The Times-Picayune 05-02-2025 by The Advocate

THURSDAY @ JAZZ FEST

SUNNY&SMOOTH

Downpours brieﬂydrenched parts of Uptown anddowntown New Orleans on Thursday morning.

Keith Spera

But just as it didits ﬁrst weekend,the 2025 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival escapedthe rain. The sun bore down all day,generating long lines at the lemonade and ice tea stands inside theFair Grounds. The day was not without its dark clouds. Three pedestrians were struck by aseafood box

truck around10:30 a.m. outside the festival grounds at Gentilly Boulevard and Lapeyrouse Street.Theyweretransported to ahospital via ambulance. Andacclaimed Americanasinger-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo canceled his two scheduled Thursday appearances. Areason was not disclosed, but Escovedo, whois based in Texas, has dealt with anumber of healthissues in recent years.

‘It’sastory of renewal’

Exhibithonors50 yearsofVietnamese AmericansinN.O

DESIREE STENNETT

…Heliked to gamble. He had amotorcycle. He was in the Vietnamese military.”

Tran’s parentswereamong the more than1million people who ﬂed their homeland at theend of the Vietnam War50years ago this week.

ä See EXHIBIT, page 8A

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Bills to ban ﬂuoride in the state’spublicwater systemsand makeivermectin availableoverthe counterhavesofar advanced swiftly through the Louisiana Legislature, easily passing the Republican-controlled Senate.

Theproposedchanges arelinkedtoRobert F. Kennedy Jr., who this year was appointed to run the nation’shealth departmentunder President Donald Trump. And they come as some Republican state lawmakers and ofﬁcials across the country hitch theirwagonstoKennedy’s Make America Healthy Again movement. Louisiana Surgeon General Dr.Ralph Abraham,the state’stop public health ofﬁcial anda vocal backer of Kennedy’s health agenda, lobbied for both bills during public testimony before the Senate Health andWelfare Committee. He said both are “patient freedom” issues.

“Putting achemical in the water without the patient’sconsentisproblematic formeasaphysician,” Abraham said of proposed water ﬂuoridation ban. Both bills advanced outofthe Senate committeeonaparty-line vote,with itssix Republican members voting yes and three Democratic members voting no. The full Senate passed the bills nearly

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Formuch of 2021, one issue dominated Tangipahoa Parish politics: Should the parish allow a100-megawatt solar farm to be built on 1,200 acres of farmland? And if so, underwhat rules? On one side, residents and farmers worried it would be an eyesore and pose asafety hazard andtakeupvaluableagricultural land. On the other,solar developers and landowners arguedthatpropertyowners should be allowed to do whatthey want with their land andthatthe project was clean and safe. After issuing atemporarymoratorium, the council passed regulations requiring 50foot vegetative barriers,among otherrules In April, the solar farm went online. But thedebate left lasting scars.

“Wehad people crying. We have, still to this day,neighbors that do notspeak,” said state Rep. Kimberly Coates, R-Ponchatoula, whowas amember of the Parish Council.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Josie Gristina, center,and Nicole Siegel listen to an oral historyThursday while viewingthe ‘Making It Home: From Vietnam to NewOrleans’ exhibit at The Historic NewOrleans Collection.

SOPHIA

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER Carlos Santana, left,and his band playonthe Festival

Jazz& Heritage Festival on Thursday.

Astronauts perform 5th all-female spacewalk

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. An astronaut who missed out on the ﬁrst all-female spacewalk because of a spacesuit sizing issue got her chance six years later Thursday

NASA’s Anne McClain emerged from the International Space Station alongside Nichole Ayers. Both military officers and pilots, they launched to the orbiting lab in March to replace NASA’s two stuck astronauts, who are now back home. Outside for nearly six hours, the spacewalkers prepared the station for another new set of solar panels and moved an antenna on the 260-mile-high complex. They were welcomed back inside by the space station’s commander, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi. “We are so happy to have you back, and your dinner is ready so don’t worry about it,” Onishi said The space station had to be raised into a slightly higher orbit to avoid space junk: part of a 20-year-old Chinese rocket. McClain, an Army colonel and helicopter pilot, should have taken part in the first allfemale spacewalk in 2019, but there weren’t enough mediumsize suits. The first women-only spacewalk was by Christina Koch and Jessica Meir This was the first spacewalk for Ayers, an Air Force major and former fighter pilot, and the third for McClain.

‘60 Minutes’ Harris story nominated for an Emmy It got “60 Minutes” sued by the man who became president of the United States. Now it’s up for a major award — for precisely the same aspect of it that so enraged Donald Trump.

Last fall’s “60 Minutes” story on Kamala Harris the subject of Trump’s $20 billion lawsuit against CBS was nominated for an Emmy Award Thursday for “outstanding edited interview.” Trump, in his lawsuit, complained that the interview was deceptively edited to make his Democratic election opponent look good.

The annual News & Documentary Emmys will be awarded in late June. “60 Minutes” is competing against interviews with singer Celine Dion, U.S Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Pope Francis and WNBA star Brittney Griner

The fallout over the Harris interview still hangs over CBS News. The news division claims to have done nothing wrong, but its parent company, Paramount Global, is reportedly negotiating a settlement with Trump. Many CBS News journalists oppose a settlement. Former “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who has fought against such a deal, resigned last month. Owens cited in his resignation the corporate restrictions placed on him in the wake of the Harris story, which is also the subject of an investigation by President Trump’s FCC chairman.

Trump complained about the interview again on Wednesday in a Truth Social post. This time, his anger spread to The New York Times, which in a story on Tuesday said that “legal experts have called the suit baseless and an easy victory for CBS.”

“They don’t mean that, they just have a non curable case of TRUMP DERANGEMENT

SYNDROME,” the president wrote, saying he’s looking into potential legal action against the newspaper

“The New York Times will not be deterred by the administration’s intimidation tactics,” the newspaper said in response.

Trump threatens sanctions against Iranian oil buyers

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened sanctions on anyone who buys Iranian oil, a warning that came after planned talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program were postponed.

Trump wrote on social media, “All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!” He said any country or person who buys those products from Iran will not be able to do business with the United States “in any way, shape, or form.”

It was unclear how Trump would implement such a ban as he threatened to levy secondary sanctions on nations that import Iranian oil.

But his statement risked further escalating tensions with China — Iran’s leading customer — at a time when the relationship is severely strained over the U.S. president’s tariffs.

Based on tanker tracking data, the U.S. Energy Information Ad-

ministration concluded in a report published last October that “China took nearly 90% of Iran’s crude oil and condensate exports in 2023.”

Trump has separately placed 145% tariffs on China as a way to raise federal revenues and rebalance global trade.

Trump’s social media threat came after Oman announced planned nuclear negotiations for this coming weekend had been postponed Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi made the announcement in a post on the social platform X. “For logistical reasons we are rescheduling the US Iran meeting provisionally planned for Saturday May 3rd,” he wrote. “New dates will be announced when mutually agreed.”

Al-Busaidi, who has mediated the talks through three rounds so far, did not elaborate.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei issued a statement describing the talks as being “postponed at the request of Oman’s foreign minister.” He said Iran remain committed to reach-

ing “a fair and lasting agreement.”

Meanwhile, a person familiar with the U.S. negotiators said America “had never conﬁrmed its participation” in a fourth round of talks in Rome. However, the person said the U.S expected the talks to occur “in the near future.” The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations.

The talks seek to limit Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of some of the crushing economic sanctions the U.S. has imposed on the Islamic Republic closing in on a half-century of enmity The negotiations have been led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to unleash airstrikes targeting Iran’s program if a deal isn’t reached. Iranian ofﬁcials increasingly warn that they could pursue a nuclear weapon with their stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels.

The U.S. president with his

Ukraine, Russia exchange drone strikes; 9 killed

U.S. and Ukraine approve deal for mineral rights

BY HANNA ARHIROVA and ELISE MORTON Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine A Ukrainian drone attack left at least seven people dead and a Russian strike on Odesa killed two people on Thursday, ofﬁcials said, just hours after Kyiv and Washington signed a long-anticipated agreement granting U.S. access to Ukraine’s mineral resources.

The attack in the partially occupied Kherson region of southern Ukraine, which struck a market in the town of Oleshky killed seven and wounded more than 20 people, Moscow-appointed Gov Vladimir Saldo said.

“At the time of the attack, there were many people in the market,” Saldo wrote on Telegram After the ﬁrst wave of strikes, he said, Ukraine sent further drones to “ﬁnish off” any survivors.

Meanwhile, a Russian drone strike on the Black Sea port city of Odesa early Thursday killed two people and injured 15 others, Ukrainian emergency services said.

Regional Gov Oleh Kiper said the barrage struck apartment buildings, private homes, a supermarket and a school.

Videos shared by Kiper on Telegram showed a high-rise building with a severely damaged facade, a shattered storefront and firefighters battling flames.

A drone struck and ignited a ﬁre at a petrol station in the center of Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, according to Mayor Ihor Terekhov

Following the attacks, Ukrainian Presi-

dent Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Russia had ignored a U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire for more than 50 days now

“There were also our proposals at the very least, to refrain from striking civilian infrastructure and to establish lasting silence in the sky, at sea, and on land,” he said. “Russia has responded to all this with new shelling and new assaults.”

Agreement on mineral wealth

The U.S. and Ukraine on Wednesday signed an agreement granting American access to Ukraine’s vast mineral resources, finalizing a deal months in the making that could enable continued military aid to Kyiv amid concerns that President Donald Trump might scale back support in ongoing peace negotiations with Russia.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy originally proposed such a deal last year as a way of helping to secure Ukraine’s future by tying it to U.S. interests. Ukrainian ofﬁcials said previous versions of the accord would have reduced Kyiv to a junior partner and gave Washington unprecedented rights to the country’s resources, but that the version signed Wednesday was far more beneﬁcial to Ukraine.

During his nightly address, he said that, per the signed agreement, there were no debts to be paid from past U.S. aid to Kyiv He said the agreement will be sent to the parliament to be ratiﬁed

The deputy chair of Russia’s National Security Council, Dmitry Medvedev, said that Trump had forced Ukraine to effectively “pay” for American military aid with its mineral resources.

Trump to speak at University of Alabama

BY KIM CHANDLER and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — President Donald Trump will travel to heavily Republican Alabama on Thursday to speak to graduating students at the University of Alabama, where he is expected to draw some protesters despite enjoying a deep well of support in the state.

Trump’s evening remarks in Tuscaloosa will be the Republican president’s ﬁrst address to graduates in his second term and will come as he has been celebrating the ﬁrst 100 days of his administration.

The White House did not offer any details about Trump’s planned message. Alabama, where Trump won a commanding 64% of the vote in 2024, is where he has staged a number of his trademark

large rallies over the past decade.

While the White House has described Trump’s speech as a commencement address, it is actually a special event that was created before graduation ceremonies that begin Friday Graduating students have the option of attending the event, but it is not required.

Former Crimson Tide football coach Nick Saban is also speaking at the event. Trump’s presence has drawn criticism from the Alabama NAACP and the University of Alabama College Democrats. College Democrats are countering with their own rally calling it “Tide Against Trump” — a play on the university’s nickname. The event will feature one-time presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke of Texas and former U.S Sen. Doug Jones, the last Democrat to hold statewide ofﬁce in Alabama.

threat on social media would be going after Iran’s major economic resource. It produced an average of 2.9 million barrels a day in 2023 of crude oil, according to the Energy Information Administration. Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal with world powers did limit Tehran’s program. However, Trump unilaterally withdrew from it in 2018, setting in motion years of attacks and tensions. The wider Middle East also remains on edge over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, the U.S. continues an airstrike campaign, called “Operation Rough Rider,” that has been targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who long have been backed by Iran. U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth early Thursday warned Iran over the rebels.

“Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing,” he wrote “You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing.”

Driver who killed 4 in Illinois may have had medical emergency

BY JOHN O’CONNOR Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The driver of a car that barreled through a building used for a popular after-school camp in central Illinois, killing three children and a teenager, was not under the inﬂuence of drugs or alcohol and may have had a medical emergency, police said Thursday No decisions have been made on whether to file charges against the 44-year-old driver, Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said at a news conference. The driver is not in custody, Kelly said. Evidence that she may have had a medical emergency was “not conclusive” and the investigation is ongoing, Kelly said.

The car went off the road Monday crossing a field and smashing into the side of the building in Chatham used by Youth Needing Other Things Outdoors, also known as YNOT It traveled through the building, striking people before exiting the other side.

Six other children were hospitalized. Four of them remained hospitalized, including one in critical condition, a state police spokesperson said after Thursday’s news conference. Those killed were Rylee Britton, 18, of Springﬁeld; Ainsley Johnson, 8; Kathryn Corley 7; and Alma Buhnerkempe, 7. All of the children were from Chatham, a community of about 15,000 outside the Illinois capital of Springﬁeld. The driver was not injured but was taken to a hospital for evaluation after the crash, Kelly said She voluntarily submitted blood and urine samples that tested negative for drugs and alcohol, he said. Security camera footage showed the vehicle was “a substantial distance” away when it left the roadway, said Jamie Loftus, founder of YNOT Outdoors. It crossed the field, a road, the sidewalk and YNOT’s parking lot before crashing through the building “with no apparent attempt to alter its direction,” Loftus said earlier this week.

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Obituaries:

PHOTO PROVIDED By UKRAINIAN EMERGENCy SERVICE

A rescuer helps evacuate residents from their damaged house Thursday following Russia’s air raid in Odesa, Ukraine.

PHOTO PROVIDED By NASA

Astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers work outside the International Space Station during a spacewalk Thursday.

Dentists raiseconcern aboutbilltoban fluoride in water

BY EMILYWOODRUFF Staff writer

Theefforts underwayby Louisiana lawmakers to ban ﬂuoride from public drinking water are bringing warnings from dentists and health experts, who said Thursday that the mineral has improved dental health and that removing it from water supplies is likely to lead to morecavities and tooth decay Senate Bill 2, which passed the Louisiana Senate andis now headed to the House, would repeal the state’s ﬂuoridation program and prohibit any public water system from adding the mineral.

Fluoride, anaturally occurring mineral in water,soil andfood, strengthens tooth enamel.Since the1940s, many U.S. communities have added ﬂuoride to theirwater suppliesfor that purpose, and it is largely celebrated as awin for public health. Research suggests that drinking water with added ﬂuoride can reduce cavities by up to 25 percent.

Dr.Felicia Rabito, an epidemiologist at Tulane University,said its beneﬁts for oral health are well-established.

“There is arobust body of evidence that shows these programs work,” she said,

pointingto studies that showedhow cavities rose in other cities and statesthat ended ﬂuoridation programs.

The Canadiancity of Calgary stoppedﬂuoridating its water in 2011, and by 2019, elementary students saw arise in cavitiesin baby teeth to 64.8%, compared with55.1% in Edmonton, which keptﬂuoridation. Decay in permanent teeth more than doubled.

In Wisconsin,cavity rates increased by 200% in second graders within ﬁve years of stopping ﬂuoridation in 1960.

Both cities ultimately voted to resume ﬂuoridation in response to therise in tooth decay

“This has been alow-cost, very successful program for communities throughout the country,” Rabito said. “The children that are at greatest risk are those who don’thave access to good oral care.”

Fluoridated water,like vaccines and processed foods, has been alongstanding focusofskepticism forU.S. Health and Human Services

Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and thepositionhas been taken up by some conservative Republicans.

Kennedy has claimed it is linked to various health issues, including reduced IQ in children. Andwhile some

said Sen. Valarie Hodges, RDenham Springs, of the ban.

Ivermectin

alongpartisanlines,with just afew members breaking ranks. The measures now head to the House, which is also controlled by aRepublican supermajority

No more fluoride?

SenateBill 2would outlaw fluoridation of state public water systems.But it would give residents serviced by local water systems the option to petition and hold an election to opt-intoﬂuoridation.

Theban wouldtakeeffect Jan. 1should thebill pass and win Gov.Jeff Landry’ssignature.

“Informed consent is the major thing,” said bill sponsor Sen. Mike Fesi, R-Houma. “You’re being forced to take something into your body that you may not want.”

Dentists and other health professionals have opposed eliminating fluoride from watersystems,saying it has dramatically reduced tooth decay and there is no evidence ﬂuoride causes health problems.

The Centers for Disease Control says on its website, “The safety and benefitsof ﬂuoride are well documented and havebeen reviewed comprehensively by several scientific and public health organizations.”

Kennedy last month told TheAssociated Press he plans to tell the CDC, adivision of the Departmentof Health and Human Services, to stop recommending water ﬂuoridation.

“We’re talking about make America healthy again. This is anonpartisan, bipartisan issue, with Secretary Bobby Kennedy,who is aDemocrat,”

Fesi is also sponsoring SB19,whichwould allow pharmacists to dispense ivermectin to patientsoverthe counter,meaninga prescriptionwould not be necessary

Ivermectin is approved by theU.S.Foodand Drug Administration to treat some parasitic worms and some skin conditions like rosacea.

During the COVID-19pandemic,some people began using ivermectin to treat it.

“When IcaughtCOVID, I took ivermectin for two days, gotbetter quickly.Mywhole family took ivermectin,” Fesi said. “I think it’simportant for us to get it over the counter.

Abraham said, “Everyday in aphysician’spractice, drugs are used off-label.”

“Ivermectin hasbeen shown to have some quite impressive antiviralqualities, andthat’swhy some of us including myself, started using it during the COVID epidemic,” Abraham said.

TheFDA says it has“not authorized or approved ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals,” and has “determined that currently available clinical trial data do notdemonstrate that ivermectin is effective against COVID-19 in humans.”

Kennedy in asocial mediapost lastfallincluded ivermectin in alistofitems he said were subjectto“aggressive suppression” by the FDA.

Louisiana HouseSpeaker PhillipDeVillier,R-Eunice, said,“Ilookforwardtothe conversations” in the House on both issues.

DeVillier said he expects to see debate on allowing fora

studies have shownanassociation of ﬂuoride levels with lower IQ in children, it is only at much higher levelsthan what is allowed in the U.S. water supply,said Rabito “It absolutely hadnoevidence at all of these associations at the levels thatwe have in communityﬂuoridationprograms,” Rabito said. La.’s fluoridation policies

In Louisiana, only 38%of the population is servedby systemsthatﬂuoridate water, wellbelow thenational average of 72%, according to the federal Centers forDisease Control and Prevention.

In 2008, Louisianalawmakers passed the Community Water Fluoridation Act, whichrequiredpublic water systems with more than5,000 service connections to fluoridate their water,but only if thestate could findfunding for it.Only ahandful of water systems in BatonRouge, Lafayette andShreveport fluoridate the water beyond what is naturally occurring.

New Orleans water ﬂuoridation began in June of 1974, accordingtothe Sewerage & WaterBoard.

Dentists soundthe alarm

Some dentists are sharply critical of the state’smove

local votetoopt-in to ﬂuoridationofpublic water systems.

And he said he expects the ivermectin proposal to “be fullydiscussedbyHouse members,”adding that, “personally Isupport the ability to dispense ivermectin without aprescription.”

MAHA agenda

While ivermectin hasreceded from spotlight in debates tied to Kennedy’s MAHA movement, ﬂuoride is ﬁrmly on the MAHA agenda, which in Louisianaisbeing championed by Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington.

Perhaps the centerpiece of the effort in Louisiana is SB14,sweeping nutrition legislation McMath is sponsoring that would banultraprocessed food in schoolsand seek torestrictthe purchase of sugary drinks using SNAP beneﬁts, among other provisions.

McMaththis week said 30 state legislatures across the country aredebatingmeasures that are part of the MAHA movement.

“I think for the ﬁrst timein avery long time,and perhaps maybe ever,Americans (and) Louisianians,are paying close attention to what our individual health outcomes are,”he said.

McMath has Abraham’s backingaswellasthatof Landry,who recentlyinvited Kennedy to return to Louisiana for avisit.

Landry in 2021 when he was attorneygeneral hosted Kennedy as aguest.Kennedy at thetime toldstate lawmakersthe COVID-19 vaccine “is the deadliest vaccine ever made.”

On Thursday,Landry announcedanexecutive order directing the state’sDepartmentofChildren and Family Services,which administers

to eliminateﬂuoridation entirely

“If this passes, we’re going to seeahuge increase in childhood cavities, especially in areas with lowaccess to care,” said Dr.Jacob Dent,a Lake Charles-based dentist who also has apractice in BatonRouge.

He said that while some parents may consider relying on ﬂuoride varnishes or other treatments, thosemeasures don’treplace systemicﬂuoride intake.

“If you take the ﬂuoride out of the water,what areyou goingtodotosupplement it so we don’thave adownturn in oral health?” he said. “I haven’tseen anything proposed to ﬁll thatgap.”

Dr.Gregory Guerra, president of the New Orleans Dental Association, said he sees children withtoothdecay regularly

“There’ssomuch disease out there, andit’stotally preventable,” he said. “Fluoridation is amajor contributor to thepreventionofchildhood toothdecay.”

Toothdecay causes kids to missschool and parents to miss work fordentist appointments. Untreated decay can lead to infection, systemic illnessand problems with the alignment of permanent

Louisiana’sSNAP program, to ask the federal governmentfor awaiver to exclude soft drinks and candy from eligibility for SNAP purchases.

Theorderalsourgesthe Legislature to pass SB14.

In avideo on social media, Landry saidhelistenedtotestimony from moms, doctors and community leaderssupporting McMath’s“incredibly important Make America Healthy Again bill.”

“Our nationisstronger when we arehealthier,” he said. “And I’m committedto working alongside President Trump and Secretary Kennedy to bring theMake America Healthy Again movementto every corner of our state.”

teeth. He also warned that switching to afluoride toothpaste or in-office fluoride treatments alone isn’tasufficient replacement.

“The ﬂuoride is incorporated intothe teeth while they’re forming in utero and early in life,” Guerra said. “That’sa window of opportunityyou’ll missifkidsdon’tget it.”

The American Dental Association criticized Louisiana Surgeon General Dr.Ralph Abraham forsupporting the bill. The Louisiana Dental Association and theNew OrleansDepartment of Health also oppose the ﬂuoride ban.

What happens next If passed by theHouse and

signedinto lawbyGov.Jeff Landry,Louisiana’s fluoride banwould takeeffect Jan. 1. Underthe bill, public water systems would only be allowedtoadd fluoride back if at least15% of registeredvoters in theaffected area sign a petition requesting fluoridation, and amajorityvotesto approve the measureinan election. No similar election can have occurred in the previous four years. Residentscan checktheir water system’sfluoridation levels at the CDC’sMyWater’sFluoride Website. Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

Thefestival’sproducers moved quicklytoﬁll the gaps. Veteran Cajunaccordionist and singer Jesse Lege ﬁlled in for Escovedo with interviewer Michael Tisserand at the Allison Miner MusicHeritage Stage in the Grandstand.

And at the Sheraton Fais Do-Do Stage, the Lost Bayou Ramblers were moved back into Escovedo’s 4:30 p.m. slot. Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers werethen alast-minute addition for Fais DoDo’sclosing 6p.m. slot.

By the time gates opened, the festivalhad alreadyupdatedits online scheduling “cubes”and Nan Parati, Jazz Fest’ssign-makerfor 40 years, had hand-drawn new stage signs to reﬂect the changes. Carlos Santanaisright on time

The festival was fortunate not to need to ﬁll an even higherproﬁle slot.

Carlos Santana,Thursday’s mainstage closer,has also had healthchallenges of late. He canceled an April 22 concert in San Antonio after what was described as adehydration-related “event.” He then pulled the plug on the following night’sshow in Sugar Land, Texas, after testing positive for COVID-19.

But Santana, one of Jazz Fest’s longest-tenured headliners —he ﬁrst plugged in at the fest in 1989 —soon resumed his Oneness Tour 2025. He arrived on the Festival Stage right on time.

At ﬁrst, he played guitar sitting down while his drummer/wife, Cindy Blackman Santana,was positively explosive behind him.

The entire Santana band was fired up. With two percussionists flanking Blackman —and the vocalists contributing percussion too —the backbone of the band was rock solid. And they weren’twasting time. In the set’sfirst 30 minutes, they pivoted from “Evil Ways” to “Black Magic Woman” to “Oye Como Va without pause. Both seated and standing, and whileconstantly chewinggum, Santana carved out richly toned solos. He wasn’tasanimated as the rest of his band, but he was there.

DavidShawbackatFairGrounds

David Shaw rocked ahuge

crowd with theRevivalists at the Festival Stage last Sunday.On Tuesday,hereturned to the Oak Street dive bar Snake and Jake’s Christmas ClubLounge for the ﬁrst time in 15 yearsfor asurprise Revivalists set in the back courtyard

On Thursday,heand his solo band hitthe Gentilly Stage. They cruised throughthe melodic “SomethingToThisFeeling,” from his 2021 self-titled debut solo album, and an all-in cover of David Bowie’s“Heroes.” Afterward,Shawrewarded himself with adouble order of Buffaleaux oysters from theTCA Brocato boothinFood Area 1. Better Than Ezra followed Shaw at Gentilly.The band is celebratingthe 30th anniversary of Elektra Records’ release of “Deluxe,” the BTE album that sold 1 millioncopies and is now riding a waveof’90s nostalgia.

Frontman Kevin Grifﬁn dedi-

cated “Desperately Wanting,” from the“Friction,Baby” album, to aguy in thecrowd braving thesunshine in ablack “Friction, Baby” T-shirt

During “Juicy,” three students from theSecond Line Arts Collective, amusic industry-centered nonproﬁt for which BTE has raised money,joined in on horns. Cage theElephantdraws crowd Cage theElephant, Gentilly’s closer,drew aSaturday-sized crowd on aThursday.With rows of their own lights across the stage backdrop, frontman Matt Shultzand his bandmates worked through technical issues to deliver ahits-heavy set that concluded with “Cigarette Daydreams” and “ComeaLittle Closer.” Meanwhile, Dwayne Dopsie and his Zydeco Hellraisers were living up to their nameatthe Fais Do-Do Stage. They played afew minutes past 7p.m., making the

mostofbeing alast-minute addition At the CongoSquare Stage, the sharp-dressed men of MorrisDay &the Time had it all. Thesuits. The steps. “The Bird.” Looking as dapper as he did in the ’80s in aburgundy suit trimmed withwhite piping, Day fronted acrisp version of the Time still powered by crackerjack original drummer Jellybean Johnson.Day occasionally consulted acircular mirrorwieldedbya valet, mainly to dab sweat off hisforehead. With lots of bass andsynthesizer, plus Johnson’ssteady pulse, “The Bird” took ﬂight with assistance from volunteer dancers from the audience. Aﬁnal “Jungle Love” was anostalgic celebration. It’s hard to imagine amore purely fun set anywhere on the Fair Grounds. Earlier on the Festival Stage, theall-star quartet Dragon Smoke —Ivan Nevilleonkeyboards and

vocals, Eric Lindell on guitar and vocals, and Galactic’sRob Mercurio on bass and Stanton Moore on drums—stayed true to the spirit of NewOrleans musicians by having funand making music look easy

Augmented by Brad Walker on sax and Steve Lands on trumpet, Neville and Lindell —strumming and picking ared, white and blue ﬂying-V guitar —took turns on lead vocals. Neville handled a cover of “Groove Me” and his own New Orleans ode “Greatest Place on Earth.” Lindell cruised through his “Lay Back Down.”

“This is awonderful day,” Neville said, peering through his shades at the bright blue sky pocked with ﬂuffy white clouds. “Wecan actually say it’sabeautifulday.” It was.

Email KeithSpera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

STAFFPHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Leadsinger Matt Shultzsings and Brad Shultz plays theguitarasCagethe Elephant performs Thursdayonthe Shell Gentilly Stageatthe New Orleans Jazz &HeritageFestival.

SOLAR

“At the time, we were like, ‘We need the state to step in and help,’ because we were not experienced.”

The debate in Tangipahoa has played out over and over again on police juries and parish councils across Louisiana in recent years, as local officials grapple with concerns from constituents amid a surge in utility-scale solar projects. Almost everyone agrees that solar needs regulations. But there’s little agreement on how to go about it.

A group of lawmakers spent the last year studying the issue with the goal of creating state regulations that could serve as a “model for the rest of the country,” said state Rep. Brett Geymann, R-Lake Charles, who headed the effort as chair of the House Natural Resources and the Environment Committee.

House Bill 615 was the result. Sponsored by Geymann, the bill would require milelong buffers between solar projects and residential properties. It would also create approval processes at three state agencies, the Department of Energy and Natural Resources, the De-

partment of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, to ensure projects don’t intrude on wildlife or replace valuable agricultural land.

In a committee hearing on the bill last week, Geymann said his goal is to put guardrails in place so solar can ﬂourish “in a way that doesn’t have a negative impact on our state and our communities.”

“I’m not here to kill solar,” he said But during the hearing, it was clear that the bill is far from a consensus.

Property owners who have leased land for solar projects said the measure would trample on their property rights. Solar developers said it would kill future developments in Louisiana. The petrochemical sector — which is increasingly turning to renewables to make its products more desirable overseas also signaled opposition.

“The legislation in its current form decimates new utility-scale solar generation at a time when it is needed most,” said Jeff Cantin, board chair of Gulf States Renewable Energy Industries Association and CEO of Louisiana-based Solar Alternatives, which installs solar panels for commercial and residential customers.

Tommy Cryar, board presi-

nities.

More than 130,000 came to the United States, with about 2,100 settling in New Orleans East and the West Bank in 1975, and thousands more coming in the years that followed.

When Tran was a child, her mother rarely talked about the treacherous journey to New Orleans after the Vietnam War But growing up on the West Bank, the silver second-place trophy from 1973 became an object of curiosity that opened the door to her learning about her parents’ lives before she was born, said exhibit curator Mark Cave.

“It was asking her mother of that trophy that kind of led to this exploration of her family history,” Cave said When the war ended, those who ﬂed Vietnam left nearly everything behind The trophy is just one of the artifacts that refugees were able to escape with and keep over the past half century Other items on display are military uniforms and a pair of baby shoes and a stuffed animal from a child born to a Vietnamese woman and a U.S. soldier, and later adopted by a New Orleans family Cave spent a decade collecting about 75 hours of oral histories, photos and artifacts for exhibit that will run through October to commemorate the 50 years since the end of the war and all that the Vietnamese community has brought to New Orleans since.

The exhibit starts just before the end of the war and tells the story of how people escaped, many by boat. They arrived in New Orleans and built new lives and commu-

“They spent their entire lives searching for a home. They had to ﬂee North Vietnam when they partitioned the country in 1954. They had to move multiple times in South Vietnam before settling down only to have to move again after the fall of Saigon and they often had multiple stops before the ﬁnally found a home here in New Orleans. They created a generational home here,” said Cave.

Josie Gristina, who owns Le Crepe Nanou, a French restaurant that opened in Uptown in 1983, visited the exhibit with her daughter on Thursday They called the exhibit “incredible.”

Their family hired several Vietnamese men to work in the kitchen of the family restaurant in the early 1980s.

The group hired were among the earliest arrivals.

Gristina said she learned from her employees about Vietnam, the war and their budding community She shared a story of one employee who, until the family found out and offered help, would walk from the West Bank to Uptown to get to work.

But her favorite parts of exhibit was seeing how, through the Krewe of PhantAsia formerly the Krewe of Mung Beans the Vietnamese community has become part of local Mardi Gras celebrations. She also loved learning about Vietnamese new wave, a musical genre that Vietnamese Americans pioneered not long after their arrival.

“I didn’t know that existed,” she laughed, pointing to a photo of two new wave musicians with long, sideswept bangs and fedora hats. “The guys working with us didn’t look like that.” The exhibit is organized

dent of Beauregard Electric Cooperative, which provides electricity to more than 44,000 customers, said he supports the restrictions laid out in the bill.

“What other industry takes up two to three to four thousand acres and meanders around residential neighborhoods? And the answer is none,” Cryar said. “The public and our Legislature would not tolerate any other industry to conduct themselves in this manner.”

The legislation ultimately advanced out of committee on April 23, with assurances from Geymann that he’d bring amendments to the bill on the House ﬂoor

Solar projects expanding

The solar industry has grown rapidly in Louisiana amid a boom in renewable energy investments fueled by federal incentives and growing demand among users for clean energy

Five years ago, there were zero utility-scale solar developments in Louisiana. Today, there are nearly a dozen, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.

The supply chain to support those projects is also growing. In 2023, Arizona-based First Solar began construction on a $1.1 billion solar panel manufacturing plant near New Iberia that’s expected to

with a kitchen and a living room to signify the places where stories are shared in a home, Cave said. In the living room, the story of Nga Quinlan’s family is shared. She was there with Cave when her mother recorded her oral history, and shared information that even Quinlan did not know

The exhibit is how she learned the story of her father’s capture during the war and his return home after three years in prison, during which her mother had assumed him dead.

He was arrested again just as the family was fleeing, and died in Vietnam before the family could be reunited. Quinlan, who was 2 when her family came to New Orleans in the 1980s, said the exhibit brought her closer to her father, who she never got to know It also helped her understand her mother

“There’s so many little things about my mom that I just never understood but now I can relate to,” she said. “Like how she’s always offering people food. They were constantly having to worry about the next meal.”

During an oral history interview, her mom shared that her own mother Quinlan’s grandmother was the only one of her siblings to survive after all the rest died of starvation in Vietnam. That was the ﬁrst Quinlan heard the story

“My mom’s story is one of resilience,” she said. “Being able to overcome all of this and still be able to have a happy ending, it’s a story of renewal.”

The exhibit is free and will run through Oct. 5.

Email Desiree Stennett at desiree.stennett@ theadvocate.com.

employ more than 700 workers once it’s complete.

One question is whether regulations should be left up to state or local ofﬁcials.

Early on, solar farms seemed to appear out of nowhere, catching local ofﬁcials by surprise and sometimes angering neighbors. Half a dozen parishes issued temporary moratoriums while they crafted rules. Livingston Parish extended its moratorium in March, in anticipation of state rules.

Geymann’s bill would require projects that are 10 acres or larger to get a permit from the state Department of Energy and Natural Resources.

“That will give us consistency across parishes,” he said.

Don Caffery, president of the Natural Resources Management Association, said his members, who own or manage over two million acres across the state, believe this is “a local issue” and each of Louisiana’s 64 parishes should come up with their own rules.

The solar industry says it prefers uniform state regulations instead of a hodgepodge of local rules. But it’s not pleased with the bill that has emerged

“What industry has sought is a transparent and predictable rule book. Tell our companies what the rules are and we’ll follow them,” Cantin said, adding that most states don’t regulate solar farms unless they’re at least 500 acres.

Much of the concern around solar projects has to do with how they look. The projects can span thousands of acres and transform agricultural vistas into seas of solar panels.

At the committee hearing, Geymann shared images of some “not so great” projects with broken panels and overgrown vegetation located near homes.

“I don’t want to be barbecuing looking at solar panels, nor do my neighbors,” said Tommy Buckner a resident who lives across from a proposed development near Lake Charles.

Geymann’s legislation would require a 1-mile setback between solar panels and residential properties, though he said he’s open to working with the industry to come up with a different number It would also require developers to submit a plan for “decommissioning” a development once it is no longer in use and a “letter of clearance from the state Department of Agriculture and Forestry Legislators in 2022 directed the state Department of Energy and Natural Resources to adopt a permitting process to ensure solar projects had an adequate end-of-life plan, though ﬁnal rules have yet to be published. “We don’t want an orphan well situation where 10 years from now we have a whole bunch of solar projects that have been abandoned and we’re on the hook for cleaning them up,” Geymann said.

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate. com.

Bill wouldrequire schoolstooffer pregnancyresources

Informationwould

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Public college and high school health clinics would have to share information with pregnant students about where they canfind adoption services or pregnancy care under anew bill that critics say could direct young women to unlicensed medical providers.

The legislation, House Bill 478 proposed by Rep Dodie Horton, R-Houghton, requires waiting rooms in school health clinics to carry pamphlets and display signs pointing patients to the pregnancy page on the state’s Department of Health website. The website provides information about the risks of pregnancy and resources for pregnant women, as well as the numberofan“abortion alternatives hotline.” It also refers to “the unborn child,” aterm favored by anti-abortion groups.

Thepamphletswould also include alist of public and private agencies that offer pregnancy care, adoption services and care for newborns

Those in favor of theproposal, also known as the Signs of Hope Act, sayit would be beneﬁcial to young expectantmothers, especially those who don’t have strong support systems.But opponents say the billdoes not require that the listed

agencies be licensed health care professionals, raising concerns that studentswill be directedtounlicensed providers.

Lawmakers on theHouse Education Committee voted 11-0 Tuesday to advance the bill.

Horton,a conservative lawmaker whose previous bills required public schools to display the TenCommandments and the U.S. motto “In God We Trust,” told the committee Tuesday thather aimistolet pregnant studentsknowtheir options. She pointed out that before Roe v. Wade wasoverturned in 2022, triggering astatewide ban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy,Louisiana abortion clinics were required by law to hand out similarpamphlets.

“Praise God, we don’thave those anymore,” Horton said, referringtothe clinics. She said she wanted to create similar pamphletsthat students can take home with them from school health centers.

Rebecca Bolen, aproponent of the bill, told the committee that having outside support and access to resourceswhenshe discovered she waspregnanther senior year of high school in St.Tammany Parish allowed her to continue her education

She pointed to datathat shows pregnancy is one of

the leading reasons teenage girls and young women fail to ﬁnish their education.

“These statisticsrepresent real livesand lostopportunities, andI was almost one of them,” Bolen said. Girls “deserve toknow that theirdreamsdon’t have to end with pregnancy.”

However,critics who spoke against Horton’sbill expressedconcernthat the required pamphlets could steer young people to clinics that are notmedically licensed, including to socalled “crisispregnancy centers.” Those arefaithbased nonproﬁtsthat critics say employ manipulative tactics to convincewomen to keep their pregnancies.

Michelle Erenberg, executive director of Lift Louisiana, anonprofit reproductive rights organization, said the bill “opens the door” to promotional material for crisis pregnancy centers.

