The Times-Picayune 08-03-2025

‘I

feel at home’

Many whomoved to help NewOrleans recoverdecided to stay andset up roots

imFrusciante, left, a2005 raduate of Tulane University, eturned to NewOrleans in the ears followingKatrina and ocused on early childhood ducation.

Katy Darrith, above with her family in the Bywater neighborhood,volunteered with Habitat for Humanityinthe months following Hurricane Katrina. Barbershop owner Joel Munguia, right, arrived in NewOrleans via Honduras in October 2005 and worked at the only Latino barbershopinthe area.

Each step of the two-block walk from the Darrith family shotgun to theneighborhood park in Bywater is well-worn. Looping the harness around the dog, scrambling down the front steps, scopingout the little sidewalk library along the way Waving to the neighbors, too.

“How’sitgoing?” Katy Darrith called to thechildren joining her own two kids on the monkey bars. Her hus band, Robert,ambledoverto theirdads, giving fist bumps.

Twodecades ago, living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Darrith wouldnever have expected to be aregular at aNew Orleansplayground. But shocking television footage after Hurricane Katrina and aconversation with afriend inspiredthe fledgling teachertovolunteer with

BY JENNA ROSS | Staff writer

Habitat forHumanityinthe months following thestorm. Andthat’s what sheexpected to do —help out for a fewweeks.

But New Orleansentranced her. Even with the National Guard patrolling the streets and many businessesshuttered, the city felt vibrant, differentthanany place she’d experienced.She tried going back to Texas for asemester butwas compelledtoreturn. Now, 20 yearslater,the 43-year-old is among adifficult-to-count population of residentswho flocked to NewOrleanstohelp, teach and rebuild,and thenstayed. They are newcomersnolonger

Katrinaled to two waves of new residents, said Richard Campanella, an author,geographer and associate

dean with the Tulane School of Architecture.Those in thefirstwave “were deeply moved by the catastrophe and thatitwas happening within their own country.” They were premarriage, pre-family.“They were idealistic, progressive, excited,” Campanella said.

Thesecondwavearrived in 2010 and2011, when Forbes and other national media outlets highlighted New Orleans as ahot spot forthe creative class.

Gentrification became abuzzword. The Bywater became abattleground. Those who have remained arerespectful, even reverent, of theNew Orleanians whogrew up here, whose schools and homes and families were devastated by Katrina.

ä See TRANSPLANTS, page 4A

Many localparishesare already struggling financially

BY STEPHANIERIEGEL |Staff writer

In 2023, Archbishop Gregory Aymondtold New Orleans’ 500,000 Roman Catholics in aletter that they would eventually be asked to contribute to asettlement in the archdiocese’slong-running bankruptcy case. Now, that number—and what it would mean to the church’sparishesand charitable organizations —iscoming into greater focus. Court documents filedlast week show that the archdiocese’s104 parishesand 19 of its charitable organizationswill be requiredto pay $60 million toward afinancial settlement that will eventually total around $180 million. That does not include $45 million or so from the anticipated sale of Christopher Homes, aportfolio of elderly senior housing. Thesettlementfunds, to be placed in atrust, would benefit hundredsofsurvivors of clergy sex abuse and be distributed over several years, provided the plan is approved by two-thirds of abuse survivors and confirmed by U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Meredith Grabill.

Trump’s influencelooms

Cassidyand hischallengers seek president’sbacking

BY TYLER BRIDGES |Staff writer

U.S. Sen. BillCassidy and his threeRepublican challengers will begin drawing sharp distinctions amongthemselves at some point in the upcoming Senate primary.But in the meantime, they are all competing forthe endorsement of President DonaldTrump. No onecan sayfor certain whether Trumpwill favor one candidate or when he might do so.But everyone agrees thatany endorsement fromhim will pack apunch.

This has prompted the four Republican candidates to tout their MAGA credentialsatevery opportunity

State Treasurer John Fleming said he worked in the White House during Donald Trump’s first term as president, 10 steps from the OvalOffice.

Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta said he chaired each of the Trump campaigns in Louisiana

State Sen. Blake Miguezstyles himself as an America First conservative who will be areliable Trump ally

ä See SENATE, page 6A

Aymond

Cassidy

Skrmetta

Miguez Fleming

U.K. man charged in sickening kids at camp

LONDON A 76-year-old man appeared in a court in central England on Saturday to face child cruelty charges after several boys at a summer camp were sickened by what prosecutors say was candy laced with sedatives. Jon Ruben was ordered detained until a hearing on Aug. 29. He did not enter a plea during the brief hearing at Leicester Magistrates’ Court.

Police say they received a report on Sunday that children had fallen sick at Stathern Lodge, a converted farmhouse with a sports hall and catering facilities about 120 miles north of London. Eight boys between 8 and 11 and one adult were taken to a hospital as a precaution. All were later discharged. Ruben was arrested on Monday at a pub near the lodge Ruben, whose home address is about 15 miles from the lodge, faces three charges of “willfully assaulting, ill-treating, neglecting, abandoning or exposing children in a manner likely to cause them unnecessary suffering or injury to health,” relating to three boys at the camp.

Canines compete in dog surfing championships

Charlie the 10-year-old yellow Lab likes surfing so much, he’ll grab his surfboard and run toward the water His humans sometimes have to hide his board if they want to chat with friends on the beach.

Charlie joined about 15 to 20 other canine wave riders in Pacifica, 14 miles south of San Francisco, on Saturday at the World Dog Surfing Championships, an annual contest that draws thousands of spectators to Pacifica State Beach.

Pooches competed against similarly sized peers for a chance to appear in the finals. Additional heats featured multiple dogs surfing tandem or riding with people. Labs, terriers and spaniels in monogrammed life vests dogpaddled out into the Pacific. Once out on the waves, their owners helped them hop on colorful boards and hang ten as the crowd cheered from the beach Judges scrutinized how long the dogs remained on their boards, how long they held their balance and whether they performed any tricks, like turning around while riding Charlie, who has his own Instagram page, entered the extralarge single surfer heat. He also rode tandem with two other dogs in what their humans called “The Dream Team.” “He loves the crowd,” owner Maria Nieboer said.

Nieboer’s husband, Jeff Nieboer, and Charlie prepare for waves together When Jeff spots a good one, he turns the board around and tells Charlie to “get ready.” He pushes the board forward, and Charlie scrunches down and rides the wave as long as he can. Charlie can even steer the board by leaning and surfs toward an awaiting Maria on shore.

Contest winners received medals and bragging rights.

SpaceX delivers four to space station

CAPE CANAVERAL,Fla.— SpaceX delivered a fresh crew to the International Space Station on Saturday, making the trip in 15 hours.

The four U.S., Russian and Japanese astronauts pulled up in their SpaceX capsule after launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center They will spend at least six months at the orbiting lab, swapping places with colleagues up there since March SpaceX will bring those four back as early as Wednesday. Moving in are NASA’s Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan’s Kimiya Yui and Russia’s Oleg Platonov — each of whom had been originally assigned to other missions. “Hello, space station!” Fincke radioed as soon as the capsule docked high above the South Pacific.

as Nations. It also misnamed Opera Ebony, the opera company The Times-Picayune regrets the errors. CORRECTION

Israeli fire kills more Gaza aid-seekers

U.S. envoy meets with hostages’ families

BY WAFAA SHURAFA, SAM METZ and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip

Israeli forces opened fire near two aid distribution sites run by the Israelibacked Gaza Humanitarian Foundation as crowds of hungry Palestinians again sought food, killing at least 10 people, witnesses and health workers said Saturday The violence came a day after U.S. officials visited a GHF site and the U.S. ambassador called the troubled system “an incredible feat.”

Another 19 people were shot dead as they crowded near the Zikim crossing from Israel in the hope of obtaining aid, said Fares Awad, head of the Gaza health ministry’s ambulance and emergency service

Nearly a week has passed since Israel, under international pressure amid growing scenes of starving children, announced limited humanitarian pauses and airdrops meant to get more food to Gaza’s over 2 million people. They now largely rely on aid after almost 22 months of war

But the United Nations, partners and Palestinians say far too little aid is coming in, with months of supplies piled up outside Gaza waiting for Israeli approval. Trucks that enter are mostly stripped of supplies by desperate people and criminal groups before

reaching warehouses for distribution.

Experts this week said a “worst-case scenario of famine” was occurring.

On Saturday, Gaza’s health ministry said seven Palestinians had died of malnutrition-related causes over the past 24 hours, including a child.

Aid is “far from sufficient,” Germany’s government said via spokesperson Stefan Kornelius. The U.N. has said 500 to 600 trucks of aid are needed daily

Families of the 50 hostages still in Gaza fear they are going hungry too, and blame Hamas, after the militants released images of an emaciated hostage Evyatar David.

“The humanitarian aid flowing into Gaza, meant to alleviate suffering, must reach Evyatar Guy and all the other hostages too,”

David’s brother Illay told a large rally in Tel Aviv Near the northernmost GHF distribution site near the Netzarim corridor, Yahia Youssef, who had come to seek aid, described a grimly familiar scene. After helping carry three people wounded by gunshots, he said he saw others on the ground, bleeding.

“It’s the same daily episode,” Youssef said. Health workers said at least eight people were killed. Israel’s military said it fired warning shots at a gathering approaching its forces.

At least two people were killed in the Shakoush area hundreds of yards from where the GHF operates in the southernmost city of Rafah, witnesses said Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received two bodies and many injured.

Witness Mohamed Abu

Taha said Israeli troops opened fire toward the crowds. He saw three people — two men and a woman shot as he fled.

Israel’s military said it was not aware of any fire by its forces in the area. The GHF said nothing happened near its sites.

From May 27 to July 31, 859 people were killed near GHF sites, according to a U.N. report Thursday Hundreds more have been killed along the routes of U.N.-led food convoys. Hamas-led police once guarded those convoys, but Israeli fire targeted the officers.

Israel and GHF have claimed the toll has been exaggerated.

Airdrops by a Jordanled coalition which is made up of Israel, the UAE, Egypt, France, and Germany are another approach, though experts say the strategy remains deeply inadequate and even dangerous for people on the ground.

“Let’s go back to what works & let us do our job,” Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, wrote on social media, calling for more and safer truck deliveries.

President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with hostages’ families Saturday, a week after quitting ceasefire talks, blaming Hamas’ intransigence.

“I didn’t hear anything new from him. I heard that there was pressure from the Americans to end this operation, but we didn’t hear anything practical,” said Michel Illouz, father of Israeli hostage Guy Illouz. He said he asked Witkoff to set a time frame but got “no answers.”

Protesters called on Israel’s government to make a deal to end the war, imploring them to “stop this nightmare and bring them out of the tunnels.”

GHF says its armed contractors have only used pepper spray or fired warning shots to prevent deadly crowding. Israel ’s military on Friday said it was working to make the routes under its control safer The GHF — backed by millions of dollars in U.S. support — launched in May as Israel sought an alternative to the U.N.-run system, which had safely delivered aid for much of the war but was accused by Israel of allowing Hamas to siphon off supplies. Israel has not offered evidence for that claim and the U.N. has denied it.

Authorities seek suspect in bar shooting

Ex-soldier accused of killing 4 in Montana

BY MATTHEW BROWN, COLLEEN

SLEVIN

BAUMANN

and LISA

Associated Press

Deputies spent Saturday traversing a rugged mountainous area of Montana with helicopters overhead as a manhunt for a military veteran suspected of fatally shooting four people at a bar stretched into a second day with no capture.

Michael Paul Brown, 45, fled The Owl Bar in the small town of Anaconda in a white pickup before ditching it at some point, according to Lee Johnson, administrator of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation, which is

overseeing the case. He urged residents late Friday to stay at home and remain on high alert

Authorities released a photo of the suspect said to be taken as he fled after the shooting: Gaunt, barefoot and wearing nothing but black shorts, he is seeing walking down what appears to be a flight of outdoor concrete steps.

“While law enforcement

has not received reports of Brown harming any other individuals, he is believed to be armed, and he is extremely dangerous,” Johnson said.

The search was still focused on an area off Stumptown Road west of Anaconda, both on the ground and by air, and included multiple local, state, and federal agencies.

Ukraine claims drone attacks on 2 Russian oil refineries

Bloomberg News (TNS)

Ukraine’s military claimed strikes on two oil refineries and other infrastructure in Russia in what it said was a response to recent deadly attacks by Kremlin forces on Ukrainian cities. The Novokuibyshevsk plant in the Samara region and the Ryazan refinery were hit, the Ukrainian General Staff said in a Saturday Facebook post. Ukrainian drones also struck a fuel depot in Russia’s Voronezh region and an electronics facility in Penza, it said. All the targets were part of Russia’s war apparatus, the military said. The Ukrainian state security service said its long-range drones also at-

tacked a military air base in the Krasnodar region in Russia’s southwest, where storage and launch sites of Shahed drones were hit It wasn’t possible to independently verify the claims. Rosneft PJSC, owner of the Ryazan and Novokuibyshevsk refineries, didn’t immediately reply to a WhatsApp message seeking comment on Saturday Ukrainian authorities said that at least 31 people were killed in a combined drone and missile barrage on Kyiv on Thursday that lasted for several hours President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said another 159 people were injured, including 16 children, in one of the deadliest strikes on Kyiv for the war to date. Samara regional Gov Vyacheslav Fedorischev

said in social media posts that an industrial facility had been attacked and that one man had been killed by falling drone fragments. Ryazan regional Gov Pavel Malkov said on Telegram that debris from a unmanned aerial vehicle had fallen on the premises of an enterprise, without providing more detail. Three people were killed in the various incidents, Russian officials said. With the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine almost halfway through its fourth year, Kyiv’s forces have repeatedly targeted energy infrastructure, including some Rosneft facilities, in a move to curtail Russia’s ability to send fuel to the front line and limit Moscow’s revenue from oil sales.

Anaconda-Deer Lodge Police Chief Bill Sather said Saturday that businesses in the area could open, but he urged caution.

Authorities said they would release the names of the victims once all of their families have been notified.

“This is a small, tight-knit community that has been harmed by the heinous actions of one individual who does not represent what this community or Montanans stand for,” Johnson said. Anaconda, about 25 miles northwest of Butte, is home to roughly 9,000 people. Hemmed in by mountains, it was founded by copper barons who profited from nearby mines in the late 1800s. A smelter stack that is no longer operational looms over the valley

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ARIEL SCHALIT

Families of hostages protest Saturday at the plaza known as the hostages square in Tel Aviv, Israel, demanding the release from Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip.

THE MONTANA STANDARD PHOTO By JOSEPH SCHELLER Police tape surrounds The Owl Bar on Friday in of Anaconda, Mont., where four people were killed in a shooting

Pope thrillsyoung CatholicsatHolyYearfestival

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ROME Pope Leo XIV urged hundreds of thousandsof young people on Saturday to have the courage to make radical choices to do good, as he presided over his firstbig encounter with the next generation of Catholics during the highlight of the Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year

Leo encountered asea of people as he arrivedbyhelicopter at the TorVergata field on Rome’soutskirts for avigil service of the Jubilee of Youth. Hailing from early 150 countries, the pilgrims had set up campsites on the field for the night, as misting trucks andwatercannons spritzed them to cool them down from the 85-degree temperatures.

Leodisplayedhis

fluencyin speaking to the kids in Spanish, Italian and English about the dangersofsocial media, the value of true friendship and the need to have courage to make radical choices like marriage or religious vows.

“Friendship can really change the world. Friendship is apath to peace,” he said.

“How much the world needs missionariesofthe Gospel who are witnesses of justice and peace!”

But history’sfirst American pope also alerted them to some tragic news: Twoyoung people who had made the pil-

grimage to Rome haddied one reportedly ofcardiac arrest, while athird was hospitalized, Leo told the crowd during the vigil service. Leo was to return to the field for an early morning Mass on Sunday morning to close out the celebration. For thepast week, these bands of young Catholics from around the world have poured into Rome fortheir special Jubilee celebration, in aHolyYear in which32 million people are expected to descend on the Vatican to participate in acenturies-old pilgrimage to the seat of Ca-

tholicism.

The young people have been traipsing down cobblestoned streets in color-coordinated T-shirts, praying the rosary andsinging hymns with guitars, bongo drums and tambourines shimmying alongside. Using their flags as tarpstoshield them from the sun, they have taken over entire piazzas for Christian rock concerts and inspirational talks, and stood for hours at the Circus Maximus to confesstheir sins to 1,000 priests offeringthe sacramentinadozen different languages.

“It is something spiritual, thatyou can experience only every 25 years,”saidFrancisco Michel, apilgrim from Mexico. “As ayoung person, having the chance to live this meting withthe pope Ifeel it is aspiritual growth.”

It allhas thevibe of a WorldYouth Day,the Catholic Woodstock festivalthat St. John Paul II inaugurated andmadefamousinRome in 2000 at the very same TorVergata field.Then,before an estimated 2million people,JohnPaultoldthe young pilgrimstheywere the “sentinels of the morning” at

Indiaindicates it will keep buying Russianoil

By The Associated Press

NEW DELHI India hasindicated that it would continue buying oil from Russia despite threats by President Donald Trump.

The Indian foreign ministry said its relationship with Russia was “steady and time-tested,” and shouldnot be seen through the prism of athird country

Addressing aweekly presser on Friday,spokes-

man Randhir Jaiswalsaid India’sbroader stance on securing its energy needs wasguidedbythe availability of oil in the markets and prevailing global circumstances.

Thecommentsfollow an announcement byPresidentDonald Trumpthat he intends to impose a25% tariff on goods from India plus an additional import tax because of New Delhi’s purchases ofRussianoil.

The threat came as the U.S. presidenthas increasinglysouredonRussiafor failing to agree to aceasefireinUkraine and has threatenednew economic sanctions if progress is not made.

Indiabought 68,000 barrels perday of crude oil from Russia in January 2022, but by June of same year oilimports rose to 1.12 million barrels perday.The daily importspeaked at 2.15

millioninMay 2023 and have varied since.

Suppliesrose as high as nearly 40% of India’simportsatone point, making Moscow thelargest supplier of crudetoNew Delhi, the PressTrust of India reported, citing data from Kpler,a dataanalytics company India’sdaily oil consumption is pegged around 5.5 million barrels, of which nearly 88%ismet through imports.

the dawn of the third millennium.

Officialshad initiallyexpected 500,000 youngsters this weekend, but Leo and organizers from the stage said the number could reach 1million. The Vatican didn’t immediately provide afinal estimate.

“It’sabit messed up, but this is what is nice about the Jubilee,” said Chloe Jobbour, a19-year-old Lebanese Catholic who wasinRome with agroup of more than 200 young members of the Community of the Beatitudes, a France-based charismatic group.

She said, for example, that it had taken two hours to get dinner at aKFC overwhelmedbyorders Friday night. TheSalesianschool that offered her group housing is an hour away by bus.

But Jobbour,like many in Rome this week, didn’tmind thediscomfort: It’s allpartof the experience.

“I don’texpect it to be better than that. Iexpected it this way,” she said, as members of her group gathered on church steps near the Vatican to sing and pray Saturday morning before heading out to TorVergata.

Those Romans who didn’t flee the onslaught have been inconvenienced by the additionalstrain on the city’snotoriously insufficient public

transportsystem.Residents are sharing social media postsofoutburstsbyRomans at kids flooding subway platforms and crowding bus stops that have delayed and complicated their commutes to work.

But other Romans have welcomed the enthusiasm the youngsters have brought. Premier GiorgiaMeloni offered avideo welcome, marveling at the “extraordinary festival of faith, joy and hope” that theyoung people had created.

“I think it’smarvelous,” saidRome hairdresser Rina Verdone,who livesnear the TorVergata field and woke up Saturday to find a gaggle of policeoutside her homeaspart of themassive, 4,000-strong operation mounted to keep thepeace.

“You think the faith, the religionisindifficulty, but this is proof that it’snot so.” Verdone had already made plans to take an alternate route home Saturday afternoon,thatwould require an extra half-mile walk, because she feared the“invasion” of kids in her neighborhood would disrupt herusual bus route. Butshe saidshe was morethan happytomakethe sacrifice.

“You think of invasion as something negative. But this is apositive invasion,” she said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ANDREW MEDICHINI Pope Leo XIV holds prayervigil Saturdaywith young people participating in the youths Jubilee at the TorVergata field in Rome.

They stayed because the city took hold of them, as it has so many before. It shaped them. Then, over the past two decades, they shaped the city They became entrepreneurs, school administrators and ambassadors for the best of the place. One founded her own nonprofit, another his own krewe. One wrote the definitive book on king cake. They’ll never be from here. But now in their 30s and 40s, they’re raising New Orleans’ next generation.

Good and positive

The Latino workers who appeared after the storm hung the blue tarps, gutted the houses and rebuilt the roofs. They also manned the taco trucks and stocked the grocery stores.

Joel Munguia cut the hair

At a friend’s urging, he arrived in New Orleans via Honduras in October 2005. The pair worked at the only Latino barbershop around, so their clippers buzzed from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day

Then one day Munguia locked eyes with a woman at Walmart “Oh, I like your braids,” she told him. And that was that.

A photo of the couple and their three children, the two girls in white bows and bobby socks, now hangs on his barbershop mirror His wife is half Creole and half Latino, and their kids have grown up eating both gumbo and sopa de mariscos.

Munguia dreamed of owning a barbershop all barbers do, he said — and in 2012, he opened Chino’s in the heart of Kenner’s Latino community, which swelled after Katrina. A few years later, he expanded into the spot next door Across the parking lot, a restaurant serves pupusas and pollo guisado.

“I feel at home,” he said, tracing a circle around him with his hand.

“I feel like I’m in Honduras.

Munguia’s parents were farmers, and he was just 2 years old when a man murdered his father with a machete. So he appreciates the role he’s been able to play for his children and the young people who come through the shop.

On a recent afternoon, a teenager stood behind his chair, studying Munguia’s steady hands as he buzzed the edge of a man’s hair into a clean right angle. Three teenagers entered, pausing to give Munguia fist bumps before settling into a row of chairs.

Here, he can offer them “something good, something positive.”

But the shop has been quieter these days, said Munguia, a greencard holder With news of deportations, Latino residents, some of whom rebuilt the area, are now afraid to move freely within it Work is necessary, but a haircut? Maybe not.

Munguia shook his head. “All the businesses, we’ve been feeling it.”

‘The people have the answers’

A photo on the front page of The Times-Picayune in 2009 shows Victoria Adams Phipps in a cap and gown, clutching a white parasol. The face of the “Katrina class.”

Three days after arriving at Loyola University in August 2005, Phipps was ordered out of town, the article recounts. “The reason: Hurricane Katrina was barreling toward New Orleans. ” Phipps

had grown up in Miami, so hurricanes were routine. Packing up, she left oysters in her mini-fridge and a laptop on her desk. Back home, the power went out, so a few days later, when she was able to turn on TV she said she sobbed “as the depths of the devastation became apparent.”

Family members figured she’d transfer But she remained set on New Orleans: “I cannot name what it was that had me so hell-bent on coming back, but something about this place always felt like where I needed to be.”

At Loyola, she became friends with New Orleanians, who offered a window into the city’s uneven recovery Who was still living in a trailer? Which blocks still lacked streetlights? “It caused me to

question structures and systems, to pay attention to inequities and to think about how and why things came to be.” She interviewed residents of public housing projects. She helped repair a Central City church.

“This interest in contributing to community in a meaningful way — I genuinely think that was a direct output of my being here post-Katrina,” she said.

Today, Phipps is vice president and program officer for global philanthropy at JPMorgan Chase. The city faces knotty problems with its infrastructure and economy But Phipps believes that “the challenges of New Orleans are also the strengths of New Orleans.” Working with the community here has given her skills to lift up communities elsewhere.

Philanthropy, at its best, should empower people to scale their own solutions, she said. “The people have the answers.”

Now a Gentilly Terrace resident, Phipps has lived in the city longer than she’s lived anywhere else, including Miami. But being a New Orleanian is “a birthright,” said Phipps, one her 2-year-old son now enjoys. He loves parades and dancing, brass instruments and red beans.

‘The best version of itself’

On a recent tour of the Lower Garden District preschool she founded, Kim Frusciante highlighted the old firehouse it inhabits and the outdoor classroom encircled by gardens. She spotlighted the teachers and the kids.

But she started with a fact: “90% of the brain is formed before kindergarten.” That fact led her to create Early Partners.

First, though, she’d have to return to New Orleans.

After growing up in Vancouver, Washington, Frusciante graduated from Tulane in spring 2005. So she watched the drowning of New Orleans on television. “I think that left me with this sense of responsibility This place that had been so beautiful and giving to me,” her voice catching.

“I haven’t told this story in a long time,” she explained “I felt like I owed the city a debt.”

Frusciante didn’t return right away, teaching in Texas for a few

years. But when the New Orleans Saints made it to the Super Bowl, she and her husband decided to watch the game from New Orleans. He grabbed a newspaper, reading aloud an article about the new charter school system.

Frusciante realized, “this is the path,” she said. “This is how I can really make a difference.”

Teaching high school felt like a four-year sprint to make up for a lack of learning in previous grades.

After her daughter was born, Frusciante dove into the Harvard Center for the Developing Child website, where she learned that fact about the brain.

“And I just kept thinking, man, what if we had met you when you were 2, instead of 16, going into ninth grade?”

The post-Katrina landscape emboldened people to try new things, Frusciante said. She’s quick to name the not-so-good things. Because many of the charter school system’s teachers and administrators were from out of town, “I think we underestimated the importance of everything else that goes with school.”

But Early Partners might not have sprouted anywhere else.

Frusciante admits she and her husband talk about leaving “about once a year,” depending on what pothole they’ve hit.

“But the reason why we don’t, and the reason why so many folks who aren’t from here have chosen to lay roots here, is because this place is special,” she said. “There’s nowhere in the world, and certainly in the country, that has a community that is so rich and so connected and so welcoming.

“And what we aim to do as people who are not from here is help New Orleans be the best version of itself that native New Orleanians have always deserved.”

‘Respect for the city’ Charles Aponza was born and raised in Long Island, New York. But looking back, “all signs pointed to New Orleans.”

Some of those signs were musical: Aponza played the trumpet because of his love for Louis Armstrong.

Some were cultural: His family is Haitian and Colombian, so the city’s French and Spanish influ-

ences felt like home. And some were academic: In college, he took a course called “The City That Care Forgot: The Roots, Ruin, and Rebirth of New Orleans.” That course gave him “a full understanding and respect for the city.”

So when he arrived in 2012, via Teach for America, he was cognizant of how, in the storm’s aftermath, the school system was dismantled and remade. Of how those changes led to the loss of marching bands and middle-class teaching jobs. He asked himself: “Am I here to benefit certain agendas or to benefit the community?”

The community, he decided. After teaching, Aponza shifted to housing, founding Brighter Horizons Construction, a construction company focused on equity and affordability Working after Hurricane Ida gave him a new respect for people who rebuilt after Katrina. As someone who experienced New York City before and after the Sept 11 attacks, he knows that he’ll never have the understanding of someone who lived here before 2005.

“Am I from here?” he said. “I’ll never be from here. And it’s not a bad thing, right? But there’s a difference.”

His two kids will be, though. The other day, his older son asked for a sno-ball, and Aponza was struck by the 4-year-old’s fluency

“To him, summertime is a snoball from Hansen’s,” he said. “So it’s cool. I’ll never be from here, but I get to watch someone from here grow up.”

‘Embracing life’

The tattoo was a clue Darrith would be back. Between her shoulder blades is a fleur-de-lis, made of nails.

She got it with a group of Habitat workers after a build. Those builds especially those at Musicians’ Village, changed Darrith, then in her mid-20s. The musicians invited them out, and they discovered, between the still-shuttered clubs, ones that had reopened. “The places that were open were embracing life,” Darrith said, “like it had never changed.”

But of course, so much had changed. Driving through the Lower 9th Ward, she saw cars on their sides. A stoop leading to a house that wasn’t there anymore.

Up on a roof, hammering nail after nail, Darrith felt useful. Now, her 7- and 8-year-old kids have a hard time believing it:

“Mom, you used to build houses?”

Darrith is a special education teacher at the Willow School. Her husband, a Georgia native whom she met while teaching at Edna Karr High School, is an assistant principal at McDonogh 35. They believe in public schools and send their kids to them. The family lives with their chocolate Lab, Charlie, in a teal house in the Bywater, the colorful neighborhood Darrith discovered in her late 20s. Darrith, whose long blonde hair sports silver streaks, has understood the concerns about gentrification, “and I guess I’m kind of a part of that.”

But the neighborhood, like the city, felt right. “I am not an eccentric person at all. I’m pretty basic,” she said, with an easy laugh. “But the neighborhood was eccentric, and I liked that.”

Mostly, she’s glad her kids are growing up in a city that is open and accepting. The

that ac-

city

cepted her

PROVIDED PHOTO

Katy Darrith, top, volunteers in 2007 with Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild a home on Palmetto Street after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans.

FILE PHOTO Victoria Adams joined the second-line after her graduation from Loyola University in 2009. She was among the so-called ‘Katrina class.’

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Charles Aponza was born and raised in Long Island, N.y He came to New Orleans in 2012 with Teach for America. After teaching, Aponza shifted to housing, founding Brighter Horizons Construction, a construction company focused on equity and affordability

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisstory is brought to you by OchsnerHealth.

bstetrics andGynecologycareat

OOchsner Healthhas beenranked among thebestinthe United States cominginatNo. 13 on U.S. News &World Report’s(USNWR) 2025-2026 BestHospitals list.Thismajor milestone is led by the dedicatedteams at Ochsner Baptist and Ochsner MedicalCenter–West Bank and marks asignificantachievementinwomen’shealthcare forthe health system and for Louisiana

The prestigious women’scareranking comes alongside anotherremarkable accolade: Forthe 14th consecutiveyear,Ochsner Medical Center –New Orleans,inclusiveof Ochsner Baptist,Ochsner Medical Center –West Bank andOchsner Hospital forOrthopedics &SportsMedicine, has been named the Best Hospital in theNew Orleans metro areaand theNo. 1hospital in Louisiana

Out of more than 4,400 hospitalsthat wereevaluated, 13%earned aBest Hospitals designation. Ochsner MedicalCenter was recognized as High Performing in 21 of 22 ratedproceduresand conditions, afeat achieved by fewerthan1% of hospitals nationwide.Rankingsare basedonmetrics suchasrisk-adjusted mortalityrates, patientoutcomes,preventable complications and nursingcare.

“Itisanhonortosee our team recognized for allthe work that is done dailytoprovide the highest qualitycareand thebestpossible outcomes to thepatientsweserve, saidJosephR.Biggio,MD, MS,systemchairand servicelineleader for women’sservices andsystemchair, maternalfetal medicine, Ochsner Health. “Itishumbling to seethat this places us as oneofthe leading facilities in thecountry forobstetrics and gynecology.”

carehavebeen in oncology. Hisdepartment treatsvarious types of gynecological cancer including uterine, endometrial, ovarian, cervix and vulvar

“With advances liketumor evaluation and genetic testing,wecan personalizea patient’scancer care,” he said.“Clinicaltrials have helpedusdeterminewhichtherapies aperson’scancer mayrespondtobest and whobenefits themost from noveltherapeutics.Weperform genetic testingonmost patients and screen anytumor we remove for geneticdisorders. Thatallows us to tailor treatments and identify anyfamilymembers whomay need their cancer risk evaluated.”

At the coreofOchsner’s riseinthe national rankingsare severalinnovativeprogramsthatdemonstrate itscommitment tohigh quality, patient-centeredwomen’s healthcare.

The Pelvic Floor Center at Ochsner specializesintreatingawidearray of pelvic healthdisorderswithstate-of-the-art diagnostictools and treatmentoptions.Patients benefit from personalized care plans led by fellowship-trained surgeons,physical therapists,and other highly trained clinicians

The centerincorporates physicians and otherproviders from colorectal surgery,urogynecology, urologyandgastroenterology, as well as other specialistssuchaspelvic floor therapists,” saidLeiseR.Knoepp,MD, section head, urogynecology, Ochsner Health. “We have atop-notch cadreoftalentedspecialists dedicatedtohelpingpatientswith pelvic floor disorders who provide world-classcare.”

Dr.Biggio said thesystem’s leadership in women’s healthcareispossible becauseofa comprehensiveteam that includes physicians, advanced practice providers, nursepractitioners, physician assistants, midwives,nursesand more. In addition, specialists in areas such asmaternal fetalmedicine, gynecologiconcologyand urogynecology areonhand to provideadvancedcarewhen needed

JosephR.Biggio,MD,MS SystemChair,Women’sServices andMaternalFetalMedicine OchsnerHealth

“This recognitionisa reflection of how hardweworktodothe rightthing when it comes to taking care of patients.Ochsner has been patient-first foravery long time and continues to be. Everyone hereunderstands that youneed to havegood qualityand good outcomes todifferentiateyourself,” said JacobM.Estes,MD, systemvice chair forwomen’sservices andsection head, gynecologiconcology, Ochsner Health. “For us,thisrecognition also provides motivation to do even better.”

Dr.Estes said some of thebiggest medical advancesinwomen’s

en navigating perimenopause,menopause and post-menopause,with aspecial focus on balancing hormones through every stageofaging.

“Thiscenterprovidesservicessuchas counseling, cardiovascular care andsexual health care.It’sabout addressing allofthe changesthatcomealong with menopause,” said Jennifer Brunet,MD, site lead forobstetricsand gynecology, Ochsner Baptist “We’ve developedaplace wheremultidisciplinarycareisconvenientand efficient. We recognize that menopauseisnot just a momentintime, butrathera transitionin awoman’slife. Women need coordinated and dedicatedsupport duringthistimein theirlife. Theworkofour teams to recognize its significance hasbeenhealingfor our patients.”

provides advanced training forOB/GYN physicians in addressing potential pregnancy complications,advanced ultrasound techniques and prenatal genetics

“In Louisiana,maternal and neonatal outcomes need improvement. The only way to begin to improve these outcomes is to have physicians who understand thoseissues,” Dr.Biggio said. “This program allows us to train thenextgeneration of maternal fetal medicine physicians forLouisiana so we canhelp build aworkforce and address thosecritical needs.”

Dr.Knoepp said thatprovidingcollaborative care forwomen is vital,sincemany patients have conditionsthat affect differentparts of thebody. Ateam approach allows better outcomes forsuch conditions as urinaryand fecalincontinence, pelvicorgan andrectal prolapse, fistulas and more.Recently,Ochsner has established aclinic whereurogynecologists and colorectal physicians can seepatients in tandem, which allows patients to move toward theirgoals muchmoreefficiently and effectively,since patients often need bothtypes of care

LeiseR.Knoepp,MD SectionHead,Urogynecology OchsnerHealth

Women in their reproductiveyears, regardlessofwhether or not theyhavechildren, cancountonOchsner’s commitment to excellence. The PCOS clinic at Ochsner is aleading choice forwomen seeking care for polycystic ovary syndrome, which canaffect up to one in 10 women and lead to issues such as weightchanges,acne and irregular periods.The clinic provides service from specialists in endocrinology, obstetrics and gynecology, dermatologyand reproductivehealth, as well as nutrition and mental health care.Dr. Brunet said Ochsner hopes to expand the clinic in the future.

JenniferBrunet,MD SiteLead,ObstetricsandGynecology OchsnerBaptist

The personalized,patient-centeredcare women receiveatOchsner is increasingly delivered with the most innovativeand technology-forwardmethods.Usingminimally invasiveand robotic surgical techniques formost gynecological procedures means shorter recovery times and areduced risk of complications.Remotemonitoring tools such as Connected MOM, aBluetooth-enabled blood pressurecuff thatsends readingsfrompregnantpatients directly to their medical recordfor physician review, allowfor bettercommunication with fewerappointments And virtual tools allowpatients to have telehealth visits and for doctorstoquickly consult with one another “Weknowthathealthcareis continuing to evolve, and we constantly look at ways to improve,” Dr.Biggio said. “Weare exploring patientcareinother settings. People arenaturally much more comfortable at home. If we candevelop ways to provide care forpatients wheretheywant it,thatallows us to provide even bettercare.”

“The work we do is very focusedonaperson’squalityoflife, which is so impactfulon someone’sgeneral satisfaction,” she said “Thesecollaborationscontinue to expand andpatientswill seemultiple specialists forcoordinatedvisitstoaddress their needs conveniently and efficiently.When Idecided to pursue women’shealth, and specificallyurogynecology, it was becauseI wanted to provide care and improve outcomes forwomen who areoften the primary caretakers foreveryoneelse. At the end of theday,women need someonetocarefor them,too.”

“You have to empathizeand realizethatwomen just want an understanding of whatishappening in their bodies.AtOchsner,wedoavery good jobof listening, validating, offering treatmentoptions and letting women be part of their owncare.

When doctorsdetermine thatawoman is experiencing ahigh-risk pregnancy,orthatthe babymay need extensivecareafter birth,maternal fetal medicine physicians and the Fetal Diagnosisand Care program at Ochsner offers expert care forarangeof maternal, obstetric and fetal complications

JacobM.Estes,MD SystemViceChair,Women’sServices SectionHead,GynecologicOncology OchsnerHealth AtOchsner,we doaverygood joboflistening, validating,offering treatmentoptions andlettingwomen bepartoftheir owncare.

Meanwhile, Ochsner’s Menopauseand Women’sWellness Center in NewOrleans provides compassionate support and cutting-edgetreatments forwom-

Utilizing the latest ultrasound technologyand procedures,askilled team of maternal fetal medicine specialists, neonatologists and pediatric subspecialists ensures precisediagnosis and treatment. And, with aLevel IV neonatal intensivecareunit,Ochsner is aleader in fetal care dedicatedtooptimizing pregnancy outcomes

The USNWR national ranking is asignificantmomentofpride forthe Ochsner teams,and the momentum continues.Dr. Biggio said he and his colleagues areexploring howtoaddressother areas of need in the region, such as treatment of complexbenign pelvic diseaseand endometriosis.Thereisoptimism that the specialized clinics and centers thathavequickly become crucial to women’s care will eventually expand. But,wherever the futureleads,treatmentwill be offered with the same expertiseand compassion thatOchsner patients have come to expect

JenniferBrunet,MD SiteLead,Obstetrics andGynecology OchsnerBaptist

As part of its commitmenttocontinuing this high levelofcare, Ochsner has Louisiana’sonly maternal fetal medicine fellowship,athree-year training program that

“Wehavegreat people and greatminds at Ochsner.We’re always meeting to discusshow we can continue to deliver high qualitycaremoreefficiently,” Dr.Brunet said. “You always have to keep qualityfirst. We will build on this USNWR recognition and useittocatapult us to the next level. Ialsohope it strengthens thetrust thatpatients have in us,toknowthatwehavebeen recognized on anational levelfor our qualityand thework we do with patients.”

OchsnerHealthistheleadingnonprofithealthcareproviderintheGulfSouth,deliveringexpertcareatits46hospitals andmorethan370healthandurgentcarecenters.TolearnmoreabouthowOchsnerempowerspeopletogetwelland staywell,visitochsner.org.Toscheduleawomen’sservicesappointment,visitochsner.org/womens

Cassidy,who formally announced his reelection campaign Friday in an event at Drago’sinMetairie, notes he supported Trump’scabinet nominees, provided adecisive vote for the president’s One Big BeautifulBill and worksdirectlywith Trump

“I’m theonly one who actually speaks to the president,” he said during anews conference Wednesday Trump is casting alooming shadow over arace in which the candidates in January will qualify for the April semi-closed primary.

“All the Republican candidates are tryingtobethe Trump candidate in the Senate,” said John Breaux, the former Democratic senator “But only one can be that candidate. It’sadifferent worldnow.”

Breaux noted that, when he won Senate electionsin 1986, 1992 and 1998,what mattered most was winning key local endorsements, raisinglotsofmoneyand spending most of thatmoney on TV advertising. He also noted that senators were elected in prior decades by traveling from parish courthouse to parish courthouse and locking up the support of sheriffs, assessors, district attorneys and police jury members —and having those local officials rev up their political machines to back the senator

Now,Trump plays adecisive role in Republican Senate primaries through his endorsement. He backed such winners as JD Vance in Ohioand TedBudd in North Carolina, both in 2022, and Dave McCormick in Pennsylvania and TimSheehy in Montana in2024.

Trump’spowerfulpulpit

Through hisverbal attacks, Trump also sidelines Republican senators seeking reelection who don’tsufficiently toethe line.That happened most recently after he blasted Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina,for opposing the

Bill Cassidy, Eric Skrmetta, John Fleming and BlakeMiguez

One Big Beautiful Bill, which reduces taxesand partially pays for the lost revenue by cutting Medicaid spending and other programs. Tillis announced last month that he won’trun forreelection.

Speculation is rifethat Trump won’tbackCassidy because he committed the cardinal sin of being one of seven Republican senators whojoined allDemocrats in voting in 2021 to prohibit Trump from holding office againunder an impeachment article that accused him of “incitingviolence againstthe government of theUnited States” with the Jan. 6attack on theU.S. Capitol.

Cassidy’sdecision led to praise that he had taken avoteofconscience, but Trumpbelittled him as “wacky Bill.” Jeff Flakeknows whatit’s like to feel Trump’swrath.

ARepublicansenator from Arizona, Flake criticized Trump for spreading the lie that President Barack Obamawas born outside of theUnited States. Flake also called on Trump to withdraw fromthe presidential race in 2016 after the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape, which showed Trump making obscene comments about women.

In October 2017, ayear before he wouldbe on the ballot, Flakeannouncedhe wouldnot seek reelection

“It was pretty clear that the voters wantedsomeone who was with thepresidentall the

time,” Flake said in arecent interview. “That could not be me.Itwas neveranoption for me to bend and say, ‘These policies thatI said Ididn’tagree with, Inow agree with them,’ or ‘this behavior thatthe president has exhibited that Idecried now is OK.’ No job is worththat.”

CassidycourtsTrump

Cassidy has faced criticism thatheisbending his principlestotry to get back in Trump’sgood graces. TrumpendorsedCassidy when he won asecondterm in 2020.

Cassidy seems to be doing everything he can to at least get Trump not to endorse oneofhis challengers. With Fleming, Skrmetta and Miguez already in the race, U.S. Rep.Julia Letlow,R-Baton Rouge, is seriously considering joining them, according to Republican political insiders.

On Wednesday, Cassidy brandished his MAGA qualifications, telling reporters thathe played akey role in getting three cabinet members confirmed —PeteHegsethat the Defense Department, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.atthe HealthDepartmentand Lori Chavez-DeRemer at the Labor Department

fentanyl abuse.

“He says it might be the mostimportantbill he signs all year,” Cassidy said.

He notedheplayed akey role in adding $50 billion to Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill forruralhospitals that are facing revenue losses from theMedicaid cuts.

He also notedthat he was about tovisit the White House that day for the seventh time this year

the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus.

“Other people like to talk,” Cassidy said.“Iactually do the walk. Thepresident and Ihave been working very well together.”

Flemingtouts role

But Cassidy’sthreeRepublican opponents seea political openingbecause of his vote to convict Trump and are angling for thepresident’sendorsement.

Fleming notesthathe worked in the White House during thefinal year of Trump’sfirst term, as assistant to thepresidentfor planning and implementation

In that position, Fleming said he served as the White House’sliaison on planning for the 2020 Census andon aweekly task force led by Vice President MikePence that oversaw thefederal government’s response to theCOVID-19 pandemic.

“I handled everything that came in the door not handled by thechief of staff,” Fleming said. He spent thethree preceding years working firstasa deputy assistant secretaryofHealth for Information Technology —reducing regulation for doctors —and then as an assistant secretary for commerce for economic development.Inthat position, he said, he worked to reduce barriers to investment.

“Wewere, in my view, the forerunners of the MAGA movement,” said Fleming, whogave up his seat in 2016 to make afailed bid for the Senate in arace won by Sen. John Kennedy He said he backs Trump’smoves to raise tariffs, supported the One Big Beautiful Bill and backs the president’scrackdownonillegal immigration.

Fleming said he’sundecided on two other issues of importance to Trump and his supporters: whether humans areresponsible for globalwarming and whether Trump won the 2020 election over Joe Biden, as he claims.

Fleming said he hasn’t spoken with Trump since leaving theWhite House in January 2021.

Still, he added, “There are people running in this election whodon’thave arecord in Washington, and we could easily end up with another Cassidy.I’ve been consistentlypro-MAGA andproTrump. I’maknownfactor.”

Skrmetta’s position

Skrmetta,who hasbeen amember of the Public ServiceCommission since 2008, representing the parishesaround New Orleans, notonlyco-chairedTrump’s campaigns in Louisiana, he also chaired the Louisiana delegation at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Skrmetta said he helped organize aspeech by Trump in February 2016 to speak at the River Center in Baton Rouge and avisit several months later for Trump and Pence to show their concern forflood victims in Baton Rouge.

Skrmetta said he believes that humans are playing only asmall roleinglobal warming but added that Trump clearly won the 2020 election.

Michael Flynn, who briefly served as Trump’s national securityadviserduring his first term “My dedication to the president’spolicies have been unwavering,” Skrmetta said. “I think he is abrilliant man, abrilliant economist who shows his love for America. Ican’tthink of abetter man forthe country.”

Miguez playsupMAGA Miguez did notrespond to severalrequests foraninterview He waselected to thestate House from New Iberia in 2015 and the state Senate in 2023. His Senate campaign website proclaimsheis“The MAGA Choice,” but the details are sketchy “We’re done being fooled by weak Republicanslike Bill Cassidy who only support President Trumptoget elected,” Miguez says on the website. “Bill Cassidy had his shot. He missed. Iwon’t.” His comments play on Miguezbeing aworld-class competitive sharpshooter In acampaign video, he blasts abottlelabeled “food dyes” and says “ultra-processed foodsare slowly poisoning our children,” echoing aview of Robert F. Kennedy Jr

“President Trump is already saving America, but he needsour help,” Miguez adds.

Skrmetta said Trumpwill play such an important role in the Senate campaign because “every few generations, someone rises up who haspersonalityand capacity and ability to surpass other people. Donald Trump has done that.”

Fleming said Trumpis proving to be the mostconsequential president since Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served from 1933-45.

Cassidy also noted that he stood directly behind Trump when thepresident last week signed thesenator’s bill that aims to reduce

Before his four yearsin the Trumpadministration, Fleming servedeight years in the House representing northwest Louisiana. During thattime, he helped create

Skrmetta said he last spoke with Trump when they brieflycrossed paths at aMar-a-Lago fundraiser in April for former Gen.

“People really believe in him,” Fleming said. “His base certainly does. He has tremendous impact. His word when it comes to endorsements is very powerful.”

EmailTyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.

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Kennedy

Letlow

La.forests part of 10-yearcarboncreditdeal

Programwould help with emissions reductions

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

More than 63,000 acres of north Louisiana forestland arepartof anew 10-year deal to sell carbon credits to aFrench petrochemical and natural gas exporterwith operations in the Baton Rouge area and southwest Louisiana.

And the chief executive officer of the carbon credit company that was part of the deal says he expects continued interest from big industrial companies in voluntarycredit sales involvingLouisiana forests, though U.S. environmentalpolicy is beginning to shift awayfromclimateregulation.

TotalEnergies has inked the deal with the Arkansas-based NativState to enroll in 13 long-term forestmanagementplans across 247,000 acres in Louisiana and threeother states,officials with both companies said.

TotalEnergies says it is trying to

BANKRUPTCY

Continued from page1A

Grabill has set aDec. 30 deadline for ending the bankruptcy case, which at more than fiveyears and$50 million in legal fees, is now the longest-running andsecondmost expensiveofthe 40 or so church bankruptcy cases filed over the past two decades.

If Grabill sticks to that timeline and the settlement is accepted and confirmed by the end of the year,the parishes and charities would be required to come up with their portion of the $60 million in less than six months. Courtdocuments do not say how much eachparishand organization would be assessed individually or what would happen if they cannot come up with the moneybythe time the plan goes into effect.

The archdiocese declinedto comment because the parties in the case are not legally allowed to discuss the proposed settlement until the judge approves certain documents and financial information that will go out to survivors and other creditorsaheadof avote on the plan.

In his2023letter, Aymond said he prayed thatthrough the bankruptcy settlement process, “. and by the grace of God, we will emerge better prepared for the future and be aneven stronger Catholic family.”

Many pots

While much of the focus of the church bankruptcyin recent years has centered on how much survivors standto receive from the settlement, court documents filed last week explain more clearly where the money will come from.

According to the documents, $65million in cash willcome from the archdiocese and $60 million from the 124 parishes and charities that are participating in the

avoid or cut greenhouse gas emissions where it can —including with permanent underground carbon storage— andoffsetthe rest by investing $100 million annually in projectsthat will be able to generateatleast 5millionmetric tons of carbon credits peryear by 2030.

TheNativState deal, the value of which was not disclosed, is part of TotalEnergies’ buildout of that carbon offsetportfolio, which is also expected to include agriculture and wetlands protection projects, company officials said in astatement.

“Weare working to build ahighquality portfolio andare paying closeattentiontothe integrity andpermanenceofthe emissions reductions and sequestration achieved by the activities financed in this way,” said Gabin Poizat, aTotalEnergies spokesperson.

‘Somegiveand take’

The company,whichhas the world’slargest combined styrene and polystyrene manufacturing plant in Carville,says it already has 1gigawatt ofrenewable energy underdevelopment to supply electricity to U.S. petrochemical sites, including in Carville, a

bankruptcy process. Another $20 millionwill be paid over four years following property sales,and $5 million in cash willcome from certain church-owned entitiesthat arenot participatinginthe bankruptcybecause they do not have any legal exposure in the case.

Theremaining $30 million would come from atentative settlement with church insurers, court documents show

Additionally,proceeds from the sale of Christopher Homes, estimated to generate around $44 million, would be added to the settlement sometime in mid-2026, fora totalofsomewherearound $225 million,courtdocuments show

“The plan provides an efficient and speedymeans for allocating compensation to each survivor,” members of the court-appointed committee that negotiated the proposedsettlementsaid in aletter to abuse victimsin the case. “The committee believes that theplan is in the bestinterest of allcreditors andurges youtoacceptthe plan.”

Operatingataloss

When Aymond first told local Catholics that they would be asked to contribute tothe settlement, reactions across thediocese ranged from angertosadness to awillingness to do whatever it takes to bring healing to the church and closure to the case.

Twoyears later,faced with aspecific ask from their pastors in the pulpit, it’sunclear how willing thefaithful will be to open their pocketbooks.

Onethingisapparent: Many local parishes are strugglingfinancially.Ina bankruptcy court hearing last week that delved intothe value of church assets, financial consultant Chris Linscott testified that “roughlytwothirdsofthe parishes do not breakeven. …Theydonot generate enough to paytheir expenses.”

That meanstheyhave to tap

Port Arthur,Texas, oil refinery and plastics manufacturing in LaPorte, Texas

NativStateaggregates smaller timber properties to create economies of scale and, in long-term dealsreached with landowners, sets up reduced harvesting practices to create anet savings in carbon emissions.

Thedeal withTotalEnergies involved morethan 280 landowners in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas andTennesseeina portion of thenation where there is aggressive timber harvesting, NativStateofficials said.

Landowners agreed to 40-year sustainable management programs withhelp from NativState’s forestersand wildlife biologists thatwill reduce but not eliminate harvests.

Those carbon savings are sold as voluntary credits to companies and are verified by third-party auditing. Landowners earn credit royalties while still being able to harvestsome of their timber,NativStateofficials said.

“So,there’ssome give and take there, but, in theend, in most cases,thatlandownerisgetting

into reserves or some other source of funds to paytheir bills.

Financial documents filed in thecase show that nearly 20% of theparishesthatwill be asked to contributetothe settlementfinished theyear in the red,with losses ranging from $20,000 to $10 million, not including real estate assets owned by those parishes.

Otherparishes have sizable surpluses.

Holy NameofJesus on St Charles Avenue had net assets of more than$6.7million at the end of 2024, not including several pieces of parishownedrealestatewithan insured replacement value of morethan $26 million and an estimated liquidation value —meaning what it would sell for in afire sale —ofatleast $6.5 million.

St. Peter ClaverinTreme, on theother hand, finished theyear more than $220,000 in thered. Itschurch, school andother buildings have an insuredreplacement value of about$5.6 million, with a liquidation value of $150,000, court records show.

Sources familiar with the caseand other church bankruptcies say each parish and charitable organization will be assessed accordingtoits financial situation andwill not be asked to pay more thanit is able.

The parishes and charities will contribute to the settlement to protect againstfuture abuselawsuits. To do so,legally,they will file aso-called “pre-packaged” bankruptcy that would last no more than 48 hours, attorneys have said, ahead of the plan confirmationprocess.

“Thiswillhelppreservethe assets of parishes,schools andministriesagainst past claims of abuse,” Aymond said in his 2023 letter.

‘Catastrophic’

Thearchdiocese is following the playbook of other recent churchbankruptcy cases. In theDiocese of Rockville Center,New York, which

as much, if not more, between the carbon credits andtimberrevenues on these properties,” said Stuart Allen, founder and chief executive officer of NativState. ‘Politicalpressures’

TheTotalEnergiesagreement is NativStat’s fourth large creditdeal Louisiana landowners have already started earning royalty payments from earlier deals, company officials said.

Thecompanies announcedthe latestdeallatelastmonth shortlybefore the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency said it was planning to rescind the so-calledendangerment finding for greenhouse gases known to contribute to climate change.

The finding is akey underpinning for the climate regulations that have followed in the 16 years since it was reached in 2009.The proposedchange is part of awider deregulatory effort by the Trump administration to spur energy and industrialproduction and cut consumer prices. Allen, the NativState CEO, said Thursday that while shifting U.S. regulations mayaffect interest in carbon creditsfromsmaller,domestic companies, it’snot affecting the large international companies with which he is dealing. Theyhave 25-year planning horizons, he said, that extendpast any single administration andface differentbusiness pressures than in theUnitedStates. Corporate officials from Indonesia, Japan and other countries have visited Arkansasand Louisianaprospecting for carbon deals, he said.

was settled in December aftermore thanfour years, the 136 parishes and ministries were required to contribute $53 milliontoward a$323 million settlement. Some parishes were tapped for as muchas$1million. Others were asked for less than $100,000. Catholics learned howmuchofthe settlement would come out of their coffersinpiecemeal fashion, according to national media reports earlier this year

“Andwebring groups in andtheir viewoncarbon andclimate change and the political pressures on them or corporate investor pressures are considerably differentthanwhat we’veseen here in the U.S., in some cases. And so Ithink the majority we’re not seeing any lack of demand from global players,” Allensaid. Based in Paris, TotalEnergies has amix of renewable and fossil fuel operationsacross the United States andthe globe. Also invested in solar, wind and related battery operations in the United States, themultinational has interests in Gulf oilplatformsand is aleading exporter of U.S. natural gaswitha stakeinthe Cameron LNGfacilityinHackberry in southwest Louisiana.

In June, theDiocese of Buffalo, NewYork, announced that its parishes would be requiredtopay up to 80% of their“unrestrictedcash” by July 15 to help fund a$150 million settlement forabuse victims

The amount each parish wasrequired to pay was based on itscash reserves, according to Catholic News Agency. Parisheswith less than $250,000 in unrestricted cash were toldtheymustpay

10% of that amount, while parisheswith more than $3 millionwill be required to pay75%

Severalparishesinthe diocese already facing closure filedsuit,arguing that the payments would be “catastrophic and likely would fatally destroy theparishes.” In late July,the NewYork Supreme Court granted them atemporary reprieve while the case makesits way through court.

sector that they offer to qualified individuals.

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New numbers offer warning signs for economy

BY JOSH BOAK and CHRISTOPHER RUGABER Associated Press

WASHINGTON For all of President

Donald Trump’s promises of an economic “golden age,” a spate of weak indicators this week told a potentially worrisome story as the impacts of his policies are coming into focus.

Job gains are dwindling. Inflation is ticking upward. Growth has slowed compared with last year.

More than six months into his term, Trump’s blitz of tariff hikes and his new tax and spending bill have remodeled America’s trading, manufacturing, energy and tax systems to his own liking. He’s eager to take credit for any wins that might occur and is hunting for someone else to blame if the financial situation starts to totter

But as of now, this is not the boom the Republican president promised, and his ability to blame his Democratic predecessor, Joe Biden, for any economic challenges has faded as the world economy hangs on his every word and social media post.

When Friday’s jobs report turned out to be decidedly bleak, Trump ignored the warnings in the data and fired the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures

“Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes,” Trump said on Truth Social, without offering evidence for his claim. “The Economy is BOOMING.”

It’s possible that the disappointing numbers are growing pains from the rapid transformation caused by Trump and that stronger growth will return — or they may be a preview of even more disrup-

tion to come.

Trump’s aggressive use of tariffs, executive actions, spending cuts and tax code changes carries significant political risk if he is unable to deliver middle-class prosperity

The effects of his new tariffs are still several months away from rippling through the economy, right as many Trump allies in Congress will be campaigning in the midterm elections

“Considering how early we are in his term, Trump’s had an unusually big impact on the economy already,” said Alex Conant, a Republican strategist at Firehouse Strategies. “The full inflationary impact of the tariffs won’t be felt until 2026. Unfortunately for Republicans, that’s also an election year.”

The White House portrayed the blitz of trade frameworks leading up to Thursday’s tariff announcement as proof of his negotiating prowess. The European Union, Japan, South Korea, the Philippines,

Indonesia and other nations that the White House declined to name agreed that the U.S. could increase its tariffs on their goods without doing the same to American products. Trump simply set rates on other countries that lacked settlements.

The costs of those tariffs — taxes paid on imports to the U.S. — will be most felt by many Americans in the form of higher prices, but to what extent remains uncertain.

“For the White House and their allies, a key part of managing the expectations and politics of the Trump economy is maintaining vigilance when it comes to public perceptions,” said Kevin Madden, a Republican strategist

Just 38% of adults approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, according to a July poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs. That’s down from the end of Trump’s first term when half of adults approved of his economic leadership.

The White House paints a rosier image, seeing the economy emerging from a period of uncertainty after Trump’s restructuring and repeating the economic gains seen in his first term before the pandemic struck.

“President Trump is implementing the very same policy mix of deregulation, fairer trade, and progrowth tax cuts at an even bigger scale — as these policies take effect, the best is yet to come,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said.

The economic numbers over the past week show the difficulties that Trump might face if the numbers continue on their current path:

n Friday’s jobs report showed that U.S. employers have shed 37,000 manufacturing jobs since Trump’s tariff launch in April, undermining prior White House claims of a factory revival.

n Net hiring has plummeted over the past three months with job gains of just 73,000 in July 14,000 in June and 19,000 in May — a combined 258,000 jobs lower than previously indicated. On average last year, the economy added 168,000 jobs a month.

n A Thursday inflation report showed that prices have risen 2.6% over the year that ended in June, an increase in the personal consumption expenditures price index from 2.2% in April. Prices of heavily imported items, such as appliances, furniture, and toys and games, jumped from May to June.

n On Wednesday, a report on gross domestic product — the broadest measure of the U.S. economy showed that it grew at an annual rate of less than 1.3% during the first half of the year, down sharply from 2.8% growth last year

“The economy’s just kind of slog-

ging forward,” said Guy Berger senior fellow at the Burning Glass Institute, which studies employment trends. “Yes, the unemployment rate’s not going up, but we’re adding very few jobs. The economy’s been growing very slowly. It just looks like a ‘meh’ economy is continuing.”

Trump has sought to pin the blame for any economic troubles on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying the Fed should cut its benchmark interest rates even though doing so could generate more inflation.

Trump has publicly backed two Fed governors, Christoper Waller and Michelle Bowman, for voting for rate cuts at Wednesday’s meeting. But their logic is not what the president wants to hear: They were worried, in part, about a slowing job market.

But this is a major economic gamble being undertaken by Trump and those pushing for lower rates under the belief that mortgages will also become more affordable as a result and boost homebuying activity

His tariff policy has changed repeatedly over the last six months, with the latest import tax numbers serving as a substitute for what the president announced in April, which provoked a stock market sell-off. It might not be a simple one-time adjustment as some Fed board members and Trump administration officials argue.

Of course, Trump can’t say no one warned him about the possible consequences of his economic policies Biden, then the outgoing president did just that in a speech last December at the Brookings Institution, saying the cost of the tariffs would eventually hit American workers and businesses.

Authorities investigating former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith

Hatch Act violations alleged

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

BRIDGEWATER, N.J Federal

officials have opened an investigation into Jack Smith, the former special counsel

who investigated then-candidate Donald Trump before his reelection, for alleged illegal political activity

Trump and his Republican allies, including Sen. Tom Cotton, have — without offering evidence of wrongdoing — accused Smith of violating the Hatch Act, a federal law that bans certain

The Office of Special Counsel, an independent federal agency, on Saturday confirmed the investigation after reporting by other news organizations. Smith was named special counsel to investigate Trump by then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022.

public officials from engaging in political activity Smith prosecuted two federal cases against Republican candidate Trump in the lead-up to the November 2024 presidential election. Smith ultimately dropped the cases — neither one had gone to trial — after Trump was reelected, which would have shielded him from prosecution according to long-standing Justice Department practice. Smith then subsequently resigned as special counsel.

Cotton, R-Ark., on Wednesday asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate Smith, alleging that his conduct was designed to help then-President Joe Biden and his vice president, Kamala Harris, both Democrats. Biden had dropped his own bid for reelection following his disastrous performance in a campaign debate against Trump and tapped Harris to succeed him on the ticket. Trump won the election.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

President Donald Trump disembarks Air Force One on Friday at Lehigh Valley International Airport in Allentown, Pa.

EDUCATION

‘Gut punch’ of teacher firings after Katrina

the city’s first public high school to enroll Black students. Over a century later, in 2018, it was the city’s last public high school to be turned into a charter school.

BY MARIE FAZIO

Staff writer

After Hurricane Katrina hit

New Orleans, Lee Green and his family fled to Houston. It was there that Green, then the head football coach and African American studies teacher at Warren Easton High School, got the news.

He, along with more than 7,000 other New Orleans public school teachers, had been unceremoniously fired by the district in the wake of the storm. Some termination letters were delivered to mailboxes that had been washed away in the floodwaters. Teachers who already had lost their homes now lost their livelihoods, too.

