Gov. Jeff Landry, center,speaksatanewsbriefing alongside NewOrleans
and MayorLaToyaCantrell, right,atBenson ToweronSunday, twodaysafter 10
Center.The governor said an investigation is being launched into the
Superintendent
as well as the jail’spoliciesand thenumber of inmates awaiting sentencing
7of10inmates stillatlarge
BY LARA NICHOLSON and KASEY BUBNASH Staff writers
With seven men still onthe lamthree days after abrazen jailbreak in New Orleans, Gov.Jeff Landry tightened his grip on local affairs in the name of public safety,ordering multiple state investigations into an escape he said “epitomizes aprogressive criminaljustice system.”
In aSunday evening news conference, Landry said the AttorneyGeneral’sOffice, the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections and the state Inspector General’sOffice would investigate the escape,the Orleans Justice Center’spolicies and thenumber of inmates awaiting sentencing, respectively
The governor will also order the state’sjudiciary commissionto investigate Orleans judges who have high acquittal rates or whosecases are slow
Landrysaid. “Thereisalso no excuse forthe waythese casesare currently being mismanaged in our criminal justicesystem.”
He also sought to springboardhis lawand-orderagenda andcast blame on Orleans ParishSheriff SusanHutson, Orleans ParishDistrict AttorneyJason Williamsand judgesatOrleans Parish Criminal Court, at onepoint demanding that Williams and judges explain why the men who escaped had notbeentried in court.
At another point, he said “elected officials withnofront-line experience” weretoblame for “a lack of safety and order.” Hutson was the city’sindependent police monitor before she became sheriff. Williams was aCity Council member and adefenseattorney
With littlepublic attention,state legislators are moving forward with apackage of bills that would cut taxes and attempt to offset the revenue loss by freeing up money that hasflowedintoastate savings account. The sponsor of the three bills, Rep. Julie Emerson, RCarencro,has said thenumbers would balance out. But the Legislature’seconomists 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 amassive shortfall of $590 million in 2027 when they meet to pass the budget and later have to face voters. Economists and formerlegislators are warning lawmakers that passage of the tax cuts could putLouisiana on thesamedifficult path they had to follow after the Legislature andthen-Gov. Bobby Jindal approved abig tax cut in 2008.
Jindaland others said the taxcut would generate enough new investment and spending to payfor itself. It didn’t, economists say.Infact, years of crippling budget cuts
ä See TAXCUTS, page 4A
to reach trial.
Flanked by Louisiana State Police, the FBI and other law enforcement agencies, Landry saidthe moves were a neededcheck on aNew Orleans justice systemthat has spiraled out of control.
“Now there is no excuse for the escape of these violent offenders,”
“But it is equally critical that we recognizethe longstanding, systemic challengesthathaveimpacted thisfacility for years, challenges Ihave been working to addresssince thebeginningof my tenure,” she said in astatement.
ä See LANDRY, page 3A
LouisianateenJohnFosterfinishessecondon‘Idol’
‘There’s such asweet spot in your voice,’judge tellsthe aspiring countrysinger
BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer
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 weekafter urinary symptomsand aprostate nodule werefound. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer on Friday, withthe cancer cells having spread to the bone.
“While this represents amore aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitivewhich allows foreffective management,” his office said. “The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
Prostate cancers are graded for aggressiveness usingwhat’sknown as aGleason score. The scores range from 6to10, with 8, 9and 10 prostate cancers behaving moreaggressively.Biden’soffice said his score was 9, suggesting his cancer is among the most aggressive.
ä See BIDEN, page 4A
After rocketing to “American Idol’s” top 3, Louisiana teen John Fosterfinished second in the ABC singing competitionseries during its grand finaleon Sunday night. Grabbing the “Idol” title wasJamal 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 solosong of the night, “Courtesyofthe Red,White andBlue (The Angry American)”bythe late Toby Keith.
“Now,John. Now,now,John. That’s the wayyou run foroffice. Imean,you run —you run. That’sthe way you work it for ‘American Idol,’ ”judge Lionel Richie said.
“You know,it’sthe time to pullout all thestops and you’re pulling out all the stops.I’m so proud of you andall you have accomplishedabout this whole
ä See FOSTER, page 3A
STAFF PHOTO By JUSTIN MITCHELL
Police
Anne Kirkpatrick, left,
inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice
escape
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson makes herway from anewsconference Friday after speaking to the media about 10 inmates whoescaped from theOrleans Justice Center earlier that morning
Louisiana teen John Foster sings during the first halfofSunday night’s ‘American Idol’ finale.
PROVIDED
PHOTO By CHRISTOPHER WILLARD/ DISNEy
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
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.
the licensure.
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.”
nola.com/subscribe E-Edition: nola.com/eedition
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
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.
“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. FDA approves
Novavax chief executive John C. Jacobs welcomed
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ARIEL SCHALIT
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.
Williams and several judges did not return requests for comment on Sunday
Escape updates
At the center of Landry’s recent condemnation is the escape of 10 inmates from the Orleans Parish jail.
About 1 a.m. Friday, the inmates broke through a cell door and slid through a hole in the wall behind a toilet after a lone guard took a meal break. Jail staffers did not discover their absence until an 8:30 a.m. headcount.
Three of the escapees were captured the first day following the escape. They are Dkenan Dennis, Robert Moody and Kendell Myles.
The seven still on the run are Corey Boyd, Jermaine Donald, Derrick Groves, Antoine Massey, Gary Price, Leo Tate and Lenton Vanburen.
Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges said Sunday the remaining escapees may have left the parish or the state, but that law enforcement has “actionable intelligence” on all of them.
The rewards for information on the escapees’ whereabouts have been upped significantly, with the FBI offering $10,000 per inmate, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives offering $5,000 per inmate and CrimeStoppers offering $2,000 per inmate.
Landry said Sunday that state officials would add $3,000 to the CrimeStoppers pool, bringing their total award to $5,000.
Authorities believe that the inmates’ associates may be helping them evade recapture. Landry warned that anyone aiding or harboring the escapees would be arrested as well.
Louisiana State Police has been leading the investigation to find the remaining escapees.
Landry’s moves to task other state agencies with probing the jailbreak and related issues with the broader New Orleans judicial system comes after he initiated sweeping changes to the state’s criminal justice system in a special session at the start of his term last year That term also heavily targeted New Orleans as a city rampant with crime, to the chagrin of its legislative delegates.
The governor launched Troop
NOLA, a State Police troop dedicated to the city, and pushed for a constitutional amendment that expanded the state’s judiciary commission, which is tasked with investigating and disciplining judges who violate ethics rules.
That judiciary commission will now turn its focus on New Orleans, he said.
Hutson absent
While representatives of several other local and state law enforcement agencies were present at Sunday’s news conference, Hutson, who oversees the jail, was not there.
When asked by a reporter where Huston was Sunday evening, Landry said, “I don’t know, hopefully minding the jail.”
Her absence came just hours after Sheriff’s Office officials issued a statement saying they would not conduct interviews or hold news conferences until further notice.
In another statement after Landry’s news conference, Hutson pointed out that she, too, has launched an investigation into the root causes of the breach, and is cooperating with the Attorney General’s Office’s independent probe.
“We appreciate the support of our fellow law enforcement and judicial system partners. Moments like this require coordination, communication, and shared responsibility across agencies,” Hutson said.
Landry on Sunday joined a chorus of elected officials who have said the escape represents a complete failure of jail operations.
Hutson, who is vying for reelection in a contentious race, suggested in briefings following the escape that it may have been an inside job related to the race. Three Sheriff’s Office employees were suspended without pay
The incumbent sheriff also blamed lacking funding and faulty equipment.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell, however, said at the news conference that her administration has funneled over $577 million to the Sheriff’s Office throughout her seven years in office, $460 million of which she said were operating expenses for the jail.
“So we have been doing our part, my administration, and we will continue to do that on behalf of the residents and visitors that we serve every day,” Cantrell said.
Email Lara Nicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate.com.
The Louisiana singer and Bryan later teamed up for a performance of Randy Travis’ 1988 hit, “Deeper Than the Holler,” a midtempo ballad.
ite, Garth Brooks’ “Callin’ Baton Rouge.”
competition,” judge Carrie Underwood said “I felt like I was at a John 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.”
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 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 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.
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 favor-
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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 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.
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PROVIDED PHOTO By CHRISTOPHER WILLARD/DISNEy Mississippi’s Jamal Roberts won the ‘American Idol’ title on Sunday night.
followed for the state’suniversities and public health care.
Jindal’ssuccessor,JohnBel Edwards, and the new Legislaturein 2016inherited a$2billion deficit that they addressedbyraising the state sales tax.
“The Legislature ought to be paying attention to when you makesignificant revenue cuts and don’tcontemplate the consequences down the road,” said Jay Dardenne, who as Edwards’ chief budget officerhelpeddevisethe plan to eliminate the deficit.
Emerson told the Ways and Means Committee that the changes would provideneeded taxrelief for Louisiana’shardworking residents and make the state amore attractive place for investors and residents alike.
What thebills do Emerson’stwo tax cutbills passed the House overwhelmingly and were scheduled to be heard by the Senate Revenue &Fiscal Affairs Committee on Monday until she asked for adelay
“I’m working through trying to reconcile the numbers,”she said Friday in atext.
Her House Bill 578 wouldreduce the state sales tax from 5% to 4.75% and her House Bill 667 would drop the individual income taxrate from 3% to 2.75% and double the standard deduction for people over 65.
Athird bill would eliminate the state savings account known as the RevenueStabilizationFund andredirectthe 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’sspending needs. This is the change Emerson says will offset the cuts.
The House is scheduledtotake up the bill on Monday Taxrevenue projections by the LegislativeFiscal Office on Emer-
son’sbills are based on an analysis by astate board knownasthe RevenueEstimating Conference. This four-memberboard next meets on Wednesday and might raise revenue forecasts, which would reduce the projecteddeficitsfromEmerson’sbills.
Emerson is awell-liked, thirdterm Republican legislator from Carencro, near Lafayette,who wields enormous power over tax policy as chair of the HouseWays andMeansCommittee.
Her bills include severalelementsthat 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 aproposed constitutional amendment. The tax cuts would take effect only if voters approvedthe constitutional amendment.
Thesales 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 analysisbythe nonpartisan fiscalstaff.
The incometax cutand 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 Whylegislators back plan
But, Emerson toldthe Ways and Means Committee, eliminating theRevenue 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 wouldflow into thenew fund.
To thesurprise of virtually everyone, corporate tax revenue exceeded projections afterwardand filled the Revenue Stabilization Fund with $3 billion
During each of the last twoyears, $1 billion in excess corporate tax collectionsabove the $600 million pouredinto the Revenue Stabilization Fund.
Emerson noted that, if the Revenue StabilizationFund didn’texist, that $1 billionwould have been available for annualstate spending. That money “covers thepayments of the rate reductions,” Emersonsaidinaninterview. She notedlater in atextthatthe fiscal note forHB678 calls its estimates “highly speculative and reflects a precautionaryapproach until the observance of actual collections.”
The Legislature, in aspecial session in November,eliminated the corporate franchise tax and instituted aflat corporate income tax of 5.5%, noted JimRichardson, aretired LSU economist whofor years servedasthe independent member of theRevenue Estimating Conference.
Richardson expects these changes to produce asubstantial drop in corporate tax revenue, which would translate into less money to offsetthe tax cuts if the Revenue Stabilization Fund were repealed Richardson noted that corporate tax revenue is difficult to predict. Also difficult to predict,headded, is how Louisiana’strade-dependent economy will fare over thenext two yearsgiven all theeconomic uncertainty over PresidentDonald Trump’stariffproposals.
