‘There’s such a sweet spot in your voice,’ judge tells the aspiring teenage country singer
BY JUDY BERGERON Staff writer
After rocketing to “American Idol’s”
top 3, Louisiana teen John Foster finished second in the ABC singing competition series during its grand finale on Sunday night.
Grabbing the “Idol” title was Jamal Roberts, 27, of Meridian, Mississippi, an elementary school physical education teacher Roberts’ finale songs included “First Time” and “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me).” Finishing third was Breanna Nix, 25, a stay-at-home mom from Denton, Texas.
Foster started off the finale with a bang, performing his first solo song of the night, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” by the late Toby Keith.
“Now, John. Now, now, John. That’s
Safety
the way you run for office. I mean, you run — you run. That’s the way you work it for ‘American Idol,’” judge
Lionel Richie said.
“You know, it’s the time to pull out all the stops and you’re pulling out all the
stops. I’m so proud of you and all you have accomplished about this whole competition,” judge Carrie Underwood said. “I felt like I was at a John
ä See FOSTER, page 4A
Lawmakers
warn the numbers don’t add up
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
With little public attention, state legislators are moving forward with a package of bills that would cut taxes and attempt to offset the revenue loss by freeing up money that has flowed into a state savings account.
The sponsor of the three bills, Rep. Julie Emerson, R-Carencro, has said the numbers would balance out.
But the Legislature’s economists are forecasting that the proposals — if approved during the final three weeks of the legislative session and by the public through changes to the state constitution next year — would leave lawmakers with a massive shortfall of $590 million in 2027 when they meet to pass the budget and later have to face voters. Economists and former legislators are warning lawmakers that passage of the tax cuts could put Louisiana on
See TAX CUTS, page 4A
BY JOSH BOAK Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Former President Joe Biden has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his office said Sunday Biden was seen by doctors last week after urinary symptoms and a prostate nodule were found. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, with the cancer cells having spread to the bone.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management,” his office said. “The President and his fam-
ä See BIDEN, page 5A Biden
net expanding for youths aging out of Louisiana’s foster system
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
Every year, more than 100 18-year-olds age out of Louisiana’s foster care system, meaning they have no permanent home or source of care, and they often face devastating challenges.
Samantha Morris-LaCour, 26, bounced around foster homes before living in a Natchitoches group home until she turned 18 She left with no support system, and a relationship that brought on abuse and sex trafficking defined early adulthood for her she said.
Doucet
Mikey Doucet, 36, was no stranger to couch surfing, beginning when he was a child in west Louisiana. One word he uses to describe his foster experience: “traumatic.”
Keionna Johnson, 25, believes she
would have taken her own life if she hadn’t found help in Hammond. Now, the former foster child works for two state groups that work with children in the system “to give them hope. The 200 18-year-olds who aged out of foster care in 2024 marked the state’s highest total in six years, according to the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services.
ä See FOSTER, page 5A
Keionna Johnson, 25, a resident of the H20 Ministry, a home for women who have aged out of foster care, now works for two state groups that work with children in the system ‘to give them hope.’
PHOTO By MOLLy BAHLINGER
Emerson
PROVIDED PHOTOS By CHRISTOPHER WILLARD/DISNEy
Louisiana teen John Foster sings during the first half of Sunday night’s ‘American Idol’ finale
Mississippi’s Jamal Roberts won the ‘American Idol’ title on Sunday night.
BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS
Pro-EU centrist wins
Romania’s election
BUCHAREST Romania Pro-European Union candidate Nicusor
Dan has won Romania’s closely watched presidential runoff against a hard-right nationalist, nearly complete electoral data shows. A huge turnout Sunday played a key role in the tense election that many viewed as a geopolitical choice between East or West.
The race pitted front-runner George Simion, the 38-year-old leader of the hard-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, or AUR, against Dan, the incumbent mayor of Bucharest. It was held months after the cancellation of the previous election plunged Romania into its worst political crisis in decades.
After 10.7 million of 11.6 million votes were counted, Dan was ahead with 54.19%, while Simion trailed at 45.81%, according to official data. In the first-round vote on May 4, Simion won almost double the votes as Dan, and many local surveys had predicted he would secure the presidency
But in a swing that appeared to be a repudiation of Simion’s more skeptical approach to the EU, which Romania joined in 2007, Dan picked up almost 900,000 more votes to solidly defeat his opponent in the final round.
Hungarians protest bill targeting media, NGOs
BUDAPEST, Hungary
A mass protest in Hungary on Sunday drew around 10,000 people in what some demonstrators called an act of resistance against recent actions by the right-wing populist government to restrict basic rights and crack down on independent media.
The protest, the latest in a recent wave of anti-government demonstrations, came days after a lawmaker from the party of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán submitted a bill that would allow the government to monitor, restrict, penalize and potentially ban media outlets and nongovernmental organizations it deems a threat to the country’s sovereignty
The bill, which has been compared to Russia’s “foreign agent” law is expected to pass in the parliament where the ruling Fidesz party holds a two-thirds majority It is seen by many of Orbán’s opponents as among the most repressive policies the long-serving leader has leveled at his critics in the last 15 years of his rule.
Protesters on Sunday filled the square beside Hungary’s parliament in central Budapest to denounce the bill, which would allow the government to blacklist organizations that receive any amount of financial support from outside Hungary, and subject them to intrusive monitoring, searches, major fines and possible bans on their activities.
Austria welcomes home Eurovision winner
VIENNA Austrian fans enthusiastically welcomed classically trained singer JJ back home at Vienna airport on Sunday after he won the 69th Eurovision Song Contest with “Wasted Love.”
As JJ walked through the gate, hundreds of fans cheered, some played his song and others surrounded the new star, hugging him and asking for autographs.
The 24-year-old countertenor, whose winning song combines operatic, multi-octave vocals with a techno twist, and who also sings at the Vienna State Opera, held up his trophy in one hand and a big bouquet of roses in the other He smiled, wiped away tears and told the crowd “that victory is for you.” JJ, whose full name is Johannes Pietsch, was Austria’s third Eurovision winner
“This is beyond my wildest dreams. It’s crazy,” said the singer when being handed the microphone-shaped glass Eurovision trophy after his win in the Swiss city of Basel on Saturday night.
Israel to allow ‘basic’ aid into Gaza
BY WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY and TIA GOLDENBERG Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Israel announced Sunday it will allow a limited amount of humanitarian aid into Gaza after a nearly threemonth blockade, days after global experts on food security warned of famine
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a “starvation crisis” would jeopardize Israel’s new military offensive in Gaza, and his Cabinet approved a decision to allow a “basic” amount of food into the territory of over 2 million people.
It was not immediately clear when aid would enter Gaza, or how
The Israeli military body in charge of overseeing aid did not comment Israel has been trying to impose a new aid system, despite objections by aid workers Netanyahu said Israel would work to ensure that aid does not reach militants.
Israel imposed the blockade starting March 2, cutting off all food, medicine and other supplies to Gaza, while pressing Hamas to accept new ceasefire terms. Israel resumed the war days later, shattering a two-month truce.
Earlier on Sunday, Israel said it launched “extensive” new ground operations in its new offensive — the largest since the ceasefire. Airstrikes killed at least 103 people,
including dozens of children, hospitals and medics said. The bombardment also forced northern Gaza’s main hospital to close as it reported direct strikes.
Israel wants Hamas to agree to a temporary ceasefire that would free hostages from Gaza but not necessarily end the war Hamas says it wants a full withdrawal of Israeli forces and a path to ending the war as part of any deal.
“When the Jews want a truce, Hamas refuses, and when Hamas wants a truce, the Jews refuse it Both sides agree to exterminate the Palestinian people,” said Jabaliya resident Abu Mohammad Yassin,
who was among those fleeing the new offensive on foot or in donkey carts. “For God’s sake, have mercy on us. We are tired of displacement.”
Israel’s military, which recently called up tens of thousands of reservists, said the ground operations are throughout the Palestinian territory’s north and south. Israel’s chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, said that plans include “dissecting” the strip.
Airstrikes killed more than 48 people including 18 children and 13 women — in and around the southern city of Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, which said it struggled to count the dead
Turbulent waters may have contributed to N.Y. ship crash
Mexican training vessel hit Brooklyn Bridge, killing 2 sailors
BY JOSHUA GOODMAN and SUSAN HAIGH Associated Press
When a Mexican navy tall ship crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge it was maneuvering in turbulent waters. The tide had just turned, and a fast current was heading up the East River as a 10 mph wind set in.
While such hazards are easily handled by an experienced captain, mistakes can be costly in the heavily transited New York harbor, where narrow, curvy channels, winds howling off the jagged Manhattan skyline and whirlpool-like eddies can combine to make for difficult passage.
In the case of the 300foot Cuauhtemoc, two sailors were killed and 19 were injured Saturday evening when the training ship struck the iconic bridge, toppling the vessel’s three masts like dominoes as it drifted toward a crowded pier It’s unknown what caused the collision, and an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board is likely to take months
But footage of the collision shot by horrified onlookers show the ship
hurtling into the bridge in reverse at full speed, suggesting the captain lost control of the engine.
There are also questions about whether a tugboat escort peeled away too soon and should have been rigged to the ship or stayed with it until it headed out to sea. Similar tugboat concerns emerged when a large cargo vessel crashed into a bridge in Baltimore last year Sal Mercogliano, a former merchant mariner who has powered multiple ships through the New York harbor, said all those “worst-case scenarios” the ship’s height, a strong current, heavy wind and the absence of a more controlled tugboat escort — all contributed to the tragedy “The prudent thing would’ve been to leave two
hours earlier, when the tide was going out That would’ve been the ideal time,” said Mercogliano, who writes a widely followed shipping blog. “But I don’t think they ever envisioned that their engine would’ve propelled them into the bridge.”
Still, he said an even deadlier catastrophe was avoided by the ship’s steel rigging, which prevented the masts from falling into the water as well as the fact that the crew stayed harnessed in position rather than taking the risk that some members could tumble from a 12-story height as they scrambled down the rat lines.
“You could have had guys strapped in drowning in the river,” he said. “This could have been a lot worse.”
BY LAURAN NEERGAARD Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Food and Drug Administration has issued a long-awaited approval of Novavax’s COVID-19 vaccine but with unusual restrictions.
Novavax makes the nation’s only traditional protein-based coronavirus vaccine and until now it had emergency authorization from FDA for use in anyone 12 and older
But late Friday, the FDA granted the company full approval for its vaccine for use only in adults 65 and older — or those 12 to 64 who have at least one health problem that puts them at increased risk
from COVID-19. Vaccines made by Novavax’s competitors Pfizer and Moderna already are fully licensed for use in anyone 12 and older, and also are authorized for use in children as young as 6 months.
Next month, influential advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were set to debate if yearly COVID vaccines still should be recommended for everyone or only certain people at higher risk. The Novavax decision suggests the Trump administration may already have decided how to proceed in advance of that meeting.
Novavax chief executive John C. Jacobs welcomed
the licensure.
“Market research and U.S. CDC statistics indicate that older individuals and those with underlying conditions are the populations most likely to seek out COVID-19 vaccination seasonally This significant milestone demonstrates our commitment to these populations and is a significant step towards availability of our proteinbased vaccine option,” he said. In its Friday approval letter the FDA didn’t explain the restrictions although they reflect skepticism about vaccines from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr and other Trump officials.
because of the condition of bodies. In northern Gaza, a strike on a home in Jabaliya killed nine members of a family, according to the Gaza Health Ministry’s emergency services. Another strike on a residence there killed 10, including seven children and a woman, according to the civil defense, which operates under the Hamas-run government. Israel’s military had no immediate comment. Its statement announcing the ground operations said preliminary strikes over the past week killed dozens of militants and struck more than 670 targets. Israel blames civilian casualties on Hamas because the militant group operates from civilian areas.
Israel had said it would wait until the end of U.S. President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East before launching its offensive, saying it was giving ceasefire efforts a chance. Trump didn’t visit Israel on his trip that ended Friday
Netanyahu’s office said his negotiating team in Qatar was “working to realize every chance for a deal,” including one that would end fighting in exchange for the release of all remaining 58 hostages, Hamas’ exile from Gaza and the disarmament of the territory Hamas has refused to leave Gaza or disarm.
Gaza’s Health Ministry has said almost 3,000 people have been killed since the last ceasefire ended.
Authorities ID suspect in fertility clinic bombing
BY SARAH RAZA and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
A 25-year-old man the FBI believes was responsible for an explosion that ripped through a Southern California fertility clinic left behind “anti-pro-life” writings before carrying out an attack investigators are calling an act of terrorism, authorities said Sunday Guy Edward Bartkus, of Twentynine Palms California, was identified by the FBI as the suspect in the apparent car bomb detonation Saturday that damaged the clinic in the upscale city of Palm Springs in the desert east of Los Angeles. Investigators believe Barktus died in the blast, which a senior FBI official called possibly the “largest bombing scene that we’ve had in Southern California.”
A body was found near a charred vehicle outside the clinic.
Bartkus attempted to livestream the explosion and left behind writings that communicated “nihilistic ideations” that were still being examined to determine his state of mind, said Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. U.S. Attorney Bilal “Bill” Essayli, the top federal prosecutor in the area, called the writings “anti-pro-life.”
The Associated Press reported Saturday night that those writings professed a sentiment that the world should not be populated.
“This was a targeted attack against the IVF facility,” Davis said Sunday “Make no mistake: we are treating this, as I said yesterday, as an intentional act of terrorism.”
Israeli soldiers move tanks around a staging area Sunday in southern Israel near the border with the Gaza Strip
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By yUKI IWAMURA
Sailors work on the yard arms of the Cuauhtémoc on Sunday in New york. The masted Mexican navy training ship collided with the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday.
Pope offers messageofunity forpolarized church
Newpontiff holds inaugural Mass
BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
VATICAN CITY Pope Leo XIV
vowed Sunday to work for unity in apolarized Catholic Church and world, as history’sfirst American pope offered amessage of healing during an inaugural Mass in St. Peter’sSquare before an estimated 200,000 pilgrims, presidents, patriarchs and princes.
Leo officially opened his pontificate by taking hisfirst popemobile tour through the piazza, arite of passagethat has become synonymous with the papacy’sglobal reachand mediaticdraw.The 69-yearold Augustinian missionary smiled and waved from the back of the truck to people waving U.S., Peruvian and other national flags, and stopped to bless some babies in the crowd.
During the Mass, Leo appearedtochoke up when the two potent symbols of the papacy were placed on him —the lamb’swool stole over his shoulders and the fisherman’sring on his finger —as if the weightofresponsibility of leading the 1.4-billion strong church had just sunk in He turnedhis hand to look at thering and then clasped his hands in frontofhim in prayer.
Vice PresidentJDVance, one of the last foreign officials to see Pope Francis before he died, led the American delegation honoring the Chicago-bornLeo. Vance paid his respects at Francis’ tomb after arriving in Rome late Saturday In his homily,Leo saidthat he wanted to be aservant to thefaithful through thetwo dimensions of the papacy, love and unity,sothat the church could be aforce for peace in the world. “I would likethat our first
Sunday during the formalinauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter’s Squareattendedbyheads of state,
greatdesire be for aunited church, asign of unity and communion, which becomes aleaven forareconciled world,” he said. “Inthis our time, we still see toomuch discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice,the fearofdifference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources andmarginalizes the poorest.”
His wordsechoed some of Francis’ keypriorities, but hiscall for unity was significant,given thepolarization in the Catholic Churchinthe United States and beyond. Francis’ radical 12-year pontificate,which emphasized care for the poor and marginalized, and disdain forthe capitalist economic system, often alienated conservatives who begged for a newpope who could pacify divisions. Leo’selectionon May 8, after aremarkably quick 24-hour conclave, appears to have pleased conservativeCatholics who seem to appreciatehis more disciplined, traditional styleand Augustinian back-
ground, emphasizing core truths of Catholic doctrine.
Leodrove that message home by wearing the papacy’sformalred cape, or mozzetta,toreceive Vance andofficialgovernment delegations after theMass Francis had eschewed many of the formalities of thepapacy as part of his simple style, but Leo’sreturn to the traditional garbhas pleased conservatives and traditionalists, who breathed asigh of relief when he cameout onto the loggia wearing the red cape on May 8.
But Leo did break protocol when he gave his older brother,Louis Prevost, a self-describedpolitical “MAGA-type,” abear hug in thebasilica when he and his wife came up to greet the pope.
“Let us build achurch founded on God’slove, a sign of unity, amissionary church thatopens its arms to the world, proclaims the word,allows itself to be made restless by history, andbecomes aleavenof harmony for humanity,”Leo
said. Strict diplomatic protocol dictated the seating arrangements at theinaugural Mass, withboth the U.S. and Perugetting front-row seats thanks to Leo’sdual citizenship. Vance, aCatholic convert who tangled withFrancis over the Trumpadministration’smass migrantdeportationplans, was joined by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who arrived in Rome ahead of time to try to advance Russia-Ukraine peace talks.
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte was one of around adozen heads of state who attended, as well as Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy.Russia had planned to send its culture minister, but was represented by its ambassador,reports said. Diplomatic protocol also dictatedthe dress code: While most woreblack, a handful of Catholic royals Queen Letizia of Spain and PrincessCharlene of Monaco,among others —wore white in aspecial privilege allowed them. Three dozen
of the world’sother Christian churches sent representatives, theJewish community had a13-member delegation, half of them rabbis. Other representatives headed Buddhist, Muslim, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Sikh and Jain delegations.