Many took early retirement or moved to other school districts. But Green came back to New Orleans, drawn by his family, his Lower 9th Ward church and his love for the city.

The system he returned to was fundamentally different After the storm, the state took over low-performing schools across the city and left only a few under the authority of the Orleans Parish School Board, a longstruggling school district plagued by low academic achievement and financial mismanagement. Eventually, all of the city’s public schools were converted into independently operated charter schools.

Green taught at or led several of the city’s revamped schools, including Edna Karr McDonogh 32, ReNew Live Oak and Andrew Wilson Charter School. He retired in June 2024 as principal of the storied McDonogh 35 Senior High School, which in 1917 became

In an interview with the TimesPicayune about the last two decades in New Orleans education, Green recognized the academic improvements that accompanied the post-Katrina changes but also mourned the loss of the loss of traditional neighborhood schools and the mass firing of veteran teachers who were replaced by an influx of largely White and inexperienced teachers — a sharp contrast from the 71% Black teaching force before the storm.

This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity

What drew you to a career in education?

Growing up in the Florida projects, people in our neighborhood saw something in me and my siblings we didn’t even see.

I was educated in so many ways, and by so many influences, but the biggest was my mother and my brother Thomas and my older sister Carolyn. She would go to school and bring back papers and sit us down the three youngest — and she would work with us on skills. We had no idea what we were doing, but she kept putting it in front of us and engaging us.

Tell me about the start of your teaching career in New Orleans in the years before Hurricane Katrina

I started as a student teacher working with an experienced teacher Back then, we were mentored by experienced teachers with almost 20 years in the profession. She guided me through the teaching process, the struggles, writing lesson plans, preparing for lessons.

(By the time of) my first teaching job, I had enough experience to write my own curriculum and lessons.

Q&A WITH LEE GREEN

What are your memories of the storm?

A few days before Hurricane Katrina made landfall, our (Warren Easton) football players were in the locker room before the jamboree (game) against St. Augustine High School.

I called (Warren Easton’s assistant principal at the time) Alexina Medley and she said to send the kids home. So they got on the bus and I told them I would see them Monday That didn’t happen. The kids are spread all over the United States. What happened to New Orleans teachers after the storm? For teachers that got jobs in other states, there was a stigma attached. (They were associated with) that perception of bad management by the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.

(For teachers who returned) to New Orleans, some staterun schools and some charters wanted teachers to take a written test when they came back. It was demoralizing. When Katrina hit — that gut punch, that moment we found out we were released and the state of Louisiana was cheering about it — we had to rebrand ourselves as “educators” and make sure we were seen as professionals. So we did. That’s one good thing that came after Katrina.

Why did you come back?

I came back in 2006 because this is my home. My children came back and had to go to school in Jefferson Parish. My church, my community How did New Orleans’ teaching force change after the storm?

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

Once Katrina hit, there was a push to get top graduates from universities and bring them down here. What we did was a travesty to those young professionals who were coming out here. Some of them made it, but a lot of them struggled — not because they didn’t have the skill sets to do it, or they didn’t have the content knowledge, but it was the development of the pedagogy that was missing.

The idea that the teachers prior to the storm did not have the knowledge, did not have the ability to move the students, is not true. The weakness before the storm was not the teachers.

That narrative hurt us a lot.

Before the storm, we had veteran teachers, middle-class teachers that had the pedagogy down. After the storm, we had new teachers who were very intelligent but they didn’t understand the teaching part of it. It has since shifted back to a lot of African Americans back in the classrooms, but they’re still not receiving a clear understanding of the pedagogy of teaching. What do you see as the trade-offs of going from traditional to charter schools?

Before Katrina, parents would drop their kids off to me at 7 a.m. They trusted me to make sure they’re safe early in the morning. I think we lost that trust.

But the charter schools got the ability to make decisions close to the students and that made a difference.

Where are we now in New Orleans education and where are we going?

We had a burst after

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Lee Green, a former principal of McDonogh 35 Senior High School, retired in 2024.

Democrats limitedincounteringTexas redistricting

BY NICHOLAS RICCARDI and JOEY CAPPELLETTI Associated Press

WASHINGTON As Republicans move to redraw legislative maps in red states to pad their narrow House majority in Washington, some Democrats are rethinking their embrace of anonpartisan approach to line-drawing that now complicates their party’sability to hit back before nextyear’smidterm elections.

In many Democratic-controlled states, independent commissions rather than the state legislature handle redistricting, the normallyonce-a-decadetaskofadjusting congressional and legislative districts so their populationsare equal. Parties in the majority can exploit that process to shape their lawmakers’ districtsso they arealmostguaranteed reelection.

The commission model limits parties’ ability to game the system, leading to more competitive districts. Notall redistricting commissions were created at Democrats’ insistence.And,likeRepublicans, the party has exploited line-drawing for its own gain in the handful of states where it controls the process.But unlike Republicans,many Democratic Party leaders have embraced the nonpartisan model.

That means Democrats have fewer options to match Republicans, who are redrawing the U.S. House map in Texas at President Donald Trump’surging to carve out as many asfive new winnable seats for the GOP.That could be enough to prevent Democrats from winning back the majority next year

The GOP plan cleared a stateHouse committeeSaturday Democrats have threatenedpayback.Duringa gatheringFriday in Wisconsin of Democratic governors, several of them saidthey wanted to retaliate because the stakes are so high.

WisconsinGov.Tony Evers, who has pushed for anonpartisan redistricting commission in his state, said Democrats must “do whatever we can” to counter the Republican efforts to redraw congressional maps.

“When you have agun against yourhead,you’ve got to do something,” he said.

Despite the ambitioustalk, Democrats largely have their hands tied.

California Gov.Gavin Newsom has said he and the Democratic-controlled Legislature will try to redraw his state’scongressional

map. But they would need to repealordefy the2008 ballot measurecreatinganindependent redistricting commission. Voters extended its authority to congressional districts twoyears later Newsom supported the constitutional amendment at thetime,whenhewas mayorofSan Francisco. The Texas redistricting, which is expected to pass theLegislature nextweek, led him to modify that position.

“Wecan act holier than thou,wecan sitonthe sidelines, talk about the waythe world should be, or we can recognize theexistential nature that is this moment,” Newsom said earlier this month.

In New York, which also hasa commission, the state constitution barsanother map this decade.Democrats have moved for achange, but that could not happen until 2027 at theearliest, andthen only with voter approval. In other states where Democrats control the governor’s office and legislature, includingColoradoand Washington, theparty has backed independent commissions that cannot redraw,let alone rig, maps in the middleofthe decade

When theredistricting cycle kicked offin2021, after the last census, independent commissions were in charge of drawing 95 House seats that otherwise would have been drawn by Democrats, but only 13 that would have beencreated by Republicans.

In amarker of theshift among Democrats, former AttorneyGeneral Eric Holder,who heads the party’s redistricting effort and has called repeatedly for a more nonpartisanapproach,

seemed to blesshis party’s long shotefforts to overrule their commissions.

“Wedonot oppose —ona temporarybasis —responsible, responsive actions toensure that the foundations of ourdemocracy are not permanently eroded,”Holder said in astatement last week

In states where they weren’tchecked by commissions, Democrats have redistricted just as ruthlessly as Republicans. In Illinois, they drew amap that gave thema14-3 advantage in the congressional delegation. In New Mexico, they tweaked themap so they control all three House seats. In Nevada,theyheldthreeofits fourseats in November despiteTrump winning the state Even in states where they have alopsided advantage, Democrats are exploring ways to maximizeit.

On Friday,Maryland’s HouseMajorityLeader, Democratic Del. David Moon,saidhewould introduce legislation to trigger redrawing of the congressional linesifTexas movesforward. Democrats hold seven of the state’seight congressionalseats

“Wecan’thaveone state, especially averylarge state, constantly trying to one-up andalterthe course of congressional control while the other states sit idly by,” he said.

Advocates of anonpartisanmodel arealarmed by theshift among Democrats. They say theparty would redistrict just as aggressively as the GOPifnot held in check,depriving voters of avoice in districtswhose winnerswould essentially be selected in advance by political leaders.

“We’re very desperate— we’relooking forany port in astorm,” said Emily Eby French, Common Cause’s Texas director.“This Democratic tit for tat redistricting seems like aport but it’s notaport. It’s ajagged rock with abunch of sirens on them.”

The group’sdirector of redistricting, Dan Vicuña, said using redistricting for partisanadvantage —known as gerrymandering —ishighly unpopular withthe public:

“This is about fair representation for communities.”

Politicians used to shy away from discussing it openly,but that has changed in today’spolarizedenvironment.Trump earlierthis month told reporters about his hopes of netting five additional GOP seats in Texas and more out of other Republican-controlled states.

He hasurgednew maps in GOP-controlledstates such as Indiana andMissouri, while Ohio Republicans are poised to reshape political lines after neutralizing apush to create an independent redistricting commission.

In asign of the party’sdivide, Democrats have continued to push for anational redistricting panel that would removepartisanshipfrom the process, even as some call for retaliation against Republicans in defiance of state limitations.

“No unilateraldisarmamenttill both sides are following the law,” said ArizonaSen.Ruben Gallego, like Newsom apossible 2028 presidentialcontender, wrote on X. Gallego’s post cameaday before his Democratic colleagues gathered to announce they werereintroducing abill to create the national commission.

An identicalbilldiedin 2022 whenitcouldn’tover-

comeRepublican objections despite Democrats controlling Congress and the presidency.Ithas no chance now that the GOPisinchargeof both branches.

Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy,another potential 2028 contender,did not express regret over past changes that have put in place independent redistricting boards in Democratic states, saying theparty “should never apologize for beingfor the right thing.”

He added that Republicans “are operating outside of the box right now andwecan’t stay inside the box.”

“If they’re changing districts in the middle of the 10year cycle, we have to do the same thing,” he said. That approach, however, hasnot caught on acrossthe party

“Weshouldn’tstoop to their tactics,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. “It’san ideal thatwehaveaccurate and fair representation. We can’tabandon it just because Republicans try to manipulate and distort it.” Riccardi reported from Denver.Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, Jaimie Ding in Los Angeles, Anthony Izaguirre in Albany,New York, and Brian Witte in Annapolis, Maryland, contributed to this report.

BYJAIMIE DING Associated Press

LOS ANGELES Afederal appeals court ruled Friday night to uphold alower court’stemporary order blocking the Trump administration from conducting indiscriminate immigration stops and arrestsinSouthern California.

Athree-judge panel of the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held ahearing Monday afternoon at which the federal government asked the court to overturn atemporaryrestraining orderissued July 12 by Judge Maame E. Frimpong, arguing it hindered their enforce-

ment of immigration law.

Immigrant advocacy groups filed suitlast month accusing President Donald Trump’sadministrationof systematically targeting brown-skinned peoplein Southern California during the administration’scrackdownonillegal immigration. The lawsuit included three detained immigrantsand two U.S. citizens as plaintiffs In her order,Frimpong said there was a“mountain of evidence” that federal immigration enforcement tacticswereviolating the Constitution. She wrote the government cannot usefactors suchasapparent race or ethnicity,speaking Spanish

or Englishwith an accent, presence at alocation such as atow yard or car wash, or someone’soccupationas the only basis for reasonable suspiciontodetain someone.

The appeals court panel agreed and questioned the government’sneed to oppose an orderpreventingthem from violating the constitution.

“If,asDefendants suggest,they are not conductingstops that lack reasonable suspicion, they can hardly claim to be irreparably harmed by an injunction aimed at preventing asubset of stops not supported by reasonable suspicion,”the judges wrote.

Memory Care at The Carrollton is anchored by GEMMS (Genuine,Engaging, Meaningful,Moments) based upon TeepaSnow’sPositiveApproachtoCare® which fostersauthenticconnections and meaningful activitiesfor thosewith cognitive changes.Our secure and nurturing environmentrespects the dignity andneedsofeach resident, while empowering them to livemeaningful lives and providingyou moreopportunitiestocreatespecialmoments.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERICGAy

Awoman holds asign on July 24 during arally to protest against redistricting hearings at the TexasCapitol in Austin, Texas.

THE GULF COAST

Unique flying saucer home stands test of time

Futuro home hovers over PensacolaBeach

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Abrightwhite house shaped like aflying saucer hovers over Panferio Drive on Pensacola Beach, drawing puzzled glances from drivers and beachgoers alike. Few homes in the world resemblewhat locals call the UFO house Built in 1966, the bulbous property has withstood astring of natural disasters that battered other parts of Escambia County in Florida just how Finnish architect Matti Suuronen intended when creating the Futuro style home.

Suuronen was commissioned in 1965 to design amobile vacation home for ski trips in remote destinations, according to an archival website that focusesonthe

history of Futuro houses.Made of fiberglass-reinforced polyester plastic, it wasdesigned to survive sub-zerotemperatures while being easilytransportable and cheap to

construct The houses quickly garnered widespread attention.Withinseveral months, Surronen received 400 inquiriesfor licensed production,

he said in the1998 documentary “Futuro:A NewStance For Tomorrow.”

Thedesignalsoreflectedthe futurismofthe 1960s —anera of optimism, whentechnological progress stirred the American imagination andmanyboldlyenvisionedafutureofflying carsand moon colonies.Its flying saucer shapeand spindly stilts embodiedsociety’s enchantment with the very idea of the future.

“It’saheavenly feeling of action andtogetherness, the here and now,” said Matti Kuusla, owner of the first Futuro house,inthe documentary

Butthe oil shocksof1973sent the costs of raw materials skyrocketing, forcing the production of Futuro houses to cometoanend, thearchival website said. By then, there were around 100 in the world.

Thereare only around 60 left now, andthe house on Pensacola

Beach is one of them

Newspaperarchives show owner

Victoria Clarkinpurchased it in 1998, at one timesaying she felt a magnetic pull to the peculiar home since seeing it forthe first time in high school.

“You wouldn’tbelieve how crazy people are about that spaceship,” Clarkin told the Pensacola News Journal in 2005. “In any given afternoon in the summer,I’ve counted up to 500 people who stop and take apicture of it.”

Clarkincould notbereached for comment.

Though few stood the test of time,including another in Florida and others scattered across the U.S. and Europe, its now-iconic design still feels innovative, even after a future of flying cars and lunar colonies never cametofruition.

Email Poet Wolfe at poet.wolfe@ theadvocate.com.

Oneofthe oldest gaybarsonthe Gulf Coastisfor sale

B-Bob’sopenedin

downtown Mobile in 1992

BY JUSTIN MITCHELL Staff writer

Abeloved gay bar known for hostinglarge events and “RuPaul’sDrag Race” stars has hit the marketindowntown Mobile,Alabama, withmany in the city’sLGBTQ+ community hoping it will remain an inclusive spaceafter the sale.

B-Bob’sfirstopened inWest Mobile in 1992 and is one of the longest operatinggay bars in Alabama. Owner Jerry Ehlen moved the watering hole downtown to 213 Conti St., in 2002. After morethan 30 yearsinbusiness, Ehlen said he’sready for anew chapter.The bar will remain open during theprocess.

“I hope to retire,”he said onFacebook. “It’sbeen along run.”

As gay bars close across the U.S., Gulf Coast cities —known to be socially progressive despite being alargely conservative

votingblock —buck thetrend.

After LGBTQ of Mobile Bay, aFacebook page thatshares news and events for the gay community in Mobile andBaldwin County, shared the listing Monday,regulars paid tribute to B-Bob’sand questioned if it would remain aqueer space.

“Hopefully whoever buys it,itstaysa gay bar,” one commenter said on Facebook. Others suggested crowdsourcing to keep B-

Bob’sopenand possibly add acommunity resource center

The building and business were listed for salethisweek,daysafter B-Bob’shosted the annual Bear Leather weekend that brought visitors fromBiloxi, Pensacola and even Atlanta for twonights of parties and events there and at neighboring gay bars including Gabriel’s, Flipside Bar and MidtownPub.

Together,the property and business are listed for $1.895 million but can be purchased separately.Cameron Weavil is the real estateagent handling the sale.

Arooftop bar was added in 2022, with three levels offering different vibesfor patrons. On the first floor,guests cansit at tables andconverse and play pool in acasual atmosphere.The second floor,with astage and large bar,iswhere thedancing, drag shows andcontests happen. And the patio offers abreak from theclub or apicturesque selfie with views of downtown.

When B-Bob’sfirst opened in 1992,there were 17 businesses listed as gay bars in the state of Alabama,AL.com reported. In 2022, eight remained open

Mobile hasthe most gaybarsofany Alabama city,even more than towns with larger populations. In the Gulfport-Biloxi metro area, Sipps andJustUsboth host drag queensfrom acrossthe Deep South andhavedaily events like karaoke, pool tournaments and trivia. Bars andrestaurantsacrossthe Mississippi Coast are more frequently hosting LGBTQ+ nights featuring drink specials and guest bartenders. At White Pillars, afine dining restaurantinBiloxi, James Beardnominated owners Austin and Tresse Sumrall host amonthly drag brunch that almost always sells out. The brunches have been going strong since2019 andare hostedbyLexis Redd D’Ville, aGulfport native now living in New Orleans, and IvyDripp of Cut Off. In 2021, D’Ville explained to the Sun Herald whyshe partnered with the Sumralls to host the brunch. “I will say that Ihave prided myself on taking thechances and kicking open the doors people would not have expected,” she said then.

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

WASHINGTON —Armed with talking pointsand instructionsfrom their leaders, Democratic and Republican U.S. House members spreadout across the nation last week hawking their versions of whether the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is bad or good.

Republicans are callingthe bill that they alone passed ahistoric law for its tax breaks, immigration enforcement spendingand regulatory rollbacks that they say will energize the nation’seconomy like jet fuel.

Democrats, who are rampingupa town hall offensive, are focusingon the megalaw’s$1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid and food stamps to pay for tax breaks they say primarily benefit the rich At issue are the narrow majorities Republicans hold in the House and Senate going into the November 2026 midtermelections.

Democrats received alittle lagniappe before leaving Washington from the upheaval among Republicans caused by the delay in releasing the investigation records of Jeffrey Epstein. MAGA conservatives, who are responsiblefor electing PresidentDonald Trump and the GOP majorities in the House and Senate,are angered that Trump hasn’treleased the records.

AJuly 25 Emerson CollegePolling national survey of 1,400 voters found only 16% approved of the way Trump was handlingthe release of the Epstein files. Only 33% of those polled thought the One BigBeautiful BillAct would have apositive impact on them Much ofTrump’sbase accepted conspiracy theories that the

Cassidy officially launches reelection campaign

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidyformally announced Friday that he is running for reelection at an event at Drago’sinMetairie.

Cassidy

“Louisiana and our countryface serious challenges,” Cassidy said. ”I’m running for reelectiontowork with the people of Louisiana and my fellow Americans to not just face these challenges, but to make our state and our country even greater.”

Cassidy also on Friday received the endorsement of Sen. John Thune, the Senate Majority Leader,and Sen. TimScott, chairman of the Republican Senatorial Committee, which is the primary fundraising arm to help GOPSenate campaigns.

Cassidy’s team has emphasized his strong fundraising,saying he raised over $2.1 million in the last quarter and has $9 million cashon hand.

Cassidy also played up his productive working relationship” with President DonaldTrump. Political observers believe Cassidy’sbiggest potential weakness his votein2021 to convict Trump on impeachment charges related to theJan. 6attack on the U.S.

Biden administration was hiding evidence that would reveal highly placedelites, particularly Democrats, had sex withchildren the deceased financier had pimped. Trumpand hissubordinates promised to make thefiles public, comewhat may But thepresident’sappointees in the Department of Justice andFBI issued acurtmemo that debunked themore outrageous assertionsand didn’trelease the files.

Speaker MikeJohnson, RBenton,sidetracked resolutions to force disclosure when he sent House members home early on July 23. They return to Capitol Hill on Sept. 2.

Capitol.

Cassidy is facing challenges from threefellow Republicans: TreasurerJohnFleming; Public ServiceCommissionerEric Skrmetta;and state Sen. Blake Miguez.

Landry,Murrill blastNew Orleans’ ID program

TopRepublican Louisiana officials took aim Wednesday at aNew Orleansprogram to distribute identification cardstohomelesspeople, immigrants and others who don’thave IDs, with Gov Jeff Landrycallingit“the stupidest ideaI’ve ever seen”onsocialmedia.

“Thecity of New Orleans is underthe stateof Louisiana,” Landry added in ajoint statement with Attorney General LizMurrill, plus the heads of Louisiana State Police and the state’s Office of Motor Vehicles. “It is notits own country.”

Back home, Johnson has received the most guff about Epstein.

StateRep.Danny McCormick, R-Oil City,last week condemned theU.S. House speaker for criticizing House memberswho sought to release the files, as first reported by theShreveport Times

Andnear Johnson’sBossier City office is abillboardthat reads:

“Speaker Johnson, stop the Epstein Cover Up.”

Johnson spent Wednesday giving speeches from Ruston to Bossier City, saying Democrats were misleading voters about the OneBig Beautiful Bill.

“Wedid not cut Medicaid,”

Orleans does not negatively impact the integrityofour elections.”

The officials were criticizing the Crescent City ID program, apending initiative calling on residents to apply for municipal ID cards using birthcertificates and passports. The cards will unlock accesstocityfacilities and offer discountsatsome local businesses

Though theyare available to all comers, supporters have said theprogramis geared towardhomeless people, immigrantsand other vulnerable populations. They toutthe cards’potential for helping domestic violence and trafficking victims to accesscity services.

CAPITOL BUZZ staff reports

Murrill questioned the “motive or need for these cards” and said she wasconcerned they could be used to “confer or infer legalimmigration status or driving privileges.”

In astatement, Louisiana Secretary of State Nancy Landry said shewas workingwith Murrill’s office to “ensure that today’s announcement by the CityofNew

Mayor LaToya Cantrell’spress office did not immediately respond to arequestfor comment on the state officials’criticisms Wednesday

At an event Monday announcing the program, Cantrell said the cards would seek to accommodate LGBTQ+ people, too, by allowing themtoselect cards that list their preferred gender and name.

“Making sure thatthe city is as welcoming as possible, and having the ability to meet ourpeople wheretheyare,regardlessof wheretheycome from, regardless

Johnson said. “What we did was strengthen the program because of fraud, all kinds of waste, and abuse” that needed to be rooted out to keepservices available for truly needy Americans.

ButJohnson still had to address theEpsteinentanglement.

“If Ihad the Epstein files, I would release them,” Johnson told reporters in Bossier City.He wantsthe victimsprotected and perpetrators prosecuted.

Johnson added that if the files are still an issue when Congress returns to session, the House “will act accordingly.”

Interestingly,the Epstein issue has been discussed little, if at all, at the six townhalls Democratic

Rep. Troy Carter,ofNew Orleans, has hosted.

Instead, the questions revolved around the pending cuts to Medicaid and food stamps. Carter pointed out that the workrequirements aren’tnecessarily onerous. But the new policy to verify eligibility every six months would knock thousands in Louisiana off the rolls once the GOPprovisions start kicking in after the midterm 2026 elections.

“Donald Trump’s‘Big Ugly Law is raising prices on everyday Americans, making them less healthy and less wealthy with the largest cut to health care and food assistance ever,all to cut taxes forthe richest billionaires. Louisianans are fedupwith these bad policies, plain and simple,” Carter said.

Rep. Julia Letlow,R-Baton Rouge, defended the Medicaid changes during apanel at the University of Louisiana at Monroe on Tuesday.Nobody deserving would lose their benefits, she said. Instead, Republicans madetargeted changes, such as removing immigrants whoentered the country without proper authorization.

“I believe in work requirements,” Letlow told KTVE/KARD Monroe after the event. “I know the president does, as well as making sure illegals are not on the Medicaid rolls. That is really all we wereasking in that big, beautiful bill. Ithink the majority of Americans would agree with the president on this, as does Congress, so that’sreally all that we wereasking as farasthe Medicaid goes.”

Senators stayed in Washington, trying to confirm Trumpnominees.

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

KahlidaLloyd, with the Mayor’sOffice of Human Rights &Equity,explains the newCrescent City ID Program on July28atGallier Hall.

of who they are and who they love —thatwas apriority,” Cantrell said at the event at Gallier Hall. Immigration and homelessness aretwo issues on which Landry aconservative Republican whose national profile has risen during his governorship, has been quick to criticize the Crescent City’ssolidly Democratic leadership. Landryasgovernor has intervened repeatedly in the city’shandling of its homelessness crisis, busing homeless people to astaterun shelter in Gentilly ahead of the Taylor Swift concert series last fall and again before the Super Bowl in February

Murrill sued the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office in February,arguing that aSheriff’s Office policy restricting cooperation with federal immigration agents violates a state ban on so-called “sanctuary” cities.

Though Landry has criticized New Orleans at times since taking office last year,political observers say he has forged working relationships with local leaders that crystallized in the run-up to the Super Bowl. At the event announcing the new ID program, Cantrell said residents would be able to begin signing up for the cards in September

Mark Ballard

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, speaks during an event withPresident DonaldTrump on July 2.

Collegeisn’t in theplans formanyrural students

BY CAROLYN THOMPSON Associated Press

PERRY, N.Y.— As astudent in western New York’s rural Wyoming County,Briar Townes honed an artistic streak that he hopes to make aliving from one day.In high school, he clicked with acollege-leveldrawing and painting class.

But despite the college credits he earned, college isn’tpart of his plan.

Since graduating from high school in June, he has been overseeing an art camp at thecounty’sArtsCouncil.

If that doesn’tturn into apermanent job, there is work at Creative Food Ingredients, known as the “cookie factory”for theway it makes thetown smell like baking cookies, or at local factories like American Classic Outfitters, which designs and sews athletic uniforms.

“My stress is picking an option, not finding an option,” he said. Even though rural students graduate from high schoolat higher rates than their peers in citiesand suburbs,fewer of them go on to college.

Many rural school districts, including the one in Perry that Townes attends, have begun offering collegelevel courses and working to remove academic and financial obstacles to higher education, with some success. But college doesn’t hold the same appealfor students in rural areas where they often would need to travel farther for school, parents have less college experience themselves, and some of the loudest political voices are skeptical of the need for higher education.

College enrollment for ru-

ral students has remained largelyflat in recentyears, despite thedistrict-levelefforts and stepped-up recruitment by many universities.

About 55%ofruralU.S. high school students who graduated in 2023 enrolled in college, according to National Clearinghouse Research Center data. That’scompared to 64% of suburbangraduates and59% of urban graduates.

College can make ahuge difference in earningpotential.An American man with abachelor’sdegree earns an estimated $900,000 more over his lifetime than apeer with ahighschool diploma, researchbythe SocialSecurity Administration has found. For women,the difference is about$630,000. Alack of acollegedegree is no obstacle to opportunity in placessuchasWyoming County,where people liketo say there are more cows than people. The dairy farms,potatofields andmaple sugar houses are asourceofidentity and jobsfor the county just east of Buffalo.

“College has never really been, Idon’tknow, anecessity or probleminmyfamily,” said Townes, themiddle of three childrenwhose father hasa tattoo shop inPerry At Perry High School, SuperintendentDaryl McLaughlin said the district takes cues from students like Townes,their familiesand the community,supplementing college offerings with programs geared toward career andtechnical fields such as the building trades He said he is as happy to provide reference checks for employers and the military as he is to write recommendations for collegeapplications.

“We’reletting our students know theseinstitutions, whether it is acollegeor whether employers, they’re competing foryou,” he said. “Our jobisnow setting them up for successsothat they can take the greatest advantage of that competition, ultimately,toimprovetheir quality of life.”

Still, college enrollment in the district has exceeded the national averageinrecent years, going from 60% of the class of 2022’s55graduates to 67% of 2024’sand 56% of 2025’s graduates. The district points to adecision to direct federal pandemic relief money toward covering tuition for students in itsAccelerated College Enrollment program— apartnership with Genesee Community College. When the federal money ran out, the district paid to keep it going.

“This is aprogram that’s

been in ourcommunityfor quite some time, and it’s a program our community supports,”McLaughlin said.

About15% of rural U.S. high school students were enrolled in college classesin January2025 through such dual enrollmentarrangements, aslightlylower rate than urban and suburban students, an Education Department surveyfound.

Ruralaccess to dual enrollment is agrowing area of focusasadvocates seek to closegaps in access to higher education. The CollegeinHigh School Alliance this year announced funding for seven states to develop policytoexpand programs for ruralstudents.

Around the country,many studentsfeeljaded by the high costs of college tuition AndAmericans are increasingly skeptical aboutthe value of college, polls have

shown, with Republicans, the dominant party in rural America, losing confidence in higher education at higher rates than Democrats.

“Whenever you have this narrative that ‘college is bad, college is bad, these professors are goingtoindoctrinate you,’ it’shard,” said Andrew Koricich, executive director of the Alliancefor Research on RegionalCollegesatAppalachianState Universityin North Carolina. “You have to figure out, how do you crack through that information ecosphere andsay,actually people with abachelor’sdegree, on average, earn65% more than people with ahigh school diploma only?”

In much of rural America, about 21%ofpeople over theage of 25 have abachelor’s degree, compared to about 36% of adults in other areas, according to a government analysis of U.S.

Census findings. In rural Putnam County, Florida,about 14% of adults have abachelor’s degree. That doesn’t stop principal Joe Theobold from setting andmeeting an annualgoal of 100% college admission forstudents at Q.I. Roberts Jr.-Sr.High School. Paper mills and power plants provide opportunities for amiddle class life in the county,where the cost of living is low.But Theobold tells students the goal of higher education “istogooff and learnmoreabout notonly theworld,but also about yourself.”

“You don’twanttobe17 years old, determining what you’re going to do for the rest of your life,” he said. Families choose themagnet school because of its focus on higher education, even though most of the district’sparents never went to acollege. Many students visit college campusesthrough Camp Osprey,aUniversity of North Florida program that helps students experience college dormsand dining halls. In upstate New York, high school junior Devon Wells grew up on hisfamilyfarm in Perrybut doesn’tsee his future there.He’sconsidering acareer in welding, or as an electrical line worker in SouthCarolina,where he heard the paymight be double what he would make at home.Noneofhis plans require college, he said.

“I grewupona farm, so that’sall hands-on work. That’sreally all Iknow and would want to do,” Devon said. Neither his norTownes’ parentshavepushedone way or the other,they said.

Questionsechoafter referencetoimpeachmentsremoved

Smithsonian nixesmentions of Trump’s impeachments

BY DEEPTI HAJELA and HILLEL ITALIE Associated Press

NEW YORK It would seem the most straightforward of notions:Athing takes place, and it goes into the history books or is added to museum exhibits. But whether something even gets remembered and how —particularly when it comes to the history of acountry andits leader —isoften the furthest thing from simple. Thelatestexample of that came Friday,when the Smithsonian Institution said it had removed areference to the 2019 and2021 impeachments of President Donald Trump from apanel in an exhibition about the American presidency.Trump has pressed institutions and agencies under federal oversight, often through the pressure of funding, to focus on the country’sachievements and progress and away from things he terms “divisive.”

ASmithsonian spokesperson said the removal of the reference, which had been installedaspart of atemporary addition in 2021, came afterareview of “legacy content recently” and the exhibit eventually “willinclude all impeachments. There was no time frame given for when; exhibition renovations can be timeand money-consuming endeavors. In astatement thatdid not directly address the impeachment references, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle said: “Weare fully supportive of updating displays to highlight American greatness.”

Butishistoryintendedto highlight or to document to report what happened, or to serve adesired narrative?

Theanswer, as with most things about the past, can be intensely complex. The Smithsonian’smove comes in the wake of Trump administrationactionslike removing the nameofa gay rightsactivist from aNavy ship, pushing for Republi-

can supporters in Congress to defund theCorporation for Public Broadcasting and gettingrid of the leadership at theKennedy Center

“Based on what we have beenseeing, thisispart of a broader effort by the president to influence and shape how history is depictedat museums, national parks, and schools,”saidJulian E. Zelizer,a professorofhistory and public affairs at Princeton University.“Not onlyishepushing aspecificnarrative of theUnited Statesbut,inthiscase, tryingtoinfluence howAmericanslearn abouthis own role in history.”

It’snot anew struggle, in the world generally and the political world particularly.There is power in beingabletoshapehow things are remembered,iftheyare remembered at all —who was there, who took part, who was responsible, what happened to lead up to that point in history.And the humanbeings whorun things have often extended their authority to the stories told aboutthem.

In China, for example, references to theJune 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in Beijing’sTiananmen Square are forbidden and meticulously regulated by the ruling Communist Partygovernment.In Soviet-era Russia, officials whoran afoulof leaders like Josef Stalin disappeared not only from the government itself but from photographs and history books where they once appeared.

Jason Stanley, an expert on authoritarianism, said controlling what and how people learn of their past has long been used as avital tool to maintainpower Stanley hasmade his views about the Trump administration clear; he recentlyleft Yale University to join the University ofToronto, citing concerns over theU.S political situation

“If they don’tcontrol the historicalnarrative,”he said, “then they can’t create thekind of fake history that props up their politics.”

In the United States,presidents and their familieshave alwaysused their power to shape history and calibrate theirown images. Jackie Kennedy insisted on cuts in

William Manchester’sbook on herhusband’s1963 assassination, “The Deathofa President.” Ronald Reagan and his wife got acable TV channel to release acarefully calibrateddocumentary about him. Thosearound Franklin D. Roosevelt, including journalists of the era, took pains to mask the impact that paralysis had on his body and his mobility Trump,though, has taken it to amoreintense level— asitting presidentencouraging an atmosphere where institutions can feel compelled to choose between him and thetruth— whether he calls for it directly or not.

“Weare constantly tryingtopositionourselvesin history as citizens, as citizensofthe country,citizens of the world,”said Robin Wagner-Pacifici, professor emerita of sociology at the New School for Social Research. “Sopartofthese exhibits andmonuments arealso about situating us in time. Andwithout it, it’s very hard for us to situate ourselves in history because it seems like we just kind of burst forth from the Earth.”

Timothy Naftali, director of theRichard M. Nixon Presidential Library and Museum from 2007 to 2011, presidedoverits overhaul to offer amore objective presentation of Watergate —one not beholdentothe president’sloyalists. In an interview Friday,hesaid he was “concerned and disappointed” aboutthe Smithsonian decision. Naftali, now a senior researcher at Columbia University,said museum directors “should have red lines” andthatheconsidered removing the Trump panel to be one of them.

While it might seem inconsequential for someone in powertocare abouta museum’sofferings, Wagner-Pacifici says Trump’s outlook on history and his role in it —earlier this year, he said theSmithsonian had “come under theinfluence of adivisive, race-centered ideology” —shows how important those matters are to people in authority

“You might sayabout that person, whoever thatperson is, their power is so immense andtheir legitimacy is so stable andsosortofmonumental that whywould they

botherwiththings likethis whywould they bother to waste their energy and ef-

fort on that?” Wagner-Pacifici said. Her conclusion: “The legitimacy of those in power has to be reconstituted constantly.They can never rest on their laurels.”

endwithretirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock,leading people to put off or even go without care

Simply put— without dentalinsurance, there may be an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1

That’sright. As good as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocovereverything. Thatmeans if you wantprotection,you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensive ones.

The best waytopreventlarge dental bills is preventivecare. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.

Previousdentalwork canwearout

Even if you’ve hadquality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t takeyourdental health forgranted. In fact,yourodds of having adental problem onlygoupas you age.2

Treatment is expensive

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO By LAUREN PETRACCA

DevonWells, ajunior at PerryCentral High School, weldsa metal calf feeder at Halo Farms, where he works on March 12 in Perry, N.y.

Number of millionaires in U.S. soaring

Butmost find it’s notall mansions andChampagne

BY MATT SEDENSKY AP national writer

NEWYORK As achild, Heidi

Barley watched her family pay for groceries with food stamps. As acollege student, she dropped out because she couldn’tafford tuition. In her 20s, already scraping by, she was forced to take apay cut that shrunk her salary to just $34,000 ayear But this summer,the 41-year-old hit amilestone that long felt out of reach: She became amillionaire.

Asurging number of everyday Americans now boast aseven-figure net worth once the domain of celebrities and CEOs. But as the ranks of millionaires grow fatter,the significance of the status is shifting alongside perceptions of what it takes to be trulyrich.

“Millionaire used to sound like Rich Uncle Pennybags in atop hat,” says Michael Ashley Schulman, chief investment officer at Running Point Capital Advisors, awealth management firm in El Segundo, California. “It’snolonger abackstage pass to palatial estates and caviar bumps. It’sthe new mass-affluent middleweight class, financially secure but two zeros short of privatejet territory.”

Inflation, ballooning home values and adecades-long push into stock markets by average investorshave lifted millions into millionairehood.

AJune report from Swiss bank UBS found about onetenth of American adults are members of the sevendigit club, with 1,000 freshly mintedmillionaires added daily last year

Thirty years ago, the IRS counted 1.6 million Americans with anet worth of $1 million or more. UBS—using data from the United Nations, World Bank, InternationalMonetaryFund and central banks of countries around the globe —put the number at 23.8 million in

Jason Breck, alongsidewife Daravy Khiev, reached the million-dollar mark nine years ago. He promptlyquit his job in automotivemarketing,where he generally earned around $60,000 ayear but managed to stowawayaround 70%ofhis pay.

theU.S. lastyear,a nearly 15-fold increase. The expanding ranks of millionaires come as the gulf between rich andpoor widens.

The richest 10% of Americans holdtwo-thirds of household wealth, according to the FederalReserve, averaging$8.1 million each.

Thebottom 50% hold 3% of wealth, with an average of just $60,000 to their names. Federal Reserve data also shows there are differences by race. Asian people outpace White peopleinthe U.S. in median wealth,while Black and Hispanic people trail in their net worth

Barley was working as a journalistwhenher newspaper endedits pensionprogram and she got alumpsum payout of about$5,000.

Acolleague convinced her to invest it in aretirement account,and ever since, she’s stashed away whatever she could

Theinvestmentsdippedat first during theGreat Recessionbut eventually started growing.

In time,she came tofind catharsis in amassing savings, goinghomeand checking heraccount balances when she had atoughday at work.

Last month, after onesuch day, sherealized the moment hadcome. “Did you know that we’re millionaires?” she asked her husband.

“Goodjob, honey,” Barley says he replied, unfazed. It brought no immediate change.Likemanymillionaires, much of herwealth is in long-term investments and herhome, not easy-toaccess cash. She still lives in her modest Orlando, Florida, house, socks awayhalf her paycheck,fills thenapkin holder withtakeout napkins andlines trashcanswith grocery bags.

Still, Barley says it feels powerfultocross athreshold she never imagined reaching as achild.

“But it’snot as glamorous as theideas in your head,” she says.

Allwealth is relative.To thousandaires, $1 million is the stuff of dreams. To billionaires, it’s arounding error.Either way,ittakes twice as much cash today to match the buying power of 30 years ago.

Anet worthof$1million in 1995 is equivalent to about $2.1 milliontoday,according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Aseven-figure net worth is, to some,asoutdated a yardstick as asix-figure salary.Nonetheless, “millionaire” is peppered in everything from politicsto popularmusic as shorthand for rich.

“It’s anice round number but it’sa point in alonger journey,” says Dan Uden, a41-year-old from Provi-

Canadian wildfiresbring unhealthyair to Midwest

BY CAROLYN THOMPSON and DORANY PINEDA Associated Press

Smoke from Canadian wildfires hovered over several Midwesternstates Saturday,bringing warningsof unhealthy air for at least the third day Air quality alerts were in effect in Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as eastern Nebraska and parts of Indiana and Illinois. Forecasters said the smoky skies would remain for much of the day.People with lung disease, heart disease, children, older adults and pregnant women are most susceptible to the poor breathing conditions. Canadianenvironmental officials said smoke from forestfires that was causing reduced visibility and poor quality would persist into Sunday for some areas

The Switzerland-based air quality monitoring database IQAir,which assesses air quality in real time, listed the city of Minneapolisas having some of the worst air pollution in the world since Friday

The Air Quality Index is expected to reach thered or unhealthy category in alarge swath of Minnesota and will likely remain through Saturday.AQI is a system used to communicate how much air pollution is in the air.Itbreaks pollution down into six categories and colors,and advice on whatisn’tsafe to do. They range from “good”(the color green) to “hazardous” (maroon).

“What’sbeen uniquein this go-around is that we’ve had this prolonged stretch

Arider bikes Thursdayasahaze

of smoke particulates towards the surface, so that’s wherewe’ve really hadthe air quality in the redherefor the past few days,” said Joe Strus, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Minneapolis-SaintPaul area in Minnesota.

“We’ve sort of been dealing with this, dayinand day out, where you walk outsideand youcan taste thesmoke,you cansmell it,” he said. “Sometimes we’vebeeninhigher concentrations than others. Othertimes it’sjust lookeda little hazy out there.”

The air quality on Saturday was improving, specifically across theTwin Cities and southwestern Minnesota, he said,but state health officials warned the air could remainunhealthy for sensitive groups through Monday Thesmoke couldstart to dissipate Saturdaybefore spreading as farsouthas Tennesseeand Missouri.

The EPA’sAir Quality Index convertsall pollutant levels into asingle number

Thelower thenumber,the better.Anything below50 is classified as “healthy.” Fiftyto100 is “moderate” while 100-150 is unhealthy for “sensitive groups.” Anything above 150 is bad for everyone. Parts of Minnesota exceeded that number on Saturday Healthofficials advise people with asthma and other lung disease, heartdisease, children and older adultsto avoidprolonged exposure to smoke and limit strenuousactivities. Theysaidto avoid burning things that could make the air pollution worse,and keep windows and doors closed to keep the smoke from gettinginside.

“This is something that’s becomepart of our summer here the last few years,” saidStrus, “andI think alot of us are just lookingforwardtoseeing alittlemore movement in the atmospheric winds and we’ll be able to hopefully disperse some of thesmokeout of here in the next few days.”

ter nights. The private jets he envisioned as akid may not have materialized at the million-dollar threshold, but he still sees it as a marker that brings acertain level of security

“It’spossible, even with aregular job,” he says. “You just have to be diligent and consistent.”

The resilienceoffinancial markets andthe ease of investing in broadbased, low-fee index funds has fueled the balances of many millionaires who don’tearnmassive salaries or inherit family fortunes.

dence, Rhode Island, who works in information technology and who hit themillion-dollar mark lastmonth.

“It definitely givesyou some room tobreathe.

No other country comes close to the U.S. in the sheer number of millionaires, though relativetopopulation,UBS found Switzerland and Luxembourghad higher rates

Kenneth Carow,afinance professor at Indiana University’sKelleySchoolof Business, says commonalities emerge among today’s millionaires

The vast majority own stocks and ahome. Most live below their means. They value education and teach financialresponsibility to their children.

“The dream of becoming amillionaire,”Carow says, “has become more obtainable.”

Jim Wang, 45, asoftware engineer-turned finance blogger from Fulton, Maryland, says even if hitting $1 million wasessentially “a non-event” for him and hiswife, it stillheldweight for him as theson of immigrantswho saved money by turning the heat off on win-

Among them is aburgeoning community of younger millionaires born out of the movement knownasFIRE, forFinancial Independence Retire

Early

Jason Breck, 48, of Fishers, Indiana, embraced FIRE and reached the million-dollar mark nine years ago. He promptly quit hisjob in automotive marketing, where he generally earned around $60,000 ayear but managed to stow away around 70% of his pay

Now,Breckand hiswife spend several months a year traveling. Despite being retired, they continue to growtheir balance by sticking to atight budget and keeping expenses to $1,500 amonth whenthey’re in the U.S anda fewhundreddollars more when theytravel.

Hittingtheir goal hasn’t translatedtoluxury There is no lawn crew to cut the grass, no Netflix or Amazon Prime, no Uber Eats. Theyflyeconomy.Theydrive a2005 Toyota

“It’snot agolden ticket like it was in the past,” Breck says. “Forus, amillion dollars buys us freedomand peace of mind. We’renot yachtrich, but for us, we’re timerich.”

withher sons. Barbara served her communityand the Catholic Church.She volunteered at theSeelos Center andthe adoration chapel at St.Clementof Rome. Shewas aparishioner of St.Patrick's Church,her spiritualhome in downtownNew Orleans. Barbara wasoverjoyed by thearrival of hergrandchildren, Remy Wheeler andSamuel Bennett Wheeler. Sheshareda love with them andenjoyed swimmingand reading with them,playingwith Big Blocks,and going on walks togetherwith herdog Molly. Hergrandchildren broughther great happiness. Barbara is survived by hersons, Maxwelland Samuel (Elizabeth); her grandchildren, Remy and Bennett;her sisters, Carol Wuchterand Mary Beth Meyer; two nephews, Edward McGowan and John Chepolis; andher companionofseventeen years, William Siegel Shewas preceded in death by herhusband, Harold; herparents, Edward J. Cook, Jr.and Iris Jackson Cook; andher nephew,Michael Chepolis. AMass for theDeadwill be held on Tuesday, August 5at9:30 am at St Patrick'sChurch, 724 Camp Street,New Orleans, followed by aprivateburial at MetairieCemetery In lieu of flowers, the familyasks that donations be made in Barbara's memory to St.Patrick's Church

CHICAGO SUN-TIMES PHOTO By ASHLEE REZIN

of Canadian wildfire smoke blankets the Chicagoarea and creates poor air quality

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DARRON CUMMINGS

CLOSED OUT

U.S. 90 bridge shutdown leaves Mississippi town isolated

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

It’s a slow Wednesday afternoon at the Turtle Landing Bar and Grill, the conversation among the handful of regulars sipping beer at the bar interrupted only briefly when someone new walks through the doors.

“You liked the burger eh?”

owner Janyne Crapeau asks a customer “Everybody loves our burgers. They come from all over ” Just not today And, Crapeau says wistfully, not on most weekday afternoons.

Business at the Turtle has taken a nosedive in the three years that a series of closed bridges along U.S. 90, just to the west, has cut the flow of traffic into tiny Pearlington, Mississippi, and past Crapeau’s tavern on the banks of the Cowan Bayou.

“As you can see, my daytime business has gone to hell,” she said.

“Three years. It’s been three years!” Indeed, when the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development shut down a 3.3-mile stretch of U.S. 90 at the Louisiana-

Outlook

Changes include cost-cutting and school shifting to LSU system

BY MARIE FAZIO

Staff writer

At the University of New Orleans, the last year and a half has been rough.

First, there were reports of a gaping budget deficit after years of declining enrollment, followed by announcements of layoffs and furloughs, building closures and, just last week, plans to cut adjunct professors and cancel some classes. Those changes have stirred concern about the future of UNO, a beloved institution that is largely

Mississippi state line in May 2022, few in the area likely thought the highway would be closed this long. The state had determined that a series of 1930s-era bridges over the various branches of the Pearl River were unsafe and beyond repair, forcing the closure.

While that stretch of U.S. 90 didn’t see the huge volume of traffic some other highways carry, its closure has been acutely felt by locals in eastern St Tammany Parish and in Pearlington, a community of less than 1,000 people just to the east of the state line.

Though a far cry from its heyday as the major roadway linking the communities through south Louisiana and along the coast, U.S. 90 was a popular shortcut for some Louisiana drivers headed to the Mississippi Coast casinos or beaches. It’s also an important evacuation or alternative route if the farbusier Interstate 10 to the north is closed for some reason, St Tammany Parish’s legislative delegation has argued to the state highway department.

“It’s the No. 1 issue I hear about,” said state Rep. Stephanie Berault, R-Slidell.

“People want that highway open again.”

But that won’t come cheaply DOTD estimates for the removal and replacement of the five deteriorating bridges have hovered in the range of $300 million to $350 million. And that’s money the highway department says isn’t available.

“The interest in moving forward with a project remains very high, and nothing has changed regarding DOTD’s commitment to a replacement solution,” DOTD spokesperson Daniel Gitlin said in an email.

“It’s frustrating that a solution, because of the immense cost, isn’t easily within reach,” Gitlin added.

Berault said there could be some light at the end of the financial tunnel, however The state is working with Mississippi on a joint grant application to the federal government seeking special money for the project. That grant application will be submitted later this fall, she said.

“The Governor’s Office

ä See BRIDGE, page 2B

Clearview Mall demolition planned

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Demolition of the former Clearview Mall in Metairie could begin as soon as February, as developers of the Clearview City Center finalize plans to build nearly 230,000 square feet of new retail and entertainment offerings in its place. Before the wrecking balls roll in, however, Zea Rotisserie & Bar — a longtime tenant of the former shopping mall — needs to move out.

Construction began Monday on a new building for the eatery in the Clearview City Center parking lot. Developers said it should be completed by February 2026, allowing Zea to relocate and demolition to begin. It’s the latest phase in the $100 million effort, first announced in 2019, to redevelop the 35-acre shopping center at the busy corner of Veterans and Clearview Parkway into a mixed-use commercial hub.

That effort got a big boost in 2023, when Ochsner a new anchor tenant cut the ribbon on a $115 million, three-story medical complex on property once occupied by Sears. Later that year, Target finished its own $8 million renovation. The redevelopment has also seen the addition of several smaller retailers. Regions Bank opened a branch in the parking lot in 2021. And last year the Drew Brees-backed burger joint Smalls Sliders opened a location at the intersection of Veterans and Clearview In April, the residential component of the project, The Metro at Clearview a $55 million, 270-unit luxury apartment complex, welcomed its first tenants. Once Zea relocates, demolition of the former Clearview Mall — as well as the former Bed Bath & Beyond building will begin “as quickly as possible,” according to John Snow, a spokesperson on the project.

Developers have yet to announce any new tenants for the next phase of redevelopment, though Snow said “our next major tenant there will be an exciting entertainment concept that will be a major draw for the area.”

Renderings on the project’s website show an open-air retail corridor where the former Clearview Mall is located, with new retail space and walkways connecting shoppers to Target, the AMC theater and Ochsner medical complex. Zea moved into the shopping center more than two decades ago, as part of a $35 million expansion announced in 1999 that also included the addition of the Clearview Palace movie theater The new Zea will feature a new design

is ‘so much better,’ UNO

credited with educating and building New Orleans’ middle class.

But UNO President Kathy Johnson, who took the helm of the university in 2023 and was given the unenviable task of righting the ship, views the situation very differently

In an interview this week, Johnson said the recent spending cuts, while painful in the short term, were a necessary corrective to get the university back on financial track Now, with the university’s spending in check, its debt nearly paid off and its planned move to the LSU system in the works, Johnson said UNO is stabilizing and its future is looking much brighter

“We are so much better than we were,” she said “I’m anticipating one more challenging year, and then I’m really excited about the future, starting off on a fresh

note.” Just six months into her tenure as UNO president, Johnson discovered a startling fact: The university had for years been spending more than it took in and had accrued significant debt. Annual spending exceeded revenues by $10 million to $15 million, but federal pandemic aid has masked the structural deficit, Johnson said. The overspending, coupled with about $15 million in debt, spelled financial trouble for the university Then state lawmakers threw UNO a lifeline: They passed a bill this year to shift the school from the University of Louisiana system to LSU. The change in oversight came with more than $20 million in state aid.

“Because of the state’s incredible generosity,” Johnson said, “the

president says

over budget, Johnson announced last week that UNO would slash the number of adjunct professors and cancel under-filled classes. The union representing UNO employees decried the “large-scale firing” of adjuncts, saying it would lead to overcrowded classes and overburdened faculty members. In the interview, Johnson defended her request that tenured faculty teach one extra class per semester She said it was “not an unreasonable ask” given that faculty were exempt from recent layoffs and furloughs and only 40% of faculty members — namely, tenured professors who are not conducting research and teach three or fewer courses — will be asked to pick up an extra class. In addition, professors who taught classes with low

See UNO, page 2B ä See DEMOLITION, page 2B

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

The West Pearl River Bridge on U.S 90 in St Tammany Parish on Tuesday has been closed since May 2022, after state inspectors deemed the steel truss structure too deteriorated to remain open.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE University of New Orleans President Kathy Johnson at the spring 2024 commencement ceremony

BRIDGE

has recognized how urgent this is,” she said. “The good news? We’re past the point of shrugging our shoulders and saying we don’t have the money.”

Sen. Bob Owen, R-Slidell, said having influential members of Congress such as House Majority Leader Steve Scalise will help with the grant application.

“It’s obviously going to take federal money,” Owen said. “DOTD flat-out doesn’t have the money.”

Feeling isolated

Not far from the Turtle Landing, Michael Mavevyengwa sits at a desk behind the counter of his convenience store, Pearlington Rockets, just a stone’s throw from the “Road Closed” sign sitting in the scarred and sun-baked asphalt of U.S. 90. He took over the store in 2017, eventually boosting revenue to $150,000 or more most months.

“It was good money We had gas and everything,” Mavevyengwa

DEMOLITION

Continued from page 1B

focused on a “more upscale, modern dining experience,” with the rotisserie centrally located in the dining room, a larger bar area, and a 1,000-squarefoot patio area equipped for outdoor dining and entertainment, among other additions and upgrades, according to a news release from the developers.

“The redesigned restaurant aligns perfectly

LINEN LIVING

LEFT: Mardi and Mark Black pose at the f/504 installation during the annual Fidelity Bank White Linen Night in the Warehouse District of New Orleans on Saturday

said. But after the road closed in 2022, a lot of that business dried up, he said. Revenue shrank, and now the store hangs on with a fraction of the customers that used to pass through it

The gas pumps outside no longer work — there’s not enough business

with our long-term vision for Clearview City Center — to provide a unique, elevated experience for all throughout our parish and region,” Thomas Richards, whose family has owned the Clearview Mall since it opened in 1969, said in the release.

Zea, which is operated by Taste Buds Management, will remain open at its current location until the new building is ready.

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate com.

UNO

to cover the costs of gasoline shipments, he said.

“We are barely breaking even,” he said, noting that he’s tried to keep his four-person staff with a steady 30 hours each week. “We stay here because the community needs us But we are drowning.”

The community of Pearling-

ton has always been somewhat isolated, cut into the woods and bayous just across the Louisiana line. Nearly 20 years ago, the eye of Hurricane Katrina passed over the region, leaving the community in a shambles and, Crapeau said, driving many residents away Crapeau and some others say the closure of U.S. 90 makes the isolation feel that much heavier

“You do feel forgotten,” she said, running down a list of longtime customers that have faded into memory since the highway closed.

There were groups that came from Venetian Isles in New Orleans and Slidell, she said. And a lot of the classic cars headed to Cruisin’ on the Coast up and down the Mississippi Coast each October

“Now we’re too far out of their way,” she said.

And the traffic flowed in both directions, Crapeau says.

“I think some of those Slidell businesses are hurting, too,” she said, noting that Pearlington residents take their grocery shopping to Bay St. Louis or other places along the coast now instead.

Crapeau said she’s thankful she

still has a decent night and weekend business. “It’s keeping us open,” she said.

Anybody want a bridge?

Gitlin, the DOTD spokesperson, said the agency’s engineers and designers have “gone back to the drawing board” time and again to reduce the price tag.

“If there is a perception that the department is simply sitting on the $300 million estimate and waiting, not understanding the urgency of the situation, that’s not accurate,” he said in the email.

The highway department even marketed the old bridges through its Historical Bridge Inventory Program, which allows interested parties to have them for free if they can come up with another use for them.

There were no takers.

Back at the Turtle Landing, Karl Davis sipped a longneck at a corner of the bar The trip from his Slidell home to Pearlington used to take 10 minutes or so.

“Now it’s at least 20 minutes on the interstate,” he said “And it’s the interstate. It’s a headache. But all my friends are here.”

Continued from page 1B

enrollments, which the university plans to cancel, will be required to take over courses taught by adjuncts.

“Before paying an adjunct,” Johnson said, “I should make sure that my current full-time employees are appropriately helping to deliver the curriculum.”

students to help balance the budget. Those who owe more than $750 are now blocked from registering for classes.

“We can’t continue to just let everyone in and stay on without paying any tuition,” Johnson said.

Still, the university is doing what it can to help students with limited means, she added, noting that many UNO students have unmet financial needs even after receiving state and federal aid.

dent that UNO’s enrollment, which was down by about 2,000 students this month compared with last fall, will rebound.

The university focused its recruitment efforts this year on Orleans, Jefferson, St. Bernard and St. Tammany parishes, where most UNO students come from. The university now expects to enroll about 6,000 students by the start of the semester, just a few hundred less than last year

Beyond that, Johnson said, UNO must update its academic offerings to ensure students are “prepared to enter the workforce that needs them tomorrow.”

Rather than take a knife to the academic budget, which is at the core of UNO’s mission, critics say the university should slash spending on athletics. They note that UNO partially subsidizes sports programs with money from its operating budget.

Johnson called that argument misleading, saying that only $250,000 of UNO’s $85.5 million general budget goes toward athletics Most of the department’s funding comes from ticket sales, donations and other revenue sources, and a new sportsgambling law could net the university an additional $1 million to $2 million per year, Johnson added.

Still, Johnson said she has curbed athletics spending and made the department “live within (its) means.”

UNO is also looking to its

The university raised its tuition by just 3% this year, less than the 10% allowed under a new state law The UNO Foundation donated $200,000 to support students whose unpaid bills have prevented them from registering for classes. And the university hired workstudy students this summer to power-wash buildings and help landscape the campus.

Even as UNO leaders seek to cut costs, they’re also trying to catch up on longdeferred building repairs, including roofs that leak whenever it rains.

“There’s some predictable pails and buckets that I would love to get rid of forever,” Johnson said. What lies ahead?

Johnson said she is confi-

For example, the school might allow students to earn project management or leadership credentials as they pursue degrees in history or English literature.

“I do love that many students revel in the discipline that brings them the most joy,” she said. “But at the end of the day, I’m responsible for ensuring that you can pay back any debt that you took on as a student and that you can support yourself and ideally your family.”

UNO’s accrediting agency, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, will likely vote on the transition at its June 2026 board meeting — the final step in the process. Though many details of the transition have yet to be finalized, UNO faculty and staff have largely expressed support for the move. However, some students have raised concerns about changes to the school’s identity Johnson said she believes it’s the people who make UNO what it is, not its governance structure.

“As long as we still have these people here,” she said, “our identity should remain very much the same.”

LOTTERY FRIDAY,AUG. 1, 2025 PICK 3: 7-1-7

Meanwhile, Johnson said, the university is “eagerly awaiting” guidance from the LSU transition team, which has until April to develop a plan for the oversight shift.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Mark Allen, owner of White’s Bayou RV Park in Pearlington, Miss., is pictured Tuesday. He and other business owners say business has dried up since U.S 90 closed in 2022.

ABOVE: People stroll Julia Street RIGHT: Gabriel Flores collaborates on a live painting wall with Sasha Swan

please

Mothe

Ard, Minnie Duffel,Louella

Badeaux,Annette West Leitz-Eagan

BahamJr.,Everette

Saladino, Dorothy Bird,Dean Obituaries Bodungen, Dennis Ard, Minnie'Louise'

Cazaubon, Lorelei Cook Jr., William Cramer,Betty Duffel,Louella Farrell, Shirley Faust, Katharine Florent, Larry

Fontenot,Richard

Gee, Jeff

Guilbault, Glenn

Higgs,Kelsey

Hooks Jr., Keith

Ianetta,Wayne

Jordan Jr., Clarence

KarpaIII, John

Lalla,Pauline

Landry, Lionel

Lopez, Ronald

Lukas, Mary

Mardis Jr., Dellie

Morrison, Robert

Penton, Mary

Rhinehart, Dorothy

Saladino, Dorothy

Sauter,Carolyn

hobbies. Annette gradu‐atedfromCovington High School as Valedictorian. She also graduatedfrom Charity School of Nursing inthe 1940’sasa Regis‐tered Nurse. Sheworkedat St. TammanyParishHospi‐tal as an operatingroom nurse formanyyears,com‐ing outofretirementat one time to setupthe op‐erating room at thenew HighlandParkHospital. Above all, shemadea lov‐ing home forher husband and son. Annette wasan activememberofthe MadisonvillePresbyterian Church formanyyears and anavidreader. Relatives and friendsare invitedto attendthe funeralservice atE.J.FieldingFuneral Home, 2260 W. 21st Avenue, Covington,LA70433 on Tuesday,August5,2025 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation beginning at 9:00 a.m. until service time.Interment will takeplace followingthe service at Theodore Dendinger Cemetery Madisonville, Louisiana. E.J.FieldingFuneralHome has been entrustedwith funeralarrangements. Pleasesignthe guestbook atwww.ejfieldingfh.com

Bodungen,Dennis Michael

Cazaubon, Lorelei Barbara

strength.His impact will be feltfor generations through thehomes he built and thelives he touched. Relatives andfriends are invited to attend services onWednesday,August6 2025, at Greenwood Funeral Home, 5190 CanalBlvd. New Orleans, LA.Visitation willbegin at 11:00 a.m.,fol‐lowed by aFuneralMassat 1:00p.m.Burialwilltake place immediatelyfollow‐ing theservice.Wealsoin‐viteyou to shareyour thoughts, fond memories, and condolencesonlineat www.greenwoodfh.com Your shared memories will helpuscelebrate William’s lifeand keep hismemory alive

BahamJr.,Everette Joseph

Ulrich Sr., Ernest Valteau,Rita Wheeler,Barbara EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Cramer,Betty LA Muhleisen

Bird,Dean Leitz-Eagan

Ianetta,Wayne NewOrleans

DW Rhodes

Valteau,Rita

Greenwood

Cook Jr., William

Gee, Jeff

Lalla,Pauline

Landry, Lionel

JacobSchoen

Higgs,Kelsey

Lake Lawn Metairie

Minnie“Louise”Ard, aged87, alongtimeresi‐dentofSt. BernardParish, and acurrent resident of Perkinston, Mississippi, passedawaypeacefully on Friday, July 25,2025, in Cov‐ington, Louisiana. Born in Columbia, Mississippi Louisespent most of her lifeinSt. BernardParish, Louisiana,where shewas known forher deep love of family, unwavering work ethic,and vibrantspirit. She is preceded in death byher parents; hersister, Berniece; herbrother, Wayne;her daughter,Deb‐orah; andson,Michael.She issurvivedbyher son, David Martinez (Becky); siblings, Melvin Bryant (Pa‐tricia) andGlindaBarnes (Kenneth);grandchildren, Marty Martinez,Chris Saucedo (Aimeé), Amanda Ho(Mike), DerekMartinez, Candice Carter (Sean), AshleyMartinez, Brooke Abadie(Chris),and Matt Martinez; tengreat-grand‐childrenand ahostof nieces, nephews, andex‐tendedfamilywho will al‐wayscherish hermemory. Louise’slifewas defined bydedicationtothose she loved.She beganher ca‐reer as ateacher’s aide be‐foremovingintothe bank‐ing world, where sheeven‐tuallybecamea manager atPeople’sBankinSt. Bernard.Later,she found purpose in herworkwith the USDA—a role sheloved somuchshe inspired her two sistersand aniece to join her. Everything she did,she didfor herfamily whether it washelping her sons attend Holy Cross orsupportingher daughter Debbiethrough modeling school andlater raisingher oldestgrandson. AfterHur‐ricaneKatrina,Louise courageouslyrebuilt her lifeinSouth Mississippi Through it all, herperson‐ality remained larger than life—full of laughter,re‐silience, anda deep appre‐ciation forpeople. Shewas a proud member of the Eastern Star anda woman ofstrongfaith who loved God dearly.Louiseleaves behinda legacy of love strength, andfamilydevo‐tion. Shewillbesorely missedbyall who knew her.“So with you: Nowis yourtimeofgrief,but Iwill see youagain andyou will rejoice,and no onewill takeawayyourjoy.” John16:22.Inlieuoffu‐neral services,a celebra‐tionofLouise’slifewillbe heldata laterdate. Please visit www.honakerforestla wn.comtosignguestbook ArrangementsbyHonaker FuneralHome, Inc.,Slidell, LA.

