The Times-Picayune 09-30-2025 by The Advocate

Landry seeksGuard troops forLa.

To the criminals terrorizing our communities: your timeisup. Law and order are back in Louisiana.”

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Gov. Jeff Landry hasasked

port law enforcement.

President Donald Trump’sadministration for afederally fundeddeployment of 1,000 NationalGuard troops in Louisiana cities to sup-

In aletter to the Pentagon, he cited crime in cities like Baton Rouge,Shreveport and New Orleans. He did not lay out aprecise plan for whereGuardmembers would bedeployed ”Federalpartnerships in our

toughest cities have worked,and now,with thesupport of President Trumpand Secretary (Pete) Hegseth, we are taking the next step by bringing in theNational Guard,” Landry said in arelease Monday night. “Thismissionisabout savinglives andprotecting families.

The move would mark another high-profile deployment of the NationalGuardsince Trumpbegan his secondterm, following hiscontroversial decision to send thousands of members to Washington, D.C.,aspart of acrackdown on crime and immigration.

The Trump administration also recently announcedplans to send the Guard to Memphis, Tennessee, and Portland, Oregon, although in much smaller numbers.

In hisletter to Hegseth,Landry says the troops would remain in Louisiana until the end of the 2026 fiscal year,though he does not

1,000soldiers requestedtopatrolincities ä See TROOPS, page 6A

Congress struggles to avoid shutdown

National Flood InsuranceProgram facesuncertainty

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON After aclosed-door meeting with the president, congressional leaders of both parties took hard linesMonday, setting the stage for the federal government to shut down at midnight as Tuesday turns to Wednesday

The situation was ﬂuid andcould change. Just what federal agencies would be targeted for closure if adeal could not be reached had yet to be made public. Some services wouldcontinue. The military will still protect the nation. Social Security benefits will still be paid. Commercial airlines will still ﬂy.VeteransAffairs medical facilities willremain operational

Aletter from the Ofﬁce of Management and Budget stated that agencies receiving money in the recently enacted One Big BeautifulBill Act, such as efforts to deport immigrants, will be protected.

But most governmentworkers would be put on temporary leave —atleast that’swhat happened in the 10 previous shutdowns going back to 1980. This time, however,the Trump administration hasordered agenciestoconsider ﬁring thousands of federal workers, instead of furloughing them, though nothing concrete had been released.

Perhaps the most immediate effect for Louisiana wouldbean end, at least temporarily,toﬂood insurance.

The NationalFlood Insurance Program will expireunless the

ä See SHUTDOWN, page 6A

trytobevery

BY JAMES FINN

Staff writer

The Rev.Tyrone Smith introduced Helena Moreno withraised arms and asparkleinhis eye. As amember of the clergy, Smith, who leads the New Generation of Original Morning Star First Baptist Church, is barredfrom en-

Governor pledgesfastercleanup of Tangipahoa plantfiresite

Aug. 25.

promptsactionfromstate

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

Gov.JeffLandryhas promised changes to thecleanup of the Smitty’sSupply Inc. ﬁre after he saw aerial video of oiled sections of the Tangipahoa River

Thevideo from Saturday posted on social media shows an oiled pond next to Smitty’sand an oiled section of the river, which receivedpotentiallymillions of gallons of runoff fromthe Smitty’s lubricants plantnear Roseland.

It caught ﬁre and exploded Aug. 22 and wasnot fully extinguished until Sept.8

After seeing the video, Landry said

dorsing politicians. Yethemade clear his enthusiasm for Moreno, New Orleans’leading mayoral candidate, as he ushered her to the pulpit midway through his sermon on arecentSunday “I can’ttellyou who to vote for,” said Smith, who hasknown Moreno for about adecade. “But I think that Helena Moreno will get it right.” Moreno stepped before the congregation. If elected, she pledged to set New Orleans on anew path

GOV. JEFF LANDRy

Sunday that he spoke withthe regional head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency andthe leadersofhis state environmental and oil-and-gas agencies.

“Collectively,wehad acall andtomorrow morning, thingsare getting ready to start changing on thecleaning up of that site,” Landry said in avideo posted on X.

“Mycommitment is to the citizens of this stateand especially thoseinTangipahoa Parish to makesure that facility and the effects of the ﬁre are cleaned up and thatareaisrestoredtothe same way it was before the ﬁre,” he said.

Landry offered no detailsabout what kind of changes werecoming.

His spokesperson, Kate Kelly,didn’t return an email requesting comment. An EPAspokesperson for the cleanup said he was preparing aresponse but hadn’t provided it by Monday evening.

The video was shot and posted, the governor said, by Eric McVicker,aMandeville resident andRepublican political consultant whoownsaphotography business focused on south Louisiana’snatural

ä See CLEANUP, page 6A

—one of smoother streetsand morefunctional governance.

“It’stimetomoveonfrom what hasbeen to what thecityofNew Orleans will be,”she said to raucous applause. From church halls to theState Capitol, Moreno has spent thebet-

terpart of twodecades methodically laying the foundations of a political brand that is nowbearing fruit on the campaign trail for mayor of New Orleans. Much of that work hasplayedout in places like the church in New OrleansEast. Later,asparishioners ﬁled into the mid-September heat, Moreno, who normally worships at OurLady of Guadalupe on North Rampart Street, waited near

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Helena Moreno

STAFF FILE PHOTOByDAVID GRUNFELD

Aboom helps stop oil runoff from the explosion at Smitty’s Supply from floating down the Tangipahoa RiverinIndependence on

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Moldova’s pro-EU party wins parliamentary vote

CHISINAU, Moldova Moldovans gave the country’s pro-Western governing party a clear parliamentary majority in a weekend election, defeating pro-Russian groups in a vote widely viewed as a stark choice between East and West.

European leaders Monday hailed Moldovans for re-afﬁrming their commitment to a Western path and future membership in the European Union in the face of alleged Russian interference.

The country is small in size and population but with outsized geopolitical importance.

“You made your choice clear: Europe. Democracy Freedom,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a post on X. “No attempt to sow fear or division could break your resolve.”

Landlocked between war-torn Ukraine and EU and NATO member Romania, Moldova was a Soviet republic until it proclaimed independence in 1991. In recent years it has taken a clear Westward path, turning the country into a geopolitical battleground between Russia and Europe

The outcome of Sunday’s highstakes ballot was noteworthy considering Moldovan authorities’ repeated claims that Russia was conducting a vast “hybrid war” to try to sway the outcome. Moldova applied to join the EU in 2022 in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and was granted candidate status that year Brussels agreed to open accession negotiations last year

Attack on Dutch-flagged ship off Yemen injures 2 DUBAI,UnitedArab Emirates A missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi rebels set a Dutch-ﬂagged cargo ship ablaze in the Gulf of Aden on Monday, ofﬁcials said, injuring two mariners and forcing its crew to abandon the damaged vessel.

The attack on the Minervagracht represents the mostserious attack in the Gulf of Aden, some distance away from the Red Sea where the Iranianbacked Houthis sank two vessels in July

While the rebels did not claim the assault, they had threatened to strike ships as part of their campaign over the IsraelHamas war in the Gaza Strip, particularly as Israel squeezes in on Gaza City in a new ground offensive. Meanwhile, the Mideast also remains on edge after the United Nations reimposed sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.

The Minervagracht had been targeted on Sept. 23 in an unsuccessful attack in the Gulf of Aden, which connects to the Red Sea via the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait separating East Africa from the Arabian Peninsula. On Monday, a missile launch seen by some in Yemen apparently struck the Minervagracht.

3 charged with alleged ‘doxing’ of ICE agent

LOS ANGELES Three activists opposed to President Donald Trump’s immigration raids in Los Angeles have been indicted on charges of illegally “doxing” a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent, federal prosecutors said. Investigators said the women followed the agent home, livestreamed their pursuit and then posted the agent’s address online, according to a statement Friday from the U.S. Attorney’s Ofﬁce Once they arrived at the agent’s home, prosecutors allege the women shouted “ICE lives on your street and you should know,” according to the indictment.

The defendants are each charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of publicly disclosing the personal information of a federal agent, the statement said

Police chief: Church attack an ‘evil act’

Death toll stays at 4 after officers sweep ruins in Michigan

BY ISABELLA VOLMERT and MARK VANCLEAVE Associated Press

GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Mich.

In the chaotic moments after a former Marine smashed his pickup truck into a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Michigan and began shooting, church members pulled others to safety while smoke filled the building, ofﬁcials said

Monday

Four people died and eight others were wounded in Sunday’s attack just as services were underway in the crowded sanctuary Authorities feared they would ﬁnd additional victims, but by Monday everyone was accounted for after a sweep of the charred ruins, police said.

Investigators were focusing on what motivated the 40-year-old veteran to open fire and set ablaze the church in Grand Blanc Township, about 60 miles north of Detroit. The suspect was also killed while exchanging gunfire with two ofﬁcers, said Township Chief of Police William Renye

Eight people ages 6 to 78 — were injured, including five with gunshot wounds, the chief said. The

others suffered smoke inhalation.

“This was an evil act of violence,” Renye said.

The FBI considered the attack the second on an American church in little over a month — an “act of targeted violence,” said Ruben Coleman, a special agent in charge for the bureau.

Investigators declined to discuss possible motives during a news conference Monday Authorities identiﬁed the shooter as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of the neighboring town of Burton.

Investigators deployed a robot while searching Sanford’s residence Sunday but did not say what they found or provide any additional details about him, including whether he had any connec-

tion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, widely known as the Mormon church.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said investigators were looking into how much planning went into the attack and whether any clues about the motive were left behind.

“From what I understand, based on my conversations with the FBI director, all they know right now is this was an individual who hated people of the Mormon faith,” she said Monday during an interview on Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends.”

Employees from a nearby hospital were inside the church at the time of the attack and jumped into action said Dr. Michael Danic

medical chief of staff for Henry Ford Genesys Hospital, where most of the victims were treated.

He described how the employees went “in and out of the ﬁre” to help drag people out.

“Those on the scene were absolute heroes,” Danic said.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said a Grand Blanc police ofﬁcer and a conservation officer with the state’s Department of Natural Resources brought down the attacker

The DNR ofﬁcer was on duty nearby when he responded, said Marc Curtis, an attorney representing him. “I can tell you that he acted without hesitation,” Curtis said. Crews in white coveralls and hard hats searched

through what remained of the church Monday morning. The suspect’s silver truck with two American ﬂags in the back remained where it had smashed into a brick wall near a sign that says “visitors welcome.”

Across the street, there was an SUV with apparent bullet holes in the windshield and driver window A woman who knew Sanford saw him two days before the attack and said that while she and her daughter were crossing a street, he revved up his truck and started driving toward them, causing them to jump back. Kara Pattison told WDIV-TV that Sanford was laughing and said “Oh, got you guys.” Sanford apparently used gas to start the ﬁre and also had explosive devices, said James Dier, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Flames and smoke poured from the church for hours after the attack. The ﬁre gutted nearly all of the building, consuming its towering white steeple and sanctuary — only its outer walls and a few side rooms remained standing.

According to records released by the Marine Corps, Sanford served for four years after enlisting in 2004 and was discharged at the rank of sergeant. He deployed once to Iraq for seven months and was awarded a Good Conduct Medal, indicating three years of service without any major infractions.

Marine vet charged in N.C. waterfront shooting

BY CAROLYN THOMPSON and ALLEN G BREED Associated Press

A decorated Marine veteran charged with firing an assault rifle from a boat at a waterfront bar in North Carolina, killing three people and wounding five, appeared subdued in court Monday as prosecutors said they may seek the death penalty Nigel Edge, 40, a Purple Heart recipient whose last assignment was with a Wounded Warrior battalion, made his first court appearance via video link after Saturday’s mass shooting. He’s charged with murder, attempted murder and assault.

Law enforcement officers “got the confession”

from the suspect following his arrest, said North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Director Chip Hawley at a news conference Monday He did not elaborate.

Five people remained hospitalized from the violence in Southport, a historic port town about 30 miles south of Wilmington. None of the victims’ identities have been released.

On Sunday, another 40-year-old former Marine crashed a pickup into a Michigan church during services, shot into the building and set it ablaze, killing four people and wounding eight. It was the second mass shooting in the U.S. in less than 24 hours.

District Attorney Jon David said his ofﬁce had yet

Madagascar’s leader fires government after protests

BY SARAH TÉTAUD and GERALD IMRAY Associated Press

ANTANANARIVO Madagascar Madagascar

President Andry Rajoelina ﬁred the prime minister and the rest of his government Monday in response to days of deadly Gen Z-led protests in the Indian Ocean island over the failure of the electricity and water supplies.

Rajoelina said in a speech on national television that Prime Minister Christian Ntsay and other government officials would stay on an interim basis until a new government is formed. He invited applications for government positions and gave a three-day time frame to review proposals for a new prime minister

“Your demands have been heard, and I apologize if there are members of the government who have not done the work that the people expected,” Rajoelina said.

A story Monday misstated the number of bills that state Sen. Royce Duplessis proposed in the Legislature this year He proposed eight bills. The TimesPicayune regrets the error

The protesters had called for the resignation of both Ntsay and Rajoelina, but Rajoelina gave no indication that he would step down.

The protests against chronic electricity and water cuts began on Thursday and drew thousands onto the streets, prompting the government to order nighttime curfews in the capital, Antananarivo, and

to review medical records but described Edge as having “signiﬁcant mental health issues” after experiencing a traumatic brain injury according to WECT News.

Authorities said Edge piloted a boat close to shore, stopped briefly and opened fire at a crowd of vacationers and other patrons in what Southport Police Chief Todd Coring called a “highly premeditated” targeted attack. A charging document says he used an AR-style rifle with a silencer and scope. He was arrested about a half an hour later after a U.S. Coast Guard crew spotted him pulling a boat from the water at a public ramp on Oak Island, where he lives.

Demonstrators hold up placards reading ‘water and electricity are basic human rights,’ ‘Malagasy people, wake up,’ ‘Let’s not remain in the dark with our yellow cans’ on Thursday in Antananarivo, Madagascar

other major cities. The demonstrations gathered momentum on social media and have mirrored recent youth-led antigovernment protests in Nepal and Kenya.

The United Nations human rights ofﬁce said earlier Monday that 22 people had been killed in clashes surrounding the protests. The U.N. agency blamed a “violent response” by security forces. More than 100 people also have been injured in the protests, the agency said.

Protesters and bystanders were killed by security forces, but some of the deaths also came in violence and looting by gangs not associated with the protesters, the U.N. rights ofﬁce said in a statement.

U.N. high commissioner for human rights Volker Turk was shocked “at the violent response by security forces to the ongoing protests in Madagascar,” the U.N. rights ofﬁce said. It said the protests began peacefully on Thursday, “but the security forces intervened with unnecessary force, lobbing tear gas and beating and arresting protesters. Some ofﬁcers also used live ammunition.”

Edge requested a courtappointed attorney and declined to comment during his appearance in Brunswick County Court, WECT News reported. He showed no obvious emotion as the district attorney said his ofﬁce would review whether the death penalty is appropriate. No plea was entered. Edge was ordered to remain in custody pending his next court hearing, scheduled for Oct. 13.

Edge, who was born in Suffern, New York, and changed his name from Sean DeBevoise in 2023, told police

he was injured in combat and suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, Southport’s police chief said. Oak Island Police Chief Charles Morris said Edge was known to officers who frequently saw him by the town pier, and that Edge filed “numerous lawsuits” against the department and town in recent years. In one, he sought body camera video from an encounter after his boat trailer was vandalized. Legal records indicate Edge turned to the court system to air a variety of perceived grievances.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SARAH TETAUD

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CARLOS

Imelda, Humberto threaten Bahamas, Bermuda

Storm kills 1 man in Cuba

BY DÁNICA COTO Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico

Au-

thorities in the Bahamas closed most schools Monday as Tropical Storm Imelda dropped heavy rain in the northern Caribbean including over Cuba where landslides killed at least one man.

The storm was located about 120 miles north of Great Abaco Island of the Bahamas, which is still recovering from Hurricane Dorian after it slammed into parts of the Bahamas as a devastating Category 5 hurricane in 2019.

Imelda had maximum sustained winds of 65 mph and was moving north at 9 mph. It was forecast to become a hurricane on Tuesday morning and spin out to open ocean, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

A tropical storm warning was in effect for parts the extreme northwestern Bahamas, including Great Abaco, Grand Bahama Island and the surrounding keys. Power outages were reported in some areas, with authorities closing government ofﬁces on affected islands and issuing mandatory evacuation orders for some islands over

the weekend. Imelda was expected to drop 4 to 8 inches of rain across the northwest Bahamas through Tuesday, and 2 to 4 inches across eastern Cuba. State media in Cuba reported that 60-year-old Luis Mario Pérez Coiterio died in Santiago de Cuba following landslides in that area

“After two days of intense rains in the municipality of Santiago de Cuba, we are now in the stage of saving human lives and the economy of the entire city,” Mayor Indira Oliva Bueno said, according to a broadcast aired by the ofﬁcial Caribe channel.

In the easternmost part of Cuba, from Camagüey to Guantánamo, authorities supplied food and drinking water to residents, according to ofﬁcial TV reports.

Overall, Imelda forced the evacuation of some 1,291 people across Cuba, with 158 of them staying in shelters.

“We are working with our agricultural colleagues to provide food to the population, which is essential,” said Alexander Olivares, president of the San Antonio del Sur Defense Council in Guantánamo.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Humberto, a Category 4

storm, churned in open wa-

ters nearby, which forecasters said would cause Imelda to abruptly turn to the eastnortheast, away from the southeastern United States coast.

“This is really what’s going to be saving the United States from really seeing catastrophic rainfall,” said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane expert for AccuWeather, a private U.S weather forecasting company DaSilva said the two storms would draw closer and start rotating counterclockwise around each other in what’s known as the Fuji-

whara effect.

“It’s a very rare phenomenon overall in the Atlantic basin,” he said.

Humberto had maximum sustained winds of 140 mph. It was located about 295 miles southwest of Bermuda, moving north-northwest at 13 mph. A hurricane watch was in effect for Bermuda.

“This is going to be no threat to the United States,” DaSilva said.

However, moisture from Imelda was expected to move up the Carolinas, with heavy rain forecast through Tuesday morning The heaviest rains will be limited to the coastline, from Charleston in South Carolina to Wilmington in North Carolina, while Charlotte and Raleigh might receive only 1 to 2 inches of rain, he said.

The Carolinas might see wind gusts of 40 mph, but only along the coastline, DaSilva said, as he warned of dangerous surf and heavy rip currents all week.

South Carolina Gov Henry McMaster said authorities were prepositioning search and rescue crews over the weekend.

In North Carolina, Gov Josh Stein declared a state of emergency even before Imelda formed, while authorities on Tybee Island off the coast of Georgia handed out free sandbags to residents. Even though Imelda was

not making landfall in Florida, its impact was still felt. At the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, crews found a couple of turtle hatchlings that rough surf had tossed ashore.

“We actually had two washbacks come in over the weekend,” said Justin Perrault, the center’s vice president of research. “We may get more as the day goes along.” He said typically beachgoers will see a hatchling resting in the seaweed and call the center for help.

Further south in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Carl Alexandre exercised at the beach on Monday He said he was grateful the storm was not heading toward South Florida, but that he would pray for those in the Bahamas.

“It’s great that we’re not having one as of right now,” Alexandre said. “And now we get to run in the Florida sun.”

Authorities in Bermuda hoped neither of the two storms would be a direct hit later in the week, though they were forecast to, at least, come close, with Imelda possibly passing within 15 miles as the season’s soon-to-be fourth hurricane, Da Silva said.

“It’s going to be a double whammy for Bermuda, Humberto ﬁrst and Imelda following close behind,” Da Silva said.

Minnesota man pleads guilty to attempting to join IS group

BY STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS A Minnesota man accused of trying to join the Islamic State group pleaded guilty Monday to attempting to provide material support and resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization.

Abdisatar Ahmed Hassan, 23, changed his plea to

guilty during an appearance before U.S District Judge Donovan Frank in St Paul. When H assan w as charged in February, prosecutors said he had expressed admiration on social media for the man who carried out a Jan 1 truck attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans that killed 14 people. That attacker was killed by police. His truck

bore the ﬂag of the militant Islamic State group.

Prosecutors say Hassan tried twice in December to travel from Minnesota to Somalia to join the group and ﬁght on its behalf but failed both times. The FBI had been tipped beforehand about a social media user who had expressed support for the Islamic State group and the Somali militant group al-Shabab, and agents conducted surveillance of Hassan on both attempts.

he wasn’t detained until his arrest in February

The first time Hassan tried to travel to Somalia, according to court documents, the airline denied him boarding because he lacked the proper travel documents. He missed the second ﬂight while federal ofﬁcers questioned him, but

The FBI said it observed Hassan driving with the group’s ﬂag the day before his arrest.

“There is no margin for error when it comes to terrorism,” Acting U.S. Attorney Joe Thompson said in a statement. “Hassan ﬂew the ISIS ﬂag, venerated attacks on the homeland, and want-

ed to kill Americans. We are not taking chances. We will not let Minnesota become a safe haven for terrorists.” Hassan, a naturalized U.S. citizen, remains in custody A sentencing date has not been set. The statutory maximum penalty is 15 years in prison, but accepting a plea agreement usually results in a lower sentence.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PHELAN M. EBENHACK Maiko Russell walks along the sand as Tropical Storm Imelda passes offshore, kicking up the surf Monday at Blockhouse Beach at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla

By ASHLEEREZIN

Immigrationoperationsin Chicagoamplify concerns

BY SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press

CHICAGO The sight of armed, camouflaged and masked Border Patrol agents making arrests near famous downtown Chicago landmarks has amplified concerns about the Trump administration’sgrowing federal intervention across U.S. cities.

As Memphis Tennessee; and Portland, Oregon, brace for afederallaw enforcementsurge, residents in the nation’sthird-largest city met abrazen weekend escalationofimmigration enforcement tactics with anger,fear and fresh claims of discrimination.

“It looks un-American,” said Chicago Alderman Brandon Reilly,who represents downtown on the City Council. He deemed the Sunday display a“photo opp” for President Donald Trump, echoing other leaders.

Trump has called the expansion of federalimmigration agents and National Guard troops into American cities necessary,blasting Democrats for crimeand lax immigration policies. Following acrime crackdown in the District of Columbiaand immigration enforcementin Los Angeles, he’sreferred to Portland as “war-ravaged” and threatened apocalyptic force in Chicago.

“Whether it takes place here in the city or the suburbs, it’sall the same to us,” Border Patrol agent Gregory Bovino, known for aggressive tactics in Los Angeles, said Sunday as he walked Chicago streets with dozens of agents.

Discrimination claims

Many Chicagoans were already uneasy aftera federal immigration crackdown began earlier this month. Agents have targetedimmigrant-heavy and largely Latino areas, including through trafﬁc stops.

Dozens of Border Patrol agentswalking Michigan Avenue and upscale neighborhoods on Sunday skyrocketed theresponse.

Among the biggest concern from activists and elected leaders is discriminatory stops, particularly after the Supreme Court lifted restrictions on roving patrols in L.A. The court cleared the way for immigration agents to stop people based on race, language,job or location.

In Chicago, activists said a Latino family of four was led away by federal agents Sun-

day near thepopular “Cloud Gate”sculpture,commonly called“TheBean.”

“Thedowntownoperation of being racially proﬁled and kidnappedbyimmigration in broad daylight represents amajor escalation by the Trump administration,”said Veronica Castro with Illinois Coalition for Immigrantand Refugee Rights.

U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, an IllinoisDemocrat, said agents continueto proﬁlebased on looks.

Bovino told The Associated Press that agents will go after “anyone who is here illegally,” an approach that fell under immigration authority,known asTitle8.He told the Chicago Sun-Times that aperson’sappearance goesinto the calculation.

“It wouldbeagent experience, intelligence that indicates there’sillegal aliens in aparticular place or location,” he told thenewspaper “Then, obviously, theparticularcharacteristics of an individual, how they look.”

TheDepartment of Homeland Security did notreturn messages Monday.

Chicagoans trailagents

As Border Patrol agents marched near downtown, a trail of activists and citizens followed closely. At one point, agents chased aman on abikewho rode off.

Shirley Zuniga was celebrating her 24th birthday when she saw agents. Still wearing ahot pink birthday sash, she left brunch to follow them.

Zuniga,among theﬁrst in her familyofHonduranimmigrants to be born in the United States, said she forgot all about her birthday plans as sheyelled at them to go home

“This is muchmore important to me,” she said as she grewemotional. “I’m celebratingmypeople.”

Portland goes to court

In Oregon, Democratic Attorney General DanRayfield filed amotioninfederal court Monday seeking to temporarily blockthe Trump administration from deploying the National Guard

The motion is partofa lawsuit Rayfield filed Sunday,after stateleaders received aDefense Department memo that said 200 members of thestate’sNational Guard will be placed under federal control for 60 days to “protectFederal property, at locations where protestsagainst these functions are occurring or are

likely to occur.”

PortlandMayor Keith Wilson andDemocratic Gov Tina Kotek are among city and state leaders who object to thedeployment.

“Putting our own military on our streets is an abuse of power and adisservice to ourcommunities and our service members,” Rayﬁeld said in astatementMonday

The U.S. Immigration andCustoms Enforcement building outside Portland hasbeen thesite of nightly protests that peaked in June with smaller clashes occurring since then.

Alarger crowd demonstrated at the building Sunday. Twopeople were arrested for assault, according to authorities. That followed apeaceful march earlier in theday that drew thousands to thecity’sdowntown and saw no arrests, police said.

Some residents are already frustrated.

The building manager of the affordable housing complex adjacent to the ICE building said “theimpacts of violenttactics,including tear gasand late-night altercations, are traumatizing for residents,” including the veterans who live there.

“Sending federal troops will only escalate the situation. The last thing we need is an escalation,” Reach CommunityDevelopment said in statement

Memphisresidents worry

Memphis was in wait-andseemode Monday,the ﬁrst day of aplanned federal law enforcementsurge ordered by Trumptohelp ﬁght crime. Therewerenoimmediate reports of large-scale federal law enforcement operations.

Stillsomeresidents,including Latinos, expressed concernsthat immigration agentswill increase their presence and detain people regardless of immigration status.

“Weknowthe presence of theNationalGuard will lead to our neighbors being afraid to seek help when they need medical care, needtoreportcrimes, or require social services, because of this militarypresence,” said Sandra Pita, a community organizer

The cityhas experienced high numbersofviolent crimes such as carjackings and homicides in recent years, but bothDemocratic and Republican officials have notedthatthe majority-Black city is seeing decreases this year in some crime categories.

La.issueswarrant forCalif. doctor in abortion pill case

Physicianaccused of mailingmedicationtostate

BY SARACLINE and GEOFF MULVIHILL

Associated Press

Louisiana is pursuing acriminal case againstanother out-of-state doctor accused of mailing abortion pills to apatient in the state, court documents ﬁled this month revealed.

Awarrant forthe arrestofa California doctor is arare charge of violating one of the state abortion bans that hastaken effect since the U.S.Supreme Court overturned Roev.Wadein2022and allowedenforcement

It representsanadditional frontina growing legalbattlebetween liberaland conservative states over prescribing abortionmedications via telehealth and mailing themtopatients

Pills arethe mostcommonway abortions are accessed in the U.S.,and are amajor reason that, despite the bans, abortion numbers rose last year,according to areport.

Louisianasaid in acourt caseﬁledSept. 19 thatithad issued awarrant for aCaliforniabased doctor who it says provided pills to a Louisiana woman in 2023.

Both thewoman, Rosalie Markezich, and the state attorney’sgeneral, areseeking to be part of alawsuit that seeks to order drug regulators to bartelehealthprescriptions to mifepristone,one of the two drugs usually used in combination for medication abortions.

In court ﬁlings, Markezich says herboyfriend at thetimeused heremail address to order drugs from Dr.RemyCoeytaux, aCalifornia physician,and sent her$150, which she forwarded to Coeytaux. She said she hadnoother contact with the doctor She said she did notwant to take the pills but felt forced to andsaid in theﬁling that “thetrauma of my chemical abortion still haunts me”and that it wouldnot have happened if telehealth prescriptions to the drug

were off limits. The accusation builds on aposition taken by anti-abortion groups: That allowing abortionpills to be prescribedbyphone or video call and ﬁlled by mail opens the door to womenbeing coerced to take them

“Rosalie is bravely representingmany womanwho are victimized by the illegal, immoral, and unethical conduct of these drug dealers,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in astatement. Murrill’sofﬁcedid notimmediatelyanswer questions about whatcharges Coeytaux faces, or whenthe warrant was issued. But under the state’sban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy,physicians convicted of providing abortion face up to 15 years in prison and $200,000 in ﬁnes.

Coeytauxisalso thetarget of alawsuit ﬁled in July in federal court by aTexasman whosays the doctor illegally provided his girlfriend with abortion pills. Email and atelephone message seeking comment were left for Coeytaux.