Security wastight,asit wasfor Francis’ funeral on April 26, which drew an estimated 250,000 people. The Vatican said that 200,000 were on hand Sunday in the piazza and surrounding streets,parks andpiazzas, where giant television screensand portable toilets were set up. At the end of the Mass, Leo expressed hope fornegotiationstobring a“just andlasting peace” in Ukraine andofferedprayers for the people of Gaza —children, families andolderpeople who are“reduced to starvation,” he said. Leo made no mention of hos-
tages taken by Hamas from southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, as Francis usually did whenpraying for Gaza. Zelenskyy later hada formalaudience with Leo at the Vatican,and thenmet with Vance and Rubio at the U.S. residence in Rome. In apost on X, Zelenskyy said thathe stressed the need for a“full and unconditionalceasefire as soon as possible”and for diplomatic pressure on Russia“untiltheyare eager to stop the war.” Susan Hanssen, aprofessor who wasborn in Chicago and just arrived in Rometo teach,saidthatshe thought Leo’shomily about unity would resonate in the U.S. and beyond.
“I think he will inspire,” she said after the Mass. “WhatI particularlyloved was the phrasing, unity within the doctrine of the faith, and then in love.”
BY GIADAZAMPANO and ELISE MORTON
Press
Associated
ROME Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with top U.S.officialsand European leaders on Sunday in Rome, ahead of ahigh-stakes phone call Monday between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending thewar in Ukraine. The discussions came as Russia launchedwhat Ukraine called its largest drone barrage against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022, after the first direct talksbetween Moscow and Kyiv in years failed to yield aceasefire Friday Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State MarcoRu-
bio at the U.S. ambassador’s residence, after attending the inaugural Mass for Pope LeoXIV in St. Peter’sSquare Zelenskyy saidonsocial media he hadunderscored the need for “realdiplomacy” and reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to a“fulland unconditional ceasefire.”
He said they discussed sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defensecooperation andplans for the upcoming prisoner exchange with Russia that wasagreed in talks betweenthe two sides in Istanbul.
Trumphas said he plans to speak with Putin about stopping the “bloodbath” in Ukraine, and then speak to Zelenskyy and leadersof various NATOcountries
Zelenskyy also met with the newpope afterthe Mass. “The authority andvoice of
the Holy See can play an important role in bringing this war to an end,” the Ukrainian president wrote on social media. He thanked the Vatican for itsreadinesstobecome a platformfor direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia
Rubio on Saturday said the Vatican could be avenue for peace talks, taking up the Holy See’slong-standing offerafter Leo vowedtopersonally make “every effort” to help end the war Ahead of ameetingin Rome with Vance and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, EU Commission headUrsula Vonder Leyen urged parties to “push thingsforward.”
German ChancellorFriedrich Merz saidhespoke to Zelenskyy and Rubio on the sidelines of the pope’s inauguration.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALESSANDRATARANTINO
Pope Leo XIV holds Mass on
royalty and ordinaryfaithful.
Foster concert.”
“Yeah. Your growth Your voice has gotten better and, and everything has grown. It’s been a privilege, a privilege to watch that happen. It’s been amazing,” judge Luke Bryan added.
Foster’s songs for the finale
Later in the show, Foster returned to the stage for his second solo song, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” a hitmaker for ’70s folk/country artist, the late John Denver
“I just want to see that birth certificate one more time,” Richie joked with Foster, alluding to the maturity and polish of his vocals. “And secondly, for all of you out there, vote, vote, vote.”
TAX CUTS
Continued from page 1A
the same difficult path they had to follow after the Legislature and then-Gov Bobby Jindal approved a big tax cut in 2008.
Jindal and others said the tax cut would generate enough new investment and spending to pay for itself. It didn’t, economists say In fact, years of crippling budget cuts followed for the state’s universities and public health care.
Jindal’s successor, John Bel Edwards, and the new Legislature in 2016 inherited a $2 billion deficit that they addressed by raising the state sales tax.
“The Legislature ought to be paying attention to when you make significant revenue cuts and don’t contemplate the consequences down the road,” said Jay Dardenne, who as Edwards’ chief budget officer helped devise the plan to eliminate the deficit.
Emerson told the Ways and Means Committee that the changes would provide needed tax relief for Louisiana’s hardworking residents and make the state a more attractive place for investors and residents alike.
What the bills do
Emerson’s two tax cut bills passed the House overwhelmingly and were scheduled to be heard by the Senate Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee on Monday until she asked for a delay “I’m working through trying to reconcile the numbers,” she said Friday in a text.
Her House Bill 578 would reduce the state sales tax from 5% to 4.75% and her House Bill 667 would drop the individual income tax rate from 3% to 2.75% and double the standard deduction for people over 65. A third bill would eliminate the state savings account known as the Revenue Stabilization Fund and redirect the money that has poured into it. Under the change, that money would flow instead into the fund that legislators tap into annually for the state’s spending needs. This is the change Emerson says will offset the cuts. The House is scheduled to take up the bill on Monday. Tax revenue projections by the Legislative Fiscal Office
Underwood followed him by saying, “Of course, the country boy would have an amazing hometown welcome. That was such a great thing to watch.”
“Yeah, that, that hometown piece, I mean, woo, I can’t take that,” Bryan chimed in. “It was really beautifully done. And hell, I’ve never seen a crawfish that big. I need to, can that thing come to Tennessee?”
Foster rode a giant Mardi Grasstyle crawfish float in Wednesday’s homecoming parade in Addis.
The Louisiana singer and Bryan later teamed up for a performance of Randy Travis’ 1988 hit, “Deeper Than the Holler,” a mid-tempo bal-
lad
The top three finalists opened the three-hour live coast-to-coast broadcast with a performance of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”
Foster, a biology major at LSU who just finished his freshman
on Emerson’s bills are based on an analysis by a state board known as the Revenue Estimating Conference. This four-member board next meets on Wednesday and might raise revenue forecasts, which would reduce the projected deficits from Emerson’s bills.
Emerson is a well-liked, third-term Republican legislator from Carencro, near Lafayette, who wields enormous power over tax policy as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee.
Her bills include several elements that were defeated by voters when Amendment 2, a sprawling proposed constitutional amendment, lost at the ballot box on March 29.
If approved by the Legislature, Emerson’s repeal of the Revenue Stabilization Fund would go on the statewide ballot next year as a proposed constitutional amendment. The tax cuts would take effect only if voters approved the constitutional amendment.
The sales tax cut would cost the state treasury $266 million in fiscal year 2028, which goes from July 1, 2027, to June 30, 2028, according to an analysis by the nonpartisan fiscal staff.
The income tax cut and reduction in seniors’ taxes would cost the treasury $377 million in 2028.
Together, the two measures would mean a $643 million loss of tax revenue that year Why legislators back plan
But, Emerson told the Ways and Means Committee, eliminating the Revenue Stabilization Fund would equalize that loss. She would achieve this through House bills 678 and 683.
The fund was created through a constitutional amendment in 2016 and established that all corporate tax revenue above $600 million each year would flow into the new fund.
To the surprise of virtually everyone, corporate tax revenue exceeded projections afterward and filled the Revenue Stabilization Fund with $3 billion.
During each of the last two years, $1 billion in excess corporate tax collections above the $600 million poured into the Revenue Stabilization Fund.
Emerson noted that, if the Revenue Stabilization Fund didn’t exist, that $1 billion
year, first grabbed the judges’ attention during his audition in Nashville, Tennessee. He brought each of them a Louisiana care package of boudin, beef jerky pork sausage and Benoit’s Cajun seasoning from his family’s business, Benoit’s Country Meat Block in Addis.
Foster’s audition song, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” by Alan Jackson, prompted judge and former “Idol” Underwood to ask for another song that would more fully showcase his vocals.
“Goodbye Time” by Conway Twitty proved the perfect choice, with Bryan singing along and the other judges pleased with what they heard.
“There’s such a sweet spot in your voice, and that really brought that out,” Underwood said.
“You’ve got a lot of great tools That last song really showed us that,” added Bryan.
would have been available for annual state spending.
That money “covers the payments of the rate reductions,” Emerson said in an interview. She noted later in a text that the fiscal note for HB678 calls its estimates “highly speculative and reflects a precautionary approach until the observance of actual collections.”
The Legislature, in a special session in November, eliminated the corporate franchise tax and instituted a flat corporate income tax of 5.5%, noted Jim Richardson, a retired LSU economist who for years served as the independent member of the Revenue Estimating Conference.
Richardson expects these changes to produce a substantial drop in corporate tax revenue, which would translate into less money to offset the tax cuts if the Revenue Stabilization Fund were repealed. Richardson noted that corporate tax revenue is difficult to predict. Also difficult to predict, he added, is how Louisiana’s trade-dependent economy will fare over the next two years given all the economic uncertainty over President Donald Trump’s tariff proposals.
After crunching the numbers, the Legislative Fiscal Office is projecting that eliminating the Revenue Stabilization Fund would generate only an extra $53 million for legislative spending in 2027 for fiscal year 2028.
With the tax cuts forecast to reduce revenue by $643 million in 2028, the net projected shortfall from the changes would be $590 million that year, according to the Legislative Fiscal Office.
The economists are projecting shortfalls of $500 million in fiscal year 2029 and $350 million in fiscal year 2030 from the changes.
Sen. Franklin Foil, R-Baton Rouge, chairs the Senate committee that will hear Emerson’s tax cut bills. He was one of the 102 House members who in 2008 unanimously approved the tax cut that contributed to the deficits that followed.
Foil noted that lawmakers approved the tax cut sponsored by then-Sen. B.L. “Buddy” Shaw, R-Shreveport, when the state had plenty of money In retrospect, Foil said, “it was probably too much, too fast.”
Discussing Emerson’s bill,
Successful weeks
Foster went on to prove himself week after week — whether it was with performances of Elvis’ Jailhouse Rock,” Travis’ “I Told You So” or his home-state favorite, Garth Brooks’ “Callin’ Baton Rouge.”
His tearful original song “Tell That Angel I Love Her” about his high school friend who was killed in a tragic accident, was in sharp contrast to the lively and fun “Bare Necessities” from “The Jungle Book,” demonstrating his versatility
“When you open your mouth on this song, you’re country but you’re also storytelling country,” Richie told Foster after his “Tell That Angel” performance. “Now whether that’s old, new, happening now later whatever the case may be, it was so believable and I heard every word of every part of your
Foil added, “You have to be careful not to move too quick. It’s difficult later to try to turn around and raise taxes. We have time to review the data and look at the numbers.”
Hard lessons
Shaw’s tax cut repealed a portion of the Stelly tax plan passed under the aegis of then-Gov Mike Foster Named after Vic Stelly the state House member who pushed the idea, the Stelly plan aimed to end years of chronic budget shortfalls.
One way it did that was by having higher tax rates kick in at lower income levels and by eliminating a popular tax deduction. Together, the changes meant higher taxes for upper-income taxpayers.
But Shaw objected to that after hearing from constituents and authored a bill to reverse the Stelly changes.
Jindal tried to kill the bill, but after the Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee passed it, he supported the measure, and it flew through the House and Senate. Among those who voted for it was then-state Rep. John Bel Edwards, who expressed regret when he later became governor because of the budget problems it caused.
Lawmakers didn’t realize
story — and that’s what great music is about.”
Foster told the judges that he wrote the song for Maggie Dunn. Dunn and another friend, Caroline Gill, both of Brusly, were killed on New Year’s Eve 2022 when an Addis police officer ran a red light during a high-speed pursuit.
Foster also sang the song at his mini-concert in Plaquemine on Wednesday night, capping off his hero’s welcome home-state visit, which was documented in the Sunday-night finale, including footage of Foster becoming emotional during his performance of “Tell That Angel I Love Her,” during his hometown concert.
If you missed Sunday night’s show, it will be available on Hulu starting Monday Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.
it at the time, but the U.S economy was falling into the Great Recession in 2008. Oil prices plummeted, costing Louisiana tens of millions of dollars per year Between the tax loss from Stelly and the economic troubles, state tax revenues dropped from $12 billion to $9 billion by 2012.
“We passed the Shaw bill, we went into the hole and ended up with a $2 billion problem (in 2016),” said then-state Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, who, like Edwards, later regretted voting with Shaw.
The loss of key government services left voters unhappy with Jindal when he left office in 2016, pollsters said.
Adley said lawmakers ought to follow the projections from the Legislative Fiscal Office that come from the Revenue Estimating Conference.
He remembered that the conference was created in the late 1980s to ensure truth in budget forecasting.
Adley said then-Gov Edwin Edwards balanced a budget once after having his budget director call for a recess during a meeting. When the budget director returned, he now forecast a higher price for oil that, voilà!, balanced the budget.
“Lawmakers played with those numbers to get what they wanted,” Adley said Steven Procopio, who heads the Public Affairs Research Council, expressed a similar concern to Adley’s “You’re adding additional risk to our budget if you move away from the official forecast and what the economists say,” Procopio said. Jan Moller who heads Invest in Louisiana, said that Emerson’s bills, if passed in their current form, could cause the same headaches for Gov Jeff Landry as they did for Jindal “The math is the math,” said Moller Emerson’s proposal “jeopardizes existing services. It also jeopardizes Gov Landry’s priorities. He wants more money for GATOR Scholarships, more money for law enforcement, and it’s very likely that Louisiana will have to put up more money for disaster recovery and maintaining the Medicaid services we’re paying for This is a very risky gamble at a very perilous time for Louisiana’s economy.”
Landry’s office declined to comment.
Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.
Rapides, East Baton Rouge and Jefferson parishes have the highest numbers in the state for 18-yearolds leaving foster care without a permanent home. Comparatively the three parishes also have some of the highest rates of children in foster care.
In recent years, the state has launched new initiatives to expand foster care and create programs to help clients who turn 18. In addition, nonprofits and other organizations have been working to expand the safety net for those young adults.
Many former foster youth have seen progress, but others still struggle.
In interviews, several former foster clients who aged out and even some with permanent living situations described traumatic experiences from their time in the system, including attempted suicide, homelessness, abuse, mental health crises, substance abuse and an overall lack of support All of them said the majority of these situations followed them into adulthood.
All said that while they have left state-mandated observation, their struggles unfortunately stick around, and finding help as an adult comes with more barriers.
For those who found their footing after leaving the system with no permanent home, it has taken years.
Morris-LaCour said that having no stability during her adolescence left her vulnerable as an adult, allowing
BIDEN
Continued from page 1A
ily are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness using what’s known as a Gleason score. The scores range from 6 to 10, with 8, 9 and 10 prostate cancers behaving more aggressively Biden’s office said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.
Former Gov John Bel Edwards signed legislation in 2019 to extend foster care to the age of 21, which came with a cost of around $3 million amid an already-struggling DCFS budget.
DCFS has since implemented a voluntary Extended Foster Care program for young adults ages 18 to 21 There are requirements for being able to remain in the program, such as school enrollment or employment. Those who qualify are assigned a LifeSet specialist, a case worker who provides one-on-one services.
Shannon Catanzaro, a manager of DCFS’ Extended Foster Care program, said getting the program off the ground and running took time, but it has been growing in recent years.
“What happens when someone like myself ages out of foster care, it’s not good,” he said. “Someone like myself should be in prison.”
‘Gaps to fill’
A few groups and people have found ways to augment efforts to extend help for former foster youth.
LSU is currently taking inspiration from other SEC universities and is implementing a donor-funded program this upcoming fall to provide support services to the former foster youth attending the university
Michael Rozales, a case manager at LSU who is helping form the program, wants it to provide academic, emotional and potentially financial support to help former foster youth navigate college.
in 2021 for foster youth who are aging out.
The nonprofit, through donations and grants, collects electronics, tools, apartment and dorm supplies, Executive Director Wendi LeMoine said.
LeMoine is proud of the program and its impact, but due to a lack of available funds, it was able to serve only about a quarter of those who aged out last year, she said
“We’ve grown it a little bit year by year, but it’s in no way fully funded. We have some gaps to fill,” LeMoine said
Kerri Vinyard runs H2O Ministry in Hammond, which is a home for women who have aged out of foster care. It came to fruition in 2020 as a private entity and later became licensed under DCFS. It currently can house three women at a time.
some people to take advantage of her “I feel like the system failed me,” she said. “If it wasn’t for my husband’s family, I wouldn’t have been able to make it. I’d probably be dead.”
A new approach
Louisiana officially began efforts to extend foster care in 2018.
At the time, proponents of the move and former foster youth shared gripping emotional testimonies and statistics with state legislators — including that for those who age out of foster care, 3 out of 5 will be homeless within a year And 3 out of 4 of these youths will be incarcerated at some point in their lives, according to data from a legislative task force.
When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it often spreads to the bones. Metastasized cancer is much harder to treat than localized cancer because it can be hard for drugs to reach all the tumors and completely root out the disease.
However, when prostate cancers need hormones to grow, as in Biden’s case, they can be susceptible to treatment that deprives the tumors of hormones.
Outcomes have improved in recent decades and patients can expect to live with metastatic prostate cancer for four or five years, said Dr Matthew Smith, of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center
“It’s very treatable, but not curable,” Smith said “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”
Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery President Donald Trump, a longtime political opponent, posted on
“Over the last few years, we’ve been doing a lot,” she said.
Catanzaro said it has pushed more young adults to graduate high school or GED programs.
The program had 215 participants as of March The program doesn’t include every former foster youth. Some want to get support outside of DCFS or are unable to meet the eligibility requirements, while others are not aware of the program
Doucet, a Hammond resident who aged out of care, was not so lucky in finding resources to help him a decade ago but was “blown away” by new extended foster care initiatives and resources.
Doucet echoes sentiments shown by data collected on those who age out, and he emphasizes the need for resources, especially mental health resources, for anyone like him
social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
Biden’s vice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she was keeping him in her family’s “hearts and prayers during this time.”
“Joe is a fighter — and I know he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism that have always defined his life and leadership,” Harris wrote.
Former President Barack Obama said his thoughts and prayers were with Biden, his former vice president, lauding his toughness. “Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace,”
The pipeline for foster youth to college graduate is predictably low, as only half of the children in foster care will finish high school by age 19 and those who finish college belong to a strikingly smaller group, according to the National Foster Youth Institute. National studies have said 3% to 4% of former foster youth get a four-year college degree, and between 2% and 6% receive a two-year degree.
