of the Longhorns’ previous 14 games but was on the bench for tipoff again as Texas inserted freshman

guard Jordan Lee in her place. She responded by scoring a career high in points on 7 of 10 shooting and also grabbed six rebounds.

Adalia McKenzie led Illinois with 13 points.

Takeaways

Illinois: The Illini earned the program’s first NCAA Tournament win in 25 years in the first round against Creighton, but they will lose four senior starters, notably Kendall Bostic, the program’s career rebounds leader

“Our next step in this process is we want to get to the Sweet 16,” Illinois coach Shauna Green said.

“We’ll use the experience from this year, knowing we’ve played in a big moment,” said freshman Berry Wallace, who scored 12 points.

Texas: A No. 1 seed for the second consecutive year, the Longhorns will be looking to make the Elite Eight for the fourth time since 2021. Schaefer, who twice led Mississippi State to the championship game, called Texas “one of my better teams, y’all.”

“We’ve got enough,” he said. Short bench

The Illini mostly used a six-player rotation through its two tournament

games, and they wore down against the Longhorns’ pressure, Green said.

“They are so strong and physical and long,” Green said. “It wears on you.”

Power conferences fill Sweet 16 for first time ever

BY JOHN MARSHALL AP sportswriter

Years of bracket chaos have given way to the year of the power conference. Cinderella is staying home this time. The Sweet 16, a popular destination for bracket-busting midmajors, will be made up entirely of teams from power conferences, a first since the bracket expanded to 64 teams in 1985. Not a Saint Peter’s or Loyola Chicago in the bunch. Not even a Butler or Gonzaga.

The bracket was set up for this following a chalky first round, when the top four seeds went a combined 16-0 for the sixth time ever Two No. 12 seeds got through to the second round and one 11. They all lost. Highest seed to reach the Sweet 16: No. 10 Arkansas. Everyone else is 6 or higher with all four No. 1 seeds and three of the four 2s (

sorry St. John’s).

There will be four conferences represented at regional sties in San Francisco, Newark, Indianapolis and Atlanta. That’s the fewest in NCAA Tournament history and a far cry from the record of 11 (three times).

Speaking of records, the SEC racked up a trio of ‘em.

First, 14 teams made it into the bracket. Record Then, six teams lost in the first round. Record. Now, seven SEC teams are in the Sweet 16. Sweet record.

“We have worked hard as a league to get where we are this year and it’s always tough,” Tennessee coach Rick Barnes said. “But I would like to think even as fans that we would all have each other’s back this time of year and then we can go back to what we normally do.”

The other conferences — all three — fared fairly well as well.

The Big Ten was the early big bracket winner, becoming the

first league to go 8-0 in the first round and stretched it to 10-0 until BYU knocked off Wisconsin. Four teams were bumped out in the second round, but Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue and Maryland are feeling sweet. The newfangled Big 12 also represented itself well, matching a league record set in 2002 by landing four teams in the Sweet 16. Arizona is new to the Big 12 while Houston and BYU joined last year, so there were better odds than just a few years ago. Even so, four teams — with Texas Tech — gives the league a chance at three national champions in the past five years. The Atlantic Coast Conference, maligned by a rough early March start, has one Sweet 16er and it’s a good one. Duke and fabulous freshman Cooper Flagg were one of the favorites to win the national championship to open the season and still look that way after toying

No March Madness brackets remain perfect Brackets, busted.

The handful of remaining perfect brackets in the NCAA Tournament busted out on Sunday, ending the hopes of millions against exceptionally long odds.

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 Duke’s 89-66 win over Baylor left one remaining perfect bracket on ESPN’s tracker and it didn’t last long. That bracket imploded with Kentucky’s 84-75 win over Illinois, creating 24.3 million imperfect brackets.

The Wildcats’ win also killed off the last bracket of the 34 million on the NCAA’s platform.

Gold Cup opener to be played at SoFi Stadium

MIAMI The opening match of this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup on June 14 will be played SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the governing body announced Monday The opening match of this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup on June 14 will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the governing body announced Monday While CONCACAF announced the 14 venues for the tournament last September it has not given locations of specific matches other than the opener and the championship. There are no venues on the U.S. East Coast.

Mexico has won nine Gold Cups, including 2023. The U.S. has won seven, including 2021, and Canada won in 2000. The draw is April 10.

Pitino named Naismith Coach of the Year finalist

Rick Pitino is one step closer to college basketball’s top national coaching honor

The St John’s coach was named one of four finalists for Naismith Coach of the Year, joining Auburn’s Bruce Pearl, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson and Duke’s John Scheyer Monday’s announcement followed a year in which Pitino led St. John’s to a 31-5 record, its first outright Big East regular-season championship since 1985 and its first Big East Tournament crown since 2000.

St. John’s was a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, marking its first trip to the Big Dance since 2019. By rolling to an 83-53 victory over No. 15 Omaha in the first round, the Red Storm picked up their NCAA Tournament win in 25 years.

Titans sign Slye, replacing Folk after two seasons NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Tennessee Titans have signed six-year veteran Joey Slye as their new kicker, choosing not to bring back 40-yearold Nick Folk for a third season. The Titans announced the deal Monday

Slye has big shoes to fill with Folk leading the NFL in field goal percentage in each of the past two seasons making 96.7% of his kicks in 2023 and 95.5% in 2024. But Folk, who turns 41 in November, missed three games as the Titans went 3-14 last season.

Slye turns 29 on April 10. After playing at Virginia Tech, Slye started in the NFL in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers. In 2021, he kicked for three different teams starting with three games for the Houston Texans, three more with San Francisco and six with Washington.

with its first two NCAA Tournament opponents.

“For us to win by this margin, I think this speaks to the level of killer instinct that our guys have, the competitiveness and the connectivity,” coach Jon Scheyer said after the Blue Devils’ 89-66 win over once-formidable Baylor One thing is for certain: There won’t be a three-peat.

The first repeat champion since Florida in 2006-07, UConn kept the dream alive with an opening win over Oklahoma. The bid to join John Wooden’s UCLA teams as college basketball’s only threepeaters came to an emotional end on Sunday with a 77-75 loss to topseeded Florida.

“We’re a passionate program,” UConn coach Dan Hurley said, twice stopping to compose himself. “The players play with it. I coach with it. You’re always (expletive) drained when it’s over.”

The passion this year has been in the power — conferences.

Cornet to resume tennis career a year after retiring PARIS Less than a year after ending her tennis career, veteran Frenchwoman Alizé Cornet is making a comeback.

Cornet said in a statement relayed by Rouen tournament organizers on Monday that she will be playing at the indoor clay-court event next month.

“You thought you’d got rid of me, but it’s not quite the case yet,” said Cornet, who added that she had resumed training two months ago. Cornet retired last year after a 6-2, 6-1 loss to No. 7 seed Zheng Qinwen in the first round of the French Open.