The combination of aLouisiana criminal case anda Texascivil caseoverabortion pillsisalso playingout surrounding aNew York doctor,MargaretCarpenter. New York authorities are refusing to extradite Carpenter to Louisiana or to enforce for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton the $100,000 civil judgment against her

In theLouisiana case, ofﬁcials said apregnantminor’smother requested theabortion medication online and directed her daughter to take them. The mother wasarrested, pleaded not guilty and was released on bond. New York ofﬁcials cite alaw there that seekstoprotect medical providers who prescribe abortion medications to patients in states with abortion bans —orwhere suchprescriptions by telehealth violate the law

NewYorkand California areamong the eight states that have shield laws with such provisions, according to atally by the Guttmacher Institute, aresearch organization that supports abortion rights.

Lawyer forsuspect in Kirk killing wantsmoretimetoreviewevidence

BY HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press

PROVO, Utah An attorney forthe 22-yearold man charged with killing Charlie Kirk asked ajudge Monday for moretimetoreview thelarge amount of evidence in the case beforedeciding if the defense will seek apreliminary hearing.

Apreliminaryhearing woulddetermine if there is enough evidence against Tyler Robinson to go forward witha trial. Defendantscan waive that step, but Robinson’snewly appointedattorneyKathryn Nester saidher team didnot intendtodo so. Utah prosecutorshave charged Robinson withaggravated murderand plantoseek

the death penalty Both the defense and prosecution acknowledgedata briefhearing Mondaythat the amount of evidenceprosecutors have is “voluminous.” Robinson was not present forthe hearing and appeared via audio from jail at his defense team’srequest. Judge Tony Graf set the next hearing for Oct. 30.

Defense attorneys for Robinson and prosecutorswiththe Utah County Attorney’sOffice declined to comment after Monday’shearing. It took place in Provo, just afew miles from the Utah Valley University campus in Oremwhere manystudents are still processing traumafrom the Sept. 10 shooting and the day-and-a-half search forthe suspect.

CHICAGO SUN-TIMESPHOTO

Federal agents from U.S. Immigration and CustomsEnforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection walk Sunday north on North Clark Street in the River North neighborhood in Chicago.

thedoor until all of them had left, snapping photos and thanking them for their support.

Moreno was born in Mexico and raised in Texas, lending her an outsider status thatmight have once posed vulnerabilities for apolitical hopefulinacity whosepower structures are molded by cross-generational ties.

She has also not been immune in the campaign to attacks lodged in part because of her race or where she was born.

But in nearlythree decades of public life in New Orleans, she has melded skills honedasa TV reporter with that dogged approach to relationship-building thathas translated into a bulwark of support across New Orleans’ political institutions, including respected community leaders like Smith. Her alliances, coupled with herlengthylegislative experience andtenure atop the City Council during a period of upheaval in New Orleans’ city government, made Moreno oneofLouisiana’smost inﬂuential Democrats —and set the stage for amayoral candidacy that has left precious little room for opponents to buildﬁnancial or institutional support. Her networkofsupport spans Black Baptist pastors in NewOrleans East, like Smith, White Democrats who admire her legislative record, and well-heeled GOP donors who see someone willing to collaborate with them.

Power players like former Congressman Cedric Richmond and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,seen as kingmakers in New Orleans politics due to theirexperiencewinning elections and mobilizing voters, have gottenonboard, too.

Moreno says she balances her bevy of relationshipsby drawing hard lines where necessary “So often people get frustrated when they feel like people in elected ofﬁceare justtelling people, ‘yes, yes, yes,’ just to make people happy,and then those promises don’tcome to fruition,” she said. “I try to be very honest with people.”

Earlydays Moreno, 48,was 8when her family moved her and her brother from their home in Xalapa, Mexico,to Houston, where her father waspursuing work as an oil industry entrepreneur She recalls this as adifficult time. She missed family gatherings in Xalapa. She struggled to learn English at her new American school, where she says she was bullied over her accent.

After studying journalism at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Moreno worked as areporter at aTV station in Georgia for ayear after college. She decamped to New Orleans for ajob at WDSU in 2001.

Life in the public eye primed Moreno forthe scrutiny that would accompany acareer in politics. Moreno has long pointed to Hurricane Katrina as the impetus for her political career

After the storm, she struggled to adjust as the stationwent back to covering routine stories following months spentdocumenting the pain and rejuvenation of the ravaged city

“After that storm, the role of journalists wasn’tjust about telling stories,” Moreno said. “You were now helping the city of New Orleans rebuild, and people to come back. And so it was really hard for me to go from that to, all of asudden, just going back to anchoring the morning and noon, like,‘Here’s a package from New York on the recallofsome toy.’” Moreno aimed high by launching arun for Congress in 2008that pitted her against aﬁeld of heavyweights. She lost to embattled incumbent Bill Jefferson, but her second-place finish exceeded expectations.

And the experience paid off in other ways, by earning eventual allies. Richmond, then astate representative also running in that race, and Moreno got off to a

rocky start as they battled it outonthe campaign trail. Butlater,theyforgeda strong political alliance.

“As soon as both of us lost we kindofﬁgured out apath to get together,” shesaid Moreno drewother supporters in that race including Sidney Torres, alocal garbage magnate, andBoysie Bollinger,a GOPmegadonor, whoremainbehind her today.After that race, she handled communicationsfor amayoral bid by businessman John Georges (Georges nowowns The Times-Picayune |The Advocate).

She wonher ﬁrstpolitical seat representing NewOrleans in the Louisiana House in 2010. There, she passed a seriesoflaws shewrote reforming thelegal system’s treatmentofdomesticviolence victims. She forged an alliance with then-stateSen. JP Morrell, D-New Orleans. Moreno married her husband, financial professional-turned real estate agent Chris Meeks, in 2012. He has beenbyher sideatchoice moments on the campaign trail, including at qualifyingand atthe endorsement announcementatDooky Chase. Thepair live Uptown. In 2017, she won one of the City Council’stwo at-large seats. She won asecond councilseat in 2021, securing85% of thevote— by far the largest marginof any competitiverace in that election cycle. On thecouncil,Moreno shepherded legislation to harden New Orleans’ electrical grid after Hurricane Ida. She traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, whom she’d befriended in New Orleans two years before. She credits their relationship forhastening the arrival of federal dollars for grid repairs.(Harris called Moreno a“rising star” in Democratic politics in an appearance on MSNBC last week.) Moreno has also championed her role in buyingout residentsofthe GordonPlaza subdivision. Moreno approaches politics with crisp precision Duringa stringofrecentdebates andcandidateforums, shescribbled notes on a large yellow pad in between remarks. Aself-described “workaholic,” Morenoregularly dispatches texts and emails to staff about the minutiae of policy language into the wee hoursofthe night

Duringher second council term, Cantrell’sapproval ratings plummeted. Moreno notched additional legislativewinsinthat period,

securing additionalmoney for theredevelopmentof Lincoln Beach andhelping shepherd funding for anew Sewerage&Water Board powercomplex,despite Cantrell’sprotests

Moreno and Morell, who wonthe other citywide atlarge seat in 2021 when Jason Williams ran for district attorney,frequently clashed with Cantrell during that second term. With Morrell at timestakingamorefiery,public-facing role,they pushed aseries of efforts to cull Cantrell’spower and expand thecouncil’s role in delivering cityservices Moreno behind thescenes Joe Giarrusso, aterm-limited DistrictA City Council member anda Morenoally, attributesher poise to the training ground of local TV news, which he said primed hertofield scrutiny most politicians don’texperience before they run for ofﬁce.

During behind-the-scenes negotiations over legislation, Giarrusso saidheenjoys needling colleaguesto get arise out of them.

“Helena is like my kryptonite,” Giarrusso said. “She never,ever takes the bait.”

One way Moreno balances political relationships is by making behind-thescenes entreaties to people she might be sparring with publicly.In2022, Moreno collaborated with the FraternalOrderofPolice on a survey that gauged morale andretention strategies for the New Orleans Police Department. The effort came in the wake of aresolution Moreno sponsoredtolimit controversial “no-knock” warrants andofficers’ use of tear-gas.

“Just becauseweweren’t seeing eye-to-eyeone day doesn’tmean we can’tcome together another day, Moreno said.

Moreno’s detractors say she can seem more interested in playing to thecameras thanenacting substantive policy

Three current and former Cantrell administration ofﬁcials pointed to theaftermath of thefailed“smart cities” broadband deal in 2022, when theCity Council

preventsimilarimproprieties from arising again. The negative focus on Smart Cities contributedtoderailing “legitimate” plans for public Wi-FithatMorenohad been spearheading, the campaign said.

Her backers say she has simply outworked her naysayers, leaving themwith fewlines of attack.

Forgingthe campaign

the backing of aslate of Black leaders, the campaign pointed outinresponse,including Richmond,Carter, Williams, retired Judge Desiree Charbonnet, state Sen. Jimmy Harris, D-New Orleans, Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis andothers. There arealso communityleaders like Smith.

investigated claims of improprieties in apublic Wi-Fi deal theadministrationwas pursuing. Whenthe deal died and the hubbub blew over,the administration ofﬁcials felt the council made little effort to propose an alternative program Moreno responded to the Smart Cities episode, her campaign said, by introducingordinances designedto

Pollsters and analysts believe her citywide name recognition, large warchest and promises of reformsto New Orleans’ ailing infrastructure and lagging economy have lent hera solid chance of winning the race outright in the Oct. 11 primary,with polls showing her consistently running ahead of hertwo closestcompetitors, state Sen. Royce Duple ssis and City Co unc il memberOliver Thomas. She must secure more than 50% of the vote to do so.

Thoseleadersrejectthe idea that Moreno’srace precludes her from leading majority-Black New Orleans. Moreno is the candidate best positioned to “unify” the city,Richmond said in arecentmailer supportingher.“Sheleads with her heart,”saidKenny Smith, chief of the8th Ward Black Seminoles.

“I’m not supporting her becausewewenttohigh school together,orbecause we went to college together,” said Williams, who previously served with Moreno on the City Council. “I got to knowher on the City Council. She used to get there early and stay there very, very late.”

“She has put together a multiracial coalition,”said Ron Faucheux, apollster who’sperformed surveys on the race.“Ever yt hing I’ve seen shows she has been running first in the White vote,the Black vote and in voters who are neither White nor Black. That is quite an accomplishment.”

Moreno, who is White and Hispanic, said she has drawn attacks in the race forbeing an outsider —aline she said she hadn’tfaced before the mayoral contest.

Some of those attacks have focusedonrace. The New Orleans Tribune, aBlackownednewspaper, recently accused herof“openly snubbing Black organizations, leaders, and communities while still enjoying their support.”

YetMorenohas secured

Richmond went from clashing withMorenoon thedebate stagein2008 to mentoring hertoendorsing herinthe mayor’srace last month. It’s “the workshe’s done”that’smadehim a supporter,the former congressman said in an interview.

“The past presents aguide on whether aperson is committed to giving youthe time, putting in the work, or whether they’re looking for the limelight,” Richmond said. “This is about people who have had to settle for far toolong. Ijust don’t think we have to settle.” In acity bedeviled by dysfunction, Moreno, too, points to her work ethic as the factor that can turn the tide.

“Theyjust want someone to show up every day who is going to really chipaway at the issues,” Moreno said. “They want to be sure that progress is goingtobemade in the right direction, and not someone just sitting in the ofﬁce for the title. And they know they’ll have that in me.”

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Helena Morenochatswithresidents during acampaignstop on Sept. 19.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE

NewOrleans mayoral candidates from left, Joseph ‘Joe’ BikulegeJr.,Manny‘Chevrolet’ Bruno, Renada Collins, Royce Duplessis, Frank Janusa, Helena Moreno, Frank Scurlock, Oliver Thomas and Ricky Twiggs participate in aforum at Capulet on Wednesday

Thomas

Duplessis

Trump, Netanyahu reach deal on Gaza

Proposal includes conditions previously rejected by Hamas

BY ADAM GELLER, SAM MEDNICK and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Monday laid out a 20-point proposal supported by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that would end the war in Gaza and free remaining hostages, leaning heavily into conditions that Hamas has previously rejected

The U.S. president, who has become increasingly frustrated by the bloody conflict, seems to be betting that the militants are now so decimated that they have no choice but to accept what he and Netanyahu are framing as a last, best offer

“If Hamas rejects your plan, Mr President, or if they supposedly accept it and then do everything to counter it, then Israel will ﬁnish the job by itself,” Netanyahu said after meeting with Trump at the White House. “This can be done the easy way or it can be done the hard way but it will be done.”

Qatar’s prime minister and Egypt’s intelligence chief presented Trump’s proposal to Hamas negotiators, who are now reviewing it in “good faith,” according to a person familiar with the matter The person was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity

The Palestinian government in the occupied West Bank said it welcomed Trump’s plan to end the war and pledged to implement the reforms called for in his plan. And the governments of Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia Pakistan, Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates issued a joint statement applauding Trump’s proposal. While Trump claimed he is now

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specify whether he is referring to the state or federal ﬁscal calendar

The state ﬁscal year ends on June 30; the federal fiscal year ends Sept. 30.

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beauty On Monday, McVicker, 34, said he sent up his drone about two weeks ago out of curiosity, took some photographs and then went back Saturday to record video with the intention of checking on things again, so he could shine a light on the situation. Since the video was posted, he said some people have told him they were shocked at the state of the river, while several have thanked him for posting the video and providing attention to a problem they believed needed more public focus. One of those thank-you calls on

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Senate accepts without changes the House-passed resolution to continue government operations for another seven weeks. About 458,000 of Louisiana’s home and business owners have ﬂood insurance. Current policies will remain in effect until their expiration dates, but no new policies will be written and no existing policies will be renewed until the program is reauthorized. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, is co-sponsoring a bill that would extend the National Flood Insurance Program until Nov 21. But the House isn’t holding votes. A spokesperson for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said: “Democrat leaders whipped all their members, including those in ﬂood-prone districts, to vote no on extending the National Flood Insurance Program, and they are now holding the program hostage to outrageous demands from their radical leftist base.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said after meeting with President Donald Trump, “Their bill has not one iota of Dem-

on the precipice of victory in his long effort to forge peace, the prospects of a ﬁnding an endgame to a war that is coming up on the start of its third year still appeared shaky Many points of tension remain.

There’s little mention of the goal of Palestinian statehood, what many in the region and beyond say is the linchpin for long-term peace. The proposal largely sidelines the Palestinian Authority until it completes vast reforms. And a requirement for Hamas to disarm has been dismissed as a non-starter in earlier negotiations.

Trump’s plan calls for establishing a temporary governing committee that would be headed by Trump and include former British Prime Minister Tony Blair A Palestinian committee of technocrats would oversee civilian affairs, with power handed over later to a reformed Palestinian Authority

The plan does not require people to leave the Gaza Strip as laid out in an earlier Trump plan roundly rejected by Palestinians and re-

Landry has the power to activate the Louisiana National Guard himself, but he needs the Trump administration’s approval for the deployment to be federally funded. His letter requests a Title 32 deployment, meaning the soldiers would remain under the control of state ofﬁcials. ”The proposed mission and

Sunday was from Landry himself, McVicker said.

“And he reiterated to me numerous times that him and his administration are going to really step up the efforts to make sure that this gets cleaned up and addressed like it should,” he said.

McVicker, who said he has never worked for Landry’s campaigns, said he doesn’t have the scientiﬁc expertise to know how bad the situations on the river and on private ponds really are.

“What I do know is it looks really bad from the photos and the videos that I took. It looks really bad. Nobody is gonna look at that picture and say ‘Oh yeah we can swim in that or drink out of those waters or wildlife is gonna be OK,’” he said.

State officials have said they have found only one oiled turtle as

gional leaders.

It does call for all remaining hostages to be released by Hamas within 72 hours of Israel accepting the plan, an effort that would seem difﬁcult to complete with the captives believed to be spread throughout the territory A senior Trump administration ofﬁcial, who was not authorized to discuss the plan’s details publicly, said the 72 hours starts when Hamas accepts the proposal.

Hundreds of Palestinians, including many serving life sentences, will be released by Israel, according to the proposal.

“I think we are beyond very close,” Trump said. “We’re not quite ﬁnished. We have to get Hamas.”

While Hamas has said in the past that it would agree to step back from governing Gaza, the militant group has refused to disarm something Netanyahu has long demanded as part of any long-term truce to end the war

The president promised Netanyahu that Israel would have his administration’s “full backing” to further decimate Hamas if the group

scope for the Louisiana National Guard would be to deploy throughout state to urban centers, supplement law enforcement presence in high-crime areas, provide logistical and communication support, and secure critical infrastructure,” Landry’s letter states. In Washington, Trump’s de-

a result of the runoff into the Tangipahoa River EPA has been managing the response to the ﬁre and the cleanup of the river, where pollution spread along nearly 50 miles south from Roseland to near the river’s mouth at Lake Pontchartrain.

A few hundred EPA staff and contractors have been running the river cleanup, which has involved miles of boom, skimmers and vacuum trucks to haul away collected oily waste, and a systematic riverside cleanup, the agency says.

As of Monday, the EPA has recovered nearly 6.9 million gallons of waste, the recovery website says. EPA had previously declined to publicly identify the chemicals and hydrocarbons that escaped Smitty’s property, but The Illuminator obtained a 305-page, wide-

doesn’t agree to the proposal.

“This is a different Hamas,” Trump said. “Their leadership has been killed three times over. So you’re really dealing with different people.”

Netanyahu on Monday also attempted to mend fences with Qatar, the key Hamas interlocutor and an important U.S. ally

He expressed his regret to his Qatari counterpart for a Sept. 9 military strike targeting Hamas ofﬁcials in the Gulf emirate that infuriated Arab leaders and triggered rare criticism by the U.S. of Israel.

Netanyahu made the call to Qatar’s prime minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, as he met with Trump. Trump described the exchange between the Israeli and Qatari leaders as a “heart-to-heart” call.

“As a ﬁrst step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his deep regret that Israel’s missile strike against Hamas targets in Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” the White House said in a statement. “He further expressed regret that, in targeting Hamas leadership during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and afﬁrmed that Israel will not conduct such an attack again in the future.”

Israel stuck the headquarters of Hamas’ political leadership in Qatar as the group’s top ﬁgures gathered to consider a U.S. proposal for a ceaseﬁre in Gaza.

The strike on the territory of a U.S. ally was a stunning escalation and risked upending talks aimed at winding down the war and freeing hostages No senior Hamas officials were killed in the strike.

The attack on an energy-rich Gulf nation hosting thousands of American troops, which has served as a key mediator between Israel and Hamas throughout the war and even before, was described by Trump as out of step with Israeli and U.S. interests. And

Trump sought to move quickly to assuage his Qatari allies.

The White House said Sheik Mohammed welcomed Netanyahu’s “assurances” and emphasized “Qatar’s readiness to continue contributing meaningfully to regional security and stability.”

But even as the White House was spotlighting the apology, Israel’s far-right national security minister newly defended the decision to carry out the attack.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, a key coalition partner of Netanyahu’s, in a posting on X called the operation “an important, just and ethical attack.”

“It is very good that it happened,” he added.

The White House talks, and apology from Netanyahu, come at a tenuous moment. Israel is increasingly isolated, losing support from many countriesthatwerelongitssteadfast allies. At home, Netanyahu’s governing coalition appears more fragile than ever And the White House is showing signs of impatience.

It remains to be seen how Netanyahu will be able to justify to far-right members of his coalition his acceptance of the proposal after promising to press against the militant organization until it was “eliminated.”

The Trump plan indicates that once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who “commit to peaceful coexistence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty.” The plan adds that members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza would be provided safe passage to receiving countries.

Trump joined forces with Netanyahu during Israel’s brief war with Iran in June, ordering U.S. stealth bombers to strike three nuclear sites, and he’s supported the Israeli leader during his corruption trial, describing the case as a “witch hunt.” Monday’s visit was Netanyahu’s fourth to the White House in the eight months since the start of Trump’s second term.

cision to deploy the National Guard sparked widespread pushback Critics said the move was reminiscent of authoritarianism and argued that it was not justified, as D.C.’s crime rates were down. Trump also sent National Guard troops to Los Angeles earlier this year over the objections of California Gov Gavin Newsom. Oregon has sued to block the planned deployment of 200 troops to Portland. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Email Meghan Friedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

ranging company inventory list from the EPA on Thursday that includes a variety of chemicals, oils and lubricants as well as tools, air ﬁlters and other equipment.

Posted online by the EPA, the inventory shows the largest volumes — in the thousands and tens of thousands of gallons included materials like motor oil, lube oil, mineral spirits, chain saw oil, gasoline, alkylate gas, glycol, urea, antifreeze, phosphoric acid and other chemicals.

State regulatory documents show Smitty’s largest storage tanks were several hundred thousand gallons each but many were smaller

Other EPA documents have said the facility had naphthalene and xylene on-site at the time of the ﬁre. The newly released inventory

vices to allow yourself political cover,” Johnson said about Democrats on CNN.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y said Monday that the GOP needs to ﬁrst agree to reverse of cuts to Medicaid and to extend premium tax credits that help 24.3 million lowincome people purchase health insurance.

“Republicans control the House and the Senate and there’s a Republican president. If the government shuts down, it’s because Republicans want to shut the government down,” Jeffries said.

The House earlier this month passed a continuing resolution that punted any final decision until Nov 21. It’s called a “clean CR” because the resolution would make no changes to existing budget numbers.

doesn’t use those precise words to describe any of the items at Smitty’s, but the document also has various items listed in internal jargon with unclear names like “Naph 2000.”

Earlier this month, EPA conﬁrmed the cost of the cleanup had already reached $39 million and was expected to grow

Smitty’s, which has laid off employees following the plant’s destruction and faces nearly two dozen lawsuits, isn’t paying for that cost for now The EPA is using Superfund and Clean Water Act dollars, though the company could ultimately be held liable. State agencies have also started testing ﬁsh and other frequently eaten aquatic species in Lake Pontchartrain for potential effects from the spill.

things because their ideas are not very good ones for the country.”

Senate Republicans need seven Democratic senators to vote with them, but those numbers could vary At least one Republican, Sen. Rand Paul, of Kentucky, won’t back the continuing resolution because he rejected the amount of spending when it was put in place during the Biden administration.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins, of Maine, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, of Alaska, support extending the Affordable Care Act’s tax credits, which would keep the insurance premiums for working, low-income Americans where they are now

Some Democratic senators, however, have indicated they are open to backing a clean continuing resolution in exchange for promises that the premium tax credits would later be extended before they expire on Dec. 31.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, on Monday told Republican members of the House to hold the line and stay on message.

“It’s ﬁne to have partisan debates and squabbles but you don’t hold the people hostage for their ser-

ocratic input. That is never how we’ve done this before.” Vice President JD Vance answered: “We’re headed for a shutdown because Democrats won’t do the right thing.” Unless Democrats and Republicans can agree enough to pass a “continuing resolution” in time, the federal government will shut down for the ﬁrst time since 2018, during Trump’s ﬁrst administration, when it lasted 35 days.

The Senate scheduled a series of votes Tuesday night. But the House is out of town and would have to approve any changes the Senate might make.

Neither Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., nor Schumer sounded optimistic as they separately left the Capitol for the White House on Monday afternoon.

Trump said about Democrats in the minutes prior to the meeting, “they’re going to have to do some

But Jeffries and Schumer aren’t budging from wanting the extension now They point out that next year’s health insurance invoices are already being sent and are quoting far higher insurance prices based on the assumption that the subsidies will end. Most of those policies go into effect on Nov 1.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shakes hands with President Donald Trump after a news conference in the State Dining Room of the White House on Monday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, speaks alongside Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget director, left, and Vice President JD Vance as they address members of the media outside the White House on Monday.

YouTubetopay $24.5M to settle suit with Trump

Case concerned hisaccount’s suspension after Jan. 6attack

BY BARBARA ORTUTAY and MICHAEL LIEDTKE AP technologywriters

Google’sYouTube has agreed to pay $24.5 million to settle alawsuit President Donald Trump brought after the video site suspended his account following the Jan. 6, 2021 attacks on the Capitol following the election that resulted in him leaving the

White Housefor four years. The settlement of themore than four-year-old caseearmarks $22 millionfor Trump to contribute to theTrust for the NationalMall and aconstruction of aWhiteHouse ballroom,according to court documents ﬁled Monday. The remaining$2.5million will be paid to otherpartiesinvolvedinthe case,including the writer Naomi Wolf and theAmerican Conservative Union Alphabet, the parent of Google, is thethirdmajor technology company to settle avolley of lawsuitsthat Trumpbrought forwhathe allegedhad unfairlymuzzled

him after his first term as president endedinJanuary 2021. He ﬁledsimilarcases Facebook parent Meta Platforms andTwitter before it was bought by billionaire Elon Musk in 2022 and rebranded as X.

Meta agreed to pay $25 million to settle Trumps’ lawsuit over his 2021 suspensionfrom Facebook and Xagreed to settle the lawsuit that Trumpbroughtagainst Twitterfor $10 million.When the lawsuits against Meta. Twitter and YouTube were ﬁled, legal expertspredicted Trump hadlittle chance of prevailing.

After buying Twitter for

$44.5 billion, Musk later became major contributor to Trump’ssuccessful 2024 campaign that resulted in his reelection and then spent several months leadinga cost-cutting effort that purged thousands of workers from thefederal government payroll beforethe two hada bitter falling out. Both Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and MetaCEO Mark Zuckerberg wereamong the tech leaders wholined up behind Trump during hissecondinauguration in January in ashow of solidarity that was widely interpreted as asign of the industry’sintention to work more closely withthe presi-

dent than during his ﬁrst administration.

ABC News, meanwhile, agreed to pay $15 million in December toward Trump’s presidentiallibrary to settle adefamation lawsuit over anchor George Stephanopoulos’ inaccurate on-air assertionthatthe president-elect had been found civilly liable for raping writer E. Jean Carroll. And in July,Paramount decided to pay Trump $16 milliontosettle alawsuit regarding editing at CBS’ storied “60 Minutes” news program. The settlement does not constitute an admission of liability, theﬁling says. Google

conﬁrmed thesettlement but declined to comment beyond it. Google declined to commentonthe reasons for the settlement, but Trump’s YouTube account has been restored since 2023. The settlement will barely dent Alphabet, which has amarket value of nearly $3 trillion —anincrease of about $600 billion, or 25%, since Trump’s return to the White House. The disclosure of the settlementcamea week before a scheduled Oct. 6court hearing to discuss thecasewith U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez-Rogers in Oakland, California.

N. Korean diplomat insistscountry won’tgiveupnukes

BY EDITH M. LEDERER and JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS Asenior North Koreandiplomatreiterated at the U.N. Monday that his country won’tgive up its nuclearweapons despite numerousinternational demands to do so, calling them crucial to keeping a “balance of power” with South Korea. “Wewillnever walk away from this position,” he said. Under the spotlight of the General Assembly’sannual meeting of world leaders, Vice Foreign Minister Kim Son Gyong amplified his country’slong-standing complaints about U.S.-led military exercises with South Korea and Japan. Complaining that theU.S and its allies are mounting a“growing threat of aggression,” he portrayed his own country’sarsenalasthe reason “the balance of power on the Korean Peninsula is ensured.” Still, his address was more tempered, especially toward the United States, than many of his country’sprior remarks on the world stage and elsewhere. WhileKim

lambasted —without namingnames —“hegemonic forces” and an “indiscriminate tariff war,” there were no direct references to U.S. PresidentDonald Trump or personal insults, andthere was more sternness than over-the-top bellicosity. Kim vowed that “we will nevergive up nuclear,” notingthatNorthKorea’s nuclear program is enshrined in its constitution. He asserted that security on the Korean Peninsula “isfaced with serious challenges more than ever,” saying that the U.S.-JapaneseSouth Koreanexercises“are breaking all thepreviousrecords in termsofscale, nature, frequency and scope.”

TheNorth routinely characterizessuch war games as preludes to an attack.

South Korea, for its part, has said therecent trilateral military exerciseswere necessarytocounter North Korea’sgrowing nuclear and missile threats. Numerous U.N. Security Council resolutions have demanded that theNorth stop building nuclearweapons andballistic missiles.

But South Korean President LeeJae Myungtold

thehigh-level meetinglast week that his newgovernment“will begin anew journey towardpeaceful coexistence andsharedgrowth on theKorean Peninsula.” He said, “The ﬁrst step will be to restore broken inter-Korean trust and shift to astance of

mutual respect.”

North Korea’sKim did not respond to this overture in his speech.

Kim’sappearance at the United Nationsmarked the first time since 2018 that NorthKorea sent asenior

diplomat to the General Assembly gathering.

The U.N.,hesaid, “should not feel relieved, nor congratulate ourselves, on the nonoccurrence of the World WarIII forthe past 80 years. Instead,weshould paydue

attention to the fact that the inducible threat has persisted and is now becoming moreserious, and take measures accordingly.”

The diplomat’sappearance at the U.N. comes amid signs of renewed interest in apossible meeting between itsleader, KimJongUn, andU.S.President Donald Trump.

