The Times-Picayune 07-26-2025 by The Advocate

La.nativetakes over N.O. CorpsofEngineers

Autintackles crucialjob at challenging moment

BY MIKE SMITH |Staff writer

ALouisiana nativeformallytook command of the U.S.Army Corpsof Engineers’ New Orleans district on Friday,assuming acrucial job at a challenging momentwhile declaring he still bleeds purple andgold “with a little bit of gumbo” despiteacareerof globe-trotting.

Col. Scotty Autinwillcommand a district with around 1,100 staff and one of the largest civil works programs in the nation, overseeing projects vital to Louisiana from dredging at the mouth of the Mississippi River to levee construction and homeelevations. But he takes charge withPresident Donald Trump’sadministration pursuing deep cutsacross government, including at the Corps of Engineers.

The Houma native will have tonavigate the complex layers of politics in Louisiana —where pressingthe Corps to move quickly on ﬂood control projects has long been atradition —inaddition to theturbulence in Washington.UnderTrump’s presidency so far,the district has said it is losing around 80 of its 1,160 employees, while a“mega-study” on thefutureof the lower Mississippi River has been paused due to lack of funding.

Friday’sceremonyatthe Corps’ headquarters along the river in uptown New Orleans provided abrief

Skrmetta enters

PSCofficial joins twoother major GOPchallengers

BY TYLER BRIDGES |Staff writer

of the Public Service

Col. Scotty Autin, left, the newcommander of the

Army Corps of Engineers’ NewOrleans district, leads Maj. Gen. Kimberly

commander of the Corps Mississippi ValleyDivision, andoutgoing NewOrleans

commander Col. Cullen Jones, down the steps in front of the NewOrleans headquarters before thestartofthe changeofcommand ceremonyonFriday.

moment of celebration, allowing friends, family and state ofﬁcials to revelinthe rare occurrence of aLouisianan taking the reins. Corps ofﬁcials couldnot immediately recall the last time that had happened.

He replaces Col. Cullen Jones, a

Delaware native heading to Washington after histhree-year stint in New Orleans. He will serve as director of theOfﬁce of theChief of Engineers at thePentagon.

U.S. Senate race againstCassidy

Commissionfrom metro New Orleans, said hewill be the thirdmajor Republican to try to keep Cassidy from winning reelectiontothe U.S.Senate

next year “I will embark on ajourneywith ourPresident to reclaim what makes our republic great,” Skrmetta saidina statement. “Wemustprotect our Southern border,investin our military strength,and stop Green New Deal whims.” Cassidy and his Republican opponents will face offina closedprimary in April underthe new electionrules put in place by

Gov.Jeff Landry and the Republican-controlled Legislature lastyear.Ifnocandidate wins more than 50% in the primary, which seems unlikely,the top two ﬁnishers would advance to arunoff held six weekslater Election analysts believe that Cassidy will have enough stroke withvoters to claim one of the top two spots. This means that Skrmetta is battling the

ä See SENATE, page 7A

UNO plansto cutjobs, courses

BY MARIE FAZIO |Staff writer

Expressing grave concerns abouta steep enrollment decline, University of NewOrleans leaders said Thursday they will slash thenumberofadjunct faculty members and eliminate somecourses with weeks to go before the fall semester begins. As of mid-July,enrollment was downto about 4,100 students, some 2,000 fewer thanlastfall, ofﬁcials said in an email to faculty explaining the latest cuts.

As the university slashes funding for adjunct faculty,full-time professors are being told to take on more classesand warned thatunder-enrolledcoursescould be cutentirely.The cuts amount to a “large-scalefiring” of adjunct professors, said the United Campus Workers, aunion that represents UNO faculty,staff and student workers. With just four weeks before the fall semester begins, the changes will “almost certainlycause last-minute classcancellations, overcrowded classrooms, and the loss of some of our campus community’s most beloved teachers and co-workers,” the union said in astatement. The cuts comeatahigh-stakes moment forthe university,which state lawmakers are seeking to put under new oversight movingitfrom the UniversityofLouisiana system to the LSU system —inaneffort to stabilize the financially troubled school. Overthe past year,the university has tried to close amultimillion-dollardeficit

BY PATRICK WALL |Staff writer

The Trump administration will release billions of dollars in federal education grants that it withheld from schools this month, officials said Friday,ending an abrupt funding freeze that had threatened to disrupt school services just weeks before students return from summer break. Louisiana hadstood to lose more than $109 million, or about14% of its federal K-12 education funding, according to one tally of thefrozen funds. The administration last week released aportion of the money that funds after-school programs, but the rest remained in holding while federal ofﬁcials reviewed the grants to ensure they aligned with the president’spriorities. The money,which schools had expected to receive July 1, helps payfor teacher training andprograms for migrant students, English learners, adult literacy,violence prevention and more. School leaders andserviceproviders, who had warned that withholding the moneycould cause devastating cuts, celebrated Friday’sannouncement.

“This is great news for Louisiana,” said Andrew Ganucheau, director of the Louisiana Center for Afterschool Learning, in a statement. “These programsprovide vital educational assistance thatmanyofour students and families rely on.”

ä See GRANTS, page 6A

U.S.

Peeples,

District

STAFF PHOTOSByCHRIS GRANGER

Col. Scotty Autin, the newcommander of the U.S. Army CorpsofEngineers’ NewOrleans district and aHoumanative, salutes during the change of command ceremonyinNew Orleans on Friday.

See AUTIN, page 6A

ä See UNO, page 7A

Cassidy Skrmetta

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Ex-U.S. Rep. Santos

reports to federal prison

NEW YORK Disgraced former

U.S. Rep. George Santos reported to a federal prison in New Jersey on Friday to begin serving a seven-year sentence for the fraud charges that got him ousted from Congress

The federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed that the New York Republican was in custody at the Federal Correctional Institution in Fairton, in southern New Jersey Santos pleaded guilty last summer to federal wire fraud and aggravated identity theft charges for deceiving donors and stealing people’s identities in order to fund his congressional campaign.

His lawyer Joe Murray, when asked for comment Friday responded with a brief, all-caps text: “FREE GEORGE SANTOS.”

The ever-online Santos, who turned 37 years old on Tuesday hosted a farewell party for himself on the social media platform X on Thursday night.

“Well, darlings The curtain falls, the spotlight dims, and the rhinestones are packed,” he wrote in a post afterwards.

“From the halls of Congress to the chaos of cable news what a ride it’s been! Was it messy? Always. Glamorous? Occasionally Honest? I tried most days.”

Santos will serve his time in a minimum security camp at the all-male facility, which also includes a larger medium security prison, according to the Bureau of Prisons.

1 dead, 1 injured in N.M. dorm shooting

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — One person is dead and another wounded following a shooting early Friday at a University of New Mexico dormitory that prompted the evacuation of hundreds of students and a campuswide search for the suspect.

The campus was closed and yellow tape cordoned off a student housing area as authorities conducted a sweep for the suspect. Investigators also gathered around a vehicle that was taped off in a parking lot.

The two people shot were inside a dorm building where they had been visiting a student, but they were not students themselves, said Lt. Tim Delgado with the University of New Mexico Police Department. He said a suspect remained at large as of midafternoon, and it was unknown if that person remained on campus.

A shelter-in-place order remained in place while police evacuated parts of the campus.

“We had a student orientation going so there were like 400 kids in dorms, so we wanted to make sure they were safe and they are safely off campus now,” Delgado said EU regulator OKs an injectable HIV drug

LONDON The European Medicines Agency has recommended authorizing a twice-yearly injectable drug aimed at preventing HIV, which scientists say could help end the virus’ transmission.

In a statement on Friday the EU drug regulator said its evaluations of lenacapavir, sold as Yeytuo in Europe by Gilead Sciences, showed the drug is “highly effective” and “considered to be of major public health interest.” Once the regulator’s guidance is accepted by the European Commission, the authorization is valid in all 27 EU member countries as well as Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein Last year studies suggested that lenacapavir, already used to treat people with HIV, was nearly 100% effective in stopping transmission in both women and men.

Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the U.N. AIDS agency has said the drug “could change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic” if it is made available to everyone who needs it

In June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized lenacapavir to prevent HIV Earlier this month, the World Health Organization recommended countries offer the drug as an additional option to people at risk of the virus.

Israel mulls alternatives to talks with Hamas

Netanyahu’s comments create more uncertainty about Gaza ceasefire

BY SAMY MAGDY and WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press

CAIRO Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday his government was considering “alternative options” to ceaseﬁre talks with Hamas after Israel and the U.S. recalled their negotiating teams throwing the future of the negotiations into further uncertainty.

Netanyahu’s statement came as a Hamas ofﬁcial said negotiations were expected to resume next week and portrayed the recall of the Israeli and American delegations as a pressure tactic. Egypt and Qatar, which are mediating the talks alongside the United States, said the pause was only temporary and that talks would resume, though they did not say when.

The teams left Qatar on Thursday as President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff said Hamas’ latest response to proposals for a deal showed a “lack of desire” to reach a truce. Witkoff said the U.S. will look at “alternative options,” without elaborating.

In a statement released by his ofﬁce, Netanyahu echoed Witkoff, saying, “Hamas is the obstacle to a hostage release deal.”

“Together with our U.S. allies, we are now considering alternative options to bring our hostages home, end Hamas’s terror rule, and secure lasting peace for Israel and our region,” he said. He did not elaborate. Israel’s government didn’t immediately respond to whether negotiations would resume next week.

A breakthrough on a ceaseﬁre deal between Israel and Hamas has eluded the Trump administration as experts warn Gaza is being pushed closer to famine, after months of Israel entirely blocking food or letting in only limited amounts. This month, deaths related to malnutrition have accelerated.

More than two dozen Western-aligned countries and more than 100 charity and human rights groups have called for an end to the war, harshly criticizing Israel’s blockade and a new aid delivery model it

has rolled out. The charities and rights groups said even their own staff were struggling to get enough food.

On Thursday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France would recognize Palestine as a state. “The urgent thing today is that the war in Gaza stops and the civilian population is saved,” he said.

Jordan has requested to carry out airdrops of aid into Gaza “due to the dire situation,” a Jordanian ofﬁcial said The ofﬁcial said the airdrops will mainly be food and milk formula.

An Israeli security official said the military was coordinating the drops, which were expected in the coming days. The two officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the yet-to-be-finalized plans.

Desperate Palestinians gathered at a charity kitchen in Gaza City on Friday, clutching empty pots waiting for a share of watery lentil soup. Such kitchens distributing cooked meals have been a main source of food for many Palestinians, but the number of meals they produce every day has plummeted to 160,000 from more than a million in April, according to the U.N.

“We’ve been living three months without bread,” said one woman in line, Riham Dwas. “We’re relying on charity kitchens, surviving on a pot of lentils and there are many times when we don’t even have that.”

When she can’t ﬁnd food, she takes her children to a hospital to be put on saline IV drips for sustenance.

An Israeli airstrike hit a school-turnedshelter for displaced people in Gaza City killing at least ﬁve people, including an 11-year-old boy, according to hospital ofﬁcials. Afterward, dozens of mourners marched carrying the bodies from Shifa Hospital as women nearby screamed and wept.

“Enough!” screamed Taraji Adwan, whose son and grandson were among the dead. She said the strike hit as she was ﬁlling up water jugs.

“Stop the war! Our children are dying from starvation, malnutrition, dehydration, lack of food, strikes, and dying from fear and destruction. Enough, Hamas! Enough, Israel! Enough, world!” she said

Ghislaine Maxwell finishes interviews with DOJ officials

BY KATE PAYNE and ED WHITE Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Ghislaine Maxwell, the imprisoned former girlfriend of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, finished 1½ days of interviews with Justice Department officials on Friday, answering questions “about 100 different people,” her attorney said.

“She answered those questions honestly, truthfully, to the best of her ability,” David Oscar Markus told reporters outside the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, where Maxwell met with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.

“She never invoked a privilege. She never refused to answer a question, so we’re very proud of her,” Markus said.

Maxwell is serving a 20year sentence and is housed at a low-security federal prison in Tallahassee. She was sentenced three years ago after being convicted of helping Epstein, a wealthy, well-connected financier, sexually abuse underage girls.

Officials have said Epstein killed himself in his New York jail cell while awaiting trial in 2019, but his case has generated endless attention and conspiracy theories because of his and Maxwell’s links

to famous people, such as royals, presidents and billionaires, including Donald Trump.

In a social media post this week, Blanche said Maxwell would be interviewed because of President Trump’s directive to gather and release any credible evidence about others who may have committed crimes.

Trump has denied prior knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and claimed he cut off their relationship long ago. But he faces ongoing questions about the Epstein case, overshadowing his administration’s achievements. On Friday, reporters pressed the Republican president about pardoning Maxwell, but he deﬂected, emphasizing his administration’s successes.

Markus said Maxwell “was asked maybe about 100 different people.”

“The deputy attorney general is seeking the truth,” Markus said. “He asked every possible question, and he was doing an amazing job.”

Markus said he didn’t ask for anything for Maxwell in return, though he acknowledged that Trump could pardon her

“Listen, the president this morning said he had the power to do so. We hope he exercises that power in the right and just way,” Markus said.

BY JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

Deportation flights from the remote Everglades immigration lockup known as Alligator Alcatraz have begun and are expected to increase soon Florida Gov

Ron DeSantis said Friday

The ﬁrst ﬂights operated by the Department of Homeland Security have transferred about 100 detainees from the immigration detention center to other countries, DeSantis said during a news conference near the facility

“You’re going to see the numbers go up dramatically,” he said.

Two or three ﬂights have already departed, but officials didn’t say where those ﬂights headed.

Critics have condemned the South Florida facility as cruel and inhumane. DeSantis and other Republican ofﬁcials have defended it as part of the state’s aggressive push to support President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Building the facility in the Everglades and naming it after a notorious federal prison were meant as deterrents, DeSantis and other ofﬁcials have said.

The White House has delighted in the area’s remoteness — about 50 miles west of Miami and the fact that it is teeming with pythons and alligators. It hopes to send a message that repercussions will be severe if U.S. immigration laws are broken.

Trump has suggested that his administration could reopen Alcatraz, the notori-

ous island prison in San Francisco Bay

The White House also has sent some immigrants awaiting deportation to a detention lockup in Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and others to a megaprison in El Salvador

The Everglades facility was built in a matter of days over 10 square miles. It features more than 200 security cameras and more than 5 miles of barbed wire An adjacent runway makes it more convenient for homeland security ofﬁcials to move detainees in and out of the site.

It currently holds about 2,000 people, with the potential to double the capacity, Florida Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said Friday

DeSantis wants the U.S. Justice Department to allow an immigration judge on site to speed up the deportation process. “This was never intended to be something where people are just held,” he said. “The whole purpose is to be a place that can facilitate increased frequency and numbers of deportations.”

Critics have challenged federal and state officials’ contention that the detention center is just run by the state of Florida. Environmental groups suing to stop further construction and expansion demanded Thursday to see agreements or communications between state and federal ofﬁcials and to visit the site.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operates deportation ﬂights mainly from a few hubs, including Harlingen, Texas; Alexandria, Louisiana; and Mesa, Arizona. Others are scattered across the country

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By COLIN HACKLEy David Oscar Markus, an attorney for Ghislaine Maxwell, talks with the media Friday outside the federal courthouse in Tallahassee, Fla., after Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche met with Maxwell, the imprisoned former girlfriend of financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABDEL KAREEM HANA

Palestinians attend a funeral on Friday near the Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for people who were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza that has been used as a shelter

Trumpstruggles with Epsteinfuror

Presidenttries to shakeoff controversyhis allies oncestoked

BY CHRIS MEGERIAN and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

WASHINGTON Despite the sun bearing down on him and thesweat beadingacross his face, President Donald Trump still lingered with reporters lined up outside the White House on Friday.He was leaving on atrip to Scotland, where he would visithis golf courses, and he wanted to talk about how his administration just finished “the best six months ever.”

But over and over,the journalists kept asking Trump about the Jeffrey Epstein case and whether he would pardon the disgraced ﬁnancier’s imprisonedaccomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell

“People should really focus on how well the country is doing,” Trump insisted. He shut down another question by saying, “I don’twant to talk about that.” It was another example of how the Epstein saga andhis administration’sdisjointed approach to it —has shadowed Trumpwhenhe’s otherwise at the height of his influence. He’senacted avast legislative agenda, reached trade deals with key countries and tightened his grip across the federal government. Yethe’sstruggled to stamp out the embersofa political crisis thatcould become afull-on conﬂagration.

The Republican president’s supporters want the government to release secret ﬁles about Epstein, who authorities say killed himself in his New York jail cell six years agowhile awaitingtrial for sex trafﬁcking. They believe himtobethe nexus of adark web of powerful people who abused underage girls.Administration officials who once stoked conspiracy theories now insist there’snothing more to disclose, astance that has stirred skepticism because of Trump’sformer friendship with Epstein.

Trump has repeatedly denied prior knowledge of Epstein’scrimes and claimed he cut off their relationship long ago. For apresident skilled at manipulating the media and controlling the Republican Party,ithas been the most

challenging test of hisability to shift the conversation in his second term.

Landing in Scotland offered no refuge for Trump. He faced another round of questionsafter steppingoff Air Force One. “You’re making abig thing oversomethingthat’s notabig thing,” he said to one reporter.He told another, “I’m focused on making deals,not on conspiracy theoriesthat you are.”

Republican strategist Kevin Madden called the controversy “a treadmill to nowhere.”

“How do you get offofit?” he said. “I genuinely don’t knowthe answertothat.”

Trump has demanded his supporters drop thematter and urgedRepublicans to block Democratic requests for documentsonCapitol Hill. But he hasalso directed theJustice Departmenttodivulge some additionalinformation in hopes of satisfying hissupporters.

AWhite House official, whoinsisted on anonymity to discuss internal strategy, said Trump is tryingto stay focused on his agenda while also demonstratingsome transparency. Afterfacing countlessscandalsand investigations, the ofﬁcial said, Trump is on guard against the typical playbook of dripdrip disclosures that have plaguedhim in the past.

It’sclear Trumpsees the Epstein case as acontinuation of the “witch hunts” he’sfaced over the years, starting with the investigationinto Russian interference during his election victory over Democrat Hillary Clinton nearly adecadeago. The sprawling inquiryled to convictions against sometop advisersbut did notsubstantiate allegations Trump conspiredwith Moscow.

Trump’sopponents, he wrote on social media Thursday,“have gone absolutely CRAZY,and are playing another Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax but,this time,under the guise of what we will call the Jeffrey Epstein SCAM.”

During the Russia investigation, special counsel RobertMuellerand his team of prosecutorswere astraightforward foil for Trump to rail against. Ty Cobb, thelawyer whoserved as theWhite House’spoint person, said thepresident“never felt exposed” because“he thought he had alegitimate gripe.”

Thesituation is different this time nowthat the JusticeDepartment hasbeen stocked with loyalists. “The people thathehas to get mad at arebasically his people as opposedtohis inquisitors and adversaries,”Cobb said.

In fact, Trump’sown ofﬁcialsare the most responsiblefor bringingthe Epstein caseback to the forefront.

FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, regularly stoked conspiracy theories about Epstein before assumingtheir current jobs, floating the idea the government hadcovered up incriminatingand compelling information thatneeded to be broughttolight.“Put on your big boy pants and let us know who the pedophiles are,” Patel said in a2023 podcast.

Attorney GeneralPam Bondiplayed akey role, too. She intimated in aFox News ChannelinterviewinFebruary thatanEpstein “client list” was sitting on her desk for review—she would later say she was referring to the Epstein filesmoregenerally —and greetedfar-right inﬂuencers withbinders of records from the case that consisted largely of informa-

tioninthe public domain. Tensions spiked earlier this monthwhen the FBIand the Justice Department, in an unsignedtwo-page letter, said that no client listexisted,that theevidence was clear Epstein had killed himself and thatnoadditional records from the casewould be released to the public. It was aseemingbacktrack on the administration’s stated commitmenttotransparency. Amid aﬁerce backlashfrom Trump’sbase andinﬂuential conservative personalities, Bongino and Bondi squabbledopenly in atense White House meeting.

Sincethen, the Trump administration hasscrambled to appear transparent, including by seeking the unsealing of grand jury transcripts in thecase —though it’shardly clear thatcourts would grant that request or that those records include any eye-catching details anyway.Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has taken the unusualstep of interviewing theimprisoned Maxwell over the course of two days at acourthouse in Tallahassee, Florida, where her lawyer said she would “always testify truthfully.”

All the while,Trump and his allies have resurfaced the Russia investigation as arallying cryfor apoliticalbase thathas otherwise been frustratedbythe Epstein saga

Thirdsuchruling sinceSupreme Courtdecision

BY MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

BOSTON Afederal judge on Fridayblocked the Trumpadministration from ending birthright citizenship for the children of parents who areinthe U.S. illegally,issuing the third court ruling blocking the birthright order nationwide sincea keySupreme Court decision in June.

U.S. DistrictJudge Leo Sorokin, joining another district court as well as an appellate panel of judges, found that anationwide injunction granted to more than adozen states remains in force under an exception to the Supreme Court ruling. Thatdecisionrestricted the power of lower-court judgestoissue nationwide injunctions.

The states have argued Trump’sbirthright citizenship order is blatantly unconstitutional andthreatens millions of dollars forhealth insurance services that are contingent on citizenship status. Theissue is expected to move quickly back to the nation’s highest court.

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin, who helped leadthe lawsuit before Sorokin, said in astatement he was “thrilledthe district court again barred President Trump’sﬂagrantly unconstitutional birthright citizenship order from taking effect anywhere.”

“American-born babies are American, just as they have been at everyother time in our Nation’shistory,” he added. “The President cannotchange that legal rule with the stroke of apen.”

Lawyers forthe governmenthad argued Sorokin should narrowthe reach of his earlier ruling granting a preliminary injunction, saying it should be “tailoredto the States’ purported ﬁnancial injuries.” Sorokin said apatchwork approach to the birthright order would not protect the states in part because a substantial number of people move between states. He also blasted the Trump administration, saying it had failed to explain howa narrower injunction would work.

“That is, they have never addressed what renders a proposal feasible or workable,how the defendant agencies might implement it without imposing material administrative or ﬁnancial burdens on the plaintiffs, or howitsquares withother relevant federalstatutes,” the judge wrote. “In fact, they have characterized such questionsasirrelevant to the task the Court is now undertaking. The defendants’ position in this regard deﬁesboth lawand logic.” Sorokin acknowledged his order would not be the last word on birthright citizenship. Trumpand hisadministration “are entitled to pursue their interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and no doubt the Supreme Court will ultimately settle thequestion,” Sorokin wrote. “Butinthe meantime, for purposes of this lawsuit at this juncture, the Executive Order is unconstitutional.”

Theadministration has notyet appealed anyof the recentcourt rulings. Trump’s effortstodenycitizenship to children born to parents who areinthe countryillegally or temporarily will remain blocked unless and until the SupremeCourt says otherwise.

By The Associated Press

PHOENIX LoriVallow

Daybell was sentenced to life in prison Friday on two murder conspiracy convictions in Arizona, marking an end to awinding legal saga for the mother with doomsday religious beliefs who claimed people in her life had been possessed by evil spirits.

Vallow Daybell, already

serving life sentences in Idaho in the killings of her two youngestchildrenand aromantic rival, wasconvictedatseparate trials this springinPhoenix of conspiringtomurder her estranged husband, Charles Vallow, and her niece’sexhusband, Brandon Boudreaux.

Vallow Daybell, who chose to represent herself in both Arizona cases even though

she isn’ta lawyer,usedher ﬁnal testimony to complain aboutjailconditions andthe legal system.

“If Iwere accountable for these crimes, Iwould acknowledge andlet youknow how sorry Iwas,” shesaid.

Judge JustinBereskysaid Vallow Daybellhas “shown blatant disregard for humanity,” and he refuted her claim that shedidn’tget a fair trial in Arizona.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON

President DonaldTrump speaks withsupporters Fridaybefore departing on Marine One from theSouthLawnofthe White House in Washington.

Trump’s golf visit to cost Scottish taxpayers

BY KWIYEON HA and BRIAN MELLEY Associated Press

TURNBERRY, Scotland It may not be typical golf attire, but one of the most ubiquitous outfits seen on U.S. President Donald Trump’s golf course Friday ahead of his visit was the reﬂective yellow vest worn by Scottish police

The standard issue garb that is far removed from the traditional Turnberry tartan was highly visible on the dunes, the beaches and the grass as thousands of ofﬁcers secured the course in advance of protests planned during the president’s visit to two of his Scottish golf resorts.

Trump was expected to arrive Friday evening to a mix of respect and ridicule.

His visit requires a major police operation that will cost Scottish taxpayers millions of pounds as protests are planned over the weekend The union representing officers is concerned they are already overworked and will be diverted from their normal duties and some residents are not happy about the cost.

“Why isn’t he paying for it himself? He’s coming for golf, isn’t he?” said Merle Fertuson, a solo protester in Edinburgh holding a hand-drawn cardboard sign that featured a foolishly grinning Trump likeness in a tuxedo. “It’s got nothing whatsoever to do with public money, either U.S. or U.K.”

Policing for Trump’s fourday visit to the U.K. in 2018 cost more than $19 million, according to Freedom of Information figures. That included more than $4 million spent for his two-day golf trip to Turnberry, the historic course and hotel in southwest Scotland that he

bought in 2014.

Police Scotland would not discuss how many ofﬁcers were being deployed for operational reasons and only said the costs would be “considerable.”

“The visit will require a signiﬁcant police operation using local, national and specialist resources from across Police Scotland, supported by colleagues from other U.K. police forces as part of mutual aid arrangements,” Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond said.

Scottish First Minister John Swinney said the visit would not be detrimental to policing.

“It’s nonsensical to say it won’t impact it,” said David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, the ofﬁcers’ union.

Kennedy said he expects about 5,000 ofﬁcers to take part in the operation.

He said a force reduction in recent years has police

working 12-hour shifts.

Communities that are understaffed will be left behind with even fewer officers during Trump’s visit.

“We want the president of the United States to be able to come to Scotland. That’s not what this is about,” Kennedy said. “It’s the current state of the police service and the numbers we have causes great difﬁculty.”

The Stop Trump Scotland group has planned demonstrations Saturday in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dumfries. The group encouraged people to “show Trump exactly what we think of him in Scotland.”

Trump should receive a much warmer welcome from U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is expected to meet with him during the visit. Swinney, the leftleaning head of Scottish government and former Trump critic, also plans to meet with the president.

British singer

Cleo Laine dies at 97

BY ROBERT BARR Associated Press

LONDON Cleo Laine, whose husky contralto was one of the most distinctive voices in jazz and who was regarded by many as Britain’s greatest contribution to the quintessentially American music, has died. She was 97.

The Stables, a charity and venue Laine founded with her late jazz musician husband John Dankworth, said Friday it was “greatly saddened” by the news that “one of its founders and Life President, Dame Cleo Laine has passed away.”

Monica Ferguson, artistic director of The Stables, said Laine “will be greatly missed, but her unique talent will always be remembered.”

Laine’s career spanned the Atlantic and crossed genres: She sang the songs of Kurt Weill, Arnold

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Cleo Laine, whose husky contralto was one of the most distinctive voices in jazz, has died at age 97.

Schoenberg and Robert Schumann; she acted on stage and on ﬁlm, and even played God in a production of Benjamin Britten’s “Noye’s Fludde.”

Laine’s life and art were intimately bound up with band leader Dankworth, who gave her a job and her stage name in 1951, and married her seven years later Both were still performing after their 80th birthdays Dankworth died in 2010 at 82. In 1997, Laine became the ﬁrst British jazz artist to be made a dame, the female equivalent of a knight.

“It is British jazz that should have received the accolade for its service to me,” she said when the honor was announced. “It has given me a wonderful life, a successful career and an opportunity to travel the globe doing what I love to do.”

Ukraine says defenses holding against Russia’s push

BY HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press

KYIV Ukraine Ukrainian forces are holding back Russia’s concerted summer push to break through defenses along parts of the front line, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says.

“They are not advancing. It’s very tough for our guys out there. And it’s tough everywhere,” Zelenskyy told reporters on Thursday, in comments embargoed till Friday “It’s also very hard for the Russians — and that’s good for us.”

With the war now in its fourth year after Russia’s February 2022 invasion of its neighbor, the effort is draining resources on both sides, although Russia has more resources and people to sustain its ﬁght. Ukraine is seeking further support from Western partners.

Russia has claimed the capture of some villages and hamlets in recent weeks, but no defensively stronger urban areas have fallen to its troops.

Russian sabotage and reconnaissance groups have repeatedly attempted to stage minor incursions near Pokrovsk in the eastern Do-

netsk region to ﬁlm symbolic footage, such as raising a Russian ﬂag, but Ukrainian forces have repelled those efforts, Zelenskyy said.

“It happened ﬁve to seven times recently sometimes with only two or six people. Once they tried to hold a position with 12 people — and

all of them were eliminated by our defenders,” Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy described the situation in the northeastern Sumy border region as “much better” than in recent months, noting progress by Ukrainian forces over the past six weeks.

Russia has also intensiﬁed its bombardment of Ukrainian cities, with the secondlargest city Kharkiv struck with a powerful glide bomb for a second straight day Friday Seven people were injured, officials said. On Thursday, 42 were injured. Joyce Msuya, the United Nations’ deputy humanitarian chief, told the Security Council on Friday that Ukraine’s humanitarian situation is “deteriorating” due to expanding Russian attacks on civilian areas across the country

“There is no safe place left in Ukraine,” she said. Zelenskyy said Ukraine is working with international partners to secure 10 U.S.made Patriot air defense systems, which can shoot down missiles, with three already confirmed from Germany and Norway

By The Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE Wearing the furry mask of the iconic Chuck E. Cheese mascot mouse, an employee of the popular children’s birthday destination was arrested for using a stolen credit card at one of the chain’s Florida restaurants, police said.

The arrest occurred Wednesday, according to the probable cause report from police, while photos from bystanders showed an officer removing the man’s rodent mask — with its gray fur exaggerated ears and perpetual smile — and placing it atop a Tallahassee Police Department vehicle

Visa debit card, which she hadn’t seen since a visit Chuck E. Cheese in late June, police records stated. Charges to the card were made at a smoke shop, grocery store and a Whataburger

“Chuck E, come with me Chuck E,” a police officer in Tallahassee told the suspect, “stop resisting, you are being detained.”

The woman tracked down the suspect by going to the grocery store and viewing surveillance footage from the time her card was used, police records state. She recognized the man from the Chuck E. Cheese. Chuck

The investigation began when a woman called police to report that someone was using her child support

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALASTAIR GRANT

Police guard the Trump Turnberry golf course on Friday in Turnberry, Scotland, ahead of President Donald Trump’s visit to Scotland

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ANDRII MARIENKO

Rescuers work Friday at a damaged hospital that was hit by a Russian bomb in Kharkiv Ukraine.

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Autin used his speech to trace his family’sdeep local roots, beginning around the time the Cajuns fled Nova Scotia, bound for Louisiana. An ancestor left in a canoe in 1750 and landed “20 miles west of this very spot,” he said. His greatgreat-grandfather became the first president of the Houma Chamber of Commerce, ﬁghting with others to get the Houma Navigation Channel built.

“When Isay that south Louisiana has made me everything that Iam, I’m genuine in that assertion,” said Autin, aWestPoint and Columbia University grad. “I look forward to saying that Iamhome. My family is home, and we arehonored and proud to be here.”

His return to Louisiana follows alongsojourn in alist of locations, including Iraq and Afghanistan. He also deployed to Louisiana and Mississippi as part of the Corps’ Hurricane Katrina response, and was most recentlybased in the Netherlands in arole working with NATO.

