Twodecades later, thestory of Hurricane Katrina is oneof resilience, and of stubborn scars. Neighborhoods havebeen rebuilt, familiesreturned and the Superdome shines again as asymbol of recovery. Communities that manythought would nevercome back found ways to endure, proving astrengththat continues to define the New Orleans metro area andstate. Butthe storm’s
impact is still visible. Pilings jutfrom Lake Pontchartrain wheredocks once stood. Empty lots, overgrown with grass, mark the places where homes and lives were lost.
Twenty yearson, our region carries both its progress and its wounds.Inthat balance lies aquiet truth: The memory of loss persists, but so too does the spirit of aregion that refused to be washed away
CHANGED
TOP: Elmore Gibson, 83, is helped out of a boat that carried him through floodwaters to the Louisiana Superdome on Aug. 31, 2005. ABOVE: Saints super fan Joseph Rohaley, as ‘Saint Vader,’ makes his wayinto the Caesars Superdome for apreseason game.
La.wants part of Voting Rights Act overturned
Attorney generalargues race-based redistricting is unconstitutional
BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
WASHINGTON —Louisiana is now urging the U.S. Supreme Court to rule akey section of the Voting Rights Act unconstitutional, which would throw out the state’scongressional map that hastwo minority-majority districts.
“The Constitution forbids sorting voters by race. And telling legislators drawing maps to think aboutrace, but notthink too muchabout race, is an untenable standard,” Louisiana Attorney GeneralLiz Murrill said afterreleasingWednesdayafternoon a58page brief filed with the SupremeCourt.
Louisiana had previously defended the maps, saying they had created them under protest whena federal judge ruled aprevious mapwith one minority district unconstitutional. But, after the Supreme Court askedfor arguments on whether Section 2ofthe Voting Rights Actof1965is constitutional, the state changed direction.
“Wehave consistently arguedthatthe U.S. Supreme Court’sredistricting jurisprudence needstobedrastically changed or overruled,” Murrill said. “By requiring state legislatures to draw mapsthat sort voters by race, it forces us to violate the federal Constitution.”
“The Constitution forbids sorting votersbyrace. And telling legislators drawing maps to think about race,but not think toomuch about race,is an untenable standard.” LIZMURRILL, Louisiana attorney general
The state’sbrief details the position Louisiana will take Oct. 15 when state Solicitor General Benjamin Aguiñaga arguesLouisiana vCallais before the nine justices of the high court.
The briefcontends thatSenateBill 8, which enacted the maps,only became law because of “unprecedented pressure by the courts to draw asecond majority-minority district or else the courts would. And that is whyour original briefing in this case defends SB 8under the Court’sexisting precedents.”
“Whetherrace technically predominates or not,” the brief states, “…does not change the fact that the classification is fundamentally contrary to the Equal Protection Clause’sprohibitions.”
STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE
ä More before and after photos. PAGES 4-5A Images by Times-Picayune photographersare part of theLouisiana StateMuseum’s“Living withHurricanes: Katrina andBeyond” exhibit, opening Friday at thePresbytère in New Orleans’Jackson Square.
The filing concluded by asking thehigh court to find “the intentional creation of a second majority-minority district in SB8 is unconstitutional.” If the SupremeCourt accepts Louisiana’s argument,itwould mean drasticchangesto
ä See VOTING, page 7A
Missingboy killed by alligatorattack, coronersays
BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer
The day aftera 12-day,multiagency search to find amissing autistic boy ended with the discovery of his bodyinaNew Orleans East
lagoon, another quest has launched to determinewhere the blame should lieinwhatNOPDSuperintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has deemeda “failure.” The New Orleans coroner determined Bryan Vasquez, 12,
diedfrom blunt forcetraumaand drowning sustained during an alligator attack. TheDepartment of Wildlifeand Fisheries was asked to eradicate“nuisance alligators” in the waterway near the13000 block of Sevres Street,where the
child’sbody was found, Kirkpatrick said at aWednesday media briefing. New Orleans police confirmed that Bryan’smother, Hilda
ä See MISSING, page 7A
PROVIDED PHOTO BryanVasquez,12, disappeared fromhis home on Aug. 14.
Administration appeals order to unfreeze funds
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’s administration appealed to the Supreme Court again on Wednesday in its bid to keep billions of dollars in foreign aid funding frozen.
The Justice Department filed an emergency appeal seeking quick intervention to halt lower court decisions that have kept the money flowing, including for global health and HIV and AIDS programs.
The justices rebuffed the Trump administration on the issue earlier this year, but the court was divided 5-4.
The Republican administration says the funding at issue includes about $12 billion that would need to be spent by Sept. 30 if the lower court orders remain in place A judge’s March order requiring the funding to continue wrongly interferes with negotiations between the president and Congress over the cuts, they argued.
Trump has portrayed the foreign aid as wasteful spending that does not align with his foreign policy goals.
A divided three-judge panel of the appeals court in Washington allowed the administration to suspend the funding earlier this month, but the full court declined to let the freeze snap into place immediately.
Rapper hospitalized after shooting at store
DALLAS Dallas rapper FBG Murda was shot in Irving on Tuesday after he and another man got into a dispute with the owners of a muffler shop, according to authorities.
The 21-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Cayto Rivers, is currently hospitalized, Irving police said.
On Tuesday around 2:20 p.m., Irving police officers were dispatched to a muffler shop in response to a shooting.
After a preliminary investigation, police found the dispute began when Rivers and Elijah Jacobs, also 21, entered a restricted area of the shop
The shop’s owners asked Rivers and Jacobs to leave, after which the pair became “verbally aggressive” and brandished firearms, police said.
According to police, the owners “physically restrained” Rivers and Jacobs to prevent them from using their weapons The two men allegedly threatened to shoot the owners.
As Rivers and Jacobs attempted to leave, an owner held on to one of them and was dragged along. A firearm was discharged during the altercation and Rivers was struck, police said. It wasn’t immediately clear how many shots were fired.
Irving jail records showed Jacobs was in custody as of Wednesday morning and is facing a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Police said Rivers will be booked into jail once medically cleared.
Sting sued over ‘Every Breath You Take’ money
LOS ANGELES Sting’s former bandmates in the Police have sued the singer and bassist for what they claim are unpaid royalties over the group’s hit “Every Breath You Take.” In the suit, filed in London High Court, guitarist Andy Summers and drummer Stewart Copeland claim they never got songwriting credit on their band’s 1983 single. They allege in the suit that they have never been paid for their writing contributions.
The Police formed in 1977 and quickly became U.K. charttoppers, earning a U.S. No. 1 single with “Every Breath You Take” before splitting in 1984. Sting went onto a successful solo career In February 2022, Sting sold his entire songwriting catalog to Universal for an estimated $300 million. BRIEFS FROM
CORRECTION
A story Wednesday incorrectly reported that St. Tammany Parish Council member Joe Impastato supports a reduction in the size of the St. Tammany Parish Council. Impastato said he supports the parish’s voters making that decision.
Abrego Garcia requests asylum in U.S.
BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and BEN FINLEY Associated Press
WASHINGTON Kilmar Abrego Garcia, whose case has come to encapsulate much of President Donald Trump ’s hard-line immigration agenda, wants to seek asylum in the United States, his lawyers told a federal judge Wednesday Abrego Garcia, 30, was detained Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Baltimore after leaving a Tennessee jail on Friday. The Trump administration said it intends to deport him to the African country of Uganda.
The Salvadoran national’s lawyers are fighting the deportation efforts in court, arguing he has the right to express fear of persecution and torture in Uganda. Abrego Garcia has also told immigration authorities he would prefer to be sent to Costa Rica if he must be removed from the U.S
A U.S. immigration judge denied his request for asylum in 2019 be-
cause he applied more than a year after he had fled to the U.S. He left El Salvador at the age of 16, around 2011, to join his brother, who had become a U.S. citizen and was living in Maryland.
Although he was denied asylum, the immigration judge did issue an order shielding Abrego Garcia from deportation to El Salvador because he faced credible threats of violence from a gang there that had terrorized him and his family He was granted a form of protection known as “withholding of removal,” which prohibits him from being sent to El Salvador but allows his deportation to another country Following the 2019 ruling, Abrego Garcia was released under federal supervision and continued to live with his American wife and children in Maryland. He checked in with ICE each year received a federal work permit and was working as a sheet metal apprentice earlier this year, his lawyers have said.
But in March, the Trump admin-
istration deported Abrego Garcia to an El Salvador prison, alleging he was a member of MS-13.
The allegation stems from a day in 2019 when Abrego Garcia sought work as a day laborer at a Home Depot in Maryland. Authorities had been told by a confidential informant that Abrego Garcia and other men could be identified as members of MS-13 because of their clothing and tattoos. He was detained by police, but Abrego Garcia was never charged — and has repeatedly denied the allegation. He was turned over to ICE and that’s when he applied for asylum for the first time.
The Trump administration’s deportation of Abrego Garcia in March violated the immigration judge’s 2019 order barring his removal to El Salvador Abrego Garcia’s wife sued to bring him back.
Facing mounting pressure and a U.S. Supreme Court order, the Trump administration returned Abrego Garcia to the U.S. in June, where he was charged with human
Israel calls Gaza City evacuation ‘inevitable’
BY WAFAA SHURAFA, SAM METZ and SALLY ABOU ALJOUD
Associated Press
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Israeli and U.S. officials were to meet Wednesday in Washington to discuss postwar Gaza, even as Israel’s military called the evacuation of Gaza City “inevitable” ahead of a new offensive and no sign of a ceasefire was in sight.
The meeting comes amid mounting outrage over this week’s double Israeli strike on a southern Gaza hospital that killed journalists, emergency responders and others. The toll from the attack on Nasser Hospital rose to 22 after two more people died Wednesday, Gaza health officials said.
The Israeli military, which has said it will investigate, offered no immediate explanation for striking twice and no evidence for an assertion that six of the dead were militants.
As a growing chorus of international leaders urge Israel to reconsider its offensive and commit to talks, Pope Leo XIV called for Israel to halt the “collective punishment” and forced displacement of Palestinians in Gaza.
The Israeli military on Wednesday told residents of Gaza City to prepare to leave.
“The evacuation of Gaza City is inevitable,” spokesperson Avichay Adraee
wrote in Arabic on X. He said Israeli forces have surveyed vast empty areas south of the city “to assist the evacuating residents as much as possible.” He said the displaced would receive space for tents, and infrastructure would be set up to distribute aid and water
More than 80% of Gaza is designated as an Israeli military zone or subject to displacement orders, the U.N. humanitarian agency said in June.
Israel has pressed ahead with plans to mobilize tens of thousands of reservists.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said the military will launch its offensive while simultaneously pursuing a ceasefire.
Hamas said last week that it accepted a ceasefire plan from Arab mediators.
Qatar, which has rarely assigned blame through more than a year of mediation, said Tuesday that Israel has yet to officially respond and “does not want to reach an agreement.” Last week, an official from Qatar said the proposal under discussion was “almost identical” to an earlier draft that U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff put forth and Israel accepted.
The deal said to be under discussion would include a 60-day truce, the release of some of the 50 remaining hostages held by Hamas in return for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, a surge of humanitarian aid into Gaza and a road map toward talks on a lasting ceasefire.
Leaders of ‘slave labor cult’ arrested
BY JOSEPH WILKINSON New york
Daily News (TNS)
Two leaders of the Kingdom of God
Global Church, a nationwide ministry once called a “slave labor cult” by a former member, were arrested Wednesday by the FBI.
David Taylor, the 53-year-old leader known as the church’s “apostle,” and Michelle Brannon, its 56-year-old executive director were both detained, the Justice Department announced. They stand accused of forced labor conspiracy and money laundering The Kingdom of God Global Church, also known as Joshua Media Ministries International, operates from several locations in Michigan, Texas, Florida and Missouri.
The controversial and charismatic Taylor has led the church since it was founded in Michigan in 2013.
According to the feds, the church is little more than a front designed to convince people to give Taylor their money Church members work long, unpaid shifts at call centers throughout the country to solicit donations, according to a federal indictment.
“Taylor demanded that victims raise more money admonished victims for not meeting his monetary goals, explained the power God gave him, rebuked victims for disobedience and cursed those who stopped working for him,” the indictment reads.
The feds say Taylor ran his call centers with an iron fist, depriving food and sleep from those who failed to reach his “unobtainable” fundraising goals.
With the tens of millions generated from the call centers, Taylor bought expensive luxuries for himself, including properties, vehicles Jet Skis and a boat, according to the feds.
smuggling, a federal offense.
The charges stem from a 2022 traffic stop for speeding in Tennessee There were nine passengers in the SUV and Abrego Garcia had $1,400 in cash on him. While officers discussed among themselves their suspicions of smuggling, he was allowed to drive away with only a warning.
A federal judge in Tennessee released Abrego Garcia from jail on Friday after ruling that he was not a flight risk or a danger The Trump administration moved to deport Abrego Garcia again on Monday, alleging he is a danger Abrego Garcia’s attorneys have filed a federal lawsuit to ensure that he can exercise his constitutionally protected right to fight deportation. He is entitled to immigration court proceedings and appeals, his lawyers say U.S District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland has ruled that the U.S. government cannot remove Abrego Garcia from the country as the lawsuit plays out.
Some FEMA staff are put on leave
BY GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Associated Press
Some employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency who signed a public letter of dissent earlier this week were put on administrative leave Tuesday evening, according to documents reviewed by The Associated Press.
More than 180 current and former FEMA employees signed the letter sent to the FEMA Review Council and Congress on Monday critiquing recent cuts to agency staff and programs, and warning that FEMA’s capacity to respond to a major disaster was dangerously diminished.
Thirty-five signed their names while 141 signed anonymously for fear of retribution.
The Associated Press has confirmed that at least two of the signatories received notices Tuesday evening informing them they would be placed on leave indefinitely, with pay and that they must still check in every morning confirm-
ing their availability It was unclear what the status was for other signatories. The notice said the decision “is not a disciplinary action and is not intended to be punitive.” FEMA did not respond immediately to questions about how many staff received the notice and whether it was related to the opposition letter The dissent letter contained six “statements of opposition” to current policies at FEMA, including an expenditure approval policy by which Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem must approve contracts exceeding $100,000, which the signatories said reduces FEMA’s ability to perform its mission.
In an email Monday, FEMA spokesperson Daniel Llargues said that the Trump administration “has made accountability and reform a priority.”
“It is not surprising that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform,” Llargues said.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI
A Palestinian woman walks past tents for displaced people in a school used as a shelter in Gaza City on Wednesday.
CDC director outafter less than amonth
Threeothersat agency resign
BY MIKE STOBBE Associated Press
NEW YORK The director of the nation’stop public health agencyisout after less than one month in the job, and several top agency leaders have resigned
“Susan Monarezisno longer director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. We thank her for her dedicated service to the American people,” the U.S. DepartmentofHealthand Human Services wrote in asocial media post Wednesday HHS officials didnot explainwhy Monarez was no longer with the agency.Before the department’slate afternoon announcement, she told The Associated Press: “I can’tcomment.”
On Wednesday evening, herlawyers MarkZaid and Abbe David Lowell issued astatement that saidshe had neither resigned nor beentold she was fired.
Her departure coincided with the resignations of at least three top CDC officials. The list includes Dr.DebraHoury,the agency’sdeputy director; Dr.Daniel Jernigan,head of the agency’sNational Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases; and Dr.Demetre Daskalakis, head of its National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.
In an email seen by an AP reporter,Houry lamented the crippling effects on the agency from planned budget cuts, reorganization plansand firings. “I am committed to protecting the public’s health, but the ongoing changes prevent me from continuing in my job as a leader of the agency,” she wrote. She also noted the rise of misinformation about vaccines during thecurrent Trump administration, and alluded to new limits on CDC communications. “For the good of thenationand theworld, thescience at CDC should never be censored or subject to political pauses or interpretations,” she wrote.
Monarez, 50, was the agency’s 21st director and the first to pass through Senate confirmation following a2023 law Shewas sworninon July 31, making her the
Trumptakes controlofUnion Station
Management of D.C. transithub hasbeenAmtrak’s responsibility
BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’sadministration is taking management of Union Station away from Amtrak in thelatest example of the federal governmentexerting its power over thenation’s capital.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the takeoverWednesday alongsideAmtrakPresident Roger Harris at Washington’s main transportation hubduringthe launchofan updatedversion of the rail service’sAcelatrain. The federal government owns Union Station,which is near the Capitol.
Duffy said the station has “fallen into disrepair” when it should be a“point of pride” for the Districtof Columbia. He said the Republicanadministration’s move would helpbeautify thelandmark in an economical way andwas in line with Trump’svision.
“He wants Union Station to be beautiful again. He wants transit to be safe again. And he wantsour nation’scapital to be greatagain.And today is part ofthat,” Duffy said. It’sTrump’slatest attempt
to put thecity under hiscontrol. In recent weeks, Trump has increased thenumber of federal law enforcement andimmigration agents on city streets while also taking over theMetropolitanPolice Departmentand activating thousands of National Guard members. Last week, Trump said he wants $2 billion from Congresstobeautify Washington.
Duffy saidthe federal governmentcan do abetter job managing the trainstation and attract more shops and restaurants and generate morerevenue that will be used to pay for upgradesto thestation,which opened in
1907. Since then,the cavernous Roman-columned building hasbeen through multiple managementchanges and numerous ups and downs regarding its cleanliness, safety andstate of repair
Mayor Muriel Bowser said upgrading the transit hub thatserves various rail lines andbuseswould be an “amazing initiative” for the federal government to take on becausethe citycannot afford thecost.
“It has suffered fromnot beingabletoget themoney that it needsfor the renovation,” the Democrat said at aseparate newsconference.
Poll:Handlingcrime is strength forTrump
BY JILL COLVIN and LINLEY SANDERS Associated Press
WASHINGTON As armed National Guard troopspatrol the nation’scapital as part of an unprecedented federal takeover of Washington’spolicedepartment, handling crime is now arelative strength for President Donald Trump, accordingto thelatest AP-NORC poll.
Americans are generally nothappyabout theRepublican president’shandling of issues like immigration and the economy but aremore positive abouthis tough-oncrimeapproach, according to the survey from TheAssociated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
Indeed, the vast majority of Americans,81%, see crime as a“major problem” in largecities —a concern Trump hasseizedonashe has deployed the National Guard to the District of Columbia and threatened to expandthatmodel tocities across the country.Despite that perception, data shows that violent crime in D.C. is at a30-year low. But Trump’s approachappearstobehelpinghim,atleast for themoment: His overallapproval ratinghas increased slightly, from40% in July to45% now. Butthe poll shows there is less public support for federal takeovers of local
months, depending on how aggressively Trumppursues his threats.
For now,many Republicans in particular feel extreme actionneeds to be taken, even as statistics showviolent crime is down in Washingtonand across the nation following acoronaviruspandemic-era spike.
“About damn time that somebody did something,” saidCharles Arnold, 87, a lifelongRepublican who lives in San Diego.
About half of U.S. adults, 53%, say theyapprove of Trump’shandlingofcrime, thepoll finds.That’shigher than his approvalratingon theeconomy,immigration and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine —which are in linewithhis overall approval rating.
Trump’sapproach on crimeissimilarly popular amongWhite and Hispanic adults, with roughly half in each group saying they approve of theway he’s handling the issue. Black adults, however,are substantially less likely to saythey’re on board with Trump’sapproach to crime, withjust 27% in favor
There’sbroad agreement among Americans that crime is asignificant issue in large cities, even with incident numbers in decline.
Thatbeliefisespecially pronounced among Republicans, nearly all of whom see
Democrats agree. Americans who live in urban areas are also more likely to say crime is a“major problem” in their own communities. Still, thereare limitsto what the public may accept. Thepollfinds 55% of U.S. adults believe it is “completely”or“somewhat” unacceptable for the federal government to take control of local police departments.
National Guard troops have patrolledinand around Union Station ever since Trump announced theanticrimeeffort this month.
Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wereshouted down by opponents of thefederal intervention whenthey vis-
ited with troops there last week. The deputy transportation secretary,Steve Bradbury, cited anew roof and new public restrooms among $170 million in upgrades that he said are needed at the station. Union Station hashad a history of ups and downs during its nearly 120-year history In 1981, after rainstarted pouring through the ceiling, theNational ParkService, which has jurisdiction over some of the area surrounding the station, declared the building unsafe.The station wasclosed for five years for renovation and President Ronald Reagan signed the UnionStation Redevelopment Acttohelpfund and organize its comeback.
The station has occasionally been amagnetfor homeless individuals seeking shelter inside or camping in tents on Columbus Circleinfront of thebuilding. Theproliferation of tents prompted the Park Service to clear the encampment in frontofthe station in June 2022.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PUBLICATION
Notice is hereby givenpursuanttoArticle 7, Section 23{C)ofthe LouisianaConstitution andR.S.47:1705{8)thata public hearingof St.Johnthe BaptistSchoolBoard in St.John theBaptist Parish will be held at itsregular meetingplace in theGodchauxGrammer Cafeteria(BoardMeeting Room)1600Highway44, Reserve, LA 70084, on Thursday,October9,2025, at 5:00 p.m. to consider levying additional or increasedmillage rateswithout furthervoter approval or adopting theadjusted millagerates afterreassessmentand rollingforward to ratesnot to exceed theprior year’s maximum. Theestimated amount of taxrevenuestobecollected in thenextyear from theincreased millageis$39,000,000, andthe amount of increase in taxesattributable to themillage increase is $100,000
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByJ.SCOTT APPLEWHITE
Members of the National Guardare posted at Union Station in Washington on Wednesday.
ABOVE: To Germer,Sophie Lane is more than just astreet. It’sa reminder that even the deepest scars can grow over,that survival canturnintorenewal and that sometimes, the pictures youtakeasa 13-year-old becomepartof history. STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER
TOP: The lights of Metairie against asea of darkness in neighboring NewOrleans on Nov. 18, 2005.
STAFF FILEPHOTO By ALEX BRANDON
ABOVE: And the same area today. STAFF PHOTO By JOHN MCCUSKER
LEFT: Claiborne Avenueinthe Lower9th Ward near Tennessee Street is flooded after the leveebreachatthe IndustrialCanal after Katrina. RIGHT: That same overpass today STAFF PHOTOSByDAVID GRUNFELD
TOP: John Rainey, John RaineyJr. and CourtneyDavis help TerryFox, second from left,transporther children andthose of afamily member down flooded South Broad Street on Aug. 29, 2005. ABOVE: South Broad Street today. STAFF PHOTOSByJOHN MCCUSKER
TOP: Helicopters takeoff with ill patients as others board buses at the intersection of Interstate 10 and CausewayBoulevard on Sept. 3, 2005. STAFF FILEPHOTO By ELIOT KAMENITZ
ABOVE: The same intersection today. STAFFPHOTO By JOHN MCCUSKER
TOP: When Hurricane Katrina hit,photographer Sophia Germer was13 yearsold. She shot an imageofSophie Lane in yscloskey in October 2005.The bent street sign, splintered wood,uprooted trees and silence was all that was left of the street.
LEFT: NewOrleans firefightersattempt to put outa fire on flooded Columbus Street in NewOrleans following Katrina.
RIGHT: The house was neverrebuilt. STAFF PHOTOSByDAVID GRUNFELD
TOP: LynellWright carries Luric Johnson on her shoulders while awaiting evacuation on Poland Avenue in the 9th Ward on Aug. 30, 2005.
ABOVE: That samecorner today. STAFF PHOTOSByJOHN MCCUSKER
TOP: Adistraught Angela Perkins screams, ‘Help us, please!’ outside the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center on Sept. 1, 2005. ABOVE: TheErnest N. Morial Convention Center today STAFF PHOTOSByBRETT DUKE
LEFT: Acrewworks to pumpKatrina floodwaters out of adip under atrain track on Franklin Avenue in Gentilly on Sept.20, 2005 STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE RIGHT: The same train tracksin2025. STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIAGERMER
LEFT: Cleveland Avenue and South Robertson on Aug. 31, 2005, and that sameintersection, RIGHT, today. STAFF PHOTOSByJOHN MCCUSKER
2 children killed in shooting at Catholic school
BY STEVE KARNOWSKI, MARK VANCLEAVE and GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS A shooter
opened fire with a rifle Wednesday through the windows of a Catholic church in Minneapolis and struck children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 people in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible.”
Armed with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, 23-year-old Robin Westman approached the side of the church and shot dozens of rounds through the windows toward the children sitting in the pews during Mass at the Annunciation Catholic School just before 8:30 a.m., Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at news conferences. He said the shooter then died by suicide.
The children who died were 8 and 10 Fourteen other kids and three octogenarian parishioners were wounded but expected to survive, the chief said.
Fifth grader Weston Halsne told reporters he ducked for the pews, covering his head, shielded by a friend who was lying on top of him. His friend was hit, he said.
“I was super-scared for him, but I think now he’s OK,” the 10-year-old said, adding that he was praying for the other hospitalized children and adults.
Halsne’s grandfather, Michael Simpson, said the violence during Mass on the third day of school left him wondering whether God was watching over.
“I don’t know where he is,” Simpson said.
FBI Director Kash Patel said on X that the shooting is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism and a hate crime targeting Catholics.
O’Hara said police hadn’t yet found any relationship between the shooter and the church, nor determined a motive for the bloodshed. The chief said, however that investigators were examining a social media post that appeared to show the shooter at the scene and contained “some disturbing writings.”
“The sheer cruelty and cowardice of firing into a church full of children is absolutely incomprehensible,” said O’Hara, who gave the wounded youngsters’ ages as 6 to 15. He said a wooden plank was placed to barricade some of the side doors, and that authorities found a smoke bomb at the scene.
Westman’s uncle former Kentucky state lawmaker Bob Heleringer, said he did not know the accused shooter well. He said he last saw Westman at a family wedding a few years ago and was confounded by the violence: “It’s an unspeakable tragedy.”
The police chief said Westman did not have an extensive known criminal history
lingering hugs and wiping away tears.
Aubrey Pannhoff, a 16-year-old student at a different Catholic school, rushed to Annunciation after her own school’s lockdown and prayer service, and she said she was asking God: “Why?”
“It’s little kids,” she said through tears “It’s just really hard for me to take in.”
ernor was the Democratic vice presidential nominee in last year’s election against Trump’s running mate, now Vice President JD Vance, a Republican.
From the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV sent a telegram of condolences. The Chicagoborn Leo, history’s first American pope, said he was praying for relatives of the dead.
Catholic Education Association, said in a statement that reasonable firearms legislation must be passed.
“The murder of children worshipping at Mass is unspeakable,” Hartmeyer said.
“We must take action to protect all children and families from violence.”
Monday had been the first day of the school year at Annunciation, a 102-year-old school in a leafy residential and commercial neighborhood about 5 miles south of downtown Minneapolis.
Karin Cebulla, who said she had worked as a learning specialist at Annuciation and sent her two now-college-aged daughters there, described the school as an accepting, caring community
“Everyone felt safe here, and I just pray that it continues to be a place where people feel safe,” she said.
The gunfire was the latest in a series of fatal shootings in Minnesota’s most populous city in less than 24 hours. One person was killed and six others were hurt in a shooting Tuesday afternoon. Hours later, two people died in two other shootings in the city
O’Hara, the police chief, said the Annunciation shooting does not appear to be related to other recent violence.
Alongside many major U.S. cities, violent crime in Minneapolis has decreased since the COVID-19 pandemic.
and is believed to have acted alone.
Federal officials referred to Westman as transgender, and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey decried hatred being directed at “our transgender community.”
Westman’s gender identity wasn’t clear In 2020, a judge approved a petition, signed by Westman’s mother, asking for a name change from Robert to Robin, saying the petitioner “identifies as a female and wants her name to reflect that identification.”
Frey said the violence had forever changed the students’ families and the city along with them.
“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now,” Frey said at a news conference. “These kids were literally praying.”
Bill Bienemann, who lives a couple of blocks away and has long attended Mass at Annunciation Church, said he heard as many as 50 shots over as long as four minutes.
“I was shocked. I said, ‘There’s no way that could be gunfire,’” he said Bienemann’s daughter, Alexandra, said she was an alumna of the kindergarten-
to-eighth-grade school, and it made her sick to her stomach to think she might know some of those who were injured.
The police chief said officers immediately responded to reports of the shooting, entered the church, rendered first aid and rescued some of the children hiding throughout the building as other emergency responders arrived.
Frey and Annunciation’s principal said teachers and children, too, responded heroically
“Children were ducked down Adults were protecting children. Older children were protecting younger children,” said the principal, Matt DeBoer
Danielle Gunter, the mother of an eighth-grade boy who was shot, in a statement said her son told her a Minneapolis police officer “really helped him” by giving aid and a hug before her son got into an ambulance.
Amid a heavy uniformed law enforcement presence later Wednesday morning, children in dark green uniforms trickled out of the school with adults, giving
Minnesota Gov Tim Walz lamented that children just starting the school year “were met with evil and horror and death.” He and President Donald Trump ordered flags to be lowered to half-staff on state and federal buildings, respectively, and the White House said the two men spoke. The gov-
News of the shooting rippled through a national Democratic officials’ meeting nearby in Minneapolis. U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Democrat who represents the area around the school, visited the scene.
Atlanta Archbishop Gregory Hartmeyer, who chairs the board of the National
The number of homicides between 2020 and 2024 fell by about 7%, based on data from AH Datalytics and its Real-Time Crime Index, which tracks crimes across the country using law enforcement data.
Over the first six months of 2025, the index shows a 21% decrease in homicides over the same period of 2024, while aggravated assaults — which include nonfatal shootings — were down 8%.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICHARD TSONG-TAATARII
A parent hugs her son during an active shooter situation at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis, on Wednesday.
Vasquez, has beenserved with a search warrant and had her phone confiscated as part of the unclassified death investigation.
“We’relooking at all aspects,” NOPD DeputySuperintendent Nicholas Gernon said. “Thisisa fact-finding mission.”
Hilda Vasquez’scriminal history is under review as part of thewider investigation by police and the Louisiana Department of Children &Family Services, Kirkpatrick said.
“I think that the death of Bryan is afailure. Ithink it is,”Kirkpatrick said Tuesday.“And as Isaid, we’re going to look at everything. Imean, everything.”
Orleans Parish courtrecords show that Hilda Vasquez was charged in 2014 with cruelty to juveniles and second-degree cruelty to juveniles.She later pleaded guilty to alesser charge of simple cruelty to juvenilesby negligent treatment or neglect.
Apolice source familiar with the case said BryanVasquez,then 6 months old,was thevictimand suffered afractured skulland broken legs.
Hilda Vasquez declined tocom-
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howelection maps across America aredrawn, election observers say “It’sabreathtaking, wholesale attack on the Voting Rights Act, which justturned 60 this month,” said Michael Li, aredistricting authority with the Brennan Center for Justice, which is affiliated with NewYork University Law School.