“Public educational institutionshave aconstitutional obligation to remain neutral in mattersofdeeply personal and political significance,” said Erenberg, who signed up to speakonher own behalf not her organization’s. “Requiring schools to promote the viewpoints of nonmedical, religiously motivatedorganizations threatens this neutrality and exposes institutions to potential legal challenges.” Severalmedicalasso-

ciations saythe centers are notheldtothe same safety standards as other medical facilities, warning that they sometimes use untested procedures, such as abortion pill “reversals,” for which thereislittle scientiﬁcevidence of their safetyand efﬁcacy

In a2020 National InstitutesofHealthreport,researchers whoexaminedthe websites of 348crisispregnancy centers nationwide found that 80% provided “at least one false or misleading piece of information” regarding pregnancy,includingsomethatfalsely linked abortion to adverse mental health impacts, breast cancer and future infertility Many also failed to provide transparent information aboutstaffers’ medical training.

Horton declinedtocomment on the criticismsand redirected questions to the state’sDepartmentofHealth, which will be charged with printing and distributing the signs and pamphlets. The DepartmentofHealth did notimmediately respond to arequest for comment.

Rep. Barbara Freiberg, R-Baton Rouge, expressed concernthatmedical providers may interpret the bill’swording as arequirement that they hand each patientabooklet, rather than simply offer the information to those whowant it.

She successfully petitioned to add an amendment removing aline from the bill stating that health care staff “shalloffer abooklet to each pregnant patient.” The committee approved the amended bill.

The legislation’sﬁscal note projects it would cost taxpayers just over $270,000

duringthe 2025-26fiscal year and $128,000 each year after,though Horton told the committeethose are estimates and that she expects the actual cost will be lower once the state determines how manypamphlets need to be printed. An outspoken abortion opponent, Horton voted last year againsta bill that would have allowed minors whoare victimsofincest or rape to terminate their pregnancies. She also expressed support last year forabill imposing harsher penalties on those who provide abortion pills to apregnant person without theindividual’s knowledge or consent, and she co-authored another bill designating June as “Sanctity of Preborn Life Month.” Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate. com.

Rubionamed interimnational security adviser

BY ZEKE MILLER, AAMER MADHANI, SEUNG MINKIM and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Thursday that he is nominating national security adviser Mike Waltz as United Nations ambassador while Secretaryof State Marco Rubio would take over Waltz’sduties on an interim role.

He announced the major shake-up of his national security team shortly after news broke that Waltz and his deputy are leaving the administration. Waltz has been under scrutiny for weeks after reporting from The Atlanticthat he had mistakenly addedthe magazine’seditor-in-chief to aSignal chat being used to discuss military plans.

“I am pleased to announce that Iwill be nominating Mike Waltz to be the next United States Ambassador to the United Nations. From his time in uniformon the battleﬁeld,inCongress and, as my National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz has worked hard to put our Nation’sInterests ﬁrst,” Trump

wrote on social media.

“In the interim,Secretary of StateMarco Rubio will serve as National Security Advisor,while continuing hisstrong leadershipatthe State Department.Together, we will continue to ﬁght tirelessly to Make America, and theWorld,SAFE AGAIN.”

There is precedentfor the secretary of state to serve simultaneouslyasnational securityadviser.Henry Kissinger held bothpositions from 1973 to 1975.

It’snot clear how long Rubiowill holdboth roles.

But he’ll be doing double duty atamoment when the Trump administrationisfacingnoshortage of foreign policy challenges —the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, Iran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program and an uncertain world economyinthe midst of Trump’sglobaltariffwar Waltz came under searing criticism in March after revelations that he added journalist Jeffrey Goldbergtoa private text chain onanencrypted messaging app that was used to discuss planning fora sensitive military operation against Houthi militants in Yemen.

Trump’sdecision to move Waltz to the U.N. comes weeks after he pulled his pick for the job, Rep. Elise StefanikofNew York, fromconsideration over fears about

Republicans’tight voting margins in theU.S. House Waltz’sshift from national securityadviser to U.N. ambassador nominee meanshe will nowhavetoface aSenate conﬁrmation hearing.

The process, which proved to be difﬁcult for anumber of Trump’sCabinet picks, will give lawmakers the ﬁrst chance to grill Waltz on his decision to shareinformation about an imminent U.S. airstrike on Signal.

Sen. ChrisCoons,the top Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, signaled thatWaltz will face difﬁcult questions.

Trump is believed to be weighing several senior aidestoeventually take on the national security adviserrole, including special envoys Steve Witkoffand Richard Grenell, National SecurityCouncil senior director for counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka and senior StateDepartment official Michael Anton,according to several people familiar with theongoing deliberations.

Waltz had previously taken “full responsibility” for building the Signal message chainand administration ofﬁcials describedthe episode as a“mistake” but one that caused Americans no harm. Waltz maintained that he was notsurehow Goldberg ended up in the messaging chain.

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

BRIEFS

FROM STAFFAND WIRE REPORTS

McDonald’sstore traffic falls unexpectedly

McDonald’sstore trafﬁc fell further than expected in the ﬁrst quarter as economic uncertainty weighed on diners.

The trouble was particularlyacute in the U.S., where same-store sales —or sales at locations open at least ayear —slumped 3.6%. That wasthe biggest U.S. decline McDonald’s has seensince 2020, when apandemic shuttered stores andrestaurants and other public spaces nationwide.

McDonald’sChairman and CEO Chris Kempczinski said lower-and middle-incomeconsumers, worried aboutinﬂation and the economic outlook, cut back on fast food during the January-March period.

Industrywide traffic from consumers making $45,000 per year or less wasdownbydouble-digit percentages, he said, andtraffic from middle-incomeconsumers was down nearly as much. Only traffic from those making $100,000 or more remainedsolid,hesaid.

McDonald’srivals have reported similar downturns. Yum Brands, which owns the Taco Bell,KFC, Habit Burger & Grill and Pizza Hut brands, said Wednesday that itsU.S.samestore sales fell 2% in the first quarter. Chipotle also reported weaker-than-expected samestore sales in the ﬁrst quarter

Ninja-branded pressure cookersrecalled SharkNinja is recallingmore than2million pressure cookers sold in the U.S. and Canada after consumersreported more than 100 burn injuries spanning from ahazard that can cause hot food to spew out. According to arecall notice published by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on Thursday,Ninja-branded“Foodi OP300 Series Multi-Function Pressure Cookers” have alid that can be opened while the cooker is in use. That can cause hotcontentstoescapefromthe product, posing serious burn risks.

SharkNinja has received106 reports of burn injuriesinthe U.S. —including more than 50 reports of second or third-degreeburns to the face or body, per theCPSC, which adds that 26 lawsuits have been filed as aresult. No additional injuries have been reportedinCanada, according to an accompanying notice from Health Canada.

Those in possession of the now-recalled cookers are urged to immediately stop using the pressure-cooking function and contact Massachusetts-based SharkNinja for afree replacement lid. But you can still use the cookers’ other functions, including air frying, which are not affected by the recall.

The multiuse cookers were made in China and sold between early 2019 and the spring of 2025 at major retailers like Walmart Costco, Sam’sClub, Amazon and Target, as well as Ninjakitchen com, for about $200.

Average 30-year mortgage rateeases

The average rate on a30-year mortgage in the U.S. eased again this week, modest relief for prospective home shoppers during what’straditionally the busiest time of the year for the housing market.

The rate fell to 6.76% from 6.81% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday Ayear ago, the rate averaged 7.22%.

Borrowing costson15-year fixed-rate mortgages,popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also fell. The average rate dropped to 5.92% from 5.94% last week. It’s down from 6.47% ayear ago, Freddie Mac said. After climbing to ajustabove 7% in mid-January,the average rate on a30-year mortgage has remained above 6.62%, where it was just three weeks ago. It then spiked above 6.8% thenexttwo weeks, reﬂecting volatilityinthe 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as aguide to pricing home loans.

Microsoft, Meta boostWallStreet

BigTechcompanies report bigger profits

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEWYORK Microsoft and Meta Platforms led Wall Street higher Thursday after theBig Tech companiesreported profitsfor the start of the year that were even bigger than analysts expected.

The S&P 500 rose for an eighth straight gain, its longest winning streak since August. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq composite also climbed.

Microsoft rallied 7.6% after the software giant said strength in its cloud computingand artiﬁcial intelligencebusinessesdrove its

overall revenue up 13% from a year earlier Meta, theparent company of Facebook andInstagram, also topped analysts’ targets for revenue and proﬁt in the latestquarter.Itsaid AI tools helped boost its advertising revenue, and its stock climbed 4.2%.

They’re two of themost inﬂuential stocks within the S&P 500 andother indexesbecause of their massive sizes, andtheyweren’t alone. CVSHealth, Carrier Global and abevy of other companies also joined the stream of betterthan-expected proﬁt reports that have helped steadyWall Street

over thelastweek. TheS&P 500 is backtowithin9%ofits record setearlier thisyear,after briefly dropping nearly 20% below the mark. Still, plenty of uncertainty remains about whetherPresident Donald Trump’strade warwill force the economy into arecession. Even though companies have been reportingbetter profitsfor thefirst three months of the year than analysts expected, manyCEOs are remaining cautious about the rest of the year

General Motors cut its forecast for proﬁt in 2025, forexample.It said it’sassuming it will feel ahit of $4 billion to $5 billion because of tariffs, and it expects to offset at least 30% of it. GM’s stock slipped

0.4%. The uncertainty has already shown up in surveys of consumers, which say pessimism is shooting higher about where the economy heading. On Thursday,acouple reports aboutthe economy came in mixed, following up on several recent updates that suggested it’s weakening.

The first of the reports said more U.S. workers filed for unemploymentbenefits last week than economists had forecast, setting the stage for amore comprehensive report on the job market arriving Friday

But alater update said U.S. manufacturing activity wasbetter last month than economists had feared, though it still contracted again.

BYANNE D’INNOCENZIO

and DIDI TANG Associated Press

NEWYORK Consumers can expecthigher prices and delivery delayswhen theTrumpadministration ends aduty-free exemption on low-value imports from ChinaonFriday

Theexpiration of the so-called de minimis rule that has allowed as many as 4million low-value parcels to come into theU.S every day —mostlyfrom China —isalso forcing businesses that have built their models on sourcing production in China to rethinktheir practices in order to keeptheircosts down. Butsomemight actually beneﬁtfrom thetermination of the duty exemption. For instance, companies that make their goods in the U.S. mayfeel relief from the competition of cheap Chinese

It’llbeVenture Global’s second plant

imports, andlikelyexperience a brighter sales outlook.

Themove, which appliesto goods originating from mainland China and Hong Kong, comes on top of President Donald Trump’s new tariffs totaling 145% on China. Beijing has retaliated with tariffs of 125% on theU.S., fueling atrade war between the world’stwo largest economies. Sellers are already seeing cautiousconsumers.

On Wednesday, Trumpcalled thedeminimis exemption “a big scam going on against our country,against really small businesses.

Introduced in 1938, thedeminimis exception was intended to facilitate the ﬂowofsmall packages valued at no more than $5, the equivalent of about $109 today. The threshold rose to $800 in 2016. Butthe rapid rise of crossbordere-commerce, drivenby

China,has challengedthe intent of the decades-old customs exception rule.

Chineseexports of low-value packages soared to $66 billion in 2023, up from $5.3 billionin2018, according to aFebruary report by the Congressional Research Service. And the U.S. market has been amajor destination.

Consumerswill face higher prices and delivery delays now that parcels will go through a more complicated customs process to enterthe U.S. involving declaration andduty payment.

Businesses could factor tariffs into the ﬁnal price, or they can list them separatelyinthe same way as sales taxes. For instance, Temu,which is owned by the Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings, now lists “import charges” that have reportedly doubled manyitems’ prices. (The retailer also hasa “local ware-

house” option for someproducts, which are shippedfrom within the U.S. and therefore avoids the import charge.)

Parcel carriers will be burdened with collecting duties, and the paperwork to comply with the newrule could result notonly in higher prices but also delays and even disruptions to delivery, said Ram Ben Tzion of the vetting platform Publican.

Major commercial carriers such as UPSand FedEx have saidthey are well-equipped and preparedtocollect dutieson internationalparcels in compliance with local laws, including the new U.S. rule.

Commercial carriers will be collecting 145%tariffs on declared values. The U.S. Postal Service, agovernment agency that offers international mail service, can choose either to charge a120% tariff on low-value packages or aﬂat feeof$100 per shipment, which is set to rise to $200 on June 1.

Email TimothyBoone at tboone@theadvocate.com. CameronLNG

in astatement. VentureGlobal saidithas pur-

chase agreements with companies such as ExxonMobil, Chevron and ChinaGas for the LNG produced at theplant. TheLNG export business has been booming in Louisiana since at least 2010, when Cheniere Energy ﬁrst appliedtoshipthe fuel from its then-planned Sabine Pass terminalinsouthwest Louisiana. Threeother LNG terminals have opened in the state since then, mostrecently Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG, whichstarted production in December.Venture

Global announced plans in March for an $18 billion expansion of Plaquemines LNG, which would make it the largest exporter in North America. Earlierthis week,Woodside Energy madeaﬁnal investment decision to go ahead withthe Louisiana LNGproductionand export facility in Calcasieu Parish. The $17.5 billion facility is expected to start production in 2029.

Trump’spoliciesloomoverMay

BY THOMAS ADAMSON and YURI KAGEYAMA Associated Press

PARIS Frenchunion leaders condemned the “Trumpization” of world politics, while in Italy,May Day protesters paradedapuppet of the American president through the streets of Turin. Acrosscontinents,hundreds of thousandsturned outfor Thursday’srallies marking International Workers’ Day,many united in anger over U.S. President Donald Trump’sagenda —from aggressive tariffs stoking fears of global economic turmoil to immigration crackdowns.

In the United States, organizers framed this year’s protests as apushback againstwhat they called a sweeping assault on labor protections, diversity initiatives and federal employees.

In Germany,union leaders warned that extended workdays and rising antiimmigrant sentiment were dismantling labor protections. In Bern, Switzerland, thousandsmarched behind banners denouncingfascism and war —part of awider backlash against the global surge of hard-right politics.

In France, union leaders predicted hundreds of thousands would join demonstrations across the country,fueled by anger over U.S. military and trade inﬂuence in Europe. Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon accused the U.S. of pushing

Europetoward conﬂict and economic subservience.

“If the North Americans don’twant our goods anymore,wecan just sell them to others,” he said. In Spain, thousands marched in Madrid, Barcelona and other cities,with demandsrangingfroma shorter workweek to answers for ahistoric power outage that blacked out the IberianPeninsula earlier this week. Trump’sname alsosurfaced “The world has changed abit with Trump’sarrival,” said Ángel López, 56, aworker from Madrid.“The arrival of the far right to acountrylike the UnitedStates is

amajor global shift.”

Economic fearsinAsia

Taiwan’s PresidentLai

Ching-te cited new U.S. tariffs under Trump as he promoted asweeping economic packageaimedatshoring up jobs andindustry.Inthe Philippines, protest leader Mong Palatino warned that “tariffwarsand policies of Trump” threatened localindustriesand people’s livelihoods.

In Japan,Trump’simage loomed over the day —quite literally —asatruck in the Tokyo march carried adoll madetoresemble him. Demonstrators there calledfor higher wages, gender equal-

ity,healthcare, disaster relief, aceaseﬁre in Gaza, and an end to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Tadashi Ito, aunion construction worker,saidhe feared therising costofimported raw materials

“Everybody is fighting over work,and so thecontracts tend to go wherethe wages arecheapest,” he said. “Wethink peace comes first. Andwehope Trump will eradicateconflict and inequalities.”

WorriesoverU.S.tariffs

Under overcast skies, about 2,500 union members marched from theTaiwanese presidentialofficein

Taipei, warning that Trump’s tariffs could lead to job losses.

“This is why we hope the government can propose plans to protect the rights of laborers,” saidunionleader CarlosWang. An autoworkers’ union carried acutout car topped with aphoto of Trump.

In Manila,thousands of Filipino workers rallied near the presidential palace, wherepoliceblocked access with barricades. Protesters demanded wage hikes and stronger protections for local jobs andsmall businesses.

In Jakarta, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto addressed acheering crowd at the National Monument Park.

“The government that I lead will work as hard as possibletoeliminate poverty from Indonesia,” he said.

Roughly 200,000 workers wereexpected to takepart in MayDay ralliesacross Southeast Asia’slargest economy, accordingtoSaid Iqbal, president of theConfederation of Indonesian Trade Unions.

Bigrallies in Chicago, L.A.

In Chicago, thousands of people ralliedina West Side park before marching through downtown streets to thelakefront. Some played drumsand danced while otherschanted “No justice, no peace!” The crowd included union workers, immigrant rights advocates,pro-Pales-

tinian activists and students calling for better-funded public schools. LatrinaBarnes, a48-yearoldcertifiednursesassistant, saidworries that Medicaid and Medicare mightbe affected under the Trump administration inspired her to protest in aMay Dayrally for the ﬁrst time.“We need to stand up and ﬁght back,” she said.

Some used humor to protest, including aTrump puppet, an inﬂatable Trump baby chicken and aTrump pinata shaped like abull.

Hoisting signs saying “Immigrants make America great,” “Migration is beautiful” and“It’snot the time to be silent,” thousands of demonstrators marched peacefully through downtownLos Angeles. With bands playing and ﬂags waving, the gathering had the feel of acelebration.

Themarch beganafter anumber of speakers demanded elected officials protect workers’ and immigrants’ rights. With the slogan“One Struggle,One Fight —Workers Unite,” the event wasorganized by the LosAngelesMay Day Coalition, made up of labor unions andcommunitybased groups.

“We’re bringing the fight to the billionaires andpoliticians whoare trying to divide us with fearand lies,” said April Verrett, president of the Service Employees International Union, which represents 2million workers.

BY RICK PEARSON ChicagoTribune (TNS)

CHICAGO Four Demo-

cratic state chief executives on Tuesday night called for Democrats to mobilize and protest outside Republican congressional offices to oppose President Donald Trump’sadministrative actions following his ﬁrst 100 days in ofﬁce.

“It’stime to ﬁght,” Illinois Gov.JBPritzker said during avirtual town hall. “Everybody has to get up, stand up, speak out, show up.And if you can’tgosomewhere to do that, well, go online and make sureyou’re speaking up and showing up online Andifyou can’tdothat, how about callingyour congressperson, your senator to make your voice heard? Everybody has got to standup for not only what’sbest for themselves and their families, but also their neighbors and their friends.”

The potential 2028 presidentialaspirant continued: “Ifyou’renot out there protesting in front of aRepublican congressman’sofﬁce, or out in the streetmaking your voice heard, or calling your friends in another stateto have them do it,orshowing up in Washington, D.C., in frontoftheir ofﬁces, those Republican congressmen, then you’re notdoing what’s necessary to put pressure on them to vote the right way.” Pritzker was joined by

Govs. TimWalz of Minnesota,the unsuccessful 2024 vice presidential nominee, Maura HealeyofMassachusetts and Kathy Hochul of New York in an hourlong, livestreamed question-andanswer event hosted by the MeidasTouch Network. The online sitehas used itssocial mediaplatforms and other channels to sharply criticize Trump and Elon Musk, the presidential adviser who heads up the “Department of Governmental Efﬁciency.”

The governors were asked about formulating anew messagingstrategy followingthe party’spoor showing last November and current publicpolling indicating dissatisfaction with Democrats for failing toaddress kitchen table issues and for not helping working families —onceacore constituency.

Theforum comesasDemocratsalsoare tryingtoreconcile divisions betweenthe party’sprogressive wing and more moderateDemocrats whofeelthe party’sleftward drift was amajor factor to last year’selection results.

Of the threeothergovernors, Hochul was themost vocal in echoing Pritzker’s callfor Democratstotake their objections of Trump andMuskdirectly to members of the Republican-controlled House —withaneye toward the 2026 midterm elections.

“I believe that we allought to be mobilizing. The best

way for us to get across what we really believe is that you show up at your Republican congressman’soffice and let themknow: Quit shutting down veteran services. Quit taking away Social Security and Medicaid—and we know that’swhat they’re abouttodo,” theNew York governor said.

Walz, who was on thelosing Democratic ticket in November with presidential nomineeKamalaHarris, said the country knewwhatitwas getting withasecond Trump presidency and referred to his tenure so far as “100 days of crap”and Pritzkercalled it “disastrous,” while Healey said that, on the economy, “the one thing that he ran on,hehas been an abysmal failure” over his on-again, off-again tariff policies

“Donald Trumpkilled alot of things,” Hochuladded “Whathekilled was killing our economy.He’skilling education. He’skilling health care.But youknow what? He’s also killedcomplacency.”

“I don’tthink there’san American alive right now who’swatching what is unfolding over these last100 days —and there’s 1,362 more to go —thatare feeling complacent or apathetic and are going to sit on the sidelines,”she said. “No. No. No. They are energized. They’re mobilized. They’re ready toorganize.”

The event occurred after

Pritzker gained national attention for aﬁeryweekend speech beforeNew Hampshire Democrats in which he declaredthatRepublicans “cannot know amoment of peace” as he called for “mass protests, for mobilization, for disruption”intelling Democrats they “must castigate them on the soapbox and then punish them at the ballot box.”

His address also called out “do-nothing Democrats” who“want to blame our lossesonour defense of Black people,oftrans kids, of immigrants, instead of theirown lackofgutsand gumption.”

Pritzkerwas notasked about his Democratic criticisms during the web event. But Walz defended progressivepoliciesand urged Democrats to speak out for and push such an agenda. “You can’t appease authoritarianism.Callout their crap and just know that that’swho they are,” the Minnesota governor said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO ByADAM GRAy People takepartinaMay Dayrally for the RuleofLaw on Thursday in Newyork.

NewOrleans Forecast

ThePearl is amonthlymagazine showcasing the bestofNew Orleans FASHION, LIFE,and DESIGN.From curated trend storiestoprofiles on local leadersand creatives, residents and visitorsalikewill benefitfrom thisstylishguide. readers, in Gambit +Times-Picayune —morethanany lifestyle magazine in NewOrleans.

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Woman guilty of first-degree murder

Jury

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

A Jefferson Parish jury deliberated for less than an hour before voting to convict Bunnak “Hannah” Landon of ﬁrst-degree murder in the death of 6-year-old Bella Fontenelle.

Jurors rejected arguments from Landon’s defense attorneys that she was mentally ill and not legally

Council amends Gretna brewpub lease

Changes approved to appease opponents

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

A marathon meeting of the Jefferson Parish Council on Wednesday resulted in a series of amendments intended to appease opponents of the lease agreements between the parish and its two tenants for a $10 million brewpub being developed in Gretna. The amendments were approved after a roughly two-hour discussion about the project, which has been a trend for the council over the past year The new leases change the projected start date of operation to January 2027 and add protections to ensure the parish isn’t ﬁnancially vulnerable should the brewpub underperform.

Among the protections are requirements for minimum annual rent, open book policies and continued rent payment if the businesses cease operations without notice They also remove rent

See LEASE, page 2B

sane when she beat and strangled her boyfriend’s youngest daughter, placed the child’s body in a 13-gallon bucket and then deposited the bucket on the front lawn of the girl’s biological mother

“This isn’t a woman who is so outside of her faculties This is a woman who is pissed off and evil,” Jefferson Parish Assistant District Attorney Rachel Africk told jurors.

Landon, 45, was also convicted of two counts of obstruction of justice for moving Bella’s body and burying her cellphone after the homicide She faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of probation, parole or suspension of sentence on the murder charge. Bella died on the night of April 25, 2023, inside the single-story home Landon shared with Bella’s

father Michael Fontenelle, at 19 Donelon Drive, authorities said. After three days of testimony and evidence, there appeared to be no question that Landon killed Bella, just whether she was sane when she did it. During closing arguments in Landon’s ﬁrst-degree murder trial Thursday afternoon, defense attorney Cesar Vazquez

told jurors that everyone in the courtroom saw Landon in multiple surveillance videos walking down the middle of a Harahan street pulling Bella’s body in a wagon.

“The act of leaving the bucket on Ms. Zeledon’s front lawn, not the carport, not in the backyard, right in front,” Vazquez said. “That is, I submit to you, about as insane as things get.”

Judge Nancy Miller of the 24th Judicial District Court set

BEER RUN

Beer drips down the belly of a festivalgoer on the racetrack at the start of the

Triathlon on Thursday at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Each year, a group of friends shows up at the festival on so-called Locals’ Thursday dressed in matching T-shirts. They bicycle to the festival, conduct a race around the track, and then, later, swim across Bayou St. John.

Jefferson Parish amends water meter contract

Photo of abnormal readings to be required

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Jefferson Parish will require its water meter readers to snap a photograph when readings are abnormally high or low or when a meter is inaccessible.

third-party meter reader, Olameter Corporation, on Wednesday in response to a steady stream of complaints from constituents upset and confused over seemingly out-of-whack charges

reads. Under the agreement, the parish will pay an additional 27 cents when a photograph is necessary

Church, sexual abuse survivors still trying to reach resolution

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

More than 20 men who say they were sexually abused as children and teens by local Roman Catholic clergy crowded the courtroom of U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Meredith Grabill on Thursday to mark the ﬁfth anniversary of the Archdiocese of New Orleans bankruptcy case. They came from as far away as Tennessee and Pennsylvania for a routine hearing in the case, where Grabill set a June deadline for the current mediation process that’s underway

The Jefferson Parish Council amended its contract with its

“This is going to make the whole process a little bit more transparent,” said at-large council member Scott Walker, who is setting aside $20,000 annually from his office’s discretionary funds to pay for the added expense. Jefferson Parish pays Olameter around $1 for every meter it

The change comes as Jefferson Parish embarks on a $116 million effort to replace nearly every water meter in the parish with smart technology that will allow both users and the parish to track water consumption remotely Jefferson Parish’s contractor, Pedal Valves, began installing the new automated water meters in Grand Isle and Lafitte in March and is now moving to

upper Jefferson Parish. The effort will take several years and is part of the parish’s $2.3 billion plan to upgrade its aging sewer and water infrastructure. The installations take about 30 minutes and will occur Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Customers don’t need to be present during the installation and will be notiﬁed by mail about when to expect their meters to be replaced. Pedal Valves installers will wear

Woman gets 40 years for Slidell inmate’s death

Suit filed against the jail on behalf of children

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

A Slidell woman accused of sneaking fentanyl into the Slidell jail and failing to assist her cellmate after she overdosed on the drug pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to 40 years in prison. Sarah Blackmon, 40, was sentenced on April 21 in connection with Theresa Zar’s November 2023 drug overdose death, authorities said. Blackmon pleaded guilty to manslaughter bringing drugs into the jail and failure to seek assistance for the woman who overdosed,

City Jail Slidell Police Department, Police Chief Randy Fandal and individual corrections ofﬁcers. The suit accuses the defendants of allowing Blackmon to bring drugs into the facility, not conducting regular in-person cell checks and failing to more quickly discover Zar, who lay unresponsive in her cell for approximately 16 hours.

The Slidell Police Department declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation, as did the de-

fendants’ lawyers. Zar was found dead in a jail cell the morning of Nov 22, 2023, District Attorney Collin Sims’ office said in a news release. An autopsy revealed she had died of a fentanyl overdose, according to the District Attorney’s Office. The day before, Blackmon, who had been moved into the same cell as Zar was seen on the jail’s surveillance removing something from a body cavity and passing it to Zar, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

unofﬁcial Jazz Fest

Blackmon

Landon

Harvey man accused of rape in French Quarter

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

A Harvey man is in jail, accused of raping an acquaintance within view of her motion-activated security camera while she was blacked out in her French Quarter apartment, according to court documents.

Domonique Alexander, 30, was booked Friday into the Orleans Justice Center on one count each of third-degree rape, false imprisonment, domestic abuse battery and domestic abuse battery involving strangulation, jail records show New Orleans police said Alexander encountered his victim in the

GUILTY

Continued from page 1B

sentencing for May 6.

‘Mean’ lady

Bella was the youngest daughter of Michael Fontenelle, Landon’s boyfriend. Fontenelle began dating Landon after meeting her in October 2019 at a Baton Rouge strip club where she worked as a dancer named “Valentina,” he testiﬁed.

Fontenelle and Bella’s mother, Jennifer Zeledon, shared custody of her and her sister after a contentious split.

But Bella often told anybody who would listen that “Ms. Hannah” was mean to her The little girl suffered from near-daily panic attacks and hysterical crying ﬁts at school, all fueled by the anxiety she felt about having to spend time at her dad’s Donelon Drive home in Landon’s care, her family and teachers told the court.

Things came to a head on April 24, 2023, when Bella ﬁnally shared her feelings about Landon with her father during a counseling session, Africk said.

Bella was killed the very next night.

Calculated evil

During closings arguments, prosecutors used a timeline to remind jurors of Landon’s calculated behavior during the final day of Bella’s life.

Having notiﬁed Landon of Bella’s

LEASE

Continued from page 1B

deductions to offset tenants’ capital costs and ﬁx typos that muddied the contracts’ language.

The protections were added in response to staunch opposition from at-large council member Jennifer Van Vrancken, which stems from concerns raised by parish Inspector General Kim Chatelain over the original terms of the lease. Interim council member Joe Marino III said he had met with them both privately to discuss their concerns and addressed them in the new lease.

“I believe that the interests of Jefferson Parish are fully protected within this lease,” Marino said. “And I believe this is a very strong economic development project.” Van Vrancken and Chatelain requested to defer the amendments so the council could review a draft report on the original lease agreement by Chatelain’s ofﬁce, which was sent to them Tuesday night but

SETTLEMENT

Continued from page 1B

The abuse survivors were not allowed to speak or tell their stories in the courtroom. But afterward, on the courthouse steps they shared frustrations over a case that has been costly, contentious and has prevented them from having their day in court. They also recounted details of their decades-old abuse and in one instance leveled new accusations against church leadership

“It has been ﬁve years, and we are no closer today toward justice than we were then,” said Brian Manix, 58, who was raped as a 10-year-old altar boy by the late Deacon George Brignac. “They say they are working out a plan to compensate us and know what is best. No one knows what is best for us. No one knows our trauma.”

The hearing and subsequent courthouse remarks come at a critical juncture in the case. Archbishop Gregory Aymond placed the local church under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May

early morning hours of April 21 at Ohm Lounge, where she was doing shots and MDMA with a group of friends. She knew Alexander from social media but had rejected his advances and planned to leave with her friends, police said.

“She had never been intimately involved with Mr Alexander in the past, and she had never intended to be,” police said in an afﬁdavit to support Alexander’s arrest. “She had not responded to him since 1-01-2024.”

The woman told police she recalled speaking with Alexander at the club but didn’t know how she ended up with him about 2:30 a.m. at her apartment. A security camera with audio captured the victim

PROVIDED PHOTO

Bella Fontenelle died April 25, 2023, inside the single-story home Bunnak ‘Hannah’ Landon shared with Bella’s father, Michael Fontenelle, at 19 Donelon Drive, authorities said. A jury found Landon guilty in the child’s murder

complaints, Fontenelle sent Landon a text message at 5:04 p.m. the day of the homicide that read, “I better not hear any complaints from anyone when I return, understood?”

By this time, prosecutors said they believe Landon had already decided to end Bella’s life.

Gina Mire, a psychologist who testified for the state, diagnosed Landon with personality disorders that left her with little empathy for others, concern for herself ﬁrst and

not yet publicly available.

The council voted 6-1 to approve the amendments anyway, with Van Vrancken being the only dissenter. They later struck down a Van Vrancken proposal to hire a real estate transactional attorney to review the leases again for potential issues.

“This is the saddest day for Jefferson Parish that I have seen since the days we had members exiting and headed for indictment and jail,” Van Vrancken said after the vote “I don’t know how any public servant explains to the people ignoring the Inspector General and moving forward on a lease that binds our taxpayers for 25 years.”

Wednesday also marked Marino’s ﬁnal council meeting as the interim member for District 1. A new council member will be elected Saturday The parish, through an economic development corporation called Jefferson Facilities Inc., is building a $10 million brewpub in a parking lot on Huey P. Long Avenue in Gretna using cash made available through the American

1, 2020, as claims and lawsuits alleging child rape and molestation by local priests, deacons and other church afﬁliates were beginning to mount.

At the time, about three dozen lawsuits had been filed against the church In the years since, 600 claims alleging past abuse have been ﬁled in the bankruptcy case.

Last fall, the church offered to pay survivors $62.5 million, along with an undetermined amount from insurance companies, while attorneys representing survivors sought a settlement of more than $900 million from the church and insurers. Since then, the two sides have made some progress closing the gap between them, a mediator recently told the court, but they remain far apart

On Monday, Grabill took her strongest step yet to try to force a resolution, ordering the archdiocese to “show cause” for why the case should not be dismissed. At Thursday’s hearing, she said that if significant progress toward a settlement is not made by a June 26 hearing on the matter she will dismiss the case.

repeatedly go from lying “unresponsive” on the couch to vomiting in the bathroom, police records state.

Police said Alexander exposed himself and repositioned her on her back before she pushed him away and threw up again in the bathroom.

“The victim had brief moments wherein she attempted to resist to her utmost,” New Orleans Police Department Detective RejanneMarie LaVeaux wrote.

At 3:10 a.m., police said Alexander tried to position her on her hands and knees to penetrate her, but she “collapsed forward each time,” court documents say Alexander, who is 6 feet, 8 inches and

a frantic fear of abandonment by Fontenelle, the relationship she felt was the most important in her life.

“And Bella was an impediment. When Bella’s here, Michael gives his attention to her, not me,” Assistant District Attorney Lindsay Truhe said. “She gets rid of Bella because she is an impediment, not a human.”

Over the next two hours, Landon used her cellphone to research a local criminal defense attorney and make a phone call to Susan Diamond, a Florida woman who was taking care of Landon’s children while she lived with Fontenelle, Truhe said.

In the call, Landon turned down an offer of a bus ticket to spend time with her young son from Diamond, who testified that Landon sounded depressed and unhappy

Diamond testified that Landon told her, “I’m at peace with my decision,” before returning to her online search of the defense attorney

“Hannah knows what she’s going to do. Hannah is planning how she’s going to get out of what she’s going to do,” Truhe told jurors during closing arguments.

After an argument with Fontenelle earlier in the day during which he’d yelled at her because she’d put mulch in a foldable wagon — one that was special to him because he used with his daughters prosecutors say Landon made up her mind to make him pay

“This isn’t a woman who is so outside of her faculties. This is a woman who is pissed off and evil,” Africk told jurors.

Investigators believe Bella was

Rescue Plan Act.

The brewpub will be part of a $25 million complex, which will include a parking garage and linear park that the state will pay for. Port Orleans Brewery will operate the brewpub, and Avo Taco will operate a restaurant on the premises.

The Parish Council approved the lease agreements with Port Orleans Brewery and Avo Taco in October 2023 But the project has been a source of controversy since September, when Chatelain published a letter admonishing the project as a potential legal and ﬁnancial liability if the businesses were to fail.

Supporters of the brewpub chided Chatelain for her letter, saying it contained numerous inaccuracies.

The parish broke ground on the project in October

The Parish Council voted earlier this year to require the Inspector General to obtain comment from any subject of future reports before publication.

Marino said the lease already needed to be amended to reflect a delay in opening, and that after

‘We are the face’

While some of the abuse survivors said Thursday that they came to the hearing in a show of solidarity, Tim Trahan, 64, used the spotlight to level a new accusation against Aymond personally

In front of TV cameras, attorneys and fellow survivors, Trahan said that when he was a 14-year-old student at St. Jean Vianney Prep in the mid-1970s, Aymond, then an administrator at the school, took Trahan and two other boys to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the weekend.

“When we got there, the first thing on the menu was alcohol,” said Trahan, who did not accuse Aymond of touching him or sexually abusing him. “I got so drunk and then, he gave me a pill and I passed out.”

Trahan does not know what the pill was and did not suggest it was a narcotic. Aymond has never been publicly accused of physical or sexual abuse.

In a statement Thursday, Aymond responded to the allegation, saying, “Reasonable minds can disagree on past events. At no time in my life have I ever given anyone

240 pounds, began raping her vaginally when she “fell limp again,” police allege. She woke up at 9:30 a.m. in the same dress but no panties and reviewed her security footage with horror, court documents state. The police records say the woman recorded a phone call to Alexander in which he declared the incident “a mutual thing.” He then CashApped her $60 for Plan B, commonly known as the morningafter pill, the records state.

Alexander was arrested about 6:30 a.m. Friday in a multiagency operation that brieﬂy shut down Magazine Street around Second Street. He had an open warrant in an

killed sometime between 7:34 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. Then, she continues exchanging routine text messages with Fontenelle about his daughters’ sports schedules, their meals and tooth fairy money for a lost tooth.

“Bella is dead and Hannah is texting Michael like nothing is wrong,” Truhe said. “Are these the texts of somebody who’s crazy, who doesn’t know right from wrong?”

By 9:22 p.m. Landon is seen on the home’s surveillance videos walking out of the residence to retrieve the chlorine bucket that will later bear Bella’s body during the one-block trip to Jennifer Zeledon’s home on Sedgeﬁeld Drive, prosecutors said.

“Then she does probably the most unforgiving thing in this case and drops that baby in her mom’s front yard,” Truhe said.

After returning the wagon to the shed on Donelon Drive, Landon buried her cellphone in a nearby yard and called her sister, Bunnary Saunders, to tell her where the device could be found. Careful not to divulge too much, prosecutors noted, Landon instructed Saunders to tell another attorney who’d previously represented her about the phone, according to authorities.

Landon then headed over to the Harahan Police Department headquarters to set up her insanity defense by faking a psychotic break, prosecutors said.

Red herrings

Vazquez called prosecutors’ mention of the defense attorney searches and Fontenelle’s anger

meeting with Van Vrancken and Chatelain, he tasked Mike Sherman, a well-known real estate attorney representing Jefferson Facilities Inc., with addressing their concerns in the lease amendments.

Chatelain said her ofﬁce compiled a 42-page evaluation of the lease agreement with an accompanying report from an outside expert, and asked the council to defer the amendments so they could review the report and respond. She said Wednesday approving the amendments as is would “render moot the work (they) have been doing for months” on the new report.