Trump and the North Korean leader met threetimesin 2018-2019 as Pyongyang was building anuclear weapons stockpile, which KimJong Un views as key to the country’ssecurity and his continuedauthority in thenortheast Asian nation. The talks collapsed over U.S.-ledsanctions against the North, and itsleader hassinceshunned any diplomacy with the U.S. and South Korea. SinceTrump returnedto power in January,hehas repeatedly expressed hope of restarting talks with Kim. Last Monday, theNorth Korean leader said he still has “goodmemories”ofTrump but urged the United States to drop its demand that the North surrender its nuclear arms as aprecondition for resuming diplomacy

BY RYAN J. FOLEY Associated Press

IOWA CITY,Iowa— Astate agency revoked the professional license of the leader of Iowa’slargest school district on Monday,days after federal agents arrested him on accusations that he was living and working in the country illegally.

The Iowa Board of Educational Examiners saidina letter to Des Moines public schools Superintendent Ian Roberts that he was ineligible to hold alicensebecause “you no longer possess legal presence in the United States.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained Roberts on Friday, saying he was subject to a

ﬁnal removal order thatan immigration judge signed in May2024. Roberts is anative of Guyana whoentered theUnited States on astudent visa in1999, according to ICE. He’sbeing heldatan Iowa jail.

ICEsaidthatRoberts ﬂed after atraffic stop in Des Moines, and thathewas apprehended withthe assistance of theIowaState Patrol. Theagency said that Roberts, 54, had possessed aloaded handgun in his district-issued vehicle,a hunting knifeand $3,000 cash when arrested Des Moines school officialssaidthey had known nothing about Roberts beingin thecountry illegally They said that he had signed aform verifyingthathewas

acitizen when he was hired in 2023 and submitted a driver’slicense andSocial Securitycard to verify his eligibility

The school board voted 6-0 Monday evening to put Roberts on unpaid leave from hisjob,which hasanannual salary of $286,716. His contract, whichthe board had voted to extend in May through June 30, 2028, requiresthatheholda state certiﬁcation to serve as superintendent

Board chair Jackie Norris said the districtreceived notice Monday afternoon from the Department of HomelandSecurity that Roberts wasunauthorizedtowork in the country,and acopy of theremoval order issued by theDepartment of Justice.

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SEPTEMBER 2025

Mayoralcandidatesagree on trees

Election season highlights city’s ailing canopy

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

With election season in fullswing and early voting underway,New Orleans candidates for mayor and City Council haveweighed in on a contentious but often overlooked issue —protecting the city’s ailing tree canopy Unlike many other issues,all of themayoralcandidates mostly agree with advocates’ suggestions on how tosave treesthat can help cool the city during intense heat and preventﬂooding.

ELECTION 2025

3vie for criminal court clerkpost

Incumbentfaces offagainst two challengers

BY JILLIAN KRAMER Staff writer

The racefor clerkofOrleans Parish Criminal District Court pits incumbent Darren Lombard against twochallengers who argue the ofﬁce is outdated and in urgent need of reform.

Lombard, a Democrat elected in 2021, faces Calvin Duncan,a Democrat, and Valencia Miles, an independent, in the Oct. 11 primary Early voting began Saturday Lombard has touted his experience on the campaign trail, noting that neither opponent has held ofﬁce.

Duncan is awellknown name in the criminal justice community: He spent 28 years at theLouisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, and hisconvictionwas vacatedin2021. His struggle to obtain records from prison —including from the

Earlier this year,the citypassed arevised tree ordinance sponsored by council members Lesli Harris and Oliver Thomas, who is running for mayor.The changes followed years of advocacy efforts by groups who pushed for stronger penaltiesand enforcementprocedures.

“Rebuilding andfortifyingthe city’s tree canopy from the devastationwrought by such major eventsasHurricanes Katrina and Ida is crucial when it comes to resilienceand sustainability,” Thomas said. “A robust tree canopy has multiple beneﬁts, not the leastof which are stormwater managementand heat protection.”

The new ordinance now lays

outprotections for trees near constructionwork, andrequires written approval from the city to interfere with trees on public property.Italso mandates that a city-approved arborist be present during construction work to help crews avoid tree injury

Butsome say the changes don’t go far enough. Critics say there’s no mention of landmark trees, which are noted for their size, age or cultural significance. It also fails to lay out rules for utility crews when cutting around power

lines, forexample,orexplicit enforcement measures such as ﬁnes, if violations happen.

Ahead of the Oct. 11 election, Tree Canopy NOLA, the Mid-City Neighborhood Organization and Parks forAll sent aquestionnaire to candidates to gather their stances on atree management plan for the city’sdisappearing canopy which has been an issue since the city’sfounding and hasworsened fromhurricanes anddevelopment.

Askeleton displaymakes fun of the ‘Coldplayscandal’ from July when the ‘kiss cam’ataColdplay concertrandomly captured Astronomer CEOAndyByron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot in an embrace in Massachusetts. Thislead to speculation about apossible affair and then their eventual resignationsfrom the tech company. Homeowner Louellen Berger decorated her house with 80-plusskeletons that poke fun at peopleand events. Her St. Charles Avenue house in NewOrleans wasfully decoratedonMonday

wordplay

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Louellen Berger is the queen of Halloween on St. CharlesAvenue.Asthe hauntedholiday approaches,crowds gather at the cornerofState Street to inspectthe collectionof80-plus plastic human skeletonsthat arise in Berger’s frontyard each year

Sure,there’ssomething creepy about all themacabre empty eye sockets, deathlydroopingjawsand grasping segmented ﬁngers. ButBerger’sboneyard isn’t meant to chill the blood, it’smeant to, uh, tickle thefunny bone.

That’sbecause Berger doesn’tmerely erect adisplayofflesh-deficientmen and women; she costumes them and labelsthem with wicked,wince-worthy

Every skeleton represents acelebrity from star athletes to beloved musicians to local movers and shakers, alive or dead. Each year,there are afew new additions to thecast.

In 2025,look forsongwritingsensation ChappelBONE (Chappel Roan), Lakers superstar LeBONE James (LeBron James) andthe legendaryentertainer The Great BEYONDcé (Beyoncé). Find thewinner of the LUMBAR Dtrophy in SuperBONELIX,Jalen HURTS(Jalen Hurts) Find popularbiographerWalter ISICK-son (Walter Isaacson). Anddon’t miss the skeletal engagement of Taylor Swift —creator of the much-anticipated album “The AFTERLIFE of aShowgirl” —and her beau, Travis SKELCE (Travis Kelce), also known as HerTight End. Skeletal Swifts absolutely dominated Berger’sdisplay in 2024, but things change. For instance, usually the New

Orleans Saints football team is wellrepresented. But this year,for somereason, the team is almost entirely absent. Exceptfor SUSPENSE-R Rattler (Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler), who is represented as asnaky skeleton slithering in an oak tree. Berger ﬁnished installing her elaborate exhibition Friday afternoon, and by 6p.m. there were already spectators at hergate. Onecluster of viewerssaid they werevisitingfrom SouthAfrica and were delighted by Berger’ssense of humor Berger explainedtothe visitors that back in 2002 or 2003, she posed aplastic skeleton in atree near hersidewalk, as if it wasnapping. ATimes-Picayune photographer shot the Halloween decoration and in the newspaper,itwas dubbed “LazyBones.” Soon,she had10named skeletons arrayed in her front yard, and

ä See SKELETONS, page 2B

BYJOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

ä See ARRESTED, page 2B

Jan Risher is on vacation. Her column will returnnext week.

ä See BUSES, page 2B

Oldest murder case in N.O. courtendswithplea Mangets16-year prison sentence after 16 yearsofdelays

KRAMER Staff writer

to accept conviction without admittingguilt Theresolutioncamejustdays after the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office disclosed thatitwas searchingfor awitness in the case —awoman prosecutors had long

ä See OLDEST, page 2B

ORLEANS PARISH

Duncan Lombard

Miles

STAFFPHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

David Marcello, founder of Tree Canopy NOLA, said the groups are hopeful that a new city government will prioritize strengthened tree protection laws.

The seven-item survey calls for tougher penalties for violating tree protection laws, along with better coordination between city departments and outside agencies.

“This is the right season to ask candidates, how do you feel about stronger penalties and greater transparency?” said Marcello.

Candidates responded in resounding similarity, mostly answering “yes” in support of policies like notifying neighborhood groups of planned infrastructure work on public and private property that could impact century-old trees

Such was the case in 2023, when a contractor hired to ﬁx a woman’s broken sidewalk mistakenly cut the roots of a 100-year-old live oak in front of her Carrollton home When the city’s Parks

SKELETONS

Continued from page 1B

a new tradition had begun. Berger told the South Africans that she follows a few simple rules in creating her annual spectacle. All of her skeleton characters have to be “about death or life, but nothing scary, and nothing X-rated, everything PG.” Berger has struck a chord with the public Based on past years, her “NOLA skeleton house,” as she calls it, will be a magnet from now until Nov 1.

Long before Berger began dabbling in plastic skeletons and puns, the New Orleans native had a brush with Hollywood fame when she played the role of Jethro Bodine’s girlfriend in the classic “Beverly Hillbillies” TV show in 1970. The onetime starlet then worked as a fashion director for the D.H. Holmes department store for a decade. She married a Tulane University law student named Darryl Berger, who would become one of the city’s most successful real estate developers.

New Orleans is said to be a spooky, haunted city, and Berger is doing her part to maintain that reputation. It is also a city of artists, and Berger is certainly one of those. Plus, New Orleans is a place where the sacred and the secular get along just ﬁne.

Berger is a member of the St Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church, which lies just across the street from her Halloween display A sign appeared near the church entrance this year that reads: “The Living God brings bones to life! — Ezekiel 37:1:16.”

BUSES

Continued from page 1 B

The board’s facilities subcommittee voted 2-1 last week to pay for the buses with the combined federal and local funding, with members Clay Moise and Ralph Brandt voting in favor and member Michael Pedalino opposed. The full board will vote on the plan Wednesday In their application for a grant through the Environmental Protection Agency’s $5 billion electric bus program, which launched under the Biden administration, Jefferson Parish officials said the switch will likely save the district around $2.3 million annually in fuel and maintenance costs. The district was awarded the funds in

and Parkways Department came out to inspect the tree, which was on public property, an arborist moved to cut the severely damaged tree down, prompting a large community effort to save it.

Sen. Royce Duplessis, the only mayoral candidate to

ARRESTED

Continued from page 1B

Eliot Brown was a beloved 47-year-old artist and carpenter whose work — whimsical renderings of yellow alligator warning signs — graces the banks of the bayou.

Brown’s wife called 911, saying “her husband told her it was their neighbor’s kid” who shot him, according to police Brown succumbed at the hospital. The suspected shooter, 26-year-old Enrique Garcia, ran around the corner to his home on Hagan Street, grabbed a bicycle and sped off, according to police. A cousin told police that Brown had confronted Garcia about stealing a handgun from his house. When confronted, Garcia “responded that he was going to shoot someone,” according to a police afﬁdavit.

Police arrested Garcia later Saturday He remained jailed Monday on counts of second-degree murder and simple burglary pending a Gwen’s Law “dangerousness” hearing scheduled for Tuesday to determine if he should be jailed pending trial under a 2017 Louisiana law

It wasn’t the ﬁrst killing by Garcia to rattle the neighborhood. In January 2022, Garcia allegedly confessed to killing his stepfather inside a house on the same block of Hagan Street.

A grand jury indictment charged him with murder but District Attorney Jason Williams’ ofﬁce dropped the case in 2023, according to records. Williams told WVUETV in a statement that the evidence pointed to the killing being justiﬁed.

The New Orleans coroner had not yet identiﬁed Brown as the victim, but police identiﬁed him in a report. His killing stunned loved ones, who described Brown in a GoFundMe page as “artist, carpenter, designer, mischiefmaker, and so many more things besides.”

Neighbor Daniel Winkert

January, and the School Board voted in April to accept them.

The Trump administration earlier this year paused funding for several environmental programs, including the clean bus program, causing delays for school districts that planned to purchase new buses. Federal courts have blocked the freeze, but the Trump administration challenged the rulings, making the future of many such programs uncertain. Changing out diesel buses for electric ones is a growing national trend for school districts, many of which are making the change out of environmental concerns or with the hope of saving money on fuel and maintenance costs.

High up-front costs associated with purchasing an electric vehicle, which can

add comments in his survey response, said he sees “potential in policies that protect certain landmark or heritage trees on private property

“Such policies must also balance homeowners’ rights and the city’s urgent need to

increase affordable housing.”

Council vice president and mayoral candidate Helena Moreno did not respond to requests for comment.

To combat tree violations, including damaging roots or unpermitted removal, can-

didates said they’d support ﬁnes based on the severity and frequency of such violations and holding violators subject to damage remediation or tree replacement costs.

Candidates also said they’d support disqualifying contractors from bidding on city contracts if they repeatedly violate tree protection laws. Only one participating candidate declined to respond to violation penalty questions — council at-large Division 2 challenger Kenneth Cutno, who is looking to unseat incumbent JP Morrell. The Rev Gregory Manning, pastor of Broadmoor Community Church, is also in that race.

“It was heartening and encouraging to me,” Marcello said of the responses “It tells me that when some of these candidates become the elected officials who will guide this city through its next four years, we can expect better things than we got out of our work the last year and a half.”

Email Joni Hess at joni. hess@theadvocate.com.

pointed to a home addition and other projects that he credited to Brown’s handiwork. He said they once built a house together on Toulouse Street and that Brown often helped neighbors on home projects.

“He built half my house. He’d ﬁgure out any problem in his own way,” Winkert said. “He was always about doing good, positive things.”

Winkert said Brown and his wife moved south from New England after Hurricane Katrina to work in food kitchens along the Gulf Coast. They bought their house less than two blocks from the bayou in 2009.

“That guy didn’t have a beef with anybody,” Winkert said. “He was very cool headed. Didn’t get into any conﬂicts He was just a really good friend, just a really solid person.”

Winkert recalled the earlier shooting involving Garcia but said he didn’t recall its outcome. Saturday’s killing

often be twice as much as a typical diesel bus, have also remained a barrier for most districts. Pedalino said that even with help from the EPA’s grant program, he worries about the potential burden on local taxpayers.

“If the grant covered 100% of everything, I’m sure it would probably have an easier road to pass because we wouldn’t be taking resources out of our general funds to pay for it,” he said. Moise disagreed, saying the money to cover the buses will come out of an existing district fund for bus maintenance costs.

“Taking advantage of this program is in the best interest of our students,” he said, adding the projected savings mean Jefferson Parish will “have money left over to push into the classroom.”

seemed to be the actions of

“a very disturbed person” in a city that struggles to provide mental health services, he said.

It was part of a bloody weekend for New Orleans, which has experienced two years of steep declines in violent crime.

A fatal shooting Friday evening inside Kermit’s Treme Mother-in-Law Lounge on North Claiborne Avenue was the ﬁrst of ﬁve homicides in New Orleans. Along with Brown’s killing, the others included the shooting death early Saturday of a man in Hollygrove, Sunday morning’s fatal gunfire on Bourbon Street and a killing a few hours earlier Sunday on Loyola Avenue near City Hall.

They have capped a deadly month in New Orleans relative to the past few years, with 11 homicides over the past 28 days in the city, New Orleans Police Department data show

If the board approves the grant, the district is expected to purchase the vehicles over a period of two years at a cost of around $370,000 each, board documents show The grant will also pay for 25 charging stations.

In its grant application, the district said that converting to electric school buses will “profoundly impact the community of Jefferson Parish,” which has been heavily impacted by pollution attributed to offshore oil extraction. The summary also says that replacing the district’s diesel buses with electric ones is projected to reduce heattrapping greenhouse gas emissions by 383 tons annually or by 6,130 tons over 15 years.

If funded, the project “can serve as a blueprint for successful zero-emis-

insisted was dead.

“It’s not every day that a 16-year-old murder case lands on your desk,” said Michael Kennedy Kisack’s defense attorney “Even rarer is a long presumeddead witness rising from the grave.” That witness, Melissa Hardy, was once charged alongside Kisack in the shooting that killed Brandon Morgan and wounded another man on July 2, 2009. In 2014, after five years in jail awaiting trial, she pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact in exchange for testifying against Kisack. She was sentenced to five years, with credit for time served, and freed. Since then, she has disappeared from view. Last week, Assistant Attorney General Alex Calenda told the court he discovered Hardy was alive only after trying to obtain a copy of her death certificate. Judge Franz Zibilich signed a warrant for her arrest as a material witness, but authorities were unable to find her over the weekend. A spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office did not respond to questions sent last week.

Monday’s plea “served both sides,” Kennedy said. Prosecutors were “going to have difficulty proving” the aged case, he said, while Hardy “pulling a Lazarus was less than ideal” for Kisack’s defense.

Zibilich, an ad hoc appointee who took the bench in August to help clear a lengthy backlog of cases, accepted the deal but made clear he disliked it

“This is a very old case and this is not the sort of sentence that this court would have normally given,” he said. Still, he noted he had “concerns about the viability of the state’s case” and agreed to the 16-year term.

Kisack is already serving a life sentence on other charges. In 2018, Zibilich sentenced him to life in prison under Louisiana’s habitual offender law after Kisack was caught with a cellphone inside the jail. At the time, Zibilich said Kisack’s record reflected “a lifetime of crime and criminal activity” and that “a signiﬁcant jail sentence is appropriate.”

The case’s tortured history reﬂects the dysfunction of New Orleans’ criminal court. Since 2009, it has passed through the hands of six judges. Attorneys missed hearings repeatedly. Prosecutors and defense lawyers haggled for several years over a plea that ultimately ended without a deal.

After Kennedy took the case two years ago, discovery was slow to arrive and trial dates slipped.

According to NOPD crime figures, violent crime remains down in most categories compared to 2024, but large gains seen earlier in the year have shrunken. Services for Brown were pending Monday

sion journeys for other ﬂeets,” it adds.

The number of electric school buses in the U.S. has grown rapidly, with Louisiana helping to lead the way Several school districts, including East Baton Rouge, Livingston and Rapides, have received EPA grants to purchase the vehicles.

More than 12,000 electric buses were being used by school districts nationwide as of June 2024 up from nearly zero in 2017, according to data from Climate Central, a nonprofit that seeks to ﬁnd solutions to climate change. Around 300 of those buses were reported to be in use in Louisiana, more than in most other states, though fewer than in South Carolina and Florida. Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate. com.

Earlier this month, a long-awaited trial was bumped again so the court could prioritize another case: a 12-year-old murder prosecution against Kendall Harrison, who was acquitted.

Zibilich, who served nearly a decade on the bench before losing reelection in 2020, was brought back this summer when the Louisiana Supreme Court appointed him and another retired judge, Calvin Johnson, to oversee Section J after a watchdog report found its felony backlog was double that of any other courtroom. In July, Judge Darryl Derbigny, who presided over Section J for more than two decades, resigned. He stepped down just days after The TimesPicayune reported that homicide cases languished longer in his section than anywhere else in the court

Eliot Brown, 47, was gunned down at his doorstep Saturday morning near Bayou St. John. Police arrested a neighbor Enrique Garcia, in the killing

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Trees between the lakefront and the downtown skyline are seen in New Orleans on Sept. 17.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Friends say artist Eliot Brown was responsible for signs like this along Bayou St. John.

NewOrleans Area Deaths

Assaf, Paula

Catalano, Florence

DeSalvoSr.,Michael Flathers,Audry

Paul Jr., Sidney

Ponce, Carolyn

Talbert, Latunga

EJefferson

Leitz-Eagan

DeSalvoSr.,Michael

NewOrleans

Charbonnet

Paul Jr., Sidney

Greenwood

Catalano, Florence Flathers,Audry

Majestic Mortuary

Talbert, Latunga

St Tammany

Audubon

EJ Fielding

Obituaries

Takentoo soon from familyand friends, Paula KreilkampAssafdeparted thisworld on September 14, 2025. Shewas born on December23, 1946, in Rochester,Minnesota,the third of eightchildrenof Dr. BernardL.Kreilkamp and ReneeRosenberger She wasblessedtohave been born into amusical family, wherePaula and her sisterslearned to sing inharmony with Reneeac‐companyingonpiano.The sisters were active in en‐tertaininglocal Catholic groupsatsocialfunctions inTwinFalls,Idaho.Paula met herfuturehusband David AssafIII on ablind dateatLoyolaUniversity while shewas studying music therapy. They were engaged fora year anda halfwhile shevolunteered withthe Jesuit Volunteer Corps in Omak,Washing‐ton on theColvilleReserva‐tion, andDavid,who was drafted,servedinthe Air Force andAir National Guard.Theyweremarried atSt. DominicCatholic Church in NewOrleans on July12, 1969. En routeto Coloradofor theirhoney‐moon,theywatched the moon landing, ﬁttingly! The young couple settled inBaton Rouge, where Paula immediatelyjoineda local choirand found vol‐unteer work at alocal Catholic orphanage, where she played guitar andsang for thechildren. In 1971 theywereblessedwith their ﬁrstchild,David IV Overthe next twodecades, theywelcomedBernard, Megan,William,and Rachel. Somehow, she managed,witha coopera‐tivehusband/babysitter, to beactiveinmusical the‐ateratBaton RougeLittle Theater (aka Theatre Baton Rouge),and was awarded Best Actressina Musical for"Nunsense"in 2000 andBestSupporting Actress in aMusical in 2012 for "Something's Afoot". She also participated in the Baton RougeMusic Club Chorus, travelingtolocal nursing homestoperform short musicalproductions thatshe scripted.Paula was equallyaccomplished invoice andguitaraccom‐paniment, which made her a valuable resource to local parishes.She was in‐vited to be thecantorand accompanistfor the weeklyDiocesanMass, pre-recordedat the Catholic Life Center in Baton Rougefor several years.She also traveled to St. Gabrieltocantorand playfor theirSaturdayvigil Masses, andSundaymorn‐ingsshe made thetrek acrossthe rivertodothe sameatImmaculate Heart ofMaryCatholicChurchin Maringouin.Ontop of all this, shestarted thechil‐dren'sliturgy program at the 9:30 Mass, beganthe youthgroup choirfor the

6:00pm Sunday Mass, and ran thepreschool music program forseveral years, all at St.ThomasMorein Baton Rouge. Eventually, these musicalactivities transitionedinto fillingthe familyneed fora full-time nanny forher localgrand‐child.Whenthe nannygig ran itscourse, andall her chicksand grand-chicks fled thenest, Paulaand her husband joined aprison ministry, coordinating and performingthe musicfor monthly MassesatSt. Tammany Parish Jail,with support from St.Peter Parish andSt. Joseph Abbey, andjoinedbyFa‐therPeter from theAbbey. In thewakeofHurricane Katrina,Paula welcomed her blindfather-in-law, whose house wasinun‐dated in Lakeview.Her fondest memory of this timewas earlymorning rosariesonthe patiosur‐rounded by flowersand birdsong. Later, shetrav‐eledtoSeattle to be with her parentsintheir nursing home, where shesupple‐mentedtheir dietswith chocolate confectionsand providedher father with his favorite breakfast, softboiledeggsoncrackers. Onceagain,manyrosaries wereprayedtogether. After herfatherBernard passedaway, sheinvited her mother Renee, who was sufferingwithdemen‐tia andfeltlostwithout her husband,tocomelivein Baton Rougewithher and David.Eventually, Renee would move with them to Covington,where they en‐joyed going to flower shows andattending chil‐dren'sballetand story timeatthe library, because she lovedbeing around ba‐biesand children.Every morning Reneeexpecteda fire in thehearth– no mat‐ter theseason! –and cof‐fee andbiscotti until breakfast wasready.It was ateameffort, but Paula andDavid loved every minute. Paulawas precededindeath by her parents andher sister MaryCowan.She leaves behindher belovedhus‐bandof56years,David AssafIII; children,David AssafIV(Sydney), Bernard Assaf(Stacy),Megan Assaf (Joe),William Assaf(Chris‐tine), andRachel Aylsworth (Jason); and eight grandchildren, Simon Assaf, TimothyAssaf, Kirby Assaf, NathanAssaf, Eliza‐bethAssaf, NoahAssaf, LaurenAssaf, andbabyJu‐lian Aylsworthfrom Boston, whom shewas blessedtoholdbeforeshe wenthometoher Lord.In lieuof flowers, Paulaand David requestdonations to St. Joseph Abbey(https:// www.saintjosephabbey. com/donate)and Jefferson PerformingArtsSociety (https://www.jpas.org/ donate). Relativesand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe memorial service onSaturday, October4, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Mary Queen ofPeace Catholic Church, 1501 West Causeway Ap‐proach, Mandeville, Louisiana,withWords of Remembrance beginning at12:30 p.m. andMassat 1:00p.m.Interment will fol‐low in St.JosephAbbey Cemetery, 75376 River Road, St.Benedict, Louisiana.E.J.FieldingFu‐neral Home of Covington, Louisiana,ishonored to be entrusted with Mrs. Assaf’sfuneral arrange‐ments.Her familyinvites you to sharethoughts, memories, andcondo‐lencesbysigning an online guestbook at www.ejfield ingfh.com

ageof97. Devotedmother ofRonaldand Janice Cata‐lano, mother-in-lawto Heather PatteeCatalano, precededindeath by her beloved husband Peter Lourdes Catalano,her par‐ents, Mary Ancona Petite Matranga, andstepdad JosephMatranga. Florence was anativeNew Orlean‐ian.She graduatedfrom RedemptoristGirls’High, alsofondlyknown as Third and Prytania.Till her death,she andtwo of her lifetimefriends,Ellen and Imelda,datingbackto grammarschool,keptin touch.She wasemployed atStratin andBaldwin until the birthofher ﬁrstchild after which shebecamea homemaker.She later workedwiththe TimesPicayune.Florencewas ex‐ceptionally devotedtoher familyand husband.She married theloveofher life and shared 62 wonderful years of marriage.They had many good friends, happy memories,and en‐joyed traveling. Aladyof great fortitude, strength and grace, shetook pride inher appearance.She dressedmeticulously, often garneringcompli‐ments from thosearound her forbothher innerand outer qualities. Florence was always well “put to‐gether”.She andher hus‐bandenjoyed dancingand wereactivemembers of School HouseSquares,BarNone, Spinning Rounds, RhythmRounders, and Happy Pairs. Highly com‐petitiveand enthusiastic, she played canastaand dominoesatHumanaand The Pink Houseand en‐gaged in numerous games withfriends in Metairie She wasa member of The Thursday NightLadies' Club. Shewas aloyal and faithfulservant of God. Her dedicationtoher familyre‐mainedsteadfastthrough‐out herlife. Shewillbe deeply missedand forever rememberedbyall who wereblessedtohave known her. Thefamilyex‐tends theirheartfelt thanksand appreciation to BobbieFoster, herlongtimecaregiver.Wealsoex‐press gratitudetoDana Currey-Falgout, Cathy Puglia, Patty Aguliar, and the staff of NotreDame Hospice fortheir thought‐ful care.Words cannot ex‐press theesteemed,won‐derfulDr. Alan Yaeger,who performed miracles keep‐ing herwithusthese last few years. Relativesand friends areinvited to visit Greenwood FuneralHome, located at 5200 CanalBlvd. New Orleans, LA 70124, on Wednesday,October 1, 2025, starting at 11:00 a.m. A Mass will follow thevisi‐tationat1:00PM. Thebur‐ial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. We also invite you to shareyour thoughts, fond memories and condolencesonlineat www.greenwoodfh.com Your shared memories will helpuscelebrate Flo‐rence’s life andkeep her memoryalive

DeSalvoSr.,Michael Anthony

DeSalvo. He leaves behind his loving children:a daughter, TonyaMarie Hin‐gle andson-in-law, Craig AugustHingle; son, Michael AnthonyDeSalvo, Jr. anddaughter-in-law RachelleDeSalvo andson, PhilipJohnDeSalvo and daughter-in-law,Cristina LynnDeSalvo.His legacy continues throughhis cherished grandchildrenErica Zea, Victoria Hingle, Emily Alphonso,Garrett Hingle, AidenDeSalvo,and Blake DeSalvoand his great-grandchildren,Ridge Yancey, LucasZea,and Au‐gustZea.Michael proudly servedhis countryinthe UnitedStatesNavyduring the VietnamWar.Following his military service, he dedicated 47 yearstolaw enforcement with theJef‐fersonParishSheriff’s Of‐ﬁce,retiringin2015 at the rankofCaptain.Known for his larger-than-life person‐ality,Michael hadthe rare giftofmakingeveryone feel like alifelongfriend. Heloved tellingstories, makingpeoplelaugh,and sharing hiswarmthwith those around him. Afterre‐tirement, he enjoyedat‐tending carshows with his wifeand friends, weekend trips to thecoast,spend‐ing time at hisdaughter’s camp, andwatchingfoot‐ballwithhis sons.Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend a FuneralMassatDivine Mercy Catholic Church 4337 SalLentini Parkway, Kenner, LA 70065, on Thurs‐day,October 2, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. Arecep‐tioninMichael’s memory willfollowinthe Commu‐nityCenternextdoor to Di‐vineMercy.Inlieuof ﬂow‐ers,the familyasksthat donations be made to sup‐portthe Alzheimer'sAsso‐ciation,https://www.alz org/louisiana.The family invites youtoshare your thoughts, fond memories, and condolencesonlineat www.leitzeaganfuneralho me.com

Flathers,Audry Seeger

AudrySeeger Flathers passedawayonSeptem‐ber 24, 2025 at theage of 99. Belovedwifeofthe late CliffordH.Flathers. Beloved mother of Janis FlathersDering(Warren) and Clifford HFlathers, Jr (Janet).Devoted grand‐motherofJenniferDering Glorioso(Joe),GregoryP Flathers(Amanda), Joshua R.Flathers(Jen),Christina A.FlathersSkinner (Omid) Devoted great-grand‐motherofJillian andJared Glorioso, Isabella,Geoffrey, Alyssa,and Stephen Flathers. Sister of thelate Alvin Seeger (Joy)and Felix H.Seeger (Joyce). Daugh‐ter of thelateFelix Seeger and EthelUhleSeeger.Also survivedbymanynieces and nephews.