“It’salso completelyunfounded,” he said, arguingthat for four decades the courts were able to distinguish between situations where majority-minoritydistricts are necessary to remedyrace discrimination and where theyare not.
When Louisiana was required to draw new U.S. House districtsdue to population changes in the 2020 census, it originally passed amap much like the old one,with five majority-White districtsand one majority-Black district.
ment on her 2014conviction.Cristina Rosales-Fajardo, who has served as atranslator for Hilda Vasquez and an organizer of the civilian search efforts, said the investigation process has been “like
Agroup of Black voters, known as the Robinson litigants, filed a legal challenge arguing the Voting RightsAct required two majorityBlack districts, sinceroughly a third of the state is Black and the districts could beconfigured to be compact while linking communities with similar interests.
Afederaldistrictand appellate judgesagreed.
Gov.Jeff Landry and the Legislature in January 2024 passed SB8, which redrew the maps from which the state elected its six representatives to the U.S.House to includetwo Black majority districts instead of one. State lawmakers arguedthat the map they drewwas for political reasons: to protect theWhite majorities in the districts represented by House SpeakerMike Johnson,R-Benton, andRep.Julia Letlow,R-Start.
But asecondgroup of “non-African Americans,” known as the Callais litigants, then filedtheir own lawsuit, claiming the new mapreliesprimarily on raceand
awar,” leaving the family without an opportunity to properly grieve, and Bryan’smother without the phone that held picturesand videos of him.
Afrequent presenceatthe
is an illegalgerrymander under theEqual Protection Clause of the Constitution. Twoofthe three federaljudgesona special panelruled in their favor The Callais parties argue that Louisiana’sBlack population doesn’tlive close enough together to support creating two Black-majority districts. The fact thatthe new district stretches from Baton Rouge to Lafayette to Shreveport is evidence legislatorswere using race todraw adistrict with the goal of creating asecond Black district,they argue. Section 2mandates that states with historiesofpolarized voting and diluting minority voices must allow minority-majority districts if, generally,voters with like interests live close enough together When conditions such as segregated communities andpolarized voting ceasetoexist, such as in partsofthe northeast and west, voting rights challengesfailin court. Butsome courts have ruled that
search scenenear the 13000 block of SevresStreet,Hilda Vasquez hasbeenheartbroken over the death of her son, whohad been missing since he sneaked out of Beaucaire Street at 5:20 a.m
thoseconditions continue to exist in Louisiana. For example, the state’sWhitemajorities have never elected aBlack candidate.
Thestate of Louisianainitially asked the U.S. Supreme Court how best to balance Section 2ofthe VotingRights Act, whichallows configuring districts in away that minorities have an opportunity to elect one of their own, and the Equal Protection Clause,whichforbids creating districts basedonrace.
The high court asked for new arguments on whetherSection 2, theremaining legal tool to enforce theVoting Rights Act, violates the 14th and 15thamendments to the U.S. Constitution.
Thestate already hasargued to thehighcourt thevalidityand need for twominority-majority congressional districts, noted AshleyShelton, who leads the Power Coalition, aNew Orleans-based communityactivistgroupthatis one of the Robinson litigants.
“What haschanged? Other than the political whims of thepresi-
Thursday, Aug. 14. His disappearance triggereda multiagency and volunteer search that endedTuesdaywhenhis body resurfaced and wasdiscovered by aUnited Cajun Navy volunteer’sdrone.
Amother of four,including an infant, Hilda Vasquez hadrecently moved to anew address in Village de l’Est andhad nothad time to install the security measures that contained Bryan in the past.
“She just was holding on to faith and fate,” saidRosales-Fajardo. “Whenthey finally confirmedthat it is her son, she asked to see his body.Well, they’re not allowing her to see the body because of the decomposition …and the damage that the alligators caused.
“I brought them to my house, which is right around the corner from her house, and we just cried.”
Hilda Vasquez has criticized the NOPD’s five-hour response time, which Kirkpatrick described on Wednesday as “inordinate.” An internal NOPD investigation into that delay launched last week.
“Weknow that these are difficult outcomes, and we still have quite agrieving community anda grieving family,” Kirkpatricksaid. “This investigation does continue.”
Anyone with information may callCrimestoppers anonymously at (504) 822-1111 or contact NOPD at (504) 821-2222.
dent,” Shelton said. The current configurationwith two Black Democratic and four White Republican representatives was drawnbyand approved by the Republican majority of the Louisiana Legislature and signed into law by aRepublican governor U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields,the Baton Rouge Democrat whowon election in the newly created Black majority district, released astatement Wednesday saying the attorney generalshould represent the state’s interest whenever the validity of astate law is challenged.
“That responsibility exists for areason: the people deserve to know that the lawspassed by their elected legislature will be given a full and fair defense. Ijust have the belief that the Attorney General should be willingtodefend the work of the people’srepresentatives,” Fields said.
Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.
PosiGentolay off166 in Louisiana Solarinstaller to shuttermostoperations
BY BLAKE PATERSON |Staff writer
Louisiana solar panelinstaller
PosiGen is laying off 166 local employees andceasing most of itsoperations nationwide after facing a cashcrunch amid rollbacks in federal renewableenergy tax credits. The company,which operates facilities in St.Charles andJefferson parishes, notified state andlo-
cal officials of thelayoffs Monday, saying it defaulted on acredit line and couldn’traise the long-term capital necessarytomaintain its existinghead count.
PosiGen saidanadditional92 employees in Louisiana could be laid off in the next two weeks if it can’t find additional funding or away to sellwhat remains of its business.
Foundedin2011,PosiGen specializes in marketing solar energy systemstolow-income households androdeawaveofstate and local solarcredits thatallowed it to grow quickly for much of thepast decade.
Butitsaidits ability to secure new investments, which were needed to fund recent expansions, were hampered by the passage in
July of President Donald Trump’s tax and spending bill, which cancels certain renewable energy tax creditsstarting next year The collapseofPosiGen comes as other clean energy companies struggle to adjust to the sudden changes in the tax code.
“Companiesinthe renewable energy industry —from electricians, manufacturers, engineers, to installers—expandedtomeet growing energy demands. Now, because of therecentfederal ac-
Gov. Jeff Landry,with club in hand, makes his entrance
NewOrleans next year
Landry sealsdealonLIV Golf eventatCityPark
BY JONI HESS |Staff writer
New Orleans will officially host aLIV Golf event next summer,Gov.Jeff Landry announced Wednesday at City Park, making it the fifth U.S. stop on theinternationaltour.
The league, backed by aSaudi Arabian wealth fund, brings asecond professional golf tournament to the metro area, withdates set for June 26-28 at Bayou Oaks golf course in City Park.
“I’ve always imagined thatthe cityofNew Orleans will surpass all cities in the country as being the place where you want to entertain, and we have proven that again and again,” Landry said at City Park’sPavilion of TwoSisters.
Gov. Jeff Landry announces Louisiana’s firstLIV Golf event at City Park on Wednesday.
BY TYLER BRIDGES |Staff writer
tions, they have no off-ramps,” Monika Gerhart, executive director of the Gulf States Renewable Energy Industries Association, said in astatement. In addition to the local job losses, the company filed notices earlier this weekthat it was laying off 49 employees in Pennsylvania and 78 employees in Connecticut. According to its website, PosiGen also has offices in Massachusetts,
City ordered to stop charging schools
Cantrell administration can’tskimfromN.O school taxes, judgesays
BY BEN MYERS |Staff writer
ACivil District Court judge has orderedMayor LaToyaCantrell’sadministration to temporarily stop skimming from school tax revenues, which thecity collects on behalf of the Orleans Parish School Board. Judge Bernadette D’Souza issued the temporary restraining order on Tuesday after threepublic charter school organizations filed apetition the same day Judge Sidney Cates is scheduled to consider alonger injunction at ahearing on Sept. 4. Theorder forces the Cantrelladministrationtocomply with aCity Council ordinance passedinApril —which the administration has openly defied —forbidding the controversial collection fees through 2026. After that, fees will be allowedonly through along-term agreement with the School Board setting the amount. In their petition, KIPPNew Orleans Schools, FirstLine Schools and ReNEW Schools claimed the city is illegally taking $8 million per year
“Inthis climate of rising costs and limited resources, every dollar counts. This decision ensures those resources will now go where they belong: directly back to schoolstosupport thechildrenofNew Orleans,”saidReNEW SchoolsCEO Tanya Bryant in awritten statement. The Cantrell administration did not immediately respond to arequest forcommentonWednesday The city’slong-standing practice of taking 2% from school property taxes
BY JOHN SIMERMAN |Staff writer
Days after an Orleans Parish jury settled on two counts of manslaughter in the brutaldeaths of a Reserve couple who were heaved off atall bridge into the Gulf IntracoastalWaterway,Horatio Johnson receivednobreaksfrom thesentencing judge. District Judge Benedict Willard sentenced Johnson, 49, to apair of 40-year prison termsonWednesday for his role in the killings of Kenneth andLakeitha Joseph, a couple that was tossed off the Interstate 510“GreenBridge” after being weighed down by 30-pound kettlebells. Though ajury rejected murder charges, Willard went further. He orderedthose maximumsentences to run end to end, and consecutive to a40-year prison term that Johnson is currently serving on an obstruction of justice conviction related to thesame double
STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Former Jefferson Parish PresidentAaron Broussard recounts movesand controversies 20 years ago related to Hurricane Katrina.
Johnson
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were abused, battered and physically restrained. It is also possible they were beaten unconscious.”
Prosecutors with the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office have stated their intention to invoke the state’s habitual offender act against Johnson, which could double those penalties. Johnson stood silently Wednes-
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Landry was joined on stage by LIV CEO Scott O’Neil; state Senate President Cameron Henry, RMetairie; City Park Conservancy CEO Rebecca Dietz; and other state and local officials at a splashy news conference that featured a DJ, the Treme Funktet Band and pyrotechnics.
The announcement itself offered a glimpse into what officials said the three-day tour would bring once it hits the city next year
”This is not your grandfather’s golf. We have walk-up songs. We
day in red jail scrubs while three family members of the victims sat quietly in the courtroom gallery They declined to provide witness statements
The lesser verdicts against Johnson came in a retrial in the murder case against him. He was previously convicted in 2017 on two counts of second-degree murder in the Josephs’ deaths,
have emcees. We have DJs. We have concerts on the course,”
O’Neil said The Louisiana Legislature, at Landry’s request earlier this year, helped lure the tour to New Orleans with a $7 million one-time budget allocation — $2.2 million of which goes toward improving City Park’s Bayou Oaks golf course, and the other $5 million toward LIV as a hosting fee.
“City Park is about to get a facelift,” Landry said. “This is an area that could be even greater We can make City Park great again.”
City Park leaders this week finalized a new 20-year master plan based on community feedback that does not include renovating
but by nonunanimous jury verdicts that the U.S Supreme Court outlawed in 2020. On one obstruction of justice charge, the 2017 jury was unanimous. This go-round, the jury deliberated for about eight hours last week before finding Johnson guilty of manslaughter for each death. Willard noted Johnson’s prior
Bayou Oaks.
LIV launched in 2022 as an alternative to the PGA Tour Landry has said the tour could generate about $60 million in economic impact. Critics say reaching that number is unlikely anytime soon.
The PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic, at TPC Louisiana on the West Bank of Jefferson Parish, has been a staple in the metro area since the 1930s and saw record attendance last year
Steve Worthy, chair and CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, which operates the tournament for the PGA Tour said in an interview Wednesday that LIV’s June schedule is unlikely to impact the organization, which hosts their yearly
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and gives advice to people about to enter or leave prison.
In this interview ahead of the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Broussard reflected on the storm, his decisions and its impact on the region.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity
When did you first realize Katrina would be a problem?
I was having a late lunch (on Friday) at Delmonico’s on St. Charles Avenue with friends. The TV was on in the place. We all thought it was heading to Florida. They showed an arrow that was basically redirecting toward Alabama. I called a press conference for noon Saturday, issuing a voluntary evacuation. We didn’t have a mandatory evacuation ordinance at the time.
The public heard a lot about the parish’s doomsday plan during the recovery. What was it?
It was a plan created prior to my administration, where if you had a hurricane of a Category 4 or 5 coming our way, and we were a direct target, the possibility of avoiding a major catastrophe was unlikely Under that plan, there were a number of different entities and personnel who were supposed to be evacuated to keep them out of harm’s way That plan was enacted not by my order or anyone else’s order it was enacted by the clock. I was never made aware of the doomsday plan. It wasn’t necessary that I be made aware of it. After the storm, a lot of people wanted to know why the pump operators were sent to Washington Parish beforehand. Can you explain? We got a report from LSU It said those (pumping) stations were not safe for habitation for a Category 3, much less Category 4 or 5. When the surge of the storm comes, you cannot pump water out through a pumping station in the face of a surge that’s coming in the opposite direction that’s nearly topping the levee. You’re trying to pump out that water coming in the opposite direction How did you assess the immediate damage? Our communications, the telephone towers and whatever, were basically destroyed. It was like the Old West. I had to tell people to go out like Indian scouts and drive here and go there and give me reports of what they had seen What was your first challenge?
The first order I gave to my administration was that I wanted
every bulldozer available to be in partnership with every major truck we can find to clear, like a snowplow, all these fallen electricity lines, all this debris that’s on our major east/west thoroughfares on the east bank and the West Bank. We just have to push that stuff to the side so we can begin to have our emergency vehicles have access to every area that we need to reach.
That proved to be fortuitous because when the electrical companies came in with their armies of repair people, I was able to tell them my major east/west roads are clear If you start with Jefferson Parish, I can get my big box stores — Home Depot and Lowe’s and all these facilities that have plywood and other resources — we can start being of benefit to everyone around us. They started with us.
You got a lot of heat for the pump operators not being there, right?
There was a recall petition. Every major natural disaster that happens, whoever the leaders are at that particular time, are going to be the face and the focus of anger People are not going to blame God about a hurricane coming their way As if, “only the pump operators, they could have pumped out 20 inches or more of water and kept my house from flooding.” Not true. Not true at all.
But it was a storyline that caught fire. “This is Aaron Broussard’s fault. This is Aaron Broussard’s flood.” I took all of those arrows in the chest because I believe it was the business of leadership to take that criticism, to try to educate as best I could against the rhetoric that was aimed at me. I never scapegoated anybody. I took it all on me and said, “This is a life versus property issue. You would never risk a life to protect somebody’s carpet, sofa or whatever.”
What are some of the lessons you learned?
You compound the tragedy if you do not immediately look to resolve a situation so that it does not happen again. I set about to find what kind of facility could be built adjacent to the pumping stations that could protect our pump operators against a major tornado-like effect and keep them out of the water if the levees broke.
My administration went to Kansas to look at the tornado model. There was a building designed to protect people against 250 mph winds. The idea was to take that building and apply the Grand Isle architectural style of elevating it over 20 feet in the air, so if the levees broke, water would go underneath the structure. We connected
conviction for manslaughter, as well as testimony from Brittany Martin, once his co-defendant. They’d met while she was a state prison guard and he was a convict serving time for a 1994 killing.
Martin claimed Johnson beat the Josephs bloody before they headed to a Kenner Walmart, where Johnson bought two kettlebells, nylon rope and a degreaser for blood stains. She said two other men joined them on the bridge. Prosecutors said Stephen Bradley and Amir
tournament in April.
”We’re just going to continue focusing on providing the best customer service experience,” he said.
Worthy said the Classic is “coming off three straight record-setting years,” including $24.6 million dispersed to charities over the past decade.
Bringing the tour to New Orleans follows a sea of controversy over the league’s wider presence in the U.S. PGA Tour officials and political leaders have accused Saudi Arabia of “sports washing” or investing billions into sports, businesses and other ventures as part of an image makeover campaign in an effort to
“Blue” Ybarra threw the couple off the span. Bradley received a 70-year sentence. Ybarra fled. Martin served half of a 10-year sentence. Relatives had reported the Josephs missing on Feb. 19, 2014. Lakeitha Joseph’s nearly naked body surfaced on March 10, 2014, with a nylon cord dangling from her leg. Her husband’s body came to the surface later, a rope still binding his body to a kettlebell. The coroner determined both had drowned.
distract from its history of human rights violations.
Also at issue from both sides of the political spectrum is Saudi Arabia’s growing economic influence in the U.S., which was further cemented by President Donald Trump’s May announcement of the country’s $600 billion commitment to invest in the U.S. Other concerns about the tour center on claims of LIV nabbing golfers from the PGA Tour with hefty signing offers that have reached more than $300 million on top of million-dollar signing bonuses.
Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.
Then-Jefferson Parish
President Aaron Broussard, center walks with President George W. Bush and Lt. Gen. Russ Honore, task force Katrina chief on Oct. 11, 2005.
ASSOCIATED
the operations of the pumps to these safe houses so they could be operated remote control on the site but not inside the pumping station, but the pumps could be activated by these pump operators who were safe in this facility
What are some of the other positive lessons? Right after the storm, people wanted to know: What kind of damage do I have in my house? I made an announcement on WWL Radio. Give me two weeks or three weeks, I’m going to allow the residents to return for three days. All of my law enforcement people from the top down said, “This is never going to work. People are never going to leave after they come.” I said, “They’re going to sit one night in their house, pitch dark because there’s nothing in it They are going to look up at the sky, and it’s going to be a desert sky There are going to be more stars than anything. They are going to hear every weird sound from a cricket to a trash can going over, and they’re going to be nervous. They ain’t staying. You got no air conditioning You got no toilets that flush. You got no water.” I said, “Most people aren’t going to stay for the whole three days.”
They fought me tooth and nail. I finally just brought them all together at the EOC. I said, “I hate to say it like this. But under the emergency powers act for the state, there is no sheriff, there is no police chief. There is no council, there’s no city government. It’s me. I’m in charge of this whole operation. It’s going to work and get ready because it’s coming.”
I think it’s one of the things that helped turn Jefferson Parish toward recovery faster than anything else — getting them in, seeing their homes, photographing it filing their claims so they were ahead of the claims.
You won reelection in 2007. It was a miracle I got reelected. It was basically me running against not me, and not me almost won mainly because that’s how vengeful the mindset was the years after Katrina.
This area is in better shape now?
Mother Nature will always find a way to humble man’s attempts at preventing her from doing the most damage she can do. What we can say today is we are much better prepared for the last storm that hit us than we were at the time that Katrina hit us. We’re not prepared for a 5. We’re not prepared for a 4. But we’re the best protected ever in history for a hurricane 3.
Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.
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Mississippi, Rhode Island and New Jersey, though it’s unclear how workers were affected there.
PosiGen’s founder and executive chairman, Tom Neyhart, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Calls to the numbers listed in its state filings were not returned.
PosiGen has installed nearly 30,000 solar systems in 15 states.
The company’s business model heavily depends on tax credits, which allow it to partner with banks or other financial institutions to fund installation of solar panels, which are then leased to homeowners. Its primary offering is a 20-year no money down, no escalating lease that doesn’t require a minimum credit score or income level to qualify In 2023, then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen visited PosiGen’s headquarters in St. Rose as part of a tour promoting President Joe Biden’s legislative accomplishments, including the Inflation Reduction Act, which encouraged investments in solar through the extension and expansion of renewable energy tax credits.
Much of those tax credits were
SCHOOLS
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and 1.6% from school sales taxes is a hot topic at the center of the School Board’s six-year-old lawsuit against the Cantrell administration. City officials argue the city is entitled to a slice of the money for the service of collecting taxes on the School Board’s behalf; the School Board says the collection fees are illegal. While that litigation over past tax collections is pending, the council which has sided with the School Board in its lawsuit — passed the ordinance to make sure fees aren’t unilaterally imposed in the future.
Cantrell didn’t veto the ordinance, but Finance Director Romy Schofield-Samuel angered council members during an Aug 13 committee meeting when she said the fees would continue while the School Board’s lawsuit is still pending.
“I’m elated the judge agreed with the council that the ordinance I authored, which ends the illegal fee, is the governing law,” council President JP Morrell said in a written statement.
The School Board is also seeking an injunction to stop the fees in its lawsuit. A hearing on that request before Judge Nicole Sheppard is set for Sept. 3, the day before the hearing in the charter organizations’ lawsuit, but it’s not clear if either hearing will go forward.
The School Board’s lawyer, William Aaron, said he is asking the Cantrell administration to agree to stop the fees without a hearing. He said the administration has agreed to comply with the new ordinance if the School Board drops its injunction request, but Aaron said he wants the administration’s commitment codified through a court judgment.
“We’re hoping that there won’t be any hearings, that the city will just simply grant consent judgments,” Aaron said. “That way
rolled back under the One Big Beautiful Bill, which terminates a 30% tax credit for homeowners at the end of this year and a similar credit that can be used for commercial solar installations at the end of 2027.
In December, international investment firm Brookfield Asset Management boosted its investment in PosiGen by $200 million, bringing its total investment in the company since 2023 to $600 million. That followed a $100 million round of new financing in 2022.
According to the notice it sent to state officials, PosiGen recently experienced rapid growth “due to certain external opportunities” that put a strain on its operations. The company said it spent its working capital on the solar projects it was already under contract to complete. In early August, the company missed an interest payment on its credit facility
“This all occurred in the shadow of the passage of a new federal tax law that cancelled certain federal renewable energy tax credits as of the end of 2025, adding regulatory uncertainty to the renewables industry and making it more difficult for the Company to secure financing,” John Truschinger Posigen’s chief administrative officer, wrote in the notice.
there wouldn’t be any confusion as to what everybody’s intent was.”
The School Board’s lawsuit took a series of mind-bending turns over the last year and landed in the middle of the council-mayor war that has raged over the last four years. Council members, along with Cantrell’s chief of staff, Gilbert Montaño, announced a $90 million settlement in November Two months later, Cantrell claimed she hadn’t been told about the settlement and declined to sign off on it. The mayor, along with Schofield-Samuel, also said the city could not afford the settlement, which included $20 million cash in two lump sum payments — and funding for school programs over the next decade.
The council intervened in the School Board’s lawsuit, asking Judge Sheppard to enforce the proposed settlement. Sheppard declined, finding the settlement was legally executed, but she ordered the administration to fork over the first $10 million payment because it was included in the annual city budget with Cantrell’s signature.
The administration didn’t make the payment and instead asked Sheppard to reconsider The School Board, meanwhile, asked Sheppard to hold Schofield-Samuel in contempt for nonpayment. Those motions, filed more than three months ago, are still pending before the judge. Staff writer Marie Fazio contributed to this report.
OlanderP.“Butch” Ba‐joie, Jr.entered into eternal restonWednesday,August 20. He wasbornonJanuary 1,1945, to thelateOlander P.Bajoie, Sr.and thelate Julia RoudezeBajoie. A proud lifelong New Orlean‐ian,Butch graduatedfrom WalterL.Cohen High School in 1964 andat‐tendedSouthernUniversity ofNew Orleans. He entered the trucking profession, and laterestablished a successfultruckingcom‐pany, DixieTruck Service, Inc.,which served the Greater NewOrleans area and partsofthe Gulf Coast. Healsoestablished Bajoie BrothersTruck Club,Inc., and participated in Carni‐val paradesfor many years.Anavidmotorcy‐clist,Butch wasalsothe founder of Soul Knights MotorcycleClub, Inc. where he shared hispas‐sionfor riding andcama‐raderie with fellow cy‐clists. In addition to hisen‐trepreneurial pursuits, Butch dedicatedmuchof his life to public service and helpingothers. He was a respectedmemberofthe Orleans Parish Boardof JuryCommissioners and servedfor many yearson the OrleansParishDemoc‐ratic ExecutiveCommittee Healsoworkedfor Milan SeniorCenterwhere he provideddaily transporta‐tionfor theelderly and brought much joytothem. Known forhis kindness humor,and generosity,he had agiftfor creating lighthearted poemsand spontaneous rhymes that brought smilestoeveryone around him. A frequent bingo andlottery player, hedelighted in sharinghis winnings, no matter how small.His generosity ex‐tendeddeeplytohis church community.A de‐voutCatholic, Butchwas a faithfulmemberofSt. Katharine Drexel Parish (Holy GhostChurch)since birth.For over 40 years, Butch sang in theparish choir,often performing solos,and he gave freelyof his time andenergyto countless church activi‐ties. He wasa dedicated member of Father SchmodryCouncil No.52, served as Faithful Inner SentinelofE.O.Moss Grand Assembly No. 4of the KnightsofPeter Claver, and wasanactivemember ofthe Holy NameSociety In recognitionofhis deep faith anddevotionto Christ, Butchreceivedthe Order of St.Louis IX Medal‐lion, thehighest honorfor lay Catholicsinthe Arch‐diocese of NewOrleans Butch wasprecededin death by hisparents,Olan‐der P. Bajoie,Sr. andJulia Roudeze Bajoie,his god‐motherNellRoseRoudeze LaPierre, hisbrother Lester Charles Bajoie,Sr.,and his grandparents, Denaud GeddesRoudeze,Sr. and Willie CantrelleRoudeze and W.D. Walker andEthel BajoieWalker. He is lov‐ingly remembered by his siblingsNolan J. Bajoie,Sr. (Eunice), Sen. DianaE.Ba‐joie, Paulette Bajoie Ross ReginaldBajoie, 1(Pa‐phine), Judy Bajoie,Aaron Bajoie, godchildren Dr Nicole Bajoie-Fordand Reginald Bajoie II, along witha host of nieces, nephews,cousins,and friends who will forever cherish hislaughter, warmth, andgivingspirit. A Mass of ChristianBurial celebrating thelifeofOlan‐der P. “Butch”Bajoie, Jr willbeheldonSaturday, August30, at 10:30 a.m. at St. KatharineDrexelParish (Holy GhostChurch), 2015 Louisiana Avenue,New Or‐leans,LA70115 with visita‐tionbeginning at 9:00 a.m. IntermentwillfollowatSt. Vincent De Paul Cemetery #1, 1950 Soniat Street,New Orleans,LA70115.You may signthe guestbookon www.gertrudegeddeswwill is.com. Gertrude Geddes Willis FuneralHome, Inc.,in charge(504) 522-2525.
In Loving Memory of Viola Rosana CollinsBash‐ful,June 13, 1932 —August 18, 2025. Shortlyafter cele‐brating her93rdbirthday, Viola Rosana CollinsBash‐ful peacefully transitioned fromthisrealm,sur‐rounded by herlovingfam‐ily.A belovedwife, mother, sister, andmatriarch,Viola lived alifemarkedbyquiet strength, deep faith,and enduringgrace.Bornon June 13, 1932, in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana,toEarl Collins of NewOrleans and Ethel Kitt CollinsofPaulina inSt. JamesParish, Viola entered this worldonWil‐low Street andgrewupina cityshe wouldforever call home. Herearly education began at Wheatley Ele‐mentary School,and she later graduatedfromWal‐ter L. CohenHighSchool With apassion forlearning and excellence,she pur‐suedhighereducation at SouthernUniversityin Baton Rouge, majoring in Mathematics.Thoughjust one semester shyofgradu‐ation,her intellectand cu‐riosity remained lifelong hallmarks.Viola came froma familydeeply rooted in faith,service,and leadership. Shewas the proud granddaughterof Rev.Frederick H. Collins, the second namedpastor ofSt. John MissionaryIn‐stitutional BaptistChurch an institutionthatre‐mainedcentral to herspiri‐tuallife. Herparents were among thepioneeringfam‐ilies of thehistoric Pontchartrain Park Subdi‐vision, helpingtoshape a vibrant Blackmiddle-class community in NewOrleans where Violareturned after HurricaneKatrina to reclaim herfamilyhome. Viola wasa devotedwife, mother, andhomemaker whose life reflectedgrace strength, andunwavering dedicationtothose she loved.She shared 64 years ofHolyMatrimony with her beloved husband,Hewitt Bashful,faithfully building a life rooted in love,faith, and resilience.Together, theyraisedtwo cherished children: theirdaughter, Linda AnnBashful,for‐merly of Kansas City,Mis‐souri,and theirson,Eldric ArnellBashful of NewYork, New York.She is also lov‐ingly remembered by her adoptedbrother,Kevin Collins of SanDiego, Cali‐fornia, alongwitha large and close-knit extended familythroughout Louisiana,Texas,Illinois, and beyond.Viola’s legacy lives on in theheartsofher familyand allwho were shapedbyher wisdom steadfastdignity,and nur‐turingspirit. Alifelongbe‐lieverinthe powerofedu‐cationand strong family roots, sheinstilled values ofperseverance, learning, and love in allwho knew her.Affectionately called Vibythose closesttoher she wasa passionate lover ofmusic—fromjazzto opera —a womanoflively wit fierytemperament and asoftvoice of reason Her memory,quick laugh‐ter,and enduring love will remainforever in the heartsofthose sheheld dear. Relativesand friends ofthe familyare invitedto attenda FuneralService at St. John InternationalMis‐sionary BaptistChurch, 2538 JacksonAve NewOr‐leans,Louisiana 70113 on Saturday, August 30, 2025 at11:00am.Visitationwill begin at 10:00am.Inter‐ment: ValenceStreet Cemetery, NewOrleans, Louisiana.Arrangements entrusted to D.W. Rhodes FuneralHome, 3933 Wash‐ingtonAve., NewOrleans, Louisiana 70125. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral. com to sign theonline guestbook,share memo‐riesand condolenceswith the family.
Batiste, HannahRoyal
the9th of 11 children.She peacefullyentered eternal restonAugust14, 2025, at the ageof94. In 1948, Han‐nah marriedthe love of her life, thelateHerbert Batiste,Sr. To this union three sons were born Her‐bertJr.,Lawrence, and Roland. Hannah devoted her life to herfamily, not onlyraising hersonsbut alsoembracing thegiftof being amother figure to countless grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and manyother extended loved ones. Hannah builta proud career in retail.She made history as thesecond African American shoe saleswomantobehired by KraussDepartmentStore, where shebecameaffec‐tionately knownas“Ms Krauss.”She worked in the shoedepartmentwith grace,dignity,and excel‐lence from 1962 until Kraussclosedits doorsin 1997. Beyond hercareer Hannahlived aliferichin love, laughter,and faith She found joyinsimplebut meaningfulmoments going to Sunday service, longtalks on thetele‐phone,quality time with family, readingher Bible, watchingher favorite TV shows,singing,sewing, and baking.She carried herself with unwavering faith,quiet strength,and a heart full of love.Hannah was also agiftedcook known forpreparing every mealfromscratch.Her seafood gumbo, crawfish étouffée, sweet potato pies, andfamouscoconut cakes were amongthe manydishesthatbrought her familytogether,espe‐cially during theholidays. In heryounger years, Han‐nah lovedtodance.She and herbrother Wiley would oftendance around the house, doingher fa‐voritedance,the jitterbug. She andher husband also shareda deep love forNew Orleans traditions,espe‐cially MardiGrasseason, whentheydelighted in watchingthe MardiGras Indiansperform in the streetsand hostingthe en‐tirefamilyafter thepa‐rades.A proudand lifelong residentofNew Orleans, Hannahwas well knownin the neighborhoodsof2nd & Dryadesand Robert Street,where shebuilt lasting friendshipsand a strongcommunity pres‐ence. Shewas preceded in death by herhusband Her‐bertBatiste Sr.; hersons Herbert Jr., andLawrence; 5 brothers,David,Wiley Leonard,Frank andMon‐roe;4 sisters, Caroline, Beulah, Leslie,and Stella; and 4grandchildren, Marcelita,Cyris,Glorious, and Artez. Hannah leaves tocherish many treasured memories, herdevoted son,Roland; onebrother Randolph(Mable);one daughter-in-law (Mar‐garet); 16 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and13 great-great grandchildren, and ahostofnieces, nephews,other relatives and friends. Hannah’s life was atestament to love faith,and perseverance Thoughshe will be deeply missed, herlegacyof strength, compassion,and devotiontofamilywillcon‐tinue to inspiregenera‐tions to come.Her voicein song, herwarmthinthe kitchen,her joyonthe dance floor,and herend‐lesslovefor herfamilywill liveonforever.A Funeral Service will be held at Peo‐ple’s United Methodist Church,2001 SimonBoli‐var,New Orleans, LA 70113 onSaturday, August 30, 2025, at 11:00 am.Visita‐tionwillbegin at 10:00 am Interment: Providence MemorialParkCemetery, Metairie, LA.Arrangements byMajesticMortuarySer‐vice, Inc.,1833 Oretha Cas‐tle HaleyBlvd.,New Or‐leans,LA70113, (504) 5235872.
