The Times-Picayune 05-04-2025 by The Advocate

ROCK &AWE

PearlJam performs ahits-heavyset foranenormouscrowd in NewOrleans

PearlJam lead singerEddie Vedder performs on the Festival Stageduring the seventh dayofthe NewOrleans Jazz& Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Saturday.

Conclave to select 267thpontiff begins this week in Rome

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL |Staff writer

Cardinals from around the world will gather Tuesday at the Vatican to begin choosing anew pope, aprocess that will have wide-ranging implications for the future of the Roman Catholic Church and its 1.4 billion followers. Catholics in New Orleans, hometothe second-oldest diocese in the U.S.,have widely differing views on the legacyof Pope Francis, whodied April 21, and the direction they wanthis successor to take the church. There are many who embraced his emphasisonmercy andinclusion over dogma anddoctrine,while many others think he strayed too far from tradition in opening the 2,000-year-old institution to agreater acceptance of same-sex marriage,women’s participationinthe

It doesn’train on Pearl Jam at Jazz Fest. Earlier in the week, forecastswarned of possible thunderstorms right around the time the band was slated to headline the main Festival Stage on Saturday But save abrief downpour just before noon, thefestival stayed dry If the Fair Grounds were aseesaw,it would have tilted sharply toward the Festival Stage, where Pearl Jam’ssea of humanity dwarfed the crowd at the Gentilly Stage at the oppositeend. ThePearl Jam throng felt even bigger than Lil Wayne’slast Saturday It felt bigger than the capped crowd of 40,000 that watched the Rolling Stones last year For that big crowd, Pearl Jam delivered big-time To watch allofPearl Jam required missing alot of good music. Ledisi, singing Nina Simone songs. Tems. Laufey Kenny Wayne Shepherd teaming up with Bobby Rush for across-generational Louisiana blues summit

ä See JAZZ FEST, page 10A

ä Jazz Fest weddings in the Gospel Tent unite music-loving couples. Page 1B

ä Chuck Blamphin has runthe Fais Do-Do stageatJazz Festfor 50 years. Page 1D

ä Sunday’scubes. Page 10D

BY JENNA ROSS |Staff writer

BRANCH The white Jeep Wrangler sprinting down the gravel road, stirring up dust in theearly morninglight,bore no markings of the U.S. Postal Service. No lights, no logos. But everyone in this corner of Acadiana knew whowas inside: Aleke Kanonu Jr., the only mailcarrier in town. Kanonu covers 100 miles aday,a third of them dirt or gravel, delivering to more than 655 mailboxes, doorsteps and, pretty often, people’shands. On arecent morning, as he turned into Marla Taylor’slong, curveddriveway, Taylorapproached him

Debate over privatizing Postal Servicecould affect state’smostrural routes ä

Keith Spera

Clobis James Batiste, of the 9th Ward Black Hatchet Black Masking Indian tribe, sings on the festival groundsduring the seventh dayofthe NewOrleans Jazz &HeritageFestival on Saturday.

STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIAGERMER

Vatican workers install stove for conclave

VATICAN CITY Vatican workers installed the simple stove in the Sistine Chapel where ballots will be burned during the conclave to elect a new pope and began taking measures to block any electronic interference with their deliberations, as jockeying continued Saturday outside over who among the cardinals was in the running.

The Holy See released a video Saturday of the preparations for Wednesday’s conclave, which included installing the stove and a false ﬂoor in the frescoed Sistine Chapel to make it even The footage also showed workers lining up simple wooden tables where the cardinals will sit and cast their votes starting Wednesday, and a ramp leading to the main seating area for any cardinal in a wheelchair

The engineer overseeing the works, Silvio Screpanti, said workers were also deactivating all the electronic sensors that have been installed in the Sistine Chapel in recent years to help protect its precious frescoes. Such work is part of the technological blackout that accompanies a conclave to prevent bugging of the secret deliberations and ensure the cardinals have no contact with the outside world.

In the coming days, all the windows of the Apostolic Palace facing the Sistine Chapel will be darkened. On the eve of the ﬁrst vote itself, some 80 seals will be erected around the perimeter of the space where the cardinals will live — between their residence and the Sistine Chapel to keep outsiders away, he said in comments posted on the site of the Vatican city state.

On Friday, fire crews were seen on the chapel roof attaching the chimney from which smoke signals will indicate whether a pope has been elected.

1 killed in small plane crash in California

SIMI VALLEY, Calif A small plane crashed into a neighborhood in Simi Valley on Saturday afternoon, killing a person aboard the aircraft and damaging two homes, authorities said. Fire crews responded to the scene, and police officers cordoned off the streets, warning people to stay clear of the area. Smoke could be seen billowing from the roof of one home in the Wood Ranch section of Simi Valley, a community nearly 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles.

Wreckage could be seen between the two homes. The Ventura County Fire Department confirmed that residents were inside both homes at the time but evacuated and reported no injuries. Both homes sustained structural damage and were impacted by the ﬁre, authorities said.

Warren Buffett to retire at end of year

Investing giant shocks meeting with announcement

BY JOSH FUNK Associated Press

OMAHA, Neb Billionaire Warren

Buffett shocked an arena full of shareholders Saturday by announcing that he will retire at the end of the year, bringing the curtain down on a six-decade run leading Berkshire Hathaway that made him the most inﬂuential investor in the world.

Buffett said he will recommend to Berkshire Hathaway’s board on Sunday that Vice Chair Greg Abel should replace him.

“I think the time has arrived where Greg should become the chief executive ofﬁcer of the company at year end,” Buffett said.

Abel has been Buffett’s designated successor for years, and he already manages all of Berkshire’s noninsurance businesses. But it was always assumed that he would not take over until after Buffett’s death.

Previously the 94-year-old Buffett always said he had no plans to retire.

Buffett announced the news at the end of a ﬁve-hour question and answer period without taking any questions about it. He said the only board members who knew this was coming were his two children, Howard and Susie Buffett. Abel, who was sitting next to Buffett on stage, had no warning. Abel returned an hour later without Buffett to conduct the company’s formal business meeting, and he responded to the news.

“I just want to say I couldn’t be more humbled and honored to be part of Berkshire as we go forward,” Abel said.

Many investors have said they believe Abel will do a good job running Berkshire, but it remains to be seen how good he will be at investing Berkshire’s cash. Buffett endorsed him Saturday by pledging to keep his fortune invested in the company

“I have no intention zero of selling one share of Berkshire Hathaway I will give it away eventually,” Buffett said. “The decision to keep every share is an economic decision because I think the prospects of Berkshire will be better under Greg’s management than mine.”

Thousands of investors in the Omaha arena gave Buffett a prolonged standing ovation after his announcement in recognition of his 60 years leading the company

During that period Berkshire nearly doubled the returns of the S&P 500, with a 19.9% compounded annual growth rate compared with the index’s 10.4% gain.

Buffett had such a devoted following among investors that markets would move when his investments were disclosed because so many people copied him.

CFRA research analyst Cathy Seifert said it had to be hard for Buffett to decide to step down.

“This was probably a very tough decision for him, but better to leave on your own terms,” Seifert said. “I think there will be an effort at maintaining a ‘business as usual’ environment at Berkshire. That is still to be determined.”

In many respects, Abel has already been running much of the company for years. But he hasn’t been managing Berkshire’s in-

surance operations or deciding where to invest all of its cash. He will now take those tasks on, but Vice Chair Ajit Jain will remain to help oversee the insurance companies.

Investment manager Omar Malik of Hosking Partners in London said before Buffett’s announcement that he wasn’t worried about Berkshire’s future under Abel.

“Not really (worried). He’s had such a long time alongside Warren and a chance to know the businesses,” Malik said about Abel. “The question is will he allocate capital as dynamically as Warren? And the answer is no. But I think he’ll do a ﬁne job with the support of the others.”

Cole Smead of Smead Capital Management said he wasn’t surprised Buffett is stepping down after watching him Saturday because the 94-year-old wasn’t as sharp as in past years. At one point, he made a basic math mistake in one of his answers. At other points, he got off track while telling stories about Berkshire and his investing without answering the question he was asked.

Abel is well regarded by Berkshire’s managers and Buffett has praised his business acumen for years. But he will have a hard time matching Buffett’s legendary performance, and since he doesn’t control 30% of Berkshire’s stock like Buffett does, he won’t have as much leeway “I think the challenge he’s going to have is if anyone is going to give him Buffett or (former Vice Chair Charlie) Munger’s pass card? Not a chance in God’s name,” Smead said. Buffett always enjoyed a devoted following among shareholders.

Pakistan test fires missile amid tensions with India

BY MUNIR AHMED Associated Press

ISLAMABAD Pakistan test ﬁred a ballistic missile Saturday as tensions with India spiked over last month’s deadly attack on tourists in the disputed Kashmir region.

The surface-to-surface missile has a range of about 280 miles, the Pakistani military said. There was no immediate comment about the launch from India, which blames Pakistan for the April 22 gun massacre in the resort town of Pahalgam, a charge Pakistan denies.

Pakistan’s military said the launch of the Abdali Weapon System was aimed at ensuring the “operational readiness of troops and validating key technical parameters,” including the missile’s advanced navigation system and enhanced maneuverability features.

Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime

Australian PM wins second 3-year term

BY ROD MCGUIRK and TRISTAN LAVELETTE Associated Press

MELBOURNE, Australia — Anthony Albanese claimed victory as the ﬁrst Australian prime minister to clinch a second consecutive term in 21 years on Saturday and suggested his government had increased its majority by not modeling itself on President Donald Trump’s administration.

position leader, “DOGE-y Dutton” and accused his conservative Liberal Party of mimicking Trump and his Department of Government

Efﬁciency

Dutton had earlier conceded his alliance of conservative parties had been defeated at the election and that he had lost his own parliamentary seat that he had held for 24 years.

“Australians have chosen to face global challenges the Australian way, looking after each other while building for the future,” Albanese told supporters in a victory speech in Sydney

“We do not need to beg or borrow or copy from anywhere else. We do not seek our inspiration overseas.

We ﬁnd it right here in our values and in our people,” he added. His center-left Labor Party had branded Albanese’s rival Peter Dutton, the op-

Dutton’s plight parallels that of Canada’s opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, who lost his seat after Trump declared economic war on the U.S. neighbor to the north. Poilievre had previously been regarded as a shoo-in to become Canada’s next prime minister and shepherd his Conservative Party back into power for the ﬁrst time in a decade.

Analysts argue that mirroring Trump switched from a political positive for Australian conservatives to a negative after Trump imposed global tariffs.

had threatened to suspend a crucial water-sharing treaty

India’s navy said on April 27 that its vessels had successfully undertaken antiship firings to “revalidate and demonstrate readiness of platforms, systems and crew for long-range precision offensive strike.”

Ashok Malik, a former policy adviser in India’s Foreign Ministry, said there was anger across the country following the gun attack. The 26 victims came from 13 different states.

pressure and diplomatic space for a sharp, targeted, and limited response.”

The ongoing “muscle ﬂexing” by both countries’ troops was reﬂective of the tense mood and also apparent in the “unremitting hostilities” on the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing Kashmir he said. Kashmir is split between India and Pakistan and claimed by both in its entirety

Minister Shehbaz Sharif congratulated those behind the successful test Missiles are not ﬁred toward the border area with India; they are normally ﬁred into the Arabian Sea or the deserts of southwest Balochistan province.

Islamabad-based security analyst Syed Muhammad Ali said Saturday’s

missile was named after a prominent Muslim conqueror of India, underlining its symbolic significance.

“The timing of this launch is critical in the current geopolitical context,” Ali told The Associated Press. He said the test was intended as a strategic signal to India after it

“Internationally, there is enormous sympathy for India and little patience with Pakistan,” said Malik. “I don’t believe anybody in India wants a full-ﬂedged war Even so, there is domestic

They have fought two of their three wars over the stunning Himalayan region and their ties have been shaped by conﬂict, aggressive diplomacy and mutual suspicion, mostly due to their competing claims over Kashmir

Albanese

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By NATI HARNIK

Berkshire Hathaway Chair and CEO Warren Buffett announced Saturday that he plans to retire at the end of the year

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By K.M. CHAUDARy Pakistan’s Rangers soldiers, in black, and Indian Border Security Forces soldiers lower their flags Saturday during a daily closing ceremony at the Wagah, a joint post on the Pakistan and India border near Lahore, Pakistan.

Russia andUkraine clashoverceasefire proposals

BY HANNA ARHIROVA and ELISE MORTON Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine Ukraine and Russia are at odds over competing ceasefire proposals, as Moscow accused Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of threateningthe safety of dignitariesattending Victory Day celebrations after he dismissed Russia’s unilateral 72-hour ceaseﬁre. Zelenskyy instead renewed calls for amore substantial 30-day pause in hostilities, as the U.S. had initially proposed. He said the proposed ceaseﬁre couldstart anytime as ameaningful step toward ending the three-year war “Let’sbehonest —you can’t

agree on anything serious in three, ﬁve, or seven days,”he said Zelenskyysaid that Moscow’sannouncement of a72hour ceaseﬁre next week in Ukraine to mark Victory Day in World WarII is merely an attempt to create a“soft atmosphere” ahead of Russia’s

Emergency services personnel extinguish a fire Saturday following aRussian attack in Kharkiv Ukraine.

annualcelebrations. “Itlooks unserious,” he said, “so that (Russian President Vladimir) Putin’sguestsonRed Square feel comfortable and safe.”

He said that Ukraine cannot provide security assurances to foreign officials planningtovisit Russia around May 9, warning that

Moscow could stage provocationsand laterattemptto blame Ukraine.

Zelenskyy said that some governments had approached Kyiv seeking safety reassurance while their delegations are in Russia

“Our position is very simple:wecannottakeresponsibility for what happens on the territory of theRussian Federation,” he said. “They are theones providing your security,and we will notbe offering any guarantees.”

Zelenskyy said he hadinstructedUkraine’sForeign Ministry to advise against visiting Russia during this period.“We must tell those whoapproachus: We do notrecommend visiting the

Israel poised to expand Gaza offensive

BY DANWILLIAMS Bloomberg News (TNS)

Israel is preparing to expand its military operation in Gaza, possibly within days, and will soonstart calling up tens of thousands of reservists, according to aperson familiar with the

plans.

The decision to broaden theground assault follows ameeting of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s security cabinet on Friday, said theperson,who wasn’t authorized to speak publicly

The stepped-up campaign wouldcome as Netanyahu

faces pressure at home and abroad to break astalemate in the war with Hamas, whichhas ragedfor more than 18 months.

Israeli troops and tanks have occupied about a third of Gaza since atwomonth ceasefireended in mid-March, andIsrael has

blocked humanitarian aid to the 2-million plus population Iran-backed Hamas remainsbroadly in charge of the coastal strip and still holds 59 hostages, 24 of whom are thought to be alive, taken during the assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

Trumpdraws flackwithAIimage of himas pope

BY NICOLE WINFIELD and JILL COLVIN Associated Press

NEW YORK President Donald Trump posted an artiﬁcial intelligence-generated image of himself dressed as pope as the mourning of Pope Franciscontinues andjustdays before theconclave to elect his successor is set to begin. Trump’saction drew rebukes from agroup representing Catholic bishops in New York and among Italians. Theimage, sharedFriday night on Trump’sTruth Social site andlater reposted by theWhite House on its of-

ﬁcialX account, raised eyebrows on social media and at the Vatican,whichisstill in the period of ninedays of ofﬁcial mourning following Francis’ deathonApril 21. Catholic cardinals have been celebrating dailyMasses in his memory and are due to open theconclave to elect hissuccessor on Wednesday. Thedeath of apope and election of anotherisa matter of utmostsolemnityfor Catholics, for whom the pope is Christ’svicar on Earth. Thatisall the more true in Italy,wherethe papacy is held in high esteemevenby nonreligious Italians.

The image featuring Trump in awhitecassock and pointed miter,orbishop’s hat, was the topic of several questions during the Vatican’sdaily conclave brieﬁng Saturday.Italian and Spanish news reports lamented its poor tasteand said it was offensive, given thatthe period of ofﬁcial mourning is still underway Left-leaning former Premier Matteo Renzi saidthe imagewas shameful. “This is an image that offends believers, insults institutions and shows that the leader of the right-wing world enjoys clowning around,” Renzi

wrote on X.

The Vatican spokesperson, Matteo Bruni, declined to comment

In the United States,the New York State Catholic Conference, which represents the bishops of the state in working with government, accused Trump of mockery. Askedtorespond to the criticism, WhiteHouse presssecretary Karoline Leavitt said that, “President Trump ﬂewtoItaly to pay hisrespects for PopeFrancis and attend his funeral, andhehas been astaunch champion for Catholics and religious liberty.”

Russian Federation from a securitystandpoint.And if you choose to do so, don’task us —it’syour personal decision.”

The Ukrainianleader reiterated that Kyiv’smilitary actions will remain “mirrorlike,” responding to Russia’s moves. He acknowledged that implementing acomplete front-line ceasefire without robust international monitoring remains nearly impossible, butemphasized that the 30-day windowof-

fers acredible start. In response to Zelenskyy’s comments, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman MariaZakharova saidthat he had “unequivocallythreatened the world leaders who are planning to arrive in Moscow on May 9.” Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairmanofRussia’sSecurity Council, said Saturday that nobody could guarantee Kyiv’s safetyifUkraine attacked Moscow celebrations on Friday

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•“Vertebralaxial (spinal) decompressionwas successfulin71% of the778 cases”- JournalofNeurologicalResearch

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•“Decompression Therapyreporteda76.5% with complete remissionand 19.6%withpartial remission of pain anddisability” -Rio Grande Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery

At LeBlancSpineCenter, we utilizeadvanced, FDA-clearedtechnologythatisproventoeffectively

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Memo:Justice Department to switch focusonvoting

Agency to prioritize Trump’s electionsorder

BY NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

The Justice Department unit that ensures compliance with voting rights laws will switch itsfocus to investigating voter fraud and ensuring elections are not marred by “suspicion,” according to an internal memo obtained by The Associated Press

The new mission statement for the voting section makes apassing reference to the historic Voting Rights Act, but no mention of typical enforcement of the provision through protecting people’s right to cast ballots or ensuring that lines for legislative maps do not divide voters by race. Instead, it redeﬁnesthe unit’smission aroundconspiracy theories pushed by Republican President Donald Trump to explain away his loss to Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. Trump’sattorney general at the time, William Barr said therewas no evidence of widespreadfraudinthat election. Repeated recounts

and ensuring elections are not marred by ‘suspicion,’ according to an internal memo.

and audits in the battleground stateswhere Trump contested his loss, including some ledbyRepublicans,afﬁrmed Biden’swin and found the election was run properly.Trump andhis supporters also lost dozensofcourt cases trying to overturnthe electionresults.

ButinTrump’ssecond term, the attorney general is Pam Bondi, who backed his effort to reverse his 2020 loss. The president picked Harmeet Dhillon, aRepublicanPartylawyerand long timeally whoalso hasechoed some of Trump’sfalse claims

about voting, to run the JusticeDepartment’sCivil Rights Division, where the voting section is housed.

“The Civil Rights Division hasalways worked to make sure Americans have access to thepolls and that their votes matter,” saidStacey Young,an18-year DepartmentofJustice veteranwho left that division days after Trump’sinauguration in Januaryand founded Justice Connection, an organization supporting the agency’s employees.“The division’sjob is not to promotethe politically expedient ﬁction that voting

fraud is widespread.”

The department did not respond to arequest for comment

Trump hasalready demonstratedhis interest in using the JusticeDepartment to pursuethosewho stood up for the 2020 election by directing the department to investigate oneofhis former appointees who publicly vouched for the safetyand accuracy of the 2020 votecount

“The mission of the Voting RightsSection of theDOJ Civil Rights Divisionisto ensure free, fair,and honest elections unmarred by fraud, errors, or suspicion,” the missionstatementdeclares It adds thatthe unit will “vigorously enforce” Trump’sexecutiveorder seeking to reshape how elections are run. Parts of that order have been put on hold by ajudge.

The executive order signed latelastmonth calls for people to provide documented proof of U.S. citizenship each time they register to vote;would requireall mail ballotstobereceived by Election Day, whichiscounter to thelaw in 18 states; and directs an independent federal agency, theElection AssistanceCommission, to

JudgeblocksTrump’s ordertargeting lawfirm

amend its guidelines for voting machines.

Several legal analysts say muchofthe order is unconstitutional becauseonly states and, for federal contests, Congress, can set election procedures. The Constitution providesnoprovision forthe presidenttoset the rules for elections.

The new mission statement for the Civil Rights Division also says the voting unit will focusonensuring that“only American citizens vote in U.S. federalelections.”It’s alreadyillegalfor noncitizens to vote. People have to attest theyare U.S. citizens when they register and attemptstovote by noncitizens can lead to felony charges and deportation.

Repeated investigations have turned up just atiny numberofnoncitizens casting ballots, often doing so accidentally,out of the hundredsofmillionsofvotes over recent contests. A proof-of-citizenship requirement in Kansasa little over a decadeago blocked 31,000 eligible U.S. citizens from registering to vote before it was overturned by the courts.

But Republicans, including Trump, have continued to insist theremust be farmore

noncitizens casting votesand are pushing to tighten election laws to screen them out. Notably,the roughly 200word statement on the voting rights sectionmentions ﬁghting “fraud” twice, as well as investigating “other forms of malfeasance.” The Department of Justice already investigatesand prosecutes voting fraud, but in aseparate division on the criminal side. The voting section is a civil unit that does not investigate potential crimes. Now,however,itwill “protect the right of American citizens to have their votes properly counted and tabulated,” according to the statement. It was unclear what that refers to. There have been no widespread cases of votes being improperly tabulated.

Justin Levitt, whoserved as President Joe Biden’ssenior policy adviser fordemocracy and voting rights, notedthatbecause the voting rights section does not pursue prosecutions, itspower is sharply limited by the speciﬁcs of civil rights laws and whatjudges will approve.

“For the civil section of the Civil Rights Division, courts need to be buying what they’re selling,” he said.

BY MICHAEL PHILLIS Associated Press

The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday announced abroad reorganization as part of the Trump administration’sdrive to cut costs that some activists worry will harm the agency’sindependent scientific research. Administrator Lee Zeldin announced changes that included creating anew unit withinhis office “to align research and put science at the forefront of the agency’s rulemakings.”Hesaid the overall reorganization would boost efﬁciency and save at least $300 million annually though he didn’tdetail how the money would be saved.

Though Zeldin didn’tmention it by name, some scientists and activistssaw it as an attack on EPA’sOfficeof Research and Development, whichhas long provided the scientific underpinnings for EPA’smission to protect the environmentand human health. The agency said it would shift “its scientific expertise and research efforts to program offices” thatfocus on major issues like air and water

Separately on Friday,President Donald Trump unveiled aproposed budget to cut that ofﬁce’sfunding by $235 million.

Trump’sbudget said the cut would put “an end to unrestrained research grants, radical environmental justice work, woke climate research, and skewed, overlyprecautionary modeling that influencesregulations —noneofwhich are authorized by law.”

Agency researchers have improved air pollution moni-

SUNDAY NEWS SHOWS

ABC’s“This Week”: ABC reporters and contributors discuss President Donald Trump’sﬁrst100 days back in ofﬁce and other events.

NBC’s“Meet the Press”: Trump CNN’s“State of theUnion”: Sens Mark Warner,D-Va., and Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.

CBS’ “Face the Nation”: Sen. Tammy Duckworth, DIll.; Rep. Mike Turner,ROhio; Oksana Markarova, Ukraine’sambassador to the United States; Katherine Maher,CEO of NPR, and Paula Kerger,CEO of PBS; H.R. McMaster,aformer national security adviser

“Fox News Sunday”: Reps. Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, Jason Smith, R-Mo., and Jim Himes, D-Conn.; Ken Martin, Democratic National Committee chair

The Associated Press

toring, found high levels of PFAS in drinking water sources, provided ﬂoodprevention resources andmade moreinformationavailable on chemical safety EPA’spossible plans to lay off as many as 1,155 staffers in the ofﬁce —asmuch as three-fourthsofits workers —became public in March. Those cuts are part of abroader push by Zeldin to cut EPA’sbudgetbyabout two-thirds.

The Office of Research and Developmenthas 10 facilities across thecountry.It was designedtobeinsulated from politics so it can produceessentialscience

Camden Weber,climate and energy policyspecialist at the Center for Biological Diversity,said,“is atextbook move from the authoritarian playbook.”

“This is areorganization, not areductioninforce,”

EPAspokesperson Molly Vaseliou said.

Zeldin’sannouncement also included the creation of the Ofﬁce of State Air Partnerships to work “with, not against” states and other agencies to handle plans for pollution reduction by states.

BY ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

WASHINGTON Afederal judge on Friday permanently blocked aWhite House executive order targeting an elitelaw ﬁrm,dealing asetback to President Donald Trump’s campaign of retribution against thelegalprofession.

U.S. DistrictBeryl Howell said theexecutive orderagainstthe ﬁrmof Perkins Coie amounted to “unconstitutional retaliation” as she ordered that it be nulliﬁed and that the Trump administration halt any enforcement of it

“NoAmerican President,”Howellwrote in her102-page order, “has ever before issuedexecutive orders like the one at issueinthis lawsuit targeting aprominent law ﬁrmwithadverse actions to be executed by all Executive branch agencies but, in purpose and effect,this action draws from aplaybook as old as Shakespeare, whopenned thephrase:‘Thefirst

Louisiana’scultural riches createtraveland economic opportunities forresidents and visitors alike

ansasa partytown, butwereallyworkhard to explainthe cultureand whyitissosacred andwhy passingthose traditions on from one generation to thenextissoimportant,” she said.“Thevisitorsare fascinated by that.”

In honorofNationalTraveland Tourism Week, threeLouisiana tourismleaders joined together foraconversationabout theimpact that this industry hasthroughoutthe state andregion. Violet Peters,presidentand CEO of VisitJeffersonParish; Kelly Schulz,senior vice presidentofcommunicationsand public relationsfor NewOrleans &Co.;and Cody Gray,president andCEO of Louisiana’sCajun Bayou, were joined by host KimHolden. Their full discussion canbeviewedonlineatwww nola.com andwww.theadvocate.com

Thosevisitorsalsopower economic development andjob creation acrossLouisiana Schulz notedthatalmost100,000 people in NewOrleans have tourism-relatedjobs. In LafourcheParish, Gray said astrongtourism economysaves localresidents about$300per year in taxesand is responsible formorethan 1,200jobs.

Gray said visitors from around theworld are drawntoLafourche Parish forthe chance to have an authenticSouth Louisianaexperience, whethertheyare learningnew dances at a festival,ridinginanairboat during aswamp tour or eating thefreshestseafood around in alocally-owned restaurant

“InJeffersonParish, tourismisa$2billion industry,” Peters said.“Notonlydoes that mean jobs,but that investment from thevisitor into oureconomy is so vital. That helpsour smallbusinesses.

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“Weare blessedtohavesomanynatural assets andthe unspoiledbeautyofthe bayou. Thebestway to experience that is to visit thepeoplewho live thereand connectwith generationsthathavebuilt theirlives there. Thoseauthentic andmeaningful experiences arewhattravelers arelooking fornow,” Gray said.“We’reveryfortunate to have so many institutions actively workingtopreserveour culture. Thebestsouvenir avisitor cantake back home is amemory.

Schulz said thestaff at many NewOrleans attractionshavebecomemoreintentional aboutexplainingtotouriststhe deeper meaningbehindexhibitsoractivities. Forexample visitors seeing MardiGrasIndiandisplays arelearningabout theirculturalsigniﬁcance, andtouristsatmusic-based locationshavea chance to delvedeeperintothe historyand legacies of performers.

“Manypeoplehaveanimage of NewOrle-

Forexample, Peters said that recent additions to attractionssuchasBucktownHarborPark, theAlarioCenter, Parc desFamilles, Gator Town,NOLAMotorsportsParkand Treasure ChestCasinoweremadepossibleinlarge part duetovisitor interest andtourism revenue.

“We’re blessedinJefferson Parish that officialsvalue tourismand understandwhatit brings to theeconomy,” shesaid. “The visitors arelifting some of theﬁnancialburden off of ourresidents andhelping to create places that visitors andlocalscan enjoy.

National Travel andTourism Week is a campaign from theU.S.TravelAssociation to raiseawareness abouttourism trends and encouragemorepeopletotravelthrough therest of theyear. Thetravelindustryisa cornerstone of thenationaleconomy,witha$2.9trillion economic footprintthatsupports15million American jobs. Visitwww.explorelouisiana. comtolearn more abouttourism in Louisiana andplanyourtriptoday

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ANDRES LEIGHTON

The JusticeDepartment unit that ensures compliance with votingrights laws will switch its focus to investigating voter fraud

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

church and other issues.

Shella Baham, who came of age in the years of the liberal, post-Vatican II church, said shewants thenextpope to continue Francis’ focus on marginalized communities and humbleservice.

“He was avoice for the people,” said Baham, amember of Holy Ghost Parish in Hammond. “Weneed thatin the next pope.”

Then there are culturally conservative Catholics like BillieButler,who believes Francis“wasa good,kind man” but hopes his successor is less political and more rooted in traditional teachings.

Vicki Judice, aprogressive Catholic and member of the Hope House faith community group in New Orleans, saidshe applauded Francis’ efforts but hopesthe next pope will go farther to move the church towardallowing women and married priests.

There’salso agrowing segment of doctrinally conservative Catholics, like Simon Templet, 20, who believe Francis steered the church in the wrong direction and hopes the next pope will course-correct.

“I would hope the next pope would be more friendly to the Latin Mass,” Templet said after attending the 9:30 a.m. Latin Mass last Sunday at St. Patrick’sinthe Warehouse District. “The parishes that have Latin Mass are seeing the most growth.”

Reversingthe trend?

Whoever is electedinthe coming daystobethe 267th pope will inherit achurch at acrossroads.

For much of the past60 years, the Catholic church has been losing ground locally andnationwide

Though the number of Roman Catholics in the U.S. has increased by around 40% since 1965, fewer than one in ﬁve now attends weekly Mass. In the 1970s, more than half did, according to the Center forApplied Research in the Apostolate, or

CARA, an independent Catholic research database based at Georgetown University.

During that same period, baptisms declined 60% and thenumber of Catholic elementary schools fell by nearly65%.

In the New Orleans area, an aging and shrinking population is compoundingthe problem. AfterHurricane Katrina,the Archdiocese of New Orleans closed 27 churches andmerged 40 parishes. Last summer, it further downsized, closing or consolidating13parishes into five newly combined parishes. Those dwindlingnumbers directly imperil the ﬁnancial health of amassiveinstitution that, in thecase of New Orleans, is also dealingwith thefalloutofthe clergy sex abuse scandal and resulting bankruptcy case. Butthere are signs thedeclines may beslowing. Over therecent Easter weekend, 570 new Catholics were baptized into the local church, a 20% increase over last year, according to Archbishop Gregory Aymond. Mass attendance is alsoonthe upswing, rising nearly 10% since 2023 and 60% since COVID-era lows.

“This is deﬁnitely asignof hope for ourlocal church,” Aymond said.

Though data is notavailable to show where the growth is coming from locally,reports suggest that nationally,itiscoming from anew,vocal and devout

generation of conservative Catholics,who are playing an outsized role in shaping thefuture of the church.

Ariseinconservatism

Monsignor ChrisNalty, pastor of Good Shepherd Parish at the Basilica of St. Stephen’sonNapoleon Avenue,believes thepockets of growth, whether locally, nationally or globally,are occurring in conservative parishes and communities because therulesand traditional ritualsprovide moral certainty in aworld where it seems like anything goes.

“People need clarity and authenticity,” he said. “Pope Francis promoted too much ambiguity.”

At St.Stephen’s, Nalty celebrates aLatin Mass every Tuesday evening that attracts worshippers from across thecity,including adozen or so Tulaneand Loyola university students. He says they comebecause theLatin Mass, which Francisdiscouraged, is sacred, ancient and unchanging.

“It’s abeautiful ritual, and it’s not about the priest and his showmanship. It’sabout God,” he said. “It’sunambiguous.

At St. Patrick’s, as manyas 400 worshippers attendthe 9:30 a.m. Latin Mass every Sunday.They come from around themetro area and representdifferent faces of the church’sconservativewing —Uptown men in seersuckersuitsand white bucks; young families with

Catholics gather for the Memorial Mass for Pope Francis at the St Louis Cathedral in NewOrleans on April 23. Cardinals from around the worldwill gather Tuesdayatthe Vatican to begin choosing anew pope.

multiple children in tow; women wearing mantillas, the traditional head coverings that were required until theVatican II reforms

After theSunday Massat

St. Patrick’s, ayoung mother with four children under the age of 9said she believes it’s important for the next pope to do moreto“prioritize family life, especially for young married couples.”She declined to give her name.

Templet saidhehopes the next pope is “less political,” even on issues like concern for theenvironment

“The environment doesn’t need to be an issue for the pope to takeon,”hesaid. BeingChristlike

Despite criticism by conservative Catholics who hope the next pope will steer the churchina more traditional direction, Pope Francis was popular with the vastmajority of Catholics.

More than78% of Catholicssurveyedbythe Pew Centerearlierthisyearhad afavorable or very favorable impression of him.

“There is an informed and vocal minority that didn’t like him,” said TomRyan, aprofessor of theologyat Loyola University. “But I think most peopleviewed him as anice guy.They liked how he smiled, how he was warmand welcoming.”

That inclusiveness resonated with Felix Urrutia, a 20-year-old student at Loyola who drives across town from his home in Harahanfor the

11 a.m. Spanish Mass at BlessedFrancis XavierSeelos Parish in Bywater

On arecent Sunday,Urrutiastopped to chat in the gardennexttothe historic church, where womenfrom the parish were making tortillas on aportable griddle to give out after Mass.

“He was open to the younger generation, and he deﬁed the rules,” Urrutia said. “He took the big picture into account. We need more of that.”

EllenLee,aparishioner at St.Peter ClaverCatholic ChurchinTreme, is trying to leave thequestion up to a

higher power

After amemorial Mass forthe pope at St. Louis Cathedral on April21, Leesaid Pope Francis emulated the life of Jesus Christ in everything he did —eschewing power,advocating for the poor and preaching mercy and forgiveness. “I hope our next pope is also Christlike, however that manifests,” she said. “Ifour newpopeisChristlike, we’ll be OK.”

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

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THE GULF COAST

Iconic Pensacola sign undergoes divisive change

Tourists directed toward beaches of Gulf of America

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

For 65 years, an iconic

midcentury modern sign in Gulf Breeze, Florida welcomed drivers to veer east along the Gulf of Mexico for a scenic drive to Pensacola Beach.

Featuring a cartoon sailﬁsh and encircled by palm trees, the sign has been restored multiple times since it was erected in 1960, mostly due to hurricane damage. Though its message to take a picturesque route leading to the “world’s whitest beaches,” along with motels and restaurants, remained unchanged, until last week, when a single word was replaced.

The sign now invites travelers to “drive east along Gulf of America,” reﬂecting a January executive order issued by President Donald Trump to change the name, at least in the U.S., of what was known for centuries without much controversy as the Gulf of Mexico.

Three months later, the renaming of the basin — which Trump said was part of his pledge to honor “American greatness” — continues to be a contentious subject across the nation. Polls collected by Harvard CAPS and Harris Poll in January found that 72% of registered voters oppose the executive order, while 28% back it.

Along the Gulf Coast, Republican lawmakers are pushing to embrace it, especially in Florida — the ﬁrst state to formally recognize the new name after Gov

Ron DeSantis signed two bills into law Days before Trump took any executive action to rename the Gulf, DeSantis referred to it as the Gulf of America while declaring a state of emergency in January

Modifying the sign

The name changes issued by Trump and DeSantis were ultimately what drove Mike Kohler, the chairman of Escambia County Commission, who also worked for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign, to lead efforts in modifying the Pensacola Beach sign.

Kohler discovered the change would cost the county $2,600. Refurbishing the sign has cost significantly more in previous years, such as in 2019, when $263,000 was put into replacing it with a modernized version.

“I said go ahead and move forward with it,” Kohler recalled, “To be in alliance with the executive orders both from the president and governor.”

Kohler added that before the modiﬁcation, the commission was periodically hearing concerns from residents of Escambia County — where nearly 47% of registered voters are Republican and about 30% are Democratic, according to the Florida Department of State — about the sign remaining the same. Since its completion, Kohler said the commission has received mainly positive feedback.

Aside from residents, other commissioners of the county supported the change, including Ashlee Hoffberger, who Kohler said devised ﬁlling the word “America” with the patriotic colors of red, white and blue.

Hoffberger could not be reached for comment on Monday

A divisive name

The percentage of the Florida population who support the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico is unclear

A public opinion survey from the University of North Florida found that out of 871 registered voters, 58% opposed the renaming, while 31% supported it.

On social media, public opinion appears divided.

Sean Mullins, a photographer who runs a popular social media platform named Pensacola Vibes, posted an image on Facebook earlier this month that went viral for featuring “Gulf of Mexico” carved in the sand of Pensacola Beach.

In the comments section, the responses were divided some praising the name changing, others disapproving and many who resorted to referring to the body of water as the Gulf.

Political turmoil appeared again in the comments section when Mullins posted a photo of the modiﬁed Pensacola Beach sign.

“It’s just ‘the gulf’ to me,” one commenter wrote, “But I’ll call it Gulf of America for sure.”

“Can we change it back though?” another asked.

Millions will see the updated sign while traveling to Pensacola Beach in 2025, as the tourism group Visit Pensacola found over 2 million people visited Escambia County in 2024. That number is expected to grow this year, according to local media outlets.

Email Poet Wolfe at poet.wolfe@theadvocate. com.

As apublicresearchinstitution that offers a wide rangeofmaster’sand doctoral programs theUniversityofNew Orleans(UNO) hasbeena cornerstoneofthe NewOrleans skilledlabor force sinceits establishmentin1958. TheUniversityof NewOrleans hasover80,000alumniand more than half of allgraduates arecurrently living and workinginthe metropolitan area.Prominent UNO alumni attest to theimpactUNO hashad on their careers, as well as theuniversity’strack record for educatingand empowering NewOrleans locals whichhas expanded thecity’spotential

“Inorder to have atechnology ecosystem in NewOrleans,wehavetohaveapubliccollege of engineering, andwehave to have astrongpublic university,” said UNOalum, Dr.RobertA.“Bobby” Savoie,formerChief Executive Officer(CEO) of GeocentLLC,aninformation technology and engineeringservicescompany whichwas acquired by Sev1Tech in 2021.Dr. Savoie nowservesasthe Dean of Loyola University’s CollegeofBusiness. AccordingtoDr. Savoie,beforebeginninghis owndoctoraljourney at UNO, he understood the integral placeUNO held in theeconomicfabricof thecityfromhis yearsofclose collaborationwith theuniversity.

“I hadworkedwithUNO throughtwo of my companies. Ihad hired quiteafew of theircomputer scienceand engineeringgraduates,and we hadgraduate students do research for my second company when we were runningalot of theNavyworkout at thelakefront,” said Dr.Savoie. “Theyhad avery strong knowledgeofhow to go aboutdeveloping software andsecurity.”

Dr.Savoiehas continuedtobeanadvocatefor theinstitution sincehis time as astudent, andin honorofthe generous donationshis family hasmade to supportthe university’sengineering programs, UNOnamed thecollege theDr. Robert A. Savoie CollegeofEngineering in 2021

This kind of symbiosishas characterizedthe bond UNOhas shared with NewOrleans since itsinception.Because UNOisa publichigher educationoption, theuniversitycreates extensive opportunitiesfor students to affordablydevelop theirskillsets andsucceed in theircareers.The success of UNO’sgraduates then poursbackinto theNew Orleanspopulation.

“The overwhelming majority of gradsstaylocal,” said Thomas M. “Tom”Kitchen,retired president andCEO of Stewart Enterprises, Inc.,who grew up

in theMid-Cityneighborhood, andreceived both hisbachelor’sinaccounting andhis master’s in business administration(MBA) from UNO.

“UNO is responsible for maintainingthe middle classinNew Orleans. Thedoctors,teachers, engineers, businesspeople—it’sthe entrepreneurial engine forthe community,”Kitchen continued. Distinguishedalumni, such as TheHonorable Timothy J. “Tim”Adams,Mayor of Bowie, Maryland andPresident andCEO of SystemsApplication & Technologies,Inc.(SA-TECH),recognizethe latitude UNOcreatesfor theresidents of NewOrleans In hisown career,Adams recallshow gettinghis MBAfromUNO helped sparkthe ingenuityinhim to builda nationwide aerospacetechcorporation

“UNO is an opportunityfor thosewho choose to seek it,” Adamsshared. “Itisagem.”

AccordingtoalumGarySolomon Sr Chairman andCEO of Crescent Bank &Trust,UNO hasseen atough 10 years, but sincePresidentKathy E. Johnsonhas beeninoffice therehas beena growing conﬁdenceinUNO’s abilitytomakea comeback in enrollment

“The work that Kathyhas done in this administrationhas notbeeneasy, butshe hasrisen to the occasion anddoneitwithclass andwithapositive attitude,” Solomonsaid. “She hasagreat vision for thefuture, anditwasn’t developedinavacuum. She reachedout to alot of people.Weneedtoget back to 10,000-12,000students, whichisquite thelong haul,but we have theformula to getthere,and I’m excitedfor it.”

Solomon, alongwithKitchen,Adams,and Dr Savoie,acknowledge thecontributionUNO has made to institutions throughout thecity, such as TheNationalWWIIMuseum, theOgden Museum theNavy, andNASA. UNO’soutreach andresearch hasbeenanessential part of thecity’slifeblood, andfor that reasonitisvital forthe community to rallytogetherasUNO workstoreenvisionits future as thesolepublicresearchuniversityinthe city.Togetherthese prominentalumniare giving voicetothe valueofUNO throughtheir words, their actions, andtheir continuedgenerousdonations that arefueling UNO’sability to fulﬁll itsmajor role “We’ve done agreat job in recent yearsoftrying to buildtechnology companiesinthisstate,but you can’t do that withouta strong UNO, astrongpublic

PROVIDED PHOTO

The iconic sign that greeted tourists as they reached the turnoff to Pensacola Beach in Florida has been changed to say Gulf of America.

Earlier on Saturday, Margo Price paid sweet tribute to mentors John Prine, Rodney Crowell and, especially, Willie Nelson at the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage in the Grandstand She shared with interviewer Scott Jordan that Nelson called her recently to wish her a happy birthday Downstairs at the paddock area’s Lagniappe Stage, Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars put a fresh street-smart spin on early jazz tradition via the convivial songs of frontman Sal Geloso and his bandmates’ musical dexterity. With Geloso’s voice and guitar, plus drums, upright bass, sax, trumpet and keys, they taught an exceptionally listenable history lesson about famed Storyville madam Lulu White with “The Rise and Fall of the Diamond Queen.”

The band’s “I Got No More Tears Left to Cry” has carried them to the ﬁnals of National Public Radio’s Tiny Desk Contest, and with good reason: With its bordello tenor sax, it references classic New Orleans rhythm & blues while standing on its own as a Silver Dollars special. At the Gentilly Stage, New Orleans transplant Rickie Lee Jones was utterly comfortable in her own skin. She noted that “love and gentleness go a long way,” before adding, “I know because I was screaming at some addicts in the park yesterday.”

Backed by a band that included guitarist Shane Theriot his many credits include producing Dr John’s ﬁnal album and serving as Hall & Oates’ longtime musical director — and percussionist Mike Dillon, Jones leisurely hopped around her history Before a faithful “Chuck E’s in Love,” she kicked off her shoes. “I love wearing ‘em,” she deadpanned, “but I’m gonna break my neck.”

In the run up to Pearl Jam, Samantha Fish concluded her set by powering through a long Gibson guitar workout on “Black Wind Howlin’” that Neil Young and Crazy Horse might have appreciated. The members of Pearl Jam probably would have as well. Heavy on the hits

The then-unknown Pearl Jam plugged in in New Orleans for the ﬁrst time in 1991, then made its Jazz & Heritage Festival debut in 2010. The band returned to the Fair Grounds in 2016.

They haven’t played a proper arena show in New Orleans since 2003 For 20 years Jazz Fest has been the only place to see the band in the city.

This latest visit was the best Lead guitarist Mike McCready’s extended solo in the opening “Corduroy” served notice that he was locked in and amped up. He was throughout the entire 20-song set, especially for his behind-thehead solo in “Even Flow.” At the outset, singer Eddie Vedder wore a T-shirt with “EV60” he is now 60 years old. He didn’t act it, even if his ﬂying scissor-kick leaps don’t catch quite as much air as they once did. More crucially, his voice was wholly there and he was wholly engaged.

He understands the assignment of being a rock frontman. He built rapport with the audience. He “life-guarded,” making sure everyone was all right. He made it clear he knew exactly where

he was.

“When we think of New Orleans, we think of zydeco,” he announced at the outset. “We think of Dr John. We think of Preservation Hall. We think of positive juju. We think of perseverance. We think of community We think of Jazz Fest.” Later he mentioned playing at Tipitina’s.

After “Tremor Christ,” Vedder reminisced about recording the song at Daniel Lanois’ old Kingsway Studio on Esplanade Avenue. He later gave an extended shout-out to local hero and

former New Orleans Saints star

Steve Gleason, who was watching from his wheelchair down front; Vedder even plugged Gleason’s autobiography The singer windmilled his guitar and swung his microphone. He got up close with folks along the barricades. He tossed tambourines, autographing at least one. Without naming names or issues, he encouraged people to be active and engaged and join together “If something makes you crazy, don’t just react respond!”

That introduced “React, Re-

spond,” the ﬁrst of two songs from last year’s “Dark Matter” album that made Saturday’s setlist. The other was the wellbuilt “Wreckage.”

That was it for the new stuff. They tossed in a couple of twists, like recruiting famed rock photographer Danny Clinch to add harmonica to “Red Mosquito.”

But Vedder and company know that, especially in a festival setting, hits are most effective. At Jazz Fest, that included six songs from Pearl Jam’s smash debut, “Ten,” plus other favorites: “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter

In a Small Town.” “Daughter.” “Even Flow.” “Black.” “Jeremy.” “State of Love and Trust.” “Better Man.” “Alive.” “Yellow Ledbetter.” The setlist for every Pearl Jam show is different. Usually they end with either The Who’s “Baba O’Reilly” or Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World.” Jazz Fest got both back-toback, as a great American rock band delivered at a great American festival.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Festivalgoers walk around a food area during the seventh day of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Samantha Fish performs on the Festival Stage during the seventh day of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival at the Fair Grounds in New Orleans on Saturday.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER HaSizzle ‘The King of Bounce’ dancers perform on the Congo Square Stage during the seventh day of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Saturday.

STAFF PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Bluesman Bobby Rush, 92, kicks up his heels as he performs with Kenny Wayne Shepherd in the Blues Tent on Saturday.

STAFF PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Jay Saux, of Covington, dresses for festival fun at the Sheraton New Orleans Fais Do-Do Stage on Saturday.

with awide smile, her arms extended.

As Washington types talk about remaking the postal service —movingitunder theCommerceDepartment or privatizing it —people here worry about losing their little post ofﬁce and the daily delivery of the things they need. Not only bills, checks and “crap my wife orders,” as oneman putit, but medications, contact lenses and a“Hey,how’sit going?” on an otherwisequiet morning.

“Amazon sends people from all overthe country into our home, onto our property,” Taylor said, as her 2-yearold grandson scooted by on a pink toy tractor.“Ijust don’t know where they’re from and what they’re up to. Becausewehave children and grandchildren, right?”

She turned to Kanonu, smiling again.“But we get to know our local people.”

Earlier that morning, Kanonu joked with adelivery driver tossing the day’s mail into abin outside the post office in this town of 400 people, some of whom had pinned ads to its bulletin boardfor horse training,senior care and $60-a-day barbecue pit rental.

The 50-year-old grew up sevenmiles away,inRayne, where his mother is from and where he and his wife areraising their teenage daughter.Heshares aname withhis father,aNigerian musician, and for yearshe refereed local basketball, baseball and football games, before adoctor amputated the lower part of his leg.

So his nicknames include “Junior” and “the referee.” But after 22 years with the U.S. Postal Service, he said, grinning, “everyone just calls me the mailman.”

He’salso vice presidentof the Louisiana Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, the state chapterofa national union organizing protests across the country,including one last Sunday in Baton Rouge, warning that restructuring the postal service would most hurtthe people who live along roads like these, some of them surrounded by crawﬁsh ponds.

Anew push forprivatization

Over the decades, proposals to privatize the U.S Postal Service, an independent federal agency older than the United States itself, have come and gone. But lately,they haverenewed strength: As head of the Department of Government Efficiency,Elon Musk has backed the idea of privatizing the agency,according to The New York Times. In February,Trumpsaid he was considering merging the agency with the Commerce Department. That department did not respond to interview requests.

Last month, citing six industry executives, The Washington Post reported that “private firms are preparing for apiecemeal government effort to outsource mail and packagehandling and long-haul trucking routes, while off-loading leasesfor unprofitable post offices.”

Some conservatives, including those at theHeritage Foundation, believe that private companies could more effectively run the postal service, which faces hugefinancial challenges, for lowercost.

‘Service with asmile’ Kanonu knows well the postal service’s struggles When the price of astamp rises, he hears about it. When apackage arrives later than promised, he hearsabout it When Louisiana’ssurprise snowstormheldmailhostage, at hubs hundredsof miles away,customers on his route called their congressmen.

But he believes that mail delivery is bipartisan, or should be. “Everybody wants to pick ateam,and we shouldn’t, because it’sall about customer service,” he said. “Everybody wantsto make it into abusiness, and Iunderstand some things need to be abusiness —but not everything, because this is aservice. That’sone of our mottos: Service with a

smile.”

Like many rural carriers, Kanonu drives his own vehicle, laughing about the cracksinthe windshield (“not that bad”), how often he hastoreplace hisbrake pads (“every 90 days”) and life before he bought arighthandedJeep (“Every now and then, I’dbescratching up their mailboxes.”).

Wearingshorts, Kanonu works quickly withthe goal of wrapping up his route in time for anap. Buthewill pause to move asnapping turtle to the side of the road or hop out to toss aballtoa big dognamed Rocco At the end of aroad,where grass has overtaken gravel, lives retired doctorMichael Williams. He built abig, brick home on 4acres because “nobody bothersme.”

But he oftenvisits with and sometimes texts with —Kanonu. On hotdays,Williams leavesbottledwaterin the mailbox.

The USPS has its troubles,

Williams said, clutching solicitations from DucksUnlimited andthe Audubon Nature Center.Herecently sent something overnight, via Priority Mail Express service, and his daughter received it ﬁve days later.But privatizing the postalservice is a“horrible” idea, he argued. “The bottom line would mean everything. Everybody looksforward to gettingtheir mail every day and talking to people. Youknow they’d cut back if they had to make a proﬁt.”

And Williams, who regularly did house calls, suspects that rural service would be cut ﬁrst.

Postal fightinWashington Louisiana has1,305 rural routes, according to the carriers’ association. Nationally Republicans and Democrats —including U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,D-New Orleans, and U.S. Rep.Cleo Fields,DBatonRouge —have signed ontoa resolutionthat Con-

gress should take“all appropriatemeasures” to ensure thatthe USPS remains an independent government agency and “is notsubject to privatization.”

Requests to interview U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette, whorepresents this part of the state, were not returned.

“Louisiana is home to some of the mostpowerful voices in Washington,” theLoui-

siana carriers wrote in an open letter to the state’scongressional delegation.“The people of this state —and the nation —are watching to see if you will standwith rural communitiesorallow Wall Street to dismantle the Postal Service for proﬁt.”

In March, Kanonu was among the rural carriers lobbying his representatives in D.C. And Sunday,hewas among those protesting in Baton Rouge. But alonghis route, he’s just the mailman, whomhis customers missedwhen he was gone Highways andbyways Twoyears ago, while off work, Kanonu stepped on anail. It went through his sneaker,just barely,prickinghis foot. He cleaned the wound with peroxide and didn’tthink much of it. But it turned black. Thedoctor had bad news: tetanus. Amputate or risk losing your life “I cried forfive days,” Kanonu said. Six weeksafter the surgery, he wasback on theroad Some of those roads are long and empty.Aprivate drive,shaded by oaks. Abustling county highway. Along theway,a body shop,aboys’ home, and amother with a TikTok side hustle.

AlongPointeNoirRoad is amailbox with an American flag. For more than four decades, Bob and Gayle Bouget have trained horses and raised kids on this property whichthese days flies abig Trump flag. At one point, the Sunday newspaper arrived on Sunday, andBougetcould sit outonher porch,readingand watching theblue jaysand cardinals. But now,the paper arrives by mail on Wednesday,if she’slucky.Soshe appreciates even more Kanonu’s stopssix days aweek. “Weneed our rural carriers,”she said. Bouget “doesn’t do alot of theinternetstuff,” so she relies on themail for herbankstatements, electric bills andpolitical information. If Kanonu has apackage for her, he’lloften bring it up and place it in herhands.

AlekeKanonu chatswith Marla Taylor as he delivers a package in the communityofBranch on April 17.

Mail carrier AlekeKanonu picks up and drops off mailin the community of Branch. Kanonu covers 100 miles aday, athird of them dirtorgravel, delivering to more than 655 mailboxes, doorstepsand people’shands.

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Grants canceled,operationstoclose with AmeriCorps cuts

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON —The Baton Rougebased Louisiana Delta Service Corps is joining agrowing resistance to President Donald Trump’s decisiontodismantle AmeriCorps, whichhelps fund thecommunitybased projects of local nonproﬁts across the state

Following the adviceofhis Department of Government Efﬁciency,orDOGE, Trump, on the night of April 2,5 eliminated $396.5 million in grants out of the $557 million CongressdirectedAmeriCorps to assign to stateand local programs.

The White House on Tuesday said more than$40 million AmeriCorps payments had paperwork snafus, such as miscoded expenses, and therefore were improper

The Trump administration’s move affects 1,031 organizations and 32,465 AmeriCorps members and senior volunteers. In Louisiana, AmeriCorps supports 3,107 members and volunteers whohelp roughly 50,000 people at 441 locations across the state with a$23.6 million budget.

The “members” are usually students, the recently graduated, and seniors, who are embedded in nonproﬁt and faith-based groups that help schools, food banks, homeless shelters, healthclinics, youthcenters and veterans’facilities.

“The grant cancellation essentially forces us to ﬁre 37 members and cease operations,” Maggie Conarro, program director of Serve Louisiana, said Wednesday

Part of Louisiana Delta Service Corps, Serve Louisiana oversees young adults who agree to work 11 months for pay enoughtocover living expenses at 18 nonproﬁts. Much of the grant helps the membersrepay student loans or further fund their educations.

Embedded in nonprofits, the members do jobs such as gatheringoyster shells from restaurants and recyclingthem to shore up coastal reefs from whichoysters

Keyhearings on Medicaid delayed until May 12

BUZZ staff reports

House Republican leadership has again pushed back closelywatched hearings that will determine whether and how Medicaid could becut or altered,Politico reported The House Energy and Commerce Committee hasbeen tasked with ﬁnding $880 billion in budget cuts as part of negotiations over“reconciliation,” a process aimedat creating afederal budget while also passing many of President Donald Trump’stop priorities. Health care industryleaders and state budget ofﬁcials fear that could mean cuts to Medicaid, the federal-state partnership that

In Louisiana, AmeriCorps supports 3,107 members and volunteers who help roughly50,000 people at 441 locations across the state witha $23.6 million budget.

can be farmed, Conarro said.Oth-

er Serve Louisiana members help coordinate volunteers who install costly wheelchair ramps that become immediately necessary when someone becomes disabled.

Others work supporting programs that treat sexual assault victims, distribute food and provide housingfor thehomeless.

The 37 people will be let go with three months left in their terms, Conarro said.She and the other full-timestaffer will losetheir jobs.

“For every dollar invested in AmeriCorps, there is an estimated $34returnincommunityvalue,” Conarro said.“Thesefunds don’t get lost in bureaucracy— they go directly to local organizationssolvingreal problems.”

Mary’sHand NetworkinBaton Rouge is oneofthe agencies with Louisiana Serve members. The group provides guidance and support free of charge to pregnant women in astate where nearly two-thirds of the births are paid for by Medicaid, the state-federal healthcare program for those with low incomes.

provides health insurance to lowincome Americans.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Majority Leader

Steve Scalise, both Republicans from Louisiana, have insisted that Medicaidbeneﬁts won’tbecut, thoughthey have said they are takingaim at “waste, fraud and abuse” in theprogram.