Van Vrancken grilled Sherman on how the parish would benefit from the project if the parish was responsible for construction and equipment costs and called the deal “one-sided.” Sherman said the project’s purpose was to stimulate economic growth in the area, and that the amended lease placed the parish in a better position than the original.

Van Vrancken flagged unaddressed issues still in the lease, like a missing monthly rent deadline,

illegal drugs.”

Trahan has previously said that he was sexually abused as an older teen by two other priests in the diocese at the time, the late Fr Luis Martinez and Fr Robert Cooper He said he has not shared the story involving Aymond until now because he did not feel it was the right time.

“We are the face of sexual abuse by priests in the Archdiocese of New Orleans,” he said. “People need to see our faces because we are human beings who suffered and still suffer.”

Not giving up

Thursday’s hearing came on the heels of a motion ﬁled Wednesday by 10 attorneys who, together, represent as many as 250 of the 600 abuse survivors who have filed claims in the case. That effort, led by attorneys Soren Gisleson and Richard Trahant, who represents Coon, Trahan and some of the other survivors in the courtroom Thursday, also seeks to dismiss the case.

In a 50-page court ﬁling, the attorneys argue the case should be thrown out for any one of nearly two dozen reasons, including that:

earlier domestic violence case from January 2024, in which he police say he “decked (his girlfriend) in the mouth, busting her lip,” according to an afﬁdavit for arrest warrant.

Later that day, police say he dragged her by the hair around her Little Woods apartment, pinned her to her bed by sitting on her chest and held her arms with his knees, strangling her until she lost consciousness. Alexander was being held without bail in Orleans Justice Center pending a Gwen’s Law hearing scheduled for Thursday, when a magistrate commissioner will determine if he should be jailed pending trial.

over the wagon’s use a red herring.

The police ofﬁcers who encountered Landon, the paramedics called to take her to East Jefferson General Hospital and the boardcertiﬁed physicians who examined her at the facility all felt that she was in mental crisis. he argued.

“It wasn’t just one person that got ‘duped,’ ” Vazquez said. “The state can pooh-pooh that all they want, but at that point, all of these individuals said there’s something wrong with her, that something’s not right. She’s not sane.”

Landon wasn’t trying to create an insanity defense; she is mentally ill, he said.

Dr Sarah DeLand, a forensic psychiatrist who testiﬁed for the defense, testified earlier in the day that while she can’t determine Landon’s sanity at the time of the offense, she felt that Landon had suffered a psychotic episode that night.

Vazquez asked jurors to objectively review the case and apply the law without passion or prejudice.

But in her rebuttal argument, Africk reminded jurors that the law does not allow someone to get away with a crime just because it’s horriﬁcally incomprehensible.

“The list of reasons we know that Hannah Landon knew what she was doing was wrong is lengthy It’s ridiculously lengthy,” Africk said. “These were calculated decisions made by an incomprehensibly evil woman.”

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

which council member Scott Walker then added through an amendment from the ﬂoor Van Vrancken has been at odds with the rest of the council for most of the last year on a number of issues, but none has been as palpable as the brewpub.

Council member Deano Bonano said Van Vrancken is on a “vengeance tour against the city of Gretna.”

“This is not a contentious matter,” council member Arita Bohannan said to Van Vrancken. “You’re ‘Councilwoman Contention.’ This is contentious because of you.” This is Van Vrancken’s second attempt to get involved in the project In October, she attempted to freeze parish funds for the project for 45 days to hold a hearing on it, which was also struck down.

She said after the vote that the source of her contention is not being “part of the Gretna machine,” and that her focus is on ensuring the parish isn’t at ﬁnancial risk. Email Lara Nicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate.com.

Aymond misinformed the Vatican about the cost of the bankruptcy and value of the claims; appointed an unqualiﬁed volunteer to manage the case; spent nearly $50 million in legal fees without due diligence, stalled meaningful efforts to resolve the case; and disrespected and bullied survivors. In a statement after the hearing, the archdiocese said that dismissal “is not in the best interest of all survivors. We commit to continue to work under court supervision to bring this case to a resolution that is beneﬁcial to all and provides for the continued safety of minors.”

The documents also ask Grabill for permission to question Aymond under oath, something church bankruptcy experts say is unlikely to happen.

Manix said an opportunity to depose the archbishop, at the very least, is what survivors deserve.

“I want to see the church shut down. I want to see the perp walk,” he said. “We are not going to stop. We are going to give up.”

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

Police saymurder suspectreturned to sceneintowel

Victim died of multiple gunshotwounds, authoritiessay

BY MICHELLEHUNTER Staff writer

The suspect in adeadly shooting at aWestwego playgroundWednesday was arrested when he returned to the scene wearing nothing but atowel, police say Byron Spottsville, 22, of Westwego, was booked with second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, according to Capt Eric Orlando, aWestwego Police Department spokesperson. The victim was identiﬁed as Zashaun Espinoza, 26. The shooting occurred at Fred DorseyPlayground at 38 Norton St. Police responded to the scene, a coveredbasketball court, after receiving acall reporting the shooting about 1:35 p.m., Orlando said. Officers arrived to find Espinoza suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead

DEATH

Continued from page1B

The video shows Blackmon later stepping toward Zar,who was lying on abed, according to thenews release.She lifted Zar’sarm and let it go. The arm immediately fell back to the bed.Blackmon, whowas visibly emotional, thencovered Zar with ablanket but did not alert anyone about Zar’sstate.

Blackmon later said she believed Zar was dead, but did not seek assistance because she knew she provided the drugs that likely caused her death, according to the DistrictAttorney’sOfﬁce.

“This whole thing was senseless. She could have saved Theresa, and she would have been saved from getting additional time,” said MaryHall, Zar’s older sister,about Blackmon.

In addition to the 40-year manslaughter sentence, Judge Alan Black, of the 22nd Judicial District, also sentenced Blackmon to 5 years each for each of the other charges. Those sentences will be served at the same time as the manslaughter sentence.

The lawsuit filed in November 2024 seeks damages for Zar’schildren,

CONTRACT

Continued from page1B

proper identification and won’tneed to go inside a home or business to make the upgrade. The new technology will alsoeliminate the need for in-person meter readers.

Walker sponsored the amendment to Olameter’s contract and said he hoped it would providemore information for customers who suspect their water bills aren’tbeing read correctly

Olameter’smeter readers will be requiredtotakea photo when readings are at leasttwice as high or less than half the average reading over the last year,Walker said.

Jefferson Parish will also begin offering in-person opportunities for customers to discuss issues with their water bills laterthis month

The Water Department shuttered its public-facing ofﬁce during thepandemic, and council members have pushed Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng’sadministration to restart an inpersonoption for more than ayear. The in-person meetings

NewOrleans Area Deaths

at thescene, Orlandosaid Witnessesreportedseeing anotherman running fromthe scene. Policelater received atip reporting that the gunman had returned to theplayground wearing just atowel, Orlando said. Investigators took the man, Spottsville, into custodyand interviewed him. He at first denied any involvement

But Spottsville confessed to the shooting, telling investigators that he thought thevictim had been armed with agun, according to Orlando. No other information was availableabout a suspected motive.

Spottsville directedinvestigators to anearby wooded areawhere he hid the gun andhad discarded his clothing, Orlando said. Spottsville told investigators he grabbed the towel from theporch of anearby residence.

Spottsville was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center in Gretna, where he wasbeingheldwithout bail Thursday

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate com.

arguingthe correctionsofﬁcers and other defendants showed adeliberate indifference to Zar’ssafety and well-being, in violation of her state and federal constitutional rights.

The suitarguesthe jail’s corrections ofﬁcers failed to perform an adequate search of Blackmon after she arrived at the jail. At the timeofZar’sdeath,the Slidell PoliceDepartment saidinanewsreleasethat officerssearched Blackmon but did not locatethe drugs concealed in abody cavity

The suit also argues that corrections ofﬁcers failed to regularlyconduct inperson cellchecks After Zar’sdeath,the jail changed practices, requiring officers toperform physical walk-throughs once everytwo hours while on duty,as well as at the end of their duty,accordingtothe lawsuit In acourt ﬁling responding to the lawsuit, lawyers for the defendants denied most of thelawsuit’sallegations.

Theparties are now waiting onthe judge to set a date for aschedulingconference, according to Laci Hamilton, the plaintiffs’ lawyer

Email Willie Swett at willie.swett@ theadvocate.com

will start on theWest BankonWednesday,May 14, and on theEast Bank on Friday,May 16, and occurweekly thereafter

The parish said it will release more information on how to sign up for an appointmentsoon

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate com.

LOTTERY WEDNESDAY,APRIL30, 2025

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Williams,Steven

Mothe

Gray Jr., EMorris Guerrera,Maribeth Hester,Doral

Howard,Floyd Jacobs,Shamond LagardeIII,Alfred Langston, Max Levin, Dorothy

LewisJr.,Walter Loiacono, Grace Lucas-Matthews, Margie

Falk Jr., Earl Abdul-Khaliq,Lisa Langston, Max Barthelemy Jr., Rene Robinson FH Barthe,Rachel Burns, William Barthelemy Jr., Rene Cates, Eddie LewisJr.,Walter Cliff, Tyrone Martin,Elizabeth Contento,Jill Ragas, Tijwana Devrouax, Edward Templet,Anne Dottery,Aaron West Leitz-Eagan Falk Jr., Earl SieversII, James Forges,Ruby Obituaries Frederick, Lawrence Abdul-Khaliq,LisaOtis Lisa Abdul-Khaliq (for‐merly knownasLisaOtis) 67yrs old, received her wings on Monday March 24, 2025 at herresidence She wasbornonOctober 23, 1957 in NewOrleans,La. Relatives andfriends of the family, as well as friends and former co-workers at HUD,Ofﬁcers andmem‐bersofAFGE/AFL/CIOLocal 3475, andclassmatesof G.W.CarverSeniorHigh School areall invitedtoat‐tendLisa'smemorialser‐viceonSaturdayMay 3, 2025 at 11:00 am in the ChapelofDennisFuneral Home1812 LouisianaAve NOLA70115. Intermentwill beprivate.Fellowshipwith the family10:30 am in the chapel. To view thefull obituaryand to leavecon‐dolencespleasevisit https://www.dennismortu aryservice.com/obituary/ lisa-abdul-khaliq

Martin,Elizabeth Merrick,Robert Morris, Virginia Ragas, Tijwana Reed,Shirley

Richard, LaQuerita

Sharlow, Norma

SieversII, James Smith,Rosalie

Templet,Anne Williams,Charles Williams,Steven NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Gleason, James Charbonnet

Barthe,Rachel

Reed,Shirley

Richard, LaQuerita

Dennis FuneralHome

Abdul-Khaliq,Lisa

DW Rhodes

Jacobs,Shamond

Gertrude Geddes

Cliff, Tyrone Dottery,Aaron LagardeIII,Alfred Smith,Rosalie

Greenwood

Loiacono, Grace

JacobSchoen

Gray Jr., EMorris

Lake Lawn Metairie

Levin, Dorothy

Littlejohn FH

Devrouax, Edward

Majestic Mortuary

Cates, Eddie River Parish

Hobson BrownFH

Sharlow, Norma

Robottom

Howard,Floyd St Tammany

Grace Funeral

Guerrera,Maribeth

West Bank

cameasa wife to Earl and mothertoher twoboys. Her familymeant every‐thing to her. Whetherit was beingonEarl’sarm at the Vikings’ Club annual Mardi Gras Ball or piling Clifford andEarl, Jr.'s teammates or friendsup intothe back of thepickup truck to go to agameor overtoPassChristian,MS for aday on thebeach.She had it allplanned outand madesureeveryonehad a grand time.Relatives and friends areinvited to at‐tendthe funeral. AMassof Christian burial honoring the life andlegacyofthe lateRachelYoung Barthe willbeheldatCorpus Christi-EpiphanyCatholic Church,2022 St.Bernard Avenue, NewOrleans,LA onSaturday, May3,2025 at 10am. IntermentSt. Louis CemeteryNo. 3, 3421 Es‐planade Avenue,New Or‐leans,LA.Visitation 8amin the church.Inlieuof ﬂow‐ers,the familyrequest do‐nations be made in Rachel’smemorytoSt. Au‐gustine High School hhtps:www.staugnola.org Donate.Pleasesignonline guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com, Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504)581 4411.

Rachel Young Barthe en‐tered eternalrestand union with theLordon Monday, April14, 2025 at the ageof87. Belovedwife ofEarlR.Barthe. Loving motherofClifford andEarl Barthe, Jr.Grandmother of AngeleBartheTaylor (Justin). Great- grand‐motherofJustin, Jr.and NoahTaylor. Also survived bya sister,MildredGard‐ner,aswellasa host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relativesand friends. She wasprecededindeath byher parents, Clifford S. and Rachel BissantYoung; sisters,Josie Lewisand Beverly Thompson;inlaws, Solida Ersinto(Wal‐ter)and Clifford L. Barthe Rachelwas alifelongresi‐dentofNew Orleansand was educated in theOr‐leans Parish School Sys‐tem,graduatingfromMc‐Donogh 35 High School She worked at the NASA/MichoudFacilityfor over30years in communi‐cations andwas the ﬁrst black womanhired as a switchboard operator at the facility in 1962. During her tenureatMichoud,she roseupthe rankstothe positionofcommunica‐tions manager. Shere‐ceivedmanyawardsand commendations from NASAfor herworkand ser‐vice. Rachel wasvery proud of hercareer at Mi‐choud, buther greatest joy

Rene Jude Barthelemy Jr.,a belovedson,brother, grandson, andfriend, passedawayonApril 23 2025, at theage of 23. Born inGretna, Louisiana, Rene was alifelongresidentof PortSulphur,where he was known andcherished for his infectious smile,joyful spirit, andunwavering kindness. Rene wasbap‐tized at St.Patrick Catholic Church,lovinglysupported byhis godparents Fabian and Brenella Ancar, andhis honorarygodparents, the lateLance Saylviaand Jen‐nifer Billiot. He received his education at SouthPlaque‐mines Elementary and HighSchool,aswellas Dutchtown School.In2018 heproudly graduatedfrom the YouthChallenge Pro‐gram(YCP) andearnedhis GED in 2024. Rene made lasting friendshipswith Kyra, Page,Caden, Jacques,Jacob,Bogga,and manyothers—connections thatbrought himjoy and enrichedthe livesofthose around him. He waslov‐ingly raised in faith by his great-grandmother Augus‐tineAncar andhis grandfa‐therReneAncar,who playedfoundationalroles inhis life.Heisprecededin death by hisgreat-grand‐motherAugustine Ancar, great-grandfather Gerald Ancar Sr., grandfather ReneAncar,and Joseph Garrett. He leaves behind tocherish hismemoryhis devoted mother Virginia Barthelemy, father Rene BarthelemySr.,brothers Lucas andMarcus Barthelemy, andsisterIz‐abell Barthelemy.Heis alsolovinglyremembered byhis grandmothers Ann Garrett andPatricia Charles,aswellasa host ofaunts,uncles, cousins, and dear friends. Rene's legacylives on throughthe loveheshared, thelives he touched,and thejoy he brought to allwho knew him.Hewillbedeeply missedbut neverforgot‐

ten. Relativesand friends ofthe familyare invitedto attend thecelebration of lifeservice which will be heldonSaturday, May3 2025, at Port Sulphur Bap‐tistChurch 27080 Hwy23, PortSulphur LA.The visita‐tionfor immediatefamily willbegin at 8:00 AM,fol‐lowed by apublicvisitation at9:00AM. Theservice will begin at 10AM.,ofﬁciated byPastorBurghartTurner. Intermentwillfollowin BarthelemyCemeteryin Diamond.Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome. (504) 208-2119. Foronlinecondo‐lencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

William GlennBurns passedfromthislifeon April 17, 2025 at the age of 76. Glenn wasbornon January13, 1949, in Shreveport, Louisiana, the sonofthe lateCarrol Burns andthe lateDoris Broadway. He graduated from E. C. Byrd High School in Shreveport, Louisiana in 1968, LouisianaState University with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in 1971 and LSU University Law Center with aJuris Doctoratein1973. Thereafter,hebecame an Assistant AttorneyGeneral for theState of Louisiana, followed by atenureasan Assistant United States Attorneyinthe Eastern District of Louisianaunder U.S. Attorney John Volz. As an AssistantU.S. Attorney, he prosecuted the"Algiers SevenTrial" whichwas moved to Dallas, Texas duetoextensivepretrial publicity. Threeofthe former NOPD defendants were convicted of Federal Civil Rights violations of four civilians whowereshotinthe AlgiersFischerHousing Projectinthe wake of the death of aNew Orleans Patrolman After leaving theU.S. Attorney's Office, he workedfor thelaw firmof Monroe andLeman,handling publicutility regulations, internal investigationsfor government contractorsand othercivil litigation matters. In 1992, he became an attorneyat theHailey, McNamara, Hall, Larman &Papale Law FirminMetairie,Louisiana wherehehandled criminal mattersasa whitecollar criminal defense attorney. He wasa defense attorney for JeffersonParish Councilman Robert Evans whowas acquitted of bank fraud charges filed by the US.Attorney's Office. Glennalso served as defense counselinotherhigh -profile cases, including thedefense of State Senator Michael O'Keefe andSt. TammanyParish District AttorneyWalter Reed.InAugust 2018, he joined the law firmof Aaron &Gianna,PLC where he defendedcases of wrongful death,toxic tort medical malpracticeand civil RICO matters. He was apractitioner in all Louisiana State Courts and all of the Federal District Courts in theState of

DavisMortuary

Forges,Ruby

Hester,Doral

Gleason, James

Burns,William Glenn

Barthelemy Jr., Rene Jude

Barthe,RachelYoung

4B ✦ Friday,May2,2025

Louisiana, along with the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. He had aremarkable legal career spanning over 50 years as alitigator.

Glenn's greatest loves were his family, special friends, LSU football,travel (especially Paris), music and books. His grandest dream was to retire in France with his wife and best friend, Marianne Coincidentally, the attached photowas taken in Bonnieux, France, on April 17, 2022, exactly 3years before his passing. He is survived by his loving wife of 32 years, Marianne Everard Burns; his son, Brandon Nicholas Burns (Haley); stepchildren, Erin Reilly Bailey (Jarrett)and Connor Reilly (Morgan); his precious grandchildren, Liam Burns, Conrad Bailey, Aidyn Bailey and Logan Reilly-McDavid; sister,Lisa Burns Murphy (Michael); niece Lauren Murphy; and Wayne Everard and Don Everard who he thought of as brothers. He didn't want afuneral or abig party. Hiswish was that people who cared abouthim would raisea glass or two and share happy memories of his life. If you would liketo make adonation in Glenn's honor please consider Hope House, 916 St. Andrew St., New Orleans, LA 70130 or the ACLU (aclu.org).

EddieJoelCates,lov‐ingly knownas“BigJill, was born on May1,1954, to the late StelenaM.Cates and Edward CatesSr. in New Orleans, Louisiana.He accepted theLordand Sav‐ior at ayoung ageand was educatedinthe Orleans ParishSchool System Eddiewas unitedinmar‐riage to thelateElaine Risin Catesatthe ageof 28. He worked as aroofer and contract painterwith PMRooﬁng,dedicating years of servicetohis trade.Eddiefound joyin the simple pleasuresof life. Hishobbies included singing,boxing, and spendingtimewithhis family. He especially loved playing Spades andgrilling barbeque, bringing laugh‐ter andwarmthtoevery gathering.Heleavesto cherish hismemorythree daughters:LakechiaRisin, ChelsheaCates,and Kesheal Henderson; Ten grandchildren:La’Chae Risin,Shaquelle Risin, CalvinRisin,Arielle Risin, ChristiyanCates,Celcee Cates,Chloe Speed,Toni Gallow, Jah’anthonyGal‐low,and Twogreat-grand‐sonsCalvinWilliamsand HeroRisin.Heisalsosur‐vived by hissisters Edith “Ann” Isabelle Catesand Linedda CatesMcIver (Samuel “Dutch”McIver), and sister-in-lawRoger Cates of NewOrleans, Louisiana.Eddieispre‐ceded in deathby his motherStelena Morris Cates;fatherEdwardCates Sr.;wifeElaineRisin Cates; sisterDorothy Cates; brother Edward D. Cates; grandsonChristopher Speed Jr.; andnephews Edwin “Red”Daniels and Joshua Carter.Eddiewill bedeeply missedbyall who knew andloved him. His legacy of love,laugh‐ter,and strength will live oninthe hearts of hisfam‐ily andfriends.Relatives and Friendsofthe Family are allinvited to attend the Funeral ServiceatGreater St. Matthew BaptistChurch #21626 S. RampartSt. NOLA70113 on Saturday May 3, 2025, at 11:00am Visitationwillbegin at 10:00am.Burialwillbepri‐vate. Professional Arrange‐ments EntrustedtoMajes‐tic Mortuary (504)523-5872.

Tyrone Cliff, age84was bornonMarch 22, 1941,in New Orleans, LA,departed thislifeonWednesday April 16, 2025, in Indianapo‐lis,INwhere he spentthe last of hisyears.Tyrone

wasraisedatSt. Paul LutheranChurch andwas a memberall of hislife. Ty‐roneattendedCarverHigh School andworkedonthe river as aLongshoreman until he retiredafter 24 years.Tyroneleavesto cherish hismemories, his wifeJoyce Cliffand his children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren Tyronewas preceded in death by hismother, BerthaWilliamsand son TyroneCliff,Jr. Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend his Celebration of Life Service onSaturday, May3,2025 at St.PaulLutheran Church,1625 Annette Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 at 11:00a.m.Visita‐tionfrom10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. IntermentSt. RochCemetery#2, 1725 St RochStreet, NewOrleans, LA70117. Youmay sign the guest book on http://www gertrudegeddeswillis.com. Gertrude Geddes WillisFu‐neral Home Inc.,incharge (504) 522-2525

Contento, Jill Ann Jill Ann Contento passed awayafter aprolonged illness on April 29, 2025,in NewOrleans, LA. She was born on April 16, 1964,in Cincinnati,OH Jill was precededin death by herbeloved parents,Dominic and Doris Contento, her brother James, and her cherished niece Lucy. She is survived by her devoted siblings: JudyMelinat and her husband Ron, Jack Contento and his wifeJudy,Joe Contento and hiswife Margaret, Maya Contento and her wifeJan, and JeannieContento. Shewas atreasured aunttoAnnie, Omar, Sophie,Brian, Dino, Louis, Mack,and Katie. Agraduateofthe University of Florida,Jill earned her BA in Art Education. For 16 years, Jill was acherished teacher at the Waldorf School of New Orleans Teachers and friends relate that her gentle spirit, creative passion, and unwavering dedication touchedthe livesofcountless students. Shebrought beautyand movement into the classroom, believing that learning should be a living, breathing experience.Jill inspiredher students to keep their imaginations open and their heartscurious. Jill was amember of the Krewe of Oak. Shewas a gifted maskmaker.Her artistry was atestamentto her love forthe music, traditions and celebrations that make New Orleans unique. Jill was also an avid traveler, alwaysseeking newexperiences and perspectives to enrichher life and work

Aguiding light in the livesofmany, she will be profoundlymissed. In lieu of flowers donationsshouldbedirected to TheWaldorfSchool Of New Orleans,2539Columbus St., NewOrleans, LA 70119

Edward Devrouax,en‐tered into eternalreston Sunday, April20, 2025. Lov‐ing father of Sandra Brown ofChicago,IL. Husbandof the late Louise Devrouax Son of thelateHenry Brown andFreddieWarner Devrouax. Adoptedson of the late Paul Devrouax Brother of DouglasDe‐vrouax, Lloyd(thelateCar‐rie), Ralph (Angela) and Robert(Brenda)Brown May LeeHamlin, thelate PaulS.Devrouaxand Alvin Brown. Stepfather of Jes‐sicaDevrouax. Also sur‐vived by threegrandchil‐dren, eightgreat grandchil‐dren, twogreat great grandchildren,a host of other relativesand friends. Relatives andfriends,also pastor, ofﬁcers andmem‐bersofGreater Hays Creek MissionaryBaptist Church are invitedtoattendthe funeralservice on Satur‐day,May 3, 2025, at Greater HaysCreek Missionary Baptist Church,31499 Hayes CreekRoad, Franklinton Louisiana 70438, beginning11am. Rev.JeromeWarner, pastor ofﬁciating. Church visita‐tion10am until service time. Interment Greater HaysCreek Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery ProfessionalService En‐trusted to:LittlejohnFu‐neral Home,2163 Aubry Street,Cal K. Johnson, Fu‐neral Director/Manager, Info: (504) 940-0045.

Aaron“Jeter” Dottery age 76, anativeofNatchez, Mississippi andresidentof Houma,LA. wasbornon July21, 1948, andentered eternal rest on Wednesday April 23,2025. Visitation will befrom9 a.m. until funeral timeat11:00am Friday May 02, 2025, at Gertrude GeddesWillis-Terrebonne FuneralHome, 617 Bond St, Houma LA 70360. He is sur‐vived by hischildren: Audra (Kevin)Teamer, Ron‐tel Jackson(Lucell,Jr.) Hopes andOrlando (Monique) Dottery,Sherryl Danny (Terri)and Anthony (Stephanie) Mahoneyall of Houston,TXand 7grand‐childrenand 15 great grandchildren.Hewas pre‐ceded in deathbyhis wife, Betty MahoneyDottery,his son,MikeMahoney,sib‐lings;Steve,Ernestine and Sam Dottery, Parentsand Grandparents. Gertrude GeddesWillis-Terrebonne FuneralHomeisincharge ofarrangements. Youmay signthe guestbook on http://www.gertrudeged deswillis.com. Gertrude GeddesWillis-Terrebonne FuneralHome, Inc. in charge(985) 872-6934.

Earl LeoFalk, Jr.age 83 passedawayonEaster Sunday, April20, 2025. Leo was born October27, 1941 inNew Orleans. He wasa lifelongresidentofthe Al‐giers community of New Orleans andparishioner of HolyNameofMary Catholic Church.Hewas the sonofthe late Earl Leo Falk, Sr andMaryDella Heitmeier Falk.Brother of the late RaeAnn Falk Campbell andbrother-inlaw of thelateFrank Scotty Campbell. He wasa gradu‐ate of SaintAloysiusHigh School in NewOrleans and SoutheasternLouisiana UniversityinHammond, LA. Leohad alongcareer withJ.Ray McDermottin New Orleansand traveled tomanyplacesinthe UnitedStatesand in for‐eigncountries.Healso workedfor theSewerage& Water BoardofNew Or‐leans before he retired. He loved hismanyrelatives and they lovedhim.Leo alsocherished thetimehe spent with thelateSally GrosVedrosand herfam‐ily.Hewas knownfor his jokes,dancing thetwist, watchingsports, andtalk‐ing to everypersonhemet Hesurelywillbemissed. Relatives andFriends are invited to attend the MemorialMassatHoly NameofMaryCatholic Church,Algiers,LAon Monday, May5,2025 at 11 AM. IntermentWestlawn MemorialParkCemetery, Gretna, LA.Visitationwill beheldfrom9:30AMuntil masstime. MotheFuneral Homes handledarrange‐ments.Toviewand sign the online guestbook visit www.mothefunerals.com

Forges,RubyCook

Ruby Cook Forges,a re‐tired educator,entered peacefullyintoeternal rest ather residenceonTues‐day,April 22, 2025, at the age of 90. Shewas anative and resident of NewOr‐leans,LA. Ruby wasa grad‐uateofL.B.LandryHigh School andSouthernUni‐versity BatonRouge.She retired from theJefferson ParishPublicSchool Sys‐tem after many yearsof dedicated serviceeducat‐ing young minds. Ruby was also theownerand direc‐

torofCinderella DayCare

Center. Belovedwifeofthe lateLeonP.Forges. De‐voted mother of Carla Johnson.Lovinggrand‐motherofHammond H. Johnson III andCarlina J. (Bennie)Davis.Cherished great grandmotherofBrian H.Harris, Jr CourneyHill, Haven Dunn, BenaeDavis, and thelateCordell I. John‐son.Daughterofthe late Lawrenceand JuanitaL Cook.SisterofJoyce C. (Willie)Powelland thelate Lawrence(Geneva)Cook and AvronCook.Rubyis alsosurvivedbya host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastors,ofﬁcers,and members of RegularBap‐tistChurch andall neigh‐boringchurches arein‐vited to attend theHome‐going Celebrationhonoring the life andlegacyofthe lateRubyCook Forges at Regular BaptistChurch,901 5th Street,Gretna, LA on Saturday, May3,2025, at 10:00a.m. Pastor T. A. Hodge,ofﬁciating. Viewing willbeheldfrom8:30a.m until servicetimeONLY. In‐terment:WestlawnCeme‐tery-Gretna,LA. Arrange‐ments by DavisMortuary Service,230 Monroe St Gretna, LA.Toviewand signthe guestbook,please gotowww.davismortua ryservice.com.FaceMasks Are Recommended.Face Masks AreRecommended

Trey was born in San Francisco,California, on June 18, 1965, to Lawrence J.Frederick, Jr. and Jessie B. Frederick. Bornprematurely,Trey defied allodds, living fifty-nine morebeautiful years than expected. He spent thelast forty-one years residing in Delhi, Louisiana.

He is preceded in death by his father, both setsof great-grandparents, and numerous auntsand uncles who adored him.

He is survivedbyhis mother, JessieB.Frederick of Covington, Louisiana; twosisters: Jan(Charles) Germany of North Little Rock, Arkansas; Sharrol Frederick of Sherwood, Arkansas; and one brother, DevrekFrederick of Covington, Louisiana. He is also survivedbyone niece, Angel (Jimmy, Jr.) Beasley; one nephew, Nicholas Germany; one greatnephew, Jimmy Beasley III; and twogreat-nieces, Germany Beasley and Yana Beasley.

Trey is also survivedby six aunts: MaggieCraft; Zaddie Reed; Sonya (Wesley) Durand;Yvonne "Tug" Pierre; Ann Craft; and Barbara Candiff Frederick. He is also survivedbytwo uncles, Larry Craft;ElliotRoche III; and many first, second, and extended cousins throughout his family

Trey's favoritetime of daywas mealtime—something we all knew and lovedabout him. He also reallyenjoyed music. Even thoughhecouldn'tget up and dance, he'd bobhis head right alongwith the beat. And whilehedidn't speak, he had his ownway of communicating—nodding for yes or no and lighting up whenever he saw someone he loved. He'd getsoexcited, we'd sometimes have to help him settledown. He may not have said much, but his spirit always found a way to speak

Yes, hispassing hurts—a lot—and we will cry and grieve.But we know he is withhis Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We knowwithout adoubt that he is joyfully reunitedwith his lovedones including his twin laughing, talking, and probablydancing to worship music and running (as his mother believes). As Angel says, he'snow eating whateverhewants! Trey is now whole, healthy, and likely 6'6" tall(give or take)—with nothing missing and nothinglacking.He

is in aplace wherethere is no sorrow, crying,sickness, or pain.

JamesW.Gleason passedawayonFriday, April 18, 2025, at theage of 63. Jamesissurvivedbyhis devoted wife Darlene, three children,Jameika, James Aand JacquesGlea‐son,one bonus daughter Erika Favorite five grand‐children: SemajGleason, WesleyJr, Darnell, Jamaiya and JadonNorwood, five bonus grandchildren: De‐shawn, De’Von,Tarajj, Ke‐iron, Zaire, onedevoted sisterNorweidaBooth and a host of otherrelatives and friends. Preceded in death by hisparents James and EarlineGleason grandmother;LouisePat‐terson, father andmotherin-law; Arthur (Ace)and EstherBaptiste. Family and friends areinvited to at‐tendthe CelebrationofLife Service on Saturday,May 3, 2025, for10:00 a.m. at Fifth African BaptistChurch 3419 S. RobertsonStreet, New Orleans, LA.Visitation willbegin at 9:00 a.m. Rev‐erend Earl Horton of NazareneMissionaryB.C., officiating. GuestbookOn‐line: www.anewtraditionbe gins.com(504)282-0600 LinearBrooksBoydand Donavin D. Boyd Own‐ers/Funeral Directors.

EMorrisGrayJr. of New Orleans,Louisiana,passed awayonSunday, April27, 2025, in his87thyear. A proud graduate of St.Aloy‐sius(’55),TulaneUniversity witha BS (’59) anda MS (’62).Hewas commis‐sionedasa Navalofficer (59-61).Hewas acivil engi‐neer anddevoted 36 years toMcDermott,improving the oiland gasindustry around theworld.Hewas a faithfulmemberofSt. Do‐minic’s church andserved onthe financecommittee Hewas amemberatlarge serving on theboard of di‐rectors forthe Tulane NROTC.Hewas adedi‐cated EagleScout and scout leader.Beloved fa‐therofDeniseMarie (John),E Morris III (An‐nette), andRichard Gre‐gory(Arianna).Hewas the cherished grandfatherof Allen,Emily (Jared), Michael,Alexandra,and Georgia;and adored brother of JamesSaucier (Julie).Heisalsosurvived bymanynieces, nephews, cousins,and friends. He was preceded in deathby his parents, Edward Morris and Jeanne MarieSaucier; wifeJaneHelen Elizardi; son Joseph Aloysius; daughterKathleen Marie; and brotherDonaldDwight (Kay).Charismatic and charming, Morrisheld court whenhespoke.His lifestories were rich,and hewas greatattelling them. He wasa worldtrav‐eler, andhis familyexperi‐enced such aculturedand interesting life with himin Europeand NewOrleans Heloved Tulane.There was seldoma daywhenhewas not seen in green.Heloved his family fiercely.Hewas the centeringforce holding ustogetherand we will honor himwithour love for eachother andbycontinu‐ing thetraditionshecher‐ished.The angels have car‐riedyou home andGod has receivedyou into theking‐dom of Heaven.Wewill holdyou in ourheartsuntil wemeet again. Afuneral masswillbecelebratedin the Chapel of Schoen Fu‐neral Home,3827 Canal Street,onSaturdayMay 3rd,2025, at 12:00pm,visi‐tationtobegin at 10:00am In lieu of flowersa dona‐tioncan be made in his honor to theAmericanDia‐betes Associationorthe AmericanKidneyFounda‐tion.

