ABOVE: Grambling State Tigersrunning back Tony PhillipsJr. tries to avoid a tackle by Southern UniversityJaguars during thesecond half of the52ndannual Bayou Classic game at Caesars Superdome in New OrleansonSaturday LEFT: Southern University Jaguars fans celebrateafter atouchdownagainst theGrambling State Tigers during Saturday’sgame.
STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER
Says her fightis ‘for anothergeneration’
BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer
NATCHEZ, La. Natchez Mayor Patsy Ward Hoover
weedsasshe walks,plucking errant grassfrom
flower beds beside city buildings, inthe city park and along her property,justdown the road.
“Got ’em,” she said, clad in cowboy bootsand a gold cross, holding up abit of crabgrass withagrin. Ward Hoover had been on her knees,weeding around the flowers beneatha citysign, when
ä See MAYOR, page 4A
Natchez Mayor PatsyWard Hooverstreams the National Night Out Against Crime party on Facebook to get residents to come to Natchez Pecan Park in Natchez on Oct. 7.
STAFF FILEPHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer
Nearly15years ago, Gerard Braudand his wife bought araisedcottage home in Mandeville,nestled on asprawlingyard withalive oak tree overlooking Lake Pontchartrain. He thought they would spend the rest of their lives in it. Life wasaffordable.His insurancepremium withLighthouse,asmall companybased in Louisiana, was around $4,400 ayear Then the stormscame.
He managed to avoid major damage from Hurricane Idaand other stormsthat hit south Louisiana in recent years. But Lighthouse went belly up in 2022, oneof12insurers doing business in Louisiana to fold in the two yearsafter Ida.
Fouryears after thestorm,hestill can’tfind anyone willing to write him apolicy
ThatforcedBraud to getinsurance from the state’sinsurer of last resort, Citizens, which charges him north of $12,000 ayear for home insurance, triple what he paid with Lighthouse. His flood insurance —aseparate system handled by the federal government —has soared as well.
Shoppers
Billionsofdollars spentdespite wider economic uncertainty
BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS Associated Press
NEWYORK— Despite wider economic uncertainty hovering abovethis year’s holidayseason shoppers turnedout in big numbers for Black Friday— spending billionsofdollars bothin storesand online. Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spent arecord $11.8 billiononline Friday, marking a9.1%jump from last year.Traffic particularly piled up between the hours of 10 a.m. and2 p.m. local time nationwide, when$12.5 millionpassed through online shopping carts every minute
ä See SHOPPERS, page 9A
African Union suspends Guinea-Bissau after coup DAKAR, Senegal— The African Union suspended Guinea-Bissau following amilitarycoup, saying it won’ttolerate unconstitutional changes In aresolution adopted by the AU Peaceand Security Council on Friday,the organization reiterated it has “zero tolerance on unconstitutional changesofgovernment.” It moved to “immediately suspend the Republic of Guinea-Bissau from participating in all activities of the Union, its organs and institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country.”
Speaking to The Associated Press on Saturday evening, former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló’schief of staff said the ousted leader traveled to the Republic of the Congo overnight and arrived Saturday morning Embaló had previously arrived in neighboring Senegal on Thursday on aflight chartered by the Senegalese government.
On Saturday,the president of the Transitional Republic, Gen. HortaInta-a,appointeda new 28-member government, most of whom are allies of the ousted president.
The military takeoverWednesdaycame after presidential and legislative elections on Sunday Incumbent President Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Diaseach claimed victory.
Airlines adoptsoftware fixfor Airbus A320
An aircraft heavily used by commercial airlinesaround the world needs asoftware fix to address an issue that contributed to asudden dropinaltitudeofa JetBlueplane last month, the manufacturer and European aviation safety regulators said Friday.
Airbus said an analysis of the JetBlue incident revealed intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flightcontrols on the A320 family of aircraft.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued adirectiverequiring operators of the A320 to address the issue. The agency said this may cause “short-term disruption” to flight schedules.
Mike Stengel, apartner with the aerospace industrymanagement consultingfirm AeroDynamic Advisory,said the fix could be addressed between flights or on overnight plane checks.
“Definitely not ideal for this to be happening on avery ubiquitousaircraft on abusy holiday weekend,” Stengel said.
drone attackSaturdayinKyiv, Ukraine.
BY ISOBEL KOSHIW Associated Press
KYIV,Ukraine Russian drone and missile attacks in and around Ukraine’scapital killed at least three people early Saturday,officials said,asthe country’srepresentatives traveled to the U.S. to work on arenewed push to end the war
Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyrZelenskyywrote on Xthatthe delegation, headed by national securitychief Rustem Umerov,was on itsway to “swiftlyand substantively work out the steps needed to end thewar.”
AU.S. delegation is then expected to travel to Moscowfor talks with Russian President Vladimir Putinin thesecondhalf of next week.
TheKyivCity Military Administration said two people werekilled in the strikes on the capital, and awoman died,and eightwerewounded in acombinedmissile and drone attack on the broader Kyiv region, according to theregional police.
MayorVitali Klitschko said that 29 peoplewere wounded in Kyiv,noting that fallingdebris from intercepted Russian drones hit residential buildings. He also saidthe western part of Kyiv had lost power
U.S. President Donald Trump last week released aplan for ending the nearlyfouryear war.The 28-point proposal heavily favored Russia, prompting Zelenskyy to quickly engage with American negotiators. European leaders, fearing fortheir ownfuture in the face of Russianaggression,scrambled to steer thenegotiations toward accommodating theirconcerns.
Trump said Tuesday that hisplan to
end the war had been “fine-tuned” and that he’ssending envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia to meet with Putin.Hesuggested he could eventually meet with Putin and Zelenskyy,but not until further progress has been madeinnegotiations.
Trump administrationofficials were meeting in Florida this weekend with their Ukrainian counterparts. The meeting was set to include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-lawJared Kushner,according to a U.S. official who requested anonymity to describe meeting details notmadepublic Zelenskyy will travel toParis on Monday for talkswith French President Emmanuel Macron.
Macron’sofficesaid the two leaders will “discuss thesituation and the conditionsfor ajust and lasting peace, in continuitywith theGeneva discussions, the American plan, and in closecoordination with our European partners.
In Russia,amajor oil terminalnear the port of Novorossiysk stopped operations Saturday after astrikebyunmanned boats damaged one of itsthreemooring points, according to astatement from theCaspian Pipeline Consortium, which owns theterminal.
Andriy Kovalenko, head of theCenter for Countering Disinformation at the National Security andDefense Council of Ukraine,confirmedthatUkraine had carried out the attack.
“Naval drones managed to destroy one of the three oil tanker berths of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in theNovorossiysk area,”hewrote on Telegram.
Meanwhile,Kyiv andits western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for afourth consecutive winter,inwhat Ukrainian officials call “weaponizing” thebiting cold.
BY JIM WYSS Bloomberg News (TNS)
Additional U.S. Marines being sent to Haititodefend theembassy from gang attacks face agrim reality: They’reincreasingly being targeted by American-made, militarygrade firearms.
Haiti doesn’tmanufacture weapons and has been under an arms embargo since2022, but it’s awashin guns. And the Government AccountabilityOfficesays 90% of all weapons in Haiti usedina crime were U.S. sourced.
It’s not just handguns.
During achaotic shootout on the outskirts of Haiti’scapital this month, police killed seven gang members and captured aBarret M82 .50-caliber sniper rifle, which is manufactured in Tennessee.
“Thatisa true military weapon,” said Jonathan Lowy,president of Global Action on GunViolence, which has been working with foreign governments to try to stemthe flow of U.S. weapons. “It has arange of amile. It can shoot down helicopters and can pierce reinforced concrete. It can cost around $10,000. That is not aweapon that alaw abiding gun owner protecting their homeorhunting deer is looking to buy.”
Andyet any18-year-old with aclean record can purchase oneinmost U.S. states. Homeland Security Investigations in Miami flaggeda “substantialincrease” in gun trafficking to Haiti and the Caribbean earlierthis year,including sniper rifles, .308 rifles considered “battle rifles” —and at least one belt-fed machinegun. Theagency didn’trespond to requests forcomment.
Thechaos in Haiti wheregangsnow control more than 85% of the capital and have forced 1.4 million to flee theirhomes —comesasWashingtonis flooding the southern Ca-
ribbean withmilitary assets in what it claims is a push to stop drug trafficking and put pressure on Venezuela.
But for many leaders in the region, it’sU.S. weapons that are the worry Of the 10 nations and territories withthe highest per-capita murder rates globally,eight areinthe Caribbean,accordingto World Bank data. That’sno coincidence, Lowy said in an interview
TheU.S. “isthe onecountry in the world that is both the major manufacturer andsellerofcivilian small arms and combines that with someofthe weakest gun laws in the world,” he said. “You have this perfect stormthatmakes it easy forgun traffickers.”
Joseph Harold Pierre, an economic and political analystinHaiti,was stuck in Cap-Haitien last week because domestic air travel wasshut downafter gangs shot alocal airliner
He said that many Haitians blame the U.S. for allowing guns to flow into the country,but he said local authorities arealso complicit.