Aftercrunching thenumbers, the Legislative Fiscal Office is projecting thateliminating the RevenueStabilization 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 netprojected shortfall from thechangeswould be $590 million that year,according to the Legislative Fiscal Office.
The economists areprojecting shortfalls of $500 million in fiscal year 2029 and$350 million in fiscal year 2030 from thechanges.
Sen. Franklin Foil, R-Baton
Rouge, chairs theSenatecommittee that will hear Emerson’stax cut bills. He was oneofthe 102 House memberswho in 2008 unanimously approved thetax cutthatcontributedtothe deficits that followed.
Foil noted that lawmakers approved the tax cut, sponsored by then-Sen. B.L. “Buddy” Shaw,RShreveport, when the statehad plenty of money In retrospect, Foilsaid, “it was probably too much, too fast.”
Discussing Emerson’sbill, Foil added, “You have to be careful not to move too quick. It’sdifficult later to try to turn around and raise taxes. We have timetoreview the data andlook at the numbers.”
Hard lessons
Shaw’stax cut repealed aportion of the Stelly tax plan passed under the aegis of then-Gov.Mike Foster Named after VicStelly,the state Housemember whopushedthe idea, the Stelly plan aimedtoend yearsofchronic budget shortfalls.
One way it did that wasbyhaving higher tax rates kickinatlower income levels and by eliminating apopular tax deduction. Together, the changes meanthigher taxes for upper-income taxpayers.
ButShawobjected to that after hearing from constituents and authored abill to reverse theStelly changes. Jindal tried to kill the bill, but after the Revenue &Fiscal Affairs Committee passed it, he supportedthe measure, andit flew through the House and Senate.
Among those who votedfor it was then-state Rep. John Bel Edwards, whoexpressed regret when he later became governorbecause of the budgetproblems it caused.
Lawmakers didn’trealize it at the time, but the U.S. economywas falling into theGreat 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 billionto$9billion by 2012.
“Wepassed the Shaw bill, we went into the hole and ended up
with a$2billion problem (in 2016),” said then-state Sen. Robert Adley, R-Benton, who, like Edwards, later regretted voting with Shaw Thelossofkey government services left voters unhappy with Jindalwhenheleftofficein2016, 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 wascreated in the late 1980s to ensure truth in budget forecasting. Adleysaidthen-Gov. Edwin Edwards balanced abudget once after having his budget director call fora recess duringa meeting. Whenthe budgetdirector returned, he nowforecasta higher price for oil that, voilà!, balanced the budget.
“Lawmakersplayedwiththose numbers to get what they wanted,” Adley said.
Steven Procopio, who heads the Public Affairs Research Council, expressed asimilar concern to Adley’s.
“You’re adding additionalrisk 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,saidthat Emerson’s bills, if passed in theircurrent form,could cause thesame headaches for Gov.Jeff Landry as they did for Jindal.
“The mathisthe math,”said Moller.Emerson’sproposal “jeopardizes existingservices. It also jeopardizes Gov. Landry’spriorities. He wants more money for GATORScholarships, more money for law enforcement, and it’svery likely that Louisiana will have to put up more money for disaster recovery andmaintaining the Medicaidservices we’re paying for.This is a very risky gamble at averyperilous timefor Louisiana’seconomy.” Landry’sofficedeclinedtocomment.
Email TylerBridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.
When prostate cancer spreads to other parts of the body,itoften 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,asinBiden’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 fiveyears,said Dr.Matthew Smith of Massachusetts General Brigham Cancer Center “It’svery treatable, but not curable,” Smithsaid. “Most men in this situation would be treated with drugs and would not be advised to have either surgery or radiation therapy.”
by
Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson that aideshad shielded thepublic from the extent of hisdecline while serving as president
In February 2023, Biden had askin lesion removed from his chest that wasa basal cell carcinoma, acommon formofskin cancer And in November 2021, he had apolyp removed from his colon thatwas abenign butpotentiallypre-cancerous lesion.
Many political leaders sent Biden their wishes for his recovery President Donald Trump, alongtimepolitical opponent, posted on social media that he was saddened by the news and “we wish Joe afast and successfulrecovery.”
Biden’svice president, Kamala Harris, said on social media that she waskeeping him in herfamily’s“hearts and prayers during this time.”
“Joe is afighter—and Iknow he will face this challenge with the same strength, resilience, and optimism thathavealways defined hislife andleadership,” Harris wrote. Former PresidentBarack Obama said his thoughtsand prayers werewith Biden, his former vice president, lauding histoughness. “Nobodyhas done more to find breakthroughtreatments forcancer in all its forms
than Joe, and Iamcertain he will fight thischallenge with histrademark resolve and grace,”Obamawrote on social media.
Thehealth of Biden, 82, wasa dominant concern amongvoters during his timeaspresident.After a calamitous debate performance in June while seeking reelection, Biden abandonedhis bid for asecond term.Harris became the nominee and lost to Trump, aRepublican whoreturned to theWhiteHouse after a four-year hiatus.
Butinrecent days, Biden rejected concernsabout his age despite reporting in the newbook“Original Sin”
In 2022, Bidenmade a “cancermoonshot” oneof his administration’spriorities with the goal of halving thecancer death rate over thenext 25 years. The initiativewas acontinuation of hiswork as vicepresident to address adisease 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
Associated Press writer Jon FaheyinNew York contributed to this report
ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO
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Pope offers message of unity for polarized church
New pontiff holds inaugural Mass
BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
VATICAN CITY Pope Leo XIV
vowed Sunday to work for unity in a polarized Catholic Church and world, as history’s first American pope offered a message of healing during an inaugural Mass in St. Peter’s Square before an estimated 200,000 pilgrims, presidents, patriarchs and princes Leo officially opened his pontificate by taking his first popemobile tour through the piazza, a rite of passage that has become synonymous with the papacy’s global reach and mediatic draw 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 appeared to choke up when the two potent symbols of the papacy were placed on him — the lamb’s wool stole over his shoulders and the fisherman’s ring on his finger — as if the weight of responsibility of leading the 1.4-billion strong church had just sunk in
He turned his hand to look at the ring and then clasped his hands in front of him in prayer
Vice President JD Vance, one of the last foreign officials to see Pope Francis before he died, led the American delegation honoring the Chicago-born Leo. Vance paid his respects at Francis’ tomb after arriving in Rome late Saturday In his homily, Leo said that he wanted to be a servant to the faithful through the two dimensions of the papacy love and unity, so that the church could be a force for peace in the world
“I would like that our first great desire be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world,” he said. “In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest.”
His words echoed some of Francis’ key priorities, but his call for unity was significant, given the polarization in the Catholic Church in the United States and beyond.
Francis’ radical 12-year pontificate, which emphasized care for the poor and marginalized, and disdain for the capitalist economic system, often alienated conservatives who begged for a new pope who could pacify divisions. Leo’s election on May 8, after a remarkably quick 24-hour conclave, appears to have pleased
conservative Catholics who seem to appreciate his more disciplined, traditional style and Augustinian background, emphasizing core truths of Catholic doctrine.
Leo drove that message home by wearing the papacy’s formal red cape, or mozzetta, to receive Vance and official government delegations after the Mass. Francis had eschewed many of the formalities of the papacy as part of his simple style, but Leo’s return to the traditional garb has pleased conservatives and traditionalists, who breathed a sigh of relief when he came out
Zelenskyy meets with U.S., European officials ahead of Trump-Putin call
BY GIADA ZAMPANO and ELISE MORTON Associated Press
ROME Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with top U.S officials and European leaders on Sunday in Rome, ahead of a high-stakes phone call Monday between U.S. President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on ending the war in Ukraine.
The discussions came as Russia launched what Ukraine called its largest drone barrage against Ukraine since the start of its full-scale invasion in 2022, after the first direct talks between Moscow and Kyiv in years failed to yield a ceasefire Friday Zelenskyy spoke with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the U.S. ambassador’s residence, after attending the inaugural Mass for Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square. Zelenskyy said on social media he had underscored the need for “real diplomacy” and reaffirmed Ukraine’s commitment to a “full and unconditional ceasefire.”
He said they discussed sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation and plans for the upcoming prisoner exchange with Russia that was agreed in talks between the two
sides in Istanbul. Trump has said he plans to speak with Putin about stopping the “bloodbath” in Ukraine, and then speak to Zelenskyy and leaders of various NATO countries.
Zelenskyy also met with the new pope after the Mass. “The authority and voice 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 its readiness to become a platform for direct negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.
Rubio on Saturday said the Vatican could be a venue for peace talks, taking up the Holy See’s long-standing offer after Leo vowed to personally make “every effort”
to help end the war
Ahead of a meeting in Rome with Vance and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, EU Commission head Ursula Von der Leyen urged parties to “push things forward.”
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he spoke to Zelenskyy and Rubio on the sidelines of the pope’s inauguration. Merz said he had agreed with the leaders of France and Britain “that we will speak again with the American president in preparation for this conversation.”
Merz told reporters that “my firm impression is that both the Europeans and the Americans are determined to work together, but now also in a goal-oriented manner, to ensure that this terrible war ends soon.”
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-described political “MAGA-type,” a bear hug in the basilica when he and his wife came up to greet the pope.
“Let us build a church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made restless by history, and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity,” Leo said.
Strict diplomatic protocol dictated the seating arrangements at the inaugural Mass, with both the U.S. and Peru getting front-row seats thanks to Leo’s dual citizenship. Vance, a Catholic convert who tangled with Francis over the Trump administration’s mass migrant deportation plans, 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 a dozen heads of state who attended, as well as Ukraini-
an President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Russia had planned to send its culture minister, but was represented by its ambassador reports said. Diplomatic protocol also dictated the dress code: While most wore black, a handful of Catholic royals — Queen Letizia of Spain and Princess Charlene of Monaco, among others — wore white in a special privilege allowed them. Three dozen of the world’s other Christian churches sent representatives, the Jewish community had a 13-member delegation, half of them rabbis. Other representatives headed Buddhist, Muslim, Zoroastrian, Hindu, Sikh and Jain delegations. Security was tight, as it was for 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 and piazzas, where giant television screens and portable toilets were set up. At the end of the Mass, Leo expressed hope for negotiations to bring a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine and offered prayers for the people of Gaza — children, families and older people who are “reduced to starvation,” he said. Leo made no mention of hostages taken by Hamas from southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, as Francis usually did when praying for Gaza.
Suicide attacker in Somalia kills 13
By The Associated Press
MOGADISHU, Somalia A suicide bomber in the Somali capital on Sunday targeted young recruits waiting to register at a military camp, killing at least 13 and wounding 21 others, witnesses said.
Mogadishu has been repeatedly targeted by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab extremist group, which has waged an insurgency for over a decade. The group frequently attacks military and government sites as part of its effort to impose its strict interpretation of
Islamic law
“There was a loud explosion, and immediately people began running in all directions. Bodies were everywhere,” said Abdulkadir Hassan Mohamed, who witnessed the blast. There was no immediate claim of responsibility
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALESSANDRA TARANTINO
Pope Leo XIV holds Mass on Sunday during the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter’s Square attended by heads of state, royalty and ordinary faithful.
PHOTO PROVIDED By UKRAINIAN EMERGENCy SERVICE
Firefighters put out a blaze Sunday following Russia’s drone attack in the Kyiv region of Ukraine.
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 have been gone with the family room.” Survivors and their supporters picked through the wreckage in London Sunday,keeping awaryeye on the forecast. Severe storms were possible for Kentucky on Monday and even more so on Tuesday,the weather service said.