Guerrera,Maribeth James

Maribeth JamesGuer‐rera, 80, of Mandeville, passedawayApril 27, 2025 ofAlzheimer’seffects.A nativeofNew Orleansand Chalmette resident forher teen andearly adultyears she wasa graduate of Our LadyofPromptSuccor Catholic School,attended one year of high school at St. Mary of thePines in Chatawa,MSand com‐pletedher educationat Chalmette High School, Class of 1962. Maribeth was avoracious reader,es‐peciallyAgathaChristie mystery novels,and she welcomedthe challengeof wordand letter puzzles. She fullyenjoyed accom‐panying herfamilyonDis‐ney Worldtrips,catching night-after-night of Carni‐val paradesoutside St Stephen Catholic School exploring newplacesin Europeorplaying Keno withthe neighborhood group.She nevermissed anopportunity to create timefor,overspend on and eagerly participatewithall the younger generationsof her family. Maribeth is sur‐vived by herspouseofal‐most58years,Cyril Guer‐rera, Jr.; children Darren Guerrera(Mary-Alice) and JenniferGuerreraHilder‐brandt(Jim);grandchil‐drenLindsey Garic(Brent), Sam,Ben,Brother Matthew Lalemant(formerly Clay) and John Guerrera,Jacob Hilderbrandt(Maria) and step-granddaughterAli Hilderbrandt; great-grand‐childrenDaytonWashing‐ton,CarterBuchananand WaylonHilderbrandt; brothersWilliam JamesIII (Barbara) andRonald James (Barbara), andnu‐merouscousins.She was predeceased by herpar‐ents, WilliamJames,Jr. and Rosemary Hentze James.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thefuneral MassatGrace Funeral Home, 450 Holy Trinity Drive,Covington LA on Sat‐urday,May 3, 2025, at 11:30 a.m.withvisitationbegin‐ningat9:30a.m.Interment willfollowinSt. Lazarusof Bethany Memorial Garden Cemetery. In lieu of ﬂow‐ers,contributions in mem‐ory of Maribeth to theSer‐vants of Christ Jesus, De‐velopment Ofﬁce,P.O.Box 102848, Denver,CO802502848 or online at https:// www.scjesus.org/would beappreciated

DoralHesterentered eternal rest on Monday, April 21, 2025, at theage of 51. He wasa native and residentofNew Orleans, LA. He wasa graduate of L. B.LandryHighSchool.Lov‐ing father of RineshaMay‐ﬁeld, Dorai’yalReynolds, Tonya Reynolds,Doral Smith andthe late D’Ral A’zjonHester. Grandfather ofthe late Forever Maxwell. SonofDaleAnn Hesterand thelateLeroyal Hester, I. Grandson of the lateIvory andEllaHester, and Vivian Degree. Brother ofSchawanda (Bruce) Walker, Shelita(Wateman) Morris, IriadneN.(Alaric) Woodard,Crystal (Jamal) Washington, andDinah Portia, Diamond, Leroyal Hester, II, Damien,Keon (E’Adrean), Jeremy (Ebonee),Joshua, andthe lateJairus, Jared, and Keisha. Nephew of Cynthia Degree, Althea (Rodney) Thomas, Lionell(Judy Ann) Hester, Calvin Mcghee RonaldJohnson,TyroneDe‐gree, Roy, Ronnie(Patti), Ralph,Michael,Elijah, and Jeffery.Companion of Clara Burnette,alsosur‐vived by ahostofnieces, nephews,cousins,other relatives andfriends.Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the CelebrationofLife Davis Mortuary Service 6820 Westbank Expressway Marrero,LAonSaturday, May 3, 2025, at 11:00a.m. Visitationwillbegin at 9:00a.m.until servicetime atthe abovenamed parlor Interment: EveningStar Cemetery-Harvey, LA

Dottery,Aaron 'Jeter'

Gleason, JamesW

Cates, EddieJoel'BigJill'

Frederick, Lawrence J. 'Trey'

Falk Jr., Earl Leo

Gray Jr., EMorris

Hester,Doral

Cliff, Tyrone

Arrangements by Davis MortuaryService 230 Mon‐roe St.Gretna, LA.Toview and sign theguestbook, pleasegotowww.davismo rtuaryservice.com.Face Masks AreRecommended

Howard, Floyd

Floyd Howard, Sr. on Tuesday April 15, 2025 at Ochsner Medical Center, Jefferson, LA. Son of the late Lessie Scott and Isaac Howard. Husband of Linda S. Howard. Son in law of the late Elga and Fannie Ethel Simmons. Father of Floyd Howard, Jr. (Tasha), Kristy R. Howard, and the late Doron D. Howard. Brother of Beverly Howard, Gwen HMitchell,Joffery Young, Wendy, Karl, and Rochelle Howard, the late Donald Young, Carolyn Turner, Theresa Polly, Joseph Chatman, Bessie Haskey, Isaac Howard, Jr., and Ronnie Howard. Also survived by 6grandchildren, 2greatgrandchildren and ahost of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Age 73 years. Anative and aresident of Des Allemands, LA. Relatives and friends of the family, also pastors, officers and members of Antioch Baptist Church and all neighboring churches are invited to attend the funeral service at Antioch Baptist Church, 16461 Old Spanish Trail, Des Allemands, LA, on Saturday,May 3, 2025 at 11:00 AM. Rev Mitchel Bolden, Pastor, Officiating. Interment Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery, Des Allemands, LA. Visitation at the above named church from 10:00 AM until service time. Serviced by Robottom Mortuary

ShamondSydneyJacobs was anativeofUptown New Orleans, LA.Hewas bornatTouro Infirmaryon May 20, 2000, to Coreyand Natasha Jacobs.Shamond passedawayonApril 17 2025. Shamondresided in Terrytown LA.Heattended Terrytown Elementary,Li‐vaudais Middle School,and WestJefferson Senior High School.Hewentontoearn his diplomafromSpring‐fieldPreparatory High School.Shamond devel‐opeda love forcooking and went on to work at Wing Stop,Lucy's, Raising Canes,New OrleansHam‐burgerand Seafood Com‐pany, andThe Exchange PickleballBar.Hechanged his career path andstarted working with theOcca‐sionalWifeMovingCom‐pany. Shamondwas a diehard NewOrleans Saintsand NewOrleans Pelicansfan as well as a DukeUniversityBasketball fan.Heleavestocherish his loving parentsCorey and NatashaJacobs, his fiancéeMyahAllen, his onlyson ShakahiMichael Jacobs, hisintended mother-in-law Tiffiny Ki‐nard, hisloving, devoted big brotherand best friend Santana Jacobs,his loving and protective sister-inlaw Brianesha"Tootie"Ja‐cobs, hispreciousniece EllaJacobs, hisMaternal Grandmother Peaches (whoheaffectionatelyre‐ferredtoasSugafoot)Pa‐ternalGrandfather Walter Ricks Sr.(BobbyRicks)Pa‐ternalGrandmother Car‐olynWoods, Maternal GrandparentsClarenceand Tammy Bolden,several un‐cles, aunts, cousinsand friends whichheloved un‐conditionally.Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattenda Fu‐neral ServiceatD.W RhodesFuneralHome, 3933 WashingtonAve.New Or‐leans,LA70125 on Satur‐day,May 3, 2025at10:00 a.m.Visitationwillbegin at 9:00a.m.Arrangementsby D.W.RhodesFuneral Home.Pleasevisit www

rhodesfuneral.comtosign the online guestbook. Breedlove); hisgrandchil‐dren, Jo AnnThrailkill and DanaJuneau (Lonnie);his great-grandchildren,Jor‐dan,Christopher,Grady, Barrett, Opal,and Reese; and severalniecesand nephews who lovedhim dearly. He is preceded in death by hisparents,Della GertrudeGormanLangston and Daniel Thomas Langston; hissiblings, Grady,Louis,Harvey “Buck”, Ray, Betty,and Merle;his grandson,Harry; and great-grandsons, Alex and Pablo. Maxwas known for hisgenerousspirit, cre‐ative mind,and adventur‐ous heart. He broughtjoy and laughter whereverhe wentand made lastingim‐pressions on everyone he met.A trailblazing entre‐preneur,Max made his markinthe oiland gasin‐dustryofSouth Louisiana. Asthe founder of Olsco, Inc.,based in lowerPlaque‐mines Parish,hewas often seen sketchinginnovative designs well into his90s His work wasnot just a profession– it wasa pas‐sion. Thefamilywould like toexpress theirdeepest gratitude to hisdevoted caregiver,LydiceEllis,for her exceptionalcareand support.Max’s legacy is one of service, innovation and unshakable positivity Hewillbedeeply missed byall who knew andloved him.Familyand friendsare invited to attend the Graveside celebrationof Max’s life at Westlawn MemorialPark, 1225 Whit‐ney Avenue,Gretna, Louisiana on Monday,May 5,2025, at 11 AM.Mothe Fu‐neral Home is assistingthe familyduringthisdifﬁcult time. Youare encouraged toshare your condolences and memories by visiting: www.mothefunerals.com

LagardeIII, Alfred 'Joe'

Reverend Alfred "Joe Lagarde III, age66was bornonOctober 7, 1958 departedthisearthly home onTuesday,April 22, 2025 Joe wasa native of New Orleans,LAand aresident ofHouma,La. Reverend Al‐fredwas baptizedatthe early ageofseven years old by thelateReverend Leonard CelestineatNew St. John BaptistChurch.He was trulya faithful mem‐ber where he served as a deacon. Whileinspiring countless livesthrough his unwavering faithand dedi‐cation, Reverend Alfred be‐camea devotedpastorand faithfulservant of Godat New St.JohnBaptist Church for20years.On April 28, 2002, Reverend Al‐fredmarried JoyceLovely, Hehad oneadoptive daughter, Princess Williams;and oneadoptive son,Tedrick Taylor;and three stepdaughters, LeTonda,Lechristy andLe‐Jamie.Rev.Alfredleavesto cherish hismemorieshis wife, Joyce; an adoptive daughter, Princess Williams;anadoptiveson ChedrickTaylor; three stepdaughters,LeTonda (Nolan) Porche of Houma, Lechristy (Grenstedt)Win‐tersand LeJamie(Tra' Maine Sr.) of Lafayette LA.; ﬁve grandchildrenand two greatgranddaughters; one sister,Alfreda Mae (Sylvester)Parker, two brothers, Ernest (Sadie)La‐garde andMichael (Tiffany) Lagarde; one uncle,JessieMillerIII of NileMichigan; twoaunts Gayle Jonesand Genevieve MillerbothofHouma; three brothers-in-law, Evans Smith, WillieLovely, and MichaelLovelyall of Houma;and ahostof nieces, nephews, andother relatives.Heisprecededin death by hisparents,Al‐fredLagarde,Jr. and Shirley Miller Lagarde Green;maternalgrandpar‐ents, Jessie Miller Jr.and Catherine JonesMiller;pa‐ternalgrandparents, Alfred Lagarde Sr.and Mary ThomasLagarde;one sis‐ter,PatriciaLagarde Smith; one brother, Elwood Matthew Lagarde; andhis step father,Elwood Matthew GreenSr. Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the celebrationoflifeser‐vices on Saturday,May 03 2025, at 10:00 a.m. at Resi‐dence BaptistChurch,2605 Isaac Street,Houma,LA 70363. Visitation from 9:00am until 10:00amat Residence BaptistChurch and visitation from 5:00pm to7:00p.m.Friday, May 02,2025 at New St John Baptist Church,3862 LA-56, Houma,LA70363. Inter‐mentinEmmanuelB.C Cemetery. Youmay sign the guestbook on http:// www.gertrudegeddeswilli s.com. Gertrude Geddes Willis FuneralHomeInc., in chargeofservice (985) 8726934.

MaxNewtonLangston, 96, of Belle Chasse Louisiana,passedaway peacefullyathomeon April 23, 2025, surrounded byhis lovedones. Born on November9,1928, in Smackover, Arkansas,Max was raised in Longview Texas.In1948, afterreceiv‐ing hisassociate’s degree fromKilgore Junior Col‐lege, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps.and proudlyserved duringthe Korean Conﬂict. HemadeLouisiana his homeinthe mid-1950s, where he metthe love of his life,OpalGary Langston. Thetwo shared 53wonderful yearsofmar‐riage until Opal’s passing in2014. Abeloved father grandfather,and greatgrandfather,Max is sur‐vived by hischildren, Harry G.Thrailkill (Patricia) and Jo Lynn Delatte(Marshall

Dorothy "Dot" Goldman Levinpassed away April 29, 2025, at theage of 97+. BorninNew Orleans, Louisiana on September 30, 1927 to Solomon and Dorothy Heller Goldman, she graduated fromIsidore Newman School and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. After graduationfrom college, she returned to New Orleans and became the first teacher/directorof theJewishCommunity Center Nursery School whenitopenedin1949. She taught there againin theearly1960's,and,subsequently,atChildren's Place and Communal Nursery School. She also was ateacher at Temple SinaiReligious School for 23 years. She waspreceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Stanley H. Levin, and sister, Eve Goldman Herzfeld, and is survivedbyson, Richard B. Levin(Suzette), daughter, DorothyGee "DeeGee" Liniado(Robert), grandchildrenStacy Dickerman, Millie Liniadoand Adam Levin. Special thanks to thosewho cared for her so lovingly: Hazel Nesby, Nettie White,Trenelle Duplessis, Dionne Freeman and Yolanda Harris. In lieu of flowers,memorialsto thecharity of your choice. Relatives and friends are invitedtoattendlive streamed funeral services held at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, LA on Sunday, May 4, 2025. Visitation will be from 10:00am until the servicebegins at 11:00am. Gravesidewillfollow at DispersedofJudah Cemetery on CanalStin NewOrleans, LA

LewisJr.,Walter

father,and grandfather. Waltertouched thelives of manywithhis kindness, humor,and infectious spirit. Walter wasbornon May 24, 1969, to Betty CeaserLewis andthe late WalterLewis Sr.Hewas raisedinNew Orleansand graduated from Alfred Lawless High School class of1988. He wasa proud alumnus of Alfred Lawless HighSchool andLouisiana TechCollege.Walterbuilt a respected career in the electricalindustry, working withTriad Electric Controls Inc.,and lateratIndustrial ElectricCompany.A manof manypassions, Walter was a cherishedmemberof NOLADJs Incorporated, where hislovefor music thrived.His enthusiasm for ridingwas equallystrong, participating in several bikeclubs across there‐gion. On weekends,you could often ﬁnd himenjoy‐ing camaraderieand com‐munity as adevoted mem‐ber of theGrown MenTail‐gateClub. He wasalsoa formermemberofHighFi‐delityDJs,Tru Riders,9th WardRiders, andODB Above all, Walter treasured his family. He is survived byhis loving mother,Betty Lewis;his threesisters, Sandra(Edward)Jenkins Trina (Whitney)Williams, and Chrishon Lewis; and his children,WalterLewis III, Lakenna McKeel,and Mone'tLewis,who brought immeasurablejoy to his life. He wasalsothe adoredgrandfather to LaKe'nand LaKenyaMcK‐eel andJerle'naBrady, whomhecherished deeply Walterwillberemembered for hiswarmth, laughter and theloveheshared withall who knew him. Thoughhehas left us too soon,his spirit will forever liveoninthe hearts of his familyand friends. Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the celebrationoflifeser‐vicewhich will be held on Saturday, May3,2025, at GentillyBaptist Church 5141 Franklin Avenue,New Orleans,La70122. Thevisi‐tationwillbegin at 1p.m and theservice will begin at2 p.m. Intermentwillbe private.Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneral Home 9611 La- 23, Belle Chasse,La 70037 (504) 208 -2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com

Loiacono,Grace Coco

GraceCocoLoiacono passedawaypeacefully on Sunday, April27, 2025, at the ageof93. Gracewas bornonOctober 16, 1931, inMansura,Louisiana.She was thelastsurviving child ofninesiblingsborntoAn‐toine Coco andElizanne Rachael Coco.She owned and operated Wonderland School from 1960 until 1990 inMetairie, Louisiana. She isprecededindeath by her parents andher former husband,NunzioLoiacono. Grace leaves behind a legacyoflovethrough her three children:Anthony, Angela, andNick(Kerri). She wasa proudgrand‐mothertoAnthony Jr Nicholas, Gino,Mario,and NickJr.,and abeloved great-grandmother to Allie and Aria.She also held a special placeinher heart for herstep-grandchildren, Charles andJeanne (Dave) and herstep-great-grand‐children, Ava, Ayden, and Ryan. Grace’smemorywill beforever cherishedby those who knew andloved her.Relatives andfriends are invitedtovisit Green‐wood FuneralHome, 5200 Canal Blvd., NewOrleans, LA70124, on Saturday,May 3,2025, starting at 9:00 AM A FuneralMasswillfollow the visitation at 11:00 AM The burial will be in Green‐wood Cemetery.Wealso inviteyou to shareyour thoughts, fond memories and condolencesonlineat www.greenwoodfh.com Your shared memories will helpuscelebrate Grace’s lifeand keep hermemory alive

Lucas-Matthews, Margie Maxine

Deaconess Margie MaxineLucas Matthews, age 91 ,passed away on April 17, 2025 at herhome in Kenner,LAsurrounded by herloving family. Relatives, friends of the family, officersand Ministers of St.Thomas MBC are invited to attend herHomegoing Celebration on Saturday, May3,2025, 11AM at St Thomas Missionary Baptist Church,2926 Jackson Avenue, NewOrleans,LA with RevTravis AGeorge Pastor,officiating. Visitation will be held from 10AM untilthe hour of service.Interment Springhill Baptist Church Cemetery in Gloster, MS.Deaconess Margie Matthews wasproceeded in death by her parents, Eli Lucasand JannieBellLucas, four sisters: Lizzie andRuth Lucas, LucilleHolden, andRay Ramsey; andfourbrothers: Moyese Lucas, Daniel Lucas, and Monet Lucas, andJames Lucas, andone grandson, DevinMatthews. Deaconess Margie Maxine Matthewsleaves herhusband, Bro. Frank Matthews, onedaughter, Frankie MatthewsAdams (Lawerence), andtwo sons: RomanD.Matthews, andDemetrius H. Matthews(Lolitha). Her memory is further cherished by 9grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren onegodchild,Yasmine McGehee,and ahosts of nieces, nephews, family, andfriends. Servicesentrustedto Peoples Undertaking Co, Inc607 Elmwood St McComb, MS 39648 601-684-3131

ElizabethElaineMartin was born March3rd,1948, inColumbus, GA,toDou‐glasand LilieWilliams. She was the4th of 7children. She had1 brotherand 5 sisters.She lovedartsand craftsaswellascamping and ﬁshing. Shewas avery generousand loving per‐son.She is survived by 1 sister, Jewell Birkhoff,2 children, Lisa andRichard Martin, 2grandchildren AlyssiaMilstead andAngel Martin, and1 great-grand‐child,Kaspian Jayuvl,she isalsosurvivedbya host ofmanyniecesand nephew’sother relatives and devotedfriends.We willbehonoringher on Monday, May5,2025, at Southeast LouisianaVeter‐ans Cemetery locatedat 34888 Grantham College Dr.,Slidell, LA,70460. Ser‐vices arescheduled to begin at 11:00 am.Funeral planningentrusted to RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home9611 La -23, Belle Chasse,La70037. (504) 208

2119. Foronlinecondo‐lencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

Robert Winfried

NewOrleans,Bob was a man whose spirit embodiedthe rich culture andgrit of hishometown.

Bob attendedSam Barthe Elementaryschool, St.Martin'sEpiscopal high school, andTulane University, wherehe formed manylasting friendships andcreated a foundation for his illustriouscareer.

Throughouthis life,Bob wasknown for hiscommitment to making New Orleansa betterplace.He dedicatedcountless hours andsignificantresources to philanthropicendeavors that are nearly too numeroustocount.Hegave generouslytothe RedCross, University of NewOrleans, OchsnerHealth System MD Anderson, Boy Scouts of Southeast Louisiana, Sonofa Saint,Ruth Fertel Foundation,Habitat for Humanity, Fore Kids Foundation, Junior AchievementofGreater NewOrleans,the United Way of Southeast Louisiana, theNational WWII Museum, March of Dimes, St.Martin's Episcopal School, and Isidore NewmanSchool. He washonored to be thefirst person in the stateof Louisiana to give over million dollars to both the United Way of Southeast Louisiana andthe Red Cross.

In recognition of his generosity, Bob washonored with TheNational Red CrossHumanitarian of the Year Award,The University of NewOrleans Chancellors Medallion for DistinguishedService,The NewOrleans Councilfor Community& Justice's WeissAward,Mobil Oil Company"Strategic Partnerofthe Year", Gambit'sNew Orleanian of theYear, TheAlexis de Tocqueville Lifetime AchievementAward from United Way, andthe prestigiousTimes-Picayune Loving Cup.

Bob excelledinthe business world, earning therespect and admiration of colleaguesand competitors alike.Bob formed his owncompanyin1973, Robert W. Merrick, Inc. Realtors handlingappraisal and brokeragewith particular emphasis on commercial andindustrial properties. During that time, Bob andone of his mentors, Heidel Brown,negotiatednumerousbrokerage transactionsofmajor Mississippi Riverindustrial sites from Baton Rouge to Plaquemines Parish _In 1986, Bob purchased Latter &Blum, Inc./Realtorsone of thelargest and oldest, full service real estate companiesinLouisiana. Subsequent to this initial acquisition,Bob hasacquirednumerous local brokerage firms andhas incorporated amortgage firm, atitle company, and insurance agency.In1995, Bob acquired C.J. Brown Realtors in Baton Rouge themarket leader in that area, in 2009 he acquired Noles Frye Realtyin Alexandria, Louisiana, and in 2012 he acquiredthe largest real estatecompany in Lafayette, Louisiana, VanEaton &Romeo. In 2015 Latter &Blumacquiredone of the largest real estate companiesin Houston, Realty Associates with over 2,000 agents. Over thenext nearly forty years, Bob grew Latter and Blumintoone of the largest and most successful full service real estate firms in theGulf South,recently selling to NewYork basedCompass Real Estate.

It is impossible to encompass theamount of joy andpride Bob felt steering Latter andBlumthroughoutthe years. Thecountless friendshipsheformed with itsemployeesand agents filledhis days with immensehappiness. The entire Latter andBlum/ Compass group was truly Bob's "other family", and we wouldliketoparticularly thank his loyal assistantofoverforty years, TerriBurke

Robert W. Merrick, Jr August 31,1944 -April 28, 2025. It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Robert W. Merrick(Bob), abeloved civic leader, philanthropist, keenfly fisherman,husband, father,step-father, grandfather andgreatgrandfather, on April 28th, at the age of 80.

Bob wasknown for his zest for life andunwaveringdeep commitment to both hisbeloved Louisiana andthe passionshecherished.Bornand raisedin

Bob hada wickedsense of humor and an uncanny abilitytoconnect with people from all walks of life. An avidlover of the outdoors,hefound immense joyinstalkingwild turkeyand fly fishingthe saltwater flatsofMexico with hisdear friendand guideChico (EutemioChin) by hisside. Bob's passion for theoutdoorsallowed himtoappreciatethe beautyofnature andforge unforgettable memories with familyand friends. Hisadventuresonthe waterwerelegendary, catchinganimpressive 138 Permitinhis lifetime,not to mention countless Tarpon, Snook, and Bonefish.Hewas happiest

It is with heavyhearts thatweannouncethe passing of Walter LewisJr. who left us on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at theage of 55. Abeloved son, brother, See more DEATHS page

Levin, Dorothy 'Dot'Goldman

Martin,Elizabeth Elaine

Jacobs,Shamond Sydney

Langston,Max Newton

Merrick,

OPINION

NOLA.COM/opinions

Tulane must speakout,protect internationalstudents

The United States is once again proving that the only nation strong enoughtoundermine us is ourselves. The Trump administration’s recent attacks on foreign students have made our institutions of higher educationfar less attractive placestostudy and work.

Stan Oklobdzija GUEST COLUMNIST

If American university presidents do not forcefully denounce these unconstitutional and unAmerican actions, our universities will soon be shells of their formerselves, like their counterparts in Russia, Hungary and other nations that have lapsed into authoritarian rule.

Tulane University —one of 60 universities speciﬁcally targeted by the Trump administration last month for alleged Civil Rights Act violations —ought to be among theﬁrst to draw aline in the sand and place itself on the right side of history America’suniversities are by far the best of any nation, pre-

Andrew Leber GUEST COLUMNIST

cisely because the best from other nations choose our universities over their own.Foreignborn scientists at American universitieshave won 90 Nobel Prizes and comprise 22% of faculty

Many of these eminent thinkers work in America because they came to study in America

In the past several weeks, more than1,500 of these students— including at least two from Tulane —have found themselves the subject of both summary revocationoftheir legal residency status or imprisonment in ICE facilities thousands of miles from theirhomes —many just afew hours away in Jena.

In some of these cases, video footage has emerged of plainclothed ICE agentsforcing these students into unmarked cars in scenes thatwould not be out of place in police states like Russia, Egypt or China. Though the Trump administration caved

to legal pressure and moved to restore some of these visas on April25, ofﬁcials told The New York Times that visa revocations would continue in the future.

The official justification by several Trump administration figures is that some of these students’ legal statuses were revoked becausetheyparticipated in protests againstthe Israeli invasion of Gaza. While some of these protests indeed turned violent,none of the students detained was accused of specific criminal behavior such as assault or property destruction For those like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, it was enough that these studentswere “a participant in those movements” to warranttheir summary deportation The First Amendment does not just protect speech the government agrees with or speech by just onepreferred group of people. Rather,the First Amendment guarantees the free exercise of political speech to everyone standing on American soil.

University administrators are slowly beginning to speak out. Arecent letter signed by hun-

Amendments’failure offers cluestowhatcomes next

The defeat of all four constitutional amendments on the ballot in March came as asurprise to most political pundits. Particularly the margin of defeat and the size of the turnoutwhich, albeit small —21% —was certainly more than expected. Aquick look at electoral history shows that voters have been discerning when it comes to votingon constitutional amendments. Since enacting the Constitution in 1974, there have been more than 500 proposedamendments. Before this election, 321 had passed and221 had failed. That’sabout a60% pass rate,a failing grade by most standards. One of the challenges facingbill drafters is crafting “concise andunbiased” language to go on the ballot.These brief summaries are allavoter may know about an amendment. For example, Amendment 1was described as allowingthe Louisiana Supreme Court to disciplineout-of-state attorneys (this is already allowed bylaw). The ballot language added “andallowing the Legislature to create new specialty courts.” The latter provision wasseemingly the real purposeofthe bill. Voters either decided we have enough courts or they adopted the “vote no on everything” mentality and killed this otherwiseuncontroversialproposal.

to death,” legislatorsand supporters obviously believed the good outweighed the bad. Thepublic felt otherwise.

dreds of college anduniversity presidents —but notTulane’s —openly opposes “undue government intrusion in the livesof those wholearn, live,and work on our campuses.” This response heeds PastorMartin Niemoller’s famous aphorism of life in the early days of Nazi rule:Ifyou do not speak out, there will soon be no one left to speak out for you.

Universitieslike Tulane are respected institutions both in their own communitiesand throughout their expansive alumni networks. When we speak as one, we command attention andreafﬁrm our shared commitment to the moral foundations on which both democracy andacademicinquiry are based.

Moreimportantly,joining together now givesusstrength in numbers. As Benjamin Franklin supposedly said at the signing of theDeclarationofIndependence, “Wemustall hang together,or most assuredly we shall all hang separately.”

We urge President Michael Fitts and others in the Tulane administration to unequivocally and publicly denouncethe Trump

administration’ssummary revocations of students’ andscholars’ legalstatus. We further urge Tulane’s administrationtojoin otheruniversitiesinlegal action to enjoin the government and its agents from arresting, detaining or deporting university students, staff andfaculty for their political speech

Finally,weurge Tulane’sadministrationtopublicly pledge nottodivulge anypersonal informationofstudents, staff or faculty to Immigration and Customs Enforcementorany other federal agencies forpurposes of carrying outdeportations.

Many othercolleagues are currently at work helping noncitizen students navigate ahostile political landscapeand an uncertain future.

We encourage Tulane University to lead by example and show the nationwhatittruly means to act “Notfor oneself, but for one’s own.”

StanOklobdzija andAndrew Leber areassistantprofessors in Tulane University’sDepartment of PoliticalScience.

Keep cars on Quarter streetsbut make driverspay

Paddock Lounge,500 Club, Al Hirt’s Club, VieuxCarre Restaurant, Toney’s Spaghetti House,Houlihan’sand Gunga Den.

Jay Dardenne GUEST COLUMNIST

Contrary to somecommentary in the aftermath of thevote, this was not awatershed moment for Democrats. The party occupies no statewide ofﬁce and struggles under asuper majority of Republicans in the legislature. The state remains redder than abottle of hot sauce. Nor was this aSoros-led repudiation of Republican initiatives Left-leaning groups spent money, but not as much as those supporting Amendment 2. The amendmentswere trounced everywhere, including normally Republican strongholds.

Louisianans arenot “conditioned for failure” as thegovernor inappropriately suggested. Voterssimply were unwilling to accept this “one size ﬁts all” approach.

More to thepoint was the language summarizing Amendment 2. Thiswas avirtuallyimpossible task sincethe amendment was acomplete rewrite of Article VII dealing with taxation. Anything dealing with taxes gets the voters’ attention. The summary led with apermanentpay raise for teachers and areduction in income tax. It described all of the “good”but omitted the provisions that wouldbeg formore information.

The amendment embraced many of the reforms that had been advocated foryears by good government groups; however, it also included some problematic changes that resulted from tryingtoaccomplish an entire rewrite in asingle amendment(the state’sversion of “one bigbeautifulbill”).

The legislative instrumentcreating Amendment 2asintroduced was not nearly as far-reaching as the115-page end result. The complexity resulted from numerous amendments.Asone legislator observed years ago, amendinga billrepeatedly is “loving it to death,” i.e.,making it so lengthy and unwieldy that it fails to pass. Although Amendment 2was “loved

Gov.Jeff Landry was wise to impose a hiring freezeinthe wake of Amendment 2’sfailure and the cloud of uncertainty hanging over thestate as aresult of the DOGE initiative and the anticipated revenueshortfall in the upcoming year.The next Revenue Estimating Conference will hopefully adopt aconservative forecast, as has been the case for anumber of years. It is particularly important to do so this year,based on the speculative nature of theﬁscal notes created to compare reducing income tax and increasing sales tax, which thelegislature did last year Thehope is that they offset, but thepossibility exists that they won’t.

As the Legislature ponders its next move,it would be wise to do several things: de-linkand separate thecompetingobjectives that were rolled into one bill; put the purposed amendments on a fall ballot when turnout would be higher; focusonreforms like gradually reducing and eliminating thebusiness inventory tax with some concession to thefew local governments which arelargely dependent on this revenue source; provide easier legislative access to therelatively new Revenue Stabilization Fund but protect the Rainy Day Fund in its present form

Iamconﬁdent that the Legislature will give voters another opportunity to make necessary changes in the constitution in smaller and more understandable bites.

Jay Dardenne is aformer state senator, secretaryofstate, lieutenant governor and commissioner of administration.

Closing Bourbon Street to vehicular travel is amistake. Closing any street in theFrench Quarter is amistake. A better solution for safety and quality of life forour historicsquare is congestion pricing. Congestion pricing means charging afee to each vehicle thatenters adefined area. This is not anew concept. The largestcity to introduce avehicle accessfee for a specific area was London in 2003. New York City introduced congesting pricing earlier this year.Passenger vehicles entering the area below 61st Street pay $9 during peak hours. Thosewithout an EZPass arebilled $13.50 by mail. The Quarter would be safer andless congested if vehicular traffic, albeit reduced, wererestored to allstreets24 hoursaday.The BourbonStreet terrorist could never have mowed down three blocks of victims if he had been behind slow-moving vehicles crawling down Bourbon Street as vehicles did until 1971.

Toomany vehicles traverse the Quarter 24 hoursaday.Closing off certain streets, permanently or part-time, increases trafﬁc and congestion on other Quarter streets at greatequipment and manpower costs.

During nonbusy hours, pedestrian malls tend to turn into amugger’sparadise. What happened to Bourbon Street after dusk-to-dawn closuresbegan in 1971 should be awake-up call. Except for afew stellar exceptions, restaurants, nightclubs and other quaint venues fled Bourbon Street. The current sceneisnot pretty.Cheap souvenir shops, street hawkerswith Jell-O shots, personswho know where youbought your shoes, big beer signs in the middle of the street and standup bars without proper public restroom facilities clutter Bourbon Street like ill-fitting false teeth The lossofvehicular traffic on Bourbon relocated locals and tourists out of cafes, bars and restaurants onto the street itself. The change to anighttime pedestrian mallaccelerated the destruction of avibrant community with diverse and often quaint venues as the

There is aviable alternative to street closures. The city can establish cordontolls involving variable charges to drive within the boundariesofthe VieuxCarré:

n Charge vehiclesentering the Vieux Carré adaily fee. Not$9aday,but maybe the current cost of the cheapest beer at Harry’sCorner

n Utilize trafﬁc cameras, as we alreadyhaveat70+ school crossings, to facilitate toll collections.

n Automatically collect tolls for vehicleswith GeauxPass, already in use in otherLouisiana toll zones. Bill those without apassbymail, even if the check must be sent to Texas, as now with ourschool zone ﬁnes.

n Reducethe rate for full-time FrenchQuarterresidents as in London.

n Establish special rates for Quarter employees,taxis, service vehiclesand the like Howiscongestionpricing working elsewhere?Residents of the zonesin Londonreceive a90% discount. Motorcycles andbikesare exempt. Traffic congestionhas decreased. And on this side of the pond, most NewYorkers aregiving it athumbs up with reduced traffic, fewer crashes and pedestrian injuriesand less noise and pollution. Restaurant reservations and retail salesinthe cordoned area are booming. In just the first month, NewYork collected $50 million in tolls. Obviously,revenue from congestion pricing forthe Quarter would not approach tolls collected in New York. More importantly forthis poor city,it would mean money in and not money outtobuy barrier structures and pay the daily salariesofcity employees needed to make the barriers work. The world needsthe French Quarter nota Disney Quarter that morphs into aMugger’sQuarterduring off hours. Folks come to New Orleans for its vibrant andthrobbing French Quarter, ahistoric community of real people living in real houses. Streets are for vehicles, andsidewalks arefor people.It should staythatway

BrobsonLutz is aFrench Quarter resident

COMMENTARY

ROOM FOR DEBATE THE DEMOCRATS

After Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss in thepresidential election, Democrats have struggled to define the direction of their party.Recent movesbytwo Illinois Democrats, however, maygivesomeindication.After serving 44 yearsinCongress,Sen. Dick Durbin announced he will not be running for asixthterm, opening anew leadership spotfor Democrats in the Senate.Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker,widely considered a potential presidential candidate in 2028, gave a fieryspeech in NewHampshire urging Democratsto fight the Trump administration with everything they’ve got.Are these changes asign that the party is readytowelcomea newmessage and anew slateofleaders? Here are twoperspectives:

Durbin’s departurestirs ascramblefor Dems

As President Donald Trump’spolling takes atumble 100 days into his second term —and Dick Durbin,the Senate’s second ranking Democrat,announces his retirement —avery oldhit tune by Ethel Waters comes to mind:

“There’ll be some changes made.”

I’m gonna change my wayof livin’, and that ain’tnobluff

Why,I’m thinkin’ aboutchangin’ the way Igottastrut my stuff

Because nobody wants you when you’re old and gray

There’sgonna be some changes made today

sue— including inﬂation.

“Voters remain gloomyabout the economy,as71% rate economic conditionsnegatively and 55% say it is getting worse for their family,” Fox reported.

Clarence Page

Oh, really? Democrats havebeen grappling with their own version of thatresolution, especially ever since the disastrous defeat of their party’s presidential candidate, Kamala Harris, in November

“Ifyou’rehonest aboutyourself and your reputation, you want to leave when you can still walk outthe front door and not be carried out the back door,” said Durbin, the top Democrat on theSenate’s powerful JudiciaryCommitteeafter three decades in the upper body.

The “Biden Effect” is the label Rutgers University political scientist Ross Baker applied to the wave of goodbyes now rolling through the Senate, as some longtime stalwarts show signs of gettingtoo long in thetooth.

Having covered Durbin numerous times during his tenure, I’ll miss him. He had amasterful commandofthe issues, whether Iagreed with him or not, andI often learned alot from him —which is more than Ican say foralot of other lawmakers in the Machiavellian mud wrestling that too often getsinthe wayofthe government’sability to help real people with real problems.

However,Ialso ﬁnd alot of agreement with those who say too manysenior lawmakers are simply too reluctantorstubborn to step aside and give some of the younger whippersnappers achance

If there were acomplaintaboutDurbin that resonated with me, it washis reluctance to put pressureonSupremeCourt justices for some questionable ethical practices. If nothing else, Durbin wasan institutionalist, which is notalways bad but also has its limits when changes need to be made.

His exit comes at atime when thetide seems to be turning against Trump.

Even Fox News, known for ﬁnding even the tiniest silverlining in any Trump tempest, offered little reliefto the president’sMAGA supporters in light of recent polls. Asthe 100thday of his second term approached,a FoxNews survey found voters approvedofthe job Trump was doing on border security,but displeased on just about every otheris-

Voters’ assessmentsofthe economy have improved slightly since December,before Trumptook ofﬁce, but only 28% felt like thingswere improving under Trump, while ahuge majority —bya22-point margin —think Trump’spolicies are further damaging theeconomy

Theyounger generation, as my own parentsand grandparentssoon learned, can bea lot less patient withthe problems their elders tolerate.

Forexample, about half of Americans approved of the job Trumpwas doing a week after he took ofﬁce, according to TheNew York Times averageofdozens of leading polls. About 40 %disapproved.

However,bythe 100-day mark, his approval ratinghad fallen to around 45% and more than half of the country disapproved of his performance.

Trumpmanages to eke out anet positive rating among voters on border security (55%), but on immigration voters disapprove at arate of 48%-47%. On the economy generally,his showing is 38% approveto56% disapprove.

“His worst ratings,”Fox concluded, “are on inﬂation (33% approve, 59% disapprove), followed by tariffs (33%-58%), foreign policy (40%-54%), taxes (38%53%), and guns (41%-44%).”

With much moredramacomingdown the pike in Trump’sglobal trade war, and as the deleterious effects of DOGE’s monkeywrenching of the federal government begin to dawn on the public, it’shard to imagine that voters will look more favorably on Trumporonthe Republican majorities in Congress that have let him operate unchecked

Yetwhat voters need to hear is aclear and persuasive alternative to Trump’s framing of theproblemsfacingthe nation. The Democrats seem still to be struggling with strategic direction: Shouldthey revive the“resistance” or (to quote Clintonista James Carville) “playdead?” Young Democratic insurgentshave suggested awave of primaryingtoget rid of feckless incumbents, and the old guardhas bitten back.

In short, both parties show signs of unease with their current leadership. We mayneed anew generation of leaders to step in, but, ﬁrst, we need to look for ways to give them some help.

Email Clarence Page at clarence47@ pagegmail.com.

Pritzker is theangriest Democrat in theroom

JB Pritzker,the billionaire hotel heir who since 2019 has served as governor of Illinois, wants to be president. Like manyDemocrats, Pritzker believes his partyhas not been tough enough in opposing President Donald Trump. Now,heisurging them to taketothe streetstoengage in massprotests,mobilization and disruption so that Republicans “never know amoment of peace.”Itisnot clear how far Pritzker wants Democrats to go in their disruptive activism, but when you vow that your adversary will “never know amoment of peace,” you probably mean just that, whatever ugly measures it might entail.

Sugarbush ski resort in Vermont who denounced Vice President JD Vance before avisit there in which protests forced Vance and his family to relocate.

That wasanother reference to the ongoing debate Democrats are having about the 2024 loss.

Pritzker madethe vow in aspeech to Democrats in New Hampshire. Akey part of his address was to push back against members of his own party who say Democrats have gone too farleft and should moderate their positions in order to reconnect with morevoters.

First,Pritzker touted someofhis accomplishments in Illinois: “Weenshrined reproductive rights into law,” he said. “Welegalized cannabis. We protected labor rights. We joined the U.S. Climate Alliance.” Abortion, pot, minimum wage and climate —maybe that’snot acomprehensive platform, but it’s what Pritzker highlighted. And then he declared: “Wemay have to ﬁx our messaging and our strategy, but our values are exactly where they ought to be —and we will never join so manyRepublicans in the special place in hell reserved for quislings and cowards.”

It is common for aparty,following a painful defeat,tohave adebate about whether its beliefs and policies were theproblem,orwhether party leaders simply failed to communicate to voters how wonderful they were. The people who prefer themessaging explanation often prevail, because their solution moreand better spin —doesn’trequire any introspection.

So Pritzker was tellingthe New Hampshire crowd: Youdon’thave to change athing —just fight, fight, fight. SomeDemocrats really like that. Pritzker focused on thestories of three Americans he admires forfighting back against the Trump administration.“

He discussed Andi Smith,anEdwardsville, Illinois, woman who formed aTrumpprotestgroup; Gavin Carpenter,aYosemite National Park employee who supplied an American ﬂag displayed upside down as aprotestagainst Elon Musk and DOGE; and Lucy Welch, an employee of the

“Listen, Iunderstand the tendency to give in to despair right now,” Pritzker continued. “But despair is an indulgence that we cannot afford in the times upon which history turns. Never before in my lifehave Icalled formass protests, formobilization, fordisruption. But Iamnow.” With that the audience burst into applause, and one man in the audience yelled, “Yes!” Pritzker wenton: “These Republicans cannot know amoment of peace. They have to understand that we will ﬁght their cruelty with every megaphone and microphone that we have. We must castigate them on the soap box and then punish them at the ballot box.”