Maj. Gen. Kimberly Peeples, who commands the Corps’ Mississippi Valley Division, noted that the New Orleans district handlesone of the Corps’ “largest and most complex portfolios,” worth more than$1billion annually.And shelauded Jones for his management of it during the past three years. It is difﬁcult to overstate

GRANTS

Continued from page1A

The Trump administration’sdecision to unlock the money follows court challenges and an outcry fromeducators, advocacy groups and members of Congress, who had appropriated the funding in abill

left,commander

the Corps’ importanceto Louisiana, illustrated catastrophically by the devastating levee failures during Katrinain2005. The Corps hassince built a$14.5billion levee,pumpand floodwall system to replace it,seen as a

thatPresident Donald Trump signedearlierthis year. Last week, two-dozen Democrat-led states sued thefederal government to restore thefunding. Days later,10Republican senators —though none fromLouisiana—wrote aletterurging the administrationtorelease thefunds.

Officials in theWhite House’sOffice of Manage-

vast improvement over what crumbled during thestorm. But beyond flood protection, the Corps also ensures that global shipping on the MississippiRiver continues with avast dredging programwhile ﬁghting saltwa-

mentand Budget had said theywerereviewing the grants after alleging that some of the money had been misused to support immigrants in thecountryillegally or promote LGBTQ+ inclusion. Aspokesperson for theU.S. Department of Educationsaid Friday that the budget ofﬁce had completed itsreviewand directedthe Department of Education to

ter intrusion from theGulf, amongmanyother tasks across the state, from CameronParishtoSt. Tammany and beyond.

Autin appeared ready to dive in —while preparing hisfamilyfor what was to

releasethe funds, which will start ﬂowing to states next week.

Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said he welcomed the Trump administration’s“deliberative review”ofthe grants, which he saidwould ensure federal dollars are used to promote student achievement “Wewelcome thelatest al-

come. He had amessage for his three children as he takes up the role as the 66th commander in the district’smore than 200-year history

“Buckle up andget ready for some great food, some thrilling football, pterodactyl

location of resources and will keep school systems updated as they prepare for the year ahead,” he said in astatement.

In St. Tammany Parish, the school districthad postponed someteacher trainings this month after the grants were frozen. Officials also were scrambling to replace federal dollars thatcovered some employee salaries.

mosquitoes and redefining your deﬁnition of hot and humid,”hesaid. “You’regoing to have agreat time here.”

Email Mike Smith at msmith@theadvocate. com.

On Friday,Superintendent FrankJabbiasaidhe was stunned and relievedto learn the funding had been restored. “Weare extremely happy,” he said. “Getting this really helps us to getback on track.”

Email Patrick Wall at patrick.wall@theadvocate. com.

Many Americansare fortunate to have dental coverage fortheir entire workinglife, through employer-providedbenefits. When those benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocketcan come as a shock,leadingpeople to putoff or even go without care. Simply put —without dental insurance,there may be an important gap in your healthcarecoverage.

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 Shop forcoverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits. Someplans haveannual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’t payfor dentalcare.1

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STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Col. Scotty Autin,center,the newcommander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ NewOrleans district, is handed an Army Corps flag fromMaj. Gen. KimberlyPeeples,

of the Corps’ Mississippi ValleyDivision, at the changeofcommand ceremony in NewOrleans on Friday.

twoother Republican candidates —state Treasurer JohnFleming and state Sen. Blake Miguez of New Iberia —in what is essentially aprimary within the primary for the right to faceoff against Cassidy in the runoff.

running hard to winathird term. He has $8.7 million in campaign cash, and the Louisiana Freedom Fund,a super PACsupporting Cassidy, hasanadditional $2.1 million on hand, according to aspokesperson forthe fund.

“They all feel they have ashot at making the runoff. And if they do, they hope Donald Trumpwill back them against Cassidy,” said Ed Chervenak, apolitical scientist at the University of New Orleans. “The vote on impeachment by Cassidy is unifying the attacks against him.”

Cassidy was one of seven Republicans who joined all Democrats in voting in 2021 to prohibitTrump from holding office again under an impeachment articlethat accused him of “inciting violenceagainst the government of the United States” with the Jan. 6attack on the U.S. Capitol.

To be sure, Cassidy is

UNO

Continued from page1A

by instituting layoffs and furloughs, consolidating colleges, closing dilapidated buildings and enacting a spending and hiring freeze

The enrollment decline could wreak havoc on the university’s$85.5 million budget, which assumed enrollment would remain flat, according to the email to faculty from UNO president Kathy Johnson, provost Darrell Kruger and chief financial officer Edwin Litolff.

Even if enrollment rebounds, which officials said wasunlikely, theuniversity would still be $1.5 million over budget. The union urgedJohnsonto shift money from nonacademic portions of the budget, including athletics,to prevent cuts to part-time faculty

It’sunclear how many of the university’s193 adjunct facultymembers,who are part-timeemployees typically contracted to teach a speciﬁc course,would lose their positions. More than 130 of the adjuncts teach in the College of Liberal Arts, Education and Human Development.

Christopher Summa, president of the UNO faculty senate, said that college would likely feel the cuts most deeply

“The adjuncts are avaluable part of the UNOcommunity,” she said in an email.“Many of them teach on aregular basis and have taught at UNO for many years.” Summa expressed concern that faculty whoare asked to take on more courses will have less time

Cassidyisknown statewide and is making every move possible to win over Trump and conservativevoters.

Cassidy voted for Trump’sOne Big Beautiful Bill, ameasure that extends the president’s expiring tax cuts and partiallypays for them by cutting Medicaid,the federal program that provides health care to the poor Last week, Cassidy’scommunications team highlighted that Trump signed ananti-fentanyl bill sponsored by Cassidy and invited him to the bill signingatthe White House,then invited Cassidy to theWhite House two days later for adinnerwith Republican senators.

As of June 30, Fleming had $2.1 milliononhand (including$2.5 millionloaned by him to the campaign).

todoresearch and service work, activities that “have apositiveimpact on both the larger community and on students’ success.” He added that the faculty senate is working withadministrators to minimize impacts.

The emailfrom administration said adjunct professors for programs that are taught almost exclusively by adjunct professors, such as Urban ConstructionManagement,would “be protected.”

“Wedonot make this shiftinworkload lightly,” administrators said in the email, noting thatthe university previously imposed staff furloughs and layoffs. Supporters say the uni-

Miguez, who announced his candidacy only twoweeks before the ﬁling deadline for campaign finance reports, had $1.7 million (including a $1 million loan by him).

The winner of theRepublican runoff will face off in November against the winner of theDemocratic primary.

Skrmetta’sannouncement on Friday came three weeks later than his self-imposed deadline to makea decision, and it comes amid widespread speculation about whether U.S. Rep.Julia Letlow, whosedistrict stretches from Monroe to Baton Rouge,will also challenge Cassidyinthe Republican primary.She had$2.1 million.

What Skrmetta’s runningon Skrmettahad been in the running for aspot on thefive-member Federal Energy Regulatory Commission,but lastweek, the Trump administration filled thefinal position withDavid LaCerte, who worked for Trumpduring hisfirst term andfor then-Gov.Bobby Jindal before that.

Skrmettareleased acampaign video on Friday that was produced by veteran Jefferson Parish-based media consultant Greg Buisson.

versity’smovetothe LSU system, which UNO’saccreditor must still approve, could bolster itsenrollment,which has greatly declined since its peak of 17,000 students before HurricaneKatrina Administrators saidthe latestcost-cutting measureswill allow UNO to transition to LSU with the “least possible disruption,” theemail said, “ultimately enabling us to regain our footing thisyear as we continue to addresssystems, policies,and practices that will enableustobest serve and support our future students.“

Laggingenrollment

In the email, UNO ad-

In it,viewers see images of the2024 Republican National Convention, where Skrmetta led the Louisiana delegation.

“Eric trumpeted making America great again,” an announcer says. “Now he’s ready to help push President Trump’sagenda in Washington.”

Skrmetta, 67, graduated from Brother Martin High School in New Orleans, from LSU and from Southern University’slaw school. He has amaster’sinlaw from Tulane.

Alongtime mediator and member of theRepublican State CentralCommittee, Skrmetta lost two races to thestate House from Metairie, in 1999 and 2003.

He was elected to one of thefive Public Service Commission seats in 2008. In 2014, he narrowlywon reelectionover an opponent who said that Skrmetta toooften voted with theinterests of the public utilities thatthe commission regulates, at theexpenseofconsumers.

up to mega-corporations to protect consumers, Iam readytotakethe battleto the Beltway,” he said.

Pro-consumergroups, however,say he hasn’tbeen an ally

“Hehas accepted lots and lots of money from utility interests, andhehas voted forpretty much everyrate increase that autility has brought before the commission,” said Daniel Tait, research and communications director for the Energy & PolicyInstitute,a national group.

Skrmetta represents a district drawn by theLegislature to elect aRepublican. It includes St. Tammany, St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Helena parishes and Whitemajority parts of Orleans, Jefferson,Livingstonand St.Charles parishes.

Skrmetta was elected to a thirdand ﬁnal six-year term in 2020. He cannotseek reelection in 2026.

“Afteryearsofstanding

ministrators said fall enrollment stands at 64% of what the university had budgeted for.They added that they were nothopeful about alate summer enrollment surge, in part because the school has begunefforts to recoup thousands of dollars in unpaid student tuition andfees.

Students are nowrequired to pay fees or begin apayment plan before classes start.Theycannot register for classes if they owe more than $750.

Additionally,the ofﬁcials said negativemedia coverage of UNO’sfinancial struggles hasnot helped to “boostconfidence among prospectivestudents,” though they predicted that

It nearly overlaps with the same boundaries for U.S. Rep. SteveScalise, R-Jefferson, but thePublic Service Commission district is larger because there are ﬁve commissioners versus six members in the congressional delegation.

Skrmetta has the advantage of being the only Re-

will change as the school promotes the “strengths and opportunities associated withreturning to the LSUsystem.”

The message to faculty and staff sheds light on somefuture changes that could be coming to UNO as it shifts to the LSU system Administrators said there’samismatch in demand for some classes andthatsome facultyare slatedtoteach classes with very low enrollment. Tenuredfacultyhavebeen asked to take on four classes each semester,the email states, and in the next two weeks, theadministration will begin canceling classes that do notreach certain thresholds.

publican Senatecandidate whohas metro New Orleans as his voting base. Another candidate is Sammy Wyatt, who is the chief complianceofficer andinvestigation ofﬁcer forLSU Health-Shreveport. He had $22,000 on hand. Decades ago, the Public Service Commission launched the political careers of such governors as Huey Long, Jimmie Davis and John McKeithen. But thelastPSC member elected to statewide office was Kathleen Blanco, as lieutenantgovernorin1995. She waselected governor eight years later Scott Angelle, aRepublican PSC member, ran for governor in 2015 and finished third in the primary Foster Campbell, aDemocrat who hasrepresented northwest Louisiana on the PSCsince hiselection in 2002, ran forthe U.S. Senate in 2016 but wastrounced by U.S. Sen. John Kennedy,a Republican.

“Ifyou can get the money, it’sa good place to be because you’re helping people allthe time, or youshould be,” Campbell said. Email TylerBridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com

UNO has “too many degree programs, particularlymaster’slevel,with too few students enrolled,” theemail states Earlier thisyear, UNO said it wasconsidering phasing out its MFAinVisual Arts program,which theuniversity said hadlow enrollment for years. “Wemusteither find ways to adapt those programstobetter meet the demands of studentstoday,”the emailstates,“or in some cases, we likely will need to phase out certain master’sprograms in order to focusour energies on undergraduate program delivery andthe provision of general education courses.”

NewOrleans Forecast

ForecastFrom WWL-TV,Your Local Weather Experts

Sundayasheat

values could reach up to 108 on Sunday. Nextworkweek, another heat wave will be upon us and theveryhot air will return.Monday and Tuesdaywill bothreach into theupper 90s with heat index values reaching well into the 110s.Makesure to enjoythe AC during those days and tryand avoid theoutdoors as awhole to begin theweek

Tens of thousands flee as Thailand, Cambodia clash

BY JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI and SOPHENGCHEANG Associated Press

SURIN, Thailand Tens of thousands of people sought refuge on Friday as border fighting between Thailand and Cambodia entered asecond day,heightening fears of an extended conﬂict.

The U.N. Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on the crisis later Friday in New York, while Malaysia, which chairs aregionalblocthat includes both countries, called for an end to hostilities and offeredto mediate The Thai Health Ministry on Friday said more than 58,000 have fledfrom villages to temporary sheltersinfouraffected border provinces, while Cambodian authorities said more than 23,000 people haveevacuated from areas near the border

The latest flare-up in a long-running border dispute betweenthe two countries

has killed at least 19 people in Thailand—mostlycivilians—while Cambodiaconfirmedits firstfatalityon Friday Thailand’sacting prime mi ni st er,P humtha m Wechayachai,said Friday that Cambodia maybeguilty of war crimes due to the deaths of civilians and damagecausedto a hospital. He said Thailand had exercised the “utmost restraint and patiencein the face of provocations and aggression” from Cambodia.

Tensions overadisputed borderarea erupted into fighting after aland mine explosion along the border wounded ﬁve Thaisoldiers on Wednesday.

The Thai military reported clashes early Friday in multiple areas along the border, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom temple claimed by both sides. Associated Press reporters near the border could hear sounds of artillery from early morning hours.

BY ANDREW WILKS and STEPHANIE LIECHTENSTEIN Associated Press

ISTANBUL Talks between Iranian and European diplomats in Istanbul ended Friday with the sides agreeingtomeetagain to seek to unpick the deadlock over Tehran’snuclear program Representatives from Britain, France and Germany,known as the E3 nations, gathered at the Iranian Consulate building for the first talks since Iran’s 12day war with Israel in June, which involved U.S. bombersstriking nuclear-related facilities.

The talks, which ended after four hours, centeredon

the possibility of reimposing sanctions on Iran that were lifted in 2015 in exchange for Iran accepting restrictionsand monitoring of its nuclear program Iranian negotiator,Deputy ForeignMinisterKazem Gharibabadi, said that the “serious, frank and detailed” meeting focused on the nuclearissue andthe status of sanctions while agreeing to further discussions. The E3 nations hadearlier warned that sanctions couldreturn under aprocess known as the “snapback mechanism, which allows one of the Western parties to reimpose U.N. sanctions if Tehran doesn’tcomply with its requirements.

The Thai armysaid Cambodian forces had used heavy artilleryand RussianmadeBM-21 rocket launchers, prompting what Thai officials describedas“appropriate supporting ﬁre” in return.

Thailand said six of itssoldiersand 13 civilians were killed, including children, while 29 soldiers and 30 civilians were wounded.

Cambodia’schief ofﬁcial in Oddar Meanchey province, Gen. Khov Ly,said aman died Thursdayafter aThai rocket hit aBuddhist pagoda where he was hiding. At least four civilians in theprovince were also wounded Thursday

TheCambodianEducation Ministry claimed that

on Friday twoThai rockets had hit aschool compound in OddarMeanchey but caused no injuries. It said all schools in the provincehavebeen closed.

The Thai army denied it targeted civiliansites in Cambodia, and accused Cambodia of using “human shields” by positioning their weapons near residential areas As the fighting intensified, villagers on both sideshave been caught in the crossfire, leading many to flee.

Around 600peopletook shelterata gymnasiumina university in Surin, Thailand, about50milesfrom the border.Evacuees sat in groups, on mats andblankets, and queued for food and drinks.

European,Iranian diplomatsmeetinIstanbul

“Both sides came to the meeting with speciﬁc ideas,” Gharibabadi said in asocial media post. “Itwas agreed that consultations on this matter will continue.”

As thetalks were ongoing, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, EsmailBaghaei, said thathehoped that the meeting would see the E3 nations reassess their “previous unconstructive attitude.”

European leaders have saidsanctionswill resume by theend of August,ifthere is no progress on containing Iran’snuclear program

The snapback mechanism “remainsonthe table,” a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity be-

causeofthe sensitivity of thetalks, “A possible delay in triggering snapback has been ﬂoated tothe Iranians on the condition that there is credible diplomatic engagement by Iran, thattheyresume full cooperationwiththe IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), andthat they address concernsabout their highly-enricheduranium stockpile,”the diplomat said prior to Friday’snegotiations.

Tehran, meanwhile,has said that Washington, which withdrewfrom the 2015 deal during the ﬁrst term of U.S. President Donald Trump, needs to rebuild faith in its role in negotiations.

Democrats, advocates criticizeTrump’s homelessnessorder

BY JANIE HAR and CHARLOTTE KRAMON

The Associated Press/ Reportfor America

SAN FRANCISCO Leading

Democrats and advocates for the homeless are criticizing an executive order President Donald Trump signed this week aimed at removing homeless people from the streets, possibly by committing them for mental health or drug treatment without their consent.

Trump directed some of his Cabinet heads to prioritize funding to cities that crack down on open drug use andstreet camping, with the goal of making people feel safer.It’snot compassionate to do nothing, the order states.

“Shifting these individuals into long-term institutional settings forhumane treatment is the most proven way to restore public order,” the order reads.

Homelessness has become abiggerproblem in recent years as the cost of housing increased, especially in statessuchas California where there aren’tenough homes to meet demand. At the same time, drug addiction and overdoses have soared with theavailabilityofcheapand potent fentanyl. The president’sorder might be aimed at liberal cities such as San Francisco, LosAngelesand New York, whichTrump views as too lax about conditions on their streets. But many of the concepts have already been proposed or testedinCalifornia, where Gov.Gavin Newsom and Democratic mayors have workedfor years to get people off the streets and into treatment.

Still, advocates say Trump’snew order is vague, punitive andwon’t effectively end homelessness.

Newsom has directed cities to cleanuphomeless

encampments and he’sfunneled more money into programs to treat addiction and mental health disorders. His office said Friday that Trump’sorder relies on harmful stereotypes and focusesmore on “creating distracting headlines and settling old scores.”

“But, his imitation (even poorly executed)isthe highest form of flattery,” spokesperson Tara Gallegos said in astatement, referring to the president calling for strategies already in use in California.

SanFranciscoMayor DanielLurie has also emphasizedthe importanceof clean and orderly streets in banning homeless people from living in RVsand urging peopletoaccept the city’soffers of shelter In Silicon Valley, SanJose MayorMattMahan recently pushed apolicy change that makes apersoneligible for jail if they reject three offers of shelter Trump’sexecutive order tasks Attorney General Pam Bondi and the secretaries for health, housing andtransportation to prioritize grants to states and local governments that enforce bans on open drug use and street camping. Devon Kurtz, the public safety policy directorat the Cicero Institute, aconservative policy group that has advocated for several of the provisions of the executive order,said the organization is “delighted” by the order He acknowledged that California hasalready been moving to ban encampments sincethe Supreme Court’sdecision. Buthe said Trump’sorder adds teeth to that shift,Kurtz said.

“It’sa clear message to these communities that were still sort of uncomfortable because it was such abig change in policy,” Kurtz said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HENG SINITH

Cambodians sit on atractor on Fridayastheytakerefugein WatTham KambarinOddarMeancheyprovince, Cambodia, as Thai and Cambodiansoldiers clash along the border between their countries.

inmate mistakenly freed

Sheriff says clerical error led to jail release

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

Embattled Orleans Parish Sher-

iff Susan Hutson publicly apologized Friday for another security lapse at the New Orleans jail, after her ofﬁce mistakenly released the

wrong detainee in what she described as a clerical error Khalil Bryan, 30, was released Friday after Hutson’s ofﬁce mistook him for a person with the same last name who was slated to leave the lockup, she said Friday afternoon Bryan was being held on a $125,000 bail for failing to appear at his arraignment and was also facing fresh felony charges, ac-

cording to court records. The allegations against him include aggravated assault with a firearm, among other charges. In an open case from 2023, Bryan allegedly led Jefferson Parish sheriff’s deputies on a high-speed chase in a stolen car on

the Westbank Expressway, ramming a marked unit multiple times and causing it to “completely lose control,” according to authorities Bryan is accused of aggravated flight and aggravated criminal damage to property in that case. His mistaken release comes a little over two months after 10 inmates ﬂed the Orleans Parish jail in the middle of the night, prompting increased scrutiny on the Sher-

‘SHE WOULD SAY, ‘I LOVE HIM. HE LOVES ME.’

Authorities allege boyfriend’s beating caused brain injuries that led to death

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

In the last months of her life, Kathleen Cook was a shadow of herself, no longer the gregarious and chatty mother of two who loved animals and never hesitated to strike up a conversation with a stranger, family said.

A vicious beating on Feb. 16 — at the hands of her boyfriend, authorities allege — and the resulting brain injury left the 53-year-old unable to walk, stand or hold conversation with loved ones.

“Her mind, she was like a very small child learning to do everything over again,” said Cook’s mother, Betty Murray, 74. Cook fought for four months

until her body gave out on June 9

iff’s Ofﬁce and Huston as she faces reelection.

One inmate, Derrick Groves, remains on the lam from the May 16 jailbreak.

Hutson, who has called the mass jail escape an inside job, apologized to the public, law enforcement partners and the courts for Friday’s mishap. She said the

Amazon to begin hiring for Slidell center

Facility’s opening expected in the fall

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

In its most deﬁnitive statement

yet on the opening date of its $40 million center in Slidell, Amazon says it plans to begin hiring this weekend with an anticipated opening sometime in the fall.

“We’re currently ramping up to open the facility sometime this fall with hiring slated to begin this weekend,” the company said in a statement Thursday Interested applicants should text NEWJOB to 31432 to sign up for mobile alerts. Amazon job information can be found at hiring. amazon.com.

Allie Payne, an Amazon communications employee, said facilities such as the one in Slidell, which the

Still grieving her loss, Cook’s parents and relatives now prepare to seek justice from Chad Ortolano, the man arrested and accused of taking her life. Despite signs of phy sical and emotional abuse in the relationship and pleas from her family, Cook wouldn’t leave Ortolano, according to her mother It’s a common pattern for domestic violence victims, experts say “I don’t know what hold this guy had,” Murray said. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Of-

“Her face was totally black and blue. There were bruises all over my daughter’s body Her face was so swollen.”

trouble waking her daughter two days after she had tripped over some boxes and hit her head.

BETTy MURRAy, mother of Kathleen Cook

ﬁce detectives arrested Ortolano, 35, on June 28, and booked him with second-degree murder in Cook’s death. He has not yet been formally charged in the case. Cook was first hospitalized Feb. 18 when Murray said she was called to the Apollo Drive apartment in Metairie that the couple shared. According to Sheriff’s Office reports, Ortolano told Murray he was having

But Murray and doctors at the hospital where Cook was taken for treatment said her injuries didn’t match Ortolano’s explanation, according to authorities.

“Her face was totally black and blue,” Murray said. “There were bruises all over my daughter’s body Her face was so swollen.”

Cook was breathing, but the sound was a raspy rattle, like a deep snore that Murray said she would later learn was due to blood in Cook’s airway

“I didn’t know my daughter was dying at the time,” she said.

council signs off on Lincoln Beach shoreline work Area would be rebuilt under partnership with UNO

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

The New Orleans City Council has signed off on a partnership with the University of New Orleans to rebuild the long-eroded shoreline at Lincoln Beach in New Orleans East, as part of a broader plan to restore the recreation space historically used by Black New Orleanians within two years. It will cost $1.5 million to restore the sandy beach that once

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Betty Murray, of Metairie, sits at her kitchen table beside a portrait of her daughter, Kathleen Cook, on Friday. Cook, 53, died four months after she was allegedly beaten by her boyfriend, Chad Ortolano.

Ortolano

Bryan ä See INMATE, page 3B ä See AMAZON, page 2B

Woman convicted in $12M fraud

Nurse practitioner scammed Medicare with cancer tests

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

A federal jury convicted a New Orleans nurse practitioner Thursday for her role in a $12.1 million Medicare fraud scheme involving cancer genetic tests ordered for hundreds of patients she never met or examined, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Scharmaine Lawson Baker, 58, was found guilty of six counts of health care fraud. According to the DOJ, Lawson Baker falsely diagnosed patients to justify unnecessary cancer genetic tests, including labeling male patients with cervical cancer She did not review the test results, even when they showed gene mutations

linked to increased cancer risk.

“Lawson Baker shamelessly exploited her medical license and the trust of vulnerable patients to enrich herself through a multimillion-dollar genetic testing fraud,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti. “The defendant peddled false promises of free cancer screenings while pocketing kickbacks for medically unnecessary tests.”

The tests, performed by patients with a cheek swab from a mail-in kit, screened for inherited gene mutations that may increase cancer risk.

From 2018 to 2019, Lawson Baker worked as an independent contractor for a company that claimed to provide telehealth services.

Of the more than $12 million in fraudulent claims submitted to Medicare, laboratories involved in the operation received over $1.5 million in payments. In exchange for signing the orders,

Lawson Baker accepted kickbacks from the company, which she later failed to disclose during bankruptcy proceedings.

Lawson Baker’s attorney Clarence Roby Jr., argued during trial that she earned only $20 per call as an independent contractor and had no role in billing Medicare, disputing the portrayal of her as orchestrating a multimillion-dollar scheme Roby did not return messages requesting comment.

The indictment and DOJ news release do not name the telehealth company, but defense ﬁlings reference Bronson Medical, a Utahbased ﬁrm listed on LinkedIn. Its website is no longer active. The DOJ did not answer questions about the company’s role.

Lawson Baker is also an author of a series of children’s books and guides for nurse practitioners starting their own practice.

Acting U.S. Attorney Michael M. Simpson for the Eastern District of Louisiana said the scheme did

more than drain taxpayer funds.

“Medicare fraud schemes such as these profoundly impact our society, not only because of the monetary loss sustained by our Medicare program, and the damages suffered by those who were victimized by the fraud, but also by the erosion of public trust in our institutions,” Simpson said.

The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Ofﬁce of Inspector General and the FBI. Trial attorneys Samantha Usher and Gary A. Crosby II, of the DOJ’s Fraud Section, along with Assistant U.S Attorney Nicholas D. Moses, of the Eastern District of Louisiana, prosecuted the case.

Lawson Baker faces up to 10 years in prison on each count and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov 19.

Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate.com.

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

A 20-year-old man was in critical condition following a shooting in Slidell late Thursday night, authorities said.

Slidell police said officers responded to reports of a shooting in the 3900 block of Berkley Street just before 11 p.m. Thursday They found the victim in the front seat of a vehicle suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, police said. The victim was transported to an area hospital, where he remained Friday

The Police Department said Friday in a news release that detectives are investigating to determine a motive and identify a suspect or suspects. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact the Slidell Police Department at (985) 643-3131.

Slidell political consultant sentenced to 46 months

Joseph West accused of defrauding candidate, residents

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

A federal judge has handed down a 46-month prison sentence to a Slidell political consultant who had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud by defrauding a political candidate and four residents out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

U.S. District Judge Barry W. Ashe also ordered Joseph Harold

COOK

Continued from page 1B

Ortolano tried to explain away the bruises and bite marks, telling Murray they were due to rough sex, according to authorities.

But physicians later told Sheriff’s Ofﬁce investigators that Cook was suffering from a facial fracture, multiple brain bleeds, fractured ribs and bruises that were in various stages of healing, indicating old and new injuries, authorities said.

Cook remained hospitalized at University Medical Center in New Orleans for more than two months.

The ﬁrst few weeks were touchand-go. Cook couldn’t breathe on her own, and relatives weren’t sure if she would survive.

“In the beginning, I stayed 24 hours a day I never left her side,” Murray said. An autopsy determined she died of a traumatic brain injury, according to the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Ofﬁce.

‘I love him’

Cook, the eldest of Betty and Ed Murray’s three children, was born in Harahan and raised in Metairie.

She attended Grace King High School and married, becoming a stay-at-home mother and raising two boys.

Cook divorced after 22 years and moved on with her life, Murray said.

“She always knew she had her family here for her She never wanted us to worry about anything,” Murray said.

Cook met Ortolano about four years ago while the two were working at the same grocery store. He didn’t seem so bad at ﬁrst, according to Murray But problems began to surface. He seemed con-

AMAZON

Continued from page 1B

company calls delivery stations generally employ between 100 and 200 people, not including delivery drivers.

An Amazon spokesperson had previously said the company generally ramps up hiring 30-60 days before the facility will be operational. The starting hourly wage at the Slidell Amazon delivery station is $18.50. Beneﬁts for full-time hourly employees include health, vision and dental insurance, a 401(k) with 50% company match and up to 20 weeks of paid parental leave, according to the company

“We’re so encouraged,” said Chris Masingill, CEO of the St. Tammany Economic Development

West Jr. a St. Tammany Parish resident, to pay $446,302 to the victims, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Ofﬁce in New Orleans. The news release and court documents did not identify the political candidate West defrauded, but a court document and other documents suggest the candidate was former New Orleans Congressman Anh “Joseph” Cao, who ran for a seat on the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals in 2022. A document filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to provide the factual basis for West’s guilty plea says that West defrauded the candidate’s 2022 campaign of

$13,839.

West introduced himself to the candidate, who was running for the appeals court position, as “AJ ‘Joseph’ Bruno.” Relying on false “polling data,” West encouraged the candidate to run and to use West’s consulting services. The candidate gave West a $1,850 check for a campaign poll, according to court documents.

West also told the candidate he had secured the endorsement of a fake organization called the New Orleans Voter Education League, according to court documents.

Working with a partner, Charles Campbell, West used the fake organization to ﬁnancially defraud

trolling, she said Cook’s adult sons lived with the couple for a time and saw Ortolano verbally and physically abuse their mother, according to Murray The boys would make him leave the residence. But Ortolano always returned, insisting that it was his home, too, Murray said.

Cook began wearing longsleeved clothing, her mother said, to hide bruises. She lost her job because of frequent missed days due to illness.

“I found out later it was from injuries that she was hiding,” Mur-

Corp. “We know they’re getting close to being operational.”

The exterior of the 140,000-square-foot center on Town Center Parkway near Old Spanish Trail has been complete for several years. In February, a company spokesperson said work had started inside the building on features like conveyors and racks.

When the Amazon center would ﬁnally come online has been a topic of elected leaders and economic development-types across St Tammany for the past couple of years. Amazon announced the Slidell facility in 2021, with an initial opening date targeted for 2022. That was pushed back several times, though Slidell officials often praised the company for maintaining the facility and surrounding grounds. Once opened, the Slidell delivery station will add to the

retail giant’s footprint across Louisiana.

ray said.

Cook smiled less. Neighbors at the Apollo Drive apartment complex told investigators they heard constant ﬁghting coming from the couple’s apartment, according to authorities.

“We saw her going backward when she was with him,” Murray said. “She was just not that happy person anymore.”

Ortolano was arrested and booked with domestic abuse battery against Cook in December 2023. But she dropped the charges, Murray said. Cook’s family begged

the candidate’s campaign. Campbell has pending charges against him for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, according to the federal court docket. He is set to be rearraigned in August, according to Shane Jones, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Ofﬁce. Efforts to reach Campbell’s and West’s attorneys were not successful.

In 2013, West was accused of stealing $5,600 from a candidate for the Jefferson Parish Juvenile Court bench but was never prosecuted.

West was also sentenced for defrauding four Louisiana residents.

In one scheme, West and Camp-

“We saw her going backward when she was with him She was just not that happy person anymore.”

BETTy

MURRAy, mother of Kathleen Cook

her to leave Ortolano.

“She would say, ‘I love him. He loves me,” recalled Murray, who at some point began simply praying, afraid that if she pressed too hard, her daughter would halt contact.

“We had so many warning signs, but there was nothing we could do,” Murray said.