Paul Jr., Sidney Joseph

Sidney Joseph Paul,Jr., age 83, passedawayon September 21, 2025. Sidney issurvivedbyhis wife, SylviaPaul, theirthree daughters, ﬁve grandchil‐dren, andfourgreat-grand‐children. Funeralservices willbeheldatSaint Peter ClaverCatholicChurch, 1923 St.PhilipSt.,New Or‐leans,La. 70116 on Wednesday,October 1, 2025 at 10:00 am.Visitation at9:00am. Interment: Saint LouisNo. 3Cemetery, 3421 EsplanadeBlvd.,New Orleans,LA. Repast will be heldatCharbonnetFuneral Homeinthe Historic Treme.Pleasesignthe on‐lineguestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504) 581-4411.

CarolynM.Ponce,of Slidell, Louisiana, was calledtoher heavenly homeonSeptember 26 2025, at theage of 86. Born onSeptember 7, 1939, in Dothan, Alabama, Carolyn was awoman of kindness and boundless love.Car‐olyn'searly yearswere spent in thenurturing care ofher parents, thelate WilliamClyde Moodyand MeritaHoyle Moody. She graduated from Murphy HighSchool in Mobile,Al‐abama,which laid the foundationfor herlifelong passion forlearningand teaching. Carolyn'spursuit ofknowledge ledher to the UniversityofMontevalloin Montevallo, Alabama, where sheearnedher B.A., a milestonethatwould shape herfutureand the futures of countless oth‐ers.Aspiringtocontinue her education, Carolyn later earned hermaster's degreefromTroyUniver‐sityinAlabama.For over three decades, Carolyn servedasa dedicated teacher andadministrator inSt. Tammany Parish Pub‐lic Schools. Hercommit‐menttoeducation andher studentswas evidentin every lesson shetaught and everylifeshe touched. Her colleagues andstu‐dents will remember her not only forher academic contributions butalsofor her unwavering support. Carolyn's heartwas ever expansive,and shefound her greatest joyinher fam‐ily.She is thecherished wifeof39years to Emiliano Ponce-Arze; loving mother toMichael WilliamFoy (DebraTrascher) andthe lateMaryKathleen Foy; proud grandmotherof Bruce WayneTrascher; and beloved sister of Margaret Moody Cook andthe late WilliamClyde MoodyII. Carolyn's Christianfaith guidedher actions, ﬁlled herheart with compassion

est and tainment, he app

andled hertoserve others selﬂessly. Herlovefor reading andvolunteer workwereexpressions of her desire to grow and contributetoher commu‐nity. As alifelongAlabama Crimson Tide Collegefoot‐ballfan,she shared heren‐thusiasmand team spirit withall who knew her. In her passing, Carolynleaves behinda legacy of love,ed‐ucation,and faith.She was a devotedwife, mother and teacher, whose inﬂu‐encewillcontinuetobe feltbythose who were blessedtoknowher.We willholdclose thememo‐riesofher gentle spirit and her enduring love that touched so many lives. Rel‐ativesand friendsare in‐vited to attend avisitation onThursday, October2 2025 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.atAudubon Funeral HomeinSlidell. Amemor‐ial servicewillbegin in the chapelat1:00p.m.Carolyn willbelaidtorestin Audubon Memorial Gar‐densfollowing services Memoriesand condo‐lencesmay be expressed atwww.AudubonFuneralH ome.com

LatungaTalbert,50, was bornonSeptember 2, 1975 inNew Orleans, LA.Hede‐partedthislifeonSeptem‐ber 12, 2025 at hishome. Heissurvivedbyhis par‐ents, Mr.Zachary True‐blood andMs. Lonnie Tal‐bertbothofNew Orleans, LA; oneson,JoshuaMor‐gan of Dallas,TX; one grandson, ZirenHillofNew Orleans,LA; twosisters Darlene (Johnny) Lenoir of Kokomo, MS andKenisha (Roderick)HaynesofTyler‐town, MS;and ahostof nieces, nephews, otherrel‐ativesand friends. He is precededindeath by two brothers, ZacharyTrue‐blood,Jr. andDavid True‐blood,and onenephew Brandon Talbert. Services wereheldprivately.Profes‐sionalarrangementsen‐trusted to Majestic Mortu‐ary Service, Inc. (504)5235872.

Talbert, Latunga

Ponce, CarolynM.

Ponce, Carolyn

Assaf, Paula

Assaf, PaulaKreilkamp

OUR VIEWS

ForCongress, theonlyway forwardis compromise

As Congressional leaders feverishly work to avert another government shutdown, we can’t help but feel asense of déjà vu. Forthe past severalyears, Democratsand Republicans have beenlocked in battle for control over thedirection of the nation despite neither party having a clear majority No matter what party holds thepresidency or majorities in Congress, neither has proven able to command the kindofpublic support that would warrant awholesale adoptionofits agenda. So it should be obvious at this point that compromise shouldbethe order of the day, that to movethis country forward,leaderswill have to accept some of what they don’tlike forthe greater good.

We have urged this in previous crisesthat threatenedtoshut down thegovernment, and we urge it again today as Congress debates a stopgap spending bill that would allowthe government to continue operating until November If Congress doesn’tcome upwithadealbymidnight Tuesday,funding to government agencies would be cut off on Oct. 1.

We are encouraged that PresidentDonald Trump brought congressional leaders —House SpeakerMike Johnson, R-Benton,HouseMinority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and MinorityLeader Chuck Schumer —tothe White House tohashout their differences. And we hopethere is agood chance of success. We have praised Johnson in thepast for his ability to pull together his caucus and overcome gridlock.

But this brinksmanship is getting old. Aswe have noted in the past, Louisianacould be particularlyvulnerable to disruptionsinthe regular ﬂowoffederal funding forvital services such as disaster preparedness in the midst of hurricane season. That’sto say nothing of the thousands of inconveniences that ashutdown could cause. It couldaffect travelers if TransportationSecurity Administrationscreenerscan’tbepaid to show up for workortoworkersatplants awaiting inspections from the EnvironmentalProtection Agency,among other things.

And of course, for the employees of the many federal agencies who could face furloughsor even layoffs, this is aparticularly anxioustime after they have already endured an unprecedented level of uncertainty as the Department of Government Efﬁciencymadecuts earlier this year

For many Americans watching,thislevel of political dysfunction is no longer tolerable.We the taxpayers who fund thisgovernmentexpect it to be run in an orderly fashion. Repeated threats to shut downthe government do nothing to inspire conﬁdence from citizens or the rest of theworld

Remember,thiscontinuing resolution, even when passed, only gets us to Nov.21. Thenwe’re back to square one.

It’stime for all parties toacceptthe obvious: No one will get everythingtheywant.

Let’sget off this merry-go-roundand do what’sbest for all Americans.

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

AlaboStreetgrain facility needsmoreinvestigation

Thank youfor theeditorial in regard to the coordination among ourLouisianaports. Icompletely agree that it is wellpast time that thenumerous Louisiana ports need to have acoordinatedplanfor development to serve allofLouisiana,without duplicating services alongthe river

Iwould like to askthat the editorial/ andorinvestigative stafftakea deep dive into the Port of NewOrleans decision to reactivate the Alabo Street Wharf, in conjunction with Sunrise Foods, Inc.and NorfolkSouthern Railroads, to accept“organic grain” from European farmers. This planwas conceived and institutedinsecret without anycommunity engagement until suddenly the train tracks on St. Claude Avenue fromArabi to Fats Domino, down Alabo to the wharf were being renovated. This project will furtherdecrease the development of the Holy Cross neighborhoodand theLower 9th Ward.

Neighborhoodconcernsinclude:

n Graindust pollution during unloading grain, storage at andshipping fromthe wharf

n Vermin infestation due to grain storage.Tomaintain thegrain’sorganic rating, no chemicalpesticides are allowedfor pest control

n Over 20 active,highway-grade streetcrossings, one of thehighest accident intersections between trains andautomobiles.

n The train tracks pass within feet of severalhomes —oursishalfa block away,and we have felt theshaking of thetrains.

n Economicimpact on property values —ours hasfallen over $100,000 since this projecthas come to light If there was coordination within the Louisiana ports, then this project could have been located in amuchbetter site alongthe LowerMississippi River.One that does notfurtherharm the residents of theHolyCross neighborhoodand the Lower 9thWard WILLIAM EDWARDS NewOrleans

Voters should have some questionsfor incumbents

Given that two of the candidates for mayor andfour incumbent City Council members have been part of New Orleanscity government for along time, Iwould like to know why they are running for their ofﬁces.

Since they began their existing terms,tell me what has changed in New Orleans. My street is still amess. Street lightsaround thecity are dark.

Trafﬁc crimes are not being policed. Sewerage &Water Boardisstill ajoke. Litter is everywhere. Trafﬁc lights are out. Lines on the streets are not visible because nobody is painting them.

Charity Hospital building is empty

Mahalia Jackson Center is just sittingthere. The Lindy Boggs Medical Center?

If they couldn’tdoanything before, what makes them think they have what it takes to deservethe ofﬁce they are seeking?

In fact, this city has not seen major improvements sinceDutch Morial was mayor.Mitch Landrieu didn’tﬁxany streets. LaToyaCantrell started but barely madeadent and stopped. So far,Ihave not heard any speciﬁcs about anything.

BRUCEGEBHART NewOrleans

ChrisRosepiece opened floodgates of emotion

Ijustwant to extend athank you to Chris Rose for hisheartfelt Aug. 27 article headlined “Chris Rose pens a love letter to New Orleans20years after Hurricane Katrina.”

As one of the manywho experienced New Orleans after Katrina and who still lives here(Iwill admit

to yearning for acool, dry spotelsewhere), reading it brought tears to my eyes, some sad ones in remembrance of all that waslost but also happy ones in thinking of all those who helped.

DENISE PADDOCK NewOrleans

This is in reference to Ray Nagin’s complaint about how long it took to get help after Katrina. He said that an aircraft carrier can go halfway around the world in three days, but it took seven days for help to arrive. At the speed of acarrier 20 years ago, it could have madeabout 700 miles in 24 hours. Halfway around the world would be 12,450 miles and take 17 days. An estimated 25,000 to 30,000 people took refuge in the Superdome during and after Hurricane Katrina. When you consider the number of people, the places that could accommodate them, especially those needing special help, the number of buses needed, whowould drive the buses, how they would get fuel, the distance to travel, the condition of the roads, how they would be fedduring transport, the response in seven days was outstanding Also, charter buses can hold 57 passengers. It would have required over 500 buses to transport everyone.

TOBY RUSSO Chalmette

As it appears that school zone camera use will becomelegal again, Iwould like to state that over onehalf of the ﬂashing lights indicating aschool zone in my Uptownarea (70115, 70118, 70125) were not working during operational hours last school year There werealso lights stating school zones where schools are no longer in operation. Additionally manysigns were missing stating when the school zone restrictions end. This is unfair to people trying to obey the rules. If you wish everyone to be safeand to follow best driving practices, then please ﬁx the entire system ALLISON RAYNOR NewOrleans

Theongoing anti-Trump campaign

Donald Trump’ssecond term has been met with asustained, low-level campaign of domestic terrorism.

It has mostly involved relatively minor property damage amidmuch more consequential acts, but the pattern of violence meant to achieve antiTrump political goals has been unmistakable.

Ithought Trump’ssecond election would be met with riotinginthe streets and serious threats against cabinet ofﬁcials. Instead, we got the “vibe shift,” with the initial political reaction against Trump relatively muted compared to that in 2016

Once the administration got underway, though, the violent resistance began.

First, it was the campaign against Tesla. Anti-Elon Musk agitators torched and otherwise vandalized vehicles, ﬁred shots and threw Molotov cocktails at dealerships, anddamaged charging stations. This wasn’tterrorismonthe level of ISIS —not even close —but it clearly met the textbook deﬁnitionofterrorism as violence in furtherance of apolitical or social objective.

Then, the anti-ICE assaults ramped up.There have been riots outside ICE facilities, as well as incendiary attacks andshootings.

In the craziest incident prior to the Sept. 24 sniper attack in Dallas, a group of agitators dressed in black military-style clothing began shooting ﬁreworks and spraying grafﬁti at an ICE detention facility in Alvarado,

Texas, in July. According to officials, this was aploy meanttodrawICE officers out of the facilitytobeambushed. One attacker hidinginthe woodsshot aresponding police officer in the neck (hesurvived), while another assailantfired 20 or more rounds at correctional officers whohad strayed outside the building. Whentheywere arrested, some of agitators werewearing body armor and hadtwo-way radios. The attack emanated from aDallas-areaanti-fascist network.

Less than aweek later,an armed man tried to shoot his wayinto aBorder PatrolannexinMcAllen, Texas, before getting shot dead Thewaves of anti-Tesla and anti-ICE violence were precipitated, respectively,byalibertarian billionaire trying to reduce thenumber of federalworkersand cut foreign aid, and afederal agency detaining immigrants whoare living and working in thecountry illegally,someofwhom have committed other serious crimes.Ifthese activities can evoke aviolent response, just imagine if thecountry experiencesa true crisis. In both cases —regarding DOGE at itsheight and ICE now—Democratic ofﬁceholders andprogressive opinionmakers whipped up an apocalyptic frenzy.The feveredrhetoric hasbeen accompanied by peaceful protests, civil disobedience(think of Democratic ofﬁcials gettingarrested protesting immigrationenforcement) and, at the margins, zealots and the disaffected

lashing outviolently Whenthese events are put against the context of theassassinationofa MAGAleader, Charlie Kirk, and last year’stwo assassination attempts against DonaldTrump himself, the picture is stark —a persistent,ifwholly unorganized. effort to use violenceto frustrate Trump’spolicygoalsand, in the extreme instance, to end the project entirely by killing him.

Whatistobedone? Since none of the violenceisdirected fromabove and the perpetrators don’tknoweach other andhavedivergent motivations, it’s hard to see howitstops. It’d certainly help if the Democrats acknowledged the legitimacy of Trump and what he’s trying to do,eveniftheystrenuously oppose him andhis policies, but they arenever going to cease believing that we areonthe cusp of afascist dystopia The legacy mediashould also acknowledge what we are experiencing. If aKamalaHarrispresidency had been met with attacksagainst Mark Cubanbusinessesand arson andshootings at abortion clinics— as wellas the ideologically-motivated murder of atop Harrissupporter— we’dbeata DEFCON 1-type national emergency in terms of the press coverage.

“There’snothing like getting usedto things,” Abraham Lincoln said of the threatening letters he receivedonce he rose to prominence. But we shouldn’t have to getusedtoviolence as ameans of inﬂuencing ourpolitics.

Rich LowryisonTwitter@RichLowry

For presidents of both parties, one of their primary roles has always been consoler-inchief, healing wounds, lifting hearts and unifying the nation in times of tragedy

Think of Ronald Reagan, comforting the country after the Challenger disaster in 1986. Or Barack Obama, singing “Amazing Grace” at the funeral of amurdered Black pastor in 2015. Lincoln’sGettysburg Address in 1863 stands as our history’smost memorable consoler-in-chief moment.

Last week, Donald Trump issuedan ignorant warning to pregnant women whose doctors prescribe Tylenol, a brand name for acetaminophen. “Don’t take Tylenol. Don’ttake it,” he said “Fight like hell not to take it.” And when in pain, “Tough it out.”

addingthatwomen should takeTylenol in cases of extremely high fever.” But what is apregnant woman to do if she hasa fever that thepresident recommends she “tough out” but she is not sure whether thefever is “extremely” high orjust abit high?

The idea thatTylenol use in pregnancymay cause autismhas been shot down by researchers studyingmillions of children. Trump’scontention that this over-the-counter painkiller can cause the disorder did serve one purpose. It gave him gobsof attention overwhatwould have been an otherwise unremarkable WhiteHouse event The next day,DonaldTrump wasat the United Nations again, setting off big headlines as he deliveredone of his grievance-linked tiradesbefore the General Assembly. Used tothe president’sunhinged performances, the attendees quickly moved on. If ever there was atime to “tough it out” while in pain, Trump delivered it to his U.N audience.

But the attack on Tylenol is dangerous. Medical authorities hold that expectant mothers should treat fever and pain, and Tylenol is one of the safest remedies to do so. Not doing so poses risks to both the mother and fetus, including preterm births. Trump knew to cover his rear end by

Alternatively,she could listentodoctors. But thousands of Americans died from COVID because theylistened to MAGAratherthan medical expertswho urgedthemtoget vaccinated. And back then, the Department of Healthwas staffedbyserious scientists—and not the collection of quacks HealthSecretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has replaced many of themwith. Trump hasbreathed new life into the prospects fortrial lawyers who chase aftercompanies for fat settlements (The lawyerscollect up to 40% of the award.) Theyalready lost a2023 classactionlawsuitclaiming thatTylenol takenduring pregnancy causes autism andADHD. Afederal judge threwout the case, writing that the lawyers “permitted cherry-picking, allowed aresults-driven analysis, and obscuredthe complexities, inconsistencies, and weaknesses in the underlying data.”

About 20 lawﬁrms participatedinthe suit. Kennedy remains in on the take. He will continue receiving contingency fees from WisnerBaum for referring cases. He gets10% of the awardwheth-

er the plaintiff wins or settles WisnerBaum is currently suing Merck, maker of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil, for allegedly not warning consumers of its risks. Kennedy insists he is not currently receiving referral fees on the case, but critics say he could still collect because the agreement exists. Autism is aserious concern. It is a brain development disorder thataffects social interactions andismarked by repetitive and other unusual behaviors. It is unclear whether the“autism epidemic” reﬂects more screening for the conditionorinvolvesother factors including ageofthe mother,genetics and environment.Nolink has been found to vaccines. More on Trump’sbizarre statements about Tylenol and pregnancy: “There’s no downside. Don’ttake it. You’ll be uncomfortable. It won’tbeaseasy, maybe But don’ttake it if you’repregnant Don’ttake Tylenol, and don’tgive it to the baby afterthe baby is born.” OK,women under the inﬂuence of MAGA. You’ve been challenged toundergo unnecessary suffering in service to the fumes wafting through Trump’s brain. Or perhaps there’sanulterior motive in his promotion of theseBS health claims. The link maynot be autism but money

Follow Froma Harrop on X, @FromaHarrop.

After the assassination of conservative icon Charlie Kirk, President Donald Trumptook exactly the opposite course. Instead of preaching unity and forgiveness, he advocated rivalry and retribution. Instead of closing wounds, he ripped them open. Instead of extolling one America, he emphasized differences and divisions: Red vs. Blue, Leftvs. Right, Us vs. Them

When Trumpappeared on Fox News,host Ainsley Earhardt noted that there were “radicals on the right,” just as there were“radicals on the left,” and asked, “How do we come back together?” The president immediately rejected any notion of consensus or consolation. “The radicals on the leftare the problem,” he thundered. “And they’re vicious and they’re horrible.”

His reaction wasnosurprise. Trumphas based his whole political career on exploiting grievance and outrage. He campaigned that way,anapproach summed up by the tagline in one of his mostnoteworthy TV ads: “Kamala is forthey/them,President Trumpisfor you.” And he’sgoverned that way, summoning the immense powers of the presidency to hamstring any institution or individual that stands in his way.

“Mr.Trumphas long madeclear that coming together is not the mission of his presidency,” writes Peter Baker,the White House correspondent forThe NewYork Times “Inanera of deep polarization in American society,herarely talks about healing. While other presidents have typically tried to lower the temperature in moments of national crisis, Mr.Trumpturns up the ﬂames. He does not subscribe to the traditional notion of being president forall the people. He acts as president of red America and the people whoagree with him,while those whodonot are portrayed as enemies and traitors deserving payback.”

Since taking ofﬁce, Trumphas pursued “payback” against those “enemies,” from judges and universities to law ﬁrmsand media companies. Nowhe’sseizingonthe Kirk murder to escalate his campaign of revenge. “They’re already under major investigation, alot of the people that you would traditionally say are on the left,” Trumptold reporters.

His targets could include any force that opposes his policies: publications, attorneys, advocates, donors. And he has lots of weaponsat hisdisposal,including tax audits, lawsuits and regulatory challenges. An early fusillade: alawsuit accusing TheNew York Times and Penguin Random House publishers of “defamation” and seeking $15 billion in damages. His deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller,is even moreexplicit about the coming crusade to crush Trump’senemies. “Weare going to do what it takes to dismantle the organizations and the entities that are fomenting riots, that are doxxing, that are trying to inspire terrorism and that are committing acts of wanton violence,” he said,without providing anyevidence aboutany “entities” that are advocating terrorism or violence. This thirst forvengeance is reinforced by right-wing media allies whofurther inﬂamethe core supporters of MAGANation. Agood example is Fox News’Jesse Watters, whosaid on air,“They are at warwith us. Whether we want to accept it or not, they are at war with us. And what are we going to do about it?”

Trumpyearns forthis war;hewelcomes the ﬁght.

After the failed attempt on his lifeduring the last campaign, he cast himself as asoldier who wassaved by God.Now he’sturning Kirk into amartyr,ahero slain on the battleﬁeld of righteousness whomust be avenged.

Afew lone voices in the Republican Party are trying to play the consoler role that Trump rejects, to lower the temperature. Gov.Spencer Cox of Utah, the state where Kirk was slain, has been the mostforceful, saying: “Wecan return violence with violence. We can return hate with hate, and that’sthe problem with political violence —isitmetastasizes. Because we can always point the ﬁnger at the other side. And at somepoint, we have to ﬁnd an off-ramp, or it’s going to get much, much worse.”

But Trumpdoes not want an off-ramp away from political violence; he wants an expresswaytoward it. He wants to point ﬁngers and punish foes. He is the Divider-in-Chief

Email Steven Roberts at stevecokie@gmail. com.

Froma Harrop

Rich Lowry

Steve Roberts

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

PresidentDonald Trump and Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services administrator Dr.Mehmet Oz listen as Healthand Human ServicesSecretaryRobertF.KennedyJr. speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on Sept. 22.

with meteorologist DamonSingleton

We continue to follow Humberto and Imelda very closely.Both will likely remain fish storms overthe Atlantic and no otherstorms are expected overthe next fewdays. Locally,another beautiful dayisinthe forecast.Expect amostly sunnyand hot day. This afternoon, temperatures will rise to the lowtomid-90s.Winds will remain light and northerly,sodew points shouldremain lowand humidity will be low. Rain chances todayare at 0% and the UV index remains at the “veryhigh” level, so protect your skin.

CLERK

Continued from page1B

clerk’sofﬁce—has shaped his platform, whichcenters on expanding public access to courtﬁles.

Duncan has raised more than$38,000,outpacing Lombard and far exceeding the$1,714 Mileshas lent her campaign.

“For someone who’snever held political ofﬁce, that’sa nice chunk of change,” said Ed Chervenak, apolitical scientist and analystwho runsthe UniversityofNew Orleans’ Survey Research Center

Duncan has used the money on events and television ads, including one criticizing Lombard over court records discarded last month in alandfill. Lombardhas said city workers wereto blame for the blunder,and emphasized hisefforts to recover the ﬁles, including searching the trash himself.

Duncan’sbackers include Norris Henderson, founder of Voice of the Experienced, and Jee Park, head of Innocence and Justice Louisiana, whose attorneys helped win Duncan’sfreedom. Hendersondonated $2,500,while Park contributed $400. Miles, aphysician’sreferral specialistwhose teenage son was killed lastyear, says her campaign is driven by frustrationwitha criminal justice system she calls inconsistent and unresponsive. She has pledged to put customer service at the center of the ofﬁce

The clerk’sduties —maintaining criminal court records, overseeing elections and managing case ﬁlings— make the race more consequential than its low proﬁle might suggest, Chervenak said.

Darren Lombard Lombard, 59, graduated from O.P.Walker High School andthe University of New Orleans, where he earned adegree in psychology He served as clerk of the

THECANDIDATES

CALVINDUNCAN

62, NewOrleans

EDUCATION: Earned aGED; bachelor of arts in paralegal studiesfromTulaneUniversity; juris doctorate fromLewis & ClarkLaw School

JOB EXPERIENCE: Founder of Light of Justice; adjunct professoratLoyola University NewOrleans;formerjailhouse lawyer

PARTY: Democrat.

WEBSITE: calvinforclerk.com

DARREN LOMBARD

59, NewOrleans

EDUCATION: Graduated from O.P.Walker High School;bachelor’sdegree in psychologyfrom the University of NewOrleans

JOB EXPERIENCE: Clerk of

2nd City Court fornearlya decade beforewinning his current postin2021, after campaigning on promises to speed up expungements and bring the ofﬁce intothe digital age.

Lombardsaidhe’sdelivered on his pledges. “I want to continue all of the good work andprogress we made so far,” Lombard said,callinghis efforts part of a“legacy of putting things together that have never been done before.” Lombard’s record includes pushinga technological upgradetoanew case management system that would allow electronic ﬁlings and digitize criminal court records. The system had not yet gone live, but Lombard said it is expected to launch within weeks, possibly afterthe election.

His ofﬁce also hosted nocostexpungement clinics, where attorneys helped community members seal their criminalrecords. At one clinic inJune, 150 expungements were completed, he said. Lombard lobbied for bud-

Orleans Parish Criminal District Court; formerclerk of 2nd City Court

PARTY: Democrat.

WEBSITE: votelombardforclerk. com

VALENCIAMILES

42, NewOrleans

EDUCATION: Graduatedfrom Marion Abramson High School.

JOB EXPERIENCE: Physician’s referral specialist at Ochsner Medical Center;former medical and birth certificate clerk at multiple health care providers, including Touro Infirmary, and unitsecretary clerk at UT Southern.

PARTY: Independent.

WEBSITE: themilesdifference. com

get increases that raised starting salariesfor entry-level employees from $27,000 to $32,000. He said he hoped to raise payfor veteran staffers whose wages have stagnated despiterising living costs.

“They work really hard,” Lombard said.

Lombardsaid his opponents’ inexperience —especially in managing elections and counting votes —should give voters pause. It can“diminishthe conﬁdence in the system,” he said.

Calvin Duncan

Duncan was 22 when a jury convicted him in 1985 of adeadly robbery in Treme.

At Angola, he became ajailhouse lawyer,helping other prisonersobtain courtrecords whilefighting for his own release. In 2011, he won his freedom. Adecadelater,a judge vacated his conviction, citing evidencethatadetective lied to help secure it After his release, Duncan earned aparalegal degree at Tulane University and

alaw degree from Lewis &ClarkLaw School. He founded Light of Justice, aprogram that helps incarcerated people obtain records and navigate the courts. Hismemoir, “The JailhouseLawyer,” was published this year

Now 62, Duncan built his campaignaround record accuracy,public access and correcting the failures he saiddeﬁnedhis case. “I don’twant what happened to me to happen to anyone else,” Duncan said.

He criticized Lombard for campaigning on digital access fouryears agobut not yet delivering.

“It’sludicrous to say,‘I’ve had four yearstodoall this stuff but Ididn’tdoityet,’” Duncan said.

Even when records are made available, Duncan said, there is nowhereinthe office to review them. He pledged to set aside space for that —and to monitor employees’ well-being.

“It’satough job, people coming in with all kinds of trauma and emotion,” he said. “I wouldmake sure that the staff is mentally being taken care of.”

Valencia Miles

Miles,42, graduated from Marion Abramson High School.She workedmore than two decades in medical recordsbeforetaking her current job as aphysician’sreferralspecialist at Ochsner Health—experience she said helps herunderstand the “criticalrole” of all records.

Her son, 16-year-old Braeden Thomas, was fatally shot in the 7thWard in December2024. No arrest has been made. As she waits, Milessaid, she’s experienced the“inconsistency of the criminal justice system.”

Miles said her experience underscores what she called the criminal justice system’sinconsistency and lack of communication.

With the clerk’srace, she saw an opportunity to use her record-keeping skills to makeapositive impact on

asystem that’scaused her pain, she said.

“The community is experiencing thesame thing I’ve experienced in the court system:inconsistency,lack of information, no communication,” she said. “And that’s on topofthe loss and pain you’re alreadydealing with. That is what drove me to want to step up andspeak out.”

Miles said she would solicit feedback through surveys andothermeasures to

better understand what services people needed. Like her opponents, she also pledged to digitize records andmodernize systems she said were responsible fordisarrayand lost documents.

“That’show thelandfill issue came about: the systemsare outdated,” she said.

Email Jillian Kramer at jillian.kramer@ theadvocate.com.