Louisiana hasone of thehighestpercentages of residents on Medicaid, so cuts to theprogram could either reduce access to health care or cause serious problems for the state budget

Thecommittee was scheduled for budget markupthis week, but leadership rescheduled it for the week of May 12. U.S. Rep.Troy Carter,D-New Orleans, sits on the committee. Johnson is tryingtoresolve tensionsbetween ﬁscal hawks in hisparty,who wantsteep reductionsingovernment spending, and more moderatemembers whodon’t wanttosee steep cuts to Medicaid or similar problems. Republicans have avery narrow

“The service of AmeriCorps members, Breea and Marisa, has been nothing short of transformative,” said Madeline LeBlanc, MaryHand’sexecutive director “Our capacity more than doubled —supporting 87 mothers. Their absence is not just astaffing change —it’sadirect hit to families who depend on us.”

Thirteen active programs in Louisiana were impacted by the elimination of $2.6 million in state and local AmeriCorps grants,about 60% of the state’sgrant portfolio.

The programs include theUniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette’s community service program, which lost $110,436and 30 members, mostlystudents, who were placed in the Habitat for Humanity,atMoncus Park, with the Pugh Family Foundation Accelerating Campus Excellenceprogram at two local elementaryschools, as well as other programs.

UL-Lafayette, like many of the impacted programs in Louisiana, avoided publicly commenting.

HowAmeriCorpsworks

Congress created AmeriCorps in

majority —they can afford to lose only three votes if Democrats stay united in opposition and every representative votes.

Cassidy looks to increase affordable housing

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy and a group of colleagues introduced a bipartisan bill this week aiming to increase affordable housing by expanding theLow-Income Housing Tax Credit, adecadesold federal program that awards tax credits to developers who agree to reserve a fraction of units for lower-income households.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would increase thenumber of housing tax credits available to states, adjust how workforce housing projects are funded and update thehousing

the1990s to update and coordinate federal programs spread through the government that provided theservices independently.The agency has abudget of $975.5 million, congressionally appropriated in 2024, which are mostly grants distributed to state and local communityorganizations.

TheAmeriCorpsNationalCivilianCommunity Corps sent young adults, aged 18 to 26 years, to help with construction, often after hurricanes, and to participate in other community projects. But those teams were discharged twoweeks ago.

The regional office covering Louisiana’sNCCC teams, based in Vicksburg,Mississippi, forwarded requestsfor comment to the main ofﬁceinWashington,whichdid not respond.

About 85% of the AmeriCorps’ 500 full-time national workforce was placed on administrative leave in April.

Trump then terminated nearly half of the grants to state and local nonproﬁts, the largest single expenditure in AmeriCorps’ annual budget

Like many of the agencies across thenation, Serve Louisiana, the Louisiana Delta Service Corps agency,received an emailafter work hours last Fridaynight informing the two staff members that the grants would no longer be honored.

Cuts face pushback

LouisianaDelta ServiceCorps asked Baton Rouge’sfederal courtThursday to immediately suspend the order. The group argued, among other issues, that the Trump administration did not followestablishedprotocols.

Agrowing numberofsimilarly situated localagencies around the country are also ﬁling legal challenges

The largest lawsuit wasfiled Tuesday in Baltimore’s federal district court by the attorneys general in twodozen states, though notLouisiana. Theycontend, among other arguments, that the Trump administration has little authority to halt spending or-

credit program to better serve people whoare veterans, live in rural areas, Native Americans, victimsofdomestic violence or formerly homeless students.

The bill would also help build nearly 1.6 million homes over the next decade, Cassidy said in his announcement.

“Doing something to help someone buy ahome is consistent with President Trump’sgoal of helping working families,” Cassidy said in astatement. “Noone should be priced outofa roof over their heads.”

U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, spearheaded the legislation with Cassidy,saying that it would further leverage private sector investment to increase housing availability forfamilies.

Cassidy and Young werejoined by U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell, DWashington;Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee; andRon Wyden, D-Oregon, in introducing the legislation. The ACTION Campaign and the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition also endorsed it.

deredbyCongress.

“Weare suing to stop this illegal dismantlingofAmeriCorps and preserve the spirit of community serviceinour stateand nation,” said Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiserina statementtoThe Associated Press.

The two Democrats in Louisiana’seight-member congressional delegation spokeupand wrote a letter Tuesday to Trump asking him to reconsider

“These cuts will devastate the very fabric of support that helps lift underservedcommunitiesin New Orleans, across Louisiana, andthroughoutour nation,” said U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,D-NewOrleans.

Carter andU.S.Rep.CleoFields, D-Baton Rouge, wrote Trump that “these programsserve over 49,765 Louisianans annually,includingchildren, seniors, veterans, andlow-income families. Without them,these services will simply vanish.”

“The communities of Louisiana —and indeed the nation —rely on AmeriCorps to strengthen civic engagement, reduce poverty, and respond to disasters. Now more thanever, we cannot afford to abandon this missionorthe thousands of members whohave pledgedtoserve,” Fields said.

Some Republicans also raised questions.

Louisiana Lt. Gov.Billy NungessertoldPolitico,apublication focusing on nationalpolitics, “I’m hoping thatthe president can look at it again. If they need to make cuts, letusdecide whatprograms areworthy.It’shardfor themto see from Washington what impact these programs have.”

Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,ofBaton Rouge,wrote April 25 on social media:“Isupport improving efﬁciency and eliminating waste,but Iwould have to object to cuttingAmeriCorps grants likethose that support Louisiana’s veterans and organizations that provide crucialsupport after hurricanes andnaturaldisasters.”

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

More speciﬁcally,the Affordable Housing Credit ImprovementAct would:

n Increase the number of credits available to states by 50% for the next twoyears and makethe temporary 12.5% increase secured in 2018 permanent, which has already helped build more than 59,000 additional affordable housing units nationwide.

n Stabilize ﬁnancing forworkforce housing projects built using private activity bonds by decreasing the amount of private activity bonds needed to secure Housing Credit funding. As aresult, projects would have to carry less debt, and moreprojects would be eligible to receive funding.

n Improve the housing credit program to better serve veterans, victimsofdomestic violence, formerly homeless students, Native American communities, and rural Americans.

The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act wasrecently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives.

CAPITOL

EDUCATION

SCHOOL ISSUES

When kids areevicted,theylosehome, school

Schoolchildren likely to endupinanother districtortransferred

BY MORIAH BALINGIT

AP education writer

HOUSTON Sinceher birth10years

ago, Mackenzie Holmes has rarely called one place home for long. There was the house in Houston owned by her grandmother,Crystal Holmes. Then, after Holmes lost her Southwest Airlines joband the house, there wasthe trio of apartments in the suburbs —and three evictions. Then another rental, and another eviction. Then motels and her uncle’sone-bedroomapartment, where Mackenzie and her grandmother slept on an inﬂatable mattress. Finally, Crystal Holmes secured aspot in awomen’s shelter, so the two would no longer have to sleep on the ﬂoor

With nearly every move came anew school,anew set of classmates, and new lessons to catchup on.Mackenzie only has one friend she’sknown longer than ayear, and she didn’treceive testing or adiagnosis for dyslexia until this year

She would often miss long stretches of class in between schools

Schoolchildren threatened with eviction are more likely to end up in another district or transfer to another school, oftenone with less funding, more poverty and lower test scores. They’re more likely to miss school, and those who end up transferring are suspended more often. That’saccording to an analysis from the Eviction Lab at Princeton University,published in Sociology of Education, apeer-reviewed journal, and shared exclusively with The Associated Press’ Education Reporting Network.

Pairing court ﬁlings and student records fromthe Houston Independent SchoolDistrict, where

Mackenzie started kindergarten researchers identified more than 18,000 times between 2002 and 2016 when studentslived in homes threatened with eviction filings They found students facing evictionwere absent more often. Even when they didn’thave to change schools, students threatened with eviction missed four moredays in thefollowing school year than their peers. In all, researchers counted13,197 children between2002and 2016 whose parents faced an eviction filing. Aquarter of those children facedrepeatedevictions. Fallingbehindonrent NeveahBarahona, a17-year-old big sister to seven siblings, started kindergarten in Houston, but has moved schools half adozen times Her mother,Roxanne Abarca, knewmoving can be disruptive. So whenever she fell behind on rent and the family was forced to move, she tried to let themfinish theschool year —evenifitmeant driving them greatdistances.

Neveah, astrongstudent who hopes to join the military,said the

moves took atoll.

“It is kind of draining, meeting new people, meeting new teachers, gettingontrack with what they want to teach you and what you used toknow,” Neveah said. Then there’sﬁnding her way withnew classmates.A spate of bullying this year left her despondent until she got counseling. Households with children are abouttwice as likely to face eviction than those without children, Eviction Lab research has shown. That’s1.5 million children getting evicted everyyear —and one in 20 children under 5living in arental home. Still, much of the discourse focuses on adults —the landlords and grown-up tenants —rather than thekids caught in the middle, said Peter Hepburn, the study’s lead author “It’s…worth reminding people that 40% of thepeopleatrisk of losing theirhomes throughthe eviction process arekids,”said Hepburn, asociology professor at RutgersUniversity-Newarkand associatedirector at the Eviction Lab. Households often become more

vulnerabletoevictionbecause they fall behind when they have children. Only5%oflow-wage earners, whoare especially vulnerable to housing instability,have access to paid parental leave. Under afederal law that protects homeless students,districts are supposedtotry to keep children in thesame school if they lose their housing midyear,providing daily transportation.But children who areevicted don’talways qualify for those services. Even those who do often fallthrough thecracks, becauseschools don’tknow why children are leaving or where they’re headed.

Navigating school boundaries

In the sprawl of Houston,itcan be especially challenging for transient students to stay on track. The metropolis bleeds seamlessly from the city limitstounincorporated parts of Harris County,whichis divided into 24 other districts. It’s easy to leave Houston’sschool district withoutrealizingit. And despite the best efforts of parents and caretakers, kids can miss alot of school in transition.

That’swhat happened in January, when Mackenzie’sgrandmother, then staying in herson’s one-bedroom apartment with hergranddaughter,got desperate. Fearful herson would getevicted forhaving family stay with him, Crystal Holmes —who hadnohome, no car and no cellphone service—walked miles to awomen’sshelter

The shelter,where she and Mackenzie now share aroom,isinanother district’senrollment zone. She worriedabout Mackenzie being forced to move schools again —the ﬁfth grader had already missedthe ﬁrst threeweeks of the school year Thankfully,the federal law kicked in,and Mackenzie’sschool, Thornwood Elementary, nowsends acar to fetch herand other studentsfromthe shelter

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THESTATEHOW TO TACKLE THEBIGGEST CHALLENGES FACINGLOUISIANA SCHOOLS. HAVE

Houston Independent School District did not respond to interview requests.

Millicent Brownlives in apublichousing projectinHouston alongside an elevated highwayso noisy she had to buy alouder doorbell. She andher daughter,Nova, 5, were forced to move last year when Nova’s father threatened to hurt Brown.

Nova had attendedacharter school. But when she moved, the school said it could only bus Nova fromher new home if she waited on astreet that Brown said wastoo dangerous. Instead, Nova misseda month of school before enrolling in anearby public school.

Browngrew up bouncing between schools and wants betterfor Nova. But she may have to move again: The state has plans to widen the highway.Itwould wipe out her housing project —and Nova’snew school.

Nearly three years ago, Neveah and her family settled into aranchstylehomedowna country road in Aldine. It’sbrightly lit, with four bedrooms and arenovated kitchen. Neaveah adopted aneighborhood cat she named Bella. Then, last year,her motheronce againbegan to fall behind on rent Ultimately,Abarca received an eviction notice.

The motherwas lucky.Atthe courthouse, she metanemployee tasked with helping families stay in their homes. The employee connected her with anonprofit that agreed to pay six months of her rent while Abarca gotbackonher feet.

And she did, working from home as acall operator for the Federal Emergency Management Agency

But the siblings’ dream of a“forever home”may stillcometoan end. Abarca learned this month that the home’sowner hopestosell to an investor,displacing them once again.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ASHLEyLANDIS

Millicent Brown, right, and her daughter,Nova, 5, liveinapublic housing complex in Houston. Brown said she grew up bouncing between schools andwantsbetter for Nova

PLAQUEMINES

to amaximum rate of 1% at anytime on or after July 1, 2026. YES. 58% NO 44%

ST.JAMES PARISH PARISHWIDE HOSPITAL MILLAGE RENEWAL Renew 4.75 mills for 10 years beginning 2027, generating $3.6 million per year for constructing, improving, maintaining andoperating public hospitalbuildings. YES. 81% NO 19%

PARISHWIDE BOND PROPOSITION

Issue up to $25 million in bonds for up to 20 yearsat interest rates no higher than 6% per year forconstruction andimprovement of parish roads anddrainage projects paid for by amillagerate to be levied in the ﬁrst year of issuance of .50mills. YES....................................... 66% NO 34%

PARISHWIDE FIRE PROTECTION MILLAGE RENEWAL

Renew 3.91 mills for 10 years beginning 2027, generating $2.7 million per year,with 60% for expenses and capital expenditures for the fire department accredited by the St. James Parish Council (previously operating as six volunteer firedepartments);25% for emergency medicalservices; 12% into a trust account to provide for parishwide heavy fireequipment, additional water lines andfire hydrants, to improve communications andprovide other related firefighting equipment; and 3% for providing for administrative costs. YES. 82% NO 18%

PARISHWIDE LIBRARY MILLAGE RENEWAL

Renew 2.48 mills for 10 years beginning 2027, generating $1.7 million for maintaining andoperating the parish’s public libraries. YES. 78% NO 22%

PARISHWIDE PUBLIC BUILDINGS MILLAGE RENEWAL Renew 4.93 mills for 10 years beginning 2028, generating

$3.4 million for maintenance and operation of theparish’s public buildings, notincluding hospitals. YES ....................................... 76% NO 24%

PARISHWIDE ROADS

MILLAGE RENEWAL

Renew 4.93 mills for 10 years beginning 2028, generating $3.4 million for repair and maintenance of parish roads. YES 79% NO 21%

Renew

PARISHWIDE 911 MILLAGE RENEWAL

Renew 1.25 mills for 10 years

beginning 2027, generating $854,347 for construction operation and maintenance of an enhanced 911 phone system, including the paymentofnecessary dispatch personnel.

YES 80% NO 20%

CONSOLIDATED ROAD

LIGHTINGDISTRICT NO.3A

MILLAGE RENEWAL

Renew 1mill for10years beginning 2026, generating $589,854 forproviding maintaining and operating electric lights on thestreets, roads, highways,alleysand public places in the district. YES 77% NO 23%

RECREATION DISTRICT 5

MILLAGE RENEWAL

Renew 1mill for10years beginning 2027, generating $290,468 for maintaining and operating recreational facilities in the district.

GRAMERCYRECREATION

DISTRICT MILLAGE RENEWAL

Renew 1mill for10years beginning 2029, generating $374,162 for constructing, operating and maintaining recreational facilities in the district.

PARISHWIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO.12BOND PROPOSITION To borrow $325 million in bonds for up to 20 years at an interest rate of up to 7% per year to ﬁnance the construction, acquisition or improvement of schools and other facilities according to the School Board’s capital improvement plan.

Barry Warren

FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT NO.8MILLAGE

RENEWAL

Renew 14.63 millsfor 10 years beginning 2029, generating $683,571 per year for acquiring, constructing, improving,maintaining and operating ﬁreprotection and emergency medical service facilities, vehicles and equipment. YES 64% NO

ST.TAMMANY PARISH HOSPITAL SERVICE DISTRICT NO.2

To borrow $51.52 million for up to 20 years with an interest rate of up to 7% per year to construct, acquire, extend and improvethe district’s hospital and health carefacilities, including projects for cancer and emergency care, outpatient pediatric care, primary careand women’s and infant health care. YES ....................................... 52% NO 48% SHALL RECREATIONDISTRICT NO.6

To borrow

Collect an annual parcel fee of $490 in the district for 20 years beginning 2025, generating $238,140 per year to improvedrainagewithin the district and issue bonds to payfor capital improvements. It would replace a parcel

Earlyonthe morningof May1st, 2025, we said goodbye to atruly unforgettableman.Born December 29, 1952, Barry Miller wasa forcetobe reckonedwith -largerthan life, stubborntohis core, fiercelyloyal andintelligent,quick-witted, andabsolutely oneofakind.

He wasnever onetofollowthe crowd, andyou always knew wherehestood (evenifyou didn'talways agree with him). That same steadfastness made hima rock for those he loved. He was adevoted husband, aproud father of four,and adeeply cherished grandfather to two grandchildrenwho broughta special light to hislater years. He lived hislifewith grit,humor, anda deep love forthe people and teams that meant themost to him. Alifelongfan of sports, he rode thehighs andlowsofhis favorite teams with thesame passion and intensity he broughttoeverythingelse in hislife. Whetheritwas yelling at theTV(andrefs), runningalong thesidelines or celebratinga longawaited win, sportswere more than apastime—they were partofwho he was. Barryissurvived by his wife of 45 years, Sheryl, fourchildren,Matthew, Alexis,Erik(SaraSanders), Gaby (Shaurav Regmi), his brothers Bob (Charlene), Glenn(Laura), sister-in-law Stephanie Chalfinand two grandchildren, Sloan& Eli whobroughthim endless pride andjoy.Hewas precededindeathbyhis parents Alvin &Helen. Hislegacy willliveonin thestories we tell,the lessons we carry, andthe laughterthat still echoes from memoriesonly he couldhave given us.There wasnoone quite like him, andthere never willbe again.Wewill miss his voice, hispresence, and theway he made every moment bigger just by be-

Moncada, JoseMario

Mr.JoseMario Moncada, Sr passedaway in Austin, Texas on Wednesday, April 92025 at the age of 88. Mr.Moncada wasborninLaCeiba, Honduras, on 5/20/1936 to Juan Vicente Moncadaand HerminiaMass Moncada, whoboth preceded himin death.Hewas aresident of NewOrleans,Louisiana, formanyyears, and of late, Austin, Texas.

Mr.Moncadawas the beloved husband of GeraldineLloyd Moncada, hiswife of 53 years, who preceded himindeathon April 9, 2024. He wasa belovedfather to Jose Mario Moncada, Jr., and Alana Moncada(Timothy

Howtoplace an

Obituary Notice

EMAIL: obits@theadvocate.com OR CALL FORMORE INFORMATION: 225-388-0289

Howtoplace a MemorialAd

Bicknase). Loving brother to Florencia Moncada, Alina Moncada Diaz-Balart (Frank Diaz-Balart);both deceased. He wasa devoted father and grandfather to his children, siblings and loved spending time with his granddaughters, Aria Rose, Camille Rebecca, and Hazel Marie Bicknase.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation and mass at Christ the King Church in Terrytown, Louisiana,at

11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 10 with visitation beginning at 10:30 a.m. Inurnment services at 12:30 p.m. will be held at Westlawn Cemetery in Terrytown, LA. Refreshments at 1:30 p.m. will follow at Gattuso's Restaurant in Gretna LA 70053. For full obituary got to www.beckchapels.com

Mrs. HelenMarie Neal was born in Hahira,GAon Monday, May16, 1949,to the late Mr.MarionRoberts and KatieRoberts.Helen was thesixth childofnine children. At an earlyage Helen professedGod as her Lord andSaviorand unitedwithShady Grove MissionaryBaptist Church Hahira, GA.Helen attended the cook countytraining schoolinAdel, GA graduat‐ing in 1967. Aftergraduat‐ing shemoved to Chicago, IL.Helen metand married ClarenceNealand to this union 3childrenwereborn. Helen washardworking and adedicated woman. She worked forPadua Community Services for manyyears.She wasa dedicated member of Greater Providence Baptist churchinAlgiers,LA. Helen departedthislifeonThurs‐day,April 24th,2025 at Ochsner Westbank in GretnaLouisiana.Helen was preceded in deathby her parentsMarionand Katie Roberts, herGrand‐parents Grantand Emma Butlerand Isom andAngie Roberts.A granddaughter Ja‘Kiya MonétMcDonald, twobrothersBennie(BW)

White andWillieCharles Roberts;two sistersAnnie LoisRobinson andLola Grace Roberts. Helen leavestolamenther pass‐ing herhusband Clarence NealSr.;two daughters LaTonya Neal andMiranda NealofHarveyLA. One son Clarence Neal Jr.ofHarvey LA; andfourgrandchildren; J’JuanMcDonald, Ca’Ziyah Neal, Ric’Kiyah andRic KingJanuary.Foursisters; Mildred Washington of Schererville IN,RubyFree‐man,Maple Heights, Ohio Wilma“Tony”Laneof Hahira, GA and Doretha“Larry Burton of Nashville GA.Two special nephews raised as a brother;Larry Roberts(de‐ceased) andStevie“Jen‐nell” Lane,HahiraGA; Three specialfriends Bar‐baraCola, Gloria Bell and CoraCarmouche;and a hostofniecesand nephews; cousinsand friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thecelebra‐tionoflifeservice which willbeheldonWednesday May 7, 2025 at Greater ProvidenceBaptist Church located at 623Newton Street,New Orleans, La The visitation will beginat 11a.m., andthe service willbegin at 12 noon.Pas‐tor JavonteJimcoily ofﬁci‐ating and intermentwill followatWestlawnMemo‐rialParkCemeteryin Gretna, La.Funeralplan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneral Home 9611 LA- 23, BelleChasse,La 70037 (504) 208- 2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com.

O'Brien,Margaret Erin Culligan

MargaretErin Culligan O'Brien, 86, passedawayat her home in River Ridge on Tuesday,April 29, 2025 Shewas precededin death by herhusband of

"Jerry" O'Brien;her parents, Michael Emmett Culligan, Sr.and Camille Catherine Berthelot Culligan; and her two brothers, MichaelEmmett Culligan, Jr. and infant Boyd CamilleCulligan. Erinissurvivedbyher twosons: John Michael O'Brien and Robert Gerard O'Brien;her daughter, KathyO'Brien Kaplan and son-in-lawBlake Kaplan; her five grandchildren: Jessica Marie O'Brien, Aileen ElizabethO'Brien, Tiffany Ann O'Brien

Christine Margaret O'Brien and Zachary Blake Kaplan; and her threegreat grandchildren, Jacob,Cairo and Amari

Erinwas born in New Orleans on September 7, 1938. She wasveryintelligent and skippedtwo grades in elementary school.She laterbecame valedictorian at both St Mary'sDominican High School and St. Mary's Dominican College,where she studied business. She workedatChevron Oilfor several years after college, which is where she met theloveofher life,Jerry O'Brien.After getting married and having her children,she went back to work, thistime as atypist and stenographer reader forcourtreporters at AffiliatedReporting.As computers were introducedinto theworkplace she oversaw their use and also trained many court reporters and scopists.Once computers arrived, typists like her became editors and proofreaders also known as scopists

Religion was abig part of herlife.Before her husband became ill, they attendedMass on adaily basisatSt. Matthewthe Apostle Church. She later served as aEucharistic minister there, as well. With her timeaway from workand church, she enjoyed reading, cooking and taking care of her family including her husband who suffered astrokeand was bedriddenfor nine years beforehepassed away. Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend the Funeral Mass in theChapel of Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans on Friday, May 9, 2025 at 12:00 PM.A visitation willbeheldatthe funeral home beginning at 11:00 AM. The interment willfollow theMass at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers,please

considera donationin Margaret'smemory to St. Matthew theApostle Church in RiverRidge

To view and sign theonline guest book,pleasevisit lakelawnmetairie.com

In Loving Memory of Venny Emanuel Pate 7-27-1945 -4-20-2025

Venny Pate, 79, of New Orleans, Louisiana, departed this earthly life on Sunday, April 20, 2025. He was known forhis quick wit, easycharm, and deep love forhorse racing.A celebration life willbeheld on May 10, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at CharbonnetFuneral Home

19 2025.

onMarch 11, 1937. As astu‐dentatValenaC.Jones Ele‐mentary School in the heart of theCreole7th Ward, shewas inspired at a young agetopursueher life’sworkasa teacher. Her degree in education fromDillard University was the startofa career that spannedover30years.She taughtatSt. DavidCatholic School andHelen S. Ed‐wards Elementary School, where shewas recognized asTeacher of theYear. Jean received herMaster

of EducationinAdministra‐tionofSupervisonfrom SouthernUniversityof Baton Rouge, which posi‐tionedher fora promotion toprincipal at McDonogh 36ElementarySchool.Her experienceasaneducator helpedtoenrichand in‐spire many young mindsin New Orleans. Aftershe re‐tired,Jeanenjoyed thead‐venture of travelingwith her familyand friends, es‐peciallywithher beloved niecesand nephews. She was avoracious reader who took greatpleasurein reading twonovelsata time. Shewas awordpuz‐zle whizthatcould watch the Saints andother fa‐voritefootballteams,pro‐videplay-by-playcommen‐tary, andsolve puzzles-all of this while shehad a fabulousNew Orleansdish simmering on thestove Jeanleavesbehindtocher‐ish hermemoryand be in‐spiredbyher selﬂessness goddaughter andniece,Al‐lison A. Pepin; niece, Dr TiffanyP.Pryor,Ph. D. (Jameau); great-niece, Brit‐ton O. Underwood; greatnephews,Caleb G. Pryor, Gabriel J. Pryor, andLan‐don J. Pryor; great-greatniece,RylynnUnderwood; sisters-in-law, EnnisM Pepin andSherron Pepin Bennett; ahostofcousins fromthe Pepinand Ferrand families;and numerous friends.She waspreceded indeath by herparents, JosephL.Pepin,Sr.,and Elsie FerrandPepin,and brothers, Joseph L. Pepin, Jr.,and GlennR.Pepin,and her dearestauntCarmelite Ferrand.You areinvited to attend aMassofChristian BurialatOur Lady of the HolyRosaryCatholic Church,3368 EsplanadeAv‐enue,New Orleans, LA on Monday, May5,2025, at 11:00 am.Visitationand recitationofthe rosary are from9:00amuntil 11:00 am. IntermentSt. Louis# 3 Cemetery. In lieu of ﬂow‐ers,the familyrequests massesand donationsbe madeinJean’snameto: Teach forAmerica https:// www.teachforamerica.org/ donateand theNew Or‐leans Public Library https://friendsnola.org/ support-the-library/.You may sign theguest book onlineatGertrudeGeddes Willis FuneralHome, Inc: Houma,Louisiana (LA) GertrudeGeddesWillisFu‐neral Home Inc. In Charge (504) 522-2525.

Sylvia Sterne wasborn on September8,1933 at Touro InfirmaryinNew Orleans, anddiedather home in Seattle surrounded by herfamilyonApril 28, 2025. Shewas buried in Hebrew Rest Cemetery Number Three on May2, 2025. Shewas predeceased by herhusband, George GershonSterne, and her parents, Leopold and SydelleShabotStahl. She felt fortunate to inherit both European Talmudic andSephardic Middle Eastern roots. Sheissurvived by herchildren Mark (Pilar) of AlamedaCA, Steven(Jennifer LynnDice) of Seattle and Susan (Peter Kellers) Sterne of Portland OR, andher grandchildren JulesSterneKushinka, Olivia Marie Sterne and Aaron GuthrieSterne. She hadimmense pride andjoy in herchildrenand grandchildren. From the time of herretirement, she hada second home in Seattle, WA to be closertoher family. Sheisalso survivedby dear friends anda multitude of Sephardic cousins, whom she cherished and kept close herentire life. Amongher joys were beingwithher children andgrandchildren, reading andtalkingaboutgood books and movies, listeningtosymphonic and chamber music andopera. Shecalledherself agovernment junkieand ardently followed local, state and nationalpolitics. NewOrleans wasalways "home." Shewentto HenryW.Allen elementary school andIsidore Newman whereshe graduated from high school. She attendedNewcomb CollegeofTulane University whereshe met herhusbandand graduated with distinction in English Literaturein1954. Yearslater,duringthe time she wasanactive volunteer in thecommunity, she returned to Tulane whereshe received a Master of Arts degree in English literature

Sterne, Sylvia Stahl

Pate, VennyEmanuel

Neal,Helen Marie

Pepin, Jean Cecilia

Jean Cecilia Pepin passedawayonApril

Shewas born in New Orleans to Joseph L. Pepin, Sr.,and ElsieFerrand Pepin

20A

She began her volunteer career with the Greater New Orleans Section of the National Council of Jewish Women (Council) where she became an advocate for civil rights and Great Societyprograms of the 1960s. She served on its board of directors in many leadership capacities over a15-year period. In 2001, Council honored her with its "Dare to Care about Kids" award. She began her professional career in public health in 1974 as Public Information Officer of the Louisiana Regional Medical Program, then worked for theCity of New Orleans Health Department under the administrations of Moon Landrieu and Dutch Morial. In 1979, she became an administrator at the Louisiana Office of Public Health where she served as Director of Policy Planning and Evaluation for ten years. In that role, she was instrumental in studying the establishment of health centers in Louisiana public schools according to aresolutionofthe Louisiana Legislature. When the law for astate program was enacted, she administered the Adolescent and School Health program from its beginning until her retirement in July 2000. Under her leadership, the number of school based health centers grew from four to forty and provided access to physical and mental health care for thousands of school children annually. The journal Health Affairs, in astudy of school health centers nationwide, referred to her a"bureaucratic activist." She was aconsultant to the Louisiana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics forchildhealth planning and to the Dallas regional office of the federal Department of Health and Human Services for qualityassurance in ambulatory health care. She served on the health services advisory committee of New Orleans Head Start, was aboard member of the Tulane Center for Cardiovascular Health and amember of the Governor's task force on school-based health clinics. She was aPreceptor and adjunct faculty member at the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine where she trained graduatesinpublic health administration.She also servedasAdvocacy

Chairand board member of the National Alliance for School BasedHealth Care. Shewas amemberof the first women's leadershiptraininggroup of the Jewish Welfare Federation's Lemann-Stern program, afounding member and officerofthe New OrleansCouncil forYoung Children, and servedon the boards of Brandeis University Women's Committee, New Orleans Urban League and Communal HebrewSchool. Shewas alifemember of theCouncil of Jewish Women, Brandeis Women's Committeeand Hadassah.

Donations to Greater NewOrleans Section, National Council of Jewish Women at https://www.nc jw.org/act/action/donate/ To view and signthe online the online guestbook visitwww.lakelawnmetairi e.com

Stewart, Hazel'Madea'

Hazel“Madea” Stewart transitionedtoher Heav‐enlyHomeonFriday, April 25, 2025, at theage of 101 She wasa native of New Orleans,Louisiana.Beloved daughterofthe late Ida and UlyssesHurst,Sr. MotherofBobbieJean Smith,JeanetteJenkins Edith Watkinsand Michael Wayne Stewart, Sr.She was also survived by 1sonin-law L. T. Jenkins, 1 daughter-in-law Jacqueline Stewart,19grandchildren 25great grandchildren, 15 great-great grandchildren and ahostofnieces, nephews,cousins,and friends.A specialthanksto the doctorsand nursesat LCMCHospital. Pastors, Of‐ﬁcers,and Membersof MetropolitanBaptist Church andChristian Unity and allGospelgroupsare invited to attend theFu‐neral ServiceatMetropoli‐tan BaptistChurch 943N Tonti St.New Orleans, Louisiana 70119 on Friday May 9, 2025, at 10:00am ReverendRodneyBaptiste, ofﬁciating. Visitation will begin at 9:00am until ser‐vicetime. Intermentin ResthavenMemorialPark.

Professional Arrangements Entrusted to Majestic Mor‐tuary Service, Inc. (504)5235872.

Strickland, Charles Alon

Charles Alon Strickland passed away on April 2, 2025 as aresultofa motor vehicle accident in Key West, Florida, where he resided. He was anativeof Amite,Louisiana, and was born on April 15, 1955. Charles was thebeloved onlyson of thelateTroyM Strickland and LillianDees Strickland of Kentwood.He is survivedbyhis sisters Marsha S. Brown (Donald) of Mandeville,GayeS Stanly(David)ofBaton Rouge and WandaS Braswell (Jerry) of Covington. He also is survivedbya niece and several nephews and greatnieces and great-nephews. Charles willalso be missed very much by his cousin Jimmie Ray Strickland of Kentwood, and hisbest friends JoeCarter and Vince Walton of Key West. In his younger years, Charles was atop tierjewelry salesmanfor Lee Michael Jewelers when it was first opened. He then became awatchmaker and certified Rolexrepairman as wellasa skilledjewelry craftsman and repairman. He was aformerTrainer/ Master Craftsman/ Salesman at Downey Designs International. Before settling in Key West, Charles traveled extensivelyfor business to thecountriesofIreland, Scotland, Wales, Germany and Spain. He worked throughout theUnited States, as well as In Tokyo Japan wherehelived for18 months, and traveled to allprefectures opening accounts. Thisresultedin him moving to England for 12 months where he worked after opening accountswithtwo major

Japanesejewelry suppliers. After his relocationto Key West, he was employedasGeneral Manager at Jeff's Gems, then as Director of Business Development at H&K Services, Inc. Charles was very proud of thefact that he also workedasa GoldsmithatMel Fisher's Treasureswhere he designedand fabricated many unique and beautiful gold frames forantique coins that were retrieved fromshipssuch as the Atocha,a famous Spanish shipwreck. He was the ownerofThe Jeweler's Bench, which he operated until his death. Charlesloved thelifehe ledinKey West. He was a free spirit living his dream in the islands.Charles' family echoes afinal tribute writtenbyJoe Carter: "Fairwinds and following seas, Sailor! Seeyou on the otherside!" Following a privateservice, Charles was buried next to hisparentsinthe Spring Creek, Louisiana, cemetery as per hiswishes. He willbe greatlymissedbyfamily and friends.

Anne Marie

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.She is sur‐

vivedbyher devotedand 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

Enjoyataste

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.Funeral planning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneral Home (504) 208 -2119. Foronlinecon‐dolencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

BerniceGuerchoux Tessier wasbornonAu‐gust5,1933, anddiedon April 24, 2025. Shewas a lovingwife, mother,sister and aunt.Bernice passed awaypeacefullyatthe age of91inHollywood,Florida She wasborninNew Or‐leans,LAtoJohnE.and Wilhelmina “Minnie” Guer‐choux.She liveda life ﬁlled with love andlaughter. She

Aftermakingits waydownfromthe lakesof Minnesota, theMississippi Riverwinds itspath throughthe capitalcityofBaton Rouge—acity saturatedwithhistory andculture.Baton Rouge pulses to therhythmofthe riverand invites travelers to slow down andenjoy thesouthern charms thecityhas to offer.Whether youare lookingfor anight outonthe town with friends or afun-ﬁlled family weekend, avisit to Louisiana’s CapitalCitywillleave youinspiredand refreshed BatonRouge is knownfor itsdiverse culinary scenewhich drawsfoodieinterestday or night. Checkout thePerkins Overpass District fora cool andcomfortable vibe forlunch.The area under theoverpasshas been creatively builtuptohost an arrayoffun,eclecticrestaurants rangingfrom quintessential LouisianajointslikeParrain’s SeafoodtoAsian fusion eateries like Chow Yum, whichservesupwhimsicalreimaginingsof classicdishes.

If you’re lookingtoswapout your winter style with some summertime flair,Baton Rougehas plenty of shopping optionstocompleteyour wardrobe wish list.Withup-to-datewalkable shopping plazas such as TowneCenteratCedar Lodgeand world-classmalls like theMallof Louisiana, in BatonRouge youcan findgreat deals whileenjoyingthe leisure of having everything you need in onelocation.And it’s notall sundresses andflip-flops. BatonRouge hasnotable menswear boutiqueslikeCarriages Fine Clothier.Ifyou are lookingfor athleisure apparel,Massey’sand The Backpacker have excellentcollections to help you make themostofyourtimeadventuring in the summer sun. TheFrenchtownConservationAreaand the Bluebonnet SwampNaturecenterare twoplaces whereyou canencounter themagnificence of southern Louisianawildlifewithout having to travel far. Thereare well-kepthikingtrails, boardwalks,and facilities at both parks. Foroutdoor sports lovers,there areample golf anddiscgolfcourses around theBaton Rougearea. With twolocal collegiate teamstorootfor—LSU and Southern University—sports area part of thedaily lifeblood of BatonRouge.Thereare sporting events available nearly year-round,withboth tailgating andattending the

eventleaving youwithmemoriesfor yearstocome. FestivalscomingupinMay 2025,include the Soul Food Festival,Hot ArtCoolNights, andNight Market BTR, whichcelebratesAsian American and Paciﬁc Islander Heritage,alsobring people from allwalks of life together to celebratethe art,food, andmusic of thearea. Learning aboutthe historyofBaton Rouge andsoutheast Louisianaisanother greatway to connectwiththe city as youtravelbackintime. The CapitolParkMuseumwillhaveyou in aweasyou traverse itsgrandiose displays that commemorate thediverse people whohave made Louisianathe culturally rich tapestry that it is today. Forthe little ones,the KnockKnock Children’s Museum offers enticing andinteractive exhibits that willmake forgreatmemories—andpictures! Both capitolbuildings areopenfor toursand arefreetothe public.The currentLouisiana State Capitolbuilding, thetallest in thecountry,isopen 7daysaweek, andthe observationdeckonthe 27th ﬂoor provides amust-seeviewofthe city.The Old StateCapitol building,which is styled as amedieval castle,isalsorevered as aBaton Rougelandmark andisoperational 5daysa week as amuseum. As asimple“ISpy”challenge,keepaneye outfor the quatrefoil design whichishighlyfeaturedinthe gothic construction of this iconic building. Thequatrefoilisareoccurringmotif in much of thecity’sarchitecture, interior design elements andisfeaturedinthe jewelryand accessories made by localartisanslikeMimosaHandCraftedJewelry.The symbol perfectlyencapsulates thesophisticated,yet approachable nature of BatonRouge,and reminds visitors andlocalsthat thepastand presentare foreverintertwined in this captivatingcity.

Formoreinformation on BatonRouge exciting offerings, checkout:www visitbatonrouge.com.

Tessier,Bernice Guerchoux

Templet,

TheresaKerner'Anne'

By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi| Stevie Cavalier Licciardi

This articleisbrought to youbyVisit BatonRouge

wasdedicated to herfam‐ily andthe Catholic Church.Bernice andher husband George Tessier, Jr.,ran theTessier family business, (Ruby’sStock Farm) on HayneBlvd. in New OrleansEastfor many years.UponGeorge, Jr’s death,Bernice &her son George, IIImoved to Florida to live with her daughterSusan.She found joy in playingbingo, she was aregular bingoplayer atthe Elks &MooseLodges inand around theHolly‐wood,Florida area.Bernice issurvivedbyher sister CarleeLaffargue, niece Lynn(Kevin) Cahill, nephews:Kerry (Nathalie) Cahill,StevenMilitello and a greatniece Kallie Susan Cahill.Alsosurvivedbya hostofnieces, nephews, other relativesand friends. Precededindeath by her husband George August Tessier,Jr.,son George Au‐gustTessier,III, daughter Susan Tessier Kronberg, sisters:Eugenie Gabriel, Laura Guerchouxand brother John E. Guerchoux. Familyand friendsare in‐vited to aMassofChristian BurialatThe Boyd Family Funeral Home,5001 Chef Menteur HighwayonMon‐day,May 5, 2025,for 10:00 a.m.Visitationwillbegin at 9:00a.m.Interment will fol‐low at St.RochCemetery #2, NewOrleans,LA. Guestbook Online:www anewtraditionbegins.com (504) 282-0600. DonavinD Boydand Linear Brooks BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

Kathleen Shea Waltz passedawaypeacefully surrounded by familyon May 1, 2025, at theage of 83. Born to Jamesand Mar‐garet Shea Jr.onJanuary 12, 1942. Shegraduated fromSt. Joseph High School, classof1959. Kath‐leen liveda life full of love, family, travel,and laughter Shewas thelovingwifeof

Joseph Waltzfor 59 years, mothertoDanielWaltz (Tammy)andSuzanne Gau‐thier (Mark),Maw-Maw to Danielle Wehrlin(Korey) Sarah Gauthier,and Dylan Waltz (Mandie).Withthe newest addition to the family, shebecamea great grandma to Miles, andit gaveher no greaterjoy thantobesurrounded by family. To know herwas to knowsomeone who loved her plants,MickeyMouse, and abig bowl of ice cream before bed. Shewill bemissed dearly by all who knew andloved her. Visitationwillbeheldon Tuesday,May 6, 2025, at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church beginningat9AM withMasstofollowat 11AM. Burial to follow in the church cemetery.In lieuof ﬂowers, please con‐sider donating to St.Jude, something that Kathleen did oftenand careddeeply for

Whelan, Carol Scott

CarolScott Whelanmother, wife, daughter, sister,educator, and friend to allwho crossed her path -died in Lacombe, LA on April11, 2025

Shewas bornin1949to Don and Cornelia Scottin Oxford MA. Carolgrewup in Andover, MAand graduated from U. Mass. Amherst.After graduation in the summerof1971, Carol moved to New Orleans and began her teaching careerinthe Jefferson ParishSchools. Over thenext16yearsshe taughtinseveral West Bank Jefferson Parish Schools and servedasa counselor and testing administrator.While working in Jefferson,Carol was able to earn aMaster of Arts degree in Counseling anda Ph.D. in Educational Administrationat UNO. OneHalloween night at the Maple Leaf Bar she met a strange dude with ahalf

greenand half white painted face.In1985 Caroland Jim were married and togetherfor thenext forty years. In 1987 theWhelans moved to Lafayette where their son Alex was born, and Carolbegan anew career teaching in highereducationatUSL (nowULL). Her first teaching assignment included Computer Literacy which putCarolin theforefront of the new field of using computers in theclassroom. Three years laterCarol'swork expanded when she establishedthe Educational TechnologyReviewCenter at USL. Throughthis center Carol networked with educators, content experts, curriculum specialists, and informationtechnology developers across thestate and thecountry, developing newways to use technologyinthe classroom. A friend once called Carol a "PeopleWeaver" forher abilitytobring people togetherfor acommonpurpose. Her success in this new field and her abilityto workwiththe many different educational groups across thestate came to theattention of Superintendentof Education CecilPicard. He needed help selling an ambitiousproposal to thelegislature to providefunding fortechnologyinthe classroom toschools across the state. He calledonthe president of USL for help asking to borrowCarol for sixmonths to workonthis proposal.And these six months turnedinto spending thenext eight years in BatonRouge.First,she headed theLouisiana Center for Educational Technology (LaCET) which was established by the legislaturetodistribute, manage,and train educators with.2million in the initial funding foreducational technology. In 2003 she became the Assistant Superintendent of Educationfor Educational Technology, Professional Development, and Teacher Certification. Her most noteworthy success in this new position was to solve theteacher certificationproblem -a weeks to months long paper-shuffling procedure. With her tech savvy LaCET staff they builtanonline data base system where educatorssubmitted their information, and within a few days they received approval Carolleft Baton Rouge

and state level educational administrationinthe fallof 2004. By theNew Year she was readyfor something new and returnedtohigher education at Tulane working in theTeacher Preparation and CertificationProgram, and in 2005 theWhelans became emptynesters and moved to Lacombe At Tulane she taught Introduction to Education in aDiverse Society,an electiveopen to any student, that included tutoring studentsinpublic schools. Thismet the school's Public Service requirement and madeitattractivetomany students. Carol, thegreat collaborator, was immediately working withTulane students, theTulane Center forPublicService,and public-school teachersand principals, building anetworkofdifferent interest groups to learn and support each other. In 2010 one of herstudents brought Carol intoa working group establishing aSocial Innovationand Social Entrepreneurship program. Thisprogram expanded Carol's networktoother departmentsacross campusand to even morestudents and she soonreceived an endowed professorship. Thisprovided additional support forher to work with studentsdeveloping socially innovative projectsand to present their work at national and international meetings.

Carolnever met a stranger. Whether youmet her at aprofessional meeting or at thedelicounter in thegrocery store yousoon became fast friends. She was always within acircle of friends. In NewOrleans it was thecommunity living within thecompound of apartmentsalong Third St. They were famous for "Pot Luck Suppers" open to any and alland their legendary Halloweencos-

tume parties. TheWhelanswerea multi-generationalfamily in Lafayette withthe addition of Alex in 1987 and Carol's father, DonScott, in1988. Their circle of friends quicklyexpanded to includeAlex's playmates and their parents, colleagues, neighbors, and Don'sdancing partners from theseniorcenter. Les Freres Michot wasthe houseband, andyoung andold were on thedance floor for the Whelan's St Patrick'sDay Fais do-dos. Lacombe turned outto be an idealspot to cycle theTammany Trace Friends from NewOrleans, Lafayette, andBaton Rouge would join the Whelansfor arideto Mandeville,apot-luck lunchfollowed by abayou cruise.Moregoodtimes were shared withthe Lake Road Gangincluding the KreweofMis Fits' annual boat parade.Whilein Lacombe, Carol served on theCouncil on Aging forSt. TammanyParish (COAST) and played akey role in bringinga newCOAST Activity Centerto Lacombe. Carol waspreceded in death by herparents Don andCornelia Scott and four of hersisters--Mary, Connie,Judy,and Kathy Sheissurvivedbyher husband of fortyyears James Whelan and son Alexander Scott Whelan (Danielle Cavaliere Whelan). Carol experiencedthree differentcancers:breast cancer in 2012, leukemiain 2016-17, and soft tissue sarcoma 2023-2025. Throughout thesedifficult timesCarol wasableto maintainher joyful dispositionthroughthe love kindness and help of her friends andfamily. Our thanks to all whoshared thesetrying timeswith her for theirlove andsupport ACelebrationofCarol's Life will be held on May16, 2025 at 26363 Mildred Dr Lacombe from 3-6 PM.A

trendy boutique clothing andaccessoriesshops At theend of theday,treatyourselftoa feastfor dinner.Italian,Greek,Indian, freshLouisiana seafood—Metairie Road hasitall andmore. Ourfashion forwardfriends will also want to stop by Lakeside Shopping Center,located 12 minutesfromdowntownNew Orleans. As thelargest andmostfrequentedmallinthe metropolitan area,Lakesideand thesurrounding streetshave much to offer visitors. Scoopupsome sweetdeals andtop it off with an iced boba tea from Kung Fu Teaora sugar-free indulgence from Todd’s Frozen Yogurt.You’llleave lookingand feelingglamourous!

Asthe next-doorneighbortothe worldclass city of NewOrleans,JeffersonParishdoesnot dare to show up to theparty empty-handed.Whether it be shopping,dining, or an adrenalinerushyou areseeking,JeffersonParish’sofferings keep the good timesrolling Forajam-packedweekend of adventure, head to theWestbank! Just a15-minute driveand you canimmerse yourself in theelectricgreen of thecypress groves as youzoomthrough Bayou Segnette on oneofthe many airboattourofferings in theparish. If soakinginthe curiositiesofthe swamps at aleisurely pace is more your speed, checkout aswamp boat tour or theBarataria Preserve nature trails.Thiscolorfultapestryof wetlands is sure to give yougoosebumpsasyou spot an abundanceofalligators, Spanishmoss, and blue herons,along theway.For alistofairboat and swamptours availableinthe area,check out: www visitjeffersonparish.com/things-to-do/swampand-plantation-tour/ Bookingacabin in BayouSegnetteState Park is anothergreatway to breakout of theeveryday routineofcitylifeand relaxinthe naturalbeauty of theestuaries.Spend theday fishing, hiking,or canoeing with lovedones, andinthe eveningwatch thesunsetfromthe dock.Asduskrolls in,enjoy the nightlyperformanceoffireflies accompaniedbya chorus of frogsand cicadas. Formoreinformation or to make reservations,visit:www.lastateparks. com/parks-preserves/bayou-segnette-state-park. Whileyou’reonthe Westbank,takethe meaning of friendlycompetition to thenextlevel at NOLA MotorsportsPark. Kick up some dust by racing through30-acresofgokarttrack at 45 MPHor challengefriends to around of mini golf at NOLA Motorsports’ latest offering—Throttle &Swing This all-in-one social experience includes abar andcoffee bar, craftpizza options, andarcade games, alongwithan18-hole mini golf course Forinformation on pricingand hours, checkout: https://nolamotor.com/. If tameradventuresare callingyourname, a trip down thepicturesque Metairie Road will have youentertained allday.Catch themorning gloryofLongueVue House& Gardensand enjoy brunch at theiconicRubySlipper or Blue Line Sandwich Co.Grabalatte from MoxieCoffee & Espressobeforechecking outthe assortment of

Nothingcan quitecompare to thesunsets onecan witnessoverLakePontchartrain,and JeffersonParishhas milesofwell-kept lakeside trackfor walkersand cyclists.For agreat view visitBucktownHarborParkwhich features a new1,000-footboardwalk.Kenner’sLaketown

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Waltz, Kathleen Shea

-Brenton F.

La.woodpelletindustrygrowing

Controversialbusinessgives landowners hope

BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer

Glen Melton gazes uponhis towering row of green spires,a tractof conifer forest about 20 miles south of the Arkansas border

Fifty years after receiving a small plotoftimberland from his uncle, the 73-year-old veterinary surgeon now owns more than 2,000 acresacross northern Louisiana.

On acloudless April day,he waxed on the merits of sustainable forestry before giving abrief les-

St.Tammany OKsbond proposition forschools

BY BOBWARREN and WILLIE SWETT Staff writers

St. Tammany Parish voters gave athumbs-up Saturday to a $325 million school projects bond proposition, and aseparate bond proposition for Slidell Memorial Hospital was also on its way tobeing approved. Returns Saturdaynight showed the school district’sbond proposition passing with 56% of thevote, with two of 170 precinctsstillout. A$51.5million bond issuefor Slidell Memorial, meanwhile, was passing with 52% of the vote with 77 of 79 precinctscounted as of 10 p.m.

The school system’sbond proposal was the lone parishwide issue on the ballot in St. Tammany It sought voter permission for the district to issue $325 million in bonds to cover projects at 23 of the district’s55schoolsand to createanew health care/STEM campus near the technical college in Lacombe.

son on timber economics.

“Does money grow on trees?” he asked. The way he looks at it,yes just in small increments over time, like any conservative investment.

In fact, the Louisianaforestry industry contributes more than $14 billiontothe state’seconomy each year,making it the largest agricultural sector in the state.

But lately,margins have been thin, Meltonsaid, and the once-thriving timber market in hissmall town of Bastrop has shrunk to ahandful of options.

“I hate to see timberlandthat’s idle,” he said. Now,agrowing renewable energy industry offers ahopeful alternative for landowners likeMelton Attracted by vastswaths of privately owned forestland, bioenergy companies are building facilities in theSouth to manufacture wood pellets.Millionsoftons of the biomass arethenshipped to Europe and Asia, where they are burned for industrial-scaleelectricity

In Louisiana —a stategrowing 70% more trees than it harvests

—foresterssee thenew industry as astabilizing force against volatile pulp and papermarkets anda lifeline for shrinking rural communities.

“Wehave to keep the momentum going,”said Buck Vandersteen, executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association. “This keeps people in rural areas. It keeps them closer to home…gives them good, high-paying jobs.”

DrivenbyEuropean Union mandates to reducegreenhouse gases linkedtoclimate change, the value of Louisiana’swood pellet exports have jumped from nearly nothing in 2018 to over $800 million in 2023, basedondata from the LSU Agri-

cultural Center Skeptics, including environmental advocacy groups, argue the energy is neither clean nor renewable,despite the industry marketing itself as such. They also say the subsidy-dependent industry won’tsurvive once key policies in Europe expire as early as 2027. About a10-minute drive from Melton’splot, logging trucks dump loads of sawdust, wood chippings and“roundwood,” or young trees, at awood pellet manufacturing facility in MorehouseParishowned by the Drax Group.

FEST WISHES

Weddingsinthe Gospel Tent unitemusic-loving couples

BY JOSEPH CRANNEY Staffwriter

By an almost surreal, historically closemargin,Orleans Parish voters appeared to hand SheriffSusan Hutson ahuge reprieve Saturday approving what Hutson described for months as acritical renewal of atax that funds around afifth of the jail’sbudget. The renewal of the decade-old Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office millage passed by just two votes, after more than 25,400 votes were counted, accordingtounofficial results. Hutson’smeasure had12,715 “yes” votes, with 12,713 voting against. Themillage required asimplemajority of 50% of the vote,plus one, to pass, so Hutson wonwithasingle vote to spare,surelymaking it virtually the closest election in Orleans Parish’shistory.

The Sheriff’s Ofﬁce projects that the tax, once election results are finalized, would continuecollectingaround$13.1 millionayear, or N.O.

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Just aminute or two after theShades of Praise choir ﬁnished their rousing set at the NewOrleans Jazz&Heritage Festival Gospel Tent Friday,anannouncer took to the microphone to broadcastthe news. “There’ssomething very special getting ready to happen,” theannouncer said. “Today,wehave awedding.”

With that, ajoyous shrieking erupted under thebig whitetent. Jazz Fest weddings are athing. They symbolize acouple’s bone-deep devotion to the annual music, food and arts festival. Buttheyalsovalidatethe same festival faithfulness in all who bear witness to them. As applause crescendoed, thebride, Taylor Turkmen,climbed the wooden

stairs andstrode onto the stage,resplendentinawhitelinen summer gown and running shoes

She was followedbyher betrothed, RyanMilligan, in awhite linen shirt, pale olive shorts andﬂip-ﬂops. Milligan’sthree kids, Parker,Reynolds and Ansley,stood close by.Ansley carried abouquet.

Kerner wins councilseat; taxrenewalspass

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Ayoungsmall-town mayor will represent more than 90,000 JeffersonParish residents from GretnatoGrand Isle after winninga heated race for the open JeffersonParish Council District1 post Timothy KernerJr.,the 34-year-old Republican mayor ofJean Laﬁtte, won 56% of the votesSaturday over Andrea Manuel, a Gretna Democrat. Also on the ballot were three propertytax renewals for drainage, recreation and libraries that allpassed. Voterturnout was about 28%. Kerner will represent residents fromGretna, Terrytown, Laﬁtte, Crown Point,Estelle, Barataria,

GrandIsle andparts of Harvey and Marrero Kerner became mayor of Jean Lafitte in 2020 after his father, Timothy Kerner Sr resigned from the seat to become a state representative after serving seven terms in the ofﬁce. KernerJr. wasthe third in his family to lead thecoastal town of about 1,800 people. Kerner alsoworks as an attorney and real estate agentand servesonthe Lafitte Area IndependentLevee District Board. He previously ran forthe state Senate in 2023, losing that race to state Sen. Patrick Connick. Districtcouncil membersearn an annual salary of about$87,000, and each controls millions of dollars in discretionary funds.

Jefferson Parish also asked voterstorenew property taxes of six mills forthe drainage department, 10 mills forthe recreation department and 6.5 millsfor thelibrary system. The millages make up morethan 90%ofthe operatingbudgets for recreation andlibraries, and45% of thedrainage budget. Without them, the parish said it would have had

The vote comes after several local millages have failed, including arenewalfor theWestJefferson Levee District millage in March and anew tax to fund teacher pay raises. Political observers attribute the recent opposition to economic uncertainty brought on by apotential trade war,aswell as frustration with policymakers on the state and federal levels. Kerner ranona platformofattracting young families back to the West Bank through promises like expanding incentive programs for

STAFFPHOTO By DOUGMacCASH

Taylor Turkmen slips awedding ring onto the finger of her groom, Ryan Milligan, during theirJazz Fest Gospel Tent weddingonFriday

See WOOD, page 2B

The couple’sfriend, Jade Duplessis, who works in the oil industry,recently got ordained speciﬁcally to conduct Friday’s ceremony.Which she did,withouthesitation.

Time was of the essence, after all. The next act would soon arrive in the wings.

Cathedralofthe Jazz Festival

Connie Fitch calls theGospel Tent the “Cathedral of the Jazz Festival.” She and her husband, Dwight, have managedthe venue for 15 years.

The Gospel Tent —officially the Gospel Tent presented by Morris Bart —stages eight choir and sacred music acts per day In 2025, that’s64shows. “Weline ’emup, we keep everythinginorder,get ’em on stage, and get’em down,” Fitch said.

Plus, there are the weddings. Three to ﬁve marriage ceremonies take place every year,Fitch said. They happen between acts, and they can’tlast more than eight minutes.

The Gospel Tent crowd loves the ceremonies. “When the minister says ‘I now pronounce you man and wife,’ they go nuts,” Fitch said. “It’ssomuch fun,” she said, “and it’sa real wedding,everythingislegal, there’s an ordained minister,a license, the whole nine.”

Why do people want to get married on the Gospel Tent stage? Well, Fitch said, “because Jazz Fest is their favorite thing to do all year.”

An ‘insane’ bargain

And, though it’sprobably crass to mention it, aJazz Fest wedding is economical.“Peoplespend thousands, and thousands and thousands of dollars” on weddings, Fitch said. “Wedoitfor free.No charge.”

Taylor Turkmen said the fact that the whole affair is free “is insane.”

But the bargain price wasn’tthe reasonthe couple chose the venue. Turkmen, 32, and Milligan, 42, couldn’tbemuch more New Orleans. She’sanUrsulineAcademy girl. He’saBrother Martin High Schoolboy.Theymet workingat awine and spirits distributor, and they “fell in love in the French Quarter,” Turkmen said. They’ve been making regular pilgrimages to the Jazz Fest since 2019.