Lethal situation

The Sheriff’s Office arrested Ortolano on March 6 and booked him with second-degree battery in connection with Cook’s beating, according to an arrest report But he was free on a $100,000 bond when the Jefferson Parish District Attorney’s Ofﬁce refused the charge on May 7.

The District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on the case because it’s part of an open investigation.

By May, Cook was at a rehabilitation facility She’d regained consciousness, but still couldn’t breathe on her own, had limited movement and difﬁculty communicating. Cook could form two-tothree word sentences that Murray understood through lip reading.

“You had to know our daughter the way that she was. She was fun-loving, outgoing and strongwilled,” said Murray, who would often come home, curl into the fetal position and cry Cook’s death was unexpected, Murray said, calling it a hole in her heart that will never heal. She said she is angry but more hurt than anything else.

“(Chad) had a hold on her, and he

bell pretended to provide real estate services to a New Orleans resident, offering the resident the opportunity to obtain an economic development grant from the state of Mississippi. The grant was fake, according to a court document, which said they defrauded the resident out of $236,867. West and Campbell also pretended to be a legal team that could assist a Slidell resident who had pending criminal charges, according to court documents West defrauded the individual and their relative of $112,328, including by requiring a retainer for their services and offering to help bail out the individual.

would not let her go, and I had no idea to what extent,” Murray said. Ortolano was arrested at least twice before Cook’s death. But instances of domestic violence often start small and slowly escalate over time, according to Rebecca Rainey, program director for the Metro Centers for Community Advocacy, which provides support and services to survivors of domestic violence in the New Orleans area.

“This was a very lethal situation,” she said.

Victims in similar circumstances may be hesitant to reach out for help or to leave. But sometimes, all it takes is a phone call, Rainey said.

“We have shelter, but we also have counseling,” she said.

“If you don’t feel comfortable coming in, we can set up a phone session and schedule it at a safe time to call.”

The organization also has a free, full-time staff attorney to help with restraining orders, divorce matters, custody questions and navigating the legal system, according to Rainey

“You don’t have to commit to anything, just talk to people on the phone. We’re open 24 hours,” she said.

Murray hopes to keep her daughter’s memory alive while the family ﬁghts to bring her accused killer to justice.

“I pray her story helps get at least one person out of this domestic situation and saves them and their family from burying their daughter like we had to do,” Murray said.

Victims of domestic violence can call the Metro Centers for Community Advocacy 24-hour Crisis Hotline at (504) 837-5400 or toll-free at (888) 411-1333.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

company has said. And another Amazon facility, in Shreveport, employs more than 1,300 people. The facilities in Baton Rouge and Shreveport are the company’s large “fulfillment centers.” The center in Slidell will be somewhat smaller and is often referred to as a “last-stop center” because

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Betty Murray, on the death of her daughter Kathleen Cook, said, ‘I pray her story helps get at least one person out of this domestic situation and saves them and their family from burying their daughter like we had to do.

STAFF PHOTO By BOB WARREN

Amazon’s Slidell facility announced it will begin hiring this weekend and plans to open this fall.

Cyclistkilledby18-wheeleronSt. Claude,policesay

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

Acyclist waskilled Thursday afternoon afterbeing hit by an 18-wheeler on St. Claude Avenue, according to the New Orleans Police Department. Emergency medical services pronounced the 65-year-old man dead at the scenenear theintersection of St.Claudeand Franklin avenues, police said. The crash was reportedat around 4:35 p.m.

NOPD public informa-

tion ofﬁcer Karen Boudrie confirmed the 18-wheeler was traveling westbound on St. Claude and making aright turn on Franklin Avenue when the man was killed. Police said the driver made acomplete stop before turning, but the cyclist had veered into his blind spot

The driver called 911, remained on the scene and spoke to authorities, Boudrie said.

Trafﬁc fatality investigators were working to determine the exact circumstancesofthe collisionas

witnesses andbystanders, including New OrleansRTA representatives,gathered at the busy intersection.The victim was pinned beneath

the rear passenger side wheels of the6,500-gallon liquid tanker trailer,his bicycle mangled and broken in half on the sidewalk.

“I saw the (firedepartment) actively trying to lift the truck. At that moment, theyweren’tsure if the person was alive,”said Toeni

bicycle is examined ThursdaybyNOPD in New

Hudson, an attorney visiting from Baton Rouge. “Then they put the sheet over the scene and the chaplain came. It just sucks. Younever know whenyour life will change in the blink of an eye.”

Several blocks along St. Claude were closed to vehicle trafﬁc while the investigation continued, including intersections at Port,Ferdinand,Marigny,Music and Marais streets.

WWIhero’snamewillbeonExchange

William Johnson’s nameremoved from fort afterreversal

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

The fort will no longer be named after Sgt. William HenryJohnson. Instead, abuildingwillbearhis name. Weeksafter FortJohnson became Fort Polk once again,a major building at the fort in Vernon Parish was named afterJohnson, aBlack World WarIhero.

and

The New Orleans coroner will releasethe man’sidentity pending notiﬁcation of loved ones. He is the second cyclist killed on St. Claude Avenue in as many weeks. On July 12, award-winning bartender Michael Milam, 36, was killedina hit-andrun while riding home from workonSt. Claude at Alvar Street. Police did not immediately release moreinformation.

INMATE

Continued from page1B

Johnson in another way.The Exchange is amall, aspokesperson said, with stores and afood court.

“I’m very happywiththe leadership and the staff at …Fort Polk,” Johnson’sgranddaughter Tara Johnson said by phone Friday,pausing before the fort’sname. “That’s kind of still hard formetosay

“After removing him from the installation, Ican’t think of abetter place for him to be.”

When something is takenfrom you, “it’s nota good feeling,” she continued. But at the renaming ceremony in 2023, the staff “made us feel part of the family,” afeeling that continues today,she said. “And Ithank them forthat.”

“The Exchange is the heart of our installation —a place where soldiers, families,retirees and veterans gather,” Fort Polk leaders posted on Facebook after the Thursday ceremony.“It now stands asa daily reminder of Sgt. Johnson’slegacy: service before self and unwavering commitment to those besideyou.” Johnson, amemberofthe 369th Infantry Regiment, known as the “Harlem Hellfighters,” was posthumously awarded aPurpleHeart

PROVIDEDByU.S.ARMy JRTC AND FORT POLK

At aceremonythis week, FortPolk honored its former namesake, Sgt. William HenryJohnson, aBlack hero of WorldWar I.

in 1996, theDistinguished Service Cross in 2002 and the MedalofHonor in 2015. Twoyears after the state’slargest military installation shed its Confederatenamesake and honored Johnson instead, President Donald

Swamppop musician dies

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Tommy McLain, one ofLouisiana’sswamp pop pioneers, has died. He started playing at the vanguard of the genre in the 1950s, when Louisiana musicians like Abbeville’sWarren Storm andRayne’s Johnnie Allen helped create astyle that incorporated country,R&B and the traditional sounds of Louisiana French music. According to astatement prepared by his family,McLaindied Thursday at the age of 85. “He was abeloved father,grandfather and friend.Hewill be deeply missed, but the music he madewill live on in the hearts andminds of his fans, friendsand family.Itwill be his legacy.” McLain was born in Jonesville in Catahoula Parish, andinthe 1950s and ’60s, he was amember of countrybandThe Vel-Tonesand Cajun

swamp pop and soul group The BoogieKings. McLain’sbiggest single, country ballad “Sweet Dreams” by songwriter Don Gibson, hit theNo. 15 spot on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary charts in 1966.

Swamp pop’spopularitydeclined in the 1960s, but it has retained a strong fan base, particularly as Cajunand zydeco musicians have found success in marketing theregion’ssounds.Lafayette musicians Zachary Richardand C.C. Adcock are two of the best-known swamp pop-inﬂuenced players today,and McLain and Adcock played togetherontours around theworld —most recently in aperformance at House of BluesNew Orleans in May.

Elvis Costello was one of McLain’s fans. The pair began recording and playingtogetherafter they metin New Orleansin2010, and electriﬁedaudienceswhen McLain joined Costello’sperformance at theNew

Lincoln Beach ultimately expanded along the shoreline, to include swimming pools,arestaurant andsocial gathering spacesbeforeits closure.

Trump announced the reversal of several base names changed across the country.But now, the old name refers to anew person: Gen. James H. Polk, awarded the Silver Star for hisWorld WarIIservice.

But officials pledged to honor

Founded in the early 1940s,the fortoriginally bore the name of Leonidas Polk, aConfederate general, slaveowner andLouisiana’s ﬁrst Episcopal bishop. The name change in 2023 was part of abroader effort, required by theNational Defense Authorization Act of 2021, to remove the namesofConfederates from militaryfacilities. But the Trump administrationhas worked to reverse those changes. To getaround the law,anew batch of people with the samelast names as the original Confederates are honored.

OrleansJazz &Heritage Festival in 2022. McLain’scareer spanned 70 years, and much of his accolades andnotoriety came later in life. He was inducted into the Louisiana

Music Hall of Fame in 2007,and in 2022, at theage of 82, he released thealbum “I Ran Down Every Dream,” which featured musical heavyweights like Costello,Warren Storm andLouisiana’sSteve Riley

victimsofBryan’salleged crimes have been notiﬁed. The precise time of Bryan’sdischarge from Orleans Justice Center is under investigation, said Hutson, whohas launched an internal investigation.

“This should not have happened. It wasafailure of the internal processes, and the public has every right to expect better,” Hutson said at amedia brieﬁng alongside NewOrleans Police DepartmentSuperintendent Anne Kirkpatrick,whose Violent Offender Warrant Squad is spearheading the manhunt.

“You are afugitive. I’m going to ask that you turn yourself in,” Kirkpatrick said, addressing Bryan. “You —and others whomay be harboring him at this moment —willbesubject to prosecution.”

Whether Bryan faces additional charges for his erroneousrelease will be up to OrleansParish District Attorney Jason Williams’ office, Kirkpatrick said. In astatement, Williams describedthe incident as “deeply troubling,” saying it happenedwhensomeone posted bail for adifferent detainee and deputies discharged Bryan instead. Williamsissupporting former NOPD captain Michelle Woodfork in acrowded field of five candidates seeking to unseat Hutson,who blamed humanerrorfor Friday’s gaffe Bryanisfacing charges of illegalpossessionofstolen property,possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer.Hewas also beingheldona $100,000 bench warrant forfailing to appear last year on charges of aggravated assaultwitha firearm, domestic abuse child endangerment, homeinvasion and possession of afirearm by afelon, in addition to the warrant out of Jefferson Parish, according to records. NOLA Ready, the city’s emergency alert system, sent out amessage to residents saying amanhunt for Bryan was underway.Officials are asking anyone with information about Bryan’s whereabouts to call 911. John Simerman contributed to this report.

Lake Pontchartrain Basin Restoration Program, which is backed by the Environmental Protection Agency

That cash is one piece of a$26 million plan to redevelop 26 acres of beach and brush at the site, which closed in 1964 after public spaces were desegregated per federal law in New Orleans and the formerly White-only Pontchartrain Beach in Gentilly became open to all comers.

The man-made New OrleansEast beach ﬁrstopened in 1939 as asmall beach andamusement park for Black residents legally barred from accessing Pontchartrain Beach which opened the same year

Historic and current aerial footageshows thatthe original sand placedonthe beach in 1939 has disintegrated into the lake over the last several decades, because of the daily tide of water,stormsurge and hurricanes, according to project documents.

New protection efforts would see rock barriers added alongthe lake to absorb waves and minimizeerosion. Where feasible, crews might create living shorelines, which aremadeofnatural materials like plants or oyster shells.

Restoring the shorelineispart of theﬁrst round ofprojectsplanned over thenexttwo years that would allowthe beach to safely reopen to

thepublic in 2027. “One thing we’ve heard alot from the public is theyjust want the beach open. They want asimple beach. Ithink that’sthe focus of phase one,” said Greg Nichols of the city’sOfﬁce of Resilience and Sustainabilityearlier this year

The project team also plans to break ground on anew parking lot, boardwalk rehabilitation and a$4 million pedestrian bridge over the former Hayne Boulevard, which city ofﬁcials recently renamed Lincoln Beach Boulevard. Earlier reopening timelines pegged asummer 2025 “quick open,” which would have bypassed the access bridge temporarily to draina ﬂooded accesstunnelbelow therailroad tracks that served as the main entry point during the beach’sheyday

Butaccording to formercity project manager Cheryn Robles, reopening delays were partly due to alengthy federal approval process to accessfederal grants. The U.S.Departmentofthe Treasury approved $4 millioninRESTORE Act funding in April, whichwill go towardremoving the beach’soriginal concrete waterfrontstructures.

The Department of Housing and Development also approved $4 millionsecured by U.S. Rep.TroyCarter,D-New Orleans, that will cover thenew access bridge.

“After 10 years of discussion, we’ve accepted the federal funding to go along with the master plan.

If that’snot advancement, Idon’t know what is,” said District EcouncilmemberOliverThomas,who is on the ticket forNew Orleans mayor this election cycle.

PHOTO

STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER

Investigators withthe NewOrleans Police Departmentexaminethe scene of atrafficfatality at the intersection of St.Claude and Franklin avenues in NewOrleans on Thursday.A cyclist washit by an 18-wheeler and died.

Abent

Orleans after the rider was hitbyan18-wheeler

died.

STAFF FILE PHOTOByCHRISGRANGER

Elvis Costello, left, singswith guest performer Tommy McLain, right, on the Gentilly Stageatthe NewOrleans Jazz &HeritageFestival in 2022.

Johnson

Canovsky,Helene Gansar,Annette Hendon, Tonya

Jaubert II, James Lohman Jr., Clifford

Mather,Frances

Richards,Jon EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Canovsky,Helene

Richards,Jon

NewOrleans

Lake Lawn Metairie

Gansar,Annette St Tammany

EJ Fielding

Hendon, Tonya West Bank

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Lohman Jr., Clifford

Obituaries

Canovsky,Helene Judy Cooperman

Helene Judy Cooperman Canovsky, avibrant and unforgettable soul,passed awayonJuly20, 2025,at Touro Inﬁrmary. Born in Brooklyn, NewYork, Helene madeher home in theNew Orleans metroarea, includ‐ing Folsom,Louisiana—for the past 45 years. Sheis lovinglysurvivedbyher brother,Garth Cooperman (Elaine), nephewsSam and OliverCooperman, andher cherished grandnephews, Clifford andLincoln Coop‐erman.She also leaves be‐hindher devotedcompan‐ion of 17 years, Mike Mar‐quez. Helene hada diverse and dynamiccareer.She began workingalongside her father in themarine supplybusinessbefore movingintorealestate, working with Latter &Blum and SissyWoodRealtors. Later,she broughther warmpresenceand energy toThe GapinMetairie. After HurricaneKatrina she continuedwithThe Gap andBananaRepublic inPanamaCity, Florida, until shecould return to the NewOrleans area she loved so much.Toknow Helenewas to remember her—she hada magnetic personality,anextraordi‐narymemory, anda boundless capacity forem‐pathy andkindness. Her compassiontouched the lives of allwho crossedher path. Apassionateanimal lover,fromdogs,cats, and rabbits to thewildfox squirrels that shecared for while living in Folsom.But noneweremorebeloved thanher threecherished dogs:Chubb, Clotilde,and Eloise, whoweretruly her babies. Amemorialservice willbeannounced at a later date.Tooffer the familyonlinecondolences, pleasevisit,www.gardeno fmemoriesmetairie.com

motherofMorgan LaCombe Young (Jesse Schillesci Young), Ashton GansarCollins (Daniel Michael Collins), Evan Taylor LaCombe (Jennifer Lark LaCombe), Brittany GansarMcCarty (Ryan Michael McCarty), Cory Alison Gansar, Graham Sampite Gansar, and Griffin Forbes Gansar, greatgrandmother of Eli Landon Young, Blake Taylor Young, Hunter Reid LaCombe, HarperDel McCarty,GraydonHerbert Collins, and Jace Daniel McCarty.Annette was born in Houston, Texas,the daughter of Floraand Harold "Harry"Solomon, sister of the late Lois SolomonSchultz (Ben Shultz), the late Doris Solomon Steinberg(Calvin Steinberg), andthe late Sylvia Solomon Isenberg (Lou Isenberg). Mrs. Gansarwas agraduate of SanJacinto High School in Houston, Texas and worked in NewOrleans as an Avon Lady and secretaryatOffsetPrinting Company, and asalespersonfor the Foley DepartmentStorein Houston. She served as president of the Bridgedale ElementarySchoolCoop Club, Den MotherofCub ScoutTroop 227 Den 10, and she was active in the Gates of Prayer Temple Sisterhoodaswellasthe New Orleanschapterof B'naiB'rith. Duringher life, herpassions included sewing,cooking, gardening,watching Judge Judy and caring forher dogs and birds. Relatives and friends areinvited to attend the funeral services at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 PontchartrainBoulevard, NewOrleans Sunday,July 27th. Visitationwill begin at 9:00 AM followed by servicesat10:00.Interment willfollow in Gates of Prayer Cemetery, 1428 Joseph Street, NewOrleans at 11:30 AM. Inlieu of flowers, please considera donation in honorofAnnette to the Gates of Prayer Rabbi'sDiscretionary Fund, the Jewish Children's Regional Service (www.jcrs.org),orthe AnimalRescueofNew Orleans. To view and sign the family guestbook, please visitwww.lakelawn metairie.com. The family wouldliketoexpresstheir gratitude forthe special care,compassion, and companionship provided by the dedicatedstaff of Notre Dame Hospice, and caregivers Que Henderson, Charmain Carter, andNell Little

Hendon,Tonya

Anne Satterﬁeld

TonyaAnne Satterﬁeld

HendonofMandeville, Louisiana,transitioned fromthisworld on Monday July21, 2025, at 59 yearsof age.She went outthe sameway she livedher life, with abig partysur‐rounded by everyone she loved.Tonya wasa forceof nature. Adaughter, wife, mother, artist—inall things, shewas pure magic.Her contagious,vi‐vacious,lovingspiritwas feltbyevery person who encountered herthrough‐out herlife. Shewas acap‐tivating, bright lightina world on fire.From small townIndianola,Missis‐sippi,tobig city Chicago, downtoher favorite place inthe world, NewOrleans, she found peaceinthe re‐lationshipshe builtwith eachspace.A MardiGras fanatic,a Hallmark Movie marathoner, asurrealist artistjunkie,she was everythinganyonecould hopetobe. Even in hard‐ship, thepositivityofher outlook radiated through eachpersonwho came in contact with her. Shewas her owngalaxy, holding and encompassing every‐one in hergrace andun‐derstanding.She lovedher life, herpeople, andmore thananything, herhus‐band, Michael, whomshe was able to spend41spellbinding yearswith. She saidfromthe firstmoment she sawhim,hewas hers andshe livedher life that way fiercely protective and loyalinher love of her family. Hermother, Sandra Satterfield, gave birthto beautiful twin girls, and Tonya andRobyn were bound in that twin way; bestfriends,confidantes and road trip partners—to‐gether,their laughter

couldspanlifetimes.Tonya and Michael, in their younger days,helpedraise a trio of boys—her stepson, Heath,whomshe loved whollyand completely as her own—andall of the cousins;a wild bunchin the even wilder 1980s Later,theywould have two girls,Tonya’s best friends fromthe moment they wereborn. Shereferredto themasthe ThreeGraces, a trio unable to be sepa‐rated,a lifeline foreach other.She wastheir matri‐arch, with guidance,tough lovewhentheyneeded it, but mostly just warm,soft, nurturing.Her life wasded‐icatedtothe beauty of the world around her, and whatshe dreamedwith her vast imagination. She was an artteacher for32 years andbelievedwholeheartedly in everyone’s ability to become an artist She lovedher students,her job andthe abilityto spreadjoy andunder‐standingwithartwork.She becamea Mimi to three beautiful baby boys,Bodhi (3),Wylie (1), andOlen(7 months),and herlovefor her grandchildrenwas ar‐guablyevenmoreexpan‐sivethanher love forher children. From outfits to slingshots, dinosaursto cowboys,she wasalways focused on whatshe could dofor them.She didthat for everyone—a constant giver,a quiet, steadfast force of encouragement, support,and caregiving She didnot believein death,onlyintransitioning fromthislifetoone more perfect,freefrompainand a placefullofjoy,light and love. Shewillalwaysbe everywhere;there is no place fordeath with asoul asferocious andunending ashers. Shewas preceded indeath by herown best friend, hermother, Sandra ElaineRungeSatterfield, her father,MiltonAlfred Satterfield, anda nephew whomshe is so lovingly re‐unitedwith, Christopher Milam.She leaves behind her soul mate-Michael,her beautiful twin sister, Robyn Downs (Gary) a stepson sheloved as her veryown, HeathHendon (Megan) twodaughters she livedfor,MaryEliza‐bethHendon-Maricle (Jacob) andAlexGracen Hendon-Godbold(Russ) and ahostofniecesand nephews of whomshe loved fiercely.She loved her life so completely that inher finaldays, shesaid sooverand over:“best life ever.”Ifanyonewas to makedying look beautiful, itwas Tonya. Therewas no fear, only aquiet beauty, and herfamilystood in reverence at herstrength. The only requestshe had was to be cremated in a braceletshe wore fortwo longyears as shebattled A rallying cryand so com‐pletely,laughably her: “F cancer.”There will be a celebration of life at E.J FieldingFuneralHome, 2260 West 21st Avenue Covington,Louisiana at 1 p.m.onJuly30, 2025, anda secondinher hometown of Indianola, Mississippi at 1 p.m.onAugust2nd at Bur‐ton FuneralHome. In lieu of flowers, thefamilywould likedonations to be made tothe OvarianCancerRe‐searchAllianceinhonor of Tonya’s memory.https:// tribute.ocrahope.org/ tonyahendonE.J.Fielding FuneralHomehas been en‐trusted with funeral arrangements. TheHendon familyinvites youtoshare thoughts, fondestmemo‐ries, andcondolences on‐lineatE.J.FieldingFuneral HomeGuest Book at www ejfieldingfh.com

II, James Joseph 'Jim'

Funeral services will be held on August 1, 2025 at a 2:00 PM Service in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille in Lafayette for JamesJoseph Jaubert, II, age84, SonofHelen Oliver Battaile Jaubert and James JosephJaubert, Sr.,who passed away on Thursday, July17, 2025 at BaylorScott &White Medical Center in Temple,Texas. Entombment willbe held in Calvary Cemetery in Lafayette. The family requestsvisitation be observed on Thursday July312025, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM and will continue Friday August 1, 2025 from 11:00 AM until time of services View theobituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com. In lieu of flowers,please make donations to The

Dementia Society of America Donate,www.dem entiasociety.org/donate Martin &Castille FuneralHomeDOWNTOWN, 330 St. Landry Street,Lafayette, Louisiana70506, 337-2342311

Lohman Jr., Clifford James'Mike'

It is with heavyhearts thatweannouncethe passing of Clifford “Mike” James Lohman,Jr.,age 78, who departed this life sur‐rounded by hislovingfam‐ily after acourageousbat‐tle with Alzheimer’sdis‐ease. Belovedhusband of 59years to Rita Lauman Lohman. Loving father of Michael Lohman (Beth), DanielLohmanSr. (Jen), GaryLohmanSr.,and Lori Tompson.Devoted grand‐fathertoEmily,Elena DanielJr.,Jacob,Joshua, Madison,GaryJr.,Gavin and Caroline Lohman Brayden andAvery Tomp‐son,and agreat-grand‐daughterdue in December Son of thelateClifford and Mamie Cuny Lohman Brother of CarolynMassey. Brother-in-lawtoMinaLau‐man (lateClinton),Irene Lacombe (lateForest),and Carol Lauman Phillips.A nativeofGretna, he served inthe United States Army and laterjoinedthe New Orleans Fire Department, where he retiredasa Cap‐tainafter 34 yearsofser‐vice. He enjoyedspending timewithhis family, hunt‐ing ﬁshing, anddancing Hewas amemberofthe BacktoFifties DanceClub and theGood TimesJa‐maica DanceClub. The familywould like to ex‐press theirgratitude to TraditionsHealthHospice staff, especially Aricia and Karen,for theircareand compassionduringthisdif‐ﬁcult time.Familyand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe visitation at Mothe FuneralHome, 2100 WestbankExpressway, Harvey, LA 70058 on Mon‐day,July28, 2025, from 9:00

11:00 a.m. with serviceto follow. In lieu of ﬂowers, the familykindlyrequests donations to be made to the Alzheimer'sAssocia‐tioninhis memory

Mather, Frances J.

Dr.Frances JMather (nee McGirr) 1937-2025

Frances Mather, beloved mother to Mona (Kevin Kuss)passed away on June 17, 2025 in Metairie, LA. She wasbornin Marwayne, Alberta, Canada in 1937 to D. Grace &Francis McGirr. She moved to Edmontonatan early ageand completed a BSc in Mining Engineering at the University of Alberta. She metAlan Mather at University and married whichbegat Mona, her beloved daughter. She continued her educationearning an MS in Mathematical Statistics fromUniversityof Michigan, applying forpermanent US resident status Afteran'amicable' divorce, moved to New Orleans with Monaand finally earned her PhD in Biostatistics from Tulane University.Education was of immense importance in her family,and shecontinued to supportstudents around the world, financially but more so mentoringtomany over the40+ years throughher role as ProfessoratTulane University in theSchool of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Biostat &Epi departments. She also served as theDirectorof Academic Information Systems.

She lived in New Orleans forover 50 years and considered it home, enjoying theunique NOLA lifestyle and foods.She wasa great fanofthe JazzFestGospel tent, chargrilled oysters and not so much the everlastingroadconstruction She wasfirst to open her hometovisitorsand students, anyone whoneeded

aplace to stay waswelcome. Herparties were legendaryaswas theclean -up, but everyone came and"passeda good time." Shewas one of the first women in Mining Engineeringinthe 50's, she marchedfor Women for Peace in the 60's (to her ex's chagrin), she bought a house(even as adivorcee, gasp!)inthe 70's, another milestonefor women. The successive yearswere punctuated with teaching, grants, mentoring, and traveling

Thelast several years were difficulthealth-wise yet shecontinued to be graciousand giving. She wasa strong, formidable person yet woulddropeverything if astudent needed assistance,orfor anyone who needed help Through allthe ups and downs of life,she weathered graciously.She was upbeat, looking forthe next adventure,how to helpsomeoneelse, paying forwardher fortunes. Shouldyou wish to send amemorial, Iknow she wouldbepleased if donationsweresentto: FrancesJ.Mather,PhD Technology Enhancement Fund Tulane University Celia Scott Weatherhead School of Public Health and TropicalMedicine PO Box 669394 Dallas, TX 75266-9394 https://giving.tulane.ed u/s/1586/Giving/16/interio r.aspx?sid=1586&gid=2&pg id=4678

(Please indicatethatthe gift is in memoryof FrancesMather, PhD by fully completing thetop section of the onlinegiving form,orbyincludinga noteorwritinga memo on your mailedcheck.)

JonAnthony Richards, known to friendsas“Tony,” passedawayunexpectedly atEastJefferson General HospitalonJuly20, 2025, froma cardiaccondition at age 65. Hisfamilyand friends attended to him duringhis briefillness and werewithhim untilthe end.Tonywas born in Bal‐timore, Maryland and raisedoverseas; as he and his siblings traveled with his parents, thelateFrank and DorothyRichards, to numerousworklocations inthe oil fields including Venezuela,Saudi Arabia and Lebanon. As aboy,he enjoyed scubadivingand spear fishinginthe Persian Gulfaswellasvoyaging acrossthe desert with his parents in theirLandRover lookingfor fossils andar‐chaeologicalremains When Lebanonbecameun‐safe duetothe Lebanese Civil War, hisparents sent him back to theUnited Statestostudy at Admiral FarragutAcademy and BoardingSchool.Upon graduatinghighschool, he attended theUnitedStates MilitaryAcademy at West Point.After hissecond yearatWestPoint,he transferred to theUniver‐sityofMissouri-Rollato finish hisundergraduate degreeincivil engineering in1981. He then became a licensedprofessionalcivil engineer in 1986 and earneda Master of Busi‐nessAdministrationfrom LoyolaUniversityofNew Orleans in 1989. Tony wasa man of wisdom,kindness, and possesseda calm presence. Though acivil engineer by degree, Tony spent most of hiscareer as a petroleumengineer,solv‐ing problems with integrity and precision. He worked for both largeoil compa‐niessuchasExxon as well assmaller companieslike Century Exploration and Cantium LLCasa reservoir engineer andmanager Tony, puttinghis wife and children first, always chose tostayinMetairietokeep his familytogether and stableratherthantransfer‐ringfromlocationtoloca‐tion. He wasa member of theSociety of Petroleum

Engineersfor 40 years, holding keyleadership roles from 1993 to 2025, in‐cluding Chairperson, Direc‐tor,Officer, Treasurer, and various committeechair positions.AthomeTony was an exceptionalhus‐band, providingemotional support andtendernessfor Debra,his wife of 35 years, aswellasbeing aterrific providerfor thehousehold Alwaysbringing flowers and gifts, Tony wasthe ul‐timateromantichusband: One anniversaryheor‐dered flowersfor every month of that year,and an‐other time he gifted so manybouquetsatonce thatthe dining room table overflowed with flowers. Hewas hiswife’sbest friendand theloveofher life. Tony wasa wonderful rolemodel,mentor, and the best possiblefatherfor his twosons. He wasal‐waysatevery school, sport,orextracurricular activitywiththe boys.Tony arrangedfor scuba, horse‐backriding, and flight lessons forthe boys.Ad‐venturous andcurious by nature, he broughtthe boysand thefamilyon dayslongwildernesshikes intothe WyomingMoun‐tains.Hemeticulously plannedout overseavaca‐tions to variouscapital citiesofthe world. Whetherhewas walking World WarI battlefields or the Golden Gate on the Walls of Constantinople in Istanbul,Turkey, he would of course—visit every possiblemuseum. With his linguisticabilitiesinEng‐lish, French,and Arabic and hisear forother lan‐guages, he wasableto pickupthe dialectwher‐everhewas.FromSpanish toTurkish,hecould com‐municateineachlanguage and form aconnection withthe native speakers Anavidreaderwithanen‐cyclopedia-likememory, he was well-versed on histori‐cal topics from Sumer, Mesopotamia,and Rome to the wars andeventsofthe nineteenth andtwentieth centuries as well as many other subjects such as mil‐itary strategy,archeology, and leadership.Healso had thehonor of lecturing onthe historyofthe First World WaratTulaneUni‐versity as well as at other institutions. In addition Tonyhad authored thehis‐torical biographyA Lucky Man andHis ThreeWars: FromFrancetoMurmansk about Ivan Claude Mont‐fordand the1st Battalion RifleBrigade.Jon Anthony “Tony”Richardsissurvived byhis wife,Debra Kesler Richards; hissons, Jon Patrick Richards and Matthew (Caroline) Kesler Richards; hissister, Carol (Nedret)Karan;and his brother,StevenRichards. A truerenaissance man, his legacyisthe kindness and lovewhich he hasleftbe‐hind. Tony's services will beheldTuesday,July29, 2025. Visitation begins at 10:30 a.m. andcontinues until 12:30 p.m. with thefu‐neral Mass also starting at 12:30 p.m. Thevisitation and funeralare to be held atSt. ChristopherChurch: 3900 Derbigny St,Metairie, LA70001. DonationstoJe‐suitHighSchool of NewOr‐leans or ahospitalofyour choiceinTony'snameare requested in lieu of flow‐ers.Toofferthe familyon‐linecondolences,send flowerstothe familyor plant atreeinmemoryof Jon “Tony” Anthony Richards, please visit, www.gardenofmemorie smetairie.com.

