The Advocate 07-13-2025

As new parents, teachers in La. face tough choices

Educators save, scrimp and even borrow sick days to afford family leave

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO

Staff writer

Erika Musgrove held her youngest

son Matthew for only the briefest of moments last August before nurses at Baton Rouge General whisked him to the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit

It was a bittersweet moment for Musgrove, a special-education teacher for East Baton Rouge Parish schools.

The joy of seeing her newborn, who arrived four weeks early, came with worry over his care and the choice she’d soon need to make: earning a paycheck or spending enough time with her baby in those first crucial months of life. East Baton Rouge Parish, like many Louisiana school districts, doesn’t offer paid parental leave That meant Musgrove’s two months at home with Matthew, even under a state law that allows teachers to take extended sick leave for a portion of their pay would end up costing her more than $4,000 in lost wages.

Musgrove needed to get back to work, but she and her husband struggled to find day care. Her little boy was still so tiny two months after his birth that workers initially assumed he was too young to be left in their care.

“There was so much stress just making sure he would be OK,” Musgrove said.

For many Louisiana teachers, taking extended parental leave without sacrificing pay is difficult if not impossible financially As of this year, just one public school district out of roughly a dozen whose policies were easily accessible online Orleans Parish — offered any fully paid time off for new parents. In other districts, only extended sick leave as required by state

law is available, which allows teachers to receive 65% of their pay for 30 days. That can be a major financial burden for Louisiana teachers, who earn average salaries that are about $5,000 below their peers in other Southern states. As a result, teachers who think they might want a child someday spend

ä See TEACHERS, page 8A

La. prepares for new Medicaid work rules

Mandates still 18 months away

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

Louisiana health officials

said they will spend the next 18 months preparing for a new federal mandate that requires many adult Medicaid recipients to work study or volunteer if they want to stay

insured. The new rules, part of President Donald Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” will require Medicaid recipients ages 19 to 64 to work, study or volunteer at least 80 hours per month. People who are pregnant, disabled or caring for children under age 14 are exempt.

The law requires states to check eligibility every six months, though states can perform the checks more fre-

quently

In Louisiana, people depend on Medicaid more than almost anywhere else in the country, with about one-third of the state enrolled. The state Health Department expects “very few current enrollees would lose eligibility,” according to a statement sent by spokesperson Emma Herrock. But outside experts and Democratic lawmakers warn the requirement will cause paper-

work errors and administrative delays that could push eligible residents off the rolls. According to an analysis released in April by the Urban Institute, roughly 116,000 to 132,000 could be pushed off Medicaid due to the work requirement.

About 7 in 10 adults in Louisiana with Medicaid are working, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation.

ä See MEDICAID, page 6A

BR homicide rate falls in first half of year

Police chief, others say more work needed

BY AIDAN MCCAHILL Staff writer

Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse isn’t a fan of discussing statistics, even somewhat promising ones.

Yet, six months into a year marked by a $9 million budget reduction and a shortage of more than 100 officers, he is cautiously optimistic about the city’s crime trends, and quick to praise his department’s resilience.

“I will say, the officers are doing a great job,” Morse said. “They are really doing more with less.”

He also knows that, for the public, no statistic speaks louder than the city’s homicide count.

According to The Advocate’s numbers, which cross-reference data from the Baton Rouge Police Department, District Attorney’s Office and East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, the city has seen 43 homicides in the first half of 2025 a 19% drop compared to the same period last year The Sheriff’s Office reported an additional eight homicides outside the city and Baker and Louisiana State Police each added one to the tally, bringing the parishwide total to 53. (The Advocate’s 2025 total excludes deaths that

Landry’s second year stirs more conflict, even within GOP

Governor says passing serious reforms requires ruffling ‘a lot of feathers’

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Gov Jeff Landry got most of what he wanted in Baton Rouge in 2024, his first year in office. He took advantage of the Republican supermajority in the Legislature to draw Louisiana’s congressional boundaries, lock up more criminals and revamp the state tax system in ways that he says will generate more investment.

Landry has had a bumpier ride this year

In March, voters overwhelmingly rejected constitutional amendments whose approval had been the next item on his conservative agenda. Then, during the two-month legislative session

ä See LANDRY, page 16A

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Erika Musgrove a special-education teacher for East Baton Rouge Parish schools, sits down to play the card game Rainbow Pirates with her daughter Olivia and son Theodore as her husband, Tyler holds their son Matthew recently in Baton Rouge.

Erika Musgrove laughs as her son Matthew giggles at his siblings making faces.

Landry

ä See HOMICIDE, page 4A

Morse

Threats over cartoon force event postponement

BUFFALO N.Y An event in support of local reporting was postponed after death threats against a journalist for his newspaper editorial cartoon about the catastrophic flooding in Texas, according to a union

An online fury erupted this week over an editorial cartoon in The Buffalo News by Pulitzer Prize-winner Adam Zyglis showing a man in a MAGA cap being swept away by the Texas floodwaters. Nose deep in the water, the man is holding up a sign that reads “Help” and a speech bubble floating downstream says: “Gov’t is the problem not the solution.”

At least 120 people were killed in the Texas flooding and more than 170 were missing.

The Buffalo Newspaper Guild said a happy hour event Thursday at the Buffalo History Museum called “Drawing Support for Local Journalism” was postponed amid the backlash. The free, public event was planned to highlight the need for local journalism at a museum exhibit of Zyglis’ work. But the guild said plans to protest and confront Zyglis at the event led to death threats against the cartoonist “and a deluge of other direct threats to hurt him and his family.”

Arizona resident dies from plague

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — A resident of northern Arizona has died from pneumonic plague, health officials said Friday Plague is rare to humans, with on average about seven cases reported annually in the U.S., most of them in the western states, according to federal health officials.

The death in Coconino County which includes Flagstaff, was the first recorded death from pneumonic plague since 2007, local officials said. Further details including the identify of the victim were not released Plague is a bacterial infection known for killing tens of millions in 14th century Europe Today, it’s easily treated with antibiotics

The bubonic plague is the most common form of the bacterial infection, which spreads naturally among rodents like prairie dogs and rats.

There are two other forms: septicemic plague that spreads through the whole body, and pneumonic plague that infects the lungs.

Turkish president hails militant disarmament

ISTANBUL Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday hailed start of a disarmament process by militant Kurdish separatists as the end of a “painful chapter” in Turkey’s troubled history

Erdogan told a meeting of his ruling AKP party in Ankara that the more than 40-year-old “scourge of terrorism” for which the Kurdistan Workers’ Party — or PKK — was responsible is on its way to ending.

Erdogan’s remarks came a day after male and female members of the PKK in northern Iraq cast rifles and machine guns into a large cauldron where they were set on fire. The symbolic move was seen as the first step toward a promised disarmament as part of a peace process aimed at ending four decades of hostilities

The move came after PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan, who has been imprisoned on an island near Istanbul since 1999, urged his group in February to convene a congress and formally disband and disarm. In May the PKK announced that it would do so. The PKK had waged an armed insurgency against Turkey since 1984, initially with the aim of establishing a Kurdish state in the southeast of the country. Over time, the objective evolved into a campaign for autonomy and rights for Kurds within Turkey.

The conflict, which spread beyond Turkey’s borders into Iraq and Syria, killed tens of thousands of people. The PKK is considered to be a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. Previous peace efforts between Turkey and the PKK have ended in failure most recently in 2015.

59 Palestinians in Gaza killed by airstrikes, shot

BY WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMYA KULLAB

Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip At least 31 Palestinians were fatally shot on their way to an aid distribution site in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, while Israeli airstrikes killed at least 28 Palestinians including four children, Palestinian hospital officials and witnesses said.

There were no signs of a breakthrough in ceasefire talks following two days of meetings between U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Trump had said he was nearing an agreement between Israel and Hamas that would potentially wind down the war

The 31 Palestinians shot dead were on their way to a distribution site run by the Israeli-backed American organization

Gaza Humanitarian Foundation near Rafah in southern Gaza, hospital officials and witnesses said.

The Red Cross said its field hospital saw its largest influx of dead in more than a year of operation after the shootings and that the overwhelming majority of the more than 100 people hurt had gunshot wounds.

Airstrikes in central Gaza’s Deir alBalah killed 13 including the four children, officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said.

Fifteen others were killed in Khan Younis in the south, according to Nasser Hospital. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Intense airstrikes continued Saturday evening in the area of Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza.

Israelis rallied yet again for a ceasefire deal. “Arrogance is what brought the disaster upon us,” former hostage Eli Sharabi said of Israeli leaders.

Attempt to pick up food ends in death

The 21-month war has left much of

Gaza’s population of over 2 million reli-

ant on outside aid while food security experts warn of famine. Israel blocked and then restricted aid entry after ending the latest ceasefire in March.

“All responsive individuals reported they were attempting to access food distribution sites,” the Red Cross said after the shootings near Rafah, noting the “alarming frequency and scale” of such mass casualty incidents.

Israel’s military said it fired warning shots toward people it said were behaving suspiciously to prevent them from approaching. It said it was not aware of any casualties. The GHF said no incident occurred near its sites.

Abdullah al-Haddad said he was 655 feet from the aid distribution site run by the GHF close to the Shakoush area when an Israeli tank started firing at crowds of Palestinians.

“We were together, and they shot us at once,” he said, writhing in pain from a leg wound at Nasser Hospital.

Mohammed Jamal al-Sahloo, another witness, said Israel’s military had ordered them to proceed to the site when the shooting started.

Sumaya al-Sha’er’s 17-year-old son, Nasir, was killed, hospital officials said.

“He said to me, ‘Mom, you don’t have flour and today I’ll go and bring you flour, even if I die, I’ll go and get it,’” she said. “But he never came back home.”

Until then, she said, she had prevented the teenager from going to GHF sites because she thought it was too dangerous.

Witnesses, health officials and U.N. officials say hundreds have been killed by Israeli fire while heading toward GHF distribution points through military zones off limits to independent media. The military has acknowledged firing warning shots at Palestinians who it says approached its forces in a suspicious manner

Report: Fuel to Air India plane cut off moments before crash

BY SHEIKH SAALIQ Associated Press

NEW DELHI Fuel control switches for the engines of an Air India flight that crashed last month were moved from the “run” to the “cutoff” position moments before impact, starving both engines of fuel, a preliminary investigation report said early Saturday.

The report, issued by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, also indicated that both pilots were confused over the change to the switch setting, which caused a loss of engine thrust shortly after takeoff.

The Air India flight — a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner — crashed on June 12 and killed at least 260 people, including 19 on the ground, in the northwestern city of Ahmedabad. Only one passenger survived the crash, which is one of India’s worst aviation disasters.

The plane was carrying 230 passengers — 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian along with 12 crew members. According to the report, the flight lasted around 30 seconds between takeoff and crash. It said that once the aircraft achieved its top recorded speed, “the Engine 1 and Engine 2 fuel cutoff switches transi-

tioned from RUN to CUT-

OFF position one after another” within a second. The report did not say how the switches could have flipped to the cutoff position during the flight.

The movement of the fuel control switches allows and cuts fuel flow to the plane’s engines.

The switches were flipped back into the run position, the report said, but the plane could not gain power quickly enough to stop its descent after the aircraft had begun to lose altitude.

The report stated: “One of the pilots transmitted ‘MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY’.”

Aviation expert and former airline pilot Terry Tozer said the engine cutoff switches being switched

Colo. dentist accused of poisoning wife’s protein shakes going on trial

BY COLLEEN SLEVIN Associated Press

DENVER Just days before she died after suffering symptoms that mystified her doctors, Angela Craig confronted her husband, James, in their suburban Denver kitchen over his lack of support.

In that 2023 argument captured on home surveillance video, she accused him of suggesting to hospital staff that she was suicidal, court documents show

Prosecutors say James Craig caused the ailments that ultimately killed his wife by poisoning her protein shakes and trying to make it look as if she killed herself. His trial on murder and other charges is set to begin Monday with the questioning of potential jurors. Angela Craig, 43, died in March 2023 during her third trip to the hospital that month.

Toxicology tests later determined she died of poisoning from cyanide and tetrahydrozoline, an ingredient that is found in over-the-counter eye drops.

The couple were married 23 years and had six children.

Craig has pleaded not guilty to charges including first-degree murder solicitation to commit murder and solicitation to commit perjury

The 47-year-old dentist allegedly bought arsenic online around the time his wife began to experience symptoms like dizziness and headaches for which doctors could find no cause, prosecutors say. At the time of his arrest, police said Craig was trying to start a new life amid financial troubles and appeared to be having an affair with a fellow dentist.

Prosecutors said he had affairs with two other women, but they have not detailed a motive in his wife’s death.

Craig’s attorneys have argued police were biased against him and claimed testing of his wife’s shake

containers did not turn up signs of poison. They’ve questioned the reliability of a jail inmate who said Craig offered him $20,000 to kill the case’s lead investigator an alleged plot for which Craig is also on trial. To avoid being held accountable, prosecutors said, Craig tried to fabricate evidence to make it appear his wife killed herself.

He tried to get another fellow inmate to plant fraudulent letters at Craig’s home to make it look like his wife was suicidal, prosecutors said. Then, in the weeks before Craig had been set to stand trial in November, prosecutors said he also sent letters to the ex-wife of the inmate he allegedly tried to get to kill the investigator, offering her $20,000 for each person she could find to falsely testify that his wife planned to die by suicide, they said.

As jury selection was about to begin, his lawyer at the time, Harvey Steinberg, asked to withdraw, citing a rule allowing lawyers to step down if a client persists in actions considered criminal or that they disagree with.

Another attorney for Craig, Robert Werking, later argued that investigators did not look into whether Craig wrote the letters or check them against his handwriting Werking also said that the inmate and his ex-wife were prosecuted for forgery for their roles in an alleged fraud ring in 2005, suggesting they could not be trusted.

We rking withdrew from the case himself this month after being charged with arson of his own home, leaving his wife and law partner, Lisa Fine Moses, to defend Craig. Werking’s attorney David Beller, said he was getting mental health treatment and asked the public to show him grace. Moses did not immediately return telephone and email messages seeking comment.

to off only seconds after takeoff was “absolutely bizarre.”

“Unfortunately, the altitude was so low that the engines were only beginning to recover and they didn’t have enough time,” Tozer told Sky News.

The report also indicated confusion in the cockpit moments before the crash.

In the flight’s final moment, one pilot was heard on the cockpit voice recorder asking the other why he cut off the fuel. “The other pilot responded that he did not do so,” the report said.

The preliminary report did not recommend any actions for Boeing, which said in a statement that it “stands ready to support the investigation led by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ODED BALILTy

Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip attend a rally demanding their release from Hamas captivity and calling for an end to the war,

BY RYAN J FOLEY, CHRISTOPHER L. KELLER, and JIM MUSTIAN Associated Press

Federal regulators repeatedly granted appeals to remove Camp Mystic’s buildings from their 100-year flood map, loosening oversight as the camp operated and expanded in a dangerous flood plain in the years before rushing waters swept away children and counselors, a review by The Associated Press found.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency included the prestigious girls’ summer camp in a “Special Flood Hazard Area” in its National Flood Insurance map for Kerr County in 2011, which means it was required to have flood insurance and faced tighter regulation on any future construction projects.

That designation means an area is likely to be inundated during a 100-year flood — one severe enough that it only has a 1% chance of happening in any given year

Located in a low-lying area along the Guadalupe River in a region known as flash flood alley, Camp Mystic lost at least 27 campers and counselors and longtime owner Dick Eastland when historic floodwaters tore through its property before dawn on July 4. The flood was far more severe than the 100-year event envisioned by FEMA, experts said, and moved so quickly in the middle of the night that it caught many off guard in a county that lacked a warning system.

But Syracuse University associate professor Sarah Pralle, who has extensively studied FEMA’s flood map determinations, said it was “particularly disturbing” that a camp in charge of the safety of so many young people would receive exemptions from basic flood regulation.

“It’s a mystery to me why they weren’t taking proactive steps to move structures away from the risk, let alone challenging what seems like a very reasonable map that shows these structures were in the 100-year flood zone,” she said.

Camp Mystic didn’t respond to emails seeking comment and calls to it rang unanswered. The camp has called the flood an “unimaginable tragedy” and added a statement Thursday that had restored power for purpose of communicating with its supporters FEMA exempted buildin In response to an appea FEMA in 2013 amended county’s flood map to move 15 of the camp’s build ings from the hazard a Records show that those buildings were part of 99-year-old Camp My Guadalupe, which was dev astated by last week’s flood After further appe FEMA removed 15 m Camp Mystic structur in 2019 and 2020 from designation. Those build ings were located on nearb Camp Mystic Cypress a sister site that opene campers in 2020 as part a major expansion and fered less damage in flood.

Jeremy Porter the head of climate implications at First Street, said FEMA’s flood insurance map underestimates flood risks.

That’s because it fails to take into account the effects of heavy precipitation on smaller waterways such as streams and creeks. First Street’s model puts nearly all of Camp Mystic Guadalupe at risk during a 100year flood.

The buildings at the newer Cypress Lake site are farther from the south fork of the flood-prone river but adjacent to Cypress Creek. FEMA’s flood plain doesn’t consider the small waterway a risk. However, First Street’s model, which takes into account heavy rain and runoff reaching the creek, shows that the majority of the Cypress Lake site lies within an area that is at risk during a 100-year flood.

In a statement, FEMA downplayed the significance of the flood map amendments.

“Flood maps are snapshots in time designed to show minimum standards for floodplain management and the highest risk areas for flood insurance,” the agency wrote. “They are not predictions of where it will flood, and they don’t show where it has flooded before.”

‘Arduous’ appeal process

Property owners challenging FEMA’s map designations hire engineers to conduct detailed studies to show where they believe the 100-year flood plain should actually be drawn. That is a “pretty arduous process” that can lead to more accurate maps while making it easier for future construction, said Chris Steubing, executive director of the Texas Floodplain Management Association, an industry group that represents floodplain managers.

Pralle, who reviewed the amendments for AP, noted that some of the exempted properties were within 2 feet (0.6 meters) of FEMA’s flood plain by the camp’s revised calculations, which she said left almost no margin for error She said her research shows that FEMA approves about 90% of map amendment requests, and the process may favor the wealthy and well-connected. A study she published in 2021 with researcher Devin Lea analyzed more than 20,000 buildings that had been removed from FEMA flood maps. It found that the amendments occurred more often in places where property values were higher, more white people lived and buildings were newer

Camp expanded

FEMA had cautioned in its amendments that other parts of Camp Mystic remained on the flood map, and that “any future construction or substantial im-

provement” would be subject to flood plain management regulations. County officials not only allowed the camp to keep operating, but to dramatically expand. Considered Texas royalty

after decades of taking care of the daughters of elite families, Camp Mystic owners Dick and Tweety Eastland cited the “tremendous success” of their original camp in explaining the need for a second site nearby

Campers have said cabins at Cypress withstood significant age, but those nicknam “the flats” at the Guadalupe River camp were inunda Experts say Camp tic’s requests to amen FEMA map could have an attempt to avoid the quirement to carry floo surance, to lower the camp insurance premiums pave the way for renova or adding new structures der less costly regulati Pralle said the appeals were not surprising beca communities and prope owners have used them cessfully to shield spe properties from regulation. Regardless of FEMA terminations, the risk obvious. At least 12 tures at Camp Mystic dalupe were fully within FEMA’s 100-year flood and a few more wer tially in that zone, accord ing to an AP analysis of provided by First Stree data science company specializes in modeling mate risk.

resulted from incidents in previous years, as well as cases ruled as justified, selfdefense, suicide or negligent homicide.)

The parish total is about 22% less than the 68 homicides reported by July 1 last year Police statistics also show gun violence and property crimes are down roughly 20% within city limits.

While the numbers are encouraging, officials are cautious about drawing conclusions about the rest of the year

“We are not sure what’s going to happen,” District Attorney Hillar Moore said. “It just depends on whether you have a good or bad month.”

In the bigger picture, the parish remains on track to surpass 100 homicides in 2025 — an anomaly a decade ago, now a norm since the pandemic.

Both Morse and Moore point to three main factors among a myriad that continue to fuel violence: gang activity, repeat offenders, and the prevalence of young males committing crime. Still, law enforcement officials are hopeful that renewed collaboration with federal and state agencies, revamped community initiatives, and lessons from New Orleans may finally help change the new reality

Behind the numbers

Of the 53 homicides recorded in the parish so far, nine were related to domestic violence and two were connected to murdersuicides, according to data from the District Attorney’s Office. The vast majority of the rest were the result of gun violence. Officials say the prevalence of machine gun conversion devices — easyto-obtain gadgets that turn pistols into fully automatic, less accurate firearms — has helped fuel these killings and led to innocent bystanders getting caught in the crossfire, like Trevor Harrison, a 27-year-old plumber who was killed in a barrage of bullets Feb. 15 as he drove to a job.

“(Bato n Rouge) doesn’t just have a homicide problem. Baton Rouge has a bullet problem,” said Jeff LeDuff, a former police chief who now works in the Mayor’s Office.

And while homicide victims range from 3-month-old Jaziel Harper to 80-year-old James Williams, most are young men affiliated with criminal groups that sell narcotics, authorities say “Baton Rouge is not different from any other city in America,” Morse said. “There are definitely outliers (but) if you are not in

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

bringing the parishwide total to 53.

that lifestyle, you are much safer.”

Moore described gang activity as “a bit of a different landscape now.” Criminal groups are constantly shifting, with members frequently crossing over between factions — often fueling cross-group violence. According to Moore, groups like the Bleedas 60 Gang, 448 and TBG continue to be responsible for much of the violence in the city

Quelling the influence of these groups is “manpower intensive,” Morse explained, often requiring months of investigation. Facing ongoing staffing shortages in both the police department and the Sheriff’s Office, local law enforcement has ramped up collaboration this year with agencies such as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the FBI, and Louisiana State Police to target these organizations. A similar strategy in New Orleans has already shown promising results.

“If you can get to them and not waste time on smallerlevel dealers, you are going to have a much quicker and larger impact,” Moore said. The initiative, which has not been publicly named, has already produced results. In June, authorities arrested more than a dozen members of the local Vultures group on charges related

to drug trafficking and multiple shootings. It followed a monthslong investigation led by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office in partnership with the FBI, ATF, DEA and State Police.

Combined efforts with federal and state agencies have also helped offset manpower shortages and budget cuts. As part of its cost-saving measures, BRPD ended its targeted gun violence patrols in city crime hot spots at the start of the year, largely because the program depended on costly overtime pay

So far, Morse said, the absence of these patrols hasn’t resulted in increased violence, due in part because of federal partnerships.

Still, the 70805 and 70802 ZIP codes, long the epicenter of violent crime in Baton Rouge, continue to lead the parish in homicides, with 12 and nine recorded this year, respectively

“I do think you will now start to see the impact of the combination of all our efforts to target these highly violent groups,” Moore said.

“Hopefully you will see that payoff by the end of the year in the reduction of homicides and shootings.”

Familiar faces

Although there are no official statistics on the arrest histories of homicide defendants, law enforcement officials frequently note that

Notice is hereby givenpursuantto Article7,Section 23(C)ofthe Louisiana Constitution and R.S. 47:1705(B) that a publichearing of Town of Killian will be held at itsregular meeting placelocated at 28284Hwy 22 Springfield, LA 70462on Monday August 18,20256pm to consider levying additional or increased millage rateswithout furthervoter approval or adopting theadjustedmillage rates afterreassessmentand rolling forward to ratesnot to exceed theprior year’s maximum. Theestimated amountoftax revenues to be collectedinthe next year from theincreased millageis$124,375.79 and theamountofincreaseinthe taxes attributable to themillage increaseis $21,713.88

most murder suspects in Baton Rouge are repeat offenders

“We’re arresting the same people over and over again,” Morse said.

“Just about every murder defendant has been arrested for a violent offense,” Moore added “I know several of these defendants were out on bond.”

Both Morse and Moore attribute the cycle to weaknesses in the court system, including lenient judges and a shortage of prosecutors.

Due to funding issues, Moore’s office has just 54 assistant district attorneys compared to 88 in Orleans Parish and 75 in Jefferson Parish. This had led to a backlog of more than 11,000 cases.

“They’re so backlogged, it’s hard to do anything with the cases,” Morse said.

Since July 2024, four commissioners of the 19th Judicial District Court have been responsible for setting bails in East Baton Rouge a role previously handled by eight district judges While this change has sped up the bail process, Moore says his office has struggled to keep up.

“Now the judges just sit in court and want to hear motions and trials,” Moore said.

“I can’t keep up with that, because I also have to staff the commissioners’ court.”

Meanwhile, officers say they feel many of the arrests they make are for naught.

“We have not been happy with some of the bonds the commissioners have been setting,” Morse said. “If you let somebody go with a low bond for attempted homicide, then you’re sending out a message that it’s OK to shoot people.”

While the DA continues to seek more funding from the city and state, Morse said the Police Department is looking to strategies used in New Orleans to manage caseloads Last year, with a push from Gov Jeff Landry, State Police officers were brought into New Orleans through the controversial but effective Troop NOLA

program to assist with arrests. At the same time, the Attorney General’s Office helped with prosecutions to avoid case backlogs.

“Getting quick turnarounds, higher bonds, quicker trials — that really set an example and started bringing their numbers down,” Morse said.

Targeting problem groups

Of those suspected of fatally pulling the trigger in the parish so far this year, eight are juveniles, while another five juveniles were among the victims. In those instances, law enforcement officials are inclined to point to broader societal issues: poverty education, lack of community resources.

“That’s an alarming number when you are looking at 15- and 16-year-olds picking up guns and killing people,” Morse said. “There are a lot of systems in place that have to have failed that 15-yearold.”

Truancy, defined as four or more absences a year, continues to plague Baton Rouge. It was an issue Moore campaigned heavily on when he was first elected in 2009, and since 2020, rates have fluctuated between 55% and 60% for East Baton Rouge Public schools.

“Until we really get a handle on truancy, we’re not going to get a handle on that number,” he said.

Broadly speaking, officials say that males ages 14 to 24 commit the majority of violent crimes in Baton Rouge.

“Those small groups of people cause 90% of our problems,” said former Police Chief LeDuff.

LeDuff, now assistant chief administrative officer for Mayor Sid Edwards, is leading an effort to revive a once-promising community violence intervention program targeting younger offenders.

From 2013 to 2017, the federally funded BRAVE program aimed to steer gang-involved youth away from violence but it was discontinued after funding mismanagement controver-

sies. The city later rebranded the effort as a nonprofit initiative called TRUCE, focused more on providing community resources. A hallmark of both programs was the “call-in,” where suspected gang members and other troubled youth were confronted by officials and offered support services. Now, city officials hope to combine elements from both models. The idea is to partner with law enforcement and community interventionists to identify individuals at risk and offer them both a carrot and a stick before violence occurs.

“This is the initiative that brought us success 13 years ago. We are bringing it back,” LeDuff said. “BRAVE was enforcement with a little bit of service. TRUCE was more about services. This program will be a mix of all of it.”

Aishala Burgess, who led TRUCE, says the new program will offer wraparound services, including substance abuse and mental health support, school intervention, rental and utility assistance, and parenting classes.

“Anything a family would consider a barrier, is what we are going to try to provide wraparound services to and for,” Burgess said. The program, still in the infancy of its planning stages, is sparse on funding details, but the city has just signed a contract with the National Network of Safe Communities, an organization that has partnered with Chicago, Boston, and until eight years ago, Baton Rouge.

In the thick of bare-bones budgets, Morse and Moore are both ready to embrace any additional support — old or new — to keep homicides trending in the right direction.

“It’s not an issue we can arrest our way out of,” Morse said “We need help on the front end with community resources. We need help in the middle with people calling crime stoppers. And we need help on the back end with prosecutors.”

Moore

LeDuff

By The Associated Press

Russia pounded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and missiles overnight andSaturday as partofa stepped-up bombing campaign that killed at least six people and wounded dozens, officials said.

Twopeople died and26 were wounded when Russian forces overnight attacked the Bukovinaarea in the Chernivtsi region of southwestern Ukraine with four drones and amissile, regional Gov.Ruslan Zaparaniuk said Saturday.Hesaid that thetwo diedfromfalling drone debris.

Another drone attack in Ukraine’swestern Lviv region wounded 12 people, regional Gov.Maksym Kozytskyi said. Poland’sair force scrambled fighter jets in areasborderingUkraine in response to the overnight attacks, which targeted again aregion that is acrucial hub for receiving foreign military aid.

Three people alsos were wounded in Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine when the city was hit by eightdrones and two missiles, MayorIhor Terekhov said.

Russia fired 597 drones and decoys, along with 26 cruise missiles, into Ukraine overnight intoSaturday, Ukraine’sair force said. Of these, 319drones and 25 cruise missiles were shot down and258 decoydrones were lost, likely havingbeen electronically jammed.

Twopeople were killed Saturday morning in amissile strike in the Dnipropetrovsk region, according to regional Gov.Serhii Lysak. Twoother people were killed Saturday in the Sumy region by aRussian guided bomb,local officials said.

Wildfiresatnational parksforce evacuations

BY HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press

Wildfires have forced evacuationsfor visitors and staff at two national parks in the U.S. West as the summer monsoon season brings increased lightning to thearid region. BlackCanyon of the Gunnison National Park about 260 miles southwest of Denver,closed until further notice after lightingstrikes sparked blazes on both rims, park officials said The Grand Canyon’s NorthRim in Arizona also closed becauseofa wildfireonadjacentBureau of Land Management land nearJacob Lake.

The wildfire on Black Canyon of the Gunnison’sSouth Rim ignited Thursday andhas burned

2.5 square miles, with no containment of theperimeter.The smallerblazeon the North Rim wasout as of Friday, according to an incident map.

The conditions there have been ripe for wildfires with hot temperatures, low humidity,gusty winds and dry vegetation, the park said, adding that weather remained aconcern Friday.

Fire dangerhas ramped up in the West as drought conditions have worsened across several states. While monsoon season can drop much-needed moisture on the area from June throughSeptember, it canalso bring dust storms andthunderstormslikethose that ignited thewildfires in the Colorado andArizona parks.

Sonof‘El Chapo’ pleads guilty,promising cooperation

BY CHRISTINE FERNANDO Associated Press

CHICAGO Ason of notorious Mexican drug kingpin

“El Chapo” pleaded guilty Friday to U.S. drug trafficking charges, becoming the first of the drug lord’ssons to enter aplea deal.

Prosecutors allege Ovidio Guzman Lopez and his brother,Joaquin Guzman Lopez, ran afaction of the Sinaloa cartel. They became known locally as the “Chapitos,” or

MEDICAID

Continued from page1A

Howwillsystemwork?

The Louisiana Department of Health expects to receive more guidance from Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.bythe end of 2025, Herrock said.

“Weview theworkrequirements provisions as ameans to grow our economy,while reinforcingthe valueof work and self-sufficiency,” Herrock said in astatement.

“This also allows the program to preserve coverage for the most vulnerable populations while eliminating waste, reducing improper payments and combating fraudulent activity.”

To understand what averificationprocess mightlook like in Louisiana,look at what happened after the COVID-19 pandemic, when the federal governmenthalted Medicaid coverage protections and required states to resume income eligibility checks, said Kevin Callison, ahealth economistatTulane University.ThoughMedicaid is meant for people with low to moderate incomes,the usual yearly income checks were paused during the pandemic.

In alittle overayear after the change, more than 650,000peoplewereremoved from Louisiana’sMedicaid

“little Chapos,” and federal authorities in2023 described the operation as amassive effort to send “staggering” quantitiesoffentanyl into the U.S.

As part of aplea agreement, Ovidio Guzman Lopez admitted to helpingoversee the production and smuggling of large quantities of cocaine, heroin,methamphetamine, marijuana and fentanyl into the United States, fueling acrisis that has contributed to tens

rolls, which hadswelled to over 40% of thepopulation during the pandemic.Of those, 7in10lostcoverage forproceduralreasons, such as not submitting paperwork on time, rather thanbecause they were foundtobeineligible

“When you add theseburdens, it results in people losingcoverage,evenifthey would be eligible,” Callison said Louisiana experimented with quarterly wage checks before thepandemic,a model that Callisonsaid offers another glimpse atwhat couldhappen.

“About halfofrecipients were verified automatically, but the other half had to respond to paperrequestsin themail,” he said. Roughly 80% of people wholost coverage did so because they didn’treturn the forms,not because they were ineligible, he said

Implementation timeline

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,RBaton Rouge, saidthe state would have time to put asystem into place to keeppeople from losing coverage “just because of abureaucratic snafu.”

“Thisdoesn’tgointo effect tomorrow,” Cassidy said. “Thereisatimeframe in which thesesystemsare to be workedout.”

The requirement begins Jan.1,2027. Still,somecritics warn theburden ofcom-

of thousands of overdose deaths annually Guzman Lopez pleaded guilty to drug trafficking, money laundering and firearmscharges tiedtohis leadership role in the cartel Terms of the deal, including sentencing recommendations or cooperation agreements, were not immediately disclosed.

Speculation aboutadeal had percolated for months, as behind-the-scenes negotiations quietly progressed.

pliance will result in people going withouthealth insurance.

“If you had to renew your driver’slicense every six months, there’d be awhole lot of people driving without …one,” saidU.S. Rep. Troy Carter,D-New Orleans Democratspushback

Carter joined House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-Brooklyn, andother membersofthe House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee at CrescentCare in New Orleans on Friday part of atour aimed at drawing attention to healthcare cuts in what they call the “Big Ugly Bill” andwarning of its potential impact on Medicaid recipients in Louisiana

At theevent,Carter emphasized the importance of community-based outreach to help people stay enrolled, outlining efforts to partner withCrescentCare, nonprofits, and religious organizations. He pointed topop-up curbside events held in his districttohelpresidents completepaperwork.

“Wewill do that on steroids acrossthe country,” he said.

“We’regoing to launchan organizationaleffort that is community-based, unlike anything that the state or country hasever seen, to try to make sure that as many people as possible can retain their Medicaid coverage,” Jeffries added.

JeffreyLichtman,anattorneyfor the twobrothers, said Friday he would waituntil Ovidio Guzman Lopez was sentenced beforediscussing whether the agreement was agood deal.

Guzman Lopez’ssentencing was postponedwhile he cooperates withU.S.authorities,asheagreed to do so on Friday.Whether he avoids alife in prison sentence depends on whether authorities sayhehas held up his end of

the agreement. Lichtman said he didn’t know whether the case against Joaquin Guzman Lopezcould be resolvedwith aplea deal, noting that it is “completely different.”

“Remember, Joaquin was arrested in Americawell after Ovidio was, so it takes time,” he said.

Laurie Levenson,a law professoratLoyolaLaw Schooland formerassistant U.S. attorney in Los Angeles,

said thatGuzmanLopez, by pleading guilty,may have “saved other family members.”

“In this way,hehas some control over who he’s cooperating against and what the world will know about that cooperation.”

Levenson called the plea change a“big step” for the U.S. government and said Guzman Lopez could provide “a roadmap of how to identify members of the cartel.”

Celebratethe

By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi| stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com

Tammyand Mark Parker arehonored to be awarded ‘Gardenofthe Month’ by LouisianaNursery forthe monthofJuly. Creating theirhomegardenoverthe yearshas sown adeepappreciationofthe beauty of nature for thecoupleand theirfamily.

Auniquehighlight forthe couple is theirbutterfly garden.Togetherwiththeir grandkids, theParkers watchascaterpillarsregularly appear on their milkweed plants.Whentheir granddaughters spot thetinyeggsonthe milkweed leaves,theytransfer theplant into apot andplace it in aRestCloud butterfly habitat whichallowsthemtoobserve as thecaterpillarsmunch on leaves androllthemselves into achrysalis.Several days later, thebrightorange wingsofmonarch butterflies emerge to thefamily’s delight, andthe girlsrelease thewingedbeautiesto begintheir migratoryjourney to Mexico

“It’struly magical. Iwould neverhavedreamedthat this little butterflygarden fixturewould do so much,” said TammyParker. “We’ve been doingitfor thelast severalyears with ourgranddaughters, andtheylove it.It’sa really good experience for them to be able to learnthe processofhow caterpillars transforminto butterflies,and we enjoyhow calmingitis.

Anotherexcitingway Tammyand Mark Parker have beenable to engage with nature is through puttingout hummingbird feedersand watching as thefast-flyingcritterstakeupthe invitation to visitthe Parker family garden.According to Tammy Parker,for acoupleweeks outofthe year they go throughagallonofhummingbird syrupa day! The flowers benefit from theadditionofthese travelling pollinators, as well What inspired youtostart gardening?

My mother hada greenthumb.I woulddabbleinit here andthere.I wouldget apot andplant something andsee howitfared.Throughoutthe yearsithas been aboutseeingwhatworks anddoesn’t work.Now that I’ve retired, I’mable to go outthere everyday and look at everything. Ican seewhatneeds to be dead headed,and Ihavetimetosortout whysomething mightnot be working. What have youlearned aboutgardeningbestpractices throughtrial anderror? Imainlydocontainer gardening. Onereasonfor that is that flower beds canbedifficult to tend to Withpottedplantsyou canmovethemaroundas needed.Containergardening worksbetterfor us becauseit’seasier to handle

We arenovicegardeners with little experience,but we askalot of questions. We go to LouisianaNursery alot,and they areveryhelpful.Wealsoattendthe Ascension Parish Master Gardener plantswapand Q &A.I’llbring whatever questionsIhave, andthey’ll

provideanswersand suggestions. It’s really about talkingtopeople. Whetheritbemastergardeners, Louisiananursery employees, or afriendwho has a garden,wealwaysask questions. Ialsoalwayslookat people’s gardensand take note of what they aredoing Howdoyou decide what to plantinyourgarden? We trytostick to plants we know will work,instead of trying somethingweare unfamiliar with.SometimesI’llgotosomeone’s houseand seesomething andthink,“That wouldwork.” Currently, we have some impatiens, coleus,vinca begonias,Carolinajessamine,along with otherplants that cantakethe Louisianarainand heat.Ialsohave alot of succulentsinanarea they seem to like Do youhaveany advice forindividuals lookingto startagarden? Embracethe trial-and-errorprocess, askquestions andenjoy thejourney.Gardening canoffer youpeace of mind,and it adds to your home.Justtry it andsee It doesn’t hurt to try! FormoreinformationonLouisiana Nursery, visit www.louisiananursery.com

Nursery.

If You’re Over Thirty -

Finally, there’sa treatmenttoconquer lowback, neck, leg andarm pain without dangerousmedications or painfulsurgery.

If yousufferfrom:

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Non-surgical Spinal Decompressionmay be theanswerfor you!

We areDr. ScottLeBlanc andDr. Dana LeBlanc, a husbandand wife team,thatown LeBlancSpine Center. We have helped thousandsofpatientsget outof pain with Spinal Decompressiontherapy treatments, andwelove what we do.Discissuesare common,and patients sufferingare usuallygiven limitedoptions of treatment. We runthese bignewspaper advertisementstolet people in thecommunity know thereis anotheroptionoftreatment forpain- withoutmedication,injections, or surgery!

NON-SURGICALSPINAL DECOMPRESSION is a breakthrough,non-invasive treatmentthathas been proventoreverse disc herniationsand relievenerve pain in theneck andlow back.Duringthe procedure, aspinaldiscisisolatedand aseriesofdistraction andrelaxationphasesoccur at averyspecificangle, targetingthe source of pain.A vacuum canbecreated inside thediscand thenegativepressuredeliversnutrients, oxygen,and fluidfromsurrounding tissues, to assist with repair of thedamaged disc Thetreatment is not painfulatall,and most patients read or even take anap whileontreatment!

PROOFTHIS TREATMENTWORKS There’splentyof researchtobackupthe claims of Spinal Decompression Therapyand itseffectiveness. Here arejusta few of thepublished scientificstudies

•“Patients reported amean88.9% improvementin back pain andbetterfunction. No patientrequired anyinvasivetherapies (e.g.epiduralinjections, surgery).”-AmericanAcademy of Pain Management

•“We thus submit that decompressiontherapy should be considered first, before thepatient undergoesa surgical procedurewhich permanentlyaltersthe anatomyand function of theaffectedlumbarspine segment.”-Journal Of Neuroscience Research

•“86%ofthe 219patientswho completedthe therapy reported immediateresolutionofsymptoms.”-Orthopedic Technology Review

•“Vertebralaxial (spinal) decompressionwas successfulin71% of the778 cases” -Journal of NeurologicalResearch

•“Good to excellentreliefin86% of patients with Herniateddiscs”- TheAmericanJournal of Pain Management

•“Decompression Therapyreporteda76.5% with complete remissionand 19.6%withpartial remission of pain anddisability” -Rio Grande Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery

At LeBlancSpineCenter, we utilizeadvanced, FDA-clearedtechnologythatisproventoeffectively

Ihavesuffered with numbness in my legs for 5monthsbeforegoing to LeBlancSpine Center. Afterthe firstinitialconsultation, I startedSpinalDecompression treatments and within 3months, Ihad ahuge differencein mobility,reduced pain,and thenumbness was subsiding. Ihaveimprovedabout 80%from thetreatments. Isleep better,walkwithout pain,and duetocervicaldecompression,my migrainesare almost non-existent.Dr. Scott listenedtomysymptomsand began to treat therootofmyproblems. Thedoctors andstaff are compassionate andverycaring. It feelslikeafamilyand their patient’swellbeing really matterstothem. I 100% recommendLeBlancSpine Center! JoyLewis Hometown -Baton Rouge,LA

alleviatepain.

It’s importanttonotethatnot everypatient is a candidatefor Spinal Decompression, whichiswhy we prioritize athorough individual assessment for each person whowalks throughour doors. Our high successrateinpainreliefstems from our commitment to only taking on patients whom we confidently believewecan help

Forthe next 7days, we areofferingaspecial “Decompression Evaluation”offer,atnocostto you! What does this offer include? Everything we normally do in ournew patientevaluations:

•Anin-depthconsultationabout your health andwellbeing wherewewilllisten. really listen .tothe detailsofyourcase.

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Youwillsit with thedoctorone on onetogoover your x-rays,and you’ll gettosee everything first hand

At LeBlancSpine Center,weare honestwith our patients andwegivepersonalized attentionand analysis to each case. We trulyenjoy meetingwith patients to answer theirquestions andtohelp find outifSpinalDecompression treatments couldbe theanswertotheir pain

Thereisnochargeatall andyou don’tneedtobuy anything.You have nothing to lose by taking us up on this specialoffer andyou will getanswers to

what is causingyourpain. If youhaveseenour adsinthe past and have thoughtabout calling, don’thesitate. Youdon’t have to go on living in pain,missing outonactivitiesand otherpartoflifethatyou enjoy. Call us today!

I firstcametoLeBlancSpine Centerwith numbness in my arms andlegs. Iwas also experiencinglower back pain andneckpain. I hadbeensufferingwiththisfor over10years Ihad previouslytriedone epidural injection in my lowerbackand physical therapy, an I wasstillsuffering with thesesymptoms. Since beginning Spinal Decompressiontreatments, Ihavehad consistent improvement in my back condition,and Iamnow 70%improved! Iam liftingwithout pain,sleepingbetter, andInow have theability to walk withouttiring! Iwould highly recommendDr. LeBlancand LeBlanc SpineCenter!

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IcametoDr. LeBlancbecause Ihad been suffering with severe sciatica. Thepaininmylow back andlegswas so severe that Ibegan staying home rather than attendingsportingorsocial events Ibegan Spinal Decompression treatments and sincethen, Iam70% improved! Iamfeeling well enough andenergetic afterworking allday to cook,dohousehold chores,attendfunctions etc. Ihavemoremobility andI am notexhausted from thepain! Thestaff andDoctors here are wonderful.Everyoneissokindand friendly and will do whatever is needed to decreasethe pain What Ilikemostabout my care at LeBlancSpine CenterisTHE RESULTS! Ihighlyrecommend LeBlancSpine Centerdue to thenon-invasive treatmentand results! As amatteroffact, Ihave recommendedDr. LeBlanctopeoplealready

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Customer ServiceRepresenative/Insurance Agent Hometown -Plaquemine, LA

years saving up limited paid time off, preemptivelytake out disability insurancepolicies or,insome cases, find compassionate colleagues willingto“donate” unused sick days.

Paid parental leave for teachers is still arelatively new in theU.S.,but conservative-leaning states, where lawmakers often talk about theimportance of supporting families, are leading the waywhenitcomes to offering the benefit. Alabama most recently joined the list, passing abill that went into effect this month that offers eight weeks of paid parental leave for mothers and two weeksfor fathers.

Louisiana lawmakers introduced abilllast year to provide six weeks of paid leave for teachers, abenefit thatstate workers already receive,but pulled the proposaldue to cost concerns.

In studies, paid family leave has beenattributed to lower chancesofpostpartum depression, increased breastfeeding rates and improved financial stability. For teachers,it’sbeen linked to better work-life balance and less stress. A 2023 report from the Qatar Foundation, an international nonprofitfocused on education and community development research, analyzed 67 studies on teacher wellbeing from around the world and found that such policies often translatetoimproved academic performance, social skills and student engagement.

Of course, the benefitincludes an upfront cost for school districts,manyof which already struggle to pay teachers competitive wages. But as Louisianapoliticalleaders work to retain and recruit educatorswith plans to raise their pay and improve their working conditions, teachers and advocates say the state should make it easier for them to care for their own families.

“Wecarefor everybody else’sbabies,” said Cassidy Tackett, aspecial-education teacher in Caldwell Parish. “But weget 65% pay or none at all when we stay home withour own.”

Imperfectsolutions

Under federal law,employees are entitled 90 days of unpaid familyand medical leave. In Louisiana, workers have access to extended sick leave, but paid policies are largely determined by employers. No state body keeps afull list of district parental leave policies, anddetermining what benefits are available in individual parishes can be difficult.

Of the school boards who have made their policies public, many follow the minimums set by state law, saying only that employees shallbegranted leave without pay “for areasonable period of time”following the birth of achild depending on how long an employee is “disabled on account of pregnancy,childbirthor related medical conditions.”

Most teachers receive 10 sickdaysper year, which they are generally required to exhaust before using any other state or district leave policy.Once those days are used, many teachers must accept apay cutand apply for the state’sextended medical leave.

Because of this,teachers look for other ways to cobble together thetime they need.

Bitsy Aymond, afirstgrade teacher in Iberville Parish,isdue to givebirth this month. She and her husband, ahighschool art teacher in thedistrict, have spent the past nine months trying to maximize thetime they’ll get with their newborn.

Like most districts, Iberville Parish allows employees to take up to 30 daysof extended leave with partial pay in asix-year period once they’ve used up their sick days.But between amiscarriageAymond suffered last year,achronic illness that requires frequent medical care and regular prenatal checkups, she said she knows she’ll have no sick daysleft once thebabyis born. If she or her baby fall ill, she’ll have to take unpaid time off until her sickbank replenishes in August2026. Her husband,Kyte, donated some of his time to her under adistrict policy that allows teachers to give aportion of their unusedleaveto acolleague, and Bitsy,in anticipation of becomingpregnant,tookout ashort-term disability leave insurance policythrough thedistrict two years in arow,which could allow her to take up to

six months with partialpay Butthe Aymonds worried it still wouldn’tbeenough.

“Wedon’thave alot of extra money,” Bitsy Aymond said. “Even getting that 65% pay is abig blow,inaddition to the newchild we’re already paying for.”

For Musgrove,ongoing healthissues related to herson’s premature birth meant that she was slated to return to workbefore she felt ready. Thankfully, she said, agroupofco-workers steppedintodonate10of theirunusedsickdays, allowingher to stay home with Matthew through the end of Thanksgiving break and extending the total time she was able to spend with him to three months.

Aymond andMusgrove both said they considered leaving the professionafter they realizedthat they were also expected to do somework —provide lesson plans, complete paperwork andkeep track of student progress —despite being out on leave.

“If Ispent time doing anything work-related, Ifelt like Iwas squandering the littletimeI had,”Musgrove said. “I was failing no matter what decision Imade.”

Representatives with East Baton Rouge andIberville school districts did notrespond to arequest forclarification regarding thedistricts’leave policies.

Is La.behindthe curve?

As of July,eight states have some form of paid family leave policy in place for educators:Alabama, Delaware, Georgia,Oklahoma,

Oregon, North Carolina, SouthCarolina andTennessee.

Some saythey’vealready seen apayoff. Tennessee reported a22% reduction in turnover and a25% reduction in retirementstwo yearsafter approvingpaid leavefor state workers, including teachers.

Carmen McCoy,astaff attorneyatABetterBalance, an organization that advocates for women in the workplace, said that whethera job offers family leavecan playa big role in hiring and keeping educators. More than aquarter of teachers nationally who recently left education reported “personal life reasons,” like health, pregnancy and child care, or caring for family,asthe most important reason that factoredintotheir decision to quit,according to federal data.

StateSen. Sam Jenkins, aDemocrat from Shreveport, said Louisiana should join other Southern states in providing some form of paid

leavefor itsteachers. He authored abill introduced in 2024 thatwould have given educators six weeks of paid leavefollowing the birthor adoption of achild.

The Senate Education Committee unanimously passed the proposal, but Jenkins ultimately pulled it over concerns it wouldn’t pass the full Legislature due to its$15 million projected cost, which is how much the state would pay to hire substitutes while teachers are on leave.

Instead, the Legislature approved astudy group to collect data on how many teachers are likely to use the benefit and determine a more precise cost estimate. The group is expected to begin meeting this summer, said Jenkins, adding that he plans to reintroducearevised version of the bill next year

JarodMartin,superintendent of schools in Lafourche Parish, said that while he supports astatewide parental leave policy for educators, the state’songoing teacher shortage remains a cause forconcern fordistrict leaders.

“More often than not, when ateacher is out forsix weeks, we’re unable to adequately backfill (their position) with aqualifiedsubstitute,” he said. “As aformer principal, Iwas always very aware of the impact on children when teachers are not at work.”

Still, Jenkins believes better parental leave options will only become more important, particularly as the state tries to keep younger teachers in the profession.

“Wewant to make sure we’re decreasing turnover,” he said, “and retaining good employees.”