Though they considered other wedding options, getting hitched at the fest “felt more like us,” Turkmen said.

Inviting friends and family to attend aJazz Fest wedding is complicated by the fact that guests have to pay to get in. “Wejust said, ‘Come if you want,’”Turkmen said.

About 100 people said they’d be there forthe big day.Turkmen and Milligan arranged for everyone in the entourage to receive matching sunglasses and bubbleguns. Postdiluvian weddingplans

It’sunclear when, in the halfcentury history of Jazz Fest,weddings began takingplace in the Gospel Tent. But we can be sure the custom was established at least 19 years ago, because that’s when Lori Lorandoand Keith Durham tied the knot in theCathedral of the Jazz Festival.

In an act of unparalleled romanticism, Durham proposedto Lorando in the line for the plastic outhouses. “He says, ‘I think we should get married,’ ”Lorando glowingly recalled. Someone immediately suggested they get married at Jazz Fest. That wasin2005. Withina few months, Hurricane Katrina, and the subsequent failure of the federal levee system, changed everything. Lorando and Durham were

ﬂooded out, lost all they had, and ended up staying with her brother in New Mexico.

But, as soon as the couplegot word that the Jazz Fest was comingback in 2006, they contacted thefestival organizers andasked if it was still possible to be wed duringthe event. “They told us, ‘Ifyou’re willingtocome here, yes,’”Lorando recalled.

‘Oh, yesIdo’

It became more than amere wedding. It became“abig family reunion andthe greatest dayof my life,” Lorando said Lorandosaidthatshe andDurham aren’tthe churchy type, so thefest found aminister for them. “They had microphones for us. We feltlike rock stars,” shesaid

The whole ceremony took about 31/2 minutes, Lorando said. The crowd was especially charmed when Durham answered that most importantquestion, “Do you take this woman to be your wife?,” with an emphatic “Oh, yes Ido.”

Afterward, someone from the choir that performedbefore the weddinggave thecouple slices of celebratory Bundtcake.

Honestly,Lorando said, neither she norher husband of almost two decades can remember the date they were wed, so they just celebrate their anniversary on thesecondweekendofJazz Fest, whenever that falls.

Music, culture, faith, community Turkmen and Milliganstood facing oneanotherFriday in the same spot where IrmaThomas wouldsing to the heavens afew hourslater

Foranyone who knew thecouple,Duplessistold the assembled guests and fans,itwould be clear thatthe Jazz Fest’s GospelTent indicated “their sharedlove of the vibrant culture of New Orleans.” It was aplace “where music, culture, faith andcommunity were all intertwined,” she said.

At the end of Duplessis’sbrief comments, thecouple exchanged vows,rings and kisses. As theaudience ofhundreds raised their voicesinapproval, Milligan slung Turkmen off her feet and into his embrace,à la “Dancingwiththe Stars.”

Now it was time to vamoose.

After thecouple were ofﬁcially husband and wife, they quickly exitedstage left and descended the stairs.

Taylor Turkmen Milliganﬂung her arms into the air, as if she were signalingatouchdown, then displayed herringfor alltoadmire. Milligan said the wedding hadbeen everything he hoped “and more.”

Swarmed by scores of family members and friends,the couple was off to the Fair Groundsinﬁeld

They spentthe afternoon dancingatthe festival stagetoWayne Toups,The Wailersand Luke Combs,“amongstour favorite people, with sunglasses, bubbles and endless laughter,”the bride wrote via text. There was anotherwedding scheduled for Saturday

Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate.com. Follow him on Instagram at dougmaccash, on Twitter at Doug MacCash and on Facebook at Douglas James MacCash.

COUNCIL

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VanVrancken and Scott Walker, as well as Lt. Gov.Billy Nungesser and Grand Isle Mayor David Carmardelle.

The council seat opened up late last year when Marion Edwards announced his retirement less thana year into his second term,which he won unopposed in 2023.

Ricky Templet, aDistrict1 and atlarge council member from 2012-23, announcedhis bid to replace Edwardsalmost immediately, followed by Kerner and,midway through qualifying, Manuel, aSpanish language educator and life coach.

Despite being the establishment favoriteand raising the mostcampaign funds, Templet placed third in the primary and was knocked out of the race. Manuel led the primary, withKerner 74 votes behind her In the wakeofthe primary,some elected ofﬁcials and political inﬂuencers in Gretna who had supported Templet saidKerner’scomments

SCHOOLS

Continuedfrom page1B

In its pitchtovoters,the school district pledgedtodivide the bond proceeds this way:

n $251 million for school improvements.

n $32 millionfor technology and securitypurchases and upgrades, including$10.5 milliontoswapout old Chromebooks

n $30 million for the new science and health carelearning center

n $12 million for new school bus-

es Going into the election, school district officials had expressed conﬁdence that the measurewould receive theblessing of voters. They noted the importance of maintaining school facilities for the more

SHERIFF

Continuedfrom page1B

roughly 20% of OPSO’s operating budget.

“I want to thankevery voter, supporter,and advocatewho took the timetolearnthe facts and understand what the Safe and Strong Communities Millage meansfor ourcommunity,” Hutson saidina statement, which didn’taddress the vote’sextremely thin margin.

“Thisrenewal is more than just continued funding. It is areafﬁrmation of our shared commitment to buildinga stronger, safer,and morejust Orleans Parish,” Hutson added.

Hutson’sproposalwas endorsed by the independent Bureau of Governmental Researchand hadthe support of Hutson’sopponentsin

WOOD

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The company,based in the United Kingdomand publicly valuedat more than $2 billion, owns seven such facilitiesinthe South,including asimilar operation in LaSalle Parish, and adozen more in Canada.

Often dubbed by both critics and proponents as the“bottomfeeders” of the forestry industry,Drax andmost wood pellet manufacturers source much of theirfeedstock from the leftover residues of sawmills or forest cleanups thatotherwise would go to waste. Abouthalf of therest at Drax’s plants come from low-value roundwood from first thinnings —the fraction of trees in young foreststhat arecut down to reduce competition for nutrients and sunlight.

aboutthe city shook their ability to trust him. Kerner had criticized how previous leadersspent public dollarsinthe district, saying thattoo much money went to Gretna over unincorporated areas.

Manuel’s rise

Manuel’scandidacy ramped up in the past month,and District3 council memberByronLee —the only Black member andloneDemocrat on the council —worked closely with Manuel on her campaign. She would have been the first Black council member forher district, ahistoric shift in representation for adiversifying district that is 36% Black, 17%Hispanicand 39% White.

Amemberofthe JeffersonParish Democratic Executive Committee, she collected endorsements from local, state andfederal leaders, includingU.S.Rep.Troy Carter,State Sen. Royce Duplessis and Marion Edwards.

She toldvoters she hoped to combatcoastal erosion with the CoalitiontoRestoreCoastal Louisiana

than 36,000 students and said votershad approvedseveral previous bond issues for ahost of constructionwork.

But realizing that no proposition is asure thing, school leadersled by Superintendent Frank Jabbia made the rounds, pitching the plan to various civic groups and government agencies.

School ofﬁcials also stressed that paying off the bond issue would notrequirenew taxes.The bonds will be backedbyrevenue from an existing 13.7-mill property tax that doesn’t expire for another 15 years.

Theschool districthas gone to voters several times to issue bonds backed by this tax. The most recent was in 2019, whenvoters approved a$175 millionincapitalimprovements. Meanwhile, voters in the hospital district that includesLacombe,

this year’ssheriff’s race. But in the weeks leading to Saturday’sotherwisesleepyround of municipalelections, the OPSO millage became the targetofa mysterious misinformation campaign, with “NoNew Taxes” signs cropping up around the city imploring residents to vote no. The signs were misleading because the tax has existed for more than adecade and renewing it wouldn’tcause anyone’staxes to go up. The signs also don’tdisclose who made them.

Hutson quickly planted her own “Not aNew Tax!” signs and did a round of interviews, trying to clear the record.

One sign that the spread of misinformation did have an impact: Hutson’smillage lost among early voters, though it was by atiny margin.

“No New Taxes” signs cropped up around the city in the days beforeearlyvoting startedonApril

EarthJustice in the 2010s,with Drax taking the worst of the ﬂack.

In 2020, the company paid $2.5 millioninﬁnesfor violations at its plantinGloster, Mississippi, after testing revealed it released three timesthe legal threshold of aclass of pollutants, includingcarcinogens such as formaldehyde.

“They were basicallylying throughtheir teethabout what theiremissions were,” said Patrick Anderson,anattorney who worked with the Environmental Integrity Project on theinitial settlement cases against Drax. Soon, the predominantly Black town became a poster child for environmental racismafter aBrown University health survey revealed widespread respiratory issues there.

In Louisiana, Drax paid thestate $3.2 million in pollution-related settlements forits twoplants.

and state leaders, incentivize new business on the West Bank, and bolster local law enforcement agencies.

She also ran political advertisements accusing Kerner of wanting to cutparish funds for the Gretna Police Department, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’sOfﬁce and Christmas lights in the city,which he denied. But Manuel’scampaign faltered at times.AManuelcampaign mailer includeda false endorsement from interim council member Joe Marino, whodeclined to makean endorsementfor either candidate after casting his support to Templet.

The Parish Council race was Manuel’ssecond attempt to win an elected ofﬁce. She ran forthe state House of Representatives in 2023 and cameinsecond to Rep. Vincent Cox III. Kerner’svictoryinthe Jefferson Parish Council race leaves the top position in Jean Laﬁtte up for grabs. The Town Council will appoint an interim mayorinthe short term untila special election can be held forKerner’sreplacement.

Slidell andthe eastern part of the parish approved Slidell Memorial Hospital’srequest fora$51.5 million bond issue.

The money generated will cover several projects: anew pediatric and primary care outpatient center,upgrades and expansions to the women and infants center,cancer careclinic andemergency room, as well as additional parking.

Hospitalofficials argued the propositionwould significantly expand services available in the Slidell area. They also said it would reduce thepropertytax rate from 6.75 mills to 5.99 mills because the tax’sexpiration date would be pushed from 2041 to 2045.

Voters last approved abond issue for acapital project for Slidell Memorial Hospital in April2021 for the hospital’sthree-story surgical tower

19. Hutson planted her own signs about aweek later,when early voting ended.

Early and absentee ballots went 51% to 49% opposed, adifference of about230 votes. Hutson performed slightly better on election day,unofficial returns showed. Overall turnout wasjust under 10%, according to the Louisiana Secretary of State’sOffice. The dramatic results Saturday come toward the endofHutson’s rockyfirst term, during which she faced criticismsfor her spending of public money and was accused by twoformer topdeputiesofretaliation.

Hutson also suffered an embarrassing defeat at the polls the last time she asked voters to approve a millage in 2023.

That proposal, which would have doubled aseparate tax collected by OPSO,receivedjust9%ofthe vote

Lifeline forBastrop

At the center of Bastrop is asporting goods store that doubles as alocally sourced burger joint. Over lunch, Melton is interrupted by just about everyone who walks through thedoor,atestamenttothe closeknit charm he said drew him back to rural Louisiana after graduating from LSU’sveterinary school in the 1970s.

“There’s good people everywhere, and there’ssorry people everywhere,” he said. The difference in Bastrop, he added, is thatyou can’t fake it

“Here,we’ve only got two viable markets for that ﬁrst thinning,”said Melton, the timberland owner.“One is Drax,the other is apaper mill in Monroe.”

Butproponents say the industry is improving its emissions-control technology,and Draxnoted it selfreports third-party testing of emissions to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality.

Across the street is avacantlot, the former site of an International Paper mill. When the facility shuttered in 2008, thetown of nearly 12,000 suffered. After supplying wood to the pulp andpaper industry forover acentury,Bastrop soon saw rail lines fall silent, abandoned timber equipment littered acrossits roadsand, since2008, almost aquarter of itspopulation leave.

Afterthewoodisdumped,conveyor belts transport it to ahammermill that beatsitdownintosmall,uniform chips, while achipperstrips intact logs of their bark. That bark is usedtoheat thechips at 1,800 degrees in agiant rotating drum, drying the wood fromits natural 50%moisture to around 10%. After more beating androtating, rollers push the chips through pellet-sized holes like Play-Doh, creating aﬁnal productthatresembles dogfood.

The effort,said BradMayhew,vice presidentofthe company’sSouthern operations, is to maximize the wood’scaloric density.

“We’retrying to put as much energy as we can on the ship,”hesaid during atour of the facility. Environmentalconcerns

The process ﬁrst drewscrutiny from environmental groups like

“Dothey hit road bumps from time to time?Absolutely,” Vandersteen, of theLouisianaForestry Association, said. “Since then, we have notheard anything negative.”

Drax has since installed additional thermal oxidizerstoburn mostof the exhaust but continues to exceed limits set by its air emission permits, including those for mercury and methane. The state environmental departmentisconsidering whether to designate thecompany a“major source” under Louisiana’s air toxics program, which would trigger stricterpollution controls for itspellet plants.

“Wehave ongoing permit update processesacross our U.S. operations, and we continue to workwith regulators to ensure we have the most appropriate permitsand operatecompliantly,” saidMichelli Martin, aspokesperson forDrax

“You can say we lost our tax base, lost 550 jobs, andyes we did,” Melton said. “But thebiggest loss wasour intellectual capital.Welost folks that were interested in running forpolitical ofﬁce, PTA, volunteering at the hospital.Those types of folks that are oftentimes theglue that holds the community together.”

“When you put everything into onecompany,and thatcompany closes, it’sdevastating,” said Kay King, CEO of Morehouse Economic Development for the past 20 years. “Wewere scrambling to try to ﬁgure outwhattodo.” With just over 80 employees and not using fully grown trees, Drax hasn’tﬁlled the void left by International Paper,she said, but it has prevented amuch worse exodus. The company contributes nearly $60 milliontothe parish’sgross domestic product and sponsors local charities, festivalsand literacy programs.

JacobSchoen

Bucher,Joseph

Mayer, Linda Albert,Cynthia Lake Lawn Metairie Batiste, Paul

Dinkins,Dorothy Albert,Cynthia Dubroc,Sandra Stewart, Hazel Fontova,Humberto River Parish Garvin,Patrick HC Alexander Gauthreaux, June Waltz,Kathleen Klein, Sandra Batiste, Paul Andrea

Wednesday, April23, 2025. She is survived by herson Stephen WayneAlbert, grandsonStephen Kenneth Albertand awealthof close cousinsand friends. She is preceded in death byher parentsHarry Albert & ClaraFredrickAlbertand a host of Aunts, Uncles and severalcousins that havegoneontorestin glory.Relatives andFriends ofthe Family areall invited toattend theFuneralSer‐viceonTuesday,May 6, 2025, at 10:00am at Christ‐ian UnityBaptist Church 1700 ContiSt. NewOrleans Louisiana 70112. Visitation willbegin at 9:00am.Burial willbeprivate.Profes‐sionalArrangementsEn‐trusted to Majestic Mortu‐ary Service, Inc. (504)5235872.

death by his parents,Philip BlappertSr. and Claire Blappert; as well as his sister, Marilyn Reso.

Relativesand friends are invited to attenda memorial gathering in the eventcenter of Lake Lawn MetairieFuneral Home 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd in NewOrleans,onThursday, May8,2025, from 10 AM to 12 PM. Philip will be laidto rest in Lake LawnParkimmediately afterwards.

BlakeJr.,August Blappert,Philip Blappert,Philip Fontova,Humberto Brown, Joyce Klein, Sandra Bucher,Joseph O'Brien, Margaret Cook, Susan Sterne,Sylvia Coulon, Gregory Majestic Mortuary Brown, Joyce Bergeron

donationsmay be made to theAngelman Syndrome Foundation. ACelebration of Life for herwill be announcedthroughsocial media.

Bucher,JosephH.

St Tammany

Knight,Ethel Audubon Koine, Susan Lacoste, Jody McCloud, Harold La Rocca, Joyce Bagnell Son Latshaw, Jayne Dubroc,Sandra Lozano,Angelle EJ Fielding Maier, Margaret Garvin,Patrick Martin,Elizabeth Koine, Susan Mayer, Linda West Bank McCloud, Harold Robinson FH Miller, Barry Martin,Elizabeth Moncada, Jose Neal,Helen Neal,Helen Templet,Anne O'Brien, Margaret West Leitz-Eagan Pate,Venny Gauthreaux, June Pepin, Jean Obituaries Sterne,Sylvia Stewart, Hazel Albert,Cynthia Elaine

Strickland, Charles

Templet,Anne

Tessier,Bernice

Waltz,Kathleen

Whelan,Carol

EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Coulon, Gregory

La Rocca, Joyce

LA Muhleisen

Cook, Susan

Tharp Funeral Home

BlakeJr.,August

NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Tessier,Bernice

DW Rhodes

Dinkins,Dorothy

Gertrude Geddes

Pepin, Jean

Greenwood

Maier, Margaret

CynthiaElaineAlbert was born on February 16 1949, to thelovingunion of Harry Albert (deceased) and ClaraFredricks Albert (deceased). Shewas raised inUptownNew Orleansas wellasspendingher for‐mativeyears in the7th Ward. AgraduateofJoseph S.Clark High School,she wentontograduatefrom XavierUniversitywitha degreeinChemistry.Em‐ploymentwithDow Chemi‐cal hadCynthia ﬁnd anew homeinMidland,Michi‐gan.Where sheput her own stamp on life and began herown family, with the birthofher son(1980) Through themanychanges oflife, shefound herself backinNew Orleansto carefor herparents as well asraise herson.Onlyto havetoreturntoMidland, MIduringa post Katrina era (2006).Seeingher fam‐ily grow yetagain with the birth of hergrandson (2011),she wasabletore‐locatebacktoNew Orleans (2016),where shespent the remainderofher life surrounded with family, friends,and acommunity thatloved &cherished her. Cynthia wascalledhome to be with theLordon

Paul AndreaBatiste was born on December 18, 1949, in NewOrleans, Louisiana, the3rd son to John Jeffery Jean-Batisteand Estella Batiste.Pauldeparted this earthly domainonApril 25, 2025. He is preceded in death by his loving parents. Through decadesof collaboration, mentorship, andshared passion, Paul and hisbrothers notonly enriched themusical tapestryofNew Orleans butalso solidified the Batiste name as asymbol of familial unity and cultural excellence. Paul is alegend notonlyinthe city of NewOrleans butaround theworld. Left to cherish his memory are his loving partner of 43 years, Debbie Butler; 3children, Arkette Michele Baptiste of Dallas Texas,TangyWashington Williams (Patrick) of Chicago,IL, and Travis Andre Jean Batiste (Adrienne) of RiverRidge LA;5 grandchildren, Patrick D. Williams, Jr., Nicholus M. Williams, Giovanni Elijah Paul Batiste,Gianna Andrea NicoleBatiste, Gian Paul Batiste; and thefluffiest Grand-Cat Whiskey Bluez Baptiste; Brothers John Jeffery Batiste, Jr.(Gayle; Shirin) of California,David Batiste, Michael Batiste (Kathy), Peter Batiste, James Batiste (Naomi) of Denver, Colorado,and Thomas Batiste of Studio City, California; and host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, students, and musiciansall over theworld. Relatives and friendsof thefamily are allinvited to attend hisCelebrationof Life Service on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, 12:00PM,atSt. KatherineDrexel Chapel (XavierUniversity), 3932 Pine St, NewOrleans, LA 70125. Visitation willbe held from 11:00AMuntil thehour of service Interment Private. Please visit www.pfsneworleans.com forFull Obituary, to Sign Guestbook,and/orOrder Flowers. Services Entrusted to: Professional Funeral Services "Celebrating Life"1449 N. Claiborne Ave. New Orleans, LA 70116, 504-9487447.

August Joseph"Junior" Blake Jr age94, passed away peacefully on April 21, 2025, at home in Metairie,withhis wife of 72 years, Faith Rohr Blake, by his side. Aproud Marine, Junior served from 1949-1951, rising to therank of Master Sergeant as an Aircraft Reciprocating Engine Mechanic. He later earned theFAA Charles Taylor Master MechanicAward for over 50 years of service in aviation maintenance. Alicensed pilot and mechanic, Junior also operated agas station,worked as aprofessional diver, worked in Mosquito Controlfor theCity of NO, and studiedengineeringat Tulane University, earning hisbachelor's degree in 1980. He and Faith were wellknown Cajun dancers, performing even intotheir late 80s, dancing withtourists at Mulate's in New Orleans. He also loved horses, pets, parades, parties, and family gatherings. He is survivedbyhis wife Faith, granddaughter BrittanyAldridge (Gabriel), great-granddaughter Ruby Aldridge, niece Sheree Kernerand great-nephew Daniel Lane, his caregivers, and nieces Amberlyand Bailey Stuart.Hewas preceded in death by his daughter Susan Blake Adamson.

Although he was interned with militaryhonors, he wished no service. Our gratitudegoes out to theVAcare team, Serenity Hospice, theirhome health aideswho cared forthem, and his good friend Phil Nuss.Arrangements entrusted to TharpFuneral Home.Expressionsoflove and sympathy may be viewedand placed at www.tharpcares.com.

Philip A. Blappert passed away on April 28, 2025, at theage of 78. He was born in NewOrleans on July4,1946 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He graduated fromSt. Aloysius HighSchool in NewOrleans and Louisiana StateUniversity in Baton Rouge. WhileatLSU, he joined their band and was in theAcaciaFraternity. After college,hebecame an entrepreneur and started hisown polygraphy business. In his free time, he enjoyed cruisinginthe Caribbean and spending time in Saint Croix with his wife.

He is survivedbyhis wife of 56 years, Lyndel BirdBlappert;sons, Troy Blappert and Dr. Bradley Blappert;grandchildren, Christopher, Isabella, Alexander, Abigail, and HarrisonBlappert

Philip was preceded in

To view andsignthe familyguestbook, please visit lakelawnmetairie.com

Joyce Loretta Bergeron Brown passedawayon April 26, 2025 in Mandeville,Louisiana, at theage of 86. Born on February 7, 1939, in NewOrleans,Joyce graduatedfromEast JeffersonHigh School in 1957. After raisingher two children, she pursued a newcallingand began training to become aregistered nurse at theage of 40. Shededicated 26 years of compassionateservice to East JeffersonHospital andher patientsbeforeretiringatthe age of 66. Even in retirement, Joyce continuedtocare for othersbyvolunteeringfor several years at Pontchartrain Nursing Center.Asa final testament to herservice to others, she unselfishly donated herremains for purposes of medical education andresearch Joyce moved to Mandeville in 1995, where she embraced an active lifestyle and maintaineda youthfulspirit.She was an avidtennisplayerwho captained numerous teams, and acompetitive skier whoearned several medals- once even being namedthe fastest woman in thestateofLouisiana forher age group! She enjoyed long walks along the lakeshore andstayed fit at thehealthclub. Shealso enjoyed travelingthroughoutthe country with her loving soulmate James Criswell of thelast 26 years, mostly in acamper, andthroughout several countriesinEurope. She wasa huge fan of theNew OrleansJazz Fest. Shewas predeceased by herparents,George and Laura Bergeron,her older brotherGeorge Bergeron, andher older sister Dorothy Mendel Joyce is survivedby JamesCriswell, herson Frank S. Brown III andhis wife Simonette;her daughterJan Brown Green, and James's son Jason;and her grandchildrenHunter Paul Brown,NicholasGreen, Jennifer Green,Jennifer RobertsGill(andboyfriend Seth Webb), JuliaRoberts Delcambreand herhusbandTyler Delcambre; and hergreat grandchild Elise Louise Delcambre. Shealso leaves behind numerousfriends, cousins, nieces, andnephews who will remember herwith love Joyce's legacy of resilience, generosity, and vitality lives on in all who knew her. Mayher memory bringcomfort andinspiration to those she touched. In honor of Joyce's life,

Joseph H. Bucher,a re‐tired administratoratthe New OrleansDockBoard, diedonMardi Gras Day, March 4, 2025, of sepsis and complicationsfroma burst brainaneurysmhe sufferedin2007 that left him physically incapaci‐tated forthe rest of hislife. Joe wasborninLima, Ohio onDecember6,1950. He was 74. Joeissurvivedby his belovedwifeKathryn Lichtenberg;his mother Sue DeKemper;his two brothers, Jeff andJay and their wives, respectively, Kelly andKim;and his nephewand niece, Jay’s children, Colton andBailey. Joe waspredeceased by his father,George, and Jeff’sson,Ryan. No list of Joe Bucher’s survivors could fairlybelimited to those of hisblood butab‐solutelyincludeshis large array of intenselyloyal friends,someofwhomhe keptintouch with from his elementaryand highschool days in Louisville, Kentucky. Others,hemet duringhis twoyears at Georgia Tech.Later,he struckuprelationships withconstructioncowork‐ers he knew in theearly 1970s in andaround Whitesburg,Georgia.Many otherswerepeoplefrom various walksoflifewith whomJoe formed lasting bonds after he movedto New Orleansin1975. In the lastweeksofhis life,Joe toldhis brotherJay that "thereisnothing more im‐portant than agreat friend" andthathis new year’sresolutionfor 2025 was to call allofhis friends whether they were nearby inNew Orleansorspread widelyelsewhere.ofThe simpleformula forunder‐standingJoe’s largecircle offriends wasthatonce you became hisfriend, you werehis friend forlife. His eagerness to sharehis love offamilyand friendswas perhaps chiefamong his manyvirtues.Fierceevi‐dence of familyloyalty manifesteditselfearly in Joe’s life.His brotherJeff, three yearsJoe’s junior,re‐members that whenthey werechildren, Joewas his protector,a role Joeem‐bracedwhenthe neighbor‐hood bullytargetedJeff. The school-yardpunk barelylandeda punchon JeffbeforeJoe arrivedina whirlwind of righteous fury, pummeledthe delin‐quent anddrove himoff sheddinga coward’s tears. His familyloyalty contin‐ued throughout hislife. When Joe’snephew, Ryan graduated from high school in California,he cametoNew Orleansand lived with Joeand Kathy; and while attendingcol‐lege, he pursuedhis dream ofacareer in theairline in‐dustry. Joeand Ryan adoredeachother; laughed at thesamejokes; ﬁnished each others’sen‐tences; andloved thesame moviesand TV shows which they watchedto‐getherinthe evenings after work in theliving room of thehouse on Gar‐net Street.After Ryan’s death in 2017, Joewould wakeupfroma deep sleep and report that Ryan had just been therewithhim

Blake Jr., August Joseph

Blappert, PhilipA

4B ✦ Sunday, May4,2025 ✦ nola.com

The Times-Picayune JoemissedRyanevery day. Joe’s friendsand loved onescited the fierceness ofhis loyaltyasa reason theycared so much forhim inreturn. Whilea teenager inLouisville, Joewas a popular classmatewho joinedmanyschool organi‐zations andwas highly re‐gardedbyhis peersfor his featuredroleina produc‐tionofWestSideStory Joe’s popularity didn’t stemfromany oneactivity, however,but rather from his characteristic convivi‐alityand inclusiveness. He was said to be nice to everyone, even the school’sbookworms. Anda sympathyfor bookworms was somethingJoe felt na‐tivelyand personally.He was nota conventional good student– more hail fellowwellmet than egg head--but he wasextraor‐dinarilysmart with a rapier-sharpwit.His verbal aptitude wasimportant to him,and hissuperbmath skillsweresogreat that he acedthe quantitative por‐tionofthe SAT, earningin the processthe George C. GriffinScholarship to Geor‐gia Tech,the kind of out‐standingcredentialthat might have propelleda dif‐ferentcareer than the one heeventuallyfollowed. Joe matriculatedatGeorgia Techinthe fallof1968, and likesomanyofthe others ofusborninthe first decadeafter WorldWar,he was readilyattunedtothe times in whichhegrewup. Hewas instinctivelymoti‐vated by theCivil Rights Movementand itsvaliant dedicationtonon-violent civil disobedience.Bythe timeJoe walked onto the Georgia Tech campus,Rosa Parks hadalready refused togiveupher busseat; six-year-oldblack child RubyBridges hadalready marched througha howl‐ing,spitting, white mobof adultsoutside William FrantzElementarySchool inNew Orleanssothatshe could studyina classroom bareofany otherchildren; 14-year-old blackteen Em‐mettTill hadalready been abducted,tortured, mur‐dered andthrowninthe TallahatchieRiver for the allegedsin of having whis‐tledata whitewoman; HarperLee hadalready brokenour hearts with her novel To Kill aMockingbird a book most of us read in school. PresidentKennedy had been murdered MedgarEvers hadbeen murdered. MalcolmX had been murdered.And then inthe late spring andsum‐mer before Joeleft Louisvillefor Atlanta, Mar‐tin Luther King wasmur‐dered,and Robert F. Kennedy wasmurdered justtwo months later. The nationwas roiled with divi‐sion, andpolitical differ‐enceoften placed children atodds with theirparents Our generation,perhaps forever scarredbythe War inVietnam,was outraged bythe shocking violence in the crowdedstreetsand soakedricepaddies of Vietnam.Young menjust likethe others of us who cameofage in the1960s wereforcedinto fighting a war they didnot believein. Morethan58,000 of those young American didnot comehomealive.Those who survived theruinous bloodshed that is esti‐mated to have killed more thantwo millionSoutheast Asian civilianswereinfuri‐atedbythe heartlessness ofAmericanpolitical lead‐ers who pursuedan im‐moral wartheyknewthey could notwin.Lyndon Johnson andhis enablers bolstered theirpride in avoidingdefeatatthe cost ofcontinued fighting,bel‐ligerence which waspur‐chasedwithblood:thatof strangers,thatoftheir own children. Joewas oneof the generation of young Americans who defied their owngovernment by declaring together with multitudesatantiwar ral‐lies, “Hellno, we won’tgo. The generational animosity rosetonew heightsthe summerbeforeJoe started college,duringthe Democ‐ratic National Convention inChicago, when Mayor Richard Daley’spolicetook off theirbadgesbywhich theycould be identified, thenwaded into crowds of antiwar demonstrators, and used theirbatonsto beatprotestersmerci‐lessly. Anationalcommis‐sionthatstudied what happeneddubbedthe eventsoutside theconven‐tiona ‘policeriot.”Joe was profoundly affected by whathesaw on television, and he headed offtoGeor‐gia Tech eagertopartici‐pateina resistance he saw asa moralimperative. Those of us from hisgener‐ation thoughtsuchambi‐tions were admirable. But resistanceactivitieswere not conducivetoa smooth transitionfromhighschool niceguy to committed an‐tiwar soldierinvolvedinor‐ganizingprotestsonhis own campus andatvari‐ous sitesinthe American Southeast.And,alas, nei‐therweretheyconducive tobuildinga polished aca‐demic resume of thesort healmostcertainly would haveassembled hadhenot been involved in trying to

rerouteAmericanforeign policy. As very many of our generation discovered, protestingin the1960s could quicklyturnintoa full-time job. AndJoe dida lot of protesting andorga‐nizingofprotestsinhours hemight otherwisehave devoted to going to class and studying.But there was so much to protest. As Joe prepared forcollege the WarinVietnam raged. The American military, considered by most citi‐zensanundefeatable force,suffereda signiﬁ‐cantsetback in theBattle ofKhe Sanh anda worse one in theTet Offensive. Widely respectedCBS newsanchorWalter Cronkiteannounced in an editorial airedinprime timethathenolonger thought theVietnam War was onethe U.S. couldwin, a bitter pill to swallow whenAmericanbattle deathsweresonumerous.

President Johnson, who had been enormously pop‐ularjusta fewyears ear‐lier, wassoshaken, he withdrewfromthe presi‐dential race,ultimately won by RichardNixon,who liedabout having a“secret plan” that wouldend the war,would subsequently resignhis ownpresidency indisgrace. To no surprise, Joe Bucher campaigned against Nixon.Itwas hardlythe only defeat the young militantsofthe 1960s suffered alongthe way to adulthood.Muchof whatJoe didwhile at Geor‐gia Tech waspolitical ratherthanacademic, but hehad asignificant role in the cultural life on campus and in thecommunity.As Bob Dylanwrote aboutthe sixties,the times, they were achangin’. Andas was true forsomanyofus borninthe baby boom,Joe fellinlovewiththe groundbreakingpopular musicof the age. This love ledhim tobegin putting together music festivals, on the Georgia Tech campus,else‐where in Atlanta, and even beyond. ForJoe,contempo‐rarymusic andpolitical ac‐tivism were wound to‐getherliketwisted steel strands of an inseverable cable.Joe wasnot amusi‐cianhimself,but he wasan ardentadmirer—musiclit uphis soul.His tastewas insatiablebut notably eclectic. He loved Tony Bennett,whose firstnum‐ber-one hitburst on the chartswhenJoe wasstill indiapers.Healsoloved JohnPrine,the singersongwriter(with whomhe partied onememorable evening at Tipitina’s and other music venues), who was also reveredbysuch musical luminaries as Bob Dylan,JohnnyCash, and Bonnier Raitt, among sundry others.Joe’s per‐sonal musicalhalloffame housedGuy Clark, Neal Young,RoseanneCash, GurfMorlix, KrisKristoffer‐son,Patsy Cline, Blaze Foley,WillieNelson, Ray Charles,kdlang, Dr.John, Roy Orbison, Pete Seeger, WoodyGuthrie,Bruce Springsteen,Lil Queenie, Janis Joplin andplenty more. Joeadoredthese celebratedsinger/song‐writers,and he wasthe kindoffan who nevergot saturated with songsbya favored artist.Helistened totreasured recordings overand over againuntil heworeout thevinyl.He memorized thesesongs, not just thelyrics, butthe music too. Andheab‐sorbedall theinformation biographicaland profes‐sionalhecould uncoveron eachofhis idols. Funda‐mentally, Joesoakedthis music into hisverybeing Hecertainly neverseemed toforgeta single detail about everysongand every singer that he cher‐ished.Inanother era, Joe could have goneonto graduateschool andbe‐comea musichistorian.He certainly hadthe personal‐ity anddevotionfor it.But asJoe’s sophomoreyear cametoanend in the nightmare of American col‐legestudentsprotesting the American invasion of Cambodiabeing gunned downonthe campuses at KentState andJackson State by squadronsofthe NationalGuard,life showedJoe Bucher adif‐ferentpathand he fol‐lowed it as GeorgiaTech receded into hispast. Joe would neverlosehis pas‐sionfor politics andmusic but hisformaleducation was placed on hold when Joe deliberately relin‐quished hisstudent defer‐ment—believingittobe unfair—and drew alow numberinthe draft lottery. After passingvirtually all tests at thelocal Draft Board,the last physician asked himwhether his flat feet ever bothered him. Joe responded,‘only whenI walk.”Uncle Samrejected him.After leavingGeorgia Tech, Joebegan to support himself doingconstruction work. Pleasantly,itturned out he hadquite aknack for it.Soon he found him‐selfgetting foremanas‐signments and notlong after that projectsupervi‐sor positions. Alongwith his erstwhile GeorgiaTech roommate JimmyEckert, an instinctivebuilder (and

acreativegenius),Joe moved southwestofAt‐lanta to thelittletownof Whitesburg,Georgia where both menwould spend the firsthalfofthe 1970s, building by day, at‐tending musicfestivals on weekends,hanging outin livemusic clubs, andliving the young financiallycom‐fortableenoughbachelor life. Joebecameanaccom‐plished chef,golferand fisherman(having hada longchildhood fishingap‐prenticeshipwithhis grandfather,Don Bucher). The half decade Joespent inWhitesburgturnedout tobeanenduringlyimpor‐tanttime. He made good money,had agood time, and formed friendships withfolks with whomhe remainedclose forthe rest ofhis life.InWhitesburg, Joe became closetoTexas OutlawCountry Singer Blaze Foleywho performed for awhile as Depity Dawg, a stagenameJoe thought was ridiculous andsug‐gestedBlaze jettison it Blaze suffered from alifelongcaseofbad judgment, but on this issuehelis‐tened to Joe, whomBlaze sometimes referred to as his managerthoughno suchformalrelationshipof thatkindwas ever formed In Whitesburg,Joe also be‐camebetteracquainted withGlynThomas, afor‐mer professorofhis at Georgia Tech.Glynwas the faculty advisorfor the Georgia Tech chapterof the radicalSDS organiza‐tionfor which Joewas a chief operative. Glyn also workedasa consultant for the AtlantaareaVISTA or‐ganization. This federal VolunteersinService to America program wases‐tablished in 1965 as part of the JohnsonAdministra‐tion’sWar on Poverty. Its strategywas to employ re‐centcollege graduatesto teach employment skills to residents of impoverished neighborhoods. Aworthy program with nobleideals, italsoservedasa haven for young draft resisters who received deferments for theirservice.VISTA was anorganizationthatwas naturally attractive to an idealistlikeGlynThomas. It wasalsoattractivetoa young mannamed Jim Duffy who served as a VISTA volunteer and through that organization and Glyn Thomas became another lifelong friend of Joe Bucher.Glynownedan old fishingcampcalled Wallerthatlay near Whitesburg on astretch of landalong theChatta‐hoocheeRiver.Glyn openedWallertoa host of young leftieslikeJoe and his friendsJim Duffy and Jimmy Eckert andtheir girlfriends andlater their wives (and ex-wives). At Waller, theparticipants drank readilyand smoked dopedevotedly while de‐batingthe politicaland culturalissuesofthe day. And of course,there was the annualriteofWoods Golf. TheWallerensemble includedBlaze Foleyand the writer SybilRosen, Blaze’s biographer, lover, and muse.Withconsider‐ablenotoriety,homeless and broke, Blazeand Sybil lived fora time on the Wallerpropertyina tree‐house that JimmyEckert designedand he andJoe and theganghelpederect Toall who gathered,Waller was abacchanal that re‐visited itself severaltimes a year,all theway till Covid-19madeitimpossi‐ble.Its quarterlydrawwas the celebrationofthe en‐duringfriendshipthat bloomed amonga groupof young adults in theirearly 20s who kept yearning to bewitheachother and keptgetting together fora halfcentury.Italmostgoes without saying that Joe Bucherwas theperfect Wallerparticipant.He loved to talk,and he loved toparty,and most of allhe loved hisfriends.And the friends lovedhim back; theyfeltthe ferocity of his loyalty andbelievedinits genuineness. Kathyalways saidthatthere wasa fan‐tasyamong thepartici‐pants that whenthe endof their workingyears ar‐rived,the whole gang would retire to Whitesburg sothatthe fellowship of Wallercould be enjoyed not just afew timesa year but everyday.Joe and Kathy even bought ahouse there after Joe’sillness forcedthemtogiveup their belovedA-frameon LakeHamiltoninHot Springs,Arkansas. Life has a wayofsteeringusinto turns that lead to unantici‐pated destinations.In1975, Joe andhis buddy Jimmy Eckertagreed to relocate fromWhitesburgtoNew Orleans to renovate an IrishChannel houseon WashingtonAvenue for their mutual palJim Duffy Joe andJimmy had plannedthe Duffy renova‐tionasa one-off. Getto liveinNew Orleansfor a while to help afriend, and oncethe jobwas done,go backtoGeorgia.But there‐turnnever happened,and bothmen livedinNew Or‐leans forthe rest of their lives.For thekindofmen theywere, this wasnot hard duty.Theyfellinlove

with thecity. They loved the food.Theyloved the night life.Theyloved Jazz Fest. They lovedthe live music scene. With the buildingskillstheyhad honed in Whitesburg,mak‐ing alivingwas nota diffi‐cultproposition.Pre‐dictably, Joewas able to combine work andmusic toacquire apiece of the famousTipitina’smusic club. Joeloved this,iffor noother reason,because it meant he neverhad to scramblefor tickets. As the years passed, Joebegan to yearn fora differentcareer path, somethingthat would call on hisintellect and notonhis strong back which hadbegun to fail. So in1987, 12 yearsafter ar‐rivinginNew Orleans, 17 years after he left Georgia Tech, Joestarted back to college.Hespent his first two semestersatLoyola, racking up topgrades. In 1988, he movedtothe topflight accountingprogram atthe University of New Orleans,activelypartici‐patinginfaculty-student government, graduating in 1991 with honors,and land‐ing ajob at thePortofNew Orleans as director of con‐tract administration in which he supervised mil‐lions of dollarsincontracts annually.Joe wasnearly two decadesolder than other employees who graduated in 1991, buthis positionwas whathe wanted. He hadanoffice in the WorldTrade Center overlookingthe river. He did hisworkinair condi‐tioning.Hehad agood salaryand financialsecu‐rity. Characteristically,he maderoom in hislifefor civic give back.Heserved asa volunteer teacherof reading to illiterate adults And on abiggerstage he ran TheBig Easy Golf Clas‐sic,anannualgolftourna‐mentfundraiser forChil‐dren’sHospital. Andsoon his ownterms,Joe hadthe exact life he wanted.Other men,evenyounger men, mademoremoney than he did.Other menlanded moreprestigious positions. And many men, measured themselvesbytheir salariesand thepower and influenceoftheir jobs.Joe, incontrast, measured him‐selfbyhis friends, of which hehad legions. Most im‐portant,ashewould be the firsttotellyou,hehad Kathy,his wonderfulwife and hisbestfriend. Before Kathy,whomhemarried 1987. Joewas notsurehe’d evermarry or even that he’dwantto. Butthen there wasKathy.First there wasdating. Then there wasmarriage, sealed indevotion. Andlifewas good.Lifeis fickle;itistoo often crueland thrustssuf‐feringonthe undeserving, spreads sadnesslikea toxic cloudthatobscures the horizonofhope. On Oc‐tober 31, 2007, Joewas strickenwitha brain aneurysmwhich burstand disabledhim.Hespent six weeksincriticalcondition muchofitina coma,and several months at astroke rehab facility in NewOr‐leans where JimmyEckert and ChrisMcCartervisited withhim everyevening after Kathyhad gone home. Eventually,hehad tohavebothlegsampu‐tated belowthe knee. He could walk shortdistances onthe excellentprosthet‐ics JimDuffy wasableto securefor himthrough connections he’d made in Washington, D.C.,but basi‐cally,Joe spentthe rest of his life in awheelchair. Kathy dideverythingshe could to keep himwithher athome. Shehired Jimmy Eckerttomaketheir house wheelchairaccessible. She hired caretakers,including anangel namedWanda Martin, to be with him whenKathy wasatwork. And whenitcametimefor Wallerweekends in Geor‐gia,she andWanda drove him theseven hoursto Whitesburg,sohecould visit with hisfriends as in the olddays. Joewas still the smartest guyinthe room,his prodigious mem‐ory availabletoall around tosupplydetails about eventsthathad grown blurry to theothers. He was stillJoe.And he was beloved.Alas, thetime cameatthe endof2017, whenJoe once againbe‐camedeathly ill, Kathyand Wanda andhis othersit‐ters, couldnolongertake careofhim at theirhome, and Kathyhad to move him tonursing home care at The PoydrasHome. That changewas hard on both Kathy andJoe at thebegin‐ning, butmadeeasierwith the presence andsupport ofJoe’s dear GeorgiaTech friend, DanWhite.Joe han‐dledthe move coura‐geously.Kathy came to see him everyday,and Joe quickly made friendswith the staff andother resi‐dents,all of whomsoon loved himlikea closerela‐tive. AndthencameCovid19. Andonlyresidents and employees were allowed intothe building.Joe and Kathy talked on thephone, but they missedbeing to‐gether. So Kathycameup withanideaquite aston‐ishing. EveryFridayafter‐noon,Kathy putona cos‐tume shehad created,

oftenwitha wig, some‐times aproplikea feather boa,a batonora wand When shegot to Poydras Homewhere shecould not enter,she positioned her‐selfinfront of Joe’sbay windowonLeontineStreet She used hercellphone to callJoe andtoldhim to ask Alexa to play thesongshe had selected forher “per‐formance”.And then she would dancewith(almost) all theenergyand agilityof one of theRockettes–kicks that high,twirlsthat tight,eyesthatbright. And insideyou couldhearJoe say to Wanda: “You see that? She’smygirl. Isn’t she magniﬁcent?She’s dancing just forme. Just for me.I’m theluckiestguy inthe world.”Arrange‐ments by JacobSchoen& Son FuneralHome. Condo‐lencesmay be left at www schoenfh.com.

SusanB.Cook,83, of Metairie, LA passedaway Saturday, March8,2025

Susan BarbaraBeach was bornonSeptember 6th 1941 to thelateRuthVick‐nairBeach andPaulBeach, Sr. Sister of RichardBeach (Christina),Shari Beach (Larry Barber)and thelate PaulBeach II (the late Deanna Beach) andthe latePamelaBeach.Sur‐vived by herchildren WilliamH.Mayes (Julia), Patrick Mayesand Brett Cook (Kristi).She is pre‐ceded in deathbyher hus‐bandH.M.(Sam) Cook and her twin sons,Kenneth G. Mayes andKeith G. Mayes. Alsosurvivedbyher grandchildren,Brianne Lack, Samantha Mayes, Will Mayes, BrettJacob Cook,KelseyMayes,Jillian Cook,great granddaughter MylaMaryLackand many nieces, nephewsand friends.Susan retiredfrom EastJefferson General Hospital. AMemorialMass willbeheldatOur Lady of DivineProvidenceChurch 8617 W. Metairie Ave., Metairie, LA 70003, on Fri‐day,May 16, 2025. Visita‐tionwillbegin at 11am witha Mass at Noon.In‐ternmenttofollowat Greenwood Cemetery,5190 Canal Blvd,New Orleans, LA70124.

Coulon,GregoryRandal

GregoryRandalCoulon ofMetairie, Louisiana passedawayathis home onApril 29, 2025, at theage of69. He wasraisedinKen‐ner,LAand latermoved to ChapelHill, NorthCarolina where he livedfor over 25 years.Heand hisfamilyre‐turnedtoliveinJefferson Parishin2022. He hada great senseofhumor and could always make people laugh andsmile.Heloved totalktoeveryoneand never meta stranger.He was preceded in deathby his parents, HarryJesse Coulon, Jr.and IvySyble Coulon; andhis brother, Harry Dwight Coulon.Greg “Randy” is survived by his wife, Nanette Manning Coulon; twochildren, Kristin Coulon andCourt‐ney Coulon;daughter, Julie Brander;and siblings:San‐draCoulonHarris, Cynthia

Coulon Hebert,and Shane Coulon. He wasanamaz‐ing “Gampie” to hisgrand‐daughterStella Burnette, and grandchildrenSophia Monroy, John Monroy, OliverMonroy, andwas loved by numerous nieces, nephews andclose rela‐tives andfriends.Heen‐joyed goingout in hisboat, ﬁshingwithhis grand‐daughter, cookingonthe grill,and watching Nascar racing. Hisgreatestplea‐surewas spending time withhis family, who he loves most dearly.There willbea GravesideService atthe Garden of Memories Cemetery, 4900 Airline Drive,Metairie, LA on Mon‐day,May 5, 2025 at 1:30 p.m.tohonor hislife. Pleasefollowthe blue ar‐rowstothe Chapel of Peace Mausoleumfor ser‐vice. Online condolences may be offeredatwww.gar denofmemoriesmetairie com.

Dorothy

DorothyMay Coleman Dinkins,passedaway peacefully on April16, 2025, at theremarkable age of 100. Born on July 27 1924, in NewOrleans,La, Dorothy liveda life ﬁlled withlove, faith,and ser‐vice. In herlater years, she resided in Houston, Texas, where shecontinued to share herwarmth, wisdom, and gracewithfamilyand friends.A devotedmother toBrendaFosterMorgan, Vernetta Johnsonand JosephDinkins,Jr(Olivia). Her legacy livesoninher beloved grand-children DesryeMichelleMorgan, Esq,Angelle Johnson, Carvell Dinkins, andJoelle Dinkins.Her great-grand‐childrenJoshua Washing‐ton Pierre,Carvell Dinkins, Jr, ChavellDinkins,Tyrell Patterson,Mohammad Panma,Faith Panama, BenedictPanma andGreatgreat grandchild Carvell Dinkins,III. Ahostofnieces and nephewsand other relatives andfriends Dorothy wasprecededin death by hermotherEve‐lyn BanksColeman andher sisterAlmaColeman Mealeybothofwhomalso lived to be over 100, apow‐erful testimonytothe strengthand resilience thatran throughthe Cole‐man women. Alongwith her father SandersO’Neal Coleman,Wallace Cole‐man,NealColeman,Cleve‐land“Ray” Coleman, and AlfredColeman,Sr. Funeral servicescelebrating her lifewillbeheldonThurs‐day,May 8, 2025, at Greater St. Stephens Full Gospel Baptist Church,5600 Read Road, NewOrleans,La. The visitationwillbegin at 9:30 a.m., followed by theser‐viceat10:00 a.m.,followed byEntombmentatRest Haven Memorial Park 10400 OldGentillyRd. Arrangementsare en‐trusted to Rhodes Funeral Home, 3933 Washington Avenue. Please visitwww rhodesfuneral.comtosign the guestbook

Cook,Susan B.

Dinkins,

MayColeman

Dubroc, SandraFay

SandraNelson Dubroc,a residentofBeau Chene

subdivision in Mandeville Louisiana, passed away peacefully on April26, 2025. She is survived by her loving husband, Paul Dubroc, and her sons, Christopher Smail and Jeffery Smail. In addition, she leaves behind her step -son, DavidDubroc, and step-daughter, Lisa Selmer, along with ten adoring grandchildren.

Sandra cherished her siblings, Judy Nelson, Connie Potter, and Jan Nelson, who will deeply miss her Prior to her retirement, Sandra dedicated her career as an attorney for the State of Louisiana, passionately representing children in St. Tammany Parish. Her commitmentto her work and the people she served was atrue testament to her character.

Sandra found joy in many pursuits outside of her profession. She was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing bridge, activities that brought her happiness and allowed her to connect with friends and family.

Sandra Nelson Dubrocwas loved by all who knew her and her absence will be felt profoundly. Her legacy of kindness and dedication to children will continueto inspire those she touched throughout her life.

Humberto Nicolas Fontova died March 11, 2025, surrounded by family. He was 98 years old. Humberto was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years, Esther Maria Fontova. He is survived by his four children, Patricia Fontova (Stephen Rusbar), Humberto (Shirley), Enrique (Ela), Laura Hourguettes (Jacques); nine grandchildren, Amelia Rusbar, Monica Fontova (Katua Mendy), Michael Fontova (Amy Stewart), and Robert Fontova (Kim Vu), Andre Fontova (Alex) and Alex Fontova-Bray (Robert Bray), Lillian, Nicholas and Philip Hourguettes; and six great -grandchildren, Eli, Windsor, William, Lawson, George, and Van. Humberto was born in Havana, Cuba and moved to New Orleans in 1961. He received adegree in Architecture from the University of Havana. He was an associate with Perez Associates in New Orleans for most of his career and later with Timpa and Associates until his retirement in 1996. He wasan avid hunter and fisherman and loved to paint. All members of his family treasure the artwork that he created for them.

Humberto enjoyed an independent and active life into his 98th year. There will be aprivate memorial service at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home followed by inurnment at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum. In lieuof flowers donations may be made to the Tunnels to Towers FoundationHumberto donated to many charities, but he recently saidthat Tunnels to Towers was the most important to him.

PatrickXavierGarvin lived alifefullofstories laughterand heart. Born in Carbondale, Pennsylvania toEmily andRussell Wil‐son Garvin,Pat as most knewhim wasthe eldest of foursiblings. As aproud militarykid,hegrewupall overthe world, from Ger‐manytothe Philippines. Pat served hiscountry with extraordinary bravery. He servedinVietnam from 1965 to 1968 with the173rd AirborneBrigade earning three Purple Hearts, BronzeStarMedal,Combat Infantryman Badge(CIB), and multiple otherservice awards. Afterserving his country with honor, Pat camehome. Patwas anat‐uralathlete,spendinghis younger yearsplaying

everysport he could. He later went on to play foot‐balland baseball at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah, andwas on thecusp ofaprofessionalbaseball careerbeforeanelbow in‐juryset himona different path. Afterhis injury,Pat attended Berkeley Univer‐sityinSan Francisco, Cali‐fornia, where he methis lifelongfriends,Mike Brown andTed Langan.In 1977, Patmarried Vivian AuroraVasquez.Theywel‐comed their firstdaughter, Katie,in1979, and wel‐comed theirseconddaugh‐ter,Emily,in1982. Pat would always saythatbe‐cominga father washis proudestmoments as his daughters were thelights ofhis life.Hepasseddown his love of theoutdoors whether it wascamping, duckhunting, or afew livelyand occasionally frustrating roundsofgolf. After Vivian’s deathin 2007, Patwas devotedto his daughters. Aftersev‐eralyears of beingalone, Pat found love againwith Susan Dusang Lemmon. Theytravelledextensively makingnew memories to‐gether. Patworkedinthe financialindustryasa Fi‐nancial Advisorfor over 30 years,manyofthose years for A.G. Edwards& Sons, Inc. In 2019, he retiredfrom the Benjamin F. Edwards’ office in Mandeville Louisiana.Pat worked with manycolleaguesthrough‐out theyears anddevel‐opeda specialfriendship withAlCatalanotto and HamiltonMartin. Patfaced health challenges in his later yearsincluding a strokein2020, with the samestrength, humor and stubborndetermination he carried throughout hislife. HepassedawayonSatur‐day,April 26, 2025, sur‐rounded by lovedones. He issurvivedbyhis loving and devotedwife, Susan, and daughters, Katieand Emily,stepson,Jimmy Lamz(Nicole), threestepgrandchildren,Maegan, Caleb andElla, alongwith two sisters, Regina Carter and GeorgiaGarvin, and manyother familymem‐bersand friends. Patwas precededindeath by his parents,Emily Sophie LesofskyGarvinand Rus‐sellWilsonGarvin; brother, James Garvin.We take comfort in knowingsome‐where beyond this life,Pat and Jamesare together again —two brothers re‐united, swapping stories and sharinglaughteronce more. Pat’sfamilywould like to thankthe wonderful staff at PeristyleatBeau Westfor theirloveand support over thepasttwo years with aspecial thank you to Averyand Clayree. He will be missedbyall who knew andloved him. In lieu of flowers, thefam‐ily asks donationsbemade toThe VietnamVeterans MemorialFund www.vvmf. org.Relatives andfriends are invitedtoattend the memorialservicesatE.J FieldingFuneralHome, 2260 W21st Avenue,Cov‐ington LA 70433 on Wednesday,May 7, 2025, at 11:00 AM with visitation on Wednesday beginningat 9:00AM. Intermentwillfol‐low in the SoutheastLA VeteransCemetery. E.J. FieldingFuneralHomehas been entrustedwithfu‐neral arrangements.The Garvinfamilyinvites youto share thoughts,fondest memories, andcondo‐lencesonlineatE.J.Field‐ing FuneralHome Guest Book at www.ejfieldingfh com

Gauthreaux,June Decker

June Decker Gauthreaux was born in New Orleans, LAonJune 21,1931, and entered eternalrestatthe age of 93 on Sunday,April 27, 2025, at home sur‐rounded by lovedones. She issurvived by herchildren: Marie Fazende(Charlie), Betty Gauthreaux,Clayton Gauthreaux(AnnMarie), Karen LaChute, Daniel Gau‐threaux (Angelia), and RonaldGauthreaux; grand‐children: ChrisFazende (Sian), Yvette LaChute, Jason Fazende(Ana),Kim‐berly Foster,Crystal Gau‐threaux,Sarah Gauthreaux, DanielGauthreaux, Dorina Gauthreaux(Matthew Vercher), KaylaUrsin (Jerry), Samantha Dela‐houssaye, AveryDelahous‐saye, Andrea Gauthreaux and AprilGauthreaux; 18 great grandchildren, 7 great-great grandchildren, and ahostofniecesand nephews.She waspre‐ceded in deathbyher chil‐dren, Kelvin Gauthreaux and Lisa Gauthreaux Dela‐houssaye; son-in-law SamuelLaChute, Jr.; for‐mer spouse,Nedas J. “Ned” Gauthreaux; father, WilliamEdDecker, Sr.; mother,Maude Robatham

Decker;brothers, William EdDecker, Jr.and Clarence Decker; andsisters,Forest Cook,InezSantangelo, Au‐dreyDiFulco,NoelOry,and Shirley McAdams. June was agraduateofL.E Rabouin High School and retired from ShirleyJohn‐son Gretna Park.She was residentofGretna, LA for over70years.Someofher favoritepastimesincluded playing bingoand card games,going to parades, and enjoying aSundayaf‐ternoon at Boomtown June wasa devout Catholic who attended church regu‐larly anda long-timemem‐ber of Archbishop Blenk LadiesAuxiliary.She wasa verydevoted familyperson who lovedher children and grandchildren dearly.The familywould like to thank the staff of PACE andPas‐sages Hospice. In lieu of ﬂowers, please donate to a charity organization of yourchoosing. Avisitation willbeheldonThursday, May 8, 2025, from 6pmuntil 9pm andFriday, May9, 2025, from 9amuntil 11am witha FuneralMassfollow‐ing in theChapelofWest‐side/Leitz-EaganFuneral Home, 5101 Westbank Ex‐pressway, Marrero. Inter‐mentwillfollowinWest‐lawnCemeteryinGretna. Express condolencesat www.westsideleitzegan com.