Richards,Jon Anthony'Tony'

Jaubert

Gansar, Annette Solomon

Annette Gansar, age 91, passed awayfrom natural causes on Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at her home in Metairie, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 63 years, Herbert Gansar. She was the devoted mother of Dr. Gary Fishel Gansar (Corinne Sampite Gansar), Debbie Gansar LaCombe (Robert LaCombe), and Gregory Gansar. She was the former mother-in-law of Stacey Gansar, grand-

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Britain, India seal trade agreement

LONDON The prime ministers of Britain and India sealed a hard-wrought trade agreement on Thursday that will slash tariffs on products including Scotch whisky and English gin shipped to India and Indian food and spices sent to the U.K.

Keir Starmer and Narendra Modi met at Chequers, the British leader’s ofﬁcial country residence outside London where the U.K. and Indian trade ministers, Jonathan Reynolds and Piyush Goyal, formally signed the agreement

Starmer said it was “the biggest and most economically signiﬁcant trade deal” Britain has made since leaving the European Union in 2020.

Modi said it was “a historic day in our bilateral relations.

Alongside the agreement, the two countries announced almost $8 billion in trade and investment deals in areas including AI, aerospace and dairy products, and pledged to work more closely together in areas such as defense, migration, climate and health.

The trade agreement between India and Britain, the world’s ﬁfth- and sixth-largest economies, was announced in May, more than three years after negotiations started, and stalled, under Britain’s previous Conservative government. It still must be ratified by Britain’s Parliament.

Australia to reduce U.S. beef import restrictions

MELBOURNE, Australia Australia announced it will reduce restrictions on U.S. beef imports in a move President Donald Trump’s administration claimed as a major victory over “nonscientiﬁc trade barriers.”

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said Thursday that relaxing the restrictions designed to keep Australia free of mad cow disease, also known as bovine spongiform encephalopathy or BSE, would not compromise biosecurity

“Australia stands for open and free trade — our cattle industry has signiﬁcantly beneﬁted from this,” Collins said in a statement.

Trump celebrated the announcement with a post on Truth Social that said: “Now, we are going to sell so much to Australia because this is undeniable and irrefutable Proof that U.S. Beef is the Safest and Best in the entire World.”

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

Brooke L. Rollins responded to Australia’s announcement by congratulating Trump on a “major trade breakthrough that gives greater access to U.S. beef producers selling to Australia.”

Meta will cease political ads in EU LONDON Facebook and Instagram owner Meta said Friday that it will stop all political advertising in the European Union by October, blaming legal uncertainty over new rules designed to increase transparency in election campaigns. The social media giant said in a blog post that it will no longer allow ads for political, electoral and social issues on its platforms, which also include Threads, starting in early October.

The company said it was making the decision because of the 27-nation EU’s “unworkable” Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising regulations The rules introduce “signiﬁcant operational challenges and legal uncertainties,” Meta said It’s not the first Big Tech company to make such a move. Google said last year that it would stop serving EU users political ads before the rules take effect, in an announcement that cited similar reasons. Under the regulations, which are set to take effect on Oct. 10, platforms will have to label political ads, disclosing who paid for them, and what campaign, referendum or legislative process they’re connected to.

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

Intel cuts spending, workforce

trition. That’s down from 99,500 core employees at the end of last year The company previously announced a 15% workforce reduction.

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY AP technology writer

Intel Corp is shedding thousands of workers and cutting expenses as its new CEO works to revive the fortunes of the struggling chipmaker that helped launch Silicon Valley but has fallen behind rivals like Nvidia Corp and Advanced Micro Devices Inc.

In a memo to employees Thursday, CEO Lip-Bu Tan said Intel plans to end the year with 75,000 “core” workers excluding subsidiaries, through layoffs and at-

“I know the past few months have not been easy We are making hard but necessary decisions to streamline the organization, drive greater efﬁciency and increase accountability at every level of the company,” Tan wrote.

In addition, Intel will scrap previously planned projects in Germany and Poland and also move assembly and test operations in Costa Rica to larger sites in Vietnam and Malaysia. Costa Rica will remain a “home to key engineering teams and corporate func-

tions,” Tan said in the memo. In the U.S., the company said it will “further” slow construction of a semiconductor plant in Ohio. Founded in 1968 at the start of the PC revolution, Intel missed the technological shift to mobile computing triggered by Apple’s 2007 release of the iPhone, and it’s lagged more nimble chipmakers. Intel’s troubles have been magnified since the advent of artificial intelligence — a booming field where the chips made by once-smaller rival Nvidia have become tech’s hottest commodity The Santa Clara, Californiabased company’s market cap was $98.71 billion as of the market close on Thursday, compared with

Nvidia’s $4.24 trillion. Tan said Intel is focusing on its “core product portfolio” and artiﬁcial intelligence offerings to better serve customers.

“There are no more blank checks,” Tan wrote. “Every investment must make economic sense.” For the second quarter, Intel reported a loss of $2.9 billion, or 67 cents per share, down from a loss of $1.6 billion,

Wall Street’s winning week ends with more records for U.S. stocks

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEW YORK U.S. stocks capped another strong week with more records on Friday

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to set an all-time high, the ﬁfth time it did so this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 208 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.2% to its own record set the day before.

Deckers, the company behind Ugg boots and Hoka shoes, jumped 11.3% after reporting stronger proﬁt and revenue for the spring than analysts expected. Its growth was particularly strong outside the United States, where revenue soared nearly 50%.

Edwards Lifesciences rose 5.5% after likewise topping Wall Street’s expectations for proﬁt in the latest quarter It said it saw strength across all its product groups, and it expects proﬁt for the full year to come in at the high end of the forecasted range it had given earlier

They helped offset a drop of 8.5% for Intel, which fell after reporting a loss for the latest quarter, when analysts were looking for a proﬁt. Intel, which helped launch Silicon Valley as the U.S technology hub, has fallen behind rivals like Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices while demand for artiﬁcial intelligence chips soars.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 25.29 points to 6,388.64. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 208.01 to 44,901.92, and the Nasdaq composite added 50.36 to 21,108.32.

The pressure is on companies to deliver solid growth in proﬁts in order to justify big gains for their stock prices, which have rallied to record after record in recent weeks.

Wall Street has zoomed higher on hopes that President Donald Trump will reach trade deals with other countries that will lower his stiff proposed tariffs, along with the risk that they could cause a recession and drive up inﬂation. Trump has recently announced deals with Japan and the Philippines, and the next big deadline is looming on Aug. 1

Besides potential trade talks, next week will also feature a meeting by the Federal Reserve on interest rates Trump again on Thursday lobbied the Fed to cut rates, which he has implied could save the U.S. government money on its debt repayments

Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though, has continued to insist he wants to wait for more data about how Trump’s tariffs affect the economy and inﬂation before the Fed makes its next move. Lower interest rates can help goose the economy, but they can also give inﬂation more fuel.

Lower rates also may not lower the U.S. government’s costs to borrow money, if the bond market feels they could send inﬂation higher in the future. In that case, lower short-term rates brought by the Fed could actually have the opposite effect and make it more expensive for Washington to borrow money over the long term.

The widespread expectation on Wall Street is that the Fed will wait until September to resume cutting interest rates.

In the bond market, Treasury yields held relatively steady following Trump’s latest attempt to push Powell to cut interest rates. Trump also seemed to back off on threats to ﬁre the Fed’s chair

“To do that is a big move, and I don’t think that’s necessary,” Trump said “I just want to see one thing happen, very simple: Interest rates come down.”

If Trump ﬁred Powell, he’d risk a freakout in ﬁnancial markets by raising the possibility of a less independent Fed, one unable to make unpopular choices necessary to keep the economy healthy

The yield on the 10-year Treasury eased to 4.38% from 4.43% late Thursday The twoyear Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Fed will do, held steady at 3.91%.

In stock markets abroad indexes slipped across much of Europe and Asia.

Stocks fell 1.1% in Hong Kong and 0.3% in Shanghai. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said he will meet with Chinese ofﬁcials in Sweden next week to work toward a trade deal with Beijing ahead of an Aug. 12 deadline. Trump has said a China trip “is not too distant” as trade tensions ease.

Ranchers fighting flesh-eating parasite infecting livestock

BY RAÚL MENDOZA and ISABEL MATEOS Associated Press

CINTALAPA, Mexico With Mexican cattle again barred this month from entry to the United States over fears of spreading a flesheating parasite, ranchers and veterinarians in Mexico hundreds of miles from the border are fighting what has U.S. agricultural authorities so on edge. In the southern state of Chiapas, which borders Guatemala, the New World screwworm fly’s rapid spread appears to have caught most ranchers off guard, despite memories of previous outbreaks in the 1980s and 1990s. Mexico is building a plant with U.S. support in Chiapas to produce sterile flies, which have proved effective at stopping the spread, but it won’t be ready until next year Meanwhile, the price of medicines used to treat livestock infected with the screwworm have soared in price. That has led some to fall back on

home remedies like applying gasoline or lime to open wounds to coax out the worms. In addition to the cost of the medicine, treatment requires careful monitoring and usually involves multiple courses. Any open wound,

even very small ones, are an invitation to the ﬂy to lay its eggs. Veterinarian Alfredo Chávez left Chiapas to study in 1989, so he says he missed seeing the effects of that outbreak, but now he’s seen cases multiply in his corner of the

state over the past month. He’s heard of dozens of cases in the area now and treated about a dozen himself. It’s not just cows either — sheep, pigs, cats and dogs are targets as well. Armed with a pair of blue tweezers and an aerosol spray that helps draw the maggots out, Chávez moves from animal to animal. He puts maggots in plastic tubes as samples, which he provides to agricultural authorities. But beyond providing the tubes and encouraging ranchers to report cases, he said that the government hasn’t provided much help. “We’ve faced it alone,” he said Wednesday

The U.S. had just gradually started to reopen the border to cattle imports this month after an earlier suspension in May, when the Trump administration said that it would close it again after an infected animal was found in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz. While prevalent in Central America, the concern is that the ﬂy is moving north.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICHARD DREW Traders Drew Cohen, foreground, and Dylan Halvorsan work on the floor of the New york Stock Exchange.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ASISABEL MATEOS

Alfredo Chávez, a cattle rancher and livestock technician, shows New World screwworm larvae removed from a cow at his ranch in Chiapas, Mexico.

OPINION

ANOTHERVIEW

Handicapping possible Democraic presidential hopefuls

Please forgive me. Iknow the last presidential election was only eight months ago, and you may not have gotten over it yet. But the next one ﬁres up in 2027, and that’snot far away.Soready or not, it’stime to handicap possible candidates. We’ll start with Democrats who may seek their party’snomination. Later,we’ll look at Republicans.

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, 60. Strengths: Name recognition, career experience, ran three times for national ofﬁce. Weaknesses: Lackluster performance as VP,inability to handle tough issues. Even with aunited party and lots of money,couldn’tbeat aconvicted felon. Restless Democrats may want astronger messenger,somebody not so closely tied to Joe Biden. Harris may run for governor of California instead.

Gov.GretchenWhitmer of Michigan, 46. Strengths: Twice elected governor of a vital swing state; focused on practical accomplishments: roads,schools, water systems, taxcuts and economic development.Good debater May be acceptable to awide swath of Democrats. Supposedly Barack Obama’schoice in 2024. Weaknesses: Has never run nationally. Tough pandemic restraints led to an initiative curbing her emergency powers.

Gov.Wes Moore of Maryland, 46. Strengths: New face, good public speaker,Rhodes scholar,studied international relations. Army captain,82nd Airborne. Former investment banker.First African American governor of Maryland; slogan“work, wages and wealth.”Seenasacomer by party bigwigs. Weaknesses: Lacks national recognition, won only one election —ina solidly blue state

Pennsylvania Gov.Josh Shapiro, 52. Strengths: Smart, driven, knows how to arguea case, moderate temperament. If he can carry his home state in apresidential election,his job for the Democrats is more than half done. Weaknesses: Harris was reportedlyput off by his know-it-all attitude(although plenty of Democrats wished she had picked him for VP). Progressives aren’t excited by his centristslant; Pro-Palestinians frownonhis support for Israel.

Gov.Gavin Newsom of California, 57. Strengths: Smart telegenic, skillful campaigner Had to win three statewide elections to get —and keep —the governorship of the nation’slargest state and did so by landslides. Wants White House more thananybody His home state willhave a boatloadofdelegates at the Democratic convention. He’s trying to redeﬁne progressivism to better ﬁt swing-voter needs.Weaknesses:Slick smooth, may be too Hollywood for working-class America.

Ro Khanna, U.S. representative from California, 48. Strengths: Articulate, smart, champion of theparty’s left ﬂank. Parentsimmigrated from India. Lawyer,intellectual propertyexpert; worked in Obama’s commerce department. Techies likehim. Could inherit Bernie Sanders’ organization,which would beabig deal. Weaknesses: Not well known, maybe too progressive.Would have to ﬁght for home state delegates if Newsom and/or Harris runs.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, U.S. representativefrom New York,35. Strengths: Young, progressive, working-class background, strong populist appeal, next-gen champ Polls well; already anational money-raisingmachine.

Weaknesses: Tooyoung, too farleft; Democratic prosfear she’d bring down theparty Could run,instead, for Chuck Schumer’sSenate seat Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, 43. Strengths:Sound-bitewhiz, highlyintelligent, military experience. Impressiveperformance as 2020 presidential candidate; nearly tied Sanders for ﬁrst place in Iowa and New Hampshire. Weaknesses: Performance as aBiden cabinetmember thickened his resume, but tough spotsinthat job may have taken thebloom off therose.

Gov.Andy Beshear of Kentucky,47. Strengths:New face, sensible tone. Elected twice in avery conservativestate. Maybe notliberal enoughfor progressives in primaries, maybe too liberal for swing voters in thegeneral election.Weaknesses: Good candidate for Democrats in the 1990s, but how about 2028?

Gov.J.B. Pritzker of Illinois, 60. Strengths: Could write a billion-dollar check forhis campaign.Spent $172 million to win thegovernorship. Family owns Hyatt hotel chain. Forceful liberal, battler for hiscauses. Weaknesses: Image of an old-style political boss; billionaireina party that doesn’tlike billionaires; bigspender in astate with crushing public employee pension debt.

Former Chicago Mayor RahmEmanuel,65. Strengths: Tough operator,whip-smart, best political strategist of thebunch. Diverse resume includes beingformer congressman, Obamachief of staff, U.S. ambassador to Japan.Weaknesses: Maybe too political. Ideologues won’t likely trust him. Anybody else? Cory Booker? Gina Raimondo? TimWalz? Raphael Warnock? Mark Cuban? Mitch Landrieu? Everybody’slooking in the mirror these days, seeing afuture president RonFaucheux is anonpartisan political analyst,pollster and writer based in Louisiana. ARTISTS’

Ron Faucheux

Sumrall ready for busy Tulane QB battle

BY GUERRY SMITH

CHARLOTTE, N.C. Tulane coach Jon Sumrall

insisted Friday the late commitment of former BYU quarterback Jake Retzlaff was not an indictment of the three quarterbacks already on campus.

Allowed to speak about the roster’s new addition for the ﬁrst time at American Conference media day, he started by praising the players who had been around for more than a week.

“Some people may not believe it, but I feel like we can win with all of the guys we have,” he said. “We’ve got four transfer quarterbacks, and all of them were told the same thing in the recruiting process. I told them all, ‘Hey, you guys decide who the starter is, not me. You’ll get what you earn.’ ”

The task now is ﬁnding a way to give all four a chance to compete equally when preseason practice starts Wednesday With 116 players available, Sumrall hinted at running dual, duplicate drills that allow two quarterbacks to split repetitions on each side of the ﬁeld.

Ball State transfer Kadin Semonza and Illinois transfer Donovan Leary, both of whom participated in spring practice, could alternate with summer arrival Brendan Sullivan (Iowa) and Retzlaff.

Tulane faced a similar situation at this time last year, with three quarterbacks competing for a wide-open starting job. After initially discounting then-redshirt freshman Darian Mensah in favor of highly recruited Ty Thompson and holdover Kai Horton, Sumrall chose Mensah and never looked back.

Making this one a four-player race required some discussion.

“We vetted every angle of it, checked all the boxes and said let’s do it,” Sumrall said. “The old adage that less is more, I don’t subscribe to that. More is more. I want more

ä See TULANE, page 5C

L?

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Kellen Moore has issued a polite correction anytime someone brings up the New Orleans Saints’ “two-man” quarterback competition. The coach will note the team’s battle includes three quarterbacks not just Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough.

Moore doesn’t want people to forget about Jake Haener

And he insists it’s not just lip service, either Haener will receive ﬁrst-team reps throughout camp, he said.

“We feel good about letting all these guys go for it,” Moore said.

Haener got his chance to go for it Friday when he received ﬁrst-team reps for the ﬁrst time this season — completing the rotation that Moore said would occur

A fourth-round pick two years ago, Hae-

ner has only one career start, and he was benched at halftime of that game when the Saints lost to the Washington Commanders last season. But Moore appears to be intrigued with Haener’s skill set, telling reporters he liked the quarterback coming out of the 2023 draft. The two also have known each other for a long time, with Moore’s brother, Kirby, serving as Haener’s offensive coordinator at Fresno State.

Truthfully, Haener faces an uphill climb in the quarterback competition. The 26-year-old missed most of the team’s offseason workouts after suffering an oblique injury, giving the Saints more time to evaluate Rattler and Shough. And Haener’s ﬁrst-team reps also came on a day when the coaching staff gave several veterans the practice off, including center

I believe this organization — respect them, they drafted me — if they didn’t truly believe I could be a guy that they think couldn’t win the starting job, they wouldn’t include me in it. Simple as that.”

JAKE HAENER, Saints

quarterback

UCLA QB Iamaleava looks to move past Tennessee drama

BY EDDIE PELLS AP national writer

LASVEGAS College football’s future wore a baby blue suit, a gold pin that said “UCLA” and a pair of diamond-encrusted hoop earrings. He glided toward the mic sat down, then prepared for the grilling about how much money he makes, why he left Tennessee, who betrayed whom when he departed, and what it all means for the college football world that his story now deﬁnes.

Bottom line: If quarterback Nico Iamaleava handles the rest of the season as well as he did with his half hour of Q&A at Big Ten media days Thursday, chances are UCLA will be good maybe even very good in 2025.

“I think, it’s just, keep my head down and

be humble,” the 20-year-old quarterback said. “And try not to let the outside noise affect you.”

If he succeeds at that, he will have more discipline than a great majority of college football fans, experts and journalists who have ﬁlled the internet and air waves with timelines and analysis of a decision that shook the sport and seemed to say everything about the burgeoning power that players wield in a world of name, image and likeness deals. The thumbnail of the story is that Iamaleava was a successful quarterback who led Tennessee to the College Football Playoff last season, then abruptly picked up stakes to head closer to home and play for UCLA. Money seemed to be the most obvious motive

Reports circulated that he was looking for a raise — maybe a doubling to nearly $4 million a year — to come back to the Vols. Then, one day last spring, Iamaleava missed practice. Just as abruptly, he was gone. Tennessee coach Josh Heupel handled it diplomatically “Today’s landscape of college football is different than it has been,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, the situation, and where we’re at with Nico.” Before he even enrolled at Tennessee, Iamaleava was causing his share of turmoil. It was his NIL deal with the Vols that triggered an NCAA investigation and lawsuit by the attorneys general of Tennessee and Virginia in January 2024.

ä See QB, page 4C

AP FILE PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV Tennessee quarterback Nico Iamaleava looks to throw a pass during a game against Vanderbilt on Nov. 30 in Nashville, Tenn.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints quarterback Jake Haener receives a snap during training camp on Friday at the team’s practice facility

Contributing writer

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall walks on the field during a game against Temple on Nov 9 at yulman Stadium.

8:55 a.m. Formula 1: qualifying ESPN2 10:30a.m. NITIndyCar:practice FS1 Noon IndyNXT: qualifying FS1

1:30 p.m. NIT IndyCar:qualifying FS1

1:35 p.m. NASCAR Cup: qualifying TruTV

3:30 p.m. NASCAR Xfinity: Pennzoil 250 CW

3:30 p.m. IndyNXT: GP of MontereyFS1

5p.m. NHRA: Sonoma ChallengeFox BIG3 BASKETBALL Noon Week 7: TBACBS BOXING

8p.m. Xander Zayasvs. JorgeGarcia ESPN CFL

6p.m. Winnipeg at Toronto CBSSN CYCLING

5a.m. Tour de France: Stage20PEACOCK

7a.m. Tour de France: State 20 NBC

1p.m.Tour de France: Stage20* NBC

BROADCASTHIGHLIGHTS

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL

1p.m. D.C. Divasvs. St. LouisSlamESPN2 GOLF

7a.m. LIV Golf League: second round FS1

7:30 a.m. PGAChampions: Senior Open Golf

9a.m. LIV Golf League: second round Fox

11 a.m.PGA Champions: Senior Open NBC

Noon PGA Tour:3MOpen Golf

2p.m. PGATour:3MOpen CBS

2p.m. U.S. Junior Amateur Golf HORSE RACING

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11:30 a.m. NyRA: SaratogaLiveFS2

2p.m. Jim DandyStakes Fox MIXED MARTIAL ARTS

11 a.m.UFC undercard bouts ESPN

2p.m. UFC main: Whitaker vs. de Ridder ABC

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Noon PhiladelphiaatN.y.yankees MLB

6p.m. Cleveland at Kansas City Fox

8:30 p.m. Seattle at L.A.Angels MLB

Carroll: Team didn’t make hastydecision on veteran’sstatus

BY MARK ANDERSON AP sportswriter

HENDERSON, Nev.— Raiderscoach Pete Carroll said Friday theclub didn’trush into its decision to release defensive tackle Christian Wilkins aday earlier over adispute regarding hisrecoveryfrom abroken foot.

“Wetooka longtimetomake our decision,” Carrollsaid. “We watched our way through the whole thing. We’re keeping it really clear with what we said.I think there was no clear path to his return, so we just hadtomove on.” His comments largelyechoed the unusually strongly worded statement issued by the Las Vegasorganization on Thursday,in which the Raiders said Wilkins failed to provide a“clear path or plan for future return to play.”

Wilkins was injuredinWeek5 last season and had some sort of setback in his recoverythat took him out of offseason practices and landed him on the physically unable to perform listshortly before training campopened Wednesday Wilkins, 29, was the Raiders’ marquee free-agent signing last year,agreeing toafour-year,$110 million contract with $82.75 million guaranteed. The Raiders reportedly are tryingtovoidthe remaining $35.25 million of Wilkins’ deal.

Wilkins has filed agrievance with the NFL Players Association, aperson with knowledge of the situation said. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic

The Raiders willhave adead salary caphit of $29.8 million even if they win the grievance. With Wilkins off the roster, Adam Butler and Jonah Laulu ran ﬁrstteam at tackle this week in practice.

Butler started16games last season,ﬁnishing with 65 tackles, eight for loss and ﬁve sacks. Laulu started seven games as arookie, making 35 tackles, with three for loss and asack. Both players were in all 17 games.

“Thisplace is aboutcompetition,” Carroll said.“It always has been. It’swide open.I’m not going to talk about any names right now If you watch the rotations,we’re giving everybody achance. We’re mixing the (starters)withthe (backups) all the way throughout just to gather abunch of information.”

foot last season in Week 5 and wasn’t readytotakepartin training camp.

MEN’S SOCCER

3p.m.Everton vs.AFC BournemouthNBC

4p.m.york United FC at CavalryFCFS2

6p.m. Westchester SC at Detroit CityFCESPN2

6p.m.FCCincinnatiatInterMiami CF FS1

7p.m.Atletico Ottawa at PacificFCFS2 SOFTBALL

2p.m.Bandits vs.Talons ESPN TENNIS

7:30 a.m. Kitzbuhel-ATPFinal Tennis

9:30 a.m. Prague-WTA Fina Tennis

11 a.m. Washington-ATP/WTATennis

1:30 p.m.Washington-WTAsemifinalsTennis

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

9a.m.Italy vs.Poland CBSSN

1p.m.Brazil vs.Japan CBSSN WNBA

6p.m.Los Angeles at Newyork NBA

*Taped

Former LSUpitcher Herring partofRockies-Yankees deal

DENVER The NewYork Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Colorado Rockies on Friday, giving themaveteran at aposition of need as they try to stop their slide down the AL East standings.

The Yankees sent pitching prospectsJoshGrosz andGrifﬁn Herring, aformer LSU player,toColorado. The 30-year-old McMahon, an All-Star ayear ago, was hitting .217 with 16 home runs and35 RBIs forlast-placeColorado. His 127 strikeouts this season led the National League entering Friday Herring, asixth-round pick in 2024, made16starts across Class low Aand high A, totaling a1.71 ERA anda102-36 strikeout-towalkratio over 891⁄3 innings.

Dutch rider Arensman wins 19th stage of Tour de France

LA PLAGNE, France Dutch rider ThymenArensmanlauncheda daring solo attack on alongfinalclimb andheldongrimly to winthe 19th stageofthe Tour de France on Friday Although race leader TadejPogacar took astep closer to afourth Tour title, the Slovenian star could not catch Arensman.Heﬁnished thestageinthirdplace behind DaneJonas Vingegaard,who just beat Pogacar to the line. It was arare success for the two-time Tour winner Vingegaard over Pogacar in this year’s race but ultimatelymade littledifference, sincePogacaris4minutes, 24 seconds ahead of Vingegaard with twostages left.

Saturday’s20th stage is ahilly 114.5-mile route through eastern Franceﬁnishing in Pontarlierbefore Sunday ﬁnal stage.

Bogey-freeHarrington leads Senior British Open

BY DENNIS WASZAKJR. AP pro football writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. The New York Jets hope seeing more black-and-whitestripes in training camp will result in fewer yellow ﬂags during the season.

Coach Aaron Glenn said Friday theteam will oftenhave ofﬁcials at practice through thesummer afterthe Jets, under the previous regime of coach Robert Saleh, led the NFL in penalties thepast two seasons. New York rarely usedofﬁcials duringtrainingcamp practices last summer.ManyNFL teams hire officialsfor at least some of their camp practices, giving players the opportunity to get usedtohow plays are called in a non-game environment.

“I wantthe officials here as much as possible and theyknow that,”Glennsaid. “It’snosecret that wewerethe most-penalized

team in theleague last year,so that’sone of the things that Iwant to nip in thebud early —making sure that the disciplinepart of what we do, that we ﬁx that now “You cannot win games in this league with an undisciplined team, so all the penalties that we had last year,we’re knocking those things out ”

Last season, the Jets were penalized 137 times, ﬁve morethan Tennesseeand Baltimore,and finished5-12 —withSaleh and generalmanager Joe Douglas both fired in themiddle of the season. In 2023, New York was called for124 penalties, nine more than Clevelandand Dallas, and went 7-10.

“The ofﬁcialsare going to be here andwe’re goingtoknock that out, all right,” Glenn said. “I will tell you this:Weare going to knock these penalties out. We’re going to understand that undisciplined teams do not win games.”

Philadelphia,last year’sSuper Bowl champion, ranked 11th in theNFL with 103 penalties. Kansas City,the AFC champion, was fourth with 94.

The Los Angeles Rams, who wonthe NFCWest, hadthe fewestpenalties in the league with 91.

Glenn said there are two types of calls on players during games: pre-snap penalties —“thedumb penalties” —and competitive penalties, includingpass interference.

“The competitive penalties, listen, you go back and forth with those, right?” Glennsaid. “Like P.I.,guys are ﬁghting. Those are competitive penalties. Holds, thoseare competitive. Now, false starts, jumping offside, hitting after plays, the dumb stuff, we’ve got to knock those out. And we control those. Andthose are the things Iwanttomakesurewe get rid of.”

BERKSHIRE, England Padraig Harrington birdied his last hole Fridayfor a5-under65, giving him a one-shot lead in the Senior British Open as he goes forhis second senior major title of the year Reigning champion K.J. Choi had thelead late in thesecond round on the Old Course at Sunningdale untilhetook bogeys on the 16th and 17th. Choihad to settle fora67and was one shot behind along with Thomas Bjorn, who hada 63. Harringtonistrying to become the ﬁfth player to win the British Open and the Senior British Open. The Senior British Open is the ﬁfth major on the PGA Tour Champions. Theregular tournaments are 54 holes. Harrington wonthe U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor in Colorado.

Woad takes two-shot lead at Women’sScottishOpen

IRVINE,Scotland Lottie Woad of England played bogey-free Friday and took advantage of unusually calm conditions toward the end to post a7-under65, giving theEnglishstar atwo-shot lead over topranked Nelly Korda and Nanna Koerstz Madsen in the Women’s Scottish Open. Woad is making herprofessional debut,which onlymeans she gets paid at theend of theweek. She looks no differentfrom the last couple of weeks, when shewon the Women’sIrish Open andthen tied forthird in the LPGA major in France at the Evian Championship. Korda birdied herlast twoholes for a66toget to withintwo shots, as she goes for her ﬁrst win of theseason. Koerstz Madsen also shot 66.

By The Associated Press

The NFLisfining about 100 players and two dozen club employeesfor violatingleague policybyselling SuperBowl 59 tickets for above face value, a person with knowledgeofthe details told The Associated Press on Friday

Theperson,speakingtothe AP on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation,said theplayers whoresold their tickets will have to pay aﬁne of 11/2 times the face value they paid. They also won’t be permitted to buyticketsfor thenexttwo Super Bowlsunless theyare playinginthe game. Club employeeswho violated thepolicy will beﬁned two times face value.

In amemo sent to teams and obtained by the AP,NFL head of compliance Sabrina Perel said theleague was still completing

its investigation. The “bundlers” will face increased penalties, per thememo. According to the CBA, players on all 32 teams can purchase two tickets for the Super Bowl.

Vikings

WR JEFFERSON HAS ‘MILD’HAMSTRING

STRAIN: Minnesota will keep wide receiver Justin Jefferson off the ﬁeld for awhile because of amild strain of his left hamstring.

Coach Kevin O’Connell said before practice on Friday that theformer LSU star would be reevaluated next week. The twotime All-Pro, who has themost yardsreceiving in NFLhistory through aplayer’sﬁrst ﬁve years, felt some tightness in bothofhis legs during the team’ssession on Thursdayand cutshort his participation as aprecaution.

The Vikings latersenthim for

an MRIexam, whichrevealed whatO’Connelldescribedas a“very mild”strainofhis left hamstring. O’Connell said he hadnoconcernabout Jefferson being ready forthe season opener at Chicago on Sept. 8, which is more than six weeks away

Bengals

ROOKIE DE STEWART ENDS HOLDOUT: Shemar Stewart andCincinnati agreed to acontract on Friday, ending the rookie defensive end’s three-day holdout from training camp.

Stewart’sagent, Zac Hiller of LAA, said thefour-year deal is worth $18.97 million guaranteed, includinga $10.4million signing bonus.

TheBengals and Stewartwere deadlocked over contract language that could potentially void future guarantees if there are any off-ﬁeld incidents or conduct detrimental to theteam.

Braves activate 3B Riley from 10-day injuredlist

ARLINGTON, Texas The Atlanta Bravesactivated third baseman AustinRileyfrom theinjured list on Friday aheadofa weekend series at Texas. Riley hadn’tplayed since straining an abdominal muscle while making athrow on July 11 against St. Louis.

