La.schools bracefor possible cuts
BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer
Louisiana schools are bracing for potentially painful cuts, including to after-school programs and teacher training, after theTrump administration said this week that it is withholding nearly $7 billion in education grants. About 22,000 Louisianastudents attend summer and after-school programs funded by thegrants, advocates said. The federal money, whichCongressapprovedearlier this year, also pays forprograms for summer learning, migrantstudents, English learners, adult literacy,arts and science education
andviolence prevention in schools across thecountry Schools had expected to receive the money on July 1, as required by federal law,which would allow them to plan and budgetfor the fall. Instead, the U.S. Department of Education told states in a briefmemoMondaythat it would not release thefunds until it had reviewed the grant programs, adding that funding decisions for the upcoming school year have not yet been made Louisiana couldlose out on more than $109 million, or about 14% of its federal K-12 education funding, if theTrump administration does not restore the grant money
according to an estimatebythe Learning PolicyInstitute,which conducts education research. A LouisianaDepartment of Educationspokesperson said theagency is still reviewing the funding amounts and could not immediately confirm that figure.
The indefinite funding freeze, whichcomes as schoolsfinalize spending plans and staffing for next school year,has causedconfusion andleft school leaders in limbo as they prepare for thepossibilityofbig budget gaps and disruptive program cuts.
“It really caught us all off guard,
ä See SCHOOLS, page 4A

Market Street PowerPlant musicvenue plan revived

The long-abandoned plant is aprominent
5,000-seat indoor arenaproposedfor riverfront property
BY ANTHONYMcAULEY Staff writer
The owners of the Market Street Power Plant have revived aplan to turn the riverfront propertyinto a midsized New Orleansmusicvenue, aproject thatcould offer aneeded boost to the River District neighborhood taking shape near theErnest N. Morial Convention Center ASM Global, the multinational venue-managementfirm that runs the Caesars Superdome, hasa “verbal agreement” with the former power plant’sowners to lease and then operate a5,000-seat indoorarena once it is built there, Doug Thornton, head of North American venues for ASM, said in an interview lastweek. And BRG Hospitality,the New Orleansbased restaurant company formerly known as Besh Restaurant Group, has also been developing plans for various food offerings atthe site, ac-


A2022 rendering shows what aconversion
mightlooklike.
cordingtoBRG co-founder Octavio Mantilla. Agreements between the firms and property ownersLouis Lauricella, BrianGibbs andDallas-based
Thorntoncautioned
Spending bill could boostLa. federalfunds
Oil, gasmoney forcoastal projects mayincrease
BY MIKESMITH Staff writer
Ameasure thatwould increase the amount of money Louisiana receivesfromoffshore oiland gas production has survived the Senate version of the One Big Beautiful Bill making its way toward afinal vote in Congress, potentially boosting federal funds dedicated to the state’scoastal protection and restoration plans.
While thelarger bill hasfueledthe country’s divisions, leading to warnings over its projected ballooning of the deficit and its cuts to programs like Medicaid, the little-knownchange in offshore revenue disbursements marks a victory in Louisiana’s yearslong efforts on the issue.
Louisiana’scongressional delegation has led acharge to increasethe state’s share of revenue collected by the federal government from offshore production
The additional money would help address a steep decline in coastal protection fundsin thecoming yearsas billionsflowingtothe state from the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oilspill settlement expire.

The Trumpadministration’scost-cutting andintent to shift moreofthe burden onto states hassounded an additionalalarm for coastal Louisiana parishes, which have relied heavily on FEMA and the U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineerstoeitherproactively prevent or respond to flooding and intensifying storms.
Theprovision includedinthe One Big Beautiful Bill changes aspects of what is knownasGOMESA, or the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act. The change could mean up to around $50 million per year extra forLouisiana over adecade. That amount falls far short of whatisneeded forLouisiana’s coastal protection and its efforts to address the state’sland loss crisis, but it is progress nonetheless. Longer term, state officialswanttosee theamountincreased further
ä See BILL, page 4A

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS
7 missing after blast at fireworks warehouse
ESPARTO, Calif. Seven people were missing Wednesday following an explosion at a fireworks warehouse in rural Northern California that caused a massive fire that spread to farm fields and forced evacuations in the surrounding community, authorities said.
Emergency crews and investigators were working with the property’s owner and monitoring the area using drones to find the individuals, said the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
It was not immediately clear if those missing worked at the warehouse or lived nearby.
People were urged to avoid the area after the Tuesday night blast, which set off a barrage of fireworks and caused a huge blaze that led to other spot fires and collapsed the building near Esparto in Yolo County about 40 miles northwest of Sacramento.
The cause of the explosion was under investigation.
The property is owned by “an active pyrotechnic license holder,” Cal Fire said in a statement Wednesday “This type of incident is very rare, as facilities like this are required to not only follow our stringent California pyrotechnic requirements, but also federal explosive storage requirements.”
Object from outside our solar system tracked CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Astronomers are monitoring an object headed our way that may have wandered over from another star system.
Scientists have discovered what might be only the third known interstellar object to pass through our solar system, the European Space Agency said Wednesday The harmless object is currently near Jupiter hundreds of millions of miles away and moving toward Mars, but it should get no closer to the sun than that, according to scientists. It’s too soon to know whether the object, designated for now as A11pl3Z, is a rocky asteroid or a icy comet, or how big and what shape it is. More observations are needed to confirm its origins. NASA said it is monitoring the situation.
Astrophysicist Josep TrigoRodriguez of the Institute of Space Sciences near Barcelona, Spain, believes it is an interstellar object based on its odd path and extreme speed cutting through the solar system. He estimates its size at roughly 25 miles across.
The first confirmed interstellar visitor was in 2017. It was dubbed Oumuamua, Hawaiian for scout, in honor of the observatory in Hawaii that discovered it. Classified at first as an asteroid, the elongated Oumuamua has since showed signs of being a comet. The second object confirmed to have strayed from another star system into our own is 21/ Borisov, discovered in 2019 and believed to be a comet.
Flossie weakens to Cat 2 off Pacific coast
MEXICO CITY Hurricane Flossie strengthened continued to weaken as a Category 2 hurricane off Mexico’s southwestern Pacific coast with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, the U.S National Hurricane Center said.
Flossie became a powerful Category 3 hurricane late on Tuesday, but was slated to steadily weaken on Wednesday and is expected to remain offshore. While its center is forecast to remain offshore, swells as well as “life-threatening” surf and rip currents were expected in southwestern Mexico and the Baja California peninsula in the coming days.
$16M settlement planned over CBS interview
Paramount says money will go to Trump library
BY DAVID BAUDER AP media writer
NEW YORK In a case that became a closely-watched test of whether a corporation would back its journalists and stand up to President Donald Trump, Paramount Global decided to pay Trump $16 million to settle a lawsuit regarding editing at CBS’ storied “60 Minutes” news program.
Paramount which owns CBS, says the money will go to Trump’s future presidential library and to pay his legal fees, and it is not apologizing or expressing regret about the story The company announced the deal overnight, before a Wednesday morning shareholders meeting.
Trump’s lawyers claimed he suf-
fered “mental anguish” following the “60 Minutes” interview in October with his Democratic opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, and sued for $20 billion. At issue was the broadcast’s editing. Harris was shown giving two different answers to a question about Israel by correspondent Bill Whitaker in clips aired on “60 Minutes” and “Face the Nation.” Both responses came as part of a longwinded answer that Harris gave to Whitaker Editing for brevity’s sake is commonplace in television. What was jarring was hearing different words from Harris directly after Whitaker spoke. Trump said CBS was trying to make his opponent look better; CBS said that claim had no merit in trying to get the case thrown out. Many legal experts dismissed the president’s claim But the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission launched an investigation — a complication for Paramount
as it seeks administration approval of its proposed merger with Skydance Media. In Wednesday’s shareholders meeting, Paramount co-CEO George Cheeks said companies often settle litigation to avoid high legal costs and the unpredictability of a trial. Settlement allows a company to focus on its objectives “rather than being mired in uncertainty and distraction,” Cheeks said. But it was received by Trump’s legal team with excitement. With the settlement, a spokesman said, Trump “delivers another win for the American people.”
“This settlement is a cowardly capitulation by the corporate leaders of Paramount and a fundamental betrayal of ‘60 Minutes’ and CBS News,” said Rome Hartman, who helped produce the Harris interview for the show “The story that was the subject of this lawsuit was edited by the book and in accordance with CBS News standards.”
CBS journalists stood united

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs reacts Wednesday in Manhattan federal court in New york after he was convicted of prostitution-related offenses but acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put him behind bars for life.
Combs denied bail after mixed verdict
Rapper convicted of prostitution-related counts, not racketeering
BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press
NEW YORK Sean “Diddy” Combs
dropped to his knees and prayed in the courtroom after he was acquitted Wednesday of sex trafficking and racketeering charges that could have put one of hip-hop’s celebrated figures behind bars for life. The rapper was convicted of lesser prostitution-related offenses and denied bond by the judge as he awaits sentencing
The mixed result capped a sordid legal odyssey that shattered Combs’ affable “Puff Daddy” image and derailed his career as a Grammywinning artist and music executive, fashion entrepreneur, brand ambassador and reality TV star

Combs stands convicted of two counts of a crime transportation to engage in prostitution — that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. But jurors cleared him of charges that could have put him behind bars for life.
He was convicted of flying people around the country including his girlfriends and male sex workers, to engage in sexual encounters, a felony violation of the federal Mann Act.
The charge is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, but Combs’ lawyers said that under federal sentencing guidelines he’d likely face about two years in prison. Prosecutors, citing Combs’ violence and other factors, said the guidelines would call for at least four to five years Jailed since his September arrest, he’s already served nine months behind bars.
Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo asked that Combs be released on bond immediately to await his sentencing, saying the acquittals had changed the calculus about whether he needed to be held.
“He’s not going to flee. He’s been given his life back,” Agnifilo said. Prosecutors opposed the release request.
Judge Arun Subramanian denied it, saying Combs — for now — hadn’t met the burden of showing by clear and convincing evidence a “lack of danger to any person or the community.”
Combs, 55, sat stoic, hands at his lap, as he heard the bond decision.
The judge will decide Combs’ punishment and suggested Oct. 3 as a sentencing date. But first, there will be a virtual hearing Tuesday on the defense’s request for an earlier sentencing date.
Federal officials involved in the case responded to the outcome by noting that sex crimes “are all too present in many aspects of our society.”
Jurors deliberated for about 13 hours over three days before announcing their verdict. It came after they said late Tuesday that they had decided on four counts but were stuck on the racketeering one. At that point the judge told them to keep deliberating and keep the partial verdict under wraps.
Combs did not testify at his trial, which featured 34 witnesses as well as video of the rapper attacking his former girlfriend Cassie, the R&B singer born Casandra Ventura.
Her lawyer Douglas Wigdor said in a statement after the verdict that “by coming forward with her experience, Cassie has left an indelible mark on both the entertainment industry and the fight for justice.” Later he asked the judge in a letter to deny Combs bail, saying “Ms. Ventura believes that Mr Combs is likely to pose a danger to the victims who testified in this case, including herself, as well as to the community.”
against the deal, seemingly in the works for months. CBS News President and CEO Wendy McMahon and “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens, who both opposed a settlement, resigned this spring. In a letter to Paramount’s leadership in early May, the “60 Minutes” correspondents said they were troubled by reports that Paramount might settle the case “in a way that acknowledges some sort of wrongdoing on our part.”
The correspondents, in the letter obtained by The Associated Press, said that “if our parent company caves in to his pressure and lies, it will leave a shameful stain and undermine the First Amendment.” It was signed by Whitaker Lesley Stahl, Scott Pelley, Anderson Cooper, Sharyn Alfonsi, Jon Wertheim and Cecilia Vega.
As part of the deal, Paramount said that “60 Minutes” will in the future promptly release full transcripts of interviews with presidential candidates.
U.S. to hold back on weapons for Ukraine
BY LISA MASCARO and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Trump administration will hold back delivering to Ukraine some air defense missiles, precision-guided artillery and other weapons as part of its announced pause to some arms shipments amid U.S. concerns that its own stockpiles have declined too much, officials said.
The details on the weapons in some of the paused deliveries were confirmed by a U.S. official and former national security official familiar with the matter They both requested anonymity to discuss what is are being held up as the Pentagon has yet to provide details.
The pause includes some shipments of Patriot missiles, precision-guided GMLRS, Hellfire missiles and Howitzer rounds.
It is a setback for Ukraine, which has faced increasing, and more complex, air barrages from Russia and as President Donald Trump remains determined to quickly conclude a conflict that he had promised as candidate to end.
Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell declined during a briefing Wednesday to detail which weapons were being held back but said a pause to consider the health of the U.S. stockpile was necessary
“I think that for a long time, four years under the Biden administration, we were giving away weapons and munitions without really thinking about how many we have,” Parnell said. He added, “And I think that this president was elected on putting this country first and defending the homeland.”
The move was a bit surprising after Trump last week at the NATO summit suggested that he remained open to sending more Patriot missiles to Ukraine, though he acknowledged it would be difficult.
“They do want to have the antimissile missiles, OK, as they call them, the Patriots,” Trump said. “We need them, too. We’re supplying them to Israel, and they’re very effective, 100% effective. Hard to believe how effective. They do want that more than any other thing.”
A story Monday incorrectly reported that Bogalusa’s fiscal administrator Bob Neilson would be the grand marshal of the city’s July 4 parade Washington Parish Sheriff Jason Smith will be the grand marshal The Times-Picayune | The Advocate regrets the error
In a triumph for Combs, the jury of eight men and four women acquitted him of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges related to allegations that he used his money, power and frightening physical force to manipulate his girlfriends into hundreds of drug-fueled sex marathons with the men.
Combs’ defense team argued that the women were willing participants and that none of his violence justified the severity of the charges.
Cassie testified for four days about her turbulent 11-year relationship with Combs, which began after she signed with his Bad Boy record label.
Cassie said Combs became obsessed with voyeuristic encounters, arranged with the help of his staff, that involved sex workers and copious amounts of baby oil. During the sex events, called “freakoffs” or “hotel nights,” Combs would order Cassie to do things with other men that she found humiliating, she testified. When things didn’t go Combs’ way he would beat her, she said.

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Man pleads guilty in students’ stabbing deaths
BY JESSE BEDAYN and GENE JOHNSON Associated Press
BOISE, Idaho — Bryan Kohberger pleaded guilty to murder Wednesday in the brutal stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students in 2022 that terrified the campus and set off a nationwide search, which ended weeks later when he was arrested in Pennsylvania.
Kohberger, who was a criminal justice graduate student at nearby Washington State University, admitted to the killings before entering a formal guilty plea in a deal with prosecutors that allows him to avoid the death penalty though the motive remains unclear He had been set to go to trial in August.

The small farming community of Moscow, in the northern Idaho panhandle, had not seen a homicide in about five years when Kaylee Goncalves, Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle and Madison Mogen were found dead at a rental home near campus on Nov 13, 2022. Autopsies showed each was stabbed multiple times and some had defensive wounds.
Kohberger first killed Mogen and Goncalves together and then ran into Kernodle, who was still awake, Latah County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Thompson said at the hearing Wednesday He then stabbed Kernodle and her boyfriend, Chapin, who was still asleep, Thompson said. There were no signs of sexual assault, he

said.
Family members became increasingly emotional as Idaho Fourth Judicial District Judge Steven Hippler explained each charge to Kohberger, naming each victim individually Some cried into tissues, while other wiped tears with their hands. Kohberger remained impassive as he confirmed to the judge that he stabbed the four victims.
As he pleaded guilty, some in the family section looked down and others craned to see him.
Kohberger told the judge he understood the terms of the plea deal, which stipulates he will serve four life sentences and won’t be able to appeal The judge set the official sentencing for July 23.
Hippler said as the hearing be-
gan that he would not take into account public opinion when deciding whether to accept the agreement.
“This court cannot require the prosecutor to seek the death penalty, nor would it be appropriate for this court to do that,” he said. Killings seized nation’s attention
The killings grabbed headlines around the world and set off a nationwide hunt, including an elaborate effort to track down a white sedan spotted on surveillance cameras. Police said they used genetic genealogy to identify Kohberger as a possible suspect and accessed cellphone data to pinpoint his movements the night of the killings. At the time, Kohberger was a criminal justice graduate student
at nearby Washington State University who had just completed his first semester and was a teaching assistant in the criminology program.
Kohberger was arrested in Pennsylvania, where his parents lived, weeks later Thompson said investigators recovered a Q-tip from the garbage at his parents’ house to match Kohberger’s DNA to genetic material recovered from a knife sheath found at the crime scene.
Online shopping records showed that Kohberger had purchased a military-style knife months earlier — as well as a sheath like the one found at the scene.
The county prosecutor said the murder weapon has not been found and revealed new details about how Kohberger tried to cover up the killings.
Kohberger bought another knife sheath to replace the one he left at the crime scene and scrubbed his apartment and office Thompson said. His car had been “pretty much disassembled” and he changed his car registration, Thompson said.
“The defendant has studied crime,” Thompson said. “In fact, he did a detailed paper on crime scene processing when he was working on his Ph.D., and he had that knowledge skill set.”
Motive remains unclear
No motive has emerged for the killings, nor is it clear why the attacker spared two roommates who were in the home. There also was no indication he had a relationship with any of the victims, who all were friends and members of the university’s Greek system.
Authorities have said cellphone data and surveillance video show that Kohberger visited the victims’ neighborhood at least a dozen times before the killings, and that he traveled in the same area that night.
Kohberger’s lawyers said he was simply on a long drive by himself around the time the four were killed.
Families split on plea deal
Although the Goncalves family opposed the agreement and said they would seek to stop it, they also argued that any such deal should require Kohberger to make a full confession, detail the facts of what happened and provide the location of the murder weapon.
“We deserve to know when the beginning of the end was,” they wrote in a Facebook post.
Kaylee Goncalves’ father, Steve Goncalves, left the courthouse before Kohberger entered the courtroom. “I’m just getting out of this zoo,” he told reporters.
The family of Chapin one of three triplets who attended the university together — supports the deal, their spokesperson, Christina Teves, said Tuesday
Attorney Leander James read a statement from Mogen’s mother and stepfather after the guilty pleas that said they supported the agreement with the prosecutors.
“While we know there are some who do not support it, we ask that they respect our belief that this is the best outcome for the victims, their families and the state of Idaho,” the family said.
“We now embark on a new path,” they said. “We embark on a path of hope and healing.”
Websites hosting major climate reports taken down
BY SETH BORENSTEIN AP science writer
WASHINGTON Websites that displayed legally mandated U.S. national climate assessments seem to have disappeared, making it harder for state and local governments and the public to learn what to expect in their backyards from a warming world.
Scientists said the peer-reviewed authoritative reports save money and lives. Websites for the national assessments and the U.S. Global Change Research Program were down Monday and Tuesday with no links, notes or referrals elsewhere. The White House, which was responsible for the assessments, said the information will be housed within NASA to comply with the law, but gave no further details.
Searches for the assess-
ments on NASA websites did not turn them up. NASA did not respond to requests for information. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which coordinated the information in the assessments, did not respond to repeated inquiries
“It’s critical for decision makers across the country to know what the science in the National Climate Assessment is. That is the most reliable and well-reviewed source of information about climate that exists for the United States,” said University of Arizona climate scientist Kathy Jacobs, who coordinated the 2014 version of the report.
“It’s a sad day for the United States if it is true that the National Climate Assessment is no longer available,” Jacobs said.
“This is evidence of serious
tampering with the facts and with people’s access to information, and it actually may increase the risk of people being harmed by climaterelated impacts.”
Harvard climate scientist John Holdren, who was President Obama’s science adviser and whose office directed the assessments, said after the 2014 edition he visited governors, mayors and other local officials who told him how useful the 841-page report was. It helped them decide whether to raise roads, build seawalls and even move hospital generators from basements to roofs, he said.
“This is a government resource paid for by the taxpayer to provide the information that really is the primary source of information for any city, state or federal agency who’s trying
to prepare for the impacts of a changing climate,” said Texas Tech climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe, who has been a volunteer author for several editions of the report.
Copies of past reports are still squirreled away in NOAA’s library NASA’s open science data repository includes dead links to the assessment site.
The most recent report, issued in 2023, included an interactive atlas that zoomed down to the county level. It found that climate change is affecting people’s security, health and livelihoods in every corner of the country in different ways, with minority and Native American communities often disproportionately at risk.
The 1990 Global Change Research Act requires a national climate assessment
every four years and directs the president to establish an interagency United States Global Change Research Program. In the spring, the Trump administration told the volunteer authors of the next climate assessment that their services weren’t needed and ended the contract with the private firm that helps coordinate the website and report.
Additionally, NOAA’s main climate.gov website was recently forwarded to a different NOAA website. Social media and blogs at NOAA and NASA about climate impacts for the general public were cut or eliminated.
“It’s part of a horrifying big picture,” Holdren said. “It’s just an appalling whole demolition of science infrastructure.”
The national assessments are more useful than inter-
national climate reports put out by the United Nations every seven or so years because they are more localized and more detailed, Hayhoe and Jacobs said. The national reports are not only peer reviewed by other scientists, but examined for accuracy by the National Academy of Sciences, federal agencies, the staff and the public.
Hiding the reports would be censoring science, Jacobs said. And it’s dangerous for the country, Hayhoe said, comparing it to steering a car on a curving road by only looking through the rearview mirror: “And now more than ever, we need to be looking ahead to do everything it takes to make it around that curve safely It’s like our windshield’s being painted over.”
Judge blocks executive order barring asylum access at border
BY REBECCA SANTANA and ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press
WASHINGTON A federal judge said Wednesday that an order by President Donald Trump suspending asylum access at the southern border was unlawful, throwing into doubt one of the key pillars of the president’s plan to crack down on migration at the southern border
In an order Jan. 20, Trump declared that the situation at the southern border constitutes an invasion of America and that he was “suspend-
ing the physical entry” of migrants and their ability to seek asylum until he decides it is over U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss in Washington said his order blocking Trump’s policy will take effect July 16, giving the Trump administration time to appeal.
Moss wrote that neither the Constitution nor immigration law gives the president “an extra-statutory, extra-regulatory regime for repatriating or removing individuals from the United States, without an opportu-
nity to apply for asylum” or other humanitarian protections.
The Homeland Security Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment but an appeal is likely Moss, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, acknowledged that the government faces “enormous challenges” at the southern border and an “overwhelming backlog” of asylum claims. But he returned several times in his 128-page ruling to his opinion that the president is not entitled to
Confederate group sues to stop Stone Mountain’s ‘truth-telling’ exhibit
BY CALEB GROVES Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)
ATLANTA The Georgia Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans filed a lawsuit alleging the Stone Mountain Memorial Association is violating a state law requiring the association to maintain the park as an “appropriate and suitable memorial for the Confederacy.” The lawsuit, filed Tuesday in DeKalb Superior Court, targets a planned “truthtelling” museum at the park. The planned exhibit ”is completely contrary to the purposes of the Georgia law for the Stone Mountain Memorial Park as designed by the people of Georgia through their representa-
tives,” the lawsuit states. Stone Mountain contains the world’s largest Confederate monument, a carving of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and Gens. Robert E. Lee and Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson For years, civil rights groups and historians have criticized the park’s approach to memorializing the Civil War and promoting a “lost cause” version of Confederate history While largely dismissing calls to remove the bas-relief carving, the state-run association has taken steps in recent years to deemphasize its glorification of the Confederacy, including removing the carving from its official logo and relocating a prominent display
of Confederate flags. In 2022, the association selected Birmingham-based Warner Museums, a firm whose projects include several civil rights-related exhibits, to create an exhibit in the park’s Memorial Hall presenting a more balanced view of the war and the history behind the carving. At the time, Stone Mountain Memorial Association CEO Bill Stephens said the organization would continue to fulfill the mandate to maintain the park as a Confederate monument.
The plaintiffs contend the planned exhibits do not honor the Confederacy but rather “assault its memory” and that some sections have no connection to the Confederacy
prohibit asylum. The White House said Wednesday that the Border Patrol made 6,070 arrests in June, down 30% from May to set a pace for the lowest annual clip since 1966. On June 28, the Border Patrol made only 137 arrests, a sharp contrast to late 2023, when arrests topped 10,000 on the busiest days.
Arrests dropped sharply when Mexican officials in-
creased enforcement within their own borders in December 2023 and again when then-President Joe Biden introduced severe asylum restrictions in June 2024. They plunged more after Trump became president in January, deploying thousands of troops to the border under declaration of a national emergency Trump and his allies say the asylum system has been abused. They argue that it draws people who know it will take years to adjudicate their claims in the country’s backlogged immigration courts during which they can work and live in America. But supporters argue that the right to seek asylum is guaranteed in U.S. law and international commitments — even for those who cross the border illegally





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VENUE
that there are still many pieces that need to fall into place before they would be ready to open doors to concertgoers.
But the involvement of two of New Orleans’ biggest names in hospitality is the first sign in years that the former power plant could get a new life as part of the mixeduse neighborhood of housing, offices, museums and entertainment venues developers are planning for the area.
“We strongly believe in the projects happening or contemplated along the Riverfront,” Mantilla said via email, noting that BRG is just a few weeks from opening Delacroix, a 100-seat waterfront restaurant and oyster bar that is near completion at Spanish Plaza.
“For the past couple of years, we have also been deeply involved with the development of the Market Street Power Plant, a very complicated project that has a long way to go to reach fruition,” he said, adding that BRG is “very excited to be an integral part of this exciting project, to work with ASM Global and the development team to help return the Power Plant back into commerce after more than a half-century of dormancy.”
Mantilla, who co-founded the restaurant group with chef John Besh in 2005, was appointed by Gov Jeff Landry last July to serve on the Convention Center’s 13-person oversight board.
Lauricella said he and his partners would refrain from commenting until a formal deal was reached
“We prefer to reserve comment on specifics until we formalize agreements,” he said via email.
“We look forward to sharing exciting news on a new future for this space very soon.”
An earlier plan
The plant, whose twin smokestacks were first fired up in 1905, shuttered in the mid-1970s It has been out of use for almost as long as it operated, and many visions of how to repurpose the structure have come and gone.
Joe Jaeger, the developer who died in a car accident last year, bought the property and several
SCHOOLS
Continued from page 1A
said Frank Jabbia, superintendent of the St. Tammany Parish school system. “This puts every district in a really difficult spot.
Jabbia said his school system, which educates about 36,000 students, relies on the federal grants for teacher training, after-school tutoring, family activities and services for students learning English. Now the district will likely have to postpone the trainings, tutoring and family activities, and may have to use budget money to pay several employees whose salaries had been covered by the grants.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” he said, noting that the cuts came just as schools started a new fiscal year on July 1. “No one gave us a heads up.”
In Winn Parish, Superintendent Al Simmons said his small rural district might not be able to fill some open positions due to the funding pause. It also might have to find other money to pay for critical grant-funded employees, including literacy coaches who help train teachers and support struggling readers.
Simmons said he was scheduled to present the district budget for next school year at a School Board meeting Monday However, that might have to be postponed as his team assesses the fallout of the funding freeze.
“We’re still figuring out exactly what it means,” he said, “but it’s
BILL
Continued from page 1A
by eliminating a cap on funds distributed to Gulf states.
“The fact that we’re getting this done now is a huge step toward eventually eliminating that cap,” said Dustin Davidson, deputy secretary of the state’s Department of Energy and Natural Resources.
“Because, as we know, there are more lease sales that are going on in the Gulf under this administration. More people are really looking toward expanding energy production in the Gulf of America. And so as we start making more progress in increasing the

adjacent land parcels in 2015. He had hoped that project would be integral to the broader development of the River District, the entertainment-focused new neighborhood that the Convention Center had already been planning for its own acreage just downriver from the plant.
Jaeger struck a tentative deal soon after buying the property with venue operator Live Nation However, those plans fizzled in 2019 when Jaeger fell out with the Convention Center’s leadership.
He eventually sold the property in 2021 to Lauricella and his partners, who are the largest members of River District Neighborhood Investors, the consortium that won the contract to develop the 47-acre River District for the Convention Center
not good.”
Congress approved the grant funding earlier this year in a budget resolution that President Donald Trump signed into law It is separate from the massive budget bill that the Senate narrowly passed this week.
But in Monday’s memo, the Education Department said it would not send states the money due to its ongoing review of the grant programs. It did not give a timeline for the review, only saying it needed to ensure the programs align with the Trump administration’s agenda.
“The Department remains committed to ensuring taxpayer resources are spent in accordance with the President’s priorities and the Department’s statutory responsibilities,” according to a copy of the memo obtained by The Times-Picayune and The Advocate.
The agency referred questions to the administration’s Office of Management and Budget, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In a statement to Politico on Wednesday, an OMB spokesperson said some schools had improperly used the grant money to support undocumented immigrants or offer LGBTQ-related courses.
“Initial findings have shown that many of these grant programs have been grossly misused to subsidize a radical left-wing agenda,” the spokesperson told the news outlet.
Some Democratic lawmakers and state education officials have condemned the funding freeze,
funds coming to the state through GOMESA, it sets the table for us to make more progress in the future.”
Changing GOMESA has been a bipartisan priority in Louisiana, pushed for years by former Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, who was a prime mover in seeing the original bill through in 2006. The state’s current, mainly Republican congressional delegation has followed suit, with House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, instrumental in including the measure in the bill.
The provision at stake is part of a complicated formula that determines how much offshore revenue Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama receive each year By law, Louisiana must use the money
Tough times
The River District, which was formally announced four years ago, has made halting progress amid tumultuous times for large construction projects nationwide.
The coronavirus pandemic, followed by supply chain disruptions, surging inflation and rising interest rates, created an uncertain outlook for new office buildings, hotels and the hospitality sector generally Work on infrastructure improvements has taken place on the site, and an office building for Shell Oil is set to be completed in the neighborhood in autumn 2026. But last week, Convention Center board members learned that the district’s Topgolf project was being halted, and the Convention Cen-
ter’s leadership expressed frustrations with the overall pace of development, telling them they could have no more deadline extensions.
The ASM Global and BRG Hospitality involvement in the power plant project represents some progress, at least for the privately-owned part of the River District economic development area.
Chris Maguire, CEO of Cypress Equities, had said in late 2023 that entertainment-based retail and “experiential” concepts, like indoor putting, ax throwing and shuffleboard, were the ones doing best in the marketplace and were likely uses for the power plant. He pointed to the Area15 development in Las Vegas as the kind of idea he had in mind for the space. It’s not clear if that is still a potential element for the property

Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana CEO Angel Nelson said if the money being held up by the Trump Administration is not released, it could force after-school programs at three Baton Rouge schools to close.
saying it violates the will of Congress and could reduce services for students. But Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley praised the move, saying the “temporary review” would ensure that tax dollars positively impact Louisiana students.
“I applaud President Trump and Secretary McMahon for their thoughtful approach to empowering states and putting students first,” he said in a statement, referring to U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon.
Brumley’s office did not immediately inform school districts about the funding pause described in Monday’s memo, and as late as Wednesday morning some su-
for coastal projects. It sets aside 37.5% of offshore oil and gas revenue to be shared among the four Gulf states, but the total amount is capped at $500 million per year Louisiana receives the most of the four, amounting to $156 million for the last fiscal year The change included in the current bill lifts the cap to $650 million for the next decade. The amount of revenue does not reach the cap limit every year, but it has done so for the last three years in row Louisiana could gain an extra $46 million per year, or $460 million over the next decade, if the cap is hit each of those years, according to estimates. State officials’ arguments to members of Congress have in-
perintendents were still trying to learn the status of the grants.
“They’ve been talking about it on group texts,” said Mike Faulk, executive director for the Louisiana Association of School Superintendents. “They’re trying to figure out how to handle this without getting any direction.”
Brumley sent school districts a letter Wednesday afternoon about the situation, saying his agency is working with Gov Jeff Landry congressional staffers and federal officials to get up-to-date information on the grants.
The funding freeze has also alarmed groups that run afterschool programs. Many rely on one of the affected
volved Louisiana’s role in the nation’s energy production, the importance of river shipping through its ports and analyses showing the money saved over the long-term through investment in coastal protection.
They also point to a 1920 law that grants Western states far more, handing over half of the revenue from onshore energy and mineral mining.
In the interview Thursday, Thornton said that the 5,000-seat size was the “sweet spot” for New Orleans, which has larger concert venues like the Smoothie King Center and the Superdome, as well as smaller ones like the Saenger and Mahalia Jackson theaters, which can seat around 2,500. He said the model for the Market Street Power Plant venue — which is going by the name of “Turbine Hall” while in development — is the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan, which was built in 2016 next to Puerto Rico’s convention center Since its opening in 2021 through last July, the ASM Global-operated space has hosted about 400 events with ticket sales of $35 million. Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate.com.
grants, known as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program, the main federal funding stream for after-school and summer programs. It provides about $30 million annually to Louisiana, which funds more than 30 programs, most of which have multiple sites, according to Andrew Ganucheau, director of the Louisiana Center for Afterschool Learning.
The grant-funded programs, which are based in schools, have been shown to boost student attendance. Even if the funding is eventually restored, the disruption could still delay the start of afterschool programs this fall and reduce their quality, he said.
“The funding’s there; it’s been approved,” Ganucheau said. “But it’s going to be delayed just because the administration wants to do this.”
If the money is not released, it could force after-school programs at three Baton Rouge schools to close, said Angel Nelson, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Louisiana, which runs the sites.
The programs offer homework help, sports and art activities and dinner to about 500 students. They also provide affordable child care for low-income families, who pay just $25 a year for the service.
If the grants disappear, so will those programs, Nelson said.
“Now we’re not going to be able to give kids a safe place to learn and grow,” she said “It’s going to be devastating.”
Email Patrick Wall at patrick. wall@theadvocate.com.
Davidson spoke of the nation’s need to protect areas like oil-andgas hub Port Fourchon as well as the large liquefied natural gas plants being built along the coast and the Louisiana ports handling some 60% of the country’s grain exports.
“It’s not just about hurricane protection, coastal restoration, but it’s also about ensuring that we have sufficient navigation to get products that are produced in Midwest states out to global markets,” he said.
“Proactive investments in our state on coastal restoration and protection in turn helps with disaster recovery but also a reminder that Louisiana is fueling the nation, and we deserve some of those revenues that come off the coast to make sure that we can continue to fuel the nation,” said Meg Bankston, executive director of Parishes Advocating for Coastal Endurance, or PACE, which represents Louisiana’s 20 coastal parishes on the issue.
Email Mike Smith at msmith@ theadvocate.com.
GOPleaders work to winover Householdouts
BY KEVIN FREKING, LISA MASCARO and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press
WASHINGTON Republican leaders in theHouse were busyWednesday tryingto winoversomefinal holdouts on President Donald Trump’stax andspending cuts package —determined to seize momentum from a hard-fought vote in the Senatewhile essentially daring members to defy their party’sleader and vote against it.
“The American people gave us aclear mandate, and after four years of Democrat failure, we intend to deliver without delay,” the top four House GOP leaders said Tuesday after the bill passed the Senate 51-50, thanks to Vice PresidentJD Vance’stiebreaking vote.
It’sarisky gambit, one designed to meet Trump’s demand for aJuly 4finish.
Republicans have struggled mightily with the billnearly every step of the way this year,often succeeding by only one vote.Their House majority stands at just 220212,leaving little roomfor defections.
Some Republicans are likely to balk at being asked to rubber-stamp the Senate

Trumpcan’taffordtolose many votes from Republicans. Late into the afternoon, aprocedural votewas being held open for more than two hours as GOP leadership waited forlawmakers delayed coming back to Washingtonbecause of weather andtoconduct closed-door negotiations withconcerned members.
version less than 24 hours afterpassage. Republicans from competitive districts have bristled at the Senate bill’scutstoMedicaid, while conservatives have lambasted thelegislationasstraying from their fiscalgoals. It falls to SpeakerMike Johnson, R-Benton,and his team to convincethemthat the time for negotiations is over.They will need assistance from Trump to close the deal, and several conservatives wenttothe White Housetotalkabout their concerns with the president. “The president’smessage
was ‘we’re on aroll.’He went over all the tariffs that he’sgot and the money that’s accumulated, the economy’s hot,and he wantstosee this,” said Rep. Ralph Norman,R-S.C.
In another warning sign of some House Republican resistance, aresolution setting up terms for debating Trump’sbill barely cleared the House Rules Committee on Wednesday morning Republican Reps. Chip Roy of Texas and Ralph Norman of South Carolina sidedwith Democrats in voting against it.
The bill would extendand make permanent various individual and businesstax breaks from Trump’sfirst term, plus temporarily add newoneshepromised duringthe 2024campaign, including allowingworkers to deduct tips and overtime pay,and a$6,000 deduction for most older adults. In all, the legislation contains about $4.5 trillion in tax cuts over 10 years.
The bill alsoprovides about $350 billion for defense and Trump’simmigration crackdown. Republicans partially payfor it allthrough less spending on Medicaidand food assistance. TheCongressional Budget Office projectsthe bill will add about$3.3 trilliontothe federal debt over thecoming decade.
The House passed its version of thebill in May, despite worries about spending cuts and theoverall
pricetag.Now,it’sbeing asked to give final passage to aversion that, in many respects, exacerbates those concerns. The Senate bill’s projected impact on the nation’sdebt, for example, is significantly higher Trumppraised the bill profusely in asocial mediapost, saying, “Wecan have allofthis right now, butonlyifthe HouseGOP UNITES, ignoresits occasional ‘GRANDSTANDERS’ (You knowwho youare!), anddoesthe rightthing, which is sending this Bill to my desk.” Johnsonisintent on meeting Trump’stimeline and betting that hesitant Republicans won’tcross the president because of the heavy political price they would have to pay
They need only look to Sen. Thom Tillis,R-N.C., whoannouncedhis intention to vote against the legislation over the weekend. Soon, the president was calling for aprimarychallengertothe senator and criticizing him on social media. Tillis quickly announcedhewould not seek athird term House Majority Leader SteveScalise,R-Jefferson, said the leadership wasnot entertaining the possibility of making changes to the bill
before the final vote.
“It’snot as easy as saying, ‘Hey,Ijust want onemore change,’ because one more change couldend up being what collapses the entire thing,” Scalise said.
Democratic lawmakers, united against thebill as harmfultothe country,condemned the fast-track process. Flanked by nearly everymemberofhis caucus HouseMinority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of NewYork delivered apointed message fromthe Capitolsteps: All Democrats will vote “no,” and they only needtoflip four Republicans to prevent the bill from passing. Democrats have described thebill in dire terms. They say Medicaid cuts would result in “Americans losing their lives because of their inabilitytoaccesshealth carecoverage.” Republicans are “literally ripping thefood outofthe mouths of children, veterans and seniors,” Jeffries saidMonday. Republicanssay they are trying to rightsize thesafety netprograms for the population they were initially designedtoserve,mainly pregnant women,the disabled and children, and root outwhattheydescribe as waste, fraud and abuse.
Veterangetslifesentencefor plotting FBIattackafter Jan. 6arrest
BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press
WASHINGTON Amilitary veteran was sentenced Wednesdaytolifeinprison for plotting to attack an FBI office and assassinate law enforcement officersinretaliation for his arreston charges that he was partof the mob that stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, court records show Edward Kelley was oneof the first rioters to breach the Capitol. Nearly two years later,Kelleymade plans with another man to attack the FBI office in Knoxville, Tennessee, using improvised explosivedevices attached to vehicles and drones, according to prosecutors.
Last November,ajuryconvicted Kelley of conspiring to murder federalemployees, solicitation to commit a crime of violence and influ-
encingfederal officials by threat.
Kelley,36, received a pardon from President Donald Trump for his Jan. 6convictions, but ajudge agreed with prosecutors that Trump’saction did not extend to Kelley’sTennessee case.That makesKelley,who is from Maryvale, Tennessee, oneofonlya few Capitol riot defendants remaining in prison after the Republican president’s sweepingact of clemency U.S. District Judge Thomas Varlan handed down Kelley’slifesentence during ahearing in Knoxville, according tocourt records. The judge denied arequest for Kelley to be released pending theoutcome of an appeal.
Prosecutorshad recommended alife sentence for Kelley,saying he was remorselessand incapable of rehabilitation.
“On the contrary,Kelley not only believes theactions for which he was convicted were justified but thathis dutyasaself-styled ‘patriot’ compelled him to target East Tennessee law enforcement for assassination,” they wrote. Kelley served in theMarine Corps for eight years. He was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan before his 2015 discharge from themilitary
On Jan.6,2021, Kelley was captured on video helping twootherrioters throw aCapitol Police officer onto the ground and using apiece of wood to damage awindow, according to theFBI.Hewas thefourthpersontoenter the Capitol through abroken window,the FBI said.
After atrial without ajury, afederal judge in Washington convicted Kelley lastNovember of 11 countsstemming fromthe riot. Before Kelley couldbesentenced,
Trumppardoned him and hundreds of other convicted Capitol rioters.
Kelley arguedthat his pardon was broad enough to cover his conduct in the Tennesseecase, butthe judge disagreed.Varlan saidKelley’scrimes in the Tennessee casewere separated from Kelley’s conducton Jan.6 “byyears andmiles.” Prosecutors reachedthe sameconclusion. In other Jan.6 cases, however,Trump’s Justice Department has arguedthatthe pardons apply to separate
convictions. For instance, prosecutors concluded that aKentucky man’spardon for storming the Capitol also covered his convictionfor illegally possessing guns when FBI agents searched his home for the Jan. 6investigation. Kelley hasbeen jailed since December 2022. His lawyer, Mark Brown, said Kelley did not hurt anybody or directly threaten anybody with violence. Brown urged the judge to reject prosecutors’ request to apply a“terrorismenhancement”in
calculating his client’ssentence.
Kelley’sco-defendant, Austin Carter,pleaded guilty to aconspiracy charge in January 2024. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 4. Kelley created alist of 36 law-enforcement officers to targetfor assassinationand shared it with Carter,calling it their first “mission,” according to prosecutors. All the officers were involved in Kelley’sMay 2022 arrest on Capitol riotchargesand the FBI’ssearch of his home.
BY HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press
At least 15 people were taken to ahospital when asmall skydiving aircraftwent offthe end of arunway at an airport in southern New Jersey and crashed in awooded area on Wednesday evening, accordingtoauthorities.
The incident at the Cross Keys Airport, about 21 miles southeast of Philadelphia, involved aCessna 208B carrying 15 people, according to aFederal AviationAdministration spokesperson, who saidit’sunder investigation. Aerial footage of the crashed plane shows it in awooded area, with several pieces of
debris nearby.Firetrucksand other emergency vehicles surrounded thescene.
Three people arebeingevaluated at CooperUniversity Hospital’strauma center in Camden, New Jersey,and eight people with less severe injuries are being treated in its emergency department, Wendy Marano, a spokesperson for the hospital, said. Four otherpatients also with “minimal injuries” arewaiting for further evaluation, she said. She wasn’table to provide theexact nature of theinjuries. Members of thehospital’sEMS andtrauma department were at thecrash site,she said. Skydive Cross Keys didn’timmediately respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment.








BUSINESS


BRIEFS
FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS
U.S. stocks top record as Tesla, Nike rally
NEW YORK U.S. stocks ticked higher on Wednesday to hit another all-time high.
The S&P 500 rose 0.5% and set a record for the third time in four days. The Dow Jones Industrial Average edged down by 10 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.9%.
Tesla helped drive the market higher and rose 5% after saying it delivered nearly 374,000 of its Model 3 and Model Y automobiles last quarter. That was better than analysts expected, though the electric-vehicle maker’s overall sales fell 13% from a year earlier
Worries have been high that CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in politics is turning off potential Tesla buyers.
Constellation Brands climbed 4.5% despite reporting a weaker profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It pointed to slowing growth for jobs in the construction industry and other “4000 calorie+” sectors, which tends to hurt demand for its beer
But the company selling Modelo beer and Robert Mondavi wine nevertheless stuck with its financial forecasts for the full upcoming year
Del Monte seeks bankruptcy protection
Del Monte Foods, the 139-yearold company best known for its canned fruits and vegetables, is filing for bankruptcy protection as U.S. consumers increasingly bypass its products for healthier or cheaper options.
Del Monte has secured $912.5 million in debtor-in-possession financing that will allow it to operate normally as the sale progresses.
“After a thorough evaluation of all available options, we determined a court-supervised sale process is the most effective way to accelerate our turnaround and create a stronger and enduring Del Monte Foods,” CEO Greg Longstreet said in a statement.
Del Monte Foods, based in Walnut Creek, California, also owns the Contadina tomato brand, College Inn and Kitchen Basics broth brands and the Joyba bubble tea brand.
The company has seen sales growth of Joyba and broth in fiscal 2024, but not enough to offset weaker sales of Del Monte’s signature canned products.
“Consumer preferences have shifted away from preservative-laden canned food in favor of healthier alternatives,” said Sarah Foss, global head of legal and restructuring at Debtwire, a financial consultancy Trump announces trade deal with Vietnam
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump announced a trade deal with Vietnam Wednesday that would allow U.S. goods to enter the country duty-free. Vietnamese exports to the United States, by contrast, would face a 20% levy On his Truth Social platform, Trump declared the pact “a Great Deal of Cooperation between our two Countries.”
In April, Trump announced a 46% tax on Vietnamese imports — one of his so-called reciprocal tariffs targeting dozens of countries with which the United States runs trade deficits. Trump promptly suspended the reciprocal tariffs for 90 days to allow for negotiations like the one with Vietnam. The pause expires Tuesday, but so far the Trump administration has reached a trade agreement with only one of those countries — the United Kingdom. (Trump has also reached a ”framework” agreement with China in a separate trade dispute.)
The United States last year ran a $122 billion trade deficit with Vietnam. That was the third-biggest U.S. trade gap — the difference between the goods and services it buys from other countries and those it sells them behind the ones with China and Mexico.






Microsoft’s largest layoff in years hits
BY MATT O’BRIEN AP technology writer
Microsoft is laying off thousands of workers, its second mass layoff in months and its largest in more than two years.
The tech giant began sending out layoff notices Wednesday that hit the company’s Xbox video game business and other divisions.
Among those losing their jobs are 830 workers tied to Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, according to a notice sent to state officials Wednesday The company won’t say the total number of layoffs except that it was about 4% of the workforce it had a year ago.
Microsoft said the cuts will affect
multiple teams around the world, including its sales division, part of “organizational changes” needed to succeed in a “dynamic marketplace.”
Microsoft employed 228,000 fulltime workers as of last June, the last time it reported its annual head count. The company said Wednesday that its latest layoffs would cut close to 4% of that workforce, which would be about 9,100 people. But it has already had at least three layoffs this year and it’s unlikely that new hiring has matched the amount lost.
Microsoft just last month cut another 300 workers based out of its Redmond headquarters, on top of nearly 2,000 who lost their jobs in
the Puget Sound region in May, most of them in software engineering and product management roles, according to notices it sent to Washington state employment officials.
Microsoft’s chief financial officer Amy Hood said on an April earnings call that the company was focused on “building high-performing teams and increasing our agility by reducing layers with fewer managers.”
The latest layoffs, however, seemed centered on slower-growing areas of the company’s business, said Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives.
“They’re focused more and more on AI, cloud and next-generation Microsoft and really looking to cut costs around Xbox and some of the
more legacy areas,” Ives said. “I think they overhired over the years. This is (CEO Satya) Nadella and team making sure that they’re keeping with efficiency and that’s the name of the game in Wall Street.”
The trimming of the Xbox staff follows Microsoft’s yearslong expansion of the business surrounding its gaming console, culminating in 2023 with the $75.4 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard — the California-based maker of hit franchises like Call of Duty and Candy Crush. Before that, in a bid to compete with Sony’s PlayStation, it spent $7.5 billion to acquire ZeniMax Media, the parent company of Maryland-based video game publisher Bethesda Softworks.

Solar likely to get ax by new bill
BY MICHAEL PHILLIS Associated Press
WASHINGTON As Republicans in Congress rushed forward with a massive tax and spending cut bill, a North Carolina renewable energy executive wrote to his 190 employees with a warning: Deep cuts to clean energy tax credits were going to hurt.
“(The changes) would almost certainly include the loss of jobs on our team,” wrote Will Etheridge, CEO of Southern Energy Management in Raleigh. “I’m telling you that because you deserve transparency and the truth even if that truth is uncomfortable.”
The bill now in the House takes an ax to clean energy incentives, including killing a 30% tax credit for rooftop residential solar by the end of the year that the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act had extended into the next decade. Trump has called the clean energy tax credits in the climate law part of a “green new scam” that improperly shifts taxpayer subsidies to help the “globalist climate agenda” and energy sources like wind and solar
Businesses and analysts say the GOP-backed bill will likely reverse the sector’s growth and eliminate jobs.
“The residential solar industry is going to be absolutely creamed by this,” said Bob Keefe, executive director of E2, a business group that advocates for pro-environment policies.
President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” takes aim at renewables broadly, including phasing out tax credits enjoyed by utilityscale solar and wind. But cutting the residential solar credit will happen sooner Companies have announced more than $20 billion in clean-energy investments in North Carolina in recent years. Etheridge, whose company installs solar panels and helps ensure buildings are energy efficient, was among many in the sector to lobby Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina for changes in the bill.
Tillis ultimately was one of three Republicans to vote against the measure, but in a sign of Trump’s power over legislators to pass it, Tillis said he wouldn’t seek reelection after Trump said he’d likely support a primary challenger Now Etheridge says losing the tax credit will likely mean laying off 50 to 55 of his workers. He called the elimination of residential tax credits a “bait and switch.”
“I made a decision from being an employee to taking out a loan from my grandmother to buy into my business and put my house on the line” in part because of the stability of the tax credits, he said. He said he’ll scramble now to figure out ways to diversify his business.
“If you require a money-spigot from Washington to make your business viable, it probably shouldn’t have been in business in the first place,” said Adam Michel, director of tax policy studies at the Cato Institute, a libertar-
ian think tank Michel said he doubted many clean energy companies would go out of business, but “I think that they will be right sized for the market and that the people that are employed with them will find better jobs and more stable jobs in industries that are actually viable and don’t require billions of dollars of federal subsidies.”
Even ahead of debate over the bill, experts at E2 said in May that $14 billion in clean energy investments across the country had been postponed or canceled this year
The bill the Senate passed Tuesday removes a tax on some wind and solar projects that was proposed in a previous version and gives utility-scale projects some time to begin construction before phasing out those tax credits.
Karl Stupka, president of Raleigh-based NC Solar Now that employs about 100 people, said the Senate’s bill eased the impact on commercial projects “while destroying the residential portion of the tax credits.” Roughly 85% of his business is residential work.
“They took it away from every average American normal person and gave it to the wealthier business owners,” he said.
Stupka said if the bill becomes law companies will rush to finish as many solar jobs as they can before the credit ends. He expected to lay off half his employees, with “trickledown” job losses elsewhere.
“It would cause a pretty severe shock wave,” he said.
Celebs demand Amazon improve conditions for pregnant workers
BY KAITLYN HUAMANI Los Angeles Times (TNS)
Jane Fonda, Cynthia Nixon, Sally Field and several other celebrities are demanding that Amazon address allegations that pregnant warehouse workers are not receiving reasonable accommodations, causing health complications and even miscarriages.
The Hollywood personalities, which include Lily Tomlin, Chelsea Handler Rosario Dawson and Pamela Adlon, signed a letter sent Thursday to Edith Cooper, the chair of Amazon’s leadership development and compensation committee. The federal Pregnant Workers’ Fairness Act, which went into effect in June 2023, requires employers to grant “reasonable accommodation” to an employee’s limitations having to do with pregnancy childbirth or related medical conditions. For
warehouse workers, this means the company would have to allow pregnant workers to take additional, longer or more flexible breaks, accommodate requests for light duty or help with lifting or other manual labor and meet other reasonable requests. The company said that it does meet reasonable requests.
However, the letter argues that Amazon is violating the law, saying several workers have shared stories about “being forced to work at a breakneck pace” while pregnant. Some have faced “severe health complications, miscarriages, and total loss of income with no ability to access parental leave benefits as Amazon workers are either terminated or quit due to their impossible circumstances,” the letter said. The letter was posted online on the website of Expose Amazon an organization focused on sharing sto-
ries of warehouse employees’ experiences with injuries and detailing working conditions.
Erica Smiley, the executive director of Jobs with Justice, said the organization and other groups have received nearly 150 accounts from current and former Amazon workers who faced difficult working conditions while pregnant, including having to climb ladders or do dangerous tasks even in later stages of pregnancy
“When we were starting to talk to Amazon workers, we thought the big issue was going to be wages, and the fact that the issue is actually, ‘We don’t want to die or lose our children,’ is shocking to us,” said Smiley, whose group helped to organize the letter “I thought I had lost my capacity for outrage, but this was just incredibly outrageous.”
Ali Stephens, a director for the people, experience and technology
department within Amazon’s human resources team, told The Times on Tuesday that the vast majority of pregnancy-related accommodations the company receives are approved. Examples of those accommodations include additional breaks and exceptions to policies, like one that requires specific employees to be required to drive powered industrial trucks. Pregnant employees can also ask to be seated while working. If an employee identifies what they believe to be an unsafe work condition or sees that policies designed to protect employees are violated, they should report it immediately, Stephens said Warehouse workers have reportedly been requesting a meeting with Cooper, to whom the letter is addressed, and Amazon’s board of directors and vice president of safety since July 2024, according to the letter, but they’ve been unsuccessful.
Spanish wildfire kills 2 as parts of Europe bake
BY JOSEPH WILSON Associated Press
BARCELONA, Spain Europe’s continuing heat wave on Wednesday helped fuel a deadly wildfire in Spain while the European Union presented plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions under scorching temperatures.
The blaze that broke out late on Tuesday created an enormous thick plume of ash and smoke that rose 45,000 feet into the sky, making it the largest registered by firefighters in Catalonia, a northeastern region of Spain.
Two farmers were killed while apparently trying to flee in a vehicle, local authorities said Wednesday
Firefighters said that the fire spread at 17 mph at one point as it consumed 16,000 acres mostly of grain fields.
“Wildfires today are not like they were before,” Salvador Illa, the regional president of Catalonia, said.

holiday homes in the region.
Italy’s labor ministry and union representatives signed a protocol Wednesday on protecting farm, construction and other workers who labor outdoors from heat exposure. The non-binding document contains best practices, including changing work shifts to avoid peak heat times of the day, and calls for access to unemployment benefits even for seasonal farm labor when working hours are reduced due to extreme heat.
Italian media reported two heat-related deaths on Sardinian beaches. Earlier in the week, a construction worker died while repaving a parking lot near Bologna.
Breuer of the Berlin City Mission She estimated the German capital has between 8,000 and 10,000 people without shelter In Switzerland, one of the two reactors at the Beznau nuclear power plant was shut down as part of efforts to prevent excessive warming of the Aare River, so as not to further burden wildlife and the overall ecosystem in already hot weather operator Axpo said. EU plan to cut emissions As much of Europe was scorched by torrid weather the European Commission unveiled proposals to reduce emissions by 90% by 2040 as the 27-nation bloc aims to be fully carbon-neutral by 2050.
Two of the 500 firefighters who deployed needed treatment at a local hospital for their injuries. Some 14,000 residents were ordered to stay indoors for several hours on Tuesday night
Spain’s seas heat up
After Spain set a record for June air temperatures, its port authorities recorded the hottest ever water tem-
“These are extremely dangerous. From the very first moment, it was considered to be beyond the capacity of extinction. I mean that not even with two or three times the number of firefighters, they have told me, it would have been possible to put out.” Firefighters credited a rainstorm later on Tuesday for having “quickly changed the situation and helped speed up getting the fire stabilized.”
perature readings for the month in the Mediterranean and the part of the Atlantic nearest to France.
Experts say higher surface temperatures are bad for sea life and make for warmer nights on shore.
“A much warmer sea around us contributes to the nights not cooling down, which is detrimental to people’s rest,” Manuel Vargas, researcher at the Oceanographic Center of Malaga, told The Associated Press.
In Spain’s southern city of
Malaga, the Red Cross set up an air-conditioned “climate refuge” to help residents and provided and “assisted bathing service” to help people with reduced mobility to cool down in waters at the beach.
Other nations
In Turkey, authorities evacuated two neighborhoods in the Aegean coastal town of Cesme after a fire that started on an agricultural field, spread to a forested area, threatening some
Heat alerts were issued for 17 Italian cities Wednesday The corresponding surge in air conditioning has strained the electric grid and causing periodic blackouts, including in Florence.
France’s national weather agency kept four departments under red alert on Wednesday after temperatures exceeded 104 degrees in many towns.
In Berlin, the homeless feeling the brunt of the 96-degree heat sought respite at a city mission.
“If you maybe lie down somewhere to rest and go to sleep in the sun, that can lead to death from heat exposure,” said Barbara
“We are finally here on a very hot day and some would call that very timely,” Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra told reporters in Brussels. The proposals include allowing businesses to use international carbon credits to offset their emissions. Under the plan, international carbon credits could be used — starting in 2036 and limited to 3% of benchmark 1990 EU emissions to reach the 2040 emission reduction target. The proposals have to be approved by all member states.
Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down abortion ban from 1849
BY TODD RICHMOND Associated Press
MADISON,Wis. The Wisconsin Supreme Court’s liberal majority struck down the state’s 176-year-old abortion ban on Wednesday, ruling 4-3 that it was superseded by newer state laws regulating the procedure, including statutes that criminalize abortions only after a fetus can survive outside the womb. The ruling came as no surprise given that liberal justices control the court. One of them went so far as to promise to uphold abortion rights during her campaign two years ago
The statute Wisconsin legislators adopted in 1849, widely interpreted as a neartotal ban on abortions, made it a felony for anyone other than the mother or a doctor in a medical emergency to destroy “an unborn child.”
in effect trumped the ban.
Kaul specifically cited a 1985 law that essentially permits abortions until viability Some babies can survive with medical help after 21 weeks of gestation.
wrote for the majority.
The ban was in effect until 1973, when the U.S Supreme Court’s landmark Roe v. Wade decision legalizing abortion nationwide nullified it. Legislators never officially repealed it, however, and conservatives argued that the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe reactivated it Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul, a Democrat, filed a lawsuit that year arguing that abortion restrictions enacted by Republican legislators during the nearly half-century that Roe was
Lawmakers also enacted abortion restrictions under Roe requiring women to undergo ultrasounds, wait 24 hours before having the procedure and provide written consent, and receive abortion-inducing drugs only from doctors during an in-person visit.
“That comprehensive legislation so thoroughly covers the entire subject of abortion that it was clearly meant as a substitute for the 19th century near-total ban on abortion,” Justice Rebeca Dallet
Sheboygan County District Attorney Joel Urmanski, a Republican, defended the ban in court, arguing that it can coexist with the newer abortion restrictions. Dane County Circuit Judge Diane Schlipper ruled in 2023 that the 1849 ban outlaws feticide — which she defined as the killing of a fetus without the mother’s consent — but not consensual abortions. Abortions
have been available in the state since that ruling, but the state Supreme Court decision gives providers and patients more certainty that abortions will remain legal in Wisconsin. Urmanski had asked the state Supreme Court to overturn Schlipper’s ruling without waiting for a decision from a lower appellate court.
The liberal justices all but telegraphed how they would
rule. Justice Janet Protasiewicz stated on the campaign trail that she supports abortion rights. During oral arguments, Dallet declared that the ban was authored by white men who held all the power in the 19th century In a dissent, Justice Annette Ziegler called the ruling “a jaw-dropping exercise of judicial will.” She said the liberal justices caved in to their Democratic constituencies.
BY CURT ANDERSON and MARTA LAVANDIER Associated Press
OCHOPEE, Fla. — The first group of immigrants were scheduled to arrive Wednesday night at a new detention center deep in the Florida Everglades that officials have dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” the state’s attorney general said. “Alligator Alcatraz will be checking in hundreds of criminal illegal aliens tonight,” Florida Republican Attorney General James
Uthmeier said on the X social media platform. “Next stop: back to where they came from.” It wasn’t immediately clear precisely when the detainees would arrive or where they were coming from. The facility, at an airport used for training, will have a capacity of about 3,000 detainees when fully operational, according to Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis said The center was built in eight days over 10 miles of Everglades. It features more than 200 security cameras, 28,000-plus
feet of barbed wire and 400 security personnel.
Environmental groups and Native American tribes have protested against the center contending it is a threat to the fragile Everglades system, would be cruel to detainees because of heat and mosquitoes, and is on land the tribes consider sacred.
The Republican Party of Florida has taken to fundraising off the detention center, selling branded Tshirts and beer koozies emblazoned with the facility’s name.




