Bodungen, Dennis Badeaux, Annette Daniel

Fontenot,Richard

Guilbault, Glenn

Mardis Jr., Dellie

Penton, Mary

Sauter,Carolyn

Scharff, Florence

Wheeler,Barbara

Majestic Mortuary

BahamJr.,Everette

Jordan Jr., Clarence St Tammany

Bagnell Son

KarpaIII, John

EJ Fielding

Badeaux,Annette

GraceFuneral

Lukas, Mary

Honaker

Ard, Minnie

Rhinehart, Dorothy

AnnetteDanielBadeaux a native andlongtimeresi‐dent of Madisonville passedawayJuly26, 2025 atthe PonchatoulaCom‐munity Care Center.She was 97.Annette waspre‐ceded in deathbyher hus‐band, Edward A. Badeaux; her parentsFloyd and GertrudeThompson Daniel; herbrother Claude Daniel; andher sisters MaryD.Edmundsonand Anna LeeD.Arnold. An‐nette is survived by her son,MarkD.Badeaux of Madisonville, several niecesand nephews, and innumerablefriends.She was agood friend to many, never seemingtobeina rushtoend aconversation. She wasa talented seam‐stresswho enjoyedmaking clothingand decorating her home with herworks ofneedlepoint and counted cross-stitch.A special joywas beingwith a groupofclose friends each week to pursue those

Joseph Baham Jr. passedawaypeacefully onJuly15, 2025. Born Feb‐ruary 21, 1965, in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana,Everette was avisionary entrepre‐neurwho builta success‐ful career in mechanics. Everette wasknown forhis determination,innovative ideas,and outspokenness. His legacy livesoninhis two daughters, Tanisha Marie Garrettand Brook Cutno.A FuneralService willbeheldonSaturday, August9,2025 at 11:00 am atMajesticMortuarySer‐vice, Inc.,1833 Oretha C. Haley Blvd NOLA 70113 Visitationwillbegin at 10:00 am.Interment in Resthaven Memorial Park Professionalarrangements entrusted to Majestic Mor‐tuary (504) 523-5872.

Lorelei Barbara Cazaubonpassed away peacefullyathomeonJuly 31. Born February 6, 1928, she grew up as oneofsix childreninthe family home on Ellis Parkway in Metairie. Lorelei attended school at SacredHeart on Canal Street and, after graduation,took ajob at thelakefrontNaval Air Station.There she met Sheldon Cazaubon, a young sailor returning home from service in the Pacific.Lorelei and Sheldon marriedin1952, thensettled on Cameron Blvd in Gentilly, wherethey began theirfamily. Lorelei wassteadfast in herCatholic faithand practice butaccepted those with other beliefs withouthesitation. Shetruly exemplifiedChristian principlesofgrace, acceptance,and unconditional love -not just towardsher family, buteveryoneshe encountered

Thebeloved wife of the lateSheldon H. Cazaubon, Lorelei is survived by daughters Lisa (Glen) Schwartzberg and Terri (Robert)Munch,sons Steve (Michele) Cazaubon andBarryCazaubon, sister ShirleyGuercio,six grandchildren, andfivegreatgrandchildren. Aprivate gravesideceremony will be held,followedbya celebrationof life at ayet-to-be-determined date.

Scharff, Florence Cook Jr., William Keith'Bill'

WilliamKeith Cook Jr

It is with deep sorrow and enduring love that we rememberDeanSamuel Bird, who wasbornin Metairie, LA on November 26, 1978 andentered into eternal rest on July 20, 2025 atthe ageof46. Dean grew upinDestrehan,LAand resided in NewOrleans at the time of hisdeath.Heis precededindeath by his mother, Joan AnnBird, brother Darren N. Bird, nephewAlexander Riecke, grandparentsIrvin Car‐mouch,GladysCarmouch, SamuelBird, Jr andNaomi Bird. Dean is survived by his father,DanielG.Bird (Gail), hisbrother Daniel G. Bird, Jr.(Chris),niece Rea‐gan Bird as well as aunts and uncles andmany cousins.Asa young man heloved theoutdoorsen‐joyinghuntingand fishing. His greatest joywas his family. He cherishedevery momentand everymem‐ory shared with them through theyears.Dean has aspecial talent to tell humorousstories and loved to make people laugh.Hehad akindheart and loving personalityand was lovedbymany. He had aneasy, warm smile and wheneveryou wouldsee him walkingtowards you, you couldexpecta huge hug andwhenheleft, you would surely hear asin‐cere. “I love you”.Relatives and friendsare invitedto attendthe Visitation and MemorialMassonSatur‐day,August9,2025 at L. A. Muhleisen andSon Funeral Home, 2607 Williams Blvd Kenner. Visitation from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.,fol‐lowed by Memorial Mass at12:00 p.m. To share memories or condolences,

Dennis Michael Bodungen, acherished member of our community, passed away peacefully at theage of 69 on July 27, 2025, surrounded by the love of his family.He courageouslyfought but lost abrief battle with cancer. Dennis was born in NewOrleans, Louisiana, to Frederick Robert Bodungen and Margaret Church Benbrook. Agraduateof Holy Cross High School and XavierUniversity CollegeofPharmacy,he went on to become apharmacist and aproud business owner who served his community forover40 years. As asuccessful business owner, he brought thesame dedication and integritytohis workashedid to his personal life.Hehelda special place in his heart forhis staff and customers, whom he regarded as family. Dennis was aman known not onlyfor his warm spirit and unwavering kindnessbut also for thevibrantlifeheled and thedeeprelationshipshe builtwiththose around him. Awine enthusiast, Dennis found joyinthe simple pleasures of awellaged bottle and agood conversation. He couldbe seenwalking in his neighborhood each day, always pausing to greetfamiliar facesand exchange afew kind words.Several intereststhat brought Dennis joy consisted of gardening, traveling,perfecting his cooking skills, and enjoying local sporting events. He attendeddaily mass faithfully worshipingat both St.Catherine of Siena and St.Louis King of France parishes. His faith was aguiding force in his life,offering himpeace and purpose.Dennis's presence enriched thelives of allwho knew him. He leaves behind alegacy of generosity, community, and heartfelt connection that willbefondly remembered and deeplymissed. He is survivedbyhis belovedwife of 47 years, CherylAdolph Bodungen; his loving daughters, MichelleForrester(Cam) and AngelaZimmerman (Matt); grandchildren, Taylorand Carson; mother, Margaret Church Benbrook; sister,Mary Lee Riviere(Don); sisters-inlaw, brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and countless friends and neighbors whose liveshetouched alongthe way. Dennis was preceded in death by his father, Frederick Robert Bodungen, and brother, Frederick Joseph Bodungen (Kathy). The family wouldliketogive thanks to thestaff of LCMC Health/East Jefferson GeneralHospital, especially his dear niece, Jessica Karl Rogers, long-time friendsatMajoria Drugs, and devotedfriendsEd Meridaand Urban Mathieu. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the Memorial Mass at St. Catherine of SienaCatholic Church, 105 Bonnabel Boulevard,Metairie, Louisiana70005 on Thursday,August 7, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. with visitation beginning at 11:00 a.m. Privateinterment willtake place in Metairie Cemetery.Inlieuofflowers, please make donations in Dennis's honor to thecharityofyourchoice. To view and sign the guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.co m

Cramer,Betty MaePerkins

Betty MaePerkins Cramerpassedawayqui‐etlyinher sleep on July 4, 2025, after abrief illness. She is thedaughterofthe lateWilhelmenia Jones Perkins andJohnNorwood Perkins,Sr. of Liberty, Mis‐sissippi.Lovingmotherof JohnNorwood Cramer (Linda),JosephGus Cramer, andJanet Ella CramerLewis (John, Jr.) She leaves behind the loves of herlife- hergrand‐childrenMatthew Uzee JoelCramer, thelatePaul Cramer, RebekahCramer Rogers (Justin),John Lewis,III, EmilyCramer and hergreat-grandchil‐drenJolie,Austin, Lance, and Mattie. Aresidentof Marrero,LAfor thepast65 years,she worked as the office managerofthe local Kmart untilher retirement She wasaffectionately known as “Ms. Betty”at workand in hercommu‐nity. Shewillbetruly missedbyall who knew her.The familywould like togivespecial thanks to Meals on Wheel andMs. Sweetie forsavingour mother’slife. Also,a spe‐cialthank youtothe won‐derfulstaff at AGCHos‐pice, especially to Nurse Calliefor hercare. Private familyserviceswillbeheld ata laterdate.

Bill, alifelongresidentof St. BernardParish, passed awaypeacefully on Thurs‐day,July31, 2025, at the age of 86. Born on January 18, 1939, in NewOrleans,he was adevoted husband father, grandfather, brother,and friend.Heis survivedbyhis best girl and loving wife of 51 years, Darlene AncarCook, and their children:Billy Cook Tanya Cook (Brandon), TraceeDazet (Henri), and his daughter/granddaugh‐ter MelonieMatthews(Jer‐juan).Hewas theproud grandfather of Gabby, Cloie,Robby,Seth, Lilee, Skylar,Jaron,Sophia, Jo‐vanni,Jesse,Sean, and Megan.Healsoleavesbe‐hindhis brother, Donald Giessler (Hazel), along withmanybeloved nieces and nephewswho cher‐ished himdeeply.Bill learned thecraft of car‐pentryfromhis father at the young ageof16. Atrue old-school carpenter, he built beautifulhomes throughoutOld Metairie, Uptown NewOrleans,St. Bernard Parish,and be‐yond. He wasa manwho could buildanything— someone who sawbeauty inwood, transforming raw elementsintosomething lasting andmeaningful. He was aman of remarkable character—honest, kind hardworking,and thekind ofpersonwho nevermet a stranger. He checkedevery box:bestdad,besthus‐band, best PawPaw,best brother-in-law, best son-inlaw,bestfather-in-law,and bestuncle.Heenjoyed the simplepleasures of life especially huntingand fishing—buthis greatest joy waswatchinghis grandchildren grow up.His strength, determination, and youthful will to live wereunmatched.Inhis finaldays, he proudly passedthe torchtohis son and sons-in-law, knowing thatthe same strength values, andlovefor family would carryonthrough them. He wasadmired im‐mensely by hisbroth‐ers/sisters-in-law, andwill belovinglyremembered for hisunselfishness, gen‐tle spirit,and thelovehe sofreelygavetoeachof them. He wasprecededin death by hisparents WilliamKeith Cook Sr.and Lucille DrewsCook;his sis‐ters, Henrietta (Etta), Joyce Scramuzza,and Helen Cook;his son, DavidCook Sr.,and grandson,David Cook Jr.Bill’slegacyisone oflove, integrity, crafts‐manship, andquiet

Louella

LouellaBowersHolmes Duffel, wasborninEmpire, La. on March23, 1928 and entered peacefully into eternal life on July 29, 2025 atthe ageof97. Louella was preceded in deathby her parents, AlvroL.Bow‐ers andLydia Rigaud of Empire, La., brotherLionel "Pete"Bowers, firsthus‐bandRobertM."Maurice" Holmes, second husband Arthur P. Duffel,and grand‐daughterAllysonM.Kirby A belovedmother, grand‐motherand great-grand‐mother, Louellabravely left homeatage 17 in 1945 to gobytrain to Northwest‐ern StateUniversity, where she wasawarded an Asso‐ciatesdegree. Shebegan datingMaurice "Coach" Holmeswhenhereturned fromservice in theU.S Armyin1947. They married in1949 andraisedthree childreninEmpire, La while herhusband taught and coachedatPortSul‐phur High School andbe‐camea Plaquemines ParishSchool System Su‐pervisor. In 1970 Loubegan a career as aschool teacher at BurasHigh School,where shewas loved andappreciatedby co-workers, staff, adminis‐trators andhundredsof students, from whomshe often received birthday cards up until thepresent day.After Maurice'sdeath and herretirementfrom teaching, Louellamet and married Arthur P. Duffel of Kenner, La.in1989, with whomshe livedindepen‐dentlyuntil 2022. She resided with daughter Lydia andson-in-lawJohn Kirby in Mathews, La.for the past threeand one-half years.Louella is survived byher sister,Joyce Bowers Ruettger of Belle Chasse La. sons WayneS.Holmes (Debbie) of SanAntonio Tx and MichaelR.Holmesof Belle Chasse,La.,daughter Lydia H. Kirby(John) of Mathews,La.,grandsons ChristopherHolmes

Everette

Duffel,

Bowers Holmes

Bird,DeanSamuel

4B ✦ Sunday,August 3, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune (Laura)ofCypress, Tx., Jef‐freyHolmesofAustin, Tx and MatthewKirby (fi‐ancee'Beth) of Broussard, La.,granddaughter Madi‐son Holmes of Baltimore, Md.,great-grandchildren Joshua, Anna,and Ben‐jamin Holmes of Cypress, Tx. andMallory Kirbyof Broussard,La.,goddaugh‐ter Jane Bowers Mahonof Lumberton,Ms.,step‐daughterCindy Smithof Pollack,La. stepson Ray Duffel(Vickie)ofDestre‐han,La. anda host of stepgrandchildren andstepgreat-grandchildren.Fam‐ily andfriends areinvited tovisitationat10:00 a.m Monday, August 4, 2025 at Our Lady of PerpetualHelp Catholic Church,8968 Hwy. 23, Belle Chasse,La. 70037, followedbymassat12 noon andinterment at the OLPHcemeteryinBelle Chasse.Massespreferred inlieuof flowers, or dona‐tions maybemadetothe charity of one'schoice. Pleasevisit mothefuner‐als.com to view andsign the online guestbook

Shirley Mae Biggs Farrell, March 1, 1943December 19, 2024. Belovedmother &educator Shirley Mae Biggs Farrell entered into eternal rest on December 19, 2024. She was preceded in death by her husband of 20 years, Dennis Seibert who passed away on January 8, 2024. Shirley is survived by her devoted daughter Lauren Anne Farrell,first husband Michael Farrell& many adored nieces &extended family. She was also preceded in death by parents Howard Hairston Biggs &Bertha Pugh Biggs, sister Joe Ann Shipp, Elmo Shipp &nephew Joseph Shipp, brother Walter Stone Pugh (beloved wife Mary Carolyn Pugh misses him) &niece Melinda Pugh. Shirley was born in Mobile, Alabama &grew up on afarm in the beautiful Mississippi Delta in Belzoni. After she received her BA in Education from The University of Southern Mississippi, she then took her graceful, southern lady demeanor to New Orleans in 1965 where she later became ateacher at Edna Karr Junior High School for 22 years. Her gentle but no -nonsense southerncharm earned her enormous respect with her students and colleagues. Her love of teaching Speech, English& Drama was second to none. She especially loved being the Director for school plays. Shirley &Lauren's mutual love of sailing became a treasured pastime throughout their lives. They created special memories Lauren will cherish until they meet again.

Faust, Katharine Adair Ewin

Katharine Adair Ewin Faust, longtime resident of New Orleans and of Cheneyville, Louisiana died on July 1st, 2025, after alengthy and courageous battle against arare cancer. Born in New Orleans on July 16th, 1954 to Gordon Overton Ewin and Katharine Elise Keller Ewin, Adair attended Miss Aiken's School and Trinity Episcopal School, and Isidore Newman High School, in New Orleans.At the University of the South at Sewanee, she majored in English Literature, graduating with aBachelorof Arts degree. While at Sewanee, she studied fora semester at Oxford in England. She later attended paralegal college. And in 1978,she married her beloved husband of 46 years, David Laurence Faust. Together they parented two beautiful children,David Laurence Faust, Jr.,and Lucy Adair Faust. Adair had many interests, including adeep love of literature and reading, and of music, art, and cul-

ture.She was fluent in French and enjoyedsummer travels to France with her family. She enjoyed travelofall sorts, and was askilledphotographer, taking beautiful photographs of landscapes and surroundingnature. She maintaineda keen interest in gardening, farming,and country life, and embraced those when she and her husband moved to afamilyfarm near Cheneyville. She joined garden clubs, exercising her green thumb and winningribbons for flowerarrangements.She and her husband operated asmall internetbook business, and she joinedseveral book clubs, enjoyingboth thereadingand the friendshipsmade there.She lovedmusicand served on the board of the RedRiver Chorale.She lovedhistory and volunteered at the National World WarII Museum. Above everythingelse, she held dear her Christianfaith;itwas the greatest comforttoher always.

Adairapproached life with apositive outlook and astrengthapparent to everyone around her. She made friends of allages and backgrounds quickly and easily, and she had a joyabout her that was contagious.She was adevoted wife and motherand enthusiasticallysupported herhusband and children in alltheir interests and endeavors.

Preceded in death by her son Laurence, she is survived by her husband David and by herdaughter Lucy Adair Faust Parker (Trey); by numerous cousins, nephews, and nieces; and by many many friends. She was a love,and her family and friends loveher and will miss her always.

Amemorialservice will be held in NewOrleans on Saturday, August9th,with visitation at 10:00am, and service at 11:00,atTrinity Episcopal Church(1329 JacksonAvenue,70130), with areception to follow.

Aspecial interest of Adair's was the Sheldrick WildlifeTrust (www.sheldr ickwildlifetrust.org) in Kenya devoted to animal rescue,and donations to the Sheldrick Trust are welcomed

Larry JosephFlorent aged 83, anative and resident of New Orleans, LA was bornonJune 15, 1942 and departed from thislife on July 18, 2025. Larry was amemberof the Air Force and an employee of NewOrleans Clerksand Checkers Local 1497. Larry leaves to cherish his memories, hisdevoted wifeJanice RobertsonFlorent, his five children, one brotherDimitri Florent (Rosalyn), one sister-inlawSharon Clark,a devoted friend Christopher Hamilton and ahost of relativesand friends. He ispreceded in death by hisparents Stanley and Leola Liggins-Florent; one son, CoreyJosephFlorent; one sister, Cloris Florent Verdin; fourbrothers, William, Carl, Randy and AlanFlorent. At Larry's requesthe willhaveaprivate burial at MountOlivet Cemetery.

Fontenot, Richard Anthony

RichardAnthony Fontenot passed awayon July 19, 2025,atthe age of 84. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana,on February 27, 1941, to John Elton Fontenot, Sr. and Cecile Marie Landry Fontenot, who preceded him in death. After graduatingfromJesuitHigh School in 1958,hewent on to open his own business, the SinclairAgency. He specializedininsurance,financial advising, and investments BrotherofLeonard J. Fontenot, and the late John Elton Fontenot,Jr., Donald J. Fontenot, and Timothy J. Fontenot. Fatherof MichaelJ.Fontenot, David J. Fontenot (Ann),

Christopher J. Fontenot, and DennisR.Fontenot (Missy). Former husband of Martha Camara Schubertand thelate ShirleyRevon Geraci. He is survivedbyseveral grandchildren, greatgrandchildren,nephews, nieces, and cousins He was laidtorest in a privategraveside service in AllSaintsMausoleum on Wednesday, July30, 2025. In lieu of flowers, Massesand prayersare appreciated To view and sign the family guestbook, please visit lakelawnmetairie.com

Jeff Kang Gee, abeloved husband,father, brother, and friend,passedaway peacefullyonJuly26, 2025 atthe ageof71, sur‐rounded by hisloved ones BornonFebruary14, 1954, inNew Orleansand raised inMetairie, Louisiana, Jeff graduated from East Jeffer‐son High School andwent ontoattend theUniversity ofNew Orleans. Aproud patriot,hevolunteered to serve hiscountry in the U.S.Navyduringthe Viet‐nam War. Jeff wasa de‐voted familyman who gen‐erously gave histime, not onlytohis familybut also tohis community—volun‐teeringatthe schoolshis sonsattended andstaying activelyinvolvedintheir lives.Heworkedfor The Times-Picayune for35 years andsimultaneously supported hisparents business, Triple Play,for 15 years.A true sportsmanat heart,Jeff’spassion forthe New OrleansSaintswas unmatched.Whether cheeringthemonliveor rewatchinga recorded gamefor thesecond—or eventhird time,his enthu‐siasm neverwavered.He alsoloved golf, tennis fish‐ing,bowling,and shooting pool—alwaysenjoying these pastimes in thecom‐panyoffamilyand friends. Hehad agiftfor connect‐ing with people,eager to strikeupa conversation withanyonewho wouldlis‐ten,and wasnever without a quickjokeora memo‐rable anecdote.Jeffleaves behinda lifetime of cher‐ished memories with his devoted wife of 49 years and theloveofhis life Jeanette Wong Gee, and their treasuredsons, JosephGee andJacob Gee. Heisalsosurvivedbyhis siblingsKit Gee(Gloria), Carolyn Desporte (Ed), TeresaHelt(Rodney); brother-in-lawAlanLew; niecesAnisse Peters (Rob) and Leslie Latimer(Keith); nephews JasonDesporte (Valerie),David Desporte (Trang),CurtisLew (Alice) TrevorLew,William Helt, and MasonHelt; alongwith five great-nieces andfour great-nephews.Heispre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐ents, Young MonGee and May AnnChung Gee, and his belovedbrother Gene K.Gee andsister, Melinda Gee Lew. Jeff'slegacyof laughter, love,and loyalty willliveoninthe hearts of all who knew him. Rela‐tives andfriends arein‐vited to visitGreenwood FuneralHome, 5200 Canal Blvd.,New Orleans, LA 70124, on Saturday,August 9,2025, starting at 1:30 PM, followedbyPresbyterian Servicesat4:00PMin Greenwood FuneralHome’s Chapel. We also invite you toshare your thoughts fondmemories, andcon‐dolencesonlineatwww greenwoodfh.com.Your sharedmemorieswillhelp uscelebrate Jeff’s life and keep hismemoryalive.

Guilbault, Glenn Bernard

ly respected Certified Public Accountant for50 years.Heloved hisfamily and friendswith apassion and enjoyedentertaining them with hisstories. He welcomed all with open arms, wasgenerous, and always ready to helpsolve problems. He wasa mountain of aman with apersonalityand voice to match. Glenn washappiest surrounded by hisfamily. He couldoftenbefound working in hisyard,always creating beautifulsettings He will be greatly missed by hiswife, Clare LemariéGuilbault; his sons, Glenn"Beau" GuilbaultJr. (Lili), Travis Guilbault, and Bart Guilbault(Rachel); his grandchildren,Lauren, Justin, Emma,and Sienna Guilbault; by Emma's mother, Krystle Schneider; and by hissister, Julie Rodrigue. He is also survived by many beloved nieces, nephews, greatnieces and great-nephews. He is preceded in death by hisparents, Robert Paul Guilbault and Catherine Vogts Guilbault and hisbrothers, Robert Paul, Michael C.,and Charles "Corky" Guilbault. Amemorialservice for Glenn will be heldon Tuesday, August5,2025, at Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home, 5100 PontchartrainBlvd. New Orleans, LA.Visitationwill be heldfrom11:00 AM1:00 PM,witha Mass to beginat1:00PM. Inurnment will followatMetairie Cemetery. Donations maybemade to theTarahumara Children's Hospital Fund, P.O. Box 57507, New Orleans, LA 70157 or online at tchforegon.org.

Kelsey MarieCastle Higgs enteredeternal rest onMonday, July 21, 2025, at the ageof33. Belovedwife ofNealR.Higgs.Motherof Nolan Robert Higgs DaughterofMarshallScott Castleand Jody Fields Cas‐tle.SisterofCodyW.Castle (Brittany). Kelsey is agrad‐uateofSt. Mary’s Domini‐can High School andthe UniversityofNew Orleans. In hershort life,Kelsey achievedher dreams of being an educator,a wife, and amother. Aboveall Kelseyadored, cherished, and lovedher little family. She will be dearly missed. Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the FuneralMassatJacob SchoenFuneralHome, 3827 Canal Street,onSaturday, August2,2025, at 11:00 a.m.Visitationbeginsat 10:00 a.m. Intermentispri‐vate. In lieu of flowers, pleaseconsiderdonating tothe NolanRobertHiggs Trust contactJodyCastle for information.

Glenn Bernard Guilbault passed away unexpectedly and peacefully from heart disease on Monday, July 28, 2025, at theage of 73 in hishome. He married the true love of hislife 51 years ago. He wasa high-

ferson Parish since1972. Hegraduated from Brother MartinHighSchool in 1971 Heservedthe citizens of Kenner, LA as an Officerfor the Kenner Police Depart‐mentand retiredafter 30 years as aSergeant. Wayne wasa loving hus‐band, father,grandfather and greatgrandfather.He had apassion formusic fishing, andridinghis mo‐torcycle. He wasa member ofthe Blue Knights Louisiana II. Waynewas precededindeath by his father, Lawrence Ianetta Survivors includehis beloved wife of 50 years, Eileen Hall Ianetta;his mother, LauraMannino Ianetta;his children,Colby James Ianetta (Danielle) and HollyJenniferIanetta Brookins(Shariff);his grandchildren,Taylor Ianetta (Charlee),Joshua Ianetta,Emily Ianetta (Oscar),OliviaIanetta (Jariel), AveryFord, AnneMarie Brookins,and Is‐abella Brookins;his great grandchildren,LiamPerez and Elliot Ianetta;and his sister, Kathleen Ianetta (Teresa). He is also sur‐vived by hisbrother-in-law and sister-in-law, Merrill and MoniqueHall, anda hostofother relativesand friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend aMemorial MassofChristian Burial at Leitz-Eagan FuneralHome, 4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd.,Metairie, LA on Fri‐day,August8,2025, at 1:00 p.m.Visitationwillbefrom 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. In‐terment will follow in St Patrick Cemetery No.3, New Orleans, LA

buteveryonehepassedby through his72years of life Helived thechurchhymn “If Icould help somebody asI travel alongthenmy livingshall notbeinvain” Clarencewillbemissedby all.Relatives andfriends of the family, also Pastor,of‐ficers andmembers of New LightBaptist Church are allinvited to attend the FuneralService on Friday August8,2025 at 11:00 am atNew LightBaptist Church,1435 Feliciana Street,New Orleans, Louisiana 70117. Rev. Dr Gregory Davis, Pastor and Officiant. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am.Burial willbeprivate.Profes‐sionalarrangementsen‐trusted to Majestic Mortu‐ary Service, Inc. (504) 5235872.

John Bernard Karpa III, affectionately knownas "Bernie"byfriends and family, passedaway peacefully in hissleep on July 30, 2025 in Covington, La, at theage of 75. Born on March5th, 1950 in Michigan,and raisedin Yorktown,Virginia, Bernie lived alifemarked by quiet strength,deep generosity, andsteady love.Heattended Virginia Tech to study geology, andthere met hiswife Barbara. Bernie eventuallymade hishomeinLouisiana wherehebuilt hisfamily andcareer. He became a pillar in hiscommunityand wasthe kind of person everyoneknewtheycould counton—whether you needed help fixing something,a listeningear, or simply agoodlaugh. He hadthe gift of sacrificial giving Bernie lovedbeing outdoors andfound joyinfishing, shooting, ridingmotorcycles,and maybe theoccasional brew.Nature was hisretreat,and he took comfortinits rhythm and peace. He wasalso afather and mentor to many, anda best friendtothoselucky enough to know him. His faithwas strongand he showed unwaveringdedication to hishomechurch He is preceded in death by hisbeloved wife, Barbara Karpa; hisson Joshua Karpa; andhis brother, Stephen Karpa. He is survived by his twosons, Geoff (Anne) and Sean (Chelsy); hissisters, Mary Lou and Julie; and threegrandchildren, Amelia, Eleanor,and James. Bernie's legacyisone of quietservice,steady love, anddeep integrity. His presence will be deeply missed, butthe mark he left on thelives of those whoknewhim will never fade Familyand friends are invited to attenda Memorial Mass on Friday August 8th, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. with visitation starting at 10:00 a.m. at St Benedict'sCatholic Church 20370 Smith Rd,Covington, LA 70435. Reception will be held after service at Fitzgerald Church 80007 Fitzgerald Church Rd Covington,LA70435.

HooksJr.,Keith D. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, LocalUnion #130: The Officers andMembers ofthislocal union are herebyrequested to attend the Services of KeithD Hooks, Jr., Monday,August 4,2025, at AudubonFuneral Home, 61101 Highway11, Slidell, LA 70458. Visitation willbegin at 12:00 p.m. until mass in thechapelat 2:00p.m.ByOrder of: ErnestC.“Corky” Cortez Attest:RodneyR.Wallis, BusinessManager/Finan‐cial Secretary. Lalla,PaulineMaxwell

Ianetta,Wayne Joseph 'Poppie'

WayneJoseph"Poppie" Ianetta,age 72, of Jeffer‐son,LA, passedawayathis homeonSaturday, July 26 2025. Waynewas born in Amite,LAonMay 1, 1953 toLawrenceIanetta and Laura ManninoIanetta Wayne grew up in Gentilly andwas aresidentofJef‐

Clarence Adolph Shady" Jordan,Jr. -God’s willonearth with Clarence Adolph“Shady” Jordan,Jr. was complete on Thursday July17, 2025. Clarence was bornonJanuary 3, 1953 to the Late Clarence A. and Dorothy M. P. Jordan.He was thegreatestson, brother,nephew, husband father, uncle,cousin, God‐fatherand friend to allthat knewhim.Clarencewas baptizedatMorning Star Baptist Church underthe leadershipofRev.Willie Williams at ayoung age. Hesanginthe choirfor manyyears.Healsowas a memberofthe Freemasons inhis young adultyears Clarencewas anativeof New Orleans. He attended Frances T. Nicholls High School.Clarencewas one ofthe firstAfrican Ameri‐canstoGraduatefrom Nichollsin1972. He at‐tendedLoyolaUniversity and begantoworkfor manyyears at Mckenzie Bakeryuntil they closed in the late 70’s. Clarence workedfor theNew Or‐leans SteamboatCompany where he worked andre‐tired after 42 years. On De‐cember6,1980, Clarence married theloveofhis life the late Henrietta Happy Jordan. From that union there were four children Monique,Shevonda, Neoshakeyana, Jordan and MargaretBennett. Nine grandchildren Monice, Rahsaan,Toreyal,Taylor, Torey Jr., Trinity, Derrick, Janyla, Juelz. Twogreat grandchildren,Jordanand Greylen.Clarenceleavesto mourn sevensiblings Clark,Zachary,Joseph (Raven),DarrylJordan, ChiquitaJordan-White (Kelvin), ViolaJordan-Vick‐nair(Gabriel) andTerrell A. Shook (David). Threeaunts EuniceDorch,JoycelynJor‐dan,Naomi Evans. Ade‐voted mother-in-lawIrma Kincey, sister-in-law Loretta K. Jenkins(Elbert). Special Friend Brenda Jack‐son anddevoted family friendDebra Reed.A great hostofnephews,nieces, Godchildren,stepsisters and brothers,cousins,and close friends. Clarence alsoleavesingreat mourn‐ing TheNatchez Steam‐boatFamily. Clarence is loved by many;hewas closenot just to hisfamily

PaulineMaxwell

Lalla, age 89, peacefully passed awayonWednesday,July

Gee, Jeff Kang

KarpaIII, John Bernard 'Bernie'

Farrell,ShirleyBiggs

Jordan Jr., Clarence Adolph 'Shady'

Higgs,Kelsey MarieCastle

Florent, Larry Joseph

eleventh of thirteen chil‐dren, Paulinelosther motheratthe ageoftwo and waslovinglyraisedby her aunt,RoseMcNally She wasprecededindeath byall hersiblings, includ‐ing herbeloved sister Sadie,whose faith and strengthhelpedshape her throughouther life.Pauline attendedboardingschool inIreland,a formativeex‐periencethatnurturedher independenceand deep‐enedher lifelong Catholic faith.Asa youngwoman, PaulinetraveledtoNew Or‐leans,where shemet the now late Nicholas “Nick” Lalla while workingata local restaurant.Nickbe‐camea regularcustomer, and theirfriendshipgrew intoa lastingand devoted relationship. Pauline stayedinNew Orleans, where sheand Nick builta lifetogether grounded in love, faith,and family. Aproud andfeistyIrish woman,Pauline hada laugh that could fill aroom and aspiritthatmade everyonefeel welcome. Above all, shefound her greatestjoy in beinga de‐voted wife,a loving mother, anda proud grandmother.She was happiestwhensurrounded byher children andgrand‐children. Sheissurvivedby her sevenchildren: Michael (Darlene), Chris‐tine, Karen(Casey),Janice (Brad), Annette, Paul (Rachel)and Nicholas Paulinewas adevoted grandmother to Jánelle, Michael,Jessica,Curtis, Lexie,Lauren, Nicholas, Mallory,Alexandria, Jacob, Kate, Hope,Haley,Hanna, Connor, Joseph,Dominick, and acherished greatgrandmother of six. The familyisdeeply grateful to all of Pauline’scaregivers for theircompassion, kind‐ness, andsupport in her finalyears.Relatives and friends areinvited to at‐tenda visitation to be held atGreenwood Funeral Home, 5200Canal Blvd New Orleans, LA,onFriday, August8,2025, starting at 11:00 am with aMassat 1:00pm. Intermenttofol‐low in Greenwood Ceme‐tery. We also invite youto share your thoughts,fond memories, andcondo‐lencesonlineatwww greenwoodfh.com.Your sharedmemorieswillhelp uscelebrate Pauline’s life and keep hermemory alive

Landry,LionelJoseph

Lionel Joseph Landry passedawaypeacefully on July15, 2025, at 85 yearsof age at Anderson Memory CareinSlidell, LA.Bornon February3,1940,inNew Orleans,LA, he attended SacredHeart High School, where he metthe love of his life,Karen Kathryn Krause. Upon graduation heearnedhis Business de‐greeand MBAfrom Louisiana StateUniversity and marriedKaren.They soon begantheir family withthe birthofdaughter Robyn in 1964and son Keith in 1967. Lionel began his career at Humble Oilin the GrandIsleoffice.After several yearsthere,heac‐cepteda position with SouthernPineAssociation (whichlater became SouthernForestProducts Association) in Metairie as office managerin1966 Three yearslater,hewas promotedtocorporate secretary anddirectorof the Forest Products Ma‐chinery andEquipment Ex‐position(EXPO). In all, Li‐onelplanned anddirected all EXPO-related meetings and tradeshowactivities for 18 showsfrom1967to 2001, becoming thelongest serving director of the EXPO. In 2003, Lionel be‐camethe PresidentofSFPA and served in that role until hisretirementin2005 Duringhis career,Lionel was generous with his timeand served as amen‐tor to countless people.He led with dignityand grace, alwayshavinga kind word for others,and left an in‐delible impact on theorga‐nizationand theindustry asa whole.Lionelwas a lovinghusband,father, and grandfather whocherished spendingtimewith his familyand creating memo‐ries. He got greatjoy from seeingsmilesappear on his grandchildren’sfaces, whether at thebeach,on the ball field, or thestage Lionelwas an avid hunter and lovedtraveling with his wife,Karen.Theyvis‐itedmanyparts of theUS, countless countriesover the years, andenjoyed cruising. They couldbe foundalmostweeklydanc‐

ingtogether amongst friends with theJamaican Dance Club,where he be‐came asought-afterin‐structor. Lionel couldbe found just aboutany foot‐ballweekend in frontofthe TVwatchinghis beloved LSU Tigers andNew Or‐leans Saints.Lionelwas precededindeath by his fatherLeonLandry, mother AnnieDugas Landry,sister Isabelle SunseriRiso, and son KeithMichael Landry Heissurvivedbydaughter Robyn Stephens (Jesse Bert”),grandchildren Jesse Stephens,Jr.,Court‐ney Stephens,SaraLandry, Michael Landry,daughterin-lawMarcelleLandry, sis‐ter VelmaElmer,and nu‐merousniecesand nephews.The familywould liketothank thedevoted staff at Anderson Memory Carefor theirconstantlov‐ing attentionand support for Lionel andKaren,as wellasthe family.Rela‐tives andfriends arein‐vited to visitSt. Angela MericiCatholicChurch,901 Beverly Garden Dr Metairie, LA 70002,onSat‐urday,August9,2025 startingat10:30 AM.A Fu‐neral Mass will follow the visitationatnoon.The bur‐ial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. We also invite you to shareyour thoughts, fond memories and condolencesonlineat www.greenwoodfh.com Your shared memories will helpuscelebrate Lionel’s lifeand keep hismemory alive

July 29,1956 –July30, 2025. Ronald G. Lopez, a lifelongresidentofNew Orleans,Louisiana,passed awaypeacefully on July 30, 2025, at theage of 69.Born onJuly29, 1956, Ronald was acherished son, brother,uncle,and friend whose quietstrengthand kindheart left alasting im‐pressiononall who knew him.Hewas preceded in death by hislovingpar‐ents, ElsieBroyard Lopez and Conrad AnthonyLopez Sr.,and hisbeloved nephew, Conrad Anthony Lopez III. Ronald’s memory willbelovinglycarried for‐wardbyhis devotedbroth‐ers,ConradAnthony Lopez Jr. (Denise) andDon Lopez (Deidra); hisnephews,An‐drewLopez (Carolina) and AlbertLopez;his greatnephew, Leonardo;and his great-nieces, Evelyn,Lucia, and Lilly. Aproud graduate ofSaint AugustineHigh School andDelgado Col‐lege, Ronald wasa dedi‐cated employee of Roman Cleaners, where hiswork ethic andgentledemeanor weredeeplyappreciated His life wasa quiettesta‐menttoloyalty,humility, and love forfamily. The Lopez family extends heartfelt gratitudetothe compassionate caregivers atEnvoi HospiceCenter and GenesisUnlimited Re‐sources Inc. fortheir unwa‐veringsupport during Ronald’s finaldays. In ac‐cordancewithhis wishes Ronaldgenerouslydo‐nated hisbodytoscience tosupport medicalre‐searchinbrain trauma—an act that reflects hisendur‐ing spirit of giving.Hewill be deeply missed

It is with aheavy heart and deepest sorrow that weshare thepassing of a lovingand beautifulper‐son,MaryCashLukas.Fol‐lowinga long battlewith cancer, Mary entered Heavenonthe eveningof July28, 2025. In May2023 after more than twentythree yearsofservice as a teacher andAfter Care Di‐rector, Mary Cash Lukas retired from Mary,Queen ofPeace Catholic School in Mandeville, Louisiana. Her devotiontothe children of Mary, QueenofPeace,is legendary.After retire‐ment, Mary received many letters from parentsand studentsexpressinghow she hadbeen,“an impor‐tantpartofour children’s lives”. Astudent reflected onMary’sretirementan‐nouncementbywriting, Youweremy1st Mary Queen of Peacemom.You

were ‘MissMary'.You have been my comfort, you’ve been my safe spaceat MQP fora long,longtime” Maryloved allthe children atMary, Queen of Peace. Her love wasdisplayed in her smile andvibrancein the hallwayand class‐rooms. Aparentwould re‐flect: “I am thankful that mychildrenhad you. Being around youhas taught themsomuch. Iloveyou You have also taught me how to sacrifice forothers without complaining. You havea hugeheart of gold. After retirement from Mary, Queen of Peace, Marycontinued to teach VacationBible School dur‐ing thesummer. Mary CashLukas grew up in New Orleans andattended grammarschool at St.An‐thony of PaduaCatholic School.She graduated fromCabrini High School in New Orleans, where shere‐mainedactiveinAlumni Affairs,and furtheredher education at theUniversity ofNew Orleans. Mary’s early career in business led hertoadvance as a merchandising managerat MaisonBlanche andDil‐lard'sDepartmentStore Her heartalwayscentered around children.After movingtoSt. Tammany Parish, Mary dedicatedher timetoSt. Michael’sPreSchool's “Mother'sDay Out Program”. Mary andher husband,Brian,recently celebratedtheir golden wedding anniversaryon February2,2024. They have been marriednearly fiftytwo years. Mary wasa lov‐ing,devoted wife and mother. Shewas “MiMi” to her grandchildren, spend‐ing hoursatthe ballpark, attendingschool functions, and familybeach trips. In later life,Marybecamea devoted confidant and trusted friend to my daughter, Jessica. Ourson Jeffrey woulddescribeour lovefor Mary,”Shewas morethanjusta mom. She was strength,warmth, kindness, anduncondi‐tionalloveall wrappedinto one.She hada laughthat could brighten anyroom and aheart bigenoughto holdeveryoneshe met. Whetheritwas herquiet support or her fierce belief inthe people sheloved she gave everything she had to herfamilyand friends.” Mary Cash Lukas issurvivedbyher husband Brian Lukas, andtheir two children, JeffreyLukas and Jessica LukasConstant, and theirspouses,Tammy DaltonLukas andJoseph ConstantIII. They have fourwonderful grandchil‐dren, Zoey Lukas, Natalie Constant, GarrettCon‐stant,and LukasConstant. Maryisalsosurvivedby her brother, Dr.Michael Cash, andthe many loving niecesand nephews. Mary was preceded in deathby her parents, Ruth Mary and JuanCarreras, andher brother AnthonyCashIII. With Mary’s passing, there has been an outpouring of thoughtsand memories fo‐cused on Mary’s spirit as a teacher at Mary,Queen of Peace.Mary'ssupport and compassionhad apositive impactonthe students and parents. Thekind words of onestudent illus‐trate Mary’s commitment tothe children of Mary, Queen of Peace. “Words willnever describe how gratefulI am foryourpres‐enceinmylife. Youhave been such ahugepartin makingMary, Queen of Peace,a home to me.You helpedmetobeseen and heard whenI needed it the most.”Marytouched many lives,and hermemorywill liveonwithher family, her students, andher many friends.The worldisa bet‐ter placebecause of Mary CashLukas.She is so loved and will be dearly missed. Froma student: “I will miss you with allmyheart,but I was so luckytohaveyou asa teacher”.Our family willmissMarysomuch. Wewereveryfortunate to haveMaryinour lives. God bless her. Please consider a donation to Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Covington.The doctors and nursesweresokindto Mary. Visitation forMary willbeheldonFriday, Au‐gust8,atGrace Funeral Homebeginning at 10:30 a.m followed by aFuneral Massat1:00p.m.Marywill belaidtorestatSt. Lazarus of BethanyMemo‐rialGarden.

devotion to those he held dear. on December 11, 1932. She graduatedfromJohn McDonogh High School andbegan alifelongcareer in bookkeeping. Shewas preceded in death by herparents, Angela andAnthony Paternostro; sister Anna MaeBouchon; andher lovinghusband, HowardB Penton Mary Ellen is survived by herson,Glenn M. Penton (Mary L. DiCarlo); grandchildren, Elizabeth A. Penton,Jennifer M. Penton Robert (Timothy), and GlennM.Penton, Jr (RachelL.Poolson); and she wasblessed to be survivedbygreat grandchildren,Noah,Nathan,Caleb, andCarolineRobert, and Peryn andPiper Penton. Mary Ellen cherished her family! Thefamilywould like to thank hersitters, Ellen Singleton, Glenda Barnes, Allison Sears,and Heloise Showersfor thecare and companionship theyprovided Mary Ellen.They wouldalso like to thank theefficient staff at Waldenburg Villagesand West JeffersonHospital. Avisitation will be held from11amuntil1pmon Saturday, August 9, 2025, at Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home. Followed immediatelybya Celebration of Life at 1pm. IntermentwillbeatAll SaintsMausoleumin MetairieCemetery Condolencesmay be expressed at www.lakelawn metairie.com. In lieu of flowers, memorialsmay be made to Billy Graham's Samaritan's Purse InternationalRelief, samaritanspurse.org.

Morrison,Robert David 'Rob'

Robert David Morrison passedaway unexpectedly of heartfailureonJuly24, 2025, whileinSanta Barbara, California. He was 53 years old. He wasborninNew Orleans, LA, on May 23, 1972, to Robert D. and FrancescaDavis Morrison, andlived in Morgan City, LA. As ateenager Robert moved to NewOrleans,LA. Later marryinghis longtime friend, AshleyMyers, abeautiful daughter, Vivian MichelleMorrison wasborn. Vivianbecame thelove of hislife, his heartand soul. Robert is preceded in death by his father, Robert D. Morrison of Santa Barbara, CA, his mother, FrancescaDavis Garman, andbrother,Athen AnthonyGarman. He is survived by hisdaughter, Vivian Michelle Morrison, stepson, Shyloh William Kirksey, andtheir mother AshleyMyers,byhis siblings, Karen Michelle Morrison (Andy JForest)of NewOrleans,LA, Elisha DerrickGarmanof Thibodaux, LA, Rebecca Mary MorrisonofAuburn, WA,Daniel JamesMorrison of NewportBeach, CA and CherieGarmanLucien of Thibodaux, LA. He is also survived by uncles,aunts, many cousins, nieces and nephews. Entrepreneurialinspirit, he pursuedvarious business endeavors,many with longtime friends, the Naghi brothers. He thenworked many yearsinthe filmindustry. Adventurous at heart, he enjoyedtraveling.

Aboveall Robert's character definedhis life. Softspoken and gentle,boundless empathy, he was hardworking, supportive, kind andcaring.Webid himfarewell, buthewillremain ever-presentinspirit andcloseinour hearts. In lieu of flowers, to remember or honorRobert, donationsare being accepted for his daughter Vivian's collegefundat: Start SavingProgram, AccountofVivianM Morrison,#130014. PO Box 91271, Baton Rouge LA 70821-9271. (800-259-5626 or start@LA.gov)

Ellen Paternostro

Penton, abelovedresident of Kenner,LA, died Friday, July 25, 2025, after several years of Dementia. She was92yearsold, andwas born in NewOrleans,LA, Lukas, Mary Cash

In thetwilight of aworld

of asoul both nobleand kind,DellieAbner Mardis, Jr., known fondly to his friends and family as "Flat." On July 15, 2025 he passed away peacefully in Friendswood Texas,atthe ageof100, with his beloved granddaughter, Anouk Davis,athis side. Flat, aman of learning, service, and spirit was agraduate of FayetteHigh School in 1942 and soonafteransweredthe call to servehis country in the Navy Airforcebombing squadron111 during World War II in bothNorth Africa and Japan. He returnedto his studies with asteadfast heart, and from the hallowedhalls of the University of Mississippi (OleMiss), he earneda BBA in Business Administration. Abrother in thenoble fraternityofPi KappaAlpha,hecarried forththe idealsofscholarship and camaraderie throughout his life.Hemet theloveofhis life,Lois, in Meridian, Mississippi. After afew years, Flat and Lois withtheir daughter, Linda, and his stepdaughter, Joan, moved to New Orleans, wheretheybuilta rich life.Heenjoyed playing golf at hisbeloved MetairieCountry Club, partaking in the revelryof MardiGras, and of course indulging in so many of the best restaurants. They were devotedmembers of St.Luke'sMethodist Church. In the realmof commerce and trade,Flat started out in theroots of accounting though his destiny lay in thevastexpanse of the oilfields. Ultimately, an Independent OilMan, Flat was afounding member of the Louisiana Delta Offshore Drilling Company, which went for publicoffering in 1956. Eventuallythiscompany wouldmergewith CapataOffshore in Houstonin1966. Notcontent to rest on his laurels, Flat went on to become a founding partner in Secan OilCompany where he lent his expertisefrom 19681983. Thereafter, he embracedthe mantle of atruly independent oilman, atitlehebore withdignity and honor. When Hurricane Katrina displacedhis home in New Orleans, Flat and his belovedwife of over 50 years, Lois, moved to Friendswood Texas to be closer to family.Together they found joyintheir new chapter—welcoming the births of greatgrandsons Jett and Lex and treasuring time spent with their granddaughter Anouk and her husband Jason. "Popi" and "Mimi"delighted in visiting withfamily and rememberingsomany good times in NewOrleans until Lois'spassing in 2009. Flat remained asteadfast presence in thelives of his Texas Family,attending outingssuch as thezoo HoustonRodeo,thenprogressing to baseball and basketball games, and even tennismatches creating memories his great grandsons willcherish forever. He never lethis age slow him down in his support and love forhis family.Inthe final act of his storiedlife, Flat became a popular figure at hisindependent living community, living therefor just shy of 20 years bringing joy, laughter, and camaraderie to both residents and staff. He became abeloved "Popi" to many of Anouk's friends and even some of their children with whom he spent holidaystogether and others in thewider Friendswood community. His kindness,humor, and storytelling charmed the corners of most rooms he entered-from local restaurants to community events. Histales of both theoil fields and business lunchesinNew Orleans, rich withhumor and color, left lasting impressions on allwho heard them. Flat is preceded in death by his wife, Lois Mardis;his parents, D. A. andVirginia Mardis;his sisters,Regina Marshall and Marie Shipp; daughter, LindaRognon; and stepdaughter Joan McCabe(Gene). Flat is survivedbyhis son-in-law; Michel Rognon; granddaughter, Anouk Davis and husband, Jason; grandsons, Jett and Lex; step granddaughters, Analisa Herrera (Augusto) and CyndiBrown (Carl); step greatgrandson, Nicolas Hererra; and ahost of niecesand nephews. Memorial Service: Thursday August 7th 6:00pm at Friendswood Friends Church in Friendswood TX. Visitation:10am-12pm Saturday August 9thwith funeral to follow at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.,New Orleans, LA at 12pm. Flat livedwithpurpose, gavewith joy, and lovedbig.Heleavesbehind alegacy of laughter, generosity,and unwavering d i h h h ld

Dorothy

DorothyMildredKuhn Rhinehart,“Dot” to family and friends, died on Thurs‐day,July24, 2025 at her homeinSlidell, Louisiana. She was97years old. Dot was born in Homestead, Florida,onJune 20, 1928, to NellieMildred Wollam and Frederick Washington Kuhn. When shewas only one year old, herfather Frederick died,and begin‐ningatage 5, shewas raisedbyher stepfather Lamar PercyKendrick. As a teenager growingupin Homestead,Florida,“Dot” clerked andcashiered in the familygrocery store “Wollam andKendrickGro‐ceries”.Later in life after her husbandpassedaway, she worked at Powerhouse ElectricalWholesale,inad‐ditiontoworking part time asconsultantindirect sales forPennyrich lin‐gerie.Dot hadmanypas‐sions.Bowling,ceramics, quilting, crocheting,card playing,and restoringan‐tiques. As an avid bowler overthe course of 14 years she served in severalposi‐tions forthe SlidellBowling Association(Director,Vice President andeventually President)all while teach‐ing “Junior Bowling” to scoresofSlidell’syouth in the late 60’sand early70’s. Dot’s creativity andpas‐sion forceramics

Lopez, Ronald G.

Rhinehart,

MildredKuhn

Penton, Mary EllenPaternostro

Mary

See more DEATHS, page 5190 C 70124

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MardisJr., Dellie Abner

much enriched by his presence, we mark thepassage

OPINION

Spaceprogram fundingisgood news forLa., Gulf Coast

Among the many,many provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed last month by President Donald Trump is one that will have adirect, positive impact on Louisiana: an extra $9.9 billion for NASA space programs, including the one that is intended totake astronauts back to the moon.

Key elements of that program take place on the Gulf Coast at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in NewOrleans East and at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

Those facilities support thousands of jobs, ranging from highly technical engineers to skilled tradesmen and laborers. Those industries and jobs have long been economic boons to our region.

The renewed funding avertswhat some had fearedcould be catastrophic cuts after some in the Trump administration, including Elon Musk, mused publicly about ending funding for government programstosupport space flight.

Earlier proposals would have ended the program after Artemis 3, amanned mission tothe moon currently planned forMarch 2027. But the OBBB funds the program through Artemis 4and 5and into the 2030s.

Getting the funding put back into the budget was largely the work of Texas Republican Sen. TedCruz, who argued that cutting it would put the United States at acompetitive disadvantage to China.

We are, of course, grateful thatthe programs, especially Artemis, will be fully funded. Important parts of every Artemis mission, including the main stage rocket, are assembled at Michoud, and the program’srocket engines are tested at Stennis.

The bill’spassage has come at the same time as other good news for Michoud and Stennis. After aNASA contractorfiled notice with the state that it intended to lay off hundreds of workers in Louisiana when itscontract ended at the end of June, the new contractor,Nova Space Solutions, announced last monththat it had rehired almost all of those workers.

What’smore, the company went above a NASA-imposed requirement that it honor an existing deal with unionized workers at the facilities for one year andforged an additional three-year pact. The average hourly wage for United Auto Workers union members at Michoud will now be justunder $40 per hour Novaexecutives noted in astatement that they were both former union members, something that aided the negotiations.

In addition, earlier cuts announced by Boeing were smaller than expected. The company originally said it might have tocut 400 workers across three space facilities, including Michoud, but the company ended up cutting fewer than 200.

We are heartened by these developmentsand whatthey mean, not just for America’sforays into the final frontier,but for us close to home. Beyond employment and salary numbers, our region can be proud of its contribution to mankind’s boldest explorations.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

There are so manyquestions still lingering after the arrests of several central Louisiana police chiefs and others in what prosecutors allege was abrazen and clever schemetodefraud theU.S. immigration system For instance, why did the schemehappen in those places? What was it about Oakdale, ForestHill and Glenmora, three small townsalong a17mile stretch of U.S. 165, that madethem thecenter of this plan? Is this sort of thingmorewidespread? Is it part of abroader,more organized effort?

that likely won’tbeaddressed in a courtroom: Why do Glenmora and Forest Hill even have police chiefs?

entire police department on the books?

Those townsare so small it makes little sense forthem to have their own PD. Oakdale, which has around 6,000 residents, Ican understand.

ButGlenmora? It has around 1,000 residents. As of last week, per theLouisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, its police force consisted of one part-timeofficer.Why does that tiny town even need apolice chief or apolice department?

This whole thing should prompt a hard inward look by plenty of rural residents across the state. Having your own police department is asign of status, apoint of pride forsome small towns. But is that worth it? It’s timetotalk about abolishing someofthese small departments. It just doesn’tmake sense financially or crime prevention-wise. Abita Springs (pop. 2,700) did it years ago and has never looked back.

How did thefeds learn what was going on? What brought it to their attention?

Wasthere something in the federal immigration system that triggered adeeper look? Were thefeds tipped off by somebody within those departmentsortowns that knew what was going on?

Many of these questions will be answered as the court case against themen —all of whom have pleaded not guilty—unfolds in thecoming months.

ButIhave one more question, one

This August and September,Louisianans will remember the2005 hurricanes that devastated our state.

In theOpinions section, we hope the20th anniversary of Katrina and Rita will be an opportunitytoreflect on how far we have come and what is left to be done.

ForestHill has even less of aneed. The village —which is hometoacluster of wholesale nurseries —has about 600 residents. Yetits police force, per theLouisiana Commission on Law Enforcement, has three full-timeofficers and one working part-time. Do they seriously have such acrimeproblem in ForestHill that they need three fulltimecops? Isuspect not.

There is an obvious answer here: They have police departments to enforce speed limits on the highways through town.Those fines are likely an important source of revenue. But is that really ajustification forhaving an

Ionce wasatahigh school basketball gameinRosepine (pop. 1,400) and noticed anumber of local officers standing in the gym.I asked the chief how manyofhis officers wereatthe game.

“All of them,” he said.

“Who’swatching the town?” Iasked.

“The Sheriff’sOffice,” he replied. In other words, he could have every officer at ahigh school basketball gamebecause they weren’tneeded to patrol the streets. And Ibet that same thing was largely true when there wasn’tagame going on, too.

Faimon A. Roberts III canbe reached at froberts@theadvocate. com.

It’snoexaggeration to say that in the immediate aftermath of those storms, the outlook for our state was bleak. Butthanks to thehard work of ahost of dedicated folks —some local, some whocame from miles away —our statebegan to put thepieces together and build anew future.

conversation on the lessons we learned from that time, lessons that we may be losing as the years progress. Certainly,itwas atimewhen manyLouisianans came together and helped one another, sharing resources and knowledge needed to rebuild. It also was atime when the national spotlight shone on our state for good and ill, forcing us to address long-festering issues, or at least no longer deny them

pened and honor the lives lost. On the Opinion pages, you will see reflections we hope will spark thoughtful conversations about what the stormsmeant forLouisiana. Please feel free to add your thoughts to the mixbysending us aletter

We,ofcourse, want to hear from you about what you felt or experienced during that time, and where you think thestate still has worktodo.

We know manylost loved ones and lives were upended by the storms Rather than simply reawakening trauma, we hope our coverage will open a

Andwhile there were manyfailures that the storm exposed —inthe levees, in emergency response, in sheltering —wealso must acknowledge the successes that subsequently flowed into our state with renewedenergy and effort coming from all quarters. As themonths progress, we know there will be manynews outlets that will feature stories about the storms. This newspaper has planned comprehensive coverage as well. It’s importantthat we never forget what hap-

Turning to our letters inbox forJuly 10-17, we received 72 letters. Immigration enforcement continues to be atop concern forreaders. We received eight letters on the topic, and another four letters specifically about the Mandonna Kashanian case. The next topic that interested readers was the content on the Opinion pages, with somecommenting specifically on the letters section. Then, there were two topics that received twoletters each: the plans foranew arena on LSU’s campus and the federal cuts to public broadcasting.

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

Arnessa Garrett

Faimon Roberts

COMMENTARY

‘One Door’willmakeMedicaidworkbetter

Good news: Louisiana is better situated than almost every other state to implement new work requirements for Medicaid and food stamps.

Still, at an individual level, misplaced fears remain that the new work requirements and related paperwork burdens will be particularly devastating for Louisiana’sunusuallylarge percentage of low-income residents.

comes than Medicaid does.

ly as they write the regulations.”

Part of the fear was stoked by an Urban Institute study released in May —before some crucial provisions for Louisiana were included in the bill —predicting that some 139,000 Louisiana adults could lose coverageinthe firstyear alone

Now that the proverbial smoke is clearing, though, the picture is much better

As it turns out, states will have agrace period all the way to the endof2026 to implementthe work requirements for bothMedicaid and for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (still colloquially known as “food stamps”) —and states may be

granted anextensionofanother yearbyfederal officials if they meet certain conditions.A year andahalf (at least)isplenty of time to create efficient service-delivery systems. Here, though, is where Louisiana has aparticular advantage. In June, Gov Jeff Landrysignedthe “OneDoor” bill, an initiative of the Pelican Institute think tank that was passed unanimously by bothchambers of the Louisiana Legislature in responsetoLandry’srequest.

The BayouStatethusbecomes the nation’ssecond(after Utah) to provide asingle point of entry for individuals seeking all themajor types of public assistance. Instead of fillingout multiple forms at multiple offices,needy Louisianans will gotoone place whereone assignedcaseworker will help them navigate the various systems to figure out which formsofhelp they qualify for and how to secure that assistance. So, whether itisSNAP,Medicaid,Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (what once was known as traditional “welfare”),

housing assistance or job training, the paperwork and bureaucratic rigmarole will be reduced to aminimum. Meanwhile, thewhole point of the “job requirements” is to be helpful, not harmful. The mandateisfor just 80 hours per month of either paid work, training or charitable volunteering —40monthly hours less than the work requirements in the tremendously successful 1996 welfare reform that Democratic President Bill Clinton and Republican membersofcongress all spent years, quiterightly,boasting about.

Andthe new requirementsfor Medicaid apply only to people who are above thepoverty line and able-bodied and under 65 years old and who are neither pregnant nor caregivers for the elderly or for children under age 15. In other words, those to whom therequirements apply should not just be able tobut actually want to work —and, for that matter,togain skills and experiences that will earn them jobs where private insurance markets provide much better medical out-

Because of One Door, that process leading to renewed self-sufficiency,spurred on by the Medicaid and SNAP reforms, should —atleast in Louisiana —beless daunting than ever before.

“The governor’smantra from thetransition [into office] forward has been helping Louisianans move from dependence to independence, and [One Door] is one of themost classic examples,” said Bruce Greenstein, Secretary of theLouisiana DepartmentofHealth. “Wehave a lot of job openings. We have alot of people that are not participating in jobs… and [now] those individuals get the opportunity for what is really ‘concierge service’ to apply to get jobs… and be gainfully employed.”

Greenstein said Louisiana officials alreadyhave established acollaborative relationship with federal officials to give feedback on how to makethe Medicaid and SNAPrequirements fit in with the OneDoor model.

Indeed, he said Thursday,“Ijust met withfederal officials yesterday,and we’re going to work close-

Moreover,Greenstein said, of the approximately 540,000 Louisianans to whom the work requirements would apply,nearly half,about 265,000, “already meet the work requirements” without needing to do anything more. Surely,hesaid, the One Door program should makeitfar easier forthe other half to meet the requirements, too.

“So our goal,” he said, “is that not one person loses Medicaid eligibility” if the person “is going to participate in this new relationship.”