Zach Wilson, whose parents’ home was destroyed, said he was “terrified” another storm would ruin the remaining salvageable items scattered across their
is left of her destroyedhomeinLondon, Ky.,
severe stormpassed through the area.
property —oreven worse, destroyanother community
“If Ihad to tell anybody it would be to listen to every word that the National Weather Service kicks out and take every warning seriously,”Wilsonsaid.“It’s nerve-wracking, youknow.”
ThelatestKentucky stormswere partofa weather system Friday that killed seveninMissouriand two in northern Virginia,authoritiessaid. The system also spawned tornadoes in Wisconsin,broughtpunishing heat to Texas and temporarily enveloped partsofIllinois —including Chicago —ina pall of dust on an otherwise sunny day.
Theweather service said parts of Missouri and Kansas could see severe thunderstorms, golf ball-sized hail and wind gusts up to 60 mph into Monday.
In London, Kentucky,Ryan VanNorstran huddled with his brother’slarge dogs in a first-floorcloset as the storm hit his brother’shome Friday in aneighborhood along KeavyRoadwhere muchofthe destruction in the community of nearly 8,000peoplewas centered. VanNorstran was housesitting.
He said he felt the house shake as he gotinthe closet
Then adoor from another house crashed through a window. All the windows blew out of the house and his car was destroyed. Chunks of wood hadpunched through several parts of theroof but the house 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 and I was just kind of thinking, it’s either gonna take me or it’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 woman from Russell County. Of 10 people hospitalized forinjuriesrelated to thesevere weather, threeremained in critical condition.
“A lot of Kentuckians are hurting right now,” Beshear said on X, touting fundraising efforts to help withfuneral expenses and rebuilding. “Ifyou’re able to help, please do.”
Parts of two dozenstate
roads wereclosed, 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 Oklahoma, 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 wereinjured 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 severalothersand destroyingmultiple homes, Sheriff Derick Wheetleywrote on social media.
The storms hit after the Trump administration massively cut staffing of Nation-
al 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 was down 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.
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 Friday was the state’sfirst transit strike in over 40 years, forcing people who normally rely on New Jersey Transit to take buses,
cars, taxis and boatsinstead or consider staying home.
Themain stickingpoint had 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 spokespersonJamieHorwitz said NJ Transit informed them that it would be Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. instead Atransit agency statement saidthe Tuesday start wasnecessary because“it takesapproximately 24 hours to inspect andprepare theinfrastructurebefore
returning to full scheduled service.”
Aunion statement sent by emailsaidthe terms of the agreement would be sent to theunion’s450 members whoworkaslocomotive engineers or trainees at the passenger railroad.
“While Iwon’t get into the exact details of the deal reached, Iwill saythat the only real issue was wages and we were abletoreach an agreement that boosts hourly paybeyondthe proposal rejected by our memberslastmonthand beyond where we were when NJ Transit’smanagers walked away from the table Thursdayevening,” said Tom Haas, theunion’sgeneral chairman at NJ Transit.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLyN KASTER Edwina Wilson stands Sundayinwhat
after a
Sugar Mill event space gets brief reprieve
Warehouse District historic building to be torn down for a hotel
BY ANTHONY MCAULEY Staff writer
The Sugar Mill, a historic building in the Warehouse District, will have a short reprieve to continue life as an event space before it is torn down to make way for a 1,000-room Omni Hotel next year, the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center said last week The Convention Center which is partnering with Dallas-based Omni Hotels & Resorts to build the $575 million hotel on the Sugar Mill site and adjacent properties, announced Monday that it had renovated the 30,000-squarefoot building and renamed it The Warehouse. They said they will be taking bookings through April 2026. In January, the center completed the purchase of The Sugar Mill and two properties directly across Triangle Street — a total land area of just over 60,000 square feet from retired lawyer and property magnate John Cummings III, who is best known for transforming the Whitney Plantation into a museum a decade ago. The center said it paid $20 million for the properties. Cummings and his wife, Donna, together with Anne Gauthier a philanthropist and wife of personal injury lawyer Wendell Gauthier, had purchased The Sugar Mill in 2007 and operated it as an event space since. Originally constructed in the 19th century the building served as a sugar holding facility during a time when New Orleans was a central hub for the sugar trade The Warehouse District, where The Sugar Mill is situated, was
Plan for Lincoln Beach revival released
Multimillion-dollar renovation will be done in several phases
BY JONI HESS Staff writer
When the multimillion-dollar Lincoln Beach renovation is finally complete, visitors will be able to dine in the rehabbed ruins of the 1950s-era Carver House Restaurant or visit a history museum highlighting the beach’s storied past as a recreational haven for Black New Orleanians during the era of Jim Crow segregation. The Lincoln Beach planning team, led by national design firm Sasaki and Associates, has released a draft master plan following an 18-month community input process that nudges the decades-long dream of restoring the shuttered New Orleans East site a little closer to reality Located along a floodwall on Hayne Boulevard, the beach was officially closed in 1964 when the Civil Rights Act overturned the system of segregation that led to its creation for the Black community who had few other recreational options.
But despite repeated warnings from city officials that the site can be dangerous, community cleanup efforts in recent years have drawn hundreds to bask in the shores that remain along one of the few New Orleans access points to Lake Pontchartrain
“One thing we’ve heard a lot from the public is they just want the beach open. They want a simple beach. I think that’s the focus of phase one,” said Greg Nichols, with City Hall’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability The office is working closely with the planning and design team on the renovation project.
The
first of four phases over the course of the project is expected to cost $17 million to $23 million, which the city has secured through a mix of city bonds and federal grants, including some money from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Nichols said despite billions in funding cuts proposed by the Trump Administration, his office doesn’t believe any federal funds for the project are at risk at this time.
Phase I includes safe access to the beach. Beachgoers must now cross a busy four-lane highway, a concrete seawall and the railroad tracks, circumventing the flooded tunnel once used to enter the beach The tunnel will be drained for access, according to the plan, and an elevated pedestrian bridge will take visitors from the parking lot to the site.
integral to the industry, housing numerous warehouses and processing facilities that supported the bustling sugar economy along the Mississippi River The Omni’s preliminary design envisions a 300-foot tower to be built over the combined site, which is bordered by Andrew Higgins and Convention Center boulevards, and St. Peters and John Churchill Chase streets. Omni executives said in
CALENDAR CONFUSION
Schools’ differing schedules give N.O. parents headaches
BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer
For Lakeisha Green, a single working parent in New Orleans, juggling two children at different charter schools can be complex and expensive.
Her daughter an 11th grader at New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School, and her son, a seventh grader at Ben Franklin Charter Middle School, often have different days off from school.
On those days, Green has no choice but to pay an elderly neighbor $25 to watch her son until she returns home from her job as a full-time social worker
“It’s been a challenge,” Green said.
“Her schedule is always different from his.”
In New Orleans, where the school system is comprised of independently operated charter schools, schools set their own calendars for breaks, early dismissal and staff training days. This can be a source of consternation for families with children at multiple schools, particularly parents who work full-time or
are single.
The misaligned calendars exemplify a tradeoff of the all-charter system Schools have the freedom and flexibility to make their own instructional decisions, including about schedules, and parents have their pick of schools but the resulting differences create inconsistencies across this system which can be a burden for some families.
Spurred by parents’ complaints, most schools opted to use a unified calendar in 2020. But in the years since, the effort has largely fallen off and now only about half of schools participate.
“It impacts all parents with kids at different schools, but it has a disproportionate impact on low-income families who don’t have flexibility in their jobs,” said Orleans Parish School Board member Olin Parker
Misaligned school calendars, he added, is one of the top complaints he hears from parents.
There have long been calls for a systemwide calendar — not just from parents, but also law enforcement officers who say it can be difficult to determine whether a young person is on school break or cutting class. In 2020, school leaders finally began discussing in earnest a unified calendar that schools could opt into.
At that time, the first day of school at different charter networks could vary by an entire month. After lengthy negotiations between charter school leaders, all but a handful of schools agreed to abide by the shared calendar It included a weeklong “common window” for the first day of school that allowed schools to stagger start dates for different grades. The schools agreed to similar windows for fall, Mardi Gras and spring breaks and set dates for holidays and Thanksgiving and winter breaks. Professional development days still varied by school.
The plan was backed by education and civic leaders, including Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who said it would “(ease) the burden for working parents, caretakers, and educators who adhered to a disjointed calendar system.”
But in the years since the calendar was adopted, participation has largely dropped off as schools have shifted to follow their own schedules.
At a community town hall earlier this year Sharon Latten-Clark, longtime principal of Sophie B. Wright Charter School, recalled an interaction she had with the mother of one of her students in the hallway during parent-teacher
St. Tammany fire district recruits four-legged
Mooney a trained golden retriever to help detect stress
BY BOB WARREN Staff writer
At just a few feet tall, the Slidell area fire department’s newest recruit won’t be behind the wheel of a ladder truck. And at a trim 70 pounds, he won’t be at the end of a hose trained on a burning roof. But the role “Chief Mooney” will play might be just as important in
the long run, the department says. St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1 which covers Slidell and much of eastern St. Tammany Parish, introduced Mooney to the public last week. A 21/2-year-old golden retriever, it will be the dog’s task to help ease the stress of the department’s first responders, whose routine shifts can include any number of horrors. Mooney’s interactions with the firefighters and other first responders will provide them with a stress release they may not even realize is happening, said Tim Dudenhefer, a fire department training officer who will be Mooney’s handler, aka his “human.” As firefighters and first responders are debriefed following fires or bad automobile crashes, Mooney is trained to move among the group, nudging hands with his nose. That simple act, the dog’s nudge and the human responding by petting him, can have a therapeutic effect, Dudenhefer said. “He’s trained to find stress in people,” Dudenhefer said of the dog. “It’s his job he can sense it in people.”
Dudenhefer said the department has made an effort to improve the mental health services it provides to its workers. Mooney was donated to the fire district by Thin Line Service Dogs, a West Virginia-based nonprofit that trains and provides service dogs at no cost to veterans and first responders.
The nonprofit focuses its training on golden retrievers because of their intelligence, temperament and ability to form close bonds with humans, Dudenhefer
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
Lakeisha Green fills out field trip forms for Paul Fields, 12, and Marley Fields, 16, at their home in New Orleans on Wednesday.
Man shot dead in Hollygrove, New Orleans police say
BY LARA NICHOLSON and KASEY BUBNASH Staff writers
A man was killed in a Hollygrove shooting Sunday afternoon, according to the New Orleans Police
Department. Gunfire was reported to police at 1:40 p.m. near the intersection of Edinburgh and Eagle streets. There, officers found the man wounded in a car. Paramedics declared the victim dead on scene,
police said. Police did not immediately release more information.
At the scene, investigators gathered around a black car outside a house in the 8700 block of Edinburgh. The victim was in
the driver’s seat of the car and orange evidence markers were scattered along the surrounding street.
Email Kasey Bubnash at kasey bubnash@theadvocate.com.
BEACH
Continued from page 1B
Phase I includes a portion of the parking lot, the bridge, a beachside restaurant and removal of waterfront structures that have deteriorated. Construction crews will also rebuild the boardwalk, concrete shade pavilions and other historic markers, aligning with the national historic designation the site received last year
An 80,000-square-foot “midway” space will serve as the central connecting pathway as it did during the site’s heyday in the 1950s.
Phase II, which will require an additional $8 million to $11 million, covers much of the programming features, such as a welcome center and history museum, event spaces, a central plaza and children’s playground.
Subsequent phases would build out the site with an expanded parking lot, nature trails, a market plaza and more recreational offerings.
Central to the master plan is setting up Lincoln Beach to
Continued from page 1B
January that the design would aim to blend with existing Warehouse District structures, with darker brick and steel to reflect the restored properties nearby, most of which have retained their historical facades and been converted to upscale residential condominiums or offices.