Texasfamiliessue to blockTen Commandments law
BY NOLAN D. MCCASKILL
The Dallas Morning News (TNS)
DALLAS Agroup of multifaith and nonreligious Texas families
filed afederal lawsuit Wednesday to block anew state law requiring classroom displays of the Ten Commandments from taking effect in September.
The suit is the latest legal challenge to the law that is set to take effect Sept. 1asopponents call the requirement unconstitutional.
The 16 families who are part of the new federal lawsuitallege that students willbe“forcibly subjected” to state-sponsored scriptural principles such as “I AM the LORD thy God” and “Thou shalt haveno other gods before me.”
“This simply cannot be reconciled withthe fundamentalreligious freedom principlesthat animated the founding of ournation,” they argue in court documents. They want the U.S. DistrictCourt
for theWestern District of Texas to declare Senate Bill 10 aviolation of the First Amendment’s establishment andfreeexerciseclauses —which protect the separation of church andstate and religious freedom, respectively —and preliminarily bar it from taking effect
Thefamilies —who areJewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Hindu or nonreligious —said such displays “willsubstantially interfere with andburden” parents’ right to direct their children’sreligious education and upbringing.
Gov.Greg Abbott signed SB 10 into law last monthaware thatit would bechallenged in court.
“Bring it,” Abbott wrote in asocial mediapostinMay,whencivil rights groups threatened tosue after lawmakerspassedthe measure If left in place, Texaspublic schoolsmustconspicuously display adurable poster or framed copy of the TenCommandments that is at least 16 inches by 20
inches. The law specifies the exact wording that must be used and requires the text size and typeface be readable for aperson withaverage vision from anywhere in the classroom.
The lawsuit cites a1980 U.S. Supreme Courtdecision that struck Kentucky’sTen Commandments law for being unconstitutional, as well as more recentcivil action. Afederal court in Louisianalast year blocked that state’sTen Commandments law for violating the establishment andfree exercise clauses, aruling that was affirmed on appeal last month.
Last week,the Supreme Court ruledthatunderthe free exercise clause, public schools can’t conditionstudents’ access to education on families’ acceptance of instruction that “substantiallyinterferes withthe religious development of (a) child or pose(s) averyreal threat of undermining thereligious beliefs andpractices the par-
ent wishes to instill in the child.”
By that reading, the lawsuit argues, SB 10 is “plainly unconstitutional” as thedisplays will “pressure students …into religious observance” and “send theharmful and religiously divisive message that students who do notsubscribe to” that specific version of the Ten Commandments “do not belong in their own school community.”
Republican state lawmakers have said young people need God and suggested onlygood could come from exposure to adocument that encourages students to respect theirparents andnot kill, steal or cheat.
They’vealso said Christianity is an important part of the nation’s founding andhistory,noting that references to Godare on U.S. currencyaswell as in the national and Texas pledges.
“Very few documents in the historyofWestern civilization and even more so in American his-
toryhavehad alargerimpact on our moral code and our legal code and just our culture than the Ten Commandments,” Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, saidduring floor debate in March.
The families are represented by the civil liberties organizations Americans United forSeparation of Churchand State, the national ACLU,the ACLU of Texas and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.The groups warned Abbott in May they would file suit if he signed the bill.
“Families—not politicians— get to decide when and how publicschool children engage with religion,” saidRachel Laser,president andCEO of AmericansUnited for Separation of Church and State.
The law requires Texas Attorney General KenPaxton to represent the state in any TenCommandments litigation.A spokesperson forPaxton’s office didnot respond to an emailed request for comment.



























Lawsuit alleges city owes jail contractor
Builder: Over $4 million due for mental health wing
BY JOSEPH CRANNEY Staff writer
The city of New Orleans owes more than $4.4 million to the Metairie-based contractor building the controversial mental health addition to the troubled jail the contractor alleged in a lawsuit filed
last week.
The suit from McDonnel Construction Services, which was filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court, alleges that “significant” changes ordered by the city’s architect added months of time and millions of dollars to the project, money the city has not agreed to
pay Ten inmates escaped from the jail in May, setting off additional concerns among state and local officials about problems at the facility After years of other legal battles, construction on the so-called Phase III building is about two-thirds finished, with completion estimated in June. The 89-bed wing, designed
to house the jail’s most severely mentally ill detainees, could open as soon as two months after that.
The city owns the jail and selected McDonnel to build Phase III, with construction starting in late 2023. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, who operates the jail, opposes the addition. She’s argued the wing is unnecessary and expensive its costs have more than doubled from a pre-pandemic
FAÇADE FIXING

A man walks his dog past the boarded-up façade surrounding scaffolding at St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square as renovations are underway in New Orleans on Monday. St. Louis Cathedral, one of the most iconic landmarks in New Orleans and the oldest continuously active Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States, is undergoing a significant exterior renovation. The project includes cleaning, repairing water damage, and restoring the the building to preserve the historic French and Spanish colonial architecture.
JONI HESS
estimate of $40 million.
But Hutson’s efforts to convince the courts to stop construction have failed. U.S. Judge Lance Africk, of Louisiana’s Eastern District, who oversees the jail’s decade-old consent decree, ordered Phase III to be built in 2021 and rejected Hutson’s last rounds of appeals in 2023.
Mother mourns aspiring nurse
Woman found buried in St. Roch yard
BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer
When Essence Charnique Peters was born by emergency cesarean section at 33 weeks old, she weighed only five pounds — small enough to fit in her mother’s palm.
“From the minute I had her, she was a bubble of joy,” said Nakeisha Ruiz. Ruiz had planned to name her daughter after herself. But a magazine altered that course.

“I was heavily sedated, and (Essence) magazine was on the hospital table. I kept saying ‘Essence’ over and over,” Ruiz said, laughing. “And the lady wrote Essence (on the birth certificate). When I came out of it, I was like, ‘Who is Essence?’” Peters, 24, grew up to be a housekeeper at a nursing home and was studying to become a certified nursing assistant. But her life was cut short when her boyfriend, Benjamin Camp, 24, allegedly shot and killed her at his home in New Orleans’ St. Roch neighborhood, police said. Police found her partially buried body Saturday at around 5 p.m in the backyard of a house in the 2000 block of Marigny Street after a witness called 911, according to court records.
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
Nurses at University Medical Center in New Orleans will go on strike for two days later this month to protest what union organizers say is retaliation by the hospital’s

Judge blocks DOGE cuts to AmeriCorps
Serve Louisiana programs help community development
BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer
A Baton Rouge federal judge has ordered the government to resume funding for one of Louisiana’s largest AmeriCorps programs, more than two months after a presidential directive dismantled the agency that helps nonprofits across the nation pay for community improvement projects.
U.S. District Judge John deGravelles sided with Serve Louisiana in his ruling Friday, ordering an injunction that terminated the drastic budget cuts that have halted volunteer efforts across the state.
“We are deeply grateful for the court’s ruling,” Lisa Moore, Serve Louisiana’s executive director, said in a statement Monday “AmeriCorps isn’t just about improving lives in the communities we serve — it’s about fostering civic engagement in the AmeriCorps members themselves. We acted quickly to challenge this termination because we believe in modeling the very civic responsibility we’ve spent the past 30 years instilling in our members. These young people committed to 11 months of service, and now, thanks to this decision, we can uphold our end of that agreement.” It’s not clear how wide-reaching
LAWSUIT
Continued from page 1B
McDonnel was supposed to finish by November
According to the company’s lawsuit, the project’s delays began last June when architects revised plans for the project’s structural steel and masonry reinforcement, including changes requiring another 20 tons of steel.
The city then ignored three of McDonnel’s change orders that accounted for those updates, totaling more than $4.4 million, the company alleges. McDonnel has been covering those costs since. “Essentially, (McDonnel) and its subcontractors and suppliers are funding the work on the project without getting paid by the city,” McDonnel alleged, adding that the company’s disadvantaged business subcontractor Mississippibased Gulley’s Welding & Steel
MOURNS
Continued from page 1B
Ruiz said the couple started dating in February Though they occasionally argued, she never saw signs of abuse.
“How does it come to this?” she asked.
An introverted helper
A Kenner native, Peters evacuated to Houston with her family during Hurricane Katrina. She attended Highland Heights Elementary and Teague Middle School before returning to Louisiana, where she graduated from high school in New Iberia.
She loved math and art, and volunteered to help students in special education, pushing wheelchairs and assisting at lunch.
Peters later enrolled in a pharmacy program at Gary Job Corps in Texas, then returned to New Orleans to live with her great aunt in Hollygrove. Quiet and introverted, she was deeply devoted to her 12-year-old sister with high-functioning autism.
“She loved helping the elderly and working at the nursing home. A stranger would ask her for money, and she would give it to them knowing she would never see it again,” Ruiz said. “She was that type of person.”
‘Like he was crazy’ Peters met Camp at a secondline in February, Ruiz said. A family friend, he worked at Smoothie King and had been diagnosed with autism at age eight Shortly before meeting Camp, Ruiz said, he’d been hospitalized following a fentanyl overdose and coma.
“When I met him, it looked like he was crazy,” said Ruiz, a Nunez Community College nursing student who works as a tech on the neurology floor at West
the recent ruling’s effects could be. The U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling earlier this year that bars federal district court rulings on DOGE cases from setting national precedent. While other states saw lawsuits in the wake of the cuts, Serve Louisiana was the only AmeriCorps vendor to file suit in Louisiana.
Serve Louisiana is a Baton Rouge nonprofit that partners with 18 different public agencies and grassroots organizations statewide, such as the Boys & Girls Club and the East Baton Rouge Parish Library
The group supplies student members and senior volunteers to help with community development efforts such as mentoring children, coordinating environmental cleanup efforts and providing hurricane relief.
Serve Louisiana sued the Trump administration’s Office of Management and Budget, AmeriCorps and the recently created U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE. The volunteer group filed suit May 1 in the Baton Rougebased federal district court, asking a judge to intervene and stop the cuts that abruptly stripped grant dollars that Serve Louisiana relied upon for its work.
President Donald Trump gutted the AmeriCorps budget, slashing nearly $400 million away from the $557 million spending plan Congress had already earmarked for the federal volunteer agency
The money had been appropriated for AmeriCorps to award grants to organizations that foster more
than 1,000 state and local service programs nationwide. In Louisiana, DOGE cuts to AmeriCorps impacted 13 nonprofit programs that for years have depended on the agency to pay its member workers a stipend that covers their living expenses for 11 months and helps them repay student loans. Members are typically recent college graduates embedded in nonprofit groups or faithbased organizations. Through the AmeriCorps programs, they work with schools, churches, food banks, homeless shelters, health clinics, youth centers and other initiatives.
Serve Louisiana challenged the Trump administration’s April order that suddenly revoked the grant dollars without notice midway through the fiscal year, saying “AmeriCorps had no valid reasoned basis for terminating Serve Louisiana’s grant, rendering the action arbitrary and capricious.”
The Office of Management and Budget, an executive branch agency of the federal government, issued the rescind order in an April 24 memo that called for the immediate cancellation of about $400 million in grants and appropriations AmeriCorps had already awarded. One day later, AmeriCorps officials sent Volunteer Louisiana, the statesanctioned commission that processes and disburses the agency’s funding here, a termination notice that said the grant “no longer effectuates agency priorities.” With that, the feds cut all funding for the AmeriCorps programs across Louisiana. The same process played out in all 50 states and monthly dis-
bursements for AmeriCorps grants were cut off nationwide.
Serve Louisiana billed itself as the largest grantee that partners with AmeriCorps in Louisiana. The group had been awarded about $700,000 in grant dollars for the current fiscal year, Moore said in an April 30 affidavit. The cuts meant Serve Louisiana could no longer pay monthly stipends to its 37 service members, who were completing 11-month assignments that saw them work full-time hours for 18 different nonprofit organizations
The members still had about three months left in their assignments but lost their health insurance and education awards as a result of the cuts. In arguing for the injunction, plaintiff attorneys said the most devastating impact was the threat to community projects and activities because Serve Louisiana would no longer be able to provide critical support staff.
The U.S. Attorneys Office called Serve Louisiana a “subgrantee” of the state commission that distributes the grants. They argued the lawsuit was really just a contract dispute between Serve Louisiana and federal agencies, one that should’ve been settled in federal claims court. DeGravelles, an Obama appointee, rejected that notion.
“Plaintiff has not requested any damages it has not asked for any monetary damages. It has not asked for reimbursement for the expenses that may have been incurred as a result of the termination of its AmeriCorps-funded

additional project delays pushing the opening of the facility into 2027. Workers were on the site Wednesday
Jefferson Medical Center “And I told her that.” Ruiz and Peters talked just about every day, including right before her death.
She was happy because I was finally off this weekend,” Ruiz said “I was going to braid her hair, do her laundry and cook for her.”
When Peters didn’t answer Ruiz’ calls on Thursday and Friday she knew something wasn’t right. Peters’ phone location showed her at her boyfriend’s house. On Saturday, Ruiz decided to head to St. Roch and check on her daughter Before she left her house, Camp’s father called.
“The dad told my husband, ‘You have to come here,’ ” Ruiz said. “I’m thinking they got into it, and I’m going to have to bring her home.”
Ruiz had no idea she was heading to a murder scene. “If somebody would have told me that, I wouldn’t have had my 12-yearold with me,” Ruiz said. “She had to hear it on the scene with me.”
Murder confession
Camp was arrested on the scene and confessed to shooting Peter several times, dragging her to the backyard and burying her, court documents say He mopped up the blood, collected the casings and Peters’ clothing and burned them at another location, according to court documents
“He’s saying he was blacked out and didn’t know what he was doing,” Ruiz said.
Camp was booked into Orleans Justice Center on counts of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice and is being held on a $1.25 million bond.
Ruiz’ family is fundraising for Peters’ funeral via GoFundMe.
She says her 12-year-old daughter has not yet spoken about Peters’ death.
“We say ‘When you are ready to talk, just talk,’ ” Ruiz said.
CAMPS
Continued from page 1B
According to program documents obtained by The TimesPicayune, Anderson’s camps were supposed to serve 1,000 kids over a period of eight weeks, a cost estimated around $1.5 million.
New Orleans City Council member Lesli Harris, whose district includes the YMCA, said she and the agency’s leadership tapped Torres this week about potential funding options to keep the camps afloat.
“When it became clear that there were fundraising challenges impacting the camps at The Hangout NOLA, Bricolage Academy and
STRIKE
Continued from page 1B
The upcoming job action, scheduled for July 15-17, will be to protest what union organizers say is a “pattern of retaliation by LCMC management against longtime nurses, who support the union and the fight to improve working conditions.”
In a statement, the union cites the termination of Mike Robertshaw and recent disciplinary action against Wanda Williams, both registered nurses at UMC, alleging that “management is clearly looking for reasons to discipline outspoken patient advocates who support their union and fight to improve working conditions.” LCMC did not directly address the allegations in a statement provided to The Times Picayune. But earlier this week, Chief Nursing Officer Allison Guste sent an internal email to UMC staff, which has since been made public, explaining the allegations and defending the hospital’s actions. According to the letter, a nurse
employees, such as the costs of hiring new employees or overtime for existing employees,” the judge said in his ruling. “It has not asked for compensation for harms that may have occurred to ongoing projects as a result of a pause in activities
Instead, Plaintiff has requested specific relief and only specific relief: that the court enforce the statutory mandates under which AmeriCorps operates.”
DeGravelles found that AmeriCorps reallocated funds based simply on new policy priorities, calling it “an act of agency discretion.” But he said Congress has “circumscribed agency discretion” with mandates. Even AmeriCorps’ own policy calls for notice and a public “comment rulemaking” hearing before any significant policy shifts. He determined Serve Louisiana is likely to succeed on the merit of it claims and ordered AmeriCorps to fund Serve Louisiana for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends Aug. 31.
“AmeriCorps may have the right to undertake different policy priorities, provided that it does so in accordance with all legal requirements such as notice and comment. However, if AmeriCorps chooses to terminate existing grants because they do not comply with new policy priorities, it is still required to follow both the standards set forth by the (Administrative Procedure Act) and those standards that AmeriCorps has set forth for itself.” Email Matt Bruce at matt. bruce@theadvocate.com.
Erectors Inc., was also adversely affected.
A city spokesperson said Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration would have no comment pending the litigation. The city did agree to pay $3.1 million in separate change orders, bringing the costs of the project up from McDonnel’s original $88.7 million contract, a city spokesperson said earlier this year With the $4.4 million that McDonnel alleges the city still owes, the project’s overall costs would climb above $96 million.
City officials have said they’ll pay for Phase III using $39 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, leftover funds meant to help the city rebuild its jail after Hurricane Katrina. Another $26.7 million was set aside after the city sold millions in bonds in 2021. City officials haven’t said how they’ll pay for the remaining balance of at least $23 million.
Dryades YMCA put on by Asher Institute, I knew we had to act quickly to keep things moving for our kids,” Harris said Wednesday
With the backing of Torres’ IV Waste Relief Fund, 150 YMCA campers will continue through the program for the remaining four weeks, according to the agency’s budget. The money will cover 10 camp staffers, facility costs, food service provided by New Orleans restaurateur Larry Morrow and program supplies.
“This is what a community working together looks like,” Harris said.
Torres established the relief fund in the wake of the Bourbon Street attack to help victims, their families and the city recover from
at UMC was terminated after leaving medication on the bedside of a sleeping patient with a written note, instructing the patient to take the medicine upon waking. The nurse then documented in the patient’s medical chart that the medication had been administered, Guste wrote.
“This is not just a policy violation, it’s a reportable offense to the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and a serious breach of safe nursing practice,” her letter stated.
It added: “The union representing most of our RNs and NPs has claimed that UMC’s actions were discriminatory and retaliatory This is simply not true.”
The letter does not identify the nurse in question.
The union could not make a spokesperson immediately available for comment Wednesday
The latest flap comes more than 15 months after nurses at UMC voted to unionize, forming the first private-sector nurses’ union in Louisiana with over 600 members. Contract negotiations began in March 2024 and have included more than 28 meetings, according to hospital officials.
the events that left 14 people dead on New Year’s Day “It’s clear that this is a huge need for families,” Williams said of the summer camps. “We don’t want children to be stuck out.” Williams added that the money will go directly toward Dryades, as opposed to the Asher Institute. YMCA officials have also offered space at their facility for Hangout campers and staff.
Hangout founder and CEO Ray Bender said he’ll welcome any support that ensures the kids have a place to go this summer, but the money he’s lost out on from events and other programs that would’ve been in play had his space not been reserved for Anderson’s camp is a huge burden.
Talks are scheduled to continue later this month, LCMC Health said in a statement, adding that, “UMC continues its commitment to bargaining with the union in good faith.”
In the past, strikes have cost LCMC Health approximately $2 million per day largely due to the expense of hiring temporary staff. The hospital will again use temporary nurses to cover for those on strike.
“During this strike as with others in the past, UMC will remain fully operational, ensuring uninterrupted high quality care,” the statement read.



















AntoineSr.,Wilfred
Jr., Wilson BrownSr.,Ollis
Depland, Dwight Freeman,Rhudean Lamy,Dennis
Leslie,Margie
Manson-Byrd,Girtie
Smith,Rita
WilliamsSr.,Felton
EJefferson
Leitz-Eagan
Freeman,Rhudean
Richardson FH
WilliamsSr.,Felton
NewOrleans
Boyd Family
Barard III,Albert
Charbonnet
BrownSr.,Ollis
Leslie,Margie
DW Rhodes
Boveland Jr., Wilson West Bank
Mothe
Lamy,Dennis
Robinson FH
AntoineSr.,Wilfred Smith,Rita
Obituaries
AntoineSr.,Wilfred

WilfredAntoine,Sr.,also known as “JumpBack” Stuffy”departedlife peacefullyonMonday, June 30, 2025, at hisdaugh‐ter home in Gretna,La. He was 81 yearsold.Wilfred was alifelongresidentof PortSulphur,La. Wilfred was born on April12, 1944, tothe late Milton Sr.and EvelynWilliamsAntoine. Hewas thebeloved hus‐bandofLinda Espadron Antoine anddevoted fa‐therofNellice,Wilfred,Jr. (April),Nerissa andWayne (Kimberly). Wilfredisalso survivedby6 grandchil‐drenNyree Parker,Quadry, Kazmi,Ahmad,Khaleigh, Khayden Antoine, 6greatgrandchildren as well as manynieces, nephews, cousins,1 godchildand de‐voted friends. He wasa re‐tiree of Plaquemines ParishGovernment. He was also aVeteran of the UnitedStatesArmy. Wil‐fredwas baptizedlater in lifebyRev.JosephTaylor. Hewas aprankster and loved to tell jokes. He en‐joyed fishingand talking trash with hissonsand grandsons aboutall types ofsports. He lovedhanging out with hisfamilyand close friendsMiguelSylve RobertBurrle, Sr., Michael Sylve andWinston Powell and many more.Heloved calls from hisniecesand nephews especially when theytaughthim about Facebook.Wilfred leaves to cherish hismemoriesof his wife,Linda,his children Nellice,Wilfred,Jr.,Nerissa and Wayne, his6grand‐childrenand his6 greatgrandchildren,his brotherin-lawArnoldEspadron and hissister-in-law Linda Jones Espadron.Heispre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐entsMilton andEvelynAn‐toine,his brothers,Milton, Jr. Vernon,Lawerence and JosephAntoine hissisters, Deloris,Elizabeth andEve‐lyn Elaine.The family of Wilfredwould like to thank Heart of Hospice, West Jef‐fersonand everyone who called, messaged,visited and assisted thefamily duringthistimeofbe‐reavement.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thecelebra‐tionoflifeservice which willbeheldonSaturday, July5,2025, at NewSunrise Baptist Church locatedat 1325 LeboeufStreet, Gretna,LA70056.The visi‐
tation will beginat9 a.m., and theservice will begin at10a.m.PastorCornell Sislerofficiatingand inter‐mentwillbeprivate.Fu‐neral planning entrustedto RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home9611 LA –23, Belle Chasse,LA70037 (504) 208 – 2119. Foronlinecondo‐lencesplease visitwww robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

Bailey,John'Money'

John "Money"Bailey
On Tuesday,June 24, 2025, John "Money" Bailey entered into eternal rest. He wasborn on December 18, 1959,inNew Orleans, Louisiana. He was alifelongcitizen of Barataria, LA and spent his lifeonthe waterworking in the "TrawlingIndustry. John was the son of the late Antoine Jr. and Marie Bailey. John leaves to cherish his memory, two loving daughters, Monique Bailey and Ashley Sylve.six brothers; Antoine,his twin Jacob, Carl, Thaddeus,the late LeoBailey,Darrenand RodneyPetty;threesisters Vanessa BaileyPage, Leotha Bailey,Darrilyn Johnson, and the late AndreaRising; one Uncle George Bailey,and ahost of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Family, friends, pastors and officers of Greater St John BaptistChurch, Ochsner MedicalCenter, WynhovenSeniorLiving and neighboring churches areinvited to attend the funeral servicecelebrating the life of John Baileyon Saturday, July5,2025,at 10:00AM at GreaterSt. John Baptist Church2823-A Privateer Blvd, Barataria LA 70036, Rev. Dr.Harold E. Clark Sr. officiating. The Visitationwillbegin at 9:00AM. The Intermentwill followatBailey Cemetery in Barataria, LA Professional Arrangements are entrusted to JonesMemorial FuneralHome.
Barard III, Albert J.