With all that in mind, the doomsayers are probably wrong. From where Isit, the health-and-welfare reforms in the new federal law,combined with One Door, look likely to reduce Louisiana poverty in the next decade, while actually leading to better health availability and outcomes statewide.

Time, and Louisiana’sgovernmentand people, will soon start testing that diagnosis.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com.

To save himself, Cassidyjoins Team Trump

Oneiswhether it will work.

Bill Cassidy won’tsay what hetalksto President Donald Trump about.

“I actually don’ttalk aboutprivate conversations thatIhavewiththe president,” the Republican senatorsaid on arecent call withlocal journalists, “because if you start talking about private conversations,you don’thave more private conversations.” But oh, does he ever want Louisiana voters to know theytalk. And you know who doesn’ttalk to Trump? All the people runningagainst him in next year’sRepublican primary,the ones who claimtobemore MAGA than a senator who, not all that longago, votedto convict Trump for his horrid incitement of the attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. This, clearly,isCassidy’s version of the lay of the land half ayear into Trump’s second term.

up backhomeduring theSenate’ssummer break. Andheclaimed credit for being the keyvotetoconfirm no fewer than three Trump nominees —most notably Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is nowbusydismantlingfederal health care practices that Cassidy,asa physician, knows full well are vital to American citizens’well-being.

Just last week, he voted to confirm yetanother questionable nominee, Emil Bove, to alifetime appointment to an appeals court in Pennsylvania, despite whistleblower assertions that he’d recommended that Trumpignore judicial orders on immigration.

Bottom line: If there’sa loyalty test(and with this president, there always is),Cassidy is acing it. He’s Team Trump, all the time, all in.

“Other people like to talk.Iactually do the walk,” he said.

Cassidy will face voters next spring under anew system of party primaries, devised by theLegislature at least in part due to anger in Republican ranks toward him

So instead of having to win majority support from all voters, he needs to finish first in aprimary among only registered Republicans (thesame folks mostlikely to hold theimpeachmentvote against him) and voters registered in neither major party.

Alarge and possibly still growing field of challengers —sofar state Treasurer John Fleming, stateSen. BlakeMiguez and Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta —might be normally good newsfor an incumbent under these circumstances, except that lawmakers wrote aprimary runoff intothe plan.

likely somegoodwill from voters whoappreciate what he’sbeen doing lately and also somegrudging understanding from those wholiked his former independent streak and are furious at him forhis recent votes, but still think he’d be better than any of the alternatives.

Still, his hopes rely upon awhole lot of forgiving and forgetting from Trump’s base. Second question: What will Trumphimself do?

How is the current “I’m with him”campaign playing with aman whoisfamously vindictive but just as famously susceptible to flattery?

Cassidy reminded reporters that he’s been invited to the White House seven times, and that the presidentsigneda bill he authored to crack down on fentanyl trafficking while he stood rightbehind Cassidy said he enthusiastically backed the One Big Beautiful Bill and is talking it

So rather than being aguardrail, this is thepath he’schosen.

Or to putitanother way,this is theprice he’s willing to pay to convince the primary voters who’ll decide his future that he’s their guy,because he’swith their guy

Whichraises afew obvious questions:

So, unless Cassidy finishes with 50% plus one in the first round of voting, he’ll face a head-to-head contest withone of the candidates claiming tobemoreMAGAthan he is, despiteeverything that’s happened since inauguration day Cassidy does enter with some advantages. He’sgot statewide name recognition; nearly $9 million at last count to spend on therace, raised largely outside Louisiana;

And did Cassidy get something from Trumpinexchange forshepherding the Kennedy nomination during those private conversations? Maybe acommitment to back him,ortoatleast stay out of it? Or has he just unilaterally disarmed and decided to do whatever it takes to win six moreyears?

All of which prompts the mostburning question of them all: Why would anyone wantsix moreyears of this?

Email StephanieGrace at sgrace@ theadvocate.com.

Grapplingwithidentityafter fraternity’s expulsion

Just the other day Iwas talking with my Omega Psi Phi Fraternity brother,John Jones.Hewas happytohear from me, but sad nonetheless.

Like me, Jones has beena member of our beloved frat for decades. Like me, he’sstill active and engaged. Like me, we don’t drink the Omega oil,step, party and socialize as we oncedid as younger frat brothers. When you’re an Omega, people expect the brothers in purple and gold to bring the funk. But at 85, those days are far in hisrearview mirror.Yet,like most Omega men,Omega friendship is essential to his soul. Jones was asocial studies major when he was initiated intothe Beta Sigma Chapter of Omega at Southern University and A&M College in 1961. He had amilitary career and settled in New Orleans some time ago,until Hurricane Katrina.He’sbeen in Baton Rouge since. Until recently,Jones would proudly tell anyone that he wasmade at Beta Sig. Now he’snot sure what to say. Southern has expelled Beta Sigma, our fraternity chapter on

forcement.

thecampus since its founding in 1936. Next year would’ve been thechapter’s90th anniversary. Wouldhave been. Nowthereis no Omega chapteratSouthern. The university announcedthe expulsion on July 18, several months after mechanical engineering student Caleb Wilson, 20, collapsed in a Baton Rouge warehouse. He had been repeatedly punchedinthe chestand died. This was done off-campus. It was not an authorized activity

After an official investigation, thechapterhas received “permanent termination,” it is “ineligiblefor reinstatement” and it “forfeits all rights and privileges associated with recognition at Southern University,” accordingtodocuments provided after apublic recordsrequest. That included removing all fraternity banners, bulletin boardpostings and signage, including “the fraternity plot,” apatch of grass with the Omega shield on it, by July 15, 2025. According to the university,failure to do so could result in financial penalties and could include involving law en-

That’sserious Jones doesn’tvisit thecampus as much as he used to these days When he and other Beta Sig Omegas do, thefratplot is amagnet for Ques, anickname for Omega brothers, especially during homecoming weekends.

Now there is no official plot.

Just afew days ago, ablue tarp covered what had been theBeta Sigmaplot Beta Sigma—and somegraduate men who were Omegas when Wilson died —messedup. The frat expelled some from membership. Southerntook its own expulsion step.

Higher education institutions thrive when studentspursue their academic paths with the addition of authorized student activities.That authority is granted to student groups that agreeto conduct themselves according to astudent code of conduct.Beta Sigmadid not.Thereare 89 officially registered student organizations representing morethan 800 studentsoncampus.

The Bio Jags, Peach State Jags and the West Connection groups have to abide by therules. The Beta Beta Beta honor society,the

African Student Association, the Indian Student Association and theBaptist Collegiate Ministry agree to abide by the rules. So do Greek groups. Without Beta Sigma, there are 12 authorized Greek organizations, including theAlpha TauChapter of Delta SigmaTheta Sorority Inc., the Beta Alpha Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and the Alpha Eta Chapter of Iota Phi Theta FraternityInc.

Oftentimes, officially sanctioned student activities come with funding. Like any investment, thefunder wants to know that thereceiving entity understands that it is agood faith transaction. Violate the rules and various degrees of penalties or sanctionsare often attached. For auniversity student group, that might include individual or group fines, probations or suspensions.The ultimate is expulsion. Southern’s monthslong investigation determined that the chapter was “responsible” (there is no guilty or not guilty) for hazing, violent behavior,physical assault, negligent bodily injury coercion andaiding and abetting. Anyone of those things is bad.

All of them equal afirst-class motherlode of unacceptable behavior

Consider it awell-earned erasure. Like Jones, I’m disappointed and Ifeel for my Beta Sigma brothers whonolonger have a chapter home. But Southern did the right thing. No one can erase the Beta Sig memories Jones has. Certainly no one can erase his Beta Sig love. Jones is now amember of the Rho Phi graduate chapter in New Orleans. Still, when asked where he was“made,” Jones has proudly responded “Beta Sigma.” Now,he’screstfallen. And he’s struggling and uncertain what he’ll say as he’sasked the same question. “I just don’tknow what I’mgoing to say now,” Jones told me. “If Ido, I’ll have to explain. Over and over again.” That’sasad reality forJones and other Beta Sigma-made Omegas —and Omegas everywhere. Afew “brothers” messed things up —for Jones and so manyothers.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

Quin Hillyer

Stephanie Grace

Will Sutton

NewOrleans Forecast

promptedher to build, fromthe ground up,a small ceramics shop “Dot’sCeramic Shop”, which sheran andoper‐atedinHouston,until her husband’s transfer to Slidell required hertoclose shop. With herhusband Nat,she scouredantique shops,and attended estate auctions, purchasing and restoring numerous gor‐geous pieces of antique furniture –a hobbythatled toteachingherself (before the ageofGoogleand YouTube videos)how to in‐tricately ‘rush’ and‘cane chairs. Dorothywas the beloved wife of thelate Nat Carl Rhinehart; mother ofDorothy R. Dammon (Kirt), BrianJ.Rhinehart (Margo),and thelateCarl F.Rhinehart,and NatL Rhinehart.Dorothy is the grandmother of Christo‐pherJ.Dammon(Jacque‐line),Michael L. Dammon, Jason J. Dammon(Cheri) Natalie D. Guerrero (David), Leigh R. Helvie (Derek), Michael G. Rhinehart (Tina), Rebecca R. Saucier (Alfred,IV) andthe late Matthew J. Rhinehart. She isalsosurvivedbysixteen great-grandchildren and five great-greatgrandchil‐dren. Relativesand friends ofthe familyare invitedto attend thefuneral.Funeral Serviceswillbeheldat Honaker FuneralHome, 1751 Hwy. 190 West,(in For‐est Lawn Cemetery), Slidell, 70560, on Monday, August4,2025. Visitation willbegin at 12:00 noon, followedbythe Funeral Service at 2:00 pm.Burial willbeinForestlawn Cemetery. Please visit www.honakerforestlawn. comtosignguestbook ArrangementsbyHonaker Funeral Home,Inc Slidell, LA.

temperatures near average, whichislower 90s with aheat index up to 105.

DEATHS continued from herfamily. Dorothywas married for70years to Do‐minickSaladino, Sr.She is the loving mother of L.J. Saladino, Dominick Sal‐adino,Jr.,and Dale Sal‐adino.Beloved sister of Odile Roper. Dorothywas precededindeath by her parents Lemmyand Lillian LeBlanc as well as hersis‐ter RitaMae Boe. Afuneral service will be held at 1:00 PMonWednesday,August 6,2025 in thechapelof Westside/Leitz-EaganFu‐neral Home,5101 Westbank Expresswayin Marrero, Louisiana.A visitation will begin at 9:30AM andcon‐tinue until theservice time IntermentwillbeatWest‐lawnCemeteryinGretna, LA. Fond memories andex‐pressions of sympathy may be left forthe Sal‐adino Family at www.wes tsideleitzeagan.com

Sauter,Carolyn Kuepferle

Carolyn Kuepferle

Sauter passed away on July 30, 2025 at 91 years of age. Shewas born in New Orleans,LAonApril26, 1934.She was aparishioner of MaryQueen of Peace in Mandeville,LA and loved to spendtime with her family, children, grandchildren, andgreatgrandchildren. Shealso enjoyed planting flowers, herbs and figtrees. When notinthe garden or visiting with family, she liked to sew and collectpostage stamps. Shevolunteered at her children's grammar school and taughtCatholic catechism. Carolyn is precededindeath by herhusband of 43 years, Edward Richard Sauter, Sr; parents,ElveraBertha Laumann and Emile Paul Kuepferle,Sr.;sister, ElveraKuepferle Youngblood (Louis); and grandchild,Jordan Bertucci. She is survived by her daughter,Carolyn Sauter Bertucci (Mark);

sons, Edward Sauter, Jr (Julia), Michael Sauter (Karen), and Gerald Sauter (Charlene); sister, Janet Kuepferle Bordes (Louis, deceased); brother,Emile Kuepferle, Jr. (Paulette); grandchildren, Heather Sauter Schubert(Ross), Ryan Bertucci(Olivia), AndrewSauter (Sarah), BrandonSauter (Giselle), Adam Sauter(Bushra), Matthew Bertucci, Nicholas Bertucci, and Helaine Sauter; and greatgrandchildren, Max Schubert, Iris Bertucci, AudreySauter, and Codi Smith. The serviceswillbe on Wednesday, August 6, 2025 at Mary Queen of Peace CatholicChurch, 1501 WCauseway Approach, Mandeville, LA 70471. The visitationwill beginat10:30 a.m. until the mass at 12:00 p.m. The interment willfollow at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum, 5454 Pontchartrain Blvd. NewOrleans, LA 70124. Anyone wishing to donate in lieu of sending flowers can donatetoSt. Jude Children's Hospital

Scharff, Florence Weil 'Flo'

Florence ("Flo") Weil Scharffpassed away peacefully in her sleep on August 1, 2025 at theage of 94. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Dan S. Scharff, Jr., and her parentsHenry Abe Weiland MadeleineMarks Weil. She is survivedbyher children,Karen Alvarez(Mike) and Lee Scharff (Susan); grandchildren, Lane Cohen (Barry),Emily Alvarez, Erik Scharff, and David Scharff; and great-grandchildren, Adelyn Cohen and Brady Cohen. Florence graduated fromSophie Newcomb College witha B.S. in Mathematics. She worked with her husband at their family business, the Danielle Shoppe, awomen'sclothing storeonSt. Charles Avenue,which they ownedand operated for34years. She wasalso activewithJewish Children's Regional Service

and National Council of Jewish Women. After retirement, Flo lovedtotravel theworld and spend time with her family and friends. Special thanksto theadministrationand staff at Lambeth House Assisted Living for theloving care they providedher. Pursuant to Flo's wishes therewillbenomemorial service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be madetoJewish Children's Regional Service (3500 N. Causeway Blvd., #1120, Metairie, LA 70002) or the charity of your choice. Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. To view and sign thefamily guestbook visit www.lakelawnm etairie.com.

Ernest LouisUlrich Sr 80 of Tulalip,Washington, passed away peacefully at home on Sunday, July13, 2025. The family willhonor his life privately. Born on July30, 1944, in NewOrleans, Louisiana, Ernest was theson of the lateCharlesand Norma Ulrich. He proudly served in theNational Guard, demonstrating his dedication to our country. Ernest built afulfilling career as amechanic and was known forhis problem -solving skills. His dream of owning atransmission shop became areality, reflecting his passion for cars. Throughout hislife Ernest enjoyed simple pleasuressuch as riding his motorcycle, camping, fishing, and hanging out with friendsand family.He lovedhis pugs and was an avid Elvisfan, oftenlistening to his favoritemusic. He leaves behind aloving family who willcherish his memory: sons, Ernest Jr. Ulrich (Angela) of Biloxi, MS, Norman Ulrich (Tynne)

of Raceland, LA, Ernest Ulrich (Jennifer)ofTulalip, WA,and John UlrichofNew Orleans, LA; daughters, Darlene Ulrich (Rod) of Jacksonville, FL, Tammy Hotard (David) of Angie, LA, andCharlene Ulrichof NewOrleans,LA. Ernest was aproud grandfather to 16 grandchildrenand great grandfather to 25 great-grandchildren Thefamilywould like to thank thestaff of Bristol Hospice andBountiful Gracefor their compassionate care andsupport duringthisdifficult time Ernest willbedeeply missed, but hisspirit and memories will forever remain in thehearts of those wholoved him.

Rita Rose Delery Val‐teau, adevoted wife,lov‐ing mother,proud grand‐mother, andgentlecare‐taker of herbeloved furba‐bies- hercats, passed awaypeacefullyonSatur‐day,July26th, 2025 at the age of 91, surrounded by the love of thefamilyshe soselflesslynurtured throughouther life.Born September 30, 1933, Rita was alifelongresidentof New Orleans, andmoved toCovington,LA; Daughter ofthe late Sidney J. Delery Sr. andDelorah A. Hanna; She wasprecededindeath byher husband CharlesJ Valteau,Jr; sistersGloria DeleryPerez Angelety,Ra‐monaDeleryNicholas Charbonnet, Jacqueline DeleryDeruise;brother SidneyJ.Delery, Jr.; daugh‐ter Glenda ValteauMyles Broomfield; son-in-law Michael Dummett; and grandsons BrandonMock and CharlesBroomfieldJr. Those left to cherishher memoryinclude:Her 6 children: ShelaValteau Mock, Suzette Valteau Dummett, CharlesValteau, III, ChalitaValteau Laurent (Joseph), Jennifer Valteau (Allyson),and JacintaVal‐teauBazanac (Lionel);Her sister-in-law Helena Val‐teauHyman;Grandmother BigMama” of Nabii, Tiffany, Candice, Cicley,

Jessica, Jodie, Lionel,and Joseph; anda host of great-grandchildren,greatgreatgrandchildren, nieces,nephews,other rela‐tives andfriends.Her spirit lives on in thecountless lives shetouched with her kindness, herhumor,and her generous heart. Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend her FuneralService at D.W. RhodesFuneral Home,3933 WashingtonAve,New Or‐leans,LAonThursdayAu‐gust7th,2025 at 12:00pm Visitationwillbegin at 11:00am.Interment to fol‐low at St.Mary’sCemetery #2, 1900 HillarySt.,New Or‐leans,LA. Please join us by livestreamat11:50am by visitingwww.facebook com/D.W.RhodesFuneralHo me/live.Pleasevisit http:// dvnm.io/m1688715p to sign the online guestbook, share memories andcon‐dolenceswiththe family. Arrangementsentrusted to D.W.RhodesFuneral Home 3933 Washington Ave.,New Orleans,LA(504) 822-7162 In lieu of flowers, thefam‐ily wishes youtoconsider donatingtohttps:// zeusrescues.org/donate/

Barbara Cook Wheeler, adevoted mother,grandmother, friend, and servant, died on July 29, 2025, at the age of 81, surrounded by family. Born on October 2, 1943, in NewOrleans,Louisiana, Barbara wasa woman of strength,intelligence, and religiousdevotion. In 1964, she marriedHarold Joseph Wheeler. They raisedtwo sons, MaxwellWheeler andSamuel Wheeler, and shared manyhappyyears togetheruntil Harry's death Barbara earneda bachelor's degree in Psychology from Loyola University of NewOrleans Shewas an alumnaof

Valteau, Rita Rose Delery

Ulrich Sr., Ernest Louis

Wheeler, Barbara Cook

Saladino,Dorothy

LSU’s defensive fronthas good day

WR Anderson sits out practice forthird straightday

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

As LSU went through individualdrills Saturday morning, linebacker Harold Perkins worked with the edge rushers. It wasa sign of thingstocome on the fourthday of preseason camp. Perkins, playing from his new Star position, got in the backfield acouple times as part of the pass rush during LSU’sfullteam periods. It was agood day for thedefensive front, which made it difficult forthe offense to consistently run the ball or complete throws.

LSU has not worn full pads yet —thatwill come next week —but the physicality is ramping up. The Tigers have aday offSunday before they return to the field. Acoupleother players stood out along the defensive front, especially South Florida transfer Bernard Gooden. He got in the backfield acouple times on run plays,and he flashed in aone-on-one rep against redshirt sophomoreguardDJChester.Goodenisnot big for adefensive tackle at 6-foot-1 and268 pounds, but he has aquick get-off.

Sophomore defensive end Gabriel Reliford also made plays, includingatleastone sack in 11-on-11. Though LSU signed three experienced transfer defensiveends, Reliford continues to get alot of work withthe starters. He and Perkins forced quarterback GarrettNussmeier toescapepressure and throwthe ball away at onepoint. Perkins added anice pass breakup in oneon-onesagainsttight end BauerSharp. He ranwith Sharp throughout adrag route before knocking the ball down. Later,Perkins

ä See LSU, page 4C

LSU LB Harold Perkins STAFF FILE PHOTO

By MICHAEL JOHNSON

PA G PECULIAR

Retzlaff-Tulaneunion lookspromising if notunusual

Shotgun weddings rarely work.But the pairingofJake Retzlaff and Tulane has the potential to be the rare onethat’ssuccessful

If ever ateam and aquarterback needed each other,this was it

Retzlaffneeded ateam after hisold school, Brigham Young, suspended him for violating theschool’shonor code. Retzlaff didn’twant to sit out seven games in his senior season, so he decided to transfer in late June.

Tulane, meanwhile, needed a quarterback. The Green Wave’s 2024 breakout star,Darian Mensah, transferred to Duke, and the leading candidate to replace him, T.J. Finley,left in June after being arrested and suspended.

Retzlaff and Tulane desperately needed each other.And despitethe unusual timingand circumstances, thefit, at least initially,looks ideal for both parties.

“Jake’sfitinreally well,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said. “Our quarterback room exploded after last year.And so when you’re rebuilding it, there is acomponent to what fitsmore. It’snot just, does theguy

have abig arm. And as we went through that process with Jake, I felt good about adding him to that (quarterback) room ” For his part,Retzlaff said the transition to Tulane has been “great,” despitehis lack of familiaritywith theSouthand New Orleans. ACalifornia native, he said he’s wearing awristband for the first

Saints diehardquenchesfans’ thirst at camp

Danielshas been astapleat Saints events foryears

Anthony Daniels signed 33 autographsat New Orleans Saints trainingcamp oneday lastweek, apretty high numberconsidering he has neverput on aSaintsuniform.

timeinhis playing career to combat the infamous Louisiana heat and humidity

“I stepped into adifferent world, adifferent galaxy,” he said. “This is polar opposite of Provo (Utah). …The team is awesome. The guys on the team have been nothing but great to me, especially the quarterbacks. I’mexcited.”

Tulane fans should be, too.

Retzlaffisn’tyour ordinary transfer.The 6-foot-1 redshirt senior started and won11games at Brigham Young last season. The Cougars were ranked as high as

ä See DUNCAN, page 4C

Rod Walker

Chances are, you don’t even know whoAnthony Daniels is.

Heck, you may not even know Moose Harris, the stage name Daniels usesin his music career But if you’ve attended training campinMetairie, you surely have seen (and heard) the guy whoalso calls himself Mr.Hydrate or Intoxicate.

He’sthe one hauling ablue cooler filled with ice, water, sodas,Gatoradeand beer to help quenchthe thirstofWho Dats trying to withstand the scorching southeast Louisiana heat. He isn’tjust selling it, though. He’smaking sure the fans get their money’sworth,

yellingout one-linersthat he calls Mooseisms, aplay on his stage name. “TO HYDRATE OR TO INTOXICATE? THATISTHE QUESTION. AND IHAVE THE ANSWERS!!” It typically leads to laughter.And asale. Daniels, aNew Iberia native, takes this job seriously He leaves his homeinLafayette at 4:30 a.m. and makes thetwo-hour drive on I-10 to Metairie to be thebest beer hawker he can be.

“It’spart of my life,” Daniels says. “I’ve been anentertainer andinvolved in the arts and humanities basically my entire life. The appeal for this job for me is it ties into everything else Ido. Whether it’s me being amusician or DJing or being involved in the music and the arts, it’s all a stage for me and I’m anatural for it.”

He appreciates the job and the fans appreciate him.

While 33 autographs is his high so far this camp, he’ssigned close to 100 in day in years past. He keeps count of how many

ä See WALKER, page 3C

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

AnthonyDaniels sells drinks during the Saints’ training camp on WednesdayinMetairie. Daniels has been sellingdrinks at Saints games and practices since1999.

Jeff Duncan

Tulane quarterback JakeRetzlaff looks to makea pass during adrill on Fridayatyulman Stadium. STAFF PHOTO By JOHN MCCUSKER

RACING

7:55 a.m. Formula 1: HungarianGPESPN

2:30 p.m. NASCAR Cup: Iowa Corn350 USA MEN’S BASKETBALL

3p.m. Eberlein Drivevs.Aftershocks FOX GOLF

6a.m. LPGA Tour:AIG Women’sOpen USA

11 a.m. LPGA Tour:AIG Women’sOpen NBC

PGA Tour:Wyndham GOLF 2p.m. PGA Tour:Wyndham CBS 6p.m. KornFerry Tour GOLF

BROADCASTHIGHLIGHTS

HORSE RACING

noon NyRA: SaratogaLiveFS1

LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL

1p.m. LLWS Regional:TBD ESPN

3p.m. LLWSRegional:TBD ESPN

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

12:30 p.m.San Francisco at N.y. Mets MLBN

3:30 p.m. TexasatSeattle MLBN

6p.m. Detroit at PhiladelphiaESPN MEN’S SOCCER

10:25 a.m.St. Mirren at Celtic CBSSN

1p.m. Bournemouth vs.West Ham NBC

3p.m. york United FC at Atletico Ottawa FS2

6:30 p.m. Guadalajara at Charlotte FC FS1

9:30 p.m.Santos Laguna at Seattle FS1 WOMEN’S SOCCER

11:30 a.m.Portland at Washington ABC SOFTBALL

noon Team Corrick vs.TeamKilfoyl ESPNU TENNIS

11:30 a.m.Canada-ATP TENNIS TRACK AND FIELD

3p.m.The 2025 Toyota Outdoor NBC WNBA 2p.m.Indiana at Seattle ABC

HOFbrothersshare gold jacket

Sterling Sharpe inducted into HOF alongwiththree others

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro football writer

Sterling Sharpe stoodatthe podium afew feetfrom his bronze bust, took off his new gold jacket and gave it to his fellow Pro Football Hall of Fame brother Shannon Sharpe hadgiven Sterling his first Super Bowl ring and now big brother wasreturning the favor on stage after the crowning moment of hisfootball career

“This is why Iplayed football,” Sterling said, referringtohis younger brother,who wrapped his arm around him and had tears streaming down his face.

“This is why Igot out of bed; it wasn’t work. It wasbecauseof this right here.BeforeI leave you, Iwant to do two things.The most precious gift I’ve ever received is the Super Bowl ring.

Iwear this ring because of love. Yougave me this not knowing you were going to getanother one. And Iprayed to God: ‘Please, God, let him get another.’ God blessed him with two.

“The second thing is, the last time Iwas here, you said that you were the only pro football player in the Hall of Fame that could say that you were the second-best player in your own family.Iagree with that statement, but it would be an extreme privilege. for you to be the only playerinthe ProFootball Hall of Fame with two gold jackets. Yousee, you havetolearn tofollow before you can lead.”

Eric Allen, Jared Allenand Antonio Gates joined Sterling Sharpe as theClassof2025was inducted into football immortality during aceremonyatTom BensonHall of Fame Stadium, where theLos Angeles Chargers beat the Detroit Lions 34-7 on Thursday night to kick off the NFL preseason

‘Anhonor

Prep writer Fambroughretiring

How do you sum up alife anda career?

Sterling Sharpe averaged85 catches and1,162 yards, finishing with 65 touchdowns in seven seasons with the Green Bay Packers. Thewidereceiver wasnamed to five ProBowlsand earned firstteam All-Pro honors threetimes Aneck injury cut his career short and he waitedalong time to get thecall from theHall.

Shannon Sharpe, whoplayed tight endfor the Denver Broncos and BaltimoreRavens, was inducted in 2011.They arethe first brothers in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Jared Allen was the first player among the new class to take thestage after Hall of Fame running back Thurman Thomas ledthe crowd in singing “Happy Birthday” to former Bills coach MarvLevy,who turns 100 on Sunday Wearing his trademark cowboy hat, Allen talked abouthis motiva-

tion for success. “Why is what makes you different;it’syour long game,”hesaid. “It’sthe motivation that drives you to do allnecessary action stepsto achieve your goal.Mywhy can be summed up in three things: fear,respect and the pursuit of greatness. Iapply my why to everythingin my life,tomywalk with Christ, my marriage and being afather.” JaredAllen made fivePro Bowls, was afour-time All-Proand had 136 sacksin12seasons with the Chiefs, Vikings, Bearsand Panthers. Hisfinal game was Super Bowl 50, alossbyCarolina against Peyton Manning and the Broncos Eric Allen, asix-time Pro Bowl cornerback whoplayed for the Eagles,Saints andRaiders, was presented by one of his four sons. Allen, who had 54 career interceptions, including eight returned for touchdowns, gave the obligatory “Fly! Eagles!Fly!” to supportthe

Super Bowl champions whodrafted him in 1988.

“I grew up in Philadelphia. Ibecame aman there. Ihave aspecial gratitude forthe organization,” Allen said. Allen also thankedcurrentRaiders owner MarkDavis, who wasin attendance.

“Al Davis had astatement: ’Commitmenttoexcellence,” Allen said. “It’sall over ourbuilding in Las Vegas. We are trying to make sure we fulfillthat destiny,wefulfill what Al Davis wasabout.” Gates closed out theday witha 23-minute speech that began with him saying he wouldn’tcry but included several emotional moments. Gates, who waspresented by Chargers owner Dean Spanos, never playedasingle downofcollege football yet ended up becoming the 23rd of 382 Hall of Famers whowereundraftedbyNFL teams.

He thanked former Chargers tight ends coach TimBrewster for discovering him after he led Kent State’sbasketball team to the Elite Eight.

“Tim Brewster saw something special in me. He was pretty sure that Icould make theteam. He was adamant that I’d be All-Pro in threeyears,”Gates said. “You see, the thing is when switching sports or careers forthatmatter, it can be life-changing. Theunexpected are often the most powerful ones because it can completely redirect your life if you’re ready to takeadvantage and you’re ready forthe opportunity.Thank you to Coach TimBrewster and Coach Marty Schottenheimer.Theygavemean opportunity to play tight endinthe NFL. Because of you, Coach Tim Brewster,NFL teams and NFL scouts will never look at college basketball players the same again.”

Gatesplayedall 16 of hisNFL seasons with the Chargers, finishing with 955 catches for 11,841 yards and 116 TDs. He made the ProBowl eight times and was AllProthree times, thefirstinjusthis second season

to coverhighschoolsports’

IN BRIEF FROM STAFFAND WIRE REPORTS

LSU football lands four-starDLGeralds LSUcontinuedtostack its 2026 defensive line class Saturday with acommitment from four-star Deuce Geralds. Geralds madethe announcement during aceremony at Collins Hill High in Suwanee, Georgia. Geralds, who’slistedat6-foot2and 275 pounds, became the fourth interiordefensive lineman to choose LSU in this recruiting class. He is theNo. 95 overallprospect and the 12th-best defensive lineman in thecountry,according to the247Sports compositerankings.

Before making his announcement, Geralds’ dadtolda story about how he said he wanted to be in the Hall of Fame whenhewas 4years old. Geralds’ dad, Daverin Geralds, played center at Ole Miss from 2006-10.

Americans set relay world record; Ledeckywins again

SINGAPORE— The United States set the world record in the 4x100 mixed relay on Saturday,clocking 3minutes, 18.48 seconds in the swimming world championships.

The relayteammembers were: Alexy,Patrick Sammon, Kate Douglass and Torri Huske.

It was only thesecondworld mark set in these championships. It came on anight when theUnited States won three gold medals, by far its best performance in what hadbeen alackluster championshipsfor theteam. Katie Ledecky won the 800 freestyle and Gretchen Walsh took the 50-meter butterfly

The Americansnow have eight gold medals, one ahead of Australia with the championships closing on Sunday.The Americans have 26 overall and Australia has 17.

Connecticut Sun sold, will relocate to Boston in ’27 UNCASVILLE,Conn. Agroup led by Celtics minorityowner Steve Pagliucahas reachedadeal to buy the ConnecticutSun fora record $325 million and movethe team to Boston, according to aperson familiar with the sale.

The franchise wouldn’tplay in Boston untilthe 2027 season.Pagliuca also would contribute $100 million for anew practice facilityin Boston for the team, the personsaid

The person spoke to The AssociatedPress on condition of anonymityonSaturday because the deal hasn’tbeen publicly announced The sale is pending approval of the league andits BoardofGovernors.

“Relocation decisions are made by the WNBA Board of Governors and not by individual teams,” the league said in astatement.

Rangersput OF Carter on IL with backspasms

job-related moves after that.

In late 1989, we landed in Baton Rouge with atoddler in tow Stabilitywas needed, and Ifound it at The Advocate covering high school sports. The rest, as they say,ishistory Lookingforward

SEATTLE TexasRangers outfielder Evan Carter wasplaced on the 10-day injured list Saturday because of back spasms and outfielderAlejandro Osuna wasrecalled from Triple-A Round Rock to replace him on theactive roster

Robin Fambrough

I’ve had weeks to ponder this topic. Memories and thoughts circulated through my mindasI preparedfor my time as thefulltime high school sportswriter for The Advocate to end. I’ll start with the thought foremost on my mind. I’ll also share things you may not know,and some hopesfor the future as well.

First and foremost, it has been an honor to cover high school sports throughout the Baton Rouge area for34years. Recently,I’ve been asked why Inever sought another role. Why —because Ihad afront row seat to watch generations of athletes and coaches. Ilove college andprofessional sports as much as anybody,but this is the body of work Iwas called to do. I’ve told stories of triumphs and tragedy.Seeing accomplishments and hardships take place on afield or in an arena is one thing. Viewing it through the eyes of those living it brings clarity,knowledge andtruth on adifferent level. Finding my voicetoshare those stories began during my time in Thibodaux. Iwrote about thelate Kenny Guillot, who at thetime wasacollege assistant coach navigating life and raising two young daughtersafter his first wife, Betty,died of cancer

While writing that story Iforged

STAFF FILEPHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK

RobinFambrough covers ahigh school football game between St. Augustine and ZacharyonOct. 2, 2020, in Zachary.

abond with Guillotthat continued through his years at Parkview Baptist and until his death. Sharing his story was privilege.

Whereitbegan

Iwas born two months premature atatimewhen preemies did not always survive. The granddaughterof acoal miner in western Kentucky and daughter of ameat salesmaninLouisville, Kentucky.Married to Kevin Fambrough for 44 years. Proud mother of Megan, and “grammy” to the boy we lovingly call “V.”

My dadstarteda business selling beef/poultry to restaurants, schools,etc.when Iwas about 10 yearsold.Sports —basketball in particular —were abig thingin the family.

My momwas acheerleader whowould proudly tell you herhighschool in Central City Kentucky, led the nation in boys

basketball wins for many years. The gold basketball charm she wore now sits in aglass dish on my dresser Growing up there wasalways agame on TV or on the radio. If there wasaballofany type Iplayed with it. There were no organized sportsfor girlsatthe time. But Isaw the Louisville Colonels/Redbirds (AAA baseball) and Kentucky Colonels (ABA basketball) play in person. When Title IX ushered in women’ssportsin1972, Ispent part of aseason on my school’s first basketball team.Moreimportantly,Icovered the team’sfirst win twoyearslater for the school newspaper After Igraduated from Western Kentucky University,I came to Louisiana as asports information graduate assistant at Nicholls State. Kevin and Igot married and therewere multiple

The response to newsofmy retirementhas been humbling. I’ve received enough “flowers” over the past month to populate a virtual nursery.I thank you. Without thesupport from a great family, co-workers and bosses, babysitters, coaches, athletes and friends none of this would have been possible. Now Ilook forward to what’s next As aparting gift, Irecently got my own championship trophy (thank you again, LHSAA) and there may be atrip to Disney World in thecoming months the perks of having atoddler grandson. High school sports in Baton Rouge ownsapiece of my heart.Iwill continue to follow theschools, the teams and the LHSAA. Iwill still follow the athletes and coaches on their journeys, just from adifferent view As timegoes on, challenges, some new and others familiar,will continue forhigh school sports. Change is inevitable and growth is not aone-size-fits-all proposition, but there’salways ways to adjust. There will always be “haves and have nots” in someone’seyes. Ultimately,keeping the focus on what is best forthe athletes in every situation should be more than an ideal. It should always be themission.

The 22-year-old Carter went 0 for4 with three strikeouts during Friday night’sloss to the Seattle Mariners, and had gone only 4for 34 since the All-Star break. He also missed timethis season because of aright quad strain. Carter is hitting .238 with four home runs and21RBIsthis season. Rangers managerBruceBochy lamented the loss of Carter ahead of Saturday’sgame, especially in conjunction with third baseman Josh Jung continuing to miss time because of calf soreness.

ChargersLBPerryman arrested, remains in jail

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman wasarrested on weapons charges during atraffic stop forvehicle code violations and remained in jail on Saturday, law enforcement officials said. During the traffic stop on Friday evening,Los AngelesSheriff’s deputies discovered five firearms, including twoassault weapons, in Perryman’svehicle, the agency said in astatement. Perryman, 32, wascooperative with deputies during the traffic stop,the report said. Perryman was booked on felony chargesand is being held without bond at the South Los Angeles Sheriff’s Station, according to the sheriff’sdepartment.

AgentRon Butler confirmedthat his client has not been released from jail.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SUE OGROCKI

FormerNFL wide receiver Sterling Sharpe, left, watches as his brother Shannon Sharpe kisses his bust duringaninduction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame on SaturdayinCanton, Ohio.

Saints change up QB rotation

Bengals’ cornerback competitionheats up

BY CHARLIE GOLDSMITH Associated Press

CINCINNATI At Bengals training camp,noposition has had more players rotating through with the first-team unit than the cornerback spot.

“I wouldn’tread anything these first couple of weeks into who’s lining up with who,because oftentimes it’s so fluid withusat 9:52 a.m. before a10o’clock practice,” coachZac Taylor said. “That’sjust part of training camp.There’splentyoftime for abunch of these battles to shake out.”

Cam Taylor-Britt, DaxHill and DJ Turnerwerethe starters for most of last season.WithTaylorBritt being managed abit forprecautionary reasons, Hill coming back from atorn ACL and Turner coming off of asubpar 2024 season, first-team snaps have been up for grabs.

Josh Newton is making astrong pushfor the starting slot cornerback spot, andDJIveyhas impressed while getting regular reps with thefirst-team defense.

Taylor-Britt has been astarter for the Bengals sincethe middle of the 2022 season. While 2024 was the worst season of his career,he’ssimplifying his approach entering 2025 andhas a fresh start with newdefensive coordinator Al Golden.

corner,it’salot of mental. Knowing your matchup. Knowingthe offense, that’sthe biggest thing at corner. Week-to-week at corner, there’sadifferent mindset you have to go into the gamewith.” Turnerhad been struggling in camp,running withthe secondteam defense and regularly allowing receptions until last Thursday.Then during that practice, he astoundingly recorded five pass breakups, including highlight plays against Ja’Marr Chase and TeeHiggins. Turner has always showngreat athleticism and the abilityto track receiversdown thefield Thenextstepfor himismaking more plays on theballwhenquarterbacks challenge him downthe field.

“It’sjust football,”Turner said. “There arebig names here. Joe Burrow.Ja’Marr.Trey.Big names. Youhave to look at it as normal people and just play football. You’re here fora reason,too. It’s just the mental aspect of going against people you watched growing up.”

There was aslight change to the Saints‘ pecking order for their quarterbacks Saturday Over the first eight days of camp, Spencer Rattler took second-team reps on days thathe didn’t run with the starters. But when the group reconvened in the morning, and with Tyler Shough getting starting reps, it was Jake Haener —not Rattler —running with the second team.

“Just balancing out the rotations,” coach Kellen Moore said when asked why he wanted to switch the order.“Really,just looking at the numbers on an off day and making sure we keep rotating these guys and going through that.” Rattler,because his reps had come withthe first and second teams, was significantly ahead of the other two quarterbackson pass attempts. Saturday’s session was an opportunity to narrow the gap.

Here’sa furtherlook:

n Shough: 8of10(33 of 54 overall)

n Haener: 8-12 (41-59)

n Rattler: 6-7 (50-71)

Afteranelectric practice

Thursday,all three quarterbacks —and the offense as awhole were more sluggishfollowing an

off day.The Saints focused on situational work, with one drill emphasizing starting inside the team’s own 5-yard line and another that required the offense to seal thegame on afour-minute drill. As aresult, thequarterbacks resorted mostly to short throws, which partly explains whythe completion percentages were so high.

Buteach quarterback had moments. Despite hisinjury history Shough hasn’tbeen hesitant at taking off to run —and he had an impressive gain when he stepped up in thepocket following aplayaction fakeand sprinted past the defense Haener,onthe other hand, seems to recognize the defense in front of him. On apassto Jack Stoll, Haener read the oncoming firezone blitz before gettingthe ball out quicklytoneedle the throw betweentwo defenders in atight window Rattler,meanwhile, wasn’t nearlyasaggressive as he had beeninpast practices, but he was sharp. His lone incompletion in team drills was the result of a KendreMiller drop.

Still, none of the quarterbacks seemed to have thekind of performance thatwill go toward shaping this coaching staff’s decision on the starting job. Yes, coaches need tosee how each signal-caller performs in situ-

ational work, but this practice may be asmall datapoint for the final call.

If anything, Saturday’ssession felt more consequential toward theSaints’ punting battle. After adding Kai Kroeger on Thursday to makeitarare three-man race, New Orleanshad James Burnip and Kroeger take several punts throughout themorning —even outside dedicated punting periods. For theSaints’ drill inside the 5, for instance, the coaching staff would bring on the punters if the offense failed to gain afirst down. In that setting, both men got opportunities: Burnip trotted on the field after athree-and-out from Shough and Co. while Kroeger punted after astalled Haener series.

MatthewHayball was the lone punter who got aday off, but Moore said theincumbent would punt on Sunday.Then, after another off day Monday,Moore indicated all three could rotate in practice after that.

The Saints’ quarterback battle has been well underway.The punting battle, it appears, is just beginning.

“Wefeel like we’ve got three talented punters that can all compete and so it’ll be afun opportunityfor all those guys to go for it,” Moore said. “We’ll get the reps that we need.”

Cowboysowner Jonesdoesn’t plan to tradeParsons despiterequest

JOSEPH HOYT

The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

OXNARD,Calif. Micah Parsons is thefirstDallasCowboys player in recent memorytoevermake apublic trade request. Things said in private during negotiations? That’sadifferent story, according to Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.

“That’snegotiation,” Jones said after Saturday’spractice and after chants in supportofParsons were heard loudly.“I’ve heard that so many times in my 30 years in the NFL from not just players, butagents, of course.Weall understand contracts. We’re under contract. That’swhat we’re doing.” What Joneswillnot do isoblige Parsons’ request. Jones,when asked multiple timesonSaturday, said he hasn’tand will not consider trading Parsons.

“I don’treally place that with any real seriousness,” Jones said. “Micah’s got abad back.” Parsonshas been in Oxnard,Calif., with the team, buthehasn’t practiced. He spoke publicly once since he’sbeen here and said that he wouldn’tpractice until his tweaked back had healed Parsons wrote alengthypost on Friday,citing atimeline of the negotiation and multiple reasons why he wanted to leave the Cowboys. The big sticking point has been the lack of conversations between Jerry and Stephen Jones and Parsons’ agent, David Mulughetaof Athletes First.

“I no longerwant to be held to close door negotiations without my agent present. Inolonger want shots taken at me for getting injured while laying it on theline for theorganization, our fans andmy teammates. Inolonger want narratives created and spread to the mediaabout me.Ihad purposely stayed quiet in hopes of getting something done. But since there is confusion out there let me clear some things up.”

Parsons and Jones met in March.

Jones has said previously that he and Parsons went over “every detail” of acontract. He believed an agreementwas had. Parsons, however,wouldnot do adeal without hisagent’s approval.

When asked when he would start negotiating with Mulugheta, Jones cited that conversation.

“I started negotiations in March.

I’venegotiated double handfuls of contracts just likeIdid in March,”

Jones said Jones was later asked if the contract Jones offered in March is still on the table.

“Micah took it off,” Jones said.

“He took it off.”

Jones later continued: “The key is that we’ve got an agreement.

Let’sreally do understandthat: we’ve got an agreement. Now,if we’re going to adjust that agreement, then he’samust and I’ma must —not the organization. I’m a must in this case.

“It’svery important that if you’re going to change the contract that we have right now, which this

would,thenthat Iagree to what we’ve changed. That’swhy it was so good when we sat down together andspent alot of time goingback and forth andadjusting and we had that exercise together.”

Jones said that thereweren’t negotiations withParsons last season. Parsons saidinhis letter that he wanted to startthose aseason ago, but theCowboys weren’twilling.

“It could very well be,” Jones said when asked if Parsons told him he wanted tonegotiate. “If it’s what he wants, thatcould cover a lot of ground.”

Jones also expressedthathis history would suggest thatthe Cowboys and playerscome to deals despitetough negotiations.

“Itseems like we forget less than ayear Ipaid the highestthat’s been paid in the NFL to Dak [Prescott], and Ipaid abig price for [CeeDee] Lamb. Anybody that saysI’m not interestedinfinancially rewarding my players hasn’tbeen looking at the tealeaves.There’salways, always negotiation, and the negotiation is to putthe bestteamonthe field.” In terms of puttingParsons on someother team’sfield, Jones said he won’tdoit. “I enjoy these players. Ienjoy Micah, but as always, in any relationship, there are different moods at different times of your relationship. That’s what it is. Don’tlose anysleep over it. That’sone thing Iwould say to ourfans: don’tlose any sleep over it.”

Taylor-Britt went back to the drawing boardduring theoffseason.Hewatched all of his bad plays.

“You can seemyeyes,” TaylorBrittsaid. “You can see why the ball was caught. It wasbad eyes. It wasn’ttechnique or anything. I have to slow downatthe line and be myself. Stay confident. Stay the same guy no matter what’s going on.” Hill moved from safety to cornerback entering the2024 season, andheimmediatelyimpressed at his newposition. But the formerfirst-round picktore his ACL in Week 5. This year,he’sa candidate to start at outside cornerback or in the slot, and he’sthe Bengals’ mostversatile defensive back.

“It’s good foreveryone to know different spots,” Hill said. “At

WALKER

Continued from page1C

in his head, all while coming up with more Moose-isms. On Saturday,itwas the four S’s.

“SELLING. SWIPING. SIGNATURES and SAINTS!!!”

These Moose-ismsare unscripted, achance for him to flexhis creativity

“I typically come up with them on the spot,” Daniels said.

“I don’tsit back and say ‘Oh, this is what I’m going to say today.’ Ijust show up and say things and stuff happens. It’s more about how can Ifigure out howtosay things to these peopletoattract attention towards myself and what I’m doing.”

Thesales are constant throughout practice.

It’salways been that way for Daniels, who says this is his 14th training camp. But he’sbeen around the Saints muchlonger than that.

“Me and Rickey Williams were rookies together,” Daniels said. “And you see which one of us lastedlonger.”

Theyear was 1999.

Daniels was astudent at UNO at the time in both the jazz and classical department. He was a classical saxophonist and ajazz vocalist studying under music authorities like Ellis Marsalis,EdPetersen and Steve Masakowski. One day,hesaw an ad in The Times-Picayune about the Saints looking for vendors and beer hawkers for games. So Daniels and a couple of friends went to the Superdome for the Saints’ first preseason game. The person in charge took awhile, so Daniels’ friends left. Daniels stayed, landedthe job and has been at it ever since. It was ano-brainer for him.

“You mean to tell me Ican go and watch my favorite sports team of all time inside the Superdome or at training camp and get paid for it?” Daniels said. “Yes, indeed. I’m doing that.”

It hasn’tstopped him from pursuing his musical career He released his most recent album in 2024. It’stitled SPAM,

Newton, the Bengals’ fifthround pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, made six starts last year after Turner’sseason-ending shoulder injury.His intensity, tackling abilityand physicality in coverage have really been on display during avery strong training campfor him. He’sconsistently running with the first-team defense.

“Wehavethe biggest question mark(in the secondary),” Newton said. “It’sanhonor to have thatquestion markbecausewe have apencilready to answer it.”

Iveywas oneofthe best tight end stoppers in the NFLlast season and regularly played on third downs. He has great size forthe cornerback positionand hasbeen getting plenty of opportunities to developasa true outside cornerback with the first-team defense.

“I think growth is agood word (for him),” Taylor said. “DJcontinues to ascend in alot of areas on defense and special teams, and I’m excited to watch him continue to compete in training camp. He’saguy who is ajoy to be around. Ilike what he’sabout.”

an acronym that stands for Shadows, Prayers and Music. One of the songs on the album is called “Watch me Work,” which is what fans attending training camp get to do.

Daniels knows it’snot about him, though.

“The people aren’there to see me,” Daniels said. “They are here to see the Saints and to get apicture or selfie or an autograph. Until they can get that at the end of the practice, Ihave to give them something. So Ijust happen to be the guy that’sable to give them something.”

Daniels’ final day at this year’straining campwill be Tuesday,the last practice open to the public. The Saints head to sunny California on Wednesday to continue camp. The Spencer Rattler,Tyler Shough and Jake Haener quarterback battle will resume, just like the battle the Saints had when Daniels first began selling beer in the Dome.

“When Istarted doing this, we were trying to decide which Billy Joe to start at quarterback,” Daniels said. “We’ve had alot of quarterbacks since then. Ilearned along timeago that names and numbers are going to change.”

But one thing that’snot going to change is the guy walking around pulling the blue ice cooler.He’ll be back again next year,yelling out those Mooseisms and signing autographs.

“COLD WATER. COLD BEER. COLD GATORADE. HOT AUTOGRAPHS!!” He has signed everything over the years. Footballs. Caps. Towels. And even skin.

“I’ve signed arms, backs and acouple fronts,” Daniels said. “But nothing rock and roll-ish yet. Isay ‘yet’ because this is New Orleans.” Daniels can’tremember the first time he signed an autograph.

“But every time it happens it feels like the first time,” he said. “That adrenaline and the interaction withthe people is my addiction.”

Email RodWalker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN MCCUSKER

Saints quarterback JakeHaenerlooks to makeapass during adrill at Saturday’spractice at theteam’spractice facility

Matthew Paras

4C

Tulane wraps up intense start to preseason camp

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Quarterbacks Jake Retzlaff and Donovan Leary took most of the firstand second-team snaps on Saturday morning as Tulane wrapped up an intense four-day start to preseason drills with a 90-minute workout at the Gold Mine on Airline. Don’t read anything into that rotation though Coach Jon Sumrall said it was part of the preconceived plan as the four transfer candidates for the starting role — including Kadin Semonza and Brendan Sullivan — received equal work during opening week.

The Green Wave will be off Sunday before returning Monday morning at Yulman Stadium.

“After today, we’ll have a staff meeting and go position by position and recalibrate how we’re doing the reps in that (quarterback) room,” Sumrall said. “It’s not going to be one guy going to zero, but there may be one guy that shifts a little down and a couple of guys that shift a little up, and it may be day by day.”

Retzlaff and Leary alternated good throws with off-target ones. Leary hit Shazz Preston on a fade for a pretty touchdown in seven-onseven work. Retzlaff found Anthony Brown-Stephens in a tight window over the middle for a score during the same drill but also bounced a throw on a quick out route to the sideline.

In 11-on-11, Leary nearly con-

nected with Garrett Mmahat deep, but the ball glanced off his fingertips. Retzlaff completed a throw to freshman tight end Cameron Roberts for a nice gain.

“They looked good,” Sumrall said. “Jake is very accelerated in the way he’s picking things up. It’s been fun to watch him take that all. Donovan Leary can make all the throws. All of those guys did some good things today.”

Seeing both sides

Sumrall is equally into modern sports science and old-school toughness, and both influences were evident during the first week of camp. Tulane practiced for more than two hours on Wednesday, went nearly two hours again on Thursday and kept up the intensity after putting on shoulder pads the fol-

lowing two days.

“There’s a balance with everything,” Sumrall said. “These first four days, we are going to man up and fight through it. I know we’re going to have a guy or two cramp. Good. Let’s get tough.”

Two of those practices, though, were on the grass at the Gold Mine on Airline to limit wear and tear on the players’ bodies.

“Your body enjoys it,” Sumrall said. “Being on the grass is more of a joint, soft-tissue deal. The turf we have (at Yulman Stadium) is probably as good as you can get, but there’s something about getting on natural grass and running around here and there.”

The Wave also will continue to practice periodically at the Saints indoor facility to get a break from the heat. That was the original plan for Saturday before a conflict with the Saints prompted the move to the Gold Mine.

“We like to go indoors some,” Sumrall said. “If we had the indoor (bubble on the Claiborne Avenue parking lot near Yulman Stadium) completed here, we would do a few things there, but we can’t this training camp. It’s a wellness, taking-care-of-their body standpoint.”

Sumrall praised his team’s toughness on Saturday

“For it to be the fourth day in a row, you always are worried about energy level and just their mindset,” he said. “It was the shortest day we’ve had so far, but I was very pleased with the effort on both sides of the ball.”

Healthy again

Transfer wide receivers Omari Hayes (Florida Atlantic) and Jimmy Calloway (Louisville) missed almost all of spring practice with injuries, but both have flashed in the first week of camp.

Hayes, who caught 39 passes for 590 yards at FAU last year, will double as the primary punt returner

“In one of our special teams meetings, we showed some of his return clips from FAU,” Sumrall said. “It’s nice to have him back. He’s such a dynamic playmaker and just has a different explosiveness to add to our wide receiver room.”

Calloway had 20 receptions for Louisville last year after spending three seasons at Tennessee.

“He can run,” Sumrall said. “When he takes the top off, it’s like, whoa.”

Lagniappe

Sumrall loved Saturday’s punting segment, with Marshall and Southern Miss transfer Alec Clark booming several attempts. Freshman kicker Cooper Helmke a St. Martin’s product, has not practiced yet because of a muscle strain Sumrall said happened during the short break before camp started. He is expected back by the end of next week. Sumrall said Patrick Durkin, the frontrunner at kicker, hit a 52-yard field goal in a competitive drill near the end of summer work. He added the whole operation in the kicking game had been solid, with walk-on Jason Arredondo the new long snapper and Clark the new holder

Florida QB Lagway practices for the first time in camp

Gators quarterback is recovering from a calf injury

BY MARK LONG Associated Press

GAINESVILLE, Fla Florida quarterback DJ Lagway practiced Saturday for the first time since camp opened, a sign of progress for the highly touted and oft-injured sophomore.

Lagway is dealing with a strained calf and was expected to take limited practice reps. He wore a sleeve on his left leg, the same one that caused him to miss a game and a half last season. He strained a hamstring against rival

DUNCAN

Continued from page 1C

No. 7 in the nation and finished the year at No. 13. Among their wins were road victories at SMU, Baylor and Utah, along with a 3614 beatdown of Colorado in the Alamo Bowl. Tulane has a trio of solid quarterbacks on the depth chart in Brendan Sullivan, Kadin Semonza and Donovan Leary. But there’s no one with Retzlaff’s credentials or pedigree.

“He’s a really bright guy, and he’s played high-level football,” Sumrall said. “Jake’s got time on task. There’s no substitute at that position for having been in the saddle and looked across the line at another team in a differentcolored jersey He’s a very calm, poised guy I don’t think he’s going to get rattled.”

Retzlaff does not arrive without baggage. His suspension followed allegations of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit that was later dismissed. Retzlaff’s admission that he had engaged in premarital sex, which BYU prohibits, created the domino effect that led him to Tulane. In the wake of the Finley debacle, Tulane can’t afford another misstep with Retzlaff. Because of his high-profile background, he’ll be under scrutiny from Day 1 and will need to live at the corner of Straight and Narrow for this situation to work out.

“The circumstances are what they are (at BYU), and I left,” he said. “I’ve got a lot of love for that program, and BYU was an amazing place. But I am where my feet are and I’m excited to be in this program and win a lot of ballgames this year.” Retzlaff will have to play catchup in offensive coordinator Joe Craddock’s offense, but Sumrall said he believes he has the aptitude, work ethic and experience to get it done. And while Retzlaff will have to earn the starting job over the next few weeks in prac-

Georgia and missed the following week’s game at Texas.

Coach Billy Napier has offered no timetable on his star player’s return. It’s the latest injury issue for Lagway, who missed spring practice with a shoulder injury after undergoing sports hernia surgery

The Gators opened training camp Wednesday Napier unlike in previous years, closed viewing periods to media for the first three days.

Lagway, who went 6-1 in seven starts as a freshman in 2024, is widely considered a Heisman Trophy contender heading into this season. But he has barely been on the field at a time when he could be making significant strides. He was limited during spring practice because of the right shoulder injury that could even-

tually need surgery He resumed throwing in late April and said earlier this month at Southeastern Conference media days he would fully participate in camp.

But then he strained a calf muscle while running with the team last week.

Lagway completed 60% of his passes for 1,915 yards, with 12 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 2024. He took over the starting role after Graham Mertz tore a knee ligament at Tennessee in October

Behind Lagway are journeyman Harrison Bailey and sophomore Aidan Warner Bailey played at Tennessee, UNLV and Louisville before transferring to Florida earlier this year Warner subbed for Lagway last year and was mostly ineffective.

of David pendant on Friday after football practice at

tice, it would be a major upset if he didn’t start Tulane’s opener against Northwestern next month.

Retzlaff, after all, didn’t come to Tulane to ride the bench. He could have gone to Notre Dame to do that. In the end, he chose the Green Wave over Oklahoma State and Wake Forest, in large part, because he knew the quarterback position was open and a starting spot was there for the taking.

If Retzlaff takes care of business, he has a chance to become a cult hero at Tulane. Unlike Brigham Young, a Mormon school with only a handful of Jewish enrollees in its enrollment of 33,000, Tulane has one of the largest Jewish enrollments in the nation. The Jewish population makes up roughly 37% of the school’s 13,078 students.

Assuming Retzlaff wins the job, he’ll be the first Jewish starting quarterback at the school in the modern era You have to go back to the early 1930s when Dick Baumbach was under center to find another Jewish quarterback in the 121-year history of the program.

That’s not insignificant, and cer-

tainly not lost on Retzlaff, whose faith is a major part of his life and identity Retzlaff was a member of the congregation at Temple Beth Israel, Reform synagogue in Pomona, California, near his hometown of Corona. He wears a silver Star of David amulet on his necklace and famously scored a lucrative sponsorship deal with Manischewitz, the popular Jewish food and wine brand. In that regard, Retzlaff said he’s already been given contact information for local rabbis and has even heard a few early attempts at nicknames, among them: Bayou Jew; the Hucking Hebrew; Shabbat Shotgun; and Kosher Kannon.

“It’s a cool deal,” Retzlaff said of Tulane’s rich Jewish heritage. “My faith is super important for me. And so that fact just made it so much sweeter to come here.” Time will tell how the RetzlaffTulane pairing works out. But it’s easy to see why the parties were attracted to each other and swiped right. And if things go as expected, they won’t be able to keep the Bayou Jew T-shirts in stock on Willow Street.

burst around the edge for a win against left tackle Tyree Adams in one-on-ones between the offensive and defensive line.

Defensive coordinator Blake Baker appeared to test his pass rush package for parts of practice. At one point, LSU put three defensive ends on the field with Florida State transfer Patrick Payton, redshirt freshman Kolaj Cobbins and Florida transfer Jack Pyburn, who lined up inside. Gooden and sophomore Ahmad Breaux were the defensive tackles in that formation. When the backups took the field in one of the full-team periods, freshman safety CJ Jimcoily got pressure on quarterback Michael Van Buren. It might have been a sack, but Van Buren was allowed to get a throw away He sailed one deep down the middle, and it was intercepted by sophomore cornerback PJ Woodland. Woodland also got some work with the starters later in practice, and he popped Zavion Thomas’ helmet off while breaking up a pass near the sideline. After a promising first day from the passing attack, it struggled on Saturday and the running game never got going. Though the offense had a few solid moments, it was clunky The defense won the day

Injury updates

Redshirt junior wide receiver Aaron Anderson did not practice for the third straight day Anderson, LSU’s leading receiver last year with 884 yards, wore a sleeve on his left leg when he came out to watch part of practice. Junior linebacker Whit Weeks was limited. As he comes off his ankle injury, Weeks participated in individual drills and 7 on 7, but he was not on the field when LSU went to contact periods. Instead, LSU played senior

West Weeks, redshirt freshman Tylen Singleton and sophomore Davhon Keys at inside linebacker

“He’s still working his way back, but he’s been getting a lot of reps, doing a lot of stuff,” West Weeks said of his brother “He’s just trying to be smart with it and not try to do something dumb with it right now Obviously, we’ve still got a month to go.”

Meanwhile, Oklahoma transfer receiver Nic Anderson had his most active day since coming to LSU. After being limited in the spring by a hamstring injury, Anderson had to clear concussion protocol at the start of camp. He made several catches Saturday, including an impressive leaping grab over likely starting corner Mansoor Delane in one-on-ones.

Position battles ongoing

The safety battle is fluid right now NC State transfer Tamarcus Cooley and redshirt senior Jardin Gilbert were the first ones out there, but Gilbert was later replaced by Houston transfer AJ Haulcy Javien Toviano and Dashawn Spears also worked in the first two groups. It could take some time to settle that rotation.

The offensive line, on the other hand, has not changed since the start of camp. The first unit still consisted of left tackle Tyree Adams, left guard DJ Chester, center Braelin Moore, right guard Josh Thompson and right tackle Weston Davis. Redshirt freshman Coen Echols got some firstteam reps at left guard. Davis, a redshirt freshman in line to start for the first time, looked solid. He pancaked Pyburn and pushed Cobbins downfield, earning praise from running backs coach Frank Wilson. Davis also handled Payton and Reliford in one-on-one reps. For more LSU sports

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BRETT MARTEL

New Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff, a transfer from ByU, shows off his Star

yulman Stadium.

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN MCCUSKER

Jon Sumrall leads the the Tulane football team at practice at yulman Stadium in New Orleans on Friday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway warms up before a game against Ole Miss on Nov 23, 2024, in Gainesville, Fla. Lagway is dealing with a strained calf this preseason.

SCOREBOARD

11. Oliver Bearman, England, Haas, 1:15.694. 12. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Ferrari, 1:15.702.

Korda 70-72-74—216 E

Martin Sampedro 72-74-70—216 E

Pano 69-77-70—216 E

Buhai 73-73-71—217 +1

Gee Chun 69-76-72—217 +1 Diksha Dagar 71-73-73—217 +1

+1

Lower 67-69-73—209 1 Matthieu Pavon 66-69-74—209 -1 Paul Peterson 65-71-73—209 1 Matthew Riedel 67-68-74—209 -1 David Skinns 70-66-73—209

Peter Malnati 68-68-74—210

Henrik Norlander 67-69-74—210

Aaron Baddeley 70-67-74—211

Eric Cole 70-67-78—215

Auto racing NASCAR Cup Series Iowa Corn 350 Lineup

At Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa

Lap length: 0.88 miles (Car number in parentheses)

1. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 136.933 mph.

2. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 136.435.

3. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 136.429. 4. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 136.358.

5. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 136.252.

6. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 136.063.

7. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 136.016.

8. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 135.981.

9. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 135.928.

10. (7) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 135.788.

11. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 135.665.

12. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 135.601

13. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 135.554.

14. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 135.513

15. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 135.501.

16. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 135.455.

17. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 135.379

18. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 135.362. 19. (41) Cole Custer, Ford, 135.274.

20. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 135.158.

21. (88) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chev., 135.147.

22. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 135.066. 23. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 134.973

24. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 134.829.

25. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 134.817.

26. (99) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 134.638.

27. (17) Chris Buescher, Ford, 134.627.

28. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 134.604.

29. (42) John H. Nemechek, Toyota, 134.391.

30. (47) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Chevrolet, 134.277.

31. (4) Noah Gragson, Ford, 133.991.

32. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 133.894.

33. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 133.826.

34. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 133.299.

35. (51) Cody Ware, Ford, 133.288.

36. (66) Joey Gase, Ford, 125.134.

37. (8) Kyle Busch, Chevrolet, .000. NASCAR Xfinity HyVee Perks 250 At Iowa Speedway, Newton, Iowa Lap length: 0.88 miles (Start position in parentheses)

1. (5) Sam Mayer, Ford, 250 laps, 54 points. 2. (1) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 250, 48.

3. (11) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 250, 0. 4. (4) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet, 250, 43. 5. (17) Harrison Burton, Ford, 250, 37. 6. (3) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 250, 0. 7. (14) Sheldon Creed, Ford, 250, 35. 8. (7) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 250, 30. 9. (8) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 250, 35. 10. (25) Christian Eckes, Chevrolet, 250, 27. 11. (2) William Sawalich, Toyota, 250, 38.

(16) Justin Bonsignore, Toyota, 250, 25.

(28) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 250, 24.

(6) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 250, 0.

(9) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 250, 22.

16. (15) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 250, 22.

17. (36) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 250, 28.

18. (24) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 250, 19.

19. (26) Nicholas Sanchez, Chevrolet, 250, 18.

20. (22) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 250, 17.

21. (29) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 250, 16.

22. (27) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 250, 15.

23. (12) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 250, 23.

24. (18) Corey Day, Chevrolet, 249, 13.

25. (34) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 249, 12.

26. (19) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 249, 11.

27. (33) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 249, 10.

28. (21) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 249, 9.

29. (32) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 249, 8.

30. (35) Patrick Emerling, Chevrolet, 249, 0.

31. (20) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 248, 6.

32. (23) Thomas Annunziata, Chevrolet, 248, 5.

33. (30) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 247, 4.

34. (37) Tyler Tomassi, Toyota, 240, 3.

35. (13) Matt DiBenedetto, Chevrolet, accident, 221, 2.

36. (10) Daniel Dye, Chev., accident, 200, 4.

37. (31) Mason Massey, Chevrolet, suspension, 172, 1.

38. (38) Dawson Cram, Chev., vibration, 93, 1. Formula 1

F1 Hungarian Grand Prix Lineup At Hungaroring, Budapest, Hungary Lap length: 4.38 kilometers Third session

1. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1 minute, 15.372 seconds.

2. Oscar Piastri, Australia, McLaren, 1:15.398.

3. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren, 1:15.413. 4. George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:15.425.

5. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Aston Martin, 1:15.481. 6. Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 1:15.498. 7. Gabriel Bortoleto, Brazil, KICK Sauber, 1:15.725. 8. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 1:15.728. 9. Liam Lawson, New Zealand, Racing Bulls, 1:15.821. 10. Isack Hadjar, France, Racing Bulls, 1:15.915. Eliminated after second session

Doncic agrees to contract extension with Lakers

BY GREG BEACHAM AP sportswriter

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Luka Doncic’s

first six months with the Los Angeles Lakers were more than enough to give him a vision of a glittering long-term future with his new team. He sees championship banners, trophies and team success while living in a cosmopolitan city and playing for a world-famous team

He envisions his name and number in the rafters alongside every other transcendent great to wear the Lakers’ gold jersey

So Doncic took the next step toward turning his dreams into reality Saturday when he agreed to a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension through 2028 with the Lakers, bypassing a chance at free agency next summer

“Being a Laker is an honor and I wanted to be here,” Doncic said during a news conference under the title banners and retired numbers festooning the gym at the Lakers’ training complex. “When you look up here, so many great names and what they’ve achieved. I want to be up there too one day.” The deal should keep the

Rob

Jaxson Hayes and general

Doncic on his three-year, $165 contract extension at the Lakers’ training complex

Saturday.

26-year-old Doncic with Los Angeles through 2028 under a player option for the final season, after which he’ll be eligible for a massive five-year extension that could allow him to recoup the max money he lost by getting traded by Dallas The Slovenian superstar had a player option for the 2026-

27 season under his previous contract. A person with knowledge of the deal confirmed the terms to The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the Lakers don’t publicly announce the details of contracts.

The Lakers acquired Doncic from the Mavericks last February in a seismic trade for Anthony Davis. The five-time All-NBA selection and a five-time All-Star averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game last season while teaming up with LeBron James for 50 victories and the No.

3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Although his debut season in Los Angeles ended with a first-round playoff loss to Minnesota the high-scoring guard says he greatly enjoyed his first months in Hollywood — enough to commit to the Lakers for the rest of his 20s, and almost certainly beyond.

“It’s an honor playing for this organization,” Doncic said. “Many, many great players played here, so obviously I want to add one more up there. That’s what we’re working for.”

In another sign of his reinvigorated passion, Doncic confirmed that he has been doing extensive summer conditioning and strength work after the Mavericks’ questions about his physical commitment to the sport reportedly played a role in his shocking departure from Dallas Doncic looked trim and athletic at his news conference, and he chuckled while saying he’ll “obviously be a little bit faster” next season.

“Just trying to help the team condition-wise,” Doncic said.

“Playing a lot of minutes, a lot of games, so I think it’s going to be the best for me.”

By The Assocaiated Press

Wales Miyu

PORTHCAWL,

Yamashita was crooked off the tee and struggled on the greens, a rough combination that led to a hard-fought round of 2-over 74 on Saturday that shrunk her lead to one shot over A Lim Kim in the Women’s British Open Yamashita, who led by three shots going into the third round, did not hit a fairway over the last 11 holes and still managed to stay in front at Royal Porthcawl, though it wasn’t easy

She was on the verge of losing the lead on the 17th when she blasted out of a pot bunker all the way across the green to the fringe, some 40 feet away She holed that putt for par, and then missed a birdie chance from just inside 6 feet on the par-5 closing hole.

That put Yamashita — who turned 24 on Saturday at 9-under 207.

“Today I’ll be just looking at what went wrong and what went right and analyzing the day and make the improvements that hopefully will lead to a better round tomorrow,” Yamashita said Kim put on a fabulous display as the wind got stronger with a 5-under 67 She had a chance to tie for the lead when she hit a 335-yard drive on the 18th hole with a helping wind and fast links turf. She went just long, used her putter from off the green and took three putts for par.

Even so, it puts her in the final group with Yamashita as Lim goes for her second major, having won the U.S. Women’s Open in 2020 in Houston without fans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Honestly I’m not focused on the leader I focus on my process and my shot and then my position,” Kim said.

And it’s not just Kim with a chance.

Yamashita’s struggles brought several possibilities in the final round, including the always entertaining Charley Hull of England. She shot a 66, going from 11 shots behind to within three shots of the lead as Hull goes for her first major “I just kind of enjoy chasing,” Hull said of playing from behind. “It’s more fun that way.”

Andrea Lee had a 67 and was two shots behind, followed by Hull, Megan Khang (68), Rio Takeda (74) and Minami Katsu, whose 65 matched the low score of the tournament.

“I think there will be a little bit of extra pressure on whoever is the 54-hole leader,” Lee said. “Tomorrow is going to be pretty tough. Anything can happen out there. I think anyone within five shots has a chance at this championship honestly, so I’m just going to try and keep my head down and stick to my own game plan and try not to look at the leaderboard.”

The Women’s British Open had the look of a Japanese duel, with Yamashita three shots ahead of Takeda and no one else closer than seven shots. But it was a struggle for Yamashita early with her putting, and then one of the straightest drivers lost her way

PGA Tour

YOUNG BUILDS FIVE-SHOT LEAD AT WYNDHAM: In Greensboro, North Carolina, Cameron Young ran off four straight birdies on the front nine and stretched his lead to eight shots Saturday before he settled into a series of pars for a 5-under 65, giving him a five-shot lead in the Wyndham Championship as he goes for his first PGA Tour victory

Young capped off a bogeyfree 65 in the storm-delayed second round in the morning. Then he stretched his lead with his four straight birdies, including a 30-footer on No. 4 and a two-putt birdie from 20 feet on the par-5 fifth.

“Just played some really nice golf there for about an hour,” Young said. “Had some opportunities on the back nine, too, just didn’t make as many putts But kind of cruised along with hitting some average shots through the middle of the round, and nice to finish up the way I did.”

Nico Echavarria of Colombia cut the margin to four shots with three birdies in a four-hole stretch on the back nine. A final birdie gave him a 64.

Young, who had gone 39 straight holes without a bogey at Sedgefield Country Club until missing a 6-foot sliding par putt on the 14th hole, responded with a beautiful lag for a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th, and a 10foot birdie on the 17th to put the lead at five.

“I’m just going to worry about what I’m doing. As I said, try to hit the best shots I can and try to hole the putts and we’ll add it up after 18,” Echavarria said.

Young is widely considered the best player to have never won on a main tour, a runner-up seven times since his rookie season in 2021. That includes a World Golf Championship and more notably the 2022 British Open at St. Andrews.

“I finished second a bunch.

I’ve gotten beat a lot. I’ve played some good golf on Sunday in really all those cases,” Young said. “So that’s all I’m trying to do tomorrow I’m starting in a

Gonzalez hits a first-inning homer and Red Sox go on to beat Astros

BY KEN POWTAK Associated Press

BOSTON Romy Gonzalez homered over the Green Monster on the first pitch faced by a Boston batter, Trevor Story added a tworun shot, and the Red Sox beat the Houston Astros 7-3 on Saturday Abraham Toro added a two-run drive — one of three homers the Red Sox hit over Fenway Park’s fabled left-field wall and Story added an RBI double as Boston won its third straight. Houston’s Christian Walker homered for the second straight day, a two-run shot off Walker Buehler in the first inning. The benches and bullpens

cleared when Astros reliever Héctor Neris yelled at the Red Sox dugout and third-base coach Kyle Hudson at the end of the seventh. But order was quickly restored.

After beating the AL West leaders on Roman Anthony’s walk-off single in the series opener on Friday night, the Red Sox erased a quick 2-0 deficit when Story hit his drive in a three-run third against Colton Gordon (4-4) that pushed Boston ahead 4-2. Story’s shot hit the top of a billboard over the Monster seats and bounced out of Fenway after Rob Refsnyder’s RBI single. Justin Wilson (3-1) came on in the fifth inning with runners on second and third

with Boston leading 6-3 and struck out the only two batters he faced. Aroldis Chapman got the final two outs for his 20th save. Gordon gave up six runs in four-plus innings.

Key moment

The Astros loaded the bases in the eighth against Jordan Hicks, but Carlos Correa struck out looking on a 99 mph fastball.

Key stat Boston’s bullpen went 4 2/3 scoreless innings. Up next

Astros LHP Framber Valdez (11-4, 2.62 ERA) is set to face Red Sox RHP Lucas Giolito (7-2, 3.80) on Sunday in the series finale.

nice spot, so I’m just looking to try to beat second place by as many as I can.”

He was at 20-under 190, needing a 67 on Sunday to set the tournament scoring record. What matters to Young is a PGA Tour title, especially now with his ultimate goal of being on the Ryder Cup team at Bethpage Black.

He was No. 9 in the Ryder Cup standings in 2023 and left off the team.

Young grew up in New York at Sleepy Hollow, where his father was the longtime head pro. He had this Ryder Cup circled the day the PGA of America announced it was going to the Long Island

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GREG BEACHAM

The

Lakers, from left, coach JJ Redick, Maxi Kleber, Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, Luka Doncic, Deandre Ayton, Adou Thiero, Rui Hachimura,

manager

Pelinka congratulate

in El Segundo, Calif., on

OUTDOORS

Saltwater lovers take note

Vibrio infections have been more severe this summer

BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer

The Louisiana Department of Health issued an advisory last week building on an Advocate Outdoors story published in June about Vibrio infections.

LDH reported documenting abnormally high numbers of cases and deaths from Vibrio vulnificus this year 17 reported cases, which resulted in four deaths. That’s much higher than the usual seven cases and one death.

Of the 17 cases, 75% were tied to wounds and exposure to seawater Summer is the worst time. Vibrio is everywhere along the coast. Something as minor as a scratch, when exposed to seawater is an open pathway to this bacteria.

Swallowing seawater can lead to intestinal problems along with eating raw seafood — mostly oysters especially in folks with compromised immune systems.

If you’re fishing along and near the coast, then protect open wounds, even small scratches, and if you have a puncture wound or a cut while fishing then treat it immediately with hand sanitizer or with an antibacterial soap and water Apply an antibacterial ointment, then cover the wound.

Something as benign as heading/ peeling shrimp can lead to Vibrio exposure.

Most veteran coastal anglers carry a mixture of bleach and water to wash hands and exposed skin.

If you see an infection in and around a wound, seek immediate medical attention. This is a flesheating bacteria and spreads rapidly

Shrimp season

Early last week, the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission set the opening dates for the fall inshore shrimp season, which centers around the catch of white shrimp. The open season in waters from the Louisiana/Mississippi line to South Pass and from the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel at Eugene Island to the Louisiana/Texas line will open at 6 a.m. Aug. 11. That same day, at 6 p.m., inside waters from South Pass to the Atchafalaya River Ship Channel will open

For our veterans

All Louisiana-resident honorably discharged veterans will be able to take advantage of Act 321 passed this year by the state Legislature

It allows veterans to purchase the $100 Sportsman’s Paradise license for $20. The license covers fishing and hunting licenses and all needed hunting and access stamps. This new license went on sale Friday Disabled veterans will continue to receive free licenses. Veterans will have to complete Harvest Information Program (HIP) to hunt migratory birds/ waterfowl and have a Federal Waterfowl Stamp to hunt ducks and geese.

Snapper count

Through July 13, LA Creel’s estimates the private recreational red snapper catch stands at 516,946 pounds. That’s near 58% of our state’s 894,955-pound allotment for this year

SUNDAY ADVANCED FLY CASTING/ THE DOUBLE HAUL: 3-4 p.m., Orvis Shop, Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge. Fee free. Bring your own rod. Call Shop (225) 757-7286.Website: orvis.com/batonrouge

TUESDAY

LA. CRAB TASK FORCE MEET-

ING: 10 a.m., Terrebonne Parish Main Library, 151 Library Drive, Houma.

FRIENDS OF NRA/SOUTH LOUISIANA BANQUET: 6 p.m Evergreen Cajun Center, 4694 West Main Street, Houma. Call Jeff DeBlieux (985) 855-9619. Email: jeffdeblieuxiv@gmail.com

THURSDAY

LA. WILDLIFE & FISHERIES

COMMISSION MEETING: 9:30 a.m., Joe Herring Room, state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, Quail Drive, Baton Rouge.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Shrimp season around the corner

Doran Caufield prepares freshly caught shrimp for shipping at Bundy’s Seafood in Lafitte on Dec. 13, 2023. The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission set the opening of fall indoor shrimp season for Aug. 11. Most of the fall shrimping season centers around white shrimp

That count covers an increase of 109,093 pounds taken during the Fourth of July holiday

With 378,009 pounds remaining, and with school beginning this week, which triggers a noticeable drop in weekly landings, Louisiana offshore anglers should make it through Labor Day weekend without altering the season nor the four-per-day daily creel limit

Not here, thankfully

If you want to catch red snapper off Florida’s Atlantic Coast, you can apply for an Atlantic Red Snapper Exempted Fishing Permit. Florida received one of three of these permits issued by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

The permitting process, issued by the Florida Wildlife Commission, began Friday for the second year of these EFPs Yes, a total of three for federal fisheries folks to study this program that allows the take of red snapper “for specific purposes that are otherwise prohibited under current federal regulations,” during the short Atlantic red snapper season. The FWC issued permits to more

than 1,600 fishermen last year, and the results were used to “provide better data on Atlantic red snapper and other reef fish species to improve management in the south Atlantic.”

Gray triggerfish

The Gulf Council is asking offshore fishermen for feedback on gray triggerfish.

This study wants active anglers who “notice trends or interesting things happening in the Gulf that the scientists and managers may not be aware of yet,” and comes in advance of the council’s stock assessment of this species.

The season on gray triggerfish began Friday and runs through Dec. 31. To provide information, go to gulfcouncil.org, then scroll down to the Gray Triggerfish news release, then click on “Fisherman Feedback Tool for Gray Triggerfish.”

The deadline is 4 p.m. Aug. 29.

It’s August

Hunters take note. The dove and teal seasons are coming in September. Now is the time to get out shotguns and make sure your firearms are ready to take to fields and

marshes.

Knowing summer’s heat is a problem, you can go to a local range, pay a small fee and make sure your shotgun is in working order That way you will have time for needed repairs well in advance of these seasons. Just know that gunsmiths are overwhelmed the week before these seasons and might not have time to service your gun, even if you only need a complete cleaning.

It’s also time to visit your local sports shop to make sure you can find the right shotgun shells. After a check, most shops are well stocked now — a turnaround from two and three years ago when shells were in short supply — and before the rush the week before season openers. The same is true for archery hunters. A handful of deer-hunting areas in our state have midSeptember openers and the other areas open Oct. 1. Don’t take the chance your local sporting goods store can service your bow the week before the season.

For modern and primitive-weapon firearms hunters, you have nearly two months before your deer seasons open.

Briscoe in familiar spot after pole win

BY JOHN BOHNENKAMP Associated Press

NEWTON, Iowa Chase Briscoe

is starting on the pole for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway

Finishing up front on a regular basis is his next goal.

FRIENDS OF NRA/FLORIDA PARISHES BANQUET: 6 p.m., Carter Plantation, 23475 Carter Trace, Springfield. Call Marcell Parker (225) 229-5751. Email: la29friendsfp@gmail.com

THURSDAY-SUNDAY

BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES: Lake St. Clair, Macomb County, Michigan. Website: bassmaster.com MLF BASS PRO TOUR: Saginaw Bay, Bay City, Michigan. Website: MajorLeagueFishing.com

SATURDAY

FRIENDS OF NRA/CENLA BANQUET: 5 p.m., Randolph Riverfront Center, 707 Second Street, Alexandria. Call Rickey Parish (318) 3081419. Email: rickeyparish@ bellsouth.net

ONGOING

CCA STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS’ RODEO/ S.T.A.R.: Summer-long fishing contest through Sept. 1. Multiple species categories. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com

HUNTING

BLACK BEAR LOTTERY: Aug. 28 deadline. 26 permits for Dec. 6-21 hunts. Limited to properly licensed Louisiana residents. Applications ($50 fee) on Wildlife & Fisheries’ website: louisianaoutdoors. com/lottery. If drawn, must attend Bear Hunting Training Course. Call David Hayden (318) 487-5353 or email: dhayden@wlf.la.gov.

AROUND THE CORNER

AUG. 11—RED STICK FLY FISHERS MEETING: 7 p.m., Regional Branch Library 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public.

Email Brian Roberts: roberts. brian84@gmail.com Website: rsff.org

AUG. 13—BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois Street, New Orleans. Fly tying. Open to the public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com. Website: neworleansflyfishers.com

AUG. 14—JUNIOR SOUTHWEST BASSMASTERS MEETING: 7 p.m., Seminar Room, Bass Pro Shops, Denham Springs. Boys & girls agegroup bass tournaments for ages 7-10, 11-14 & 15-18 anglers. Call Jim Breaux (225) 772-3026.

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Spring inshore season closed except in Breton/ Chandeleur sounds. All outside waters remain open. Fall inshore season opens Aug. 11 statewide.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEA-

SONS: Red snapper, gray triggerfish, flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/ federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Greater amberjack (opens Sept. 1), bluefin tuna and gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/ federal waters.

LDWF UPDATES

n CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/ boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction); Dobbs Bay Road & all roads on the Mississippi River batture east of La. 15 (Richard Yancey WMA, flooding).

n DRAWDOWNS: Henderson Lake drawdown begins Monday through Nov. 2 and Aug. 11 on Lake Bistineau. Underway on Saline, Kepler, Iatt, Black & Clear lakes and Wham Brake impoundment.

Briscoe won his sixth pole position of the season during Saturday’s qualifying, running a lap of 136.933 mph. Despite his qualifying success this season he has just one win this year

“You getting tired of this?”

Brad Keselowski joked with Briscoe in the media center after qualifying.

Briscoe got almost the same question when his news conference began.

“It’s definitely better than starting mid-pack or whatever,” Briscoe said. “It’s getting old not converting them to race wins, though, that’s for sure.”

Briscoe noted the benefits of starting up front.

“It just typically gives you a great opportunity to get stage points and all those things,” he said “Obviously there’s a great pit-stall selection.”

He then added another joke.

“I would love it if we can make a new system where if you get five poles, you can trade them in for one race win,” Briscoe said, smiling.

Briscoe, who was also on the pole for last week’s race at Indianapolis, had won just two poles in his first four seasons in the Cup Series. He had a streak of three consecutive pole wins earlier this season.

“The race cars are really, really good, truthfully,” he said. “I felt like my entire career even at (Stewart-Haas Racing) in Cup, we’d always kind of over-exceed where we probably should qualify And qualifying has always been, I feel, probably my strongest thing. And now I’m just in race cars that let me go run really fast lap times. I don’t do anything different from what I’ve been doing the last four years of my Cup career Just now, my cars are faster.”

Wallace relaxes

Bubba Wallace emphasized he didn’t party too much after winning last Sunday’s race at Indianapolis.

Never mind that it broke a 100race winless streak and secured a spot in the playoffs. The realities of life, Wallace said, limited his celebration.

“I’ll tell you, I did not go hard after the win — I’m getting older and realize hangovers suck, and also having a kid that doesn’t care you’re hungover,” Wallace said with a smile during Saturday’s media availability at Iowa Speedway. “That made me stop after two beers.”

Wallace, who will start 15th, comes into Sunday’s 350-lap race with a different attitude, knowing he has his spot in the postseason after recent seasons in which he headed into the final weeks of the regular season scrambling for points to try to get into the playoffs.

“I told my team right before we started our meeting (this week), I said, ‘Man, y’all say fatherhood looks good on me. Just wait until you see how Bubba locked into the playoffs looks good on me, because it’s gonna be fun,’ ” Wallace said.

Busch’s crash

Kyle Busch will start 37th after not making a qualifying run following a crash in practice. Busch’s car went nose-first into the wall in turns 1-2 after the car bobbled heading into the first turn.

“Got a little bit loose and overcorrected, and smacked the fence,” said Busch, who is 15th in points and doesn’t have a win this season.

“Any time you overcorrect and go head-on, it’s not good. So, definitely, not one of my favorite (crashes), but not one I haven’t had before.”

DannyHeitman AT RANDOM

In amuggy Louisiana summer, bright life still shines

When the dill weed in our herbgarden began swaying some weeks ago, my wifehurried outside, worried that a squirrel was tipping it over. But as she arrived on the patio, there was no marauder in sight. Theplant had simplybeen stirred by the wind, apresence so rare these days that we’d forgotten toaccount for it.

As wind detectors go, dill is apretty good instrument,its feathered leavesasfine as the strokes on an old willow plate. They can pick up the slightest current and dance abit as the air moves, but thereare hours during summer here in Louisiana when the airseemsto move not at all.

As we part the bedroom curtains on most mornings at this time of year,the view of the gardenoften looks strangely motionless, like one of those museum dioramas in which scenesofthe wild are artfully arranged and feel almost real —ifnot for the fact that not a single thing twitches with the quick pulse of life.

We rise early each morning and eat on the patio to catch whatever breeze might come. It’sanodd way to live, keen as old sailors to every smallgust, but our vigilance sometimes yields arare reward. Iwas just finishing my coffee the other day when acool draft grazed my cheek. It lasted no more than afew seconds, but Ismiled and touched my face as if I’d been surprised with akiss. On days this still, even small vibrations in the garden can register vividly.Ahummingbird passed above my head while Iwas nibbling toast last month, the whir of its wings fiercelike aheartbeat, itsflight fanning my scalp as faintlyas breath on amirror Mostly,though, the morning simply sits over the yard like a bell jar,suspending us andeverything else beneath adense cloud of heat. Ibegin to think as aturtle might in the depths of each August, and maybe even look like one,too —my gaze fixed toward the distance, conserving energy to wait things out.

The looking and the waiting bring their own satisfactions. For afew weeks, we watched the slow march of caterpillars along the dill, about adozen of them running up and down the stems like pirates scaling amast. Slowly,they devoured all the leaves beforesealing themselves up in little green tombs, asleep for awhile until they emerged as swallowtail butterflies.

ä See AT RANDOM, page 8D

UNDER BANNER

Afterthe Jan. 1terrorattack, ChrisPeetmadea flag that said ‘love’ andset outthrough theQuarter.He’sstill running.

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Itwas anormal Friday evening on Bourbon Street. Kids banged on plastic bucketsfor tips, abrass band blared, acomedian/knife jugglerdrew a crowd, and tourists sipped slushy cocktails as they surveyed their eccentric surroundings.

Through the cheerful chaos bobbed Chris Peet, ajogger carrying ahome-made flag that bore the word “love.” There’swas no further explanation, just “love.”

Peet had been running the same route down Bourbon Street, at the same time, four nights aweek, more or less,for sevenmonths, carrying hisloveflag.Now,ashe dodgedthrough themeandering crowd andthe vehicle barriers, the doormen and other denizens seemed to recognize his passing as partofthe routine.

Peet’smission to spread love had begun as aspontaneous expression of empathy after theJan. 1terrorist massacre on Bourbon Street.

In thedarkearly morning hours of NewYears Day, aradicalized veteran used his pickup truck as a weapon to murder 14 random pedestrians in the heart of theheart

path. For years, Peet had jogged downBourbon Street as part of his circuit through the Quarter.He’s passed the exact site of the killings hundreds of times. “I said, ‘Wow, that’smyroute,’”herecalls.

Peet says he’snot sure why he was moved to personally mark the moment. Maybe it was just to overcome the widespread feeling of helplessness that permeated the population’scollective mindset. “I don’tknow what Iwas thinking,” he said.

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

of New Orleans. Doingsomething

Like everyone elseinthe city, Peet was numbedbythe news. It was unbelievable. Especially eerie was the fact thatthe attack had taken place on his regular running

From timetotime, Peet said, he’d carried aflag as he ran, aSaints flag on game days, and an American flag on the Fourth of July.Peet was thus inspired to unhook his shower curtain andspray-paint theword ‘love’onitinpurple andgreen two-thirds of the Mardi Gras colors —thereby producing an ad hoc memorial flag, which he attached to his telescopingfishing rod.On the hemofthe flaghepennedthe names of the attack victims. As soon as thepoliceannounced that Bourbon Street would reopen, Peet set out, fluttering through the French Quarter,symbolically demonstrating sympathy and pleading forhealing.

ä See PEET, page 8D

STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER

Chris Peet jogs up Bourbon Street with his love flag in NewOrleans.

The names of the victims whowere killed in the Newyear’sBourbon Street attack are written on the flag held by Chris Peet.

DINING SCENE

Staycation in AlgiersPoint becomesasummerescape

They instantly made us for tourists —the bouncer,the guy at the bar,the lady at the boutique —and cheerfully asked where we were visiting from. “The other side,” Itold them

My home in MidCitywas aboutfour miles away,asthe pelican flies. But we were across the river in Algiers Point, savoringa wonderfully disproportionate sense of travel for thedistancelogged.

Ian McNulty WHAT’S COOKING

My partner and Ihave been pursuing daytrips and staycations to break up the summer

The Gulf Coast is agimme, and there was an overnighter to Old Mandeville, only a40-minute drive but at least in adifferent parish.

This trip was to apocket neighborhoodinour owncity,one that feels like the character of New Orleans distilled and alsototally of itself. If New Orleans was shrunk to atiny riverfronttown, it would be AlgiersPoint.

The contours of the river make akaleidoscope of the street grid, lined by cottagestrimmed in gingerbread. Sidestreet sight lines endatthe green riseoflevees. Superstructuresofoceangoing vessels glide over rooftops. The riverboat calliope songs drift on the humidity,ship horns bellow as if from just next door,the courthouse bell tower tolls the hour It feels different in the Point. It wasjustthe place to lift outof routine, without actually leaving the city It turns out there’s alot to eat and drink too.

In the years since the pandemic there’sbeen aburst of new restaurants and bars close together in the Point. Icharted this twonight staycation to tour them, interspersed with asmattering of stalwarts and some pool time and weekendreadsinbetween

This itinerary couldn’teven take in everything new around here,never mind all the longrunning eateries. The restaurant Saint Claire opened two weeks prior outside the Point proper, three miles downriveringreater Algiers.

But for this trip Iwanted to sink into the neighborhood, not just dropinto different spots. We were taking the Point on its ownterms, arrivingvia ferry and exploring on foot.

Ferrytofoot

The five-minute ride on theCanal-Algiers ferry leaves each side twice an hour,and it clicked like clockwork. Through the summer, the RTAistesting an extended schedule, running until midnight; making that permanent could be aboon to the budding hospitality scene in thePoint.

The ferry terminals rightnow are Spartan at best, especially on the Algiers side wherepop-up tents on the ramps try to shield people from the sun and rain. But the ride itself is ajoy,put-

ting you close to the massive currents andbringing river breezes on theopentop deck. Stepping off theferry gives the thrill of arrival somewhere new,the levee viewpresenting apreviewofthe neighborhood below Three blocks awaywefound ourlodging,the House of the Rising Sun Bed &Breakfast (335 Pelican St.).Inanera of contactless check-in, this is theold-school opposite.

Not just renting aroom, we felt like we were being hosted in alocal home bythe English innkeeper and hisCajun wife. There’salovely pool and cozy covered patio. Breakfast is agenerousspread of fruit and croissants in the dining room. Otis the dog is eager to showguests around,like acanine cruise director

Wine bar, destinationsake

From ourFriday afternoon ar-

rival, there was time still to hit theweekday happy hour (4 to 6p.m.) at the Little House (640 Bouny St.), apetite wine bar with alarge outdoor area. It feels like avillage common with kids and dogs, snacks, wine, chat and a neighborliness that proved acommon thread in the Point.

Dinner was at Nighthawk Napoletana (141 Delaronde St.), close to theferry landing, for charedged pies from thewood-burning oven and inexpensive wine on abusy Friday pizza night.

Under the same roof, adoor that looks like it might open to a closet instead reveals the sake bar Rice Vice (143 Delaronde St.). Party buses are bigger than this 18-seat bar,lined withwood panels,feeling like astereo speaker ad torn from avintage Playboy magazine. It would lure sake aficionados anywhereitwas found. Here in Algiers Point,it’sa worthy inspiration for aferry ride all on

its own. Start with atasting flight, an excellent value forthe quality Everything is close in the Point, and the Crown &Anchor (200 Pelican St.) was too close to the B&B to bypass on the way “home.”

Thus, this English pub in ashotgun house provided anightcap of pints under the timbers and light exercisewith the yard games out back.

Worthy wandering, finds

The return of Congregation Coffee (240 Patterson St.) wasgreeted nowhere morewarmly than in thePoint, hometoits first location,and it feels like acommunity hub again. For manyday trippers, this is thefirst stop off the ferry, unless they’re going right in for abeer at the DryDock Café(133 Delaronde St.) instead.

Algiers Point is not exactly ashopping paradise, but afew blocks from the ferry Bargeboard Mercantile &Millshop (530 Powder St.) is aunique find. It’s amultifaceted complex with an event space and aretail store full of curios, art and repurposed furniture and fixtures from acrew of local craftsmen.

If getting to the Point by ferry is part of the fun, so is getting anywhere while you’re here. A central part of avisit is simply admiring the neighborhood on a walk or bike ride. The wide-open skies over the levee are apainter’sdream.Every other house seemstohave an avid gardener contributing to the streetscape. Walk the levee, and you can discern different neighborhoods across the river by their steeples and wharves. Asense of adorable imperfection abounds.

This Saturday wander led to lunch at 14 Parishes (801 Patterson St.), where even on aslow shift thelarge, colorful dining room looks like it’sready to host

aparty.The jerk chicken wassuperb, the fried fish bites juicy and the bar ready to mixrefreshing island-style rum drinks.

Mobile happyhour, BYOB dinner

An inbound downpour chased us back to the B&B. But as soon as rain turned to sunny steam, margaritas beckoned ablock away at the Barracuda Taco Stand (466 Pelican St.), built around an old filling station across from the storybook-like Confetti Park play spot. We madego-cup cocktails into a mobile happy hour forthe meandering walk across the neighborhood to dinner Plume Algiers (1113 Teche St.) is an Indian restaurant with regional specialties I’ve not found anywhere else, very different from the curry house standards. It’s BYOB right now (so another visit to Little House en route fora bottle). The operators are appealing city fines from alapsed liquor license that they say could kill the restaurant.

In the meantime, Plume remains aneighborhood bright spot just off the Point proper,where the sidewalks turn shaggy and, to put it optimistically,opportunities formore reinvestment abound. After dinner,the return walk took us along the levee forthe glory of sunset over the river This led to adifferent kind of show at the Old Point Bar (545 Patterson St.), where local rocker Jamie Lynn Vessels took the stage surrounded by the bar’s weathered woodwork and local characters.

On Sunday,stepping off amidday ferry with overnight bags over the shoulder,webrimmed with stories to tell friends back on the other side.

Email IanMcNulty at imcnulty@theadvocate.com.

STAFFPHOTOSByIAN MCNULTy

n SparkofPhilanthropy

GOOD FELLOWSHIP

Nell Nolan SOCIETY

“I can’tthink of anyone more deserving,” said David Barksdale,outgoing board chair of the Greater New OrleansFoundation, as he lauded Christian TrousdaleBrown during the recent foundation’s2025 Spark of Philanthropy Award ceremony.The recipientof the prestigious honor Christy Brown,was also praised by GNOF Presidentand CEO Andy Kopplin for his “many qualities, kindness among them.” He issued further thanks and kudos for Christy Brown’s service on the selection committee that hired Kopplin, his involvement in raising money for the capital campaign, and his role in the foundation’s100th anniversary celebration.

The event was hosted by the New Orleans Culinary &Hospitality Institute (NOCHI), which, on Howard Avenue, is located almost adjacent to the Greater New Orleans Foundation’sheadquarters on Harmony Circle. The GNOF board met prior to the 6-8 pm awards reception honoring Brown“for his outstanding contributionstoour region.” The “by invitation only” awards reception

n Bienville Circle

was titled“ACelebration of Giving.”

As guests, including foundation vice chair Jeanette David-Loeb,Dickie Brennan, and Katie and Howell Crosby, entered the premises, they noticed such decorative touches as the red and gold iridescent fabric encasing the stairway railing; thefor-show wedding or celebratory cakes placed on aprominent table; the distaff trio of musicians; and, once upstairs, thesumptuous array of food offeringsfor the hour-long cocktail reception. Theheavyhors d’oeuvres, including cheeses, cornichons, olives, dips, various meats, andgrapes were by NOCHI. Desserts were stationed later.Atop thetables in the awards-ceremony room were tall

The much-acclaimed Jewel of theSouth restaurant in the FrenchQuarter was thesite forthe Bienville Circle Dinner of the HistoricNew Orleans Collection. The event celebrated thecircle’s generoussponsorship of the exhibit,“Making It Home: From Vietnam to New Orleans.” Arbor House floral &fragrance provided thearrangements of flowers. James Beard-award winningbartender Chris Hannah served cocktails, such as theFrench 75, Sazerac, and brandy crusta, which were sipped as socializers noshed on the restaurant’scharcuterie station, smoked fish salad, duck necksausage, turnips with tofu and hazelnuts, foie grasparfaits, eggs “royale,” and cake. More desserts came from Angelo Brocato’s.

Making remarks wereHNOC President and CEO Daniel Hammer;Bienvilleand Laussat Chair Lisa Wilson (with Peter); and John Stubbs,managingpartner of Jewel of the South, “a classic New Orleans tavern, reimagined.” Among those turninganattentive ear were HNOC Board President Bonnie Boyd with John, Sarah and Richard Freeman, Susan and Shelby Russ, Diane Labouisse, Nancy

slender clear vases,inserted with flowers and votives, and placed on silver-blue cloths. Certain tables had reserved seating, namely for Ochsner Health and the Gustaf W. McIlhenny Foundation, theevening’s sponsors. Attending from the former was CEO Pete November along with his wife, Stephanie. Kia Brown joined thehonored Christy, managing director of NOLA Holdings, LLC, andchairman of McIlhenny Company,maker of Tabasco. In 2015, he reigned as Rex Both major sponsors were thanked as the program started. Figuring in thetribute video to Christy Brown were PhyllisTaylor Judge BrianJackson, Richard Cortizas, Patrick

denand KenBarnes, Shelley and Guy Winstead, Richard Dragisicand Bill

andAndrew Lapeyre.

n Speakeasy Does It!

Atop the black backgroundinvitation with adepiction of apretty flapper holding acocktail and lolling within acrescent moon,was theheadline wording “De La Salle High School Cordially Invites You To Speakeasy on St. Charles.” A patron partywas followed bya three-hour gala that featured live music by 3rd Street Band,catering by Sun Ray Grill, and online and live auctions: 92 for thesilent portion and three live ones. The attire? “Dressy casual forflappers and gents.”

In keeping with the “Speakeasy” theme, the annual Maroon and White Gala decorated the premises with black tablecloths and gold runners, black piping anddrapery,faux brick-wrapped pillars,Prohibition-era liquor bottles, string lights, and awall of “FBI’s Most Wanted.” The chairing consortiumcon-

sisted of Heidi Lutz, gala; JenniferRadka, auction; Karen Evanoski andHeidi Lutz, decorations; Lisa Gonzales,sponsorships; Shelly Landry,class baskets; BarbaraWilliamson and Karla Petrovich raffle; and Laine Buquoi and Andrea Turner-Ferrer, volunteer.Twenty-one peopleserved as committee members. Staff partners included De La Salle Board of Trustees Chair Bob Mineo,’73, school president Paul Kelly,eventscoordinator Renée Haasé, Samantha Joseph, Frankie Taffaro and Caroline Laurent Huber

They turned out in thespirit of theperiod, as did theRev Jeffrey Merritt, Dr Rodrek Williams, Donna and Larry Langevin, JohnnyVidonovich, Jennifer

Dobard,Stephanie and Pete November,Andy Kopplln, Dickie Brennan, Susan R. Johnson, David Barksdale,Amelie Guthrie,Beaux Jones,and RodRodriguez Jr Most weresighted, especially the honoree’sdaughter,the above Amelie and her husband, GregGuthrie

Other close family members present were Christy’sbrother Buzzy with spouse Joey,and their sister-in-law Liz (Mrs. Rufus) Brown.

Additional business during the formalities was the recognition of Alex Gershanik (attending with wife Maureen daughter Sofia,and mother Ana)as the new board chair.Hepraised the outgoing Barksdale, saying “David, it wasanhonor to have served with you” and congratulated Christy Brown. When it was time for the 2025 Spark of Philanthropy awardee Christy Brown to address the crowd, he expressed profuse appreciation, saying “This is one of the most profound awards I’ve ever had.” He continued with the importance of philanthropy, which“wasnot just about money but also about…hope” and how giving NewOrleans is. “Caring is in our DNA.” Christy accepted the award on behalf of many and concluded with, “Let’skeep lifting one another up” and “thank you from the bottom of my heart.” With that, everyone rose to their feet to applaud.

and HaroldHeno, Cheryland PierreChampagne,Theresa and Pete Crean,Alisonand ChristopherMichel,and Jane and Herb Anderson. Special thanks tapped The Bees Knees sponsors, namely theDeLaSalle Parents Club, Ed-

mond Haasé ’74 and Renée, and Gulf Coast Bank &Trust Company

Individuals in the next twocategories were MargaretKelly (Paul’s mom) AllenBorne Jr., and Melissa Michiels. All rated bubbly tributes.

Sorak, Ngaand Dr Patrick Quinlan,Drs. Barbaraand Edwin Beckman, RogerOg-

Brockschmidt, Christine and Price LeBlanc, Mimiand Claude Schlesinger, and Crickett

STAFF PHOTOSByNELL NOLAN

Kia and Christy Brown, Stephanie and Pete November

Andy Kopplin

Foster Duncan, Patricia Weeks, Arthur Roger

Alex Gershanik, Jeanette Davis-Loeb, David Barksdale

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Sarah and Richard Freeman, Bonnie Boyd, Daniel Hammer

Guy and Shelley Winstead

Susan and Shelby Russ, Diane Labouisse

Ngaand Patrick Quinlan, Lisa Wilson

PHOTOSByMARy STROUT

Paul and Jill Kelly,Dana Jamero, Eric Smith

Edmond and Renee Haase

Nicole Jefferson, Darren and Shannon Beltz

Heidi Lutz, RichardNeider

TRAVEL

SixGulfCoast beachesoffer sun, sand andserenity

BY JESSICA FENDER Contributing writer

For those who can relate to Jean-Paul Sartre’s famous line “hell is other people,” aday at the beach during peak seasonis, well, no day at the beach. As thousands flock to regional hot spots each summer weekend, boomboxes drown out seabirds and reveling crowds overpower the sound of crashing waves. But fear not, serenity seekers. While there’sno way to avoid the multitudes altogether,there are relatively empty strips of sugar-white sand waiting not too far from south Louisiana Whether remote reaches or peaceful oases in popular summertimeplaygrounds, these six quiet GulfCoast beaches offer the bestodds for beating the crowds. Just don’teverybody go all at once.

TopsailHill Preserve StatePark

Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

The dash of extra effort it takes to reach this 3-mile stretch of vibrantly aqua shoreline backed by rolling white sand dunes keeps beach days relatively chill.

Getting there: Just41/2 hours east of New Orleans,ditch the car at the park’son-site parking lot ($6 fee) and hop the open-air trolley to the beach boardwalk. Note: There’snoadmission when the lot’sfull, so arrive early and avoid holiday weekends. To do: Fifteen miles of trails loop past rare dune lakes, gopher tortoises and carnivorous plants. Topsail Outfitters at the camp store rents bikes,kayaks, paddleboards and lounger setups. Spend the night: Snagging a campsite is famouslytricky at popular Florida state parks. Slotsopen10months in advance for nonresi-

By ChristopherElliott

dents. Butlate-to-the-game travelers can usually book one of three in-park glamping sites run by Topsail Outfitters, which come with bike rentals,freebreakfast andtemperature-controlled safari tents.

Morgantown Beach

Gulf Shores,Alabama What visitors give up in beachfront bars andattractions, they makeup forin quiet time surrounded by nature in unincorporated Baldwin County’s far western reaches.

Getting there: Located just over three hours from New Orleans, Morgantown is oneofahandfulofpublic

access points heading west from Gulf Shores toward FortMorgan. Asmall onsiteparking lot leads to a raised boardwalk.

To do: This beach abuts both aresidential community and some of Alabama’s last remaining undisturbed coastal habitat, which is protected within Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge. (Therefuge’sown beach boardwalk is currently being replaced.)

Ambitious visitorscan head 10 moreminutes west to tour historic Fort Morgan or venture10minutes east to hike the Jeff Friend Nature Trail or kayak on Little Lagoon. Spend the night: Accom-

modationsabound in Gulf Shores, through visitors will only find rental homes close to Morgantown. The nearest hotels begin about 25 minutes away in the city proper

JohnsonBeach

Perdido Key, Pensacola, Florida

Where do Pensacolans go to escape crowds? This Gulf Islands National Seashore gem.And arecent raft of renovations has madeiteven moreaccessible.

Getting there: Located at the easternmost end of Perdido Key,abarrier island that’s nearly 60% parkland, Johnson Beach’s champagnecolored sand continue for miles beyond three new parking lotsand seven new boardwalks. Acredit cardonly $25 fee per vehicle is good for seven days at any of several National Seashore sites.

To do: On site, the recently reopened Discovery Trail loops atenth of amile through salt marsh, dunes and wetland. Or,just outside thepark gates, bike a new 6.5-mile routealong theisland past eateries and through aseparate state park. Bonus: The bike path ends at iconic beach bar Flora-Bama.

Spend the night: Perdido Key is largely rental home territory.The Purple Parrot

Village offers low country beach cottages around a community pool. And locally owned Southern Vacation Rentals offers an array of new and unique properties.

HendersonBeach

StatePark

Destin, Florida

Nobody’sever called summer in Destin quiet, at least not in recent memory. But this mile-long band of sand backed by towering dunes and lush coastal forest is an oasis amid the seasonal thrum

Getting there: Located about four hours east of New Orleans, the small park offers limited on-site parking ($6 fee). Plan to arrive early or bike in.

To do: With no in-park outfitters, it’sBYO umbrella, chairs and beach toys. A pet-friendly nature trail and picnic pavilions are available on site.

Spend the night: Campsites here are few,but neighboring indie properties Henderson Beach Resort and the historic, adults-only Henderson Park Inn abut the state park, giving hotel guests an easy jumping off point for aquieter day at the beach. Bonus: The luxurious pair share three on-site pools, alazy river,awardwinning spa and recently revamped dining options.

West EndBeach

DauphinIsland,Alabama

Nearly half of this off-thebeaten-path barrier island’s 15-mile length lies beyond where the road ends to the west, giving intrepid beachgoers access to an all-butprivate paradise, if they’re willing to work forit.

Getting there: Drive the 2.5 hours to asizable beach parking lot and walk out to asecluded spot in the sand.

(A $10.35 feepaid through the ParkMobile app works forall three of the island’s beaches all day.) Or pop into Dauphin Island Marina to rent afew kayaks and paddle out.

To do: In season, find food and chair rental vendors near the parking lot. Elsewhere, nature lovers can

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

explore the coastal ecology at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Alabama Aquarium and 137-acre Audubon Bird Sanctuary

Spend the night: Find a beach house or condo via the dozen local property companies operating on the island. Or opt forasuite at the family-run and renovated Gulf Breeze Motel on Dauphin Island’squieter sound side.

Ship Island

Gulfport,Mississippi

Accessible only by boat, this golden-sand strip 11 miles off the Mississippi coast is one of the last undeveloped barrier islands in the country.And, as part of Gulf Islands National Seashore, it’slikely to stay that way.

Getting there: Keep an eye peeled fordolphin an the hourlong ferry ride via Ship Island Excursions, afamilyrun operation celebrating nearly acentury of service. During summer months, twodepartures aday start at 9a.m. from Yacht Harbor in Gulfport’sJones Park. And returns begin at 2:30 p.m.Adult round trip tickets start at $44. To do: In season, find a lifeguarded swimming beach, chair and umbrella rentals and areasonably priced snack stand. Be sure to bring cash foronisland purchases, internet —like cell service —isspotty that farout. Showers, drinking water and bathroom facilities are available as are free tours of historic Fort Massachusetts. Spend the night: There’sno camping allowed on the island, so book aroom at Gulfport’snewest boutique accommodation, the art deco-chic Hotel Vela, which is walking distance to Jones Park. Bonus: Itsswankonsite restaurant, Siren Social Club, recently madeSouthern Living’stop 20 new restaurants thanks the James Beard-nominated team at the helm

JessicaFenderwrites about travel.Email her at Fender@TravelerBroads com.

Irented acar from Sixt in Texas recently While driving in Big Bend National Park, Igot two flat tires and had to replace them Sixttold me they would reimburse me $385 forthe new tires. Isent them receipts and my bank information.They emailed back saying the wire transfer hadbeen processed and Ishould receive the money in three to 15 business days. More than amonth later, Istill hadn’treceived

getmy$385back? —Ray Cook, Invercargill, New Zealand

again.Then they

number.I even provided the details for asecondbank account. My bank confirmed my account information wascorrect, but the money neverarrived I filed acomplaint with theConsumer Financial Protection Bureau, but theydidn’ttakeany action. I’m at my wits’ end. Can youhelpme

This is aclassic case of acompany giving acustomer therunaround. Sixt made apromise to refund you, apromise it should have honored. Before we figure out what happened to your refund, let’s rewind to thenational park where you had your flattires. Youcalled Sixt, which couldn’t switch out your vehiclebecause of your location. Big Bendisbeautiful, but it’sinthe middleofnowhere.

The next best option was to get youtorepair thetires and to send Sixt the bill. So that’swhat Sixtasked you to do. It promised you arefund in writing, andtoyour credit, you kept the email. Nice work! What went wrong? As Iread between thelines, here’swhat Ithink might have happened.You were renting acar from aGerman rental companyinthe United States, but

you’re based in New Zealand. Somewhere along theway,Sixt might have confused someofyour banking codes. It probably should have just credited the money back to your card instead of trying to do a bank transfer

If you ever run into aproblem with Sixt again, you can also escalate your case to amanager.Ilist thenames, numbers and email addresses of the Sixt customer service executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

Icontacted Sixt on your behalf. Arepresentative said they would review thecase. Afew weeks later, you received an email from Sixt, and finally,after eight months, Sixt refunded your $385.

Christopher Elliott is thefounder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@ elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

Louisianans can now use the LA Wallet app as adigital ID at TSA checkpoints nationwide, Gov. Jeff Landry announced recently For thenext three years, TSA has approved LA Wallet as avalid form of identification at airports, federal facilities and federalcourthouses that accept digital IDs

Residents must have identification that fulfills federal REAL ID requirements to use the app at airport security checkpoints.

“If you forget your wallet, no worries. You’re nevergoing to forgetyourphone,” Landry said in avideo announcement withOfficeof Motor Vehicles Director Bryan Adams.

Last year,the TSA expanded itsdigital ID acceptance

program to include Louisianaissued mobile driver licenses at the 27 airports that have checkpoints withdigital ID readers. Now it’saccepted at over 250 airports, according to the TSA website.

“However,all passengers must still carry an acceptable compliant physical ID for verification,” the TSA site says. At an airport security checkpoint, Louisianans can usethe LA WalletQRcode, and aTSA reader will take your picture to confirm it’san identity match.

“Weare thrilled to see Louisiana utilizing innovative technology to allow for amore flexible andaccessible TSA experience,” TSA Deputy Administrator Adam Stahlsaid in anews release. To obtainadigital ID, state residents can download the LA Wallet appfromthe app store on asmartphone.

ARTS &CULTURE

Onemembershipopens many doorsduringMuseumMonth

Membersget in free to almost30 attractions

MuseumMonth, aNew Orleans &Co. promotion that runs through August, offers members of participating institutions two free admissions at all of the nearly 30 museums takingpart, which range from the Backstreet Cultural Museum in Treme to the New Orleans Museum of Art in CityPark to the Warehouse District’sNational WWII Museumto the members of the French Quarter Museum Association. Dedicated museumgoerscan save hundreds of dollars in admission fees while also supporting their favorite museumor attraction.

This year,New Orleans&Co. has added apassport promotion that allows participants to track their progress from museumto museum and potentially collect a prize, whichcould includeafree one-yearmembershipatthe museum of their choice.

But the benefits of museum membership are just beginning when August turns to September and beyond —for both members andmuseums.

First-look exhibit opening receptions, museum store and public-programming discounts, and informative print and digital publications and communications are just afew of the benefits museum members can access. Several local museums offer themembership benefit of free admission at the more than 1,400 North American Reciprocal Museum Association institutions, which include art and history museums, botanical gardens, zoos andmore.

At the Historic New Orleans Collection, for one example, membership at the $100 Merieult Society level “allows youinto hundreds of museums across not just the U.S. but Canada and Mexico as well,” said Mandi Cambre, HNOC’sdevelopment director.“And so, it’skind of like having Museum Month all year round.” Here are afew recommendations for this New OrleansMuseum Month, with an emphasis on exhibitsthat have recently openedorclosing soon.

TheCabildo

Marking the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’striumphant tour of America (tocelebrate the new nation’s50 years of independence), “Bienvenue Lafayette” especially concentrates on his five-day residency in NewOrleansinApril 1825. He was billeted in the same Cabildo rooms the exhibit occupies. 701 Chartres St.

PARTICIPATING MUSEUMS

n The 1850House

n AmericanItalianCultural Center

n Ashe Cultural ArtsCenter

n Backstreet Cultural Museum

n BK House

n The Cabildo

n ConfederateMemorial Hall

n ContemporaryArtsCenter

n Hermann-GrimaHouse

n The Historic NewOrleans Collection

n Longue VueHouseand Gardens

n Louisiana Children’sMuseum

n Louisiana Civil Rights Museum

n Museum of the SouthernJewish Experience

n The National WWIIMuseum

n NewOrleans African American

TheHistoricNew Orleans Collection

See“Making ItHome: From Vietnam to New Orleans,” an exhibit markingthe 50th anniversary of thefallofSaigon and thelocal impact of the displaced Vietnamese population, and “The Trail They Blazed,” an overview of thelocal Civil Rights Movement of the20th century 520 Royal St.

TheMuseumofthe Southern Jewish Experience

“Most Fortunate Unfortunates: theJewish Orphans’ Home of New Orleans” uses objects, images, and oral histories to tell the story of the home that Yellow Fevermadenecessary 818 Howard Ave.

TheNationalWWIIMuseum

“Fighting for the Right to Fight:

Museum

n NewOrleans Museum of Art

n NewOrleans PharmacyMuseum

n Ogden Museum of SouthernArt

n The Pitot House

n The Presbytere

n Sazerac House

n SouthernFood and Beverage

Museum

n StudioBE

n Tate, Etienne,Prevost Interpretive

Center

n The Vue

Note: Sazerac House, VueOrleans and JAMNOLA are not membershipbased attractions but will take part in Museum Month. Check with the attraction for entry details.

African American Experiences in World WarII” closes Aug. 24. Elsewhere on campus, find the changing exhibit “On American Shores: The Aleutian Islands Campaign.” 945 Magazine St.

TheNew OrleansMuseumofArt

The striking “New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovationsand Collaborations” closes Aug. 10. The photography exhibit “Nicolas Floc’h: Fleuves-Océan, Mississippi Watershed” surveys life on and under the Mississippi River and its tributaries. 1Collins Diboll Circle, City Park

TheOgden Museum of Southern Art

“KeithDuncan: Battle of the Bands,” acolorful and compelling artistic survey of HBCUmarching band imagery,closes Aug. 10.

“Hoa Tai: (Flower Hands):Southern Artistsofthe Vietnamese

PROVIDED PHOTO

Artist Vince Fraser,inamask, attendsthe opening of the NewOrleans AfricanAmerican Museum’sAncestral Odyssey.

Diaspora” closes Sept. 21. Newly opened at the Ogden: the exhibit “Looking Back: Hurricane Katrinaat20” features the workof six artistswho address the storm and its aftermath. 925 CampSt.

TheNew OrleansAfrican American Museum

Anew permanent exhibit, “Vince Fraser: Ancestral Odyssey,” is on view.The workapplies artificial intelligence editing tools to animate images and video of Mardi Gras Indians. 1418 Governor NichollsSt.

TheOld Ursuline Convent Museum

Researched by the Office of Archives and Records at the Archdiocese of New Orleans, “Rooted in Faith:Pope Leo XIV’s Louisiana Lineage” features afamily tree and documentreproductions that trace Robert Frances Prevost’s deep Catholic roots through his maternal family tree and connectshim to the region’shistory back to the early 1700s. 1112 Chartres St.

WHAT’S HAPPENINGAT N.O.

AREA MUSEUMS

The exhibit “Looking Back: Hurricane Katrina at 20,”featuring thework of six artists whoaddress thestorm and its aftermath, has openedat the Ogden Museum of SouthernArt ogdenmuseum.org

At the ContemporaryArtsCenter NewOrleans, “Refreshing America: Artists of America from Other Nations” closesafter Saturday’sWhiteLinen Night. cacno.org

On Monday, The National WWII Museum will mark the US Coast Guard’s235thbirthdaywithfree admission foractive-duty and reservemembers, retirees and all veterans of that service branch. nationalww2museum.org

The Historic NewOrleans Collection AntiquesForum, presenting the theme “Delight &Distraction: Material Culture of Southern Amusement,”will takeplace Fridaythrough Sunday. hnoc.org

The National WWIIMuseum will present asymposium to mark the 80thanniversaryofthe war’send on Fridayand Saturday. In-person registration is at capacitybut the panels will stream online forfree. nationalww2museum.org

At 1p.m.Aug. 16, urban planner DavidDixon will deliver the2025 Morrison Lecture at the Historic New Orleans Collection. Thetheme: “We’re NotDone yet: Post-Katrina Urban Planning Lessons.”A panel discussion will followDixon’spresentation. The event is free but registration is required. hnoc.org

ThePresbytere

An update is underway on the exhibit “Living with Hurricanes: Katrina &Beyond” to markthe storm’s 20th anniversary.Reopening is scheduled forAug. 29. Upstairs, see “Pioneers of Women’sCarnival,” which features one of the first Muses shoes. 751 Chartres St.

In addition, several museums, including the 1850 House and HNOC (where admission is free), are offering specialty tours and pop-up lectures during August to serve Museum Month visitors.

Anew episode of the Museumgoer Podcast, available on most platforms,further explores membership benefits at several local museumsand offers an overview of how membership programs help museumsbuild an engaged core audience.

DaveWalker focusesonbehindthe-scenes coverage of the region’s many museums here andatwww.themuseumgoer com. Email Daveatdwalkertp@ gmail.com.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Abrass band performs in front of the Cabildo, part of the Louisiana State Museuminthe French Quarter

Dave Walker

THEPAGES WITH RICKy RICCARDI

Before SatchmoSummerFest, brushuponyourLouis

BY RIEN FERTEL Contributing writer

“Stomp Off, Let’sGo: The Early Yearsof Louis Armstrong” by Ricky Riccardi, Oxford University Press, 488 pages.

Ricky Riccardi, the preeminent Louis Armstrong scholar,has become oneofthe highlightsof the annual Satchmo SummerFest music festival. This year Riccardi will discuss the newestand last bookinhis trilogy of Armstrong biographies: “Stomp Off,Let’s Go.”

The book details the first three decades in Satchmo’slife and career,from his New Orleans beginnings, his tutelage under and eventual rivalry with King Oliver in Chicago, his Hot Five recordings and early contributions to pop culture, to his firstyears in New York City Along the way,Riccardi provides his own exquisitely researched takes on several of the historical snags that have plagued scholars for decades, including Armstrong’sactual birth date, the origins of his first cornetand why he never had children.

Alifelong Satchmo devotee, Riccardi has worked for theLouis Armstrong House Museum since 2009, where,asthe director of researchcollections, he oversaw thedigitization of the museum’s immense collection of reel-to-reel tapes, photographs and correspondence —all of which is available online.

Alongside his critically acclaimed biographies, Riccardi has won two Grammys forhis liner notes and teaches a15-week “Music of Louis Armstrong” class at Queens College, which hecalls “the most gratifying of all my Armstrong-related exploits.” This interviewhas been condensedand edited.

“Stomp Off, Let’sGo” is Louis Armstrong’s

By CHARLES GRAHAM/PROVIDED By RICKy RICCARDI

origin story.Tell me about how you cameto specialize in him.

This year actuallycelebrates the 30th anniversary of my Big Bang. WhenIwas 15 years old, Istarted hearing NewOrleans music in movies, and therewas somethingjust kind of pulling me in Aroundthat same time, Isaw “The Glenn Miller Story ”the old Jimmy Stewart movie. Armstrong comes outand does “Basin Street Blues.” It wasn’tatotal life-changing moment, but it was enoughfor me to sit up, pay attention,and say,“All right, Ineed to hear moreofthat guy.”

My mother took me to thelocal library here in Toms River, New Jersey,and Ichecked out acompilation of Armstrong’s 1950s recordings, and that was thelife-changing moment. Ididn’t envision acareer,I just thought, “I have anew favorite musician. Letmegoback to the library and learn about this guy.”

Every book Ipulled off the shelf hadthe samenarrative that he was ageniusasa young man,he changed thesoundofjazz and American popular music. Butby 1929, hehad chosen to go commercial and sellout.Bythe end of his life, he’sanUncle Tom, a clown singing“Hello Dolly” on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” What a

waste of talent. Something was stirring inside of me that was saying they’re gettingthe storywrong, something was missing. Ihad adream back in high school to write abook about Armstrong’slater years that would clear up some misconceptions. Andthat happened in 2011. What did your peers think about your Armstrong fixation? At first,Ikind of kept it under wraps. ButIdoremember by the end of freshman year calling my

best friend on thephone, and I had this “Louis Armstrong California Concerts” box set, and I just blasted it over the phone. By sophomore, junior year,I was getting the reputation as the jazzguy.I wasone of the first in my friend group to drive, and the driver controls the music. If you were riding with me, you had to get used to Louis Armstrong and FrankSinatra and Duke Ellington. Iwas very fortunate to have a close friend group. Noneofthem becamefull-fledged jazz fans or

music historians, but they all realized that this was good stuff

We’reseveral generations removed from Armstrong’slife and career:125 years since his birth, 50-plus since his passing Howdoweanswerthe question, especially foryoung people: Whydoes Louis Armstrong matter?

He matters because he is the defining figure of the 20th century,atleast forthe first 70 years. If you just take the music alone: right up from NewOrleans, then conquering every popular sound, hit records every decade, changing the waypeople play music with their instruments, changing the waypeople sing. He conquers records, conquers movies, conquers radio, conquers television, and there’ssomuch footage, you can chart it decade by decade. Then there’sthe rags-to-riches angle. There’srace, which is anchored to every aspect of this country’shistory.Perceptions of Armstrong, White perceptions, Black perceptions, modern-day perceptions. Now we see him as this complex figure whotranscended his upbringing, race relations, international relations and everything in between. Yourealize that this guy’slifeand music is the story of the 20th century The good newsisthat moreand morepeople are waking up to that. Ispent twodays this week at aconference run by Queens College and the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation. They put together an institute at the Louis Armstrong House Museum inviting about 40 teachers from the Queens and New York City area to learn about Louis Armstrong forfive straight days in order to insert Armstrong into their teaching.