The Convention Center has long sought a new “headquar-
CHIEF
Continued from page 1B
said. “It’s like he’s designed to go out and actively find people who are stressed,” he said. “Somehow, they know stress. They can somehow sense it.” First responders are often at risk of suffering from post-traumatic stress issues.
“We’re supposed to be tough guys. We take all that stress,” Dudenhefer said. “But over time, that can be a real weight to carry.” Research has shown that dogs can help. For instance, the National Institutes of Health reported in 2018 that a study had concluded that “therapy dog intervention” had shown a reduction in the stress and anxiety of first responders after a traumatic event.
Thin Line named Chief Mooney after Deputy Sheriff Jason Mooney, who died in the line of duty in Stafford County Virginia He was killed in a car crash while
withstand anticipated environmental threats The plan points to rising sea levels, extreme heat, flooding, hurricanes and wind events as major hazards.
As such, most buildings will be raised on pilings and structures lower to the ground — restrooms, lockers, showers and a kayak pavilion, for instance — will be designed with breakaway walls made to detach during heavy storms.
When lake waters aren’t enough to cool down beachgoers, strategically planted trees, shaded pavilions, and misters will offer some recourse, the plan states.
Nichols said the master plan represents a vision and a pathway for what Lincoln Beach could eventually become.
“We’re aggressively going out and searching for other sources of funding,” he said. The restaurant, for example, will generate revenue, along with other services.
The plan also proposes creating a separate nonprofit or conservancy that can raise money and help manage the beach’s
ters” hotel that it has argued is needed to compete with cities like Nashville, Tennessee; Austin, Texas; and Orlando, Florida all of which have adjacent hotels to block-book convention goers.
The original plan was to build a 1,200-room Omni Hotel on vacant land at the upriver end of the milelong Convention Center However, that deal fell through during the coronavirus pandemic and Omni subsequently said it wanted to build closer to the French Quarter
The project still has to go
responding to an auto accident in 2007. He was 24.
Fire District No. 1 is the first area fire department to have a stress management dog, district officials said.
On a recent day at the district’s training facility in Slidell, Mooney had the run of the place, sniffing around offices and hallways. It was only his third day in Slidell, and he was content to stick close to Dudenhefer, spending a good bit of his time in a comfy bed stationed near his human’s desk.
The bond between Dudenhefer and Mooney was apparent already, after only a few days.
“He’s with me all day,” Dudenhefer said “And he comes home with me. I can tell you this: He’s a bed hog.”
maintenance and day-to-day operations.
Opportunities to comment on the plan will be available until June 2. From there, officials will select a contractor with a groundbreaking expected by December
through a lengthy approval process that will include seeking a variance from the city so the partners can build to a height that would be more than twice that currently allowed in the district. The partners also plan to buy the city-owned Mississippi River Heritage Park adjacent to the hotel site, which would require city approval.
A group of Warehouse District residents from several of the nearby condominium buildings voiced their disapproval of the hotel plan in petitions and letters delivered to the center’s board
or early 2026. Anticipated opening timelines are sometime next year or early 2027.
Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.
last year
Meanwhile, the center is looking to generate revenue by adding The Warehouse to its four other event venues. With a 15,000-square-foot courtyard, The Warehouse has indoor and outdoor space that can accommodate up to 6,500 guests. It will be available at least until its date with the wrecking ball after Mardi Gras 2026, according to Alita Caparotta, the Convention Center’s finance chief and acting CEO.
Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate.com.
For its part of the deal, the fire department had to agree to provide a stable home and environment for Mooney, maintain the dog’s health and only use him in the manner with which he’s been trained. And because Mooney has been trained to work with first responders, that means he won’t be the type of dog the fire department trots out to public events.
“His training is really specialized,” Dudenhefer said.
CALENDAR
Continued from page 1B
conferences.
“‘I try to be there for my kids,’ ” Clark recalled the mother saying. “‘I have three kids, three different academic calendars, and I can’t always get everywhere and I’m on the bus,’ she said, ‘but I’m trying.’ And she looked at me and she said, ‘Can’t y’all just make it easier for people like me?’”
The pain points for families intensify at selective admissions charter schools — the Willow School, Ben Franklin High School and Lake Forest Charter School — which are not required to provide transportation for students. The need to arrange transportation around the schools’ unique calendars could deter some parents and students from choosing them, Parker said.
“If I’m someone in this city maybe a single parent or work a low-wage job — and I want my kids to experience the top schools in this city, I’d have to do these pickups,” Parker said, “and that’s a burden.” Parker said his family manages some chaotic weeks with a color-coded spreadsheet listing the different drop-off and pickup times for his three children at two separate schools, exacerbated by early release for final exams and state testing.
Danielle Christmas, a Lower 9th Ward resident whose daughter attends New Harmony High School, starts work at a community health center hours before her daughter’s school day begins at 8:30 a.m So Christmas sends her daughter each morning to her aunt’s workplace near the school, where she can wait until the school doors open.
“I wasn’t happy with it, but I don’t have too many other options,” Christmas said. “It’s completely unrealistic for parents who have to be at work by 8 o’clock and public transportation is not reliable.”
She said that, for many New Orleans parents, something as seemingly mundane as a school schedule “plays a part of your everyday life.” It can influence where parents enroll their kids and what jobs they take it’s even caused Christmas to lose jobs before when she struggled to balance her work schedule with school drop-off times.
“The small things matter,” she said.
Implementing a universal school calendar is more complex than it might seem. Sabrina Pence, CEO of FirstLine, which operates four pre-K through eighth grade schools around the city said she would be hesitant to sign onto another shared calendar that doesn’t provide a measure of flexibility, particularly around breaks. FirstLine follows the unified calendar for most of the school year but is off by a few days, including when they opt to have a spring weekend instead of a longer break because it’s close to state testing week.
“You’ve got to have some level of flexibility,” Pence said. Orleans Parish School Board member Carlos Zervigon said that some schools have valid reasons for adopting unique calendars. For example, many of Audubon Charter School’s French teachers come from other countries, like Cameroon or France, and must return home on a set timeline.
“I understand the difficulty for parents,” Zervigon said, “and I also understand there might be a reason schools may favor other calendars.” Even if district officials wanted to impose a common calendar, they are limited by Act 91, the state law that details charter schools’ authority and allows them to set their own calendars.
“If I could wave a magic wand and change anything in Act 91,” said Parker, the School Board member and parent, “it would be the school calendars.”
STAFF PHOTO By BOB WARREN
Chief Mooney, St. Tammany Fire Protection District No. 1’s new stress management dog, sits with his handler, Tim Dudenhefer, a district training officer
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
Located along a floodwall on Hayne Boulevard, Lincoln Beach was officially closed in 1964.
PROVIDED RENDERING
The Lincoln Beach planning team has released a draft master plan following an 18-month community input process.
weannouncethe sudden passing of Gordon R. CordesofBarataria,La.on Friday, May9,2025, at the age of 69. Gordon grew up inAlgiers andwas the beloved sonofthe late Pearl andGordonCordes. Gordonwas theproud fa‐therofhis beloveddaugh‐ter,Kristin Thiebaud (Kegan) andleavesbehind his lovedand dedicated companion,BrendaLirette Heissurvivedbybrothers, EddieCordes(Debbie), Ricky Cordes (Gilda), his sisters,JoAnn Dauenhauer (Robert)and TammyKo‐diak(Jericho) andformer husband of Rhonda Cordes. Gordon wasthe beloved godfather of Mike Lobue,Jr.,Megan Dauen‐hauer andthe late Natasha Cordes, andanuncle to manynieces, nephews, great nieces andgreat nephews that he loved dearly. He will be missed and fondly remembered by his friendsinwhich many werelifelong. Agood day for Gordon wasbeing with familyand friends. He en‐joyed traveling, fishing, playing cards, dominoes and festivals. Gordon hada way of making sure life was neverboring. He en‐joyed turningeveryday moments into unforget‐table memories with a good practicaljoke. While our hearts areheavy, they’re also full of laughter froma lifetime of surprises and sillymoments.Family, friends andemployees of Union PacificRailroadare invited to attend theser‐vices of Gordon Cordes on Tuesday,May 20,2025, at Greenwood FuneralHome, 5200 CanalBlvd.,New Or‐leans,LA70124. Visitation willbeat10:00 am fol‐lowed by aFuneralMass conducted by Father Patrick Collum at 1:00 pm IntermentwillbeatGreen‐wood Cemetery.For any condolences andfond memories, visitwww greenwoodfh.com
long resident of New Or‐leans,Joyce attended Audubon School,gradu‐atedfromDaneelPre-voca‐tionalSchool,and com‐pletedthe food service program at Holman Voca‐tionalCenter. Shepartici‐pated in theSpecial Olympicswhere shewon manytrophiesand acco‐lades.She also once reigned as queen of her school’s carnival ball Joyce enjoyedmusic—es‐peciallyMichael Jackson— and dancing. Joyce was alsoskilled at drawing, often timesoptingtodraw someofher favorite car‐toon characters like Char‐lie Brownand Snoopyof the Peanutscartoon.Solv‐ing jigsaw puzzlesand wordsearchpuzzles were someofher favorite pas‐times,along with watching her favorite TV shows, suchasGood Times, Ilove Lucy, andThe Priceis Right,tonamea few. She alsoenjoyed taking Po‐laroids of herfamilyand friends and watching Saintsgames at home with her family.She lovedfam‐ily gatherings more than anything; Anyone who knewJoyce wouldtellyou her favorite thingtodo was spendtimewiththe onesshe loved. Oneofher special talents washer ability to remember every‐body’sbirthday. Joycehad a greatsense of humor,al‐wayslaughingand crack‐ing jokes. Shewas also a verygenerousand loving personwho wouldgive anythingasked of herand witha smile.Joyce loved her Heavenly Father and, while stillable, read her bible andprayedevery night before bed. Joyce truly liveduptoher name asshe broughtpurejoy to all thosewho knew her. She is survived by her brother,DonaldFrank Jones Jr.(Williemae) of Baton Rouge LA,sisters JacquelineMarie Womble (Keith) of Dallas TX and Gwendolen AnnGrandpré ofNew OrleansLA, along withmanyrelatives,in‐cluding nieces, Tamara Danielle Smith(Raymond) ofSlidell LA,KeishaMarie WombleofDallasTX, Sarah Anne Webster(Joshua)of Houston TX,and Keri NicoleWombleofDallas TX, nephewsFrederick Douglas JonesofBaton Rouge LA and Gabriel ProsserJones of New Or‐leans LA,auntsVirginia Brisco(Sidney (d.))of FranklinLA, DeloresRussell (Leonard) of New Orleans LA, Vivian Gair (Norbert)of New OrleansLA, andHope NicoleBreauxofDetroit MI great nieces RayneElise Smith of NewOrleans LA Talia D’NaeSmith of Slidell LA, Nia Danielle Yarbrough ofDallasTX, Daisha Jean GloriaGrandpréofHouston TX, SarahAbeni Gwen‐dolen WebsterofHouston TX, KeyahRoseWebster of Houston TX andRoryJean CrowofDallasTexas,great nephews RaymondEugene Smith Jr.ofSlidell LA Malachi Joseph Hubbardof Houston TX,JoshuaAn‐thony WebsterJr. of Hous‐ton Texas, LeshawnRoy Webster of Houston TX, and Rodney “Tripp”D Crow III of Dallas TX,several cousins,and herdear friend, KeithCelestain Joycelynwas preceded in death by herparents Car‐lon Jean Breaux Jonesand DonaldFrank Jones. Rela‐tives and friendsofthe familyare invitedtoattend the CelebrationofLifeSer‐viceonTuesday,May 20 2025 at Gertrude Geddes Willis FuneralHome, 2120 Jackson Avenue,New Or‐leans,LA70113 at 11:00 a.m.Visitationfrom 10:00 a.m.until 11:00 a.m. Inter‐mentMount Olivet Ceme‐tery, 4000 NormanMayer Avenue, NewOrleans,LA 70122. Youmay sign the guest book on www.ger trudegeddeswillis.com Gertrude Geddes Willis Fu‐neral Home Inc.,incharge (504) 522-2525.