If you get the sense that JB Pritzker likes to condemn people to everlasting punishment, you’re right. And if you get the sense that his talk will eventually end up where such talk always does, by likening President Trumpand his supporters to Adolf Hitler and Nazis well, Pritzker does that, too. He did not mention Nazis in his New Hampshire speech, but in aFebruary speech to the Illinois state legislature, he denounced the Trumpadministration and added, “Ifyou think I’moverreacting and sounding the alarm too soon, consider this: It took the Nazis one month, three weeks, two days, eight hours, and 40 minutes to dismantle aconstitutional republic.”

Later,inatelevision interview,Pritzker said of the Nazi reference, “I’m not suggesting that’sexactly where we’re going.” But of course, that wasexactly what he was suggesting.

The 2028 Democratic race will be in the newsfrom now until anominee is chosen. Lately,we’ve heard alot about NewYork Rep. Alexandria OcasioCortez and the big crowds she and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders have attracted in their private-jet “Fighting Oligarchy Tour.” But don’tforget JB Pritzker,who can match AOC radical idea forradical idea, whohas afew billion dollars in personal fortune to run as long as he likes —and whocan make sure Republicans never know amomentofpeace.

Email byronyork@yorkcomm.com.

Byron York

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByREBASALDANHA

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

U.S. Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill.

with arod or gun in his hand, aWinston cigarette between his lips, andan ice cold glass of Tito's by his side. Bob lived an incredibly full life, packing ten lives into his 80 years, enriching the world around him with love, laughter and generosity. He didn't burn the candle of life at both ends, he snapped it in half and burned all four.

He leaves behind not only alegacy of philanthropy and leadership, but also aprofound impacton the hearts of those who knew him. Hisnumerous friends and colleagues will miss his larger than life presence, but none more than his family. Bob was preceded in death by his parents Robert W. Merrick Sr., mother Elaine Herbst Merrick Gelpi, and stepsister Nita Weil. He leaves behind his beloved wife Sheryl, sisters; Patricia MerrickBrinson (Vernon) and Susan Merrick; his daughters Elizabeth (Ellie) Merrick, Christine Merrick Stewart (Andrew), Amanda Merrick Seale (Justin), Lacey Merrick Conway (Jason), step-son Justin Duplantis(Adele), grandchildren; Taylor Ghere Smith (Taylor), Laney Ghere Marion(Ryan), Lillian Andersson, Merrick Andersson, Henry Andersson, Tatem Seale, Alexander Seale, Merrick Seale, Olivia Conway, and Hunter Conway. He also leaves behind his stepgrandchildren Braden Wheat and Timothé and Chloe Duplantis, all of whom he loved as his own.

Bob Merrick, atrue son of New Orleans, has left this world amuch better place. May he rest in peace, forever cherished and remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Acelebration of life will be held at St.Charles Avenue Presbyterian ChurchonFriday, May 2nd at 12:00pm withfamily visitationfrom 10:30am12:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Bob's honor to The United Way or Son of aSaint. Reception to follow funeral at the New Orleans Country Club.

Virginia Morris, abeaconoflove and faith, passed away peacefully on April 17, 2025, at the age of 95 in Kenner, Louisiana Born on July 19, 1929,in New Orleans, LA, Virginia's life wasatestament to her enduring spirit and the joy shefound in simplepleasures. She married John Morris and had six children. Virginia survived by five children, Evelyn William (Larry), Louis Morris (Darlene), Linda Williams (Joseph), Arthur Williams and Ronald Morris (Yashica), twentythree grandchildren, sixtyfour greatgrandchildren, twenty-threegreat-great grandchildren, ahost of nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. She was proceeded in death by her parents Arthur and Virginia Argeyo, her son John Morris Jr., four sisters, three brothers, two grandsons, and two great grandsons. Acelebration of her remarkable life will take place at Providence Baptist Church located at 11509 Jefferson Hwy, River Ridge, LA, 70123 on Sat., May 03, 2025 at 11:00 AM. Visitation at 10:00AM.

DEATHS continued from Church.Jita, as she wasaf‐fectionatelyknownto many, lovedtopraiseand worship theLord. Wher‐everthere wasa church program,funeral or con‐vention,Jitawould beat you there, standing boldly asthe door keeper.She never owneda carand didn'tknowhow to drive; she didn't miss much.She was astrongwoman of God who dedicatedher life severingour Lord Jesus Christ. Jita's favorite song was Walk in theLight,and her favorite scripturewas Jeremiah29:11.She served faithfullyasanUsher at her church,and shewas a memberofthe Christian Ministers MissionaryBap‐tistAssociation (CMMBA) for many yearsserving on the UsherBoard,Women Ministryand aCounselor withthe YouthRegional Department. Duetolosing her home at thedevasta‐tionofHurricane Ida, Jita relocated near herfather and family in Port Athur, Texas.While living there she soon unitedwith Greater True Vine Church under the leadership of PastorJarrodF.Phillips, Sr while thereJitadidn'tJUST sit idle,she became a memberofThe Pastor's Aid Committee, TheLove Committee, Women'sMin‐istry andPrayerWarrior Ministry. Shewas aSolider for theLord. Jita nevermet a stranger andifshe did, she wouldget your num‐ber,and it wason! Calling justtosay hello. Sheloved the talkingonthe phone spreading thegospeland TEA" at thesametime. She neverowneda carbut would beat youtoevery church program,funeral or evenconventions,she traveledwiththe (CMMBA) RegiojalYouth Conference every year.Whether in Ok‐lahoma, Texasor Louisiana.Weknowshe'll begreatly missedat the upcomingconference. Ti‐jwana is survived by her fatherMervin(Gaynel) Ragas,Jr.,brothers, Jor‐dan,Alexander John, Ager‐non JamesEdgerson, Mervin(Nina)Ragas Ill, one bonus sister,Chancel Hymes,stepbrothersDon‐nellJosephand Xavier Turner. She'salsothe niece ofElana (Greg) Parker,Dei‐dre (Marvin) Mackey,Er‐icka(Bruce) Gains, Jeovan‐nah,Cashara,Eldrich (Charlotte), Elton(Bridget) April Edgerson,Christo‐pher(Nita)Ragas andRe‐litaFrankin.God mother of De'JanaiHinton. Relatives and friendsofthe family, alsopastors,ofﬁcers & members of ChristianMin‐istersMissionaryBaptist General Associationare all invited to attend thecele‐bration of life service which will be held on Sat‐urday,May 3, 2025, at Greater MacedoniaMis‐sionary BaptistChurch 27796 La -23, Port Sulphur, La70083. Thevisitationwill begin at 9a.m andthe service will beginat11 a.m.PastorMandrellPansy ofﬁciatingand interment willfollowatMt. Zion MemorialParkCemeteryin Empire, La.Funeralplan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome9611 LA- 23, BelleChasse,La 70037 (504) 208– 2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com

Reed,Shirley AnnTolbert

TijwanaAJita

Miss TijwanaAJita Ragas also known to everyoneas"Jita"passed awayatthe home of her brother in Gonzales,La. On April 24, 2025. Shewas bornonSeptember 19, 1981, in NewOrleans,La. Beloved daughter of MervinRagas Jr.(Gaynell) and thelateCassandra Edgerson. Sheaccepted Christatanearly ageand was baptized by thelate Rev.JosephN.Tayloratthe GreaterMacedonia Baptist

friends. Shirley’svibrant spirit, loving heartand en‐duringfaith leavea legacy thatwillcontinue to in‐spire allwho knew her. A Celebration servicehonor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late ShirleyAnn Tolbert Reed will be held in the ChapelofCharbonnetLabat GlapionFuneral Home, 1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 701116 on Saturday,May 3, 2025 at 9:30 am,Pastor Jacques Williams,Ofﬁciat‐ing.Interment Resthaven Cemetery. Visitation 9am inthe chapel.Pleasesign onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com, Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors,(504)581 4411.

LaQueritaRichard en‐tered eternallifeonSatur‐day,April 27, 2025 at the age of 66, spending herlast daysathomesurrounded byfamily. Daughter of the lateDutley, Sr.and EvaEllis Richard.SisterofDutley Lee Richard, Jr LindaR (Casey) Jumpiere,Peggy R. (Wadleigh)Johnson KatheyR.(Espy)Pace, the lateBarbraR.(Robert) Gatewood andCarol R. (Larry)Morgan. God‐motherofAlana Duma and TimmiaHumphrey. Also survivedbya host of nieces, nephews, otherrel‐ativesand friends. LaQue‐ritawas amemberofDelta Sigma ThetaSorority, Inc and wasanemployeeof the JeffersonParishSchool Systemfor twenty-six years,working at John Ehret High School.A Cele‐bration servicehonoring the life andlegacyofthe lateLaQuerita Richardwill beheldatProgressive Bap‐tistChurch,437 CohenAv‐enue,Marrero,LA70072 on Saturday, May3,2025 at 10 am. IntermentOur Lady of PromptSuccorCemetery, 146 Fourth Street,West‐wego, LA 70094. Visitation 8:30aminthe church Pleasesignonlineguest‐book at www.charbonnetf uneralhome.com Charbonnet LabatGlapion, Directors,(504)581 4411.

Sharlow,Norma Jean Cochee

JamesJosephSievers II, age 82, of Marrero, Louisiana passedawayon Monday, April28, 2025. He was thebeloved husband ofthe late Loretta Virgie Sievers forover57years FatherofMatthew Sievers, MarkSievers (Jenny), and Julie Gauthreaux (Murphy) Grandfather of Michael Sievers (Sara),Emma Sander, Olivia Sander, ClaireSievers,Stephanie Gauthreaux(Robbie), An‐thony Gauthreaux,and Ian Gauthreaux. Greatgrandfa‐therofRonan Sievers, Blake Danielsand Zoie Daniels.Son of thelate James F. Sieversand Blanche M. Sievers. Brother ofHelen Bourgeoisand the latePatriciaSmith.Com‐panionofJanet Olsen. He enjoyed spending time withhis grandkids, as well asraising chickens and parakeets. He wasa good providerand familyman, takinghis children hunting and ﬁshing. He wasretired asa member of Local60, the Plumbers andSteam‐ﬁtters Union. He wasal‐wayswilling to lend alis‐teningear andgivesound advice. AFuneralMasswill becelebratedonSaturday, May 3, 2025 at 11:00 AM in the Chapel of Westside Leitz-Eagan FuneralHome, 5101 Westbank Express‐way.Visitationwillbegin at9:00AM. Intermentwill followat2:00PMatSt. Do‐minic's Catholic Cemetery inHusser, LA.Express con‐dolencesatwww.westsid eleitzeagan.com

Templet, Anne Marie TheresaKerner'Anne'

Williams,Steven

ShirleyAnn Tolbert Reed,age 81, formerly of Fresco, TX,peacefullytran‐sitionedtoher heavenly homeonMonday, April21, 2025. Born in Natchez, MS and aproud longtime resi‐dentofNew Orleans’ 9th Ward, Shirleylived alife rooted in faith,familyand resilience. A1962 graduate ofGeorgeWashington CarverHighSchool,she dedicated over 30 yearsof service to theOrleans ParishSchool Boardasa paraprofessional. Afterre‐locatingtoTexas following Hurricane Katrina, shecon‐tinuedtotouch liveswith her generous spirit andun‐waveringlove. Shirleywas a faithful member of Greater NewSt. Luke Bap‐tistChurch andlater The Potter’sHouse North Dal‐las,where herlovefor God and people wasevident to all.She is preceded in death by herparents,sib‐lings andbeloved daugh‐ter,Monique Smith. Left to cherish hermemoryare her sons,Charles,III (Bar‐bara) andSeanReed (Sherelle), as well as ahost ofgrandchildren,greatgrandchildren,a Godchild extended family and

Norma Jean Sharlow "Cochee"departed this life on Friday, April 18, 2025. Daughter of thelate Delorious Reese and Norman Banks. Beloved mother of Dwanda, Delisa, Dwight (Jermaine) Perrilloux, Davianna Sharlow Rachal (Darnell),and to thelate David Sharlow. Sister of Joyce Reese, LacressAnderson and the late LaToya and Lois Reese, Norman and June Banks, Jermaine Gregoire and MarkYoung.10paternal sisters and 10 paternal brothers Norma is also survivedby11grandchildren, and her closefriend,Alva Mae Butler, ahost of aunt, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins,and friends. Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, May 03, 2025 at 11:00a.m. at Tchoupitoulas chapel 1022 Highway 44 Reserve, La. Rev. LionelMurphy, pastor Officiating.Interment in St John Memorial,Laplace, LA 70068. Visitation on Saturdaymay 03, 2025 at 10:00am until funeral time Professional Servicesentrusted to theCaring Staff of Hobson Brown Funeral Home,134 Daisy St. Garyville,La70051, (985) 535-2516.

Rosalie Wilson Smith was born on May12, 1932, tothe union of thelate ClarenceWilson, Sr.and Lucille BrooksWilson. She acceptedGod at an early age andwas baptizedat St. MatthewsBaptist Church,bythe late Rev. DaveHyde. Shethenjoined withBellBaptist Church withher belovedhusband CalvinSmith,Sr.,under the leadershipofRev.JohnW Young,Sr. Sheservedin the ChoiratBellBaptist Church where sheserved aspresident for ﬁfteen (15) years.Later on in her Christian life,she wasap‐pointed as oneofthe mothers of theChurch, under theleadershipof Rev.Elvin Lacey. Sheliked serving Godand shining His Lightinher life.She met andmarried thelove ofher life,CalvinSmith,Sr. Tothisunion,six children wereborn: Joyce, Glenda, Calvin, Jr Gilbert, Herman Lee, andShandra.She leavestomourn andcher‐ish hermemories: children GlendaJackson,Calvin Smith,Jr. (Shirley), Gilbert Smith (Sherry), Herman Lee Smith(Tiffany),and Shandra Smith; step-chil‐dren, Larry Triggs andShe‐lia Green;a son-in-law, Larry Young;a brother, ClarenceWilson, Jr.; 21 grandchildren;and 17 great-grandchildren.A hostofnieces, nephews, relatives,and friends. She was preceded in death: by her parents, Clarence Wil‐son,Sr. andLucille Brooks Wilson;her husband CalvinSmith,Sr.,a daugh‐ter,Joyce SmithYoung; three grandchildren, Kim‐berly &Katherine Young, and GarlandDwayne Young;step-son, Sam Mason;a brother, Mack P. Wilson;and hersisters, Carolyn Scott, ShirleyJenk‐ins,EllaMae Lorick, ThelmaLeBeau, JanetWil‐son,and KarenWilson. Rel‐ativesand friendsofthe familyare invitedtojoinin the Celebrationoflifeser‐viceonSaturdayMay 03,2025 at Bell Baptist Church,2614 Highway1 Raceland, LA 70394 at tion from 2:00pm.In‐urch Ceme‐sign the www.ger is.com es Willis-Ter‐

Anne Marie("Anne") Theresa Kerner Templet, age 69, left to be with the LordonApril 26, 2025. She was born on September22, 1955 in Gretna,LAtothe lateGeorgeF.Kerner, Sr and Irma St.Germain Kerner. WidowofKenneth J.Templet,Sr. Sheissur‐vived by herdevoted and lovingcompanion forover twentyyears,StevenR Vogt andher four children, Antoinette ("Netty") Marie Templet,Alane Katherine Templet (Emmett Dykes Ill),Kenneth Joseph Tem‐plet, Jr andAriane Gabrielle TempletHenry (LeeHenry). Shewas the beloved "Grammy" to Abi‐gailJosephine Dykes. She isalsosurvivedbyher brothers, George F. Kerner, Jr. andRobertG.Kerner, Sr.,and ahostofnieces, nephews,cousins,and friends.She wasa 1973 graduateofL.W.Higgins HighSchool andspent mostofher life in Belle Chasse,LA. Afterher hus‐band'sdeath in 2003, Anne workedfor Families Help‐ing Families of Greater New Orleansand laterbe‐camea long-timededi‐cated employee of the Plaquemines Parish School Board.She waspassionate about advocating forpar‐entsand families of spe‐cial-needschildrenand often shared herexperi‐ences in thehopes of help‐ing others.Annecould be found on theweekends at local garage salesand ap‐preciated thefriendships she made over theyears withthose who shared her hobby.Moreoften than not,she came home with gifts andtreasures she found forothersrather thanherself.She took pleasureinvolunteeringat the OurLadyofPerpetual HelpFair'sannualgarage sale. Sheenjoyed attend‐ing mass on Sundaysand tending to her flower and vegetable garden.Anne loved to spendtimewith her familyand herfur ba‐bies, andbeamedwithjoy whenshe spokeofthem. She always wore asmile onher faceand offeredup‐lifting advice anda kind wordtoanyoneshe met. Anne will be remembered for beinga wonderful, kind, selfless, thoughtful, and loving woman, andshe willbemissedgreatly.Rel‐ativesand friend of the familyare invitedtoattend Anne's funeralservices which will be held on Mon‐day,May 5, 2025 at Robin‐son Family FuneralHome, 9611 Highway23, Belle Chasse,LA70037. Family visitationwillbefrom9:00 a.m.to10:00 a.m.,and pub‐lic visitation from 10:00 a.m.to12:00 p.m. A Catholic funeralmasswill begin at 12:00 p.m. with Fa‐therKyleDaveofOur Lady ofPerpetual Help Church in Belle Chasse.Interment to immediatelyfollowat OLPHCemetery, 8968 High‐way 23, BelleChasse,LA 70037. In lieu of flowers, pleaseconsidera donation toOur Lady of Perpetual HelpChurch in Belle Chasse or alocal animal shelter.Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome(504) 208 -2119. Foronlinecon‐dolencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

Williams, Rev. Charles

Steven Williams de‐partedthislifepeacefully atPiedmontHospitalon Sunday, April20, 2025, at the ageof60. He wasa na‐tiveofNew Orleans, LA and aresidentofAtlanta, GA. Steven wasa graduate ofFrancis T. Nicholls High Class of 1984. Steve, as he was affectionately known byfamilyand friends, was employedwithDeKalb CountySchool System Lovinghusband of TrudyannWilliams. Sonof the late Samuel Sr.and MerrilLoftonWilliams. Grandsonofthe late Mr and Mrs. SandersLofton, and Mr.and Mrs. Alex Williams.Brother of Michelle McCotry, Merril (Albert)Webster,Wanda Williams,Samuel(Enid) Williams,Jr.,and thelate CherylDeniseWilliams, Michael Williams,and David EmileWilliams, Sr Uncle of Nicole (Andra), Nikia (Tyler), Nidia(Eli), Maurice,Christopher (Tamika), Andre(Angelica), Arielle,David,Jr.,Albert, Jr.,Alton (Kayla), Joseph, Elisha,Aramist,Timothy Nekia,Monika(Tim),Ebony (Delvion),Stacy (Chris), Chelby, Casey(Willie), Jameca(Albert), Coley, Jr (Da’Janell),Stanley,Jr. (Jasmine),Ronnie, Jr.(Tay‐lor), Lance(Ramona), Shaun (Oreal), Katrina, Gary(Chicquita),Luke, Karlos, andthe late Timo‐thy Nicholas Calhoun. NephewofEloise, Linda Mae,Earline,and his mother’slastsurviving sis‐ter,AuntGladys. Beloved godfather of Lance, Chelby, Kyara,Jasmine Harris, Jovan,Jasmine,Trey, and Ebony.Brother-in-lawof Coley (Bonnie) Calhoun, Sr.,Timothy Calhoun, Sr., RonnieCalhoun, Sr Stan‐ley Calhoun, Sr.(Darline), Paulette (John) Parker Sheakliann(Kenneth) Cal‐houn, andthe late Man‐ervia MeeksCalhoun, Guy Lee Calhoun, CynthiaBeth Calhoun, andStephen An‐thony Calhounalsosur‐vived by ahostofgreatnieces, great-nephews, cousins,and dear friends. Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the CelebrationofLifeat Davis Mortuary Service230 MonroeSt. Gretna,LAon Saturday, May3,2025, at 10:00a.m. Visitation will begin at 8:30a.m. untilser‐vicetimeatthe abovenamed parlor.Interment: Resthaven Memorial Park Cemetery-NewOrleans,LA. ArrangementsbyDavis MortuaryService 230 Mon‐roe St.Gretna, LA.Toview and sign theguestbook, pleasegotowww.davismo rtuaryservice.com.Face Masks AreRecommended

Rev. Charles Williams passedApril 20, 2025. Leaves behind, devoted fiancéeGayle McHenry; daughters Carlin &Catelyn (Romalle); stepchildren Monique, Kelly(Ted), & Christopher(Tara); &siblingsBernard Kimble, Carey Payton (Denice) Bernice Shirley, Claudette Payton,Jocelyn Harris& Alzenia Dorsey(Edward).

SieversII, JamesJoseph

Richard, LaQuerita

Smith, RosalieWilson

Morris, Virginia A. 'Jenny Boo'

Ragas,

'Jita'

Reese, VanLith return to PMAC

Former LSUstars setto play WNBA exhibition game

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Angel Reese and Hailey VanLith last played agame together whenIowa bounced the LSU women’sbasketball team outofthe NCAA Tournament in 2024.

That fact will changeat8 p.m. Friday (ION), when the ChicagoSky visit thePete Maravich Assembly Center to play apreseason contest against the Brazilian National Team. The WNBA scheduledthe exhibition in JanuarysoReese could return to LSU. Then the Sky drafted VanLithin April, turning the game into areunion for her as well.

“I haven’tbeen back since I graduated,” Reese said, “which issocrazy.”

After Reese left LSU, she playedinthe WNBA All-Star game and appearedinthe upstart 3x3 women’sbasketball league Unrivaled. As arookie on the Sky,she scored 13.6 points per game on 39%shooting and set the league’ssingle-season rebounding record before awrist injury cut her year short, opening the door forthree-timeMVP A’ja Wilson to set it herself.

VanLith could’ve also entered the WNBA draft after her lone season with theTigers. But she decided instead to transfer to TCU, aprogramshe led to its ﬁrst30-win season and its ﬁrst ever appearance in the NCAA Tournament since2010. The Horned Frogshad never even reached the Sweet 16 until VanLith arrived, won the Big 12 Player of the Year Award and guided theminto the Elite Eight.

Along the way,the former Louisville and LSU guard shot 45% from the field and assisted5.4 shots per game —both

ä See WNBA, page 2C

Dickinson’sjourney to LSUwas along andwinding road.But he didn’t getthere alone.

LIG S GUIDING

FRIDAy,ION ä 151stKentucky Derby POSTTIME:5:57P.M.SATURDAy,NBC

anielDickinson remembers allofthe sports-related mechanisms he played with every summer as akid. There was abasketball hoopinthe driveway andgoalposts anda kickingtee in thebackyard. He had tennisballs to throw against the garage door and they owned apitchback net, adevice that allowed himtoﬁeld grounders and line drives.

For hours, he’dhit abaseball tethered to two strings that were connected to apole. Every time he’dhit the ball, it would rap around the post before slowly unwinding and whipping back into aposition where he could swing at it again.

“Iwas never an inside guy,” Dickinson said, “and Iwould never play videogames.”

Itwas ahealthy and active lifestyle for kid growing up in the Tri-Cities area in utheastWashington. There was only e problem:Hewas often alone.

“It didget sadattimes,” Dickinson id. “Attimes you would just feel loneYou’d be like ‘I have to go outside and stthrow aball off of agarage.’ But, I ean, it was good. It was ﬁne. Ihave no mplaints, that’sfor sure.”

But for Dickinson to get to where he is day —atop-60 prospect in this year’s LBdraft,amember of lastsummer’s S.Collegiate National Team anda rst-team All-WAC selection at Utah alley before transferring to LSUin

July —heneeded some guidance.

Dickinson was raised by his mother andtwo dedicated coaches, mentors who helped turn asweet and sensitive kidinto ahard-nosed second baseman eager to lead LSU intoCollegeStation, Texas, for athree-game series withTexas A&M starting on Friday (6 p.m., SEC Network+) Sometimes he was lonely, but he was never alone in his journey to Baton Rouge.

“It’sbeen the villagethat hasultimately taken over,” said Steven Whitehead, Dickinson’slongtime trainer,“to help guide this young man.”

Amother, afatherand afriend

It wasaquestion he’d often get, but Dickinson’sanswer stayed the same.

“A lot of people ask me,‘Oh, where’s your dad?’ And Iwas like, ‘I don’thave one,’ “Dickinsonsaid. “And they’d (say), ‘Oh,you have adad.’ And Iwas like, ‘I do, but technically Idon’tatthe sametime.’ ” Dickinsonwas artiﬁcially inseminated from an anonymous donor.His mother, Sharee, had Daniel as asingle parent and has remained single to this day

ä See LSU, page 4C

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

The Kentucky Derby will berun for the 151st time on Saturday at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky Journalism has been installed as the3-1 morning linefavoritetotake home the$3.1 million ﬁrst-place purse.But that might not be agood thing. Since 2000, just 29.1% of morning line odds favorites (7 of 24) have wonthe Run for the Roses.

In the past two decadesalone, four horses have won the Derby withodds of 50-1 or higher,including 81-1 RichStrike in 2022 Mystik Dan won last year’sDerby at 18-1 odds. New Orleans is home to some of thetop horse racing experts in the nation. Each year Icorral agroupofthemtohandicap the race. This year’slineup is excellent, as always. Withoutfurtherado,analysisand selections for the 151th Kentucky Derby:

 TOM AMOSS’ SELECTIONS

Twenty horses in thestarting gate, all tryingto navigate the shortest trip hometowin.Welcome to the Kentucky Derby!

The Derbyisnodifferent than trying to navigate rush-hour trafficonAirline Highway.Ifyou getstuck behindslowercars, it doesn’tmatter if you’re driving aFerrari.Noone gets to see what that Ferrari can do. Jockeys, likedrivers, have to make the right splitsecond decisions, or theymay getstuck in traffic. This year marks the 151st running of the Kentucky Derbyand we have aFerrari in the field.His name is Journalism.

1. Journalism (3-1): He’snot onlymypick to win,I believe he has the ability to dominate the field. Coming into the race after winning the Santa Anita Derby,Journalismhas looked brilliant overthe Churchill Downs racetrack in themorning workouts.

Andhehas somethingelse, call it focus, athleticism, the “it” factor or as Iliketocallit“the look.”you seeit in special athletes.Thishorse is special.

2. Sovereignty (5-1): He comes from Florida, wherehewas second in his last start, the Florida Derby from an extreme outside post position. It was abetterrace than it appears on paper.IfJournalism encounters traffictrouble, Sovereignty has the chance to beat him. But Ithink that’sthe only wayhe couldbeat him

3. Baeza(12-1): As of Thursday, he was still waiting to getinto the field on also-eligible list,but I am confident that’sgoing to happen so I’m including him in my picks. Baeza was second to Journalism in the SantaAnita Derby Long shot —Burnham Square (19-1): Meghan Trainor had ahit song called “All About the Bass.”In horse racing,it’sall about thepace.And the early pace

AP PHOTO By CHARLIE RIEDEL Kentucky Derbyentrant Journalism works out at Churchill Downs on Wednesdayin Louisville, Ky

Angel Reese

FILE PHOTO

LeBron uncertain about NBA future

Lakers bounced from playoffs by Timberwolves

BY GREG BEACHAM APsportswriter

LOS ANGELES LeBron James

wasn’t ready to make any decisions about his future in the painful moments immediately after his 22nd NBA season ended with the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round playoff exit.

“I don’t have the answer to that,” James said Wednesday night when asked how long he will continue to play “Something I’ll sit down with my wife and my support group and kind of just talk through it, and see what happens. Just have conversations with myself on how long I want to continue to play I don’t know the answer to that right now, to be honest.

The 40-year-old James has given no public indication he is thinking about retirement this summer, but Lakers fans will be holding their breath until the top scorer in NBA history makes his plans ofﬁcial.

James provided no hints after recording 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the Lakers’ 103-96 loss to Minnesota.

“It’s up to me if I’m going to continue to play or how long I’m going to continue to play,” James said. “It’s ultimately up to me, so it has nothing to do with anybody else.”

Most observers think the fourtime champion is planning to return for a 23rd season, which would break the NBA longevity record he currently shares with Vince Carter He is also just 49 regular-season games behind Robert Parish, who holds the NBA record

up toward the scoreboard in the closing seconds in Game 5 against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

with 1,611 games played. James already holds the league record for career playoff games with 292. But his seventh season with the Lakers is over after the Timberwolves’ 4-1 series victory Los Angeles didn’t build a winning dynamic quickly enough to the midseason arrival of Luka Doncic in a seismic trade for Anthony Davis James’ Lakers have advanced in the postseason just once in the ﬁve years since their championship in the Florida bubble — but if James returns, he’s coming back to a completely reconﬁgured team built around his new partnership with Doncic. James and Doncic played only 21 games together after the deal, and it wasn’t enough to maximize their potential team-

work. Another full year together could raise their partnership to formidable levels, and James still seems intrigued by the prospect of playing a full year or more alongside the Slovenian superstar he has described as his favorite active player

“Anytime you make a big acquisition in the middle of the season, it’s always going to be challenging, not only for me, but for (Austin Reaves) and the rest of the group,” James said “There were times where we obviously didn’t look so well, but I think we kind of ﬁgured it out later in the season, the more games we had. I still don’t think we had enough time to mesh, but for the time that we had, I thought we ended the regular season very well

to be top three in the West.”

Doncic isn’t the only teammate who could compel James to return: His 20-year-old son, Bronny, is coming off a surprisingly solid rookie season with the Lakers in which they became the ﬁrst father and son to play together in NBA history

Bronny James is hoping to carve out a bigger role alongside his father next season after getting sporadic playing time this year

LeBron said the chance to work alongside Bronny this season was the “No. 1” accomplishment of his career

An eighth consecutive season with the Lakers would be the longest stretch of his career with one team, surpassing his first seven seasons with Cleveland — although he returned for four more years and a championship with the Cavaliers.

James’ level of play remained high in his 22nd season, confounding all previous notions of basketball longevity He averaged 24.4 points per game along with 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds. James remained the Lakers’ heart while they won 52 games and the Paciﬁc Division title despite the midseason roster upheaval.

Every signiﬁcant contributor on this season’s roster is under contract for 2025-26 except for Dorian Finney-Smith, who has a $15.3 million player option, and inconsistent center Jaxson Hayes.

In a moment of reﬂection near his 40th birthday last December, James speculated that he could continue to play at this level for five to seven more years. He doesn’t intend to stick around that long, however

Holiday wins another sportsmanship award

BY TIM REYNOLDS APbasketballwriter

Jrue Holiday of the Boston Celtics has won the NBA’s sportsmanship award for the second time, making him the fifth player in league history to win that trophy in multiple years.

Holiday received about 34% of the ﬁrst-place votes cast by nearly 400 current NBA players to decide the award winner Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen finished second, Dallas’ Kyrie Irving was third, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was fourth, the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dorian Finney-Smith was ﬁfth and Orlando’s Franz Wagner was sixth.

“In my experience, some of the best competitors are those who

pair a quiet conﬁdence with humility, show respect for the competition with their own preparation and work, and have the stamina to navigate the ups and downs of a season with grit and perspective,”

Celtics President Brad Stevens said. “There is no better example of this than Jrue. He is the ultimate teammate and sets a great example for those striving to compete with integrity His game does his talking, and his impact, on and off the court, goes well beyond his game.”

Holiday joins four-time winner Mike Conley, three-time winner

Grant Hill and two-time winners

Jason Kidd and Kemba Walker as people to win the award more than once. Holiday will receive the Joe Dumars Trophy, named for the Basketball Hall of Famer, a two-time champion and the inaugural winner of the sportsmanship award after the 1995-96 season.

Dumars recently left his role as an NBA executive to return to his native Louisiana as executive vice president of basketball operations for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Each of the NBA’s 30 teams nominated one player for the sportsmanship award, and league executives narrowed that list down to six ﬁnalists — one from each division.

Holiday is also a three-time recipient of the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award and

is a finalist again this season for the NBA’s Social Justice Champion Award. That award has been in existence for five years; Holiday has been a finalist in three of them.

He is a two-time All-Star, twotime NBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist and sixtime All-Defensive team selection. The sportsmanship award is the eighth award to be announced by the NBA since the end of the regular season. Golden State’s Stephen Curry won the Twyman-Stokes teammate of the year award and his Warriors teammate Draymond Green won the hustle award; those awards, like the sportsmanship one, are not selected by the panel of 100 global reporters and broadcasters who vote for other top NBA season honors.

Safety Haulcy planning weekend visit to LSU

Former Houston safety AJ Haulcy plans to visit LSU this weekend as he decides where to transfer his representatives at A&P Sports Agency told The Advocate. Haulcy’s agency said he had not scheduled the trip as of Thursday night. But after visiting Miami earlier this week, Haulcy is still considering his options. His agency said he has a top 3 of LSU, Miami and SMU. Haulcy, a 6-foot, 215-pound senior, was a first-team All-Big 12 selection last year after posting 74 tackles, ﬁve interceptions and 13 passes defended.

A Houston native, Haulcy began his career at New Mexico after leaving high school. He played in 12 games as a freshman, starting nine times, before transferring closer to home.

Cubs take Skenes deep thrice; Suzuki homers twice PITTSBURGH Dansby Swanson, Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki all took Pirates ace Paul Skenes deep in the ﬁfth inning as the Cubs pulled away for an 8-3 victory on Thursday Suzuki later added a two-run shot off reliever Kyle Nicolas as Chicago took two of three from the last-place Pirates.

Skenes (3-3), fresh off a masterful performance in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers last Friday labored through his shortest start of the season. The 22-year-old reigning National League Rookie of the Year lasted just five innings. His four walks matched his total on the season coming in and the aggressive Cubs pounced in the fifth to turn a two-run deficit into a 3-2 lead.

Gauff routs Swiatek reaching Madrid final

Coco Gauff overpowered defending champion Iga Swiatek 6-1, 6-1 to reach the Madrid Open singles final for the first time Thursday Gauff broke Swiatek’s serve three times in the ﬁrst set and twice in the second to cruise to a 64-minute semiﬁnal victory over the second-ranked Swiatek at the clay-court tournament.

It was Gauff’s ﬁrst win over Swiatek on clay Swiatek had recovered from losing the ﬁrst set 0-6 to Madison Keys on Wednesday

“I couldn’t really get my level up,” the four-time French Open champion said. “Coco played good, but I think it’s on me.”

The last time Swiatek won only two or fewer games in a match was a 6-0, 6-2 loss to Jelena Ostapenko in Birmingham in 2019.

Mich. St.’s Haller leaves; Izzo to be co-interim AD

Michigan State athletic director Alan Haller is leaving the school and deputy athletic director Jennifer Smith and men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo will serve as cointerim ADs, university president Kevin Guskiewicz announced Thursday Haller’s last day will be May 11. Guskiewicz did not disclose the reason for Haller’s exit. Haller played football and ran track at Michigan State and later worked 13 years in the school’s Department of Police and Public Safety. He joined the athletic department in 2010 and had a number of roles.

career-highs.

Van Lith’s season at TCU was much smoother than the one she played at LSU.

But she told the Chicago Tribune during Sky training camp that her time with the Tigers — a rocky year that she spent learning how to play a new position allowed her to see what she needed to improve before she could succeed in the WNBA.

“It was the year that helped me get ready for the league the most from a mental perspective,” Van Lith told the Tribune. “(That season at) LSU was like this is the mentality that you have to have to be a pro. You have to just ﬁgure out how to make things work when it’s not what you expected it to be.

“For me, LSU was just a year that I had to make ends meet and ﬁgure it out no matter what. And that’s what the pros is. You want to play on a team, you want to have a job, so you do whatever you need to do to make that happen.” Last season, the Sky went 1327 and missed the playoffs It then ﬁred coach Teresa Witherspoon, a Louisiana Tech great, replaced her with Las Vegas

Aces assistant Tyler Marsh and added more veterans to its roster In February, the Sky signed free-agent point guard Courtney Vandersloot a 14-year WNBA veteran who spent the first 12

years of her career in Chicago. Now the franchise, the 2021 league champion, is hoping that Vandersloot, Reese, former South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso and Van Lith can help it climb back into the playoffs, a goal the team will begin working to achieve on Friday in Baton Rouge.

“I think it’s gonna be a great experience,” Reese said. “I know they can’t wait for me to come back. They’re chanting ‘Bayou Barbie.’ That’s where I got my name from, so going back there, it gives me chills already just to know I’m going back home.”

Former LSU women’s basketball coach Pokey Chatman now coaches the Brazilian National Team, but because she also has a position as an assistant with the Seattle Storm, she will not coach in either of the two exhibitions that Brazil is playing against WNBA teams this preseason.

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

Under Haller, the Spartans won Big Ten championships in men’s basketball, women’s soccer, women’s gymnastics, men’s hockey and women’s cross country

Yankees’ Stanton injured; OF De La Cruz claimed

The New York Yankees transferred outfielder and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton to the 60day injured list on Thursday while claiming outfielder Bryan De La Cruz off waivers from the Atlanta Braves. Stanton is rehabbing from torn tendons in both of his elbows and hopes to be back sometime in June. He began doing some on-ﬁeld hitting about a week ago with the Yankees, who open a series against the Rays on Friday night

The 28-year-old De La Cruz, who was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre, was hitting .191 for the Braves this season. He was sent to their Triple-A

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU guard Hailey Van Lith drives the ball around Auburn guard Jamya Mingo-young on Feb 22 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK J TERRILL

Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James looks

Tulane gets cornerback with starting experience

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

The Tulane football teamnolonger is bereft of cornerbacks with college football starting experience.

LJ Green, aMontgomery,Alabama, native who redshirted at Troy in 2023 before coach Jon Sumrallleftfor Tulane,committed to the GreenWave this week out of the transfer portal after starting all 12 games for the Trojans this past season. He ﬁnishedwith 27 tackles, two interceptions and six break-ups.

Tulane ended spring practice with redshirt sophomore Jahiem Johnson and redshirtfreshman Armani Cargo as its first-team cornerbacks.Johnson made four tackles in areserverolein2024, while Cargo did not play.Rayshawn Pleasant, who was expected to hold one of the starting spots after abreakout season, entered the portal before spring drills started and recently landed at Auburn Finding acornerback after

DERBY

Continued from page1C

pick up the pieces at the end of the race, and Burnham Square has abig chance to do that. .Having just wonThe Bluegrass Stakes at Keeneland coming from well back,look for him running late to possibly complete the exacta.