The 35-year-old Cornet has been granted a spot in the main draw at Rouen through a

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy Texas forward Madison Booker scores against Illinois during the second half in the second round of the NCAA college basketball tournament on Monday in Austin, Texas.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Mike Williams shoots a 3-pointer against Alabama State on Nov. 10 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

Cooks has no regrets about first Saints departure

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Brandin Cooks doesn’t believe in burning bridges.

The wide receiver said he’s held that belief throughout life And it’s a mantra that has suited him well in the NFL as he has gone from one team to the next Cooks has been traded four times in his 11year NFL career, so it was fitting when he finally hit free agency for the first time earlier this month, he chose to sign back with the New Orleans Saints the team where it all began.

There were no hard feelings involved.

“I think it’s unnecessary,” Cooks said of burning bridges. “It’s like drinking poison and hoping something happens to the other person. It’s just energy that’s wasted. You wish each other the best and in all aspects of life, and you move on.” Cooks’ mentality is what allowed him to a sign a two-year, $13 million deal to return to the Saints last week — nine years after his initial departure. In 2016, the Saints traded the former first rounder and a fourth round draft pick to the New England Patriots in exchange for first- and third-round picks. The trade happened in part because Cooks was reportedly unhappy with his role and seeking to become one of the league’s highest-

PRO DAY

Continued from page 1C

there, but that pressure is a privilege.

“I’m comfortable with what I did today I’m satisfied with it. I feel like I came out here and put it in all on the table. I think I did my thing.” Martin and his former teammates have spent the offseason preparing to impress on pro day in the hopes of getting an opportunity in the NFL.

Lou Groza Award-winning placekicker Kenny Almendares was back at UL on Monday after a long stint working on his game in Buffalo, New York.

“I’ve been in some minus-10 type weather,” Almendares said. “Yes, I did that on purpose — trying to get away from distractions, but also if you kick in the cold, you can kick anywhere.

“Based on the way I worked out, the plan was to become the best kicker I could possibly become. The training was specified for that, and it’s something I’ve benefitted from a lot.” Almendares’ leg was so lively he was hitting the fan on the roof of the indoor facility. He made field goals as long as 63 yards.

“I haven’t taken a break since the bowl game,” Almendares said. “I’m trying to ride everything I’ve had and just feeling comfortable and confident.

“I think I did really well (Monday). I’m getting a lot of feedback, but at the end of the day, we’ve got to wait until draft day and see what happens.”

For linebacker K.C. Ossai, 277 career tackles at the college level

Continued from page 1C

Stutes could get more at-bats with Falterman out. Dayzja Williams replaced her in the batting order Sunday

“No matter who is out there, we’re going to have her back,” Habetz said. “It’s going to take a village to have her back, though.”

The good news is Sam Roe (.267, 3 HRs, 16 RBIs) is swinging a bigger stick over the last two weekends.

“I feel like I’m in a really good spot, not only physically but mentally as well,” Roe said “Coach Shellie (Landry) has been working with me for countless hours not only my swing but the mental side and the mental approach to that.” UL also enjoyed a three-run double from Laney Credeur in Sunday’s loss, which the Cajuns hope can get her power bat going again.

“That would be a very good thing for us,” Habetz said LSU’s softball team (29-2, 5-1) took two of three against Georgia this past weekend, but did lose a 11-3 run-rule game Sunday The offense is led by Danieca Coffey (.5-6, 2 HRs, 28 RBIs), Maci Bergeron (.451,7 HRs, 30 RBIs) and Tori Edwards (.429, 11 HRs, 44 RBIs).

paid receivers. But reflecting on the situation

Monday, Cooks said he has no regrets how his time with the Saints initially ended. He pointed out the trade benefitted both sides, and that’s true: The Saints ultimately selected former All-Pro tackle Ryan Ramczyk with the first-round selection they acquired from the Patriots.

And in general, Cooks said he thinks back to the production the Saints had over his first three seasons — when they were one of the most electric offenses in the league. In the last two of those campaigns, Cooks had back-toback 1,000-yard seasons.

“You just never know, right?” Cooks said of his return.

Things are different now for the 31-year-old. Cam Jordan is the only teammate left from his first go-around from the Saints, meaning he’ll have to get acclimated to plenty of new faces. And he’s coming off, statistically, the worst year of his career after catching just 26 catches for 259 yards in nine games with the Dallas Cowboys last season.

But Cooks said he can still bring a lot to the Saints He raved about the team’s receiving core, noting the “blazing” speed of Rashid Shaheed and route running of Chris Olave. He said he believes there’s a lot of “unselfishness,” filled by

doesn’t guarantee you anything in your NFL climb.

“I think I put my best foot forward out here,” Ossai said. “I still have a lot to do. This is just the beginning of the journey, though.

“I had a great team around me training-wise and facility-wise (in Frisco, Texas). Everybody I trained with pushed me as well. It’s been great.”

Wooldridge was working with his quarterback trainer Jordan Palmer during his scripted session. He’s been training in San Clemente, California, for the past three months.

“I think I’ve made tremendous leaps, and I’ve gotten a lot better,” Wooldridge said. “I got my shoulder healthy and got my body health I think I’ve gotten a lot better with my footwork and being able to move efficiently and really adding velocity to my throws.”

Martin was a standout cornerback in Lafayette since transferring from Youngstown State and has been training in Deerfield Beach, Florida, since his college career ended

“The whole process was a blessing,” Martin said. “I’m grateful for it. In my opinion, it was amazing. The whole time in Florida (I was) putting the work in and coming out here. A lot of people don’t get this opportunity so I’m blessed.”

Gillie was also satisfied with his performance.

“Today, I felt like I did really good,” he said. “I came out and showed off pretty good and showed what I’ve been doing the whole offseason. It was good to be back around the guys on the team and be back in Cajun Nation.”

Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks, right, celebrates a 42-yard catch with tight end Coby Fleener on Dec. 24, 2016, at the Superdome. Cooks signed a two-year, $13 million deal with the Saints last week.

guys who “just want to win.”

And Cooks was more than excited to work with wide receivers coach Keith Williams. The two have long had a relationship, dating back to their Stockton, California, roots.

“He’s been recruiting me since I

LSU

Continued from page 1C

Florida State scores 87.4 ppg.

And on Monday, its offense was its efficient self but only through two quarters. LSU simply kept its offense rolling for longer In the third quarter, the Tigers converted 10 of their 17 field-goal tries, while forcing the Seminoles into six turnovers at the other end. All but three of its field goals were assisted, and all 10 of their freethrow attempts were successful. Mikaylah Williams and Flau’jae Johnson combined to score 19 of LSU’s 31 third-quarter points.