Sandra David Klein, 80, passed away peacefully on April22, 2025. She waspreceded in death by her most belovedhusband Louis JosephKlein,III,her parents, Clarence EliDavid and LeolaPitre David, and her sisters Linda AnnDavid Young and SheridanAnn David Avants. Sandra was adevout Catholic and steadfast in her prayers forher family,friends, children,grandchildren,and greatgrandchildren.Her relationship withGod was hersourceofstrengthand comfort as she struggled throughthe recent heartbreaking loss of her husband. The joy in Sandra's life was her family.She is survivedbyher sister; Claire Marie David Noveh; twochildren; Louis John Klein(Cindy) and Laurie KleinSchneider (John); her six grandchildren; Christopher LaVoie, Johnathan Schneider, Brandon Logrande (Brooke), Brian Logrande (Jordon), RachelSchneider, Samantha Robertson;her sixgreat grandchildren; Paisleigh,Jaxon, Maverick, River, HarperMae,and Taysom. Sandra willberemembered forher big bright smile. She enjoyed dancing,outdoor concerts, ceramics, sewing, cooking for her family,and loved traveling.Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend thevisitationatLake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd, NewOrleans, on Thursday, May 8, 2025, starting at 9:30 AM followedbya Service in the Chapel at 11:00 AM. The burialwillfollow within Metairie Cemetery. To sign and view theFamily Guestbook,pleasevisit www.lakelawnmetairie.co m

EthelMae LaFrance Knight, left her earthly home to be withthe Lord on Friday April25, 2025. She was76. Ethel was the daughter of the late Walter and late ClaraC LaFrance She waspreceded in death by her daughter, Tara K Frazier,her parents Walter and Clara LaFrance and brother, Otis LaFrance Ethel leaves to cherish her memoriesher daughters Tanisha Garrus and Tasheka (Markell) Causey,their dadAnthony

Garrus, one grandson Sidney(Maria) Frazier granddaughter,Tiana Causey, threegreatgrandchildren, Sidney III, Amaya,Amani Frazier,five siblings, Walter, Vance (Gwen), Sr,Bobby LaFrance,Clara Ricard and Melanie (Claude) Wiltz special sister Patricia (Juan)Jones, sisters in law, Brendaand Barbara LaFrance and brother-inlaw, Edward Ricard, Godchildren Cypriana Esteen, Keisha Thomas and Alyssa LaFrance and and ahost of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Ethelretired from Louisiana Workforce Commissionwith33years of service. She was aformerLectorand member of LadiesofSodalityatAll Saints CatholicChurch. All Saints and St Josephthe Worker CC, neighboring Churches, GuardianAngels Hospice, relatives and friends are invitedto ChristianBurial Service at AllSaintsCC,1441 Teche St, NewOrleans, LA 70114 Celebrant,Rev Fred Kaddu, SSJonTuesday, May 6, 2025, Visitationat8:00 am services at 10:00 am Interment at Restlawn cemetery, Guestbook online:www.murrayhenderso nfuneralhome.com

SusanSchmitt Koine, age 78, peacefully passed awayintoeternal rest while surrounded by her loved ones on April24, 2025. Shewas born on De‐cember13, 1946, in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana.Susan was preceded in deathby her parents, Adolph Joseph Schmitt, III, andLeatrice Van Schmitt; andher son, PhilipKoine,Jr. Sheissur‐vived by herdaughter, Jen‐nifer KoineDavies; grand‐children, ShaneDaviesand Jacob Davies;siblings, Bar‐baraS.Cruthirds (Charles), Jay Schmitt, andLisaS.Sil‐ver (David); specialcousin, Janet Hazard (Bob); adopted” daughters, Susan McNamara (Mark), DanaBrocato (Shawn),and CherylDelorette;and many cousins,nieces, nephews, and lifelong friends. Susan was anativeofNew Or‐leans anda resident of Mandevillefor thepast25 years.She attended Our LadyStarofthe SeaGram‐mar School,graduated fromSt. JamesMajor High School,and attended LSUNO.Susan worked for numerousfederal agencies including theFood &Drug Administration, Census Bu‐reau, andMotor Pool but retired from theUnited StatesPostalService after morethan23years of dedi‐cated service. Susanwas blessedwitha life full of love, happiness, andan abundance of adventures withfriends andfamilyin‐cluding casino trips, haunted excursions,and fabulousvacations allover the United States as well asabroad. Shewillalways berememberedfor her faith in God, generosity words of wisdom,and of course, herintense enthu‐siasm for“Jeopardy.” The familyexpressestheir deep appreciation and heartfelt gratitudetothe manydoctors,nurses, rehab therapists,and sit‐terswho provided excel‐lentcareand supportto Susan especially thoseat GreenbriarCommunity CareCenter, Southeast Louisiana Home Health, and St.Tammany Health SystemHospice.Inlieuof ﬂowers, contributionsmay bemadeinSusan’s mem‐ory to theAmericanHeart Associationatwww.heart org/donateortothe Amer‐icanDiabetesAssociation atwww.diabetes.org/ donate. Relativesand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe memorial mass on Friday, May9,2025, at 11:00 AMatE.J.FieldingFuneral Home, 2260 West 21st Av‐enue,Covington,Louisiana, withvisitationbeginning at9:00AM. Intermentwill followinthe adjacent Pinecrest Memorial Gar‐dens. E. J. Fielding Funeral HomeofCovington, Louisiana,ishonored to be entrusted with Ms.Koine’s funeral arrangements.Her familyinvites youtoshare thoughts, memories,and condolences by signingan onlineguestbook at www ejﬁeldingfh.com

Lacoste,Jody Michael 'Joe'

Jody "Joe" Michael Lacoste

July 29, 1955 -April 12, 2025

JoeLacoste, age 69, passed away peacefullyat hishomeinMeraux, LA in thelovingcareofhis family. He wasborninNew Orleans, LA andheld strongtiestofamilyand friends in theJackson/ Pearl,MSareawhere he lived formanyyears.

Joehad aheartofgold, agreat sense of humor and wasnevershy about hisfeelingsfor his family andfriends. He lovedfishing, theSaints, the LSU Tigers andthe French Quarter and was always ready for agoodtimeora party. Growingupin Metairieand spending much of hislifeinthe New Orleansarea, he cherished thecityand itsspecial flavor -its festivals, Mardi Gras,CityPark, the lakefrontand surrounding areas from Kenner to Meraux.Heespecially lovedtotreat visitingfamily andfriends to hisown unofficial tours of thelocal cuisine andwatering holes, neighborhoodsand historical placesthatembody thetruespirit of the Big Easy.

Joeisprecededindeath by hismother, June LacosteMcFadden and father,Leo P. Lacoste, Sr

Joeissurvivedbyhis best friend, kindred soul and loving wife,Peggy; his daughters, TaraLacoste (Hallie Swayze)and Miranda Burns(Brian); his sons, Joshua Robin (Samantha) andMatthew Robin(Megan); hissister Kris Marks (Kerry); a brother, L. PaulLacoste (Sue);numerous grandchildren, sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law,nieces andnephews wholoved himdearly andhis beloved cats, Oreo andKnuckie.

Acelebration of life will be held at alater date.

Rest in peacefulsleep, Joe.

JoyceC.LaRocca,age 93, passedawayonFriday, April 25, 2025 at home in Metairie. Joyceissurvived byher twochildrenTeresa (Bryant)and James, Jr (Jodie),her sisters: Anesia Roach,Carolyn Torres as wellasnumerousnieces and nephews. Sheispre‐ceded in deathbyher hus‐bandJames C. “Jimmy” LaRocca parentsJoseph and EmilyClement sisters Verna Gautreaux, Gladys “Nan” Reites,brothers Huey“Dickie”Clement Larry ClementSr. andGar‐rett Clement. Joyceworked

as ahistologist foryears at numerousfacilitiesinclud‐ing L.S.U. MedicalSchool, TulaneMedical School,and the Pathology Depart‐ments of OchsnerHospital, WestJefferson Hospital and TouroHospital. ACele‐bration of Life forJoyce willbeheldMondayMay 5th at Garden of Memories FuneralHome, 4900 Airline Drive,Metairie, LA.70001 withvisitationstartingat 9:00AMfollowedbya Massat11:00 AM with in‐terment to follow.Toorder ﬂowersoroffer condo‐lences, please visitwww gardenofmemoriesmetairi e.com.

JayneLayne Latshaw 95, beloved wife of thelate WarrenLatshaw, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2025, in Redmond, Washington. Bornon February 9, 1930, in New Orleans, Louisiana, sheled alifeenriched by education,global experiences, andthe many friends she met along the way.

Jaynegraduated from McMain High School in NewOrleans andearned a degree in education from Louisiana State University. Herdedication to teaching guided hertoa role at MilneBoys Home in New Orleans, whereshe contributedtothe lives of many young students.

Herjourney extended far beyondher hometown. Alongside herhusband, WarrenLatshaw, Jayne lived abroadinBogotá Colombia, andlater spent thirteenyearsinSaudi Arabia wheretheymade numerousfriends, manyof whom became "family" Theirtimeoverseas was marked by explorationand culturaldiscovery as she andWarren traveled extensively together. Jayne's long life reflected aspirit of funand curiosity. She wasanexcellent storyteller andloved to entertain.

Jayneislovingly rememberedbydaughter, Pamela Ashman;son,Charles Ashman (Dedra); stepdaughter, Nancy Dickson (Wes); and stepson,Steven Latshaw (Lucy). Shealso leaves behind grandchildren Matthew Ashman, LaurenAshman Baker, WarrenLatshaw, Steven Latshaw,Jr., Patrick Duryea, Tanna Latshaw Bergeron,JanelleDickson Mattull andSean Dickson andnumerous great grandchildren.

Mayher memory bring comforttothosewho knew and lovedher

Lozano,Angelle Nicole AngelleNicole Lozano passed away in Austin, TX on April 26, 2025 at the age of 29 in thearms of her lovedones. Shewas the joy, thesong, the dancing queen, the crafter,the traveler, andthe oneperson to truly embracelifeto thefullest. She knew life wastoo short to notexperience everythinglifehad to offer.Beloved wife of

Latshaw, Jayne

Koine, SusanSchmitt

Fontova, Humberto Nicolas

Klein, SandraDavid

La Rocca,Joyce C.

See more DEATHS, page

Garvin,Patrick Xavier

Knight,Ethel LaFrance

OPINION

OUR VIEWS Medicaid is vital to La., andcuts should bemade carefully

In the coming weeks, Republicans in Congress, led by Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, willtake up sweeping budget measures that, theyhope, will highlight conservative priorities suchastightenedborder security,tax cuts and defensewhile reducing spending in other areas.

But it’sthe latter categorythathas us worried.Yes, improving government efﬁciencyisa laudable goal, but to get to their spending target, more than $1.5 trillion in cuts are targeted. That includes up to $880 billionoverten yearsfrom the committeethatoversees Medicaid and energyprograms.

Louisiana, which is astate with one of the highestproportions of Medicaidrecipients— approximately1.6 million stateresidents rely upon it —could be especially hardhit.

The cuts are needed, proponents argue, becausethere is too much waste, fraud and abuse in Medicaid. Andtobefair, Medicaid fraud is a problem, just as it is in any programthatadministers hundreds of billions of dollars.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, highlighted this when he argued last month that Medicaid scammers have taken beneﬁts fromthose who are “duly owed.”

“Wehave to eliminate, for example, on Medicaid people who are not eligible to be there,” he added. But studies from government watchdog agencies have shown the biggestsources of Medicaid fraud are not those whostealmonthlypayments from the system, but rather employees at medical clinics, nursing homes, pharmaciesand doctors whoinﬂate the amount or types of treatment provided. Even morecomes from poorly, improperly or inaccurately ﬁlled-out documentation.

Regardless of the nature of the fraud discussed or the amounts in question, we are certain that Louisiana legislators are anxiously watching the developments in Washington. Medicaid is a program where federal and state sources share costs.InLouisiana, for instance, of about $21 billion in Medicaid funding, the state provided about $3.2 billion.

One of the proposals being discussedistoask states topick up more of the tab. If thatisthe route chosen,itwould create anotheryawning budget gap state lawmakers would have to address. Therewould likely be dire consequences, especially for the state’spoorer and ruralresidents. Many rural medical centers rely on Medicaid funding to remain open

We are fortunate that Louisiana will have three powerful advocates in Congress as theyundertake this debate. In additiontoJohnson,Jefferson’sSteve Scalise, the second highest ranking Republican in the House, and New Orleans’ Troy Carter,aDemocratwho sits on the committee that oversees Medicaid,will be key to theprogram’sfuture.

We certainly recognize the desire and the need to make government as efficient as possible Androoting out scammersand cheats is always aworthy aim. But we urge our leaders,asthey undertake this important debate,toconsider modernizing and investing in Medicaid to make it more efficient without cutting benefits.Wealso hope they will weigh whetherthe political benefit of being seen as budget-cutters outstrips thepotential that fellow Louisianans, through no fault of their own, will lose thisimportant service

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

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

TO SEND US A LETTER SCANHERE

TrumptoAmerica:Get busy begatting

”Befruitful and multiply and ﬁll the Earth.” (Genesis 1:28)

President Donald Trump is going God one better.God told Adamand Eve to start having children. The president is considering adding an incentive —paying couples $5,000 to begat. The fertility rateinthe U.S. has been declining for thelast decade. In 2023 it dropped to 1.6 births per woman, the lowest in acentury. There are many reasons.The mostobvious is abortion.The Pew Research Center cites ﬁgures from the CDC: “The last year for which the CDC reported ayearly national totalfor abortions is 2021. It found there were625,978 abortions in the DistrictofColumbia and the 46 states withavailable data that year,upfrom 597,355 in thosestates andD.C. in 2020. The corresponding ﬁgure for 2019 was 607,720.” Stopping or severely restricting abortions would go along way towardsolving the birth dearth. Absent thatpossibilityweare down to the reasons people can’t, or won’t, have children. Can’tisusually biologi-

cal. Won’tismorelikely psychological. Perhaps the mostfrequent reason given by won’tcouplesincludes the expense of having children, the supposed restrictions on parents’ travel, general freedom, thedisappointments and pain thatcan come when kids rebel againsttheir parents, or the consequencesshould parents divorce.

Ihave suffered from rebellious children, even the death of an adult child. None of it cancels the joyofholding ababy in my arms thatIhelped produce, hearing thatchild later tell me he or she lovesme, and seeing even the spiritually truant come back to faith and settheir lives aright.

Deciding not to have children, for some, creates the pain of regret. Never will they have descendants with their DNA,their values and aset of accomplishments that will make them proud. Never will theyknow what their children might have become, or contributedtothe world. Their family tree will lack branches. Having apet is not the same.

Parenting is morethan biological. It’s not like Elon Musk, who has at least 14

children by four different women. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Musk has warned: “’civilization is going to crumble’ if people don’tstart having more children, aview popularized as pronatalism in right-wing circles. The pronatalism movement is composed of people concerned about the birthrate and eager to implement policy and cultural solutions to the problem.”

Musk wants to populate this planet and possibly Mars with children of high intelligence. If this sounds vaguely familiar,it should. Musk is not the ﬁrst to think this way.Itisanoutgrowth of aworldview that is materialistic and places humans in the place of God. President Trump’ssuggestion that $5,000 payments would help produce more children reduces the value of a child to materialistic levels. An appeal made on the level of more important things (see above) might work better, producing not only more babies, but even good parents and ahealthier society

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com

Tips from public aidour journalism

All news organizations appreciate when the public provides tips on stories thatmay need investigating. Sometimes these tips come in letterstothe editor,but we do have adedicated email address, newstips@theadvocate. com, just to receive suchinformation.

While we cannot print allegations of wrongdoing without doing our own reporting, Ido forward your news tips to the appropriateeditor for further investigation if necessary.Newsrooms have limited eyes and ears, so it’sgreat when the public sees itself as part of our journalism. Some of the best stories I’ve worked on in my career started as tips from the public. When sending news tips to us, it’s important to be speciﬁc. Adding names, dates and places —oreven video and audio evidence —help us quickly verify thatyour tip is credible. Also,ifyou have any supporting documentation you have gathered or can point us to,that will help our reporters.

TOWN SQUARE

Sometimes knowing what documents to request and what questions to ask of whom is half thebattle forjournalists. Vague allegations can be harder to follow up on. And secondhand knowledge of wrongdoing is less likely to get our attention. It’s always good for tipsters to have deep knowledge of the problem they want us to investigate Of course,many tipsters want to remain anonymous. And we understand that. Lives and livelihoods could be on the line. We always protect our sources. We appreciatehow harditisfor some to comeforwardwhen they may face retaliation. So we will do everything to make sure the information that is shared anonymously remains so Going to our letters inbox, Ican give you an account of the ﬁrst half of April. From April 3-10, we received 66 letters. Of those,nationalpolitics wasstill the hottest topic, with 12 letters on the subject.Next, we received seven let-

ters on the Hands Off! protest, with all wanting to see more coverage of the opposition to President Donald Trump. Lastly,tariffs are increasingly drawing interest, and we received ﬁve letters on that subject.

For the weekofApril 10-17, we received 63 letters. Outside of national politics (10 letters), immigration was the hot topic, with ﬁve of you writing to us about issues surrounding recent detentions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The next most popular topic wasinsurance reform, currently being debated in the Legislature. Four of you wrote to us about that. And then we also had four letters with questions about our news coverage of recent events. For questions about coverage decisions, we do forward your concerns to the appropriate editor.Your feedback is valued, so keep sending it in along with those tips.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | OpinionPageEditor.Emailher at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

Foranupcoming feature, we asked youtoconsider matters of religious faith. We want to know: How important is your faith to your daily life, and what role, if any, should it playinpublic life? Send responses to letters@theadvocate.com.We will publisha selectionofthe best responses in afuture edition.

Arnessa Garrett

Cal Thomas

COMMENTARY

Legislatorsshouldlistentodemandfor scholarships

The huge demand for thenew LA GATOR ScholarshipProgram should teach lawmakers two things. First, they should come as close as possibletofullyfunding the program. Second,parents want, and deserve, the largest say in their children’seducation and in their children’supbringing in general. Families submitted more than 39,000 applications for LA GATOR between March 1and April 15, with all but about 5,000 of them deemed eligible. If each one of the eligible applicants actually were awarded scholarships —animpossibility due to budget constraints —thenit would more than sextuple the current Louisiana Scholarship Program. Gov.Jeff Landry wants legislators to appropriate $93 million for some 12,000 recipients, but legislative leadersare balkingat anything above $50 million The program provides what the Louisiana Department of Education describes as “state-funded accounts for school tuition and fees, tutoring, educational thera-

pies, textbooks andcurricula, dual enrollmentcourses, and uniforms.” Priority is given to families with lower incomes. Let’s notget into the weeds of thestate budget orhow many schools will open scholarship spots. The larger point here isn’t to parse thedetails, but to see the bigpicture. The level of parental interest in LA GATOR is phenomenal. This interest in nonpublic-school scholarships comes even as Louisianapublic schools are signiﬁcantly improving —acredit to the current leadership’s“back to basics” approach —and even as about 150 public charter schools also operate in Louisiana, with many of them thriving.

What matters to individual parents, therefore, isn’t so much the aggregate statistics as it is the perception of what is best for the individual needs oftheir children.

Except at the margins or in extremecases, this primary authority regarding children absolutely should be the parents’ prerogative. Even if you think “it takes a village to raise achild,” what that saying should mean is that thriv-

ing communities provide backup assistance and webs of extended family,churches and other “intermediary institutions” to provide safetyand opportunity for children. It should not mean that the village supersedes theparents, shoves them aside or dictates their choices.

This doesn’tmean public money should be exempt from public accountability,but it does mean public money that carefully boostsparental choice is desirable.

The school choice movement writ large is aresponse to what had becomeastultifying system in which children were assigned to public schools regardless of individual needs.

And, it must be said, anumber of public school boards across the country essentially told parentsto shut up and buttout when parents objected to curricula or other policies. The election of Republican Glenn Youngkin as governor of otherwise Democratic-leaning Virginia in 2021 owed much to a parental backlash against heavyhanded school boards there while Democratic former governor Terry McAuliffe, trying for a

comeback, was pilloried by Republicans forrepeatedly saying “I don’tthink parents should be tellingschools what they should teach.”

In asserting maternal and paternal prerogatives (in general, not just withregard to school choice), parentsare acting in concert with along common-law history incorporated into original understandings of theU.S. Constitution. That’swhy in the 1923 case of Meyer v. Nebraska the Supreme Court recognized “the right of parentstocontrol the upbringing of their child as they see ﬁt,” and why the high court followed in the1925 case of Pierce v. Society of Sisters by ruling that parents have anatural right to direct their children’seducation.

Of course, nobody yet knows if LA GATOR will turn out to be agood choice forthousands of Louisiana parents. Parents, though, deserve the option of seeking better discipline via one school, or better foreign-language instruction via another school, or agreater focus on the arts via a third—orwhatever

Nationwide, the success of both public-school andprivate-school

choice, including of voucher-like programs, depends on awide variety of factors including program design and local customs. Louisiana parents, however,can look at the success stories and see hope.

On April 22, forexample, researchers at the Urban Institute —far from aconservative enclave —reported that students whoused Ohio’svoucher scholarship program were“substantially morelikely to enroll in college” and “earn four-year degrees.” Moreover,the beneﬁcial effects “were strongest formale students, Black students, students with below-median test scores before leaving public school, and students from the lowest-income families.”

Louisiana legislators should embrace the hope that nearly 40,000 Bayou State families are expressing by applying forLAGATOR. Nobody is suggesting that the state lacks important, competing priorities. Among all the options, though, LA GATOR should be near the top of the list.

Quin Hillyer canbereached at quin.hillyer@theadvocate.com.

MAGA mightlikeanAfrican pope more than BlackCatholics do

One of the world’smost important elections is taking place next month, and no Louisianans will vote. With the death of Pope Francis, out of 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, only 135 cardinals are eligible to weighinwith asecret ballot.

There are no Louisiana cardinals

Hundredsof thousands bidthe pope goodbye afew days ago. He was buried at St. Mary Major Basilica Alifelong Catholic, Kathleen Bellow wasn’tinattendance as the pope lay in state or as he was buried. Still, her grief is real. She was saddened by the April 21 death of the man who led her church for 12 years. Though she disagreed with him on anumber of things, she appreciatedand respected him for his humane, inclusive approachtopastoring and leading.

“I’m still grieving,” shetold me.

Bellow has been active with Xavier University of Louisiana’s Institute for Black Catholic Studies since she was aXavier student decades ago. Today,she leadsthe institute. She is adie-hard Catholic, but Bellow told me, “Men in the churchrun the other way when they see me coming.” Sheremembers the days when Catholic women had to wear hairpieces and couldn’t participateinministries. She refusesto go back According to Pew research, about half of all United States

Catholics are Republicans or they lean Republican and 44% are Democrats or they lean Democrat. Catholics in our country are more liberal than Catholics elsewhere, though younger Catholics have been more conservative in recent years. In 14 months, the number of Republicans identifying themselves as MAGA has gone from 40% to 71%, accordingtoaMarch NBC News Poll.

Black Catholics like Bellow are about4%ofthe American Catholic population. They are among 200 million Catholics who are of African descent across the globe.

More than 170 million of them are African As American diocese and parish populations shrink, thenumber of Catholics is booming in Africa, Asia and South America. Some Catholics say if ever there were a time for an African pope, thetime is now Black Catholics might like that melanin connection, but most might not like theMake America Great Again philosophies.

Generally,African cardinals are conservative. As agroup, they oppose abortion and same-sex marriages and they opposemass immigration. There’snowiggle

room for IVForincest abortions for some. Though Francis didn’t endorse same-sex marriage or same-sex unions, he madeitOK to bless the people in the couple.

“Who am Itojudge?” he said once. Some African cardinals hated that. Somesupport keeping immigrants out, even urging them to stay home.

It seems conservative cardinals have some papal candidate favorites, including African Cardinal Robert Sarah from Guinea in West Africa.

Other African cardinals on someunofﬁcial lists are Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cardinal Peter Kodwo Appiah Turkson of Ghana.

Bellow met Cardinal Turkson when he visited Xavier to deliver abusiness school symposium speech. Shelikes him.She thinks he would be agood spiritual leader

There is hope among conservativeCatholics that one of their own can return the church to traditional values. There is hope among others that the next pope will build on the small progressive steps PopeFrancis made.

Bellow understands the conservative connection to masssaid in Latin,novenas and other oldschool Catholictraditions. But she doesn’t wanttogoback.

“I don’tthink the church is ready togoback to an ultraconservative, Euro-centric ways,” she said.

She’snot alone.

“Pope Francis did morefor LGBTQ Catholics than all of his predecessors combined,” Jesuit

Fr.James Martin, apriest and author of Building aBridge,abook about the church and its connections with LGBTQ Catholics, told the National Catholic Reporter recently.“Doctrinally nothing has changed, but pastorally agreat deal has.”

After Pope Emeritus Benedict XVIdied in December 2022, Ralph E. Moore Jr., acolumnist forthe Afro American whowrites foranumber of publications, shared somehistory and his thoughts with the Black Catholic Messenger only days later

Though there are debates about whether Africans from northern Africa were Black, church records show that Pope Victor Iled the church from 189-199, Pope Miltiades was pope 311-314 and Pope Gelasius Ihad his papal tenure 492-496. Somecall them Black. Somesay they werelikely Black.

“As we mourn the pope emeritus, let us also say this: long live Pope Francis, and may he be followed one day by the fourth African pope —whomever that may be,” Moore wrote.

MAGACatholics might like the political philosophies of some conservative African cardinals morethan progressive Black Catholics do. Somesoften their approaches. Pope Francis had a social justice focus, pulling all closer

Maybe when the white smoke waftsfrom the Sistine Chapel, indicating there’sanew pope, word will come that he is Black.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

Ihave been deep in conversation with ChatGPT,askingall kinds of questions. Are there direct ﬂights between the U.S. and Queretaro, Mexico? Will Apple give me credit for a2014 iMac? What color goes with teal? What was France’sGDP in 1998?

My fascination with ChatGPT has become a household joke. “All right, Froma,” we imagine Chatsaying. “What do you want now? Do you think you’re the only one around here?”

But the real question is where our relationship started cooling. Chatdutifully listed what goes well with the blue-green color and then asked, “Are you thinking about clothes, decor,design or something else?” Chat was getting nosy,asking for information rather than just

giving it out. And so Ilied and said “decor.”Chatcame back with someroom coloroptions. One, that teal with mustard yellow is “vibrant and eclectic, like acoolboutique hotel,” soundedlike my old friend Kate. ButChat isn’tKate. It’snot even human. It is an AI chatbot powered byproprietarygenerativepretrained transformers. It’sasupercomputer, onesourceexplains, “equipped with 285,000 processorcores 10,000 GPUs,and 400 gigabitsper second of connectivityfor each graphicscard server.”

Iwas having alifelike conversationwith acomputer in West Des Moines,Iowa,not the guy next door. Other AI chatbots are Google’sGemini, Microsoft’sCopilotand DeepSeekinChina. DevelopedbyOpenAI and backedbyMicrosoft,the super-

computer runs hotand so must consume massive amounts of water.The site was chosen for its proximity to the watershedofthe Raccoon and Des Moines Rivers. That’swhy Microsoft choseIowa for this project ratherthan Arizona,where it has data centers.

It’s astounding how well ChatGPT can answer detailed questions, though all AI tools have glitches One is “hallucinations,” that is, theyproduce nonsensical answers due to problematic training data. ChatGPT has been well-trained to sound buddy-buddy to users. Also to ﬂatterthem.

Irecently asked ChatGPT to provide antonyms for the word“dollop.” “Great word choice!”Chat exclaimed beforelisting words thatmean the opposite of “dollop.” For about 10 insane seconds, I congratulated myself for sounding smart. Then Ipulled myself together

Iwas not about to be emotionally manipulatedbya machine. People arebad enough. When asked what Broadway musical hadthe song “Hernando’s Hideaway,” Chat’sanswer was professorial: “Ah, Isee! ‘Hernando’sHideaway’ is asong from the 1954 musical ‘The PajamaGame.”’

Iﬁnally asked ChatGPT what ChatGPT was, and it bragged about being “a really smart assistant that can help with awide range of tasks, including ” Afriend was curious about getting aketamine treatment for depression. To help out, Iasked ChatGPT for the side effects. Afterlisting them, Chat asked, “Are you experiencing fatigue after a session?” Iignored the impertinent question. Icared notthat Chat might infer my affectionfor the color teal but began to fret about other personal info Ihad shared. For example, I

asked it to interpret aradiologist’s report on an X-rayofmycervical spine.

Achatbot is aginormous language model that analyzes patterns across human-written text. And so, whatyou tell it about you gets thrown into the pot. Among things we should not reveal are our Social Security number,date of birth and driver’slicense information. Some chatbots are more sensitive to privacy issues than others.

ChatGPT is indeed ahelpful assistant able to instantly inform on piping plover habitats, the meaning of dreams and the value of Greenland’snatural resources. Like me,you two mayspend a lot of timetogether.Just don’tconfuse an AI chatbot with afriend. Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. She can be reached at fharrop@gmail.com

Quin Hillyer

Will Sutton

Froma Harrop

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Clergytaketheir seats ahead of the funeral of Pope FrancisinSt. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on April 26

NewOrleans Forecast

ForecastFrom WWL-TV,Your Local Weather Experts

patternturns

through Thursdaymorning.We’ll have to watch for acouple of strong storms and some heavy rain of 2-5 inches over theweek. This couldlead to somestreet flooding issues on Wednesdayand Thursday

DEATHS continued from

Garrett Anders.Daughter to Cindy Lozano andLate Frank Lozano. Sister to Danielle Lozano (Prabh Walia) and Michelle Hales (Dustin Hales). Nanny/ Aunt Gell to Hunter Hales, Hudson Hales, Hazelle Hales, Estelle Walia, and Janie Rose. Sister in Law and friend to Katie Anders. Best Friend and soul mate to Sarah Peytavin.Angelle had plenty of chosen family that she loves dearly. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the FUNeral at Frenier Landing, 113 Dottie Ln, Laplace, LA 70068 on Saturday, May 17, 2025 from 9AM to 2PM. Bring the Angelle energy whetherit's your outfit or accessories. Flower inquiries to be sent through The Floral Cottage in Prairieville, LA.

Margaret Louise Maier passedawaypeacefullyon April 29, 2025. Shewas bornAugust2,1931, at Baptist Hospital in NewOr‐leans,LA. Sheispreceded indeath by herparents, WilliamMaier andRuth Es‐telle UlmerMaier.She is survivedbyher siblings, WilliamEugeneMaier,and Eleanor Clay Maier. Sheis alsosurvivedby9 nieces and nephews, 19 grandniecesand grandnephews,aswellasmany cousins.She waslovingly called“Aunt Margaret’by all.Margaretwas always interestedinlanguageand earnedher BA in English fromNewcomb College. After college, shelived in New York City forseveral years while sheworkedat VikingPress.She enjoyed teachingEnglish at Berlitz Corp. formanyyears and after Katrina, shevolun‐teered to teachEnglish to Hispanicimmigrants here inNew Orleans. Sheloved totellstories abouther ex‐periences at LeverBros. where sheworkedfor decades.Beforeretiringin 1997, sheworkedatStick‐ney Marine andthenatDu‐four, Laskay,and Strouse, Inc. Margaret’s love of

modern jazz,opera,and balletmeant that sheat‐tendedinnumerable per‐formances throughout her lifetime. Shealsoloved working crosswordpuz‐zles, sudoku puzzles, and alwayshad abook in tow. Earlier in herlife, herpas‐sions also included art, es‐peciallypainting, andany and allthingsrelated to horses, from collecting ﬁg‐urinestohorseback riding Margaret’sfamilywould liketothank thewonderful staff of VitalCaringhos‐pice. Theirknowledge,sup‐port, andcare provided great comfortand guid‐ance throughevery mo‐ment. Family andfriends are invitedtoattend avisi‐tationat9:00amonMon‐day,May 5, 2025, at Green‐wood FuneralHome, 5200 Canal Blvd.New Orleans, LA70124, followed by a ser‐viceat11:00 am.Interment willbeprivate.For condo‐lences, please visitwww greenwoodfh.com.In lieu of ﬂowers, please consider donatingtothe Friendsof the NewOrleans Public Li‐brary (friendsnola.org)or the charityofyourchoice.

Martin,Elizabeth Elaine

ElizabethElaineMartin was born March3rd,1948, inColumbus, GA,toDou‐glasand LilieWilliams. She was the4th of 7children. She had 1brother and5 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, 2 grandchildren AlyssiaMilsteadand Angel 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

Mayer, Linda Venus

LindaVenus Blanchard Mayer passedawaypeace‐fully on April30, 2025, at the ageof85, surrounded byfamily. Born in NewOr‐leans on March7,1940, she lived alifedeﬁnedbygrit, creativity, anddetermina‐tion. Shewas proudofher Sicilianheritageand often remindedher familythat their original name was Venozia,changed to Venus whenher ancestorsimmi‐gratedthrough thePortof New OrleansfromPiana dei Greci(nowPiana degli Albanesi),Sicilyin1883

Thatsense of history showedupinher cooking, her storytelling, andthe way shekepther family close.Linda graduated fromRedemptoristHigh School in 1957, andwent ontobuild acareer as var‐ied as it wasunconven‐tional. In the1970s, when new ﬁnancialopportuni‐tiesopenedupfor women, she didn’t hesitate.She openeda bank account, got acreditcard, and started launching busi‐nesses. Hermanyentre‐preneurialendeavors in‐cludedCarpetbaggers of America andLinda of New Orleans,handbag and men’s neck tielines that ended up in boutiques acrossthe country—in‐cluding YouBoutiquein New Orleans. Then came Linda’s Lovelace,a bold lin‐gerie storewithlocations inNew Orleansand Mem‐phis. And ﬁnally, Acy’sPool Hall,a restaurant best

knownfor itsroast beef po’boys and, fora time,its lunchtimelingerieshows a cross-promotiononly Linda coulddream up and actuallymakework. She workedasa seamstress, chef, restaurant owner, lin‐gerie shopkeeper,law clerk,and real estate bro‐ker.But more than anyjob title,whatdefinedher was her abilityto figure things out andmakethingshap‐pen.Linda wasthe family’s matriarch.She kept her manycousins connected overthe years, oftengath‐ering them late at nightat the TiffinInn forbreakfast, coffee, andlong, winding conversations.Sometimes she broughther children or grandchildren along, pass‐ing down storiesand laughterovereggs and grits.The TiffinInn’s long gonenow,but thosemem‐ories stuck. Hersense of careextendedtoher own kitchen.Noone ever left her househungry. There was always atrayof stuffedshells,a potof roast beef,ora panof meatballs warmingonthe stove.Feedingpeoplewas secondnaturetoher Manyofher children have run businessesoftheir own; others pursuedpublic service andadvancedde‐grees.Nomatterthe path, the values shemodeled resourcefulness, indepen‐dence,and boldness—live oninher children,grand‐children, andgreat-grand‐children. To herfamily, she was MawMaw.Whenher grandsonlosthis father unexpectedly, shebecame a steady presence in his life. Formanyofher grand‐children, whentheywere homesickfromschool, theyended up at herhouse curled up in whatthey called“themagic bed.”A bowlofmalt-o-meal,a doseofcartoonsorinap‐propriate soap operas,and a quietday at MawMaw’s often didthe trick. She loved agood wager. For years,she gathered with familythe dayafter Christ‐mas,dressedtothe nines, tospend Boxing Dayatthe New OrleansFairGrounds. It became abeloved tradi‐tion, with racing forms, wagers, andplentyofopin‐ionsabout thehorses. The trifectabet washer fa‐vorite: bold,unlikely, and fullofpossibility.She also had a flairfor thedramatic anda knackfor being where theactionwas WhilelivinginMemphis she andher friend Thomas Silky” Sullivan,the wellknown barowner, used her limousine to sneakinto ElvisPresley’s funeralpro‐

cession. Of course shedid She wasprecededindeath byher father,Sam Venus; her mother,EloiseWillis Venus;her sister,Joan Venus Carr;and herson, PaulBlanchard.She is sur‐vived by herbrother, Charles “Charlie”Venus and hiswifeDebbie; her daughters,MarySonnier (Greg), Jean Stickney (Robert), AnnDunbar (Mike), andCatherine Blan‐chard Villavaso, PhD(Dar‐rin); herson Jack Blan‐chard (Cindy); andher grandchildren:Sarah Mur‐phy (née Stickney), Rachel Stickney, Catherine“Catie” Kemp, Elizabeth“Liz” Dun‐bar,Gabrielle “Gabie Prudhomme (née Sonnier), Robert“Robbie”Stickney, Camille Dunbar,Genevieve Gigi”Sonnier,Smith Stick‐ney,AndrewDunbar, and Patrick Blanchard. She leavesbehindseven greatgrandchildren,who loved her dearly,withanother on the wayinjustthree months. Lindadidn’tjust teach people howtosew orcookorstart abusiness sheshowedthemhow to liveontheir ownterms She ledbyexample.She was sharp, practical, and rarelyfolloweda rule if she saw abetterway to do something.Tohonor her memory, placea trifecta bet next time you’re at the track.However your horses ﬁnish,think of Linda. Avis‐itation will be held at Jacob Schoen& SonFuneral Home, 3827 CanalStreet in New Orleans, on Monday May 5, 2025, beginningat 12:00 p.m.,witha service tofollowat2:00p.m.Linda willbeentombedatSt. Louis Cemetery No.3,3421 Esplanade Avenue ArrangementsbyJacob Schoen& sonFuneral Home. Condolencesmay beleftatwww.schoenfh. com

wasborninSt. Louis, Mis‐souri on October17, 1951, toJeanette BreitlingMc‐Cloud andHaroldAlfred McCloud.Mac wasa grad‐uateofCor Jesu High School in NewOrleans and attended theUniversityof New Orleans. Macwas a devoted LSUfan,known for his crawﬁsh boils, hisloyal friends who datedbackto childhood, anda long ca‐reer workingonracecars. In 2023, Macretired when hewas diagnosedwith Parkinson’s disease. His wifeof20years,Marla, cared forhim throughhis diagnosis.Heissurvived byhis wife,Marla Walling McCloud;his niece, Michelle BaconMoore (PatrickMoore); grand‐nephews,Ryanand Sean Moore; grandniece,Audrey Moore; hismother-in-law and father-in-law, Chuck and Rita Walling. Macwas precededindeath by his stepson,NicholasWalling; his sister,Betty McCloud Bacon;his brother-in-law, Michael WilliamBacon Sr.; nephew, MichaelWilliam Bacon Jr.; andhis parents, Jeanette andHaroldMc‐Cloud.While Macwillbe truly missed, we rest as‐sured that he is nowin peace in thepresenceof God andthe angels of heaven. Relativesand friends areinvited to at‐tenda visitation on Friday May 9, 2025, from 10:00 a.m.to12:00 p.m. at Audubon FuneralHomein Slidell. AFuneral Mass will begin in thechapelat noon.Inlieuof ﬂowers, the familywould like youto considermakinga dona‐tiontothe Team Gleason Foundation(teamglea‐son.org)inmemoryof Mac.Memoriesand condo‐lencesmay be expressed atwww.AudubonFuneralH ome.com

Blanchard

Maier, Margaret Maier

McCloud, Harold 'Mac'

Harold “Mac”McCloud, age 73, died April26, 2025 in Slidell, Louisiana. Mac See more DEATHS page

SPORTS

‘A damn good quarterback

NFLanalyst believes Shough will ‘surprise’ league

Louis Riddick understands where Saints fans are coming from.

He knows you might be skeptical about Tyler Shough, the quarterback the Saints picked in the second round of the NFL draft,and that you might be dubious abouthis age (25) and extensive injury history

His advice: Free your mind and the rest will follow

were understandably low when he wa signed afew Louisville games as an E color analyst last season.

Jeff Duncan

“Tyler has been put into alot of boxes,” Riddick said. “Saints fansneed to give him achance. Once they learn alittle bit

Inside how LSUfootball landed No.1 transfer class

Roster-buildingapproach beganwithmoney talks

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

Last December,inthe middle of acrucial fundraising pushfor the LSU roster, coach Brian Kelly and general manager Austin Thomas went to the corporate headquarters of MMR Group, anational constructionﬁrm based in Baton Rouge

Theymet with Pepper Rutland, the founder and president. Aformer LSUlinebacker and team captain, Rutlandhas given money to LSU for years. He already knew Kelly, but this was the ﬁrsttime thecoach visited his ofﬁce.

“I’ll bet you never thought you wouldbe doing this when you cameto LSU,” Rutland told Kelly

“You’re correct,” he remembered Kelly saying.

But it was necessary.

LSUhad to persuade donors to invest more than ever in the football team’s name, image and likeness collective afterﬁnancially trailing other majorprograms forthe past three years. In order to build the 2025 roster and potentially reach the College Football Playoff for the ﬁrst time in Kelly’s tenure,LSU understood it neededtoraise more NIL money

“Wehad to go around the community,” Kelly said. “Wehad to go see donors and have meetings and show them our game plan and our business planfor what we were gonna do and how we were gonna do it.”

The goal was to raise $13 million for the collective, BayouTraditions, withthe intention of front-loading NIL deals before LSU begins paying playersasaresult ofthe House settlement. The previous threeyears combined, the general counsel of LSU’scollective said it spent roughly $11 millionon the roster,including $5.5 million last season. Planning beganinAugust,and LSU needed to increase its fundraisingefforts before

about him, they’re going to be super, super impressed. This kid’sa damn good quarterback with some serious, serious skills.”

Riddick understands the skeptics becausehewas one, too.

Theveteran ESPN analyst didn’t know much about Shough before the 2024 college football season. Shough wasn’tahousehold name and had spent six years in college after transferring from previous stops at Oregonand Texas Tech. Riddick’sexpectations

Riddickand Cardinals head coach Je Brohm hadaconnection as former tea mates with the XFL’sOrlandoRage in Riddickbelieves Brohm and his brothe Brian, the Cardinals’ offensive coordin areamong the best quarterback evalua and developersinthe game. He trusted their opinions. And what he heard from Brohmsand othersatpracticeand dur production meetings about Shough lea up to the game opened his eyes.

sasSPN ff m2001. r, ator, tors the ing ding

Tyler Shough

BYBETHHARRIS AP racingwriter

LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Sovereigntygave trainer Bill Mott asecond Kentucky Derby victory.This timethere was no doubt about it and no asterisk. The 3-year-oldcolt outdueled 3-1 favorite Journalismdown thestretch to win the151st Derby in the slop on Saturday, snappingan 0-for-13 skid by owner Godolphin.

Mott won his first Derby in 2019, also runon asloppy track,when Country Housewas elevated to first after Maximum Security crossed the finish line first but was disqualified during a22-minute delay It took afew minutes for Saturday’sresults to be made official while the stewards sorted

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

out aphoto for secondand reviewed atrafﬁcchoked start.

Mott knew all the while who earned the garland of red roses.

“This one got there the right way,”the Hall of Fame trainer said. “I mean,he’sdone well, he’s agreat horse, he comes from agreat organization,and Ican’tsay enough about the horse and theorganization that started him out and made this happen.”

Godolphin is theracing stable of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum It was quite aweekend forthe sheikh. His ﬁlly,GoodCheer,won the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and earlierSaturday,Ruling Court —a son of 2018 Triple Crownwinner Justify —won ä See DERBY, page 2C

STAFFPHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU head coach Brian Kelly squintsashe squats in front of LSU general managerfor football Austin Thomas in the second half between the Tigers and the Gators during the 2024 football season.

Top: Sovereignty,ridden by Junior Alvarado, left, crosses the finish line to winthe 151strunning of the

See LSU, page 3C

9p.m.

Inoue vs. CardenasESPN

BROADCASTHIGHLIGHTS

GOLF

Noon PGATour:CJCup Byron Nelson Golf

2p.m. PGATour:CJCup Byron Nelson CBS

2p.m. Champions:Insperity Invitat. Golf

5p.m. LPGA: Black DesertChamp. Golf

HORSE RACING

Noon American’sDay at the Races FS2

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

12:35 p.m. Kansas City at Baltimore MLB

3:30 p.m. Washington at Cincinnati MLB

6p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Atlanta ESPN

NBA PLAYOFFS

5p.m. Indiana at Cleveland TNT,TruTV

7:30 p.m. Golden State at Houston TNT,TruTV

NHL PLAYOFFS

1p.m.

1p.m.NorthwesternatUCLA

3p.m.Michigan

6p.m.

Pittsburgh ACC

6p.m. St. LouisatWinnipeg TBS MEN’S SOCCER

5:55 a.m. Celtic at Rangers CBSSN

8a.m. Atalanta at Monza USA

8a.m. Newcastle at Brighton &HoveUSA

6p.m. Sacramento at Oakland CBSSN

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Noon ChicagoatNJ/Ny CBS SWIMMING

8a.m.TyR: Pro Swim Series* CNBC

9:30 a.m. TyR: Pro Swim Series* CNBC

1:30 p.m.TyR: Pro Swim Series* CNBC TENNIS

8:30 a.m. WTA: Madrid-doubles final Tennis

11:30 a.m. ATP: Madrid singles final Tennis TRACK AND FIELD

2p.m.Grand Slam Track: Day3 CW UNITED FOOTBALL LEAGUE

11 a.m. D.C. at Michigan ESPN2

3p.m.San AntonioatBirmingham Fox

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

8p.m.Columbus at VegasCBSSN WNBA PRESEASON

3p.m.Brazil at IndianaESPN2

*taped

VanLith ﬁnds comfortatpoint guard

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Had Hailey VanLith not stepped outside of her comfortzonetwo years ago, she’d only be learningnow what she discovered when she left Louisville —that she needed more time and experiencetodevelop into aWNBA point guard. VanLith didn’tﬁtthatmold at LSU. The rookie acknowledged that reality on Friday before she returned to the Pete Maravich AssemblyCenter and notched seven points, ﬁve assists, three rebounds and two steals in 13 minutesof run in the Chicago Sky’s89-62 preseason win over the Brazilian National Team.

The exhibition game was scheduled in January as ahomecoming for Angel Reese Then the SkydraftedVan Lith in April, makingits trip to Baton Rouge areunion for hertoo and affordingher achance to reﬂecton the lone season she spentatLSU.

“I think that Ihad to find away to mesh,” VanLith said, “when there wasn’tanatural meshing going on.” Last year,Van Lith decided not to enter the draft. She could’ve returned to LSU for her fifth and final season of eligibility,but she chose instead to enter the transferportal. Shesettledon TCU, a program that assigned her the ballhandling responsibilities she needed to show WNBA scouts she could play point guard and gave her the space sherequired to showcase her bread-and-butter offensive skillofattacking,down-

hill drives. VanLith wound up setting career-highs in two key statistical categories: field-goal percentage (45%) and assists (5.4). She also won the Big12Player of theYear award, guidedthe Horned Frogs pastthe first weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in their history and opened upabout someofthe mental-health strugglesshe’s battled throughout her career

That success restored VanLith’s draft stock, which led her to the Sky at pickNo. 11 and afull-circle trip to LSU, the place where she began her two-year journey of self-discovery She was there to learnhow to play point guard, she said, be-

Thorpedo Anna to visitclinic

By The Associated Press

LOUISVILLE,Ky. Thorpedo Anna is headed for acheckup at aveterinary clinic after the reigning Horse of the Year finished asurprising seventh in her return to Churchill Downs. She was jostled in betweenhorses in arace to the first turn and began to fade bythe top of the stretch in Friday’s $1 million La Troienne for fillies and mares. She was coming off avictory in the Apple Blossom Handicap on April12 in Arkansas

“The ﬁrst turn incident mayhave thrown her off her game, or maybe the three-week turnaround wasn’t my best choice,” trainer Ken McPeek posted SaturdayonX.“She showed no signsshe couldn’thandlethat. I’m more critical of myself than anyone. Regardless, she won’tberushed back soon.” McPeek said Thorpedo Anna waswalking well on Saturday.She will have X-raysonher knees and ankles and then be sent toRood &Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington for further examination.

Raging Sea won the La Troienne by threequarters of alength in her ﬁrst start since finishing second to Thorpedo Anna in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff last year Thorpedo Anna won last year’sKentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs and ﬁnishedthe year with six wins in seven starts.

cause sheaspired to play in the WNBA. Given her size, she’d most likely have no choice but to work as alead ballhandler whenever she transitioned to the league.

“I have to be able to play the one,” VanLith said, “and so Ithink it might have been alittle bit of a hard transition for me to learn the one while I’m arookie in the league.Sonow thatI have alittle bit of afoundation of how to play and be apoint guard, Ithink that deﬁnitely is going to help me.”

First-year Sky coach Tyler Marsh agreed, saying that Van Lith boosted her draftstock by transferring twice andplayingfor three different teams

“I think it worked to heradvantage,” Marsh said, “and we had

talked about thatright after we had drafted her,just the preparation and being at three different places under three completely different styles of play and how she was abletoadapt. Ithink that that’ssomething that’shuge for her transition and development into the(WNBA).”

This season, VanLith won’tstart games for theSky.She’sset to rotate in behind veteranssuch as Courtney Vandersloot,Kia Nurse and Ariel Atkins.OnFriday, she didn’tenter the gameuntil halfwaythrough the third quarter, when the PMAC crowd greeted herwith aloud ovation.

VanLith made themost of her minutes. When she wasonthe court, theSky outscored Brazil by 11 points. Her shots, passes anddrives were quickand decisive —asign that she was playing with more comfortthanshe did thelast time she set foot on the PMAC ﬂoor

“Her confidence hasgone through theroof,” Reese said.

So, too, have VanLith’schances at succeeding in the WNBA, thanks to the decisions she made across the last two years to prepare herself forthe transition.

“Itisalot,” VanLith said. “It’s alot to learn the system,and it’s alot to establish yourself as that leader on the court as the one, but I’m grateful for the opportunityto be able togothrough this transition

“It’shard,but I’dtake it over anything else, and I’m going to just keep trying to get better at one thing every day and get more comfortable.”

DERBY

Continued from page 1C

the 2,000 Guineas in Britain.

“I’ve hadquite alongrelationshipwiththe Godolphin teamand the manbehindthe Godolphinoperation, Sheikh Mohammed,” Mott said. “I’m just honored.”

Sovereignty,also bred by the sheikh, splashed through 11/4 miles in 2:02.31 and paid $17.96 to win at 7-1 odds. Thevictory was worth $3.1million from the $5 million purse.

“It’sgreat,” Mottsaid. “I thinkitwill take a little while to sink in.

Journalismdidn’thave the cleanest of trips in the 19-horse ﬁeld but rallied to stayinthe ﬁght.Hefound trouble early before jockey UmbertoRispoli swung him outside to get himinthe clear.They madeamove at the leaders with Sovereignty and jockey Junior Alvarado right behind them.

“Hewas saying to me,‘Listen, I’m ready,’ so from there Istarted picking up,” Alvarado said.

The two colts hooked up for asixteenth of amile forathrilling battle againstthe backdrop of 147,406 roaring and rain-soaked fans before Sovereignty surged ahead inside the eighth pole and drew clear

“I saw the blue silks (of Godolphin) coming at us, and Iknewthatwas theone we were goingtohave to be concerned about,” said

Michael McCarthy,Journalism’strainer. “The winner ran abetter race.” Alvarado won his ﬁrst Derby in sixtries. He and Sovereignty were reunited after Alvarado had missedthe colt’slast start in the FloridaDerby because he wasinjured.

“It’smorethan adream come true,” the 38-year-old Venezuelan said. “I thought Ihad a great chance. Iwas conﬁdent the whole week.”

Fast-closing Baeza —who got into the race on Thursdayafteranother horse was scratched —was aneck back in third. Final Gambit was fourth andOwenAlmighty finished fifth Citizen Bull, thelone entry for six-time Derby-winning trainer Bob Baffert, set the pace. Baffert was back on the first Saturday in Mayhavingservinga three-year suspension by Churchill Downsafter his Medina Spirit crossed the finish line first in 2021 andfailed apostrace drug test.

D. Wayne Lukas, the 89-year-old, four-time Derby winner, saw hiscolt American Promise ﬁnish right behind Baffert in 15th.

Rain made for asoggy day,with the Churchill Downs dirt strip listed as sloppy and fans protecting their fancy hats and clothingwith clear plastic ponchos.

BurnhamSquare was sixth, followed by Sandman, East Avenue, Chunk of Gold, Louisiana Derby winner Tiztastic, Coal Battle, Neoequos, Publisher, Citizen Bull,American Promise,Render Judgment, Flying Mohawk and AdmireDaytona.

LSU adds Israeli guard Zipper from pro league

Ron Zipper,22, committed to LSU after playing professionally in Israel, according to asource within the program

The 6-foot-4 guard is the Tigers’ 13th scholarship player,the eighth new addition not from high school and the only player added to the team notfrom thetransferportal this offseason.

He will also be the ﬁrst overseas pro whodidn’tplay in college that coach Matt McMahon, entering his fourth season, will have at LSU. In 24 games in the IsraeliWinnerLeague,Zipperaveraged 11.1 points in 19.7 minutesper game. He shot 41.9% from the ﬁeld and 38.2% from 3-point range. He played in the sameleague as former NBAguardsPatrick Beverly andAntonio Blakeney,aformer LSU player

LSU softball shut out in regular-season finale

The No. 10 LSU softball team capped off its regular season with a6-0 loss to No.8Arkansas on Saturday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, leaving the Tigers at 40-13 overall and 12-12 in league play Arkansas (38-11, 14-10) starting pitcher Payton Burnham held LSUtojust four hits. McKenzie Redoutey collected two singles forLSU,while Jalia Lassister and Sierra Daniel each managed a double.

Arkansas scored single runs off of LSU starter Tatum Clopton in both thefirst and thirdinnings Cloptonwas relievedbySydney Berzon withtwo outs in thethird. TheRazorbacksaddeda run in the fourth andthreeruns in the ﬁfth off of Berzon, although all four of the runs wereunearned.

Man who fell from wall at Pirates game is awake

PITTSBURGH The manwho fell from the top of a21-foot-high wall onto the warning track at PNC Park duringagamebetween the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Chicago Cubs on Wednesdaynight is awake and alert.

Theorganizer of aGoFundMe page forKavan Markwood,the 20-year-old who slippedoff arailing and onto the ﬁeld during the seventh inning of Pittsburgh’s4-3 win over the Cubs, shared an update SaturdaythatMarkwood is improving.

According to Jennifer Phillips, who is organizing the fundraiser, Markwood hasmadesignificant progresssince beingadmittedto the trauma center at Allegheny General Hospital on Wednesday in critical condition.

NBC’sTiricoleaves Derby coveragewith nut allergy

LOUISVILLE, Ky.— NBC Sports host MikeTiricosaid on social media he hates being a“late scratch” from Saturday’s151st Kentucky Derbybecause of a“signiﬁcant” nut allergy reaction during coverage of the marqueerace at Churchill Downs Ahmed Fareed took over coverage for the veteran broadcaster, whowas scheduled to host coverage of the ﬁrst jewel of horse racing’sTriple Crown for the ninth time.

Tiricoleftthe storied track in the late afternoon and returned to his hotel,anNBC Sports spokesman said.

Tirico referred to the allergy on his ofﬁcial account on Xand added that, “If youhaveone youknow how it can knock you down.”

Sabalenka beatsGauffto win Madrid Open, 20thtitle

MADRID No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka beat No. 4Coco Gauff in straight sets to win her recordtyingthird Madrid Open and20th career title on Saturday Sabalenkapowered through the first set and edged the American in atiebreaker for a6-3,7-6 (3) win on the Caja Mágica clay court. Sabalenkaadded to titles in Madrid in 2021 and2023 and equaled Petra Kvitova’stournament record. It wasalso Sabalenka’stourleading thirdtitle of the year after Brisbane and Miami. She also pulledlevel withGauffonhead-tohead with five wins apiece. Gauff could have risen to No. 2 with avictory.The 2023 U.S. Open champion lost only one set this weekuntil thefinal. Gauff’s great recordinfinals slippedtonine wins in 11.

AP PHOTO By JEFFROBERSON

Sovereignty,ridden by Junior Alvarado, crosses the finish line to win the 151strunning of the Kentucky DerbyonSaturday in Louisville, Ky

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

ChicagoSky guard HaileyVan Lith walks to the locker room after the Skydefeated the Brazil National Team on Friday in the PMAC.

“Everyone I talked to about Tyler — coaches, teammates, people in the football department — it was just A-pluses across the board,” Riddick said.

Then Riddick saw Shough play in ACC showdowns against SMU, Miami and Clemson “He was lights-out every time,” Riddick said.