(TomAmossisoneofthe leadingthoroughbredtrainersin NorthAmerica.TheNewOrleans nativeisalsoalongtimeracing analystatFoxSports.)

 MICHAEL BEYCHOK’S SELECTIONS

I’m holding a60-1 Derby Futures bet ticket on Rodriguez to win the Derby, but Ijust don’t like the waythe race sets up for him. There appears to be too many horses that want to go to the front —likeRodriguez —which will compromise his chances to win, so I’ll look in another direction for the winner

1. Final Gambit (30-1): Final Gambit has runfour races, and in all four he has passedhorses from starttoﬁnish. Iexpect the pace to be hot and the horses whohaveproventheycan pass horses through trafﬁc to be the ones to beat.This is Brad Cox’s only trainee in the race after having multiple horses on the Derbytrail. Final Gambit —agray —will be along price but agood chance to makeitinthe money.

2. Chunk of Gold (30-1): A Fair Grounds-based horse who ran second in both the Risen Star and the Louisiana Derby, Chunk of Gold has caught my eyethis week. He is another whohas shown he can pass horses but possesses a bitmoreearly speed than the top choice, meaning Chunk of Gold could getthe jump on the deep closers.Another whowill be avery big price, so we are hoping foran in the moneyﬁnish.

3. Burnham Square (12-1): This one impressed me early in the spring,and that race in Florida mayhavetaken alot out of him, but he has rebounded nicely lately.Hewill be coming from behind —doyou sense a trend here? —and has Brian Hernandez, Jr., last year’s KentuckyDerbywinner,guiding him through trafﬁc Long shot —Luxor Café (151): Iwould be remiss if Ididn’t mention aJapanese horse, since I’vepicked one the last twoyears, and Luxor Café certainly has the credentials to win this. His races have beeneye-catching,but you neverreally knowwho is running behind him. He’sanother long shot to keep an eyeonand throw into those deep trifecta and superfecta boxes.

(MichaelBeychokisasenior partnerofOursoBeychokInc., anaward-winningnational politicalconsultingﬁrmbasedin Louisiana,andthe2012National HandicappingChampionshipand 2012EclipseAwardwinnerfor besthandicapper.)

 KEVIN KILROY’S SELECTIONS

1. Burnham Square (12-1):

He’sbeen kicking down his stall in Ian Wilkes’ barn, galloping with hisneck bowed, full of energyin every way, Ihavenodoubt that Burnham Square came out of

spring practice is nothing new for Sumrall and hisstaff. Micah Robinson, aFurmangraduate transfer,and Johnathan Edwards, an Indiana State graduate transfer arrived out of the portallast summerand were twoofthe Wave’s top three cornerbacks in the fall. Robinson was taken in the seventh round of the NFL draft by theJacksonville Jaguars on Saturday. TheIndianapolis Colts picked up Edwards as an undrafted free agent.

Tulane also added players at a pair of positions that needed better depthand competition for starting spots.

Former TCU offensive lineman MitchHodnett, aMonroeproduct who has four years of eligibility left, committed to the Wave on Instagram. He was a3-star offensive tackle prospect when he signed with TCU in 2024 but played guard during spring practice after redshirting last season.

Former Washington Statewide receiver TreShackelford,a redshirt senior,committed this week,

too. He startedtwo games and caught 10 passesfor 144 yards for theCougarslastseason and received ﬁrst-team repetitionsin spring practice before entering theportal.

PriortoWashington State, he had52catches for 799 yards and six touchdowns for Austin Peay as aredshirtsophomorein2023, earning second-team All-United Athletic Conference honors.

Apair of Tulane players who entered the portal after spring drills found their destinations this week, with defensive end Ty Cooper committingtoTulsa and wide receiver Sidney Mbanasor committing to OldDominion. Neither was on the Wave’stwo-deep depth chart.

Camp bound

In additiontoEdwards, three Tulane players signed contracts as undrafted free agents and three more received camp invitations. The signings were wide receivers Mario Williams (LosAngeles Rams)and Dontae Fleming (Minnesota Vikings) anddefensive

end AdinHuntington(Cleveland Browns). Thecamp invites were John Ehret productPatrickJenkins (Saints),centerVincentMurphy (Chicago Bears) and tight end Reggie Brown(Bears).

Ahorse comes off the track after aworkout at Churchill DownsonThursday in Louisville, Ky

his hugeeffortinthe Blue Grass Stakes readytorun the best race of his career. My speed ﬁgures have hisbesteffortright there with Journalism. Louisiana’sown Brian Hernandez Jr.will be in the irons, looking for back-to-back Derby wins. Iwill takeaswing with awin bet on Burnham Square at 8-1 or higher

2. Luxor Café (15-1): Though he did not win,the best effort in last year’sDerbyundoubtedly came from Foreveryoung.Hewas awell-hyped horse that was on everyone’s radars, but LuxorCafe, this year’sJapanese invader with top credentials, is flying under the radar.He’sa touch sloweronthe speed figures, but no other horse in the fieldhas been as impressive visually in hisraces. He can put himself in amid-pack positionand then accelerate withanelectric turnoffoot. Iwill be betting himto win at 12-1orhigher.

3. Journalism (3-1): Iliveto fadea favorite, and Idobelieve thereisaslight case to be made against Journalism. He’sbeen facing small fieldsmadeupof horses whocould not getthe distance, and in theSanta Anita Derbyherolled late down the center of thetrack on aday when insidespeed was dying on the vine. Still, he’snot only the proven fastest horse in the field,heis also impressivephysically and energetically.Heisshowing all the signs that he is in top form, and Idobelieve he will geta piece of the Derbypie Longshot —FlyingMohawk (30-1) and Final Gambit (15-1): We sawFlying Mohawk win over the Stall-Wilson turf course at Fair Groundsthis winter before he shipped to Turfwayand ran second in the Jeff RubyStakes overthe synthetic course.Racing on dirtisthe question mark, but he has neverbeen outworked on adirttrack, including an impressivemove going better than Honor Marie this past week. Trainer Whit Beckman has been pushinghim in the mornings, and he looks readytostep up. Final Gambit will be finding his best stride when other runners are waving the white flag.Although not alegitimatewin contender,I

think his jockeyLuan Machado will have him rolling late.

(KevinKilroyisaracinganalyst attheFairGroundsRaceCourse andChurchillDowns.Heisa two-timeNationalHorseplayers Championshipqualiﬁer,ﬁnishing 21stin2021.)

 PATRICK MCGOEY’S SELECTIONS

1. Journalism (3-1): Ithink he will be very difficulttobeat. He has the highest speed rating of anyhorse in the field,isbread to go amile and aquarter,and he encountered alot of trouble in his last race and still won. Hisworks leading up to the Derby look great, and Ithink he will only improve at thisdistance. If he breaks clean, he should getfirst jump on the closers and win.

2. Baeza(12-1): Baeza is not yetinthe ﬁeld, but if one horse scratches, he will drawinto the race.Hewas slowtodevelop, but he ran averybig second to Journalism in the SantaAnita Derby.Heisbredtowin aclassic, as his dam, Puca, foaled Derby winner Mageand Belmont winner Dornoch. He has looked great on the track at Churchill, and should improve off of his last race.Flavian Pratt is scheduled to ride him, and that is abig jockeychange. If he draws intothe ﬁeld, he is a contender 3. Burnham Square (12-1): Thishorse is improving at the right time. He wonthe Blue Grass Stakes witha powerful closing kick. He has the reigning derby winning jockey Brian Hernandez riding him, and his recent works have been on the rail.That leadsmetobelieve that Brian Hernandez will trytoget another railskimming triplikehedid last year on Mystik Dan.

Long shot —Publisher (30-1): He has neverwon arace, but he is trained by SteveAssmussen, the most winning trainer ever is sired by Triple Crownwinner American Pharoah and riddenby Irad Ortiz, one of the best jockeys in America.With connections like these, he has ashot (albeit along one) of getting his ﬁrst win in the Derby (PatrickMcGoeyisa

commerciallitigatorfromNew Orleansandwonthe2011& 2012Breeders’CupBetting Challengeand2018Kentucky DerbyBettingChallenge.)

 CHAD SCHEXNAYDER’S SELECTIONS

Betting the Kentucky Derbyis unlikeany other race in North America.The best 3-year-olds of their crop gatherina 20-horse starting gate to run11/4miles, the farthest theyhavetried to thispoint in their shortcareer The distance of the race is what separates the contenders from the pretenders. But distance is only one of adozen variables handicappers that have to sift through to tryand makemoney. Pace, prep races, post positions, trainers, jockeys, and speed ﬁguresare some of the variables to consider, but sometimes it’s just all in aname.

Double-digitodds horseshave wonthe race the past four years,

including Mystik Dan last year.My advice: Don’t let anyone talkyou off of ahorse youlikeinthe Derby. Sticktoyour guns,becauseit’s really the one race all year that anything can happen.

1. Sovereignty (5-1): Hallof Fame trainer Bill Mottwon the 2019 Kentucky Derbywhen longshot Country Housewas elevated to the winner’scircle following adisqualiﬁcation of Maximum Security.Itmakes MottaKentucky Derbywinning trainer in the record books. But he would liketowin one with a horse hitting the wire ﬁrst. He has gone on record to saythis son of Into Mischief is his best chance. Sovereignty had enough points to makethe Derbybefore his fast closing second in his last start in the Florida Derby.That should serveasthe perfect prep race for what the objectiveisonSaturday. The last four Derbies have been wonbymid-rangeordeep closers, whichisSovereignty’s running style.He’sprovenoverthe Churchill Downs surface.Aclean tripisall that stands between him and afreshset of roses

2. Journalism (3-1): The son of Curlin will be aprohibitiveand deserving favorite come post time, and it’s hard to find any errors in his resume. Histrainer MikeMcCarthyisbursting with confidence.The bullseye will be on Journalism from all others in the field but his ability to handle adversityand accelerate when needed couldbethe determining factor in the final furlong.He should put away the speed horses by the time the field enters the stretch, but can he hold off afew of the other talented closers. I’m betting he holds off all but one of them.

3. Rodriguez (12-1): One of twohorses from the barnof six-time Kentucky Derbywinning trainer Bob Baffert.Rodriguez ﬁts the speed proﬁle of atypical Baffert horse for thisrace.While he does not have apenchant for passing horses, Rodriguez has proventobeatough customer to pass himself when allowedto extend his stride on the front end.

There are other pacesetterslined up around him on the inside. but I’ll takemychances that jockey MikeSmith will ration out his speed and lead the field along wayifhebreakswell from thegate. Long shot –Publisher (301): The Steve Asmussen trainee enters the race as amaiden, having neverwon in his sevenrace career.He’shere because of his runner-up finish in the Arkansas Derby, and he has a puncher’schance. He will be ridden for the firsttime by fivetime Eclipse Awardwinning jockey Irad Ortiz, whohas an 0-for-8 record in the Derby. Ortiz and Asmussen have wonnearly every high profile North American stakes race overthe past decade, but the Derbyhas eluded them both. It would makefor quite astory if thisson of Triple Crownwinner American Pharoah brings home the trophyfor twoofthe sport’s mostsuccessful connections. (ChadSchexnayderisthe formerpublicitydirectoratthe FairGrounds,thehostoftheFair GroundsRacingpodcastanda regularNationalHandicapping Tourparticipant.)

 JEFF DUNCAN’S SELECTIONS As adyed-in-the-wool, inkstained wretch, it’s hard for me to pickagainst Journalism and Publisher,but I’m acontrarian at heart. Here’show Isee the race: 1. Sovereignty (5-1): Mott has thistrainee readytorun the best race of his career.He’smore proventhan the other top pick, Journalism.

2. Final Gambit (15-1): My long shot special.This big gray colt is peaking at the right time. He’ll be ﬂying down the lane late.

3. Journalism (3-1): It pains me to go against ahorse with this name. He might prove me wrong but Ihavereservations about the limited competition he has faced in California.

Long shot —Flying Mohawk (30-1): Another horse that is ascending at the right time.Trainer WhitBeckman is one of the most underrated trainers in the sport.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLIE RIEDEL

Freshoff bestseries, Tulane facesanother litmus test

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributingwriter

As he returned to East Carolina’s Clark LeClairStadium forthe first time last weekend, Tulane second baseman ConnorRasmussen admitted to teammate Luc Fladda he did not have many good memories about the fieldwhere he spenta frustrating freshman year Fladda simply told him to go out there and make new ones, which is exactly what he did, scoring five runs and driving in five more against his old team while the Green Wave won aseries in Greenville, NorthCarolina,for the first time since 2012.

The goal is to keep that level all theway to theAmerica Athletic Conference tournament at the end of May,and Rasmussen likes what he is seeing as Tulane (27-18,10-8) enters apivotal home series with Florida Atlantic (29-15,10-8).

“We’ve got really good opponents from here on out, and nowweare

just going to usethe momentum of goingout there andplaying how we knowwecan,” he said.“Earlyinthe year we ﬂuctuated, but we’ve really been growing this pastmonth, and we’reinagood spot.”

Realistically,Tulane can finish anywhere from second to sixth in thebunched-up AAC. The Wave, which was hitting.247 at the end of March, batted .308 in Apriland will need those hotbatsagainst theOwls, who have the league’s lowest ERA.

“We’reheating up at theright time,” said senior Gavin Schulz, who is 7for 17 with seven runs scores and seven RBIs in thepast four games. “Each weekend is big for us. It’splayoff baseball right now.”

Friday’sopenerwillbetough.

Florida Atlanticsophomore lefthander Trey Beard (7-0, 2.48 ERA), the frontrunner for AAC pitcherofthe year,has allowed one or fewer earned runs in seven of his past nine starts. He is com-

PHOTOSBySPENCER URQUHART

BrotherMartin graduates Frank Randol, left,and Eli Booth pose for a photo.Randol leadsDelgado witha.395 battingaverage, and Booth has hitateam-high six home runs.

Delgadobaseball ledby former N.O. prep stars

BY SPENCERURQUHART

Staff writer

Delgado’sbaseball team has traditionally featured severalplayers from the New Orleans area, and that remains the casein2025.

The transfer portal erahas made it easier thaneverfor Division Iathletes to attend out of state schools, but juniorcollege programssuch as Delgado remain stocked with local talent. Twentysix Delgado current players graduated from high schools in the New Orleans metro area.

“(Having local players) hasbeen our bread and butter since I’ve been here,” Delgadocoach Joe Scheuermann said. “Welive in and die with the Catholic League players and the River Parish players and probably go as far west as Ascension Parish. The local kids have been good to us.”

Delgadoisgearing up forthe postseason afterconcluding the regular season with a26-15 record, which was goodfor secondplace in the NJCAA Division IRegion 23 behind LSU-Eunice, who’sranked No.2nationally.

Pitching has been Delgado’s strengththisseason, withfreshman right-hander Giancarlo Arencibia thriving as aweekend starter alongside sophomoresConnor Achee and Michael Hotard. ARummel graduate, Arencibia signed with Tulane but transferred to Delgado in December.He’s pitched to a2.34 ERA this season, leading Delgado with 53 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings.

“I loved it at Tulane, but Iwas looking something that would help me getmore innings,”Arencibia said. “I’ve been loving it (at Delgado) ever since Istepped foot here. Ihave abunch of teammates that Iplayed with at Rummel that Inever thought I’d play with again, so that’s areally cool thing.” Sophomore Alex Laiche and freshman Brandon Kragle have served as key arms outofthe bullpen and made weekday starts. Laiche,aBrotherMartin graduate, leads Delgadowith six wins, and the St. Charles graduate Kragle has ateam-best 1.72 ERA. “Our staff ERA is 3.38, which is third-lowest in the country,” Scheuermann said.“That’swhy we are where we are.”

Delgado’slineup is ledbya pair of Brother Martin graduates in freshman Frank Randol and sophomore Eli Booth. Randolleads the team with a.395 batting average and42 RBIs, and Booth has hit a

ä Florida Atlantic at Tulane, 6:30P.M.FRIDAy,ESPN+

ing off seven innings of shutout ball against Charlotte and has 98 strikeoutsin651/3 innings

Tulane hammered him at the AAC tournament last May. All sixbatters he faced reached base when he pitched three days after going ﬁve innings,but he is ayear older and throwing on full rest this time.

“Hischangeup’sreally good, andhe’sthrowing all of his pitches forstrikes,”Tulanecoach JayUhlman said. “Ifweknowgoing in we’regoing to be challenged offensively,then we’ve got to make sure we play good defense.”

Fladda (3-4, 5.97 ERA), Beard’s mound counterpart, needstobe sharp. His numbers are notgood, buttwo of hispast threeoutings have been much more promising. He limited UABtoone run in seven innings in hislasthome start and

blankedEast Carolina through four innings last Friday. Given apreposterous 20-0lead, he lost his concentration and gave up three home runs in the ﬁfth, but he ﬁnished the seven-inning victory by registering seven straight outs.

“I feel pretty comfortable,”he said. “Our hittersare seeing the ball well, and my goal is to just outlast (Beard) if Ican.”

FAU’sstatistics bely itsmiddling performance. The Owls have used the same starting rotation in every conference series, boast an elitecloser in MJ Bollinger(nine saves, 1.93 ERA) anduse twomore high-leverage relievers with ERAs below 3.30. Theyalso are second to Texas-San Antonio is batting average, runs scored and slugging percentage. Their RPI of 64 trails only UTSA,too. Their bats have cooled off signiﬁcantly,though, since designated hitterJake Duer went outwitha signiﬁcant knee injury against Memphis on May 12. He was batting .428

shecould go watch him playat

Utah Valley

Sharee knew thedonor’smaternal andpaternal familymedical history and basic physical features, amongother pieces of background information, but she does not know his nameorhave a picture of him

“I don’tthinkit’sweird, Idon’t think it’s odd,” Danielsaid.“I know it’snot common,but it was just kind of myreality.”

Daniel’s uncle, Dennis,lived with Sharee and Daniel for afew years. His other uncle, Brian,has been aclose supporter of theirs. And Daniel’sgrandmother— who turns 92 this year—ﬂew out to BatonRouge to watch him play against Mississippi State and stayed for everyinning of the late-night series.

But outside of that short period living withhis uncle Dennis,itwas just Daniel and Sharee at home.

“We’ve hada lotofsacriﬁces, but we don’tthink of them as sacriﬁces,” Sharee said, “because we were able to do what we wanted to do,what we needed todo. We were always together.”

Delgado right-handed pitcher Giancarlo Arencibiahas been a fixture in theweekend rotation as afreshman. The Rummel graduate has a2.34 ERA and 53 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings.

team-high six home runs.

“I just go up there looking formy pitch,” Randol said. “Just relying on thework that Idoand swing the bat. Iliketoswing it alot, probably alittle too much, but just swinging it and having fun up there.”

“This year I’ve focused on getting the barrel out in front more,” Boothsaid.“It’sawesome(playing withBrother Martin guys). Even Jesuit, Rummel and Curtis guys They come here andyou realize that everybody’spretty cool.”

Sophomore Josh Hoffman and freshman Reed Duthu of John Curtishave served as key hitters forDelgadoaswellassophomore RhettCentanni of Rummel Allthree are hitting over .300 on theseason along with Randol and Booth.

Delgado’spostseason pushbegins this weekendwith theNJCAA Division IRegion23Tournament.

Local rival Nunez Community College awaits Delgadofirst in the double eliminationtournament on Saturday,May 3at4:30 p.m. in Denham Springs. Defending NCJAA Division II World Series championLSU-Eunice is now in Division I, creating amore challenging path for Delgado. Theregion 23 tournament winner advances to theSouth District Championship the following week.

“I’mnever too muchabout playing opponents, I’m more about playing the game,” Scheuermann said.“Ithink if youplay thegame (well), you don’tworry about your opponent.”

The South District champion advances to the NJCAADivision IWorld Series beginning on May 24. Delgado’slast NJCAA World Seriesappearance came in 2023.

Sharee wasn’tjust Daniel’s mother,she was also his friend andhis father ﬁgure. They were teammates as much as they were parent and child.

Daniel remembersthe phone calls they’d have tryingtoorganize their schedules and figuring out ways to get him where he needed to go, whether it was Little League practice or school.

“I just remember multiple phone calls of just ‘Hey,wehave to do this. What time? Do you have to walk? Do you have to ride your bike?’ “Daniel said. “And it was just kind of ateamwork thing.”

And there were arange of activities Danielneededtoget to back then,whether it was jazz band, spelling bees, drama and singing, to sportslike roller skating, iceskating,snowboarding, basketball or football.

But none of those activities ever captured Daniel’sattention quitelike baseball. By thetime he started to walk, Sharee remembershow he’d swing alittle plastic battosmack plastic balls off awater baseball tee.

“He had atoy baseball teethat you hooked up to the gardenhose, and so thewater would come up through thetee, and you’dset the ball on topofthe tee, (and) the ball would oscillateand go up and down,” Sharee said.“ .I think that was oneofhis first things that helped him with hand-eye coordination.”

Baseball quickly became the center of Daniel’s world.ShareeremembersDaniel always watching theCollegeWorld Series at home, calling her while she was at work about the games and leaving numerous voicemails on her phone.

“WhenIwould get home, we’d have endless conversations about how thedifferent teamsare doing andwho’s winning and who’s doingwell,”Shareesaid.“ .So when the different coaches actually appeared on his phone (when he entered theportal), he was like,‘Oh my gosh, mom! Look who this is!’ ”

As baseball became Daniel’stop priority,the sport became Sharee’spriority as well. She’d play catch with Daniel and throw him soft toss in the batting cages as recently as last year

Last Mother’s Day,her only requestwastoplaycatchwithherson

“I almostwant to sayweplayed catch for well over an hour,” Shareesaid.

Sharee hasnever missed a gameDaniel’splayed in, going as far as retiring early from her career as an engineer tomake sure

at the time, and the Owls have not had more than 10 hits in 10 games since then, averaging only ﬁve in the past ﬁve.

“The way we’re playing right now, Ithink we can match up with anybody,” said two-wayTulanestar Michael Lombardi (3-0,1.67), who is tied with Bollinger at the top of the league in saves but went from closer to starter on Sunday,shutting down East Carolina for four innings of the series decider.“I’m ready to do whatever it takes to win.”

Lagniappe

Don’tlook for achange in Tulane’s left-handedheavyorder (ﬁve of nine starters) for Friday’s opener.Beard’ssplits areslightly better against righties than lefties. …Rasmussen said rounding the baseswas an awesome feeling afterheahomerun Sunday in what almost certainly will be his final plate appearance at East Carolina He went 2for 18 in his season with the Pirates.

parents don’twant to see their kids broken down.”

Her presence at games was something Daniel usedtotake for granted before college.But now,it’ssomething he deeply appreciates.

“She’s the mother that allofus want,” Whiteheadsaid. “... They’ve been lockstepand key the entire way. He hasn’t hada greater support in his life than her.”

Howthe hotdog is made

Daniel isn’tafraid to tell the story

When he wasineighth grade, he was a5-foot-4, 160 pound “short, slow,fat kid” who ran an eight second 60-yard dash. He wanted to be agreat athlete but his body didn’tallow him to become the player he wanted to be. He could barely lift any weights.

“Most kids that had his skill set at thatage don’twanttobegood andalready put themselves to theback,” Whitehead said. “So he wanted to be at thefront. His athletic ability just wouldn’t allow him to do so at that time.”

Getting Daniel to where he wanted to be physically is where Whitehead playedanintegral role. As the owner and founder of EliteAthletics Training, he began training Daniel when he wasno older than 12.

Twotothree times aweek, Daniel and three other athletes would workout together under Whitehead’sguidance. The problem for Daniel was that he was lightyears behind his peers physically

“These guys are dead lifting 400 pounds at 15 yearsold,” Daniel said.“AndI’m like, ‘How is that even fair?’ ”

He had alot of catching up to do and Whitehead wouldn’tslow down for him

He was his trainer,but Whitehead played just as large of a role in crafting Daniel’smental makeup. He became astern father ﬁgure whonever took no for an answer

Working with Whitehead was as much of amental testfor Daniel as it was aphysical one.

“It wasjust like the father that is always on theirkid, is always pushing them to workharder,but in amore stern and kind of manly waythana momwould,”Danielsaid. “Because as soon as my mom would get on me,she would feel bad just because she’sa mom. Andthen Steven brought the kind of hard working,‘F-you’ mentality to who Iamasaperson now.”

As Danielbegan to work on his body,healso started taking hitting lessons with Nate Holdren, eventually playing for him and hisRiverCity Athleticstravel baseballprogram at 14.

Similar to Whitehead, Holdren alsobrought amental toughness element to coaching Danielthat has stuck with him to this day

“I had full authority as his baseballcoach through his years hanging around me to where I wouldridehim hard,” Holdren said. “I would get after him.He’d ﬁght back with me. I’d ﬁght back with him just because Isaw somethingthat he didn’tknow he had.”

Workingwith Whitehead and playing forHoldren isn’tsupposed to be easy

Holdren believes they’ve lost kids because of their “tough love” coaching style, and they both say that many parents and players in the Tri-Citiesarea aren’twilling to go throughthe grind that’snecessary to becomeanelite athlete.

“I tell (parents) allofthe time, I’m like, ‘You don’twanttosee howahot dog is made. Youjust want to eat it,’ “Whitehead said, “... If you’re really trying to get akid to where he’s trying to go, you have to break them downand build them back up. And most

Holdren andWhitehead understandwhatittakes to become a professional athlete. Holdren played baseball and football at Michigan and reached Double-A as aﬁrst baseman in the Colorado Rockies organization.

Whitehead is in theMcNeese State HallofFameand participated in training camp with the New Orleans Saints in 2009. He later playedinthe ArenaFootball League in Alaska before ﬁnishing his footballcareer in theTri-Cities. “Steve was not an NFL Hall-ofFamer.I wasnot an MLB Hall-ofFamer.But we gotclose,” Holdrensaid. “Wegot closer than basically everybody in our community that ever tried. So,ﬁrst of all, you know what kind of hard work it is. (But the) biggest thing is you know what else is out there.” By his junior year of high school, Daniel’sbody had finally developed to apoint where he could realistically play college ball. His late development didn’tresult in any DivisionIscholarship offers, but he had started to garner interest from junior colleges.

Danielwas locked intoacommitment with OttawaUniversity, an NAIA school, by the time he was asenior.And by the end of that season,hereceiveda walkon spot at Utah Valley The long hours with Whitehead andHoldrenwereﬁnallypayingoff.

“The biggestthing probably starts with (Sharee),” Holdren said. “The mother trusting Steve, and whathewas trying to do to help herson, and trusting me, andwhat Iwas trying to do to help herson “Atthe endofthe day, what we’re trying to teach her son are really life lessons of how you want to be as aman that directly translatestoyou as an athlete. Hard work and determination. Those who work the hardest are the most determined to succeed and usually do.”

Gettingthe call

Daniel was in Massachusetts playing in the Cape Cod Baseball League whenhegot acallfromhis coachatUtahValley, EddieSmith Danielhad made Team USA. The kid who didn’tmake Kennewick’s varsity baseballteam untilhis juniorseason would be representing his country just four years later

“It’sjustthe highestlevel of college achievement in my opinion,” Daniel said. “There’sobviously awardsinseasonand stuff, but beingabletoberecognizednationally and play for your country is pretty special.”

Dickinsonspent two weeks in North Carolina playing with the best rising sophomores and juniors in thecountry.Hebecame friends with Wake Forest shortstop Marek Houston, Texas outfielder Max Belyeu andVanderbilt outfielder RJ Austin, all of whom recruitedhim to enterthe portal and join their respective schools. The confidence he gained in his time wearing the stars and stripes became amajor factor in his decisiontotransferand eventually land at LSU.

In his ﬁrst season in the SEC, Dickinson has a1.046 on-base plus slugging percentage with eight home runs andmorewalks than strikeouts.

But the work is far from over He’s still eager to starthis professional baseball career,enough so that he hadtoconvince Sharee to allow himtochange his major and let him spend moretimeand energy on baseball as he becomes draft-eligible this year

“My job is deﬁnitelybaseball right now,” Danielsaid. “And I can’twait until it’sactually my job in pro ball, and Ican wakeup and Ican lift and Ican hit, and then my day is done.”

THE VARSITY ZONE

Crusaders find way in opener

games.

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

A one-hopper that glanced off the glove of the third baseman A high bouncer that the first baseman could not handle A flare to right field that landed in front of the diving right fielder.

Brother Martin used a ﬁverun third inning to build a lead on Ponchatoula in an 8-2 victory that opened the bestof-three LHSAA Division I select state quarterfinal series Thursday at KirschRooney Stadium.

Ponchatoula missed several chances to get outs during the inning that broke open a game that ran Brother Martin’s winning streak to 11

“We’ll take them any way we can get them,” Brother Martin coach Jeff Lupo said. “You like to say it was a little bit lucky at times but sometimes you got to create your own luck, just putting the ball in play and good things can happen.”

The win put No. 3 Brother Martin (28-6) one win away from a possible all-New Orleans state semiﬁnal series next week. The series winner will face the winner between No. 2 Holy Cross and No. 10 Acadiana a series that is set to begin Friday.

The five-run third began with a walk and two singles that loaded the bases, and Cole Navarro beat a throw to ﬁrst base to avoid a double play as one run scored. Reece Roussel and Cody Kropp each singled in another run.

Brody Shannon, who was 2 for 3 with two doubles and two RBIs, hit the ﬂair to right ﬁeld that resulted in a double

as two runs scored for a 6-0 lead in the third inning.

“With men in scoring position, I just try to shorten up,” Shannan said. “My coach tells us, two-strike approach. Shorten up. That’s really it.”

Brother Martin padded the lead with two runs in the fourth inning after two hit batters and a bunt put runners on second and third with one out. A wild pitch let one run score and Roussel singled in a run for the second time.

“With less than two outs it was really about doing your job, passing it to the next guy,” said Roussel, whose ﬁrst RBI single came on a high bouncer that the ﬁrst baseman failed to corral. “Not really trying to directionally hit. Just hit hard somewhere and make them make the play.”

Navarro on the mound struck out six and walked one with one hit batter and seven hits allowed over six innings. Ponchatoula scored

one run in the fourth and one in the fifth Nolan Amato pitched the seventh for Brother Martin.

Ben Switzer drove in the ﬁrst run with a double to the fence in left field to score Cody Kropp, who was 2 for 3 with a double and two runs scored.

Brother Martin has an experienced roster with several players who have been starters for the past three or four seasons.

No. 11 Ponchatoula (2112) made three outs on the base paths as Egan Prather threw out one runner trying to steal, Navarro picked off a runner at ﬁrst and the left fielder Kropp caught a fly ball and doubled up a runner before he could get back to second base. The series will resume at 6:30 p.m. Friday at KirschRooney Stadium. A third game, if necessary, will be 3 p.m. on Saturday at Wesley Barrow Stadium.

EDW edges St. Charles in nine

Comets strand 13 runners in 3-2 loss to Cardinals

BY SPENCER URQUHART

n No. 1

(29-2) vs. No. 5 Doyle (24-7), noon Field 15 n No. 2 Pine Prairie (28-8) vs. No. 3 Jena (26-7), noon Field 16 Division IV

n No. 1 LaSalle (32-3) vs. No. 4 Oak Grove (17-8), 2:30 p.m. Field 17 n No. 3 Logansport (22-9) vs No. , Mangham (17-11), 2:30 p.m. Field 18 SELECT Division I

n No. 4 John Curtis (24-7) vs. No. 9 Chapelle (17-10), 5 p.m. Field 13

n No. 2 St. Thomas More (24-7) vs No. 6 Mt. Carmel (16-13), 5 p.m. Field 14 Division II

n No. 1 Vandebilt (31-2) vs. No. 4 Buckeye (22-12), 2:30 p.m. Field 15

n No. 2 E.D White (23-9) vs. No. 6 St. Charles (25-7), 2:30 p.m. Field 16 Division III

n No. 1 Calvary Baptist (35-1) vs No. 4 Parkview Baptist (22-12), noon Field 13

n No. 2 D’Arbonne Woods (23-7) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame (31-2), noon Field 14 Division IV

n No. 1 Catholic-Pointe Coupee (2510) vs. No. 5 Menard (20-11), 5 p.m. Field 15 n No. 2 Opelousas Catholic (23-8) vs No. 6 St John (23-8), 5 p.m. Field 16

(20-9), noon Field

Staff writer

St. Charles had chances to score more than two runs against E.D. White, but that’s all the Comets managed in the ﬁrst game of a Division II select best-of-three quarterﬁnals series on Thursday in LaPlace.

No. 2-seeded St. Charles scored ﬁrst in the bottom of the second inning and again in the the fourth, but No. 7 E.D. White answered with runs in the top of the third and ﬁfth innings.

The game went to extra innings after St. Charles stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, and E.D. White scratched a run in the top of the ninth for a 3-2 win. In the top of the ninth, E.D. White junior Jonathan Lee reached base after being hit by a pitch and was able to score the winning run after senior Luke Zeringue beat out a close throw to first base. Lee went scored after St. Charles’ throw from ﬁrst base went past third base.

“(The umpire) called that (first baseman Luke Dewhirst) came off the bag,” St. Charles coach Wayne Stein said. “It stinks for the game to get decided by that, but that isn’t what decided the game. We had plenty of opportunities to win. We left 13 runners on base.”

St. Charles had 10 hits compared to two for E.D. White, but the Cardinals drew six walks and thrived

on the base paths with four stolen bases.

Zeringue scored E.D. White’s ﬁrst run on a double steal. Senior Jax Triche stole second base, and Zeringue was ran home from third with Triche safe at second.

“(E.D. White) did a good job when they had to of stealing bases or bunting (runners) over and giving themselves opportunities,” Stein said. “We didn’t take care of business when we had our opportunities.”

St. Charles senior Forrier Fabre drove in both Comets

runs, finishing 2 for 3 at the plate. Fabre’s first RBI was a fielder’s-choice groundout that saw senior Logan Kilbert score. Kilbert scored again after Fabre delivered an RBI single to right field.

E.D. White tied the game at 2-2 after junior Evan Arcement grounded out to second base, driving in Zeringue from third Zeringue scored all three runs for the team from Thibodaux.

“I thought these were two really good baseball teams, and I think you saw it today,” E.D White coach Matthew

Plitt said. “(St. Charles) is coached extremely well. Winning one game is great, but it’s a three-game series. St Charles (23-13) will look to keep their season alive against E.D. White (2018) in Game 2. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Friday at St. Charles. A third game, if necessary, is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday “If it’s a lot of the same (as today), it’ll be over for us,” Stein said. “If we come out and compete, then we’ll go to Game 3.”

STAFF

PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

John Curtis’Addilyn Dufrene competes in high jump during the Class 5A Region 3 track and field meet Wednesday at Hahnville in Boutte. Dufrene won with a height of 5 feet, 4 inches.

n The final weekendofthe

JAZZ &HERITAGE FESTIVAL

is packed with music, culture and culinaryexcitementat the Fair Grounds, 1751 Gentilly Blvd. Musical highlights for the last days of the fest include such luminaries as Patti LaBelle, Galactic, Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue, PearlJam and Joan Jett, servedupwith heapingorders of crawfish Monica, fried seafood, jambalaya,cracklin and more. Themusic starts at 11 a.m. each dayonone of the more than adozenstages, interspersed with parades and more. nojazzfest.com

n Things getwet and wild this weekend for Audubon’s COOL ZOOWATERPARK as it opens Saturdayand runs weekends throughMay.The aquatic adventures include the Gator Run 750-foot lazy river,a giant alligator water slide, aspider monkey soaker and plenty of shade to avoid the south Louisiana heat. Waterpark tickets are $38 and include admission to the zoo. audubonnatureinstitute.org

2016 Jazz Fest.

BY KEITHSPERA Staff writer

Pearl Jam’s34years of touringincludes along and colorful history with New Orleans. It encompasses adozen concerts, one arrest, atrial, recording sessions, aBPprotest and lots of love for Steve Gleason.

On Saturday,PearlJam returns to the New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival for the third time. Butﬁrst, alookback at past Big Easy adventures.

DEC. 6, 1991

Hi, we’re PearlJam

Barely three months after the

Aug. 27, 1991 releaseofPearl Jam’sdebut album, “Ten,” the little-known Seattle band made its New Orleans debut at the Municipal Auditorium —the band’s website incorrectly lists the venue as the StatePalace Theater —opening forheadliner theRed Hot Chili Peppers and the Smashing Pumpkins.

APRIL 20, 1992

Adate at Tipitina’s Freshoff aEuropean tour and with singles from “Ten”gaining traction at radio,Pearl Jam headlined Tipitina’s. On abootleg recording, singer Eddie Vedder announces, “I thinkwehavebeen

waiting longerfor this one than you have!

The 14-song set opened with “Oceans”and concluded with covers of theWho’s “Baba O’Reilly” and Neil Young’s“Rockin’ in the Free World.

SEPT. 4, 1992

Lollapalooza at UNO

In the summer of 1992, Pearl Jam joined theRed Hot Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Ministry IceCube,Lush andThe Jesus and MaryChain for thesecond edition of the traveling Lollapalooza tour.

ä See PEARL JAM, page 2D

Iwenttocourt with PearlJam’s EddieVedder in NewOrleans.Itwasn’twhatIexpected

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

The only time I’ve everspoken to PearlJam singer EddieVedder was in court.

Speciﬁcally,Division CofOrleans Parish Municipal Court. Ihadn’texpected to find him there on the afternoon of Aug.16, 1994. I’d been tippedoff that his trial on asimple batterycharge

from adrunken Decatur Street brawl the previous November was scheduled for that day

Butsurely he’d just send an attorney to ask for acontinuance, or to enterapleaand payaﬁne, right?