On Monday,the U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions on Fritz Alphonse Jean, amemberofHaiti’s transitional presidential council, “for supporting gangs and other criminalorganizations.” Jean has denied those accusations, but he’s just oneof severalprivate sector and political actors whohave been sanctionedinrecent years for allegedly working with criminal groups.
“The mainproblem is notthe guns themselves but that there is no political will to control them,” Pierre said.
On Nov.13, U.S. Marines guarding the American embassy exchangedfire with suspected gang members. None of the soldiers were injured, but the Embassy said it was bringing in more Marinestosecure the diplomatic compound, which has been attacked in the past.
SAMY
BYWAFAA SHURAFAand
MAGDY Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip
ThePalestinian death toll has surpassed 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began, Gaza’sHealth Ministry said Saturday, while ahospital said thatIsraeli fire killed two Palestinian children in the territory’ssouth.
The toll has continuedtorise after the latest ceasefire tookeffect Oct. 10.Israel still carries out strikes in response to what it has called violations of the truce, and bodies from earlier in the war are being recovered from the rubble
The Health Ministry says the Palestinian toll is now 70,100. The ministry operates under the Hamas-run government. It is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewedasgenerally reliable bythe international community
Staff at NasserHospital, which received the bodies of thechildren in southern Gaza, saidthe brothers, ages 8and 11, died when an Israelidrone struck close to aschool sheltering displaced people in the town of Beni Suhaila
Israel’smilitary said it killedtwo people whocrossed into anIsraelicontrolled area, “conducted suspicious activities” and approached troops. The statement didn’tmention children. The military said it alsokilled another person in aseparate but similar incident in the south. At least 352 Palestinians have been killed across the territory since the ceasefire between Israel andHamas took effect on Oct. 10, according to Gaza’sHealth Ministry,whichdoesn’t differentiate betweencivilians and combatants.
Israel says its strikes are aimed at
militants violating the truce. Both Israel and Hamas have accused the other of violating thedeal. Hamas again urgedmediators on Saturday to pressure Israel to stop what it called ceasefire violations in Gaza.
AU.S. blueprintoutlining thefuture of Gaza, which has been devastated by more than two years of war,isstill in theearlystages. Theplantosecure andgovern theterritory authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security,approves atransitional authority to beoverseen by U.S. President Donald Trumpand envisions a possiblefuture pathtoanindependent Palestinianstate.
The war began with theHamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250others were taken hostage. Almostall of the
hostages or their remains have been returned in ceasefires or other deals.
The remains of two hostages, one Israeli and aThai national, are still to be returned. Israelis ralliedagain Saturday night in TelAviv for their return.
Israeli forces have pushed forward on anumber of other frontsinthe region in recent weeks.
Syrian officials said that Israeli forces raided aSyrianvillage on Friday andopenedfire when they were confronted by residents,killing at least 13 people.Israel said it conducted the operation to apprehend suspects of a militant groupplanning attacks in Israel,and that themilitantsopened fired at troops, wounding six. Israel also has escalated strikes in Lebanon, saying it’stargeting Hezbollah sites and asserting thatthe militant group is attempting to rearm
astate senator pulled up in 2023 with some news: Her tiny village, whichfor years had struggled with amold, rat and asbestos-infested City Hall, had won $250,000 for anew building.
It would be small, just 1,400squarefeet. It would be temporary. But to Ward Hoover, alongtime activist and local politician,itrepresented anew era for Natchez, one she’d been fighting for via months of daily calls to lawmakers, to the governor,toanyone who would listen.
“I refused to let it go,” Ward Hoover,73, said as she stood last month beside the fresh building, framed by rose bushes. It was hours before the village was set to host its National Night Out.
Since she startedin2022 as mayorofthe lesser-known Natchez, apoor,close-knit community inNatchitoches Parish, Ward Hoover has made beauty apriority That’smeant planting, clearing and erecting signs. But it’salso meant pushing the city’s500 residents to clean up their own properties.
And that’swhere her approach gets controversial, several residents said. Because top among the reasons to live here, in this rural crook of the Cane River, is the ability to keepanold car on your property,anold pig in apen behind your house.
“When she came to be the mayor,she said shewas going to have Natchezlooking like amagazine,” saidJoe Walker Jr., aretired railroad operator.Hequestions whether that should be the goal. The 1949 Ford truck on his property,wherehe was born and raised, “isn’t bothering nobody,” he argued, and he keeps the grass around his vehicles short and neat. Ward Hoover’s husband stores “all kinds of stuff behind her house,” Walker said, “and he’snot moving nothin’.” Walkerled an effort in 2023 to remove Ward Hoover from office but failed to getthe number of signatures needed. Rather than turn in the signatures, he burned the paper,believing that Ward Hoover would retaliate.
But Ward Hoover and her fans are undeterred. Using words like “determined,” “dogged,” and “tenacious,” they describe amayor who has accomplished more in her short time than many leaders before her “She just has aheart for Natchez,” said Louie Bernard, the former state senator who stopped by that day in 2023 andwho worked with Ward Hoover when she served on the Natchitoches Police Jury,now called the Parish Council. “And golly, if anybody needed to bring Natchezforward,she’s the one to do it.” Natchez, which sits 7miles south of the bigger,more picturesque Natchitoches, isn’t hoping these efforts land it anew manufacturing plant. Ward Hoover isn’tgunning for the next Trader Joe’s Her needs are more basic: a
safe, functioning City Hall. A sewer systemthatsustains itself. Aworkingrestroom forPecan Park.
“It gives the community asense of pride,” Ward Hoover said,runningher nails along anew,brick city sign, one sheconvinced alocalmonumentcompany to donate. “And it teaches their childrenright to have pride in what they do.
“My wholefight is for anothergeneration.”
‘I don’tdoparties’
Ward Hoover’sofficeis covered with photos ofher, in smart suits and high heels, smilingbesidepolitical figures.
They include lawmakers and mayors, former Gov JohnBel Edwards, aDemocrat, and current Gov.Jeff Landry, aRepublican. In her younger days, Ward Hoover fought forAfrican American rights in Natchitoches Parish,where she protestedthe “Uncle Jack” statueofanelderly Black man, tipping his hat. Shewas once aDemocrat, then aRepublican. Now,she considers herself an independent: “I don’t do parties. Idon’t do color.I do people.”
Butshe doesn’tlingeron the photos of politicians, instead drawing visitors’ attention to another set of framed photographs —of herthreedaughters and six grandchildren, many of them cladincaps and gowns, clutching diplomas. Just this month, her youngest daughter, Renita Ward Williams, who earned alaw degree, was named vice chancellor at BatonRougeCommunity College.
Ward Hoover ticked off their accomplishments, and theaccomplishmentsofher grandkids, who are themselves earning degrees.
But she admitstoa stubborn streak that extends even to them. Once, her daughterrefused to give her legal advice, instead passing along resources meant for city leaders. “I stayed mad at herfor two weeks,” Ward Hoover said.
She introduces one City Council member as “my favorite” and points out another’sbeleaguered property
Alderwoman Monique Sarpy said it can be “a challenge” to work withWard Hoover. The fight overjunk highlights one reason why, shesaid. “Folks don’tmind
doing what needstobedone, but it’s theway youaddress it andask it to be done.”
Since Sarpy grew up in the village,its population hasgrown, she said, though census figures show astagnation. Themainthing city leaders need to do is “give residentsabetter qualityof life.”
That fight has its obstacles Audits filed with theLouisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office have warned that “the village’s deteriorating financial condition could potentially discourage community investment, future economic development, or similaractivities.”Inresponse, city leaders toutedtheir plan to increasesewer rates.
This year,for thefirst time in decades, they did.
Improving residents’ lot is complicated for historical reasons, too, said Rolanda Teal,ananthropologist who hired Ward Hoover decades ago to help interview decedents of slavery whosettled in the area, once home to severallarge plantations The first time Teal walked through Natchez, witnessing the dilapidated homesand broken windows, she cried. This areaisstill feeling the effects of slavery,Teal said. Instilling asenseofpride in such aplace can be difficult, she continued.
“When you have sucha negative thought process around your ancestors, it’s hard to find the glory in it.”
Ward Hoover,though, is determined enough to push against all that, Teal said.
“She gets somethinginher head and wants to see it done,” she said. “That is to be admired.
“Pat doesn’tgive up.”
‘Nothing withoutprayer’
In the hours leading up to the National Night Out gathering in Pecan Park, Ward Hoover was on one of two cellphones, reminding the city clerk to bring thegift bags, someone to grabthe cupcakes, everyonetoarrive early.Inher home office, she heardthe back door open
“You gotmywieners?” she called. “Bring them on in!”
This home is where, for months, sheconducted official business,taking meetings on theback deck and accepting sewer payments in themailbox. At the old, infested City Hall, onecity staffer after another complainedofasthma andcough-
Mayor Patsy Ward Hoover picks the dead buds off arose bush in her yard in Natchez on Oct. 7.
STAFFPHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
ing,hoarseness and headaches. Finally,Ward Hoover, too, went to the doctor,who noted herswollenthroat and told her: “You need to getout of there.”
So she startedmaking calls. An elegantsign stands at her property’sentrance: Hoover’sGated Horse Farm. At the endofthe long, fenced driveway are goats, horses, chickens and afew heaps of old equipment.“This is my husband’sfavorite pile,” she said, shaking herhead.