PatriceM.Battiste, "en‐tered into eternalrest" on SaturdayAugust16, 2025 atSt. Jude NursingHome. She was57years old. Patrice wasa resident of New Orleans, LA.She at‐tendedDanneel Vocational School andStriveInc.and she wasa member of Will‐ing WorkersBaptist Church,where sheserved asanusher.Daughterof the late Henryand Margie Battiste. Sister of Mary F. Jones,James Battiste,Sr. (Sonja),Henry Battiste III (Jackie)and thelateGlenn Battiste. Also survived by a hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,other
friendsofthe familyalso pastors,officers andmem‐bersofWilling Workers Baptist Church,New Zion Baptist Church,Tulane MemorialBaptist Church and Franklin Ave. Baptist Church andEmployees of StriveInc.are invitedtoat‐tendthe CelebrationofLife onFridayAugust29, 2025 for 11:00 a.m. at Willing WorkerBaptist Church 2715 Washington Ave. New Orleans,LA70113. Visita‐tion: 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.Rev.MelvinJones offi‐ciating.Interment:Mount OlivetMausoleum,2000 NormanMayer Ave. New Orleans,La. 70122 ArrangementsEntrusted ToEstelle J. Wilson Funeral Home, Inc. 2715 Danneel Street NOLA 70113. Infor‐mation: (504) 895-4903. To signonlineguest book pleasevisit www.estelle jwilsonfh.com
In Loving Memory of Clyde E. Butler Jr.Archi‐tect, Veteran, andBeloved FamilyMan ClydeE.Butler Jr.,a visionaryarchitect who helped shapethe sky‐lineand soul of NewOr‐leans,LApassedawayon August21, 2025, at theage of77. Born in Tylertown, Mississippi in 1948 to Clyde E.ButlerSr. andIdena Davis-Butler, he carriedthe valuesoflove, resilience and servicethroughouthis life. Clydegraduated from Booker T. Washington High School andhonorably servedinthe U.S. Army.As a member of the1st Cav‐alryDivisionduringthe Vietnam War, he faced the hardships of combat with courage andresilience,ul‐timatelyreturning home safely to NewOrleans, Louisiana.Following his militaryservice,Clyde pur‐suedhis passionfor design and earned hisdegreein architecturefromthe Uni‐versity of Louisianaat Lafayette.His earlycareer was marked by contribu‐tions to some of NewOr‐leans’mosticonicstruc‐tures,including Le Méri‐dienHotel,HiltonRiver‐side, Westin Hotel, andthe VAHospitaltonamea few. Clyde’s legacy deepened duringhis tenure as Senior VicePresident of Construc‐tionatthe AudubonNature Institute. Hisleadership brought to life transforma‐tiveprojectssuchasthe Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, theIMAXThe‐aterexpansion,Wolden‐bergRiverfrontPark, Audubon Golf Course,and the AudubonClubhouse and ahostofconstruction projectsunder the Audubon umbrella—eacha testament to hiscommit‐menttoenriching the city’sculturaland natural landscape.Heissurvived byhis devotedwife, Melissa Levy-Butler, who heloved dearly;his chil‐drenMegan,Clyde III (Onyx),and Mallory, who headoredbeyondmea‐sure; andhis cherished grandchildren,Pharaoh and MessiahButler, who heloved passionately Clyde also leaves behind his loving siblings Joyce Cooper(Roland), Cassan‐dra Butler,and Narekia Butler, threesisters-in-law, Adell Foxworth,Alberta and Marietta Levy,along witha host of nieces nephews,extendedfamily, and dear friends. Clyde’s warmthextendedtoall creatures greatand small. Headoredhis furrycom‐panions,treatingthemas treasured familymembers Heislovinglyremembered byhis grandcat,Drogon Butler, andgrandpups, Lolaand LouieButler. Those who knew Clydewill rememberhis love for cooking, gardening, tinker‐ing,his joyindancing,and above all, hisdeep devo‐tiontofamilyand friend‐ship. He wasprecededin death by hisparents,Clyde Sr. andIdena;siblingsMin‐nie LouWilliams, Jackal Butler, Dwight Butler,Clyde Ester Butler,Diane Nzinga, and Joan Butler;and his beloved grandpup,Symba Butler. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastors,officers andmem‐bersofFranklinAvenue Baptist Church,Fellowship MissionaryBaptist Church/First AfricanBap‐tistChurch,and Gretna UnitedMethodist Church, aswellascolleaguesfrom Audubon Nature Institute, MartinBehrman Charter School,Young Audience Charter School,Progres‐sive, City of Dallas,ULRe‐searchInstitute are warmlyinvited to attend theCelebration of Life Ser‐
viceshonoringClyde’s life atGretnaUnitedMethodist Church,1309 WhitneyAve., Terrytown, LA 70056 on Sat‐urday,August30, 2025. Vis‐itation begins at 10:00 AM followedbythe serviceat 11:00 AM.Interment will followatWestlawnMemo‐rialParkCemetery, 1225 WhitneyAve., Terrytown, LA70056. Arrangements entrusted to D.W. Rhodes FuneralHome, 3933 Wash‐ingtonAve NewOrleans LA70125. Please visitwww rhodesfuneral.comtosign the online guestbook, share memories andcon‐dolenceswiththe family. Clyde E. Butler Jr.leaves behinda legacy of service, creativity, andlove—alife well-lived anddeeply felt
Butler Sr., Joseph Alfred
Joseph Alfred Butler,Sr., entered eternalrestatthe New OrleansVAMedical CenteronMonday, August 11, 2025 at theage of 80 Mr. Butler wasborntothe lateJohn, Sr.and Shirley Brown Butler on November 5,1944 in NewOrleans,LA. In addition to hisparents, Josephisalsoprecededin death by threesiblings, MerrieNoelButlerLafar‐gue,John, Jr.and Sherman Antoine Butler.Survivors include asister, Dionne BarnesCooper; sons, JosephAlfredButler, Jr (Nell)and Jorren BriceBut‐ler;grandchildren,Bayleigh,JorrenB.Jr. andAtti‐cus Butler,aswellasa hostofother relativesand friends.A Celebrationser‐vicehonoringthe life and legacyofthe late Joseph A. Butler, Sr., will be held in the Chapel of Charbonnet Labat GlapionFuneral Home, 1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Friday,August29, 2025 at 1pm. IntermentPri‐vate. Visitation 12 noon in the chapel.Pleasesignon‐lineguestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion, Directors (504)581 4411.
Esvin Jacinto'Pit'
EsvinJacinto "Pit"Car‐rera-Pinedawas born on July, 27, 1970 in El Progreso, Guatemala to thelate EfrainCarrera andMarie ClementinaPinedaSanabria. Aftermakingthe UnitedStateshis home over30years ago, Pitbuilt a life marked by hard work, loveand resilience.He passedawayonSunday, August10, 2025 in NewOr‐leans LA.along with his fi‐anceZennitria "Nitra" Stevenson andstepson Jarrell StevensonSr. He was 55 yearsold.Beloved fatherofJohanaElizabeth Carrera,IsaiahAnthony Powell, EdwinCarreraFrost andAlexander ManuelCarrera-Frost.Pit's deep love forhis children was evidentinthe wayhe providedfor,protected and encouraged them.Al‐thoughhis passingleaves a deep void in theirlife, the bondand love he shared withhis children will for‐everlive. Pitisalsosur‐vived by otherrelatives and devotedfriends who loved himdearly. Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend the funeral serviceonFriday, August29, 2025 at New HomeMinistrieslocated at 1616 Carondelet St,New Orleans LA.70130. Thevisi‐tationwillbegin at 9AM followedbya 10AMser‐vice. Pastor Samuel R. BlakesSr. will officiate. In‐terment will be private. Fu‐neral planning entrustedto RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA.70037 (504) 2082119. Foronlinecondo‐
Bashful, Viola
Rosana Collins
Butler Jr., ClydeE.
Carrera-Pineda,
Battiste, PatriceM
4B
Cockerham-Howard, Cheryl Diane
Cheryl DianeCocker‐ham-Howard, age64, was bornonMay 7, 1961 in New Orleans,LA. Shedeparted thisearthly home on Tues‐day,August12, 2025.She attended Walter L. Cohen HighSchooland wasa ChefatHarrah'sCasino. She wasa member of Pro‐gressiveBaptist Church until herdemise. Cheryl was thelovingwifeof Larry Howard.Beloved motherofTykesha Gooden and LarryGooden.Devoted sisterofHazel,Joe,and WilliamCockerham,Yvette Harrison, BenichaSparks, Leandez McGee, Ruffin Jackson,Raymond Cocker‐ham andAnthony Jackson. She wasalsosurvivedbya hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,familyand friends.She waspreceded indeath by herparents RuffinHalland Martha Cockerham;her sonLarry Gooden;her brothers Ray‐mondCockerham andAn‐thony Jackson; andher grandparentsWilliam Har‐rison andHazel Harrison Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the CelebrationofLifeSer‐viceonSaturday, August 30, 2025 at Progressive Baptist Church,1214 S. Robertson Street,New Or‐leans,LA70113 at 10:00 a.m.Visitationfrom9:00 a.m.until 10:00 a.m. Private Burial. Youmay sign the guest book on www.ger trudegeddeswillis.com Gertrude GeddesWillisFu‐neral Home Inc.,incharge (504) 522-2525.
Coltora, John Frank'Johnny'
John Frank“Johnny Coltora passedawayon Monday, August 25, 2025 Hewas born in Mauston, WI on September15, 1941 Heissurvivedbyhis chil‐dren, JefferyColtora (Sheree Matherne Coltora) and Jennifer McGinnis (Denman McGinnis). Johnnywas theproud grandfather of Julieand JonathanColtora,and Den‐man andMaddy McGinnis Hewas preceded in death byhis wife of 62 years, Ar‐leneJourdan Coltoraand his parentsVeraMcKissick Coltora andFrank J. Coltora;and hisson,John Coltora,Jr. He will be missedbyall whoknew and lovedhim.Relatives and friendsare invitedto attend thememorialser‐vices at E. J. Fielding Fu‐neral Home,2260W.21st Avenue, CovingtonLA 70433 on Thursday,August 28, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. with visitationonThursday be‐ginning at 9:00 a.m. Inter‐mentwillfollowinAllison Cemetery. E.J. Fielding Fu‐neral Home hasbeenen‐trusted with funeral arrangements. TheColtora familyinvites youtoshare thoughts, fondestmemo‐ries, andcondolences on‐lineatE.J.FieldingFuneral HomeGuest Book at www ejfieldingfh.com
Cookmeyer,Perry Louis Perry Louis Cookmeyer, age 65, passed away on August 24, 2025. He was the husband of Lisa Cookmeyer, née Fernandez. Father of Eric James Cookmeyer and Evann Michelle Cookmeyer. Father-in-law of Morgan Laurent Cookmeyer. Grandad of Ellis James Cookmeyer. Godfather of five godchildren: Christopher Cookmeyer, Brittany Cookmeyer Tanner, Adam Cookmeyer, Blake Cookmeyer and Bailey
Cookmeyer. Brother of Ralph Joseph Cookmeyer Jr., Randy Joseph Cookmeyer, and the late Robert(Bobby)Hampton Cookmeyer.Hewas the sonofthe late Ralph Joseph Cookmeyer Sr. and thelateBarbaraJoyce Cookmeyer,née Funck. Visitationwillbeheldon September 6, 2025,at10:30 a.m. followedbya memorial serviceat11:00a.m.at Mary,Queen of Peace CatholicChurchin Mandeville,Louisiana.A
private burialwill be held at the FernandezCookmeyer House in Roads, Co.Kerry,Ireland
Inlieuofusualremembrances,memorial contributionsmay be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Southeast Louisiana (namisela.org). To signand view the Family Guestbook, please visit bagnellfuneralhome com
DickensJr.,Houston
HoustonDickens Jr., 91 years of age, aresidentof Metairie, LA,entered eter‐nal rest on Friday,August 22, 2025. Husbandofthe lateMae IdaVeals Dickens. FatherofLee OttisDickens and thelateDerrick Dick‐ens.StepfatherofDonald Veals,Sr. BrotherofEssie Dickens,Marie McNeal, De‐vores Barron,Frances Windsor, Wilma Jean Chap‐man andNathaniel Dick‐ens,and thelateMary Louise DickensWilliams, Helen Hamptonand Robert Lee Dickens. Domestic Partner of Yvette W. Ri‐varde.Alsosurvivedby fourgrandchildren,nine great-grandchildren,four‐teen great-great-grandchil‐drenand ahostofnieces, nephews,cousins other relatives andfriends.Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyalsopastor, officers and membersofHistoric SecondBaptist Church,are invited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Saturday, August 30,2025 for 10:00a.m.atHistoric SecondBaptist Church 2505 MarengoStreet, New Orleans,La. 70115. Viewing from9:00a.m.until 10:00 a.m.(servicetime).Rev RobertB.Jackson officiat‐ing.Interment:Providence MemorialParkCemetery, 8200 AirlineDr.,Metairie, La. 70003. Arrangements entrusted to Estelle J. Wil‐son FuneralHome, Inc. 2715 DanneelStreet,NOLA 70113. Information: (504) 895-4903. To sign online guest book,pleasevisit www.estellejwilsonfh.com.
Ducote,Estelle Erny
EstelleErny Ducote,age 96 passedawayon Monday,August25, 2025. Shewas the daughter of the lateVictoriaIna Hancock and John Hancock, Jr.and the belovedwifeof69 years to Paul Ducote Sr She wasalsoprecededin death by threesisters, Frances Erny,GloriaErny Jeanfreau,and Beth Erny Simmons andtwo broth‐ers,JohnJ.Ernyand Irvin C.Erny. Sheissurvivedby her cherished children PaulDucoteJr.,Brian Ducote(wife,Violet) and MaryAnn Veade(husband, Webster); her five trea‐sured grandchildren: ThomasVeade,Christine Kasper(husband,Jacob), StephanieJimenez (hus‐band, Eddie),Michelle Ducoteand Elizabeth Veade andher beloved13 great-grandchildren: Lennox Veade, Lela Veade, Luna Veade, Leif Veade, VivienneVeade,Dominic Kasper, Joshua Kasper, XavierKasper, Elizabeth Rose Kasper,Adeline Jimenez,OliviaJimenez, MiguelJimenez and TheodoreJimenez.She is alsosurvivedbya host of lovingcousins,nieces, nephews andfriends.Es‐telle wasa devout Catholic who wasaninspiration to many. Shewas dearly loved by allwho knew her and will be sorely missed. Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend theservicesatSt. Francis
Xavier Church,444 Metairie RoadinMetairie, LA on Fri‐day,August29, 2025. Visi‐tationwillbegin at 11:30 amfollowedbythe Funeral Massat12:30 pm.She will belaidtorestwithher husband in AllSaintsMau‐soleum. Fond memories and expressionsofsympa‐thy maybesharedatwww LeitzEaganFuneralHome. com.
Encalade,Wilfred Paul 'Toe-Joe'
WilfredPaul"Toe-Joe" EncaladeofPoint-AlaHache,Louisiana,passed awaypeacefully at Wyn‐hoven Community Care CenterinMarrero, Louisiana on Wednesday, August20, 2025, sur‐rounded by hisfamily. He was 74 yearsold.Heborn onSeptember 15, 1950 and was adedicated father grandfather andgreat grandfather.Heissurvived byhis children JuanitaEn‐caladeBattle(Rondell) and Brounsha Williamson (Ryieshia), andgrandchil‐drenDa'rell Williams (Markida),Da'brellEn‐calade, AllenWilliams, Da'juan Williams,Alaya Williams,Rayne Battle and Rondell Battle Jr.Hewas predeceased by hiswife JacquelineJones Encalade and hisparents Marieand WilfredEncalade. Wilfred was lovedbyhis family and will be tremendously missed. Serviceand inter‐mentwas private. Funeral planningentrusted to RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home(504) 208-2119. For onlinecondolences please visit Robinsonfamilyfuner‐alhome.com.
Ferbos Sr., Sidney Andrew
Sidney Andrew Ferbos Sr.,transitionedtohis heavenlyhomeonSatur‐day,August23, 2025. Sid‐ney wasbornonMay 11 1942 to theunion of the lateEmile andLillian Fer‐bos.Hewas oneof10chil‐dren. Sidney wasmarried tothe love of hislife, the lateSandraElizabeth Fer‐bos andtothisunion two childrenwereborn, Angela Maria andSidneyAndrew Jr. Sidney leaves to cherish his greatlife, thegemsof his life,his children,Angela F Clayton(Karl)and Sidney AndrewFerbosJr(Sherita); three beautifulgrand‐daughters,Synaea, Sivani and Sianna Ferbos;one sis‐ter nlaw,AlmaFerbos; one cousin, MamieBrown; de‐voted friends, Michael Bowersand CarolynB Johnson;and ahostof familyand friends. He was precededindeath by his wife, parentsand siblings Relatives,friends,Priest and parishioners of Corpus Christi Catholic Church are invited to attend theMass ofChristian Burial honor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late Mr.SidneyAndrew Ferbos, Sr at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, 2022 St.Bernard Ave.,New Orleans,LAonSaturday, August30, 2025 at 10 am Interment- St.Louis #3 Cemetery, 3421 Esplanade Ave NewOrleans,LA. Visi‐tation9 am in thechurch Pleasesignthe online guestbook at charbonnet‐funeralhome.com. Char‐bonnetLabat Glapion, Di‐rectors (504)581 4411.
Homegoing Service for Mr. Collins Foots,Sr. of NewOrleans, affectionately known by his family as "Grandpa" willbeheldat 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 1, 2025 at Antioch Baptist Church in Goudeau, LA.Hewas a dedicated truck driverfor over 40 years with Rabalais,INC.Mr. Foots, who celebrated theremarkablemilestone of 92 years of life,passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 20, 2025, at his residence in Dallas, TX, entering eternal rest. Interment willbeheldinthe church cemetery.
Rev. John Calbert willbe officiating thefuneral service.
Mr.Foots' memories are being cherished by: his children, Collins Foots,Jr., (Katherine) of New Orleans, LA,Katrina Marie FootsRileyofHouston, TX, and Jill Foots Chambers (Troy Sr.) of Dallas, TX; one sister, Viola Roberson;nine grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; and ahost of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.
Mr. Foots'ispreceded in death by: hiswife, Etta Mae Foots;parents, Ester Fontenot Footsand Albert Foots
Visitation willbeheldon Monday, September 1, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. at Antioch Baptist Church.
The family kindlyrequest that flowers be sent to: Antioch Baptist Church: 5187 LA-361, Evergreen LA 71356
Words of condolences may be expressed at fordandjosephfh.com
Ford and JosephFuneral Home,907 N. Market St., Opelousas, LA,(337) 9426750, is in chargeofarrangements.
Jackson, Shirley MaeWhite
ment St.Louis #3 Ceme‐tery, 3421 EsplanadeAv‐enue,New Orleans, LA 70119. Youmay sign the guest book on http://www gertrudegeddeswillis.com. Gertrude Geddes Willis Fu‐neral Home,Inc.incharge (504) 522-2525.
Johnson,Clifford Ronald 'Ron'
Johnson,Patricia AnnHardouin
ShirleyMae White-Jack‐son,age 84, wasbornon May 9, 1941 in NewOr‐leans,LA. Shetransitioned fromthisearthly home on Friday, August 22, 2025. She was agraduateofBooker T.WashingtonSeniorHigh School c/o1959 andSidney Collier Community College. Shirley wasa member of Mount Zion BaptistChurch and thesecretary forthe DesireRehab Center until her retirement.Shirley was the loving mother of Kim WhiteHigginbotham, Al‐bionFord(Sabrina) and Charlie HenriJackson Beloved stepmother of Stephanie Andrews, Oc‐tavia Yvette Andrews, Kandi Butler andKeith An‐drews (Natisha). Devoted sisterofLeola Bridges (Cleo), Lorraine White, San‐dra White, DorisLundy and Valerie Hampton. Shirley was also survived by 6 grandchildren,Jonathan Higginbotham, Ashley Ford, Albion W. Ford,Mysta Jackson,Charlie Jackson, and CareyJordan, 5greatgrandchildren Amani Atkins, CharlieB.Jackson, Ayra, Tatum, andBobby HigginbothamIII anda hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,familyand friends.She waspreceded indeath by herhusband Charlie Jackson; herpar‐entsHenry Whiteand BeatriceE.Brown; her stepfatherPerry Brown; her siblings CarolynMar‐shall andSam White; and her grandchildrenKisharra and BobbyHigginbotham, Jr. Relativesand friendsof the family, also Pastor,of‐ficers andmembers of Mount Zion BaptistChurch, Pilgrim BaptistChurch,Lit‐tle St.JohnBaptist Church and allneighboring churches,staff of Chateau DeNotre Dame,and the Doctors andNursesof Touro Hospital Q8 arein‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Friday, August 29, 2025 at Mount Zion BaptistChurch, 2200 DumaineStreet,New Orleans,LA70119 at 10:00 a.m.Visitationfrom9:00 a.m.until 10:00 a.m. Dr Rev.MitchellJ.Stevens,Sr. Pastor,Officiating. Inter‐
Clifford Ronald “Ron” Johnson passedawayon Monday, August 18, 2025 Ron wasborninWhite Oak,Missouriand livedin the NewOrleans area for 51years.Hewas aproud graduateofSoutheastern MissouriState University and wasa claims repre‐sentative forthe Social Se‐curityAdministrationfor 30years.Heand theloveof his life,VivianManes John‐son,built abeautiful life of 44years together,29of those as husband andwife. Hewas thedevoted stepfa‐therofLisaLarkin, Laure Tapia,James William Larkin, III andJanie Four‐cade, andtreasured PawPaw Rontohis 12 grand‐children, William“Tommy” Hollis, Hope Hollis,Daniel Tapia,Elizabeth Tapia, Michael Tapia, BrookeCole, Tabitha Coronna,Steven Larkin, GavinLarkin, Sloan Larkin, EmilyFourcade, and AndrewFourcade, andhis 11great-grandchildren.He was preceded in deathby his parentsJames Johnson and Bertha Goldsmith, as wellashis 7older siblings and is survived by aniece and nephews. Even though his children andgrandchil‐drenwerenot biologically his,herightfully called themhis ownwhile loving eachofthem fiercely and unconditionally.Ron loved boating,planes, andtrains, aswellasnaturephotogra‐phy (inparticularbirds, butterflies, andthe Natchez Trace).Heloved strumming oneofhis many Martinguitars andalso teachingsomeofhis grandchildren howtoplay, extending hisloveofmusic tothem. He enjoyedwatch‐ing hisbeloved St.Louis Cardinals andhorse racing Heenjoyed themusic of SisterRosetta Thorpe,Bob Dylan,Flats andScruggs, and Willie Nelson,along withmanyother talented performers. He wasonce anaspiringpilot,a charter memberofthe National World WarIIMuseumin New Orleans, andwas keenly intriguedbythe Civil War, 1930s, andWorld War II history. Hisloveof history also inspired himto beanavidreaderofmany history relatedtopicsand historical figures. He also enjoyed tellingstories about growingupinMis‐souri,along with sharing manyinteresting andto say theleast,funny life ex‐periences!Hewas amem‐ber of theCrescentCity Model Railroad Club,and the Copper Dome Society ofSoutheast Missouri State University.Hewas truly akind, loving,gentle soulwitha huge heartand hewillundoubtedly be sorelymissed. Much heart‐feltthanksand gratitude for theexcellent home care given by HeartofHospice especially to hisnurse, Jennifer, Chaplain Duane, and hospicecounselor Jes‐sica, forall theirloveand support.Funeral services willbeheldonSunday, Au‐gust31at3:00p.m.at Leitz-Eagan FuneralHome, 4747 Veterans Memorial Blvd, Metairie,LA70006 Visitationwillbefrom1:00 p.m.until 3:00 p.m. with service to follow.Inlieuof flowers, donationspre‐ferredtohis favorite mis‐sion, Trades forLife, care ofKen andMarionFuller (emailaddress: karlin‐fuller@gmail.comand phone number:(205) 2227084)
Patricia AnnHardouin Johnson,a teacherfor 30 years andhomemaker in New Orleans, Louisiana, wenttobewithher Lord and Savior peacefully sur‐rounded by herlovingfam‐ily on August 25, 2025. She was in 88 yearsold.Patri‐cia wasborninNew Or‐leans,March 16, 1937, to Vi‐oletJeannette Farley Hardouinand Rodolphe Rudy”Emile Hardouin Jr She wasthe oldest grand‐daughterofElmer and FriedaFarleyand Rodolphe Srand MarieCampo Hardouin. Shegraduated fromSt. Mary’s Dominican HighSchool andSt. Mary’s Dominican College. She reigned as queen of the Krewe of Omarzamong others. Shewas marriedto BurtonEugeneJohnson Sr in1958 for28years.She had 6children, 10 grand‐childrenand 4great grand‐children. Patricia wasa teacher for30years.She taughtfor theOrleans ParishSchool Boardfor 21 years most of that time at Hynes Elementary butalso includedCapdauJr. High She also taught at St James MajorElementary and St.Raphael Elemen‐tary. Shehad theprivilege ofpositivelyinfluencing manylives.She lovedall learningand teaching and encouragedher familyand studentstoplaychess, startingthe ChessClubat her school.She lovedthe Lordand wanted to share the good news of Jesus Christand Hislove. She was amemberofSt. An‐gelaMericiChurch and Wednesday morning prayergroup,The Rosary Mission Makers at St Christopher,The Apostles ofJesus at St.Clement of Romeand theSeniorCiti‐zensatSt. Angela.She was a member of theInterna‐tionalTeachersHonorary Society,Alpha DeltaKappa Phi Chapterwhere she servedinmanyofficer roles includingPresident She belonged to theRed Hat Hotties andHynes School RetiredTeacher group.Remaining to cher‐ish Patricia’s memory and loveare herchildren, Bur‐ton Eugene Johnson, Jr (Lois), Patricia AnnJohn‐son Grantham (Charles), Rodolphe“Rudy”Emile HardouinJohnson,David Wayne Johnson, Sr,(Polly) Elmer August “Farley” Johnson;and Violet Jean‐nette Farley JohnsonPe‐ters(Leo);her grandchil‐dren, Burton “Trey” Eugene Johnson III (Lauren),Tyler Wayne Farley Johnson, ParkerMartinJohnson, RobertGrantham(Megan) Charlie Olivia Grantham (Nate); DavidWayne John‐son,Jr.,DanielPaulJohn‐son;PatriciaLouisePeters, Ellie Michel Peters andLeo JosephPetersIII andher great-grandchildren Sebas‐tianEdwardGrantham, Is‐abelElaineGrantham, Evan ThomasJohnson and TuckerWells Johnson. Pre‐cedingPatriciaindeath are herparents Violet and RudyHardouin, hersister Barbara NanHardouinLev‐equeand herson-in-law Leo Joseph Peters Jr.Visi‐tationwillbeheldFriday, August29, 2025 at 10:30am atJacob Schoen &Son 3827 CanalSt.,New Or‐leans,LA70119. Funeral Masswillbeheldat 12:30pm in theJ.Garic ChapelwithFatherC.Beau Charbonnetofficiating. In‐terment will follow at Hope Mausoleum at 4841 Canal St.,New Orleans, LA 70119 In lieu of flowers, mass and prayers offeredinPatri‐cia’s name forher andher familywould be appreci‐ated. Arrangements by Jacob Schoen &Son Fu‐neral Home.Condolences may be left at www schoenfh.com.
Foots Sr., Collins
LaBauve, Sylvia R.
Sylvia R. LaBauveborn onApril 30th, 1949, in Buck‐town, LA went peacefully intoeternal rest on August 24th, 2025 while at home withher familyinMarrero LA. Shewas thebeloved daughterofthe late MichaelRodriguez and
JuliaOakman-Smith. Sylvia was adedicated worker withinthe JeffersonParish School Boardaswellas Meadowcrest Hospital.She alsospent many years working in Smitty's Donut shop, which wasowned by her mother andstep fa‐ther, where sheand her childrenspent most of their time.Thisiswhere her children learnedhard workethic,dedication, and resilience to be able to overcomeany obstacles theymay faceinlife. Her favoritepasstimes were sewing, crafting, cooking, and spending time with her family. Sylvia is pre‐ceded in deathbyher late husband LouisJ.LaBauve Sr.,her sonLouis J. LaBauve Jr., herbrothers Richard,Kenny,and Franky, aswellasher granddaughterRainMichelle LaBauve.Inaddition,her
beloved Boston Bull Terrier, Mr. Tibbs.She is survived byher sistersLinda Muh‐leisinand TanyaJude. As wellasher children Ter‐ressa (Paul),Marie (Troy) Marjorie(Kevin),William (Adrian), andJulia (Gus) She also leaves behind a sister-in-law Marian Treme, aswellasher grandchil‐drenJeffrey,Josh, Ken, Kody, Jules, Troy Michael, Olivia, Darren,Kevin,and Jade. In addition,a host of nieces, nephews, andgreat grandchildren.Inlieu of flowersand cards, we ask thatany donationsbeing madegotoSt. Joseph's Hospice Foundation to aid withhospice care forpa‐tientsinthe future.Special thankstothe people that madeher last days com‐fortable, hernurse Rachel Stewart,RNand Tasha Tyler andall the St Joseph'sHospice affiliates There will be aprivate ser‐viceheldbythe familyon August26th, 2025atMothe FuneralHomeinAlgiers With extremelyapprecia‐tivehearts, we give special thankstothe MotheFu‐neral Home familyfor tak‐ing specialcareofour motherinthisdifficult time.