Ditto Shough’s workouts at the Senior Bowl and the NFL scouting combine, where he tested off the charts with a 4.6 time in the 40yard dash, and impressed teams with his maturity and football acumen in interviews

“It was just one thing after another that really stacked up for me,” Riddick said.

By the time the NFL draft rolled around, Riddick was captaining the Shough bandwagon He told anyone who would listen that Shough was the biggest sleeper in the draft, that he would be selected higher than everyone expected.

“Remember the name,” Riddick said repeatedly, as ESPN producers played a mashup of his on-air touts about Shough’s prospects.

Ask Riddick what he likes about Shough, and he launches into an impassioned soliloquy about his prototypical size (6-foot-5, 219 pounds), athleticism and passing skills

LSU

Continued from page 1C

the transfer portal opened. In a two-week stretch beginning in late November, Kelly and LSU administrators visited several highlevel boosters, showing them an approach to roster management that has been inspired by the NFL Their presentation resonated Donors, some motivated by ﬁvestar quarterback Bryce Underwood’s ﬂip to Michigan, provided the money to retain key players, add a top-10 recruiting class and sign the No. 1 transfer portal class in the country, according to 247Sports.

Kelly has since described the roster as the best in his four years at LSU. “We have a football team that now is poised to play with anybody in the SEC,” Kelly said. “We didn’t before.”



During one of LSU’s open dates in the fall, Thomas and athletic director Scott Woodward visited the Seattle Seahawks. They wanted to understand how an NFL team navigates the salary cap, so they compared ideas and asked questions, trying to make sure LSU took the right approach to roster management in the revenue-sharing era. Woodward called the trip “an affirmation that we were in the right direction and doing the right things.” Thomas also used connections with the Houston Texans to reﬁne his system as LSU prepared to begin paying players July 1 as a result of the settlement which still requires ﬁnal approval

If the settlement takes effect, schools will be able to distribute up to $20.5 million in the 2025-26 academic year creating a salary cap that will increase annually based on rising revenue. Similar to other major programs, LSU plans to allocate $13.5 million to football, dividing the money between the 2025 and 2026 teams. The settlement is designed to curb spending by collectives Though questions remain about the effectiveness of new enforcement measures for improper NIL deals, LSU wanted to use the money in Bayou Traditions before it would need to pass through a clearinghouse. It has planned to spend $10 million in the ﬁrst half of 2025. Thomas uses a database to manage all of this. Using the NFL as a guide, LSU created a ﬁnancial starting point for every position on the roster If Thomas inputs a new value at one spot, the other positional values change to stay under the cap. It lets him quickly input and interpret information, helping him make formulaic decisions.

“Knowing when to walk away is just as important as it is to know when to invest,” Thomas said. “And so for us, having the discipline to do that and stay within our model was what was really important. There are factors that drive that compensation model up and down. But at the end of the day, it’s really about discipline and decision-making.”

Thomas ﬁrst used the technology, which was created by NextGen Prospect, as Ole Miss’ chief of staff in 2022. It started as basic spreadsheets, but the system became more interactive over time.

“What’s not to like?” he said.

“He has big hands — almost 10inch hands — a 32-inch vertical jump and ran 4.6 at the combine.

He has good vision down the ﬁeld and in the pocket He understands pro-style concepts and has the intellect and football intelligence to run a lot of different offenses.

Jeff gave him a ton of responsibility on the football ﬁeld (to make checks and get in and out of plays at the line of scrimmage). He produced all of the things Jeff expects him to execute in that offense.”

Riddick didn’t stop there. He was just getting started.

“Throw for throw, he might be

the most talented passer in the draft,” Riddick said. “He can throw from different arm slots, throw with touch and throw with horsepower He can layer the ball down the ﬁeld and throw it deep. And he’s mobile. He has the ability to move outside the pocket and can take off and run with it.”

It’s important to note Riddick’s credentials. He played in the NFL for six years and was a scout and personnel director with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is so highly regarded that multiple NFL teams have interviewed him for their general manager positions. His opinion is an informed one.

Riddick touted C.J. Stroud and

Jayden Daniels in the 2023 and 2024 NFL drafts, and he was one of the few analysts high on Bo Nix as a ﬁrst-rounder a year ago.

In many ways, Riddick believes Shough is fighting some of the same criticisms Nix did a year ago as an older prospect. The Broncos’ first-rounder led Denver to its first playoff appearance in seven years and finished third in the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.

“There are a lot of stereotypes attached to this guy (Shough),” Riddick said. “He’s being unfairly judged by some people who, quite frankly, are using surface-level, amateur evaluation metrics.”

Riddick went down the list: Shough’s injury history, which includes two broken collarbones and a fractured ﬁbula in his leg.

“His injuries were freak-type injuries, the kind that could happen to any quarterback,” Riddick said. “This is not some brittle, injury-prone quarterback that is going to crumble to dust the ﬁrst time he gets hit, and you have a wasted draft pick.”

Likewise, Riddick believes Shough’s age (25) has been overblown.

“He’s older,” Riddick said. “Who cares? It doesn’t matter Quarterbacks play into their 30s. He’s going to be a two-contract quarterback in the NFL. If this kid plays a decade in New Orleans, and they’re successful, does anybody give a (expletive) that he started off his NFL career at 25?”

Able to blend advanced scouting with recruiting boards and ﬁnancial modeling, it streamlined the work when someone entered the transfer portal.

NextGen Prospect co-founder Marc Vittacore said LSU had used the company’s services since early 2022, primarily for advanced scouting of opponents. But when Thomas was still at Ole Miss, he asked about improving the system’s ability to track spending. After he began his third stint at LSU last January, Thomas constructed the database he has now

“I knew this thing (revenue sharing) was developing, and I knew we needed to get a top manager in here to do it who understood it and who had done it well,” Woodward said.

“Austin is one of the best in the business.”

At Ole Miss, Thomas worked for a program that has signed at least 20 transfers in each of the past four years Kelly has a different philosophy at LSU, which Thomas supports.

They have speciﬁc target percentages for how many freshmen, returning players and transfers they want to have on the team.

of metrics, including their background, experience and competition level

“A lot of it is work that never comes to fruition, if that makes sense,” Thomas said. “But you know, on the guys that do, you pull all those pieces together and now it creates an opportunity to be really streamlined and efficient in what we’re doing.”

At the same time, LSU began to raise money, knowing it needed more.



The night of Nov 21, Carlos Spaht sat in a bank board meeting, listening to a presentation as his phone began to buzz. Spaht, the general counsel and former manager of LSU’s collective, got so many calls and text messages that he thought something had happened to a member of his family

We have a football team that now is poised to play with anybody in the SEC. We didn’t before.”

BRIAN KELLy, LSU coach, on this season’s roster

Although Thomas declined to share those numbers, LSU wants the highest percentage to come from returning players.

“More times than not, we really want to focus on retention and high school recruiting because we think that’s going to be the sustainable model,” Thomas said. “But as we’ve shown, we’re not afraid to go acquire pieces as needed.”

In August, the LSU player personnel staff began rating and calculating the potential value of every player in college football so it could act quickly when the transfer portal opened. The staff created a national board of potential targets based on a series

Underwood, the No. 1 overall recruit in the country, had ﬂipped to Michigan. LSU’s offer would have made Underwood the highestpaid player on the team last year but he reportedly received a lucrative NIL deal funded by the co-founder of Oracle, a multinational computer technology company

“Everybody who has given more than $100,000 over the last three years called me within a 12-minute span is what it felt like,” Spaht said.

From Spaht’s point of view, the effect of Underwood’s decision on the LSU donors “cannot be overstated.” He said boosters who previously did not believe how much money it took to fund a team in the NIL era started to reach out for the ﬁrst time, asking for explanations and more information. The LSU collective then received seven-ﬁgure donations from some high-level boosters who had not contributed to NIL before.

If anything, Riddick believes Shough’s experience will be an advantage for him and the Saints.

“He has a blueprint for dealing with adversity,” Riddick said. “This kid has been knocked down. What he’s been through would have broken a lot of people. For him, it didn’t. It hardened and calloused him. The Saints know they’ve got a guy who is going to respond the right way when adversity hits. They already know what he’s made of.”

While Riddick is as bullish on Shough as any quarterback he’s evaluated, he cautions that he doesn’t know how he will fare as a rookie. The transition to the NFL is difﬁcult for all draft prospects, but it’s especially steep for quarterbacks. Riddick was convinced Trey Lance and Dwayne Haskins would be good NFL quarterbacks, and neither panned out.

In that regard, Riddick thinks Shough’s maturity will suit him well when the inevitable adversity hits during his rookie NFL season. He also sees him as a perfect match for Kellen Moore, the cerebral ﬁrst-year head coach for the Saints and a former quarterback whose ﬁngerprints, Riddick said, “are all over this pick.” “I’m really pulling for the guy and interested to see how it plays out,” Riddick said. “I know the kid is super, super determined to prove right the people that supported and believed in him. I think he’s going to surprise the entire NFL.”

“Dang,” Reliford said, “are they trying to replace me?”

Reliford asked the LSU coaches, who told him the additions created competition that would make him better

“They only replace you if you let them,” Reliford said, “so just go out and work and show that you’re the better man.”

Last year, LSU signed the No. 43 transfer class in the country, according to 247Sports, and missed out on the top defensive tackles after offering less than their asking prices. Kelly said it was a calculated decision because LSU was “still a year away in terms of the development of our program.” Instead, he thought young players needed to gain experience.

LSU also had lost at least three games for the third straight year, and when the transfer portal opened, it looked for experienced players who could immediately contribute. The Tigers intentionally did the majority of their work in the December portal window They have now signed 17 players, including seven ranked in the top 100 by 247Sports. LSU could land one more transfer in Houston safety AJ Haulcy who visits Sunday

“I think we would have been ﬁne, ultimately,” Spaht said, “but that sort of turned on a faucet that was pretty amazing.”

Thomas acknowledged losing Underwood resonated with donors, but he said it did not change LSU’s approach.

“Internally, that was not the trigger,” Thomas said. “We had plans long before that. That just shed, in my opinion, some light on the situation with the general public and our donors and fan base, you know? We knew leading into the portal season, we were already going to have to be very buttoned up in what we did and how we did it.”

In the following weeks, LSU fundraising intensiﬁed. Kelly said LSU “had to raise millions of dollars in a very short period of time to be able to inﬂuence the roster.”

Thomas estimated they met with 20-25 donors, giving a presentation that included the database, how they construct the roster, their needs in the transfer portal and, most importantly how much the team would cost.

“It was an aha moment for a lot of donors,” Woodward said.

One of them, Rutland, had given smaller amounts to the LSU collective before. Evaluating the situation, he thought about what could happen if LSU fell behind as the sport transforms. Though he doesn’t like the current set-up, he feared how long it could take to climb back from irrelevancy Rutland lived through losing eras of LSU football. He gave a seven-ﬁgure donation, not wanting to return to them.

“You just have to make the decision,” Rutland said. “Are you willing to help participate in a system that you don’t agree with, that you think is ﬂawed terribly but keeps you in the mix of a winning program while this all gets sorted out? That was it. I just thought coming back would be way too hard. It may take years and years and years.”

As LSU landed transfers, including three experienced edge rushers, sophomore defensive end Gabriel Reliford wondered what their arrivals meant for him.

“This couldn’t be we’re taking a ﬂier on a guy from Cornell,” Kelly said. “They had to be frontline starters with experience because then what you did last year doesn’t matter The lumps that you took last year, they don’t help you with the depth that you need in your program.”

As LSU signed its class, Kelly referred to the donors who had contributed signiﬁcant money as “shareholders” in the process. He said they were allowed access that he had never given in three decades of being a head coach.

“I’d ﬁeld calls, ‘Hey what’s going on? We got a shot? How’s it going?’ ” Kelly said. “That’s the only way you could do it in the manner that we needed to do it. I had never done it that way before, but that’s what we needed to do to get the kind of impact in our program that we needed.”

Moving forward, LSU likely will not sign this many transfers. Although needs can shift from yearto-year, affecting the numbers, Thomas said going heavy into the portal will not be the “norm” for the program. It wants to supplement holes with the transfer portal while building through the high school ranks, and LSU has the No. 4 recruiting class in 2026.

“It was a unique situation this year,” Thomas said. “The assessment of where we were and what we could accomplish in bringing this group of players together — both in retention, portal and high school gave us the best opportunity to win a championship.” That is the expectation now, or at least to reach the playoff. With everything LSU has done to the team, Kelly has conﬁdence.

“Regardless of how we played the game before, we would have needed help,” Kelly said. “Something favorably would have had to happen. We don’t need that. We need to play the game, play the game the right way, be prepared, do the right things in all areas If we do that, we’ve got a team that can win the SEC.”

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JACOB KUPFERMAN

Louisville quarterback Tyler Shough looks to pass the ball in the second half of a game against Clemson on Nov. 2 in Clemson, S.C.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU coach Brian Kelly works with his players on the ﬁeld before kickoff against Missouri on Oct. 7, 2023, at Faurot Field in Columbia, Mo

THEVARSITYZONE

Chapelle on SaturdayatFraschParkinSulphur.The

PATRIOTS’WAY

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

SULPHUR JohnCurtis followed a familiar recipe to get back to the state championship, as reliable hitting and speed atop the lineup sparkedatwo-run ﬁfth inning that broke atie on the way to defeating Chapelle 4-2 in an LHSAA Division Iselect state semiﬁnal Saturday at Frasch Park.

Leadoff hitter Miley Percle was 3for 3with two runs andtwo stolenbasesasshe singled home the go-ahead run and scored aninsurance run when sophomore Kinsley McInnis beat out abunt single with one out. Percle, asenior,has been an ignitor atop the lineup on ateam that seeks its 13th state championship, and its ﬁrst since 2022.

“Doingmyjob, especially this being my last year,Iwanted to put outfor my team as much as possible,” said Percle, who creditedﬁlm study with recognizing how the Chapelle second basemancheated toward the base with arunner on

defensiveplays to topChapelle

second when she singled toward thevacated spot on the inﬁeld.

The win advanced No. 4Curtis (25-7) to face No. 2St. Thomas More in thestatechampionship that is set for 3p.m. Sunday No. 9Chapelle (17-11), which beat Curtis in the state final last season, ran into three outs on the base paths. Onerunner got thrown out at homeona delayed double steal after athrow down to secondbase in thefirst inning.Percle made athrowfromleft field to get arunnerwho tried to stretch a leadoff single into adouble in the third Then with thescore tied at 2-all, Chapelle tried asqueeze bunt with one out in thefifth inning when third baseman Tamryn King charged ahead and madeanunderhand scoop to catcher Karsyn Christoffer for atag-out at home.

“I knew when they had runners on ﬁrst and third that there was going to be asqueeze play and they were goingtotry to score,” King said. “Mybrain was justlike, ‘Go forit. Go forit.’Don’t letthisrun-

ner score. Keep the runs tied.”

For Chapelle, which won twice on the road to reach the state tournament,coach Scott O’Brien lamented his team’smissedscoring chances.

“Wegot thrown out on the bases too manytimes,” O’Brien said. “Credit to them. They madethe plays where we didn’t.”

Chapelle ﬁrst basemanMia Impastatohad three hitsand drove in tworunswith apairofsingles. This was theﬁnal game for Addy Stein, the lone senior for Chapelle. For Curtis, King homeredtolead off the third inning and McInnis was 2for 3with two RBIs

“I told them the otherday,I have more state championships Ican deal with,with footballand softball,” said Curtis coach Jerry Godfrey, also afootballassistant coach at his alma mater.“Iwant this for them more than anything in the world. It’snot for me or the coaches. It’sfor them.”

ContactChristopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

BY CHRISTOPHERDABE Staff writer

SULPHUR Riley Perilloux came up clutch in more ways than one in hersoftballteam’ssemiﬁnal win Saturday

First,the St.Charles Catholic juniorhit atwo-RBI single that gave her team aone-run lead with two outs in thethird inning. Then, shepitched thefinalfive innings without allowing another run in a 3-2 victory over E.D.White in the LHSAA Division II select state semifinal at Frasch Park

The win advanced No. 6St. Charles (26-7) to thestate final for the first time since 2022 with achance to winatitle forthe first time since 2008. St. Charles will face No. 1Vandebilt Catholic in thefinal set for3 p.m.Sunday

“Wetalked about it right before the playoffs, all about not ﬂinching,”St. Charles coach Zach Weber said. “These girls, they have faced adversity allseason long. They didn’tﬂinch. They continued to play with achip on their shoulder.”

St.Charles won despite 16 strikeouts at the plate and 13 in arow retired by E.D. White’s Shelbee Grostoend thegame. The loss kept No. 2E.D. White (23-10) from making its ﬁrst ﬁnal appearance since 1993.

Four of the ﬁve baserunners for St.Charles reached during the three-run third, starting witha one-out walk by Leah LeBlanc.Adrienne Arnettdoubled to put runners second and third.BaileighTregrewalked, and Khloe Berry bunted in a run, whichled to Perilloux’satbat.

“I knewgoing into it she threw alot of ﬁrst-pitch strikes, and I was really looking to be aggressive,” Perilloux said. “I knew we hadrunners in scoring position and the job had to be done.” Perilloux, whostruckout ﬁve

“Wetalked about it right beforethe playoffs,all about not flinching.These girls, they have facedadversity all season long.They didn’t flinch.Theycontinued to play with achip on their shoulder.”

ZACH WEBER,St. Charlescoach

andwalked onewithsix hits allowed, kept E.D. White from scoringanother runthe rest of the way with ablend of strikeouts and solid play on defense.

Oneout came whenArnett made adiving stop at shortstop and threw from her knees to ﬁrst baseman AliyahManson, as shestretched herlegssoshe couldmorequicklycatch the throw.

Manson madeahigh-reaching catch on ashallowpopup forthe first out of the seventh inning.

Tregre showed good range in center field to catch two fly-outs in the sixth inning and to catch the final out forthe game. In the fourth, E.D. White appeared to have arunneronthird with one out, but St. Charles successfully arguedthatthe base runnerleftsecondbaseearly on afly-out to right field. The next batter singled for ahit that would have tied the game.

“Before it was caught, Isaw it, she rolled,” Weber said. “Right away,wewenttothe umpiresand talked, andtheycame outwitha decision.”

E.D. White coach Juli Darder said the call should never have been overturned after the thirdbase umpire called her safe.

“Itwas on ﬁlm that shetagged up,” Darder said.

Gros, asophomore, hasmore than 500 strikeouts over parts of threevarsity seasons. The 16 strikeouts were acareer high, Darder said.

Mt.Carmelcarries itsheadhighafter loss

BYMIKE COPPAGE

Contributing writer

Be proud of yourselves.

That message was conveyed by Mount Carmelsoftball coach Curtis Matthews to theCubsaftera 6-1 loss to St. Thomas More in the Division Iselect semiﬁnalsatFrasch Park in Sulphur on Saturday

“It was emotional,” Matthews said of the postgame huddle. “It’s unfortunate for the seniors (Brooklyn Butler and Chloe Krey). It’sthe end of their careerhere. Butas young as we are,weaccomplished one of thethings we wanted, and that was to get heretoSulphur.”

The sixth-seeded Cubs (16-14) took a1-0 lead in the top of the ﬁrst inning. Sophomore Shelbi Alphonso —who had three hits andmade adiving catch to rob aCougars player in the outfield —singled and scored on Krey’shit

“Wehad eight hits, they had six,” Matthews said.“STM is avery good team. We outhit them, butwe

left people on base. They turned doubleplays.STM is averygood team.”

Krey started the game at pitcher,but Matthews went to Hayden Traub outofthe bullpen after onethird of an inning.Krey was called for twoillegal pitches, the same thing thathappened in the quarterﬁnal at No. 3Alexandria.

“I had avery good conversation with theLHSAAabout it,” Matthews said of Krey’sdelivery.“We talked about what the ruleis. We knew it would probably happen after it spread like wildﬁreabout herelbow being closer to the body

It is what it is.”

No.2-seeded St.ThomasMore (25-7) scored fourruns in the ﬁrst inning but had only onehit leave theinfield.Traub didn’tgive up another run until the ﬁfth inning.

NatalieJohnson pitched the ﬁnal 11/3 innings,allowing no runs and onehit with astrikeout.

“Haydencameinand didgreat at pitcher,”Matthewssaid. “She’s

adog. Natalie did great. We lost ourNo. 1pitcher (Paige Reuther) to injury.Chloe was our No. 2. We came into the semiﬁnals with our nos. 3, 4and 5pitchers. That’sthe dog in us.

The Cubs put tworunners on with no outs in the ﬁfth and sixth innings, but the Cougars turned double plays on grounders to third baseman AvaSegura. Mount Carmelloaded thebases in theseventh,but STM pitcher Margeret Ogerecorded the ﬁnal out.

Emri Roussel had two hits. Traub, Johnson and Marlie Belsome each added one hit for the Cubs, who entered theplayoffs on anine-gamelosing streak ahead of offensive explosions in wins over No. 11 Captain Shreve and Alexandria (24 runs, 31 hits)

“Itwas awesome,” Matthews said. “Wecame out there and beat the No. 3seed. We’rehere. It’s an accomplishment. Walk outofhere, hugyourfamily, tell them you love them. (Hold your) heads high.”

LHSAA STATESOFTBALL GLANCE

North Frasch Park,Sulphur

BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer

Holy Cross only needed five innings against Acadiana inthe second game of abest-of-three Division Iselect baseball quarterfinals series Saturday at Holy Cross. The Tigers scored fiverunsin the top of the first inning on five straight hits, beginningwith sophomore Greg Ruiz’sone-outsingle. Ruiz scored the first of many Holy Cross runs on an RBI single by senior Will Andrade in the 13-3victory to sweepthe seriesand advance to the Division Iselect semifinals. It was the second straightrunrule win for Holy Cross, who de-

feated Acadiana 12-1 in Friday’s game one after alengthy rain delay.The originalnoon start time forSaturday’s game two was pushed back to 2p.m. but sawno further delays. “It’stricky when agame gets pushed back because of weather,” Holy Cross coach Kal Bonura said “You don’tget to have your normal routine of (batting practice), so you hope they’re ready to play Ihad faith in them.” Holy Cross juniorDom Pelligrin scored on abalkbefore senior

RyderPlanchard’s double drove in Andrade to put the Tigers up 3-0. Roux Guerra followed with asingle and scored an RBI hit by Hayden Derbes. “(Our)one through nine (hitters) are feelingconfident right now,” Bonurasaid. “(We’re) swingingat good pitches,and we’re taking a lotofclosepitches that areballs Thattells me we’re seeing it well.” Holy Cross had stolen bases from Ruiz,Guerra and Derbes in thefirst inning alone and finished with nine steals Guerra was3for 4atthe plate with ateam-high threeRBIs. He recorded an RBI single in the top of thesecond inning and hada

two-run double in the ﬁfthtoput

Holy Cross up by 10.

“What goesthrough my mind is that Ihave to trade places with (runners on base),” Guerra said. “A runneronsecond, Iwant to get to second,scorehim and get some runs on the board.” Ruiz, Derbes and senior Chris Sercovich each had two hitsfor Holy Cross. Matthew Watsonstarted for Holy Cross and threw all ﬁve innings. The left-hander alllowed three earned runs on sixhits.Acadiana’sTyLamartina hit atwo-run home run in the third.

Holy Crossavoided usingits bullpen in the series with Andrade

pitching ﬁve innings in Game 1 followed by Watson’sﬁve Saturday “(Watson) pounds the zone,” Bonura said. “Being able to get through two games in theplayoffs with veryminimal pitches thrown andonlytwo pitchers is very important.”

Abest-of-three semiﬁnal series awaits Holy Cross (31-4) against district rival Brother Martin (296) next week at home. The winner advances to the Division Iselect statechampionshipgameinSul-

Curtis plates twoin fifth, makeskey

STAFF PHOTO By CHRISTOPHER DABE

John Curtis players surround coach JerryGodfrey as he speaks followingtheir Division Iselectsemifinal win against

Patriots will play St.Thomas MoreonSunday

Cavs, Pacers prepare for track meet in 2nd round

BY JOE REEDY AP sports writer

CLEVELAND Kenny Atkin-

son has one simple message for his Cleveland Cavaliers going into their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the Indiana Pacers.

Put your track shoes on The top-seeded Cavaliers had the NBA’s top offense in the regular season, averaging 121.9 points. The fourthseeded Pacers averaged 117.4 points (seventh-best), but have one of the quickest teams in the league and like to go full throttle.

“We have the athleticism and speed, it’s just the initial shock of them doing it so consistently,” Atkinson said “I give (coach) Rick Carlisle and their group so much credit because it plays into their personnel. The message to our guys is how resilient we can be with our running. We do it three times, they’re going to do it four Can we do it for longer?”

there’s not a ton of ﬁlm of them having all their guys and us having all our guys.”

Both teams have had time to prepare for what is expected to be a long series.

Cleveland closed out Miami in four games on Monday night while Indiana’s series against Milwaukee wrapped up on Tuesday

Starting guard Andrew Nembhard, one of the top defenders for the Pacers, believes the extra time will beneﬁt the Pacers because they avoided another physical battle on the road.

“It’s deﬁnitely a big advantage, us not having to go to Milwaukee and play Game 6,” he said. “We’re better when we’re rested.”

thing when we watch him shooting right now, he’s moving well.”

The Pacers are playing their second straight playoff series against a division foe, but it could be very different from the chippy Milwaukee series.

While the Pacers and Bucks sparred 20 times over the past two seasons including back-to-back ﬁrst-round series, both won by the Pacers these teams haven’t met in the postseason since back-to-back ﬁrstround matchups in 2017 and 2018, when LeBron James was Cleveland’s star player In fact, they’ve not even really squared off this season with either team at full strength. The result: Indiana has resorted to some different ways to prepare.

The matchup everyone will be watching when the series starts Sunday night at Rocket Arena will be between Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton and Cleveland guard Donovan Mitchell. Haliburton — who averaged 17.6 points against Milwaukee — is averaging a playoff-best 11.6 assists per game running the Pacers’ ﬁve out offense. He also was the ﬁrst Indiana player in 11 years to begin a playoff series with four straight double-doubles.

derstand how important he is to that group. He’s a threat and we got to make sure we try to ﬁnd ways to neutralize one of the biggest threats on their team.”

“He’s a talented player Since the All-Star break, he’s been averaging like 20 points and 11 assists,” Mitchell said “I have a lot of respect for him and what he brings over there. We un-

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP Basketball Writer

It was Dec. 4, 2021. The game was over San Antonio knocked off Golden State 112-107. And when the ﬁnal buzzer sounded, Draymond Green didn’t seem bothered whatsoever by the loss. He just wanted to talk to Pop. Friday’s announcement by the San Antonio Spurs that Gregg Popovich — the NBA’s all-time wins leader — is stepping down as coach after 29 seasons deeply resonated throughout the league. And it clearly hit Green hard, the longtime Golden State forward saying he can’t fathom what it’ll be like to not see Popovich on the sideline anymore.

“Coach Pop is incredible,” Green said Friday night after Golden State lost a playoff game to Houston. “And none of us knew when that day would come that he’d hang them up. But it sucks to see him go. You know, you love running down the court, seeing him on the

sideline. I had the ultimate honor of playing for him and winning a gold medal.”

Green is one of eight players who went against a Popovich-coached team more than 50 times in an NBA game. But it’s the time he spent playing for Popovich — in USA Basketball’s run to an Olympic gold medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021 — that stands out to Green It wasn’t uncommon for Popovich to chat with or embrace opposing players before, during or after games during his career Those who played for him on that Olympic team, without fail, always found the time to engage with their coach in Tokyo.

“You’ve got that bond,” Miami center — and twotime gold medalist — Bam Adebayo said after one of the Heat-Spurs games in the years that followed the Tokyo Olympics. “You’re going to have that bond forever after what we did, after what Pop led us to.”

Everyone on that U.S team knew what the Olym-

Mitchell averaged 23.8 points against the Miami Heat in the opening round. If the All-Star guard puts up 30 points on Sunday, it will be his eighth straight game with at least 30 points in a series opener, which would surpass Michael Jordan.

pic victory meant to Popovich, who studied at the U.S. Air Force Academy and unsuccessfully tried out to play for the 1972 U.S. Olympic team. He said it was his childhood dream to play in the Olympics; a half-century or so later, he got to lead his country to gold instead.

Popovich officially had Golden State coach Steve Kerr (who succeeded him as USA Basketball’s head coach for the 2024 Paris Games) on his Olympic staff as an assistant, along with the Indiana Pacers’ Lloyd Pierce and Villanova’s Jay Wright. Unofﬁcially, he had a who’s who of the coaching community as part of his think tank that summer a list that included, among many others, Miami’s Erik Spoelstra, longtime NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy and Ime Udoka, who had both played and coached for Popovich in San Antonio.

Udoka is now the coach in Houston. He’s in the Popovich circle of trust, one of the people who weeks ago

“They’re the best team in the East for a reason,” Haliburton said. “They’ve got a lot of depth. They shoot the ball well, defend at a high level, they got rim protection, they’ve got everything. We’re excited to compete against those guys, and

Cleveland gaurd Darius Garland will be a game-time decision as he continues to deal with a nagging big toe injury The All-Star who missed the ﬁnal two games of the regular season and then Games 3 and 4 of the Miami series after aggravating the injury — did not practice on Saturday, but he had a heavy workload and went through a full-contact session Friday

Atkinson said Garland is likely going to have to deal with the injury for the rest of the playoffs.

“The toe’s a tough one,” Atkinson said. “There’s pain and all that. But the good

“I would bet that’s not happened a lot in NBA history,” Haliburton said. “I missed two games, a game and a half, so I mean the film is weird. But I think you take the bits and pieces as much as you can and figure out how to insert. I think you have to use your imagination at some point, watching the last series and seeing how Tyler (Herro), how he’s attacking these guys offensively It’s very interesting, but it poses a little bit of a different threat and an opportunity.”

knew the news that came out Friday Popovich had told some people well ahead of time that he wasn’t coming back.

“Obviously he’s one of the best do it — or the best to do it,” Udoka said. “I’m glad I got a chance to work with him, learn from him and call him a friend.” Green walked off the court arm in arm with Popovich on that December 2021

night, smiling and chatting, the loss on the scoreboard almost completely forgotten. That was the ﬁrst game between the Spurs and the Warriors after those Olympics. Green gave Popovich the shoes he wore in the 2021 gold-medal win over France as a gift; Popovich, he said, had them on for that first Spurs-Warriors game following the Olympics.

“It sucked playing against the Spurs this year to look over and not see him there,” Green said. “And to know that I’ll never get that opportunity again, I just wish I had one last time to go hug him on the sideline before a game. He’s meant so much to this league, and he means so much to me. Job well done, well-deserved retirement. I hope he enjoys the hell out of it.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RHONA WISE

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell fouls Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic during the first half in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series on Monday in Miami.

OUTDOORS

Centralcoast shrimp season opensThursday

BY JOE MACALUSO

Contributing writer

It happens every spring

While that’smost often said about baseball,springisequallyas important to Louisiana shrimpers who await Wildlife and Fisheries biologists to arrive at something called a“crossover” day

It’sthe day the ShrimpStudy staff advises the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission about the best date to open the spring inshore shrimp seasons in our state’smajor coastal basins. So, during Thursday’s commission meeting, the seven-member panellearned the best daytoopen the inside waters from theMississippiRivers’South Pass west to Freshwater Bayou Canal is 6a.m. Thursday

The “crossover” dateiscalculated after weeks of studying the brown shrimp in the major coastal estuaries and arriving at atime when at least 50% of the brown shrimp will grow to asize of (or larger) than 100 count —that’s100 shrimp to the pound.

The two other major inside-waters areas have different opening dates:

n 6a.m., Monday,May 19 from the Louisiana/Mississippi line west to South Pass; n 6a.m., Thursday,May 22 from the FreshwaterBayou Canal west to the Louisiana/Texas line.

These dates areimportant to recreational anglersand other commercial ﬁshing interests because there will be more activity on the water and all boaters need to be aware of trawl boats.

The spring season primarily takes brown shrimp, which move into inshore watersometimes as

Jr. SW Bassmasters AMELIA Age-groupresults from the Junior Southwest Bassmasters-Denham Springs Maytournament held from the Amelia Public Landingwith anglers, their hometowns, number of bass weighed in parentheses (5-bass limit), total weight in pounds and big-bass winners: 15-18-year-old age group: 1, Aiden Alvarez, Addis (3) 5.04 pounds. Big Bass: Alvarez, 3.29. 11-14 age group: 1, Reid Leonard, Walker (4) 4.19. 2, LaneLeRay, Brusly (1)2.04. 3, Landin Sholty,Denham Springs (2)1.71 Big Bass: LeRay, 2.04. 7-10 age group: 1, Charles Leonard, Lakeland (3) 5.56. 2, BlakeHarper, Livingston (4) 5.36. 3, Nathanel Watts, Livingston (3)4.83. Big Bass: Leonard, 4.05. Adult Division: 1, Cody Morgan, Lakeland (5) 12.05. 2, JeremyHarper, Livingston (5) 8.91. 3, Matthew Watts, Livingston (5)8.25. Big Bass: Morgan,2.66.

early as lateJanuary.This species’ growth rate is determined by watertemperature, salinity levelsand wind direction. Toomany cold fronts, north winds, rains and major river levels tend to hinder brown shrimpgrowth to marketable sizes.

The Shrimp Study staff continue to studyshrimp movement and will advise closing the spring season when white shrimp numbers increase in inside waters.

Huntingseasons

Thecommissionalsoapproved Thursdaythe 2025-26 hunting seasons on private lakes and state/federal landscomplete with amendments offered andpassed since the seasondates and regulations were proposed in early January Next up is areview by the State House ofRepresentativesand Senate Natural Resources committees and, if approved,willbeposted in the State Registry Theﬁnal notice canbefound on

Bassmaster Elite ANDERSON, S.C. Final top 5fromthe fourdayWhatagurger Bassmaster Elite held on LakeHartwell with anglers, theirhometowns,number of bass weighed in parentheses (5-bassdaily limit), total weight in pounds and ounces and prizewinnings.Also listed areLouisiana anglers, the big-bass winners &contingency winners.Only the top 50 in the 104-angler ﬁeldmoved to the thirdround, and onlythe top 10 advanced to the ﬁnal round: Top5: 1, Paul Marks,Cumming, Georgia (20) 68 pounds,8 ounces,$100,000. 2, Tucker Smith, Birmingham, Alabama (20) 67-10, $20,000. 3, LukePalmer,Coalgate, Oklahoma (20) 66-10, $15,000. 4, Drew Cook, Cairo, Georgia (20) 65-7,$12,500. 5, JayPrzekurat, Plover, Wisconsin(20) 64-7,$12,000. Louisiana anglers: 62,Tyler Rivet, Raceland (10) 27-4. 69, Caleb Sumrall, New Iberia(10) 26-2. 74, Logan Latuso, Gonzales (10) 25-7 75, Greg Hackney,Gonzales (10) 25-0 Phoenix Boats BigBass: Randy Howell, Guntersville, Alabama, 7-15,$3,000. Rapala CrushCity Monster Bag: Howell, 21-11, $2,000.

the agency’swebsite: wlf.louisiana.gov/resources/category/commission-action-items.

Alligatorbids

Anyoneinterestedintakingalligators from 12 wildlife managementareas, awetland conservationarea, twoCorps of Engineers properties and two state wildlife refuges have untilMay 20 to submitbids for the 2025-27 alligator harvest seasons.

Wildlife andFisheries’ Fur and Refuge Division announced there will be 50 hunting “opportunities” ranging form 10 to 250 tagsper property.

Theseareas andthe bid sheet are outlined on theWildlife and Fisheries’ website: wlf.louisiana. gov/page/alligator-hunting, or requestedbywriting: Louisiana DepartmentofWildlifeand Fisheries, Attn:Kelly Stanford, 202527 WMAAlligatorHarvest Bids 200DullesDrive, Lafayette,LA 70506.

LagniappeDay

The statewide 14th annual Boating Education Lagniappe Day certiﬁed123 boaters at nine locations after theycompleted eight hours of instructionand passed atest.

Asafeboatingcertiﬁcate is required for anyoneborn after Jan 1, 1984, and operating aboat with an outboard engine exceeding 10 horsepower Safe Boating courses are offered throughout the year.Toenroll in this course go to: wlf.louisiana. gov/page/boater-education,then click on “Find ACourse NearYou” pulldown.

Oyster closures Wildlife andFisheriesclosed three major oyster grounds along withthe Little Lakepublic oyster seed grounds effective April 30. Thethree include waters east of Mississippi River and north of MRGO;the Hackberry Bay oys-

ter seed reservation; and, west cove and the east side of Calcasieu Lake.

Topman

Jason Adriance,the marine biologist who hasspearheaded notable Wildlife andFisheries’ moves for speckled trout and redﬁsh regulations forthe past nine years, was named the Louisiana Wildlife Federation’sConservation Professional of the Year at last weekend’sLWF annual Conservation Achievement Awards banquet.

Newman

Jimmie Martin Sr wasinstalled to the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission during Thursday’smeeting to replace BatonRouge’s BrandonDeCuir,whose at-large term expired in April. Martin comestoLWFCwithsix decades experience in commercial shrimping.

THURSDAY

GULF COUNCIL SHRIMP/STATISTICAL

COMMITTEES MEETING: 7:30 a.m.-

4:30 p.m., Council ofﬁce,4107 West Spruce Street, Suite 200,Tampa, Florida. Website: gulfcouncil.org

LA. ALLIGATORADVISORYCOUNCIL

MEETING: 1p.m., LSUAgCenter, 1105 West Port Street, Abbeville.

JUNIOR SOUTHWEST BASSMASTERS

MEETING: 7p.m., Seminar Room, Bass Pro Shops,Denham Springs. Boys &girls age-group bass tournaments forages 7-10, 11-14 &15-18 anglers. Call Jim Breaux (225) 7723026.

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES: Lake Fork, Yantis, Texas. Website:bassmaster.com

FRIDAY

GULF COUNCIL ECOTECHCOMMIT-

TEE MEETING: 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (CDT), via webinar. Website: gulfcouncil.org

SATURDAY FLYFISHING 101/PANFISH: 9-11 a. m. Orvis Shop, Bluebonnet Boulevard Baton Rouge. No free. Basics of casting, rigging, ﬂy selection. Equipment furnished. All ages, adults to accompanychildren15and younger Preregistration required. CallShop (225) 757-7286.Website: orvis.com/ batonrouge

HUNTING SEASONS

TURKEY: Area A: throughMay 4; Areas B&Cclosed.

SQUIRRELS: Statewide, through May 25, private lands only &through May11onselected wildlife managementareas

AROUND THECORNER

MAY12—RED STICKFLY FISHERS

MEETING: 7p.m., Regional Branch Library,9200 Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email BrianRoberts: roberts. brian84@gmail.comWebsite: rsff.org

MAY14—BUGS &BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois Street, New Orleans. Fly tying. Open to the public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com. Website: neworleansﬂyﬁshers.com

MAY14-16 —MLF TOYOTA BASS

SERIES/CENTRAL DIVISION: Lake Guntersville, Scottsboro, Alabama. Website: MajorLeagueFishing.com

MAY15—ACADIANA FLYRODDERS PROGRAM: 6p.m Pack & Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: acadianaﬂyrodders.org

MAY15-18 —BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES: Sabine River, Orange, Texas. Website: bassmaster.com

MAY16-18 —SALTWATER CATCH& EATWEEKEND: Leeville. RedStick Fly Fishers event. Email Randy Leonpacher: RMLeonpacr@bellsouth.net

MAY16-19 —COLDWATER FLY

FISHING WEEKEND: Crooked Creek, White &Buffalo rivers, Arkansas. Call Cole Miller(225) 921-9192.

MAY17— FLYFISHING101: 9-11 a. m.,OrvisShop,BluebonnetBoulevard,Baton Rouge.Nofree. Basics of casting, rigging, ﬂy selection. Equipmentfurnished. All ages, adults to accompanychildren15and younger. Preregistration required. Call Shop(225) 757-7286.Website: orvis.com/batonrouge

MAY17-22 —MLF BASS PRO TOUR: Heavy Hitters, SmithMountain Lake, Franklin County, Virginia. Website: MajorLeagueFishing.com

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Inshoreseasonclosed except in Breton/Chandeleur sounds &all outside watersopen. Zone 2, inshoreseason, opens Thursday.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Red snapper, gray triggerfish, flounder; lane,blackfin, queen andsilk snap-

pers&wenchmen amongother snapper species; allgroupersexcept closed for goliath &Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

CLOSEDSEASONS: Greater amberjack,blueﬁn tuna andgag, goliath &Nassau groupersinstate/federal waters.

LDWF UPDATES

CLOSED: Pearl River WMA (Old U.S. 11 gate&shooting range;flooding);HopeCanal Road/boat launch (MaurepasSwamp WMA, levee construction); Sandy BayouRoad &part of Muddy BayouRoad (ATV access allowed), Dewey Wills WMA (flooding);roads/trails, Richard YanceyWMA (except Shell, Yakey, Wycoff &Silver Lakes roads, flooding);GrassyLakeWMA allroads& trails (flooding).

EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

BY STEPHEN HAWKINS AP sportswriter

FORT WORTH, Texas Austin Cindric will start on the secondrow for the NASCAR Cup race at Texasaftera weekofcelebrating awin at Talladega and alot of attention paid to an expletive-laden radio rant directed toward him by his own teammate during Team Penske’sﬁrst win of the season. There also was the conversation with Joey Logano, whowas furious midway through the race when he didn’t get the help he needed in his Fordfrom Cindric, which allowed rival Toyota driver Bubba Wallace to win the second stage and earn valuable bonus points

CuppointsleaderWilliamByron (191.564 mph), also in aChevy Cindricran aqualifyinglap of 191.523 mph. Logano will start27th, twospots aheadofreigningrace champion Chase Elliott. Loganosaid this week that he probably “spouted off” more than he should have againsthis teammate duringthe Talladega race, and that it came in the heat of the moment Among the reactions this week was Baseball Hall of Famer ChipperJones criticizingreigning NASCAR championLogano in aseries of social media posts. Jones congratulated Cindric, called Logano selﬁsh and celebrated Loganobeing disqualiﬁed for failing postrace inspection. Cindric said he knows whothe former Atlanta Braves slugger is even though he doesn’t follow much baseball.

ä NASCAR Cup: Wurth400, 2:30

like my neutral hat. because I don’twant to walk around like advertising, ‘Hey,I’m aNASCAR driver’ if Ican help it,” he said. “So it’s usually either that or my Colts (cap) that Isnag in my truck.”

ElliottatTexas

Chase Elliott left Texas last spring with his ﬁrst victory after 42 races and18months without one. He is back with another long winless drought, this one 37 races and nearly 13 months since crossing the finish line under caution after taking the white ﬂag as the leader there.

“Definitely needed, right? I mean, Ithink you’ve gottotalk about that. You’vegot to talk about what happened on track. Ithink that’salot more of the substance of the conversation,” Cindric said Saturday.“I feel like I’ve got pretty thick skin, and Ialsofeel like Iknow Joeyfairly well, so I’m not overly concernedorhavetoo many emotions atall aboutwhat wassaid,” he said. “ButIthink for us, sorting out where we both stood on track and what we can do in the future to be betterthere and capitalizeonthose opportunities.”

“Allgood for me, man,” Cindric said when asked if theteammates were good. CarsonHocevar earned his ﬁrst Cuppole with aqualifying lap of 191.659 mphinthe Spire Motorsports Chevrolet.

“But to have something like that with eyes on our sport, aHall of Famer is really cool,” Cindric said. “The rest of it’salot of noise. But it’s cool to have someone like that behind me.”

“Definitelynot aconversation you want to be having, but nonetheless, Ithink we’ve been going in the right direction,” said Elliott, who is fourth in the NASCAR Cup standings, with six top-10ﬁnishesand none outside the top 20.

They are back on the track Sunday at Texas, the 11/2-mile track whereCindric qualiﬁed third for the11th Cup racethis season.

The22-year-old Hocevar is the youngest pole winner ever at Texas Motor Speedway,which will hostits 45thCup race. His 56thcareer Cup race will start on the front rowwith

As for that Braves cap Cindric keeps in his truck, that isn’tabout being afan of the MajorLeague Baseball team,and he didn’twear it at all this week.

“Well, the funny thing is, that’s

The sport’smost popular driver shouldn’tbehardtoﬁnd Sunday, whenhewill drive agold car to help NAPAAuto Parts markits 100th year as acompany.NAPAhas been his primary sponsorsincehewas racing in the Xﬁnity Series in 2014.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BUTCH DILL

Austin Cindric celebrates after winningaNASCARCup Series race at TalladegaSuperspeedwayonApril 27 in Talladega, Ala.

Tulane losesopenertoFlorida Atlantic

BY GUERRYSMITH Contributing writer

TheFlorida Atlanticbaseball team was not messing around on Saturday after awildFriday night that bled into the early morning at Turchin Stadium.

Leading Tulane 16-12 through five innings when lightning suspending the series opener at 12:23 a.m., the Owls used two of their highest-leverage relievers upon the resumption at 4:30 p.m., tossing four shutout innings to preserve aseries-opening win. The score never changed, with

LSU

Continued from page1C

Stanfield would have resultedina sacrifice fly Freshman right-handerMavrick Rizy replaced Williams with two runners in scoring position and kept LSU’sdeficit at 3-1 by striking out the next two hitters.

Saturday was arguably Rizy’s most impressive outing as aTiger.Hestruck out four batters in 12/3 innings, and his fastball was up to 99 mph.

“He was commanding the ball today,and when youthrow 98 at (6-foot-8), it’shard to hit,” Anderson said. “So he’sgot such a bright future. And Ithink that’s thestart that everyone was waiting for.” LSU (37-10, 14-8) had opportunities before and after the seventh inning to score runs butcouldn’t cash in. The Tigers hadtwo runners on base with one outinthe ninth and failed to drive in arun. They also loaded the bases with two outs in the eighth, but junior pinch-hitterEthan Frey ﬂewout to right ﬁeld to end the threat. Before the Aggies’ big inning, LSU tried to take theleadinthe

seldom-used TulanerelieverGrayson Smith (23.40 ERAinfive previous innings) matchingthe Owls’ perfection the restofthe way after also gettingthe finalout of the fifth on Friday night. Tulane (27-19, 10-9) felltosixth placeinthe bunched-up American Athletic Conference. Florida Atlantic (30-15,11-8)moved within ahalf-game of second-place South Florida. Only one game in theloss column separated secondthrough sixth.

The only real threat for either team came in the bottomofthe sixth, when Kaikea Harrison walked and JasonWachs singled him to third with one out. FAU’s Carter Holjes (2-2), who entered witha3.26ERA in 21 appearances, then struck outGavin Schulz and Connor Rasmussen.

The Wave went quietly therest of the way,managing only awalk

topofthe seventh when third base coach Josh Jordan sent sophomoreSteven Milamhome from ﬁrst baseonatwo-out doubleby Stanﬁeld. Milam was easilythrown out at the plate to end theinning and keep the score tied at 1-1.

The Tigers ﬁnished the game 2 for 14 with runners on base and 0for 5withrunners in scoring position.

“Weput ourselves in asituation to win, and thehitters didn’texecute,”Andersonsaid.

“But they’ve held theirown and helped us out alot of times this year.Soyou don’tput any blame (on them).”

The only run that separated the twosides through five innings came inthe second. With twoouts andarunner at first, Royo hit a fly ballto shallow center field that was misread by Stanfield.

Stanfield nearly recovered from his mistake, diving after theballinshallow center after he inititally believed thatitwas goingoverhis head, but he couldn’t comeupwith thecatch and the runner from ﬁrst scored.

Therun wascharged to Anderson since the hit was ruled adouble. Otherwise, he was lightsout through sixinnings and 113 pitch-

in the seventh and an inﬁeld single in the ninth off closer MJ Bollinger, whopitchedthe ﬁnaltwo innings.

Bollinger did not qualify fora save, remaining tied withtwo-way Tulane star Michael Lombardi for the league lead with nine, buthe eliminated any suspense. Lombardi,meanwhile, wastaken out of the lineup on Saturday after apparently hurtinghimself while striking outwith the basesloaded to endthe ﬁfthabut 15 hours earlier.Healso sat out the next game, which began 45 minutes after the ﬁrst one ended. Friday nightwas mostly about another pitching implosion for Tulane. For thethird time in as many series, theGreen Wave allowed 15 or moreruns when someofthe innings felt as long as the two-hourand-37-minute weather stoppage during thetop of the second.

es. He surrendered just threehits and had 12 strikeouts.

“I thought that it was an iffy outing,” Anderson said.“Ithought that Iwalked acouple of guys but kind of hung in thereand put our team in asituation where we could have won the game.

LSU was icecoldatthe plate through the first fiveinnings. The Tigers hadonlytwo hits —a firstinning double from senior Josh Pearsonand asingle from Milam in thefifth —and hadtrouble squaring up Texas A&M left-handed starter Ryan Prager’shigh fastball.

LSU kept getting underPrager’spitches,ﬂying out nine times against him.

“You give credit totheir pitcher, andhe’saveteran,” Anderson said. “He’spitched for four yearshere, andI thinkthathedid agood job of keeping the hitters off balance.”

No Tiger could square up apitch until the sixth inning when junior Jared Jones blasted his 16th home runofthe year.The solo shottoleft ﬁeld tied the game at oneand was the 58th homer of his LSU career, tying Dylan Crews for fourth alltime at LSU.

Email Koki Rileyat Koki.Riley@theadvocate.com.

This one threatened to get ugly twice. Before the delay,itwas simply raining hits. Tulane starter LucFladda (3-5) allowed nine to 13 batters, departing with oneout in thesecond inning and a5-1 deﬁcit. Asixthrun scored on aforce-out after the only pitch reliever Will Clementsthrew,withalightning strike in the areaforcing everyone off the ﬁeld. Upon theresumption, Gavin Smithhit abatter on a1-2 count andsurrendered agrand slam to Nick Romano after getting ahead 0-2. Thenine-run inning—two shy of the11Texas-SanAntonio scored in the second inning against the Wave two weeks earlier —made the score 10-1.

Tulane answered withagrand slam to pull within 10-8 in thethird. Schulz’shomer off the scoreboard provided abrief jolt andwas followed by ashutdowninning from

J.D. Rodriguez. But Tulane went down 1-2-3in the bottom of the fourth, and FloridaAtlanticscoredsix in theﬁfth on four hits, three walks anda hit batsman off of Rodriguez and Garrett Payne.

The Wave’sbest chance to get out of troubleended right after Payne entered, whenthe Owls’ JohnMartinezslid underthe tag of Pinkney after James Agabedis threw homeonagrounder to third with no outs.

Wave coach Jay Uhlman challenged the call to no avail, and the ﬂoodgates opened again.

Tulane nearly equaled FAU’stop half,scoring four runs on four singles and three walks beforeLombardi struck out what represented the tying run.

Alightning strike then forced the overnight postponement. The offense never came back.

FILE PHOTOByPATRICK DENNIS

LSU pitcher ZacCowan throws apitch during the ninth inning against Missouri on March 14 at Alex Box Stadium.

ChuckBlamphinhas runthe Fais Do-Dostage at Jazz Fest for 50 years. He’s notgoing anywhere.

BEHIND

THESCENES

BY DOUGMacCASH | Staff writer

Here’sthe scene. The Mexican band Son de Maderaissetting up fortheir12:30 p.m. showonthe Jazz Fest’s Fais Do-Do stage on Sunday.Suddenly,a spasmofpanic spreads whenthe bass player snaps astring and there isn’tareplacementathand. At 11 minutes before showtime,somebody’sgot to go grab aspare. So,who immediately takes off down the plywood ramp,quick stepsovertothe back of theCongo Square tent, takes thehandoff of thereplacement bass string,swiftly returns and gets the show back on track? Wasitsomenimble 20-year-old stagehand? MORE @ JAZZ FEST INSIDE ä Sunday’s cubes Page 10D ONLINE

It’sbeen 50 years, but some people still don’t think it’s safe to go back in the water

The blockbuster1975 movie “Jaws,”about amonster great white shark that terrorizesa NewEngland beachtown, marks ahalf-centurythis summer.yetfor many people, thehorrorfeels as recent as the last timetheynervously steppedinto the surf.

We’retaking alook at this culturalphenomenon, andwe wanttohear from you. For example, wherewereyou when you first saw“Jaws”? Howmanytimeshaveyou seen it since? Did it changeyour life, and if so how?

Whydoyou think “Jaws” has had such alasting effecton the public,including sequels, more attention to sharks and subsequenthitslike“Shark Week”and “Sharknado”? Emailusatholidays@theadvocate.com.We’ll include some responses in astoryabout the movie and itslonglastingimpact. Includeyour nameand town, and(not for publication) adaytime phone number

No,itwas ChuckBlamphin, 78 stagemanager of the Fais Do-Do stage for the past half century Yet, he wasn’tout of breath, he hadn’tbrokenasweat, and heaven knows he hadn’traised his voice. ButBlamphin wasn’tout of the woodsyet.Evenafterthe bass playerwas back in business, the sound check was taking longer thanexpected.The engineer at the soundboard had to set the levels on theinstruments of ﬁve musicians, all of whom might have been alittle nervous. As Blamphin explained, it comes with theterritory.“The Fais Do-Do is onegig people really look forwardto,” he said. The stakes are high, andeverybody wantsthe outdoor venue at theedgeofaracetracktosound

like Carnegie Hall. In the end, the show starts six minutes late. In the real world, that’snot along time, but on the Fais Do-Dostage,it’stoo long But, Blamphin says, “that’swhat you call ‘S*** happens.’

So,how do youget that job?

Blamphin’smom was from Honduras, his dad—a doctor —was fromGuatemala, andhe grewuponPalmer Avenue in Uptown New Orleans. His musical taste, he said, was established by the old juke box his family owned, which wasfilled of 78s by everybody from mamboking Perez Prado to pioneer rocker Bill Haley,tofoxtrot tunes.

ä See BLAMPHIN, page 8D

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Call it the19th-century version of aBrawlfor All. The World Wrestling Federation uses this terminology to describe amatch of multiple players slugging it out

the Bowie knifeand Alamo heroics in ﬁghting forTexas’ independence from Mexico alongside DavyCrockett and

STAFF FILEPHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Though this scene appears peaceful, it wasona sandbar near this spot on the Mississippi River between Vidalia and Natchez, Mississippi, where the Sandbar Fighthappened in 1827.

STAFFPHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD Stagemanager Chuck Blamphin, of the Fais Do-Do Stage, poses for aportrait between music acts during the 2025 JazzFest.

DINING SCENE

Onelastvisit to innovative MoPhoand Maypop

ers madetheir decision, they let people know ahead of time. It gives staffsome time to ﬁgure out what’snext. And it gives fans achance to come back, maybe send them off in somewhat better shape and get alast taste. Last meals, long memories

Ian McNulty WHAT’S COOKING

By the time the chickenwings arrived, gleaming with alemongrass andginger ﬁsh sauce caramel, the lunch crowd at MoPho had packed the room. It felt like the old days. But there was abackbeat of sadness to the bustle; people have been coming out because these are its lastdays. Afew hours later Iturned up for a very early dinner reservation at Maypop, the more upscale downtownNew Orleans sibling restaurant to MoPho. It was thesame storyhere —a full house, ajostling bar,and the knowledge that this was the last waltz.

This was deadline dining. Both restaurants will close after service on Sunday (May 4), chef Michael Gulotta and his business partner Jeff Bybee announced last week. Business has been sliding at both restaurants, and this boost at the end doesn’tchange theoverall outlook. With summer coming, they made the call Whythey’re closing

For Maypop, the drop in business was dramatically abetted by the partial collapse of the historic building directly across the street. That happened in mid-December. All these months later,the block is open to trafﬁc but heavily obscured by barriers in the road, making it look like a contested border crossing.That makes it easier to forget aboutthe restaurant, and many people did. Not even the Super Bowl brought much of abump.

MoPho is an anytime-casual spot that seemed to be work into people’shabits and patterns, embedded in the Mid-City dining circuit. But habits can change and many of them did through the pandemic. The restaurant’s ﬁnances neverreallyrecovered, the partners told me. Then there’s the bifurcated

compulsion that comes with following ourrestaurant scene. There is always something new comingalong and sometimes these join our regular list. And yetwestill try to make time (and room in ourdining budgets) for placesthat speak to us withconsistent satisfaction through the years. Sometimes we only rememberhow much we likeaplace when we hear that its days are numbered. I’m certain thereare many local restaurants on the

edge right now.Don’tthink for a second that your business won’t makeadifference, especially as summer sinks itsteeth in again.

More than fusion

The shorthand for what MoPho and Maypop do could be called fusion, but their food has always been about more than riffing on Southeast Asian influences. It’s about chasing flavor with an opendoor policy for theingredients and techniques that get thejob done. These are ambitious,af-

fable restaurants with their own cuisine, created by the talent that has contributed to their stories through the years. Maypop was high on my list of recommendations forpeople with adventurous palates who want something truly different. MoPho is where I’ve parked my own comfort food cravings, not necessarily for the same thing all the time, but for atrusted house style.