Maybe it’sgoing to take 100 years after he dies, but eventually,people are going to say,“Who are the greats?” And it’sgoing to be Shakespeare, Mozart, Dr Martin Luther King and Louis Armstrong.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, mostrecently, “Brown Pelican.”

ANew Orleanspoetreflects on life in essayand verse

BY GERALDINEWYCKOFF

Contributing writer

“I was never agangster,Inever sold drugs, Inever carried agun …Iworked every day since the ageoffifteen. Iknew my virtues couldn’tsaveme. I smelled the residue of violence.”

The excerptfrom apoem called “When BusFare Ain’t Enough,” tells muchabout Chuck Perkins, the author of “Beautiful and Ugly Too,”and the duality of his life growing up as a Black boy in his hometown of New Orleans as well as his adult experiences. Perkins, apoet, spoken word artist, essayist, social and political activist and owner of the Bywater’s popular Cafe Istanbul, stands as awell-respected, admired and likable man particularly in the city’scultural and musical communities.

He’sknown for his warm smile until, as his poems and essays reveal, he meets up with racism, injustice and discrimination.Un-

fortunately,suchencounters have been frequent, started early in his life andcontinue to this day

It’ssad to read Perkins’ simply titled essay,“Police,” one of 10 essays that punctuate the50-plus poems throughout the book. He clearly recalls when, as asecondgrader,hewas making aventure outofNew Orleans that resulted in arun-in with racism. Hisfather was behind thewheel of his beige Pontiac taking Perkins’ grandmother,“Big Mama,” back to her

homeinMonroe, while he and his brother Charles rode in theback seat.Their vehicle was stopped by acounty sheriff who was soon joined by two other police cars.

“Regardless how nervous this might makeaneight year-old kid, everything intensifies when your family is Black and big, {and} White, tobacco-spitting cops approach your car in the middle of nowhere,”Perkins writes.

The result was just aspeeding ticket though reflecting on theincident,the author views it as an “overkill for driving while Black.”

“She’sthe Queen Cityofthe South, Butshe ain’tnosouthern belle,” Perkins writes about the place of his birthinhis poem “We Ain’t Dead Yet.”

The page includes ablack and white photo, one of several that grace thepages, with an unmasked Perkins playing tambourine alongside Irving “Honey” Banister of theCreole Wild West Mardi Gras Indian tribe.

As described in his essay “Murder Capital” it’s awonder that Perkins and his two friends made it through an extremely frightening night when, as young men, they somehow survived bullets raining down on their car.The

READING, SIGNING

Chuck Perkins will host areading and signing of “The Beautiful and Ugly Too” at Cafe Istanbul, 2372 St. Claude Ave., at 8p.m. on Friday.

three all went on to enjoy successful careers, but manyoftheir Black brothers did not.

Expanding on that reality,in thepoem “Believing YouWill Die Young,” Perkins asks: “Isevery day beyond the age of twenty-five an unearned bonus?”

When addressing issues such living under Jim Crow restrictionsthat severely limited his and the freedoms of African-Americans across the nation, Perkins tackles them like adetermined defensive fullback.

Yet, he also sharesthe brighter days of his youth as told in “From Back-A-TowntoSt. Charles, on Foot.” It offers asnapshot of his family’stypical Carnival Day thefood, their trek from their Grandma Lit’s“back-a-town” housenear the Calliope public housing project to the main attraction on St. Charles Avenue

“This is formyartist of virtuosity, Who keep the music in mys-

tery,” writes Perkins in “Melody Makers.” The poem gives shoutouts to stalwarts like trumpeter Kermit Ruffins and drummer Shannon Powell as well as social and pleasure clubs, Black Indians and more.

He devotes an entire poem to the great guitarist, banjo man, vocalist and composer Danny Barker

“He could jive with the jivers, And trade philosophies with the intellectuals. Areal New Orleans character,With the chapeau to prove it.”

Throughout “Beautiful and Ugly Too,” Perkins, 60, offers his perspective of life in NewOrleans through his eyes as aBlack man

Astreet-wise andwell-educated poet andessayist, he moves naturally between the vernacularofthe ’hood to more refined prose.Whetherinperformance or by pen, Perkins strongly delivers his oftencontroversial messages with suchcharm and intelligence thattheycan be consideredand enjoyedbyall those with the gift of an open and curiousmind.

Contact Geraldine Wyckoff at gwnomusic@yahoo.com.

PHOTO

Louis Armstrong plays in his den

Perkins

Riccardi

Solari’s in theQuarter wasa ‘foodie’ emporium

BY MYRNA B. BERGERON

Contributing writer

Anticipation rose whenever I stoodatthe façade of Solari’son the corner of Royal and Iberville streets in New Orleans’ French Quarter

Human Condition

The heavy wooden double doors had glass inserts etched with the name Solari’s, and through them, you could see the bustlinginterior. Once you pushed the door open, the happy sound of clattering dishes, clerks talkingand people enjoying themselves could be heard. Suddenly,you wereaware of the delightful scents in the air, hot loaves of bread coming from the oven, coffee being brewed and spices from around the world.

Solari’swas known for imported exotic foods, spices and wines as well as local produce, meat and seafood. There were chocolates and cheeses from Holland, Switzerland and Belgium; pastas from

Italy; ales from England; and barrels of olives from Spain. It was a “foodie” paradise then and would also bepopular in today’sworld.

Solari’s was likeour specialty food stores magnified —itprovidedfor every culinary desire. All theitems were displayed in

Southand Central America, and thediversity of transportation to the Mississippi Valley.”

beforecorporate coffeehouse chains emerged and fueled ahigher demand.

Folgerscomes to N.O. Folgers started in San Francisco before establishing roots in New Orleans.

In the mid-19th century, founder J.A. Folger left Massachusetts for California during the gold rush. Folger had originally set out to mine gold, but instead partnered with acoffee company that he would eventually acquire and elevate to become one of the nation’sleading roasters

In 1959, Folgers representatives stood in New Orleans City Hall with thenmayor DeLesseps “Chep” Morrison to announce Folgers’plans to builda modern, 20-acre processing plant on Old Gentilly Road. Folgers president Joseph Atha told The TimesPicayune the company chose New Orleans for “the available port facilities, the proximity to the coffeeproducing countries of

In February 1961, full production began. Green coffee was regularly trucked directlyfrom docked shipstothe onestory,200,000-square-foot building, according to The New Orleans States-Item. The companywas acquired by Procter &Gamble two years later Its launch cameduring a period ofindustrialprogress in New Orleans—particularly in the East,where real estate agents promoted available sites in full-page advertisements withthe slogan “the most complete in the nation for your plant location.”

Folgersexpands operations Likethe East itself, Folgers expanded its operations in 1998 when it bought the former Nestle plantfor $10 million andinvested another $30 million forimprovements.

Thedecision to grow theFolgers coffee empire made sense: The company controlled about39% of the U.S.market for roasted cof-

an attractive manner,including fresh floral arrangements placed throughout thestore.

In thecenter of Solari’swas an oval-shaped marble lunch counter where you could enjoy alunch or aslice of their unique cheesecake and acup of café au lait

Ourbus stop from downtown back home wasablock away from Solari’s, so Ioften enjoyed atreat there. My dad’soffice was downtown andI remember him bringing home bakery treats from Solari’s. Oneofthe mostmemorable thingsabout shopping at Solari’swas the sawdust-covered tile floor.I suppose the sawdust absorbed spills and such, was inexpensive and smelled good when freshly applied. It also was thought to prevent customers from slipping and falling. Every night,the floor was swept clean and fresh sawdust put downthe next morning. Solari’sopened in 1864 when that area wasaneighborhood filled withfamilies. After several years of success, Joseph B. Solari moved his store to another location on Royal and Iberville streets. It burned in the 1880s, and Thomas Sully,afamous architect of the day,was hired to design anew four-story building on

the site. The new and larger store advertised the fact that Solari’s had atelephone line forhome delivery and shipping.

The family sold the business in 1961 and it closed in 1967. Today, the sameSully building houses Mr.B’s,aBrennan’srestaurant, on the first floor and aparking garage above.

It is sad forthose of us whoare native New Orleanians to witness the demise of so manyinteresting and important stores and restaurants in our city.Solari’sisone of them It would be nice to be able to push on that shiny brass panel and enter the grocery again, sit at the counter and have acup of coffee. —Bergeron lives in Baton Rouge. HumanConditionsubmissions of 600 wordsorfewer may be emailedtofeatures@ theadvocate.com. Stories will be kept on file and publication is notguaranteed.There is no payment forHumanCondition

fees sold at supermarkets, surpassing bothNestle and Kraft Foods, The TimesPicayune reported.

After J.M. Smucker Company acquired Folgers in 2008, the brand’sfootprint in New Orleans only grew As facilities in Sherman, Texas, and Kansas City closed, Folgers announced a$69 million investment to expand capacity at its two local plants and the distri-

bution center in St.TammanyParish.

In 2020, Folgers sought $25 million in tax breaks in New Orleansfor upgrades madetoits roasting plants —acontentious, yearslong effort ultimately denied by former governor John Bel Edwards and city leaders. An ongoingevolution

In recent years, theFolgers brand has worked to

shed its grandmotherly reputation, one created in part by its iconic 1980s jingle, “the best part of wakin’ up is Folgers in your cup.” In 2022, the company released anew commercial featuring local musician Trombone Shorty sipping on asteaming mugof Folgers before the camera cut to jazz bands trotting downthe streets of New Orleans.

Joan Jett’s“Bad Reputation” blared in the background, aself-deprecating but playful approach acknowledging the brand’s need to evolve.

Like Folgers’ image, New Orleans’ coffee scene has transformed over the past century,with asurge in roasters and coffeehouses that have grownfrom local staples to national brands. Once available only in Louisiana, Community Coffeenow sells to grocery stores and restaurants across the country Similarly,PJ’sCoffee has expanded beyond its local roots, with over 160 locations in the United States, reflecting the influence Folgers had —and continues to have —onNew Orleans’ coffee culture.

Email Poet Wolfe at poet. wolfe@theadvocate. com. Do you have aquestion about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include yourname, phone number and thecitywhere you live.

Cajunhistorian tells of life spentinthe Vatican—Louisiana

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

In rural Lafayette Parish,inone of themost Catholic regions of the country,a little village called Vatican sits on La. 93 between Scott and Cankton.

SomeofVatican’s principal streets are Vatican Road, Pope Drive and Bishop Street. It’sabout 5miles away from St. Peter RomanCatholic Church in Carencro, but there’sonlyone church in Vatican itself —Vatican Baptist Church.

theircommunity “Vatican,”and the name stuck when people started listing it on maps.

And while Pope Leo has Creole roots that stretch back to Opelousas, there’snoevidence that the first American pope has anyconnection to this Louisiana outpost of the Holy See. Anew book by Cajun historian and folklorist Barry Ancelet shines alight on this conundrum of aplace. “Vatican,” ashort memoir written in Cajun French verse, is acollection of stories from Ancelet’schildhood at the home of his aunt and uncle, who were subsistence farmersinVatican. The stories, which take place through the 1950sand 1960s, preserve the original language and sounds of their telling.

“I spent alot of time on this farmwhere my father’ssister and her husbandand his parents all lived together,and of those people, only my aunt spoke alittle English,” said Ancelet.

“SoI started jottingdown these memories, and they came in French, because that’sthe language of the world Iwas in. I wanted to capture the musicality of the way they spoke.”

“Vatican”depicts theworld of Ancelet’s aunt anduncle —Saul Benoit and Lena Ancelet Benoit, whowas known by herlifelong nickname, “Petite.” Lena was a tall woman at 5feet, 11 inches, but Cajuns love carrying childhood nicknames like “Tee-Jean” (or “Little John,”) through adulthood. It’salinguistic expression of aquirkysense of humor that denotes family and familiarity. Actually,it’sthought that the community of Vatican got its name thanks to that Cajun talent for fun and nonsense. Yes, it is areference to Vatican City, but according to Ancelet thejoke started around the time St. Peter CatholicChurch was being constructed in Carencro in the early 20th century Area residents thoughtitwould be apropos, and hilarious, to call

AT RANDOM

Continued from page1D Ancelet

We had afront-row seat as the swallowtails worked themselves free and dried their painted wings while they hung from the dillstalks, then floated away on

“Cankton got named for ajoke, too,” saidAncelet.“Dr.Guidry, whodeliveredme, was the doctor aroundthere forever.His nickname was ‘Cank’ because hecould call ducks withouta duckcall, using justhis voice. Someone made the joke, it was ‘La Ville de Cank.’” After growing up in the Lafayette and Vatican area, Ancelet wentonto study Cajun French culture and language as an academic discipline, bringing togetherthe threadsoflanguage, music, storytelling and place to explain apart of the worldthat had primarily been studiedand written about by outsiders.

Ancelet foundedthe Cajunand Creole music festival Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in 1974, and is nowaretired Professor Emeritus of FrancophoneStudies in the modern languages department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. In visitingmemories from his childhood and writing“Vatican,”

Ancelet said that he wanted to preserve the worldhegrewup in for hisgrandchildren. Today Vatican is acrossroad carrying peoplefrom the cityofLafayette to themore rural backroads of Acadiana, where old homesteads still mark the places wheregenerationsmade alivingfromthe land.

“Itwas alittle worldwhere my aunt could standonthe front porchand see all of the stories of the neighbors playing out. They greweverythingthey ate. They saw very little moneyinayear but Inever ate so well in my life,” said Ancelet.

“Vatican doesn’thave the grocery storeanymore. It doesn’t have thetwo places to play cards, and the saloon. Butitstill has an identity. People from Vatican still feel like they’re from Vatican.”

“Vatican” can be purchased online through Centenary College’s Louisiana French press, Les Éditions Tintamarre. Ancelet will hold areadingand book launch at Cavalier House Books in Lafayette on Friday,Aug. 22, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., moderated by Cajun French linguist Amanda LaFleur who wrote the book’sintroduction.

Email Joanna Brownatjoanna. brown@theadvocate.com.

maiden flights.Tosee this little ritual of resurrection each summerhas been an abiding reminder that even when time seems stalled, life with all its insistent urgency is makingplans for the future.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

PEET

Continuedfrom page1D

‘He’sputting in thesweat’

“The people whosaw me were happy with the flag,” Peet said. They seemed to appreciate his intentions. ATimes-Picayune photographer captured astirring imageofPeet wavingthe flagnear thesite of thetragedy

“Wewereall in astate,” said StahiliGlover,who sells Lucky Dogs fromhis cart on Bourbon Street. “Itfelt like afuneral out here, everybodywas so sad,” he said. But Peet’s athletic activism was abalm.

“Love is somethingthat’s hard to achieve” Glover said. “As he runs, he’sslowly but surely subconsciously spreading the love.”

Symbolically,Peet’sphysical exertionisthe important thing, Glover said. “You can tell me you love me, but unless you show me you loveme, you’re just talking. He’s putting in the sweat, he’s putting in thehard work.”

WhoisChris Peet?

Peet is afit58-year-old, tall and lean with close-cropped gray hair and an assertivemustache. He was born in Marrero,moved to Texas with hisfamily when he was11, moved back to NewOrleansas an adult in the 1990s,and intothe Bywater in 2008. Askedtosketch in some personal details, Peet said he’s been alifelong bachelor and he’sbeen sober for four years.

Peet spent much of his work life as atelevisionadsalesman.Now he’s an insuranceadjuster. As a sideline, he serves as WWL television’sParadeTracker tricyclist, spearheading adozen processions each year,providing geolocationto markthe parade progress.

His old friend Larry Lowe says that Peet hasalwaysbeen devoted to theCrescent City cultural vibe. He was part of agaggleofJazz Fest friends who usedtosling around a stuffed chickennamed Gladys, attached to alongfishingpole. The Gladys totem was away to find the group in thethrongofmusic lovers. Gladys was also away to playfully torment other people in the crowd by dropping the chicken unexpectedly on their shoulders.

Lowe thinks that Gladys’ pole might be the same one Peet used

to makehis love flag.

Peetdistributes doubloon-sized love stickers as he jogs along beneath his signature flag, 14 per run. He tattoos his arms with the word love,spelled outinMagic Marker ink. He’s worn out four flags so far Thecurrent modelisa bitsmaller and more aerodynamic thatthe original. Sometimes he allows others to takethe flaginordertopose for pictures or to giverunning with the love flag atry.And he devotedly posts encounters and episodes along his route to hisInstagram account.

Ametamorphosis

Somewhere alongthe line, as his feet pounded thestickyVieux Carre pavement, ametamorphosis took place. By mid-July,the otherwise ordinary manhad woven himself into the ever-exotic fabric of the French Quarter.Peet’s flag became alocal icon and he became apublic persona. Rose “Sinister” Andresen, avampire tourguide and novelist, understands the phenomenon perfectly She’d seen Peet running lots of times and one day chatted with him as he took abreather in Jackson Square. “Itwas nice to make an actual connection,” she said. “I think it’scool andI love that he does it,” shesaid. Andresen left the conversation aware that “hedoes what he does because he thinks it’s important.”

Theonlypeoplewho don’tdig what he’sdoing “are the disgruntled curmudgeonly sorts,” she said.Andresensaidthat, based on her experience as atour guide, Peet may derive “an intangible

sort of profit” from his project. As he repeatedly shows the flag, “he get’spositive feedback,” she said. Yes, Peet said, he enjoys the extemporaneous interactions. The truth is, he said, he’snot one of those always-upbeat, alwaysgregarious dudes. So,heespecially values“getting something back” for his effort, “be it ahug or wave.”Ona recentjog,aman shouted“amen brother,”asPeet passed, another sang “all you need it love,” and the line of patrons waitingoutside theHouse of Blues nightclub erupted into cheers. Hugs,waves andmore Recognitionaside,atits core, Peet’sproject remains aone-man, continuing memorial. “People think its birds, happiness and butterflies …and it is,” he said, “but the genesis is what happened on January first.” Though inspirationwas local, Peet viewshis love flag as universal. He’staken it with him when he travels andhas run with it in several cities. He’d like to carry it in all 50 states, and even, maybe, abroad. Peet is angry that graffiti now marsthe terrorist attack memorialplaque on BourbonStreet.He wants someone from the city to clean it. He’sworking on asixth flagtoreplace thefifth, andhe’s hoping to ceremoniously run the killer’sroute in thewee hours of NewYear’sDay 2026. Peet hasno plans to stop.

Email Doug MacCashat dmaccash@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Chris Peet jogs past St.Louis Cathedralcarrying his love flag in NewOrleans.

Chris Peet greets familiar faces along his jogging route.

Love forargan oilstraining Moroccoand itstrees

Demand by cosmetic industry thinning crops

BY SAM METZ Associated Press

SMIMOU,Morocco Argan oil runs through your fingers like liquid gold —hydrating, luscious, and restorative. Prized worldwide as a miracle cosmetic, it’smore than that in Morocco. It’s alifeline for rural women and abyproduct of aforest slowly buckling under the weightofgrowing demand. To make it, women crouch over stone mills and grind down kernels. One kilogram —roughly two days of work —earns themaround $3, enoughfor amodest foothold in an economy where opportunities are scarce. It also links them to generations past.

“Wewere born and raised here. These traditions come from nature, what our parents and grandparents have taught us andwhatwe’ve inherited,” cooperative worker Fatma Mnir said.

Long astaple in local markets, argan oil today is in luxury hair and skin care productslining drugstore aisles worldwide. But its runaway popularity is threateningargan forests, with overharvesting piled on top of drought straining trees once seen as resilient in the harshestofconditions.

Hafida El Hantati, owner of one of the cooperatives that harvests the fruit and presses it foroil,saidthe stakes go beyond the trees, threatening cherished traditions.

“Wemust take care of this tree and protect it because if we lose it, we will lose everything that defines us and what we havenow,” she said at the Ajddiguecooperative outside the coastal town of Essaouira.

Aforestout of time

For centuries, argan trees have supported life in the arid hills between the Atlantic Ocean and theAtlas Mountains, feeding people and animals, holdingsoil in place and helping keep the desert from spreading.

The spiny trees cansurvive in areas with less than an inch of annual rain and heat up to 122 Fahrenheit. They endure drought with roots that stretch as far as 115 feet underground. Goats climb trees, chomp their fruit, and eventually disperse seeds as part of the forest’sregeneration cycle.

Moroccans stir the oil into nut butters and drizzle it over tagines. Rich in vitamin E, it’slathered onto dry hair and skin to plump, moisturize and staveoff damage. Some use it to calm eczema or heal chicken pox. But the forest has thinned. Trees bear fewer fruit, their branches gnarled from thirst.Inmanyplaces, cultivated land has replaced them as fields of citrus and tomatoes, many grownfor export,have expanded.

Communities once managed forests collectively, setting rules for grazing and harvesting. Now the system is fraying, with theft routinely reported What’s wrongwiththe forest

But aforest that covered about 5,405 squaremiles at the turn of the century has shrunk by 40%. Scientists warn that argan treesare not invincible.

“Because argantrees acted as agreencurtain protecting alarge part of southern Morocco against the encroaching Sahara, their slow disappearance has become considered as an ecological disaster,” said Zoubida Charrouf, achemist who researches argan at Université Mohammed Vin Rabat.

Shifting climate is apart of the problem. Fruit and flowers sprout earlier each year as rising temperatures push the seasons out of sync. Goats that help spread seeds can be destructive, too, especially if they feed

ASSOCIATED

Goatsclimbthe large,spinyargan trees, chomp their fruit and eventually disperse seeds as partofthe forest’s regeneration cycle. Argan

on seedlings before they mature. Overgrazing has become worse as herders and fruit collectors fleeing drierregions encroachon plotslong allocated to specific families.

The forests also face threats fromcamelsbred andraised by theregion’s wealthy. Camelsstretch their necks into trees and chompentirebranches, leaving lasting damage, Charroufsaid.

Liquidgold, drypockets

Today, women peel, crack andpress argan for oil at hundreds of cooperatives. Much makes its way through middlemen to be sold in products by companies and subsidiaries of L’Oréal,Unilever,and Estée Lauder

But workers saytheyearn little while watching profits flow elsewhere. Cooperatives say much of the pressure stems from climbing prices. A1-liter bottle sells for $60, up from $2.50 three decadesago.Products infused with argan sell for even more abroad. Cosmetics companies call argan the most expensive vegetal oil

on themarket.

The coronavirus pandemic upended global demand andprices andmanycooperativesclosed.

Cooperative leaders say newcompetitors have flooded themarket just as drought has diminished how muchoil can be squeezed fromeachfruit.

Cooperativeswere set up to provide women abase payand shareprofitseach month. ButUnion of Women’s Argan Cooperatives

President Jamila Id Bourrous said few make more than Morocco’s minimum monthlywage.

“The people who sell the final productare theones making the money,” she said.

Somebusinesses say large multinational companies use their size to set prices andshut others out.

KhadijaSaye, aco-owner of Ageourde Cooperative, said therewere real fears aboutmonopoly.

“Don’tcompete with the poorfor theone thingthey live from,” shesaid. “When youtaketheir model and do it better because you have money,it’snot competition, it’s displacement.”

Onecompany,Olvea, controls 70%ofthe export market, according to data from

local cooperatives. Cooperativessay few competitors can match itscapacity to fill big orders for global brands. Representatives forthe companydid notrespond to requests forcomment.

Limitedsolutions

On ahill overlooking the Atlantic, agovernment water truck weaves between rows of trees, pausing to hose saplings that have just started to sprout.

Thetrees are aproject that Morocco beganin2018, planting 39 square mileson privatelands abutting the forests. To conserve water andimprove soilfertility, argan trees alternate rows withcapers, atechnique known as intercropping.

Theidea is to expand forest cover and show that argan, if properly managed, can be aviable source of income. Officials hope it will ease pressure on the overharvested commonsand convinceotherstoreinvest in the land. Thetrees were expected to beginproducing this year but haven’tduring adrought

Another issue is thesupply chain.

“Between the woman in the village andthe final buyer, there arefourintermediaries. Each takesa cut. The cooperatives can’t

afford to store, so they sell cheap to someonewho pays upfront,” Id Bourrous, the unionpresident,said. The government has attempted to buildstorage centers to helpproducers hold onto theirgoodslonger and negotiate better deals. So far,cooperatives say it hasn’t worked,but anew version is expected in 2026 with fewerbarrierstoaccess. Despite problems, there’s money to be made.

During harvest season, women walk intothe forest with sacks, scanning the ground for fallen fruit. To El Hantati,the forest, once thick andhumming with life,feels quieter now Only thewinds andcreaking trees areaudible as goats climb branches in search of remainingfruitsand leaves.

“When Iwas young, we’d head intothe forestatdawn withour food andspend the whole day gathering. The trees weregreen all year long,”she said.

Shepaused,worriedabout the future as youngergenerationspursue education and opportunities in larger cities.

“I’m the last generation that lived our traditions weddings,births, even the waywemadeoil. It’s allfading.”

On hersecondalbum,singerReneé Rapp punchesback

BY ELISE RYAN Associated Press

NEWYORK Reneé Rapp was clear on her intentions for her sophomore album, “Bite Me,” from the start.

“I wanted to love this,” Rapp says. “I wanted to be able to walk awayfrom this and be so proud of myself and impressed, no matter what anybody else thought.” Her first album, 2023’s “Snow Angel,” had beenan experiment in figuring out her sound (a mix of pop, R&B and heart-wrenching ballads), and assembling acollection of songs that worked together.This album, out now,offered the chance to do it again, with an eye toward the way her life had changed in the intervening years.

that’sbeen said about her in the last few years? She reframes it,poking fun at her reputation and the industry

of thealbum.“And then also me wantingthings formyself and being confused where those tworoads diverge.”

Rapp’sconfidenceand humor is evident across the album, just as it is on stage —“Iwrite lyrics in theway that Italk,” she says. Many of the tracks tackle the destabilizing emotionsthat accompanythe beginning andend of relationships, whether platonic or romantic, andhow hernow-very public career hasamplified the challenges of creating, andmaintaining, thoseconnections.

The writingprocessgave Rapp, 25, an outlet to work through the burnout-inducingwhirlwind thatwas her career in those twoyears.

Uncharacteristicallyrestrained in its vocal styling, thealbum’slead single, “LeaveMeAlone,”isstrik-

“That intention, andalso wanting to prove it to myself,was really grueling,” Rapp said. “Andalso really fun.”

ingly open —clever zingers allude to herdeparture from HBO’s“Sex Lives of College Girls,” the media frenzy that surrounded her turn as Regina in the2024 remake of “Mean Girls,”and the externalpressure she felt to put out more music after the positive reception of “Snow Angel.” Basically,anything

“Leave Me Alone” felt like aproper introduction to the album, Rappsays, and “Bite Me” —bothawarning and atease —the appropriatetitle. Paris Hilton and Monica Lewinsky were among the famous faces thatteased the albumupon itsannouncement, donning merch emblazonedwith the title in bold print.Rapp herself posed in front of anewsstandfilled with mock tabloids depicting her as adiva, concealed behind bigsunglasses anda fur coat, to promotethe second single, “Mad.”(“That’s aRapp!” the headline read.)

“It really feels just like a time capsuleofthose two yearsofmylife, alot having to do withthe businessand theindustry andpeople’sexpectations of me,” Rapp says

“I’m so surrounded all the time, but Ifeel so lonely, and it feels really heavy and isolating. And Ithink alot of that is just beinganartist. And Ialso think alot of that is just like the nature of like the business, for better or forworse,” she says. The can’t-be-bothered attitude

heard on “Leave Me Alone” is countered by the ache of “That’sSoFunny,” which recounts the end of adeeply affecting, but ultimately toxic friendship. Thatdoesn’tmean Rapp isn’talsohaving fun. The cheeky “At Least I’m Hot” featuresRapp’sgirlfriend, the singer and guitarist Towa Bird. “I love when artists give you aclue into their lives, and the people who make theirlives full,” Rapp said. The track, she says, is also just funny: “Who better to put on that than like the funniest person alive?” The album’smix of emotionsissomething theAP Breakthrough Entertainer alum has been exploring since her 2022 EP,“Everything to Everyone.” She wants listeners to feel the conflict, too —and knowthat they aren’t aloneinexperiencing it.

Manforbids wife to sitbyanyoneelse

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,Aug. 3, the215thday of 2025.There are 150 days left inthe year Todayinhistory

On Aug. 3, 2019, agunman opened fire at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, resulting in the deaths of 23 people; after surrendering, the gunman told detectives hetargeted“Mexicans” and had outlinedthe plotinascreed published online shortly before theattack.

Also on this date:

In 1492, Christopher Columbusset sail from Palos,Spain, on his first voyagethattook him to the present-day Americas.

In 1852, in America’sfirst intercollegiate sporting event, Harvard rowed past Yale to win the first Harvard-Yale Regatta.

In 1916,Irish-bornBritish diplomatRoger Casement, astrong advocateofindependence for Ireland, was hanged for treason

In 1936, Jesse Owens of the United States won the first of his four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics as he took the 100-metersprint.

In 1972, the U.S. Senate ratified theAnti-Ballistic Missile Treaty between the UnitedStates and the Soviet Union.

In 1977, the Tandy Corporation introduced the TRS-80, one of the first widelyavailable home computers.

In 1981, U.S. air traffic controllers went on strike, seeking pay and workplace improvements (two days later,President RonaldReaganfiredthe 11,345strikingunion members and barred them from federal employment).

In 2004, the pedestal of theStatue of Liberty opened to visitors for the first time sincethe 9/11 attacks.

In 2018, Las Vegas police said they were closing theirinvestigation into the Oct. 1, 2017, shooting thatleft 58 people dead at acountry music festival without adefinitive answerfor why Stephen Paddock unleashed gunfire from ahotel suite onto the concert crowd

In 2021, New York’sstate attorney general said an investigation intoGov.Andrew Cuomo found that he had sexually harassed multiple current and former state governmentemployees; the report brought increased pressure on Cuomo to resign, includingpressure from President Joe Biden and other Democrats. (Cuomo resigned aweek later.)

Today’sbirthdays: FootballHall of Fame coach

Marv Levy is 100. Actor Martin Sheen is 85. Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth is 85. Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart is 84. Film director John Landis is 75.Actor JoMarie Payton (TV: “Family Matters”)is75. Hockey Hall of Famer Marcel Dionne is 74. Actor John C. McGinley is 66.Rock singer/guitarist James Hetfield (Metallica) is 62. Actor Lisa Ann Walter (TV:“Abbott Elementary”) is 62. Rock musician Stephen Carpenter (Deftones) is 55. Former NFL quarterback TomBrady is 48. Actor Evangeline Lilly is 46. Olympic swimming gold medalist Ryan Lochteis41. ModelKarlie Klossis33.

Dear Miss Manners: If Ifound my that my

wife and Iwere to be seated separately at aparty,Iwould move my place card or leave the party with her There are two primary duties that married couples —and, arguably,dating couples —have that supersede their “duty” to thehost of agathering: protection of and fidelity to their spouse, neither of which is served by splitting couples up. Parties areoften not safe in either respect, especially when alcohol is involved.

Gentle Reader: It is not clear whether the problem here is that your acquaintances are dangerous, your wife is untrustworthy,orthat all of you are apt todrink out of control. Perhaps it is all of these. MissManners can offer you only her sympathy.General social customs presuppose people of goodwill, not such extreme and unfortunate cases.

Dear Miss Manners:: Ihave mulled over this question for years, and have seen

bothsides. But generally,I believe it sounds weird and mildly insulting to refer to aserving tray as a“silver-plated serving tray” —especiallywhen it was agift. This happened to my mother-in-law, whom Iloved and cherished. She was widowed at ayoung age and worked hard to have amodest income. She managed to have apleasant, happy life—it was just her and her son (myhusband). She also had amazing taste andalways worked hard to give thoughtful gifts. Her brother was very affluent, and after he passed away,myMIL had a tense relationship withhis wife and kids. There was alot of jealousy and resentment. When his daughter (myhusband’s cousin) got married, my MILdidn’tattendthe wedding, but sent alovely serving tray as agift. The bride sent athank-you card saying, “Thank you for the silver-plated tray.”

Wasthat aveiled insult? My motherin-law was very hurt and offended, and that sealed it. She had nothingmoretodo with her brother’sfamily

When Iwrote my thank-you letters for my wedding gifts, Inever mentioned what the gifts weremade of. But Istill keep wondering if it wasrude or not. Gentle Reader: It would be of no help, Miss Manners supposes, forher to point out that silver plate can be valuable, even (in the case of early Sheffield pieces) moresothan certain itemsof sterling silver

The distinction that should have been madehere is between amere description, apossible slight and an insult so vicious as to require afamily rupture. The benefit of the doubt would have been the best choice. But rather than ponder this, you could have urged your mother-in-law not to react as she did, but to let it go —or, if that wasnot possible, to ask the niece if she wasunhappy with the present.

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@ gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners,Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.

Tell spammers you’re on the‘Do NotCall’

theyusually hold exactly 8 ounces and arerecyclable. This way,there are no messy cups to wash!

n Got grapefruit spoons you never use? Trycoring an apple or atomato with them.

ashoulder bag back then, but now Iuse across-body bag. No one hastried to steal my purse since then —MaggieG., in Newark, NewJersey Youwentwhere?

wrap around the back and tie in the front. Do you have any hints to avoid this annoyance?

Dear Heloise: Most spam callers are not criminals, and if you say thewords “Do Not Call List,” you will never hear from them again. However, some of them are criminals and just want to record your voice so that AI can use it for fraud. In this case, just hand thephone to another member of your family and have them say “DoNot Call” list. I almost never get spam calls anymore. —Roger K., via email Roger,itmight be abetter idea to simply not answer the phonewhen it’s anumber you don’trecognize. —Heloise Handykitchen hints

Dear Readers: Did you know: n The cap of certain small bottles of vanilla can hold 1teaspoon, and with larger bottles of vanilla, thecap can hold 1tablespoon. n If you save yogurt cups

n Wooden spoons need to be seasoned. First,washall your wooden spoons in hot, soapy water.Towel them dryand let themsit overnight.Next, heat some cooking oil to medium/ hot and dip thespoons in the hot oil. Let them cool, then wipe the spoons dry. (Seasoning wooden spoons keeps themfromabsorbing cooking odors.)

—Heloise Stop,thief!

Dear Heloise: Yearsago, a woman was shopping in a grocery store, and aman ranpassedher;asheran, he grabbed her purse and kept on going. She screamed, “Stop, thief!”The guy nearly made it outside, but theexit doors opened slowly,and he ran into one, knocking himself out. The woman was me! Iused

Dear Heloise: This week, I read an articleabout whyyou shouldpick acollege based on price:

n Avoid high student debt.

n Youcan give your parents abreak from having to pay for all your expenses.

n You’ll get abetter return on your investment.

With all the jobs I’ve had, where Iwent to college was never an important factor.It waswhat Icould do forthem now that Ihad adegree.

Lloyd, in Kansas Toughtangles

Dear Heloise: Ihave to wash several aprons(maybe 6-10 or more) at one time formy business, and they often come out of the dryer in aknotted mess of apron strings. The strings are long enough to

—Carolyn, via email Carolyn, there are afew options foryou. Pop afew aprons into amesh lingerie bag; this will lessen the tangling. Another option if the aprons are white is to throw several white towels in the load. The towels will create a buffertoreduce tangles. Agentle slipknot may also help. —Heloise Travel advisories

Dear Heloise: If any of your readers are planning to travel outside the United States, their first step should be to consult the travel advisory section online at travel.state. gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html. In every country,travel conditions can change rapidly,sotravel advisories can help you determine where to go. —Thomas D.,inNew York

Email heloise@heloise.com.

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Hints from Heloise

PROVIDED PHOTO

Reneé Rapp’s second album, ‘Bite Me,’isout now.

STARTUPSTAMINA

GroupofLouisiana

FKTea, an energy drink inspired by endurancerunning but intendedfor everydayuse, is made with Japanese green tea andLouisiana honey.

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Kevin Shearswas running on amountain trail in August 2023, when he tripped, tumbled and fractured his right foot.

The painful injury came as Shearswas trainingwith friends Quest Meeks and Trey Monaghan for a100-mile “ultramarathon” scheduled to start aweek later in Leadville, Colorado.

The grueling trail run is one of the world’smost high-profile —and high-altitude —competitions for runners who think astandard 26.2-mile marathon is too much of ajog in the park. Andabroken foot meant Shears couldn’tcontinue training or compete in therace.

But when the event wasunderway aweek later,Shears showed up for his friends, providing food and drink at pit

stops, cheering them on and offering congratulations at the finish line.

The experience made the friends realize how well they worked together as ateam and got them thinking they’d also work well together in business.

Twoyears later,with the help of afourth running friend, Wayne Jones, they launched FKTea, an energy drink inspired by endurance running but intended foreveryday use.

The canned caffeinated beverage —made with Japanese green tea andLouisiana honey —debuted last December and is now in the early stages of development, available for purchase onlineand at adozen specialty retailers. It joins ahandful of otherNew Orleans-based startups entering thenearly $200 billion global “functional”

La.’semployers bracefor insurancehikes

2026 ‘going to be averytough year’

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

As he does every summer, BatonRouge-basedinsurance broker Kerry Drake has started meeting with the local companies on his client list to talkabout renewing theiremployeehealth plans. This year,the conversations are especially difficult.

“We’re seeing renewals for 2026 at double-digit rate increas-

es,” saidDrake, an employee benefits consultant with Gallagher. “It’sgoing to be avery tough year.” Rising health care costs are nothing new.But avariety of factors —including inflation and pricey prescription drugs have pushed them even higher over the past few years. In 2025,the cost of health care is on target toriseabout 8% over 2024,whichwas up 8% over2023, according to industry estimates. For employers, theyear-overyear premium increases that arealready stretching company budgets are about to getworse. Company-sponsored benefit

plansprovide healthinsurance to more than60% of all non-elderly people in the U.S.

“Employers are telling us they’re seeing someofthe largest increases they’ve seen in decades,” said Shawn Gremmiger,president and CEO of the Washington, D.C.-based Alliance of Health Purchaser Coalitions, which works with businesses to control healthcare costs.

Those increases are averaging about 15%, he said.

Adding to the concern is the potential impact of President Donald Trump’sOne Big Beautiful BillAct,which contains more than $1 trillionincuts to Medic-

aid beginning in 2028, while adding new eligibility requirements to the program. An estimated 11.8 millionpeople could lose their governmentbacked health insurance over the next decade as aresult of thechanges,according to some industry estimates, which could shift the cost to hospitals.

“It is going to put tremendous pressure on hospitals, and what do youthink they aregoing to do?” Drake said. “Theyare goingtopass it on to employers, who will have to pass it on to their employees.”

STAFFPHOTO By RICH COLLINS

FKTea founders Wayne Jones, from left, Trey Monaghan, Kevin Shears and Quest Meeksrun the5-mile trail in Bogue Chitto State Park.

PROVIDED PHOTO Quest Meeksvisits atea farminJapan in March. Meekshas long dreamed of creating atea-based energydrink.

VenusWilliams’ health care joke showsevenrichstars need coverage

Michelle Singletary

THE COLOR OF MONEy

Tennis great Venus Williams drew laughter from the stands at the DC Open recently when she quipped shewas returning to tennis for the health insurance. Williams, 45, entered as awild card but smashed her way to become the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match. In apostmatch interview,ajubilant Williamschuckledasshe answered why she returned to the court after a16-month absence.

“I had to come back for the insurance because they informed me earlier this year I’m on COBRA,” she said. “So Iwas like,‘I got to get my benefits on.’ ”

In the past, she has been candid about her health challenges, including uterine fibroidsand Sjögren’ssyndrome, an autoimmunedisease that can cause joint pain.

“You guys know what it’slike, and let me tell you, I’m always at the doctor,soIneed this insurance,” she said. Given hersubstantial earnings from tennis and endorsements, I’m doubtful that Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion, would be struggling to cover her health care needs. She’s earned nearly $43 million in career earnings, according to the

DRINK

Continued from page1E

beverage industry, whichincludes energy drinks, sports drinks, fermented teas anddairy-based probiotics.

These homegrown food andbeverage entrepreneurs have along road aheadasthey try to build profitable businessesthatcan compete with global conglomerates. An emerging local infrastructure is helping to support them.

Propeller,the nonprofit business accelerator,has prioritized food andbeveragestartups for training and investment and the Jefferson ParishEconomic Development Commission recently announced plans to build anew $4.2 million food and beveragebusiness incubator in Avondale.

The FKTea guys will take all the help they can get.

“Weselected ‘Life is an endurance sport’ as our tagline fora reason,” Meeks said. “Launching astartup whilejuggling family responsibilities and careershas been likerunning an ultramarathon.” Brewingabusiness

TheFKTea founders bringinteresting back stories andskill sets to their new entrepreneurial endeavor Meeks is alawyer andanexecutive at anational professional sports league. Monaghan is the third-generation operator of Molly’s at the Market barinthe French Quarter.Jones, former creative director at French Truck Coffee, created the streetwear brand Likesushi and works for afoundation preserving Bayou Road.

Shears, the only FKTea partner from outside New Orleans,had a nearly two-decadecareer in the U.S. Air Force, and he is one of the co-founders of the boutiqueskateboard and apparel brand Snake Farm.

“Our diverse viewpoints are a great mix,” Meeks said. “Kev’s always goingtobeonthe gas. I’m in my world of strategy and risk mitigation. Then layer inTrey with financials and Wayne with the branding, and that’sour secret sauce.” The four partners, all dads and afew years on either side of 40, also sharealoveofrunningand an appreciation of the need to stay properly hydrated during endurance races. The idea to build abetterhydration drink initially came from Meeks,who lived in Japan as a child and developed an interest in Japanese green tea as an adult

“The first time Iever went to Quest’shouse, he pulled out atea cart, and Iwas like, ‘What the hell is that?’”Monaghan said.

Meeks had long dreamed of creating atea-based energy drink, but theplanets didn’talign untillast fall, when he pitched his friends on the idea. To launch FKTea, he experimented with recipes in his own kitchen, sending blends to food labs to test for caffeine levels, while the team built the e-commerce platform, connected withwholesalers and designed branding. The company name is aplay on words: in racing parlance, “FKT” is an abbreviation for “fastest known time,” refer-

Women’sTennis Association. ButWilliams’comments have drawn attention to apressing issue for millions of Americans. I’ve had many conversations with people worried that ahealth crisis could bankrupt them. I’ve worked with couples and individuals tohelp them determine how to handle medical bills into their already-tight budgets.

Oneofthe top reasons people file for bankruptcy protection is medical debt. Even highly compensated professional athletes, especially once they retire, can face challenges in managing health care expenses. Take COBRA, which Williams referenced. It’sthe acronym for theConsolidatedOmnibus Budget Reconciliation Act,the law that allows workers to continue to get coverage at their former employer’sgroup rates. In the Women’s Tennis Association, player members can enroll in abest-in-class health insurance plan, with dental and vision coverage, and are notified of their eligibility to sign up for the following year after the release of the year-end rankings. Players who are no longer eligible but were previously on the plan still have access under COBRA for up to 18 months.

Butthe problem for everyone whether tennis stars or average Americans— is that theymust pay the full premium,including the share thatthe employer previously covered, plus a2%

administrative feeonce they’re on COBRA. This makes it unaffordable for many people.

And COBRA is just one part of a muchbigger financial burden.

KFF, aleading nonpartisan authority on the cost of healthcare, released polling data in May that highlighted the challenges people face in affording care.

Nearly half of adultssay it’s hard to afford healthcare costs.

About athird of adults report that in the past 12 months, theyhave skipped or postponed medical care because it was tooexpensive.

People skip their medication because theycan’tafford to fill their prescriptions. Some are forced to split their pills in half or miss doses due to the cost

Even having medical insurance doesn’tfree you from concerns about rising monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

“For many years, KFF polling has found thatthe high cost of health care is aburden on U.S. families, and thathealthcare costsfactor intodecisions about insurance coverage and care seeking,” KFFsaid in arecent blog post. “These costs and the prospect of unexpected medical bills also rank as the topfinancial worries for adultsand their families.”

These pressures are likely to worsen due to recent policy changes. The Congressional Budget Office projects thatby2034, more than10million people will

be uninsured because of the Medicaid cuts that President Donald Trump and the Republican-led Congress included in their massive tax bill.

The CBO also estimates that the bill’snew restrictions on the Affordable Care Act marketplace mean that4.2 millionpeople will lose insurance because they won’t get subsidies intended to make their coverage more affordable.

Is there anything you can do besides worry?

No matter the source of your coverage —private employer, COBRA, self-purchased, Medicaid or Medicare —the more informed youare, the better

If an employer plan covers you, it’simportant to review all the information you receive during open enrollment. The choices from the previous year might not be the best for you or your family in the new plan year.Take advantage of informational sessions. Many companies have made it easier to compare plan options, and thiscould affect your out-ofpocket costs. Forexample, some workers choose high-deductible plans. Yes, the monthly premium might be lower,but you’re responsible for paying alarge amount of out-ofpocket costs before your insurance begins to cover nonpreventive care. This can be especially challengingifunexpected medical emergencies occur There may also have been

changes in co-pay amounts, deductibles or preferred medical providers. Review your prescription drug plan to make sure your medications are covered. If adrug you take isn’tcovered anymore, consider switching plans.

If you’re on Medicare, explore its online tool, which makes it easier to comparison shop. Log in to medicare.gov and select the link for “Find health &drug plans.” There’salso alink where you can talk to someone. Or you can get guidance by calling (800) 633-4227. TTY users can call (877) 486-2048.

“It’ssorewarding to comeback after alayoffand injuries,” Williams said in amore serious moment. “And, also, Ididn’thave to comeback to play.I’m back here because of the encouragement from my team.”

Even if she can easily afford her insurance premiums, Williams, who lost in the second round at the DC Open, highlighted the financial stress many Americans experience regarding health care.

For many people, finding affordable and adequate health insurance is as difficult as returning one of Williams’ serves. It’s extremely hard, and for some, nearly impossible, leaving them vulnerable and unprotected.

EmailMichelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

ring to the speed record on agiven route. The budding beverage makers purchased tea from awholesaler in Japan and Louisiana honeyfrom Bernard’s Apiaries near Lafayette. They partnered with aNew Orleans brewer to manufacture afew thousand cans, which were ready for sale in December Next month, the company will make its fourth batch with adifferent contract brewer bringing the total number of cans produced to about 30,000. They have two flavors, one sweeter than the other,and anew formulaonthe way,alongwith aversion in the slim cans associated with energy drinks. They are looking for ways to build the business, including spon-

soringteamsathigh-profile races around the world. Recentstopsinclude Scotland andFrance. A200mile relay race in Oregon is on the books for August Food andbeveragefocus

New Orleansishome to iconic beverage brands. Luzianne, owned by Jefferson Parish-based Reily Foods,isthe No. 1selling bagged tea brand in thecountry.Virtually all of Folgers coffee is roasted at facilities in New OrleansEast. Now anew generation of startups hopestofind space on store shelves alongside thosehousehold names.

Level Water,a9-year-old venture, sells “ultra-purified” drinking water at special events and in retail nationwide. The company,

big consumerpackaged goods brands, but we still have along way to go,” DreamlandKoffucha founder Dalton Honoré said. “Stridesare being takentomake us amore appealing place.”

‘Cleaner greener’ energy drink

Endurance running pushes competitors to their mental and physical limits. To fuel their overworkedmetabolisms, runners consume lots of high-carb, high-calorie foods that range from energy gels to gummy bears, fresh fruits and pizza.

The four partners, alldads and afew years on either side of 40, also share aloveofrunning and an appreciation of the need to stayproperly hydrated during endurance races.

whichhas three manufacturing partners nationwide,alsolaunched ahome water delivery service in the New Orleans area.

Dreamland Koffucha, founded in 2021, makes afermented coldbrew coffee drink that provides alighter caffeinehit combinedwith the“good” bacteria and antioxidants found in traditional kombucha beverages, agrowing category.It’savailable at Robert Fresh Market stores and about 50 Gulf Coast retailers. Five-year-old Reju Juice makes cold-pressedjuice without preservatives or addedsweeteners. Founder KelleyWolfe works out of Pra Lees restaurantinGentilly and sells herwares locally The2021 sale of local beverage company Big Easy Bucha no doubt serves as inspiration to these entrepreneurs and others like them —but they see the challenges of starting big brands in a small town

“Runners have spreadsheets showing howmuch caffeinethey want to takeinatwhattime,” Jones said. “The night before the race, they pack up and label their supplies. There’sa keen science to success.”

It’sinthis context that the FKTea guyscreated aproduct that they describe as acleaner,greener version of popular energy drinks, which have long lists of ingredients.

“New Orleans has the most renowned food culture in the world that you think would translate into

On arecent Saturday morning, Jones cracked open his owncan of FKTea while he was stretching before training on thehilly,5-mile trailat Bogue Chitto State Park in WashingtonParish. He wasthere with all his business partners. Shears, who was walking the trail in Birkenstocks thatmorning, did so with theaddedswaggerof someonewho hasproven he belongs there. Last August, ayear after his training injury, he completed theLeadville 100himself His threeFKTea business partners were there to help himreach the finish line in time,paying him back for his support the previous year

“Wedefinitely have alot of bro’d out Xboxenergy,” Meeks said. “But we can switch to Care Bears modewhen necessary.”

Email RichCollinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Kevin Shears completes the Leadville Trail 100 RuninAugust 2024 in Leadville,Colo.

STAFFPHOTO By RICH COLLINS

FKTea co-founders Quest Meeks left, and KevinShears are two of aquartet developing FKTea.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Quest Meeks, from left, Kevin Shears,Trey Monaghan and Wayne Jones founded FKTea after bonding over training for an 100-mile ultramarathon race

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Diverse staging is key for nearly 100-year-old Saenger

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

The Saenger Theatre’s status as a symbol of New Orleans’ resilience is hard to overstate.

Q&A WITH DAVID SKINNER

It has undergone not one but two rebirths in the past halfcentury, with both revitalizations led by civic-minded locals who were determined to return the venue to its original Jazz Age pomp after a period of midcentury decline, then again after the ravages of Hurricane Katrina. David Skinner has run the theater since the $52 million post-Katrina restoration was completed in 2013. For more than a decade, the revived baroque, Mediterranean-Renaissance gem has hummed along, consistently bringing in the crowds and generating between $50 million and $60 million of yearly economic impact.

Though it rarely garners accolades of Superdome mega events, like last autumn’s Taylor Swift concerts, consider this: The four-week Broadway engagement of “The Lion King” at the Saenger in early 2017 grossed a record $7.5 million at the box office, entertained nearly 80,000 theatergoers and was estimated to have generated $24 million in broader economic benefit to New Orleans.

Not every production breaks records. But month in and month out, the Saenger is a consistent workhorse for the New Orleans economy It stages about 160 productions every year mostly touring Broadway shows, but also short stands by musical acts and comedians, as well as private corporate events. In the past few years, it regularly exceeded 300,000 theatergoers a year, who spill out onto lower Canal Street after the shows and into nearby restaurants and bars.

Skinner, a West Virginia native, was born into the world of venue management — his father ran the 7,000-seater Charleston Civic Center in Charleston, West Virginia during his youth After a brief flirtation with dentistry, he changed his major to business and graduated from Old Dominion University.

His first gig out of college in the early 1970s was working at The Omni in Atlanta, where experience of Ticketron (a precursor to Ticketmaster) at his dad’s venue got him through the door Eventually, Skinner landed in New Orleans in 1977 working for the first private sector company to run the Superdome, HMC.

Skinner is now looking forward to celebrating the Saenger’s centennial in 2027 Here, he discusses those plans and the outlook for “The Jewel of Canal Street,” as the Saenger is frequently called. The interview has been edited for

length and clarity.

Ambassador Theatre Group the UK-based company you work for, runs the Saenger for the city, and the deal is the theater puts on a minimum number of shows annually — 80, which you far exceed — and pays a base

$100,000 annual rent, though that too has regularly been exceeded in recent years with attendance triggering revenue-sharing bonus payments. What has been the programming philosophy to get that kind of consistency?

We work closely with our co-presenter, Broadway Across America, on our Broadway shows. So, we’ll do 88 to 110 of those a year depending on the touring routes, with fewer some years when we have a megahit running three or four weeks. Concerts and comedians, we’ll do 50 to 55 shows a year, and typically we’ll present those ourselves, that is risking our money to bring those shows here. If we lose money that comes out of our pocket; that’s the risk of being a promoter You’re risking $250,000 a night for a little

2,800-seat theater That’s a big risk for us. Hopefully, eight or nine times out of 10 you’re on the positive side. The third side of the business is private events. For example, the NFL Honors Program, we hosted that in January. Or a show for Jaguar car dealers with a star performer I won’t name any names. We work closely with New Orleans & Co. on bringing in the ones that are a fit for us. What about the duds?What hasn’t worked? I’ve been in the business a long time and worked with people across the country, and everyone will tell you that New Orleans is unique. We know that because we live here. But, when it comes to the entertainment side, typically what sells in nine out of 10 cities may not sell in New Orleans. I have a very experienced programmer, and we know what works and what doesn’t Country does not sell in New Or-

leans, except for maybe big superstars like Garth Brooks. It will sell in Baton Rouge, but New Orleans normally is a tough sell for country And I’ve had to lick a few wounds. How do you split between locals coming to the theaters and tourists? With rare exception do we rely a great deal on the tourist traffic; we rely more on the locals. The only time it’s more visitors is during Jazz Fest There used to be a mantra, “You don’t fight Jazz Fest.” But we started about eight years ago with Trombone Shorty headlining, and I mean, he sells it out every year So, for those two weekends, I would say that 25% to 35% of our business is probably tourists coming in for Jazz Fest. But mostly our business comes from locals and our trading area, which goes from west of Baton Rouge, maybe as far as Lafayette, north up to Hattiesburg, and east, probably over to Mobile.

tmcauley@theadvocate.com.

Beyond isn’taplace —it’samindset. Andit’sabeliefthathas poweredusfor over80years

We areJones Walker LLP,a firmdrivenbyanentrepreneurial spirit,adeepsenseofcommunity,and afierce determination to deliverexceptional serviceand valuefor our clients. Since1937, ourfirm hasbeencommitted to workingwithcommunityleaders to develop business opportunitiesacrossthe state. We aresteadfast in continuing ourdedicationtogobeyondinadvising clientsand supportinginitiatives andorganizations that make Louisiana abetterplace to live andwork

William H. Hines,ManagingPartner bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000 201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

General Manager David Skinner is looking forward to celebrating the centennial of New Orleans’ Saenger Theatre, which stages about 160 productions every year

Fool’sTake: Verizon for income

Motley Fool

Verizon Communications’ (NYSE: VZ) mobile and broadband businesses generate lots of recurringrevenue as customers pay their bills. That provides the telecom giant with funds to expand its 5G and fiber networks and support its high-yielding dividend. The company expects to generate $17.5 billion to $18.5 billion in free cash flow this yearafter investing asimilar amount in capital projects. That’splenty of money to cover the roughly $11 billion per year Verizonspends on its lucrative dividend, which recentlyyielded 6.3% Thecompany uses thecash it retains to strengthen its solid balance sheet. That givesitthe financial flexibility to make acquisitions as the right opportunities arise. Last year,itagreed toacquire Frontier Communications in a$20 billion deal. Thetransactionwillsignificantly enhance and streamline Verizon’sfiber operations, generating$500mil-

Pricey drugs

Since2000, health care costs in theU.S. have increased 250%, more thandouble the cost of wages and inflation. Since 2023,the increases have been particularly sharp, according to Gremmiger

Among the factors he points to are inflation, labor shortages and hospital consolidations, which reduce competition andcan lead to price increases. Verticalintegration —where large insurersbuy pharmacies,clinics and specialty hospitals —isalso contributing to the problem. Locally,employerssay the biggest driver they’reseeing is the cost of pricey and highly effective prescription drugs. GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy that control obesity and also Type II diabetes can cost upward of $1,200 amonth.

lion or more in projected annual costsavings. Verizon’sgrowing business and strong freecashflow put it in an excellent positiontocontinue increasing its high-yielding dividend.

Verizon’sstock may not grow rapidly, but it can still grow. The company is aleading telecom provider,and over time, consumers will upgradetheir phones and plans,which can spark more revenue growth in thefuture. Buying Verizonstock today could prove to be agood move for the long term. (The Motley Fool recommends Verizon Communications.)

Fool’sSchool: IRAs and 401(k)s

If you’resavingfor retirement, as mostofus should be doing, it’s smarttomake the mostofIRAs and 401(k)s, if you can. Here are somethings to know IRAs comeintwo keyvarieties: traditionaland Roth. With atraditional IRA, you put in pretax dollars and get an upfront taxbreak. So if youcontribute, say,$7,000 to onein 2025,you’ll be able to deductthat$7,000 from your taxableincome for 2025, shrinking

Certain cancer drugs andgene therapy treatments can cost 10 timesasmuchormore.

Given those kinds of prices,even ahandful of sick employees can drive acompany’sutilization rates andcosts through theroof, negatively impacting theirpremiums forthe following year

“What has really impacted employer-sponsored care over the past three to four years has been cancer treatments ”saidDan Burke, vice president for benefits at Turner Industriesand afounding member of theEmployer CoalitionofLouisiana,a group of large,self-insured companies focused on controlling health carecosts.“Theinnovations have come so far,but it’sextremely expensive.”

Potentialimpacts

Adding to the pressureonnext year’spremiums is uncertainty around recent policychanges at thenational level. According to an analysis bythe nonprofit health policyfirm KFF, insurers plan to raise

your taxbill. When you withdraw money from your traditional IRA in retirement,that money will become taxableincome.

Roth IRAs arefunded with post-tax dollars, offering no upfront taxbreak. Contribute $7,000 in 2025, and you’ll get no 2025 tax break. But if you follow therules, you’ll eventually be able tomake withdrawals from your RothIRA tax-free.

IRAcontributionlimitsare $7,000 for 2025, with those50 and older able to contribute an additional $1,000. The IRAcontribution deadline for 2025 is April 15, 2026.

Meanwhile, 401(k) accounts— sponsoredbyemployers—also existinboth traditional and Roth forms, but they have much larger contributionlimits. For 2025, you can contributeupto$23,500, with mostpeople 50 and older able to chip in $7,500 moreand those aged 60 to 63 able to chip in an extra $11,250 instead. And 401(k) plans frequently offer matching contributions from your employer.That’s free money,soaim to contribute at leastenough to max out any available match.

With an IRAopened at abrokerage, you’ll be able to invest your contributions in just about

premiums by an additional 4% next year than they otherwise would have because Congress opted not to renewenhanced tax credits for those insured through theAffordable CareAct.

Those credits madehealthinsurance more affordable for millions, andinsurers expect alargeshare of healthierenrollees to leavethe market, leavingthe risk pool sicker, the KFF study found.

Some insurers also are planning for thepotentialimpactoftariffs on prescriptiondrugpricesand are baking the anticipated increases into next year’spremiums.

AndifCongress doesn’twind back anyofthe recentMedicaid changes, doctors, hospitals, insurersand privately insured patients —employers andemployees— will allget stuck picking up agreater share of the tab.

“Rightnow,wedon’tknowhow it’s goingtoplayout,” Drakesaid. “But if allthese changeseventually go through, it’sgoing to put pressure on the entiresystem.”

any stock, as well as gobs of mutualfunds and exchange-traded funds. With a401(k) account, though, your choices will be more limited. Typically,there will be a menu of funds to select from. Chances are, you’ll be able to contribute to one or more IRAs as well as to your workplace 401(k) account,and perhaps invest in aregular taxable brokerage account as well. Read up on how to invest at Fool.com/investing/howto-invest

Ask theFool: Buyinginto bankruptcy?

AcompanyI’m interested in has filed for bankruptcy protection, and itsstock has crashed.Woulditmakesensetoinvest in it now,atalow price? —G.C.,Warsaw, Indiana No, no, no —for avariety of reasons.First, acompany filing for bankruptcy is acompany in trouble. Why invest in that? When acompany filesfor bankruptcy protection, it typically gets some timetoreorganize and to try to pay off its creditors as muchas it can. It might sell off some assets to payholders of its secured debt, and it might negotiate with holders of its unsecured debt perhaps offering less than what’s

Strategies?

To cope with thecost pressures, agrowing numberofcompanies are self-insuring, which enables themtocontract directly with doctors and hospitals to provide health care benefits and, therefore, keep a tighterlid on costs.

In the past, only large companies like Turner Industries, with nearly 20,000 employees,could afford to self-insure. Recently,however, medium-sized companieswithbetween 500 to 1,000employees are exploring the option, Burke said.

Companies are also banding together through coalitions of selfinsured employers to create “narrow networks” of select doctors and hospitals that agree to provide careata certain discount.

The Employer Coalition of Louisiana, whichhas seen its membership growfrom sixcompaniesto33 sinceits founding three years ago, is working on aplan to create such anetwork, according to its CEO, Cindy Munn, though it’sstill in the early stages.

owed, and maybe also offering shares of newly mintedstock. In most bankruptcies, holders of the company’scommonstock end up with little or nothing, with their shares of stock essentially discontinued. Many companies emerge from bankruptcy with new shares of stock, leaving the old ones worthless (or nearly so).

Iknow that Google(now partofAlphabet) owns YouTube.What other businesses or brands are parts of other companies? T.S.,Norwalk, Connecticut

There are far too many to name, but here are some examples: Google also owns Nest and Fitbit, while Microsoft owns LinkedIn and Activision Blizzard; Amazon.com owns Whole Foods Market, Ring and Zappos. PepsiCo owns Quaker Oats and Gatorade. Comcast owns NBCUniversal and DreamWorks Animation, and Meta Platformsowns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Warren Buffett’sBerkshire Hathaway owns Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom,See’sCandies, Pampered Chef, GEICO and the BNSF railroad.

To find out about any particular company (or division or brand), you can check out its website, search online or even call it and ask.

Smallemployers whodon’t have the wherewithal to self-insure can still takestepstocurb costs,including working with insurers to create networks of less expensive providers.

“Weencourage employerstobe more thoughtful andaggressive withtheir network negotiations and to start having difficult conversations with their employees,” Gremmigersaid. “Maybe it’stime to tell themthey’re notgoing to have all threehospitals in their network any longer but just one or two of them.”