Whilesomelawmakers worry about financial impact,McCoy pointedout that less turnover can translate to more savings in the long run. However,questions remain about whethersuch a move would be feasible for districts.

EDUCATION

Trump’s bill could impact youngest Americans

BY MORIAH BALINGIT

AP education writer

WASHINGTON — The impact of the massive spending bill President Donald Trump signed into law on Independence Day is expected to filter down to infants and toddlers — a segment of the population that’s particularly vulnerable to cuts to the federal social safety net.

Many middle-class and wealthy families will see benefits from the legislation, but programs that help low-income families keep babies healthy have been cut back.

While state money funds public schools and preschool in some cases, programs supporting the youngest children are largely backed by the federal government.

The law extends tax cuts Trump passed during his first term and pours billions more dollars into border security as he seeks to broaden his crackdown on immigration.

To pay for these initiatives, the law cuts Medicaid and food stamps — programs relied upon by poor households with children — by more than $1 trillion.

The legislation Republicans called Trump’s “big beautiful bill” is set to deliver some gains for families with children.

It increases tax credits, including one that now allows parents to deduct up to $2,200 per child from their tax bills. And it introduces investment accounts for newborns dubbed “Trump Accounts,” each seeded with $1,000 from the government. Still, advocates say they don’t make up for what children are likely to lose under the law And they fear what comes next, as the next Trump budget proposes more cuts to programs that help

parents and babies.

Strain on families

More than 70 million Americans rely on Medicaid for health care. About 40% of births are covered by Medicaid. Newborns, too, qualify for it when their mothers have it.

The new law doesn’t take little kids or their parents off Medicaid It institutes Medicaid work requirements for childless adults and adults with children over the age of 13.

But pediatricians warn the cuts will be felt broadly, even by those who don’t use Medicaid.

The Medicaid cuts are expected to put a financial strain on health care providers, forcing them to cut their least profitable services That’s often pediatrics, where young patients are more likely to use Medicaid, said Lisa Costello, a West Virginia pediatrician who chairs the federal policy commit-

tee for the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The ripple effects could exacerbate an existing shortage of pediatricians and hospital beds for children.

“Any cuts to that program are going to trickle down and impact children, whether that’s pediatric practices who depend on Medicaid to be able to stay open or children’s hospitals,” Costello said.

States also use Medicaid to pay for programs that go beyond conventional medical care, including therapies for young children with disabilities Under the law, states will foot a greater portion of the bill for Medicaid, meaning optional programs are at risk of getting cut.

While parents of young children are exempt from the work requirement, recipients must verify they’re in compliance or exempt from the requirement every six months. Critics fear eligible adults will lose their coverage because of

the new reporting requirements.

If an adult loses Medicaid coverage, it could ratchet up household stress and make it more difficult for parents to make ends meet, both of which can negatively impact youngsters. And parents who lose their health insurance are less likely to take their children to the doctor

“When parents lose their health insurance, they often think that their children also are no longer eligible, even if that’s not the case,” said Cynthia Osborne, a professor of early education and the executive director of the Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center at Vanderbilt University

Increased tax credits

The law increases the child tax credit to $2,200 per child, up from $2,000. But parents who don’t earn enough to pay income tax will still not see the benefit, and many will see only a partial benefit.

The measure also contains two provisions intended to help families pay for child care, which in many places costs more than a mortgage.

First, it boosts the tax credit parents receive for spending money on child care. It also expands a program that gives companies tax credits for providing child care for their employees.

Both measures have faced criticism for generally benefiting larger companies and wealthier households.

“It’s a corporate business tax break,” said Bruce Lesley, president of the advocacy group First Focus on Children. “It makes their child care dependent upon working for an employer who has the credit.”

‘Trump Accounts’

The law launches a program that

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THE STATE HOW TO TACKLE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING LOUISIANA SCHOOLS. HAVE AN IDEA?

creates investment accounts for newborns. The “Trump Accounts” are to be seeded with $1,000 from the government, and children will be able to use the money when they become adults to start a new business, put the money toward a house or go to school.

Unlike other baby bond programs, which generally target disadvantaged groups, the federal program will be available to families of all incomes.

The program’s backers have pitched the accounts as a way to give young people a boost as they reach adulthood and teach them about the benefits of investing. Critics argue families in poverty have more immediate needs and their children should receive a larger endowment if the goal is to help level the playing field. Cuts to food assistance program

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program faces the largest cut in its history under the law It will, for the first time, require parents to work to qualify for the benefit if their children are 14 or older. But even households with younger children could feel the impact.

The law kicks some immigrants — including those with legal status off food assistance. It makes it more difficult for individuals to qualify by changing how it considers their utility bills.

SNAP has historically been funded by the federal government, but under the new law, states will have to shoulder some of the financial burden. Cash-strapped governments could decide to implement new requirements that would make it more difficult for people to qualify, said Katie Bergh, a senior policy analyst with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Some states may decide to exit the program altogether

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI

President Donald Trump signs his ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ of tax breaks and spending cuts at the White House on July 4, surrounded by members of Congress.

Sonsentenced to life for shooting andbeheading father in Pennsylvania

BY MARK SCOLFORO and MIKE CATALINI Associated Press

APennsylvaniaman

who posted avideo of his father’ssevered head on YouTube was convictedof murder Friday and sentenced to life without parole Bucks County Judge Stephen A. Corr found Justin D. Mohn, 33, guilty in the January 2024 shooting death of his father at their home in the Philadelphia suburb of Levittown.

After the sentencing, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn told reporters Mohn had exhibited a“complete and utter lack of remorse,” calling it an “unimaginable, unfathomable crime.”

“Weare satisfied that this was the right outcome to guarantee that the community at large is safe from Justin Mohn,” Schorn said. His defense attorney called it an “undoubtedly difficultcase to preside over.”

“Casesinvolving the loss of life are always the most difficult, and that difficulty is compounded when the prosecution seeks the death penalty

The commonwealth originally sought the death penalty in this case, and based on the defense that was presented on behalf of Mr.Mohn, my client will not face that penalty,” said Mohn’s lawyer,Steven M. Jones, in an email.

He declined to comment on whether Mohn will appeal.

Prosecutors said Mohn shothis father, Michael F. Mohn, 68, with anewly purchased pistol, then decapitated him with akitchen knife and machete.

video he posted waslive for several hours before it was removed.

Mohn testifiedduring the trialthat he shot his father while tryingtoarrest him on what he said were false statementsand treason but hisfather resisted, so he fired at him.

He saidhesevered his head to senda message to federal workers to meet hisdemands,which included theirresignation among other things. In victim impact statementsread in court Friday,family members and others recalled Michael Mohn as aloving husband and father,aman of humility and humor who enjoyed reading, exercising and playing the guitar

Justin Mohnwas arrested later on the day of the murderafter scaling a fence at Fort Indiantown Gap, the state’sNational Guard headquarters.

Prosecutors said he called for others to join him in attempting to overthrow the U.S. government

Mohn had aUSB device containing photos of federal buildings and apparent instructions for making explosives when he was arrested, authorities said. He also expressed violent anti-government rhetoric in writings he published online, going back several years.

During the trial, the judge heard from Justin Mohn’smother,who said police came to the house he shared with his parents and warned him about his onlinepostings beforethe killing.

Denice Mohn testified that she and her husband had been offering financial support and guidance as Justin Mohn looked for

U.S. sanctionsCuban president, other officialsfor humanrightsviolations

BY ANDREARODRÍGUEZ Associated Press

HAVANA The United States government announced Friday it was sanctioning Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel andother top officialsfor human rightsviolations and restricting accessto visasonthe anniversary of thebiggest protestsonthe islandinrecentdecades.

U.S. Secretary of State MarcoRubio said on social mediaplatform Xthat the State Department also would impose visarestrictions on Cubanjudicialand prison officials “responsible for,orcomplicit in, the unjust detention and torture of the July 2021 protesters.”

Theprotests,which were not led by an opposition group, developedJuly11 and12, 2021, drawing attentiontothe depths of Cuba’s economiccrisis.

“The U.S. will continue to stand for the humanrights and fundamental freedoms of thepeople of Cuba, and make clear no illegitimate,dictatorial regimes are welcome in ourhemisphere,”Rubio said in the statement.

The Trump administration hastaken aharder line against Cuba’s government than the Biden administration.

In addition to Díaz-Canel the U.S. sanctioned Cuban Defense Minister Álvaro López Mieraand Interior Minister LázaroÁlvarez Casas

Shortly after theannouncement, JohanaTablada,deputy director of the U.S. department in the Cuban Foreign Ministry, lashedout at Rubio, calling him a“defenderofgenocide,prisons andmass deportations.”

The rare protests in 2021

blackoutsinHavana and other cities. One man died and somemarches ended in vandalism.

Groups supporting the government responded along with authorities to repress the protests.

Human rightsgroups estimated there were more than 1,000 arrests but the

government gave no official figures.

At thetime,the Cuban government said it was the result of aU.S. media campaign and decades of U.S. sanctions.

The advocacy group 11J, whose name alludes to the protests, said late last year therewere554 people serving sentences related to the protests, but somewere givenconditionalrelease in January afteranappeal from Pope Francis.

In 2022, Cuban prosecutors said some 790 people were investigated for acts related to the protests ranging from disorder to sabotage and vandalism.

adition for Gambino’s ablished as weettreat, king foran or amajor andful of lgathering mitmentto Gambino’s ear’sBest ards –the King Cake efor Best tomeris sherewith that’s the artofthe no’s Owner thriveson plehappy ustomers ntheysee tbecause omuch. It eart.” more about continues evolving ekeeping ront doyoulook employees? antpeople itudeand onality. We calskills, ecorators. However, we have foundthat if people have adesiretolearn andateammentality,wecan trainthemonthe technical aspectsofthe job more easily than we canteach somebody howtohaveagoodpersonality andwork well with others What aresomerecenttrendsyou’venoticed in customer requests?

start ordering additional supplies forboxes and otherpackaging.InAugust or September, we start coordinating with oursuppliers foringredients andtrainingour king cake crews. We bringinsome extrastaff around Christmasbecause we do some Christmaskingcakes.Bythe

We’veseenmorepeoplewho want simplisticcakes with straight linesand splashes of color, especially metallic shades.We’re seeing less people whowant theheavy drapingoncakes.Peoplewantaclean andmodernlook. Flavor-wise, more customersare goingtowardmilderorsubtleflavorsratherthan somethingbig andbold. They want ahintofflavor withoutitbeing overpowering It’s importanttoustokeepupwiththose kindsof trends.Sites like Pinterestand Instagramchanged things alot becauseassoonassomething newis posted,we’ll have people come to us to askfor it.I wouldsay 90 percentofour custom ordersstart with someonebringinginapicture they sawonlineand asking us to replicateit. Gambino’skingcakesarealwayspopular.How do youstart to preparefor theCarnivalseason? We actually startpreparing for thefollowing year theday afterMardi Gras.Inthe summer,we

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Medicaid cuts an issueinmidterm congressionalelections

Democratstouse cuts againstGOP whileJohnson says, ‘Bring it on’

WASHINGTON —With B-2s flying overhead during an Independence Day ceremony,President Donald Trump signed the Republicans’One Big BeautifulBill Act into law

With that signature, Trump created one of the main battlefieldsin the fight to control Congress, where Republicans can afford to losenomore than three seats in the House and four in the Senate.

Mark Ballard

Looking at aseries of polls that indicate the bill’sunpopularity nationwide, Democrats haveresolved to make the 2026 midterm elections about cuts to Medicaid Even in Louisiana,where Republicans dominate the statewide political scene, both parties are gearing up to argue the merits and faults of the billthatcodifies much of Trump’sagenda.

House SpeakerMike Johnson, R-Benton, and other Republicans have been talking up how they believe the legislation’stax breaks will help working Americans and will energize the U.S. economy Democratic officials arecounting the number of rural hospitals they say will closeand the number of people they say will lose health care to pay for those tax cuts. On Fox News Sunday,Johnson pooh-poohed Democraticopposition and challenged the minority to “bring it on.”

“Our Republicans are going to be out across the countrytelling the simple truth, and guess what?,” Johnson said, “Everyone

Kennedystumps for Trump spending cuts

will havemore take-home pay They’ll have morejobs and opportunity.The economy will be doingbetter.And we will be able to point to that as theobvious result of what we did.”

Party campaign organizations and theirsupporting issue groups are alreadyrollingout advertisingthat either blasts or exalts the bill.

Theconservativegrassroots group AmericansFor Prosperity,for example, paid for acommercial that called the tax cuts a “historic win.” House Democrats launched adstargeting 35 Republicans for backing reductions to Medicaid, according to New Jersey Spotlight News.

“Elections have consequences, and this bill is an example of what Republicans will do with unchecked power,” said Rep.Troy Carter,D-New Orleans. “I’m going to makesure Louisianians know exactly what this bill does, so that they can be informed voters in the 2026 midterms.”

Carter was speaking prior to hosting aThursday night town hall on the Xavier University campus in New Orleansthat featured top Democratic chiefs, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. The New York Democrat made anumber of appearances last week, from news shows on MSNBCto“The View,” adaytime talk show

“Weare going to do everything we can, no matter how long it takes, to reverse the damage being done to the American people,” Jeffries said Thursday night. Democrats will have to contendwith the new law’s timing. Most voterswill see lower tax bills when they file their federal income tax returns by April 15, 2026. Butthe restrictions Democrats fear —and someexperts predict —will lead eventually to closed rural hospitals and millions losing their health care coverage won’tbegin until January 2027 and 2028 in somecases. Midterms conclude in November 2026.

That’swhy Louisiana Demo-

crats are looking forchallengers with certain skills in four of the six House districts with Republican incumbents, said Randal Gaines, chair of the state party He wants to find seasoned candidates whowon’tbuckle under the national scrutiny sure to accompany races in astate that is hometothe top twoGOP House leaders and amember of the powerful House Appropriations Committee.

Gaines wants candidates who have ahistory of public service and of getting things done. Someone whocan articulate in kitchen table termsthe coming, but not yet arrived, impact of the new law on Medicaid.

Republican incumbents represent about 848,400 Medicaid constituents whowere part of Trump’s58% to 60% Louisiana wins in three presidential elections.

Louis Reine, whose state AFLCIOcomprises asignificant block of Democratic voters, says the midterm elections will increase the conversation in Louisiana but likely won’tchange the roster of Republican congresspersons.

“I don’tsee it happening in a very,very red state” like Louisiana, where Republicans hold all the statewide posts and the Legislature, Reine said Thursday However,inswing districts that could go either way,Democratic pressure on the Trumpbill could makeadifference, he said. Though Republicans did winand did embarrass Democrats last year,Trumpwon the election by only 1.5% of the vote nationwide. “Ifthe Democratic argument resonates in the congressional districts that are not really blue or really red and that swings four or five districts, it could totally change the balance in Congress,” Reine said.

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

The U.S. Senate is running out of time to approve President Donald Trump’sproposaltoax about $9.4 billion in spending on variousfederalprograms, including public broadcasting and HIV prevention programs abroad. Sen. John Kennedy,RMadisonville is among the senators pushing to approve what’s called a“rescissions” package, which rescinds funding Congress had previously authorized.

CAPITOL BUZZ staff reports

In speeches from the Senate floor andop-eds, Kennedy has said the bill slashes “spending porn,” or programs he believes are awaste of taxpayer resources approved during the Biden administration. “If my colleagues still think this spending is necessary,they should vote no on [Trump’s] re-

By MANUEL BALCECENETA Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, listens to fellowlawmakers speak duringthe SenateAppropriations full committee markupofbills Thursday in Washington.

quest,” Kennedy wrote in aNew York Post op-ed. “But hereon planet Earth, the American people know they could be spending this moneyfar better than the deeply weird, woke bureaucrats they’ve already voted out of office.”

Kennedy has highlighted foreign aid programs he thinks are wasteful, such as “$3 million on circumcisions and vasectomies in Zambia, $500,000 on electric buses in Rwanda and $67,000 to feed insect powder to children in Madagascar.”

Buthe’salso amongthe most prominent senators calling for Congresstoaxfunding forthe Corporationfor Public Broadcasting, whichsupports NPR and PBS.

“Theremay have been atime decades ago whenAmericans needed public broadcasting to get thenews. Today, Americans have thousands of free news and entertainment options —yet only NPR andPBS get$1.1billion from taxpayers,” Kennedy wrote. “When acountry has racked up more than$36 trillion in debt,choosing to fund unneeded and biased public broadcasting is cell-deep stupid.” Butthe cuts to public broadcasting have alarmed other senators, including ahandful of Republicans who have expressed uneaseatapproving the rescissions package.

Others areuneasywith slashing funding forPEPFAR, an international program aimed at fighting the spread of HIV that was apriorityofformer President George W. Bush.

Trump haspublicly threatened to withhold endorsements from any senator who doesn’tvote to approve the package.

Feds designate Ouachita River

The U.S. DepartmentofTransportation hasdesignated the OuachitaRiveraU.S.Marine Highway,whichmakes governments, industries andshipping companies on the605-mile waterway eligible fornew categories of infrastructure grants.

“The OuachitaRiverisawonderful natural resource withvast economicpotential,especially in a regionbuilt by commoditieswhich relyonreliablemodes of transportation,” U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,the Start Republican who represents thedistrict. “This designation will spur rural economicdevelopment andincrease opportunities for infrastructure improvements and job creation.”

The riverhas been designated Marine Highway M-167.

“This is actually pretty huge!” saidBrandon Waggoner,vice president of theOuachita River ValleyAssociation,inanews release. “The Ouachita Riverbrings so much to thepeoplewithinthe OuachitaRiverBasin, andweare excited to announce this major development. It is amajor step in the revitalization of theriver.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN McCUSKER

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.y.,from left, joined Democratic congressional colleagues Rep. DebbieWassermanSchultz of Florida, Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois and Rep. Nanette Barragan of Californiaata healthcare town hall with Rep Troy Carter,D-NewOrleans, on ThursdayatXavier University in NewOrleans.

Trumpannounces 30% tariffsto beginAug.1

BY AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

BRIDGEWATER, N.J.— President Donald Trump on Saturday announced he’slevying tariffs of 30%against theEuropean Union and Mexico starting Aug. 1, amove that could cause massive upheaval between the United States and two of its biggest trade partners.

Trump detailed the planned tariffs in letters posted to his social media account. They arepartofanannouncement blitz by Trump of new tariffs aimed at allies and foes alike, abedrock of his 2024 campaign that he said would set the foundationfor reviving a U.S. economy that he claims has been ripped off by other nations for decades.

In his letter to Mexico’s leader,President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump acknowledged that the country has been helpful in stemming the flow of undocumented migrants and fentanyl into the United States. Buthesaid the country has not doneenough to stop North America from turning into a“Narco-Trafficking Playground.”

“Mexico has been helping me secure the border,BUT, what Mexico has done, is not enough,” Trump added.

Trump in his letter to the European Union said that the U.S. trade deficit wasa national security threat.

“Wehave had years to discuss our Trading Relationship with The European Union, and we have concluded we must move away from these long-term, large, and persistent, Trade Deficits, engendered by your Tariff, and Non-Tariff,Policies, andTrade Barriers,” Trump wrote in the letter to the EU “Our relationship has been, unfortunately,far from Reciprocal.”

The letters come in the

midst of an on-and-off Trump threat to impose tariffson countriesand right animbalance in trade.Trump inApril imposed tariffs on dozens of countries, before pausing them for 90 days to negotiate individualdeals. As the three-monthgrace period ended thisweek, Trump begansending histariffletters to leaders butagain has pushed back the implementation dayfor whathe sayswill be just afew more weeks.

If he moves forward with thetariffs, it couldhaveramificationsfor nearlyeveryaspectofthe globaleconomy

Responses

European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen responded by notingthe bloc’s“commitment to dialogue, stability,and a constructive transatlantic partnership.”

“At the same time, we will take allnecessary steps to safeguard EU interests, includingthe adoptionof proportionatecountermeasures if required,” vonder Leyen said in astatement.

Vonder Leyen added that theEUremainscommitted to continuing negotiations with the U.S. and coming to an agreement before Aug. 1. Trade ministers fromEU countries are scheduled to meet Monday to discuss trade relations with the U.S., aswell as with China. European leaders joined von derLeyen in urging Trump to give negotiations more time and warningsofpossible newtariffson Washington.

“With European unity,it is more than ever up to the Commission toassert the Union’sdetermination to resolutely defend European interests,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a statement posted on X.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni’soffice said “it would

make no sense to triggera trade war between the two sides of the Atlantic.”

DanishForeign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen told broadcaster DR that Trump was taking a“pointlessand averyshort-sighted approach.” Swedish PrimeMinister Ulf Kristersson warned in an interview with SVT that “everyone loses out from an escalated tradeconflict, and it will be U.S. consumers who pay the highest price.”

Trump, as he hasinprevious letters, warned that his administrationwould further raise tariffs if the EU attempts to hike itsown tariffs on the United States.

The Mexican government said it was informed during high-leveltalks with U.S State Department officials Fridaythatthe Trumpletter was coming. Thedelegation told Trump officials at the meeting it disagreed withthe decision and considered it “unfair treatment,” according to aMexican government statement.

Sheinbaum, whohas sought to avoiddirectly criticizing Trump in the early going of herpresidency, expresseda measure of confidence during apublic appearance on Saturday thatthe U.S. andMexico will reach “better terms.”

“I’ve always said that in these cases, youneed acool head to face anyproblem,” Sheinbaum said.

With the reciprocal tariffs, Trump is effectivelyblowing up therules governing world trade. Fordecades, the United States and most other countriesabidedbytariff rates set through aseries of complex negotiations known as theUruguay round. Countriescould settheir own tariffs, but underthe “mostfavored nation” approach, they couldn’tcharge onecountry more thanthey charged another

BY HYUNG-JIN KIM Associated Press

SEOUL,South Korea Russia’sforeign ministeron Saturday warned the U.S., South Koreaand Japan against forminga security partnership targeting North Korea as he visited hiscountry’sally for talks on furthersolidifying their booming military and other cooperation.

RussianForeign MinisterSergey Lavrov spoke at North Korea’seastern Wonsancity,where he met the country’sleader,Kim JongUn, andconveyed greetings from President VladimirPutin.

Relationsbetween Russia andNorth Korea have been flourishing in recent years, with North Korea supplying troops and ammunition to support Russia’s war againstUkraine in return for military and economicassistance. That has raised concerns among South Korea, theU.S.and othersthatRussia might alsotransfer to North Koreasensitive technologies that can increase thedan-

ger of its nuclear and missile programs. Speaking with reporters after ameeting with his North Korean counterpart Choe SonHui, Lavrov accused the U.S., South Korea and Japan of what he called their military buildups around North Korea.

“Wewarn against exploitingthese ties to build alliances directed against anyone,including North Korea and, of course, Russia,”hesaid, accordingto Russia’s state Tass news agency

The U.S., South Korea and Japan have been expandingorrestoring theirtrilateralmilitary exercises in response to North Korea’sadvancing nuclearprogram.OnFriday, thethree countries held ajoint air drill involvingU.S.nuclear-capable bombers near theKorean Peninsula, as their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to ceaseall unlawful activities that threaten regional security

NorthKorea views major U.S.-ledmilitary drills

as invasion rehearsals. It has long argued that it’s forced to developnuclear weapons to defend itself from U.S. military threats.

Lavrov said Russia understands North Korea’s decision to seek nuclear weapons.

“The technologiesused by North Korea arethe result of thework of its own scientists. We respect North Korea’saspirations andunderstand the reasons whyitispursuing nuclear development,” Lavrov said, according to Tass.

During theirmeeting, Choe reiterated that North Korea“unconditionally” supports Russia’sfight againstUkraine, as Lavrov repeated Russia’sgratitude for the contribution that North Korean troops made in efforts to repel a Ukrainianincursioninto Russia’sKursk border region.

Wonsan city,the meetingvenue, is where North Korearecently opened a mammoth beach resort that it says can accommodate nearly 20,000 people.

that followed, an independent-minded Senate killed two of Landry’skey initiatives and failed to accepta third one. In the end, though, propelled by strong,bipartisan backing in the House, the Legislature handed Landry important political wins by approving measures that aim to make people healthier and stem the rising cost of auto insurance.

“Wehave kept our word and proved that bold reform is notaspirational —it’spossible,” Landry said in astatement immediately after the session ended.

Along the way,Landry hasengaged in aseries of high-profile fights with an array of fellow Republicans, including Insurance Commissioner TimTemple, state Sen. Alan Seabaugh, of Shreveport, andstate Treasurer John Fleming. Conservative talk radio host Moon Griffon accused Landryof being too close to trial lawyers

Post-session, Landry has held four bill signings over thepast three weekstoburnish his achievements and has appeared on two conservative talk radio programs.

“The good news is that the Legislature has gone home,” said BerniePinsonat, aveteran pollsterand political consultant in Baton Rouge.

“He primarily has thestage to himself. He has the bully pulpit.Hegets to go across the state and tout his successes with the Legislature and what it means forvoters.”

In recent days, Landry has also penned acolumn for the conservative website The Hayride, wherehe explained away his troubles during thelegislativesession by writing that he confronted “powerful special interests.” He said he took on trial lawyers and insurance companies over how to stem rising rates, adding, “Weruffled alot of other feathers this session but passed serious reforms.”

Said NewOrleans-based pollster Ron Faucheux: “He is putting his markersdown and saying what he accomplished. He’sdoing exactly what he should be doing post-session.”

Landry declined to be interviewed for this article.

“Weworked everysingle dayduring session for the people of Louisiana,” Kate Kelly,the governor’sspokes-

railroaded them.”

But Landry vetoed one pro-insurance bill by Seabaugh.

Griffon respondedby playing aclip from aReba McEntire song,“YouLie,” interspersedwith audio where Landry told legislators one day during the legislative session that he would sign everypro-insurance bill they sent him.

When Landry appeared on Griffon’sprogram on June 26, the two talked over each other while the governor defendedhis decision, sayingitwas actually an anticonsumer bill. Landry also took ashotatSeabaugh, saying that Seabaugh stood to benefitpersonally from thebillbecause he is an attorneywho defendsinsurance companies.

at the expense of U.S. Rep. Garret Graves, R-Baton Rouge.

Landry told lawmakers then that they had to create the second Black-majority districtinLouisiana to satisfy the federal courts. But the Supreme Court has yet to determine that, announcingitwould put offa decisiononwhethertoaccept the redrawn districts until next year

“A Republican districtwas flipped to aDemocratic district,” Treasurer John Fleming said. “It’sclear that that wasnot necessary.”

Bossier City “on reining in big governmentand bringing folksfromdependence to independence.”

Twodayslater,Landry hosteda pep-style rally as he signed abill in Baton Rouge withHealth Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.that mimics President Trump’sMake America Healthy Again movement.

On thatday,Landryalso appeared on the talk radio program of conservative host Brian Haldane. There, in answer to friendly questions, Landry extolled what happened duringthe legislative session.

person, saidina statement.

“Wewere focused on passing real reforms that continue to move our stateforward —and we got historical results. All of our polling reflects that.”

Pinsonatbelievesthat

Landryistryingtoboost his less-than-stellarresults in polls taken earlier thisyear

“The polling numbers I’ve seen show he has to repair thedamage,”said Pinsonat.

“Being visible allaround the state,taking credit for this and that, is something I would be doingtotry to improve my pollnumbers. You don’t want low approval ratings to stay for alongperiod of time. It becomes the way you’reviewed.”

Landry received middling results in asurveyof likely votersconducted immediately after the March amendmentdefeats, byPinsonat andGreg Rigamer for conservative business owner LaneGrigsby.Asmany voters —45% —offered favorableviews as unfavorableviews, while 45% said Louisianaisheadinginthe wrongdirection. Only 38% saidthe state is heading in the rightdirection

Asurvey taken two weeks later by Baton Rouge pollster John Couvillon for attorney John Carmouche, a foe of oil and gas companies, gave the governor worse marks. Only 32% of likely voters gave Landryafavorable rating,while 48%gave an unfavorable rating.

Fights with Republicans

During thetwo-monthlegislative session that began April 14, Landry kept alow public profile,rarelyappearingbeforethe press to push hisinitiatives.

He becamemired in legislative fights, with theSenate ultimately blocking three of his initiatives. In one case, he sought to rollback anti-equity andinclusion programs at universities. In another,hewanted to prevent CVS from owning drugstores while also owning pharmacy benefit manager companies. In athird case, he sought to nearly double spending on his LA GATOR school voucher program, but senators insisted on maintaininglast year’s lower amount.

For the first time during his time as governor,a sizable numberofHouse Republicansrebelled, dividing over his toplegislativepriority,House Bill 148. Critics said Landrypushed it so he could blame Temple if insurance rates continue to soar

Griffon frequently blasted Landry for promoting the billand said the governor sided too often with trial lawyers, who tussle with insurance companies every year over proposed changes thatwould make it harder for injuredpeople to sue and win bigpaydays. Trial lawyers contributed heavily to Landry’scampaign when he was elected governorin 2023.

Landry pushedback on Griffon’snarrative when he appeared on Griffon’sshow on June 26, saying theinsurance industry in 2020 had identified seven measures that needed to pass in Louisiana to hold down insurance ratesbyreducing theirlegal payouts. Allseven measures passed this year,Landry said.

“I just took themtothe woodshed,” thegovernor said of trial lawyers. “We

Seabaugh has becomethe most prominent critic of Landry among the 144 state legislators.

On Griffon’s programlast week, Seabaugh criticized Landry for issuing line-item vetoes of infrastructure projectssponsored by legislators who had voted against HB148, the TimTemple bill.

“He’s not vetoing bills because of what they say,” Seabaugh told Griffon. “It’sbecause of who is the author.”

ASupreme Court decision on June 27 ignited complaints that Landry misled state legislators in pushing them last year to create aseat for U.S.Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge,

Landry has gained afoe in Fleming after newsreports held that thegovernoristrying to entice U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,R-Start, to join FleminginchallengingU.S. Sen. Bill Cassidyinnextyear’s Republican primary

Fleming said Landry has made ahabit of making enemiesofpeoplewho don’t side with him

“He tries to put fearin people he’s supposedtobe workingwith,”Fleming said.

Landry hits theroad

Landry launched hispostsession public relations campaign on June 24 in Baton Rouge by signing abill that he saidwouldlower prescription drug costs by reining in pharmacy benefit managers,who actasmiddlemen.

Aday later,heheld an event with the press in

“Every daybecomes abetterand betterday in Louisiana,” he told Haldane. “We have signedsome monumental bills.”

On June 30, Landry held another bill signinginBaton Rouge, this timefor bills that he said would stem car insurancerate increases and another that he said would accelerate road repair and building projects by the state Department of Transportation.

Couvillon, the pollster, said he believes that Landry is making asmartdecision by stepping up his public profile.

“This is part of the accessibility you need to have if you’re an incumbent governor,” Couvillon said.

Email TylerBridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JILLPICKETT

Gov. Jeff LandryspeaksonJune 25 during abill signing event at Cyber InnovationCenter in Bossier City.

LDEN DEEDS

TheGoldenDeeds awardisthe most prestigious awardinthe GreaterBaton Rougearea. Since itsinception in 1942,ithas been awardedtoonlyone outstanding recipienteachyearfor philanthropic servicetothe community. Theactions andservice of therecipientshavemadethe communityabetterplace to live andwork.

The Golden DeedsAward nominationsinclude thenine-parish BatonRouge Metropolitan Statistical Area whichcovers East BatonRouge,WestBaton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, Livingston,St. Helena,EastFeliciana,WestFeliciana andPointeCoupee.

Explainwhy your nomineeshouldreceive theGoldenDeeds Award. Tell us in your own words about themostmemorable things they’vedoneinservice to thecommunity Tellushow theiractionstouched your heart; howtheymadeadifference Give specificexamples of what they’vedone. Maximumof750 words.

Nominations must meet specific requirements to be considered.

SAVE THEDATE: GOLDEN DEEDSAWARD

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

CROWNE PLAZAEXECUTIVE CENTER 4728 CONSTITUTIONAVE •BATON ROUGE Tickets$50 each •Group tables available To purchase tickets, contact RichardFlicker at flicker@premier.net or 225-931-1626

PRESENTEDBY

Mail nomination letters to The Advocate attn: Ellen Ducote P.O. Box588 Baton Rouge, LA 70821 or email educote@theadvocate.com Honoring Philanthropy Since1942

RosarioMartina

Mike Rolfsen, M.D

RalphBender

FrankMcArthurII

.CharlesLamar III

THE GULF COAST

Newlaw meansseafood restaurant menu changes

Establishments must sayifshrimpare imported or domestic

BY LILLIAN FOSTER Sun Herald

Mississippi’snew seafood labeling law went into effect Tuesday, forcing some Coast restaurants to make changes.PassedonJune 10, an expansion of House Bill 602 requires all seafood and crawfish sold in the state to be labeled as either “domestic” or “imported” on all signage, menus, packaging and online listings.

Atask force composed of the MississippiDepartment of Marine Resourcesand the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce willensure that wholesalers, processors, retailers and food service establishments comply with the law.

MSDMR Executive Director General JoeSpraggins said the law is meant to give consumers more transparency when purchasing seafood.

“When people come toSouth Mississippi and walkinto arestaurant, they’re expectingto get Gulf seafood or something that’s grown in America,” Spraggins said.“Youdon’tknow what you’re getting when you buy theimport, but you know what you’re getting when you buy domestic because the United States has lawsand domestic seafood is processed the right way.”

Violations begin with athreeday notice and can resultincivil fines of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to six months. Anyone whoviolatesthe lawdue to good faith reliance on wholesaler documentationwill not be penalized.

“As long as you show me intent, we’ll work with you until you can correct whatever you need tocorrect,” Spraggins said.

Industry support Bethany Fayard, vice president and director of operations

at Ocean Springs Seafood Inc., saidshe’s been looking forward to the lawever since asimilar one was put into effect in Louisiana in January

“I’vebeenfightingfor this change for along timebecause Isaw what abig difference it made in Louisiana,” Fayard said “I would like to see it done nationally.”

Fayard said she expects domestic shrimpsales to increase following the implementation of the law.

“Restaurant owners don’twant to admit that they’re selling imports,” Fayard said.

“Our economy needs to support ourfisheriesand our shrimp fac-

tories.”

Sean Desporte, owner of Desporte Seafood,saidhis company has always clearly labeled its seafood for customers.

“Wedothe right thing —the way it’ssupposed to be done,” Desporte said. “I think it’s great,because Iwanteverybody to do the same thing we do.”

Frank Miller,amanager at Desporte,said complying with thelaw hasn’tbeen achallenge so far

“Most of my time is going to explaining this to my customers becausethey’remore freaked out thanweare,” Miller said.

Confusion, concernovernew law

Not everyone is in support of

selling or processing seafood is only requiredtoindicate whether theproductis“domestic” or “imported.”

Thelabel must be in afont size equaltothatofthe product name, and any item containing amix of domestic and imported seafood must be labeledas“imported.”

Genin said he hopes officials will providerestaurants withclarity regarding labeling requirements.

“Nobody hasreached outtoany restaurant that Iknow of to tell us exactly whatwe’resupposed to do,” Genin said.

Shane Bernard, the owner of Rags to Riches bar andrestaurant on the Bay St. Louis beach, echoed concerns aboutconfusion regarding thelaw,but said he supports the overallconcept.

“I’mall forit, because Ithink that there should be truth in advertising,” Bernard said. “Most people, giventhe option, would not want to pay the upcharge for the domestic shrimp, but we’re still going to try to give themthat option.”

Some importslackinquality

DavidGautier,owner of Gautier’satthe Harbor,said he believes more consumers would be willing to pay higherprices if they better understood thequalitydifferences in mostimported seafood.

thelaw.Thomas Genin, owner of Butcher Block Steakhouse andThe Blind Tigerrestaurants, questioned the law’snecessity

“At the end of the day,nobody really cares where it comes from,” Genin said. “This is all a bunch of noise starting and coming from afew commercial lobbyistgroups.” Thelaw expands on aprevious country of origin seafood labeling requirementfor crawfish andshrimp, but its name initially caused confusion, leading many to believe they would need to list thespecificcountry of origin in additiontolabeling products as “domestic” or “imported.” Under House Bill 602, anyone

“The consumerhas been duped foryears withimportedproducts that do not match the quality of what they’re being sold,” Gautier said.

According to Fayard, many imported products are aresult of aquaculture —apractice of farming aquatic animals thatoften involves the use of antibiotics and hormones.

“It’snot anaturalprocess, and thewater is disgusting,” Fayard said. “They have to use allthese supplementstoraise them,and you’re putting that in your body as opposed to anaturally wild-caught product.”

“Bynomeans areall imports bad, but someofthem—they’re not fit forlandfill,” Gautier said.

SUN HERALD PHOTO By HANNAH RUHOFF

BY PATRICK WHITTLE and ALLEN G. BREED Associated Press

GLOUCESTER POINT,Va Stepping onto an old wooden duck blind in the middle of the York River, Bryan Watts looks down at a circle of sticks and pine cones on the weathered, guano-spattered platform It’s a failed osprey nest, taken over by diving terns.

“The birds never laid here this year,” said Watts, near the mouth of Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay “And that’s a pattern we’ve been seeing these last couple of years.”

Watts has a more intimate relationship with ospreys than most people have with a bird — he has climbed to their nests to free them from plastic bags, fed them by hand and monitored their eggs with telescopic mirrors

The fish-eating raptor known for gymnastic dives and whistle-like chirps is an American conservation success story After pesticides and other hazards nearly eliminated the species from much of the country,

every year since 1951 Members of the industry tout its sustainability and said the decline in osprey may have nothing to do with fishing. But without help, the osprey population could tumble to levels not seen since the dark days of DDT, said Watts, director of the Center for Conservation Biology at The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia.

erage 1.15

chicks per year

the hawk-like bird rebounded after the banning of DDT in 1972 and now numbers in the thousands in the U.S.

Environmental indicator

Watts’s claim has put him and environmental groups at odds with the fishing industry, trade unions and sometimes government regulators. Menhaden is valuable for fish oil, fish meal and agricultural food as well as bait.

U.S. fishermen have caught at least 1.1 billion pounds of menhaden

But Watts has documented an alarming trend. The birds, which breed in many parts of the U.S., are failing to successfully fledge enough chicks around their key population center of the Chesapeake Bay The longtime biologist blames the decline of menhaden, a small schooling fish critical to the osprey diet. Without menhaden to eat, chicks are starving and dying in nests, Watts said.

“The osprey are yelling pretty loudly that, hey, there’s not enough menhaden for us to reproduce successfully,” Watts said. “And we should be listening to them to be more informed fully on the fisheries side, and we should take precaution on the fisheries management side. But that hasn’t won the day at this point.”

Decline linked to menhaden

Watts, who has studied osprey on the Chesapeake for decades, has backed his claims of population decline by publishing studies in scientific journals. He said it boils down to a simple statistic to maintain population, osprey pairs need to av-

Osprey were reproducing at that level in the 1980s, but today in some areas around the main stem of the Chesapeake, it’s less than half of that, Watts said In particularly distressed areas, they aren’t even reproducing at one-tenth that level, he said And the decline in available menhaden matches the areas of nesting failure, Watts said. Also called pogies or bunkers, the oily menhaden are especially important for young birds because they are more nutritious than other fish in the sea. Osprey “reproductive performance is inextricably linked to the availability and abundance” of menhaden, Watts wrote in a 2023 study published in Frontiers in Marine Science. Conservationists have been concerned for years, saying too many menhaden have been removed to maintain their crucial role in the ocean food chain. Historian H. Bruce Franklin went so far as to title his 2007 book on menhaden “The Most Important Fish In The Sea.”

Lunge seen in video, BRPD chief says

Body camera footage of July 5 shooting incident released

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Baton Rouge police released body

camera footage Friday of a July 5

officer-involved shooting in which 38-year-old Anthony Pursley was killed.

In a statement issued with the edited footage, Police Chief Thomas Morse summarized the incident, saying that Pursley lunged at officers while armed with a pair of scissors.

Officers originally were called to the residence in the 5100 block of Washington Avenue by a man, who

School districts weigh stipends, raises

St. Helena, Livingston officials explore options

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

Two school districts in the Baton Rouge region with the lowest starting teacher pay rates are hoping to pay employees more the next school year but still haven’t made any final decisions.

Both superintendents from St. Helena and Livingston parishes recently expressed an interest to give extra money to school employees whether it be through a one-time stipend or a raise. Ahead of the upcoming school year, a handful of nearby school districts such as Ascension and Iberville parishes, have approved permanent raises Other districts, such as West Baton Rouge, approved one-time stipends A new statewide stipend added $2,000 to all public school districts.

St. Helena Parish public schools have the lowest starting teacher pay rate at $43,000, including the state stipend, in the greater Baton Rouge region.

While the district’s operating budget was finalized at the July 10 School Board meeting, St. Helena Parish school district

Superintendent Kelli Joseph said the district wants to implement an employee stipend, but that officials are still poring over the budget to see what they can afford.

“We really would love to give all of our employees a stipend,” Joseph said. “All of the neighboring parishes are providing a stipend to their employees, and we would like to do the same.” Livingston Parish’s public school district, which has a closer starting teacher pay to its neighbors compared to St. Helena Parish, has not settled on its employee compensation package for the 2025-26 school year, as of early July

Superintendent Jody Purvis said he and other district officials are still trying to determine if there is room for a permanent starting pay raise or a stipend. Livingston Parish students start school Aug. 8 and St. Helena Parish students start Aug. 5. Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@theadvocate. com.

in 911 call recordings identifies himself as Pursley’s cousin.

In the recording and in conversations with officers, the man said Pursley was high on crack cocaine and was known to suffer from mental health problems. The man also said his 88-year-old grandmother, who was in hospice, was inside the house with Pursley.

The man said Pursley had earlier pushed him down outside the home.

As officers approach the residence in the video, hooting and shouting can be heard from inside.

The officers requested backup as well as EMS services.

One officer can be heard saying he is prepping a nonlethal device, in this case a Taser According to Morse’s statement, the other officer armed himself with his handgun, following BRPD training and policy

As officers open the door, Pursley can be seen shirtless, in shorts, and carrying a pair of scissors at his side. Officers cannot be heard identifying themselves as police when they enter

One officer begins to speak to Pursley, saying “Hey Anth- “ before seeing the scissors and yelling for Pursley to drop them The officer

points his Taser Pursley raises the scissors, pointing them at officers as he yells back something incoherent. In the seconds before Pursley is shot, he sways back and forth on his feet, refuses to drop the scissors and continues to speak incoherently

In Morse’s statement, he describes Pursley’s next action as lunging toward officers with the scissors. The video shows this action in slow-motion, with Pursley stepping back before leaning forward.

The edited video highlights how

close Pursley’s scissors came to one of the officers, saying they nearly reached him. In Morse’s statement, he said that both officers were forced to fire their weapons almost simultaneously as Pursley lunged toward them in an “apparent attack.”

Previous statements from police characterized the shooting as having followed the use of a Taser that failed to subdue Pursley In the video, the officers report shots fired and begin to administer emergency medical aid to Pursley One officer opens and applies a “vented chest seal,” a special plastic bandage meant to be applied to

TOP: Shop owner Rozlan Fransen, top right, provides instruction to customers during a dried floral arrangement teacup workshop on Thursday at the Baton Rouge Succulent Co. shop

ABOVE: Rebecca Ladmirault adds a touch of purple to her dried floral masterpiece.

RIGHT: Shannon Tate holds an assortment

BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

The East Baton Rouge Parish school system is poised to more than double what it spends maintaining, and in some cases replac-

ing, its heating and air-condition-

BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer

STAFF PHOTOS By HILARy SCHEINUK

Former Port Allen council member dies unexpectedly

Lacy remembered as a ‘pillar of the community’

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Former Port Allen City Council member Clerice Lacy, a prominent organizer and community volunteer, died suddenly over the weekend, her family announced

Lacy often used her platform to advocate for equality and local government transparency

“She was the voice for the people that didn’t have a voice,” said Port Allen Police Chief Donovan Mitchell, a friend of Lacy. “It meant a lot to the people to know that they had somebody that they can count on.”

VIDEO

Continued from page 1B

both an entry and exit wound to the abdomen.

Despite pixilated censoring in the video, a large pool of blood can be seen forming beneath Pursley as he lies on the ground. Officers can be heard saying “C’mon Anthony, stay with me” while requesting EMS to arrive sooner Text over the video says officers continued to apply CPR for approximately eight minutes until EMS arrived. Pursley was pronounced dead at the scene.

“I have shared the video with representatives of the family and my condolences go out to them, as it is tragic whenever a life is lost under any circumstances,” Morse’s statement reads.

Both officers remain on administrative leave following the shooting, as is BRPD policy

The body-camera footage can be found on the city-parish’s website.

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.

NUCLEAR

Continued from page 1B

inspections.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which issues the findings, called the group’s methodology flawed and not in line with how it operates Entergy dismissed the report as inaccurate and not “in good faith.”

The raw tallies of NRC safety findings from 2022-2024 made the plants along the Mississippi River the first- and second-most-cited single-unit plants in the nation over the three-year period, it said Waterford 3 in New Orleans had the fifth-most findings.

But the NRC says all three Entergy plants remain in the regulator’s “highest performance category in safety and security after the agency applies its “action matrix” that accounts for a variety of factors, not just safety and security findings.

“The NRC uses multiple inputs to assess performance, including inspector findings and objective performance indicators showing how well a plant is performing when measured against established thresholds,” Victor Dricks, NRC spokesperson, said in a statement

“The assessment process allows NRC to integrate various information sources relevant to plant safety performance, make objective conclusions regarding their significance, take actions based on these conclusions in a predictable manner, and effectively communicate these results to licensees and the public.”

Questioning the system

The Union of Concerned Scientists used a relatively new NRC database to generate the tallies. Most, if not all, of the findings the group uncovered were rated “green,” the lowest risk category that doesn’t trigger extra levels of scrutiny from the nuclear agency “Green” findings have “very low safety significance,” the NRC says.

But the group faults this colorcoding system and created its own metric to try to assess what a large number of “green” findings might mean for plant safety It equated five “green” findings to one “white” finding and weighted the results. A “white” finding, the next risk category up from “green,” represents “low to moderate safety significance,” the NRC says White and other worse findings spark additional NRC oversight Using the Union of Concerned Scientists’ metric, the group

Lacy was elected as council member at-large in 2020 and served for four years. In November 2024, she raised concerns about the council race’s election integrity, alleging a member of the planning and zoning commission offered to donate to her reelection campaign if she convinced a colleague to drop out of a race for another seat.

Lacy also helped lead the “Stop the Violence” annual kickball game and worked with the Justice for Fatrell initiative, established after the unsolved murder of Fatrell Queen in 2017.

We are forever grateful for her contributions to our community,” the Port Allen Police Department wrote in a Facebook

post, as messages of grief flooded the comment section. “She will be dearly missed.”

Her daughter, Angel, wrote on Lacy’s account that her mother died on July 5. Three days before, Lacy had posted about recovery from spinal surgery following a back injury Lacy said she had a diagnosis of incomplete paraplegia

Her last post was about a backto-school giveaway, reminding her followers there would be free haircuts, dreads and braids

A post on Lacy’s Facebook account after her death said that the giveaway, set for Aug. 3 will continue in honor of her legacy

The event will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at L’Bella’s Hair and Beauty Salon, 724 N. Jeffer-

son Ave., in Port Allen, and offer free school supplies, haircuts and hair braiding. Mitchell said Lacy was a “sweet woman” who always wanted to help people. They became friends working together at McDonald’s when he was a teenager Lacy always supported him, he said — even calling him “chief” before he got the job.

“She always believed in me,” Mitchell said. “Even when I doubted myself, she believed that I was gonna be chief one day.”

Lacy knew how to speak up when she felt something was wrong, while keeping friendships intact, Mitchell said.

“That’s one of the things we will miss about her, her passion to be a voice for and a pillar of the community,” he said.

STILL FROM VIDEO PROVIDED By BATON ROUGE POLICE DEPARTMENT

A image captured from police body-worn camera footage shows Baton Rouge police enter a home on July 5 before fatally shooting Anthony Pursley, a 38-year-old man who was armed with scissors.

ranked the three Entergy plants first, second and third on its ”Terrible Thirteen” nationwide listing for single-unit reactors.

In the three-year period analyzed, Waterford 3 had 32 “green” findings and four “white” ones; River Bend in St. Francisville had 60 “green” findings and two “white” findings; Grand Gulf in Port Gibson Mississippi had 58 “green” findings, including 27 in 2024, but no “white” findings.

“River Bend and Grand Gulf are by far the worst violators,” the report says. “This does not come as a surprise, as accusations of financial problems and mismanagement of its nuclear fleet have swirled around Entergy for decades.”

Entergy also has a dual nuclear reactor plant in central Arkansas.

The report pointed out that the Louisiana Public Service Commission and other officials filed a complaint in 2021 against Entergy The state officials alleged to the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission that “safety and reliability problems caused “subpar” performance of the Grand Gulf nuclear plant and excessive costs for ratepayers.

The report added that Entergy’s performance should be kept in mind as the utility plans to increase the power output of its nuclear fleet and, therefore, work reactors harder It is also considering building a new reactor at the Grand Gulf site.

Entergy disputes report

The report also comes as Entergy and Cleco face renewed scrutiny over reliability following a forced blackout in the New

Orleans area in May, triggered by a downed interstate transmission line and large, unplanned plant outages that included a five-day shutdown of Entergy’s River Bend following a leak.

Michael Bowling, a spokesman for Entergy’s nuclear operations, countered the criticisms in the environmental group’s report, also noting that NRC’s online oversight pages show the plants remain in the agency’s best safety and performance category

“We are proud of the nearly 3,000 nuclear professionals who work 24/7, 365 to ensure we safely produce clean power for our customers,” he said “We do not consider this blog report accurate or in good faith.”

In a statement, NRC officials pointed out that “green” and “white” findings can’t be equated because they represent different magnitudes of safety and security risk. Simply adding up green findings also isn’t how NRC evaluates plants, the agency said. Union of Concerned Scientists pointed out in its report, however, that NRC once produced its own watchlists based on safety performance but the lists went away in the late 1990s when Congress changed the agency’s safety assessments to the current colorcoded one.