Pho is abig part of the menu, but this has never been the place to go head-to-head with your favorite Vietnamese noodle parlor.It’salways been about using the trove of ﬂavors from Southeast Asian cooking to create something fresh and compelling and still approachable when you’ve gotthe kids along or it’sjust aMonday and you want someone else to cook and pour a glass of wine. Closing arestaurant is no happy affair,and it can be anguishing for people whohave devoted themselves to the venture. But when the time comes, someways to do it are better than others. We’ve seen cases where people, including staff, turn up to ﬁnd locked doors.

MoPho and Maypop have done it the rightway.When the own-

At Maypop there were the annatto-flavored rolls with afunky shellfish jam to spread along with the butter; the chaat salad, seemingly simple but asignature under the crunch of acashew crepe; the house-made garganelli pasta, tender and toothsome with gravy mixing crawfish tails and Italian nduja sausage; and amiso butterscotch panna cotta with ajiggle to its texture and adepth of flavor

At MoPho, those chicken wings, almost candied but also salty and meatyand sour,led to the lemon grass queso dip with cracklin’ to dredge and herbs to brighten and then lambinagreen curry with “trail mix” of salty crunch.

Aversion of MoPho does persist at the airport, where in the concourse, there’saMoPho operated under license by the master concessionaire.

And someofthe sameDNA resides at TANA (2919 Metairie Road, 504-533-8262), the upscale Italian restaurant Gulotta and Bybee opened with partners in 2023. Here, the chef points his culinary creativity at his family roots (in Sicily) and early training (in Liguria).

The menumixes the simplicity of fresh pasta and robust sauce next to morecomplex dishes that build layers of ﬂavor Maypop and MoPho were popular restaurants, evidenced in part by the number of people whohave been in my ear about the newsoftheir closing and who showed up forlast meals. But popular is not the sameasbusy, not when it’stimetopay the bills and when those bills seem ever rising.

Still, these restaurants were both successful in creating something original and memorable; hopefully,the people whoworked there and whomade them that way can take that success into what they do next.

Email Ian McNultyat imcnulty@theadvocate.com.

Nell Nolan SOCIETY

Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com

■ In My Easter Bonnet!

Early on Easter morning, the Historic French Quarter Easter Parade participantsassembledat Tableau (Restaurant) by Dickie Brennan&CO.; 8:45 a.m. was the call. All eyes started turningto the arriving ladies, who were decked outbeautifully and carried decorated baskets thatheldthrows to launch during the parade. Extra throws were in cotton bags and tied with satin ribbons.Breakfast fare included savoryand sweet pastries, bagels, smoked fish dip, and mimosas, tea and coffee. After the initial socializing,the women were assisted into the mule-drawn carriagesfor the start of the 9:45 parade. Onlookers were thrilledtosee all the finery —much of it old-fashioned —and to catch the plush bunnies andother thrown treats. The carriages then returned to Tableau in time for the group’sescorttothe 11 a.m. Mass at St. Louis Cathedral. Afterward, the movement was to Jackson Square for adistaff promenade aroundthe area, moredistribution of Easter goodies, and aplethoraofphotographs. After the stroll, it wasbacktoTableau to launch lunch. Much of thedecorative thrust came from the members’ multicolored Easterbaskets of all sizes that were florally embellished. More plush bunnies and holiday treats were placed around the restaurant for afestive flair.The menuattractions

were asoup or salad choice, amain course choice of Gulf ﬁsh St. Peter or chicken Pontalba, and, for dessert,crèmebrûlée.

Ahat contest added to the fun. MichaelLangford, the astute judge, declared atie for the Best Chapeau category.Itwas between Dr Jane Cagan Miller and Nancy CiollPierce. Nikki Plunkett was recognized for the Best Overall Ensemble, and Debbie Smith, BestBasket. More within theattendee ranks were AmyCarbonette Ciolland R. Nick CiollIII and Amy’s sister, Madeline Carbonette; Connie and MatthewBaer with daughters Jessica and Jennifer and son Jason —all the names started with “J”; Dr MeganGlennon with parents Denise and MichaelGlennon; and Katie Dole Ward and MichaelWard with Karen and Sean Aaron. Also, Charlene and TimPeterson, Betty Laizer,Cindy Pazos, Michelle Wink, Sandy and Joseph Ridolfo with daughter MaryJolicoeur,Anne DeleryMcWhorter and MichaelMcWhorter,and Bonnie and WalterLee.

Hours before, mostassembled for the HFQEP Eve Cocktail Party in theaeronautically-themed Kilroy’sBar &Lounge of the Higgins Hotel. Elegant cocktail attire with appropriatehatsor fascinators was thelook for the ladies, while their escorts donned summer suits. Subdued 1940s music served as anoteworthy background for the upfrontliveliness as everyone reached for hors d’oeuvres, imbibed libations, and chatted about the forthcoming Easter parade and all itspageantry and pomp.

■ Foundation

Spouses GinnyWise andKevinWilkins, the chairs of the 2025 Annual Event of the Jewish Endowment Foundation of Louisiana, extended the program’swelcome in the Higgins Hotel’sArcadia Ballroom, where stylish ArtDeco details caught the eye. Prior to the formalities, patrons gathered in Kilroy’sBar &Lounge. Passed appetizers included Creole tomato bruschetta, tuna tartare, artichoke beignets, and goat cheese and fig jam mini flatbread.The mimosa and bloody mary bars enjoyed lively patronizing When guests departedKilroy’s, they advanced to the above ballroom, where abuffet-style brunch awaited. Selections included salads, smoked salmon and bagels, assorted frittata creations, risotto cakes, blintzes and, for the sweet tooth, flourless chocolate cake and bananabread pudding.

After the welcoming words, Rabbi David Gerber steppedfor-

Daniel Hammer

Tracy

Cunningham

■ The Fest of Tennessee

A“New Orleans affair for readers, writers, &theatre lovers,” the TWFest —the Tennessee Williams&New Orleans LiteraryFestival —held forth for days, starting with, on a recentSunday,the Jackson Square-located Stella Shouting Contest in which contestants vie for the best recreation of Stanley Kowalski’sfamous scene from “A Streetcar Named Desire.” BryanBatt was theemcee and Beth Bartley d’Amour and Todd d’Amour were Stella and Stanley.Itwas sponsored by the Goldring Family Foundation. Ahostoffurther events followed, including the Tennessee Williams&New Orleans LiteraryFestival VIPParty at theHistoric NewOrleans Collection, which included Daniel Hammer the Collection’spresident andCEO. Other notables were special guests Bryan Batt and TomCianfichi, Festival board president Gregory Gajus,former president Lawrence HenryGobble with William Sparks,vice president SaraWoodard, the Festival’sexecutive director Paul J.Willis, and managing director Tracy Cunning-

ham. From the board came Festival founder PeggyScott Laborde, C. Morgan Babst,AmeliaKoch,Margit Longbrake,and Michelle Nelson. The setting forthe VIP partying would have rated top reviewsfrom Tennessee. As the site forthe night, the Seignouret-Brulator Building, aproperty of the HNOC, provided aclassic French Quarter courtyard under the stars with beautiful green foliage and ﬂorals by Urban Earth. Guests mingled with Festival writers, actors, and performers. Among them were One Book One New Orleans writer E.M.Tran;local authors Chin-Sun Lee, Constance Adler, StaceyBalkun, CarolynHembree,Adrian VanYoung and M.O.Walsh;and Drag Queen Brunch host and author PoppyTooker Chez Nous catered with such gustatory enticements as cheese puffs,stuffed dates, seared beef crostini, chicken salad, cheddar and pecan “coins,” bacon-wrapped crackers, and dessert squares. All the while, the fest ﬂock expressed its gratitude to the HNOC for hosting the event, one of the highlights of the chockablock period.

ward for the invocation, followed by theopening and president’s remarks of R. Justin “Bobby” Garon and Bob Brickman,respective JEF executivedirector and president. Recognition tapped outgoing board president Alan Franco. Then camethe awards. The ﬁrst,the SaundraK.Levyand Helen A. Mervis Jewish Com-

munityProfessional Award, was to Bonnie Lustig.The two successive ones were the Endowment Achievement and theTzedakah awards, which hailed Jill Israel,for theformer,and Lynn and Rabbi Bob Loewy for thelatter.The chairs, Ginny Wise and Kevin Wilkins, who were joined by Ginny’smother, Carol,closed the program.

In addition to Brickman, the foundation’sofﬁcers are Mark S. Stein,Jill Israel, Morris F. Mintz,Dr. Edward L. Soll, MaraBaumgarten Force, Leon H. Rittenberg III,and Alan Franco,

immediate past president. Further names to know werethose of the committee: Maureen Gershanik, CathyGlaser,Susan Green,ShellieJacobson, Emily Kupperman, Joshua Lichtman, DebbiePesses, and Ellie Wainer. Hancock Whitney,the Jean and Saul Mintz Foundation, Francis L. Fraenkel, the Feil Family Foundation, EisnerAmper (accounting ﬁrm), and Diane and Alan Franco helped underwrite the midday event. Shortly after its occurrence, Bobby Garon announced the good news. There werecommitments formore than $4.25 million of the $5 million campaign.

PHOTOSByJEFFSTROUT

Murrayand Gerri Valene,Amy and NickCioll

Connie Baer,Jane Miller, Debbie Smith

Cindy and Ron Paulin Maryanne and Brian Warwick, Katie DoleWard

PHOTOSByJEFF STROUT

E.M. Tran, Chin-Sun Lee, PeggyScott Laborde, Sara Woodard

Morgan Babst, Bryan Batt

Lawrence Gobble, Paul Willis

PHOTOSByMARy STROUT

Jill Israel, Bonnie Lustig,Lynnand Rabbi BobLoewy

BobbyGaron, AlanFranco

Ginny Wise, Carol Wise, Kevin Wilkins Caroline and Bob Brickman

TRAVEL

Make waveson adolphin cruise at Panama City Beach

BY HUNTER BOYCE

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

The weather has warmed up. The wildlife are waking up. Travelers, it’stime for an awesome outdoor adventure.

Sailing through the seas off Florida’sPanama Beach, Island Time Sailing has earned aﬁvestar rating on Tripadvisor with cruises dedicated to showing off wild dolphins, snorkeling for seashells and classic “fun in the sun” relaxation. It might be oneofthe best ways to break into summer this year

What is Island Time Sailing?

Found at the Lagoon Pontoons Marina in PanamaCity Beach, Florida,Island Time Sailing is acatamaran cruise company

Catamarans are different from ordinary sail boats in afew ways.

They feature two hulls, making them more spacious and are more stable on the water.

The company uses two catamarans to conduct its cruises: the Island Time and the Island Time II. The Island Time is a50-footlong vessel, while the Island Time II is three feet longer.Each boat takes amaximum of 65 passengers each trip and bothhave two bathrooms below deck.

Whichever boat passengers ﬁnd themselves on, the cruises’ focus will be the same: dolphins. What is theretodo?

Island Time Sailing has two packages on offer: Shell Island Snorkel &Sail andthe Dolphin SunsetCruise.

The Shell Island Snorkel &Sail package is athree-hour cruise with classic “fun in the sun” on offer

Visitors will sail on the “Island Time” catamaran across St.Andrews Bay for dolphin watching along Panama City Beach. The boatwill then drop anchor at Shell Island so patrons can snorkel, hunt for seashells and relax

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

for about an hour

“Snorkeling on Island Time is an unforgettable experience,” according tothe company’swebsite. “The calm, warm waters of the gulf are perfectfor both beginners and experienced snorkelers. Take an adventure searching through the vibrant marine life near Shell Island.

“Around Shell Island you may find starfish, seashells, and all different fish. Our knowledgeable crew will guide you through the fun and interesting sights while answering any questions youmay have.”

Theboat will then set sailfor

theGulf of Mexico for some more dolphin watching. Then it’s back to Panama City Beach for some of Island Time Sailing’sfamous rumpunch.

“Wealways hope theconditions will line up just right and it’s pretty rare not to see dolphins, but theitineraryisbased on the weather and conditions for your safety and enjoyment,” the website notes.“The cruiseback to thedock is afun sailing party at Panama City Beach with upbeat music, games and dancing.”

The Dolphin Sunset Cruiseis shorter,relaxing and more family-friendly.The two-hour cruise

takes visitorsbySt. Andrews StatePark andthenonward to theGulf of Mexico and back all to see Panama City Beach’s famous ﬂippered friends.

“The dolphins areusually plentiful during oursunset dolphin tours, andwesometimes catch aglimpseofthemleaping out of water or seeababyswimming alongside mom,” according to thewebsite. “Even our locallybased crew gets excited for those special occasions! If the Gulf is a littlerough, ourdolphin watching sailing cruise headsthrough St. Andrews Bay, plentiful with dolphins and brilliant sunsets over the water.”

Howmuchdoesitcost?

The Shell Island Snorkel &Sail package, which includessnorkel gear,costs $49 for people 13 and older, $35 for children3to12and $10 for infants up to 2yearsold. The Dolphin Sunset Cruise costs $49 for people 13 and older and $35 for youngerchildren. Two-dollarsnacksand nonalcoholic drinks will be available through eitherpackage, as well as stocked bars for alcoholic drinks. To book,visit islandtimesailing.com/catamaran-sailingtrip-rates/

Christopher Elliott

arefund would be no problem, so Isubmitted arequest through their online form.To my dismay, American Airlines rejected my refund re-

quest and onlyofferedmea flight credit that expires in ayear Given that Ihad to buy awholenew ticket because of their unannounced schedule change, is there anyway Ican getafull refund fromAmerican Airlines? —Erica Remer,Beachwood, Ohio

Youshouldhavereceived clear andtimely notification about your flight change. According to American Airlines’ conditions of carriage, thelegal agreement between you and theairline, you’re entitled to afullrefund if the carrier reschedules your flight by more than four hours.

The airline should have notiﬁed you ofthe schedulechange well in advance of yourdeparture. While they notiﬁed you of the

ﬁrst,minor change, the lack of communication about the second, moredrastic change, is unacceptable.

When you contacted American Airlines to address theissue, the agent should have sent you awritten conﬁrmation of your refund eligibility.Instead, you received a verbal assurance —followed by a written denial.

While nonrefundable airline tickets generally don’tqualify for cash refunds, signiﬁcant schedule changes, especially those involving international ﬂights, often warrant exceptions.

The Department of Transportation mandates airlines to issue refunds for “signiﬁcant”delays. Under its new consumer protec-

tionsadopted last year,that’sdeﬁned as anychange exceeding six hours from the original departure or arrival times.

Butthis doesn’tapply to canceled flights, and alook at your itinerary suggests American canceled your flight and rebooked you on adifferent one. For acanceled flight, you always have the option of afull refund.

Bottom line: American can’t keep your money and offer you an expiring ﬂight credit. Abrief, politeemailtoone of the American Airlines executives Ilist on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org, may have helped you get what you deserved. As Ireview your correspondence, it looks like you were stuck talking to an AI

bot. Icontacted American Airlines on your behalf.The airline reviewed your case and issued afull refund of your original ﬂight to your credit card, which is what you requested. Toobad it took my team’s intervention to achieve this outcome. If you’re ever in this situation again, remember to cite the airline’scontract of carriage and DOTrules to get what you deserve.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

From snorkeling to dolphin watching,Island Time Sailinghas many options for adventurous travelers.

ARTS &CULTURE

Vietnamese-AmericanexperienceisexploredatOgden

WHAT’S HAPPENINGATN.O.-AREA MUSEUMS

n Brian Piper of the NewOrleans Museum of Art will lead agallery talk on the exhibition “Delicate Sights:Photographyand Glass” at 12:30 p.m. and 6p.m.Wednesday. noma.org.

The Republic of Vietnam fell 50 yearsand afew days ago, launching adiasporaspanning decades. For many,the ﬂight to safety began aboardperilously overcrowded boats. Others followed the exodus years later An exhibit at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, “Hoa Tay(Flower Hands),” on view through Sept.21, marks the anniversary with works by Vietnamese American artists from throughout the South, adestination for many duetothe region’ssubtropical climate, its shrimping and ﬁshing industries, and the sponsorship of Catholic Charities. The Louisiana population of those with Vietnamese lineage is estimated to exceed 30,000.

“Flower Hands” is aVietnamese expression for achild with distinctive ﬁngerprint whirls, said to be asign of artistic talent. The piece on the exhibit’stitle wall, “Kiss My Grits” by MyLoan Dinh, is apair of boxing gloves with askin of eggshells. Itstitle comes from the character Flo on the 1970s sitcom“Alice” andis“a deeply Southern expression of deﬁance,” says the text there.

“Wedeﬁnitelywanted this piece to be front and center of the show,” said collaborating curator Uyen Dinh. “It just represents to me alot about the resilience of the Vietnamese people.

“MyLoan is from North Carolina. She was actually arefugee, and one thing we like aboutthis show alot is that there’sa really wide range of experiences in the show.You have artistswho are born and raisedinVietnam and thenmoved here when they were, like, 25. Youhaveartists like MyLoan, who is one of the Boat People. And you have children of the Boat People.

“We’ve got alot of layers of experience in that way. Detached representationsofwar Aclockwise journey through

the exhibit(which includes several pieces outsideofthe main gallery)continues with two pieces (byLouisiana artists Christian Dinh and Kimberly Ha)that subtly address theVietnamese presence in thenail-salon business. Afollowing photo collage by Texasartist Brandon Tho Harris also references the nail-salon theme. Thepiece’sdominant imageisahand with extraordinarily long, embellished nails.Elsewhere in thepiece, archival Vietnam Warphotosmix with family portraits.

“A lot of these are archival images hecollected throughout the years but are obviously incorporatedwith very idiosyncratic marks of individuality,” curator

Dinh said.

“The artist is very young. Alot of the artists in this exhibition are really young, but they have to reconcile withunderstanding this very public war that is only given to them through images and familial trauma that sort of trickled down.

“And Ithink Brandon is really trying to question: What does it mean to view something so personal through such adetached lens and detached representationsofthe war?”

Midway through theexhibit,a multimedia piece by Lien Truong of North Carolina addresses the gloriﬁcation of empire. Andrew Jackson and U.S. Grant are among the recognizable ﬁgures.

n MikeCroissant (“Bombing Hitler’s Hometown:The Untold Storyofthe Last Mass Bomber Raid of WorldWar II in Europe”) is the Meet the Author headliner at 5:30 p.m.Wednesdayat the National WWIIMuseum. Theevent is free and will takeplace in-person and online.nationalww2museum.org

n At 9:30 a.m.Thursday, Longue VueHouse and Gardens will host a presentation titled“The Accidental Jeweler” by Elizabeth Locke. longuevue.com. n The exhibition “Pioneers of Women’sCarnival” —featuring costumes, costume designs, images,ball favors and parade throws —opens at the Presbytere on Friday. louisianastatemuseum.org

n Richard McCabe of the Ogden Museum of SouthernArt will lead afree tour of the exhibition “The Unending Stream: ChapterI”at2 p.m. Saturday. ogdenmuseum.org.

Amusic-and-scholarship hybrid that produced twoalbums(the ﬁrst titled 1975) and two national performance tours, No-No Boy is represented in the exhibit with videos fortwo songs, “Mekong Baby” and “Tell Hanoi ILove Her.”

Alsopresentare a16th-century Spanish fort in Puerto Rico and a swatch of thegreen curtain dress from “Gone with the Wind.”

“In this piece, she’s…pushing back against those colonial perspectives —obscuring some of it but combining them as well in areally interesting way,” said Selina McKane, curatorial and exhibitions manager at the Ogden.

“It’s one of the morecomplicated pieces in termsofnarrative because there’ssomuch she’stouching on.”

Also, given the necessary contemplation, agreat location fora bench.

No-NoBoy

The exhibition concludes with a video installation by No-NoBoy, aproject of the husband-andwife team Julian Linh Saporiti and Emilia Halvorsen Saporiti.

Centered between the screens is astage jacket, done in the style of Nudie suits forcountry stars, madebyEmilia for Julian. He’s wearing it in the “Tell Hanoi I Love Her” video, which Emilia directed. On the jacket’sback, adragon battles abald eagle. On the front are scenes from Vietnam (where Julian’smother lived until 1968) as well as scenes from Julian’schildhood as “a halfVietnamese kid in Nashville” (his father wasamarketing executive forWarner Bros. Records).

“Through warand loss, we keep living, keep doing our best,” Julian writes in explanatory text. “Weare not ﬂat people, not blackand-white photos of our most traumatic eras, not just ‘refugees.’ I’minawe of my mother, her sister and their mom. They have lived with instructional grace and perseverance. They have handled death, displacement and broken families with art, faith and love.”

Dave Walker focusesonbehindthe-scenes coverage of the region’s many museumshere and at www.themuseumgoer com. Email Daveatdwalkertp@ gmail.com.

‘Two-Headed Doctor’

Book explores Dr. John’s persona and New Orleans musical influence

BY RIEN FERTEL

Contributing writer

“Two-Headed Doctor: Listening for Ghosts in Dr John’s Gris-Gris” by David Toop, Strange Attractor Press, 264 pages

It’s an age-old question: Can we, and furthermore, should we, separate the art from the artist? What do we do about great art by problematic people? Or troublesome art by saintly souls?

Take Dr John, who is not the ﬁrst artist that comes to mind when considering the art-versusartist dilemma. But in his scholarly and spirited “Two-Headed Doctor,” David Toop, a wide-ranging, contemplative English writer and musician with over a dozen books and two dozen albums to his name, begs to differ Dr John’s debut album “Gris-Gris,” he claims, is one problematic piece of work.

The album transformed a teenage Toop.

“Not long after my ﬁrst hearing,” Toop writes, “I began to think of it as both puzzle and inﬁnitely problematic hoax.”

Clocking in at just 33 minutes and 19 seconds, the album’s seven songs became “one of the signiﬁcant markers of a life spent investigating music, sound and listening,” he continues. “The record has haunted me ever since.”

Dr John’s haunting hoax of a concept album, Toop argues, is rife with “problems of authenticity and appropriation.” Like many White artists of his era — or any era, for that matter the man born as Mac Rebennack generously pilfered from Black culture, in the case of “Gris-Gris,” voodoo, hoodoo and other arcane matters of spiritualist dimensions. Much of Dr John’s knowledge of such matters, it appears, was inspired from literary sources of highly dubious scholarly merit written by ﬁrst-rate mythologizers of

New Orleans history like George Cable, Robert Tallant and Herbert Asbury For Toop, the Dr John persona was a delicately crafted bit of musical and theatrical ventriloquism an imaginary leap of two-headedness by a New Orleans rock and roller-turned-Los Angeles session musician. An act so perfectly stylized that he came with his own subtitle: “the Night Tripper,” a wholly New Orleans character that only could have

been invented in Hollywood. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who has listened to a Dr John album, especially those ﬁrst records, the output of a hipster, in the Norman Mailer sense, ne plus ultra. No matter how much you or I might love Dr John’s early work, it always sounds like he’s trying a bit too hard — that gravelly voice garbling its way across often hilarious, absurdist wordplay and unintelligible lyrics.

Those hoots, howls and growls that evidently are meant to sound as if they’re emanating from the darkest, wettest recesses of Louisiana’s swamplands were made in a Los Angeles studio. The druggy references, mesmerizing cover art, and, most of all, his mystifying costumes: feathers, turbans and animal-print everything!

Released in January of 1968, “Gris-Gris” confounded listeners. Atlantic Records bigwig Ahmet Ertegun reportedly remarked, “How can we market this boogaloo crap?” The label settled on a half-page ad in “Rolling Stone” magazine that cluelessly proclaimed “The Sound of CajunRock!” had arrived.

“No ancient black from the bayous,” a critic in the “New York Times” wrote, “Dr John is, in fact, the imaginary creation of a young, white studio musician currently working in California with lily-white pop singers, like Sonny & Cher.”

The genius visionary behind “Gris-Gris,” Toop makes the case, was Harold Battiste, the musical polymath who put Sonny & Cher on the map, as well as Sam Cooke and fellow New Orleanians like Ellis Marsalis and Lee Dorsey Battiste traced Dr John’s sound back to a series of recordings he made with his stable of R&B singers earlier in the decade.

“The arrangement was an African/New Orleans/Congo Square type of spiritual thing that you can only ﬁnd here,” Battiste said in an interview “Mac eventually made that sound commercial.”

Like Dr John, Toop obviously also loves a good tale, no matter how far the narrative nuggets he unearths diverge from his main story Zora Neale Hurston and Ishmael Reed pop up to inform his reading of voodoo. Sun Ra appears again and again as a foil of sorts, a genuine weirdo to Dr John’s cosmic hamminess.

L.A.’s Gold Star Studios, where Dr John and company put “GrisGris” to tape, also saw the recording of most of Phil Spector’s “Wall of Sound” sessions, as well as records by Charles Manson and Alvin & the Chipmunks. The key to the studio’s echo chamber sound might have been the lead-based paint that dripped from its walls.

There, Battiste’s “Gris-Gris” backup band included a bevy of New Orleans musical standouts, including Shirley Goodman, Tami Lynn and the one-hit wonder vocalist and percussionist Jessie Hill, who is listed in the album’s liner notes as “Dr Poo Pah Doo of Destine Tambourine.” Fellow percussionist Richard “Didymus” Washington receives some of the book’s best lines.

“A dope ﬁend, like the rest of us,” according to Dr John. Washington died not soon after the recording of “Gris-Gris” from a cabbage juice diet meant to heal his stomach ulcers.

Battiste produced Dr John’s follow-up, 1969’s “Babylon,” before their partnership ended. David Toop admits to losing interest in Dr John’s output soon thereafter

“A constructed identity is almost impossible to sustain over a lifetime,” he writes. But Mac Rebennack mostly enjoyed a long and triumphant career wearing the Dr John mask until his death in 2019 at the age of 77.

“Two-Headed Doctor” is, like Dr John, more than a little bewildering, a touch overwrought, and sure to incite plenty of debate. But Toop has crafted a tremendously readable Mac Rebennack guidebook, a ﬁtting tribute that proves that criticism is its own love language, a book that will have you revisiting Dr John’s classic albums with new ears.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”

‘The Memoir’ offers detailed, introspective look at Cher’s life

BY DEANNA B NARVESON

Staff writer

When I was a little kid Cher’s

1998 “Believe” album — the one that popularized the stylistic use of AutoTune technology — was playing in stores everywhere, but it wasn’t until I saw her on tour in 2019 that I understood why she’d been a part of pop culture for decades. I became enamored.

Celebrity memoirs are intriguing because they offer a glimpse behind the curtain into the minds and lives of those we see on screens and hear on speakers Cher’s autobiography, “The Memoir: Part One,” is no exception.

Published in November 2024, the book begins before Cher’s birth and spans her life up to her Las Vegas residency in the late 1970s. She tells her story in a casual voice, often interjecting humorous asides, but she doesn’t gloss over difﬁcult subjects such as abortion, addiction and domestic violence. While the writing is solid, and Cher’s introspection about her life is captivating, the book is very detailed and longer for its genre, which might bog down or deter some readers. Each chapter title is the name of a song Cher likes that relates to the part of her life she’s describing, such as “I Will Always Love You” about her marriage to Sonny Bono. In the audiobook version, Cher reads the ﬁrst part of

each chapter before stage actor Stephanie J. Block takes over for the rest. At the start of the audiobook Cher notes that her dyslexia makes reading out loud difﬁcult, so Block’s role was a compromise.

Born Cherilyn Sarkisian

In “The Memoir: Part One,” Cher chronicles how she went from a Los Angeles-area teenager to an international star while touching on the impact of trauma and addiction, how she found her own independence, and how she’s lived with lasting fears and anxieties that stemmed from her tumultuous childhood. She describes complicated, often fraught, relationships with her family members and partners, extending grace to them as she recounts painful events, even when they’ve wronged her

Born Cherilyn Sarkisian in 1946, Cher’s childhood was a bumpy road. Her father, an Armenian American with a heroin addiction, was not around much, while her mother Georgia Holt, chased dreams of stardom. They moved around a lot, with Cher and her sister attending several schools across the Los Angeles area. Her mother married multiple times. At one point, Holt was forced to place Cher in a Catholic children’s home while she worked night shifts to make ends meet. Cher describes how she was inspired to write the 2000 single, “Sisters of Mercy,” by pulling from her mother’s experience with the Catholic church as Holt tried to

regain custody of her daughter She also writes about the heat of spotlight and stage fright, even though she’d known from the ﬁrst time she saw Elvis Presley at age 10 that she wanted to perform. Cher moved out when she was a teenager and her iconic partnership with Bono began when she was just 16. Initially, their relationship was platonic, but they fell for each other Bono’s job in music production led to Cher’s ﬁrst recordings, and then to the two of them becoming “Sonny & Cher.” Their success took off, with songs like “I Got You Babe” and a popular television variety show Cher writes that the “Babe” in “I Got You Babe” came from her mother, who used the word to

refer to others so often that Cher and Bono had picked it up.

In 1965, when Cher was 19 years old, she and Bono performed in New Orleans at the Municipal Auditorium. The couple returned in 1969 and played The Blue Room at The Roosevelt Hotel. Later, Bono told The Times-Picayune that The Blue Room was special to them.

“We broke in our nightclub act here at the Blue Room the ﬁrst time we tried humor, kidding each other around,” he said. “We consider this our lucky town.”

Behind the scenes, Bono and Cher’s marriage was fraught with control issues and emotional turmoil. Cher delves into her personal challenges, including her contemplation of suicide during her divorce from Sonny which is something she has spoken about before.

Bono and Cher divorced in 1975, and she did her ﬁrst solo tour in 1979.

In 1999 for the “Believe” tour and in 2002 for her “farewell” tour called “Living Proof,” Cher played the New Orleans Arena (now the Smoothie King Center) — both times with Cyndi Lauper as an opening act.

‘I’m a little tardy’

There were several moments described in her book that shed light on things I love about Cher She says her signature strut originated from an injury sustained while jumping off a swing set, describes how she met renowned designer Bob Mackie and devel-

oped her sense of style and recounts her meetings with numerous celebrities. Did you know that Cher loves to draw?

Woven into the narrative are also dozens of references to 20thcentury American history Her grandparents’ and mother’s survival of the Great Depression, the impact of McCarthyism on Hollywood, the British Invasion, the Civil Rights Movement, multiple U.S. presidencies and more are all touched on throughout the book.

Cher notes how these touchstones impacted the people she knew and her own life, and it was sometimes reminiscent of “Forrest Gump,” in which we see history through the eyes of the main character

The book ends with a chance meeting after a Las Vegas show that marked a career shift after she’d been trying to break into acting for years. The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, and it’s unknown if Cher will write a part two.

In January, she appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” where she told Kimmel that she “hadn’t even started” part two, adding that she was late with part one.

“I ﬁnished it when they had to publish it,” she told Kimmel.

On Amazon, the release date for the second installment of her autobiography is scheduled for Nov 18, 2025. On the late-night show, Kimmel asked if the book would be ready by then.

“I’m a little tardy,” Cher said, “but I think I’ll be better this time.”

Unsolicited greeting interrupts chewing

Dear Miss Manners: From the ﬁles of “good manners run amok,” is it ever impolite to be friendly?

Ceramicwax workswonders

Acoupleofhints

Dear Heloise: Iwanted to add acouple additional thoughts on cracked/dry hands and straws: My manicurist says rubbing olive oil into your hands, especially at bedtime, is thebest thing to use.

Judith Martin

MISS MANNERS

Iwork in abustling environment where my sole 30-minute break is in ashared break room, where Ilike to read or just eat quietly and enjoy the peacefulness. Onecolleague comes in daily to use the microwave and alwaysannounces her entrance with avery loud and cheerful, “Hello, everybody!”

Twominutes later,having made no other conversation, she leaveswith an equally boisterous, “Have agood afternoon, everybody!”

When she makes these announcements, most people choose to interrupt their conversations, their chewing or their quiet activities to respond in kind …twice It feels rude not to.

I, however,ignore her well-meaning but general and, in my opinion, disruptive salutations and remain silent. But it has become a dailyannoyance to me, as I can’tshake the feeling thatI am obligated to reply. Is it impolite to ignore such untargeted greetings, or am Icorrect in thinking that she is, in fact, the one committing the error in etiquette?

Gentle reader: Oh, please. Greeting colleagues is rude because it interferes with chewing?

Miss Manners is afraid that whatever time you spent working remotely has warped your idea of collegial behavior

It is true that having to treat co-workers as dear friends was afarce that may now be recognized as such.

Youneedn’tengage in conversations unrelated to work or socialize with them after hours.

But you do have to observe the decency of recognizing their presence. Even if it means sacriﬁcing the reading time it takes you to say hello.

Dear Miss Manners: Iaminmy late 20s but have been going gray since preschool. My hair is now about 95% gray Ilike it, and get many compliments about it, to which Ialways say thank you and answer any questions. What confuses me is that at least once amonth, Iget asked by astranger if Iknow that Ihave gray hair.Not if it’s natural, or what age Iwent gray,but “Do you know you have gray hair?” This boggles my mind— yes, Iamaware of my own hair color.Ihave mirrors It’salso long enoughthat I can see it coming down my shoulders without amirror What would be the proper way to respond?

Gentle reader: “Really?” in atone of extreme surprise, and with ahand up to your hair.Miss Mannerswould probablyadd, “Do you have amirror Icould borrow?” But for those wanting less drama, perhaps “Thankyou for letting me know.” Or just “Thank you,” with the presumption that it must be meant as acompliment.

Dear Miss Manners: My husbandand Iare invited to our neighbor’shigh school graduation nextmonth. The neighbor’slast name starts with aCand my husband suggested that we depart the ceremony after our neighbor crosses the stage Iﬁnd this rude, but Ialso understand these ceremonies are lengthy and this is asenior class of 450. What’s your opinion on this?

Gentle reader: That you should leave either after Z or before A. By the latter solution, Miss Mannersmeans declining the invitation, with warm congratulationsto the neighbors.

Send questions to dearmissmanners@gmail. com.

Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: Robert L.B., in Vermont, wrote about aceramic wax cleaner that was newer and awesome, but he didn’tgivethe nameofthe product. I would liketoknow what it is. Thank you! —T.K., in Nebraska T.K., the author of theletter did not mention the name. However,you can type in “ceramic wax” online and see if there is one that you can order Or you can ask an antiquedealer or astore that sells ceramics what they recommend.

—Heloise

Thelaststraw

Dear Heloise: Regardingthe person reusing straws, do you think if you put them in thedishwasher to clean them that theinside ofthe straw is goingtobewashedand clean?

Allkinds of germswill stay inside the straw

Plus, most dishwashers will melt thestraw in thedryingcycle. Best regards! —D.M., in Texas D.M., they now make metal straws, and I’veboughtheavy-duty straws made from thick plastic.

Youmight be abletoﬁnd them in agrocery store or online. To clean them,just soakthem in an oblong dish of warm, soapywater,then run warm water through each straw Shouldyou sterilizethe straws?

No.However,theywill be clean this way —Heloise

By The Associated Press

Isave used straws for ﬂower beds and pots to stakeupplants. Iespecially like the green ones from my favorite coffee shop.

Speaking of coffee, I’mstill waiting to see additional uses for used coffee grounds. My coffee shop alsooffers their used grounds and nicely packages them. —Susi E., in Oklahoma Susi, areader wrote in recently about his uses for coffee grounds Here it is:

Coffee ground uses

Dear Heloise: Every year,Ihad problems with ticks and ﬂeas until a neighbor gave me asimple trick that actually worked. He told me to sprinkle coffee grounds all over myyard. It can be fresh or used grounds. I saved used coffee grounds in aplastic bag until Iasked theowner of a local coffee shop to let me have his used grounds. He’d dumpthem in a plastic grocery bag, which Iwould pick up acouple of times aweek.

I’ve found that my ticks and ﬂeas vanished once Istarted doing this early on every spring. Iusually do it every other month now —Jason F.,in Houston

Send ahinttoheloise@heloise.com.

TodayisSunday,May 4, the 124th day of 2025. There are 241 days left in the year

Todayinhistory On May 4, 1970, Ohio National Guardsmen opened ﬁre on student demonstrators during an anti-war protest at Kent StateUniversity, killingfourstudents and wounding nine others.

On this date: In 1886, at Haymarket Square in Chicago, alabor demonstration for an 8-hour workday turned into adeadly riot when abomb exploded, killingseven police ofﬁcers and at least four civilians. In 1904, theUnited States took over construction of thePanamaCanal from France.

In 1942, the Battle of theCoral Sea, the ﬁrst naval clashfoughtentirely with carrier aircrafts, began in thePaciﬁc during World War II. (Theoutcome was considered atactical vic-

Annie Lane DEAR ANNIE

Dear Annie: I’m a57-year-old woman, and I’ve been in an offand-onrelationship for nearly 11 years with aman who is 30. Yes, there’sabig age gap, but in the beginning, it felt like we truly connected. We got married, and for awhile, Ithought we had something special. But over the years, he’s developed apattern: he leaves —sometimes for months, sometimes for years —and then comes back. Each time, Itake him in, hoping this time will be different. And each time, Iend up heartbroken all overagain.

Right now,he’sgone again, and Ifind myself back in that familiar place of sadness and confusion. Ican barely get out of bedsome days. Iknow Ideserve better.Iknow this relationship is draining me.I feel like I’m getting older and more tired each timethis cycle repeats. My heart wants to hold on, but my mind is telling me I need to stop letting him walk in and out of my life. How do Ifind the strength to finally say,“No more”? —Tired of the RevolvingDoor Dear Revolving Door: Youalready

toryfor Japan, but ultimately astrategic victoryfor the Allies.)

In 1961, theﬁrst group of “Freedom Riders” left Washington, D.C., to challenge racial segregation on interstatebuses and in bus terminals.

In 1998, Unabomber TheodoreKaczynski was given four life sentences plus 30 years by a federal judge in Sacramento, California, under aplea agreement that spared him thedeath penalty.

In 2006, afederal judge sentenced Zacarias Moussaoui to life in prison for his role in the 9/11 attacks, telling the convicted terrorist, “You will die withawhimper.”

In 2011, President Barack Obama said he had decided not to release deathphotos of Osama bin Laden because their graphic nature could incite violence and create national security risks. Ofﬁcials told The Associated Press that theNavy SEALs whostormed bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan shot and killed him after

know the answer; you just need the courage to follow through. This mandoesn’tlove you the way youdeserve to be loved. He doesn’tcommit. He doesn’t stay.Hedisappears and reappears when it suits him, and each timeyou take him back, you teach him that he can do it again. That’snot amarriage; it’sanemotional yo-yo, and it’s wrecking your peace.

Yousay you’re getting older and more tired each time. That’syour inner voice begging you to stop the cycle. Listen to it. Youdon’tfight depression by waiting for someone who hurts you to comeback. Youfight it by standing up for yourself, seeking help and building alife that doesn’tdepend on someone else’swhims. That maymean therapy,leaning on friends, finding new routines or rediscovering passions you’ve set aside.

But the ﬁrst and most important step is to close that revolving door —for good. Lock it. Youdeserve stability,kindness and respect. And those things don’tcome from someone who disappears every few years.

It’stime to start showing up for yourself. Youare worth it.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators. com.

they saw him appear to reach foraweapon.

In 2023, former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and three other members of the farright extremist group wereconvicted of aplot to attack the U.S. Capitol in adesperate bid to keep Donald Trumpinpower after the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election. (Tarrio waslater sentenced to 22 years in prison, but waspardoned by TrumponJan. 20, 2025, the ﬁrst day of Trump’ssecond term in ofﬁce.)

Today’sbirthdays: Jazz musician Ron Carter is 88. Pulitzer Prize-winning political commentator George Will is 84. Actor Richard Jenkins is 78. Country singer Randy Travis is 66. Comedian Ana Gasteyer is 58. Actor Will Arnett is 55. Basketball Hall of Famer Dawn Staley is 55. Rock musician Mike Dirnt (Green Day) is 53. Designer and TV personality Kimora Lee Simmonsis50. Sportscaster/TV host Erin Andrews is 47. Singer Lance Bass (NSYNC) is 46. Actor Ruth Negga is 44. Golfer Rory McIlroy is 36.

ROBIN ROSEMONT,coworker

He’sbasicallymaking surewestartand stop on time,”she said.“We handle everything by the seat of our pants. [Whena crisis arises,] he’ll say,‘Calm down, cool out.’”

He might be the manager of theFest’s main Cajun/zydeco/Americana/international music venue, buthis personaljam is traditional jazz Blamphin went to high school at the bygone New Orleans Academy,thengraduatedfrom the University of Louisiana at Lafayettewitha degreeinmarketing He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn, and had two kids. For most of his career,Blamphin worked for two manufacturers’ repcompanies that sold engineered steel and water treatment equipment. Which, he said,was “absolutely not” as exciting as managing aJazz Fest stage Thegreatestgig

Blamphin said he “lucked intothe greatest gig of my life,” becauseofa casual chauvinistic remark.Itwas 1973, and his sister LouisePricehad gotten a side job distributing ﬂyers for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, which was in its fourth year.Whenshe got back to the Jazz Fest headquarters, one of the Fest founders, Allison Miner, offered her the responsibilityofmanaging one of the festival’smusicstages Blamphin said his sister—who was a medical technicianatthe time— wasa bit ﬂabbergasted. Before she could formulateananswer,a male musician, who

Stagemanager Chuck Blamphin listens to musicianJakeShimabukuro perform on the Fais Do-DoStage.

happened to be in the room, saidsomething like, “Oh, don’tput awoman in charge,she’ll messitup,” Blamphin said. Truth is,Price maynot have taken thejob if it hadn’tbeen forthe remark, which she took as achallenge.Blamphin’ssister invited him to visit thefest that year and he immediately fell in love withthe event. The very ﬁrst showhe saw,hesaid, was aSwedish jazzband.

By 1974, Blamphin was assisting his sister and has continued ever since. “So,” he said with achuckle, “I haven’t been to Jazz Festsince 1973.”

In thebeginning

When he started, he said, things were different. The stages —which didn’t have names yet, just numbers —were smalland stood only 3feet off the

ground. He recalls Mardi Gras Indians dancing atop aﬂatbed truck. The crowd was kept back by “littleyellow ropes.” It wasn’tuntil1989 that his venue was named the Fais Do-Do stage

After allthese years, Blamphin has tales to tell. There was the time the president of Panama appeared at the back of the stage withheavily armed bodyguards. Last year,hesaid, Mick Jagger showed up at the stage entrance, but the securityguard didn’trecognize him and turned him away

Securityguards have even stopped festival producer Quint Davis. There was the Cuban band manager who handedout contrabandcigarstoeverybody,the teenagegirl who poignantly sprinkled her grandfather’sashes at his favoritespot near the stage, thetime the drum kit disappeared, and on and on. Blamphin’sgot aton of anecdotes. But actually,hesaid, the drama has been minimal over the years.

Among the Cajun country musicians, “Everybodyknowseverybody,it’slike family,” Blamphin said. Thecrowd is always great, too. “We’ve never had any trouble in the audience,”hesaid. “Everybody’ssomellow,just having agood time,” he said, though they don’tdance as much as they used to.

Calm down,coolout

Blamphin is the beneficiary of the convivial vibe of the Fais Do-Dostage. He may also be abig part of the reason

for it. “He’snot ahot head,” said Robin Rosemont, who’sworked with Blamphin for 12 years, “he stays calm and he has an incredible sense of humor.”

“He’s basically making sure we start and stop on time,” she said. “Wehandle everything by theseat of our pants.”

When acrisis arises, “he’llsay,‘Calm down, cool out.’”

Blamphin is retiredfromhis regular job now,which gives him time to enjoy his four grandkids. His wife passed away someyears back. He said he’ll probably manage the Fais Do-Do stage as long as he can.Onthe other hand, he said, someday he’d just liketoattend the fest like everybody else.

He still marvels that the Jazz Fest sprouts up each year,come what may “If you can imagine that this is ahorse racetrack,” he said. “Tocome out here and build this is amazing.”

With tongue in cheek as always, Blamphin called the festa“merry meadowland of music,” and in the middle of it, “here’sa78-year-old running around with his head cut off.”

Maybe that’shis internal perspective, but on Sunday,just afew minutesafter Son de Madera successfully got started, Blamphin stood casually in anarrow gap at the front of the tent, staring out over the audience, as seemingly unhurried as the passing clouds.

Email Doug MacCashatdmaccash@ theadvocate.com.

STAFFPHOTOSBySCOTT THRELKELD

Stagemanager ChuckBlamphin looks out at thecrowd at the Fais Do-Do Stageduring the 2025 NewOrleans Jazz and HeritageFestival in NewOrleans.

Thehomemadedolmasthatliveonand on

BY YVONNE BAHRYCABALLERO Contributing writer

Having traveled from thehills of Lebanon to theUnited States in the late 1800s, my grandparents, John and Rose Bahry,and other Lebanese families established amercantilecommunity in Donaldsonville. My grandmother (Sietie) and grandfather (Jedo) had fivesurviving children.My father,Ede, was the oldest son, his brother Ellis the youngest It was my Uncle Ellis who started planting grapevines, first in the backyard of the family business and then in the yard of his nephews and nieces.Where he gotthe first plant isunknown. There was not avine at the Chetimaches Street house, the first

CURIOUS

Continued from page1D

William Travis.

If Wells’ name sounds familiar,itwas his family who bred the racehorse Lecomte in Smith’sLanding, which would be renamed the champion equine in 1854.

More meninthe fight

“But there were more men in that ﬁght,” Whipp said. “Who were they,and what is the real story of how the ﬁght started?”

Central Louisiana historian Michael Wynne has spent the last two years searching for this answer.His interest was piqued several years ago after purchasing apamphlet about the brawl in a Natchez antiques store.

“I’d read reviews on the back of the pamphlet that said it was the best account of the ﬁght ever written, but it left so much unanswered,” the Alexandria resident said.

So, he started his own search, first finding the names of all the men in that Sept. 19, 1827, fight, then hunting down their personal stories from that day

Storiesmatched up Wynne discoveredthat their stories actually matched up. In fact, he gathered so much information that he was able to piece together the entire story into abook, “’What’s Murder Among Friends ‘: TheTrue Story of the Great Sand Bar Duel of 1827, And Jim Bowie too!” What started it all? Politics. It’sassimple as that “Politics hasn’tchanged,” Wynne said, laughing. “Neither has people’sreactions to it.” Seventeen men brawled that day

“Problems were solved back then by duel, notbyarguments, lawsuits or mediation,” Wynne said. “The ﬁrst place named for the duel was Burr’sFerry on the Sabine River in what was long known as the neutral strip. It was changed to the sandbar because of fear of roaming bandits on the Sabine River.”

Dueling was outlawed in both Louisiana and Mississippi, but the sandbar supposedly belongedto neither state, with its locationin the river

“The river has shifted since then, and the location of the sandbar is no longer there,”Wynne said. What caused theruckus?

Now comes the big question: What caused the ruckus?

“Newcomers to Central

home of my grandparents nor at the homes of the other Lebanese families. And,there was no plant nursery nearby.Maybe that ﬁrst plant wasacquired on oneofhis motorcyclejaunts to other states.

As ateenager,Iremember ridingdown the La. 308 side of

Bayou Lafourche until Sietie spotted awild vine growing in the trees. My Aunt Mary John would stop the car,we’d get out and pull thevine down and take the“gold” home. Leaves from that wild grape vine would be used thenext day for dolmas, stuffed grape leaves. Fast forward to the early 1950s. Uncle Ellis has purchased afirst grapevine plant and positioned it in thebackyard of the structure that housed the family business on the first floor and living quarters on thesecondfloor.The vine grows under his loving care. A year later,his mother has asupply of grape leaves from the vine in her backyardand no longer has to go “on ahunt”for grape leaves

Then, Uncle Ellis begins to root plantsfrom cuttings of that origi-

nal vine. As the cuttings establishroots andgrow into starter vines,hetravels to the home of a niece or nephew, selectsa sunny spot in their backyard andplants it

This “sharing of plants” from theoriginal vine continued into thenext generation.

My daughter Adrien has one of Uncle Ellis’ vines that has traveled to at least three different locations as she and her family moved from one hometoanother over the years. She has rooted plantsfrom cuttings of her vine and shared with her siblings. Adrien’svine continues to ﬂourish and is the source of leaves for making dolmas for her family

My daughter Alicia leftavine growing on thefence at aprevious residence that continues to thrive. She visits, with permission

MICHAELD.WyNNE

PROVIDED IMAGE By

Michael Wynne found this newspaper illustration in his research showingthe aftermath of theduel which turnedinto abrawl on asandbar between Vidalia and Natchez,Miss. The incident becameknown as theSandbarFight and involved 15 prominent men,with Alamo heroJim Bowie among them.

Louisiana in the 1820s vigorously attacked the power base of the old established planters,” Wynne said. “Politics, banking, money,land and honor were all hotly contested. Thesetwo factions, newcomers versus longestablished families, each sided with the prominent political parties of the day.”

The newcomers sided with theJacksonian Democrats ledbypresidential candidate Gen. Andrew Jackson, hero of the Battle of New Orleans. The old linerswere on the side of Whig Party,whose presidential candidate was John Quincy Adams.

“The two factions had grown so bitter toward each other that they would notevenfrequentthe same Alexandria beer taverns,” Wynne said.“To makematters worse, thepresidential election of 1824 remained in doubt for sometime. Congress had to ﬁnally resolve the issue.” Adams wasultimately sworn into ofﬁce.Jackson eventually wouldbeat Adamsin1828,but tempers remained hotuntil that time. Add to that localpolitics, alateWhig Party sheriff was replaced through the sketchy political appointment of Democrat Norris Wright. Wright was also the directorofthe bank in Alexandria and usedthis power to refuse loan applications submittedbyopposing political party members, including Bowie, whowas afriend of the previous sheriff. It’s complicated

“The sandbar free-for-all was not just twopolitical factions squaring offagainst each other,” Wynne said “Thecausesofthe sandbar dueland the subsequent bloody ﬁght were complicatedand highly emotional in nature.Eachpersonthat traveled to Natchez from Al-

exandria had apersonalax to grind or grudge to settle withatleastone member of the opposition group.”

On thelist of brawlers with Bowie wereSamuel LeviWells III, who would be elected Rapides Parish sheriff in 1840, then to the LouisianaHouse of Representatives; Concordia Parish District Judge George McWhorter,later Louisiana StateTreasurer and Baton Rouge newspaper publisher; medical doctors Richard Cuny,Thomas Maddox, James Denny,William Cox and William Provan;Louisiana Militia AdjutantGen. Samuel Cuny; plantation owner and horse breeder Thomas Wells, who bred Lecomte; plantation owners Robert Crain, William Barnard and Carey Blanchard; Alfred Blanchard, who assisted in running Cary Blanchard’splantation; Mississippi StateRep. John Nevitt; Sheriff Norris Wright;and failed grocery store owner David Wood. Maddox and Samuel Wells were theinitial duelists, each ﬁring four bullets and missing. Just when it seemed differences were settled,Bowie, Cunyand

Thomas Wells jumped into thefray to settle their own disagreements. Then the free-for-all began.

Bowiesuffers injuries

“Bowie was stabbed and shot atotal of ﬁve times,” Wynne said. “He wasn’t expected to survive, but he recuperated in Natchez. Wright and Cuny died from their wounds.”

Even though dueling was againstthe law,noone was prosecuted for thesedeaths

“The sandbar duel is considered the second mostnoteworthy duel in thenation,” Wynne said. “The best known was Aaron Burr’s1804 duel with Alexander Hamilton, who died.”

Unlike Hamilton, there are no musicals dedicated to thesandbar ﬁght.

“But it would make a great movie,” Wynne said.

Do you have aquestion about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your questionto curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and thecitywhere you live.

of the present residents, at that location to pick grape leaves for the next pot of dolmas forher family And, there is avine, also acutting from the original vine, in Pierre Part at the homeofmyson Kyle. By the way,one of my uncle’soriginal plantings survives in the yard of my sister Peggy in Donaldsonville and also at my brother’shome in Plaquemine.

My Uncle Ellis would be proud to see that his vines live on. —Caballero lives in Baton Rouge.

HumanConditionsubmissions of 600 wordsorfewer may be emailedtofeatures@ theadvocate.com. Stories will be kept on ﬁle and publication is notguaranteed.There is no payment forHumanCondition

Dear Harriette: Ivolunteer at my local humane society every weekend, and over the past several months, I’ve developed a real connection with one of the cats there. Her nameis Marbles, and she’s been at the shelter formore than a year now.She’shad arough past, and she can be abit aggressive at times, especially around strangers or loud noises, but there’sadeep sadness in her eyes that breaks my heart. Despite her tough exterior,she’sreally opened up to me, and Ican tell she trusts me. Ireally want to adopt her, butmyboyfriend is completelyagainsthaving pets. He saysthey’re too much responsibility andmess and that it would make ourapartmentfeel chaotic. We’vetalkedabout it several times,and he hasn’t budged. Iunderstand wherehe’scoming from, but Ican’t stop thinking aboutMarblesand how much sheneedsa stable home andsomeonewho truly understandsher.Itfeels like I’mabandoning her every time Ileave. I’mtorn between respecting my relationship anddoing what Ifeel is right forthis cat who’salreadybeen through so much. Is there away to make this work without causing serioustension at home? —LoveThat Stray DearLove That Stray: As torn as you are, it would be unfair to the cat to bring her into ahomewhere she isn’t welcome. The animal has already been traumatized by whatever happened in the past. The best you can do is love her whenyou are there with herand keep

your eyes open for someone who maybethe perfect person to take her home.

Dear Harriette: My 10-year-old daughter recently asked me if she could be homeschooled, and her reason completely broke my heart. When Iasked her why,she told me that she doesn’thave any friends at school. She said she’stired of spending every recess and lunch period alone, watching the other kids laugh and play in their groups while she sits by herself. She madeit clear that no one is bullying her or being outright mean Would homeschooling really be the best option, or is there something else I should try first? —Homeschool Dear Homeschool: Talk to your daughter’steacher or the school’sguidance counselor about strategies to integrate her into social lifethere. Enroll her in extracurricular activities that she finds interesting to boost her social engagement. Consider moving her to another school before bringing her home. If youdodecide on homeschooling, makesureyou have thetime and patience to teach her. To learn more abouthow to beginhomeschooling, visithslda.org/ post/7-simple-steps-to-starthomeschooling.Know, however,thateven if youtake this step,you will still need to make every effort to find ways to getyour daughter to interact withkidsher own agesothatshe can developthe social skills she will need in life

Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com.

Harriette

Many Americansare fortunate to havedental coverage fortheir entire working life, through employer-provided benefits.Whenthose benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock, leading people to putoff or even go without care. Simply put —without dentalinsurance, there may be an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

When you’re comparingplans ...

 Look forcoveragethat helps pay formajor services. Some plans may limitthe numberof procedures —orpay forpreventive care only.

 Look forcoverage with no deductibles. Some plans mayrequire you to payhundredsout of pocket before benefits are paid.

 Shop forcoveragewithnoannual maximum on cash benefits. Some planshaveannual maximums of $1,000.

Ask about the

yourodds of having adentalproblem only go up as you age.2

Treatment is expensive— especially theservicespeople over 50 oftenneed.

Consider these national average costs of treatment. $222 fora checkup .$190 for afilling. $1,213 fora crown.3 Unexpected bills likethis can be arealburden especially if you’re on afixed income.

BY TIMOTHY BOONE Business editor

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

The averagelife spanofa family-owned business is about 24 years,according to industry studies.

TheRobinsonLumberCo., a south Louisiana stalwart, has that number beat by more than a century The132-year-old New Orleansbasedwood manufacturer and wholesaler predates several venerable institutions in itshometown, including LoyolaUniversity and theSaengerTheatre. Despite its advancedage, the global venture is reporting its highest-ever annual revenues roughly$100million—boosted by apost-pandemic spike in Over 100years andthrough multiple

The recent sale of aportionofBon Carré Technology Parkfor $9.4 million is the latest step in the evolution of the 800,000-square-footbusiness center, which was built on the site of the ﬁrst indoor shopping mall in Baton Rouge. DartPoints, aDallas-based data center operator,boughtanearly 90,000-squarefoot portionofthe propertythatincludes the two datacenters it operates for $9.4 million. The seller,EdgePWR, paid $8 million when it bought the entire building less than ﬁve years ago. The deal underscores the growing demand for data centers, which have been around for acouple of decadesbut are increasingly important to companies whose massive stores of datacontinue

to multiply.U.S.global data center capacity isprojected to grow by nearly 55% between 2024 and 2027, according to real estate investmentfirm JLL, and even that isn’texpected to keep up with thedemand. DartPoints hasbeeninthe localmarketsince 2023, when it acquiredVenyu, aBaton Rouge-based data center operatorand cloud service provider.Venyu’s twodata centers in Bon Carré take up about 55,000 square feet on the ground floorofthe massive building. Andre van Zijl, chiefrevenue officer forDartPoints, said 20 people workat theBaton Rouge data center,whose clientsinclude health care providers, insurancecompanies andlegal firms Most of the customers are basedwithin

ä See DATA CENTER, page 2E

ä See LUMBER, page 2E

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Bon CarréTechnologyPark in Baton Rougehas undergone decades of reinvention.

