The Times-Picayune 05-23-2025

BY KASEY BUBNASH Staff writer

Another above-average hurricane season is in store for the U.S., federal hurricane forecasters an-

Senate passes car insurance bills

Contentious

legislationbacked by governor

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Gov.Jeff Landry showed who’s theboss at theState Capitol when he rammed acar insurance bill throughthe Senate late Wednesday night over the vehement objections of Insurance Commissioner TimTemple and business trade groups.

House Bill 148 would grant the insurance commissioner greater authority to reject “excessive” rate increases,which Landry has said several times would prompt him to blame Temple if ratesremain high. With alast-minute amendment sought by thegovernor,HB148 also would require insurance companies to make their rate filing requestspublic.They say this could force them to expose trade secrets. But balancing out the scales, the Senate also passed five bills that affect who can sue and howmuch they can collect —measures that Temple, theinsurance industry and their business allies saywould reduce payouts and thusreduce rates. The Senatepassed thebills over the opposition of trial lawyers and their Democratic allies.

“What just passed out of theSenate, and if passed intolaw,would be the most comprehensive insurance reform in Louisiana’s history,” said Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington. “These changes are geared toward addressing the unaffordable car insurancecrisis in Louisiana.”

Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria,

ä See SENATE, page 13A

Active hurricane season

nounced Thursday from the New Orleans area, but theoutlook isn’t quite asgrim as it was this time last year.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association officials presented their 2025 outlook from the Jefferson Parish EmergencyOperations CenterinGretna, ahead of the 20thanniversary of HurricaneKatrina. Theytouched on lessons learned since the devastating 2005 storm, andpraised Jefferson Parish in particular for its storm

preparations.

NOAA is predicting13to19 named storms this year,thanks to warmtemperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and alack of wind shear.Of those, six to 10 are expected to become hurricanes, andthreetofive

of thoseare expected to become major hurricanes of Category3 strength or more

An average season ends with 14 namedstorms, sevenhurricanes withthree major hurricanes. “Warm sea surface temperatures

DA asks sheriffto turn over evidence

BY JOHN SIMERMAN and MISSY WILKINSON Staff writers

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson faced anew round of criticismThursday overlastweek’sbrazenjailbreak and her response, this time from District Attorney Jason Williams, as the manhunt for fiveremainingescapees slowed with none captured in two days.

In apairofletters Thursday,Williams asked Hutson to turn over any fingerprints or DNA that had been collected for jail employees and contractors, andtopreserve allevidence related to the escape. Williams asked Hutson

side job. Aspokesperson for Hutson’soffice did not respond to requests forcomment, nor did the office issue any news releases as of late Thursday afternoon.

to saveemails, text messages and other messaging, as well as surveillance video, visitor logs and other data.

Williams wrotethathis officewas investigating the jailbreak by 10 inmates, as well as allegations of an in-

ThelettersfromWilliams add to aparade of investigative bodies now looking under thehood of Hutson’s office in the aftermath of the mass escape, which has drawn anational spotlight on New Orleans andits justice system Attorney GeneralLiz Murrill’soffice also is investigating. And on Wednesday,Gov Jeff Landry issued an executive order calling fora host

are probablythe No. 1contributor to the whole thing,” National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said, because they provide the fueltropical storms need to form and grow

Another factor is the unlikely return of El Niño, which is generally associated with higherwind shear and less tropical activity in theAtlantic. Instead,Graham said neutral conditions are likely

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Russia says no new Ukraine talks scheduled

Russia and Ukraine have no direct peace talks scheduled, the Kremlin said Thursday, nearly a week after their first face-toface session since shortly after Moscow’s invasion in 2022 and days after U.S. President Donald Trump said they would start ceasefire negotiations “immediately.”

“There is no concrete agreement about the next meetings,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “They are yet to be agreed upon.”

During two hours of talks in Istanbul on May 16, Kyiv and Moscow agreed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, in what would be their biggest such swap. Apart from that step, the meeting delivered no significant breakthrough.

Several months of intensified U.S. and European pressure on the two sides to accept a ceasefire and negotiate a settlement have yielded little progress Meanwhile, Russia is readying a summer offensive to capture more Ukrainian land, Ukrainian government and military analysts say Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier this week that Moscow would “propose and is ready to work with” Ukraine on a “memorandum” outlining the framework for “a possible future peace treaty.” Putin has effectively rejected a 30-day ceasefire proposal that Ukraine has accepted.

Tenn. man executed for killing wife, her sons NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee inmate Oscar Smith was executed by lethal injection on Thursday morning for the 1989 murders of his estranged wife, Judith Smith, and her teenage sons, Jason and Chad Burnett. Smith was pronounced dead at 10:47 a.m. after a lethal injection of the barbiturate pentobarbital. The 75-year-old had maintained his innocence. In a lengthy final statement, he railed against the justice system, saying it “doesn’t work,” echoing sentiments expressed in a recent interview with The Associated Press. Speaking of Tennessee Gov Bill Lee, Smith said, “He has the last word and is the last person who can give justice where justice is needed.” There are more men waiting to die at the prison, he said. “I’m not the first, and I’m not going to be the last.” Smith was strapped to a gurney and had an IV in his right arm. It was attached to a long tube that ran into a different room where the lethal injection was administered. Witnesses saw no obvious sign that the injection had begun after his final statement, but Smith’s speech became labored as he spoke with his spiritual adviser Witnesses heard him say, “I didn’t kill her.” He appeared calm and did not appear to struggle as visible signs of respiration stopped

Man admits role in theft of body parts

SCRANTON, Pa. — A former Harvard Medical School morgue manager has admitted his role in the theft and sale of human body parts — including hands, feet and heads.

Cedric Lodge, 57, of Goffstown, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty Wednesday in Pennsylvania to interstate transport of stolen human remains, federal prosecutors said. He could face up to 10 years in prison.

The thefts from the morgue in Boston occurred from 2018 through at least March 2020, prosecutors said. Authorities have said Lodge, his wife and others were part of a nationwide network of people who bought and sold human remains stolen from Harvard and a mortuary in Arkansas.

Denise Lodge and several other defendants have pleaded guilty to various charges stemming from the scheme. Prosecutors have said she negotiated online sales of several items, including two dozen hands, two feet, nine spines, portions of skulls, five dissected human faces and two dissected heads. Authorities have said the dissected portions of cadavers donated to the school were taken without the school’s knowledge or permission.

Man charged with killing Israeli Embassy staffers

Court documents: Suspect told police ‘I did it for Gaza’

BY ERIC TUCKER, MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

WASHINGTON The man accused of fatally shooting two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum told police after his arrest, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” federal authorities said Thursday in announcing charges in the killings they called a targeted act of terrorism.

Elias Rodriguez, 31, shouted

“Free Palestine” as he was led away after his arrest according to charging documents that provided chilling new details of the Wednesday night attack in the nation’s capital that killed an American woman and Israeli man who had just left an event at the museum. They were set to become engaged.

The stunning attack prompted Israeli missions to beef up their security and lower their flags to halfstaff. It came as Israel pursues another major offensive in the Gaza Strip in the war with Hamas that has heightened tensions across the Middle East and internationally, and that law enforcement officials have repeatedly warned could inspire violence in the U.S. Rodriguez faces charges of murder of foreign officials and other crimes and did not enter a plea during a perfunctory court appearance. Additional charges are likely, prosecutors said, as authorities continue to investigate the killings as both a hate crime against the Jewish community and terrorism.

“Violence against anyone based on their religion is an act of cowardice. It is not an act of a hero,” said Jeanine Pirro, the interim U.S attorney for the District of Columbia. “Antisemitism will not be tolerated, especially in the nation’s capital.”

The two people killed were identified as Yaron Lischinsky, an Israeli citizen, and Sarah Milgrim an American. They were a young couple about to be engaged, according to Yechiel Leiter, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Friends, colleagues and former professors paid tribute to the pair Thursday as having dedicated themselves to promoting peace and aspiring

to bridge cultural and religious divides.

“Sarah and Yaron were stolen from us,” said Ted Deutch, the chief executive of the American Jewish Committee, which organized the event. “Moments before they were murdered, they were smiling, laughing and enjoying an event with colleagues and friends. We are in shock and heartbroken as we attempt to process this immense tragedy.”

An FBI affidavit made public Thursday presents the killing as calculated and planned, with authorities alleging that Rodriguez flew to the Washington region from Chicago on Tuesday with a handgun in his checked luggage. He purchased a ticket for the event about three hours before it started, the affidavit said.

The couple were leaving the Capital Jewish Museum when the suspect, who witnesses said had been behaving suspiciously by pacing outside the museum, approached a group of four people and opened fire. Surveillance video showed Rodriguez advancing closer to the two victims as they fell to the ground, leaning over them and firing additional shots. He even appeared to reload before jogging off, the FBI said.

After the shooting, the suspect went inside the museum and stated that he “did it.” He was no longer armed by the time he was taken into custody according to the affidavit.

“I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza, I am unarmed,” he spontaneously said. He also told detectives that he admired an active-duty Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in February 2024, describing the man

Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students

BY COLLIN BINKLEY and MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students in its escalating battle with the Ivy League school, saying thousands of current students must transfer to other schools or leave the country

The Department of Homeland Security announced the action Thursday, saying Harvard has created an unsafe campus environment by allowing “antiAmerican, pro-terrorist agitators” to assault Jewish students on campus. It also accused Harvard of coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party saying it hosted and trained members of a Chinese paramilitary group as recently as 2024.

“This means Harvard can no longer enroll foreign students and existing foreign students must transfer or lose their legal status,” the agency said in a statement

Harvard enrolls almost 6,800 foreign students at its campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, accounting for more than a quarter of its student body Most are graduate students, coming from more than 100 countries.

Harvard called the action unlawful and said it’s working to provide guidance to students.

“This retaliatory action threatens seri-

ous harm to the Harvard community and our country and undermines Harvard’s academic and research mission,” the uni-

as “courageous” and a “martyr,” court documents said. Investigators said they were still working to corroborate the authenticity of writings purported to be authored by Rodriguez, an apparent reference to a document circulating online that expressed outrage over Israel’s conduct in the war The FBI is also contacting associates, family members and co-workers.

Rodriguez appeared in federal court in Washington in a white jail suit and listened impassively as the charges and possible punishments, which include the death penalty, were read. At a home listed in public records for Rodriguez’s mother in suburban Chicago, a sign taped on the door Thursday afternoon asked for privacy

The shooting followed the Jewish advocacy group’s annual Young Diplomats reception at the museum, which the couple had attended.

Yoni Kalin and Katie Kalisher were inside the museum when they heard gunshots, and a man came inside looking distressed. Kalin said people came to his aid and brought him water, thinking he needed help, without realizing he was the suspect. When police arrived, he pulled out a red keffiyeh, the Palestinian headscarf, and repeatedly yelled, “Free Palestine,’” Kalin said.

“This event was about humanitarian aid,” Kalin said. “How can we actually help both the people in Gaza and the people in Israel? How can we bring together Muslims and Jews and Christians to work together to actually help innocent people? And then here he is just murdering two people in cold blood.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

The Trump administration revoked Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students in its escalating battle with the Ivy League school.

versity said in a statement.

The dispute stems from an April 16 request from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The letter demanded that Harvard turn over information about foreign students that might implicate them in violence or protests that could lead to their deportation.

In a letter to Harvard on Thursday, Noem said the school’s sanction is “the unfortunate result of Harvard’s failure to comply with simple reporting requirements.” It bars Harvard from hosting international students for the upcoming 2025-26 school year

Noem said Harvard can regain its ability to host foreign students if it produces a trove of records on foreign students within 72 hours. Her updated request demands all records, including audio or video footage, of foreign students participating in protests or dangerous activity on campus.

“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem said in a statement.

The action revoked Harvard’s certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which gives the school the ability to sponsor international students to get their visas and attend school in the United States.

CALIFORNIA

Music agency says 3 workers killed in plane crash

BY JULIE WATSON Associated Press

SAN DIEGO The music agency

Sound Talent Group said Thursday that three of its employees, including co-founder Dave Shapiro, died on the private plane that crashed into a San Diego neighborhood.

Shapiro is listed as the owner of the plane and has a pilot’s license, according to the Federal Aviation Administration Shapiro also owned a flight school called Velocity Aviation and a record label, Velocity Records, according to his LinkedIn page.

The agency didn’t share the names of the other two employees who died.

“We are devastated by the loss of our co-founder, colleagues and friends. Our hearts go out to their families and to everyone impacted by today’s tragedy,” the agency said in a statement.

Sound Talent Group has represented artists including Hanson, Sum 41 and Vanessa Carlton.

San Diego authorities earlier said two people had died. The total number of fatalities is unknown, but six people were on board the plane, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

The private jet crashed early Thursday into a neighborhood of U.S. Navy-owned housing in San Diego during foggy weather, igniting at least one home and numerous vehicles parked on the street. The plane clipped power lines before slamming into the house, said Elliot Simpson with the National Transportation Safety Board.

Several people were injured while trying to flee after the crash just before 4 a.m. in Murphy Canyon, the largest neighborhood of Navy-owned housing in the country Others were treated for smoke inhalation, authorities said.

At least one home was destroyed with its front heavily burned and its roof partially collapsed. About 10 others suffered damage at the site where half a dozen vehicles were melted and scorched into burned shells.

At least 100 residents were evacuated, police said, with surrounding blocks cordoned off with yellow police tape and checkpoints.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROD LAMKEy

Law enforcement members work the scene Thursday after two Israeli Embassy staff members were shot and killed outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C.

FILEPHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Fog lingersonApril 18, 2020, over New Orleans.A group of environmental advocacy organizations across Louisiana filed afederal lawsuit against the state on Thursdayovera lawthattheysay ‘effectively bans’ community groupsfrompublicly sharing their air pollution monitoring findings or advocating for redress.

Environmentalgroups

sueover airpollution law

Organizationssay requirementto useEPA equipmentviolatesspeech

BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer

Agroup of environmental advocacy organizations across Louisiana filed afederal lawsuit against the state on Thursday over alaw that they say “effectively bans” community groupsfrom publicly sharing their air pollution monitoring findings or advocating for redress.

Filed in U.S. District Court forthe Middle District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, the lawsuit opposes the Louisiana Community Air Monitoring Reliability Act, signed by Gov.Jeff Landry last year

The law requires community groups to use the latest Environmental Protection Agency air monitoring equipment in order to allege violations of the Clean Air Act or other laws.

Data produced solely from community air monitoring programs does not meet the standard alone to show that an industrial facility is violating arule or permit, according to the state law

Supporters of the law argue that it centralizes air monitoring standards, but opponents say it limits community groups from publicly discussing the data they collect from cheaper devices for fear of hefty fines.

Some groups, forinstance, have stopped publishing their findings on social mediadue to these penalties, according to anewsrelease from the EnvironmentalIntegrity Project.

“This new law is ablatant violation of the freespeech rightsofcommunity members to use their own independent air pollution monitoring to raisealarmsabout deadly chemicalsbeingre-

leased into their own homes andschools,”saidDavid Bookbinder,the policy and law directoratthe Environmental Integrity Project.

The LouisianaChemical Associationarguesthatthe law doesnot preventcommunity groups from collecting or sharing their data.

“Community members are fully free to raise concerns, publish findings, and engage with the public or agencies to promote awareness,”said David Cresson, president and CEO of theLCA. “This law ensures that any information used for formal action comes from certified,calibrated equipment and follows standardized procedures.”

The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality saiditdoes not comment on pending litigation.Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill did not respond to arequest for comment

Thecommunity organizationscomefrom across the state but are mostly clustered in the area between New Orleansand Baton Rouge often dubbed “Cancer Alley” due to itshigh levels of airpollution and associated health risks. The groups are represented by two national organizations: Environmental IntegrityProject andPublic CitizenLitigation.

According to the advocacy groups, the EPA-approved air monitors permitted underLouisiana lawcan be thousands of times more expensive than more accessible models that still provide accurate data. Community groups oftenuse amonitor to measureparticulate matter that costsaround $300 perunit, while aparticulate matter monitor that qualifies under the law is nearly

$59,000.

Peter DeCarlo, aprofessor of environmentalhealth and engineering at Johns Hopkins University,argued that new technologiesused by scientists“offer faster,more accurate, and moresensitive measurements of chemicals in the air we breath.” Sharon Lavigne, who runs theplaintiff organization RISE St. James, hasreliedonhis research in her advocacy work.

“Limiting theuse and sharing of datagenerated by these advanced measurements ignoresscientific advancementsand limits the protection of community health,”DeCarlo saidinthe news release.

The Inflation Reduction Act, former PresidentJoe Biden’sflagship climate legislation, allotted $81million nationwide for community air monitoring efforts “toensure the sustainability of national air qualitymonitoring networksasapublicasset.” Louisiana advocates saythe state lawcountersthe IRA’s work.

Micah 6:8 Mission, one of the plaintiffs in thecase, has been monitoringpollution in Sulphur near the Westlake chemical plant after purchasinganemissions device throughanEPA grant. The organization found that the area had unhealthy levels of particulate pollutionson most days, buthas stopped posting their data on social media.

“Louisiana wantstosilenceusfor doing what the state refuses to do —tell people what’sinthe airthey breathe,” said Cynthia Robertson,the executive director of the organization, according to thenews release. Penalties for violating the law can exceed $32,000 per day and an additional $1 millionifthe violation is deemed “intentional,willful, or knowing.”

Proposal overhauls safety netprograms

Bills move SNAP,TANFout of DCFS to other departments

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Lawmakersare seeking to streamline howLouisiana administers social safety net programs, with the ultimategoal of creating aone-stop shop where Louisianans can access mostbenefits.

Under the plan, the Louisiana WorkforceCommission would eventually take over the public-facing functions of connecting peoplewith benefits like food stamps and possibly even Medicaid, rather than having themvisit multiple agencies to get what theyneed.

Meanwhile, theDepartmentofChildren and Family Services would step away from its roleadministering twomajor federal programs, including SNAP benefitsand TemporaryAssistancefor Needy Families (TANF) funds

Lawmakersbehind the proposal, which is backed by Gov.Jeff Landry,say integrating public assistance programswith Louisiana Works will help get more Louisianans back into the workforce. They also say it will allowthe DCFS to better focusonits primary mission of child welfare.

Twobillspending in the stateLegislature pave the way for what proponents are calling the “One Door” plan.

“This will streamline getting people theservices that they needbut also get them past the point that they need them,” saidstate Rep.Stephanie Berault,R-

Slidell, whoauthored one of the bills.

House Bill 617 by state Rep. KimCarver,R-Mandeville, takesaway DCFS’ authority over SNAP and TANF.Its companion bill, House Bill 624 by Berault, moves the administration of TANF to Louisiana Works, anditmoves the administrationofSNAPto the Louisiana Department of Health.

Both bills passed the House and its committees without opposition. They now require Senate approval.

Though the LDH would handle eligibility determinationsfor SNAP benefits, officials say the state’sgoal is to give residentsaccess to food stampsthrough the Louisiana Workforce Commission, which would be renamed Louisiana Works if HB624 passes.

“The behind-the-scenes processing, the sending out of thefunds to thecards and things like that can be betterdoneatLDH because they’re already doing almost theexact same thing with Medicaid,” said Susana Schowen, secretary of the workforce commission. But “we’regoing to own that people-facingcomponent of it.”

Eventually,the state also aims to enable people to access MedicaidthroughLouisiana Works, said Berault. If HB624 passes, Schowen’sagency would also manage TANF funds, which pay for awide variety of programsacross various agencies in Louisiana, such as the Family Independence Temporary Assistance Program and the Kinship Care Subsidy Program, twocash

assistanceprograms for kids in need. Schowen said someofthe TANF-funded programs, such as those that provide child careortransportation assistance, couldplay akey role in reducing barriers to entering the workforce. HB624 will allow the workforce commission to wrap suchprograms into the workforce system To facilitate themassive workload shift, DCFSanticipates transferring $384 million and roughly 1,500 positionstothe Louisiana WorkforceCommissionand LDH, according to the fiscal note forHB624.

Schowen said currentemployees will not lose their jobs as aresult of the legislation, nor will they have to reapply.She also said HB624 does not change any eligibility requirements for receiving benefits.

TheLouisiana Workforce Commission will crosstrain its employees so that they can connect people with avariety of benefits, rather than sending them to different locations to get them,Schowen said. The planmay involve consolidating some offices, especially where there are multiple locations in proximitythatofferbenefits, she said. But Schowen has promised nottolimit access to services,especially in rural areas.

“Because of that expertise across programsinthe case management model, we can actually provide services with asmaller number of employees, meaning that we don’thave to close rural offices that might not be able to offer afullspectrum of services now,”Schowen said. “We can better staffthose areas with just oneortwo people and keep them open.”

By The Associated Press

SCARBOROUGH,Maine An unusual May nor’easter soaked New England on Thursday and threatened to bring snow to higher elevations as the states prepared for the MemorialDay holiday weekend. Nor’eastersusually arrive in the end of fall and winter andbring high winds, rough seas and precipitation in the form of rainorsnow.This week’snor’easter could bring wind gusts over 40 mph and more than 2inchesofrain in some areas. Forecasters said snow was possible in the mountains of Maineand New Hampshire. The storm brought dark

skiestoNew England duringa time of year usually reserved for sunshine and cookouts. It was also unseasonably cold, with temperaturesbelow 50 degrees in Portland, Maine; Providence, Rhode Island; andMontpelier, Vermont. The storm wasexpectedtolingerinto Friday

STAFF

Justices’tie vote doomstaxpayerfundedCatholicschool

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON— The Supreme Court on Thursday effectively ended apubliclyfunded Catholic charter school in Oklahoma, dividing 4-4.

The outcome keeps in place an Oklahoma courtdecisionthat invalidated avote by astate charter school board to approve the St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, which would have been the nation’sfirst religious charterschool. Butitleaves theissueunresolved nationally

The one-sentence notice from the court provides an unsatisfying end to one of the term’smost closely watched cases. The Catholic Church in Oklahoma had wanted taxpayers to fund the online charter school “faithful to the teachings of Jesus Christ.” Opponents warned thatallowing it would blur

the separation between church and state, sap money from public schools and possibly upend the rules governing charter schools in almost every state.

Only eight of the nine justices took part in the case.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett

didn’texplain her absence, but she is good friends and used to teach with Notre Dame law professor Nicole Garnett, who hasbeen an adviser to the school.

The issue could return to thehigh court in thefuture, withthe prospect that all

SupremeCourt declines to reinstate independentagencyboard members

Officialswere firedbyTrump

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court’sconservative majority on Thursday declined to reinstate independent agency board members fired by President Donald Trump, endorsing arobust view of presidential power But the court suggested that it couldblock an attempt to fireFederal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, who Trump has complained has not cut interestrates aggressively

The court’saction essentially extendedanorder Chief Justice John Roberts issued in April that had the effect of removing two board members who Trump fired from agencies that deal with labor issues, including one with akey role for federal workers as Trump aims to drastically downsize the

workforce

Neither agency has enough appointed members to take final actions on issues before them, as Trump has not sought to appointreplacements.

The decision Thursday keeps on hold an appellate ruling that hadtemporarily reinstated Gwynne Wilcox to the NationalLabor Relations Board and Cathy Harristo the Merit Systems Protection Board

While not afinalruling, the court said in an unsigned orderthatthe Constitution appears to give the president the authoritytofire the board members “without cause.”

Thecourt’s three liberal justices dissented. “Not since the 1950s (or even before)has aPresident, withoutalegitimate reason, tried to removeanofficer from a classicindependent agency,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote, joined by Justices SoniaSotomayorand Ketanji Brown Jackson

The court refused to re-

instateHarris and Wilcox while their cases play out in thecourtsoverwarnings from their lawyers that their action would signal that Trump is free to fire members of every independent agency,including theFederal Reserve Board.

“Thatway lies chaos,” lawyer Neal Katyal wrote in a high court filing on behalf of Harris.

Defending Trump at the SupremeCourt, Solicitor General D. John Sauer told thejustices that firing Fed governorswas a“distinct question” that is not presented in this case.

Trumphas musedabout firing Powell and his remark in April that thecentral bank leader’s“termination cannot come fast enough”causeda stock market sell-off. Trump then said he had no plans to fire Powell.

Theconservativejustices appeared to agree, noting that the Federal Reserve “is auniquely structured, quasiprivateentity.”

Judgeblocksauthorities from revoking internationalstudents’ legalstatus

BY JANIE HAR Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO Ajudge

in California blocked the Trump administration Thursday from terminating the legal status of international students nationwide while a court case challenging previous terminations is pending. The order by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. Whitein Oakland bars the government from arresting, incarcerating or moving students elsewhere based on their legal status until the case is resolved. Students could still be arrested for other reasons and their legal status can still

be revokedifthey are convictedofaviolent crime carrying aprison term of more than ayear

Most courts hearing these typesofcases havegranted protections to the person suing, but White said the government’s actions“wreaked havoc” not only on thelives of plaintiffs but othernonimmigrantsinthe U.S. on student visas White,who wasnominated by PresidentGeorgeW Bush, aRepublican,issued the nationwide injunction sought by attorneys for about two dozen students who sued after their legal status was abruptlyterminatedinearly

April by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Morethan4,700 international studentshad their permission to study in the U.S. canceled this spring, with littlenotice or explanation, as part of President Donald Trump’scrackdown on immigrantsand foreign nationals. In court hearings, DepartmentofHomeland Security officials said they ran the names of student visa holdersthrough an FBI-run database thatcontains the names of suspects andpeople who have beenarrested,evenif the charges were dropped or they were nevercharged withacrime.

nine justices could participate.

Thecourt, following its custom, did not provide a breakdown of the votes. But during arguments last month, four conservative justices seemed likely to side with theschool, while thethree liberalsseemed just as firmly on theother side.

That left Chief Justice John Roberts appearing to hold the key vote,and suggestshewent with the liberals to make the outcome 4-4. Thecase came to the court amidefforts,mainly in conservative-led states, to insert religionintopublic schools. Those include achallengedLouisiana requirement that the Ten Commandments be posted in classrooms and amandate from Oklahoma’sstate schools superintendent that theBible be placed in public school classrooms.

St. Isidore, aK-12online

school,had planned to start classes for its first 200 enrollees last fall, withpart of its mission to evangelize itsstudents in the Catholic faith.

Akey unresolvedissue is whether the school is public or private. Charter schools are deemed public in Oklahomaand the other 45 states and the District of Columbia where they operate. North Dakota recently enacted legislation allowing forcharter schools.

They are free and open to all, receive state funding, abide by anti-discrimination laws andsubmit to oversight of curriculum andtesting Buttheyalso arerun by independent boards that are not part of local public school systems.

Proponents of publicly funded religious charter schools werequick to point outthatthe decisionwas limited to Oklahoma.

“Oklahoma parents and

childrenare betteroff with moreeducational choices, not fewer.While the Supreme Court’sorderisdisappointing foreducational freedom, the4-4 decision does not set precedent, allowing the court to revisit this issue in the future,” said Jim Campbell, who argued the case at the high court on behalf of Oklahoma’scharter school board. Campbell is the chief legal counselatAllianceDefending Freedom, aconservative legal organization that appears often at thecourt in cases on high-profile social issues.

On the otherside, the American Civil Liberties Union andAmericans United for SeparationofChurch andState,whichare among groups representing parents and other opponents of theschoolina separate lawsuit, applauded the outcome forpreserving public education.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO By SUSAN WALSH

Child malnutrition cases overwhelm Gaza hospital

BY MOHAMMED JAHJOUH, WAFAA SHURAFA, SARAH EL DEEB and SAM MEDNICK Associated Press

KHANYOUNIS,GazaStrip Grab-

bing her daughter’s feeble arm, Asmaa al-Arja pulls a shirt over the 2-year-old’s protruding ribs and swollen belly The child lies on a hospital bed, heaving, then wails uncontrollably throwing her arms around her own shoulders as if to console herself

This isn’t the first time Mayar has been in a Gaza hospital battling malnutrition, yet this 17-day stint is the longest. She has celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that means she can’t eat gluten and requires special food. But there’s little left for her to eat in the embattled enclave after 19 months of war and Israel’s punishing blockade, and she can’t digest what’s available

“She needs diapers, soy milk and she needs special food. This is not available because of border closures If it’s available, it is expensive, I can’t afford it,” her mother said as she sat next to Mayar at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis.

Mayar is among the more

are cared for by their mothers Wednesday in a clinic in Nasser Hospital, Khan younis, Gaza.

than 9,000 children who have been treated for malnutrition this year, according to the U.N. children’s agency, and food security experts say tens of thousands of cases are expected in the coming year

Experts also warn the territory could plunge into famine if Israel doesn’t stop its military campaign and fully lift its blockade but the World Health Organization said last week that people are already starving.

“Everywhere you look, people are hungry They point their fingers to their mouths showing that (they) need something to eat,” said

Nestor Owomuhangi, the representative of the United Nations Population Fund for the Palestinian territories.

“The worst has already arrived in Gaza.”

For more than two months, Israel has banned all food, medicine and other goods from entering the territory that is home to some 2 million Palestinians, as it carries out waves of airstrikes and ground operations.

Palestinians in Gaza rely almost entirely on outside aid to survive because Israel’s offensive has destroyed almost all the territory’s food production capabilities.

Rapper: Car set on fire weeks after Sean Combs broke into his home

said.

After weeks of insisting Gaza had enough food, Israel relented in the face of international pressure and began allowing dozens of humanitarian trucks into the territory this week — including some carrying baby food.

“Children are already dying from malnutrition and there are more babies in Gaza now who will be in mortal danger if they don’t get fast access to the nutrition supplies needed to save their lives,” said Tess Ingram of the U.N. children’s agency But U.N. agencies say the amount is woefully insufficient, compared to around 600 trucks a day that entered during a recent ceasefire and that are necessary to meet basic needs. And they have struggled to retrieve the aid and distribute it, blaming complicated Israeli military procedures and the breakdown of law and order inside the territory

On Wednesday a U.N. official said more than a dozen trucks arrived at warehouses in central Gaza. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the press. That appeared to be the first aid to actually reach a distribution point since the blockade was lifted.

Israel accuses Hamas of siphoning off aid, without providing evidence, and plans to roll out a new aid distribution system within days. U.N. agencies and aid groups say the new system would fall far short of mounting needs, force much of the population to flee again in order to be closer to distribution sites, and violate humanitarian principles by forcing people to move to receive the aid rather than delivering it based on need to where people live.

On top of not being able to find or afford the food that

Mayar needs, her mother said chronic diarrhea linked to celiac disease has kept the child in and out of hospital all year The toddler — whose two pigtails are brittle, a sign of malnutrition — weighs 15 pounds, according to doctors. That’s about half what healthy girl her age should. But it’s getting harder to help her as supplies like baby formula are disappearing, say health staff. Hospitals are hanging by a thread, dealing with mass casualties from Israeli strikes. Packed hospital feeding centers are overwhelmed with patients.

“We have nothing at Nasser Hospital,” said Dr Ahmed al-Farrah, who said his emergency center for malnourished children is at full capacity Supplies are running out, people are living off scraps, and the situation is catastrophic for babies and pregnant women, he said.

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEWYORK Rapper Kid Cudi

testified Thursday that Sean “Diddy” Combs broke into his Hollywood Hills home in 2011 after finding out he was dating Combs’ ex-girlfriend, the R&B singer Cassie, and said he was sure Combs was behind the firebombing of his car weeks later

Cudi, whose legal name is Scott Mescudi, said he called Combs while driving home and asked why he was in his house. He said Combs calmly replied, “I want to talk to you.”