“When Ibecame mayor,I said, ‘Everybody has to clean up.’ So it was good. Youknow whyitwas good?”
She laughed. “Because my husband hadtoclean.”
The acreagewas freshly mowed, however, between neat shrubs Ward Hoover calledbythe names of those whohad giventhemtoher
Whenshe dies, themayor said, she plans to open up this property,offeringher antiquesand more to neighbors who might need them.
Ward Hoover once ran a
Christian bookstore and gallery and considers hertrue mission to be ministry.She erected atrio of short, white crosses on city property and begins meetings withprayer. “You do nothing without prayer,” she said, “not in the village of Natchez.” At 5p.m Ward Hoover drove back to the park pavilion, where herteam had filledtableswithtacos and cupcakes,free backpacks and school supplies. Ward Hoover circled, broadcasting on Facebook live,encouraging residents to comeby. “Good evening, Facebook friends, “she said, panning the park’sbenches, balloons and playground. As the light faded, kids overtook the jungle gym, yelping and laughing. For amoment, between calls and hugs, Ward Hoover watched them as they climbed.
Email JennaRossat jenna.ross@theadvocate. com.
AlluviaApartment Homeshas broughtanelevated living experience to Kenner,withthe comfort, connection andmodernconveniencesthattoday’s residentsare seeking. Theluxurycommunity,which opened earlier this year,offersbig-cityamenities in arelaxed,welcoming settingthathas proven to be a successasmoreresidents move to Alluviaand find theirown ways to make it home
“We’ve really triedtothinkabout what people want when they thinkabout resort-style living,” said MarioYoung,Alluvia’s property manager. “It’sbeen funtosee what differentpeoplegravitate toward especially in theresidentlounge. Thecoffee station thereisalwayspopular,and people usethe rest of thespace in other ways.Wehad aresidentenjoy the Saints game in theloungeand anotherresidentworks from home,but brings hislaptoptothe lounge when he wantsachangeofscenery.”
YoungsaidAlluvia is oneofthe fewapartment communitiesthatboaststwo wellness centers, both free for residentstouse.Alluvia’s Freeform Studio includes aReformermachine with QR code-guided workouts,while residentsalsouse thearea foryoga anddance.The adjacent Lift Center haseverything from TRXequipment to treadmills andellipticals
“Anythingthatyou canfind at agym is readily availableatAlluvia,” Youngsaid. “Thisisa wayto make fitness andwellnessmoreaccessible forpeople, becausethey’re nothavingtopay fora gymmembership or worryabout drivingthere andback. They can justwalkover.
Outdooramenities that promotewellnesshave also resonatedwithAlluvia residents,Young said TwoEVbikes andtwo traditional bikesare available for residentstorentfor free.Alluvia is near the Lake PontchartrainBikeTrail andthe EV Bikes arepowerfulenoughtotakeresidents to theBuck-
town area andbackonafullcharge. Forthose who prefer to relaxon-site,Young said theswimming pool –strategically locatedalong theedgeofthe property foramoreserenesetting –hammocksand cabanashavebeenpopular.FreeWi-Fi throughout thepropertymeans residentscan stay connectedno matter wheretheyare
“Wesee alot of people wholiketosit outside on theirlunch breakorinthe evenings,”Young said “The atmosphere is relaxing, butyou canalsoget things done if youneedtowithout beinginanoffice.” Alluvia’scommitmenttomodernlivingextends inside each home as well.A smart home system is in each home andletsresidents controltheir environment. Forexample,Young said they canuse the smart home apptoadjusttheir thermostatsfrom anywhere usinganapp andset unique entrycodes for guests,pet sittersorrelatives
“We’ve gotten alot of great feedback aboutthe smarthomesystem overall,”hesaid. “Itallowspeople to make theirspace trulyfeellikea home because they have controloversomanyaspects of theirdaily livesand environment.
Youngsaidheand histeamhave worked intentionally to buildasense of belongingasmoreresidents move in to Alluvia. With at leastone resident event each month, from breakfast-on-the-gogatherings to weekendsocials,the goal is to help neighbors meet oneanother “Our events buildcommunity amongresidents,” Youngsaid.
Protesters converged on western city of Giessen
BY DANIEL NIEMANN and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press
GIESSEN, Germany
A confi-
dent far-right Alternative for Germany set up its new youth organization on Saturday even as thousands of protesters converged on the western city of Giessen, where the party held its meeting, some of them clashing with police. A convention of the antiimmigration party, known by its German acronym AfD, started more than two hours late after groups of protesters blocked or tried to block roads in and around the city of around 93,000, delaying many delegates’ arrival.
Officers used pepper spray after stones were thrown at them at one location, police said. They also used water cannons to clear a blockade by about 2,000 protesters after they ignored calls to leave. They did so again Saturday afternoon as a group tried to break through barriers toward the city’s convention center Police said up to 5,000 officers were deployed. They put the total number of demonstrators at more than 25,000 and said that a large part of the various protests went peacefully They said they knew of 10 slightly injured officers
AfD’s leaders assailed the protests as the meeting opened. “What is being done out there — dear left-wingers, dear extremists, you need to look at yourselves is something that is deeply undemocratic,” party coleader Alice Weidel said. She said that one AfD lawmaker was attacked Police said that a lawmaker had been injured near Giessen but didn’t give details.
The new youth organization’s predecessor, the Young Alternative, a largely autonomous group with relatively loose links to the party was dissolved at the end of March after AfD decided to formally cut ties with it. AfD wants to have much closer oversight over the new group, named Generation Germany and open to all party members under 36, whose statute was approved Saturday AfD finished second in Germany’s national election in February with over 20% of the vote and is now the biggest opposition party The party, with which mainstream parties refuse to work, has continued to rise in polls as Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition government has failed to impress voters. Germany’s domestic intelligence agency had concluded that the Young Alternative was a proven right-wing extremist group It later classified AfD itself as such a group, but suspended the designation after AfD launched a
legal challenge. In a ruling last year rejecting a call for an injunction against the Young Alternative designation, a Cologne court argued that preserving an ethnically defined German people and the exclusion if possible of the “ethnically foreign” was a central political idea of the group.
It also pointed to agitation against migrants and asylum-seekers, and links with extremist groups such as the Identitarian Movement In June, a higher court ended the appeal process, noting that the Young Alternative had been dissolved AfD’s other co-leader, Tino Chrupalla, said the party must learn from past mistakes.
“Some benefited from the young, from their ability to mobilize, but didn’t have the well-being and future of this youth sufficiently in sight,” he said. “We should have taken more care of the young new hopes in our party; it will be different in the future.” He added that the young activists must “put themselves at the party’s service.”
It’s typical for German parties to have youth wings, which are generally more politically radical than the parent parties It remains to be seen whether the new AfD youth organization will be more moderate than its predecessor, with significant continuity expected.
Jean-Pascal Hohm, a 28-year-old state lawmaker from the eastern region of Brandenburg, was elected unopposed as Generation Germany’s leader He told delegates he had been the “proud chairman” of the Young Alternative in his home state. Hohm is considered a right-wing extremist by the regional branch of the domestic intelligence agency, a designation he rejects as politically motivated, German news agency dpa reported.
Kevin Dorow, a delegate from northern Germany, said he also was previously active in his local Young Alternative branch.
“The new formation means above all continuing what the
Young Alternative started — being a training ground, attracting young people and above all bringing them into politics for the good of the party,” in which they could take on offices at some point, he said. He said he hadn’t seen any “drift in a radical direction” in the Young Alternative.
AfD portrays itself as an anti-establishment force at a time of low trust in politicians. It first entered the
national parliament in 2017 following the arrival of large numbers of migrants in the mid-2010s. Curbing migration remains its signature theme, but it has shown a talent for capitalizing on discontent about other issues too.
That was reflected in leaders’ confident tone Saturday Five of Germany’s 16 states hold regional elections next year Two are in the ex-communist east, where the party is strongest.
“My house has gone from affordable when I moved in to unaffordable now,” Braud said. After the rash of insurer failures, the number of people forced to turn to Citizens for insurance skyrocketed from about 35,000 to a peak of 140,000 in summer 2023, the organization’s data show
But more than two years later and despite changes in state laws and insurance regulations from Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, the number of Louisiana homeowners with Citizens insurance remains stubbornly high. And the amount of money those people — and residents with private carriers are paying for insurance has not come down significantly
Citizens a nonprofit controlled by a board of state officials and insurance executives, has tried to get people off its rolls and onto the books of private insurers. But while it has sent 30,000 people to private insurers through a process called depopulation, its total number of policies has only fallen by about 18,000, or 13%, since the peak. In all, the number of policies is still up more than 200% since Ida.
The halting recovery underscores the enduring nature of Louisiana’s insurance crisis, which continues to crush homeowners in south Louisiana
It also raises questions about whether Louisiana will ever return to the point when only a small share of properties are covered by Citizens, or whether tens of thousands more people will be stuck long-term with the insurer of last resort. Before the storms began hitting in 2020, only 35,000 homeowners largely with the riskiest properties in the state — were on its rolls.