The group contends the current system could fail to address patterns that might emerge from a series of the lowest level “green” problems.

“Associating higher-risk violations with increased oversight does seem like a reasonable thing to do. However it violates common sense to argue that the total num-

SCHOOLS

ber of violations, and their cumulative impact on risk, should not be also considered,” wrote Edwin Lyman, UCS’s nuclear expert and the author of the report. The report noted that even with that number of findings in 2024, Grand Gulf remained in the NRC’s highest performance category along with a facility that had two findings in that year

In an interview, Lyman argued that green findings can be serious, representing “sometimes years or decades of negligence.”

In his report, he pointed out that Entergy received a “green” finding for its failure to implement a program at Waterford 3 to address more than 2,500 corrosion issues. Some of the problems had been identified “as far back as 2011, with around 200 classified as severe and affecting critical safetyrelated systems,” the report noted.

Lyman also alleged that NRC inspectors may face pressure from industry to keep borderline findings “green” and avoid more higher rated findings with more serious regulatory consequences.

He argued some “green” findings count on backup systems implemented since the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster in Japan in 2011 that don’t have the same reliability demands as other equipment.

“So, there are a lot of uncertainties in there, and I think ‘green’ may not be as benign in many cases as the NRC claims it is,” Lyman said.

David J Mitchell can be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

Thursday to adding $29.6 million over the next four years to its budget for heating, ventilation and air conditioning. That would increase the budget for such work from about $16 million to about $46 million.

The board also gave unanimous preliminary approval to new, multiyear contracts for three companies that service HVAC systems for the school district: Corporate Mechanical Contractors; ENFRA MMC (formerly Bernhard); and Star Service Inc.

The board is expected to give final approval to both items when it holds its regular monthly meeting on July 17.

The $29.6 million budget increase, however, has one more step. It needs to be approved by a special citizens’ Oversight Committee established in 1998 when voters approved a 1-cent sales tax earmarked for education. That committee, which meets twice each year, is set to meet next on Oct. 5. That 1-cent sales tax was last renewed in 2018 and expires in 2029. Of the sales tax money, 51% goes to improving school facilities, governed by a document approved by voters known as the Tax Plan.

“We want to make sure we can maintain and upgrade through the Tax Plan,” Superintendent LaMont Cole said. Cole added that the $29.6 million will come from surplus money in the Tax Plan’s construction fund, and using it in this manner won’t mean canceling or curtailing projects already on tap.

The big injection of money was prompted by concerns raised by the three companies that service HVAC units.

Judith Anderson is the program manager for CSRS/Tillage, the joint partnership that manages school construction work in the Tax Plan. Anderson said the companies came to the school system a few months ago saying they would no longer cover the full costs of replacing HVAC systems that went bad, as they had done under their contracts for years, because the parts and labor for such replacement jobs had grown too expensive. Those contracts were amended earlier this year to remove that obligation from the service providers, Anderson said. Under the newly renegotiated contracts the board considered Thursday, those companies will cover the full cost of replacement for HVAC equipment whose retail cost is less than $60,000. The school system will have to cover any replacements costing more than that.

The new contracts also shifted from paying the companies a set amount each month to paying them for several years of service at once. If approved July 17, the new contracts would take effect Aug. 1 and continue through June 2029, just short of four years.

The monthly cost of servicing the entire system — the contracts list 91 schools and administrative sites divided up three ways — would actually decrease by 41%. That decrease, however would likely be more than offset by the school system paying solely for replacing HVAC systems costing more than $60,000. Under Cole’s proposal, $21.5 million will left to replace HVAC systems over the next four years after paying the companies.

“It’s a just-in-case situation, but with as hot it gets, some of these HVAC systems, they’re not going to last four years,” Cole said.

Cole said if replacements aren’t too common during that time, the school system hopes to save up enough money to proactively replace some old systems before they fail, which would be cheaper than emergency replacements. He connected the HVAC changes to his recently approved “realignment” plan, which closed nine schools and decommissions several older facilities.

Email Charles Lussier at clussier@theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1B LOTTERY FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2025

3: 9-6-9

4: 2-9-2-6

5: 3-8-0-6-9

MILLIONS: 12-23-24-31-56

PHOTO PROVIDED FROM ENTERGy CORP

Entergy’s Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Miss.

Ator, Susan Elizabeth Susan Elizabeth (Perry) Ator passedaway peacefully at her homeinBaton Rouge, Louisiana, on July 2, 2025. Born in Sweetwater, Texas, she wasthe second daughter of D.L. and Berniece Perry.

In1976, Susan married thelove of her life, Don Ator. Thatvery evening, after celebrating their wedding in Stephenville,Texas, thenewlyweds moved to BatonRougetobegintheir life together. While Don pursuedgraduate studies, Susan helpedsupport them through her work as acashier at K&BPharmacy Her dream to pursue pharmacyschool led herto Monroe,Louisiana, where she earned adegree in General Studies from Northeast Louisiana University. Upon returningto BatonRouge, shejoined the LSU Physics Department as aResearch Associate. After the birth of her first child,Susan embraced motherhood fully, believing deeply in raisingher children with her ownlovingcare. She remained industrious—painting houses and hanging wallpaper, working part-time at the East Baton RougeParish Library, andserving actively in the Runnels School community. At Runnels, she wore manyhats, including aftercare provider and HighSchool Swim Coach.Under her leadership, the SwimTeam consistently placed in the top five at the State Meet.

Susanlived with enthusiasm and curiosity. She delighted in hot air ballooning, beach trips to Fort Morgan, Alabama, and adventures at out-of-state casinos. Once herchildren graduatedfrom high school, shebegan a15year careerasa skilled engraver at Lee Michaels Fine Jewelers, where she was knownfor herprecision and dedication. In retirement,Susan pursued herpassion for quilting and found her greatestjoy in helping raise her grandson, JJ,with boundless love anddevotion Sheissurvivedbyher husband, Don; sons,Jarrod Ator and Justin Ator (Monique); daughter,Jennifer Moser (Jonathan); grandson, JJ Ator; sister, Carolyn Peek; and niece, Crystal Buxkemper. Susan will be remembered forher strength, generosity, and unwavering devotion to herfamily. Aprivate service for Susan will take place at alater date.

Beaulieu, Julie Renee

Julie Renee (Smith) Beaulieu, born May21, 1960, in Plaquemine, LA passedawaypeacefullyon July 8, 2025, in Baton Rouge atthe ageof65. ShecarriedLouisiana's vibrant spirit with her throughout life.

Julie was the beloved wifeofLionel Beaulieu,devoted motherto Landon andLogan, and aloving sistertoPaul,Cathy, Debra, Sandra, and Sheronda. Sheenjoyedspending time with friends and was a proud godmother to Airee Smith.

An LSU graduate in Fashion Merchandising Julielater becamea dedicated nurse at Our Lady of the Lake, known for her warmth and compassion. Sheloveddancing,entertaining, and making her homea place ofjoy and comfort for others.

Shewillberemembered for herkindness, generosity, and the light she brought to every room

Viewing: Thursday, July 17, 4-6 PM. FuneralService: Friday,July18, 12 Noon. Location: Hall Davis and Sons, 9348ScenicHwy, Baton Rouge, LA

Berry, AlbertLeroy

Albert Leroy Berry, anativeofDodson, LA and a resident of Denham Springs,LA, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, July 10, 2025,at the ageof91. After more than 50 years, he retired from Baton Rouge Printing He enjoyedfishing, reading especially science fiction, and keeping up with the current events of the world. He is survived by his children, Jessica James Slocum (Derek), Christopher James, RandallGene Hardin (Ruth),Susan ReneeBerry,and Betsy Lynn Berry Sanchez;grandchildren, Aaron Johnson (Rachel),Kaitlyn Andre Buquoi (Micah); Miranda Windham (Brian); Denia Sanchez, and Selena Sanchez; 4great-grandchildren. He waspreceded in death by his wife, Susan

Patricia HulinBerry;parents, Albert Alson Berry and Willard Hutson Berry; son, Daniel DeanBerry; siblings, James R. Berry, Mary E. Bery Machin, and RubyS.Poston. Visitation willbeheldatResthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70816, on Saturday, July19, 2025, from 12:30 p.m. until Memorial Service at 2:30 p.m. Inurnment willfollow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Familyand friends may signthe online guestbookorleavea personalnote to thefamily at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com.

Borskey, William James'Bill'

Our heartsare heavy withgrief over thelossof our beloved son, William James (Bill) Borskey. We take greatcomfort in knowing he has entered eternal life and is at peace with Jesus.

Born on December11, 1978, he was ajoy and a delight to allthat knew him. He graduated from LSUMay of 2010. A"computer hacker" since the ageof15, he enjoyed acareer as aCyber Security Engineerfor many of the tech giantswhere he excelled in thefield.

AnativeofZachary, Louisiana, he was aresident of GoldBar, Washington, where he met hisuntimely death at theage of 46.

Billissurvivedbyhis parents David andPatricia Borskey, one sister, Jennifer Bengs and husband Chris of Tucson, Arizona, threenephews Liam Bengs, Caleb Borskey and wife Jessica and Shane Garcia. Maternal grandmother, Joyce Cowart, Maternal auntsBetty Brashier and husband David, and JaneStGermain, as wellas host of cousins. He was precededin death by his paternal grandparents Mary and Wilton Borskey, brother DaveBorskey Jr, and maternal grandfather Buddy Crochet

Acelebration of his life will be held at Charlet Funeral Home,Zachary, Louisiana, on July15, 2025. Visitationwillbefrom3-5 pm with amemorialservice at 5pmled by pastors

Eddie Douglas and Eddie Wren.A privateburialwill follow.

Brown 1st Sgt. (Ret.), Mickey J.

Mickey J. Brown, aresidentofBatonRouge, Louisiana, passed away on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at the ageof74. Mickey was born on February 5, 1951, in Plaquemine, Louisiana, to John and CecileBrown. He graduated fromSt. John HighSchool and SpencerDraughnBusiness College. Mickey joinedthe Marines, served for 22 years, and retired as a1st Sergeant.He attendedSoutheastern LouisianaUniversityobtaining abachelor's degree in accounting,receiving cum laude honors. After leaving the Marine Corps, he worked at H&RBlock for many years as aRegisteredAgent.Mickeywas a member of the 4th Degree BishopOtt Assembly,St. Patrick KnightsofColumbus Council #8601, serving as Treasurerand past GrandKnight, and theMarine Corps LeagueChoctawDetachment #778,appointedasPaymaster. He wasa parishioneratSt. Patrick Church serving as usher, lector and part of the OCIA Team He enjoyed the volunteer work of his many associations. Mickey lovedjigsaw puzzles,scrabble,family feud,card games, LSU baseball and football, and the Saints.

Mickey waspreceded in

death by hisparents,John E. andCecile DuhonBrown; sister,JoanHeath; and brother, Maurice Brown He is survived by his bestest girlfriend ever of 6 years, Eretta Perrien;sisters, Betty Rockforte, Sr Elvira Brown,EmilyBrown, Myrtle Chustz (Leroy), Mary June Davis (David), andClara Molliere (Wayne); brothers, John Jr James(Joan), Rickey (Brenda), and Joseph (Mary); Godson,Derick Brown;and numerous nieces andnephews. Avisitation will be held at ResthavenFuneral Home, 11817 JeffersonHwy in Baton Rouge,onTuesday, July 15, 2025, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Asecondvisitationwill be held at St PatrickCatholic Church 12424 Brogdon Ln in Baton Rouge,onWednesday, July 16, 2025, beginningat9:00 a.m. untilthe Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. Burial will followatResthaven Gardens of Memory. Areception will take place at St Patrick'sfollowingthe burial. In lieu of flowers please make donations to St.Patrick Catholic Church, KnightsofColumbus Council#8601, MarineCorps League- Detachment #778, or 4th Degree Bishop Ott Assembly. Thefamily wouldliketogive aspecial thanks to thestaff at Baton Rouge General Bluebonnet. Familyand friends may sign theonline guestbook or leave apersonal note to thefamilyat www.resthavenbatonroug e.com.

Burk,Margaret Mills'Jane'

Margaret “Jane” Mills Burk,101, acherished lifelong resident of Zachary, LA,diedonThursday,July 10, 2025. Therewillbea visitation on Monday,July 14, 2025 at thePlainsPres‐byterian Church,22929 Old Scenic HighwayinZachary from 9:00 am until funeral services at 11:00 am,con‐ducted by Rev. Woody Markert, RickyGlenn, Campbell Silman,Tony Hand.Burialwillbeat Young Family Cemetery 1640 East Plains Port Hud‐son. Sheissurvivedby daughter,Mitzy Burk Gre‐goryand herhusband Alan GregoryofZachary,LA; sonWilliam Jack Burk Jr andhis wife Jenni Boyd Burk of Zachary; daughterin-law Sandra Tarver Burk of Zachary; sevengrand‐children:Ben Gregory (Daniela), ShawnGregory (Nichole), Will Burk (Jerika),EvanBurk (Meaghan), Jennifer Hen‐derson (John),Carlie Cresse (Brad),and Haley Burk;and eleven greatgrandchildren: KhoenGre‐gory, Merric Gregory, Eric Gregory, Liam Burk,Harris Burk,MaryMargaretBurk, Jack Henderson, EliHen‐derson,BurkCresse Chayie Cresse,and Rhodes Cresse.She waspreceded

in deathbyher husband, WilliamJackBurkSr.;son DavidAndrew(Drew)Burk; parentsA.C.MillsSr. and MaggieMcKowen Mills. PallbearerswillbeJerry Parker,grandsons,and great-grandsons. Shegrad‐uatedfromZachary High School andattended Bel‐havenCollege in Jackson, MS.She wasa member of Plains Presbyterian Church where sheservedasthe Historianfor over thirty years. Shefounded the “HeritageRoom”atthe church,inhonor of her mother,MaggieMcKowen Mills. Amongher many community activities,she wasa foundingmemberof the PortfolioBookClub. In lieu of flowers, donations maybemadeinher mem‐orytothe Young Family Cemetery,22532 OldScenic Road,Zachary,LA70791. Thefamilywishestothank JeniferPacker, Brandi Cal‐lender,and Compassus HospiceGroup fortheir wonderfulcare. Sharesym‐pathies, memories,and condolencesatwww.Cha rletFuneralHome.com.

In loving memory of Joanna P. Spring Champagne. Celebrating the life of alovely, sweet, dignified lady defined by loveand family. Joanna passed away at the age of 104at Lambeth House/St. Anna's New Orleans, on June 26, 2025. Born in St. Martinville Louisiana, she spent her childhood in Lafayette but most of her life she livedin Baton Rougeraising her children. In later life at 75 years old she met &married Godfrey "Guy" Champagneand spent 10 years in Baton Rouge enjoying each other, playing bridge, dinner parties, traveling and adding the Champagne familytoher life. Joanna's last years were spent in NewOrleans at Lambeth House St. Anna's where she could be close to her daughter.

Preceded in death was her husband of 40 years Sheffield C. Spring Sr.; her adored son S. Clarke Spring Jr.; her daughter-inlaw, Mary Kate Oliver Spring with whom she had aloving relationship; her second husband Godfrey "Guy" Champagne. Joanna is survived by her daughter Dianna S. Marks, New Orleans; son Richard H. Spring (Debbie), Tennessee; stepson George R. Champagne (Nancy), Texas; stepson Robert "Bob" (Karyn), New Orleans; stepdaughter Julie C. Boucher (Dennis). She is survived by many grandchildren, great grandchildren, great great grandchildren; step grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

She had aspecial love and thank you for her 3 oldest grandsons Ladd C. Spring, Baton Rouge; Davin O. Spring (Jennifer), Baton Rouge; Mark B. Spring (Kristen), BatonRouge for their loving devotion and support and stepson George R. Champagne

(Nancy) Texas forhis caring and assistance Special thanks to St. Anna'satLambeth House, New Orleans, third Floor skilledcare for theircare and kindness.

Collins, BrittanyElizabeth

Brittany Elizabeth Collins, aresident of Erwinville, passed awayon July 11, 2025atthe ageof 46. Shelovedshopping, going out to eatand spending time with her friends. Shewas aloveranimals and recuedseveral animalsduring her life.

Sheissurvived by her mother, Connie Johnson; father, James Collins (Melinda); several aunts, uncles, and cousins; and her rescue cat, Rivers.She is precededindeath by her step-sister,MarlenaDavid Kauffman; maternal grandparents, Rowena andLeroy Johnson;and paternal grandparents, Angie Romig and Arthur Collins. Avisitationwillbeheld onTuesday, July 15, 2025atImmaculate Conception CatholicChurchHallin Lakeland from 9am until 10:50am. The mass of Christianburialwillbegin at 11amatImmaculate ConceptionCatholic Church.Burial will follow in Chenal Cemetery

Mary Moseley Daves, a resident of Baton Rouge for 60 years passed away peacefully at the ageof89 surrounded by her family in AustinTexas. Shewas bornDecember 5, 1935in Opelousas Louisiana. Mary attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart, Grand Coteau, Louisiana andgraduated from Louisiana State University where she was amember of Kappa Delta Sorority Shereceived herBachelor of Arts degree and met her husband, Harold GeneDaves, whilehewas attending Law School at LSU.The couple marriedonDecember 27, 1957and raised their family of four children in Baton Rouge Marywas amemberof the Baton Rouge Junior League, and Morning Callers and hosted numerousevents and parties at her home on Perkins Road Shewas atalented homemaker who spent herlife devotedtoher familyand four children. Her loveof gardening and cultivating her yard and rose garden brought her great pleasure. Mary was an accomplished cook who enjoyed sharing her culinaryskills with her family aswellas hosting dinner partiesfor friends and was alwaysat home in the kitchen. Maryhad agenerous heart,a warm and welcoming demeanor,a beautifulsmile, and apersonality that reflectedher Southerncharm. Those who knew Marywerealsowell aware of hercomedic life

observations and her candidremarks which provided greatentertainment to her family and friends. Mary and Harold moved to Austin in 2012 to be with their four childrenand eleven grandchildren where she remained for therest of herlife.She was amember of theShepherd of theHills Presbyterian Church in Austin. She often remarked at theend of her life,"Iamreadyto go home "Althoughcognitivelyshe was slowing down, she oftencalledupon her Catholic roots, and continued to flawlesslyrecite theApostle's Creed, among other prayersof her faith.

She was lovingly revered by her children and grandchildrenasthe Matriarch, atitle she quietly cultivated throughout her lifetimeofselfless devotion to her family She is pre-deceased by her parentsJosephine Dubuisson Moseley and Henry Vincent Moseley, as well as her brother Henry Vincent Moseley, Jr. She is survivedbyher children, John Daves and his wife Lori; Scott Daves and his wife Lynne;Charlotte Daves Benson and her husband Craig;and Mary Margaret Daves Carrigee, allof Austin Texas, alongwith eleven grandchildrenand one great-grandson. She is also survivedbyher sisters Margaret Bradley of NewOrleans, and Josephine Brown of Wilson, North Carolina,aswell as her brother Madison Moseley of Avery Island Louisiana.

Agraveside service will take place on Saturday November 8th, at 11:00 am at St. Charles Cemetery, Grand Coteau, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers memorialsmay be madetoBeyond Batten Disease Foundation at P.O. Box50221 Austin Texas 78763 or at www.beyondbatten.org

Nolan, age 90, passed away peacefully at The Crossing at ClarityHospice on July10, 2025. He was the retired owner of Nolan's HangoutinMaurepas, LA where he was known for his love of cooking -especially on Thursday nights preparing mealsfor customers who became lifelong friends. Afterretiring, Nolan continuedsharing his passion for foodby cooking at home, welcoming friendsinto his kitchen. What beganascasual mealsevolved into cherishedmorning coffee gatherings, atraditionthat brought joytohis days Nolan also had adeeplove forgardening.Heproudly tended his vegetable patch, fondly referring to it as the"community garden," where he spent many peaceful hours nurturing theland he loved. He is survivedbytwo daughters, Donna Bordelon (Jerry) and Lisa Robbins (Milton); twosons, Randy Delatte (DeeDee) and Rocky Delatte(Cheryl); and one daughter-in-law, JaynelleDelatte.Heisalso survivedby16grandchildren;28great grandchildren;one great, great grandchild;and sibling, EmeldaFontenot. Preceding him in deathwere his son, Kevin Delatte; par-

to 10-Year

ents, Arthur and Esther Brown Delatte; his brothers, Delton, David and Gilbert Delatte;and his sister, Bitsy Balfantz. Family and friends are invitedto attend hisvisitationatSt. Stephen CatholicChurch, 22502 LA-22, Maurepas, LA 70449 on Wednesday,July 16, 2025, from9:00AM until Mass of ChristianBurial at 12:00PM, conducted by Fr. Huy Tran and Deacon Jimmy Little.Hewillbelaid to rest in Whitehall Cemetery following Mass. The family extends theirheartfelt thankstothe staff of The Crossing at ClarityHospice for theexceptional care and compassion they provided.

Gerace,BarbaraRills

Barbara RillsGerace passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family on Wednesday, July9,2025, at theage of 89. She was aretired office manager fromIberville Parish Natural Gas; was a resident and native of Plaquemine, LA.Visitation willbeheldatSt. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Plaquemine on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 9am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11am, celebrated by Father Arun John. Entombment of her asheswill follow at Grace Memorial Park,Plaquemine. Barbara is survivedbyher daughters, Ann Gerace Marionneaux (Donald), and Jane Gerace Boudreaux;son, JimGerace, Jr. (Greg Springer); grandchildren, DevlinMarionneaux (Kim Foret), Hana Marionneaux LeBlanc(Cody), and Kade Boudreaux (Anna); great grandchildren, Max and Kane Marionneaux, Ainsley and Ethan LeBlanc, Kollyns,Brynne and Brooks Boudreaux; and sisters, Mary Susanne "Sue" Rills, and Martha "Poochie" Rills

Verret;numerous nieces andnephews. Preceded in death by herhusband, James"Jimmy Rover" Gerace; grandson,Kye Boudreaux; parents,Flor Rills, Sr.and Stella Falcon Rills; brother, Flor "Sonny" Rills, Jr.; son-in-law, Darrel Boudreaux; andbrother-inlaw,WesleyVerret, Sr Pallbearers will be Devlin Marionneaux andKade Boudreaux. Honorary pallbearers will be Donald, Maxand KaneMarionneaux, Cody andEthan LeBlanc. Barbara wasan active member of St.John theEvangelist Catholic Church,where she wasa catechism teacher. She wasa member of the Catholic Daughters, the PlaquemineGarden Club, anda docentatthe Baton Rouge Zoo. Barbara wasan avidreader,crocheter, seamstress, enjoyed workingwith animals androde theZoo Mobile to various schools to teach children about animals. Shewas a wonderfulcook andnamed theSt. Clement Church cookbook "TheFeast of St Clement." Barbara dearly lovedher children,grandchildrenand great-grandchildren.

LovedMichael Guillory peacefully enteredeternal rest on Wednesday, July 9, 2025, at theage of 67. He wasreunitedwith his late wife, Rhonda Guillory, on herbirthday, what acelebration!Visitationwill be held at St.Francis Cabrini Catholic Church,3511 LA Hwy78, Livonia on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 8am untilFuneral services at 10am, celebrated by Deacon Jeremy Doucet.Entombment willfollow at thechurch cemetery. Survived by daughter, Lacy Hardy (Dirk), of Fordoche; twosons, Mike Guillory, Jr (Laura)ofDenhamSprings,

&LeonGuillory (Heidi), of Bayou Sorrel;his step-father, F.C. Nunez, of Estherwood; siblings Dolores Pousson(Michael), of Iota, Joahanna Boudreaux,of Church Point, and Vanessa Romero, of Rayne; four grandchildren, D.J. Hardy, andAnnalysse,Jude,& Chloe Guillory; numerous nieces, nephews, uncle, andcousins. Preceded in death by his wife of 34 years, RhondaGuillory grandparents, Wilson Meaux, Sr.& Laura Arabie Meaux; mother, Mary Nunez; andbrother,Greg Olivier. Alifelonglover of fishing, dancing,cards, andtinkeringaroundthe house, Michael wasknown for hishumor, andgenerousspirit.The familyextends heartfelt thanks to hiscompanion, Jeanie Langlois, and herfamily, for loving Michael so dearlyin hislater years. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered for thejoy he broughttoour lives.Pallbearers willbeMichael Guillory,Jr., Leon Guillory, Dirk Hardy, D.J. Hardy,Jude Guillory, &Gregory Romero.Arrangements with Wesley's Funeral Home, (225) 625-2383.

TheresaGuidryHimel, belovedwife,mother, grandmother,sister,and friend, passedawayon Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the age of 69. Residentof Baton Rouge,Louisiana, Theresawas born on August 30, 1955, in Lutcher, Louisiana, daughterofthe lateEugeneand IreneSimon GuidryJr. Shegraduated from Nicholls State University with aBachelor of Sciencedegree anddevotedher professional life to caringfor others as an OB/GYN andregistered nurse at St.James Hospital in Lutcherand Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge.A

Champagne, Joanna Spring

Himel, TheresaGuidry

Guillory, Michael

Daves, Mary Moseley

Delatte, JosephNolan

Scantodownload

dedicated member of her community, Theresa was an active participant in numerous church and charitable activities. She was a former member of the Catholic Daughters, served as theSt. Jean Vianney Prayer Line Coordinator, and was aEucharistic minister forthe homebound and nursing home residents. Theresa hada passion for the arts, particularly acrylicand watercolor painting. She also had a special place in her heart for animals, especially Yorkshire Terriers, adopting several furry companions over the years. Above all, Theresa's greatest joy was her family, she cherished every moment spent with her loved ones. Family gatherings were filled with laughter, love, and the warmth only she could provide. She is preceded in death by her parents, Eugene Joseph Guidry, Sr., and Irene Simon Guidry; brother, Donald Guidry; and nephew and godchild, Lee Paton. Theresa is survived by her beloved husband of 47 years, DavidE Himel; daughter, Kristy Himel Boiteaux (Scott); son, JasonJ.Himel (Shondelle); sister, Kathy Guidry Paton (Roger); brothers, Glen Guidry (Joy), and Eugene Guidry III (Melinda); sister-in-law, Kathleen DeGroff Guidry; grandchildren, Lakelynn Himel and Maddie Boiteaux; and her treasured fur "children" Pepper, Puddin, and Toby Thefamilyextends their heartfelt gratitude to the Oncology and palliative care teams at Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center,as well as Clarity Hospice, for their compassionate care. The family would like to inviteall who knew and loved Theresa to join them as we commemorate her life. Avisitation willbe held at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy., in Baton Rouge, on Monday, July 14, 2025, from 6:00 pm until 9:00 pm. Visiting hours willresume the following morning at St. Jean Vianney Catholic Church, 16166 SHarrells Ferry Rd, in Baton Rouge, from 10:00 am until Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Tom Ranzinoat11:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to the Capital Area Animal Welfare Society 6357 Quinn Dr., Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70817,in Theresa's name, reflecting her love for animals and commitment to the care of those in need.

Lambert, William M. 'Bill'

William M. Lambert (Bill), alifelong residentof Sorrento, passed away on Wednesday, July 9, 2025,at the age of 81. He was born on July 14, 1943, in Opelousas, Louisiana, and was aresident of Sorrento, Louisiana. Bill graduated from St. Amant High and attended LSU and Southeastern. He was aloving husband, father and grandfather. Once he retired, he was able to devotehis time to golf, his dream career. Billnever met astranger. He could talk your ear off about politics, golf,sports, and LSU. He loved all sports, especially LSU football and baseball. He is survived by his loving wifeof62years, FrancesCefalu Lambert; daughters, Gaelyn Lambert, Kelli Guidry (Scott); and son, David Lambert (Jill); brother, Louis J. Lambert, Jr. (Mary); sister Edana Sparacino (Gerald); and his grandchildren, David "Drew" Maddox, Dylan Lambert (Kelsey), Derek Lambert, Jordan LeBlanc, Alexis, Ali,and Alyssa Blanchard; one great grandson, Jonah Lambert; and numerous, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Louis J. Lambert, Sr., and Roberta Richardson Lambert; and granddaughter, Sydney Renee Persac. Visitation and Funeral Service for Bill will be Tuesday, July 15, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. -10:30 a.m. at Ourso Funeral Home Chapel in Gonzales, LA. A Eulogy willbegin at 10:30 a.m. The familyhas requested aprivate burialat Hope Haven Cemeteryin Gonzales,LA. Pallbearers are his grandsons, David 'Drew' Maddox, Dylan Lambert, Derek Lambert, Jor-

dan LeBlanc, and hisclose friends Jody Amedee and Joseph Sevario. Honorary Pallbearer is Elmo Lambert. To offer condolences to thefamily, youmay visit www.oursofh.com.

Lindsey,Jeffrey

JeffreyLindsey,age 63, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, died on July 7, 2025. Born on September 29, 1961, in Gainesville Florida,Jeffrey grew up and spent hislife in Baton Rouge where he graduated from LSU.His first career was as alibrarianwhere he enjoyed working with young people. Later,hepursued anothercalling by starting hisown gardening business, specializing in naturalisticdesigns that reflected his lovefor native plants and personal connectionwith clients. His work createdbeautiful, peaceful spacesfor others to enjoy,and was areflection of the care he brought to allhedid. Jeffrey also had adeep love of sports. Overthe years, he competed in and enjoyedbasketball, water polo,disc golf, and biking—but his true athletic passion was ultimate frisbee. More thanjusta player,Jeffrey was adriving force inthe growth and development of ultimate frisbee inBaton Rouge and throughoutsouthern Louisiana

Jeffreywas preceded in death by his father Joel Lindsey Sr. and is survived by his mother, Diana Dorroh, brothers, Joel and Huntley, theirwives Ellie and Susan,nephews Zacharyand Nicholas and niece Anjali.

Amemorialservice to honorand celebrate Jeffrey's life willbeheldat the UnitarianChurchofBaton Rouge on SaturdayAugust 30th at 10am.

Meliet, Gail Jean

GailJeanMeliet (Waino), abelovedmother, grandmother, andfriend, passed awaypeacefullyon July 2, 2025, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,atthe ageof69. Anative of Gurnee, Illinois,Gailwas known for her thoughtfulness, unwavering faith, and generous spirit.Gail moved to BatonRougeat the ageof17tobewith the love of her life,Jerry.They shared42wonderful years togetherand wereblessed with 2wonderful children. Shewas asteady source of love, support, and wisdom to allwho knew her. Sheis preceded in death by her belovedhusband, Jerry Meliet; her father, Leonard Waino; her sister,Brenda SueTribble; and her godchild, Dawn Thomas. She is survived by her children, HeatherMeliet Montelaro (Larry) andJakeMeliet (Meredith); granddaughter,MarthaJean Meliet; mother,Lillian Carter; brothersRonnieWaino (Sandra) andRicky Waino; and numerous cousins and nieces and nephews. Sheis also survivedbyher precious French Bulldog, Sophie and her two grandpups, Abby and Westley. Gailisrememberedfor her caring nature and making those around her feelseen, loved, and remembered. Shewas alwaysthe first to checkin, to cook acomforting meal, or to send a thoughtfulnote.She never forgot abirthday, anniversary, or specialoccasion, and she made it her missiontolet people know they mattered.Her love was felt not throughgrand gestures, but through the consistent, quiet ways she showed up for others everyday.Anavid reader, Gail found joyand escape in the pages of agood book, often sharing herfavoritetitleswith friends and family.A private celebration of life was held for friends and familyonJuly 8, 2025. Her familytakes

solaceinknowing her job on earthwas doneand she is rejoicing in heaven with her loving husband. In lieu of flowers,donationsmay be madetoSt. JudeChildren's Research Hospital in honorofher giving nature and lifelong commitment to others.

Madison Elizabeth

Mary MadisonElizabeth Smithwas born with afull head of hair and alot of names for alittlegirl. She strove to live by thesaying "Do smallthingswithgreat love."

From ayoung girl onward she lovedreading (Harry Potter), her pets (Blitz), learning,dancing, yoga, thebeaches (Tiki)by our home,her friends, and family

She workedwiththe elderlyinnursing homes as apartofearning her scholarships,but she enjoyed it and didn't considerit "work".

She had earnedanAssociate's degree from St PetersburgCollege when she graduated from St. Petersburg CollegiateHigh School and she attended NewCollege in Sarasota Florida.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Beth Landry Smith,her brothers Grant and Landry Smith and her grandmother Gretchen Landry.

She is survivedbyher father StevenShawn Smith,her brother Brennan Shawn Smith,her grandparents, Mr. &Mrs. Steve Smith and Patrick Landry, as well as many loving aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She willalways be beautiful,loving, generous, sharp witted with an awesome sense of humor, readytotakecharge whenever needed, and aboveall else: kind. We will miss youforever.

Cowan, Sr.Interment will follow at 1:00 PM at LouisianaNational Cemetery,303 W. Mount Pleasant Road,Zachary, LA.A repast willbeheldafter theburialatthe LeonR Tarver II Cultural and Heritage Center, 8320 G. Leon NettervilleDrive, Baton Rouge, LA.Family and friends may sign theonline guestbookorleavea personalnotefor thefamily at halldavisandson.com. The family wouldliketoextend our heartfelt gratitude to Always Best Care and Hospice of Greater Baton Rouge for theircompassionatecare, support,and dedication

Adeline Dianna Frost Underhill died peacefully on July4,2025 at theage of 83 after abrief illness. A South Louisianan through and through, Dianna was born in NewOrleans, spent her formative years in BatonRouge and Crowley, raised afamily in Eunice, and returned to Baton Rouge to start anew chapterwithher husband, Lee. She graduated from Baton Rouge High School and LSU. Alifelong teacher, she brought theopportunityof education to scores of elementary students, primarily in Eunice,Branch, and as ahomebound teacher throughout Acadia Parish Upon retirement,she found greatmeaning in leading an adult learning center forLSU employees who wanted to earn aGED or further skills such as English or reading. Her parents imbuedher with love forthe waterways of SouthLouisiana, Southern cooking,and travel.She took up painting in thelast decade, becoming aprolificwatercolorist, and dabbling in acrylics. Alifelong United Methodist,Dianna and her

Robert LeroySquare, Sr., abeloved husband,father, grandfather, and Vietnam veteran, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by lovedones on July5,2025. He entered thisworld on January 28, 1947. He was anativeof Scotlandvilleand alifelong resident of Baker, LA, proud graduateofScotlandville SeniorHigh School, class of 1965 and Southern Universityand A&MCollege,U.S.Air Force veteran, ExxonMobil retiree, and faithful member of Beech GroveBaptist Church.

He is survivedbyhis devotedwife of 53 years, Sarah Stemley-Square; children: Robert Leroy Square,Jr., Raquel Square Ayles(Charles), and Richard Leon Square (Ashley); grandchildren: Taylor Square-Honore' (Darryl), Robert LeroySquare, III, Raven Lashawn Square Nyia LanaeSquare, Malachi XavierSquare, ChaseNeyland-Square, and NicholasDarnell Butler; and great-grandson, HarperChristopher Honore'.Heisalso survived by siblings: Daisy Square Beck, Beatrice Square White (Lynell,Sr.), Mildred Square Carrethers, Percy L. Square (Michelle), Bonnie Square Jackson, Sharolyn Square Morgan, and Tamara Square Creech. He was precededindeath by his parents, Willie T. and Clara Byrd Square,his siblings: EstellaSquareBanks, Laura Square Lang,Willie T. Square,Jr. and Arthur D. Square, Sr Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitationatHall's Celebration Center, 9348 Scenic Highway, Baton Rouge, LA on Monday, July 14, 2025 from 9:00 AM until the funeral service at 11:00 AM, officiated by PastorKevin

parents were charter members of St.John'sUMC in Baton Rouge,where,in retirement, she wasactive in thechoirand TheShepherd's Marketfood pantry. Several communities of women anchoredher throughoutlife, including "TheGroup"—sevengraduates of Baton Rouge High School whose lives were interwoven for nearly 70 years—and her"yoga buddies"who regularly lunchedafter theirclasses. Herfamilygrounded her, andtheycelebrate the gift of herlife, even as they mourn herloss. Sheleaves herhusbandof25years, LeeUnderhillofBaton Rouge,her sons, Bobby Matt (Cherie) of Iowa, LA, LyndMatt (Brett) of New York,NY, andLee's daughters Michele Smith (Jess) of Lillington,NC, andMarilyn RankinofCelebration, FL. Shealso leaves 9 grandchildrenand 12 great -grandchildren. Shewas preceded in death by her parents, LawrenceN.Frost, Sr.and Adeline E. Frost, as well as herbrother, LawrenceN.Frost, Jr.All are invited to celebrate Dianna'slifeata memorial service to be held on Friday, July 18 at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 GovernmentStreetinBaton Rouge.Visitationwillbegin at 11:00 AM,followed by theservice at 1:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made in Dianna's memory to TheShepherd'sMarket of St.John'sUMC, Baton Rouge (https://shepherds market.org)

JoyHaydelWagener passedaway on July 9, 2025 at theage of 89. She wasemployed by the Catholic School System for 36 years having servedas either teacher or Principal at St.Catherine of Siena (Metairie),St. Thomas More (Baton Rouge), St Elizabeth AnnSeton (Kenner),St. Jude theApostle (Baton Rouge), and St Michael theArchangel,formallyBishopSullivan,(Ba-

ton Rouge). Mrs. Wagener is preceded in death by her parents Hubert and Alice Haydel,husbandGerald Wagener, and granddaughterElizabeth Wagener. She is survived by herson Troy Wagener(Keely), daughter Sherry Wagener(Scott), andgrandchildrenAlyse Mouledoux(Pierre), Stephen Toups(Caroline), Meredith Downs (William), BeverlyRhodes(Ladd), RobbyScott(Emily), and great-grandchildren Pierre MouledouxJr., Jean Paul Mouledoux, Marc Mouledoux, Perrin Mouledoux Wesley Downs, Ellie Downs, MollyRhodes, MajorRhodes, Miller Toups, andHudson Toups. Avisitationfor Mrs. Wagener will be held Monday,July 14, 2025 at St Jude the ApostleCatholic Church in Baton Rouge beginningat 9:00 AM until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM followedbya private interment at Lake Lawn MetairieCemeteries. In her Memory, donations may be made to St.Jude Children's ResearchHospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept 142, Memphis, Tennessee, 38101. Please include Mrs. Wagener's name and theaddressofwhere thenotification card canbesent.

Smith,Mary

'Maddie'

Underhill, Dianna

Wagener, Joy Haydel

Square Sr., RobertLeroy

Will Big BeautifulBill mean La. boom or bust?

Much of the commentary thus far about the One Big Beautiful Bill Act reminds us of the tale of the blind men touching an elephant who cannot agree on what the creature is.

Certainly,the nearly 900-page legislation is a behemoth, stuffed with changes to everything from health care to border security. Andmuch of one’sperspective on it depends on which part one has grabbed ahold of. That has led to competing narrativesonwhat Louisiana and the nation can expect. But before we come to blows like those fabled blind men, we should look carefully at what the law actually does, rather thanwhatis speculated or feared. First, we must acknowledge that the passage of this legislation marks asingularachievement for the Trump administration, and it would not have been possible save for the tireless work of two Louisiana Republicans —House Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise. Despite athinmajority skeptical of changes made by the Senate, they managed to keep their restive caucus focused andbring the bill across the finish line in time for President Donald Trump to have asigning at the White House on July 4. If there are still any doubts about whether the man from Benton has the savvy needed tobeasuccessful speaker, they should be put to rest once andfor all. So back to the question at hand: What does the law do? Some of its provisions will have a delayedimplementation. The most significant of these is the $1.1 trillion cut over the next decade in federal spending on Medicaid, which doesnot go into effect untilafter the 2026 midterm elections. In Louisiana, where one-third of our population isenrolled in Medicaid, tens of thousands could lose coverage. We have expressed deep concern about what this could mean for health outcomes and for rural hospitals. But we are cautiously optimistic thatthe cuts won’tbeasdeep as expected and that the state Legislature will have enough time to figure out aplan.

The law also extends the Trump tax cuts that were set to expire at the end of the year.Some workers will see additional savings as it enacts Trump’scampaign promise toeliminate taxes on tips and overtime. However,those deductions last only from 2025 to 2028. In Louisiana, where tourism and hospitalityare big employers, we are sure the change will be felt On clean energy,the bill raises issues for companies that have already invested heavilyinLouisiana. Itphases out taxbreaks for wind and solar projects so any that don’tbreak ground within the next year could lose out. We are disappointed to see that the state’sembrace of new industries could be in peril.

There were also somebig wins for our state tucked into the bill. We are thrilled that the Stennis Space Center,which employs thousands in our region, will get $120 million in infrastructure upgrades when just months ago its NASA funding was on the chopping block. And in one of the most substantial victories Louisiana has won in Congress in decades, the state will finally receive more proceeds from offshore oil and gas production tohelp save ourcoast. Thanks to the effortsofScalise, language in the bill allowsanadditional $50 million annually for the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, which has been the work of a long line of Louisiana lawmakers from both sides of the aisle.

These are only some of the highlights. We share concerns about the law’simpact on the deficit and the poorest Americans. We’re sure that there’smuch more initthat we will learn as time goes on. But we caution those who are quick to judge based on its outlines. The fuller picture may not be visible just yet.

OPINION

Drunkand defiantistopsonthe charts

Everyyear,there’sasong of summer.It’soften something to argue over when conversation lags at the barbecue.

In 2013, feminists attacked Robin Thicke’s“Blurred Lines”for allegedly glamorizing sexual violence. “Blurred Lines” was ahugehit.According to Rolling Stone, “It held thewhole world in its slightly skeevy grasp all summer long.”

This year’s summer sensation is asong titled, “A Bar Song (Tipsy)”byShaboozey This hip-hop-meets-country songisabout drinking and drinking alot.

and liquor

Theserigid denunciations of alcohol are dredging up badmemories of Prohibition. Opponentsargue that lonelinessisanother serious health hazard that meeting friends over abeer can lessen —atleast until the withdrawal. Alcohol is adepressant, after all. Moderateorevenheavier drinking at timesofcelebration,however,can be apartof life (assuming the drinkeris not an alcoholic or driving).

This comes at atime when some medical researchers have given booze an absolute thumbs down, witness the headline, “Even aLittleAlcohol Can Harm Your Health.” Not everyone is buying that argument Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.holds the view that no amount of alcohol is safe. He wants America’s official dietary guidelines to lower alcohol consumption limits. That displeases states that produce beer,wine

Butanyone who hasobserved thecurse of alcoholism can attest that those addicted shouldn’tbedrinking at all. It happens that manyrecovering alcoholics do just fine enjoying aCokewith friends at abar

Others may feel unable to sit in that environment without consuming alcohol. Thereare other places for camaraderie —coffee shops, forinstance —that shouldn’ttrigger drinking.

In this year’s song of summer,some may take issue with its defense of getting stupid sloshed.

The partthat Idislike most is the

“excuse” for allthatharddrinking containedinthe opening verse: “My baby want aBirkin, she’s been tellin’ me allnight long /Gasoline and groceries, the list goes on and on /This 9to5ain’tworkin’, why the hell do I work so hard?”

HermesBirkin bags price out most of the uppermiddle class. Youdon’t have to be poor to suffer adaily grind or financialpressure.Ineithercase, drinking is notgoing to cure it —certainly notafter the temporary high. There’s onegroup for whom “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” mayactually boost incomes:bar owners. Part of the song’ssuccess surely comes from its frequent playing at these establishments.

As we can see, songs of summer oftenrebel against The Moment. “BlurredLines” wasaccused of downplaying rape.“ABar Song (Tipsy)” raisesa fist of defiance in whatseems an eraofpressuredsobriety.How aboutmoderatedrinking, if any drinking, andleave it at that.

Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com

Personal storiesbring news to life

Readers sometimes share personal stories in their letters to us.

Andthosestories give us apowerful first-person perspective on issues of theday When big news happens,it really hitshome when you hear from people directly affected in theirown voice. Decisions made in Washington or in Baton Rouge affect our everyday lives

ly’sexperience of coming to America.

Often,thesestories highlight how theexperience of more recentimmigrants differsgreatly from those whose families came decades ago. We’d like to hear more from recentimmigrants who have successfully navigated the system.

someone areason to question their ownassumptions.

So thanks to allwho share their experiences with us.

And, of course, politicians make all kinds of claims about how they will benefit theordinaryAmerican. But readers talking about their experiences can show areas that need more attention or exposewherereality doesn’tmatch the rhetoric.

Readers also tell us about theirexperience with government agencies. Moreoften, it is to criticize, but we encourage you to write if you have agood experience as well.

It’simportant to recognize examples of where the government is working. Toomany people don’trealize whatan agency does until they need it.

Going to ourletters inbox, for the week of June 19-25,wereceived48 letters.

During this week, immigration was the topissue on your minds. Six letters mentionedimmigrationenforcement, particularly the case of Mandonna Kashanian, aNew Orleans resident from Iran who was arrested outside herhome and put in detention despite having lived in the country for 47 years. She hassince been released Most of the letters supported her release.

On some of the big issues in Louisiana, like insurance, readers have had much to say.Autoinsurance was the focus of sweeping reform inthe last legislative session, so tellusyour stories if you are seeing theeffects. Andonnational issues like immigration,readers have shared their fami-

As journalists, we knowthat personal anecdotes aren’t the whole story Oneindividual’sexperience, after all, can be outside of the norm. But Iwould say your experiences are an importantpart of the story

When you share themwith our audience, it might open some eyes or give

The next most popular topic was the U.S. bombing of nuclear sites in Iran. Afterthat, you were also talking aboutthe budgetbill (three letters) andliberalism on college campuses (threeletters).

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | OpinionPageEditor.Emailher at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

Arnessa Garrett

Froma Harrop

COMMENTARY

What NORD canlearn from Arthur Ashe

So, what does Wimbledon tennis have to do with aNew Orleans inspector general’s critical report about the New Orleans Recreation and Development Commission and its supporting foundation?

Not much, really,except in my own mind. But bear with me, because NORD is really important. Many of you may be reading this on Sunday morning as the Wimbledon men’sfinal is on TV in the background. The former sports writer in me really wanted to write about the50thanniversary of the great Wimbledon drama of 1975, wherein AmericansArthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors competedinone ofthe great grudge matches of all time. It made ahuge impression on me. At the time, Ashe was the captain of the U.S. squad in the DavisCup, the international competition wherein the players compete as ateam, representing theircountry.Connors refusedto playinthe Davis Cup, choosing

instead to play in lucrative exhibition matches. Ashehad responded by callingConnors “unpatriotic,” after which Connors suedAshe for defamation —news that broke just before Wimbledon began. When both reached the finals, Ashearrived on court in a“USA”sweat jacket —and proceeded to thoroughlyout-think Connors fora 6-1, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 victory.

Watchingasan11-yearold,Iwas impressed. Here was Ashe, aBlack, motherless child (she died when he was six) who grew up amidnasty segregation in Confederate-revering Richmond, Virginia, fiercely and proudlyexpressing love of his nation. Connors, aWhite, privateschool child of relative privilege, wasthe one more interested in cash than country Andthe patriot— theman who concentrated on theblessings of America rather than theway it treated him for his first quartercentury as asecond-class citizen —was theone whowon. Andhe

did it on July 5, 1975, the first official day of the yearlong countdown towardthe U.S. bicentennial. Ashe’striumph taught agreat lesson of classiness and grace.

But… let’s get back hereto Louisiana in thehere and now (Trust me, there is atopical connection here.) For months, I’ve tracked (andwritten acolumn about) the situation at NORD, which had allowed some of its facilities to deteriorateembarrassingly and which was late in paying itssummer lifeguards,all as an inspector general analyzed itsoperations. This pastWednesday,Inspector General Ed Michel released his report, and it made NORD, its foundation and thecityofNew Orleans all look pretty bad.

The IG called out NORD and theNORD Foundation “for failure to meet their legal obligations to obtain audits and sworn financial statements.” The city, meanwhile, was tardy in its own audit and failed to hold NORD accountable for its failure to audit.

So, NORD suffers yet another

black eye, even as, theIGnoted, thecity provides NORD with morethan $22 million to operate “playgrounds, athletics, and leisure activities throughout the city.” As the IG wrote, NORD “play[s] acrucial role in the lives of many” NewOrleanians, as it is intended to “advance[e] the physical, mental, and social well-being” of city residents. If NORD isn’toperating well, that should be heartbreaking for us all. Personally,NORD played ahuge roleinmychildhood, both in terms of its recreational opportunities and, importantly,as afirst major instigator of happy, seamless racial integration in days when legal segregation was outlawed but social integration still was quite rare.

As it turnsout, it was the organized public playgrounds of Ashe’syouth —alas, segregated at the time —that gave Ashe the venue and boost that otherwise he would have been denied.

Ashe’sfather,you see, was a handyman andcaretaker for Richmond’srecreation depart-

mentwho motivated his son to shine in both scholastics and sports. Far too skinny forfootball, Ashe began playing tennis at the public courts on whose grounds he literally lived in acottage with his father and brother Ashe is therefore one of this nation’sforemost examples of the good that can be done, the opportunities that can arise, via apublic recreation department led and wellmaintained by caring adults. Ascholar,Armyofficer, gentleman and sports superstar, Ashe was the epitome of the ideal of opportunity meeting diligence to form excellence. The opportunity part came from the facilities of organized public recreation. Here at home, NORD is far from atotal travesty,but it clearly needs improvement. By rights, its management and future ought to be abig topic in this year’s campaign formayor.The future of the next Arthur Ashe might depend on it.

Quin Hillyer canbereached at quin.hillyer@theadvocate.com.

Scalisewas righttohelpdetainedLa. woman

I’m here today to say something Ihaven’t had occasion to say nearly enoughinrecent years. Good for you, Steve Scalise. By multiple accounts, theHouse majority leader from Metairie played a keyrole in securing the freedom of alongtime, well-known andwidely loved resident of his Republican district, Donna Kashanian,who’d been carted awaylast month from her front lawn in Lakeview toan ICE detention facility.

fender of President Donald Trump, even when his actionsare indefensible.This time, though, he heard thecall from his constituents, checked his conscience and used hisloftyperch to get theDepartment of Homeland Security to let Kashanian come homewhile her status is reconsidered. His takeonthe situation, he told my colleagueJames Finn after reviewing Kashanian’s file, was that she had never gotten a proper hearing.