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Garner Robinson is chair and CEO of Robinson Lumber Co., founded in 1893 by Charles WesleyRobinson to sell American longleaf pine. The nowglobal venture is reporting its highest-everannual revenues —roughly $100 million— boosted by apost-pandemic spikeinlumber prices and strategic movesfrom the fifth generation of the family,which is promoting the sustainability of its company’sproduct line.

Toto and Wesley Robinson pose with aframed portrait of C.W Robinson, founder of their 132-year-old family company.

STAFF PHOTO By RICH COLLINS

Continued from page 1E

New Orleans

Kristen Hartley has joined Breaux Law Firm Hartley spent 17 years as an in-house senior staff counsel for Allstate Insurance. She had a sixyear tenure as an attorney member on the Louisiana Disciplinary Board.

She earned a bachelor’s in political science from LSU and a law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

RestorixHealth has new leadership

Ben Dunford is CEO and Melinda Estep is chief financial ofﬁcer Dunford has a range of experience as health care executive, including serving as chief financial officer of Texas Regional Medical Center chief operating officer of NorthStar Anesthesia, president of Rural Physicians Group and most recently, CEO of Diversiﬁed Radiology

He earned a bachelor’s in management information systems from Brigham Young University

and a master’s in business administration from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Estep has more than 25 years of experience in finance, health care operations and business development. She held executive officer roles with multiple health care companies, including Denver Health Medical Center, Health Management Associates and, most recently, chief financial officer of John Muir Health.

She earned a bachelor’s in finance and a master’s in health care administration, both from the University of Colorado.

Mark Romig has joined The Ehrhardt Group as a senior adviser Romig recently stepped down as chief marketing officer at New Orleans & Co. after decades promoting the city

He continues to serve as a senior adviser to the destination marketing and sales organization.

Romig has received some of the highest honors in tourism and public service, including the French government’s Ordre national du Mérite Spain’s Orden del Mérito Civil, the New Orleans

Ad Club’s Silver Medal, University of New Orleans’ Alumnus of the Year, the Ella Brennan Lifetime Achievement in Hospitality Award and, most recently, the Will Mangham Leadership in Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award from the Louisiana Travel Association.

Baton Rouge

Brandon B. Brown has joined McGlinchey Stafford as a partner afﬁliated with its Baton Rouge ofﬁce.

He will lead the ﬁrm’s government and internal investigations team and will advise businesses and individuals in government investigations and white collar matters Brown was U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana during the Biden administration. Before that, he spent nearly nine years as an assistant U.S. attorney in the ofﬁce. Brown was an assistant district attorney in Ouachita Parish from 2002 to 2012.

He earned a bachelor’s and a master’s in business administration, both from Louisiana Tech University and a law degree from Southern University Law Center In 2022, Brown received a distinguished alumni award

from the law center

Ronnie Foshee has joined the Baton Rouge commercial lending team of JD Bank as vice president commercial lender Foshee has nearly 40 years of experience in the ﬁnancial services industry

100 miles of Baton Rouge, but there are some clients in Atlanta and Cincinnati.

He earned a bachelor’s in accounting and a master’s in business administration, both from Delta State University He is a graduate of the LSU Graduate School of Banking.

Jordan Howard is the new project director of Geaux Far Louisiana Geaux Far Louisiana is an initiative from the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children that focuses on unifying the early childhood system to ensure families have access to seamless, high-quality early child development, health and educational services.

She earned a bachelor’s in social work from Southern University and a master’s in social work from LSU.

LUMBER

Continued from page 1E

lumber prices and strategic moves from the ﬁfth generation of the family, which is promoting the sustainability of its company’s product line.

“Wood is good,” Wes Robinson, the company’s hardwood lumber manager, said during a group interview last week in his ofﬁce, where the walls are covered in Honduras pitch pine. “A sustainably managed forest provides wood products to meet global demand, while also sequestering carbon for hundreds of years.” Today, Robinson Lumber has customers in 70 countries and 75 employees worldwide. About half of them work out of an ofﬁce building on a tree-lined lot off Tchoupitoulas Street, just upriver from Barracuda Taco Stand and a few yards away from colorful shipping containers stacked high at the Port of New Orleans.

Robinson family members attribute the company’s longevity to its ability to evolve and pivot over the years, as changing economic conditions warranted They also credit a strategy that has helped them avoid common challenges many family-owned businesses encounter

“We’re really proud that the company has never been inherited,” said Garner Robinson, the company’s 42-year-old CEO. “It’s always been sold from one working generation to another There are a lot of family businesses that don’t have a succession plan in place, and that creates a lot of uncertainty for customers, suppliers, employees and banks.” 19th-century roots

Indiana railroad builder and banker Charles Wesley Robinson founded his namesake company in 1893 to sell American longleaf pine to customers in the U.S. Four years later, he exported his ﬁrst shipment to the Caribbean, which remains a strong market for the company to this day

Robinson Lumber Co. Chair and CEO Garner Robinson holds biochar, a carbon-rich material made from lumber industry byproducts that can be used for soil amendment, wastewater treatment and air filtration.

In the late 1930s, after longleaf pine had become scarce from overexploitation, Robinson’s son

Robert Gibson Robinson opened the company’s ﬁrst international pine manufacturing facility in Nicaragua, which helped supply wood to construct Higgins boats used in World War II and then met demand in a rebuilding Europe.

The third and fourth generations of the family continued to scale up, selling more types of wood in more places.

Toto Robinson, a member of the fourth generation and still a company executive, was a key player in the European expansion over the last four decades.

Court Robinson, a company vice president and cousin of Garner and Wes, said the legwork of his predecessors continues to pay off.

“A lot of our customers are still the same 70 years later,” he said.

Leaner operation

At one point, Robinson Lumber owned and operated facilities in Brazil, Honduras and other countries. In 2009, it employed more than 400 employees globally It even owned several ships to transport cargo. But no more.

“There was a time for Americans to do that, but now we’re just not as necessary,” Garner Robinson said. “The world economy is more sophisticated.”

The volatility and shock of the 2008 housing crisis, which caused a slowdown in home building, was one factor that led to a

leaner strategy Ultimately, over the last 15 years, the company chose to focus on manufacturing and wholesaling and to get out of distribution, which required keeping expensive inventory in multiple locations. The company ceased operations at a facility in Chalmette in 2012.

“We prefer to have signiﬁcant foreign partners, but we don’t own factories overseas,” Garner Robinson said. “In many cases, we might have just as much capital at risk; it’s just a different kind of risk.”

Robinson said the company has strived to replace ﬁxed costs with variable costs.

“I’d rather you own the warehouse, and I’ll pay you $500 every time we ship something in and out — even if that’s going to cost me more than owning the warehouse myself,” he said. “Because when our volumes go down by 50%, I want to be able to just pay 50% less.”

From Indiana to the world

Today, about a third of the Robinson Lumber’s revenue comes from manufacturing American hardwoods like white oak, which is used for ﬂooring, furniture and millwork.

At the company’s 8-acre facility in New Albany, Indiana, workers dry, sort and process about 6 million feet of lumber from about two dozen regional sawmills for buyers worldwide The other two-thirds of Robinson’s business is wholesale, which requires buying, selling and shipping lumber from hubs overseas.

“We have many niche customers,” Garner Robinson said “It could be a Danish flooring factory an Italian window factory or scores of Vietnamese furniture factories.”

An important part of the business model, dating back to the company’s origin, is ﬁnancing the time it takes for lumber to dry and be ready for use — and taking on the risk of price changes in the process. “If you’re running a business and you have to keep six months

“There’s a demand and need for AI at the enterprise level to grow and manage larger workloads,” he said.

Good intentions, failed efforts

Bon Carré was repurposed from Bon Marché, a shopping center that opened at the corner of Florida and Lobdell boulevards in 1960. The center was expanded and enclosed in 1974 in an attempt to get ahead of Cortana Mall, which had started construction about two miles east on Florida.

But that didn’t work. Cortana slowly strangled Bon Marché, as customers flocked to the newer, larger mall. Complicating matters was a pattern of disinvestment along the Florida Boulevard corridor By 1993, Bon Marché was less than 50% occupied.

In 1999, a California developer announced an ambitious $40 million plan to convert Bon Marché into Bon Carré, a mixed-use center with retail, residential and commercial space. There was even talk of putting an ice skating rink that the Baton Rouge Kingﬁsh, the local minor league hockey team, could use as a practice facility

One of the early tenants in Bon Carré was a commercial data center for Houston-based Solid Systems Inc. Bon Carré also became home to the Louisiana Technology Park, a business incubator The state agreed to spend $37.2 million to underwrite the development of the data center portion.

But work on Bon Carré began slowing in the fall of 2001 and came to a halt later that year after one of the investors in the project pleaded guilty to federal charges in connection with a Ponzi scheme. Though the wrongdoing did not involve Bon Carré, the remaining owners said the scandal wrecked their chances of getting a second round of ﬁnancing for the business park.

Brought back to life?

In 2003, Commercial Properties Realty Trust, the for-proﬁt, real estate arm of the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, purchased the 43-acre site in an effort to revitalize the Florida Boulevard corridor and stimulate economic development in the area.

Over the years, it invested heavily in the property as it tried to reposition the development as a hub for research and tech activity in Baton Rouge’s budding entrepreneurial ecosystem.

of raw material sitting out under the sun, that’s a lot of ﬁnancing,” Garner Robinson said. “We can pay you right now We’ll put it in our yard, and we have the global customer base.”

Over the years, the company has had to adjust its strategy based on changes in market conditions, whether it was the 2008 housing crisis or the 2018 trade war

In 2015, it opened a lumber yard in Winchester, Virginia, with the intention of selling hardwoods to a growing Chinese market, but demand plummeted after tariffs enacted by the first Trump administration in 2018. U.S lumber industry volume dropped signiﬁcantly, and there were no exemptions or subsidies

“It was like accelerating into a brick wall,” Garner Robinson said. “After a few months, once the industry was destroyed, the Chinese happily came back in and bought. They paid the 25% tariff, still pocketing a 25% discount off the old price.”

‘Wood is good

Robinson Lumber’s leaders think their industry needs to do a better job educating consumers that wood is a sustainable product, especially compared with competing options — like composite decking or vinyl ﬂooring, both of which contain plastic.

In a new sustainability initiative, the company has been developing a plan to create and sell wood carbon, a material made from lumber industry byproducts that can be used for soil amendment, wastewater treatment and air ﬁltration.

The company has a production site under contract in Kentucky which may be operational later this year

“Wood carbon has been around for a while, but it’s never really taken off because no one in the States has done it at industrial scale,” Garner Robinson said. “We think we’ll be the ﬁrst ones.”

Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

But in 2018, the ﬁrm reached an agreement to transfer the property back to its lender, after defaulting on a 2007 loan that, at the time, amounted to $39 million. Charles Landry, the attorney who represented Commercial Properties, said at the time that several factors led to the default, including the departure of some tenants and the expiration of a lucrative 10-year tax break, which caused Bon Carré’s property taxes to skyrocket from $80,000 to $796,000 a year In December 2020, EdgePWR of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, bought Bon Carré from the bank with fresh plans to remake the star-crossed development. The company specializes in data centers in second- and third-tier markets such as Charleston, South Carolina, and Omaha, Nebraska. At the time of the sale, Jim La Marche, a principal with EdgePWR, said the company’s goal was to make Bon Carré “a focal point of the city again.”

The company spent $10 million to upgrade Bon Carré, painting the property, replacing the roof and adding landscaping.

Open to ideas

Over the past two years, leasing agents have had fresh success attracting new tenants, including the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services, The Volunteers of America and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness. Occupancy rates are up 15%, according to Scott Macdonald, of Stirling, who handles leasing for the center along with Ben Graham. Though the occupancy rate in Bon Carré is still below 50%, EdgePWR is “very pleased where things are right now,” Macdonald said. He said the DartPoints sale will hopefully lead to more traction on the leasing side.

“We’re open to a wide variety of tenants,” Macdonald said. “Not just retail or professional ofﬁce uses.”

One idea that has been discussed is putting a pickleball facility inside Bon Carré After all, the courts are a trendy feature.

“We’re open to being creative,” Macdonald said.

Email Timothy Boone at tboone@theadvocate.com.

Brown

Romig

Foshee

Howard

Estep

Dunford

STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE

About half of Robinson Lumber Co.’s worldwide team works out of an office building on a tree-lined lot off Tchoupitoulas Street in New Orleans The company operates in 70 countries.

TALKING BUSINESS WITH KATHARINE KAy

CapitalOne market presidenteyeslending trends

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

By her own admission, Katharine Kay,Capital One’snew market president forNew Orleans, comes from modest means.

Her family moved to New Orleans from Puerto Rico in the late 1970s, when she was 10, settling in aNew Orleans East neighborhood where she attended apublic elementary school. Neither of her parents had acollege degree. Hers camefrom the Universityof New Orleans.

Kay began her career as a credit analyst in the mid-1990s at Hibernia National Bank, which was NewOrleans’ largest bank at the time and was later acquired by Capital One. She worked her way up thecorporate ladder and last month was tapped to succeed Karen DeBlieux, who retired after more than 30 years as local market president.

Kay’sappointmentcomes at achallenging timefor lenders, who are clamping down on credit amidrisinginterest rates, economic uncertainty and market volatility.But Kay is optimistic about the local market and whatshe believes are Capital One’sopportunities to make adifference in New Orleans, where it is the largest bank, with nearly aquarter of all deposits —about 25% ahead of Hancock Whitney and JPMorgan Chase Bank.

In this week’sTalking Business, Kay discusses herpriorities in her new role and the bank’srecent investments in affordable housing and other programs designed to address economic disparities.

Interview has been editedfor length and clarity

When you beganyour banking career,Hibernia wasone of three regional banks based in New Orleans.That has all changed, as businessesand corporate headquarters have left and local banks have been acquired by big national play-

PHOTO

bors areliving in poverty,and there is ashortageofaffordable housing units —55,000 fewer units than we need. When Ithink about the fact that there arepeople who have livedhere along timewho may not be able to stay because of the affordability challenge, that is a real problem. During thelunch, we announced $1 millioninCDFIs, speciﬁcally thoseworking in the New Orleansmarket. So thatismoney thatisgoing to stayinNew Orleans.

No disrespect, but howmuch can you do with$1million,especially spread out among variousinstitutions?

We are continuing to gather ideas and really get abetter understanding of what the needs are. We’regoing to be working withthose partner institutions on howthatmoney is going to be rolledout

But it’spart of amuch larger investment we have made across the country.Just in the last couple of years, we’ve invested over $200 million in Low IncomeHousing TaxCredit dealsacrossthe country

What are some of the local projects

Capital One is proud of?

erslikeCapitalOne. Whatdoes this mean to local lending decisions and to thefuture of the local economy?

The longstanding history we have here is really important, andwecontinue to have ameaningfulpresencehere. The headofour middlemarket corporate banksits in New Orleans. Oneofour chief credit officers sits in NewOrleans So,Iwill tellyou thatwecontinue to make decisions about this market here locally But certainly,the NewOrleans markethas changed alot since you gotinto banking Yes, but Ithink that the business landscape and environment ofthe Greater New Orleans area is generally very strong.The middlemarket companies that we have had the beneﬁt of working with, in some cases for decades, are a diverse and resilient group,

including manufacturing and distribution, health care, energy, highered. What would you sayare the greatest challenges they are facing?

Afew yearsago,there were supply chain issues and staffingissues, which seem to have evened out abit. Today,there are challenges around how best to expand. WhenI visit with CFOs and CEOs, they wantto talk about howtheycan grow They want to makesure that we’re going to be theretocontinuetosupport themthrough the cycles. So while it’strue that some M&Aactivityhas slowed, we’re still seeingsome of it. When Italk to CEOs and developers, Ihear about thechallenges of getting credit, commercial real estate loans in particular.Havey’alltightened the reins? Based on thelongevity of the

clients we have, they’re strong. We have neverstopped lending. We continue to support our clients in every way

Youmentiondevelopers, and one of the things we are really excited about is the work we are doing to create more affordable housingthrough public-private partnerships, anddevelopers areahuge part of that. They are the ones who are coming to theCommunity DevelopmentFinancingInstitutions, or CDFIs (banks, credit unionsand otherinstitutions that provide ﬁnancialproducts andservicestolow-income communities). We are one of the top community development lendersinthe country

On that topic, CapitalOne recently heldaluncheon meeting withcommunity leaders to talk about affordable housing.What wasthe goal?

Twenty percent of ourneigh-

In late April, we were part of the ribbon-cutting at St. Bernard Circle Apartments by the Circle Food Mart at the corner of St. Bernard (Avenue) in the 7thWard. This wasablank lot, and, with Capital One’sﬁnancing and other partners involved, there is now a51-unit apartment building, 40 units of which are low-income, and they are going to be lowincome for 99 years. Most LIHTEC programs are good for 15 or 30 years. This is a99-year commitment,whichishuge Tivoli Place, a163-unit historic building on St. Charles Avenue, and Celeste Landing, in the Lower Garden District, aretwo otherrecentprojects thatwehelpedmakepossible

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

for dividends

Realty Income(NYSE: O) is one of the largest real estate investment trusts. It owns about 15,600 propertiesinthe U.S. and Europe, most of which are occupiedbyretailers that operate recession-resistant (but not recessionproof) businesses. Toptenants include Dollar General, Walgreens, Wynn Resorts, FedEx, BJ’sWholesale Club, Tractor Supply,Home Depot and Walmart.

Convenience stores, grocery stores and drugstores are among thetop tenanttypes. Tenants sign long-term leases that require them to pay taxes, insurance and most maintenance expenses for the properties. Over the past 15 years, Realty Income’sstock has generated an average annual return of about 7.4%. It has also raised its dividend for 110 consecutive quarters, illustrating the power of its steady and predictably growing rental income stream. Realty Income’sdividend yield wasrecently ahefty 5.5% —and it pays out its dividendsmonthly,

unlike most companies,which pay quarterly. Realty Income was recently down by about 10% from its 52-week highand about 27% from its all-time high. However, this isn’tbecause of anything wrongwith the business itself —this steadycompounder is very sensitivetointerest rates That means it could also beneﬁt if ratesfall over the next few years. Now couldbeagreat time for long-term investors to buy shares. (TheMotley Fool owns shares of andrecommends Realty Income.)

Fool’sSchool:You’ll need awithdrawal strategy

If you approach and enter retirement without agood withdrawal strategy, you might drain your nest egg too quickly or take money out too cautiously,enjoying retirement less. There’s no single best withdrawal strategyfor everyone. For many years, acommon guideline wasthe “4% rule.” It suggested takingout 4% of your nest egg in your first year of retirement andthen adjusting each subsequent year’swithdrawal for inflation. So witha$500,000 nest egg, you’d take out $20,000 in year one, and if inflation was

3% thatyear,you’d take out $20,600 in year two. And so on. But the4%rule is imperfect For starters, much depends on when you startretirement. For example, if you retire right before abig market crash, your 4% withdrawal will end up being a bigger chunk of your newly 4% shrunkenportfolio. And the4% rule and other withdrawal guidelines are arrived at by looking at past returns. In thenext 30 or 50 years, stocks and/or bonds may perform differently than they did in thepast. The 4% rule (andsome others) alsoaim to makeanestegg last for 30 years. But what if you’re retiring at 58 and your family tends to live into their90s? Your retirement might last 40 years. Or,ifyou’reinpoor health and retiring at 70, you might not need your money to last 30 years. What should you do? Well, read up on safe withdrawal rates,and don’tbeafraid to consult afinancial adviser.You can find feeonly advisersnear you at napfa. organd garrettplanningnetwork. com. Meanwhile, prepare to be flexible in making withdrawals throughout your retirement. You might look to various studies for guidance, but don’trigidly follow one rule.For example, when the

economy is booming, you might withdraw more;when it’sdown or struggling, you’d withdraw less. This approach is especially important in the early years of your retirement, whenyou might spend more on hobbies and travel.

Ask the Fool: Money market differences

What are money market accountsand money market funds? —C.W Baton Rouge Amoney market account is abank account that’stypically insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. or the National Credit Union Administration. Such accounts have features of both savings and checking accounts,often permitting afew checks per billing periodwhile paying more in interest than a standardsavings account. Before opening amoney market account, verify the insurance and theamount protected (it’soften $250,000).

Amoney market fund is a mutual fund that invests primarily in short-term U.S. Treasury securities, municipal bonds or corporatebonds and bank debt securities. Such funds are consideredextra-safe places to park your dollars, but they generally

offer lower returns than more risky investments. Unlike money market accounts, they’re not FDIC- or NCUA-insured.

You’re not likely to get rich or poor —with

Another cohort of high schoolstudents will head off to college in afew months. Iwonder what they and their parents have learned from the cautionary tales of those who came before, now shackled by student debt and dreams deferred?

Are they listening to the warning cries of the millions who will soon have to squeeze monthly student loan payments back into their monthly budgets?

After aﬁve-year pandemic-relatedpayment freeze, the Education Department announced it will resume collections on defaulted federalstudent loans on Monday

tence, read ablogseries recently released by the New York Fed.

Oneasks: Is College Still Worth It?

Theotherblogistitled: When College Might Not Be Worth It.

Let’sstart with the debate about acollege degree.

Themedian college graduate with just abachelor’sdegree earned about $80,000 annually,compared with $47,000 for the median worker withonly ahigh school diploma, according to the New York Fed. If you looked at the returnofcollege as an investment,itwould be an annual 12.5%, “a ratewell above the thresholdfor asound investment,” the New York Fed concluded.

OK, so you may be thinking that proves the debt is worth the struggle.

Butwait. Let’slook at the conclusion from the second report. It seems so obvious, yet many students and theirparents fail to comprehend it.

The economic value of a college degree isn’talways aguaranteed return.Factors such as thecost of tuition, thetime to graduate, the ﬁeld of study and theearning potential after graduation signiﬁcantly impact whether college is worth the accumulation of debt that could takedecades to pay off.

Stop!Just. Stop

Don’tsign asingle loan documentuntil youcalculate howmuchdebtit will take to complete the degree—and howmuchin earnings will be needed to service the debt.

Don’tacceptthata fouryear university is the only choice. Community college can be aviable waytocut costs, and many arerecruiting top students from high school by providing generous scholarships and aclear pathway to afouryear university—aneconomicalway to takebasic coursesatadiscount.

hours are automatically accepted to astate school

Drop thesnobbery!

Dropthis whole elitist attitude that abrand-name college deﬁnespeople’s worth to allemployers.

Yes, some companies want to recruit only from certainelitecolleges, but moreoften employers are looking forstudentswho have gainedjob experience while in college

Seriously, folks,the student makes thedifference, notjustthe college name on thediploma.

EmailMichelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@ washpost.com. With

Here are some sobering facts: More than 5million borrowers have not made a monthly payment in over a year,with many in default for more than seven years. An additional 4million are seriously delinquent by three to six months.

The government has signiﬁcant debt collection power.This will result in some borrowers seeing a reduction in their Social Security payments, wage garnishments,oradecline in their credit scores.

“There could be almost 10 million borrowers in defaultina few months,” the department statement said. “When this happens, almost 25% of the federal student loan portfolio will be in default.” If this were ahorror movie trailer,that would be the line to get folks to rush to see the ﬁnancial carnage.

But every single kid and parentwho will sign a promissory note for tuition and/or room and board this summer needs to understand how serious this is. And it’snot just families that will be affected —the entire economy could get hit by the “looming tsunami of student loan delinquencies and defaults,” warned arecent report from the Bipartisan Policy Center,citing the expected drop in consumer spending and savings.

Howdid we gethere?

There is, of course, the cost of attendance —tuition,ever-rising fees, books, room and board. Without adequate funds from savings, scholarships or grants, parents and students have felt they had no choice but to take out loans. According to the New York Federal Reserve, the total outstanding student debt in the United States was $1.62 trillion at the end of 2024.

So, before you or your child accepts adebt sen-

Given such awage premium, “it is easy to see why the return to college remains so substantial,” the report said. “Over an entireworking life of more than40years, such apremium adds up to abeneﬁt well in excess of the costs.”

“As manyasaquarter of college graduates appear to endupinrelatively low-paying jobs, andfor them, acollege degree may not be worthit, at least in terms of theeconomic payoff,” the Fed researchers said.

Before you sign on that dotted line, let’s do something Ilike to callthe “Stop,Drop and Roll” of student loans

Transferring credits fromacommunitycollege to afour-year schoolis still notseamless, but it is getting easier,sodosome research to determine what creditstransfer and to which schools.

In many states, community college studentswho obtain an associate’sdegree and/or maintaina certain grade-point averageafter acertainnumberofcredit

Or as theresearchersin theNew York Fed report put it:“Some of whatwe estimateasthe beneﬁt to college may notbeaconsequenceofthe knowledge andskills acquired while in school but rather could reﬂect innate abilitiespossessed by those who complete college.”

Roll your eyes

Every time someonesays astudent loan is good debt, Irollmyeyes.

I’ve spoken to individuals, many approaching or alreadyinretirement, who are still burdenedbystudent loanslongafter earning adegree. Theywere once toldthis debt wasa “good”investment— a steppingstonetoalucrative career.Infact, at theend of 2024, 2.8 million borrowers were 62 or olderand were carrying student loan debt totaling $121.5 billion, according to theEducation Department. Framing these loansin such optimisticterms overlooksanunfortunate truth: Whenthe debt becomes too large, it can deraila person’s ﬁnancialfuture If youdon’t believe me, ask anyofthe millions of borrowersfacing default andsigniﬁcantdamageto theircredit histories.Many of them are having buyer’s remorse. The debt isn’t looking so good right about now.

BUSINESS HONORS

Tulane fundraisingveteran to lead LSUHealthFoundation

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Acuff

TheLSU Health Foundation has plucked atop executivefromits competitor across town, Tulane University,tolead its fundraising efforts as it seekstosecure aprestigious National Cancer Institute designation. Katie Acuff, Tulane’sassociate vice president for advancement,will take over as president and CEOofthe LSU Health Foundation on May19. The organization is the primary fundraiser for the LSU HealthSciences Center New Orleans,which encompasses six schools —including medical, nursing and dental programs —that educate nearly 3,000 students annually and provide care for more than 1million patients.

The organization’sboard of directors said she was selectedfrom apool of more than 200 applicants

During her 15-year fundraising career at Tulane, Acuff is credited with raising more than$100 million in philanthropicsupport for the school. She also led the creation of the Tulane Innovation Institute, which launched in 2022 to help innovators buildbusinesses and raise funds.

“Having astrong foundation for the state’sﬂagship institution in this city is important,” Acuffsaid in aphone interview Wednesday “I think I’ve got the skillset and ability to lead the organization, which plays avery important role in education and health care in this state.” Acuff’s appointment comesas LSU and its health care and education partners are seeking NCI designation, the highest federal rating acancer center can receive. It’sa yearslong process that could create more access to federal funding and opportunities to participate in clinical trials. She will support the efforts of SteveNelson, who last year was named permanent chancellor of LSU Health last year

The LSU HealthFoundation is the primary fundraiser for the LSU Health Sciences Center NewOrleans, which encompasses six schools —including medical, nursing and dental programs —that educate nearly 3,000 students annually and provide care formorethan1 millionpatients

after servingonaninterimbasis since 2021.

“The No. 1priority is NCI designation, whichrequiresa certain level of funding for research annually and thresholdsofphilanthropic support,” Acuffsaid.

Thefoundation also raises funds for LSU Health’sCenter for Advanced Learning and Simulation, which opened in 2023 in downtown New Orleans to provide high-tech training for medical and nursing students. The foundation also supportsresearch, professorships, scholarships and other institutional needs.

Acuff, aSouthCarolina native, said shegot pulled intoprofessional fundraisingwhile she was still an undergraduateatthe Catholic University ofAmerica in Washington, D.C. She continuedtowork in the school’sdevelopment ofﬁce while earning her lawdegreevia night classes.

In 2010, she accepted ajob offer from Tulane,where then-Executive Vice PresidentYvette Jones wasleading acapital campaign that’sraised nearly $2 billion over thepast 15 years.

Acuff said her success at Tulane was theresult of teamwork.

“It’srareinany situationindevelopment that it’sone persondoing this work,” she said. “There’sa writing team helping to put together agreat proposal, adonor relations team making sure the gifts arespent properly and updating the donoronresults of giving. It’sa multifaceted, complex approach.”

She said she didn’twant to leave herworkplaceofthe past 15 years, but she couldn’tturn down theopportunity to lead at an impactful organization.

She’ll be moving from aprivate universitywith a$2billion endowment to apublic institution with aboutone-tenth of the assets. Tulane has about 40 full-time fundraisers on staff. The foundation’s total staff is about 20 people.

Acuff has thoughts about how to grow it

“Thisshouldbeadonor-centric organization,” she said.“If we are working with ourdonors well, serving them well, helping them achieve theirphilanthropicgoals and meeting the needs of the institution at same time, we’re doing thejob.”

Email Rich Collinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Pete November,CEO of Ochsner Health, hasjoinedthe South Rampart Pharma board of directors. November’s appointment coincides with a strategic investment by OchsnerHealth in South Rampart’s Series Aﬁnancing round. South Rampart Pharmaisa New Orleans biotechnology companydevelopinga breakthrough nonopioid painkiller

Judy PerryMartinez,ofcounselat Simon, Peragine,Smith &Redfearn, has been selected to receive the 2025 American Inns of Court James E. Coleman Jr Award forProfessionalism in theFifth Circuit. She willreceive the award at a conference this month. Martinez servedaspresident of theAmerican BarAssociation from 2019 to 2020. In 2011, she chaired the association’sStanding Committee on the Federal Judiciary,which evaluates all nominees to the federal bench.

She founded theNew Orleans Pro Bono Project in 1986. Martinez serves as thevicepresident of the World JusticeProject, an international group that works to advance the rule of law around the world.

She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of New Orleans and alaw degree, cum laude, from Tulane UniversityLaw School.

FutureUse of Energyin

Louisiana hasawarded nearly $900,000 in fundingto13programsadvancing energy talent development.

FUEL’s ScaleFund is providing seven existing workforce programs with $100,000 each to expand their reach and impact.

Fundingwill go to:

n Louisiana Tech —toadd and update coursesinthe electrical engineeringcurriculum to help students gain experience with emerging energy technology

n East Baton RougeParish School System —toadd 40 spots in the EBR Learnand Earn Energy Transition Internship Program.

n Greater Baton RougeIndustrial Al-

By Amanda McElfresh

amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisarticle is brought to youby the Louisiana CommercialFishing Coalition LLC Blaine Braddock fulfills severalroles on adaily basis.The Belle Chaseresidentand professional financialadvisoratNielsen Investments is alsoamother to twoyoung girls and the wifeofJames Braddock, acaptain on oneofthe dozens of menhaden fishing vessels thatwork in the Gulf formonths at a time each year After adecade-long career in Nuclear Medicine, Blainejoined her father at Nielsen Investments in 2022.She focuses her businessonfaith-based investing and hasa reputation as atrusted financial advisorin her community. Community involvement has always been apriority, which is whyyou will find her serving on manylocal boardsand panels within Plaquemines Parish Inspired by the dedication of her own husband as well as other captains,Braddock is alsoavocal advocate forthe menhaden industry in Louisiana.She has testified before both the Houseand Senate NaturalResources Committeeonbehalf of Westbank Fishing She has firsthand knowledgeofwhatthe menhaden industry means to employees families and the communityatlarge

“I feel thatadvocating forthis industry is really importanttoensurethatwehavea seat at thetable, especially when anylegislative action is being discussed,”Braddocksaid.“It empowers other community memberstotake prideinour work andpreservethis unique heritagefor futuregenerations.”

Here, Braddock shares moreabout what the menhadenindustry means to the region and local families likeher own.

Whatinspiredyou to become a strong advocate for this ﬁshery?

My husband and Ihavebeen married for 15 yearsthis year.Going through lifetogether means sharing ambitions and goals, as well as overcoming challenges.Myhusband always wanted to be amenhaden captain and he loves his jobsomuch.It’simportanttometostep up to protect not only our familyand his job, but other captains and their families as well. Ispent11yearsworking in nuclear medicine, then changed careerstoﬁnancial advising. I discoveredthatgavememorefreedom and opportunities to be aprofessional on my ownwhile also speaking up forthe menhaden industry

In your experience,whatimpactdoes the menhaden industry have on the local economy?

Ithink it is acornerstone forthe economy in all of South Louisiana,not just Plaquemines Parish. There aresomanylocal businesses thatrelyonthe industry.One greatexample is alocal grocery storeinPort Sulphur that handlesthe food supply formanyofthe boats as well as the docks. Other small stores and gasstations serveusaswell. It createsaripple effectthrough the entireeconomy. Whatare some of themostcommon misconceptions aboutthe industry?

One is thatthe industry is not environmentally-friendly, or thatthe way the ﬁshing is done has anegativeimpact on other ﬁsh species and theLouisiana coastline. Thoseperceptions arevery much false. The

captains and companies go to greatlengths to implementnew tactics and technologies every year to protect Louisiana and help us remain the Sportsman’sParadise

Another misconception is that menhaden companies arenot involved in the communities.Theyare actually giving back to localschools and nonproﬁts all year long. We’recontinuing to work hardtoraise awarenessabout this work and foster a greaterappreciation forthese companies’ contributions to their communities Whatislife likeasthe wife of amenhadencaptain?

It is definitely not forthe faintofheart. Women aretruly aglueinthis industry.Our husbandsare on fishing vessels six months out of the year.Theyare usually home on weekends,but that is not aguarantee every week. Most of us women areworking mothers who areinthe office during the day, then running households and helping our kids with their extracurricular activities in the evenings. At the same time, Ihavealot of gratitude becausemyhusband’scareeristhe biggest reason we areabletoraise our children in the waywefeel is best.Myoldest daughter goes to aprivateschool thatfits her needs. My youngest is in competitivecheer anddance. We cangivethemthose opportunities because of the sacrifices my husband makes andthe work he does in themenhaden industry

As the wifeofa menhaden captain, what have youlearned about howhardtheywork?

It is adangerous job, and beingacaptain is even morestressful.Theyare responsible for 15 other men on the boatand their families My husband takes it very much to heart.He

liance —toexpand their Educator Externship Program, which provides apath to career opportunities in the energy industry

n Southeastern Louisiana University to bolster theSoutheastern STEM Scholars Energy Academy,which is aimed at high school students.

n ExxonMobil —toexpandthe STEM Energy Professional Development program with SOWELA Technical Community College and Allen Parish School Board.

n LSUElectrical Engineering —tointegrate virtuallearning, augmented realityand virtual realityintothe existing curriculum.

n River Parishes Community College —to enhance the instrumentation and electrical technology program, with industry-relevant certifications, usage of virtual and augmented reality technologies, dedicated energy training activities/ coursesand professional developmentopportunities forthe faculty

FUEL’s Seed Fund is providing sixnew workforce initiativesand projects with $20,000 each Funding will go to:

n The St.MaryParish School System to establish adistrictwide FIRST Robotics team

n Pro FabEducation —tohelpK-12 teachers deliver high-quality STEM education.

n GNO STEM —toprovide aprofessionaldevelopment opportunity forSTEM teachers.

n TRCXREDU —tocreate avirtual reality module that introduces secondary andcollege students to jobopportunities and key skills required.

n LouisianaArt&Science Museum/Irene W. PenningtonPlanetarium —tooffer a Kids’ Energy Dayand ateacher workshop focused on energy-related training.

n University of Louisiana at Lafayette to collaborate with industrial partners to boost awareness of sustainable manufacturing.

really focuses on giving men an opportunity to provide fortheir ownfamilies andmaking decisions to protect their livelihoods. That’s alsotrueofall the other captains Iknow. Theyare always thinking about others, not just themselves Howdothe families of menhaden ﬁshermen support each other, especially during the season?

One of the thingsI pride myself one is thatwenow have aclub forthe wives of the captains in the companysowecan be a support systemfor one another.Noone else really understands whatwegothrough on a dailybasis duringthe season. Thereisalso an overall family environment. My husband’s brother andboth of my daughters’godfathers arecaptains. It’sraretoﬁnd someone who doesn’thaveatleast one family member in the industry.Everyone supports one another and offersadvice or help andsteps in if we seea family needsus.

Whatdoyou hope is the future of the menhaden industry?

Every time we have the blessingofthe fleet to start the season, yousee little kids on the dockslookinguptotheir grandfathers, fathersand uncles with admiration. Ihope that inspires them to preserve this industry I’dalwayslovetosee morepeople in the younger generations with an interest in menhaden fishing, but it is greattosee alot of kids getting afirsthand viewand hopefully wanting to do it themselves one day. I’dalso liketosee us have opportunities to work with the local school systems morefrequently to talk to kids about whatacareer in fishing could look likefor them.

FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL DEMOCKER

-2

465San CristobalCourt •Oak Harbor /Slidell $439,500 WaterfrontLiving at it’s Finest! Beautiful4 Bd,2.5 Ba home.Kitchen has loadsofcabinets, SS Appls&lovelygranite counters.Breakfast area hasawindowlookingoutoveryourwaterfrontviews.Deniswonderfulfor entertainingw/frplcthatflowsintoformaldining.Cov’dpatioleadstoyour boat slip &new replaced bulkhead.Bring your boat,start fishinginLake Pontchartrain &enjoy allthatLouisiana hastooffer.Gated community! DebbieVititoe 985-707-5170

165Cypress LakesDrive•Oak Harbor/ Slidell$385,000 Luxury Living At It’s Finest In This French CountryHome! Locatedingated community, CypressLakes Estates. 4Bd, 2.5Ba, 3406 sqft home.Stunning foyerw/ hi ceilings,crmoulding& arches Formal Din, great forentertaining. Spacious Den, frplc&beautiful wd flrs.Chef’sdream Kit. Split flrplanw/secludedprimary suite& bath. Mediarm(couldbe5th bdrm). Lrgbkyd. Don’tmissthisoppty! DebbieVititoe 985-707-5170

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Spacious open-concept liv &din areas, 5exposed brickfrplcs, elegantcrmolding &stylish kit. Lrg bkyd,gated drvwy w/ off-stprkg&sideporch.AMustSee! MatthewLaRose•504-452-5282 SallyCrawford• 504-235-6113 Reve| Realtors504-300-0700

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Bedrooms: Four

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840 ElysianFieldsAvenue

NewOrleans, LA 70117

Licensed by StateofLA Real Estate Commissioner

Standing tall in theheart of theFrenchQuarter,this elegant 3-storyCreoleTownhouseisthe epitome of NewOrleans charm. It has been featured in numerous design publications.Flanked by like buildings &gracedw/aclassic covered, lacedirongallery, this home is atrueSouthernlady. Step inside to granddouble parlorsbathedw/natural light, 12 ceilings,twinmarblemantels, glitteringchandeliers,&intricate medallions. Thewidepine floors arepolishedtoperfection, guidingyou throughspacesthatfeel bothtimeless&fresh.The newlyrenovated kitchenopens to adreamybrick courtyardlaidinherringbone patternsweet spot for quietmorningsorfestive evenings.Upstairs, theprimary suiteabuts thecovered gallery, offersa tranquil retreatw/amarblebath, doublesinks, &all thecomfortsof fine living.Asecond-floorden w/ fireplacecould servebeautifully as afourth bedroom. Aprivate guest suiteinthe charming dependency buildingadds flexibility &privacy,while thespacious uppersuite crowns thehomew/ grace. Live wherethe musicplays,where artspillsintothe streets, &where everymealisa celebration. Come be part of themagic

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VACATION PROPERTY PLAZASUITESNOLA PENTHOUSE$29,625 JAMESNOLAN,847-732-1269

NEWORLEANS EAST "FOR SALE BY OWNER":1/3 INTEREST FORSALEat1257

No Pets CALL 504-834-7005..Lve Msg. KENNER 2850 IDAHOAVENUE 1Block to Vets &Williams AllAmenities *Pool* Parking Studio/1 BedApt *Starting$650/Mo 504-236-1971 *504-454-1333

TREME 1125 N. RomaninTreme,Liv,2/BR, kitw/appls& ba,New tile,shrk& exposedbrick.Wtr pd, W/Dhu, No pets,$1350/mo $675/dep, Sec8 ok, 504-421-6071. ROOMSFOR RENT RM,Eff &Studio Apts 4RentPd Wkly.Clean,secure, gated& Laundry Rm.Wepay Utils wiﬁ & Hulu.120 NTonti,nearCanal St

BYWATER Rentals: 2Br$1000. 3Br$1200. Off street parking. 504-913-8503

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METAIRIE

EDUCATION SpanishTeacher (Metairie, LA). Teach Spanishtoelemschool students;de‐veloplessonplans &exams;conduct classroom instruct;monitor student progress. Bach in Modern Languages, Communicationsorrelated;nativeor near native fluencyinSpanish.Excel commun skills.MustsendCV& cvrltr to trovania.otkins@jpschools.orgor Trovania Otkins,Jefferson Parish Schools, 501ManhattanBlvd.,Ste 1200, Harvey,LA70058 w/in 30 days,ref Job #2022-598

ENGINEERING Assistant/ProjectEngineer(Geotech‐nical) Ardaman& Associates Inc. (St. Rose,LA) Must have proof of legalau‐thorizationtoworkinU.S.Apply

CEMETERY PLOTS Lk LwnPkMaus. 1+1CorrofHope. SelleropentoanOffer504-259-1048

Please take notice that on March27, 2025, the United States District Courtfor theEastern Dis‐trictofLouisiana,Judge SusieMorgan DENIED Plaintiffs’motionfor classcertification of theirclaimsagainst De‐fendants WasteConnec‐tionsBayou,Inc Waste ConnectionsUS, Inc. LouisianaRegionalLand‐fill Company, andAptim Corp.inIctech-Bendeck v. WasteConnections Bayou, Inc.,No. 2:18-cv07889, which wasconsol‐idated with Thompson v. La.Reg’l Landfill Co No 18-cv-8071 (E.D.La.); Bernardv.Progressive WasteSols. of LA,Inc No.18-cv-8218 (E.D.La.); Landry-Boudreaux v. Pro‐gressive WasteSols. of LA,Inc No.18-cv-9312 (E.D.La.). This lawsuit pertains to odorsal‐legedlyemitted from the JeffersonParishLandfill locatedat5800 Highway 90 West,Avondale, LA 70094.

TheIctech-Bendeckand Bernardcomplaints, ﬁled on July 25, 2018 andAu‐gust 10, 2018 respec‐tively,proposedthe fol‐lowing class:

All personsdomiciledof and/or within theParish of Jefferson, .who sus‐tained legally cognizable damagesinthe form of nuisance, interference with theenjoyment of theirpropertiesand/or diminution in valueof theirpropertiesasa re‐sult of theDefendant(s)’ acts that caused the emission ofnoxious odorsand gasesintoand untotheir personsand properties

TheThompsoncom‐plaint, ﬁledonJuly30, 2018, proposedthe fol‐lowingclass: Allpersons domiciledof and/or within theParish of Jeffersononorafter August 1, 2017 ,who sustainedlegally cogniz‐able damagesinthe form of nuisance, tres‐pass, interference with theenjoyment of their properties,and/or diminution in property valueresulting from De‐fendants’act that caused theemissionof noxiousodors into and untotheir personsand properties

TheLandry-Boudreaux complaint, filedonAu‐gust 28, 2018, proposed thefollowing class: Allpersons domiciledof and/or within theParish of Jefferson, ,who sustainedlegally cogniz‐able damagesinthe form of personal injury lost wages, nuisance, in‐terference with theen‐joymentoftheir proper‐ties and/or diminution in valueoftheir properties as aresultofthe Defen‐dant(s)’ acts that caused theemissionofnoxious odorsand gasesintoand untotheir personsand properties Becausethe Courtde‐nied Plaintiffs’motionfor classcertification there arenolongerany pend‐ingclass actions against WasteConnections Bayou, Inc.,Waste Con‐nections US,Inc LouisianaRegionalLand‐fill Company, andAptim Corp.related to alleged odors from theJefferson Parish Landfill, and you cannot rely on aclass ac‐tion to protectany rights youmay have in connec‐tion to this matter. Any individual who falls within theabove class definitionsand who wishes to pursue claims relatedtothismatter must file alawsuit Youmustact soon if you wish to file alawsuit Do notwait. Louisianalaw limits theamount of time youhaveto file alawsuit; 30 days after the first publicationofthisnotice on May3,2025, thepre‐scription period (or statuteoflimitations), which wassuspended by the filingofthe putative classactionlawsuits, be‐gins to runagain as to everyone within thepro‐posedclass definitions pursuant to Article 596(A)(3)ofthe LouisianaCodeofCivil Procedure. Failureto file alawsuit mayresultin prescription of your right to file alawsuit If youhavequestions aboutthisnotice, you should consulta licensed attorney 139300-may3-9-7t $3,082.74

y ContactDayna Trahan at theabove-mentioned ad‐dressorbycalling (504) 934-6408.

DESCRIPTIONOFLAND TO BE SOLD Acertain tractorpor‐tion of land,consistingof 91 acres, more or less, lo‐catedonthe west bank of theMississippi River near Port Sulphur Louisiana. Thetract is lo‐catedadjacenttothe Mississippi Riverbut Sale does notinclude the battureormineral rights Thetract is bisected by LouisianaHighway 23 andisthe former site of theLouisiana StateUni‐versityAgricultural Re‐search Site,ParcelNo. 8400500.

AllBidsmustbeinac‐cordance with thecon‐tractdocuments in the Bidpackage.LateBids will notbeaccepted. Termsofthe sale include butare notlimited to: NON-WARRANTYCASH SALE,ASIS, WHEREIS, WITH ALLFAULTS, AND MINERALRIGHTSTOBE RETAINED BY SELLER. SALE DOES NOTINCLUDE BATTURE.MINIMUM BID IS FOUR MILLIONTWO HUNDREDTHIRTY-FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS ANDNOCENTS ($4,235,000.00)

Sale is subjecttoa right of ﬁrstrefusal of the PlaqueminesPortHarbor &TerminalDistrict. Each Bidmustbeac‐companiedbycertiﬁed checkorcashier’s check, in theamount equalto tenpercent (10%)ofthe totalofamount Bid, and payablewithout condi‐tion to Plaquemines Parish Government as a guaranteethatthe Bid‐der, if awardedthe con‐tract, will promptlyexe‐cute acontractinaccor‐dancewiththe proposal andall termsand condi‐tionsofthe contract doc‐uments ThePlaquemines Parish Government reserves the righttorejectany

LIVING WITH TYPE 1 DIABETES

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Monitoring, diligence, lifestyle changes help people as cases rise

BY MARGARET DELANEY and JAN RISHER Staff writers

At age 8, Elizabeth Bennett was sick for two weeks. She lost weight. She couldn’t get off the sofa by herself She missed school.

Her family in Houma couldn’t tell what was wrong with her The family doctor sent her to New Orleans for further tests.

“My blood sugar was so high that they couldn’t get a reading,” Bennett said.

In November 1969, Bennett was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. After her diagnosis, she stayed in the hospital for a week.

“They were trying the strangest things,” Bennett said. “If my blood sugar would go down, they gave me a full glass of sugarcoated grape juice.”

Doctors at the hospital placed an orange at her bedside and told Bennett she couldn’t go home until she learned how to inject herself with insulin — practicing on the orange. Once she left the hospital, Bennett gave herself an injection once a day until high school. Bennett is not alone in her experience.

In 2017, 7-month-old Alia Riojas was sick No one could ﬁgure out what was wrong. For one thing, her oxygen level was low and dropping.

Her mother Nikki Kinsey Riojas remembers being in an emergency room in Corpus Christi, Texas. Seven doctors were hovering over her infant daughter who “was turning greener and greener.” The doctors were preparing to do

Engineers develop tiny pacemaker

BY LISA SCHENCKER Chicago Tribune (TNS)

CHICAGO A new, tiny pacemaker — smaller than a grain of rice developed at Northwestern University could play a sizable role in the future of medicine, according to the engineers who developed it.

Researchers unveiled the device, which they say is the smallest pacemaker in the world, in a study published in the peerreviewed journal Nature.

Though the device is still years away from being used in humans, it could eventually be useful for infants with congenital heart defects and also for adults, the researchers say “I think it’s really exciting technology that will change how electrical stimulation is done,” said Igor Eﬁmov, a Northwestern experimental cardiologist who co-led the study The device can be inserted with a catheter or syringe. After it is placed in or on the heart, it’s paired with another small, patch-like device worn on the patient’s chest. When the device on the chest detects irregular heartbeats, it emits pulses of light into the chest that activate the pacemaker, delivering electrical stimulation to the heart.

The device is designed for patients who need a pacemaker only temporarily It dissolves into the patient’s body once it’s no longer needed.

Engineers were initially inspired to create the device for infants with congenital heart defects. About 40,000 babies in the U.S. are born with heart defects each year, and about a fourth of those “generally need surgery or other procedures in their ﬁrst year of life,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. After surgery, the infants typically need a pacemaker for about a week while their hearts heal.

Some adults also need temporary pacemakers, such as after an aortic valve replacement or bypass surgery, Eﬁmov said. In such cases, surgeons now must often sew a wire onto the heart that’s attached

See PACEMAKER, page 2X

NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITy/TNS

By JOHN A.

Northwestern engineers unveiled what they say is the smallest pacemaker in the world. Though the device is still years away from being used in humans, it could eventually be useful for infants with congenital heart defects, as well as adults, the researchers say. The pacemaker can be inserted with a catheter or syringe.

Elizabeth Bennett takes her morning walk. In 1969 at age 8, Bennett was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.

Toddler Alia Riojas wears her continuous glucose monitor Alia was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 7 months old.

PHOTO

ROGERS

HEALTH MAKER

La. leader in N.O. wants nurses to have a voice

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Murdock

Tiffany Murdock is from Sims, Alabama, a small town outside Mobile. Both of her parents were in the health care space growing up, so Murdock wanted to follow in their footsteps. She worked as a licensed practical nurse in a liver transplant unit and spinal cord injuries in Jacksonville, Florida, while getting her master’s in nursing at Jacksonville University and master’s in business for health care administration.

Murdock moved to Sonoma, California, for her ﬁrst administrative role in nursing and has never looked back. After a few years on the West Coast (including a stint in Oregon, the birth of two children and a doctorate from the University of San Francisco), Murdock and her husband moved their family closer to relatives in Gulfport, Mississippi In 2023, Murdock moved to New Orleans to become the chief nursing ofﬁcer for the Ochsner Health System overseeing over 10,000 nurses around the world What inspired you to become a nurse?

Continued from page 1X

an invasive surgery to try to determine what was wrong. Things were not looking good. Her husband Andrew Riojas remembers a doctor they had never seen before walking in the room and saying, “Did you check her glucose levels?” Someone said, “No.”

As the doctor, whose name they don’t know and whom they never saw again, was walking out of the room, he said, “You might want to check that.”

They did — and discovered that, at 7 months old, little Alia was one of the youngest Type 1 diabetes patients ever Sometimes the Riojas family wonders if that doctor was an angel. They had just moved from Scott to Texas. For the next few years, ﬁguring out their infant’s care plan was a challenge.

Alia turned 8 in March. Now, she wears a continuous glucose monitor on the back of her arm. She, along with her parents, on a near constant basis, monitor her carb intake and blood sugar

”Even since she was diagnosed, technology has advanced substantially,” Nikki Riojas said from her home in Lubbock, Texas. “We were lucky we could get her on an insulin pump when she turned one.”

At that time, the young parents would go to her insulin pump and plug in the information to determine how much insulin she needed.

”We thought it was amazing that we could give her insulin through that. Now

Continued from page 1X

to an external box that delivers a current to control the heart’s rhythm. When the pacemaker is no longer needed, surgeons must remove the wire from the heart, which can introduce complications such as bleeding, damage to the heart muscle and infection. Such a complication contributed to the death of astronaut Neil Armstrong in 2012, when he started bleeding internally as wires of a temporary pacemaker were being removed, The New

I thought I wanted to go into med school, so I got a soccer scholarship and a biomedical scholarship. I ended up going on a medical mission trip to Guatemala with a group of nurses that changed my life in multiple ways. The nurses there were incredible the amount of time that they spent with human nature and the humanity of taking care of people who have nothing. It was really beautiful. When I came back, my mom was diagnosed — she was 40 years old — with

it’s attached to our phones, and we can see her blood sugar numbers at any time,” Nikki Riojas said “Alia has a master phone that needs to be within 15 feet of her at any given time. It feeds us the readings every five minutes.”

In second grade, Alia is into cheer and many other things her classmates and friends do, but she also calculates how many carbs she eats.

At school, she visits the nurse and uses her phone to administer her own insulin.

“That gives her a lot of ownership,” Nikki Riojas said. “She’s been checking her numbers since she was 4 years old Now, she can essentially take care of herself though we stay very involved.

In 2022, when the Riojas family went to see the Pixar movie, “Turning Red,” little Alia was thrilled to see two of the characters wearing monitors on their arms like she does.

”The movie never addressed it,” Nikki Riojas said, “but Alia noticed them right away and said, ‘Oh, they’re wearing it like me.’”

On the rise

According to the American Diabetes Association, an estimated 18,000 children and adolescents under the age of 20 are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes each year in the United States.

The number of new cases of Type 1 diabetes diagnosed in a given year rose from 19.5 per 100,000 people under the age of 20 in 2002 to 2003, to 22.2 per 100,000 in 2017 to 2018 — an increase of more than 2% each year, according to research published in 2023 in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology.

York Times reported “Even though it’s exceedingly rare, it could be lethal,” Eﬁmov said of complications of removing traditional, temporary pacemakers. “We wanted to create a pacemaker which would be, ﬁrst of all, much, much smaller compared to what it is now, fully implantable so there’s nothing external, so there’s no risk of infections, but more importantly, it’s transient. It serves a purpose for whatever number of days or weeks it’s required, and after that it will dissolve.”

The study showed how researchers have used the small, implantable device so

Stage 4 colon cancer It had metastasized everywhere. She had to go in for a procedure, and she never made it out. I was able to experience her care team and to work with the nurses in Guatemala. I felt that the health care workers at the bedside needed advocacy to take care of patients. That perspective changed my life. I knew from that moment on I was going to be able to sit at tables and have conversations and to ensure that no one would ever have to walk out of a hospital again

Type 1 diabetes, once known as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition. In this condition, the pancreas makes little or no insulin, which is a hormone the body uses to allow sugar, or glucose, to enter cells to produce energy, according to the Mayo Clinic. Different factors, such as genetics and some viruses, may cause Type 1 diabetes Although Type 1 diabetes usually appears during childhood or adolescence, it can develop in adults.

Even after years of research, Type 1 diabetes has no cure — though glimpses of potential promise are out there Treatment is directed toward managing the amount of sugar in the blood using insulin, diet and lifestyle to prevent complications.

The first signs of Type 1 diabetes typically present itself in early childhood, like Bennett’s case, with common symptoms like:

n Feeling more thirsty than usual

n Urinating a lot

n Bed-wetting in children who have never wet the bed during the night

far in mice, rats, a dog and in hearts from deceased humans and pigs. Eventually, the team hopes to get approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to begin clinical trials in humans. Eﬁmov and Northwestern bioelectrics expert John Rogers, who coauthored the study and led development of the device, co-founded a company at Northwestern called NuSera Biosystems that will work to further develop the device and eventually bring it to market.

Dr Gaurav Upadhyay, an electrophysiologist and associate professor of medicine at the University of

feeling the way my dad and I did.

My motto and purpose is that health care providers can leave a legacy on people’s life at the most important times, the hardest points of their lives. My goal is to make sure that the nurses in my life have the tools they need to make sure it’s only a positive legacy

How did your previous experience as a nurse impact your leadership in the administration side of nursing?

I always feel like I’m a nurse first That’s been my motto: nurse first, patient first.

Not that administrators with no clinical background don’t put patients ﬁrst, but nurses have a slightly different brain.

Since you’re leading a staff that is 90% clinicians, it’s also great to have perspective in the health space. Some people have a nervous breakdown about spreadsheets and meetings. My perspective is that the people here are saving people’s lives every day It’s our job to stay calm and do the best we can to support them.

The people we are serving, they are the real game

When Alia Riojas was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 7 months old, her parents went on an all-out carb count, marking each box of baby food with the number of carbs to help monitor their young daughter’s blood sugar and insulin requirements.

n Feeling very hungry

n Breathing rapidly

n Feeling nauseous

n Losing weight without trying

n Feeling irritable or having other mood changes

n Feeling tired and weak

n Having blurry vision.

Type 1 diabetes can appear at any age, but it seems to peak in two noticeable age groups — the first in children between 4 and 7 years old and the second between 10 and 14 years old.