Carolyn Kousky, executive director of the nonprofit Insurance for Good, said insurers of last resort like Louisiana Citizens are important backstops to the cyclical nature of insurance, where storms, inflation and the reinsurance market can affect prices. But they can’t “magically make insurance cheaper in high-risk areas,” she said. The solution should be building homes that can better withstand hurricanes and other perils, which are becoming worse because of climate change.
“That risk of southern Louisiana is the fundamental challenge,” she said. “It’s so much harder to solve and it’s only getting worse.” Braud has thought about turning to a different type of insurance, known as the “surplus lines” market, as a reprieve Those insurers traditionally cover hard-toinsure property like antique automobiles, but have captured a small but growing share of the homeowners as well. The tradeoff is that the companies aren’t backed by the state guaranty fund,
meaning homeowners may not have any recourse if they go insolvent. As of now, that’s not a risk Braud is willing to take. As he and his wife picture their future, they wonder whether they can afford to stay at their Mandeville home long-term
“We moved in here hoping this would be our forever home; this would be our last home,” Braud said “Now, we’re really looking at that option of, do we need to move north of I-12, where presumably insurance rates are a little lower? And what does that look like?”
‘Not as fast as anyone wants’
After Hurricane Katrina, Citizens had a similar explosion in policies. But the insurance crisis following the most recent spate of storms since 2021 has been far worse in scope.
Four years after Ida, Citizens’ policies are still more than double what they were before. And while Citizens has moved thousands of people to private insurers through depopulation, where private carriers take policies in bulk, a significant number of people have come onto the rolls of Citizens in the meantime.
In normal times, Citizens is not a desirable insurer By law, it must charge 10% more than private insurers, a long-standing policy aimed at encouraging homeowners to find coverage elsewhere if they can
But after watching the dramatic rise in policies, Republican state lawmakers and Temple agreed last year to suspend the 10% surcharge for three years to give homeowners a reprieve. Democratic lawmakers had initially pushed for the suspension.
Temple said that change may be encouraging some people to remain on Citizens, which sometimes offers better terms on deductibles and coverage than private market policies.
Plus, some agents and policyholders are hesitant to move to one of the small insurers that are writing policies in Louisiana, especially after 12 insurers that
were mostly small and undercapitalized went bellyup in recent years. Many of the companies most active now in south Louisiana don’t have the “gold star” of ratings from AM Best, a ratings agency, and are instead rated by Demotech, which researchers have found offers a less ringing endorsement of financial health.
Another factor: The private insurance market is not bringing widespread relief.
Temple said he still believes a series of laws and regulations from the past two years will succeed in inviting more competition and benefiting the market by making it easier for insurers to raise rates and drop policyholders. But while Louisiana has not seen huge rate hikes this year, rates are still projected to tick up by about 4% in 2026.
He also said he expects Louisiana will eventually get back to the point where only around 35,000 people are covered by Citizens. As of November, more than three times that amount were on the rolls.
“It’s not as fast as anybody wants,” Temple said. “But people are starting to see the success of the 2024 reforms.”
Hesitance and risk
Citizens has gone through several rounds of “depopulation,” shedding policies in bulk to private carriers.
That’s how Citizens rapidly decreased its policy count in the years after Katrina
But the process has been halting at times. After dumping 10% of its policies about a year ago, the rolls for Citizens climbed by about 4% since
One company, Cimarron Insurance, was set to take out nearly 9,000 policies next month. But the company dropped out abruptly before the Citizens board certified the latest round this month. Temple said he did not know why, and the company didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.
Ben Albright, head of the Independent Agents and Brokers Association of Louisiana, said the Citizens policy count hasn’t moved down as quickly as he would like, something he blamed partly on the suspension of
the 10% surcharge. He also said that until larger players enter the market, some policyholders and agents will hesitate to get insurance from smaller companies, fearful of a reprise of the failure of 12 insurers in recent years.
“If you can be with a trillion dollar company that’s AM Best A-rated, that’s the best-case scenario,” he said. “There’s not a lot of those writing in south Louisiana.”
Kousky, who has published a host of research on disaster insurance said reforming the nation’s property insurance system is tricky On the one hand, inviting competition into the market is good for consumers. On the other hand, going too far in making life easy on insurance companies can hurt consumers when it comes time for insurers to pay claims.
The bigger challenge for a place like south Louisiana is that it’s increasingly risky to live here as climate change brings more powerful hurricanes, more rainfall and warmer waters in the Gulf, Kousky said.
And the prospect of a federal solution raises sticky questions. For instance, many insurance scholars and elected officials believe it’s important for the market to send price signals that encourage people in the riskiest parts of the country to fortify their homes or move.
In the meantime, Kousky said Louisiana and other states should embrace solutions like fortified roofs.
A recent report by Kousky and other researchers on insurers of last resort around the country found other
states are taking several steps to make homes more resilient. Those include requiring Citizens to put fortified roofs on the homes of policyholders when they’re paying for a new roof after a loss Alabama, Mississippi and North Carolina have versions of that policy but Louisiana does not.
Such policies can also help get people off the rolls of the insurer of last resort by making their home more desirable for insurers to cover, she said. “North Carolina, Alabama, when they invest in home fortification, that’s actually a takeout plan,” Kousky said. “Once your home is fortified, you’re more insurable in the private sector.”
UCCA begins construction on $500 millioninvestment at CornerstoneEnergyPark, elevatingJeffersonParishas ahub forenergyinnovation
CornerstoneChemicalCompany,LLC,afixtureof industry andcommunity life in Waggaman formore than 70 years, is helpingtousher in anew chapter of energy innovation andeconomicdevelopment in JeffersonParish. Throughcontinued modernization of theCornerstone Energy Park (CEP)and majornew investmentsfromcompanies that shareits commitment to safety,sustainability andlong-term growth thesiteisemergingasone of theGulfCoast’s most importanthubsfor advanced manufacturing.
This transition willbeespecially visibleinthe comingmonthsasUBE C1 ChemicalsAmerica (UCCA) begins thenextphase of construction on a$500million production facility inside CEP. The projectwillestablish thefirstreliableU.S.supplyof critical components used in energy storagesystems —materials essentialtobuildingamoresustainable national energy future
“Thisisanexcitingtimefor CornerstoneEnergy Park as we continue to forgepartnerships focused on creatingasustainable future forthe site,” said JacquesByrd, CornerstoneVicePresident of Site Development. “Pleasepardonour progress as we work to constructthisvital facility andtransition theCornerstoneEnergyParkforasustainablefuture.”
Toconstructthenewfacilityefficientlyandresponsibly, UCCA is employing modularconstruction, a methodincreasinglyusedinadvancedmanufacturing projects around theworld.Inmodular construction equipmentisbuilt in smallercomponentsoff-site, transported by barge, andthenassembled on location “Thinkofmodularconstructionasputtingtogether thepieces of apuzzle,”saidUCCAPresident andCEO TomYura. “The pieces arebuilt elsewhere, andthe puzzle is assembledon-site.It’sasmarter waytobuild becauseitminimizes disruption to thecommunity andreduces thedurationofconstruction.”
Thesepre-built modulesoffer multiple advantages: improvedefficiencyandreducedconstructiontime.To transportthe equipmentfromshippingbargestothe CEPconstructionsite, crewswillmovethe modules over RiverRoadusing atemporary heavy-haul bridge UCCA hasselectedMorimatsu,acontractor with morethan20yearsofglobalexperiencemovingmodularcomponentsusing hydraulicsystems.“Morimatsu brings valuable knowledgeand experience to assure projectsafetyand efficiency,”Yurasaid.
As themodular equipmentarrives andistransported onto thesite, residents should expect intermittentroadclosuresalong RiverRoad. Installation of thetemporary bridge willbecompleted in earlyto mid-December. Shortlyafter,the moduleswillbegin crossing thetemporary bridge into CEP.
Temporaryroadclosuresare scheduledtobegin in earlyDecemberand last throughFebruary, when thetemporary bridge is expected to be fullydeconstructed.Until then,periodicroadclosures, typically lastinglessthanone hour,willoccur outsideofpeak travel times.
“Weare workingwithlocalauthorities to help keep thecommunity informed on RiverRoadtraffic conditions throughout theconstructionprocess,” said AinslieBlanke, Cornerstone’sseniormarketingand communications advisor. “Thank youfor your patience as we make JeffersonParishone of the country’sleaders in sustainableenergy.”
Cornerstoneand UCCA arecoordinatingwiththe JeffersonParishSheriff’s Office,U.S.Coast Guard, U.S. Army CorpsofEngineers,JeffersonParishLevee DistrictandtheLouisianaDepartmentofTransportation andDevelopment to ensure allworkiscompleted safely andefficiently.
CornerstoneEnergyParkhas grownintoamultimillion-dollar industrial campus andishometo severalcompanies that operatebothindependently andcollaboratively.The shared focusaimstoproduce essentialmaterials,support localjobsand prepare Louisiana’spetrochemical sector fora more sustainable future
TheUCCAfacilityrepresentsthe first U.S. production of itskindand deepensJeffersonParish’sroleas alocationofchoicefor energy-forward projects.With sustainabilitytop of mind,CEP andits site companies continue to upgradetechnologyand strengthen environmentalstewardship “CEP is focusedontransitioningthe site forthe future,” Byrd said.“Thecompanies on oursiteshare acommitmenttosafety, health andthe environment. That unityiskey to building long-termgrowth.” As construction accelerates, theUCCAfacility stands as both an industrial milestoneand asignal of what’s to come:moregreen-energyjobs, enhanced manufacturingcapacityand astrongerlocaleconomy builtoninnovation. And, with decadesofhistory and majorprojectspointingtoacleaner,moreresilient future,CornerstoneEnergyParkremainsavitalpillar of JeffersonParish’sindustriallandscape Anyone wishingtoreceivealertsregarding
Consumers also spent a record $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day,per Adobe. Topcategories that sawanuptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services powered by artificial intelligence andsocial media advertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy,the firm said.
Meanwhile, software company Salesforce estimated that Black Friday online sales totaled $18 billion in the U.S. and $79 billion globally And e-commerce platform Shopifysaid its merchants raked in arecord $6.2 billion in sales worldwide on Black Friday.Atits peak, sales reached $5.1 million per minute —with top categories including cosmetics and clothing, according to the Canadian company
MasterCard SpendingPulse, which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excludingautomotiverose 4.1% from a year ago. Theretailsales indicator,which is not adjusted for inflation, showed online sales jumped by double digits (10.4%), while in-store purchases inched up 1.7% MichelleMeyer,chief economist at the MasterCard Economics Institute, said consumers are “navigating an uncertain environment” this holiday season “by shopping early,leveraging promotions, and investing in wish-listitems.” Black Friday is far from the sales eventthat created midnight mall crowds or doorbuster mayhem just decades ago.More and moreconsumers have instead turned to onlinedeals to makepost-Thanksgiving purchases from the comfort of their own homes —or opt to stretch out spending across longer promotions now offered by retailers. In-store traffic has dwindled over the years. Initial
andprivate sectorsare also struggling with anxieties over jobsecurity —amid both corporate layoffs and the after-effects of the 43daygovernment shutdown. An uptick in budget-conscious behavior can also be seen in store traffic. While Sensormatic doesn’t track spending, “we do track consumer footsteps,” Gustafson notes —and “consumersare thinking a littlebit harder about their purchases” this year,heexplains, “to make sure that they’re getting their very best deals.”
For the November-De-
cember holiday season overall, the National Retail Federation estimates U.S. shoppers will spend more than $1 trillion for the first time this year.But the rate of growth is slowing —with an anticipated increaseof 3.7% to 4.2% year over year, compared to 4.3% in 2024’s holidayseason At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies on other short-term loans have been rising. And more andmoreshoppersare turning to “buy now, paylater” plans, whichallows themto delaypayments on holiday décor,gifts and other items.
datafrom RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physicalstores, found that U.S. Black Friday traffic fell3.6% compared to 2024. Still, thefirm notedthat was“notablybetter” than a sharper 6.2% declineitsaw in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. SensormaticSolutions, which also tracks store traffic, found that in-store retail visits dipped2.1% —but said that was in line with expectations and trends already seen thisyear. Trafficoverthe week of Black Friday was up nearly 57% compared to the week prior,per Sensormatic. “Black Friday hasreally turned into like afull week
event, or even further,”said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting and analytics at Sensormatic Solutions And“Black Friday is really thestartofjust areally and critical stretch forretailers, he added —noting that the weekendfollowing Thanksgiving, as well as the days leading up to Christmas next month, will also be someof the busiest in terms of instore traffic. Meanwhile,interms of ecommerce, Adobeexpects U.S. shoppers to spendanother $5.5 billion Saturday and $5.9 billion on Sunday —before reaching an estimated $14.2 billion peak on Cyber Monday,which would
Black Friday shoppers admire a Christmas LEGO set at the LEGO fl
markyet another record Still, rising prices could be contributing to some of those numbers. President Donald Trump’sbarrage of tariffs on imports have strained businesses and households alike over the last year.And despitespending moreoverall, Salesforce found U.S shoppers purchased fewer items at checkout on Black Friday(down 2% from last year). Order volumes also slipped 1%, the firmnoted, as average sellingprices climbed 7%.
This year’sholiday spending rush arrives amidheightened economic uncertainty for consumers. Beyond tariffs,workers across public
BY JOSH BOAK and GABRIELA MOLINA Associated Press
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. President Donald Trump on Saturday said that the airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela should be considered as “closed in its entirety,” an assertion that raised more questions about the U.S. pressure on Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. His government accused Trump of making a“colonial threat” and seekingtoundermine the South American country’ssovereignty
The White House did not respondtoquestionsabout what Trump postedonhis Truth Socialplatform, and it was unclear whether he was announcing anew policy or simply reinforcing the messaging around his campaign against Maduro, whichhas
By The Associated Press
Amajor snowstorm in the Midwest and Great Lakes brought winter to some Thanksgiving travelers,and forecasters said the northeast U.S. could get its own early winter storm this week. Winter storm warnings and advisories extended from Montana to Ohio, the National Weather Service said. Forecasters warned there could be airport delays andslowed traffic with snow falling at more than an inch per hour in some areas The storm dumped more than 8inches of snow on northern Iowa by Saturday morning, and at least that much was expected in Chicago, elsewhere in Illinois, and in Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan. Airports in Chicago and
involved multiple strikes in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean on small boats accused of ferrying drugs aswellasabuildup of navalforces in the region. Morethan 80 peoplehave been killedinsuch strikes since early September
TheRepublicanpresident addressed his call for an aerial blockadeto“Airlines, Pilots, DrugDealers, and Human Traffickers,” rather than to Maduro.
Venezuela’sgovernment said it “forcefully rejects” Trump’sclaim about closing the airspace andthat it was a“colonialthreat” intended to underminethe country’s “territorialintegrity,aeronautical securityand full sovereignty.”
TheForeignMinistry said “such declarationsconstitute ahostile, unilateral and arbitrary act.”
The statement alsosaid that U.S.immigration authorities had unilaterally suspended biweekly deportation flights of Venezuelan migrants. Followingnegotia-
St. Louis reported delays of about an hour in the morning, according to FlightAware.com, as oneofthe busiesttravel days cranked up afterThanksgiving Iciclesformed at aslant on aChicago pier thanks to the wind, and Lake Michigan’s waters were choppy with whitecaps.Motorists drove cautiously along snowy and slushy roads.
Snow-covered roads and slow travel were reported across Iowa andnorthern Illinois andIndiana.
WestboundInterstate 70 nearTerre Haute, Indiana, was closed around noon after at least 45 vehicles crashed, Indiana State Police said on social media. No one was seriouslyinjured, andofficials estimated that it would take sixhours to reopen thehighway.Troop-
tions betweenthe twogovernments, more than 13,000 Venezuelans have been deported to Venezuela this year on dozens of chartered flights, the latest of which arrived lateFriday in Caracas, the capital, according to flight-tracking data. International airlineslast week began to cancel flights to Venezuela after the Federal Aviation Administration told pilotstobecautious flying around the country because of heightenedmilitary activity
The FAA’sjurisdiction is generally limited to the United States andits territories. The agency does routinely warnpilotsabout thedangers of flying over areas with ongoing conflicts or militaryactivity around the globe, as it did earlier this month with Venezuela. Trump’sadministration has soughttoratchet up pressure on Maduro. The U.S.governmentdoes not view Maduro as thelegitimateleader of theoil-rich but increasingly impover-
erswerealso helping people in the eastbound laneswho were sliding off theroad, Sgt. MattAmes said.
Snow fell in Ann Arbor, Michigan, while No. 1Ohio Stateplayed 15th-ranked Michigan in their traditional season-ending rivalrygame. Heavy snow was expected at nighttime contests at Illinois and Michigan State.
Meteorologists saidthatso far,forecast conditions did not meet blizzard warning criteria —winds of at least 35 mph, visibilitiesofless than aquarter mile and lasting morethan three hours. Forecasterssaidanother winter stormwas becoming morelikely Monday and Tuesday,withfreezing rain and ice in the Appalachians andmoderatetoheavy snow possible in the interior Northeast.
ishedSouth American nation and he faces charges of narcoterrorism in theU.S. U.S. forces have conducted bomber flights near Venezuela andthe USSGerald R. Ford, America’smost advanced aircraft carrier, was sent tothe area. The Ford rounds off thelargest buildup of U.S. firepower in theregioningenerations With its arrival, the“Operation Southern Spear” mission includes nearly adozen
Navyships and about 12,000 sailors and Marines.
There are bipartisan calls for greater oversight of the U.S. military strikes against vessels in theregion after The Washington Post reported that DefenseSecretary Pete Hegseth issued averbal order for all crew members to be killed as part of the Sept. 2attack on suspected drug smugglers.
Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chair-
man of theSenate Armed Services Committee, and itstop Democrat, RhodeIsland Sen. Jack Reed, said in ajoint statement late Friday that thecommittee “willbe conducting vigorous oversighttodeterminethe facts related to these circumstances.”
Trump’steam has weighed both military andnonmilitary options with Venezuela, includingcovertactionby the CIA.
grandopening of thenewly renovatedPostalBranch— thefirstlocationtoproudly showcase Pelican’sfully refreshedbrandidentity.Theribbon-cuttingceremony honoredboththe branch’s legacy andthe evolutionof Pelicanasitcontinues to grow,innovate, andserve communitiesacrossLouisiana ABranchwithDeepRoots andaBrightFuture PostalCreditUnionofBatonRougewasestablished in 1931 andholds thetitle as thefirstcreditunion to servethe BatonRouge community. Whilethe branch is nowenteringa newera underPelican’s umbrella,its name andheritageremainintentionally preserved. “It’simportant for us to keep pieces of whowe areand ouridentityaswemoveforward,” said Jeff Conrad,Chief ExecutiveOfficerofPelican Credit Union. “Wenever want to become an institutionso largethatweforgetour roots.”
Acommemorative photocollage of thePostal Credit Unionisondisplay in thebuilding’smain lobby, alongwithanAmericanflag that wasgifted to thecreditunion in 2003 by Hewitt Townsend,a formerPresident of theBoard of Directors. ANew Look foraCreditUnion in Motion
ThePostalBranchisalsothe very first Pelican location to fullydebut theorganization’snew logo andbrand colors.Pelican takesanintentional and active approach to creating positive impact in the communitiesofLouisiana andlooks forwardto servingunder abannerthatresonates with thecredit union’sdynamic spirit
“Our previous logo showed abirdperched,but being themoversand shakersthatweare,werecognize a pelicaninflight is much more representative of our personalityand whereweare going,”saidLeigh Porta, Chief Growth Officer. Technology,Convenience &the HumanTouch
In addition to beautifulnew interiors, thePostal Branch offersBaton Rougemembers thesameup-todate accesstotechnologythatPelican provides statewide—includingonlinebanking,the MyPelican mobile app, andITMs(InteractiveTellerMachines) whichextendbranchservice hours. Keepingatthe forefrontofmodernconvenience is paramountfor Pelicanbut so is preserving genuine humanconnection. “Ifit’s2AM andyou want to transfer moneyto your grandchild,you candothat. Butifyou want to come into abranchand greetour beautifulpeople, you canstill do that,” Conrad said.“We also have acall center where youcan call andreach astaff member.” ForPelican andits members, thesechanges are welcomed with open arms.Asthe wheelofprogress turns, credit unions like Pelicanunderstandthe value of theservice they provideand adapttofitthe needs of thecommunity.Creditunionsare member-owned not-for-profitfinancialinstitutionsand areled by an
electedBoard of Directorswho volunteertoserve theirfellowmembers
“Nothingismorerewarding than hearingthe Postal Credit Union’sBoard of Directorssay this hasbeena positive change andthatthe members andemployees arehappy,” said Porta. “That’sthe wholepoint—topreserveservice to themembers.” ACreditUnion CommittedtoLouisiana With 19 branches across thestate—and more to come—Pelican’s leadersemphasizedthatthislaunch is anotherstepinamuchlargervision.
“Our goal is to servethe entire stateofLouisiana,” said Porta. “Every newbranch, everynew parish, everynew relationship is just astepinthatdirection.” PelicanwelcomesbothlongtimePostalmembers andnew faces to experience thebeautifully updated space, thecomfortingfamiliarity of itsstaff,and the expanded benefitsavailable Andofcourse, thenew Postal Branch also shares in thebelovedPelicantraditionofhavingcomplimentary hotcoffee available everyday,withthe additional treat of freshlybaked chocolatechipcookies on Fridays. Thelobby is open from 8:30AM to 4:30PM,Monday throughFriday.
“We’re here,we’re open,pleasecomecheck it out, said Porta, welcomingall to stop by Formoreinformation on PelicanCreditUnion visit: www.pelicancu.com
Pain affects everypartofyourlife- walking, sitting, and even sleeping.Nothing’s worsethanfeelinggreat mentally,but physically feelingheldbackfromlifebecause your nerveorbackpainhurts-and it just won’tgoaway. Scientificstudies tellusthatspinaldiscs areresponsible formostofthe achesand painspeoplesuffer from
When thesenatural cushions between your back-bones called spinal discs-becomeinjured or wear outfrom strain,poorposture,oraging -theybegin to degenerate andlosetheir abilitytoabsorbshock
This canleadtopainful bulgingorherniated discsthat press on nearby nerveroots
Themostcommontreatment fordischerniationsis surgery-but this invasive option comeswithmajor risks: costs, andrecovery time
Patients areusually givenlimited treatmentoptionswhichiswhy we runthese bigadvertisements! We want people in thecommunity to know thereisanotheroption to relievepainwithoutsurgery, injections or pain pills.
Here’s thegoodnews:
NON-SURGICALSPINAL DECOMPRESSION is a breakthrough,non-invasive treatmentfor degenerative discsthatare herniated, bulging, or ruptured.Itisproven effective foralleviating pain in theback, neck,hip,arms, legs andfeet.
WE AREDR. SCOTT ANDDR. DANA LEBLANC, owners of LeBlancSpine Center.Wehave been treating patients in theBaton Rougeand NewOrleans areasfor over 14 yearswithNon-Surgical Spinal Decompression-and we love what we do!
We have 10 state-of-the-art Spinal Decompression machines to keep up with thehighpatient demand at our offices, andour exceptionallyhighsuccess rate in relievingpainisbuilt on yearsofexperience, understanding andthe personalized attentionwegivetoeachpatient
Ouradvancedtreatment technology is FDAapproved
What does this FREE offer include?
Everything we normally do in ournew patientevaluations:
Anin-depthconsultationabout yourhealthandwellbeingwhere wewilllisten…reallylisten…to thedetailsofyourcase.
Acompleteneuromuscular examination
Afullset of specializedX-rays (ifclinicallynecessary)to identify theexact source of pain
Athoroughanalysisofyour exam andX-rays. Yousit with thedoctorone-on-onetoreview your findings in detail andget answerstoyourquestions.
andtargets theexact source of disc relatedpain. It creates avacuumeffectinsideofthe spinal disc to retractdisc bulges andherniations This negative pressure draws in oxygen,nutrients,and hydrationfromsurrounding tissues-allowing forthe body’s naturalhealing andrepair processatthe cellular level.
SEEWHATSOMEOFOUR PATIENTS HAVE TO SAY…
IcametoLeBlancSpine Center becauseIhad been suffering with extreme back pain andleg pain forseveral weeks. Ihad triedother treatments, massage, NSAIDs andTylenol,but Iwas stillinpain. Ibegan Spinal Decompressiontreatmentsand nowIfeel100% improved!WhatIlikemostabout my treatment is that it is non-invasive anditeliminatedmypain. My treatment appointments arenot long, andthe treatmentispain-free.Since beginning treatmentatLeBlanc SpineCenter, Iamnow able to do allofmypreviousactivitiesand work withoutpain. Ialsohavemorerange of motion.I wouldhighly recommend LeBlancSpine Center!
Dr.JohnBarksdale (Dentist) hometown -Baton Rouge,LA
IcametoLeBlancSpine Center with pain in my left arm, shoulder,and neck,and Ihad two fingersonmylefthandthatwerenumb. Ihad been dealingwiththisfor over 8monthsand hadtried shots, therapy, MRIs andX-raysbefore, butnothingwas really helping. Sincecominghere, I’ve improved about90%.The staff is amazing-alwaysknowledgeable, friendly,and helpful, andthe servicefromthe doctorsand team hasbeen great.WhatIlovemostisthe pain reduction, becauseit’sallowed me to take better care of my dadand grandkids, cutthe grass, do housework andeven fish again.IfeellikeIhavemoremobilityand I’mmorerelaxed nowthatIcan do moreactivities. Honestly,the only thingIdon’t love is thedrive-weneed an office in Gonzales!Theyare amazing, though. Please give them atry before anysurgeries.
KimLandry (Photographer) Hometown -St. Amant, LA
BeforecomingtoLeBlancSpine Center,Iwas dealingwithlow back pain andanSIjoint problem, andI hadnogel betweenmylower joints.Ihad been strugglingwiththisfor aboutayearand hadtried exercisesand wearingbelts just to getby. Sincestartingcarehere, I’dsay I’ve improved about80%.The pain relief hasmadearealdifference, andI’vealso noticedimprovedposture. Thestaff here is agreat grouptoworkwiththey really care andtreat youwell. Ican’t saythere’s anythingIdisliked aboutmycare, becauseeverythinghas been positive.I maynot be doing anythingbrand new, butI’m doingitwithlesspainthan before,and that hasmadelifebetter. Iwould definitely recommendLeBlancSpine Center to others becausethey’re agreat grouptoworkwith, they help improve posture, andmostimportantly,theyhelpreducepain.
BarryAcy (Retired) Hometown -Gonzales, LA
FREE 17-point “Smashed Disc”Assessment at ourBaton RougeorKenneroffice -it’scompletely free forthe next 7daystoanyonethatissufferinginour communityand wantsanswers to what is causingtheir pain AT LEBLANCSPINE CENTER, we arehonestwithour patients andour consistent success rate stemsfromour commitment to only taking on patients whom we confidently believewecan help.It’simportant to notethatnot everyone is acandidate forSpinalDecompression, which is whyweprioritizea thorough individual assessment for each patient. We take specialized spinal x-rays to identify theexact source of pain andprovide atargetedtreatment plan
If you’ve seen ourads before or thoughtabout calling thepast- don’thesitate! Youhave nothing to lose by taking us up on this free evaluation,and findingout if Spinal Decompressioncould be your pain solutionlike it hasbeen forsomanyothers. Thereisnochargeatall andyou don’t need to buyanything. Call us at 225-763-9894 andour friendly receptionist will getyou scheduledfor your free assessment.Welook forwardtoseeingyou at ouroffice soon!