LEFT BEHIND

Remember Alvin Kamara’stouchdown in the second quarter of the season opener? That nifty 18-yard scamper gave the Saints ashort-lived 7-3lead, one the Arizona Cardinals quickly erased with atouchdown fourminutes later That four-minute span in Week 1was thelast —and only —time the Saints have led in agame this season. While the Saints showed progressin their 31-19 loss to the Buffalo Bills on

The phrase “It’salways something”seems like it was coined for the Brian Kelly regimeat LSU.

Mulkey: Freshmen ‘betterbe ready’ this season

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Technically,ZaKiyah Johnson is a guard. But she has enough height, length and skill to play more than one position.For now, theLSU women’sbasketball team has her in the post. That becameclear last Tuesday when thenew-look Tigers beganpracticing for the 2025-26 season in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.Their ﬁrst session showed that Johnson, one of the nation’s10bestrecruits, is pushingfor a role in the frontcourt right away —just likethree of the other four freshmen who comprise LSU’stop-ranked signing class.

“They better be ready,” coach Kim Mulkey said.

That’sbecause the Tigers mayneed them.Onlyfourplayers whocontributed to LSU’s run to the Elite Eight last season areback foranotheryear. Its overhauled roster haseight newcomers and just three of them are transfers. The rest are freshmen.

Sunday,the contest followed afamiliar script. It was the third consecutive game the Saintsdid not lead for asingle minute.

ebbsaway •2022: LSU’sspecial teams were, in aword,abysmal.

The Saints managed to score on their opening drive for theﬁrst timethis season. Kendre Miller’s18-yard touchdown run snapped an NFL-high streak of nine games in which the Saints had not scored on their opening drive. The touchdown run only tied the score, and theBills quickly retook the lead and never relinquished it therestofthe way.

“That’s what we need —you’ve got to

LSU signedfourofESPN’s top 35 recruits —Johnson, Grace Knox, Bella Hines and Divine Bourrage. The Tigers also signed Meghan Yarnevich, a6-foot forward who backed offa pledge to Georgia and committed to the Tigers in May Bourrage is atall, long point guard. Hines is ashooter who likes to play defense. Knox —a6-2 forward whoenrolled as the most highly rated prospect of the bunch —isstrong and athletic. Johnson isn’tafraid to play on the block or shoot fromthe outside.Her range extends beyond the paint.

Can any of the freshmen crack Mulkey’srotation this season? It looks like thefrontcourt players have easier paths to early playing time. Bourrageand Hineswillhaveto compete with returning veterans Jada Richardand KailynGilbert for minutes behind MiLaysia Fulwiley, Flau’jae Johnson andMikaylah Williams.

His three-plus years at LSU have been like a game of WhackA-Mole. Aserious deﬁciency crops up and, to his credit, he eventuallydeals with it.

The problem is the serious deﬁciency keeps poppingupon the game board, requiring him to take out ahuge rubber mallet to squash it down while another seasonofwhat could have been

Whack! Kelly kicked special teams coordinator Brian Polian, whocame with him fromNotre Dame,intoa non-coachingjob before Polian left in May 2023 to become athletic director at JohnCarroll University,his alma mater

•2023: TheLSU defense was, in two words, historically bad. It arguably kept theTigers and oneofthe two best offenses in program history,led by Heisman winnerJayden Daniels,out

BY RODWALKER Staff writer

ThePoole Party is nowinNew

Orleans And there may not be abetter place for it considering the two words Jordan Poole usedto describe the city that is nowhis home.

“It’shot,” Poole said.

The Pelicanshave been Poole’s new team for almost three months after he was for acquired in atrade with theWashington Wizards in earlyJuly.He’shoping this stopwill be better than hislast oneand more like the ones before that.

Poole’sbasketball journey has taken him to some of thehighest of highs

He won anational high school title while playing at the La LumiereSchool in Indiana.

He playedinthe NCAA national championship game at Michigan where theWolverines lost to Villanova.

And he won an NBA title with the Golden State Warriors in the 2021-22 season, beating the BostonCeltics in six games. But the lasttwo seasonstook him to the other end of the spectrum,winning just 33 total games in his twoyearswith the Wizards.

Now the 6-foot-4guard is in New Orleans, hoping to getback to his winning ways while also helping thePelicansclimbout of the doldrums of last season when theywon just21games.

“Webelieve we’re getting Jordan at just theright time, just the right opportunity in his career,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said “He’sa guy whowants it.He

Knoxand ZaKiyahJohnson, on the other hand, aren’tjockeying for roles next to returning bench players. If East Carolina transferAmiya Joyner and Notre Dame transfer KateKoval are thetwo frontcourt starterswhen the season tips off Nov.4,then Knox and Johnson will rotate onto theﬂoor behind them

“Noone is in frontof(thefreshmen) at the post,” Mulkey said. “Nobody at the post is areturning player, really,and so those guys needtoreally have the mindsetthat, ‘I’m gonna play.I’m gonna makemistakes, but I’mgonna play.’

“(The guards) have people to look up to, whereas the posts don’t.”

LSU has signed two No.1freshman classes in the last three cycles. Mulkey and her stafflandedfour highly rated recruits in 2023 as well, but three of those players have transferred to different schools after they struggledtoﬁnd consistent minutes with the Tigers.

Williams is the last one standing. As afreshman, she was the only one of

ä See LSU, page 6C

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ADRIAN KRAUS Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen stiff-arms Saints cornerback Alontae Taylor during agame in OrchardPark, N.y.,onSunday

PHOTO By BRETTDUKE Pelicans guard Jordan Poole speaksduring the team’smedia dayat the Ochsner

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Hogs call on Petrino; defensive staff out

BY MAURA CAREY Associated Press

Arkansas athletic director

Hunter Yurachek said Monday

he felt sixth-year coach Sam Pittman had “lost the team” and it was time for a change.

The Razorbacks ﬁred Pittman on Sunday, a day after a 56-13 home loss to Notre Dame.

“I just felt like how we performed on Saturday gave me an indication that maybe Sam had lost the team a little bit because they generally had played really hard for him throughout his tenure,” Yurachek said.

Yurachek promoted offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino to interim head coach for the remainder of the season. It’s familiar territory for Petrino, who served as the Razorbacks head coach from 2008 to 2011 before he was ﬁred due to a scandal. Petrino, 64, was brought back as offensive coordinator by Pittman in 2023.

Is Petrino a shoo-in for the job?

“Coach Petrino, as we met yesterday he accepted this opportunity with the understanding that he also wanted an opportunity to formally be a candidate for our head coaching position, and he will have that opportunity but we’ll also subsequently run a search for our next head coach at the same time,” Yurachek said.

Pittman’s dismissal and Petrino’s temporary promotion weren’t the only changes. Defensive coordinator Travis Williams, co-defensive coordinator Marcus Woodson and defensive line coach Deke Adams were all let go Chris Wilson was named the team’s interim defensive coordinator Petrino had high praise for Wilson, who was in his ﬁrst year with the Razorbacks as an assistant defensive line coach.

“My experience (with Wilson) goes way back to having to battle

against him when he had all the great defensive linemen at Mississippi State,” Petrino said. “Very, very impressed with what he’s done throughout his career Guy’s got a Super Bowl ring. He brings a lot of credibility into the room.”

Several defensive players posted cryptic messages on social media following the firing of Williams, who had served as the team’s defensive coordinator since 2023.

Yurachek and Petrino encouraged players to welcome change amid a 2-3 start to the season.

“The number one thing is, you have to get used to change. You know, your whole life there’s going to be change. So how we handle that, our attitude on how we handle that, will determine how quickly we improve,” Petrino said.

Pittman is the fourth power conference coach to be let go this season, all within the past two weeks (Brent Pry at Virginia Tech, DeShaun Foster at UCLA and Mike Gundy at Oklahoma State). Besides the bye week giving the Hogs a chance to adjust and make changes before an Oct 11 game at No. 15 Tennessee, the firing was far in advance of the transfer portal window to give current and prospective players a taste of the new era.

“The portal is a key factor in this. But I think more than anything, just heading into a bye week to have a transition with the head coach, having a bye week before we head to Tennessee, this was kind of a natural point to make that (change),” Yurachek said.

The timing also worked from a contractual standpoint, given Pittman’s unique buyout clause.

Had the school waited until Pittman dropped below a .500 record since 2021, his buyout would have reduced from $9.8 million (75% of his remaining salary) to $6.9 million (50% ). Yurachek believes the parties found a happy medium with a buyout around $8 million.

“We negotiated in the middle,” Yurachek said. “Right now, he’s at 75%, and if the season continued the direction it was, he would have fallen below .500. So part of our meeting was getting his representatives on the phone, and we landed on a sweet spot for both of us. 62.5% saved the university about $1.5 million and kind of fell between that 50% and 75% mark.”

Europe quiets talk of U.S. dominance at Ryder Cup

BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press

FARMINGDALE, N.Y Rory McIlroy still remembers his tears from losing so badly in the Ryder Cup What stung even more were the words from that Sunday four years ago at Whistling Straits.

The Americans won 19-9, the biggest Ryder Cup blowout ever over Europe. Yes, the gallery was one-sided because of travel restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. And yes, that was a powerful U.S. team with all 12 playing at a high level. That never seems to happen.

This was a team that was going to change the course of the Ryder Cup.

“I was trying to tell the guys, ‘Let’s get to 20 points,’ because this is going to be the next era of Ryder Cup teams for the U.S. side,” Patrick Cantlay said that day

“If we play like we did this week, the score will be the same over there,” Jordan Spieth said. McIlroy couldn’t help but think of those predictions as Europe celebrated its second straight win since that beating, hanging on for a 15-13 victory He looked around at ﬂags draped around each teammate from their nine countries, all of them mostly proud of the Team Europe emblem on the crest of their shirts. Unseen was the image of Seve Ballesteros stitched in the inside of the shirt so that it touched their hearts

“The comments and what people were saying after Whistling Straits about the decades of American dominance, we took a lot from that,” McIlroy said. “We let that fuel us.”

The “American dominance” ended six years after continental Europe was invited to the party, and there is little to suggest that’s about to change.

Playing on the road against an angry New York crowd that was nasty and disruptive only fueled Europe even more. It set a Ryder Cup record — under the current format that dates to 1979 by losing only four of the 16 team matches going into Sunday No team had ever come back from more than a four-point deﬁ-

cit. Europe was up by seven. It was close in the end — too close for Europe, until Shane Lowry came through with biggest putt of his life to secure the gold trophy but this requires a bigger picture.

McIlroy has been saying for the past two years winning a Ryder Cup on the road is among the biggest accomplishments in golf He must have been referring to the Americans, who haven’t done that since 1993.

Europe picked up its ﬁfth road win in the past 10 Ryder Cups, and it now has won 11 of the past 15 times. That’s the very deﬁnition of dominance.

“When you think about the last away Ryder Cup about what people were saying about decades of American dominance — whether it was home for them or away and to be able to do what we’ve done in Rome and then here, you know, it shut a lot of people up,” McIlroy said Whistling Straits, and even the U.S. win at Hazeltine before that

in 2016, is starting to look like a blip on the radar instead of a foundation on which to build.

Captain Luke Donald was told Europe had dominated the last decade and was in position to do that for the following decade. That’s when Lowry interjected, “You guys told us we wouldn’t win one for 20 years, though.”

The Americans indeed put a scare into Europe, but even that required all the magic it could muster Cameron Young and Justin Thomas both had to make 12foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win their matches.

Eight of the singles matches went to the 18th hole, the most in the Ryder Cup since eight matches in 1993. In both years, one European didn’t play and an American whose name was in the envelope Lanny Wadkins in 1993, Harris English this time — were given a halve.

Perhaps what the Americans didn’t see coming after their big win at Whistling Straits was a changing of the guard. Lowry,

CFP title game for 2027 season set for Superdome

The College Football Playoff national championship game for the 2027 season will be played at the Caesars Superdome on Jan. 24, 2028, The Times-Picayune has conﬁrmed.

In addition to the championship game, the Dome will again play host to the Sugar Bowl, which likely will serve as a quarterﬁnal contest if the CFP stays in its current format. The CFP operates under a 12-team format, but the power conferences are considering an expanded ﬁeld.

It will be the ﬁrst national title game played in New Orleans since a Joe Burrow-led LSU squad beat Clemson 42-25 in the Dome on Jan. 13, 2020. That year is the only instance of New Orleans hosting a CFP championship contest since the playoff was created in 2014.

MRI confirms Giants WR

Nabers has a torn ACL

NEW YORK Malik Nabers has a torn ACL in his right knee and the New York Giants wide receiver is out for the rest of the season, coach Brian Daboll said Monday Nabers, a former LSU standout, was injured in the second quarter of the Giants’ home game against the Los Angeles Chargers when his right knee buckled while he was trying to make a catch. He immediately grabbed at the knee, received medical attention and was carted off the ﬁeld.

Asked if there was any additional damage to Nabers’ knee, Daboll indicated he knew specifically only about the ACL tear Nabers’ injury put a damper on New York’s first win this season as rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart threw for a touchdown and ran for another in his first NFL start.

San Francisco fires Melvin as Posey seeks new voice SAN FRANCISCO Buster Posey will search for a fresh managerial voice to guide the San Francisco Giants, someone with an “obsessive” work ethic and attention to detail Manager Bob Melvin was fired Monday after the club missed the playoffs for a fourth straight season. Posey, San Francisco’s president of baseball operations, announced the decision. He had shown his confidence in Melvin by exercising the veteran manager’s contract option for the 2026 season on July 1. “Just looking to find a different voice that can take us in a different direction,” Posey said. The Giants finished 81-81 for one more victory than in Melvin’s first year They haven’t reached the postseason since winning the NL West in 2021.

Twins fire Baldelli after seven years as manager

MINNEAPOLIS The Minnesota Twins fired manager Rocco Baldelli on Monday, ending his seven-year tenure that included three AL Central titles but only one playoff appearance over his ﬁnal ﬁve seasons.

Tyrrell Hatton and Viktor Hovland were Ryder Cup rookies. Jon Rahm, Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood were playing in their second. They were a combined 13-5-5 at Bethpage Black. And then there’s the Donald factor — the European captain, not the Ryder Cup guest on Friday who had Air Force One ﬂy over the 15th fairway

He had been left behind when Europe took Henrik Stenson for the 2023 matches in Rome. And then Stenson went to LIV Golf and was stripped of his captaincy, Donald had only 13 months to prepare and he has pushed all the right buttons ever since.

U.S. captain Keegan Bradley referred to Donald as the “best European captain of all time.”

“He won home and away and he won a Ryder Cup in New York at Bethpage,” Bradley said. “He turned this European team into a really unstoppable force, especially the ﬁrst two day He put his team in the best position to win.”

Baldelli’s dismissal came after a second straight dispiriting ﬁnish by the Twins, this one marked by a major selloff leading up to the trade deadline. The Twins went 7092, including just 19-35 after the July 31 deadline passed following the departure of 10 players from their major league roster, with only the Colorado Rockies faring worse over the ﬁnal two months. Baldelli, who turned 44 last week, went 101-61 and won the AL Manager of the Year award as a rookie in 2019.

Bochy, Rangers part ways as three-year deal ends ARLINGTON, Texas Bruce Bochy will not return as manager of the Texas Rangers after a three-year stint that began with the franchise’s first World Series championship in 2023 before missing the playoffs in both seasons since then.

The Rangers announced Monday night that the team and Bochy mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure. Bochy has been offered a front-ofﬁce role to remain with Texas in an advisory capacity The move came a day after the Rangers ﬁnished 81-81. Bochy, 70, was at the end of the three-year contract he got when Chris Young, one of his former pitchers, hired him after the Rangers’ sixth consecutive losing season. Bochy went 249-237 in Texas.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL WOODS

Former Arkansas coach Sam Pittman talks with offensive lineman Shaq McRoy during the Razorbacks’ game against Notre Dame on Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark. Arkansas fired Pittman on Sunday

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG

Rory McIlroy poses with the Ryder Cup trophy alongside Team Europe after defeating the United States on Sunday at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.y

TEs Hill, Moreau cleared to return to practice

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Tight ends Taysom Hill and Foster Moreau have been cleared to return to practice and are expected to participate in workouts starting on Wednesday, New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore said Monday. Hill and Moreau have not played this season while returning from knee injuries suffered last season. They started the season on the physically unable to perform list.

The transactions open a ﬁveweek window for Hill and Moreau to begin practicing. Once each players starts to practice, the Saints have a three-week window to place them on the 53-man roster

Moreau injured his knee late in a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2024 season finale. The former Jesuit High School and LSU standout finished the year with 32 catches for 413 yards and five touchdowns.

Hill tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a Week 13 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. He ranked second on the team with 278 yards rushing and six touchdowns last season.

“Obviously, it’s been a long journey for those guys, so (we’re) excit-

ed to see them just out there with a helmet on and actually doing a little bit football (at practice),” Moore said. “We’ll see how it progresses.”

A lengthy absence?

Veteran offensive lineman Cesar Ruiz will miss the game Sunday against the New York Giants because of an ankle injury he suffered against the Buffalo Bills, Moore said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIO CORTEZ

Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons, left, and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott greet each other after their team’s game ended in a tie on Sunday in Arlington, Texas

Prescott’s play proving owner Jones correct

BY SCHUYLER DIXON

AP pro football writer

FRISCO, Texas Dak Prescott is indispensable. Micah Parsons wasn’t.

That’s as simply as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones could put it after a crazy 40-40 tie against the Green Bay Packers in Parsons’ highly anticipated return to Dallas a month after he was traded. Jones paid his quarterback, the ﬁrst $60 million man in the NFL. He wouldn’t do the same for one of the league’s best pass rushers, who did have a disputed sack of Prescott (it was for 0 yards) to help keep the Cowboys out of the end zone in overtime, when the teams traded ﬁeld goals.

A defense now missing its best player has given up 37, 31 and 40 points in three games since an anemic first half was followed by a solid final two quarters in a 24-20 loss to reigning champion Philadelphia in the NFL opener It’s just hard to see where the Cowboys (1-2-1), who visit the New York Jets on Sunday, go from here. It’s been a year since Jones decided who was the most important player to lead them where they want to go — and haven’t been in 30 years. Hours before the 2024 opener Prescott agreed to the $240 million, four-year extension that kicked in this season. Jones offered Parsons slightly more than $40 million a year this past offseason — he would have been the first defensive player to hit that number — but without his agent involved. The deal never got close to done.

“It’s very simple,” Jones said “Dak was indispensable in my mind. And Micah wasn’t It’s that easy And that’s not personal at all.” Plenty of critics think Jones was wrong, and has been about many personnel issues since the most recent time the Cowboys won a Super Bowl, the 1995 season. Dallas is the only team not to reach an NFC championship game since then. Brian Schottenheimer’s first

year as a head coach after a quarter-century as an NFL assistant began with the trade of Parsons exactly a week before the opener against the Eagles.

The Cowboys were a touchdown underdog at home against the Packers and appeared on their way to a lopsided loss after a quarter before producing a second overtime thriller in two home games. Dallas beat the New York Giants 40-37 two weeks ago.

First-year defensive coordi-

nator Matt Eberflus, a year removed from getting ﬁred as the head coach in Chicago, is facing criticism as the big plays pile up.

Prescott has belief after the defense showed some improvement in handling assignments against the Packers

“I mean, they’re playing good defense,” Prescott said after throwing for three touchdowns and running for a score. “It’s just the big plays here and there that put them behind and now their backs are against the wall and they’re in the red zone. I’ve got faith in Eberﬂus and the rest of those guys over there stopping big plays.”

Prescott has found his form of 2023, when he was runner-up in MVP voting. He entered Monday leading the NFL in yards passing at 1,119. The connection with new receiver George Pickens was the best yet even without top option CeeDee Lamb, who figures to miss at least one more game with a high-ankle sprain. Pickens had 134 yards, the second most of his career, and two touchdowns. He had one two-score game in his three seasons with Pittsburgh. Critical penalties sabotaged a defense that’s already having enough trouble getting off the field. Trevon Diggs had an interception nullified when the Packers rushed a snap and got a Dallas defender running off the field for a 12-men flag. Sam Williams sacked Jordan Love on third down but grabbed his facemask while doing it. Second-year linebacker Marist Liufau crushed running back Emanuel Wilson well after a pass had fallen incomplete for a penalty

Moore did not specify how long Ruiz would be sidelined, but the NFL Network reported that medical tests revealed the injury to be a high-ankle sprain that could require a recovery period of four to six weeks, making Ruiz a candidate for injured reserve.

“Cesar likely will be out this week, and we’ll kind of take it week by week with him,” Moore said.

DUNCAN

Continued from page 1C

start fast,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said of the opening-drive TD. “So now the goal is to continue to sustain that for a couple of drives, put yourself in some positive situations where you have a lead.”

The Saints twice had chances to gain the lead and squandered both opportunities Cole Bishop’s interception of a Chris Olave pass on a trick play before halftime squelched a chance to eliminate a 14-10 deficit with a touchdown before halftime. And a misconnection between Spencer Rattler and Brandin Cooks on a pass into the end zone late in the third quarter forced the Saints to settle for a ﬁeld goal. Instead of taking the lead, they trailed 21-19, and Buffalo scored the ﬁnal 10 points of the game.

The Saints have trailed on a staggering 39 of their 43 offensive possessions this season. They have not had a single drive while playing with a lead. Their opponents, meanwhile, have had 33 drives while leading.

“You’re playing with that conﬁdence and that swagger that comes with the lead,” Moore said. “So we’re close. We’re really, really close to accomplishing that. We’re not there yet

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

of the College Football Playoff. Whack! Kelly cleaned out his entire defensive staff, from defensive coordinator Matt House on down, two days after a ReliaQuest Bowl victory over Wisconsin.

• 2024: Waiting for that pesky mole to pop up. No major issues, mainly a defense trying to improve under new coordinator Blake Baker Kelly launched a huge fundraising campaign to eventually build and retain a roster with $18 million worth of NIL funding.

• 2025: It’s time for another mole whacking a mole almost as big as the defensive one in 2023. That’s because LSU’s running game doesn’t run. It barely even walks.

In my column after LSU’s 2419 loss Saturday at Ole Miss, I listed LSU’s problems in order of urgency with quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s mysterious health issues at the top. I still think that’s a problem. But while the Nuss bus is riding on a leaking tire, it’s at least functional. And there is the reasonable possibility that this week’s open date will give Nussmeier the time he needs to rest/heal and be the kind of quarterback we know he can be going into the Oct. 11 home game with South Carolina. The running game is a different matter LSU doesn’t run block well, and it has relied too much on gimmicky (though sometimes effective, it must be said) plays to run the ball with

him in the ﬁrst round of the NFL draft in 2020. He missed four starts last season with a knee injury He has started 73 games in six seasons.

Patriots game time changed

The NFL announced Monday that the Saints’ Week 6 home game against the New England Patriots will start earlier than originally scheduled.

The Oct. 12 game will kick off at noon.

The coinciding move was to push the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ game that day against the San Francisco 49ers back to 3:25 p.m. — the time Saints-Patriots originally was scheduled.

The NFL has the ability to ﬂex kickoff times as close to two weeks in advance and can even change prime-time games late in the season. The Saints (0-4) do not have a prime-time game scheduled this season.

Ruiz was injured when a pair of players rolled into the back of his legs at the end of a scramble by quarterback Spencer Rattler late in the second quarter Trainers attended to Ruiz on the ﬁeld, and he left the game under his own power but did not return to action.

The former Michigan standout has been a mainstay on the offensive line since the Saints selected

obviously so there’s frustration associated with that, but that’s certainly something we can embrace.”

Playing catch-up often forces teams to abandon the run and rely on the passing attack to move the football. Consequently, the offense becomes one-dimensional and defenses can tee off on the quarterback.

For this reason, offensive coordinators strive each week to seize early leads and “gain control” of the game from a playcalling standpoint. Playing with a lead allows the offense to open up the playbook and dictate terms to the opponent.

In being forced to play from behind so often this season, the Saints have become more far more pass-heavy than they would like. They have run pass plays on 62% (168) of their 271 offensive plays, compared to 38% runs (103).

“That’s an important part of this,” Moore said. “We kind of call them ‘mixed downs,’ where we have the ability to threaten with the run and the pass. And the more times you can play mixed-down football, the better you’re going to be and the more advantageous you’re going to be because you put defense in conﬂict. I felt like we were able to play that way more (against the Bills).”

The Saints were much more balanced against the Bills. They

receivers Zavion Thomas and Barion Brown.

Overall, running the ball in a conventional sense is a major problem for LSU. Frankly it has been throughout the Kelly years. LSU’s last 1,000-yard rusher was Daniels, who glided to 1,134 yards in 2023. But its last 1,000yard rusher at running back was Tyrion Davis-Price in 2021 with 1,003 yards. This year Caden Durham is LSU’s top rusher with 213 yards, and he was the top rusher in 2024 with 753. Logan Diggs, who scored a touchdown Saturday for Ole Miss, was LSU’s top running back in 2023 with 653 yards. In 2022, Daniels rushed for 885 yards while tailback Josh Williams had 532. LSU was 107th in the nation in rushing in 2024 with 116.4 yards per game, last in the SEC. This year so far, the Tigers are 119th in rushing (15th in the SEC ahead of only South Carolina) with 104.8 yards per game.

Ole Miss frequently dropped seven and eight defenders into coverage Saturday because it did not fear the LSU ground game. Even a fully healthy Nussmeier would have a tough time succeeding against that. Kelly blew up at WBRZ’s Michael Cauble after the Florida game for asking what was wrong with LSU’s running game and ability to convert third downs.

“It’s one game,” Kelly said. “We can run the ball.”

Cauble’s question perhaps could have been better timed after a big LSU win, but it was no less valid. And it has not been one game. It has been game after

They do have four other games scheduled for the late afternoon window, including three home games: Oct. 26 vs. the Buccaneers (3:05 p.m.), Nov 23 vs. the Atlanta Falcons (3:25 p.m.) and Dec. 14 vs the Carolina Panthers (3:25 p.m.). The season ﬁnale at Atlanta does not have an announced start time. Staff writer Zach Ewing contributed to this report

had 34 runs and 31 passes in 65 plays.

“The next step we need to accomplish in the play-action (offense) is hitting some explosive plays off of that,” Moore said.

“That’s got to be a goal of ours moving forward. We’ve just got to keep growing.”

The Saints took a baby step in the right direction against the Bills. It was arguably their best all-around performance of the season. Nevertheless, it was another loss.

The Saints are 0-4 for the ninth time in franchise history

The last time they were winless in their ﬁrst four games was 2012.

They’ll enter their Week 5 game against the New York Giants as one of just three winless teams in the league, as long as the Jets-Dolphins game Monday night doesn’t end in a tie.

“Kellen said after the game, they (the Bills) are going to be playing in February and are going to win a lot of games this year,” running back Kendre Miller said. “That’s a really good football team, so to go into Buffalo and play like how we did and bounce back from last week just shows you there is a lot of fight in this team. It is definitely just a confidence boost for everybody.”

Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@ theadvocate.com.

game. LSU managed just 57 net yards (including a Nussmeier sack) on 22 rushing attempts, a paltry 2.6 yards per carry That included just two carries by the team’s available true tailbacks — one each for Ju’Juan Johnson and Kaleb Jackson — in the ﬁrst half. It wasn’t just the iceberg that sank the Titanic. It was also the great liner’s ﬂawed design, going too fast through dangerous waters and not heeding warnings from other ships. It isn’t just one thing with LSU’s lack of a run game, either It’s the line, the backs and the scheme under play-caller Joe Sloan. While it’s always hard to stick with something that is not working, clearly Kelly and Sloan must be more committed to the run. Former LSU tight end Richard Dickson suggested on the postgame radio show that the Tigers give more carries to Jackson, their best power back, and keep at it until the run game improves. Maybe even get Nussmeier more under center and get in more power running formations. Maybe craft a run package around backup quarterback Michael Van Buren.

The season is at stake. Kelly justly preaches playing complementary football between offense and defense. That also extends to the passing and running games.

The Tigers must ﬁnd a way to be better at the latter, or all of the money and effort LSU spent to build a College Football Playoff contender will be pounded down a Whack-A-Mole hole. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Saints tight ends Foster Moreau, left, and Taysom Hill talk on the sideline during a minicamp practice at the Ochsner Sports Performance Center on June 10

MLBPLAYOFFS

PadresfaceCubs at tricky Wrigley

BY JAYCOHEN AP baseball writer

CHICAGO The San Diego Padres were terriﬁcatPetco Park this season, going 52-29 on their waytoa National League wild card. It was a different story on the road, where Manny Machado and company ﬁnished with a38-43 record When it comes to any sort of explanation for the discrepancy, well, Machado has no idea.

“Can you please go ﬁnd out the answer for me because Ican’t answer that for you,” asmiling Machado said. “You’re going to have to go talk to someoneelse because Idon’teven havethat answer for you.”

Machadoand thePadresare back on the road for the ﬁrst round of the playoffs, beginningTuesday afternoon when they face the Chicago Cubs in the opener of their best-of-three series.

The Padres got arefresher course in the mixtureofsun and shade at Wrigley Field when they worked out Monday in asimilar time slot to what they will experience in Game 1.

“There’snot another ballpark, I would say,that can be any trickier than Wrigley,” Padres manager Mike Shildtsaid. “We’reaware of it.”