Surely thesinger of one of the world’sbiggest rock bands wouldn’tbethere in personto deal withamisdemeanor As Isoon discovered,Vedder

very much wanted to be there. DecaturStreet‘slam-Jam’ In thefallof1993, Pearl Jam and Nirvana stood at the forefront of the grunge revolution, which essentially remadethe rock industry.Pearl Jam’ssecond album, “Vs.,” released on Oct. 19, 1993, sold almost amillion copies

ä See COURT, page 2D

n Audubon Zoo’s ZOOTO-DO takes placethe sameweekend as the waterpark opens, but this wild gathering happens Friday at 8p.m. and the attire is blacktie and cocktail over swim suits. The fundraiser forthe zoo, which celebrates the return of the zebras, includes food and beverages fromnotable NewOrleans purveyors, as well as avoluminous silentauction and a rocking good time from the band Sugar Shaker Tickets startat$195. audubonnatureinstitute.org

BigFreedia bounces between genres at Jazz Fest

TheQueen of Bounce settorelease gospel albumthissummer

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

ABig Freedia show is typically atwerk-a-thonofbooty-bouncing dancers.

But throughout the 2025 New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival, fans have seen adifferent side of the Queen of Bounce.

This summer, Freedia rolls out her first full-length gospelalbum. Two singles from that album, “SundayBest,” which features TamarBraxton,and “Take My Hand” are already out.

Throughout Jazz Fest, Freedia will be in both bounce and gospel mode.

It’ssomething that will bring joyand light to everybody’s homes and cars and jobs.I’m justhappythat Itook the time out to make this. It’smybest project yet, and I’m excited for theworld to hear it.”

BIG FREEDIA, on her upcoming full-length gospel album

On the first Saturday,she included gospel songs during her Festival Stage show ahead of Tank and the Bangas and headliner Lil Wayne.

The next day,Freedia joined the Gospel Soul Children in theGospel Tent fortwo songs, directing and singing.

On May 3, she stages a“Gospel Revival” at the Dew Drop Inn, the historic Central City venue that reopened in early 2024 following a multi-million-dollar makeover

“I think I’m ﬁnding balance,” Freedia said of bouncing back and forth betweengenres. “I’m very conscious of what I’mdoing when Igoback to the bounce, coming from the gospel. It’s very free-spirited, like Iam.

“I just wanttogive people alittle bit of light at the endofthe tunnel with this gospel project.” Gospel is in Freedia’sDNA

Growing up, Freedia soaked in the music of such gospel mainstays as Kirk Franklin, Hezekiah Walker, Milton Brunson, Shirley Caesar and the Winans family.“Ialways thought Iwould be afamousgospelmusician,

page 3D

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MATTHEW HINTON

PearlJam’sEddie Vedder wearsa T-shirtthat says ‘Defend Team Gleason’ in tribute to formerSaintsplayerSteve Gleason, who introducedthe band at the

PROVIDED PHOTOByMICHAELTISSERAND

Big Freedia performs with the Gospel Soul Children inside the Gospel Tent during the 2025 Jazz Fest.

ByTheAssociated Press

Today is Friday, May 2, the 122nd day of 2025. There are 243 days left in the year Today in history: On May 2, 1994, Nelson Mandela claimed victory in the wake of South Africa’s ﬁrst democratic elections.

On this date: In 2011, al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, who’d been killed hours earlier in a raid by American forces at his Pakistan compound, was buried at sea.

In 2017, Michael Slager, a White former police ofﬁcer whose killing of Walter Scott, an unarmed Black man running from a trafﬁc stop, was captured on cellphone video, pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charges in Charleston, South Carolina. (Slager would be sen-

COURT

Continued from page 1D

in its ﬁrst week — a record that stood for years.

Vedder emerged as the reluctant poster boy of grunge. He graced the cover of the Oct. 25, 1993, issue of Time magazine, with the tag line, “Angry young rockers like Pearl Jam give voice to the passions and fears of a generation.”

Four weeks later, in November 1993, Pearl Jam arrived in New Orleans for three sold-out concerts at the UNO Lakefront Arena. While in town, Vedder and company also recorded two songs for their third album at producer Daniel Lanois’ Kingsway Studio on Esplanade Avenue.

In the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 18, Vedder and his pal Jack McDowell, a Cy Young Award-winning pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, decided to blow off a little steam on lower Decatur Street.

Around 4:30 a.m., they got into an altercation with a Terrytown waiter and a bouncer at the Crystal nightclub. Shoving and spitting escalated to punches McDowell was knocked unconscious and went to the hospital for stitches. Vedder went to jail, booked with public drunkenness and disturbing the peace.

Hours later, he posted a $600 cash bail and was released. Years later, he reminisced about the incident onstage at the 2010 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, noting that, if you have enough money for your own bail and someone else’s, “you’ll never see a happier 85-year-old toothless man.”

He’s referenced his night in a New Orleans jail other times He may bring it up again when Pearl Jam headlines Jazz Fest again on Saturday

An account of Vedder’s brawl made national news; a story ran on the front page of the Nov 19 Times-Picayune under the headline “Slam Jam.” That night, Pearl Jam played its third and ﬁnal show at the Lakefront Arena, then left town. And that, it seemed, was that A quick dismissal

The following summer, I was working for the monthly entertainment magazine OffBeat. My girlfriend at the time was an intern at a local TV station.

One evening, she answered the phone at the station and got a tip:

On Aug. 16, Vedder would appear in Municipal Court to be tried on

tenced to 20 years in prison.)

In 2018, in a Fox News interview, attorney Rudy Giuliani said President Donald Trump had reimbursed Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, for $130,000 in hush money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election, comments that appeared to contradict Trump’s past claims that he didn’t know the source of the money

Today’s Birthdays: Singer Engelbert Humperdinck is 89. Actor David Suchet is 79. Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., is 78. Singer-songwriter Larry Gatlin is 77. Rock singer Lou Gramm (Foreigner) is 75. Actor Christine Baranski is 73. Basketball Hall of Famer Jamaal Wilkes is 72. Fashion designer Donatella Versace is 70. Filmmaker Stephen Daldry is 65. Country singer Ty Herndon is 63.

a simple battery charge.

I seriously doubted Vedder would be there in person.

But on the afternoon of Aug. 16, I went to the courthouse at Tulane and Broad, just in case. And lo and behold, there was Vedder sitting in the Division C courtroom, having swapped out his trademark T-shirt and ﬂannel for a sport coat and slacks.

Maybe two dozen people were in the courtroom. I was the only journalist.

Thirty years later, it’s difﬁcult to imagine how one of the world’s most famous rock stars could have shown up in court anywhere in the country almost undetected.

But this was pre-cell phone, preYouTube, pre-TMZ, pre-internet. Secrets were more easily kept.

Prominent local defense attorney Frank DeSalvo represented Vedder, but he didn’t need to do much

After the waiter and the bouncer testiﬁed, the prosecution rested its case. Judge John Shea immediately dismissed the charge against Vedder citing the witnesses’ lack of credibility

The singer wasn’t as elated as you might expect When I approached him in the courtroom, he expressed disappointment that he didn’t get to tell his side of the story publicly He was frustrated that he’d come to New Orleans only to not testify

“It was kind of a pain in the ass,” he said

With that, Vedder signed an autograph for a grade school girl and gave her a hug As he hustled out a back door of the courtroom, someone from his defense team jokingly asked if he wanted to go buy a round at the Crystal.

I now had the “exclusive” on Vedder’s trial, but no way to get the story out quickly OffBeat was a monthly publication with no online presence.

I sometimes wrote freelance music stories for The TimesPicayune. So I called Scott Aiges, the paper’s staff music writer, and told him about the trial. Like me, he was stunned that Vedder was there in person. Unlike me, he hadn’t heard anything about it.

Aiges called Judge Shea at home, then quickly wrote a story for the Picayune that was picked up by the wire services.

With that, the world found out that Eddie Vedder had been vindicated in a New Orleans courtroom He’s been rockin’ in the free world ever since.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com

PEARL JAM

Continued from page 1D

It occupied the grounds of the UNO Lakefront Arena. According to setlist.fm, Pearl Jam cranked out eight songs that afternoon, concluding with “Baba O’Reilly.” NOV. 16-19, 1993

A triple gig and trouble

Soon after “Vs.,” Pearl Jam’s second album, solidiﬁed the band’s status atop rock’s hierarchy, Vedder and company arrived in New Orleans for an action-packed, and infamous, few days. They played sold-out shows at the UNO Lakefront Arena on Nov 16-17 and Nov 19, 1993. They spent time at U2 producer Daniel Lanois’ Kingsway Studio inside an Esplanade Avenue mansion working on songs destined for the band’s third album, “Vitalogy,” including “Tremor Christ” and “Nothingman.”

In the wee hours following the second UNO show Vedder and his buddy Jack McDowell, a pitcher for the Chicago White Sox, got into an altercation with a bouncer and another man outside the Crystal nightclub on lower Decatur Street. McDowell was knocked unconscious and went to the hospital for stitches. Vedder went to jail.

He posted a $600 cash bail and was released. The incident was splashed across the front of The Times-Picayune under the headline “Slam Jam” on Nov 19. That night, Pearl Jam played its third show at the Lakefront Arena.

AUG. 16, 1994

Vedder’s day in court

In a sport coat and slacks, Eddie Vedder turned up in Division C of Orleans Parish Municipal Court to stand trial for the simple battery charge that resulted from his brawl the previous November Right after the prosecution rested, Judge John Shea dismissed the charge against Vedder, citing the witnesses’ lack of credibility The defense didn’t even present its case, much to Vedder’s disappointment.

SEPT. 17, 1995

Pearl Jam vs. Ticketmaster

In the mid-1990s, Pearl Jam took on Ticketmaster by using venues not associated with the ticketing service Working with New Orleans-based concert promoter Beaver Productions, Pearl Jam booked Tad Gormley Stadium in City Park on July 4, 1995.

The base price for a general admission ticket was $21.50. With the addition of a $2 service fee, $2 in taxes and $1 for parking, the total ticket price came to $26.50. Unfortunately, the Ticketmasterless tour faced logistical and other challenges. The New Orleans date was postponed to Sept. 17. Rain resulted in a muddy ﬁeld and damp crowd.

But opening act The Ramones and Pearl Jam both delivered powerhouse sets. Pearl Jam opened with “Animal” and closed with “Yellow Ledbetter.”

AUG. 14, 2000

An arena epic

Resigned to playing more traditional venues on the “Binaural” tour, Pearl Jam stopped at the brand-new New Orleans Arena (now the Smoothie King Center), where the capacity is double that of the UNO Lakefront Arena.

The show spanned 20 songs in the regular set, then nine more in encores. As with many dates on the tour, the band released an “ofﬁcial

grew up in Seattle, where he befriended the members of Pearl Jam. He’s especially close with guitarist Mike McCready McCready turned up at the 2012 Gleason Gras beneﬁt at Champions Square, which raises money for Gleason’s foundation. The guitarist sat in with Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue and the hardrockin’ Supagroup.

bootleg” of the New Orleans concert as a double-CD.

APRIL 8, 2003

Another arena epic

PJ returned to the New Orleans Arena during the “Riot Act” tour with Sleater-Kinney opening. Once again, the set list was extensive: 19 songs in the ﬁrst section, then 10 more across two encores. The ﬁnale? “Rockin’ in the Free World.”

This concert was also released as an “ofﬁcial bootleg” double-CD and digital download.

MAY 1, 2010

Post-oil spill venting

Days before the 2010 Jazz Fest opened, BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf blew up, killing 11 men and spilling millions of gallons of oil. The smell of petroleum wafting over New Orleans reportedly caused Aretha Franklin to bail on her scheduled Jazz Fest show at the last minute.

Pearl Jam played the Fair Grounds as scheduled on May 1, but Vedder didn’t let the disaster pass without comment. He suggested from the stage that BP executives should vacation on the Louisiana coast: “Send your sons and daughters to clean up your f****** mess.”

(Imagine the awkwardness had the blown oil rig belonged to Jazz Fest title sponsor Shell.)

Another indication Vedder knew where he was: He wore a T-shirt featuring the stop-action “Saturday Night Live” character “Mr Bill,” whose creator was from New Orleans.

MAY 3, 2012

Buffett fills in for Vedder

In 2011, Eddie Vedder released “Ukulele Songs,” an album of original compositions and covers. Jazz Fest producer/director Quint Davis reached out to Pearl Jam’s booking agent to see if Vedder wanted to play ukulele songs at the festival. He did. Vedder even booked a 13city theater tour around his May 3 Jazz Fest date.

But in early April, he canceled the Jazz Fest appearance and postponed the tour because of an arm injury

A few days earlier, Davis had watched his buddy Jimmy Buffett improvise an unplanned acoustic segment during a free Coral Reefer Band concert at Woldenberg Park for the NCAA Men’s Final Four festivities. Davis recruited Buffett to play a similar unplugged set at Jazz Fest as Vedder’s replacement. The swap made sense “artistically and geometrically,” Davis said at the time.

At one point during his Thursday evening ﬁll-in gig at Jazz Fest, Buffett cracked, “It’s not Pearl Jam, but it’s as close as we can come.” He also wished Vedder a speedy recovery NOV. 4, 2012

Gleason Gras jamming

Former Saints special teams star Steve Gleason, now immobilized and conﬁned to a wheelchair by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis,

Three months later, McCready returned to play “The Star Spangled Banner” at the start of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon in downtown New Orleans on Feb. 24, 2013. NOV. 1, 2013

Voodoo with Gleason

Steve Gleason served as an honorary band member for Pearl Jam’s stellar performance at the 2013 Voodoo Music & Arts Festival in City Park.

Gleason helped write the hitsladen Voodoo set list and introduced the band using eye-tracking computer software and a synthesized voice.

During the ﬁnal “Yellow Ledbetter,” Mike McCready walked to the back corner of the stage where Gleason sat, immobilized. McCready locked eyes with Gleason and serenaded him with the elegiac guitar passage that concludes the song. It was a remarkably emotional and intimate gesture in front of thousands of onlookers.

APRIL 23, 2016

Jazz Fest redux

For the band’s 2016 return to the Fair Grounds, Gleason again introduced his buddies Vedder wore a “Team Gleason” T-shirt.

Acknowledging Prince’s death two days earlier, Pearl Jam played “Even Flow,” which Prince had covered with his band 3rdEyeGirl.

A local horn section goosed a cover of The Who anthem “The Real Me.” For the concluding “Rockin’ in the Free World,” the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith gleefully thrashed away on drums while his then-bandmate Josh Klinghoffer who, since 2021, has been a touring member of Pearl Jam — helped out on guitar 24 hours before the Chili Peppers’ Jazz Fest show Kings of Leon’s Nathan Followill joined in on tambourine.

It was a gloriously messy, euphoric moment of rock ’n’ roll excess with a bit of poignancy — much like the two hours that preceded it.

MAY 3, 2025

‘Dark Matter’ at Jazz Fest

Pearl Jam will make its third Jazz Fest appearance as part of the 2025 leg of the tour for last year’s “Dark Matter” album.

“Dark Matter” was produced by Andrew Watt, who specializes in helping veteran rock bands rediscover their mojo. Watt produced the Rolling Stones’ excellent 2023 album “Hackney Diamonds,” making Mick Jagger and company sound crackling and fresh while still true to their sound.

Watt performed a similar service for Pearl Jam. Following the band’s debut and its masterpiece “Vs.,” Pearl Jam albums often favored manic energy over melody Vedder and company still raise a racket on “Dark Matter,” but the music has room to breathe. And in “Wreckage,” they crafted a melodic gem.

How much of “Dark Matter” will they play Saturday at the Fair Grounds? Will Vedder reminisce about Orleans Parish Prison? Will he note the 15th anniversary of the BP oil spill? Will special guests sit in? All will be revealed as Pearl Jam writes another chapter of its New Orleans history

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MATTHEW HINTON

Steve Gleason, his wife Michel and his son Rivers Gleason introduce Pearl Jam at the 2016 Jazz Fest in New Orleans.

Continued from page 1D

or a director in the gospel world.”

She sang in church and served as a choir director at church and in high school, and was a member of the Gospel Soul Children in the 1990s. “I was a young boy growing up in this choir,” Freedia said onstage with the Gospel Soul Children at Jazz Fest, “and it brought me more joy than anything in the world.”

But starting around 2000, the high-energy club beat of bounce became Freedia’s focus. Reality TV shows, an autobiography, collaborations with Beyoncé and other big moments followed Gospel is still baked into Freedia’s DNA. Her “church home” is currently closed, but she is “into my gospel every Sunday. When we’re on the road in the van, my main thing that I listen to is gospel music.” Freedia believes elements of gospel have always been present in her bounce music: “The spirit comes with both, the overall spirit of me, being who I am and where I come from, and bringing everybody together.”

Both gospel and bounce, in Freedia’s view, are about fostering community “For me, it’s about spreading love, joy and acceptance.”

Freedia’s forthcoming gospel album is “much needed for my spirit and for the state of the world. It’s something that will bring joy and light to everybody’s homes and cars and jobs. I’m just happy that I took the time out to make this. It’s

my best project yet, and I’m excited for the world to hear it.”

The album is mostly original material. A choir appears on some cuts, as do guest musicians, including Davell Crawford.

While making the album, Freedia “went back to my childhood, reminiscing about all the times I used to walk to church, go to choir rehearsal and Sunday school and to other churches to sing, to choir workshops out of town, choir competitions. It brought me back to my younger days.”

The recording process “was an emotional roller coaster in a good way I get very emotional performing and singing the music The Holy Spirit comes in the room and touches my spirit. It’s bringing me back and reminding me to keep God ﬁrst in everything, as always. My foundation is built on God and spirituality This is a full circle moment for me.”

Full circle at Dew Drop Inn

Beyond the album itself, Freedia looks forward to staging fullon gospel shows, especially at the Dew Drop Inn. Founded in 1939, the Dew Drop was a multipurpose nightclub, res-

taurant, barbershop and hotel that played an outsized role in rhythm & blues.

During segregation, Black entertainers and patrons could eat, drink, spend the night and see a show that might include a ventriloquist, magician, exotic dancer, Ray Charles, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard, Etta James, Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner or a local luminary

By the early 1970s, the music had stopped, after desegregation opened other venues to Black performers and patrons. The Dew Drop’s hotel hung on until Hurricane Katrina.

Following the 2005 storm, the building sat empty and decrepit until Curtis Doucette Jr., founder of the New Orleans/New York real estate ﬁrm Iris Development, bought it. He invested millions to transform the property

It now encompasses a 385-capacity music venue and bar 17 hotel rooms named for musicians, a pool, a small museum and two secondﬂoor suites overlooking the stage. Minority partners include Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and PJ Morton, the contemporary R&B singer, keyboardist and composer

who is also a member of pop-rock band Maroon 5.

Morton is the Dew Drop’s chief creative ofﬁcer; he helped curate the venue’s “Drew Drop Nights” Jazz Fest concert series that includes Big Freedia’s two gospel shows.

For Freedia, there’s a decades-old family connection to the Dew Drop dating back to the club’s heyday

“My aunt and my mother used to go there,” Freedia said. “My aunt stayed on Jackson Avenue, which is right up the street. Sometimes my cousins had to go pick them up because they were too drunk to get home.”

To sing at the Dew Drop “is another full-circle moment for me.”

Jazz Fest is “a warmup, but there are many more gospel shows to come. I’ve gone full gospel for a minute. Even at my bounce shows, I will be bringing these gospel songs into the mix.”

Does the crossover work the other way? Can Freedia also perform bounce songs at gospel shows?

“Certain ones I can. I have some clean enough songs that I can do at a bounce show You’ll see at Jazz Fest the way I incorporate both. You’ll get a taste of both.”

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take careof responsibilities before someone criticizes or complains. Efficiency is your key to keeping the momentum flowing and your social plans frombeing altered.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Step outside your comfortzoneand expand your mind and pursuits. Showing allsides of your personality andyourability to accept achallenge will give youa competitive edge.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Think before you say something you will regret.Emotions are running high, andcalmingthe storm brewingwithin isn'teasywhen dealingwith people who don't share your beliefs andvalues.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Let your actions, discipline anddedicationspeak foryou, and finish what you startbeforeyou move on to moreenjoyablepastimes

Apersonalpick-me-up will feed your ego.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Distance yourself from people creatinghavoc or confusion.A change will do yougood.Study, research and test drive something you are considering or want to pursue

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Align yourself with peoplewho have something to offer. An opportunity to travel, learn or expand your interests will open doors to individualswho canclear up anymisconception or doubt youhave.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Getout andsee what life has to offer. Engage in events

or activitiesthatprovide insight into whatothersthink anddotoovercome boredom or to harness andemploy their gifts, skills andpassion

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Fix your surroundings to accommodate what youwanttowork toward andshare your thoughts with someone youlove. Take the input youreceivetoheart

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Pay attention to what's happening at home. Adomesticshift can be beneficial if youare true to yourself andthose youlivewith. It's best to handleanemotional issue before it becomes unmanageable.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Agentle nudge,complimentand sound alternative will help yougain approval. Choose physical activityovergetting involved in ano-win situation.

PISCES (Feb.20-March 20) Streamline your plans. Refrain fromoverdoing it or letting someone take advantage of your kindness andgenerosity. Aconversation with someone offering alternativesuggestions will spark your imagination

ARIES(March 21-April19) An emotional challenge will surface if youget into a scuffle. Focusonactivities thatdepend on putting your time andenergy toward self-improvement, healthand living the life thatmakes youfeel good

CelebrityCipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Eachletter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE:N EQUALS B

CeLebrItY CIpher

better or For WorSe

SALLYForth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the samenumber onlyonce. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Robert Orben, who is primarily acomedy writer, said,“There are days when it takes allyou’ve got just to keep up with the losers.”

He was notthinkingabout bridge, but he could have been.Whenyou are in atrump contract, you shouldstart by counting your losers. Then, if there are notmore than youcan afford,you should draw trumps as quickly as possible. But if theloser count is too high, youmust calculate how to reduce thenumber.

In thisdeal,how should Southplanthe play in four hearts? West leads theclub queen.

AfterSouthopenstwohearts,showinga decentsix-card suit and 6to10high-card points, some players would be unable to resist responding two spades. But when youknowofanine-cardmajor-suit fit, why look elsewhere? Also, South’s hand will probably be useful onlywith hearts as trumps. North’s high cards will still be worthtricks in hearts.

South should seefourlosers: one in each suit. It will be impossible to avoid conceding tricks to themissingaces, so declarer must concentrate on thatclub loser.

Note that if South immediately plays a trump, he should go down,East winning withhis ace and returning aclub.

wuzzles

Declarerwouldliketoestablishhisdiamond suit, but he has no fast hand entry Instead, he must lead dummy’s spade king at trick two. East wins and plays a club, but South takes thatonthe board and cashes thespade queen, discarding his last club. Thenhedraws trumps as quicklyaspossible. ©2025 by nEa, inc dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

EachWuzzleisaword riddle which creates adisguised 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 additionof“s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. additional words madebyadding a“d” or an “s” maynot be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAY’sWoRD WHIttLEs: WIH-tuls: Pares down the surface of wood with a knife.

Average mark 31 words

Time limit 50 minutes

Canyou find 45 or more words in WHITTLES?

YEstERDAY’sWoRD—

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letterword from theletters in each row. add pointsof each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letterwords get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in theOfficial sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5thEdition.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Formoreinformationontournaments and clubs,email naspa –north american sCraBBlE playersassociation: info@scrabbleplayers.org.Visit ourwebsite:www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzleinquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com. Hasbro andits logo sCraBBlE associated logo,the design of thedistinctive sCraBBlE brand gamecard, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarksofHasbrointhe United states and Canada. ©2021 Hasbro.all rights reserved.DistributedbyTribune Content agency, llC.

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 -Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 -The numbers within theheavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (in any order) to producethe target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

WiShinG Well

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Scrabble GramS

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OFFICIAL NOTICE

Public Notice is hereby given that the Council of the City of New Orleans will consider at its regular meeting of May 8, 2025 at 10:00 a.m., to be held either via video conference or in the Council Chamber,City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street, Room 1E07, the adoption of Ordinance Calendar No. 35,102 introduced at the meeting of April 24, 2025.

SAID ORDINANCE would authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into aCooperative Endeavor Agreement among the City of New Orleans (the “City”), the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (the “Commission”), and Friends of Joe W. Brown Memorial Park &Louisiana NatureCenter (“FOJWBP” or “Contractor ), for a term greater than one year,for the public purpose of providing quality recreational, academic, cultural, and/or economic opportunities for the City’sresidents by operating acarousel at NORD’s Joe W. Brown Recreation Center for residents of New Orleans as morefully detailed in the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement attached hereto as Exhibit “A”.

Said ordinance may be seen in full in the Office of the Clerk of Council, Room 1E09, City Hall, 1300 Perdido Street.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

PUBLICATION DATE: May 2, 2025 NOCP 8358

OFFICIAL NOTICE

CAL. NO. 35,102 EXHIBIT A

COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, NEW ORLEANS RECREATION DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, AND

FRIENDS OF JOE W. BROWN MEMORIAL PARK &LOUISIANA NATURE CENTER

[COVER PAGE]

COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AND THE NEW ORLEANS RECREATION DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION AND

FRIENDS OF JOE W. BROWN MEMORIAL PARK &LOUISIANA NATURE CENTER

CAROUSEL OPERATION AT JOE W. BROWN PARK

THIS COOPERATIVE ENDEAVOR AGREEMENT (the “Agreement”)

is entered into by and among the City of New Orleans, represented by La Toya Cantrell, Mayor (the “City”), the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, represented by Theodore C. Sanders, III Chairman (“NORD”), and Friends of Joe W. Brown Memorial Park & Louisiana NatureCenter (‘’FOJWBP”or“Contractor”), herein represented by Tangeyon Wall, President, which aresometimes each referred to as a“Party,” and collectively,asthe Parties.” This Agreement is effective upon execution by the City (the Effective Date”).

RECITALS

WHEREAS,the City is apolitical subdivision of the State of Louisiana;

WHEREAS,FOJWBP is anon-profitcorporation, which has its principal address at 111 Eastview Drive, New Orleans, LA 70128; WHEREAS,NORD operates the City-owned parks, playgrounds, recreation centers, and/or facilities (“NORD Recreation Centers”);

WHEREAS,pursuant to Article 7, Section 14(C) of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, and related statutes, and Section 9-314 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans, the City may enter into cooperative endeavors with the State of Louisiana, its political subdivisions and corporations, the United States and its agencies, and any public or private corporation, association, or individual with regard to cooperative financing and other economic development activities, the procurement and development of immovable property,joint planning and implementation of public works, the joint use of facilities, joint research and program implementation activities, joint funding initiatives, and other similar activities in support of publiceducation, community development, housing rehabilitation, economic growth, and other public purposes;

WHEREAS,Section 2-318 of the New Orleans City Code authorizes NORD to: plan, supervise, and conduct acomprehensive and coordinated program of cultural and physical recreation; promote cooperative planning withpublic and private entities concerned with recreation; manage, maintain and operate recreational facilities owned or operated by the City of New Orleans; and perform other related duties as may be provided by ordinance of the City Council;

WHEREAS,NORD offers partnerships to individuals, organizations, or other entities interested in providing creative and alternative programs for the City’sresidents or that would like to enhance the appearance and/or create activities at NORD Recreation Centers; and WHEREAS,the City,NORD, and FOJWBP desiretoaccomplish the valuable public purpose of providing quality recreational, academic, cultural, and/or economic opportunities for the City’sresidents by operating acarousel at NORD’sJoe W. Brown Recreation Center for residents of New Orleans. NOW THEREFORE,the City,NORD, and FOJB, each having the authority to do so, agreeas follows: ARTICLE I-OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES

A. Obligations of the City.The City shall:

1. Administer this Agreement through NORD.

B. Obligations of FOJWBP FOJWBP shall:

1. Perform the day-to-day operations of the Carousel, including birthday and special celebration conducted within the Carousel grounds, as set forth covered under this agreement.

2. Set the operationalhours of the Carousel within the hours of the park’sopening and closing hours;

3. Coordinate with NORD for shareuse of the tennis center building restrooms,. 4. Utilize its staffand volunteers to operate, manage, and maintain the Carousel;

5. Fiscal management:

a. Seek sponsors, donors, corporate support, and establish annual membership drives.

b. Pursue grant opportunities that areprovided by both public and private entities.

c. Serve as the fiscal agent for any funds raised.

6. Maintain adequate (as determined by City Risk Manager) insurance in full force and effect for the duration of the construction work under this Agreement and throughout the continued operation and maintenance, as is defined in Article VI in this contract; Certificate of insurance shall list the City of New Orleans (NORD) as Certificate Holder

7. Save and keep the City free from any and all damages or liability occasionedbyany act of negligence of FOJWBP or any agent, employee, representative, or subcontractor of the FOJWBP;

8. Perform all other services- and obligations as set forth in the following documents incorporated fully into this Agreement.

9. Cooperate with the City and any person performing work for the City 10. Provide NORD’sCEO and CFO with FOJWBP yearly financial reports referencing the Carousel.

11. List NORD as apartner and place the NORD logo on all printed materials produced by the Contractor for the Carousel including, but not limited to, press releases, banners, written communication, brochures, t-shirts, and other promotional materials. The NORD logo cannot be altered in any way,including, but not limited to, condensing the size, changing the colors, deleting or rearranging any elements, or rotating the position. Materials with the NORD logo claims, demands, suits, and judgments of sums of money accruing against the Indemnified Parties: for loss of life or injury or damage to persons or property arising fromorrelating to any act or omission or the operation of the Contractor,its agents or employees while engaged in or in connection with the discharge or performance of any Services under this Agreement; and for anyand all claims and/or liens for labor,services, or materials furnished to the Contractor

as “Additional Insureds” on the CGL policy with respect to liabilityarising out of the perfonnance of this Agreement. General liabilitycoverage can be provided in the form of an endorsement to the Contractor’sinsurance (at least as broad as ISOForm CG 20 10 11 85 or

CG 20 10 and CG 20 37 forms if later revisions used). The Contractor shall requireand verify that

Subcontractors maintaininsurance and coverage limits meeting

the requirements stated herein. The Certificate(s) of lnsurance, as

ofall

coverage, should identify the City of New Orleans Risk Manager as Certificate Holder and be delivered via U.S. Mail to 1300 Perdido Street, 9E06-City Hall, New Orleans, LA 70112. The Additional Insured Box must be marked “Y” for Commercial General Liability, Umbrella coverage. The Subrogation Waiver Box must be marked “Y” for Workers Compensation/Employers Liabilityand Property coverage.

b. PrimaryCoverage. For any claims related to this contract, the Contractor’sinsurance coverage shall be primary insurance as respects the City, its departments, political subdivisions, officers, officials, employees, and volunteers. Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by the City shall be non-contributing to the Contractor’scoverage.

c. Claims Made Policies. If applicable, the retroactive date must be shown and must be beforethe date of the contract or the beginning ofwork. If the coverage is canceled or non-renewed, and not replaced with another claims-made policy,Contractor must purchase “extended reporting” coverage for minimum of 3years after the termination of this Agreement.

d. Waiver of Subrogation. The Contractor and its insurers agree to waive any right of subrogation which any insurer may acquireagainst the City by virtue of the payment of any loss under insurance requiredbythis Agreement.

e. Notice of Cancellation. Each insurance policy required above shall not be canceled, except with prior notice to the City of no less than 30 days.

f. Acceptabilitv of Insurers. Insurance is to be placed with insurers licensed and authorized to do business in the State of Louisiana with acurrent A.M. Best’srating of no less than A:VII,unless otherwise acceptable to the City B. The Contractor will provide the City’sRisk Manager (at City of New Orleans Attn: Risk Manager,1300 Perdido Street, Suite 9E06, New Orleans, LA 70112-Ref.:U.S. Biennial, Inc. DBA Prospect New Orleans, within 10 calendar days of the Effective Date and at any other time at the City’srequest the following documents: Proof of coverage for each policy of insurancerequired by this Agreement by certificate of insurance on an Acordform.

C. Without notice from the City, the Contractor will:

1. Substitute insurance coverage acceptable to the City within 30 calendar days if any insurance company providing any insurance with respect to this Agreement is declared bankrupt, becomes insolvent, loses the right to do business in Louisiana, or ceases to meet the requirements ofthis Agreement;

2. Notify the City’sRisk Manager in writing within 48 hours of its receipt of any notice of non-renewal, cancellation,orreduction in coverage or limits affecting any policy of insurance maintained under this Agreement; and

3. Notify the City’sRisk Manager in writing within 48 hours of its receipt of any notice of non-renewal, cancellation,orreduction in coverage or limits affecting any policy of insurance maintained under this Agreement.

D. Special Risks or Circumstances: The City of New Orleans shall reserve the right to modify these requirements, including limits, based on the natureofthe risk, prior experience, insurer coverage, or other circumstances. ARTICLE VII- PERFORMANCE MEASURES

A. Factors.The City will measurethe performance of the Contractor according to the following non-exhaustive factors: work performed in compliance with the terms of the Agreement; staffavailability; staff training; staffprofessionalism; staffexperience; customer service; communication and accessibility; prompt and effective correction of situations and conditions; timeliness and completeness of submission of requested documentation (such as records, receipts, invoices, insurance certificates, and computer-generated reports relative to the Carousel).

B. Failure to Perform. If the Contractor fails to perform according to the Agreement, the City will notify the Contractor.Ifthereisa continued lack of performance after notification, the City may declare the Contractor in defaultand may pursue any appropriate remedies availableunder the Agreement and/or any applicable law.Inthe event of anotification of default, the City will invoice the defaulting contractor for any increase in costs and other damages sustained by the City. Further,the City will seek full recovery from the defaulting contractor ARTICLE VIII- NON-DISCRIMINATION

A. Equal Employment Opportunity.Inall hiring or employment made possible by,orresulting from this Agreement, the Contractor (1) will not be discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, sex, color,religion, gender,age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity,creed, culture, or ancestry,and (2) whereapplicable, will take affirmative action to ensurethat the Contractor’semployees aretreated during employment without regardtotheir race, sex, color,religion, gender age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity,creed, culture, or ancestry

This requirement shall apply to, but not be limited to the following: employment, upgrading, demotion or transfer,recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoffortermination, rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training, including apprenticeship. All solicitations or advertisements for employees shall state that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regardtorace, sex, color,religion, gender,age, physical or mental disability, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity,creed, culture, or ancestry

B. Non-Discrimination.Inthe performance of this Agreement; the Contractor will not discriminate on the basis, whether in fact or perception, of aperson’srace, color,creed, religion, national origin, ancestry,age, sex, gender,sexual orientation, gender identity domestic partner status, marital status, physical or mental disability or AIDS- or HIV-status against (1) any employee of the City working with the Contractorinany of Contractor’soperations within Orleans Parish or (2) any person seeking accommodations, advantages, facilities, privileges, services, or membershipinall business, social, or other establishments or organizations operated by the Contractor.The Contractor agrees to comply with and abide by all applicable federal, state and local laws relating to non-discrimination, including, without limitation, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section Vofthe Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. C. Incorporation into Subcontracts.The Contractor will incorporate the

Effectiveness

when

that is not received due to the intended recipient’srefusalor avoidance of delivery is deemed received as ofthe date of the first attempted delivery C. Notification of Change.Each Party is responsible for notifying the other in writing that references this Agreement of any changes in its address(es) set forth above. ARTICLE XII- ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

A. Amendment.Noamendment of or modification to this Agreement shall be valid unless and until executed in writing by the duly authorized representatives of each Party to this Agreement.

B. Assignment. This Agreement and any part of the Contractor’sinterest in it arenot assignable or transferable without the City’sprior written consent.

C. Audit and Other Oversight.The Contractor will abide by all provisions of City Code §2-1120, including without limitation City Code§ 2-1120(12), which requires the Contractor to provide the Office oflnspector General with documents and information as requested. Failuretocomply with such requests is amaterial breach of the Agreement. In signing this Agreement, the Contractor agrees that it is subject to the jurisdiction of the Orleans Parish Civil District Court for purposes of challenging asubpoena.

D. Choice of Law.This Agreement will be construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of Louisiana without regardto its conflict of laws provisions.