Kashanian came to the U.S. on a student visa and applied forpermission to stay several times after forces hostile to her father’sally,the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran, overthrew her country’s government in 1979.

She was denied asylum, andlater denied agreen card due to abrief marriage when she was young thatthe government deemedfraudulent, but she was toldshe could stay in the country if shekeptin touch with authoritiesand followed the law That she did, for decades. She marrieda U.S. citizen and raised their daughter, rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina, volunteered in the communityand lived life as aNew Orleanian.But thenthe Trumpadministration, without notice, changed the rules and rounded herup. The outcry was quick andfurious, andso loud that it reachedthe ears of oneofthe few people in aposition to do something about it.

Scalise has always been asteadfast de-

“The more Igot involved, the more Irealized that, No. 1, Ithink they madeamistake in the ’80s when they rejected her asylum claim,” Scalise said. “And Ithink they should look at her case again based on the totalityof thedecades in which she’sserved in this community.”

And then he went further

While declining to criticize theadministration,Scalise acknowledged that its black-and-whitenarrative is false, that Kashanian’sstoryisfar from unique and that there are people all over thecountry beingtargeted whose cases are also complicated andnuanced.

“You have tens of millions of people here illegally,some of them are bad people who are committing violent crimes …Those people, by theway,are beingdeported. AndIdon’tthink anybody has aproblem with that,” he said. “But then what do you do with the people who are here illegally but aren’tviolent criminals? And by the way,how do you know thedifference?”

The answer,hesaid, is that “we will have

EssenceFestivalcan

The EssenceFestival of Culture has abright future —inNew Orleans, Louisiana. It might not seem thatway with some of the sharp criticism, menacing vitriol and painful ugliness in recent days. I’ve been partly responsible for lifting this conversation in this newspaper and on radio —because things were different this year.This wasn’tthe same litany of complaints. The convo reached afeverpitch. And it went national. Even the Breakfast Club talked aboutit. Iknew we Black folk love Essence Festival, but Ididn’trealize how deeply we love it until this year. Essence loves us, too. Just read its online recap. The loud feedback Essence leaders heard came from acollective heart of Black love. As at any major event, not everything goes well. That definitely happened, in spades, this year. Late daytime and nighttime scheduleannouncements. Poor audio. Programs started late. Concerts went into the wee hours. Big sponsors, including recently controversial Target. But seemingly

not enoughtocover the cost of enoughstaff to make things work.

“Every signal that we have says it’sstronger Ithink the vibe is very strong,” Richilieu

to change the law in Congress.”

Well, amen to that.

It’strue that there’swidespread support for removing bad actors, but that’sclearly not what’s happening here. Instead, armed and often masked immigration agents are being ordered by WhiteHouse aide Stephen Miller to makemass arrests.

In fact, according to astunning new report in The Atlantic, ICE is so driven by Miller’squotas that agents are being told NOT to pursue themost dangerous, complicated cases —drug, child exploitation and human trafficking —and instead pick thelow-hanging fruit. That meansthe far morenumerous people going to work or just minding their own business, whocame here to escape oppression or violence or to chase economic opportunities that generationsofimmigrants have pursued, even as Congress has refused to create afairer

So when we need to have these conversations, we’ve got nowhere else to go,”hesaid.

and moreeasily maneuvered immigration system Their stories are getting wide play.The high school athlete in Massachusetts. The California landscaper and father of three U.S. Marines. The mother of anewborn married to aformer Marine in Baton Rouge. The farmworkers whose bosses are begging Trumpfor relief so they’ll have people to pick their crops. And it seemsthat Americans, not just in Lakeview,are listening. Anew Gallup poll suggests that they largely reject both the policies that led to Kashanian’sdetention and the ugly,underlying premise. It found that 62% disapprove of the administration’shandling of immigration, including 45% whostrongly disapprove. It also found that only 30% of Americans wantimmigration decreased, a steep decline from ayear ago, when 55% did, and that huge majorities —78% and 85% respectively —want apath to citizenship forthose here illegally or whose parents brought them to the country illegally as children. What all this points to is ahard shifttoa morehumane immigration stance, one that considers people’sactual circumstances and character rather than sweeping them up in amean-spirited ideological crusade to fulfill an increasingly unpopular agenda. I’mglad Scalise is advocating forthat, even if it meansbreaking from the president he so often acts like he serves. Email StephanieGrace at sgrace@ theadvocate.com.

Dennis, executivevice chairman of Sundial Media Group, which owns Essence Ventures, which operates the Essence Festival, told me late on the second full day of theevent. “The vibe is still there, and it’sstronger than our critics want to give us credit for.”

Dennis said vendors

“must develop andgrow” tokeep up with theconsumers walking the floor and their expectations.

Repeatedly disobey therules, like puttingadisplay in the middle of theaisle, and vendors don’t getasked back. If someone had along-term relationship and that partnershipdissolved,perhaps it was because the arrangement didn’tmeet requirements.

Dennis spentmore than an hour on WBOK 1230 AM’sGood Morning Show with hosts Dr.Ashonta Wyatt andmetalking about the festival, concerns andproblems.

“This is aBlack-owned station. ...It’s the oldest, and it’sthe only

Irespect Dennis for knowing where alarge base of his audience and potential customers are. With my newspaper interview and his radio interview,along with what I’ve heard from many of you, Inow can answer the question I’ve been asked multiple times:“What do YOU think should be done?” These are some of thosethings:

CONSISTENT ESSENCE LEADERSHIP We haven’tknown who toexpect, who to listen to, whowemight consider following. Even if that person doesn’tlive here, someone should be here six to eight times ayear

ESSENCE HOUSE. Open an Essence House, an Essence Family Center or something called The Essence Vibe as ayear-round operation. It can become ameaningful part of OUR Black culture with activities and programs coordinated with existing culture bearers.

ESTABLISH ALOCAL COMMITTEE Alocal-regional-state committee with representatives from the stateof Louisiana, New Orleansmayor’s office, New OrleansCity Council, theLouisiana Black Legislative

Caucus, our arts and cultural communities, the NewOrleans Regional Black Chamber of Commerce andthe Urban League of Louisiana. Consider having anobusiness, no-contracts guideline. No one on this important task group couldreceive financial remuneration CREATE AN ESSENCE COALITION. We have boots-on-the-ground sisters who are apart of sororities, social clubs, membership clubs, groups and krewes whose members can voluntarily provide feedback and ideas from aBlack women’s perspective.

ENGAGE BLACKMEDIA. We have a community rich with Black media that providenewsand information as theychallenge us. Include WBOK 1230 AM; the Louisiana Weekly; The NewOrleans Tribune and theNew Orleans Data News Weekly

INVOLVE BLACKYOUTH It’s clear festival leaders have pivoted from a one-day event focused on Black women to amultiple-day event with more of afamily focus. If I’m right, say it with your full chest. Either way,our youth who are teens, in their 20s and 30s must be apart of this. Essence

Festival must be sure to have age and family diversity

Like all families, we have to makeadjustments as “our” baby, “our” child has becomeanadult capable of making decisions of her own.

Iama NewOrleans native, resident and taxpayer.I love my city Ilove the Essence Festival. Ilove my people. ALL of my people. New Orleans peeps as wellas those from all 50 states and territories from across the African diaspora.

We have aclash of cultures. Our New Orleans culture is something special, akey reason people visit. Our global Black culture is larger moreinclusive and not all Black folk are like other Black folk. Most of us love all and anything and any one Black. We say that, but we have to stretch ourselves, grant grace and be open to learning and accepting those whocome from apart of the culture that is not our own. Working together,inall of our Blackness, we can get through this —and makethings better

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

PHOTO PROVIDEDByKAITLyNNMILNE

From left to right, Kaitlynn Milne, Donna Kashanian and Russell Milneafter Kashanian’srelease from ICEcustodyin Basile on July 8.

Quin Hillyer

Stephanie Grace

Will Sutton

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

ScottServaisknows what abigleague pitcher looks like.

As themanager of the Seattle Marinersfor nine seasons andas acatcher in the major leaguesfor 11, what he saw on April 3was a performance worthy of thehighest level of baseball. Complete game shutouts are rare, especially in an era of baseball when starters don’t go aslong and relief pitchers are asked to pick up the slack.

Servais wasn’tatanMLB game

Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal or Logan Gilbert —his acepitcher in Seattle —wasn’tonthe mound. Servais was in Norman, Oklahoma, watching asophomore left-handed pitch-

er fromLSU by thenameofKade Anderson.

“He (Servais) said that was,ifnot the most, oneofthe most impressive pitching performances he’s seen at any level,” said one scout who also attended that game and spoke to The Advocate on thecondition of anonymity.“Ithink that said alot to me.”

Thekid who dazzledServaison thatcold and windy night —striking out 14 battersinthe shutout against Oklahoma —has achance to become the No. 1overall pick in the2025MLB DraftonSunday (5 p.m., ESPN).Ifselected by the Washington Nationals, Anderson would become the second LSU playerpickedNo. 1inthree years.

“Hisnext pitch should be for someplaceinthe Washington Nationals organization. It’s not close,” LSU coach Jay Johnsonsaid. “And they usually draft really well. And he’sthe best player in the country

There’snobody closer to the major leagues than that right now.”

Anderson’spathwasn’taconventional one. He underwentTommy John surgery during his junior year of high school, which wiped out his senior season.Instead of signing aseven-figure deal with an MLB club out of high school, theinjury sethim on acourse for at least two seasons in BatonRouge.

Anderson showed potential in his freshman year with theTigers. He had a13-strikeout performance against Southeastern Louisiana before finishing the year with 59 punch-outs anda 3.99 ERA in 381/3 innings.

Anotherscout who saw Anderson during an intrasquadscrimmage beforehis freshman year believed then that he was afirst-

round player. “I didn’tsee him in high school Didn’tknowhehad Tommy John yet. At that point, Iwas just like well, this is an easy first-rounder,” said thesecond scout, on condition of anonymity.“Buttome, Ijust saw four pitches and the ability of command and how easy of an operation he did it, and you’re still projecting on the body

“So Imean, that onewas really kind of ano-brainer.”

Anderson built upon his promisingfreshman campaign with an historic sophomore season. He led LSUtoits eighth nationalchampionship in June, tossing another completegame shutoutinGame

1ofthe College World Series final against Coastal Carolina in a1-0 victory

He finished the season with a3.18 ERA in 19 starts, striking out 180

TOEINGTHE LINE

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints took twodifferentapproacheswhen addressing their defensive line this offseason

For the edge group, New Orleans focused on retaining itsown.The Saints

BY HOWARD FENDRICH

AP tennis writer

LONDON For years, Iga Swiatekneverfelt comfortable on Wimbledon’sgrass courts, never thought she could add atrophy there to her other Grand Slam triumphs. Oh, did that turn out to be wrong.

NotonlyisSwiatek nowthe champion of the All England Club, she did it witha 6-0, 6-0 victory over Amanda Anisimova on Saturday in the firstwomen’s final at the tournament in 114 yearsinwhich one player failed to claim asinglegame.

“It seems,” said Swiatek, a 24-year-old from Poland who is now 6-0 in major title matches, “super surreal.”

That’salso agood waytodescribe the way things unfolded at asunny,breezy Centre Court against the 13th-seededAnisimova, a23-year-oldAmerican in her first Grand Slam final.

re-signedChase Youngtoathree-year, $51 million contract. Andthe team also brought back Cam Jordan on areworked contract for a15th season. The interior of theline, meanwhile, underwent amorefundamental change. Though the Saints also brought back starting defensive tacklesKhalenSaun-

“I was abit frozen there,with my nerves. Maybe the last two weeks Igot abit tired or something,” said Anisimova, who skipped practice Friday because of fatigue and felt pain in her right shoulder while warming up before the match. “It was a bit tough to digest, obviously,especially during andright after.I was alittle bitinshock.”

The whole thing took just 57 minutes. The previous 6-0, 6-0 Wimbledonwomen’s finalwas all theway back in 1911.

“Honestly,Ididn’teven dream (of this), because for me, it wasjust, like,way toofar,you know?” Swiateksaid.

Maybe, Swiatek said, the lower expectations she and plenty of other people heldfor her at Wimbledon helped. For once, she wasn’tthe top seed.Her name was not listed by many among thetitle contenders.

“I couldreally focus on getting better and developing as a

ders andNathan Shepherd on reworked deals, NewOrleans traded forDavon Godchaux and drafted third-rounder VernonBroughton. Thosetwo moves,in particular,account for the differences in scheme under new defensive coordinator

Saints musical celebrates family, football

The anthology of NewOrleans Saints tributes is an extensive one.

Over the years, the team has been celebrated in literature and song, and just as often in film and documentary format.

Now,the canon of tributes has anew addition: amusical.

“Our City of Saints,” acelebration of NewOrleanians’ love affair with the Saints, will debut next month during athree-day run (Aug. 29-31) at the Jefferson Performing Arts Center in Metairie.

The brainchild of Paul Soniat, aveteran New Orleans songwriter and lifelong Saints fan, the two-hour show is atribute to the symbiotic relationship between the city and its wonderfully idiosyncratic NFLteam.

“It’sagreat story,” Soniat said.

“There are somesad parts, some funny parts and someemotional parts, just like living in New Orleans.”

“Our City of Saints” is atrue homegrown production. Chalmette native Scarlett Saizan-Lanconismaking her main-stage directorial debut with the show. Herlongtime friend, Aleen LeBoeuf, wrote the script.

LeBoeuf’sstory follows the life of Henry Sinclair,aNew Orleansnative anddiehard Saints fan, as he navigatesthe journeyfrom youth to adulthood while traversing the emotional peaksand valleys of Saints fandom alongthe way.

As the subtitle —“Where Faith, Family andFootball Keep the Spirit Alive”—suggests, the showisless aboutfootball thanitisabout the powerful familial andculturalbonds the sport engenders, particularly in provincial Southern towns like New Orleans.

“It’sa story aboutfamily and community andthis city that we all know andlove,” said LeBoeuf, who honed herscript-writing skills during her teaching tenure at Chalmette High, where she taught theater.“It’swhat we do here. We love each other and take careofeach other.And whenour boys (the Saints) lose, we stick with themand pickthem up andrally behind them.”

“It’spure NewOrleans,” added Dennis Assaf, the founder and artistic director of the Performing Arts Center Nineteen of Soniat’soriginal songs highlight the show,accompaniedby ascorearranged by veteran Baton Rouge composer Mike Esneault, a two-time Emmy Awardwinner

The audiencealso will be treated to appearances from afew familiar faces. Superdome public-address

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK LSUstarting pitcher Kade Anderson pitches in the CollegeWorld Series against the Arkansas Razorbacks on June 14 at Charles Schwab Field in Omaha, Neb

STAFF FILEPHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints defensivetackle Vernon Broughton smiles after falling down while performing adrill during rookieminicamp on May10.

Jeff Duncan

2

6

WIMBLEDON

Tennis’ ‘Big 2’ meet again

Alcaraz, Sinner play for singles championship in replay of French Open

BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP tennis writer

LONDON It’s fitting that the Wimbledon final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner on Sunday represents the first time the same two men meet for that title right after playing for the French Open trophy since a couple of guys named Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal did so every year from 2006-08.

That’s because the only real competition the No. 1-ranked Sinner and the No. 2-ranked Alcaraz face at the moment comes from each other not anyone else currently on the men’s tennis tour — and the only comparisons that feel somewhat appropriate come by measuring them against the greatness of the Big Three.

Let’s be clear: It’s too early to put Alcaraz or Sinner in a class with Federer and Nadal — each retired with at least 20 Grand Slam titles or Novak Djokovic, who is still going at age 38 with 24 majors. But as Djokovic himself put it: “We know they’re the dominant force right now.”

Major force

They have combined to win the past six majors, a streak that will grow to seven on Sunday Go further back, and it’ll be nine of the past 12 Slams (the others in that span went to Djokovic). Alcaraz, a 22-year-old from Spain, already owns five such trophies; Sinner, a 23-year-old from Italy, has three.

Their combined age is the lowest for Wimbledon men’s finalists since Federer, just shy of 25, faced Nadal, 20, in 2006.

“We are still really young So I just hope (we) keep doing the right things for, I don’t know the next, I don’t know five, 10 years,” Alcaraz said, “just to (put) our rivalry (on) the same table as those players.” Alcaraz on a roll

He is on a 24-match unbeaten run currently, plus has won 20 in a row at Wimbledon as he pursues a third consecutive title.

Sinner is participating in his fourth consecutive major final, including victories at the U.S. Open and the Australian Open.

“The anticipation for this final is big, is amazing,” Djokovic said.

Alcaraz vs. Sinner demands attention.

When Alcaraz fought back from a two-set deficit and erased three championship points to defeat Sinner in five sets spread across 5 hours, 29 minutes at Roland-Garros last month, there were immediate comparisons to what many consider the greatest men’s tennis match ever: Nadal’s win over Federer in five sets at the All England Club in 2008.

Good for tennis

“It’s good for the sport,” said Sinner, who

TENNIS

Continued from page 1C

produce merely 10 winners. Anisimova was shaky from the start, put only 33% of her first serves in during the first set and finished with 28 unforced errors

Certainly the pressure she was under from Swiatek’s near-perfect play was a factor Swiatek delivered serves at up to 121 mph, got 78% of her first serves in and used deep groundstrokes to grab 16 of the 20 points that lasted five shots or more.

“She definitely made it difficult for me,” Anisimova said Swiatek already owned four titles from the French Open’s red clay and one from the U.S Open’s hard courts, but this is the first one of her professional career at any grass-court tournament. She is the eighth consecutive first-time women’s champion at Wimbledon, but this stands out because of just how stunningly dominant it was.

satility with speed to spare, able to hammer shots from the baseline or charge the net or end a point with a well-disguised drop shot.

“They bring out the best in each other It’s going to come down to just the big moments.

It’s so tough to call it,” said Taylor Fritz, the runner-up to Sinner at Flushing Meadows and beaten by Alcaraz on Friday. “They both generate a lot of just raw power. But I think for me, it’s a little more uncomfortable to play Carlos, just because of the unpredictability of what he’s going to do.”

Will the French Open matter?

How will what happened in Paris just five weeks ago affect things?

Pirates’ Skenes named MLB All-Star starter again

MINNEAPOLIS For the second consecutive year, second-year starter Paul Skenes will start the Major League Baseball All-Star Game. Skenes, 23, a former LSU star, will start for the National League team on Tuesday in Atlanta. The decision was announced on Fox on Saturday evening. Skenes was one of the two favorites to start the game, then became the overwhelming favorite when Phillies ace Zack Wheeler said he’d opt out of the event. Skenes has just a 4-8 record, but he leads the majors with a 2.01 ERA. He’s completed 121 innings, the fourth-highest total in the majors.

Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, with a 10-3 record and a 2.23 ERA, will start for the American League.

Atkins, Reese, Cardoso lift Sky to victory against Lynx

CHICAGO Ariel Atkins scored 27 points, Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso each had a double-double and the Chicago Sky beat the Minnesota Lynx 87-81 on Saturday Reese had 19 points and 11 rebounds — her eighth consecutive double-double and 14th of the season and Cardoso finished with 17 points and a career-high 15 rebounds. Rachel Banham hit three 3-pointers and finished with 12 points for the Sky Napheesa Collier hit a 3 that made it 82-79 with 2:42 to play but Atkins answered with a pullup jumper and the Lynx got no closer Chicago (7-13), which is 1-10 this season against teams that are .500 or better, has won back-to-back games for just the second time this season.

Reds OF Fraley will try to finish year with torn labrum

CINCINNATI Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jake Fraley was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday

The former LSU star had injured his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch June 23 against the New York Yankees. An MRI revealed a partially torn labrum that will eventually require surgery Fraley received a cortisone shot and will try to play through it for the rest of the season.

The Reds were 7-4 in his absence.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who hasn’t played since Noelvi Marte returned from the IL on July 4, was optioned to Triple-A Louisville.

Cardinals 3-time Pro Bowl left tackle Sharpe, 65, dies

said his right elbow that was hurt in a fall in the fourth round and was covered by tape and an arm sleeve in his semifinal victory over Djokovic won’t be an issue Sunday “The more rivalries we have from now on, the better it is, because people want to see young players going against each other.”

Like Federer and Nadal, these two go about winning differently

Sinner boasts metronomic precision with his pure and powerful groundstrokes generated by his long limbs, force-blunting returns and a serve that might be the most dangerous on tour Alcaraz is a master of creativity and ver-

Anisimova won her first-round match less than two weeks ago by a 6-0, 6-0 score and eliminated No. 1-ranked Aryna Sabalenka in the semifinals, but she never looked like the same player this time. Not at all. When it was over, Anisimova sat on the sideline crying, while Swiatek climbed into the stands to celebrate with her team.

Swiatek was the Wimbledon junior champion as a teen in 2018 but never had been past the quarterfinals on the All England Club’s grass as a pro. Her only other final on the slick surface came when she was the runner-up at a tuneup event in Germany right before Wimbledon began Swiatek spent most of 2022, 2023 and 2024 at No. 1 in the WTA rankings but was seeded No. 8 at Wimbledon. She served a onemonth doping ban last year after failing an out-of-competition drug test; an investigation determined she was inadvertently exposed to a contaminated medical product used for trouble sleeping and jet lag.

Will Alcaraz carry extra confidence from his fifth straight win over Sinner? Will Sinner bear a mental burden from the way he let one get away or figure out what went wrong and correct it?

Alcaraz doesn’t think that loss will affect Sinner this time.

Sinner said he rested and relaxed for a couple of days following that setback, eating barbecued food with family and playing pingpong with friends, before getting back to business. If he truly were devastated, he argued, he wouldn’t have reached his first Wimbledon final so soon after

“Let’s hope it’s another beautiful match played at a very high level,” Sinner said, “and may the best man win.”

Anisimova was a semifinalist at age 17 at the 2019 French Open; her father died shortly after On Saturday Anisimova’s mother arrived in England for a rare chance to be at one of her daughter’s matches.

“My mom is the most selfless person I know, and she’s done everything to get me to this point in my life,” Anisimova said through tears, then spoke to her mother directly, saying: “Thank you for being here and breaking the superstition of flying in.”

And then, with a chuckle, Anisimova added: “It’s definitely not why I lost today.” She took time away from the tour a little more than two years ago because of burnout. A year ago, she tried to qualify for Wimbledon, because her ranking of 189th was too low to get into the field automatically but lost in the preliminary event.

On Monday, she’ll be ranked in the top 10. “I wish,” Anisimova told the crowd, “that I could put on a better performance for all of you.”

TEMPE,Ariz. — Luis Sharpe, a threetime Pro Bowl selection at left tackle for the Cardinals during the franchise’s time in both St. Louis and Arizona, has died. He was 65.

The Cardinals confirmed Sharpe’s death through his family a team spokesman said Saturday Sharpe’s wife, Tameka WilliamsSharpe, also posted about her husband’s death on social media.

The 6-foot-5, 275-pound Sharpe played all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Cardinals, spanning from 1982 to 1994. He made three straight Pro Bowls from 1987-89 and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 1988 and 1990.

Sharpe was born in Havana and played in college at UCLA. He started all 189 games he played in the NFL.

Milan’s late attack nets stage win at Tour de France LAVAL, France Italian rider Jonathan Milan timed his attack perfectly to win the eighth stage of the Tour de France in a sprint finish on Saturday Milan overtook Australian Kaden Groves on his left and held off Belgian rider Wout van Aert to beat him by about half a bike length. Milan won Olympic gold with Italy in team pursuit at the 2021 Tokyo Games and this was his first Tour stage win to go with four on the Giro d’Italia. Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar kept the yellow jersey after finishing in the main pack. After Friday’s

AP PHOTO By BEN WHITLEy

Kate, the princess of Wales, presents the Venus Rosewater Dish to Iga Swiatek after her Wimbledon victory Saturday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By THIBAULT CAMUS

Winner Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, right, and Jannik Sinner of Italy hug after the French Open final on June 8 in Paris. The two players have combined to win the past six Grand Slam tournaments.

Sweden lookstoshedlabel of bridesmaid

BY DANIELLA MATAR

AP sports writer

ZURICH Sweden put down a statement 4-1 win overGermany at the Women’sEuropean ChampionshiponSaturday and secured a potentially easier route to the final. This couldbethe yearSweden shakesoff itsbridesmaid reputation

Sweden won the first Women’s Euros in 1984 and has finished as runner-up three times since then. In coach Peter Gerhardsson’s eight-year tenure, Sweden was twice aWorld Cup semifinalist, took the silver medal at theTokyo Olympics and reached the Euro 2022 semifinals.

“We’ve always been doing good in the tournaments before but never gone all the way,” midfielder

Johanna Rytting Kanerydsaid. “I have areally good feelingand you can see that in the squad, its just something different this year.”

Record eight-time champion Germany wasdominated, and Sweden’stask was made easier after German forward Carlotta Wamser was sent off —barelyhalf an hour

DUNCAN

Continued from page1C

announcer Mark Romig serves as the emcee, movingthe show fromscene to scene. Legendary Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert appears in ashort, recorded segment. Leroy“Whistle Monsta” Mitchell and other superfans will make cameo appearances.

“This project is the first time that songs and narrative come together to tell the story of the strong bond between acity and their football team,” said Soniat, who will make his acting debut as the older of the three Henry Sinclair characters. “It’snice for New Orleans to be firstin something positive.” Soniat speaks from experience. He was born and raised in New Orleans’ Uptown neighborhood, not far from Tulane Stadium, where the Saints played their first eight seasons. He used money from

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

Brandon Staley

Together,the Saints hope to get more out of the line that underwhelmed last season. The Saintsranked21stin quarterback pressure percentage and 20th in sacks with 39 —and only 28 of those came from the defensive line. Theywere even worse against the run,allowing the second-most rushing yards per game and the second-most rushing yards per play

Best case

Start with the investment the Saints made toward stopping the run. If that happens, the defensive line should be significantly better than it was last year

Besides the obvious need to cut down on the amount of yardage given up on the ground, stopping the run could help put thedefense in morefavorable situations on third down. Last year, the Saints faced an average third-down distance of 7.1 yards —good for around league average (17th) That’snot terrible,but New Orleans then generated pressure on only 35.6% of its third downs. That was the third-worst rate in the league In general, the Saints need more out of their pass rush. That area improved over the last eight games of the season, when then-interim coach Darren Rizzi had Brian Young oversee the defensive line ratherthan Todd Grantham. In that span, the Saints had 20 sacks after registering 19 in the first nine outings. Young was retained on staff when Kellen Moore was hired, although JayRodgers now coaches the team’sedge rushers and BrianDavis coaches the de-

ASSOCIATED

in —for swattingaball away from thegoal-linewith herarm By that pointSweden was up 2-1after goals from Stina Blackstenius and teenager Smilla Holmberg canceled JuleBrand’searly opener for Germany

Fridolina Rolfö calmly slotted thepenalty after Wamser’sred

grass-cutting jobs to buy season tickets,which, in those days, sold for $1.50 aseat.Heattendedthe team’sinaugural game in 1967, when JohnGilliam famously returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown.

“Everyone was aSaints fan back then and excited about thegames,”said Soniat, aDeLaSalle High School and UL graduate. “Unfortunately,the Saints didn’twin alot back then. The halftimeshowswere more funthan the games.” The years have blurred thememories from the games, butthe nostalgia from those magical Sundayafternoons remains strongerthan ever That sentiment is infused throughout Soniat’scatalog of songs, among them: “All Saints Day”;“Dark Days”; “A Girl from Kenna”; “Sweet Monday”; “Back Homein the Dome”; and “Sweet Brees.”

Fittingly,“We AreOne Town” closes the show, its clever lyrics celebrat-

cardand substitute Lina Hurtig wrapped up thescoring to cap amiserable night for Germany, which conceded four goals for the first time in any Euromatch, including qualifiers. It also was thefirst time Sweden beat Germany at the Euros and ensured it topped Group Cwith

ing theunifying power of Saintsfootball: “Living our days,inseparate ways (But) we are onetown, one town when theSaints come around. The haves and the have nots, criminals and cops, republican and democrats, uptown and downtown yats, we are one, one town when theSaints are around.”

“OurCityofSaints” will debut on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, acoincidence Assaf saidhe hopes will bolster theemotion of theperformance. Organizers hope to make theshow an annual affair to kick off football season

“I really think this show is going to appeal to alot of different people, not just football fans,” Saizan-Lancon said. “I’m terrified, and Ialways say,when you’re scared,you’re on the brink of something amazing. It’sgoing to be something beautiful.”

EmailJeff Duncan at jduncan@theadvocate. com.

fensive line

If this season goes right for the line,it’ll likely be because the Saintsfound more consistency in that regard. New Orleans hasn’thad arusher earn double-digit sackssince Jordan in 2021. The best person to break thatstreak this year might be Chase Young —who, despiterecording only 51/2 sacks in 2024, rankedsixth in quarterbackpressures with 73. If Young canjustconvert more of those into sacks and granted, that’sbeen the knockonhim formostofhis career —thenthe line will be better off for it

Worstcase

Whenever there’sa scheme change implemented, it can take at least a year for the coaching staff to findthe right pieces for its defense. That might be the case for New Orleans this year

Even with Chase Young’s re-signing, the Saints don’t have aton of star power on the edge. The team chose to take offensivetackle Kel-

vin Banks in thefirst round instead of an edge rusher such as Jalon Walkeror MykelWilliams.The Saints prioritizedthe offensive line,and while that’scertainly reasonable, it could come at acost on defense. The worst-case scenario is that, in addition to the potentiallackofpressure from the edge, the changesintended to stop therun don’twork, either The interior is crowded right now.And though thatshould be sorted out in training camp, there’s apossibility the Saints are still searching for aviable run defender over the course of theseason,and players such as Bresee andBroughtondon’t make as much of an impact as the team would hope. Apredictionin 10 wordsorless

Saints make strides but still draft edge rushernext year

EmailMatthew Paras at matt.paras@theadvocate. com

maximum points and avoided the possibility of facing WorldCup champion and Euro 2025 favorite Spain in the semifinals.

Sweden will face therunner-up of Group Dinthe quarterfinals,with Germany facing the team that tops that group. That will be France, England or the Netherlands.

“Wewanted to finish first in the group, so nowwehave to analyse thatwith the players, but don’tforget we were outnumbered for60 minutes,”Germany coach ChristianWück said. “Weare downat themoment but we will shake that offand we areveryhappy to play thequarterfinals, no matter who theopponents are.”

Germany and Sweden already hadqualifiedfor the knockout stagesbut their match was decisive for thetop spot in the group, with adraw being enough for Sweden thanks to abetter goal difference.

There werefourgood chances in the opening five minutes, and Germany took the lead in the seventh when Brand ran ontoasmart throughball from Wamser and fired in.

It was the first goal Sweden con-

The ‘Our CityofSaints musicalwill makeathreedayrun at the Jefferson PerformingArtsCenter in Metairie on Aug. 29-31. The showfeatures 19 original songs by NewOrleans songwriter Paul Soniat.

ceded in thetournament but it recovered fromthatsetback just five minutes later.Arapidcounterattack saw Blackstenius collect the ball near the halfway line and race intothe area before slottingcalmly past Ann-Katrin Berger POLAND 3, DENMARK 2:InLucerne, Switzerland, Natalia Padilla scored one goal and set up the others for Poland’sfirst-ever Women’sEuropean Championship winbydefeating Denmark.

Poland is appearing in the tournament for the first timeand the Spanish-born Padilla got the country’sfirst-ever goal when she opened the scoring in the 13th minute, pouncing on arebound to firepast Maja Bay Østergaardafter Ewa Pajor’sinitial effort was blocked at the right post.

“Wewaited along time forit,” Poland coach Nina Patalon told UEFA.“We wanted to score that one goal, and we scored three. Today Iamsoproud of my girls and just so, so happy.” Padilla followed her goal by crossing forPajor to head in the second in the 20th.

COURTESy OF JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTSCENTER

COURTESy OF JEFFERSON PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Former NewOrleans Saints quarterback BobbyHebert, left, poses foraphoto with director Scarlett Saizan-Lancon, center,and Superdome public address announcer Mark Romig.All are partofthe ‘Our City of Saints’ musical.

VanGisbergen mastershitting brakes

BY JENNA FRYER AP auto racing writer

SONOMA, Calif. Shane van Gis-

bergenprovedinhis NASCAR debut to be an elite roadand street courseracer bywinning in his first career outing.

Twoyears later,his rivals have gotten agood look at the New Zealander’stechniqueand have declared himthe favorite to win SundayatSonomaRaceway.Hewill start fromthe polefor thesecond consecutive week and thirdtime in five races.

“It’spretty awesome. We’ve had areally cool couple of weeks,” the Trackhouse Racing driver said

“It’ssocoolhow stoked everyone is and you feel the energy in the shop when you walk in. It’sjust a cool atmosphere in the shop, everyone is lifted up.”

VanGisbergen is on atwo-race winning streak on the specialty courses after victories on the road course in Mexico City (where he won by 16.6 seconds from the pole) and last Sunday on the streets of Chicago (again from the pole). He has five consecutive finishes of seventh or higher dating back to Watkins Glen International last September

“He’ssogood and it’srare that you see somebody stand out like that and distance himself from the competition,” said Kyle Larson, last year’swinner at Sonoma.

“He’sway,way,way better than us at the road course stuff.”

The secret, his rivals have learned, is atoe-heel braking technique that none of them can master

“If Itried to learn what he’sdoing, it would take me until Iretire,” Kyle Busch said.

Added Larson: “You can’tteach an old dog new tricks. There’szero chance Ican learn how to dothat.”

VanGisbergen, whowon at Sonoma in his Xfinity Series debut last year and started from the pole Saturday in that race, will be making his Cup debut Sunday on

Shane vanGisbergendrives to VictoryLaneafter winning aNASCARCup Series auto race at the Grant Park 165 on July 6inChicago.

ä ToyotaSaveMart350. 2:30 P.M.

SUNDAy,TNT SPORTS

thepicturesquetrack in Northern California’swine country

He is beatable, said Denny Hamlin, but it won’tbeeasy for any drivertostopvan Gisbergen’s dominance.

“I think you are going to need things to not go hisway,and then someone is going to have toreally hitit,”Hamlinsaid. “That, to me,is probably going to be challenging. Cautions could turn things upside down. He is beatable,onspeed alone, but Iwould say outright pace?No.”

In addition to the way van Gisbergen brakes, Hamlin commended the waythe Kiwi approaches

thecourses.

“His approach tohow he attacks certain cornersseemstobethe thingwhere we’re morereactive,” Hamlin said. “I’m more reactive to

McIlroystartingtofind footingatScottishOpen

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

NORTH BERWICK, Scotland Masters

champion Rory McIlroy took another step toward emerging out of the doldrums with two big shots at the end of his round Saturday that led to a4-under 66 that gave hima share of the lead with Chris Gotterup in the ScottishOpen.

McIlroy kept in range of Gotterup on another gorgeous day of sunshinealong the Firth of Forth, then came into everyone’sview in the middle of the back nine at The Renaissance Club.

After a15-foot birdie on the par-314th, his shot from agreenside pot bunker hit the pinfor a tap-in par to keep his momentum. McIlroy was in trouble again on thepar-5 16th; in just ahorrible lie he could advance it only some 70 yards. With the wind at his back and wispy grass beneath the golf ball,hehit sand wedge from 173 yards to 10 feet for birdie.

Twoclosing pars put him at 11-under 199. That was enough to catch Gotterup, abig athlete with big power who had gone 34 holes without abogey until the second hole Saturday.Hefell into atie with athree-putt from 60 feet for bogey on the 14th and failedto birdie the 16th.

Gotterup, who tied thecourse record with a61onFriday,had to settle for a70. He will be in the last group with McIlroy

“I think I’m prettyclosetobeing backtothe levelIwas at going into the Masters,” McIlroy said. “I think I’ve hada little bit of alull, which Ifeel is understandable. So I’m justgetting back to the level that Iknow that Ican play at.”

Wyndham Clark had a66and will join McIlroy and Gotterup in the final group. Teetimes are being moved up slightly to account for aforecast of heavy fog, which threatened to move in at various times Saturday but stayed offshore Clark was at 9-under 201 along with Jake Knapp, who forthe longest time was the closestchallenger to Gotterup until awild finishof birdies on the closing par 3s and bogeys on the other holes for a68. Matt Fitzpatrick and Marco Penge also were at 201, with both

Rory McIlroyofNorthernIreland tees off at the Scottish Open on SaturdayatThe Renaissance Club in NorthBerwick, Scotland

English players postinga69. Gotterup and Knapp also are in prime position to extend their stay of links golf. Theleading three players notyet eligible will earn a spot at Royal Portrush next week for theBritish Open.

McIlroy hasn’tlooked thesame since the greatest day of his career that Sunday at Augusta National, where hewon aplayoff to finally claimthe Mastersgreen jacket andjoined the exclusive group of five other players with the career GrandSlam. He has not seriously come close to winning since then. He arrived in Scotland off atwo-week break anddescribed his game at 80%.

McIlroy had few complaints aboutitafter Saturday “Even though Iscored better yesterday (a 65),Ifeel like I played my best golf of theweek today,” McIlroy said. Gotterup,for thelongest time, lookedcollectedonSaturday After arough start, including a

bogey from afairway bunker on thesecond hole, Gotterup drove into abunker on the short par-4 fifththat led to bogey,and then nearly hadahole-in-one on the par-3sixth with ashotthatlipped out of the cup. Butthat was the last of his birdies. He failed to convert on thetwo par 5s on the back nine. He ran out of par-saving putts when he threeputted the14th. Buthe’sstill there with achance to add to his Myrtle Beach Classic title he won last year “I’m pleased, but definitely feel like Ileft one or two out there that would have been important,”Gotterup said.“After 61, it doesn’t feel as easy.I hung in there tough and put myself in agood spotgoing into tomorrow “I knowwhat I’m capable of. I’ve won before —obviously differenttournament. So Iknowwhat it takes. It’sgoing to take agood round for sure, and I’m going to go give it my best.”

er,hethenrefineshis technique and goes even faster.”

No apologyoffered

Joey Logano had little to offer on his current feud with Ross Chastain. It heated up last weekatChicagowhenChastain spun Logano in aretaliatory movethat sent Logano to NASCAR to demand punishment foradeliberate action.

NASCAR did not penalizeChastain, andthe twodrivers havenot spoken since Sunday’spostrace confrontation.

“Wehaven’t talked,” Logano said Saturday.“It is what it is.”

Logano didn’twant to talk about Chastain, anyway

“He made his choices. I’m just going to go race my car,” Logano said.

As forChastain? He maintained that “there’s threesidestoevery story.”

“I think that alot of people were allrunning into each other for the last couple of laps,” Chastain said. “That’swhat Isaw.”

Bubbaand Bowman

Bubba Wallace tried to fix his frayed relationship with Alex Bowman as soon as they arrived in California earlier this week.

15. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet,95.003.

(11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 94.967.

17. (8)Kyle Busch,Chevrolet,94.919.

18. (42) John H. Nemechek, Toyota, 94.866.

19. (99) DanielSuárez, Chevrolet, 94.808.

20. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford,94.776.

21. (6)BradKeselowski, Ford,94.732.

22. (22) Joey Logano, Ford,94.726.

23. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 94.679.

24. (2)AustinCindric, Ford,94.594.

25. (21) Josh Berry,Ford, 94.467.

26. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet,94.222.

27. (41) Cole Custer, Ford,94.112.

28. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 93.949.

29. (7)JustinHaley,Chevrolet,93.929.

30. (23) BubbaWallace, Toyota, 93.923.

31. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 93.896.

32. (4)Noah Gragson, Ford,93.894.

33. (3)AustinDillon, Chevrolet, 93.695.

34. (47) Ricky StenhouseJr, Chevrolet, 93.497.

35. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford,93.364.

36. (51) Cody Ware,Ford, 92.465.

37. (78) KatherineLegge,Chevrolet, .000.

seeing how someone approaches a corner to go fast. He’s proactive andknowshow to approach it, so he’s betterand faster before Iam. Andbythe timeIstart to get clos-

The two had an incident at Chicagofor thesecondconsecutive year and have had other run-ins in the past. After the latest dustup, Bowman expressed surprise that the twowere still having issues.

“I thought we had squashed our beef, but clearlywehave not,” Bowman said in Chicago.

To prove to Bowmanthat they had moved on, Wallace said he saw Bowman in aNapa Valley restaurant, approached him from behind andwrapped him in abear hug. He laterpaidfor Bowman’s dinner.

“I toldhim Imessed up likean idiot,” Wallace said of his driving at Chicago. “I apologized. Iwas downfor acouple days about it. So Ibought him ameal. It felt right.”

Tennis lovers sharelead at EvianChampionship

The Associated Press EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France Golf wasn’tthe first love of Cara Gainer or Gabriela Ruffels, whogrew up wanting to be professional tennis players andcame closeto making it. Now they’re in sight of becoming an unlikely major winner in their adopted sport.

Gainer,a No. 129-rankedEnglishwoman, andRuffels, a71strankedAustralian,will be in the finalgroup at theEvianChampionship on Sunday after powering through the fieldinthe third round of the fourth major of the year in women’s golf

On aglorious Saturday at Evian Resort Golf Club, Gainer shot 7-under 64 to move to 11 under for the week and was soon joined in theleadbyRuffels,who shot 66

They’ve got plenty of high-quality company on the leaderboard. No. 6-rankedMinjee Lee, the recent winner of theWomen’s PGA Championship, shot 66 and was astroke off the co-leaders in herbid to become thefirstwoman sinceInbee Park in 2013 to capture back-to-back major titles.

No. 2-ranked Jeeno Thitikul (67), whohas yettowin amajor, was tied at 10 under with Lee, along with second-round leader Somi Lee (71) and Grace Kim (70).

They’ll all be applying pressure on Gainer and Ruffels, whohave kept akeen eye on the Wimble-

dontennis championships taking place this week and finished their third rounds just before the start of the women’ssingles final between Amanda Anisimova and IgaSwiatek.

“Tennis was, Iguess, my first love,” said the29-year-old Gainer,who tried her hand at golf for the first timeatthe age of 14 and quickly became ascratch handicapper.“Idostill really enjoy it. Idon’treally play anymore but I love to watch it. Obviously,Wimbledon is on this week so that’s my evening.”

Like Gainer, Ruffels had atennis coach —and former player —for afather.Ray Ruffels was athree-time Australian Open singles semifinalist, and he reached the Wimbledonand U.S. Open mixed doublesfinals withBillie Jean King in 1978.

Gabriela Ruffels wassogood —asthe No. 1juniorinAustralia— thatshe wonmanyITF junior events in Europe, but she also turned to golf around the age of 14 and wasthe U.S. Women’s Amateur champion in 2019. Before coming to the French Alps,she stoppedoff at Wimbledon with her boyfriend as aguest of retired Australian doubles great Todd Woodbridge.

“It was such acool experience,” the 25-year-old Ruffels said. “It was great to relax and not touch the clubs for afew days and getoverjet lag. Seems to have worked this week.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MALCOLMMACKENZIE

ASSOCISATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIN HOOLEy

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Multiple choices

Nationals have several options as No. 1 pick in Sunday’s draft amid recent front office upheaval

BY DAVID BRANDT AP baseball writer

The Washington Nationals are at a pivotal point in their rebuild to relevance, owning the No. 1 overall pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft that begins Sunday night in Atlanta

There are multiple intriguing prospects they can choose from, including prep shortstop Ethan Holliday, the son of seven-time All-Star Matt Holliday and brother of Jackson Holliday, the No. 1 overall pick in 2022 and is now in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles.

But, Washington last Sunday fired longtime general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez.

Bold choice.

The Nats’ peculiar move more for the timing than the actual decision injected another layer of uncertainty to a draft that might be one of the most unpredictable in recent years.

The first three rounds of the 20-round draft will take place on Sunday with the rest of the selections on Monday.

Washington promoted Mike DeBartolo to interim general manag-

ANDERSON

Continued from page 1C

batters in 119 innings. Only Skenes and Ben McDonald have recorded more strikeouts in a single season in LSU history

“He’s done everything a first-round pick — a high first-round pick — needs to do to go there,” the second scout said. Anderson made a few obvious improvements to his game heading into his sophomore season, most notably adding a slider to his repertoire. The new weapon diversified an arsenal that already included a strong fastball, changeup and curveball. With four plus pitches, Anderson became more nasty against hitters on either side of the plate And his ability to throw each offering for a strike made him an even rarer commodity in the eyes of scouts.

“Pretty much anyone that’s throwing four plus pitches for strikes is in the big leagues already,” a third scout said on the condition of anonymity

“So to see a guy doing it in college, it’s almost funny It’s like, ‘Oh, this guy’s just way better than his peers.’ “ What allows Anderson to command the ball consistently is his simple and repeatable delivery. He’s a good athlete who arrived at LSU as a two-way player a trait scouts see in his approach on the mound.

“The ease that he (threw the ball), it was kind of like

a (Tom Glavine),” the second scout said “The names that

er, and he’ll supervise the team’s selections. He was previously the team’s assistant general manager and has been with the franchise since 2012.

DeBartolo said he’ll lean on the evaluations of the team’s scouting department but also has his own opinions about the process and will be the decision-maker Money will also be a factor, as teams have to work within their bonus pool.

The Orioles are at the high end this year with more than $19 million to spend.

The Yankees who don’t pick until No. 39 — are at the bottom

start popping in your head when you see him. It’s just like, OK, those are all the right names to be compared to.”

Anderson’s delivery is what a fourth scout saw him improve upon by the end of the season.

“I remember that game in Baton Rouge (against Missouri), he was kind of fighting his delivery at two different points in the game,” the fourth scout said under the condition of anonymity

“And then when I saw him again in the SEC Tournament, it was like he maybe fell out of rhythm three or four pitches the entire start and they were spaced out.

“He felt whatever it was that was going awry, and he made the adjustment. He fixed it like on the very next pitch.”

The scouts also saw progress from Anderson’s changeup. The fourth scout observed flashes of a plus pitch when he saw Anderson throw against Missouri. By the time he watched him again at the SEC Tournament, the offering had become a weapon.

“It had come a long way over the course of the spring,” he said. “He’s got zero issue throwing it to both lefties and righties. So that was the pitch I thought took the further step forward.”

For as polished and impressive as Anderson is as a prospect, there’s no guarantee that he’ll be the first pick Sunday. Oklahoma high school infielder Ethan Holliday, Tennessee left-hander Liam Doyle and California high school right-hander Seth Hernandez, among others,

The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO The addition of Milwaukee Brewers rookie phenom pitcher Jacob Misiorowski to the National League All-Star team drew mixed reactions around Major League Baseball.

Some players and fans quickly took to social media to express their frustrations over a player with only five starts in the majors being added to the NL roster instead of other players who have put up as good, if not better, numbers during the first half of the season.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who will manage the NL squad Tuesday in Atlanta, is on the opposite end of the spectrum. Roberts made it clear that he had no voice in selecting Misiorowski but sees the move as a positive, given the entertainment value of the Midsummer Classic.

“The All-Star Game is about the fans,” Roberts said. “Yes, this kid hasn’t pitched a whole lot in the big leagues, but I do think it sparks some more excitement, seeing the velocity.”

rows into the right-center field seats.

He reached 350 in his 1,088th game. McGwire hit No. 350 in his 1,280th game, against Detroit’s Brian Moehler on June 2, 1997, bettering Harmon Killebrew in his 1,319th game.

with roughly $5.3 million.

“They’ve been working hard for this moment, almost even before the last draft ended,” DeBartolo said. “So, I’ll bring my own voice to that process, and I’ll work collaboratively with them, and take what they have to say and ultimately be responsible for making the picks.”

There is little consensus about whom the Nats might select at No. 1, though some of the top prospects are a pair of lefthanded pitchers — LSU’s Kade Anderson and Tennessee’s Liam Doyle — along with Oregon State shortstop Aiva Arquette and prep shortstops Holliday and Eli Willits.

“There are several really talented players that are going to be in the mix for us,” DeBartolo said. “We have to decide how to strategize with our bonus pool money and what the player bonus pool demands are and run through all those scenarios over the coming days.”

After the Nationals, the Los Angeles Angels have the No. 2 selection. The Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies and St. Louis Cardinals round out the top five.

are also candidates.

Anderson is projected to be the No. 1 pick in The Athletic and ESPN’s latest mock drafts, but there’s still plenty of uncertainty regarding who the Nationals will choose, especially after they decided to fire general manager Mike Rizzo a week before the draft.

Anderson also isn’t a perfect prospect. He’s had Tommy John surgery already and his fastball velocity isn’t overwhelming, often sitting between 91-94 mph.

“I don’t know,” the third scout said when asked whether he thought Anderson would go No. 1. “I think the unique thing about MLB is with all the draft rules and stuff, it always seems like it comes down to money Like, Henry Davis went No. 1 a few years ago because he took less money than some other guys.”

The consensus among draft experts is that Anderson will get selected at least in the top 5. The Los Angeles Angels own the second pick and the Seattle Mariners will have the No. 3 overall selection.

More than one scout who spoke with The Advocate believes the first pick will be either Anderson or Holliday, the son of former All-Star outfielder Matt Holliday and the younger brother of Baltimore Orioles infielder and former No. 1 overall pick Jackson Holliday

“I could definitely see a scenario which (the Nationals) do (pick Anderson),” a fifth scout said on the condition of anonymity “Because they’ve got a pretty good young core of players in the major leagues that I think are on the brink of being pretty good. I

The 23-year-old, who is 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA, quickly gained attention when he threw a 100.5 mph fastball for his first pitch in the big leagues.

Brewers manager Pat Murphy said he understood the backlash from around the league but sees it as giving fans what they want.

“People want to see Miz pitch,” Murphy said. “He’s the new shiny toy in the league It’s not deserving, that has nothing to do with it. He’s been given this opportunity It’s not his fault.