Aneesah Morrow finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists. Florida State couldn’t find an answer for either her drives to the rim or her quick dishes to Sa’Myah Smith, who scored a season-high 20 points, grabbed 12 boards and assisted 6 shots. Williams totaled 28 points on 10-of-12 shooting, and Flau’jae Johnson added 13.

Seminole junior Ta’Niya Latson — the nation’s leading scorer — finished with 30 points. But she scored 23 of those points in the first half.

A frenetic first half ended with LSU clinging to a 50-49 lead. Latson had 23 points, LSU had shelved both Johnson and Williams for the duration of the second quarter while they each battled foul trouble. Still, a blistering 74% shooting start and a few important contributions from role players helped the Tigers withstand the five turnovers that Florida State forced them to commit in the second.

LSU turned it over only one time in the third quarter, then rode an avalanche of points into the Sweet 16.

was 17 years old,” Cooks said. “He was at Fresno (State), and I was like, “Keith, I’m not going to Fresno.’ I really do believe he’s the best receiver coach in the league.”

Cooks said he’s been in contact with quarterback Derek Carr, as well. The two, the wideout noted,

were part of the same draft class in 2014 and they’ve known each other for a long time. He praised Carr as a “great leader” and a “tough cat” who can throw any ball.

As for his role with the Saints next season, Cooks said he’d let the coaching staff determine that. He’s spent most of his time as an outside receiver, but also has experience in the slot At 5-foot-10 and 189 pounds, he has a similar build to Olave and Shaheed.

But Cooks said he was a fan of coach Kellen Moore, noting how he’s been able to adapt to his personnel at each of his stops.

Cooks, too, is 462 yards away from reaching the 10,000 milestone in his career Asked about potentially reaching that feat next season, Cooks said he feels like he should have hit the figure already and that he’s not thinking about it.

“That’ll take care of itself,” Cooks said.

If it does happen next season, though, Cooks will record the accomplishment with the same team that he gained his very first yard And that likely wouldn’t have been possible if he decided to hold a grudge.

“We both got a lot of respect for one another,” Cooks said. “I think that shows by being back here.”

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

accomplished three times in program history The Tigers advanced past the Round of 32 in six straight tournaments from 2003-2008.

LSU will face NC State on Friday in the Sweet 16.

breezed through the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, beating No. 15 seed Vermont 75-55 in the first round and No. 7 seed Michigan State 83-49 in the second. LSU was similarly dominant in its first two games.

“Now that we’ve seen their whole lineup and one of their best pitchers, we’re going in there ready,” Stutes said. “We’re ready to not let down.”

Baseball’s injury list is more extensive with shortstop Drew Markle (hand), outfielder-first baseman Luke Yuhasz (hand), southpaw relief ace Dylan Theut (ankle) and reliever James Trimble topping the list of missing weapons.

Markle may be available as pinch-runner as soon as Tuesday’s games, so he could be returning soon, according to Deggs.

Also good was the return of Friday night starter Chase Morgan after missing two weekends. His four shutout innings helped UL (11-14, 3-3) win the series at South Alabama.

“There’s been clubs in the very recent past where two out of three or a 2-2 week wouldn’t have gotten it done or been acceptable, but with where we’re at right now we need to continue to teach as well as coach — probably more teach right now and continue to learn how to play at this level,”

Deggs said

LSU’s offense has been elite this season with a .337 batting average with 38 homers – led by Derek Curiel (.420, 2 HRs, 21 RBIs), Jared Jones (.420,8 HR, 37 RBIs) and Jake Brown (.373, 19 RBIs).

“They’re good, they’re extremely good,” Deggs said. “I saw them for 20 innings in the fall and watched them while we were playing this weekend against Texas. It’s not just them, but there’s unbelievably good baseball out there right now.” UL

Mulkey-coached teams are 18-4 in second-round NCAA Tournament games. LSU has also now reached the Sweet 16 in three consecutive seasons a feat it has

In November, those two teams met for a neutral-site game in The Bahamas, and the Tigers won 8265. The Wolfpack has since won all but two of its conference games, reached the ACC title game and

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

REGIONAL

from page

Michigan and the winner of an April 2 play-in meet between Maryland and West Virginia. No. 8-seeded Michigan State, No. 9 Kentucky, Ohio State and host Penn State will be in the other semifinal on April 3. The top two teams from each semifinal will advance to the four-team regional final on April 5. The top two teams from each regional final will move on to the eight-team NCAA Championships, April 17-19 in Fort Worth, Texas.

LSU coach Jay Clark acknowledged the milestone of being the No. 1 seed for the first time, but at the same time lamented the tough draw the Tigers got in their regional. In addition to host Penn State and two top-10 teams in Michigan State and Kentucky, LSU will also face Arkansas, the team that handed the Tigers (18-2, 7-1 SEC regular season) their second and mostrecent defeat back on Jan. 24.

“I call it a meatgrinder every year,” Clark said of the regional round. “It’s probably the hardest part of this format since we went to it in 2019. There are so many good teams now Regionals were

kind of an afterthought.

“Usually at the regional sites one of the top teams doesn’t advance Something happens. We have to make sure we have our heads screwed on right and make sure we do our job.”

Senior Sierra Ballard said the Tigers have taken to calling the drive to the NCAA Championships “April Absurdness.”

“You never know,” she said. “The sport of gymnastics is whoever is on that day Everyone in the top 25 and beyond is really, really good at

gymnastics. You have to approach every single meet the same way because you never know what’s going to happen. Foot on the gas pedal, all the way look up at the end and see where you’re at.” With the No. 1 overall seed and the fact that LSU won the program’s first NCAA championship last April, the Tigers will carry a big target in NCAA competition LSU also won a share of the SEC regular-season title with No 2-seeded Oklahoma.

The Sooners are the top seed in the Washington Regional in Seattle, while fellow SEC team Florida is the No. 3 overall seed and top team in the Alabama regional in Tuscaloosa. Utah is the No. 4 national seed and is hosting a regional in Salt Lake City

All nine SEC gymnastics programs made the NCAA field as top 16 national seeds. That includes Arkansas, which finished last in the SEC regular-season standings and was left out of the eight-team SEC Championships. Unlike baseball or softball, NCAA gymnastics regional sites are predetermined. LSU will host an NCAA regional in 2026. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU forward Sa’Myah Smith goes for a layup over Florida State forward Makayla Timpson in the fi rst quarter of their NCAA Tournament secondround game on Monday at the PMAC

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Dodgers star Betts’ opening day status uncertain

The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES Los Angeles Dodg-

ers shortstop Mookie Betts is still dealing with an illness and his return remains uncertain.

Betts, who missed the Dodgers’

first two games of the regular season at the Tokyo Dome last week and was sent back to Los Angeles to continue recovering, was a late scratch for Sunday’s exhibition win against the Los Angeles Angels.