But Combs wasn’t there when he arrived, Cudi testified. Instead, he found that someone had opened Christmas presents he’d bought for his family and locked his dog in a bathroom. Cudi wasn’t sure what was going on, so he called the police A few weeks later, Cudi testified, his Porsche 911 convertible was damaged by fire while parked in his driveway Cudi said he was at a friend’s house when his dogsitter called and told him his car was on fire. Jurors were shown photos of the car’s red leather interior scorched and burned, with a hole apparently cut in the fabric roof. A Molotov cocktail was found on the passenger seat, Cudi

Speaking at Combs’ federal sex trafficking trial in Manhattan, Cudi said that while he and Cassie were briefly dating, he took her to a West Hollywood hotel in order to get her away from the seething Combs. While there, he said, he got a call from Combs’ assistant Capricorn Clark She told him Combs and an affiliate were in Cudi’s house and she had been forced to go with them.

Cassie, whose legal name is Casandra Ventura, testified last week that Combs threatened to blow up Cudi’s car and hurt him after he learned she was dating the Grammy Award-winning rapper Cudi said he didn’t have conflicts at the time with anyone other than Combs.

“I knew he had something to do with it,” Cudi said, leading Combs’ lawyers to object. Jurors were told to disregard the remark.

Cudi told jurors he met with Combs the next day at a Los Angeles hotel to try to smooth things over

“After the fire, I said this is getting out of hand. I need to talk to him,” Cudi said.

At the end of the meeting, as they stood and shook hands, Cudi said he asked Combs: “What are we going to do about my car?” Cudi said Combs gave him a “very cold stare” and responded, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

By The Associated Press

was allowed to hold

The visit came ahead of a scheduled immigration hearing for Khalil, a legal perma-

Cudi

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABDEL KAREEM HANA

Mayar Al-Arja, 2, right, and 5-month-old yousef Al-Najjar, both suffering from malnutrition,

Trump’sdomestic legislative agenda,including extending taxcuts fromhis first term and funds for building the wall along the Mexican border Officially titled the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” the measure now heads to the U.S. Senate, wheresome senators already havesaid they plana massive rewrite.

Abuoyant Steve Scalise, R-Jeffersonand theHouse majority leader,told reportersmoments afterthe vote: “With this One Big, Beautiful Bill, House Republicans are answering that mandateand implementingPresidentTrump’s America First agenda, delivering on ourpromises and providing relief to American families who’ve been struggling for too long.”

Johnson said, “It revives our economy.Itwill deliver historic taxrelief. It will make the largest investment in our border security in ageneration. It will unleash affordable American energy again, restore common sense to government,securegenerationalsavings and strengthen our national defense.”

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, passed along his congratulations via X. “Now the Senate mustdeliver on apackage that meets President Trump’sgoal of addressing the debt, keeping the American Dreamalive,and unleashing American energy.”

La.delegation’svotes

Johnson; Scalise; Rep. ClayHiggins, R-Lafayette; and Rep. Julia Letlow, R-Start, joined every Republican but threeinapproving the legislation

“I voted yes,” said Letlow, “because of thelower taxesthis bill providestoLouisiana’sworking families —specifically ahigher standard tax deduction, amore generous child tax credit, andan elimination of taxes on both tips and overtime.”

House Freedom Caucus leader Rep. Andy Harris, R-Md., voted present, thereby changing the numbers needed fora majority

Rep.Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, joined every Democratic member in voting no on the bill. Rep. Troy Carter, D-NewOrleans,and Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, voted against thelegislation.

Democratsarguedthe bill gutted thesocial safety net for lowerincome Americans in order to pay for taxbreaks thatmostly helped those with higher incomes

“Yes, we were outvoted —by just one vote,”Carter said. “ToeveryAmerican watching, know this: We will not back down …Wewill continue to fight forwhatisright, what is just, and what is humane.”

“There is nothing beautiful about

abill that could strip vitalhealth care and food assistance from millions of Americans, in addition to taking away critical federalfunding from states like Louisiana,” Fields said. “Ifthis budget gets passedintolaw as it is currently written, Louisiana stands to lose morehealth care funding than any other state.” Carter and Fields have repeatedly pointed outthatLouisiana has one of thehighest percentages of residents on Medicaid. Louisiana health care leaders have been scrambling to understandhow exactly theGOP plan, which has been open to change over the past fewweeks, would affect the state’s healthcare system

What thebilldoes

Johnson and Scalise, the top two leaders in theHouse,won over key Republican holdouts with an assist by Trump.

The president, joined by Johnson andScalise,met in the White House with right-wingers who had opposed thethousand-plus-page bill. Fiscal conservativesarguedthat cutstoMedicaid and other social safety netprogramsweren’t deep enough, while the tax breaks and increased immigration and military spending would add $3.8 trillion to the nation’s$36 trillion debt.

Continued from page1A

to continue through much of the summer,sothe wind shear that helps disrupt and tear cyclones apart won’tbe as active. An active African monsoon season could also aid storm formation this year, Graham said,helping to “launch out the waves, launch out the storms.”

“Everything is in place for an above-average season,” Graham said. “. So we’ve got to be prepared right now.”

NOAA’s highly anticipated forecast offers afirstlook at what residents in hurricaneprone areas along the Atlantic coast can expect in the coming season, which runs from June 1through Nov.30.

This year’soutlook is less alarming than the preseason forecasts for 2024, when researchers warned it could be among the harshest hurricane seasons in history

Researcherspredicted 17 to 25 named storms, eight to 13 hurricanes andfour to seven majorhurricanes of Category 3strength and above.

That was “right on the money,” NOAA Administrator LauraGrimm said Thursday.The 2024 season ended with 19 named storms and 11 hurricanes, with five classified as major hurricanes, making it an ”extremely active” season by NOAA standards.

That’sstill fewer than the record 30 named storms that formed in 2020, and the 2005 record of 15 hurricanes.

Though meteorologists across the country have voiced concerns about weather forecasting capa-

bilitiesamidthe Trumpadministration’scuts to NOAA, Grimm said “the National Hurricane Centerisfully staffedupand ready to go” for the 2025 season Grimm declined to answer questionsabout howmany NOAA employees had been fired, and whether the cuts couldimpact local and national forecasting.

Thursdaywas the first time in 10 years that NOAA presented its annualforecast in the New Orleans area, and, like in2015, Louisiana hosted the event to commemorateHurricane Katrina.

August marks 20 years since the devastating storm ripped through Louisiana and Mississippi, laying the groundwork for theinfamous levee failurethat flooded New Orleans and killedhundreds.

Graham said NOAA has been busy since then, making “incredible strides” in hurricane forecasting accuracy

He touted NOAA’s improvementsintrack accuracy,saying its hurricane models had an average track errorof460 miles fivedays out in 2005. Today that’s down to 200 miles, he said. That means entire cities thatonce wouldhavebeen forced to evacuateinthe face of astorm could now confidently stay put.

“The modelinghas never beenbetter,”Graham said. “Our service hasnever been better.Our ability to serve this country has never been better.And it will be this season as well.”

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng said the same is true for local emergency management operations.

“Ourregion is much bet-

teroff todaythanwewere then,” she said.

The parishpresident has poised herself as anational voiceonlocal emergency managementover thepast year as co-chair of aFEMA task force for the National Association of Counties, and aspeaker at this year’s National HurricaneConference. She said disastermitigationsince 2005 hassaved the U.S. an estimated $13 for every dollarspent,citing data from the National Institute of BuildingSciences.

By thetime Category4

Hurricane Idahit theNew Orleans area in 2021,Lee Sheng saidit“put our system to thetest, andour system withstood the challenge,” even as theparish amassed $28 million worth of damage to its water lines. Graham commendedLee Sheng for her administration’sdisaster preparation and response.

“Jefferson Parishisa model for all,” he said. “Jefferson Parish really is a model for the state and the country.”

Twomajor differences led to this year’sless severe outlook, said lead NOAA hurricane forecaster Matthew Rosencrans: sea surface temperatures and La Niña.

Seasurface temperatures in theGulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea arehovering around the mid-80s right now, about1to3degrees aboveaverage.But temperatures across the rest of the Atlantic are near normal, Rosencrans said, and some spotsinthe easternAtlantic are even below theusual.

This time last year,however,temperatures across theentire Atlantic were 2 to 3degrees abovenormal, soaring to near record highs

“So the entire Atlantic basin was just cooking,” Rosencrans said. Rosencranssaid forecasters last year also thought La Niña, which is associated with an uptickinAtlantic tropical activity, would return by peak hurricaneseason.

El Niño and La Niñaare two opposing climatepatterns that disrupt normal wind and current conditions in the Pacific Ocean, impacting weather patterns across theglobe.

La Niña conditions emerged in December 2024, monthsafter forecasters initiallypredicted itsreturn. But it was ashort-lived and weak event, and the north-

“President Trump’sOne Big BeautifulBill unleashesLouisiana energy and increases the cap on GOMESA from $500 to $650 million/year. It lowers taxesfor Louisianafamiliesand allows us to properly secure the border,” Gov Jeff Landry texted soon after the vote. “It’sexactly why Louisiana voted for President Trump, and Speaker Johnson and Majority Leader Scalise did agreat job getting it to the finish line— delivering winafter winfor Louisiana.” GOMESA refers to theGulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which determines how much money states receive oil production in federal waters off their shores. The new higher caps mean Louisiana could get $50 million more ayear forcoastal protection and restoration.

Greater Lafourche Port CommissionExecutive Director Chett Chiassonsaidinastatement: “I’m pleased to seeAmericanenergy become anational priority once again with the One, Big Beautiful Bill that not only raises the revenue sharing amount ourstate receivesfor coastalrestoration butalsomandates 30 newGulf of America lease sales to ensure there arefuture GOMESA dollars to go to the states.”

The deficits has grown geometrically since Trump’sfirst term.The U.S. now pays moreoninterest thanitdoes on the military Trump, Johnson,Scalise and GOP leaders argue thatthe cuts in socialsafety netprograms, tax breaks, immigration restrictions, andother portionsofthe legislation will supercharge the nation’s economy, generating more tax revenue.

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

ernhemisphere returnedto aneutral phase by April.

There’sa54% chance those neutral conditions will continue through hurricane season, Rosencrans said. Neutral conditions are better newsfor theGulfCoast than La Niña,but tend to pumpout morestorms than El Niño.

“Wedoknow that during neutral events we end up with abouttwo anda half to three morenamed storms than we would during El Niño events,” Rosencrans said. Still, Rosencrans said this year’sAfrican monsoon outlook is even more favorable to storm formation than last year’s.

West Africa is aregion that Rosencrans said provides the seeds that so often grow into majorstorms in theAtlantic: About 80% of major Atlantic hurricanes start as waves that come off of Africa, he said. The intensity of those waves is impacted by Africa’smonsoons. If the rains are heavier than usual, or inchtoo far northtowardthe Sahara Desert, it creates abigger contrast between the heat of the desert and the cool rainy areas. “And that intense temperature difference can lead to growth in thewaves,” Rosencrans said. LaraNicholson contributed to this story.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RODLAMKEy

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, left, is joined by Rep Mark Green,R-Tenn., center,and Speakerofthe House MikeJohnson, R-Benton, right,during anewsconference at the U.S. CapitolonTuesday.

BUSINESS

BRIEFS FROM STAFFAND WIRE REPORTS

April home sales slow, put chill intobuying

Salesofpreviously occupied U.S. homes fell in April, as elevated mortgagerates and rising prices discouraged prospective homebuyers during what’straditionallythe busiesttime of the year for the housing market.

Existing home sales dropped 0.5% last month, from March, to aseasonally adjusted annual rate of 4million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday.The sales decline marks the slowestsales pace for the month of April going back to 2009 in thewake of the U.S. housing crisis. March’ssales pace was also the slowest for that month going back to 2009.

Sales fell 2% comparedwith April last year.The latest home salesfell slightly short of the 4.10 million pace economists were expecting,according to FactSet. New Orleans and Baton Rouge also saw adrop in home sales during April. Sales were 10.3% lower in metro New Orleans last month, when compared to ayear ago, with 1,015 houses changinghands, according to numbersfromthe New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors.Metro Baton Rouge had a 2.5% drop in sales in April when compared to April 2024, with 796 closed sales, accordingtothe Greater BatonRouge Association of Realtors.

Home prices increased on an annualbasis forthe 22nd consecutivemonth, although at the slowest rate since July 2023. The nationalmedian sales price rose 1.8% in April from ayear earlier to $414,000, an all-time high for the month of April. Median sale prices were up 0.7% in New Orleans, but down 1.4% in Baton Rouge when compared to ayear ago.

Mercedes-Benz will establish HQ in Georgia Mercedes-Benz announced Thursdaythat it plans establish its North American headquartersinmetro Atlanta, where the automaker will expand itsexisting U.S. corporate hub by adding hundreds of jobs relocated fromother cities

The change will add about 500 jobs to the Georgia facility that has served as Mercedes-Benz’s U.S. headquarters since 2018.It employs about800 people currently. The German automaker said in anews release that it also plans to add anew,multimilliondollar research and developmentcenternearby

Most of the additional jobs coming to Sandy Springs north of Atlanta are being moved from the Detroit area, where Mercedes-Benz is closing its financial services headquarters. Mercedes-Benz saidthe headquartersexpansion in Georgia should be completed by August 2026. Porsche also has itsNorth American headquarters outside Atlanta.

FTC dismisses lawsuit against PepsiCo

The Republican-controlled Federal Trade Commission voted Thursday to dismiss a lawsuit against PepsiCothat theprevious commission filed in the waning days of the Biden administration.

The lawsuit, filed in January, alleged that PepsiCo wasgivingunfair price advantages to Walmart at the expense of other vendors and consumers. The lawsuit had relied on the rarely enforced 1936 Robinson-Patman Act, which it said prohibits companies from using promotional incentive payments to favor large customers oversmaller ones.

Whenthe lawsuit wasfiled, Democrat Lina Khan was the FTC’schairwoman, and she was joinedinsupport of the lawsuit by DemocraticCommissioners Rebecca Slaughter and Alvaro Bedoya. At the time, RepublicanCommissioners Andrew Fergusonand MelissaHolyoak dissented. Ferguson, who is now the chairman of the FTC, said Thursday that the PepsiColawsuitwas a“dubious partisan stunt” and FTC staff had more important work to do.

Stocksdrift to amixed close

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE Associated Press

NEW YORK Stocks drifted to a mixedclose on Wall Street Thursdayinwhat hasbeen arocky week so far.

Trading remained choppy throughout most of the dayfollowingWednesday’sbig slumpfor the S&P 500. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Averagefell sightly.The Nasdaqcomposite had amodestincrease Technology stocks did most of the heavy liftingfor thebroader market. The majority of stocks within theS&P 500 lost ground, but gains for technology companies with outsizedvalues offset thoselosses.

Google’s parent Alphabetjumped 1.4% and Nvidia rose 0.8%.

The choppy trading this week andsharp decline for stocks on Wednesday follows several weeks of mostly gains that have brought theS&P 500 backwithin5%ofits all-time high. TheS&P 500 is potentially heading towardits worst week in the lastseven.

“We’ve hadagood bouncehere, butthe market is looking for some excusetotake some money off the table,” said Scott Wren, seniorglobal market strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

Treasury yieldshelda bitsteadier in thebondmarket, butonlyafter oscillating earlier in the morning after the House of Representatives approveda bill that would cuttaxes and could add trillions of dollarsto the U.S. debt.

The House’smultitrillion-dollar spending bill, whichaims to extend some $4.5trillion in tax breaks from President DonaldTrump’s first term whileaddingothers, is expected to undergo some changes when it gets to the Senate for avote.

Thelegislation also includes a speedier rollback of production taxcredits forclean electricity projects, which sent sharesofsolar companies tumbling. Sunrun dropped 37.1%,Enphase Energy fell 19.6% and First Solar slid 4.3%.

Health care stocks were also falling early Thursdayafter the Centersfor Medicare &Medicaid Servicessaid it was immediately expanding its auditing of Medicare Advantage plans. UnitedHealth Groupfell 2.1% andHumana lost 7.6%. Wall Street had several economic updates on Thursday

The number of Americans filing unemployment claims last week fellslightly. Thebroaderemployment market has remained strong, though businesses remain worried aboutthe economicuncertainty amid atrade war

The market had briefly turned higherearlierinthe dayfollowing abetter-than-expected report on manufacturing and services in the U.S. The surveyfrom S&P Global showed growth for both areas in May following asluggish April.

“Business confidence has improved in May from the worrying slumpseen in April,with gloom about prospects for the year ahead lifting somewhatthanks largely to the pause on higher rate tariffs,” said ChrisWilliamson, chief business economist at S&P GlobalMarket Intelligence.

Bond market shakingWallStreetagain

Growingmountainof government debt raises fears

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEWYORK Wall Street’squiet corner is makingnoise again.

While the bond market is typically seen as slower moving, it can pack aheavy punch when it’salarmed. And right now, it’s getting worriedabout howmuchmoreWashingtonis preparing to pile onto itsspiraling mountain of debt becauseofits desire to cuttaxes.

In the past, angry reactions from the bond market have been so strong that they’ve forced governmentstobacktrack on policies andeven led to theousterofsomepolitical leaders. To be sure,many veteran investors say it wouldbeoverblown or at leastpremature to say “bond-market vigilantes” are rounding up this time around, because yields have not jumped high enough to indicate a crisis. Butthe higher yields will nevertheless have wide-reaching effects

“I wouldn’tlook at this from an apocalyptical dynamic, but thereare real ramifications,” said NateThooft,asenior portfolio manager at Manulife Investment Management. “Look at mortgage rates.” The centerpiece of the U.S. bondmarket is the10-year Treasury,and its yield has climbedto4.54% from4.43% at the end of last week and just 4.01% early last month. That’sa notable move for the bond market, which measures things in hundredths of percentage points That yieldshows roughly how much in interest the U.S.government needs to pay investors to getthem to lend it cash for10 years. Washington needs that cash because it consistentlyspendsmore than it takes in through taxrevenue. And when bond investors aremorewaryoflending to the U.S. government,yields for Treasurys rise.

The moves have been sharpest for the longest-term bonds. The yield on a30-year Treasury has topped 5% andisgetting close to whereitwas before the 2008 financial crisis wiped out interestrates Bond investors hate inflationbecause it

means the future payments thatbonds will give them won’tbeable to buy as much stuff.

Worries are rising about the potential for higher inflation for acouple reasons. On one hand are President Donald Trump’stariffs, which could push up prices forall kinds of products. Abigger,more long-term concern is how muchdebt the U.S. government is building up.

Those debt concerns gained momentum at the endoflastweek after Moody’sRatings becamethe last of the three majorrating agencies to saythe U.S. government no longer deserves atop-tier credit rating because of itstroubleskeepingits debt in check. The worries thenbuilt through this week as the House moved forward on its tax-cut bill that it approved early Thursday

Other factorshavealso been pushing yields up recently,including increasing hopes that the U.S. economywill not fall into arecession after Trump delayed many of his stiff tariffs, particularly againstChina. In the past, the bond market has recoiled at policies that it’s found distasteful. Sometimes, the reactionis violent enough to scare politicians.

U.S. Mint will stop producingpennies,Trump administration says

That createsnew problem: demand fornickels

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN and ALAN SUDERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Trumpadministrationsays making cents doesn’t make sense anymore.

TheU.S. Minthas madeits final orderofpenny blanks and plans to stopproducing the coin when those run out, aTreasury Department official confirmed Thursday.This move comesasthe cost of making pennieshas increased markedly,by upward of 20% in 2024, according to the Treasury By stopping the penny’sproduction, the Treasury expects an immediate annual savings of $56

million in reduced material costs, according to the official,who was notauthorized to discuss thematterpublicly and spoke on condition of anonymity to preview thenews

In February,President Donald Trump announced that he hadorderedhis administration to cease production of the 1-cent coin.

“Forfar too long the United States has minted pennies which literally costusmore than 2cents. This is so wasteful!”Trump wrote at that time in apostonhis Truth Social site. “I have instructed my Secretary of the US Treasury to stopproducing newpennies.”

Thereare about 114 billion penniescurrently in circulation in the United States —that’s $1.14 billion —but they are greatly underutilized, according to the Treasury Thepenny was oneofthe first coins

made by the U.S. Mint after its establishment in 1792.

Advocates for ditching the penny cite its high productioncost —almost 4cents perpenny now,according to the U.S. Mint —and limited utility.Fansofthe penny cite its usefulness in charity drives and relative bargain in production costs compared with the nickel, which costs almost 14 cents to mint.

Pennies are themostpopular coin madebythe U.S. Mint, which reported making 3.2 billion of themlastyear.That’smore than half of allthe new coins it made last year Congress,whichdictatescurrency specifications such as the size andmetalcontent of coins, could make Trump’s order permanent through law.But past congressional efforts to ditch the penny have

failed. Jay Zagorsky,professor of markets, public policy,and law at BostonUniversity,said thatwhile he supports the movetoend penny production, Congress must include language in any proposed legislation to require rounding up in pricing, which will eliminate the demand forpennies.

Zagorsky,who recently publisheda book called“The Power of Cash:Why Using Paper Money is Good forYou andSociety,”said otherwise simply ditching the penny will only increase demand for nickels, which are even more expensive, at 14 cents to produce. “Ifwesuddenly have to produce alot of nickels—and we losemore money on producing every nickel —eliminating the penny doesn’t makeany sense.”

White House press secretaryKaroline Leavitt speaks withreporters as an imageofPresident DonaldTrump’spost

Truth Social regarding thetax cuts packageappears on screen in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on Thursday in Washington.

Montoucetindictmentdetails agency kickback scheme

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

More details emerged Thursday about akickback scheme allegedly involving former Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet of Scott, former LDWF Commissioner Dusty Guidry of Youngsville and Lafayette businessman Leonard Franques Montoucet, aformer state representative, was indictedWednesday by afederal grandjury in Lafayette on five felony counts, including one count of conspiracy to commit briberyand wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

SENATE

Continued from page1A

offered adifferent take.

“We’re just taking away more people’srights, and rates won’tgodown,” he said, adding that the Senate’srush to approve bills with late changes “leads to bad legislation.”

Temple supported the proinsurance industry bills that passed but slammed the rate increase bill.

“It’sa false claim that rates are high because the commissionerdoesn’t have some magical power,” he said. “It doesn’taddress the fundamentalproblem in Louisiana —bodily injury and legal abuse.”

In sum,senatorssaid, Landry emerged as thebig winner politically, while Temple and the insurance industry appear to have had mixed results, with trial lawyers seemingly on the losing end.

Wednesday’slate night action sets up Landry to sign araft of car insurance bills as early as Wednesday next week, legislative sources said He will sign all five bills passed by the Senate on Monday night, the Governor’sOffice said Thursday, although whether all five bills will have wonfinal House approval by then is not clear

The fight overhow to address high car insurance rates has beenthe highest profile political battle since the legislative session began in mid-April.

Landry and legislators have been pulled by both sides throughout, with Templeand hisbusinessallieson the offensive and trial lawyers and their allies playing defense.

The governor has repeatedly positioned himself in the middle, saying he doesn’tlike billboard lawyers (although he went turkey hunting in Texas with several prominenttrial attorneys just before the session began) but also believes thatinsurance companies are earning big profits in Louisiana.

In aspeech Thursday in New Iberia, Landry said astudy by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows that

He is scheduled to appear for arraignment June 12 in federal court in Lafayette. Don Cazayoux, an attorney representingMontoucet, did not immediately return amessage seeking comment. Gu id ry an d Franques previouslypleaded guilty in connection with the scheme. Theyface sentencing in October Under the scheme, Montoucet and Guidry allegedly gave Franques’company, DGL1, the upper hand in competingfor a contract to provide online educational courses through the LDWF

to boaters and hunters applying for licenses or required to takethe courses because they were issued citations.

The conspiracy,according to the indictment, ran from around May 2020 untilJune 2022. It allegedly involved othersnot namedinthe indictment, including acompany referred to as Company A, asoftware development business in Baton Rouge.

Company Aallegedly provided online payment processing and collected proceedsfor Franques’ DGL1 andremitted themoney to the bank account of another Franques business, LWFLLC, registeredwiththe Louisiana SecretaryofState in June 2020. Between Nov.10, 2021, and June

10, 2022, $122,507 in kickbacks waswithheld forMontoucet until he retiredasLDWFsecretary,a Justice Department news release on Wednesday stated. The indictment released Thursday,however,showsatleast three payments comprising thethree wire fraudcharges:Nov.10, 2021, $53,085;Dec. 15, 2021, $103,302; and Jan. 14, 2022, $57,951, foratotal exceeding $200,000.

After Montoucet’s retirement, Franques was supposed to hire him and pay him a“signing bonus” that consisted of thewithheld kickbacks.

Montoucetwas planningtoretire at theend of former Gov. John Bel Edwards’ term in officeinJanuary 2024. He instead resigned in

April 2023 after the indictment of Guidry revealed aschemein whicha LDWF officialallegedly entered into acontract on Oct. 8, 2021. Montoucet was the only LDWF official to sign the contract, the agency records show Federal investigators usedwiretaps to listen in on conversations among the co-conspirators. The indictment cites an Oct. 4, 2021, conversation in which Montoucet allegedly toldGuidrythathe “can’t have no …record” of kickbacks.

Montoucet, Franques and Guidy allegedlymet in Scott, whereMontoucet has aresidence, and agreed Franqueswould hold Montoucet’s share of the kickbacks until he retired, the indictment states.

Louisiana is an outlier on one key metric: “Our minor injury claimsare double the national average,”hesaid.

Temple hassaidLouisianahas had twiceasmany minor injury claims as New York even though that state counts fivetimesasmany residents.

Senate PresidentCameron Henry has been talking with Landry and Senate colleaguesfor days about how to handle the nearly20proinsurance industrybills that passed the House. Henry,R-Metairie, outlinedhis plans to Republican colleagues Wednesday afternoon in aprivatemeeting in the Senate dining room: The Senate would approve five bills.

House Bill 450 by Rep. Michael Melerine, R-Shreveport, would require someone who sued over injuries in a car accident to show that the injuriesactually occurred during the accident. HB450 goes to Landry for hissignature.

House Bill 434 by Rep.JasonDeWitt, R-Alexandria, woulddisallowadriver withoutcar insurance from collectinganaward for bodily injury medical expenses for any amount below $100,000, up from $15,000 today.HB434alsogoes to Landry for hissignature.

HouseBill 431byRep. Emily Chenevert, R-Baton Rouge, would bardrivers responsible for at least 51% of an accident from receivinga damage award to cover theirinjuries. Under current law,a driver responsible for,say,51% of the accident can collect apayment equalto49% of theoverall damage award. Because of an amendment added to the bill, HB431 needs Houseapproval before it can become law

HouseBill 436byRep. Gabe Firment,R-Pollack, wouldprohibit undocumented immigrants who are injured incar accidents from collectinggeneral damages. HB436 requires the House to accept theSenatechanges to thebill.

Senate Bill 231 by Sen. Mike Reese, R-Leesville, would allow lawyers for insurance companies to tell jurors how much people injured in wrecks actually pay in medicalbills. Undercurrent law,jurors hear the total amount billed,regardless

of what theplaintiff paid. A House committee is slated to takeupSB231 next week.

TemplesaidHB431, HB450 andSB231 would “move the needle forward.”

Senate Democrats argued against the five bills, saying theLegislature has passed ahostofpro-industry bills over the years, yet rates never comedown.

Luneau, Sen. Sam Jenkins, of Shreveport,and Sen. Royce Duplessis, of New Orleans, all offered amendmentstothe Republican-sponsored bills that, if passed, would mandate a2% reduction in rates.Republicans rejected thoseamendments on each bill.

Democrats also pointed to an Aprilreportbythe National Association of Insurance Commissioners which said that in 2023, insurance companies in Louisiana had thethird highest underwriting profit, the fourth lowest loss ratio and the fifth highest return on net worth.

As part of Henry’splan, the Senate alsowould adopt HB148 —the measure that Landry mostwantedand that Temple didn’twant after it had been amended.

HB148 is the onlybill Landry testified in favor of during thelegislative session, saying last month that Temple should want to have greater authority to hold down rates.

Senators expressed reluctance privately in recent days to advance thebill becauseitdidn’trequirethe commissioner to cite actuarial data in rejecting proposed rateincreases.

But Landry lobbied hard to get them to approve it Monday night,senators said Thursday. Theamended version now includes actuarial language.

Sen. Kirk Talbot,aRiver Ridge Republican anda close friendofHenry’s,

pushedthe bill through the Senate.

That task fell to Talbot even though he has been one of the insurance industry’s

strongest allies. Talbotdidn’treturn a phone call Thursday HB148 returns to the House forapproval of the

Senate changes. Email TylerBridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com.

of audits andreforms.

At anews conference outside the jail Thursday, Williams declined to provide details of his inquiry while he criticized Hutson for failing to ask the New Orleans Police Department to process the escape route as acrime scene. Williams said that effort only began Thursday at his direction.

“We’re just doing our job,” Williams said. “We’re just collecting as much informationand evidence as wecan so we can figureout who all is involved in this.”

Williams, who supported Hutson when she ran four years ago as an underdog, is now backing challenger Michelle Woodfork, aformer city police captain who held the post of interim policechief. Hutson, whoalready faced arocky reelection year before the escape, has suspended hercampaign.

Louisiana State Police, meanwhile, is the lead agency in a sprawling manhunt that ended its first week on Thursday with half of the escapees still on the lam Murrill,who visited thejailearlierthis week with Williams, said Thursday that her investigation and thedistrict attorney’s were separate.

“But Ibelieve there will be alot of work to go around on this matter and expect that we will be able to coordinate in away thatfurthers eachofour goals,” Murrill said.

“Obviously my most important concern is that his efforts not interfere with our current process.”

Some of the inquiry,according to sources, appears focused ona delay between the time that Hutsonsaidjailstaff first learnedof themass escape, about8:30a.m Friday,towhen other law enforcement agencies and the public were first alerted later that morning. For the public, the delay exceeded two hours. Hutsonsaid she alerted amember of herstaff who serves on aU.S. marshals task force before then.

Jail worker claims cloggedtoilet Officials said the escapehappened about 1a.m., aided by a Sheriff’s Officemaintenance man,

33-year-old Sterling Williams, who hasbeen arrested. According to police, Sterling Williams was seen in video speaking with inmates Antoine Masseyand Derrick Groves beforehand. Groves, Massey and three others remained at large Thursday.

Several of the escapeeswho foundtheir way outofthe 9-yearold building, including Groves, were accused or already convicted of murder

Authorities portray Sterling Williamsasawillful participantwho helpedclear thepathtoone of the biggest jailbreaks in city history, afterinmates ripped atoilet-sink combo from acell wall and escaped throughahole, over afence andacross theinterstate.

Williams’attorneydescribed him Wednesday assomething else:

afall guy in a“well-coordinated plan” involvingacloggedtoilet in an unused handicapped cell.

Kennedy said the deputyonthe pod askedWilliams to look at the overflowing toilet, despite not having put in aworkorder.Williams obliged, assessing the situation and turning off water

Kennedy said Williams is a George Washington Carver High School graduatewith no criminal past and aclean employment history over five years at theSheriff’s Office.

“My client is being used as a scapegoat so that Sheriff Hutson andher department can try to minimizethe shameand their own culpability on adepartmentthat, let’sface it,can’thandle much more shame at thispoint,”Kennedy’sstatementread.

Bondsissued

Amagistrate commissioner set bail for Williams at $1.1 million. Twoothers whowere arrested for aiding inmates in their flight also received seven-figurebails on Thursday

Slidell resident Corvanntay Baptiste, 38, received a$1million bail, and New Orleans resident Cortnie Harris, 32, was given a$2.5 million bail amount as alleged accessories after the fact.