Employers can also work with employers to structure plans that carve outcertainspecialtydrugs, either limiting their availability or working outdealstopurchase them from specialty pharmacies in Canada

“We’re always out testing the waters on drug prices,” said Burke. “It’sincumbent on employers to negotiate.”

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

Landry administration lays out path to boosting state’s economy

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Earlier this year, Gov. Jeff Landry’s administration unveiled an ambitious plan to transform Louisiana into the most innovative, high-growth economy in the Southeast Now, Louisiana Economic Development says it has a game plan to get there.

LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois, at a meeting Tuesday, outlined more than a dozen concrete steps her agency plans to take over the next 18 months to attract new investment, grow existing businesses and reshape how state government thinks about economic development.

That to-do list includes creating a database of Louisiana businesses to help connect out-of-state companies with local vendors, launching a media campaign to promote the state’s economic opportunities, recruiting C-suite executives to serve as LED advisers and increasing the amount of capital it deploys to Louisiana’s early-stage tech companies.

The work is the next phase of LED’s new economic development strategy, which was adopted in March and calls for a greater emphasis on fast-growing sectors like technology and life sciences while also doubling down on legacy industries like energy and manufacturing.

The initiatives are organized under nine “key focus areas,” and the goal is to achieve each of them by the end of 2026, with the hope that they will become standard practice going forward, Bourgeois said. The agency is calling the work plan “Nine by Ninety,” in recognition of LED’s 90th anniversary next year

One focus area involves elevating existing Louisiana businesses. LED is planning to conduct “economic stewardship visits” with at least 800 “driver companies” annually Those are companies that LED has identified as having a significant impact on the economy The goal is to open a line of communication so LED can figure out the best ways to support

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JILL

Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois, left, was tasked by Gov. Jeff Landry, right, to create an innovative plan to boost Louisiana’s economy. At a meeting Tuesday, she outlined more than a dozen concrete steps her agency plans to take over the next 18 months to attract new investment, grow existing businesses and reshape how state government thinks about economic development.

their expansion and respond to any needs that may arise, Bourgeois said.

LED is also working on promulgating rules for its new site development fund, which received $150 million in the most recent legislative session

Bourgeois said the money will be distributed to private sector projects only where “there’s a defined return to the fund itself” through a long-term payback agreement like a loan or equity position. That’s so LED doesn’t have to go back to the Legislature each year to ask for more money, she said.

LED is also planning to increase the capital it provides to earlystage technology companies by 200% and create three seed-stage capital funds through a new division of LED called Louisiana Innovation, or LA.IO. Its first fund, called the Louisiana Growth Fund, is using $50 million in federal support to boost homegrown tech companies rather than recruiting new ones from out of state.

LED is seeking to recruit 20-30 C-suite executives to serve as subject matter experts and support the agency’s work

In the coming weeks, LED plans to launch a “mini” marketing campaign to promote the state’s economic development wins to Louisiana residents. Consultants who put together LED’s economic development strategy found that people living in Louisiana had a worse perception of the state than those living elsewhere. The Legislature gave LED $5 million to fund the campaign and the agency plans to eventually target audiences outside of Louisiana.

Bourgeois outlined the work plan at a meeting of the Louisiana Economic Development Partnership Board. The panel of private sector leaders was created last year to advise LED. Other initiatives include revamping LED’s international strategy to focus on generating leads in Japan, Australia and Europe; developing an easy-to-use tool to allow private sector partners to notify LED of potential leads; adopting artificial intelligence tools across the agency; and developing energy plans for each of the state’s eight regions. Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate.com.

New Orleans

Susan Maclay has been named executive director of Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses Ma cl ay ha d served as interim director since October Before that, she served as the interim director of the Louisiana State Museum. Maclay also held fundraising roles with the Louisiana Museum Foundation, the Preservation Resource Center and the Bureau of Governmental Research She earned a bachelor’s in history and political science and a master’s in public administration, both from the University of Southern California

Chris Hannan has been named as a partner with Jones Walker Hannan works in the Maritime Practice Group and is a member of the maritime litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution team. He earned a bachelor’s in classics, summa cum laude, from the College of the Holy Cross, and a law degree, magna cum laude, from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law While in law school, Hannan was editor-in-chief of the Loyola Law Review and a member of the moot court team.

Landon Hunter has been hired as funeral director of Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home & Cemeteries. Hunter spent nearly eight years working as a funeral director, embalmer, primary arranger and advance planning manager at Laughlin Service Funeral Home Inc. and Crematory in Huntsville, Alabama. He earned an associate’s degree in funeral service from John A. Gupton College.

Dr Keith Isaacson has joined Audubon Fertility as a reproductive surgeon and physician.

Powering Commerce.

•42millionbarrels of liquidstorage capacity

•11 marine terminals and60+ berths handling 10,000+ vessels annually

•Full-spectrum heating, blending, and packagingsolutions

•End-to-enddesign, construction,and operations for liquidlogistics

•Seamlessbulkliquid digitalinventory controland distribution

Isaacson has more than 30 years of experience in women’s reproductive health. He has served as a professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and is the founding director of the Center for Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery at Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Christopher Caplinger has joined Kean Miller as senior counsel.

Caplinger’s practice is focused on bankruptcy creditors’ rights, marine insurance coverage and oil and gas. He earned a bachelor’s in politics and religion from William & Mary a master’s in religious studies from Loyola University New Orleans and a law degree from Loyola University New Orleans College of Law

Alicia M. Bendana has joined Fishman Haygood as special counsel on the bankruptcy and restructuring team. Her practice is focused on commercial litigation and complex bankruptcy

She earned a bachelor’s in political science from Hollins College and a law degree from Tulane University Law School.

Baton Rouge Dr Kaustubh Dongaonkar has joined the faculty of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine

Dongaonkar is an assistant professor of small animal surgery in the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences. He earned a bachelor’s in veterinary science and animal husbandry and a master’s in veterinary sciences, both from Bombay Veterinary College, and a master of science from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine (Canada).

Dongaonkar

Maclay

Hunter

Isaacson

Caplinger

Bendana

PICKETT

Hannan

Gallagher: ALouisiana StoryofGrowth, Community andResilience

Gallagher,one of the world’slargestinsurancebrokerage,risk managementand consulting firms, has asignificantpresencein Louisiana, with arich history andadeep commitmenttothe local community. With roots in the statedatingback decades, Gallagher has grownintothe largest broker inLouisiana, providing awide array of services to businesses of allsizes acrossvarious sectors

“WhereIthink we areuniquelypositioned is thatwedon’t have that institutional mindset. We haven’talwaysbeen big.We’vealwayshad to be alittle morenimble, creativeand client-centric, said” Numa “Bumpy” Triche,regional president. “The result isthatwehavethe sizeand scale of anybody in the world, with robustdataanalytics and modeling capabilities. But our local operations arevery much integrated within the local market.”

Founded in 1927,Gallagher has expanded globally and reports $11.3 billion in total adjustedbrokerage andrisk managementrevenues in 2024 and amarket capitalization of $76.1billion as of January 30,2025.

Thecompanyhas aworkforce of nearly56,000 employees worldwide morethan 970officesglobally,and servesclients in over130 countries.

In Louisiana, Gallagher’s journeybeganwithanacquisition in Baton Rouge,which led to theestablishmentofofficesinNew Orleans and Monroe,Louisiana. Thecompanyhas strategically acquired local firms overthe years, integrating their employees and maintaining alocal focus. This growth has resulted in 18 officesstatewide and asignificant regional market share. Thecompanyhas grownits businessbyworking withpeople and organizations who sharecommon values and vision.

“Gallagher has one of thelargest operations within ourSoutheastregion in terms of our footprint acrossthe stateand the various markets, Triche said. “Atthe same time, we arealwaysclient-focused, withthe people in the statebeing the ones who work with the local teams and businesses. People work with us because we provide awhite-glove service experiencewitheasyaccessibilitytoour team and our broader tools and resources. We have invested heavily in areas relatedtodata analysis and forensicaccounting in order to provide the technical and detailed support to our teams.Whatwedoisoffer ourclients access to global expertise tailored to their needs.”

As proud as Gallagher is of its growth,theyare prouder to have been able to maintainits unique culture. This cultureissummed up in 25 tenets called TheGallagher Way, aset of shared values thatemphasize ethics, integrityand aclient-centricapproach. These values were articulatedbyRobert E. Gallagher backin1984and have sinceguided the company’soperations and relationships. Keyprinciples include providing excellentrisk managementservices,supporting and respecting colleagues, pursuing professional excellenceand fostering open communication. Thecompanyculturevalues empathy, trust, leadership and teamwork, with astrong emphasis on treating everyone with courtesyand respect

Gallagher’s commitmenttoLouisiana goes beyond business. The companyhas alocalpresence, with employees deeply embedded in the community.

“Our employees see theirclients at church on Sundays,play golf with them on Saturdays,and go to lunch with them on Wednesdays,” said William Jackson, ExecutiveVicePresidentof Gallagher’s SoutheastRegion and leader of the NewOrleans operation and the region’s specialtyproducts.Our local connection is akey differentiatorfor Gallagher,combining the resourcesand capabilities of alarge global firmwith the personalized serviceofa communitybroker.

“Weteam up withlocalpartnerstomakeevery communitywejoin a morevibrantone.Fromfundraisersfor localcharities to crawfishboils and hurricane relief,our officesgivebacktothe peopleand places in whichwelive. As we grow larger,wemaintain close ties to the communities we serve.

Gallagher serves adiverse range of industries in Louisiana,including manufacturing, agribusiness, public sector,higher education, aerospace, energy,entertainmentand lifesciences. Thecompanypositions itself as athought leader when it comes to riskmanagementguidance on topics suchascyber risks, healthcare,marine construction AI, social inflation and other influences thatimpactinsurance claim costs, leading to higher premiums and impacting the insuranceindustry’srisklandscape.The team prides itself on providing expertiseand insights on keyindustries and currenteventsimpacting this region.

WILLIAM JACKSON ExecutiveVicePresidentSoutheast Region, Gallagher

Gallagher is poised forcontinued success in Louisiana,driven by its strong values, localfocus and expertise in keyindustries. Thecompany’s emphasis on client-centric service, combined with its global resources, positions it as atrustedpartner forbusinesses andindividuals seeking insurance, risk managementand consulting solutions.AsGallagher continues to grow and adapttothe evolving needsofthe market its commitmenttothe local communities remains acornerstone of its identity

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Anicon turns

Commemorating 50 yearsofsports, culture and politics from ‘the

greatest building in the history of mankind’

John McKeithenwas right. The Superdome is the greatest stadiumeverbuilt.

JEFF DUNCAN |SPORTSCOLUMNIST

Wehaven’tdone alot rightin NewOrleans overthe last50years.But the Superdome is certainlyone of our city’sgreatest achievements, something we canboast about with unabashed civic pride.

The Superdome is not onlyone of themost iconic buildingsinthe world; it also is arguablythe greatest stadium ever built. An architecturalwonder and engineering marvel since openingin1975, theDome stands as amonument to the ambition, ingenuity and creativityofour state.

In stumping forits construction in thelate1960s, Louisiana Gov. John McKeithen boldlypredicted thatthe Superdome would be “the greatest building in the history of mankind.” Ahalf-century later, the Dome hasn’tjust delivered on thosegrand expectations.Ithas exceeded them.

In acitythathas never minded living in thepast, the Superdome thrustNew Orleans into the future, transforming thecity’simage,psyche and skyline.

“It glistens likeagiantdewdrop diamondonthe throatofNew Orleans,anawesome skyline-crowding structurethatisbeyond tomorrow,” Houston Chronicle columnist Stan Reddingwrote after touring the stadium in 1975

Othersechoed his sentiments:

“Houston’sAstrodomecompares to the Superdome likeLindbergh’s Spirit of St.Louis to a747 jumbo jet.It’sthe damndest thingI ever saw,”wrote Ed ComerfordofNewsday after touring thestadium beforeits opening in 1975.

The NewYork Times boldly proclaimed,“The Louisiana Superdomewill make all other stadiums in existence as obsoleteasRome’sColiseum.”

And JepCadou opined breathlessly in theSaturdayEvening Post,“TheState of Louisianahas come mighty closetoerectingaGarden of Eden forthe delectation of its citizensand visitorsinNew Orleans.(It) will befuddle our speculativefriends of the future, the archaeologists.”

Standing 27 storieshigh,weighing 300,000 tons and covering 13 acres,the Superdome’s massive sizerequired an undergroundforestof3,000 pilings, each 160feet longand 10 inches in diameter,to support it.The building’smulti-purposefunctionalityallowedittoshowcaseeventsofall kinds, from monster truck competitionsand MardiGrasballs to

graduation commencements andhome andgarden shows.

The Superdome instantly became amagnet for major sporting events and amajor economic generator forthe state, validatingthe visionofthe dreamerswho championed its construction.Itput New Orleans on the map, fuelingthe city’stourist businessand bolstering its reputation as adestination location

Over the years, the Superdome hasplayedhost to popes andpop stars, presidents and professional sports legends,while providing thestagefor some of themost memorablemoments in sportshistory MuhammadAli, TomBrady and Michael Jordan —three of the greatest athletes of all time —competed andwon championshipsinthe Superdome. Can anyother venue in theworldmakesucha claim?

JoeBurrow,Carmelo Anthony, BrettFavre,AnthonyDavis,Jon Montana,Terry Bradshaw,Len Dawsonand RogerStaubachalsowerecrowned championsinthe Dome, while some of sports’ greatest mentors and leaders—Nick Saban,Eddie Robinson, MikeKrzyzewski, Bill Belichick, DeanSmith, DonShula,Bob Knight,Joe Paterno,JohnCalipari andBear Bryant, amongothers— have coached there.

The roster of entertainmentstarswho have per-

formedunder its iconic whiteroof includes Frank Sinatra, MickJagger,WhitneyHouston, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Garth Brooks, Prince, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift.

In its 50-year existence, the Superdome has generated billions of dollarsindirect and indirect spending forthe region. It alsohas generated hundreds of jobs,revitalized the PoydrasStreet business corridor and attracted professional sportstothe city.

Today, the Superdome stands as the most importantcapital project in Louisiana history and the city’s most valuable commodityother than the French Quarter

While its domed peersinHouston, Detroit,Indianapolis,Minneapolis and Seattle have long since become obsoleteand demolished, the Superdome has endured the test of the time and remains astateof-the-art facility, recently hosting its recordeighth Super Bowl

ForNew Orleanians,the Dome is morethan just abuilding. It’sa belovedlandmark and cultural icon that, in times of need, has alsosheltered citizens during major tropical storms.Most of all, the Superdome has served as acommunal living room forthe city, agathering place forlocals to sharejoyous celebrations and makeindelible memories

It’sthe best$160million Louisiana ever spent.

TheNew Orleansskylineand theCaesars Superdome, thesite of theNFL SuperBowlLIX, shot from aJeffersonParishSheriff’s Office helicopterbyCaitlynReisgen,Thursday Feb. 6, 2025.

From unforgettablegames toconcerts,there’s no place quitelikethe Superdome

RODWALKER |SPORTSCOLUMNIST

The ticket stub from my first ever trip to theSuperdome is still tucked away in my highschool memory book.

Section 628.Row 16.Seat3

Truth be told, Idon’tevenremember whowon that Dec. 6, 1987,game between the NewOrleans Saints and Tampa BayBuccaneers.

All Iremember is thatmynext-door neighbor JudgeA.J.Peyton— loadeduphis Cadillac with me, his sons Edd and Gerald and his granddaughterRuthie and made the drivedownI-55 Southtoour first NFL game.

Myonlyrecollectionofthegameitselfwasarookie named VinnyTestaverde, who had wonthe Heisman Trophya year before, making his first start forthe Buccaneers. Forthe purposeofthiscolumn, Ilooked it up and sawthatthe Saintswon 44-34 thatday.

But fora teenagerfromMississippi,the finalscore wasn’timportant.

Whatwas importantwas thatIwas sitting inside one the most iconic venues in the world.Little did I knowatthe time that this placewould becomemyoffice on Sundays

It wascalled the Louisiana Superdome back then, long beforeMercedes-Benz andlater Caesarsspent millions and millions of dollarstohavetheir name on the place.

This building wasimmaculate,especially to a wide-eyedkid from Mississippi whohad neverseen football playedindoors.

The three hoursspentthatSundaywas just the precursorofmanymoreDome memories.Someof thosememories were made as Iwatched from an 18inch TV screen from home three hours away.Others

were in personfroma pressbox wherethe temperatures often leave me wondering if I’minNew Orleans or Green Bay.

And thereare thoserareoccasions when Iget to sit in the Domeand just be afan.

In 1982, Iwatched from home as Michael Jordan buried ajumper to beatGeorgetown forthe NCAA title. Twoyearsbeforethat, Iwatched on television as Roberto Duransaid “NoMas” in his welterweight fightagainst Sugar RayLeonard.

In early July,I watched as thousands of fans at Essence Fest figuratively said “NoMas” andheaded towardsthe exits long beforeLauryn Hill finished her setat3:37a.m

It made foralong exhausting night. Icould have used atimeout,but likeChris Webber andthe MichiganWolverines 32 yearsearlier,I didn’t have one.

STAFFPHOTO BY CHRISGRANGER

STAFFPHOTO BY VERONICA DOMINACH

So Iendured until the end.

It wasworth the wait,which is usually thecase when it comes to this place.

Saints fans had to wait 21 seasons from the birth of the franchisein1967, including the firsteight seasons playing at Tulane Stadium,toget their first tasteofthe playoffs. Theywaited another 13 yearstoget aplayoff win. And then another nine yearstosee “pigsflyand hell freeze over” as Garrett Hartley’s40-yard fieldgoal soared through the uprights to punch the Saints’ ticket to their first and only Super Bowl.

Some cheered.

Some cried.

Just liketheyhad done on thatmagical night in September of 2006 when SteveGleasonstretchedout to block apuntsymbolizing the rebirth of acitythatayear earlier had felt the devastationofHurricaneKatrina. The home to the NewOrleans Saints all of asudden became the home to the homeless, the thousands of people who were affected by the worstnatural disaster this country had ever faced. The imagesfromthe Dome told the rest of the world just howdirethingswerein the city.

In typical NewOrleans fashion, the citybounced

Super Bowl LIX crews resumed building tents, barricades, and other related setups around the CaesarsSuperdome and PoydrasAvenue in NewOrleans on Thursday, January 23, 2025, days after amajor snowfall coveredsouth Louisiana.

back. And thecity’smost recognizable venue bounced back, too.

Drew Brees rewrotethe NFL recordbooks, doing forthe Saints offensewhatRickey Jackson, Sam Mills, Vaughan Johnson and PatSwilling once did forthe Saints defense. Theywerethe DomePatrol, aquartet of linebackerswho made WhoDatsremove thosepaper bags from their headsand stick theirchests outjusta little bit further

The DomePatrolmadeSaints fans start dreaming big. And when it comes to dreaming big, there’snoplace quitelikethe Dome.

Just ask every high school football playerinthe state of Louisiana.Yeah, theyall love playing under the Fridaynightlights in their respectivehometowns.But the ultimate high school football games areplayedinthe Domewith astate championship on the line in December

Or ask anyfan of SouthernUniversityorGrambling, thetwo schools that playonthe Saturday afterThanksgiving every year in the BayouClassic. Bragging rights forthe next 365 days areatstakewhen the Jaguars and theTigersclash. At some point, Southern’sHumanJukebox will playthe tune “Do WhatYou Wanna,” which seems fittingwhen Ithink back on some of the strangemoments witnessedinthe Dome.

Do whatyou wanna is whatthe refs did thatJanuary afternoon in 2019 when the referees decided not to throwa flagonwhatshould have been an obvious pass

interferenceinthe NFCchampionship game between theSaints and Los Angeles Rams.

Therewas the night the Undertaker’s21-match winningstreak at WrestleMania came to an end with a losstoBrock Lesnar

Therehavebeen epic Sugar Bowls,including ones withamascot feud between UniversityofTexas steer, Bevo,and the UniversityofGeorgia’s bulldog,Uga.

Therehavebeen memorable Super Bowls with epic halftime performances,includingone thatwas followedupbythe lights goingout in the Dome andinterrupting the thirdquarter of Super Bowl XLVII. The game wasput on pause for34minutes

Eventually,the lights came back on.

ThereweremoreSuperdome memories to be made.

Ayear later, Prince performed at Essence, his final performance in NewOrleans.

It wasa night I’ll neverforget, which is often the case every timeIstepfoot in the Dome.

My first time wasa football game in 1987.The most recenttime wasthe final night of EssenceFest 2025.

The final song of the night wasBoyzIIMen singing their hit “Endofthe Road.”

Essence Fest had cometoanend

But the Superdome, farfromthe endofits road,is still going strong.

Happy50th!!!

STAFFPHOTO BY CHRISGRANGER

The Superdome’s changing lightscelebratethe city. Here’s a look behind the scenes.

DOUG MACCASH| STAFFWRITER

Fromthe time its massiveskeleton rose over PoydrasStreet,the Louisiana Superdome –nowknown as the CaesarsSuperdome –was acenterpiece of the Crescent City Skyscape. Its mushrooming minimalist architecturecouldn’tbe missed. Except maybe when thesun went down.

Back in 2010, as theChampionsSquare plazawas being installed beside the greatarena,Gary Solomon Jr., CEO of the Solomon Group design firm, and the late architectAlan Eskew noticed something. Despiteits massiveness, at night, Solomon said, “the Dome vanished into the nightsky.”

Solomon and Eskew setout to changethat. Soon the Superdome wouldbeilluminatedwithacomplexhigh-tech lightingsystemthatjazzed up the downtown cityscape afterdark like neverbefore.

The enormous Dome hadbeen custom lit at least twice, forthe 2002 Super Bowl and forthe wind-blasted arena’sresurrection after Hurricane Katrina on Sept.25, 2006. Thosetemporaryilluminations provided inspiration, but the permanent

lighting systemthatSolomon andEskew envisioned would go further.

On Oct.20, 2011, ahugecrowd assembled to watchSaintsownersTom and GayleBenson throw theswitch thatignited thenew Superdome lighting system, splashing the metallic walls of the building withashifting light showsynchronized to music

As reported in The Times-Picayune at the time, thenew $1.6million illumination wasproduced by “26,000 LED lights in 288 fixtures thatare capableofreproducing every color of therainbow on all96concave aluminum panels that ring the building’s exterior.”

Of course, Solomon said, thenew lightsset the Dome aglow,but theydid morethan that.“There was such energy inside the Dome thatwewantedtotake that outside,”Solomon said.

Soon the Superdome staff began keyingthe exterior colorstosporting events,concerts, andspecial tributes.

The Dome waslit in purple forPrince’sappear-

anceatEssence Fest in 2014. It has been turned pink during breast cancer awarenessmonth, blue in tributetoNOPD officerswho died in the line of duty, green forTulane University, the colorsofthe flag for apresidential visit,Christmas colorsand on and on.

As Solomon put it,with the newlighting system, the Dome became asort of communitybeacon that “speakstothe moment.”

Solomon said thateye-catching,coded architectural lighting has become more common over the past 14 years, but when it first appeared on the Dome, it wasa game-changer.Now,hesaid, largescale parts of the city’sarchitectureand infrastructure, such as the awning over the World War II Museum and the CrescentCityConnection have followedsuit.“The Dome,”hesaid “mayhaveinfluenced other architecture.”

Solomon said thatin2021, when the arena was rebranded the CaesarsSuperdome, the whiteroof of the structurewas lit forthe first time to allowthe companylogotobeseen from the air at night.

STAFFPHOTO BY DAVIDGRUNFELD

Life at 50

The legendary Superdome by the numbers

ZACH EWING| STAFFWRITER

Reported attendancefor aRolling Stones concert on Dec. 5, 1981, known fordecades as the world’slargest indoor concert

13

8

The Superdometurns 50 this month, and while that’s the big number,there’s plentyofways to tell the story of thefamous stadiumusing other figures. hostedbyt twomorethan times the football champion crowned Superd with Pitt in Bowl and including fi national

Super Bowls

87,500

4

quarefootage of aluminum makes up the Superdome roof

273 height of the Superdome, in feet

400,000 et, lot

69,000

Current maximum seating capacity forafootballgame. Forbasketball, it’s 67,500, and forconcerts, 83,000.

229

LED lights in theSuperdome’s exterior lighting system 26,000

503

NFL games played at the Superdome: 384 Saints regular-season games,97 Saints preseason games, 14 Saints playoff games and eight Super Bowls

High school state football championship games in the Superdome, starting in 1981 and played thereevery year except for2005 and 2020.

Times in 50 yearsthe Bayou Classic hasbeen held at the Superdome. The onlyexceptions were the2005 game in Houston and the 2021 game in Shreveport.

6

30,000

Peak estimated evacuees in the Superdome following Hurricane Katrina

52

Escalatorsinthe Superdome, along with 22 elevators. The longestescalator is 120 feet.

Men’s Final Foursat theSuperdome,from MichaelJordan’s coming-out party in 1982 to MikeKrzyzewski’s farewell in 2022

191,000

Three-day attendancefor Taylor Swift concerts at the Superdome in 2024, thehighest-attended concert series in thestadium’shistory

As the Superdome turns 50, we look back at the biggest Domeconcerts of all time

DOUGMACCASH

|STAFF WRITER

The Allman Brothers, etc.,1975

In addition to greatmusic, theconcert alsogenerated controversy. The AllmanBrotherslatersued theconcert promoters, the Superdome andthe ticket-taking companyfor $1.3 million, claiming the band did not receivemoneyfor morethan 25,000 tickets sold

The Times-Picayune’sJohn AlanSimonreported thatthe audience numbered80,000.A1979 Times-Picayune story liststhe attendance as 55,000 Day of Rock &Roll, 1979,1980, 1981

The Days of Rock &Roll concerts featured Sammy Hagar, Nazareth, VanHalen, Boston, Heart, Blue Oyster Cult,and the Granati Brothersin1979. Eagles, Foreigner, Cheap Trick, and Christopher Cross playedin1980.And REOSpeedwagon, TedNugent, Heart,and Foghatplayedin1981.

The Times-Picayune’sKelly Tucker reported that the audience reached 63,800 in 1979.

Budweiser Superfest, 1979 to 1999

The traveling R&B and soul concertsdrewwhat Times-Picayune reporter BunnyMatthewsdescribed as “absurdly gigantic” crowds to theLouisiana Superdome. No wonder (pardon the pun), since the 1982 show, forexample, included Stevie Wonder, Maze,Quincy Jones,Ashfordand Simpson, andKool and the Gang.

The Rolling Stones,1981

A total of 87,500 fans attended the concert,including PatAdams of the tennesseeconcerts. com website, who wrote: “The opening bandswerethe Neville Brothers, followedbyGeorge Thorogood andThe Destroyers. Both acts were good. Theyflashed up on the sign thatthe concert hadset arecordfor the largest indoor concert ever held.” The Stones also playedthe Dome in ‘78(with 80,173 in attendance), ‘89 and ‘94.

Prince,1985

The late pop phenomenon reportedlydrew50,000 fans to the NewOrleans stop on his“Purple Rain” tour.

Frank Sinatra, SammyDavis Jr., and Liza Minnelli, 1989

NewKids on the Block, 1990

As The Times-Picayune wrote: “The Aug. 23 New Kids on the Block concerthas been movedfrom the (8,933-seat) LakefrontArena to the Superdome to accommodate“excessive” ticket demand ... all tickets forthe sold-out Lakefront Arena concertwill be honored at the Superdome, and another 20,000 tickets will go on sale.”

GunsN’Roses N’ Metallica,1992

The pair of heavy metal juggernauts must have sold well. The Times-Picayune’sScottAiges reported that one fanstood in line 43 hourstosecureaseat.

Paul McCartney,1993

Pink Floyd,1994

Bette Midler,1994

U2,1997

TheBlues Brothers, ZZ Top, James Brown, 1997 Actors Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman, and James Belushi in the roles of the Blues Brothers, at theSuper Bowl XXXI halftimeshow. Attendance: 72,301.

Janet Jackson,1998

George Strait,1998 and1999

The manwhoseexesliveinTexas playedthe Dome in 1998 drawing 43,000,then again in 1999,drawing arespectable 34,000 according to figures providedby the Dome management.

Cher,1999

Cher,withhelp from Cyndi Lauper,turned back time for13,000fans

Note:The Smoothie King Center,then knownasThe NewOrleans Arena,was completed in 1999,providing asecond, smaller concertvenue at roughly the same siteasthe Louisiana Superdome.

NSYNC, 2000

BritneySpears, 2000

KeithSperareported Spears’ Superdomesales reached 30,000.

U2,Super Bowl XXXVI halftime show, 2002

U2’sstirring tributetothe victimsofthe September 11 terrorist attacks. Attendance: 72,922.

LutherVandross at Essence Fest,2002

EssenceFestival fills the Superdome annually with attendees from across the country. Since the fest takesplaceovera three-dayperiod, with events in the Ernest N. MorialConventionCenteraswell as the Dome, it’sdifficulttoarriveatanexact attendancefigurefor asingle concert.But it’sprobably fair to saythatagood percentageofthe 2002 audience, reported by the Dome managementtobe138,000 strong,was on hand forLuther Vandross

KennyChesneyand TimMcGraw,2012

The countrycomrades told 35,000 fans to do whatever it took to make them feel likerock stars, according to Superdome representatives

Beyonce and Destiny’sChild, SuperBowlXLVII halftime show, 2013

Attendance: 71,024.

One Direction, 2014

Beyonce and JayZ,2014

The popmusic powercoupleplayedto42,000

Prince at Essence Fest,2004 and 2014

Prince’sSaturdayconcert certainly attracteda large shareofthe approximately 140,000 weekend Dome attendees in 2004. Same could be said forhis Essenceappearancein2014.

The Rolling Stones,2019

In 2019,the Rolling Stones most recent appearance at the Domedrew40,000

Beyonce in 2016and 2023

In 2016Beyonce sold 45,000 tickets to her Superdome show, whichset arecordasthe highest-grossing, single concert with $5.3 million in ticketsales Beyonce’s2023Superdome appearancehad an unofficial, estimatedattendanceof50,000.

Taylor Swift in 2024

In 2024, TaylorSwift’sthree-nightstand at the Superdome, drew an averageof64,000 fans per show, totaling 191,000 fans overall, setting official revenue and multi-dayattendance records.Accordingto Dome representatives,80% of the ticketsales went to out-of-state buyers.

50 years, one rivalry, countless memories: The BayouClassic’s enduring role in theSuperdome’ssuccess

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisarticle is broughttoyou bythe organizersofthe Bayou Classic

When the CaesarsSuperdome was in the planning stages,three major events were instrumental in convincing lawmakerstobuild the stadium:Saints games,the Sugar Bowl, and the Bayou Classic.

Among the “Big Three,”the Bayou Classic stands out.This annual rivalry between Grambling State University and Southern Universitymade history in 1975asthe first collegefootball game playedinthe Superdome.

Over the years, the game hasdelivered unforgettable moments:Southern’s14-7 win in 1979thatended Grambling’s five-game winning streak, a31-30 Southern victory in 1991thatmarked the first nationally televisedHBCU football game, and the 2016clash of two then-undefeatedpowerhouses, where Grambling lit up the scoreboard with a 52-pointvictory.

“The Superdome is so tied to the

game’s legacy,” said Dottie Belletto, founder and CEOofNOCCI, aleading eventmarketing and logisticsfirm.

“We’re the only classic thatisplayed every year in an NFL stadium and airs on national televisionevery year.I don’t knowthatyou would seethe numbers andvisibilitythe BayouClassic has withoutthe Superdome.”

With the Superdome as its cornerstone, the BayouClassic is a multi-daycultural celebration. From eventslikeaparadealong Canal and Poydrasstreetstothe Battle of the Bands,the weekend drawsthousands of fans,alumni and supporters.

“It’salmostlikeahugefamily reunion,”Belletto said. “You seefamilies from split households,wheresome cheer forSouthern and some cheer forGrambling. We’vehad parentswho did not attend either school who bring their children so they canexperience the HBCU culture. It’salwaysfun to see differentgenerations who enjoybeing together throughout the weekend.”

The 52nd annual BayouClassic will takeplace on Saturday, November 29,2025.

Congratulations to the superdome on 50 iconic years.

Bayou Classicisproud to be part of itsstory...andits soul.

Howthe Superdome gotits name in the 1960s

The name Superdome came fromthe building’s chief promoter,visionary businessmanDave Dixon, who is responsible forsomanychapters of the history of the building nowcalledthe Mercedes-Benz Superdome.

On Nov. 4, 1965,Dixon joinedNew Orleans Mayor Victor Schiroinannouncing plans fora $24million multipurpose, enclosed, air-conditioned stadium The Houston Astrodome,the world’sfirstdomedstadium, had opened sevenmonthsearlier.

PeterFinney’sNov.5,1965article in The StatesItem explained that“fifty percentofthe construction costs have been pledged …providedthe city is granted afranchiseineitherthe National or American Football League.”Thathappenedone year later.

In 1965,Dixon predicted thestadium would revolutionizesports in the city. “It willbeanall-purpose stadium foruse by the community, notjust apro football team,”hesaid, envisioning ahome notjust forfootball but alsobaseball, basketball, boxing and track. In aFeb.3,1966 Times-Picayune article, Gov.

John McKeithen, an enthusiastic proponent of the project,proclaimed “this stadium will be the finest in the world.”

In his2008 book, “The Saints,the Superdome and the Scandal: An Insider’s Perspective,” Dixon explained thehistory of the building’s name, callingitan“easy” choice. “I selected the nameearly on, right at thebeginning of our stadium and (NFL)franchise efforts,” he said. “Actually,I chosethe name while the Astrodome wasamammoth hole in the ground overinHouston. Iconsidered only twonames,Superdome or Ultradome. To my ear,‘Superdome’ sounded farbetter than ‘Ultradome.’”

Dixon points out thathis useofthe word “super” even came before the first Super Bowl, which was playedin1967.

After yearsofconstruction delays and apricetag thatballooned to $163 million,the LouisianaSuperdome openedtoravereviews on Aug. 3, 1975. In

HoranceH.Hayden, right, chiefofdesign, presents completeddrawings, totaling450 sheets of paperand representingthe work of about300 people through30 months,toDaveDixon,onOct.30, 1970.

July of 2021, CaesarsEntertainmentInc. reached an agreementwith the Saints to purchasethe naming rightstothe Superdome.

–Blake Pontchartrain

in the of the

biggest Superdome the histmoments ory

TheCaesars Superdome is in its 50th year afteropening in 1975, and thereare plenty of momentsoverthe last five decades that areworth remembering.

Frompoliticstosports,the Superdomehas oftenbeenthe center of attentionover the last five decades.

These are30 moments thatstandamongthe most prominentinthe history of the Superdome.

STAFFREPORT

Superdomegroundbreaking

The construction ofamajordomed stadiuminLouisiana began nearly fiveyears after the NFL awarded afranchisetothe cityofNew Orleans. LouisianabusinessmanDave Dixon first pitchedthe idea to Louisianagovernor John McKeithen, who promised thatadomed stadium wouldbebuilt

Louisiana legislatorsapprovedthe dome’sconstruction by the largest margin in state history onNov.8,1966, sevendaysafter NFLcommissioner Pete Rozelle awardedthe league’s25th franchisetoNew Orleans.The dome project faceddelays buteventually brokeground in 1971indowntownNew Orleans, taking nearly four yearstocomplete.

Superdomeopens

The LouisianaSuperdome became thenew home forthe NewOrleans Saints forthe 1975 NFL seasonafter opening in August.The first Saints game playedinthe new indoor stadium wasapreseason contest against the Houston OilersonAug.6

The massivesteel structure becamethe largest fixed dome structureinthe world, which remains true to this day. The Superdome took the placeofTulane Stadiumas ahostsiteofSuper Bowls and major collegefootballgames. TheDome hashosted the Sugar Bowleveryear since 1975aswell as the BayouClassic between Southern Universityand GramblingState

FirstSugar Bowl

The SugarBowlhad been playedinNew Orleans every year since 1935atTulane Stadium, but it wouldhaveanew home forthe first time in over 40 yearswith the Louisiana Superdome becomingthe newpermanent host sitefor the highly anticipated postseason collegefootball matchup

The first SugarBowlinthe Superdome wasbetween SEC championAlabama and Penn State,aDivision IIndependentatthe time. Coached by the legendary Bear Bryant, Alabama wonalow-scoring 13-6 contest to finish the season as the No. 3-ranked team in the country withan11-1record.

Super Bowl XII

The first SuperBowlplayedinthe Louisiana Superdome featured the NFCchampion Dallas Cowboys and the AFCchampion DenverBroncos.

Super Bowl XII sawthe Cowboyslead from starttofinish in adominant27-10 victory overthe Broncos.Dallas quarterback RogerStaubachbeathis former teammate in Broncos QB Craig Morton. Staubach passedfor 183 yardsand one touchdown in the win,which includedfourDallas interceptions ofMorton. TheSuper Bowl victory wasthe second in Cowboys franchisehistoryand their second in NewOrleansafter winning their first title at Tulane Stadium.

Muhammad Alidefeats Leon Spinks

The heavyweightboxing bout deemed “September to Remember”featured Muhammad Aliand Leon SpinksasAli looked to become the first three-time undisputed heavyweightworld champion in frontofa crowd of 65,000 people at the Louisiana Superdome.

Ali wasdefeatedbySpinksintheir first fightearlier thatyear in Las Vegas, butAli avenged his losstoSpinks via a15-round unanimous decision in NewOrleans to become theheavyweightworld championonce again. Thefamousfightwas one of the last of Ali’sstoried career,ashewas 36 yearsold at the time.

SugarRay Leonarddefeats RobertoDuran (NoMas

fight)

RobertoDuran defeatedSugar RayLeonardinaunanimous decision in Montreal just fivemonths priortothe twobeing matched up again at the Louisiana Superdome on November 25,1980,withthe WBCwelterweightchampionship on the line. Duran hadtaken the championship from Leonard, but Sugar Rayreclaimed the title withadominantperformance in NewOrleans.Leonardlanded severalpunches to Duran,who turned to thereferee in the eighth round and supposedly said, “nomas” beforebowing out of thefight. Duran’ssurrender resulted in an eight-round TKOfor Leonard.

Super Bowl XV

Super Bowl XV between theOaklandRaidersand Philadelphia Eagles wasthe secondSuper Bowl playedinthe Louisiana Superdome.

RaidersquarterbackJim Plunketthad arollercoaster NFL career up to that point, buthefound successearly on against the Eagles after connecting with widereceiver Cliff Branchfor atwo-yardtouchdown on the Raidersfirstdrive

The Raidersdefensemadelifetough on Eagles quarterback RonJaworski, withRaiderslinebacker RodMartin intercepting Jaworski aSuper Bowlrecordthree times.The result wasa27-10 Raidersvictory –their second Super Bowl win in franchisehistory

Rolling Stones concert in frontof87,500 fans

The Rolling Stones playedinfront of 87,500 people at the Louisiana Superdome as part of “The American Tour 1981” thatsaw the band visit various stadiums andarenasthroughoutthe U.S. to promotetheir newalbum “TattooYou.”

Tickets to the concert in NewOrleans were under $20,which included The Neville Brothers, George Thorogood and The Destroyers as opening acts.The attendancenumber brokethe recordfor themost attended indoor concertin theworld, whichstood for33yearsuntil George Strait playedinfront of over 100,000 people at AT&T Stadium in Dallas in 2014.

NCAA Tournament title game

The first men’sNCAAFinal Four at theLouisiana Superdome featured plenty of futureNBA starsinthe championship game between NorthCarolina and Georgetown.

North Carolinawas led by James Worthy, SamPerkinsand freshmanMichaelJordan. On the Georgetown side, PatrickEwing and Eric Floyd were among the standouts. Trailingbyone pointinthe closingseconds,NorthCarolinacoach Dean Smithcalled atimeoutand drew up aplayfor Jordan, predictingthatGeorgetownwould heavily defend Worthy, who had agame-high 28 points.

North Carolinawon 63-62 after Jordan nailed ajump shotwith 17 seconds remaining.

SuperBowlXX

The thirdSuper Bowl at theLouisiana Superdome sawthe NFCchampion Chicago Bearsdominatethe AFCchampion NewEngland Patriots. The Bearshad an elitedefensecoached by legendarydefensivecoordinatorBuddy Ryan,and theycame up withseven sackswhile holding the Patriots to just 10 points Bearshead coach Mike Ditka made the controversial decision to hand the ball off to William “The Refrigerator”Perry fora 1-yard touchdown late in whatended up a 46-10 blowout insteadofgivinglegendary running back Walter Payton ashot at the end zone, adecision Ditkalater said was“agross mistake.”

1988 1990 1995

Papalvisit

Pope John Paul II visited NewOrleans on Sept.11-13,1987,aspart of a10-daytripto theUnited States.

He spent36hours in the cityafter ShepherdOne, the pope’sjet,touched down in Louisiana on Sept.11.

Thepopevisited St. LouisCathedral forareception withclergymembers. He then traveled in his “Popemobile” to theSuperdome, wherehespoke to BlackCatholic leadersand Catholic educators. He alsospoke at ayouth rally on the floor of the Dome, featuring amini-Mardi Gras parade andthe St.Augustine Marching 100band.

Republican National Convention

NewOrleans again showed the world that it knows howtoput togetheraparty, hostingthe 1988 Republican National Convention at the Superdome.

Local leadersworkedfor months to prepare the city foropeningnight, which included aspeech from PresidentRonaldReagan at the Dome.

Vice PresidentGeorge H.W. Bush, the presumptivenominee, hadn’t revealed his running mate.Hesurprised many when he introduced Indiana Sen. DanQuayleashis vice presidential pick at arally at Spanish Plaza

Bush’s speech at theSuperdome is remembered foralinethatlater contributed to his 1992 defeat: “Read my lips, no newtaxes.”

Super BowlXXIV

TheDenverBroncos soughtredemption in Super Bowl XXIV in the Superdome after losing in their previousthree Super Bowl appearances,two of whichwerewith legendary quarterback John Elway.

Elway’sthird trip wasn’t anybetterina 55-10defeattothe San Francisco 49ers, dropping the Broncos to 0-4 in the NFL’sbiggest game. Elwaycompleted 10-of-26 passesfor 126yards with no touchdowns and apair of interceptions

It wasthe second timethatthe Broncoslosta Super Bowl in NewOrleans. Elwaywouldn’treturntothe Super Bowl until1998,finally breakingthrough to lead theBroncos to back-to-backchampionships

NCAA Tournament title game

The1993 NCAA Tournament titlegame is remembered as “TheTimeout Game” after Michigan’sChris Webber —whoseteam wastrailing NorthCarolina by twowith 11 secondsremaining—was double-teamed andcalled atimeout the Wolverines didn’thave. Atechnical foul wascalled, helping NorthCarolina expand itslead. The TarHeels wonthe championship,77-71, to claim their secondtitle in NewOrleans. Webber’s mistakefollowedhim throughout the remainder of hiscareer andbeyond, but he provedtobeafive-time NBAAll-Star. In the semifinals,NorthCarolina beat Kansas 78-68 and Michigan took down Kentucky 81-78

FirstEssenceFest

TheEssence Festival wasoriginally arrangedtobeaone-timesalutetoEssence magazine onits 25th anniversaryofservinganaudience mostly madeupofAfricanAmerican women. From atourism standpoint, the event, scheduled duringthe July 4 weekend, wasdesigned to boost thecityduringits traditionalslowseason. In the end, 142,000 people showed up to hearpowerhouseperformerslikeAretha Franklin and B.B. King at theSuperdome. Thefestival,whichbills itself as “the party with apurpose,”isstill goingstrongall theseyearslater,becominganannualJuly4 tradition in NewOrleans.

SuperBowlXXXI

The Green Bay Packerswerebeing challenged by the NewEngland Patriots in thesecond half of Super Bowl XXXI until Desmond Howard stole the showin theSuperdome.

The Patriotscut the Packerslead to 27-21after aCurtis Martin touchdown run, butHowardresponded by returning the ensuing kickoff 99 yardstothe house. Howard’s return wasthe final touchdown scored in a35-21 Packerswin. Patriots headcoach Bill Parcells said thatHoward’stouchdown “broke our back.” The former Heisman Trophy winner racked up 244returnyards in the game and became thefirstplayertowin Super Bowl MVP becauseofspecial teams contributions.

Eddie Robinson’s final game

For56yearsasGrambling’s head coach, Eddie Robinson setthe standardfor collegefootball. His 408 career victories rank thirdall-time among collegecoaches While thediscussion leadinguptothe 1997 BayouClassic wasall about it being Robinson’sfinal game, it wasthe rival Southern Jaguarswho came out victorious, 30-7.

The win securedthe SWAC championship forthe Jaguarsand locked up their fifth straightBayou Classic victory,but it wasadifficult and emotional end foran incredible career forRobinson.

The legendary coach wasinductedintothe CollegeFootball Hall of Fame thatyear

NCAA BCS title game

Asellout crowd of 79,280 wasinside the Superdome to watcha pair of unbeaten teams,Florida Stateand Virginia Tech, face off in the BCSnational title contest in theSugar Bowl.

After theSeminoles jumped outtoa28-7second-quarter lead, it wasMichael Vick and the Hokies’ turn. Behind some big plays by the speedy QB,the Hokies rallied to a29-28 leadtoend thethirdquarter.

The Seminoles responded to scorethe final 18 points to claim a46-29 victory. Vick helped the Hokies amass503 yardsofoffense, the most ever by alosing team in theSugar Bowl.

Saints win firstplayoff game

The Saints claimed their first playoff victory in franchisehistory with a31-28 victory over the St.Louis Rams in the Superdome.

Saints QB Aaron Brooksthrew forfour touchdownsand widereceiver Willie Jacksontied an NFL postseason recordwith three touchdown catches,but the momentthatSaints fans will remember the most wasagame-clinching turnover on special teams.

Rams puntreturner Az-Zahari Hakimfumbled the ball and veteranfullback Brian Milne wastheretoleap on the ball at the Rams’ 18-yard line and finish off a long-awaited momentinNew Orleans.

The crowd of 64,900wentwild as the Saints ended a34-year postseason drought

SuperBowlXXXVI

The NewEngland Patriots seemed to have bad voodoo placed on them during their Super Bowl trips to NewOrleans until TomBrady and Bill Belichick joined forces

The Patriotslost both of their priorNew Orleans Super Bowl appearances by a combined 81 points,and theywereunderdogsagainst the St.Louis Rams

The Patriots’ Super Bowl legacy wasreversedafter Brady’s fourth-quarter heroics setupa 48-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieritosend the Patriots home as Super Bowl champions.

It wasthe first of six Super Bowl wins forBrady,and it’sthe Patriots’ only one in NewOrleans

BCS title game (LSU wins)

The return of LSUfootballasanational powerwas completed when the Tigers defense, led by Nick Saban, dominated the nation’s topoffenseina 21-14victory over Oklahoma. LSUheldHeisman Trophy-winning quarterback JasonWhite to 13-of-37 passing, and Marcus Spears’ 20-yard pick-six gave the Tigers their final points and their first national championship (sharedwithUSC)since 1958

It began aspecialrelationship between the state’s flagship school andthe Superdome —LSU’s next twonationaltitles, after the 2007 and2019 seasons, also came via victories at the Dome.

Hurricane Katrina

The images areindelible. The Superdome, which wasdesigned to withstand major storms,was used as a“shelter of last resort”inthe aftermath of HurricaneKatrina, and no one whohas seen the damaged roof,the crowdspressing to getinorthe cots crowding the Domefloorwill ever forget them.

As manyas30,000 people sheltered in the building, butitwasn’t exactly asafehaven; between the lack of airconditioning, floodingthatreachedthe floor andsanitation issues,the Dome becameunsanitary and dangerous,and eventually the crowds were evacuatedelsewhere.

Saints returntodome

After Katrina,therewas speculationthe Superdome would neveropen again. But the state and SMGdecided in early 2006 that it wasworthrenovating,and afterspending the entire2005 season elsewhere,the Saints returnedhome on Sept. 25,2006. Even considering theSaints’ NFCchampionship victory and countlessbig victories of the DrewBrees-Sean Payton era, the“Rebirth” victory over the Falcons is one of the most emotional in the building’s history.Steve Gleason’searly blockedpunt, now immortalized in astatue outside theSuperdome, led the Saints to a23-3win that relaunched football feverinNew Orleans

LSUwins BCS title

Atriple-overtime loss to Arkansas theday afterThanksgiving appearedtoend LSU’s chances forthe nationalchampionship,but chaos over the next eightdaysallowed LSUtoslip into anothernational-title game at the Superdome. That included losses from No. 1Missouri and No.2West Virginia,aserious flirtation between Les Miles and theMichigan joband an SEC championship victory overTennessee. The Tigers and MVP Matt Flynn took full advantage,usinga 21-pointsecond-quarter outbursttorace past Ohio State 38-24and win the program’sthirdnational title, allof which were clinched with victories in NewOrleans

Saints win NFCtitle

“Pigshaveflown. Hell has frozen over.The Saints areontheir waytothe Super Bowl!” Thus spokeJim Henderson, longtime play-by-playvoice of the Saints as Garrett Hartley’sgame-winning40-yard field goal sailed through the uprights in the 2010 NFCchampionship game to defeatthe Vikings.

The wild ending to awild game setoff intensecelebrations in the Superdome and acrossNew Orleans.The Saints finished the jobtwo weekslater, defeating the Colts in SuperBowlXLIVand completing ajourney that began with Drew Brees andSean Payton joining theteam after HurricaneKatrina

BCStitle (Bama beats LSU)

Once again, with the national championship game in NewOrleans,the LSU Tigers found their wayontothe stage, this time with ease.

However, the game didn’tgoaccording to script.Nick Saban, whowon LSU’s national title in 2003 but nowcoached their archrivals,orchestrated adefense thatallowedthe Tigers to crossthe 50-yardline only once in a21-0 victory LSU,which had wonthe teams’firstmeeting 9-6,held the Crimson Tide out of the endzonefor sevenquartersthatseason but ultimately wilted with no marginfor error

Super Bowl XLVII

This Super Bowl will foreverbeknown as the nightthe lights went out.Early in the thirdquarter,a partial poweroutage caused by equipmentfailureshrouded the Superdome in near darkness, causing the game between the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens to be delayed for34minutes

The outage overshadowed(punintended) an entertaining and competitivegame. NewOrleans nativeJacobyJones returned the second-half kickoff aSuper Bowlrecord108 yardsfor aBaltimore touchdown,and the Ravens stopped the 49erson fourthdowninthe final twominutes to hang on fora34-31victory.

CFP national title game (LSU beats Clemson)

If you’re counting,this made four times the Superdome hosted anational championship in the BCS/CFP era, and four times the game featured LSU This time, the title game wasmoreofa coronation forthe 2019 Tigers,who are considered one of the greatest collegefootball teams of all time.

QuarterbackJoe Burrow and the offenseset numerous SEC and national records, Burrow wonthe Heisman Trophy in alandslide and the Tigers defeateda record seventop-10teams.The last wasClemson, whichallowedLSU 628 yardsina42-25 Tigers rout with PresidentDonald Trump in attendance.

NCAAmen’s Final Four

2, 4

All six of the men’sFinal Foursheld in the Superdome have been memorable, and the most recentisnoexception: Four blue-blood programs congregatedin NewOrleans,withKansas emerging with its fourth national title after beating Villanova in the semifinals and erasing a16-pointdeficit in the title game to top North Carolina 72-69.

The other reason the weekend wassignificant? UNC’ssemifinal victory over archrival Dukewas the final game forlegendary Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski, who came up short in aquest forhis sixth national title and walked off the Superdome floor and into retirement.

Super Bowl LIX

After a12-year gap—the longest in the history of the Superdome —the Super Bowl returned withamarquee matchup.The Kansas CityChiefs soughthistory in the form of their third consecutivechampionship,while the Philadelphia Eagles looked forrevengefroma painful Super Bowl losstwo yearsearlier It wasthe Eagles who flipped the script,using MVP Jalen Hurts and adominating defense to fluster Patrick Mahomes and Co.ina40-22 win.Moreimportantly for the Superdome, NewOrleans showcased thatit’sstill amarquee place foraSuper Bowl in the modern NFL.

My list of the 10 GREATEST

sports momentsinSuperdome history

JEFFDUNCAN|SPORTSCOLUMNIST

‘Pistol’Petepoursin68

February 25, 1977

Old-school basketball fans will neverforget the night“Pistol” Pete Maravich lit up the NewYork Knicksfor 68 points in theNew Orleans Jazz’s 124-107win

Maravich riddled the Knickswith circus shot after circus shot en routetohis career night. At the time, it wasthe most points aguardhad ever scored in an NBA game. Forty-eightyearslater,it is still the 17th-highest scoring output in league history

Maravich sank 26 of 43 shots from the field and went 16-of-19fromthe free-throw line to break the previous high of 63 points setbyLakers guardJerry West in 1962.KobeBryantnow has the recordfor guards at 81 points,set in 2006. The Pistol scored 17 points in the first quarter,14 in the second, 17 in thethirdand 20 in the fourth.

“Therewas no waywecouldstophim,” Knicks forwardBob McAdoo said thatnight. “The Pistol washot tonight. He wasreally goingoff.The man beatusbyhimself.”

Maravich likely could have setthe bar even higher,but he fouled out with 1:18 remaining.

“I could have scored more,”Maravich said. “I missedalot of easyshots early in thegame.”

9

RobertoDuran utters “Nomas,nomas” vs. Sugar RayLeonard

November 25, 1980

Billed as “The Super Fight,”the rematchbetween Sugar RayLeonardand RobertoDuran wasone of the most anticipatedtitle fightsofthe 1980s.But no onecould have anticipatedwhattranspired in the ringthatnight.

During the eighthround, Duran, the WBCwelterweight champion,suddenly threw up his handsinsurrender, uttering to the referee, “Nomas,nomas.Nomorebox,” after 2 minutes,44seconds had elapsed.

Leonard, who had lost the title to Duran in June, leaped in celebration,and the crowd erupted in disbelief after afight withsomuchfanfareended in surrender.Leonard wonby technical knockout.

It marked the first time achampion had voluntarily surrendered his title since Sonny Liston quit to Muhammad Ali, then Cassius Clay, in 1964, claimingashoulder injury Duran had held the lightweightchampionship foryears and had lost only onedecision in 72 boutsbeforetaking the 147-pound title from LeonardJune20, 1980,inMontreal Duran latercited stomach cramps as the reason forhis surrender buthis manager Carlos Eletasaidhewas simply frustrated as Leonardconsistentlybeathim to the punch and then tauntedand mocked him throughout the fight.Leonard wasahead on all of the judges’ scorecards

“Duran didn’t quit becauseofstomach cramps,”Eleta said. “Hequit becausehewas embarrassed.”

8

Patriotsupset

“Greatest ShowonTurf”

February 3, 2002

The NewEngland Patriots entered Super Bowl XXXVI as two-touchdown underdogstothe high-octane St.Louis Rams, a.k.a.“The Greatest ShowonTurf.” But the upstart Patriots shocked the world, escaping with a20-17 victory on a48-yard field goal by Adam Vinatieriastime expired.

It wasthe biggest Super Bowl upset since the NewYork Jets upended the Baltimore Colts in 1969.

This wasthe coming-out partyfor Tom Brady,aformer sixth-round draft pick who had taken over forinjured starter Drew Bledsoeinmidseason. Despitehis inexperience, Brady calmly led the Patriots on an eight-play53-yard drivewith no timeouts to setupVinatieri’swinning field goal. Brady wasthe MVP after completing 16 of 27 passes for145 yardsand one touchdown.

This Super Bowl, whichwas playedinthe patriotic backdrop as the first since the Sept 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, wasthe beginning of the Patriots’dynasty.

I‘Bama’s goal-line stand denies Penn State

January 1, 1979

nthe defactonational championship game between No. 1Penn Stateand No.2Alabama, only inches separated the NittanyLionsfrom the goal line and perhaps their first national title.

Trailing 14-7 and facing afourth-and-goalat the Alabama goal line with six minutes to play, the top-ranked Nittany Lions(11-0) needed only afoot to scorethe potential game-tyingorgamewinning touchdown.

But Alabama linebacker Barry Kraussmet Penn State running back MikeGuman at theline scrimmage fornogain,preservinga dramatic 14-7 Crimson Tide win.Krausswas knocked unconscious andtemporarily lost feeling in his extremities after the big hit, but he eventually ranoff the field under his ownpower.Krauss’ tackle is considered the most dramatic goal-line stop in collegefootball history

The stop preventedPennState andlongtime head coachJoe Paterno from winningtheir first national title.

Bama’sBear Bryant, meanwhile, wonhis fifth national title.

7 5 6

Brees breaks NFL’s all-time passing record

October 8, 2018

Withthe nation watching and asellout crowd anticipating history,DrewBrees delivered one of the hallmarkperformances of his Hall of Fame career, passingfor 363passingyards in arout of Washington and breaking the NFL’scareer passing record.

Brees’ 62-yard touchdownpasstoTre’QuanSmithjust before halftime pushed him past Peyton Manning in the NFL record book and delivered awow momentfor the national viewing audienceonMonday NightFootball.

The game wasinterrupted foraceremonial presentation by ProFootball Hall of Fame PresidentDavid Baker on the Saints sidelineand arecorded congratulatory speechbyManning displayedonthe video board. Brees sharedanemotional momentwithhis family on the sideline, telling his four children, “You canaccomplish anything in lifeifyou arewilling to work forit.”

On the game’sbiggest regular-season stageagainst the league’stop-ranked passdefense, Brees recorded the fifthbest passerefficiencyrating (153.2) of his 18-year career. “I don’tthink it could have happened in anybetterfashion than it did,”anemotional Brees said afterward.

This game haditall: drama, executionand impact.An unforgettable momentfroma legendary career.Classic Drew Brees.

Aliwhips Spinks in Battle of NewOrleans

September 15, 1978

The Battle of NewOrleans” wasthe first greatfightinSuperdome history and attracted acrowd of 63,382, at the time, the largest ever foranindoor boxing match. ABCbroadcast the fightlivetoanational audience of 90 million views,another record. Muhammad Ali reclaimed the WBA heavyweightcrown he had lost to Leon Spinksmonths earlier by winning a unanimous decision in 15 rounds over the 25-year-old slugger.

Ali became the first man to win the heavyweighttitle three times in whatwas supposed to be his final fight. He returned to the ring acouple of yearslater forapair of fights.

The extravaganzaattracted an arrayof stars. Sylvester Stallone, Liza Minnelli, Kris Kristoffersonand Lorne Greene satringside and were among the crowdof70,000

Former heavyweightchampion JoeFrazier sang the national anthem beforethe fight.

Pigs flyasSaints advance to firstSuper Bowl tSuper

January24, 2010 January 24,

Infootball terms,there’snever been amoreimportantSaintsgame in the Superdome thanthe 2009 NFCChampionship Game.

GarrettHartley’s40-yard field goal capped anerve-rackingovertime victory thatpropelled the Saints to Super Bowl XLIVand touched off amassive celebration throughout the city.

The Vikingsoutplayedthe Saints forfourquartersbut could notovercome fiveturnovers,including onebyBrett Favreinthe waning minutes of regulation thatprevented apotential game-winningfieldgoalattempt.

In manyways, this wasmoreimportantthanthe SuperBowl. When Hartley’s kick split the uprights,sending the Saints to theSuper Bowl forthe first time in franchisehistory,the outpouring of joy, relief and shock inside the building wasunprecedented. Pigshad flown.Hellhad frozen over.Theyweregoingto the Super Bowl. Everythingafter thatmomentwas lagniappe forthe Saints and their loyalfans.The Saints had finallygottenoverthe hump.

Jordan delivers title to Carolina

March29, 1982

Michael Jordan signaled his emergence as afuturesuperstar with agamewinning jump shot to beatGeorgetown 63-62 in the 1981-1982 national championship game. The precocious freshman upstaged upper-classstars James Worthy,Sam Perkins and Patrick Ewing with his heroics Jordan’sgame-winner ended the long suffering of legendaryNorthCarolina coach Dean Smith, who had areputation as the coach whocouldn’twin the big one.

With the TarHeels trailing by one point, Jordan sank abaseline jumper with15seconds remaining to giveNorthCarolina a63-62 lead, beforea crowd of 61,612.The Hoyasstillhad achance to win,but Fred Browninadvertently passedthe ball to Worthyonthe ensuing possession with sevenseconds left Smith, who designed the playfor Jordan against Georgetown’s 1-3-1zone, wonhis first national titleafter coming up emptyinsix previous Final Four trips.NorthCarolinawon its first national championship since 1957

TLSU punctuates tuates perfectseason

January13, 2020 uary 13, 2

he Tigers punctuatedtheir perfect season with an exclamation point. Their 42-25 rout of Clemson in the CFP national championship game capped the greatest season in LSUhistory andone of the most dominantcampaignsin collegefootball annals

Apartisan LSU crowd watched JoeBurrow riddlethe ACCchampions’ defensefor 463 passing yardsand fivetouchdowns as theTigersroared back from an early 17-7 deficit.Star receiversJa’Marr Chaseand Justin Jefferson each caughttouchdown passes to captheircollege careersbeforemoving on to NFL stardom. Chasefinished with nine catches for221 yards.

Under ashowerofsparkling white, gold andpurple confetti,Burrowraisedthe CFP championship trophytowardthe Superdome roof to araucouscelebration from the sellout crowd.

“This is whatIwantedtodofromthe time Iwas 5years old, washoist this trophy,”Burrow said.“We weren’tgoing to letsomeone come in hereand steal this from us in our homestate.”

Rebirth fora city andits team te

September 25,2006 Se

The magical and emotional reopening of the Superdome after Hurricane Katrinawill foreverbethe most meaningful momentinSuperdome history.It wasessentially acelebration of the Dome itself and amountedtoaSuper Bowl for locals.A sellout crowdpackedthe stadium, manyofthe fans with signs celebrating its reopening.