By The Associated Press
Northwestern University has agreed to pay $75 million to the U.S. government in a deal with the Trump administration to end a series of investigations and restore hundreds of millions of dollars in federal research funding
President Donald Trump’s administration had cut off $790 million in grants in a standoff that contributed to university layoffs and the resignation in September of Northwestern president Michael Schill. The administration argued the school
had not done enough to fight antisemitism Under the agreement announced Friday night, Northwestern will make the payment to the U.S. Treasury over the next three years Among other commitments it also requires the university to revoke the so-called Deering Meadow agreement, which it signed in April 2024 in exchange for pro-Palestinian protesters ending their tent encampment on campus.
During negotiations, interim university president Henry Bienen said Northwestern refused to cede control over
hiring, admissions, or its curriculum. “I would not have signed this agreement without provisions ensuring that is the case,” he said.
The agreement also calls for Northwestern to continue compliance with federal anti-discrimination laws, develop training materials to “socialize international students” with the norms of a campus dedicated to open debate, and uphold a commitment to Title IX by “providing safe and fair opportunities for women, including single-sex housing for any woman, defined on the basis
of sex, who requests such accommodations and all-female sports, locker rooms, and showering facilities.”
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the deal cements policy changes that will protect people on campus from harassment and discrimination.
“The reforms reflect bold leadership at Northwestern and they are a roadmap for institutional leaders around the country that will help rebuild public trust in our colleges and universities,” McMahon said.
Trump has leveraged gov-
BY MICA SOELLNER Bloomberg News (TNS)
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said he is terminating every document former President Joe Biden signed with an autopen in his latest move to eradicate his predecessor’s legacy In a Truth Social post Friday, Trump accused Biden of signing “approximately 92%” of documents through the use of an autopen. The president threatened perjury charges against Biden if he claims he consented to the use of the mechanical pen to sign papers “The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States,” Trump said in his post Trump alleged Biden’s staff used the autopen illegally and that the former president wasn’t in control of his own presidency when the tool was being used. It isn’t clear what legal pushback Trump could receive from trying to nix Biden’s past orders or how federal agencies that have been impacted by the former president’s policies will respond.
Trump has ramped up his attacks on Biden’s use of the autopen since he took office
in January House Republicans also unveiled a report earlier this year regarding Biden’s use of the autopen, saying it showed he wasn’t mentally
fit to be president. This week, Trump joked a pair of Thanksgiving turkeys pardoned by Biden were “null and void” because of his use of an au-
topen. The president also replaced Biden’s portrait in the White House’s presidential “Walk of Fame” with a photo of an autopen signing a document.
By Stevie Cavalier Licciardi
stevie.licciardi@theadvocate.com
This articleisbrought to youby GregoryRicks &Associates
TheSECURE2.0 Act, passed in 2022,has beenmakingwaves in theway Americans approach retirement.Frommakingenrollment in companyretirementplans automaticto increasingthe agefor required minimum distributions (RMDs) from pre-taxretirement accounts,thechangesthislegislationintroduced should notbeoverlookedwhenplanning forretirement. SECURE 2.0isalsocreating abroader rangeofretirementoptions for people nearingthe endoftheir workingyears, encouragingthemtobuild astrategythatfits theiruniquegoals
Beginningthe processofretirementplanning canbeassimpleasaskingaquestionandopening thedoortoconversation. Whilethe factsand figures cansometimes feel confusing, Gregory Ricks&Associatesapproachesplanning throughmeaningful dialogue andpersonal connection first andforemost.
“Therulesarealwayschanging,anditcanfeel overwhelming forindividuals to sort through theopportunities provided by newlegislation,” said GregoryRicks,founder,CEO andwealth advisoratGregory Ricks&Associates. “Often what people need is arealconversationabout it alltofind theanswersthey’re lookingfor.”
TheRMD Conversation: What’s Changed?
Arequiredminimum distribution(RMD) is the minimum amount that must be withdrawn from an individual’s tax-deferred retirement accounteachyearafter reachingacertain age. Under theSECURE2.0 Act, thestartingage
for RMDs increasedto73, beginningin2023. This givesindividuals more time fortheir savingstogrowtax-deferrediftheydon’t yet need theincome. Once someonereaches the RMDage,though, they must begindrawing down theiraccount. Otherwise, a25% excise taxcan applytothe amount notwithdrawn in addition to income tax, whichmay be reducedto 10%ifthe erroriscorrected promptly 1
Beginningin2024, SECURE 2.0also eliminated RMDs fordesignatedRothaccounts in workplaceplans—suchasRoth401(k)s and Roth403(b)s.Previously, only Roth IRAs were exemptfromlifetimeRMDs.
ThetimingofwhentotakeRMDs—or whethertobegin drawingdownanaccount beforereachingRMDage—isastrategicdecision that ideallyisbalancedwithother factors, such as taxbrackets, income needs, andestate planninggoals
CatchMeUpon
Catch-Up Contributions
Catch-upcontributionsareadditionalamounts that canbecontributedtotax-advantaged accounts abovethe standard limits once an individual reachesaqualifyingage As of November 13,2025, theInternal RevenueServiceannounced theamount individuals cancontribute to their401(k) plansin2026has increased to $24,500, up from $23,500. Forindividuals aged 50 andoverwho participateinmost401(k),403(b),governmental 457plans,and thefederal government’s Thrift SavingsPlan, thecatch-upcontribution limit is now$8,000,allowingatotal of $32,500tobe contributedtothese plans. Individualsbetween ages 60 and63are granteda“supercatch-up”
ernment control of federal research money to push for reforms at elite colleges he has decried as overrun by “woke” ideology
The fine agreed to by Northwestern is the secondlargest behind Columbia, which agreed in July to pay the government $200 million to resolve a series of investigations and restore its funding. Brown and Cornell also reached agreements with the government to restore funding following antisemi-
tism investigations. Harvard remains in negotiations with the federal government over its demands for changes to campus policies and governance. The Ivy League school sued over the administration’s cuts to its grant money and won a court victory in September when a federal judge ordered the government to restore federal funding, saying the Trump administration “used antisemitism as a smokescreen.”
limitof$11,250,bringingtheir totalpotential contributionto$35,750 2 Anoteworthychangeeffective January1 2026,isthatunderSECURE2.0,employeesaged 50 andolder whoseprior-yearwages from their currentemployerexceed$145,000(indexedfor inflation)willberequiredtomaketheircatch-up contributions on an after-taxbasis to Roth accounts 3 Although this provisionwas part of the 2022 legislation, enforcementwas delayed, giving employers time to update theirplans to offer Roth optionswhere necessary.4 “Highearners should be awareofthisrule change so that it doesn’ttakethem by surprise,” saidRicks.“Atfirst,theymightfeeltheburnwith the upfronttaxes,but down theroadtheywillbe able to experience thebenefitoftheir tax-free moneycompounding.For example, $100,000 in aRothaccountgrowing at 7.2% annually could roughlydoubleabout every10years—growing to around$200,000in10years,$400,000in20years, and$800,000 in 30 years—andthe only amount thatwasevertaxablewastheoriginal$100,000.”
Workerswhose wagesfallbelow thenew thresholdcan generallystill choose between pre-taxand Roth catch-up contributions if their plan offersboth. Roth optionsand after-tax accounts canbepowerfultools to consider when diversifying income sources forretirement, especiallywhenbalancingtaxable,tax-deferred, andtax-freeaccounts.
Additional Strategies to Discuss Roth Conversions – Oneway to manage your taxbracket andreducefutureRMDsis to converttax-deferredfunds to aRothIRA Taxesare dueonthe amount convertedinthe year of theconversion, but afterthat, themoney compoundstax-freeand is notsubject to RMDs,
whichcan be beneficialwhenitcomes time to arrangeincomefromyourassetsinretirement. Fornon-spousebeneficiaries, inheritedRoth accounts aregenerally subjecttodifferent distribution rulesthantraditional IRAs,as well.While both requirethe accounttobefully distributedwithin 10 years, Roth accounts do notrequire annual RMDs like thetraditional IRAs do,and withdrawalsare income-tax-free. QualifiedCharitableDistributions (QCDs) – Individualsage 70 1/2 andolder can donate5upto$108,000fortaxyear2025(indexed forinflation) directly from an IRAtoa qualified charity.6 Thesegifts cansatisfy aportion or alloftheir annual RMD. Employer-sponsored 401(k) and403(b)plans,along with many otherretirementaccounts,cannotmakeQCDs directly.Touse this strategy,savings must first be movedintoanIRA
Starting theConversation
AboutYourRetirement
Whilenew legislation meansnew rules, taking advantageofavailable opportunities canbeassimpleassitting down with awealth advisortotalkthroughyourretirementstrategy With over 20 yearsofpresenceinthe Gulf South, GregoryRicks &Associatesalways begins andendsbyengaginginuniqueand worthwhile discussions.