Betts told reporters he hasn’t been able to keep down solid food without vomiting for two weeks and has lost about 15 pounds during that time.

“I mean, I feel great,” Betts told reporters in Los Angeles. “Like, my body feels great. I’ve been able to work out. I’ve been able to do pretty much everything but eat, which is strange. So the symptoms have kind of gone away I just have to figure out how to get my stomach to kind of calm down.”

The perennial All-Star said so far all his blood work and other routine testing have been normal. Betts won’t play in Monday’s exhibition at Angel Stadium, and he’s a long shot for the Dodgers’ opening day game on American soil on Thursday against Detroit

“It’s just hard to fathom not eating and going to play a game,” Betts said. “So it looks like I’m just going to be light for a little bit. Maybe I play uphill a little bit for

the beginning of the season. But no, I just want to play, man. I’m tired of sitting tired of throwing up, tired of doing all this. I really just want to play.” Betts is making the full-time transition to shortstop after playing most of his career in right field and second base. The 2018 AL MVP hit .289 with 19 homers and 75 RBIs last season, helping the Dodgers win the World Series.

Philadelphia Phillies

PITCHER SUAREZ TO BEGIN SEASON ON INJURED LIST: Philadelphia pitcher Ranger Suárez will open the season on the injured list as he recov-

ers from lower back soreness. Philadelphia president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said Monday that baring any issues the left-hander could be ready to pitch at some point next month.

“I don’t think it will be long long,” Dombrowski told reporters prior to the team’s exhibition game against the Tampa Bay Rays. “But we’re going to be slow We’re not going to bring him back until he feels good. And he feels good now, but now, we’re in that stage where we have to build him up.”

With Suárez out, Taijuan Walker will be the Phillies’ fifth starter

“It’s a great opportunity,” Dombrowski said. “It’s good to have somebody like that. I hope he pitches like he did a couple years ago. I don’t see why he can’t with what he has now.”

Suárez went 12-8 with a 3.46 ERA in 2024 and is entering his eighth major league season.

New York Yankees

LEFTY YARBROUGH AGREES TO $2M, 1-YEAR CONTRACT WITH YANKEES: Ryan Yarbrough agreed to a $2 million, one-year contract with the New York Yankees on Monday, a day after he was released from a minor league deal with the Toronto Blue Jays.

A 33-year-old left-hander with a slight sidearm delivery, Yarbrough can earn an additional $250,000 in performance bonuses for innings.

“There were other teams, but this was by far the team I was most interested in,” he was quoted as saying by The Athletic “I’ve heard a lot from the pitching side (about) what they’ve been able to do with guys That was exciting and intriguing to me.”

Yarbrough is 53-40 with a 4.21 ERA in 68 starts and 128 relief appearances over seven seasons with Tampa Bay (2018-22), Kansas City (2023), the Dodgers (202324), who acquired him on July 30

SCOREBOARD

Through

23 1. Justin Allgaier, 249 (2). 2. Sam Mayer, 220 (0). 3. Jesse Love, 218 (1). 4. Austin Hill, 202 (1). 5. Sheldon Creed, 187 (0).

6. Sammy Smith, 184 (0).

7. Connor Zilisch, 164 (1).

8. Ryan Sieg, 156 (0).

9. Aric Almirola, 151 (1).

10. Taylor Gray, 151 (0).

11. Harrison Burton, 145 (0).

12. Jeb Burton, 143 (0).

13. Brandon Jones, 141 (0).

14. Carson Kvapil, 141 (0).

15. Nicholas Sanchez, 137 (0).

16. Daniel Dye, 131 (0).

17. Christian Eckes, 128 (0).

18. Josh Williams, 115 (0).

19. Brennan Poole, 107 (0).

20. Dean Thompson, 106 (0).

21. William Sawalich, 106 (0).

22. Jeremy Clements, 104 (0).

23. Matt DiBenedetto, 88 (0).

24. Anthony Alfredo, 85 (0).

25. Blaine Perkins, 84 (0).

26. Parker Retzlaff, 80 (0).

27. Kyle Sieg, 80 (0).

28. Ryan Ellis, 78 (0).

29. Josh Bilicki, 65 (0).

30. Leland Honeyman, 64 (0).

31. Joey Gase, 59 (0).

32. Kris Wright, 49 (0).

33. Garrett Smithley, 43 (0).

34. Patrick Emerling, 40 (0).

35. Justin Bonsignore, 33 (0).

36. Jordan Anderson, 30 (0).

37. Alex Labbe, 28 (0).

38. Mason Massey, 25 (0).

39. Caesar Bacarella, 24 (0).

40. Nick Leitz, 22 (0). NASCAR Cup Series Laps Led Leaders Through March 23 1. Joey Logano, 247. 2. Austin Cindric, 159. 3. Ryan Blaney, 148. 4. Christopher Bell, 114. 5. William Byron, 111. 6. Bubba Wallace, 98. 7. Kyle Larson, 92. 8. Josh Berry, 76. 9. Alex Bowman, 62. 10. Kyle Busch, 58. 11. Ryan Preece, 43. 11. Tyler Reddick, 43. 13. Ross Chastain, 39. 14. Shane Van Gisbergen, 25. 15. Denny Hamlin, 24. 16. Michael McDowell, 12. 16. Daniel Suárez, 12. 18. Corey LaJoie, 10. 19. Chase Briscoe, 9. 20. Todd Gilliland, 7. Formula One Points Leaders Through March 23 1. Lando Norris, 44. 2. Max Verstappen, 36. 3. George Russell, 35. 4. Oscar Piastri, 34. 5. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, 22. 6. Alexander Albon, 16. 7. Esteban Ocon, 10. 8. Lance Stroll, 10. 9. Lewis Hamilton, 9. 10. Charles Leclerc, 8. 11. Nico Hulkenberg,

in the trade that sent outfielder Kevin Kiermaier to Los Angeles. He was 5-2 with a 3.19 ERA in 44 relief appearances last season. Yarbrough throws a sinker (28.7% of his pitches last season), curveball (27.5%), four-seam fastball that averaged 86.7 mph (18.4%), changeup (15.5%) and cutter (9.9%).

His four-seam fastball velocity was the slowest in the major leagues among 138 pitchers who threw 1,500 or more pitches, 1 mph slower than Kyle Hendricks, who was 137th.

San Francisco Giants

OF ENCARNACIÓNTO UNDERGO SURGERY ON BROKEN HAND: San Francisco Giants outfielder Jerar Encarnación will undergo surgery on his broken left hand Monday

The team announced late Sunday that Dr Steven Shin in Los Angeles would perform the procedure and a timetable for Encarnación’s return would be determined after surgery Encarnación broke the bone in his left hand while attempting a diving catch Friday He batted .302 with two home runs and 14 RBIs in spring training after hitting .248 with five homers and 19 RBIs in 113 at-bats in 2024.