Court documentsshowHarris is accused of helping still-at-large escapees Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald. Louisiana State Police say she transported them to multiple locations in the city anduseda phone to stay in contact with an escapee before the jailbreak. Baptiste is accused of being in

Louisiana’s historic snowstorm capturedinahardcover coffee-table book Step intoamagical momentfrozenintime with So Much Snow,” astunning celebrationofLouisiana transformed into awinterwonderland,showcased in ahardcovercoffee-table book.When Louisiana received moresnowthan Anchorage, Alaska,inJanuary2025,our award-winning photographerscaptured everyenchantingdetail: Mardi Gras beads glisteningonsnowmen,palmtrees draped in white,and families creating once-in-a-lifetimememories.This premium 144-page hardcoverbook,featuring dynamic photos andstories,isyour chancetoown apieceofLouisiana historythatyourgrandchildren will hardlybelieve From record-shatteringsnowfallto thefirst-ever blizzard warningissued forsouthernLouisiana,get this coffee-tablebook to serve as areminderof this once-in-a-lifetimeweather event. Pre-order online and save at

Orleans ParishDistrict AttorneyJason Williams walks outsidethe Orleans Parish Justice Center,where he helda news

S. Williams

WrestleMania 2026 in N.O. canceled

Loss leaves big hole in next year’s event calendar

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

World Wrestling Entertainment

has canceled the WrestleMania event that was scheduled to be held in New Orleans in April 2026, leaving a big hole in the city’s hospitality calendar next year city tourism officials said Thursday

In February, movie star and wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson announced at WWE’s Smackdown at the Smoothie King Center that New Orleans would host the huge event for the first time since 2018. It had been scheduled to be held over two nights, April 11-12, at the Caesars Superdome.

However, WWE informed New

Orleans sports and tourism of-

ficials on Thursday that they no longer plan to bring the event to the city, according to Walt Leger, head of New Orleans & Co. WWE said they want to build on other events scheduled for New Orleans and might bring WrestleMania to the city in some future year he added.

“We’ve worked with them for the last several days to try to identify some future dates and future events to bring to the city,” Leger said.

WrestleMania is the biggest professional wrestling event of the year, showcasing more than a dozen matchups between the industry’s most celebrated performers. Tourism leaders had compared its potential impact to

almost that of a Taylor Swift concert or Super Bowl New Orleans & Co. and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation said they could not comment on why the event in New Orleans was canceled.

WWE officials were not immediately available for comment.

While the reason for the cancellation remains unclear, Leger noted that there has been a lot of corporate shake-up at WWE and its ownership in recent years. In September 2023, WWE was taken over by Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is owned by Endeavor Group Holdings. TKO now runs WEE under its CEO, Dana White, while Endeavor’s

NOTHING TO SQUAWK AT

Mosquitoes with West Nile found on east bank

N.O. will begin spraying areas

BY CHAD CALDER Staff writer

or

said.

or

samples taken several times in recent years, and two deaths in Louisiana were attributed to the virus in 2018.

Residents are encouraged to use repellents containing EPAregistered active ingredients such as DEET picaridin, IR3535, or oil of lemon eucalyptus; limit outdoor activities between dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active; use air conditioning or sit in the air stream of a fan when possible; and ensure window and door screens are in good condition. Residents are also asked to dump standing water regularly to eliminate larval habitats around your property

Pit bull attacks famous Pigeon Town peacock

Second time bird has been victim of dog attack

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Feathers flew on Wednesday evening when a stray dog tore into the beloved peacock that has been a feature of the Pigeon Town neighborhood since 2006. Braylen Burrell said he was driving along Dante Street, heading to a convenience store for a snack, when he spotted Mr P — as the peacock is known — involved in a ruckus with a gray pit bull. From behind the wheel, Burrell shot a very brief video of

the dog pouncing on Mr P, who was trapped against a parked car

Burrell expected that his approaching car would scare the dog away, but when that didn’t happen, he jumped out to save the embattled bird.

“I looked at the dog and he had feathers in his mouth,” said Burrell, a West Bank native and Ben Franklin graduate, who is now majoring in computer engineering at Notre Dame University

Burrell, 20, shouted at the dog. “I said, ‘Hey, stop,’” he recalled. “I was just trying to make noise.

Economic development leader stepping down

Masingill leaving for central Louisiana

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

Chris Masingill, who over the past seven years has become the public face of St. Tammany Parish’s revamped push to land new business, is leaving his post as CEO of the St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation for a similar position in central Louisiana.

Masingill will become the president and CEO of Louisiana Central, a 10-parish regional economic development group based in Alexandria.

“It’s bittersweet,” Masingill said in an interview. “I love St. Tammany and the northshore. But it’s a great opportunity for

me professionally.”

Masingill said he will leave St. Tammany Corporation in August but will be involved in the St. Tammany EDC’s transition to a new leader in the meantime.

In a news release, Joan Coffman, the president of the St. Tammany EDC’s board, said the board will create a committee to conduct a national search for Masingill’s replacement.

Masingill said he would also be involved in that process.

“St. Tammany Parish, the northshore, and southeast Louisiana are better for his leadership promoting economic development alongside St Tammany EDC’s exceptionally talented staff,” Coffman said in the news release.

PHOTO By JACKSON HILL

A great egret stands over its nest as one of its chicks calls out in a rookery in Pontchartrain Park in New Orleans. The rookery provide vital nesting habitat for wading birds during Louisiana’s spring breeding season.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MATTHEW HINTON

World Wrestling Entertainment superstars The Bludgeon Brothers defeat SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and The New Day, center, during WrestleMania 34 surrounded by a crowd of over 78,000 in the Superdome in New Orleans on April 8, 2018.

ST. TAMMANY

ä See MANIA, page 2B

Arrest made in 2022 fentanyl death

Victim’s aunt askedpolice to reopen case

BY BOBWARREN Staff writer

After reopening their investigationintothe 2022 drug overdose death of a Ponchatoula man at the urging of arelative, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that detectives have booked aman with second-degree murder in connection with the case.

trend of murder arrests stemmingfromoverdosedeaths acrossthe northshore. In March, northshore DistrictAttorney Collin Sims gathered with northshorelaw enforcement representatives during a news conference to announce a task force,the OpioidInitiative, that had been launched in July 2024.

Sims and others noted several large-scaledrugseizures as well as agrowing number of murder arrestsstemming from drug overdose deaths.

Deandre Dominique Wheeler,30, of Ponchatoula,was arrested Wednesdayand was also booked on drug charges, includingdistribution of fentanyl, the Sheriff’s Officesaidina news release.

The counts against Wheeler stem from the overdose death of 19-year-old Louis Reynier Deputies responding to areport of an unresponsive person in a Ponchatoulahome on July 22, 2022, found Reynier,who was suffering from adrugoverdose. An autopsy revealed that Reynierhad asignificant amount of fentanylinhis system, the Sheriff’s Office said. Authorities investigated the deathfor more than ayear, but the investigation eventually went cold, accordingtothe news release.

But following amurder arrest lastApril in an unrelated drug overdose death, Reynier’s aunt implored the Sheriff’s Office to revive her brother’scase

The Sheriff’s Office said narcotics detectives took another look and after amonth of investigation confirmed that Wheeler had sold Reynier the drugs that led to his overdose.

The arrest follows arecent

During the news conference Sims touted amurderindictment stemming from the overdose death of a Washington Parish School Board member as well as the second-degree murder conviction last December of aSt. Tammany Parish woman whostood trialinthe death of ateen Wheeler wasarrested at his home in the Ponchatoula area. Investigatorsfound counterfeit Xanax pills suspected to contain fentanyl, as well as marijuana, digitalscales andpackaging materialsinside the house,the Sheriff’s Office said.

TangipahoaParish Sheriff GeraldSticker, who took office last July, said he has challenged the agencytoreconsidercases that remain open.

“Thisteam has done that, time and time again, despite budgetary and staffing deficiencies, by providing afreshpairofeyes andperspectives,not only on facts, butonprinciples,” Sticker said in the news release.

The Tangipahoa ParishSheriff’sOffice saiditparticipates in the Operation Angel program, which provides help, freeof charge withoutfear of consequence, to peoplefighting drug addiction who seek treatment.

The Sheriff’sOffice said people seeking help should come to any Sheriff’s Officelocation or call (985) 747-9696.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SARA PAGONES

Chris Masingill, CEO of St.Tammany’seconomic development agency speaks at anewsconferenceannouncing the launch of Gulf South Commerce Park. He is flanked by Parish President Mike Cooper,left, anddeveloper John Crosby, right.

Continued from page1B

InAlexandria, Masingill will replace Jim Clinton, whois stepping down fromLouisiana Centralafter 14 years as president and CEO.

Masingill said he had not sought out the post withLouisiana Central, but becameinterested after being approached about it.

“The priority the state has there (in central Louisiana) is really exciting and there are a lotofassets to workwith,”he said.

Masingill arrived in Louisiana in 2018 when the then St. Tammany Economic Development District hired him to push the parish’seconomicdevelopment efforts.

At thetimehewas hired in St Tammany,Masingill had most recently been co-chairman of theDelta Regional Authority,based in Arkansas, andhad previously worked as director and policy adviser for former Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe.

Masingill said St. Tammany EDC’sefforts since 2018 have led to nearly $300 million in new or expanded businesses andaround 2,300 jobs.

As thefaceofthe parish’s revitalized economic development push, Masingill often spoke out at contentiouspublic meetings, urging elected of-

PEACOCK

Continuedfrom page1B

Andthe peacock said, ‘This is my chance to get away.’

The incident took place on Dante Street at roughly 5p.m. Wednesday

Mr.Pismore or less wild, cruising through the streets at will, spending most evenings on the front porch of restaurateur Rob Gerhart’sHickory Street house Gerhart said he was at work when he gota call from aneighbor about the attack.

Gerhartsaidthatafter his narrow escape, Mr.Phad specks of blood on his cobalt-blue neck, and he’d losthandfuls of his shimmering feathers.

In atelephone call on Thursday morning, Gerhart was relieved to report that theprincelypeacock hadsurvivedthe ordeal withhis dignity,ifnot allofhis plumage, intact

He predicts that Mr.P “is notgoingtobeleaving theporch fora while,” though. Gerhart plannedtogatherup Mr.P for avisit to thevet later in the day.

Gerhart saidhedidn’tknow where the dogisorwho it belongs to.Itwas the second time that Mr Phas been attacked by adog,he said.

ficialstoback projects ranging from aproposed casino in Slidell to aplan to create a logistics corridor along Interstate 12.

Thatsupport sometimes earnedhim arrowsfromsome residentswary of St. Tammany’srapid growth.

“But St. Tammany isn’tabedroom community anymore,” he said, notingthe parish’sgrowingeconomyand population, now estimatedatmore than 277,000. “You can’tjust stop.”

In aLouisiana Central news releaseannouncingthe hire, LouisianaEconomic DevelopmentSecretarySusanBourgeoissaid CentralLouisiana “is acritical region for ourstate’s collaborative economic gains.” Bourgeois, who is from St Tammany Parish, said she has known Masingill for years and praised his work.

“The economic development and broader business community is fortunate to have his continued leadership in Louisiana, andIlookforward to working closely with him in his newrole in central Louisiana,” she said.

Louisiana Central coversAllen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia, Grant, LaSalle, Natchitoches, Rapides, Vernonand Winn parishes.

The regionhas apopulation of nearly 350,000and abusiness base the includes agricultural, manufacturing, and logistics and distributionassets, the agency said

Mr.P usuallycawsloudly through thenight. ButonWednesday,Gerhart said, “hedidn’tmake asound.”

Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate.com. Follow him on Instagramat dougmaccash, on Twitter at Doug MacCash andonFacebook at Douglas James MacCash.

WEST NILE

Continuedfrom page1B

Targeting adultpopulationsof mosquitoes,the citysaid it would spray in thefollowing areas: n EnglishTurn andNew Aurora bounded by RiverRoad,the parish line, and Woodland Highway n Lakeview and West End bound-

ed by Allen Toussaint Boulevard, Interstate 610, Bellaire Drive, and theOrleansCanal n Lake Shoreand Lake Vista bounded by Lakeshore Drive,Allen ToussaintBoulevard, Breakwater Drive, and Beauregard Avenue n City Park boundedbyAllen ToussaintBoulevard,Zachary Taylor Drive, Marconi Drive, and Bayou St John n CityPark,Navarre, and MidCity boundedbyI-610, Interstate 10, North Carrollton Avenue and Wisner Boulevard n Filmore bounded by Filmore Avenue,I-610,BayouStJohn, and Elysian Fields Avenue. More informationisavailable at nola.gov/next/mosquito/home. Email ChadCalder at ccalder@ theadvocate.com.

MANIA

Continuedfrom page 1B

CEO is Hollywood “super agent” AriEmanuel

After the departure earlylast year of longtime WWE chief Vince McMahon, amanagement shake-up resulted in the creation of the TKO LiveEvents Strategy Team, headed by veteran UFC executive Peter Dropick, whoisbased in Las Vegas.

In ajoint statement with New Orleans &Company,the Sports Foundation said that they are working withTKO “to expand our longstanding partnership through a multi-event, multiyear agreement which will include UFC 318 (a mixedmartial arts event) on July 19,2025 (and) MoneyInThe Bank (a wrestling event) in 2026.”

There is no firm date for afuture WrestleMania. WrestleMania 41 was held on April 19-20 this year at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

It attracted atotal attendanceof 124,693 fans over two nights,anew WWE record for the largest gate revenue, making it the most successful and highest-grossing WrestleMania in the company’shistory, TKOsaid.

Beyond ticketsales, WrestleMania 41 also achieved recordbreaking numbers in viewership, merchandise sales, sponsorship revenue, andsocial media engagement, thecompany saidinanofficial statementtothe New York Stock Exchange, where its shares arelisted.

StaysinVegas

After the success of this year’s

LOTTERY

WEDNESDAY,MAY 21, 2025

PICK 3: 6-1-6

PICK 4: 6-2-9-2

event, the new leadership running WWE decided that they would ratherhold next year’sevent in LasVegas and see what response they getfrom fans, according to an industry official whowasn’tauthorized to be quoted by name.

In February,The Rock, who was appointed to the TKO board of directorslastyear,waxed lyrically abouthis past association with New Orleans and its positive impact on wrestling over the years. He said thecity was an easy pick fornextyear’sevent after the success of Super Bowl LIX.

WrestleMania34, whichwas held in New Orleans in 2018, had an estimated economic impact of $175 million for the city,with three-quarters of the attendees coming fromoutside the area, according to areport by the consulting firm Enigma Research Corporation. Thatwas on total attendance for the one-night event of 78,133 people,ora little over half the attendance at this year’sevent. Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate.com.

PHOTO PROVIDED By LISA PALUMBO/ROB GERHART

Mr.P,the famous Uptown peacock, wasattacked by astraydog on Wednesday. The bird, which has been a neighborhood fixture since 2006, lost some feathers, shown, in the struggle.

PHOTO PROVIDED By BRAyLEN BURRELL Collegestudent Braylen Burrell savedMr. P, the famous Uptown peacock, fromthe jaws of astray dog.

Davis, Roy

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JohnAugust Batt, Jr., principaland director of Biltmore Property Group, husband of 30 years to Andrée,father, beloved friend to many, and native New Orleanian, died Monday, May19, 2024,at age 64. "Jay,"ashewas known to allwhom he encountered, had numerous passions: his family, his friends, his work, and bettering the livesofothers. Jay willberemembered and cherishedassomeone who greeted strangers and friends alike with awarm smileand affectionate embrace. Atruegentleman of impeccable sartorialstyle, Jay, along with hisbusiness partners, developed numerous franchises that spanned throughout the Southeast, including Jos. A. Bank Clothiers, Lilly Pulitzer, Ruth'sChrisSteak House and J.W. Bell. He attended Sewanee:The University of the South, and in 1983,hegraduated from Tulane University where he was amember of theSigmaAlphaEpsilon (SAE) socialfraternity. One of two sons, Jay was an "all girls" dad. His pride and joywerehis threegirls, Andrée and their daughters, Bailey and Kelly. All attended Sacred Heart, with Baileyattending the University of Alabama, and Kelly the University of South Carolina. Jay startedhis professional careerasa bankeratFirst National Bank of Commerce untilhe embarkedupon asuccessful real estate development career. He launched his debut into retailwith Jos. A. Bank Clothiers on Carondelet Street, where Jay was ever-present and greeted his customers with both ajovialsmile and agoodjoke(albeit some abit off-color).Most recently arealestate consultantwith McEnery Residential, Jay was perfectly positioned forthis role, being the people-person he was.His passion to help create abetter New Orleans motivated himto run for the City Council where he tirelesslyserved theresidentsofDistrictA When Hurricane Katrina struck,Jay was unyielding in his efforts to bringhis neighborsand constituents home to New Orleans to see their flooded homes, including his own. An avid sports fan, Jay was amemberofthe AllstateSugarBowl Committee, where he servedasPresident and as amember of its Executive Committee. He led with great pride the annual Sugar Bowlparadefor many years. Jay also presided over the New Orleans City Park Commission, as its President, and was Chairman of the Board of Crimestoppers,Chairman of theLouisiana Republican State Central Committeeand the Orleans ParishRepublican Executive Committee.Jay excelled in connecting people to facilitateconversations across the aislefor thebettergood.Jay was a member of several social and Carnival organizations. He joyfully and enthusiasticallysupported the acting careerofhis talentedbrother,Bryan,and greatly valuedtime with his family in his second home in Asheville, North Carolina. Jay was trulygifted in making people feel welcomed,cherished and loved. Jay is predeceased by his mother, Gayle Mackenroth Batt, andhis father,John August Batt. He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Andrée Wood Batt, daughters, Bailey Batt Kelleher(Kell) andKelly Manning Batt, hisbrother, Bryan Mackenroth Batt (Tom), and father-in-law, HarryEldon Wood (Gayle). Visitation willbeheldat Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home, Saturday May24, 2025, beginning at 11:00 a.m., followed by a memorialservice at 1:00 p.m.,for allwho wish to celebrate his life. Private intermentwillbeheldfor thefamily in Metairie Cemetery.Inlieuofflowh f il

BriscoeJr.,Rev.Timothy George

Rev. TimothyGeorge Briscoe Jr.departedthis lifeathis residenceon Monday, May12, 2025, at the ageof59. He wasa na‐tiveofNew Orleans, LA and aresidentofHarvey, LA. Timothywas employed asa cement finisher.He was also an ordained min‐ister.Devoted father of TimberlyGeorgia Briscoe, TiffanyBriscoe,and Timo‐thy George Briscoe, III. Lov‐ing grandfatherofKim‐berly Briscoe, Timothy GeorgeBriscoe,IV, Hannah Briscoe,and AceGreen Beloved sonofBarbara NelsonBriscoe andthe late Rev.Timothy George Briscoe,Sr. BrotherofCor‐neliusBriscoe,Jermaine (Sharon)Briscoe,Damien Slocum, Johnathan (Tyra) Briscoe,RyanBriscoe and the late WilliamBriscoe,Sr. Grandsonofthe late Rev. GeorgeBriscoe andSylvia CrutchfieldBriscoe.Great grandsonofthe late Adam and LauraSteward Briscoe, Williamand SusanWeath‐ers Crutchfield, also sur‐vived by ahostofaunts, uncles, nieces,nephews, cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastors,officers andmem‐bersofThird EmanuelBap‐tistChurch andall neigh‐boringare invitedtoat‐tendthe Memorial Service atThird EmanuelBaptist Church,187 ThirdEmanuel St.,BridgeCity, LA on Sat‐urday,May 24, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.PastorJ.C.Dyson offi‐ciating.Visitationfrom8:00 a.m.until servicetimeat the above-namedchurch ArrangementsbyDavis MortuaryService,230 Mon‐roe St., Gretna,La. To view and sign theguest book pleasegotowww.davismo rtuaryservice.com

Clarke,PaulineLang

It is with profound sad‐nessthatweannouncethe passing of PaulineLang ClarkeonTuesday,May 13 2025. Mrs. Clarke wasa beloved wife,mother, grandmother,sisterand devoted member of her community.BornonMay 11, 1936, in BaySt. Louis, MS, Paulinewas thecher‐ished daughter andsecond child of thelateRobertand MaryDavis Lang.She grew upinNew Orleans, LA where sheattendedJoseph S.Clark High School,be‐foreearning herB.S.inBi‐ology from Xavier Univer‐sityin1958 andM.Ed. from SouthernUniversityin Baton Rougein1963. In De‐cember1958, Paulinemar‐riedthe love of herlife, the lateThomasCarlClarke, Sr. andtogether,theybuilt a beautifulfamily. In addi‐tiontoher parents, sheis alsoprecededindeath by sons, Thomas,Jr. andTim‐othy; great-grandchildren, Zaydenand Bliss; brothers, Vontelle andMeheather Survivors includeher daughter, Toya Clarke La‐Bostrie (Jacksonville, FL); siblings, RobertinaJack‐son,EdnaLang, Levesia Lang, Betty Jean Lang,Ar‐linderLand, Gaydelle Lang, Deonne Lang andBobby Lang; daughter-in-law, RenaSmith.Pauline’s love and wisdom also extended toher grandchildren, Byron,Alyssa,Justin, ThomasS.and Tracey;ten great-grandchildren,who willalsocarry forwardher legacyofkindness, perse‐verance andfaith.A Mass ofChristian burial honor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late PaulineLang ClarkewillbeheldatSt. Paulthe ApostleCatholic Church,6828 Chef Menteur Highway,New Orleans, LA 70126 on Saturday,May 24 2025 at 10 am.Interment Mount Olivet Cemetery Visitation9 am in the church.Pleasesignonline guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504) 581-4411.

Casberry at theAlgiers Church of God in Christ (COGIC). He waseducated in NewOrleans Public Schools andgraduated from L. B. LandryHigh School in 1986. At thetime of hisdeath; he worked as aChefatThe RiverOaks Hospital. He also worked as aChefOffshorewith J Ray Mc Dermott. He enjoyed working with hisolder brotherPhilipwhomhe affectionately, calledPhil or "Boss Hog" restoring houses.Hewas aformer member of theNew OrleansBicycle Club and competedinmanyraces. He wasa prolific drummer throughout theChurches of God in Christ.Heloved playing music in the church.Atthe time of his death,hewas amember of Living Witness COGIC, underthe direction of his Pastor,Superintendent John Pierre.ElderCooper wasawalking encyclopediaofthe word of God. He enjoyed fishingand hangingout with hisfriends. Most of all,heenjoyedand lovedhis familyand was always thelifeofthe party. He will be greatly and dearlymissedbyall.He leaves to cherish hismemory, Iva G. Green,his fiancée, his entire family, andfriends.Living Witness COGIC, Living Faith Christian Fellowship, South Central Louisiana Jurisdiction, Algiersand UpperRoomCathedral COGIC, Louisiana East Second Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, all neighboringchurches, L. B. Landry High School Class of 1986, and employeesofThe RiverOaks Hospital, are invited to attend thefuneral service that will honor his life. Viewingwill begin at 9:00 AM andthe Service will begin at 10:00 AM on May24, 2025 at the Thompson Temple COGIC, 1515 WhitneyAvenue, Gretna, Louisiana 70053. Superintendent John Pierre,Officiating. Interment: McDonoghville Cemetery,Gretna, Louisiana 70053. Services are entrusted to Cross Memorial Mortuary.

RoyAnthony Davisde‐partedthislifeathis resi‐dence of Friday,May 9, 2025, at theage of 72. He was anativeand resident ofNew Orleans, LA.Roy was agraduateofL.B LandryHighSchool class of1970. He wasemployed withthe Doubletree Hotel byHiltonand Embassy Suitesinhospitality as a bartender.Beloved hus‐bandofthe late Patricia Allen Davis. Loving father ofthe late RoyMichael Davis.Son of thelate Leonard LeoDavis andVi‐vianLottieTrosclair Davis. Brother of TimothyJ.Davis, Sr. andthe late Leonard Paul, Freddie, Warren, Leslie,and AaronGary Davis,and Lottie MaeDavis Pitre.Brother-in-lawof ElaineDavis,Anna-Mae Davis,Linda Nora-Davis, Semora“Lola”Davis,and the late CarolPaul, Juanita Davis,and IvoryHuber Pitre.Roy is also survived byhis devotednephew Leonard BrianDavis,and a hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamilyand employees of Doubletree byHiltonand Embassy SuitesNew Orleansare in‐vited to attend theGrave‐sideService at Mc‐DonoghvilleCemetery, 520 Hancock St.Gretna, LA on Saturday, May24, 22025, at 11:00a.m. Arrangements by Davis Mortuary Service230 MonroeSt. Gretna,LA. To viewand sign theguest book please go to www davismortuaryservice.com.

BrooksJr.,Charles 'June'

CharlesBrooksJr. affec‐tionately knownas"June," entered into eternalrest onMay 4, 2025, at theage of65. He wasbornonSep‐tember26, 1959, andwas the belovedson of Mildred KnightBrooksand thelate Charles BrooksSr. Anative ofNew Orleans, LA., June was educated in theOr‐leans Parish School Sys‐tem.Helater dedicated manyyears of service working at Asher'sDry Cleaners, where he was known forhis strong work ethic anddependable spirit. June wasa quiet, kind-heartedman who deeply valued family. He was adevoted father to his daughterFelicia Jackson, and alovingbrother to his three sisters: Alma An‐drews,CassaundraBrooks, and ElfredaBrooks. He also leavesbehinda host of nieces, nephews, greatnieces, andgreat-nephews who will cherishhis mem‐ory always.Hewas pre‐ceded in deathbyhis fa‐ther, CharlesBrooksSr., and hisbrothersDarryl Brooksand Gerald Brooks. Relatives andfriends are invited to attend theFu‐neral ServiceonSaturday May 24, 2025, at Estelle J. Wilson FuneralHome, 2715 Danneel Street,New Or‐leans,LA70113. Visitation willbegin at 9:00 a.m. fol‐lowed by theservice at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Bobby Williams Jr.officiating. In‐terment:HoltCemetery 527 City Park Ave. NewOr‐leans,La. 70119. Arrange‐ments EntrustedToEstelle J.WilsonFuneralHome, Inc. 2715 Danneel St.NOLA 70113. Information: (504) 895-4903. To sign online

Coon,Jane EnnaKatherine

Jane is survivedbyher daughter Katherine Coon and her GrandsonDaniel Sartin. She passed peacefully after living afull life. She willbemissed. There will onlybea privateservice.

It is with heavyhearts, that we announce, Elder Hilrie David Cooper, transitionedApril 27, 2025. He was alifelong nativeof Algiers, Louisiana. Elder Cooper, was born the eighth of tenchildren, to thehappy union of thelate Philip Cooper, Jr. and Joyce AlverisCooper, on February 25, 1965. He was thefiancée of ThorisKelly, belovedbrother of Philip Cooper,III (Linda), Tawanna C. Gross (Pastor Thomas, Sr.),Era C. Hawkins (Bishop Gerald H. Sr.), Fleta C. Stirgus (Elder Jeff, Jr.), Olivia Cooper, Michael J. Cooper, Sr., ElderJonathonCooper,Sr. (Terratey), Estelle J. Cooper-Lee, and IraJ Cooper, Sr. (Toya) At an earlyage he accepted theLordashis Savior and was baptized under thedirection of his LatePastor, ElderPercy

CynthiaTerry Davis, age 81, transitioned peacefully intoeternal rest at Bridge‐point Continuing Care Hos‐pital (WestJefferson Med‐icalCenter) surrounded by her loving family. Shewas a native of NewOrleans,LA and aresidentofMarrero LA. Cynthiawas aretired LicensedPractical Nurse, who wasformerlyem‐ployedwithWestJefferson Hospital, TouroShakespear Nursing Home,Jefferson ParishPublicSchool Sys‐tem,and as aPrivate Duty Nurse.She wasa faithful memberofWhite Chapel Baptist Church of Harvey Cynthia wasalsoa mem‐ber of Nightingales Nursing Cluband Westside Mis‐sionary BaptistChurch As‐sociation MinistersWives Beloved wife of Rev. Char‐lie R. Davis. Devoted motherofCherylL (Clarence)Johnson,Rev MarvinT.(Bridgette)John‐son,Dr. Travis (Leatrice) Johnson,and Roxanne J. Young (Gary) Rafe.Loving grandmother of Travis Johnson,Jr.,Trenton John‐son,TrevorJohnson,Na‐talie Young,ClarenceBrad‐fordEllison,and Justin Johnson.Daughterofthe lateSteve Terry andMinnie Lou Harris Terry. Grand‐daughterofthe late Ben Harris, Sr., LaudaGaston Harris, ClevelandTerry and Willie LeeTerry.Sisterof Willie (Barbara)Terry Jeanette (the late Mickey) Barnesand thelateJoyce Jimcoily. Also cherishing her memories are4 great grandchildren,and ahost ofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastors,officers,and members of WhiteChapel Baptist Church,IsraelBap‐tistChurch,and allneigh‐boringchurches;members ofWestsideMissionary Baptist Associationare in‐vited to attend theHome‐going CelebrationatIsrael Baptist Church,1612 Esther Street,Harvey, LA on Satur‐day,May 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.PastorDarrell McKin‐nies, host pastor;Pastor JohnMason,officiating. Visitationwillbegin at 9:00 a.m.until servicetimeat the church.Interment: WestlawnCemeteryGretna, LA.Arrangements byDavis Mortuary Service, 230 Monroe St Gretna,LA. Toviewand sign theguest‐book,pleasegotowww davismortuaryservice.com

Stella Beamon Dorsey peacefully passedawayat the ageof103 on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at home,sur‐rounded by herfamily. A nativeofThibodaux,LA and aresidentofNew Or‐leans,LA, shewas amem‐ber of True Vine Missionary Baptist Church andhon‐oredwiththe titleof“The Motherofthe Church”. Stella is survived by her daughters,SandraGilbert (Donald Sr.),JeanAugillard ofConvent LA,sonsNorris DorseySr. (Cynthia)of CopperasCove, TX,Simon DorseyJr. (Patricia) of Chicago, IL,twenty-four grandchildren,forty-six great grandchildrenand twenty-four greatgreat grandchildren.Relatives and friendsare invitedto attendthe Celebrationof LifeService on Saturday, May 24, 2025, for10:00 a.m. atTrueVineMissionary Baptist Church,2008 Marigny Street,New Or‐leans,LA70117. Visitation willbegin at 9:00 a.m. Rev. Dr. Donald C. Jeanjacques Sr.,officiating. Interment willfollowatMount Olivet Cemeteryand Mausoleum, New Orleans, LA.Guest‐book Online:www.anewtra ditionbegins.com(504)2820600. Linear Brooks Boyd and DonavinD.BoydOwn‐ers/FuneralDirectors

Davis, CynthiaTerry

Cooper, HilrieDavid

Dubret, Stephen Louis 'Steve'

It is with deep sorrow andheavy hearts that we share theunexpected passing of Stephen (Steve) Louis Dubret,age 62, on April 2, 2025 in Fredericksburg, VA where

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he resided for the past eight years. Born December 15, 1962 In New Orleans, LA everyone who met Steve quickly learned he was aproud native son. If it wasn't picked up in his distinctive accent, it would soonbenoted by his tales of thefood, history and haunts of his favorite place on earth. He attended St. Maurice grammar school and graduated from Chalmette High. After graduation Steve joined the U.S. Navy and proudly served his country on the USS Kitty Hawk. After his service in the Navy he settled in San Diego, CA where he made many wonderful, life-long friends and met his husband, Jay Parker. He worked in office management for alegal firm then completed is AAS in accounting. He was the epitome of alife-long learner and askilled genealogist who loved doing the research required to trace family roots. He was especially proud of hisLos Islenos and Acadiens heritage. He was an avid LSU and Saints fan, loved by family and friends and will be deeply missed. Cherished memories will include constant sarcasm, acknowledgment of his bossybehavior, intense grumpiness, snarly commentary on people and their behavior, his quirks that were just short of qualifying as eccentric, and his belief that he was agood cook because he knew how to make aroux Preceded in death by his parents, Elaine Bethancourt Dubret and Theodore J. Dubret,sister, Cathy Dubret Carollo. He is survived by his spouse, Jay Parker, sister, Deborah Dubret Gage (Dave), niece Angelle Carollo-Terry (Albert),nephew Vincent Carollo (Amanda), great nephews Zephyr and River Terry, Landon and Noah Carollo, aunt Sam Thomson, brother-in-law Gerard Carollo and many loving cousins. In accordance to his wishes, he was cremated. Relatives and friends are invited to attend agraveside ceremony at St. Mary's Cemetery (Old Algiers) 500 De Armas St. NOLA, 70114 on Thursday May 29, 2025 at 10:00AM. Following, please join us in honoring Steve's life with agathering of family and friendsat Rocky and Carlo's Sicilian Room, 613 WSt. Bernard Hwy, Chalmette, LA 70043 from 1-3PM. For everything there is aseason anda time to every purpose under heaven: atime to born and atime to die, atime to mourn and atime to dance. Until we meet again, rest easy Unc.