Chicago went 50-29 at its iconic ballpark this year,helping the team to the top NL wild cardand home-ﬁeld advantagefor theﬁrst round of the postseason.

But the Cubs haven’twon ahome playoff game since the 2017 NL ChampionshipSeries. They were sweptbyMiami in thewild-card round at Wrigley in 2020 in the franchise’slast postseason appearance.

“Wrigley already is incredibly special, andsoI’m very excited to seewhatitlooks like andwhatit feels like come postseason time,”

Cubs shortstopDansbySwanson said. “I know it’sgoing to be kind of everything you ever dreamed of.” San Diego right-hander Nick Pivetta will faceChicago left-hander Matthew Boyd in Game1.Dylan Cease will start for thePadres on Wednesday,and Shildt indicated Yu Darvish would get the ball for Game 3, if necessary.Cubsmanager Craig Counsell declined to reveal his pitching plans beyond theseries opener

Pivetta and Boyd also matched up for two April games. Boyd

pitched sixscoreless innings in a 7-1 victory at Wrigley,and Pivetta tossed sixinnings of one-run ball in a4-2 win at San Diego. It was part of abreakout season for Pivetta, whowent 13-5with a career-low 2.87 ERA in 31 starts anda career-high 1812/3 innings. He signed a$55 million, four-year contract with the Padres in February

“I thinkit’sjust going out believing in my talents, believing in what I’ve done this year and justgoing out and executing my game plan,” Pivetta said of starting Game 1, “andjustrelying on my teammates behind me to makedefensive plays and to put up runs and to just go through it like it’s another night.”

Boyd went14-8with a3.21 ERA in 31 starts in his ﬁrst year with Chicago. He signeda $29 million, two-year deal with the Cubs in December

Boyd’slate grandfather,John, was abig Cubs fan, and the 34-year-oldpitcher grew emotional while talking about what it meant to him to start aplayoff game for theteam.

“Tothink that Iwould have got this opportunity knowing everything about my grandfather growing up here,it’scool, it’scool stuff,” Boyd said. “He would be extremely happy.”

SurgingRedsget ashot againstreigningchampions

BY BETH HARRIS AP sports writer

LOS ANGELES Cincinnati came crashing into the postseason on the ﬁnal day of the regular season, and the Reds are riding asurge of momentum they hope will carry them past thereigningWorld Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

“Thedangers are theyouthful enthusiasm, the naivete,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “A way to combat that is we have to nottake them lightly because it’sa really good ball club. We’re playing againsta teamthat essentially feels like they have nothingtolose.”

Hunter Greene (7-4) makes his first postseason start Tuesday night when the sixth-seeded Reds (83-79) return to the playoffs for the ﬁrst time since 2020 with an NL Wild Card Series opener at Dodger Stadium. Two-timeCy Young Award winner Blake Snell (5-4) will be on the mound forthe third-seeded Dodgers(93-69),who won the NL West for the 12thtime in 13 years and are in the wild card for the ﬁrst time since 2021.

“The only reason Icame here was

to pitch in October,”Snell said, “and to really challenge myself personally and seehow good Iam, face the best when the stakes are the highest.”

Cincinnaticlinched apostseason berthSunday,the first time the clubhas done so on the ﬁnal day of the regular season. The Reds snagged the National League’s third and ﬁnalwild card when the NewYorkMetslosttothe Miami Marlins.Withsimilar records, the Reds owned thehead-to-head tiebreaker after going4-2 againstthe Mets during the season.

“We’ve been playing do-or-die baseball nowfor what feelslike thelast month or two. Ithink we can use that to our advantage,” said Reds second baseman Gavin Lux, whowon World Series titles with the Dodgers in 2020 and last year.“It’s whoevergetshot and theplayoffs are acrapshoot. I’m readyto getout thereand tryto kicktheiryou-know-whats.”

The Dodgers dominated the Reds during the season, winning ﬁve of six and outscoring Cincin-

RedSox dressfor successvs. Yankees

BY RONALD BLUM AP baseball writer

NEW YORK Garrett Crochet

wanted his Boston teammates to give the Yankees the business, so the All-Star pitcher told them to dressfor successwhenthey headed to NewYork for their postseason opener

“Wewere traveling comfortable here, and he decided to go business casual,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Monday.“He sent the text, so he overruled the manager.”

Crochet will make his first postseason start Tuesday night when the RedSox (89-73)return to the playoffs for the ﬁrst time since 2021 with an AL Wild Card Series opener in the Bronx. Max Fried(19-5) will be on the mound for the Yankees (94-68) in amatchup of All-Star lefthanders.

Boston clincheda postseason berth Friday and the best-ofthreematchup was locked in Sunday,whenthe Yankeeslost the AL East titletoToronto on atiebreakerasBostonbeatDetroit. The winner advancestoa Division Series against the Blue Jays.

“This could be aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someguys on this team,soI think that we should treat it withthe dignity that it deserves,” Crochet said. Corahad intendedfor relaxed attire on Sunday’scharter ﬂight.

“We’ve been traveling comfortable fora while nowbecause of theschedule,” he said.

Crochet’sprevious postseason appearances were as areliever with the Chicago White Sox in 2020 and2021. He was traded to the RedSox in December and agreed in April to a$170 million, six-year contract that starts next year

“I alwayswanted to be this guy that could throw aGame 1ofa playoff series, so to be here now comes as no surprise,” he said.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he will start left-handed-hit-

Skubal

BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter

CLEVELAND Detroit ace Tarik

Skubal will be back on the mound at Progressive Field on Tuesday forthe ﬁrst game of the AL Wild Card Series against Cleveland. The start comes one weekafter theTigers acehad anightmare sixthinning against the Guardians. Skubal threw a99mph fastball that struck David Fry in the nose and face after the Cleveland designated hitter squared to bunt. Skubal wasdistraughtand immediately dropped his cap and glove before he covered hismouth in disbelief

Frywas hospitalized overnight andsuffered abroken nose and facial fractures. Skubal went to visit Fry in the hospital, and both teams have saidthere was no ill will involved.

ä Red Sox at Yankees. 5:08 P.M. TUESDAy,ESPN

ting Austin Wells, whocaught27 of Fried’s32starts, and probably right-handed-hitting first baseman Paul Goldschmidt against Crochet, whowas 3-0witha 3.29 ERA in four starts against New York this year Fried left Atlanta for a$218 million, eight-year contract with the Yankees. He was 10-2witha 1.92 ERA in his ﬁrst 17 starts before he wasbothered by ablister on his left indexﬁngerand went 3-3 with a6.80 ERA over his next eight outings,then rebounded to go 6-0 with a1.55 ERA in his last seven.

Friedwas 1-1witha 1.96 ERA in three games against Boston. His average fastball was 97.2 mphagainst the Red Sox on Sept. 13, 1.4 mph above his season average. New York andBostonare 1212 in the postseason, but the Red Sox have woneight of the last nine games, starting with the 2004 comeback from a3-0 deﬁcit in the American League Championship Series. Boston won a2018 Division Seriesinfour games and the 2021 wild-card game. Boston won this year’sseason series 9-4, going 5-2 at Yankee Stadium “Baseball wantsaYankees-Red Sox postseason, so it’sgoing to be really bright lights, ahuge national stage and awhole lot of fun competing with these guys,” said Red Sox ﬁrst baseman Nathaniel Lowe, an August pickup. “It’sgoing to be high octane, really competitive, alot of fun to play. We’re not making friends out there. We can be friends when it’sover.” The reigning AL champion Yankees started the season 35-20, slumpedduring a25-34 stretch, then closed 34-14. Boston was30-35 through late May,then went59-38.

“A lot of people saw it coming,” Boone said. “I think he’s(Cora) played ‘The Little Engine That Could’ alittle bit over there.”

nati30-15.

“Being at home, not having to travel, it’simportant for us to strike earlyand really notlet these guys hang around andgainconﬁdence,” Roberts said. “I’ve talked about edge, and just keeping our edge and not kind of giving these guys any opportunity of life.”

The wild-cardwinner advances to aNLDivision Series against the Philadelphia Phillies Yoshinobu Yamamoto (12-8, 2.49 ERA) will startGame2for the Dodgers on Wednesday.Shohei Ohtani (1-1,2.87) will probablymake his postseasonpitching debut if the best-of-threeseries goes to athird gameonThursday,Roberts said.

The two-way superstar didn’t pitch for the Dodgerslast season while recovering from asecond elbow surgery,and he never made the playoffs during sixseasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

At theplate, Ohtani revived himself this month, hitting .312 with 10 home runs and a1.165 OPS. He ﬁnishedthe regular season with a career-high 55 homers, one more than his 54 homers during hishistoric 50-50 season in 2024.

However,the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was put in adifficult positionwhenasked whether it was better to return to that samemound so quickly or whether it would have been better if it happened next season.

“That kind of puts me in abad spot, knowing how to answer that. Yeah, Idon’treally know how to answer that question. I’msorry,” Skubal said.

Skubal also had athrowing error,awild pitch and abalk in the inning as theGuardians rallied to takea3-2 lead before winning 5-2. ThevictorytiedCleveland withDetroit for the AL Central lead before the Guardians eventually won the division title.

Tigers manager AJ Hinch thinks Skubalhas put whathappened to Fry behind him,especially being able to visit him in the hospital and seeing that Fry was going to be OK

“I don’tthink Tarik will be impacted by muchofanything other than the adrenaline he needs to control going into Game 1of aplayoff series, which is some-

ä Tigers at Guardians. 12:08 P.M. TUESDAy,ESPN

thing he’sdone before,” Hinch said. “Wewere in this exact position last year,and he went in and had an incredible game using that energy and that adrenaline.” Skubal was13-6 during the regularseason with an AL-low2.21 ERA and 0.89 WHIP. He was second in strikeouts with 241. This will be Skubal’sﬁfth start against the Guardians this season. He is 1-1withan0.64 ERAand held Clevelandtoa .165 batting average. He threwa complete game, two-hitter on May25and seven shutout innings on July 6.

“I think it’snot only that he’s one of the best, but he’slike elite at what he does,” Guardians infield BryanRocchio said of facing Skubal. “Obviously he’stough but he likes to compete. He’sone of my favorite pitchers because of the way he pitches as well.” Skubal is 3-4 in 14 career starts against Cleveland, including the postseason, with a2.50 ERA. He made twostarts in last year’s AL Division Series, allowing five runs in sixinnings in theGuardians 7-3 wininthe fifth and deciding game.

“I enjoy pitching here. The environment’sgreat. Youtalk about postseason baseball and the noise and kind of the chaos and then the rowdiness,”Skubalsaid. “I think this place kind of embodies all of that so Ienjoy playing here.” GavinWilliams(12-5, 3.06 ERA) will take the mound forthe Guardians on Tuesday

The right-hander has been the best playerinthe rotation since the All-Star break, going 7-1 with a2.18 ERA. He was2-0 with a1.06 ERAinthree starts against Detroit this season. Williams has hadacareerresurgence this year after going 6-15 his ﬁrst twoseasons.

“I mean,kindofstar-struck a little bit, just being able to start aplayoff game. It’sphenomenal.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ORLANDORAMIREZ

San DiegoPadres third baseman MannyMachadogestures toward his dugout after hitting asolo homerun against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the third inning on SundayinSan Diego.

THE VARSITY ZONE

NEW ORLEANS AREA FOOTBALL TOP 10s

CLASS 5A-4A

1. Edna Karr (4-0): John Johnson accounted for four touchdowns (two rushing, two passing) in a dominant win against Holy Cross The Karr defense hasn’t allowed a touchdown against three Louisiana opponents.

2. St.Augustine (4-0): The Purple Knights will take their high-scoring offense (56 points per game) to Algiers this week to face Karr. Miguel Whitley caught three TD passes Saturday against Warren Easton.

3. Brother Martin (4-0): Quarterback Hudson Fields led a game-winning drive that ended with Maximo Barrios’ last-second field goal to avenge last season’s loss to Jesuit. Up next is Rummel.

4. John Curtis (3-0): A 19-play drive covered the final 11 minutes of a two-point win against Rummel. Sophomore QB London Padgett ran for 126 yards and accounted for two touchdowns (one rushing, one passing). Up next is Easton.

5. Destrehan (2-2): The win against East St. John marked the second time the Wildcats reached 50 points this season. Up next is Terrebonne, which handed Destrehan its first district loss since 2019 last season.

6. Jesuit (3-1): Brother Martin’s last-minute drive spoiled what would have been a fourth-quarter comeback by the Blue Jays — all without their injured starting quarterback.Taylor Norton (thumb) may be back this week against Holy Cross.

7. Rummel (2-2): The Raiders’ two losses came against two state-

ranked opponents by a combined three points.Tyler Holden threw a late TD pass to get Rummel within two points in a loss to Curtis. Up next is Brother Martin. 8. Lakeshore (4-0): The Titans have their toughest two-game stretch of the season coming against Salmen this week and Franklinton in Week 6. Junior QB Brody Loudermilk was big in the run game against Northlake Christian

9. St. Charles (4-0): The Comets have three wins against teams that have appeared in the state rankings this season and will face another one Friday against Class 3A No. 2 St. James.

10. Shaw (2-2): Six interceptions in

a win against state-ranked Lafayette Christian put the Eagles back in the rankings.The two losses came against Karr and Rummel.

CLASS 3A AND BELOW

1. Kennedy (1-3): Key defensive player Dominick Ruth also ran the ball and scored a touchdown at St. Paul’s. John Ehret will be the last of five straight 5A opponents during nondistrict play.

2. Riverside (3-1): The Rebels will look to avenge a loss from last season when they face a Vermilion Catholic team that no longer has 1A offensive player of the year Jonathan Dartez, now at Nicholls State.

3. Northlake Christian (1-2): The Wolverines kept it a one-score game

into the second half against stateranked Lakeshore.They’ll visit 5A Breaux Bridge this week.

4. De La Salle (0-4): The four De La Salle opponents have a combined 14-2 record, and the latest loss for the Cavs came against stateranked St. Charles. Shaw is the next opponent.

5. Newman (1-2): Tulane commitment Jake Randle had a big rushing game against Willow to help first-year head coach Aaron Vice get his first win at the school. Up next is undefeated Riverdale (4-0).

6. South Plaquemines (3-1): The Hurricanes posted a shutout against winless East Jefferson and will face one of the tougher teams on the schedule against Livingston.

7. Pope John Paul II (2-2): The Jaguars reached 50 points for the second time this season in a rout of Ben Franklin. Up next is St. Martin’s.

8. Livingston Collegiate (2-2): Quarterback Courtney Tennessee ran for the winning touchdown in the fourth quarter against Carver. Up next is state-ranked South Plaquemines. 9.Young Audiences (3-0): The yaks are averaging 38 points per game and will be a strong 9-3A contender when district play begins in Week 6.

10. St. Martin’s (2-2): Donny Lawrence accounted for four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) and helped the Saints reach 40 points for the second week in a row.

Christopher Dabe

Injuries dominate preseason NBA conversations

BY TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press

Victor Wembanyama is back. Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum might be coming back. Tyrese Haliburton and Damian Lillard don’t plan to play again until next season. Injuries are already big NBA news this season, even before most camps even open. Wembanyama, the All-Star center for San Antonio, is back and raring to go after being cleared this summer following a scare caused by deep vein thrombosis in one of his shoulders which, at ﬁrst, was considered a potentially career-threatening issue Irving’s 2024-25 season ended with a torn ACL and he is recovering, albeit without a ﬁrm return-to-play timeline, while Tatum’s recovery from a torn Achilles has Boston fans dreaming of a return this season

“It’s life-changing, spending so much time in hospitals and around doctors and hearing more bad news than I wish I heard,” Wembanyama said “It is traumatic, but in the long run, I think it’s going to

be very beneficial because even though I don’t wish it on nobody, it makes you understand lessons that nothing else could have made you understand.”

Wembanyama should be ready to go on opening night for the Spurs. Irving and Tatum will have to wait a while longer for their clearances, but seem to both be on the right path. And many of the top names who have been dealing with injury issues said they’re relying on one another at times to help get through the long road back to playing.

“We saw a few star players get hurt this year that meant a lot to their team,” Irving said. “We’re just always praying for each other, always picking up each other, always showing what our progress is And I think all of us are trying to legitimately prove that we’re alien-like, and we can heal like Wolverine.”

He was referencing a Marvel character, one with exceptional healing powers. Tatum might be the frontrunner in the Wolverine standings.

Achilles tears typically can mean an athlete misses a full year or so;

it’s not an exact science, but that’s a good guess more often than not.

Haliburton isn’t playing this season after getting hurt in Game 7 of the NBA Finals last June, and Lillard — back with Portland now doesn’t expect to play after tearing his Achilles while playing with Milwaukee in last season’s playoffs

“I don’t plan on it,” Lillard said. “I just want to be as healthy as I can possibly be and be 100% conﬁdent in it and be able to do all of the movements and everything that it takes to be on the NBA court. At that point, whenever that point is, obviously I’ll have a decision to make.” Tatum seems to be leaning the other way Only five months removed from his Achilles tear in last season’s playoffs, he’s back on the floor already and going through some workouts. He won’t be in a game anytime soon, but he certainly sounds like he’s not ruling out the season.

“I think for me there’s been bright spots and getting back on the court and being able to participate in a basketball workout, it was deﬁnitely one of the more bright

day

Monday

has been practicing despite being only five months removed from an Achilles tear

spots of this journey,” Tatum said. “It just felt really good to be on the court and dribbling a basketball, going through a workout, just feeling like a basketball player again.” Haliburton sees himself playing the role of unofﬁcial assistant coach for Indiana this season.

“I think whenever you don’t get to play, you get a new perspective on things,” Haliburton said. “I think there’s always time to learn and grow And I think, for me, this year, not being able to play, I feel like I’m going to be able to see the game in a different way.”

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN MCCUSKER

Edna Karr wide receiver Anthony Thomas, left, is pursued by Holy Cross defender Landon Roddy after a catch during a game Saturday Karr moved to 4-0 after the 42-3 win

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN MCCUSKER

Jesuit wide receiver Ja’ir Brooks returns a kick against Brother Martin during a game on Friday at Tad Gormley Stadium. The Crusaders beat the Blue Jays 31-29.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL DWyER Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum speaks at a news conference during the team’s media

in Boston. Tatum

Apracticefrom thepastmakes a comeback.Here are4tipsfrom theexperts

By LSU Ag Center

It’salways abit sad to

our summer vegetable gardens peter out as the season comes to aclose. Those once-verdant plants are now fading as the long, hot summer takes itstoll. Though harvests of fresh produce may be dwindling, gardens at this time of year can still provide us with something valuable: seeds Seed saving isn’tascommon as it used to be, but it was a way of life for many of our ancestors who lived off the land and prized self-sufﬁciency.It was how they ensured they had seeds to plant —and food on the table —the following year In recent times, some folks have rekindledaninterest in saving seeds. Not only does this practice allow you to make the most of your plantingsand build aperpetual supply of seeds, but it also saves money, helps preserve genetic diversity and makes it easy to swap favorite and unique varieties with friends.

Save the seeds GETTING CREATIVE

LSU AGCENTER PHOTO Envelopes are agreat wayto store seeds.

Kerry Heafner and Marcie Wilson, two LSU AgCenterhorticulture agents, are on amission to encourage peopletojoin the seed-saving movement. Through their North Louisiana Seed Preservation Program, Heafner and Wilson have tracked downseeds for a number of varieties that were once staples of Louisiana gardens but were eventually lost to time. Many were developed by LSU scientistsinthe early to mid-20th century

The program’scollection now includes seeds of varieties that your grandparents might have grown —things like the Red-NSweet watermelon, Louisiana Green Velvet okra and awide range of tomatoes, snap beans and ﬁeld peas.

It’slargely because of home gardeners who dutifully stashed their seeds year after year that Heafnerand Wilson have been able to rediscover these outstanding varieties and introduce them to others.

So, what kinds of seeds can be saved? And how do you do it? Here are some tips from Heafner and Wilson.

Save seedsfromhealthy plants

Seeds must be from heirloom, or open-pollinated,varieties that have been pollinated naturally by wind, insectsor animals. Heirloom varieties are usuallymarked as such at the garden center and differ from modernhybrids, whose seeds typically either are sterile or won’tbreed “true.”

Youshould only save seeds from plants grown in isolation from other varieties of the same species. For example, if you grew more than one type

ä See SEEDS, page 2D

“THE DEVIL KNOWS JUSTWHATTODO.”

RICHARD THOMAS,New

Orleans artistofhis studio being ransacked

Afterburglarsdamagehis

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

New Orleans artist Richard

Thomas was stunned when he entered hisSt. Claude Avenue studio on Sept. 2. The old bank building at the corner of Spain Street hadbeen broken into, andthieves hadripped outcopper plumbing pipe and three roof vents. The damage to the vents allowed rainwater to run in,Thomas said.

Butworst of all, the intruders Thomas assumes there were more than one—ransackedthe workplace, rummaging through his printdrawers,recordcollection andart materials,tossing whatever didn’tinterest them on the ﬂoor Forasecond, Thomas said, he took it personally,imagining that someone haditinfor him. Why else would someone vandalize everything? But when he found hypodermic needles on theroof,

Thomas realized the culprits were probably justaddicts, searching everywherefor anything that could be easily sold.

Still, the 71-year-old artist said, “I don’tget trashing the place.” The sacking of the studio,where he’d made artfor aquarter-century,hit himsohard,thatThomassaid he “becamea zombie for three days.”

NewOrleans artguru

Thomas has had astarring role on New Orleans’ art scene for decades. His 1989 20th-anniversary Jazz Fest poster, featuring four portraitsofFats Domino, is aclassic. He’sone of those rare artists who gets his own tentatthe fest. Over the years, Thomas’ murals could be found everywhere from theraised highway structure along North ClaiborneAvenue to Concourse AatLouis Armstrong New OrleansInternational Airport. The

STAFFPHOTO By DOUGMacCASH

artist Richard Thomas’ St. Claude Avenue studio, plundered over thesummer

PROVIDED PHOTO FROM RICHARD THOMAS Richard Thomas’ 20th-

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 30, the 273rd day of 2025. There are 92 days left in the year

Today in history:

On Sept. 30, 1949, the Berlin Airlift came to an end after delivering more than 2.3 million tons of cargo to blockaded residents of West Berlin over the prior 15 months.

Also on this date:

In 1777, the Continental Congress forced to ﬂee in the face of advancing British forces moved to York, Pennsylvania, after brieﬂy meeting in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

In 1791, Mozart’s opera “The Magic Flute” premiered in Vienna, Austria.

In 1938, addressing the public after co-signing the Munich Agreement, which allowed Nazi annexation of Czechoslovakia’s Sudetenland, British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain proclaimed, “I believe it is peace for our time.”

In 1947, the World Series was broadcast on television for the ﬁrst time, as the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 5-3 in Game 1; the Yankees would go on to win the Series four games to three.

In 1955, actor James Dean was killed at age 24 in a two-car colli-

sion near Cholame, California.

In 1972, Pittsburgh Pirates star Roberto Clemente connected for his 3,000th and ﬁnal hit, a double against Jon Matlack of the New York Mets at Three Rivers Stadium.

In 2022, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed treaties to illegally annex more occupied Ukrainian territory in a sharp escalation of his seven-month invasion

Today’s birthdays: Actor Angie Dickinson is 94. Singer Johnny Mathis is 90. Actor Len Cariou is 86. Singer Marilyn McCoo is 82. Actor Barry Williams is 71. Singer Patrice Rushen is 71. Actor Fran Drescher is 68. Country musician Marty Stuart is 67.

Actor Crystal Bernard is 64. Actor Eric Stoltz is 64. Rapperproducer Marley Marl is 63. Country musician Eddie Montgomery (Montgomery Gentry) is 62. Rock singer Trey Anastasio (Phish) is 61. Actor Monica Bellucci is 61. Actor Tony Hale is 55. Actor Jenna Elfman is 54. Actor Marion Cotillard is 50. Author and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates is 50. Tennis Hall of Famer Martina Hingis is 45. Olympic gold medal gymnast Dominique Moceanu is 44. Actor Lacey Chabert is 43. Actor Kieran Culkin is 43. Singerrapper T-Pain is 41. Racing driver Max Verstappen is 28.

THOMAS

Continued from page 1D

ofﬁcial Katrina anniversary posters he designed for the city, his Mardi Gras posters, his Voice of the Wetlands posters, and other compositions adorn many a home throughout the region.

Just as important, Thomas has been a guru to generations of student artists. Over his long career as an instructor in the Orleans Parish schools’ Talented in Visual Arts program, Thomas said he “taught in every school in the city.” Thomas also founded his own long-running art education program for teens, Pieces of Power, whose students included artists who have risen to stardom, such as Lionel Milton and Terrence Osborne.

Getting to work in retirement

Thomas recently retired after 46 years teaching. As his retirement approached, Thomas looked forward to re-devoting himself to art. He’d had a stellar career, but the truth was, he’d never had the liberty to be a pure, full-time artist. Now would be his chance. Thomas spotted the old St. Claude Avenue bank building when it went up for sale way back in 1991, long before the street became an art and entertainment destination. With its sculpted facade and soaring, 12-foot vertical windows, it was perfect. So perfect, Thomas said he literally prayed to be able to buy it, and his prayers were answered, with a price that would be impossibly low by today’s standards.

For a while, Thomas operated an art gallery called Visual Jazz as well as studio in the former bank. The gallery hadn’t been open since Hurricane Katrina, but after retirement, Thomas planned to ﬁx up the time-worn studio and maybe even reopen the gallery to the public.

But all of that had to be put on hold. In 2023, Thomas took a fall in his home and hit his head. It seemed like nothing at ﬁrst, until the headaches, hallucinations and stumbling began. Thomas said he underwent successful surgery to stop a slow brain bleed, but the recovery took a year

A special spot

Finally, Thomas said, he arranged to meet with a plumbing and a rooﬁng contractor to discuss necessary repairs. That’s when he opened the front door and discov-

SEEDS

Continued from page 1D

of okra this summer, those plants may have cross-pollinated, affecting the purity of the seeds’ genetics. The seeds may indeed sprout next year — but they may produce off-types with undesirable traits.

Isolation distance varies

Finally, keep seeds from pestand disease-free plants that were good performers in your garden. Preparing the seeds

Many seeds are quite simple to save. For beans, peas and okra, you can just leave pods on the plants, allow them to turn brown and fully dry, then pluck them. Break or cut open the pods to access the seeds. Air dry the seeds

RIGHTS

Continued from page 1D

ered that in the past weeks, the old studio had been wrecked.

“The devil knows just what to do,” Thomas said.

The thieves took some prints, and originals, Thomas said, and they’d lined up some equipment and supplies, which they apparently meant to carry off later Thomas said he’d never had any problem with crime if you don’t count his 20-year running battle against grafﬁti.

He called the police who came and investigated the crime scene. According to NOPD spokesman Barry Fletcher, “Hardware and art had been stolen. There was also evidence an unknown person or persons had occupied the building for a time and left behind a large amount of ‘food trash.’ There was preexisting roof damage and the building was very damp on the inside so no usable ﬁngerprints were recovered.”

The building was insured, Thomas said, but not against theft. The cost to put his workplace back in order would all be on him He could put the property up for sale, of course, and walk away But that would only compound his sense of injustice. Anyway, the spot “was special.”

Thomas said throughout his life he’d always been in the role of helper, never needing much help himself. He wasn’t comfortable being in that position. But his friends assured him they were comfortable pitching in.

On Sept. 16, at 4 p.m., a handful of volunteers arrived at 2337 St. Claude Ave. to begin the process. As Thomas pointed out, the interior was reminiscent of houses that had been ﬂooded by levee failures after Hurricane Katrina. A dank smell permeated the air and black mold speckled the walls. Shards of ceiling tile and plaster lay here and there beneath the ruined ceiling amid scattered stacks of Thomas’ colorful prints, canvases and paint-crusted palettes

Wearing face masks and gloves, volunteers salvaged art as they swept debris from the ﬂoor It was clear the job wouldn’t be done in one evening. It would take a ton of work. But Thomas remained upbeat, or at least he seemed to. Underneath it all, he believed the old bank still had “good bones.” The rest, he said, “is just cosmetics to me.”

An online GoFundMe campaign has thus far raised almost $7000 to aid in the restoration of Thomas’ studio.

Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate.com.

rules for delays is just the beginning. Behind the scenes, airlines are lobbying to dismantle decades worth of consumer protections. The question isn’t whether your rights will shrink — they will. The question is: What can you do about it?

What’s about to happen?

The Department of Transportation has pledged to enforce existing laws. But that promise comes with a massive caveat: Airlines are actively working to change those laws Its 93-page deregulatory manifesto reads like a wish list for turning passengers into powerless customers.

Here’s what airlines want to kill:

n Automatic refund requirements for ﬂight changes and cancellations.

n Fee transparency rules that force disclosure of baggage and seat fees upfront.

n Accessibility protections for passengers with disabilities.

n Enforcement of family seating requirements.

That directly contradicts what airline passengers say they want. A recent survey by AirHelp found 52% of U.S. travelers think air passenger regulations should be stronger

“Airlines will have less accountability,” says Susan Sherren, founder of Couture Trips. “This means that travelers will need to take steps to protect themselves.” Your rights (while they last)

Before we talk about travel strategies, let’s review what rights you still have:

Automatic refunds: If your ﬂight is canceled or signiﬁcantly changed and you choose not to travel, you’re entitled to a full cash refund within 7 business days (credit cards) or 20 days (other payment methods).