“I hope (the program) has any kind of positive impact, even if it’s the smallest thing,” he said
Some other statewide groups that aid foster children have carved out projects to specifically help young adults who were in foster care.
Brave Heart Louisiana Children in Need, a nonprofit that collects donations to create care packages for foster children, formed a program
Obama wrote on social media.
The health of Biden, 82, was a dominant concern among voters during his time as president. After a calamitous debate performance in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandoned his bid for a second term.
Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, a Republican who returned to the White House after a four-year hiatus.
But in recent days, Biden rejected concerns about his age despite reporting in the new book “Original Sin” by Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aides had shielded the public from the extent of his decline while serving as president.
In February 2023, Biden had a skin lesion removed from his chest that was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer And in
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Vinyard, who isn’t paid for her work with the home, said, “God led me to here.”
Johnson got involved with Vinyard’s group when she was 20.
“At first I was hesitant, because every time I stayed with people I had to leave,” she said
Johnson, with eventual help from Vinyard and other connections, was able to graduate from high school and get two jobs. But for a time, she didn’t think any of that was possible.
“I think I would have committed suicide,” she said Johnson now works with the Louisiana Elite Advocacy Force to advocate for foster youth and prompt good policy changes for them.
Email Claire Grunewald at claire. grunewald@theadvocate.com.
November 2021, he had a polyp removed from his colon that was a benign, but potentially pre-cancerous lesion.
In 2022, Biden made a “cancer moonshot” one of his administration’s priorities with the goal of halving the cancer death rate over the next 25 years. The initiative was a continuation of his work as vice president to address a disease that had killed his older son, Beau, who died from brain cancer in 2015. His father when announcing the goal to halve the cancer death rate, said this could be an “American moment to prove to ourselves and, quite frankly, the world that we can do really big things.” Associated Press writer Jon Fahey in New York contributed to this report.
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STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
Residentsdig outfromtornado damage afterstorms
28 killed in Kentucky, Missouri,Virginia
BY DYLAN LOVAN and CAROLYN KASTER Associated Press
LONDON, Ky Residents in Kentucky and Missouri
sifted through damage in tornado-stricken neighborhoods and remained on edge Sunday for more severe weather aheadafter storms swept through parts of the Midwest and South and killed more than two dozen people.
Kentucky was hardest hit as adevastating tornado damaged hundreds of homes, tossed vehicles and left many homeless. At least 19 people were killed, mostofthem in southeastern Laurel County Meteorologists predicted a fresh “multiday” mix of dangerous weather conditions across the nation’smidsection starting Sunday with heavy rains, thunderstorms and the possibility of more tornadoes,according to the National Weather Service.
Jeff Wyatt’shome of 17 years was destroyed along with much of his neighborhood in London, Kentucky Wyatt, hiswife and two of theirchildren scarcelymade it to safety in ahallway while the roof and family room were ripped away.OnSunday,the family returnedto the wreckage to collectphotos, baby blankets and other keepsakes.
“It happened so fast,” said Wyatt, 54. “If we would have been there 10 seconds longer we would havebeen gone with thefamily room.” Survivors and their supporters picked through the wreckage in London Sunday,keepingawaryeye on the forecast. Severestorms were possiblefor Kentucky on Monday and even more so on Tuesday,the weather servicesaid Zach Wilson, whose parents’ home was destroyed, saidhewas “terrified”another storm would ruin the remaining salvageable items scatteredacrosstheir property —oreven worse destroyanother community.
“If Ihad to tell anybody it would be to listen to every word that theNational Weather Service kicks out and take every warning seriously,” Wilsonsaid.“It’s nerve-wracking, you know.”
ThelatestKentucky stormswerepartofaweather systemFridaythat killed seveninMissouri and two in northern Virginia,authoritiessaid. The system also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin, brought punishing heat to Texas and temporarily enveloped parts of Illinois —including Chicago —ina pall of dustonanotherwise sunny day.
The weather service said parts of Missouri and Kansas could see severe thunderstorms, golf ball-sized hail and wind gusts up to 60 mph intoMonday In London, Kentucky,Ryan VanNorstran huddled with his brother’slarge dogs in a first-floor closet as the storm hit his brother’shome Friday in aneighborhood along Keavy Road wheremuch of the destruction in the community of nearly 8,000 people was centered. VanNorstran was housesitting. He said he felt the house shake as he got in the closet.
Then adoor from another
house crashed througha window.All thewindows blew out of the house and his car wasdestroyed. Chunks of wood hadpunched through severalparts of the roof but thehouse avoidedcatastrophic damage. When he stepped outside he heard “a lot of screaming.” “I guess in the moment,I kind of realized there was nothing Icould do. I’d never really felt that kind of power from just nature,” he said. “And so Iwas in there andI wasjust kind of thinking, it’s eithergonna takemeorit’s all gonna be all right.”
Damage assessments were underway Sunday as the state readied its request for federal disaster assistance, Kentucky Gov.Andy Beshear said.
He announced a19th storm victim, an adult womanfrom Russell County.Of10people hospitalizedfor injuriesrelatedtothe severe weather, three remained in critical condition.
“A lot of Kentuckians are hurtingright now,”Beshear said on X, touting fundraising efforts to help with funeralexpenses andrebuilding. “If you’re able to help, please do.”
Parts of two dozen state roads were closed, and some could take days to reopen, he said.
About 1,200 tornadoes strike the U.S. annually,and they have been reported in all 50 states. Researchers found in 2018 that deadly tornadoes werehappening less frequentlyinthe traditional “Tornado Alley” of Oklaho-
ma, Kansas and Texas and more frequently in parts of the more densely populated and tree-filled mid-South.
In St. Louis, Mayor Cara Spencer saidfivepeople died, 38 were injured and more than 5,000 homes were affected.
“Thedevastationistruly heartbreaking,” she said. Atornadostruck in Scott County,about 130 miles south of St. Louis, killing two people,injuring several othersand destroyingmultiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetleywrote on social media.
The storms hit after the Trump administration massively cut staffing of National Weather Service offices, with outside experts worrying about how it would affect warnings in disasters suchas tornadoes.
The office in Jackson, Kentucky,whichwas responsible for the area aroundLondon, Kentucky,had aMarch 2025 vacancy rate of 25%;the Louisville, Kentucky, weather servicestaffwas down 29%;and theSt. Louis office wasdown 16%, according to calculations by weather service employees obtained by TheAssociated Press. The Louisville office was also without apermanent boss, themeteorologistincharge, as of March,according to the staffing data. Experts said any vacancy rate above 20% is acritical problem. Associated Press writers Sophia Tareen in Chicago and MatthewBrown in Billings, Montana, contributed to this report.
tanceof190 feet to the point of beginning.
anonlineauction site
www.bid4assets.com/ EBRSOsheriffsales, offer for
the
mortgaged property
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Acertain irregularly shapedtract or parcel of land, together with all improvementsthereon designatedatLOT A, taken from acertain largertract of land con‐taining 18.28 acreslying and situated in whatwas formerlythe Ninth(9th) Wardofsaidparishin Section 53, T7S, R2E, GreensburgLandDistrict ofLouisiana,and being, moreparticularlyde‐scribed on a'"PlatShow‐ing Separation of Lot "A From an 18.28 Acre Tract in Section53, T.7.S, R.2.E,GreensburgLand DistrictofLouisiana made by Mundinger, Dupreeand Cooper,C.E. and Surveyors, dated May 25, 1954, acopyof which is on file andof recordatOriginal91and Bundle3324 in theoffice ofthe Clerkand Recorder for East BatonRouge Parish, Louisiana, more particularlydescribed,as follows: Beginningatthe north‐eastcornerofan18.28 acretract ownedbyMrs EffieSlocumDavid in Section 53, T.7.SR.2.E GreensburgLandDistrict ofLouisiana in East Baton RougeParish,
and Except: Acertain piece or portionofland, together with allim‐provementssituated whollyorpartially thereon andall rights ways, servitudes,privi‐leges andadvantages thereuntobelonging or in anywise appertaining situatedinSection 53 Township6 South, Range 2 East,GreensburgLand District, East Baton Rouge Parish,Louisiana designatedasPARCEL NO.53 on theproperty surveymap forSTATE PROJECT NO.254-02-17 COURTLAND DRIVESULLI‐VAN ROAD (GREENWELL SPRINGS ROAD), ROUTE La37, EAST BATON ROUGE PARISH LOUISIANA,and prepared byBernard andBurk, Inc.,ConsultingEngi‐neers, forthe Depart‐mentofHighwaysand dated July 1, 1963, which map is on file in theof‐fice of said Department ofHighways, in City of Ba onRouge,Louisiana,and which pieceorparcelof landismoreparticularly described in accordance withsaidmap as follows: PARCELNO. 5-3: Begin‐ningata 3/4inchiron pipe, said pipe marking the northwestcomer of Vendor'spropertyand being SouthOdegrees 47 minutes 39 secondsEast, a distance of 35.12 feet fromHighway Survey Station 201 +12.70 on the surveyedcenterlineof State ProjectNo. 254-0217; runthenceNorth 53 degrees 42 minutes55 seconds East,a distance of191.12 feet alongthe northwesternboundary ofVendor'spropertyto a 1 1/2inchaxleand
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLyN KASTER
Edwina Wilson
through the area.
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Statemay change studentLEAPtest
Billcalls foralternativesascontract’send nears
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer
ALouisiana lawmaker wants the state to explore alternatives to the standardized test students take each year
Senate Bill 105 by Sen. Mark Abraham, R-Lake Charles, initially called for the state to replace the LEAP test with anational assessment beginning in the2026-27 school year.Atask force of representatives from differenteducation organizations,including teachers, principals and superintendents, would choose which national test to use
But state education officials said the original bill removed too much of their powerinthe decision-making process and risked going against federal law that dictateswhat types of tests states can administer.They worked with Abraham to revise the bill so that the state board of education, not a task force, would research alternatives and make recommendations to legislators next year
The Senate Education Committee last week approved the revised bill, which now heads to the Senate floor for debate.
“Let’sjust search the options we might have,” Abraham said in an interview
The state’s contractwith the vendor that administers the LEAP test, which students take in core subjects everyspring,
endsin2027. After that, the state could choose tokeepthe test as is make changes to it, or replace it entirely
The bill says the board must explore whether the state should switch to a“nationally normed assessment,” such as theSAT or the TerraNova, which compare students’ performancetotheir peers across the country.But Abraham and state Education Department officialssaid federallaw might not allow public school students to takea national test —even though Louisiana privateschools that get state money can use them.
If it is allowed, changing to anationaltest would require schools to overhaul their instructional materials andcurriculum, which couldbeexpensive,according to the bill’sprojected fiscal impact.
And it would be costly for the state to give adifferent test: Annual expenses range from$2.5 million for theMetropolitan Achievement Test to $29.7 million for the SAT, according to the cost estimate. Under thefederal Every Student Succeeds Act, states are required to annually test all studentsinmathand Englishin grades3-8 and one year in high school,and give ascience testto students in somegrades.State examsmustalign with each state’s learning standards.
State Superintendent of Education CadeBrumley questioned whether the law would allow Loui-
Manwanted in killing following domestic dispute
BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer
Warren
Baton Rouge police are searchingfor a man considered asuspect in thekilling of his significant other Casey Warren, 37, is wanted bythe Baton Rouge Police Department in thedeath of Elissia Thomas, 31, his girlfriend. The homicide is believed to have stemmed from aphysical domestic dispute. The incident occurred at aresidence in the 12100 block of Gerald Drive around 10 a.m. Sunday,police said. Warren has beenarrested for multiple prior violent offenses, including battery, aggravated assault with afirearm and attempted murder Anyone with informationrelative to Warren’slocation is urged to called BRPD Violent Crimes Unitat (225) 389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.
Email Quinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.
siana to switch to anational test.
“LEAP assesses thestandards that have been approved in Louisiana,”hesaid. “If you jump to anational assessment, it’snot necessarily goingtobethe same standards applied to Louisiana education.”
Abraham said the notion for the bill stemmed fromdebates last year over Louisiana’snew LA GATORprogram, which gives Louisiana families public money to put toward private school tuitionand allows participating private schools to decide which nationally normed tests to give students. Some public education advocates said all schools should get to choose theirtests.
“I said, ‘Wellwhy can’t we do that forpublic schools?’” Abrahamsaid, noting that private schools in the LA GATORprogram will get public money
After researching theissue, however,hesaid he realized the state could potentially be in violationofESSA if it wentwith a nationally normed test,which is whyhechanged thebill’swording to have theboard research all possible options.Someeducation organizations have also called for thestatetoupdateorreplace the current LEAP exam.
The Louisiana School Board Association, whichsupportsAbraham’sbill, pointed out in aMarch Facebook post that national tests are much shorter than what the
LEAP requires,despiterecent moves by theeducation department to shortenthe numberof questionsonthe English and math annualexamsby20%.The Louisiana Federation of Teachers, astate teachers’ union, has also criticizedthe LEAP exam, saying in apost on the organization’s website thatthere is no way to judgehow accurately the test evaluates students.
Board of Secondary and Elementary Education President Ronnie Morris said the board will seek outside help as it explores whether and how to replace the LEAP test.
“Wewant to have stakeholder input on this process,” he said. “Wewant to consider what other statesare doing.”
Abraham’s bill also aims to reduce the amount of testing Louisiana students undergo by requiring thatassessments in social studies and science not be administered to more thanfourgrade levels. It prohibits schoolsfromgiving both tests to the same grades and would essentially codify newstate guidelines that say fourth- and sixth-gradestudents will no longertake an annual social studies LEAP test beginninginthe 202728 school year
FESTIVAL FRIENDS
BY MARGARETDeLANEY Staff writer
From 2006 through 2021, there were 444 lightning strike deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention. The states with the most lightning strike deaths include:
n Florida —79deaths
n Texas— 36 deaths
n Colorado —24deaths
n North Carolina —21deaths
n Arizona— 17 deaths
Louisiana had 12 deaths due to lightning strikes between 2006 and 2021, ranking 11th in the nation (tied with South Carolina).
Florida is considered the “lightning capital” of the country,withmore than 2,000 lightning injuries over the past50years.
Washington, New Hampshire, Hawaii, Delaware and Alaska had zero deaths due to lightning strikes between 2006 and 2021.
Factsfrom theCDC about lightning strikes:
n Work-related activities contribute to about 18% of totallightning fatalities, with farmers and ranchersathighestrisk.
n Males arefour times more likely than females to be struck by lightning.
n The average age of apersonstruck by lightning is 37.
n About one-thirdoflightning injuries occur indoors.
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret. delaney@theadvocate.com.
LOTTERY
SATURDAY,MAY
STAFFPHOTO By ELySE CARMOSINO Board of Secondaryand ElementaryEducation President RonnieMorris testifies WednesdaywithSen. Mark Abraham during aSenate Education Committee meeting at the State Capitol.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Miracle Windfield, from left, shopswith Aaliyah Rogers, Christianna Winfield and
Librariescut back on staff, services amid DOGE cuts
BY NADIA LATHAN Associated Press/Reportfor America
Libraries across the United States are cutting back on e-books, audiobooks and loan programs after the Trump administration suspended millions of dollars in federal grants as it tries to dissolve the Institute of Museum and Library Services.
Federal judges have issued temporary orders to block the Trump administration from taking any further steps toward gutting the agency. But the unexpected slashing of grants has delivered asignificant blow to many libraries, which are reshuffling budgets and looking at different ways to raise money Maine has laid off afifth of its staff and temporarily closed its state library after not receiving the remainder of its annual funding. Libraries in Mississippi have indefinitely stopped offering apopular e-book service, andthe South Dakota state library has suspended its interlibrary loan program.
E-book and audiobook programs are especially vulnerable to budget cuts, even thoughthose offerings have explodedinpopularity since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think everyone should know the cost of providing digital sources is tooexpensive for most libraries,” said Cindy Hohl, president of the American Library Association. “It’sacontinuous and growing need.”
PresidentDonald Trump issued an executiveorder March 14 to dismantle the IMLS before firing nearly
all of its employees.
Onemonthlater,the Maine StateLibrary announced it was issuing layoff noticesfor workers funded through an IMLS grant program
“It came as quiteasurprise toall of us,”said Spencer Davis, alibrary generalist at the Maine State Library who is one of eight employees whowere laid off May 8because of the suspended funding In April, California, Washington and Connecticut were the only three states to receive letters statingthe remainder of theirfunding for the year was canceled, Hohl said. For others, the money hasn’tbeen distributed yet.The three states all filed formal objections with theIMLS.
Rebecca Wendt, California state librarydirector, said shewas never told why California’s funding was terminated while theother remaining states did not receivethe same notice
“Weare mystified,” Wendt said The agencydid not respond to an emailseeking comment.
Most libraries are funded by city and county governments, but receive asmaller portionoftheir budgetfrom their state libraries, which receive federal dollars everyyear to help payfor summer reading programs, interlibrary loan services and digitalbooks. Libraries in rural areas rely on federal grantsmorethan those in cities.
Many states use thefunding to pay for e-books and audiobooks, which are increasingly popular,and costly,offerings. In 2023, more than 660 million people
Secretary Scott Bessent acknowledged Sunday that Walmart, the largest U.S. retailer,may pass along some of the costs from President Donald Trump’stariffsto its shoppers through higher prices.
Bessent described his call with the company’sCEO aday after Trump warned Walmart to avoid raising prices from the tariffs at all and vowed to keep aclose watch on what it does.
As doubts persist about Trump’seconomic leadership, Bessent pushed back against inflation concerns, praised the uncertainty caused by Trump as anegotiating tactic for trade talks and dismissed the downgrade Friday of U.S. government debt by Moody’s Ratings.