The 28-year-old washitting .274 with 14 homerunsand 48 RBIsat thetimeofthe injury.The twotime All-Star’sreturn comes with Atlanta fading as the trade deadline approaches. The Braves entered Friday10 games outofthe last wild-card spot in the National League and were3-5 during Riley’sabsence. To make room for Riley on the 26-man roster,Atlanta optioned inﬁelder Nacho Alvarez to Triple-A Gwinnett.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANK FRANKLIN II

Newyork Jets coach Aaron Glennwatches drills at the team’s training camp ThursdayinFlorham Park, N.J

Alexander reunites with Jackson at Ravens camp

Ex-Louisville standout to help shore up Baltimore secondary

BY NOAH TRISTER Associated Press

OWINGS MILLS,Md. Lamar Jackson wasted little time putting Jaire Alexander to the test during training camp.

“He tried to throw a back-shoulder on me with ‘D-Hop’ (DeAndre Hopkins), so I had to give him a little jazz about that,” Alexander said. “I said, ‘Come on, man. I know it’s my ﬁrst day, but it’s still me, you know what I mean? It’s still me.’

” Alexander and Jackson go way back they were teammates at Louisville — and when Alexander joined the Baltimore Ravens this offseason, the two were reunited.

The ﬁt made sense with Baltimore looking for some secondary help, and the chance to play with Jackson again sweetened the deal even more.

Alexander suggested Wednesday he probably would have explored more options if Jackson weren’t on the Ravens.

“That’s my boy,” he said “I want to win with him.”

Alexander is the answer to an in-

teresting trivia question: Who was the ﬁrst player out of Louisville taken in the 2018 draft? Green Bay picked the defensive back at No. 18 — 14 spots before Baltimore selected Jackson

It’s safe to say those picks worked out. Alexander spent his ﬁrst seven seasons with the Packers, starting almost every game he played. But he dealt with injuries to his quadriceps, groin and knee last season and played only seven games. In fact, he’s exceeded seven games only once in the past four seasons.

Green Bay released him with two years left on his contract.

When the Ravens picked him up, they posted video of Jackson greeting him.

“I tried to get him on a fade route with D-Hop,” Jackson said after practice Wednesday “We were out of bounds a little, but he’s still that guy. Jaire’s still that guy.”

The Ravens will obviously hope so.

“We’ve been talking kind of me playing nickel, he’s playing corner and how I play things. So it has been exciting, but what I like the most is just his swag to the game,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “I think conﬁdence is the biggest key you can have at cornerback, and I think you can never have too much conﬁdence.”

Baltimore’s secondary includes a

veteran in Humphrey, plus a trio of recent ﬁrst-round picks — fourthyear safety standout Kyle Hamilton, second-year cornerback Nate Wiggins and rookie safety Malachi Starks.

“I love the secondary I love the potential that we have,” Alexander said. “I love watching Marlon play I love being around him. I thought I was weird, but I don’t know he might (have) me beat.”

Humphrey was asked about that assertion.

“We do the early morning lift at 6 a.m. It’s about eight of us, and he’s like, ‘Man, I need a speaker right here as loud as can be,’ ” Humphrey said. “We are not alike in that aspect at 6 a.m., but he’s a cool guy We’re both, I would say, on a little bit of the strange side, but we’re really jelling well.”

Baltimore lost cornerback Brandon Stephens in the offseason, and safety Ar’Darius Washington went down with a torn Achilles tendon. Alexander brings plenty of experience to the group and seems to be ﬁtting in — in his own unique way

“Like I said, he wants music blasting He said, ‘I need a speaker right here,’ ” Humphrey said. “I was like, ‘We’ve got them in the ceiling.’ He said, ‘No, I need the boombox right by here, right in my ear,’ and I’m like, ‘All right, that’s different.’”

Suarez, Keller, Lugo among top players who could be traded

BY DAVID BRANDT Associated Press

PHOENIX The Arizona Diamondbacks got the trade deadline party started on Thursday night when they dealt 2024 All-Star Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners for two pitching prospects.

That probably won’t be the last time the D-backs make news before the July 31 deadline Arizona has had a disappointing season with a 50-53 record and now appears to be one of the most active sellers on the MLB market, dangling third baseman Eugenio Suárez and starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly

The potential buyers include teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, who are all trying to beef up their rosters in hopes of a deep playoff run. The market is heating up quickly: The Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Rockies on Friday while the Mets added left-handed reliever Gregory Soto from the Orioles.

The D-backs have been one of the most intriguing teams in baseball over the past few weeks because management has had to make a tough decision whether to buy or sell. Arizona had a 50-50 record after sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals following the All-Star break but were then swept by the Houston Astros.

Those three losses appeared to seal their fate as sellers — though Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said he’s still open to changing course “I want to see this team continue to go out there and play,” Hazen

said “I haven’t decided what it’s going to look like, honestly I’m open-minded to a number of different things.”

Here’s a look at some of the top players who could be available as teams try to upgrade for the stretch run: Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks

Suarez is just an average defensive third baseman these days, but that’s not why teams want to acquire him. He’s got the kind of bat that can carry a team for weeks at a time, major pop from the right side of the plate. He has 312 career homers, is well-liked in the locker room and has been productive in limited postseason at-bats with a .300 average.

Mitch Keller, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

The 29-year-old Keller has been overshadowed in the Pirates’ rotation thanks to the emergence of former LSU standout Paul Skenes, but the right-hander has been a reliable starter for the past four seasons and was an All-Star in 2023. The one catch is it’ll take a sizable haul for the Pirates to make a deal: He’s under contract through 2028 as part of a $77 million, ﬁve-year deal.

Seth Lugo, SP, Kansas City Royals

Lugo has thrived in Kanas City over the past three seasons, moving to the starting rotation from the bullpen and providing consistent results. The 2024 All-Star has a 7-5 record with a 2.95 ERA over 19 starts this year

Jets QB Fields returns after dislocating toe

BY DENNIS WASZAK JR. Associated Press

FLORHAM PARK, N.J Justin Fields

was back on the ﬁeld for the New York Jets, but he didn’t practice Friday still a welcome sight for fans who were nervously holding their breath 24 hours earlier

The quarterback dislocated a toe on his right foot early in practice Thursday and was carted from the ﬁeld to the facility, where he had multiple tests before the team announced the diagnosis. Coach Aaron Glenn said Fields will be day to day and the Jets won’t rush him back into practice.

“It is early, but also we want to make sure we get as many reps as we can with him,” Glenn said Friday after the team’s ﬁrst practice of training camp with fans in attendance. “So when he’s ready to come back, we’ll make sure he’s out on the ﬁeld, make sure he’s getting those reps. Now he’s going to be in meetings, he’s going to be in all those things.

“But for the most part, man, we’re going to work together and make sure it’s collaborative as far as when he gets back on the ﬁeld.”

Fields wore his helmet as he spent most of practice on the sideline and with the rest of the offense while appearing to walk without a noticeable limp Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor led the offense during practice, with Adrian Martinez and rookie Brady Cook also receiving snaps. Fields was hurt when a teammate stepped on his foot while he threw an incomplete pass to Jeremy Ruckert on his ﬁfth play of team drills. The quarterback sat

on the grass for a few moments before getting up and limping badly to the sideline while helped by a trainer He then sat in the passenger seat of a cart that took him from the field to the facility, where he got up and walked under his own power In the hours before the Jets confirmed the nature and severity of the injury, social media was buzzing about whether Fields could miss significant time.

“The huge storm that was created really made no sense,” Glenn said. “And I think that’s a lesson for all of us of, guys, let’s just wait until we get the diagnosis. And I will not BS you, all right? I will tell you exactly what it is, and we’ll move on. So that shouldn’t happen again.”

Fields is in his ﬁrst season with the Jets after playing last year in Pittsburgh. He spent his ﬁrst three NFL seasons in Chicago after being the No. 11 overall pick in the 2021 draft out of Ohio State. Among the attributes that made him attractive to New York, which signed him to a twoyear, $40 million deal in March, is his ability to make plays with his legs — something Glenn isn’t concerned will be compromised by the injury

“If Justin gets back to practice, that means he’s ready to go,” Glenn said. “So he’s going to be himself, and I’m not going to hold him back from being himself. Now, the thing is we don’t want anybody to step on his toe, but he has to be himself when he’s out there because, to me, I try to make sure practice emulates games as much as possible So I want him to be himself as he’s going through his practice.”

Record crowd is expected for MLB Speedway Classic

Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Gallen is having the worst full season of his career with a 7-11 record and 5.58 ERA but could still be an attractive add for a team that needs a starter The 29-year-old right-hander has been one of the top pitchers in the National League over the past ﬁve years, ﬁnishing in the top 10 of the Cy Young voting in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

The 36-year-old righty has quietly been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball with a 9-5 record and 3.32 ERA. He was also excellent during the D-backs’ postseason run in 2023 with a 3-1 record, 2.25 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 24 innings. Kelly doesn’t have an overpowering fastball but has a ﬁve-pitch mix that has consistently delivered results.

Sandy Alcantara, SP, Miami Marlins

The 29-year-old Alcantara isn’t the same pitcher he was when he won the 2022 NL Cy Young Award, but the right-hander still has quite a bit of upside. He gave up just one unearned run over seven innings in a win against the Padres on Wednesday, which might help his value.

Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/DH, Baltimore Orioles

The 31-year-old is having a career year with a .281 average, .375 on-base percentage and 14 homers, helping him earn All-Star honors for the ﬁrst time in his career

Braves-Reds game to be played at Bristol Motor Speedway on Aug. 2

BY TERESA M. WALKER Associated Press

Workers still have some ﬁnishing touches to put on the field inside the racetrack at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee, and ofﬁcials are expecting a record crowd in a week to watch the Cincinnati Reds play the Atlanta Braves in the MLB Speedway Classic on Aug. 2.

“We can’t wait for next Saturday night when that ﬁrst pitch is thrown out and the stands are full,” Jerry Caldwell, Bristol’s president and general manager, said Friday “We’ll be setting records, we’ll be having attendance records. We’ll be announcing all those details later on, but we’ll be there. I know we will.”

The largest crowd ever to see a baseball game was 115,300 for a March 2008 exhibition between the Red Sox and Dodgers at Los Angeles Coliseum. Bristol packed in 156,990 for the Battle of Bristol college football game in 2016.

Officials showed off the work Friday with a baseball field now sitting on top of the infield inside the half-mile bullring where cars and a building once sat for NASCAR races. Murray Cook, an MLB field and stadium consultant with BrightView, said he’s excited to be at this point in the process of building a ballpark. Final touches still remain for the clay along with all the padding and branding, which

should be in place by Wednesday at the latest.

Crews also held a light check Thursday night to make sure the Musco lights meet MLB standards.

“We’ve had a blast building this,” Cook said.

Even though the Braves play the Reds in Cincinnati on Aug. 1, the day before the Bristol game, fans are being encouraged to settle in for the big party planned both outside and then inside the racetrack for game day Caldwell said fans should show up by noon on game day to enjoy the attractions outside the track including music, a 110foot Ferris wheel, a food truck row, pitching tunnels, batting cages and team mascots. Once fans head inside, Tim McGraw and Pitbull are scheduled to perform.

Demolition started in early June with heavy construction now in high gear to transform Bristol Motor Speedway into a ballpark for the first MLB game in Tennessee. This game features grandstand seating for fans along both baselines. Both teams will be wearing NASCAR-inspired uniforms with details like flames on the brim of the Braves’ caps and a finish-line checkerboard for the Reds’ caps. The MLB Speedway Classic also will be included in the “MLB The Show 25” video game after an update scheduled for Tuesday Caldwell said the project has been long in the works.

“We’re thrilled to be able to welcome everyone to Bristol and partner with Major League Baseball, the state of Tennessee and so many others to be able to pull this off,” he said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANK FRANKLIN II New york Jets quarterbacks Justin Fields, left, and Tyrod Taylor walk in the field during drills on Thursday in Florham Park, N.J

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH

Baltimore Ravens cornerback Jaire Alexander speaks after practice on Thursday in Owings Mills, Md. Alexander

said having quarterback Lamar Jackson on the team was a plus, as the two played together at Louisville

NewOrleans

Saints

quarterback

Spencer Rattler throws the ball during training camp on Fridayin Metairie.

QB Rattlerwinsday that Haener workswithstarters

The ﬁrst-team reps belonged to Jake Haener on the third day of New Orleans Saints training camp, but thepractice may have belonged to Spencer Rattler

Chaseplaying hard at Bengalstrainingcamp

BY CHARLIEGOLDSMITH Associated Press

CINCINNATI Bengals wide receiverJa’Marr Chasedidn’t participateintraining camp last year as he tried to negotiate acontract extension.

Although he wentontobecome thesixth wide receiver in the Super Bowl era to lead the league in receptions, receiving yards and touchdowncatches in the same season, Chase stillfeltlikehe missed something by not being a part of practices leading up to the ﬁrst week of theseason. “I love to work,”the former LSUreceiver said. “I’m aworkaholic.I love to work. Joe asked me today,amItired? Isaid, ‘Call the play while I’m tired.’ At the end of theday,whenit’sthe fourth quarter andI’m tired, they’re not going to ask me if I’m tired. It’s all about how hard youcan push yourselfatthe end of the day,especially on days like this. As long as youget 1% better each day that’show you improve.”

He only received afew lastminute practice reps leading into the first week of the 2024 season. While he started abit slow,Chase still had aterrific season. He was aunanimous All-Pro last season, finishing the year with 127 receptions for1,708 receiving yards as well as 17 receiving touchdowns. But Chase’stwo worst games of theseason were thefirst two weeks.That includedanunsportsmanlike conduct penalty in Week 2atKansas City after he thought apenalty should have been called forahip-drop tackle on him

“I hadgreat legs last year,” Chase said. “Like Isaid, Ilove to work. At the end of the day,I gettoworkonstuff that Ididn’t work on last year and getting that real feel from the (defensive back) andworking on certainthings that Iwanted to do this year.Iget achance to do it in campnow instead of just doing it in games.”

Chase has been an active receiver and target of quarterback Joe Burrowduring the ﬁrst two training camp practices.

Operating the second-team offense, Rattler enjoyed astrong performance during asweltering sessionatthe team’sMetairie training complex. Whether it was during full team drills or in seven-on-seven periods without apass rush, the second-year passer showed off his talented throwing arm on a number of occasions.

That is only one factor in determining who gets the job —as coach Kellen Moore and anybody else with decision-making power has made abundantly clear —but these are deﬁnitely the types of daysthat New Orleans’ brain trust wants to see. Here is how it played out by the numbers Friday.Again, these statistics are from only the full team periods.Rookie Tyler Shough,who operated the ﬁrst team Thursday, saw limited opportunitywhile running the third-team offense Friday.

Haener: 5of7 (8 of 12 overall)

Rattler: 6of6 (15 of 17)

Shough: 1of1(6of11) Rattler not only completed each of his six attempts during the full team drills but he also went aperfect 4of4during aseven-

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

Erik McCoy and runningback Alvin Kamara.

But Haener said he feels likethe Saints are taking him seriously

“If I’ve learned one thing about this league, this league does not care about your feelings,”he said. “It doesn’tcare about who youare, whatyou do.And it’sall about whatyou’ve done for me lately.And Ibelieve this organization —respect them, they drafted me —ifthey didn’ttrulybelieve Icould be aguy that they think couldn’t win the starting job, they wouldn’tinclude me in it. Simple as that. They wouldn’tmake me feel good about myself.

“I totallysee it as athree-man race. Ithink I’ve earned that right.” Haeneraddedhebelieveshe’s earned the right not only because of his workethic but also by being “cerebral enough to command the troops when the moment’sthe brightest.” At his core, Haener exudes conﬁdence —all while taking pride in labeling himself as an underdog.

Doubt his competitiveness?

Go watch his 2021 performance against UCLA, he said. You’ll see a feisty 6-foot-1 quarterback writhe around in pain, lifting himself off the grass just after he needled a tight throw among three defenders for the go-ahead score. You’ll see Haener,grimacing over an injured hip, leading the Bulldogs down the ﬁeld over the ﬁnal minute to re-take the lead. And you’ll see an athlete collapse out of near exhaustion when his defense holds on and he realizes he led an upset over the 13th-ranked team in the country

Doubt his arm strength? Go call JohnBeck, Haener said. The former NFL quarterback now trains prospects such as Haener andcan refute such aclaim, he said. Doubt his size? Sure, he’sonthe smaller side. He’ll use it as fuel anyway

on-seven period. Andthe throws weren’tgimmes, either: One of those seven-on-seven completionswas abomb he heaved deep downfieldtosecond-year receiver Mason Tipton,who’dbeaten corner QuincyRiley on adouble move. The variety of his skillset was on display.There was one especially crisp sequence during the second full team period when Rattler showed aquickrelease to get theball out in the flat to Michael Jacobson,followed by an impressive sidelinethrowonadeep out to Tipton, followedbyhim driving aslantto Rashid Shaheed On thatlast play,Rattler zipped theballpast adiving defender,allowing Shaheed to catch the ball andzoom upfield for what likely would’ve been atouchdownif they were playing tackle football. If Rattler can stack performances likethe one he put on display Friday,he’llbehard to beat. Haener’sday running with thefirst team was up anddown, though it likely didn’thelpthat stars Alvin Kamara and Erik McCoy received rest days. Haener does some things very well, andthat showed on his first snapwhenhe rolledright on aplay-action bootlegand flipped theballover adefensive lineman to an open Juwan Johnson for anicechunk of yards. Haener is never going to be confused for arunning quarterback, but he has functional athleticism that allowshim to make plays. But through acouple of days of camp, he’salso had some bad

misﬁres, including oneFriday on athrowtoward thesideline where it was hard to make out whowas his intendedtarget. Haener was being pressuredon the play, andit’spossible he was intending to throw the ball away, but it wasn’t his ﬁrst throw of camp that looked to be wellofftarget.

Working with thethird team, Shough attempted only onepass during teamdrills, hitting undraftedrookie Chris Tyree in the ﬂat. His last repfeatureda lowsnap fromthe center,with coaches killing the playashescrambled to pickthe ball up.

Throwofthe day(full-team edition): Rattler’sthrowonadeep out to Tipton was athing of beauty While it’sfun to see quarterbacks connect on thedeep throws,like Rattler andTiptondid in sevenon-seven, the deep sideline routes are arguably the most difﬁcult throw forany quarterback.Rattler’spass came out on time and withplentyofzip, allowing only Tiptontomakethe play.

Throwofthe day(seven-on-seven edition): While Shough didn’thave much opportunity to impress in 11-on-11drills, he did make a brilliant throw to Johnson on an intermediate crossing route during the seven-on-seven period. The rookie passer rippedathrow to the perfectspot, hitting Johnsoninstride forabig gain.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

camp on Friday at theteam’spractice facility

“I thinkI’m just counted out for whatever reason,” Haener said. Haener is now the vet in the room —not countinghis coaches who are former quarterbacks and do-it-all Taysom Hill, who still pops into quarterback meetings. He’s onlyinhis thirdyear, butthat’s longer than Shough (a rookie) and Rattler (secondyear) have been in theleague.

He said the sudden changefeels a“little weird,” but alsonotes that he has experience in avariety of systems that has allowed him to pick up different offenses. Moore’s offensewill be Haener’sthird in the NFL, and he thinks his coaches see him as asmart player and hold himin“high regard.”

Andthat’strue.Saintsquarterbackcoach Scott Tolzien said one of the reasons why Haener is in themix for thestartingjob is because of the way thequarterback conducted himself when he was injuredthis offseason.Tolzien noticed Haener’spreparation didn’t change andhow attentive he was in the meetings. “Being anew coach, I’mproud of

him for that,” Tolziensaid. “(The injury) didn’tchange thequestions he’sasking me or the things he’s walking around sharing with receivers. That’s all appreciated.”

ForHaener to actually winthe job, he’ll have to backupwhathe’s shown in the classroom and bring it to thefield.OnFriday, Haener completed 5-of-7 passing attempts during team drills, and he showed a willingness to let it rip. He nearlyhit Rashid Shaheed on adeep ball that was broken up at the last minute by cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry And he rolled outonaplay-action pass to ﬁndJuwan Johnson in space.

Through thefirst three days,Haener’saggressiveness and tendency to push the ball hasreinforced the idea thathe’snot going to be forgotten. On Thursday,during seven-onseven drills,hefired astrike past cornerback RejzohnWright to find Johnson for atouchdown.

“That one ripped pretty good,” Haener said. “That one was fun. Yeah, that one was really fun.”

Email Matthew Paras at matt paras@theadvocate.com

Chase waspresent at allof training camp last year,but he watched it from the sideline as a part of ahold-in. He went on to receive thelucrative contract he was looking for in March,but he bet on himself entering 2024 and played on his rookie contract.

“There’sareasonyou’re AllPro at the end of the day and one of the best in the league,” Chase said. “So you’re supposed to have an on andoff switch andgoout and do it.”

Continued from page1C

The NCAA settled that lawsuit, andthough there aren’t as many questions aboutwho makesthe payments to theplayers (the colleges can do it themselves now), recriminations that ﬂowed when Iamaleava enrolled at Tennessee kept flowing after he made his movetoUCLA.

Asked aboutwhat triggered his move andexactly when it happened, Iamaleava said it came around the time “false stuff about whether it wasaﬁnancial thing or not” started coming out that made him “notfeelcomfortable in the position Iwas in.”

Then, in arevelation that not everyoneappears quite ready to accept,hesaid moving closer to where he grew up in Long Beach, California, about 30 miles from theUCLA campus, wasthe biggest piece of the puzzle.

“My driving factor to comeback home was my family,and Ihope every Tennesseefan understands that,” he said. “It was really one of thehardest decisions I’ve ever had to make.”

“He’sateam guy anda family guy,” Foster said. “It just felt good that we were getting the right kind of quarterback.”

From apure talentstandpoint, hardly anyone argues that. Iamaleavawas considered one of the country’stop prospects coming out of high school. He threw for 2,616 yards and19TDs last year in leading the Vols to the playoffs. But, as oneofthe theories abouthis departure goes, he and his family werelessthanthrilled aboutTennessee’sability to protect him.

ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstreit dove into the mix whenhesaid he’d heard Iamaleava’sdad had gone to Heupel in December and said “Hey, listen, you’ve gottoget better at offensive line, better at receiver.”

“Obviously, everyone has to move on.I’m excited about what’snext for me. But I’m where my feet

(are), and right now, I’maUCLA footballplayer and I’mexcited to go to camp.”

He will not delve in to fin anc es, though most of the reporting has shown that Iamaleava will make about as much, or just barelymore, with UCLA than he was making at Tennessee.

NICO IAMALEAVA UCLA quarterback

“Allthat stuff is for my business team andmyagents to handle,” he said. “I just focus on football.”

Among the other questions consuming college football is how a player whomakes moremoney and generates more hype than anyone else in the locker room can possibly ﬁt on ateam that is still, at itscore, ﬁlledwithteenagers whose football lives will end in college.

UCLA’s second-year coach, DeShaun Foster,said he considered thatpart when the prospect of Iamaleavacoming to Westwood becamereal.

Speaking notso much about that speciﬁc storybut to the realities of football, Foster said he knows keeping things clean in the pocket for Iamaleava will be key to his success.

“If he stays upright, things are going to go the right way,” Foster said. Andiftheydo, there’satleast a chance Iamaleava could be aone-anddoner at UCLA. He is widely thought to have NFL talent if he improves his mechanics and accuracy —two areas that will be helped by better protection.

Iamaleava said he pays no mind to thebillion-dollarquestions swirling around the college game every day —all revolving around money,freedomtotransfer and other issues that have turned the UCLA quarterback into avillain in some places, ahero in others, and aplayer to watcheverywhere.

“I love collegefootball,” he said. “Everything that goes on with my name, that’snot going to change my lovefor thegame. Obviously,everyone has to move on. I’mexcited about what’snext for me. But I’m where my feet (are), and right now,I’m aUCLA football player and I’mexcited to go to camp.”

STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE Saints quarterback JakeHaener looks to make apass during training

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByJEFFDEAN

Ja’MarrChase makes acatchduring practice at the Cincinnati Bengals training camp on ThursdayinCincinnati.

Luke Johnson

USC’s Riley feeling

‘refreshed’ as pressure mounts

BY RYAN KARTJE Los Angeles Times (TNS)

LASVEGAS While the rest of the college football world spent the summer whipped into a frenzy, swept up by the specter of revenue sharing or congressional intervention or one of the many other landscape-altering changes looming over the sport, Lincoln Riley was able to actually step away and take a breath In four years as USC’s coach, Riley hasn’t had many chances to really unplug There was the sprint ahead of his first season, and the heavy po rt al p us h ahead of his second The third came with a new conference, new defense, new expectations, new pressure. The fourth, by comparison, is starting on a more relaxed note than Riley is used to There were no phone calls taking up half a day of his family vacation His ﬂy ﬁshing went mostly unbothered. He even golfed at Pebble Beach in May

“I’d say I’m feeling as refreshed and recharged as I’ve been in a long time,” Riley said Thursday during Big Ten media days. Never mind that the pressure for Riley to win at USC has perhaps never been so high, coming off a 7-6 campaign in which the Trojans needed a comeback bowl win to scrape past .500. The path to winning has arguably never been so uncertain, either, with the advent of revenue sharing completely upending how championship rosters are constructed.

In spite of that backdrop, this past summer still felt less daunting to Riley than the rest. He said he didn’t feel the offseason chaos that some of colleagues have described in the wake of the House settlement. Some of that added calm he credits to Chad Bowden, USC’s new general manager, and his handpicked front office, who have taken personnel matters largely off Riley’s plate. Immediately laying claim to the nation’s No 1 recruiting class for 2026 hasn’t hurt in building that trust, either But it’s more than that, Riley said.

“There are less big ﬁxes going on right now, you know?” he said. “It’s like you’ve got the house built, and it’s kind of all about the finishes now You’re not trying to put up a wall or anything like that.”

The biggest leap could once again be on defense, where USC went from one of the worst units in the nation in 2023 (121st in scoring defense) to respectable (56th) under defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn.

That was no small feat, considering where they came from. And the Trojans have added considerable talent to its defense since. The front seven should beneﬁt greatly from the return of linebacker Eric Gentry and defensive end Anthony Lucas from injury And on the interior, USC brought in two massive transfers on the interior as well as a ﬁve-star freshman.

“I think the depth, the talent level, and the size of the defensive line, I mean, there’s honestly really no comparison to this time 12 months ago,” Riley said But the Trojans’ path will inevitably at some point, come down to their quarterback. Riley reiterated his conﬁdence in Jayden Maiava as the Trojans’ starter, even as he once again heaped praise on ﬁve-star freshman Husan Longstreet.

Left tackle Elijah Paige said Thursday that he has seen a major change in Maiava since he entered the offseason as the presumptive starter

“He’s taken a complete 180,” Paige said of USC’s quarterback. “(In the spring), he commanded the offense, and that’s what this team needs.” Riley isn’t the only one who feels those ﬁnishing touches underway

“We’ve gone and gotten some of the very best people in the business,” Riley said. “They’re not going to attach themselves to something where they don’t see the progress.”

Commissioner Tim Pernetti said the American Conference won’t

polls because of how college football’s changing

American Conference drops preseason media day ranking

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Fol-

lowing an industry-wide trend, the American Conference eschewed a preseason football media poll for the ﬁrst time, possibly depriving Tulane of the top spot.

Blame the transfer-portal era.

“We thought really long and hard about this,” commissioner Tim Pernetti said as he kicked off the league’s annual media day session on Friday morning at the Charlotte Convention Center “I used to go down to the candy store at my town in New Jersey and wait in line for the Athlon’s and Lindy’s and Phil Steele magazines to come out and look at the polls and see who was ranked where We’re moving away from this now because it’s more difﬁcult to actually put your ﬁnger on how this should look, given that rosters are dramatically different every year.”

Tulane has 60 new players on its roster of 116 — 34 transfers and 26 freshman signees. That dramatic changeover did not prevent seven of 13 voters from tabbing the Green Wave first in a poll conducted by the Memphis ON3 site Tiger Sports Report. Memphis got three ﬁrst-place votes, with Navy, UTSA and South Florida receiving one each If the league had conducted a survey with the same result, Tulane would have been the preseason favorite for the second

TULANE

Continued from page 1C

good players on our team all the time.”

Retzlaff, a fifth-year player who guided BYU to an 11-2 record and a ranking of 13 in the ﬁnal Associated Press poll, will begin at the bottom. He will take his first snaps with the Wave while Semonza and Leary had 15 practices in the spring and Sullivan participated in summer OTAs.

Retzlaff getting comfortable by the Aug. 30 opener against Northwestern is difﬁcult but doable.

“It’s challenging, but it’s different than being a true freshman,” Sumrall said.

“He (Retzlaff) has had a lot of time on task. He’s got a ton of experience. He has a really high football IQ. I’m not going to say he has a photographic memory, but it’s impressive You can tell him something and he can regurgitate it an hour later, and you’re like, oh my goodness.”

The rest is up to performance. Mensah outplayed Thompson and Horton, securing the starting job a little more than a week before the 2024 opener but there is no timeline or set schedule for a decision.

“I don’t ever do anything with a hard and fast date,” Sumrall said. “I don’t know when we’ll get

time in three seasons and the second time in school history

With only two starters returning on offense and three on defense, coach

Jon Sumrall questioned anyone who would have the Wave on top. Traditionally, teams with that little continuity that are also replacing a starting quarterback are further down the pecking order Tulane, though, is coming off three consecutive appearances in the American championship game. Sumrall won back-to-back championships at Troy before taking the Wave job last season, and he has brought in one of the most highly rated transfer classes among non-Power

Four conference schools.

“I think people respect what’s been done and the nature Tulane football has established itself in, but if anybody thinks we should be the favorite this year, they must not understand what it takes to be really good,” he said. “Usually you want experience at quarterback and maybe having more than ﬁve returning starters.”

The ACC and Big 12 also skipped media polls at their events this year

More transparency

Pernetti said the American would release injury reports for the ﬁrst time this season, again mirroring what other conferences are doing. Largely to discourage inside information beneﬁting gamblers, the Big Ten

began providing injury information in 2023. The SEC joined it last season.

“We’re not reacting to anything,” Pernetti said “We certainly saw it unfold last year and were a little behind the 8-ball on that. We’ll start the player availability report this season. It will be a gameday reporting system. It’s an important modernization of where we are as a conference.”

The player-availability information will be provided only for league games, with the ﬁrst one a Sept. 6 matchup between Navy and UAB.

Not there

Of the 28 players (two per team) who appeared at American media days, there were no running backs or wide receivers.

There was a good reason for their absence. No returning player at either position gained 800 yards a year ago.

The top eight running backs from 2024 are gone, including Tulane’s Makhi Hughes, who transferred to Oregon after gaining 1,401 yards. The nine leading receivers departed, too including the Wave’s Mario Williams, who completed his college eligibility with a 1,031-yard season.

Tulane’s Zuberi Mobley who played for Florida Atlantic last year, is the league’s second-leading returning running back in yards rushing per game at 54.1. He finished spring drills fourth on the Wave’s depth chart behind Louisville transfer transfer Maurice Turner, Arnold Barnes and Jamauri McClure

there. It may be a couple weeks into camp It may be three weeks into camp. It may be the week of the ﬁrst game It may be four weeks into the year.”

Depending on how the competition shakes out, Sumrall said he would consider using two quarterbacks against Northwestern with specific packages for both. All four have different skills.

Sumrall cited Semonza’s craftiness and instincts, Leary’s ability as a pure pocket passer and Sullivan’s outright speed and competitiveness. None of them won like Retzlaff did at BYU last season, but anyone pre-judging the battle is ignoring recent history

“We proved that with our actions last year,” Sumrall said. “We didn’t go with the most known player or the highest recruited player We went with the guy we felt like

N.J. Little Leaguer plays after judge lifts his suspension

BY DAN GELSTON AP sportswriter

DEPTFORD,N.J Marco Roc-

co ﬁdgeted with his helmet and dug in at the plate to chants of “Marco! Marco!” from his Little League teammates as he settled in for a night of baseball, after his family got mixed up in a court case where a judge — not an umpire or coach made the call that allowed him to take the ﬁeld.