Lawrence,Barbara Womack
ageand wasbaptizedat Old Zion BaptistChurch Hewas educated in theOr‐leans Parish School System and laterworkedincon‐struction andasa cook, where hislovefor food brought joytomany. He leavestocherish precious memories, daughter, Shakeitha Young;grand‐children, Jayla, Joe’land Jaylayah; mother,Mer‐cedes Dexter;siblings, Jacqueline, Nakia, Daffiny, Anthony,Germain andTim‐othy, as well as ahostof nieces, nephews, otherrel‐ativesand friends. Allare invited to attend thefu‐neral.A Celebrationser‐vicehonoringthe life of the late KeithD.Peterswill beheldatSt. Matthew Baptist Church,1826 Conti Street,New Orleans, LA 70112 on Saturday,August 30, 2025 at 11 am.Inter‐mentPrivate.Visitation9 am in thechurch.Please signonlineguestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581 4411.
MarieCordier Picou, gainedher eternalwings onWednesday,August20, 2025 at theage of 94. Marie was born on April12, 1931, tothe union of thelate James,Sr. andAlice Olivier Cordier.Mrs.Picou was joinedinHolyMatrimony tothe late Albert Picoufor 71years at the time of his death.Thisunion was blessedwitha son, Kevin Picou,Sr. In addition to her son,Kevin (JeniseGreen), Marie also leaves to cher‐ish hermemory, siblings, Alice (Milton) Ward,Leon Cordier andJeanne Larx; brother-in-law, Donald (Eloise) Picou; grandchil‐dren, Travis Rouchon, Kevin (Yahisa)Picou, Jr.and Devin (Kaja) Picou; great grandchildren,Nivay,El‐drin, Jesse, Yavinand Jor‐dyn,aswellasa host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends andThe Crew.In addition to herhusband and parents, Marieisalso precededindeath by a daughter-in-law,Cheryl Picou.Relatives,friends, Priestand parishioners of St. MariaGoretti Catholic Church,Employees of Han‐cockWhitney Bank,New Orleans Jazz andHeritage Foundation, ChisesiBroth‐ers,CHS,Freeman Boat‐works SC.and Charleston CountySchool District are invited to attend theMass ofChristian Burial honor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late MarieC.Picou at St. MariaGoretti Catholic Church,7300 Crowder Blvd.,New Orleans, LA on Saturday, August 30,2025 at 11 am.IntermentMount Olivet Cemetery 4000 NormanMayer Av‐enue,New Orleans, LA.Vis‐itation 10 am in thechurch Please sign theonline guestbook at charbonnet‐funeralhome.com. Char‐bonnetLabat Glapion, Di‐rectors (504)581 4411.
at 12:30 p.m. Minister BrendaSquare, officiating. Intermentwillfollowat Mount Olivet Cemetery, 4000 Norman MayerAv‐enue,New Orleans, LA 70122. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors
Simms Jr., Kenneth
KennethSimms,Jr.,age 30, aresidentofNew Or‐leans,passedawayonSat‐urday,August16th2025. He leavestocherish hismem‐ory,parents,DanaSpencer and KennethSimms,Sr; brother,Darnell A. Spencer;sisterinlaw CourtneyPeters, oneniece, two nephews, otherrela‐tives andfriends.A Cele‐bration servicehonoring the life of thelateKenneth Simms,Jr.,willbeheldat Ray Ave. BaptistChurch, 4712 RayAvenue,New Or‐leans,LA70126 on Satur‐day,August30, 2025 at 10 am. IntermentMount OlivetCemeteryand Mau‐soleum, 4000 Norman Mayer Avenue,New Or‐leans,LA. Visitation 9am inthe church.Pleasesign onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome. com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581 4411.
Stevenson, Zannitria Arlene 'Nitra'
On Wednesday, August 20, 2025 at 9:26 am in New Orleans,LA, TheLord saw fittocallanother oneof his children home.Barbara WomackLawrencepassed awaypeacefullyinher homeatthe ageof86. She isprecededindeath by her parents,Wally andGay‐lusha Womack;siblings, Karmel, George,Robert and Willie Womack,Ruby Walker, Martha Denham, MaryBarnesand Joyce Duncan. Sheissurvivedby her husband,Paul Lawrenceand devoted sons, Michael(Charlotte) and AlvinLawrence; daughterinlaw,Nicolette Daniels andKenneth Lawrence; daughter in law, Sandy Duet.Alsosurvived bygrandchildren,Adri‐anna, Bailey,Amanda, Mor‐gan,Brooke, Evan,Andre and Arianne.Relatives and friends areinvited to at‐tendthe funeral. Ahome‐going servicehonoringthe lifeofthe late Barbara WomackLawrencewillbe heldinthe Chapel of Char‐bonnetLabat GlapionFu‐neral Home,1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Saturday,August 30, 2025 at 10 am.Inter‐mentProvidenceMemorial Park, 8200Airline Drive, Metairie, LA 70003. Visita‐tion9 am in thechapel. Pleasesignonlineguest‐book@www.charbonnetf uneralhome.com.Charbon‐net LabatGlapion,Direc‐tors(504)581 4411 Simmons,KirtDouglas
Peters,Keith Dwayne
KeithDwaynePeters was born March28, 1971, in New Orleans, LA to Mer‐cedes andNorrisPeters, Jr
Heentered into eternal restonAugust18, 2025 at the ageof54. Keithac‐ceptedChristatanearly
Kirt DouglasSimmons transitionedonWednes‐day,August20, 2025. Kirt was born in New Orleans, LA, on July 2, 1953. Pre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐ents, WillieSimmons,Sr. and Lena Paul,and one brother,WillieSimmons,Jr. Heleavestocherish his memory, wife of 53 years, Nathalie; twodaughters, Keishia (Herbert)and Ani‐tra (Michael); threesisters; Carolyn Gumbs, Rosalie Simmons,ChanelWarren, one brother, Johnny Williams; five grandchil‐dren, threegreat-grand‐children, anda host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. Relativesand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe CelebrationofLife Service on Saturday,Au‐gust30, 2025, for1:30p.m atThe Boyd Family Funeral Home, 5001 Chef Menteur Hwy,New Orleans, LA 70126. Visitation will begin
Lloyd, andher Godmother; Wanda Pearson. Shealso leavesbehinda host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friendswho will for‐evercherish hermemories. Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the funeralservice on Fri‐day,August29, 2025 at New home Ministries lo‐cated at 1616 Carondelet St.,New OrleansLA. 70130 The visitation will beginat 9AM followed by a10AM service.PastorSamuelR BlakesSr. will officiateand interment will follow in HoltCemetery527 City ParkAve., NewOrleans LA 70119. Funeralplanningen‐trusted to Robinson Family FuneralHome, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA.70037 (504) 208-2119. Foronline condolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyfuner alhome.com
taught entirely in Swedish. Georgeispredeceased by his son, George HenryTrox‐ell IV,and hisparents.Heis survivedbyhis wife,Patri‐cia of NewOrleans;his brothers, JeffreyTroxell MD, of NewLondon, NH, and Todd Troxell, MD,of SaltLakeCity, UT;their families;and many nieces and nephewswho will carry forwardhis example oflivinglifefully,onone’s own terms. In lieu of flow‐ers,the familyasksthat you honorGeorge’sgener‐ous spirit with adonation toa worthy causethat benefits thoselessfortu‐nate.
Wagner,Mary Lyn Hirstius
ception willfollow at the home of Stephen and JennyWagner.Toviewand sign the online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawn metairie.com.
Wheeler II,Robert Charles
ZannitriaArlene"Nitra" Stevenson wasbornon September 7, 1974 in New Orleans LA.toGaynell Stevenson andJune Jack‐son.She departed this life inNew OrleansonSunday, August10, 2025 alongwith her fiance EsvinCarreraPinedaand herbeloved son JarrellStevenson Sr She was50years oldand a dedicated member of New homeMinistriesunder the leadershipofBishop SamuelR.BlakesSr. Nitra grewupinthe heartof New Orleansand was raisedinthe Magnolia Pro‐jects,(aplace shealways helddeartoher heartand proudly represented).She often visitedand wor‐shippedatthe NewOr‐leans SeventhDay Adven‐tistChurch under thelead‐ershipofPastorBenjamin Francois. Sheisthe beloved mother of Iriell Stevenson,GlenRuss, De‐shawn Travis andthe late Jarrell StevensonSr.,and the late Christopher Wooda" Conner. Devoted stepmotherofAlex, Edwin and Isaiah Cerrera-Frost cherished grandmotherof Ja'NarieWillis, Ja'nyi Stevenson,Jarrell Steven‐son Jr J'ziah Brownand MelodyRuss. Sheisalso her parentsGaynell Stevenson (Leonard)and JunerJackson,her siblings; George, Desmond, Brandon "Trina" Simmonsand PhiltrelConner, herfa‐voriteuncles; Theron,and Kevin Stevenson; herfa‐voriteaunt Loria"Lucy" Russell andher "go-to girls and sistersfromanother mother",EvangelineJohn‐son,Lynette Burton,Shawn Powell andDemetries
Park Memorial Cemetery andMausoleum (504)362-3091
George H. TroxellIII passedawayonAugust8, 2025, at theage of 79, with his belovedwife, Patricia, athis bedsideafter abrief illness. Aformerpresident ofthe AcademyofNew Or‐leans TrialLawyers,George lived aliferichinintellect adventure,and quietdefi‐anceofconvention. In the late1980s, he hiredPatricia Sheranashis secretary and office manager. Quickly realizingshe was indispensable,George married hertoensureshe remainedonthe “payroll for life.In1990, thetwo openeda lawpracticeon UpperCanal Street in ahis‐toric home George person‐allyrestoredwithPatricia. For decades, they worked sidebyside, taking pridein givinga voicetothose in need of asteadfastadvo‐cate. Outsidethe office, Georgeand Patricia shared countless days sailing, fishing, andcamping along the Gulf Coast. From an early age, George hadbeen anavidreaderand accom‐plished writer,eventually becoming fluent in four foreign languages. He de‐lighted in readinggreat works in theiroriginal tongues,refusingtosettle for translations whenhe could experience an au‐thor’swords directly.After retiring, he andPatricia traveledextensively—es‐peciallytoEuropeand Pa‐tricia’snativeHonduras— allowing George to keep his language skills sharp and hisappreciation for other cultures deep.Those who knew himbestwould tellyou that George wasas kindashewas opinion‐ated, always readywith adviceand steadfastinhis refusal to follow passing trends. Hisindependence ofthought wasmatched onlybyhis curiosity, his sharp wit, andhis appetite for knowledge, forthe per‐fectmeal, andfor therich‐nessoflifeitself. Born April 30, 1946, in Swarth‐more, Pennsylvania,to GeorgeH.Troxell Jr.and Nancy Armitage Troxell, Georgemoved with his familytoNew Orleansin 1956. He graduatedfrom MartinBehrman High School,attended Loyola University, andearnedhis law degree from Tulane Law School in 1972. His loveoflearningtook him evenfurther—acrossthe AtlantictoStockholm Uni‐versity,where he pursued advanced legalstudies
On August 22, 2025, Mary Lyn Hirstius Wagner passedawaypeacefully, joiningthe lovedoneswho went before her. Shewas 76 years old. Born on August 2, 1949, to George William Hirstius and Angele Faget Hirstius, Mary grew up in her belovedNew Orleans. She graduatedfromMount Carmel Academy (Class of '67) andthe University of NewOrleans (LSUNO, Class of '71). Marydedicated over 20 years to teaching in JeffersonParish public schools and, followingher retirement, continued to give backtoher community by volunteering at The NationalWWIIMuseum andwith the UNOAlumni Association.Mary is survivedbyher devotedhusbandof53years, Stephen WelchWagner;their son, Stephen William Wagner (Jenny); andcherished grandson, Evan. Sheisalso survived by hersiblings, Diann Hirstius andChet Hirstius; nieces Michelle, Loren,Cristen,Kimberly, andTayler; hergodchild, Leigh Erin; herin-laws; numerouscousins; and many dear friends,including her longtime collegefriend Marcia Kavanaugh.She waspreceded in death by herparents, George and Angele;her sister,Doreene Venturella (the late Stephen); herbrother George W. Hirstius II; anda belovedfamilyfriend, Marcella"Beth"Lukens. Mary deeply valuedher NewOrleans roots andtraditions andloved sharing themwith familyand friends—especially her fondness for CityPark, Bayou St.John, andHoly Rosary Church.Her warm smileand generous spirit captivated all whoknew her, whileher quiet strength andunwavering principles earnedthe respect of many. Aboveall, Mary treasured herfamily. Sheisforever loved and will be profoundly missed. Relativesand friends are invited to attend the gravesideservice on Friday, August 29, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. at AllSaints Mausoleum, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.(within MetairieCemetery). Are-
Robert CharlesWheeler II, born July 11, 1986, left us onAugust19, 2025, leaving behinda legacy of kind‐ness, creativity,and joy. He issurvivedbyhis loving mother, DeborahPerrin Wheeler,his father,Robert Wheeler,his brother, WilliamPeters, hisniece, Camin Peters,and his nephews,Liam“Ro” Ducrosand William“Trip Peters. Robert waspre‐ceded in deathbyhis sis‐ter,Elise Wheeler,and his brother,Matthew Ducros Peters. Robert attended St Paul’sHighSchool in Cov‐ingtonand went on to study chemistryatLSU be‐foregraduatingfromthe UniversityofNew Orleans witha degree in film.His lovefor film andmusic was matched only by hispas‐sionfor sharinghappiness withthose around him. Roberthad agiftfor lifting others’ spirits, andhewill berememberedmostfor the wayhemadesurethe peopleinhis life felt cared for andatease. He trav‐eledmanyroads and touched countless lives, al‐waysleaving behind warmthand laughter whereverhewent. Robert’s presencewillbedeeply missed, buthis memory willcontinue to inspire those who knew andloved him.Relatives andfriends are invitedtoattend the funeralmassonFriday, Au‐gust29, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. atE.J.FieldingFuneral Home, 2260 West 21st Av‐enue,Covington,Louisiana withvisitationbeginning at9:00a.m.Interment will followinGreenwood Cemetery, 5200 Canal Boulevard,New Orleans, Louisiana.A Celebrationof LifeinRoberts honorwill takeplace directly after the interment. E. J. Fielding FuneralHomeofCoving‐ton,Louisiana,ishonored tobeentrusted with Mr Wheeler’s funeralarrange‐ments.His familyinvites you to sharethoughts, memories, andcondo‐lencesbysigning an online guestbook at www.ejfield ingfh.com
TroxellIII, George H.
Picou, MarieCordier
Tangipahoa blastneeds thorough investigation
After plumes of smoke from amidafternoon blast at aplant darkened theskiesoverRoseland on Friday,hundredsofresidents were forced to evacuate. Whenthey wereallowedto return Monday,they found their possessions covered in an oilyblack soot andthe smell of grease in the air
Fortunately,noone was injuredinthe accident.But it was thelatest example of therisks we face as Louisianans as we welcome the jobs andeconomicactivitythat heavy industry brings to our area
It also highlighted why federal and state oversight of these industries is so important.If our state’scitizens are expected to continue to accept such risks, we also must havevigorous environmentaland regulatory agencies thatcan assess the dangers and force companiestoaddress them before tragedystrikes.
The investigation of the explosion at Smitty’s Supply Inc. is in the early stages. Thecompany blendsand distributes oil and otherlubricants under brand names including SuperS,Shell, Quaker State, Castrol, Exxonand Valvoline.On the 20-acre site, its storagetankscan hold up to 8.7 million gallons of lubricants suchasethanol, charcoal lighter fluid, hydraulic fluids,diesel, brake fluid and other flammable liquids, according to state regulatory documents.
We were glad to see that TangipahoaParishofficialstookquick action toclose the Tangipahoa Riverand keep spilled chemicals from flowing into the nearby Lake Pontchartrain beforeturningthe scene over to theEnvironmentalProtection Agency.Likewise, resultsofair andwater quality monitoring by theEPA andthe state’s Department of EnvironmentalQuality cangive residents some comfort. Gov. Jeff Landry’svisit to Amite on Monday showed that hisadministration has made the cleanup apriority.The longterm health and well-beingofresidents should remain in the forefront.
Although poorer communities often bear the brunt of environmental disasters —and certainly,many neighborhoodsinRoselandwhere theblast occurred, were not wealthy—we note that in this case,the homes evacuatedincluded that of former Gov.John Bel Edwards.
An investigation into whatcaused the explosion has been opened by the Occupational Health and SafetyAdministration. Smitty’s employs about 450 people in theareaand has been the subject of complaintsbefore.AccordingtoOSHA, the plant hashad twoinjuriesand one fatality since 2017 and was subjectto more than $58,000 in fines. State andfederalregulators have alsodocumented various spills over the years, some of which thecompanyadmitted were preventable.
We hope those affected andthe widercommunity get some answers soon.
And moreimportantly,wehope thisincident leads to action that will prevent future accidents, onesthat could be deadly.While there has been apush recently to weaken theenforcement of environmental rules, that devalues what theseagencies do. When accidents like this happen, they prove their wortha thousand times over
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
As alifelong resident of the Lower 9th Ward, a fifth-generation homeowner,and thefounder of Sankofa Community Development Corporation, Iread your recent article on the lack of grocery access in our neighborhood with disappointment. This is not to say thetopic isn’tcritical; it absolutely is, but it overlooks the real, ongoing work being done by thepeople who live here. It echoed the same tired narrative: that the Lower 9th Ward is still waiting for something to happen.
We’renot waiting. We’ve been working. For nearly two decades, Sankofa CDC has been responding to the legacy of food apartheid and systemic disinvestmentinour neighborhood not withcomplaints, but with action. We’ve grown urban farms, removed tonsofdebris from blighted lots, partnered withlocal farmers and fishers, operated mobile markets,employed community members, launched aMain Street corridor,created a40-acre wetland park and just last year,opened theFresh Start Market,the Lower
The proposed housing of nonviolent immigrants who have no criminal backgrounds at the Louisiana State PenitentiaryatAngola is barbaric, uncivilized and un-American. We say in our Pledge of Allegiance, “with liberty and justice for all” —“all” includes immigrants who may be here illegally Those politicians who advocate for such policies should be removed from
Lastfall, my van was hit broadside by adriver who ran ared light. The driver’slight had been red for several seconds. Thankfully,myfamily emerged from thecrash uninjured, very shaken and just glad to be alive. Ourvan, however,was totaled. Since that time, Ihave become much moreaware of how frequently this happens. Daily,Isee drivers blatantly run red lightsthat are very clearly red. When adriver runs ared light,
9th Ward’sonly green grocery store. That’snot theory.That’sboots on the ground. That’s progress. Have there been challenges? Absolutely.But despitelimited resources and systemic obstacles, we’ve pushed forward because we are not just rebuilding after Katrina. We are reclaiming our community,onour terms. The narrative that the Lower 9th Ward is “still behind” fails to see the people already doing the work. It disrespectsthe families whoreturned, rolled up their sleeves, andcontinue to build. As we approach the 20th anniversary of HurricaneKatrina, we call on the media to stop with surface-level parachutecoverage and start showing up with intention, consistency and respect Ourneighborhood is not ablank slate. It is aplace of resilience, culture, history and power We’rehere. We never left. And we’re not done yet RASHIDAFERDINAND founder and CEO,SankofaCommunity Development Corporation
office. These actions constitute agross abrogation of fundamental constitutional and civil rights. Furthermore, those policies are cruel, inhumane and ungodly.Every good andnoble citizen should stand up and be counted in opposing this grave injustice.
JASON SAVOY Mamou
their lives and their passengers’ lives are as much at risk as all the other drivers entering the intersection with thegreen light.Inthis situation, the potential for alife-altering crash for manyvehicles is very high. Perhaps areminder of this tragic “lose-lose” scenario will encouragethose drivers to stop next time they encounter ared trafficlight.
MICHAELENE WALSH Baton Rouge
Irecently took my 11-year-old grandsontothe airport.
As an unaccompaniedminor,I knewIwould have to check in at the airline kiosk, get both of us TSA passes, accompany him to the gate andwaitatthe gate until the plane departed.
Ialso knewfromrecent trips that short-term, long-term and surface lotparking have all been full. Upon arrival, thatwas the case, so my only recourse wastoswallowa $36 daily feefor valet parking. Afterwaiting for 20 minutes, I was told thatIcould not request my car back for the first 24 hours. At leastthe valetoffered to call security in charge of the short-term lot, andIwas allowedtopark.
Upon entering, Isaw what seemed to be severaldozen empty parking spaces with reserved signs. Iwas able to find two empty spots for legitimate parking.
Iknowmanywould ask, “What in the world were they thinking when theybuilt this 5yearsago?” Ichoosetoframe this looking forward: “Whatare theygoing to do to quickly resolve this?” Ihopethe answerisnot to park at the old airport andtakeashuttle back andforth.
Visitors needing rental cars complain bitterly of the extra hour or more requiredtoget arental.
Iamalifelong NewOrleanian, andfully understand the culture of privilege forour politicians and VIPs always having parking spots available
The public needstobeaware of what to expect the next time they must park at the airport, as this might well have been adebaclefor me andmygrandson. We all expect to be told of the solution and not addmoresurprisestoanalready fraught experience traveling by air in ourcity
DAVID ELIZARDI
Metairie
COMMENTARY
KATRINA YEARS
ROSS JUDICE on TRIAGE
As medical professionals, we all encounter tragedy daily —car wrecks, shootings, strokes and sudden deaths. But nothing prepared us for what we witnessed at theSuperdome during Katrina.
Iserved as thephysician medical director for Acadian Ambulance Service, which was the medical contractor providing EMS services at the Superdome. It wasAcadian’s tradition to staff the first aidstation at the Dome during hurricanes, since it was ashelter of last resort for people who were unable toevacuate thecity. Iwas there for twodays.
Though many of my personal memories remain buried, some scenes are still vivid:Diabetics in crisis, elderly people in heart failure, mothers in labor,and schizophrenicswithparanoia and hallucinations. Cancer patients wanted to know where they were goingtoget their chemo. Dialysis patients lookingfor direction. Thousands of people needing help all at once.
There was no playbook. When protocols failed, we had to invent solutions. For instance, oneofour air ambulance flightmedics evacuated six newborns from a flooded hospital using acardboard box padded with blankets. Everywhere, improvisation replaced procedure, andcourage replaced certainty Our small first aid station was meant to handle minor illnesses and injuries and occasional heart attacks. Relief came when aFEMA Disaster Medical Assistance Team set up in the smaller New Orleans Arena next door.Together,weimprovised asystem: triage patients in theSuperdome, stabilize critical patients in the arena,movethemacross the raised walkway to theSuperdome helipad, and then flythemtoBaton Rouge. At first, helicopters made 90-minute round trips to LSU’sbasketball arena,which had beenconverted into a field hospital. But thedemand
tomove large numbers of people out of the Superdome was overwhelming. The breakthrough came when we realized the Interstate 10/Causeway cloverleaf outside of the flood zone could serve as an ambulance staging area and helicopter drop-off. Helicopters could cycle patientsout of the Superdome in minutes instead of hours, and ambulances could take them directly to moredistant regional hospitals. As fast as thehelicopters could land on the helipad, we would fill them with sick and injured people fortheir flight out
Theconditions inside the Superdome deteriorated rapidly.Inthe chaos of medical evacuations, families were tornapart, with no system in place to track where loved ones had been flown or which hospitals had received them. Rumorsswept through the Dome —whispers of violence, of rapes, of failing generators about to flood.
The National Guard urged us to strip off our orange vestsand conceal our stethoscopes to avoid being singled out. Fear for our own lives grew palpable. Iwondered if this was what soldiers meantbythe “fog of war.”
Those days in New Orleanswere heartbreaking,yet what standsout most in my memoryisthe grit and determination of my colleagues paramedics, nurses, doctors and supportstaff. Oneco-worker persuaded three 18-wheeler drivers to push through floodwaters to Charity Hospital, where they loaded 48 patients andseveral staff members into the backs of those trucks and carried them out of thecity.Employees from Acadian’smaintenance department waded through 4feet of filthy water, hauling coolers filled with hamburgers so we could have ameal while working at the Dome. Icould tell a thousand stories like these —people sacrificing and pitching in with whatever they had. Even my own family found ways to help: Three of my
brothers flew intothe Superdome to assist with patient care and establish satellite communications.
Alot has changed in the 20 years since Katrina and Rita. Unfortunately,the standing of health care professionals seemstobeeroding. Online criticism is now routine. Public cynicism towardscience has grown louder.Meanwhile, ourhealth care system remains deeply flawed —profit-driven, bureaucraticand nearly impossible for theaverage patient,oreven theaverage physician, to navigate.
Beyond the core duty of caring for patients, today’shealth care workers face crushing workloads, chronic staffing shortages, endless paperwork and the dictates of insurance companies and profit-focused administrators. They endure verbal and physical abuse, punishinghours and the moral injury of knowing what their patients need but being unable to provide it.Layer onto that theshocks of pandemics and the increasing frequency of natural disasters, and it becomes clear: Working in health care today requires extraordinary commitment, resilience and sacrifice.
Idon’tthink about Katrinaevery day, but forgettingisimpossible. The memories remain etched in me like awatermark —faint at times, butalways present.
It’shard not to envision another catastrophe that could once again plunge us intochaos. In theyears since, I’ve cometocall myself a “practical prepper.” Itrainedasa ham radio operator,stockpiled food and essential suppliesand never leave home without my “get home or go” bag, packed withthree days’ worthofgear.I’ve made peace with the idea that disasters are not aquestion of “if” but “when.” And when that moment comes, thetruest resource we will have is eachother —our neighbors, our colleagues, our community
Ross Judice, M.D., served as chiefmedical officer of Acadian Ambulance Service from 1998 to 2010. He is the author of ‘The Katrina Diaries,’a firsthand account of medical responders’ experiences in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Throughout August and September,weare featuring reflections on the 20th anniversary of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, two storms that changed Louisiana forever
STAFFFILE PHOTOByBRETT DUKE
Feel-good surprises show up on Saints’ roster
These five playersbeat theoddstomakethe cut
BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer
Every year,there are ahandful of players whomake a53-man roster that hardly anyonecould have seen coming before training camp began. The odds were stacked against them. They began buried on the depth chart. Theywere an afterthought because of their draftstatus, if they were even lucky enough to be drafted at all. They wereignored.
But coaches love competition. And since taking over the New Orleans Saints,coach Kellen Moore emphasizedhe’d have no preconceived notions about theroster.Everyone, he said, would have achancetoearn their spot. Moore meant it.
That mentality wasnot only reflected in hischoice to start quarterback Spencer Rattler over rookie Tyler Shough, but it was also
ä See SAINTS, page 4C
Saints linebacker Isaiah Stalbirdreacts after making astop against the Jacksonville Jaguars during apreseason game on Aug. 17 at the Caesars Superdome.
Crystalball predicts satisfying season forTulane
Most teamswould foldafter taking aone-twopunch like theone Tulane football experienced earlier this year
When Darian Mensah andMakhi Hughes left for Duke and Oregon, respectively,via the transfer portal, they took most of the Tulaneoffense with them. Addinnine other starters or keybackups who transferred, and the attrition wasstaggering from lastyear’s9-5 team
ButJon Sumrall remains indefatigable. The second-year Tulane coach refused to whine about the circumstances and spent the offseason reloading his strip-mined roster
The Green Wave will have 17 new starters this season.Amongthem are severalnotable transfers, including quarterback Jake Retzlaff, running back Maurice Turner,center Jack Hollifield, and edge rushers Santana Hopper and Maurice Westmoreland. They’repart of an offseason overhaul that saw 60 new players join the Green Wave from ayear ago.
“There’ssome uncertainty,but Igot alot of confidence in this team,” Sumrall said. “I have hope because Ilike our ability. This team is everybit as good as the bunch we had last year.”
Despite the heavyturnover,the Green Wave is favored to win the American Conference. That’savote
The move didn’tcome as much of asurprise. When the New Orleans Saints trimmed their roster from 90 to 53 on Tuesday,defensive end Isaiah Foskey wasn’tonit. Foskey, just alittle more than twoyears removed from being asecond-roundpick by the Saints, never lived up to expectations. The last timeFoskey sacked aquarterback was in November 2022. That was against Southern Cal as Foskey was finishing up his stellar career at Notre Dame. He finished as the school’sall-time leader in sacks. All of his college success and all the boxes he checked at the NFL combine nevertranslated to theNFL.Atleast not with the Saints. Who knows? Perhaps he latches on with another team and resurrectshis career like former Saints Trey Hendricksonand Zack Baun did when theymoved on. Or maybe he hit his peak in SouthBend. Whichever direction hiscareer goes from here, onething is clear: He’s the latestina recentrun of guys theSaints selected with atop-40 pick whodidn’tquite pan out, including Marcus Davenport and
of confidence to Sumrall, whohas proven to be askilled recruiter and capable roster builder in the NIL era. Time to check thecrystal ball to see what this season holdsfor the Green Wave: WEEK 1VS. NORTHWESTERN •SATURDAY
If you’re wondering when the last Big Tenteam played at Tulane it was 1955, when Tulane beat Northwest-
ern21-0atTulane Stadium. In fact, Tulane is 3-1all-time against Northwestern. The Wildcats should be improved from last year’s 4-8team. They stocked up in the transfer portal and will have afamiliar face at quarterback in Preston Stone, who transferred from SMU this offseason. Still, the Green Wave is 5.5-point favorites forareason. Tulane 23, Northwestern 16
WEEK 2ATSOUTH ALABAMA •SEPT.6
The Green Wave will need to avoid aletdown because SouthAlabama will be no walkover.The Jaguars have recorded three consecutive
ä See TULANE, page 5C
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
Priortobecoming the starting quarterback at LSU, Garrett Nussmeier hadareputation as agunslinger He hadabig armand wasnever afraid to letitrip. That talentand tendencywere on display in the 2022 SEC championship game, when Nussmeier replaced an injured JaydenDaniels in thesecondhalfand uncorked a 57-yard completion and two touchdown passes of 30-plus yards. The expectationheading into his first season as astarter in 2024 was more of thesame, but thatdidn’tend up becoming the reality.The LSU offense had trouble taking the top offofdefenses. The vertical passing gamebecame aweakness of the attack. Nussmeier wassecond in thecountry in pass attempts of 20 or more yards, but
Rod Walker
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
wide receiver Barion Brown makesa catch during practice on Aug. 15 at the
Jeff Duncan
Burns makes U.S. Ryder Cup squad
Captain Bradley picks six, snubs himself
BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer
U.S. captain Keegan Bradley went down the list of six names to fill out his Ryder Cup team, one by one, the suspense building whether he would call his own name and become the first playing captain in 62 years. Turns out Bradley knew all along. He had only one job in mind, and he said Wednesday while announcing his six captain’s picks — none named Bradley — that the best chance for the Americans to win the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black was to leave his golf clubs at home.
“I know 100% for certain that this is the right choice,” Bradley said.
Shreveport native and former LSU golfer Sam Burns was one of the golfers who made Bradley feel that way Burns — along with Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, Cameron Young and Patrick Cantlay ended up being Bradley’s six captain picks. This marks the second straight Ryder Cup selection for Burns, who finished seventh in the PGA Tour’s FedExCup that wrapped up Sunday in Atlanta. He posted a 1-2 record in Italy during the 2023 Ryder Cup.
“Getting selected to these teams are some of the highest honors you can achieve,” Burns said. “I’m privileged and honored to be a part of this team.” Burns finished 16th in the Ryder Cup points, but he completed the 2025 season as the PGA Tour’s top putter
“He’s incredibly passionate and the best putter on the planet,” Bradley said. “He has an extreme competitive fire. He’s won the match play, and his back was against the wall and he played well to make this team. I can’t wait to see him out there in front of those fans.”
The automatic U.S. qualifiers were Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, J.J. Spaun, Harris English and Russell Henley
Although he didn’t win this season, Burns made more than $6 million this season, which he has now done for four straight years.
He’s made at least $5 million for five straight years.
“It’s going to be an incredible week; we will have tons of support,” Burns said. “These fans love getting behind their teams and their country. Hopefully we can rally behind that energy.”
For all the speculation — especially after Bradley made a bold run at winning the Tour Championship last week Bradley said he had known “for a while” he would not be the first playing captain since Arnold Palmer in 1963.
“I grew up wanting to play the Ryder Cup. It broke my heart not to play, it really did,” he said. “Ultimately, I was chosen to do a job. My ultimate goal was to be the
best captain I could be.”
Bradley went with a pair of Ryder Cup rookies in Young and Griffin. Thomas, Morikawa, Burns and Cantlay all were on the last U.S. team. Europe, which will announce the rest of its team on Monday, is likely to return 11 of the 12 players who won in Rome two years ago. Luke Donald returns as captain. Bradley made a compelling case as a pick, and he likely would have been chosen without much argument if he had not been captain. He has won twice in the last 13 months against strong fields — only Scheffler has won more since then. He finished at No. 11 in the Ryder Cup standings and was the eighth-best American in the world ranking. He said when he was appointed in July 2024 that he would play only if he qualified. And then he won the Travelers Championship and said, “This changes the story a little bit.” All
along, it became a singular talking point about the Ryder Cup.
“No matter what decision I made, I’m going to be defined by this decision,” Bradley had said at the Tour Championship, calling it the biggest decision of his career Instead, he will stick to being captain, a decision that is sure to be second-guessed if the Americans don’t win.
Thomas is playing in his fourth straight Ryder Cup, making him the most experienced American on the team. He also was part of the committee that selected Bradley at 39 — the youngest Ryder Cup captain since Palmer was 34 — to be captain last year
“He wants to do whatever is best for the team,” Thomas said.
“I know all of us are gutted for him. But him leading us to victory will be cooler than any experience he can have as a player We don’t doubt him for one second.”
Staff writer Roy Lang III contributed to this report.
Djokovic’s back in third round of U.S. Open
BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP tennis writer
NEW YORK — For the second contest in a row at this U.S. Open, Novak Djokovic appeared a bit sluggish, a bit off, for a stretch.
This time, he even dropped the opening set. And then, as always at Flushing Meadows, the 24time Grand Slam champion progressed to the third round.
Djokovic improved to 36-0 across the first and second rounds in New York, a place he’s won four championships, by coming back to beat 145thranked American qualifier Zachary Svajda 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium on Wednesday
“I really tried to soak it in and enjoy the moment, especially when I won the first set,” said Svajda, a 22-year-old from San Diego.
“It kind of shocked me. I was like, ‘Wow!’”
Asked on court afterward how he felt in his first competition since losing to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinals on July 11 while hindered by a groin injury, Djokovic replied: “Not that great, to be honest.” Svajda noticed.
“He was missing a little bit,” said Svajda, who got cramps in his legs and arms as the match wore on. “He was getting a little frustrated.” At his news conference later, the 38-year-old Djokovic spoke a little more about his mood.
“It’s not a motivation thing. It’s just like me a bit frustrated with my game, and then I kind of go through stuff internally that — you don’t want to know the details what I’m going through and
“He does everything so well, which is incredible It’s Novak Djokovic, so there’s not a big weakness.”
ZACHARy SVAJDA
telling myself,” he explained after getting to the third round at a major for the 75th time, breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most such appearances by a man.
“I’m just trying to be locked in. Just trying to solve the riddle once I’m on the court,” Djokovic said.
“It’s not like I’m not finding joy on the court competing. I enjoy
competing, but I don’t enjoy not playing well.
Other events
“That’s why I put extra pressure on myself and my team to be better the next day, the next match.”
That will come against Cam Norrie, a British left-hander who reached the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2022 and is 0-6 against Djokovic. Norrie got past Francisco Comesana of Argentina 7-6 (5), 6-3, 6-7 (0), 7-6 (4) in four hours and now it’s his turn to face the task that Svajda did Wednesday against Djokovic.
“He does everything so well, which is incredible,” Svajda said.
“I was talking to my team and coaches before, trying to figure it out It’s Novak Djokovic so there’s not a big weakness.”
No 5 seed Jack Draper, a semifinalist in 2024, withdrew because of a lingering injury to his left arm. Winners included both of last year’s runners-up — Jessica Pegula and Taylor Fritz — along with No. 10 seed Emma Navarro and 2021 champion Emma Raducanu. No. 12 Casper Ruud, whose 0-3 record in Grand Slam finals includes a loss to Carlos Alcaraz at Flushing Meadows in 2022, was eliminated 6-4, 3-6, 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 by Raphael Collignon of Belgium. The 107th-ranked Collignon had never won a match at a major or played a five-setter until this tournament. Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka were scheduled to play their second-round matches in Ashe at night.
LSU men’s hoops hires ex-Texas A&M assistant
Coach Matt McMahon has welcomed a new member to his LSU men’s basketball coaching staff 70 days before the team’s season opener Vince Walden was hired as an assistant coach, the program announced Wednesday The Suffolk, Virginia, native most recently spent six years with Texas A&M, serving as an assistant coach last season. Walden replaces assistant coach Yasir Rosemond, who was hired April 7 but left the team June 21 for the same role at his alma mater Oregon. Walden helped the Aggies achieve a 23-11 record and fifth-place finish in the Southeastern Conference (11-5), serving as the team’s director of basketball operations before last season. Walden spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Arkansas State before working at Texas A&M.
Vikings bring back WR Thielen in Panthers trade
The Minnesota Vikings acquired 13-year veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen, who has the thirdmost catches in franchise history, in a trade with the Carolina Panthers on Wednesday
The Vikings sent a 2026 fifthround draft pick and a 2027 fourthround pick to the Panthers for Thielen, a conditional 2026 seventhround pick and a 2027 fifth-round pick in the deal, which was pending him passing a physical exam. Thielen, who turned 35 last week, was set to make $8.75 million this season, of which the Panthers already had paid out $1.75 million.
The Vikings, who have ample salary cap space, will assume the remaining $7 million on the contract, unless the two sides agree to adjust it.
Ravens extend safety Hamilton with $100M deal
Kyle Hamilton has been added to the list of Baltimore Ravens players to receive a big new contract this offseason.
The Ravens agreed to a fouryear, $100.4 million extension with the star safety The deal includes $82 million guaranteed, according to a person with knowledge of the contract, speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the terms weren’t announced.
The deal for Hamilton, an AllPro in 2023, comes after the Ravens gave running back Derrick Henry an extension through 2027 and receiver Rashod Bateman an extension through 2029. Baltimore also re-signed tackle Ronnie Stanley this offseason, shortly before he was set to hit free agency
White Sox place center fielder on the 10-day IL
The Chicago White Sox placed Luis Robert on the 10-day injured list on Wednesday, a tough blow for the center fielder after he started to deliver at the plate.
Robert has a left hamstring strain.
He left Tuesday night’s 5-4 loss to Kansas City because of hamstring soreness. The White Sox also recalled outfielder Will Robertson from TripleA Charlotte before their series finale against the Royals.
The 28-year-old Robert got off to a tough start this year, batting .190 with nine homers, 35 RBIs and 93 strikeouts in his first 79 games. He has been much better since the All-Star break, hitting .298 (34 for 114) with five homers and 18 RBIs in his last 31 games.
Chiefs receiver suspended for six games after crash Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice has been suspended six games for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy keeping him out of a series of high-profile games starting with next week’s season opener against the Chargers in Brazil.
Rice pleaded guilty about six weeks ago to two third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury
As part of his plea agreement from the March 2024 crash on a Dallas highway, prosecutors said, Rice also received a sentence of five years of deferred probation and 30 days in jail.
The NFL handed down its suspension, which Rice will not appeal after its own internal investigation.
FILE PHOTO COURTESy OF AUGUSTA NATIONAL GOLF CLUB
Former LSU golfer Sam Burns drives off the 11th tee during the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12.
Bradley
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KIRSTy WIGGLESWORTH
Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot to Zachary Svajda of the United States during the second round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday in New york.
FOOTBALL PREVIEW n DISTRICT 10-5A
Riverdale leaders back to attack
Perrilliat, Signal eye school’s first district championship
BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer
Riverdale returns its leading rusher and receiver as the Scottish Rebels look to secure a football district championship for the first time in school history.
Byron Perrilliat and Toren Signal were all-district performers on a team that defeated John Ehret for the first time last season but faltered down the stretch as East Jefferson took the title.
The pair have been teammates since before they began high school, back when they played on the same parkball team at Lemon Playground in Jefferson.
“We push each other to our max,” Perrilliat said. “Getting each other better.”
This will be their final season together
Perrilliat rushed 103 times for 1,051 yards and eight touchdowns, plus 25 receptions for 580 yards and nine scores last season. Signal had 49 receptions for 930 yards and 14 touchdowns.
“They both have been together since
“I’m a hard worker Dedicated my life to football. As a football player, there’s going to be some hard times. There’s going to be times when you might feel discouraged, or you might think football is not for you. It’s only up to you to determine how long you want to do this.”
Riverdale WR
TOREN SIGNAL,
playground,” Riverdale coach Mark Longo said. “They played together at the middle school with some of the coaches we have on staff now They just keep maturing every year, getting better every week. They’re locked in, they’re ready We expect big things from the both of them.”
The two players have improved every year When Perrilliat first began playing high school football, “the game was coming up fast and I really couldn’t understand it,” he said. “But as I started getting experienced, the game started slowing down to me.”
Perrilliat, whose uncle Nakia Lumar was a standout running back at Nicholls State in the 1990s, learned more about defensive alignments and “how linebackers flow and move,” he said. That recognition helped him average better than 10 yards per carry last season.
“I really feel like I made a jump be-
tween the summer and now,” Perrilliat said. Signal has shown similar progress as a receiver “I’m a hard worker,” Signal said. “Dedicated my life to football. As a football player, there’s going to be some hard times. There’s going to be times when you might feel discouraged, or you might think football is not for you. It’s only up to you to determine how long you want to do this.”
Signal sometimes works out on Sundays with former Edna Karr quarterback A.J Samuel. The two are cousins. Signal and Perrilliat have hopes that their final season together will be their best one yet.
“That’s my dog,” Signal said of Perrilliat. “He works for it no matter what. He’s probably one of the hardest workers, for sure. You can tell he wants to be great and take us to the next level.”
Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@ theadvocate.com
LOOKING BACK
1. East Jefferson
Last year: 8-4 (reached second round), 5-0
2. Riverdale
Last year: Last year: 5-5 (first round), 3-2
3. Bonnabel
Last year: 5-6 (first round), 3-2
4. John Ehret
Last year: 4-6 (missed playoffs), 3-2
5. West Jefferson
Last year: 2-7 (missed playoffs), 1-4
6. Higgins
Last year: 2-8 (missed playoffs), 0-5
7. Ben Franklin
Last year: 1-7 (no district honors), N/A
FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Deron Hervey
LB | Bonnabel
The 6-foot, 200-pound all-district selection at linebacker last season also will play running back to boost his college potential, coach Andre Anthony said. “He’s a workhorse,” the coach said.“Knows the game.”
David Melendez
OL/DL | East Jefferson
A 6-1, 270-pound interior offensive lineman who earned all-district honors last season. He also will play defensive line against run-heavy teams, coach Karl Williams said.
MaKennie Nichols
DL | John Ehret
A disruptive player in the middle of the defensive line posted 31/2 sacks among his 32 total tackles along with one fumble recovery in an all-district junior season.
Byron Perrilliat
RB | Riverdale
An all-district returnee with game-breaking ability (10.2 yards per carry) who topped 1,600 all-purpose yards (1,051 rushing, 580 receiving) and scored 17 touchdowns from scrimmage.
Toren Signal
WR | Riverdale
The top returning receiver in the district (49 receptions, 930 yards, 14 touchdowns last season) will have a different quarterback throwing him passes this season.
FIVE THINGS TO KNOW
1. Reigning district champion East Jefferson is without 16 starters from last season but returns Melendez along with Darrell Robinson as all-district performers on the offensive line.QB Curtis Johnson will be a first-time starter
2. Ehret seeks a resurgence with veteran head coach Willie Brooks. Junior Sylas Rood returns as a QB along with standout sophomore WR Darrell Taylor
3. Riverdale returns all-district kicker David Diaz in addition to Perrilliat and Signal on offense. Lance Simmons will play QB after he missed parts of the past two seasons to injury.
4. Other new head coaches in the district include longtime assistants Mark Longo at Riverdale and Karl Williams at East Jefferson. Former interim coach Marcel Andry is at West Jefferson. Former Edna Karr and LSU standout Andre Anthony is at Bonnabel.
5. Other QBs in the district are Chris Bradley at Higgins, Paul Armstrong at West Jefferson and Karl Perkins at Bonnabel.
Tulane released its men’s and women’s nonconference basketball schedules on Wednesday, with the men playing nine home games, the women eight and both teams having two road contests in
addition to traveling for a holiday tournament.
After an exhibition against Centenary on Oct. 28, the men host Samford on Nov 3 Texas State on Nov 8, UNO on Nov. 14, Nicholls State on Nov 28, Grambling on Dec. 2, Akron on Dec. 6, Tougaloo on Dec. 10, Louisiana Tech
ceiver corps that lacked it a year ago.
on Dec. 17 and Portland State on Dec. 20
The Green Wave also plays at UL on Nov 11 and at UC San Diego on Dec. 13, and will compete in the Charleston Classic against Utah State on Nov 21 and either Boston College or Davidson in the same event on Nov 23.
The women start with an exhibition against Loyola on Oct. 29 before hosting Campbell on Nov 3, Missouri on Nov 6, North Florida on Nov 12, LSU on Nov 17, Missouri State on Dec. 4, UNO on Dec. 14, Delaware State on Dec. 20 in the Tulane Holiday Tournament, and either Mercer or Detroit on
Dec. 21 in the same event. The women’s two road games are against North Dakota State on Nov. 21 and Alabama on Dec 17
They travel to the Paradise Jam on the island of St. Thomas for a Nov 27 game against Elon before facing either Boise State or North Dakota on Nov 28
he completed only 36% of those throws, according to Pro Football Focus. LSU threw the ball often, but many of Nussmeier’s passes were shorter attempts. His average depth of target for the season was under 10 yards, per PFF
For offensive coordinator Joe Sloan and coach Brian Kelly, creating more explosive plays through the air was an emphasis this offseason.
“Yards is one thing, but you’ve got to score points, and that comes from explosives a lot of times,” Sloan said. “It comes from explosive-play touchdowns.”
Generating those big throws should be easier for the Tigers this season after they added Kentucky transfer Barion Brown from the transfer portal and brought back fifth-year senior Chris Hilton. Both wideouts provide elite speed to a wide re-
“Fast, and he’s really good at tracking the ball downfield,” Hilton said of Brown. “That’s one of the things that impressed me the most.”
Hilton played in only six games last season because of injuries. A fully healthy version of him from the start essentially is adding a new player to the mix alongside redshirt junior Aaron Anderson, senior Zavion Thomas, redshirt sophomore Kyle Parker and Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson. Thomas, Hilton, Brown and redshirt freshman Jelani Watkins have the speed to threaten any defense downfield.
“We got me, Jelani, Chris,” Brown said. “It’s some people that can move.”
Nussmeier agrees that LSU is more equipped to create more explosive plays through the air this season. He believes it’s the biggest difference between the LSU offense this year from last year
“We’ve got a lot more speed,”
Nussmeier said. “We’ve got a lot more guys that can go take the top off the defense. And so I think
that’s something that’ll help open up our entire offense as a whole a lot.”
An improved deep passing attack also will help LSU become more efficient in other aspects of its offense. Running the ball and throwing short to medium passes the former of which the Tigers struggled to do — are easier to accomplish efficiently when safeties and cornerbacks are playing with greater caution, making sure nothing gets over their heads.
Generating those explosive plays won’t be easy in LSU’s season opener against Clemson. The defense is a veteran group, featuring a defensive line that will make life difficult for Nussmeier to find enough time to throw it deep.
But for Sloan, leaning into LSU’s strengths as a unit will be important. And this offense, as constructed, should threaten defenses with the deep ball all year long.
“We’re going to get over the top of a lot of defenses,” Kelly said. Email Koki Riley at Koki.Riley@theadvocate.com.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
A Frederick A. Douglass player runs the ball as Byron Perrilliat, left, of Riverdale defends in Metairie on Sept 21, 2023. Perrilliat and Toren Signal are key players for Riverdale this season.
Local optimism in short supply on Saints SAINTS
BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer
We’re accustomed to threatening forecasts in New Orleans, so we should be prepared for the upcoming Saints season
Everyone, it seems, is predicting a stormy year for the Saints, even local media members who cover the team on a daily basis. My annual survey of local reporters forecasts a difficult season ahead. Only two of the 31 journalists predicted a winning season. This is easily the most pessimistic that local reporters have been about the team’s prospects in the five years that I’ve conducted the poll.
Preseason predictions are often wrong, though. We learned that lesson in 2000 and 2006.
Here’s the prognostications: Madeline Adams,WVUE-TV: “This team will be tested early with tough matchups against San Francisco, Seattle and Buffalo within the first four weeks. If the Saints can stay relatively healthy there’s a chance they can be better than most people around the league expect.” Final record: 5-12
Paul Chestnutt, WPNN-FM: “New head coach Kellen Moore will find ways to upset some teams, and the Saints defense will be better at stopping the run with new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.” 8-8-1
Mike Detillier, WWL-AM: “Early stages of a rebuild. I like the additions on defense.” 6-11
Jeff Duncan, Times-Picayune: “There are too many holes and unanswered questions on this roster for Kellen Moore and staff to find answers in 2025. Unlike 2000 and 2006, Moore doesn’t have the luxury of having a veteran quarterback to build around.” 4-13
Kendall Duncan, WDSU-TV: “The team will struggle to find rhythm offensively, and an aging defense compounds the struggles. That combined with the NFC South being vastly improved, results in another 5-12 campaign.” 5-12
Les East, Crescent City Sports: “Rookie head coach and youngest head coach in the NFL; least experienced group of quarterbacks in the league; shaky depth everywhere. If the rebuilt O-line is really good, which it can be, it can mask the inexperience at QB; if it’s not, it can exacerbate the inexperience. 6-11
Zach Ewing, Times-Picayune: “I’m not sure I believe the doom and gloom from the national media and oddsmakers. The defense almost has to be better than it was last year But is it going to be much better than that? The gaping hole of uncertainty at quarterback doesn’t leave me optimistic.” 5-12
Sean Fazende, WVUE-TV: “This season will have its challenges, especially early on. However six wins will be a great start to the Kellen Moore era in New Orleans.” 6-11
Marco Garcia, formerly Louisiana Spanish Network: “I’m optimistic primarily because of the defense and new mindset being installed by Kellen Moore and his staff.” 9-8 Garland Gillen, WVUE-TV: “The lack
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captured on the edges of the roster Five players, in particular, were long shots. Now, they’re not.
Isaiah Stalbird
Being described as a hybrid player is a compliment in the NFL. Being called a tweener is not.
Last year as an undrafted rookie, Stalbird straddled the line between the two categories. He spent most of the year on the team’s practice squad, first as a linebacker and later as a safety But when the Saints’ new coaching staff came in this spring, they moved him back to linebacker Stalbird benefited from the switch. And this summer, he came on strong throughout the preseason, something defensive coordinator Brandon Staley noted Tuesday
“It started clicking later for me,” Stalbird said.
The 25-year-old first got people’s attention with his thudding specialteam tackles. Then by the third preseason game, Stalbird was notably playing ahead of D’Marco Jackson who started the first two contests but ultimately got cut. Though he’s undersized at 6-foot-
of depth at offensive line and wide receiver is a major concern for the offense. The Saints will miss the playoffs for the fifth year in a row, but they’ll get a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.” 4-13
Bobby Hebert,WWL-AM: “After the NFL draft, I was thinking six to seven wins, but now I think we’ll be the same as last year five wins. My biggest concern is the offensive line play.” 5-12
John Hendrix, New Orleans Football: “I can find eight games the Saints could realistically win, but the problem is trusting them to deliver They have to have everything go right to produce something better than we are predicting. They’ve not been that fortunate historically, but I’m willing to buy the defense being better.” 7-10
Tina Howell, Canal Street Chronicles: “It’s a new era in New Orleans, and I believe Kellen Moore can put the Saints on the right track to success, but it will take time for everything to come together I think you will see an improvement from last season.” 7-10
Mike Hoss,WWL-AM: “While I’m typically a ‘get off my lawn’ guy in life, it somehow doesn’t apply to the Saints. I always lean more positive toward them, especially at the beginning of the season. If this team can get beyond the first four games intact, I think they are a 9-8 team and division winner I’ll get nailed as a homer for the Saints, but that’s OK. I’ve been called much worse in my 35 years.” 9-8
Sharief Ishaq,WDSU-TV: “Quarterback play, health and depth at offensive line, receiver, linebacker
1 and 215 pounds, Stalbird said his speed and physicality still give opposing offenses something to think about And those elements also translate to special teams Stalbird’s calling card. Similar to J.T Gray, Stalbird locked down his spot because of what he’s able to do in the third phase of the game.
That’s more than fine by him
“That’s always been my thing,” Stalbird said. “In college, I was a walk-on. Special teams was my path.”
Rejzohn Wright Wright has a knack for pestering wide receivers. It was no coincidence that Wright was featured in the first fight of training camp. Brandin Cooks punched him after the cornerback gloated perhaps a little too much after a solid pass breakup. But that sequence also explains why Wright ended up making the roster: He’s confident and aggressive.
“That’s what coach Staley said he likes about me, too,” Wright said during camp. “He said, ‘You’re not going to give them a play off.’ And I’m not, so.”
Wright’s frame (6-foot-2) and skill set match more of what former coach Dennis Allen looked for in his cornerbacks, and the 24-yearold had a strong training camp last
and cornerback are all legit question marks. I think parts of the season will be fun and competitive, but it’s gonna be tough at times. The future is bright under Kellen Moore, who will have some young talent to work with.” 5-12
Ross Jackson, LouisianaSports.net/ Locked on Saints podcast: “It’s hard to believe this Saints team loses more games than last year’s Dennis Allen-led, injury-riddled iteration, but it’s just as hard to believe it wins more right away This season is more likely to be about building momentum.” 5-12
Mario Jerez, Tropical Radio: “In my lifetime, the Saints have always surpassed expectations coming off an awful year and under a newly hired head coach. I think that will be the case this year, but not to the extremes of 2000 or 2006.” 8-9
Luke Johnson, Times-Picayune: “I feel better about the Saints future than I have in a long time. Kellen Moore is exceptionally bright, and he’s pulling all the right levers. Brandon Staley looks ready to reintroduce himself as a football genius, and there are some young players on the team who should excite fans. The Saints won’t be the worst team in football, but there is a lower ceiling with this group.” 6-11
Jared Paul Joseph, WGNO-TV: “The strength of schedule is deceiving. Some of the teams New Orleans faces had bad records last season, but a good chunk of them (San Francisco, Chicago, maybe even Arizona) will have better 2025 campaigns.” 5-12
Juan Kincaid, WVUE-TV: “The start
year until he suffered a season-ending injury before cuts were made. But healthy again, Wright showed he had the vision necessary to play in Staley’s scheme.
Wright’s best play of the summer was when he broke up a pass late against the Jacksonville Jaguars, leading rookie safety Jonas Sanker to grab the interception and force a 17-17 tie.
“Those last two preseason games, he put a lot of quality downs on tape,” Staley said. “I thought in the last game, in particular, he tackled extremely well. That play (against Jacksonville) was a really good indication of his training camp, where he was contesting the entire way And he’s a guy that we felt was an improving player.”
Wright has been on and off rosters since 2023. He has yet to play in a regular-season game. But that could change this year
Torricelli Simpkins
It was telling that even after the Saints traded for veteran Luke Fortner, Simpkins continued to get second-team snaps at center Simpkins — one of two undrafted rookies (punter Kai Kroeger) to make the roster — impressed throughout camp, especially after coaches moved him from guard to center According to The 33rd
Sara Palczewski, WGMB-TV: “I think this is going to be a rough year
Some of the key pieces on the roster are aging, there’s a lot of unproven talent and the QB room is inexperienced. Based on the culture Kellen Moore is building, the Saints will have some fun moments this season. But overall, it’s going to be a rebuilding year.” 3-14
Matthew Paras, Times-Picayune: “Despite a favorable schedule, there’s just too much uncertainty around the quarterbacks. This roster also needs work, and it’ll take time for the pieces to align with Kellen Moore’s vision fully I think Moore can be a solid coach, even if the product looks bleak at times this year.” 4-13
Jon Sokoloff, WGNO-TV: “The defense in Brandon Staley’s new scheme will hold its own and the offense will be up and down. The schedule is ridiculously easy to the point where I was close to picking the Saints to win seven games. Their opponents’ combined winning percentage in 2024 was .419 (second worst in the NFL). New Orleans will play only four games against teams that made the playoffs last season, which is tied for the fewest in the NFL. They play four games against teams that have a new starting quarterback, which is tied for third most.” 6-11
of the season is the key If the Saints don’t start 3-3, then I don’t see them getting to five wins.” 5-12
Ricardo Lecompte, WWL-TV: “I think the Saints can find six wins on the schedule, although I think they will struggle to start the Kellen Moore era. Also, that win total is contingent on the Saints front-line players being available for at least 90% of the regular season We’ll see if the workload measures taken during training camp help keep the team’s best players on the field.” 6-11
Fletcher Mackel, WDSU-TV: “Smart coaches, healthy playmakers, a solid O-line and a defense that has just enough juice. The Saints don’t finish with a winning record, but they clear the over/under that most sportsbooks have on them this season.” 7-10
Doug Mouton, WWL-TV: “I like what the Saints have done in Year One of the rebuild, but the team has too many depth concerns and will get below average quarterback play I think Kellen Moore will win in New Orleans, but not yet.” 6-11
Jeff Nowak, WWL-AM: “I don’t like to be this negative, but the reality is the Saints are in a takeyour-medicine season. This version of the Saints will be in a good number of games, but I don’t expect them to find the winning plays on offense often enough to put together a playoffcaliber campaign. The defense will keep scores low and Kellen Moore’s first season still can be viewed positively if it ends with the Saints believing they have the QB of the future and a high draft pick to build with.” 4-13
Team, Simpkins had 106 pass protection snaps without allowing a sack — the most in the preseason among rookies. Moore said Simpkins’ play style is “everything we want” out of offensive linemen. He’s big and aggressive, even when he’s not technically sound
“I’m going to try to give it my all every play,” Simpkins said.
Mason Tipton
Tipton had such a dominant camp that his roster spot actually never seemed to be in question. But that still spoke volumes about his progress, given he was definitely on the bubble heading into camp. Like last year, he was a standout in practices. But this year, he excelled in games, too. He had a 54yard touchdown against the Chargers and then had more yards in one game (100) against the Jaguars than he did all of his rookie year (99).
“Just having some growth for me from Year 1 to Year 2, I’m just more comfortable as a player,” I know what to expect. I know the ins and outs of the day-to-day and everything. And so it just allows me to pay more free.”
It’ll be interesting to see what role Tipton gets in the regular season He might get lost in the shuffle
Katherine Terrell, ESPN: “I haven’t seen enough at the quarterback position this summer to alleviate concerns about the Saints’ deficiencies in other areas. Their top three wideouts all missed significant time last season, and Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau (11 combined TDs last year) are both working back through serious injuries. The defense, with the exception of the safeties, is largely the same unit from the end of the 2024 season. The defense will have to take a big step forward from its 21st finish in total defense last year 5-12
Mike Triplett, New Orleans Football: “The schedule gets super easy after a brutal first four weeks, and I like the Saints’ “starting 22” more than most teams picked to finish 32nd. So they could eventually settle in and start winning half of their games over the last three months. But they’re paper-thin at almost every position, so even a normal level of injuries could derail them.” 5-12
Nick Underhill, New Orleans Football: “I’ve been at five wins this whole offseason, and I don’t think anything we’ve seen would make me move off of that prediction. There’s the potential for upside, of course. I think there are some bright spots. But this is a rebuilding team, and my expectation is that the results will reflect that reality.” 5-12
Rod Walker, Times-Picayune: “The Saints will need everything to go right (no injuries, the growth of the young QBs, offensive line play, etc.) to have success. The defense will be good enough to keep them in most games, but the lack of depth will do the team in.” 4-13
Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@theadvocate.com.
with Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Devaughn Vele and Cooks seemingly ahead of him. But his home-run ability gives the Saints an intriguing option.
Velus Jones
Jones declared he was the fastest player on the Saints — so much so that he said he was willing to bet one of his game checks on it. That speed secured him a game check.
Jones made the Saints’ roster over more established running backs like Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Cam Akers. His speed was one of the main reasons. Since transitioning from wide receiver to running back last year, Jones has developed nicely at his new position.
The Saints are also counting on him to contribute on special teams. In Chicago, where Jones began his career, the 2022 third-rounder had an issue with muffed punts and bobbled kickoffs, but the Saints are still intrigued by his skillset.
“I’ve liked him for a while,” special teams coordinator Phil Galiano said “I remember when coming out of college, I like his return ability I like his speed. I like his explosion, to be able to play in coverage units, to be able to run the ball in the kick return game. I think he’s a matchup problem.”
STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Saints coach Kellen Moore congratulates kicker Charlie Smyth after he kicked a field goal during a preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday at the Caesars Superdome.