The Dominican Republic native made his major league debut with Miami in 2022. He signed with San Francisco as a free agent last May

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KEVORK DJANSEZIAN

Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts practices before a spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday in Los Angeles.

Forget the delicate dance. Try Texas two-step to get pain-inflicting fire ants under control

Spring is near in Louisiana. The birds are singing and flowers are beginning to blossom in our landscapes.

It’s a great time to be outdoors. Watch your step, though, or you might become a victim of another sign of the changing seasons: fire ants. As temperatures warm, fire ants become more active. By now, you’ve likely seen their mounds popping up in your yard — and perhaps have even gotten stung. Maybe you’re wondering what can be done to control these paininflicting insects and their unsightly mounds.

LSU AgCenter entomologist Aaron Ashbrook recommends a strategy called the Texas twostep. Borrowing its name from the country-western dance, this method developed by scientists at Texas A&M University involves using an insecticidal bait followed by a spray

AGCENTER PHOTO By OLIVIA McCLURE As temperatures warm, fire ants become more active. Their mounds are a common sight in Louisiana lawns and landscapes right now.

“You first apply a broadcast bait to the yard. This is of course picked up by the ants at warmer temperatures, and they will feed upon it, share it with others and that will cause mortality to the queen,” Ashbrook said. “Afterwards, you’re going to apply spray insecticides to the mounds as they rise or new ones are formed.” Ashbrook suggests using a seed spreader to apply the bait to your lawn when temperatures are between 75 and 95 F, as this is when ants are foraging. Avoid applying insecticides if it’s going to rain soon or if the soil is already saturated. Some, but not all, baits can be wetted when applied to the mounds to increase efficacy; be sure to follow label directions when applying the product Following up with spot treatments of a spray insecticide will provide better control than using bait alone. Product labels will offer guidance on how often to reapply In general, spray mounds as needed to help keep them at bay, and plan on repeating the entire two-step strategy in the fall.

“It’s important to remember that we don’t totally eliminate fire ants from the area, and so we have to use those sprays to stay on top of those nuisance mounds that reappear after the bait application,” Ashbrook said. For those seeking effective organic control options, Ashbrook recommends boric acid dust and d-limonene spray, which is made from citrus peels. He noted that these organic methods can be used safely around bodies of water Fire ants, with their com-

‘LITTLE WOMEN’

A Red Magnolia Theatre Co. production l March 28-30 and April 4-6 at The Studio at Theatre Baton Rouge, 7155 Florida Blvd. l Sunday matinees begin at 2 p.m.All other performances begin at 7:30 p.m. l Tickets are $35, general admission; $30, seniors; and $25, students. l For tickets and information, visit redmagnoliatc.org

BR theater company to produce unconventional adaptation of ‘Little Women’

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Red Magnolia Theatre Company’s production of “Little Women” is anything but conventional.

The all-woman company will open playwright Helen Christler’s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic 1868 story on March 28 in the Studio Theatre at Theatre Baton Rouge, 7155 Florida Blvd.

The core of the story hasn’t changed, but its presentation has, beginning with its minimalist set.

“Also, the actors in this show have been double cast,” director Makaylee Secrest said. “They’ll be playing the male characters as well as the March sisters.”

But there’s one exception. Arden Hale, who plays main char-

acter Jo March, will be playing only Jo, as anyone familiar with the story knows that Jo drives it. The heart of the story Jo also personifies all of the themes Alcott wove into her characters, from traditional women’s roles of marriage and motherhood to feminist ideas of individuality, women’s rights and careers

ä See 'LITTLE WOMEN', page 6C

ABOVE: Arden Hale, left, is Jo and Madalyn Mullins is Beth in Red Magnolia Theatre Co.’s production of ‘Little Women.

Still today there is a pressure for women to feel like they need to pick between fulfilling family and professional and personal life. So to have a character like Jo who is coming into her womanhood and struggling with those pressures, it is still very relevant.”

MAKAyLEE SECREST, director

BR bookstore announces opening date for shop

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

Madayln Mullins is Beth, from left, Courtney Murphy is Meg, Arden Hale is Jo and Alyx Johnson is Amy in Red Magnolia Theatre Co.’s production of ‘Little Women.’

PROVIDED PHOTOS By TERESA ALVAREZ PHOTOGRAPHy

Is there a deadline for returning phone calls?

Dear Miss Manners: How long should someone wait for a call to be returned?

My friend and I talk frequently on the phone. Lately when I call, I get a text that says, “I’ll call you back.” I thought the returned call would come in a short time, but it is taking longer and longer It was taking as long as a week, but now it doesn’t come at all and I must call again.

Gentle reader: Years ago, when Miss Manners pointed out that the telephone was an inherently rude instrument — demanding that others drop whatever they were doing and attend to it immediately — nobody listened to her And when they all got cellphones, the problem of giving calls preference over those actually present got worse. But telephone usage is evolving, creating the hope — or illusion — that we will arrive at some reasonable understanding. One encouraging sign is that many people consider it wrong to telephone without first texting to set a convenient time to talk. There are also those who prefer to avoid using the telephone for speaking, now that there is a less intrusive way of sending instant messages. So let’s not jump to condemning your friends by setting rules and deadlines for returning calls. Yours are evidently not quick requests for information, much less emergencies, but rather friendly chats. It may be that they are too frequent or too long for your friend, or just inconveniently timed. A more practical rule, then, is to ask people what methods of communication they prefer, and to work out a compromise that respects your own preferences. Perhaps you and your friend could set a regular time to talk,

or shift to meeting in person, if that is feasible. Or you could start an old-fashioned written correspondence instead — although presumably electronically

Dear Miss Manners: Fifty years ago, when my father was stationed in Vietnam, he sent the military exchange catalog to my mother back home. From it, she ordered a complete bone china set for 12 people, with every possible dinnerware piece.

There are dinner plates, salad plates, bread and butter plates, soup bowls, fruit saucers, cups and saucers, and serving pieces. It is a beautiful set in a simple ivory pattern rimmed in gold.

My mother passed away almost 30 years ago, and since then, I have used the china for many years when hosting holiday dinners. Now I have downsized and am living in an apartment, and the china is in several boxes in a storage unit.

What should I do with it?

Gentle reader: Use it. Do so even if you can only keep on hand the plates that are relevant to your menus, and even if only to feed yourself and your prospective heirs.

Miss Manners cannot promise that they will develop the same aesthetic and sentimental attachment to the set that you seem to have. The use of fine china is rare now, especially when it should not be subjected to a dishwasher — as yours, with its gold trim, should not.