Chicago, called the study “exciting.” Upadhyay was not involved in the device’s development or the study

The new pacemaker is

Sara Duncan, a certified diabetes care and education specialist in Louisiana, was diagnosed at 9.

“Twenty years ago, I think the medical community only thought that autoimmune Type 1 diabetes was diagnosed in children,” Duncan said. “But more recently, we ﬁnd that you can be diagnosed with autoimmune diabetes at any point in life.”

Duncan has seen diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in

“impressively smaller than anything else we have available,” Upadhyay said. “If this can be conﬁrmed in clinical trials, I think that there

changers. It’s important to remember that sometimes. What drew you to Louisiana? What are your visions for the nursing community here?

The vision that our CEO and COO had for nursing clinicians really intrigued me about Louisiana. After working in Mississippi for eight years as the CEO of the Singing River Health Center in Gulfport, my husband and I decided to take the leap and move to Louisiana. I told my husband, “If we’re going to do this, and we’re going to move to Louisiana, we’re going to go all in. We’re going to the middle of New Orleans, and the kids are going to love it.” It’s been amazing so far — probably one of the best decisions of my life. Here in New Orleans, we’re looking to get back to quality in general. Getting back to make sure all voices are at the table,

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

patients as old as 70 years old to those as young as 13 months old.

A different life

Diet and exercise, as well as insulin management, play a large role in Type 1 diabetes management. Bennett, once she reached high school, discovered that exercise helped her feel great, even after increasing her dosage from one insulin injection a day to six. She would bike for miles and miles after school with her friend in Houma. Since discovering her love for exercise, Bennett has walked at least a mile a day since she was 15.

Duncan encourages her patients to keep a consistent routine.

The majority of diet management is related to how much insulin is required to keep the pancreas working after eating food. Type 1 diabetes patients have a different blood sugar rise and fall when eating either whole grains or pure sugar, like candies.

According to the Mayo Clinic, in order to delay or prevent complications, the goal for a person with Type 1 diabetes is to keep the blood sugar level as close to normal as possible — generally striving to keep daytime blood sugar levels before meals between 80 and 130 and two hours after-meal numbers no higher than 180. However, there are risks with such stringent blood sugar goals.

“There is a higher prevalence of eating disorders in people who have Type 1 diabetes,” Duncan said. “We are aware of that when we are coaching people through managing their diabetes. We don’t want to be strict.”

are incredible applications for short-term pacing requirements, which will have the potential to be used in a variety of clinical settings.”

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana.

Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you.

Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Tiffany Murdock, front right in orange, poses with Ochsner nurses representing multiple departments at Ochsner’s 2025 Nurse Leadership Retreat.

Elizabeth Bennett has lunch in Fairhope, Ala., in 2024.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Eat Fit LiveFit

BROUGH TT OY OU BY

Thehangover-free margarita: Azero-alcohol,low-sugar toasttoCinco de Mayo

Iloveagoodparty—especiallyonethat celebratesculturewithﬂavorandﬂair. CincodeMayocommemoratesBattleof Pueblain1862inMexico.Formanyofus,it hasalsobecomesynonymouswithpitchers ofmargaritasthatcan,regrettably,leaveus feelinglessthanoptimalonMay6.

Here’sasmarterspinthatswapsthe spiritsandkeepstheheat—soyoucan raiseaglass(ortwo)andstillfeelyour besttomorrow.

Azero-prooftakeonTequila

Fromtheearthyﬂavortothecleanheat andsmokyaroma,zero-prooftequilas candeliverallthetastewithnoneofthe alcohol,andthey’regettingeasiertoﬁnd. Lookforlow-andno-sugaroptionslike RitualZeroProofNon-AlcoholicTequilaat TotalWineoryourlocalliquorstore.

Fromourbook,“CRAFT:TheEatFit GuidetoZeroProofCocktails,”the Tequila-freeGhostRitawascreatedby mixologistNathanWalkerforTchoup’s MidCitySmokehouseinLafayette.Ithas everythingwewantinamargarita,and thensome:theheat,thesweet,thedrama.Everynotebuildsinterestandkeeps uscomingbackformore.Thefactthatit’s alsolowinsugarmeansthepossibilityof aguilt-freesecondroundisverymuchon thetable.

Realtalkonsimplesyrups Sugaristhenutritionaldownfallof

manyacocktail,zeroprooforotherwise. Althoughthestrategicuseofsweeteners canbeessentialforcreatingabalanced cocktail,addedsugarshavethepotentialtobemoredetrimentalthanwemay realize.Beyondcaloriesandweightgain, addedsugarscontributetowhole-bodyinﬂammationandcansetusonabloodsugarrollercoaster,causingandperpetuating cravingsformorecarbsandmoresugars. Andsimplesyrupisacommonculprit.

Madefromsugarandwater,traditional simplesyrupscanpack80caloriesand20 gramsofaddedsugarintoeveryounce notideal,tosaytheleast.So,it’sagood ideatohaveanalternativeonhand.

Tostart,forgeteverythingyouknow aboutsugarfreeingredients.Foryears, themainsweetenersusedinsugarfree simplesyrupswereartiﬁcialsweetenerslikeaspartame(Equal)andsucralose (Splenda),bothofwhichhaveasynthetic ﬂavorandsharpaftertaste.

Zero-caloriesweetenershavecomea longwayinrecentyears.Thevarietyof plant-basedoptionsnowavailable—from steviaandmonkfruittoalluloseand sugaralcohols—havemadeitacinchto replicatetheﬂavor,sweetnessleveland mouthfeeloftraditionalsimplesyrups.

OurGhostRitarecipeincludesinstructionsforusingalluloseandSwerveto makeyourownsimplesyrupandzesty orangeoleosaccharum.

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonproﬁtinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

BY THENUMBERS

DATA:LA. HASFOURTHHIGHEST RATE FORHIGHBLOOD PRESSURE IN U.S.

GhostRita

Makes1serving 1limewedge,torimglass Seasalt,torimglass 2ounceszeroproofTequila 1/2tablespoonEatFitsimplesyrup(recipebelow) 2tablespoonsoleosaccharum(recipebelow) 1tablespoonlimejuice 2slicesfreshjalapeño,reserve1sliceforgarnish Ice-preferablyasinglelargecube Limewheel(grilledortorched),forgarnish Bamboopick

Rimhalfofyourglassofchoicebyrunningthelimewedgealongtheedge,thendipintosalt. Shakeoffanyexcessbeforeaddingthedrink.Combineallliquidingredientsandonesliceof jalapeñoinasmallshakerwithice.Shakeanddoublestrainovericeintoglass.Garnishwitha jalapenosliceandagrilledlimewheellayeredonbamboopick.

Perserving:10calories,0fat,0saturatedfat,170mgsodium,18gramscarbohydrate(4grams netcarbs),0ﬁber,1gramsugar(0addedsugar),0protein

EatFitsimplesyrup

Makesapproximately1cup 1cupwater 1/2cupSwervegranularor11/2cupsgranularallulose

Inasaucepan,bringwatertoaboil.Reducetomedium-highheatandaddsweetener.Stirto dissolveandcontinuetoheatfor10minutes.Pourintoheat-safeglasscontainerandrefrigerate tochill.Storeunusedportioninairtightcontainerinrefrigeratorforuptofourweeks.

Oleosaccharum

Makesapproximately1/4cup 1cuporangepeels(approximately3orangesworthofpeels)

Zestof2oranges 1/3cupgranularallulose

Juiceof1orange

Inamediummixingbowl,combineorangepeels,orangezestandallulose.Muddleevery fewminutesforapproximately15minutes.Topwiththejuiceofoneorangeandmuddle periodicallyforanother15minutes.Doublestrainbeforeusing.Refrigerateunusedportionina sealedairtightcontainerforuptofourweeks.

TimeSaver:Theprocessofmakingoleosaccharumisnotforthefaintofheart.Ifyou’re pressedfortime,youcangetbywithsimplyaddingatablespoonofEatFitsimplesyrupanda tablespoonoforangejuiceinstead.

Researcherssay stress affects drivingdecisions

BY JANA HOLLINGSWORTH

The Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS)

Nearly half of all Louisiana adults reported having high blood pressure, according to 2023 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data released in 2025.

In the United States, an average of 34% of adults reported having high blood pressure, according to America’sHealth Rankings. Louisiana hadthe fourth highest rate of high blood pressure, with 43.3% of adults reporting thecondition diagnoses by ahealth professional, the CDC-based data says.

High blood pressure (or hypertension) is amajor risk factor forheartdisease and stroke, which are the leading and fifth-leading causes of death in the United States.

In 2022, nearly 690,000 deaths in the U.S. were caused by complications of

hypertension, according to the CDC. Although the number of people in America with high blood pressure is high, around 1in4adults —27million people— have their highblood pressure under control.

These states had the lowest ratesof highblood pressure:

n Colorado with 27.3%

n Utah with 27.3%

n California with 30.6% n Washington with 30.6% n Massachusetts with 31%.

These states, all located in the South, hadthe highestrates of highblood pressure:

n Mississippi with 46% n West Virginia with 45.1%

DULUTH, Minn. When a Jeep cut me off and then slowed to several notches below thespeed limit, Iﬁrst gaspedand then gestured wildly,swearing. These thingsIremember

But asensor Iwas wearingtocapturemyheart rate and electrical changes in my skin, along withavehicle “black box,”revealed more:aggressive braking and accelerating and arapidly beating heart. It didn’t help thatitwas in the middle of the workday,when I am almost always stressed.

“This one was clear that when you werea little more flustered, the driving was definitely bad,”said Turuna Seecharan,anassistant professor in the engineering department of the UniversityofMinnesota Duluth. Ishould find ways tocalm myself before driving to news conferences and interviews, Seecharan said, so that stress doesn’tinfluence my choices on the road.

She and graduatestudent Md Sakibul Hasan Nahid are researching the role emotions like stress play in driving. Is thereacorrelation?

Iworea sensorfor several days to better understand the research. My data showed Iwas less stressed when Iwasn’tinthe middle of aworkday,even if something unexpected happened on the roadway

The study could be useful for driver training programs, or lead to technology that warns drivers of stress levels before they getbehind thewheel, Seecharan andNahidsaid, becausestress, fatigue and anger can all cloud decision-making while driving

“Just like youshouldn’t get into acar if you’re too tired or you shouldn’tget into acar if you’re drunk, it’s thesame thing,”Seecharan said. “Pay attention to your emotional state.”

The researchers have recorded more than 100 driving sessions for 25 drivers aged 18-30 so far.

The National Highway TrafﬁcSafety Administration says drivers aged 15 to 20 are involved in more fatal crashes than anyother group. In 2020, motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of unintentional death for drivers between 15 and 24, according to the administration.

The data collection method the UMD researchers usedissimilartowhat car insurance companies use to determine how safely someone drives, but it also factors in emotional state by starting with baseline physiological data. Braking and accelerating behavior is gauged, anddrivers submit mood data before, dur-

ing andafter each driving trip.

The researchers found that electrodermal activity (changes in skin from sweating) can be helpful in predicting emotional states and aggressive driving. The moreyou sweat, the higher the electrodermal activity More physiological measureswould improve research,Nahid said, with mathematical models so farshowing 60% to 70% accuracy in predicting how emotional arousal affects a driving score. Ultimately,driving schools could educate young drivers on how stress andother strongemotions can affect their driving, he said, andteach them techniques to calm themselves “sotheyhaveaclear head before driving.”

UMD recently earned aCarnegie classification as aresearch college and university,based on its annual expenses. More than $25 millionwas spent on research in ﬁscal year 2023.

THEMINNESOTA STAR TRIBUNE PHOTOByJANA HOLLINGSWORTH Researchers at the University of Minnesota Duluth

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

Acting early

Addressing risk factors during teen yearscan prevent heart-relatedissuesinadulthood

By American HeartAssociation News (TNS)

Toooften, young people in the U.S. just on the threshold of adulthood face cardiovascular challenges.

By the time they’re 18, many teenagers will have heart disease risk factors such as obesity,high cholesterol, high blood pressure or Type 2diabetes. Somewill already haveheart problems. Use of tobacco products remains aconcern. So isa lack of healthinsurance

Anew scientiﬁc statement from the AmericanHeart Association outlinessuch health challenges, highlights some underlying causes and explores ways to help this population, still young in years, remainphysically young at heart. The report was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

“Emerging adults”— a term for people age 18 through their mid- to late 20s —face ahost of life changes as they begin to experience greater independence, develop their careers, forge new personal bonds and chart their life course, Dr Jewel Scott, chair of the report’swriting group,said in anews release

“This pivotal phase is also an ideal time to establish health practices that support lifelong heart health,” said Scott, an assistant professor of biobehavioral health and nursing science in the College of Nursing at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Young adults’ growing responsibilities in education, work and family can disrupt healthy eating, make getting sufficient sleep difficult and displace beneﬁcial

activities such as athletics, according to the statement. Increasesinsedentarybehavior andweight are common in this age group. Also, research shows that from 2002 through2018, thepercentage of peopleages 18 through23who started usingtobacco, primarily e-cigarettes, more than doubled.

Andwhen young people leave pediatric health care behind, standard medical “checkpoints” —such as appointmentsfor vaccines or sports physicals —fade into the past.Soopportunitiesdwindle for health care professionals to measure bloodpressure, blood sugar andcholesterol,and to help headoff anythreats to heart health

“Young adults may not reengagewith care until after they’ve developed aheart disease riskfactor,” Scott said.

Pregnancy poses its own challengestocardiovascular health. Heart-conscious care before and between pregnanciescan helpprotect the patient’sfuture cardiovascular health andprevent pregnancycomplications such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and preterm birth, accordingtothe statement

Various social circumstances can also influence cardiovascularhealth in young adulthood and beyond, the report said. For example, higher education is linked to better heart health, while other factors are linked to poorer hearthealth. These include:

n Neighborhoods that are segregated, have fewer resources,lack safe spaces for physical activity and have less access to cleanair and water;

n Aperson’slack of positive social connection and

support; and

n Economic instability, whichcan reduce access to health care and nutritious foods.

To address these socialfactors, thereport’sauthorssuggest incorporating the essentialsofheart health in early education through college or vocational school; working to reduce isolation among young adults; and promoting public policiesthataddress socialand economic inequities, improveaccess to safe recreational areas, and fill health insuranceaccess gaps acrossthe life span.

Emerging adults make up thelargest share of the 27 million uninsured adults in the U.S., the report said. Many lose coverage from their parents’ healthinsurance when theyturn 26. AndMedicaid eligibility for young adults withlow incomescan depend on whether the state they live in has expanded Medicaid access. Even if they’re insured, young adultsmight avoid health care because they’re unfamiliarwith services, have had negative experiences withhealthcare or are put offbyother issues

such as long wait times, the authors wrote. Harnessing social media andother digital toolsmay help connect young adults with needed care, the statementsaid. Theauthors also urgedresearchers, health care professionals and public health experts to think creatively aboutlife settings where they might reach young adults —atcommunity colleges or universities, in the military or through veteransservices,orinplaces they commonly work, such as in the hospitality ﬁeld. Scott called on health care

professionals to makeheart health apriority for young adultsduringany office visit.

“Wemay see theirblood pressure is alittle high, but we don’taddress it because they came in with an ear infection or sprained ankle or something else that needs immediate attention,” she said.

“Wemay missthe opportunity to let them know that they are in the elevated blood pressure range and ways theycan take action. We need to have these conversations.”

GETTy IMAGESPHOTO

Anew scientificstatement from the American HeartAssociation outlines suchhealth challenges, highlights someunderlying causes and explores ways to help this population, still young in years, remainphysically young at heart.

Ochsner Healthtransforms the nursingexperience through innovation, supportand collaboration

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisstory is brought to you by OchsnerHealth.

Asaleading healthcareprovider in Louisiana, Ochsner Health has morethan 10,000 nurses caring forpatients at its 46 hospitalsand more than 370health and urgent care centers acrossthe Gulf South. Ochsner nursesare involved in every aspect of the health system. Theyparticipate in executiveleadership,deliver babies, assist in complexsurgeries,contributeideas and build innovations thateasedemands on administrators

“Nursing has changed signiﬁcantly throughthe years. We arenot waiting for direction. Nurses have aseatatthe table, driving healthcareand promoting change,” said Ruth Sagastume, chief nursing officer of Ochsner Medical Center –New Orleans.“We areempoweredtomakedecisions that impact the futureofboth patients and nurses.”

Ochsner nurseshelped care formorethan 1 million patients from every state in the nation and 63 countries last year alone. Ochsner invested heavily in its electronic medical records platforms,embedding technological safeguards thatalsohelp nursesstreamline their work.

comprehensiveinstructions with patients and their families via video call, allowing uninterrupted time to answerquestions and create asmooth transition from the hospital to their home. Meanwhile, nursesatthe patient’s bedside canfocus on direct patientcare. Pairing bedside and virtual discharge nursesisalready decreasing readmissions and is receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from patients and staff

“The virtual nurse is able to spend one-on-one time with the patienttoeducate them about the medications theyneed, assistwith upcoming appointments and makesurethe patient canget home safely,” said Dianne Teal, chief nursing officer at Ochsner Medical Center –BatonRouge.“By having theseconversations with patients and their families,wecan help prevent issues thatmightlead to a return to the hospital after theygohome. We seethis as having signiﬁcantbeneﬁts forour nurses, patients and families.”

“Technologyhas really evolvedduring my career,” said Renee Delahoussaye,chief nursing officer of Ochsner LafayetteGeneral “Today, nurseselectronically document patientassessments andcommunicatewith one another and physicians electronically We have tools thatallowustodocument information at apatient’sbedside, rather than on paper at the nurses’ desk. It has deﬁnitelyenhanced the workﬂow fornurses, helping them to be moreefficientand has createda saferenvironmenttoensure patientsreceive the care theydeserve.”

Ochsner is alsoexpanding its virtual nursing program, particularly to assist patients beingdischarged. In the program, experienced, off-sitenursesreview

balance is truly importantinhealthcare.

Creating opportunities fornursestofocus on self-care and their ownmental well-being is alsoatop priority at Ochsner.Teal said thathas become an even stronger focus since the COVID-19pandemic.

In addition, some Ochsner locations nowhaveorare piloting self-scheduling software for nurses, allowing them to choosethe times and days when theywanttobeonduty.

“We’ve made it aprioritytogivenurses the schedule of their choice because we’veseen howimportantitistothem, Sagastume said. “Self-scheduling takes place through an electronic platform. Nurses have an opportunitytoselect their preferred shifts,and the nursing leaders then balance the full schedule to makesure all shifts arecovered. It’sahugemilestone forusand something we consider areal win forour nursing teams We feel thatself-scheduling supports whatisimportant to our nurses. Theywantwork-lifebalance thatmeets notjust the needs of the nurse and their families,but alsofulﬁlls emotional requirements thatmakeour work so special and rewarding. This ownership of work-life

“Wenow have an online wellnessportal with access to group therapy, one-on-one therapy, self-careactivities and other resources,” Teal said. “Our career centerhelps Ochsner employees identifythe rightcareer path and nowhas asocial worker and communityhealth worker to assist in overcoming barrierstheymay have in their personal lives.Werecognizethatnurseshavealife outsideofthesebuildings,andthepressuresthat communities arefacing arealsohappening to ourstaff.It’simportanttousfor them to have the rightsupport to navigate through that.” Delahoussaye said the emphasis on nurses’ well-being starts from their ﬁrst months on the joband continues throughout their career with accesstomanyemployeesupport programs,counselorsand more. However, one of the most importantresources has proven to be creating opportunities fornursesto connect with one another and other clinicians to sharetheir emotions around challenging experiences

“When youare working a12-hour shift,you don’talwayshavealot of downtime to talk with your coworkers,”Delahoussaye said. “Wemakesuretheyhave time setaside to talk about what’sbeen happening in their world. It’sall about creating the space forthem to do that.

Through all theseevolutions,Sagastume said she is most proud of the fact thatnursesatOchsner are encouraged to takeonleadership roles as newchanges arediscussedand implemented.

“Our physician partnersand healthcareleaderstruly respect nurses. It’samagniﬁcentrelationship with alot of collaboration,”she said. “Theyare always inviting us to shareour input becausetheyrecognizehow valuable our opinion is and howcloseweare to the patients.We respect thatclinical teams have greatideas,and they understand thatwhen it comes to putting alot of this work into action, nurseswill be the driving forceand takeittothe next level. We makethingshappen!”

ANew Home forOchsner Children’sHospital

Caringfor MoreKids WhoNeed it Most

OchsnerisplanningtocreateanewhomeforLouisiana’s top-rankedhospitalforkids.Drivenbythegrowingneedsof childrenandfamiliesacrosstheregion,thisstate-of-the-art facilitywillreﬂectourunwaveringcommitmenttoproviding high-qualitypediatriccare.

Foryears,we’veinvestedinbuildingapremierpediatric programwithnumerousspecialtiesandsubspecialtiestotreat eventhemostcomplexconditions.Ournewfacilitywillbring everythingchildrenneedunderoneroof,designedspeciﬁcally

fortheirmedical,emotionalandpsychologicalwell-being. Wehavemadeimprovementstotheprojectbasedon feedbackfromtheOldJeffersoncommunity,andwethank theJeffersonParishCouncilfortheirleadershipand considerationofourrequest.

Thisnewhomewillnotonlyelevatethecareexperience forkids,butalsosupporttheirfamilies,ensuringpersonalized treatmentforeverychild.Staytunedaswecreatethefuture ofpediatriccare-righthereinJeffersonParish! Thank You

TheplanforTheGayleandTomBensonOchsnerChildren’s Hospitalismadepossiblethroughatransformationalgift fromMrs.GayleBenson.Ochsnerisdeeplygratefulfor Mrs.Bensonandherunparalleledactofgenerosity,which willsigniﬁcantlyimpactthelivesofcountlessfamilies throughoutLouisianaandtheGulfSouth.Thisfacilitywill enableustocareformorechildren,retainandattracttop pediatricphysiciansandcareteams,andcontinuetoset thestandardofcarethatyou’vecometoexpectfrom Louisiana’s #1hospital.

SWEET STUDIES

BYELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

When Zachary High’sagriculture students learned they’d be studying bees ﬁrsthand, they weren’t so sure about it. They worked with chickens and goats, raised vegetables and ﬂowers and tended fruit trees, butbees?

“The studentswere alittle scared,” said MelissaBrumbaugh, who with her husband, Bubba Brumbaugh, teaches the ZacharyHigh ag classes. “Nowthey say,‘Can we please go to the bees?’”

The study of bees took ﬂight at the high school in 2023, after it applied for andreceived a$10,000 grantfrom the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry that provided bees,hives, beekeeping suits, hoods, gloves and classroom books The25juniorsand seniors who take the classes, either asarequiredscience or an elective, have becomeexperienced beekeeperssince then. Every month they check on thesix beehives that are kept on the nearby campus of Port HudsonAcademy andcollect honey twice ayear for the studentsto bottle and hand out at school district events.

The name of the honey is “Z-Hive

JanRisher LONG STORy SHORT

Everyday bids for connection

Whenmyhusband asked if I’d watched the video he sent, Isaid no —I’d seen it, meant to and thenforgot.

“You should watch it,” he said. So,Idid.

He hadsenta video on how basketball defense has evolved since the 1960s It turns out, these small moments —evena videoabout the history of basketball defense —may matter more than we realize

Background: He hassat with me through enough basketball gamestohear me go on and on abouthow Idon’t understand howplayers getaway with what theydo. Like abroken record, I keep saying, “That should be a foul,” as players without the ball push andshove eachother Perhaps he wasgently trying to getmetoconsider that Ican’t watch 2025 basketball with 1985 eyes —whateverhis motive, he knewIwould be interested.

Learning aboutthe Gottman Institute research on “bids for connection” really resonated with me. “Bids for connection” aredeﬁnedasgesturesfrom one partnertoanotherseeking attention, affection or engagement. The research explains that the “bids” can be small —like a simple questionorlarger,like an outright request forhelp.

With decades of research as evidence, many believe that the way apartnerresponds to these bids determinesthe tenor of arelationship. When someone consistently turns toward the bid andacknowledgesitproperly, the relationship typically grows in apositive direction.

Zacharystudents addbeekeeping, honeycollection to their high school experience

Honey,”aname voted on by the Zacharycommunity “Wetalked about selling it,but we don’twanttocompetewithlocal beekeepers,” said Joseph Bassett Jr., a student in the programand ajunior at Zachary High. “Wegive it out at every-

thing we go to.” This year,asecond, $10,000 grant awarded to the school from the Louisiana DepartmentofEducation will boost the numberofhives to 11, allow-

See BEES, page 2Y

Forexample,ifone partner says to another, “Check out thatview,”a partner“moving toward” the bid for connection would look at the view and respond alongthe linesof, “Wow, that’samazing!” Apartnerwho “turns away” from the bid doesn’tlook up and responds with something along the linesof“mm-hmm.”

And apartnerwho “turns against” the bid responds with, “Really,you hadmelook up for that?”

Overtime,the responses add up. Not to paint toorosy apicture —myhusband andIdrive each othercrazy sometimes —but scrolling through his messages, Irealizedthese little nuggets he oftensharesare apartofthe way he seeksconnection.

Forexample,hesent aphoto of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile spottedoutside BLDG 5, a callback to the Route 66 road trip he andItook in September 2020, when we were on the same path as the Wienermobile for four straight days —atCadillac Ranchoutside Amarillo,standing on acornerinWinslow,Arizona, at the WigwamHotel in Holbrook,Arizona andmore. We found ourselves at the same hotels andlandmarks over and over again. We came to be on a ﬁrst name basis with the drivers. The Wienermobile was areminder of howsharedexperiences, no matterhow quirky,continue to bind us. We laughedabout it then, andwestill laugh about it now.

Individual tiny threads of relationships bind together to make a stronger fabric.

Thenthere is the video he sent of the president of Mexico getting “la limpia,” atype of cleansing with plants and smoke considered atraditional healing ritualthataims to cleanse the body andsoulofnegative energy,

PROVIDED PHOTO

ZacharyHigh students, from left, Savannah Franklin and Melissa Nolan, check the frames in abeehive. The beekeepingprogram at the school started in 2023 with astate grant.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

The queen bee of the hiveismarked with awhite dot, middle right, made by apaint pen to easily be able to spot it at Janway FarmsonMarch 12.

The bonsai tree creates connections in New Orleans

Hundreds of years and counting in Japanese practice

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Carl Gilbert, president of the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society, found his love for bonsai trees while he was in Japan serving in the U.S. Navy He joined the society to learn from other bonsai enthusiasts in the area

Gilbert takes pride and joy in caring for his trees, and he has worked with some of the best bonsai artists in the country The bonsai society boasts visiting artists, lectures and demonstrations, workshops, study groups, and its annual bonsai auction and sale.

How did the Bonsai Society get its start?

In 1972, Vaughn Banting, Johnny Martinez and Randy Bennett chose to start the Greater New Orleans Bonsai Society, and it’s been going ever since.

Does the society host events and programs for its members?

We’re trying to have a guest artist come in every couple of months to do a demonstration on Fridays and a lecture on Saturday Then we would do a workshop where we put that demonstration and lecture into practice, making a new tree species we don’t normally work with, so people get to hone their skills.

What is the fascination with bonsai trees that would prompt a society in their name?

The bonsai tree has been around for hundreds of years.

The original idea was to bring nature into the home once larger cities started to develop. Today, a lot of those standards are kept

BEES

Continued from page 1y

ing sophomores to take part in the program too, Melissa Brumbaugh said.

“We’ll start getting those students involved now, so the subject isn’t brand-new next school year,” she said.

Melissa Brumbaugh will teach about bees in the classroom, but the experienced beekeeper juniors and seniors will help teach the sophomores in the ﬁeld how to check the hives for unwelcome insects and make sure the queen bees and hives look healthy

“I truly think kids learn better from each other,” she said. Even the students are excited about passing the torch.

“For me, being a senior and leaving, it’s great to know there are people coming in behind me,” said Kaylea Marionneaux, a student in the beekeeping program who will graduate from Zachary High in May

This year’s grant funds will also provide participating schools with an extractor, a piece of equipment that spins a hive’s removable frames, where bees build their honeycombs, to extract the honey Meanwhile, Zachary High has been able to borrow an extractor from a student’s grandfather

“Beekeeping is an expensive hobby, but it’s so beneﬁcial for our planet and the environment,” Melissa Brumbaugh said “The students have become advocates for bees.”

Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, said the grants are funded by federal monies that ﬁrst became available to Louisiana high schools in 2019, with the aim of enhancing the competitiveness of specialty crops and encouraging the longterm growth of the beekeeping industry

in practice in Japan and, really around the world.

Here, we try to practice some of the traditional skills, but also some of the newer skills that have been applied over the last couple of hundred years to keep some of the traditions alive.

When you say skills, what do you mean by that?

There’s different techniques we use for bending branches or wiring a tree to get the branches where we want them to go. The other would be the horticulture of keeping a tree alive in a small tray

It’s not just as simple as throw it in a tray and it’ll take care of itself forever

They have to be repotted every couple of years, and the roots have to be trimmed. So, there is a decent amount of maintenance work that goes into the trees.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned about bonsai trees from being in this society?

I’m a veteran who struggled with PTSD for a long time For me, working on a tree brings me in the moment, keeps me present in what I’m doing. I hear that from a lot of other members. It brings you focus It teaches you patience and a new skill.

How has the group fostered a sense of community within New Orleans?

We do the City Park Garden Show twice a year, in spring and fall. We also do the Destrehan Spring Garden Show We put trees on display for people who want to come see them. Anyone is welcome to come, check it out and get insight on what you can create by learning a skill.

Sometimes, our club goes to other garden clubs around town to do a lecture and display trees for them. We do that a couple of times a year For me, personally, it has taught me that there’s a diverse group of people who are interested in hobbies like this. Our oldest

for

members are around 80-88 years old, and our youngest member is 19, so everybody in between that brings a different personality to the group. It’s not just working on trees, it’s meeting new people and ﬁguring out what this person likes compared to what another person likes how one person does things compared to someone else. It’s fun meeting new people and giving them the information.

Some people say, “Oh, I saw trees in ‘The Karate Kid.’” These don’t look anything like that.

How can people join the New Orleans Bonsai Society? We have a website, gnobs.org.

School on Feb 13.

Like the students at Zachary High, the schools were “reluctant at ﬁrst because it was bees,” said Strain, who is a beekeeper himself

Covington High School was the ﬁrst school to break the ice and apply for the 2019 grant, Strain said. Since then, students at nine other Louisiana high schools, including Zachary’s, have become bee experts, he said

“They’re learning about bees from A to Z,” Strain said. Zachary High has another bonus for its bee program: The ex-

past the

pertise of volunteers Vaughn and Sienna Benoit, who have worked with bees for many years.

Melissa Brumbaugh reached out to the Benoits, the grandparents of Zachary High graduate Claire Chandler — who’s now studying animal science in college — and asked if they might be available to help coach the students on-site at the hives.

“Sure,” said the Benoits, now called Pop and Mimi by the students.

The Benoits meet the students at the hives every month at the Port Hudson Academy campus,

where the hives have plenty of room, undisturbed, on a big ﬁeld where there’s a water source and wildﬂowers growing.

“The students are very attentive,” Sienna Benoit said. “It’s amazing what they can do.” Vaugn Benoit noted that the students are learning a valuable skill. They are able to take what they learn and make a product out of it.

“We need future beekeepers,” Sienna Benoit said. “If we get just one beekeeper out of this group, it’s one more than there would have been.”

HOW YOU CAN HELP: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

We meet on the second Tuesday of the month at the American Legion Hall at 1225 Hickory Ave., in Harahan. Our next meeting is May 18, and we’re doing a lecture on deciduous trees. On Aug. 9, we have our annual bonsai auction. We have bargain tables with items from 50 cents or $1, and then there are proper bonsai trees that are auctioned off. They can go anywhere from $50 to $1,000. It’s quite a wide selection of trees.

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

illness and bad vibrations. When we were in Mexico City in January, I got one too. He also sent a story about the trunk of a dead 110-yearold cottonwood tree in Idaho that was transformed into a Little Free Library He knows I adore Little Free Libraries and became friends with Todd Bol who started them in 2009. I wrote a piece about them shortly thereafter, and Bol made a trip to Louisiana and ended up coming to our house for dinner

I’m not sure how my husband ﬁnds some of the things he sends me, but they help keep the conversation going 31 years into marriage Most of the time, I naturally “turn toward” the bid for connection, but sometimes I’m busy or have a lot on my plate or I just forget — and I don’t give those efforts the attention they deserve

But when I do, I realize that he knows me well, and it makes my heart ﬂutter just a tiny bit. Each bid, whether a quirky photo, an intriguing article or a shared memory, is a way of him saying, “I see you.” Those moments are also a reminder that bids for connection can go both ways. Sending the note or tidbit to a friend or cousin or husband because I know it strikes a chord that they will appreciate it — is probably a good idea

The ways that we respond to the people we care about add up. In my relationship with my husband, these little messages, as opposed to the grand gestures, help us keep liking each other

These are the ways we turn toward each another, again and again.

Louisiana Inspired highlights volunteer opportunities across south Louisiana If your organization has speciﬁc volunteer opportunities, please email us at lainspired @theadvocate.com with details on the volunteer opportunity, organization and the contact/registration information volunteers would need.

Acadiana

The Lafayette Community Health Care Clinic, 1317 Jefferson St., Lafayette, is a nonprofit organization that provides quality outpatient health care for the eligible working uninsured and develops and provides programs to address community health care needs through collaborative partnerships. For volunteer opportunities, visit cajunaaa.org

Baton Rouge

The Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank, 10600 Choctaw Drive, Baton Rouge, has a mission to feed the hungry in Baton Rouge and the surrounding parishes by providing food and educational outreach through faith-based and other community partners With community support, the agency has served the hungry in its 11-parish service area for more than 35 years. Volunteers are needed for sorting and packaging Visit brfoodbank.org

New Orleans

Senior Medicare Patrol — AdviseWell, Inc., 201 St Charles Ave., New Orleans, helps Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries prevent, detect and report health care fraud. In doing so, the agency not only protects older persons but also helps preserve the integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs. For volunteer opportunities, visit stopmedicarefraud.org

PROVIDED PHOTO

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Randy Bennett trims a bald cypress bonsai tree

a cypress forest in the works.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Teacher Melissa Brumbaugh walks

gardens during a tour of the ag department at Zachary High

DuobehindBRaddiction recovery housekeeps it free

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

When she was 19 years old, Emily Tilley started going to O’Brien House, aBaton Rouge residential treatment center, to visit hermother.Her mother,Shirley Cormier

George, was arecovering addict who had ﬁnished 42 days in rehab and then moved into the O’Brien House for a90-day recoveryin residence.

Because O’Brien House does not require client fees, an alcoholic or addict can walk in without money and ﬁnd aplace to stay and receive treatment. The center relies on Medicaid, grants and donations to pay for all the needs.

Once Georgegraduated from the program, she continued to volunteer and support the residential treatmentcenteruntil shepassed away in 2015. For Tilley,who now has amaster’sinsocial work, a master’sinpublic administration and adoctorate in social work, O’Brien House was the placethat gave her her mother back.

Now,asthe executive director, it’sthe place that Tilley calls her family

“I remember comingonthe weekendstovisit her,and Ifelt love,” Tilley said. “It’salways just been afamily place.The mission is really what it is,savinglives and families.”

Afamily atmosphere

O’Brien House has served the community for 53 years, and Tilley said it’sthe family atmosphere that brings people back to volunteer even when they leave or graduate.

Founded in 1971 by John Camp, the center is named after PaulS.“Pat” O’Brien, who spent 53 years of his life working with recovering alcoholics and educating the public about alcoholism.

The goal of O’Brien Houseisto help recovering alcoholics and drug addicts develop and/or restore strength, hope and stability to their lives, so that they become healthy,productive citizens.

O’Brien House, a501(c)(3) nonproﬁt organization, offers athreemonth comprehensive residential program that includes:a structured environment withindividual and group counseling by qualiﬁed professionals, housingfacilities for men and women, nutritionally balanced meals, involvement in Alcoholics Anonymous andother 12-Step programsand alifeskills programwhichincludes career counseling, job readiness training and job placement assistance.

The facility has acapacity for 53 residents, butitcurrently has 36. Tilley says O’Brien House is on astrict budget becausethey only get $85 per resident per day from Medicaid, but it takes us at least $175 perpersonper dayfor staffing, residence costs, cooked meals, toiletries and laundry

“Wecover allthose things,” Tilley said. “So it takes alot to run this.Wehave sixbuildings on this campus that we havetopay for the lights, thewater,the internet and everything.”

To cover theremaining costs, O’Brien Househostsanannual fundraiser breakfast in the fall, receives United Wayfunds,utilizes donations and operates on agrant from the previousmayor’sofﬁce.

In addition to the residential program, O’Brien House alsooffers intensive outpatient therapy, an adult substance education program and aveterans support group. Once clients have graduated but do not yet have aplace to live,O’BrienHouse has singleresidence occupancy apartments for clients to get on their feet in a safe, supportive environment. Astaff that cares

Tilly became acounselor at O’Brien House 12 years ago,and after afew years, she became clinical director.In2022, she was namedthe executivedirector.She also teaches online social work classesatLSU and Southern to help develop futureleaders in theﬁeld.

As executive director,Tilley oversees the operations of the organization, writesgrants and contracts, deals with insurance andmanages the finances and budget. Because she has theclinical expertise, she consults with

TIGERSTADIUM

the clinical director,Karla Alexander,about theprogram.

Even though Tilley’sposition requiresfull focus, she still makes time to do orientationwithnew residents, visitswiththem during meal times and takes time to get to knowthem when she hasthe opportunity.

“I want them to know everybody cares,” Tilley said. “We’re notthe TajMahal, but we’re also not the Alamo. Theymay notget the best sheets and all that, but they knowthatthe people here love them.”

Alexander started as an addiction counselor at O’Brien House in 2019 and became clinical directorin2022. Originally fromNew Iberia like Tilley, O’Brien House has been Alexander’sonly job since she moved to BatonRouge. She overseesthe treatment

team to make sure that the clientsare receiving quality care, that allthe services arewithin the O’BrienHouse standard,and that staff is credentialed andtrained.

“As clinical director,Iprobably do more groups than Ishould,” said Alexander,“but Iwas acounselor formany years, so helping out the clients is within me.”

She says O’Brien House’sclientsmake abig commitment and sacriﬁce to be there, away from their families and away from jobs, but it’sworth it. She wants each person to feel loved, cared forand worthwhile

“Their sobrietyistheirs,” she said. “Their recoveryistheirs. We aresimplyassisting them on their journey if they allow us to. Thestaff heregenuinely cares aboutthem. Everybody goes aboutita differentway in show-

ing thatcare andconcern,but we all have their best interest at heart.”

Tilley andAlexanderwork hand-in-hand to make sure each personatO’Brien Househas what they need. All of the staff memberscollaborate on leading the way to recovery for every person whowalks through the door

“We’re blessed,” said Tilley “Wedon’t have everything we want, but we have everything that we need. The lights have never gone off. The staff hasgotten paid by the skin of ourteeth. But you know,the people who work here, we do the best that we can with what we have.”

For more information, visit obrienhouse.org.

Email Joy Holdenatjoy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Executivedirector of O’Brien House Emily Tilley, left, stands with the clinicaldirector, KarlaAlexander

FAITH & VALUES

Baptists provide home-repair lifeline after Helene

Many in North Carolina lost their livelihoods to the hurricane

BY YONAT SHIMRON Contributing writer

A kerosene heater still sits in the middle of Mack and Lucille Thomason’s living room, a testament to the trauma they and others in their rural Yancey County North Carolina community experienced when Hurricane Helene unleashed its raging waters last fall.

The Thomasons, retired in their 70s, saw 4 feet of water slosh up to the door of their doublewide trailer destroying the ﬂoor, furnace, back porch and most of their kitchen appliances. The hurricane also damaged their well, leaving them without water For weeks, Mack Thomason had to walk to the creek behind the house to collect water in 5-gallon buckets so he and wife could ﬂush the toilet.

They were nearly despondent and living in a borrowed camper when their daughter told them she found someone who could help with repairs. That someone was Keith Ashe, the site coordinator for Baptists on Mission in Burnsville, a town about 7 miles north of Pensacola, where the Thomasons live.

“He said he’d be back, so I looked for him and, true to his word, they’ve been here,” Thomason, 77, said Hurricane Helene caused unprecedented damage in the mountain region of Western North Carolina, where hurricane-level rainfall is rare and only 4% of residents have flood insurance. The September storm destroyed about 4,400 homes and damaged 185,000.

Gov Josh Stein estimated the damage at $60 billion, with about $15 billion needed for housing On April 14, the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied North Carolina’s request to continue matching 100% of the state’s spending on Hurricane Helene recovery

Six months later, that recovery has just begun Securing funding and contractors for home repairs has been a huge challenge for many homeowners, especially those with limited means The Thomasons — he worked third shift at a textile factory, and she was a housekeeper at a nursing home — were lucky Baptists on Mission, an auxiliary of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, came to their rescue on Jan 21.

Volunteers installed two ductless heating and cooling systems, called mini-splits, rebuilt the back deck, hung two new doors and surrounded the raised trailer home with new vinyl skirting Best of all, one volunteer, a well drilling specialist from Texas, was able to repair the well.

Samaritan’s Purse, another Christian humanitarian relief organization, provided the couple with a new refrigerator, dishwasher and freezer to replace the ones the ﬂood rusted

The two Christian groups are among a slew of faith-based organizations that rushed to help in the wake of the storm. About half a dozen are still there, but Baptists on Mission and Samaritan’s Purse — both based in North Carolina — have made a long-term commitment to remain. The two organizations plan to help homeowners there, costfree, for as long as it takes likely another ﬁve years.

Samaritan’s Purse is the bigger of the two organizations and has provided 111 campers for people whose homes were uninhabitable, 179 new vehicles, numerous appliances and other household goods, said Luther Harrison, the organization’s vice president of North American ministries.

Based in Boone, it also plans to build new homes from scratch: 36 have been approved and 10 are under construction. The organization has budgeted $523 million — all from private donations — to help with Hurricane Helene recovery Of that it has already spent $61 million.

“This hit our backyard, this hit

people that we work with, people that we know, and it has really opened the eyes of the community to what Samaritan’s Purse is able to do in these communities and just show them that God loves them,” Harrison said.

But when it comes to home repairs, many have turned to Baptists on Mission. To date, the organization has completed repairs on 203 homes damaged by the hurricane. It’s working on an additional 230 and has 500 more homes on a waiting list.

In Helene’s aftermath, it perfected its rapid repair method, which aims to make a home livable quickly, even if cabinets have yet to be installed or the trim around the doors isn’t complete. The idea is to get people back into homes and then return later to complete the ﬁnishing touches.

Baptists on Mission has six rebuild centers in Western North Carolina, where its thousands of volunteers can sleep for a week or a weekend while they work on homes The organization feeds them three meals a day and provides the tools and materials to work on homes.

Many volunteers are skilled at construction trades; others work alongside a team leader who guides them. The volunteers, young and old, come from Baptist churches, not only in North Carolina but across the country

“People ask me all the time, why am I a Southern Baptist?” said Stan Jenkins, a pastor from Henderson, North Carolina, about 260 miles away who brought half a dozen church members to volunteer in Burnsville last month. “Here’s the reason I always give: I don’t know any other denomination that does mission work like we do. I mean, we take mission work seriously.”

Baptists on Mission has proved itself during past disasters. After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, it rebuilt 720 homes in Gulfport, Mississippi.

After hurricanes Matthew in 2016 and Florence in 2018, the North Carolina legislature took notice of their work. In 2023, the North Caro-

lina General Assembly awarded it $5 million for future disasters in the state. This January, the governor announced he was giving the group another $3 million for Hurricane Helene assistance. And last month, North Carolina’s leaders approved an additional $524 million for Helene recovery Baptists on Mission might get a small slice of that, too.

The organization is mainly funded by Baptist churches across the state.

This year’s budget from church donations is $1.6 million. Government funding pays for construction materials that will help put people back in homes faster

“We didn’t use any state funds or federal funds to set up and manage our rebuild centers or to pay to coordinate our leadership,” said Richard Brunson, its executive director “We’re just using federal funds and state funds for building materials.”

To avoid endangering volunteers, Baptists on Mission typically doesn’t repair roofs. Homeowners who receive money from FEMA must use those funds before Baptists on Mission will help. Typically, money from FEMA is not enough to cover all the necessary repairs, Ashe said. The type of ﬁxes Baptists on Mission undertakes are typically no more than $40,000.

Ashe, the Burnsville site coordinator, had been volunteering for Baptists on Mission for some 15 years.

He is a pastor at Coweeta Baptist Church, about 110 miles south of Burnsville near the Georgia state line, and taught vocational trades at a community college for 10 years before moving on to ministry full time.

But when he came up to survey the damage from Helene on Oct. 3, 2024, he decided to join the staff. He now trades off weeks in Burnsville and back home tending to his church.

“Just seeing the people, how humble people were — every one of them would say ‘Go check on my neighbor, he’s worse off than I am’

— and then to see their faces turned from hopelessness to hope after we offered them assistance, that’s just worth it all,” he said.

Last month, Ashe visited several sites where volunteers were working. At one of the homes, volunteers were laying new vinyl flooring to replace hardwood ﬂoors damaged when the hurricane caused a mudslide, shattering windows and causing an electrical surge that killed all their appliances.

Christy Fox, who owns the home with her husband, Jeff, recalled how Baptists on Mission came over one bitterly cold day this past winter Her husband showed them the house while she stayed in the car

“My husband came out and he was like, ‘Well, they can’t help with the roof, but they can help with ’ — and he started naming off all these things that we were trying to do ourselves. And I said, ‘Really?’” Christy Fox said. “’When are they gonna start?’ Because so many places have long waiting lists. And he said, ‘Monday.’ And I said, ‘Are you serious?’”

Jeff Howell, who retired last month as Yancey County emergency management coordinator, said he had a good relationship with Baptists on Mission and was impressed with their operation.

“There were a lot of shady people that came in and some really weird stuff that started happening” after the hurricane, Howell said. “It was not good, but it was very comforting to know that we always had Samaritan’s Purse and Baptists on Mission right there.”

And he added, for homeowners, there’s an extra level of comfort: “Having local people that talk like we do, it just kind of puts people at ease,” Howell said. For the Fox family as for the Thomasons, the assistance has been a blessing.

“Just seeing progress in your home, that helps a lot,” Christy Fox said. “They’ve made it a whole lot easier.”

Wisconsin landowners learn to live with beavers

Opting for coexistence

BY BENNET GOLDSTEIN

Network

Journalism

Solutions

Editor’s note: This story, created by Bennet Goldstein for the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk is part of the Solutions Journalism Network. Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happening in other places and in our own communities solutions that can be adopted around the world.

Katie McCullough moved to Wisconsin in 2021 Her COVID pandemic purchase of 36 acres near the village of Rio in the southcentral part of the state was exactly what she was looking for She had purchased the property, sight unseen.

“I don’t regret it at all,” McCullough, 56, said with a laugh. She soon met the neighbors — about 10 furry lodge dwellers. McCullough realized she had a beaver problem that made several acres of her property inaccessible. They live atop a small muddy island and constructed a dam roughly a decade ago. Cattails grow across its 20-foot breadth. The dam left a once-lovely creek bone dry

Backed-up water enlarged the surrounding marsh and pond, where sandhill cranes, geese and ducks meander

Rooted in sodden ground, tall oaks — some more than 100 years old withered and toppled. Friends, family and locals recommended trapping the rodents and blowing the dam sky-high with Tannerite.

The solution seemed dramatic and destructive.

“We’re all here for a purpose, right? To think that beavers are just born a nuisance,” McCullough said. “It’s tough because some populations do have to be controlled if there aren’t natural predators But I’m not good at being a natural predator.” Surely, other options besides trapping or bystanding existed.

Damming behavior

Beavers once numbered between 60 million and 400 million across North America, but development and unregulated hunting nearly

decimated them. Twentieth-century conservation efforts helped beavers recover somewhat — to a fraction of their historical population.

Conflicts with humans ensued as beavers returned to their former ranges: chewing trees, plugging culverts, flooding roads and farm fields.

Few studies quantify the costs of beaver damage, and the limited data are decades old. One pinned annual timber losses in Mississippi at $621 million, adjusted for inﬂation.

Traditional responses involve trapping and dam breaching, but generally, these interventions require regular enforcement because new beavers move in.

And an expanding body of research showcasing beavers’ ecosystem and economic benefits is drawing attention to the drawbacks of removal.

When beavers remain on the landscape, they create wetlands, which mitigate climate change impacts like drought, wildfires and flooding — problems increasingly seen in the Midwest Other wildlife also depends on the habitat.

Advocates and ecological consultants are popularizing ﬂow control devices, a solution to beaver ﬂooding problems. They limit beavers’ damming behavior and reduce impacts on human infrastructure.

Hand-constructed with flexible plastic pipes and wire fencing, several types exist: pond levelers, culvert fences and decoy dams. Some bear trademarks like Beaver Deceiver and Castor Master

They aim to reduce the desirability of potential dam sites, redirect beavers’ attention or “sneak” pond water away unnoticed.

McCullough opted for coexistence.

State wildlife agencies generally regulate a trapping season to manage beaver populations and minimize property damage. Wisconsin’s forestry and ﬁsheries divisions, dozens of municipalities, railroad companies and some tribal governments also contract with the U.S Department of Agriculture to remove beavers and dams from designated lands and waters.

The state imposes few restrictions for handling nuisance beavers on private property

People may hunt or trap beavers and remove their dams on their property without obtaining a license.

If a beaver dam causes damage to

a neighboring property, the injured party may legally enter the property where the dam lies and remove it.

There also are risks to ignoring one’s beavers.

People who own or lease beaveroccupied land and don’t allow their neighbors to remove them are liable for damages.

Ditching dynamite

But Wisconsin wildlife managers recommend people consider alternatives before killing the animals, including flow devices like pond levelers.

They date to at least the 1920s when USDA Chief Field Naturalist Vernon Bailey proposed using an “entirely successful” drainage pipe constructed with logs and threaded through the dam. Subsequent testing indicated that early levelers sometimes failed, but the concept has evolved.

Modern devices control water height using a ﬂexible plastic tube resting on a pond’s bottom. A cage surrounds the intake and prevents beavers from swimming close enough to detect flowing water, which researchers believe triggers their building itch. The other end of the tube passes through the dam, forming a permanent leak.

Installers say levelers, which cost $2,000 to $4,000, function for about 10 years and require little maintenance. They can modify setups to accommodate ﬁsh passage, narrow and shallow streams, large ponds and downstream beaver dams.

“The best solutions obviously are

going to be ones that work for the beavers and that work for us,” said Massachusetts-based Beaver Solutions owner Mike Callahan, who has installed more than 2,000 ﬂow devices and trains consultants.

States throughout the Mississippi River basin, including Illinois, Kentucky, Minnesota and Missouri, recommend ﬂow devices, but with varying awareness of best practices.

Pond levelers uncommon

Wisconsin residents have constructed beaver pond levelers, as have the Department of Natural Resources and USDA. But state natural resources staff say they rarely receive inquiries.

Despite their simple design, obtaining state authorization to install a flow device often takes longer than other activities like smallscale dredging and riprap installation because Wisconsin lacks a standard pond leveler permit.

Projects can vary across designs, siting and placement, with potentially signiﬁcant impacts to where and how pond water flows, said Crystal vonHoldt, department waterways policy coordinator

The law requires employees to evaluate impacts to water quality, navigation, wildlife, scenic beauty and public access to boating and ﬁshing.

A department staff member told McCullough’s contractor and restoration ecologist Clay Frazer — who has overseen multiple beaver-related projects in Wisconsin like mock

beaver dams that many landowners opt not to install them after learning of the challenges.

Hiring a consultant to navigate the process can be cost-prohibitive. McCullough’s bill exceeded $10,000, but a grant offset it.

Proponents say the requirements usher landowners toward a lethal resolution, which Wisconsin’s beaver trapping rules seemingly favor Community levels with beavers Billerica, Massachusetts, had a ﬂooding problem.

The town’s troubles followed a 1996 statewide voter referendum that banned foothold traps Conﬂicts increased as the beavers expanded into the community, home to more than 42,000 residents along with wetlands, streams and two rivers. Prime habitat.

Things came to a head in 2000, and the town contracted with Callahan to address the problem nonlethally At 43 locations where the town traditionally utilized trapping, he installed ﬂow devices.

“They’re kind of instrumental in preventing certain culverts and major roads here in town from getting ﬂooded,” said Isabel Tourkantonis, the town’s director of environmental affairs.

Trapping continued at another 12 sites because the devices either failed or the landscape made their use untenable.

Non-lethal management saved Billerica taxpayers $7,740 annually in avoided trapping and dam removal costs, according to a town analysis. The number of beavers killed dropped more than ﬁvefold.

Maintaining 380 acres of beavercreated wetlands provided an estimated $2 million of free services each year, including water ﬁltration, ﬂood reduction and plant and wildlife habitat.

“If there’s a way to coexist with an important animal population, that’s, I would think, the goal,” Tourkantonis said.

Massachusetts landowners navigate a different permitting process for ﬂow devices. They only need to obtain approval from a local health board or conservation commission generally at little cost. It takes a few days.

Tourkantonis said such procedures cut “through the red tape and make it a little bit easier for folks to address an immediate public safety hazard.”

PROVIDED PHOTO By CLAy FRAZER

Dan Fuhs, co-owner of Native Range Ecological, installs a pond leveler in October 2023, near the village of Rio.

SUNDAY, MAY 4, 2025

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

scrabble grams wonderword

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — MisLAYinG: mis-LAYing: Putting in an unremembered place; losing.

Average mark 34 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 55 or more words in MISLAYING?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

By KeLLy

amanda CooK

Tommy would be proud

North’sfour-diamondbidwould notbeeveryone’schoice,butitled toagoodslamcontract.Southwas

Patryk Patreuha, from Poland. South won the opening spade lead with dummy’s ace and led the king of clubs. West won with the ace and led another spade to dummy’s king. South cashed the queen of diamonds, feeling pretty good about things, and was sick when West showed out. South did not give up. He cashed the queen of clubs, discarding a heart from his hand, and ruffed a club. He cashed his queen of spades, shedding a low heart from dummy, then cashed the ace of hearts and ruffed a heart. This was the position, with the lead in dummy:

South led a club from dummy and over-ruffed East’s nine of diamonds with the ace. He ruffed his heart with dummy’s jack of trumps and led another club. He picked up East’s last two trumps with a trump coup. Beautifully done!

wuzzLes

super Quiz

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency goren Bridge

TAURUS

the lead will only worsen matters Stick close to home or go to a safe place to release tension.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Press forward enthusiastically, and your actions will encourage others. Turn your home into your preferred comfort zone using restorative components

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Plan to do something that brings you joy and makes you feel good. Today is about purpose, kindness and grati-

tude for what you have. When you are at peace with yourself, you exude happiness and hope. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Lock into a group offering insight into something you want to pursue. Learn and reach out to experts for answers to questions that can help you reach your objective.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take time to get your finances in order and map out an investment plan that helps you budget for something that enhances your life Changing your environment will offer insight into new possibilities and potential moves.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take whatever you want to achieve to the next level. Your energy vision and connections will collectively give you the edge necessary to get things done.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) When in doubt, observe. Stepping away from uncertainty will give you a different perspective regarding what’s possible and the best way to get things done to your liking.

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

SUBJECT: PRO Each answer is a sevenletter word that starts with “pro.” (e.g., To supply or make available. Answer: Provide.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. Muhammad, for example.

Answer________

2. “All that glitters is not gold,” for example.

Answer________

3. “She,” “they” and “you,” for example.

Answer________

To succeed, especially in one’s finances. Answer________

To make a strong objection.

Answer________ 10. Showing a lack of respect for God or religion.

Answer________

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Make domestic changes that offer peace of mind and comfort for you and your loved ones. A move, renovation or upgrade that reduces utility costs will pay off.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Refuse to let anyone box you into a corner Call the shots, make the decisions and stick to a game plan that suits your objective. Feeling your best will help you go the distance.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Trust your instincts, speak on your own behalf and refuse to let anyone undermine or belittle you. Take hold of your investments, protect your assets and build opportunities that help you secure your position.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Don’t underestimate your talent, insight or ability to bring about positive change. Distance yourself from negative people and suggestions. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. ARIES (March 21-April 19) Set your mind free. Use your creative imagination, and you’ll discover ways to make your life more meaningful through thought-provoking activities, friendships and events.

1. Prophet. 2. Proverb.3.Pronoun. 4. Problem. 5. Promise. 6. Protect.7.Proceed. 8. Prosper. 9. Protest. 10.Profane. 11. Probate. 12. Prodigy 13. Promote. 14. Profile. 15. Provoke.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: If people think youare this amazing, ownit. —David Chang