Saints pick up receiver, O-lineman from waivers
BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer
Once the dust settled on the NFL waiver wire claims Wednesday, the New Orleans Saints picked up two players and saw two of their former players land elsewhere.
The Saints added former Buccaneers receiver TreyPalmer and former Broncos offensive lineman Xavier Truss on waivers.
To make space for them on the 53-man roster, the Saints released veterans Cedrick Wilson and Jack Stoll, both of whom had signed back to the practice squad by the end of business Wednesday
Former Saints D’Marco Jackson and Rico Payton landed with the Bears and Giants, respectively Palmer is a Kentwood native who began his college career at LSU before transferring to Nebraska, where he flourished. He landed with the Buccaneers as a sixthround draft pick and played 32 games in two seasons there.
He caught 39 passes for 385 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie, but he saw his role diminish in 2024, catching just 12 passes Tampa Bay used its first-round draft pick on receiver EmekaEgbuka this year, further
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Payton Turner.
Davenport was drafted 14th in 2018. Turner was drafted 28th in 2021 Foskey was drafted 40th in 2023
Davenport and Turner never could stay healthy Turner is still dealing with injuries and was put on the Dallas Cowboys injured reserve list (ribs) on Tuesday
The Saints have selected seven other players with a top-40 pick since 2018.
Cesar Ruiz, picked 24th in 2020, has started consistently But he has had his struggles this preseason.
Chris Olave (11th in 2022) is one of the team’s best offensive weapons, but he has dealt with several concussions in his first three seasons. If he stays healthy, he can be a special one. Trevor Penning (19th in 2022) also has dealt with injuries and hasn’t lived up to expectations Penning’s switch this offseason from tackle to guard is supposed to change the course of his career, but he’s currently dealing with a toe injury
Yeah, some of it is just bad luck. But teams can’t afford to have so many misses. Outside of Foskey the last four of the Saints’ draft picks in the top 40 look more promising.
Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee (29th in 2023) has been solid in his first two seasons
Taliese Fuaga (14th pick in 2024) appears to be a staple at tackle for years to come. Same goes for Kelvin Banks (ninth pick this year), who could end up being one of the best draft picks in years for the Saints Then there is quarterback Tyler Shough, selected with the 40th pick in April. He didn’t win the starting quarterback job, but he has shown flashes that he has the skillset and traits to become the franchise’s long-term
pushing Palmer out of a spot. Palmer brings more speed to the Saints receiver corps. He ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 combine. Truss joined the Broncos as an undrafted rookie free agent out of Georgia this year
Although the 6-foot-7, 320-pounder is a guard by trade, he played all of his snaps for the Broncos this preseason at right tackle, according to Pro Football Focus.
Practice squad mostly set
For the most part, the Saints know what their practice squad is going to look like.
The Saints announced 15 players they re-signed to their practice squad Wednesday afternoon. Because one of those players is kicker Charlie Smyth, who does not count against the 16-player limit because he came to the Saints through the International Player Pathway, New Orleans still has two more spots to fill. New Orleans brought two quarterbacks back on the practice squad, including Jake Haener, who cleared waivers. Haener opened training camp as one of three quarterbacks receiving first-team snaps, but he started to be phased out of the competition when the Saints traveled to California.
AP PHOTO By KyUSUNG GONG Saints defensive end Isaiah Foskey runs during a preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers on Aug 10 in Inglewood, Calif.
Past Picks Saints draft picks selected in top 40 since 2018: 2018 Marcus Davenport (14) 2020 Cesar Ruiz (24) 2021 Payton Turner (28) 2022 Chris Olave (11), Trevor Penning (19) 2023 Bryan Bresee (29), Isaiah Foskey (40) 2024 Taliese Fuaga (14) 2025 Kelvin Banks (9), Tyler Shough (40)
solution at quarterback. Time will tell. There have been some hits outside of the top-40 picks, such as Erik McCoy (48th in 2019).
But one thing we know is the Saints have missed on several draft picks over the last few years. It’s a big reason why they haven’t been to the playoffs since the 2020 season, Drew Brees’ final year It’s why the Saints are in the rebuild they currently find themselves in. The postseason drought probably won’t end this season. The Saints desperately need to start hitting on their draft picks, especially the ones in the early rounds. Foskey not lasting through the end of his rookie contract is the latest reminder
Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.
Tulane kicker Durkin healthy, expecting bounce-back year
BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer
Long before his final three field goal attempts of 2024 went awry, Tulane kicker Patrick Durkin overcame a pair of maladies that stunted his development.
He is eager to show what he can do when he is not weighed down by physical problems starting at 11 a.m Saturday against Northwestern as the Green Wave’s clear No 1 on extra points, field goals and kickoffs.
His only potential competition — rocket-legged freshman Cooper Helmke — hardly has kicked since suffering a leg injury a week before the start of preseason camp.
“I feel really good,” said Durkin, a sophomore former walk-on who earned a scholarship in the offseason “I’m finally healthy this year and I’m kicking the best I have in my life, to be honest.”
Last year tested his toughness, to say the least. In the summer, he had surgery for a noncancerous tumor in his nose and lost 30 pounds.
Temple and 44 yards against Memphis, and all 16 of his extra points through the end of the year He also produced touchbacks on 11 of 13 kickoffs.
“I was doing rehab nonstop every day because I really wanted to contribute,” he said. “We were having some inconsistency during the season, so I came back on my broken hip and played. The first three games were perfect. Obviously, I didn’t finish that way, but I was proud of myself for fighting through it (the injury) and doing what was best for the team.”
Coach Jon Sumrall insisted anyone who blamed Durkin for the field goal flubs in the final two games was not paying close enough attention. An aborted 38yard attempt against Army on the first possession of the American Conference championship game came because holder Brice Busch bobbled the snap to mess up the timing while the ABC TV commentators appeared baffled by Durkin pulling up.
Edge rusher Fadil Diggs, the only member of the Saints’ 2025 draft class who did not make the 53-man roster, also cleared waivers and made it back to the practice squad. Here’s the full list: Haener Diggs, Wilson, Stoll, Smyth, quarterback Hunter Dekkers, receiver Kevin Austin, safeties Terrell Burgess and Elliott Davison, offensive lineman Easton Kilty, cornerbacks Jayden Price and Dalys Beanum, linebacker Nephi Sewell, tight end Treyton Welch and defensive lineman JonahWilliams New pregame show host
The new season will bring a new pregame host for the Saints’ in-house pregame show Stan Verrett, a New Orleans native and 25year veteran of ESPN and former SportsCenter anchor, will host the new-look Saints’ pregame show, which airs across the team’s social and digital platforms. Former Saints linebacker Scott Shanle, part of the Super Bowl XLIV championship team, will be part of the show as well as team reporter ErinSummers The show airs an hour before kickoff for every Saints game with analysis, information and interviews. The first episode is Sept. 7 before the Saints’ season opener against the Arizona Cardinals.
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winning seasons, and second-year coach Major Applewhite knows how to restock a roster The Jaguars should be 1-0 after opening against Mercer, and this will be a potential statement game for their program. The last time Tulane traveled to Mobile, the Wave escaped with a 27-24 win after scoring 21 unanswered points in the final 20 minutes. Expect a similar dogfight. Tulane 28, South Alabama 27
WEEK 3 VS DUKE • SEPT 13
Mensah returns to Yulman Stadium just nine months after jilting Tulane for greener pastures pun intended in the ACC. The Blue Devils made Mensah an offer he couldn’t refuse, but rest assured, Green Wave fans will not roll out the welcome wagon for him. Expectations are sky high for the Blue Devils, who won nine games in coach Manny Diaz’s first season They believe Mensah can be the catalyst to take their offense to the next level. This figures to be a battle to the end. Duke 26, Tulane 24
WEEK 4 AT OLE MISS • SEPT 20
The Wave won’t have time to lick its wounds. Ole Miss is ranked No. 21 in the nation, and the Rebels have won 13 of their past 14 home games. The last time Tulane played at VaughtHemingway Stadium, it left with a 61-21 thumping, the program’s worst loss in years. The game — sandwiched between SEC home games against Arkansas and LSU for Ole Miss — comes at a good time for Tulane, which will put a scare in the Rebels. Ole Miss 30, Tulane 20 WEEK 5 AT TULSA SEPT 27
The Golden Hurricane is the perfect get-right opponent. Tulsa is coming off a 3-9 season and has a first-year coach in Tre Lamb. The Golden Hurricane likely will be riding a two-game losing streak after it plays Navy and Oklahoma State in the previous two weeks. Tulane 31,Tulsa 17
WEEK 6 • BYE WEEK
WEEK 7 VS EAST CAROLINA OCT 9
“It was probably a couple of months before I was supposed to come here,” he said. “I was having sniffles, and I had to get a procedure done. I didn’t think it was going to be that hard of a surgery, but it was tough.”
Weakened when he arrived on campus, he still won the kickoff job in a competition with fellow walk-on Ethan Head before getting hurt less than two weeks ahead of the opener against Southeastern Louisiana The specific injury was not diagnosed immediately, but about two weeks into the season he learned it was a broken hip.
“It was shattered right in half,” he said. “For a while I thought my season was done and I was going to take a medical redshirt and just not play.”
That was the plan until the kickers in front of him had their own issues. Graduate student Jacob Barnes missed three games with an injury Head sent an extra point against Oklahoma under the crossbar and missed a would-be clinching 39-yard field goal in the fourth quarter at UL.
After a hobbled Barnes botched a 34-yarder on Halloween against Charlotte, the coaches turned to Durkin in November He hit his attempts from 24 yards against
Fresh from the bye, the Wave welcomes the Pirates to Yulman for a Thursday night game on ESPN. ECU is a dangerous opponent. The Pirates won four of their final five games last season and knocked off NC State in the Military Bowl. Pirates quarterback Caitin Houser and all-conference receiver Anthony Smith will get theirs, but they won’t be able to keep up with Retzlaff and a Wave offense starting to find its groove. Tulane 36, East Carolina 24
WEEK 8 VS ARMY OCT 18
Motivation shouldn’t be a problem for the Green Wave in this one. Army handed Tulane its most humbling loss of the season a year ago, a nationally televised 35-14 beatdown at West Point in early December Rest assured Sumrall will have his team breathing fire for the rematch. The task will be easier with QB Bryson Daily graduated and gone from the Army lineup. Tulane 28,Army 16 WEEK 9 BYE WEEK 10 AT TEXAS-SAN ANTONIO • OCT 30
Another Thursday night, this time on the road. UTSA has won 11 of its last 12 games at the Alamo Dome. Thanks to a cushy early schedule, the Roadrunners should be no worse than 5-2 by this time. UTSA coach Jeff Traylor will have his team psyched for the rare nationally televised home game, and the Roadrunners win on a late Owen McCown TD pass. UTSA 31, Tulane 28
WEEK 11 AT MEMPHIS NOV. 7
Another week, another non-Saturday, prime-time game — and a big one. Memphis and Tulane regularly have battled for league supremacy over the years, and this season should be no different. Like Tulane, Memphis will rely on a lot of new faces. In a battle of evenly matched teams, it often comes down to quarterback play Tulane has the decided edge there with Retzlaff over Brendon Lewis, who is replacing longtime Memphis starter Seth Henigan. Tulane 28, Memphis 24
WEEK 12 VS FLORIDA ATLANTIC NOV. 15
Fresh off the emotional road win at Memphis, the Wave can’t afford to take FAU lightly The Owls are expected to be one of the Ameri-
Operational issues contributed to an errant 35-yarder against Florida in the Gasparilla Bowl, too, but those problems should be in the past with new punter Alec Clark holding for kicks. Except for one practice at the Saints’ indoor facility Durkin was rock solid in every kicking session during preseason camp.
“I’ve been very proud of his attitude coming back from the summer,” new special teams coach Johnathan Galante said. “He had a great spring, and his chemistry with Alec as the holder and our snapper has been improving.” Durkin, who went 2 for 2 from 50 yards before Tulane’s final scrimmage, is thinking big. Incredibly, it has been 12 seasons since Tulane made a field goal of longer than 48 yards, dating all the way back to Cairo Santos’ 56-yarder against UL-Monroe on Sept. 28, 2013. Durkin believes the school record of 57 yards, set by Santos a year earlier, is within reach now that his hip is right. He credited his time under Tulane strength and conditioning coordinator Rusty Whitt for making a huge difference.
“I’m really confident,” he said. “I was actually looking at the longest field goal. I hope I can break that this year.”
can’s most improved teams and are led by 2024 Conference USA Player of the Year Caden Veltkamp, who passed for more than 3,100 yards with 25 touchdowns at Western Kentucky last season. Tulane survives. Tulane 27, Florida Atlantic 24 WEEK 13 AT TEMPLE • NOV. 22
The Wave’s first potential coldweather game of the year is always a dangerous proposition for a warm-weather team like the Wave. But by this time, Temple should once again be playing out the string on a sixth consecutive losing season. The Wave rolls to a third straight win behind a dominant defensive effort. Tulane 26, Temple 6 WEEK 14 VS CHARLOTTE NOV 29 If things go as planned, a lot will be on the line in this one, like the American regular-season title and a chance to host the league championship game for the third time in four years. The 49ers have a new coach (Tim Albin) and new quarterback (Conner Harrell), but their prospects for a winning season remain remote. The 49ers have had only one winning season in their history and face the second-most daunting schedule of any Group of 5 team in the country The Wave rolls. Tulane 41, Charlotte 13 AMERICAN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VS UTSA DEC. 5 Sometimes things just work out. Not only does the Wave get the rematch against the lone American team to beat it, but it gets the Roadrunners at Yulman Stadium. A sellout crowd watches Retzlaff outduel McCown in a high-scoring thriller as Tulane records its second AAC championship game victory in four seasons. Tulane 37, UTSA 33
BIRMINGHAM BOWL VS AUBURN DEC. 29 After losing out to Boise State for the CFP playoff spot, the Green Wave settles for a fourth consecutive bowl trip. It’ll be the Wave’s second consecutive bowl game against an SEC team. This time, the Green Wave roster will be at full strength. Tulane 27, Auburn 24 Final record: 11-3
STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Trey Palmer, right, scores against New Orleans Saints cornerback Isaac yiadom, left, during a game at the Caesars Superdome on Oct. 1, 2023. The Saints claimed Palmer off of waivers from the Bucs on Wednesday. Notebook
Grilled andspicy makes forbest corn on thecob
BY BETH DOOLEY
The Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS)
Now that it’scorn season, everyone has an opinion about thebest way to cook corn. In apot of boiling water? Lightly steamed?
And what about grilling?Isitbest to soak the ears in their husks first; pull back the husks, remove the silk and wrap them back up before grilling; or remove the husk and silk and wrap them in tin foil? The discussion will continue as the embers burn low
Istand by the simplest method. Just husk the corn, remove the silk and grill those cobs naked so they’re lightly charred, sweet, slightly crisp with aroasty popcorn taste. While you can’tbeat athicksmear of butter,asprinkle of coarse salt and pepper,Ilove anointing the cobs with atangy-hot Mexican sauce and adusting of salty cheese.The tangyhot combination is remarkably simple. Just whisk togethergood mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder,salt and pepper.Itamplifies the corn’sgrilled flavor and balances its sweetness.
Corn season is short, so don’t limit the options. Trygrilled corn with olive oil, basil and Parmesan cheese; tzatziki and curry powder; or cumin, chilicrisp-whipped butter and asplash of rice winevinegar.These combinationsare not for corn purists who abide bytheir butter and salt.
This is messy corn! Forget the skewers with prongs that attach to the end of the cobs and keep fingers clean. Keep agarden hose nextto the picnic table and plentyofnapkins on hand.
Why not toss afew extra cobs on the grill while you’re at it.Leftovers, already seasoned,can be transformed into agreat pasta or whole grain salad. Simplycut the kernels from the cobs and toss with hot pasta, alittle oiland asprinkling of cheese.
BY GRETCHEN McKAY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)
There is something about cherry tomatoes that tomato lovers find irresistible. Perfectly portioned for one juicy bite, they’re an adorable fruit. They’re also so sweet and intensely flavored that they make agreat afternoon snack when plucked off the vine, still warm from the sun. Even our dog Harry couldn’tresist the tiny tomato’scharms,eating whatever Sun Golds he couldreachas they ripened in planters onmypatio While they often end up in salads, cherry
ometimes, Iget intoa rut and eat the same things over and over Sometimes, it’s because Iambusy and my brain justgrabs the familiartoput dinner on the table. And other times,thereisjust more of thesame produce at the farmer’smarket or the grocery store.Itishardtobecreative when even farms are in arut! But all of us need to trynew recipes to keep life interesting. Here are some ideas.
1.Place
DREAMSTIME/TNS PHOTO By SURACHET SHOTIVARANON
Grilled Cornwith Spicy Aioli
Grilled Cornwith Spicy Aioli
Serves 6. Recipe is from Beth Dooley. Grilling corn gives it anotably smoky, sweetchar, but broiling worksnicely,too. Mix up the dressing to have it on hand and ready to slather all over the sweet, hotearsasthey come offthe grill. Ifyou don’thave agrill, turnon thebroiler,and justwatch that thecobs do not burn.
¼cup good quality mayonnaise
Zest and juice of 1lime
¼teaspoon ancho chili powder, to taste
Coarse salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper,totaste
6ears fresh corn, shucked
2to3tablespoons crumbled cotija, feta or ricotta cheese
2tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for serving Lime wedges for serving
1. Preheat the grill or broiler to high.
2. In asmall bowl,stir together themayonnaise, limezestand juice, ancho chilipowder,and salt andpepper to taste.
3. Grill the cornuntillightly charred and cooked through, about7to10minutes.
4. Removeand slatherthe hot cobs with the seasoned mayonnaise. Sprinkle with the crumbled cheeseand thechoppedcilantro. Serve the corn with more cilantro and lime wedges on the side.
Bucatini with Burst CherryTomatoes
Serves 4. Recipe is adapted from“More Mediterranean: 225+ New Plant-Forward Recipes” by America’sTest Kitchen.
FORTOPPING:
2tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
¼cup capers, rinsed and patteddry
1anchovy fillet, rinsed, patteddry and minced
½cup pankobread crumbs
Pinch sea salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
¼cup minced fresh parsley
1teaspoon grated lemon zest
FOR PASTA:
6tablespoons
2garlic cloves, sliced thin
2anchovy fillets, rinsed and patteddry
2pounds cherry tomatoes
1½ teaspoons salt,
1cup
1. Prepare topping:Heat oilin a10-inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add capers and anchovies and cook, stirring frequently,until capers have darkened and shrunk, 3-4 minutes.
2. Using aslotted spoon or fork, transfer caper mixture to paper towel-lined plate,and set aside. Leave oil in pan and return skillet to medium heat.
3. Add panko, salt and pepper andcook, stirring constantly, until panko is golden brown, 4-5 minutes. Transfer panko to medium bowl andstirinparsley, lemonzest andreserved caper mixture.
4. Meanwhile, bring4 quarts of watertoboilinalarge potof salted water.While comingto aboil, heat 1/4 cup oil, garlic and
BUCATINI
Continued from page1D
garlic and olive oil and aheavy saute pan? In about the time it takes to cook and drain apot of pasta, you’ve got dinner
This dish was certainly a breeze on awarm summer evening. The tomatoes are tossed directly into apan along withslivered garlic, extra virgin olive oil andanchovies without any prep (other than aquick rinse under cool water).Asthey burst and break down, they create abright andtomato-forward sauce that’s full of umami flavor
By The Associated Press
Dramaonthe escalator
Dear Miss Manners: Iwas leaving an underground transit station and making my way to the escalator to go up to thestreet when I noticed atall young man gaining rapidly on mefrom behind.
We have an unwritten rule that you stand on the right side of the escalator if you just want to ride, and moveto theleft if you want to walk up themoving stairs. I began to drift rightwards, but he camegalumphing up on the right side of me. Istretched out my right hand to takethe banister, saying to him,“May I please get on the escalator?”
anchovies in largesaucepan over medium heat.
5. Cook, stirring occasionally, until anchovies break down and garlic is lightly browned, 4-5 minutes. Addtomatoes, salt,sugar andpepper flakes to saucepan andstir to combine. Coverand increase heattomedium-high. Cook, without stirring, for10 minutes.
6. When water is boiling, add pasta. Cook,stirring often, until al dente (bucatini takes about 12 minutes).Reserve½cup cooking water,then drain pasta.
7. Off heat, add remaining 2 tablespoonsoil to tomato sauce, and stir gently until it forms a light sauce. Add drained pasta andtoss to coat.
8. Adjustconsistency of sauce with reserved cooking water as needed (I added about ¼cup)
9. Stir in basil and seasonto taste with salt. Serve, passing panko toppingseparately
What really sets it apart, though,isthe crunchy,gremolata-like panko topping. Fried capers andanchoviesadd asalty kick,and there’salso the tiniest hint oflemon.Unless you’re a cheese fanatic, you won’tmiss the grated Parmesan you usually find ontop of pasta
Theoriginal recipe calls for penne,atraditional pairing for chunkier tomato sauces. Butto me,itfelt likeabucatini kind of night
Any color of cherry tomato will work in the dish; just be sure they are vibrant, uniform in size and firm to thetouch. For a spicier dish, add more red pepper flakes.
TODAYINHISTORY
Today is Thursday,Aug.28, the 240th day of 2025. There are 125 days left in the year
Todayinhistory: On Aug. 28, 1963, during the March on Washington, theRev Martin Luther King Jr.delivered his “I Have aDream” speech before an estimated 250,000 people in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Also on this date:
In 1862, the Second Battleof Bull Run began in Prince William County,Virginia, during the Civil War; the Union army retreated two days later after suffering 14,000 casualties. In 1898, pharmacist Caleb Bradham of New Bern, North Carolina, changed the name of the carbonated beverage he’d created five years earlierfrom “Brad’sDrink” to “Pepsi-Cola.”
In 1955, Emmett Till, aBlack teenager from Chicago, was abducted from his uncle’shome in Money,Mississippi, by two White men after he had allegedly whistled at aWhite woman four days prior; he was found brutally slain three days later In 1957, then U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond, D-S.C., began what remains the longest speaking filibuster in Senate history (24 hours and 18 minutes) seeking to stall the passage of theCivil Rights Act of that year
In 1968, police and anti-war demonstratorsclashed in the streets of Chicago as the Democratic National Convention nominatedHubertH.Humphrey for president. In 2005, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin ordered amandatory evacuation as Hurricane Katrina approached thecity. In 2013,amilitary jury sentenced Maj. NidalHasan to death forthe 2009shooting rampage at Fort Hoodthatclaimed 13 lives and left 30 people injured.
Today’sbirthdays: Actor Ken Jenkins(TV:“Scrubs”) is 85. FormerMLB manager and player LouPiniella is 82. FormerMLB pitcher Ron Guidry is 75. Former U.S.Poet Laureate Rita Doveis73. Artist Ai Weiwei is 68. Actor Daniel Stern is 68. Olympic gold medal figure skater Scott Hamilton is 67. Actor Jennifer Coolidge is 64. Film directorDavidFincher is 63. Country singerShania Twain is 60. “Pokemon”creator Satoshi Tajiri is 60. Actor Billy Boydis 57. Actor Jack Black is 56. Hockey Hall of Famer Pierre Turgeon is 56. Actor Jason Priestley is 56. Olympic gold medal swimmerJanet Evansis54. Actor Carly Popeis 44. Countrysinger JakeOwen is 44. Country singer LeAnnRimes is 43. Rock singer Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine) is 39. Actor QuvenzhaneWallis is 22.
Gentlereader: Although your question pertains to walking, every type of vehiclehas its own etiquette for passing, and examining the common features among the different systemsisinstructive.
twostrangers yelling at one another satisfies the goal of avoiding acollision.
With great annoyance, he stepped around tomyleft side and passed me, sternly proclaiming over his shoulder,“Move out of the way for people walking faster than you!”
Icould only muster the feeble and not-quite-sensical response, “Not if you pass on the right!This is America!”
Iamareasonably fitand active woman who will turn 50 this fall. The young gentleman looked to be in his 20s and was wearing business attire. What is the etiquette for “faster walkers”?
Youremembered two of the rules: 1. that the overtaker —who has the better view —has the primary responsibility to avoid colliding with the overtaken; and 2. that there is acorrect side for passing someone. Unfortunately,you forgot the equally,ifnot more, important shared duty to avoid acollision. The rules of sailing express this gracefully by requiring the overtaken to hold their course —inother words, not to do somethingsurprising that makes it harder forthe overtaker to prevent acollision.
Grabbing the banister only to prevent the 20-something from passing on thewrong side made acollision morelikely,and was therefore the worse infraction. He, of course, should have passed on the correct side, and also slowed down.
Andwhile Miss Manners realizes that no one ended up on the ground, shedoes not believe that
Dear Miss Manners: Iwork as a volunteer at amilitary base overseas. My problem is with acoworker whowill not communicate with me except via email. Usually the content of the communications is of anegative nature.
Iamofthe sort whoprefers working out differences using speech and not the written word, especially when the two individuals live in close proximity
This person is in aposition of authority.I have repeatedly requested —tonoavail —that we either talk in person or over the phone when she has gripes. Are there any etiquette rules regarding email and business communications?
Gentle reader: There are, but you are not going to like the mostimportant one: The boss gets to set the rules.
Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite,www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.
Quinoawith Raisins
Serves
1. Bring3cups of water toaboil. Addthe quinoa. Whack thecheesecloth packagewith the flat side of aknife to breakthe cloves.Thenadd the package to thepot. Simmer for 20 minutes and thenremove from the heat. Let sitfor 5minutes. Remove the cheesecloth package of garlic. Drain the quinoa through a fine sieve. Place into abowl.
2, Addthe golden raisins and the pine nuts to the quinoa. Add the butter,salt and pepper.Toss well and serve.
SUMMER
Lemon Chicken is alight dish thatworks well in summer, and it’sfull of bright flavors. It is easytomake and rewarms well, if you wind up withleftovers. It is also versatile. Iusually make it with chicken thighs, because I find themtastier and juicier than chicken breasts. But if you prefer chicken breast,use this same recipe and you will still be happy Chilled Avocado Soup allows you to use the abundance of avocados thatare available in the season,
blender,but that makes the soup too homogenized. Ilike the slight texture left
but in anew way. This soup is easy and can be garnished in different ways.And whenI have just alittle bit left over, maybe aquarter cup or afew tablespoons, Imix it 2to 1with mayonnaise and use it as adressing or on sandwiches. You have no waste. When Iamtired of regular potatoes, sweet potatoes, pasta and rice, Igenerally start looking at cracked wheat or farro. Ihaverecently been trying to addquinoatomyrotationofstarches. Istarted easing it into my dinners by mixing it half and half with rice. Theycook in about the sameamount of time, and when you aren’t accustomed to the little grain of quinoa, eating it with
rice is away to ease into it In my recipe for Quinoa with Raisins, Ijust use quinoa and treat it abit like couscous. Iuse golden raisins and pine nuts, but you could use chopped dried apricots and almonds. Even chopped dates would work with pecans or walnuts. It is time for us to use our imaginations.
Liz Williams is founderofthe Southern Food &Beverage
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE PHOTO By GRETCHEN McKAy Bucatini with Burst Cherry Tomatoes
Quinoa with raisins garnished with peanuts prepared by LizWilliams
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
BRIEFS
FROM WIRE REPORTS
Wall Street goes higher, pushes S&P to record Modest gains on Wall Street lifted the stock market Wednesday ahead of a highly anticipated earnings update from computer chip giant Nvidia.
The S&P 500 rose 0.2%, good enough to nudge the benchmark index past the record high it set two weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.3% and the Nasdaq composite closed 0.2% higher Technology companies led the way higher, outweighing declines in communication services and other sectors.
After the market closed Nvidia reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped Wall Street analysts’ forecasts, though the company noted that sales of its artificial intelligence chipsets rose at a slower pace than analysts anticipated.
“Saying this is the most important stock in the world is an understatement,” said Jay Woods, chief global strategist at Freedom Capital Markets “The stock’s average move after an earnings release is plus or minus 7.4%, so just an average move will make an impact on the entire market.”
Several big software companies — CrowdStrike Holdings, ServiceNow, Palo Alto Networks, Intuit and Salesforce — rose ahead of the Nvidia results.
Shares in several companies rose after they reported quarterly results that topped analysts’ forecasts.
Department store chain Kohl’s vaulted 24% and database platform company MongoDB surged 38%. Both companies also raised their full-year guidance.
Ford recalls 355K pickup trucks
NEW YORK Ford is recalling more than 355,000 of its pickup trucks across the U.S. because of an instrument panel display failure that’s resulted in critical information, like warning lights and vehicle speed, not showing up on the dashboard.
According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall covers certain Ford F-150s from the 2025 model year — as well as other Ford “Super Duty” trucks, including 2025-2026 F-550 SD, F-450 SD, F-350 SD and F-250 SDs. A recall report dated Aug. 22 notes that the instrument panel cluster (IPC) can fail at startup, resulting in drivers seeing a blank screen.
As a result, the NHTSA notes, drivers may not be able to read critical “safety-related telltales and gauges,” increasing the risk of crash. The recall report notes that Ford isn’t aware of any accidents or injuries related to this issue but had received 95 warranty claims as of June 26.
To address the display failure, Ford is offering a free IPC software update to impacted owners
Minnesota pharmacists sue Walgreens
Two Minnesota pharmacists who refused to administer gender-affirming drugs to patients are suing Walgreens and the state’s pharmacy board, claiming they were denied the right to refuse patient prescriptions that conflict with their religious beliefs.
Gender-affirming drugs are hormones or hormone-blockers that create physical changes in the body to align with the person’s gender identity.
The federal complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota, alleges Walgreens fired Rachel Scott of Mahtomedi and drastically reduced the hours of Dora Ig-Izevbekhai of Woodbury after the two “Bible believing” Christians submitted formal requests for religious accommodations to not prescribe the drugs.
According to the complaint, Walgreens said their refusal to dispense the drugs over religious objections was illegal under Minnesota law
Southern U.S. pulls ahead in growth
tion and uncertainty weighed on businesses and consumers.
Still, the South led the nation in economic expansion and job creation, according to data from the credit card giant.
BY CASEY HE The Dallas
Morning News (TNS)
Job growth, strong consumer spending, housing affordability and surging business investment are making the South the fastestgrowing regional economy in the U.S., according to a new report from Visa.
Economic growth slowed in all four U.S. regions in the first quarter of 2025 as tariff implementa-
Service sector hiring across the region has outpaced expectations, and robust consumer spending in Texas and Florida — two of the country’s top domestic migration destinations — is fueling much of the momentum, the report said.