Yet your loved ones may acquire a fondness for the set through its association with you, somewhat like yours with your mother And in any case, you will have had the pleasure of using it.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www missmanners.com

Grieving child wants more attention from friends

Dear Harriette: I am going through a tough time emotionally My mom is in hospice care, which means she is nearing the end of her life. We are very close. It is obvious that she has a limited time to live, but it’s still hard to witness. When I talk to friends about it, I realize that most people don’t listen. I have called my closest friends just to be able to share with them, and inevitably they will jump in with advice or a story of their own without taking the time to hear what I am saying. I know that people do this, and usually I just go along and let them interrupt me, sometimes getting back to whatever I was saying and sometimes not, but I am not inclined to allow this butting in right now I have pushed back a bit, asking them to let me finish my point before they jump in. A couple of friends have been taken aback because I don’t normally do that Am I wrong to stand up for myself and ask my friends to listen for a change?

AND SENSITIVITy

about the situation, some automatically try to figure out solutions to whatever problems they are hearing and rush to offer support. In reality, the support you need is a compassionate listening ear, not words — at least not immediately It is perfectly OK for you to speak up and say what you need. When they jump in to offer advice before you have completed a sentence, stop them and say, “Wait a minute. Let me finish my thought, please.” If they jump in with advice on how to handle a situation and that’s not what you need tell them what you need most is for them to listen. You don’t have the capacity to hear their advice right now.

You will also likely find that some friends are not the best people to contact right now Those who cannot or will not be willing to just be present for you are not the ones to engage at this tender moment.

Try this deodorizing hint

Dear Heloise: The best way to get the stink out of anything is to put 1 teaspoon of shampoo in a gallon of water and use it to wash out whatever is inappropriately smelly It works for skunk-sprayed dogs, too. — C., via email Length of shirts

Dear Heloise: I wish you could use your influence to get women’s clothing companies to list the length of their shirts on their website or in their catalog. I’m tall, and it’s difficult to see how their shirts would fit on me. It would not have to be for each size, maybe just for the medium size. At least it would be a starting point. Thank you! — L., in New Orleans

Storing schoolwork

Dear Readers: Use this hint for stor-

ing paper and artwork that your children bring home from school: You can buy a jumbo-sized plastic storage bin for each child and label each bin with their names. As the papers come home, they can all get displayed on the refrigerator for a week, but then they’ll be stored away in their own bins, which should be kept in a place inside your home that has easy access. — Heloise Lost keys

Dear Readers: We all have mislaid or lost keys at some point in our lives. Use these hints to help prevent you from losing them again: n Put all the keys in a central spot for hanging, or put them in a bowl near the front or back door n Put your keys on or near

‘LITTLE WOMEN’

Continued from page 5C

And through storytelling Red Magnolia’s adaptation explores a more intimate side of the beloved sisters through a sense of imaginary play in their attic as they create, dream and ultimately grow as women.

“The heart of the story very much stays intact, and it’s still the same kind of coming-of-age story we’ve come to know through the book,” Secrest said. “But I think this version is uniquely dynamic and leans into theatricality and storytelling I would say it’s very fluid in its scene transitions, and its jumping around in the passage of time. And we use a lot of imagination in staging it.”

The March sisters

Still, there are some differences from Alcott’s book, which opens in the Marches’ Massachusetts home, where Jo and her sisters, Meg, Beth and Amy, live with their mother Their father serves as a chaplain in the Union Army

Hale said. “I think Jo is the surest in who she wants to be, while at the same time searching the most for it in such a frantic way And nothing is ever enough, yet everything is perfect the way it is. She doesn’t want to change anything, yet she wants to change everything.”

Joining Hale on stage are Courtney Murphy as the oldest sister, Meg; Madalyn Mullins as the second youngest sister, Beth; and Alyx Johnson as Amy, the youngest.

Johnson also plays John Brooke, a poor, virtuous tutor who eventually marries Meg. The two characters are completely opposite in personality, yet Johnson has struck a balance between them.

“Amy is very bratty — very bratty yet she takes on kind of a snotty tone because she wants to be a lady,” Johnson said “She loves her sisters, but like Jo, she clashes with them a lot. And John? He’s always nervous, thinking about what he might have said and what he does. He’s very self-conscious, so when I’m playing John, I act like my hands are sweaty all the time.”

would frown upon it, but Jo manages to find a way to have it all.

A sense of relevance

Jo’s decision adds a sense of modern-day relevance to the story

“I would say that ‘Little Women’ has stuck around for so long because it is truly timeless,” Secrest said. “It’s also relevant in its exploration of growth and self-discovery, particularly in the ways that loss inform that process. Whether it be the loss of people in our lives or our youth, or if our dreams don’t work out exactly how we had imagined, I think that there’s something for everyone in this story.”

Secrest added that, when “Little Women” debuted, it was “quietly revolutionarily feminist work.”

“Still today there is a pressure for women to feel like they need to pick between fulfilling family and professional and personal life,” Secrest said “So to have a character like Jo who is coming into her womanhood and struggling with those pressures, it is still very relevant.”

Red Magnolia board member

— Shut Up and Listen

Dear Shut Up and Listen: Many people are bad listeners Plus, out of love for you and discomfort

ANTS

Continued from page 5C

versatile omnivorous diet, are notoriously

Officially known as red imported

ants (Solenopsis invicta), they are native to tropical central South America and were introduced to the United States on a cargo ship in the 1930s. They’re considered a highly invasive species. For more information, check out two free publications from the AgCenter: “Louisiana Home Lawn Series: Red Imported Fire Ant” at https://bit.ly/lafireants and “Managing Imported Fire

Send questions to askharriette@harriettecole. com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Ants in Urban Areas” at https:// bit.ly/urbanfireants.

Though the sisters’ parents are prevalent in the book and its subsequent movies, they’re only mentioned in this adaptation.

“They’re a very close-knit family, and even without the parents being in this adaptation, you certainly feel the presence of these two people that would’ve raised such strongly formed children,”

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday, March 25, the 84th day of 2025. There are 281 days left in the year

Today in history:

On March 25, 1911, 146 people, mostly young female immigrants, were killed when a fire broke out at the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. garment factory in New York; the tragedy led to legal reforms for workers’ rights and workplace safety

Also on this date: In 1894, Jacob S. Coxey began a march from Massillon, Ohio, leading an “army” of as many as 500 unemployed workers to Washington to demand help from the federal government.

In 1931, in the so-called Scottsboro Boys case, nine young Black men were taken off a train in Alabama and accused of raping

Amy eventually becomes a lady and marries Laurie, the boy next door, who is really in love with Jo. But Jo rejects him for a career in New York.

Laurie is played by Mullins, and the final male character German professor Friedrich Bhaer, is played by Murphy Bhaer eventually marries Jo. But can Jo fulfill her dream of a career within marriage? The collective 19th-century mindset

TODAY IN HISTORY

two White women; after years of convictions, death sentences and imprisonment, they were eventually vindicated. In 1947, a coal dust explosion inside the Centralia Coal Co. Mine No. 5 in Washington County, Illinois, killed 111 miners; 31 survived.

In 1965, the Rev Martin Luther King Jr led 25,000 people to the Alabama state Capitol in Montgomery, completing a five-day march from Selma to protest the denial of voting rights to Black Americans. In 1975, King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was assassinated by his nephew Prince Faisal bin Musaid. (Faisal bin Musaid was executed for the killing three months later.)

In 1990, 87 people were killed when fire raced through the Happy Land social club in New York City (The fire was set by Julio

Jennifer Ellis says the production continues to advance Red Magnolia’s mission of “elevating female voices through theater and creative collaboration.”

The production allows women in the community to have opportunities in set, costume, technical and props design as well as directing, stage management and marketing.

Email Robin Miller at romiller@ theadvocate.com.

Gonzalez, who had been thrown out of the club following an argument with his girlfriend; Gonzalez died in prison in 2016.)

In 1996, an 81-day standoff by the Montana Freemen, an antigovernment militia, began at a ranch near Jordan, Montana. Today’s birthdays: Film critic Gene Shalit is 99. Former astronaut James Lovell is 97. Activist and author Gloria Steinem is 91. Musi-

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Hints from Heloise

PROVIDED PHOTO By TERESA ALVAREZ PHOTOGRAPHy

Madalyn Mullins is Beth, from left, Arden Hale is Jo, Courtney Murphy is Meg and Alyx Johnson is Amy in Red Magnolia Theatre Co.’s production of ‘Little Women.’

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Take a direct route and maximize your time. Be the one to push for change and to convince others to join your team. Lead the way, and you will make a difference.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Look at your to-do list and map out how you plan to clear out the backlog. Do your best to stay on track and to keep busy. Say no to anyone who tries to redirect or take advantage of you.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Size up situations, and you'll quickly see who is on your side and who isn't. Take control and be the one to bring about positive change.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Be discreet regarding your agenda. Not everyone will agree with what you want to do, and some will mislead or take advantage of you if you are too accommodating with information.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Learn, observe, gain experience and talk to experts. How you use your time and energy will determine how far you get. Connect with those capable of caring for obligations you can't do yourself.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Embrace change and learn from experience. Your growth will change how you feel and who you choose to connect with. Strive for security.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Trust and believe in your ability to do what's best

for you, and don't let anyone speak on your behalf. It's time to expand your interests and verbalize your plans.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Set your sights on something unique, and let your creative imagination lead the way. Refuse to let your emotions dictate your reaction to domestic situations that you have no control over.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Look for exciting opportunities but don't be foolish or trust everything you hear. Verify information and adjust whatever you discover to suit your needs.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Listening to too many people's versions of a certain matter will convolute communication. Consider your options and how to make the most of your situation.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep the momentum and the money flowing. Consider joint ventures or shared expenses to ease stress and simplify your life. Strive to make things more comfortable and convenient.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Your focus and energy need to be on your goals. Refuse to let anyone intervene or throw you off track. Uncertainty is the enemy. Leave nothing to chance.

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

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE: H EQUALS T

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

bIG

Sudoku

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS CurTiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Author Isaac Asimov said, “If my doctortoldmeIhadonlysixminutestolive,I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster.”

Whenever you are on defense and the dummy has come down, ask yourself from where you might get the winners that you need to defeat the contract.

In this deal, East-West need six tricks to beat two spades. When West leads the heart king and East signals enthusiastically with the 10, West can see five winners: one spade, three hearts and one club. But from where is the sixth winner coming?

South’s two-spade overcall was part of the Cappelletti convention, showing spades and either minor.

West should realize that it is unlikely his side will get two diamond tricks. South must have something for his vulnerable overcall. And if that is the case, West probably needs to take two trump tricks, which will be possible if East began with exactly four hearts. (East won’t have five, because he would have transferred out of one no-trump.)

After the king and queen of hearts, West can play a heart to East’s ace. Then leading the last heart promotes a second trumptrickforWest.(IfSouthruffslow, Westoverruffs;ifSouthruffshigh,West discards.)

wuzzles

But will East know to play the last heart? Probably not; he is highly likely to shift to a diamond. To save East from himself, West should cash the diamond ace before playing the third heart. This acedeniestheking;withtheaceandking of diamonds, West would cash the king first, not the ace. © 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional

by

a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAY’s WoRD — cAPYBARAs: Tailless semiaquatic South and Central American rodents, often exceeding four feet in length.

Average mark 14 words

Time limit 30 minutes

Can you find 22 or more words in CAPYBARAS?

YEstERDAY’s WoRD — LEsIon

today’s thought

you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. For that you ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.” James 4:14-15

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard fillmore

Jury orders Monsanto parent to pay $2.1B

A jury in Georgia has ordered Monsanto parent Bayer to pay nearly $2.1 billion in damages to a man who says the company’s Roundup weed killer caused his cancer, according to attorneys representing the plaintiff.

The verdict marks the latest in a long-running series of court battles Monsanto has faced over its Roundup herbicide. The agrochemical giant says it will appeal the verdict, reached in a Georgia courtroom late Friday, in efforts to overturn the decision

The penalties awarded include $65 million in compensatory damages and $2 billion in punitive damages, law

firms Arnold & Itkin LLP and Kline & Specter PC said in a statement. That marks one of the largest verdicts in a Roundup-related case to date.

Plaintiff John Barnes filed his lawsuit against Monsanto in 2021, seeking damages related to his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Germany-based Bayer, which acquired Monsanto in 2018, has continued to dispute claims that Roundup causes cancer But the company has been hit with more than 177,000 lawsuits involving the weedkiller and set aside $16 billion to settle cases.

StubHub plans

initial stock offering

StubHub, the events ticketing platform, has filed for an initial public offering of its common stock.

The online marketplace where users can buy and resell tickets to sports, concerts, theater and other live entertainment events said Friday that it had applied to list on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “STUB.”

Paperwork filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission did not disclose the number of shares or an expected price range.

StubHub, which is based in New York, said buyers in more than 200 countries and territories used its platform to purchase more than 40 million tickets last year

StubHub Holdings Inc. includes StubHub in North America — billed as the first online marketplace for secondary tickets since its launch in 2000 — and viagogo internationally James Hardie offers AZEK $8.75B deal

Australian building products company James Hardie Industries is buying U.S. outdoor products maker AZEK in a cash-and-stock deal valued at approximately $8.75 billion, including $386 million in debt.