Born on May 13, 1945, in the vibrant city of New Orleans, Louisiana,to Placide and Mary Honore Bernice Hardester Lewis came into the world with a spark that never dimmed. The eldest girl of fourteen siblings, she was anaturalborn leader—strong-willed, spirited, and full of life. Over her 79 remarkable years, Bernice wore many hats—beloved daughter devoted wife, nurturing mother, dependable sister, wise aunt, and loyal friend. She married Harvell Lewis, and from that unioncame what she called her ABC's Anthony,Bridgette, and Crystal Lewis. But perhaps her greatest achievement wasa deeply personal one. With courage and strength she chose apath of recovery andremained clean for over 34 years—a milestone she held with immense pride. On May 18, 2019, she made adeeply spiritual commitment by being baptized at the International Convention as one of Jehovah's Witness, atestament to hergrowth,resilience,and unwavering faith. Bernice Hardester went be in Jehovah's memory on May 9, 2025. She was preceded in death by her parents Placide and Marie Honore, her husband Harvell Lewis, her beloved daughter Bridgette(Leroy, Sr) Lewis Kinglock, her sister Marquerite Honore', brothers George Duplesis John Duplesis, Placide Luke "Buthy" Honore Jr., Peter Honore', Vincent Honore', andDarryl "Fat Man"Honore; nephews Keith Huland and Samuel Honore'; and precious granddaughters Liela and Lila Lewis. Left to honor her memory are her devotedchildren Anthony (Lisa) Lewis and Crystal Lewis; her loving siblings Mary

Honore,Gary (Hazel) Honore, Marsha Honore, VenessaHonore, Tammy Honore,and Michele Honore Hubbard; her sisters-in-love EthelJean Honore'and Lilly Duplesis Davis;and ahost of grandchildren:Bernice(Darrell) Gaines, Toni"Imela-Joy" Lewis, Lyndell Watson, Micheal (Divine) Joseph Lewis, Timothy (Ashley) Jones, AntonioLewis, Leroy Kinglock Jr., Christopher Lewis, Devonnesha Nicely, and RupertMcKoy. Hervibrant legacy livesonthrough her 23 great-grandchildren, a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, and cherished friends whose liveswereforever changed by her love,laughter, and indomitable spirit. Herservices willbeheld Saturday May24th 12 noon, at the KingdomHall of Jehovah's Witnesses.Address is 4411 Congress Dr. NewOrleans, La 70126 Please send all flowers and condolences to the Kingdom Hall Arrangements are entrusted to HeritageFuneral Directors, 4101StClaude. Ave., New Orleans, LA., 70117.

Hardy-Ventress,Tawanna Loletha

Tawanna LolethaHardyVentress, affectionately known as “Too-Too,”re‐ceivedher heavenly wings onSunday, May11, 2025 at the graceful ageof50. Tawanna wasbornonJune 12, 1974 in New Orleans, LA, to Edward J. Hardyand the late Mary WoodingHardy.Beloved wife of Lon‐nie C. Ventress.Inaddition toher mother,Tawanna is alsoprecededindeath by a brother, AlvinE.Hardy She is also lovingly remem‐bered by brothers,AlbertE Hardy,Sr. (Martha) and MitchellJ.Hardy.Alsosur‐vived by ahostofnieces, nephews,extendedfamily and countless dear friends. Tawanna acceptedChrist and wasbaptizedatan early age, laying thefoun‐dationfor aliferooted in faith andservice.A proud graduateofEleanor Mc‐MainMagnet High School, Class of 1992, shefur‐theredher educationatTu‐lane, Herzingand North‐eastern Universities,earn‐ing degrees in Public Rela‐tions/Marketing,Web De‐signand ProjectManage‐ment. Together with her lovinghusband,Lonnie, she co-managed LV Cater‐ing,bringingwarmthand joy to countless gather‐ings. Herlovefor family and community wasunwa‐veringand herspiritbound everyonetogether. Whethertraveling with Lonnie, herniece Ava, or friends,Tawanna livedwith purpose andanadventur‐ous heart. Shewillbere‐memberedfor herradiant smile,welcoming spirit and therareabilityto makeeveryonefeel valued Her legacy is oneoflove, laughterand quiet strength. Shedevoted her life to thoseshe lovedand leavesbehinda rich tapes‐try of memories andim‐pact. ACelebration service honoringthe life and legacyofthe late Tawanna Loletha Hardy-Ventress will beheldatNew Orleans Bible Fellowship Baptist Church,4430 BundyRoad, New Orleans, LA 70127 on Saturday, May24, 2025 at 11am, Rev. LeonardM Parker, Jr., Officiating. In‐terment OakGrove Mis‐sionary BaptistChurch Cemetery, 85 OakGrove Road, Monticello,MS 39654. Visitation 9amin the church.Pleasesignon‐lineguestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion, Directors (504) 581-4411.

Holmes,Patricia AnnBriggs

Patricia AnnBriggs

Holmes,age 71, passed awaypeacefully at North OaksMedical Center in Hammond,LAonTuesday, May 6, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Shewas bornonMarch 3, 1954 in New Orleans, LA to thelate Isaac andBarbara Johnson Briggs.Mrs.Holmesleaves tocherish precious memo‐ries, herlovinghusband, RobertHenry Holmes,Sr.; daughters,Dione,Shan‐non,Andrianne and Daphne;stepchildren, Robin andRobert, Jr.; God‐children, Nicole,Craig and Kenneth,Jr.;siblings, Ken‐neth, TommyKeith,Gary, Lillian,Antoinette and Karen,the late Barbara JeanJones andDon Isaac Briggs;brothersand sis‐ters-in-law,Freddie,James, Jr.,Darrel, Williamand Quintelus,Brenda, Kim, Yvonne,Vanessa andMin‐nie;seventeen grandchil‐dren, thirty twogreat grandchildren,a host of nieces, nephews, otherex‐tendedfamilyand support‐ive friendswho will miss her dearly.A Celebration service honoring thelife and legacy of thelatePa‐triciaA.Briggs Holmes will beheldinthe Chapel of CharbonnetLabat Glapion FuneralHome, 1615 St PhilipStreet,New Orleans, LA70116 on Saturday,May 24, 2025 at 1pm. Interment Private.Visitation12noon inthe chapel.Pleasesign onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504) 581-4411.

Eric Johnsondiedon Monday, May12, 2025. Hus‐bandofLisaJohnson.Fa‐therofErinisha, Richard, and CorneliusJohnson Brother of Lawrence,Kevin, Veronica, Keith, Jasonand the late Eliska Johnson Petit.Alsosurvivedbya hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, pas‐tor,officers andmembers ofOakland B. C. andPil‐grimB.C.are invitedtoat‐tendthe Home Goingat Oakland BaptistChurch, 825 Rev. RichardWilsonDr., Kenner, LA on Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Rev.Charles Hurstofficiat‐ing.Viewing will beginat 9:00a.m.Interment at ProvidenceMemorialPark Cemetery, Metairie,LA. RichardsonFuneralHome ofJefferson,River Ridge, LAinchargeofarrange‐ments.www.richardsonf uneralhomeofjefferson com.

Wayne“Lighting “John‐son passedawayonMay 4, 2025, at theage of 71 Wayne is survived by his wifeSharonJohnson,his two sons WayneWilliams, DeWayne Johnson. Three daughters Darrione Wal‐lace, DaychonGibson, and SharonCollins.Grandchil‐drenWayne Williams Jr Jaden Williams,Jermaine Long, MadisonWallace Kennedi Collins, Khaliah Johnson,Mason Wallace, MyahGibson, Mariah Gib‐son,Maliyah Gibson MakenzieGibsonand Zayne Johnson. Also sur‐vived by ahostofother rel‐ativesand friends. Pre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐entsWaitman Johnsonand SyrenaJohnson,his sister PatriciaAnn Perry and nephewJabariBrown. Fam‐ily andfriends areinvited toattendthe Celebration ofLifeService on Saturday, May 24, 2025, for10:00 a.m. atUnitedFellowshipFGBC, 2401 Annette Street,New Orleans,Louisiana,70119 Visitationwillbegin at 9:00 a.m.BishopBrandon Boutin, officiating. Inter‐mentisprivate.Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditi onbegins.com(504)2820600. Linear BrooksBoyd

andDonavin D. Boyd Own‐ers/FuneralDirectors

Bennie Johnson, Jr.en‐tered into eternalreston Saturday, May10, 2025, at the ageof37. He wasa na‐tiveofWinston Salem, NC and aresidentofGretna, LA. Bennie wasa graduate ofSouthview High School inFayetteville, NC and servedhis countyasa memberofthe United StatesAir Force. He was formerlyemployedasa Hotel Bartender. Beloved son of Lori Johnson (Robert)Harrisonand Ben‐nie Johnson, Sr.Grandson ofthe late Levi Sr.and Helen Smithand Bessie KearseJohnson.Loving brother of BeontraJohn‐son.Devoted uncle of Terry Johnson.Nephewofthe lateGlendaChanney Zenda Smith, LindaHorton, PatriciaJohnson,Glenda Jeter,Louis Vernon Smith, and Larry Johnson. Cousin ofthe late CoreyGreen Bennieisalsosurvivedby a host of aunts, uncles cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastors,officers,and members of Second Mt Olive BaptistChurch and all neighboringchurches are invitedtoattend the Celebration of Life at Sec‐ond Mt.Olive Baptist Church 2108 St.Anthony Street,New Orleans, LA on Saturday, May24, 2025, at 11:00a.m. Pastor DonnieW Brown, Sr officiating. Visi‐tationwillbegin at 10:00a.m. until servicetime atthe church.Interment: Will Be Private. Arrange‐ments by DavisMortuary Service,230 Monroe St Gretna, LA To view and signthe guestbook,please gotowww.davismortua ryservice.com.FaceMask Are Recommended

James William Keating, Jr., aretired diagnostic radiologist,passed away at his home in BaySt. Louis, MS on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.

Dr. Keating wasborn July20, 1944, in New Orleans, LA where he lived most his life.Hegraduated fromIsidoreNewman School, Dartmouth College, and Tulane University Medical School. During the Vietnam War Dr. Keating served as aflight surgeon/ captaininthe United States AirForce.Hecompleted aradiologyresidency at theUniversityof Vermont Medical School and aNeuroradiology Fellowship at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA

Dr. Keating started his career in academic medicine at Dartmouth Medical School and then at Tulane Medical School, achieving therank of associate professor. Later, he practiced hospital radiology for32years at numerous hospitals in thecountry. He was honored to havebeenawarded thedegree of Fellowofthe American College of Radiology, one of thehighest honors theACR can bestow on amember.

Dr. Keating was elected President of the New Orleans RadiologySociety, theLouisiana Radiology Society, and the DartmouthClub.Dr. Keating was apioneerin thediagnosticevaluation of degenerative disc diseaseofthe spine.

After retirement Dr Keating published numerousarticles on the subject of theeconomic history of HancockCounty Mississippi. He wasthe son of James William Keating,Sr. from Nunda, NewYorkand Bernice Marion Ross from NewOrleans.Hehad two brothers whoare deceased, John Charles Keating andRobertEdwin Keating He marriedMargaret Lyle Smith, hisfirst wife, whowas hisgenuine dear friendthroughouthis entire life. They bore ason, JamesWilliam Keating III (Courtney), whogave Dr Keating immeasurable pleasure being hisdad.He later marriedPatricia Anne Turner,who washis constant and devoted companion throughouttheir 31 years of marriage. Dr. Keating hastwo stepchildren with whom he enjoyed adeeply affectionate relationship from when they were 7and 4yearsold -Adam Jeffrey Wroblewski (Bridget)and KileyJayne WroblewskiMokate (Travis). Dr.Keatingisalso survived by histwo delightfulgrandchildren, John "Jack" GilbertKeating andMargaret "Meg"Miller Keating EdmondFahey Funeral Home is honored to serve the familyofJames William Keating,Jr.

Miller Lee, Sr., aka "Jelly",age 86, abeloved husband,father, grandfa‐ther, andgreat-grandfa‐therwas born on March19, 1939 in Sicily Island, Louisiana.Hepassedaway peacefully at hishomeon Sunday, May11, 2025 Millerwas educated in the New Orleanspublicschool system. He wasa con‐struction worker andalso a self taught carpenter. He loved to spendhis spare timewatchingold movies and making thebestpoboy sandwiches.Heleaves tocherish hismemoryand love, to hislovingand de‐voted wife Rosa Bradley Lee. Belovedfatherof MillerG.Lee, Jr.(Angela) and KirbyD.Lee, Sr (Jacqueline). Loving brother of Maudie Gal‐loway.Hewas also sur‐vived by five grandchil‐dren, sevenstep-grandchil‐dren, tengreat-grandchil‐dren, anda host of nieces nephews,cousins,family and friends. Miller waspre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐entsElmoLee andIda Glasper Lee; twobrothers, Elvin Leeand Stemmie Cooper, andtwo sisters, EllaLee andLuretha Humphrey. Relativesand friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theHome‐going CelebrationService onSaturday, May24, 2025 atGreater Bright Morning StarBaptist Church,4253 DaleStreet,New Orleans, LA70126 at 10:00 a.m. Visi‐tationfrom9:00a.m.until 10:00 a.m. IntermentMount OlivetCemetery, 4000 Nor‐man MayerAvenue, New Orleans,LA70122. Youmay signthe guestbookon http://www.gertrudeged deswillis.com. Gertrude GeddesWillisFuneral Home, Inc, in charge,(504) 522-2525.

O’Connell Jr., Patrick Dennis

With broken hearts,we share theunexpected passing of PatrickDennis O’Connell,Jr.,onMay 8, 2025, at theage of 58 years. Morethananything, Pat’s greatestpassion wasfor his family, includinghis beloved parents, Patrick O’Connell,Srand Joyce Geraci(Glenn).Heisalso survivedbyhis brother, AlexO’Connell (Rosa),and sisters,Joyce Galaverna (Marco) andRachel Mollere (Chad),aswellas niecesand nephewswhom heloved andadored. Pat lived alifeasboldand joy‐ful as thecityhecalled home. He was, in every sense,a manwho em‐bracedlifeand shared that lovewitheveryonefortu‐nateenoughtoknowhim A proudNew Orleanian through andthrough,Pat’s pathinlifewas as rich and variedashis laughter was contagious. Aftergraduat‐ing from high school,heat‐tendedUNO andthenpur‐suedhis passionfor the culinaryartsatDelgado Hethenworkedasa pastry chefatseveral restaurants inNew Orleans. Pat’scu‐riosity anddrive didnot stopinthe kitchen. Drawn tonew challenges,here‐turnedtoschool to study electricalengineering and founded Patrick’sElectrica business that thrived under hisleadership, hard work, anddedication. A private memorial will be heldatJacob Schoen and Son FuneralHome. The familywould like to thank all of theirfriends andfam‐ily who have been so sup‐portive during this difficult time. In lieu of flowers, the familywelcomesdona‐tions made in hisnameto LoveYourNeighborNOLAloveyourneighbornola.com. ArrangementsbyJacob Schoen& SonFuneral Home. Condolencesmay beleftatwww.schoenfh. com

Peterson,Cheryl Benjamin

Cheryl Benjamin Peterson,a belovedmother,grandmother, sister, andfriend, passedaway peacefully on May13, 2025, at the age of 76. Alifelong residentofNew Orleans, Louisiana, Cheryl was known for herradiantspirit,generous heart, and unwaveringlove for herfamily. Born on February 16, 1949, Cheryl wasthe cherished daughterofthe late Everlyn Benjaminand a proudgraduate of George Washington Carver High School. Shewas thedevoted wife of thelateRev Melvin PetersonSr.,with whom she shared alifeof love,faith, andservice Cheryl spentmany years as thededicated Administrator of Peterson's Fencing Company, supportingher family's business with care anddiligence.Later in life, shecontinued hercommitmenttohard work and hospitality as ahousekeeper at The Frenchmen

Johnson Jr., Bennie

LeeSr.,Miller

Johnson,Eric

Keating Jr.MDFACR, JamesWilliam

Hardester, Bernice

Johnson,Wayne 'Lighting'

Hotel, where she was known for her warmth and attention to detail.Family was the cornerstone of Cheryl's life. She was the loving mother of Harry (Myrna) Harden, Trena (Curtis) Black, and Sabrina Draughter. Cheryl also lovingly raised her grandsons Tyron Harden and the late Harry Anderson as her own, giving them the same devotion and guidance she offered her children. She leaves behind her adoring grandchildren: Javonn (Davy) Crocklen, Darren (Earlisha) Anderson Sr., and Hillary Spencer; her great-grandchildren: Davy, Davyen, and Davynchi Crocklen; Darren Jr Davante, Dandrew, Dasani, and Dalice Anderson, and Kelsi Sylvester. Her love and presence will forever echo in their lives. Cheryl is survived by her siblings Susan, Bernice, Leonard, and Charles Benjamin; her best friends Lula Ward and Sharon Allen. She is preceded in death by her mother Everlyn Benjamin, her husband Rev. Melvin Peterson Sr., her grandson Harry Anderson, her greatgranddaughter Ka'dhirol Ai'leshMarshall, hersisters Patricia and Sylvia Benjamin, and her son-inlaw Darrell Draughter. Family and Friends are invited to aCelebration service honoring the life and legacy of the late Cheryl Peterson on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Professional Funeral Services, 1449 N. Claiborne Ave, New Orleans, LA 70116. The public viewing will begin at 3:00 PM, with the funeral service to follow at 4:00 PM. Arepast will be held immediately after the service at The Eventistry Venue, 2800 Higgins Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70126. Cheryl Peterson's memory will forever live on in the hearts of those she touched.

ElizabethAnn Scotten‐tered this worldonSunday, January 26, 1958, to Annie Mae Scottand Collins Scott Sr.She enteredinto restonTuesday,May 13, 2025. Atrueray of sun‐shine,Elizabeth left alast‐ing impression on every‐one shemet.She accepted Jesus Christ as herLord and Savior as ayoung child and wasbaptizedatIs‐raelite BaptistChurch. A woman of deep faith,Eliza‐bethbegan teaching Sun‐day School as ayoung adult andloved sharing her knowledgeofBible verseswithjoy andpas‐sion. Shewas adevoted nurturerwho served as a Patient Care Technician at Touro Infirmaryfor 45 years.Eveninretirement, Elizabeth’s caring spirit en‐dured—she continuedto support thoseinneed by sitting with former pa‐tients, offering them com‐fortand companionship. Elizabeth foundjoy in pam‐peringherself,shopping, and transforming her house into awarmand welcoming home.Nomat‐ter thetimeofyear, her homereflectedthe season she took prideindecorat‐ing forevery holiday, mak‐ing each celebrationfeel special.She cherishedcon‐versationswithfriends and familyand lovedtraveling and creating memories withthem. To herfamily, Elizabeth wasthe glue that heldthemtogether acon‐stant source of strength comfort,and unconditional love. Elizabethwas pre‐ceded in deathbyher beloved parents, Annie Mae Scottand Collins Scott Sr.She leaves to cherish hermemory, her devoted children,Schwann Scott-Harris (TerrenceHar‐ris)and Calvin Scott; her treasured grandchildren, Paris Scott, Pharez Scott, and Tekiesaine Brown; and her adored great-grand‐children, MichaelBatiste III and BlissSteward.She is alsosurvivedbyher loving siblings, ClaraScott, Collins ScottJr.,and David Scott; hergodchild, Durell Matthews; anda host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friendswho will forever remember her kindness, laughter,and un‐waveringlove. Elizabeth’s legacylives on in thelove she gave,the livesshe touched,and thefamily she held together.Though she hasgonehometobe withthe Lord,her spirit re‐mains ever presentinthe warmthoffamily, in quiet moments of reflection,and inthe joyofeachholiday she once made so special. Relatives,friends of the family, andstaff at Touro InfirmaryHospitalare in‐vited to attend theFuneral Services at IsraeliteBaptist

Church,2100 Martin L. King Boulevard,New Orleans, LA70113 on Saturday,May 24, 2025: viewing9:00a.m.–10:00 a.m.;Service 10:00 a.m.ReverendFredrick MatthewsofNew Mount BethelBaptist Church,Offi‐ciating.Interment in Mount OlivetCemetery, 4000 Nor‐man MayerAve NewOr‐leans,LA70122. Profes‐sionalarrangementsen‐trusted to Majestic Mortu‐ary Service, Inc.,New Or‐leans,LA, (504)523-5872.

Senecharles, Fritzner

With sadnessweshare the passingofFritzner Senecharles,onMonday, April 28, 2025. Please visit www.RhodesFuneral.com to view serviceinforma‐tion, sign online guest‐book,send flowersand share condolences.

Rev. Edward Simmons, age82, of New Orleans, LA enteredeternalreston May12, 2025athis sister's home in Jackson, MS.Heis the fatherofEdward Simmons and Glenda S. Breaux. He is the brother of LouisSimmonsSr. and EvangelistAudrey Whittington.Funeralwill be on Saturday, May24, 2025 at 1:00 pm at Westhaven Funeral Home Chapel, 3580 RobinsonRd., Jackson,MS39209. Burial CedarwoodMemorial Park in Jackson, MS 39212.

Barbara was born December8,1953toRita Carroll and Francis Cunningham in Brooklyn, New York. She enteredinto eternal life on May19, 2025 surrounded by love and holding apicture of her beloved granddaughter, Turner. Amere48days afterthe love of her life, Michael Sizemore, entered thePearlyGates. Theyalways saidthey couldnever live without each other and it was true.Barbara grew up in Brooklyn and while the girlwas taken out of the city,she never let you forget she wasn'ta true Southerner. She would be quick to tell youthat she was and always would be aYankee,a Brooklyn girl, aNew Yorkerthrough and through. Shegraduated from Erasmus High School and earned an Associate's Degree from Clinton Collegein Plattsburgh, New York. While in Plattsburghshe met Mike,became engaged afterone month, and they weremarriedfor 50 years. Raising their only daughterinMemphis, Tennessee.Barbara and Mike eventually retiredto Saint Simons Island Georgia, which they called their happy place. They spent their days enjoying the beach, frequenting their favorite restaurants, and spending time with their newfriends.Priorto retirement, Barbara spent 35 years working in human resourcesfor Standard Welders that evolvedinto NexAir. She was morethan justhuman resources though, she became a friend to and asounding board forcountless coworkers turnedfriends who stillcalled her foradviceorsimplytocheck-in on her.She willbemet at the Pearly Gateswithopen arms by: her parents, Rita and Frank Cunningham, parents-in-law Jim

Sizemore,Anna C. Turner, and CT Turner. She willbe cherished forever by daughter Danielle Richmond (Miller), granddaughter Turner Richmond, sisterMary (Mark), brother Frank (Sharon), sisterAnne Marie (Alan), brother-inlaw SteveSizemore (Janice), parent-in-law Barbara B. Sizemore,two nephews, 8nieces, 15 greatnieces and nephews, and innumerable friends who were family While our heartsare shatteredbythe passing of our Barbara,Barbara P, Barb, Mommy, Babs, Aunt Barbie,Bones, Size-all namesshe was affectionately called by thosewho knew and lovedher we knowwewillnever forget allofthe love and care she provided. Shewas the hostess with themostest, happilyhosting pool parties and gettogethers, lovedplaying Bunco, cards, and trivia.You could always count on herto give yousolid advice. Never one to mince words she always toldyou exactly what youneeded to hear even if youdidn't want to, and always with love.For so many people throughout her life she was a shoulder to lean on.She lovedtocookbut hated leftovers. However,she always mademorefoodthan needed to take to other people.And therewas nobody better at keeping a kitchen clean while she cooked,a true talent and stilla mystery to Danielle. She had themost giving heart,but in thequietest ways. It has been said "she wouldgiveyou the shirt off HER back and then offertopay YOUfor it." Although, she was never quiet when cheering on the Memphis StateTigers, Yankees or those she loved. Barbara was a strong and formidableperson. She wasunapologeticallyherself, always. She lovedtoshop,beitclothes or herfavoritestore-the grocery store. Never ahair out of place or anail unpolished. Shedidn'tjust shop, just get her hairand nailsdone,she became friendswith everyone who worked there,she had an uncanny abilitytodothat Atough exterior,but atotalsoftie on theinside.The epitome of astrong, independent woman. Barbara lovedall of Danielle's friendsand Michael's students as if they were her own, she became a"second-mom" to many. She was selfless and always did what she couldtotake care of those she loved and cared aboutinwhatever way she could. When she retired fromNexAir she became her mother-inlaw'scaregiver, butAnna C. Turner, known as Patty, was morethan just a mother-in-law to Barbara. She had taken care of that youngbrideina new city and acted as asecondmomtoBarbara allof those years before, and it was Barbara's turn to care for her. She spent thelast several years as caregiver to her belovedhusband as he battledParkinson's Disease.Barbara never slowed down, making sure she and Mike gottofulfill their dreams of traveling during retirement. Jetsetting to numerous countries in thelast few years. Of all thedestinations though, her favoriteplace of all was with her granddaughterTurner, spoiling her rotteninthe best ways in the shorttime they had together. Barbara's abilityto remember everyone's names, faces, and dates willleave therest of us tryingtofillinthe details for therest of time.Evenas she was in thehospital bravelybattling pulmonary fibrosisshe was correcting thestorieswetoldwith head shakes and hand waves. She has left behind alegacy of honesty, integrity, love,care, and an amazing meatloaf recipe. We would especially like to extend our gratitudeand love to thestaff at Poydras Homefor theextraordinary care and love they providedmymom in her shorttime there and our family

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the memorial serviceinthe chapel of Lake Lawn Metairie FuneralHome, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.in NewOrleans, on Monday, May 26, 2025, at 12:00PM.A visitation willbeheldat thefuneralhome beginning at 10:00AM. In lieu of flowers,the family requests that donations be madetothe Amos Camden RileyBock-Camp MarymountMemorial Fund.Camden was agraduateofWestPoint,and a Marymountalum who died serving our country. Donations can be madeby calling Camp Marymount at 615-799-0410 or by visiting https://cfozarks.fcsuit e.com/erp/donate/create/ fund?funit_id=2894

To view and sign theon-

line guest book,please visit lakelawnmetairie.com

SpellIII,Charles J. Plumbers& Steamfitters Local Union60: Funeral services willbe held for our late Brother CharlesJ.Spell, IIIon Saturday, May 24, 2025 at 1:00 p.m. at Our Ladyofthe Lake Roman Catholic Church, 312 LafitteSt., Mandeville,LA. By orderof John J. Sabathe,President Attest: Ronald R. Rosser, Business Manager

Swanson, GregoryJude

Gregory JudeSwanson embarked on his final journey on May 18, 2025, at the ageof60. Born on October 25, 1964, in NewOrleans LA Greg is survivedbyhis wife Damita Swanson, daughters Kristin Scott (Brandon) and Kayla Swanson (Derek Jr.), parentsCharles and Donna Swanson, and Leonard Taylor, siblings Trina Swanson-Lucas (Benjamin), Renard Swanson (Michelle),Terri Taylor-Joseph(Donald), Julie Taylor-Vaz(Jean), and LeonardTaylor Jr (Emily), and grandchildren Savannah, Marais, and Saint.Healso leavesbehind ahost of cousins friends, and extended familythatstretches beyond thebordersofNew Orleans. He was along-time insurance agent with Swanson Insurance Agency servingthe community he loved. Hishomegoing service willbeheldatSt. Martin de Porres Church on Monday, May 26 at 11 a.m. with visitation starting at 9a.m.

FrankTeapo Jr., peace‐fully ascended on Sunday May 11, 2025 at theage of 59, leavingbehinda legacy ofstrength, love anddevo‐tiontohis family. Born on July26, 1965, Mr.Teapo was aman of quietdignity who touchedcountless lives with hiskindheart and unwavering presence Frank is thebeloved hus‐bandofShantellTeapo; cherished sonofJeanann Washingtonand thelate Frank Teapo; proudfather ofTravisHenderson,Frank Henderson,Frankeitha Tiffith,Donisha Tiffith,De‐vonte Frederickand Trejon Bridges;beloved brotherof Eronica Teapo, thelate Giselle Teapoand Donnie Teapo.His memory will live oninthe hearts of allwho knewhim,a reminder of a lifewell-livedand deeply loved.A Celebrationser‐vicehonoringthe life and legacyofthe late Frank Teapo,Jr.,willbeheldin the Chapel of Charbonnet Labat GlapionFuneral Home, 1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Friday,May 23, 2025 at 10 am.Interment RestHaven Cemetery,10400 Old GentillyRoad, NewOr‐leans,LA. Visitation 9am inthe chapel.Pleasesign onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504) 581-4411.

LA transitioned peacefully onTuesday,May 6, 2025, at the ageof88. Shewas born onJuly6,1936, in Napoleonville,LA. Mame was thebeloved daughter ofthe late Talbertand RubyL.Walker. Shemar‐riedthe love of herlife, JosephThomas, Jr.and to their uniontheywere blessedwithtwo children: RubyLee Thomas Bray (de‐ceased),and Vincent Thomas(deceased). Mame shared72years of mar‐riage with Joseph before her passing. Adevoted wife, mother,grand‐mother, aunt,sister, and friend. Mame’s worldre‐volvedaround herfamily. She leaves herhusband JosephThomas, Jr 8 grandchildren:Vanessa Bray, Keisha Banks(Kevin) LaShundraDerbigny(Ira), Chantrice Populis(Chad), Ivorionne Fortenberry, JalaniThomas(Bonus), Dedrick Bray,and Wanya’ Thomas, 20 greatgrand‐children, and11greatgreat grandchildren. Also survivedbya host of ex‐tendedfamilyand dear friends who will continue tocelebrate herlifeand legacy. Family andfriends are invitedtoattend the Celebration of Life at The BoydFamilyFuneral Home 5001 Chef MenteurHwy., New Orleans, LA 70126 on Saturday, May25, 2025 Viewing from 9:00 a.m. -10:00 am.PastorBennie Scott, officiating. Inter‐mentwillfollowatProvi‐dence Memorial Park Mau‐soleum. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

LetitiaThompsonde‐partedthislifefor her heavenlyand eternalrest withthe Lord on April27, 2025 at theage of 89. She was preceded in deathby her parentsFredBurke,Sr. and Beatrice Burke, eleven brothersand sisters, hus‐bandGeorgeThompson and ason,Van,inheaven atbirth.Letitia wasthe beloved mother of heronly daughter, Kimberly John‐son (Carl) ,who sheleaves tocherish hermemoryand followher exampleof strengthand faith,along withfourgenerations of niecesand nephews. She graduated from Joseph S Clark High School and SouthernUniversityofNew Orleans.Letitia then went ontobecomeaneducator inthe OrleansParish School System forover25 years.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theFuneral MassofChristian Burial at St. MariaGoretti Catholic Church,7300 CrowderBlvd. NOLA, 70127 on May24at 11:00 am.Visitationand Rosarywillbegin at 10:00 am. Interment: St.Louis Cemetery#3, 3421 Es‐planade Ave, NOLA,70119 Arrangement by D. W. RhodesFuneral Home,3933 WashingtonAve.Please visit www.rhodesfuneral com to sign theonline guestbook.Inlieuof flow‐ers,pleasedonatea memorialgiftinhonor of Letitia Thompson to The NationalFederationofthe Blind,NFB.org or St.Jude Children'sResearchHospi‐tal,www.StJude.org.