Michael Brown, Visa’s principal U.S. economist, said Texas in particular is an anchor for the regional growth story He pointed to about 270,000 tech workers the state has added since the pandem-
ic. Visa’s economists now forecast the South’s gross domestic product to grow by 1.6% and 1.2% year over year in the third and fourth quarters of 2025, followed by 1.9% growth in both 2026 and 2027. Visa economists noted that the impact of the levies are hitting hardest in the West — which depends heavily on trade with Asia and in the Midwest, where manufacturing and agriculture face significant disruptions By contrast, the South has so far escaped the brunt of the international surcharges reshaping global trade That is leading to a more optimistic outlook.
“Export demand has held up better than we feared — that’s crucial for a state like Texas with significant international trade exposure,” Brown said. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the South’s population has surged, with workers and companies relocating from higher-cost regions to more affordable states. Between 2020 and 2024, the region added more than 6 million residents, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That influx has lifted housing markets, which remain more affordable than elsewhere in the country, while drawing new investment into fast-growing industries.
Cracker Barrel’s reversal on new logo shows how tricky rebranding can be
BY DEE-ANN DURBIN AP business writer
Like its namesake barrels that transported soda crackers until boxes replaced them, Cracker Barrel needed to change.
The restaurant chain’s new CEO, Julie Felss Masino, laid out the argument to investors last year: Cracker Barrel’s customer traffic was down 16% compared to 2019. Research showed consumers thought the brand fell short of competitors in essential ways, from the quality of the food to value and convenience
“We are not leading in any area. We will change that,” Masino said.
But over the past week, Cracker Barrel’s attempted revamp hit a wall. The company saw severe backlash over its plans to modernize and simplify its nostalgic logo — including from President Donald Trump.
“I don’t like the changes. I mean it’s always been Cracker Barrel like it is, so I’d like for it to stay like it is,” customer Sid Leist said during a visit to a Cracker Barrel in Vicksburg, Mississippi, on Tuesday By that evening, Cracker Barrel had reversed course and said its old logo would remain. It features an overall-clad man — said to represent Uncle Herschel, a relative of Cracker Barrel’s founder leaning on a barrel, with the words “Old Country Store” underneath.
Investors cheered the move. Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel’s stock price rose 8% Wednesday to close at $62.33 per
share. That was even higher than its closing price on Aug. 15, before it announced the new logo. Richard Wilke, a former executive at the brand consultancy Lippincott who helped lead rebrands for companies like Delta Air Lines and Walmart, said Cracker Barrel’s existing logo is too detailed and fussy for the digital age, when companies have to think about how their brand appears in a smartphone app.
But Wilke said Cracker Barrel’s new logo, featuring just the company’s name in brown letters on a gold background, lacked character The logo’s rollout also seemed like an afterthought. In a news release about new fall menu items, the company mentioned the new logo in the fourth paragraph. Cracker Barrel acknowledged Monday that it should have done a better job with the new logo’s rollout.
The company said it should have emphasized all the things that would remain the same about Cracker Barrel restaurants: the rocking chairs on the front porches, fireplaces in the dining rooms and vintage Americana and antiques scattered throughout.
The company said it would also continue to honor Uncle Herschel on its menu and on items sold in the country-style stores attached to its restaurants. But it was too late, and Cracker Barrel pulled its new logo the next day
Thomas Murphy, a professor of practice at Clark University School of Business, said returning to the original logo was a “positive
course correction” given the intensity of fans’ response. Now, Murphy said, Cracker Barrel should reinforce the message that it’s not moving away from its values or heritage.
Murphy said Cracker Barrel can continue to “refresh” its stores, making them brighter and more welcoming to younger customers. But it doesn’t really need to “rebrand,” he said, which would indicate a bigger change in direction or purpose.
Wilke agrees that Cracker Barrel should stick with the old logo but continue to revamp its restaurants in the short term. Eventually, the company will have to adopt a simpler logo, he said, but it should design one that retains more of the brand’s heritage. Cracker Barrel caught heat not only from Donald Trump Jr but from the president himself. On Tuesday morning, Trump said via Truth Social that Cracker Barrel “should go back to the old logo, admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before.”
Later, Trump celebrated Cracker Barrel’s decision to drop its new logo.
Wilke said he wishes both Republicans and Democrats would stay out of brand decisions like Cracker Barrel’s. Rebrands are almost always about trying to attract new customers without alienating old ones, he said.
“This isn’t a political story,” he said “If politicians now turn every company logo design update into a debate about being ‘woke’ or ‘anti-woke,’ we are headed into a damaging new era for corporate branding.”
Group says
BY TERRY TANG Associated Press
Organizers of a Target boycott that began in January are pointing to their tactics as a hopeful sign that actions against corporate retailers can still make a deep impact When Target announced its current chief executive officer will be stepping down in February 2026 and an insider was taking the helm, those organizers saw it as a move in the right direction and stress more than ever that boycotts will continue as long as previous promises made to the public go unfulfilled.
“It’s been now nearly 200 days and what all the statistics and economics are showing that since
that boycott was announced on that Monday — every single week since then Target foot traffic in nearly 2,000 stores has declined sharply and continues to decline,” said organizer Jaylani Hussein, at a news conference of the National Target Boycott movement outside Target’s Minneapolis headquarters late last week
Boycott organizers in Minnesota were among some of the first to galvanize when Target opted in January to follow other companies like Amazon and Walmart and forego diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. High-profile civil rights activists like the Rev Al Sharpton and the Rev Jamal Bryant also made similar calls for what they deemed a betrayal of previous DEI promises.
Social justice advocates say this shows boycotting is a key tactic not to be taken for granted.
Retail analysts say it’s difficult to gauge the exact impact of the boycott, since Target has faced a slump the last few years and a leadership change was in the cards. Still, groups like Washington-based DC Boycott Target Coalition insist falling foot traffic is “due in no small part” to a boycott that spans coast to coast.
“The leadership change doesn’t mean anything without a culture change,” the group said in a statement, vowing to continue pressuring Target until the corporation sees its diversity goals as “more important than bowing to an administration that is filled with racism, failure and hatred.” Opponents began the national boycott in February, during Black History Month. Their strategy left some Black-owned brands with merchandise on Target shelves conflicted or scrambling.
Stacey Widlitz, president of investment research firm SW Retail Advisors, said she believes that Target’s sales malaise has more to do with its operational issues — messy stores and poorly stocked shelves — not from its pullback from DEI initiatives.
The number of Americans who say they regularly shop at Target has gone down 19% since 2021, according to Consumer Edge. The number of Americans who say they do not shop at Target has risen 17%.
The same analysis also looked at trends along party lines. Since last year, the number of regular Target shoppers who identify as Democrat has declined 13%. Inversely, the number of Republican customers has risen 13%. It’s not clear if that is due to Target’s $1 million donation to Trump’s inauguration or some other factors.
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Achange will turn outtobeablessing in disguise. A change to how you present yourself or your ideas will offer feedback that can help you make better choices.
LIBRA (sept.23-oct. 23) Choose peace, charm andintelligenceoverdiscord embellishmentand absurdity. Achange of plans or direction or adiversion that creates uncertaintyfor an opponent will help you clear your way forward.
scoRPIo (oct.24-nov. 22) Sit back andlet the dust settle. Emotional confusion is apparent, andcommunication will lack the truth. Taking care of business will have the mostsignificant influence on the outcome.
sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Risksaren't worthwhile. Observe when things don't measure up or when confusion takes precedence. Protectyourreputation, money and health from anyone who may trytotake advantage of you.
cAPRIcoRn (Dec.22-Jan. 19) You'll have to face your demonsifyou procrastinate. Opportunity knocks; it's up to youtoopen the door. Focus on what makes you feel complete, anddon't look back.
AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Refuse to let an emotional situation drag youdown or cause you to miss out on something that can improve your life. Change will lead to happiness and astellar you.
PIscEs(Feb. 20-March 20) Channel your energy into self-improvement, and enjoy whatyou learn and how it influ-
ences what you do next.Explore the possibilities and expand your interests.
ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Don't let hostilitybeyour ally. Be agood listener and observer. Say little, but do alot. Living up to your promises and feeling good about yourself will help you navigate your waytopositive change and acceptance.
tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Youmay feel comfortablesitting still, but alittle exhilarationwill stave off the boredomand encourageyou to pursue your dreams, hopes and wishes. Turn your thoughts intoaction.
GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Shake things up, but first, prepare for thefallout. Avoid lettingnegativityorsomeone's critical input lead you astray. Listen to your inner voice and follow your heart cAncER (June 21-July 22) Go over every detail; be precise andleavenoroom for error. Amistakewill be costly, whether it's personal or professional. Emotions andhostility will hurtyour reputation.
InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge
Some of youread these columns over theInternet.Thatwouldhavebeenmuch hardertodoifnewspaper owners had foreseen the danger to theirprinted editions and always charged for everything on their websites. Now, maybe, it is too late.
Bridge players should also be keeping an eye open for dangers—the fourth letterofmy“trade” acronym. In particular, it is hard to break thehabitsof alifetime when adeal comes alongthat does not fit intoatypical pattern. In today’s,how should South plan the play in three no-trump, and how should East defeat him?
After asimple Stayman auction,West leads the heart nine, top of touching cards in asuit containing no honors. Southhas eighttop tricks: threehearts and five clubs. He can get aninth winner from diamonds. The dangeristhat thedefenderswill take the first diamond trick and cash four spades. When declarer needs some help from thedefenders, he should put them on the spotasquickly as possible. Southshould take the first trickwithhis ace, playa club to the queen, feigning afinesse, andcall for a diamond.
Many Eastswouldplaysecondhand low without even thinking. But an East whoisused to deducingthe danger will
wuzzles
seethat declarer has at leasteight winners via three hearts and five clubs. If he is allowed to steal adiamondtrick, he will be home.
East should dive in withthe diamond ace and shift to thespade king. When it holds,hecontinueswithhissecondspade and the contract dies.
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase,name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn
Previous answers:
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”
toDAy’sWoRD RAGouts: ra-GOOZ: Mixtures of meat and vegetables cooked in athick sauce. Average mark 20 words Time limit 35 minutes Canyou find 28 or more words in RAGOUTS?
today’s thought “Riches profit not in the dayofwrath: but righteousness delivers from death.” Proverbs 11:4
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letterword fromthe letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letterwords 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.
InstructIons: 1 -Eachrow and each column must contain the numbers1thorugh4 (easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 -The numberswithin the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order)to produce the target numbers in thetop-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages withthe number in the top-left corner
WiShinG Well
HErE is aplEasanT liTTlE gamEthat
thenumber of letters is
is
bers, left to right. Then read
Scrabble GramS
Get fuzzy
jump Start
roSe iS roSe animal crackerS
DuStin
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2020 Jackson Avenue,Suite139 (504) 596-3110
Children’s ResourceCenterLibrary 913 Napoleon Avenue (504) 596-2628
Desire /Florida Satellite Location 3250 Industry Street
East New Orleans Regional Library 5641 Read Boulevard (504) 596-0200
Cita Dennis Hubbell Library 725 Pelican Avenue (504) 596-3113
Robert E. Smith Library 6301 Canal Boulevard (504) 596-2638
EARLY LITERACY EVENTS
The NewOrleans Public Library offers storytimes for children frombirth to age 5atall of our locations. Visit nolalibrary.org/early-literacy formore information.
PLAYTIME AT THELIBRARY*
Imagine andplay with Library-provided toys, dress-up clothes, puppets, and more.For children ages 2–5 and theirfamilies.
This month’s themes include
•Let’sPlay Train Station
•Let’sPlay Diner
•Let’sPlay Barber Shop and Beauty Salon
•Let’sPlay Seafood Boil
•Let’sPlay Restaurant
•Let’sPlay Movie Theater and more!
Visit nolalibrary.co/playtime or QR code to get times and locat
BINGO: PRESCHOOLEDI
Play afun and interactive ga beginner’sBINGO to build children early literacy skills and get read. Forchildrenages 2–5a their families.
Mondays in September from 4pm –5pm
Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.Library
MUSIC AND MOVEMENT*
Dance,wiggle,and stretch as we use music and movementtopractice early literacy skills. This program is designed for children ages 2-5and their caregivers.
Mondays in September from 5pm –5:30pm Mid-City Library
BLUE HOUSE MUSIC*
Explore natural connections between language and music throughsinging and storytelling during this musicand early literacy workshop.
Saturday,September 13 from 10:30am–11am Nora Navra Library
AROUND THEWORLD IN 80 BOOKS*
Celebrate International Literacy Day with atrip around the world. Explore different countries and cultures through stories,
CHILDREN’S
EVENTS
STEAMCLUB
Experiment, create,orcraft at this hands-on STEAM event for children ages 6–12.
This month’s activities include:
•Seed Sprouting
•Tissue Paper NatureScenes
•Dungeons &Dragons
•Art Smarts: PopArt Printmaking
Inspired by Andy Warhol
•Phonics Fun
•Frida Kahlo Flower Headbands
•Comic Book Magnets
•Art Smarts: PopArt &Protest Inspired by SisterCorita Kent
•Magnetic Slime
Visit nolalibrary.co/STEAM for times and locations.
CHESSCLUB*
Beginner and experienced playersare welcome at ChessClub. Each session includes instruction as needed but focuses on playing. For ages 6–12.
Celebración familiar con la participación de Fermín Ceballos yMerengue4Four,manualidades, obsequio de libros ygolosinas especiales. Nolatería yotrossocios comunitarios ofrecerán las actividades.Familycelebration featuring Fermín Ceballos andMerengue4Four,crafts, abookgiveaway, and special treats. Activities will be provided by Nolatería and other community partners.
Saturday,September 13 from 2pm –3:30pm
Central City Library
MIERCOLESENCENTRAL CITY CONLAFAMILIA/
FAMILYFUN NIGHT
Noche de diversión parafamilias bilingües/hispanohablantes*
Tiempo para pasar juntosenfamilia Actividades gratuitas que incluyen merienda ylibros de regalo.Este programaestá planeado parafamilias con niños de edades desde los 6 alos 12 años.Hang outtime for Spanish-speaking/bilingualfamilies with free activities, snacks,and books. Thisprogram is planned for families with children ages 6–12and their siblings
Register at nolalibrary.co/miercolesto help us plan supplies.
Wednesday, September 17 from 5pm –6:30pm Central City Library
BOOK PARTY: HOBBITDAY*
Celebrate Hobbit Day afew days early with games, crafts,and activities inspired by the world of J. R. R. Tolkien. This program is forchildren ages 6–12and their families.
Register at nolalibrary.co/hobbit.
Saturday,September 20 from 2pm –3:30pm
Milton H. Latter Memorial Library
TEEN&TWEEN EVENTS
TEEN DROP-IN*
Hang out, play games,makeart, learn anew hobby,orexplore new tech at this program for teens ages 11 –18.
This month’s activities include:
•DIY CalmBottles
•Pony Bead Keychains
•Natu Paints
EXPRESSYOURSELF!
MONTHLYTRANS &QUEER TEEN HANGOUTWITHTHE NEWORLEANS PRIDECENTER*
Enjoy games, activities, andpizza each month at this drop-in event for teens ages 11 –18.
Register at nolalibrary.co/ express-yourself to help us
ADULT EVENTS
LEARNTOTYPEWITHOUT
LOOKING– AND HAVE FUN TOO!
Learn typing skills, including the ability to find keys on the keyboard. Increase yourcomfort level in using acomputer
Register at nolalibrary.co/typing.
Tuesdays in September from 10am –11am Main Library
LOOKINGFOR
AJOB? LETUSMAKEITEASIER
DROP BY THECOMPUTER LAB!
Whether you’re starting from scratch or just need asecond set of eyes, we’ve got your back. Allwith assistance from Librarystaff.
Register at nolalibrary.co/ looking-for-job
Wednesdays in September from 1pm –2pm Algiers Regional Library
DELGADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENTRESOURCES, OPPORTUNITIES,AND NEXT STEPS
Chat withDelgado workforceprogram coordinators to find out how— regardless of your education or professional experience—youcan be on apath to ahigh-wage,high-demand career.
Thursday,September 4 from11am –2pm East New Orleans RegionalLibrary
Discover the joyofcreating your own miniature ecosystem as you learn to design and assemble beautiful terrariums with NOLA Artist Incubator.
Register at nolalibrary.co/terrariums
Wednesday,September 10 from 11am –12pm Rosa F. Keller Library &Community Center
Saturday,September 20 from 11am –12pm East New Orleans Regional Library
WELLNESS THROUGH MOVEMENT
FALL DANCEAND FITNESSCLASSES*
Get active this fall with the REACH Center and ANEWFitness. Classes are open to all ages and fitness levels,so come get moving, and experience a fall of wellness and fun. This month’s theme is line dancing
Saturday September13, 20,27 from 1pm –2pm REACH Center
Post-Katrina: Experiences Within theCityAfter Katrina
Twenty years after thestorm,apanelof community members discusses thechanges the City experienced as aresult of Hurricane Katrina. From organizing the first storm relief effortstotracking institutionalfailures to rescuingtombs, it wasthe NewOrleans community thatstarted our City’srecovery and struggledtoboth save and reconnect the pieces left in thewakeofKatrina. At this discussion, hostedbythe CityArchives & Special Collections, hear the unique experiences of agroup of community activistsand preservationists.
Saturday,September 26 from 11:30am –1:30pm Main Library
PORTRAIT BASICSWITH SEAN G. CLARK*
Learn to draw portraitswith charcoal and graphite pencils in aworkshop led by Sean G. Clark, this year’sSummer Fun& Reading Challengetote bag artist.
Register at nolalibrary.co/ portrait-basics beginning on September 10
Wednesday,September 24 from 11am–1pm Nora Navra Library
JOB SEARCHING FROM ATOZ:GETTING THEJOB YOUWANT ANDNEED
CLOSINGTHE DEAL
Complete the practical preparation needed to interview successfully.Respond to the most common interviewer questions. Follow up after interviews, negotiate job offers, andmore.
Register at nolalibrary.co/ job-search.
Wednesday,September 17 from 4:30pm –6:30pm East New Orleans Regional Library
GoldenNugget Lake Charles
August 26-28,2025
TourismTIMES urism TIM
DianaHernandez, Tyler Duplantis, Devan Corbello
ChrisLandry, ChrisMonceaux, Wendy Harrington
Tanya Leader, Craig Price, Trea Coxen
Teaishonda Sowell, ShaniceAllen
Madeline Sanchez Brown,Josie Evans, LaineGarner
Serena Gray,Timothy Bush, BrittanyPerrin
KatieGuasco, Jill Silva, Kevin Hall
Mary Brocato, Susan Boudreaux
MindyLaCour, Brandi Jarreau
LaineGarner,Charlie Waltman
Rachel Gilbert, Tracy Browning IanWallis, Charlene Hale
Chad Monceaux, Amy Mathiew, Wendy Harrington Valerie Myers
Paige Gustin,Isa Rubiano, Victoria Voisin
Brooke Leblanc, Jessica Savoy, SarahZeagler
Anna Graney, JenniferMamon, Lila Davis
Robin Barnes
FALL FESTIVAL GUIDE
don’t miss don’t miss don’t miss
harp concert
The Greater New Orleans region of the American Harp Society will perform at 2:30 p.m. Sunday after an afternoon of workshops at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., in Metairie. Lessons with professional musicians covering lever and pedal harps begin at noon; students are encouraged to bring their instruments. The event is free. facebook.com.
mermaid parade
So they don’t quite swim along the Mississippi River, but the Krewe du Fools will be promenading from St. Philip Street to the Audubon Aquarium with a flurry of seagoing entities at 6:30 p.m. Saturday. The parade benefits education programs at the Audubon Institute. krewedufool.com.
‘aerial artistry of wwii’
Curator and restoration manager Cory Graff explores the patterns, stripes, codes and colors on the flying machines that helped aviators win World War II at The National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine St. The talk, in BB’s Stage Door Canteen, includes a three-course themed dinner features pairings and cocktails. Tickets start at $77, with sales ending 48 hours prior to the 6:30 p.m. Tuesday start. Tickets start at $77. nationalww2 museum.org.
savor the city
A smorgasbord of culinary creators will be on hand from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday at The Broadside, 600 N. Broad St., including from Compere Lapin, Southerns, Coquette, Queen Trini Lisa, Mister Mao and Chicken’s Kitchen. Tickets for the adults-only dining event start at $73; proceeds benefit independent New Orleans restaurants in crisis. savorthecity.com.
Lines wrapped Manhattan blocks to get into the famed 1970s temple of disco graced by the likes of Andy Warhol, Michael Jackson, Bianca Jagger and Diana Ross. And local songstress Anais St. John and a live band turn on a time machine at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Double Dealer in the basement of the Orpheum Theater, 129 Roosevelt Way, for a return to the glamour and devastating danceable beats. Tickets start at $32. doubledealer.com.
ABOUT LAGNIAPPE
The Lagniappe section is published each Thursday by The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. All inquiries about Lagniappe should be directed to the editor.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Victor Andrews, Doug MacCash, Maddie Scott, Dean M. Shapiro, Keith Spera
GET LISTED IN LAGNIAPPE
Submit events to Lagniappe at least two weeks in advance by sending an email to events@theadvocate.com.
ON THE COVER
A pilot turns on the flames to inflate his hot air balloon during the Boucherie & Balloon Festival, one of many fall festivals around the state. Photo by Javier Gallegos. See what other events the cooler weather is ushering in. Story by Maddie Scott on Page 8.
don’tmiss don’tmiss don’t miss
brickfestlive&
jurassic quest
Legos and dinos are amatch made in Kennerfor three days at the Pontchartrain Center.The interactive dinosaur experience includes achancetodig for fossils, shows, ridesand tons of information. For Lego lovers, there’sthe giant brick pit, life-size models,derby races and achance to create amassive floor mosaic for the Guinness World Record Challenge. Noon to 6p.m. Friday, 9a.m. to 6p.m.Saturday and 9a.m. to 5p.m. Sunday. Tickets start at $30. pontchartraincenter.com.
stages stages stages
‘Macbeth’ in the middle
‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ combines ballet and classical music at Marigny Opera House
BY DEAN M. SHAPIRO
Contributing writer
“Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow.” The opening words of Macbeth’s famous soliloquy come to life this weekend as three performances of a combined opera, ballet and classical music production based on the Shakespearean tragedy are staged at the Marigny Opera House.
Four dancers and four opera singers, accompanied by a string quintet and piano, will perform selections from Giuseppe Verdi’s 1847 “Macbeth” opera at 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. There will also be selections from Henry Purcell’s “The Fairy Queen,” which is derived from Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Bogdan Mynka, a Ukrainian tenor now residing in New Orleans, is the creator, producer and artistic director.
The program, titled “Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” is the second production presented by Mynka’s Verismo Opera company at the MOH. The show will run an hour and 20 minutes, with no intermission.
“What’s really exciting is for these dancers and singers to step out of their comfort zone and do something they wouldn’t usually do in their typical, main art form,” Mynka said. “We have four opera singers and four trained dancers and they’ll be doing this original Shakespearean text. So, for the dancers, we’re doing a lot of work with projection and how to use the voice to express itself in an open space without amplification
“There will also be some choreography and movement that the singers are learning. They are learning how to use their bodies to better express the ideas that they’re singing and telling.”
In addition to his role as artistic director, Mynka is also one of the four singers in the production. The others are Tiffany Townsend, Andrew Butler and Claire Shackleton. The dancers are Lauren Guynes, Adrienne Simmons, Grace Hart and Joshua Bell. Marigny Opera Ballet artistic director Diogo De Lima is the choreographer
Riccardo Leonida, of Venice, Italy, will conduct the string quintet, featuring Benjamin Hart, Zorica Dimova, Sixto Franco, Phillip von Maltzahn and Russell Thompson. Calloway Cieslak is the pianist and musical director for the production.
Original costumes were created by local fashion designer Magdalene Paris and the set was designed and created by Bethany Lee. Lighting design is by Monica Rose Kelly.
Portions of the Verdi “Macbeth” opera will be sung in their original Italian language with projected English translations. The Purcell “Fairy Queen” selections will be in English.
The production was preceded by a series of master classes during rehearsals that were open to the public.
“It was exciting for the audiences to see how a piece is made,” Mynka said. “They were able to go and see a work in progress and then, two weeks later, they get to see the actual performance and all the progress
ä See MACBETH, page 6
Performers stage a scene from ‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow,’ based on William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth,’ at Marigny Opera House. First row are Adrienne Simmons. left, and Lauren Guynes; and second row from left, Grace Hart, Joshua Bell, Tiffany Townsend and Bogdan Mynka. Andrew Butler is in the background.
‘TOMORROW AND TOMORROW’
WHEN: 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday
WHERE: Marigny Opera House, 725 St. Ferdinand St. TICKETS: $31.37-$70
INFO: (504) 948-9998. marignyoperahouse.org
PROVIDED PHOTO By ALEX ANDRÉ
stages stages stages
MEEMAW’S HOUSE
Mysteriesina yat accent arebeing solved at Rivertown
Mysteries, mischief anda malevolent storm are making themselves felt as playhouses and more celebrate livetheater in the Crescent City WhoDat Whodunnit?
Marie Macalusa is known as “The Agatha Christie of Barataria Boulevard.” From that one phrase, locals and mystery lovers will be intrigued and looking forward to another installation of Ricky Graham’scomedic capers.
“Murder Most Meemaw” hits the stage at Kenner’sRivertown Theaters for the Performing Artswitha New Orleans-set sleuth courtesy of Macalusa, aCrescent Cityauthorwho has written local versionsof“classic British murder mystery, exceptingood ol’ Yattalk that peoplecan understand.”
Presented in aradio-style format, “Hercules Pirogue And The Jambalaya Liar” and “Miss Maple and The Case of The Killer King Cake” arethe fabricationsof“Meemaw” and “star” neighbors and friends.
Graham and Rivertown’s Gary Rucker share the writingand directing duties, plus appear in theshow,along with Vatican Lokey,Lisa Picone-Love, Jessie Terrebonne Thompson,Ryan Nocito and Emily Bagwill.
There’snomystery towhereGraham gets his love of agood whodunnit,namingseveral luminaries in themysterywriting field as must-reads.
“My favorite mystery writer (other than the classics —Conan Doyle and Agatha herself) is Anthony Horowitz,” he said. “His ‘Magpie Murders’ series is simply brilliant. Thebooks are about the author Alan Conway andhis detective character,Atticus Pund. The meta writing style and intricacy of booksis
PROVIDED PHOTO
RickyGrahamtakes the eponymous role in Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Arts’production of ‘Murder Most Meemaw.’
constantly fascinating.”
But Graham noted the fun that’s afoot at Rivertown will be a“bon temps.”
“Meemaw’sstories are easy to understand,and youdon’tneed no interpreterof‘fawncy’Englishtalking.”
Three performances are planned, including7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2p.m. Sunday at the 325 Minor St. playhouse.Ticketsstartat$35. Visit rivertowntheaters.com.
Voices from thestorm
“Swimming Upstream: The Katrina Monologues” focuses on thetrue stories of women and hurricanes Katrina andRita withwords, song and movement atthe Mahalia Jackson Theater for the Performing Arts.
Produced by Ashé Cultural Arts Center,the show,originally produced on the10th anniversary of the storms in the Caesars Superdome, features activists and artists including Troi Bechet, Sekyiwa Shakur,Joanna Hale,
See ANDREWS, page 6
Victor Andrews
stages stages stages
Stage Door Idol winner had the ‘Joint Really Jumpin’
BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer
A Loyola University graduate originally from the Bronx in New York captured the judges’ attention Tuesday and took home the title of Stage Door Idol for 2025 at The National WWII Museum. Accompanied by the museum’s Victory Six Swing Band, Elijah Hartman took home title, trophy and $2,000. Hartman, a fulltime musician who often performs at local clubs in Quimbo Quimbumbia with Margie Perez and Elijah Hartman and his Swingin’ Friends, was one of seven finalists for the summer singing competition at the museum’s BB’s Stage Door Canteen.
He performed “The Joint is Real-
ANDREWS
Continued from page 5
Jennifer Pagan, Monique Domingue, Simone Immanuel, Australia James and Karel Sloane. The show was originally produced by Carole Bebelle and Eve “V” Ensler
The show will run at 7 p.m. Friday and 5 p.m. Saturday in the Armstrong Park theater Tickets start at $37. Visit mahaliajacksontheater.com.
At the ‘Mother-In-Law’
A staged reading of Rob Florence’s “Katrina” will benefit the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music on the anniversary weekend of the storm.
ly Jumpin’ Down at Carnegie Hall,” from the 1943 movie “Thousands Cheer.”
“I chose this song because I am an old soul,” said Hartman, who decided to stay in the Crescent City after college and make it home. “As a kid, I watched Turner Classic Movies channel a lot with my grandmother I remember this movie and song so well because Judy Garland was the one who sang it, and she, out of anyone, is my all-time inspiration. So when this competition came around, I knew that it was a perfect time to do and sing this song.”
Preliminary finalists who also competed included Rad Jennings (“La Vie en Rose”), Adam Breaux (“Old Black Magic”), Hallie Legentre (“Angel Eyes”), Noah Lanier (“Alone”), Curstin Kaufman (Skylark”) and Maria Hefte (“My Heart Belongs to Daddy”).
For information, visit national ww2museum.org.
MACBETH
Continued from page 4
that transpired.”
Mynka also noted that a professional film crew recorded the second dress rehearsal and it is available for streaming.
“So here we are, bringing opera to the Marigny Opera House,” Mynka said. “It’s exciting to be singing in that space (a repurposed old church) which was built for vocal music.”
Commenting on the upcoming performances, MOH Executive Director Dave
Troy R. Poplous and Rudy Rasmussen.
The “pay-what-you-can” benefit will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday at 1901 Bartholomew St. inside the New Orleans Musicians Village. Visit facebook.com/ katrinamotherinlaw.
Extra-marital madcap
A tasty French farce is the first course for the Playmakers Theater menu of productions for its 71st season in Covington opening Sept. 6.
“Don’t Dress for Dinner” is a countryside romp of mistaken identities, mixed-up mistresses and a lot of fun.
The real stories of six survivors at the Mother-In-Law Lounge crafted into a play by the local author, the show will feature Wanda Rouzan, Janet Shea, Zeb Hollins III, Alex Martinez Wallace,
A planned rendezvous of a man and his mistress, complete with a Cordon Bleu chef, goes askew when his wife and his “alibi” descend as well. Oh, and there’s another husband in the mix. Mon dieu!
Directed by Julie Generes, the show features Anysia Genre, Eric Generes, Quinton Schully Williams, Casey Lipscomb, Mona Nasrawi, Matthew Waranius and
Scott Lemonier
Tickets start at $25. The show runs 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 21. Visit bontempstix.com.
In production
“MS. HOLMES & MS.WATSON — APT. 2B”: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and at 2:30 p.m. Sundays at 2:30 p.m. through Sept. 14; Marquette Theater, Loyola University, 6363 St. Charles Ave. Crescent City Stage performs playwright Kate Hamill’s take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s traditional characters and propels them into the present with a fresh take on Sherlock and Dr Watson, both in terms of time and gender post-COVID and their efforts to solve a mystery, coexist and survive and thrive in a new world after the pandemic. Special nights, including cast talkbacks, ladies’ night and date night, are planned. Tickets start at $12. crescentcitystage.com.