Albert J. Barard III was borntoAlbertBarardIIand Hazel Barard in NewOr‐leans,La. He passedaway onJune26, 2025, at theage of83. Albert J. Barard III is survivedbyhis children: GinaBarard, KipBarard and Cary Barard,grand‐children: Jason Barard CaryBarardII, Akeriyon Wilder,and Bryceston Barard, siblings: Evelyn Wicker,David Barard,and seven greatgrandchildren Alsosurvivedbyhostof other relativesand friends. Precededindeath by sib‐lings:Winston Barard,Gary Barard, andMargaret Barard. Family andfriends are invitedtoattend the MemorialService on Thursday,July3,2025, for 1:00p.m.atThe Boyd Fam‐ily FuneralHome, 5001 Chef Menteur Hwy.,New Or‐leans,LA70126. Visitation willbegin at 12:30p.m.Fa‐therStanley K. Ihuoma SSJ, officiating. “Death Leaves A HeartacheNoOne Can Heal; Love Leaves AMem‐ory No One CanSteal.” Guestbook Online:www anewtraditionbegins.com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors
Boveland Jr., Wilson Charles

With sadnessweshare the passingofWilson Charles Boveland,Jr, on June 26, 2025. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.comto viewservice information, signonlineguestbook sendflowersand share condolences

BrownSr.,Dr. OllisT

Dr.Ollis T. Brown, Sr., departedthislifepeace‐fully on Saturday,June 21st,2025 at theage of 89 A native of Montgomery, ALand aresidentofSlidell, LA, Dr.Brown wasborn July17, 1935 to thelate Ollis andMaryFarmerBrown. Belovedhusband of ConnieMartinBrown. De‐voted father of Anthony Brown, ShirleyBrown, Alice Brown, Leonard(Renee) Brown, Nicola McCathen, TinaMartin, BrooklynRuth and Teah Crutchfield. Fa‐therinlaw of DarrellVani‐son.Lovinggrandfather of Kevin (Darrell) Oby, Mark Brown, Joshua (Maya) Bri‐ley,MorrisGuerin, Ashley Guerinand Jada McCathen Outstanding great-grand‐fatherofZowie Guerin and Jayce Briley.Relatives and friends;Pastorand mem‐bersofBountiful Blessings FullGospelMinistryand New Home Ministries; members of KreweofSe‐leneNolaFemme Sistas, Krewe of Majestic Carnival Club; employees of Person‐ify Health,Safe Harbor JohnBossCollection, Our Ladyofthe Lake Hospital, St. TammanyParishSheriff Office andConcern Hos‐piceare invitedtoattend the funeral. ACelebration service honoring thelife and legacy of thelateDr. Ollis T. Brown, Sr will be heldatNew Home Min‐istries,1616 Robert C. Blakes, Sr.Drive,New Or‐leans,LA70130 on Satur‐day,July5,2025 at 10 am IntermentSt. Patrick CemeteryMausoleum No 3,143 City Park Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70119. Vis‐itation 9aminthe church Pleasesignonlineguest‐book at www.charbonnetf uneralhome.com. Charbon‐net LabatGlapion,Direc‐tors(504)581 4411.



neralHome, Donald‐sonville, LA Lawn Park Cemetery in New Orleanswas held on Wednesday,July2nd,2025 Condolences maybe sharedonlineatwww.lei tzeaganfuneralhome.com.


Ourbeloved matriarch, RhudeanC.Freeman passedpeacefully into Glory on Friday,June 27 2025, at theage of 88. She was preceded in deathby her devotedhusband of 61 years,Carlton RayFree‐man;her father Garland Cochran,Sr; hermother RennieMae Bunch Cochran;her brothers Elvin Cochran;Garland “G.C.” Cochran,Jr.,and O’Neal Cochran;her sister Mildred Waites; herson DavidRay Freeman;daughter-in-law GingerAdams Freeman; grandsonChristian Free‐man;and hercherished grand dog, AngelFreeman Rhudeanissurvivedbyher sisterRubyLama; herchil‐drenAntonette Freeman Chopinand ShannonL Freeman;son-in-law RobertJ.Chopin; and daughter-in-law Donette J. Freeman.She wasa proud and loving grandmotherto Jesse Freeman, Ashley ChopinLaBarre (Barry LaBarre), Brittany F. Chelette (Craig J. Chelette), Chantelle Freeman, Bren‐dan A. Freeman, (Kendra Freeman), Kyle J. Chopin Grant J. Chopin,and Emily C.Kimball.Her legacy con‐tinuesthrough hergreatgrandchildren:Charlie Chelette,Chloe Chelette KatelynnLaBarre,Sadie LaBarre,Emma Freeman, Eli Freeman, andRyder Freeman —who affection‐ately called herHoney Maw-Maw.She wasalso loved andadmired by her manyniecesand nephews, manyofwhich continued tovisit with heruntil the veryend.Rhudeanwas the steadyrockand heartbeat ofher family— awell‐springofwisdom, grace, and unwavering love.She gaveherself fully to those she loved, especially her grandchildren andgreatgrandchildren,and re‐maineda constant source ofguidanceand comfort throughouttheir lives. Her strengthcamefroma deep and abidingfaith in God. Thatfaith sustainedher through many sorrowsand trials, anditnow stands as a powerful testimony: God isfaithful, even through the hardestofstorms. Thoughour hearts are heavy with loss, herspirit lives on in everyone she touched —through her kindness, hercounsel,and the unconditionalloveshe pouredintoher family. Among hermanyjoys, Rhudeanhad agiftfor hos‐pitality. No oneentered her homewithout beinglov‐ingly “encouraged” to sit downand eat— often whether they were hungry ornot.Cookingfor others was oneofher purest ex‐pressions of love.Her greatestearthly love was her husband,Carlton,with whomshe shared arare and beautiful61-year jour‐ney of life,laughter, and devotion. In her finaldays, she found peaceinlisten‐ing to theold gospel hymns shecherished,sur‐rounded by familyand filled with grace. Shewill bemisseddeeply butre‐memberedalways. Apri‐vatefamilyservice fol‐lowedbyinterment at Lake

Lamy,DennisMichael

Dennis MichaelLamy passedawayonJune 22, 2025, at theage of 63. He was born in Jackson, Mis‐sissippi on July 4, 1961, and was along-time resident of the NewOrleans West‐bank. However, hisloveof the beachled himtolater resideinWestPalmBeach, Florida.Denniswas agrad‐uateofRiver Oaks Acad‐emy andearneda degree inaccountingfromLa. Tech. He wasextremely talentedinthis fieldand spent hiscareer in thema‐rineindustry. Dennis hada loveofanimals,especially his 3cats. During his younger years, he com‐peted andwon numerous bodybuildingevents. Most ofall,Denniswas atrue example of giving.His compassionfor thoseless fortunate wasdisplayed throughouthis life.Dennis was preceded in deathby his mother,MarciaKron Lamyand brotherDaniel Patrick Lamy.Heissur‐vived by hisfatherRay‐mond, Sr., sister Leslie Champagne (Michael,Sr.) brothersRaymond,Jr. (Jann),Timothy (Kathleen), and nephewsMichael Champagne,Jr. (Christine), Ryan, Rhett, Toby (Julie), L. Nick, godchild Kyle (Abby), Deven-Paul, andTrevor (Connie)Lamy. Relatives and Friendsofthe Family are invitedtoattend the FuneralMassinthe Chapel ofMothe FuneralHome, 7040 LapalcoBlvd.,Mar‐rero, LA on Saturday,July5 2025 at 1:30 PM.Visitation willbeheldfrom11AM until funeraltime. Inter‐mentprivate.Inlieuof flowers, donationsmay be senttothe LouisianaSPCA.


Margie MaePolkLeslie, wifeofthe late Jimmie Leslie,was born on March 2,1937 to thelateReverend R., Sr.and Gertrude Polk in New Orleans, LA.She peacefully enteredeternal restwiththe Lord on Mon‐day,June 23, 2025, at the age of 88. Margie wasa memberofFranklinAvenue Baptist Church andwas a proud graduate of Booker T.WashingtonHighSchool After graduating,she began hercareer at Char‐ity Hospital andretired as a dental assistantfrom New OrleansAdolescent Children'sHospital. In ad‐dition to herparents and
husband,Margieisalso precededindeath by her brothers, John Polk,Sr. and RobertPolk, Jr.She leaves totreasurepreciousmem‐ories,her loving daughter, Jewel Watkins(Rodney Reed); belovedgrandchil‐dren, Dr.Jayda Watkins (Dr.Jason Tucker), Dr.Jayla Watkins (JonathanJoseph) and SheltonWatkins,Jr.; siblings, Mary Moore(the lateEddie),David Polk,Sr. (thelateLillie) andOrelia Keys(George); sisters-inlaw,AudreyPolkand Survery Polk,aswellasa hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives and dear friends. Relatives and friends; Pastor and members of Franklin Av‐enue BaptistChurch;em‐ployees of InspireNOLA Schools; membersofAlpha Kappa AlphaSorority, In‐corporatedand Kreweof Pyros areinvited to attend the funeral. ACelebration service honoring thelife and legacy of thelate MargieMae Polk Leslie will beheldatFranklinAvenue Baptist Church,8282 I-10 Service Road East,New Or‐leans,LAonSaturday, July 5,2025 at 10 am.Interment Mt. Olivet Cemetery,4000 NormanMayer Ave.,New Orleans,LA. Visitation 9 aminthe church.Please signonlineguestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581 4411.


Girtie LeeManson-Byrd wasbornonJuly 29,1953 to the lateJames andGertie Manson. Girtie attended school in JeffersonParish andgraduated from Grace King High School. She also attendedCharitySchool of Nursing. Girtie wasemployed at East JeffersonGeneral Hospital for20+ years. She acceptedChrist at an early ageand was baptized by thelateReverendWilker Neal of NinevehBaptist Church.She also re-gave herlifetoChrist at an unknown datelater in life. Shecontinued to serve as aSenior choir member underthe leadership of Rev. Sam Baker. Girtie marriedthe love of herlife, thelateWillie Byrd on July 29, 1972, and theyleavetocherish their memories: theirdaughters, Sheleta(Carlton)Gibson, Kawanta (Mark) Lowe, Deanna Byrd,and Dominique Manson. Girtie, alongside herlatebeloved husband wasinstrumental in rearing, GretchenIrvinElder,Jada Gant, Senimon Harris-Taylor, Robin Waguespack, and Loretta Mars. Shealso leaves to cherish hermemories: four brothers, James(Clara) Manson, Jr Willie Manson, Eddie(Dorothy) Manson, PercyManson;foursisters, AnnieManson,Catherine Tines, Rose James, and Lucy Glasper;Godchildren, DianneScott, Danielle Raymond,Randal Davis, Bianca Jackson; 18 grandchildren; 6great grandchildren;and numerous nieces, nephews, relatives andfriends Girtie waspreceded in death by herparents, Jamesand GertieManson;






Dwight AnthonyDep‐landpassedontoeverlast‐ing life on Thursday,June 26, 2025, at theage of 65 Hewas born in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana and resided in NewOrleans until relocating in Baton Rouge in 2005. He wasthe son of thelateHubert “Bobby” Deplandand Emma Rose Mathis Dep‐land, grandson of thelate Louis Deplandand Leona NelsonDepland andthe lateWilmerGeorgeMathis and RosalieDomingue Mathis; brotherofthe late Hubert“Bobby, Jr.” P. Dep‐land(Dianne), Driscilla vate. Arrangements en‐
&Son Fu‐







her husband, WillieByrd; 2 sisters, Dorothy Jones and Peaches Manson; one son, AnthonyManson Sr.; one granddaughter Quishana Irvin; her aunt, Norble Lomax; her mother-in-law, Ellen Byrd; and father-inlaw, Jessie Byrd.
Girtie was so blessed to have three of the most amazing granddaughters who unselfishly took their time to become the most loving caregivers to their grandmother, Essence Lowe and Destiny and Diamond Manson. These young ladies willcherish the sweet memories that were made with their grandmother. Family and friends are invited to the Homegoing Celebration on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at 11 a.m. at Ninevah Baptist Church, 1009 Wilker Neal Dr., Metairie, LA. Visitation will be from 9a.m. until service time. Interment will be at Belle Grove Cemetery Viewing will be held on Friday, July 4, 2025 from 3 p.m. to 6p.m. at Bardell's Mortuary, 3856 LA 44, Mt. Airy, LA 70076.Services
entrusted to Bardell's Mortuary. Information: (504)487-2193.

Rita MaeLewis Smith was born on March6,1938, tothe late Marcus andLu‐berta Lewisand transi‐tionedpeacefully into her Savior’sarmsonTuesday June 10,2025, at theage of 87. Shewas marriedtoher latehusband,ThorntonC Smith,Jr. Shewas baptized atBethlehem Baptist Church where shewas a faithfuland lifelong mem‐ber.She served as Church Secretary for27years.She alsoservedasSecretary for theGoldenSunrise Benevolent Association
andasSecretary forthe Promise Land Cemetery Maintenance Organization She waseducatedinthe Plaquemines Parish School System. Rita Maewas very mildmannered, andshe al‐waysworea smile.She at‐tendedschool to improve uponher God-givengifts asa seamstress. Sheused thisgifttodesignand sew clothes forherself,her family, andmanyothers through theyears.She lived by themotto “believe inGod first& then believe inyourself.”She dedicated her life to servingand praisingGod,toher church,and to herfamily. Tocelebrate herlegacy, RitaMae leaves herdaugh‐ters: ConstanceWilliams, AdrianHill, Glenda Matthews, andStephanie Reed;sister: Betty En‐calade; brothers:Marcus Lewis andMelvinLewis, Sr.;sons-in-law:Francis Isidore,Charles Hill,Rev Dr. Ronald Matthews, Sr and Pastor TerenceReed; grandchildren:Trechelle Lakeia, Danielle,Kierston, Aimee, Terrion, Donovan, and Ronald,Jr.;greatgrandchildren:Alexus, Khiah, Trinity, Kinsley,
Kylie, Delilah, Kendrick, Jayden, Avery, Jameson, and Damian;sisters-inlaw: Betty Lewisand Darlene Lewis;brother-in-law: AdamMatthews; godchil‐dren: Sylvia Lewis, Sandra Lewis-Jenkins,and Regi‐naldClay; andcountless other relativesand friends. She wasprecededindeath byher mother andfather; husband;daughter: Cheryl Isidore;granddaughter: MeghanWilliams; broth‐ers:Elbert, Marvin,and Rev.WalterLewis,Sr.;sonin-law: HerbertWilliams; sisters-in-law: Mimey Matthews, HildaSmith,Au‐gustine Bienemy, Minerva Williams,Dinah Clay,Mar‐ion Smith, EthelSmith,and Josephine Smith; brothersin-law: NathanielEncalade, Joshua Smith, EddieSmith Oscar Smith, WilliamClay, Harry Williams,and Sidney Bienemy.Relatives and friends of thefamily; pas‐tor,officers andmembers ofthe BethlehemBaptist Church;and allneighbor‐ing churches areinvited to attendthe funeralservice heldatBethlehem Baptist Church,111 Bethlehem Lane, Braithwaite, LA 70040 on Saturday,July5,2025, at
11AM, Rev. Dr.Michael W. Jiles,Sr.,officiating. Visita‐tionwillbegin at 9AMuntil service time.Funeralplan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome9611 LA– 23, Belle Chasse,LA 70037 (504) 208 –2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf unerlahome.com.


Williams,Sr.,Pastorof Greater Impact Christian Church,passedaway peacefully on Saturday, June 21, 2025, surrounded byhis lovedones. Ade‐voted manoffaith,he touched countless lives through hisministry, com‐passion,and unwavering commitmenttoserving others. Hispresencewill bedeeply missedbyall who knew andloved him. A celebration of hislifewill beheldonSaturday, July 5, 2025, at St.Stephen Mis‐sionary BaptistChurch,lo‐cated at 1738 L.B. Landry Ave,New Orleans, LA 70114. Viewingwillbegin at 8:00a.m with theservice tofollowat10:00 a.m.,offi‐ciatedbyApostle Tony A. Westley.Interment:Provi‐dence Memorial Park Cemetery, Metairie,LA. RichardsonFuneral Home ofJefferson,River Ridge, LAinchargeofarrange‐ments.www.richardsonf uneralhomeofjefferson com.







OUR VIEWS
Conflictand compromise have beenAmerican from thestart
Editor’snote:This editorial, withmodifications, has appeared in previous Fourth of July editions.
The story of how the Declaration of Independence came to be says much aboutthe ideals of the men who signed it.Wecan learnalot from them about character andcompromise, twoqualities sadly lacking in today’s political culture.
David McCullough lays outthe taleofthe Declaration’sorigins in “John Adams,” his celebrated 2001 biography of the nation’ssecond president andprominentfounding father. Adams’political rival, Thomas Jefferson,was chosen to write the Declaration of Independence. Years later,Adams recalled that Jeffersonhad proposed thathe, Adams, writethe document. As Adams tells it, he deferred to Jefferson, listing his reasons: “Reason first:You areaVirginian and aVirginian ought to appear at the head of this business.Reason second: Iamobnoxious, suspected and unpopular.You arevery much otherwise. Reason third: Youcan write ten times better than Ican ”
That’snot how Jefferson rememberedthe event. He simply recalled beingasked by a committee of the Founding Fathers to take up hispen.“Possibly neitheroftheir memories served, and possiblyboth were correct,” McCullough tells readers.
Adams’ account of the Declaration’s beginningsisa reminderthat America’searliest leaders weren’tmarble iconsbut ratherhumans with their own egos and foibles. Adams’story about the Declaration indulges abit of selfcongratulation —the nobleAdamsbeing asked to write the text, then magnanimously declining —but there’sauthentic generositytowardJefferson in hisremarks, too.
There is also alesson that politics is ageless: The new nation, as yet unborn,had profound differences in outlook among thestates.Notice that Virginia, the most populous,and onewith a significant number of loyalistsfor KingGeorge III, was in Adams’ thoughts. Differencesin economics and views are the stuffoflegislative maneuvering, now as then Adams and Jefferson became bitter political opponents, withJefferson defeating Adamsto become the nation’sthird president. Afteryears of estrangement, they became friendsagain in their final years, famously dyingonthe same day: July 4,1826. Jefferson died first that day, and an ailing Adams, not knowingofhis passing, was heard to utter from his deathbed,“Thomas Jefferson survives.”
If two figures so different in outlook and disposition could reconcile, then maybe thepolitical divides now frustratingour nationallife are not as wide and deep as we think they are. That reflection cannot be more relevanttoday,a couple of centurieslater,asquestions aboutfundamental rights andthe Constitution arecontentiouslydebated. That is agreat gift Adams andJeffersonhave given us —the possibility of commonground, even when shared purpose seems hopeless. Tomorrow,wecelebratethe ideathat Jefferson does indeed survive. And Adams does,too.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR
GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence
TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Some years ago, our daughter became aStarbucks baristabeforegraduate school. Her nervous parentswere concerned about health insurance, which she assureduswould be available as soon as she becameafull-time employee. This never happened, as the manager kept her hours just belowthe threshold of qualifying for benefits. In Louisiana, only 48% of workers areoffered health insurance at work. The topnational corporations with employees on Medicaid areWalmartand McDonald’s. Most adults on Medicaid already worksomewhere. This is what Republicans are not telling you about their Medicaid “reforms” in Trump’sBig Beautiful Bill. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-N.D., said thatthe best health care is ajob. What he didn’tsay is thatthatistrue only about half the timeinour country today Further, $800 million in cutstoMedicaid does not mean thatthe 16 million people who loseinsurance under the bill won’tget healthcare. They will
Whattheyare nottelling you aboutthe Medicaid changes We areletting toofew in legally
Ourdomestic population is shrinking due to lower birth rates. Economists tell us this will lead to an aging population without enough workers to grow our economyand sustain Social Securitybenefits, as experienced by Japan for many years. The only way out of this problem is via immigration.The problem withimmigration is not that millions of rapists and murderers and really bad people are coming across the southern border, it is that current policy doesn’tallow enough immigrants to come in legally and pay taxes. That policy is what needs to be changed.
Isuspect that immigrants are more lawful and work harder than the citizen population. They come here
Regarding theletter about the Palestinian flag at aPride parade on June 7: The Palestinian flag is anything but divisive.
Just like all national flags, as well as themany gay rights flags in all their permutations, the Palestine flag is a symbol of justice, pride, culture and freedom. For what it is worth, like

still visit emergency rooms and get hospitalized —they cannot be turned away becausethe Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA) requireshospitals to provide amedical screening examination and stabilizing treatment, regardless of their insurance statusorabilitytopay Hospitals will bear some of the staggering costsofuncompensated care estimated by theCongressionalBudget Office to be $278 million. As the newspaper has documented, Louisiana will be among the states most affected. Ruralhospitals and those that serve less advantaged populations who are already struggling —will be especially hurt. What the16million will lose is outpatient coverage, where preventive care, early diagnosis and treatment and monitoring of chronic diseases take place —things thatprevent the need for moreexpensive care.
All this so thewealthiest 1% can get another big tax break?
CHARLES ZEANAH Metairie
for thesame reasons we all did —a better and safer life —not to commit crimes and risk deportation. Immigrants here illegally helped rebuild New Orleansmuch faster than would have happened without them, and many do thejobs that American workers won’tdo.
Demonizing mostly non-White immigrantsassubhuman andnot worthyofbeing in our country is exactly theplaybook Adolf Hitler used to prepare his citizens to support or ignore themurder of millions of people he didn’twant in Germany and other countries he invaded during World WarII.
LOUIS SHEPARD NewOrleans
theletter writer,Iamalso gay and alongtime resident of NewOrleans. Just like ACT UP flags and mottos, thePalestinian flag also makes an important political statement. Apolitical statement like this is clear,respectful and not divisive.
MARK GONZALEZ NewOrleans

Iwrite to commend Parks and Parkways forsupporting the completion of the tree canopy around Carrollton Cemetery No.1last fall. They are looking great and will soon be fully contributing members of the trees that give us the name“LeafyCarrollton.” Please also know how much Iappreciate our neighbor,Barry Kohl, whobegan planting trees in Central Carrollton when he first moved to Lowerline 60 years ago. The last tree that Barry did not help plant that you could see from my house in 2000, an aged sycamore, finally had to be cut downafter Katrina. Barry replaced it. That oak he planted is over 50 feet tall today Now, when Iwalk in the shade around the cemeteries with my dogs in the summer,I don’tthink Ipass a single tree that he did not help plant. Plus, he is so tree-knowledgeable, not only about placement, rules and the neighbor buy-in needed forcontinued care, but also how to protect new slender trunks from weed-whackers and control erosion, and how to trim the branches in aspecific way to maximize root growth, while leaving them nicely pruned so everyone can walk underneath.
Iknow that the current director of Parks and Parkways will continue to support his amazing and effective volunteer tree plantings, as Ann Macdonald has done foryears. Thanks again, Park and Parkways. We appreciate you, and Iappreciate living on shady Lowerline in leafyCarrollton.
SALLIE DAVIS
NewOrleans
LSU recently announced its presidential search committee. Didanyone notice anything strange about the members of that list? Of the 19, only twomembers are women.Surely, there are morethan twowomen in Louisiana with sufficient qualifications to select apresident forour flagship university.LSU should do better GEORGE HELMER Lafayette

Musk goes offagain againstagenda
Hasitreally been less than amonth since Elon Musk flew off the handle, trashed his benefactor,the president, pledged to kill the administration’stop legislative priority,and,ontop of all that, have the president impeached?It seems like years ago, butitwas actually less than 30 days. That’show quickly Musk disappeared from national politicswhen he left his position at DOGE and returnedtohis valuable work at SpaceX and Tesla, among othercompanies.


Now,though, Musk is at it again. With President Donald Trump’stop legislative priority —Trump calls it the “Big Beautiful Bill” —ina critical stage on Capitol Hill, Musk has stepped in again to threatenthe president and the Republican Party with political ruination. What agood friend! Musk’s relapse is important because of 1) who he is, 2) how muchmoney he has, and 3) the importance ofpassing thebill to Trump’sinfluence andlegacy Legislatively speaking, the Big Beautiful Bill is the embodiment of everything Trump has done as president. It would make permanent the premierlegislative achievement of his first term, the Trump tax cuts. It would fulfillthe top unfulfilled promise of the first term, the border wall. It would make good on promises made during the 2024 campaign, such as no tax on tips and greater border security.Itisone long expression of Trump’spriorities as president Forthe last five months, Trump has achieved many things by using his executive authority.Now,the “big,beautiful bill”isteed up to be Trump’sbig achievement in legislation. And his close friend Elonistryingto kill it. Starting on Mondayafternoon, Musk, who overpromised and underdelivered on his self-perceived abilities to cut government spending, began a series of posts on Xinwhichheurged, and then threatened, House Republicans who planned to vote for the bill.
At 3:08 p.m., Musk posted, “Itisobviouswith the insane spending of this bill, which increases the debt ceiling by a record FIVE TRILLION DOLLARS that we live in aone-party country—the PORKY PIG PARTY!! Time for anew political party that actually caresabout the people.”
At 3:36, he posted, targeting House conservatives, “How can you call your-

self theFreedom Caucus if you votefor aDEBTSLAVERYbill withthe biggest debtceilingincreaseinhistory?”
At 4:02, he posted, “Every member of Congresswho campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately votedfor the biggestdebt increase in historyshould hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next yearifitisthe last thing Idoon this Earth.”
At 6:02, he posted, “If this insane spending bill passes, theAmerica Party will be formed thenext day.Our country needs an alternative to the Democrat-Republican uniparty so that the people actually have aVOICE.
At 9:41,hepostedanillustration of a puppetonfire with the heading LIAR. Musk wrote, “Anyone who campaigned on thePROMISE of REDUCING SPENDING, but continues to voteon theBIGGESTDEBT ceiling increase in HISTORY will see theirface on this posterinthe primary next year.”
The posting continued as Monday turnedinto Tuesday.At12:52 a.m., Musk posted, “Hitting the debt ceiling is the only thing that will actually force the government to cut wasteand fraud. That’swhy the debt ceiling legislation exists!”
Obviously,Trumpwould have to respond. So at 12:44 a.m., in the midst of Musk’s rant, Trump posted on Truth Social: “Elon Musk knew, long before he so strongly endorsed me for president, thatI was strongly againstthe EV mandate. It is ridiculous, and was
always amajor partofmycampaign
Electric carsare fine,but not everyone should be forced to own one. Elon may get moresubsidy than anyhuman being in history,byfar,and without subsidies, Elon would probably have to closeup shopand head back home to South Africa. No morerocket launches,satellites, or electric car production, and our country would save aFORTUNE. Perhaps we should have DOGE take agood, hard, look at this?
BIGMONEY TO BE SAVED!!!”
Trump’spoint —recipient of massive government subsidiesdecries massive federal spending —was entirely clear Yes, Musk’sspace company does great things and performs services that the governmentneeds.But thesame cannot be said for theelectric vehicle mandate, and if thatiswhat Musk is upset about, then he hassimply run afoulofRepublican orthodoxy on Capitol Hill. Of course, Musk alsoangered Democrats during his brief stint in Washington, so it is unclear where he will go for help on that.
But thebig picture is this: At acritical moment in Donald Trump’spresidency and in the workings of the Republican Congress, Elon Musk stepped in, again, to try to kill theGOP’s top priority. He appearstobelieve that he has too much money to ignore, and that is probably true.But that doesn’tmean he will be taken seriously when he does thesame thing in the future.
Byron York is on X, @Bryon York.


Sixty years ago this summer,Congressenacted the nation-transforming Voting Rights Act.Soon, however,Congress and adeferential Supreme Court, by reverse alchemy,turned the gold of the VRA into thelead of today’sracial distribution of representation. Recently,the Supreme Court delayed, pending reargument next term, deciding acase that could reverse the VRA’s tarnishment.
On the final day of the 2024-2025 term, the court issued 404 pages of decisions, concurrences anddissents in six cases. Singularly important, however, werethe six pages of Justice Clarence Thomas’sdissent from the court’sdecision not to decidethe case concerning the patent racial gerrymandering in Louisiana’sredistricting map Thomas citesthe “intractable” conflict between the VRAasthe court has construed it as aguarantee of the rights of groups, and the Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection of the laws for persons. “Intractable?” No, insoluble. Approximately one-third of Louisianans are Black. After the 2020 Census, the legislature produced acongressional map withonly one “majority-minority” district. In acomplex process of litigation, the state, accepting the court-created principle of racial proportionality,created asecond Black-majoritydistrict. The state simultaneously engaged in political gerrymandering to protect theseats of three senior Republican members of Congress. The result was unlovely The proposed 6th District resembles a250-mile-long python uncoilingfrom northwest to southeast Louisiana to “scoop up” (Thomas’startphrase) enough Black voters, and exclude enough White ones,tobeslightly more than 50% Black. Obviously, race pre-
LETTERS TO
dominated in producing this affront to the VRA’s original intent.
This is today’sjudicial morass concerningredistricting: Raceconsciousness is mandatory; race as “predominant” is forbidden. The path to this conundrum is explained in “Deconstructingthe Republic,”the invaluable 2008 book by Anthony A. Peacock of Utah State University: Theoriginal VRA was written to guarantee ballot access. Butassubsequently construed by the court and amended by Congress, it confers group rights to “effective” representation. This entitlement to aportion of political power is determined by racial calculations. The court began and Congress joined the process of conferring on afew minorities (Black, Hispanic, Native American) agroup right to elect their preferredrepresentatives, with members of the group presumptively choosingtothink as agroup rather than as individuals. Classical liberalismholds that althoughindividuals are divided by opinionsand passions,they can be united by shared interests. The uniting is the businessofpolitics. But, Peacock says, the ideology of multiculturalism changed politics by making race and ethnicity preeminent —and inevitably divisive —legal categories. This deconstructed the nation into an archipelagoofracial and ethnic constituencies. This development was congruent with thecredo of 20th-century “behavioral”social science: People do not act freely;they behave predictably because they are conditioned by group membership. By freezing certain racial constituencies into law,the VRA, as (mis)construed and amended, now implicitly endorsesa degraded theory of representation: Elected representatives of agovernment-preferred minority should mechanically serve any desire of the cohesive group.
TheCivil Rights Act of 1964, enacted to end thecognizance of race in law,
has been bent to opposite purposes. The VotingRightsAct, enacted to eliminate acts of invidious discrimination, has been twisted to engineer racial balance in political processes by takinglegal cognizance of, and thereby encouraging, racial as opposed to citizenship identities. Judicial decisions have held that illegal “votedilution” (a phrase not in the 1965 VRA) exists when governmentapproved minorities could not elect candidates of their “choice,” which was presumed tobedefined racially.The creation of minority-majority electoral districts, drawn to preserve or create racially homogenous enclaves, supposedly serves electoral fairness, defined as facilitating minority office-holding. The VRA becameaninstrument for turning race and ethnicity into legally determinative categories for claims to proportional allocations of political power
Doing so, today’sVRA encourages a group conflict model of American politics.And theFounders’ Constitution for freely thinking individuals becomes a Constitution for thinking-alike victims of aperpetual past.
In a2003 case concerning race-based universityadmissions, thecourt affirmed a“diversity” exception tothe laws of equal protection. An “effective representation” exception has been discovered in theVRA, although nothing in its 1965 text or legislative history authorized or required this.
The court has somewhat corrected its 2003 higher-education mistake. Next term, it should jettison mostofits misbegotten VRA jurisprudence. By affirming the equal protection clause’ssupremacy over the court’s torturous misconstruing of it,and Congress’spernicious amending of it, thecourt can restore theVRA’s golden gleam
Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.
Independence Dayissuch afavorite holiday of mine that when this nation had its bicentennial celebration in 1976, Itold my father Iwanted to live to 112 so Icould see the tricentennial. Still, there wasone Fourth of July Icouldn’t celebrate with friends or fireworks. As acub sports reporter forthis newspaper in 1986, Iwas assigned to cover the Golden Meadow Tarpon Rodeo —areally great event forparticipants, but awful forareporter (at least back then). My job involved waiting in the blazing heat, in an outside walkway at Golden Meadow Junior High School, fortired anglers to drive up with their fish in the backs of pickup trucks, eager to get the catch weighed and then moveon.