Daniel JosephLaurent, Sr.,ofLacombe, LA entered intoeternal rest on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Dan was born on January30, 1949, to thelate Sidneyand Iona Lirette Laurent of Bridge City, LA He is survivedbyhis belovedwife of 56 years, Paulette Chenevert Laurent.Hewas the beloved father of sons, Daniel, Jr (Stephanie), and Paul (Stephanie). He was adored by three Granddaughters, Haley, Samantha Grabert (Trent), and Carlieand was excited to welcome his first greatgrandchild in November. He was thebrother of Jackie Foret (Larry), DonaldLaurent (Brenda), and Janet Marcomb (Trent). He was preceded in deathbybrothers SidneyLaurent, Jr. (Pamela)and Robert Laurent (Debbie). He will be missed dearly by numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Dan was honorably dischargedfromthe U.S. Coast Guard and retired fromthe NOAA NWS NationalDataBuoy Center at Stennis Space Center in Bay St Louis, Mississippi Dan was also averyactive parishioneratSt. John of theCross CatholicChurch in Lacombe, LA,servingin multiple ministries,including theKnightsof Columbus Alex Semel Council#12989. Dan was therecipient of the Order of St Louis Medallion with his wife Paulette in 2010. Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend the Funeral Mass on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 11:30 AM at St.Johnof theCross CatholicChurch, 61030 Brier Lake Drive, Lacombe, LA. Visitation willbegin at 9:30 AM Interment willbeatthe Veterans Cemetery, 34888 Grantham CollegeDr., Slidell, LA,including MilitaryHonorsbythe American Legion Post #170. In lieu of flowers,please make donations in Dan's memory to theSisters of Mt.Carmel at https://www .sistersofmountcarmel.org /donation-form/ ,StJude Children's Hospital at https://www.stjude.org/do nate/donate-t o-stjude.html ,orthe American Heart Associationathttps: //www.heart.org/en/whygive
Marks, Gail Heigle Farmer
Gail Heigle Farmer
Marks passedMay 12 2025, survived by three daughters,Tammy Farmer Johnson (Ronald),Debbie FarmerKuylen(Donald), and JoyFramerBorn; six grandchildren,Tabitha Gar‐rard(Sean); Jonathan Kuylen; Jacob, Daisy, Lily and Jayden Johnson; two great grandchildren, Canon and Sutton Garrard; and three siblings,Edmond, An‐drew, andJoeyHeigle. Gail was preceded in deathby her firsthusband,Mervin Farmer, andsecondhus‐band, Donald Marks; three siblings, June Hoffman, Au‐gustHeigle, andDonald Heigle; andher parents, Margaretand August Hei‐gle.Mrs.Marks worked at JCPenneyfor over 30 years inthe accountingdepart‐ment. Sheenjoyed bingo, dancing,and MardiGras. She will be sorely missed byher devotedfamilyand friends. Relativesand
friendsare invitedtovisit Greenwood FuneralHome, 5200 CanalBlvd.,New Or‐leans,LA70124, on Mon‐day,May 19, 2025, starting at11:00 a.m. Catholic Ser‐vices will follow thevisita‐tionat1:00p.m.The burial willbeinGreenwood Cemetery. We also invite you to shareyour thoughts, fond memories and condolencesonlineat www.greenwoodfh.com Your shared memories will helpuscelebrate Gail’s life and keep hermemory alive
Oswald-Soto, Beulah Lepre Beulah Oswald-Soto, age90ofRiver Ridge, LA died on April9,2025. She is preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Robert EmmettOswald; son, James Armand Oswald; husband of 18 months, LuisAlejandro Soto;parents, Nolia LeBlancLepre and Vallie Francis Lepre;and brother, VallieFrancis Lepre, Jr.; and sister, BettyPhillips Maxwell.She is survived by children, Robert Emmett Oswald,Jr.,Elizabeth Oswald Fetzer(Everett), and Scott AshtonOswald (Erin); grandchildren, Katie Oswald Hutchins (Jared), Margaret Oswald Thompson(David), Robert Emmett Oswald III, Donald EverettFetzerIII (Jessica), Rankin Scott Fetzer, Ashton Vincent Fetzer, BridgetOswald Anderson (Michael) and Claire Margaret Oswald;great grandchildren, Melrose Hutchins, LeviThompson Dillon Fetzer, Jace Fetzer, AbigailFetzer, Charlotte Fetzer, Ellanore Fetzer, Oliver Fetzer, Patrick Anderson, and John Anderson; sisters, Beverly Epling and WandaDavid. Additionalsurvivorsinclude7 nieces, 2nephews, 3stepchildren, 5step grandchildren, and 2step greatgrandchildren. Mrs. Oswald-Sotowas born in Biloxi,Mississippi.She is a graduateofBiloxi High School and Charity HospitalSchool of Nursing. AMaster Gardenerand LandscapeDesign Consultant,she is the founding president of JeffersonBeautification, Inc.,havingbecomeactive in civic endeavorsin1976 as amember of Shady Oaks GardenClub.She is a founding coordinator of theJeffersonParish AdoptA-Parkway Program and has served on theboard of directors of theLA. State UrbanForestryCouncil, The RiverRidge CommunityAssociation, theFour Parish Civic BeautificationAssociation, theLaSallePark Development Board, the Harahan Beautification Commission, and the WestwegoBeautification Commission. Amemorial visitationand servicewill be held on May 23, 2025, at Lake Lawn FuneralHome, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvdin NewOrleans. Visitation willbeheldfrom9:00am10am witha Memorial Mass at 10am, and inurnment to follow at Metairie Cemetery after theMass. In lieu of flowers,please send contributions to Jefferson Beautification, Inc.,P.O. Box10658, Jefferson LA 70181 or on www.jeffersonbeautifica tion.org
Powell Sr., GregoryL
GregoryL Powell, Sr diedonMonday, May5, 2025 at theage of 65. He was born on July 25thto the late Sherman, Sr.and Adele Powell. Survivorsin‐clude hislovingwife, Monique VancePowell; children, Kentrell Vance, (Irsha);ChastityVanceCook (Johnathan);Gregory Powell, Jr.and Alexis Pow‐ell;brothers, Tyrone Pow‐ell,Sr. (lateJoyce); Sher‐man Powell, Jr.(Michelle); Richard Powell, Sr (Mec‐shall) (lateMiriamPowell); grandchildren,Myriana Vance, TamiaVance;Ken‐trell Vance, Jr;JaylinTrot‐ter,Khloe Cook andBrook‐lyn Cook;brothersinlaw TevestVance,Kendall Vance andthe late Gerard Vance;sisters in law, Ros‐alind Vance(Bridgette) and Michelle Baptiste; nieces, ShanitaPowell, Bennara N. King,Shenai Powell, CacheVance,Korie Vance,BrindallVance and KeioneVance;nephews, Richard Powell, Jr;Tyrone Powell, Jr;TroyMonroe, Ja‐coriVance,JarmarJones, Gregory Offray;Jadii Joseph, Gerard Joseph,Jr. and thelateGerardJoseph, Sr; cousin,Shawn Verrett; Godchild, AshantiEstem; lovingfamilypets, Louie and AngelPowell, as well asa host of otherloving relatives andfriends.Greg attended Southern Univer‐sity, where he played saxo‐phone in therenowned marchingbandand later graduated before joining the U.S. Army.Duringhis service in Desert Storm, he rosetothe rank of Platoon Commander andwas awarded theArmyCom‐mendation Medal, among several otherhonors. After his military service, Greg joinedthe Police Academy and went on to proudly serveasanofficeronthe
City of NewOrleans Police Force for34years.Family meant everything to Greg Hetaughthis children faith,integrity andthe im‐portanceofhardwork—al‐waysputting God firstand keepingfamilyclose.A de‐voted husband, he never misseda morningcoffee and teawithhis wife.Greg was afaithfulmemberof FranklinAvenue Baptist Church,groundinghis life inprayerand purpose. Whetherserving as an offi‐cer or mentoringneighbor‐hood kids,hewas acon‐stant presence andfather figure to many.Hebelieved God andfamilycame first. Thoughhe’snolongerwith us, hislight livesonin every hearthetouched "BigGreg,"you will truly bemissed. ACelebration service honoring thelife and legacy of thelateGre‐goryL.Powell, Sr., will be heldatFranklinAvenue Baptist Church,8282 I-10 Service Road,New Orleans, LA70126 on Tuesday, May 20, 2025 at 10 am,Pastor FredLuter,Officiating. In‐terment Mount Olivet Cemetery. Visitation 9am inthe church.Pleasesign onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581 4411.
Sarran Jr., Alfred C. Alfred C. Sarran,Jr.,age 81, of Slidell, Louisiana, passedawayonThursday, May 8, 2025. He wasborn onNovember20, 1943, in New Orleans, Louisiana. He issurvivedbyhis wife of 5 years,Dorothy Lynne La‐Grossa Sarran;children, AdamC.Sarranand Angela C.Sarran; grandchildren, MonicaAvila,MarcosAvila and MichaelAvila;greatgrandchild, ZarinAvila; and many extended family members andfriends.He was preceded in deathby his wife of 43 years, Joy Lanning Sarran;his par‐ents, Alfred C. Sarran Sr and HildaMarie SimonSar‐ran;siblings, CorinneSar‐ran Clark, CharlieSarran, HildaSarranHayes,and
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Laurent Sr., DanielJoseph
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SB134
Bill will lead to neglect andabuse of seniors
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
As billsmovethrough the state Legislature, here are some our readers are watching closely.
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,
SB206
of
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR
AREWELCOME.HEREARE
OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com. TO SEND US ALETTER SCAN HERE
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 Senatorsand their staff gather during legislativesession on May12atthe Louisiana State CapitolinBaton Rouge.
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 a fox, achicken and asack of corn across ariver one at atime. Most combinations ofthese 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 be offset 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 Republicans say, thetax cuts will indeed cost money.If they’re not offset with either additional revenue or reduced spending,the government will have to borrow alot more to deal with the loss.Borrowingmore, 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 thegoals of the president’s trade policy were incon-
gruous andconvoluted, 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
MichaelSarran. He wasa graduateofFrancis T. NichollsHighSchool in New Orleans. Al retired fromTexas Instruments as a computer fieldengineer. Heworkedatthe Univer‐sityofHolyCross in New Orleans as amanager of datasystems.Hewas a memberofthe Knightsof Columbus. He wasa kind and gentle soul andalways willingtohelppeopleifhe could.Heenjoyed spend‐ing time with hisfamily and friends, especially withhis grandchildren. He enjoyed workingin and maintaining hisyard. He was alovinghusband,fa‐ther, grandfather, brother, and uncle. He will be sorely missedbyall whoknew him.God blesseduswith his presence.Inlieuof flowers, contributionsin memoryofMr. Sarran may bemadetoTunnels to Tow‐ers Foundation,St. Joseph’sIndianSchool,the AmericanLegion, or Knight ofColumbus(SlidellCoun‐cil 2732).Relatives and friends areinvited to at‐tendthe memorial mass on Wednesday,May 21, 2025 at2:00p.m.atE.J.Fielding Funeral Home,2260 West 21st Avenue,Covington, Louisiana,withvisitation beginning at 12:00 p.m. In‐terment will follow in St JosephAbbeyCemetery, 75376 RiverRoad, St.Bene‐dict, Louisiana. E. J. Field‐ing FuneralHomeofCov‐ington, Louisiana, is hon‐oredtobeentrusted with Mr. Sarran’s funeral arrangements. Hisfamily invites youtoshare thoughts, memories,and condolences by signingan onlineguestbook at www. ejfieldingfh.com
DEATHS continued from Angelina A. Marshall and John J. Marshall, Jr.Roslyn attended Soule Business College after high school. Sheowned Uptowner Antiques,Inc and Uptowner Beauty Salon with her husband, Jimmy. Shewas agreat partner in life and in business, and together they experienced manywonderful European buying trips forthe antique shop. Through the business and trips, she and Jimmy made many longlasting foreign and local friends. Friends that Roslyn cherished. Roslynwas aloving motherand Nana to her grandchildren. She was selfless to her own needs and always concerned abouther family.She was agentleand kindsoul. Roslyn was an avid sports fanand lovedthe New Orleans Saints and New Orleans Pelicans.She also loved watchingtennisall year long.