The 12-year-old played Thursday night for his New Jersey team hours after he faced a suspension from his ﬁrst state tournament game after he was ejected for flipping his bat as he celebrated a home run.

Marco, who’s from Haddonfield, New Jersey, tossed his bat in the air on July 16 after his sixthinning, two-run homer in the final of the sectional tournament.

Marco was ejected and suspended for a game over what his family was told were actions deemed “unsportsmanlike” and “horseplay.”

The family sought an emergency temporary restraining order that would allow him to play in the New Jersey state tournament that started Thursday He got one.

Judge Robert Malestein ruled hours before the game that Marco could play

Joe Rocco, Marco’s father, said the experience

was “stressful” but added he was “just happy my son got to play baseball.”

Marco played for Haddonfield against Elmora Little League in the first game of a four-team, double-elimination tournament at the Deptford Township Little League complex. Elmora won 10-0 in a game that was shortened to four innings by the mercy rule. Marco went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts.

Marco was on the bench when the game started his father said it was to ease Marco into the game — but was inserted at third base after Haddonfield’s starting pitcher allowed six runs in two-thirds of an inning and was pulled. Little League stood behind its umpires but said it would respect the judge’s decision.

The sides made their arguments before a judge in Gloucester County Chancery Division on Thursday afternoon, just hours before the game. The winner of the state tournament advances to the regionals, where it has a chance to move on to the Little League World Series. What makes the ejection and suspension noteworthy is that Little League Baseball post bat ﬂips on social media that do not result in punishment.

In fact, Marco has tossed his bat in celebration in prior tournament games without warnings or punishment, according to the court complaint.

Venezuelan team denied visas into U.S.

BY CARLOS RODRIGUEZ AP sportswriter

A Venezuelan baseball team was denied visas into the United States and will miss this year’s Senior Baseball World Series, Little League International conﬁrmed Friday

The Cacique Mara team, from Maracaibo, Venezuela, was scheduled to participate in the tournament after winning the Latin American championship in Mexico.

Venezuela is among a list of countries with restrictions for entering the U.S. or its territories. President Donald Trump has banned travel to the U.S. from 12 other countries, citing national security concerns. Earlier in the month, the Cuban women’s volleyball team was denied visas to participate in a tournament in Puerto Rico.

could help us win and lead our team.”

Linebacker and co-captain Sam Howard agreed.

“Any one of those guys can take us to a championship, so I’m excited,” he said. “I put full trust in all of them.”

Making progress

Sumrall said Thompson, who moved to tight end and excelled in the first week of spring drills before hurting a knee, would be in a no-contact jersey to start preseason practice but would be available to participate in some drills soon.

His overall outlook is good.

“Things are trending positively for him being ready for Game 1,” Sumrall said. “You never know how things are going to go, but the target for availability for Game 1 looks very realistic, potentially.”

“The Cacique Mara Little League team from Venezuela was unfortunately unable to obtain the appropriate visas to travel to the Senior League Baseball World Series,” Little League International said in a statement adding that it is “extremely disappointing, especially to these young athletes.” The Venezuelan team traveled to Colombia two weeks ago to apply for its visas at the U.S. embassy in Bogotá.

The embassy did not immediately respond to an Associated Press request for comment.

“It is a mockery on the part of Little League to keep us here in Bogotá with the hope that our children can fulﬁll their dreams of participating in a world championship,” the team said in a statement. “What do we do with so much injustice, what do we do with the pain that was caused to our children?”

“They told us that Venezuela is on a list because Trump said Venezuelans are a threat to the security of his state, of his country,” said Kendrick Gutiérrez, the league’s president in Venezuela. “It hasn’t been easy the situation; we earned the right to represent Latin America in the World Championship.”

The Senior League Baseball World Series, a tournament for players aged 13-16, is played each year in Easley, South Carolina. It begins Saturday The tournament organizers replaced the Venezuelans with the Santa Maria de Aguayo team from Tamaulipas, Mexico, the team that was a runner-up in the Latin American championship.

“I think this is the first time this has happened, but it shouldn’t end this way They’re going to replace us with another team because relations have been severed; it’s not fair,” Gutiérrez added. “I don’t understand why they put Mexico in at the last minute and left Venezuela out.”

AP FILE PHOTO By ROSS D FRANKLIN

Former ByU quarterback Jake Retzlaff warms up prior to a game against Arizona State on Nov. 23 in Tempe, Ariz

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEVE REED

do preseason football

landscape has affected roster turnover.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Joe Rocco and his son Marco Rocco pose in Haddonfield, N.J., in an undated photo.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Letyourcharm lead the way, and everything else will fall into place.Participating in community and networking event will allow you to establishvaluable connections.

VIRGo (Aug.23-sept. 22) Consider thepossibilities and choose thepaththat promotes the most integrity, peace and love. Thereare no winners whenfightsbreak out. Raiseyour standards and distance yourself from people who don't treat you with respect.

LIBRA (sept.23-oct. 23) Stop procrastinatingand start heading in adirection that puts asmile on your face, askip in your step and love in your heart.Participate in eventsthat interest you andminglewith intriguing and entertainingpeople.

scoRPIo (oct.24-nov. 22) Rethink how you wanttoallocate your time. Taking on responsibilities that don'tbelongto youwill lead to regret. Don'tlet anyone take advantage of you. Donate your time or money to causes that concern you

sAGIttARIus (nov.23-Dec. 21) Give hope to those you encounter, and it will restore your faith in others. AKeep your emotions from interfering with time-sensitive decisions.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Emotional spending will be your downfall. Pay attention to hidden costsand those eager foryou to foot the bill. Discipline will pay offinsituationsthatrequirepatienceand precise timing.

AQuARIus(Jan. 20-Feb.19) Pay attention to detail. Last-minute legal, financial or medical changeswill require care-

ful consideration. Take pride in your appearance. Protect what matters most to you.

PIscEs(Feb. 20-March 20) Change may be your goal, but consider whatitwill take before you begin. Take another gander at your options and fine-tune your plan to meet therequirements.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Pay attention to what you are trying to achieve. Refuse to letcomplimentscost you. Be realistic, have aplan and budget, and negotiate with precision.. Love and social events will encourageromance.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Check your ego beforeyoustartadialoguewithsomeone looking for afight. Sometimes it'sbest to walk away fromsituations that are disruptive or likelytospin out of control.Know when to leave and cut your losses.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Going on ashort trip, attending areunion or changing yourroutinewill help yourealignyourself in preparation for what you want to pursue. Aphysical challenge will take its toll if youaren't careful.

cAncER (June 21-July22) Consider your current situation and mull over your options. Preparationwill help youfeel more comfortable dealing with institutions, authority figures andfinancial or medical issues that concern you

Celebrity Ciphercryptograms are created fromquotations by famous people, past and present. Eachletterinthe cipher stands foranother.

toDAy'scLuE: DEQuALs M

FAMILY CIrCUS

CeLebrItY CIpher

beetLe bAILeY

GooSe And GrIMM

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The objectistoplace the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the samenumber only once. The difficulty levelofthe sudoku increasesfrom monday to sunday

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

GrouchoMarxsaid,“Ablackcatcrossingyour pathsignifies that the animal is going somewhere.”

Notasuperstitiousman,he.Andbridge is not agame forthe superstitious, with its13-card hands and 13-trick deals. To get from one handtothe other, you often have to be careful with your cards. How does that apply in this deal? South is in four spades, andWest leads the club queen. If youopentwo no-trump with only 20 or 21 points, you shoulddefinitely upgrade thatSouthhand and open two clubs.Ifyou require agood 20, 21 or 22 for two no-trump, it is acloser call, but with all four aces, two 10s andthose combining honors, thehand is worth nearer 23 pointsthan 21. On the second round, North employs Stayman to uncover the 4-4 spade fit.

Southshouldsee four potential losers: twohearts, one diamond and one club. He has only nine guaranteed tricks: four spades, oneheart, three diamonds and oneclub. Declarer shouldconclude that thediamond finessemust be winning. However, that finesse might have to be taken three times, which would require three dummyentries. Put those trumps to work!

Declarer shouldwin with his club ace,cash the spade aceand carefully overtake thespade eight with dummy’s nine. Then he triesthe diamond finesse.

wuzzles

When it wins, South plays the spade 10 to dummy’s jack andrepeats thediamond finesse.Finally,heleadsthespadequeen to dummy’s king, takes athird diamond finesse,andclaims10tricks:fourspades, one heart, four diamonds and one club. Watch your entries like acat, black or otherwise.

Each Wuzzle is awordriddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place,saying, etc. Forexample: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

word

InstRuctIons:

Previous answers:

Averagemark

today’s thought “And because iniquityshall abound,the love of many shall waxcold.” Matthew 24:12

When evil abounds

diminishes. Choices have

G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words arein the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition. For more informationontournamentsand clubs, emailnaspa –north american sCraBBlE playersassociation: info@scrabbleplayers.org.Visit ourwebsite:www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiriescontact scrgrams@gmail.com. Hasbro andits logo sCraBBlE associated logo,the design of thedistinctivesCraBBlE

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 -Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 -The numbers within theheavily outlined boxes called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

and thedistinctivelettertile designsare

WiShinG Well

HErE is aplEasanT liTTlEgamEthat will give

the numberofletters is

bers, left to right. Then read

Scrabble GramS

roSe

HOME | DESIGN | GARDEN | REAL ESTATE

Afocus on ﬂora and fauna

INSIDE SOURCES

Floral shop keepsthings local. PAGE 4

INSIDE INFO

Home and garden happenings. PAGE 6 IN DETAIL

Karen Taylor Gist

Who doesn’tlove the sight of the amazing little birdthat could,the supercharged humming bird?Ahostof trees, shrubs and ﬂowers can help attract them to your landscape, and this is agreat time to plant most of them. Dan Gill has the details on Page 12 And speaking of ﬂowers, there’sashop on CampStreet that uses blooms the owners grow themselves on their organic farm in Mississippi. Why does this matter? Find out the many reasons on Page 4.

Plus Victor Andrewstakes us inside abrand new Old Metairie homewith six bedrooms in 4,600 square feet, all for under$2.4 million. That’sonPage 8.

Designthat’saheadofthe curve. PAGE 7

ONEIN A MILLION

Contemporary styleinnew OldMetairie home. PAGE 8 COVERSTORY

An invitation to hummingbirds. PAGE 12

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS

Recent transactions in the metroarea. PAGE 16

InsideOut’s missionistogive readers peeks inside the many different ways thatpeople in the New Orleans area live. We proﬁle spaces thatare opulent, or just offbeat;sophisticated or simple; functional or light-hearted; historicor brand-spanking new.And anythingin between.

Please help us by sending information andJPEGphotos of your home, or speciﬁc spaces inside it,toinsideout@ theadvocate.com. We love gardens and outdoor spaces, too. Andwe’re waiting to hear from you.

TheInsideOut homeand garden section is published everySaturdayby TheTimes-Picayune. Questions about InsideOut should be directed to the editor

INSIDEOUT EDITOR: Karen TaylorGist, kataylor@theadvocate.com

CONTRIBUTINGWRITERS: Victor Andrews, Jyl Benson, Dan Gill

COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel

COVER PHOTO: HilaryScheinuk

TO BE FEATURED: Send information and photos to insideout@theadvocate.com

71 DreamCourt •Metairie$1,659,000

Picture-perfect4Bd,3 Full &2 Half Ba home offersimmaculate 2-yr-young construction w/ value-addedlayerssuchas: custom curtains,generator,& so much more!Openlayout, ExquisiteCustomGourmet Kitchen, Spacious Family Rm,Elegant Dining Rm…Perfect forEntertaining! 11’ceilgs down,10’ up attentiontodetails galore!Fully landscaped.X FloodZone. Julie Varisco• 504-782-1654

KarenPrieur• 504-250-7700 Prieur Properties 504-352-9800

504Georgia Court• Metairie

$998,000

Stunning 4Bd, 2.5Ba, 3600+Sfhomeonanoversized lotinquiet culde-sac offering privacy& amplespace foroutdoor living.Newer roof (4 yrs) &aninvitingbalcony.Elegant interior,wood floors &panel doors, 20’ceilings in den, w/ Masonryfrplc.Large underroofpatio with view overlookingpool, lush yard &gazebo. Wholehouse generator. Mark Rodi 504-251-3221 RE/MAX Affiliate 504-834-3221

180E.Oakridge Park •Metairie$1,633,000

Meticulously craftedcustomFrench-inspired 3Bd, 2.5Bahomeonpicturesque strw/every attn to detail.Grand livg rm w/ Fr doorsleading to charming frontterrace.Graciousdiningrm flowsfor formal entertaining.Gourmet kit, spacious Denw/frplc &add’l Fr doorsleading to arear cov’dporch.Alarm sys+ cameras, home Generator, XFlood Zone,plustoo many detailstolist! JulieVarisco •504-782-1654Karen Prieur •504-250-7700 Prieur Properties 504-352-9800

3412 N. Woodlawn Avenue •Metairie$649,000

Investor Opportunitytoown aWell-Maintained Brick4-Plex TownhouseinPontchartainShores. Allare tenant occupied except Unit 3isVacant. LocatedacrossfromClearview Mall in aLovely ResidentialNeighborhood.Eachunithas 2Bdrms/1.5 Baths, Washer/Dryer Hookups, anda PrivatePatio.Unit3 will be Open LindaLandsmann 504-722-4913

RE/MAX Living 504-475-1011

7523 Garnet Street •Lakeview/ West Lakeshore$865,000

Arrive at this elegant4Bd,3 Full &2 Half Bas, 3,034Sfold brickcolonialhome, only 3housesfromthe levee& Lake Pontchartrain! Living Rm openstoFamily Rm overlookingpatio &pool. Dining Rm leadstobkfst area &Gourmet Kitchen. Bonusrmcould be studyorgym.All beautifullylandscaped. Att’ddouble carporthas long storagermw/halfbath. XFlood Zone.Great forentertaining! FrankBarrett 504-258-0375

RE/MAX Affiliates504-838-7671

3913 Lake Providence Drive• Stonebridge /Harvey$519,000 Aresort-style3Bd,2.5 Ba,3,178 Sf retreat, in agated golf course community just 7miles from theFrQtr &DowntownN.O., whichradiatesFlorida charm &anentertainment-ready layout.Thishomehas allyou need open floor plan,chef’sdream kitchen,spaciousprimary suite+ ensuitebathtothe beautifulswimmingpool. Theperfect blendofluxury, leisure, &location. AprilGongora Brownaprilgo1@gmail.com 504-606-0466 HospitalityRealtywww.HospitalityRealty.net NEW LISTING TRULY AMUST SEE!

127LakeAvenue• OldMetairie$575,000

Convenient &low maintenanceliving, 4Bd, 3.5BaTwnhm in peaceful area! Spacious layout:formalliving/dining rm,updated kitchenw/space forbistro table,charmingdenw/wd-beamedceilgs&frplc.Well-equippedkitw/granite counters &ssappls. Excellentstrgthruout.Perfect foroutdoor entertaining Off st-prkgfor 4+cars.Residents access to asharedcommunity pool. Julie Varisco• 504-782-1654

KarenPrieur• 504-250-7700 Prieur Properties 504-352-9800

TeyStiteler, whoowns the Secret Spot with her partner, Michael Glenboski, works with blossoms on their organic farmin Mississippi.

NATURAL BEAUTY

PROVIDED PHOTOS A floral workshop attendee at The Secret Spot examines an array of fresh flowers available foruse.

BY JYL BENSON Contributingwriter

Alush garden spills over onto theCamp Street sidewalk, where a sign advises passersby to “Stop and Smell the Flowers.” The enchanting ﬂoral shop there seems empowered to transform even the most dreary of days. Butsomething else, somethingmoretangible, is special about The Secret Spot, too.

Most of thefragrant ﬂowers it sells were grown 74 miles away by owner TeyStiteler and her life and business partner,Michael Glenboski, on their 4-acre farm in Poplarville, Mississippi.

The two are entering their ﬁfth season of growing bloomsonthe no-till, entirely organic farm.

A floral arrangement by The Secret Spot

“Our only ‘pesticides’ are aﬂock of nine goofy ducks, who, despite thechaos they bring, earn theirkeep with pest control and fresheggs,” Stiteler said.

The shop composts all green waste, avoids single-useplastics and ﬂoral foam, and makes thoughtful, low-waste design acore part of itsethos

“From asustainabilityperspective, no one else is doing this. It wasn’teasy to start growing ﬂowers locally.Itis alabor of love, but also, not everyone wants white roses,” Stitelersaid. More treasuresinside

The shop’sinteriorisﬁlled with blossoms displayed in vintage vessels atop antique tables andonpedestals against walls of old brick and plaster that magnify their beauty.

Also on hand are unusual plants, selectlocal art (currently by Rachel Loyacono and Maddie Stratton), personal care products from thelocal Oxalis Apothecary and acarefully curated selection of beautiful, uncommontreasures, suchasceramic foliage propagation vessels suspended from leather strands. If youknow what they are, this is, indeed, ahappy place for you. And all this is settoabackground soundtrackthat might be 1960s French pop music or David Bowie.

Stiteler, aﬂoral designer,opened her shop in the Warehouse District in May based on amodel of sustainability and adesire to bring simple pleasure to everyday life.

INSIDESOURCES

What’s in season

Floral selections available recently included dramatic tigerlilies,zinnia, echinacea, marigolds, poke weed,celosia, amaranth, branching sunﬂowers, darkly mysteriousmahogany hibiscus foliage, listeria, bee balm, leatrice, assorted ferns andsmall pots of trailing monstera siltepecana.

Autumn will usherinheirloom mums and snapdragons. Spring will yield ranunculus, delphinium and anemones.

“Weare trying to do something really different here basedonthe concept that good begets good,” Stiteler said. “Flowers mark amomentintime. By using seasonal ﬂowers, they are going

to reﬂect that day, that time.”

Arrangements range from $75 to $200 andare the designer’schoice using the best blooms available. It usually takes aday to getthem.

As much asocial experiment as an environmentaland aesthetic one, The Secret Spothosts frequent collaborations with Junebug, achicrestaurant andcraft cocktailbar with which it shares abuilding, for sipand shop events andworkshops. Therear of The Secret Spotdoubles as TheGreenhouse,aplant-centric eventspace.

Inside Sources is acolumn that tracks trends and provides consumer information from experts in their home andgardeningﬁelds.

THESECRET SPOT

744 Camp St., (504) 615-9688, thesecretspotflowers.com

INSTAGRAM: @thesecretspotflowers

Advantageoflocally grown flowers

“People are not thinking about what it takes to get flowersfrom Ecuador,where most of themare grown, to Holland, wheretheyare auctioned, then to Miami, wheretheycomeinto the U.S.,and then to you, and theyneed to be refrigerated at every step.The carbon footprint is astronomical. Just think of thefrequent flyermilesamassedona single flower! By using what we grow locally,weavoid all that waste.”

—TEy STITELER,owner of The Secret Spot

On thecalendar

n DIy wedding flowersworkshop: Noon to 4p.m. Sept.13

n Thanksgiving centerpiece workshop: 6p.m. to 8p.m. Nov. 25

n Petphotos withSanta: 5p.m. to 8p.m. Dec. 1(All proceeds benefitlocal animal rescue operations.)

n Holidaywreath workshops: 2p.m. to 4p.m. Dec. 4-6.

INSIDEINFO

Orleans assessment rolls open

Property tax rolls forOrleansParish for2026 are open through Aug. 15, and online appealswill be open Tuesday through Aug. 20.

Assessor Erroll Williams said the rolls will be open from8:30 a.m. to 4p.m. Mondaythrough Fridayatthe following locations:

n City Hall, 1300 Perdido St., fourthﬂoor

n AlgiersCourthouse,225 MorganSt., ﬁrst ﬂoor

n LakeviewChristianCenter, 5885 FleurDeLis Drive, second ﬂoor.

Notices of assessment change have been mailed to property ownersand updated valuesare online at nolaassessor.com.

Schedule appointmentsto meet with the appraisal staff to discuss assessments online or in-personatnolaassessor com or (504) 754-8811. All appointments must be made at least 24 hours in advance.

Notarial Archives to openagaininAugust

Whattoknowmore about the history of aproperty?

The clerk of Civil District Court in New Orleans is offering summertours of the NotarialArchivesResearch Center, where theanswers to those questions may reside.

Clerk ChelseyNapoleon will open the archivesat1340 PoydrasSt., Suite260, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Aug. 7and 26.

For information,emailcivilclerkresearchctr@orleanscdc com or call(504) 407-0106.

HNOC to host antiquesforum

The weekendlong celebration of history andaesthetics returns to The HistoricNew Orleans Collection with its annualAntiquesForum.

“Light andDistraction: Material Culture of SouthernAmusement” will be

has aslewofcleanup projects coming up that are in need of volunteers.

the theme Aug. 8-10. Board games, the circus, pleasure gardens, horse racing and more will be examined. Alineup of expertsand enthusiasts includes Tara Gleason Chicirda,ofthe Colonial Williamsburg Foundation; Claudia Pfeiffer,ofthe NationalSporting Library &Museum; andAllison Robinson, of The New-York Historical Society

Registration is open fora single day or for thefull forum, plus add-on activities. Sessions start at $60. Visit hnoc.org

Bonsai classes teach artformamidbrews

Horticulture will be what’s on tap in Slidell at 3p.m. SaturdayatSaint August Maison, 153 Robert St., forBonsai Bar, whichaimstointroducethe ancient Asianart of gardening while attendees enjoy abeer at alocal brewery. Dwarf umbrella (Schefﬂera arboricola) will be the planting.

Events are also plannedat Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois St., at 6p.m. Aug. 6.

Instructors will lead participantsinlessonsonthe core

concepts to pot, prune and design abonsai tree.

Cost starts at $85. For information, visit bonsaibar.com.

Volunteer projects abound at City Park

Avariety of cleanup days andinitiativesare on tap at CityPark to improveand maintainthe extensive urban green space. Those coming up include:

n CouturieForest TrailTeam Zoom Info Session: 9a.m. Saturday

n Pelican Greenhouse Summer Volunteer Series: 8a.m. Tuesday andThursday.2Celebration Drive.

n Litter Cleanup Krewe: 9a.m. Tuesday,Thursday.Volunteer Center,1031 Harrison Ave.

n Big LakeNative Plant TrailRestoration Project: 9a.m. Friday. BigLakeNative Trailnear 7 FriedrichsAve.

n SuperSaturday: 9a.m. Aug. 2, Volunteer Center Register forthe programs andﬁnd outmore aboutwhat to bring at friendsofcitypark. volunteerhub.com.

Have ahome and garden event coming up? Send it to events@theadvocate.com.

STAFFFILE PHOTOByCHRIS GRANGER CityPark

curve of the Ahead

The arches of the Roman Colosseum, the Arc de Triomphe in Paris and the Gateway Arch in St. Louis may be more well known, but these add a certain soothing curvature to the local homes they adorn. Arches have been used for millennia to add a sense of height, grandeur and timelessness to buildings, from Romanesque to art deco.

— Karen Taylor Gist

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN McCUSKER

ONEINAMILLION

Kitchen, living room, dining room, wet bar and even the stairs to the upper level are all conveniently gathered in the heart of the

Old Metairie home with six bedrooms looks for its ﬁrst family

BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer

Steps off of Metairie Road in one of the area’s tree-lined residential enclaves lies a recent construction at 108 Dorrington Blvd.

“Shiny and new” could well be used to describe the more than 4,600-square-foot home with six bedrooms and five full baths. The two-story dwelling’s first owners will find a sense of contemporary style, lots of space and a laundry list of amenities — a balanced blend of today and tomorrow with touches of yesterday

And while the home is new, it melds into the established neighborhood. From the pitched roofs to the established landscaping, the home, at just under $2.35 million, is ready to extend a warm welcome.

With ample parking and a forecourt at the front, a set of brick steps draws visitors to the home’s recessed double front doors and inside to a

well-crafted first floor. Blonde wood flooring draws the eye to the rest of the space. Curved corners on the entrance walls hint at the sophisticated touches to be found throughout.

To the right of the foyer, a bedroom that could easily double as a home ofﬁce waits, with access to a full bath that is also open to the hall. Tucked behind the bath is the staircase up.

But the main living area of the home opens from the foyer in dramatic fashion. High ceilings are well suited to the vast central area.

Step past the wet bar and through the dining area into the main family room, which is counterbalanced by the kitchen. The wet bar features glass cabinets, a wine fridge, ice maker and marble counters.

Tall windows overlook the side yard from the dining area, which is highlighted by a fanciful chandelier

A central island with storage and seating marks the culinary area, a chef-inspired

ABOVE: The new construction on Dorrington Boulevard in Old Metairie features six bedrooms, including two on the first level, a large great room, an outdoor kitchen and a full house generator LEFT: Step into a private fashion boutique otherwise known as the primary suite’s walk-in closet, filled with custom spaces for apparel and a handy island with space for seating

PROVIDED PHOTOS By BOB KLEIN

home.

ONEINAMILLION

outdoor kitchen is handy for dining al

sector with marble counters and pristine white cabinets. Stainless appliances are ready to go. A walk-in pantry, with an abundance of open shelves, is perfectly placed steps away and includes a built-in coffee station.

A marble surround frames the living space’s ﬁreplace, anchoring the vast open area and, during cooler months, providing warmth and ambiance. Plentiful windows at the back of the room overlook the porch and frame the breakfast space.

Just off the breakfast space is the ﬁrst of two primary suites (the other is upstairs). Architectural details and broad windows are hallmarks of the sleeping chamber, which also features a coffered ceiling. Through a barn-style sliding door, the primary bath is reminiscent of European spas. The large double vanity balances the standing shower and oval soaking tub, with a separate water closet. Through the bath lies the equally sized walk-in closet. The second ﬂoor holds four additional bedrooms, including two en suite (one could serve

the

as a second primary suite) and two that share a Jack and Jill bath

Additional spaces on the second ﬂoor include a dedicated ofﬁce, a den and an exercise room.

The back covered porch has a fully equipped kitchen with a built-in grill and sink. The enclosed backyard is a comfortable green space that could easily include a pool.

The home also features a

full-house generator, laundry facilities on both ﬂoors, storage and a garage that opens into the house. Also included are a sprinkler system and exterior lighting. The home is listed by Melissa Martin, of Prieur Properties LLC, (504) 390-7002.

One in a Million is an occasional series featuring upscale homes for sale in the metro area.

A standing shower is mated to an oval soaking tub in the primary bath of the home. Located on the first floor, the primary suite is a convenient oasis.

fresco in

rear lawn or on the covered patio.

Infuse blue into your home as a foundational color from which to build a color palette, or layer tints, tones and shades.

Infuse the beauty of blue for a sense of luxury

BY CATHY HOBBS Tribune News Service (TNS)

Blue is the new “it” color that can be dressed up or dressed down. Just as elegant as black, but not as harsh, blue is an attractive choice for anyone looking to bring a sense of luxury into the home.

Looking for ways to infuse blue into your home? Here are some top design tips.

n Infuse texture, whether through textiles or accessories.

n Layer tints, tones and shades of blue. Layering color is a popular designer hack.

n Incorporate a sense of contrast. Pairing a deep, rich indigo with light colors such as white, taupe and light gray

results in a gorgeous sense of contrast.

n Use blue as small “pops of color” to sprinkle color in various parts of your home.

n Use blue as a foundational color from which to build a color palette.

n Pair blue with warm tones. Blue is a cool tone.

n Use blue in areas where you would normally use black. Dark blue is often interchangeable with black.

n Look for an inspirational design piece to help “anchor” a room.

n Consider natural elements to add an organic and natural element.

n Use blue in small areas to help them feel cozy, such as bathrooms and ofﬁces. Accent walls are a great option.

Hiring movers? Here’s what to know before you start packing

BY ANGIE HICKS Ask Angi (TNS)

Summer is peak season for buying and selling homes — and with that, comes the not-soglamorous reality of packing boxes, hauling furniture and discovering just how many books you own. (Spoiler: It’s always more than you think.) But moving doesn’t have to feel like a Herculean chore. With a little planning and the right professionals, it can go from stressful to — dare we say it — kind of satisfying.

Professional movers have seen it all, from third-ﬂoor walkups to oddly shaped heirlooms. While they handle the literal heavy lifting, you can focus on the excitement of settling into your new space. Here’s how to make your move smooth, smart and as close to painless as possible.

Hiring tips

Hiring movers is like picking a dance partner — you want someone reliable, skilled and able to avoid stepping on toes. Here’s how to ﬁnd the right match.

CHECK THEIR CREDENTIALS: If your move crosses state lines, the company should have U.S. Department of Transportation

When planning your move, make a packing inventory you can check off after boxes have been relocated.

registration. You can check this (and any complaint history) at protectyourmove.gov It’s a quick way to separate the pros from the ﬂy-by-nights.

ASK FOR THE TARIFF: “Tariff” is the moving industry’s term for a list of costs and charges. A good tariff spells out every cost — from stairs and long carries to particularly hefty items like pianos. No one likes surprise charges on moving day

KNOW WHAT YOU’VE GOT: Movers rely on the info you give them to estimate costs and time. So come prepared with details — square footage, furniture inventory and anything unusual.

AVOID BIG DEPOSITS: Most reputable movers won’t ask for more than a modest deposit — generally under $500. If a company demands a large payment upfront, that’s a red ﬂag. The bulk of the bill should be due upon delivery.

Planning tips

Now that you’ve picked your movers, let’s talk strategy BOOK EARLY: Weekend moves ﬁll up fast — especially in summer If you’re planning to move Friday through Sunday, reserve your spot at least a month in advance.

PROTECT FLOORS AND WALLS: Foot traffic and furniture don’t mix well with polished floors. Lay down moving blankets, carpet film or cardboard to prevent scratches. Wrap furniture edges to avoid dings in doorframes and walls. A little padding goes a long way

SCOUT THE TROUBLE SPOTS: Narrow hallways, winding stairs, tight driveways — ﬂag these potential issues early Giving your mover a heads-up avoids midmove surprises (and extra fees).

KEEP A PACKING INVENTORY: You’d be surprised how quickly a few boxes turn into a mountain of stuff. A simple checklist helps you track what you packed, where it went and what to check off when it arrives.

PUT IT IN WRITING: Always get a written estimate — and if any scope of work changes (like suddenly needing storage or extra help), make sure the changes are documented, too.

INSPECT PROMPTLY: You only have a short window to report damage after the move. Don’t delay. Check your belongings and ﬁle any claims ASAP

CONSIDER WHAT TO MOVE YOURSELF: If you have items of sentimental value that money can’t replace, such as Grandma’s ﬁne china, you might want to move those yourself.

With these tips, your move won’t just be easier, it might even feel like a fresh start instead of a frantic scramble.

STAFF FILE PHOTO

138N.CortezSt.

EGGPLANT INFO: If your spring-planted eggplant and bell pepperplants are still in good condition, theycan generally be relied on to produce afall crop eveniftheyare not producing well now. Control pestsand keep the plants well-watered and fertilizedas needed.Theywill begin to set more fruit as the temperatures become milder.

PALMS UP: Despitethe heat,now is agood time to add palms andothertropical plants to your landscape.Theywill establish best when thesoil is warm and thereistimefor

GREENTHUMB

GARDEN TIPS

them to establish before winter. Hold offon planting hardytrees and shrubs until the weathercools off in November WAIT ON WEED KILLERS: Avoidusing most lawn weed killers on your lawn now. High temperatures increase the chance of discoloring or damaging the grass.