LucilleConey Turner age 92, passedaway peacefully on Friday,April 25, 2025. Devotedwifeof Rev.RobertTurner, Sr.Lov‐ing mother of Patricia, Robertand Katrice. Also survivedbytwo sisters, eight grandchildren, four great-grandchildren,other relatives andfriends.A Celebration servicehonor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late Lucille C. Turner willbeheldatSt. Mark's FourthBaptist Church,2130 Perdido Street,New Or‐leans,LA70112 on Satur‐day,May 24, 2025 at 10 am IntermentRestlawn, Avon‐dale, LA.Visitation9 am in the church.Pleasesignon‐lineguestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504) 581-4411.

KennethD.Vaughn, Sr entered into eternalrest onThursday, May15, 2025, atthe ageof76. Beloved husband of thelateAlice Warrick Vaughn; Sonofthe lateEvelynVaughnand Rufus Durall;FatherofKen‐nethD.Vaughn, II (Loretta) and Quiana V. Brown(Ken‐neth);Brother of Linda Warren, Shelia Keller, Carl Taylor, YolandaGibson, WilbertGibson, Jr., Patricia Gibsonand thelateAn‐thony Howard,Marion Cooper, RaymondTaylor and Paul Taylor;grandfa‐therofMorgan, Taylor Tyraand KennethD Vaughn, III. Devoteduncle ofChristian andPhillip Warrick.Alsosurvivedby brothersand sisters-inlaw,nieces, nephews, cousins andother relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, Pas‐torsand membersofFaith LifeMinistries; employees ofOchsner Foundation Hospital, JeffersonParish, 24thJudicialDistrictCourt, and FrisardTruckingare in‐vited to attend thefuneral servicesatD.W.RhodesFu‐neral Home,1020 Virgil Street,Gretna, La on Satur‐day,May 24, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.Visitationwillbegin at 9:00a.m.Officiating: Rev CarlA Taylor.Interment: Mount Olivet Cemetery

Turner,Lucille Coney

Vaughn Sr., Kenneth D.

Simmons,Rev.Edward

Thompson,Letitia

Scott, ElizabethAnn

TeapoJr.,Frank

Sizemore, Barbara

Mesothelioma registry is long overdue

In America, asbestos usage reached its peak after the Second World War, whenover 1,400 million pounds were used for civilian and military purposes.

The U.S. military,inparticular, had astrong affinity for asbestos, using this material in virtually any army installation, in its famous Liberty ships from World WarII, as well as in tanks and airplanes.

these toxic fibers. Today,cases of lung cancer,asbestosis and mesothelioma from asbestos exposure occurringatthistime arestill being diagnosed. Among these conditions, mesothelioma is themost complicated todiagnose and treat With under 3,000cases diagnosed annually in America, research efforts to develop bettercarepathwaysare minimal.

Jonathan

Sharp GUEST COLUMNIST

However,asbestos is highly toxic. As this mineral causes chronic effects, such as cancers even decades after exposure,it took almost half acenturyfor health authorities to make this connection and eventually lead to aban on asbestos.

Unaware of any health dangers, people working with asbestos from the mid-1950s up until the 1970s had no protection against

The Centersfor Disease Control andPreventionproposed aNational Mesothelioma Registry to addressthis problem. Cases recorded in theregistry aim to enhance researchers’access to patients and thus prompt the development of better diagnosis methods and treatments that would prove to be curative.

Nonetheless, sixyearshave passed since this proposal, and the registry has notbeenimplemented.Inthe meantime, people witha diagnosis face limited prospects. Mesothelioma is highly prevalent among veterans. This popula-

In war,there are explosions. In peace, there is the silence that follows, often harder to endure.

For many veterans, that silence is filled with pain, not just physical but systemic. Not just personal but political.

Marlon

tioncarriesa substantialrisk of developing mesothelioma, not only becauseoftheir service in the U.S. militarybut also because of industrialexposure, as many wereemployed in asbestos-related industries after service. For these people, anational registry can significantly improve detection rates, prompt research on developing better therapies and createasystemfocused on ararebut deadly disease.

Although asbestos-related diseases affected veterans across America, people living in coastal statesand working in theNavy have asix times higher risk of developing mesothelioma. This elevated risk is mainly due to the extreme conditions aboardnaval ships, whereasbestos was heavily relied upon for insulation and fireproofing. Boiler rooms, engine rooms and other confined spaces werepacked with asbestos materials to manage the intense heat and prevent fires, two constant threats

in maritime environments. As acoastal state, Louisiana has astrong link with the asbestos industry,but also with other industrialtoxic chemicals. Its long environmental exposure history led to what is nowknown as Cancer Alley, an 85-mile stretch along the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, densely packed with petrochemical plants and industrial facilities.

This region suffers from some of the highest cancer rates in the U.S., mainly due to decades of toxic emissions, environmental pollution and hazardous workplace exposures like asbestos. In light of this history,between 1999 and 2017, Louisiana recorded 5,092 asbestos-related deaths, including 927 from mesothelioma and 491 from asbestosis.

In East Baton Rouge Parish alone, an estimated 395 asbestosrelateddeaths were reported during this period. Today,Louisiana is home to over

211,000 veterans, many of whom served during the peak years of asbestos use in the military following the 1940s. These veterans carry an even greater risk of developing mesothelioma, yet they remain chronically underserved by the current health care and reporting systems. Delays in diagnosis, limited access to specialized treatment and the absence of acoordinated tracking network continue to hinder their chances of receiving timely and effective care. Advocacy for implementing aNational Mesothelioma Registry is necessary to close this gap. Without decisive action, countless veterans will continue to slip through the cracks of abroken system, facing adevastating disease without the support they deserve.

Jonathan Sharp is theCFO at Birmingham-based EnvironmentalLitigationGroup, P.C.

La.’scoast needsunified voice, commitment to science

Chouccoli GUEST COLUMNIST

In 2012, after twotours in Iraq and an honorable discharge from the U.S. Army,Imoved to Thibodaux. Iwas seeking stability and education. Instead, Ientered anew battlefield shaped by injury,bureaucracy and pharmaceutical dependence.

While serving in Iraq, Iwas injured by an improvised explosive device. The blast left me with post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury

The physical toll got worse. In 2015, I suffered aspinal injury.In2018, acar accident made it worse. Offshore rig work deepened the damage. Chronic pain set in. Like many veterans, Iturned to the system we were promised would care for us. The Department of Veterans Affairs has long relied on opioidsfor pain. Iwas no exception.

When Isought help at arespected pain clinic near Baton Rouge, Iwas told they focused on holistic therapies. Instead, after one appointment,Ileft with 90 hydrocodone pills and no referrals. Over time, the dosage escalated. Hydrocodone became oxycodone. My wife andIbegged for ataperingplan. We were ignored. In late 2019, Inearly died In January 2020, Ientered rehab at the VA’s Gulfport-Biloxi facility and began medically supervised detox. I was put on Suboxone. It numbed me but didn’thelp me recover.Iwas discharged with 90 tablets and anew dependency

That’swhen Ifound kratom. Kratom, aplant from Southeast Asia, is used by millions in the U.S. to manage pain and opioid withdrawal. Veterans in rehab whispered about it. Some used it to taper off stronger drugs.

In February 2020, Ibegan tapering off Suboxone using kratom. Withintwo weeks, Iwas off pharmaceuticals. Ihad symptoms, sweats and chills, but no agony. Icould think. Icould function. I could live. Ihave been sober ever since. Kratom isn’tamiracle or acure. It’s atool that helped me reclaim control.It relievedpain without stealing my clarity or identity.Unlike opioids, it didn’t make me feel less like myself.

Now,Louisiana may criminalizeit. Senate Bill 154 by Sen. Jay Morris, R-

PROVIDED PHOTO

Kratom,anherbal

West Monroe, would classify kratom as aSchedule Idrug, alongside heroin and LSD. Thatdesignation is for substances with no medical use and ahigh potential for abuse. That is not supported by science or lived experience.

If SB154 becomes law,itwon’tjail traffickers. It will jailpeople like me. It will criminalize working people in pain. It will pushkratom underground, replacing regulation with risk.For veterans, it will makesobriety harder and relapse more likely

When Itestified before the House Healthand WelfareCommittee this spring, Ishared my story.Others did too. We were ignored. The bill advanced. Once again, veterans werehonored in words butdismissed in policy We are not rare. Thousands in Louisiana and millions nationwide share this experience. Some live withpain. Others with panic. Many with both. We’re not asking for pity.We’re asking for options

Today,Ivolunteer with my church, help the unhoused, and serveinVFW Post 3784 and American Legion Post 38. My life is grounded in service, but Ihad to rebuildit, andkratom helped. Isupport responsible regulation: age limits, labeling and quality standards Butcriminalization is not regulation. It is abandonmentdisguised as policy To lawmakers in Louisiana: Reject SB 154. If we are called heroes, honor us with more than words. Honor us with a policy rooted in truth,compassion, and dignity

MarlonChouccoliisa U.S. Army veteran and lives in the BatonRouge area.

Today,the mightyMississippi River carries morethan amillion cubic feet of waterthrough ourstate every second. It is a force of nature unmatched, unstoppable anddeeply wovenintothe story of Louisiana. This powerful river and the coast it built brought ourancestors here.Itgivesuslife, sustains ourlivelihoodsand definesour culture.

But20years ago, our human failures turned anatural disaster into a catastrophe. Hurricane Katrina did not just expose our vulnerability to wind and water —itlaid bare the consequences of our inaction

As alifelong resident of New Orleans and adedicated public servant, Ialways knew Katrina would come. It was never amatter of if —only when. Like many other leaders, Ipleaded with presidents, senators and anyone who would listen to grasp what was truly at risk: one of the world’smost unique cultures, our nation’senergy supply and the river that opened America’s expansion and prosperity.Looking back, I am proud —not just of how we endured, but of how we responded. Louisiana’scoastalcrisis did not begin withKatrina.The seeds of that disaster weresown decades earlier —quietly, steadily —through decisions that unraveled the natural defenses that once protected us.Levees werebuilt to shield communities and support navigation, but they choked off the river’slife-giving sediment.

Canals carved for oil and gas —vital to our economy —becamesilent conduits for saltwater intrusion, poisoning freshwater marshesand accelerating land loss. Somewherealong theway,weforgot that this great deltawasn’tjust aplace to be tamed, but aliving landscapebuilt by the river itself.

Our future, like our past, depends on letting thatriver do what it was born to do

We werewarned. Asearly as the 1960s coastalscientists told us we were losing our coastatanalarming rate, and only by reconnecting theriver to its wetlands could we hope to reverse that loss. It took time, tragedy and the fierce advocacy of many, but their proven science eventually becameour road map

In thewake of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, we responded with clarity and purpose. We created the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority and passed theGulf of Mexico Energy Security Act (GOMESA), securing along-overdue share of the oil and gas revenues produced off our coast

The voters overwhelmingly approved

aconstitutional amendment to dedicate those revenues to coastal restoration. At the sametime, we reformed our levee boards, unified coastal planning and developed ascience-based master plan that has becomeaglobal model forcoastal protection. As acongressional delegation, we spoke with one compelling voice to the rest of the nation: We can be trusted with the federal resources needed to restore and protect our coast. It is an awesome responsibility earned through science-based planning, transparent decision-making and robust public input.

Governor after governor took up the mantle. Dozens of elected officials, business leaders and everyday citizens joined the cause. The resolve born of disaster prepared us forthe challenges to come —more storms, adevastating oil spill, a broken flood insurance system and rising seas.

Speaking with one voice remains essential to demonstrating that Louisiana’s coast is anational asset —central to America’senergy security,economic vitality and environmental resilience. Despite herculean efforts since Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the oil spill, Louisiana still receives only asmallfraction of the hundreds of billions in offshore oil and gas revenues that pass through our coast.

We struggle under an arbitrary funding cap and are required to share this limited revenue with three other energy producing states and the Land and Water Conservation Fund, anational program that already has permanent full funding.

The fight is farfrom over,and Iam proud of our governor and congressional delegation forcontinuing the effort to secure the funding needed to preserve this critical landscape forgenerations to come.

We must summon the sameresolve we found after Katrina and Rita. This legacy must not be taken forgranted. In the years ahead, we will need morefederal support, public buy-in and innovation to preserve our state in the face of rising seas and stronger storms.

We have spent generations building the momentum and expertise to succeed —if we stay the course. Together,wehave changed Louisiana’sreputation from laggard to leader and charted apath that other coastal states now follow Icall on today’sleaders to show the samecourage and commitment to the inclusive and science-based approach that has served us so well —and may be our only hope.

Mary Landrieurepresented Louisiana in theU.S. Senatefrom 1997 until2015.

Mary Landrieu GUEST COLUMNIST

ROOM FOR DEBATE FORMERPRESIDENT BIDEN

Former President JoeBidenrevealed earlierthisweekthat he has been diagnosed with an aggressiveprostate cancer.The news cameasDemocratsweregrappling with newrevelations aboutBiden’smental and physical decline before he dropped out of the 2024 presidential race. Some sayinorder for the DemocraticParty to move forward, it must finally answerwhy so many were unwilling to admitthe presidentwas unfittorun forreelection until very late in the campaign. But does Biden’sdiagnosis complicate that reckoning?Here are twoperspectives

Biden cover-up reminiscent of anothertimeinhistory

The massive cover-up of Joe Biden’smental and physical decline, which is onlynow being revealed by certain media types who were part of it, reminds me of asimilar event more than acentury ago. President Woodrow Wilson suffereda stroke on Oct. 2, 1919, leaving himbarely able to work. First Lady Edith Wilson moved quickly to shield her husband’scondition from thepress and public. Historians say she took on so many of his responsibilities that she functioned like apresident. Edith Wilson went so far in her scheming that she covered Wilson’s left side with ablanket to hide his paralysis. Even Wilson’sdoctor was part of the cover-up.

ploying euphemismsthat might resonate today with Biden, Edithclaimed she did not make decisions for her husband, but that she was only a“steward.”

Soul-searching demanded of Democrats, media

Cal Thomas

As described in Rebecca BoggsRoberts’ book “Untold Power:The Fascinatingand Complex Legacy of Edith Wilson,” members of Congress werefrustrated when they were prevented from seeingthe president. ASenate delegationwas assembled and atop White House aidewas informed they were coming to the White House to see Wilson that veryday.Edith andsome of Wilson’sstaff staged a“dress rehearsal” before the meeting that they hoped would allow thepresident to seem articulate and engaged. There was even talk of propping him up in abeach chair,but they settledon elevating him in bed. The publicist forthe Democratic Party was broughtintohelp stage thecharade Fortunately for the conspirators, Wilson washaving one of his “good days” when the senators arrived. He engaged with the visitors, even indulging in humor.When one of them said “Wehavebeen praying for you, Mr.President,” Wilson replied, “Which way?”

Edith Wilson in essence, if notinfact, became the first female president of the United States. She controlled access to her incapacitated husband, made decisionson matters of state and essentially ran the executive branch for almost twoyears. Em-

If this sounds familiar in amodern context, it should. With afew changes, it resembles the script used for the cover-up of Joe Biden’smental and physical decline,the conspiracy by someof histop staff members who helped orchestrate it and the denial by thehelpful media that there was anything seriously wrong with the president.They all promoted the fiction that Biden was “sharp as a tack” and “fully engaged.” Democrats now realize they are caught in atrap of their own making, so their response is to tell reporters they don’twant to talk about the past,but “move on” toward thefuture. Republicans should not allow that to happen. Democrats wouldn’t if theroles were reversed, and indeed, Democrats impeached Donald Trump twice during his previous administration over what amounted to nothing.

TheHouse Oversight and Accountability Committee has announced it will hold hearings on thesuspected cover-up. Co-conspirators must be called to testify about what they knew, when they knew it and why they lied. This should include former First Lady Jill Biden, who could be called the Edith Wilson of our time.

Under oath they will be required to tell thetruth or suffer thepenalties that go with perjury.Why the25th Amendment wasn’t employed to removeBiden from office might be one of the questions asked. The public deserves to hear thetruth and notjust read books from someofthose in themedia who were part of thecover-up andwho are now trying to washthe stain of deceit fromwhat reputations they have left.

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub. com.

Those who colluded in thecover-up of Joe Biden’s cognitive decline are eagerto put it behind them. The election is over, so why dwell on the past? Why not focus on moreimmediate problems, such as President Donald Trump’scontinuing offenses againstthe civic order? Youcan’tblame themfor hoping, Isuppose. But we can’tsimply ignore such ashocking institutional failure. Nor can we put off the reckoning in sympathetic deference to the recent announcement thatthe former president has aggressive metastatic prostate cancer

Bidenand his family have my best wishes as they embark on achallenging fight.And oh, how Iwish this announcement hadn’tcome just before the release of JakeTapper and Alex Thompson’snew book, “Original Sin,” which offersa devastating account of Biden’s decline and the extent of the White House cover-up. Having read it recently,I’m convinced thatdeep institutional soul-searching is due in many quarters, and that this conversation is too important to delay,even at the risk of adding to the Biden family’s distress. It is impossible to read “Original Sin” —especially in concert with “Fight,” abook released by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes —without reaching ahorrifying conclusion: The most powerful nation in theworld and its nuclear arsenal wereleft in the hands of aman who could not reliably recognize people he’d known for years, maintain his train of thought or speak in coherent sentences.

cratic Party,and I’m sorry to say,from my own profession. Though Iaired concerns as early as 2022, Iinclude myself in this condemnation. Inoticed afew odd moments on the campaign trail in 2019 and 2020, along with ageneral air of frailty.Asasecond Biden term began looking more likely,I raised the issue in acolumn, asking whether the feeble man I’d seen on the stump wasreally up to a full campaign. But Ididn’task the question that was already forming in my mind: If Biden couldn’trun afull campaign, should he really be running the UnitedStates of America?

Ican offer no good excuse for this kidglove treatment. Iwas stupidly afraid to say anything that smacked of too much ageism,even though age obviously matters in such apitilessly demanding job. Well, now it’stime for all of us to grapple with those decisions because, as Thompson pointed out in aspeech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, owning up to our collective mistakes is the only way to regain the public’strust. Unfortunately, Ifear that as aprofession, we,too, are giving in to the temptation to memory-hole our unpardonable lapse.

There’splentyofblame to go around, and no one should offer the excuse that the cover-up was toothorough for anyone to know.The signs were there, from the president’s curiously sparse public appearances to the videos of him acting confused. The gaslighting worked only because they hadcooperationfrom within the Demo-

This omission smacks of my profession circling the wagons, creating yet another impenetrable bubble where we can reassure one another that whathappenedwas fine, aperfectly understandable mistake pretty muchthe excuses we made forJoe Biden himself. All that did was set him up for abigger disaster on the debatestage, and now we’re doing the samething to ourselves. The only way out is to face the truth. The president was not fine, was not even within shouting distance of fine and until we examine our own failure to report that fact, neither are we. MeganMcArdle is on X, @asymmetricinfo.

ega McArdle M n

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO By BEN CURTIS

President JoeBiden walks out to speak in the Rose Garden of the White House in November.Biden revealedrecently that he has been diagnosed with cancer

NewOrleans Forecast

KynsleyVinet andTatiana Christopher is also sur‐vived by 9brothersand sisters:AshleyVinet AmandaV Cheramie (Brad), Adrien PVerdin (Keith),Mindy Pellegalle, Micki Pellegalle (Dan), Joshua Pellegalle,DaviPel‐legalle (Sandy), Timothy Pellegalleand Clarissa Ochoa,3 god children,20 niecesand nephews, 18 great nieces andnephews and ahostofaunts, uncles and cousins. Christopher was alovingfather, son, brother anduncle.Hehad a heartofgoldand hada lovefor kids like no other. Preceding Christoper in death arehis grandpar‐entsMarcelVinet Jr,Mary Vinet,MaryKellam, Walter (Sam) Kellam,and Wade Labit Jr,Nanny Katherine Gobertand ParinEm‐manuelLabit.Heisalso survivedbya host of cousins,other relatives and devotedfriends.Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the celebrationoflifeser‐vicewhich will be held on Friday, May23, 2025, at One Accord Ministries located at713 SJamie Blvd,Avon‐dale, La 70037.Visitation willbegin at 2p.m., and the service will beginat4 p.m. PastorAndyPellerano offi‐ciating andinterment will beprivate.Funeral plan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome9611 LA- 23, Belle Chasse,LA 70037 (504)208 -2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com

moisture.This will lead to higher rain chances nextweek startingMonday,and that trend will continue into later nextweek. Therefore, more

will be around nextweek with some times of heavier rain. Highswill be

week and eventually not as highinthe 80s later in the week duetomorerain in the forecast.Humidity will remain high, and there will be occasional breaks of sun.

Wayne

DEATHS continued from Edward Wallace andGertie Goods Richardson.Heis survived by 11 siblings, a host of nieces, nephews, other family membersand lifelong friends. Amemorial servicewillbeheldMay 24, 2025,for 3:00 p.m. at 601 Broad Street, New Orleans, La. 70119.

Ware,Theresa Brenda Powell

TheresaBrendaPowell Wareentered eternalrest ather residenceonFriday, April 18, 2025, at theage of 82. Shewas anativeand residentofNew Orleans, LA. Theresawas agradu‐ate of L. B. Landry High School.She wasa retired cook with Visko’sRestau‐rant, aformernurse assis‐tantwithCharity Hospital, and shewas also em‐ployedwithMr. Sparkle JanitorialService.Beloved motherofCarla,Denise, Debbie, andTroy“Joe Green”Ware, andthe late Sherry Ware,EdwardWare, KenardWare, andDerrick Ware. Grandmotherofthe lateReginaldWare. Daugh‐ter of thelateEmanuel Powell, Sr.and Orelia Ross Powell. Sister of Alicia Powell, also survived by 21 grandchildren,31great grandchildren,and ahost ofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastors,officers and members of Mt.Sinai Bap‐tistChurch,and allneigh‐boringchurches arein‐vited to attend aCelebra‐tionofLifeatMt. Sinai Baptist Church,1246 Leboeuf St.New Orleans, LAonSaturday, May24, 2025, at 10: 00a.m. Pastor DudleyWatsonofficiating. Visitationwillbegin at 9:00a.m.until servicetime atthe church.Interment: Restlawn Park CemeteryAvondale, LA.Arrange‐ments by DavisMortuary Service,230 Monroe St Gretna, LA To view and signthe guestbook,please go to www.davismortua

Washington,Perry

Perry Washington,age 74, wasbornonJune 15 1950 in NewOrleans, Louisiana andrearedinSt. Bernard Parish.Perry was the loving andfaithfulfa‐therofMaryamWashing‐ton White(Troy White) and Perry Ruffin, loving grand‐fatherofDerrick (Ja’Lisa) Ceaser, PrincetonWhite and proudgreat grandfa‐therofCaidenCeaser. Perry leaves hisbrothers EdwardWashington (Lena), MichaelWashing‐ton (Alleaner),Wallace Washington, hissisters Claudia Brown(Arthur), MaryE.Phoenix,Carol Bentley (Mickey),Lynette Rhome (Rodney),Patricia Phoenix,JackieJackson (Andrew), Sandra Washing‐ton,devoted cousin Mil‐dredVail, devotednephew KirkBrown (Shavaun), Aunts/GodmotherBessie Nogess, Everlina Washing‐ton,Mildred Washington and ahostofnieces, nephews,familyand friends to cherishunfor‐gettablememories. He was precededindeath by his lovingand devotedwife Estelle Ceaser Washington; parents Walter Washington Sr. andDaisy Phoenix Washington; brothers Wal‐ter Washington Sr., (Char‐lene),RobertWashington (Melissa), Rickey Washing‐ton andhis sister Betty WagnerHunter,auntsMar‐guerite Phoenix, Dorothy Chandler, Lovena Washing‐ton Hughes,LillieMay and brothers-in-law William (Glenda)and Larry Ceaser Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the CelebrationofLifeSer‐viceonSaturday, May24, 2025 at Gertrude Geddes Willis FuneralHome, 2120 Jackson Avenue,New Or‐leans,LA70113 at 12:30 p.m.Visitationfrom11:30 a.m.until 12:30 pm.Inter‐mentMount Olivet Ceme‐tery,4000 Norman Mayer

ryservice.com. Face Masks Are Recommended Avenue,New Orleans, LA 70122. Youmay sign the guest book on www.ger trudegeddeswillis.com Gertrude Geddes Willis Fu‐neral Home,Inc.incharge (504) 522-2525.

Antoinette Nealy Williams,age 64, entered eternal rest on Saturday May 10, 2025. Beloved daughterofthe late Ed‐wardand Corella Scott Nealy.Beloved wife of the lateGaryWilliams. An‐toinette leaves to cherish her memory,children, Ron‐dellCharles Williams, Michael Williams,Sr. (Resha) andSherita Williams Pruitt; siblings AngelaNealy Taylor,Ed‐wardand Raymon Nealy (Tameeka);seven grand‐children; onegreat-grand‐child;aunts, PennyScott and AlbertaLewis;uncle WarrenNealy,aswellasa hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives and friends. Family,friends and employees of City Hall and Hibernia bank arein‐vited to attend thefuneral A Celebrationservice hon‐oring thelifeand legacy of the late Antoinette Nealy Williams will be held at New Home Family Worship Center, 13800 HayneBlvd. New Orleans, LA 70128 on Saturday, May24, 2025 at 10a.m.Interment Mount OlivetCemetery. Visitation 9 am in thechurch.Please signonlineguestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504) 581-4411.

WayneErrol Wright.De‐cember27, 1944 -May 13 2025. Waynewas born De‐cember27, 1944 to Walter C.Wrightand GertrueAllen Wright; andhewas theel‐destofhis siblings –his brother Eric AllenWright and sister Genelle Wright Gibson. He attended ValenaC.Jones Elementary School andRiversFreder‐ick Jr.HighSchool.He graduated from St.Augus‐tineHighSchool in 1962 After completing High School,Wayne enlisted in the United States AirForce and served from 1963-1967 Uponhis return from the military, Wayneworkedfor the Railroad while attend‐ing Southern University at New Orleans{SUNO). He graduated from SUNO earning aBachelor’sDe‐greeinBusinessAdminis‐tration.Wayne married Winifred Dejoie,and fa‐theredone son, Walter Frederick Wright –named for hisfraternal andmater‐nal grandparents.Hewas the proudgrandfather of his namesake andbeloved grandson, WayneMichael Wright. Waynebegan his businesscareer with a brief tenure as aPharma‐ceuticalSales Representa‐tivefor Ciba Geigy, before joining thestaff at Lock‐heed Martin Defenseand Aerospace where he be‐camethe Smalland Minor‐ity Business Administrator. WhileatLockheedMartin, Wayne wasanactivemem‐ber of theGulfSouth Mi‐norityPurchasingCouncil where he became Presi‐dentofthe Council. During thissameperiod, Wayne focused hisenergiesand workeduntiringlywiththe SUNOFoundationadvanc‐ing fundraisingand Alumni support,aswellasfor the Friends of St.Augustine HighSchool organization which he wasa founding memberand Treasurer. Wayne wasa member of the Staggs Club andThe TownsmenClubInc of which hisfatherwas a foundingmember, andhis son continuesthe family legacy as a3rd generation

member.Uponretirement fromLockheed Martin, Wayne beganworking for the localoffice of Con‐gressmanCedricRich‐mond. He supportedthis office in thecapacityof Small andMinorityBusi‐nessDevelopment Liaison. Heremainedinthisposi‐tionthrough 2020. Wayne enjoyed traveling, live music,diningwithfriends, and familygatherings. Familyand friendsall knew Wayne as thewitty story‐tellerwho couldappear veryserious andhave everyonefalling over in laughter. Family,friends, and colleagues will miss him dearly.Wayne has been sorely missedfrom familygatheringsoverthe pastyeardue to his lengthy illnessbut will al‐waysbeinour hearts.Rel‐ativesand friendsofthe family, also priest and parishionersofStLeo/St. Raymond Catholic Church are invitedtoattenda Fu‐neral Mass of Christian BurialatSt. Leo/ St.Ray‐mondCatholicChurch, 2916 ParisAve,New Or‐leans,Louisiana 70119 on Saturday, May24, 2025 at 10:00am.Visitationwill begin at 9:00am until 10:00am.Interment:Mount OlivetCemetery. Arrange‐ments by DuplainW RhodesFuneral Home,3933 WashingtonAve,New Or‐leans,Louisiana 70125 www.rhodesfuneral.com Please visithttps://pre miermemories.net/users/ MTYwMzI0LVdheW5lIEV ycm9s/home.htmltosign the online guestbook share memories,and con‐dolencestothe family.

Wright,Wayne Errol

Williams,Antoinette Nealy

Wallace, Lennon Wayne'Lenny'

Lennon

"Lenny Wallace, 69, adevoted Jehovah's Witness passed away April 27, 2025, in Houston, Texasfrom complication of Diabetes. Lenny was preceded in death by his parents Allen

SPORTS

LSU’s star pitching duo ‘drive each other’

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

HOOVER,Ala — How would LSU replace Gage Jump and Luke Holman?

Among the plethora of questions facing the Tigers last offseason, that was arguably the greatest one The top starting pitchers were the engine that vaulted LSU from 3-12 in Southeastern Conference play to a club that was a win away from hosting a super regional.

Jump

ä SEC tournament

finished the season with a 3.47 ERA and didn’t allow more than three runs in his last seven starts Holman had a 2.75 ERA and allowed no more than four runs in just one start all year

LSU vs: Texas A&M

6:30 P.M.

FRIDAy SECN

They were arguably the most feared 1-2 starting pitching combo in the nation

Both starters were selected in the second round of last summer’s MLB Draft.

“(We) played great on the back end of the SEC schedule, they’re off to a great start in the postseason,” Johnson said after LSU’s win over Kentucky in the SEC Tournament last year “And a lot of it has to do with those two guys setting the tone.”

In the end, LSU has had no trouble in finding Jump and Holman’s successors. Sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson and junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson became one of the top pitching duos in the nation during the regular season, guiding the Tigers to No. 1 in the polls nationally and the third best record in the SEC.

They’ll look to lead LSU to an SEC Tournament championship starting on Friday when Anderson and the No. 3 seed Tigers take on No. 14 Texas A&M in the quarterfinals (6:30 p.m., SEC Network).

“Kade and Anthony have pitched deep into

ä See LSU, page 5C

LSU pitcher Anthony Eyanson delivers a pitch against Arkansas in the second inning of their game on May 10 at Alex Box Stadium.

Rattler more comfortable heading into year 2 as he competes for Saints’ starting quarterback job

FE G GOOD

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Spencer Rattler isn’t dwelling on the past — the present has too much in store.

Yes, he started six games at quarterback last year as a rookie for the New Orleans Saints. Yes, he was dealt an unfortunate hand in those games as injuries ravaged the offensive roster around him. And yes, the Saints went 0-6 in those games.

But things have changed. The Saints have a new head coach and offensive coordinator in Kellen Moore, and Rattler is no longer competing to be the backup quarterback. Thursday, at Organized Team Activities, Rattler took his turn operating the first-team offense with the full complement of players around him.

“It’s in the past. It’s over with now,” Rattler said of his rookie season. “We went through it, we got through it healthy, thank God. We put some good stuff on tape, but some stuff on tape that we need to clean up. I think you just put it in the past and move on.

Tulane launches five HRs to beat No. 1 seed UTSA in AAC tourney

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Bucking the odds yet again, the Tulane baseball team is looking as comfortable as always under coach Jay Uhlman at its home away from home. The fifth-seeded Green Wave slugged a season-high five home runs and received a clutch relief performance from Taylor Montiel, upending top-seeded conference juggernaut Texas-San Antonio 10-6 on Thursday at BayCare Ballpark to take command of its bracket in the American Athletic Conference tournament For the third straight year the two-time reigning champions are 2-0 in Clearwater, Florida. Before this run, the last time it happened was in 2005 for Rick Jones’s second College World Series team. Tulane (32-24) gets a day off before facing the winner of Friday’s elimination game between UTSA (43-12) and Florida Atlantic (37-20) on Saturday at 8 a.m. Either one would have to beat the Wave twice on Saturday to prevent it from reaching the championship game.

ä AAC Tournament Tulane vs: UTSA/ Florida Atlantic 8A.M SATURDAy,ESPN+

“It’s another great team win for us,” said junior James Agabedis, whose go-ahead home run in the eighth inning was one of two bombs on the day for him after he had only two homers all year “We joke about it a lot that we want to get an off day. That’s really important for both our pitching and our bodies at this point in the season.”

Tulane never trailed It went ahead 4-0 in the third inning on Connor Rasmussen’s two-out, two-RBI double into the gap in left center and Matthias Haas’s no-doubt opposite-field homer After UTSA pulled within 4-2 in the third, Agabedis blasted a hanging slider from Zach Royse well over the right field wall in the fourth. He knew it was gone immediately, executing a bat flip before heading to first base. When AAC player of the year Mason Lytle cut the gap to 5-3 with a solo shot in the fifth,

ä See TULANE, page 5C

“Whoever you have out there, you want to succeed and you want to win games. Obviously we didn’t do enough of that last year The goal is to win games this year.”

Moore cautioned against putting too much emphasis on Rattler getting his turn to operate the first-team offense Thursday It was the third OTA practice of the week, and Moore said Tyler Shough and Jake Haener also took first-team snaps in the days that were not open to media viewing.

But Moore also spoke about Rattler as someone who has a legitimate shot at winning a competition to become the team’s starter, and part of that is based on what he saw last season.

There were rough patches, to be sure. Rattler took 22 sacks and threw five interceptions. He had drastic first- and second-half splits, with a 103.3 passer rating in the first half of games he played in and a 46.5 rating in the second half, suggesting he struggled to adjust as the game shifted off script. But there were moments ä See SAINTS, page 4C

Move removes automatic byes for top league champs

BY EDDIE PELLS AP national writer

The College Football Playoff will go to a more straightforward way of filling the bracket next season, announcing Thursday that it will place teams strictly on where they are ranked instead of moving pieces around to reward conference champions. Ten conference commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director came to the unanimous agreement they needed to shift the model that drew complaints last season. The new format will no longer guarantee an opening bye week for the four highestranked league champions, reserving that benefit for

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

PROVIDED PHOTO By TULANE ATHLETICS Tulane outfielder Theo Bryant reacts after hitting a home run in the sixth inning of an AAC Tournament game against UTSA on Thursday at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.

Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler throws the ball during Organized Team Activities on Thursday at the team’s practice facility STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

ALL-STATE SUGAR BOWL NEW ORLEANS SPORTS HALL OF FAME

McKnight earned legendary status

Curtis’ do-it-all star to be inducted into N.O Hall of Fame

Staff report

The New Orleans area has produced a long line of great football players. The debate over which of those stars is the best will likely never be resolved. However, there’s little argument Joe McKnight is in the conversation

“In my 30-plus years covering sports in New Orleans, there has never been a better, more impactful player than Joe McKnight,” said WWL sports director Doug Mouton. “He was an amazing defensive back, a shutdown corner, but he could do everything else as well. If Curtis needed a touchdown, they found a way to get the ball in Joe’s hands, and he usually got it done, from anywhere on the field.” McKnight, a superstar at John Curtis who went on to USC and the NFL, will be inducted into the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s New Orleans Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2025 at a banquet on Aug 2 along with Shan Foster, Temeka Johnson and a player to be named Friday

After a junior season in which he scored 22 touchdowns (nine rushing, five receiving, four punt returns, three interceptions, and one kickoff return) and led John Curtis to the state championship, he also lettered in basketball and track — winning the Class 2A 100-meter dash title, McKnight was on the national radar He lived up to the attention

As a senior in 2006, McKnight shared Parade Magazine player of the year honors with future Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen. He earned the honor despite his less than overwhelming stats he rushed for 719 yards and had 735 yards receiving.

played the game. It was effortless, and he did it like nobody else could.”

From L.A. to New York

McKnight was drafted in the fourth round (112th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft by the New York Jets He played for New York from 2010-12, earning All-Pro recognition as a return man he had returns of 107 and 100 yards during his tenure.

He joined the Kansas City Chiefs for the 2014 season and was seemingly back on track after catching two touchdown passes in his second game. Four days later, he tore his Achilles tendon.

He played for the CFL’s Edmonton Eskimos and the Saskatchewan Roughriders in 2016, averaging more than 6 yards per carry over the final three games of 2016 with the Roughriders.

Pulisic among other U.S. starters to miss Gold Cup

NEW YORK Christian Pulisic is among a slew of starters who will be missing when the United States plays in next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, another blow for a team coming off dismal performances at the Copa America and CONCACAF Nations League.

Pulisic, the top American player, asked to be left off the roster for the last competitive matches before the 2026 World Cup in order to rest after playing about 120 games over two seasons. Yunus Musah also asked out, Antonee Robinson was dropped because he has been playing with an injury, and Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Gio Reyna were blocked because FIFA gave the expanded Club World Cup priority over national teams.

Djokovic beats Arnaldi to advance at Geneva Open

GENEVA Novak Djokovic advanced to the semifinals at the Geneva Open on his 38th birthday Thursday, beating the opponent who eliminated him at the Madrid Masters last month.

Djokovic rallied in the second set for a 6-4, 6-4 win over 39thranked Matteo Arnaldi in their quarterfinals match.

The second-seeded Djokovic had smashed his racket into the ground behind the baseline after his serve was broken to trail 3-1 in the second set, when he sent a backhand long.

He clinched his first match-point chance when Arnaldi hit a wild forehand from behind the baseline.

Djokovic’s semifinal opponent Friday will be the winner of the late match between Alexei Popyrin, the fifth-seeded Australian, and another qualifier, Cameron Norrie.

“I had a USA Today reporter call and say that Joe’s stats don’t match up with some other guys around the country,” coach J.T. Curtis said. “I asked him to do me a favor and look at his averages. We were as good as any team in the country and many of our games were over by halftime.”

The averages? The 6-foot, 190-pounder needed just 45 carries to reach 719 yards an average of 16.0 yards per carry And his 735 yards receiving came on just 24 catches 30.6 yards per reception. He recorded 14 rushing touchdowns and 13 receiving TDs meaning that he hit paydirt on nearly 40% of his offensive opportunities.

“As a player, he was probably the most versatile player I’ve had,” Curtis said. “He was a guy who excelled in all areas. He was an outstanding running back, a guy who played in the secondary, and a tremendous returner He could do all of that and did it with passion.”

“Everybody in the world wanted to be Reggie Bush,” posted New Orleans native Tyrann Mathieu on social media. “Us in New Orleans wanted to run the ball like Joe McKnight.”

On to USC McNight shocked many by choosing USC over LSU for college, but the chance for a new start appealed to him. In three seasons with the Trojans (2007-09), he rushed for 2,213 yards (17th all-time at USC) and 13 touchdowns as well as 66 catches for 542 yards (8.2 yards per catch) and two more scores despite battling injuries and sharing carries with a loaded running back room. His 6.38 yards per carry ranks second all-time at USC to Reggie Bush. “All of his success, and all the awards, that didn’t mean much to Joe. He just wanted to play football,” his mother Jennifer McKnight said. “I don’t think it dawned on him that he was great. He just

With promise once again in play, he returned to New Orleans following the season.

On Dec. 1, 2016, McNight was killed in a traffic altercation in Terrytown.

He was only 28.

“Joe meant everything to me,” said LSU star and John Curtis alum Duke Riley before wearing McKnight’s No. 4 in his final collegiate game less than a month after the death of his mentor “Honestly, I wanted to be a baseball player and then I saw what he could do with a football and how he could change the view of kids my age with a football in his hand. I know football meant everything to him. It was his life and he made football my life.”

“I still watch his games, like he’s watching it here with me,” Jennifer McKnight said. “That’s the Joe I knew he could see the field, he knew what the coach wanted him to do. I just saw him playing good football like it was supposed to be played.”

French Open up for grabs without Nadal

BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP Tennis Writer

PARIS For quite some time, there’s usually been a sense of certainty at the French Open

That was particularly so on the men’s side, with Rafael Nadal ruling over the red clay of RolandGarros the way no one has dominated any tournament in tennis history He would go there, he would win nearly every match he played how’s 112-4 for a career record? — and he would head home with another trophy, 14 in all.

Simultaneously simple and spectacular. So, too, albeit over a much shorter span, is Iga Swiatek’s recent control over the women’s event, claiming four of five championships, including the past three And now? As play begins Sunday, things are less clear, and not just because the 38-year-old Nadal is no longer competing and will be honored that day at Court Philippe-Chatrier The owner of 22 Grand Slam titles retired last season, playing for the final time at the Davis Cup. His final French Open ended with a loss to Alexander Zverev last May and his final Roland-Garros appearance ended with an exit in singles against Novak Djokovic at the Summer Olympics, followed by an exit in doubles alongside Carlos Alcaraz. New champions at French Open

“Will it be very interesting? I think so,” said Grigor Dimitrov, a quarterfinalist at last year’s French Open and previously a semifinalist at the other majors.

“Could we see potentially some different winners and different results? Absolutely.”

He was speaking specifically about the men’s bracket. But he could have been talking about the women, too.

“There’s 20 different people that you wouldn’t be surprised if they end up winning the tournament,” said Madison Keys, the American whose first Slam trophy arrived at the Australian Open in January “Part of it is because we’ve kind of lost some of our legends, obviously Like, there’s no longer Serena Williams in every draw, where you just assume she’s going to win.”

Swiatek, 23, did hold that status for a while but she’s been through a trying spell since last year’s triumph in Paris Not only hasn’t she lifted a trophy since then, but she hasn’t reached a final — and even clay presents problems. She was eliminated by Danielle Collins in her second match at the Italian Open, after a 6-1, 6-1 loss to 2023

U.S. Open winner Coco Gauff at the Madrid Open, where she also dropped a 6-0 set to Keys.

And that’s to say nothing of the off-court matter of a doping case in which Swiatek essentially was cleared but did serve an oddly timed suspension.

Doping cases

Ah, yes, doping. It’s a big topic in tennis lately, in large part because of what happened with former No. 1 Swiatek — she’s now down to No. 5, behind Aryna Sabalenka, Gauff, Jessica Pegula and Jasmine Paolini — and men’s

No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who served his own, much-scrutinized, threemonth ban.

The deal he worked out with the World Anti-Doping Agency after it appealed the 23-year-old Italian’s original exoneration allowed Sinner to play at the Australian Open, where he earned his third title in the past five majors, then return to competition at the Italian Open, where he was the runner-up to Alcaraz.

So Sinner is in the mix at the French Open, but a notch below defending champion Alcaraz, who dealt with muscle issues in both legs recently before looking in Rome like he is back to his best.

Still, he’s not a lock the way Nadal was, while three-time major finalist Alexander Zverev is as inconsistent as possible lately and 24-time Slam champ Djokovic ended a three-

match losing streak this week at the Geneva Open tune-up event

No Nadal in Paris

“Kind of new reality for me, I have to say You know, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament.

It’s a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis, so it’s kind of a challenge for me, mentally, to really face these kind of sensations on the court, going out early now, regularly,” Djokovic said after an opening exit in Madrid.

“But that’s, I guess, the circle of life and the career Eventually it was going to happen. Grand Slams is where I really want to play the best tennis,” he added.

“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do that in Roland-Garros, but I’ll do my best.”

Warriors guard Moody has surgery on thumb

SAN FRANCISCO Golden State Warriors guard Moses Moody underwent surgery on his injured right thumb and is expected to be fully recovered by the start of training camp Moody, 22, started the first two games of the playoffs in the first round before coach Steve Kerr tweaked Golden State’s starting lineup Moody struggled with his shot in the postseason, shooting just 35% from the field before requiring surgery on his thumb.

The Warriors said Moody had the operation on Wednesday in Los Angeles to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. Moody is coming off his most productive season since being drafted 14th overall in 2021. He averaged 9.8 points and 2.6 rebounds in 22.3 minutes per game.

Chicago Blackhawks hire Blashill as head coach

CHICAGO The Chicago Blackhawks hired Jeff Blashill on Thursday, giving him a second chance to prove himself as a head coach in the NHL.

Blashill, a 51-year-old Michigan native, coached the Detroit Red Wings for seven seasons. He was let go after the team went 32-40-10 during the 2021-22 season. While Blashill had an underwhelming stay with Detroit finishing with a 204-261-72 record, he has a player development background that likely was appealing for the rebuilding Blackhawks He has coached in the AHL and USHL, along with the college ranks. The previous four coaches for Chicago — Anders Sorensen, Luke Richardson, Derek King and Jeremy Colliton had never been an NHL head coach when they got the job with Chicago.

Red Sox’s Hendriks calls out ‘vile’ social posts

Red Sox pitcher Liam Hendriks took to social media Thursday to express his displeasure about death threats he says he received following Boston’s loss to the New York Mets. In an Instagram post, Hendriks said comments were directed at both him and his family “Just as an FYI: Threats against me and my wife’s life are horrible and cruel. You need help,” Hendriks wrote in the post. “Leaving comments and telling me to commit suicide and how you wish I died from cancer is disgusting and vile.” Hendriks, a 36-year-old reliever who previously battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma has appeared in 11 games this season. He’s 0-1 with a 5.56 ERA.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO MICHEL EULER

Spain’s Rafael Nadal bites the trophy after beating Norway’s Casper Ruud to win the French Open on June 5, 2022, in Paris.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By RUSTy COSTANZA

John Curtis’ Joe McKnight scores a touchdown on a punt return against St. Charles Catholic at the Class 2A state title game on Dec. 9 2005, at Independence Stadium in Shreveport. John Curtis won 31-6 and McKnight was the MVP

Vaughnscommits to LSUbasketballteam

BY TOYLOYBROWN III

Staff writer

Marcus Vaughns is the first commitmentthe LSU men’s basketball teamhas earned in the 2026recruiting class. Vaughns announced his commitment to the Tigers on social media.

The 6-foot-8,215-pound Australia native is aversatile small forward who last played at the prestigious NBA Global Academy.He received an offer from the Tigers on Oct. 24.

Vaughns took an official visit earlierthis year and attended the Tigers’ 8167 win over South Carolina on Feb. 18atthe Pete MaravichAssembly Center

Theathletic forward chose to play in theSoutheastern Conference rather playing professionally in Australia in the National Basketball League.

LSU has recently found added talent from Vaughns’ native countyinits signing of Portland transferMax Mackinnon. Therising se-

nior for the 2025-26 season averaged 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assistslast season.

LSU coach MattMcMahon andhis staffaddedeight new players for the upcoming season, highlighted by sophomorepoint guardDedan Thomas of UNLV. LSU’s only returners will be junior Jalen Reed,who only played eight gamesafter tearing his ACL, and freshman Robert Miller

The Tigers finishedlast season 14-18 overall and 3-15 in the SEC.

Haliburton maybeseizing reputation as NBA’stop closer

BY BRIAN MAHONEY

AP basketball writer

GREENBURGH, N.Y.

Jalen

Brunson has the award voted to the NBA’s best clutch player and landedthe endorsement of Reggie Miller, oneofbasketball’sfamed finishers. He had earned the reputation as the league’s top closer in this postseason.

Tyrese Haliburton might be seizing that the same way the Indiana Pacers seized Game 1ofthe Eastern Conference finals away from the New York Knicks. With three memorable shots in nearly impossibleto-imaginecomeback victories, Haliburton has become the heir apparent to Miller as the Pacers’ man of the (last) moment and has them three wins from the NBA Finals.

“He’saspecial talent, he’s aspecial person and he continues to amaze me every time,” Pacers teammate Aaron Nesmith said.

Game 2isFriday night, whenBrunsonand the Knicks will have to show they can come back from thetypeofdevastatingdefeat that Milwaukee and Cleveland couldn’tinthe previous two rounds. New York led by 14 points with 2:45 remaining in regulation Wednesday.The Pacers rallied to tie it on Haliburton’slong 2-pointer that bounced high off the back off the rim and fell in as time expired, ashot he initially thought was a winning 3-pointer when he ran toward the crowdand emulated the chokesignal Miller flashed to Spike Lee three decades earlier during an Indiana playoff victory Teamsleading by at least 14 points in the final 2:45of the fourth quarter had been 994-0 in the postseason since detailed play-by-play began being kept in 1997-98. But

ä Pacers atKnicks 7P.M.

FRIDAy,TNT

no leadseems safe against these Pacers, no matter what history says. They trailed Milwaukee 118-111 with 40seconds leftinGame 5inthe first round,onlytopull out a 119-118 series-ending victory on Haliburton’s layup with 1.4 seconds remaining. They fell behindCleveland 119-112 with 48 seconds to play, but stunned the top seeds120-119 in Game2 of that serieswhen Haliburton grabbed therebound of hisown missed free throw, dribbled back behind the arc and nailed a3-pointer Teams trailingbyseven or more in the final50 seconds of the fourthquarter or overtime in theplayoffs are 4-1,702 inthe play-by-play era. Haliburton has led the Pacers to three of those wins in the last month.

“I thinkfor me thebiggest thingisIalreadyhave the confidence to take the shot in that moment, but I have theconfidence from my group,” Haliburton said.

“My groupwants me to take those shots, my coaching staff wants me to take those shots, Ithink ourorganization wants me to takethose shots. Ithink nowwe’reat thepoint where our fans wantmetotake that shot.”

That’sthe way theKnicks andtheir fans feel about Brunson.Heled the NBA during theregularseason in basketsduring clutch situations —defined as when the score differentialiswithin five or fewer points, and the game is in either the final fiveminutes of the fourth quarter or in overtime and has scored aleague-high 96 points inthe fourth quarter during theplayoffs. He had just made abasket during the finalperiod with the Knicks trailing Boston in

Game 2ofthe second round

when Miller, calling the gamefor TNT,immediately said theCeltics needed to be concerned because it was Brunson’stime of thegame as the NBA’s best closer

“I think Reggie wasright on that,” Knicks forward Josh Hart said.“Ithink he’s themostclutch player in the NBA right now andwe’re happy he’sonour team.”

Miller always wanted the ball late and hiseight points in nine seconds to steal Game 1ofa1995 series against the Knicks is oneofthe highlights of the teams’rivalry.Haliburton is on apostseason rollnow, but needs afew of themto sit next to his Hall of Fame predecessor in Pacers’ lore.

“I mean, Reggie’scareer waslegendary.Plus, Reggie’s just gotahugepersonality,”said Stan VanGundy, Miller’sfellow TNT analyst for theseries.

“You love himifhe’son your side when he was playing and you love to hate him if he’s on theother side, and he embraced the back-andforth withthe crowd and everything else.SoIdon’tknow if Haliburton’s gotall that. He tried lastnight, but he diditona tiegame, so Idon’t knowifthat’sthe time to do it. But look, Ithink Indiana fans think he’sthe guy.It’s whetherthe nationwidefans start to lookathim that way.”

Nesmithwas under the basket as Haliburton’sshot went through. The forward had sparked thecomeback by going 6for 6from 3-point range andscoring20ofhis 30 points in thefinal 4:46 of regulation. Mighthehave wanted thefinal shot that went to Haliburton?

“Little bit. Little bit,” he said. “Be lying if Isaid I wasn’t, but big-time players make big-time plays and that’swhat he continues to do on adaily basis.”

Staley talksFulwiley’s stunning move to LSU

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley discussed MiLaysia Fulwiley’sdecisiontotransfertoLSU on Thursday in an appearance she madeonThe Breakfast Club radio show to promote her memoir Fulwiley,anative of Columbia, South Carolina, surprised the women’scollege basketball world on April 25, when sheannounced she was leaving her hometown Gamecocks for one of their chief rivals.

As they discussedthe book Thursday, host Lenard “Charlamagne Tha God McKelvey asked Staleyif she was surprised that Fulwiley transferred.

“Surprising?” Staley said “No. Ithink, being in the space, you become to expect theunexpected, right? Istill have much lovefor MiLaysia. Like, much love. Iwant her happy.” Staley thendetailed how Fulwiley informed hershe was transferring.

Fulwileysat down with hermother,she recalled, and saidshe “thinks she wants to enter thetransfer portal.” Staley then asked herifshe thought she wanted to transfer or if she knew.When Fulwiley said she knew,Staley told her that she “only wants her (to

BY JENNA FRYER AP auto racing writer

INDIANAPOLIS Roger Pen-

ske personally told Will Power about the firings of Team Penske’stop three executives —adecision Power said his boss made after a sleepless night contemplating how to handle acheating scandal ahead of the Indianapolis 500.

“I know it was very tough for him. He said that. He said he didn’tsleep the night before because he had to make avery hard decision,” PowersaidThursday, one day after the shock dismissals of team president Tim Cindric, IndyCar managing directorRon Ruzewski and IndyCar general manager Kyle Moyer Penske cleanedhouse after the cars for both Power and two-timedefendingIndianapolis500 winner Josef Newgarden failed inspection ahead of Sunday’s final round of qualifying. The

cars were foundto have modified aspec part —the rearattenuator is asafety part and IndyCarsaidithas found no evidence theTeam Penske fillinga seam on it providedacompetitive advantage. Newgardendeclined to discuss thesituation Thursday. “I don’t wanttodisappointor offend anybody. I’mhere to talk about the race. I’m here with my team.I’m ready to go racing,” he said. “I love this race. My goodness, I’ve beenenjoying being here this wholetime. Ilook forward to it every year,aswe alldo. Ready to go to work with our group. Proud of everything that we have done up to this point. Ready to go racing. So that’swhat Igot to say.” It was thesecond majortechnical violation for Team Penske in just over ayear.The team lastyear was foundtohaveillegal

access to its push-to-pass systemattimes thedrivers should nothave been able to gain the additional boost of horsepower.Newgarden was stripped of last year’s season-opening victory once IndyCar discovered theteam was illegally using thesoftware. Power expressed sympathy for Penske, whoowns the three-car race team IndyCar,the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indianapolis 500. Penske confirmed to newtelevision partner Fox Sportsthat IndyCarisexploring an independent governing body that does not consist of Penske employees. “I feel bad for him. He’s in avery tough spot in that situation,” Power saidofPenske. “You could tell it was heavy on him. Tough, tough for him to have to do

be) happy.”

Staleytoldthe show that she wantsher players to decide forthemselves what’s best forthem.Speaking up, she said, is “half the battle.”

“You know how hard it was for her to do that?” Staley said. “Really hard.”

In hertwo seasonsat South Carolina,Fulwiley proved that she was one of the most talented players in the country.Yet she never cracked Staley’s starting lineup.Instead, she begangames on the benchand played, on average, only 19 minuteseach night. Last season, seven Gamecocks, including three veteran guards, saw more run.

Fulwiley could’ve stepped into alargerroleasa junior. But thisoffseason,South Carolina added former Florida State guard Ta’Niya Latson —the nation’sleading scorer and the top player in the transfer portal and retained seniorguard Raven Johnson, all but cementing Fulwiley’s role as abench player

Nowthe rising junior’s development is in thehands of LSU coach Kim Mulkey, who can slot her next to Flau’jae Johnsonand Mikaylah Williams in astarstudded backcourt.

“I thought MiLaysia was getting better,” Staley said. “I saw awhole lotofgrowth,

on and offthe court. LSU’s gonna get the best of her now.Wewent through the hard part of just smoothing somerough edgesand getting her to create good habits. Idothink habits are the thing that allows you to elevate.

“So Ithink what we’ve given her,and what she’s givenus, will allow herto have muchbetter days, much moreconsistent days thanshe hadwithusather next stop.”

This offseason, LSU had about as much roster turnover as it’s experienced in four years under Mulkey Eight contributorsleft the program, either because they ran out of eligibility or transferred, and eight are joining it. Three of those newcomers are transfers.

None, however,made a moreintriguing decision than Fulwiley,who added even morespice to the LSU-South Carolina rivalry when she decided to leave Staley’sGamecocks.

“I do think she’sagenerational talent,” Staley said. “That will never leave. She does things on abasketball court that I’ve never seen a woman do, andshe’ll continue to do that, andwe’ll continue to be happy for her,except the one or two times that we have to play them.”

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO NELL REDMOND

South Carolina coach Dawn Staley talks to guard MiLaysiaFulwileyonJan. 28, 2024, in Columbia, S.C. Fulwileyannounced she is transferring to LSU.

Star receiversOlave, Shaheedlookhealthy

SAINTS OBSERVATIONS

As much as was new aboutthe New Orleans Saints at Thursday’sorganized team activity practice, what stood out was the old. Sure, the new coaching staff was in place. And aquarterback competition was underway.But for the first time in months, since injuries derailed their season, the Saints had a mostly healthy roster —and what adifference that canmake. If Kellen Moore’s offense is going to succeed in 2025, speed figures to be acrucial part. And on this roster, there’sarguably no one faster than Rashid Shaheed and Chris Olave Thursday’soffseasonworkout was asharp reminder of that.

“Chris just told me, ‘Yep, (you’ve) got all of us out there now,” quarterback Spencer Rattler said. As apair,Olave and Shaheed hadn’tbeen out on the field together since last October.That was before Shaheed suffered a season-endingmeniscus injury andOlave was sidelined with a concussion. Both appeared to be fully healthy on Thursday— to the quarterbacks’ benefit. Rattler went 8of8during the Saints’ reps of 7-on-7, while second-round quarterback Tyler Shough went 7of8.For the latter,Shough connected with Shaheedonadeep ball down the sideline —with Shaheed beating his matchup with adouble move while Shough bought time with apump fake.Rattler also looked crisp, hitting Olave decisively over the middle.

In the session, Rattler worked with the first-time offense while Shough worked with the backups. Moore told reportersthat theplan is to rotate them by the day andthat each quarterback hasgottenstarting reps. Here’s what else stood out about Thursday’sOTA session, the first practice open to reporters this year

Newoffensive line

The biggest developmentwas that the offensive line looked completely different,inpart becauseofseveral position trainings. Trevor Penning, last year’s right tackle,got work at left guard. Taliese Fuaga, last year’s left tackle, took Penning’sold spot on the right side —moving the 2024 first-round back to his college position. Kelvin Banks, this year’sfirstrounder,worked at left tackle after rotating several spotsduring rookie minicamp.

“Continuity is areallyimportant aspect for those guys, but we’ll play with some different personnel packages, justmoving thoseguys around,” Moore said

“Ultimately,inseason, there will bethingsthatcome up and you have to have guys that have playedother thingsand have had different exposures.

Defensiveversatility

To getaglimpse of the versatility of defensive coordinator

Brandon Staley’s scheme, check outthe way the Saints used rookie defensive lineman Vernon Broughton

In their base look, theSaints usedthe third-rounder as adefensive end next to Cam Jordan. Then in nickel, when only four defensivelinemen wereonthe fieldinstead offive,Broughton kicked inside to defensive tackle. The Saints staff already had familiarity with Broughton upon drafting him, as defensive line coach Bo Davis was his position coach at Texas for three seasons. Cornerback AlontaeTaylor also was asked to doseveral different things. After moving back outsidelast season following the MarshonLattimore trade, Taylor took hisfirst reps in 7-on-7 on the inside.

Taylor wasalsousedasa blitzer,gettingaclean lane at Rattler —before pulling up since there’snocontact allowed. That’s an effectiveuse of thecornerback’s skill set as Taylor had the fourth-most sacks(four) withthe Saints last season Andinbase, Taylor was also used on theoutside

Tightend shallow

Though theSaints mainly were healthy across the roster,New Orleans looked alittle short at tight end. MooresaidTaysom Hill and Foster Moreau are recoveringfrom major knee injuries andwon’tbeavailable until at least trainingcamp, while Dallin Holker is sidelined with a minor injury.

That creates an opening for the other tightendsbeyond starter Juwan Johnson.The Saintsdrafted MolikiMatavao in the seventh round, while Jack Stoll, Michael Jacobson and Treyton Welch are also in themix.

Voluntaryabsences

The workouts this time of the year are voluntary,but that said, theSaints had some notable absences. Hill, TyrannMathieu, AlvinKamara, J.T.Gray,D’Marco Jackson, Demario Davis,Davon Godchaux and Chase Young were amongthe veterans absent Thursday Kamara, who typically misses these sessionsand trains on his own until mandatory minicamp, tweeted that he was traveling to Jordan

Email Matthew Parasatmatt paras@theadvocate.com

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

that popped off thescreen when Moore watched.

“You’re really looking at the context, and you’re looking at the process of the player,” Moore said. “Results are obviously very,very important, and it’sultimately how you’re evaluated, but when you’re looking at it individually, you’ve gottolook at their process and see they’re going through the right process. Ithought he had some really,really good film on tape.” Mooresaidhewas especially impressed with Rattler’sability to deliver throws under pressure.

“I think that’sabig thing, having quarterbacks who have the courage to know I’m goingto get hit here, but I’m going to make athrow that is going to impact this game and impact the team,” Moore said. “You saw anumber of those bySpencer that got me fired up.” Speaking generally,Moore said there’sareason players experi-

QB Haener settomiss

rest of OTAs with injury

BY LUKE JOHNSON and RODWALKER Staff writers

Jake Haener,who is expected to

competefor theNew Orleans Saints starting quarterback job this summer,suffered an injury after an OrganizedTeam Activity practice that will force himtomiss several weeks Haener injured his oblique while gettingsome additionalwork in after Wednesday’spractice, an injurythat will force him to miss the remainder of OTAs, whichrun through thestart of June.

“Thisisthe first time I’ve ever had asoft tissue deal popup,” Haener said Thursday.“Just tryingtomonitor it. It’s notgoingto be something that keeps me out for camp or anything like that.

“Unfortunately I’ll be down for OTAs, which obviously sucks. But I’m not going to sit here and feel sorry for myself. I’ll get better,do therehab, go through theprocess and I’ll be readytogofor camp.”

Afourth-round pick in 2023, Haener appearedineight games with onestart for the Saints last season.Hecompleted 18 of his 39 attempts (46.2%)for 226 yards, throwing one touchdown and one interception. While his injury is asetback in his pursuitofthe starting job, coach Kellen Moore said he did not believe it will eliminatehim from thecompetition. During his remarks Thursday, Moore repeatedly said the OTAsessionsare more about teaching and learning than on-field performance.

“No one wants to miss time, but for Jake in this situation, there’s still amental component that he’scapitalizing on,”Moore said. “He’sright there with the QBs, he’ll be there through the whole offseason process. Idon’t think it’s adrastic missed opportunity,he’ll have plentyofopportunities as we go to training camp to compete.”

While the Saints have not given any indication whether any of their young quarterbacks have an advantage in the competition, Haener figured to havethe longest odds.New Orleansinvested

SAINTS NOTEBOOK

asecond-round pick in Tyler Shough, and 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler started six games last season. Moreau aheadofschedule

It’sbeen alittle over 41/2 months since Foster Moreau hadtobecarted off the field at Raymond James Stadium in theloss to theTampa BayBuccaneersinthe seasonfinale. The Saints tight end isn’tpracticingyet but was in attendance at OTAs this week as he continues the rehab process.

“The knee is doing great and I’d have to say we are ahead of schedule,” Moreau said after Thursday’s practice.

Howfar aheadofschedule remainstobeseen. Will he be ready for training camp? Will he be ready shortly before thestart of the regular season?

“I’dbepretty happy with atimeline thatgets me back in either one of those spots,” Moreau said.

Moreau, aNew Orleans native who starred at Jesuit High School and then LSU, is coming off one of thebest seasonsofhis six-year NFL career

He finishedthe year with 32 catches for413 yards and five touchdowns. The five touchdowns tied his career high from his rookie season when he played with the then-Oakland Raiders. The receptions and yards in 2024 were the second-most he’s hadina season in acareer Moreau is hoping to improve on thosenumbers even more under Moore.

“You’ve seen it in Kellen’spast,” Moreau said. “He’sdefinitelyfeatured tightends in thepast, and I think we’ve got apretty good room of guys who can get some juice into theoffense.”

Butfirst things first: just getting back onto the field. Moreau is one of two tight ends recovering from kneeinjuries. Taysom Hill is theother Push notification

TheSaints were one of 10 NFL

“This is the firsttimeI’ve ever had asofttissuedeal popup. Just trying to monitor it. It’s not going to be something that keeps me out forcamp or anything like that.”

JAKE HAENER, Saintsquarterback

teams who did notvote to banthe so-called “Tush Push” made famous by the Philadelphia Eagles, allowing the Eagles —oranyone else —tostill run the play this season The playisa variationofthe quarterback sneak, in which several players behind thequarterback push him over thelineto gain in short-yardage situations. While severalotherteams have tried to deploy it, nobody has had thesame successasthe Eagles. Moore saidhedisagreed with themainarguments against it —thatitwas an unsafe play thatslowedthe game down because there wasnorealdata to support thoseconclusions. He also shot down acounter proposal that bannedoffensive players from pushing because it affected severalother plays.

Moore has first-hand experience with the play and what it takestorun it well, having spent time on Philadelphia’s staff last season “I feel like it’sa playthatone team or acouple teams have investeda tonoftime into,put alot of work into it, and they’ve been able to capitalize on it,” Moore said. “But just like every other play, it’savailable to everyone.” Whichofcourse,begsthe question:Would theSaints try to run it?

Certainly I’ve hadgreat experience withit, but it’saninvestment,” Moore said. “It’saplay Philadelphia has done agreat jobofinvesting alot of timeinto, spending alot of timeembracing thatplay. So there’sa skill component to it as well.”

EmailLuke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

ence ajump in production when they enter their second year in the NFL

Rookies go directly from the college football season to the NFL draft process, and then they’re dropped right backinto afootball environmentwhere they have to learn how to be professionals.

“The first year,there’sa littlebit of swimming,” Moore said. Thesecond year is wherea player can apply the lessons learned from Year 1, using the offseasontotrain accordingly while understanding the ebbs and flows of the pro game.

So while Rattler has moved on from last year,itdoesn’tmean he hasn’t beenpulling from the experience as he’sentering Year 2. Thebiggest difference forhim at this stage is comfort.

He has been through it,and he nowgets to build uponit.

“You could say Iamalittle more comfortable nowgoing into Year 2,” Rattlersaid. “Nowhere nearwhere Iwant to be, but Ifeel good rightnow.”

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

CFP

Continuedfrom page1C

general. Thechangewas widely expected after last season’sjumbledbracket gave byes to Big 12 champion ArizonaState and Mountain West championBoise State, even though theywereranked 12th andninth, respectively,bythe playoff selection committee. That system made the rankings andthe seedings in thetournament two different things andresulted in some matchups —for instance, thequarterfinal between topranked Oregon andeventualnational champion Ohio State —that came earlier thantheyotherwise might have.

“After evaluating the first year of the 12-team Playoff, the CFP ManagementCommitteefeltit was in the best interest of the game to make this adjustment,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the CFP The fivehighest-rankedconference champions will still be guaranteed spots in the playoff, meaning it’s possiblethere could be are-

peat of adifferent sort of shuffling seen last season when CFP No. 16 Clemson was seeded 12th in the bracket after winning the AtlanticCoast Conference.Thatended up costing 11th-ranked Alabamaa spot in the playoff.

Gettingpaid

Under the new arrangement, the four top-ranked conference champions will still receive $8 million for their leagues —representing the $4 million theyearnfor making the playoff and$4millionfor advancing to the quarterfinals.

“That wasthe commissioners’ way of —atleastfor this year holding to the commitment that they have made financiallytothose teams, those conference champions in particular,thatwould have been paid those amounts under the former system that we usedlast year,” Clark told ESPN Southeastern Conferencecommissioner Greg Sankey wasamong those who pushedfor the change in the upcomingsecond year of the12-team playoff, though he remained cautious about it being approved because of the unanimous vote needed.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Saints receiver Rashid Shaheed, right, stretches with teammates during an organized team activities at the Saints’ practice facility on Thursday.

Saints quarterback JakeHaener greets offensivetackleNick Saldiveri during apractice at the Saints’ practice facility on Thursday

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIAGERMER

Saints receiverRashid Shaheed, right, stretches with teammates during an organized team activities at the Saints’ practice facility on Thursday.

Matthew Paras

WholeBahlofwax

Nebraska superstarisa forceinthe circle andatthe plate

BY ERIC OLSON AP sportswriter

LINCOLN, Neb.— It’snot just the dominanceshe’sshown in the circle, the power she’sflashed at the plateor Nebraska’srun to its first NCAA super regionalin more than adecade that told Jordy Bahl she made the right decision to come home after she won two national championships at Oklahoma

It’sall that and more, like being 45 minutesaway from her tight-knit family in Papillion, forging bonds with teammatesand representing the state she loves.

“When Isee picturesfrom the heat of the battle,” coach Rhonda Revelle said, “her eyes look happy,and Ilike that, and Ilike that for her.”

There’salot to be happy about for Bahl and the Cornhuskers (42-13), who open a best-of-three super regional at No.7seed Tennessee (4314) on Friday Bahl is the first player to sweepBig Tenpitcher and player of the year honors, a finalist for national player of the year and afirst-team AllAmerican for the third time.

She’s25-6 witha1.50 ERA and ranksinthe top 10 nationally in eight pitching categories.Her 270 strikeouts are acareer high.

She’sfifth in the nation with a.475 average and seventh with aschool-record23 home runs. Of her 76 hits, 41 have gone for extra bases.

She’sthe fifth player in

TULANE

Continued from page1C

Tulane’sTheo Bryant answered with aline drive that cleared the left field wall in ahurry to makeit6-3 in the top of the sixth.

TheRoadrunners,who had not put aleadoff runner on base all tournament, finally chased starter LucFladda with back-to-back singles to start the bottom half of the inning. Reliever Trey Cehajic struck out the first batter he faced but soon lostthe lead, giving up two singles around awalk.

Enter Montiel, who recently found out he had received a highenoughscoreonhisMedical College Admission Test to qualify for medical school. The test he passed on the mound Thursday might have been tougher.With Lytle on deck and runners and first andsecond,hecoaxed asoft grounder that turned into adouble play when the umpires ruled interference on aslide into second base.

“I just wanted to fillupthe zone,” Montielsaid. “I didn’t even know Lytle was on deck, but Igot aground ball and kind of settled in from there.” Those were the first two of nineconsecutiveouts for Montiel (5-2), including four consecutive strikeouts. After the streak ended on a

“Itdoesn’t

matterifit’sup, down,

in, out, hard or soft, it’s going to be tattooed. So good luck figuring that out.That’ssomebody else’sproblem now.”

RICK FREMIN, SoutheasternLouisiana coach

NCAA history to record at least 20 pitching wins and 20 homers in the same season. “I know the Lord is theauthor of my life,” Bahlsaid, “and there are justsomany surreal moments lately whereI juststepback and I’mlike, ‘Wow,I’m so undeserving. Justto be able to experience this and tohave these amazing teammates to do it with make it all the sweeter.

Bahl was the2021 national high school player ofthe yearatPapillion-LaVista High and passed on an offer from Nebraska to join an Oklahoma program that had, at thetime, won fivenational championshipsunder Patty Gasso.

Twomorenationaltitles followed with Bahlgoing acombined 44-2 with 397 strikeouts andan0.99 ERA in 2882/3 innings.Bahl was the most dominant pitcher in the nation whenshe left OU after the2023 season.

Shehad just gone through the NCAA Tournamentwith a7-0 record and 0.18 ERA.In theWCWS alone, she threw 242/3 shutout innings and wasvoted Most OutstandingPlayer

But the pull of home kept tugging at her.She wears her heart on her right bicep,

PROVIDED PHOTO By TULANE Tulane players react after ahomerun in the AAC Tournament game against UTSA on Thursdayin Clearwater,Fla.

single and awalk with two outsinthe ninth inning, he induced aweak grounder to Rasmussen to finish off theRoadrunners on his 47th pitch two days after throwing 23 in amuch shakierfinish against FAU.

“What agutty performanceby Taylor,”Tulane coach Jay Uhlman said.“He emptied histank.”

Fladdaput theWave in position to win,facingthe minimum through two innings against by far the best hitting team in the AAC. He allowed two hitstoLytle andtwo to therest of theRoadrunners through fiveinnings,striking out no onebut getting mostly soft contact and relying on his fielders He helped himselfwitha

where there’satattooofthe outlineofthe state of Nebraska.She said shefelt called to help grow thesport in the state, and the Huskers have drawn their largest crowds over the past two seasons. This year Bahl hasled the teams’ onslaughtonschool offensive records. The Huskers are just the 11th team in NCAA history to record at least 100 doubles and 100 home runs in aseason. Their momentum carried into the postseason. They’re the first unseeded team to win each of its NCAA regional games by the run rule.

Bahl startedall three games in Baton Rouge, last week, and allowed one run and two hits with 16 strikeoutsover 12 innings. In two games against regionalfinalist Southeastern Louisiana, she struck out13of29battersover nine innings.

“Jordy is something fierce in the circle,” Lions coach Rick Freminsaid. “Wefaced hera few yearsago. She was tough then andshe’s even tougher now in adifferent uniform.”

Bahl homered in each of her first four at-bats at the regional and finished5 for 5with seven walks, eight RBIs andseven runs scored No pitchingstrategyworked against her

bobbling stab of ablistering line drive in the fourth —one of three tremendous defensive plays. Shortstop Kaikea Harrison showed quickreflexes to scoop up a ball that glanced off Agabedis’ glove at third base to start the fifth, and Montiel deflected and caught aonehopper leading off the ninth.

“Weplayed good defense and hadsomeRBIsand big homers,” Uhlman said. “It was areally complete effort to beat areally good, 40-plus-win team.”

It was acharacteristic performance in Clearwater for Tulane’seight straight win there, but withthe bonus of uncharacteristic long balls. TheWavehad hitonly45 homers forthe season —getting morethan two in agame just twice— butAgabedis and freshman Jason Wachs capped off thepower surge with no-doubt blasts in the eighth on fastballs from relieversConnor Kelley (3-1) and Robert Orloski.

Agabedis hadcrushed a sliderhewas lookingfor on his previous blast

“It was reverse psychology,” he said “I knewthey were going back to thefastball. Iwas just playing mind games all day.”

Bryant addedaninsurance runonthe ninthwith atwo-out RBI single —his thirdhit of theday

UTSA lost for only the sec-

BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer

TheUNO baseball team won threestraight Southland tournamentgames entering Thursday’sSLC championship series, but sawthatwinning streak come to an endagainst Houston Christian.

Being down sevenruns in Houston proved too much forthe No.8seedUNO to overcome.

The Privateers (28-25) ralliedfrom asix-rundeficitagainst Northwestern State on Saturday to advance to the championship series, but they wereunable to recapture that magic in an 8-3 loss to the No. 5 seed Houston Christian.

runs earned runs in three innings, two of which occurred during afive-run bottom of the fourth inning forHouston Christian(3123).

“Itdoesn’t matter if it’sup, down, in, out, hard or soft it’sgoing to be tattooed,” Fremin said. “So good luck figuring thatout. That’s somebody else’sproblem now.”

Bahl’soffensive prowess hasbeeneye-opening.She didn’t getmanyopportunities at theplateinher two years at Oklahoma. She bats leadoff at Nebraska.

“I couldhavetoldyou herfreshman yearinhigh school she was this kind of offensiveplayer,” Revelle said. “If she never would have pitched, sheprobably could have been an All-American second baseman with hittinglike this,or wherever she played.”

In addition to her 31 starts in the circle, she’splayed 13 gamesatfirst base,three in center field, two in left and threeasthe designated player (formerlycalled the designated hitter).

“A lot of athletes could learn so much from her,” Revelle said. “She is not focused on numbers,accolades. She’s focused on one mission, and it’s helping, doing whatever she can to help the team win, and she’sjust talented enough thatshe can do alot of things to help the team win.”

Bahl andthe Huskers could be amajor storyline if they wintwo more games and advance to the WCWS. Theywould play Oklahoma in the first round if theSooners win their home superregional against Alabama.

ond time in 14 games.

“Tulane was really good and we were kind of mediocre to not very good,” Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark said. “We threw badpitches,just terrible pitches, and theyjust beat us. They just hit us.”

The teamswill play again at 6p.m. Friday in the bestof-three series. ESPN+will stream the game. The Privateers now must win twice in arow for an automaticNCAAregional berth.

Left-handedpitcher Zach Longshore got the start for UNO andallowedthree

LSU

Continued from page1C

the game just about every week because they’ve been good,” Johnson said.

“Great, not good.”

It’shard to findanother pitching duo in the nation that’s beenasgoodas Andersonand Eyanson. Against the toughest conference in college baseball, they’re both in thetop-8 in ERA among SEC starters and the onlyteammates thathavecracked the top10.

“I think we’ve learned a lotfromeachother,” Anderson said. “That’sthe thing that’sbeen our biggest help,continuing to drive each other.I think no one’sever satisfied.”

“Being the leaders on the staff, that’skind of what you’ve got to do.”

The driving force behind their excellence is how good they’ve beenatgenerating whiffs.They’re No. 1and No.3inthe SEC in strikeouts against conference competition, respectively,while being the top twopitchersinstrikeouts looking.

For the season overall, Anderson is secondand Eyansonisthird in the country in strikeouts. They only trail Tennessee left-hander Liam Doyle who has four more punchouts than Anderson.

“I think just really the way (Eyanson) goes about his business has been nice

UNO right-hander Ira Austin entered thegame after Longshore, pitching one inning and allowing two earned runs as Houston Christianwentup7-0 after Rhett Hendricks hit atwo-run home run to left field. UNO right-handerTrey Usey came on in the sixth inning andthrew three scorelessinnings.Houston Christian starting pitcherParkerEdwards (4-4) earned the winafter throwing seven scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and two walks. UNO gotthreeruns on the board in the top of the eighth inning. ThePrivateers had two runners on base after Adrian Dominguezand BryceCalloway hit singles, and Tristan Mooredelivereda threerun home run to center field with twooutstocut Houston Christian’slead to 7-3.

Email Spencer Urquhartatsurquhart@ theadvocate.com.

(to watch),” Anderson said. “And Ithink that through that, it’sbeen helpful to kind of learn through his failures as well. Because honestly,I think experience (is something) you only learn from failure.” Like with Holman and Jump, both Eyanson and Anderson are projected to be selected in the first coupleroundsofthissummer’s draft.Andersonisthe No. 7overall playerinESPN’s rankings and Eyanson is at No. 49.

Tennesseeright-hander Marcus Phillips and Doyle, and Arkansas right-hander Gage Wood and left-hander Zach Root were theonly other pair of teammates in the rotation to crack the top-50.

“I think the funny thing is, youwould neverknow whether (Eyanson) had a great weekend or not,” Anderson said. “And Ithink that’ssomething that you look back with like Holman andJump. Theywerekind of guys like that as well.” Andersonand Eyanson both made All-SEC teams They were getting their weekly massages at Trifecta Sports Therapy when the newsbroke. Anderson wasafirstteam selectionbut Eyanson only madethe second team despite leading the conference in ERA during SEC play. The awardwas “a pretty big deal”toAnderson, but no honor can validate his and Eyanson’s status as arguably the best pitching duo in the nation.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATTHEWHINTON

Nebraska pitcher Jordyn Bahl celebrates with teammates after hitting atwo-run homerun against UConn in theBaton Rouge regional on FridayatTiger Park. Nebraska went on to win the regional and will playTennessee in thesuper regionals

GreekFestival, MarignyHome&

n It’sagolden time tobeGreek as the NEW ORLEANS GREEK FESTIVAL celebrates its50th anniversaryFridaythrough Sunday at theHoly TrinityCathedral and Hellenic Cultural Center on BayouSt. John at 1200Allen Toussaint Blvd. Packed with mouthwatering Hellenic treats likegyro, souvlaki, pastitsio, lamb and pastries, thefestival also features wine, Hellenic dancers, tours of thecathedral, shopping, awalk/run, livemusic and special Sunset Serenades by soprano Irini Kyriakidoulrini. The fest is open Friday5 p.m. to 11 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdayand to 8p.m.onSunday.Tickets startat $10. gfno.com.

Major music artists addtour dates

Billie Eilish, Mumford& Sons, NBAYoungboy allheadedfor N.O.

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Aslew of recent major concert announcements have beefed up the summer/fall concert calendar in NewOrleans.

Billie Eilishrecently announced additional datesfor Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour, including atwo-night stand in NewOrleans in late 2025 Eilish is slated to headline the Smoothie King Center on Nov. 7-8. Tickets went on sale to the general public on Thursday and, if demandfor tickets on the first leg of the tour is any indication, were likely to be snatchedup quickly.Gotobillieeilish.com to see what is still available, if anything.

The two-night stand will mark Eilish’ssecond time as an arena headliner in New Orleans.She performed in the city forthe first time on Feb. 3, 2022, for asold-out stop on her Happier Than Ever Tour

Eilish performs at afull Smoothie King Center on Feb.3, 2022, for the opening night of her Happier

Mumfordrides therails

In 2011, Mumford &Sons concludedthe first Railroad Revival Tour at Woldenberg Park along the New Orleans riverfront. This summer,the band will kick off the 2025 editionof the train whistlestop tourinthe same place. Mumford &Sons and anumber of musical friends are scheduled to perform at Woldenberg ParkonSunday,Aug. 3. The special guests slated to join them include New Orleans’ own Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews, plus Celisse, Chris Thile, Ketch Secor from Old Crow Medicine Show, LeifVollebekk, Lucius, MadisonCunningham andNathaniel Rateliff. Tickets went on sale May16. General admission tickets are $129.VIP ticketsare $364.

ä See CONCERTS, page 2D

n Take acloser look at some of the unique homes in one of the city’s most unique areas Sunday when the Faubourg MarignyImprovement Association hosts a SPRING HOME &GARDEN TOUR of itseclectic neighborhood from noon to 4p.m. Selected for their historic significance and character, the homes recount tales of preservation, innovation and charm. Tickets startat$25. faubourgmarigny.org

NOLA.COM | Friday, May23, 2025 1dN

n Vibrant cuisines, arts and cultures of India come alivefor NOMA AT NIGHT at 6p.m. Friday at the museum in City Park, 1CollinsDibollCircle. The Indian Arts Circle of NewOrleans joinswith the museum to celebrate the subcontinent with folk and contemporarydance performances fromthe NOLA Garba Group and Sanjukta, food vendors (including cocktails),a documentaryscreening, Mehndi tattooing and more. Admission starts at $15 for members.noma.org

THANKS, SCOTT

NewOrleans musicianswill play Tom Pettysongs to aidlongtime local music advocate ScottAiges

IfScott Aiges liked country music or hair metal,Imight not have acareer In 1989, Scott became The Times-Picayune’sfirst full-time music critic. His tastes were broad, but not necessarily universal.

Keith Spera

So whenever the likes of Reba McEntire or Motley Crue came to town,he’d let me —afreelance writer justout of college —cover them. That gave me afoot in thedoor at thePicayune. After Scottleft, thenewspaper hired me in 1996 as his replacement

LONG WEEKND

Thanks, Scott. He wentontomanage the Continental Drifters, Royal Fingerbowl, Astral Project, the New Orleans Klezmer Allstars and other bands. He worked within City Hall to develop the New Orleans music industry.He produced the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation’sfree festivals. Aguitarist, he founded Jamaican Me Breakfast Club, which reimagined ’80s New Wave hits as reggae songs. Through it all, he tirelessly

See AIGES, page 2D

Tesfaye in ‘Hurry Up Tomorrow. Review LIONSGATE/ TNS PHOTO By ANDREW COOPER

PROVIDED PHOTO By MATTy VOGEL

Billie

Than Ever tour

STAFFFILE PHOTOByCHRIS GRANGER

Scott Aiges, director of programs, marketing and communications forthe NewOrleans Jazz& Heritage Foundation, carries aguitar signed by Little Freddie King and other musicians at the 2017 Crescent City Blues &BBQ Festival in Lafayette Square Park.

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, May 23, the 143rd day of 2025. There are 222 days left in the year

Today in history: On May 23, 1934, bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were shot to death during a police ambush in Bienville Parish

On this date:

In 1915, Italy declared war on Austria-Hungary, aligning with the Triple Entente of Russia, France and the United Kingdom.

In 1945, Nazi official Heinrich Himmler killed himself while in British custody in Lüneburg, Germany.

In 1984, Surgeon General C. Everett Koop issued a report saying there was “very solid” evidence link-

Continued from page 1D

advocated for New Orleans music and musicians.

Now 62, Scott is battling glioblastoma, an especially aggressive form of brain cancer The financial and emotional strain on him and his family is substantial.

On Sunday, Tipitina’s will host a benefit concert called “Rock For Aiges: A Night of Love for Scott Aiges.”

Given that Scott is a big Tom Petty fan, Samantha Fish, the Continental Drifters’ Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson and Robert Mache’, Paul Sanchez CC Adcock, John “Papa” Gros, Jim McCormick, John Cowsill, Aaron Wilkinson, Rob Savoy, Johnny Sanchez and Andy Neubauer will all perform Petty favorites.

Each featured musician will play one or two songs backed by a well-honed house band in this one-ofkind New Orleans twist on the Tom Petty catalog.

Doors open at 7 p.m. The show kicks off at 8 with a rare set by the reunited Royal Fingerbowl featuring original guitarist/vocalist Alex McMurray and bassist Andy Wolf, plus drummer Andre Bohren.

A silent auction will include a 2010 Jazz Fest poster of Louis Prima signed by the artist, Tony Bennett; a fine art print of Tom Petty and guitarist Mike Campbell by photographer Erika Goldring; and one of Scott’s acoustic guitars.

Tickets are $25 at the door Advance tickets purchased online are subject to additional fees.

I’ll be the show’s emcee. Normally I’d be in the audience at Tipitina’s, since I lack the musical talent required to be onstage.

But just as he did 30 years ago — and as he’s done for so many in the local music community — Scott opened a door for me.

Again, thanks, Scott.

Sandinistas to Tipitina’s

He wasn’t the most likely candidate to be a music critic in New Orleans

He grew up in New Jersey After earning a political science degree from Columbia University — where he met his future wife, Lisanne Brown — he traveled to Nicaragua in 1986 as a freelance journalist to cover the Sandinista turmoil. In 1987, he joined States News Service, which distributed Washington D.C. coverage to local and regional newspapers. Wanting to write more up-close crime-and-corruption stories, he took a job in The Times-Picayune’s River Parishes bureau in 1988. He was based in LaPlace while Brown lived in New Orleans pursuing a master’s degree at Tulane University When the Picayune created a new position for a nonclassical music critic, Scott — a music fan who was also eager to be with Lisanne in New Orleans — lobbied hard for it, even as some editors tried to convince him he’d be better off sticking with hard news.

As the Picayune’s music critic, he wrote music business and news stories as well as cultural criticism. He championed unknown bands, including a band of

ing cigarette smoke to lung disease in nonsmokers.

In 2013, the Boy Scouts of America announced it would remove membership restrictions based on sexual orientation, while maintaining a ban on openly gay Scout leaders. (The ban on gay Scout leaders and organization employees was lifted two years later.)

In 2015, supporters of marriage equality in Ireland celebrated as referendum results showed a constitutional amendment in favor of recognizing same-sex marriage passing by a nearly 2-to-1 margin.

In 2018, NFL owners approved a new policy allowing players to protest during the national anthem by staying in the locker room

but forbidding players from sitting or taking a knee if they’re on the field. In 2021, a cable car taking visitors to a mountaintop view of northern Italy’s Lake Maggiore plummeted to the ground when a cable snapped, killing 14 people. Today’s birthdays: Actor Joan Collins is 92. Tennis Hall of Famer John Newcombe is 81. Chess grand master Anatoly Karpov is 74. Comedian-TV host Drew Carey is 67. Comedian-actor Lea DeLaria is 67. Author Mitch Albom is 67. Actor Melissa McBride is 60. Singer-songwriter Maxwell is 52. “Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings is 51. Singer-songwriter Jewel is 51. Filmmaker Ryan Coogler is 39. Singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz is 34.

PROVIDED IMAGE

The ‘Rock For Aiges’ show features Samantha Fish, Paul Sanchez, Susan Cowsill and other New Orleans musicians performing Tom Petty songs.

Tulane University students fronted by Alex McMurray, and interviewed and reviewed major stars. I, for one, was stunned when he wrote a glowing review of Guns N’ Roses’ two “Use Your Illusion” albums in 1991. He and I carpooled to an epic GNR concert in Baton Rouge that blew us both away Moving into management By 1995, he was ready for a change. As Lisanne recalled this week, he wanted “to be with the band, not just criticizing the band At heart, he was always a musician, but he was never going to be a successful musician. The closest he could get was being a manager.”

His first management client was the Continental Drifters, the all-star Americana band that was akin to a New Orleans Fleetwood Mac with similar levels of talent and drama. When Alex McMurray recorded a cassette with a new band called Royal Fingerbowl, Scott passed it along to music industry contacts. Royal Fingerbowl signed with TVT Records and, with Scott as manager, released the “Happy Birthday, Sabo!” album nationally in 1997. Frustrated that managing bands yielded more stress than income, he shifted gears to work on Ray Nagin’s first mayoral campaign. That led to a job in the Nagin administration’s economic development department supporting the local music industry

He was laid off following Hurricane Katrina. In 2007, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation the nonprofit that owns Jazz

CONCERTS

Continued from page 1D

After the New Orleans kick-off, the musicians will board a train and continue on to performances in Spartanburg, South Carolina, at the Piedmont Fairgrounds on Aug. 4, in Richmond, Virginia, at the Allianz Amphitheater on Aug. 5 and in Burlington, Vermont, at the Champlain Valley Exposition Center on Aug. 7.

“We felt we had some unfinished business on the great American railroad,” Marcus Mumford said in a press release. “So, we’ve spent a lot of time cooking up this idea for another rolling festival to rip through the south and east of the U.S., picking up exactly where we left off in New Orleans and ending in Vermont.

“The spirit of what we do, at its core, is always about people and collaboration So, every show will be a collaborative performance from a bunch of our favorite people on the planet, and every show will be different This will, without doubt, be the coolest house band we’ll ever get to play in.”

The 2025 Railroad Revival Tour is a brief detour in the midst of an extensive, more conventional Mumford & Sons tour of arenas and amphitheaters.

tiste both sat in with Mumford & Sons that afternoon for a show-stopping “House of the Rising Son.”

Fest, hired him. As the foundation’s director of programs, marketing and communications, he produced the Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival and other events, launched the Sync Up music business conference and oversaw construction of the George & Joyce Wein Jazz and Heritage Center in a former funeral home on North Rampart Street.

He still played music on the side. Late one night after his wife and kids were asleep, he started strumming Tom Petty’s “Refugee” on guitar, but with a reggae lilt. That was the genesis of Jamaican Me Breakfast Club. The band’s self-titled 2017 CD contained reggae versions of A Flock of Seagulls’ “I Ran,” a-ha’s “Take On Me” and Devo’s “Whip It.”

A devastating diagnosis

In 2019, Scott and his family moved to Denver, Colorado. He earned a master’s degree in education and taught civics and financial literacy at a high school in nearby Aurora.

In November he and Lisanne traveled to Mexico for a wedding. Soon afterward, he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, or GBM, an aggressive, incurable form of brain cancer He’s since endured multiple surgeries and suffered a litany of side effects.

He has health insurance, but it doesn’t cover all expenses, and he can no longer work. Lisanne has also stepped away from her job to be Scott’s fulltime caregiver His illness, she says, is “all-consuming.”

They plan to move in with their 24-year-old daughter, Ella, in New York, where they’ll be close to other relatives.

A GoFundMe has been established in Scott’s name. He is too weak to travel from Colorado for Sunday’s benefit at Tipitina’s, but Lisanne and the couple’s kids, Ella and Ben, plan to be there.

The “Rock For Aiges” organizers include music manager Rueben Williams, who was Jamaican Me Breakfast Club’s singer, and the band’s lead guitarist, Steve Chyzyk, as well as the Creole String Beans’ Rob Savoy Chyzyk and Beans keyboardist Brian Rini will lead the house band. They and the other musicians are coming together at Tipitina’s to raise money and to say the same thing as me. Thanks, Scott.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@theadvocate.com.

The band has a history of staging big, outdoor concerts in New Orleans. In addition to the 2011 Railroad Revival stop at Woldenberg Park, Mumford & Sons headlined the baseball stadium on Airline Drive that was then called Zephyr Field in 2016. The band returned to the New Orleans area during a very muddy Voodoo Music Experience in City Park in 2018.

Mumford & Sons most recently performed in New Orleans on the closing Sunday of the 2023 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The band appeared on the main stage just before Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue. Shorty and Jon Ba-

‘TOMORROW’

Continued from page 1D

hotel room hook-ups, and at a show he meets Anima (Jenna Ortega), a crazed fan who is escaping troubles of her own.

A behavioral red flag?

We first meet Anima when she’s burning down the house of a lover, a bit of a behavioral red flag. Concurrently, Tesfaye is receiving texts and voicemails from a jilted ex, and you’re forgiven if you conflate Anima with that jilted ex, for script clarity is not the project’s strength.

On tour Tesfaye is pumped up by his cokehead manager Lee (Barry Keoghan), who delivers motivational messages (“You’re not human, you’re f***** invincible!”) when he needs to hear it most.