Full-fare advertising: Airlines must include mandatory taxes and fees in advertised prices. No more surprise charges at checkout.

Basic accessibility: Airlines can’t discriminate against passengers with disabilities, though enforcement remains spotty

Tarmac delay rules: Airlines must provide food, water and working bathrooms during lengthy ground delays that happen after passengers have boarded. They must also allow passengers to deplane after 3 hours (domestic) or 4 hours (international).

Overbooking compensation: If you’re bumped involuntarily, airlines owe you compensation based on the price of the ticket and length of delay

And that’s basically your entire federal protection package. Compare that to Europe, where passengers can claim hundreds of dollars

for a day to ensure there is no moisture present before storing. It takes a few extra steps to preserve the seeds of veggies like tomatoes and cucumbers that have a jelly-like substance called locular gel around their seeds. You’ll need to scoop out the seeds, place them in water and let them ferment for about three days. This process allows the seeds to detach from the pulp and the gel, which inhibits germination. Fermentation can still be beneﬁcial for watermelons and other kinds of produce that don’t have locular gel. It separates seeds from pulp while removing pathogens and boosting germination rates. After fermentation, spread the seeds in a single layer on a nonstick surface like a waxy paper plate. Allow them to air dry completely, which may take several days. Be patient; don’t be tempted to dry seeds in an oven or dehydrator.

for delays over 3 hours, and it’s

easy to understand why a majority of American air travelers want more rights. Airlines are taking their time with unwinding the current consumer regulations. Doing it all at once would trigger public outrage. Instead, they’re using what I call drip erosion a gradual wearingaway of rights that happens so slowly passengers barely notice. But you don’t have to wait to feel like Lintz, the disability advocate.

Here’s your defense strategy

So are you out of luck? In a word, no.

“In the absence of formal airline compensation policies, there are still some steps that travelers can take to better protect themselves,” says Ivalyo Danailov CEO of airline compensation specialists SkyRefund.

Here’s your plan

1. KNOW THE RIGHTS YOU HAVE (YES YOU STILL HAVE A FEW) When things go wrong, use precise language that triggers legal obligations. Your rights are outlined on the DOT website, at least for now. Remember phrases such as, “I’m requesting a full cash refund under DOT regulations for this canceled ﬂight,” and “This is a signiﬁcant schedule change that entitles me to a refund.” That way, they know you mean business. “When airlines know you’re documenting like you’re building a legal case, their customer service approach changes dramatically,” says attorney Michael Weiss, who’s litigated numerous airline disputes.

2. USE THE RIGHT PAYMENT METHOD

“Pay for tickets with a credit card not a debit card,” advises Daria Volochniuk, chief operating officer at FlightRefunder “That way, you can appeal the transaction.” Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you can ﬁle a chargeback for goods or services not delivered or for something that was not as described by the merchant, like a canceled airline ticket.

3. CHANNEL YOUR INNER ACCOUNTANT

“Paperwork is your best safeguard,” says William Holland, an attorney in St Louis with extensive experience fighting airlines. “Save fare and fee pages as screenshots, obtain everything in writing that’s offered, and don’t accept vouchers if you’re entitled to cash.” Consider taking screenshots of booking pages that show the original flight times and prices Save all email confirmations and change notifications. Take pictures of delay announcements on airport monitors. And most importantly, keep all receipts.

4. BUY REAL TRAVEL INSURANCE

Forget the airline’s watereddown coverage. Purchase comprehensive third-party travel insurance that covers trip interruption and cancellations, medical emer-

Storage options

Package your dry seeds into something airtight such as envelopes, plastic bags and jars for storage. Tossing in silica gel packs, rice or powdered milk can help reduce moisture accumulation. Be sure to label the storage containers with the crop, variety and date.

Store seeds in a cool, dark, dry place. A box on a shelf works ﬁne, and so does a refrigerator kept between 35 and 40 degrees. The freezer is great for long-term storage of heirloom seeds, keeping them viable for years.

For more information on how to save and store seeds, visit www.LSUAgCenter.com/ SeedPreservationProgram or contact your local AgCenter agent.

gencies, baggage loss and missed connections. Emily Tarkany, the vice president of marketing at Trawick International, says she’s seen customers who are left to fend for themselves when an airline cancels a ﬂight. “Insurance can step in to cover some of those gaps,” she says. “But ideally, protections like refunds and fee disclosures would already be guaranteed without travelers having to ﬁght for them.”

5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO GO NUCLEAR

There are two nuclear options for airline disputes. One is ﬁling a complaint with the DOT, which it is obligated to investigate (at least, for now). You can also ﬁle a chargeback on your credit card if you didn’t receive the service you expected. “Doing both accelerates compliance,” notes attorney John Beck. Note: These options are a last resort, which is why we refer to them as “nuclear.”

A better way to fight back

“Passengers are sure to suffer because of the airlines’ lack of incentive to operate efﬁciently,” predicts Danny Karon, author of “Your Lovable Lawyer’s Guide to Legal Wellness.”

He says individual protection is essential, but collective action matters too.

That’s why the long game is just as important. Consider joining consumer advocacy groups that fight for passenger rights. There are several, including Travelers United and Flyersrights.org. Also, support political candidates who prioritize consumer protection over industry profits And vote with your wallet — choose airlines that treat passengers fairly, even when they don’t have to. For the last three decades, I’ve been running a nonprofit consumer organization that helps travelers. We’ve tried to avoid politics as much as possible because bad service affects everyone, regardless of their political beliefs. But I can tell you this: Our supporters have told me the erosion of aviation consumer protections will drive them to vote in the next election. What to do on your next flight Your airline rights are vanishing, but you’re not powerless. The key is preparing before problems strikes, or sidestepping the problem by finding alternate transportation when possible. Passengers like Lintz, with relatively short trips, can just drive next time. Or take the train.

Don’t expect airlines to do the right thing voluntarily When it comes to your passenger rights, it’s time to defend yourself. The airlines are betting you won’t fight back. Only you can prove them wrong.

Email consumer advocate Christopher Elliott at chris@ elliott.org.

STAFF PHOTO By DOUG MacCASH

Richard Thomas’ St. Claude Avenue studio, located in a former bank building, was broken into in early September

LIBRA (sept 23-oct. 23) Tidy your space to accommodate your needs. The changes or moves you pursue will make your life easier and help guide you to utilize your skills and experience to reflect what's marketable.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) You'll need an outlet for your angst. Manifest opportunitiesthataresensitivetoyourneeds,not to someone else's. Finish what you start and ignore those who meddle.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Be careful with money matters; you can be generous without going broke. Offer your thoughts, guidelines and connections, nothing more. A pay hike, investment or windfall is apparent

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don't sell yourself short. An opportunity is apparent,butit'suptoyoutosethighstandards and to negotiate to ensure you get a fair deal. Use finesse and facts to get what you want.

AQuARIus (Jan 20-Feb. 19) Expand your interests, dig deep and prepare for whatever scenario might come your way. Refuse to let someone one-up you due to an oversight on your part.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) You'll have mixed emotions about certain relationships. Be observant, question what's said and consider how you want to proceed before taking action. Focus on what matters and maximize your time.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Consider your emotions before responding. You'll receive mixed messages from someone close to you. Balance and equality

are necessary to achieve a positive outcome.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Set yourself up for success. Let your charm, along with a healthy dose of preparation, lead you to victory. Today it's your turn to shine, so put your best foot forward and trust your instincts.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) A change will do you good. Be smart regarding health and physical risk factors. Don't share your feelings prematurely. Take the time to get to know others before sharing secrets.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Keep moving. Being busy will help you ward off stress and gives you a chance to recognize what's advantageous and what's detrimental. Your efforts will gain momentum and recognition.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Monitor what's happening around you, and you'll get a glimpse of something new and exciting that you may want to investigate. Lending a helping hand will lead to a unique circle of people who can offer a different perspective.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Lovewhoyouare, and so will everyone you encounter. A happydispositionwillbreakbarriersthat stand in your way. An event you attend will turn into a meet-and-greet session that leads to a great connection.

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

toDAy's cLuE: I EQuALs K

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe peAnUtS

FrAnK And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

dooneSbUrY

bIG nAte

nea CroSSwordS

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of thesudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER

In “The Devil’s Dictionary,” Ambrose Bierce defined “prescription” as a physician’s guess at what will best prolong the situation with least harm to the patient.

At the bridge table, the prescription for success is trying not to have to guess what to do, but what will have mathematically the best chance to succeed.

In this deal, South is in four spades. West leads the club queen. Since East is marked with the club ace, declarer plays low from the board at tricks one and two, but still loses the first three tricks. East then shifts to the spade six. After drawing trumps, how should declarer continue?

South opened three spades, showing a respectable suit, some 6-10 high-card points and about seven winners. Here, North would have done well to respond three no-trump, but if South’s suit needed establishing, that contract could have gonedownseveraltricks.Raisingtofour spades was “normal.”

South has only nine winners: seven spades, one heart and one diamond. At first glance, it looks as though he needs one of the red-suit finesses to work. But which one should he take? It seems to be a pure guess. However, he can improve his odds slightly.

Declarer should play a diamond to dummy’s ace, ruff a low diamond in his

hand,returntodummywithatrump,and ruff another diamond. Here, the king drops, establishing dummy’s queen and allowing South to claim. But if the diamond king is still out there somewhere, declarer cashes the rest of his trumps planning to take the heart finesse at trick 12. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of

toDAy’s WoRD — cIVILIAns: sih-VIL-yens: Those not on active duty in the

Can you find 20 or more words in CIVILIANS?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD — BuREAus

wuzzles

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C. PiCKles

dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

ken ken

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe

animal crackerS

DuStin

Drabble

Wallace the brave

breWSter rockit

luann

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street ticks higher; tech stocks lead the way Wall Street ticked higher on Monday as technology stocks recovered some of their losses from late last week.

The S&P 500 added 0.3%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 68 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.5%. All three are near their all-time highs set a week ago.

Big Tech stocks ticked higher to lead the way Amazon added 1.1% following its 5.1% drop last week, and Microsoft rose 0.6% to recover some of its 1.2% decline. While their moves were modest, they were still two of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500 Monday because they’re two of Wall Street’s most valuable stocks.

On the losing end of the market were companies in the oil business, which were hurt by slumping crude prices. Drops of 2.6% for Exxon Mobil and 2.5% for Chevron were two of the heaviest weights on the S&P 500.

This week’s highlight is scheduled to arrive on Friday, when a report will be due about how many jobs U.S. employers created and destroyed last month. The hope is that it will be balanced enough to keep the Federal Reserve on track to continue cutting interest rates.

The Fed just delivered its first cut of the year, and officials have penciled in more through the end of next year

Corn dogs, other products recalled

NEW YORK

About 58 million pounds of corn dogs and other sausage-on-a-stick products are being recalled across the U.S. because pieces of wood may be embedded in the batter, with several consumers reporting injuries to date

According to a Saturday notice published by the Agriculture Department’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the recall covers select “State Fair Corn Dogs on a Stick” and “Jimmy Dean Pancakes & Sausage on a Stick” products from Texas-based Hillshire Brands, which is a subsidiary of Tyson Foods.

The contamination problem was discovered after Hillshire received multiple consumer complaints, the service notes, ﬁve of which involved injuries. The company later determined that a “limited number” of these products included “extraneous pieces of wooden stick within the batter,” Tyson said in a corresponding announcement — adding that it opted to initiate a recall “out of an abundance of caution.”

The recalled corn dogs and sausage-on-a-stick goods were produced between March 17 and as recently Friday, per Saturday’s recall notices.

CSX railroad replaces CEO as merger looms

CSX railroad announced Monday that it had replaced its CEO less than two months after an investment fund urged it to either find another railroad to merge with to better compete with the proposed transcontinental Union Pacific railroad or fire outgoing CEO Joe Hinrichs

The outgoing CEO, who came to the railroad in 2022 after a long career with Ford, focused on repairing CSX’s relationship with its workers and labor unions and unifying the team after a bitter contract ﬁght. But Ancora Holdings, which helped spur major changes at Norfolk Southern, said CSX’s operating performance deteriorated significantly under Hinrichs’ leadership. Hinrichs resigned to clear the way for Steve Angel to become CEO effective Sunday Angel, 70, also comes from outside the rail industry, although earlier in his career, he oversaw GE’s locomotive building unit, so he does have that experience. CSX said he has 45 years of experience leading large public companies, including most recently as CEO of Linde and Praxair which provide industrial gasses to other companies.

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

Electronic Arts to be bought for $55B

Video game maker acquired by investors

BY MICHAEL LIEDTKE and MICHELLE CHAPMAN The Associated Press

Electronic Arts, the maker of video games like “Madden NFL,”

“Battleﬁeld,” and “The Sims,” is being acquired by an investor group including Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in the largest private equity-funded buyout in history

The investors, who also include a ﬁrm managed by Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-inlaw, and the private equity ﬁrm Silver Lake Partners, valued the deal $55 billion.

EA stockholders will receive $210 per share. The deal far exceeds the $32 billion price tag to take Texas utility TXU private in 2007, which had shattered records for leveraged buyouts.

PIF which was currently the largest insider stakeholder in Electronic Arts, will be rolling over its existing 9.9% investment in the company

The commitment to the massive deal is in line with recent activity in the gaming sector by the Saudi fund, wrote Andrew Marok of Raymond James.

“The Saudi PIF has been a very active player in the video gaming market since 2022, taking minority stakes in most scaled public video gaming publishers, and also

outright purchases of companies like ESL, FACEIT and Scopely,” he wrote. “The PIF has made its intentions to scale its gaming arm, Savvy Gaming Group, clear, and the EA deal would represent the biggest such move to date by some distance.”

PIF is also a minority investor in Nintendo.

The deal needs approval from national security regulators on the Committee on Foreign Investment given that the Saudis are involved, but there are plenty of reason to expect it will go through.

The U.S. agency leading the foreign investment committee, the Treasury Department, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the potential conﬂicts of interest.

If the transaction closes as anticipated, it will end EA’s 36-year history as a publicly traded company that began with its shares ending its first day of trading at a splitadjusted 52 cents.

Not only does Trump’s son-in-law want to do the deal, but the president could also be inclined to look favorably on any Saudi investment because he has beneﬁted directly from their spending. His family business has been paid by Saudibacked LIV Golf for hosting its tournaments at his clubs starting at a difﬁcult time years ago when the PGA Tour pulled out of events at the same venues following the Jan. 6 siege of the Capitol by Trump supporters in 2021.

Trump administration opens more acreage for coal mining

Deal provides $625 million to boost coal-fired power plants

BY MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said Monday it will open 13 million acres of federal lands for coal mining and provide $625 million to recommission or modernize coal-ﬁred power plants as President Donald Trump continues his efforts to reverse the yearslong decline in the U.S. coal industry Actions by the Energy and Interior departments and the Environmental Protection Agency follow executive orders Trump issued in April to revive coal, a reliable but polluting energy source that’s long been shrinking amid environmental regulations and competition from cheaper natural gas.

Environmental groups denounced the actions, which come as the Trump administration has clamped down on renewable energy, including freezing permits for offshore wind projects, ending clean energy tax credits and blocking wind and solar projects on federal lands.

Under Trump’s orders, the Energy Department has required fossil-fueled power plants in Michigan and Pennsylvania to keep operating past their retirement dates to meet rising U.S. power demand amid growth in data centers, artiﬁcial intelligence and electric cars. The latest announcement would allow those efforts to expand as a precaution against possible electricity shortfalls.

Trump also has directed federal agencies to identify coal resources on federal lands, lift barriers to coal mining and prioritize coal leasing on U.S. lands. A sweeping tax bill approved by Republicans and signed by Trump reduces royalty rates for coal mining from 12.5% to 7%, a signiﬁcant decrease that ofﬁcials said will help ensure U.S. coal producers can compete in global markets.

The new law also mandates increased availability for coal mining on federal lands and streamlines federal reviews of coal leases.

“Everybody likes to say, ‘drill, baby, drill.’

I know that President Trump has another initiative for us, which is ‘mine, baby, mine,’”

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said at a news conference Monday at Interior headquarters. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and Energy Undersecretary Wells Griffith also spoke at the event All three agencies signed orders boosting coal.

“By reducing the royalty rate for coal,

increasing coal acres available for leasing and unlocking critical minerals from mine waste, we are strengthening our economy, protecting national security and ensuring that communities from Montana to Alabama beneﬁt from good-paying jobs,” Burgum said.

Zeldin called coal a reliable energy source that has supported American communities and economic growth for generations.

“Americans are suffering because the past administration attempted to apply heavyhanded regulations to coal and other forms of energy it deemed unfavorable,” he said.

Environmental groups said Trump was wasting federal tax dollars by handing them to owners of the oldest, most expensive and dirtiest source of electricity

“Subsidizing coal means propping up dirty, uncompetitive plants from last century – and saddling families with their high costs and pollution, said Ted Kelly, clean energy director for the Environmental Defense Fund.

“We need modern, affordable clean energy solutions to power a modern economy, but

the Trump administration wants to drag us back to a 1950s electric grid.”

Solar, wind and battery storage are the cheapest and fastest ways to bring new power to the grid, Kelly and other advocates said. “It makes no sense to cut off your best, most affordable options while doubling down on the most expensive ones,” Kelly said.

The EPA said Monday it will delay seven deadlines related to wastewater pollution from coal-ﬁred power plants. The industry has complained that regulations imposed under the Biden administration were costly and designed to speed the closure of coal plants.

Coal ash, the waste from burning coal, can leach into groundwater and spread toxins. The Biden administration said the rules were aimed at keeping arsenic and lead out of well water lowering cancer rates and avoiding disastrous spills.

“Donald Trump and Lee Zeldin are giving big polluters a pass to dump tons and tons of toxic pollution into our waterways, with no care for how many Americans will suffer from drinking contaminated water or eating contaminated food,” said Laurie Williams, who directs the Sierra Club’s Beyond Coal Campaign.

Trump announces 100% levies on foreign-made

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and PAUL WISEMAN AP business writers

President Donald Trump says he will slap a 100% tax on movies made outside the United States — a vague directive aimed at protecting a business that America already dominates.

Claiming that movie production “has been stolen” from Hollywood and the U.S., Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that “I will be imposing a 100% tariff on any and all movies that are made outside of the United States.” It was unclear how these tariffs would operate, since movies and TV shows can be transmitted digitally without going through ports.

Also unclear is what it would mean for U.S. movies ﬁlmed on foreign locations — think James Bond and Jason Bourne — or what legal basis the president would claim for imposing the tariffs.

The president had first issued the threat back in May He has yet to specify when the tariff might go into effect.

Movies are an odd battleground for a U.S. trade war “Unlike any other country’s ﬁlm industry, U.S. movies are the most accessible, well-known and best performing due to the numerous language options and worldwide reach provided by U.S.-based studios,” trade analyst Jacob Jensen, of the center-right American Action Forum, wrote in a July commentary

In movie theaters, Americanproduced movies overwhelmingly dominate the domestic marketplace.

Data from the Motion Picture Association also shows that American films made $22.6 billion in exports and $15.3 billion in trade surplus in 2023 — with a recent report noting that these ﬁlms “generated a positive balance of trade in every major market in the world” for the U.S. Barry Appleton, co-director of the Center for International Law at the New York Law Center, warned that other countries may retaliate with levies on American movies or other services. In movies, “Brand America is way way ahead,” he said. “What this policy does is ac-

films

tually cook the golden goose that’s laying the golden eggs.”

Tariffs are Trump’s go-to solution for America’s economic problems, a tool he likes to use to extract concessions from other countries.

Reversing decades of U.S. support for lower trade barriers, he’s slapped double-digit tariffs on imports from almost every country on earth. And he’s targeted speciﬁc products, including most recently pharmaceuticals, heavy trucks, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities.

Unlike other sectors that have recently been targeted by tariffs, movies go beyond physical goods, bringing larger intellectual property ramiﬁcations into question.

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q addendum.Notethat you wouldreceive thosenoti‐ﬁcationsifyou selected thefollowing commodity code(s) before there‐leaseofthe sourcing event: COMMODITY CODE(s): 745, 750, 760 TheCityofNew Orleans strongly encourages mi‐nority-owned and women-ownedbusi‐nesses, socially andeco‐nomicallydisadvantaged businessesand small businessestorespond to this solicitation,orto participateinsubcon‐tracting opportunities pursuant to this solicita‐tion Formoreinformation aboutthissourcing event, go to www.nola. govand clickon“BRASS SupplierPortal” under “BIDS& CONTRACTS” Once on theSupplierPor‐tal, search “Open Events.” Thankyou foryourinter‐estindoing business with theCityofNew Or‐leans. JamesC.Simmons Jr ChiefProcurement Ofﬁcer AdvertisingDates: September16, 23 and30, 2025 NOCP 8639 158504-sept 16-23-30-3t $115.38

provided in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, then this Ordinance shall be null and void with no legal force or binding effect. Furthermore, if the requirements of Section 4.3.H.1 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance arenot satisfied within the timeframe allotted by Sections 4.3.H.1 and 4.3.H.2 of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, the conditional use will expire, and this Ordinance will be null and void.

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANS AUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LaTOYACANTRELL

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno,Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0

RECUSED: 0 **Copies of the attachment may be seen in full in the Clerk of Council’s Office, 1300 Perdido Street, Room 1E09, City Hall.

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: July 24, 2025

CALENDARNO. 35,177 NO. 30423 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBER MORENO

AN ORDINANCE to ordain Section 70-431 of the Code of the City of New Orleanstorequire city contractors to pay subcontractors or suppliers for undisputed amounts owed within 30 days of receipt of payment by the City of New Orleans; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

WHEREAS, timely payment of subcontractors and suppliers is critical to demonstrate professionalism and trust; encourages subcontractors to continue working with the contractor in the future; upholds contractual project deadlines by ensuring subcontractors areable to purchase materials, cover payroll, and manage their own project timelines, thereby mitigating delays that can disrupt overall project workflow; and protects against financial hardships and legal issues for both the contractor and the subcontractor; NOW THEREFORE SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HEREBY

ORDAINS, That the Code of the City of New Orleans, Louisiana is amended to add Section 70-431 which shall read as follows: “CHAPTER 70. –FINANCE

ARTICLE IV.–PURCHASES AND CONTRACTS

DIVISION 1. –GENERALLY

Sec. 70-431. –Timely payment of subcontractors and suppliers.

(a) Definitions.For purposes of this section the following definitions shall apply:

(1) “Supplier” means aperson who has supplied labor or materials to acontractor in the execution of work provided for in acity contract.

(2) “Undisputed amount” means any amount owed by acontractor to asubcontractor or supplier for work performed or materials supplied and for which there is no good-faith defense to payment. (b) Prompt payment required.Any person who contracts with the city or its agencies to provide goods and services and is paid with city funds shall pay all subcontractors or suppliersany undisputed amounts for which the contractor hasbeen paid within 30 days of receiving aprogress or final payment from the city encompassing the subcontracted work or supplies. The department administering the contract must respond to a subcontractor or supplier within two business days and notify them of the dispute resolution timeline and process as required under subsection (c). (c) Dispute resolution procedure.Any person who contracts with the city or its agencies to provide goods and services and is paid with city funds shall be deemed to agreetoand abide by the dispute resolution procedures set forth in this section to ensurethe timely payment of subcontractors or suppliers.

(1) If acontractor intends to not pay asubcontractor or supplier in full within the required 30-day period for any reason, the contractor shall promptly notify the subcontractor or supplier in writing and state the reason why payment is being withheld, and shall provide acopy of such notice of nonpayment to the department administering the contract.

(2) The subcontractor or supplier may notify in writing the department administering the contract, and the office or supplier diversity if the subcontractor or supplier is acertified disadvantaged business enterprise,ifitdoes not receive payment timely or otherwise disputes the basis for nonpayment reflected in thecontractor’s notice of nonpayment. The subcontractor’sor supplier’snotice shall: (i) identify the contractor,the project related to the disputed amount, and the amount in dispute; (ii) provide detailed and itemized supporting documentation substantiating the subcontractor’sor supplier’sentitlement to payment; and (iii) an explanationfor any dispute concerning payment by the contractor,ifknown.

(3) Within five business days of receipt of written notice from a subcontractor or supplier,the department administering the contract shall contact the contractor in writing to ascertain whether the amount withheld is an undisputed amount. If the contractor fails to respond within five business days, or if the department decides that apart or all of the amount withheldis an undisputed amount, the department shall notify the contractor and subcontractor supplier in writing of its determination of the undisputed amount, and shall instruct the contractor to pay the subcontractor or supplier the undisputed amount within five business days.

(4) If the contractor fails to pay the subcontractor within five business days of receipt of the department’snotice of determination of the undisputed amount, the unpaid subcontractor or supplier may notify the department administering the contract in writing of the nonpayment. Within ten business days of receiving notice of nonpayment of theundisputed amount, the department shall conduct ameeting with the contractor and subcontractor or supplier to evaluate the reasons for nonpayment and determine if the contractor is delinquent in payment of an undisputed amount. At the discretion of the department, the meeting may be conducted in-person, telephonically,orvirtually.Inadvance of this meeting, the department shall furnish copies of the bid documents submitted by the contractor and the signed contract to the subcontractor or supplier.The department may requirethe parties to provide any additional information that the department believes necessary to evaluate the dispute.

(5) At the conclusion of the meeting described in the preceding paragraph, the department administering the contract shall issue a final decision and shall notify the parties and, if the subcontractor or supplier is certified as adisadvantaged business enterprise, the office of supplier diversity,inwriting of such decision.

(6) The contractor shall notify the department administering the contract upon payment of any undisputed amount. If the contractor fails to pay all undisputed amounts within ten business days of the department’s final decision, the department shall cease payments to the contractor until

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL

PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LaTOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO.35,181

NO.30424 MAYOR COUNCILSERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO

AN ORDINANCE to ratify and confirm the temporary waiver of certain fees, permit fees, and requirements within and around First Grace Methodist Church located at 3401 Canal Street, NewOrleans, Louisiana, in conjunction with the NOLAKEYS 5th Annual Stop the Violence Youth Bike Ride and School SupplyGiveaway event on Saturday,August 2, 2025 at 4:00p.m.; to ratify and confirm the duration and boundaries of said waiver; and to provide otherwise with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITYOF NEWORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS, That the entirety of the Special Event Occupancy (Non-Profit) Fee, Revenue Non-ProfitParade PermitFee, and Non-ProfitParade

Revenue Music forEntertainment No Admission Fee shall be and have been waived forevents and activities of the NOLAKEYS 5th Annual Stop the Violence Youth Bike Ride and School Supply Giveaway event on Saturday,August 2, 2025, within and around First Grace United Methodist Church located at 3401 Canal Street, NewOrleans, Louisiana (the “NOLAKEYS event”). The fee waiver authorized by this section shall not and have not included any direct costs to the city

SECTION 2. That the provisions of Section1above shall be and have been applied only to those persons engaged in activities in conjunction with the NOLAKEYS event which shall be and have been specified in writing, and the names of such persons shall be and have been filed along with aschedule of approved activities by the chairperson of the NOLAKEYS event no later thanten days prior to the event.

SECTION 3. That the chairperson of the NOLAKEYS event shall add and has added the City of New Orleans as insured in the insurance policy held by the chairperson of the NOLAKEYS event for the duration of its activities stated herein.

SECTION 4. That this ordinance shallbeconstrued to have superseded and waived the provisions of any moratorium or other ordinance that may have been applicable

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCIL OF THECITYOFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL

PRESIDENT OF THECOUNCIL DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LaTOYACANTRELL MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS CITYHALL: August 7, 2025 CALENDAR NO.35,182 NO.30425 MAYOR COUNCILSERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30139 M.C.S., as amended,

entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate grant funds to HazardMitigation for residential home elevations in Orleans Parish; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS, That Ordinance No.30139 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the DirectorofFinance, notwithstanding any provision thereincontained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated thereinasfollows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES–FUND6699

Intergovernmental Revenues Grants, Contributions, and Fund Transfers $918,134

TOTAL $918,134 TO FEDERAL DEPARTMENTOFEMERGENCY –FUND 4115

Total Federal Department of Emergency $918,134

TOTAL $918,134

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025

JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST26, 2025

LaTOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0

RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO 35,183

NO.30426 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2025”, to appropriate grant funds to HazardMitigation for residential home elevations in Orleans Parish; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the DirectorofFinance, notwithstanding any provision thereincontained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated thereinasfollows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES-FUND6699 INTERGOVERNMENTAL 600 –GRANTS, CONTR. ANDFUND TRANSFERS $918,134

TOTAL $918,134 TO: FEDERAL DEPARTMENTOFEMERGENCY –FUND 4115

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR 200-OTHER OPERATING$918,134 TOTAL $918,134

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LaTOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO.35,184

NO.30427 MAYOR COUNCILSERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS

entitled“An Ordinance Providing an

the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2025”,toappropriate funds to the PoliceDepartment to purchase operational expenses for the Crime Lab; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That

Grants, Contributions, andFund Transfers $7,958

TOTAL $7,958 TO: CRIME LAB PROPRIETARY– FUND 6212

TotalCrime LabProprietary Fund $7,958

TOTAL $7,958

ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025

JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LaTOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas- 7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2025 CALENDAR NO. 35,185 NO. 30428 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo.