YetWalmart does notappear prepared to “eatthe tariffs” in full, as Trump has insisted the company and China would do.
Bessentsaidhespoke Saturday with Walmart CEO Doug McMillon, stressing in two newsshow interviews that what he thought really mattered for Walmart customers was the declineingasoline prices Gas isaveraging roughly $3.18a gallon, downfrom ayearago butalsohigher over the pastweek,according to AAA.
“Walmart willbeabsorbing some of the tariffs, some may get passedonto consumers,” Bessent said on CNN. “Overall, Iwould expect inflation to remain in line.But Idon’tblame consumers for beingskittish after what happenedto them for years under Biden,” a reference to inflation hitting afour-decade high in June 2022 under then President Joe Bidenasthe recovery from the pandemic, governmentspending and the Russian invasion of Ukraine pushedupcosts. Walmart did not comment on Bessent’sdescription of his conversation with McMillon.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROBERT F. BUKATy
Spencer Davis, one of several librarians slated to be laid off duetoDOGE cuts, works May7 at the Maine State LibraryinAugusta, Maine.
globally borrowede-books, audiobooks and digital magazines,upfrom19% in 2022, according to OverDrive,the main distributor of digital content for libraries and schools
In Mississippi, thestate library helped fund its statewide e-book program.
For afew days,Erin Busbeawas thebearer of bad news for readers at her Mississippi library: Hoopla, a popular app tocheck out ebooks and audiobooks had been suspended indefinitely in Lowndes and DeSoto counties due to thefunding freeze.
“People have been calling and asking, ‘Why can’tIaccessmybooks on Hoopla?’” said Busbea, library director of the Columbus-Lowndes PublicLibrarySystemin Columbus, amajority-Black citynortheastofJackson.
The library systemalso had to pause partsofits interlibrary loan system allowing readerstoborrow books from other states when they aren’tavailable locally
“For most libraries that were using federal dollars, they hadtocurtailthoseactivities,” said Hulen Bivins, the Mississippi Library Commission executivedirector
The funding freeze came after theagency’sroughly 70 staffmembers were placed on administrative leave in March.
Attorneys general in 21 states andthe American Library Association have filed lawsuitsagainstthe Trump administration for seeking to dismantle the agency
The institute’sannual budget is below$300 millionand distributes less thanhalf of thattostate libraries across the country.InCalifornia, the state library wasnotified thatabout 20%, or $3 million, of its $15 million grant had been terminated.
“The small library systems are notable to payfor thee-books themselves,” said Wendt, the California state librarian.
In SouthDakota, the state’s interlibrary loan program is on hold, according to Nancy VanDer Weide, aspokesperson forthe South Dakota Department of Education.
The institute, founded in 1996 by aRepublicancontrolledCongress, also supports anational library training program named after former first lady Laura Bush thatseeks to recruit and train librarians from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds. Aspokespersonfor Bush did notreturn arequestseeking comment
“Library funding is never robust. It’s always apoint of discussion. It’salways something you needtoadvocatefor,” saidLiz Doucett, library director at Curtis Memorial LibraryinBrunswick, Maine. “It’s adding to just general anxiety.
DOJsaysitmay drop Boeing prosecution
BY ALAN SUDERMAN Associated Press
The Justice Department may drop itscriminal prosecution of Boeing forallegedly misleading U.S.regulators aboutthe 737 Max jetlinerbefore two of the planescrashedand killed 346 people, according to a weekend court filing.
The department said in a Saturday status report that two representatives hadmet with thefamiliesofsome crashvictims to discuss a potential pretrial resolution that would involve dismissing the criminal fraud charge against the aerospace company
The Justice Department saidnodecision had been made andthatitwas giving the family members more time to weigh in. Afederal judge in Texas has set the case for trialstarting June 23.
Paul Cassell, an attorney for manyofthe familiesin the long-running case, said his clientsstrongly oppose dropping thecriminal case.
“Wehope that this bizarre plan will be rejected by the
NewJerseyTransit trainengineers reachtentative
BY BRUCE SHIPKOWSKI and CHRISTOPHER WEBER
Associated Press
NEWARK, N.J New Jersey
Transit’strain engineers
reached atentative deal Sunday to end their three-day strike thathad halted service for some 100,000 daily riders, including routes to Newark airport and across the Hudson River to New York City.The union said its members would return to work on Tuesday,when trainswould resume their regular schedules The walkout that began
deal to endstrike
Friday was thestate’sfirst transitstrike in over 40 years, forcing peoplewho normally rely on NewJersey Transit to take buses, cars, taxis and boatsinstead or consider staying home.
Themain stickingpointhad been how to accomplisha wage increase for the engineers withoutcreating afinancially disastrous domino effect for the transit agency
The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers andTrainmen initially announced regulartrain servicewould begin again Monday, butmoments later,union spokes-
person JamieHorwitzsaid NJ Transit informed them that it would be Tuesdayat 12:01 a.m. instead.
Atransit agency statement said theTuesday start wasnecessary because“it takes approximately 24 hours to inspect andprepare theinfrastructure before returning to full scheduled service.”
Aunion statement sent by emailsaidthe terms of the agreement would be sent to theunion’s450 members whowork as locomotiveengineers or trainees at the passenger railroad.
St.John theBaptistCatholic Church in Zacharyat2 p.m
Obituaries
Knight,Lee David
LeeDavid Knight, age 79, of Greenfield, passed away on Monday, May12, 2025. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama on June 8, 1945 to Lincoln Ezekiel andMargaret Allene (Hendrix) Knight. He graduated from Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, AL andreceived his bachelor'sinmechanical engineeringfromAuburnUniversity. LeemarriedElaine (McAlister) on June 22, 1968. He wasa mechanical engineer for ExxonMobil in Baton Rouge,Louisianafor over 30 years before retiring. Leewas adevoted member of Gideon'sInter-
daughter, Allison (Roger) Kinion;and twograndchildren,Hannahand Ruston Kinion.Hewas preceded in death by hisparents, Lincoln andMargaret Knight; wife, Elaine Knight;and daughter, Heather Leigh (Knight) Bush Visitation will be held on Thursday, May15, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at ErleweinMortuary &Crematory, 1484 W. US Hwy. 40, Greenfield,IN 46140. Afuneral service will begin at 6:00 p.m. with Pastor Roger Kinion and PaulGeorge officiating.A gravesideservice andburial will take place on Wednesday, May21, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Daytona Memorial ParkinDaytona Beach,Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made by mail to Calvary Baptist Church 1450 W. MainStreet, Greenfield, IN 46140 or The Gideons InternationalProcessing Center,P.O. Box 97251, Washington,DC 20090-7251. Envelopes will be availableatthe mortuary. Friends may share a memory or condolenceat www.erleweinmortuary.co m.
leadership of the department,” Cassell said in a statement. “Dismissing the case would dishonor the memoriesof346 victims who Boeing killed through itscallous lies.”
Many relatives of the passengers who diedin thecrashes, whichtook place off thecoast of Indonesia and in Ethiopia less than five months apartin 2018 and 2019, have spent years pushing for apublic trial, the prosecution of former company officials, and more severe financial punishment for Boeing. Boeing wasaccusedof misleading the Federal AviationAdministration about aspects of the Max before the agency certified theplane for flight.
As formersecretary of the Department of Health, Iwas deeply disappointed to seethe Senate passSenate Bill134. SB134 would protect negligent nursing home companies and private equity firms from any significant consequences for blatant abuse and neglect
This is especially concerning since Louisiana’snursing homes are ranked as the very worst in the nation with an average of 2.31 on the CMS quality rating system (according to April 2025 data) and havethe highest concentration of nursing homes that qualify as twoor one-star facilities, meaning that they are below average or much below average.
SB134 would allow nursing home management and administrators who don’tprovideany health care services and don’t have ahealthcare license to be included under the Medical Malpractice Act, so they are no longer held legally accountable forunderstaffed and negligent nursing homes.
So if your loved one dies of pressuresores becauseofnegligent staffing practices, the management companies will hide behind that negligentact as medical care and therefore receive protection under the Medical Malpractice Act.
Thisisnot just about lawsuits against abusive or negligent nursing home owners.Liability and legal restitution function as tools to ensure facilities comply with the law.Ifthis law passes, that will be gone. There will be no reasonfor themto provide adequatecare and will deprive vulnerable elderly residents of avoice.
Ihave often been asked what is so different about Louisiana that puts us at the bottom of nursing home quality indicators. It is because we should be considering legislation that would demand improvements in our nursing homes (as many states have done) insteadof legislation like SB134 that decreases liability and accountabilityinanindustry that already doesn’tprioritize quality of care. Our seniors deserve more.
KATHY KLIEBERT Thibodaux
YOUR VIEWS
LEGISLATIVE ROUNDUP
Taxpayers should notbeonthe hook forcharter school failures
As acareer school employee, former East Baton RougeMetro council member and community advocate, Ioppose Senate Bill 71. Thebill removes financial responsibility from the charter operators and applies it to Louisiana taxpayers. In Baton Rouge, public charter schools have been extremely unpredictable, with sudden closures primarily due to declining enrollment, financial challenges and accountability issues linked to their management. However,there is one exception: Impact Charter School, ahigh-performing, B-rated school with apromising future, was reconstituted. Impact Charter secured a majorinvestment of over $8.5 million from aprivate bank that believed in Louisiana’s charter movement. SB71 will allow the transfer of Impact Charter’sbank debtsto the taxpayers of Louisiana. IDEA University Prep cost $17 million, and is now beingleased to Helix Community School at arate that satisfies themonthly debt owed. Makingmatters worse, SB71 would giveBESE members —some of whom
are also CEOs of charter management organizations —the power to set theloan terms that they or their allies could later benefit from. This represents aserious conflict of interest and an erosion of public trust.
Charter schools in Baton Rouge have an average ranking of 4out of 10, which is in thebottom 50% of Louisiana public charter schools. Instead of creating anew financial time bomb, there should be aprioritization of permanent investments in areas like increasing teacher pay,funding transportation and student supports. There is no feasible rationale forLouisiana taxpayers to assume thefinancialburden of charter operators’ school facilities. In consideration of taxpayer-funded vacant buildings, already racking up maintenance costs and debt, Iurge each senator to vote no on SB71. Protect taxpayers. Protect ourschools. Protect Louisiana’sfuture.
CHAUNA BANKS Baton Rouge
The phrase “good enough forgovernmentwork” has long been used to cast doubt on government and civil service workers. The League of Women Voters recently considered the problem at our 2025 convention on “Serving Democracy: The Value of Nonpartisan Civil Service.” Legislating distrust of the civil service risks becoming aself-fulfilling prophecy in away that threatens good governance and possibly democracy itself
Aproposed constitutional amendment moving through the Legislature, Sen. Jay Morris’sSenate Bill 8, would allow forreclassifying certain positions from classified to unclassified civil service. Classified civil service workers have protections that prevent them from being fired arbitrarily without due process, especially forpolitical reasons. Unclassified workers lack such protections and may be fired at will. Classified state workers must refrain from political activity,but unclassified state workers have no such restrictions Public policy experts and active and retired civil servants themselves testified at the SB8’shearing of the “disaster” that would result from opening up the civil service to political patronage that compromises ideals of nonpartisanship and “dispassionate objectivity.” The targeted positions include lawyers and engineers, whohave professional and ethical standards and codes that should transcend politics. Testimony raised questions about whether the state can afford to pay the higher salaries that unclassified workers are paid and suggested that effective civil service reform should focus on all positions rather than reclassifying some. It wasn’tlong ago that democracy and the civil service in Louisiana were threatened in this way. Huey Long enacted civil service bills in the 1930s that decreased the state civil service by nearly athird and led to scandal, embezzlement, fraud and mandatory political contributions by state workers. Perhaps it is of that disaster that the Huey Long statue still stands outside the Louisiana Capitol to remind us.
M. CHRISTIAN GREEN president, League of Women Voters of Louisiana
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR
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As aLouisiana voter who has long supportedmeaningfullegal reform, Iwant to extendmysincere thanks to the members of theLouisianaHouse of Representatives whotook decisiveaction recently and voted in favor of reform legislation that will help restore fairness and balance in our civil justice system.
By advancingkey bills aimed at modernizing our laws and reining in lawsuit abuse, lawmakers sent aclear signal that theyare serious abouttackling the root causes of ourstate’shigh insurance costs and antibusiness legal climate. Among themostimportant is House Bill 431, which would bring Louisiana in linewith theoverwhelming majority of states by adopting amodified comparative faultstandard. This long-overdue changeensuresthat no one more responsible for their own injury than anyone else involved can stillwalk away with apayout —a basicprinciple of fairness that already governsmost of thecountry Equally important is House Bill 450, which
repeals the Housley Presumption,ending the absurd practice of presuming injury without evidence. House Bill 34 brings much-needed transparency to medical expenses in personal injury lawsuits, allowing juries to consider what’spaid, not just theinflated “sticker price.” Andwith House Bill 434 raising thebar on recovery for uninsured drivers, lawmakers are wisely reinforcing personal responsibilitywhile helping reduce overall claims costs.
These reforms aren’tjust good policy they’re common sense. They will help discourage abuse of our court systemand send astrong message that Louisiana is serious about creating afairer legal environment that benefits families, drivers and job creators alike.
Iapplaud Speaker of the House Phillip DeVillier and other House members for standing withcitizens like me over special interests and voting in favor of these bills. RICHARD CLOUD Lafayette
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
BEACH BOTTLE
Howcool would it be to find amessageinabottle?Who would it be from and what would it say?Here’syour chancetoget creativeand letusknow. So,what’sgoing on in this cartoon? youtellme. Be witty,funny, crazy,absurd or snarky—just trytokeepitclean.There’snolimit on the numberofentries.
Thewinning punchline will be lettered into the word balloon and runonMonday, May26, in our print editions and online. In addition, the winnerwill receivea signed print of the cartoon along with acool winner’sT-shirt! Some honorable mentions will also be listed.
To enter,email entries to cartooncontest@theadvocate.com
DON’T FORGET! All entries must include your name, homeaddressand phone number.Cell numbers are best.
Thedeadline for all entries is midnightonThursday, May22.
Good luck, folks! —Walt
Youmight have heard theriddle about the man who must row afox, achicken and asack of corn across ariver one at atime. Most combinations of these passengerscannotbeleftalone together, requiring acomplex series of moves and countermoves
On the edge of Uganda’sBwindi Impenetrable Forest, where mist clings to the treetops and mountain gorillas roam,a quiet revolution has been unfolding. For the last 24 years, Ihave been living and working as a physician forthe people surrounding the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Collaborating with the Batwapygmies, other tribal members and generous donors from the U.S., we have built the award-winning Bwindi Community Hospital. This institution has become abeacon of hope for250,000 residents whoonce had nowhere to turn.
But today,that hope is under threat.
Let me tell you about Peace. In the 1990s, she wasayoung woman facing an unthinkable reality.Her husband had just died of AIDS,and she had been diagnosed with HIVwhile carrying their unborn child. Treatment options were nonexistent. Misinformation spread like wildfire. “I wasliving like an outcast —untouchable and condemned to ashort life. Ilived in fear,was rejected and isolated, but Istill had hope.”
Without access to HIVtreatment, Peace’s greatest concern wasthat her unborn child would be infected with HIV. Tears readily flowed as she recounted the momentshe learned her child did not have HIV. She named her Miracle. Today,Peace is not just surviving —she is leading. As the coordinator of Bwindi Community Hospital’sHIV program,she ensures that over 500 villagers are tested each month and oversees the care of morethan 1,000 individuals living with HIV
The cycle of HIVtransmission can be broken. Without treatment, if apregnant mother has HIV, depending on her viral load, she has up to a45% chance of her newborn being HIV positive. If not diagnosed, 50% of these kids will die before their second birthday.With antiretroviral treatment of the pregnant mother and preventive treatment of the newborn, the rate of HIVtransmission from mother to child can be reduced to less than 1%.
Thanks to Peace’swork and the dedication of our Ugandan hospital staff, forthe past three years, every single HIV-positive mother who has adhered to treatment has given birth to an HIV-negative child. That momentwhen a mother hears her baby is free of the virus? It never gets old.
That’sessentially the situationwith the House budget bill right now, except this Sphinxian conundrum remainsunsolvable.
House Republicans have given themselves aset of mutually exclusive constraints for their upcoming tax-and-budgetbill. They want to cut taxes, especially forthe rich and corporations. But they also wantto reduce deficits,which is at oddswith those tax cuts.
Perhaps the tax breaks could beoffset by huge cuts to major safety-net programs such as Medicaid andfood stamps. But Republicansclaim they also want to help regular Americans, who would definitely be hurt if their health care and food assistance are taken away
There’snoway to achieveall these things in one bill —torow all the elements to final passage.
Some Republican lawmakers have endorsed bogus arithmetic tohelp move things along. That is, they want to pretend thetax cuts will be free which would mean (conveniently) that lawmakers don’tneed to pass draconian safety-net cuts to offset theircost
Maybe that could solve their problem Butalas, the laws of mathematics can’t be suspended forever
Regardless of what Republicanssay, thetax cuts will indeed cost money.If they’re not offset with either additional revenue or reduced spending, thegovernment will have to borrow alot more to deal with the loss.Borrowing more, in turn,will requireCongress to significantly increasethe debt limit
Here is where things get really tricky Republicans also don’twant to vote for ahugedebt-limit increase in thisbill, eventhough President Donald Trump has ordered themtodoso.
Youcan see how this is getting complicated, especially given the razor-thin GOPmajority in which every defection matters. If you thought the goals of the president’s trade policy were incon-
gruous and convoluted, now imagine complex budget negotiations withcontradictory goals —where thegoals that areultimately sacrificed might be determined by,say,Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia.