Metsulfuron (MSM Turf) and Celsius maybe used nowdespite the heat to control Virginia buttonweed, lespedeza and other summer weeds.

KEEP IT PEACHY: Spraypeach-tree trunks

Meet theelderberrytree. It’s

useful anddeﬁnitely nota weed

BY DANGILL Contributing writer

Garden advice

Ihaveseen aplant all my life and alwaysconsidered it aweed.Recently someone told me it waselderflower,and they use it in food and beers. Could you please tell me whatit is? —Matt

“Weed” is ahuman term we apply to plants (regardless of whatthey are) growing in locations wherewedonot want them. Alive oak seedling growing in aﬂowerbed is a weed, yet no one calls liveoak trees weeds. Aplant becomes aweed when humans decideit is causing some sort of problem.

The plant in the photo you sent is the native elderberry tree, Sambucus canadensis. This is avery common plantin south Louisiana. Youcan see these large shrubs/small trees producing their largeclusters of tiny,creamy-white ﬂowers allsummer whenever you drive along interstates and highways.

These ﬂowers providenectar

One person’s ‘weed’ is another’s native elderberry tree.

PROVIDED PHOTO

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Wide Craftsman double in fun area. Liveonone side-collect $1500+rentorall rental units.

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withpermethrin to prevent the peach tree borer from getting into thetrunk and causing damage. Repeatthe spray everytwo weeks throughSeptember.

TIME FOR ATRIM: Cutback perennials in the gardenwhenthey finish flowering and trim away unattractivefoliage.

FEED CALADIUMS: Keep caladiums wellwateredduring dryspells to keep thefoliage in good shape through thesummer.Apply fertilizernow to encouragevigorous growth. Break offany flowersthat form.

“Now’s agood time to fillyour flower gardens with plants specifically chosen to attract and feed these diminutive bundles of energy. ”

DANGILL

Typicalhummingbird flowers arered in color,havea tubular shape and have no strong scent, although there are numerous exceptions to this general rule.

STAFF FILE ANDPROVIDED PHOTOS

Plants that can entice hummingbirds toyour yard include the shrimpplant, from left, bleeding heartvine and lemonbee balm.

COVERSTORy

speed Up to

Hummingbirds communicate with each other through avariety of twitters, chips, squeals and chatter

Plantnow to entice high-octanehummers into your garden

The rubythroated hummingbird is the only species that breeds in Louisiana.

Gardens aren’tjust forplants and people. Gardeners today arefar moreacceptingoftoads, frogs, lizards, bees, spiders, squirrels,insects and other wildlife, appreciatingthe role they play in naturalcycles andthe interest they can bring to thegarden. Some fortunatecreatures, suchas birds andbutterﬂies,are actually enticed in to thegardenwith special efforts.

Amongthe favored birds, none createsmoredelight than the hummingbird. Severalspecies of hummingbirds may be seen in Louisiana, but only theruby-throated hummingbird breedsinthe state.

ä See HUMMERS, page 14

DanGill

GREEN THUMB

PLANTS FOR HUMMINGBIRD GARDENS

TREES

Most trees are best planted in the fall.

n Crybaby tree (Erythrina crista-galli)

n Japanese plum or Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica)

n Citrus

n Bottlebrush (Callistemon species)

SHRUBS

n Turk’s cap (Malvaviscus arboreus)

n Pagoda plant (Clerodendrum speciosissimum)

n Mexican cigar plant (Cuphea ignea and C. micropetala)

n Shrimp plant (Justicia brandegeana)

n Firespike (Odontanema strictum)

n Hibiscus (Hibiscus spp and hybrids)

n Lantana (Lantana camara)

n Bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

n Azalea (Rhododendron spp. and hybrids; best planted in fall)

n Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia)

VINES

n Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens)

n yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens; blooming in February, this vine provides nectar to hummingbirds that are migrating to or through our area that time of the year)

n Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis)

n Cypress vine (Quamoclit pinnata)

n Bleeding heart vine (Clerodendrum thomsoniae)

n Trumpet Creeper (Campsis radicans)

ANNUALS AND PERENNIALS

n Salvia (Salvia splendens, S. coccinea, S. greggii, S. leucantha and many others)

n Pineapple sage (Salvia rutilans)

n Iris (Iris spp. and hybrids)

n Pentas (Pentas lanceolata)

n Indian pink (Spigelia marilandica)

n Red hot poker (Kniphofia uvaria)

n Impatiens (Impatiens walleriana)

n Coral plant (Russelia equisetiformis)

n Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis)

n Gilia or Standing cypress (Ipomopsis rubra)

n Bee balm (Monarda fistulosa, M didyma)

A Japanese plum (or loquat) tree is a good choice for attracting hummingbirds. Most trees are best planted in the fall.

HUMMERS

Continued from page 13

That is the species you are most likely to see. They linger here through the winter. Others species that summer in the North migrate through our area in November and December

Now’s a good time to fill your flower gardens with plants specifically chosen to attract and feed these diminutive bundles of energy. The information needed to plan and plant gardens to successfully attract hummingbirds is presented in an excellent book, “Hummingbird Gardens: Attracting Nature’s Jewels to Your Backyard” by Louisiana authors Nancy Newfield and Barbara Nielsen (1996, Chapters Publishing).

For many people, attracting hummers is as easy as hanging a feeder, and it’s not too late to put feeders up. But that is not always successful because many hummingbirds aren’t used to using them. I know from experience how frustrating it can be to put out a feeder and never see a hum-

mingbird.

Planting a garden full of hummingbird-attracting plants, in addition to maintaining feeders, is a more reliable method for successfully attracting hummingbirds.

Be patient if you don’t see them the ﬁrst year. Remember, a hummingbird garden is an invitation to these delightful creatures, not a command performance. The longer you stick with it, the more likely they are to show up.

Adding feeders

Hummingbirds are powerfully attracted to anything colored red. Feeders with bright red parts are especially useful for enticing the fastﬂying, tiny birds into the open where they are more easily seen. They may travel as far as one mile to use a reliable feeder

The sugar syrup dispensed from the feeder supplements the bird’s natural diet of nectar and insects with calories to fuel their rapid metabolism. The best formula for feeders should approximate natural nectar.

A good, simple formula can be made

at home by dissolving one part of cane sugar into four parts of boiling water. Allow the sugar syrup to cool before ﬁlling the feeders.

Several commercial nectars or mixes are on the market, but none provides better nourishment than a simple homemade sugar syrup. Place feeders high enough so that cats cannot attack the birds while they are feeding. Place them near windows for maximum viewing pleasure.

Feeders are most effective when located within view of ﬂowers that attract hummers.

What to add to the garden

The most satisfying method of attracting hummingbirds is to plant a hummingbird garden and provide them with their accustomed food, a concept that has proven quite effective in our area.

Typical hummingbird ﬂowers are red in color, have a tubular shape and have no strong scent, although there are numerous exceptions to this gen-

ä See HUMMERS, page 15

STAFF FILE PHOTO By TRAVIS SPRADLING

HUMMERS

Continued from page 14

eral rule. A well-chosen variety of ﬂowering trees, shrubs, vines, annuals and perennials can produce an excellent supply of nectar over a long period and beautify your landscape at the same time.

Tiny insects and spiders living on the plants and nectar, along with the ﬂowers, provide hummingbirds with protein. Because they obtain nearly all the water they need from their foods, providing them with drinking water is unnecessary

Plants that produce an abundance of ﬂowers over an extended period and those that require little care are good choices. When several color varieties of a plant are available, choose the brightest red.

Pesticides should generally not be used. If absolutely needed, they should be used sparingly and only on nonﬂowering plants.

Stick to pesticides low in toxicity such as horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps and BT (these should not be used if the planting is also for butterﬂies). Never use systemic insecticides or rotenone, even though it’s naturally occurring, on plants where hummingbirds may feed.

ADVICE

Continued from page 11

and pollen to native pollinating insects, such as bees. The ﬂowers turn into clusters of dark purple fruit. The fruit are readily consumed by birds, and they spread the seeds far and wide in their droppings.

As a result, it is not unusual for elderberry trees to show up in abandoned lots, along fences and in poorly maintained areas. That may be one reason you thought of this native tree as a weed.

The fruit is also eaten by humans and has been used for centuries to make jelly and wine (I’ve never heard of them used to make beer). The fruit must be cooked before eating. Elderﬂower extract is used in baking.

As a landscape plant, elderberries have a relaxed casual appearance that looks nice in naturalistic style landscapes or woodland gardens. There is a lot of information about elderberries on the internet, including recipes.

What is the best method to trim liriope that is starting to look ratty. Can I use my hedge trimmer or string trim-

The fruit of elderberry trees has been used for centuries to make jelly and wine. The fruit must be cooked before eating Elderflower extract is used in baking

mer? — Katherine When enough old, dead foliage accumulates in liriope and

makes it look unattractive, cutting back improves the appearance of the planting. Yes,

Liriope can be trimmed with a hedge trimmer or string trimmer as it ages.

you may use a hedge trimmer or string trimmer to cut back liriope. We generally do this in February or early March before new growth.

When is the best time to plant tomato transplants for fall harvesting?

Thanks for all your great advice. —

Marilyn

Spring-planted tomato plants typically do not survive the summer in decent shape, and vigorous, new transplants are planted in late summer for the fall crop. Plant tomato transplants in August.

In mild areas such as New Orleans, gardeners may get away with planting transplants as late as early September, but

Be patient after planting plants attractive to hummingbirds. If you don’t see them the first year, stick with it. The longer an inviting garden is available, the more likely they are to show up.

FILE PHOTO By ABBIE BOURGEOIS

don’t push it.

Nurseries will have tomato transplants available for planting in August (indeed, they are already showing up). Tomatoes planted for fall production will come into bloom while we are still experiencing days in the 90s. Standard tomato varieties do not set ﬂowers well when it is hot, so varieties with special heat tolerance bred into them should be planted for fall. Varieties recommended by the LSU AgCenter for late summer planting and fall production include many of the heat-tolerant types, such as Florida 91, Spitﬁre, Solar Set, Heatwave II, Phoenix, Sunleaper, Sunmaster, Solar Fire or Talladega. Cherry and paste tomatoes also produce fruit well in the fall, as well as old standards like Celebrity. I recommend that you plant several varieties for the best results.

Dan Gill is a retired consumer horticulture specialist with the LSU AgCenter. He hosts the “Garden Show” on WWL-AM Saturdays at 9 a.m. Email gardening questions to gnogardening@agcenter.lsu. edu.

FILE PHOTO

STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

REALESTATETRANSFERS

NEWORLEANS

TRANSFERS ISSUEDJULY16-20

DISTRICT 1

COMMERCE ST.700: $225,000, One PatriotProperties LLCto Terry Glenn Johnson Trust

MAGAZINE ST.700: $599,000, Kalorama of New OrleansLLC to Bretley Todd Sitzman.

OLD GENTILLYROAD10700:

$75,000, Rashad Brian James to On Demand Trucking &Towing LLC.

POEYFARRE ST.920, UNIT 176: $510,000, SaraKristen Cappsto FC Global Ventures LLC.

S. GENOIS ST.417-419: $405,000, Katherine B. WellstoKevin Arthur Blau.

S. GENOIS ST.605-07: $565,000, 605 S. Genois LLCtoSantanu Chatterjee Mondal.

DISTRICT 2

ARGONNE BLVD.6401: $625,000, Nick Joseph Manale and Salvatrice TafaroEubanks to Janet Smith Nelkin and Kenneth I. Nelkin.

BIENVILLE ST.2515: $199,000, 2515

Bienville LLCtoGraham Leif Wall.

CANAL ST.1201: $195,000, David Landa to Courtlyn Cameron Thornton.

CANAL ST.1201: $295,000,Ana B. ChenHauck and Anthony J. Hauck to Bradley David Manko and Stephanie LynManko.

CATINA ST.6038: $230,000, NMW LLCtoStrong DevelopmentLLC

DAVID ST.621: $245,000, Terrina R. Cook to Daniel Bonilla.

EMERALDST. 501: $1,625,000, Gregory A. Zoglio and Jennifer

Zoglio to Bradley Ryan and Lindsey A. Gade.

HARDING DRIVE 1024: donation, no value stated, MarcAndrew Main to Mary Louise Keller Main and ML Tootoo Cirlot.

LOUIS XIV ST.6244: $450,000, WendyMorgan Kreihs to Laura Bartusiak MoralesLeon and Manuel Morales Leon.

N. GAYOSO ST.828: $100 and other good andvaluable consideration, Julie Kreuger Skjolaas to 2224 RQD LLC.

N. OLYMPIA ST.628-630: $325,000, Gary P. Gautier to 628 N. Olympia LLC.

N. SOLOMONST. 1241/2,126: $494,000,AngeloR.Schillage and Joan P. Ranna Schillage to AleksandraFurman Beck and Joshua Beck.

ORLEANS AVE. 7036-7038: $430,000,7036 Orleans LLCto Cayli Estrada Ford and Stephen August Ford.

POLK ST.330: $425,000, TaylorNi-

fane Cooper.

CLEMENTS DRIVE 5630: $130,000, Al Hunt III, Deidra Antoinette StoneScott, KimberlyDenise Hunt and Olivia MarieStone TaylortoJennifer Ann McFadden Doughtyand JenniferAnn McFadden Fleming.

DAUPHINE ST.4826: $390,000, Joseph Olsen Gillette and Michael Allen Gillette Olsen to Daniel Ross Abel and Marina Farias MacHadoAbel.

DELERYST. 808: $285,000, Harry Schnur to Cameron Kellogg Snyder.

EASTMORE ROAD 7330: $150,000, Louise Williams, Suedania Evans and Travis Wilson to Jontay White.

cole Iverson Mitchell and William Dolan Mitchell to Lindsey Stanek Dennis and Pierce Dennis.

SPANISH FORT BLVD.55: $335,000, Jean Brandin Hall Estate to Adrienne Woods Pounds and Kirt M. Pounds.

ST.PETER ST.831: $359,000, AngelaMenges Meoli and Anthony M. MeolitoMelissa A. Spera.

VICKSBURG ST.5839: $405,000, Cory NelsonGold, Edith Julia Gold, Jennifer Goldand Jennifer Mullins GoldtoGallivant LLC.

VIRGINIA COURT4: $315,000, Thomas Leblanc Crumrine to Hanna Rasanen and James Cohn.

DISTRICT 3

BARTHOLOMEW ST.1408-10: $265,000, Charles Dilauroto Joshua Thomas Pitts and Sarah Marie House.

CHATHAM DRIVE 5634: $599,000, Alison Larkin Asprodites and MichelFrancis Asprodites to Tif-

Cochran PhillipsReal Estate LLC to Kevin Dolliver and Lawrence Coig IV.

LIZARDI ST.2316: $175,000, St. BernardProject Inc. to Johnell Alexander.

LOURDESST. 13750: $1, Vincent A. Tran to Theresa Nguyen Tran. MILESDRIVE 4730: $198,000, Ruth Lucius Byers, Virgil Joseph Byers Jr. and Virgil Joseph ByersSr. to Nziki Wiltz.

N. BROAD ST.1715-17: $173,500, RishawJohnson to Grace GonzalesSantos and Ozue Santos.

N. ROBERTSON ST.2019: $17,000, Succession of Dorothy Mae PhillipsWatson and James H. WatsonJr. to Massey’s Properties LLC.

ELYSIAN FIELDS AVE. 1525, MARIGNYST. 1506-1508, 1514, 1522, N. ROBERTSON ST.2239, 2243-45, 2247, 2551: $100 and other good and valuable consideration, 1525 Elysian Fields LLCtoEPL Management LLC.

ESPLANADE AVE. 727: $545,100, SerioFamily LLCNo. 3to727 Esplanade LLC.

FOREST GLEN ROAD 7531: $213,000, Derrick PollardSr. to Autumn L. Williams.

HAYNE BLVD.5650: $654,400, Ave’Lallemant, HarrellSatter LLC and Craig Robert Ave’Lallemant to KSMHoldingsLLC.

HAYNES BLVD.5600, TOWNSEND PLACE7649: $2,115,977, Philmat Inc. to RathborneProperties LLC.

INDEPENDENCE ST.1027: $355,000, 1027 Independence Street LLCtoMelissa Michelle Dowell.

KERLERECST. 1241: $88,000, DQDI Properties LLCtoCochran Phillips Real Estate LLC.

KERLERECST. 1241: $555,000,

N. TONTI ST.4115: $28,000, Leona Pierce White and succession of DonaldWhitetoBridgeja’ S. Baker.

OLD GENTILLYROAD55169, 55171: $51,194, Gregory Longo and LeeM.SmithtoB&Y Real Estate LLC.

PERLITADRIVE 6219: $549,000, Maj Enterprises LLCtoCallie Elizabeth Martin and Ramon J. Vi Vallejo.

ROYALST. 3035-37: $1,050,000, Define Your Dwelling Inc. to George H. Buck Jr. Jazz Foundation Inc. SAGE ST.2744: donation, no value stated, Johnnie Brumfield Sr. and Rose Brumfield to Johnnie Brumfield Jr. and RaynardBrumfield. ST.CLAUDE AVE. 2512-14: $500,000, David B. Stewart and William D. Groveto2514 St. ClaudeInvestments LLC.

URQUHARTST. 6421: donation, no value stated, Brenda Foucher Slater to Julio Humberto GutierrezOrtiz.

DISTRICT 4

CONSTANCE ST.2729: $344,000, Tess Rizzuto Colligan to Edward James Harris

FRERET ST.2410: $249,000, Renovation CarrierLLC to Montrell Kendrick Miller.

LAURELST. 2508: $1,030,000, CrescentCityDevelopersLLC to RichardF.MacLehoseand Shalini L. Kulasingam.

ORETHA CASTLE HALEYBLVD. 2016-30: $1,185,000, Good Work Network to WomenWithA Vision Inc.

ST.ANDREW ST.1329: $340,000, Amanda LeeHembree and HoustonHenry Hembree to Patrick Leon Swonkeand Tracie Guilbeau Swonke.

ST.CHARLESAVE.736, UNIT 2C: $555,000, MclainInvestments LLC to David Carmouche.

ST.CHARLES AVE. 2100, UNIT 4-D:

$535,000, SuccessionofMarie Caserta Giorlando to Dorothy R. Weisler.

ST.MARYST. 1427: $1,150,000, Charles F. Tucker IV and Penpun Plamit Tucker to Terri Elisa Gorman.

SEVENTH ST.937-39: $553,000, Caroline Obrien O’Haraand William Sean O’Hara to Matthew Peek.

THIRD ST.3300-02: donation,no value stated, Shedrick A. Minor to Patterson LLC.

DISTRICT 5

ENGLISH TURN DRIVE 110: $10, David Burton to Jonas Sanker.

HENDEE ST.711-713, 81618, NUNEZ ST.920-22-24-26:

$179,796, Veronica Robinson to Horace Henry Robinson.

LAURADALE DRIVE 1801, 1805: $22,500, Ariel EncaladeMitchell and D’Juan D. Mitchell to Ola Real Estate &Property Management LLCand Platinum Shine Mobile Detailing Services LLC.

LEES LANE 655: donation, no value stated, Patricia AnnPierce Joseph and TrudyAnn Duplesis to Edna Pierce Leboyd.

NORLAND AVE. 5810: $260,000, DaraLevinson Foxand Tracy Levinson Hirschfeld to Megan Jane Zolkiewicz.

RUE PARC FONTAINE311:

$35,000, Eric Michael Lambert to Zachary W. Boudreaux

SEAWARD COURT 35: $500,000,

REALESTATETRANSFERS

Evan C. Gallant andJess M. Gallant to Devin Clarence Dunson and Gabrielle RicoleDunson.

TROPIC DRIVE 1511: $130,000, Joseph F. Gonzalez Jr., Joseph Fernan Gonzalez Sr. and Rosemary Norvell Gonzalez to New Beginning Homes LLC.

TULLIS DRIVE 5887, UNIT 5887:

$13,000, NicoleBrown Baxter to Blueprint Investors LLC.

WHITNEY AVE. 329: $299,000, Melissa Christine Walker to Ethan RobertStanley.

DISTRICT 6

ANNUNCIATION ST.3635-3637: $525,000,First Horizon Bank to Caroline Schick Frampton and Wallace McCord Frampton.

ANNUNCIATION ST.4425: donation, no value stated, MarcP Bourgeois to Julie McClelland Bourgeois

BIRCH ST.7204: $535,000, Ardyn S. Thrifﬁley and PeterS.ThrifﬁleytoEndeavor PartnersLLC.

BORDEAUX ST.1530: $245,000, Judy Mchugh Bazile revocable trusttoAnn AnthonyMinner and Christopher W. Minner.

CADIZ ST.1113-1115: $625,000, PenelopeRectorSpeaker to Emily Rene Dufreneand Robert EmmettBrown.

CALHOUN ST.2825: $250,000, DaraL.Baird, Jessica A. Maher, KarenK.Maher, LauraM.Maher, Mary E. Maher Estopinal and Posey R. Bowers Jr. to 4P VenturesLLC.

JEFFERSON AVE. 2720: $510,000, Maik C. Flanaginand Michele R. Aurand Flanagin to Alexander Battles and Alexis Priester Battles.

JEFFERSON AVE. 936: $2,100,000, 936-938 Jefferson AveLLC to Cloyd Investments LLC.

LAUREL ST.6034: $845,000, Charles Robert Fultonand Julie Garitty Fultonto6034 Laurel LLC.

LOUISIANA AVE. 715: $150,000, Succession of Myrtle L. Johnson to LCDInvestment Group LLC.

LOUISIANA AVE. 2227-22271/2:

$100,000, Deidre Carter Galloway to Capital City Home Buyerz LLC.

LOUISIANA AVE. 2227-22271/2:

$130,000, Capital City Home Buyerz LLCto2227 Louisiana AveLLC.

LOUISIANA AVE. PARKWAY 3825: $358,000, AmyPerkins Coleman and Damon Scott Coleman to Calyn Wilks and MichaelMosko.

NAPOLEON AVE. 801: $530,000, Harry LeeWhite Jr., Katina K. White, KimberlyN.White, Patricia WhiteBonds and StephenH. WhitetoCrescent City Developers LLC.

NASHVILLE AVE. 215: $255,000, Danna Graff Wood to Robert Springer Argote.

PERRIER ST.4932-34: $535,000, Douglas T. Mehafﬁe and Monica Guillen Mehafﬁe to Tamara Kluger Jacobson.

S. PRIEUR ST.6316-18: $827,500, MarleyDevelopmentLLC to Olivia Lopez Hartenstein.

DISTRICT 7

DANTE ST.2513-2515: $234,600, Aegean Property Group LLCto Donald James Payneand SolangePayne.

BURDETTEST. 1611: $440,000, John Leslie and Shannon Cian to Harrison Fairfax Martingayle.

FORSHEY ST.8634: $131,000, Forshey Garden Development LLC to Alex Rice and BluejayEllipses Interrobang.

FRERET ST.7526: $420,000, Alexa Anne DrostCanipe and Matthew David CanipetoAshlee Lynn AdamsHickey and Brian J. Hickey.

HAYPLACE 432-34: $185,000, ShulerConstruction LLCto Brooks Champagne Properties LLC.

JOLIET ST.1633-1635: $180,000, SuccessionofDeborah C. Apodaca to Megan Coleman Watkin.

JOLIET ST.3322-24: $229,000, Basin St.Properties LLCto3322-24 Joliet St.LLC.

JOLIET ST.3328-30: $249,000, Basin St.Properties LLCto3328-30 Joliet St.LLC.

MARKS ST.8723-8725: $45,000, Corey David Joseph to Nola BuysHouses LLC.

NELSON ST.8015-17: $100 and other good and valuable consideration, TheodoreDavis Ruddock IV to Issac E. Figueroa.

SEATTLE ST.428: $688,000, Jenna Rene Kelly Lemoine to Carolyn Barahona and Jerad Moity.

EAST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FORJULY12-18

HARAHAN

ELODIE AVE. 146: SecuredInvestment High Yield Fund II LLCto Nicholas Zalva, $188,200.

SALEMST. 5608: RichardH. ChamberstoStephen Pardo, $400,000.

WAINWRIGHTDRIVE 320, UNIT P, BUILDINGL: Sarah Lirette to ClaireL.Foy,$300,000.

WOODLAWN AVE. 136: Adrian A. J. Byrne to Jamie Logmann, $299,000.

JEFFERSON

CROSSST. 4724: Investment Holdings LLCtoAlyssa Montgomery,$437,000.

ST.GRETNA 1419: Dawn M. Dominique to Kendra Home,$192,500.

SUNDORN ST.2810, UNIT B: John C. Hill to Andrew S. Lowe, $174,100.

KENNER

BOIMARE AVE. 42: RobinB.Gilligan to Ashley S. Garcia, $314,000. CHATEAULAFITTE DRIVE WEST 914, UNIT C, BUILDINGH: Issac A. BuckstoMarvinP.Narcisse, $287,000.

CHATEAUTRIANON DRIVE 20: Warren J. SallesIII to Bonilla ä See EAST, page 18

Continued frompage17

Builders &InvestmentsLLC, $600,000.

E. LAFOURCHE COURT 3204:

Susan G. C. R. Juarez to Cecilia R. T. Jimenez, $320,000.

FURMAN DRIVE 455: RacDevelopment LLCtoDalisha C. Gordon, $256,000.

MARTINIQUE AVE. 3601A: Karen L. P. FoxtoUrthD.J.F.Smith, donation, no valuestated.

NAPALANE 6: Ashley Ritter to M. Wilkes, $330,000.

OLE MISS DRIVE 3627: Gregorio D. P. ReyestoYelena Y. Reyes, donation, no valuestated.

PALMETTO84: ThirdUnit Sales LLCtoLeda A. Narcisse, $479,000

S. CATAHOULA COURT7: Maureen Gelston to First National Bank of America, $292,655.

ST.JULIEN DRIVE 1002C: Alan J. Stevens to Natasha B. Hess, $181,000.

SUGAR MILL ROAD 3228: Dominic A. Lamm to Mary A. Lamm, donation, no value stated.

W. LOUISIANA STATEDRIVE

272: Thomas M. Schlueter Jr. to

WEST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FORJULY12-18

AVONDALE

ELAINE DRIVE 129: Jefferson Parish Council to Chantell M. Weatherspoon, $6,750

REALESTATETRANSFERS

NereydaSalazar, $258,000.

METAIRIE

26TH ST.8709: Maria Leblancto Whitney Rodriguez,$247,000.

AIRLINE PARK BLVD.1309: Cirilo S. Ramirez toL.Greenlee, $415,000

ATHANIA PARKWAY 1012: Chad N. ChatagniertoKatherine S. N. Diliberto, $640,000.

AZTECAVE. U204 1516: Freedom Mortgage Corp. to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., $75,000.

COLONY PLACE 1305: Keith J. Luminais Sr. to PeterKalpas, $390,000.

FOCISST. 1201: KailynSachitano to Sholly Miller, $408,500.

GIUFFRIAS AVE. 1900: Private Ventures Inc. to Derrell Plaisance, $930,000.

GRAND DRIVE 717: Ayestas Carlos Octavio LivingTrust Jr. to Haydee M. Penagos, $108,913.

GRAND DRIVE 717: KevinG. Mackey to Haydee M. Penagos, $108,913

HOMERST. 1617: Lhc Builders LLCtoErin Merlin, $1,485,000.

HOMESTEAD AVE. 538: Randall M. Graf to FiveHundred Thirty Eight Home Stead LLC, $320,000.

HUDSON ST.4219-4221: Patricia

M. Young to Bufkin HudsonLLC, $170,000.

HURON AVE. 1516: MarvinE.Bowman Jr. to Charles G. MerrittIII, $644,200.

KAWANEE AVE. 6609: Ricardo A. Sequeria to Iris Andrade, donation, no value stated.

LAKEAVE. 1401, UNIT B, BUILDING 3: CharltonCamp to Raj Patel, $139,500.

LINWOOD AVE. 1409: Cyrus R. MelitoJr. to Jane S. Langley, $300,000.

MARIAN AVE. 1017: La Bmmg 2024 LLCtoTim Seymour, $201,000.

MARIAN AVE. 1019: Albert Lanthier to Glenn IGarson, $155,000.

METAIRIE LAWN DRIVE 2511, UNIT 11, BUILDING 314: SamaraKhan to Irfan Khan, donation, no value stated.

MONTGOMERYAVE. 604: KarenZ Watts to LeeWakeﬁeld, $265,000.

NINTH ST.3009: RMccarrollto Anne Pieri, $120,000.

N. HULLEN ST.3727: Donald R. Rice Jr. to ShareJ.D.Trust, $615,000.

N. LABARRE ROAD 504: Carmen Read to Ryan P. Vincent, $741,500.

N. TURNBULL DRIVE3708: Mazen

JANET DRIVE164: Stepper Properties LLCtoL.Tran, $190,000.

PATDRIVE 54: Freddy Franco to Lionel Pierce, $189,000.

GRANDISLE

CARLYLANE 4024: Peggy Chaﬁn to MelissaLeger,$895,000.

Mitwali to Orchid Holdings LLC, $205,000.

N. WOODLAWN AVE. 1013: Jonathan L. Smith to Andrew V Bishop, $330,000.

OAKLAWNBLVD. 527: Bradley S. Duvernet Jr. to No CoffeeLLC, $134,000.

PASADENA AVE. 705: Lindsey O. M. Nelson to Emily Lannan, $275,000.

PURDUE DRIVE 4509: Four Thousand FiveHundred Nine Purdue DriveLLC to Allison Dolan, $375,000.

RICHARD AVE. 7613: Luis E. JaureguitoRoger P. Lemus,$215,000.

ROBELINE DRIVE 5405: Griselda W. MunoztoValerie W. Schreiner, $765,000.

RUE RAMPART800 UNIT 303: EdwardP.CohntoSarah Fox, $560,000.

TAFT PARK 1708: Kara L. Tolbert to One Thousand Seven Hundred Eight Taft Park LLC, $285,000.

TAFT PARK 4308: Good Shepherd Home Buyers LLCtoEmpire GroupLLC,$169,000.

TAFT PARK 4308: Pamela Lowe to Good ShepherdHome Buyers LLC, $128,000.

TOLMAS DRIVE 3717: Edward M. Esposito to John M. Zuppardo,

GRETNA

ADEE LANE 604: Peter J. Corcoran to Darnell L. Hamilton, $375,000.

ADONIS WAY222: KimA.D.Nguyen to Julienne B. Jean, $168,000.

FAIRFIELD AVE. 744: Ann Kelly to Noor O. Alhajmohammad, $335,000.

$490,000.

VETERANS BLVD.6901 UNIT 2: Rhonda D. Bouterie to Sidney J. Dugas Jr., $20,000.

W. ESPLANADE AVE. 4432: Paulina S. Ragadwal to Anita P. Saldanha, donation, no value stated.

W. LIVINGSTON PLACE 142: D. Mauricio Diaz to Michael E. Prejean, $702,625.

WHITE ST.3218: Connie M. Anderson to Sophia Yarborough, $240,000.

YORK ST.6101: Joan Mattingly to Brian Saucier, donation, no value stated.

RIVERRIDGE

ARNOLD AVE. 727: Paul M. KetryJr. to DebraR.Guastella, $150,000.

GARDEN ROAD 2441/2: Sarah F. HarttoTeruis Gray,$500.

RIVER BEND DRIVE 143: Bertucci Property Development LLCto Tricia C. Bourgeois,$150,000.

STACYCOURT10108: Benjamin L. Lambert to Marae H. Courvelle, $455,000.