E. Compliancewith the City’sHiring Requirements Ban the Box.(i) The Contractor agrees to adheretothe City’shiring requirements contained in City Code Sections 2-8(d) and 2- 13(a)-(f). Prior to executing this Agreement, Contractor must provide asworn statement attesting to its compliance with the City’shiring requirements or stating why deviation from the hiring requirements is necessary. (ii) Failuretomaintain compliance with the City’shiring requirements throughout the term of the Agreement, or to provide sufficient written reasons for deviation, is amaterial breach of this Agreement. Upon learning of any such breach, the City will provide the Contractor notice of noncompliance and allow Contractor thirty (30) days to come into compliance. If, after providing notice and thirty (30) days to cure, the Contractor remainsnoncompliant, the City may move to suspend payments to Contractor,void

and effect. (iv) The Contractor willincorporate the terms and conditions of this Article into all subcontracts, by reference or otherwise,andwill requireall subcontractors to comply with those provisions. F. Conflicting Employment.Toensurethat the Contractor’sefforts do not conflict with the City’sinterests, and in recognition of the Contractor’sobligations to the City,the Contractor will decline any offer of

g bidder at public auction, at the Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on June 11,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

ONECERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, together with allthe rights ways,privi‐leges, servitudes,ad‐vantages and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longingorin anywise appertaining, situated,lying andbeing in the Village of Har‐vey, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisianaand formingpartof theFLORAL COURTSUBDIVI‐SION,according toa plan of survey made by AlvinE Hotard,C.E., datedGretna, LA,April 22, 1957, approved by the Jefferson Parish Planning and Zoning Commis‐sion on May 14th, 1957, No.195-B, and approved by the Police Jury of Jefferson Parish,byOrdi‐nanceNo. 3498, adoptedJune 11, 1957,a copy of which plan is attached to said ordinanceand is registered in COB426, folio 476, entryNo. 102 332 of the Conveyance recordsof Jefferson Parish;and ac‐cordingtosaid plan of survey said Lotherein describedis designated as LOTNUMBER SEVENTY-FIVE (75),SQUARE NINE(9) and measures sixty(60')feet frontonOrchid Drive, same width in the rear, by adepth of eighty-three and50/100 (83.50) feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines; subjectto restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of recordaffect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Theimprove‐mentsthereon bear themunici‐palnumber1316 Orchid Drive, Harvey Louisiana70058

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable BankLetterof Credit

ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: May 2, 2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $99.24

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:835-892

U.S. BANK TRUST, N.A.,AS TRUSTEE FOR LSRMFMHMAS‐TERPARTICIPA‐TION TRUSTII VS EDDIEA.MAR‐ROQUIN A/K/A EDDIEALEXAN‐DERMARRO‐QUIN ANDJU‐DITH A. MARROQUIN A/K/AJUDITH ANNYOUNG COOPER MAR‐ROQUIN

p sell to thehigh‐estbidderat public auction, at theJefferson Parish Sheriff's Ofﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058,onJune 11, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

c , C & S , certiﬁed correct on January13, 1970; subjectto restrictions, servitudes rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Theimprove‐mentsbearthe municipalad‐dress4416 Neyrey Dr, Metairie, Louisiana70002.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

CANDACEA COURTEAU Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $111.95

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:852-147 WELLSFARGO BANK,N.A VS DAWN HOLLAND ANDMANUELA RODRIGUEZ WHITNEY

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritofFIERI FACIAS from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedDecem‐ber 21, 2023,I have seized and will proceed to ll h hi h

THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ad‐vantages and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, in that part thereofknown as NEYREYPARK EXTENSION, NO 2,asper plan of subdivision made by J.J. Krebsand Sons, Inc. datedJuly2, 1963,and ap‐proved by Ordi‐nanceNo. 6249 of theJefferson Parish CouncilonSep‐tember 5, 1963 andregistered in COB579, folio 237, beingpart of Original Lot4 of Rosedale Plan‐tation.SaidLOT is designed as LOT15of SQUARE 6, bounded by Neyrey Drive, West Esplanade Avenue (for‐merlyFreeport Avenue),13th Street,and NorthTurnbull Driveand com‐mences 92.89 feet from the corner of Neyrey Driveand West EsplanadeAv‐enue (formerly FreeportAv‐enue), andmea‐suresthence 60 feet fronton Neyrey Drive, thesamewidth in therear, by a depth of 117.25 feet along Lot16and a depth on the opposite side‐line of 117.03 feet Allinaccor‐dancewith a survey by J.J. Krebsand Sons, Inc.,C.E.&S tiﬁ d t

p to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on June 11,2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, in that part thereofknown as SOUTH AVONDALE HOMESSUBDI‐VISION,SEC‐TION II, accord‐ingtoa plan of WilliamMaier, C.E. dated March10, 1964, approved by the JeffersonParish Councilunder Ordinance No.6565 and ﬁledfor record as EntryNo. 287-491, regis‐teredinCOB 589, folio77, and in Plan Book 49, Plan 42, of the recordsofthe ClerkofCourt forthe Parish of Jefferson, accordingto which thesaid Lothas thefol‐lowing dimen‐sionsand desig‐nations: LOT17 in SQUARE 12, bounded by Mil‐lie, Ursula and Ruth Drives and JamieBoulevard and measures 54 feet fronton Millie Drive, the same in width in therear, by a depth of 100 feet between equaland paral‐lellines

Theimprove‐mentsthereon bear theMunici‐palNo. 165 Mil‐lieDrive,Avon‐dale,LA 70094.

g g , privileges TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit PENNY M. DAIGREPONT Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $92.36

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-877 GITSIT SOLU‐TIONS, LLC, NOT IN ITSINDIVID‐UALCAPACITY BUTSOLELYIN ITS CAPACITY AS SEPARATE TRUSTEEOFGIT‐SITMORTGAGE LOAN TRUST BBPLC1 VS JOHNNY SCOTT JR. ANDGLADYS JOHNSON SCOTT

p p erty to wit:

That certain pieceorportion of ground,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐ments thereon, andall therights, privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances andad‐vantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theState of Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐son, in that part thereofknown as Claiborne GardensSubdi‐vision,said portionbeing designated as Lot5 of Square 100. According to aplanby Rene A. Harris, C.E.,dated April 25, 1972, the said square 100 is bounded by CabildoLane, East ClaibornePark‐way, Tiffany Courtand BayouSt. James (side);and Lot5 commences at adistanceof 243.69 feet from thecornerof CabildoLane andEastClai‐borneParkway, andmeasures thence 55 feet frontonthe curveofCabildo Lane,with a widthinthe rear of 100 feet,by a depthof108.58 feet on theside line closer to TiffanyCourt andbya depthof91.58 feet on theop‐posite side line; subjecttore‐strictions,servi‐tudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Ce t ed C ec , MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: March28, 2025, May2,2025 mar28-may2-2t $99.24

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-641 FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION VERSUS BETTY D. BOR‐RELLOA/K/A BETTY BOR‐RELLO

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages,liens and i il

Theimprove‐mentsbearthe municipalad‐dress9416 Ca‐bildoLane, Westwego, LA 70094

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, M O d

, Ames Farms; designated as Lot32ofSquare "D", bounded by Francis Street,Michael Street,Short Street andthe rear of said sub‐division and which lot measures 50 feet fronton FrancisStreet same in the rear,bya depth of 78 feet 7 inches between equaland paral‐lellines,said NicholsonPlace beinga subdivi‐sion of the frontportion of Farm Sites16 and17, Square "B"ofAmes FarmsSubdivi‐sion as shown on amap of J.W.T. Stephens, C.E.,dated 7/27/1918, amended 3/6/1920, acopy of which wasap‐proved by the Parish of Jeffer‐sonon 12/3/1927, allas more fully shownon theplanofre‐subdivisionin Plan Book 12, folio 23A Improvements thereonbear MunicipalNo. 661 Francis Street,Marrero, LA 70072. This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is due at the time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit BRIGHAMJ LUNDBERG Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: March28, 2025, May2,2025 mar28-may2-2t $94.24

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL

NO:861-755 JPMORGAN

NATIONAL AS‐SOCIATION vs ANTHONYCRUZ ANDELIZABETH DEJEAN O'FLAR‐ITYAKA ELIZA‐BETH DEJEAN O'FLARITYCRUZ

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND

SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedFebruary 19, 2025,I have seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on May 7, 2025at10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

shows Lot 11 U commencingat adistanceof

176.70 feet from thecorner of SauveRoadand ElmPlace andbeing bounded by SauveRoad, Jef‐ferson Highway, Highland Acres andElm Place; subjecttore‐strictions,servi‐tudes, rights-ofwayand out‐standing min‐eral rights of record affectingthe property

Theimprove‐mentsbearthe municipalad‐dress269 Sauve Rd,River Ridge, Louisiana 70123

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages,liens and privileges

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit.

ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff

Advocate: March28, 2025, May2,2025

mar28-may2-2t $141.60

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:859-194 NEWREZ LLC D/B/ASHELL‐POINTMORT‐GAGE SERVIC‐ING VS EVEECKART MCNEESEAND COLLINSED‐WARD THOMAS MCNEESE

and outstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ing theproperty.

Improvements thereonbear MunicipalNo. 245 West Tish Drive, Avondale, LA 70094.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

Kenner Decem ber20, 1965, by OrdinanceNo. 881, said lotisdesig‐natedand mea‐suresasfol‐lows:

Acertain piece or portionof ground situated in theState of Louisiana, Parish of Jefferson, in COLONIAL FARMSSUBDIVI‐SION,desig‐natedasLOT 11U, beinga part of original Lot 11, Tract"B", bounded by SauveRoad, So‐niat CanalSide, Highland AcresSubdivi‐sion,a 12 foot drainage ditch (Jefferson High‐wayside), which said piece or portionof ground is desig‐natedbythe Number 11-U, which com‐mences at adis‐tance of 321.52 feet from theinter‐sectionofthe 12 foot drainage ditchonthe Jef‐ferson Highwaysideof said property with Sauve Road,the same in width in the rear, by adepth of 217.03 feet between equal andparallel lines, beinga portionofLot 11-M, resubdivided into Lots 11-N and11-Pby virtue of Ordi‐nanceNo. 7734 of theJefferson Parish Council, adoptedon June 2, 1966, recorded in COB 638, folio 231, accordingto survey of Erroll E.Kelly,Land Surveyor,dated May3,1966, and furtherresubdi‐videdinto Lots 11-Q, 11-R and11-S, by virtue of Ordi‐nanceNo. 16368 of theJefferson Parish Council, adoptedon March27, 1985, recorded in COB 1223, folio 18, all accordingto survey of James H. Couturie, Land Surveyor, datedOctober 11, 1984 andfur‐ther resubdivided into Lots 11-Tan d11-Ubyvirtue of Ordinance No.16640 of the Jefferson Parish Council, adoptedonthe 23rdday of Oc‐tober1985, recorded under EntryNo. 8553527 in COB 1363, folio 120, allaccording to sketch of survey of JamesH Couturie, Land Surveyor, datedAugust 30, 1985. Allin accordance with therecent survey of Gilbert, Kelly& Couturie,Inc., datedOctober 26, 1989, which showsLot 11-U i

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: March 28, 2025, May 2, 2025 mar28-may 2-2t $128.89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:858-600

ADMINISTRA‐TOR, U.S. SMALL BUSINESS AD‐MINISTRATION, AN AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT VS JACQUELINE GREMILLION

TATE A/K/A JACQUELINE G. TATE A/K/A JACQUELINE TATE,INDIVIDU‐ALLY ANDAS THE SURVIVING SPOUSE IN COM‐MUNITYOF WALTER LEE

TATE,SR. A/K/A WALTER LEE

TATE A/K/A WALTER L. TATE A/K/A WALTER TATE

telle and ac cordingto a plan of survey andre-subdivi‐sion of LotH-215A-2 Ames Farms, LowerEstelle Subdivision, Jef‐ferson Parish Louisiana into Lots 1 through19, ChauvinTrace Subdivision, by Lester H. Martin, Jr L.S.,dated October23, 2004,approved by Ordinance No. 22428 of the Jefferson Parish Council, datedMarch 12, 2005,morepar‐ticularlyde‐scribedasLot Two(Lot2), of said subdivision, saidlot having such measure‐mentsand di‐mensions and beingsubject to such servitudes as shownonthe ofﬁcial recorded subdivision map. Beinga portion of thesame property (previ‐ousLot H-215A-2 before Resubdi‐vision OrdinanceNo. 22428)acquired by NewOrleans Steel Homes, LLCfromGene M. Russell, ClaraR LeBlanc,Wayne P. Russel,Lionel D. Russell, Lisa B. Oxford,Ty B. Fortmayer, Gre‐goryP.Fortmay‐ber, Patricia F. Bourgeoisin Cash Sale dated October 15, 2004, ﬁledin theParishof Jeffersonat COB3133, folio 756. THIS ACTIS MADE ANDAC‐CEPTED SUB‐JECT TO THE FOLLOWING: Resubdivision of LotH-215-A into Lots 1-39, ChauvinTrace AmesFarms

Lower Estelle,Jeffer‐sonParish, ded‐icationofaten (10’)foot drainage servi‐tudesalong the southproperty line of Lot19 andthe dedica‐tion of atwenty (20’)foot drainage servi‐tudes alongthe rear lotlines of all lots,Ordinance No.22428,dated March12, 2005, filed March22, 2005 COB3142,folio 18, Entry# 10516016. Right of way, five feet (5’) in width andbeing the first five feet (5’) of each lotinChauvin TraceSubdivi‐sion,byNew OrleansSteel Homes, LLCin favorofBell‐southTelecom‐munications, Inc.,COB 3162, folio 285. Right of way, tenfoot (10’)servitude of lots 1-19 in theChauvin Trace Subdivision, by NewOrleans Steel Homes, LLCinfavor of Entergy Louisiana, Inc. COB 3158, folio 280.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges

TERMS- Thefull purchase price isdue at the time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or PersonalCheck with Bank Letter ofCredit.

ALLISONN BEASLEY Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate:

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit CANDACEA COURTEAU Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: March28, 2025, May2,2025

mar28-may2-2t $113.53

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:847-998

PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES LLC VS TROY A.

BAROUSEE A/K/ATROY BAROUSEE AND ANITAA BAROUSEE A/K/A ANITA BAROUSEE A/K/AANITA ARMAND

Square 43, being bounded by W. Oglethorpe Place, W. LouisianaState Drive, 35th Street,and Tu‐lane Drive. Ac‐cordingto a plan of resubdi‐vision Ordi‐nanceNo. 1230, registered in COB718, folio 859, thelot is nowdescribed as follows: Lot10-A-1mea‐sures50feet frontonTulane Drive, same width in the rear,bya depth of 110 feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines. Said lot commences 460 feet from 35th Street

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

COREYJ.GIROIR

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $104.00

Acertain piece or portionof ground,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐ments thereon, all rights,ways, privileges, servitudes and advantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theParishof Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in Ames FarmsSubdivi‐sion,Lower Es‐telle,and ac‐di t

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedNovem‐ber8,2024, I have seized and will proceed to sell to thehigh‐estbidderat public auction, at theJefferson Parish Sheriff's Ofﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on May7, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways, privileges servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, in that portion thereofknown as AVONDALE HOMESSUBDI‐VISION,and ac‐cordingto a plan of survey andsubdivision by William Maier, C.E., datedMarch 8, 1960, recorded in Plan Book 39, folio 49, of the Recordsof Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, said lotisdesig‐natedasLOT 12 of SQUARE “K”, which said square is bounded by the Mississippi Riverside, west line of thesub‐division,West Tish Drive. Lot 12 commences at adistanceof 856.95 feet from the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 90 and West Tish Drive, andmeasures 61 feet fronton West Tish Drive, thesame width in the rear,bya depth of 100 feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines. According to survey by Gilbert, Kelly & Couturie,C.& E., datedDecem‐ber27, 1971, said Lot12is situated in the same location, said Square K beingbounded by U.S. Hwy. 90, thewest line of thesub‐division,the Mississippi Riversideand West Tish Drive. Allaccording to survey by Gilbert, Kelly & Couturie,Inc datedNovem‐ber3,1990, a copy of which is annexedtoan actregisteredin Instrument No 90-54775; sub‐ject to restrictions servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding i l i ht

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

cordance with theplanofre‐subdivisionby DufreneSurvey‐ing& Engineer‐ing, Inc.,dated at Harvey Louisiana, No‐vember 2, 2004, approved by the City Counsilfor theCityof Westwego under Ordi‐nanceNO.1296, adoptedJanu‐ary10, 2005 and approved by the MayorCity of Westwego on January11, 2005, andwhich ordinanceis registered under EntryNo. 157160, in COB 3139 folio 842, of theConveyance Recordsofthe Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisianaand also in accor‐dancewith a plan of survey by DufreneSur‐veying andEngineer‐ing, Inc.,dated at Harvey, Louisiana, April 4, 2021 andac‐cordingtosaid plans; said lotis designated as lottwo (2)of square three (3), which said square is bounded by HeronDrive, Teal Lane,Os‐prey Drive, Pin‐tail Drive, and Parcel G; and accordingto said plan,said Lot2 measures Sixty-Sevenand 77/100 (67.77’) feet front on HeronDrive with awidth in therearof Sixty-ﬁve and 26/100 (65.26’) feet,bya depth on thesideline adjoiningLot 1 of OneHundred Thirty-Seven and57/100 (137.57’)feet anda depthon thesidelinead‐joiningLot 2of OneHundred Twenty-Four and60/100 (124.60’)feet This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

CALEBAGUIL‐LARD Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $110.89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:853-484 FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION VS CLAIBORNE WILLIAMS,III, INDIVIDUALLY ANDASSURVIV‐INGSPOUSEIN COMMUNITY WITH ADRENE DAVISWILLIAMS

to the highest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances, andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐tainingsituated in theParishof Jefferson, State of Louisiana, beingcom‐posedofa por‐tion of LotH125, anda por‐tion of Sections 7, 65 and103, Town‐ship 14 South, Range23East, Southwestern Land District of Louisiana; West of theMissis‐sippi River, des‐ignatedasOR‐LEANS VILLAGE, SEC‐TION 4, allinac‐cordance with a survey by J.J. Krebs& Sons, Inc.,dated April3,1970, ap‐proved by the JeffersonParish Councilunder OrdinanceNo. 10036, registered in COB731, folio 30, andaccord‐ingtowhich survey,saidlot is designated andmeasures as follows, towit: LOT27, SQUARE "F", bounded by Mt.Blanc Drive, Mt.JuraCourt, Mt.Revarb Court, theSouth Boundaryofthe Subdivision, Mt Arbois Court, RochesterDrive, andMt. Kennedy Drive. Said LOT27be‐gins 60.01 feet from thecorner of Mt.Blanc Driveand Mt.JuraCourt andmeasures thence 60 feet frontonMt. BlancDrive,the same width in therear, by a depthof90.66 feet alongthe sideline nearer Mt.JuraCourt, by adepth of 91.33 feet along theopposite side line.All in accordance with aplanof survey by J.J. Krebs& Sons Inc.,dated Janu‐ary26, 1972, resurveyed Au‐gust 5, 1975, a copy of which is attached to actrecordedat COB842, Folio 198.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

RACHEL E. BREAUX Attorney for Plaintiff

DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:857-629

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VS ARIANJUSTICE MENDOZA By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedSeptem‐ber29, 2024, I have seized and will proceed to sell to thehigh‐estbidderat public auction, at theJefferson Parish Sheriff's Ofﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey Louisiana, 70058, on May7 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-840 MC BANK & TRUSTCOM‐PANY VS SOUTHERN COMMERCIAL SERVICES,INC By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedFebruary 12, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: Acertain track or parcel of land,together with allbuild‐ings andim‐provements thereon, andall the rights of way, easements, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances and advantages which arecon‐nected to or en‐cumber the Property and which in any‐wayare appertaining to theProperty, situated in the PARISH OF JEF‐FERSON,STATE OF LOUISIANA, in that part thereofknown as SEGNETTE ESTATES, in ac‐cordance with

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025

may2-jun 6-2t $110.36

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL

TWOCERTAIN PIECES OR POR‐TIONSOF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐mentsthereon, andall the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐tainingsituated in TheParishof Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in PonteVista Sub‐division,in Square No 17, bounded by Giuffriasand Pasadena Av‐enues, "E"and "F"Streets, des‐ignatedasLots Nos. 40 and 41, on thesur‐veymadeby E.R. Bernard, Land Surveyor datedJanuary 12, 1972, a copy of which is annexedtoact of purchase passedbefore ManuelJ Fisher Notary Public,dated March10, 1972; andaccording to said survey said Lots Nos. 40 and41 adjoin each otherand mea‐sure each 25 feet fronton Giuffrias Av‐enue,the same widthin therear, by a depthof110 feet,between equaland paral‐lellines;said LotNo. 41 commencesat a distance of 175 feet from the corner of Giuf‐friasAvenue and"E" Street Allasmorefully shownonsur‐veybyGilbert Kelly &Cou‐turie, datedAu‐gust 28, 1991, a copy of which is annexedtoact recorded at In‐strument 9139380; subject to restrictions servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Improvements thereonbear MunicipalNo. 1112 GIUFFRIAS AVENUE METAIRIE, LOUISIANA, 70001

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or PersonalCheck with Bank Letter of Credit

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: March28, 2025, May2,2025

mar28-may2-2t $100.30

Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025

may2-jun 6-2t $81.77

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

BANK OF AMER‐ICA, N.A. VS GERALDINE

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:857-557 NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC VS TERRON K. ARM‐STEADA/K/A TERRON ARM‐STEADAND SAMUELQ ARMSTEAD A/K/ASAMUEL ARMSTEAD A/K/ASAMUEL Z. ARMSTEAD

Certiﬁed Check MoneyOrder,or PersonalCheck with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

DATED APRIL6,1993 THESAID SQUARE IS ALSO BOUNDEDBY DOLORES STREET (SIDE).THE IM‐PROVEMENTS THEREONBEAR THEMUNICIPAL NUMBER 28 IMOGENE STREET

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND

SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedJune 13, 2024,I have seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

Situated in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in that part thereofknown as Meadowbrook Subdivision, Unit No.1,and in accordance with Plan of Subdivision made by J. J. Krebs& Sons, Inc.,dated April 22, 1965,revised August 9, 1965, approved by the JeffersonParish CouncilOrdi‐nanceNo. 7276 on August 19, 1965, registered in COB622, Folio 92, said lotis designated, lo‐catedand mea‐suresas follows: Lot15, Sq.10, bounded by Bannerwood Dr Penwood Dr., Willowbrook Dr andSurfwood Dr.commences at adistanceof 195 feet from theintersection of Surfwood Dr andWillow‐brook Dr.and measures thence 65 feet frontonSurf‐wood Dr same width in therearby a depth of 100 feet between equaland paral‐lellines.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate:

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May 2, 2025, June 6, 2025 may 2-jun6-2t $98.71

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

That portionof ground,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐mentsthereon, andall rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise appertaining situated in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in that part thereof knownasHigh‐wayParkSubdi‐vision,inthe City of Kenner, accordingtoa plan or resurvey made by Adloe Orr, Jr.&Associ‐ates,C.E dated July 9, 1957, a copy of which is on ﬁle in theofﬁce of theclerk of court, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in plat book 34, folio 8, which said portionof ground is desig‐natedasfol‐lows: LotL of Square 428, andsaid portionof ground hasthe same measure‐mentsasare set forth in thesur‐veybyAdloe Orr, Jr.&Associ‐ates,C.E., dated November 19 1958, and according theretosaid square is shown to be bounded by Kansas and Iowa Avenue and 23rdand 24th Streets, and said LotL,com‐mencing962.5 feet from the corner of 23rd Street and Kansas Avenue measures thence 62.5 feet frontonKansas Avenue,the same width in therear, by a depthbetween equaland paral‐lellines of 122.5 feet

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:INTHE ABOVESUBJECT MORTGAGE LEGALDESCRIP‐TION 4THLINE READSSQUARE NO.22, LIVEOAK SUBDIVISION, IT SHOULD READS AS SQUARE NO.22, LIVEOAK MANORSUBDI‐VISION.INTHE ABOVESUBJECT MORTGAGE

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NO:860-754

WELLSFARGO BANK,NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATIONAS TRUSTEE FOR SABR 2004-OP1 MORT‐GAGE PASSTHROUGHCER‐TIFICATES, SE‐RIES 2004-OP1 VS FRANCHELLE WHITESIMPSON ANDFUJIKOL N. SIMPSON

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit RADERJACKSON Attorney for Plaintiff

o clock a m the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

Land situated in theParishof Jeffersoninthe StateofLA

Thefollowing describe prop‐erty,the pos‐sessionand de‐livery of which buyer acknowledges to-wit:

NO:851-224

NEWORLEANS FIREMEN'SFED‐ERAL CREDIT UNION VS RANDOLPH THI‐BODAUX JR. ANDVANDELLE MARIEFELDER THIBODAUX

JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:860-260

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025

may2-jun 6-2t $114.06

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:860-574

U.S.BANK TRUST COMPANY, NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, AS IN‐DENTURE TRUSTEE ON BEHALF OF ANDWITHRE‐SPECTTOBAR‐CLAYSMORT‐GAGE TRUST 2022-RPL1, MORTGAGEBACKED SECURI‐TIES,SERIES 2022-RPL1 VS ELLIOTT J. THOMPSON By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedJanuary 10, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

HIGHLAND WOODSSUBDI‐VISION,ALL AS SHOWNON PLAN OF SUBDI‐VISION BY WILLIAMMAIER, C.E. DATED MARCH15, 1965, REVISEDAND AMENDEDON OCTOBER5 1965, APPROVED BY THE JEFFERSON PARISH COUN‐CILUNDER OR‐DINANCENO. 7425 ON NO‐VEMBER 1, 1965, REGIS‐TEREDINCOB 626, FOLIO 54, WHICHSAIDLOT IN DESIGNATED AND DESCRIBEDAS FOLLOWS: LOT25, SQUARE 5, HIGHLAND WOODSSUBDI‐VISION,SAID SQUARE 5IS BOUNDEDBY HIGHLAND DRIVE, OAK VIEW DRIVE, WOODCREST DRIVEAND GLENWOOD DRIVE, SAID LOT 25 COMMENCES AT ADISTANCE OF 224 FEET FROM THECOR‐NEROFOAK VIEW DRIVE ANDHIGHLAND DRIVEAND MEASURES THENCE 63 FEET FRONTONHIGH‐LAND DRIVE, SAME IN WIDTH IN THEREAR, BY A DEPTHOF107.5 FEET BETWEEN EQUALAND PARALLEL LINES ALLASMORE FULLYSHOWN ON ASURVEYBY STERLINGMAN‐DEL, LAND SURVEYOR, DATEDDECEM‐BER9,1977, AN‐NEXEDHERETO.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit AMYR.ORTIS Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $109.30

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-147

ONSLOW BAYFI‐NANCIALLLC VS FREDERICK STANLEY PEARSE JR

GROUND to gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall of therights, ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theParishof Jefferson, City of Kenner,State of Louisiana, in that part thereofknown as CHATEAU ESTATESNORTH SUBDIVISION, SECTION1 SQUARE NO.9, bounded by Montrachet Drive, Cham‐paigne Drive, Beaujolais Drive andSt. Julien Drive, desig‐nated as LOTNO. 24 andmeasuring as follows: Lot24com‐mences 105.9 feet from the corner of Mon‐trachetDrive andCham‐paigne Driveand mea‐sures60feet frontonMon‐trachetDrive thesamein width in the rear,bya depth of 110 feet between equaland paral‐lellines;all ac‐cordingtosur‐veyofGilbert, Kelly andCou‐turie, Inc.,dated January30, 1986; subjectto restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Improvements thereonbear theMunicipal No.4129 Mon‐trachetDrive

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $92.89

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-069

That certain pieceorportion of ground,situ‐ated in the Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in TerrytownSub‐division,being part of Oakdale Subdivision, SectionB,First Ward,all in ac‐cordance with thesurveyby AdloeOrr, Jr.& Associates,C.E datedApril 30, 199, ap‐proved by the JeffersonParish Councilunder ordinanceno. 4117 adopted July 2, 1959 in COB482, folio 53, Parish of Jef‐ferson Louisianaon July 15, 1959 and in plan 36, folio 28, ofﬁce of the clerkofcourt, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Louisiana which said property is more fully de‐scribedasfol‐lows,to-wit:

FIRSTEQUITY FUNDINGLP VS NATIONAL HOUSEBUYERS OF LOUISIANA LLC By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedDecem‐ber19, 2024, I have seized and will proceed to sell to thehigh‐estbidderat public auction, at theJefferson Parish Sheriff's Ofﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey Louisiana, 70058, on May 7, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

Lotno. 23 in Square No.17, bounded by Bluebonnet Street,EastBut‐terflyCircle, South Butterly Circle andBruce Av‐enue,which said lotcom‐mences at adis‐tanceof91.32 feet from thecorner of Bluebonnet Street and SouthButterly Circle,and mea‐sure thence 61 feet fronton Bluebonnt Street,bya first depthalong the side line nearer to SouthButter‐fly Circle of85feet to apoint; thence an addi‐tional depth alongthe side line nearer to South Butterly Circle of 32.65 feet,by adepth along theopposite side line of 110 feet,bya widthinthe rear of 40 feet Allasmorefully shownonsur‐veybyGilbert, Kelly &Cou‐turie, Inc. datedNo‐vember 21, 1984 except that said subdivisionis knownasTerry‐town Subdivision, No 1.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

THAT CERTAIN LOTORPARCEL OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances, andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐tainingsituated in theParishof Jefferson, State of Louisiana, in that part thereofknown as LIVE OAK PLANTATION ESTATES, ADDI‐TION 3, andac‐cordingtoa re‐subdivisionof Tract“U2”and Tract“D2”, allinaccor‐dancewithPlan of Subdivision forLiveOak Plantation Es‐tates, Addition 3, made by Krebs, LaSalle, LeMieuxConsul‐tants, Inc. datedApril 7, 2006, recorded in the recordsofJef‐ferson Parish Louisiana, as In‐strument at In‐strument No 10648933, COB 3172, folio 557, andbeing more fully described as follows, to wit:

LOT282, SQUARE 5, LIVE OAKPLANTA‐TION ESTATES SUBDIVISION, ADDITION 3, JeffersonParish Louisiana.

Improvements thereonbear themunicipal address9501 BlackCherry Lane, West‐wego, LA 70094.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

ONECERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, together with allthe buildings andimprove‐ments thereon, andall therights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA. In that part thereofknown as WOODMERE SUBDIVISION; SECTION NO.1, in accordance with thesubdi‐vision plan reg‐isteredin COB808, folio 551 which lotis designated as follows:

LOT17in SQUARE C, is bounded by Post Drive, Oak‐mere Drive, Deerpark Drive, NorthDells Street;South Woodbine Street,North Windmere Street,Dells Courtand Windmere Court, Lot17 measures 63.69 feet fronton Post Drive, a widthinthe rear of 84.80 feet,bya depthonthe sideline near to Oakmere Drive of 102.20 feet, anda depth on theopposite sideline of 100 feet

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, M O d JUDICIAL

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, ParishofJeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, dated January 13, 2025,I have seized andwill proceedtosell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058,onJune 11, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,TO‐GETHER WITH ALLTHE BUILDINGSAND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THERIGHTS, WAYS PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES, APPURTE‐NANCES AND ADVANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGINGOR IN ANYWISEAP‐PERTAINING, SITUATED IN THEPARISHOF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, IN SQUARE NO.22, LIVE OAKSUBDI‐VISION, BOUNDEDBY HELISDRIVE (SIDE) IMOGENE STREET,LISKA STREET,JEFFER DRIVE (SIDE), WILLARD PLACE (SIDE) AND SHARENPLACE (SIDE) DESIGNATED AS LOT NO.17 COMMENCES AT ADISTANCEOF 430 FEET FROM THECORNEROF LISKA STREET ANDIMOGENE STREET MEA‐SURESTHENCE A FIRSTFRONT ON IMOGENE STREET OF 55.38 FEET,THENCEA FURTHERFRONT ON IMOGENE STREET OF 5.16 FEET,A FIRST WIDTHINTHE REAR OF 52.20 FEET ANDA FURTHERWIDTH IN THEREAROF 5.16 FEET,BYA DEPTHOF95 FEET BETWEEN EQUALLINES ALL AS ORE FULLYSHOWN ON SURVEY BY GILBERT, KELLY &COUTURIE, INC.,DATED MARCH20, 1993, ACOPYOF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO ACTBEFORE JAMESA MOUNGER, NO‐TARY PUBLIC DATED

ACERTAIN PIECEORPAR‐CELOFGROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALLTHE BUILDINGSAND IMPROVEMENTS THEREONAND ALLOFRIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVILEGES, PRESCRIPTIONS, SERVITUDES, ADVANTAGES AND APPURTE‐NANCES THERE‐UNTO BELONG‐INGORINANY‐WISE APPER‐TAINING, SITUATED IN THEPARISHOF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, IN THAT PART THEREOF KNOWNAS HIGHLAND

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VS CRAIGK.CAMP‐BELL A/K/A CRAIGCAMP‐BELL

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letterof Credit

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $109.30

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit JEFFREYA JONES Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: March28, 2025, May2,2025 mar28-may2-2t $90.77

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certiﬁed Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit CRIS R. JACKSON Attorney for Plaintiff

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: March28, 2025, May2,2025 mar28-may2-2t $84.95

BANK,N.A VS

MANA/K/A

MANAND SARAHDRAGO FURMAN A/K/ASARAH D. FURMAN A/K/A SARAHFURMAN

Acertain piece orportion of ground,situ‐atedinthe State of Louisiana, Parish of Jefferson, in thatpart thereof known asAirline Park North Subdivi‐sion, allasper planof resubdivision made by S.K. Landry, C.E., dated January4 1962, approved bythe JeffersonParish Council under ordinance no 5524, recorded inCOB 552, folio 416, andsaidprop‐ertymeasures asfollows:

Lotno. 8of squareno. 215, which said squareis bounded by Fairfax Avenue Lafreniere Street,Condon Avenue and Camphor Street Accordingto the aforesaid, Lot 8of Square 215, commences at a distanceof 662.92 feet from the corner of Fairfax Avenue by adepth of 102-75 feet,be‐tween equal and parallel lines

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for

Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $81.77

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-115

FEDERALHOME LOAN MORT‐GAGE CORPORA‐TION VS GLENNT LEBLANCA/K/A GLENNLEBLANC ANDDONNA RAESAUCIER LEBLANCA/K/A DONNA RAE SAUCIERA/K/A DONNA R. SAUCIERA/K/A DONNA SAUCIERA/K/A DONNA RAE LEBLANCA/K/A DONNA R. LEBLANCA/K/A DONNA LEBLANCA/K/A DONNA SAUCIER LEBLANCA/K/A DONNA S. LEBLANC

), p Avenue and PomonaStreet, according to re‐subdivision map ofBonnabel Place by A.E. Bonnabel, C.E.,dated Octo‐ber 31,1924 designatedas lotsnos.26A and 26-B,which saidlots measureeach 25feet fronton HeliosAvenue sameinwidth in the rear,by a depth of 150feet be‐tween equal and parallel lines.Lot No.26B commences ata distance of 362feet from the corner of HeliosAvenue and Veterans MemorialBoule‐vard.

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025

may2-jun 6-2t $95.00

24th Judicial District Court, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated March12, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit:

y terests, mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

ALLISONN BEASLEY Attorney for Plaintiff

Bank Letter of Credit

approved by the Jefferson Parish Council on June 23, 1965, by Or‐dinance No 8880, a copy of which is attachedtoAct ofDedicationof Streets,passed beforeNeville M Landry,N.P dated June 28, 1966, registered inCOB 639, folio 287, Parish of Jefferson anddescribed asfollows,to wit:

THAT CERTAIN LOT OR POR‐TIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights ways, servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand advantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA,and being aportion oforiginalLot Nos.6 and7 of TRUDEAU PLANTATION, lyingnorth of the Jefferson Highway;ac‐cording to a planof resubdivisionof the said original Lot Nos6and 7 byJ.L.Fontcu‐berta,surveyor dated September 17, 1956, approved bythe Police Juryinand for the Parish of Jefferson StateOf Louisiana under Ordinance No 3369, andwhich was registered inthe Conveyance Of‐ﬁce forthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana on December18, 1956, said lotof ground is desig‐nated by the number"Y-3", and is bounded by MarmandieAv‐enue,Jefferson Highway,I.C RailroadSide, and Beau Reve, Inc. Said Lotcommences 1055' feet from the corner of Jefferson High‐way andMar‐mandie Avenue,and measures thence 85' feet front on Mar‐mandieAvenue sameinwidth in the rear,bya depth of150' feet be‐tween equal and parallel lines.All in ac‐cordancewith the survey of J. L. Fontcuberta Surveyor,dated January 31 1967.

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate:

May2,2025, June 6, 2025

may2-jun 6-2t

$113.53

JUDICIAL

ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NO:862-699

JPMORGAN CHASEBANK, NATIONAL AS‐SOCIATION VERSUS ROOSEVELT STERLINGJR

Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated March25, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit:

LOT14, SQUARE "G",bounded by Aberrdeen,Ar‐gyll, Argusand Clydesbank Drive, and whichsaidlot being adis‐tance of 240 feet fromthe corner ofArgyllDfrive and Angus Drive, andmea‐sures 60 feet front on Angus Drive,the same width in the rear, by adepth of 100 feet be‐tween equal and parallel lines.Saidmea‐surements are morefully shown on aplanofsur‐vey by Wilton J. Dufrene,Land Surveyor, dated August27, 1979; subject to restrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecord affectingthe property.

Improvements thereonbear Municipal No 1245 Angus Drive,Harvey, LA70058.

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

ADMINISTRA‐TOR, U.S. SMALL BUSINESS AD‐MINISTRATION, AN AGENCY OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT vs DAVIDLANDRY, III A/K/ADAVID LANDRY Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated March21, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit:

ALLISONN BEASLEY Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $83.36

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-611

PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES LLC VS KESSLER SMITH By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated March18, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOfﬁce Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on June 11, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit:

rero,LA70072

Thissaleissub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $77.10

Twocertain lots ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, and allofthe rights, ways, servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand ad‐vantagesthere‐untobelonging or in anywiseap‐pertaining, situ‐atedinthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in that part thereof known as BonnabelPlace Subdivision,in SquareNo. 48 bounded by He‐lios Avenue,Veter‐ans Memorial Boulevard (for‐merly Canal Street), Hesper d

CANDACEA COURTEAU Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: May2,2025, June 6, 2025 may2-jun 6-2t $103.48

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐rior security in‐t t t

ONECERTAIN LOT OF GROUND, together with all thebuildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or any‐wiseappertain‐ing,situatedin the Parish of Jefferson,State of Louisiana, in SCOTSDALE SUBDIVISION, beinga resubdi‐visionofthe OdomTract, describedon a surveybyJ.J Krebs &sons, Inc.,Surveyors dated January6, 1965, d b th

THAT CERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall ofthe buildings andimprove‐ments thereon, and allofthe rights, ways, privileges, servitudes, appurtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated in theParishof Jefferson,State ofLouisiana,in thatpart thereof known asHARVEY CANALSUBDIVI‐SION, desig‐nated as LOTS 5 AND 6, SQUARE 57. Said lots ad‐join each otherand measure each 25feet fronton PailetAvenue, similarwidth in the rear,by adepth of 120 feet between equal andparal‐lel lines. Said lot 5 commences 100 feet from thecorner ofPailetAvenue and 36thStreet All as more fully shown on plan of subdivisionby ElbertG.San‐dor,C.E.& Sur‐veyor,dated September 19 1927, revised December 21 1927

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certiﬁed Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable Bank Letterof

ONE(1) CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OFGROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, situ‐atedinthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in that subdivision knownasACRE ROADCROSS‐ING, andbeing designatedon the official plat of said sub‐division, on file and of record in the office of the Clerk and Recorderof said Parish and State,asLOT 12 SQUARE2,said subdivision said lothaving such size,shape and dimensionsand being subjectto suchservitudes asare shownon said map; subjectto restrictions, servitudes rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights of record affecting the property

MunicipalAd‐dress: 1516 Gar‐denRoad, Mar‐LA 70072

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