Former PresidentGeorge H.W. Bush, Gov. Kathleen Blanco,NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, Snoop Dogg and SpikeLee were among the VIPsand luminaries in attendance. The NFLusedits most powerful platform –MondayNightFootball –toshowcasethe city’srecovery and the team’simpact on the regionand lured a Super Bowl-worthy musical lineup –U2, Green Day, the Goo Goo Dolls and popular localacts TromboneShorty, Irma Thomas,Allen Toussaint, Kermit Ruffins and the RebirthBrass Band –toperform.

The emotionand electricityinside the Dome were palpable at kickoff,and the energy detonated when SteveGleason blocked Michael Koenen’spunt90seconds into the game, and Curtis Deloatchscooped it up fora touchdown.Bymost accounts, the crowd’s emotional reaction to the playgenerated the loudest noise ever heardinthe Superdome. The Falcons neverhad achance. The Saints rolled a dominant23-3win.

Gleason’splaywas acathartic momentfor Saints fans and the cityofNew Orleans,one that has since been commemorated with abronzestatue on the Superdome apron.

LOUISIANA

time to wait.

HEART HELPERS

New pumps extend life, bridge treatment opportunities for heart failure in Louisiana

BY MARGARET DeLANEY

Staff writer

In heart failure, the necessary oxygen levels and nutrients do not meet the body’s demands, setting off a domino effect of congestion in the lungs, kidneys and other areas.

About 6.7 million adults in the U.S. currently have heart failure — with nearly 1 in 4 Americans expected to develop heart failure at some point in their life, the Heart Failure Society of America says.

In 2020, rates of heart disease (including heart failure) and stroke were 29.6% higher in Louisiana than the national average, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.

Ochsner’s heart failure and transplant team looks to new devices to extend possible treatment opportunities for patients with little time to wait.

Desai

A common misconception is that heart failure means that the heart has stopped working, according to Dr. Sapna Desai, a heart failure and transplant cardiologist at Ochsner Health.

congestive

heart pump devices

transplants.

Study may help doctors address diabetes

BY JIA H. JUNG The Mercury News (TNS)

SAN JOSE, Calif.

— On a recent summer afternoon, Randy and Vera Tom prepared a stir-fried lunch in their Redwood City, California, home with their “sous chef,” a 17-year-old Bichon Frise named Munchies, afoot. Randy, 70, recently overhauled his lifestyle after the couple participated in a Stanford Medicine study tracking their metabolic responses to carbohydrates in real time with a continuous glucose monitoring device.

The recently published research tracked the glucose levels in the blood of 55 study subjects as they consumed precooked meals starring different carbohydrates such as grapes, jasmine rice, potatoes, pasta and bread. It was led by genetic deep data specialist Mike Snyder, metabolic expert Tracey McLaughin and research dietitian Dalia Perelman at Stanford. The results could lead to better prevention, diagnoses and treatment of prediabetes, diabetes and other metabolic diseases that lower quality of life and raise health care costs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 38.4 million people, or 11.6% of the U.S. population, had diabetes in 2024. The most common is Type 2 diabetes, which occurs when the body develops resistance to insulin because of diet, lifestyle, weight and family history Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease attacking cells of the pancreas, disabling the body’s production of insulin, the hormone that orchestrates the body’s food-processing functions. Both types of diabetes are life-threatening without intervention.

According to the CDC, more than a third of the 250 million people 18 or older in the U.S. and almost half of the 60 million who are 65 or older are prediabetic — the vast majority unknowingly

ä See STUDY, page 3X

help

“It actually means that the heart’s pumping power is weaker than normal, causing blood to move through the heart and body at a slower rate resulting in increased pressure,” Desai said.

Cardiogenic shock, a heart failure condition that is a lifethreatening emergency, typically results in a significant decrease in blood pressure leading to multi-organ failure. This heart failure condition can occur following an acute heart attack, open heart sur-

gery, cardiac disease or from a viral infection. For congestive heart failure patients who can no longer rely on earlier-stage treatment options, new heart pump devices can help their weakened heart as they await further treatment, including heart transplants.

The waiting list for a heart transplant, the primary treat-

ment of heart failure, can last anywhere from months to years, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network. “Heart pump devices can play a critical role in heart failure treatment during this waiting period,” Desai said. “A heart pump can help extend

Molly Kimball

BAy AREA NEWS GROUP PHOTO

Randy Tom, left, and his wife, Vera, share a laugh as Randy stir-fries pork, bok choy, and bean sprouts for lunch recently at their Redwood City, Calif., home.

PHOTOS PROVIDED By OCHSNER HEALTH

Ochsner’s heart failure and transplant team looks to new devices to extend

treatment opportunities for patients with little

HEALTH MAKER

La. surgeon loves to play jazz in the operating room

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Dr Brian Pettiford is a surgical oncologist with a focus on thoracic surgery

Pettiford, originally from Tifton, Georgia, is an honors graduate of Morehouse College, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in biology He earned a doctor of medicine from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, where he continued his general surgery and cardiothoracic surgery training.

He has authored or coauthored over 40 journal articles and book chapters. Pettiford also served in the U.S. Navy Reserve Medical Corps from 1998 to 2006, achieving the rank of lieutenant commander.

His professional interests include robotic surgery for the treatment of lung cancer and benign lung disease. He also has extensive experience in the treatment of malignant mesothelioma and the minimally invasive treatment of esophageal cancer as well as benign esophageal conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux and esophageal achalasia

Pettiford earned an MBA from the University of Miami Herbert School of Business in 2018. In 2023, he earned a master’s of medical management degree from the Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. In his spare time, Pettiford enjoys exercising and listening to classic jazz. Why medicine? Why hearts?

My mother, when she was working, was a licensed practical nurse at the local community hospital in my

hometown She worked on a surgical floor My father and his father were both auto mechanics they could fix everything with their hands. I used to hang out with them at the gas station

And the combination of my mother’s stories from her time at the hospital, coupled I think with me working with my father and grandfather led to my interest in medicine.

But there was actually a specific moment I became interested in heart surgery specifically It was through tragedy My maternal grandmother, back when I was 8 years old, she had a stroke. That was followed by a massive heart attack, and she passed away It was an extremely difficult time for our family, especially my mother They were like two peas in a pod. It really hit her hard. I became intrigued about what was so important about the heart. I kept that interest throughout grade school. As I got older, I participated in summer enrichment programs to cultivate my interest, if you will. That led to me ultimately majoring in biology, premed in college and attending medical school. What drew you to the U.S. Navy Reserve Medical Corps? Then to Louisiana?

I come from a very strong military family on both sides. My father is a veteran. He was in Vietnam in the Air Force. All of his first cousins served. Both grandfathers served in World War II.

I think that, had I not gone into medicine, I certainly was looking at possibly go-

ing into the military

After 11 years as a fully trained surgeon in practice, someone that I considered a friend and a bit of a mentor contacted me and said, “Hey, look, I just moved down here. I need help rebuilding the program.”

I came down to New Orleans and said, “Man, there’s a lot of opportunity here.”

The state is a hotbed of cancer but an underserved community between New Orleans and areas in the bayou. I thought I could certainly make a big difference here. So decided to take the leap. What’s new in robotics surgery?

The robotic technology, I think, we’ve probably just scratched the surface. There’s a new iteration of the robot that’s come out

with software there’s so much more potential. It’s kind of an untapped frontier, if you will.

A year from now, the manufacturer could add some new technology to it, whereas with the previous generation, it was maxed out at its inception. Any additional updates would probably require some type of a hardware attachment.

The other area where there’s going to be immense growth is going to be in artificial intelligence. I think it is going to help us better diagnose people at a much earlier stage, so that patients can have a better outcome.

Many of the spots in lungs are interpreted by or reviewed by radiologists, and having the A.I. as an

adjunct to the radiologist, I think, will greatly advance our ability to diagnose tumors at a much earlier stage.

In your career what was the biggest ‘aha’ moment or game changer in technology?

I think the Da Vinci XI robot was a major game changer The previous its predecessor, in 2010, was good conceptually, but it had a lot of limitations in a thoracic surgical space.

The reason why I say that is that prior to that, I was doing something called VEHS with the scope. It’s also known as thoracoscopic surgery It had limitations due to its instruments — some of the monitors, the resolution on the scopes and cameras wasn’t all that great. It’s like a night and day comparison between

the VEHS technology and the robotic technology

The alternative to both of those minimally invasive methods is something called a thoracotomy That’s where you’re making a larger incision in a patient’s chest, cutting through the chest wall, through muscle. Then you’re cutting a piece of the ribs, sometimes a half- to a one-inch piece of rib, and you’re spreading the ribs apart with a stainless steel instrument. You’re cranking the ribs apart. You can imagine that is pretty darn uncomfortable, and it’s fairly debilitating.

What does life look like outside of the operating room?

I’m a gym rat. I like to work out a lot. As I’ve gotten older, it’s harder and harder to do what I was doing as a younger person. So, if I’m not in the gym, I’m sadly at home watching YouTube videos, streaming stuff on Netflix. But I love jazz. I like old school jazz. I’m a John Coltrane fanatic. As a matter of fact, I frequently will play old-school R&B music in the

BY AVERY NEWMARK

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

(TNS)

If you’ve scrolled through social media or even just glanced out the window you’ve probably seen them: people wearing sleek, tactical-looking weighted vests. They’re not just for show users claim these vests are a shortcut to staying strong, lean and ageless. But are they really worth the hype? Or just another consumerism-fueled fad? Here’s what the science (and experts) say

Weighted vests are often marketed as tools for building muscle and improving bone density — especially for women, who experience a sharp drop in bone strength after menopause, according to Women’s Health The idea is that by adding weight, you force your body to work harder which could lead to stronger bones and muscles over time.

Dr Sharon Hame, a professor of orthopedic surgery at UCLA, told The New York Times.

Although a few small studies have shown mild improvements in bone density when people wore vests during exercises like lunges or squats, others found no significant difference at all.

training and interval workouts more challenging — without having to lug around dumbbells.

experts say there’s little harm in giving a weighted vest a try just ease into it.

option that’s slim breathable and praised for comfort during walks, chores or light workouts.

When shopping for a vest, opt for one that fits snugly, distributes weight evenly and stays in place without chafing or bouncing. Here are a few expert-approved picks:

n TRX Duraballistic

Ultimately a weighted vest isn’t a quick fix — but it can add an extra push to the workouts you’re already doing. If it helps you stay consistent and feel stronger, it might just earn a place in your fitness lineup. Weighted

However, scientists aren’t entirely convinced “The research on weighted vests and bone health is not as clear as we’d like,”

Even if they’re not miracle workers for your bones, weighted vests can still benefit your workout. Wearing one adds resistance to everyday movements, making walking, hiking, strength

“Weighted vests are great for boosting the cardiovascular and muscle-strengthening impact of workouts, but they’re not a one-stop solution for better bone health,” Dr. Michael Jaasma, who studies medical devices and bone health, told Women’s Health. They’re “not a cure for osteoporosis.”

That said, if you’re generally healthy and don’t have joint, back or balance issues,

Weight Vest: Recommended by Men’s Health for its rugged design, secure fit and versatility for strength or cardio training.

n Hyperwear Hyper Vest Elite: A beginner-friendly

n Zelus Weighted Vest: A budget-friendly pick favored by Real Simple, with reflective strips for visibility and pockets for keys or your phone.

a person in heart failure’s survival while they await transplantation. The pump can also reduce symptoms related to heart failure and improve the function of other vital organs.”

Various temporary heart pumps such as the Impella 5.5 from Abiomed, now use AI technology to achieve better patient outcomes — helping to identify heart failure sooner, assist with pump placement and allow physicians to continuously monitor blood flow with the devices.

in most cases, according to Dr. Selim Krim, a heart failure and transplant cardiologist at Ochsner Health

“AI technology is showing great promise in the management and treatment of advanced heart failure patients,” Desai said “However, it is still in its infancy, and more validation is needed to determine its true potential.”

There are some heart pump systems that transmit data to physicians that can detect changes in heart function often before the patient experiences any symptoms.

However, these devices can provide support for a weakened heart to allow for some recovery of heart function while other treatment options are explored.

Although a left ventricular assist device improves quality of life for people with heart failure, it’s not a cure.

However, 80% of people who receive a left ventricular assist device are alive one year later Almost 50% are alive four years later, according to the Cleveland Clinic said.

n Improves the function of kidneys, liver, brain and other organs;

n Reduces symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath and swelling;

n Improves strength and ability to take part in activities patients couldn’t do before, such as cardiac rehab;

A heart pump, or left ventricle assist device, is a lifesaving device used to treat patients whose hearts cannot sufficiently pump oxygenated blood to vital organs. When medication management and other treatment methods fail to achieve optimal heart function, a heart pump can help to reduce the workload of the heart and provide the circulatory support needed to heal the organ. Better survival odds with today’s LVAD devices have led to an increase in the number of people who receive them, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Each year, more than 2,500 people with heart failure receive a left ventricular assist device in the United States. In cases of heart failure, there are both temporary and permanent heart pumps to consider — called bridgeto-treatment or destination therapies. Temporary pumps, like those inserted via a catheter, or small tube, remain in the body until a successful heart transplant is completed. At that time, the pump is removed. For people with end-stage heart failure, those who have LVAD devices tend to live longer than those who receive medical therapy alone, the Cleveland Clinic says By increasing blood flow to the body a left ventricular assist device:

n Reduces time at the hospital.

Insertion of these heart pumps can be done in a nonsurgical procedure that is performed in the catheterization lab. In the arm or groin, a small incision is made and a catheter is inserted into the artery to guide the pump into the heart.

Other temporary mechanical assist devices require a highly specialized procedure where the device itself is surgically implanted into the chest and attached to the heart.

Among patients who may not be candidates for heart

transplant the left ventricle assist device is now an alternative to heart transplant

This allows for early intervention and a reduction of hospitalizations for patients. Use of any heart pump doesn’t “fix” heart failure

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you.

Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Dr Brian Pettiford’s professional interests include robotic surgery for the treatment of lung cancer and benign lung disease with Da Vinci robotics machines.

Krim

PHOTO PROVIDED

OCHSNER HEALTH

EatFit Live Fit

Juicing

ShouldIbejuicing?It’saquestionI getregularly,andit’seasytosee why.Juicebarshavebecomepretty mainstream,greendrinkslinegrocery coolers,andrestaurantsareevenserving upjuiceblendswithbrunchspecials.

Peoplewanttoknow:Isitworththecost? WhatproduceshouldIbesipping?DoI reallyneedafancyjuicer?

Here’stheshortanswer:Amostlyveggiejuicedeliversaconcentrated doseofvitamins,mineralsandplant compoundsthatourbodiescanabsorb relativelyefficiently.Butit’snomiracle cure,andjuicingwon’t‘undo’ournot-sonutritiouschoices.

Juicingbasics

Ajuicerseparatesnutrient-richliquid fromfibrouspulp.Theupsideisthatwe candrinkthenutrientsofseveralpounds ofvegetableslikespinach,kaleorbeets inasingle8-to16-ounceglass—farmore thanmostofuscouldconsumeifwewere eatingthesesamefoods.Withoutthe fiber,though,thejuicewon’tkeepyoufull forlong.Italsohasvirtuallynoproteinor fat,sothinkoffresh-pressedvegetable juiceasanutrientbooster,notastandalonemealorsnack.

Blending,ontheotherhand,purées everything—fiberincluded.It’salsoeasy toaddprotein(Greekyogurt,protein powder)andhealthyfats(chia,almond butter,avocado)towhipupaversatile drinkthatcanstandinforbreakfast, snacksorevenalittlelunchonthego.

Veggiesvs.fruits

Myruleofthumb:sticktonon-starchy vegetablesandskipthefruitexceptfor asqueezeoflemonorlime.Ounce-forounce,fruitjuicecanrivalsodainsugar content.Aveggie-centricpourkeeps calorieslowandnutrientshigh.

Canjuicingthiswayboostnutrient intake?Absolutely—especiallyif

veggies your can gap, pot vitamin and phyt it’s for vegetables And important your juice have mix. thes every spectrum

Tip: juic beta-ca the every W

Adding our ben cholest can microbi diverse Co regular

BROUGH TT OY OU BY Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

BY THENUMBERS

organic)producewell—anddrinkor freezejuicewithin24hours.Anddon’t tossthepulp!Saveittoaddtosoups, pastasauceandbetter-for-youbaked goods,orfreezeitinice-cubetraystouse laterinsmoothies.

Ifyoudecidetogothestore-made route,trytosteerclearofthemany bottled“green”juicesthataresugar bombsindisguise,withapplejuiceor pineapplejuiceasthefirstingredient. Instead,lookforbottlesthatlist vegetablesfirstontheingredientlabel, andsingle-digitgramsofsugarfora 12-ouncebottle.

HerearetwobrandsI’mlovingnow. •SujaOrganicTwelveEssentials (16oz.)isanall-veggieblendof cucumber,celery,chard,spinach, kale,collardgreens,herbs,lemon andmore.(55calories,6grams sugar)

•EvolutionFreshOrganicEssential Greens(15oz.)isanotherveggie blendwithcelery,cucumber, spinach,romaine,kale,parsleyand lime.(70calories,12gramssugar). HereinNewOrleans,weorderweekly fromTheGreenForkwheremyfavorite is“Balance,”ablendofcucumber,kale, spinach,parsley,cilantro,beet,ginger, spirulina,limeandadashofCelticsalt.My husbandandIusuallysplita16-ouncejar. TheGreenForkalsocollectsemptyjarsfor acredit.

Thebottomline

Ifyoudecidetogivejuicingawhirl,start small.Eightouncesofmostlygreenscan helptoheadoffamid-afternoonslump Payattentiontohowyoufeelandadjust fromthere.Thinkofjuicingasanutrition booster—tosupplementabalanced whole-fooddietthatincludeslean proteinsandplentyofcolorfulproduce withthepotentialtosupportahealthier bodyandmind.

LA.ISAMONG THECHEAPEST STATES TO GIVE BIRTHIN

In the United States, just over 2.4 million babies are bornbyvaginal delivery, according to 2022birth data from the Centers for Disease Controland Prevention. With an averagecost of $15,522 per birth,America spends over $37.7 billion on in-network vaginal deliveries. Louisiana has thefourth-lowest median cost for in-network vaginal deliveriesinthe nation at $11,346 FAIR Health, an independent nonprofit that collects data using health insurance claims, compiled state-specificmedian costs of childbirth including multiple services associated with deliveries including: inpatient and outpatient facility, pharmacy,nursery, labor and delivery, medical and surgical supplies, room and board, anesthesia, fetal nonstress tests, ultrasounds, lab work and breast pump charges.

The states with the lowest median costfor

STUDY

Continued from page1X

“How wouldyou know, if you can only know with atestthatyou get only if there seems to be aproblem?” asked Randy,cleaver in hand,choppingneatly organized piles of lean pork and Technicolor-green bok choy The opportunity to access more personalized health information while contributing to science attracted the Toms to Stanford’sgenomics studies about adecade ago. They’ve been in more than five long-term studies since —the latest was the first involving food. When the research team asked Randy what he ate over Christmas after seeingspikesinhis blood sugar data, the culprit was tamales. Now, he enjoys just one of the corn-based

an in-network vaginal deliveryinclude, in ascending order: n Mississippi at $9,847 n Alabama at $9,987 n Arkansas at $10,827 n Louisiana at $11,346 n Missouriat $11,411

Thestates with thehighestmedian cost for an in-network vaginal deliveryinclude, in descending order: n Alaska at $29,152 n Newyork at $21,809 n NewJerseyat $21,757 n Connecticutat $20,389 n Oregon at $19,959

The data come fromthe September 2024 release of thevaginal deliveryFairHealth Total Treatment Cost benchmarkslooking at the total fee negotiated between an insurance planand aprovider for an innetworkservice.

treats per sitting. For Snyder,the advancement ofphysiologicallyspecificcare has been personal From 2009 to 2011, heand Stanfordprofiled hisown descent from prediabetes into Type 2diabetes—the first time thephenomenon was documented atthe molecularlevel Snyder, who is svelte and active, said, “When Ifirst became diabetic, everybody looked at me andsaid, ‘No way,it’sgonna go away.’”

But the proofwas in hisintegrative Personal “Omics” Profile,oriPOP,anunprecedentedanalysisofbillions of individualbitsofmolecular genetic data collected by powerful cutting-edge technology This levelofanalysis allows researchers to understandpeople by metabolic subtype and tailor treatment to match.

Right now, doctors begin to classify metabolicshifts

or prediabetes when glucose levels in the blood exceed 5.7%, withnoinformation as to why the abnormality exists.

But thereare four different pathwaystometabolic disease —two wherethe body doesn’tproduceenough insulin andtwo where the body doesn’trespond properly to insulin.

In the study,McLaughlin and Snyder looked for soft slopes in blood sugar.Jagged peaks aregenerally normal responses to food or sugar Everyone’sblood sugar spikes in response to grapes andrice. Butthe scientists found that people with metabolic problemsspiked higher and for longer to potato starch than people who lacked problems. The “potato-to-grape” reaction ratio correlatedwithdifferent underlying metabolic dysfunctions. These differencescall

Thecostofgivingbirth

Themediancostofin-networkvaginal

Source:FairHealth

Themedian costs in each state include both theportiontobepaidbythe plan

forprecision medicineand targeted preventative measures. Somepeople might need weight loss. Others might need exercise.Yet othersmay needsleep —something that lowersblood glucoselevels acrossthe board.

“If we understand where theproblem lies,wecan treat it more effectively,” Perelman said.

Theresearchersare looking formarkers in cells that canidentify these problems more easily through simple blood tests.

In the meantime, continuous glucose monitoring offers actionable information for people who want to be proactive abouttheir metabolic health.

“You see what spikes you, yousee what doesn’tspike you, so you eat what doesn’t spike you,”Snyder said.

After thestudy wrapped, theToms obtained their own monitoring devices. Vera, 71, reacted moderatelyto

plan.

herdata; Randy took things further

He avoidedfoodsthat caused sustained spikes in hisblood sugar and joined amaster’s swimming team.

The retiree and part-time modeldropped 25 extra pounds, shed numbers from his high cholesterol count and reversed his prediabetic condition.

“I don’tthink people know that youcan reverse it,” he said. “It’sjust hard to do. You don’tjust take apill.”

Last fall, continuous glucose monitors became available over the counter.A drawback is the $80 monthly cost because insurance only coversthe devices fordiabetics.

Snyder,who wears multiple devices tracking his body’sfunctionsand removes them only before getting weighed, thinks everyone should try one. Perelman said the monitors are not areplacement

forclinical consultation McLaughlin addedthat the devices can yieldfalse metrics in certain situations. The next phase of the research will test different foods and“mitigators” proteins or fats that can lower blood sugar fluctuations when consumedwithcarbohydrates. Toasted bread, forexample,iseasieron the system for somepeople when eaten withmeat or a fat source like heavy cream Mitigators don’twork as well for people with metabolic disorders —another crumb for research. Cornflakes and milk? Bad for nearly everyone. This time, study participantswill receive interventions, from medicine to personalized instructionsfor dietand lifestyle modifications.

Perelman said, “I want people to know that there’s delicious food that’sincredibly healthy

Formorethan80years,OchsnerHealthhasbeenhonoredtocarefor generationsoffamiliesinNewOrleans.HavingOchsnerMedicalCenter, OchsnerBaptistandOchsnerMedicalCenter–WestBankCampus namedthenumberonehospitalinLouisianabyU.S.News&World ReportandourObstetricsandGynecologyservicesranked#13inthe nationarerecognitionswesharewithourentirecommunity.Toour patients,teammembers,volunteers,donorsandeverypersonwhohas trusteduswiththeircare—thankyou.Yourtrustandsupportmean everythingtous.We’reproudtoserveacrossGreaterNewOrleansand theNorthshore,andremaincommittedtodeliveringthehighestquality andsafestcare—becausehere,wetakecareofeachotherlikefamily.

Formoreinformation,visitochsner.org

SarahW. | OrthopedicPatient

OchsnerMedicalCenter

TAPPINGIN

ALafayette danceteacher uses tapdancing as amemorylifehack

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

Shuffle ball changes echo around the Jill Listi dance studio in Lafayette, but instead of girls in black leotards and pink tights, the room is full of adults dressed in their casual tap dance attire. Each student exercises their muscles and their brains while learning new steps and practicing the routine.

Lisa Breaux, 70, is theadult tap teacher whohas been in dance since she was 2years old. Her mother,also adance teacher,owned five studiosin Acadiana, so Breaux has lived in the dance studio nearly her whole life.

Breaux is adance specialist who teaches students of all ages and awide variety of mental and physical disabilities. As anational certified dance instructor ofDance Masters of America in ballet, tap, jazz and acrobatics, Breaux has been invited to teach tap at their National Convention in LosAngeles

She also is alicensed speech, language and hearing specialist having worked in the Lafayette Parish School System for several years.

She teaches aDance Challenge class for dancers with special needs on Tuesday nights after her adult tap classes.

These days, Breaux’sfocus is on teaching older dancers new tricks. She choreographs and teaches anew dance each week to her adult tap students. Instead of counts, she instructs by sound

Although tap is still Breaux’sfavorite dance style, she says it’sdifferent teaching adults rather than teaching children.

“When you teach with children, you’re counting, and it’s very repetitious,” she said. “With adults, Ican probably have abrand-newstudent in with somebody who’shad 10 to 15 years of danceand can make it work. Youcan always scale it to where it’sharder

or easier,and adults learnby sound. They learn patterns.”

The tap students range in age from 20 to 70, both men and women. She encourages her students to practice and use musclememoryfor the steps. Breaux mixes up the music —from Michael Jackson toThe EaglestoBobby Darin,and thepercussive tap rhythms evolve. She saysit takes hera couple of hours to choreograph anew routine, andsince shedoes this weekly,it’sgreat for her mentally Usually,Breaux takes the summers off, and this summer she spent June in Spain on areligious walking pilgrimage.Uponher return, her tap students were clamoring for classes, so Breaux held her first summer class thesecondweek of July

While Breaux espouses the physicalbenefits of tap dancing for adults, she insists that it’sthe mind that getsthe most workout during aclass.

“It’samental game, you know,”she says. “I go watch the adults, and when they’re doing stuff wrong, I’ll remind them thatthis hasnothing to do withyour feet, haseverything to dowith your head.” Claudia Campbell, atap

student in her 60s, was a non-tapperwhenshe began classes in 2019 before the COVIDpandemic. Onceclasses resumed, Campbell and her friendsreturnedonmost Tuesday nights. She credits Breaux with being an amazingteacher whoispatientand fun. “It’s really awonderful exercise, and we laugh, and it’s just having something in common withotherwomen

in my age group,” Campbell said. “Wehavelearnedso much, and the onething that Lisastresses alot is memory, like your muscle memory.” Breauxreminds her students, young and old, that they need to be fully focused.

Tapclass is not the time to think about dinner plans, phone calls, homework or what’s going on later.The

Five states to go for Postcard Project

Oh, Delaware, where art thou? And Kansas. And Kentucky, New Hampshire and West Virginia?

Those are the only five states we’re missing forthe 2025 Postcard Project —our fourth summer of collecting postcards, which ends on Labor Day.There’s still timetoreach our goal of all 50 states and as manycountries as possible.

If you’re visiting any of those five states —orknow someone wholives there —please consider sending apostcard. We’ve received postcards from all 50 states each of the last three years, and we’re hoping to keep the streak alive.

As Iwrite, we have received atotal of 174 postcards from 45 states and 24 countries. Acommon refrain this year? Postcards are surprisingly hard to find.

Irecognize, appreciate and salute the people whotake their timeand energy to find postcards, address them, buy postage for them and figure out how to mail them wherever they are. Their efforts are atestament to what is required to build connection with others. Idon’ttake it forgranted. June B. sent apostcard from Lake Murray,South Carolina, and opened with, “This is the only SC postcard Icould find, so please excuse the unremarkableness of it!”

Pattie, whohas sent in several postcards on behalf of her uncle, Larry Landry,says that on her 10-state road trip, she has learned manyremarkable things. Including this funfact: the Buc-ee’sin Rockingham,Virginia, doesn’t sell postcards. On acard from Tennessee, she wrote that finding amailbox on the road is just as challenging as finding apostcard. On apostcard from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, she wrote that she saw abear at the park and has someadvice forfellow road travelers: “Don’tdrive the Blue Ridge Sky Parkway after dark!” Susan Pecue managed to find and mailapostcard from Bled Island in Slovenia. She wrote, “What abeautiful part of the world Ifind myself in —green and clean is the waylocals describe it. The water in the lake is crystal clear.Travel is about new experiences and spending time with those you love.”

R.C. Chapin heard that we needed aWyoming postcard and stepped up to the plate after visiting Fort Caspar in Casper,Wyoming. The Fort Caspar Museum features exhibits related to the history of the 1865 reconstructed fort located on the Oregon, Mormon,California, Pony Express and transcontinental trail corridor

Trish sent apostcard from Paris, where she is visiting her daughter.She writes, “Most places are not air-conditioned and it has been in the 90’s—feels like hometemps. Ihave been accomplishing my goal of eating anew kind of pastry daily.Oooh la la. Bread, cheese, wine and pastry!” Joann sent greetings from St. Louis, Missouri. She wrote, “St. Louis is an avid sports city Known forthe Arch on the riverfront. Enjoy toasted ravioli and gooey butter cakes.” Sonny Barksdale sent avintage New Orleanspostcard and wrote his missive in cursive as anod to my newsroom experiment

Lisa Breaux holdsa shoe before leading atap dancing class for senior citizens.

STAFF PHOTOSByBRAD BOWIE

Lisa Breaux leads atap dancing class for seniorcitizens recently at Jill Listi dance studios in Lafayette

Students takea breakbetween songs.

Slick Chick women’s underwear business born of surgery

BY RACHEL MIPRO

Contributing writer

Helya Mohammadian prides herself on side-hooking briefs and front-fastening bras with Velcro:

A simple but revolutionary world of underwear for women with disabilities.

Mohammadian grew up in Ruston, studied fashion at LSU and then moved to New York City to work in fashion and retail. She turned her drive for inclusive underwear into a rapidly expanding company Slick Chicks. Her products now range from underwear and bras to activewear and loungewear

The following interview has been edited for clarity and length

Tell me a bit about your background.

I was born in Iran. We moved post-revolution, when things got really political, which we all are living through right now From an early age, I loved anything creative, drawing, fashion. I think my parents still have my sketch pads from when I was 7 and 8. Both of my parents were in small business, so I saw firsthand how they worked through building things from nothing, also moving to another country and having to really hustle. Seeing that entrepreneurial spirit in my family rubbed off on me.

I went to LSU, studied fashion, and then I really wanted to expand that knowledge. And what better place to be than New York City?

The product was inspired by your sister’s surgery, right? What year was that?

That was like 11 years ago. She was the inspiration behind my company, actually At that point, I was in my late 20s, working in New York for many different fashion companies and retail companies but wasn’t very fulfilled. My sister went through a C-section, which is very routine. Her post-surgery recovery was really hard on her I remember a conversation where she said something as intimate as bending over and putting on underwear was such a challenge. That really sparked something in me. And I got to researching what is now adaptive clothing. Everything was very medical and

geriatric and just not comfortable or fashion forward. That is where I got the idea about creating something that would be more empowering, more fun. I wanted to change what adaptive or accessible fashion looked like.

Tell me what that means to you.What is adaptive fashion?

Our mission is very simple, and it’s always been, “How can we meet people where they are in their life with clothing that helps them feel comfortable, dignified and independent, while also solving a need for them?”

That’s always been something that has been ingrained in

our company: Being inclusive through and through and creating products that are beautiful but also serve a purpose.

Finding this sort of disabilityaccessible underwear wasn’t really a thing 10 years ago. I feel like we weren’t even having that conversation about underwear in general.

Has that ever been a subject that people don’t want to talk about? Is that something you had to navigate past, that sort of cultural taboo?

Yes, 100%. In the early stages of starting this company if I even got a meeting with an investor, it was an immediate “No.” No one saw the need for a product like this. No one understood it, because the market didn’t exist, and we were creating a market. We were sharing stats: There’s 1 in 5 people in the world with a disability, 1 in 3 people knows somebody with a disability, and so on.

It was really challenging, and it was also really challenging being a woman of color trying to raise funds. Women in general see less than 2% of funding. It’s educating the customers, educating even the retailers. We’ve had to hold our retailers’ hands throughout the merchandising and the messaging.

What was your first breakthrough on that, in terms of finding the funding, finally realizing you were getting through to people about this issue?

When I met my first investor, who’s a female CEO of another brand, her sister had multiple sclerosis, and I was talking to her about the product. I wasn’t even trying to raise money We were working together on a side proj-

ect for how we could empower women together

And she immediately was like, “This is incredible. I 100% see the need for this.” Two weeks later, she cut me a check for $250,000. That was the first funding that we got, and that was four years in. It was a long time coming, but that helped get us on our feet. For those first four years, how did you manage to keep going?

Everything, every dollar I made, I was putting it toward the company And it was really exciting, because I was, and I still am, very passionate about it. The more I got into it, the more I realized how underserved people were. For the accessible underwear in particular, how did you do that research to make sure it works for different body types?

Early on, it was all about finding people who needed the product the most. We found the right people who were living with disabilities, but we also worked with occupational therapists, caregivers and people with the lived experience. As an able-bodied person, I can design, but I didn’t have that firsthand experience, so it was important to work closely with people to make sure that our garments actually worked. On a personal level, how has this journey been for you?

This is not for the weak. Entrepreneurship is a roller-coaster ride of emotions. But it’s also super rewarding. Just seeing how far we’ve come is really incredible — to see the products on CVS shelves now, from packing orders in my apartment 10 years ago.

Louisiana Inspired Book Club selects its fall choice: Let’s get cooking!

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE

Staff writer

In looking for the next Louisiana Inspired book club pick, our team wanted to select a book unlike the ones we’ve discussed with readers in the past. With this goal in mind, we settled on a book we believe folks in Louisiana will know and want to discuss: “Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen” cookbook This was the legendary Louisiana chef’s first cookbook, published in 1984, that changed everything — with its profound impact on American cuisine and food culture, both nationally and internationally

The book put Cajun and Creole cuisine on the map. When it comes to Cajun and Creole food, there is before Prudhomme’s book and after His recipes particularly for dishes like blackened redfish, gumbo and jambalaya — brought the bold flavors of Louisiana into kitchens across the country.

The chef was born on a farm in Opelousas. In his early career he worked in kitchens in New Orleans, including Le Pavillon hotel and Maison Dupuy In 1975, Ella Brennan hired Prudhomme as the executive chef at Commander’s Palace. He was the first American-born chef to hold that position at the iconic New Orleans restaurant and transformed the menu by adding Cajun dishes.

He worked at Commander’s until 1979, when he left to open his own restaurant, K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen, which closed in 2020 during the pandemic.

Prudhomme passed away in New Orleans on Oct. 8, 2015, at the age of 75. Even after his death, his cooking legacy reverberates throughout Louisiana and the country

We invite readers to join us in revisiting Prudhomme’s first cookbook. Make the recipes. Remember the heyday of restaurant scenes with blackened everything. Take a culinary trip down memory

lane. Leaf through its pages and create the dishes according to Prudhomme’s specifications. In October, we will host a virtual event to discuss the book and

Continued from page 1y

dance style requires total concentration.

“It keeps your mind so sharp, and that’s why I think I have so many in class. They’re like, ‘This is the best exercise, mentally, I get in a long time,’” Breaux said. Over time, the students collect a

of steps that culminate into various routines. Christy Leach, 73, has attended Breaux’s adult tap classes for almost 10 years. She ran into a friend

who told her about the class, and she said she thought it sounded like fun. Leach says she works out regularly and likes to stay in shape, but tap class offers fun aerobic exercise that helps her memory “I always loved tap,” Leach said. “I took it in third or fourth grade, so it had been about 60 years since I’d done it. The first time I went, I was a little overwhelmed because all the people knew what they were doing. I could just tell the feeling in the room was that everybody was having a good time. It was fun.” As she kept going, all the steps started to make sense, and the class became a source of joy and

connection.

Even though the tap students may not see each other regularly outside of the studio, their bond is strong from their consistent attendance.

“It doesn’t matter your ability level. No one’s watching you. Everyone is so accepting of each other and where you are,” Leach said. “Some of the dancers are really good, and then some of us aren’t, and it just didn’t matter We all connect and have the same spirit of joy.”

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

remember Prudhomme and his influence on Louisiana food and culture.

Sign up for notices for the Louisiana Inspired Book Club, which

selects a book to read and discuss quarterly here.

Below is an excerpt from the introduction to Prudhomme’s “Louisiana Kitchen”:

“I think cooking is a very personal thing. You have to draw on the past, on what you’ve read, what you’ve tasted and what you’ve seen prepared. But I think that anyone can show imagination with food

First you need to build your confidence. Start by reading cookbooks to see the different ways people combine foods. Keep in mind that there is only a limited number of foods available in this world to work with — which is fascinating, because people all over the world take these basics and make them taste completely different. People in your own neighborhood, the people next door, have the same products to work with, and yet each person ends up with a distinctive dish.”

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

testing the younger generation’s cursive fluency. He wrote, “After your article this morning, I thought I should dust off my cursive skills. Checking my postcard collection, I found most all cards dated before 2000 were in cursive.”

Travis Cosban has sent multiple postcards from his travels around the globe From Istanbul, he wrote, “So unexpected stop here for a day Turns out flight path goes over Iran at the worst time possible Made the best though and got some great food and chocolate. Not enough time for a hair transplant though!” From Malaysia, Cosban wrote, “Went to some water bungalows next to a converted oil rig for diving/snorkeling. Safety stan-

dards are a little different but all alive and well. We have dodged the sea kraits (10x more venomous than a rattlesnake) so far!” Speaking of rattlesnakes, Sue Keefa wrote from Colorado that “some of us up here eat (rattlesnake) in place of oysters, gator or crawfish! It’s actually quite tasty!” I’m glad she thinks so! And I appreciate the postcard!

So if you find yourself near a gift shop in New Hampshire, do us all a favor: grab the least unremarkable postcard you can find, scrawl a note and help complete the set.

Delaware’s still waiting. If you would like to participate in the 2025 Postcard Project, all it takes is sending a postcard to: Jan Risher, The Advocate, 10705 Rieger Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70809.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Lisa Breaux leads a tap dancing class for senior citizens recently at Jill Listi dance studios in Lafayette.

FILE PHOTO

Chef Paul Prudhomme with other chefs in Louisiana

STAFF

PHOTO By JAN RISHER

An array of postcards sent for the 2025 Postcard Project include, from top left around clockwise, postcards from Lake Murray, S.C.; Paris; the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Fort Caspar Casper, Wyo.; St. Louis; and Bled Island, Slovenia.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Helya Mohammadian grew up in Ruston. Her Slick Chicks women’s bras and underwear are made for those who are recovering from surgery or living with disabilities.

Indiansturntoaromaticroots forcooling relief

BY SUSHMITAPATHAK

Contributing writer

During the scorching summers in Bharuch, acity on India’swest coast, Anjali Choudhary’sdrawing roomonthe ground floorbecame unbearably hot. With no air conditioning and temperatures surging to 110 degrees, it wasdifficult even to sit in the room, shesays. Then, last summer,Choudhary came across aspecialtype of curtain, made of dried roots of vetiver grass,commonly known as khus.

Vetiver (Chrysopogon zizanioides) is atallbunchgrassthatgrows abundantly in India. Its exceptionally dense root system can extend up to six feet deep in six months, making it an excellent solution to soil erosion.Out of the soil, the dried gnarled roots provide a whole new service: cooling

Woven khus curtains or screens are typically hung in doorways or windows and sprayed with water. As hotair passes through thedamp screen, it undergoes evaporative cooling, significantly reducing indoor temperatures.The khus curtains Choudharyboughtonline came with apurple cloth border She hung two of them on the concrete awning of her drawingroom window,ata slight angle,and sprayedthem with water throughout theday

Generations of South Asians made curtains and matsout of these unassuming roots, incorporated them in refreshing beverages and extracted essential oils from them to beat the heat. But as risingtemperatures and rising incomes made mechanical cooling more common, khus began to disappear from homes.Now,experts say this low-cost, low-tech cooling solution is worth revisiting as Indiagrapples withextremeheat driven by climate change —and exacerbated by air conditioning

“The great irony of air conditioning is that it heats the planet,” says Sylvia Houghteling, an art historian at Bryn Mawr College specializing in South Asia who haswritten about the cooling historyofkhus. While simple fixes like khus can neverfully replaceACs, shesays, “these modes of cooling that aren’t simultaneously emitting carbon (and) burning energy to produce, I

thinkare really important.”

ForChoudhary,the khus curtains have madeareal difference. “Afterputting (up) thekhuscurtains, the temperatureissomewhat regulated,wecan now easily comfortably sit,” she says.

This wasn’tChoudhary’sfirst timeusing khus. When she was growing up, desert coolers, boxy devices consisting of afan,awater tankand wet wickorpadding, were acommon fixture in Indian homes, including hers. The padding to soak thewater and cool the air drawn in by the fanwas often made of khus.

The curtains aren’tnew either Traditional SouthAsian blinds, knownaschicks,were made out of khus rootsand hung in places where you couldsprinkle them with water regularly without fear of ruining carpetsorfurniture, says Vibha Varshney,who heads thebiodiversity and food unit at theCentre for Science and Environment in New Delhi. They can help to keep people cool outdoors, too: They work great on balconies and verandas andcan also be used in public spaces. Earlier this year, Mahila Housing Trust, anonprofit that works onheatresilience, teamed up with city officials to retrofit somebus stops in Ahmedabad with khus blinds and ahigh-pressure mist system to bring relief to commuters.

Beyond evaporative cooling, khus also works in an unexpected way: through scent. “I sometimes place some rootsinanurli (traditional bowl), sprinkle water on them and keep them under the fan,” says Varshney.“Justthe fragrance makes the roomfeel cooler.”

Certainsmellscan feel warmor cool to us. Mintgives off adistinct coolness, while the smell of chili peppers or garlic is often associated with heat. Scientists saythis happensbecause some odorscan trigger sensorsinour face that detect temperature, pain and touch. Known as trigeminal perception, this phenomenonissometimes referred to as the“feel” of asmell.

Whensprinkledwithwater,khus effusesawoody,earthyaroma that many find soothing. “When water is thrown on it, winter seems to arrive in the midst of summer,” one

16th-century historian wrote. In a 2021 study on vetiver oil’scomplex chemical composition, chemists wrote it hasa “quasi-pheromonelike effect”onperfumers and consumers alike, noting that it appearsinmorethan athird of all fragrances.

Khus has also been part of traditional South Asiansystems of medicine.Dr. Trupti Patil-Bhole,an associate professor in Ayurveda at Bharati Vidyapeeth University, describes arecipe from 100 B.C.E. to treat fever: Six herbs, including khus, are mixed with alarge quantity of water and boiled until the solution has been reduced to half its originalvolume. Drinking this, she says, aids in bringing down the burning sensation of the skin and internal organs. Research has shownthatthe

chemicals in vetiverroots have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic (fever-reducing) impact, amongmanyothers, says Varshney: “Inflammation and infections tend to increase body temperature, and vetiver could be cooling the body by reducing these.” Studies suggest that vetiveroil inhibits the synthesis of fever-inducingsubstancescalled prostaglandins. The most popular khus preparation these days is asweet, sticky emerald green concentrate available in bottles, which can be diluted with watertomakearefreshing beverage. “However,this is full of sugar and the green color is from the use of adye,” says Varshney. Instead, she recommends asimple cold infusion in water.Many people merely toss ahandful of dried

roots into aterracotta pot of drinking watertoenhancethe soothing effect of thenaturally cooled water inside the pot. When Mughal rulerswho came to Indiainthe 16th century missed the cool climes of their Central Asian homeland,khus came to their rescue.Inthe 18th century, khus screenssignaled privilege,and they appear in paintings depicting Rajput rulers,saysHoughteling.However, traditionalcoolingsolutions like khus were sidelined during the colonialera,she explains, when British officials instead favored importing iceall the way from New England. “Thatkind of silences or overwrites along history of very intentional cooling that usedmorereadily available materialsand deep knowledge of moresustainable meansofcooling,” she says. Later on, the convenience of ACs—instant cooling at the press of abutton— made it amorepopular option than khus coolers or screensthat needed to be dousedwith waterand could make amess. “Our houses are no longer designed in away that we can put thekhus blinds,”says Varshney. Air conditioners becameastatus symbol for India’sburgeoning middle class, and now,the country is oneofthe world’sfastest-growing AC markets. To be fair,air conditioning is anecessity in India’s extreme heat andcan save lives. Solutions like khus screens work best as acomplement to air conditioning. Think about it, Houghteling suggests, “not as full climate control butasthe creation of microclimates so that you’re not just blasting everything withair conditioning but creating small spaces of coolness.”

Khus screens may also not work for all spaces.Choudhary first hung them over her bedroom window,from curtain rods indoors, but it madethe room too humid. The blinds may also not be effective if there’snoventilation, she says,and drenchingthemevery day can test one’spatience. But it’sworth theeffort, Choudhary says: Notonly does it reduce her electricity bill, but as she puts it, “you are contributing to your planet’shealth, so whynot.”

GETTy IMAGES PHOTO By VINAyAKJAGTAP

Generations of South Asians have made curtains and mats out of the dried roots of vetiver grass, commonly known as khus, incorporated them in refreshing beverages and extracted essentialoilsfrom them to beat the heat.

FAITH & VALUES

Sensory rooms help for neurodivergent worshipers

BY KATHRYN POST Contributing writer

From organ blasts and incense to forced hugs and handshakes, for folks who struggle to process sensory input, houses of worship can quickly feel anything but holy

That was the case for Lark Losardo’s son Percy, who in 2017 began attending Catholic Mass with his family at age 7. Percy, who is autistic, was often overwhelmed by the Brooklyn church’s open space, noise and crowds. At first, when he needed to move around or stim (engage in repetitive actions to selfregulate), he’d leave the service with a parent. Eventually, in part because of the barriers to attending as a family, they stopped coming altogether

Then, in 2020, the Losardos moved to Maplewood, New Jersey

After watching online services at a nearby Catholic parish called St. Joseph’s during the pandemic, Lark Losardo learned in 2024 that the parish was opening a sensory room equipped with regulation tools, including a weighted blanket, touch pillow ear defenders and sound machine. Thanks to that room, today Percy is back in the pews, using the room to regroup whenever needed.

“It speaks volumes,” Lark Losardo told Religion News Service “Not everyone needs this space, but just having it there sends a very clear message.

Across the U.S., families like Percy’s who once thought worship was off-limits are returning to faith communities thanks to a small but growing number of sensory rooms in religious settings.

At St. Joseph’s, the Rev Jim Worth said the new sensory room, which opened in December, is a natural extension of the parish’s faith values. To him, the room is evidence that inclusion a principle Worth linked to Catholic social teaching — isn’t just given lip service.

“When you put intentionality behind something, it makes a world of difference,” said Worth.

On a 60-degree day in late March,

the church, located on a quiet residential street, had a front stoop featuring three signs: one quoting Martin Luther King Jr another quoting Pope Francis, and a third welcoming anyone in the community to visit the Still Waters Sensory Room.

Named after the biblical Psalm 23 passage — “he leads me beside still waters” — the sensory room was converted from an unused confessional. It was designed by Together We Bloom, a Maplewood-based nonprofit that helps make events and spaces more accessible. The room’s dark indigo walls match the comfortable chair glider and beanbag, each contributing to the soothing atmosphere The total cost of the room was under $2,000 and was largely paid for by church funds, plus some donations.

“This sensory room has really changed everything for us,” said Pavitra Makam, a St. Joseph’s parishioner and mother of two neurodivergent kids. Being able to worship together has been the biggest thing for our family.”

Jay Perkins, who has been in the sensory room business since 2009, said it’s often parents in need of a safe, supportive space for their kids who are spearheading the movement to build sensory rooms. When his daughter began exhibiting signs of aggression at age 4, places like libraries (too quiet), playgrounds (too loud) and trampoline parks (too crowded) were

inaccessible. That applied to his Episcopal church, too.

“There are so few places where special-needs kids with sensory integration disorders can enjoy it,” said Perkins.

The lack of accessible spaces for his family inspired Perkins to begin building the kinds of rooms his daughter would thrive in. In 2018 he officially launched his company, The Sensory Room, which builds high-end, durable sensory rooms from start to finish and trains people on how to use them.

“It’s catching on,” said Perkins, whose company built roughly a dozen rooms in 2022 and 80 in 2023. Though The Sensory Room specializes in schools, Perkin’s company has also built rooms for a Broadway theater and an airport, and three in evangelical churches Most of his custom rooms, he told RNS, start in the $20,000 range.

One of those projects was the $35,000 transformation of a storage room into a state-of-the-art sensory room at Encounter Church, an evangelical congregation about 30 minutes from Dallas. Completed in February 2024, the renovation included interactive tactile and texture panels, bubble tubes, mirrors, new carpet, paint and electrical work, and an LED-star ceiling complete with a digital shooting star According to the Rev Chris Binion, who co-founded the church with his wife, Tracy the decision to create the room was prompted by

the Holy Spirit.

“I was in a season of prayer and fasting, and I felt like the Lord asked me how to take care of his ‘littles,’” Binion told RNS. It’s not just churches that are revamping spaces to focus on sensory integration. Temple Emanu-El, a Reform synagogue in Atlanta, has adapted two of its rooms to help folks process sensory input. A former cry room just off the main sanctuary was altered to become the Shalom Sanctuary a small space with a large window facing the main worship space equipped with fidget toys, beanbags and headphones.

The synagogue also received a $10,000 grant from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta to improve the accessibility of a classroom. That renovation is almost complete, and the room, which features a wall of sensory engagement toys, flexible furniture and alternative seating (think large rubber balls), will be especially helpful for children who need sensory breaks during religious classes or events such as the annual Purim carnival, according to Rabbi Rachael Klein Miller, associate rabbi at the synagogue.

“Something important in Judaism is the idea that we are all created ‘b’tzelem Elohim,’ in the image of God,” said Klein Miller “And much of that is connected to the golden rule of treating people the way we want to be treated and finding space for everybody in the community.”

According to Rebecca Barlow, a regional disability specialist in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, adding a sensory room to a house of worship doesn’t automatically make it accessible to those with sensory needs.

“It’s just one piece of a bigger machine that you’re trying to build,” said Barlow, disability specialist for the Desert Ridge Stake in Mesa, Arizona.

The first step to building that machine, Barlow said, is asking disabled individuals and their families what it would take to make church feasible for them. When she

first became a disability specialist roughly five years ago, feedback was invaluable. “The biggest thing was listening. The parents of these children know what they need,” said Barlow, who is also the parent of a child with autism.

Based on the families’ input, she created a sensory room in her meetinghouse with new donated items. Knowing it would be used by kids who could become aggressive, she removed hard chairs and chalkboard lips that could pose safety risks. She also filled the room with the usual sensory items, added light-blocking curtains and included a night-light that projected a calming light pattern. Still, it took more than that to get families back in the door

“We, as parents of disabled children, often can become jaded, and we lack trust that our children are going to be cared for in a manner appropriate to how special they are,” said Barlow To build trust with families, church leaders invited some members of the ward to serve as one-on-one aides for each child with a disability The aides were trained in the homes of their assigned families and eventually accompanied the kids in the sensory room during church meetings Barlow also introduced the kids to the sensory room ahead of time via pictures and tours, and ward members, too, received basic training on understanding disabilities and how to use the sensory room. In the few years since that sensory room opened, the model has gained traction. Barlow says the seven wards in her stake now each have their own disability specialists and sensory rooms, and she routinely takes calls from LDS church members across the country and the globe seeking to set up sensory rooms of their own.

“It feels like we’re seeing a cultural shift toward understanding and accepting and integrating people with disabilities,” said Barlow “If we want to follow Christ, if we want to emulate him, if we want to be his disciples they need to be foremost in our mind.”

‘Magic combination’ transforms teen delegates

Kim Mulkey honored at Louisiana youth Seminar

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

For 55 years, the third week in July has brought high school students from all over the state and country to the Louisiana Youth Seminar to develop as leaders and make lifelong bonds.

First, the program was held in Natchitoches, then Lafayette, and since 1987 in Baton Rouge

This year, 300 teenagers wearing matching white T-shirts crammed into the 4-H Mini Barn on LSU’s campus to learn creative communication strategies and get to know each other They cheered They chanted.

Groups, formed to prioritize differences among delegates, were circled up near their team names, Louisiana foods that fit in well with the theme — Cookin’ Up Leadership like boudin, sno-balls, poboys, pralines and beignets.

Jared Lane, a second-year delegate from West Feliciana High School, says LYS is a safe space for people to be themselves. His group celebrates inclusion by saying that differences bring them together

“People from all over the country come together to become better leaders at the great campus of LSU, right in our great state. I really love the environment and the

people — it’s the magic combination, or the gumbo, as we say.”

Each time a delegate finished presenting for their group, a chorus of “R-O-C-K! You rock! You rock!” rang throughout the room, accompanied with applause.

“We will do a cheer for anything,” said Sonja Pruitt-Lord, interim vice provost at San Diego State University and the executive director of LYS. “We are cheering for anybody Our wish for leadership isn’t always what the outcome is, but the effort that you put into it. And so our theme of the program, ‘No Man, No Woman, No Person Is an Island,’ embodies that idea that everybody can be successful here.”

From Sunday to Friday, the delegates stay in LSU dorms and attend activities in the LSU Union and the 4-H Mini Barn. Since 1971, when three Northwestern State students founded the organization, over 12,000 teenagers have participated in LYS. Most delegates have been from Louisiana, but teenagers from other states and other countries have attended as well, some from as far as Spain and Belgium.

Some of those teenage delegates return as counselors and staff. LYS only selects staff members who have been delegates.

Barbara Jo Pease, one of the founders of LYS, says that the counselor selection is very competitive because the executive committee chooses former delegates who represent the diversity

of those who attend. The counselors range from college freshmen to young professionals. Wearing red shirts, they encourage, enthuse, educate and corral their groups throughout the week.

Parker Stanford, an eight-year LYS veteran and the assistant program director, says he keeps returning because of the impact LYS has on young people. He experienced the program as a delegate from Catholic High, as a counselor and now as a program director

“It really kind of shaped me,” said Stanford, who now works in finance in Boulder, Colorado. “It taught me a lot of big skills that I use all the time in communicating. It’s pretty special to come back and give someone else that opportunity, even if it’s just one person every year, it’s worth it every time.”

The week consists of communication exercises, guest speakers, team competitions, speech writing, mock political parties (Whigs and Tories), parliamentary procedures, goal setting, creative expression sessions and one-on-one discussions.

Pruitt-Lord has attended LYS since 1995, when she came as a delegate from Riverdale High School in Jefferson. She worked as a counselor from 1996-1999 and has been involved since.

“You really see transformation happen in the delegates,” PruittLord said. “The ideal people to come to LYS are those that have demonstrated leadership and

a dance with Myles Stewart, of St. Thomas

Houston, and Dominic Palmintier, of Catholic High School, after finishing part of a communication challenge on July 21 at the Louisiana youth Seminar at the 4-H Mini

those who have yet to identify it in themselves, but other people see potential in them — the full range.”

Gonsoulin says that the tuition cost to attend is very low because LYS raises money to fund the difference. Most of the money spent is for LSU housing and food. Through donations, they keep it low so that there’s a variety of students who can attend. Not only does LYS develop leaders, but the seminar also recognizes leaders in the state each year LYS honored Kim Mulkey, the head coach of LSU Women’s Basketball, with the 2025 Life Achievement Award in honor of Roddy Richard during the seminar’s ban-

HOW YOU CAN HELP: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

quet on the last night, July 24. LYS has given the Roddy Richard Life Achievement Award since 1988 to native Louisianians whose character and purpose in life have lessened the burden of others.

Gonsoulin said that the board nominated and voted for Mulkey because they thought she was a perfect fit for the award, as it is a recognition of someone who has done something throughout their career that has made the world a better place.

“What an honor!” Mulkey said when asked about the recognition. “I have been blessed to lead young people my entire career but it is really special to come back home and do it in my home state of Louisiana. Young people are our future! As adults, we should always try to be good role models and always know young people watch us.”

At the beginning of the week, Gonsoulin says that the “No Man Is an Island” motto is a concept, but it becomes a reality in life for these participants at the end of the seminar

“Here we make an environment where you cannot fail,” Gonsoulin said, “and you are encouraged to be the best version of you. We don’t ignore the other things in the world. We embrace those, and we say that we all want to work together, so that no man is an island.” Louisiana culture editor Jan Risher contributed to this story For more information about LYS, visit louisianayouthseminar org

Louisiana Inspired highlights volunteer opportunities across south Louisiana If your organization has specific volunteer opportunities, please email us at lainspired @theadvocate.com with details on the volunteer opportunity, organization and the contact/registration information volunteers would need.

Acadiana Lafayette Parish Foster Grandparent Program, 160 Industrial Parkway, Lafayette, offers seniors age 60 and older opportunities to serve as mentors, tutors and loving caregivers for children and youth with special needs. Foster Grandparents serve 20 hours a week, usually four hours a day Monday through Friday, serving children with one-on-one, direct services.

For volunteer opportunities, visit laf-coa.org Baton Rouge

The Arthritis Association, Louisiana, 4939 Jamestown Ave.,

Baton Rouge, has a mission to boldly pursue a cure for America’s No. 1 cause of disability while championing the fight against arthritis with life-changing resources, science, advocacy and community connections.

To volunteer call (225) 761-8230 or visit volunteermatch.org

New Orleans

The Louisiana Fair Housing Action Center, 1340 Poydras St., New Orleans, is a private, nonprofit civil rights organization dedicated to eradicating housing discrimination through education, investigation and enforcement activities.The organization promotes fair competition throughout the housing

marketplace — rental, sales, lending and insurance. To volunteer, visit lafairhousing.org.

Shreveport/Bossier City

The American Red Cross has a mission to prevent and alleviate human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.The North Louisiana office of the American Red Cross, 805 Brook Hollow Drive, Shreveport, is seeking volunteers.

To volunteer, call (318) 865-9545 or visit redcross.org/local/ louisiana/about-us/locations/north-louisiana.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON Sadie Bruno, of the Willow School, does

High School of

Barn in Baton Rouge.

PHOTO PROVIDED By By FAIRFAX COUNTy

A family experiences the lights and sounds of a sensory room in Fairfax, Va

SUNDAY, AUgUSt 3, 2025

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — deLicAte: DEL-ih-ket: Not robust in health or constitution.

Average mark 44 words Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 67 or more words in DELICATE?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

wuzzLes

Solving the problem

Today’s deal is from a match between a team from Denmark and a team from France. At the other table, the French West player chose to raise hearts at his first turn. North-South found their spade fit and played in the unhappy contract of four spades, down four At this table, West chose to bid one spade, picking off the North-South spade fit. Three no-trump was not such a happy contract either, but it was played by French star Catherine D’Ovidio, sitting South.

super Quiz

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL SURNAMES Each answer is a

D’Ovidio won the opening heart lead with her ace and assessed her chances. A successful spade finesse would give her two spade tricks and two hearts. She would needfivetricksfromthediamond suit. Assuming East had the king of diamonds for the opening bid, it would have to be doubleton. She couldn’t play the ace of diamonds andthenplayalowdiamondfrom both hands, as she would have no entrybacktoherhandfortheking of hearts and to take the spade finesse. If she cashed the high heart, and took the spade finesse before playing on diamonds the opponents would have enough winners to defeat her She solved the problem neatly by leading a low diamond away from her ace

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Keep an open mind and prepare to act quickly to bring about positive change. It’s up to you to participate if you want to have a say. Your passion will inspire others to lend a hand.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept 22) Be careful what you sign up for Someone will take advantage of you if you are too accommodating. Refuse to let love cost you financially, physically or emotionally LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Look at the job market. Don’t rely on secondhand information or trust someone else to look out for your interests.

and playing low from dummy

She still had the ace of diamonds as an entry for the king of hearts and the spade finesse. When the king of diamonds fell under the aceandthespadefinesseworked, she had nine tricks Beautifully done!

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency

Take control and do whatever it takes to achieve your desires.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) It’s what you do that counts. You can make a difference if put in the effort. Talk is cheap, but actions speak louder than words. Dig in and get to work.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Recognize your feelings and use them to instigate what you want to see happen. A positive attitude, combined with a push to move forward, will help you discover who’s in your corner CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Opportunities are apparent, but not all

are equal. Listen carefully, but don’t rely on what you hear Adjust an idea you come across and turn it into something that suits your needs.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) A change looks promising. Home improvements will make you want to spend more time in the comfort of your home with the people you love. The sky’s the limit when you believe in yourself.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) You can have fun without going overboard. Emotions will escalate if someone shares personal information about you with associates. Anger will

lead to regret. Choose peace over discord.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Take charge before someone else dictates what you can and cannot do. Discipline and ingenuity will help you outmaneuver anyone who challenges you. Concentrate on what demands the most attention.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Someone in your circle has a hidden agenda. Dealing with issues that concern home, family and children will require your undivided attention. Refuse to let anyone pressure you into making a snap decision.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Pay attention to what’s happening at home and work. Mix business with pleasure, and you’ll multiply your chances to advance personally

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Take a moment to think before you act. Spontaneity will lead to mistakes and misunderstandings. A change of attitude will encourage better relationships.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact.

© 2025 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

goren Bridge

1. Marilyn Monroe (James Monroe). 2. Michael Jackson (Andrew Jackson).3.GeorgeHarrison (William Henry Harrison).4.Elizabeth Taylor (ZacharyTaylor). 5. Harrison Ford (Gerald Ford). 6. Kate Bush (George H.W. Bushand George W. Bush). 7. HughGrant(Ulysses S. Grant). 8. J. Edgar Hoover (Herbert Hoover). 9. Steven Tyler (John Tyler). 10. Don Johnson (Lyndon B. Johnson). 11. Ansel Adams (John Quincy Adams and John Adams). 12. George "Gabby" Hayes (Rutherford B. Hayes). 13. Brian Wilson(Woodrow Wilson).14. George Kennedy (John F. Kennedy). 15.Guy Madison (James Madison).

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Ican't hear you,Ihave abanana in my ear! Ernie, "Sesame Street"

jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly