Melanie Cade wasn’t sure how she felt when the package arrived on her doorstep last year with ared DoorDash delivery bag inside.
As asingle mother of two and aspecial education teacher in Jefferson Parish,working for the onlineservice would offer Cade alittle extra cash —ontop of her other part-time tutoring gig— to supplement her salary.But it was alsoa reminder of how difficultithas been to make ends meet.
When the bag came, Cade’s7-year-old daughter asked why she needed towork another job. Cade herself wasn’tsosure.
“How is this my life?” she recalled thinking.
As living costs continuetorise, Cade’s experience isn’tfar from that of teachers across Louisiana.Manystruggle to pay their bills and provide for their families,despite oftenhavingmultiple degrees and frequently working outside of school hours to plan lessonsand take
care of students.
Lawmakers have longdebated raising the pay of the state’spublic school teachers, who make about $5,000 less on average than their counterparts in other Southern statesand $15,000 less than thenational average, according to data from theSouthern Regional Education Board. This year,after voters rejected a
constitutional amendment that included amechanism to fund permanent teacher raises, theLegislature appears likely to pass one-time stipends for the third year in arow to keep teacher pay at its current level. Fromtaking on additional duties at
National Guardfaces offwithL.A.protesters
BY ERIC THAYER and JAKE OFFENHARTZ Associated Press
LOS ANGELES Tear gas was fired at protesters in Los Angeles on Sunday when some demonstrators moved close to National Guard troops and shouted insults at them, hours after President Donald Trump’sextraordinary deployment of the military over the objections of the governor and mayor
The confrontationbroke out as hundredsofpeople protested in front of the Metropolitan Detention Centerindowntown Los Angeles, where several of thenewly arrived National Guard troops stood shoulder to shoulder behind plastic riotshields.
Videoshoweduniformed officers shooting offthe smoke-filled canisters as they advanced into the street, forcing protesters toretreat.Itwas not
immediately clear what promptedthe use of chemical irritants or which law enforcementagencyfired them. Minuteslater,loud popping sounds erupted again, as some protesters chanted “go home” and “shame.” One personwas taken to the ground by uniformed officers. Another appeared to be bleeding from their head.
ä See GUARD, page 4A
BY JAMES FINN Staff writer
Jimmy Harriswas on theedge of accomplishing the impossible. The soft-spoken state senator from New Orleans was hours from securing millions of dollars for a new power station for the city’s rickety flooding system. ADemocrat, he had leveraged years-old relationships withRepublican leaders, navigatingthe pressures of apolarized Legislature and an ascendant GOPgovernor to land the deal.
Thenhegot acall. NewOrleans MayorLaToyaCantrellhad just trashed him in apublic meeting over another bill,toreform the city’sSewerage&Water Board. Harrishad spentweeksdrafting
Schemeshavebecome more sophisticated
BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer
When Danny Foret’scomputer froze one morning, awindow flashedonthe screen urging him to call Microsoft customer support. Butafter he dialedthe number, Foretsays, his minor headache turned disastrous.
The support agent informed him hiscomputer hadbeenhacked, giving someone access to his bank account: $9,000 had been spent at achild pornographysite, with another$4,000 siphoned toward online gambling.
Panic set in, Foret recalls, but the voice on the other end was
STAFF PHOTOSByBRETT DUKE
Melanie Cade, aspecial education teacher in Jefferson Parish and single mother of two, says she has to rely on family support and takeonextra jobs likeDoorDash to makeendsmeet.
Melanie Cade shows aMother’sDay card her son Jack made for her at her home in St.Rose.
Sen. Jimmy Harris, D-New Orleans
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JAEHONG National Guard troopsstand outsidethe federal prison SundayinLos Angeles,following aimmigrationraid protest the night before.
Trump’s new travel ban set to take effect
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the U.S. by citizens from 12 mainly African and Middle Eastern countries is set to take effect Monday.
The new proclamation, which Trump signed on Wednesday, applies to citizens of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also imposes heightened restrictions on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela who are outside the U.S. and don’t hold a valid visa.
The new ban does not revoke visas previously issued to people from countries on the list, according to guidance issued Friday to all U.S. diplomatic missions. However, unless an applicant meets narrow criteria for an exemption to the ban, his or her application will be rejected starting Monday Travelers with previously issued visas should still be able to enter the U.S. even after the ban takes effect.
Chad suspends visas to U.S. citizens in response
N’DJAMENA, Chad Chad’s President Mahamat Idriss Deby has announced that his country will suspend the issuing of visas to U.S. citizens in response to the Trump administration’s decision to ban Chadians from visiting the United States.
In a Facebook post, Chad’s president on Thursday said he is directing his government to suspend visas to U.S. citizens “in accordance with the principles of reciprocity.”
In the Republic of Congo, government spokesperson Thierry Moungalla said he believes the country was among those affected because of a “misunderstanding” over an armed attack in the U.S. with the perpetrators “mistaken” to be from the Republic of Congo.
“Obviously, Congo is not a terrorist country is not home to any terrorist, is not known to have a terrorist vocation. So we think that this is a misunderstanding and I believe that in the coming hours, the competent diplomatic services of the government will contact the American authorities here,” he said in the capital of Brazzaville.
In Sierra Leone, among countries with heightened travel restrictions, Information Minister Chernor Bah said the country is committed to addressing the concerns that prompted the ban.
“We will work with U.S. authorities to ensure progress,” he added.
IMAGE PROVIDED By RUTHERFORD COUNTy SHERIFF’S OFFICE
Ed the Zebra had evaded capture for several days after it ran away from its owner
Runaway pet zebra captured in Tennessee
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. A runaway pet zebra that was on the loose for more than a week in Tennessee and became an internet sensation in the process was captured Sunday, authorities said.
Ed the Zebra was captured safely after being located in a pasture near a subdivision in the Christiana community in central Tennessee, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office confirmed. The sheriff’s office said aviation crews captured the zebra “Ed was airlifted and flown by helicopter back to a waiting animal trailer,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Ed arrived in Christiana on May 30, the sheriff’s office said. His owner reported him missing the next day
World Pride ends with defiant politics
Final day of festival ends on downbeat note
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON After the raucous rainbow-hued festivities of Saturday’s parade, the final day of World Pride 2025 in the nation’s capital kicked off on a more downbeat note.
Thousands gathered under grey skies
Sunday morning at the Lincoln Memorial for a rally and protest march, as the community gathers its strength for a looming fight under President Donald Trump’s second administration
“This is not just a party,” Ashley Smith, board president of Capital Pride Alliance. “This is a rally for our lives.”
Smith acknowledged that international attendance numbers for the biannual World Pride were measurably down, with many potential attendees avoiding travel to the U.S. due to either fear of harassment or in protest of Trump’s policies. “That should disturb us and mobilize us,” Smith said.
Protesters cheered on LGBTQ+ activists taking the stage while waving both traditional Pride flags and flags representing transgender, bisexual, intersex and other communities. Many had rainbow glitter and rhinestones adorning their faces. They held signs declaring “Fight
back,” “Gay is good,” “Ban bombs not bathrooms” and “We will not be erased.”
Trump’s campaign against transgender protections and oft-stated antipathy for drag shows have set the community on edge, with some hoping to see a renewed wave of street politics in response.
“Trans people just want to be loved. Everybody wants to live their own lives and I don’t understand the problem with it all,” said Tyler Cargill, who came wearing an elaborate costume with a hat topped by a replica of the U.S. Capitol building.
Wes Kincaid drove roughly 6 hours from Charlotte, North Carolina, to attend this year Sitting on a park bench near the reflecting pond, Kincaid said he made a point of attending this year, “because it’s more important than ever to show up for our community.”
The speeches didn’t just target the Trump administration or the Republican party. Some turned their ire on Democratic politicians.
“We have to call out people who have abandoned our movement,” said Tyler Hack of the Christopher Street Project “Being a Democrat is more than carrying the party affiliation,” Hack added. “It’s about unapologetic support for the trans community.”
Colombian senator in serious condition after shooting
By The Associated Press
BOGOTA — Colombian Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay, a conservative presidential hopeful, was in serious condition Sunday following surgery for a gunshot wound at a political rally a day earlier Bogota’s mayor said.
Mayor Carlos Galán visited the Fundación Santa Fe clinic to express solidarity with the family of the 39-year-old senator “He survived the procedure; these are critical moments and hours for his survival,” said Galán early Sunday after receiving information from the medical staff at the clinic.
The hospital said Sunday that Uribe Turbay was recovering in intensive care after undergoing neurosurgery and a procedure on his left thigh. His condition was described as “extremely serious,” and his prognosis was reserved.
The attack took place in a park in the Fontibon neighborhood in Bogota when armed assailants shot him from behind, said the right-wing Democratic Center, which was the party of former president Uribe. The men are not related.
The Attorney General’s Office said a 15-year-old boy was arrested at the scene with a firearm. He was injured in the leg and was recovering at another clinic, au-
thorities said. Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez added that over 100 officers are investigating who was behind the attack Uribe Turbay is the political heir of his grandfather, former President Julio César Turbay who was in office from 1978-82. His mother, Diana Turbay, was a journalist who was kidnapped and killed in 1991 during a failed rescue attempt. Her death came during one of the most violent periods in the history of the South American country, then plagued by drug cartel violence.
Colombia will hold a presidential election on May 31.
Israel vows to prevent boat carrying Thunberg, activists from reaching Gaza
By The Associated Press
TEL AVIV, Israel Israel’s government on Sunday vowed to prevent an aid boat carrying Greta Thunberg and other activists from reaching the Gaza Strip.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said that Israel wouldn’t allow anyone to break its naval blockade of the Palestinian territory, which he said was aimed at preventing Hamas from importing arms.
“To the antisemitic Greta and her fellow Hamas propagandists — I will say this clearly: You should turn back, because you will not make it to Gaza,” he said in a statement. Thunberg, a climate campaigner is among 12 activists aboard the Madleen,
which is operated by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition. The vessel departed Sicily last Sunday on a mission that aims to break the sea blockade of Gaza and deliver humanitarian aid, while raising awareness over the growing humanitarian crisis 20 months into the Israel-Hamas war Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist on board the boat, posted a video on social media Sunday afternoon saying someone appeared to be jamming their tracking and communication devices.
Rima Hassan, a French member of the European Parliament who is of Palestinian descent, is among the others on board. She has been barred from entering Israel because of her opposition to Israeli policies toward the Palestinians.
Russia awaits confirmation on body exchange
By The Associated Press
Russian officials said Sunday that Moscow is still awaiting official confirmation from Ukraine that a planned exchange of 6,000 bodies of soldiers killed in action will take place, reiterating allegations that Kyiv had postponed the swap.
On the front line in the war, Russia said that it had pushed into Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region.
Russian state media quoted Lt. Gen. Alexander Zorin, a representative of the Russian negotiating group, as saying that Russia delivered the first batch of 1,212 bodies of Ukrainian soldiers to the exchange site at the border and is waiting for confirmation from Ukraine, but that there were “signals” that the process of transferring the bodies would be postponed until next week.
Citing Zorin on her Telegram channel, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova asked whether it was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s “personal decision not to take the bodies of the Ukrainians” or whether “someone from NATO prohibited it.”
Ukrainian authorities said plans agreed upon during direct talks in Istanbul on Monday were proceeding accordingly, despite what Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, called Russian attempts to “unilaterally dictate the parameters of the exchange process.”
“We are carefully adhering to the agreements reached in Istanbul. Who, when and how to exchange should not be someone’s sole decision. Careful preparation is ongoing. Pressure and manipulation are unacceptable here,” he said in a statement on Telegram on Sunday
“The start of repatriation activities based on the results of the negotiations in Istanbul is scheduled for next week, as authorized
persons were informed about on Tuesday,” the statement said. “Everything is moving according to plan, despite the enemy’s dirty information game.” Russia and Ukraine each accused the other on Saturday of endangering plans to swap 6,000 bodies of soldiers killed in action, which was agreed upon during the talks in Istanbul, which otherwise made no progress toward ending the war Vladimir Medinsky, an aide to Russian President Vladimir Putin, led the Russian delegation. Medinsky said that Kyiv called a last-minute halt to an imminent swap. In a Telegram post on Saturday, he said that refrigerated trucks carrying more than 1,200 bodies of Ukrainian troops from Russia had already reached the agreed exchange site at the border when the news came. According to the main Ukrainian authority dealing with such swaps, no date had been set for repatriating the bodies. In a statement on Saturday, the agency also accused Russia of submitting lists of prisoners of war for repatriation that didn’t correspond to agreements reached on Monday It wasn’t immediately possible to reconcile the conflicting claims.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said Sunday that its forces had reached the western edge of the Donetsk region, one of the four provinces Russia illegally annexed in 2022, and that troops were “developing the offensive” in the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. This would be the first time Russian troops had pushed into the region in the more than three-year-old war Ukraine didn’t immediately respond to the claim, and The Associated Press couldn’t immediately verify it.
One person was killed and another seriously wounded in Russian aerial strikes on the eastern Ukrainian Kharkiv region.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON
People attend the World Pride Rally and March on Sunday at the Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall in Washington.
AP PHOTO By SANTIAGO SALDARRIAGA People gather Sunday in Cali, Colombia, to pray for Colombian Sen. Miguel Uribe Turbay after he was shot at a political rally
that legislation, too, workingwithCantrell’sown lobbyists. He’dgotten Gov.Jeff Landry to supportit.
He was irked by the political bind his hometown mayor had just put him in. But Harris didn’tgive up.
For the next six months, he led closed-door talks between the New Orleans City Council and Landry’soffice to find apath forward. The negotiations yielded a$34 million package of state, federal and local cash for thepower station,salvaging aprioritythat Cantrell’s remarks seemed to have dashed.
Harris has long been viewed within the State Capitol as an influential player
But to outsiders, those talks revealed how he has wielded asoft-spoken persona and an encyclopedic knowledge of thelevers of stategovernment to position himself as New Orleans’ most effective advocate withinLouisiana’sincreasingly conservative seatof power
“What if Superman did Superman things, but stayed in Clark Kent’ssuit?” said JP Morrell, aformer state senator and current New Orleans City Councilpresident who speaks with Harris daily
“That’sJimmy Harris.” Harris rarely posts on social media or speaks on the Senate floor.Yet the quiet attorney dispenses daily counsel to political powerhouses like Democraticformer Congressman Cedric Richmond, his closest ally,and Republican Senate President Cameron Henry,anold friendwhose conservative Senate district lies afew miles from Harris’ turf. He sits on the powerful Senate finance committee and joins meetings with top legislative leaders.
New Orleans’ legislative delegation doesn’telectan official leader —but everyone agrees Harris is its “dean.” His peers speak of him with admiration. So does the governor “I’ve always found him to be an honest brokerand aman of his word,” said Landry The fruits of Harris’ relationships appear in small line-items in the state budget —including the one being deliberated in the session set to end this week. Those translate to millions of dollars that flow each year to the French Quarter, the S&WB, public parks, university programs and ports.
“When we lobby for projects in the budget, Jimmy is our guy,” said Sen.Joe Bouie, D-New Orleans, Harris’ friend and roommate during the legislative session.
“There is not asingle piece of legislation that passes through this building withoutthe input of Sen.Jimmy Harris,”saidRep.Jason Hughes, aNew Orleans East Democrat whose district overlaps with Harris’.
Republicans in Baton Rouge have long used New Orleans as apunching bag.
That Harris has brought home such asteady stream of rewardsfrom aLegisla-
Cameron Henry, left,R-Metairie, chats withJimmy Harris, D-NewOrleans, when theywere bothserving in the Louisiana House duringdebate on the state budgetdeficit in 2017. Henry and Harris nowserve in the Senate together
for then-Attorney General Charles Foti, an old family friend and former Orleans Parishsheriff. Later,he worked for Richmondinthe state Houseand in Congress, handling politicsand policy work and convening with local officials andstate lawmakersacross Richmond’s districts.
“He kept his head down and learned,” recalled Richmond.
Traversing Richmond’s territory opened Harris’ eyes to Louisiana’sdiverse slate of local political issues —fromcoastal erosiontothreats facing sugar cane farmers. Those lessons would later inform his relationships with state lawmakers in Baton Rouge.
In 2023, Landry rode a populist promise to cut crimeand restore prosperity to alandslidevictoryin thegovernor’srace.
That election also yielded thestate’smost conservative Legislatureinyears. Many New Orleanspoliticos sounded thealarm —Landry had pledged to bend thecity “to my will,” and outlined prioritiesaimed at expanding state power within New Orleans.
year’slegislative session, Harris ambledaround the carpeted Senate chamber with his signature leather backpack,chatting andclapping colleagues’ backs.Later,hemet with constituents in thecavernousMemorial Hall.
The session, which is set to wrap up this week, has been less eventful for New Orleansthaninpast years. YetHarris’ fingerprintsare all over it.
He’s runninga bill to give the French QuarterManagementDistrict, not the mayor,authority to ink certain trash contracts. He killed bills to hand regulatory authority of the S&WB to a state panel, pushing to keep that authority with theCity Council. He’sseeking aminimum of $20 million for the University of New Orleans while backing legislation favored by Henry and House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, to fold the beleagueredschool into the LSU system Ask any New Orleans politician and they’ll pointtoa project or program he has helped them fund.
Higher ambitions?
When Harris does speak to reporters —something he admits he prefers to avoid—heeschews talkof his achievements, preferring to highlight his fellow lawmakers in both chambers and hisinterest in the minutiae of the legislative process.
legislativespecial session at the State Capitol.
ture morestaunchly conservativethaneverbefore makeshis successeseven more remarkable, accordingto20currentand former officials andpolitical operativesinterviewed forthis story
“Here’sa guy who comes from an area that could literally be ground zerofor attacks from Republican partisans,” said Page Cortez, the former GOPSenate presidentwho encouraged Harris to run for his seat in that chamber
“Yet Jimmy has maneuvered in the deep waters of BatonRougethrough aRepublicangovernor,through twoRepublicanSenatepresidents, and has managed to keep the waters still for his district,” Cortez said Earlyyears
Harris’origins as abipartisan negotiator are deeply embedded in hisconnectionstoRichmond, who himself maintained relationshipswithRepublicans in Congress.
Richmond and Harris grewuptogetherplaying footballinNew Orleans Recreation Department leagues. Harris’ first job in politics wasonRichmond’s1999 campaign for the Louisiana House. After graduating from SouthernUniversityLaw Center,Harris took agig handlinglegislative issues
In 2015, after new term limits knocked aslew of veteran New Orleans lawmakersout of the Legislature, Harrisfelt he had something to offer.His years in government,which also included stintsworking forformer New Orleans mayors Ray Nagin and Mitch Landrieu, taught Harristowrite bills andnavigate the state budget “Wewere about to have a void,” Harris said. “There was alot of institutional knowledge that Iknew that we were losing.”
He was elected to the House thatyear.Harris quickly endeared himself to Republicans and Democrats alike by avoiding lobbyistfunded events in favorof grabbing lunchordrinks withotherlawmakers. Harris and apair of Republicans thenserving in the chamber Henry andKirk Talbot, became “very good friends,” Henry recalled.
“He dealt with people in a courteous way,” said Talbot, who now serves withHarris and Henry in theSenate. “Yet he didn’tbend on his philosophy.”
By thetime Harriswon a Senate seat in 2019, to represent adistrict stretching from New Orleans East to the French Quarter,he hadaweb of relationships in Baton Rouge. Cortez often sought Harris’ counsel over lunchand late-night chats in Cortez’sapartment acrossfrom theCapitol, he recalled.
In Baton Rouge,the state Senate, now led by Harris’ old friend Henry,emerged as an early bulwark against more radical portionsofthat agenda. Harris’ even-keeled approach andlikableness helped broaden Republican senators’ understanding of the cityinthat tense moment,several lawmakers said.
“He’s got away of standingupfor anddefending New Orleans in away that shows people that as New Orleans goes, so goes Louisiana,” said Sen. Patrick McMath, R-Covington.
Senate influence
On the first day of this
“He always has the most intel, is closesttoleadership, and ultimately is the one responsible for making sure New Orleans-area projects getthe moneytheyneed,” saidRep.Mandie Landry, D-NewOrleans, an Uptownbased progressive. Richmond thanksHarris for millions of state dollars he has secured over the years forNORD —the program that brought themen together as boys on the football field.
Talbot, who owns Lucky Dogs hotdog shop in the French Quarter,touts millions he has secured for the French Quarter Development District, part of an effort to cutred tape andenhance security in that hightraffic area.
HelenaMoreno, the City Council vicepresident running formayor,credits Harris forsecuring domestic violencefunding that had been cut from last year’sbudget.
“I knew Ihad to go through Jimmy,” Moreno said.
“I let my work speak for itself,” Harris said. The tiff with Cantrell last year thrust himinto the headlines. Harris was floored,hesaid, by an outpouring of support he received. But that’snow “water under the bridge,” Harris said. In response to arequest forcommentontheir relationship, Cantrell’spress staff said themayor appreciates allstate lawmakers “who work to represent the best outcomesfor thepeople of New Orleans.” Harris has signaled that he may have bigger political ambitions.InDecember, after Algiers-based Democratic state Rep. Delisha Boyd announced arun for Moreno’scitywide council seat,Harrissaidhemight run, too. Those seats are often a next step forNew Orleansbased state lawmakers. Harris’ relative lack of name recognition could proveachallenge in acitywide race. Richmond notes his friend dislikesattending politicalfundraisers, preferring to mingle at secondlines and other community events.Still,Harrisboasts a formidable war chest. Even as he weighs acampaign, Harris and his allies note that his leaving the Senate would come at ahefty price for New Orleans. “He would be agreat atlarge council person,” Richmond said. “He hasanability to stay focused on the real issues and to not get distracted by the noise. But if he left Baton Rouge, we’d have abig void to fill. And I’mnot sure people really appreciate that.” Email James Finn at jfinn@theadvocate.com.
STAFF FILE PHOTO
Sen. Jimmy Harris, D-New Orleans, and Rep. Barbara Carpenter,D-Baton Rouge, embrace on opening dayof a2024
TEACHERS
school to working second and even third jobs, teacherssay they notonly want and deserve raises —they need them. If something doesn’tchange, and soon, many saytheycould be forced toleave theprofession, potentially worsening the state’steacher shortage and jeopardizing recent academic gains that officials have described as “historic.” Louisiana leaders —including Gov. Jeff Landry and state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley —are celebratingthose gains that they largely attribute to teachers’ hard work.
Increasing educatorsalaries would be “a much-deserved win forour unsung heroes,” Landry said in November as he pitched the slateof constitutional amendments that included the raises.
But the gap between the praise for educators and the reality oflow payhas left some teachers feeling frustrated and undervalued
“I’m proud to teach, especially special education,” Cade said. “Louisiana just doesn’tseem to want to help me back.”
An ongoingstruggle
Cade savors the first few moments of the day when she’sstill in bed, eyes closed, before she’s reminded of the billsand responsibilities waiting for her “Itfeels like Iwake up andhit the ground running and Idon’t stop,” she said.
She tries to make her ranchstyle home in St. Rose warm and welcoming for her children, Alura, 7, and Jack, 3. Nearly every inch
is filled with remnants of old art projectsand science experiments.
Buteverywhere Cadelooks, she sees needed repairs: apicture windowheavilydamaged by termites, abroken fence, anonfunctioning dishwasher.Acardboard box near the front door,which herchildren have turned into afort, held anew waterheaterthat Cadebought afterthe family dealtwitha broken onefor six months.
“I couldn’tafford the $500 to fix it,” shesaid. “I spend sevenand a halfhours every day with nine autistic boys, changing diapers,doing all the things required of me, and before Ileft for workevery day,I was changing thebucket underthe heater.”
Born and raisedinMetairie, Cade worked as ahairdresser until
the 2008 recession. Wanting more stability, she turned to the profession of hertwo oldersisters: teaching.
“I’d always lovedbeing around children,” she said. “I thought it was agood way to secure afuture. Asalary, insurance, aretirement plan.”
Cade tookclassesfor six years while working part-timejobs and earned her teaching degree in 2014. She taught at acharter schoolinNew Orleans andinthe St. Charles Parish school system before returning last year to teach in Jefferson Parish, whereshe lives.
Hercurrent salary barely makes adent in her bills, she said. She relies on herparents to help payfor child care and other expenses.
“Theydoitwith grace,” she said, “but it’s definitely ahuge struggle for them.”
Last year,threeyears after her roof was severely damaged during Hurricane Ida,Cadereceiveda stategranttorepair it, but she still hadtopay $2,500 outofpocket— asum she didn’thave. One of her sisters stepped in, giving Cade the $2,000 teacher-pay stipend she had received from the state.
Cade knows she’sfortunate some of her colleagues’ financial situations are moredire. And she’s proud to have provided for her childrenthrough it all. She’s also constantly exhausted.
It shouldn’tbethis hard to get by as ateacher,she said.
“I gotacollege degree,” Cade said. “I’m doing what I’msupposed
to do.”
Araise in thefuture?
It’s been morethan twodecades since Louisiana last approved pay raises for educators through the state’sschool funding formula. MeganBoren,a project manager with the Southern Regional EducationBoard, said states that give districts less funding for teacher salaries generally shiftthe burden to school systems to make up the difference through their local tax base.
In December,Jefferson Parish voters shot down, by amargin of 319 votes out of more than 35,000 cast, amillage that would have raised local educators’ pay by morethan $8,000.
Last week, the district told staff thatthe JeffersonParish School Board voted to increase pay by $1,200 forfull-timecertified employees. That’sabout $50 more per paycheck before taxes.
“I appreciate it,” Cade said, “but it’snot enough.” If lawmakers fail once againto raise teacher pay,more educators will move to higher-paying districts or leave the profession altogether,some advocates have warned.
Back at Cade’shome, she, Alura and Jack sit on the floor in the front room playing with Violet,one of the family’stwo guinea pigs.
Cade says Alura keeps asking if the family can takeabeach vacation soon. They’ve never been, but atrip isn’tinthe budget right now
“One of the hardest parts of livingpaycheck to paycheck is you never gettoplan,” Cade said. “We’re hoping maybe next year.” Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate.com.
Around 300 National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles early Sunday on orders from Trump, who accused Gov.Gavin Newsom and other Democrats of failing to stanch recent protests targeting immigration agents.
The move appeared to be the first time in decades that astate’snational guard was activated without arequest from its governor,asignificant escalation against those who have sought to hinder the administration’smass deportation efforts.
Days of protest
The deployment followed two days of protests that began Friday in downtownLos Angeles before spreading on Saturday to Paramount, aheavily Latino city south of the city,and neighboring Compton.
As federal agents set up a staging area Saturday near a Home DepotinParamount, demonstrators attempted to block Border Patrol vehicles,withsomehurling rocks and chunks of cement. In response,agents in riot gearunleashedtear gas, flash-bang explosives and pepper balls.
Tensions were highafter aseries of sweeps by immigration authoritiesthe previous day,asthe weeklong tally of immigrant arrests in the city climbed above 100.
Aprominent union leader wasarrested whileprotestingand accused of impeding law enforcement
The deployment of the National Guard came over the objections of Gov.Gavin
Newsom, who accused Trump ofa“complete overreaction” designed to create aspectacle of force.
The recent protests remain far smaller than past events that have brought the National Guard to LosAngeles, including the Watts and RodneyKingriots,and the 2020 protests against police violence, in which Newsom requested the assistance of federal troops.
The last time the National Guard was activated without agovernor’s permissionwas in 1965, when President LyndonB.Johnsonsent troops to protect acivil rights march in Alabama, accordingto the Brennan Center for Justice.
‘Verystronglaw andorder’ In adirectiveSaturday, Trump invoked alegal provision allowing him to deploy federalservicemembers when there is ”a rebellion or danger of arebellion against the authorityofthe Government of the United States.”
He said he hadauthorized the deployment of 2,000 members of the National Guard
Trump told reporters as he prepared to board Air
thePetitioner, in theDis‐trictCourt in andfor Bonneville County, Idaho, Case No.CV10-25-1648
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ForceOne in Morristown, New Jersey,Sunday that there were “violent people” in LosAngeles “and they’re not gonna get away withit.”
Asked if he plannedto send U.S.troops to Los Angeles,Trump replied: “We’re gonna have troops everywhere. We’renot going to let this happen to our country We’re not going to let our country be torn apartlikeit was under Biden.” He didn’t elaborate.
Trumpalso said that California officialswho standin the way of the deportations could face charges. AWisconsinjudge wasarrested lastmonth on accusations she helpeda man evade immigration authorities.
“If officials stayinthe way of lawand order,yeah,they will face charges,”Trump said.
Newsom called Trump on Friday night and they spoke for about40minutes, according to the Governor’s Office. It was notclear if they spoke Saturday or Sunday
There was some confusion surrounding the exact timingofthe guard’s arrival. Shortly before midnight,
Trump congratulated the National Guard on a“job welldone.” But less than an hour later,Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said troops had yet to arrive in thecity Active-dutyMarines
In astatementSunday,AssistantHomelandSecurity Secretary Tricia McLaughlin accused California’s politicians and protesters of “defending heinous illegal alien criminals at the expense of Americans’safety.” “Instead of rioting, they should be thankingICE officers every single day who
wake up and makeour communitiessafer,” McLaughlin added.
The troops included members of the California Army National Guard’s79th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, according to asocial media post from the Department of Defense.
In asignalofthe administration’s aggressive approach, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth also threatened to deploy active-duty Marines“if violence continues” in the region.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said the order by Trump
reflected “a president moving this country rapidly intoauthoritarianism” and “usurping the powers of the United States Congress.” HouseSpeakerMike Johnson, astaunch Trump ally, endorsed the president’s move, doubling downonRepublicans’ criticisms of California Democrats.
“Gavin Newsom has shown an inability or an unwillingness to do what is necessary, so thepresident stepped in,” Johnson said. AssociatedPress writer Michelle Price contributed to this report.
FIRSTAND FINAL TABLEAUOFDISTRIBU‐TION Notice is hereby givento the creditorsofthisEs‐tateand to allother per‐son herein interested to showcause within seven (7) days from publication ofthisnotification why the Petition Filing Incor‐
reassuring, his instructions clear: Don’ttouch your computer,don’tspeak to anyone, and above all, act fast.
Shaken, Foret followed orders, withdrawing cash from hislocal bank. To prevent further theft, the caller said, the rest of the money needed asecure location: aBitcoin ATMacross the street at a Chevron.
The 78-year-old Thibodaux native had spent alifetime working oil fields for Texaco andsaidhe’d never even heard of Bitcoin. Now he found himself scanning a QR code that allowed him to send money to an address recorded on something called a blockchain.
It wasn’tuntil the next morning that he began to feel uneasy.Bythen, athird of his life savings was gone, fedin $100bills throughamachine.
“I was so upset that day I didn’tthinkstraight,” Foret said. “They were polished, I guarantee it.”
The use of cryptocurrencies —digital assets that operate on decentralized networks rather than regulated authorities —has exploded in recent years. So too have their physical counterparts.
Thousandsofcrypto ATMs are popping up at gas stations, pharmacies and vape shops across the country
The companies that own them claim the machines makeiteasier for the techunsavvy to investincrypto.
Butmanylaw enforcement officials argue that same convenience allowscriminals to easily scam people and launder money
“Right now,this is not a system that gives any confidence to law enforcement thatit’sbeing legitimately used,” Louisiana Attorney GeneralLiz Murrillsaid.
“There are alot of smarter
JAVIER GALLEGOS
In response toarise in scam cases, abill sponsored by state Rep.Mark Wright would place newrestrictions on
mer of 2023. Since then, he has come across30orsoof the machinesinLafourche.
During the first 10 months of 2024, Lafourche residentsreportedlosing$1.6 million to cryptocurrency scams, with $657,000 fed solely through ATMs.
“If2%ofthe population of Louisiana accountsfor $1.6 million in cryptocurrency fraud, how much is it for the whole state of Louisiana?” Lotz said.
Many cases go unreported by both victims and law enforcement. Whenthey are brought to light, resourcestrappedpolice departments rarely pursue themsince the investigations are unlikely to endinarrests, Lotz said.
“The scam industry has evolved in thepastyears,” said Paul Sibenik, founder and CEO of Crypto Forensic Investigators, aprivate firm
ting people to theATMs is made easier by personal information posted on the dark web by criminal hacker groups. Fraudsters poseascustomer service representatives from banks or tech companies, develop business or romantic relationships, or impersonate local andfederal government agents to convince victims theyowe bogus fines and fees —suchasalleged Social Securityoverpayments or outstanding warrants.
In threeincidents in Lafourche, scammers targeted newer gas station employees, posing as their bosses and convincing them to transfer cash fromtheir office’ssafe into theATMs, said Lotz. Others in the parish were victimsofa nationwide scheme run by aprison gang in Georgia, where cellmates introduced
ally can’tdomuch until funds endupinanonline exchange. Analogoustotraditional banks, exchanges are lawenforcement’sbest chance to recover funds because they provide an opportunity to freezeassets. But that requires cooperation,and most criminals use exchanges based outside theU.S. in countries like the Bahamasorthe Seychelles with weak regulationsand minimalidentification requirements.
“That way if awarrantis served from another countryora lawenforcement agency,theycan say,‘Hey Idon’t have anyinfoonthis person,’” he added.
Even if theexchangeprovides personal information, Lotz says, lawenforcement sometimes hastowait days for search warrants to be processed by ajudge,by
“Inorder to recover funds that are frozen, pretty much every exchange wants alaw enforcement request,” Sibenik added. “This crypto can be very fast,and thelegal system does not movefast.”
Lawmakersrespond Crypto ATMcompanies say they facilitate access to digital currency.Most machines charge between 15% and30% in transaction fees. By comparison, major online exchangeslike Binance, Coinbase,and Kraken charge 0.1% to 0.4% and allow users to convert cash to crypto from home.
“It begs the question why anybody would put cash into amachine like this when they could do it adifferent way,”Murrill said.
In February,Athena Bitcoin, amajor Bitcoin ATM provider,was sued in Maryland forallegedly enabling elder financial abuse. The lawsuit claims the company allowed exploitation by failing to implement adequate safeguards.
Bitcoin Depot, the largest Bitcoin ATMnetwork in theworld,received$5,418 fromForet’s transactions in February.Lotz says it has refused to return the money, despite law enforcement requests. In an email response to The Advocate, arepresentative forthe companysaid Bitcoin Depot was unable to comment on the story
“The most vulnerable people are being affected by the machines, andthese companies are taking 30%,” Lotz said.
Reacting to thelocal cases,LafourcheSheriffCraig Webre calledthe Attorney General’sOffice to raise the alarm. Theconversation prompted the introduction of House Bill 483 during this spring’sstate legislative session.
SponsoredbyRep.Mark Wright,the bill wouldplace new restrictions on crypto
that“no state or government officialwill ever request that cash be deposited into a Crypto ATM.” Murrill said the three-day transaction hold is intended to give lawenforcement a window to recover funds in cases of suspected fraud, citing incidents where Lafourchesheriff’s deputies were able to seize cash from an ATMmoments before it was collected by an armored truck.
The$3,000 daily cap also aims to deter money laundering, as current machines allow unlimitedcash deposits —activity that if large enough would automatically raise redflagsfrom the IRS in traditional banking systems. Murrillsaysthe bill wouldn’tinterfere much with the broader cryptoindustry.OnMay 12, it passed theHouse with a98-0vote, and the Senate approved it Sunday 39-0.
After atraining course in Alabama with the National Computer Forensics Institute, Lotz was better able to wrap his head around the technology Trackingsoftwaresupplied by the federal government has also helped him trace about aquarter of Foret’sstolen funds to aUKbased exchange before they could be withdrawn.
He expects Foret to recover that portion of his moneyany day, returned in the form of Bitcoin. Thanks to bullish markets, the value of his reclaimed funds has grown afew hundred dollars since they werefirst stolen. As he waits, Foret’slast request wassimple.
“Put it out there and let peopleknowhow they do it,” he said.
Email Aidan McCahill at aidan.mccahill@ theadvocate.com.
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Second Harvest Food Bank, the largest anti-hunger organization in south Louisiana, has always struggled to reach and feed the state’s residents when school is out in the summer But officials expect this summer’s work will be even more difficult.
Demand is up, said Lindsay Hendrix, Second Harvest’s chief im-
pact officer And supply is down:
In March, the Trump administration cut about $1 billion in federal aid to purchase food for schools, child care centers and food banks.
That means Second Harvest will receive 100 fewer tractor-trailer loads of food from April to September
“Because of changes that are happening at the federal level, we’re just receiving less federal commodities than we have in the
past,” Hendrix said. “So essentially, what we are now faced with is an increased need at a terrible time.”
At Giving Hope food pantry in New Orleans East, never before have the boxes of food been as light as they were in April, said Betty Thomas, chief operations director The pantry is the only one in New Orleans open five days a week, but after weeks of handing out smaller boxes, Thomas was
weighing whether to close on Saturdays.
She prayed, and God stepped in, she said: Fraternities and sororities organized drives, and a food convention last week passed along its leftovers.
“We just kept playing it day by day,” she said. “I was just amazed at how he (God) supplied the need. He’s been helping us maintain.”
But Thomas is nervous about June and July, she said. Second Harvest distributes food to more than 500 programs and groups across 23 parishes,
including Giving Hope. Their programs are aimed at low-income Louisianans. Since the 1980s, the Agriculture Department has been a major source of that food via the Emergency Food Assistance Program, which buys food from U.S. producers and sends it to banks across the country To grapple with the cuts, which President Donald Trump’s Agriculture Department has said are necessary to curb bloated federal spending, Second Harvest’s board
BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer
This fall a handful of New Orleans schools will have access to centralized special education services, the first step in an effort to help autonomous charter schools join forces to serve students with disabilities.
The new program will provide participating schools with shared special education technology services and training. Six charter school operators have signed up to participate in the program’s pilot year: Audubon Schools, Ben Franklin Elementary School, Hynes Charter School, Morris Jeff Community School, Young Audiences Charter School and Willow School, district officials said.
The first of its kind in the district, the opt-in program will be run by an “education service agency,” a public entity authorized by law to coordinate and provide services. The governance model is still being worked out, but eventually an advisory board made up of representatives from the participating schools will oversee the program. The model is meant to make it easier for smaller and single-site charter schools to provide students with
TOMATO TIME
The 39th annual French Market Creole Tomato Festival was held Sunday at the French Market and in Dutch Alley. The two-day festival celebrated the bright red fruit with cooking demonstrations, dance lessons and live music. ABOVE: Michele Burton-Otis, of the CupCake Fairies on Bayou Road, gives a cooking demonstration of Creole tomato tartar with whipped feta spread on toasted French bread. BELOW LEFT: Visitors look at Creole tomatoes grown by Matt Ranatza Farms. BELOW RIGHT: Anthony Woodward, 4, and Clementine Woodward, 6, try Creole tomato tartar with whipped feta made by Burton-Otis.
BY JONI HESS Staff writer
Sandwiched between the robust retail landscapes of St. Bernard Parish, the Marigny and the French Quarter, the Lower 9th Ward has struggled to attract traditional supermarkets and commercial investment in the two decades since the Industrial Canal wall failed during Hurricane Katrina, swamping homes and businesses. The area is dotted with vacant storefronts, empty lots, gas stations and convenience stores, with two under construction and one in the planning stage. About a third of its pre-Katrina
BY COURTNEY LUCIUS Staff writer
Second suspect arrested in murder
Man was wanted in fatal shooting
BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer
A 19-year-old man wanted in a deadly shooting in a Harvey neighborhood has been arrested and booked with first-degree murder Justin Smith Jr was extradited to Jefferson Parish on Wednesday after he was taken into custody in Tangipahoa Parish, according to Sgt. Brandon Veal, a spokesperson for the Jefferson Parish
Sheriff’s Office. Detectives had obtained a warrant for Smith’s arrest in the April 23 death of Christian Burgau Smith is the second suspect arrested in the investigation. Co-defendant Desmin Chaisson, 19, was arrested May 6 and booked on the same count. Burgau, of Harvey, was shot and killed in the 1100 block of St. Michael Street in Harvey Neighbors who discovered Burgau’s body in a garden in front of a residence said the gunfire made it sound like war zone.
Burgau who did not live at the house where he was injured, was pronounced dead at the scene. The Sheriff’s Office has not released any information about a suspected motive for Burgau’s killing. But detectives were investigating the links between the homicide and a shooting 30 minutes earlier in Marrero that left a 15-year-old boy in critical condition. The 15-year-old victim was shot twice in the chest outside of a residence in the 600 block of Justice Court in Marrero. Witnesses identi-
fied Shawn Dubois, 19, of Harvey, as a suspect in the case, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Dubois lives one street over from the scene of the St. Michael Street homicide, according to court records.
In addition to murder, Smith was booked with obstruction of justice. Bail for that count was set at $50,000. But Smith was being held without bail Friday on the murder count.
Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.
Driver faces homicide charges after crash
BY JILLIAN KRAMER Staff writer
A speeding driver hit and killed two motorcyclists early Sunday morning in New
PICKLEBALL
Continued from page 1B
kick back with a beer after a game.”
The 23,000-square-foot facility shares a home with NOLA Motorcars, complete with a retro Volkswagen Beetle hanging from the ceiling. It offers seven regulation pickleball courts, room for events and pickleball tournaments All ages and levels are welcome.
The facility also offers private or group lessons from professional instructors, including Terri Lamperez, one of the top 50 women’s players in the MidSouth.
Katz said he believes demand for the sport will continue to grow, despite the proliferation of facilities around the area.
“It’s not a fad,” Katz said. “Anybody can play and you can pick it up in a half-hour.”
Unlike some of the other facilities in the area, NOLA PicklePlex will not have
FOOD
Continued from page 1B
CHALLENGES
Orleans East, according to New Orleans police The motorcyclists were at a stop in the 900 block of Almonaster Avenue when police claim 22-year-old Joshua
Stevens hit them from behind at a “high rate of speed,” according to a news release. A man and a woman were declared dead at the scene. Two others were taken to a hospital, police said. Their identities were not released Sunday
Stevens was booked into the Orleans Justice Center on two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular negligent injuring.
Email Jillian Kramer at jillian.kramer @theadvocate.com.
has seven regulation courts.
food and beverage service. But Katz said there is a cooler that sells drinks and he is applying for a liquor license to sell beer
“Each of the facilities around town is different,” said Katz. “Our thing is just we want to make pickleball
fun.”
The cost of a membership ranges from $80 a month for one person up to $180 for a family Nonmembers can pay $20 to reserve a court for 30 minutes. To celebrate its grand opening, NOLA PicklePlex
is offering $2 open play until the end of June and will continue to offer free beginner classes.
NOLA PicklePlex is at 500 Jefferson Highway, open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
SERVICES
Continued from page 1B
disabilities a range of specialized services, which can be financially and logistically challenging, and equalize special education access across the district.
“This is the next frontier of innovation and transformation for our school system,” said Jennifer Coco, interim executive director of the Center for Learner Equity a national nonprofit that focuses on special education and has collaborated with NOLA Public Schools to study potential solutions.
Pilot offerings New Orleans has long struggled to effectively provide services for students with special needs.
Fifteen years ago, a group of students sued the Louisiana Department of Education alleging they were discriminated against because of their disabilities.
Board member Carlos Zervigon said that since the decentralized charter school system took hold after Hurricane Katrina, some schools have struggled to provide necessary services for all students with disabilities, especially those with rarely occurring or highly demanding special needs.
“The smaller the (charter management organization), the harder it was for them to meet the special ed service,” Zervigon said The district won grants to study the problem and explore possible solutions, including a central hub for special education services. The aim was to increase coordination, efficiency and service quality, Zervigon said.
A few years ago, the Center for Learner Equity began meeting with district and school leaders to explore the idea of a centralized service model.
A report the organization published in August found that about three-fourths of the 30 charter school leaders interviewed for the report supported centralizing some parts of special education.
The Booth-Bricker
Fund, a nonprofit foundation, pledged $100,000 to cover startup costs, Coco said.
Each participating school will pay an annual $14,500 membership fee, plus more for using specific services. Initially 80% of the program will be funded through schools and 20% though philanthropic donations. As more schools participate over the next three years, the program will be fully supported by schools.
The program will allow schools to access a technology library shared staff and other resources including training for staff. Schools will be able to borrow assistive technology, such as communication devices for nonverbal children that allow them to ask for things like water or the bathroom, giving them “a literal voice,” Coco said.
Sharing devices will save schools money, Coco said. The program will also provide training so schools don’t have to “navigate on their own ‘How do I use this and how do I use it well?’” she added.
The pilot also will include a team of professionals who will rotate among participating schools, which will be billed based on the services they use The team will include a physical education teacher trained to help students develop gross motor skills, an audiologist who will help with hearing-impaired students and someone trained to help visually impaired students develop mobility skills. Occupational therapists and American Sign Language professionals also will be available.
The initiative has also begun building a database of special education plans, which can often get lost if a student transfers schools, requiring schools and students to start from scratch. The database will initially include just Section 504 plans, which are documents that outline necessary modifications and accommodations for students with disabilities. Schools will also have access to shared professional development.
“We hope this will be a sustainable model that enables schools to provide services at a depth and quality that actually puts students first,” Coco said.
Continued from page 1B has approved emergency spending to purchase more food. The organization is investing in food sourcing, Hendrix said, forming new relationships with manufacturers, vendors and distributors, though realizing savings will take time. Second Harvest has seen the need for food grow in recent years, as the cost of groceries has risen and COVID-era relief programs have disappeared, Hendrix said. “I cannot stand to have a partner call us and say, ‘My shelves are empty, and I have a line of people needing food,’ ” she said. “That sort of situation just really breaks my heart.”
Center and the city’s zoning regulations haven’t kept up.
But a new study spearheaded by the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority has shed light on what it would take to bring a grocery store to an area where more than half its landscape 54% — is chronically vacant and only 2% is dedicated to food and beverage outlets.
Some of the biggest obstacles are city zoning restrictions and an abundance of gas stations and convenience stores, according to the study compiled by economic development strategy group &Access.
NORA launched the St. Claude Retail Study in October with a $2 million allocation from the City Council, as part of a broader goal to revitalize the Lower 9th Ward and support small businesses primarily along the St. Claude Avenue corridor
“This has been a longtime need,” said NORA board member Hattie Broussard during an April presentation of the study’s findings.
“This is something that the community has wanted for a long time and no one else has gotten it done,” she said, crediting NORA for facilitating the project.
Long-term struggles
Despite ample vacant space, attracting grocers to the Lower 9th Ward is challenged by city zoning codes
that restrict small businesses over 10,000 square feet, according to the study.
Most grocers across New Orleans are near or past that size such as locally owned Canseco’s in nearby St. Bernard Parish at 11,600 square feet.
The area is zoned for dense residential communities and limits or prohibits certain commercial activities such as live performance venues, bars, fast-food restaurants, hotels and motels.
Establishments like gas stations, car washes and auto repair shops are allowed, but they are prohibited in the historic district along the upper stretch of St. Claude, which has seen a spate of new investment over the years, including a full-service grocery store. There, a bustling segment of bars, restaurants and entertainment venues are strung along a corridor in a neighborhood widely viewed as the flagship of post-Katrina gentrification. The concentration of convenience and discount stores in the study area, especially those that appear to be in poor condition, can deter grocers from setting up shop, according to the study Prepackaged and shelf stable foods a primary product line in such stores — make up some of the largest expenditures for supermarkets, making it difficult to compete in the same areas, &Access founder Bobby Boone said. One option is to attract a store to a different major
In Lake Charles, a new food bank distribution cen-
thoroughfare Claiborne Avenue — where there are higher numbers of daily commuters and less crowding from convenience stores and other planned investments, according to the study
Grassroots efforts
In the meantime, small businesses are trying to fill in the gaps, such as Sankofa Fresh Start Market on the corner of Forstall Street and St. Claude.
Sankofa Community Development founder Rashida Ferdinand started the nonprofit in 2008 to help restore the area after Katrina by way of fresh food access and environmental initiatives.
The market opened in September, an outgrowth of the open-air produce stand the organization has had since 2017. The market is filled with locally grown fruits and vegetables, grains, dried foods and other food staples. Ferdinand has said the
ter that opened in February is now rarely stocked.
Federal cuts are putting the food bank in a tough spot because while it has a new facility it doesn’t have a lot of food, said Alyssa Frank, Second Harvest’s distribution center impact coordinator
market’s intent, in addition to offering healthy food access, is to inspire the return of businesses on St. Claude. But other challenges remain.
Residents on both sides of the canal are battling plans for a grain terminal that would activate a rail line through neighborhoods. They say the ”grain train” project poses health risks from polluted air and threat-
Second Harvest is one of the largest nongovernmental entities in the state that provides summer meals to young people. About 62% of Louisiana students got free or reduced lunch during the 2022-23 school year, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. But during the summer just 8% of those students receive meals, according to a report from the Food Research & Action Center That rate put Louisiana 45th in the country Staff writer Courtney Pedersen contributed to this report.
ens further population loss and economic divestment.
A nearly $5 million federal project to replace the lock on the Industrial Canal has also stirred controversy and strong opposition from those who fear it will bring years of construction noise and lead to displacement and environmental disruption with little benefit to residents.
But the demand for grocery and retail options re-
mains strong among residents who have long been vocal about the community’s needs.
Officials are still exploring the potential of Claiborne Avenue as the best place for a full-service grocery Study analysts estimate construction costs around $3 million, with $1.4 million in remaining funds from the City Council’s allocation going toward the project.
PHOTO PROVIDED By NOLA PICKLEPLEX NOLA PicklePlex
Baham, Shirley
Gros,Alice Hobart,Stanley
Jeffrey, Betty VanHaelen,Margaret EJefferson
Garden of Memories
Gros,Alice
NewOrleans
EstelleJWilson
Baham, Shirley
St Tammany
EJ Fielding
NewOrleans Area Deaths and11great-grandchil‐dren. Sister of Edward Robert(Joan), PatRobert (Jonell),VernonRobert (late,Pam), K.C. Trahan (late,Gary),Ben Robert (JoAnn),the late Ashley Robert, Maybelle Cheramie, andMyron Robert. Daughter of the lateEugeneRobertand the lateMarie Robert.Alsosur‐vived by numerous nieces and nephews. Aliceworked asa corporate secretary for over 35 yearsand re‐tired as Vice Presidentof DeltideFishing andRental Tools. Shewas thePast President andWestbank RegionDirectorfor Desk and DerrickRegion3.She was also an active member ofthe Belle TerreGolden Ages. Relativesand friends are invitedtoattend the FuneralServicesatGarden ofMemoriesFuneralHome & Cemetery,4900 Airline Drive Metairie,LA70001 on Tuesday,June 10,2025. Vis‐itation will beginat9:00 amwitha Servicestarting at1:00pmfollowedbyin‐terment.Onlinecondo‐lencesmay be offeredat www.gardenofmemorie smetarie.com
Hobart,Stanley
VanHaelen,Margaret
Obituaries
ShirleyJ.Baham entered intoeternal rest on Friday, May 30, 2025ather resi‐dence at theage of 78 Daughterofthe late Gen‐eraland ShirleyJackson MotherofSharlette Williams.SisterofGeneral and WilliamJackson.Also survivedby(3) grandchil‐drenand ahostofgreat grandchildren.Homegoing ServicesonTuesday,June 10, 2025 for11:00 a.m. at Estelle J. Wilson Funeral Home, Inc.,2715 Danneel St.,New Orleans, La.70113 Visitationfrom10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Senior DeputyArchbishopKourt‐ney GlasgowofficiatingIn‐terment:Private.Arrange‐ments entrustedtoEstelle J.WilsonFuneral Home, Inc.,2715 Danneel St., NOLA. Information: (504) 895-4903. To sign online guest book,pleasevisit www.estellejwilsonfh.com.
Gros,Alice R.
AliceR.Grospassed awaypeacefullyather homeonWednesday,June 4,2025 at theage of 81. She was thedevoted wife of Nolan T. Doss andthe proud mother of Wade Gros(Suzanne),Wanda Gros(Victor), thelateJohn Gros, Donna RayPantier (Scott),MargieBagley (Chuck),Nolan Doss Jr and Howard Doss (Stephanie).Dotinggrand‐mother of 9grandchildren
Hobart,Stanley Roberts
StanleyRoberts Hobart a devotedfamilyman of Waldheim, LA passedaway peacefullyathomeonJune 6,2025. Stanleyissurvived byhis loving wife of 33 years,Joy Lynn Dutsch Ho‐bart, hisdaughter, Stephanie“Stevie”Brevé (Nelson), stepsons Weller “Jay” Huhn (Maria)and Glynn Huhn (Julie), and stepdaughter, Nancy Jo‐hansen(Erik), alongwith manygrandchildren and great grandchildrenwho brought greatjoy to his life. He wasprecededin death by his firstwife, MarilynFavret, achild lost shortly afterbirth,his brother Russell,sisterMar‐ion,and parentsClarence and Ruth ShurtleffHobart. Stanwas born in North Amherst,MAand gradu‐atedfromAmherst Col‐lege. He served fortwo years in thearmy, sta‐tionedatCampLeroy John‐son in New Orleans, where hemet his firstwifeand settled there. He begana careerasa research chemist at Southern Re‐gionalResearchCenter where he worked until his retirement. He wasactive inhis church andenjoyed gardening,golfing,wood‐working andhis nightly glass of wine on theback porch.Known forhis quiet strengthand humor,as wellashis healthyap‐petite, he left alasting im‐pactoneveryonehemet His memory will live on in the liveshetouched.Rela‐tives andfriends arein‐vited to attend funeralser‐vices at Waldheim Church 77067 Highway21, Coving‐ton,LA. Visitation at church will be held on Wednesday,June 11,2025 at9:00a.m.withservice to followat11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donationsmay be made in Stan’s memory toNorthshoreFood Bank E.J.FieldingFuneralHome has been entrustedwith funeralarrangements. The Hobartfamilyinvites you toshare thoughts,fondest memories, andcondo‐lences online at E. J. Field‐
ingFuneral Home Guest Book at www.ejfieldingfh com and theOccupational
Jeffrey,Betty Lou Wilson
BettyLou WilsonJeffrey passed peacefullyfrom this world on June 5, 2025, after afull 96 years of life
She was loveddeeplyby her extensive family, revered as apioneering businesswoman and devotedphilanthropist, and a cherished friend to allwho knew her.
Betty was bornin1928 and raised in Louisville Kentucky amongst ahardworking family that ran a successful multi-generational business, Anderson Wood Products. She attendedMary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginiaand graduated from University of Louisville with twoB.A. degrees- one in Historyand one in English Literature. Her graduationpresent, a trip to Europe,was congruent with her sense of adventure and ignitedher life -longloveoftravel.
In Louisville,Betty gota jobasa secretary and met her first husband George H. Wilson. They were married in 1951, and in 1954, theyoung couple movedto NewOrleans to expand the Wilsonfamily business, R.B. Tyler Company. Betty played asupportive role fromhome untilGeorge's untimelydeath in 1977. As awidowedmother of three, she went against advice to sellwhat had become Barriere ConstructionCo. LLCand officially gottowork.
Bettywas Chairwoman of Barrierefor 15 years. She was motivated by the challengeofbeing afemaleexecutive in theconstruction industry during the1970s and 80s, and she infusedthe company with family valueswhileholding space for her sons to take over, which they eventually did.
Bettyset thefoundation forBarriere's Culture of Care as thecompany became aleadingcontractor in theGulf South. Betty prioritizedthe safety and wellbeing of employeesher signature achievement being acomprehensive safety program that, like herself, was aheadofits time.
Betty steppedaway from day-to-daymanagement of Barrierein1994, officially passing thetorch to her sons who establishedthe company's Betty A. WilsonEducationand SafetyScholarship in 1995. She remainedChairwoman Emeritus until Barrierewas acquiredin2021 after four generations and seven decadesofprivateownership and operation As abusinessexecutive, Bettychanneled her influence intoindustry leadership. On behalf of Associated General Contractors, she liaised with theEqual Employment Opportunity Commissiontoinstitute theRoad Builders AssociationOn-the-Job Training Program. She was also integral to creating thealliance that stillexists betweenLouisiana AGC
Safety and Health Administration. In 2004, Betty was elected as an Honorary Lifetime Member of LAGC and inducted into itsHallofHonor Throughout her life, Betty shared her love of people and knack for building consensus with numerous charitable organizations. She was particularly inspiredasa long-time Boardmember of the YMCAofGreater New Orleans and honored as YMCAHumanitarian of the Year in 1988. She wasa Boardmember of Austin Presbyterian Seminary where the BettyWilson Jeffrey Fellowship Fund and afaculty endowment fund were establishedin her honor.
For 40+ years, Betty was an activemember and ElderofLakeview Presbyterian Church where she met her second husband NeillP.Jeffrey Jr. They were marriedin1989 and splittheir time between NewOrleans and Black Mountain, North Carolina where they builta beautiful home and life togetheruntil Neill's death in 1998.
Betty continued to split her time betweenNew Orleans and her mountain home forthe last decades of herlife.She was surrounded by friendsand family and remained active in Bounty and Soul, awellness and educational organizationthatconnects community through local food.
More recently,Betty became amember of St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church where many of hersons, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are active members. She livedout her final years at Christwood Retirement Community.
Bettywas predeceased by her parents, Sidney and Mildred Anderson,brother, SidneyJr.,and twohusbands, GeorgeWilson (1977) and NeillJeffrey (1998). She is survivedby her threesons GeorgeH WilsonJr(Nell), Peter A. Wilson(Lisa) and Bertrand A. Wilson(Me'me'), nine grandchildrenAmelie Sanders (Wess), Nancy McKnight (Bill), George Wilson III, Tristan Wilson, Matthew Wilson (Annie), AndrewWilson(Hannah), PeterWilsonJr. (Rosalind), Mariann Sengelmann (Robert), and Caroline Wolfe (Michael), and 18 great-grandchildren. The family wouldliketo
give special thankstoDr. Mark Berenson andcaregivers, especially Kinyada Carter,Betty Batiste,Lisa Manuel,Alina Ventura, and VivianaGarces, for providingher with acomfortable life over thelast years. Amemorial service has been planned for Monday, June 9atSt. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church.Visitationwill be held at 1:00 p.m. andservice will follow at 2:00 p.m. in theSanctuary. In lieu of flowersand in thespirit of Betty's life, please send donations to Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary or a charity of yourchoice
VanHaelen, Margaret Emilie Defourneaux
Margaret EmilieDe‐fourneaux VanHaelen passedawayonTuesday, June 3, 2025. Shewas born inNew Orleans, LA on Oc‐tober 17, 1943. In 1961, Mar‐garet marriedher beloved ArnoldVan Haelen andto‐gethertheyhad four chil‐dren, Lisa “Doody”Crain (Al), Josh VanHaelen (Mary), Melissa Richardson (Tommy),and JasonVan Haelen(Shawn).She will bedearlymissedbyher twelvegrandchildren: Jonathan(Carrie), Katie (Matt),Benjamin(Sarah), Christopher (Katie), Matthew (Milky),Emily (Luke), Caroline (Brendan), Daniel(McKenna),Zachary (Natalie),Hunter (Brenna), Fletcher, andMarleyand seventeen greatgrandchil‐dren: Caleb, Aiden, Em‐mett, Hailey,Mason,Lucas, Lucy, Maelynn, Brennan, Lillygrace, Blake, Jackson, Camille,Miles, Beau and Lily. Shewas preceded in death by herhusband ArnoldVan Haelen,her parents Gladys VonHoven Defourneaux andRobert Patrick Defourneaux. On October 17, 1943, Margaret and hertwinsisterEmilie wereborninNew Orleans, welcomedbytheir parents and oldersiblingsBobby Caroleand Jeannette.She attended St.Agnes School and Holy Angels Academy. After graduation sheand Arnold marriedand moved
to Norfolk, VA while Arnold was servinginthe US Navy After moving back to Louisiana,theywelcomed their four children.There was always ahot meal waiting everynight for familydinner. Margaret had acareer in thebanking and mortgage industry for manyyears.She enjoyed spendingtimewithfamily and friendsmostofall.The Van Haelensrelocated to Covington andmadeEl Perdido Ranchtheir home Mostfamilygatherings and holidays were cele‐bratedatthe ranch, always withanabundance of deli‐cious food andlotsof laughter. Many happy memoriesweremadefor all.Margaretloved beinga wife, momand MawMaw! She enjoyedmanytrips to DisneyWorld as well as Italy, NorthDakota, Idaho, Georgia,Florida,Ten‐nessee, Ohio,Texas,Vir‐ginia,and NorthCarolina withkidsand grandkids and sometimesgreat grands. Margaret wasan avidgameplayer, always ready fora challenge. Scrabble, Dominoes,the Dicegame, Nickelsand any kindofcardgameout there.She will be missed byall who knew andloved her.Inlieuof flowers, con‐tributionsinmemoryof Mrs.MargaretVan Haelen may be made to St.Jude Children’sHospital (stjude.org). Relativesand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe funeralservices atE.J.FieldingFuneral Home, 2260 W. 21st Avenue, Covington,LA70433 on Thursday,June 12, 2025, at 2:00p.m.withvisitationbe‐ginning at 12:00 p.m. Inter‐mentwillfollowin Pinecrest Memorial Gar‐dens. Allfriends andfamily are invitedtoa Celebration ofMargaret’sLifeatthe Courtyard Marriott Coving‐ton starting at 3:30 pm.E.J FieldingFuneral Home has been entrustedwithfu‐neral arrangements.The Van Haelen familyinvites you to sharethoughts, fondest memories,and condolences online at E. J. FieldingFuneralHome Guest Book at www.ejfield ingfh.com
Baham, ShirleyJ.
SB2
Legislators listened to evidence on fluoride
Iwant to express my gratitude to all the well-informed and astute legislators who recognized thegrave mistake of removing fluoride from Louisiana public water systems.
This contentious issue has been apersistent debate since the 1950swhenwater fluoridation was first introduced. As adental professional, Ialways adhere to evidence-basedinformation to make informed decisions and conclusions. This fight has been ongoing for decades and Iamproud to see that the legislators have finally understood the connection between oraland overallhealth.
Iwant to extend my gratitude for all the undeserved children who lack the means to visit adental hygienistand dentist every six months or once ayear,ifatall.
This also includes the severely handicapped children who, due to their health challenges, cannot undergo general anesthesia if severe dental problems arise duetodental decay.Itistruly commendable thatthe legislators have finally grasped this crucial connection.
Iamthrilled to see that thelegislators have rejected Senate Bill 2, potentially saving many lives.
SUZANNEK.FARRAR retired associate professor,LSU Health School of Dentistry
Cost of unconstitutional laws should notbe bornebytaxpayers
Since our legislators are unable to resist the temptation to introduce inappropriate and unconstitutional bills, Isuggest ajeopardy system in which any bill found to be unconstitutionalwould require areprimand and restitution from the party putting the bill forward. Legislators have no problem putting the health and well-being of Louisianans into hock with capricious laws. They should have no problem reimbursing the state for wasting the time of every representative and senator subjected to careless legislation on thefloor The time spent recalling unconstitutional legislation should also be reimbursed.
Right now,the constituentspay right and left and absorbthe costs of poor governance.
AMELIA BALLEW MIMS Slidell
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR
AREWELCOME.HEREARE
YOUR VIEWS
LEGISLATIVEROUNDUP
The clock is ticking on the 2025 legislativesession. Here aresomeofthe bills that our readers are talking about:
Let’snot raid La.’strust fund reserves fortax cuts
Rep. Julie Emerson’sHouseBill 678 and HouseBill 683 not only revisit the heartof recently defeated Amendment 2but attempt to reinstate the brutal failure of former Gov Bobby Jindal’sfiscal debacle.
Raiding existing reserve funds to payfor taxcuts for the extremely wealthy has projected shortfalls of $500 million in 2029 and $350 million in 2030.
And that is before taking thecoming Medicaid cuts in the current federal budget proposed and supported by Rep. Steve Scalise and Speaker Mike Johnson into account.Add to that the financial devastation anatural disastersuchasa hurricane, tornado or flood, due to what anow-regular rainstormwould impose onLouisiana withFEMA out of thedi-
Draining our financial reserves to payfor taxcuts for theextremely wealthy andinternational corporations, when we can’tfinance fortifying homes in thepaths of natural disasters is foolish, irresponsible and immoral. We will need thesereserves to rebuild from the next hurricane, that, due to cuts at NOAA, we will have lesstime and information to prepare for.Fool us once —like they did with Jindal in 2008, shame on you. Fool us twice,as Emerson’sbills hope to do —shame on us. Let your state senator know to say no to HB678 and HB683.
MARYANNE MUSHATT NewOrleans
SB8 Lawmakers need to keep politics outofcivil service
Senate Bill 8will be voted on the House floor very soon.
If successful, it would go to the voters. It has already passed the full Senate and aHouse committee.
This legislation would allow the entire classified civil service workforce in our state to be politicized. The author of this self-serving bill states that it “tackles the inefficiency of our government in Louisiana with civil service reform.”
Actually,the opposite is true. This bill would allow the Legislature to unclassify any and all positions in our merit-based workforce and replace them with total political appointments without regard to minimum qualifications, past performance or ability
Also, the current 39,000 employees with civil service protection could easily lose their jobs on the whim of politicians, even though they have been exemplary and valued workers. It would also allow this political workforce to take part in political activity.Any political activity an employee is allowed to perform, he or she can be coerced into doing.
State civil service is not perfect, but it is one of the mostsuccessful reforms in the history of our state. It has received numerous national awards forthe effectiveness of its human resource program.The author of this bill says he wants a meritocracy,when in fact his bill totally removes merit from the hiring and firing process and returns us to the outmoded spoils system that our current merit system replaced. Our present system must be retained to ensure the mostqualified applicants are hired and promoted, protected from political influence, and the incompetent or nonperforming are removed. Stop this political ploy before it returns us to the days of Huey Long and the deduct box.
In response to the article, “Louisiana bill would let families sue providers of ‘abortioninducing’ drugs. Here’show” by Alyse Pfeil: Irespect those who believe thatlife begins at conception. But Idon’trespect those who believe their religious or personal beliefsshould supersede mine, or moreimportantly,any woman who believes differently and decides to make the difficult choice to end apregnancy Thereissomuch wrong with this latest effort by some of our legislatorstoattempt to prevent Louisiana women from making their own personalchoice in consultation withtheir doctors. But one aspect of this proposedlaw points out the complete lack of morality of those behind it —though arapistcannot sue
his victim or her doctors, therapist’sparents can. Our legislators are actually sayingthatthe preferences of the parents of arapist should outweigh those of the pregnantrape victim. More specifically,they are sayingthatarapist’sparentshave aright to that grandchild, while thatchild’smother,raped by theirson, has no say in this matter. This is despicable, and furtherproof that while theselegislators claim to value “unborn life,” they clearly do not value the women of our state, including those who are the victimsofthe mostheinous crimeofrape.
MARK D. ZIMMERMAN NewOrleans
DANIEL SULLIVAN retired CEO,Louisiana Civil Service League
HB554
Don’tdiscourage newcitizenswith voting laws
OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com. TO SEND US ALETTER SCAN HERE
Even with fix, closed primariesabad idea
Iappreciate your May 8editorial addressingthe newclosed political partyprimary system for federal elections, which was adopted recently by theLouisiana Legislature to replace the traditional open primary system. Particularly,you wrote in support of allowing voters who are registered as Independentstovote in either the Republican or Democratic primary.Asone who is registered as an Independent, Iamglad thatthe Legislature will fix thecurrent law prohibitingIndependentsfrom voting in other party primaries. However,Iwish that it wouldn’t matterinwhich partyavoter is registered. Theold open primary system madeitpossible that all citizens had achoice to vote for their preferred candidate in the primary,and
themost popular two (if no one received a majority vote) met in arunoff. That system was alot simpler and less expensive than theclosed primary system. In manycases, theelection was over after the primary,and there was no need for arunoff. Now, there may be arunoff in one or bothparties after theprimaries, followed by ageneral election between the political partynominees. Why theswitched to closed primaries? Because political parties do not like the people to have thechance to choose acandidate who is not devoted to their party. Acandidate who will vote for the best interest of the people, not necessarily thebest interest of apolitical party. Toobad.
CHARLES
LAMAR Baton Rouge HB420
The House Bill 554 terms should be readily available to newly naturalized citizens and those on the path to citizenship. Awebsite link to the new rules and how to adjust one’sIDordriver’slicense status can be created easily but needs to work consistently.Unfortunately,most Louisiana state departments are inefficient. Lawsand their resultant regulations can becomeproblematic for tworeasons: The legal terminology is dense, and/or the law is published only in English. Nonetheless, a savvy new citizen will be able to find assistance here in French, Vietnamese, MiddleEastern languages andSpanish If youare anaturalized citizen, like my father,nostate letterhead missive will deter you from voting. Youknow your rights. VALERIEWALKER NewOrleans
STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
The legislativesession must end by June 12
COMMENTARY
GATOR RIDE
Cool! We received 707 entries in this week’sCartoon Caption Contest.Thesewerereally funny! It was atreat to readthrough the entries from startto finish.This week’swinner was aJefferson Parish residentuntil he evacuated due to Katrina 20 years ago. He now lives in North Carolina with hisfamily and has been acontest finalistbefore.Terrificjob, everyone! As always, when we have duplicateentries,and we always do, we pickthe earliest sent in. Here are this week’swinner and finalists.Well played, folks! Best— Walt
JIM FLOCK,HARAHAN: “Wait!youmean ‘BonVoyage’,not‘BonAppetit’,right?”
RICHARD ROBBINS,NEW ORLEANS: “On second thought,IWILL takethe premium rental upgrade!”
JIM CRIGLER,BATONROUGE:“See you later,what?!?!”
PAMELA RIDER,BATONROUGE: “HeyTroy, areyou sure this idea will catch on for anew show?”
GRANT LANDRY,NEW ORLEANS: “This is not as relaxing as my wife said it would be!”
MARYANN RIDDLE,BATONROUGE: “I’ll paythe rental fee when Ireturn.
LOUELLENADEN BERGER,NEW ORLEANS: “I didn’t read the fine print!!”
RALPH STEPHENS,BATON ROUGE:“What do youmean?!?‘The paddleboards haven’t been delivered yet’!?!”
MICHELE STARNES,KENNER: “Suddenly, therental waiver feels very inadequate!!”
GISELE PRADOS,METAIRIE: “This is not what Iwas expecting when the travelguide
saidAlligator Tours.”
PETER KOVACS,BATON ROUGE: “your insurance bill must be brutal.”
ASHLEY LABAT,METAIRIE: “Whydoes this feel more likea smorgasbord?”
DAVID DELGADO,NEW ORLEANS: “I think I’ll stick to the City Park Swan Boats!”
MARKDISPENZA,BATONROUGE: “This is your‘nofall’guarantee?!”
EDWARD LASCELLE,PINEVILLE: “The deposit returnisthe least of my concerns now!”
DUKE RIVET,BATON ROUGE:“NowI knowwhy yousaidthiswas your snappiest paddleboard!!”
BOBUSSERY,NEW ORLEANS: “Wait! What did youmean by‘lunch is included’?”
RAYAUTREY,MORGAN CITY: “I’ll definitelybeback before his feeding time!”
Thefuture of warfare is here
Ukraine may not have “the cards,” as President Donald Trumpput it, but it does have drones. They were used to great effect in an audacious attack within Russia that has focused the world’sattention on arevolution in warfare.
JOHNWEGER,BATONROUGE: “This new self-propelled paddleboard seems great so far!” Rich Lowry
You’ve gottobetaughttohate
While contemplating thehorror of two young and soon to be engagedIsraeli Embassy employees who were gunned down by aman shouting “free Palestine” and “I did it for Gaza,” outsidethe Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C., recently,Irecalled theopening line to asong from theold offBroadway musical “The Fantasticks” —“Youwonder how these things begin.” That song speaks to the love between aboy anda girl. Applied to the Washington shootingsitmakes youwonder how hate begins. Theologically,itgoes back to theGarden of Eden, but in modern times, it begins at certain universities andbigoted social media sites
tents, printedsigns and any travel, accommodations and food for those who come from out of town? Howmany of the demonstrators are not students?
Abadly outmanned and outgunned country just reached farinside its adversary’sterritory to destroy or damage hugely expensive, nuclear-capable strategic aircraft with low-cost drones basically indistinguishable from ones available on Amazon. It’s not quite David versus Goliath, because the Russian giant is not going to be felled by the blow,but the diplomatic and psychological impact of the raid could be profound, as Ukraine seeks to demonstrate to the West its staying power For creativity and outsized effect with widely available devices, the Ukrainian attack is in the sameleague as Israel’s beeper attack on Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon last year.Both operations also carry amessage about new vulnerabilities —toacompromised supply chain and to surprise drone attack —that should make us take notice.
We’ve just watched the equivalent of aviation legend Billy Mitchell’sdemonstration in 1921 when he had U.S. planes sink a former German battleship, in adisplay of the emerging potency of air power Ukraine’sOperation Spider Webcombined Mission Impossible-style intrigue —the drones were secreted within Russia and someofthem launched from containers attached to trucks, unbeknownst to the drivers —with clever innovation.
The attacks spanned several timezones and hit 41 Russian aircraft, according to the Ukrainians.
The operation wasthe latest iteration of acat-and-mouse drone warbetween Ukraine and Russia. The Ukraine conflict is essentially awar of attrition, yet it is anything but static, as the meansof waging it change almost by the week. Offensive innovation is met with defensive countermove, triggering another change on offense.
Drones are vulnerable to electronic jamming? Then, they’ll be controlled by massive spools of fiber optic cable. Drones threaten supply routes? Then, the roads will be covered with netting. And drones will be attacked by other drones. What the siren of the Stuka dive-bomber wastothe Blitzkrieg —anunmistakable herald of anew wayofwaging war —the high-pitched whirr of the drone is to the Ukraine war.
Estimates are that drones now inflict about 70% of casualties on both sides, and there are literally millions of them. Russia deployed roughly 4million drones last year,and Ukraine about 1.5 million.
We have much to learn from all this. Every commander of aU.S. base should be thinking anew about potential vulnerability to drone attack, and it’snot hard to imagine the Chinese utilizing drones to execute awide-ranging strike in the Western Pacific if Beijing goes after Taiwan.
Chants of “from theriver to the sea,” especially when the few who are interviewed can’tidentify theriver or the seaiscode for destroying Israel and justifying the killing of Jews. Consider the reluctance of somewho refused —orslowly waited to comment on the shootings, including some Democrats in Congress.
why this small group of people have been singled out over the centuries as thecause of everything bad, especially when they have contributed so much to theworld that is objectively good.
The Jewish lyricist Oscar Hammerstein may have gotten to theheart of it when he wrote “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught”for the musical “South Pacific.” Here is part of the lyric, which readers should Google and read in its entirety:
“You’ve got to be taught to hateand fear,
The hatred of Jewsisnot new.It extends back several millennia. That so many universities tolerate andsome professors promote Jewish hatred is not free speech. It is incitement which, taken at the extremeasitwas recently, leads to murder.The people responsible for this cannot washtheir handsofthe blood of those innocents, anymore than Pontius Pilate could exoneratehimself from Christ’scrucifixion by Roman soldiers by symbolically washing his hands and claiming, “I am innocentof this man’sblood.”
Ihave raised this question before, but it is worth repeating. Whydothe media never ask who is underwriting these demonstrations, including paying for
Until President TrumpbegandeprivingHarvard and other elite schools of federal grants, these institutionswere getting away with effectively beingaccessories to murder.Would these university presidents, who have done little or nothing to curtail the hatefuldemonstrations,have tolerated KKK rallies on their campuses? Not likely
Some alumni have stopped giving to their alma maters. More should. Parents should pull their kids out of thesepricey schools or not send them there. It is amazing that some parents are shocked tosee their children adopt ideas that contradict their fundamental values. What did they expect?
Some historians datethe start of persecution, violence, attempts at genocide anddeportations of Jews to the NeoBabylonian Empire (605 BC). There are ongoingdebates and discussions
You’ve got to be taught from year to year,
It’sgot to be drummed in your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught!”
The alleged killer of those two embassy employees (if convicted, he should get thefederal deathpenalty), theterrorist murders of Jews in Israel by Hamas and Iran’sHouthi proxies, thevilification of Jews by professors at certain universities, are instructing a new generation to hate. The universities that tolerate hate should be punished morethan just depriving their schools of grants. The professors who poison young minds should be fired, hate groups banished from campuses and thecountry,and the demonstrators held accountable.
Email Cal Thomasattcaeditors@tribpub.com
Once aleader in drone technology when its Predators were taking out targets in the WaronTerror,the U.S. hasn’tkept up with the adaptations happening in the Ukraine war. Inevitably,our own bureaucratic processes are our worst enemy
As head of the U.S. National Drone Association, Nathan Ecelbarger,writes, the system foracquiring drones “remains deeply flawed, overly bureaucratic and resistant to innovation.”
We’ll have to focus moreondefenses, too, from early detection to counter-drone capabilities. The problem with using missiles to defeat drones is the asymmetry in expense —anSM-2 missile costs millions, whereas aHouthi drone costs thousands. And drone swarms could overcome abattery of missiles.
This is the reason whythe work of nextgeneration defensefirmslikeEpirus, which has developed ascalable, high-power microwave technology platform that can knock aswarmofdrones from the sky is so important.
What’shappening in the Ukraine war is the norm in human conflict. It’s adapt or watch your castle get reduced to rubble, your fleet get sent to the bottom of the ocean or aleg of your nuclear triad get assaulted by,essentially,aplaything of hobbyists.
Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry.
WINNER: Jeff Hartzheim, Fuguay-Varina, North Carolina
Cal Thomas
NewOrleans Forecast
Louisiana Irish family consulted on music, dance in ‘Sinners’
BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer
When Hollywoodcame calling, Tony Davoren almost didn’tanswer the phone. Around this time lastyear, Tony andhis wife,Sheila Davoren, were getting ready for their usual summer work: teaching Irish dance camps. The Louisiana-based couple travelthe country leading workshops in Irish dance, culture and folklore, combining their backgrounds in dance and music —Sheila as afirstgeneration Irish American whotoured with Riverdance, and Tony as an Irish musician who has recorded with Sting, The Chieftains and Sinead O’Connor
That’swhy Hollywood called. An agent was asking if Tony would be interested in speaking with Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson, famous for his work on such projects as “Oppenheimer,” “Creed”and “Black Panther.”
That’sabig name andbig films,representinga potential major opportunity— but Davorenthought he couldn’t take thecall. He explained thatitwas their busytime of year,but the agent convinced him to hear Göransson out.
“They asked if Iwas familiar with the Scottish folk song ‘WillYeGo, Lassie, Go?’ and the Irish song ‘Rocky Road to Dublin,’” said Davoren. “Tosay I’m familiar with those two songs is an understatement. I’ve known and loved and cherished them all my life.”
When Davoren was achild, he hung out with his father’s band, The Rocky Road, and spent time in his dad’sfolk club in Coventry,England— also named The Rocky Road.
Helping Hollywood
His mother’sfavorite song was “Go, Lassie, Go,” which is also knownbythe name “Wild Mountain Thyme.”
Today, the Davorens’ familysongis“RockyRoad to Dublin”—sothe Irish folk tune is very much at the heart of their work sharing Celtic culturewith the world.
“Rocky RoadtoDublin” plays apivotal roleinthe film “Sinners,”from “Creed” and “Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler.Now one of the top-grossing films of 2025, themovieisset in the MississippiDelta in the 1930s,and starsMichael B. Jordanwith EnglishIrish actorJack O’Connell. O’Connell plays Remmick, a 1,200-year-oldvampirewho grew up in Irelandbefore theNorman invasion AccordingtoaVulture magazine piecetitled“We needtotalk about the Irishdancing vampiresin‘Sinners,’”the song is amajor part of one of the movie’s most important scenes oh, and there’salsoMichael B. Jordan, HaileeSteinfeld Jack O’Connell and others performing authentic Irish step dancing. They pulled it off, thanks to the Davoren family team. Just acouple of weeks aftertaking the Göransson call, Davoren and his wife and daughter,dancer Roisin Davoren, had signedNDAs and were busy on setinNew Orleans.Their job was toensure thatall things Irish— song, dance, accent —were accurately portrayed in the film.
“I’ve seen so many movies get Irish or Cajun orLouisiana stuff wrong,” Davoren said. “Thismoviehad every aspect covered, from Delta blues to Irish songs —even an expert on twins.They wouldcalland text me about individualwords, simple things like ‘would this word have been used around this time.’ They even had me record the Lord’sPrayer in an Irish accent for Jack to learn
“The thing Ilearned the most is, you can never go
into toomuchdetailona project you’retrying to get right.”
Davoren opened up his Rolodex, bringing LouisianaCreole musicians like JefferyBroussard on board for recording and scene work. He madescratch recordings of thesongsso the actorscould learnthem properly,playedthe Irish bouzouki and hand drum for the soundtrack, and even recruited a“hodgepodge of aCeltic choir” from around the country of people who could sing, or be trained to sing, in an Irish accent Sheila and Roisin Davoren took over thedance training. According to Davoren “Jack (O’Connell) is seriously talented. His dad is from Ireland, he spentsummers there, he grew up learning Irishdance. My wife and daughter came up with a simplechoreography,but he showed up to rehearsal withhigh-level Irish dance moves. Itwowed the socks off them.”
He also found out that Cooglerhimself is ahuge fan of Irish folk tunes.
“Hehad elite knowledge of Irish music,” said Davoren. “He said that he and his kids love singing alongtoIrish songs. Watching him work, when we put the RockyRoad scene together for the first time —Ryanwas moving hiscameraman around,explaining the shots he wanted, likeadance within the dance. The vision he had for thescene wasphenomenal;I was blown away.”
Davoren said his daughter is enjoyingbasking in the limelight of theexperience. She is currently attending university in Dublin, and hopestodance and teach professionally one day like her parents. He said that“she didn’tget overawed by stardom. She was real firm and clear,telling Michael B. Jordan and the other actors nottobe too bouncy,put your hands down,bemore stoic.They listened to her.” For his part,Davoren says
and
thathewas humbled by the opportunity to share somethingheloveswith theentireworld. “I’vebeen afolkmusic nerdsince Iwas 7or8,” he says. “Playing all this uncool
music in yourroomyour friends hate, wasting what seemslike hours and hours —never thinking it’sgoing to be cool. It’sjust apassion. To be askedbypeople in Hollywood at that level
to envisionthe treatment of these songs —it’sjust a fabulous honor.” Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown @theadvocate.com.
PHOTOSPROVIDED By TONy DAVOREN
Tony Davoren, right,
‘Sinners’ star JackO’Connell stand on setafter filming the ‘Rocky Road to Dublin’scene.
Tony Davoren records an Irish ensemble choir with actors Peter Dreimanis and Lola Kirke for the composer of ‘Sinners,’LudwigGöransson.
SPORTS
Dumars’ vision for Pelicans franchise
VP discusseswhere team is headed under hisleadership Q&A
BY RODWALKER Staff writer
Joe Dumars has been quite busy sincehe was hired as executive vice president of basketball operations for the New Orleans Pelicans in mid-April.
There’splenty of work to do when you take over afranchise coming offa 21-61 season, the second-worst record in franchise history
It’sprobably why Dumars’ office in the Pelicans’ facility still looks barren.Adesk. Achair.Ashelf witha coupleofframed photos of his family.That’sit.
There are no remindersofDumars’ glory days as aplayerinDetroit when hehelped the Pistons win back-to-back NBA titles in 1989 and 1990. Thereisn’t anything to let you know that the Pistons won another title 14 years later whenhewas in charge as director of basketball operations.There’s nothing in the office that wouldlet youknow that Dumarsisinthe Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame or the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. Dumars, aNatchitochesnative who went on to star at McNeese State, doesn’t really have time these daystoreflectonhis past. His focus right now is solely on thefuture of the NBA franchise in his home state It’s up to himtotry to getthings pointed in the right direction.
Dumars took time out of hisbusyscheduletotalk to sports columnist Rod Walker.A wide range of topics were discussed,includingthe future plans for starforwardZion Williamson and head coach WillieGreen
ä See DUMARS, page 5C
during his introductory news conference as the Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations on April 22 at the Ochsner SportsPerformance Center
Andthen there were two.
Twoteams left in the NCAA baseball tournamentfrom theSoutheastern Conference.
OneisLSU. The other is Arkansas.
That’sit.
On top of that, the way the bracket set up is going intothe NCAA tournament,with Arkansas as the No. 3 national seed and LSU as the No. 6, they’ve been set on acollision course from the beginning. So only one can possibly survive all the way to the College World Series finals.
DOWN TO TWO
TheSEC has thetwo best teams left in theNCAA Tournament,but surprisingly that’s all
ä Tigers in the super regional LSU-West Virginia ended after this edition went to press. For complete game coverage, visit nola.com
True, theTigers and Razorbacks went intothis super regional weekend as the co-favorites to win thisyear’s CWS, according toESPNBet. So it wouldn’tproduce anyshock waves at any Las Vegas sports books if either produced theSEC’sfifth straight national champion. The shock is that no one else from the SEC is still in therunning after gettingarecord 13 teams in the field.
Iwouldn’tsay the mighty have fallen, but the mighty definitely stubbed their collective toes. On both feet. No. 1overall national seed Vanderbilt, asoft No. 1inmyopinion, almost suffered the embarrassment of going 0-2 in its ownregional, bowing out in three games. No. 2 overall seed Texas, the SEC regularseason champion, got knocked out in its regional final by in-state little brother UTSA.
Alabamawent 0-2 in its regional. Florida, 1-2. Georgia, the No.7national seed, started out by bashing Binghamton 20-4 (the Bearcats are known forbeing Tony Kornheiser’salmamater,not for baseball), then lost the next two. No.10Ole Miss, Mississippi State, Oklahomaand Kentucky all fought through to their regional finals, with Kentucky fallingbyone run (13-12) to the West Virginia team that
ä See RABALAIS, page 3C
LSU shortstop Steven Milam walks fromthe dugout before the Baton Rougesuper regional Game 2against West Virginia on Sunday at Alex Box Stadium. The game wasdelayedbyapproximatelythree hours because of inclement weather STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSUsprinterWatkins
BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer
While Jelani Watkins wasinhis starting blocks at the NCAA East regionalfor the 100-meter race in Jacksonville, Florida, the LSU sprinter had one thought dominating his mind.
“It’s either me or them,” the20-year-old said. “So either you eat or youget ate, and Iwasn’ttrying to be the onethatgot ate.”
The starter pistol’sgunshot signaledWatkins it was time feast.
The 5-foot-9, 163-pound sprinterran apersonal best of 10.01 for the third-fastest time in the regionalquarterfinals on May31, advancinghim to the NCAA Championships. Watkins’ mentality remained unchanged an hour later in the 200, setting anotherpersonal best of 20.24for the 10th-fastest mark in the quarterfinals, adding another eventto
histrip to Eugene, Oregon. He will be among the21entries, nine men and12 women, LSU sends to Hayward Field at theNCAA Championships from June 1114.
Watkinsembodied apair of tattoos on his left arm: “golden child” and “one of one.”
While the first piece could be mistaken as anod to theblonde in his dreadlocks, the tandem of ink refers to his uniqueness.
“I just think there is nobody else like me,” he said.“Ijust thinkI’m like arare breed.”
Watkins proved that by becoming the onlyfreshmaninthe country to qualify in themen’s100 and 200 meters for the NCAA Championships. He’ll also compete on LSU’s 4x100-meter relay team that finished fourth in the regional. The standout expected success, but he didn’tthink he would be theonly freshman to do what he did.
Bennie Brazell, a14-year LSU assistant coach whotrains the sprinters and is aformer LSUtrack star,isthe least surprised. He has considered Watkinsa“generational talent” since he saw him as asophomore at Klein High School in Texas.
One of Watkins’ defining qualities is his speed in the final50meters. When Watkins was asenior at Atascocita High School,he anchored a4x100 relay team that earned atimeof38.92, breaking anational high school record that had stood since 1998.
The first-year standout’sathleticism isn’t exclusive to the track as he plays for the LSUfootball team after being touted as the No. 28 wide receiver in the nation in 2024, according to 247Sports. As seamless as histrack successwas, it wasthe opposite on the gridiron.He
See LSU, page 2C
STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER JoeDumars speaks
Scott Rabalais
THE FRENCH OPEN
Alcaraz wins French Open in thriller
BY JEROME PUGMIRE
AP sportswriter
PARIS Bad starts in Grand Slam
finals are nothing new for Carlos Alcaraz, and each time it’s happened he has won the tournament anyway
But not in such dramatic style as Sunday’s French Open final, however, when the Spaniard rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (10-2) for his fifth major title in as many finals.
It was his second straight French Open title with a comeback, after trailing 2-1 in sets to Alexander Zverev in last year’s final, and a third major title from behind, following his five-set win against Novak Djokovic in the 2023 Wimbledon final.
In producing one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the clay-court tournament on Sunday, he emulated Djokovic’s feat from the 2021 final at Roland-Garros when the now 24-time major winner fought back from two sets down to beat Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“I’m just proud. I’m just really really happy,” Alcaraz said before praising Sinner “I know how hard you are chasing this tournament. You’re going to be champion, not once, but many many times. It’s a privilege to share the court with
you in every tournament, making this story with you.”
It was the first time that Sinner had lost a Grand Slam final, but the fifth time in succession he has now lost to Alcaraz, who clinched the 20th title of his career at the age of 22.
Unending drama
It was also the longest-ever French Open final — 5 hours, 29 minutes — in the Open Era It was so tight that Sinner won 193 points, Alcaraz 192.
It might not have been close to those numbers.
For after 3 hours, 43 minutes, Sinner had his first match point. But with just over five hours since the match began, Alcaraz served for the title at 5-4 up.
The drama was still not over Sinner made a remarkable retrieve from yet another superb Alcaraz drop shot. At the very limit he could stretch to, Sinner glided the ball over the net, with the ball landing with the softness of an autumn leaf and out of Alcaraz’s reach to make it 15-40.
When Sinner won the game to make it 5-5, it was his turn to milk the applause and he was two points away from victory in the 12th game, with Alcaraz on serve and at 15-30 and at deuce.
But Alcaraz made a staggering
cross-court backhand to make it 6-6 and force a tiebreaker, with the crowd going wild when Alcaraz’s cross-court winner made it 4-0.
“Just amazing the support you have given me today,” Alcaraz said. “During the whole tournament.”
Little sleep for Sinner
Sinner could not find a way back and Alcaraz won the tiebreaker and the match with a superb forehand pass down the line and then fell onto his back to celebrate. Then he rushed over to dance and hug the team members in his box.
“I’m very happy for you and you deserve it, so congrats,” the 23-year-old Sinner told Alcaraz. ”It’s an amazing trophy, so I won’t sleep tonight very well, but it’s okay.”
Nightmare ninth
Sinner may not sleep at all if he thinks about the ninth game of the fourth set, which turned into a nightmare.
Serving to stay in the match at 5-3 down, Alcaraz trailed 0-40 to give Sinner three match points.
Sinner may particularly regret the second match point when, with Alcaraz on second serve, he hit a hurried backhand which landed just out. He then hit a forehand into the net for another unforced
error making it deuce.
The crowd chanted “Carlos, Carlos,” in delight and roared when Alcaraz hit an ace, then gave him a standing ovation when his audacious forehand down the line went in — to win that game — and again when he broke Sinner’s serve to level at 5-5.
Sinner’s sportsmanship
Despite having just lost a chance to win another major, Sinner showed great sportsmanship to give Alcaraz the point for a 30-0 lead in the 11th game.
Alcaraz’s forehand landed at the back of the court and, as the chair umpire prepared to come down and inspect the mark, Sinner told her to go back because he saw the ball was in.
The crowd applauded him for that, but was rooting clearly for Alcaraz and the noise level erupted when Alcaraz won the fourthset tiebreaker to level the match.
By now, the fans had what they wanted an Alcaraz comeback and fans showed their unbridled delight when he won points with astounding drop shots from deep or leapt to bang cross-court forehands with astonishing power and accuracy.
Alcaraz hit 70 winners, compared to 53 for Sinner, who might have been feeling like it was a case of déjà vu.
Sykes, Mystics dominate inside to roll past Sun
WASHINGTON Brittney Sykes scored 28 points, making 14 of 15 free throws, and the Washington Mystics cruised to a 104-67 win over the Connecticut Sun on Sunday
Rookie starters Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron scored 12 and 11 points, respectively, and Sug Sutton had 10 for the Mystics (4-6), who never trailed. Shakira Austin scored 14 and Aaliyah Edwards added 13 off the bench.
Washington shot 57% (36 of 63) with 24 assists and made 26 of 37 from the line for its first 100-point game since 2023. Connecticut was 39% (26 of 66) from the field and 8 of 9 on free throws.
The Mystics dominated the boards with a 42-22 rebounding advantage and outscored the Sun 56-24 in the paint.
Astros’ throwing error costly in loss to Guardians
Nolan Jones scored the goahead run on a throwing error by pitcher Steven Okert in the seventh inning, and the Cleveland Guardians beat the Houston Astros 4-2 on Sunday to avoid a three-game sweep.
Steven Kwan followed with a sacrifice fly, plating Bo Naylor, as Okert (1-2) allowed two runs in his lone inning. Houston had tied the game at 2-all in the top of the seventh on Cam Smith’s tworun double against Tanner Bibee.
Cade Smith (2-2) retired all five batters he faced, striking out three. Emmanuel Clase worked the ninth for his 14th save.
Jake Meyers matched a career high with four hits for the Astros, who have won 10 of their last 14.
Hemi power: Ram plans return to NASCAR in ’26
Ram will return to NASCAR next year in the Truck Series, a comeback the Stellantis-owned brand believes is the first step toward launching a stock car program in the top Cup Series. Ram, which left NASCAR after the 2012 season, will race in the third-tier Truck Series alongside rivals Ford, Chevrolet, and Toyota. Ram becomes the first new manufacturer to enter NASCAR at the national level since 2007.
Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis made the NASCAR announcement Sunday before the Cup race at Michigan International Speedway Kuniskis has bold goals and ideas — he’s vowed to make 25 product announcements over 18 months — and he said Ram will enter its trucks aggressively with the intention to be disruptive.
Caglianone posts first multihit game with Royals
CHICAGO Kansas City Royals rookie Jac Caglianone showed off his sweet swing on Sunday, posting his first multihit game since his promotion to the major leagues.
Continued from page 1C
appeared in two games and redshirted.
Watkins would be lying if he said his zero-stat football season wasn’t a letdown. However, not many know that feeling better than his coach, who also redshirted his first football season before eventually being drafted in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL Draft.
“Sometimes football starts off slow for some guys,” Brazell said “It took me a couple of years, but at the same time, I was able to click quick with track and field. So it’s just a process You got to be patient, but you got to have that mindset to continue working no matter what.”
That mindset has hardened an already dogged Watkins.
“Coming into this track season, I was kind of fueled up by how football went for me, because I wasn’t really productive. So that just kind of fueled me, to make me go harder.”
JELANI WATKINS, LSU sprinter
that Watkins’ tools and mindset will etch his name among the greats in LSU’s rich history of track and football standouts: Eddie Kennison, Kary Vincent, Donte Jackson, Eric Reid and many others.
Caglianone lined a single to center in the first inning at the Chicago White Sox. He doubled in the fourth, recording a 113.6 mph exit velocity on his drive into the gap in right-center He singled again in the sixth and in the eighth.
Caglianone 22, was selected by Kansas City with the No. 6 pick in the 2024 amateur draft out of the University of Florida. The outfielder/first baseman batted .322 with 15 homers and 56 RBIs over two minor league stops before he was promoted by the Royals last week.
Niemann wins in Virginia for 4th LIV title this year
“Coming into this track season, I was kind of fueled up by how football went for me, because I wasn’t really productive,” he said. “So that just kind of fueled me, to make me go harder.” Watkins moved away from Louisiana after the fifth grade, and part of his decision to come to LSU was to be a “hometown hero” like Odell Beckham — his favorite NFL player Beckham is one of the biggest names on a long list of LSU star
receivers, which includes Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase, currently in the NFL.
Before he potentially adds his name to that list, he wants to leave his mark on the track program despite his newness.
“I just don’t go into any race with fear, because you can’t,” Watkins said. “You can’t fear no man. They’re running just like how you’re running It’s either you or them.” Brazell said he has confidence
When Watkins walks off the plane in Eugene, gratitude will fill him It’s not lost on him that freshman seasons like this are many athletes’ fantasies. However his goal goes beyond being happy to share the track with the best of the best in college.
The golden child wants to win.
“You come to LSU to win championships, period,” Brazell said. “He’ll be an NCAA champion one day in track and field. Believe that. And he’ll be an NCAA champion in football. Keep the tradition going.”
Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com LSU
Joaquin Niemann won LIV Golf Virginia on Sunday for his fourth victory in the Saudi-funded tour’s first eight events of the season closing with an 8-under 63 to beat Graeme McDowell and Anirban Lahiri by a stroke.
Niemann broke out of a jam at the top with birdies on Nos. 14-17 and parred the par-4 18th to finish at 15-under 198 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club.
The 26-year-old Niemann also won this year in Australia, Singapore and Mexico. He has six career LIV victories after winning twice on the PGA Tour McDowell shot 66, and secondround leader Lahiri had a 68. Bryson DeChambeau had a 65 to tie for fourth with Phil Mickelson (65) and Bubba Watson (67) at 13 under
PROVIDED PHOTO By KRISTEN yOUNG/LSU ATHLETICS
LSU freshman Jelani Watkins posted a time of 10.01 seconds in the 100-meter dash at the NCAA East regionals. The time is the sixth best mark in program history.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LINDSEy WASSON
Carlos Alcaraz celebrates with the trophy after winning the singles final at the French Open against Jannik Sinner at Roland-Garros stadium on Sunday in Paris
Razorbacks cruise past Vols, earn spot in CWS
By The Associated Press
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Logan Maxwell had three hits, including a game-breaking grand slam, and Arkansas defeated reigning national champion Tennessee 11-4 to sweep the best-of-three Fayetteville super regional and advance to the College World Series for the 12th time.
The Razorbacks had a 3-1 lead with two outs in the fourth inning when Maxwell hit a 1-2 pitch over the leftfield wall Third-seeded Arkansas will face the winner of the Baton Rouge super regional between LSU and West Virginia.
With two hits in the eighth and two in the ninth, including a two-run home run by pinch hitter Jay Abernathy, Tennessee finished with eight hits.
MURRAY STATE 19, DUKE 9: In Durham, North Carolina, Dustin Mercer had four hits, Dom Decker and Will Verling drove in four runs and Mercer pounded Duke on Sunday to force a decisive Game 3 in the Durham super regional.
Four players scored three times and two had three as the Racers scored 10-plus runs for the seventh time in 11 games. Jonathan Hogart, Carson Garner Dan Tauken
and Connor Cunningham had home runs The deciding game is Monday at Duke’s Jack Coombs Field. AJ Gracia, Ben Miller, Ben Rounds and Macon Winslow hit home runs for Duke.
ARIZONA 4, NORTH CAROLINA 3: In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Mason White’s tworun single capped a threerun eighth inning, lifting Arizona to a 4-3 over North Carolina on Sunday to earn the Wildcats their 19th trip to the College World Series.
Arizona dropped the opener of the Chapel Hill super regional 18-2 to the fifthseeded Tar Heels before winning 10-8 on Saturday and rallying on Sunday The final game belonged to the pitchers as both teams mustered just five hits.
Arizona starter Smith Bailey gave up three runs and all five hits in his six innings. Two of the hits were singles ahead of Jackson Van De Brake’s home run in the third. Julian Tonghini (5-2) pitched a perfect seventh, Casey Hintz gave up a pair of walks in a scoreless eighth and Tony Pluta faced three batters in the ninth for his 14th save.
UCLA 7 UTSA 0: In Los Angeles, Payton Brennan had three hits, two RBIs and scored two runs and UCLA
beat UTSA to win the Los Angeles super regional and advance to the College World Series.
The No. 15 seed Bruins (46-16) advance to the College World Series and play the winner between Duke and Murray State. UCLA won its first super regional series since 2013 when the Bruins claimed the program’s only national championship.
Brennan hit a two-out double and Toussaint Bythewood followed with an RBI single off starter Conor Myles (5-2) to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the fourth.
LOUISVILLE 3, MIAMI 2: In Louisville, Kentucky, Eddie King doubled in the winning run in the seventh inning to lift Louisville to a win over Miami, advancing the Cardinals to their sixth College World Series appearance.
King’s clutch hit came after Jake Munroe’s twosingle and a wild pitch. Louisville will face the Oregon State-Florida State winner in Omaha, Nebraska, later this week. Miami was hoping for its 26th CWS appearance. Miami took the lead on Max Galvin’s two-run homer in the third. The Cardinals got those back in the fourth on an RBI double by Zion Rose and a fielder’s choice.
LSU baseball adds strong bat from Kansas State out of portal
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
LSU baseball has added another big bat out of the transfer portal. Kansas State designated hitter/infielder Seth Dardar is transferring to LSU, he announced on social media Sunday Dardar a senior from Mandeville, hit 13 home runs and posted a 1.065 on-base plus slugging percentage this season for the Wildcats. Besides being their des-
ignated hitter, Dardar also played 15 games at first base and 22 games at second this year Dardar joined Kansas State after playing at Columbia for two seasons. He hit eight home runs and posted a .967 OPS in his final year with the Lions. Dardar went 2 for 5 with a home run off LSU sophomore left-hander Kade Anderson when the Tigers faced the Wildcats on Feb. 28 in the Frisco College Classic. Dardar is the second
player LSU has added out of the transfer portal this summer The Tigers landed High Point third baseman Brayden Simpson on March 31. With juniors Jared Jones and Daniel Dickinson destined to be drafted and senior Michael Braswell running out of eligibility LSU needed to add power and infield options out of the transfer portal this offseason. The additions of Dardar and Simpson should go along way in filling those needs.
fields the ball as teammates Tanner Reaves, far left, and John Pearson look on during warmups ahead of a super regional game against West Virginia on Sunday at Alex Box Stadium
RABALAIS
Continued from page 1C
squared off in the Baton Rouge super regional with LSU. Arkansas ended Tennessee’s hopes of a CWS repeat in two super regional games a series that I was frankly surprised didn’t go the distance. Auburn also was humbled in two by Coastal Carolina in the supers, yes, the same Coastal Carolina team that beat LSU in the 2016 super regionals at Alex Box Stadium en route to a surprise CWS title.
The Chanticleers just like taking down SEC Tigers in road super regionals, I suppose.
Two teams in the CWS would be the fewest for the SEC in Omaha since 2016, when Florida was the league’s lone representative. If you weren’t looking closely you might have missed the Gators that year, as they were twoand-Nebraska-barbeque.
We’ve all gotten so used to the SEC being so uberdominant in so many sports, it’s startling to see them not filling half the slots or more in Omaha with their teams Especially since Texas and OU joined the league this season. At least three SEC teams made it to the CWS in each of the past four years. If you added Texas and Oklahoma in 2022, it would have been six But, sometimes, the SEC just means less, not more.
Skenes dominant again as Pirates sweep Phillies
BY WES CROSBY Associated Press
PITTSBURGH Paul Skenes is in a routine. Pitch deep into a game. Allow a single run, if that. Walk away without a win. That didn’t change Sunday The 23-year-old Pittsburgh Pirates ace worked 72⁄3 innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, giving up one unearned run on two hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. He was pulled with the game tied 1-all.
Skenes, a former LSU standout, remained 4-6 in his second season despite lowering his ERA to 1.88, second-best in the National League behind the New York Mets’ Kodai Senga (1.59).
This time, he didn’t mind the no-decision. Pittsburgh won 2-1, completing a threegame sweep and handing Philadelphia its fifth straight loss.
“I think we’ve been play-
ing pretty good ball for a little bit now and either haven’t come out with (wins) or lost by a run or something like that in a few games,” Skenes said. “I’ve been happy with the baseball we’ve been playing. It’s nice to finally get some wins out of it, too. It’s easy to go on a losing streak, too, so we’ve just got to keep going.”
Skenes threw 97 pitches (62 strikes). He got through the first two batters of the eighth on four pitches before manager Don Kelly signaled for rookie righthander Braxton Ashcraft, who entered as fans’ booing over the decision subsided.
“We felt like (Skenes) was done,” Kelly said. “He emptied the tank there that inning. Just felt like it was an opportunity to go to Ashcraft in that moment.
“Unbelievable. What can you say? Just continued to fill up the strike zone, elite stuff. At the beginning, really sharp. Kind of in the
middle, looked like it got it away from him. That’s just what he’s shown, that he’s able to dial it back in and just dominate the strike zone. He was unbelievable again today.” Ashcraft picked up his first win in the majors after Andrew McCutchen hit a go-ahead, broken-bat single in the eighth. The 25-year-old started with a walk of Brandon Marsh but recovered by getting Rafael Marchán to ground out to second. Returning for the ninth, he forced Alec Bohm into a game-ending double play as rain began to pour “It means a lot after somebody puts up a really good outing,” Ashcraft said. “(Skenes) has done that consistently this year It means a lot to us, as a team, to be able to go out and get him that win. He didn’t get the win. I got the win. But, I mean, he got it just as much as I did.”
I wouldn’t advise taking this as a continued sign of eroding SEC power, connecting some diminishing dots with the fact that the league has gone since the 2022 season (Gasp!) without winning a College Footbally Playoff championship. Florida won the men’s basketball title in April and Texas just won in softball. LSU or Arkansas have the power to make it five straight CWS crowns for the SEC. It’s just surprising, remarkable, strange even, that the Tigers and Razorbacks don’t have more company on the road to Omaha.
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STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU third baseman Michael Braswell, right,
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT FREED Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes didn’t get the win against the Philadelphia Phillies in Pittsburgh, but in 723 innings he gave up one unearned and two hits.
ALL-METRO GOLF
GIRLS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
JADE NEVES SACRED HEART, FR
Jade Neveshas achievedplenty of golfing success on thehigh school level.
Selected by The Times-Picayune as the All-Metro girls golfer of the year,Neves became atwo-time LHSAA state champion when the Sacred Heartfreshman wonthe Division II title with a3-under 109 over 27 holes last month.
“On the last dayIwas neverreally in trouble, hitting it down the fairway, close tothe flag and making putts,”said Neves, whobirdied four of the final eight holes.
Sacred Heartwon the team title with atwoplayer score of 234 that included Madeline Rudolph’sfourth-place score of 13-over125 Their combined score let SacredHeart finish six strokes ahead of runner-up Episcopal. Nevesbegan playing golf on the practice green with her father’sclubswhen she was3 years old. She playedher first tournament at age7.She wonher first LHSAAstate title two years agowhile in seventh grade.
“Jade lovesthe sportofgolf,”coach Jennifer Caro said. She doesn’t need anymotivation youcould find her on the course everyday, hitting,putting,chipping,playing.Itcomes from alot of hard work.”
For Neves,“everything is very competitive,” said Amy Neves, Jade’smother
Amy Nevessaid that competitiveness started at ayoung age, when Jade began playing golf with her father,Mike.
“Nowit’shugely competitive when theyplay, said Amy Neves, whoplayedtennis in college
GIRLS ALL-METRO TEAM
n Jade Neves,Sacred Heart(109 at D-II state)
n Ashley Biehl,Ursuline (120, D-II)
n Madeline Rudolph,Sacred Heart(125, D-II)
n Sadie Cambre,Dominican (126, D-I)
n Lexie Creppel,Northshore (129,D-I)
n Aubrey Fiore,Northshore(129,D-I)
Jade NevesofSacred Heartwon LHSAA Division II state golf championships in both 2023 and 2025.
at Pepperdine.“Whoevercan getmore putts in arow.Who can getitcloser to thehole.
With Neves, Sacred Heartwon agolfteam statetitle for the first timesince 2019.That team hada pairofstandouts in Cassidy Lambert (now at South Alabama) and Grace Jin(SMU transfer from Sam Houston State).
Thepotential formore individual and team success at the state levelwill be strong foras long as Nevesremains on the team
“AthleteslikeJade don’t come around too often,” Carosaid.
Christopher Dabe
n KaylieHui,Newman (132, D-II)
n Beth Baugh,St. Scholastica (135, D-I)
n Grace Gunn,Sacred Heart(140, D-II)
n Lily Hutchinson,Dominican(141, D-I)
Note: Scoresfrom LHSAA state tournament played over 27 holes.
GIRLS COACHOFTHE YEAR
JENNYCARO SACRED HEART
Sacred Heartwon agolf teamstate championship for the first time since 2019 with atwo-playerscore of 234that putthe Cardinals six strokes ahead of runner-up Episcopal.
Freshman Jade Neves(3-under 109) won the individual state championshipand junior
Madeline Rudolph (13-over125) placed fourth. Caro, aformer collegesoftballplayerat Nicholls State,picked up golf after she finished college. She has been theSacred Heartcoach forlonger than twodecades, she said.
ChristopherDabe
BOYS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
JUSTIN LOTZ NORTHSHORE,SOPH.
JustinLotz worked hard at improving his shortgame so that he could be better positioned to makeputts,and that showedwithhow well the NorthshoreHigh School golfer played at the LHSAA state tournament.
Selected by The Times-Picayune as theAllMetro boys golfer of the year,Lotz became the Division Istate runner-up when he shot 6-under 102 over27holes at TheWetlands in Lafayette last month.
Lotz played especiallywell on the firstday of the rain-shortenedtournament, when the sophomore carded sevenbirdies against one bogey over 18 holes. He creditedhis improved iron play with getting him in position to post a lowscore.
“I worked my butt offfor it all year,” said Lotz who finishedone strokebehind tournament champion DrewSliman of Lafayette High.“I wantedtogoout and shoot thebestI could.
Lotz had one stretch of three birdies in arow includingalong putt estimated at 35 to 40 feet that had spectators celebrating Lotz’sfather,alsonamed Justin, described it as adouble-breaking downhill putt, which from hisviewwouldhavebeen achallenging two-putt situation.
“One of the dads on the other teamsaid, ‘Man, if he makes that putt, youshould buy a lotteryticket,’ ”the elder Lotz said.“When he
BOYS ALL-METROTEAM
n Justin Lotz,Northshore (102 at Div.I tourney)
n Duke Nitcher,Jesuit (103,D-I)
n Rylan Hess,St. Paul’s (104, D-I)
n Bradley Wall,Mandeville(109, D-I)
n Parker Greene,Mandeville (110, D-I)
n Brooks Blanchard,Jesuit (111, D-I)
n William Boasberg,Jesuit (111, D-I)
n Hunter McDermott,Bro. Martin (111, D-I)
n GavinMcDermott,Bro.Martin(111, D-I)
Northshore golferJustinLotz was the state runner-up at the LHSAA Division Istate tournament in Lafayette.
drained it, he said,‘Buy me one too.’”
For the younger Lotz, wholet out ayellwhen he made the long putt, his shortgameand putting had the most improvementoverthe past year
Lotz has been around golf his entire life. His father, aformer UNO golfer,isowner of the OakHarbor Golf Club.Hebegan working there while he attendedSalmen High School. The younger Lotz began playing golf at around age7 or 8, he said. He begantaking the sport seriously during COVID-19.
“He would be up at the golf course all day during COVID,” the elder Lotz said.“That’s when he really took interest.”
Christopher Dabe
n FultonPigeon,Holy Cross (113, D-II)
n Bennett Lanasa,St. Paul’s(114, D-I)
n Logan Heltz,Christ Episcopal (114, D-IV)
n Wayne Kabrich,Mandeville (115, D-I)
n Matthew Young,Mandeville (115, D-I)
n Brennan Pecoraro,Bro. Martin (115, D-I)
n Benjamin Hendricks,Mandeville (115, D-I)
n Cullen Ledet,CountryDay (116, D-III)
Note: Scores from state tourneyover27holes.
BOYS COACHOFTHE YEAR
ALLISONRADTKE MANDEVILLE
Mandeville placed fifth in the Division Istate tournament forits highest LHSAA state finish since the Skippers wonthe state titlein2009.
The27-hole team total of 446 was18 behind state champion Catholic-Baton Rouge and 13 behind runner-up St.Thomas More.
The state appearance concluded astrong
finish to the season as Mandeville placed first at the district tournamentand second to Catholic at regionals, finishing ahead of Jesuit and BrotherMartin at bothevents.
At state,all five Mandeville golfers shot between 109-115 at the rain-shortened event. ChristopherDabe
Foxdefeats Burnsinplayoff to winCanadianOpen
By The Associated Press
CALEDON, Ontario RyanFox of New Zealand won for the second time in five weeks on the PGATour with another memorable shot in a playoff, this time a3-wood to 7feet on the fourth extra hole Sundayto beat Sam Burns in the RBC Canadian Open.
Fox won the Myrtle Beach Classic last month by chipping infor birdie to win athree-manplayoff.
This one on the TPC Toronto at OspreyValley took alittle longer.
Whatturned out to be thewinning shot might be more memorable. Fox smokeda3-wood that landed softly just left of the pin and settled 7feet away.Burns pulled his 3-wood some 55 feet left of the front right pin. Heran his eagle putt 8feet by and missed that one. Fox missed his eagle try before tapping in for birdie.
“Tobehonest,Sam andI hadabit of apillow fight for three holes,” Fox said. “But that shot Ihit on 18,
that 3-wood, was probably thebest shotI’ve ever hit. It wouldhave been nice to make the putt. But hey,I’lltake it.” Fox holed abirdie putt from just inside 18 feetonthe par-5 18th in regulation fora 4-under 66 that allowed him to joinBurns at 18-under 262. Burns, aformer LSU standout,had finished sometwo hours earlier with abirdie on the final hole for a62. They played the18thfour more times —the PGA Tour moved the pinposition from farleft to front right after two extra holes —and therewas nothing compelling aboutthe extra holes.
Burns, regarded as one of the best putters on the PGA Tour,had abirdie puttfrom just over 5feet on thefirst playoff for the win. He left thatout to the right.The next time down 18, Fox went for the green and pushed his 3-wood. The collar of roughstopped it from goinginthe water.Hepitched to 12 feet and had thatbirdie putt for the win, but left it afootshort
Pillow fight,indeed. On thethirdtimeplayingthe 18th in overtime, Burns hadalob wedge that was short and to the right, spinning offthe green and
nearly into thewater.Fox hithis 40 feet out to theright.Theyboth madepar Fox delivered the goods on the final hole and now has two wins
in just over amonth.The victory moved the38-year-old Fox from No. 75 to No. 32 in the world, getting him into the U.S. Open next week for being among the top 60 in the world ranking.
KevinYubirdied the last hole fora 66 to finish aloneinthird, oneshotout of theplayoff. He narrowly missedout on thetop 60 to gettoOakmont next week. ButYujoinedCameron Young and Matt McCarty as earning the top three spots for the British Opennextmonth for players not already eligible Fox alreadywas in the British Openfromhis victory in the BMW PGAChampionship in 2023, the flagship event on the European tour.Fox now has eight wins worldwide —two on the PGATour, four on the European tour and two on the PGA Tour of Australasia Burns was hopeful of ending more than two years without avictory, his last title coming in the final yearofthe World Golf Championships-Match Play in 2023.
U.S. Open gets asoggy starttothe week at Oakmont
BY DOUGFERGUSON AP golf writer
OAKMONT,Pa. Players began arriving at Oakmont on Sunday with umbrellas and expectations for a U.S. Open to live up to its reputation as golf’s toughest test.
Jordan Spieth was among the early arrivals,playing the front nine on Saturday and 11 holes on Sunday in alight, but steady rain. Turns out the USGA had apolicy that no one could startonNo. 10. Spieth went down the first, back up the ninth and headed to No. 10. It was long. And it was wet. The area got pounded with rain on Friday,and heavy rain was expected again Sundayafternoon. As if Oak-
mont wasn’talready tough enough. “This course is built to be like this,” Spieth said.“So they’re not doing awhole lotdifferent to the golf course.You hita good shot, you get rewardedfor it here. And if you don’t, you’re in big trouble. It’spure golf,nofunny business about it.”
Spieth waskeeping scoreonthis day —hegave himself an 18-inch birdie puttafter a50-yard chip on theshort par-4 17th and was 2under for theday.Healso did plenty of chipping and putting. On one hole,hehad hiscaddiethrow him golfballs down into the bunker Thegrass was so thick it gobbled up theballs before they reached to thesand. The rough was as advertised,
mainly the sheer density of it, and it was made even more difficult considering how wet it was.
Spieth wasn’t worriedsomuch aboutthe grass offthe fairway everyone hastodeal with that at some point during the U.S.Open. It was what followed “Itmagnifies once youmakea mistake if youdon’t play theright shot,” he said. “It’snot likemaking amistakeisthe end of theworld. It might cost you half ashot. Youjust have to take what it gives you.”
More than 60 players in the U.S. Openfield were at theMemorial two weeks ago, whichalso featured rough that was longerand thicker than normal. Growing grass has not been an issue in theOhio Valley this
year.The difference is the speed of Oakmont’sgreens— reputed to be thefastest in the land —and not many forced carries “Thistesthere, because theygive you more runways to trytorun it up to the green, it entices you to think you can do more than youshould,” Spiethsaid. “That will be the biggest challenge this week—swallowing pride. Bogeys don’thurt you. Anything morewill.”
The forecast was for morescatteredshowers on Monday,and then abreak fromthe rain until the weekend.
Oakmont is hosting the U.S. Open fora record 10thtime, and itsreputation is strong enough that even the best can expect a
strong test. First impressions, of course, can be misleading.
Shane Lowry recalls seeing it for the first time on the Sunday before the 2016 U.S. Open. He started on No.10, played five holesand walked in, wondering how he could ever manage adecentscorearound Oakmont. Aweek later, he went into the finalround with afour-shotlead
“It was firm and fast when I played it that Sunday,and it was windy.Wegot abit of rain that week, which helped us,” Lowry recalled.
Theflipsidewas Adam Scott. He first playedOakmont theweek before2007U.S. Open with Geoff Ogilvy,who wasthe defending U.S. Open championthatyear
PROVIDED PHOTO
PROVIDED PHOTO
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByFRANK GUNN
Ryan Fox raises the championship trophyafter winning the RBC Canadian Open in Caledon, Ontario on Sunday.
Speedway in
Hamlin earns 3rd Cup Series victory of season
BY LARRY LAGE AP sportswriter
BROOKLYN,Mich.— Denny Hamlin is pulling off quite a juggling act Hamlin outlasted the competition at Michigan International Speedway for his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season and 57th of his career, juggling his roles as a driver expectant father and co-owner of a racing team that’s suing NASCAR.
“The tackle box is full,” Hamlin said Sunday “There’s all kinds of stuff going on.” Hamlin, in the No. 11 Toyota, went low to pass William Byron on the 197th of 200 laps and pulled away from the pack to win by more than a second over Chris Buescher
“Just worked over the guys one by one, giving them different looks,” he said.
Ty Gibbs finished third, matching a season best, followed by Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson.
The 44-year-old Hamlin was prepared to leave his team to join his fiancée, Jordan Fish, who is due to give birth to their third child, a boy If she was in labor by Lap 50 or sooner at Michigan, he was prepared to leave the track.
Hamlin said he would skip next week’s race in Mexico City if necessary to witness the birth.
To add something else to Hamlin’s plate, he is also co-owner of
DUMARS
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But a large portion of the interview focused on Dumars’ first few weeks on the job and his vision for the franchise. Here’s an excerpt from that part of the interview
What have these first seven weeks been like for you?
Dumars: It’s been great being back. I’ve been here a month and a half and I just like waking up being here. Driving in here every morning has been really good Really, I’m playing catch-up a little bit. One of the things you have to do when you step into these roles is you have to get an understanding of your building Who’s in the building? What’s the environment in the building? You have to have a grasp of your building and who’s there and what do you have? The way I do that is I spend a lot of time talking to people. Just everybody in the building and getting their assessment of what is happening and seeing what matches up. What are some of the common themes? So this first month has been just me trying to get my arms around the building.
What did you learn in having those conversations?
I learned that what we have here are some really good people in the building. I’m really impressed with that. When you have groups like this, what you have to do is define who you are and what your mission is and the things you’re trying to accomplish so people can understand where it’s going. So that’s been a lot of the conversation. The environment. The culture The goals for us. That’s part of the conversations I’m having with everybody So everybody can
23XI Racing with Michael Jordan, which is involved in a lawsuit against NASCAR.
He drives for Joe Gibbs Racing, which hadn’t won at Michigan in a decade.
“I think it’s the most underrated track that we go to,” said Hamlin, who has won three times on the 2-mile oval.
Hamlin became JGR’s winningest driver, surpassing Kyle Busch’s 56 victories, and the 10th driver in NASCAR history to win after his 700th start.
“It feels good because I’m going to hate it when I’m not at the level
I’m at now,” he said. “I will certainly retire very quicky after that.”
Hamlin’s team set him up with enough fuel to win while many drivers, including Byron, ran out of gas late in the race.
“It really stings,” said Byron, the points leader, who was a seasonworst 28th. “We just burned more (fuel) and not able to do much about that.”
Hamlin, meanwhile, wasn’t on empty until his celebratory burnout was cut short.
Pole-sitter Chase Briscoe was out front until Byron passed him on Lap 12. Buescher pulled ahead on Lap 36 and stayed up front to win his first stage this season. Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott took turns with the lead before a crash involving Alex Bowman brought out the red flag on Lap 67. Byron took the lead again after a restart on Lap 78 as part
understand and so there’s no confusion about what the goal is.
I’m sure I know the answer to this, but what are those goals?
We want to win We want to be a team that’s viewed around the NBA not only as a winning team, but we want to also be viewed as a first-class organization. Yes, you want to win. But you want to be viewed as a first-class organization as well. That’s about how you come in every day and do things and how you go about your work every day How you treat people. How we do things here in this building All of that is important. Of course we want to win. But I also want people to say the Pelicans do things the right way That’s work You come in and you start living that every day so people can see it and understand this is where we’re going. Culture is about how you feel when you walk in the building.
When you look at the current roster, what do you like and what are some areas the roster needs to improve?
We have some good talent on the roster When this team has been healthy, it’s been a formidable team. Unfortunately, last year it was just decimated with injuries and I acknowledge that. But that doesn’t stop you from setting the bar higher and pushing harder to be better I don’t think we can be satisfied with what happened two years ago when the team had success. I don’t think you can look at that and say “Ok, we can see what we can be.” You have to push past that. You can’t just aspire to be that. You have to set the goal higher than that and that’s what we intend to do. We intend to push for this team to try to max out because there is some good talent on this roster
At your introductory news conference, you said you would try to assess all the injuries
Nelson selected as
this
year’s winner of Lifetime Achievement Award
BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer
OKLAHOMA CITY Don Nelson has been invited to the NBA Finals countless times in recent years, always declining those opportunities.
This time, his peers found a way to ensure he couldn’t say no.
Nelson — a Basketball Hall of Famer and three-time NBA coach of the year — was announced Sunday as this year’s recipient of the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the National Basketball Coaches Association. It will be formally given out Sunday night, about an hour before Game 2 of the NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder
“History has already reflected Don Nelson’s staggering contributions as a cutting-edge innovator and visionary of the NBA game,” said Pacers coach and NBCA President Rick Carlisle.
of his strong start and surged to the front again to win the second stage. Carson Hocevar took the lead on Lap 152 and was informed soon thereafter that he didn’t have enough fuel to finish, but that became moot because a flat tire forced him into the pits with 18 laps to go.
Hocevar faded to a 29th-place finish, a week after he was second to match a career best at Nashville, where he created a buzz with an aggressive move that knocked Ricky Stenhouse Jr out of the race.
Rough times for Bowman Bowman hit a wall with the front end of his No. 48 Chevrolet as part of a multi-car crash in his latest setback.
“That hurt a lot,” he said after passing a medical evaluation. “That was probably top of the board on hits I’ve taken.”
Bowman, who drives for Hendrick Motorsports, came to Michigan 12th in points and will leave lower in the standings. He has finished 27th or worse in seven of his last nine starts and didn’t finish for a third time during the tough stretch.
Reddick rallies
Last year’s champion Tyler Reddick qualified 12th, but started last in the 36-car field because of unapproved adjustments and rallied to finish 13th.
“Back in the ’80s and ’90s, he made teams adjust to historic pace, liberal 3-point shooting, inverted offense, and disruptive defensive schemes. All this while establishing himself as one of the most compelling personalities in all of professional sports.”
Nelson, 85, retired in 2010 as the NBA’s career coaching wins leader with 1,335, just ahead of Lenny Wilkens’ 1,332. Nelson kept that top spot for nearly 12 years before now-retired San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich passed him in March 2022. Popovich is part of the committee that selects the Daly award winners.
“One of my best friends in my life,” Nelson said of Popovich. “So, I’m really really proud to be here and to share this award. I made the Hall of Fame in 2012 and this is certainly as important to me as that award was.”
Nelson is one of only two coaches in NBA history to have at least 250 wins with three franchises. He got to that mark with Milwaukee, Dallas and Golden State, and also coached New York briefly in his career Nelson and Daly were close friends. They went head-to-head 41 times as coaches: Nelson’s teams went 21-20 in those games.
“Chuck was an absolute genius in all facets of the game and life,” Nelson said. “I’m glad I had the opportunity to coach against him, learn from him, and benefit from his knowledge. To say that I’m deeply touched to receive an award that bears his name would
and figure out why there were so many. What have you found out? Some of those were just flukes and there is nothing you can do about those. That happens in sports. But just like the conversations I’ve had with Willie and Zion, I’ve also had conversations with the medical staff. We’ve went back over every one of the injuries that happened to every player here and tried to decipher and find out which ones were flukes and which one of these could have been internal that we could have done better? We’ve assessed every single injury to every single player What could we have done better? Is there something we could have done better? We are continuing to have those conversations because these guys are in rehab now So we’re meeting every week on the rehab that’s going on. Are we on top of this? When are we sending somebody to see this guy? It’s real comprehensive what we’re doing as far as medi-
cals because what’s been shown is if this team is healthy it’s a team that can compete So that becomes critical to make sure we are doing everything we can to put the healthiest team out there on the floor
Any updates on Dejounte Murray, Herb Jones and Trey Murphy?
There’s nothing to report. Guys are in the middle of their rehab and all of them are on schedule. That’s the good news. Our medical staff is all over it to make sure we don’t miss anything.
What would be your message to fans who doubt that this year is going to be any different from last year?
I’m really here to bring a certain style of play We’re not really looking at it as trying to compare it to what has gone on here prior to us. We’re coming in expecting to win. We are here to raise the bar We’re not here to be happy with mediocrity I think people will see that in our style of play
be an understatement. This is special.”
Nelson took teams to the playoffs 18 times as a coach and won five championships as a player with the Boston Celtics. He started coaching in 1976 and what became known as “Nellie Ball” soon created a buzz with him being generally credited for introducing what is now known as the point forward.
His up-tempo offensive ways were probably best on display with Golden State in the “Run TMC” era featuring Tim Hardaway, Mitch Richmond and Chris Mullin But his defensive schemes including crossmatching and even writing the rules on illegal defense at the league’s request, he said — should be remembered as well, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said.
“I do appreciate the fact that he seemed boundless in terms of what he was willing to do, and he wasn’t really relying on what was conventional,” Daigneault said. “So, I have unbelievable respect for him.”
The award is in Daly’s memory and celebrates his “integrity, competitive excellence, and tireless promotion of NBA basketball.”
Prior recipients are Rudy Tomjanovich (2024), Rick Adelman (2023), Mike Fratello (2022), Larry Brown (2021), Del Harris (2020), Frank Layden (2019), Doug Moe (2018), Al Attles and Hubie Brown (2017), K.C. Jones and Jerry Sloan (2016), Dick Motta (2015), Bernie Bickerstaff (2014), Bill Fitch (2013), Pat Riley (2012), Lenny Wilkens (2011), Jack Ramsay and Tex Winter (2010) and Tommy Heinsohn (2009).
We want to be aggressive on both ends of the court. If you go back and look at any of the teams that I have had or that (senior vicepresident of basketball operations) Troy (Weaver) has had, we’ve been the aggressors. And I also think this and I truly believe this. The absolute best teams reflect their city I think the Bulls reflected Chicago. The Showtime Lakers reflected L.A. The Bad Boys reflected Detroit. The Indiana Pacers reflect Indianapolis and OKC reflect Oklahoma City With your best teams, there is a connection between the city and the style of play The fans look at it and say “Yeah, that represents us.” That is what I hope people see when we play I want them to see that we represent New Orleans. I’m from Louisiana, so I have a feel for the resilience and I know people aren’t quitting here. That’s just not the personality of the city So I think it’s important that your team reflects that. Fans should be able to look at the team and say they absolutely are playing and representing what we stand for
Do you think fans will notice a difference right away? It’s a mistake to ever come in and just say we’re going to change things overnight. It’s just not how sports works. The two teams (OKC and Indiana) that you see in the Finals now none of that was overnight. That was a process. It’s a process to get teams to where they want to be. But it shouldn’t be a process for the fans to see us play in a style that they like. The success part of it might be more of a process. But the style of play resilience, toughness, playing hard, never quit — that’s’ what we want people to see right away Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Pelicans coach Willie Green calls a play against the Denver Nuggets during a game on Nov 15 at the Smoothie King Center
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PAUL SANCyA
Denny Hamlin celebrates his victory in a NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International
Brooklyn, Mich. on Sunday.
AP FILE PHOTO By JEFF CHIU
Former Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson smiles while being interviewed at the Warriors training facility on Aug. 28, 2012, in Oakland, Calif.
Ways to adjust forcognitive declineto improve qualityoflife
What is adaptive functioning?
Adaptive functioning essentially describes how well someone can perform daily activities and manage social interactions relative to their age and cultural expectations. These skills are crucial for independence and meeting everyday demands. In the context of Alzheimer’s, adaptive functioning refers to how well aperson with Alzheimer’scan navigate the demands of their environment and manage their daily life, including communication, basic tasks and social skills.
Deficits in adaptive functioning in individuals with Alzheimer’sdisease include declines in intellectual functioning such as reasoning, problem-solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgment, learning and practical understanding. These adaptive skills are typically measured by intelligence tests.
As the disease progresses, affected individuals may experience difficulties with these skills, which lead to aneed forsupport and adaptations in their daily routines. However despite obstacles, affected individuals may cope with the cognitive decline in many ways.
MBY KAYLEE POCHE | Gambit Weekly
any of us have acouple of talents or hobbies we tend to stick with, for the mostpart.
And then there’sDwayne Dillon —drag performer,fashion designer, makeup artist, hair stylist, singer and instrumentalist —also knownas Bubblezindrag andtothoseclosetohim.
The 43-year-old Marrero native is amultitalented force of nature, involved in many vital aspects of New Orleans culture.From second lines andthe city’sBlack drag scene to recently creating astunning ensemble forTarriona“Tank” Ball of Tank andthe Bangas to wear at Jazz Fest this year,Bubblez’influence can be feltthroughout the city
Despite his influence, though, Bubblez isn’tquite the household name you’d think he’dbe. Butthat could be readytochange
See BUBBLEZ, page 2D
BY JIA H. JUNG
The MercuryNews(TNS)
Kelly McGowan, left,and Chris Kaelin, both senior scientists at the Greg Barsh Lab Department of Genetics at Stanford, pet Marlin at Pets In Need Redwood City in Redwood City,Calif.
Caregivers can establish structure and routine that would allow their loved one to maintain asense of security and predictability.They can also provide support systems to offer assistance with activities of daily living and other tasks.
Assistive living devices and/ or adaptive equipment can help affected individuals maintain acertain amount of independence and manage tasks. For instance, special utensils foreating could be offered at mealtimes to encourage eating and overcoming nutritional decline.
Somestudies suggest that cognitive training can improve specific cognitive functions, such as working memory. Keeping active with activities the individual enjoys stimulates the brain. Puzzles, music, brain games and exercising are all examples that would help in improving specific cognitive functions. Making changes and modifying the homeenvironment, such as rearranging furniture forclear pathways and installing safety features, can help reduce safety risks. Masking doors so they don’tlook like exits, hanging drapes to avoid glares in the room,removing rugs, and putting locks higher on the door panel are some waystomake the environment safeand nonthreatening. Focus on what the individual CAN do instead of what the disease is doing to him,such as special interests, hobbies or music. Give the affected individual mindful and purposeful activities to perform. Painting seasonal unpainted wood projects, holding sing-a-longs
Potassium-sodium ratioimportant to bloodpressure
Dear Doctors: My blood pressure is on theedge of the normalrange. My doctor wants me to think about something called theDASH diet. What is that?Iwant to stay healthy,but Iknow myself: If I can’thave adiet that is enjoyable, I’m not going to be able to stick with it for long.
Dear reader: Here in theUnited States, high blood pressure is common and aserious health concern.Data shared with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show thatclose to half of alladults —and even some children —are living with chronic elevated blood pressure. When this goes untreated, it can cause damagetothe heart muscle, circulatorysystem and kidneys.
Persistent high blood pressure puts the person at increased risk
QUALITY
Continued from page1D
(music they know) or resurrecting old hobbies of the individual are just afew examples of focusing on what the individual can do to bring joy and aquality of life. Social interaction is part of adaptive functioning and should be promoted and encouraged. This helps re-
Dr.Elizabeth Ko Dr.Eve Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS
of havingaheart attack or stroke. It can damageblood vessels in the eyes andlead to vision loss, play arole in sexual dysfunction and contribute to cognitive decline.
TheDASHdiet that your doctor hasrecommended dates to 1997, when theresults of aclinical trial intoits principleswere published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Thename is an acronym ofDietaryApproaches to
duce anxietyand loneliness andbuildsthe individual’s self-esteem and confidence. Gettingtogether often with family and friends is agood antidote for isolation and improves quality of life. While thedisease may impact various aspects ofdaily life, individuals can still adaptand compensate for cognitivedeclinethrough various strategiesand supports. By understanding the challengesand opportunities related to adaptive
Stop Hypertension. The study’s authors wanted to measure how varying amountsoffresh fruits andvegetables in someone’sdaily diet would affect their blood pressure. They found that the group of study participantswho atefour or five daily servings of fruit, plus four or five servings of vegetables, saw themostsignificant improvements to blood pressure. The DASH diet also includes several servings per day of whole grains, lean proteins and healthful fats. More than two dozen follow-up studies into this approach to eating have confirmed theoriginal findings
The DASH diet study was not designed to pinpoint why it improves blood pressure. However, potassium,anelectrolyte that
functioning, caregivers and support systemscan help individuals maintain their independence and quality of life as much as possible.
Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts“The Memory Whisperer.” Emailher at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.
BRIGHTON LINGE/DAyDREAM PICTURES
By
Dwayne ‘Bubblez’ Dillon andhis daughter Veyonce ‘yonny’ Davis share ahug in forthcoming documentary “Bubblez.”
BUBBLEZ
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“It’slike, ‘How could nobody know who Bubblezis in the full mainstream world in New Orleans when he’sso part of the culture?’ ”says Jacquelyn Shulman, who is producing and directing a documentary on Bubblez. The documentary,“Bubblez,” is set to come out in 2026 via Daydream Pictures. And during Pride weekendthisyear, therewill be athree-day event, dubbed Bubblez Fest, to promote the documentary and raise money to finish its production Bubblez Fest kicks off Friday,June 13,with aSunset Pool Party at Railyard NOLA from 6p.m. to 10 p.m., where attendees will get a sneak peek at ascene from the documentary Then, on Saturday,June 14, there’sadrag show and live concert at Toulouse Theatre at 8p.m. Dillon and his 23-year-old daughter Veyonce “Yonny” Davis will debut songs from the soundtrack backed by aseven-piece band, and they’ll film the event to include in the documentary The festivities endwitha drag brunch featuring drag performers mentored by Bubblez at 1p.m. Sunday, June 15, at Siberia.
Family affair
Shulman started filming the documentary following Dillon in 2021. Schulman and Dillonhad met through amutual friend, and Shulman watched as Dillon and his “drag children” got ready backstage before a drag show
“It was so intimate to see this group of people that were cracking jokes, making fun of each other,but at the same time putting on makeup and doing each other’shair,” she says. “It was so intimate and beautiful.
While filming, Davis,then 19, moved in with Dillon as away to reconnect with her father.The documentary also follows their journey,
and she’sbeen apart of creatingitaswell. She andDillon are writing andsingingthe lyrics for the soundtrack. And Albert Allenback, producerand saxophonist of SaxKixAve andpreviously Tank andthe Bangas,iscomposingand producingthe music
Dillon says he wanted to include reconnecting with his daughter in the film because it’snot uncommon for gay men to become distanced from their families after coming out,for avariety of reasons.
“I just wanted to be able to show that that can happen: Youcan still balance doing drag and having that whole life youcreatedand enjoy yourself,but also still being agood parent, agood brother or agood son or agood uncle,”Dillon says.
‘Openedsomanydoors’
Dillon beganperforming in draginhis mid-20s,and he says the art form has been“alifesaver” for him over theyears. His drag persona is totally different from his offstage personality,Dillonsays. In hiseverydaylife,he’smore reserved,havingtaken on the role of theolder,responsible figure his whole life.
“But drag brings out something to me that Inever even knewwas inthere,” he says
While Dillon typically doesn’tlike to expresshis emotions publicly,drag gives him an outlet to do so, with the safety net of performing as acharacter
“That’smything, Idon’t like to be vulnerable in front of anybody,but if Iget on stage andI’m doing an emotional song or something, I can let it out,” hesays.
Drag also has helped Dillon make business connections as afashion designer,makeup artist and hair stylist. And it’sgivenhim the chanceto travel, including getting paid to go to Hawaii to perform.
“Drag has just opened up so many doors,” he says.
Thenextgeneration
Butoverthe years, Dillon, who is Black, has watched
Black venues that host drag closeacrossNew Orleans Places like Club 504, Club Fusions, Mama Rosa’s, Armstrongand The Gallery came and went.
“Now we have anew bar, Katey Red has ClubSwitch, and then we have theSociety Page,” Dillon says. “Those are the only twoplaces that we really have to go.”
That’swhy Dillon finds it so importanttomentor young drag artists in thecity, just as others mentored him. He’s partofthe House of Alexanderdrag family,whichgot him into drag, and estimates he now has around 20 “drag children” or mentees
“I remember with doing dragand even beforeIstarted to do drag, just being involved in the drag family and the things thatI would learn to do, it kept me from hanging out in the streetsand fighting and stuff like that,”hesays
First, Dillonfocuseson helping themintheir life outside of drag, advising themtofinish school and strive in their careers, as well as to take care of their mental andphysical health. Thenhestarts teaching them dragskills like howto pose and command aroom.
“None of that is possible unlessyou have alife grounded first,” he says.
As drag hasincreased in mainstream popularityover time, there have also been waves of hateful backlash to it, including to drag story hours.
Shulman hopes thedocumentary will showpeople that drag actually can keep young people out of trouble and give them an outlet for navigating their emotions.
“The crazything is all of this talk about, ‘oh, corruptingkids andsavingkids,’ and it’s like, this is saving lives. This is putting youth on agreat path,” she says. “It just totally shreds the narrative that dragisbad It’slike themostpure expression from your heart.”
For more on the “Bubblez” documentary and Bubblez Fest, visit daydreampic.com/ bubblezdocumentary
helps keep the walls of blood vessels relaxed andpliable, is widely believed to be adriver behind the impressive results. Potassium andsodium worktogether to maintain fluid balance in thebody.This, in turn, influences blood pressure. The optimal ratio of the two electrolytes is about three parts potassium to one part sodium
However,the typical American diet,soheavy in sodium,often delivers the reverse. While dietary sodium has long been the focus of blood pressure management, recent research suggests the sodium-potassium ratio is more important. With its abundance of fruits and vegetables —many of which are rich in potassium —the DASH diet provides an abundant supply of this crucial nutrient. People whofollow the diet also get the recommended amount of fiber per day,which helps nourish the trillions of microbes in the gut. The eating plan also includes a daily sweet treat. In recommending the DASH diet, your doctor is offering you a drug-free path that can help you gain control of your blood pressure numbers. We hope you, and perhaps someofour readers with blood pressure issues, will consider giving it atry
By The Associated Press
Today is Monday, June 9, the 160th day of 2025. There are 205 days left in the year
Todayinhistory: On June 9, 1973, Secretariat won theBelmont Stakes by 31 lengths, winning horse racing’s Triple Crown and setting astill-standing record by running the1½-mile dirt course in 2minutes,24 seconds.
Also on this date: In 1732, James Oglethorpe received acharter from Britain’s King George II to establish the colony of Georgia.
In 1954, during theSenate Army-McCarthyhearings, Army special counsel Joseph N. Welch berated Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, aRepublican from Wisconsin, asking: “Have you no sense of decency,sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”
CATS
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yellow, orange or red coloration instead of the usual brown and black.
Researchers from Brown University,the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research and Auburn Universityalso contributed to the study.A team at Kyushu University in Japan publishedsimilar findingsbystudying the DNA of cats in Asia, furthering the understanding thatthe reason for orange cats is consistent worldwide.
The only exception is the Norwegian forest cat, which manifests as orange becauseofthe same genetic trait that causes red hair in humans.
Research at catshows Stanford Medicine’s Christopher Kaelin, asenior scientist in genetics, Greg Barsh, an emeritus professor of genetics and pediatrics, and genetics researcher Kelly McGowan sharedcat DNA samples withthese groups to get a strong global sample.
The team also attended dozens of cat shows from California to Brazil, approaching hundreds of orange cat owners for help collecting cat DNA.
Kaelin found breeders and owners to be deeply supportive of cat research even if thecollection process was challenging. At one large, three-day show in Cleveland, Ohio,Kaelin and crew swabbed 100 cats on-sitebysticking acotton swab into their mouths to collect asmall bit of DNA from theinside of their cheeks.
Spay-and-neuter clinics also contributed tissue aftersurgically sterilizing feral cats.
The scientists sequenced the genomes from 200 out of 3,000 collected samples of orange cat DNA with non-orange DNA toextrapolate thedifferences. They found 51 possible variants on theXchromosomes of male orange catsand eliminated 48 of them after finding the genomes in some
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TODAYINHISTORY
In 1972, heavy rains triggered record flooding in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The resulting disaster leftatleast 238 people dead and morethan 1,300 homes destroyed.
In 1978, leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints struck downapolicy of excluding Black men from the Mormon priesthood that had been in place formore than 125 years.
In 1986, the Rogers Commission released its report on the Challenger disaster, criticizing NASA and rocket-builder Morton Thiokol formanagement problems leading to the explosion that claimed the lives of seven astronauts.
In 2013, Rafael Nadal becamethe first man to wineight titles at the same Grand Slam tennis tournamentafter beating fellow Spaniard David Ferrer in the French Open final. (Nadal would finish his ca-
non-orange cats as well.
Of the three remaining variants, agene called Arhgap36 cameinto focus. Researchers in cancer and developmental biology were alreadystudying this gene because itsover-expression in neuroendocrine tissues ledtotumors in various mammals. No one previously had madeany connection to pigment cells.
Notonagene, butclose
The mechanism they found, Kaelin said, “is not located on agene —it’slocated near agene.”
In cats only,asmall deletionofinformationonthe Xchromosome activates Arhgap36inpigment cells where it is normally not active, triggering orange fur.
Males have XY sex chromosomes and females have XX. Male cats with an orange Xchromosome will be orange,whereas females need to inherit this trait on both of theirchromosomes to be completely orange. Females with justone orange Xchromosome can present as tortoiseshell or calico. These mottled and patchy coats are avisual manifestation of the genetic phenomenon of “random Xinactivation” in all female mammals. In each cell of a female organism,one of the Xchromosomes is “turned off.” In female cats, coat color shows whetherthe sex-linkedorange is the chromosome that’s“on” or “off” in the underlying pigmentcells.
“Our ability to do this has beenenabled by the development of genomic resources for thecat that have become available in just the last five or 10 years,” Kaelin said. Orange we lucky?
He has received aflurry of congratulatory texts fromorange cat owners, breeders and fans whose catsparticipated in the study
“It’saninteresting mutation andunlikely to happen twice,” said Kaelin, explaining why cat lovers and researchers want to knowmore. McGowan said that about 10% of catsin Northern California today are orange.
reer with 14 French Open titles.)
In 2022, at its first public hearing on the matter,the House panel investigating the Jan. 6insurrection at the U.S. Capitol placed blamesquarely on Donald Trump, saying the assault was not spontaneous but an “attempted coup” and adirect result of the defeated president’seffort to overturn the 2020 election.
Today’sbirthdays: Sportscaster Dick Vitale is 86. Baseball Hall of Famer DaveParker is 74. Film composer James Newton Howard is 74. Author Patricia Cornwell is 69. Actor Michael J. Fox is 64. Writer-filmmaker Aaron Sorkin is 64. Actor Johnny Depp is 62. Actor Gloria Reuben is 61. Actor Michaela Conlin is 47. Actor Natalie Portman is 44. Musician Anoushka Shankar is 44. Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Laurie Hernandez is 25.
Theresearch publication citesthe appearanceoforange cats in 12th-century Chinese paintings andRenaissance paintings. Kaelin said scientists who examine ancientcat DNA continue seeking the origin of the first orange cats.
Thebiobank of cat genes remaining from his team’s orange catresearch could aid in this pursuit, as well as further research about adaptation andevolution on the molecular scalein other mammals, including humans.
Laura Birdsall, director of behavior and medical services at Pets in Need in Redwood City, saidthe shelter is having an unusual wave of orange cats during this spring’sdelayed “kitten season,” when anew generation of feral cats blooms Orange cats theirown Birdsallsaidthatprospective cat adopters go by color and size preference when choosing kittens, and considerpersonalitymore when evaluating full-grown cats. She said orange cats found homes quickly for reasonsofbothstandout appearance and personality “I’m partial to orange cats,” sheshared. “I grew up withanorange cat that was my baby.This is just my opinion, but they seem to be more outgoing and friendly.”
Kaelin, Barsh and McGowan haven’tfound any other physical or behavioral quirks linkedtoArghap36 other than coat color so far. For now,Kaelin hypothesizes that orange cats’ reputation as “friendly agents of chaos” might have something to do with their being mostly male. Butwho knows —Kaelin pointed out that there haven’tbeen too manyscientific studies about orange cats’ personalities, but that citizen studies often surveyedthe public forcommentary on their perceived quirks.
PHOTO
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Situations are not as they appear. Anger isn't the answer. Thinking and acting for yourself will help your counter emotional fallout. Jump into action. Forward thinking and motivation are key. Trust yourself.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Consider what you say and how you react to others. What's important is that you do justice to yourself and those you encounter by being kind and honest. Help people and express gratitude for the help your receive
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Play to win. Keep an open mind, but don't be too credulous. Life is too short to follow someone else. Do your own thing.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Making a move prematurely will leave you in limbo. Putting a plan and budget in place will eliminate doubt when the time comes to make a move.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Don't distort the truth, no matter how admirable your motives. Speak honestly and from the heart, and the right people will help you reach your goal.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Address unresolved issues and finish what you start before moving forward. Don't run from your mistakes; fix them and carry on. Let your actions speak for you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to what's happening in your backyard. Focus on home and family. Put your energy where it counts, and you will prosper.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Your aspirations will exceed your budget. Take a step back. Talking to experts will give you a sense of what's essential and what you can eliminate. You are ready for a change, but it must be built on solid ground.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Distance yourself from people trying to talk you into something you cannot afford. Put a budget in place when it comes to entertainment. Indulgent behavior may tempt you, so tread carefully.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Choose common sense over desire. Put your energy into self-improvement. Refuse to let temptation lead the way. Look out for your interests and know when to say no. Focus on what's best for you.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Simplify matters rather than stir things up. Stability is your ticket forward; staying on track will get you where you want to go. Refuse to let outside influences lead you astray. Your life, your decisions.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take matters into your own hands. Allowing anyone to intervene or trusting them to do what's best for you will backfire. Do what you want to do; don't try to please someone else.
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
TODAy'S CLUE: R EQUALS B
CeLebrItY CIpher
For better or For WorSe
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
Sudoku
InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place thenumbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box containsthe samenumber onlyonce. The difficulty level of thesudoku increases from monday to sunday.
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER Bridge
Oscar Wilde said, “It is only an auctioneer who can equally and impartially admire all schools of art.”
It is only a successful bridge player who listens carefully to the auction and uses the information to guide his defense.
Inthisexample,howshouldWesthope to defeat four spades after he leads the club ace?
North’s sequence, Stayman followed by the jump to three no-trump over two hearts,guaranteedfourspades.SoSouth corrected to four spades. Note that the defenderscouldhavetakenfiveimmediate club tricks against three no-trump.
Manyinexperienceddefenderscannot wait to cash winners. They would take theclubkingaboutonenanosecondafter winningthefirsttrickwiththeace.Then they would look around to decide what to do next — too late. Their best move would be to feign a sudden illness and to flee the premises! When dummy comes down with three hearts, West should realize that his partner has a singleton. So, there are two ways to win by shifting to a heart at trick two: Partner might have either the singleton heart ace or the spade ace. As you can see, this defense defeats the
dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
ken ken
InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within 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. HErE is a