AUGUST 26, 2025 LaTOYACANTRELL MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2025 CALENDAR NO. 35,186 NO. 30429 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELLAND GIARRUSSO AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30,139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance providing an OperatingBudgetofRevenuesfor the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2025” to appropriate funds to the City Council to cover Wisner litigation costs incurred by Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman &Sarver,L.L.C.; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That Ordinance No. 30,139 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary,totransfer funds allocated therein as follows: FROM: GRANTS, CONTRIBUTIONS, AND FUND TRANSFERS –FUND 6699 INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES Grants, Contributions, &Fund Transfers $350,000

TOTAL $350,000 TO: GENERAL FUND OPERATING BUDGET –FUND 1000 OTHER FINANCING SOURCES Use of Fund Balance $350,000 TOTAL $350,000

ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025 APPROVED: DISAPPROVED:

MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 THIS ORDINANCE WASRETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M. AND THE SAME WASNEITHER APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED BY THE MAYOR. THEREFORE, SAID ORDINANCE BECAME LAWAT12:00 NOON ON AUGUST 31, 2025 IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 3-113(2) OF THE CITY CHARTER. ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2025 CALENDAR NO. 35,187 NO. 30430 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELLAND GIARRUSSO AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30,140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance providing an OperatingBudgetofExpenditures for the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2025” to appropriate funds to the City Council to cover Wisner litigation costs incurred by Barrasso Usdin Kupperman Freeman &Sarver, L.L.C.;and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY

WHEREAS, the proposed site for the Willie Hall PlaygroundBoat Dock is located on the east bank of Bayou St. John, between Imperial Drive and Milton Street, in an OS-R Regional Open Space District and would be eligible for consideration of aconditional useabsent Section170-3 of the City Code, which prohibits the constructionofa Boat Dock along the entirety of Bayou St. John; NOWTHEREFORE SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HEREBY ORDAINS, That Section 170-3of the City Code is hereby amended and reordained to read as follows:

“Sec. 170-3. -Structures not to be erected, etc., in or on Bayou St. John. No building permit shall be issued for the construction, structural alteration, reconstruction or repair of any building or structuredesigned for or used for any purposes, residential or otherwise, which shall be located in the bed of or on the banks of Bayou St. John or designed to float in the waters of the Bayou from its head at Hagan Avenue to its mouth at Lake Pontchartrain, except for structures granted conditional uses in an OS-R District as provided in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance.”

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ONAUGUST 22, 2025

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 ENGROSSED VERSION: “Sec. 170-3. -Structures not to be erected, etc., in or on BayouSt. John.

of Bayou

John or designed to float in the waters of the Bayou from its head at Hagan Avenue to its mouth at Lake Pontchartrain, except for structures granted conditional uses in an OS-R District as provided in the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance. ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2024 CALENDAR NO. 35,191 NO. 30432 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS (BY REQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into Amendment No.1to apreviously executed Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) between the City of New Orleans (“City”) and Hyfi,LLC, relative to the installation asystem of water level monitors to provide real time data to the City to assist with flood mitigation efforts, desiretomodify the provisions of the CEA and extend the term thereof for an additional one (1) year, five (5) months, and twelve (12) days, as more fully set forth in the Amendment No. 1formattached hereto as Exhibit “A” and made apart hereof; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto. WHEREAS, pursuant to the authority contained in Article 7, Section 14(C) of the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, and statutory authority supplemental thereto, the State of Louisiana and its political subdivisions, including the City,may enter into cooperative endeavors with each other or with any public or private corporation or individual; and further pursuant to Section 9-314 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans, the City may enter into cooperative endeavors with any public or private association, corporation, or individual for activities in support of economic growth and other public purposes; and WHEREAS,the City and Hyfi,LLC desiretomodify the provisions of and extend the term thereof for an additional one (1) year five (5) months, andtwelve (12) days, to the previously executed Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (CEA) between the City and Hyfi,LLC relative to the valued public purpose of the installation asystem of water level monitors to provide real time data to the City to assist with flood mitigation efforts in the CityofNew Orleans; and WHEREAS, the City and Hyfi,LLC desiretoenter into this Amendment No 1toprovide for the installation asystem of water level monitors to provide real time data to the City to assist with flood mitigation efforts and to set forth certain other matters in connection therewith; NOWTHEREFORE SECTION I. THE COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OF NEW ORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That the Mayor,onbehalf of the City of New Orleans, is hereby authorized to enter into Amendment No. 1tothe Cooperative Endeavor Agreement, in the form attached hereto as Exhibit “A”, to the previously executed Cooperative Endeavor Agreement between the City of New Orleans and Hyfi,LLC to modify the provisions of and extend the term thereof for an additional one (1) year, five (5) months, and twelve (12) days, to the previously executed CEA relative to the valued public purpose of the installation asystem of water level monitors to provide real time data to the City to assist with flood mitigation efforts in the City of New Orleans. SECTION 2. That said Amendment No. 1tothe Cooperative Endeavor Agreement is attached to this ordinance as “Exhibit A” and incorporated and made apart hereof

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS AUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ONAUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell,Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 **Copies of the attachment may be seen in full in the Clerk of Council’s Office, 1300 Perdido Street,Room 1E09, City Hall.

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDARNO. 35,192 NO. 30433 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO, MORENO,GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No. 30139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2025”, to appropriate Federal Funds awarded by Proclamation 183 JBE 2022 to cover the costs incurred for debris removal due to the SevereStorms and Tornadoes event on December13, 2022; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OF

–FUND 6699 Intergovernmental Revenues Grants, Contributions, and Fund Transfers $75,000 TOTAL $75,000 TO: LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OFADMINISTRATION– FUND 4404 Total Louisiana Department of Administration $75,000

RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO.35,193

NO.30434 MAYOR COUNCILSERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate Federal Funds awarded by Proclamation183 JBE 2022 to cover the costs incurred fordebris removal due to the SevereStormsand Tornadoes event on December 13, 2022; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS, That Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the DirectorofFinance, notwithstanding any provision thereincontained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated thereinasfollows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES-FUND6699

INTERGOVERNMENTAL

600 –GRANTS, CONTR. ANDFUND TRANSFERS $75,000

TOTAL $75,000 TO: LOUISIANA DEPARTMENTOFADMINISTRATION– FUND 4404

CHIEFADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE

100 –PERSONAL SERVICES$21,352

200 –OTHER OPERATING $53,648

TOTAL $75,000

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025

JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0

RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO.35,194 NO.30435 MAYOR COUNCILSERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate Private Grant funds to the HealthDepartment forthe National Collaborative Gun Violence Research Program; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That Ordinance No.30139 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the DirectorofFinance, notwithstanding any provision thereincontained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated thereinasfollows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES–FUND6699

Intergovernmental Revenues Grants, Contributions, and Fund Transfers $40,487

TOTAL $40,487 TO: LOCAL FOUNDATIONGRANTS– FUND 4900

Total Local FoundationGrants $40,487

TOTAL $40,847

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCILOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M. AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

ORDINANCE

CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO.35,195

NO.30436 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate Private Grant funds to the Health Department for the National Collaborative Gun Violence Research Program; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THECITYOFNEW ORLEANSHEREBY

ORDAINS, That Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorize and direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision thereincontained to the contrary,totransfer funds allocated thereinasfollows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES-FUND 6699

INTERGOVERNMENTAL

600 –GRANTS, CONTR. ANDFUNDTRANSFERS $40,487

TOTAL $40,487 TO: PRIVATE GRANTS– FUND 4900

HEALTH DEPARTMENT

200 –OTHER OPERATING $40,487

TOTAL $40,487

ADOPTED BY THECOUNCIL OF THECITYOFNEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025

JP MORRELL

PRESIDENT OF THECOUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR

RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHAR.COLLIER ASSISTANTCLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0

RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO.35,196

NO.30437 MAYOR COUNCILSERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2025”, to appropriate funds to the Department of Code Enforcement to support Lot and Graffiti Abatement priorities in Orleans Parish; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE

30140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an OperatingBudgetofExpenditures for the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2025”,toappropriate funds to the Department of Code EnforcementtosupportLot andGraffiti Abatement priorities in OrleansParish; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That Ordinance No. 30140 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary, to transferfunds allocated therein as follows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES- FUND 6699

INTERGOVERNMENTAL

600 –GRANTS, CONTR. AND FUND TRANSFERS $500,000

TOTAL $500,000 TO: ENVIRONMENTALIMPROVEMENT–FUND 5108

CODEENFORCEMENT 200 –OTHER OPERATING $500,000 TOTAL $500,000 ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

CALENDAR NO. 35,198 NO. 30439 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an OperatingBudgetofRevenuesfor the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2025”,toappropriate FY24 Paul CoverdellGrantfunds to the NewOrleansPoliceDepartment for travel andsupplies; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That Ordinance No. 30139 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary,totransfer funds allocated therein as follows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES–FUND 6699 IntergovernmentalRevenues Grants, Contributions, andFund Transfers $33,160 TOTAL $33,160 TO: LOUISIANA COMMISSION LAWENFORCEMENT– FUND 4411 TotalCommission on LawEnforcement$33,160 TOTAL $33,160 ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M. AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas- 7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2025 CALENDAR NO. 35,199 NO. 30440 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BY REQUEST) AN ORDINANCE to amendOrdinanceNo. 30140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an OperatingBudgetofExpenditures for the City of NewOrleansfor the Year 2025”,toappropriate FY24 Paul CoverdellGrantfunds to the NewOrleansPoliceDepartment for travel andsupplies; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION 1. THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS, That Ordinance No. 30140 M.C.S., as amended, be amended to authorizeand direct the Director of Finance, notwithstanding any provision therein containedtothe contrary,totransfer funds allocated therein as follows: FROM: INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUES- FUND 6699

INTERGOVERNMENTAL 600 –GRANTS, CONTR. AND FUND TRANSFERS $33,160

TOTAL $33,160 TO: LOUISIANA COMMISSION ON LAWENFORCEMENT– FUND 4411 POLICE DEPARTMENT

200-OTHEROPERATING $33,160

TOTAL $33,160 ADOPTEDBYTHE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENTOFTHE COUNCIL DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 22, 2025 APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025 LATOYACANTRELL MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ON AUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

6tothe cooperative endeavor agreement is attached to this ordinance as “Exhibit A” and incorporated and made aparthereof.

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OF NEW ORLEANSAUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYOR ONAUGUST 22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THE MAYOR ONAUGUST 26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0

RECUSED: 0 **Copies of the attachment may be seen in full in the Clerk of Council’s

Office, 1300 Perdido Street, Room 1E09, City Hall.

ORDINANCE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO. 35,202 NO. 30442 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GREEN (BYREQUEST)

AN ORDINANCE to approve and authorize the City of New Orleans (“City”), by and through the New Orleans Aviation Board(“NOAB”), to enterintoaCooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) with the United States Department of Transportation, Build AmericaBureau (“BAB”); and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

WHEREAS,inaccordance with Section 5-602 of the Home Rule Charter for the City,NOAB is charged with the administration and operation of the Airport; and WHEREAS,Article VII, Section 14(c) of the Constitution of the State of Louisiana provides, “For apublic purpose, the State and its political subdivisions or political corporations may engage in cooperative endeavors with each other,with the United States or its agencies, or with any public or private association, corporation, or individual”; and WHEREAS,the NOAB is agovernmental entity,political subdivision, or non-governmental entity of the State of Louisiana; WHEREAS, the New Orleans Code of Ordinances, Section 9-314(3), requires aCEA longer than one (1) year to be submitted to the Council for approval; NOW,THEREFORE

SECTION 1. THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS HEREBY

ORDAINS, That the Councilhereby approves, and that the City of New Orleans, by and through theNew Orleans Aviation Board, be and is hereby authorized to sign thefollowing cooperative endeavor agreement in substantial conformance to and with Exhibit “A” attached hereto and made apart hereof:

Exhibit: A Document: Innovative Finance and Asset Concession Grant Program Cooperative Agreement

ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OFTHE CITY OFNEW ORLEANS AUGUST 21, 2025 JP MORRELL PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

DELIVERED TO THE MAYORONAUGUST22, 2025

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

LATOYACANTRELL

MAYOR RETURNED BY THEMAYOR ON AUGUST26, 2025 AT 1:55 P.M.

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 **Copies of the attachment may be seen in full in the Clerk of Council’s Office, 1300 Perdido Street, Room 1E09, City Hall.

ORDINANCE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS

CITYHALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO.35,203

NO.30443 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES

BY:COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO, MORRELL, MORENO, HARRIS,

KING, GREEN ANDTHOMAS

AN ORDINANCE to amend and re-ordain Ordinance No.30,141 M.C.S.,

entitled “An Ordinance Providing aCapital Budget for the Year 2025”, to effect the following change to the 2025 Capital Budget:tode-appropriate funds from the Chief Administrative Office, the Department of Property Management,the Department of Public Works, and the Office of Resilience and Sustainability; to appropriate funds to the Chief Administrative Office to appropriate unencumbered bond funds to Louisiana StateUniversity and Agricultural and Mechanical College(“LSU”) in the amount of $5,000,000 for capital expenditures consistent with LSU Downtown plans; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. SECTION I. THECOUNCIL OF THECITY OF NEWORLEANSHEREBY ORDAINS,

COUNCIL VOTED 5YEASAND 0NAYSTOOVERRIDE THE MAYOR’S VETO. ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7, 2025

CALENDAR NO. 35,207 NO. 30444 MAYOR COUNCIL SERIES BY:COUNCILMEMBER KING AN ORDINANCE directing the department of public works to conducta trafficstudy to evaluate the feasibility andimpact of convertingvehicular traffi

APPROVED: AUGUST 26, 2025

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL ROLLCALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Green -1 RECUSED: 0 ORDINANCE CITY OF NEWORLEANS CITY HALL: August 7,

-PUBLIC FACILITIES$437,687 2024 ABonds 60094 -PUBLIC FACILITIES$4,562,313

AISHA R. COLLIER ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

ROLL CALL VOTE: YEAS: Giarrusso,Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

REGULARMEETING OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2025, THE

OF FI CI AL PRO CEE DI NGS OF THE COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

REGULAR SESSION

CITY HALL:AUGUST 21, 2025

The Councilofthe CityofNew Orleans metthisday in RegularSession, at 10:03 A.M.,inthe Council Chamber,CityHall, CouncilPresident, JP Morrell,presiding.

On calling the roll, thefollowing membersanswered to theirnames:

PRESENT: MORRELL(PRESIDENT) GIARRUSSO HARRIS KING

THOMAS

ABSENT: MORENO (VICE PRESIDENT) (Arrivedlater in the meeting)

GREEN (Arrivedlater in themeeting).

FIVE MEMBERS PRESENT,CONSTITUTING AQUORUM

ROLL CALL

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

INVOCATION

BISHOPBRANDON BOUTIN

UNITEDFELLOWSHIPFULL GOSPEL BAPTIST CHURCH

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

JP MORRELL

COUNCILMEMBER-AT-LARGE

ORDINANCES ON FINAL PASSAGE

CAL. NO.35,137 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS THOMASAND GREEN (BY

REQUEST)-AnOrdinance to amend and reordainSections 147 1, 147 2, 147 3, and 147 4ofthe Code of theCityofNew Orleans regarding the useofsurveillance technologies; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

WITHDRAWN

CAL. NO. 35,171 BY:COUNCILMEMBERGIARRUSSO- An Ordinance to establishaconditional usetopermita hotel in an HU MU Historic Urban Neighborhood Mixed UseDistrict,onthe entiretyofSquare151, thefront portions of Lots 22 and23, in the SeventhMunicipal District,bounded by SouthCarrollton Avenue,Oak Street,Dublin Street,and Plum Street (MunicipalAddress: 1200 SouthCarrollton Avenue);and otherwise to providewithrespect thereto. (ZONINGDOCKETNO. 24/25)

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0

RECUSED:0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,172 -BY:

COUNCILMEMBERKING- An Ordinanceto establishaconditional usetopermitfood processing in an RRERural Residential Estate District, on Parcel B, StantonPlantation, Section11, T13S, R25E, in theFifthMunicipal District,boundedbyRiver Road/ Patterson Drive, WillowDrive, DelacroixRoad,and Stanton Road (Municipal Address: 10801 RiverRoad);and otherwise to provide with respectthereto. (ZONING DOCKETNO. 27/25)

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,173 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERHARRIS -AnOrdinanceto establishaconditional usetopermitawarehouse in aHU-MU Historic UrbanNeighborhood Mixed-Use District, on Square 140, Lot 7or13and Lot14, in theFirstMunicipal District,boundedbyErato Street,Constance Street, Magazine Street,and Thalia Street (Municipal Addresses: 10181020Erato Street); and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. (ZONING DOCKETNO. 29/25)

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0

RECUSED:0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED

CAL. NO. 35,174 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERHARRIS -AnOrdinance to grant an amendment to Ordinance No. 29,159 MCS(Zoning Docket 046/22)topermit the expansion of theplanned development designation that is appliedtothe NationalWorld WarIIMuseum to also include Lots 1, 2, 3, and BonSquare137, in the FirstMunicipal District,bounded by Magazine Street,Constance Street,JohnChurchill ChaseStreet,and Poeyfarre Street (Municipal Addresses: 1042-1060 Magazine Street); and otherwisetoprovide with respect thereto. (ZONINGDOCKETNO. 30/25)

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,175 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERGREEN -AnOrdinanceto establish aconditional usetopermitthe retailsaleofpackaged alcoholic beverages in aBIP Business-Industrial ParkDistrict,onLot B-1, Section 42,T12S, R12E, in theThird Municipal District,boundedbyChefMenteur Highway,the L&N Railroad right-of-way, OldGentilly Road, and Wilson Avenue (Municipal Addresses: 8400-8436 ChefMenteur Highway);and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. (ZONING DOCKETNO. 28/25)

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0

RECUSED:0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,177 BY:COUNCILMEMBERMORENO- An Ordinance to ordain Section 70 431 of theCode of theCityofNew Orleans to require city contractorstopay subcontractorsorsuppliers forundisputed amountsowedwithin30daysofreceipt of payment by theCityofNew Orleans; and otherwise to providewithrespect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0

RECUSED:0

AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,181 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERGIARRUSSO -AnOrdinance to ratify and confirm thetemporarywaiver of certainfees, permitfees, and requirementswithinand around FirstGrace MethodistChurch located at 3401 CanalStreet, New Orleans, Louisiana, in conjunctionwiththe NOLAKEYS 5thAnnual Stopthe Violence YouthBikeRideand School Supply Giveaway event on Saturday,August 2, 2025 at 4:00p.m.;toratify and confirm the durationand boundariesofsaidwaiver;and to provide otherwisewithrespectthereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED

CAL. NO. 35,182 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS(BY REQUEST)-AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30139 M.C.S.,asamended, entitled“An Ordinance ProvidinganOperatingBudget of Revenues forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”,toappropriategrant funds to HazardMitigationfor residential home elevations in Orleans Parish; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED. CAL. NO. 35,183 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S.,asamended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an OperatingBudgetofExpenditures forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate grantfunds to HazardMitigationfor residential home elevationsinOrleans Parish; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED

CAL. NO. 35,184 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO,MORENO GREENAND THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend OrdinanceNo. 30139 M.C.S.,asamended, entitled“An Ordinance ProvidinganOperatingBudget of Revenues forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”,toappropriatefunds to thePoliceDepartment to purchase operational expenses forthe CrimeLab; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0

ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,185 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30140 M.C.S as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expendituresfor theCity of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”,toappropriate funds to thePoliceDepartment to purchase operational expenses forthe CrimeLab; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0

RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,186 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELLAND GIARRUSSO

-AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30,139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance providing an OperatingBudget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025” to appropriate funds to the City Counciltocover Wisner litigationcostsincurredbyBarrasso Usdin KuppermanFreeman &Sarver,L.L.C.;and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0

RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,187 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELLAND GIARRUSSO

-AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30,140 M.C.S., as amended,

entitled“An Ordinance providing an OperatingBudget of Expenditures forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025” to appropriate funds to theCity Counciltocover Wisner litigationcostsincurredbyBarrasso Usdin KuppermanFreeman &Sarver,L.L.C.;and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,190 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER GREEN (BYREQUEST) -An Ordinance to amend and reordainSection170 3ofthe Code of theCity of New Orleans to exempt structures granted aconditional use in an OS RDistrict from theprohibitions therein; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,191 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -

An Ordinance to authorizethe Mayor of theCity of New Orleans to enter into Amendment No. 1toapreviouslyexecuted Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) between theCity of New Orleans (“City”) and Hyfi LLC, relativetothe installationa system of waterlevel monitors to provide real timedatatothe City to assist with flood mitigationefforts,desire to modify theprovisions of theCEA and extend thetermthereof foran additional one (1)year five (5)months, and twelve (12) days, as more fully set forth in theAmendment No. as Exhibit“A” and; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,192 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO,MORENO, GREEN ANDTHOMAS(BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No.30139 M.C.S as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate Federal Funds awarded by Proclamation183 JBE 2022 to cover thecostsincurredfor debris removal due to theSevere Storms and Tornadoes event on December 13, 2022; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,193 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN ANDTHOMAS(BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30140 M.C.S as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an OperatingBudget of Expendituresfor theCity of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate Federal Funds awarded by Proclamation183 JBE 2022 to cover thecostsincurredfor debris removal due to theSevere Storms and Tornadoes event on December 13, 2022; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0

ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,194 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN ANDTHOMAS(BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No. 30139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an OperatingBudget of Revenues forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate PrivateGrant funds to theHealth Department forthe National CollaborativeGun Violence Research Program; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,195 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO,MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend Ordinance No.30140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Expendituresfor theCity of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”, to appropriate PrivateGrant funds to theHealthDepartment forthe National Collaborative Gun Violence Research Program; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0

RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,196 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend

Ordinance No. 30139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance

Providing an OperatingBudget of Revenues forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”,toappropriate funds to theDepartment of Code Enforcement to support Lot and Graffiti Abatement prioritiesinOrleans Parish; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0

RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,197 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO,MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend

Ordinance No. 30140 M.C.S., as amended, entitled“An Ordinance

Providing an OperatingBudget of Expendituresfor theCity of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”,toappropriate funds to theDepartment of Code Enforcement to support Lot and Graffiti Abatement prioritiesin Orleans Parish; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0

RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,198 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS (BYREQUEST) -AnOrdinance to amend

Ordinance No. 30139 M.C.S as amended, entitled“An Ordinance

Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues forthe City of New Orleans forthe Year 2025”,toappropriate FY24 Paul CoverdellGrant funds to the New Orleans PoliceDepartment fortravel and supplies; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLLCALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris,King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 RECUSED: 0 ANDTHE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO.35,199 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN ANDTHOMAS(BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance

fortravel and supplies; and

otherwise to provide with respect thereto

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,200 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER GREEN (BYREQUEST) -An

Ordinancetoauthorize theMayorofthe City of NewOrleanstoenter into Amendment No. 6toapreviously executed Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) between theCity of NewOrleans(the“City”) and The University of NewOrleans, relative to therestorationofthe City’s infrastructure damagedasaresult of HurricaneKatrina, including roads, thestorm water drainagesystem,water distribution lines, sanitary sewer collection lines, andAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA) compliantcurb ramps, all in furtherance of the Joint InfrastructureRecovery Request (JIRR) Program,tomodify theprovisionsthereof, as morefully set forth in theAmendment No. 6Exhibit “A” andotherwise to provide with respect thereto

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0

RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,202 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER GREEN (BYREQUEST) -An Ordinancetoapproveand authorize theCity of NewOrleans(“City”), by andthrough theNew OrleansAviation Board (“NOAB”), to enter into aCooperative EndeavorAgreement (“CEA”) with theUnited States DepartmentofTransportation, Build America Bureau(“BAB”); and otherwise to provide with respect thereto

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,203 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORRELL, MORENO, HARRIS, KING, GREEN AND THOMAS -AnOrdinance to amendand re ordain OrdinanceNo. 30,141 M.C.S.,entitled “An Ordinance ProvidingaCapital Budgetfor theYear2025”,toeffect thefollowing change to the2025 CapitalBudget: to de appropriate funds from the Chief Administrative Office, theDepartmentofProperty Management, theDepartmentofPublic Works, andthe Office of Resilience and Sustainability; to appropriate funds to the Chief Administrative Office to appropriate unencumberedbond funds to LouisianaState University and Agricultural andMechanical College (“LSU”)inthe amount of $5,000,000 for capital expenditures consistentwith LSU Downtown plans;and otherwise to provide with respect thereto

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,207 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER KING -AnOrdinance directingthe departmentofpublic works to conducta trafficstudy to evaluate thefeasibility andimpact of convertingvehicular traffictoone waysouthboundfromthe 1400 blocktothe 1100 blockofPortStreet; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas- 7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE,ASAMENDED, WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 35,208 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER KING -AnOrdinance directing thedepartmentofpublic works to conducta trafficstudy to evaluate the feasibility andimpact of convertingvehicular traffictoone wayeastbound from the 1600 blocktothe 1700 blockofErie Street; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Green -1 RECUSED: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE,ASAMENDED, WASADOPTED.

MOTIONS/RESOLUTIONS NO. M-25-436 BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, MORRELL, GREEN AND THOMAS WHEREAS,atits meetingonJuly11, 2025, theCivil Service Commission adoptedthe following amendments to the Classified PayPlan (Sewerage andWater Board) In accordance with Article X, Section10ofthe Constitution of Louisiana, this agency is submitting for Council approval, thefollowing amendments to theClassified PayPlan as adoptedbythe Civil Service Commission at its meetingofJuly11,2025 as outlinedbelow: NewJob Series:

At the request of the Sewerage andWater Board, the Commission approveda newjob series thatwould perform administrative and field workperforminga variety of public relation duties relatedtothe Board’s WaterProgramDivision including responding to, evaluating, identifying root cause, andresolving service inquiriesboth in the fieldaswellas through normalcommunication channels. Work includesserving as the first point of contact for individualcustomerinquiriesrelated to Advanced Metering Infrastructure(AMI), the Backflow Prevention Program, the Lead Service Line Replacement(LSLR)Program, andotherSWBNO fieldwork being conductedbyinternal crews or contractors. Work also includes direct communication with customers, coordination of outreach efforts, andensuring apositive customer experience.

It is believed thatthis newseries will allow the Boardtotake aproactive approach to resolving inquiries andproblems relatedtoits maintenanceprograms andconsequently allow it to be moreresponsive to its customers; and WHEREAS, the ChiefAdministrative Office hascertified thatfunds are available to implement the above proposed amendments to the Classified PayPlan; NOW THEREFORE BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEWORLEANS, That in accordance with Article X, Section 10 of the Constitution of Louisiana the amendments to the Classified PayPlanare approvedtobeeffective August 24, 2025.

BE IT FURTHERMOVED, Thatthe Clerk of Council shall forward acertified copy of this motion to the Director of the Civil Service Commission and the ChiefAdministrative Officer THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREADINFULL, THE ROLLWAS CALLEDONTHE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas-7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. R-25-437 BY:COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN AND THOMAS ARESOLUTION providing for the incurring of debt andthe issuanceof not exceeding Forty-Five Million Dollars ($45,000,000) of Taxable Limited TaxRevenue Bonds, Series 2025, of the City of NewOrleans, Louisiana (the Series 2025 Bonds”), andproviding for othermatters in connection therewith. WHEREAS, pursuant to the Louisiana Constitution of 1974, as amended (the Constitution”), the City of NewOrleans(the City”) is authorized to levy atax for general municipalpurposes, whichiscurrently being levied at the rate of twelve andtwenty-threehundredths

CAL. NO.35,218 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO, MORENO,

appropriate funds to the New Orleans Police Department for the purchase of equipment and supplies in support of covert operations; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. CAL. NO.35,219 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN ANDTHOMAS (BYREQUEST)

of Youth and Familiesfromappropriation 100 –Personal Services to 200 –Other Operating; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. CAL. NO.35,220 -BY:

COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN ANDTHOMAS (BYREQUEST) -ANORDINANCE to amend and re-ordain Ordinance No.30,141 M.C.S., entitled “An Ordinance Providing aCapital Budget for the Year 2025”, to effect the following change to the 2025 Capital Budget:tode-appropriate funds from the Department of Property Management, the Department of Public Works, the New Orleans Police Department, and the Office of Resilience and Sustainability; to appropriate funds to the Chief Administrative Office, the Department of Parks and Parkways, the Department of Property Management, the Department of Public Works, the New Orleans FireDepartment;the New Orleans Police Department, the NewOrleans RecreationDevelopment Commission, and the Office of Resilience and Sustainability; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

CAL. NO.35,221 -BY:

COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO, MORENO, GREEN ANDTHOMAS (BYREQUEST) -ANORDINANCE to amend Ordinance No.30139 M.C.S., as amended, entitled “An Ordinance Providing an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year