It’s the second major acquisition in the building supplies sector in less than a week, with QXO Inc. announcing on Thursday that it was buying Beacon Roofing Supply Inc. in a deal worth about $11 billion, including debt. The U.S. housing market has been in a slump since 2022, when mortgage rates began to climb from pandemic-era lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes fell last year to the lowest level in nearly 30 years. Analysts said uncertainty in the housing market was driving the deals. Under the James Hardie deal, shareholders of The AZEK Company Inc. will receive $26.45 in cash and 1.034 ordinary shares of James Hardie for each share of AZEK stock that they own. AZEK is based in Chicago. James Hardie shareholders will own about 74% of the combined company, with AZEK stockholders owning 26%.

The combined company will sell siding, exterior trim, decking, railing and pergolas, among other building goods

Wall Street gains ground, shakes off slump

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE and ALEX VEIGA AP business writers

Stocks closed broadly higher Monday amid hopes on Wall Street that the Trump administration may take a more targeted approach as it tees up a new round of tariffs on imported goods next week

The S&P 500 was up for the day

The index was coming off its first winning week after a four-week losing streak.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq composite closed higher “The market was primed to respond well if the administration pulled back on some of the tariff

threats or even provided off ramps for the tensions, and that’s kind of what we’re seeing here,” said Ross Mayfield, investment strategist at Baird.

Despite the gains, the benchmark S&P 500 has lost 1.9% so far this year out of concerns that a trade war could hinder economic growth and increase inflationary pressures.

Wall Street remains focused on how tariffs could eventually impact inflation, consumer spending and economic growth. Stocks have been riding waves of hope and worry as tariffs are announced, then either implemented or pulled. A new round of tariffs scheduled to be implemented on April 2 could also be softened or postponed rather than

take effect.

Trump has been somewhat closely guarded about his plans for tariffs, saying Monday that even though he wants to charge “reciprocal” rates — import taxes to match the rates charged by other countries that “we might be even nicer than that.”

“The exact breadth and scale of the tariffs remain to be seen, and a cycle of tit-for-tat escalation is also possible in the weeks following the announcement, potentially triggering further bouts of market volatility,” said Ulrike HoffmannBurchardi, chief investment officer of global equities at UBS Global Wealth Management.

Gains on Monday were broad, with 84% of stocks within the S&P

IRS uncertainty adds

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP business writer

NEWYORK There’s a lot of information (and money) on the table during tax season. That also makes it a prime time for scams.

Year-round, fraudsters may use a handful of common tactics to try to steal your identity, money or other sensitive information

As you prepare your annual tax return, due April 15, experts stress it’s important to be extra vigilant. This year, scammers might take particular advantage of uncertainty stemming from recent workforce cuts impacting thousands of jobs at the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. These layoffs and the potential for even more widespread reductions also raise questions about resources, including the IRS’s bandwidth to respond to scams reported by consumers.

“Uncertainty is probably one of the biggest motivating emotions that social engineers take advantage of,” said Dave Chronister, a prominent “ethical hacker” and CEO of

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP business writer

NEW YORK — 23andMe has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and its co-founder and CEO has resigned as the struggling genetic testing company continues its push to cut costs San Francisco-based 23andMe announced on Sunday that it will look to sell “substantially all of its assets” through a courtapproved reorganization plan Anne Wojcicki, who cofounded 23andMe nearly two decades ago, is also stepping down as CEO effective immediately, the company said — but will remain on the 23andMe board. Her resignation comes just weeks after a board committee rejected a nonbinding acquisition proposal from Wojcicki who has been trying to take the company

Parameter Security, noting that scammers might use news of these cuts and impersonate the IRS to falsely promise taxpayers “new” ways of filing.

Similar tactics emerged during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and following legitimate rounds of federal aid with some scammers making false claims about additional stimulus checks, for example.

All it takes is just “a little bit of common knowledge” to “nudge you” into trusting them, Chronister said.

Beyond how scammers use the news, the IRS workforce cuts could slow the agency’s ability to actually respond to scams, Chronister and others note. As a result, malicious websites or predatory social media campaigns may not be taken down as quickly — and victims of fraudulent returns could have to wait longer for answers.

“There is potential for reduced oversight,” said Chris Pierson, chief executive of cybersecurity firm BlackCloak. “If you have less individuals to be proactive within an agency that is housing, I mean, an amazing treasure

private. And Wojcicki intends to still bid on 23andMe as the company pursues a sale through the bankruptcy process. In a statement on social media, Wojcicki said that she resigned as CEO to be “in the best position” as an independent bidder 23andMe has faced an uncertain future for some time. Beyond battles to go private, the company struggled to find a profitable business model since going public in 2021 Privacy concerns related to customers’ genetic information have also emerged, notably spanning from a 2023 data breach — along with questions around what new ownership could mean for users’ data. 23andMe was founded in 2006, with a promise to revolutionize the

tax stress

trove of data and information — that obviously is concerning (and could) create a riskier environment for the consumer.”

Asked for comment, the IRS pointed to its “Dirty Dozen” list of common tax scams to watch out for this year, among other steps taxpayers can take to protect themselves from identity theft and fraud. But the agency did not immediately comment on whether recent or future workforce cuts would impact its enforcement resources.

The key is to file as soon as you can.

Nobody is eager to sit down and do their taxes, but getting it out of the way early — and before any scammers potentially try to file something in your name — makes a huge difference, Chronister said. Taxpayers can play it safe by sticking to what they know

“If you’ve always been using TurboTax, use TurboTax. If you always use an accountant, use your accountant,” Chronister said. He notes that you should also keep your information safe by password-protecting any past filings downloaded to your device and using a VPN when on public Wi-Fi.

future of genetics and health care.

The company became known for its saliva-based DNA testing kits — purchased by millions of customers eager to learn more about their ancestry — and later dived further into health research and drug development.

But recent years have been far from smooth sailing for 23andMe. And Sunday’s voluntary bankruptcy filing caps months of turmoil. Last September all of its independent directors resigned in a rare move following acquisition negotiations with Wojcicki.

The company then announced in November that it would lay off 40% of its workforce, or more than 200 employees, and discontinue its therapeutics division. And in January, the board’s special committee said it was exploring strategic alternatives, including a possible sale.

23andMe says its bankruptcy filing won’t change the way it stores or protects data.

John Bringardner, of Debtwire, notes that any new buyer of 23andMe will have to comply with regulatory approvals that ensure “customer data won’t end up in unscrupulous hands.”

Still, who will end up owning 23andMe down the road is unknown. And experts note that risks remain.

“Personal data collected by 23andme has always been at risk,” Bringardner wrote in emailed commentary on Monday — pointing particularly to a 2023 data breach that compromised ancestral information for nearly 7 million 23andMe customers. He adds that litigation spanning from the aftermath of this breach helped drive up liabilities that eventually contributed to the current bankruptcy filing.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By PETER MORGAN

Wojcicki