STEWART AVE. 638: Gregory B. Jacob to Paula A. Jacob, $130,000. TUDOR LANE10313: Gene A. GeiserttoKade Forsythe, $275,000.

FRANKLIN ST.1808: Joseph G. ShedlarskiJr. to JamesJonesJr., $130,000.

JEFFERSON ST.1419: Dawn M. Dominique to Kendra Home, $192,500.

KINGSWAY DRIVE EAST813: Kenneth D. Peterson Jr. to AveryA.P. Smith, donation, no value stated.

KINGSWAY DRIVE SOUTH 1045: Mandi A. Grifﬁn to Hung Pham, $275,000.

LOUISE COURT 248: Seven Hundred Seven Grefer Street LLCto Erik Lopez,$230,000.

PERRYST. 919: Jeanne Burmaster to Yakeline Laboriel,$368,000.

THIRD ST.422: Kelli Soileau to M. Bearb, $220,000.

HARVEY

ANGUS DRIVE 1245: Restoration Nola LLCtoLisleeProperties LLC, $77,500.

DOGWOOD DRIVE 1537: Mary M. Orﬁta to Flor J. Ulloa, $170,000.

E. BAMBOO DRIVE 3932: Phyllis A. Romaguera to Leos La LLC, $150,000.

FOURTH ST.3508: Nicole B. Dubois to MarcA.Strong, $190,000. GREFER AVE. 912: Donna Blaketo Allison B. Mitchell, donation, no value stated.

MAPLEWOOD DRIVE 1045: Ana StringertoBopha K. T. Brown, $264,900.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

WEST

Continued frompage18

OAKMERE DRIVE2576: Model2576 LLCtoCrissyBirden, $240,000.

RADLEY ST.2829: Nola Comfort LLCtoEssenceG.Rodriguez, $410,000.

THIRD AVE. 828: Tasmine Turner to Ma A. Vasquez, $235,000. W. FRIENDSHIP DRIVE 2829: Ahmad M. A. Fattah to Mohammad A. Fattah, donation, no value stated.

LAFITTE

CHATEAUDRIVE WEST KENNER 914, UNIT C, BUILDING H: Issac A. Bucks to Marvin P. Narcisse, $287,000.

MARRERO

ALLOAVE. 824: Chad M. Lepine to Eric Veal Jr.,$20,000.

AVE. F1301: Wanda Springer to H &VVentures LLC, $277,500.

BASIE DRIVE 2025: YessikaK Campos to In Suk, $110,000.

BAYOUCARENCRO DRIVE 2713: Wesley Redmond to Denzel

ST.TAMMANy

n TRANSFERS FORJUNE 30 TO JULY3

ABITASPRINGS

ABITAOAKS SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1, LOT6D: Marissa D. Miciotto to Brett T. Bisceglia andEllenJ. Hauck, $240,000.

CHINAWOOD DRIVE 156: Ronald B. Chandler and Julia K. Calloway Chandler to Christopher M. Guillory and Angela B. Guillory, $255,000.

GRAND OAKS SUBDIVISION, PHASE 2C, LOT166: GreggJ. Burgess to Evan Lefortand Catherine Lefort, $395,000.

HILLCREST COUNTRYCLUB ESTATES,LOTS38, 39,SQUARE 5: GeramyJ.DuponttoJerome T. Dupont and Melissa C. Dupont, donation, no value stated.

JOSEPH ROAD 72000: Aaron J. Shipman and Josephine Picault to Garrison C. Toole, $210,000.

NATHANVILLE SUBDIVISION, LOT 1A1, SQUARE 8: Julie M. Huhn to Monahan Family Properties LLC, $10.

SCHOONER PLACE 71237: RMH 2023-2 Trust to Daniel Connor, $185,000.

Carter,$226,000.

DOVE AVE. 2740: Jessica C. Smith to Ag Investment LLC, $130,000.

DUELING OAKS AVE. 5185: Jill C. M. BaldassarotoAlthea M. S. May, $241,000.

ELMLAWNDRIVE 2525: Sally J. Melancon toTaylorTalamo, $340,000.

FAIRFAX COURT1: Lois S. Kliebert to LiezlJ.E.Frigillana,$330,000.

GULIZODRIVE 1645: Austin J. RomagueraJr. to Chad D. Romaguera, donation,novalue stated.

HIGHLANDDRIVE 5068: Juanita

O. C. BonnertoCristina Santos, $225,000

JEANNE ST.2544: Audrey Thomas to Efram S. Scipio, donation, no value stated.

LAPALCO BLVD.5058: Covered Properties LLCtoCelebration Church Inc.,$899,900.

MICHAEL ST.640: Vinh T. Tran to KeitaK.Strong, $169,000.

N. OAKDRIVE 5909: DavidM. Driscoll to Samuel Shelby, $179,900.

PHILLANE2745: Llacg CommunityInvestment Fund to Elvia N. M. Sanabria, $169,000.

RAMSEY DRIVE 2508: KarenStevens to Shane Stevens, donation,

COVINGTON

BST. 70454: David J. Hasselbeck and Image P. Hasselbeck to CindyMartinez, $200,000.

no value stated.

RANDOLPH ST.5512: R&IInvestments LLCtoRodolfo C. Rosales, $200,000.

ST.ANN 1024: Jeannette L. Licciardi to Ricky J. Lerille, donation, no value stated.

VERMILLION DRIVE 2624: Robert W. Landry to Zaina Salem LLC, $70,000.

TERRYTOWN

DELMAR ST.564: Katherine M. Hunter to Cityside Properties LLC, $60,000.

WAGGAMAN

DANDELION DRIVE 953: Coast Builders LLCtoSamuel I. Servat, $357,900.

RIVER ROAD 7045: KarenCollins to Emily Ricketts, $339,000.

WATER OAKS DRIVE 900: Coast Builders LLCtoTyran T. Jefferson, $349,500.

WESTWEGO

AVE. A1168: Adley J. Dominique to Matt&Lucas Properties LLC, $30,000.

AVE. A272: DanielWardtoBrandi Benton,$124,000.

BRICKER ROAD 16501: Loretto R. O’Reilly Family Trust to Joseph D. Leonards and LauraLeonards,

ä See TAMMANY, page 20

Continued frompage19

$779,100.

CALLA COURT6: PonchargLLC to Michael W. Hill and Kali L. Hill, $394,000.

CITY OF COVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: City of Covington to Collins &31st LLC, $48,000.

COUNTRYCLUBDRIVE 132: SandraMartin to Joshua J. Beason and Christie M. Naccari,$425,000.

DENDINGER DRIVE 15060: Terrye A. Moore-Harper and Corwin N. Harper to TimothyBurkeand Anna Burke, $1,320,000.

DIVISION OF NEWCOVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: Jeffery Wade IbostoESM Properties LLC, $95,000.

ESTELLE COURT3069: DSLD

REALESTATETRANSFERS

HomesLLC to AlveraMcKnight, $303,115

EVERGREEN ACRES SUBDIVISION, LOT2A, SQUARE 8: Salvador L. D’Antoni III to Quinn M. Heinold and JustineK.Heinold, $105,000.

EVERGREENACRES SUBDIVISION, LOTS 9, 10, SQUARE 8: All State Financial Co. toIBW LLC, $1,262,103.

GREENCREST DRIVE 422: Matthew A. Hayesand Laine W. HayestoEugene Theriot, Tram T. Huong Tran and Andrew L. McCoyJr., $300,000.

LA. 1081 78270: Philip B. Smith to Karin Bordes, $530,000. LA. 437 82330: Jared L. Durrto TylerJ.Singletary, $210,000.

LISMORE LANE 328 ,UNIT 71: NAF CashLLC to Sarah A. Martin, $252,735.

MARIGOLD DRIVE 103: Northlake Cottages LLCtoScott P. Harrison

and Allison K. Harrison,$202,000.

MILLION DOLLAR ROAD 16791: Jason Hotardand Selena M. Hotard to Lewis A. Gaines and Angelica J. Gaines, $390,000.

NEAR COVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: Terryland LLCtoPCW Holdings LLC, $232,475.

NEAR COVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: IsabelS.Alt to Richard Farahand Christine E. Cousin, $585,000.

NORTH END SUBDIVISION, LOTS 3, 4, SQUARE T: Grounds Keeping Professionals LLCtoFrank S. Garcia Jr., $12,000.

ORCHARD DRIVE 1637: Christopher L. Emmonsand Rebecca L. EmmonstoStephen B. Bouanchad and Elizabeth H. Bouanchad,$420,000.

PLACEST. JEAN 242: Naul Karan and BarbaraA.Karan to Steven S. Henry and MayraP.Henry, $535,000.

QUINCYAVE. 20326: GT General Contractors LLCtoLynn B. Thomas, $284,900.

RUE SAINT EMILION 336: Ross W. Quartano and Jamie A. Quartano to Andrew L. Haas and Elise M. M. Haas, $565,000.

TERRA BELLA SUBDIVISION, PHASE1A3, LOT729: BankPlus to Anastasio Investment Properties LLC, $1,300,000.

TERRABELLA BLVD.135: Parata Enterprises LLCtoAshley Smith Investments LLC, $739,000.

$227,000.

W. EDWARDS ST.111: RubyW. Conerly and Bruce E. Conerly to Collins &31st LLC, $120,000.

FOLSOM

LEE SETTLEMENT ROAD 82351: Bernadette T. Fisher to Jonathan J. Kujawski and Melissa A. YonkerKujawski, $171,000.

NEAR FOLSOM, PORTION OF GROUND: Marie J. BrownHunt and Roy R. Hunt Sr. to Annette M. Hunt Gillette, $85,600, donation.

ORLEANS AVE. 402: Christopher Hanemann, KarenHanemann Keating and PaulaHanemann Dufrene to Emma J. Howard, $310,000.

VILLAGE TRACE DRIVE 13012: Kay F. Waddell to Brian D. Marquette, $234,900.

LACOMBE

CLESI AVE. 30360: Deborah G. Gauthreaux to DS LandLLC, $61,990.

MADISONVILLE

BEDICO PARKWAY 447: RonLee Enterprises Inc. to BlairC.David and Jennifer F. David,$698,000.

BREWSTER ROAD 520-22: Succession of Laurie W. Margiotta and AnthonyMargiotta III to Anthony J. Taulli and Angeles M. Taulli, $350,000.

rero,$189,900.

N. HIGHLANDOAKS BLVD.212: Stephen C. Amato and Amanda L. Amato to Katy Solis,$365,000. N. HIGHLANDOAKS DRIVE 232: Edward S. Dieringerand Claire W. DieringertoTaylor P. Hood, $260,000.

NEAR MADISONVILLE,PORTION OF GROUND: Christopher D. Barousse, BlakeE.Barousse and Brett M. Barousse to Regan E. Barousse, donation, no value stated.

NEAR MADISONVILLE,PORTION OF GROUND: MSR Holdings LLCtoJRM Investments LLP, $2,500,000.

PELICAN RIDGE DRIVE 500: Eric C. Hanrahan and Elizabeth T. BaileyHanrahan to Francisco A. Cortes Oteroand Blanca P. Sierra Carvajal, $835,000.

PERRILLOUX TRACE AVE. 757: Vanessa Luna to Erick Hernandez,donation, no value stated.

SPIKE DRIVE 71512: DSLD Homes LLCtoAshleyNiette, $235,100.

SPIKE DRIVE 71532: DSLD Homes LLCtoMonica Brown, $211,850.

SPIKE DRIVE 71624: DSLD Homes LLCtoGillis E. CureIII andJamie M. Cure, $232,795.

TOWN OF MADISONVILLE,LOT

2A, SQUARE 2: George A. Pennington and Brenda W. PenningtontoGeorgeB.Pennington and MarieM.Pennington, donation, no value stated.

THUNDERBIRD DRIVE 5: Bluebird Development &Design Co. LLCto Vincent P. Scallan, $1,900,000.

TIGER AVE. 405: AmyA.Indest to Lawanna R. Sudmann, $345,000. U.S. 190 1144: MarkS.Begue to R&O LLC, $450,000.

W. 31STAVE. 110: Ralph R. Vineyard to Collins &31st LLC,

BREWSTER ROAD 524-26: Succession of Laurie W. Margiotta and AnthonyJ.Margiottta III to AnthonyJ.Taulli and Angeles M. Taulli, $390,000.

MARINA BEAUCHENE CONDOMINIUM NO.1,UNIT11: Federal National Mortgage Association to Juan Guerreroand Julie Guer-

W. LONGVIEWCOURT274: Dexter M. Trivett and Heather E. Trivett to Corey Dominick and Anna Dominick, $530,000.

WILLOW LANE4012: Ashley M. MartintoNathan Lansing and KatieC.Lansing, $335,000.

WINDERMERE WAY150: Benjamin R. Parker and Christina C. Parker to CharlesF.Walker III andKelly F. Gourgeot,$185,000.

MANDEVILLE

ATALIN ST.715-17: MarthaJ. Maher to Elizabeth C. Menn, $353,500.

BRETTON WAY 67: Frank Sudmann and Lawanna Sudmann TrusttoKelleyT.Maddoxand SamanthaMaddox, $595,000.

BROOKSIDE DRIVE 168: Ryan P. O’Dowd and AlexandraH. O’Dowd to Jeric Yeargin and Erin Yeargin, $505,000.

BROWN ST.69385: Samuel P. BouviertoJason P. Kinlerand Taylor G. Berard, $281,000.

CINDYLOU PLACE 227: Timothy A. Todd and Vicki C. Todd to Alexander Tabor, $284,500.

CLEARWATER DRIVE 1283: Steven J. Fontana to Trishna Patel,

$486,000.

CLEARWATER DRIVE 1294: Succession of Ellen L. Schleifer to Ryan P. O’Dowd and Alexandra H O’Dowd, $499,000.

COLONIAL COURT 431: Louis E. Liokis to Christopher Whittaker, $322,500.

GEN. PATTON AVE. 277: Girl August LLC to Mark F. Moritz, $175,000.

GOLDEN SHORES SUBDIVISION, LOT 118, SQUARE 11: Jason C. Woodall and Dana W. Woodall to Jonathan G. Rhodes and Tawny C. Rhodes, $365,000.

GRAND CHENIERE DRIVE 118, UNIT 316: Nancy J. Ussery to PPAREN2 Holdings LLC, $115,000.

HENRY MEINERS ROAD 1822: Leah R. Lubin to Ronald A. Madere and Marie B. Madere, $390,000.

LOUISIANA 59 3158: Ross J. Keller and Corey L. Keller to Anthony Harding and Carolyn P. Harding, $429,000.

HILL COURT 3031: Johnny J. Cefalu Sr. and Linda C. Cefalu to Anthony C. Blanc and Ann S. Blanc, $385,000.

LANE ST. 583: Maggie E. Benoit to Peter Sloan and Julia Pilk Sloan, $240,000.

LAZY CREEK DRIVE 142: Bryant W. Brookter and Robin Brookter to Brittney Becerra, $331,000

MARILYN DRIVE 555: Succession of Barbara D. Hohlbaugh to Christopher N. Nance and Alyssa M. Nance, $421,000.

MARINA BLVD. 969: Louis C. Peneguy to George Hausladen, $177,500.

MEADOWBROOK SUBDIVISION, PHASE 8, LOT 476: Phillip D. Brodt and Melinda M. Brodt to Ian H. Rowe and Allison W. Rowe, $899,000.

MERGANSER DRIVE 116: Michael A. O’Driscoll and Jennifer A. O’Driscoll to Ethan M. Belanger and Amy C. Cenac Belanger, $485,000.

NEAR MANDEVILLE, PORTION OF GROUND: Jimmy R. Rogers Jr. and Denise C. Hurtstell to Wayne F. Krentel and Michael W. Dougherty, $60,000.

OLVEY DRIVE 2063: Belah R. Slade to Marcia O. McMillan Malarkey, $355,000.

PECANIERE PLACE 103: Stacy G. Perret to Monique L. Perret, $140,000.

PRIETOS OZONE INDUSTRIAL PARK SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1, LOT 6: Robert T. Doolittle and Joan P. Doolittle to SVS Kentwood LLC, $195,692.

RESERVE SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1A, LOT 28: Gary D. Romano and

REALESTATETRANSFERS

Joyce S. Romano to Judith H. Laiche, $665,000.

ROSEDOWN WAY 322: Francine S. Goar to SJM Family Homes LLC, $10 and other valuable consideration.

RUE BAYONNE 1143: Paul A. Thomas and Rebecca HolterThomas to Adam Sokol and Amanda Michele-Petter Sokol, $480,000.

RUE BAYONNE 1225: Succession of Benito A. Fayard and Prudence L. Fayard to Matthew R. Nalls and Melissa S. Nalls, $550,000.

STILLWATER DRIVE 1388: Anna J. White to David Lobue and Tracey O. Lobue, $550,000.

TCHEFUNCTA CLUB ESTATES, PHASE 2, LOT 566: David A. Briggs Jr. to Christian B. Harrison and Rebecca V. Harrison, $175,000.

TRACE LOOP 168: Cristian D. Downing to Claudia V. Correa, $220,000

TREADAWAY ST. 22477: Treadaway Properties LLC to Brenlie Wilson, $387,400.

W. TRADEWINDS COURT 28: Judith G. Rowley to Alice L. Frosch, $180,000.

WOODRIDGE BLVD. 705: Scott A. Robinson and Samantha M. Robinson to Cameron H. Dean and Megan R. Brathberry, $285,000.

PEARL RIVER

16TH SECTION ROAD 69445: Michael W. Creel and Carri S. Creel to Jeffrey M. Wood and Sheila M. Wood, $395,000.

MAVERICK RUN 185: Tracy McGathy to Brian Lawson, $275,000.

SIXTH ST. 606: Kim J. Dunn to Charles W. Maxwell Jr. and Suzanne H. Maxwell, $169,770.

TURKEY RUN 702: Irais S. Ventura

to Benito L. Martinez and Claudia B. Martinez, donation, no value stated.

VILLAGE OF GUTHRIE SUBDIVISION, LOT 3, SQUARE 48: Louland LLC to Brenda A. Manueles, $15,000.

SLIDELL

ALMOND CREEK ST. 307: Karen S. Penns to Charles O. Martin Sr., $205,000.

ATKINS DRIVE 61070: Dana R. E. Brown Acker to Arilyn K. Acker, donation, no value stated.

AVERY DRIVE 215: Gladimir Garcia to Jorge B. Rivas Silverio, $37,000.

BARRYMORE ST. 1817: Michael Simmons to Audrey H. Lee, $149,000.

BELLWICK BAY DRIVE 3362: D. R. Horton-Gulf Coast to Veronica V. Cotto and Victoria A. Cotto, $264,900.

CAMPANA LANE 34307: DSLD Homes LLC to Jasmine Ducre, $273,135.

CAMPANA LANE 34341: DSLD Homes LLC to Charmel C. Carmon, $253,785.

CARA MAE ST. 40415: D. R. Horton In. Gulf Coast to Robert P. Cameron and Latashia T. Cameron, $253,510.

CARA MAE ST. 40431: D.R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Morgan E. Thomas, $253,510.

CHARLESTON DRIVE 149: Centex Home Equity Loan Trust 2005-B to Rodney Foss and Sheri Foss, $30,500.

CHAUCER COURT 205: All Season Realty LLC to Jonathan P. Chadwick and Kristin M. Lagarde, $169,000.

CLAIBORNE DRIVE, LOTS 7, 8, 9,

10, 11: James E. Shields Jr. and Marva C. Ford Shields to Dylan Les Sanchez, $10,500.

CROSS GATES BLVD. 207: Chad P. Albe and Kathleen B. Albe to Kevin D. Clarke and Luna Clarke, $300,000.

DOGWOOD ST. 219: Emmett K. Walsh to James W. Bergeron Jr. and Amanda J. Fehn, $166,000.

DOVER ST. 311: Maryanne T Collins to JNB Investment Group LLC, $113,000.

FACIANE LANE 328: James E. Shields Jr. and Marva C. Ford Shields to Dylan L. Sanchez, $800,000.

GAYOSO ST. 37652: John J. Harris to Ruth D. Funes Godoy, $50,000.

HARBOR DRIVE 1244, UNIT 209: Ian J. Readeau to Daniel P. Richoux, $150,000.

HUNTERS POINT ROAD 1549: Pennymac Loan Services LLC to

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, $115,000.

KINGS ROW DRIVE 1809: Mark A. Foster Jr. to Amanda J. Jackson, $205,000.

LAKESHORE VILLAGE DRIVE 649: Ngan P. Phan and Thao Le to Ariel R. Falero and Bonnie L. Falero, $297,000.

LAKEVIEW DRIVE 273: Carolyn F. Keefe to Pamela B. Lagattua, Tiffany L. Norwood and Travis I. Lagattuta, $32,500.

LARK ST. 185: Derek J. Hutchinson and Brittany P. Gregoire to Lauren King and Azemar King, $195,000.

LOOP DRIVE 206: Lane Bolner to Richard D. Elvey, $269,000.

MARILYN DRIVE 112: Succession of Cindy Evans Davis to Lindsey Carswell and Joshua Carswell, ä See TAMMANY, page 22

Bidets: The bathroom upgrade you didn’t know you needed

BY AVERY NEWMARK

Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

Let’s face it: Americans are late to the bidet party

Around 70% of the world doesn’t rely on toilet paper, according to Outside Magazine. Yet in the U.S., the bidet has long been seen as a foreign object. Something you’d encounter in an upscale hotel or on a European vacation. But lately?

Bidets are having a very public, very cheeky moment.

Call it a post-pandemic hygiene glow-up, a response to the 2020 toilet paper panic or a newfound love of a clean bottom, but bidets are ofﬁcially in the mainstream — and brands like TOTO and TUSHY are leading the charge

“TUSHY launched nearly a decade ago, but it was during the early days of the pandemic that we saw a major cultural shift,” Jack Barry, senior

TAMMANY

Continued from page 21

$70,000.

MARTIN LANE 229: Joseph E Murphy Jr. and Perry E. Murphy to Claude D. Murphy Sr., $40,000.

MATTHEWS DRIVE 121: Greg A. Miller to Ashley N. Hiltunen, $245,000.

MEGAN LANE 206: Chad M. Palen,

The high-tech TOTO toilet, from Japan’s largest toilet maker, is on display at Saratoga Plumbing Supply in San Jose, Calif.

brand director at TUSHY, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in an interview “The toilet paper shortage forced people to rethink their bathroom habits, and that’s when many Americans started considering alternatives.”

Bidets offer plenty of health and wellness beneﬁts, from cleaner skin and postpartum comfort to sustainability bene-

Daniele L. Palen and April V. Lagasse to Michael Anderson and Trene M. Anderson, $295,000.

MOONRAKER DRIVE 223: Teddie

R. Nunnery and Janet S. Nunnery to Adam M. Hoogland, $475,000.

NAPLES COURT 408: Calamari Family irrevocable trust to Teddie R. Nunnery and Janet Sullivan Nunnery, $450,000.

NEAR SLIDELL, PORTION OF GROUND: Natalie C. Schwab to Madison G. Harrison, $274,000.

NEAR SLIDELL, PORTION OF

ﬁts and surprisingly stylish designs. Here’s why you should be upgrading your toilet:

So, what is a bidet, exactly?

A bidet uses a gentle stream of water to clean your private areas after you use the restroom. Jarrett Oakley, director of marketing at TOTO USA, says the brand’s Washlet line delivers a soothing, hygienic alternative to harsh, chemicalridden toilet paper

“It’s a game changer for people with sensitive skin, postpartum needs or mobility issues,” Oakley said.

And no, it’s not gross.

“A common myth is that bidets are somehow unsanitary,” Barry said. “In reality, it’s quite the opposite. Because they clean more effectively than toilet paper, bidets can actually help prevent irritation and support better hygiene, which is especially beneﬁcial for those prone to UTIs.”

GROUND: Carole E. Dillard to Rojas Property Investment LLC, $83,220.

NEAR SLIDELL, PORTION OF GROUND: Rim Road LLC, Nathaniel R. Troy, Connie W. Troy revocable trust and others to St. Tammany Parish, $1,940,000.

OAKWORTH ST. 5705: Michael E. Robart and Yoko H. Robart to Wanda Y. Causey, Alphonso Causey Sr. and Neron A. Rivers Jr., $358,000.

RUE ARIES 108: Angela S. Sarran

Better for you, and the planet

Beyond hygiene, the environmental case for bidets is hard to ignore.

“Each roll of toilet paper requires 37 gallons of fresh water to produce,” Oakley said. And with the average American using around 141 rolls per year, that adds up fast.

“Bidets use just a fraction of that — about one-eighth of a gallon per use,” he said.

But it’s not just about water waste. Toilet paper is also a hidden source of PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to cancer, liver and thyroid issues, reproductive problems and birth defects. These chemicals do not breakdown, and ﬂushing toilet paper sends them straight into our waterways.

From DIY to luxury

Whether you are a minimal-

to Stacy L. Betancourt, $210,100.

SEAGULL CIRCLE 3818: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Christina L. Saaﬁr, $219,900.

SEAGULL CIRCLE 3877: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Michael L. Hines Jr., $219,900.

SEAGULL CIRCLE 3943: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Kim N. Junior, $214,000.

SPARTAN DRIVE 501, UNIT 1201: Michael W. Hager Jr. and Cherlyn A. Hager to Ian J. Redeau, $140,000.

ist or a tech-lover, there’s a bidet out there for you. TUSHY offers everything from its nonelectric Classic to the fully loaded Cloud+ with a heated seat, dryer and remote.

TOTO has a wide variety of products, but the company‘s most popular models, the S2 and S5 Washlets, offer a premium experience at beginner and intermediate price points. They are pretty easy to install, too.

“A Washlet can be added to most existing toilets in less than 30 minutes without a plumber,” Oakley said. Still unsure? You can try one before committing by visiting a TOTO showroom in the Atlanta area and experiencing the upgrade for yourself.

“Once you start using a Washlet, you’ll never go back. It feels medieval using toilet paper after a while,” Oakley said.

SUNSET BLVD. 2253: John B. Miceli Jr. to Tano Family revocable living trust, $685,000.

TERRACE PARK SUBDIVISION, PORTION OF GROUND: Debra S. Quinn to Quinn Family Trust, donation, no value stated. W. QUEENS DRIVE 122: Cara R. Anderson to AABH LLC, $167,500. WINFORD ARBOR LANE 153: Stephen A. Aguliar and April D. Arnett Aguliar to William D. Copeland, Gloria Padilla Copeland, Carlos A. Triana-Padilla and Jennifer M. Triana-Padilla, $385,000.

SUN/BUSH

LA. 40 22111: Joshua C. Rick and Justin P. Burke to Christopher M. Benton, $170,000.

NEAR BUSH, PORTION OF GROUND: Robie B. Lott and Rita Lott to Wesley D. Barber, $117,810.

NEAR BUSH, PORTION OF GROUND: Jonathan B. Scianna and Chelbe C. Scianna to Philip Dipascal III and Sandra D. Dipascal, $145,000.

STICKER ROAD 81076: Taylor G. Berard to Brenda Jean Chauvin, $211,000.

WHIPPOORWILL GROVE ON MONEY HILL SUBDIVISION, LOT 45: Ray J. Hingle Jr. and Sylvia E. Hingle to Erica Johnson, donation, no value stated.

Marriage plansstall amid feelings of uncertainty

Dear Annie: I’ve been with my girlfriend for sevenyears and lived with her for four.She wants to get married and have kids. For the past three years, I’ve promised to propose every six months, but when the time comes, Iback out.I even went ring shopping but couldn’t pull the trigger

Although Iwant to getmarried and have kids one day,just thediscussions of sucha commitmentgive me serious anxiety to the point where Icannot breathe. Iwant us to travelthe worldbefore tying the knot, but she’stoo attached toher job My family says Iamtoo young to get married at 27 and that if Ineed counseling now, before even proposing, things willonlyget worse when we have amortgage and kids. My therapist sayscontemplating marriage should be exciting

andhappy,but all Ifeel is trapped.

Iloveher,and living with her is fun, but marrying herfeels like doom.She says Iamstringing her along without atimeline as she is pushing 30, but I’m honest thatI cannotguarantee if and when I’ll be ready.Do Ipropose with aﬁve-year engagement? —ToWed or Not To Wed Dear To Wed: If the ideaalone of marrying this womanisleaving you short of breath and like you’re approaching “doom,” absolutely do notpropose or

continue promising her any kind of timeline you have no intentionofkeeping. It’sclear you twoare on completely different pages— in different books, even— and for either of you to change your mind just forthe sake of the other would be unfair andlikely disastrous. Your relationship has reachedanimpasse. I’d recommendcouples therapy,in additiontocontinuing your individualcounseling, to confront your commitment issues and seeifthere’s hope for building

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday,July 26, the 207th day of 2025. There are 158 days left in theyear TodayinHistory

On July 26, 1990, President George H.W.Bush signed the Americans withDisabilities Act, prohibiting discrimination based on mental or physical disabilities.

Also on this date:

In 1775,the Continental Congress established aPost Ofﬁce and appointed Benjamin Franklin its postmastergeneral.

In 1847, the western African country of Liberia, founded by freed American slaves, declared its independence.

In 1863, Sam Houston, former president of the Republic of Texas, died in Huntsville at age 70.

In 1945, Winston Churchill resigned as Britain’sprime minister after his Conservatives were soundly defeated by the Labour Party.Clement Attlee succeeded him.

In 1947, President Harry S. Truman signed the National Security Act, which reorganized America’sarmed forces as the National Military Establishment and created the Central Intelligence Agency.

In 1948,President Truman issued Executive Order 9981, which desegregated the U.S. military

In 1953, FidelCastro began

hisrevolt against Fulgencio Batista with an unsuccessful attack on an army barracks in eastern Cuba. (Castro ousted Batista in 1959.)

In 1971, Apollo 15 was launched from Cape Kennedy in Florida on America’sfourth successful manned mission to themoon

In 2002, theRepublicanled House votedtocreate an enormous Homeland Security Department in thebiggest government reorganization in decades.

In 2016, Hillary Clinton became theﬁrst woman to be nominatedfor presidentby amajor political party at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia.

5Beds,7.5Baths&prkgfor 6+vehichles&muchmore!

In 2018, thelast six members of aJapanese doomsday cult who remained on death row were executed for aseries of crimes in the 1990s, including agas attack on Tokyo subways that killed 13 people. Previously,seven other cult members were executed on July 6 of that year

In 2020, aprocession with thecasket of the late U.S. Rep.John Lewis crossed the Edmund PettusBridge in Alabama, where Lewis andother civil rights marchers were beaten 55 years earlier.

Today’sbirthdays: Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard is86. Football Hall of Famer Bob Lilly is 86. Rock and RollHall of Famer Dar-

afuture you’re both excited about. What you have to sort out is how muchofthis is your overall fear of commitment versus your feelings for your girlfriend. Do you think of all marriages as traps? Or is it just marriage to this woman that would leave you feeling trapped? With good therapy, you can sort this out.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators. com.

lene Love is 84. The Rolling Stones’ Mick Jaggeris82. ActorHelen Mirrenis80. Rock musician RogerTaylor (Queen)is76. Olympic gold medalﬁgure skater Dorothy Hamill is 69. Actor KevinSpacey is 66. Actor SandraBullock is 61.

ActorJeremy Pivenis60. ActorJason Stathamis58. Actor Olivia Williams is 57. Actor Kate Beckinsale is 52. Former New ZealandPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern is 45.Actor JulietRylanceis45. Actor MonicaRaymund is 39.Actor Francia Raisa is 37.ActorsingerTaylorMomsen is 32. ActorElizabeth Gillies is 32. ActorThomasin McKenzie is 25.

$879,000

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Annie Lane

DEAR ANNIE

Jagger