Never one to feel overly burdened by reality,Trump insists his tax-andbudget package is destined for great success. He has urged lawmakers to hurry up andpass his “big, beautiful bill,” apparently unaware of the curse of unwieldy “BBB”-nicknamed legislation that nearly felled his predecessor (Remember “Build Back Better”?) Over thepastfew days, Republican congressional leaders have attempted to pare backthe president’s ambitions, at least alittle.
Forexample, Speaker Mike Johnson recently said that his GOP colleagues should now target “only” $4 trillion in tax cuts, instead of the originally planned $4.5 trillion. A$4trillion tax cut would still release an enormous flood of redink, but it would likely preclude delivering on many of Trump’scampaign promises —such as making the 2017 tax cuts permanent. Trumphas made hisdispleasure known.
Then there are theMedicaid cuts.
The Housecommittee that oversees Medicaid has been instructed to scrounge up $880 billion in “savings. As you might expect, this will be impossibletodowithout kicking alot of people off of the popular public health insurance program,which covers about 1in5Americans.
In abid to calm members, Johnson has taken some forms of Medicaid cuts off the table (such as limits on spending per Medicaid enrollee or reducing the share of costsshouldered by thefederal government rather than the states). But theoptions that are left —oratleast, theones that could still produce enough cost savings to get themath to work out —would still result in millionsmore Americansbecoming newly uninsured, anew analysis from the Congressional Budget Office found.
The mostlikely of those options, involving achange to taxes on health care providers, would disproportionately hurt red states (particularly poorer, Southern states)
To throw yet another wrench into the system,Trumphas suggested that lawmakersraise taxes on the ultra-wealthy to help pay for thebill.
This is actually agood idea! It’spopular among voters.
Butwhile Republicans have usually fallen over themselves to prove obeisance to Trump’sorders, in this case, congressional leaders recoiled. “We don’twant to raise taxes on anybody,” SenateMajority Leader John Thune, RSouthDakota, told Fox News. For once, it was Trumpwho backed down, acknowledging on social media, “Republicans should probably not do it.”
That big, beautiful rowboat, it seems, has sunk in themiddle of the river.
Email Catherine Rampell at crampell@ washpost.com. She is on X, @crampell.
This progress was madepossible in large part because of the President’sEmergency Plan forAIDS Relief (PEPFAR), aprogram launched in 2003 after an unlikely conversation between rock star Bono and then-President George W. Bush. For nearly 22 years, the program stood as arare example of bipartisan cooperation. It becamethe largest single-disease humanitarian initiative in history
PEPFAR has saved over 26 million lives and ensured that 6million children born to HIVpositive mothers were free of the virus.
Prior to 2024, bipartisan support had secured five-year reauthorizations in 2008, 2013 and 2018. But now,that legacy is in jeopardy Bwindi Community Hospital is facing an unprecedented crisis. USAID, acrucial partner, can no longer provide the medical supplies and equipment essential to our work.
And mostalarming? Our only source of HIV medications —provided through PEPFAR and administered by USAID— is now at risk. On March 25, congressional reauthorization of PEPFAR expired. Viaacontinuing resolution, Congress has appropriated funding only through the end of September.PEPFAR currently resides in budgetary purgatory
We are faced with the dilemma of only six weeks’ worth of HIVmedication remaining. Alocal proverb warns, “When twoelephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.” And right now,itispeople like Peace —people whohave fought so hard forafuture —who are being trampled by political and financial shifts beyond their control.
If we don’tact, we risk undoing decades of progress. We risk leaving behind the mostvulnerable.
In moments like this, Ithink back to aguiding principle spoken by President George W. Bush when he reflected on PEPFAR: “Towhom much has been given, much is required.”
Our hope now is that President Donald Trumpwill recognize the urgency of this momentand continue the legacy of American leadership in the fight against HIV/AIDS.Because when you stand in an African clinic and see the joy on amother’sface as she learns her baby is HIV-free, you understand —this is a fight worth continuing.
Dr.Scott Kellermann is aTulane graduate wholives in Californiaand Uganda
TO
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE
Speaker of the House MikeJohnson, R-La
Catherine Rampell
Scott Kellermann GUEST COLUMNIST
SPORTS
TOUGH STANDARD
Beth Torina clasped ahand tightly on top of her gold LSUcap as nextto her on the news conference podium senior Danieca Coffey answered a question from areporter,seemingly trying to keep her composure moments after her Tigers’ season ended Saturday with an 8-7 loss to Southeastern Louisianainthe NCAA BatonRouge softball regional.
Forthe successfulTorinaera at LSU(since2012) the loss represents something of alow point. Certainly new ground if nothing else. It’s only thesecondtime ever along with2010,that LSU has gone 1-2 in an NCAA regional at home.
If Torina didn’tlike thelooks of the TigerPark scoreboard after the loss, I’msure she wouldn’thaveliked the looks of the LSUmessageboardsany better.Fans and critics are bayingloudand longfor Torina’s job,
complaining that the program has regressed since she led theTigers to thelast of four Women’s College World Series appearances in 2017. Torina, as if hearing the withering criticism, struck adefiant note, insisting that after having to retool most of her roster and her coaching staff from asuper regional appearance in 2024 (finishing one win away from the WCWS) that the program had made strides in 2025.
“I’m sure on the outside looking in you don’tsee it at this moment,” Torina said. “But thisprogram grew this year and this program is going to be better for it. I’m not going to be sittinghere on aSaturday night anymore. We’regoing to be in theplaces thisprogram deserves to be.”
ä See RABALAIS, page 5B
Is LSU worthy of top-8seed in NCAA tourney?
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
COLUMBIA, S.C. It got offtoasour start, butLSU did whatithad to do this weekend against South Carolina at Founders Park: Winthe series.
The Tigers lost the series opener on a walk-off wild pitch on Thursday,6-5, but bounced back with an 8-1 winonFriday and a7-3 victory on Saturday Here arefive takeawaysfromLSU’s seventh series victory in Southeastern Conference play Is LSUworthyofa top-eightseedin NCAA Tournament?
The Tigers finishedthe regularseason with a42-13 overall record, a19-11 record in SEC play and atie for third place with Vanderbilt forthe best record in the toughest conference in the sport.
LSUisalsoNo. 8inRPI after Saturday and No. 7inKPI following Friday’sgames KPI is another results-based rating system usedbythe selection committee. It’sgone 20-11 against Quads 1and 2, and hasmore wins than all but six teamsagainst Quad 1. Thursday’sloss to South Carolina may have affected the Tigers’ chances of being the No. 1team in the country in next week’s polls. But the defeat hasn’taltered the fact that this team deserves to host aregional and super regional at Alex Box Stadium HowmuchdoesSEC tourneymatter? Awin or two in Hoover,Alabama, as the No. 3seed will only help the Tigers’ odds of earning atop-eight seed in theNCAA Tournament. But even if they lost to No. 6 Auburn, No. 11 Mississippi State or No. 14 Texas A&M on Friday,it’sstill hard to imagine them not earning that coveted bid in the NCAA tourney
LionsfalltoCornhuskers for second time in tournament
BY JIM KLEINPETER Contributingwriter
Southeastern Louisiana hadanextended stay in theNCAABaton Rougesoftballregional but theLions’triptothe championship round ended quickly in thorough domination. The No. 4-seeded Lionstooktheir recordbreaking season as far as it could go before falling to Nebraska, 8-0, in asix-inning, mercy rule finish Sunday at Tiger Park. Thegame took 2hours and 9minutes clock time to complete but it couldn’terase theindelible mark the season has left on coach Rick Fremin’sprogram. In his 10th season as the Lions coach, the Belle Chasse native averaged 46 winsover the past four seasons and 34.6 in his Hammond tenure.
TheLions (50-15) also beat LSUtwice on its home field to advance to the championship round for the second consecutive season and won aschool-record number of games despite losing 12 seniors and have 15 new players in the dugout. “You neverwantyourseasontoend,” Fremin said. “But when youput ‘special’ on the field, or in the dugout, or within astaff, you kind of wanttolive in that world forever “It’sbeen amagical ride. Ithink we’ve uppedthe ante fromayear ago. We took down atop 10 team twice on their home field and hit the 50-win mark, which still amazes me.” In theend the Cornhuskers,who pummeled SLU, 14-1, Saturday,were too strong, led by Big 10 Player and Pitcher of the Year Jordy Bahl (25-6). She threw a one-hitter,facing onebatter over the minimumand strikingout 10.Bahlalsohit her
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSUright fielder JakeBrown watches the ball flyout of the park forahome runagainst Arkansas on May10atAlex Box Stadium.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Southeasterncoach Rick Fremintalkswith his team on the mound in the bottom of the first inning of the regional championship game againstNebraska on Sunday at TigerPark.
STAFF PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK
LSU softball coach Beth Torinawatches aplayduring aBaton Rougeregional game against SoutheasternLouisiana on Friday at TigerPark. LSU wasknockedout of the tournament by Southeastern.
Scott Rabalais
Scheffler dominates again
He claims PGA Championship for third major
BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer
CHARLOTTE, N.C Scottie Scheffler worked harder than he imagined and got the result everyone expected Sunday in the PGA Championship: A most pleasant walk to the 18th green with another major title secure in the hands of golf’s No. 1 player
Scheffler was flawless when he had to be on the back nine of Quail Hollow, leaving the blunders to Jon Rahm and everyone else trying to catch him on a final day that turned tense until Scheffler pulled away with a steady diet of fairways and greens. He closed with a bogey he could afford for an even-par 71 giving him a five-shot victory and his third major title.
Scheffler became the first player since Seve Ballesteros to win his first three majors by three shots or more.
A snoozer? Not even close. That much was clear when Scheffler raised his arms on the 18th green and then ferociously slammed his cap to the turf, a brand of emotion rarely seen by the 28-yearold Texas star
Scheffler was five shots ahead coming to the last hole when he won his first Masters green jacket in 2022. He was four shots clear of the field when he won at Augusta National last year And he had a six-shot lead at Quail Hollow But this sure didn’t feel like a walk in the park.
He had a five-shot lead standing on the sixth tee. But with a shaky swing that led to two bogeys, and with Rahm making three birdies in a four-hole stretch around the turn — they were tied when Scheffler got to the 10th tee.
It looked like a duel to the finish, with Bryson DeChambeau doing all he could to get in the mix. Under the most pressure he felt all day, Scheffler didn’t miss a shot off the tee or from the fairway until his lead got back to four shots.
Rahm wound up seven shots behind, but the two-time major
champion was the only serious threat.
His chances began to fade when he failed to birdie the 14th and 15th holes, the two easiest holes on the back nine and the last good scoring chances.
His 3-wood on the reachable par-4 14th was a yard from being perfect, instead going into the bunker He blasted out weakly and his 7-foot birdie putt never had a chance. He drilled a 345-yard drive on the par-5 15th and his 4-iron went just over the back.
Rahm putted it too hard and it rolled 12 feet. He missed that birdie putt and then came unglued.
A bogey on the 16th hole went from rough to bunker Having to take on a dangerous pin at the
par-3 17th, it bounded over the sunbaked green into the water for double bogey And his last tee shot went left off the grassy bank and into the stream for another double bogey
All that work to make up a fiveshot deficit at the start of the day and Rahm closed with a 73 to tie for eighth.
“Yeah, the last three holes, it’s a tough pill to swallow right now,” said Rahm, his first time seriously contending in a major since he left for the Saudi riches of LIV Golf two years ago.
DeChambau birdied the 14th and 15th to get within two shots, but he never had another good look at birdie and bogeyed the 18th for a 70. He tied for second with Harris English (65) and Davis Riley, who overcame a triple
bogey on No. 7 to play bogey-free the rest of the way and salvaged a 72.
J.T Poston, the North Carolina native who also flirted with an outside chance, bogeyed the last two holes for a 73 to tie for fifth.
English finished his Sundaybest score as Scheffler was making his way down the third hole. He had a flight to catch that afternoon. He also was the clubhouse leader
But he looked at Scheffler’s name atop the leaderboard and said with a smile, “I don’t see him slipping a whole lot. I see myself catching my flight.”
That was a common feeling.
“He’s in a spot where it would be shocking if he didn’t win today,” reigning champion Xander Schauffele said.
DeChambeau, English, Riley tie for 2nd
BY STEVE REED AP sportswriter
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bryson DeChambeau had one word to describe his runner-up finish at the PGA Championship. calling it “baffling.”
The power hitter also seemed thrilled to get out of Charlotte and as far away from Quail Hollow’s closing three holes known as the Green Mile as he could.
“The Green Mile did it to me yesterday and kind of did it to me again today — and that’s golf, man,” DeChambeau said. “I’ve got to be more precise and fix what I can fix to make myself more consistent and get up there, the likes of what Scottie (Scheffler) is doing right now.”
DeChambeau played the final three holes at Quail Hollow in 4-over-par for the weekend, and tied for second with Harris English and Davis Riley at 6-under 278, five shots behind Scheffler DeChambeau called the closing stretch at Quail Hollow one of the toughest he’s played.
On Saturday and Sunday he birdied the difficult par-4 15th hole and entered the Green Mile looking to apply pressure to Scheffler He never did.
Instead DeChambeau was forced to take some consolation with his third top-5 finish in the past four major championships, including last summer’s win at the U.S. Open. He has seven top-10 finishes in his last 11 majors. “Always proud to top five in a
major,” DeChambeau said. “I feel like I’m playing good when I’m doing that but I mean, it’s disappointing not to get the job done because that’s what I came here to do.” Now he’ll set his sights on winning a third U.S Open next month at Oakmont
“I’m going to work my butt to have make that happen,” DeChambeau said.
Riley will be there with him.
After shooting 68 and 67 on Friday and Saturday, he closed with a disappointing 72 but hung on for a tie for second place, by
far his best finish at a major It moved him to 53rd in the world ranking, setting him up for a spot in the U.S. Open field. The top four finishers at the PGA Championship also earned an automatic spot in the 2026 Masters.
“Hopefully, it will springboard me and I can kind of get in contention more on some of these majors,” Riley said.
English had the low round of the day, shooting a 65 after playing the final 12 holes in 6 under That included making a birdie on No. 18, one of just six on the day
LSU women’s golf team makes first cut at NCAAs CARLSBAD,Calif.— The LSU women’s golf team made Sunday’s first cut at the NCAA championships, thanks mainly to the continued strong play of Elsa Svensson. The senior from Mariestad, Sweden, carded a 2-under par 70 in the third round on the Omni La Costa Resort’s North Course. She goes into the final round tied for fourth at 6-under 210, three strokes back of Maria Jose Marin of Arkansas.
As a team, 12th-seeded LSU shot a 2-over 290 to move up four spots into 13th place at 16-over 880 for the tournament. That put the Tigers on the right side of the cut that sliced the 30-team field in half After Monday’s final round of stroke play, the top eight teams will qualify for match play Other LSU scores included even-par 72 from Taylor Riley and 2-over 74s from Rocio Tejedo and Josefin Wida.
Alcaraz still has Sinner’s number after win in Rome ROME — There’s only one player who is consistently beating Jannik Sinner Carlos Alcaraz defeated the topranked Sinner again, 7-6 (5), 6-1, to win his first Italian Open on Sunday and add another big clay-court title to his résumé.
Since the start of last year, Alcaraz is the only player to beat Sinner more than once and now he’s done it four straight times.
Alcaraz’s victory before Sinner’s home fans at the Foro Italico snapped the Italian’s 26-match winning streak. It was Sinner’s first tournament back after a three-month doping ban.
Alcaraz also solidified his status as the favorite to defend his title at the French Open.
Verstappen ends Piastri’s win streak at three races
IMOLA,Italy Max Verstappen gave his Formula 1 title defense a big boost with victory at the EmiliaRomagna Grand Prix after a daring overtake on standings leader Oscar Piastri at the start. The Dutch driver built a commanding lead which was wiped out when the safety car bundled the field back up. He held on to win ahead of Lando Norris, who overtook his McLaren teammate Piastri for second with five laps remaining. Verstappen took his second win of the season, and first since last month’s Japanese Grand Prix, and denied Piastri what would have been his fourth straight win Piastri finished third. Piastri’s lead over Norris in the standings was cut to 13 points, with third-placed Verstappen nine behind Norris.
Struggling Garcia says he might not play in Ryder Cup
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Sergio Garcia has appeared in 10 Ryder Cups and amassed more points than any other European player
“I’ve got to be more precise and fix what I can fix to make myself more consistent and get up there, the likes of what Scottie (Scheffler) is doing right now.”
BRySON DECHAMBEAU
from the field.
“I feel like I’m a more wellrounded player now and it’s just about matching up everything,” English said referring to a string of missed cuts at the majors earlier in his career “Got to get my short game a little tighter, got to get my putting a little more consistent, but I’m really happy with the way I’m hitting the ball right now.”
He said it also gives some confidence with team selection for September’s Ryder Cup fast approaching.
“It’s a big thought in my mind,” said English, who helped the U.S. team win in 2021 at Whistling Straights, but did not make the team in 2023. “Playing at Whistling, once you make one of those teams, you never want to miss out.
“It’s just the pinnacle of our sport. It’s definitely the forefront of my mind. Yeah, I’m here to try to compete in a major championship, and however well it does with me and the Ryder Cup, I’m all for it. I know this will go a long way, but I know there’s a lot of golf to play and keep getting better and keep having good finishes.”
But the 45-year-old Spaniard says he would decline an invitation to play for Team Europe if he chosen by captain Luke Donald because of how poorly he is playing.
Garcia says his feelings could change if he begins to play better He made the cut at the PGA Championship but was never a factor and finished well down the leaderboard at 7-over 291. Garcia won the LIV Golf Hong Kong event in March but missed the cut in the Masters and is currently not eligible for the U.S. Open or British Open.