Roslyn is survived by her husband of 61 years, James M. Schneider;her daughter, GretchenS Burghardt;her sons, Christian M. Schneider (Kirsten) and Marshall A. Schneider;grandchildren, Lexie Aguillard, Grace Schneider, Eugenie Burghardt and Madeline Burghardt; and brother, John J. Marshall,III (Daleen).She was preceded in death by her grandson, Christian J. Schneider and herparents. The family wouldliketogive spe-
cial thanks to Maria Tanya, Carla, Dr. Phillip Denoux, Theresa, and Dr. George Therapondos for thecare they provided. Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend a Memorial Mass for Roslyn at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, LA on Friday, May 23, 2025. Avisitation will beginat9:00AM until the Mass begins at 11:00AM. Interment willfollow in Metairie Cemetery. In lieu of flowers,pleaseconsider adonationtoVolunteersof America'sAdoption ProgramorSecond Harvest Food Bank.
Sizing up theAAC baseball tournament field
BY GUERRYSMITH
writer
Contributing
Conventionalwisdom wasTulane needed to avoid landing in dominant regular-season championTexas-San Antonio’shalfofthe bracket for the American Athletic Conference baseball tournament, butthatmay not be the case. The fifth-seeded Green Wave fared better against the three teams on its side —including the Roadrunners —than the four on the opposite side.
Tulane (30-24, 13-14) swept eighth-seeded Rice, was one of two teams to win agame at UTSA all year and nearly took two of three from Florida Atlantic, losing alate lead when closer Michael Lombardiwas unavailable with an oblique injury.
TheWave went 4-8 against the other half, getting sweptbyNo. 2seed Charlotte and No. 3seed South Florida.
Here is alook at the eight-team field beforeTulane’squest for athree-peat begins Tuesday morning against Florida Atlantic in Clearwater,Florida.
CanTulanedoitagain?
1. UTSA (42-11, 23-4)
Strengths: The Roadrunners rake. Their .322 batting average leads the AAC by along way and ranks sixth nationally.Theyalsoare second in ERA and thirdinfielding.
Weakness: Ace Braylon Owens’ 4.47 ERA does notcompare to the top pitchers in the league.
Outlook: Although UTSA is the class of the AAC, its incentive level is murkyasanatlarge regional lock thatdid not bidonhosting.
2. Charlotte (35-20, 18-9)
Strengths: Pitchingand defense. The 49ers’
ä See TULANE, page
As thestate’s premierprogram,LSU softball must improve —but that starts with keepingTorinaatthe helm
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.
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
Besides LSU’s strong metrics, the perception around the Tigers’ play throughout the secondhalfofthis season hasbeen strong. They entered this weekasthe No.1 team
Scott Rabalais
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.
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, complainingthatthe program has regressedsince she led the Tigers to thelast of four Women’s College World
“I’msure on the outside looking in you don’tsee it at this moment,” Torina said. “But this program 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 this program deserves to be.”
Brave words, though it’snever agood sign for a coach to have to justify their own existence. Ortry to convince anyone that things are going well. Overall, this was agood if not ultimately great season
ä See RABALAIS, page 5C
See LSU, page 5C
ANALYSIS
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 HILARySCHEINUK
LSU softball coach Beth Torinawatches aplayduring aBaton Rougeregional game against SoutheasternLouisiana on Friday at TigerPark. LSU wasknockedout of the tournament by Southeastern.
5C
Tulane coach JayUhlman STAFF FILE
PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
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
IN BRIEF FROM
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. Roland Garros starts next Sunday
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
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
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
“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.”
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.
Del Toro is first Mexican to lead Giro d’Italia
SIENA, Italy Isaac del Toro became the first Mexican cyclist to take the overall lead of the Giro d’Italia but the 21-year-old was beaten on the line by Wout van Aert in a tough and dusty ninth stage on Sunday that shook up the general classification.
Giulio Ciccone was third at the end of the 112.4-mile route from Gubbio to Siena, that included a mini Strade Bianche on the white, gravel roads of Tuscany Del Toro has an overall lead of 1 minute, 13 seconds over UAE Team Emirates XRG teammate Juan Ayuso. Pre-race favorite Primoz Roglic was involved in a crash and had a puncture. He’s slipped to 10th, more than two minutes behind Del Toro. Monday is a rest day
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
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
Southeasterncoach Rick Fremin talks withhis team on the mound during the regional championship game againstNebraska on Sunday
Southeastern fallsto Nebraska in regional
BY JIM KLEINPETER Contributing writer
Southeastern Louisiana had an extended stay in the NCAA Baton Rouge softball regional but the Lions’ trip to the championship round ended quickly in thorough domination.
The No. 4-seeded Lions took their record-breaking season as farasit could go before falling to Nebraska, 8-0, in asix-inning, mercy rule finish Sunday at Tiger Park.
The game took 2hours and 9 minutes clock time to complete but it couldn’terase the indelible mark the season has left on coach Rick Fremin’s program. In his 10th season as the Lions coach, the Belle Chasse native averaged 46 wins over thepast four seasons and 34.6 in his Hammond tenure.
The Lions (50-15) alsobeatLSU twice on itshome field to advance to the championshipround for the second consecutive season and won aschool-record number of gamesdespitelosing 12 seniors andhave 15 new players in the dugout.
“You never want your season to
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for LSU, going 42-16 and earning aNo. 10 national seed.But there is aperception that the gap between LSU and thetop shelf programs in the country has grown. The addition of powerhouse softball programs like Oklahoma and Texas tothe Southeastern Conferencehasn’t helpedthat one bit. Neither does losing two regional games to SLU, 4-3 and 8-7. It must be said that pinning the entire weekend on what LSU didn’tdoand not creditingSLU for what it did do is adisservice to theLions. SLU won 50 games thisseason and kept relentless pressure on the Tigers in both games it won at Tiger Park this weekend. The Lions werelowballed as aregional No. 4seed But LSU is the state’spremier program. The biggest budget, the best facilities. The news conference was held in LSU’s converted covered batting cages, acrossasmall outfield walkway from Tiger Park’simpressive performance center, the biggest facility of its kind in the SEC. It almost doesn’trequire mentioning, but obviously SLU doesn’thave anything like that in Hammond. In the end, SLU was no match forregional No. 2seed Nebraska, losing 14-1 Saturday and 8-0 Sundaytothe Cornhuskers in the LSU-less regional final at LSU. If anything,the Lions saved LSU from getting squelched by Nebraska andits
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in the country accordingtoevery poll and have won four of their last fiveseries in SEC play
There’s astrongargumentto 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 play a 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
UNOrallies to punchticketto Southlandchampionshipseries
BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer
UNO entered the Southland Conference tournament as the No. 8 seed and is now knocking on the door of an NCAA regional after three straightwins at Alumni Field in Hammond.
end,” Fremin said. “But when you put ‘special’ on the field, or in the dugout, or within astaff, you kind ofwanttoliveinthatworldforever “It’sbeena magicalride. Ithink we’ve upped theante from ayear ago. We took down atop 10 team twice on their home fieldand hit the 50-winmark,whichstillamazesme.”
In the end the Cornhuskers, who pummeled SLU, 14-1, Saturday, weretoo strong,led by Big 10 Player and Pitcher of the Year
Jordy Bahl (25-6).She threwa one-hitter,facingone batter over the minimumand striking out 10.
Bahl also hit her school-record 23rd homer and fourth of the series in the Huskers’ leadoff atbat.SamanthaBland added three hits and four runsbatted in TheNo. 2-seeded Cornhuskers(42-13) won all three regional gamesvia the mercyruleand will move on to play at Tennessee in the superregional round next weekend. SLUcouldn’trecreate themagic they had against LSU. Brilee Ford gotthe only hit on an infield single in the fifthinning after Bahl had retired thefirst 13 hitters.
amazingJordyBahl, who has to be the deadliest dual-threat player in thenation.The Cornhuskers moved on from here to face Tennessee in asuperregional in Knoxville. ShouldLSU move on from Torina? The idea is absurd. Yes, softball and men’s basketball are theonlytwo of LSU’s big seven programs (football, men’sand women’sbasketball, baseball, gymnastics, softball, track and field)not to win anational title since 2019. Butthat’satough standard. And if LSUathletic directorScottWoodward was willing to give men’sbasketball coach Matt McMahon 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 thepandemic) and over 500 wins.She’swellliked within the athletic department and hasled ascandal-free program. That itwould takea couple of million dollars to buy outTorina andher staff is probably aconsideration as well. Clearly,though, LSU softball should strive to be better.More competitive. Winchampionships again.The Tigers will need the means to go and get some better players in thetransfer portal, namely apowerhitter or two, before the2026 season arrives. Torina madea definitive statementthat improvementwill come. That LSUwon’tbein this position again.Surely she’s earned achance to prove that she can getthe program there, just as surely as she knows what mayhappen if shedoesnot
themound— before going3 for5 at theplate on Saturday Like with junior Ethan Frey against left-handers, Brownhas clearly found hisstrokeversus righties. Trying to find playing time between those two and senior Josh Pearson will be something to continue to monitor as LSUheads into the postseason. Given Pearson’s playoff history and experience, the Tigers will need all three of them to contribute in June in order to get to the CollegeWorld Series.
Evaluating LSU’stop pitchers It wasn’taperfect series for LSU’stop arms. Sophomoreleft-handerKade 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 Eyansonstruggled to varying degrees throughoutthe weekend. Cowan washit hard forthe third timeinthree weeks on Thursday, allowingthreeearnedrunsand four hits in 12/3 innings. He alsowalked
On Saturday,UNO facedNo. 4 seed Northwestern State for the second timeintwo days, and it appeared that the Demons were going to force aSunday elimination game with UNOtrailingbysix runs entering the eighthinning. However,UNO tied things with six runs in the top of theeighth and went on to win 12-11 to advance the Southland championship series.
UNO’stournament run began with an upsetwin on Thursday against No. 1seed Southeastern. UNO followed that with aone-run win againstNorthwesternState on Friday, andthe underdogPrivateers kept thatmomentum going on Saturday despitefacing asteep deficit
“In atime of NIL and guys transferring, this is ateam,” UNO coach Dax Norris said. “It was built in thefall, andwewere built for arun in thetournament.Theybelieve in each other.Icouldn’tbemore proud of the group. They’ve been through alot. There’snothing better than this.”
Northwestern State was up 6-0 after three innings on Saturday until UNO first baseman and right-
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ERA in league games(3.91) is morethanhalf-a-run lowerthan anyone else. Ace BlakeGillespie’s ERA is 1.39 in nine AAC starts. They rank thirdnationally in fielding percentage.