With no air conditioning, not enough coins forthe vending machines and sometimes long periods between trucks, all Icould do was sweat in the heat as Iread my book. Fortunately,itwas one of the best novels I’ve ever read, “All the King’s Men,” by Robert Penn Warren. Brilliantly written, utterly engrossing, it nonetheless was full of dark and tragic undertones of aside of politics Ihad never really experienced in person. Essentially afictionalized version of the career of (in)famous Louisiana Gov.Huey P. Long, the Penn Warren masterpiece is, alas, oft-remembered forperhaps its mostdownbeat passage: “Man is conceived in sin and born in corruption and he passeth from the stink of the didie to the stench of the shroud.”
As much as Iwas enraptured by the novel, this washardly awelcome theme about American politics foranidealistic 22-year-old on the Fourth of July.(To say the least!)
As someone whoexpected to spend my career either working in or writing about politics, it leftmewary.Was this really what Iwas getting into?
Well, in the 39 years since then, I’ve seen far morethan Iwant to see of the rotten underside of somepolitics. Still, that’snot the full story Instead, I’ve seen plenty of validation of the idealism the Fourth of July always inspires —the idealism asserting that this American system is almost miraculously wise in conception, and that it can create the conditions for ennobling actions.
In no particular order:
I’ve seen longtimeU.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama, whom Iknow well, stand on principle even when it cost him his long-desired job as U.S. Attorney General. To keep his job, all he had to do was follow President Donald Trump’s orders to kill the “Russia probe” that marred the first part of Trump’spresidency.Instead, informed in no uncertain termsbythe Justice Department’sethics office that he should recuse himself from all decisions in the case, he followed the ethics rules even as Trumpraged against him.His duty as the nation’schief lawenforcement officer was to the formal ethics rules, not to his own job security
I’ve seen Republican state Sen. Ben Bagert (for whom Ibriefly had worked ayear earlier), seeing polls showing he would fall short of a U.S. Senate runoff, withdraw from his race the day before the election and endorse Democratic incumbent opponent Bennett Johnston, all to save Louisiana the nightmare of arunoff election featuring neo-Nazi David Duke. (The nightmare came ayear later in agovernor’s race, but that’sanother story.) For the greater good, Bagert honorably fell on his sword.
I’ve seen Vice President Mike Pence stand tall forthe Constitution while under severe pressure to throw out duly attested electoral votes —and then, even as rioters yelled forhis execution, insist on returning that very night to finish the vote-counting procedure. Likewise, I’ve seen Rep. Liz Cheney,with whom I’ve shared twosmall-group mealsatthe vice presidential residence, willingly forfeit her career because of what her principles told her was right.
And I’ve seen “across the aisle” kindnesses: On twodifferent occasions, Democratic operatives reached out to me, long knownasaRepublican, to alert me about and support me for job openings that fit my skill sets.
These examples of honor and decency,and manymore Icould recount, are farremoved from the “stink of the didie,” or even the stench of dead fish in apickup truck.
In the last letter Thomas Jefferson ever sent to John Adams(before they both died 199 years ago tomorrow), Jefferson wrote that “all eyes are opened or opening to the rights of man These are grounds of hope. …Let the annual return of [the Fourth of July] forever refresh our recollection of these rights, and an undiminished devotion to them.”
And all in apolitical system,atits heart, still capable of honor
Quin Hillyer canbereached at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com.

NewOrleans Forecast


















































































BALTIMORE PROUD
SAM COHN
The Baltimore Sun (TNS)
BALTIMORE It’s only right that friends and family of Derik Queen, who’s from Baltimore, gathered last week for the NBA draft over bushels of crabs.
“We’re from Baltimore,” said David Knox, Queen’s great-uncle who sat at the head of a long table inside Parkville’s Urban Crab Shack, eagerly awaiting a lifelong dream realized for the city’s nephew By the eighth overall pick on June 25, and with each selection that followed, the room hushed knowing that NBA commissioner Adam Silver might utter the name any moment.
It’s a shame NBA insiders have the power to tip picks. But the beauty of fast-traveling information is when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the trade that would send Queen to New Orleans with the 13th overall pick minutes later, it meant the local crowd was ready, phones aimed toward the TV and tears already welling.
“Shh, shh,” they whisper-yelled.
Silver announced the selection at 9:40 p.m. Eastern. It was met by thunderous cheers that wobbled a few tables.
Queen’s cousin, Shanika Adams — wearing a
Maryland “Crab Five” T-shirt to represent the nickname of the Terrapins’ starting five last season — danced about in the middle of the room. Her Instagram Live caught every bit of the action, panning from the big screen to the family gathered behind her
“Everybody’s excited. Baltimore’s excited,” Knox said. “He’s everybody’s nephew now He’s going to shine for us. He’s going to make us look real good.”
Queen spent draft night at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn flanked by family — by blood and by basketball. His mom, Lisa Anderson; mentor, Donnell “Mookie” Dobbins; and former Terrapins director of player personnel Ricky Harris were among the tight group in the green room.
Queen arrived at this juncture having com-
“Everybody’s excited. Baltimore’s excited. He’s everybody’s nephew now He’s going to shine for us. He’s going to make us look real good.”
DAVID KNOX, Derik Queen’s great-uncle
pleted one stellar season at Maryland, earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors. The 6-foot-9, 247-pound forward became the program’s first draft selection since newly crowned NBA champion Aaron Wiggins (Oklahoma City Thunder) in 2021, and the first player drafted from the city since Bub Carrington (Washington Wizards) this time last year
“He doesn’t just want to make money playing in the NBA,” Dobbins said. “He wants to leave his mark in the NBA.”
Back in Baltimore, extended family rejoiced in Queen’s first step toward that dream.
“It’s surreal,” said Lashelle Stewart, his distant cousin. “We were happy for him to stay home at Maryland and really happy for him to finish up his first year the way he did. It’s just like answering prayers. It couldn’t have happened to a better family member.”
“When Derik was young, he always had the drive. He always wanted to be in the gym. He wanted it bad,” said Darrick Oliver who coached Queen’s late father Erik Queen. “I think the sky’s the limit for him. He’ll get much better because he likes to put the work in.” Team Thrill coach Edward Mazyck had the pleasure of independently
ä See QUEEN, page 4C


By The Associated Press
NL outfield along with Ronald Acuña of the host Braves. Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and San Diego third baseman Manny Machado also were voted NL starters. Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson, Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez and Baltimore designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn were picked as AL starters Wilson edged Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr 52% to 48% and will become just the second rookie shortstop to start an

from the 10-year, $700 million contract he signed before the 2024 season. However, he is paid only $2 million a year because he agreed to defer the rest. The remaining $68 million per year will be paid from 2034-43.
Juan Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets before the 2025 season that does not include deferments. The outfielder received a $75 million signing bonus and will be paid an annual salary of about $46 million through 2038.
Soto’s deal includes the option to opt out after the 2029 season, at which time the Mets can override his opt out by adding an additional $4 million per season to the final 10 years of his contract. That would increase his salary to $50 million per year and raise his total earnings to $805 million.
While Ohtani’s and Soto’s contracts are the most lucrative because of their length, the average annual value doesn’t match that of top NBA deals. Eighteen NBA players are under contract to make $50 million or more per season, according to Spotrac.
Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics became the first player to land a deal that will pay him $70 million in a season. The five-year, $314 million extension he agreed to a year ago will max out at $71.45 million for the 2029-30 season, the last on the contract.
Tatum’s teammate Jaylen Brown signed a similar deal a year earlier, agreeing to play five years for $285.4 million, an average of $57.1 million a season.
The most lucrative NFL contracts go exclusively to quarterbacks, six of whom are under contracts that guarantee $200 million or more Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills tops the list with a $250 million guarantee from a six-year deal he signed in May Fellow passers guaranteed $200 million or more are Dak Prescott ($231 million) of Dallas, Deshaun Watson ($230 million) of Cleveland, Joe Burrow ($219 million) of Cincinnati, Justin Herbert of the Chargers ($218.7 million) and Trevor Lawrence ($200 million) of Jacksonville. Next season, seven NFL players all quarterbacks — will be paid more than $50 million: Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes ($56.8 million), Detroit’s Jared Goff ($55 million), Allen ($55 million), Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa ($55 million), Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson ($52 million), Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts ($51.5 million) and Green Bay’s Jordan Love ($51 million). Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is tied for 13th on the list at $40 million after his contract was restructured to give him a large
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL
11 a.m.Minnesota at
2p.m.
8p.m. Winnipeg at Calgary CBSSN GOLF
3p.m.PGA: John Deere Classic Golf
2p.m.Spain vs.Portugal Fox TENNIS
3p.m.WimbledonESPN
6p.m.Los
Path clears forNo. 1Sabalenka
Four of top five women outofWimbledon
BY HOWARD FENDRICH
AP tennis writer
LONDON Aryna Sabalenka
joked that she’d love it if the upsets at Wimbledon would stop, which makes sense, given that she is ranked No. 1. She’salsothe only oneofthe five top-seeded women stillin the bracket after No. 4Jasmine Paolini, last year’srunner-up, followed No. 2Coco Gauff, No. 3 Jessica Pegula andNo. 5Zheng Qinwen on the way out.
Sabalenka was two points from dropping the opening set of her second-round match three times on Wednesday before asserting herself for a7-6 (4), 6-4 victory over Marie Bouzkova.
In all, arecord-tying 23 seeded players —10women, 13 men were gone by the end of Day 2, equalingthe most at any Grand Slam event in the past 25 years.
Five more women joined them by losing Wednesday:Paolini, No. 12 Diana Shnaider,No. 21 Beatriz Haddad Maia,No. 22 Donna Vekic and No. 29 Leylah Fernandez.
“Of course you’regoing to know the overallpicture,”said Sabalenka, then added with a chuckle: “I hope it’snoupsets anymore in this tournament, if you know what Imean.”
She is athree-time Grand Slam champion, with all of thosetitles coming on hard courts at the Australian Open or U.S. Open.
She also was the runner-up to Gauff at the clay-courtFrench Open last month —drawing criticismfromsomeoverher postmatchcomments, aflap sheand Gauff set aside via social media videos last week —but hasn’t been past the semifinals on the grass of the All England Club.
Ayearago, Sabalenka was forced to miss Wimbledon because of an injured shoulder
On Wednesday, therecordbreaking heat of the first two days gave way to rain that delayed the start of play on smaller courts for about two hours, along with temperatures thatdropped from above 90 degrees to below 68.

ArynaSabalenka of Belarus reacts during her women’s
Republic at WimbledoninLondon on Wednesday.
At Centre Court, the 48thranked Bouzkova went ahead 6-5 in the first set with the match’s initial service break thanks to a double-fault by Sabalenka.Bouzkova served for that set, and was two points away from it at 30-15 in that game, again at 30-all, then once more at deuce.
But on thelastsuch occasion, Sabalenka came through with aforehand volleywinner she punctuatedwithayell, followed by adown-the-line backhand winner that was accompanied by another shout.
“That was atough moment,”
said Sabalenka, who will face 2021 U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu next.
“Until that point, (my) return
wasn’tgreat enough tobreak her serve. I’m really glad. everything clicked together and Iwas able to break herback.Ikind of likefelt alittle bit better.”
That sent them to atiebreaker, andfrom 4-allthere,Sabalenka tookthe next three points, endingthe setwith apowerfulforehand return winner off a67mph second serve. In the second set, the only break arrivedfor a3-2 lead for Sabalenka, and that was basically that. Sabalenka compileda41-17 edge in winners while making only 18 unforced errors in a matchthatlasteda littlemore than 11/2 hours.
Raducanu defeated 2023 Wim-
bledon championMarketa Vondrousova 6-3, 6-3, and Australian Openchampion MadisonKeys, who is seeded sixth, beat Olga Danilovic6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday In men’saction, two-time reigningchampion Carlos Alcaraz extended his winning streak to 20 matches witha 6-1, 6-4, 6-4victory over 733rd-ranked qualifier Oliver Tarvet, who plays for the University of San Diego, and No. 5TaylorFritz gotpastGabriel Diallo of Canada 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (0), 4-6, 6-3 for hissecond consecutive five-set win. ButNo. 12 FrancesTiafoe joined the parade of seeds exiting, eliminated by 2022 Wimbledonsemifinalist Cam Norrie 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-5.
Wimbledonforgoes line judges forelectroniccalls
BY HOWARD FENDRICH and KEN MAGUIRE AP sportswriters
LONDON JohnMcEnroe —he of “You cannot be serious!” callarguing fame —isquite all right with Wimbledon’slatestofmany steps into the modernera, choosing technology over the human touch to decide whether aball lands in or out.
There were no line judges at the All England Club’smatches for Monday’sstart of theoldest Grand Slam tournament, with rulings instead being made by an electronic system that uses recorded voices to announce when ashotlands astray
“In some ways, the players, and even thefans, miss thatinteraction, but at the same time if it’saccurate, Ithink it’sgreat, because then at least you know that you’re getting the right call,” said McEnroe, whowon Wimbledon three timesduring his Hall of Famecareer andis aTVanalyst at this year’sevent for ESPN and the BBC.
“My hair,” the 66-year-old McEnroe joked, “wouldn’tbe quite as white as it is now.”
The new system puts Wimbledon in line with nearly every other top-tier tennis event on all surfaces —although the French Open,playedonred clay,remains an exception, sticking with judges —and Monday’sdebut seemed to be mostly seamless,asfar as players were concerned. Indeed, Frances Tiafoe, an American seeded 12th, didn’t even notice therewere no line judges at his first-round victory

paying all that much attention at one point, grabbing the phone on his stand to place acall and request that more towels be broughttothe courtonthe hottest Day 1intournament history.
“It takes him completelyout of play,” Tiafoesaidabout theoncourt official,“other than just callingthe score and calling time violations.”
“Ifyou have line umpires, you (are)always thinking, like, ‘Should Ichallengeorshouldn’t I?’ ”she said. “It’salot of doubt in your head.”
Cam Norrie was pleased that there no longerisareason to get angry about what’sperceived as awrong decision, theway McEnroe —and plenty of others through the years —used to.
LSU OF Curielselected as nation’stop freshman
There’snomistake.”
Not everything is favorable in hisview,though.
The familiar scene of officials sitting or standing around the court “looks cool,” Norrie said. Plus, he noted the loss of work for some of the 275 line judges thetournament used in the past (80werebrought back as “match assistants” to help chair umpires from behind the scenes).
“The decision we’ve made there,Isuppose, is very much about the way in whichWimbledon has always balanced heritageand tradition with innovationand howwewalkthat line We’re always very conscious of that. For us, it was time to make that change,” All England ClubCEO Sally Bolton said. “It’s not amoney-saving exercise. It’s aboutevolving the tournament andmaking sure that we’re providingthe mosteffective possible line-calling.”
Frenchman Adrian Mannarino liked having what he called “a machine”involved Monday, saying: “You cannot complain against the machine.”
“When youfeellikesomeoneisjudging the ball and is probably not seeing so well, and maybenot even concentrating, it’spretty annoying,” Mannarino said. “Butthe fact thatit’sa robot calling the balls,there’snothingtocomplain about.”
LSU outfielder Derek Curiel was named Wednesdaythe D1Baseball National Freshman of the Year Curiel hit ateam-high .345 with 20 doubles, two triples, seven homers, 55 RBIsand 67 runs as he helpedlead LSU win the national championship. He collected six hits, threeRBIs andthreeruns in the College World Series. Curiel hit ateam-high .571 in theTigers’ superregionalsweep of West Virginia with one double, one homer, five RBIsand six runs.
Joining Curiel on the first team was LSU right-handed pitcher Casan Evans. Evans posted a5-1 mark this season with2.05 ERA and seven saves in 19 appearances (three starts). He worked 522/3 innings,recording 19 walks, 71 strikeouts and a.228 opponent batting average.
NBA adjusts Popovich’s record, deducting 77 games
The NBA has adjusted all-time wins leader Gregg Popovich’scareer record as coach of theSan Antonio Spurs, removingthe 77 games that he missed last season andcrediting those wins andlossestonew Spurscoach Mitch Johnson Popovich’sfinal record has been reset to 1,390-824, which is where it was entering agame on Nov.2 That was the day that Popovich hada strokeatthe team’s arenaand Johnson, one of his assistant coaches, took over.Popovich missed the remainderofthe season andJohnsoncoached thefinal77games, going 32-45. The NBA and the Spurs agreed to remove those games from Popovich’srecord and credit them to Johnson, whowas named head coach whenPopovichannounced his retirement earlierthisyear
Grizzlies’ Jackson has surgeryfor turf-toe injury
Memphis GrizzliesAll-Star big man Jaren Jackson is recovering from surgery foraturf-toe injury andwill be re-evaluated in about 12 weeks.
The team announced Wednesday that Jackson’ssurgery was complete, coming aday after saying the 25-year-old would need aprocedure after hurting his right foot whileparticipating in offseason basketball activities.
Memphis said Jackson is expected to recover fully.The 6-foot-10 Jackson, afirst-round draft pick in 2018, earned his second AllStar selectionlastseason, when he averaged 22.2 points and5.6 rebounds. He washonored as the NBA’s defensive player of the year for2022-23, when he ledthe league in blocks at 3per game.
Woodland chosen as final Ryder Cup assistant captain
Former U.S. Open champion
Gary Woodland will makehis first RyderCup appearance this year, announced Wednesday as the fifth and final assistant to U.S. captain Keegan Bradley forthe matches at Bethpage Black.
Woodland joins Jim Furyk, Brandt Snedeker, Kevin Kisner and Webb Simpson as U.S. assistants when the Americans try to win back the cup from Europe on Sept. 26-28.
The assistants could take on extra significance this year as Bradley decides whether to be the first playing captain since 1963. Bradley won the Travelers Championship two weeks ago, giving him morewins in the last year than any American except Scottie Scheffler
Bills’ draft pickHairston accusedofsexual assault
Buffalo Bills first-rounddraft pick Maxwell Hairston wasaccused in alawsuit of sexually assaulting awoman in 2021 at the University of Kentucky
What he did notice, and chuckled about afterward, was when the chair umpire wasn’t even
The lawsuit wasfiledTuesday in federal court in Kentucky by a woman who claims Hairstonentered her dorm room without being invited,ignored herwhenshe said she didn’twant to have sexual intercourse, forcibly removed her bottomsand sexually assaulted her The Associated Pressdoes not name any alleged victimsofsexual assault. After the Bills drafted him,general manager Brandon Beane said theteamhad “fullyinvestigated” asexualassault allegation from 2021 involving Hairston, who he called “an impeccable kid.” On TV CFL
No.1-ranked ArynaSabalenka liked that the All England Club’s switch to electronic line-calling eliminated the needfor her to question whether she should contesta ruling. From 2007 until last year,players were allowed to ask fora videoreplay to check whether adecisionwas correct.
“Tobehonest, it’sgood.You getonwith it. There’snokind of getting mad at anyone for missinga callorsaying something or movingduring the point or something happening,”saidNorrie, a British playerwho won Monday.
”It’s pretty black-or-whitewith the calls. In, out, and youhear it.
He did caution that it wasn’t always easy to figureout which recorded announcements were for his win at Court 5, because it’swedgedamid other courts.
Sometimes he thought an “Out!” callatanadjacent match was for his.
“Itcan be alittle tricky with this,” Mannarino said, “but overall, Ithink it’sagood thing.”

ASSOCIATED
United States midfielder DiegoLuna, middle, scoresa goal past Guatemala goalkeeper Kenderson Navarrol, left, duringthe CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinalonWednesdayinSt. Louis.
Luna’s twogoals move U.S. to Gold Cupfinal
By The Associated Press
ST.LOUIS Diego Luna scored twice in the first 15 minutes, and the United States hung on to beat Guatemala 2-1 on Wednesday night to reachits first CONCACAF Gold Cup final since 2021. Luna put the U.S. ahead with a left-footed shot in the fourth minute, then scoredwith his right in the 15th for his third goalintwo games Olger Escobar,an18-year-old who was born in Lynn, Massachusetts, cut inside andslid a shot from inside the area between Matt Freese and the farpostin the 80th for his second goal of the tournament for Guatemala. Freese parried José Morales’ shot toward the far post in the second minute of stoppage time.
The U.S. plays reigningchampion Mexico or Honduras for the title Sunday in Houston, the Americans’ lastcompetitive match before their World Cup opener next June. El Trihas won nine Gold Cups, the U.S. seven and Canada one. The 16th-ranked Americans advanced to the Gold Cup final for the 13th time. All five losses in the finals have been to Mexico.
No. 106 Guatemala, whichhas neverreachedthe final,outshot the U.S. 13-1 in the last 30 minutes of thefirst half.
Luna gothis first goal after Alex Freeman crossed forMalik Tillman. He touched the ball to Luca de la Torre, whose shot was spilled by goalkeeper Kenderson Navarro. Luna reacted quickly andswitched theball from his right foot tohis left, then shot over Navarro’soutstretched right hand.
Eleven minutes later,Luna received cross-fieldpass from Tillmanabout 40 yardsout,dribbled in,got by defender José Carlos Pintowith astepover and put the ball inside thenear post from the edgeofthe penaltyarea. Guatemala’s starters included apairofformer U.S. players: 29-year-old forward Rubio Rubin made sevenappearances forthe Americansfrom 2014-18 before switching in 2022 and 28-year-old defender Aaron Herrera made one in 2021and then changed in 2023. Rubin put theball past Freesein the29th minute but the goal was disallowed for offside. Freese made akick save on Rubin in the 34th
John Deereshapingup as last BritishOpenqualifi
BY DOUGFERGUSON AP golf writer
TheJohnDeere Classic could serve as afinal qualifier for the BritishOpen, even though theR&A no longer offers an exemption to the leading finishers at thePGA Tour stop.
Thisqualifierwould be determined by the Official WorldGolf Ranking next week.
The 156-man field for RoyalPortrushonJuly 17-20 is now at 122 players with the additionof two spots from the ItalianOpen, two amateurs (European Amateurand Open Amateur Series), and Sergio Garcia getting thelonespotfrom LIVGolf.
Finalregional qualifying Tuesday in the United Kingdom provided 20 spots. Five more players from the top 20 in the Race to Dubai on the EuropeanTourwillearnspots afterthis week’sBMW International Open in Germany.The following week,three more spots will be available in the Scottish Open.
That brings thefield to 150 players. The other six would come from areserve list,which is based on the Official WorldGolf Ranking published after this week.
Aldrich Potgieter won the Rocket Classic and moved to No. 49 in the world, making him the highestranked playernot alreadyinThe Open.
He is followed by Nico Echavarria, who tiedfor sixthinDetroit and moved to No. 51. Next on the list is Michael Kim at No. 55.
Sevenofthe next eight players in the world ranking notalready exemptfor TheOpen— from Bud CauleyatNo. 59 to Ryan Gerardat No. 71 —are playing the John Deere Classic.Davis Rileyisnot in the John Deere field.
The top28players in the current FedEx Cup standings already are exempt,eight of thembecause they already were in the top 50 at the May 25 cutoff.
Seven of those 28 were eligible by reaching the Tour Championship lastyear,and nine othersgot in as past major champions or from a top-10 finishatThe Openlast year at RoyalTroon.

Golf shots
ScottieSchefflerwas raving about a3-ironhehit into apar 5atthe Travelers Championship because it came off perfectly.That led him to recall two other pure shots in recent memory,a9-irononthe par-3third at The Players Championship and a6-iron on the fifth hole at the 2022 Masters.
It’snot always about the score it yields, just thepureness of theshot.
That’s why wheneverCollin Morikawa thinks about one of the best shotsheever hit, it wasn’tnecessarily his driver on the par-4 16th at Harding Park that stopped 7feet away for eagle when he won the 2020 PGA Championship. That was astock drivewithagreat bounce.
Instead, he thought back to his final hole when he wonthe DP World Tour Championship in 2021 to become thefirst American to win the Race to Dubai
“Itwas on 18, par5,front left pin,” Morikawa saidlast week.“I’ve watched the shot manytimes on YouTube because I’mlike,‘Howdo Imakeitthat easy?’ Front left pin, water on the left, had 4-iron Ithink out of the first cutand Ihit it exactly whereIwanted. Icould miss it in the water,losethe tournament; hit it in thebunker, not makeup-and-down. It was picture perfect.
“And it’srareyou gettodothat, butthat’swhy we keep practicing,” he said. ”I’m telling you, it’sinches, margins, centimeters, degrees.
We’re crazy,but we love it.” LIVin2026
The Saudi-fundedLIV Golf League won’tplayits firsttournament on U.S. soil next year until a week before thePGA Championship. That’saccordingtoaschedule obtained by Sports Business Journal that it said was not finalized but likely to be the final product. According to Sports Business Journal,LIV Golf wouldstart in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Feb. 5-7, go to Adelaide, Australia, the following week and then go three straight weeks starting March 6-8 in Hong Kong, Singapore anda new stop in SouthAfrica. Instead of playing at Trump Doral theweekbefore theMasters, LIVinstead will go to Mexico City aweek after the Masters and then have its first U.S. event listed as “D.C./Virginia”onMay 8-10, theweek before thePGA Championship at Aronimink outside Philadelphia. Also new to theschedule is aLIV eventinNew Orleansaweek after theU.S.Open. The schedule would have aU.K eventafter the British Open, and then conclude with three tournaments in Chicago, Indianapolis and Michigan. The D.C./Virginia event would be theonlyLIV eventbefore amajor.The other threemajors would have LIVevents immediately after.There won’t be stops in Florida forthe first time.Also gone fromthe schedule,according to the report, is theevent in theDallasarea.




















Knicks offer coaching job to veteran Brown
BY BRIAN MAHONEY AP basketball writer
NEW YORK The New York Knicks
have offered their coaching job to Mike Brown and are working to finalize a deal with the two-time NBA Coach of the Year, a person with knowledge of the details said Wednesday Brown would replace Tom Thibodeau, who was fired last month despite leading the Knicks to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years.
Brown had his second interview with the Knicks on Tuesday before the job was offered, the person told The Associated Press.
Brown earned his second award as the NBA’s top coach after leading Sacramento to the playoffs in 2022-23 ending what was
the league’s longest postseason drought with its first appearance since 2006 — but the Kings fired him nearly halfway through last season.
He would take over a Knicks team that believes it can contend for the NBA title and made it clear that was the only goal when it made the surprising decision to fire Thibodeau, who like Brown is a two-time winner of the NBA Coach of the Year award
The Knicks quickly identified Brown as a candidate they wanted to speak with, while also discussing the job with former Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins and current assistants James Borrego of New Orleans and Micah Nori of Minnesota before offering the position to Brown.
Brown was honored with his first
coaching award when he coached the Cleveland Cavaliers, the team he led to the NBA Finals in 2007 during his first stint with the organization. He also coached the Los Angeles Lakers and is 454-304 in his career Brown also won four championships as an assistant coach, three with the Golden State Warriors and one under Gregg Popovich in San Antonio. His coaching staff will be discussed in the coming days, the person told AP Thibodeau led the Knicks to their only sustained success of the 2000s, with four playoff appearances in his five seasons. They reached at least the East semifinals each of the last three seasons and reached 50 wins in both of the last two.