Mystics come back for win against the Sun UNCASVILLE,Conn. Brittney Sykes scored 27 points and Kiki Iriafen recorded a double-double and the Washington Mystics spoiled the Connecticut Sun’s season debut with a 90-85 win on Sunday The Mystics (2-0) used a 30-point fourth quarter to overcome a 65-60 deficit at the end of three quarters and Stefanie Dolson gave Washington its first lead of the game with a 25-foot, 3-pointer to make it 75-74 with 5:38 left. Olivia Nelson-Ododa countered with a layup to put Connecticut back ahead, but Sonia Citron responded with three-point play and the Mystics led the rest of the way Trailing 88-85, Marina Mabrey missed a deep 3 attempt from 27 feet and Citron clinched it with two free throws with 2.1 seconds left.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV
Scottie Scheffler holds the Wanamaker trophy after winning the PGA Championship at the Quail Hollow Club on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT yORK
Bryson DeChambeau reacts after missing a putt on the 16th hole during the final round of the PGA Championship on Sunday at the Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.
NBA’s final four evidence of parity
BY TIM REYNOLDS
AP basketball writer
The parity era continues in the NBA. The New York Knicks haven’t won an NBA championship since 1973. The Indiana Pacers won their most recent title that year — in the ABA. The Oklahoma City Thunder franchise has one title in its history that coming in 1979 when the team called Seattle home. And the Minnesota Timberwolves have never even been to the NBA Finals
Meet the NBA’s final four
When Commissioner Adam Silver hands one of those teams the Larry O’Brien Trophy next month, it’ll mark a league first — seven championship franchises in a seven-year span. There hasn’t been a back-to-back NBA champion since Golden State in 2017 and 2018. From there, the list of champions goes like this: Toronto in 2019, the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, Milwaukee in 2021, Golden State in 2022, Denver in 2023 and Boston last season.
It’s the longest such run of different champions in NBA history; Major League Baseball, the NHL and the NFL have all had longer ones, and not too long ago, either But for the NBA, this is different. The league wanted unpredictability, especially after four consecutive Cleveland-vs.-Golden State title matchups from 2015 through 2018.
And things have been highly unpredictable since. No matter what the Finals matchup is this year, the NBA will be seeing 11 conferencechampion franchises in the span of seven seasons.
“We’ve still got eight more wins to achieve our ultimate goal,” Minnesota coach Chris Finch said.
“We’ve still got two more series We’re only halfway there.” Conference finals start Tuesday
The Western Conference finals No. 6 seed Minnesota vs. No. 1 seed Oklahoma City — begin Tuesday night in Oklahoma. The Eastern Conference finals — No. 4 seed In-
diana vs. No. 3 seed New York — begin Wednesday night in Manhattan. The Wolves lost the West finals last year; the Pacers lost the East finals a year ago.
“You’ve got to have big dreams,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.
“You don’t know how often you’re going to be in this position.”
Indeed, the championship window for teams doesn’t seem to be staying open as long as it did in the past Boston was a huge favorite to win its second straight title; the Celtics didn’t get out of Round 2, in part because they couldn’t hold onto big leads and in part because Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles tendon in that series with the Knicks.
“Upset or not, whatever it is, we beat a great team,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson said. “They obviously lost a huge piece but they’re still a great team.”
Damian Lillard tore an Achilles tendon in Round 1, ending Milwaukee’s hopes. Cleveland, the top seed in the East, bowed out in Round 2 against Indiana after a slew of Cavs were dealing with health issues.
Stephen Curry strained his hamstring; that was all it took to doom Golden State’s chances in Round 2 against Minnesota.
“He’s our sun,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “This is a solar system. He’s our sun.” And now, the NBA solar system is about to see a new star holding the trophy
The next one
There is nobody left in these playoffs who has been an NBA Finals MVP Not even close.
In fact, there are only seven players left — Indiana’s Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith and Thomas Bryant; Knicks teammates P.J. Tucker, Cam Payne and Mikal Bridges; and Oklahoma City’s Alex Caruso — who have appeared in a Finals game. And most of those appearances didn’t add up to much; Siakam is the only player left in these playoffs with more than 100 Finals points.
So, who will the next Finals MVP
be? Maybe Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the Canadian guard and likely MVP from the Thunder? The “Mr Clutch” award winner Brunson from the Knicks? Anthony Edwards, the presumed next face of the league from the Timberwolves?
Tyrese Haliburton, the dazzling guard and Olympic gold medalist who keeps getting overlooked by everyone outside of Indiana?
None of them would be surprise choices.
“Our ultimate goal isn’t just the Western Conference finals,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “You’ve got
Young Thunder rolls into West finals with 125-93 rout
BY CLIFF BRUNT AP sportswriter
OKLAHOMA CITY The Oklahoma City Thunder grew up on Sunday Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 35 points, Jalen Williams added 24 and the Thunder rolled into the Western Conference finals, beating the Denver Nuggets 125-93 in Game 7. The top-seeded Thunder will host the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves starting Tuesday
It’s Oklahoma City’s first trip to the conference finals since 2016 Oklahoma City went a leaguebest 68-14 in the regular season, becoming the youngest team to win at least 60 games.
To back up their status as the league’s best, the Thunder had to get past three-time MVP Nikola
Jokic and a Denver squad that won the NBA title in 2023 and beat the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games in the first round this year.
Coach Mark Daigneault said his players handled the pressure well.
“There’s not many games, you wake up in the morning and you know that you’re going to remem-
ber the game for the rest of your life, and Game 7 is one of them,” he said. “To be able to focus through that and perform the way these guys did today was very impressive.”
Jokic had 20 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Nuggets. Aaron Gordon, a key player for Denver throughout the playoffs who hit the winner in Game 1 against the Thunder, started despite a strained left hamstring. He had eight points and 11 rebounds in 24 minutes.
“What he played with today, I don’t know many people that would even attempt to go out there and run up and down,” Nuggets interim coach David Adelman said.
“And he did it in Game 7 against Oklahoma City on the road. That was one of most incredible things I’ve ever seen He was extremely close to not playing. I was surprised.”
The Thunder fell behind by 11 in the first quarter, but took the lead early in the second. OKC outscored Denver 39-20 in the period to take a 60-46 lead at halftime. Gordon was called for a fla-
“There’s not many games, you wake up in the morning and you know that you’re going to remember the game for the rest of your life, and Game 7 is one of them. To be able to focus through that and perform the way these guys did today was very impressive.”
MARK DAIGNEAULT, Oklahoma City coach
grant-1 foul for elbowing GilgeousAlexander in the face early in the third quarter Gilgeous-Alexander made both free throws, and then Williams hit a short jumper to give Oklahoma City a 66-46 lead. Cason Wallace got loose on a fast break and dunked on Jokic to put the Thunder up 78-57. Oklahoma City cruised from there and now hopes to make another leap.
“We’re better now than we were at the beginning of the series, and it’s because of them,” Daigneault said. “They pushed us to the limit.”
to go through there to get there.”
Who has the edge?
If the NBA’s final four was its own league this season, taking just the head-to-head results between those four clubs would suggest the Thunder are the clear favorite. Oklahoma City went 6-2 against the other three conference finalists, while New York and Indiana both went 3-4 and Minnesota went 3-5. The Thunder swept the Pacers and Knicks, and the Pacers swept the Timberwolves.
As far as the head-to-heads going
into the conference finals, Oklahoma City and Minnesota split four meetings — with the Timberwolves outscoring the Thunder 475-472 while the Knicks went 2-1 against Indiana, with all three games decided by at least 11 points.
“You can feel good about it, feel however you want to feel about it,” Haliburton said of getting to this point. “But at the end of the day we’re not done. We know we all have a bigger goal at mind. Our goal wasn’t just to get to the Eastern Conference finals and be done. Our goal is to win a championship.”
Racial comments allegedly made against ex-LSU star
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
The WNBA is reportedly investigating allegations that fans directed racist comments toward former LSU star Angel Reese on Saturday during the Chicago Sky’s road game against the Indiana Fever On Sunday, the league addressed what it called “alleged hateful fan comments” in a statement that said it was “looking into” those allegations. Reports by Front Office Sports and the Indianapolis Star then confirmed that Reese was the target of the alleged remarks.
“The WNBA strongly condemns racism, hate, and discrimination in all forms,” the statement said. “They have no place in our league or in society We are aware of the allegations and are looking into the matter.”
The Sky began its season on Saturday with a 93-58 loss to the Fever On one third-quarter play, Fever star Caitlin Clark gave Reese a hard foul on a layup attempt, knocking the ball out of her possession and sending her to the floor Reese then hopped up and confronted Clark, starting a skirmish
that briefly paused the game. Officials reviewed the play, then upgraded Clark’s foul to a flagrant 1 and assessed technical fouls to Reese and Fever forward Aliyah Boston.
Reese called the foul a “basketball play” and said refs “got it right.” Clark said she was merely trying to prevent Reese from attempting a wide-open layup.
“Let’s not make it anything that it’s not,” Clark said. “It was just a good play on the basketball. I’m not sure what the refs saw to upgrade it. That’s up to their discretion.
“I wasn’t trying to do anything malicious. That’s not the type of player I am.”
The WNBA Players Association also weighed in on the reports that fans directed racial comments toward Reese during the game.
“The WNBPA is aware of reports of hateful comments at yesterday’s game in Indianapolis,” its statement said, “and supports the WNBA’s current investigation into this matter Such behavior is unacceptable in our sport. Under the WNBA’s ‘No Space for Hate’ policy, we trust the league to thoroughly investigate and take swift, appropriate action to ensure a safe and welcoming environment for all.”
On Saturday Reese scored a team-high 12 points. Clark notched 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in her third career triple-double, which is already tied for the third most in league history
Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese takes a shot during warmups before an exhibition game against the Brazil National Team on May 2 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SUE OGROCKI
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton, left, celebrates after scoring during the second half in Game 5 of an Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday in Cleveland.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KyLE PHILLIPS
Oklahoma City guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots over Denver’s Jamal Murray, left, and Christian Braun, in Game 7 of a Western Conference semifinals playoff series on Sunday in Oklahoma City
Phillies closer Alvarado suspended80games
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia Phillies closer José Alvarado was suspended for80games on Sunday following apositive test for external testosterone under Major League Baseball’sdrug-testing program. Alvarado, among the hardestthrowing relievers, became the second player suspended this year under the big league testing program afterAtlantaoutfielder Jurickson Profar Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the positive test was caused by a weightlossdrugAlvaradotook during the offseason. Dombrowski said Alvarado acceptedthe suspension and did not appeal.
“It’snot something he did knowingly,” Dombrowski said. “I believe that, the way he talked to me.” Barring rainouts that pushgames into later this season, Alvarado would be eligible to return on Aug. 19 against Seattle. Alvarado would lose $4.5 million, exactly half his $9 million salary this year,as partof a$22 million, three-year contract. Because of the suspension,he would be ineligible for postseason.
A29-year-old left-hander,Alvarado is 4-1 with a2.70ERA and seven saves in seven chances. His 99.6 mph four-seam fastball velocity ranks fifth among those who have thrown 250 or more pitches.
Alvarado is 19-26 witha3.40 ERA in 399 relief appearances and one start over ninemajor league seasons with Tampa Bay (2017-20) and the Phillies (2021-25). He has 52 saves in 68 appearances and appeared in 21 postseason games
LSU
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Besides LSU’sstrong metrics, the perception around the Tigers’ play throughout the second half of this season has been strong. They entered this week as the No. 1team in the country accordingtoevery poll and have won four of their last fiveseries in SEC play
There’s astrongargument to be made that ateam’sspotinthe NCAA Tournamentshouldbe based on merit alone. But since the selection committee ismade up of human beings and not robots, national perception and how well aprogram is playing lately playa big role in determining ateam like LSU’sfate as atop-eight seed. Brown’sstrongplayvs. righties
The sophomore outfielder started just one game this weekend, but Brown mashedthe ball when he got his opportunities to dig into the batter’sbox against South Carolina.
The Louisiana native went 5for 8with ahome run and twodoubles against the Gamecocks.Hecame off thebench on Thursday and Friday —both nights where South Carolina started aleft-hander on themound— before going3 for5 at the plate on Saturday Like with junior Ethan Frey against left-handers, Brownhas clearly found hisstroke versus righties.Trying to find playing time between thosetwo and senior Josh Pearson will be somethingto continue to monitor as LSU heads into the postseason. Given Pearson’splayoff history and experience,the Tigers will need all three of them to contribute in June in order to getto the College World Series
Evaluating LSU’stop pitchers
It wasn’taperfect series for LSU’stop arms. Sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson allowed just one earned run in 62/3 innings, but freshman right-hander Casan Evans, junior right-hander Zac Cowan and junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson struggled to varying degrees throughout the weekend Cowan was hit hardfor thethird
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Brave words, though it’s never agood sign for acoach to have to justify their ownexistence. Or try to convince anyone that things are going well. Overall, this was agood if not ultimately great season for LSU, going 42-16 and earning aNo. 10 nationalseed. But there is aperception that the gap between LSU and the top shelf programs in the country has grown. The addition of powerhouse softball programs like Oklahoma and Texas tothe SoutheasternConferencehasn’t
over thelast three seasons.
HoustonAstros
WESNESKI SETFOR SEASON-ENDINGTOM-
MY JOHN ELBOW SURGERY: Houston Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski is set to undergo Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery, likely sidelining him until late in the2026 season Wesneski went on the 15-day injured list with rightelbow discomfort on May 9, three days after allowing four runs over fourinnings in a4-3 loss at Milwaukee. The
27-year-oldwas 1-3witha 4.50ERA. Wesneski joinedthe Astros along with Isaac Paredes and Cam Smith in the offseason trade that sent Kyle Tucker to theChicagoCubs. He has28starts among74appearances over four big league seasons.
TheAstros, whoannounced the diagnosisafter Sunday’s4-3 winover the Texas Rangers, skipped Wesneski for aturn in their rotation before the start against the Brewers.
Wesneski said he will stay in the Dallas area for surgery,hopingto have it thisweek.Texas Rangers
time in three weeks on Thursday, allowing threeearnedrunsand four hitsin12/3 innings.Healso walked abatter and hit another before allowing the walk-off run to score on awild pitch in the ninth inning.
LSU had atwo-run lead in the eighth when heentered the game.
“I don’tknow if they were mistake pitches or they put good swings on it,”LSU coach Jay Johnsonsaid,“butyou’vegot to give them credit.”
Evans and Eyanson didn’tscufflenearly asmuch, but neither were at their sharpest against the Gamecocks.
Evans walked abatter and barely threw morethan half of his 27 pitches for strikes on Friday, and Eyanson admitted on Saturday that he didn’thave his best stuff, eventhough he only gave up two earned runs.
Eyanson walkedthree batters andonlyhad five strikeouts against thelowly Gamecocks.
“I was waiting for an outing like that to happen where Ididn’thave
helpedthat onebit Neither does losing two regional gamestoSLU,4-3 and 8-7. It must be said that pinning theentire weekendonwhat LSUdidn’tdo and not crediting SLU for what it diddoisadisservice to the Lions. SLUwon 50 games this season andkeptrelentless pressure on theTigers in bothgames it won at Tiger Park this weekend. The Lionswere lowballed as aregional No.4seed But LSU is the state’spremier program. The biggest budget, the best facilities. The news conference was held in LSU’sconverted coveredbatting cages, across a smalloutfieldwalkway from Tiger Park’simpressive performance
my best stuff and just had to mentally grind,” Eyanson said. Thetop of theorder gets going LSU’sattack is at its best when freshman Derek Curiel, junior Daniel Dickinson and junior Jared Jones are clicking on all cylinders. And that was on display this weekend, especially on Saturday It was abig weekend for Dickinson and Jones.Jones went 6for 13 withthree home runs, moving to thirdonLSU’sall-time homers list on Friday. Dickinson was5 for12 and blasted ahomer on Thursday and Saturday Curiel,LSU’s leadoffhitter, joined theparty on Saturday after going 0for 8with awalk through the first two games of theseries. He bounced back with a3for 5 performance in the series finale.
“I just tuned some things up, madesome adjustmentsmentally,” Curiel said, “and justlocked back into my plan and just had fun.
Email Koki Rileyat Koki.Riley@theadvocate.com.
center,the biggest facility of its kind in the SEC. It almost doesn’t require mentioning, but obviously SLU doesn’thave anything like thatinHammond. In theend, SLUwas no match for regional No. 2seed Nebraska, losing 14-1 Saturday and 8-0 Sunday to theCornhuskers in theLSU-lessregional final at LSU. If anything, theLions saved LSUfrom getting squelched by Nebraska and its amazing Jordy Bahl, who has to be thedeadliest dual-threat player in thenation. The Cornhuskers moved on from here to face Tennessee in asuper regional in Knoxville. Should LSUmove on from Torina? The idea is absurd. Yes,
Houston Astros in right field. Manager Bruce Bochy said he expects Carter to be sidelined abouttwo weekswithaquad strain. The22-year-old waslimited to 45 games by aback injury in what was supposed to be his first full big league season last year LosAngeles Dodgers
TAYLOR RELEASED BY DODGERS,WHO
OWEHIM $13.4MILLION: Chris Taylor was released by the LosAngelesDodgers on Sundaytoclear a roster spot forutilitymanTommy Edman, who wasactivated off the injured list and wasinthe starting lineup forthe series finale against the Los Angeles Angels.
Taylor, who played all three outfield spots andsecond base this season, is owed $13,435,484 from a $60 million,four-year contract he agreed to ahead of the 2022 season. He is duethe remaining$9,435,484 of his $13 million salary this season and a$4million buyout of a 2026 club option.
RANGERS PLACE OF CARTER ON IL WITH QUAD STRAIN: TheTexas Rangers placed outfielder Evan Carter on the 10-day injured list Sunday, aday after he was alate scratch with aright quadriceps injury Outfielder Kevin Pillar was activatedfromthe injured list after being sidelined twoweeks by lower back inflammation. Pillar was in thelineup Sundayagainst the
REGIONAL
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school-record23rdhomer and fourth of the series in the Huskers’ leadoff at-bat. Samantha Bland added three hits and four runs batted in.
The No. 2-seeded Cornhuskers (42-13) wonall three regional games via themercy rule and will move on to play at Tennesseeinthe super regional round next weekend.
SLU couldn’trecreate the magic they had against LSU. Brilee Ford gotthe only hiton an infield single in the fifth inning after Bahl hadretiredthe first 13 hitters.
“This season has been likea movie,” said Lions shortstop Chloe Magee. “Every year you try to make it here and not being at amajor D1 (school) it’sa little bit harder just because of the road youhavetogotoget here.Wenever let that be an excuse. We showed up every day and played great ball.
“It’saresult of great coaching, great teammates and great chemistry.Iwish we could have gone further but I’matpeace with where we’re at.Itwas a fun year.”
Taylor, who turns 35 in August, wasthe longest-tenured position player on therosterafter backup catcherAustinBarneswas designated for assignment on Wednesday ChicagoWhite Sox
CHICAGO ARCHDIOCESE TO CELEBRATE POPE LEOXIV WITH MASS AT RATE FIELD: TheArchdiocese of Chicago will celebrate the historic election of Chicago-born Pope LeoXIV on June 14 at Rate Field, homeofthe Chicago White Sox. The program will include music, film,in-person testimonials and prayer.ACatholic Mass will be celebrated afterward.
Said Ford: “We’re just one big family.Asmuch as we’re together,wereally don’tfight that much. As faraswe’ve come together,I’m proud of everysingle one of us.”
Nebraska tied for second in the Big 10 with a17-5league mark but won 10 of their last 12 games.
“Wecame together last July and it literally has beenevery single day,” Nebraska coach Rhonda Revelle said. “You can get your adrenaline pumping and all the things competitors do butthere’s arealpeace knowing everyday this team hasinvested themselves.”
The Huskers could be trouble as the NCAA Tournament moves to the round of 16. Bahl, who pitched Oklahomatotwo national titles before transferring to her home state university in the offseason, hitfourhomersinthe regional and became only the fifth playerinNCAAhistory to hit at least 20 homers andhave at least 20 wins in the circle. Generally considered one of thetop three pitchersin the country,Bahl will face off against one of the other two, Tennessee’sCarlyn Pickens. The Huskers tied forsecond in theBig 10 regular season standings.
By MICHAEL JOHNSON
ShelbyMorris tries to beat the throwtofirst after laying down abunt against Nebraskainthe first inning of their regional championshipgame on Sunday at TigerPark
softball and men’s basketball are theonly twoofLSU’s big seven programs(football, men’s and women’sbasketball, baseball, gymnastics, softball, track and field) not to winanational title since 2019. But that’satough standard. And if LSU athletic director Scott Woodward was willing to give men’s basketball coach MattMcMahon another chance this coming season, you would definitely expect Torina to get thesame consideration. She’sled LSUtoNCAA play every season (notournament in 2020 because of the pandemic) and over 500 wins. She’swell-liked within the athletic department and has led ascandal-free program.That it
would take acouple of million dollars to buy out Torina and her staffisprobably aconsideration as well. Clearly,though, LSU softball should strive to be better.More competitive. Winchampionships again. The Tigers will need the meanstogoand get somebetter players in the transfer portal, namely apower hitter or two, before the 2026 season arrives. Torina madeadefinitive statementthat improvement will come. That LSU won’t be in this position again. Surely she’s earned achance to prove that she can get the program there, just as surely as she knowswhat may happen if she does not.
STAFFPHOTO
Southeasterninfielder
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU pitcher Casan Evans reacts after apitch against Arkansas in the first inning of their game on May1atAlex Box Stadium.
José Alvaradoofthe Philadelphia Phillies throws apitch during the eighth inning of agame against the St. Louis Cardinals on WednesdayinPhiladelphia.
Team Penske has miserable Indy 500 day
BY JENNA FRYER AP auto racing writer
INDIANAPOLIS The only laps twotime defending Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden turned during qualifying Sunday were on foot after Team Penske was disqualified from making a run at the pole.
Scott McLaughlin crashed, Newgarden and Will Power failed inspection, and the three Penske drivers who swept the front row for last year’s 500 will now start in the fourth row It was a devastating blow to the team owned by Roger Penske, who also owns IndyCar, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500, which he has won a record 20 times
The day got off to a horrible start when McLaughlin, last year’s polesitter, crashed in morning practice and Team Penske decided it wouldn’t even bother sending him out for the fast 12 shootout and just accept the 12th starting spot in the field.
Then, moments before the shootout began, rival team owner Chip Ganassi was among a chorus of competitors who accused Team Penske of cheating Others said they noticed the modification during Saturday’s first day of qualifying.
Right after Ganassi was seen complaining to a Penske executive, the cars for Newgarden and Power returned to the garage. IndyCar announced the two cars had failed inspection and would not be allowed to qualify
IndyCar technical director Kevin Blanch said Newgarden’s and Power’s cars had “a body fit violation on the rear attenuator.” It is assumed that the modification was an attempt to gain an aerodynamic advantage.
The rear attenuator is a safety device designed to absorb and reduce the force of impacts. It is a spec part that is not allowed to be modified. Team Penske filled a seam to close off airflow over the attenuator in an attempt to reduce drag which could potentially improve straight-line speed.
Tim Cindric, president of Penske’s IndyCar program, said Power passed inspection but officials flagged Newgarden’s car. He also said the modification was not on McLaughlin’s car
“It was a bit of randomness internally there that we need to sort out,” Cindric said. He said IndyCar initially was going to allow modifications and Team Penske crew members were seen on pit road making adjustments.
But, Cindric acknowledged that modifications are not permitted after inspection and he also understood if other teams complained about the Penske cars.
“It’s a shame we didn’t give our guys a chance to go for it,” Cindric said.
Newgarden, who is trying to become the first driver in 109 years to win three consecutive Indy 500s, was a contender to win the pole and was seen running off his anger in the infield of the speedway as another qualifying session roared on around him.
The punishment meant that the front row from last year will now start side-by-side-by-side in the fourth row in 10th, 11th and 12th. A year ago, Team Penske was caught in a push-to-pass scandal in which Newgarden was found to have access to the additional boost of horsepower when he should not have. He was stripped of his season-opening victory and Penske suspended Cindric for two races, which included the Indy 500. Also suspended was team managing director Ron Ruzewski, Newgarden engineer Luke Mason and senior data engineer Robbie Atkinson.
The fast 12 was also reduced to just nine cars attempting to advance to the final qualifying round, when six drivers compete for the pole for the May 25 race. The six to advance were Felix Rosenqvist, Pato O’Ward, rookie Robert Shwartzman, Scott Dixon, Alex Palou and Takuma Sato.
Italian Open organizers want to make tourney a 5th Grand Slam
BY ANDREW DAMPF AP sportswriter
ROME Top-ranked Jannik Sinner is dominating men’s tennis and Italy swept both the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup team titles last year
Jasmine Paolini just became the first home player to win the Italian Open in 40 years and is about to move up to No 4 in the women’s rankings. Players like Lorenzo Musetti, Federico Cinà and Tyra Caterina Grant provide the potential for Italy to dominate tennis for years to come. Still, Italian Tennis and Padel Federation president Angelo Binaghi wants more. Much more.
Binaghi has the grandiose aim to make the Italian Open a fifth Grand Slam tournament alongside the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and U.S. Open — upending a century of tennis history
“In what other part of society is there a monopoly that lasts for more than 100 years?” Binaghi said Sunday, the final day of the Italian Open. “Why are there always four and always the same four? It’s absolutely unfair and doesn’t help tennis grow.”
The Italian Open is a Masters Series event that is one rung below the Slams in the hierarchy of tennis tournaments. But the event at the Foro Italico now runs for two weeks like the majors and is booming thanks to the successes of Sinner, Paolini and
many other Italian players.
Italy has also hosted the ATP Finals in Turin since 2021 and recently extended its hosting contract for the year-ending tournament featuring the top eight men’s players through 2030. Also, the Davis Cup Final 8 will begin a three-year run in Italy this November, starting in Bologna.
“We’re now the world champion both on the court and at the organizational level,” Binaghi said.
Earlier this year, Binaghi expressed interest in acquiring the license for the Madrid Open, which immediately precedes Rome in the tennis calendar The idea was that eliminating Madrid and making Rome bigger could constitute a fifth Slam.
“We need to be attentive on the international market and try to take advantage of every opportunity that arises, from the smallest ATP 250 all the way up to the biggest tournaments,” Binaghi said.
Tournaments in Indian Wells, California, and Miami have also been mentioned as possible fifth Slams.
“I mean, it would be great for me, because I’m trying to win one,” said Alexander Zverev, a two-time Rome champion, when asked about the possibility earlier this year “Is it possible to make one? Yeah, for sure. Is it going to be seen as a Grand Slam by everyone — by the media, by the players? I don’t know.” Added former Wimbledon and U.S. Open finalist Ons Jabeur, “We
need to improve the structure we have right now more than to have a fifth Grand Slam. I feel like we can do much better things with the four Grand Slams we have and do better for players for media, and for everyone else around it.”
A request for comment sent to the Grand Slam board, which represents the four majors, was not immediately answered.
Retractable Roof
After years of delays, organizers announced new plans to build a retractable roof over the Italian Open’s main stadium, Campo Centrale. At a cost of 60 million euros ($67 million), the roof is slated to be ready for the 2028 tournament and will also result in 2,000 extra seats being added — increasing the capacity to 12,500.
Larger grounds
For this year’s tournament, the event grounds at the Foro Italico were increased from 12 to 20 hectares (30 to 50 acres) and another statue-lined competition arena was added. The Stadio dei Marmi hosted three courts: a 3,000-seat arena and two courts each featuring seating for 800. The 3,000-seat arena became the tournament’s third-largest show court after Campo Centrale and the Grand Stand Arena, making the Pietrangeli court — which also features an array of statues the fourth largest.
NHL’s final four has a familiar feel
BY STEPHEN WHYNO AP hockey writer
The NHL playoff field included some unexpected entrants, and the first two rounds featured some surprises and a handful of upsets.
Yet as things stand right now with the conference finals beginning Tuesday night, the teams still in contention for the Stanley Cup are a familiar mix of those who have been fighting for it the past few years.
The West final is a rematch of this same round last year with the Dallas Stars facing the Edmonton Oilers. The Carolina Hurricanes are in the East final for a second time in three years, awaiting their opponent from the winner of Game 7 between Florida and Toronto on Sunday night.
“We’ve already been in a conference final, and we know what’s going to happen there,” said Carolina’s Andrei Svechnikov, whose eight goals are second in the postseason to only Mikko Rantanen.
“It’s not going to be easy there.”
Nothing is easy this time of year But some team is eight wins — the Panthers and Maple Leafs nine away from hoisting the Cup.
Carolina vs. Toronto or Florida
GAME 1: Tuesday at Carolina if the Panthers win or at Toronto if the Leafs win (7 p.m., TNT)
Oddsmakers had the Hurricanes among the championship favorites going into the playoffs, in part because their path included an opening series against New Jersey without best player Jack Hughes. They were also favored to beat Washington, then suffocated the Capitals to finish it out in five games.
“You hope it’s a value,” coach Rod Brind’Amour said of playing just 10 games through two rounds and getting time off to heal. “There definitely is something to that.”
There is also something to Carolina being overlooked each year, dogged by a string of disappointing exits. But this team is one Igor Shesterkin goaltending showcase away from being in the East final for a third spring in a row
The Hurricanes have allowed the fewest goals a game in the playoffs, thanks to Frederik Andersen’s play in net and a penalty kill clicking at a top-ranked 93.3%. Their first line of Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis has also been stellar But they’ve also played with a bit of a chip on their shoulder without names-on-the-marquee star power “I don’t know if this team gets maligned or this and that because we don’t have an (Alex) Ovechkin: We don’t have the
greatest goal scorer of all time,” Brind’Amour said. “And we don’t have a (Nathan) MacKinnon or all these superstar kind of players. We have a little different mix, and we think we do have those kind of players — they just do it a little differently. Every team counts on all their players, but I think we definitely need everyone to contribute, and that’s what you’re getting right now.”
The defending champion Panthers did not face Carolina on the way to the title last year, but they did in the East final in 2023, winning that series in a sweep before getting beaten by the Golden Knights. The most recent time Toronto got this far in the playoffs was 2002 — also against the Hurricanes, who won to advance to that franchise’s first Cup final before losing to Hall of Famerstacked Detroit.
Dallas vs. Edmonton GAME 1: Wednesday at Dallas (7 p.m., ESPN) Katy Perry was scheduled to be on tour at the Stars’ arena on Wednesday night. Instead, it will be Corey Perry and the Oilers. Edmonton has rolled since opening the playoffs with a pair of losses at Los Angeles, getting back to the third round thanks to an unlikely combination of defense and goaltending. And, oh yeah, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have combined for 33 points, too. No big deal.
The Oilers won the West final last year in six games, with Stuart Skinner putting up a 1.91 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage and the Stars’ Jake Oettinger a 2.56 and .901. Oettinger has been a rock this playoffs to get Dallas through Colorado and Winnipeg and now has the chance to show he can carry a team into the final.
“The guys that hadn’t had any experience, we have all the experience in the world now,” Oettinger said. “It’s up to us as a group to take that next step, and I think we should feel great about what we’ve done with the adversity we’ve faced. I think our best hockey is yet to come.”
Peter DeBoer has now coached a team into the third round for the sixth time in seven years. He was fired twice in that span, once each by San Jose and Vegas.
To play for the Stanley Cup that has eluded him, the Stars need to flip the script on the Oilers, with McDavid and Draisaitl also motivated 11 months since falling one game short of hockey’s hallowed trophy
“You’ve got two hungry teams that have been really close and haven’t gotten there yet,” DeBoer said. “It’s going to be a battle of wills here.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL CONROy
Italy’s Jannik Sinner, left, plays Norway’s Casper Ruud during their Italian Open quarterfinal match on Thursday at the Foro Italico in Rome.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALESSANDRA TARANTINO
Italy’s Jannik Sinner, left, plays Norway’s Casper Ruud during their quarterfinal tennis match at the Italian Open, at the Foro Italico on Thursday in Rome.
Assessing your outstanding balances, selecting adebtpayoff strategy,and formulating agame plan aregoodstarting points forgetting out of debt once and for all.
STAYING AFLOAT
SWIM YOUR WAYOUT OF DEBT WITHTHESE PROVEN STRATEGIES
BY AMY SORTER | Bankrate.com (TNS)
Getting rid of debt is agoal many Americans have. Not only does eliminating debt improve your financial health, but it is also likely to have apositive impact on your mental health. Assessing your outstanding balances, selecting adebt payoff strategy,and formulating agame plan are good startingpoints for getting out of debt once and for all.
Once youhave aclear view of what you owe, you take steps to start making progress and pay down your balances.You can usethe followingtipstoget out of debt 1. Re-examine spending habits
Your spending should bedivided between need to have and nice to have. “Need to have” refers to essentialnecessities, including food, shelter,utilities,transportation and clothing.“Nice to have” is everything else.
While whittling down your debt, you can’tslack offonyour “need-to-have” expenditures. Butyou can decreaseyour “nice-to-have” spending and usethat extra toward payingdown acredit card or loan balance.
BR Mexicanrestaurantreleaseslimited-edition
BYLAURENCHERAMIE
Staff writer
When someone has afavorite restaurant, sometimes the love knows no bounds.
Such is the case for those who get their hands on the new fashion statement from Zippy’sBurritos, Tacos and More: custom Zippy’sCrocs.
The Baton Rouge restaurant posted on socialmedia
Wednesday to inform customers that they can “step into Zippy’sstyle” with special Crocs, complete with exclusivejibbitz —small, interchangeableshoecharms that can be inserted into the holes ofCrocs shoes. Four jibbitz are available, including apurpleLouisiana map withastar on Baton Rouge, the iconic marquee sign with the text“Igot
my hangoveratZippy’s,”a replica of theZippy’sStyrofoam cup and the70808 zip code. The shoeitself is red withwhite peppers and the Zippy’s logoatthe toe. The black strap also includes the Zippy’slogo. “These limited-edition beauties are $75 and guaranteed to turn heads (and start convos),” the post states.
What is meant by cognitive reserve?
Cognitive reserve is the mind’sresistance to damage the brain.
It is an evidence-based idea, proposed by Columbia University neuropsychologist Dr Yaakov Stern in the mid-1990s, which described individuals with no apparent symptoms of dementia whowere nonetheless found at autopsy to have brains consistent with advanced Alzheimer’sdisease. They found that these individuals did not show symptomsof the disease while they were alive because they had had large enough cognitive reserves to offset damage and continue to function as usual. Essentially,individuals can develop areserve of thinking abilities during their lives, which protect them against losses that can occur through aging and dementia.
Research has shownthat individuals with greater cognitive reserve are better able to stave off degenerative brain changes associated with Alzheimer’sorother dementias. Lifetime exposures to educational and occupational attainments and leisure activities later in lifecan increase reserve. For example, studies have shownthat there is areduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease in individuals with higher educational or occupational achievements.
It is never too late to build acognitive reserve. Early exposures to enriched environments provide the strongest effects, but leisure activities in older adulthood can also increase the reserve. Activities that engage the brain such as reading, learning anew language, visiting with friends and family,going to movies and restaurants, and attending community social events are all strongly related to gains in cognitive reserve and a reduced risk of dementia. It is important to note that it is cumulative behavior changes across all aspects of health (physical, cognitive and social) that promote cognitive reserve. Physical activity plays an important role in building cognitive reserve. Adiverse aerobic program builds fitness, strength, balance training and increased flexibility.Research has shownthat amulticomponent exercise program that combined aerobic, strength and balance training in older adults with mild cognitive impairment demonstrated improved memory.
Zippy’s Burritos, Tacosand More in Baton Rouge has released custom Crocs
Cognitive skills are not fixed. On the contrary,atall ages the brain has the ability to respond to new information and new stimuli, to seek out and embrace things that challenge the brain. Individuals should engage their minds outside established domains, meaning that if they always worked crossword puzzles, they should try something outside their realm Other examples of
DREAMSTIME/TNS IMAGE
Dustysmellstriggered by 2-nonenalcompound
Dear Doctors: Iama 74-year-old man with asomewhat embarrassing question. My grandson recently asked me why Ismell dusty.I’ve heard about “old personsmell,” but always thought Iwould know if Ihad it. What causes it? Ihave good hygiene. Why doesn’tthat prevent it?
Dear Reader: Whetherit’sbad breath, perspiration or anyother scents our bodies produce, the standards of modern hygiene demand that they be eliminated The when and why of this has its roots in the late 19th century, when advances in plumbing and the science of hygiene (boosted by aggressive advertising by soap manufacturers)introduced the ideaofthe daily bath. Today,wehave moved far beyond simply staying clean. People of all agesare expected
Dr.Elizabeth Ko Dr.Eve Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS
to erase any trace of bodily odor
Unfortunately,asthe interaction with your grandson shows, even aslight shift from that olfactory net zero cancauseembarrassment
Thescentyou are asking about is believed to be triggered by a compoundknown as 2-nonenal. It has been variouslydescribed as smelling musty,grassy,greasy or dusty. Its presence on thebody is not related to poor hygiene.
‘Appreciation week’for school staff irks parent
Dear Miss Manners: My child’s school is having astaff appreciation week, which isn’tabad idea, given the effort they put in and how they enhance our kids’ lives. Whatstrikes me as extremely gauche,however,isthat it’s organized and run by the school, while asking parents to contribute.
This seems like the kind of thing that parents should organize if they want to, rather than being pressured into it by the school. If the administration wants to do it themselves, then they should fund it. Instead, here is what we are told to do:
First day: Send kind words/thanks.
in procuringwhatever school supplies the staff needs.
But you should also learn from your distasteabout thereminders: Alert other parents, but do not pressurethem.Miss Manners cautionsyou that you do not know their financial situations,even if youthink you do.
Rather,2-nonenal is abyproduct of chemical changes that occur in certain fats present in theskin. To understand how this happens, we need to dip intobiochemistry The creation of 2-nonenal begins withchemical compounds called omega-7 unsaturated fatty acids. Human skin produces several types of these, the most abundant of which is palmitoleic acid. It is central to the skin’sability to act as aprotectivebarrier and plays arole in wound healing. Aprocess known as oxidation can cause abreakdown in certain chemical bonds in palmitoleic acid. When this occurs, one of the byproductsis2-nonenal.
Due to age-related changes that occur in the skin, older adults can often begin to produce larger amounts of 2-nonenal. The chemical structure of this compound
causes it to evaporate readily at room temperature. That means 2-nonenal emits its characteristic scent not onlywhen present on theskin, but also in the air around theperson whose skin is producing it. Andbecause 2-nonenal is a fatty acid, it is not water-soluble. This means that unlike sweat, which is water-based, it is not easily washed away with soap and water.Even forpeople who practice diligent hygiene, the dustyormusty scent of 2-nonenal can persist. Because 2-nonenal can become embedded in fabrics, it can be helpful to washclothing and bedding with detergents that are specially formulated to removegrease. Keeping rooms well-ventilated can help diminish thescent of the compounds that have become aerosolized.
Some claims have been made thatthe tannins present in persimmon-basedsoaps can successfully remove 2-nonenal from the skin. However,the evidence in thatregardisstrictly anecdotal. As forbeing unaware of this change in your personal scent, it is due something knownas sensory adaptation. It occurs because, in order to remain alert for important new information, our brains begin filter out the familiar.Ithappens to all of us, and is not acause foralarm
Sendyour questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla edu, or write: Ask theDoctors, c/oUCLA HealthSciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd.,Suite1450, Los Angeles CA, 90024.
Apowdery solution to stuckkey locks
as you suggested. —E.J.R., in Laguna Hills, California
Shredded paper
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
Second day: Send sugary treats.
Third day: Buy something from their wish lists.
Fourth day: Staff get aspecial Mexican luncheon while parents coverclassroom duties. (Keep in mind, students have been trying for months to get the qualityof food in the cafeteria improved, while the staff claims there is no need.)
Fifth day: Send ateacher’sfavoritesnacks and drinks tostock their fridge. It comes across like, “Hey, aren’twegreat? Buy us stuff and tell us how great we are!” And they send reminders EVERY DAY. Tacky Do teachers and school staff deserve nice things? Yep. Butthis is not the way to go about it,inmy opinion.
Gentle reader: Then why haven’t you organized the parentstoshow your appreciation for the staff in aproper fashion?
Youneedn’tdoitwith sugary treats —or, for that matter,useless apple-themed objects. Letters of thanks, by all means. Bonuses, if possible. And assistance
Continued from page1C
Cancelthatgym membership. Cut back on meals out or the daily coffeeshop visits. Get rid of that streaming subscription you don’t use. Eliminating a$15-per-month streaming subscription gives you an extra $180 ayear,which you can dedicate to debt.
2. Determinethe rightapproach
The common approaches to paying down debt are snowball and avalanche.
DEBT SNOWBALL —SMALLEST FIRST Through the debt snowball strategy,you make minimum payments on all credit accounts and loans— except for the account withthe smallestbalance, where youput all extra dollars. Once you’vepaid that balance, turn to the account with the next-smallest balance and work on that. Continue this approach until your debtisgone.
As you pay off balances, the amount available to pay offdebt “snowballs”into alarger sum,allowing you to pay accounts down more quickly
The snowball strategy’smain benefit is thequick wins. Seeing a credit card balance at zero within afew months can motivate you to continue.But while you’re paying off smaller amounts, yourhigherinterest-rate accountbalances continue to grow,making this method potentially costlier
DEBT AVALANCHE —STARTINGBIG
With the debt avalanche strategy,you make minimumpayments to all accounts. Your primary focus
Dear Miss Manners: Ihosted arelativeover the winter
While in my home, she complained about my furniture being uncomfortable, and wanted me to purchase at least afew piecesinwhich she could sit comfortably
There were manyways in which Iaccommodated her. Forinstance, she complainedthe mattress was uncomfortable, so Ipurchasedafoam padtoadd to themattress. She complained thebedroom was too hot, so Ipurchased atable fan for her. She particularly complained aboutthe dining room chairs during meals, but Idid not think a larger chair would have worked at thetable. (I have avery small eatingarea.)
WasIwrong forrefusing to purchaseadditional furniture for her?
Gentle reader: Instead of buying her ahouse she might like better?
Miss Mannersneednot be reminded that oneshould make one’sguestscomfortable. But there are limits. And there is an equal obligation for houseguests to do their best to put up with what they find
Youwould havebeen justified in apologizing that you were unable to adjust your entire house to makeher comfortable, and to offer to identify ahotel that could do so forthe rest of her stay
Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite,www missmanners.com.
andall extra money go to thehighest interest-rate balance. Once the balance reaches zero, concentrate on the card or loan with the nexthighest interest rate andwhittle that down.
The debt avalanche approach eliminates themostexpensive debts first,which helps yousave on interestpayments. However,this strategy requiresmotivation and perseverance. Your higher-interest-rate accountscould also be the largest balance accounts, which generally take longer to pay off.
3. Go beyond theminimum
Paying morethan the minimum on acreditcard or loan means the account hits azerobalance faster, andyou can saveinterestonthe outstanding balance. For example, consider acredit card with a$5,000 at a20percent interest rate. Even a small bumpinthe monthly payment you make can shave significant time offyour repayment period (and save you hundreds in interest).
Paying more than theminimum can also lower your credit utilization ratio. This percentage representshow much credityou use relativetohow much you have. A lower utilization ratio improves your creditscore.
Bankrate’scredit card payoff calculator can help you determine minimum payment amounts, inter-
Dear Heloise: R.J., of New Orleans, wrote about astuck key lock. Home improvement stores sell small tubes of powdered graphite that have atiny nozzle to fit into theoffending lock. Ashort squeeze or two pumps of powdered graphite into thelock, and voilà! Problem solved. No more having toshave lead pencils and trying to blow graphiteintothe offending lock
By The Associated Press
Valley,Arizona
Happyplanting
Dear Heloise: M.K. said they put their shredded paper in abox and put it out on recycling day Shredded paper is not acceptable forrecycling! It maybeused in gardens that are mixed with soil or compost, used in packing fragile items, or put in the trash. So many sources exist forrecycling. Everyone must learn what can and cannot be recycled. If in doubt,throw it out! —Judy A., Green
TODAYINHISTORY
Today is Monday,May 19, the 139th day of 2025. There are 226 days left in theyear
Todayinhistory: On May 19, 1920, 10 people were killed in agunbattle between coal miners, who were led by alocal police chief, and a group of privatesecurity guards hired to evict them for joining a union in Matewan, West Virginia.
On this date: In 1536, Anne Boleyn,the second wife of England’sKing Henry VIII, was beheaded at the Tower of London after being convicted of adultery
RESERVE
Continuedfrom page1C
developing cognitive reserve include changing routes while going to regular venues, such as grocery shopping or toafaith establishment. Using thenon-dominant hand for activities such as eating or brushing teeth are challenging practices and can help
est accrual and how long it takes to pay off abalance.
4. Earmarkextrastobalances
Reducing spending is one way to generateextra cash.You canalso use unexpected amounts, large and small, toward getting out of debt where you can.
USING THE WINDFALL
If you’ve received awindfall like alarge cash infusion from atax return, work bonus or moneyfrom agenerous relative, put some of it towardthe debt you owe and keep alittle to treat yourself to anight out or other fun activity.Every little bit helps when working toward your debt-payoff goals.
GENERATE SMALL SAVINGS
Youcan also make adent in debt with thedebtsnowflakestrategy. This methodrequires you to find small savings anddirect those littleextras toward debt. Thereare plentyofways to do this,like:
n Buying generic products.
n Using coupons for purchases.
n Carpooling to save on gas.
n Limiting water and electricity usage. Afew dollars aweek won’tclear yourdebtovernight, but small savings can help reduce what you owe and help you move towarddebt freedom more quickly
5. Debt consolidationmethods Using adebtconsolidation loan or transferring what youowe to a 0percentAPR creditcard is one way to handle your debt. Both of these methods let you pay off multiple creditors andlenders, leaving youwith asingle monthly fee that goes toward thebalance of the loan or card.
In 1883, William Cody held the first of his “Buffalo Bill’sWild West” shows in Omaha, Nebraska.
In 1921, President Warren G. Harding signed the Emergency Quota Act, which established national quotas forimmigrants.
In 1943, British Prime MinisterWinston Churchill met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt at the White House, where the two leaders agreed on May1,1944, as the date forthe D-Dayinvasion of France (expansion plans forthe invasion caused thedate of thelanding to be delayed by amonth).
In 1962, film star Marilyn Monroe sang “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy
Dear Readers: In many parts of the country,people are getting their gardens in shape forspring planting. If you’re planting something new that you haven’tused before, you can go online, type in the nameofthe plant, and get instructions on the do’sand don’ts of that particular item.Happy planting! —Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@heloise com.
during aDemocratic fundraiser at NewYork’sMadison Square Garden. In 2018, Britain’sPrince Harry wedAmerican actor Meghan Markle in St. George’sChapel at Windsor Castle. Today’sbirthdays: TV personality David Hartman is 90. Musiciancomposer Pete Townshend (The Who) is 80. Singer-actor Grace Jones is 77. Former racing driver Dario Franchitti is 52. Basketball Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett is 49. Country musician-producer Shooter Jennings is 46. Comedianactor Michael Che is 42. Singer Sam Smith is 33. Media personality-singer JoJo Siwa is 22.
preserve mental capacity.Examining problemsfrom different perspectives and changing pointsofview will also exercise thebrain.The internet is full of various websites that offer video lectures and courses that can flex mental muscles. Traveling to new places, exploring personal strengths and weaknesses, expanding on existing talents, and learning anew hobby or learning to play anew musical instrument are all waysthat not only build mental and physical capacities, but also develop cognitive reserve.
This approach can makebudgeting easier (you’re eliminating multiple payments forone). Youcould also find yourself with morefunds to makethat payment, as you’ve eliminated multiple credit card and lender interest rates.
However,pay attention to information like interest rates and loan terms (i.e., origination fees and thetime you have to repay) before signing on thedotted line.
6. Debt managementplan
Adebt management plan (DMP) canhelp you in the following ways:
n Youwork with acredit counselingagency to develop abudget to manage your finances.
n That agency works with creditors to negotiate concessions like fee waivers or reduced interest rates.
n If thecreditors agree to cooperate,you makeone monthly payment to thecredit counseling agency,which pays each creditor There are acouple of caveats here. First, reputable DMP agencies are nonprofit, but you’ll likely pay afee attached to your monthly payments.
Second, it’snot agood idea to open newlinesofcredit or take out loans while on the plan. You’re using theDMP to pay off debt, not accrue more. Also, if you recently entered aDMP (which might be reflected on your credit report), lenders and creditors might be reluctant to give you aloan or credit card. Those that do might only offer ratesfor bad credit, which meansahigher annual percentage rate(APR) or fee.
7. Settle forlessthanwhat’sowed Adebtsettlement program
Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’sDisease.” She hosts “The Memory Whisperer.” Email her at thememorywhisperer@gmail. com.
means contacting creditors to settle forless than what you owe. Youcan either do thejob yourself or go through athird-party debt relief company that negotiates with creditors on your behalf.Dependingonthe termsof the agreement, you could end up paying less than whatyou oweor see your interest rates and fees reduced or waived.
“Debtsettlementisbeneficial to many,but thatdoesn’tmean it’sthe right option for everyone,” says AdemSelita, co-founder of The Debt Relief Company.“It’snot as innocuous as adebt consolidation loan, but it’snot as harmful as a bankruptcy.Intermsofimpact, there aren’tmany other options that can help you get out of debt quicker and save you moremoney than debt settlement. However [you] could be liable for tax payments, and your credit score could be negatively affected.”
If youchoosetopursue debt settlementonyour own, youwill need to be prepared to negotiate directly with creditors andpay a set amount toward your debt. A debt settlement program can simplify thisprocess —atthe expense of added fees.
Bottom line
Although it takes diligence and consistency, getting outofdebt is possible. Following the above strategies can help you reduce your debt while improving your financial health. While you’re paying down debt, examine and modify behaviors that got you there in the first place to prevent going downthe sameroad once your balances are paid in full.
Hints from Heloise
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Look for the positive angleand head in that direction. Overanalyzing will hold youback.You areinabetterposition thanyou think, anda positive change willenergizeyou to exceed your ownexpectations.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Keep your eyes on your goal andyourcircumstances. Someone will embellish information to grab your attention. When in doubt, take abreak and concentrate on yourself and whatmakes you happy.
CANCER(June 21-July 22) Stepoutsideyour comfort zone and let your imagination helpyou achieveyour dreams. Focus on what'simportant and develop skills to helpyou achieve something new and exciting. It's OK to show emotions.
LEO(July 23-Aug. 22) Seek information to enhance your skills,knowledge and experience, and rethink your purpose passion and desired position. If you love what you do, you will do agood job
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Toomuchofanything will lead to backlash. Choosediscipline, harness your energy and do your best.Don't count on otherstodothings for youorgive in to someone pressuring you.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) You'll attract takers and givers. Examine who theyare, what theywant and what you are willing to offer and receive. Indebtedness can affect your ability to do what's bestfor you. Weigh the pros andcons.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Takeyourmind offall the distractions buzzing around in your head. Turn off thenews, get out-
doors andengage in activities that challenge youphysically andencourage you to payattention to your well-being.
SAGITTARIUS(Nov. 22-Dec. 21) It'stwosteps forward andthree steps back.Sit back and organize your thoughts, and you'll get aclear message fromyourheart regardingwhattodonext.Opportunityis withinreach,but youmust take the time to recognize the possibilities
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Consideryour concerns and set out to make adifference. Volunteer, engage in rallies,gather informationanddoyourpart.Theknowledge yougain will change how you view yourself.
AQUARIUS (Jan.20-Feb. 19) Putmoneymatters first. Look at howmuchyou earn andwhere your money goes.It'stime to restructure your lifestyle to fityourbudget.Consider unique ways to use your talents, skills andexperience.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Size down on all fronts. Too much food, expenditures, work, travel, daydreaming or anything else will dragyou down. Temptation is the enemy
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Review your investmentsand adjust your overhead. Setting abudget and allocating funds to payoff debt will ease stress andput youina better position to follow your dreams
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squaressothat each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontainsthe same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
Bridge
BY PHILLIP ALDER
The late Sen. ArlenSpecter said, “If you are going to havetoplay defense all thetime,you cannot have thekindof ingenuity, assertiveness, independence and intelligence that have madeour country strong.” That is not the caseatthe bridgetable. In apair tournament(duplicate), if your defense is excellent because you are ingenious andintelligent,you should want to defend allofthe time. Thenyou will get one top after another.
This week we will look at one of the most important and taxing aspects of defense —tracking thehigh-card points to place the unseen keycards.
In this deal,East has to findthe winning defense. South is in three no-trump. West leadsthe heartnine. Declarer wins with hisking and runs the spadequeen What shouldEast do after taking this trick with his king?
Eastshouldcheckthehigh-cardpoints. South showed15to17points, North tabled 12,and East has eight. That leaves three to fivefor West. What high card might he hold?