Weakness: They did nothit for average before pummelingTulane over the weekend, but they are plenty good enough at theplate, ranking second in home runs during league games. Third baseman BryceDawson bats aleague-high .387 in conference play
Outlook: This complete team should reach Sunday’schampionship game.
3. South Florida (29-23, 16-11)
Strengths: Ace Corey Braun went 6-1 in league action. The Bulls were third in ERAand runs in conference games.
Weakness: The Bulls hit only 29 home runs and have aslugging percentage considerably below the other top contenders.
Outlook: USFisbetterthanthe sumofits parts. It won series againstall threeteams on itsside of the bracket.
4. Florida Atlantic (36-19, 15-12)
Strengths: The long ball and ace Trey Beard. TheOwlsleadthe league with 42 home runs in conference play.Beard is second with a2.93 ERA, allowing only 54 hits with 113 strikeouts in 80 innings.
Weakness: TheOwlswent2-7against the threeteamsseeded above them. They were swept by UTSA
Outlook: FAUissolid enough to make arun at the championship, although opening againsttwo-time reigning champion Tulane with apotential second game against nemesis UTSA is not ideal.
5.Tulane (30-24, 13-14)
Strengths: Offense andLombardi. The Wave finishedsecondtoUTSA in runs during conference games. Lombardi tiedfor the league lead with 11 saves, boasting amicro-
handedpitcherBryceCalloway hit atwo-run homer in the top of thefourth inning. Calloway’s18th home run of the season was the only timeUNO scored untilthe top of the eighth. UNO’seighth-inning rally began whenpinchhitter Adrian Dominguez delivered aone-out double, which led to an RBI single by Alexander Saunier.The bases were loaded when Tristan Moore came to the plate, and he hit adouble down theright-field line to clear thebases.
“Staying together wasthe most important thing,” Moore said. “Thoseguyswereable to geton base andput me in that position, so it goes out to those guys for getting there andletting me do what Idid.”
UNO was down by tworunsafter Moore’sdouble,and thePrivateers tied thegame after Bryan Loriga hit atwo-run homerun to leftfield.
Northwestern State took thelead back after abalk in the bottom of the eighth inning, but UNO scored four moreruns in the top of ninth. Aleadoff single by Gonzalez led to RBI singles by Calloway and Moore to getthe lead back.The Privateers got twoinsurance runs after Diego Villescas’ two-run single.
“It would’ve been easy to just shut it down (after the balk),” Norris said. “Wecame right back the next inning and guys started hitting. It’s contagious. Winning is
contagious,and abeliefiscontagious.”
Callowayenteredinthe bottom ninth and allowed two runs, but UNO’s two-way star had enough in the tank to record astrikeout for the final out of the inning for his 11th save.
“Ira (Austin) waswarming up in the bullpen, and Itold him that I’m goingtoneedyou rightherebecause thetankisemptyfor me,” Callowaysaid. “He toldme‘you got it, you’re built forthis.’ Iknow I’ve gotmyguys behind me, so I know Ican go in and execute.”
UNO used nine pitchers, with left-handed pitcher Zach Longshore getting the start and pitching 22/3 innings. UNO freshman right-hander Carson Kimball entered in thebottom of the eighth with the gametied, allowing one run with twostrikeouts.
UNO (28-24) now turns its attention to No.5seed Houston Christian (30-23), who defeated No. 2 seed UTRGV on Saturday to advancetothe Southland championship series. Houston Christian will host as the higher seed.
UNO sweptHouston Christian duringthe regularseasonina three-game conferenceseries. The tournament championship seriesisabest-of-threeand begins at 6p.m. Thursday,with the winner clinching aregional berth. Email Spencer Urquhart at surquhart@theadvocate.com.
scopic 1.45 ERA. Weakness: Tulane’s league-worst ERAof8.07inconferenceplay says it all. It enters the tournament having giving up 15 or more runs in agameduring fiveconsecutive series.
Outlook: The Wave will rely heavily on mojoafter going 8-1 in Clearwater the past twoyears.
6. East Carolina (29-25, 13-14)
Strength: Pitcher Ethan Norby’s up side is as good as anyone in the league. He allowed one earned run in 132/3 innings with 15 strikeout in back-to-back appearances against Tulane and Rice.
Weakness: ThePirates rankinthe bottom half of the league in runs, ERA and fielding.
Outlook: Unless the nameonthe jerseymeanssomething in Clearwater,ECU’srun of seven consecutiveregional berths will end.
7.Wichita State (20-34, 11-16)
Strength: Momentum? The Shockers needed to winaseason-ending
abatter andhit another before allowing the walk-off run to score on awild pitch in theninthinning. LSU had atwo-run lead in the eighth when he entered the game.
“I don’tknowiftheyweremistake pitches or they put good swings on it,” LSU coach Jay Johnsonsaid, “but you’ve gottogive them credit.” Evansand Eyansondidn’tscuf-
fle nearly as much, but neither were at their sharpest against the Gamecocks. Evans walked abatter and barely threw more than half of his 27 pitches for strikes on Friday,and Eyansonadmitted on Saturday that he didn’thave his best stuff, eventhough he only gave up two earned runs Eyanson walked three bat-
seriesvs. Memphis to reach the tournament and swept the Tigers.
Weakness: Wichita State has no qualifying pitcher with an ERA below 5.75.
Outlook: Picked second in the preseason poll, the Shockers went 6-15 against the other teamsinthis field. They will need an about-face to survive past Wednesday 8. Rice (17-38, 10-17)
Strengths: FormerTulane coach David Pierce brought somestability to aprogram in disarray when he took over in mid-March. AceDavionHicksonhas high-end stuff
Weakness: Everything else. The Owls wereoutscored 194-137 in league play
Outlook: Hickson, who threw a one-hit complete-game shutout of Charlotte andlimitedWichita State to two runs in his past two starts, gives Rice achance against UTSAinits opener.After that, good luck.
ters and only had fivestrikeouts against the lowly Gamecocks. “I waswaiting foranouting like that to happen where Ididn’thave my best stuff and just had to mentally grind,” Eyanson said.
Thetop of theorder gets going LSU’sattack is at its best when freshmanDerekCuriel, junior Daniel Dickinson and junior Jared Jones are clicking on all cylinders. And that wasondisplay this weekend, especially on Saturday It wasabig weekend forDickinson and Jones. Jones went 6for 13 withthree home runs,moving to third on LSU’sall-timehomers list on Friday.Dickinsonwas 5for 12 and blasted ahomer on Thursday and Saturday Curiel,LSU’s leadoff hitter, joined the party on Saturday after going 0for 8with awalk through the first two games of the series. He bounced back with a3for 5 performance in the series finale.
“I just tuned somethingsup, madesome adjustments mentally,” Curiel said, “and just locked back into my plan and just had fun.”
ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO By JOHN AMIS
Florida Atlantic’sTreyBeard lookstothrowapitch against Vanderbilt during agame on Feb.17, 2024, in Nashville, Tenn. Beard and the Owls lead the league with 42 home runs in conferenceplay.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU pitcher Casan Evans reacts after apitch against Arkansas in the first inning of their game on May1 at Alex Box.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAELJOHNSON
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
Josef Newgarden prepares to drive during practice for the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis.
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.
“You can listen to asong amilliontimes, but when you startdigging into the roots you realize how manydifferentplaces it’scoming from.”
TILTON, co-founderand co-director of the Nous Foundation
SCOTT
TODAY’S LANGUAGE
BY JAKE CLAPP Gambit Weekly
The use of French and Creole in Louisiana has been on the decline for decades, although anumberof initiatives and organizations are attemptingtoslow the slide and preserve the state’sunique cultural history.But there’sone area where the state’sheritage languages can still be regularly heard: Louisiana music.
“As wehave this ongoing language loss in Louisiana,why is it in music that Louisiana keeps perpetuating the Frenchlanguage? And how are musicians doing that today?” asks Scott Tilton, the co-founder and co-directorofthe New Orleans Foundation forFrancophoneCultures, also called the Nous Foundation Those were guiding ques-
tions for theNous Foundation’s “Musique(s)!” project,aninitiative using amusic album,a short documentary film, abookand an exhibition to explorewhat Louisiana Frenchand Creolemusicsounds like in 2025. The organization, which Tilton and his husband Rudy Bazenet founded in 2021, takes amodern, arts-focusedapproachtohelp make LouisianaFrench andCreole more accessible to New Orleanians. Released on May 7, “Musique(s)!
L’Album”isa full-lengthalbum featuring songs in French andCreole by Grammy winnersLouis Michot and Leyla McCalla, indie pop band SweetCrude,roots musician Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes and his band The LouisianaSunspots, contemporary string ensemble Les Cenelles and aunique group of BabyDolls. The album is out now on vinyl through theNousFoundation andwillbe
available on streaming services.
The larger “Musique(s)!” project earned theNous Foundation aCommunity Collections Grant from the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. And in March, the organization went to Washington, D.C., to present the project at the Library of Congress with aperformance by Michot and McCalla. The book, album and film will be archived in the Library of Congress’ permanent collections. TheCommunity Collections Grantprogramsupportsprojects thatdocument an aspect of acommunity’sculture,Tilton says, so when Nous was brainstorming what kind of project they could propose, they wanted to find something that would bring people together “I thinkthere weretwo things.
ä See PROJECT, page 2D
Swim your wayout of debt with proven strategies
It’s never toolateto increase your cognitive reserve
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, whichdescribed individuals with no apparent symptoms of dementia who were nonetheless found at autopsy to have brains consistent with advanced Alzheimer’sdisease. They found that these individuals did not show symptoms of 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, whichprotect 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.
Assessingyour
It is never too late to build a cognitive 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 areduced 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. 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 developing cognitive reserve include changing routes while going to regular venues, such as grocery
STAFF FILE PHOTOS
Bruce ‘Sunpie’ Barnes and the Louisiana Sunspots
Sam Craft, of Sweet Crude
LeylaMcCalla
Lost Bayou Rambler fiddler Louis Michot, left, and brotherAndre Michot
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.
Dr.Elizabeth Ko Dr.Eve Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS
Today,wehave moved far beyond simply staying clean. People of allagesare expected toerase anytrace of bodily odor. Unfortunately,asthe interaction withyour grandson shows, even aslight shift fromthatolfactorynet zero cancause embarrassment The scent you 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
RESERVE
Continued from page 1D
shoppingortoa faith establishment. Using the non-dominant hand for activities such as eating or brushing teeth are challenging practices and can help preserve mental capacity.Examining problems from different perspectives and changing points of view will also exercise the brain. The internet is full of various websitesthat offer video lectures and courses that can flex mental muscles.
PROJECT
Continued from page1D
One was food, and the otherwas music,” he says. Recorded at Esplanade Studios, thealbum featureseachmusician and ensemble performing two songs. Michot, the fiddler and vocalist for Lost Bayou Ramblers, and folk musician Leyla McCalla formed an informal duo for their set of recordings, swapping accompaniment on tracks like “Valse de Meche Perdu,” asongwritten by Michot’sfather,Tommy,and “Lavi Vye Neg,” aHaitian kreyol song McCalla included on her album “The CapitalistBlues.”
Sunpie &The LouisianaSunspots inject zydeco on their songs“Sang Brule” and “Marie Laveau,” which also carries some Latin influences. And the ensemble Les Cenelles use violin, bass, cello and voice on the lovely Creolesongs “MichieBanjo” and “Michie Prevale.” Sweet Crude have always used LouisianaFrenchintheir indie rock and pop music, and on “Musique(s)!” the bandrevisits their songs “Mon Esprit” and “Prokupine.” Vocalist Sam Craft also mixed the album and New Orleans producer and musician Ben Lorio masteredit.