“OUR CITY OF SAINTS”: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday; Jef-
Performers rehearse ‘Tomorrow and Tomorrow’ at Marigny Opera House.
By
Hurlbert said, “This has gotten to be the way forward for opera in these times. We have to take full advantage of what we’ve got.”
Hinting at more productions of this type in the near future, Hurlbert added, “We have to think big with a small stage and a small budget. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do here. We have a small but perfectly beautiful stage and we always manage to find the best people to present the best art we possibly can. With his vision and know-how, Bogdan is a good example of this. I’m looking forward to this production and many more like it to come.”
ferson Performing Arts Center, 6400 Airline Drive, Metairie. Jefferson Performing Arts production, written by Aleen LeBouef with music and lyrics by Paul Soniat, of the show follows the Sinclair family through the five decades of the Saints’ trek from newbie team to Super Bowl champs. The family is going through many of the same highs and lows as the hometown team. Tickets start at $38. jeffersonpac.com.
“THE WIZARD OF OZ”: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 7; Slidell Little Theatre, 2024 Nellie Drive. Based on the classic book and movie, the musical has Dorothy and her trio of friends roaming through the magical land in search of the Wicked Witch of the West, hoping to get their hearts’ desires from the all-powerful (?) wizard. Tickets start at $25. slidelllittletheatre. org.
Email Victor Andrews at vandrews@ theadvocate.com.
PROVIDED
PHOTO
ALEX ANDRÉ
Hartman
Florence
art art art
Exhibits revisit Katrinato mark 20th anniversary
With the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katina approachingonFriday, Aug. 29, and tropical weather rovingthe Atlantic, it’sinevitable that ourminds turn to the annual threat to our vulnerable region andits unique culture. Those searching for places to commune with the emotionsofthe moment might consider theseveral art exhibits available in New Orleans, as well as regional galleries and museums that addressthe memory of the catastrophic 2005 storm and flood.
LOOKING BACK: HURRICANEKATRINA AT 20
Ogden Museum of SouthernArt, 900 Camp St.
Agroup exhibit of works from the museum collection
On view through Sept. 7
THIS CITY HOLDS US —TWENTY YEARS AFTER HURRICANE KATRINA
FerraraShowman Gallery,400A Julia St.
Agroup exhibit of works by gallery artists
On view through Sept. 13
OPERATION DREAM: A FUTURESPECTIVE FORNEW ORLEANS, ANOTHER 20 YEARS POST KATRINA Collins. C. Diboll Gallery,1440 Canal St.
An exhibition presented by Tulane University’sSchool of Public Health and Tropical Medicinethatpairs artists with community organizations
Katrina triptychbyChanne Felton on displayatStudioWaveland
PROJECT REVISITED
UNO St. Claude Gallery,2429 St. Claude Ave.
Photos of the stormand flood aftermath captured by children
On display.Twentieth anniversary reception, 6p.m.to9p.m. Friday
SILVER LINING: 20 YEARS AFTER HURRICANEKATRINA
Studio Waveland, 228 Coleman Ave.,
Waveland, Mississippi
Agroup exhibit of over 50 artists reflect on the devastation, resilience and renewal, displayed at ground zero of Katrina’scoming ashore. On display through Sept. 13
DAPPER BRUCE LAFITTE: ATIME BEFOREKATRINA
New Orleans Museum of Art,One Collins DibollCircle, City Park
‘Fats Got Out’ by Gina Phillips, on display at Ferrara
An exhibit of drawings of NewOrleans genre scenes created in the years since Hurricane Katrina, by artist Dapper Bruce Lafitte
On view through Sept. 21
LIVING WITH HURRICANES: KATRINA AND BEYOND
The Louisiana State Museumatthe Presbytère,751 ChartresSt., Jackson Square
An update of the 2010 Presbytère Museum exhibit of artifacts and exhibitions, including astate-of-the-art panoramic visual experience. The centerpiece of the show will be the 2008 painting by the English graffiti superstar Banksy,that was removed from its original location on Jackson Avenue andrestored in 2025.
OpensFriday
ATALE OF TWOCITIES
The NewOrleans AcademyofFine Arts, 5256 Magazine St.
New Orleans artists reflect on the 20th anniversary of Katrina as Ashville, North Carolina, artists react to the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene.
Sept. 13 to Nov. 8
Email Doug MacCashatdmaccash@ theadvocate.com.
Aphoto by Raymond is on display at UNO St. Claude Gallery.
Showman Gallery
Doug MacCash
events events events
Here’s your complete guide to Louisiana fall festivals of culture, food, musicand more
Avisitor to the annual Alligator Festival in Luling handles amuzzled babyalligator.This year’sfour-day event is Sept. 25-28.
thrill The is on
BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer
Louisianaloves areason to celebrate, whether it’sabout meatpies, wooden boats or alligators.
Besttobustout your sunscreen and picnic blankets, becausepeak festival season is abouttoswallow the boot.
September to December will see an influx of carnivals, jamborees and fairs. October boasts different events nearly every day. So,nomore excuses for skipping the celebrations becausewe made abig list of can’tmiss festivals across the state.
See FESTIVALS, page 8
FILE PHOTO By SHAWN FINK
MikeDopsie plays the accordian.
The Nola Zydeco Festival in Slidell is Nov. 1.
is Sept. 19-20.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAD KEMP
The Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival
STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRAD KEMP Contestants viefor queen during the International Rice Festival in Crowley. This year’sevent is in October.
events events events
FESTIVALS
Continued from page 8
August
CREOLE RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL: Aug. 30, 210 Frog Festival Drive, Rayne. A celebration of all things Creole with a musical lineup Zydeco performers. Tickets are about $26 for adults or $6 for those 12 and under. creolerenaissance.com.
SOUTHWEST ZYDECO MUSIC FESTIVAL: Aug. 30, Yambilee Festival Grounds, 1939 W. Landry St., Opelousas. Grammywinner Chub Barrier and the Bayou Swamp Band perform among other Zydeco artists amid vendors, social groups and trail rides.
September
FALL INTO HISTORY: Sept. 7, 502 North Blvd., Baton Rouge. The Old Governors’ Mansion will open its doors for an afternoon of historical tours and live music. Food trucks and local vendors will be onsite.
LOUISIANA SUGAR CANE FESTIVAL: Sept. 13, 102 W. Main St., New Iberia. Celebrate sugar with a traditional tractor parade, street fair and the coronation of Queen Sugar hisugar.org.
NATCHITOCHES MEAT PIE FESTIVAL: Sept. 19-20, downtown riverbank in Natchitoches. Visit the meat pie capital for crispy golden bites, music and dancing. meatpiefestival.com
THIBODAUX ON TAP: Sept. 20, W. Second St., Thibodaux. Those 21 and older can enjoy samples of local brews, Cajun food and live music at this annual craft beer festival. lacajunbayou.com/calendar-of-events/festivals-and-events/ thibontap.
ALLIGATOR FESTIVAL: Sept. 25-28, 13825 River Road, Luling. You have the opportunity to hold a baby alligator at this St. Charles Parish festival, or indulge in carnival rides, Cajun cuisine and craft booths. alligatorfestival.org
BOGALUSA BLUES & HERITAGE FESTIVAL: Sept. 26-27, Cassidy Park, 625 Willis Ave., Bogalusa Musical acts take center stage alongside other attractions like the 5K run, food and crafts. bogalusablues.com.
September and October
RED RIVER ARTS FESTIVAL: Sept. 25-28 and Oct. 2-5, Festival Plaza, 101 Crockett St., Shreveport. Pam Tillis headlines the big music lineup. The celebration
Zwolle Tamale Fiesta celebrates the town’s residents’ rich Spanish and Indian heritage each year at the Zwolle Festival Ground with plenty of delicious hot tamales, entertainment, arts and crafts, dancing, parades and children’s activities.
La. 1, Raceland. Meaning “Festival of Old Times,” this two-day gathering showcases Cajun culture, pirogue races, a live boucherie and a sauce piquante cook-off.
BAYOU D’ARBONNE FOLK FESTIVAL: Oct. 4, 211 N. Main St., Farmerville. The whole family can enjoy live music, folk crafts, old-time skills demos, food vendors and a children’s art tent.
GERMAN FEST: Oct. 4-5, 7212 Roberts Cove Road, Rayne. Sip German beer and enjoy folklore demonstrations, live entertainment and authentic German food. robertscovegermanfest.com.
QUE PASA FEST 2025: Oct. 11-12, 3000 Downs Blvd., Metairie. Honor Hispanic Heritage Month through authentic cuisine and international performers. Free admission until 5 p.m., then $5 for those 13 and up. quepasafest.org.
spans nine days with multiple stages, food booths and a children’s center. redriverrevel.com.
BEAUREGARD PARISH FAIR: Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, 506 W. Drive, DeRidder. Royalty, livestock, contests, line dancing and a parade are highlights of one of the state’s oldest agricultural fairs. beauregardparishfair.com.
October
TANGIPAHOA PARISH FAIR: Oct. 1-5, 12614
Arena Drive, Amite City. A traditional fair, with rides, food, a parade, livestock show, cooking contests, and talent contests are hallmarks of this Tangipahoa celebration. tangifair.org.
LA FETE DES VIEUX TEMPS: Oct. 3-5, 4484
NATIONAL FRIED CHICKEN FESTIVAL: Oct. 4-5, New Orleans lakefront, Lakeshore Drive and Franklin Avenue. Presented by Raising Cane’s, this ticketed twoday event includes food from 40-plus restaurants, musical entertainment and photo ops. friedchickenfestival. com.
LOUISIANA GUMBO FEST: Oct. 10-12, 326 La. 304, Thibodaux. A day fit for any gumbo enthusiast with live Zydeco and Cajun performances. All festival proceeds benefit the local Chackbay Volunteer Fire Department. lagumbofest.org.
ZWOLLE TAMALE FIESTA: Oct. 10-12, 1100 S. Main St., Zwolle. Celebrate the area’s rich heritage with hot tamales, entertainment, arts and crafts, parades and a treasure hunt. zwolletamalefiesta. com.
INTERNATIONAL RICE FESTIVAL: Oct. 1619, 303 N. Parkerson Ave., Crowley. Festivalgoers can participate in a riceeating contest, the Crowley High 5K Run Walk and the fiddle and accordion contests. ricefestival.com.
BOUCHERIE & BALLOON FESTIVAL: Oct. 1719, 9690 Airline Highway, Sorrento. Observe a sky filled with hot air balloons while relishing in jambalaya and cracklin cook-offs, music, food and craft vendors. boucheriefestival.com.
ROUGAROU FEST: Oct. 17-19, 86 Valhi Blvd., Houma. Beware of the infamous Rougarou at the Krewe Ga Rou parade. The weekend will also see haunted houses, carnival rides, costume contests, trick-or-treating and more. rougaroufest.org.
WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL: Oct. 18-19, 133 Mabel Drive, Madisonville. Observe over 100 classic boats cruising the Tchefuncte River while enjoying live music and vendors. Tickets are $15 for those 13 and up. maritimemuseumlouisiana.org/woodenboatfestival.
FILE PHOTO By ROBIN MAy A vendors stirs a pot of cracklins in his booth during the 2024 Port Barre Cracklin’ Festival.
FILE PHOTO
STAFF FILE PHOTO By MATTHEW PERSCHALL
The National Fried Chicken Festival will have food from over 40 restaurants Oct. 4-5 at the lakefront in New Orleans.
events events events
ACADIA MUSIC FEST: Oct. 18, Percy Brown Road, Thibodaux.Thisone-day music event welcomes local and national artists to the stage while festival goers can relish in Southern food and arts and crafts. acadiamusicfest.net.
LOUISIANA LEGENDS FEST: Oct. 18, downtown Homer.Country singer Frank Foster headlines the musical lineup at this Claiborne Parish bash with a pageant, art contestand vendors. legendsfest.us.
FRENCH FOOD FESTIVAL:Oct. 24-26, 307 E. Fifth St., Larose. All things Cajun are highlighted at this three-day festival through folklife exhibits, carnivalrides, live musicfrom Zydeco to swamp pop and alive auction. bayoucivicclub.org.
YELLOWLEAF ARTS FESTIVAL: Oct. 25, Commerce Street at BurnettRoad, St. Franciville. Artists, musicians, writers, actors, poets can enjoy exhibits from over 40 artists andcraftspeople over li forallwestfelicia yellow-leaf-art
TREME FALL FESTIVAL: Oct. 25, 1210 GovernorNicholls St., New Orleans. The day begins with asecond-line followed by live music, culinary bites from top localchefs and an arts andcraftsmarket. tremefest.org.
BREWS ARTS FESTIVAL: Oct. 25, 217 E. Thomas St., Hammond. Sip on your pick of 65-plus craft beers, peruse the arts marketand dance to livemusic. hammondarts.org/brews-arts-festival.
ANNUAL SWEET DOUGH PIE FESTIVAL:Oct. 25,231 Burleigh Lane, Grand Coteau. The publicjudges thesweet dough pie contest, and manypies are available for purchase. cajuntravel.com/events/ sweet-dough-pie-festival.
BOO&BREW: Oct. 26, 211 W. Main St., New Roads. Tickets are $10 for adults and$5for those 12 and under.This family-friendly event features beer tasting, trick-or-treating, pumpkin carving, acostume contest and more. facebook com/BooandBrewNR.
Nov.16, 3701 Hudson Ave., Shreveport. Expect thrill rides, live music, classic carnival concessions, contests, animal attractions and more at this annual 17day fair.statefairoflouisiana.com
HARVEST FESTIVAL ON FALSE RIVER: Oct. 31 to Nov.2,211 W. Main St., New Roads. Support agriculture through food,carnival rides and live music. Single-day tickets are $10 for those 15 and up;
Aheckler shouts insults as attendees trytopeg him with tomatoes at the Louisiana Renaissance Festivalin Hammond.
STAFFFILE
weekend passes are $20. harvestfestivalnewroads.com.
SABINE FREESTATEFESTIVAL: Oct. 31 to Nov. 2, 237 W. Port Arthur Ave., Florien. See Western shootouts, minnow racing, chuckwagon cooking and a snowcone wheel at this free, one-of-a-
ä See FESTIVALS, page 13
PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS
events events events
moNightves
Southern Decadence parade triesto beat the heat with amuchlater starting time
BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer
The annual Southern Decadence parade isalways ahoot, withdozensofnutty New Orleans marching groups and dance troupes,plus drag queens and random risqué costumers aplenty.
It’s acelebration of New Orleans’ laissez-faire lifestyle, ashot in the arm forFrenchQuarter businesses during the summer tourist drought, and more.
As those of us who trynever to missthe event can tell you, Southern Decadence is notjust a parade, it’salso an opportunitytoworkonatan, while sweating it out in theopen-air sauna atmosphereoflate August in New Orleans.
But this year,things might be abit cooler,because organizers havearrangedfor thesultry spectacle to get started at 5p.m.Sunday,three hours later than past parades, in hopesofskipping thehottest, sunniest part of theafternoon. As parade captain Antoinette Reynolds put it, “It will still be warm, but at least at 5, we’ll be in the shade.”
Amen to that!
Besides the later start time,there’sanother change to the Decadence paradethisyear.The 21/2-hour march will be atouch longer, as it adds ThePage bar,atthe corner of NorthRampart andToulouse streets, to its meanderingroute In thebeginning
The Southern Decadence paradebegan insummer 1972 when abunch of buddies cooked up aTennessee Williams-themed, FrenchQuarter
ä See DECADENCE, page 13
this year’sDecadence parade.
Aug. 31 at 5p.m.
STAFF FILE PHOTOS By SCOTT THRELKELD
The annual SouthernDecadence parade, with dozens of marching groups and dancetroupes, plusdrag queens and random risqué costumers aplenty,isa celebration of NewOrleans’ laissez-faire lifestyle.
The RoyalStreet Ropersare returning to marchin
Dauphine
Burgundy
SOUTHERN DECADENCE PARADE
events events events
FESTIVALS
Continued frompage11
kind gathering. sabinefreestatefestival.com.
OZONE SONGWRITER FESTIVAL: Oct.31to Nov.2.Anartist showcase is from 7p.m. to 9p.m. Oct. 31 at Fuhrmann Auditorium, 128 W. 23rd Ave, Covington, and events continue Nov.1-2 at the Covington trailhead andstages throughout downtown. ozonemusic. org/events-calendar.
November
NOLA ZYDECO FESTIVAL: Nov.1,1701 Bayou Lane, Slidell. Venture down to the bayou for Creolemusic,Zydeco and line dance lessons,foodand dance contests, and aLouisiana Creole genealogy exhibit. Tickets startatabout $15. nolazydecofest.com.
LOUISIANA BOOK FESTIVAL:Nov.1,downtown Baton Rouge. Bookworms from all over can enjoy presentations from alineup of authors and participate in activities related to reading. louisianabookfestival.org.
BBQ,BOURBON AND BLUES FESTIVAL: Nov. 1, 310 N. Canal Blvd. in Thibodaux. Over 35 brands of bourbon are available for sips, as well as barbecue and live music.
DECADENCE
Continued frompage12
barcrawl back. Co-grandmarshal DJ “Dolla Bill” Hincks said that essentially the event is still abar crawl, with the participants pausing to toast ata handful of watering holes along the21/2hour march.
Hincks said the four grand marshals will be equipped with whistles to signal the parade’s arrival at various establishments —ashrill tradition that dates back to the very beginning of the event.
The friends who founded theSouthernDecadenceparaderepresented amixture of race and sexuality. In recent decades, the parade has taken on agay vibe. But it’snot agay parade, perse. Hincks points outthat many of theparticipants do not identify as LGBTQ+.
“This isn’tPride (thePride parade),”
FILEPHOTO By GRANTTHERKILDSEN Ayoung attendee floats awooden toy boat at the Wooden Boat Festival in Madisonville. The festival takes place Oct. 18-19this year.
Ticketsstart at $10. lafourchearc.org.
HOLYGHOST CREOLE FESTIVAL:Nov.7-9, 788 N. Union St., Opelousas. Experience foodslike friedcatfish or barbecue pork steak, gospel hymns and the CreoleFestival Parade; bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets.hgcatholic.org.
THIBODAUXFALL FESTIVAL: Nov.8,downtown Thibodaux. The iconic rubber duck race will take place on Bayou Lafourche. Three stages of live music,dozens of arts and crafts booths and acar showaswell. facebook.com/ thibodeauxville.
SECOND ANNUAL BLUE DENIM NIGHT: Nov. 8, 82292 La. 25, Folsom.Bust out your favorite denim and dancing shoes at this western-themed, free event withlive music and food. giddyupgrounds.com.
TREME CREOLEGUMBOFESTIVAL: Nov.8-9, 701 N. RampartSt.,New Orleans. Feast on gumbo while jamming to R&B, funk and brass bands. jazzandheritage. org/events/2025-treme-creole-gumbofestival.
PORT BARRECRACKLIN FESTIVAL: Nov.13-19, Veterans Memorial Park, 129 Park St., PortBarre.First held in 1985, this multidayevent hostsa street fair,pageant and parade while raising money for the PortBarre Lions Club. cracklinfest. com.
KENNERFOOD TRUCKFESTIVAL: Nov. 16, Kenner’s Laketown by theboat launch. Foodies from all over can feast on bites from 30-plus trucks while rocking out to live music.kenner.la.us/384/KennerFood-Truck-Festival-2025.
HOLIDAY MARKET AT THEMILL:Nov.21-23, Cottonseed Mill, 311 Mill St., New Roads.Shop handmade treasures and
Hincks said. “It’s not all gay and lesbian. It’s acelebration of living in the French Quarter,celebrating the Quarter life, experiencing it.”
Thedeets
Hincks will be joined as 2025 grand marshals by ChiChi Rodriquez, Wil-
lie Mackie and Monique MichaelsAlexander.Each grand marshal selects asymbolic color,which guides their costuming decisions. This year’scolors are purple, black, white and gold.
Among the many dance and marching groups in thegaudy procession, look for The Ropers, agroup that costumes in
foods from over 135 vendors at this biannual market. marketatthemillnewroads.com
November andDecember
LOUISIANA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL: Nov 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-23, 28-30 and Dec. 6-7, 46468 RiverRoad, Hammond. Travel back to 14th- through 17thcentury Europe,anexperience with over 600 artisans, entertainers and educational demonstrations. Tickets start at $20. larf2023.org.
December
COWBOY CHRISTMAS: Dec. 5-6, 625 Esplanade St., Lake Charles. Spread Christmascheer at this winterwonderland celebration through petting zoos, cookies with Santa, shopping and carols. stablesatlebocage.com.
CHRISTMAS IN THE COUNTRY: Dec. 5-6, Commerce Street at Burnett Road, St. Francisville. This winter season celebration brings shopping, family fun, music and aparade. visitstfrancisvillela.com.
ALL IS BRIGHT —A HOMETOWNCHRISTMAS: Dec.6,Railroad Avenue and Main Street, Plaquemine. Awinter wonderland blankets downtown with visits from Santa and the Grinch, achildren’s train, food and sweets, music entertainment andapetting zoo. plaquemine. org.
tribute to Helen Roper,the caftan-clad character from the 1970s-’80s sitcom “Three’sCompany.” Also look for the dancing Winestone Cowboys, the, uh, Local Skanks and acontingent from the Intergalactic Krewe of Chewbacchus Mardi Gras parade.
As usual, the procession starts at the corner of Royal and Barracks streets. It heads uptownonRoyal Street, turns right on St. Louis Street, right on North Rampart Street, right on Toulouse Street, leftonBurgundy Street, right on St. Ann, leftonBourbon Street, ending at Dumaine Street.
For information or to sign up to participate, visit sdparade.com
The parade is the centerpiece of the Southern Decadence weekend. Find events scattered throughout the French Quarter and elsewhere between Friday and Sunday at southerndecadence.com.
Email Doug MacCashatdmaccash@ theadvocate.com.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD
People march in the French Quarter during the 2024 SouthernDecadence parade.
music music music
Keith Spera SOUND CHECK
Twovery differentrockers —alegendary heavy metal frontman and an acclaimed Americana singer/guitarist/ songwriter— visit New Orleans this week.
ALEJANDROESCOVEDO
TUESDAY,CHICKIE WAHWAH
Guitarist,singer and songwriter Alejandro Escovedo ranks among the most respected musicians on the Austin music scene. Overthe course of amultidecade career,he’sranged from punk rock to highoctaneAmericana music, makingfans out of the likes of BruceSpringsteen. In the opinion of RollingStone, Escovedo “has blended the lyricism of Springsteen and Jackson Browne withthe raw power of the Stooges and the Velvet Underground …the result is music with heart, brains, and aburning sense of adventure.” On his mostrecent album, 2024’s“Echo Dancing,” he revisits and reinventssongs from throughouthis 50-year career
Now 74, Escovedo had been scheduled to perform at the 2025 New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival and be interviewed at the Allison Miner Music Heritage Stage in the Grandstand; he had to cancel all Jazz Fest appearances at the last minute to deal with health issues. Buthe’sback on theroad and is slated to headline Chickie WahWah on Tuesday James Mastro opens theshow at 8p.m. Tickets are $40 plus fees.
ED VOLKER’S TRIO MULLOSC
SATURDAY,CHICKIE WAHWAH
Long-running New Orleans bandThe Radiatorsformed in 1978 in keyboardist and singerEd Volker’sgarage on WaldoDrive. The first song the band played was VanMorrison’s“He Ain’t GiveYou None.” Thesecond was an original composition, “Red Dress.” Over the next four-plus decades,Volker eventually wearied of travelingbut notsongwriting. He’swritten hundreds of songs —atleast— waymore than the Radiators could accommodate. The Rads generally get together twice ayear,but Volker also tinkers withother musical projects, including Trio Mullosc. TheTrio Mullosc lineupis fluid; Volker has used various sidemen, including Radiators bandmates, over the years. For Saturday’s show at Chickie WahWah, he’ll bejoinedbya pair of Iguanas: guitarist Rod Hodges and bassist ReneComan. Showtime is 9p.m. Tickets are $25 plusfees.
OTHERNOTEWORTHY SHOWS
THURSDAY
Jazz vocalist Betty Shirley draws on R&B, blues, bossa nova and other styles to create asound all her own at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 a.m. at Snug Harbor Jazz BistroonFrenchmen Street.She’ll be backed by pianist Will Thompson,bassist Quinn Sternberg anddrummer Simon Lott.Tickets are $30. Josh Paxton tickles the ivories at the Maple Leaf Bar for the weekly early-evening “Booker Sessions” set at 6p.m.; admission is $10. Drummer Johnny Vidacovich takes over the Leaf at 8p.m. ($15 advance, $20 at the door).
FRIDAY
Rapper AllayEarhart is at the Fillmore, marking the20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, his birthday and therelease of anew album. Tickets start at $18. Followingthe 7p.m. screen-
ing of the Katrina documentary“AReason To Stay” at theBroadside, Ryan Skully’s Rough Seven and the HappyTalk Band will perform, starting around 9p.m. Tickets are $20, but your ticket from the film screening will get you a$5 discount on admission to the concert.
Percussionist andvibraphonist Jason Marsalis leads abirthday tribute at Snug Harbor to jazz legend Charlie Parker,who was born on Aug. 29, 1920.
Showtimes are at 7:30 p.m.and 9:30 p.m.Tickets are $35. As summer winds down, the 2025 edition of Tipitina’s summer-long “Free Fridays” weekly concert series concludes with Naughty Professor headlining and Pocket Chocolate opening the show at 9p.m. Admission is free.
James Jordan &the Situation hit the Maple Leaf at 8p.m. Tickets are $15 advance, $20 at the door.
Email KeithSpera at kspera@theadvocate.com.
Naughty Professor
Ed Volker
Alejandro Escovedo
SATURDAY
Local cover band Big in the 90s cranks out hit songs from the 1990s at Tipitina’s, with That’s So Fetch opening the show at 9 p.m. Tickets start at $17.
Blues-based guitarist Eric Johanson plugs in at the Maple Leaf Bar at 8 p.m. ($15 advance, $20 at the door).
SUNDAY
Progressive bluegrass/Americana band The Dead South headlines the Fillmore. Tickets start at $39.
The Tin Men, featuring Jason Jurzak on sousaphone, Alex McMurray on guitar and Washboard Chaz on washboard and bells, play a free show from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at the Broadside’s indoor, air-conditioned Pavilion Moroccan-born, New Orleansbased Mahmoud “Mood” Chouki, a master of traditional stringed instruments, fronts his New World Ensemble at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor. Tickets are $30.
The Brass-A-Holics headline Tipitina’s, with Nakia Peck opening the show at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.
The Maple Leaf Bar hosts “Canada’s 30th Birthday” with The Tanglers, Cardboard Cowboy, Sam Price & The True Believers and Jelly Biscuit & The Flaky Layers, plus food by Paulie’s Deli, from 5 p.m. until 3 a.m. Tickets are $30.
TUESDAY
Bruce Dickinson, best known as the full-throated frontman of legendary British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, is also a pilot, a world-class fencer, an author and a cancer survivor. He released his seventh solo album, “The Mandrake Project,” in 2024. He’ll front his solo band at the House of Blues on Tuesday Tickets start at $49 plus fees.
WEDNESDAY
Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra swing out for shows at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor. Tickets are $40.
Trouble in paradise for Jude Law, Sydney Sweeney, Ana de Armas
BY ADAM GRAHAM The Detroit News (TNS)
“Eden” is no paradise.
Review
Ron Howard’s tale about a group of European settlers who attempt to carve out their own slice of heaven on an uninhabited piece of land in the Galápagos Islands rests unsteadily between drama and camp, as the director and cast never seem to be on the same page about what movie they’re making.
Sex, murder, intrigue, desire, Nietzsche, feral hogs and a naked Jude Law, it’s all here. But “Eden’s” pulse never rises, even as it becomes a “Lord of the Flies” riff in the clothes — or lack thereof — of a historical epic.
Jude Law plays Dr Friedrich Ritter, who flees Germany and comes to the island of Floreana with his wife, Dora Strauch Ritter (Vanessa Kirby), to start fresh and build their own utopia. It’s the early 1930s, society is collapsing, and Friedrich yearns for a fresh start. He’s going off the grid, in today’s terms, and his quest is a reminder that no matter the time or political circumstances of the world, the need to Get Away From it All has always been a desire.
Trouble from the start
Things aren’t going that well from the jump Friedrich is composing his manifesto, but his writings — mercilessly banged out on his typewriter — are a bunch of garbled musings on pain, a philosophy he’s cobbling together as he goes along. Things get worse when a pair of his followers, Heinz (Daniel Brühl) and Margret Wittmer (Sydney Sweeney), show up with their son, Harry (Jonathan Tittel), and decide to help themselves to part of the island.
Friedrich toys with them, setting them up for failure by having them set up camp against a couple of uninhabitable caves; he figures they’ll be gone by springtime. But much to his chagrin, they thrive, setting up a fresh wa-
ter reservoir and building themselves a home.
Trouble doubles down with the arrival of Baroness Eloise Bosquet de Wagner Wehrhorn (Ana de Armas), a big-talking fabulist who arrives on the island like a Real Housewife of Floreana, with dreams of building a luxury hotel on the island. She arrives with two boy toys in tow — Felix Kammerer and Toby Wallace play her lovers/ servants — and their sordid drama is a further disruption to the Ritters, the Wittmers and the supposed tranquility they’re all seeking.
Pulp fiction
This is pulpy stuff, and it’s heightened in the script by screenwriter Noah Pink (“Tetris”), which has the Ritters fighting and fornicating in the same breath, and the Baroness and her male companions treating the Wittmer’s water supply like their own personal hot tub.
But the movie seems unsure what
‘EDEN’ HH
STARRING: Jude Law, Ana de Armas,Vanessa Kirby, Daniel Brühl, Sydney Sweeney
DIRECTOR: Ron Howard
MPA RATING: R (for some strong violence, sexual content, graphic nudity and language)
RUNNING TIME: 2:09
HOW TO WATCH: In theaters
to make of its characters, and forgets to give the audience a rooting interest in any of them. (The Wittmers are the most grounded but the most dull of the island’s inhabitants, which makes them boring as surrogates.)
Law and Kirby are deliciously vicious snakes, with Law’s character wearing what looks like modified bottle caps for teeth. (His character has plucked out all of his teeth to avoid dental illness, which is one way to do it.)
They’re embroiled in a cutting thriller De Armas is supremely over the top, which would be fun if anyone met her at her level, but as it stands she’s on her own island of camp. Sweeney and Brühl, meanwhile, are locked into a domestic drama. Rarely do these separate styles mesh.
There’s no shortage of human drama on this island, but “Eden” plays like several separate versions of the story washed ashore in the same tide. It’s a study in humanity with nothing fresh to say and no fresh way of saying it.