But he’s another cog

NBA Youngboy returns Baton Rouge rapper NBA Youngboy, who has spent more time in courtrooms than on concert stages in recent years, will embark on his first arena headlining tour in September The MASA Tour 2025 is scheduled to commence Sept. 2 at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas. The tour concludes Oct. 19 at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

Special guests on the 27date tour, which Live Nation is producing, include DeeBaby, EBK Jaaybo and K3.

Tickets went on sale to the general public Thursday NBA Youngboy, whose real name is Kentrell DeSean Gaulden, has not performed a full-fledged concert in five years. During that span, he moved to Huntsville, Utah, in part to distance himself from his legal troubles and tempta-

in a machine feeding off

Tesfaye’s art and stardom, part of a system designed to keep the money flowing at all costs. There are insights into the haziness and empty highs of touring life, and co-writer and director Trey Edward Shults, the talented filmmaker who made “Krisha” and “Waves,” uses dizzying 360-degree pans to capture the whir of travel, backstage partying and onstage performance that gets mashed together from airport to hotel to venue, night after night.

There’s also a scene where Tesfaye and Amina are eating breakfast at 4 p.m. and she casually mentions that’s a personal record. “Really? Not for me,” he tells her Stretching a persona

But like HBO’s “The Idol,” another project where the Weeknd struggled to stretch his musical

tions in Baton Rouge. He chose Utah, the hiphop website XXL reported, because he had traveled to that state as a teenager to visit an AmeriCorps counselor who had previously worked with him. Trouble still found him in Utah. In November, he pleaded guilty to various charges related to running a prescription drug fraud ring out of his home. He was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine. In December, the rapper was sentenced to 23 months in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm. The charges stemmed from a 2020 video shoot in Baton Rouge. In January, XXL reported that NBA Youngboy was scheduled to be released from prison on July 27. He then faces 60 months of supervised release, meaning he’ll be under supervision throughout his tour His latest single is a song called “Shot Callin’.”

Email Keith Spera at kspera@theadvocate.com.

persona into narrative storytelling, “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is held back by the star himself.

He’s most comfortable onstage and the concert footage offers a thrilling perspective of Tesfaye’s performance, but in scenes where he’s asked to emote and deliver dialogue, he’s stilted and jittery, and the emotional climax of the film elicited giggles from an audience full of fans.

“Hurry Up Tomorrow” is an ambitious attempt to dramatize tour life and investigate the mindset of a performer as he’s on stage in front of 50,000 fans. But it is dragged down by a lack of emotional connection and the high-wire act of bridging reality and fiction in a way that feels truthful, as if the filmmakers’ best intentions were blinded by the lights. The film is in theaters nationwide.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Marcus Mumford, of Mumford and Sons, performs on the Festival Stage during the 2023 Jazz Fest.

PROVIDED PHOTO By ELIZA MORSE

Scott Aiges and Lisanne Brown attend a kick-off party for the New Orleans Fringe Festival in New Orleans on Nov. 19, 2013.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Reconnect with peoplefromyour past. Reviving memories will also bring back old dreams that may notfeel unattainable anymore.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Refrain from sharing yoursecrets. Avoid discussing thechanges youwant to make until you have everything in place. Refuse to let emotionally manipulative people stand between youand your goals

LEO (July 23-Aug.22) Gather information and formulateaplan to help you advance. Refuse to let thechoices othersmake influence you. Put your energy intoachievingsomethingthatpushesyou closer to your goal

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Ask questions, attend talks and stay informed. Knowledgeisthefastestwaytogetahead.Staying on top of trends will help you make better choices. Don't be afraid to change your mind.

LIBRA (Sept.23-Oct. 23) Putyourenergy to gooduseandtidyupunfinishedbusiness. Fixingupyoursurroundingsandpreparingfor something you want to pursueor an event you wishtohost will liftyour spirits. Partnershipswith unique individuals will offermental stimulation.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Take care of your responsibilities before youmove into party mode.Mixing business with pleasure will encourage betterwork relationships andhelp you push your agenda forward.

SAGITTARIUS(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Put some thought into creative endeavors and maintaining ahealthylifestyle. Share

your feelings about shared expenses and responsibilitieswiththerelevantparties. Romance is favored.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) It'sbest to observe, listen and analyze situations from adistance. Gather information, consider the possibilities and initiate changes that suit your needs. Refuseto get trapped in someone else's dream.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Refuse to let the decisions othersmakeinfluence you. Concentrate on your earning ability and self-improvement. Keep an open mind, networkand try something new.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Lift barriers and speak your mind. You cannot make headway if youaren't upfrontabout your intentions.Talktothepeoplemostaffected by your choices, andyou'llreceive the input you require.

ARIES(March 21-April 19) Put more time and effort into presenting yourself to others. An honest portrayal of yourself andwhatyou offer will help cuttothe chase, making life choices easier and moresuccessful. Love who you are.

TAURUS (April20-May20) Setgoals and take steps to encourage your peace of mind. Whenuncertainty prevails,say no. Youneed to easestress and lower debt. Decide what gives you purpose and meaning, and plan your routine and upcoming schedule accordingly.

Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrewsmcmeel syndication

CelebrityCipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.Each letterinthe cipherstands for another TODAy'S CLUE:E EQUALS W

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM SherMAn’S LAGoon

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the samenumber only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BLondie

BaBY BLueS Hi and LoiS

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Carey Mulligan, an English actress whomadeher Broadway debut in “The Seagull” in 2008, maintained, “I never said Iwanted to be alead actress; Inever said Iwanted to be afilm actress. This need to trump everyone bewilders me. I’m only 25. I’m not betterthananyone.I justwanttowatchotherpeopleandlearn to be good.”

Thatisagreat attitude for up-andcomersinanything, including bridge. Butattimes there is aneed to trump everyone with atrump card. In this deal, South is in four spades. West leads the diamond king. How should East plan the defense?

If you have adopted two-over-one game-force, North would rebid two spades. Then South,withthat unappealing singleton club, would probably jump to four spades. Butifhesettles forthree spades, North should be happy with four spades.Despite his good-looking heart honors, his trumpsare poor and he has only one ace.

Yes,this deal is acomplement of yesterday’s. First, East signals enthusiastically with his diamond nine. West continueswith his queen, then leads his third diamond. After winning with hisace, what should East do next?

As Ihavebeen stressing allweek,East shouldcheck the points. West has produced five, the dummy has 14, and East holds six. Thatleaves 15 pointsunaccountedfor If Westhad the heart ace, he should have casheditbeforeplaying the third diamond. So the defenders cannot have anotherside-suit trick. East should lead his last diamond. Here, that promotes a trickfor West’s spade jack ©2025 by nEa, inc.,dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzleisa word riddle whichcreates adisguisedword,phrase,name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words mustbeoffour or more letters. 2. Wordsthat acquire four lettersbythe addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns,slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAY’s WoRD PALPItAnt: PAL-pih-tent: Marked by trembling or throbbing.

Average

Time

Can you find 35 or more words in PALPITANT?

YEstERDAY’s WoRD —LIMELIGHt

the Lord shall endurefor ever:hehas prepared his throne for judgment.” Psalms 9:7

wuzzles

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard

dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition. For more information on tournaments and clubs,email naspa –north american sCraBBlE playersassociation: info@scrabbleplayers.org.Visit ourwebsite:www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com. Hasbro andits logo sCraBBlE

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 -Each row and each column must contain the numbers1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 -The numberswithin the heavily outlined boxes 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.

Yesterday’sPuzzle Answer

WiShinG Well

HErE is aplEasanTliTTlEgamEthat will give you amessageeveryday.it’s a numerical puzzle designed to spell outyourfortune.Count the letters in yourfirst name. if thenumber of letters is 6ormore, subtract4.ifthe numberislessthan 6, add 3. Theresult is your key number. start at the upperleft-hand cornerand check each of yourkey numbers, left to right. Then read the messagethe checked figures give you

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe

g LouisArmstrong NewOr‐leans InternationalAir‐portwith GeneralAvia‐tion,LLC D/B/AAtlantic Aviation -MSY,pursuant toOrdinance Calendar No. 35,110. This ordinanceissched‐uledfor finaladoptionon June 12, 2025, andmay be seen in full in theClerk of Council’sOffice,1300 Perdido Street,Room 1E09, City Hall. AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL PUBLICATIONDATES: May16, 23 and30, 2025 NOCP 8379 141256-may13-20-27-3t $40.59

Perdido Street,Room 1E09, City Hall

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL PUBLICATIONDATES: May16, 23 and30, 2025 NOCP 8380 141257-may16-23-30-3t $40.59

p of theNASAGeorgeC MarshallSpace Flight Center, basedin Huntsville,Alabama.A seriesofenvironmental investigationsbetween 1998 and2022 character‐izedand identified soil impactedbyPolychlori‐nated Biphenyls (PCBs). In February 2025 NASAsubmitted aPCB Cleanup Plan to EPARe‐gion6 forapproval,and EPA is approvingthe sub‐mission.EPA hasdeter‐mined that thecleanup level necessarytoreturn the site to unrestricted use is 1partper million (ppm)orlessofPCBs. EPA hasthe authorityto issueapproval forRiskBased On-SiteRemedia‐tionofPCB under the Toxic SubstanceControl Act andinaccordance with40CFR §761.61(c) PCBs were normally usedasdielectric fluids inelectricalequipment In 1979, PCBdielectric fluids were bannedfrom manufacture to limitfur‐therrelease of PCBs into lakes andstreams where they maybioaccu‐mulateinthe food chain intogame fish that could beharmful if eaten. PCBs havebeen linked to liver and kidney damage if in‐gestedinhighconcen‐trationsoverlongperi‐ods of time This approval andcorre‐spondingdocumentation isavailable at https:// www.epa.gov/pcbs/eparegion-6-polychlorinatedbiphenyls.For questions regarding this approval pleasecontact Ms CourtneyAllen at 214665-6630 or allen. courtney@epa.gov.

LosPCB se emplearon normalmente como flui‐dos dieléctricos en equipos eléctricos.En 1979, se prohibió la fabri‐cacióndeestos fluidos dieléctricosparalimitar laliberacióndePCB en lagos oquebradas por los dañosque puede causarsuconsumo de‐bidoa la posiblebioacu‐mulaciónenlacadena alimentariadeproductos depesca deportiva. Los PCB hansidoasociados a daños en el hígado ylos riñones de ingerirseen altas concentraciones durante extensos períodos. Esta aprobación ylos documentoscorrespon‐dientes están disponibles en https:// www.epa.gov/pcbs/eparegion-6-polychlorinatedbiphenyls.Paraconsul‐tas sobreestetema, por favor comunicarsecon Ms. Courtney Allenpor el 214-665-6630 oallen courtney@epa.gov. 140331-may7-23-14t $7,235.00

AVISOPÚBLICO AGENCIADEPROTECCIÓN AMBIENTALDEESTADOS UNIDOS REGIÓN 6, DALLAS TEXAS. APROBACIÓN PARA LA DELINEACIÓNY LIMPIEZA DE BIFENILOS POLICLORADOS (PCB)EN EL SITIODELAADMINIS‐TRACIÓNNACIONALDE AERONÁUTICAY EL ESPA‐CIO (NASA),INSTA‐LACIÓN DE ENSAMBLAJE MICHOUD, 13800 OLD GENTILLY ROAD,NEW OR‐LEANS, LOUISIANA La United States Environ‐mentalProtection Agency(EPAo Agencia deprotección ambiental deEstados Unidos) Región6 está entregando lanotificación de aprobaciónparalas tar‐eas de limpieza propues‐tas en una propiedadde laNASAubicada en el 13800 OldGentillyRoad, New Orleans, Louisiana. LaMAF (por sussiglasen inglés) se utilizaparala instalación de compo‐nentesdel NASA George C.MarshallSpace Flight Center(Centro de vuelo espacialGeorgeC.Mar‐shall de la NASA), con sedeenHuntsville,Al‐abama.Una seriedein‐vestigaciones llevadas a caboentre 1998 y2022 determinarone identifi‐caron suelos afectados por bifenilospoliclorados (PCB, porlas siglas en inglés).Enfebrero de 2025, la NASA entregó a laEPA Región 6unPlan delimpiezadePCB para suaprobacióny la EPA estáaprobando la solici‐tud.LaEPA ha estable‐cidoque el nivelde limpiezanecesario para recuperar el lugarpara suuso librederestric‐ciones es de 1 parte por illó ( ) d p p millón (ppm) dePCB o menos.LaEPA tieneau‐toridad para la aprobacióndelas RiskBased On-SiteRemedia‐tionofPCB (Tareasde limpiezabasadas en el riesgodePCB)conforme a la ToxicSubstance Con‐trolAct (TSCAo Leyde control de sustancias tóxicas)y al artículo 40 § 761.61(c)del CFR(Código deregulacionesfed‐erales)

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:780-381 LNVCORPORA‐TION VERSUS DIANE FOUR‐CADE FRANKE FRED M. FRANKE

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL

DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA

NO:834-480

BANK OF AMER‐ICA, N.A. VS SHAWNT WALKER

veybyJ.J Krebs &Sons, Inc.,C.E.& S., dated May26, 1979, resurveyed Au‐gust 8, 1979 to show improve‐ments.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

I, Juan PedroMorales JR, have been convictedof14:81.1PornographyInvolving Juveniles. Date Convicted: 5/23/2011.

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedJanuary 19, 2023,I have seized andwill proceedtosell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058,onMay 28, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: ONECERTAIN LOTOFGROUND, together with allthe buildings andimprove‐ments thereon, andall of therights, ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances and advantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA, in that part thereofknown as J. H. LITTLE FARMS DIVI‐SION,desig‐natedasPLOT "R"ofSECTION "B", as shown on plan of J. L. Zander,Parish Engineer,dated May25, 1925

SECTION"B" ac‐cordingtosaid plan is bounded by Jefferson HighwayLittle Farms Avenue,Fig Street andPear Street,(For‐merlyTudor Av‐enue).

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND

SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedNovem‐ber23, 2022, I have seized and will proceed to sell to thehigh‐estbidderat public auction, at theJefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit:

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with irrevocable Bank Letter of Credit FOERSTNERG

MEYER Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025

apr18-may232t $117.24

of Bywater Street andBuc‐cola Avenue, andmeasures 50 feet fronton BuccolaAvenue, same width in therear, by a depth andfront of 104.62 feet on BywaterStreet between equaland paral‐lellines.All in accordance with plat of sur‐veymadebyF G. Stewart, Surveyor,dated December 6th, 1961, andre‐visedMay 5th, 1962. Furtherin accordance with survey made by Mandie Survey‐ing, Inc.,dated February 12, 1992 andat‐tached to actrecordedat COB2652, folio 187; subjectto restrictions servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty Addressof Premises: 1664 Buccola Ave Marrero, LA 70072

I, MARCUS JAY ROBERTSaka JIZZ aka MARCUS ROBERT aka MARCUS JROBERTS akaMARKROBERTS akaMARXCUS J ROBERTS,have been convictedof14:80Carnal knowledgeofa juvenile.CONVICTED IN LIVINGSTON PARISH Date Convicted: 2/25/2003. My Addressis: 4521 NEWLANDS ST METAIRIE,LA70006 Race:White Sex: Male Date of Birth: 11/13/1970 Height:5'10" Weight: 140 Hair Color: Brown EyeColor:Brown Scars/Tattoos: Louisiana 142217, May23-24 2t $250.00

PLOT "R"forms thecorner of Pear Street (For‐merlyTudor Av‐enue)and Fig Street and fronts 72.8 feet frontonPear Street (Formerly TudorAvenue), same width in therearby adepth and frontage on Fig Street of 222 feet andside‐line of 222 feet separating it from Plot "Q".

Whichhas the addressof 10440 Pear Street,River Ridge, LA 70123

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

EMILYE HOLLEY

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III

Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedMarch 14, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,situ‐ated in the PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA, in BARATARIA PARK,and more particularly describedas LOT75, allas shownona plan of re-subdivi‐sion recorded at COB3148, folio 332, Jeffer‐sonParish, Louisiana.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA, in thepartthereof knownas WILLIE MAE DOLAN SUBDIVI‐SION,EXTEN‐SION of the Town of Jean Lafitte,as shownona plan of subdivisionby Wilton J. Dufrene, Land Surveyor,dated 8/4/83, under OrdinanceNo. 28-A, recorded in COB1056, folio 122, Entry No.83-35970, Perish of Jeffer‐son, State of Louisiana, beinga resubdi‐vision of tracts XIII-Band XIII-C of Berthoud Plantation Town of Jean Lafitte,Jeffer‐sonParish, Louisiana. Ac‐cordingtosaid plan ofWiltonJ Dufrene, Land Surveyor,dated 8/4/83, said lot is designated as LOT4 of SQUARE 5. Square 5is bounded by LouisianaState HighwayNo. 45, Oleander Street, Palmetto Street and Lafitte Street Lot4 measures 60 feet fronton Palmetto Street, same widthin therear, by a depthof110 feet between equaland paral‐lellines

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges

longingorin anywiseapper‐taining,situated in theDistrictof Barataria, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in MARVIS GROVE SUBDIVISION, beinga portion of Farm No.1, accordingto maporplanof D. A. McKinley C.E.,dated February 20, 1950, said piece or portionof ground is desig‐natedasa por‐tion of Lot7 adjoiningLot 6, anda portionof Lot6 adjoining Lot7,and mea‐suresasfol‐lows,to-wit: Theportion of Lot7 adjoining Lot6 measures 125 feet fronton atwentyfoot private road,same widthinthe rear,bya depth of 76 feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines; the portionofLot 6 adjoiningLot 7 measures 25 feet fronton a twenty foot pri‐vate road, same widthin therear, by a depthof76feet between equal andparallel lines.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

PROP‐ERTIES,L.L.C ANDELGIN MC‐GOWAN-MATHIS

ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $109.30

COURT

LOUISIANA NO:847-753 FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION VS MELISSA HELMER GON‐ZALESA/K/A MELISSA HELMER FROSCH GONZA‐LES ANDWAYNE AN‐THONYGONZA‐LES

Accordingto a survey by DufreneSurvey‐ing& Engineer‐ing, Inc.,which is annexedto and made apartof COB3057, folio 160, said Lot4 hasthe same location,dimen‐sions, and designations as setforth above andisshown to commence 191.62 feet from thecorner of Lafitte Street andPalmetto Street;subject to restrictions, servitudes rights-of-way and outstanding mineralrights of record affect‐ingthe prop‐erty

Improvements thereonbear theMunicipal No.1923 Pal‐metto Street Lafitte,LA 70067.

This sale is sub‐ject to allsupe‐rior security in‐terests, mort‐gages, liensand privileges TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit AMYR.ORTIS Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $59.54

TERMS- Thefull purchase price is dueatthe time of thesale.

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

ALLISONN BEASLEY Attorney for Plaintiff

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-637

21STMORTGAGE CORPORATION VS BRENTP.OLANO A/K/ABRENT OLANO

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $91.83

TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May 23, 2025

NOTE:All funds must be Cashier'sCheck Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or Personal Check with Bank Letter of Credit

ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $118.30

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-383 THEMONEY SOURCE,INC VS JOYANN GUAR‐ISCO A/K/AJOY A. GUARISCO A/K/AJOY GUARISCO By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedMarch 12, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐

apr18-may232t $88.65

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedOctober 9, 2023, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: ACERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereonand all of therights, ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances andadvantages thereuntobe‐

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedFebruary 7, 2025, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: 2018 Platinum (PLHM) manu‐facturedhome, bearingSerial Nos. PHAL04688A and PHAL04688B AND Acertain piece or portionof ground,to‐gether with all thebuildings andimprove‐ments thereon, andall of therights, ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances and advantages thereuntobe‐

ACERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall of therights, ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, appurte‐nances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theSTATE OF LOUISIANA, PARISH OF JEF‐FERSON,in Township 14 South, Ranges 23 and24 East,Southeast Land District of Louisiana, West of theMissis‐sippi River, knownasThe Harvey Canal Property,and designated as Parcel P-3as perplanofre‐subdivision made by J. J. Krebs& Sons Inc.,dated May 15, 1973 revised September26, 1973, April11, 1974, May5,1975, De‐cember 29, 1975 andOctober 19, 1976 andMarch 27, 1978 approved by theJefferson Parish Council by Ordinance No.13381 on May17, 1978 recorded COB929, folio 239 andwhich said portion wassubdivided into WOODMERE SUBDIVISION, SECTION6,all as perplanof subdivision made by J. J. Krebs& Sons Inc.,dated March28, 1978 approved by the JeffersonParish Councilby OrdinanceNo. 13381 recorded COB929, folio 239 andasper ActofDedica‐tion before Odom B. Heebe, NP datedJune 28, 1978 in COB 931, folio 281 same beingde‐scribed as follows: LOT1643, SQUARE UU, which Square is bounded by Chriswood Lane,Wood‐mere Boulevard, GreenbriarLane (side) andAlex KornmanBoule‐vard (side) and said lot commences 260 feet from the corner of Chris‐wood Lane and Woodmere Boulevardwith a65foot front on Chriswood Lane,samein rear,bya depth of 100 feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines; allas shownonsur‐

By virtue of and in obedienceto aWritof SEIZUREAND SALE from the 24thJudicial District Court, Parish of Jeffer‐son, Stateof Louisiana, in the abovenum‐beredand enti‐tled cause, datedOctober 6, 2023, Ihave seized andwill proceed to sell to thehighest bidder at public auction, at the JeffersonParish Sheriff'sOffice Complex, 1233 Westbank Ex‐pressway,Har‐vey, Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clocka.m.the followingde‐scribedprop‐erty to wit: THAT CERTAIN PIECEORPOR‐TION OF GROUND,to‐gether with all thebuildings and improvements thereon, andall therights, ways, privileges servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longingorin anywiseapper‐taining, situated in thePARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, in that part thereofknown as BUCCOLA SUBDIVISION, which was formed from a part of original Farm LotC-7 of Ames Farms, Southside(Mar‐rero)inaccor‐dancewithplan of subdivision by AlvinE.Ho‐tard,C.E., datedAugust 31, 1959, bearing theapprovalof st thecouncil forthe Parish of Jefferson by Ordinance No.4353, dated December 3rd, 1959 and recorded in COB 495, Folio 567. which said pieceorportion of ground is de‐scribedasfol‐lows: LOTNO. 16 in SQUARE #2 of BUCCOLASUB‐DIVISION which said lotforms thecorner

ways,privi‐leges, servi‐tudes, andad‐vantages there‐untobelonging or in anywiseapper‐taining, situated in theParishof

in the Parish of Jefferson, State ofLouisiana,in thatpart thereofknown asLakeshore, being asubdivi‐sionofthe Car‐rollTract,desig‐nated as Lot 22 in Square 4, bounded by Chickasaw Av‐enue,LikeOak Street,Seminole Avenue and Poplar Street

Accordingto a planofresubdi‐visionbyR.P Rodam,C.E., dated October 31,1938, acopy ofwhich is an‐nexed to an act passedbefore W.W.Young N.P., Parish of Orleans, Louisiana,on March 29, 1939 saidlot mea‐sures fifty(50’) feet fronton ChickasawAv‐enue,the same inwidth in the rear, by adepth between equal and parallel linesoftwo hundred (200’) feet

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.

COREYJ.GIROIR

Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $82.32

JUDICIAL

ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:860-835

PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC VS INES LARISSA QUIROZ A/K/A INES L. QUIROZ A/K/AINES QUIROZ,INDI‐VIDUALLY ANDINHER CA‐

OF

LIZAISABELLA GAUTHIER A/K/A LIZAI.GAU‐THIERA/K/A LIZAGAUTHIER

By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated January 16, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058,onMay 28, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit: Acertain lotof ground,to‐getherwithall the building and improvements thereonand all therights, ways, privileges, servitudes and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longing or in anywiseapper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson,State ofLouisiana,in thatpart thereofknown asWoodland WestSubdivi‐sion, Phase Seven (7), allin accordance with survey of S. K. Landry, CivilEn‐gineer, dated March 3, 1977, approvedbythe Jefferson Parish Council, byvirtueofor‐dinance no 13104,adopted October 12, 1977, acopyof whichison file inthe office of the clerkof court,Parishof Jefferson,in COB 911, folio 954, entryno. 796733. Said lot isdesignatedas lot no.594 de‐scribed as fol‐lows, to wit: Lotno. 594, be‐ginsata dis‐tance of 600 feet north of the northwest cor‐ner of Orbit Court andPar Three Drive (formerly HoraceStreet), and measures thencein a northerly directiona dis‐tance of 75 feet front on the westsideof Orbit Court, by a depth of 110 feet between equaland paral‐l l li A

equal and paral lellines.Ac‐cording to asur‐vey by Wilton J. Dufrene,Land Surveyor,dated October 12, 1979, acopyof which is an‐nexed to an act beforeMiles J. Blazek,Jr.,No‐taryPublic dated Novem‐ber 9, 1979,Lot 594 hasthe samelocation, designationand measurements, andshows said lot being bounded by Orbit Court, Par 3Drive (for‐merly Horace Street,West FriendshipDrive and Lot595. This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $108.77

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:861-301

JPMORGAN CHASEBANK, NATIONAL AS‐SOCIATION VS CHERYL B ZARDIES, CURA‐TRIX OF THEIN‐TERDICTION OF KIERRA K. OXLEY A/K/AKIERRA KRISHELL OXLEY

Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, datedFebruary 3 2025 I h

dated February 3, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit:

ACERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereonand all the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longs or in any‐wiseappertain‐ing,situatedin the Parish of Jefferson, State ofLouisiana,in CONOR COURT SUBDIVISION accordingto planof resubdivisionby Don A. Garland, R.L.S., dated February20, 2001, beinga resubdivisionof Lot No.H-321-A AmesFarms intoLotsI through 27, SquareA,Lots1 through25, SquareB and LotsI through7, SquareC,Conor Court Subdivi‐sion, Approved by the Jefferson Parish Council under ordinance No 21288, on June 16, 2001, andregis‐tered in theof‐fice Of theclerk Ofcourt forthe ParishofJeffer‐son at COB 3055, Folio229, and according thereto said lot isdesignatedas follows,to-wit: LOTNO. 2, SQUAREB, bounded by Conor Court, Le‐mansDrive AmesBlvd, and Doreen Drive (side); subject torestrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecordaffect‐ing theprop‐erty.

Commonly knownas: 2705 Conor Court, Marrero,LA 70072

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchase price i d h

purchase price is dueatthe timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.

ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025

apr18-may232t

$97.65

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:848-353 WILMINGTON SAVINGSFUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOTINITS INDI‐VIDIUALCAPAC‐ITY BUTSOLELYAS TRUSTEEFOR BCAT 2020-3TT VS BEVERLYPIERCE GILBERT, (A/K/A BEVERLY EMELDA PIERCE GILBERT, BEVERLY PIERCE,BEV‐ERLY GILBERT, BEVERLYE PIERCE GILBERT) AND THE OPENED SUC‐CESSION OF EM‐METT GILBERT, (A/K/A EMMETT C. GILBERT, EMMETT C. GLBERT,SR.,EM‐METT GILBERT, SR.) ANDKEVA GILBERTJONES, (A/K/A KEVA GILBERT, KEVA JONES) AND ENNISGILBERT ANDTHE UN‐OPENED SUCCESSION OF EMMETT C. GILBERT, JR., (A/K/A EMMETT GILBERT, JR. EMMETT C. GILBERT) AND TONDRA GILBERT, (A/K/A TONDRA T. GILBERT) AND KYLE P. GILBERT, SR (A/K/A KYLE GILBERTSR., KYLE P. GILBERT, KYLE GILBERT)

Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, Parish of Jeffer‐

Parish of Jeffer son, Stateof Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated Novem‐ber 2, 2023, I haveseizedand willproceed to selltothe high‐est bidder at publicauction, atthe Jefferson ParishSheriff's Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit: THAT CERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereonand all ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,advan‐tages and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe PARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATE OF LOUISIANA,for‐merly being a partofLot 17 and 18 of DestrehanDivi‐sion, locatedin Section 56, Township14 South,Range 24 East, now knownasSPAN‐ISHOAKSSUB‐DIVISION, PHASEIII, allas per plan thereof byJ.J Krebs& Sons Inc.,C.E.&S., dated 06/16/1977, and approved by the Jefferson Parish Councilunder Ord.No. 12988 on08/11/77, recordedinCOB 904, folio 968, and as per ActofDedica‐tionbefore Bernhardt C. Heebe,Notary dated 10/18/77, recordedinCOB 908, folio 170, an according to saidplanthe propertyisdes‐ignated as LOT 426 In that area bounded byJOYALOMA, SPANISH OAKS DRIVE,PLOTM2,NOGALERA VIA QUEBRADA DEL SUR,100 FEET RESERVED FROM ROAD TRAPP CANAL AND THESOUTH BOUNDARYOF THE SUBDIVI‐SION, said lot commences at a distanceof 418.04 feet from the corner of Spanish Oaks Drive andJoya Loma, andmea‐

o a, a ea sures thence43feet front on Joya Lomaalong a curve having a radiusof50 feet,a widthof 142.81 feet in the rear,by a depth of 105.02 feet on thePlot M-2 side,and a depth of 132.34 feet on the opposite sideline, allas morefully shown on sur‐vey of Joseph L. Kreller, Jr., L.S., dated 04/22/81 a copy of which isattachedto Act No.966420. Whichhas the addressof13 JoyaLomaSt, Harvey, LA 70058

This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withirrevocable BankLetterof Credit.

REMY F. SYMONS Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

The New Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $138.41

JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT

24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:854-960

DEUTSCHE BANK NATIONAL TRUSTCOM‐PANY,AS TRUSTEEFOR ARGENT SECURITIES INC. ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2004-W11 VS KARENRENE GALLAGHER A/K/AKAREN R. GALLACHER A/K/AKAREN GALLAGHER

Byvirtueofand inobedience to aWritofFIERI

a Writ of FIERI FACIAS from the 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated February 11, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on May 28, 2025 at 10 o'clock a.m. the following de‐scribed prop‐ertytowit:

Acertain piece orportion of ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,advan‐tages and appurtenances thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Stateof Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐son,inTown‐ship14South Ranges23and 24East, SoutheastLand Districtof Louisiana,west ofthe Missis‐sippi River, known as Har‐vey CanalProperty, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, for‐merly desig‐nated as Parcel Q-2-B, whichsaidpor‐tionofground has been resub‐divided into Woodmere SouthSubdivi‐sion Section3,all as per plan of re‐subdivision made by J. J. Krebs andSons, Inc.,C.E.&S., datedOctober 10, 1983, ap‐provedbythe Jefferson Parish Council by Ordi‐nance No 15784, recorded inCOB 1064 folio 925, andas per ActofDedi‐cationbefore OdonB Heebe, N. P. dated February 2,1984 recordedinCOB 1067, folio 270 samebeing designated as follows:

Lot906, Square T,which said squareis bounded by Sweet Gum Drive,Cimwood Drive Touchwood Driveand De‐

Drive and De strehanAvenue, and said Lot906 commences at a distanceof 398.07 feet from the pointofcur‐vatureofSweet Gum Driveinto Destrehan Av‐enue,and measures thence 60 feet front on Sweet Gum Drive, sameinwidth acrossthe rear, bya depthof100 feet between equal andparal‐lel lines; allas per survey madebyJ.J Krebs andSons, Inc., L.S datedDe‐cember12, 1986, resurveyedFeb‐ruary 9, 1987 to show improvements This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.

TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale

NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.

COREYJ.GIROIR Attorney for Plaintiff

JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson

TheNew Orleans Advocate: April18, 2025, May23, 2025 apr18-may232t $116.78