Notably,“Musique(s)!” includes
DEBT
Continued from page1D
divided between need to have and nice to have. “Need to have”refers to essential necessities, including food, shelter, utilities, transportation and clothing. “Nice to have” is everything else.
While whittlingdown your debt, you can’tslack off on your “needto-have” expenditures.But you can decrease your “nice-to-have” spending and use that extratoward paying downacredit card or loan balance. Cancel thatgym membership Cut back on meals out or the daily coffee shop 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
is not related to poor hygiene. 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’sabilitytoact 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
Traveling to newplaces, exploring personal strengths and weaknesses, expanding on existing talents, and learning anew hobby or learning to playa new musical instrument are all ways that not onlybuild mentaland physical capacities,but also develop cognitive reserve.
Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’sDisease.” She hosts “The MemoryWhisperer.” Email her at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.
two songsinLouisiana Creole performed bya group of Baby Dolls Their recordings of “Mo Lemme Toi” and “Eh La Bas” overlap with aproject ledbyscholar Kim VazDeville seeking to reconnect the playful Baby Doll tradition with the Creole songsNew Orleans women would singwhen thetradition began. The recording processwas filmed, and themusicians sat for interviews, which was used to make the20-minute “Musique(s)!” documentary. The short film premiered earlier this year at the New OrleansFrench Film Festival. Thoseinterviews also are part of a120-pagebook along with photos andlyrics to each song. The album and book —both designed by artistic directors Katya Vaz and Autumn Palen —are available at theNousFoundation’srecently opened space at 602 Toulouse St “You can listen to asong amilliontimes, but when youstart digging into theroots yourealize how many different places it’scoming from,” Tilton says. “The amount of influences that converge here [is interesting] and how for each musician, it’snot just onetradition they’repulling from, oftenit’sthree or four traditions. The Mississippi sometimes feelslike agiant sound waveemanating intothe Gulf.” Findmoreinformation at nousfoundation org.
afew months can motivate you to continue. But while you’re paying off smaller amounts, yourhigherinterest-rate account balances continuetogrow, makingthis method potentially costlier
DEBT AVALANCHE —STARTING BIG With the debt avalanchestrategy,you make minimum payments to allaccounts. Your primaryfocus 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 more than theminimum on acredit card or loan means the accounthitsazerobalance faster, and you can save interest on the outstanding balance. For example, consider acredit card with a $5,000 at a20percent interest rate. Even asmall bumpinthe monthly payment youmake can shave significant time off your repayment period (and save you hundreds in interest).
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 only whenpresent on the skin, but also in the air around the person whose skin is producing it. And because 2-nonenal is afatty acid, it is not water-soluble. This means that unlikesweat,which is water-based, it is noteasily washed away withsoap andwater.Even for people who practice diligent hygiene, thedusty or musty scent of 2-nonenal can persist. Because 2-nonenal can become embedded in fabrics, it can be helpful to wash clothing andbedding withdetergents thatare specially formulated to remove grease. Keeping rooms well-ventilated can help diminish the scent of thecompounds that
have become aerosolized
Someclaimshave been made that the tannins present in persimmon-based soaps can successfully remove 2-nonenal from the skin. However,the evidence in that regard is strictly 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
Send questions to askthedoctors@ mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask theDoctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 WilshireBlvd., Suite1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.
Apowdery solution to stuckkey locks
Dear Heloise: R.J., of New Orleans, wrote about astuck key lock. Home improvement stores sell small tubes of powdered graphitethat have atiny nozzle to fit intothe offending lock. Ashort squeeze or two pumps of powdered graphiteinto thelock, and voilà! Problem solved. No morehaving to shave lead pencils and trying to blow graphite into theoffending lock as you suggested. —E.J.R., in Laguna Hills, California
Gender reveal parties
Dear Heloise: Ihate the gender reveal parties so manypeople are having. First, it’sanexcuse to have aparty,which is fine, but too often, I’ve seen pregnant mothersdrinking alcohol while knowing that it’swrong. Sometimes there’sdisappointmentwhen thegender isn’twhat someonehoped for or there’s morethan one baby on the way Butthe worst argument Iever
By The Associated Press
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
tion ratio. This percentagerepresents howmuchcredit youuse relative to howmuch you have. A lower utilization ratio improves your credit score.
Bankrate’scredit card payoff calculator can help you determine minimum payment amounts, interest 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
saw was about relatives arguing over what to namethe baby,and it wasn’teven their child! My daughter-in-law wanted a gender reveal party,and sheasked if she could haveitinour backyard because it’slandscaped beautifully.Wehad the usual cake, coffee, finger sandwiches, and fruitand-cheese trays. After everyone left, my spoiled daughter-in-law broke down sobbing because no one brought anygifts!
Youcan keep these gender reveal parties! —Marie F.,inMacon, Georgia
Well, readers …what do you thinkabout gender reveal parties?Soundoff to Heloise@Heloise.com. —Heloise
Composting questions
Dear Heloise: Ijust started a compost pile behind our barn. We recycleeverything we can, but there are afew itemsI’m not sure about, such as bones, dead
TODAYINHISTORY
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
these methods let you pay off multiple creditorsand lenders, leaving youwith asingle monthly feethat goes toward the balance of the loan or card.
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.
plants, manure, hair from haircuts, my daughter’sparakeet, and woodshavings. —VeraS Albuquerque, New Mexico Vera, here is the list:
n Bones: No n Dead plants: Depends on how they died. If they died from neglect, it’sOKbut not if they died from adisease.
n Manure: Risky.Animal manure can carry parasites, so the answer is “no.”
n Human hair: I’dhave to say it’sOK.
n Parakeet remains: Probably not. Digasmallhole in the earth and give the parakeet afuneral.
n Wood shavings: Yes, you can put them in the compost file. Things such as healthy plant material, leaves, grass cuttings, vegetable peelings, and fruit that’sgone bad are all good for acompost pile. Old medication, motor oil, dead animals and plastic are no-nos. —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.
7. Settle forlessthanwhat’sowed
Adebt settlement program 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 angle and head in that direction. Overanalyzing willholdyou back. You are in abetterposition than you think, anda positive change willenergizeyou to exceed your own expectations.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Keep your eyes on your goal and your circumstances. Someone will embellish information to grab your attention. Whenindoubt, take abreak and concentrate on yourself and what makes you happy.
CANCER (June 21-July22) Stepoutsideyour comfort zone andlet your imagination help you achieve your dreams. Focus on what'simportant and develop skills to help youachieve something newand exciting. It's OK to show emotions.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Seek information to enhance your skills, knowledge and experience, andrethink your purpose, passion and desired position. If youlove what you do, you will do agood job.
VIRGO(Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Toomuch of anything will lead to backlash.Choose discipline,harness your energyand do your best.Don't count on otherstodothings for you or give in to someone pressuring you. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.23) You'llattract takers andgivers. Examine who they are, what they want and whatyou are willing to offer andreceive. Indebtednesscan affect your abilitytodowhat's bestfor you. Weigh theprosand cons.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Take your mind off all the distractions buzzing around in your head. Turn off the news, get out-
doors and engage in activities thatchallenge you physically andencourageyou to pay attention to your well-being.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov.22-Dec. 21) It'stwosteps forwardand three stepsback. Sit back and organize your thoughts,and you'll get aclear message from your heart regardingwhattodonext.Opportunityis within reach, but youmust take the time to recognize the possibilities.
CAPRICORN(Dec.22-Jan.19) Consider your concerns and setout to make adifference. Volunteer, engage in rallies, gather informationanddoyourpart.Theknowledge you gainwill change how you view yourself.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Putmoneymatters first. Look at howmuchyou earn and where your moneygoes. It's time to restructure your lifestyletofit your budget. Consider unique ways to use your talents,skills and experience.
PISCES(Feb. 20-March20) Size down on allfronts. Toomuchfood,expenditures, work,travel, daydreaming or anything else will drag you down. Temptation is the enemy.
ARIES (March21-April19) Review your investments and adjust your overhead Settinga budgetand allocatingfunds to pay off debt will ease stress and put youina betterposition to followyour dreams.
CelebrityCipher cryptograms are created fromquotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands foranother.
TODAy'S CLUE: PEQUALS U
CeLebrItY CIpher
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
LAGoon
Sudoku
InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty levelofthe sudoku increases from monday to sunday.
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS CurTiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER
The late Sen. ArlenSpecter said, “If youare going to have to play defense allthe time, you cannot have the kind of ingenuity,assertiveness, independence and intelligence that have made our country strong.” That is not the case at the bridge table. In apair tournament (duplicate), if your defense is excellent becauseyou are ingeniousand intelligent,you should want to defend all of the time. Then you will get one top after another.
This week we will look at oneofthe most important and taxing aspectsof defense— tracking the high-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 his king and runs the spadequeen What should East do after taking this trick with his king?
Eastshouldcheckthehigh-cardpoints.
South showed 15 to 17 points, North tabled 12, andEast haseight. Thatleaves three to fivefor West.Whathigh card might he hold?
What did Eastlearn from West’sopeninglead?
Anineisalwaystopofnothing.So,West hasnopointsinthemajors.Hemusthave aminor-suit ace. And since the diamond acewill not be good enough to defeat the
wuzzles
contract,East shouldassume his partner hasthe clubace. East should shift to the club three, the lowcard saying thathehas honors in the suit andistryingtowin tricks in this suit. West should win with his ace andreturn theclubsix,givingthe defenders five tricks.
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word,phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons: 1. Words mustbeoffourormoreletters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” suchas“bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. additional words
or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper
explicit words are notallowed.
or
toDAY’s WoRD GRAtuItY: gruh-TOO-ih-tee: Something given voluntarily, usually for someservice.
Average mark 10 words
Time limit 20 minutes
Canyou find 17 or more wordsinGRATUITY?
sAtuRDAY’sWoRD— soLIPsIstIc
loCKhorNs
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letter word from theletters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus “Blanks”used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition For more information on tournaments and clubs,email
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
info@scrabbleplayers.org.Visit
ken ken
WiShinG Well
InstructIons: 1 -Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes called cages must combine using the given operation(in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is aplEasanT liTTlE
the number of letters
Scrabble GramS
Get fuzzy
jump Start
roSe iS roSe animal crackerS
DuStin
Drabble
Wallace the brave breWSter rockit
luann
within theParishofthe appropriatesizeand in
suitable
forthis project. Thealternative of no developmentwas considered butnot
JeffersonParishhas reevaluatedalternatives to building in the flood‐plainand hasdeter‐minedthatithas no practicablealternative to floodplaindevelopment Environmental filesdoc‐umenting compliance with ExecutiveOrder 11988, as amendedbyEx‐ecutiveOrder 13690, are availablefor public in‐spection,reviewand copyinguponrequest at thetimes andlocation delineated in thelast paragraphofthisnotice forreceipt of comments Thereare threeprimary purposes forthisnotice. First, people whomay be affected by activities in floodplainand thosewho have an interest in the protection of thenatural environmentshouldbe givenanopportunity to expresstheir concerns andprovide information aboutthese areas. Sec‐ond, an adequate public i b q p notice program can be an importantpublicedu‐cational tool.The dis‐semination of informa‐tion andrequest forpub‐liccomment about flood‐plaincan facilitate and enhanceFederal efforts to reduce therisks and impactsassociatedwith theoccupancyand modi‐fication of thesespecial areas. Third, as amatter of fairness, when the Federalgovernmentde‐termines it will partici‐pate in actionstaking placein floodplain, it must inform thosewho maybeput at greateror continuedrisk. Writtencommentsmust be received by Jefferson Parish at thefollowing addressonorbefore May27, 2025 [a minimum 7calendarday comment period will beginthe day after thepublication and endonthe