“This wasn’t a fly by night decision. This is something they thought through. I think it would be really tough for the kid to say no to that.”

Yankees

JUDGE FASTESTTO HIT 350 HRS: Aaron Judge didn’t just become the fastest player to hit 350 home runs, he did it in 192 fewer games than Mark McGwire.

“I just think he’s playing in a different league,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said after Judge’s ninth-inning drive in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

Judge homered to right-center on a high 0-2 fastball from Brad Keller, a two-run shot a couple of

think it’s going to be either him or Ethan Holliday.”

“You could pretty much mark those two down as one and two,” the first scout said.

“I’d go to Vegas on that one.”

Both Holliday and Anderson are advised by Scott Boras, an agent who has a history of making deals with Rizzo and the Nationals. But even with Rizzo no longer at the helm, the fourth scout believes the move probably won’t affect who Washington picks first.

“The scouting department

“Big Mac did a lot of great things in this game, and he’s definitely a legend,” Judge said. Judge, who turned 33 in April, debuted with the Yankees at age 24 in 2016. The two-time AL MVP also doubled twice and is hitting a major league-leading .358 with 35 homers and 81 RBIs.

Twins

BUXTON HITS FOR CYCLE: Minnesota Twins All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton admitted to feeling a little added pressure before Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

It was his bobblehead day, meaning the first 10,000 fans to walk through the gates at Target Field would receive a replica of Buxton doing his “Buck Truck” home run celebration.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous before the game started, just knowing it was bobblehead day,” Buxton said. “Obviously you want to come out and do something good.”

Buxton did more than something good. He became the first player to hit for the cycle at Target Field since the ballpark opened in 2010, helping ignite the Twins to a 12-4 win over the Pirates.

It was the 12th cycle in Twins history and the first since Jorge Polanco had one in 2019.

worked the whole year putting the draft board together so it wouldn’t be normal really to just blow the whole thing up right now and go with some off-the-wall pick,” the third scout said. “Especially with (interim general manager Mark DeBartolo) already being in the office.”

There is little doubt about who the most MLB-ready prospect is this year The fourth scout recognized that when he watched Anderson strike out eight of the first nine batters he saw against

Texas A&M at the SEC Tournament.

“It felt like there was a big-league starting pitcher on the mound,” the fourth scout said.

Anderson has done everything in his power to impress MLB organizations. Now it’s up to the Nationals to determine whether he will follow in Skenes’ footsteps as a No. 1 pick.

“I don’t know if they should pick him No. 1,” the fourth scout said. “But he probably is the safest pick in the draft.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By WADE PAyNE

Tennessee pitcher Liam Doyle is among the candidates who could go No. 1 overall to the Washington Nationals in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft on Sunday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski reacts to striking out Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz for the third out in the fourth inning on June 25 in Milwaukee.

OUTDOORS

Studyonmenhadengives answers, leavesquestions

Breedingredfish killed as resultof bycatchconcerns conservationalists

BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer

While the menhaden industry is touting the findings with regard to redfish mortality from the LGL Ecological Research Associates menhaden bycatch study,conservation folks say the number of dead redfish go beyond the findings. The Menhaden Fisheries Coalition issued arelease identifying its fishery killed 30,142 redfish in the LGL study conducted on 518 of the menhaden operations’ reported 13,144 sets in 2024. The report showed about 22,000 breeding-size redfish were among that number

The menhaden industryofficials said that number is “a tinyfraction of overallred drum losses from all causes,” which include the recreational take of thisspecies, which is Louisiana’sonly saltwater gamefish.

The conservationists’ side is that the 22,000 redfishfigure represents the size of fish banned from the recreational take in amajor change in Louisiana redfish regulations in 2024. The new regulation prohibitsrecreational anglers from keeping redfish measuring 27 or more inches long.

The report also identified 61 species in the bycatch study.Bycatch is aterm applied to any nontargeted species. In this case any species other than menhaden.

The report found bycatch makes up 3.6% of the totalcatch, which was recorded as an average of about 500,000 metric tonsper year from the Gulf, of which nearly 94% of that catch comes from Louisiana waters.

LGL’s study also showed the incidence of bycatchofcoastal predator species decreasedwhen nets were set in deeperwater,depths from 16-20 feet according to the chart. With that finding, there will be more questions than answers about the future of this commercialfishery.Will there be amove to the one-mile barrier off the Louisiana coast, amove sought beforeGov Jeff Landry ordered both the industry and conservation organizations to settle on ahalf-mile barrier?

Advocate reporter MikeSmith wrote the follow-up story Wednesday to the presentation made during Tuesday’s Wildlife and Fisheries meeting.

ATuesday release from Wildlife andFisheries contains information from the entire study on the agency’swebsite: wlf.louisiana. gov, then find“Recent News”for the Tuesday posting.

Abig net

Wildlife and Fisheries Enforcement teamed with State Police and the Coast Guard to workwaterways across the state during

Aredfish is readiedtobeweighed during the 13thSt. Thomas More fishing rodeo on Aug. 6, 2022, in Cypremort Point. Amenhadenbycatch studybythe LGL Ecological Research Associatesrevealed22,000 breeding-sized redfish were among the more than 30,000 total redfish killed during menhaden fishing in 2024.

NOTEBOOK

the Fourth of July holiday.Patrols resulted in the arrestof19for DWI violations during Operation Dry Water

Huntingseasons

With hunting season lessthan twomonthsawayfor doves— Sept. 6statewide —and theteal season openingSept.20, hunters can gotothe Wildlife and Fisheries website for the 2025-2026 hunting regulations pamphlet

All season dates, bag limits and regulations are posted in the pamphlet along with season dates and other rules forhuntingwildlife management areas and on our state’sfederal lands.

To findthe pamphlet, go to:wlf louisiana.gov/page/seasons-andregulations

Printed copies will be available in August at allWildlife and Fisheries offices and at mostplaces where huntingand fishing licenses are sold

Waterfowl

Wildlife andFisheries’ waterfowl study leader Jason Olszak presented thefindings from therecent waterfowl hunters survey during Tuesday’s commission meeting.

The study came after 11,636 responded toa37-questionsurveyconductedin advance of the commission setting waterfowl hunting zones andsegments to present to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicebythe Aug. 31 deadline

These zones and season segments will be effective through the2029-2030 hunting seasons.

Olszak reported hunters liked the two waterfowl zones —East andWest —with almost no consensus for either twoorthree segmentsinthe 60-dayseason.

Other preferences included a mid-November opening day,splits opening on Saturdays,and hunting

untilJan.31, thelast date allowed by theUSFWS. For specklebelly geese, thepreference was for continuing a74day,three-per-day season.

An honor Senior agent DustinBarton received theannual Theophile Bourgeois Memorial Awardduring Tuesday’s commission meeting. Barton was honored for his work in leading an investigation on a man posing as afishing guide on ToledoBend without alicensenor insurance.

The Louisiana Charter Boat Association presentsthe award for the agent who promotes “professionalism within the Louisiana charter-for-hire industry.”

Gags

The Gulf Council announced a Sept.1-14 season on takinggag grouperfrom federal waters.Most Gulf states adopt the same season. The reason for the short season stemsfromlandingsexceeding 2024’sallowedcatch by 88,991 pounds.

That number was subtracted from the 2025 allowed catch, which resulted in a“2025 recreational annualcatch limit of 310,009 pounds guttedweight and a2025 recreational annual catch target of 230,009 pounds gutted weight,” according to the council’s release.

Snakes alive!

Most of us know about Shark Week on TV

Now getreadyfor Snake Week (July 13-19).Wildlife and Fisheries and the Louisiana Amphibian andReptile Enthusiasts will host aseminar on snakesatthe HeymannRecreational Center,1500 S. Orange Street in Lafayette beginning at 6:30 p.m. Monday World Snake Day will be celebrated July 16, so to find out more about it go to this website: snakeweek.org

SUNDAY ADVANCED FLYCASTING/THE DOUBLE HAUL: 3-4 p.m., Orvis Shop, BluebonnetBoulevard,Baton Rouge. Feefree. Bring your own rod. Call Shop (225) 757-7286.Website: orvis.com/batonrouge

MONDAY RED STICKFLY FISHERS MEETING: 7p.m Regional Branch Library 9200 BluebonnetBoulevard,Baton Rouge. Open to thepublic. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@ gmail.com Website: rsff.org

TUESDAY LAFAYETTE KAYAKFISHINGCLUB MEETING: 6p.m., Pack &Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call (337) 232-5854. Website: lafayettekayakfishing.com

WEDNESDAY FLIES &FLIGHTS: 7p.m., RallyCap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Avenue, Baton Rouge.Fly tying. Open to public. Sparetools,materials for novices. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com

THURSDAY ACADIANA FLYRODDERS PROGRAM: 6p.m., Pack &Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@ gmail.com. Website: acadianaflyrodders.org.

SATURDAY FLYFISHING101: 9-11 a. m., Orvis Shop, BluebonnetBoulevard,Baton Rouge. Feefree. Basics of casting,rigging, fly selection. No fee. Equipmentfurnished. All ages, but 15-and-youngermustbeaccompanied by an adult. Preregistration required. Call Shop (225) 757-7286.

Website: orvis.com/batonrouge

FLYCASTING CLINIC: 9a.m., Perkins Road Park, 7122 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge.Red Stick FlyFishers event.

ONGOING

CCASTATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS’ RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Summerlong fishing contest through Sept. 1. Multiple species categories. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com

HUNTING

LOTTERYDOVEHUNTDEADLINE: July 27 for Elbow Slough WMA. $8.50 application fee. Applications website: louisianaoutdoors.com/ lottery-applications. Call David Hayden (318) 487-5353. Email: dhayden@wlf.la.gov

LOTTERYTEAL HUNT DEADLINE: July 27 for White LakeWetlands Conservation Area. $8.50 application fee. Applications website: louisianaoutdoors.com/lotteryapplications. Call Lance Ardoin (337) 536-6061. Email: lardoin@wlf. la.gov

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Spring inshoreseason closed except in Breton/Chandeleur sounds. All outside waters remain open OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Redsnapper,flounder;lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmenamong othersnapper species; all groupersexcept closed for goliath &Nassau groupersin state/federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Gray triggerfish, greater amberjack, bluefin tuna and gag, goliath& Nassau groupersinstate/federal waters.

PORTFOURCHON Final leaderboard from three-day, 75thannual Golden Meadow-Fourchon Tarpon Rodeo with anglers, their hometowns (whenavailable), weight of catchinpounds and ounces and divisionalawards. Club nameslistedfor winnersinScuba Division (totalweight of catch determines tie-breakerfor outstanding fishermen awards). The KayakDivision’s Cajun Slamisthe combinedweights of redfish, speckled trout &flounder: INSHORE DIVISION Gafftopsail catfish: 1, Brian Bouzigard, Golden Meadow, 6.4 pounds.2,Ava Plaisance, Cut Off, 6.2. 3, Ali Plaisance, Cut Off, 6.0. Flounder: 1, Lachon Boudreaux,Cut Off, 2.8. 2, Sebastian Willis, Cut Off, 2.4. 3, Blake Broussard, Thibodaux,2.4. Drum: 1, Kelsey Davenport, 35.2. 2, Davenport, 33.2. 3, Lynne Duet, Golden Meadow, 20.2. Rat redfish: 1, Al Waguespack, Thibodaux

Drum:

8.0. 2, Kevin John Terrebonne Jr., Cut Off, 8.0. 3, Kelsey Davenport, 7.2. Redfish stringer: 1, Kevin John Terrebonne Jr.,Cut Off, 28.2. 2, Kelsey Davenport, 27.4. 3, Ryan Bagala, Cut Off, 25.2. Sheepshead: 1, Brady Griffin, Larose, 4.0. 2, LaurenPlaisance, Cut Off, 2.2. 3, Anaka Compeaux,Larose, 1.6. Speckled trout: 1, Trey Ourso, Baton Rouge, 4.0. 2, Travis Dardenne,Plaquemine, 4.0. 3, Dardenne,3.6. Outstandingangler: Kelsey Davenport, 8 points SHORELINE DIVISION Tarpon: 1, Simone Robichaux,Larose, 160.2. Bonita: 1, Cole Dubois, Cut Off, 16.0. 2, Andrew Lefort, Cut Off, 15.4. 3, Ali Plaisance, CutOff, 15.2. Cobia: 1, RenCheramie, 46.2. 2, Britton Comeaux, Larose, 43.6. 3, Cole Dubois, Cut Off, 42.8. Grouper: 1, KarsenSmith, Cut Off, 41.2. 2, JakeSanamo, 22.6. 3, HeatherHill, St Louis,Missouri,16.6. Jack crevalle: 1, KasonGilbert, Luling, 28.4. 2, KevinJohn Terrebonne Jr., Cut Off, 28.0. 3, Karsen Smith, Cut Off, 27.4. Mangrovesnapper: 1, Rustie Charpentier, CutOff, 9.8. 2, Charpentier, 9.6. 3, Drew Suffrin, Destrahan, 8.2. Spanish mackerel: 1, Kevin Bankston, Baton Rouge, 2.8. 2, Monica Gisclair, Cut Off, 2.6. 3, Lane Gisclair, Galliano, 2.4. Redsnapper: 1, Oksana Patt, Baton Rouge 18.2. 2, Heath Callais, Cut Off, 17.8. 3, Callais,17.2. Outstandingangler: Rustie Charpentier, 5points No entries in Tarpon/Tag& Release nor King Mackerel KAYAKDIVISION Cajun slam: 1, Davie Breaux,Cut Off, 6.0. 2, Jody Cheramie, Golden Meadow, 4.0. Rat redfish: 1, Davie Breaux,Cut Off, 4.6. 2, Jody Cheramie,GoldenMeadow, 4.0. 3, Breaux, 2.4. Speckled trout: 1, Davie Breaux,Cut Off, 1.4.

Davenport, Golden Meadow, 28.0. 2, Kenna Ledet, Larose,26.4. 3, Davenport, 21.2. Flounder: 1, MaddoxWillis, Cut Off, 1.8. 2, Teddy Leger, 1.6. 3, Willis, 1.6 Gafftopsail catfish: 1, Remy Ockmond, Vacherie, 5.6. 2, TraveLeblanc,Cut Off, 5.4. 3, Henley Comeaux,Larose, 5.4. Rat redfish: 1, Kambree Davenport, Golden Meadow, 6.4. 2, Davenport, 6.2. 3, Davenport, 6.2. Sheepshead: 1, Dawson Lirette,Houma, 4.2. 2, Jon Paul Danos, Galliano, 3.8. 3, Danos, 3.8. Speckled trout: 1, Luke Besson, Thibodaux 3.6. 2, Besson, Thibodaux,2.8. 3, Dawson Lirette,Houma, 2.8. Leopardredfish: 1, Kambree Davenport, Golden Meadow, 7spots.2,Davenport, 7 spots.3,Davenport, 6spots Outstanding anglers: Kambree Davenport, 10 points &LukeBesson, 5points SPEARFISHING DIVISION Barracuda: 1, George Ansardi,Hell Divers, 43.2. 2, RobbieSchmidt, Hell Divers, 30.6. 3, Ansardi,29.2 Cobia: 1, Paul Cozic, Hell Divers, 45.8. 2, MikeAucoin, Hell Divers, 43.0. 3, Troy Donaldson, Git ‘Em, 40.4. Grouper: 1, Joe Rizzuto, Hell Divers, 21.4. 2, RobbieSchmidt, Hell Divers, 18.6. 3, Jason Guitreau, Git ‘Em, 17.8. Jackcrevalle: 1, MikeAucoin, Hell Divers, 31.4. 2, Paul Cozic, Hell Divers, 24.0. 3, Jason Guitreau, Git ‘Em, 11.4. Mangrovesnapper: 1, Troy Donaldson, Git ‘Em, 13.8. 2, Joe Rizzuto, Hell Divers,9.6. 3, Garret Bible, Hell Divers, 9.2. RedSnapper: 1, MikeAucoin, Hell Divers, 20.4. 2, Aucoin, 16.1. 3, Troy Donaldson, Git ‘Em, 16.0. Sheepshead: 1, RobbieSchmidt, Hell Divers, 5.2. 2, Schmidt, 4.4. 3, Garret Bible, Hell

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRADKEMP

N. Hojgaard, Denmark 68-69-67—204 6 Francesco Laporta, Italy 71-64-69—204 6 Kristoffer Reitan, Norway 71-65-68—204 -6

S. Scheffler, United States 67-68-69—204 6 Andy Sullivan, England 68-66-70—204 -6 Bud Cauley, United States 67-70-68—205 5 Harry Hall, England 67-64-74—205 5 Viktor Hovland, Norway 66-72-67—205 -5 R. Langasque, France 71-67-67—205 5

M. McCarty, United States 69-65-71—205 5 Taylor Pendrith, Canada 67-69-69—205 5 Victor Perez, France 64-70-71—205 -5

X. Schffele, United States 68-66-71—205 5 Jorge Campillo, Spain 68-71-67—206 -4

Ugo Coussaud, France 68-71-67—206 -4

Grant Forrest, Scotland 67-68-71—206 4 M. Kim, United States 69-67-70—206 -4

Justin Rose, England 70-68-68—206 4

Jordan L. Smith, England 71-67-68—206 4 Nick Taylor, Canada 67-66-73—206 -4

C. Bezudnht, South Africa 70-68-69—207 3 Alejandro Del Rey, Spain 67-67-73—207 -3 Si Woo Kim, South Korea 70-69-68—207 -3

K. Mitchell, United States 66-67-74—207 3

John Parry, England 71-68-68—207 -3

Yannik Paul, Germany 68-66-73—207 3

Aaron Rai, England 69-67-71—207 3

Adam Scott, Australia 69-68-70—207 -3

S. Soderberg, Sweden 69-66-72—207 3

Matt Wallace, England 71-68-68—207 -3

Laurie Canter, England 69-69-70—208 -2

N. Echavarria, Colombia 64-72-72—208 2

T. Fleetwood, England 70-67-71—208 -2

B. Harman, United States 69-65-74—208 2

A. Smalley, United States 70-69-69—208 2

J. Svensson, Sweden 73-64-71—208 -2

J. Vegas, Venezuela 67-71-70—208 2

G. Woodlnd, United States 69-69-70—208 -2

D. Brown, England 70-66-73—209 -1

J. Kruyswijk, South Africa 70-68-71—209 1

Richard Mansell, England 69-67-73—209 -1

M. McNealy, United States 67-71-71—209 1

Keita Nakajima, Japan 73-65-71—209 1

Marcel Siem, Germany 65-71-73—209 -1

Elvis Smylie, Australia 67-71-71—209 1

Sami Valimaki, Finland 70-69-70—209 -1

J. Bridgemn, United States 71-68-71—210 E

Sam Burns, United States 67-71-72—210 E

Corey Conners, Canada 70-69-71—210 E

Ryan Fox, New Zealand 66-70-74—210 E

J. Thomas, United States 69-70-71—210 E

Sam Bairstow, England 70-66-75—211 +1

D. Berger, United States 68-71-72—211 +1

Thomas Detry, Belgium 68-70-73—211 +1

P. Harrington, Ireland 69-70-72—211 +1

R. Macintyre, Scotland 68-71-72—211 +1

T. Olesen, Denmark 67-70-74—211 +1

S. Stevens, United States 72-67-72—211 +1

Connor Syme, Scotland 68-71-72—211 +1

L. Clanton, United States 72-66-74—212 +2 Martin Couvra, France 70-68-74—212 +2

R. Gerard, United States 67-70-75—212 +2

H. Norlander, Sweden 67-72-73—212 +2

Dale Whitnell, England 70-68-74—212 +2

B. Hun An, South Korea 67-72-76—215 +5 Paul Waring, England 69-69-WD Evian Championship Saturday At Evian Resort Golf Club Evian-les-Bains, France Purse: $8 million

rdage: 6,504; Par: 71 Third Round

(seedings in

Women’s Singles Championship Iga Swiatek (8), Poland, def. Amanda Anisimova (13), United States, 6-0, 6-0. Men’s Doubles Championship Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash (5), Britain, def. David Pel, Netherlands, and Rinky Hijikata, Australia, 6-2, 7-6 (3) Cycling Tour de France

8th Stage A 106 mile ride from Saint Meem-LeGrand to Laval Espace Mayenne

1. Monathan Milan, Italy, Lidl-Trek, 03:50:26

2. Wout Van Aert, Belgium, Lease a Bike, same time. 3. Kaden Groves, Australia, Alpecin-Deceuninck, same time. 4. Pascal Ackermann, Germany, Israel-Premier Tech, same time. 5. Arnaud De Lie, France, Lotto, same time. 6. Tobias Lund Andresen, Denmark, same time. 7. Bryan Coquard, France, Cofidis, same time. 8. Alberto Dainese, Italy, Tudor Pro Cycling Team, same time. 9. Vincenzo Albanese, Italy, EF EducationEasyPost, same time. 10. Stian Fredheim, Norway, Uno-X Mobility, same time. Also 39. Matteo Jorgenson, United States, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 03:50:26 64. Neilson Powless, United States, EF

Education-EasyPost, 03:51:07. 97. Sepp Kuss, United States, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 03:51:37. 135. William Barta, United States, Movistar Team, 03:52:47. 160. Quinn Simmons, United States, LidlTrek, 03:55:05. Overall Standings 1. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 29:48:30. 2. Remco Evenepoel, Belgium, Soudal QuickStep, 29:49:24. 3. Kevin Vauquelin, France, Arkea-B&B Hotels, 29:49:41. 4. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 29:49:47.

5. Mathieu van der Poel, Netherlands, Alpecin-Deceuninck, 29:49:59. 6. Matteo Jorgenson, United States, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 29:50:04.

7. Oscar Onley, Great Britain, Picnic PostNL, 29:51:19. 8. Florian Lipowitz, Germany, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 29:51:32.

9. Primoz Roglic, Slovenia, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 29:51:36.

10. Mattias Skjelmose, Denmark, LIDL-TREK/ USA, 29:52:13. Team Standings 1. Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 89:29:39.

2. UAE Team Emirates XRG, 89:35:12.

3. Groupama-FDJ, 89:35:03.

4. Arkea-B&B Hotels, 89:44:13.

5. Decathalon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 89:46:33.

6. Red Bull — Bora — Hansgrohe, 89:50:32.

7. Ineos Grenadiers, 89:53:38.

8. EF Education — EasyPost, 89:55:55.

Where’sthe thunderinthe La.music industry?

July kicked off with another banner week for Louisiana music, especially grooves that originatefrom Lafayette and the surrounding area. “A Tribute to the King of Zydeco,” thestar-studded Clifton Chenier salute that’smaking headlines from New York City to Bangkok, Thailand, sat at No. 2onthe iTunes World Music Albums Chart. It was knocked from No. 1by“Songs from the Heart,” anew release from 87-year-old swamp pop legend and retired school principal Johnnie Allan, of Lafayette. The album jumped to thetop spot within two days of itsJuly 3debut.

Many are celebrating the latest lightning strikes for Louisiana music. But where’s the thunder —the business infrastructure that keeps music flowing and growing at home?

The question is as old as 1920s trailblazer Amedé Ardoin,who hadtogo as far as San Antonio and New York City to record songs that laid the foundation of zydeco and Cajun music. Theanswer remains missing like Joline, the mysterious figure in Ardoin’sFrench songs of love and lost. Lafayette journalist Christiaan Mader,ofthecurrentla. com, opined: Where are the booking agents, managers, publishing houses and other must-haves for asustainable, brick-and-mortar industry?

Maderpoints out music’s$1.5 billion impact to Louisianais “almost 10 times the output in Mississippi, birthplace of Elvis Presley,and about twice the output of Alabama, home of recording mecca Muscle Shoals.”

In light of the Cheniertribute success, Mader asked the sustainability questiontosome local insiders. He was metwith the usual head-scratching

Our music is powerful enough to influence the influencers, like the Rolling Stones. Theybarely blinked when asked to perform on the “King of Zydeco” tribute. Yetthe state is filled withGrammy nominees who work as carpenters, teachers, truck drivers and other jobs because music doesn’tpay thebills

There are no easy answers. But one strategy must be continued publicawareness. Keep the business of music in people’seyesand ears

Few fans stop to consider in this digital age, when their favorite artist is apush button away.Yet that musician earns fractions of apenny for each stream. One thousand streams fetch afat check of $4. Changing the publicmindset is particularly hard in Lafayette, acity now entering its third generation of major music events that don’tcost apenny to attend. That’s50

BY JANRISHER Staff writer

Chip McGimsey is no Indiana Jones seeking theHoly Grail.

“Indiana Jones was looking for individual artifactsand stealing them—and we don’tdothat,” McGimsey said as he walked by box after box of carefully labeled artifacts in the state’sarchaeological storage warehouseinBaton Rouge.

The site looks like asmaller version of theanonymousgovernment storagesitewhere the Ark of the Covenantisplaced at the endofthe first IndianaJones movie. However,with McGimsey as aguide, the anonymity evaporates Awalk through theboxes and bundles is likeawalk through time:

n He points outcannons froma ship that sankbetween 1812 and 1820. It was found in the1990s during theMardi Gras pipeline exploration at about 4,000 feet in federal waters about 40 miles off thecoast of Louisiana.

n Nearby,there’s another cannon that was made in 1697 in Sweden. It has afleurdelis on topand was

astoneware

probably usedbythe French military, maybe as ballast.

n Then there are artifacts from El Nuevo Constante, aSpanish ship that sank in 1766off theLouisiana coast and was recovered between 1980 and 1982.

n Thereare beautiful oversized crockery jugs,madeinAmerica,

also recovered from the Mardi Gras shipwreck.

n Thousandsofdart points, often calledarrowheads, gathered from sites throughout Louisiana line the shelves.

n Boxesofancestral remains line along shelf and await their return to Native American tribes. McGimsey, 71, can tellthe story of every item,every box.

Archaeologists don’tcollect stuff

While the nation celebrated its 249thbirthday on July 4, the day markedthe endofMcGimsey’s 30-year career as Louisiana’sstate archaeologist.He’sspent thetime uncovering and protecting the stories of Louisiana’spast.

There were no fireworks. Just the quiet significance of time passing —alife dedicated to bridging what was and what remains.

InsteadofIndiana Jones’ obsession with trophy artifacts, McGimsey sees them as pure information. Simply handing apile of artifactsto McGimsey doesn’treveal astory

“That’sreally whatarchaeologists are after,” he said. “Wedon’t

BYRACHELMIPRO Contributingwriter

What wasthe MyraClark Gaines case and is it true that it wasthe longest-running lawsuit in the historyofthe United States SupremeCourt?

Adead father,ahidden will and ajailed husband: Meet MyraClark Gaines,a19th-centurycelebrity whosenow-historic New Orleans legal battle turnedher intoa model for female persistence. Gaines, who had alife filled with

twists andturns regarding her parentage andinheritance, set the record for the longest-running civil lawsuit in American history Her fight to winher birth father’s propertylasted 57 years. “Tosee thatawoman was

STAFF PHOTOSByHILARy SCHEINUK

State Archaeologist Chip McGimseydiscusses ahandful of artifacts July2atthe State of Louisiana Archaeological Archives in Baton Rouge. After decades of servinginthe position, McGimsey retired July 4.

McGimseyshows off

jug from the Mardi Gras shipwreck at the State of Louisiana Archaeological Archives in Baton Rouge.

Myra Clark Gaines, photographed between 1855

Herman Fuselier

TRAVEL

Visitors to Lake Charleswillfind arevitalized city

BY CHERE COEN

Contributing writer

As if hiding inside during the first pandemic of most people’s memories was bad enough,Hurricane Laura came barrelinginto Louisiana in August 2020, slamming into the Lake Charles area with Category 4intensityand a brutal storm surge.

Laura was the 10th strongest U.S. hurricane on record, and it left the region reeling.

Some Lake Charles residents imagined atarget on their backs after that fatal year,asLaura was followed by another hurricane, then arecord-breaking winter and adevastating flood in 2021.

Signs still existofthe damage nature left behind, but for the most part, Lake Charles is experiencing aremarkable renaissance.

Businesses and homes have been rebuilt, many stronger than before, and new attractions debut this summer,including arejuvenationofthe lakefrontalong Interstate 10 which includes two new museums and ariverwalk.

Vendors have emerged to get people outside, and by the Gulf’s edge, Lighthouse Bend offers a marina and RV sitesalong with arestaurant and market in Cameron.

Twoattractions in one

The newly-opened Port Wonder off I-10 (next door to the Lake Charles Visitor Center) shares its 32,000-square-foot building with theChildren’sMuseum of Southwest Louisiana and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Nature&Science Center Children —and adults as well may learn about everything from Louisiana’secosystems withlive marine creatures to broadcastingthe news while having loads of fun.

The Children’sMuseum features four galleries with interactive exhibits, explaining health, the media and retail outletssuch as grocery stores.There are also year-round programs and activities, birthday parties and field trips.

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Nature & Science Center includes large freshwater and saltwateraquariums, interactive displays and an open pool where visitors may

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

touchmarine life.

Bothmuseums face the lake and include outdoorplay areas, acovered fishing pier,analligatorpond (don’tworry,they aren’t free to roam) and walking trails thatconnect tothe Lakefront BoardwalkPromenade. The walkway will eventually extend miles around the city.

Getoutdoors

Lake Charles contains vast waterways and aflat terrain, so it’sideal for paddling enthusiasts and bikers.

Jerry “Sarge” Antoine went home to Lake Charles after serving in the Marinesand wanted to spendhis retirement sharing his love of the outdoors with others. Antoine offers guided kayak tourswith his Lake Area Adventures, including launching from Prien Lake Park into Indian Bay, the eastern shore of Prien Lake.

Donnie Glyenn hosts guided bicycle tours through Lake Charles. We’re talking fun wheels with music andlights

through historicneighborhoods and along the lakefront with his company Biking Through The Lake. The Creole NatureTrailcontinues to be aLouisiana gem. Nicknamed “Louisiana’sOutback,” thehorseshoe route winds

south through wetlands and bayous from I-10 to the Gulf, along Gulf beaches andCameron and then back up north toward Lake Charles.Itwas the first in the nation to be designedaNational Scenic Byway Thereare numerous ways to

accessthe trail, including hiking through marshesatthe Sabine

National Wildlife Refuge south of Hackberry,shell hunting at Holly Beach andRutherford Beach alongthe Gulf —and bird andgator watching at the 3-mile driving loop at Pintail Wildlife Drive.

New to the trail is Lighthouse Bend at literally the end of the road in Cameron, atown and regionthathas seen its own fair share of destruction in the past 20 years. The newLighthouse Bend RV resort offers ways to camp near the Gulf at Cameron, use a14-slip marina with fueling andfish-cleaning stations, pick up suppliesatthe market and dine at its restaurant with water views. Be sure to look for Pinky, the pink dolphin sightedalong the Cameron waterways.

What’s newindining

Foryears, residents loved The Bekery for its fresh baguettes, scones,coffee andother delectable treats, nottomention its adorable patio

The Bekery still attracts patrons but nowina larger space in the Walnut Grove planned neighborhood

Inside the newrestaurant, visitors will feel like they’ve been transportedtoFrance, enjoying The Bekery’sbestwith marble tables, crystalchandeliers, outdoor seating anda bistro-styled barserving wine and Champagne.Everything here is delicious, but we especially loved the lavenderlatte andfresh croissants.

Coming soon

Lake Charles owns avibrant Carnival scene. The Mardi Gras Museum of Imperial Calcasieu showcases the state’sunique celebration with displays of opulent headdresses and gowns wornby the morethan 65 krewes in southwest Louisiana and the costumes of the nearby Cajun courirs de Mardi Gras.

The museum is on hiatus as it moves from its previous home in the Center School Arts and Humanities Center into anew expanded space in the Nellie Lutcher Cultural District at 641 Enterprise Blvd. It plans to reopen later this year

Booking.comtransfers refundtosomeone else’s credit card

Christopher Elliott

Ireserved avilla in Alicante, Spain, through Booking.com and paid infull.Three days before my trip, Booking.com canceled the reservation and offered little help in getting an alternative.I found anew propertyon Booking.com, but it cost $1,000 more. Booking.com agreed to refund thedifference and credited the amount to my Booking.com wallet. However,without my authorization, it then transferred the funds to an unknown credit card. Despite numerous emails and phone calls,Booking.com ignoredmyrequests for an explanation. Can youhelp? Elaine Treacy,Commugny, Switzerland Booking.com should have done

everything it couldtohelp you find an alternative whenithad to cancelyour reservation. Transferring your refund to the wrong account just addedinsult to injury Youdid the right thing by documenting your communications with Booking.comand persistently seekinganexplanation.

Here’s what should happen: If an accommodation provider cancels your reservation,which is what appeared to have happen, then Booking.com should have notifiedyou as soon as possible —not threedays beforeyour trip. It also shouldhave triedtofind suitable alternative accommodation.

If it wasn’t available,thenBooking.comshould have given you a

full refund. Additionally,insome cases wherethe cancellation is the provider’sfault, Booking.com should have offered additional compensation, especially if there’s apricedifference between the canceled vacation rental and the replacement. Booking.com didn’tgive you enough time, and you had to negotiate the$1,000 compensation (it should have just offered it). And, of course,itshouldn’thave sent your refund to amysterious third party

Youcould have triedcontacting amanager at Booking.com for help. Sometimes escalating the issue can lead to afasterresolution. Ipublish the names, numbers and

email addresses of Booking.com’s executives on my consumer advocacy site,Elliott.org.

In cases like this, where acompany ignores alegitimate complaint, sometimes involving athird party, like aconsumer advocate, can help.

Icontacted Booking.com on your behalf. After weeksofback and forth, Booking.com claimed they found no suspicious activity on your account. In other words, the company believedyou had transferred your refund from your Booking.com wallettosomeone else’scredit card. Youthencontacted executives at Booking.comand threatened to report them to the National Cyber

Security Centre and Interpol. Booking.com then contacted you directly and issued afull refund to your bank account.

It’sunfortunate that it took such extrememeasures to get your refund. This situation highlights the importance of staying vigilant and persistent whendealing with travel companies. Remember to always document your communications and escalate the issue if you hit adead end.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

‘The OldSettler’ Elizabeth is an old settler, which is another wayof sayingshe’s an old maidor spinster. She’d been in love once, and she hoped to marry.Thenshe clung to that love long after it left her —and kept clinging to it, because she believed that the love shelostwas the only true love she wouldhave in life. Now, she hopes to have another chance in UpStage Theatre’s productionofJohn Henry Redwood’sdramatic comedy,“The Old Settler.” The theater’s final performance of the playwillbeat 3 p.m. Sundayonits stage at 1713 Wooddale Blvd.,Baton Rouge. The story follows ablooming friendship between the old settler,Elizabeth, and her young boarder,Husband Pierce, who has come to Harlem from Frogmore, South Carolina, to find his girlfriend, LouBessie. Meanwhile, Elizabeth’s sister, Quilly,disap-

provesofher sister’sgrowing affection for Husband knowing theresultwill be heartbreak Tickets are$25. Call (225) 9243774 or visitupstagetheatre biz.

At theManship The Manship Theatre will host itssummercamp performancesof“Jamesand the Giant Peach” at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.July 18 on its stage in theShawCenter for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St., Baton Rouge.Tickets are$17. The theater will also host a free viewing of thePBS Kids Production of “DanielTiger’s Neighborhood”at10:30 a.m. July 23. Though admission is free, viewers must register for aseat. Forticketsto“James” or to register for a“Daniel Tiger” seat, call(225) 344-0334 or visit manshiptheatre.org.

At thePoydras Center The PoydrasCenter, 500

W. Main St., NewRoads, is showing “Plein Wild,” acollaboration exhibitbetween L. Charleville and Ellen Ogden, through Sept. 30. Hours are9a.m.to2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Formoreinformation,call (225) 638-6575 or visit pointecoupeehistoricalsociety.org.

Jazz session

Alvin Batiste Jazz Society with MikeEsneault will perform at 6:30 p.m. July 16, at the CarySaurage Community Arts Center, 233 St.Ferdinand St Baton Rouge. Experience the heartbeat of Baton Rougewith anight of livejazz featuring Emmy-winning composer and pianist MikeEsneault with Doug Belote on drums and Brian Quezergue on bass. Enjoy classic jazzhits from Herbie Hancock,Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett and more—plus an open jam session to close the night. All ages welcome. Bring your instrument and join the tradition.

Tickets are$10. Visit artsbr. org.

QueenofSparkles

The Louisiana Art&Science Museum, 100 S. River Road, Baton Rouge, will open “Threads of Evolution: Engineering aCommunity That Sparkles,” featuring the work of Jaime Glas Odom, founder of Queen of Sparkles, on July 19. This bold, vibrant exhibition explores the dazzling worldwhereengineering meets imaginationthrough Odom’s fashion design collaboration with her husband, Hunter Odom, founder of Second Line Shirts.

The showalsohonors the museum’sown history by showcasing the Odoms’ special 1920s-inspired design collaboration created in celebration of the museum’shistoric train station centennial.

To celebrate the exhibition’s debut, the museum will host “Behind the Seams with Queen of Sparkles” reception from 6 p.m. to 8p.m.July 24.

Admission for this eventis $20 for nonmembersand $10 for members. Visittinyurl. com/LASMBehindtheSeams.

Choirenrollment

Enrollment is open for the fall semester of theGreater Baton Rouge Children’sChoir, avibrant and inclusiveyouth choir dedicated to artistic excellence and community engagement Forinformation about times, fees and requirements, call (225) 412-3021. To enroll, visit gbrccmusic.org.

At LASM

The Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road, Baton Rouge,will host“A Most Delightful Teatime,” a“Bridgerton” —and Jane Austen —inspiredadult tea partycelebrating the250th birthday of one of literature’s mostbeloved authors from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.July 20, on themuseum’s scenic riverfront balcony, offering breathtaking views of the Mississippi River Individual tickets are$50, and tables for sixare available for $250. Forreservations,visit tinyurl.com/LASMTeatime Advance booking is strongly encouraged duetothe limited capacity Also, theBaton Rouge Branch of theAmerican Society of Civil Engineerswill hostEngineerIT,aninteractiveSTEM outreach eventdesignedto engage and inspire thenext generation of engineers, from 10 a.m. to 1p.m. on July 19 and July 26. Formoreinformation, visit lasm.org.

Workshop Show The Art Guild of Louisiana’s members“Workshop Show will open July 10 at Independence Park Theater, 7800 Independence Park Blvd., Baton Rouge.The show runs through Sept. 11. Hours arefrom10 a.m. to 5p.m. Tuesdaythrough Friday.Admission is free. Visit artguildlouisiana.org.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Jerry‘Sarge’ Antoine shares his love of the outdoors withhis Lake Area Adventures kayaktrips

PHOTO By CHERÉ COEN

The newChildren’sMuseum features four galleries with interactive exhibits.

COMMUNITY

Garden Discovery Series

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Scott Courtright led a Garden Discoveries event, ‘Hurricane Preparedness for Trees,’ on June 14 at the Main Library at Goodwood. A tour of the Baton Rouge Botanic Gardens followed. Shown are, from left, Betty Albritten, BJ Cobb, Emily Onnlbane, Emery McQueen and Courtright. PEO Chapter E

The Baton Rouge area PEO Chapter E recently used money earned in a West Feliciana Pickleball Club tournament to fund PEO projects and also provide excellence and merit awards for selected West Feliciana High School graduating seniors

Emma Goodman, Julian Lovell and Caitlyn Ceditoal. Gathered are, from left, bottom row, Tommie O’Donoghue, Evelyn Cook, Theresa Daniel, Marsha Daniel, Christy Harelson and Brenda Ward; middle row, Patti Galey, Sharon Wilson and Stephanie Fontenot; top row, Emily Wascome, Tina Wiker and Debbie Daniel.

Baton Rouge Orchid Society to hold show

The Baton Rouge Orchid Society will host the 2025 Orchid Show and Sale at the LSU Rural Life Museum 10 a.m. to 3 p.m Sunday, July 13, at 4560 Essen Lane, Baton Rouge. There will displays from the Baton Rouge, Acadiana, Terrebonne, New Orleans and Central Louisiana Orchid Societies. There will be five vendors selling plants and supplies, including Spring Orchids, Foo Foo Orchids, Florida Star Nurseries, Orchids Express and Cedarwood Orchids. Jewelry made from actual orchid flowers by society member Juan Carlos Cruz will be available for purchase as well.

Arts Council’s arts & culture calendar unveiled

The Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge is proud to unveil a newly enhanced “Arts & Culture Calendar” on artsbr.org, designed

to better connect artists, organizations and audiences across the region

The improved calendar allows users to sort events by type, parish and date, making it easy to discover what’s happening in the creative community — whether it’s visual art, theater, live music, film festivals or literary events. This calendar will also serve as the primary source for content featured in The Curator, the weekly newsletter Artists, nonprofits, venues and cultural organizations can upload their events to the calendar and help spread the word. Submit events at artsbr.org/ submit-an-event.

Hilltop Arboretum holds Discover Nature programs

Pressed & Preserved: A TwoPart Flower Pressing Workshop

A hands-on, two-part workshop celebrating the art of flower pressing will take place at the Hilltop Arboretum 6 to 8 p.m. July 29, and Aug. 12, at 11855

BREC

gets

award

for new Howell Park project

The New Howell Park Recreation Center and Pool project has gained national recognition for BREC.

The National Association of County Park and Recreation Officials presented BREC with the Park and Recreation Facility Class III award during the 2025 association’s awards ceremony on June 12 in Detroit. The award honors superior facility design, functionality and community impact in park systems serving populations between 275,001 and 500,000. The New Howell Park Recreation Center and Pool stands out for its forward-thinking design, inclusive programming, and the vital role it plays in providing healthy, enriching opportunities for residents of all ages.

This prestigious honor marks BREC’s 14th award since 2002, underscoring the agency’s longstanding dedication to innovative, high-quality public recreation.

The association’s awards program recognizes the absolute best in county, regional and special district parks and recreation, spotlighting achievements that set new standards for the industry nationwide.

BRNEDD

Highland Road.

First, participants will forage the Hilltop Meadow for seasonal blooms and foliage and learn how to assemble a flower press to preserve the gathered finds. Connie McLeod will present on the process behind her botanical art creations, some of which will be available for purchase.

Next, participants will transform their pressed flowers and foliage into beautiful botanical works of art.

Hands-on demonstrations and materials will be provided, no experience necessary Attendees will walk away with two framed pieces, perfect for displaying or gifting.

Tickets are $60 for students, Friends of Hilltop and Louisiana Master Naturalist Members. Tickets are $75 for the general public. Both options are available for purchase by contacting 225767-6916 or info@friendsofhilltop. org.

Sip & Flutter: An Evening with Butterflies and Moths

Spend a summer evening sur-

Garden of the Month

The home of Mary Cavalier on Canal Street in Plaquemine was chosen as the Plaquemine Garden Club’s Garden of the Month for June.

rounded by nature’s most delicate wonders at Sip & Flutter a unique program celebrating butterflies, moths and the plants that support them from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Aug. 26. Stroll through Hilltop Arboretum’s flourishing pollinator garden, a haven for winged visitors, while enjoying a glass of wine or a refreshing botanical mocktail.

Naturalists Janine Kharey and Teri Rome will present a talk on the fascinating lives of butterflies and moths from their vital roles in ecosystems to the surprising ways they interact with gardens and landscapes.

Tickets are $15 for students, Friends of Hilltop, and Louisiana Master Naturalist Members and $20 for the general public Visit lsu.edu/hilltop/ for tickets and information.

Sorority helps families with Project Cradle Care

The Mu Sigma Chapter of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc is helping local families start strong.

As part of the sorority’s nation-

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES

The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors. If submitting digitally we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger Email column submissions to features@theadvocate.com.We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821.A phone number must be included.

al Project Cradle Care initiative, the chapter recently collected and donated more than 7,500 diapers to support parents and babies across Baton Rouge

The donations were split between two trusted organizations serving area families: 4,500 diapers to Family Road of Greater Baton Rouge and over 3,000 diapers to the Junior League of Baton Rouge’s Diaper Bank. Diaper need is a silent crisis affecting 1 in 3 U.S. families. Without clean diapers, babies are more vulnerable to health issues — and parents face added stress. Project Cradle Care is one of Sigma Gamma Rho’s signature programs, created in collaboration with the March of Dimes, aimed at improving maternal and infant health outcomes across the country To learn more about Project Cradle Care or to support local service efforts, visit SGRhoBR. org, familyroadgbr.org, and juniorleaguebr.org.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

The Baton Rouge North Economic Development District hosted its inaugural North Baton Rouge Small Business Summit in May in partnership with the North Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce and the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce. Shown are, from left, LaKeshia Robichaux, April Hawthorne, Tiffany Carter John Smith, Corey Reinkemeyer, Kenyatta Sparks and Laci Sherman.

Chip McGimsey shares information on a group of cannons at the State of Louisiana Archaeological

found near

ARCHAEOLOGIST

Continued from page 1D

collect stuff. We go after information. Artifacts are just one part of the information that’s in the ground.”

He likens artifacts to words in a story

He suggests imagining cutting up a book so that each word is its own little slip of paper

“Someone could hand you a bag with all the words and say, ‘Tell me the story,’ ” McGimsey said

“You can understand why you can’t. Because in order to tell the story, you need to know where each word is relative to every other word in a sequence of sentences, paragraphs, pages and chapters.”

When he and other archaeologists spend time at a site or multiple sites — studying pieces and patterns, comparing findings and connecting threads across locations — they begin to uncover a narrative. They can form hypotheses about what was happening, when, where and with whom.

a

makes archaeology difficult is that it’s nonrenewable. You can’t reintroduce a species like gray wolves or a fish in your river and let them start over again. Once you erase history, it’s gone forever.”

McGimsey and his fellow archaeologists are working to determine which sites can be saved — and for those that can’t be saved what knowledge can be gathered and used to deepen our understanding of the past.

“The thing that makes archaeology difficult is that it’s nonrenewable. … Once you erase history, it’s gone forever.”

CHIP

McGIMSEy, Louisiana’s state archaeologist

“It’s knowing where everything fits relative to everything else,” he said. “That’s the part that fascinates me.

The big challenge

In his last week on the job, he met with his colleague from the state’s archaeology outreach and education program.

“The big challenge is to get people to have an awareness of the past how to reach the broadest audience and ultimately, in some way, be willing to support it,” McGimsey said. “The thing that

CURIOUS

Continued from page 1D

rightful heir to this, she was not going to back down.

“Even after her first husband died and she got remarried, there were times that she was in there arguing for herself. She was not going to let anything get in her way. And I think that was her just wanting to prove that she means something and that this is hers.”

The child of a secret marriage Gaines was born in New Orleans in the early 1800s to Clark and a Frenchwoman named Zulime Carrière The two had been married secretly After they split, Clark destroyed evidence of the relationship when he wanted to remarry, Dunn said.

Gaines was raised by friends of Clark and kept ignorant of her real parentage until around 1832, when she was going through her adoptive father’s papers. Clark’s 1811 will bequeathed his vast tracts of New Orleans land to his mother, administered by his business partners, extremely influential power brokers Beverly Chew and Richard Relf. The two would benefit heavily from the will, Dunn said,

Helen Bouzon, an archaeologist with the state of Louisiana, has worked with McGimsey for three years.

“He knows everything about everything,” she said. “Even if it’s not written somewhere, you can be like, ‘Chip, what about this site? What do you know?’”

And off he goes, with a near-encyclopedic knowledge of the site, its details and significance.

She says his retirement marks a significant loss of institutional knowledge.

“I’m not a prehistoric archaeologist, I’m a historic archaeologist. So getting to work with Chip was the first pre-contact archaeology I’ve done,” Bouzon said. “So that was overwhelming, having him watch me try and do excavations on pre-contact sites. But I also learned about things I’ve never done before.”

The Brookhill

Through the years, McGimsey’s work has been largely invisible to most, but when the Mississippi River ran low in 2022 and the Brookhill was exposed, his work surfaced and captured public imagination.

He did 47 media interviews about the

McGimsey handles a piece of clay pot dated 800-1200 A.D at the State of Louisiana Archaeological Archives.

Brookhill, which sank Sept. 29, 1915, as a hurricane blew in from the Gulf.

“The Brookhill was one of those things sent from heaven,” he said. “It was a piece of history that people could walk up and touch. For most people, history exists in a museum case or a video. You can look at it, but you can’t really interact with it.”

The Brookhill was easily accessible — like a downtown Baton Rouge temporary tourist attraction. People could cross the railroad tracks that run right beside the Mississippi River, walk down the hill and see, touch, walk around and even walk on it.

They could take any photograph they wanted. They could take pictures of their kids on it.

“Whatever that old TV commercial was, you know up close and personal?

The Brookhill brought history alive to people,” McGimsey said.

Perhaps, he speculates that the

“Brookhill frenzy” was due to a combination of factors, including the possibility that the low Mississippi River was caused by climate change.

Even still, he’s not sure why it captured the attention of so many

“If it had been a Civil War gunboat, then absolutely, I could understand why everybody would be fascinated and want to see it and whatnot,” McGimsey said “But I mean, this was a work boat — a ferry that all we had was one of the pontoons, and she didn’t do anything interesting except she sank three times.”

Life after

McGimsey says that Indiana Jones’ impact on archaeology wasn’t all bad.

“My guess would be, in the end, it was kind of a wash,” he said of the media franchise “I think it brought archaeology to a lot of younger people who wouldn’t have ever otherwise thought about it.”

McGimsey explains that Jones’ swashbuckling image of archaeology isn’t factual.

“But it served to bring the concept of archaeology to a huge audience. Out of that, I suspect there were some kids who said, ‘Yeah, I’d like to be an archaeologist,’ and even continued to say that after they figured out what it really meant.”

Along the way, McGimsey figured out just that.

Even though he’s retiring, with all the contacts he’s made throughout his career, McGimsey won’t be quitting archaeology any time soon.

“The most fun thing I know to do is to be out walking the field looking for stuff or standing in 100-degree heat in a 3-foot hole in the ground digging up dirt,” he said. “For me, it just doesn’t get any better than that.”

Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

allowing them to receive much of his fortune and land.

Gaines found evidence of another will, made in 1813, that declared her his heir and left her all his property and fortune — estimated then at $35 million. Dunn said Gaines unearthed evidence that the two business partners had destroyed this will for personal gain. As a newlywed, she filed the first lawsuit with the help of her husband, William Whitney, since women weren’t allowed to sue on their own.

Elizabeth Urban Alexander, author of “Notorious Woman: The Celebrated Case of Myra Clark Gaines,” talked about New Orleans’ response to her case.

“Those questions were not particularly well received by the New Orleans community, because if Myra Gaines was right, then the legal titles to a fairly large portion of New Orleans were being called into dispute,” Alexander said. “So the whole power structure of New Orleans gathered together to support the executives of Clark’s will who were still alive, and to oppose this young couple.”

Sued and jailed for libel

Chew and Relf sued Whitney for libel, landing him in jail for a

three-week stint. When Whitney died of yellow fever three years later, Gaines blamed the imprisonment for weakening him. After her first husband died, she remarried, and her second husband also supported her cause.

In 1858, the Louisiana Supreme Court finally nullified the 1811 will and upheld the validity of the 1813 will. But by this time, the original estate had been split up and sold off, with much of Clark’s former land now belonging to the city Gaines then had to sue the city for her land, enduring decades more of legal troubles. Alexander described Gaines as savvy, bucking social norms that expected women to stay quiet and unseen. Alexander said she’d dress fashionably — in one case showing up in court in black velvet, with diamonds in her hair and a silk hat with bird of paradise feathers. She’d have her second husband, a general, stand beside her in full uniform and introduce her before she’d talk.

“In other words, she’s a picture of femininity while she’s doing something that women are not supposed to do,” Alexander said.

“She wanted to be part of her lawsuit, and she was.

“She argued her case by herself in court,” Alexander said. “She

was able to manipulate this sort of classification system of a woman as a lady, without completely violating it.”

Setting the trail for women

The final tally was 57 years in court, with Gaines’ litigation pending in at least one court every single year, Alexander calculated. The lawsuit was heard 17 times before the U.S. Supreme Court and had over 70 court filings in various probate and district courts.

After the case was finally settled in Gaines’ favor, her heirs were awarded $923,788, but years of dragging litigation had incurred heavy legal fees, Dunn said. In the end, her heirs were left with just over $60,000 after these costs were paid.

“She didn’t get to really reap the benefits,” Dunn said. “But the legacy of this, she really set the trail for women to be able to go on and have a much bigger role in their personal lives and society.”

Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.

Continued from page 1D

years of free Festivals Acadiens et Creoles, 42 years of free Downtown Alive, 38 years of free Festival International and 37 years of free Bach Lunch. Citing financial challenges, organizers ended Rhythms on the River in June, after a 25-year run of free shows. All of the events started as noble causes, but they’re difficult to maintain with little or no money coming in. Changing the minds of generations accustomed to music being free and cheap is a longhaul fight. Public officials, investors, media and economic development interests must be in the conversation, too. All of us play a role in building a music industry that’s not just holding its breath for the next lightning strike.

Herman Fuselier is a writer broadcaster and

STAFF PHOTOS By HILARy SCHEINUK

Archives in Baton Rouge. Clockwise from left are an undated cannon

the Ernest N Morial Convention Center,

1679 Swedish cannon found near Chandeleur Sound, and a 1799 Scottish cannon from the Mardi Gras shipwreck.

HOLLYWOOD SOUTH

La.documentary filmmakers face challengingeconomy

New financial models sought

When the documentary ”Trouble theWater,” aNew Orleansbased film about Hurricane Katrina, was nominated foran Oscar in 2008, the landscape for nonfiction motion pictures was different.

Leslie Cardé

Even by 2020, when the locally produced film “Time” was nominated for an Academy Award,making documentaries was far less arduous than it is today At atime when there arequestions about everything in our democracy from social justice and due process to massive spending cuts and even the existence of climate change, documentarians who unravel these stories are finding it harder to get them produced and distributed.

Documentaries have traditionally not been big moneymakers, but that was never their raison d’être.

They were oftenthoughtofas the pearls in astudio’scatalogue of films, among amix of moneymaking blockbusters, rom-coms and dramas, even art films.

Documentaries that raised social awareness about vital issues were considered anecessary part of filmmaking, never expected to pay the bills.

Payoff wasprestige

The payoff was often theOscars and other prizes that thesefilms garnered, giving the studiosand production companies behind them acertain prestige.

But that philosophy hasbeen changing, and in recent fallout, the entertainment company A24 shuttered its documentary divisioninMay.Inachallenging marketplace, the clear message is that documentaries are dragging down the bottom line.

That’s beenevident for over a decade now.

The streaming services just ramping up in the 2010s werehungry for independent docs made by filmmakerswith apoint of view

But, by the 2020s, production and acquisition spending sharply declined. Studiosrealizedthat only asmall numberofdocumentaries were pulling in the kind of numbers they needed to continue productionand distribution.

According to Box OfficeMojo, owned by IMDB, in 2018, only four documentariesmademorethan $10milliondomestically: “Won’t YouBeMyNeighbor” about Mister Rogers; “RBG,” aprofile of SupremeCourtJustice Ruth BaderGinsburg; “Three Identical Strangers,” dealing with identical triplets separated at birth; and “FreeSolo,”the storyofaprofessional climberscaling Yosemite’s

El Capitan.

And, sincemovie theatersreopened after the pandemic, only one documentaryhas passed the $10 million mark: Angel Death,” about near-death experiences Next in line was popular chef Anthony Bourdain’sprofile “Roadrunner,”coming in at $5.3 million, and it’s downhill from there.

Pivoting to independence Documentaryfilmmakers have decided it’s time to pivot Fox Rich’s“Time,” filmed over twodecades ago, dealt withthe fight to get her husband, Rob, released from Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola. Rich has been reading the tealeaves for some time.

“I came intothis arena at a timewhen people like Davis Guggenheim (Oscar winner for “An Inconvenient Truth” about climate

change) and Laurene Powell Jobs (president and founder of EmersonCollective, which invests in entrepreneurs and innovators) believed in these important stories told throughdocumentaries,” said Rich, co-founder of Rich Time Productions.

“Our film ‘Time’ was bought by Amazon through our partner Concordia for $5 millionatthe Sundance Film Festival and can still be seen on Amazon’sstreaming service.”

The landscape, however,has changed, Rich said. Now, it’s important that documentarians become independent, arranging their own distribution channels and marketing their own films.

“Welaunched ‘Time II: Unfinished Business’ on Juneteenth 2025 withasocial awareness campaign, thinking ahead to the film’srelease in the fall on apayper-view platform,” the filmmaker said.

“It’sthe story of Rob’srelease from prison —because it didn’t happen via pixie dust.”

The new catchphrase studios use when presented with documentary projects is “risk averse”: They are willing to finance or distribute documentaries if the subject matter is sports or it’scelebrity-driven.

That doesn’tleave alot of room for films about prison reform, the homeless, mental illness, bullying or domestic abuse, just to name a few documentary topics that provide critical information to people attemptingtonavigate society’s ills.

An example of arisk-averse documentary is the recent “Bye Bye Barry,” about running back Barry Sanders’ startling exit from football. It is now the most popular documentary on PrimeVideo.

Earlywarning

The warning bell sounded on socially conscious docs last year when Participant Media,owned by eBay billionaire Jeff Skoll, closed its doors in Beverly Hills.

The company wasbehind 86 Oscar nominations and21wins, and apart from documentaries

did socially engaging features, like Oscar winners “Green Book” and“Spotlight.”

But the companywas losing tens of millions of dollars ayear With no viable buyers, Skoll pulledthe plug.

“Thatplatform maybegone, but if youthink your story is worth telling, thenitisequally important to figure out whatyour distribution will be before the cameras ever start rolling,” said RobRich, co-founder of Rich Time Productions.

“Use the toolsatyour disposal to find an aggregatorwhich can lead youtovarious platforms. Thenyou figure out who would be most interestedinyour film andmarkettothose people,” he said.

“That’sexactly whatwe’re doing for‘Time II,’ which will begin streaming on Amazon’sTVOD space come the fall. That stands for transactionalvideoondemand andgivesyou the ability to getyourfilm up on certain platforms, if your film is approved. It’sa profit-sharing model, which is usually 50/50.”

Barterand tradefor film?

There’s certainly more than oneway to skin acat in this ever-changing environment. This year’s Oscar-nominated film “Sing Sing” aboutthe arts programatSing Sing prison was essentially abarterand trade programinwhichpeople donated their services But everyone,including the janitor, gota piece of the profits on the back end. This new model givespeople powerinownership while providing affordability for filmmakers.

“AuthorWilliamGoldman noted in ‘Adventuresinthe Screen Trade’ thatnoone really knows anything, because no onecan really predictthe success of any project,” FoxRichsaid.

“The documentary isn’tdying,” she said, “it’sjust evolving.” Email Leslie Cardé at lesliecardejournalist@gmail.com

even go without care Simply put— without dentalinsurance, there may be an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

Askabout

AT THE TABLE

Stuffed crabs were once an Anchor Inn favorite

BY CATHERINE S COMEAUX

Contributing writer

My father’s boyhood summers were filled with legendarily large turtles, man-sized fish and overflowing shrimp nets threatening to sink the boat when he worked for the Anchor Inn, a small family-run restaurant at Intracoastal City Folks traveled from miles around to the edge of Vermilion Parish to enjoy the fresh-caught seafood dished up on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

Stuffed crabs were a favorite.

Owners Lennis and Leontine Moss ran the business from 1949 until 1957. Leontine Moss served as cook, kitchen manager and food purveyor Lennis Moss and his crew of fishermen, including my father and his brothers, caught the seafood.

Their granddaughter Marsha Frederick, who I met via social media, was barely walking when Hurricane Audrey swept the Anchor Inn away, but she had pictures, stories and recipes to share.

She and her husband recently joined my father and our family to swap stories over stuffed crabs — a taste of the past I attempted to recreate.

Inspiration for the restaurant’s name came at the end of a day of trawling when Moss hit a snag that threatened to tip his boat With help, he pulled up an anchor taller than a man, an impressive size for Vermilion Bay

He sandblasted, painted and hung it to mark the Anchor Inn, a small wood-sided building with a screened porch facing the canal.

The restaurant attracted guests from near and far One afternoon, after a fried fish dinner a couple of historians from New Orleans

Stuffed Crabs

Serves

stepped out to have a closer look at the impressive anchor There were no markings on it which was a sure sign, according to Lennis Moss, who often regaled customers with tall tales, that it was an outlaw anchor With sketches in hand, the historians traced the origins of the anchor to Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop in New Orleans.

According to my father the pirate’s anchor now marks an international mooring business located on U.S. 90. Frederick isn’t so sure it’s the same anchor, but no one in the family can verify The original anchor might be lost, but I felt lucky to put my eyes on one of Leontine Moss’ original recipes. Since it was succinctly written in portions to feed a small restaurant full of patrons, following it was a challenge. Frederick hadn’t made it in

ed as an alternative to homemade.

Perhaps the restaurant goers of 1950s Vermilion Parish liked their stuffed crabs roux-rich.

As much as I wanted to recreate the flavor of the original recipe, I couldn’t bring myself to add the full amount of roux, partly owing to my personal taste and partly for fear of ruining a good-sized portion of high-priced crab meat.

However in reducing the roux, my stuffed crabs came out a little dry

Roux adds flavor and moisture as it helps hold the crab meat together When I make this recipe again, I might channel the spirit of Leontine Moss and add the full amount or add an egg to help bind the meat.

What kind of crab meat would Moss have used?

She likely used freshly picked crab, a mixture of dark sweet claw meat, smooth buttery lumps from the body, and tasty chunks from the back fins. Perhaps she mixed in a little bit of the flavorful “fat.”

I would have preferred to use fresh-picked crab but my timing was off. I was able to score a set of crab backs from a family crab boil which I scrubbed clean and froze until I needed them, but for the stuffing I used frozen crab meat, four parts lump to one part claw

breadcrumbs (mixed with melted butter if desired)

12. Bake until breadcrumbs are toasted.

Recipe notes:

n The larger amount of dark roux is what the original recipe called for

n If using the lesser amount of roux, consider adding an egg to help hold the meat together n For added flavor, substitute chicken or seafood stock for water

years, so I found myself calling on the spirit of her grandmother to help me. Frederick had shared an image of the nicely dressed, gently smiling lady standing at a counter at the Anchor Inn, her nails done, looking like she was ready to serve a cold Jax beer (or perhaps answer my questions about her recipe).

I wasn’t convinced the crab-to-

roux ratio was correct. Wouldn’t the dark, jarred roux overpower the delicate crab meat? Moss, who passed away in the ’60s, made her own roux (jarred roux didn’t become available until 1975).

Perhaps something was miscommunicated in relaying the recipe across generations, especially when jarred roux was add-

We enjoyed the stuffed crabs with fresh corn maque choux, and sliced cucumbers splashed with cane vinegar and sprinkled with salt. Jax beer, a staple at the Anchor Inn, was served, thanks to the Port Orleans Brewing Company It recently revived the brew after it had been discontinued in 1974. The Anchor Inn has been gone for 68 years now but you can get a taste of its history in this recipe.

n Kitchen Bouquet is found in most grocery stores near the broths and stocks. It provides color and minimal flavor n Both red

PHOTO By CATHERINE S COMEAUX

Leontine Moss’ Stuffed Crabs served with maque choux, shrimp fettuccine and fresh-picked cucumbers

PROVIDED PHOTO

Swapping stories over stuffed crabs recently were front row, Catherine S

Comeaux and her father Harold Schoeffler; back row, Paul and Marsha Frederick, whose grandmother Léontine Moss was well-known for her stuffed crabs. The crabs were a favorite menu item at the Anchor Inn restaurant, owned by the Mosses.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Léontine Moss and her husband, Lennis, owned the Anchor Inn from 1949 until 1957.

nal

for tops. Mix 1-2 tablespoons melted salty butter in with the remaining breadcrumbs before sprinkling on top.

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,July 13, the194thday of 2025. Thereare 171 days left in theyear

TodayinHistory

On July 13, 1985, the “Live Aid”benefit rock concerts were held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia, raising millions for faminereliefin Ethiopia

Also on this date:

In 1793, French politician,physician andjournalist Jean-Paul Marat was assassinatedbyCharlotte Corday,who stabbed him to deathinhis bath

In 1863, deadly rioting against theCivil Warmilitary draft erupted in New York City. (Theinsurrectionwas put down three dayslater.)

In 1923, asign consisting of 50-foot-tall letters spelling out “HOLLYWOODLAND” wasdedicated in the Hollywood Hills to promote asubdivision (the last four letters wereremoved in 1949).

In 1930, the first FIFAWorld Cupbegan in Uruguay

In 1960, John F. Kennedywon theDemocratic presidential nomination on the first ballotathis party’sconvention in Los Angeles.

In 1973, former presidential aideAlexanderP Butterfield revealed to Senate WatergateCommitteestaff members theexistence of President RichardNixon’ssecret White Housetaping system

In 1999, Angel MaturinoResendiz, suspected of being the “Railroad Killer,” surrendered inEl Paso, Texas.

In 2013, ajury in Florida cleared neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman of allcharges in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, theunarmed black teenager whose killingunleashedfurious debate over racial profiling, self-defense andequal justice.

In 2018, agrand jury indictment, sought by special counsel Robert Mueller,allegedthatthe Russian government was behinda sweeping conspiracytointerfere in the2016 U.S.presidential election.

In 2020, Washington’sNFL franchisedropped the “Redskins” name and logo amid pressure from sponsors; the move followed decades of criticism that the name and logo were offensivetoNative Americans.(Theteam was eventually renamed theCommanders.)

Today’sBirthdays: GameshowannouncerJohnny Gilbert (TV:“Jeopardy!”)is97. Authorand Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka is 91.Actor PatrickStewart is 85. Actor Harrison Ford is 83. Singer-guitarist RogerMcGuinn (The Byrds) is 83. Rubik’sCube inventor Erno Rubik is 81.Actor-comedianCheech Marin is 79. Actor DaphneMaxwell Reid is 77. Actor Didi Conn is 74. Actor Gil Birmingham is 72. Singer Louise Mandrell is 71. Formerboxing champion Michael Spinksis69. Actor-director Cameron Crowe is 68. Comedian TomKenny is 63. ActorKen Jeong is 56. Singer Deborah Coxis51. Actor AyaCash is 43. Former St. Louis Cardinals catcherYadier Molina is 43. Actor ColtonHaynes is 37.Actor Steven R. McQueen is 37. Soul singer Leon Bridges is 36. ActorHayley Erin(TV:“General Hospital”) is 31.

In praise of thehumblehandkerchief

Dear Miss Manners: What is your opinion on handkerchiefs? Iprefer them to tissues. Ihave seen brides,at weddings that cost thousands of dollars, crying intowadded-up tissues. If they really find it so disgusting to reuse a soiled handkerchief, they could investafew dollarsinamulti-pack and get afresh one each time.

Also, Ibelieve that it is better for the environment.

Gentle reader: Why would anyone prefer aflimsypiece of paper to an all-purpose little cloth for mopping up life’sfrequent spills,including those from noses?

MissManners suspects it is the fussy name and theembellishments such as embroidery,floral motifs and monograms —that condemn handkerchiefs as frivolous.

So yes,she loves them.

Remind her to give large lacy ones to prospective brides who areknown to be emotional.

Dear Miss Manners: Twoteachers at the school where Iteach had babies. The school had separate baby showers for each of them, and Igave agift at each

shower Neither one has offeredany thanks to anyofusfor the giftsthey received. I’m rather surprised. Is this the norm these days?

Gentle reader: As you areateacher,you probably subscribe to the idea that normal behavior —which is to say, that behavior in whichmany people indulge —could standimprovement. That ingratitude is commondoes not make it acceptable.Nor is being busyanexcuseyou would accept from studentswho didn’tturn in their assignments.

ButMissManners presumesthat you arealso familiar with failure to complete atask.

Are you sure that each of the packages included asecurely fastenedcard identifying thedonor?

Dear Miss Manners: Many of my soonto-be in-laws areupsetthat we don’t have awedding registry,and also that they don’thave my phone numberto complain.

Nobody bothers my fiancé, but his mother,“Noreen,” gets alot of calls from theextended family.I’ve given my blessing for hertoshare the truth: We are putting togetherphoto walls in thefronthallway of ourhome, andwill happily include anyone who sends us pictures

Eventhis highly personal gift idea isn’tcutting it, andNoreen is getting frazzled as the date draws nigh. Directing relatives to my fiancé’sphone numberisn’tworking.

I’m tempted to make aregistry that is allsockstobedonated to acharity, but thatwould probably just make things worse for Noreen.

Pleasetalkmedown.

Gentle reader: Presumably youknow thatMiss Manners has long been railing exhaustively —and ineffectually —against the customofgiving one’s shopping list to guests. Nevertheless, when she calms down, she realizesthatthere really are people who would like to pleasecelebrants andyet don’tknowthemwell enough to knowhow.Tomakethatpalatable,itshould be done indirectly and in generalterms. Whatyourfiancé’smother needs is suchananswertothe relatives: “They love kitchengadgets,” “Their house is in tonesofblue andgray” or “They travela lot.”

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@ gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.

Dear Heloise: When it’s time to restock your pill dispenser from your personal pharmacy,itcan be challenging to remember which time of day to take them or how many pills to take. To make this processeasier, consider using amagic marker to write when to takeeach pill on top of the cap, such as “a.m.,” “p.m.,” or whatever time you need them. For medications that need to be taken multiple times aday,you can write “a.m./ p.m.” For medications that need to be taken at acertain quantity, you can add the

quantityonthe cap, such as “2x”or“1/2.” These markings should only be made on your “active” bottles.

When you receive arefill for amedication, place it in your pill bag/box without marking thecap. This helps keep the“new” bottles withoutcap markings easily distinguishable from the“active” ones. Once an active bottle is empty,simply transfer the cap from the empty bottle to thenew bottle andreturn it to thebag/box. The cap from thenew bottle should then be placed on the old empty bottle. Removethe label and recycle.

Iuse two bags;one is stored inside theother.The inner bag contains active pills,and thenew pills are

placed between the outer andinnerbags. Ihopethis helps some of your readers.

—MichaelFloeser,inRochester, New York

Peelingpotatoes

Dear Heloise: Ilove your columnand have been afaithful reader fordecades. This is a tip on peeling potatoes. After having agarbage disposal backup due to putting potato peelings into it, the plumber suggested not to do this in the future.

Now,after washing the potatoes forpeeling, Iopen afew sheets of newspaper to cover the sink.

Then you can peel away

When you’re done, just fold up the newspaper with the peelings, and you can safely dispose of the messinto the

garbage.

No moreclogged drains!

Jodi Fidler, via email

Move it to junk

Dear Heloise: Iamresponding to Steve W. about unsubscribing. Ihave spent timeunsubscribing to unwanted emails. If it’salegit company,then I’ll consider it. But I’mfinding that most of them are probably just phishing to find live email addresses. Recently,I read an article that suggested to instead movethese unwanted emails to “junk.” Then your phone will start sending them there directly —Mark Hadley, via email Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Hints from Heloise

Hurricane Katrinauprooted environmentalprofessor’s life

Butlater,she discovered howbirding canchangethe world

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

Sometimes natural disasters have away of rerouting aperson’slife. In Trish O’Kane’scase, she transformed from acivil rights journalist to an ornithologist and environmental activist,a journey she recounts in her nonfiction book, “Birding to Change the World.” O’Kane, currently an environmentalstudies professor atthe University of Vermont, moved to New Orleans to teach journalism at Loyola University with her husband on Aug. 1, 2005. Three weeks later,Hurricane Katrina hit, and everything they hadwas underwater

When she returned in January 2006, O’Kane put up bird feeders in the yard of her rented house, and she began to watch the birds, becomingfascinated with house sparrows. This “birding fix” grew and helped her heal. Inspired by her newfoundlove for nature, she applied to and completed aPh.D. program in environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

During this time, she made Warner Park, alarge park with wetlands and arichlydiverse natural environment, acrucial piece of her dissertation.She started an activist group called “Wild Warner” and began aprogram, “Birding toChange the World,” which partnered college students with middle school students for asemester to learn about birds and experience wildlife.

Bill Moyers helped reintroducepoetry to Americans

Ihad thoughtofsocial justice very rigidly,and then, because of Katrina, Iwas able to make the connection with environmental justice —but it was still justice.

Iwas very lucky and privileged that Iwas able to go back to school in my mid-40s. Iwas the first one in my family to get aPh.D. The transformation was because ofour education system

When Iemailedthisprofessor in Madison, he answeredand changed my life. He changed my husband’s life. He changed the history ofWarner Park.

How did yourexperience with Hurricane Katrinaand teaching the Warner Park kids help you to connect environmental justice with social justice?

DuringKatrina, it was playingout rightinfront of us. If we hadn’t connected the dots before, it was very obvious all of asudden. If youdidn’thave acar or if you didn’t have acar that worked, how were you going to get out ofthere?

As we approach the 20th anniversary of Katrina, can you describe the transformation that happened in your life because of the hurricane and the events that followed?

Ithink alot of people whowent through Katrina feel this way:I felt like Idied. That person who was acertain kind of person died, and anotherpersonwas born afterward. It just took a long time for that person tofind outwho shewas. Iwas 44, and I wanted to make achange. As acivil rights journalist,I was in Central America for 10 years, and Iwas in Alabama at the Southern Poverty Law Center,soIdon’tfeel like Ibecame atotally different person. Ifeel like the seeds of those experiences cameout and could grow in anotherway that Ihadn’texpected.

When Iwas researching the book later,readingabout people with disabilities who had no transportation, I’d ask, “What happened to them?”“Did they getout ofthe city?” Thosethings for uswere visceral. They were notjuststatistics. We lived it. We saw it.

Iwasn’t from New Orleans. I had just moved there. ButIhad ajob,Ihad money,and Ihad a friendwho found me aplace to live. Iwas reading about these NewOrleanians stranded all over thecountry,people who camefrom generations of families. It was just wrong. The accumulationofexperiences of that time was justa wake-up call.

When Iwent to Madison with the kids, Ihad lived in Central America. I’d seen alot of poverty

and injustice, but because I hadn’tlived in acold climate, I didn’tknow what was required to be outside.

All of asudden, there are all these little kids in our program on aFebruaryday with 2feet of snow on the ground in their little sneakers and cotton socks, and it was acatastrophe. Irealized Icouldn’tdothis if these kids don’thave proper clothing, but their parents couldn’tafford the clothing.

So we started clothing drives, and we do that now in Vermont, too. My college studentsdoclothing drives for the kids, but that doesn’taddress thefundamental injustice of living in acold place with children who have aright to be outside. It’s essential for their physical and mental health, but you can’tafford apair of Smartwool socks because you’re a cashier at the grocery store who doesn’tget paid enough.

The injustices are so baked in to our systems, and we don’t even see them.Suddenly,itwas right in front of me. Acrying child turning blue. Those kids were great teachers. What wouldyou likefuture readers to know about this book?

Ilearned while living this book that we can’tdoitalone. Everythingthat happened to me here was because people were kind and helpful and opened doors during theworst time in their lives. Ifound aflock in Madison. Ifound agroup of people who believed and wanted to help protect this place, Warner Park. We all can find common ground in what we love.

Email Joy Holden at joy holden@theadvocate.com.

by RonChernow

Bill Moyers, whodied last month at 91, will be remembered forhis workasatop aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson and alater career in broadcasting. But Moyers shaped my life mostvividly in his championship of poetry,aform of readingthat fewofusembrace these days.

I’d been obliged to study poetry in college, but once I started acareer and looked toward new roles as ahusband and father,poems seemed far removed from what Iconsidered “real life.” But hearing an Elizabeth Bishop poem on a public TV show several decades ago nudged me to give poetry a secondlook. Meanwhile, Moyers had embarked on aseries of PBS projects aimed at reintroducingpoetry to new readers. Those programs, “The Power of theWord” and “The Language of Life,” helped reawaken my interest in poetry,too. Modern poetry has areputation for being arid and abstract, something eked out by scribes wearing turtlenecks and berets in agrungy cafe. But Moyers, who’d grownupjust across the Louisiana border in Marshall, Texas, seemed like someone Imight know.His twang was comfortably familiar to anyone who’sgrownupinthis part of theworld, and as ajournalist, his eye wenttoward the real and concrete rather than the remoteand ethereal. His love of poetry moved me to think that Imight also like it. The poets that Moyers interviewed for his TV shows didn’t seem stuffy and detached, either.Iespecially enjoyed his talks with Donald Hall and Jane Kenyon, two poets who had marriedeach other and built alife

in rural New Hampshire. Their shared household seemed much like that of any other family: gardens to weed, bills to pay, some health struggles, the question of what to cook for dinner The couple’sconversations with Moyers pointed to poetry’s power to illuminate everyday experience, making small moments shine. Those glints of revelation appealed to the same sense of curiosity that drew Moyers to journalism

“Poetry is news—news of the mind, newsofthe heart —and in the reading and hearing of it, poet and audience are fused,” he pointed out. “Strangers converge but community emerges, the shared experience of being present when poetry reveals a particular lifetobeevery life— my life, your life, you, me, us.” Through television, Moyers connected Americans with poets at street level, an especially valuable giftsince fewofusget to know poets firsthand. In my own work as ajournalist, I‘ve been lucky to know quite afew, including Louisiana poets Ava Leavell Haymon and Catharine Savage Brosman. Their work resonates because it’sapart of, not apart from, daily concerns. With the arrival of Marie Howe’s“Newand Selected Poems” on my nightstand, poetry continues to be on my reading list this summer.I have Bill Moyers to thank for getting us together

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com

NewOrleans Book Fest expandsFamilyDay

Fullday dedicatedto kid-friendly reading

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

The New Orleans Book Festival at Tulane University will expand itspopularFamily Day in 2026 to Sunday,March 15, as a dedicated day of literary fun just for children and families to wrap up theweekend. Previously held on Saturday alongwith otherBook Fest events,FamilyDay will now takecenter stage at 10 a.m.on Sunday forexclusive family programming. The day will feature kidfriendly author readings, book signings, interactive performances, costumed characters andcrafts. Book lovers will find readings of all levels, backgroundsand interests.

“This move gives us the chance to elevate Family Day even further,” Cheryl Landrieu, festival co-chair,said in astatement. “By

extending the festival into Sunday, we’re creating more space forfamilies to explore, connect and celebrate the joy of reading without competing with other programming.”

Last year’sFamily Day welcomedmorethan 20 children’s authors and distributed over 5,000 free booksinpartnership with Scholastic. The free, four-day NewOrleans Book Festivalbegins the eveningofThursday, March12 followed by three full days of programming from 10 a.m. to 5p.m. on Friday,Saturday and Sunday

Theauthorlineup will be announcedinNovember2025, andthe full schedule will be announced in the weeks before thefestival. Registration for attending thefestivalisnot required but strongly encouraged. Guests canregister ahead of timeonline.

“Family Day is one of the most joyful and inclusive parts of the festival,” Landrieu said. “We’re thrilled to give it the spotlight it deserves.”

TRADEPAPERBACK

1. “One Golden Summer” by Carley

“Severed Heart” by Kate Stewart

“The Tenant”byFreidaMcFadden

4. “Caught Up” by Navessa Allen

5. “Sandwich” by Catherine Newman

6. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby VanPelt

7. “Problematic SummerRomance”by Ali Hazelwood

8. “LightsOut”byNavessa Allen

9. “The Spellshop”bySarah Beth Durst

10. “FourthWing” by Rebecca Yarros

Dan an AT RANDOM ny Heitm Danny Heitman

Moyers

PROVIDED PHOTO

Trish O’Kane, author of ‘Birding to Changethe World,’and environmentalstudies professor at the University of Vermont

MUSIC THAT MOVES THEM

Louisianaisahotbedoftalented recording artists. Canitbuildan industrytokeepthemhere?

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

The Crowe Boys went viral last year Brothers Ocieand Wes Crowe filmed themselves performing their country folk song“WhereDid I Go Wrong?”one evening in January2024 in apark near Ocie’s Arabi home They postedthe videoon TikTok and watchedin amazementasitgathered more than amillionviews overnight. The post ultimately racked up 20 million views andcaught the attention of musicindustry executives lookingfor thenext big thing. Aftertalking to dozens of record labels, the brotherssignedwiththe Nashville, Tennessee, division of industry giant MCA, which released their debut album, “Made to Wander,”inJune. In a few weeks, they embark

Struggling school systems, churches weigheddownbysurplus properties

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

“We’re

definitely regrouping

and trying to figure out whatthe next steps are.”

KATIE BAUDOUIN, NewOrleans School Board president

said. The outcomes of therecent auctionsspeak to thechallenges of turning old real estateparcels into cash. While such properties may be worth millions on paper, demand for themistepid at the moment, according to experts, who sayeconomic uncertainty,higher interest rates and soaring insurance costs have frozen manycommercial real estatedeals. School systems, local and state governments and religious institutions are particularly

by thecurrent dynamic. Over the

cades, they have amassedsizable portfolios of churches, schools and

The Crowe Boys —brothers Ocie and WesCrowe performatthe FarOut LoungeinAustin, Texas.The duo recentlygarnered national attention after posting their song ‘Where DidI Go Wrong?’onTikTok.

on theirfirst European tour The experiencehas made Ocie Crowe afirm believer in the power of asong.

“If you make something real forpeople,your

ä See MUSIC, page 2E

Stegall, Benton &Associates. “An

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

The former L.E. RabouinMemorial School is among sevenproperties the Orleans Parish School Board has

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Producer andengineer Misha Kachkachishvili mixes music by local musician Brian Stoltz with the help of internSandro Iezhava at Esplanade Studios in NewOrleans.

PROVIDED PHOTO

audience will find you,” he said.

It’saninspiring story, demonstrating how modern digital platforms can help musicians find an audience quickly

But the Crowe Boys’ breakthrough also underscores achallenge for Louisiana: When promising music acts emerge from its fertile ground, they often are forcedtolook elsewhere for the professional support needed to launch and maintain their careers.

That’s because NewOrleans, despite being the birthplace of jazz andhome to amazing musicians, never built arobust musicindustry ecosystem —the major labels talent agencies or music publishers —tomatch those in rival music cities like Los Angeles, New York and Nashville. Over time, those cities have benefittedfrom critical mass that attracts the music creatives and businesses. That leaves New Orleans as atownknownprimarily for its live music scene.

“Wedonot have arecording industry; we have ahospitality industry that caters to musicians,” said Misha Kachkachishvili,owner of EsplanadeStudios, ahighend recording studio in Mid-City whose client list ranges from local brass bands to Taylor Swift. “If there’snofestivals, hotels, bars or restaurants, the whole thing will die immediately.”

This dynamic is something local industry champions have lamented for decades. The latesttorchbearers tout solutions that include new business initiatives, changes to public policy and afresh focus on songwriting, the music industry’score intellectual property.

“Wehave to make it easy for businesses to come,” said PJ Morton, afive-time Grammy-winning soul and R&B artist from New Orleans who moved home in 2016 to start arecord label. “Wehave an advantagebecause people love to be in NewOrleansand create here.”

‘Welet it fly’

Dating backacentury agotowhen LouisArmstrong left his hometown to launch his global jazz career,New Orleans has tended to export its musical talent to bigger industry hubs. Afew decades later,Fats Domino recorded hits in New Orleans for the benefit of out-of-town record companies.

whocontributed material to one of LilWayne’sbig albums.“You never know who you’d runintoat aclub or amansion in Eastover.”

But those labels eventually fizzled or left town for bigger cities, which music attorney TimKappel said was amissed opportunity.

“Weweren’table to build an industry around it,” he said. “Welet it fly.”

‘Constantsupplyand demand’

Allen Toussaint flipped the script for awhile in the 1960s and ’70s with hisNew Orleans-based label and recording studio. And in the 1990s and early 2000s, several homegrown hip-hop labels scored big hits and introduced stars like Lil Wayne and Juvenile to the world, raising hopes that NewOrleans could becomean enduring hub of hip-hop and R&Bmusic.

“When Cash Moneywas here, we had famous people in townall the time,” said Raj Smoove, aDJ

PROPERTIES

Continued from page 1E

Widespread issue

Other institutions in Louisiana are facing the same issuesasthe NewOrleans school system.

TheEastBaton Rouge Parish system closed nine schools at the end of May,leaving six buildings vacant. Superintendent LaMont Cole has said he wants to explore converting at least one former school into rent-reduced housing for district teachers Last summer,after demolishing theformer HaynesAcademy in Metairie and listing it for sale, the Jefferson Parish School Board took the property off the market. School Board members said at the time that they were concerned the 8.3-acre campus wouldn’tfetch a fair price.

Thepropertyhad initially appraised for $12.3 million, anumber much lower than expected. Asecond appraisal came in even lower, at under $10 million. The Archdiocese of NewOrleans,one of thelargest landowners in the New Orleans area, has also come up against the issue. In 2008, the Roman Catholic diocese closed 27 churches amid apostHurricane Katrina decline in the area population.

In the nearly two decades since, only 15 have been sold. Of those, just five fetched $1 million or more. More recently,asithas begun selling additional properties to raise money to compensate survivors of clergy sex abuse in its ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy case. The archdiocese has listed several properties for sale and, in

Today, theLouisianamusic industrycontributes an estimated $1.4billion to the state’s annual gross domestic product,alongwithroughly 31,000 jobs.But much of that economic activity comes from music-based tourism—the state’smany festivalsand eventsthat employ musicians, sound engineers andother production personnel on agig basis.

Nashvillehas plenty of live music,too. Butits $7.4 billion music industry is driven primarily by recording and songwriting.

On the city’sMusicRow, songwriters gather daily in roomswith acoustic guitars and laptops todream up hit tunes They workfor music publishers, who help sell the songs. The town’srecord labels, meanwhile, look for the best compositions for their artists.

“There’sconstant supply and demand next to each other,and that’swhat churns the town,” said Jim McCormick, aNew Orleans-

born songwriter who has worked in bothcities for two decades

An ecosystem has developed to support that churn —professional services along withrecording studios, rehearsal spaces, trucking companiesand caterers. Altogether,the industry is responsible for about67,000 jobs.

Many local music insiders think buildingsimilarsongwriting activityinLouisianacould boost the state’sbusiness overall.

“Our musiciansput all their effortinto their gig on Frenchmen Street to makea hundredbucks,” said Reid Wick,aNew Orleansnative and executive at the RecordingAcademy,the national trade group that produces the Grammys. “But the real money is taking the intellectual property of songwriters andputting it into commerce.” Teamsbehindthe scenes

Behind everybig-time musicact in the nation’s$200 billion music industry,there’s ateam of professionals working outside the spotlight.

Musicmanagers negotiate businessdeals with help from specially trained lawyersand accountants. Talent agents screen potential gigs andendorsements. Record labels distributemusic on streaming platforms. Publishing companies sell songs.

Wheneconomicdevelopmentofficials talk aboutbuildingthe city’s industry,these are thewell-paying jobs they’re talking about.

New Orleans isn’thome to theofficesofany national labels, talent agencies or music publishers. But

it does have asmallbut influential group of national music industry executives who are based here and travel as necessary

The community includes Patrick Templeman, abusinessmanager for A-list stars who in 2015 set up a15-person NewOrleans office of his global firm PS Business Managementand last year partnered to buy Mid-City music club Chickie WahWah Amy Davidson,whose firmM

Theoryprovidesservices formusic managers, and Reeves Price, who produces festivals for concert industry giant AEG, also work from New Orleans, as does Ryan Chavez,founder of NewOrleansbasedentertainment industry tech platform Imprinted.

Along with afew music lawyers andother pros serving high-profile New Orleans artists, these industry executives lend credibility to the city’s music scene. They also model, in an increasingly decentralized music industry,how the business of music can be done outside of the major hubs, which raises hopesthattheir presence will attract others.

Aloose-knit coalition of local music industry champions is working to growthat community

After working for Austin, Texas’ famed South by Southwest conference formore than twodecades, Melissa and Kirk O’Brien moved to the New Orleansarea in 2018 and afew years later,launchedNOLA MusiContocreate educational and networking opportunities. It returnsfor itsthird year in October, twomonths after thedecades-old

institutional buildings.

some cases, has lowered its asking priceseveral times before getting any offers.

Some,likethe former Catholic Bookstore and its adjacent parking lot on South Carrollton Avenue, sold quickly.Others, like theformer Sacred Heart Church on Canal Street, have been on the market for years

‘Whole differentclimate’

Part of the problem, real estate watchers say,isthe nature of old,

“Old churches aretough because they werebuilt for specialized uses,”saidBaton Rouge-based developer and architect Dyke Nelson, whohas done historic conversion projects around Louisiana and out of state.“If you are going to use historic building tax credits, you’re constrainedinwhat you can do so it becomes alot moredifficult.”

Some of thepropertiesare also in older neighborhoods, where developers are less interested in

renovating them fornew uses. Institutions have had better luck with some of their buildings, of course. The formerOur Lady of Lourdes Church on Napoleon Avenue in New Orleanswas purchased in late 2022 after agroup of developers that hadpurchased it from the archdiocese in 2016 ran into financial trouble. Arenovation is underway to turn it into an event venue.

Developers also successfully converted theformer Sts. Peter

Cutting Edge Music Business Conference.

Another October event, NOLAxNOLA, was launched during the pandemic to promote local venues. And the Metronome music business accelerator offers training, mentorship and networking to founders of music tech companies.

RecordingAcademy’sWick, meanwhile, is focusing on policy issues that affect the industry.He recentlycreated Louisiana Music Partners, astatewide trade association.One of itsfirst officialacts was to criticize Gov.JeffLandry’s recent veto of an extension of the state’s20-year-old music industry tax credit program.

Landry said the programwas underused. Music businessesthat had participated claimedred tape was theproblemand said changes made during this year’slegislative session would have improved it.

“The veto eliminates the state’s only investment in the music industry and shows acomplete lack of regard forthe Louisiana music community,” astatement from the trade association said.

Fighting headwinds like that, Wick and others believe it’simportant to pursue multiple strategies, including building music business literacy statewide.

Ocie Croweislearningwhy that matters in real time.

Said Crowe: “Why play for four hoursfor $50when asongI made adds twozeros to that every month?”

EmailRich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

and Paul Catholic Church in Faubourg Marigny into aboutique hotel and an old convent on the edge of the French Quarter into highend apartments.

But Sts. Peter and Paul Church and the convent were sold and renovated years ago, when interestrates were more favorable and construction costs were much lower

“It’sawhole differenteconomic climate now,” Benton said. “Financing is more difficult. So is everything else.”

In the case of the Orleans Parish School Boardproperties, the auction format, required by state law,also likely dampened interest from prospective buyers, said Paul Richard, the commercial broker with NAI Rampart whomarketed the properties.

“Ittakes time to put together the kind of financing needed to buy ahistoric building if you plan to renovate it,” he said. “Thatruns up against the short-term nature of an auction.”

Baudouin said the board may trytoauction theproperties off for athird time this fall. By law, the board would not be required to set aminimum bid, potentially offering the properties forsaleata lower price.

“Weare looking at what the best strategic decisions to make. And we are feeling the samepressure as others,” she said.

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

STAFFFILE PHOTOByCHRIS GRANGER

Fans dance as Son Rompe Pera performs at the Cultural ExchangePavilion Stageduring the 2025 NewOrleans Jazz&HeritageFestival. New Orleans is atownknown primarily for its livemusic scene, but many musicians leave in pursuit of amore robust music industrywithmajor labels, talent agencies or music publishers.

STAFF FILE PHOTOByIAN McNULTy

The Elysian Bar servesdinner and brunch in the event space at the Hotel Peter &Paul,within the former Sts Peter andPaul church in the Marigny in NewOrleans. In 2008, Archdiocese of NewOrleans, one of the largest landowners in the NewOrleans area, closed 27 churchesamid apost-Hurricane Katrina decline in the area population. In the nearly twodecades since, only 15 have been sold.

Morton Smoove

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

LSU innovation leader predicts an energy renaissance

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Q&A WITH BRAD IVES

With a $25 million donation from Shell, LSU three years ago created a new institute to support research aimed at issues facing the energy sector Since then, the Institute for Energy Innovation has awarded grants to LSU scientists studying extreme winds and their impact solar installations, the risks and benefits of carbon sequestration, the best places to locate wind farms in coastal Louisiana and new forms of battery storage.

At the institute’s helm is Brad Ives, a North Carolina native who arrived at LSU in 2023 after a three-decade career that included stints as a Wall Street lawyer, investment banker, renewable energy executive, assistant secretary of the North Carolina natural resources agency and university administrator

The institute’s goal, Ives said, is to figure out how to decarbonize the energy sector and do so in a way that’s “fair and just.” That includes funding research into technology, public policy and economics, as well as engaging in community outreach and education.

In this week’s Talking Business, Ives discusses how the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” will affect the energy transition, why he thinks it’s important to partner with industry on solutions and how he thinks Louisiana can become a global energy leader

This interview has been edited for length and clarity You arrived at LSU at a time when

Brad Ives took over as executive

Institute for Energy Innovation in 2023

the federal government was investing heavily in efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many of those programs were scaled back as part of the domestic policy bill that President Donald Trump signed earlier this month. What does that mean for the energy transition in Louisiana?

The transition will be slower You’re still going to see solar projects built in Louisiana after all the tax credits are gone, because it makes financial sense. But the big driver of what’s happening is not the U.S. domestic market. It’s the global markets. The EU is putting in what they call a carbon border adjustment mechanism that’s effectively a carbon tariff that will kick in in 2026, and it’s initially going to track steel, aluminum, cement and fertilizer This is not woke, lefty, green, whatever buzzword you want to use: This is global competitiveness.

We have the world’s largest ammonia plant here for fertilizer, CF Industries For that plant to continue to be com-

petitive globally, they need to be the lowest carbon intensity producer of that product. Critics, including environmentalists and activists, have said they’re skeptical that the institute is committed to lower carbon future given that its main benefactor is a fossil fuel giant. How do you respond to that?

The analogy everybody goes for is Phillip Morris paying Harvard researchers to say that smoking wasn’t harmful. We’re not absolving the oil and gas industry for climate change. I will tell you that burning hydrocarbons has led to climate change. That’s settled science. I don’t think there’s any taint of the money on the work that we’re doing.

If you want to look at the moral hazard of taking money from people who’ve contributed to it, I might flip it around and say, you know, this is a great sign that companies realize they’re part of the problem, and they’re looking for solutions and funding groups like ours, and they’re

willing to hire somebody like me. I mean, I got fired at the University of North Carolina over my efforts to shut down their coal plant, and I’m the guy that they sought out to run this thing.

What’s amazing is if you go to these refineries and chemical plants and talk to people, they want to change it They want to be lower carbon. This is just the job they have, and it’s how they pay their bills, and it’s what they do. They’re looking for better ways to do it.

One of your goals is to make sure that the energy transition is “fair and just.”What does that mean and how do y’all plan to accomplish that?

Twenty percent of Shell’s gift is targeted towards environmental justice, which, when I got contacted by the search firm for this position, and heard that, I was like, seriously? That really resonated with me. It’s not only to do the energy transition and to look towards future, but how do you do that the right way

The right way has two aspects. One is, here in Louisiana, you’ve got this history of people, the fenceline communities, that when you really dig deep back into it, these are the descendants of slaves that lived on properties that then became these big industrial facilities. So you’ve got long-term justice and equality issues there.

But then you also have all of these people who worked in the oil and gas industry and see that as the thing that’s been driving Louisiana’s economy for at least the last century and they’re worried about their futures.

So, the institute’s trying to figure all this out and do it the right way

Your career has spanned the globe and included stops in New York City

and London.What did you see in Louisiana that made you want to work at LSU?

I looked at Louisiana, and as a Southerner had been like, “How the hell is Louisiana not the wealthiest state in the Southeast?” You’ve got the oil and gas and the mineral resources, the mouth of the Mississippi River Why did Atlanta and Houston beat out New Orleans? We’re seeing all this economic activity coming here as part of the energy transition. Isn’t this the great opportunity for Louisiana to be the leader that it should have been?

To be at a flagship university like LSU and a state like Louisiana, these are the types of places that can start to solve these problems. The potential here is unreal.

What do you see as the most promising path in Louisiana to reducing global emissions?

I think carbon sequestration is the single most important technology humankind is working on. It’s the big bridge. If we can capture a meaningful amount of emissions we’re making, then we’re going to slow global warming.

We’re doing a lot around carbon sequestration and trying to figure out, how do we do it safely? Where do you do it? Some of the stuff is public policy. How do we reward communities that have these facilities? How do you pay the individual landowners that the carbon is going to be sequestered underneath them? Then there’s the safety aspect. How do you make sure that it stays underground? How do you tell if it leaks?

Measuring success to me is can we enable good carbon sequestration projects here in Louisiana the next three

to five years, and make sure that they’re safe and effective.

If we see solar and wind growing at a reasonable rate in Louisiana, too, that’s a win.

The institute announced its latest round of grant funding in June, including for a project to examine public perception of the energy sector through statewide surveys and focus groups. What’s the goal of that effort? There’s a lot of misinformation, especially around solar power I was talking to somebody pretty high-ranking in the community here about solar and they said, “But what happens after the land gets poisoned by these solar panels? You can’t farm on it anymore.” And I’m like, “It’s a piece of glass. There is no poison.” You find that misinformation seems to spread much more quickly than accurate information.

The institute recently offered scholarships for Louisiana teachers to attend a course at LSU on energy fundamentals.Why was that important for you?

The more content we can get out to teachers, the better My parents were middle school teachers when they met, so education has always been important. It changed my life. Is the next Neil deGrasse Tyson in some public school in rural Louisiana and just waiting to have that moment of inspiration, you know? How do we reach the teachers who are going to expose that kid to some concept that then leads them down that a path? Could they end up going to LSU and coming up with the thing that make nuclear fusion work at an affordable level? Maybe. Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate. com.

NewStudy DebunksRed DrumCrisis Claims: Louisiana’sGulfMenhaden FisheryNot to Blame

Thisarticle is brought to youbythe Louisiana CommercialFishing Coalition LLC

Alandmark Louisiana-funded study confirms whatdecades of fisheries science have long suggested: the Gulf menhaden fishery is not amajor contributor to reddrum mortalityinLouisiana waters

The comprehensivebycatchassessment, conducted by LGL Ecological Research Associatesand administered through the Gulf StatesMarine Fisheries Commission, found thatcommercial menhaden harvesters were responsible forjust 3.4% of reddrum removals by number statewide in 2024.In contrast,96.6% of removals were from the recreational sector Thesefindingscome at atime when misinformation about reddrum bycatchhas fueled public pressurefor newrestrictions on commercial harvesters. But the data tells aclear story: Louisiana’smenhaden fishery is both sustainable and responsible —and not a threattored drum populations

Backed by IndependentScience

Thestudy wasfunded through a$1 million appropriation by the Louisiana Legislature and carried out during the 2024fishing season. It is the most extensivebycatchstudy ever conducted in the Gulfmenhaden fishery, with data collected from 418 purse seine sets

—3.2% of total effort,exceeding theoriginal sampling goal by morethan50%.

Observersand electronic monitoring systems were used to gather and verifydata. The study employedadvanced techniques such as ReflexActionMortalityPredictors

(RAMP) and24-hour live holding tanksto assess fish survival.

Keyresults include:

•Menhaden harvestersaccounted forjust 30,142 reddrummortalities in 2024—only 3.4% of statewide removals

•Anestimated26,847red drum were released aliveafter incidental capture, with an 84% survival rate in rolloverreleases

•Overall, the fishery remained well below Louisiana’s5%bycatchlimit by weight, with acombined bycatchrate of just 3.6%.

ProactiveConservation in Action

The study alsoclarified howred drum mortalitycan be reduced through better handling practices.When fish are retained in thenet and released after pumping, mortality drops sharply —akey operational takeaway thatis nowbeing applied across the fleet

In responsetothe study’s findings, the Louisiana menhaden industry has proactively standardized anew hose-end cage design acrossits fleet prior to the 2025fishing season. This design, shown to significantly improve the survivability of reddrum and similar species,isalready delivering results.Fleetwide upgrades reflect an ongoing commitmenttoconservation and demonstrate howscience candrive improvements in real time.

Putting Croakerand SeatroutinContext

The report also documentedAtlantic croaker and sand seatrout (whitetrout) in the retained catch. While some critics have highlighted thesefiguresfor political gain scientists notethat:

•Thesespecies are not overfished or undergoing overfishing, per federal and state assessments

•Theyare short-lived forage fish with high natural mortalityand would not be expected to survivetoadulthood even withoutfishing pressure.

•Their retention is primarily due to small size, not gear inefficiency

This context is importantto accurately interpret the data and avoid mischaracterizing the fishery’s overall impact

AModel of RegulatedSustainability

The Gulf menhaden fishery is among the most tightly regulatedinthe state,overseen by the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Gulf StatesMarine Fisheries Commission, the Louisiana Wildlifeand Fisheries Commission, andthe Louisiana Department of Wildlifeand Fisheries

It is alsocertified as sustainableby the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) —the gold standardfor global fisheries certification. According to the 2024stock assessment, Gulf menhaden stocksare healthier thanatany pointinthe past 40 years, with spawning stock biomasshaving morethantripled since the 1990s. Fishing mortalityhas declined to just one-thirdof 1990s levels

The fishery harvests lessthan 2% of the total Gulf menhaden biomass, leaving ample resources in the ecosystemfor predators such as reddrum, speckled trout,and marine mammals

An Economic Engine for Coastal Louisiana

In addition to its environmental track record, the menhaden industry plays a critical economic role in Louisiana’scoastal communities.The sector:

•Generatesmorethan $419 millionin economic output annually

•Supports over2,000 jobs across 32 parishes

•Paysmorethan $25million in state and local tax revenue

•Provided roughly$60 millioninemployee compensation in 2023alone

Menhaden also contribute to global food systems.Rich in omega-3s,protein, and essential nutrients,theyare used in aquaculturefeed, pet food, and human nutritional supplements

Letting Science Lead

The findingsofthis independentstudy offer aclear conclusion: theGulf menhaden fishery is operating responsibly,within regulatory limits,and with minimal impact on reddrum and other species of concern. Gear innovation and betterhandling are already helping to drivemortalityevenlower Forthe thousands of Louisianans whose livelihoods depend on this fishery —and for policymakerscharged with overseeing its management— this newresearch provides a firm foundation fordecisions rooted in data, not speculation.

COURTESy OF DON KADAIR

director of LSU’s

5financialliespeopleshould stop tellingthemselves

reducing your debt.

Youdon’tmean to, but you lie about your moneyhabits

Fool’sTake: Dip into these chips

decline —which has happened even with shares of great stocks

Me: “Do youeat out alot?”

You: “Not really.” If Isuspect this isn’ttrue because the revolving credit card debt or lack of savings says otherwise, I channel Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men” when he bellowed: “You can’thandle the truth.”

The truth: Here’sanillustration of what one monthly bank statement might list: $7 daily Starbucks stops (can’tstartthe day withoutaventi caramel macchiato); $120 for lunches out with co-workers; $47 for Taco Tuesdays;several deliveries using UberEats or Grubhub (because there wasn’tanything in the fridgeeventhough it was stocked with food); and afew hundred dollars spent on Friday dinners and happy hour drinks because “we deserve it after aweek of hard work.”

Many people unintentionally misrepresent their spending, naively believing their own narratives about where their money goes until they are confronted with the undeniable evidence of their bank statements.

This financial amnesia shows up constantly during my workshops and radio call-ins. Here’s what happened when two callers got caught in their money mistruths.

Iasked the first caller whether shehad abudget. She paused and then gave a hesitant yes.

When Ihear brief silence or abreak in the conversation followed by an “um” or “uh,” it usually indicates that the truth may be otherwise.

Experience told me to press her.Turns out, the woman didn’t haveabudget. She was, however, trying to pay off debt. Budgeting willhelp you identify expenses youcan cut and, as aresult, the savingsyou will need to devote to

Another callerwas fretting becauseshe couldn’tkeep up with herbills and waslosing hope.She earnedagood salary.She said she hadcut out every possible luxury —cable, dining out.ThenI asked herwhat percentage of her monthly take-home went toward hermortgage.

She quickly answered 30% comfortablybelow the36% of net pay that many experts sayshould be the ceiling.

But something didn’tadd up. If her expenses werelow andshe didn’thave any debt excepther mortgage, why was she crying broke?

Iasked again: “Are yousure your mortgage is just 30% of your take-home pay?”

She confidently repliedyes again.

But then, with additionalprobing, Ifound outshe had lost the part-time income that she had used to qualify for the mortgage. Ipointed out thatifher income had dropped, then the percentage of her net pay going toward the monthly mortgage would be morethan 30%.Itwas obvious to me that the woman wanted to cling to the beliefthat she could still afford that.

By getting her to face thereality that her financial situation had changed, Ihelped her see that she needed to find another part-time job, take in aboarderormoveto amore affordablehome. She said shewas willingto considerboth the job and roommate options. Hereare fiveofmyfavorite financial fibs: Ihaveabudget. Keepinga mental tally of yourspending is usually not enough. You’ll have better control overmoney if youtrack your expenditures in anotebook, spreadsheet or budgeting app. Ihaveanemergency fund. People will swearthey have arainy-day fund, but they raid it so regularly that it becomes just another spendingaccount.Icallthisthe emergency fund fallacy Imanagemyspending better witha credit card. Monthly statements show where money went, but

research reveals thatpaying with plastic— credit or debit —increases howmuchpeople spend. AFederal Reserve Bank of Boston report found that consumers spend an averageof$22 pertransactionwhenpaying with cash,compared with $112 when using cards. Idon’tdineout alot. This is typically nottrue. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the averageAmerican household spent nearly $4,000 on food away from home in 2023, an 8% increase from theprevious year When Ireviewpeople’s bank records, they’re often shocked at howmuchtheyspend dining out each month.One couple (a family of four) discoveredtheyhad spent $1,500 on restaurants in a month.

Idon’tunderstand whyI’m always broke. This is perhaps the most common financialfibpeople tell themselves. If yougenuinely reflected on your spending habits andcombed through your bank or credit unionstatements, you’d quickly uncover thereason your budgetisn’tbalancing —meaningyou are spending more than your take-home payevery month. Or people overlook howsmall, frequent purchasesadd up. It often comes down to needsvs. wants. Be honest: You’ve probably classifiedtoo manywants as needs. This distortedviewof your finances prevents youfrom seeingwhatshould or could be cut.

Stopfooling yourself.It’stime for areality check

Grab your bank statements from the past six months. Use differentcolored highlightersto mark your spending categories: restaurants, shopping, entertainment and whatever else appears. Youcan start making fundamental changes once youare truthful about where your money goes. Youcan handle the truth. But you can’t fix what youwon’t face.

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

Nvidia is one of the world’slargest semiconductor companies. It once generated most of its revenue from gamingfocused graphics processing units, which can also be used to mine certain cryptocurrencies. But now 89% comes from data center graphics processing units, whichare especially well-suited for processing complex artificial intelligence tasks.

Nvidia’s sales of data center GPUs surged in 2023 (fiscal 2024) after OpenAI’slaunch of ChatGPT in late 2022 sparked aglobal artificialintelligence infrastructure race. That year,Nvidia controlled about98% of the data center GPU market. From fiscal 2025 to fiscal 2028, analysts expect the company’srevenue and earnings pershare to expand at compound annualgrowth rates of more than 30% and28%, respectively,asthe AI market continues to expand. But those estimates could be too conservative —since Nvidia has comfortably beat Wall Street’s top- andbottom-line expectations for manyquarters. Because it’s the top seller of the picks and shovels for the AI gold rush, its revenue and profits maykeep crushing analysts’ expectations.

Nvidia’s sales in China were recently throttled by U.S. export curbs, but it can easily offset that pressure with its stronger chip sales in other markets. Simply put, Nvidia has plenty of ways to keep growing. (The Motley Fool ownsshares of and recommends Nvidia.)

Ask the Fool:

The 7% rule

What’s the7%rule in stocks? —T.L.,Anchorage,Alaska It’sarule addressing when to sell; it says you should sell out of a stock if it dips by 7% or so below your purchase price. So if you bought shares of Old MacDonald Farms (ticker: EIEIO) at $100, and they dropped to $93, you’d sell all of them. This can happen automatically if you set a“stop-loss” order with your brokerage. The benefit of this rule is that it can minimize your losses. If, for example,a stock begins a30%

—you’d be out of it before your investment lost any more value. Of course, no one knows exactly when astock will go up or down, so if that stock pulled back alittle before immediately beginning a big climb, you might end up missing out on muchofthat. It can be good (and easier) just to hang on to shares of great companies through ups and downs, aiming to hold for many years. I’ve saved abit of money and want to buy some stocks.What do Ido first? —O.A., BrokenArrow,Oklahoma Before investing, pay off any high-interest-rate debt and have an emergency fund that can pay at least several months’ worth of living expenses. Read and learn more about investing, too, perhaps with John C. Bogle’s“The Little Book of Common Sense Investing,” “The Only Investment Guide You’ll Ever Need:Revised Edition” by Andrew Tobias or Joel Greenblatt’s“The Little Book That Still Beats the Market.” Read up on brokerages at fool.com/money My Dumbest Investment: A$37 feeontop of aloss

lars across abunch of companies, or perhaps better still, to wait until it’sclearer which ones are best positioned for long-term success. It’soften better to invest in companies that have proven profitability,and that have more cash than debt. And when choosing between brokerages, check their fee schedules and favor those with low fees.

Beyond isn’taplace —it’samindset. Andit’sabeliefthathas poweredusfor over80years

We areJones Walker LLP,a firmdrivenbyanentrepreneurial spirit,adeepsenseofcommunity, and afierce determination to deliverexceptional serviceand valuefor our clients. Since1937, our firmhas been committed to workingwithcommunity leaders to developbusiness opportunitiesacrossthe state. We aresteadfast in continuing ourdedicationtogobeyondinadvising clientsand supportinginitiatives andorganizations that make Louisiana abetterplace to live andwork

William H. Hines,ManagingPartner bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000 201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100

|ARIZONA |DISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA|

|KENTUCKY|LOUISIANA |MISSISSIPPI |NEW

|TEXAS

Michelle Singletary

THE COLOR OF MONEy

Motley Fool

JRE Capital moves into N.O. market with Elmwood site

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

JRE Capital, a Baton Rougebased real estate investment company, has purchased the Jefferson Business Center in Elmwood for $11.4 million, marking the firm’s first foray into the Greater New Orleans area.

JRE Capital Managing Partner Trey Williams said the 104,000-square-foot building, which has suites with office and warehouse or “flex” space, was attractive because it’s a “solid piece of real estate in a highly desirable corridor.”

The firm bought the property from the Ludwig Family, which had purchased it in 2019 for $6.2 million. In the years since, the family invested in upgrades to the building and increased its occupancy from 60% to more than 90%, according to Leon Audibert III, a broker with Property One who will continue to handle leasing for the center

The deal underscores the strength of the industrial subsector, one of the few bright spots in a real estate market that has been chilled by high interest rates and insurance costs. While many office, retail and residential deals are on hold, activity in the industrial sector continues to grow, Audibert said.

in JRE’s portfolio have been sold. Both have “far exceeded expectations,” according to Williams, who said the exits netted average return for investors of more than 25%.

One of those properties was a warehouse and distribution facility on La. 30 in Geismar that JRE developed on vacant land it purchased in 2022 for Baton Rouge bat maker Marucci Sports. JRE raised the money for the 200,000-squarefoot facility and developed the site, then leased half to Marucci, which had outgrown its Baton Rouge distribution site, and the other half to two other tenants.

Earlier this year, the warehouse sold for $34.5 million, a 26% return for JRE’s investors in the deal.

“That

Williams

Exceeding expectations

JRE Capital is an arm of Jarreau

Real Estate, which also does commercial brokerage, development and property management.

Founded in 2020 by Williams and Donnie Jarreau, JRE Capital solicits investments from accredited investors and offers them opportunities to buy into individual proper-

“A lot of it is driven by e-commerce and service type companies,” he said. “There’s also a lot of activity up and down the river, and if you need industrial space, you pretty much have to based in Elmwood, Kenner or the St Rose area.”

ties — mostly shopping centers or small office complexes — at whatever level they want. Investors in the deals typically put up anywhere from $25,000 to $1 million Jarreau said.

JRE targets cash flowing commercial properties primarily in mid-sized markets in the southeast, though most of its deals so far have been in south Louisiana.

After raising enough equity for a particular deal, the firm goes

PEOPLE IN BUSINESS

Baton Rouge

Prashanth Cannanbilla and Jay Balden

have been named as senior-level leadership team members for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Cannanbilla is senior vice president, chief enterprise delivery officer

He has more than 25 years of experience in finance, banking, informatics and technology

He earned a master’s in computer science, software engineering and artificial intelligence and

a master’s in finance and strategy, both from the University of Pittsburgh. Balden was promoted to vice president, chief customer experience officer

He has been with Louisiana Blue for more than 20 years. For the past five years, he has led the company’s digital product management team.

He earned a bachelor’s in information systems and decision sciences from LSU.

Matthew Rachleff has joined Pennington Biomedical Research Center as the inaugural chief of staff.

Rachleff has more than 20 years of experience in strategic consulting, innovation leadership and

out and secures whatever debt is needed to close the sale. It then manages the property for two to five years, on average, before trying to sell.

In the years since its founding,

JRE Capital has raised more than $42 million from more than 125 investors and has nearly $119 million in assets in its portfolio, a modest number that the firm hopes to continue growing. So far two of the 13 properties

public health initiatives. He earned a bachelor’s from Cornell University, a master’s of philosophy from Cambridge University and a law degree from Columbia Law School.

New Orleans Chad Leibe has been promoted to general superintendent at Ryan Gootee General Contractors

As the Ryan Gootee senior superintendent, Liebe focused on quality control, trade partner relations, safety initiatives, and on-site project coordination. Liebe has a background in operations and finance management and over 15 years of experience in managing multi-million dollar projects. Liebe earned a bachelor’s from Capella University

Cannanbilla Balden

Rachleff Leibe

Gallagherhas Louisiana industries covered.

Gallagher is oneofthe largest insurance brokerage, risk managementand consulting firms in theworld. With roots in Louisianadatingback decades,we’vegrown to become the leaderinthe stateaswell.

Leading theway in Louisiana. Gallagher serves awealthofindustrieshere, including:

Globalexperience.

As aglobal provider, Gallagher focuses heavily on data analytics and forecasting and benchmarking services,while offering thought leadership on such criticaltopics as cyber risk,social inflation and AI.Ifitaffects claimsand premiums, we areonit.

Louisianaexpertise

Gallagher enteredthe market with our first office in BatonRouge in 1991. Startingwith $5 million in revenue, we’veexpandedexponentially:

Acommitmentbeyond business. Ourteam is passionateabout taking part in opportunities to makeanimpact. From supporting local charities to hurricane relief efforts, we believe in giving back to the communities across Louisiana whereweliveand work.

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Inside thisissue of BayouBloom:

✜ Learning aNew Language

✜ Become aMentor

✜ Travel Tips forSeniors

✜ Finding Volunteer Opportunities

✜ Regular Exercise HasManyBenefits

✜ Rejoining theWorkforce

✜ Home Projectsto MakeLifeEasier

Learning anew Language

Learninga

second (oreventhird) language isn’t justfor kids in school. Older adults can pick up a newlanguage,too,aswell as some health benefits.

The evidence clearlydemonstratesthatthere is no critical period forsecond-language learning, no biologicallydetermined constraint on language-learningcapacity that emergesataparticularage,nor anymaturational processwhichrequires that older language learners function differentlythanyoungerlanguagelearners,”saysProfessor CatherineSnowatthe HarvardGraduateSchoolofEducation.

Trainingthe brainto speakanother language is aworkout foryoursynapses. It opensnew pathways, keepingyourgray matter nice andhealthy,possibly delaying dementiaand othercognitive illnesses. Older adults mayalsohavealeg up on youngerlearnersbecause they have establishedstudy techniques that work for them and, especiallynowadays, accessto technologythatcan make learninganew language asnap.

TheBritish Council, theUnitedKingdom’s

internationalorganization forcultural relationsand education, says it mayhelp olderlearnerstouse visual andauditory mnemonic devices, examples andmemory associations,and to systematicallyrepeatand recyclegrammar,vocabularyand expression. Olderstudentsofanew language should be encouragedtouse their wealth of experience to help them learnthe newlanguageand to usetheir newskillsuninterruptedfor as long as possible.

Whiletechtools such as RosettaStone

or Duolingo aregreat,and often available from thepublic libraryand othersources, classesare agreat wayfor seniors to practice their language skills. Classes, whichmay be availablefor free or at alow cost at localcommunity centers,libraries and universities, offer professionalinstruction andthe abilitytoconnect socially,which addsanother layertoimproving senior living

Aimtopractice alittlebit everyday in shortspurtsratherthancramming. It didn’t work in highschooland it doesn’t work now. Tryusingstreaming services to find televisionshows, news reportsand otherprogramming in thelanguageyou’re learningifyou can’tspeak it with someone or useanapp.

AIndependent Living Heart with Retirement, Reimagined L g at Lake SherwoodVillage

Youdidn’t come this fartospend your days mowing lawnsand fixing meals.

tLakeSherwood Village, retirement is reimagined—where comfort, connection, andcarefreelivingcometogetheronthe peacefulbanks of Lake Sherwood in Baton Rouge.

Since1998, Lake Sherwood Villagehas offered independentlivingfor adults 55 andupwho want to enjoylifeontheir ownterms.Locallyowned andoperated, this vibrantcommunity wasfounded on Southern hospitalityand afamily-first philosophy.Fromthe moment youwalk throughthe doors, you’ll feel at home—and part of somethingspecial.

Residents choose from threeapartment floorplans—studio,one-bedroom,and two-bedroom—all designedfor comfortand convenience.Every apartmentincludes afull kitchen, spacious baywindows (manywith beautifullakeviews), individuallycontrolled heatingand air, andemergencycall systems forpeace of mind. You’ll also have your own electric meter, so youcan keep your space as warm or cool as youlike.

At Lake Sherwood Village, almost everythingisincludedinyourmonthly rent.Forgetthe chores andheadaches of homeownership—valettrash service,weekly housekeeping,and lawn care areall taken care of foryou.Friendlyservers offer homecooked breakfastand lunchdaily,served restaurant-style or availableto-gosoyou can enjoyyourmeals in your apartmentorby thelake.

Butwhattruly sets Lake Sherwood apartis

itssense of community This is aplace where neighborsbecomefriends—where people look outfor each otherand gather often. Whetherit’scardgames in oneofthe seven lobbies, plannedoutings, or simplysharing conversation over coffee,connectionisatthe heartofeverydaylife.

Ourfull-timeActivities Directorkeeps the calendarpackedwithengagingprograms andevents, includinggames,bookclub, dancing, live entertainment, fitnessclasses, andmore. Thecommunity also features an on-site library, salon, chapel,walkingtrail, andalakeperfect for fishing. Pets under20 pounds arewelcome,soyoursmall furry friendcan enjoythe next chapterright along with you.

Lake Sherwood Villageisnot an assisted living facility, butwedooffer light support andthoughtfulservicesdesignedtomake lifeeasier.Residents enjoyweeklylaundry service,medical transportation,and the freedomtoliveindependently with peaceof mind.

Security andsafety aretop priorities, with 24/7 staff,secureentry,and surveillance camerasmonitoringcommonareas Emergencypull cordsare installed in every apartment, andpersonalalertpendantsare availableifyou want extra reassurance.

AtLakeSherwood Village, you’re notjust rentinganapartment,you’resteppinginto alifestyle of ease,warmth, andgenuine community.Whether you’re castinga line in thelake, dancinginthe community room,or enjoying theviewfromyoursunlitwindow, you’ll find countlesswaystothrivehere.

Lake Sherwood Villageislocated at 4101 Plaza TowerDrive in BatonRouge. To schedule atourorreceive more information, visit www.lakesherwoodvillage.com, call 225-296-0803 or emaillhimel@ltpgroupllc.com.

Become a Mentor

With age comes wisdom,often enough, and plentyof life skills. Sharethose lifeskills with younger people to passonsome of that knowledge andmakesocialconnections that can keep youmovingand healthy.

SKILLS NEEDED

Mentor.org says most of us hada teacher, coachorco-workerwho took us under their wing at some point. Thinkabout that person andthe skills they hadand sharedwith you. Thewebsite says good mentorsshould have adesiretohelpyoungerpeople, active listeningskills, empathyand flexibility

FINDING APROGRAM

Mentor.org says to consider at leastthree differentorganizationswhenlooking to become amentor. Startbytalkingto the organization’s volunteercoordinator about your experience andthe organization’s needs. Be honest aboutthe amount of time youcan commit, thetypes of activities you’re comfortablewithand thenumberofpeople you’dliketomentor.

Askabout theprocessthe organization uses to match mentorsand menteesand be sure youunderstandthe process. Also make sure youknowthe typesofmentorship relationshipsthe organization offers. Youmay be comfort- able with one-on-one mentoring, butnot groupmentoring,for example. Findout aboutany trainingopportunities that maybeavailable andhow frequentlynew trainingcomes up or mayberequired

APPLYING TO BE AMENTOR

Talk to thecoordinator aboutthe mentoring applicationprocess, includingany screening andbackgroundchecksthatneed to take place.You mayneed to submit awritten application, whichmay include personal and professional references andaninterview. Don’tbediscouraged if your firstopportunity

doesn’t panout Thereare plenty of programs outthere that canuse your skills.

CONCERNS

It mayseemdauntingat first, especially if theorganization workswithyoung people that mayhavehad badexperiences in the past

Don’tbeworried if it takestimetocultivate alasting andproductiverelationship. Learn what to do if anythingserious comesup during thementoring relationship,suchas anythingthatmay necessitate reportingto authorities.

forSeniorsTravel Tips

Manyolder Americans plan to spend their golden years traveling, which is great. It keeps people physically and mentally healthy, improving brain function, and it’s fun.

Ingeneral, traveling, goingtonew places andmeeting up with family andold andnew friendsisreallyvital forour mental health,” says Kathleen Cameron, former seniordirector of theNationalCouncil on Aging’sCenterfor HealthyAging

STAYINGHEALTHY

TheCenters forDisease Controland Prevention maintainsalistoftravelhealth notices forcountries around theworld. Thesenoticesinformtravelersofall ages or outbreaks, naturaldisasters andother events that canaffecthealth. Thesenotices arecategorizedintofour levels The first, Level 1,isfor travelersto practice theusual precautionsfor their destination,suchasconsumingbottled water.

Level 2 includes enhanced precautionsand mayalsoidentify specificriskpopulations.

Level 3 urgestravelerstoreconsider nonessential travel andLevel 4cautions travelersthere is an extreme health risk. If your trip includes along flight,NCOA says planes areusuallylesshumid than the normal environment, whichcan puttravelers at higherriskofdehydration andrespiratory disease. Drinklotsofwater andwalk in the aisletoprevent blood clots.

STAYINGSAFE

As exciting as tripsare,avoid posting travel plansonsocialmedia TheNCOA says thievesuse social mediatotarget

homeswhere theoccupants areout of town. Consider asking afriendorfamilymember to checkinonthe houseperiodically, turninglightsoff andonand grabbing any mail or packages.

On theroad, useyourhotel room’s safe for passports,jewelry andcash. Double check that thecodeworks before placinganything inside.Lookfor bags andwallets that guard againstpickpockets. Look forjackets and pantswith magnetically sealed pockets, insidepockets andother storageoptions to foil thieves.

Before leaving, call credit card companies andbanks to letthemknowyour destinations.Takeatleast oneback-up card in case theworst does happen,and also make sure you’re carrying cash safely

Opportunities

Even ifyou’reout of the workforce,you canstill give to your communities through volunteer opportunities.

Researchers foundthat80% of volunteers over theage of 55 reported having good,verygood or excellenthealthversus 50% of non-volunteersofsimilaragesand backgrounds, Silver Sneakers says

“Volunteershavelower mortalityrates, lowerrates of depression, increasedstrengthand energy,and fewerphysical limitations than thosewho do notvolunteer,” says Samantha Jo Warfieldwiththe Corporationfor National andCommunity Service.

Here aresomeopportunities to give back in your community.

SENIOR CORPS

SeniorCorps is agovernmentagencythathelps seniors find volunteeropportunities. Throughthe Foster Grandparentprogram, seniors canserve as role models to children andanother program, SeniorCompanion, connects seniors with people whoneed help with dailytasks such as groceryshoppingand paying bills. Theagency matches more than 143,000 seniorvolunteerswithopportunities everyyear. More than 47 millionhours have been served by Senior Corpsvolunteers.

Volunteer Finding

NATIONAL OR STATEPARKS

National andstate parksalwaysneed volunteers to help take care of public landsbygreetingvisitors, leadingtours,handingout information andmore. Youcan even turn your volunteerism into aseason-long trip by becominga campground host (you getafree campsite). Lookfor opportunities posted on volunteer.gov or with the state parksagencyinyourstate.

MEALS ON WHEELS

MealsonWheelshas 5,000 independentlyrun localprogramsto provide mealstohomebound seniors.Volunteerspickupmeals at a centrallocationand deliverthemalong apredetermined route. Meals on Wheels spokesperson JennyBertolette YoungtoldSilverSneakers that avolunteer maybethe only person thehomebound seniorsees that day. Andasthe U.S. population ages, more volunteers will be needed

CANINE COMPANIONS FORINDEPENDENCE

This organization connects expertlytrained service dogstopeople with disabilities. It has six trainingcenters across thecountry and more than 40 volunteerchapters. Volunteers raisepuppies from eight weeksto18months, taking it to puppyclasses, teachingitbasic commands andsocializingthe dog.Ifyou can’thelpthisorganization, butstill love animals, consider volunteering with alocal animal shelterwalking, playingwithand socializingthe animalsthere

Visit www.volunteer.gov

Regular Has Many Exercise Benefits

Seniorsshould get 150minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity andtwo days of musclestrengthening activities every week,the National Institute of Aging says.

Itdoesn’t have to be all at once.Aim for small amountsofexercisethroughoutthe daytonet thetotal amount of minutes.

STAYING HEALTHY GO SLOW

Don’tjumpinall at once.Increasephysical activity graduallyoveraperiodofweeks or even months.And neverstart exercising before talkingto your medical professionals aboutwhether it’s safe foryou to do so

Whenever there’sabreak in your new fitness routine, graduallyworkyourway up againto avoidinjury.

SET GOALS

Setrealistic, specific fitnessgoalsfor yourself Theinstitute suggests goalssuch as a10-minute walk threetimes perweek. Review thesegoalsregularlyas youmake progress.Considerusinganapp or other

waytotrack your progress,orevenkeepa writtenlog.Celebrate your successesand thinkabout exercisingwithfriends and family formoreaccountability.

VARY YOUR ACTIVITIES

Trytovarythe typesofexerciseyou get. Include acombination of aerobic, strengtheningand balance activities. Some examples to getinyour150 minutes may include:

•Takingthe stairs insteadofanelevator (use thehandrails!).

•Working in theyardorgarden.

•Swimmingorwater aerobics.

•Dancing

•Playing alow-impact sport, such as pickleball

Lookfor indoor andoutdoor activities and, when youcan,try to buildmorephysical

activity into your dailylife. Identify any barrierstophysical activity,suchaspoor weather, andplanfor what to do when that happens. Plan your activities forthe parts of theday when youhavethe most energy Youmay find youget aboost of energy after some physical activity.

GEAR

Work outinclothes andshoes that arecomfortable andsafe.Shoes should supportyourfeet, have non-skidsoles and appropriateheeland arch support. Change them outregularlyasyou become more physically active.

Clothesshouldallow forafull range of movement andbeappropriate foryour climate. Look forfabrics that pull sweataway from theskinand dryquickly.

SmartLegal Estate Planning Isn’tJustfor the WealthyIt’s forthe Wise!

Attend OurFreeWorkshopDesignedfor Seniors &Families

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOUDIE WITHOUT AWILL, AND WHY YOU DO NOTWANT TO BE NAMED THE ADMINISTRATOR OR EXECUTOR

When aLouisiana residentpassesaway, thetitle to alltheir assets is frozen. This includesall bank accounts, investment accounts, andrealestateintheir name.Noneofitcan be sold until ajudgeordersthe transfer of theassets to thesurviving heirs.

HOWWILL MY ASSETSGET TRANSFERREDTOMYHEIRS:

•Assets need to be sold or managedprior to thecompletionofthe succession?

• There is adisagreementamong theheirs?

• Thedeceasedhas billsthatneed to be paid promptly?

•Itwill take alongtimetodeterminethe assets anddebts of thedeceased

• There aremanycomplicatingfactors?

WHAT IS USUFRUCT?

Ausufruct is aright that apersonhas foracertain period of time on theproperty of anotherperson. Thefeaturesofthe rightofausufruct vary with thenature of thethings subjecttoit. Usufructsare often establishedwhensome- one dies. Forexample,amarried person may, in hisWill,leave hissurviving spouse usufruct of everythingheownswhenhedies, butthere arecertain restrictions andlimitationswhenestablishingausufruct Theusufructuary mayhavenumerous obligations, such as an obligationtoprovide security,the responsibility to provide repairs, thepayment of necessary expenses, taxes, debts, andother charges. consequences. Typically, no onepaysincometax on agift regardlessof thevalue of thegift.A sizeablegift will have estate andgift taxconsequences.

ACTNOW TO PUTYOURPLANINPLACE IN JUST6-7 WEEKS

Yes, knowledgeispower,and thechoice is yours. Butyou*

*MUSTACT NOWtoput your estate plan in place.Itall starts by attending oneofLaura Poche’sfreeeducational events whichmakes it clearthatregardless of your networth,ifyou want to preserve your hard-earnedassets or have people in your lifeyou need to protectorhavecausesthatyou want to promote, EVERYPERSONNEEDS ALEGAL ESTATE PLAN.Let Laura Pocheand her professionaland knowledgeablestaff make this processaseasyaspossibleso youcan live with PEACEOFMIND.

LAURAPOCHE INVITES YOUTOATTENDA FREE WORKSHOPTOLEARN ABOUT:

•Why aSuccessionmay be necessary when youdie?

•How to avoidthe Successionprocesscompletely?

•Federalestatetax that maybedue when youpassaway?

•Community property-who gets this when youdie withoutaWill?

•Whathappens when youleave your spouse theusufruct of your assets?

•Who gets theassets at theterminationofthe usufruct?

• Theusufructuary’s rights?

Monday,July21

2:00pm-4:30pm Poche LawOffice 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C Refreshments ProvidedAfter

Tuesday, July22

5:30pm-8:00pm

DrusillaSeafood 3482 DrusillaLn Dinner Provided After

Wednesday, July23

9:30am -12:00pm PocheLaw Office 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C Lunch Provided After

Thursday, July24

11:00am -1:30pm Poche LawOffice 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C Lunch Provided After

Monday,August 18

2:00pm-4:30pm PocheLaw Office 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C Refreshments Provided After

Tuesday, August 19

9:30am -12:00pm Poche LawOffice 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C LunchProvided After

Wednesday, August 20 5:30pm-8:00pm PocheLaw Office 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C Dinner Provided After

Thursday, August 21 11:00am -1:30pm Mestizo’s 2323 SAcadianThruway LunchProvided After

Monday, September 22 2:00pm -4:30pm PocheLaw Office 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C Refreshments Provided After

Tuesday,September 23 11:00am-1:30pm PocheLaw Office 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C LunchProvided After

Wednesday, September 24 5:30pm -8:00pm

Drusilla Seafood 3482 Drusilla Ln Dinner Provided After

Thursday,September 25 9:30am -12:00pm PocheLaw Office 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C LunchProvided After

Allpeoplewho attend will receive aFREE copy of theupdated2nd editionofLaura Poche’sBook, “EstatePlanning Advice by aWoman forLouisiana Women: AGuidefor Both Menand WomenAbout Wills, Trusts, Probate, PowersofAttorney, Medicaid, Living Willsand Taxes.”

LauraC.Poché

CAREGIVER SERVICES

While manyseniorshaveworked theirwholelives looking forwardtoretirement andnot havingto work everyday,T.RowePricesaysmillions of retirees have rejoined the work force, especially since theCOVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic forced theretirementofabout 2.4 millionpeople, theFederalReserve of St.Louis says. Many of thosepeoplehavesince unretired,returningtothe workforce post-pandemic.

Abouthalfofthose returningtoworksay they’rereturning to work dueto financial reasonswhile another45% saythey’re comingbackfor social andemotional benefits. Retirees workingfull-timeagain saytheyare most often motivatedfor mental stimulationand professionalfulfillment. Otherreasons to return to work,Forbes says,are benefits such as medical insurance, challengeswithrelationships, andlife disruptionssuchasareduction in retirement income.

Thinkofyourage andexperience as a powerfulasset, TheSeniorSource, aonline

resource forre-entering theworkforce,says. Showcase your accomplishmentsinstead of making achronological list of your jobs.Highlight what youwill bringtothe organization,includinganinventory of the skills youdeveloped before retirement and howtheywould best applytothe jobs you’re considering. Look to roles whereexperience is valued,suchascaregivers, health care, educationand nonprofits Consider improvingyourtechnologyskills. Take aclass at alocal college, community centerorlibrary to getuptospeed on computingskills that mayhaveevolved since

youleft theworkforce

Whileunretirementhas itsbenefits, there arealsosomedrawbacks. Forbes says these mayinclude reducedSocialSecuritybenefits, Medicaresurchargesand highertax burdens. If you’re in asituation whereyou’reforcedto return to work,you mayresentneedingtogo to work and find yourself gettingmoretired than youdid before youretired Preparefor thesepotential obstaclesbefore signingonthe dotted lineand accepting anynew joboffer.Talktoa financial plannerabout theconsequences of gettinga paycheck again, especially if it wouldaffect retirement income you’ve been relyingon.

Locally ownedand operated by Hunter& Rachel Dale

LIFE Easier Make

Hereare some projects recommended by the AARP.

LIGHTING

TheU.S.doesn’t have height requirements forelectricaloutlets or switches, so they couldbeatany height in thehouse.For comfortableaging in place,consider raising theoutlets andloweringthe switches so they areeasier to reachfromaseatedposition, such as in awheelchair. Optfor paddlestyleswitches rather than traditional toggle switches as they areeasier to usewitha knuckleorelbow.Consider installingmore lightingthanyou thinkyou need.Asseniors losevision, extra lightingcan helpthembe independentlonger.

WINDOWS ANDDOORS

Widendoorframes, when youcan. This will make your home more accessible if youneed to transition to awheel-chair or scooterfor mobility.Alsochoosedoorknobs andother hardware that caneasilybeturned. Thinkabout using them withoutthe full useofhands or arms. Thereshouldbeatleast oneway to getinto andout of thehomes withoutusing steps.

KITCHENSAND BATHS

In thekitchen,opt forvarious height countertopssothere’s aplace forthe standingand seated cook.Choosestorage optionsthatdon’t requireliftingorexcessive pullingorbending. Look forpull-out drawersand traysthatcan increase usability. Situateappliancessohazardsare eliminated Forinstance, look at rangeswithcontrolson thefront so youwon’t have to reachoverhot pots to adjust thetemperature.Keepmicrowavesand dishwasherswhere they canbe used by people sittingorstanding. Securely mounttoilets to thewall at the proper heightstobeuseful. Mind where doorsopenand closeand make sure thereis plenty of room forpeopletouse them with amobilityaid.While ahot bath is greatfor achingmuscles, ashowerisgenerallymore usable andsaferthana bathtub. Eliminate anysteporlip to the shower entryand,if possible,choosealarge enough shower to accommodateaseatedtransferorroll-in use.

InvestinYOU!

Reading Initiatives

Genealogy

Concerts

WritingGroups

Gardening Programs

Health and Wellness

MakerspaceClasses

Arts and Crafts

Games

Author Talks

FarmersMarket

ACTNOW TO PUT YOUR PLANINPLACE IN JUST

6-7 WEEKS

Yes, knowledge is power, and thechoice is yours. But you MUSTACT NOW to put your estate plan in place. It all starts by attendingone of LauraPoche’s free educationaleventswhich makes it clear that regardless of your networth,ifyou want to preserve your hard-earned assetsorhavepeople in your life you need to protectorhavecauses that youwanttopromote, EVERY PERSON NEEDSALEGAL ESTATEPLAN. Let LauraPoche and her professional and knowledgeable staffmakethis process as easyaspossible so youcan livewith PEACEOFMIND.

BATONROUGE

Monday,July 21

Poche LawOffice 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C 2:00pm -4:30pm REFRESHMENTS PROVIDED AFTER

BATONROUGE Tuesday,July22

Drusilla Seafood 3482 Drusilla Lane 5:30pm -8:00pm DINNERPROVIDED AFTER

BATONROUGE Wednesday,July 23

Poche LawOffice 4960 Bluebonnet,Ste.C 9:30am -12:00pm LUNCH PROVIDED AFTER

BATONROUGE Thursday,July 24

Poche LawOffice 4960 Bluebonnet, Ste. C 11:00am -1:30pm LUNCH PROVIDED AFTER

LAURAPOCHE INVITES YOUTOATTEND AFREE WORKSHOP TO LEARN ABOUT:

• Howcan Ikeep the governmentout of my estate settlement?

• What arethe twobiggest andmostexpensivemistakesfamiliesmakewhen trying to avoidnursing home poverty?

• Howcan Ikeep my not-quite perfect son-in-law and my over-controlling daughter-in-law from having influenceovermyestatesettlement?

• Howcan my family avoid estate tax, and other taxestheymightfacewhen Ipass away?

• HowdoIstart the five-year look back period fornursinghomeswithout having to giveeverything away to my family whileIamalive?

• Whydomostlawyerslove Probate, and want my estate to go through it?

• Should IhaveaWill or Trust(or both)?

• Canmypatchwork quiltofWills,Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, and Beneficiary Designations actually be atime bomb waiting to explode?

• HowdoIkeep my estate plan up-to-datewithout it costing afortune when my life circumstances changeorwhen the law changes?

• HowdoIensurethatmy estate won’tincur legal expensewhen Idie,preserving 100% of my assetsfor my family?

7 STUPID ESTATEPLANNING MISTAKES TO AVOID IN 2025

If youhaveeverwantedtoeliminateworry becauseyou don’t havea program in place to protectyourestateand family,without aslewof untimely legal and taxproblems,thenthis will be one of the most important workshops youeverattend.I am going to showyou howtobulletproof what youhavetoday, and whatyou leaveyourkids tomorrow.You’llbeable to take advantageofmyestateplanninglegalstrategieswithout youoryour lovedoneshavingtodeal with Succession Courts,long estate settlement delays,Medicaid liens,nursing home poverty, and death tax. But before Ido that, letmetell youastory of howwehelped Mary.

MARY’S STORY

“Asacouple with an only child, we thoughtaWill wasall we needed. WRONG! My husband died, and Ihad to go through Probate-anightmare, andvery costly.Italsotook over9 months.I didn’t want ourchild to go through that, so Igaveher an ad to aPoche’Law Firmworkshop,and sheand herhusband were impressed. They had Lauraset up aparticular kindofTrust that took care of their estate planning, butwhat aboutme? Idecided to go to aworkshop,and made my appointment.Lauraansweredall of my questions, andevengot my financial advisor in on aconferencecall. Icould nothave been morepleasedand relieved that my estate plan is nowinorder.Kudos to Lauraand her professional staff. Ihighly recommend her forall estate planningneeds.”

Mary,Baton Rouge, LA

IMPORTANTGUIDELINES FOROUR WORKSHOPS:

Workshopsare open to FIRST-TIME ATTENDEES ONLYand aregeared towardspeople who want or need your legal estate plan in placequickly Pleasehaveyourpersonal calendarhandy at the workshop so youcan choose to startyourplan NOW! If married, both spouses mustattend a workshop to ensurethat alldecision-makersare involved in your family’scoordinated plan.

All people whoattendwill receiveaFREE copy of the updated 2nd edition of LauraPoche’s Book, “Estate Planning AdvicebyaWoman forLouisiana Women: AGuide forBothMen and Women About Wills,Trusts,Probate, Powers of Attorney, Medicaid, Living Wills and Taxes.”

LOUISIANA

In the newEvoke spine stimulator AI-monitored model,the devicesenses pain signals going to the brain andblocks them by giving electric stimulations.

PHOTO PROVIDED By OCHSNER HEALTH

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staffwriter

Joseph Jeanmarie has had back problems since the1980s,when he injured his back and had surgery.Although his chronic pain was sometimes debilitating, he continued his work as an insurance investigator For the past 40 years, he’s dealt with the pain, mostlyworking at apain level of eight out of 10. His chronic back pain sent him to amyriad treatments and doctors over the years including medicines, physical therapists and electricstimulationtreatments.

spine from reaching the pain —not afixto his chronic back pain, but amanagement method to improve his lifestyle.

In 2004, Jeanmarie metDr. Maged Guirguis, an interventional pain specialist and system chair at Ochsner Health Guirguis put Jeanmarie on aspine stimulator that blocks pain receptors in the

This radiofrequency ablation was approvedfor medical use in the 1970s, according to Guirguis, and is used in patients with painfularthritis in the lower back andneck.The minimally invasive procedure delivers thermalenergy or heat signals through needles to affected nerves, temporarily disconnecting the nerve’s ability to communicate with thepain processing center in the brain.

“It managed the pain,” Jeanmarie said. “It was tremendous.”

Jeanmarie continued the RFAtreatmentforseveralyears,visitingGuirguis’s office whenever thepaincame back,until anew AI-powered spine stimulator came on the market.

This newer treatment, althoughstill using smallsignals to block pain receptors in the spine,utilizesaclosed-loop system and artificial intelligence to continuously distribute treatment andtrack the patient’sresponse.

The Evoke System spine stimulator is like apacemaker for the back, according to Guirguis. It is an implantable device that doctors put in the spine in twostages: atemporary trialofelectricwires to test theeffectiveness and pain relief over seven days and the finalprocedure to place the device on the spine

Saluda Medical,the companythat created thenew device,had an ongoing clinical trial acrossthe United Statesin 2021,including NewOrleans. Guirguis thought Jeanmarie was the perfect candidate.

Strategies canhelp manage ADHD at work

Techniques eyeturning condition into astrength

BY CATHY BUSSEWITZ Associated Press

NEW YORK Jeremy Didierhad takenher sontoa psychologist for apossible ADHD evaluation when she spotted an article about women with the condition. As she read it in the waiting room, she thought to herself: They’re describing me

“Lots of risk-taking, lots of very impulsive behavior growing up,” Didier said.Asthe magazine described, she’d excelled in school butgotten in trouble for talking too much. She’d amassed too many speeding tickets as an adult. She turned to her husband and said, “I think Imight have ADHD.”

Didier is nowthe board president of Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder,anonprofit advocacy and support organization.Her realization mirrors the experiences of other adults whowonder if they have ADHD after achild’sdiagnosis. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is aneurodevelopmental condition characterized by inattention, hyperactivity or acombinationofthe two. Common symptoms such as trouble concentrating or sittingstill cancreate challenges at work.

People with ADHD areoften passedoverfor promotions, said Andrew Sylvester,a psychiatrist at UCHealth, ahospital in Longmont, Colorado.Difficultieswithattention maylead the mind to drift during meetings, and cause someone to miss important discussion nuances. The disordermay interfere with organization, planning and remembering details.

Yetsome adultsthink of having ADHD as asource of personalitystrengths andwaysofthinking thatbenefitemployers. Diagnostic manuals maycall it adisorder,but it also can be asuperpower,they said.

“Our brains work differently,and so we’re more likely to be able to think outside thebox andcome up with different things, and sometimes that’sbecause we’ve had to do that in order to survive,” Didier said. Here are some ways to cope with andchannelADHDinthe workplace.

Getting diagnosed with ADHD doesn’talways lead to aquickfix. While doctors often recommend medication and therapy,not everyone can take medication, and those routes don’tnecessarily eliminate all symptoms.

Didier floundered with amessy house and lots of yelling as she and four of her five children were diagnosed with ADHD

ä See ADHD, page 2X

Guirguis

HEALTH MAKER

BR massage therapist teaching self-care at home

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Susan Jones, with The Muscle Manipulator of Baton Rouge, is passionate about teaching people to practice self-care at home.

Jones studied massage therapy with an associate degree in natural health in Miami. In 2007, Jones and her husband, a Baton Rouge native moved to Louisiana to work with Hurricane Katrina relief. Since then, Jones has dedicated her days to teaching with a goal of starting her own business.

She opened The Muscle Manipulators in Baton Rouge in 2018 as a massage therapist office that provides care for all ages and walks of life.

“Personal trainers, MDs, PTs and chiropractors that have recognized that the combination of techniques can help people improve faster and have a better quality of life with less pain and more ability to do what they love,” Jones said.

Jones works with babies, kids and adults of all ages. She has also worked with dogs and cats (for fun). Her goal is to help people get better and feel better with noninvasive techniques.

Tell me about teaching people to treat themselves at home. How can people do it safely?

The cupping therapy classes basically give people guidelines and show them how to use massage tools like scraping and cupping therapies. It also includes general safety, so they don’t get hurt or hurt other people. Typically, I do give my clients homework after their own massage. I recommend that almost everybody gets a set of cupping tools and scraping tools.

I had a client that came to me that had pain for about 10 years. They went in for a surgery that left him with a painful 12-inch incision from his abdomen to his

SPINE

Continued from page 1X

“It’s not a particularly new device,” Guirguis said. “The problem with the older model is that we did not know how everybody reacts in pain, and we had no feedback if the electric signal was working or not, except when the patient came back after a couple of days.”

In the newer AI-monitored model, the device is sensing the pain signals going to the brain and adjusting the levels of treatment by giving a certain electric stimulation. The stimulator is looking at the different needs when a patient, like Jeanmarie, is walking, running, resting golfing, swimming, etc.

“I was fortunate enough to get involved,” Jeanmarie said. “It’s been a game changer for my whole life moving forward.”

Jeanmarie was the first patient in Louisiana to receive this treatment, and four years later, his life is back to playing golf, riding bikes, swimming and going to the gym — with significantly less pain in his back.

“Before the device, I was at a pain level averaging around an eight, and in really bad times a 10,” Jeanmarie said. “Now my pain level, on average, is probably around a two Even though the stimulator hasn’t totally taken away all the pain, it’s just made the pain where it’s more manageable, especially in my activities.”

Who qualifies for treatment?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved this pain management treatment for those who have tried multiple other methods, including medication and surgery, and have experienced chronic pain for more than six months. According to Guirguis, there are studies that suggest a second or third surgery for spine pain management is “extremely unsuccessful.”

“When you do a second (spinal) surgery, there’s no ‘go-back’ after the surgery They have to take some piece of bone and put in hardware,” Guirguis said. “Once they drill that in the bone, it’s very, very hard to take the hardware out unlike the surgery for the spinal cord stimulator. There’s not a lot of surgeries that you have a chance to try it out for seven days.”

Although Jeanmarie has the nerve stimulator on his lower

side, across some of the ribs and lower ribs.

So, when he came to see me, we found that he felt some relief from the cupping, from some of the fascia work and the scraping tools. I asked him to bring his wife, and if she was willing to learn a technique. She came and I showed her some basics. We used a manual pump cup — a little hose that you squeeze and it takes the air out of the cup. The cupping creates a vacuum on the back to relieve tension in the soft tissue muscles. The improvement that he had was leaps and bounds compared

PHOTO PROVIDED By OCHSNER HEALTH

The Evoke System spine stimulator is like a pacemaker for the back according to Dr Maged Guirguis. It is an implantable device that doctors put in the spine in to relieve chronic pain.

back, the FDA has approved the use of the device to relieve pain in the arms, legs and upper back.

The stimulator is also FDA-approved for patients with diabetic neuropathy, a type of nerve damage that can happen when a diabetic has high blood sugar over time, most often damaging nerves in the legs and feet.

“There’s a lot of indication coming up for use in headaches and other local nerve problems in the body as well,” Guirguis said.

In Europe, the technology is approved for patients with cardiovascular disease, especially people who have problems with blood supply in the legs or the heart. There are also other indications in the research and clinical trial stages for using the pain stimulator device for abdominal pain and pelvic pain.

These future applications would use the same technical concept but are peripheral nerve stimulators, rather than centered around the spinal chord nervous system.

“Even though this stimulator hasn’t really fixed my problem, it does help me with dealing with that chronic pain. It did mask it,”

Jeanmarie said “It’s amazing how it’s helped me move forward in my life.”

Ochsner has treated thousands of patients with the device, both in the national clinical trial and after it was approved by the FDA on Jan. 23.

“There are a lot of other pain doctors in Louisiana that utilize this technology,” Guirguis said.

“And once it’s available commercially in Louisiana, our patient numbers might reach the millions.”

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com

to what he could have gotten from just coming to see me once a week or once a month.

I’m huge, huge advocate for people doing self care at home, and I don’t think that that hurts me or my business — or any other massage therapist. There’s plenty of people in pain, and they deserve to feel relief at home too.

I have also had some really beautiful experiences working with newborn babies and my oldest clients in their 90s.

More recently I have been able to teach some moms the techniques to help babies with colic, reflux and apnea. It’s not a magi-

ADHD

Continued from page 1X

She experimented with medicine, diets and reward charts, and discovered what helped her the most: a community of parents who had children with ADHD.

“There’s nothing like talking to other people who are going through what you’re going through to help you feel that you’re not alone,” she said.

Didier eventually became a social worker and now runs support groups for adults with ADHD, teaching skills they can use at work.

Some organizations have employee resource groups organized around neurodiversity to provide camaraderie and support to adults with ADHD, autism, dyslexia and other conditions.

GPS of the brain

People with ADHD often struggle with executive function, which Didier describes as “your brain’s GPS” for navigating your day Executive function is a set of mental skills that includes making plans, managing time and flexible thinking. It also includes working memory, which helps us keep track of what we’re doing.

To keep from getting derailed, experts recommend breaking large tasks into chunks, writing detailed to-do lists and taking breaks.

Personal chef Bill Collins, 66, who was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago, writes structured lists when he’s making a meal for a client. He creates categories for kitchen areas — counter, stove and oven and then lists tasks such as “chop carrots, boil water for pasta” underneath each category Then he numbers each task so he knows exactly what to do, where and when.

“That’s how I got around my unknown ADHD early on, just making lists,” Collins said. “If it’s something I don’t want to do, I put it at the top of the list so I can be done with it.”

Another technique is called “body doubling,” which involves a pair of work colleagues meeting over Zoom or in-person to focus on completing projects The two may choose to perform separate tasks one might build a presentation deck while the other files tax reports — but help each other stay accountable.

“You’re just sitting there during that dedicated time, getting things done,” Didier said.

floor muscles that are tight with trigger points that may be causing incontinence for women or pain with nerves that are in those areas. You can be a 70-year-old person and rehabilitate your knees, or you can be a teenager who’s having growing pains and wants to play basketball. These are all things that are accessible to you. I really find that soft tissue works for exercise and mobility Massage guns are great. Just know how to use them properly — let the gun do the job. You don’t have to dig in with the massage gun because when you dig in, you actually stop the mechanism that helps.

What’s next in massage therapy?

Most of the innovation is happening with soft tissue work. As massage therapists, we are more aware of how much information the body is actually giving us. More people are aware of how emotions affect their soft tissues. We’re more aware of how scar tissue and surgeries and traumas can keep tension and emotions locked in the tissues.

As far as massage tools, technologists are coming out with a new gadget here or there. But in the end, those gadgets are supposed to be an extension of the therapists hands.

cal fix but it’s empowering to have a tool that can gently help the body to release restrictions. How can people get started at home?

A great place to start is online. We have access to so much free education and apps that can help us get started. As far as equipment, a foam roller is always good, but I prefer a ball more for at-home exercises — something the size of a softball. Instead of laying on the ground for exercises, because not everybody can do that, I recommend people find an empty wall that they can lean against and use the ball. You can release pelvic

Insurance company Liberty Mutual provides an AI tool that helps break down large projects into manageable tasks and provides reminders about deadlines to help employees with ADHD stay focused and organized, said Head of Benefits Verlinda DiMarino.

Getting through meetings

Meetings can be difficult for people with ADHD if their minds drift or they feel an urge to get up out of a chair They also may struggle with impulse control and find it hard to wait their turn to speak.

Nicole Clark, CEO of the Adult and Pediatric Institute, a mental health practice in Stuart, Florida, suggests asking for meeting topics in advance and writing up talking points. If you think of questions during the meeting, write them down.

Some employers use a voiceto-text service, projecting what a speaker is saying on a screen, which helps people with attention difficulties stay focused, Clark said.

Sylvester, the psychiatrist, recommends practicing active listening by repeating in your head what someone just said, or taking a brief timeout from a meeting to reset. Tell them, “‘I need five minutes. I’ll be right back.’ Get up and walk out. Do what you need to do,” he said.

Mariel Paralitici-Morales, chief medical officer of the Adult and Pediatric Institute, who has ADHD, sits close to whoever will be speaking to help sustain attention.

“Having something in my hand helps,” said Paralitici-Morales, who sometimes holds a fidget spinner “If we have to talk, I found it’s easier for me to be the first one and break the ice” to keep herself from second-guessing what she planned to say

As many people as we touch on a daily basis, it’s like we’re training our hands to feel specifically what is the norm and what is outside of the norm, and how to bring the body back to the norm.

The longer-form therapy in massage treatments gives the body more time to calm itself down, to process some of the changes that need to happen for the tissues to really release — and for the benefit to last longer for the patient.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

Seek accommodations

People with an ADHD diagnosis can request accommodations at work through the Americans with Disabilities Act. Noise-canceling headphones may help Consider asking for the ability to take a break every 20 minutes, Sylvester said

“Set a timer for five to 10 minutes. Get up and walk around. Make some coffee. Go play with the dog,” he said. “When that timer goes off, go back to a 15- to 20-minute hard productivity cycle.”

Employees can also request a flexible schedule or ability to work from home, which can enable time for therapy or self-care.

Antoinette Damico, 23, who coordinates events at an executive search firm in San Francisco, said she practices meditation, writes daily goals in a journal and stays off short-form media to improve her concentration

Celebrate your strengths

Having ADHD can be an asset in the workplace, and many CEOs and entrepreneurs are neurodiverse, Didier said.

“We bring all kinds of unique talents to our workplaces. Hyperfocus, lots of energy, resilience, the ability to multitask,” she added. “There’s something about people with ADHD that seems to unmask or give us a greater capacity for creativity and innovation.”

Damico also thinks her ADHD provides advantages. When she’s interested in a topic, she can be extremely focused, reading extensively and talking about the topic nonstop, a trait others with ADHD report. “It can generate a real passion in you that is a bit unique,” she said. “It really creates this grit in me in terms of when I really want to accomplish something, there’s this boost of energy.”

DO YOU HAVE A HEALTH STORY?

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana.

Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

PHOTO PROVIDED By SUSAN JONES

A young boy Susan Jones treated had apnea from having fascia restrictions from before birth. Jones treated him with cupping therapy.

Eat Fit LiveFit

tisofficiallypeakpeachseasonin

ILouisiana.Thatmeansthisbeloved stonefruitisextrasweetandjuicy rightnow—andasaffordableasitwill beallyear.

Toenjoytheflavorful,refreshing goodness,allyouneedtodoistakea biteorsliceandserve.Butforthoseof uslookingfordessert-relatedwaysto harnesstheseasonalbounty,peachpie canbeespeciallyappealing.

Arealpeachofatreat

Ilovethisbetter-for-youspinon classicpeachpiecreatedbyBen McLauchlin,lowcarbbakingaficionado andunofficialEatFitambassador. Naturallyglutenfreewithnoadded sugar,thepieistoppedwithdeliciously creamywhippedgoatcheesethat providesanicecontrasttothe sweetnessofthepeaches.

Along-timefriendandpartnerin crime,Bengrewupaself-professed “PaulaDeen-style”bakerinrural Alabama.Backthen,hewasallabout flour,butterandsugar.Overtheyears —ashelearnedaboutandexperienced firsthandthebenefitsofnourishinghis bodywithmorenutritiousfoods—Ben becamepassionateaboutreinventing hisfavoritechildhoodandfamily recipeswithbetteringredients.

Thecrustatthecrux

Sincethecrustisthedefinitive featurethatmakesapastryapie, gettingitrightisvital.Ben’sspot-on gluten-freecrustrecipeusesamixof almondandcoconutflourstokeepnet carbslowandaddasubtlenuttiness thatplaysnicelywiththepeaches’ naturalsugars.

Wanttomixitup?Youcanusethe samecrustrecipeandfillingtechnique withapples,cherriesorberries. Enjoy!

PeachPiewith WhippedGoat

Cheese EatFitCollection Makes12servings

FortheCrust: 11/4cupsblanched almondflour 1/4cupcoconutflour 3/4teaspoonxanthan

gum

1/4cupSwerveBrown SugarReplacer 3tablespoonsunsalted butter,melted 2-4tablespoonscold water

FortheFiling: 1/2cupSwerveGranular 1/4cupSwerveBrownSugarReplacer 41/2cupsslicedpeeledpeaches 1/4teaspoongroundnutmeg 1/4teaspoongroundcinnamon 1/8teaspoonsalt 2teaspoonslemonjuice 2tablespoonsbutter 1freshpeach

FortheWhippedGoatCheese: 4ouncesgoatcheese,roomtemperature 6tablespoonsheavycream 11/2tablespoonsSwerveConfectioners 1/4teaspoonpurevanillaextract

Preheatovento325degrees. Greasea9-inchpiepanandsetaside.In amixingbowl,combineallalmondflour, coconutflour,xanthangum,andSwerve BrownSugarReplacer.Addbutter,and withafork,mixintodryingredientsuntil well-combined,withacornmeal-liketexture. Graduallyaddwaterbythetablespoon untilmixturestickstogetherbutisnot toowetorgummy

Pressdoughevenlyintopiepan.Bakefor 10-12minutes.Removeandletcoolbefore addingfilling.

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsnersEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

Inalargebowl,combine SwerveGranularandSwerve BrownSugarReplacer.Add peachesandtossgentlyto coat,thencoverandletstand for1hour.Drainpeachesina colanderplacedoverabowl, reservingthejuice. Inasmallsaucepanover mediumheat,combinethe nutmeg,cinnamon,andsalt; graduallystirinreservedjuice andbringtoaboil.Stirfor2 minutesoruntilthickened.Stir inlemonjuiceandbutterthen whisk.Setasidefor7minutes. Pourmixtureoverpeachesin separatelargemixingbowl andgentlyfoldin.Pourinto preparedpiecrust.

Cutthefreshpeachintothinslicesand arrangeoverthetopofthepieinacircular pattern.

Whilethepeachessoakinthesweetener blend,preparetheWhippedGoatCheese: Inalargebowlorstandmixer,mixthegoat cheese,heavycream,SwerveConfectioners andvanillaonhighspeedfor5minutes, scrapingthesidesasnecessary.Coverand refrigerateuntilreadytoserve.

Increaseovento350degreesandbakefor 30minutes,coveredlooselywithfoil.After 30minutes,removefoilandbakeuncovered foranother10minutes,untilcrustisgolden brownandfillingisbubbly.Removefrom ovenandcoolonawirerack.Servewarmor atroomtemperature,toppedwithadollop ofchilledWhippedGoatCheese.

Perserving:200calories,16gramsfat, 7gramssaturatedfat,80mgsodium,11 gramscarbohydrate(7gramsnetcarbs), 3gramsfiber,7gramssugar(0addedsugar), 5gramsprotein

BY THENUMBERS

LOUISIANAISTHE THIRD-MOST STRESSED STATEINAMERICA

Compared to the nation,Louisiana ranked the third-most stressed state with an overall stress score of 56.21, according to data gathered byWalletHub That’ssignificantly higherthan the national averagestress score of 44.85

Stress can come from many sources: work,traffic,friends,money,children and more.But chronic stress can be detrimental to health,according to the American PsychologicalAssociation,with women and young peopleexperiencing the most stress.

Continued stress can cause wear and tear on the bodyincludinganxiety,muscle tension,headaches,heartdisease,high blood pressure,stroke,sleep problems and much more.

The most stressed states include,in descending order: n NewMexico with astress score of 60.52, n Nevada with astress score of 59.9, n Louisiana with astressscore of 56.21, n WestVirginia with astress score of 55.28, n and Mississippi with astress scoreof 54.66.

The least stressedstates include,in ascending order: n Nebraska with astress score of 31.83, n Minnesota with astress score of 32.32, n NewHampshire with astress scoreof 32.49, n South Dakota with astress score of 32.66, n andIowawith astress score of 35.69 WalletHub,anonline tool to compare financialproducts,determined each state’s“stress score”by combining 40 differentdata points in four different categories: money-related stress,familyrelated stress,health and safety-related stress and work-related stress. Data used included averagehours worked per week,job security,credit scores,costofchild care,divorce rates, mental health rates,physical activity rates, insufficient sleep rates andmore.See the fulllist of data points at wallethub.com.

HowstressedisLouisiana?

Stress scores combinenationalwork-related,

Source:WalletHub

Electrolytes play greaterroleinbody’sfunctions than just hydration

BY AVERYNEWMARK

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

ATLANTA— You’veseen them on nightstands, in gym bags and probably even in your groupchat: electrolyte powders are gaining momentum in the wellness world But beyond the pretty packaging and promises of hangover cures, do you actually need them?

If you ask Patrick Russell, cofounder of Decatur,Georgia-based hydration brand Oasis, the answer is asalty yes.

“Sodium is as essentialtohydration as water,”hesaid.

“You can drink 3gallons of water,but if you have no salt, that waterwill just joyride your bloodstream until you

peeitout.”

Electrolytes aretinycharged minerals your body uses toabsorb and regulate water,according to the AmericanHeart Association.

Thefive keycomponents are sodium, potassium, magnesium,calciumand chloride

“You have about 37.2 trillion cells in your body,and all of themneed water to perform,” Russell said.

“Water has to get into your cells through the membrane, but it can’t do that alone. It needs an electrical charge —and that’swheresodium comes in.”

But electrolytesaren’tjust about hydration. They are critical in nerve function, musclecontractions andmaintaining fluid balance.

Afterdigging intothe science, Russell; his twinbrother Thomas; andco-founder Nicolas Terwindt launched Oasis, ahydration powder with800 milligrams of sodium perserving —whattheycall their “saltiloxzone.”

“It’sthe perfect amount between nottoo much salt where it would taste like seawater,and not toolittle whereit’snot effective,”Russell said. Thebrothers credit Allulose,a sugarfound in figs and raisins that tastes sweet but isn’tmetabolized by the body,for their brand’staste.

So who needselectrolytes? Athletes, of course, but there’smore variabilitythanyou might think,according to the AHA. Anyone spendingtimeinthe heat,recovering

from ahangover or taking weightloss medications can benefit.

The AHA also states that while electrolytes can give your body a “charge,” it is importanttoavoid consumingtoo much. Excess sodium raises blood pressure, so consult withyour doctor If you’re ready to start your own hydration journey,here are some other buzzy picks that dietitians recommend: n Coco5: This coconut water-based hydration drink was originally developed in the Chicago Blackhawks locker room to support athlete recovery.Now backed by Devin Booker, D’Angelo Russelland Charles Barkley,it’sloaded withpotassium,magnesium and calcium

n Nuun SportPowder: This hydration powderpromises no fizz, making it agood option for anyone on the go.The packets come in several flavors, each containing 300 milligrams of sodium, along with potassium and magnesium.

n Transparent Labs:Thiseco-friendly tubprovidesmultiple electrolytes and other nutrients like taurine Each serving contains 500milligrams of sodium, with no artificial colors or sweeteners.

n LMNT: The salt bomb wellness influencers love.With1,000 milligrams of sodium perpacket,this keto-friendly mix is intense but effective. Bonus: The company has a page on its website that teaches you how to DIY it at home.

BRO UGH TT OY

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

Photo by AnnieKent

Althoughwecan’tcontrolthingslikegeneticsandthe howourskinlooks.Thatincludessunexposure,smokingand severalfoodshavebeenstudiedfortheir

sunscreen,helpingtodefendyourskinagainstsun-related ourskin’snaturalresilience.Examplesinclude:

Cranberries Blackberries Redbeans Pintobeans Artichokehearts

linesacrosstheforeheadareanaturalpartofaging.Sun alongwithenvironmentalandlifestylefactors,cancause theselinestoappearearlierandbecomemorepronounced. Forsomepeople,easingthelookoftheselinestohaveamore youthfulappearanceisthetopgoal.Butforallofus,maintaining healthyskinisanimportantpartofouroverallwellness. Herearesomewaystoslowdownthoseforeheadwrinklesandbea healthieryou:

Protectyourskineverydaywithawater-resistant,broad-spectrum sunscreenwithatleastSPF30.

Whenoutdoors,wearabroad-brimmedhatandsunglassestoreduce sundamage,squintingandthewrinklestheycancauseovertime.

Ifyou’reasmoker,oneofthebestthingsyoucandoforyourhealthis toquit.Smokingisamajorcauseofcancerandheartdisease—butitalso takesatollonyourlargestorgan—yourskin.Quittingnotonlybenefits yourheartandlungs,butyourskinwillthankyou,too

Collagenandelastinareproteinsthathelpkeepskinfirm,smooth,and youthful—butsmokingbreaksthemdown.Italsodehydratestheskin, acceleratingtheformationofwrinklesandmakingyoulookolder,sooner.

Vapingisjustasbad.Notonlydoesitdehydrateskinanddamagecollagen andelastin,butitcanalsoleadtoskinirritationandredness.

Whileyoucan’tfullyreversetheeffectsofsmokingonyourskin,quitting canboostcirculationandimproveyourskin’sappearance.Studiesalso showthatcollagenproductionbeginstorecoverwithinmonths.

Lookingtoquitsmoking?TheOchsnerSmokingCessationprogramoffers personalizedplanscombiningmedicationandcounselingtohelpyou reachyourgoals.Learnmoreatochsner.org/quit.

Botox,aregisteredtrademarkforaspecificbrand ofneurotoxins,worksbyimmobilizingmusclesthat surroundfinefaciallines.Theresultisdiminished wrinklesandsmootherskin.Otherneurotoxinsusedfor treatingwrinklesincludeDysport,XeominandMyobloc.

Beselectivewhenchoosingahealthcareprofessional toadministertheseproducts.Theinjectorshould

UVexposurefromtanningbedsandthesuncanageyourskinand raiseyourriskofskincancer.Ifyou’relookingforahealthierway togetthatgoldenglow,tryaself-tanner.They’vecomealongway sincetheorangehuedformulationsofthepast.

Eatplentyofantioxidant-richfruitsandvegetables.

Avoidsmoking.

Drinklessalcohol,whichdehydratesyou.

Exercisemostdaysoftheweek.

Cleanseandmoisturizeyourskindaily.

If,despiteyourbestefforts,youstillnoticeforeheadwrinklesthat botheryou,askyourhealthcareproviderabouttreatmentssuchas BotoxorDysportinjections,chemicalpeels,andlaserandlighttherapies.

understandfacialanatomy,whichiscomplex.They shouldhaveextensivetrainingandunderstandthe musclesofthefaceandhowtheyreacttoneurotoxins. Botoxinjectionsarenottoopainful.Topicalanesthesia canhelp,andsocanusingicepacksafterward. Youmaystarttoseeresultswithinonetothreedays, withfulleffectstypicallyvisiblebytwoweeks.Ifthe

resultsappearuneven,letyourproviderknow—you mayneedafollow-upappointmentforadjustments. Botoxnormallylaststhreetofourmonths.Commonand usuallytemporarysideeffectsincludebruising,eyelid droopingandheadaches.

LOUISIANA

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

On aregular Thursday when colleges areinsession in New Orleans,between 40 and 60 volunteers come together to package hot meals for poor residents at Trinity EpiscopalChurch in the Lower Garden District.

WhileTrinity’sLoaves andFishesministry is fueled by the good hearts of their volunteers, food and other resources require money,and grantshavebecome more competitive with more nonprofits serving greater needs.

To helpwith the funding, theministry has implemented unique fundraisingefforts.

“I’ve had the thought over the years that Ireally need to figure outfundraising without going after grants all the time,” said AaronTaylor,executive director of Trinity Loaves and Fishes.

So, Taylor considered ways to fundraise that appealed tothe widercommunityzeitgeist. In 2023, there was nothing as monumental as Taylor Swift andher ErasTour,and the ministrycame up with asuccessful first-in-the-stateraffle for two tickets.

“Nonprofits are really going to have to start thinking outside the box for ways to develop fundraising events,” Taylor

said. “Ifyou can catcha wave,that’sone of the most important things that you cando.”

This year,the ministry is organizing amahjong tournament with over 300 players.

Over 1,000 people aweek

TrinityLoaves andFishes was founded in 2006 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, after then-BishopCharlesJenkins met with volunteers of Mobile Loaves and Fishes of Austin, Texas,who were feeding residentsthat weregetting their livesback together after the devastating storm.

Jenkins decided he wanted asimilar program in New Orleans and now serves over 1,000 people aweek in the city and givesout 800 weekly sandwichbags, operating arefrigeratorand ahot food truck, according to the organization.

TheEras Tour raffle was the result of Taylor’syearslong consideration of the possibility of araffle,but was looking forthe right item to basearaffle around.

“I wantedsomething marketable, something that people really wanted that was hard to get for the average consumer,” Taylorsaid.“Iremember beinginthe shower,where Idoalot of my thinking on how Icould raise money,and wondered, ‘Whatifwebought Taylor Swift tickets.’

From Taylor Swift ticketstomahjong tournaments, this N.O. church findsunique ways to fundraise

tiles to promote asoldout mahjong night in at Christ Church Cathedral in NewOrleans.

While Taylor saidittook some convincing to go forwardwith an over $3,000investment, andsome back-and-forth with the Louisiana OfficeofCharitable Gaming to work out the laws around such a raffle, theministry completed allthe paperworkand was able to host the raffle. Along withsetting up the Loaves and Fishes raffle, Taylor said their fundraiser helped thestate learnwhat to do with other organizationswho laterhosted theirown Eras Tour sweepstakes. Media coverage of the rafflehelped Loaves and Fishes makeover$10,000 in the first days

The $3,000investment in the raffle resulted in over $40,000 for Loaves and Fishes, according to theministry,though Taylor said he now wishes they keptthe raffle going intothe days leading up to theOctober 2024 concerttoraiseeven more money

“It’sreally good to volunteer and see the full circle of preparing the meals, delivering the meals and seeing them in the hands of people who need them,” said Ben Williamson, president of the board of TrinityLoaves and Fishes. Williamson was effusive in the work Taylor did to runthe nonprofit as well as his fundraising plans.

“Aaron’sreally done agreat job with coming up with these creative and innovative ideas to raise money,”Williamson said. “He took abig chancewith the Taylor Swift raffle. and it really paid off in abig way.”

The raffle also helped the ministry recruit more volunteers whofound out aboutthe food program through the ticket giveaway,including youngervol-

Atestfor theTikTok generation

Twenty-somethings surround me in the newsroom. As expected, they use their phones for everything. Iuse my phone, too —just differently.Most of my colleagues are digital natives. We work toward the same goals using different systems.

My desk is covered in business cards, reader postcards, receipts, sticky notes and avariety of notebooks. Each is chock full of my hybrid cursive/shorthand scratch and scrawl —and it works forme. Their desks appear almost sterile to me —tidy,neat, no handwritten notes in sight. Other people closer to my age do have notes like my own. Even without knowing who sat where,Icould estimate each occupant’sage by what was —orwasn’t—ontheir desks. Different generations have different systems. What feels essential to me can feel unnecessary to them, and vice versa. Few use spiral-bound reporter’snotebooks like the ones I’ve collected for decades and stored in my attic. Their lack of pen and paper usage inspired me to run asmall experiment.

Iwrote asimple note in cursive in asmall reporter’snotebook. I walked around the newsroom and asked each journalist to read it. The note explained my mission and asked the readers whenthey learned to read and write in cursive, and if they remember who taught them. Some of them struggled to read the full note. Ideliberately included the words “easy-peasy,” so there would be something unexpected.

Ilearned that acouple of them write in cursive often. However, the rest of them said they only use cursive to sign their names.

Reporter Haley Miller said Mrs. Strehle taught her cursive when she wasinthe second grade in Indiana, but she never writes in it now

Quinn Coffman says reading the note “took abit,” but he learned cursive in the second grade in St. Louis, Missouri, from Mrs. Broughten and Mrs. Miller.Still, he said he can’tread most adults’ cursive and can’twrite it beyond his signature.

Aidan McCahill, 23, learned cursive in fourth grade in Michigan from Mrs. Radecki. Doeshewrite in it?

“Absolutely not,” he said. “I couldn’tifIwanted to.”

Deanna Narveson, 30, says she always writes in cursive. She learned in fifth grade.

“Teachers said we could write faster in cursive. Iwas acompetitive student,” she said.

Alayna Ford, a21-year-old intern, said she uses cursive only for her signature, but she learned it in second grade in Georgia.

Javier Gallegos, aphotographer struggled to make out ahandful of words in my note.Hesaid that he never writesincursive other than his signature. Ihope that Mrs. Rodriguez, his fourth grade teacher in El Paso, Texas, would not be disappointed to hear this news.

Caitie Zeilman, who is 25, said reading the note “took an extra second,” but eventually,she was able to decipher it. Notread, but solved —like apuzzle.

To them, cursive is something to be decoded.

My colleagues’ efforts and responses fascinated me.

Idecided to take alook back at the history of teaching cursive in America and how the art of penmanship is tied to the very start of the country with three famous words, “Wethe People...”

Trinity Episcopalfood program chef Kelly Williams, volunteer Jan Hutchison and Belinda Long,ofBethlehem Lutheran Church hand outmeals to peopleonthe sidewalk outside the church.

Trinity Episcopal food program director Aaron Taylor holdsa boxwithfood and mahjong

STAFF FILE PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER

Hunter Key, 13, helps box food for the TrinityEpiscopal food program at Christ Church CathedralinNew Orleans on April 17.

INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Helping find permanent housing for the homeless

Native New Orleanian gives back to the city by advocating for at-risk populations

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

Donna Paramore, a New Orleans native, has dedicated 20 years of her life to nonprofit leadership and fund development, advocating for at-risk populations. She has served as the executive director of the Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans, the oldest, nonsectarian social welfare organization in the country, for five years Her entire career has been centered on giving back to the Greater New Orleans community Since Paramore has been with the Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans, the organization has quadrupled in employees, the services they provide and the people they are able to serve. What is the mission atTravelersAid Society of Greater New Orleans, and what communities do you serve?

We’ve been in existence for 116 years, and our mission is that we work to end homelessness. Our vision is that everyone in New Orleans would have a safe place to call home.

We work with individuals who are either currently homeless or unhoused, or those who have formerly been homeless or unhoused. We have outreach workers that go in the streets each and every day to actually connect individuals to services and get them qualified for permanent housing.

We also have permanent supportive housing for more than 200 people, and we provide extensive case management services We work with these individuals with holistic services to get them to a level of self-sufficiency, as many of our clients will have disabilities,

anywhere from physical to mental disabilities. We keep working with them to help them restart their lives.

Can you explain what “fair housing” truly means and why it’s so important?

Fair housing really means that every person has the legal right to choose where they live without discrimination based on race, color, national origin, disability or family status. It’s foundational to create equitable, inclusive communities.

Fair housing is so important because it helps ensure that all people, especially those who’ve been historically marginalized, can access safe, affordable housing in neighborhoods of their choosing.

So that’s where we really work with clients to give them choices.

So although they’re coming from the streets, we don’t just put them in any first apartment that would be available We want to put them in areas that they will be comfortable with, that they can access different resources.

Tell us about the recent tiny house collabo-

ration that Travelers Aid was a part of in May.

We partnered with Louvis services, which is a nonprofit developer, and they’ve partnered with Tulane University students to help build the house. This is actually the second tiny home that we’ve been a part of with Louvis services

We provide the clients and the supportive services for the client. This is a perfect example of why it’s so important for different nonprofits to partner together to provide great resources in the community This partnership, not only does it provides affordable housing, but it also provides the case management that clients need and the rental assistance that clients need. The tiny home is beautiful. And although it says tiny homes, it has everything in it that an individual would need to restart their lives. The units are 500 square feet. They come fully furnished. They have beautiful porches It’s just great to be a part of something like that,

Last reminder to nominate a person

Submit someone over 60 years old for the ENCORE awards: Deadline July 14

Jan Risher

It’s the last chance to nominate someone over the age of 60 who is doing extraordinary things. Nominate them for the Louisiana Inspired ENCORE Awards here. The awards will celebrate Louisianans aged 60 and over who continue to lead, serve and inspire. The awards will recognize

COMMUNITY

Continued from page 1y

unteers from colleges who may not have otherwise heard of the ministry

“It definitely got our message out to a broader audience. We’ve had donors now from different states, and it was because of the Taylor Swift raffle,” Taylor said First Taylor Swift, now mahjong

Following the raffle, Taylor wanted to come up with another idea that could be a shake-up from regular fundraising activities that New Orleans organizations put together He was thinking about a spin on a golf classic fundraiser, one that could especially appeal to women, who tended to be the largest donors to philanthropic programs.

“I saw all these men’s golf tournaments, all the time And I thought, ‘There needs to be a mirror for women that is similar to a golf tournament,’ ” Taylor said.

Sally Cockerham, a ministry volunteer who passed away had told the ministry about her love of playing mahjong with her friends, which planted the idea about the appeal of the tile game to women.

Taylor said his research leads him to believe the Loaves and Fishes’ New Orleans Mahjong Classic will be the largest philanthropic mahjong tournament in American history Tourna-

so we know that we’re creating affordable housing and we have clients that will be in those houses and off the streets.

How does a partnership like this address the larger homelessness crisis in New Orleans?

When we look at homelessness, it’s such a complex issue, so it requires collaboration across different sectors for it to be successful. Partnerships like this allow us to pair safe, quality housing with wraparound services, which are evidence-based and proven to reduce homelessness. We realized that there’s only one solution for homelessness, and that’s permanent housing. This is actually solving part of that problem by providing permanent, supportive housing. By us working together, we can scale solutions more effectively and reach people who are often left behind. Every unit that’s created, every person that is housed, is a step towards a broader systemic impact.

What do you hope the community takes away from this project?

We want the community to know that homelessness is a solvable problem when we have partnerships and individuals that invest in the work that we do.

The tiny home project demonstrates what’s possible when we move beyond temporary fixes and embrace long term, compassionate solutions. A temporary fix is to put someone in a shelter for a few months, or put them up in a hotel. That’s a very temporary solution. But when you can build affordable housing, and then you give individuals the services that they need, then we look at that as a permanent solution to the homelessness problem.

As a New Orleanian, what does this position mean to you?

My family has been in New Orleans for generations, like dating back to the 1800s. Growing up, I was always taught that we should give to the world and not take from the world. So, being in this position, I feel like I’m doing a little point of making New Orleans a better place. We have to do something. We can’t always complain about New Orleans. We have to do something to make it better I feel like I’m doing a small part in terms of helping individuals who have probably been forgotten by society, maybe forgotten by their families because of different issues, such as mental health issues.

By helping one person I’m doing something to contribute back to the city that has essentially raised me and formed me into the person that I am.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

individuals who prove that purpose and passion don’t fade with age — they evolve. Whether they launched a business, wrote a book, earned a degree, created art, led community initiatives or made a lasting impact in any field, we want to recognize those who keep going, keep learning and stay engaged with their communities. The 2025 ENCORE Awards will highlight those who have taken on bold new challenges, lifted up others and made a measurable impact in their communities or beyond, challenging outdated ideas of aging by shining a light on people whose second (or third!) acts are meaningful, powerful and creative. Nominations for the 2025 ENCORE Awards can be made here. (FOR PRINT: https://www nola.com/site/forms/encore_ awards/encore_awards_imported-20250605122916/ Submissions will close July 14. Award recipients will be announced in late summer For more information, email Jan Risher at jan.risher@theadvocate.com.

ment tickets — 340, in fact — which include three rounds of mahjong, sold out within nine days and include players from 22 states. The waitlist is now over 200 people as of June.

The tournament is being organized in partnership with popular mahjong Dallas-based mahjong instructor and influencer Molly Hardy, who will speak at the tournament

“Mahjong really is a great way to create community, and I think it’s a game that involves strategy,” Taylor said I think people,

especially women, want more than just tea parties and galas. They want something that gives them the opportunity to use strategy.”

The tournament will take place Nov 8 at the Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter.

Along with the raffle and mahjong tournament, Taylor said Loaves and Fishes hosted its second gala for fundraising and to celebrate their volunteers.

Email Marco Cartolano at Marco.Cartolano@theadvocate. com

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

From our country’s early days, penmanship was a valued element of a basic education. When keyboards and computers became more prevalent, cursive instruction began to wane. In 2010, the Common Core Standards seemed to spell the end of cursive when schools across the country were no longer required to teach the style of writing.

These days, about 24 states have reinstated legislation requiring cursive to be taught at public elementary schools so maybe it’s making a comeback? Louisiana was an early adopter of the callback to cursive. In 2016, Louisiana passed legislation requiring public and charter schools to teach cursive. Last year, legislators passed “Let Teachers Teach” legislation that repealed “certain student instruction and teacher training requirements.” Ultimately, the legislation asked the BESE Board to review the many requirements on schools and teachers to decide which ones

needed to stay in place and which ones needed to fall by the wayside. For now, the jury is still out on cursive’s curlicues and uncertain future. In the meantime, the 2016 legislation that requires public and charter schools to teach cursive is still in effect — though by my brief investigation, I’m not sure how many schools are doing that. If you’re fluent in cursive, the National Archives needs your help. They’re looking for volunteers to help transcribe historic documents. Volunteers watch an 8-minute video and then are invited to download documents and transcribe a variety of records — including Revolutionary War pension files, JFK Assassination Records (1964), Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Records (1947-1959), Department of State Records from 1947-1952 and more. The truth is, I love working with this latest generation of journalists. They are fun. They are smart. They are hardworking. I’ll keep my cursive sharp, just in case one of them ever needs help reading a birthday card from their grandma. Email Jan Risher at jan.risher@ theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

The Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans and its supporters unite on the steps of the state capitol building to rally support for their cause of ending homelessness in New Orleans.

Donna Paramore, Travelers Aid Society of Greater New Orleans

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Jan Risher quickly wrote this note to see if fellow journalists, particularly the younger ones, could read cursive.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Trinity Episcopal food program chef Kelly Williams serves meals at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in New Orleans on April 17.

LargestMinnesota tribal transitstation underconstruction

11 tribes on WhiteEarth Reservationto seesupport

BY JODI RAVE SPOTTED BEAR

Contributing writer

Editor’snote: This story, created by Jodi Rave Spotted Bear for Buffalo’sFire, is part of the AP Storyshare.

Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happeninginother places and in our own communities —solutions that can be adopted around the world. Native peoplesoften experience the worstroad conditions and havethe highest need for transportation. After about adecade of envisioning an expansive transit hub for the White Earth Nation, Tribal leaders and administrators officially broke ground for the White Earth Transit Station

On Friday,May 30, White Earth Nation Chairman Michael Fairbankssat and sang with alocal drum group, signaling the cultural and spiritual importance of the tribe’stransit station groundbreaking. In the background, heavy equipment operators cleared the ground andmoved earth for the 18,000-square-foot transit hub, which is expectedto be completed in July 2026. When done,the hub willbe the largest tribal transit facility in Minnesota.

“It’sa really good day here in White Earth to see the project movingforward,” said Rep. LauraLee Erickson, White Earth’s District 3leader,who joined Fairbanks and fellow White Earth Nation tribal leaders, staff and citizens who gathered at the construction site andlater held symbolic gold shovels.

The White Earth Transit Station is greatlyneeded

forcitizens living on the largest of Minnesota’s 11 reservations. With 1,300 square miles of land, the White EarthTransportation Department is responsible for 150 miles of rural roads.

White Earth Reservation land is situatedamong lakes, trees andmore than ahundred miles of dirt and gravel roads, plus 50 miles of bituminous roads. Areliable transit system ensures the safety of all citizens, particularly women and young girls.

“Withlimitedaccessto cars —and few,ifany,auto mechanics in rural reservation communities —Native women and girls resort to hitchhiking, which places thematrisk,” according to atransportation research report by TRNews. “The forms of travel for tribal people are sometimes affected bya lack ofaccess to reliable mode choices providedbythe tribaltransportation agencies, such as public busesorother ridesharing and transit for rural communities.”

Numerousstatistics underscore theurgent need for reliable transportation in Native communities, where public transitoptions are frequently limited. The WhiteEarthNation is poised to change these national dynamicswith the constructionofthe $7 million WhiteEarth Public Transit Station.

The hub will house 12 buses currently in the tribe’s transit fleet, along with 18 employees.

“We’re running alittle short on drivers, so we’re hoping to add afew more andthen we do expect to expand and add some more routes,” said Kenneth Bakken, WhiteEarth public transitmanager In addition to transporting people acrossthe reservation, the tribe’s bus routes extend to some nearbytowns,such as Detroit Lakesand

Bagley

“It’sbeen along road,” Bakken said. “I’ve been with transit for16years, been amanager here for 10, and that’skindofwhen we started theproject. We gottogether with theLand Office, working on securingthe property here.And thenonce we did that, we went and workedwith FTA, which is the Federal Transit Administration, working on securing funding with them to do the project.”

While the recent groundbreaking was years in the making through the efforts of manypeople,including theReservation Business Committee, or RBC,and theMinnesotaDepartment of Transportation. U.S. SenatorsAmy Klobuchar and Tina SmithfromMinnesotaled acampaign to support transit needs for Native communities. On Aug. 18, 2022, the senators announced $5.9million in federal grants to Minnesota Native nations, including $3.6 millionfor WhiteEarth public transit facilities.

“Thisfunding will help modernize public transit in Tribalcommunities, while improving air quality and helpingcombat climate change,”said Sen. Smithin astatement. “I am proud of ourwork to help make these grants more accessible for Tribal communitiesand will continueworking to support public transportation across Minnesota.”

Smithchaired afieldhearing in summer 2022 in Minnesotaaimed at elevating the infrastructurepriorities of Minnesota’sTribal Nations and raising awareness amongTribal Nations for the funding opportunities available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed at the end of 2021.

In 2022, American Indian and Alaska Native adults were 17.1% more likely to

of

As

on May30for the White Earth Transit Station. In the background, heavy equipment operators were busyclearing the ground to beginbuilding construction.

lack reliable transportation for dailyliving in the past12months compared with Asian, whiteand Hispanic populations,accordingtothe National Center for Health Statistics. This hinders people in numerous ways, including their abilitytoseek medical attention.

“On behalf of myself andthe other members of the RBC,weare proud to be oneofthe recipients of such agenerous grant from theFTA,” said Fairbanks in astatement. “Our goal is to always ensure that our systems, processes, and decisions worktoserveour community and families of the White Earth Reservation to thehigheststandard possible. This grant will aid in the continuance of providing excellency of White Earth’sTransit system as wellasbeing at the forefront of improvingair quality and combating climate change.”

Rep.Laura Lee Erickson, White Earth Nation District 3leader,looksatarchitectural designs during the groundbreakingfor the tribe’stransit station.

PROVIDED PHOTOS By JODI SPOTTED BEAR

asign

community cohesiveness, adrumgroup opened the groundbreakingceremony

FAITH & VALUES

Jewish weddings seeing change for gender equality

Shifts affect the marriage contract, breaking the glass under the chuppah

BY SAMIRA MEHTA Contributing writer

Traditional Jewish weddings share one key aspect with traditional Christian weddings. Historically, the ceremony was essentially a transfer of property: A woman went from being the responsibility of her father to being the responsibility of her husband.

That may not be the first thing

Americans associate with weddings today, but it lives on in rituals and vows. Think, in a traditional Christian wedding, of a bride promising “to obey” her husband, or being “given away” by her father after he walks her down the aisle.

Feminism has changed some aspects of the Christian wedding.

More egalitarian or feminist couples, for example, might have the bride be “given away” by both her parents, or have both the bride and groom escorted in by parents. Others skip the “giving” altogether.

Queer couples, too, have reimagined the wedding ceremony

During research for my book

“Beyond Chrismukkah,” about Christian-Jewish interfaith families, many interviewees wound up talking about their weddings and the rituals that they selected or innovated for the day to reflect their cultural background. Some of them had also designed their ceremonies to reflect feminism and marriage equality something that the interfaith weddings had in common with many weddings where both members of the couple were Jewish.

These values have transformed many Jewish couples’ weddings, just as they have transformed the Christian wedding. Some Jewish couples make many changes while some make none And like every faith, Judaism has lots of internal diversity — not all traditional Jewish weddings look the same.

Contracts and covenants

Perhaps one of the most important places where feminism and marriage equality have reshaped traditions is in the “ketubah,” or Jewish marriage contract.

A traditional ketubah is a simple legal document in Hebrew or Aramaic, a related ancient language. Two witnesses sign the agreement, which states that the groom has acquired the bride. However, the ketubah is also sometimes framed as a tool to protect women. The document stipulates the husband’s responsibility to provide for his wife and confirms what he should pay her in case of divorce. Traditional ketubot — the plural of ketubah — did not discuss love, God or intentions for the marriage.

Contemporary ketubot in more liberal branches of Judaism, whether between opposite-or same-sex couples, are usually much more egalitarian documents that reflect

the home and the marriage that the couple want to create. Sometimes the couple adapt the Aramaic text; others keep the Aramaic and pair it with a text in the language they speak every day, describing their intentions for their marriage.

Rather than being simple, printed documents, contemporary ketubot are often beautiful pieces of art, made to hang in a place of prominence in the newlyweds’ home. Sometimes the art makes references to traditional Jewish symbols, such as a pomegranate for fertility and love. Other times, the artist works with the couple to personalize their decorations with images and symbols that are meaningful to them.

Contemporary couples will often also use their ketubah to address an inherent tension in Jewish marriage. Jewish law gives men much more freedom to divorce than it gives women. Because women cannot generally initiate divorce, they can end up as “agunot,” which literally means “chained”: women whose husbands have refused to grant them a religious divorce. Even if the couple have been divorced in secular court, an “agunah” cannot, according to Jewish law, remarry in a religious ceremony Contemporary ketubot will sometimes make a note that, while the couple hope to remain married until death, if the marriage deteriorates, the husband agrees to grant a divorce if certain conditions are met. This prevents women from being held hostage in unhappy marriages.

Other couples eschew the ketubah altogether in favor of a new type of document called a “brit ahuvim,”

or covenant of lovers. These documents are egalitarian agreements between couples. The brit ahuvim was developed by Rachel Adler, a feminist rabbi with a deep knowledge of Jewish law, and is grounded in ancient Jewish laws for business partnerships between equals. That said, many Jews, including some feminists, do not see the brit ahuvim as equal in status to a ketubah. Building together

Beyond the ketubah, there are any number of other changes that couples make to symbolize their hopes for an egalitarian marriage.

Jewish ceremonies often take place under a canopy called the chuppah, which symbolizes the home that the couple create together In a traditional Jewish wedding, the bride circles the groom three or seven times before entering the chuppah. This represents both her protection of their home and that the groom is now her priority

Many couples today omit this custom, because they feel it makes the bride subservient to the groom. Others keep the circling but reinterpret it: In circling the groom, the bride actively creates their home, an act of empowerment. Other egalitarian couples, regardless of their genders, share the act of circling: Each spouse circles three times, and then the pair circle once together In traditional Jewish weddings, like in traditional Christian weddings, the groom gives his bride a ring to symbolize his commitment to her — and perhaps to mark her as a married woman. Many contemporary Jewish couples exchange two rings: both partners offering a gift

The ketubah is a binding document in Jewish law that traditionally spells out a groom’s responsibilities toward his wife — but that many couples adapt to be more egalitarian.

to mark their marriage and presenting a symbol of their union to the world. While some see this shift as an adaptation to American culture, realistically, the dual-ring ceremony is a relatively new development in both American Christian and American Jewish marriage ceremonies. Finally, Jewish weddings traditionally end when the groom stomps on and breaks a glass, and the entire crowd yells “Mazel tov” to congratulate them. People debate the symbolism of the broken glass. Some say that it reminds us that life contains both joy and sorrow or that it is a reminder of a foundational crisis in Jewish history: the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in 70 C.E Others say that it is a reminder that life is fragile or

that marriage, unlike the glass, is an unbreakable covenant Regardless of what it means, some contemporary couples both step on glasses, or have one partner place their foot on top of the other’s so that the newlyweds can break the glass together The couple symbolize their commitment to equality — and both get to do a fun wedding custom. There are many other innovations in contemporary Jewish weddings that have much less to do with feminism and egalitarianism, such as personalized wedding canopies or wedding programs. But these key changes represent how the wedding ceremony itself has become more egalitarian in response to both feminism and marriage equality

SCORE helps business owners through knowledge, experience

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

A little advice can go a long way when starting a business, but new business owners don’t always know where to find it. This is where the Service Corps of Retired Executives can help The nonprofit organization, known as SCORE, has been advising up-and-coming business owners through volunteer mentors since it was chartered by an Act of Congress in 1964. And as clientele increases, the organization’s Baton Rouge chapter is seeking out more volunteer mentors.

“Primarily we look for mentors that have their own business, meaning we’re looking for volunteers that have been on an entrepreneurial path,” said Clarence Lawson, a certified mentor for SCORE Baton Rouge. “We also look at those who have actually been in business, maybe working for an employer But pretty much what we look for is a person that lived the experience to help the entrepreneur.” SCORE is a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration and receives

through a congressional grant, as well as from workshop fees and contributions. Its written mission is to “foster

brant

And the best part? All of these services are offered free to SCORE’s clientele. Meanwhile, SCORE Louisiana counseled 721 unique clients and conducted 47 free business education workshops in 2024. Still, maintaining, or even increasing, those numbers means recruiting more mentors.

“We’re looking for mentors who are knowledgeable and able to pro-

vide counsel while walking these new entrepreneurs along the journey,” Lawson said. “So we look for a person who is empathetic toward the entrepreneur, knowing exactly what that journey looks like. They will basically be walking alongside the entrepreneur when it comes to developing their business plan and at the same time have the knowledge to what it takes to be successful in that journey.”

For Lawson, SCORE is a chance to give back to a nonprofit that mentored him when he was developing his own consulting business.

“I had a mentor that let me look over his shoulder, which helped me understand what a business looks like,” he said. “He helped me figure out things like cash flow and the tools I would need in my business, and he helped me understand that no every day is going to be sunshine.”

But the most valuable lesson Lawson learned though SCORE was knowing his numbers.

“It’s not enough to have a great idea, because at the end of the day, you’re in business to be profitable,” he said. “So you need to know the cost of being in business.” Lawson learned these lessons not only through one-on-one mentor counseling but also by attending workshops hosted by the nonprofit

These workshops usually are conducted online. In the Baton Rouge

area, they are coordinated by Nesha Brown.

“My job is to recruit subject matter experts and presenters to be able to offer tangible tools and resources in support of small businesses,” she said. “I recruit presenters, I facilitate the workshops, I select the topics and make sure that they’re relevant to the small business needs within Louisiana. And we plan out an entire schedule of workshop programming for people to participate in free of charge.”

It’s not unusual for more than 100 entrepreneurs to sign up for a single workshop.

“These are people who are just starting out,” Brown said. “And since the workshops are virtual, you can take part in them no matter where you are.”

“SCORE is the most effective source of small business mentoring in the U.S. and we are proud to be making a positive difference right here in our local community,” added Bob Shaver, district director of SCORE Baton Rouge Area Chapter “SCORE data shows that entrepreneurs who receive three or more hours of mentoring report higher revenues and increased business growth.”

To learn more about volunteering to become SCORE mentor visit score.org/batonrougearea.

PROVIDED PHOTO

GETTy IMAGES PHOTO By URIEL SINAI

yulia Tagil and Stas Granin celebrate their union on July 25, 2010, at a square in Tel Aviv. The couple held a public wedding to protest Israeli marriage guidelines set by the chief rabbinate.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Clarence Lawson, of SCORE, in the meeting room at the Main Library where those in the program meet in Baton Rouge

SUNDAY, JUlY 13, 2025

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

grams

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — dAMnABLe: DAM-nuhbul: Liable to or deserving condemnation; detestable

Average mark 40 words

Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 53 or more words in DAMNABLE?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

Lead directing double works!

Today’s deal was played recently in Europe, where players experiment with bidding ideas not usually seen in North America. North’s one-spade response, denying a major suit, is one such idea. North-South bid to a normal contract only to be doubled by East This was a leaddirecting double, asking for the lead of dummy’s first bid suit, in this case spades. North, with a huge unknown club fit with partner, ran to four clubs and South raised to game. West duly led the four of spades to East’s ace, and East continued with the queen of spades to South’s king. South cashed the ace and king of clubs, then cashed two high diamonds and led a diamond for a ruff in his hand. East could do what he wanted with the master trump, but he could not defeat the contract.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

super Quiz

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

SUBJECT: DISASTERS

(e.g., In 1984, this city in India was the site of the world’s worst industrial disaster Answer: Bhopal.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. In 1912, this ocean liner sank with the loss of over 1,400 lives.

Answer________

2. President Franklin D. Roosevelt called it “a date which will live in infamy.”

Answer________

3. In 1986, this space shuttle broke apart, killing all seven crew members.

Answer________

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency

Looking at the effect of the double, three no-trump can be made on a spade lead, but the winning line is far from clear and declarer might have gone down. Without the double, however, West would probably have led the queen of diamonds, and three no-trump would have romped home, perhaps with an overtrick. In this case, the leaddirecting double did no worse than break even for East-West and might have gained a little bit.

what’s best for you, and everything will fall into place Love is in the stars VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Movement is necessary for your health, but overdoing it will set you back. Moderation is the key to satiating your body, mind and soul. Embrace what fulfills you. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Talks can be fortuitous if you are willing to meet halfway and contribute equally to the outcome. Don’t miss a romantic opportunity or a chance to don a new look. SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Count your money, protect your possessions and invest smartly. Concentrate on revamping your resume or looking for new outlets to apply your skills, experience and knowledge.

nessandencouragenewfriendships. Chase your dreams and enjoy what life can offer CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Once you have your mind set on something and your plan ready, you will find it easy to parlay your preparation into somethingthatgivesbackmorethan you anticipate. What you contribute, you will get back twofold.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Distance yourself from anyone using persuasive tactics to promote indulgence. Temptation will surface and emotions will swell. Choose a pastime you enjoy, and head in a direction that offers gains and growth.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec 21) Travel, reunions and doing or learning something new will promote happi-

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep your money and possessions separate Dismiss joint ventures, shared expenses and untrustworthy offers. Concentrate on your living space; make changes that add to your comfort.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Reconsider your options before you move forward with a home improvement project, move or change. Acting on impulse will lead to regret, but biding your time and negotiating will lead to peace of mind.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Stick to what you know and do best. Making a change to appease someone will cost you, but putting your time and energy into self-improvement will make you feel better GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Live in the moment, enjoy life and turn your surroundings into a playground. Put the people and the things you love most at the forefront and enjoy the peace and gratitude they provide.

goren Bridge

1. RMS Titanic. 2.Pearl Harbor attack on Dec.7, 1941.3.Challenger. 4. RMS Lusitania.5.Chicago. 6. San Francisco. 7. Ireland. 8. Abubonicplague epidemic. 9. Pompeii. 10.ThreeMile Island. 11. Spanish influenza.12. London.13. Tenerife Airport (CanaryIslands,Spain). 14. Chernobyl. 15. Lockerbie.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Give like the sun and thewhole world grows tall.

jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly

FoXtrot/ by BillAmend

/bySteve Kelley&JeffParker