Big man Ayton to join Lakers
BY GREG BEACHAM
AP sports writer
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Center Deandre Ayton has agreed to join the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent, two people with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday
The people spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal could not yet be announced between the Lakers and Ayton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft — two spots ahead of Luka Doncic.
The Portland Trail Blazers bought out Ayton’s contract last weekend, and he has agreed to join Doncic and LeBron James on a deal for the upcoming season with a player option for 2026-27. He will be paid more than $25 million by the Blazers while playing for the Lakers next year.
Ayton’s arrival fills the Lakers’ most glaring offseason need, providing a lob target for James and Doncic. And while Ayton isn’t known as a defensive stopper, the 7-footer will provide the size in the middle the Lakers have missed since trading Anthony Davis to Dallas for Doncic.
Ayton, who turns 27 this month, spent his first five NBA seasons with Phoenix before joining the Trail Blazers two years ago as part of the three-team trade sending Damian Lillard to Milwaukee.
Ayton struggled at times in Portland while playing for mediocre teams, but he has averaged 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds during his seven NBA seasons while making 59% of his shots. He played only 40 games for the Blazers last season, getting sidelined for the rest of the year in February by a strained calf.
While he has never been an AllStar, Ayton is the only player to average a double-double in points and rebounds in his first seven NBA seasons since former Lakers center Dwight Howard did it more than a decade ago.
Ayton also knows Southern California after moving from the Bahamas to San Diego to play high school basketball. He went on to the University of Arizona before the Suns drafted him. The Lakers struggled without Davis in the paint last season, with Jaxson Hayes playing poorly enough to get benched by coach JJ Redick in their final two playoff games. Los Angeles was eliminated from the first round of the postseason by Minnesota in five games, with big man Rudy Gobert racking up 27 points and 24 rebounds in the clinching victory while the Lakers largely played without a center

CONTRACT
Continued
Circling back to MLB, Angels outfielder Mike Trout continues to hold the largest contract value besides Ohtani and Soto. He signed a 12-year, $426.5 million contract in 2019, at the time the most lucrative contract in American sports. Trout won his third American League MVP award — he’s also finished second in the voting four times — in the first year of the deal, but in the six years since has played more than 100 games only once because of injuries. Other MLB contracts of note, in order of total value, include the Dodgers’ Mookie Betts (12 years, $365 million), the Yankees’ Aaron Judge (nine years, $360 million),
the Mets’ Francisco Lindor (10 years, $341 million) and San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr (14 years, $340 million).
Guaranteeing a player an enormous sum of money and watching him disappoint is a risk teams take regardless of the sport. Witness Watson in the NFL and Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (five years, $250 million) in the NBA. Gilgeous-Alexander is considered a low-risk signing because of his youth, his makeup and the fact that NBA players maintain their peak performance longer than those in the NFL and MLB, where catastrophic injuries are more frequent. The NBA scoring leader is only 26. Until his extension begins in the 2027-2028 season, he’ll have to make do with $38 million next season and $40 million the year after



I went,” he said. “[I’m] a person that’s ready to compete and just play whatever coach needs.” On Queen’s special night, he wore a simple black-and-white suit topped by a double-breasted blazer On the inside of the jacket, he had “I’m from Baltimore” printed on both sides. Silver diamonds around his wrist accented the look. At the Urban Crab Shack, there were shirts featuring that signature tagline or “Crab Five.” As the 13th pick approached, folks already had filled up buckets of crab scraps and started to clean off their hands. This was the culmination of a life in basketball they’d watched blossom before their eyes. “It’s a dream come true,” said Deborah Arthur another cousin. “We from Baltimore!”

Steelers swingingfor fences this offseason
Tomlin hastohope he doesn’tstrikeout
BY JASON MACKEY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)
PITTSBURGH— So often with the teamswefollow,wesearch for linear fits. This player addresses that need. If there’stoo much of one thing, give it up to get something else. And my personal favorite: trading the bad andacquiring good.
What the Steelers did Monday,however, doesn’tfitthose descriptors. It was unique, fun and aggressive —and it could tell us something bigger about Mike Tomlin. It’salso awfully tough to call the Steelers boring.

The sum total of the moves brought Jalen Ramsey,Jonnu Smith and a2027 seventh-round pick to Pittsburgh, with Minkah Fitzpatrick and a2027 fifth-rounder going back to the Miami Dolphins. It also makes me wonder whether the Steelers aredone. Could they add another true safety? What about wide receiver? In due time.Plenty to chew on for now, during what was supposed to be a quiet period.
Before wondering how either could be utilized, let’s not overlook the Tomlin aspect here. Sure, Omar Khan is conducting business differently.DK Metcalf, Aaron Rodgers, activity in free agency period all ahuge departure.But none of it happensif Tomlin objects, and these haven’t been small moves
Why is Tomlin taking such a huge swing? To end the playoff drought? To savehis job? Because he, too, has grown tired of doing the same old?
Continued from page1C
All-Star Game afterBaltimore’s Ron Hansen, who in 1960. Wilson’s father,Jack, was an All-Starfor Pittsburgh in 2004. There will be nine first-time starters for the second time in three years. Wilson will be joined by Greene, O’Hearn, Raleigh and Torres in the AL lineup and Crow-Armstrong, Lindor,Smith and Tucker in the NL lineup.
Báez edged the Los Angeles Angels’Mike Trout 26% to 24% in the closest vote,winning the third AL outfield slot.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge earned astarting spot last week as the top votegetter in the first round, when Ohtani was picked as NL DH with the top total in his league.Under rules thatbeganin2022, voting is split into two stages,and the second phase ran from Monday to Thursday Los Angeles hadn’thad this many starters since first baseman Steve Garvey,second baseman Davey Lopes, shortstop Bill Russell and center fielder ReggieSmith in 1980 at Dodger Stadium.
TheSteelers are operating in amarkedly different way than ever before. For better or worse, it ultimately boomerangs back to Tomlin,aswell as offensive coordinator Arthur Smith anddefensive coordinator Teryl Austin. These guys need to make it work, or thebig swing could turn into agigantic miss, which will have ramifications.
Since he wasthe fifthoverall pickout of Florida State in 2016, most of Ramsey’s snaps have comeoutside,though he’splayed some in the slot.The 6-foot-1, 209-pounder can run, has picked off 25 passes in nine years and should profile as their best outside guy
Perhaps that means Darius Slay,signed this offseason for $10 million,playssome safety.Or the Steelers turn Ramsey loose andget creativewith his usage. Chess-piece stuff. Thepossibilities areendless, which can be bothexcitingand intimidating. No issue here moving on from Fitzpatrickand his$22.3 million cap hit, especially with his recent drop in production. (This could also involvehow Fitzpatrick was used, which creates avalid concern for Slay andRamsey.)
Butthe Steelers made their team better Monday by acquiring Ramsey,atalented player and athree-timefirst-team All-Pro cornerback.There’salso asuccession of trust: Khan to Tomlin andTomlin to Austin to deploy Ramsey the rightway.Now,we’ll wait and see. Ilike that the Steelers are deeperatcorner.Khan also found DeShon Elliott for $6 million before last season, and repeating that shrewd move or having Juan Thornhill work out could be huge. As much as we’vecriticized the Steelers since the endoflast season, they’re going for it in smartbut-aggressiveways.Their draft picks made sense.Itwas time to move on from GeorgePickens.
For thereasonable money,aswell as how he looked during minicamp, I’m largely fine with the Rodgers signing. Depth in the secondary was alingering concern, as well as whether the Steelers can get another weapon for Rodgers.The funny thing:Neither of thenew guys completely address those issues, but it’shard to not be intrigued.
Jonnu Smith caught 88 passes for 884 yards and eight touchdowns last season. That first number would have led theSteelers. and by afairly wide margin. He’s an offensively gifted tight end. The creative possibilities for Arthur Smithhere are also endless. We know he lovestight ends, and he’ll have tworeally good ones in the fold —plus Metcalf, aNo. 2receiver option in Calvin Austin and potentially Roman Wilson.
If theSteelerscan mirror the creativity employed with Ramsey perhaps they’ll use Jonnu Smith outside and in the slot abunch. He can handle it.Mix and match with Freiermuth while allowing Darnell Washington tohandle a lot of the blocking duties.
There’sa lot the Steelers can do, with the right schematics. Which is what could really define these moves Ramsey and Smith can play.We know that. Butthey’re not traditional, linear fits with theSteelers. How they’re integrated into various offensive and defensive concepts will tell us plenty about theabilities of Arthur Smithand Austin. The man whobrought them here, though, has themost on the line. Tomlin seemstobetellingus through his actions that he hears thenoise. That he, too, is sick of thesame old stuff, those feelings contributing to what has been an even crazier Steelers offseason than the last.
Anyone else ready for the real fun to start?

Báez
Detroit’sthree elected starters forthe 2007 gameatSan Francisco were catcher IvánRodríguez, left fielder Magglio Ordóñez and second baseman Plácido Polanco. Freeman is theseniorAll-Star, picked for the ninth timeand his fifthasastarter.Hewill return to Atlanta, where he starredfrom
2010-21. Machado and Judgewere both selected for the seventh time— Judge all as astarter Guerrero, Judge, Marte,Ohtani and Ramírez were holdovers from last year’selected starters. Pitchersand reserves will be announced Sunday
Top-100prospect Hendersonchooses LSUoverUF, Texas
BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer
LSU football landed acommitmentWednesdaynight froma top-100 prospect in the 2026 class.
Defensive end Trenton Henderson, of Pensacola, Florida, picked LSUover Florida and Texas. He’s the No. 82 overall recruit in the country and afour-star recruit, accordingtothe 247Sports compositerankings.
During his announcementon CBS Sports HQ, Henderson said the Tigers’ depth chart was “the decidingfactor” because he saw achance to play early,which he said could helphim reach the NFL.
“Everything added up,” Henderson said. “Itchecked every box.”
Afew minutes earlier, threestar linebacker JJ Bush committed to ArkansasoverLSU and Missouri. Bush, anative of Theodore,Alabama, is considered the No. 493 overall player in the country
Henderson’s commitment came on the heels of three-star Frank-
lin Parish athlete Dezyrian Ellis announcing his pledge last weekend to the Tigers as LSU continued to add to its recruiting class. At the moment, seven of LSU’s 12 recruits for2026 are ranked in the top 100 of the 247Sports composite.
LSUnow hassix defensive players in the fold with Henderson,who became the Tigers’ second-highest ranked defensive recruitbehind top-50 Karrdefensive lineman Richard Anderson.
The class is headlined by five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys,the No. 3overallrecruit in the country,according to the 247Sports composite. The Tigers are also battling for Baton Rouge five-star defensivelineman LamarBrown, another top-five player in the country Brown is set to announce his decision July 10 in the U-High gymnasium. He’schoosing among LSU,Texas A&M, Miamiand Texas.
For more LSUsports updates, signupfor ournewsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByLMOTERO
Rangerssend down former All-Star Jung
By The Associated Press
ARLINGTON, Texas The Texas Rangers sent struggling third baseman JoshJung to Triple-A Round Rock on Wednesday and activatedfirst baseman Jake Burger fromthe 10-dayinjured list. Jung washitting .237 with eight homers and 35 RBIsin75games this season, but he hit only .164 (19 of 116) over his past 30 games since May 26. An All-Star starter as arookie in 2023, Jung didn’t start Tuesday night,aday after he went 0for 5for the fourth time since June 16. He has struck out 36 times (29.5%) in his last 122 plateappearances. Burger returned after missing 10 gameswith aleftoblique strain.
Jung was voted in by fans as an All-Star starter forthe American League in 2023, and weeks after playing in theAll-StarGame he broke his leftthumbonafielding play at Miami. He returned to hit .308 (20 for 65) with three homersinthe playoffs as theRangers won their only World Series title that season.
The27-year-old Jung missed nine gamesearlierthis year because of neck spasms. He was limited to 46 games last year after his right wrist was fractured when getting hit by apitch. TheRangers made the same movewith Burger in early May, when he was hitting .190 witha team-high 32 strikeouts in 100 atbats hisfirst 30 games. He hit .391 with two homeruns in six games for Round Rock.
Once he returnedtothe majors, the29-year-old Burger hit .243 with seven homers and17RBIs in 35 games before injuring the oblique June 20.
BlueJays
OF PILLAR ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT: Kevin Pillar,anoutfielder who
spent the majority of his 13-year major-league career with the Toronto Blue Jays, announced his retirement Wednesday Pillar confirmed his decision duringanappearance on theFoul Territory podcast, about amonth after he wasreleased by the Texas Rangers. Afterrehabilitating fromoffseason thumb surgery, Pillar played in 20 games for the Rangers —his 10th major league team —with nine hits in 43 atbats.
Pillar, 36, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 32nd round in 2011 and madehis debut in 2013. He was traded to the San Francisco Giants earlyinthe 2019 season, which washis best in the big leagues.
Braves
RHP SCHWELLENBACH BREAKS ELBOW: Braves right-handerSpencer Schwellenbach broke his right elbow during astart last weekend and was placed on the 15-day injuredlist Wednesdayasleft fielder Jurickson Profar returned from an 80-game drug suspension and slumping outfielder Alex Verdugo wasdesignated forassignment.
Schwellenbachsaidhefelt tightness while pitching forAtlanta against Philadelphia on Saturday,when he threw 90 pitches. He allowedone run andthreehits over seven innings. He felt sore thefollowing day and imaging Monday revealed a small fracture at the top of theelbow.Schwellenbach said he was toldthis wasafreak accident and said he hopes to be back this season.
A25-year-old in his second bigleague season, Schwellenbach is 7-4 with a3.09 ERA and leads the Braves in wins, WHIP (0.967) and innings (1102/3).





























Top N.O. bartenders curate 5 refreshing summer cocktail, mocktail recipes
BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer
Savor the summer over these cocktail and mocktail recipes. They’re crafted by New Orleans bartenders, so you know they must be good.
We
ä More recipes. PAGE 2D


SPICE OF LIFE
BY LIZ FAUL Contributing writer
As the heat advisories have started rolling in, I have begun craving the cool and refreshing ingredients of Mediterranean food: tomatoes, cucumbers, yogurt sauces and fresh mint.
Tzatziki, pronounced “tuh-zee-kee,” is a dip or sauce made with yogurt, cucumbers and fresh herbs.
The mixture works well as a condiment on a lamb burger served in pita bread. New tastes and ingredients
make life more interesting, so try switching things up for your next barbecue and make a Greek-style lamb burger
Even though beef is the most popular choice of meat for making a hamburger, ground lamb is gaining popularity and it’s easy to find at local grocery stores. Greek lamb burgers seasoned with spices like cumin, garlic and ginger offer new tastes and a memorable summer meal.
When we make lamb, my husband quotes the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” when the bride confesses
RECIPES, 2D: TZATZIKI SAUCE ● LAMB
to her aunt that her husband is a vegetarian: “What do you mean he don’t eat no meat?!? (The room goes silent.)
“Oh, that’s OK, I make lamb.”
As much as I wish lamb were a vegetable, it is most certainly a meat and best served alongside vegetables. I added garden tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions and lettuce
Rosemary roasted potatoes are a perfect side dish for lamb burgers.
I like to use small golden potatoes to make this dish.
ä See LAMB, page 2D
or
and
The Death by Chocolate trifle: What
BY AMY DREW THOMPSON Orlando Sentinel (TNS)
There is almost no acceptable reason for not liking chocolate pudding.
It’s smooth and creamy and cool and chocolaty It’s great out of those little lunchbox cups. (Remember the cans?
The filter of my Gen X memory bank has me convinced it tasted better than today’s plastic containers.) It’s great out of the Kozy Shack tub. It’s great plain or with whipped cream or swirled into cake batter where it imparts its lusciousness into the final product.
Chocolate pudding is glorious. And, indeed, I found it simple to execute This chocolate pudding recipe is from The Pioneer Woman,
who credited its inclusion of egg yolks as a thickener (along with the more commonly employed cornstarch) with bringing ” a little bit of that French custard feel to the pudding.” And as I whisked, I wondered if there weren’t more people out there who simply considered Jell-O and My*T*Fine “homemade,” as well. They’re not. Nor were the Duncan Hines salted caramel brownies I “made” to include in what became a “what to do with your from-scratch chocolate pudding once you’ve made it” column. I chose the pudding recipe because it was a simple one in a week when I had no time to spare. But the Type A in me couldn’t sit with just the chocolate pudding recipe, and so this semi-
homemade Death By Chocolate
trifle recipe. The original is entirely semi-homemade. I had a laugh about that.
The author Allrecipes contributor LaNita, says that this trifle is “a true favorite. Every time we have a church supper, I have to make this!”
Trifles themselves are wonderfully easy summer desserts and ridiculously flexible. This one is hellaciously chocolaty, but you could offset that by omitting the brownies in favor of cheesecake, pound cake, coconut cake, shortbread cookies or just about anything else. Instead of toffee bars, toasted nuts would make for a wonderfully crunchy texture (and an actual smidge of nutrition).
ä See TRIFLE, page 2D
a way to go

Nitrates in food triggermigraines

PROVIDED PHOTOS
Storyville Mai Tai
Serves 1. Recipe is by The Bower Bar
That’sright. This drink has glitter-infused maple syrup. Glittercan’tget everywhereifit’s going right down the hatch.
Not every diva has glitterinfused maple syrup in their bar cart. Fret no more. Youcan combine ateaspoon of edible glitter withaquart of maple syrup as a substitute.

Luau Lagoon (Mocktail)
Serves1.Recipe isbyThe Pool Club, Virgin Hotels New Orleans. Bringthe luau right to your housewith this Polynesianinspired mocktail. This citrusy sip is perfect for accompanying adip in the pool duringthose hot summer days. What better way to beat the heat?
1ounce SeedlipGroveN/A Spirit 2ounce grapefruit juice 1/2
orgeat 1/2 ounce pineappleshrub Polynesian bitters
1. Combineall ingredients in a shaker
2. Shakeand strain
3. Garnish with adehydrated lime.
3.


Secret Garden (Mocktail)
Serves1.Recipe isbyThe Pool Club, Virgin Hotels New Orleans.
Thesecret is out,and you can make this simple mocktail at home. For readers with agreen thumb, some of the three garnishes (cucumber,thyme and aberry of your choice) may already be growing in your summergarden.
1ounce Seedlip Garden N/A Spirit
11/2 ounce lemon juice
3/4 ounce lychee juice
2ounces soda to top
1. Combine all ingredientsin ashaker
2. Shake and strain.
3. Garnish withcucumber, berry and thyme
TRIFLE
Continued from page1D
Youcould also use this for divine inspiration and make a trifle with vanilla pudding. Or butterscotch. Or banana
Imade amore traditional Fourth of July version afew years back that would be ideal for any upcoming BBQplans you might have.
Pudding is auniversal good. No matter where it comes from.
Chocolate Pudding
Recipe is from The Pioneer Woman.
2largeegg yolks
2tablespoons cornstarch
2cups whole milk, divided
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2teaspoons chocolate extract (orvanilla extract*)
*Iused vanilla
1. In amedium bowl,whisk the egg yolks for about 60 seconds until light yellow and increased in volume, then whisk in the cornstarch and about 1/4 cup of the milk. Once smooth and incorporated, set aside.
2. Place the sugar,cocoa, salt and remaining milk in asaucepan and bring to ascald over medium-high heat, which is when the liquid is about 180-190 F. This is before the mixture comes to aboil, and in this stage youwill see little bubbles start forming on the sides of the pan.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and, whilewhisking constantly,dribble the hot cocoa into the egg cornstarch mixture very gradually.Weare tempering, so we don’tscramble the eggs.
4. Pour everythingback into the saucepan and cook over medium-high heat, whisking constantly,until the puddingcomes to afullboil. Reduce the heat to asimmer and continue whisking for acouple of minutes until the pudding is thickened.
5. Remove thepudding from theheat andstir in thechocolate or vanilla extract.Pour thepudding into abowl and press plastic wrap directlyonthe surface of the pudding so askin doesn’t form. Refrigerate for an hour or two until chilled.Serve and enjoy
Death by
Chocolate Trifle
Recipe isfrom Allrecipes. Brownies:
1(16.3 ounce) package brownie mix (such as Betty Crocker)
2large eggs
1/2 cup vegetableoil
2tablespoonswater
Other:
3(1.4 ounces) bars of chocolatecovered English toffee
1(16-ounce) package frozen whipped topping,thawed
1. Follow box instructions for both browniesand chocolate pudding (if using scratch-made pudding, use provided recipe). Preheat the oven to350 F. Grease a9-by-13-inch baking pan.
2. To assemble, crumble or chunk-chop brownies in the bottom of one largeorfour small trifle bowls. Spoon pudding over top.Layer on whipped topping then sprinklecrushed toffee bars over thetop. Repeat layers in same order,ending with whipped topping.
3. Refrigerate until ready to serve, addingthe final layer of chopped toffee bar before doing so.

Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: Concerning theuse of molasses in oatmeal or other foods, we found that the nitrates in it can be amigraine trigger to susceptible individuals. Imade Boston Brown Bread, which we thought was very healthy (all whole grains, molasses, etc.).But my husband always got amigraine about 20 minutes after consuming it,soresearch finally revealed that it was thenitrates in the molasses (and also in cured meats)that triggered theheadaches. —MaryAnn, in Portland, Oregon
Frying steak
Dear Heloise: My husband likes his steaks pan-fried, but frying makes them so tough! Anyhelp would be appreciated. —A Reader,
LAMB
Continuedfrom page 1D
Simply quarter thepotatoes anddrizzle olive oil, salt,pepper and freshly chopped rosemary and bake in theoven until golden brown.
Rosemary is aversatile herb with along history.Ancient Greek scholars used rosemary crowns during exams because it was believed to aid with learning and memory,and accordingly theherb was associated with thegoddess Mnemosyne, whose nameliterally means“memory.”
Recentresearch has found some scientific basis for these practices,asrosemary contains antioxidant bioactivity and functions to decrease inflammation —making it apotential therapeutic for Alzheimer’sdisease. These roasted rosemarypotatoes may or may not boost your memory, but they will be amemorable part of the meal.
Liz Sullivan Faul is aregistered dietitian nutritionist who enjoys cooking and sharing meals with her friends and family
TzatzikiSauce
2cups wholemilk Greek yogurt
1largecucumber (peeled, seeded, and finelychopped)
3garlic cloves, finelychopped
1tablespoon olive oil
1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3tablespoons finelychopped fresh dill(substitute fresh mint and/or Italian parsley)
1/2 teaspoon of salt (add more if needed)
1. Many recipes for tzatziki say to strain theyogurt before makingthe sauce. But Greek yogurts are pre-strained, so Iskip the straining step. But if the yogurt is on therunny side, strain it by lininga strainerwith cheesecloth, or papertowels, andplace it over abowl in the refrigerator for an hour.Thenadd the Greek yogurt to aserving bowl
2. Peel, seed and chop one large cucumber andadd it to the yogurt. Finely chop the garlic cloves andadd it to the yogurt. Mix the cucumber and garlic into theyogurt.
3. Drizzle the olive oiland lemon juice intothe sauce, then add thefinely chopped fresh herbs like dill andmint. Acombination of fresh Italianparsley andmint aregreat substitutes for dill. Mix allingredients together.Add the salt. Then taste,and add abit more saltifneeded
4. Drizzle alittle olive oil and freshherbsoverthe topofthe tzatziki sauce beforeserving it.
By The Associated Press
Today is Thursday,July 3, the 184th day of 2024. There are 181 days left in theyear
Today’shighlight in history:
On July 3, 1863, the pivotal three-day Civil WarBattle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania ended in amajor victory for the North as Confederate troops failed to breach Union positions during an assault known as Pickett’sCharge.
Also on this date:
In 1775, Gen. George Washington took commandofthe Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 1944, during WorldWar II, Soviet forces recaptured Minsk from theGermans.
In 1950, thefirst carrier strikes of the Korean Wartook place as theUSS Valley Forge and the HMSTriumph sentfighter planes
in Ohio First,doyou use acast-iron pan?
It’s the best for frying steak. Next, let your steak warm up alittle before frying it. Take it out of the refrigerator and let it sit for afew minutes. Blot it with apaper towel to get moisture out. (Too much moisture boils the meat.) Then make sure your pan is veryhot when you drop the steak in and sear it on both sides, after which youcan turn the heat down to medium. Don’tovercook it,orit’llbedry andtough. When you’redonecooking the steak, let it sitona plate for afew minutes so that all the juices flowback into thecenter —Heloise
Home security
Dear Heloise: Most break-ins occur between 10 a.m. and 3p.m. through ground-level windows and doors, so makesure to check bothwindow and door locks. You
can add window bars forextra security.You can also install security cameras or motion detectors. If you can afford asecurity monitoring system,all the better If you are homewhile aburglar is trying to get in, go to aneighbor’shouse or astore nearby and call the police. Tell them there is arobbery currently in progress. Your safety should be your first priority —JanetS., in Waco,Texas Letthere be light
Dear Heloise: Icut out apiece of waxed paper and line awindow forprivacy when Ihaven’thung up curtains or drapes yet (for example, when Imove into anew apartment or home). It allows light in, but no one can see inside. Ireally hope this helps someone in apinch. —Donna R., viaemail Send ahinttoheloise@heloise com.

Lamb Burger in Pita
Serves 6
2pounds ground lamb (substitute beef, pork or turkey)
4garlic cloves, finelychopped
1teaspoon salt
1teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
1teaspoon ground coriander
1teaspoon ground ginger
1teaspoon ground cumin
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
1teaspoon ground allspice
1tablespoon Worcestershire
1tablespoon olive oil
1cup fresh lettuce greens
1sliced tomato (creole tomatoes are in season)
1red onion (thinly sliced)
1thinly sliced cucumber
1. In alarge mixing bowl, place thegroundlamb and use your hands, or alarge spoon, to blend the twopounds of ground meat together
2. In asmall bowl, addall of the dryspicesand mixtogether to form aspice blend. Pour the spice blendover the ground meat. Add theWorcestershire. Lightly mix thespices into the meatwith your hands. Be careful nottooverwork themeat.
3. Prepare abaking sheet with parchment paper.Then form 6 equal-sized hamburger patties (each patty will be about 3/4-inch thick), placing each prepared burger patty on theprepared bakingtray.Refrigerate until ready to grill.
TODAYINHISTORY
against North Korean targets.
In 1971, singerJim Morrison of The Doors diedinParis at age 27
In 1979, Dan White,convicted of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting deaths of SanFrancisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor HarveyMilk, wassentenced to sevenyears and eight months in prison.
In 1986, President Ronald Reagan presided over agalaceremony in New York Harbor that saw therelighting of the renovated Statue of Liberty
In 1988, the USS Vincennes shot down an Iran Air jetliner over the Persian Gulf, killing all 290 people aboard. In 2011, Novak Djokovic won his first Wimbledon, beating defending championRafael Nadal.
In 2012, Andy Griffith who made homespun American Southernwisdomhis trademark as the wise sheriff in “The Andy
4. Preheat theovento350 degrees, then toast the pita pocket bread for about3 to 5minutes.
5. Just priortogrilling, brush each patty witholive oil. Grill each patty for about 5minutes per side over medium-high heat.
6. To serve: Slip the grilled lamb patties into the pita bread, add abig spoonful of theprepared tzatziki sauce, lettuce, tomato and sliced cucumber
RosemaryRoasted Potatoes
1pound golden potatoes (cut into quarters)
1-2tablespoons olive oil
1teaspoon salt
1teaspoon freshly grated pepper
1-2tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1. Preheat theovento425 degrees.Line abaking sheet with parchment paper.
2. On acutting board, cuteach smallgoldenpotato intofourpieces.Thentransferthe cut potatoes into alarge bowl. Drizzlethe olive oiloverthe potatoes. Then add the salt, pepper and freshly chopped rosemary to the oily potatoes. Toss the potatoes wellsothat they are coated with oiland herbs.
3. Spread the potatoes evenly on the prepared baking sheet and place them in the oven to bake until they are golden brown —or about25-35 minutes.
Griffith Show,” died at his North Carolina homeatage 86. Today’sbirthdays: Playwright Tom Stoppard is 88. Attorney Gloria Allred is 84. Actor Kurtwood Smith is 82. Country singer Johnny Leeis79. Humorist Dave Barry is 78. Actor Betty Buckley is 78. Talk showhost Montel Williams is 69. Country singer Aaron Tippin is 67. Rock musician VinceClarke (Depeche Mode, Yaz, Erasure)is65. Actor Tom Cruise is 63. Actor Thomas Gibsonis63. ActorConnie Nielsen is 60. ActorYeardley Smith is 61. Actor-singerAudra McDonald is 55. Hockey Hall of Famer Teemu Selanne is 55. WikiLeaks founder JulianAssange is 54. Actor PatrickWilsonis52. Former mixed martial artist Wanderlei Silva is 49. ActorOlivia Munn is 45. Formula One driverSebastian Vettel is 38. Rock singer-songwriter Elle King is 36.










cAncER (June 21-July 22) Take nothing forgranted and prepare to take care of everylastdetail. You need to getthe most mileage out of your expertise.It's time to shine; avoid getting flustered when making amoveisnecessary.
LEo(July23-Aug.22) Go on alearning expedition and discover howtoimprove yourself, your relationships or your home. Friendships and life changes will flourish. Enjoy the ride.
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Impulse mixed with emotional instabilitywill lead to mistakes and regret. Pour your time and energy intosomething productive. Put moredetail into your work.
LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Do what brings you joy. It's time to liquidate what no longerexcites you or hasmeaningin your life. Lightening your load will offer satisfaction, peace of mindand free time to follow your heart.
scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Embrace life andlove, and make your happiness your goal. Work to get the lifeyou want and theperson you want to become. Make alist of the goals you want to achieve, andget moving.
sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Makeyour home your haven. Stay awayfrom people who make you feel selfish or disrupt your space. Live within your means. Don't be manipulatedbyfeelings of guilt or obligation.
cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don't let anyonemakechoices for you. Participate in events or activities that interest you,
andadjust money matters to ensure your financial safety and security.
AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Refuse to let someone take control or use manipulative tactics on you. Know your worth and stand up forwhat's right and best for you. Achange of attitude will help put your life andsituation back on track.
PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Review, adjust and keep moving forward. The changes you make will stand out and make others notice. Trust and believe in your ability to get things done and lead the way to abrighter future ARIEs (March21-April 19) Being apart of an organization will allowyou to have a say in how things unfold. Change begins with effort and gaining access to aplatform that letsyou air your opinion.
TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Stick to basics and offer only what you know you can deliver.Concentrate on personal growth, physical improvements and dealing with institutions that canhelp you with any necessary regulations.
GEMInI(May21-June 20) Keep tabs on your expenditures. Generosity, entertainment and hefty contributions or penalties will leaveyou short of cash if you aren't careful. Learn as you go and do your best.
The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication






Sudoku
InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with severalgiven numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer








Bridge
By PHILLIP ALDER
This week, we arelooking at responder’sactions when he has amajor twosuiter opposite aone-no-trump opening bid. Having covered 5-4 hands,now let’s move to 5-5 holdings
WelearnedonMay16thatifresponder hasaweak 5-5inthe majors, he responds two clubs, Stayman. Then, if opener rebids two of amajor, responder passes;orifopener rebids two diamonds, responder continues with two hearts to describe his hand.
Howresponder bids game-invitational andgame-forcing5-5handsisamatterof partnershipagreement.Mynormalstyle is to respond three hearts with the gameinvitationalhand (and three spades with thegame-forcing one, which Iwill cover tomorrow).
Over threehearts, opener namesthe final contract. Here, withanexcellent fit in both majors, he jumps to four spades. Then, howshould the card-play go after West leads theclub ace?
First, East signals with hiseight, starting an echo(high-low)with adoubleton Then, West continues with theclub king. Whatnext?
If South has the heart queen, whichis likely, the defenders have taken all of their side-suit tricks. Their only chance is to collect twotrump tricks. West shouldcontinuewithalowclub.Thenthe spotlight falls on East. Supposeheruffs low and South, still having the club jack, follows suit. Will the spade queen serve anypurpose?No,itwon’t.So,Eastshould ruff with the spade queen. Then, when South overruffs with his ace, West gains two trump tricksto defeat the contract. It is aclassic uppercut. ©2025 by nEa, inc.,dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication
Each Wuzzleisaword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn
Previous answers: wuzzles
InsTRucTIons:
ToDAy’sWoRD
Average











dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks”used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.
ken ken
InstructIons: 1 -Eachrow and each column must containthe numbers 1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, calledcages, mustcombine using the given operation (in any order) to producethe target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the numberinthe top-left corner.
HErE is aplEasanT
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer






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text=%7b%22T id%22%3a%2208cbf4851cb7-4a02-9a21-0dd9b45 b9ff7%22%2c%22O id%22%3a%2289c2a624ef6f-4233-933c -4ab05d0 17aa4%22%7d If this solicitation is fed‐erallyfunded,prospec‐tivebidder/respondent mustpay particular at‐tention to allapplicable lawsand regulationsof the Federalgovernment and theState of Louisiana TheBureauofPurchas‐ing uses commodity codes to notify suppliers ofthe releaseofasourc‐ing eventand subse‐quent modificationsvia addendum.Notethatyou would receivethose noti‐ficationsifyou selected the followingcommodity code(s) before there‐lease of thesourcing event: COMMODITYCODE(s): 500; 500-68 TheCityofNew Orleans stronglyencouragesmi‐nority-ownedand women-ownedbusi‐nesses, sociallyand eco‐nomically disadvantaged businessesand small businessestorespond to thissolicitation, or to participate in subcon‐tractingopportunities pursuanttothissolicita‐tion. Formoreinformation about this sourcing event,goto www.nola.




onorbeforeJuly22, 2025 by3:00pm. Proposals may also be submitted digitally.Proposals re‐ceivedafter thedesig‐nated time anddatewill bereturnedunopened. Frenchand Montessori Education,Inc reserves the righttorejectany and
























hoursof8:30a.m.and 4 p.m. Individualswishing to meet with Assessor's Office staff canschedule
3-10-3T $582.72
in thecafeteria(enter throughthe frontlobby on Arts street)at2518 Arts St.New Orleans, LA 70117 at 10:00 AM.on Monday,July14, 2025; Complete BidDocuments forthisproject areavail‐able in electronic form fordownloadatthe Ar‐chitects FTPsiteatno fee. ContactTommy Grey at Tgrey@mathesbrierre comfor instructions to access thedocuments on theFTP site.Bidders re‐questing documents must submit theirlicense numberand also e-mail addressfor receivingad‐denda. Printedcopiesare notavailable from the Architect, butarrange‐mentscan be made to obtain them through most reprographic firms. Plan holdersare respon‐siblefor theirown repro‐ductioncosts Questions shallbedirectedtoFred‐dieDickinson at fdickin‐son@mathesbrierre.com. This projectissubject to allprovisionsand proce‐duresofthe LouisianaRS Title38, Section2181 etseq. applicable to the Louisianapublicbid law. TheOwnerrequiresa bid bond

CPCINFO@NOLA.GOV.ALL WRITTENCOMMENTS

ment informationis availableonour website at www.nolaassessor. com. 148335-JUL3-5-3T $54.75
PUBLIC HEARING: 1:30 P.M. CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS FIRSTFLOOR –CITYHALL (CITYHALL- 1E07) 1300 PERDIDOSTREET THECITYPLANNING COMMISSION, IN ACCOR‐DANCEWITHPROVISIONS OF THECITYOFNEW OR‐LEANSSUBDIVISION REG‐ULATIONS,WILLHOLD A PUBLIC HEARINGONJuly 22, 2025 ON THEFOLLOW‐INGMATTERS: SUBDIVISIONDOCKETS 051-25 and052-25 SD051-25 Resubdivision of Lots 9, 10, 11, 12, 14A 16A,and AinSquare101, Mirabeau GardensExten‐sion,Third MunicipalDis‐trictand bounded by PrattDrive,Carnot Street,the London Av‐enue OutfallCanal,Virgil Boulevard, andVan Av‐enue into Lots 1-A, 9-A, 10-A, 11-A, 12-A, and14A1.Municipaladdresses are1760, 1766, (1770) 1772, 1778, and1790 Pratt Drive. (Note: in TaxAs‐sessor records, 1770 PrattDrive is knownas 3445101 London Ave) (PolicyD) SD052-25 Resubdivision of Lots 11, 12 and15-Ain Square 291, SeventhMu‐nicipalDistrictand bounded by Joliet, Sycamore,Cambronne andPanolaStreetsinto Lots 11-Aand 15-A1.Mu‐nicipaladdressesare 2119-2121JolietStreet and8424 Sycamore Street.(Policy A) THECITYPLANNING COMMISSIONWILLHEAR PROPONENTS ANDOPPO‐NENTSTOTHE ABOVE PROPOSED SUBDIVI‐SIONS. ALLINTERESTED PARTIESARE ENCOUR‐AGEDTOATTEND AND ALLRELEVANTCOM‐MENTSCONCERNINGTHE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE ENCOURAGED.THE CPC HASESTABLISHEDPUB‐LIC HEARINGRULES WITHIN ITSADMINISTRA‐TIVE RULES, POLICIES & PROCEDURES,WHICH AREAVAILABLE ON THE CPCWEBSITE: WWW NOLA.GOV/CPC.YOU MAY ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THEEX‐ECUTIVEDIRECTORIN ADVANCEBYMAIL(1300 PERDIDOSTREET,7TH FLOOR,NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112) OR EMAIL
THE NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC BELTRAILROADCOMMISSIONFOR THEPORTOFNEW ORLEANS MINUTES OF THE REGULAR COMMISSION MEETING THURSDAY, MAY22, 2025
AREGULAR MEETING OF THE NEW ORLEANS PUBLIC BELT
RAILROAD COMMISSION FOR THE PORTOFNEW ORLEANS, HELD IN THE FIRST FLOOR AUDITORIUM OF THE PORT OF NEW ORLEANS’ OFFICES, LOCATED AT 1350 PORTOFNEW ORLEANS PLACE, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, WASCALLED TO ORDER BY
CHAIRMAN MICHAEL A. THOMAS AT 1:33 P.M.
MEMBERS
Michael A. Thomas, Chairman
PRESENT:Sharonda R. Williams, Vice-Chair
Jeanne E. Ferrer,Secretary-Treasurer
Walter J. Leger,Jr.,Member
James J. Carter,Jr.,Member
Darryl D. Berger,Member
Todd P. Murphy,Member
STAFF:B.Branch, Chief Executive Officer
T. Bryant,General Manager
C. Kocur,Vice-President, Engineering
I. McPherson, Director,Operation Planning
GUESTS:J.Escudier,Port of New Orleans
A. Evett, PortofNew Orleans
Chief M. Montroll, Harbor Police Department
G. Brown, PortofNew Orleans
C. Rollins, PortofNew Orleans

I. Roll Call &Determination of Quorum
II. Pledge of Allegiance
ChairmanThomaslead the Pledge of Allegiance.
III. PublicComment




able to performwarranty services andrepairs at theirprimary location deemed to be locatedin relatively closeproximity to theCityofGretnafor convenience. Discounted retail pricing is preferred, butpricing by adealerthrough aco‐operativeisacceptableif theprice quoted is the lowest priceavailable Forpurposesofaccess‐ingcooperative pricing only,anLACPC member mayjoin thecooperative Thesolicitationisnot a "lowestbid wins"bid Wheremorethanone re‐sponsibledealeroffers substantially thesame price(within 3% of the lowbidder) then the LACPCreservesthe right to conducta reverseauc‐tion on behalf of theCity of Gretna on the five (5) units it seeks. Where pricingisnot substan‐tially thesame, or where only onequalified bidis received,thenthe LACPC reserves theright to waivethe reverseauc‐tion processand askfor "bestand final" pricing. Proposalswillbeac‐cepted electronically only andare dueby2:00 pm on July 16, 2025. Pro‐posals will be submit‐ted/acceptedelectroni‐callythrough https:// lamats.eauctionservices. comonly. Thesolicita‐tion andother bidinfor‐mation andspecifica‐tionsare availableby going to https://lamats eauctionsevices.comand registeringand down‐loadingsame. TheElectronicBid Ad‐ministratorisPaul Holmes,LACPC Contracts Administrator, 6767 PerkinsRd.,Baton Rouge, LA 70808, (225) 678- 6107 or lacpc@lamats.net Proposalsare to be sub‐mitted in theformatre‐quired,including any pricingand specification formsincluded, along with anyother documen‐tation that must be signed. i
C. Labat, PortofNew Orleans
C. Gilmore, Port of New Orleans
M. Scelson, PortofNew Orleans
N. Dietzen, PortofNew Orleans




VI.

IV.Report of the General Manager
V. Approval of Meeting Minutes for April 2025
ChairmanThomascalledfor amotion

T. Black, Port of New Orleans

B. Bailey,PortofNew Orleans



A. Bierman, PortofNew Orleans







Following aroll callofCommission members, ChairmanThomas confirmed aquorum andcalledthe meeting to orderat1:33p.m.
ChairmanThomascalledfor agenda-related public comments but there were none
Ms. Bryantreported on the April volumes andproductivity statistics.



















































A. Dawson, PortofNew Orleans
K. Gilmore, Port of New Orleans
M. Sulser,Port of New Orleans
S. Schexnayder,Port of New Orleans
A. Randolph, PortofNew Orleans












K. Curth, PortofNew Orleans
K. Mills,Port of New Orleans





M. Singley,Port of New Orleans
J. Fields, PortofNew Orleans
A. Perez,HolyCross Neighborhood Association
B. Perez,HolyCross Neighborhood Association
A. Thompson, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
C. Hill, CRC
T. Carter,CLS
J. Koeffer,HolyCross Neighborhood Association

C. Hammond, ILA R. Carubba, Carubba Engineering








J. Stephens, SBPC
L. Mantio, JW







THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE PORTOFNEW ORLEANS MINUTES OF THE REGULAR BOARD MEETING THURSDAY, MAY22, 2025
AREGULAR MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF THE PORTOFNEW ORLEANS, HELD IN THE FIRST FLOOR AUDITORIUM AT ITS OFFICE LOCATED AT 1350 PORT OF NEW ORLEANS PLACE, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, WASCALLED TO ORDER BY CHAIRMAN MICHAEL A. THOMAS AT 1:39 PM.
MEMBERS Michael A. Thomas, Chairman
PRESENT:Sharonda R. Williams, Vice-Chair
Jeanne E. Ferrer,Secretary-Treasurer
Walter J. Leger,Jr.,Member
James J. Carter,Jr.,Member
Darryl D. Berger,Member
Todd P. Murphy,Member
STAFF:B.Branch, President &Chief Executive Officer
J. Escudier,Executive Counsel
A. Evett, Vice President of Infrastructure
Chief M. Montroll, Harbor Police Department
G. Brown, Chief of People &Culture
C. Rollins, Director,Financial Reporting &Forecasting
C. Labat,Director,Procurement
C. Gilmore, Director,Engineering &Environmental
M. Scelson, General Counsel
N. Dietzen, StaffAttorney
T. Black, StaffAttorney
B. Bailey,Information Technology Specialist
A. Bierman, Insurance &FEMA Manager
A. Dawson, Director,Emergency Management
K. Gilmore, Director,Real Estate
M. Sulser,Manager,Engineering
S. Schexnayder,Director,Communications &Community Engagement
A. Randolph, Manager,Communications &Community Engagement
K. Curth, Press Secretary
K. Mills, Manager,Communications &Community Engagement
M. Singley,BoardSecretariat
J. Fields, Marketing &CommunicationsOfficer
GUESTS:T.Bryant, NOPB
C. Kocur,NOPB
I. McPherson,NOPB
A. Perez, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
B. Perez, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
J. Wittenbrink, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
A. Thompson, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
C. Hill, CRC
T. Carter,CLS
J. Koefferl, Holy Cross Neighborhood Association
C. Hammond, ILA
R. Carubba, Carubba Engineering
J. Stephens, SBPC
L. Mantio, JW
P. Martinez
P. West, JP West, Inc.
I. Roll Call &Determination of Quorum
Following aroll call of Boardmembers, Chairman Thomas confirmed aquorum and
P. Martinez
P. West, JP West, Inc.
Priortoinviting the speakers to the podium, Ms.Singley read the Board’spublic comment parameters. Amanda Thompson, John Koefferl, Jeffrey Wittenbrink, and Bette Perez,expressed their oppositiontothe lease agreement with Sunrise Foods International,Inc., the establishment of an organic grain terminal at the Alabo Street wharf, and the rehabilitation of the rail lines along Alabo Street.
III. Reportbythe President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer
Ms.Branch provided an overview of the April 2025 volumes and productivity statistics as well as asummary of the month’shighlights. She also congratulated HarborPolice Officers Logan Tillery, Sharon Davis, and Roland Kindell on their promotion to the rank of sergeant.
IV.Approval of the Meeting Minutes for April 2025
Chairman Thomas called for amotiontoapprove the public meeting minutes forApril 2025, as previouslycirculated. Commissioner Murphy moved to accept the minutes and Commissioner Ferrer seconded. MOTION CARRIEDUNANIMOUSLY
V. Action Items: A. Acceptance of the Consolidated Financial Statements for April 2025
Ms.Rollins presented the consolidated financial statements for the month of April, acopy of which is made apart of these minutes. Commissioner Ferrer moved to approve the consolidated financial statements and Commissioner Williams seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
B. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer to Renew the Board’sWorkers’ Compensation Insurance Policy with Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (“LWCC”) at an Estimated Cost of $720,982 Based on Current Estimated Payroll Expenditures, Arranged Through Arthur JGallagher Risk Management Services, LLC.
Ms.Bierman presented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Williams moved to approve the resolution and Commissioner Ferrer seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
C. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer to Enter into an Amendment in an Amount Not to Exceed $1,156,931.22 to the Contract with Orion Industrial Construction, LLC forthe Nashville BWharf SubstructureRepairs.
Mr.Chris Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Ferrer moved to approve the resolution and Commissioner Murphy seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
D. Consider Approval of aResolution Authorizing the President and Chief ExecutiveOfficer to ExecuteanAmendment to the Consulting Agreement with Paragon Partners Consultants, Inc. to Increase the TotalNot-To-Exceed Cost of the Contract to $202,000.
Mr.Kyle Gilmorepresented and recommended approval of the resolution. Commissioner Carter moved to approve the resolution and Commissioner Murphy seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
VI. Closed ExecutiveSession Convened in Accordance withLa R.S.42:17A(2), to Discuss the Matters Entitled: St. Bernard
• St. Bernard Parish Government v. Board of Commissioners of thePort of
Orleans,Docket No.23-1006, pending before the 34thJudicial District Courtfor the ParishofSt. Bernard, State of Louisiana
ChairmanThomasread the agenda itemaloud andcalledfor amotion to enterinto aclosedexecutive session, convenedinaccordance with La R.S. 42:17(A)(2)todiscuss the above matters.
CommissionerWilliams movedtoenterinto aclosedexecutive session andCommissionerFerrer seconded. The MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY andthe Boardenteredinto closedexecutive session at 2:01 p.m.
CommissionerBergerleftthe meeting at 3:00pm.
Following the conclusion of the discussion, ChairmanThomas calledfor amotion to endthe closedexecutive session andreturn to the openmeeting. CommissionerCarter movedtoend the closedexecutive session andCommissionerMurphy seconded. The MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY andthe closedexecutive session concludedat3:05p.m.
Mr.Leger introduced amotion to add an itemtothe agenda.
ChairmanThomasrequested thatthe addition of an itemtotoday’s agenda be identified as “AmendmentOne”and reopenedpublic comment on this amendment.
ChairmanThomascalledfor amotion to approve Amendment One. CommissionerLeger movedtoapprove Amendment One andCommissionerWilliams seconded. MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
E. Consider Approval of aResolution Reaffirming the Board’s Commitment to EngageinMeaningful Discussions with St BernardParishSchool BoardOfficialsRegarding Potential Solutionsfor the FutureofW.Smith Jr.Elementary School, Including the Acquisition of W. SmithJr. Elementary School, in Accordance with Constitutional Parameters, to Allow for the Funding for and to Facilitate the Construction of and Relocation to aNew,ModernSchool for the BenefitofSt. BernardParishand Violet Students.
Mr.Escudier presentedand recommendedapproval of the resolution. ChairmanThomasasked














BLUE
HOUSEMUSIC
CONNECTINGMUSIC AND EARLYLITERACY*
Explore natural connections between
THINK IT!CREATEIT! BUILD IT!*
Spark creativity and promoteimaginative play.Children choose building
EARLY LITERACY EV CHILDREN’S EVENTS
The storytim age nolalibrary more PL Imagine toys, more their
•L and Visit or times
BUDDIN AN AND Create by desig and Re nolalibra Mondays from Ro &C





STORYHOUR WITH
DRAG QUEEN LAVEAU CONTRAIRE*
Read andsingalong with lo drag queen Laveau Contrair at this special family event. This event is for childrenand their caregivers.
Friday, July 11 from 11am -12pm Alvar Library
Friday, July 25 from 11am -12pm Nix Library
SOUTHERNPUPPET
THEATREWITHOGDEN MUSEUMTEEN INTERNS
BRINGINGART TO LIFE FOR YOUNGAUDIENCES*
Discover theworksofSouthern with this interactivepuppet show performed by the Ogden Museum Teen Interns. Meet-and-greet fo the show
Thursday,July 17 from 11am -12pm Alvar Library
Friday,July 18 from 11am -12pm Milton H. Latter Memorial Library
Monday,July 21 from 11am -12pm Main Library
Tuesday,July 22 from 11am -12pm CentralCityLibrary
BUBBLESFOR EVERYONE
HEYNOW PRODUCTIONS BRINGS THEBIG BUBBLES*
Experiment and play with avariety of bubble tools and toys in an interactive outdoor program. For children ages 6-12and their families.
Saturday,July 19 from 11am -12pm Dr.Martin Luther King,Jr. Library
TEEN&TWEEN EVENTS
ARTOFHENNA/ MEHNDI WORKSHOPFOR TEENS BY MEHWISH*
Discover the traditional art of hennaand

Wednesday, July 30 from 11am -12pm Cita Dennis Hubbell Library
Wednesday, July 30 from 2pm -3pm Central City Library
Explore and try out technology from the Best Buy Teen Tech Center (BBTTC).
Tuesday,July 8from3pm -5pm East New Orleans Regional Library

ROBOTICS
WORKSHOPFOR TWEENS WITH JESUITROBOTICS*
Design and program robots to createa newand exciting city.Open to tweens ages 9-12.
Registration required at nolalibrary.co/robotics.
Thursday,July 10 from 3:30pm- 6:30pm Rosa F. KellerLibrary &Community Center
Wednesday,July 16 from 3:30pm- 6:30pm Alvar Library
Thursday,July 17 from 3:30pm- 6:30pm Norman Mayer Library
VIETNAMESE SPRING ROLLS WORKSHOPFOR TEENS WITH VY LINH*
Exploring Vietnamese culinary heritage within the context of New Orleanswhile learning to makespring rolls. For teens 11 -18years of age
Registration required at nolalibrary.co/july-spring-rolls
Saturday,July 12 from 2pm–3:30pm Algiers Regional Library
MATH WORKOUTS FORKIDS With MakeItCount Math*
Up your math skills and learn some fun games to continue at home.Light dinnerprovided. Open to rising 3rd -6th graders.
Registration required at nolalibrary.co/math-workout.
Wednesday,July 23 from 4:30pm -6pm Nora Navra Library
Tuesday,July 15 from 3pm-5pm Mid-City Library
Tuesday,July 22 from 3pm- 5pm Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Library

ADULT EVENTS
SPEED PUZZLINGCOMPETITION*
Teams of up to 4participants compete to see whocan finish their puzzle the quickest to win Amazongift cards. 1st prize is $100,2nd prizeis $60,3rd prize is aLibrary Tote Bag. Registrationfrom 12:30-1p or until full.
Saturday,July 5 from 1pm -4pm
AlgiersRegional Library
WANT TO WORK FOR THECITY OF NEWORLEANS?
LEARNHOW TO APPLY
Makeadifference in your community by working foryour citygovernment. Learn howtoapply to over 25 agencies, including Recreation, Police,Fire,the Library,and Emergency Medical Services. The City of New Orleans provides benefits which include healthcare,paid leave,and pensions. This event does not require that you bring your owntechnology.However,you are welcome to bring your laptop,tablet, or whichever device worksfor you.
Tuesday,July 8 from 11am -1pm Algiers Regional Library
AUTHOR NIGHTS
CHRISCHAMPAGNE SECRET LOUISIANA
This indispensable guidebook for locals and travelers alikewill takeyou off the beaten track andshowyou the well-hidden treasures of the secret side of Louisiana.
Tuesday,July 8 from 6:30pm -7:30pm
Cita Dennis HubbellLibrary
CONSTANCEADLER
Opening in May 1995, on thenight of a terrific flood that sets their home afloat, “Sight Unseen”follows aNew Orleans couple as they delve into the wreckageliterally and figuratively
Thursday,July 17
from 5:30pm -6:30pm
Milton H. Latter Memorial Library
JOB SEARCHING FROM ATOZ:GETTING THEJOB YOUWANTAND NEED MARKETING101
Understand the purpose of aresume and what to include.Draft aresumethat will getemployers’attention. Tailor your resumetobetter showcase your skills. Draft effective coverletters
Thursday,July10
from 4:30pm -6:30pm AlgiersRegional Library
FROM STORM TO STRENGTH
PREPARINGOUR CITY, EMPOWERINGOUR PEOPLE
Marking two decades since oneof thecity’sgreatest disasters, this seriesempowers residents with practical toolsand knowledgetoprepare, respond, and recoverfrom disasters. Through expert-led sessions on hurricane preparedness, insurance,post-disaster clean-up,and filing claims, participants will buildconfidence and resilience rooted in communitystrength. We honor the lessons of the past while preparing for a safer,stronger future —together
Saturday,July 12 from 10am -11am REACH Center
Saturday,July26 from 10am -11am REACH Center
TAICHI FOUNDATIONS
WITH NEWORLEANS SHAOLIN*
Learn the basics of TaiChi with a focus on calming the nervous system, relaxingmuscles,and nurturing internalenergy.
Friday,July 18 from 10:30am -11:30am Norman Mayer Library
Wednesday, July 23 from 10:30am -11:30am East NewOrleans Regional Library
Areyou
lookingfor your next read?
Want to find acommunity to talk about literature? The New Orleans Public Library has abook club for you!
Visit nolalibrary.org/book-clubs to find yours!
HAND QUILTING FORBEGINNERS*
Keep your hands busy and your mind relaxed with hand quilting.Noexperience is required for this introductory class. Registration is recommended. Walk-ins are welcome for any remaining space. Registration recommendedat nolalibrary.co/hand-quilting.
Friday,July 11 from 2pm -3:30pm Robert E. Smith Library
Tuesday,July 22 from 5pm-6:30pm Rosa F. Keller Library &CommunityCenter
HOUSE OF SCHLOCK*
Venture into theHouse of Schlock, the secretlair of our own madlibrary scientist Dr.M.A.Dewey,for an afternoon of B-movie horror,trivia, and history in the style of the classic horrorhosts.
ABUCKETOFBLOOD (1959):
Nerdy Walter Paisley (Dick Miller), a maladroit busboy at abeatnik café who doesn’t fit in with the cool scene around him, attempts to woohis beautiful co-worker,Carla (Barboura Morris), by making abust of her
Thursday,July 10 from 5pm -6:30pm East New Orleans Regional Library
HOUSE ON HAUNTEDHILL:
Atrue classic of suspense, this spooky, campy tale tells the story of five strangers who are offered $10,000 each by an eccentric millionaire to spend the night in ahaunted house
Monday,July 28 from 5pm -6:30pm Nora Navra Library
POETRY ANDART CREATIVE WRITINGWORKSHOP WITH SKYE JACKSON*
Award-winning poet Skye Jackson leads aworkshop to explore the world of ekphrasticpoetry.Craft your own poems that are inspiredor influencedbyworksofart. Writers of all levels welcome
Monday, July 21 from 5pm -6:30pm Milton H. Latter Memorial Library
LEARNING TO LIVE WITH ANDLOVEWATER
With Master Gardener Dov Block Designing garden spaces to trap and utilize excess water is an importantcomponentinmitigating soiland landloss in Southeast Louisiana. Learn about water friendly plants and how to installthem.
Tuesday,July 22 from 5:30pm- 6:30pm Cita Dennis HubbellLibrary

Summer Fun AdultCreative Writing Contest
TheNew Orleans Public Library wants yourshort story or poem forour 2025 SummerFun Adult Writing Contest. This year’s themeis“Harmony.” Youcan interpret the theme any way you like. Harmonycan be found in musicalcompositions,the rhythms of thenatural world, symbioticrelationships, or anywhere separate components converge into something new Show us harmonies falling out of tune or discord resolving intoharmony.
For more information, visit nolalibrary.org/for-writers



don’tmiss don’tmiss don’t miss
maafacommemoration

dive into discovery rovexpo
ThePontchartrain Conservancy’sfive-day,familyfriendly mashup of science and exploration includes underwater cameras, coral making, ROV piloting and basic circuitry.No registration is required. The event is from noon to 4p.m.Tuesdaythrough July 12 at the New Canal Lighthouse,8001Lakeshore Drive. Cost is $15and includes admission to the museum. scienceforourcoast.org.
‘jaws’
Ashé Cultural Arts Center will hostits 25th commemoration of the transatlantic and domestic slave trades starting at 7a.m.
Saturday at Congo SquareinArmstrongPark.
Aprocession at 9a.m. will head through Treme to St.Augustine Catholic Church and theTomb of the Unknown Slave, to the French Quarter and downCanal Street to the ferry terminal for the unveilingofthe River Rhythmsmural. White attire is preferred. ashenola.org.
gallery talk




TulaneFaculty Fellow of African Art History Tony Yeboah will speak on “West African Ontology of Space and theArchitecture of Community” twice Wednesday,at12:30 p.m. and 6p.m., at the New Orleans Museum of Art, 1Collins Diboll Circle, in City Park Thetalk ties into NOMA’s exhibit of “New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations.” Wednesdays at NOMA are freefor Louisiana residents. noma.org.

trinitonesconcerts
From Trinity CollegeinDublin,the acapella group will finish its tourofthe United States in NewOrleansduring Independence Dayfestivities. Thegroup, which has performed around the globe, will performat2p.m. and 8p.m. Friday at Oscar Dunn Park across from the Moon Walk and Jackson Square. frenchmarket.org.
For 50 years, twonotes on a cello have put fear into the hearts of swimmers everywhere from the Steven Spielberg movie about agreat whiteshark terrorizing acoastal island townduring the summer.And Thursday at 9p.m., Bar Redux puts the great white up on the big screen at 801 Poland Ave. in the Bywater (but not “in” the water).See Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw take on Bruce ... and who lives to swim away.facebook.com.

ABOUTLAGNIAPPE
The Lagniappe section is publishedeach ThursdaybyThe Times-Picayune |The New Orleans Advocate. All inquiriesabout Lagniappe should be directed to theeditor. LAGNIAPPE EDITOR: Annette Sisco,asisco@ theadvocate.com
COVERDESIGN: Andrea Daniel
CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS: Victor Andrews, Beth D’Addono, MaddieScott, KeithSpera
GETLISTEDINLAGNIAPPE
SubmiteventstoLagniappe at least two weeksinadvance by sending an email to events@theadvocate.com.
ON THECOVER
Master Pisamong theacts slated for Essence FestivalofCulturethis weekend. PhotobyScott Threlkeld.Music writer Keith Spera’s previewisonPage 6.
Photos documented thecomplex livesofthe Navajo
ART
BEAT
In this series, Lagniappe presents works from the collection of the New Orleans Museum of Art, with commentary from a curator.
BY BRIAN PIPER Contributing writer
When Laura Gilpin made this photograph of Mr.and Mrs. Francis NakaiinArizona in 1950, herrelationship with their family already spanned the betterpartof20years.
By that time, Gilpin’sphotographic practice differed from otherWhite photographers of her generation in that shedevelopedextended connections and friendships in Diné (orNavajo)communities overthe course of decades.
Gilpin’sempathetic approach illustrateddaily life for Navajo people in astraightforward and realistic manner, as opposedtothe romanticized or stereotypicalphotographs of Native Americans thathave proliferated sincethe 19th century.
Gilpin’sefforts culminated in the1968publication of“The Enduring Navaho,” whichtestifiestothe consistent presenceofDinépeople in the Southwest, in spite of thehistoric hostility of the United States’ government to their

way of life.
Through symbolism and subtlety,Gilpin’s photograph offers apotent metaphorfor that history.Francis Nakai stands with four of his grandchildren and his wife marked by signs of hardlabor and poverty.The overall impressionofthe Nakai family is asomber one,a picture of afamily pulledcloserbydifficult lives. The large American flagbehind them on the wall had been given to thecouple by the U.S. government and draped over the coffin of their son, who was killed in service during World WarII. Taken just five years after the end of the war,this photograph is testament to the Nakai family’spatriotism,but it is also acomplexindictmentofacountryfor failing to live up to itsideals for itsNavajo citizens, even as many paid the ultimate sacrificeduring wartime.
Brian Piper is the Freeman Family curator of photographs at the New Orleans Museum of Art.













































food food food
BOTTLEDUN
New chef with a menu of food offerings rounds out this spot for unique wine finds
BY BETH D’ADDONO Gambit Weekly
Chef Luci Winsberg doesn’t miss sweating over a hot stove.
As the culinary director at Really Really Nice Wines, Winsberg has shifted from the traditional kitchen model, from cooking a la minute, to handling prep and cooking in advance. She artfully creates chef-driven plates that can work for lunch, an afternoon nibble or a tasting menu to go with a bottle of wine from the shop
RRNW owners Darrin Ylisto and Miriam Matasar both have worked in restaurants for years.
“Restaurants are really hard,” Ylisto said.
They are the fourth owners of the neighborhood wine shop at 3500 Magazine St., and they focus on natural wines and small, ethical producers. The shelves are filled with wines you don’t see in supermarkets.
“We didn’t want to deal with the usual pitfalls,” Ylisto said. “We weren’t sure if we were going to offer food ”
But when they saw the need, they started offering tinned fish, charcuterie and plates of Lady Nellie oysters, farmed in Grand Isle by cheesemonger-turned-oyster farmer Justin Trosclair But as the shop got busier, they wanted to expand the food offerings. Winsberg, a New Orleans native who lives right up the street, had become a regular herself.
“I was kind of in between things, so it was perfect timing,” she said. Like

most locals, she grew up eating traditional New Orleans homestyle cooking, and her mom also offered the family nutritious options.
“I started going to the farmers market with her, which is where I started really falling in love with food,” she said.
Matasar sees RRNW as a “restaurant alternative.”
“Guests get high-quality food that is thoughtfully executed, but in a more relaxed setting than a restaurant,” Matasar said. “With Luci, we aren’t just unwrapping something and putting it on a plate.”
And the options go beyond food and wine.
“We have nonalcoholic beverages, some housewares and serving platters, even greeting cards,” Matasar said. “We are in the center of a neighborhood and want to serve our community.”
Winsberg has plenty of culinary cred. Her first job was working with
Sue Zemanick at Gautreau’s. Zemanick was an important mentor for her, first there, and then when Zemanick opened Zasu with Winsberg as her sous chef.
During the pandemic, Winsberg launched a seafood pop-up named Fish Hawk and later served as chef de cuisine at the boutique sushi spot Sukeban. She also helped open Smoke & Honey in Mid-City.
Almost a year ago, she came on board at RRNW and has been ramping up the menu’s variety. She adds specials and features seasonal ingredients and local products. There are changing gilda, or skewers, with bits of savory goodness like cheese, olives, anchovies and sun-dried tomatoes. Snacks might also include tartine, duck fat popcorn dusted with curry mukrut lime spice, or anchovies on toasted bread from Bearcat Baked.
Her dips are divine, from a creamy smoked fish dip to a warm shrimp and artichoke blend served with toast or farm fresh vegetables on the side. Wild
PHOTO By MADDIE SPINNER
mushrooms sauteed with garlic and herbs arrive topped with a coddled egg yolk. Small sandwiches might be filled with prosciutto and blistered shishitos. There’s a rotating list of substantial salads, like a recent traditional lyonnaise salad with lardons and a softboiled egg.
Lady Nellie oysters, which were a hit at this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, are still available, as is charcuterie featuring imported cured meats and cheeses. There always are deviled eggs, recently made with her home-made mustard and miso and topped with salmon roe. On Mondays, the chef does a weekly bean pop-up, which might be traditional red beans, a vegan coconut lentil dish or hearty white beans simmered with sausage. “You can do a lot without generating any heat,” said the chef, who rotates between an induction burner, microwave and toaster. “I have direct interaction with our guests, which I really enjoy, actually serving them,” she said.
events events events
LOUD & PROUD
H H
FIREWORKS SHOWS AND PATRIOTIC SOUNDS WILL MARK INDEPENDENCE DAy
Staff report
The New Orleans area will celebrate the Fourth of July with music, hot dogs, patriotic colors and, of course, fireworks.
On Thursday, find celebrations on City Park’s Great Lawn and under the skies at Metairie’s Lafreniere Park On Friday, Fourth of July hits its peak with the annual Go 4th on the River fireworks show over the Mississippi River.
UNCLE SAM JAM: “American Pie” singer Don McLean and country musicians Shenandoah will headline the 30th edition of the free Jefferson Parish festival Thursday. Other live music includes the Marine Forces Reserve Band, Bottomland, Louisiana artist Payton Smith and The National WWII Museum’s Victory Belles.
Fireworks cap off the festivities. Gates open at 3 p.m. at the Al Copeland Concert & Meadow Stage in Lafreniere Park, 3000 Downs Blvd., in Metairie. visitjeffersonparish.com
HAPPY 3RD OF JULY: Festivities begin at 6 p.m. Thursday with patriotic programming from the Marine Forces Reserve Band, singalongs and appearances by Captain America and Wonder Woman at the Goldring/Woldenberg Great Lawn at City Park, 6 Victory Ave. Fireworks are set for 9 p.m. over the Peristyle. The event is free.
ST. BERNARD SALUTES AMERICA: Louisiana singer Adam Pearce and six-piece variety band Epic will play Friday in the parking lot at the Frederick

The Port of New Orleans’ fireboat, the Gen. Roy S Kelley, shoots out red, white and blue water on the Mississippi River as spectators watch from the riverfront during Go 4th on the River
J. Sigur Civic Center, 8245 W. Judge Perez Drive, in Chalmette. The familyfriendly event starts at 5 p.m., with live music at 5:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m.
ST. CHARLES PARISH: The 35th annual celebration will be from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday at the West Bank Bridge Park, 13825 River Road, in Luling. Fireworks are at 9 p.m. Entertainment will be by Ryan Foret and the Foret Tradition. Food trucks will also be on site. scpparksandrec.com.
GO 4TH ON THE RIVER: New Orleans’ annual Independence Day free fireworks display starts at 9 p.m. Friday at the downtown riverfront with a 17-story patriotic peacock tail fan created by Pyromania Fireworks.
Other activities throughout the day include performances by the Irish a cappella group Trinitones at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Oscar Dunn Park, 768 Decatur St., across from the Moon Walk, and a water show with plumes of red, white and blue fountains from the Gen.

Roy S. Kelley fireboat from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Port of New Orleans, 1350 Port of New Orleans Place. go4thontheriver.com.
PATRIOTIC CONCERT: The New Orleans Concert Band, under the direction of Patrick Hennessy, will perform a free Fourth of July concert at 12:30 p.m. Friday at the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, 925 Camp St., in New Orleans. ogdenmuseum.org.
FOURTH OF JULY FEST: Dat Dog presents its Independence Day celebration with music, beer and hot dogs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday at 5030 Freret St. in New Orleans. A hot dog-eating contest will award the winner a $500 cash prize. datdog.com.
GRAND ISLE: Live music Friday at the Tarpon Rodeo Pavilion features Lauren Lee, Shorts in December and the legendary Wayne Toups; fireworks are from 10 p.m. to midnight Saturday, July 5, at Bridge Side Marina.
music music music
AGESThrough the
This year’s EssenceFestivalofCu brings together generationsofperform



The 2025 Essence Festival of Culture takes over the CaesarsSuperdome, the Ernest N. Morial ConventionCenter and other venues this weekend withsome thingsold and some thingsnew
The 31st edition of what started in 1995 as aone-off celebration of EssenceMagazine’s25thanniversary has matured into amultipronged celebration of Black musicand culture.
As newownersand leaders of Essencehave come and gone, the festivalhas shiftedits perspective on music.Inits first twodecades,R&B was the festival’sbread-and-butter, withold-school artistsaugmented by morecontemporaryacts.Hiphop was largely ignored.
By contrast,the entire 2023 festivalcelebrated hip-hop’s50th anniversary.In2024, Essencesaluted New Orleans raplabel CashMoney Records.This year,it’sNoLimit Records founder Master P’sturn.
With superstar talent increasingly
difficult to book, Essence organizers aim to conjureone-of-kind musical pairings and tributes. This year’s rosterisespecially heavy on them.
Friday’s dichotomy
Friday’sopening night concert at the Superdomepivots between the old, middle-aged and new schools of R&B.
Maxwell, theheadliner, is no strangertoEssence. He first performed at thefestin1997, soon after his “Maxwell’sUrban Hang Suite” anointed him the new voice of bedroom nouveau soul. He canceled aplanned return to the Superdomein2000 at the last minute, then semiretired for several years. In 2009, he ran extremely late for his Essence comeback, which didn’tconclude until nearly 3a.m But ever since, he’sbeen on time. Maxwell countsasamiddle-aged Essence act. So, too, does Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds, adecadeslong triple threat as aproducer,

songwriter and singer. Memphis, Tennessee, rapper and singer-songwriter GloRilla, who turns 26 in late July,isdecidedly new school. Her breakout moment arrived when her2022 single “F.N.F (Let’sGo)” went viralonTikTok. A slew of hits and collaborations with the likes of Cardi Band Meghan
ä See ESSENCE, page 8

SAslewofperformerswill entertaincrowdsatCaesars Superdome EssenceFestivalofCulture.
BELOW: Singersongwriter Maxwell is the headliner on opening night Friday
ulture mers

Fans dance in the stands at the Caesars Superdome during the 30th annual Essence Festival of Culture in 2024.

RIGHT: GloRilla is slated for Friday.

music music music
Brazil-based band to share stage with ‘Sunpie’ Barnes
BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer
A Brazil-based Argentine trio will make its Louisiana debut Thursday with an accordion, seven-stringed guitar and a contrabass. Here’s how to catch the Alejandro Brittes Trio’s three performances in New Orleans and Lafayette.
Alejandro Brittes, composer, accordionist and leader of the touring trio, specializes in chamamé, a music and dance genre forged of Baroque and Indigenous Guaraní influences in the Jesuit Missions of southern South America, encompassing countries including Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil and Bolivia.
Brittes’ tours have taken him to over 10 countries, including a performance at the Library of Congress. He plays the accordion with two other musicians: André Ely, who plays the seven-
ESSENCE
Continued from page 6
Thee Stallion have followed.
Rounding out Friday’s line-up are the decidedly old-school Isley Brothers, the new-school girl group PsiRyn (pronounced “siren”) and 27-year-old Coco Jones, who parlayed television roles into the Grammy-winning, platinumcertified 2022 single “ICU.”
Saturday’s Philly connection
Jill Scott is an Essence Fest favorite thanks to the big, brassy, sumptuous voice she applies to a program of R&B and soul with a jazz sensibility. She’ll close out Saturday night as part of a Philadelphia-centric collaboration with the legendary Patti Labelle and relative newcomer Jazmine Sullivan, a potential highlight of the entire weekend.
The Saturday roster also includes Nigerian American Afro-beats singer, songwriter and producer Davido, as well as “special performances” by the oft-inscrutable Erykah Badu — whose history with Essence goes back as far as Maxwell’s — Buju Banton and Molly.
stringed guitar, and Carlos de Césaro, who plays the contrabass.
The group will perform two concerts in New Orleans and one in Lafayette.
n THURSDAY: 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at the Acadiana Center for the Arts’ James Devin Moncus Theater, 101 W. Vermilion St., Lafayette. The evening will feature live music, interviews and storytelling from the International Accordion Kings, a group of four musicians: Brittes; Steve Riley, Louisiana native and Cajun accordion master; Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes, the Big Chief of the North Side Skull and Bone Gang; and internationally acclaimed accordion player Glenn Hartman. Tickets are $40 and can be bought online at acadianacenterforthearts.org.Link_qkfjmste
n SUNDAY: 3 p.m. at Holy Name of Jesus Church in New Orleans. Free.
n WEDNESDAY: 7 p.m. at Algiers Music Studio, 935 Teche St., New Orleans.
Master P and the Boyz
Essence lists two headliners for 2025’s closing Sunday One is Boyz II Men, the harmony-rich trio — previously a quartet — of 1990s hitmakers who have not yet hit the “End of the Road.”
The other is Percy “Master P” Miller’s farewell. Miller, who presided over an uneven Essence showcase in 2017, is stepping away from the stage to focus on other pursuits.
Because he’s slated to headline the NOLA Funk Fest downtown in Spanish Plaza on Oct. 18, Sunday is his “Essence farewell,” but not his lastshow-ever farewell. He’ll be joined Sunday by various No Limit Soldiers, including his brother Vyshonn “Silkk the Shocker” Miller, plus Dru Hill and Keri Hilson.
Highly respected rapper Nas is also on Sunday’s bill. Doug E. Fresh, the “Human Beatbox,” will lead a celebration of Essence Magazine’s 55 years. And in another one of those “only at Essence” moments, Jermaine Dupri will present an “Essence Flowers” tribute to the late Quincy Jones. Scheduled participants, all of whom either worked directly with Jones or sampled

This upbeat performance, in collaboration with Barnes, will be more eclectic and dance-oriented than the July 6 performance. Tickets are $25 and can be
his productions in their own music, include Tyrese, Robin Thicke, Al B Sure, Xscape, MC Lyte, The Pharcyde, Mobb Deep and SWV
Exact performance times weren’t available. The Essence lineup, as always, is subject to change. And surprise guests are always a possibility.
A new kind of Superlounge
The “Superlounge” concept returns to Essence this year but in a much different format than longtime fans might remember.
For the first quarter-century of Essence, four Superlounge stages in the Dome’s interior corridors featured upand-coming artists, local performers and legends. The Superlounges were also home to a variety of local food vendors.
The yearslong renovation of the Superdome ahead of Super Bowl LIX earlier this year eliminated the Superlounges’ traditional home.
This year’s incarnation of the “superlounge” is different.
Each night the main stage will host a performance designated as a “Superlounge” show, most likely at the beginning of the program. Friday’s “Superlounge” artist is Lucky Daye,
Alejandro
bought at checkout.square.site/ merchant/MLN6TZZFNH98D/checkout/XG7SYS4SX6B5FMLGIM5DTI3H ?src=webqr.Link_jcqinsae.
followed by Donnell Jones on Saturday and Muni Long on Sunday
Attendees who pay extra to access the VVIP lounge area at the rear of the Dome’s floor will have their own “Superlounge Experience” each night. The VVIP Superlounge’s featured act on Friday is Ari Lennox. Alex Isley & Leon Thomas are at the VVIP Superlounge on Saturday, before Stephanie Mills takes over Sunday.
Lots of tickets available
With no superstar on the level of Janet Jackson or Beyonce, the 2025 Essence Fest is unlikely to fill the Superdome.
According to Ticketmaster, three-day passes are sold out. But based on Ticketmaster’s seating chart, thousands of single-night tickets are still available. Perhaps in anticipation of smaller crowds, many sections on the sides of the Dome’s loge and terrace levels appear to be closed off. Friday’s Independence Day seating seems even more limited than the rest of the weekend.
Ticket prices on Ticketmaster start at $82 plus taxes.
Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.
streaming streaming streaming
Crime, dysfunction a family affair in ‘Waterfront’
BY ROBERT LLOYD Los Angeles Times (TNS)
Kevin Williamson, whose previous screen creations include teen romantic drama (“Dawson’s Creek”), meta slasher horror (“Scream”) and teen supernatural gothic (“The Vampire Diaries”), has thrown his hat into the popular dysfunctional-familydoing-crimes ring with “The Waterfront,” now streaming on Netflix Set in North Carolina, like “Dawson’s Creek,” it’s a soap opera with drug smuggling. Welcome to Havenport. As crime families go, the Buckleys are not the Corleones, although their involvement with the darker side of life is generational. (Legitimately they run fishing boats and a fancy restaurant and are sitting on a prize piece of undeveloped seafront property.)
Grandpa (deceased) was some kind of troublemaker; father Harlan (Holt McCallany), who fondly remembers the cocaine trade of his younger days, when people dressed well and were polite, has checked out of all family affairs after a heart attack or two in favor of drinking and cheating on his unusually understanding wife, Belle (Maria Bello).
Meanwhile, without telling Harlan, Belle and son Cane (Jake Weary), a disappointed former high school hero, have been providing boats to idiot drug smugglers in order to pay off mortgages and loans that might cause them to lose their aboveboard businesses and cherished identity as the Buckleys of Havenport. When things go south, they get drawn in deeper — Cane, reluctantly, and Harlan, almost enthusiastically. It makes him feel like his old self again and gives him a reason to bully Cane — in order, he imagines, to toughen him up. But he’s basically a bully — imposing yet somehow bland.
The remaining Buckley, younger sister Bree (Melissa Benoist), is not currently doing any crimes, though she earlier burned her family’s house down and is now permitted to see her sulky teenage son, Diller (Brady Hepner), only in the presence of a court-appointed chaperon. Not that Diller wants to see her at all; she did burn his house down. (“No one was hurt,” Bree points out. “Physically,” Diller replies.)
But manners are manners, whatever

your mother’s done, and she was an addict, after all. Now she’s out of rehab, going to meetings and working in the family restaurant, though asking to get back into the front office. Perhaps she has an ulterior motive; so many of these characters do.
Also in the intertwined mix: Gerardo Celasco as too-buff-by-half Drug Enforcement Administration agent Marcus Sanchez; Michael Gaston as dangerous Sheriff Clyde Porter, an old frenemy of Harlan, seething with class resentment; and Rafael L Silva as Shawn, the new bartender at the Buckleys’ restaurant, whose poor knowledge of mixology raises alarms. Topher Grace is on the cast list for a future appearance.
Given that Williamson grew up where the series is set and is the son of a fisherman, one might have hoped for more local color and a little insight into the fishing business, rather than concentrating on the criminal shenanigans and sexy stuff that could happen anywhere and does. (Yes, I have odd hopes.)
Instead, everything’s a little fuzzy, lacking in detail. Characters put on attitudes and get in and out of trouble — there are shootings and scrapes, surprising reveals and shocking events — but few are, or seem about to develop into, interesting people. They’re a little bland, even, and what happens to any of them, though of idle interest, is never really a compelling question.
But if in some ways “The Waterfront” feels assembled off the shelf, there’s enough activity that some viewers, pos-

sibly a lot of them, will dig in just to see how this thing caroms into that. That’s the engine that runs no small amount
of television. It’s easy enough to watch. And sometimes “just OK” equals “good enough.”





stages stages stages
Siddalie Orgeron as Marta, Chloe Vallot as April, Kayla Ceaser as Kathy, Bogdan Mynka as Bobby and Wendy Miklovic as Joanne star in Summer Lyric Theatre’s ‘Company,’opening July10atTulane University
PROVIDED PHOTO By MICHAEL PALUMBO


In good
company
Sondheim andShakespeare in thehouse forshows at Tulane

Victor Andrews

It’sabit of William Shakespeare and abit of Stephen Sondheim cominguponstage at Tulane University as “Company” continues Summer Lyric’s season and“AMidsummer Night’s Dream” shows the bard’shumorous sidefor theNew Orleans Shakespeare Festivalopening next week.
‘A feastfor everyactor’
It’sBobby’s birthday andhis friends are celebratingand also wonderingwhy the mid30s guy is still single. Itwas the ’70s. And theshowprovidesagreat wayfor Bobby to
examine the different types of marriages of friends.
“Should Bobby settle down, or does he cometorealizethat commitment to another person doesn’tnecessarily takeaway from his own identity?” asked director Leslie Castay
That’sthe gist of the show that marks thesecond offering for Summer Lyric this season.

From thefirst notes of the show, there’sa sort of insistence and drive thatis at once light-hearted and yet can stir emo-
tions and questions about marriage, lifeand relationships. It debuted in an era of social upheaval, said Castay,who played Joanne on the samestage in a previous Summer Lyric season.
“So many huge events were happening around the timeofthe show’s creation (Vietnam, the hippie counterculture, Loving vs. Virginia in 1967, Stonewall uprising in 1969, the Apollo 13 landing, the World Trade Center construction, etc.), and it’sinteresting to look at the story through that lens,” she said.
stages stages stages
But the queries and the feelings are as contemporary 55 years later.
“I look at ‘Company’ as a period piece, very much of its time, but it also brings up universal desires and fears that we come to grips with in today’s world,” Castay said. “‘Company’ has been reworked and adapted in many different ways since the original 1970 production.”
The show honors a spectrum of musical types with notable standouts like “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “Being Alive,” “Getting Married Today” and “Company” (one of Castay’s personal favorites). But typical of Sondheim, the score is no vocal snooze-fest for the players.
“The way the music and lyrics work together to tell the story is so intricate and well-constructed,” Castay said. “Every single character is so well drawn with such economy of text, and it’s a feast for every actor to work on.”
Singing his way through the show as Bobby is Bogdan Mynka, with Wendy Miklovic as this season’s Joanne (“Ladies”). The cast also includes Richard Arnold, Kayla Ceasar, Keith D. Claverie, Leslie Claverie, John Haas, Meredith Long, Joseph Mace, Siddalie Orgeron, Meredith Owens, Alix Paige Loomis, Scott Sauber and Chloe Vallot
One of her “all-time favorite musicals,” Castay, a Broadway veteran, said she relished the task of helming this show. “I was fortunate to have played Joanne in the previous production at Summer Lyric back in 2009 and to have the opportunity this time to be at the helm is a true full circle.
“To hear the live orchestra and all these wonderful voices filling Dixon Hall is one of the most exciting moments I’ve had in the theater. I have to stop myself every night from belting it out along with them.”
The show is at 7:30 p.m. July 10-12, with a 2 p.m. matinee July 13, at Dixon Hall on Newcomb Circle on the Uptown campus. Tickets start at $31.50. For information, visit summerlyric. tulane.edu.
‘What fools these mortals be’
Puck, Titania, Oberon and other players gather for revels July 11-27 at the Shakespeare Festival at Tulane for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” the comedy that features Athenians, Mechanicals and Fairies and great folly.
Audiences have enjoyed the humor, mischief and midsummer mayhem of
the work for more than 430 years, but director Graham Burk promises a “du jour” telling of the classic tale.
“This is a ‘Midsummer’ like you’ve never seen,” said director Graham Burk, who also serves as the festival’s artistic director. “We’re blending extraordinary local and national talent to create a production bursting with enchantment, laughter and heart.”
The twisting and weaving storylines of the show feature an evening spent in the enchanted woods which are the home of mischievous fairies, rehearsing thespians and couples in love. There’s even a wedding scene that was famously set to music by Mendelson and is often heard as the recessional to real weddings.
And while love is the overriding theme, the popular play takes the audience on many a marvelous meandering as it makes its way to a delightful ending.
The ensemble taking the stage includes James Bartelle, Ian Hoch, Matthew Rigdon, Sarah-Grace Donnelly, Edward Montoya, Brandon Sutton, Jane Cooper, Celeste Cahn, Alexandria Miles, Robinson J. Cyprian, John Jabaley, Robert Mitchell, Burton Tedesco, Zarah Hokule‘a Spalding, Matthew Raetz and Kendall Berry
Organizers promise this telling of the tale will feature “dynamic physical storytelling and a fresh creative vision — audiences will rediscover the magic, mischief and romance that make ‘Midsummer’ a timeless favorite.”
Included in the show will be original music composed by Steve Gilliland, with projections by Jamie Godwin and lighting by Alexander Freer.
The show, which previews July 10, will open July 11 with a gala reception to meet the company, board and more. The show is at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays to Saturdays and 1:30 p.m. Sundays through July 27 in Lupin Theatre, 69 Newcomb Circle. Tickets start at $25.
The show makes a comeback in the new year, a tradition with the festival, for the Performance for the Schools series. More than 5,000 students in the Gulf South get a chance to see live Shakespeare through the program in January.
For information, visit neworleanshakespeare.org.
Email Victor Andrews at vandrews@ theadvocate.com.

Alexandria Miles, Ian Hoch, Robert A. Mitchell and John Jabaley are creating merriment and mischief in the Shakespeare Festival at Tulane’s production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ PROVIDED
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