“Just reach outtousbyphone or emailand start with aquestion. We will have someone follow up to continue theconversation,”said Ricks. “Conversationiswhatwereallywant. It’s howweall findthe answersweneed. Visitgregoryricks.comtolearn more or schedule aconsultation.
WASHINGTON Soaring health care costs willbetop of the agenda when Congress returnsto work Monday afternoon aftera weeklong Thanksgiving holiday Lawmakers will mostly be trying to find some path to avoid doubling insurance premiumsinthe AffordableCare Act marketplace for 24.3 million working Americans, 292,994 of whom live in Louisiana. The extended credits expire on Dec. 31. Republicanswant to revamp Obamacare, which they claim has failed to lower health care costs. Democrats favor extending tax creditsthat help low-income workersand small businesses pay for insurance before wading into needed fixes.
Meanwhile, workerswho buy their insurance through their employers are likelytosee their 2026 policy costs climb by about 7%, according to most reports. One rising healthcare cost that apparentlyisnot receivingattention is the coverage relied upon by almost everyone older than65, and some people withdisabilities. Last week, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that the cost of Medicare premiums would increase by 9.7% in 2026 for 67.6 million beneficiaries —949,495 of whom live in Louisiana.
This year’sMedicare openenrollment period continues through Dec. 7, and the data suggestsLouisiana’s seniorswill face steep challenges paying those increased costs.
Standard Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient and phy-
Bill Cassidyquestioned about RFK Jr.’sactions
U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidyhas spent the last week on the political media circuit hawking hishealth care proposal.
Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS
Those covered by Medicare will see premiums increase by 9.7% in 2026, according to areportfrom the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. That includes 949,495 peopleinLouisiana.
sician services, will cost $17.90 more in 2026, rising to $202.90 per month. Thedeductible Part Bbeneficiariespay before benefits kick in is increasing to $283, which is $26 more. CMS blamesinflation and increased demandfor medical services. Health carecosts Americansabout8%more in 2024 than the previous year,the federal datashows. Increases in Medicare premiums, which help fund theentitlement’s expenses, are not new —it hashappened just about every year sincethe beginningin1970 when manyoftoday’sseniors begantheirworking life and started contributingtoSocial Security and Medicare. Part Bthen cost $4
amonth.
Annual increases are so common that few Louisiana elected officials and senior advocates would venture apublic comment
This year’sprice hike is noteworthy because 2026 will be the second-largest annual spike in history,and the biggest since 2016. For seniors, mostofwhom live on fixed retirement incomes, this year’shigher costs will significantly cut into the annual cost of living adjustment, called COLA, that better aligns Social Security benefitswith inflation. PartBincreases will turn the$56 average monthly COLA increase for 2026 to $38.10. About 7million people last
year spent 10% of theirincome on Medicare Part Bpremiums, reported KFF, aSan Franciscobased health care policy analysis group begun by the Kaiser shipbuilding family in 1947, but independent of the Kaiser Family Foundation’s holdings since 1985. The increased costs forMedicare premiumsand higher deductibles effectively lowers theannual COLA way below the current inflation rate, putting a financial strainonthe elderly, particularlythose with low and middle incomes, KFFsays. It will hit Louisiana seniors harder
About 14.2% of the state’spopulation over the age of 65 —the national averageis10% —lives in
poverty,making less than $21,150 annually foracouple, according to America’sHealth Rankings, areport compiled by the United Health Foundation, aprivate health care study group based in Minnesota and associated with the insurance giant, UnitedHealth Group Inc.
As manyas6%ofLouisiana adults older than 65 simply went without medical care because of the cost, according to the 2025 State Medicare Scorecard released in October.That is the highest rate in country and nearly four times morethan the 1.6% in Vermont.
That report card is published by the Commonwealth Fund, a NewYork City-based foundation that studies health care and supports manyhospitals and medical schools. The Commonwealth Fund was formed in 1918 by principal investors in what then wascalled Standard Oil of New Jersey
Millions of seniors in 2026 will struggle to payfor food, transportationand utilities, according to National CommitteetoPreserve Social Security and Medicare. NCPSSM is aWashingtonbasedadvocacy group founded in 1982 by thenU.S. Rep. James Roosevelt, D-N.Y., the eldest son of Franklin andEleanor Roosevelt.
“An almost $18 premium increase may not sound huge on paper,but forpeople on fixed incomes, it’sabig chunk of their limited budgets,” Anne Montgomery,NCPSSM health policy analyst, said in ablog. “This premium jumpwill really pinch older Americans where it hurts.”
Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.
But reporters are taking the opportunity to question Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, about his reaction to recent actions of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr As chair of the Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions committee, Cassidy helped confirm Kennedy, aprominent opponentofvaccinations. He did so based on aseries of promises —several of which RFK Jr.has failed to fulfill. Agastroenterologist, Cassidy strongly supports vaccines. Cassidy didn’tcall out Kennedy or even mention his name when the nation’shealth chief canceled $500 million in fundingtodevelop mRNAvaccines or when Kennedy ruled only the elderly and people at high risk should get the COVID vaccine. Whenever asked about Kennedy straying from of his pledgesnot to undermine vaccinations, Cassidy advocates parents and patients consult with their physicianabout the need for aparticular vaccine.
The latestoath that went sidewayswas theCenters for Disease Controland Prevention, which is part of Kennedy’sDepartment of Health& Human Services. The CDC lastweekposted on its website that despite well-established science,vaccines might cause autism.
“Helied to you,” CNN’sJake TappersaidSundayto Cassidy
“You want meto be on the record saying something negative,” Cassidy responded. “I don’tthink the tit for tat is what peopleare allabout.”
Cassidy told POLITICO: “Vaccines have no role with autism.”
Cassidy wrote on X: “Weneed to understand the real causes of autism. Studies show there’sagenetic predisposition when amom who’s pregnant is exposedtoenvironmental toxins whichcan increase achild’sriskofautism. It’sdeeply troubling that, according to HHS officials, they appeared to have canceledhundreds of millions in research on autism genetics. Redirecting attentiontofactorswe definitely knowDONOT causeautism deniesfamiliesthe answers
theydeserve.”
On Tuesday,the healthdepartment tapped Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abrahamtobethe CDC’ssecond-highestranking official. Aformer congressmanand gubernatorial candidate, Abraham forbade theLouisiana Department of Health from promoting vaccinations and has said he’d support investigating thelink between vaccines and autism Cassidy noted Wednesday that he’sknown Abraham for along time.
“I am hopeful that thetwo of us as doctors can continue to engage in science-based conversations to protect children, including vaccinating children to prevent measles, whooping cough and hepatitis,” Cassidy said.
Garret Graves co-chairs newAIindustry group
Former Baton Rouge U.S. Rep. GarretGravesisco-chair of a newly launched AI Infrastructure Coalition.
AIIC is pushing artificial intelligence policies and supporting President Donald Trump’sAIActionPlan. Released in July,Trump’splan is aroad map of targeted incentives and streamlined regulations to help build the emerging industry around computerslearning and performing tasks on their own without specifically being pro-
grammed by humans.
“America faces acritical choice: win the AI race against China and reap the rewards —orallow China to exportthe technology of the future,” Gravessaid in astatement withco-chair formerArizona U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. “Victory demands an all-hands effort to securethe energy and regulatory environment needed for continued prosperity.”
ensure that we can power (data centers) in away that’sreliable and affordable.”
Meta is building a$10 billion artificial intelligence data center on 2,250-acres of Richland Parish. Project Hyperion is expected to create about 500 well-paying jobs in the northeast Louisiana region, where more than half the population struggles to afford basic necessities.
The Coalition’s membersare companies from semiconductor manufacturers, datacenter operators, developers and other aspects needed to cultivate artificial intelligence. The idea is for the companies to work together to shape the future of AI policy Entergy,ExxonMobil are part of the group as is Google and Meta.
AIIC also aimstorespond to growing criticism about how the nascent AI industry is being formed.
Twodays after the group’s launch at an exclusive soiree near the White House, Graves was on FoxNews saying: “The Trump administration is exactly right. They have put an AI Czar in place, they’ve got executive orders in place, and are aggressively pursuing areversal of the flawed Biden administration energy policies to
But the effort also has drawn sharp questions.
To attract the project, Louisiana legislators reworked tax incentives without producing an official cost estimate. Entergy is building new electricity generators to service the facility,for which all its utility customers will be expected to pay
During his decade representing south Baton Rouge and environs, Graves developed areputation for getting in the weeds of complex issues. AWhite Republican, he stepped down in January after choosing not to run for reelection in 2024.
The Louisiana Legislature chose to redraw his 6th Congressional Districtwith amajority of Black voters who tend to favor Democratic candidates.
The U.S. Supreme Court is considering whetherthe Legislature’s redistricting complied with the Constitution. The high court will decide the redistricting case by June.
Providers point to rising insurance, supply costs
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO
Staff writer
Rochelle Wilcox has long touted the importance of early childhood education.
A nearly 30-year veteran in the industry, Wilcox opened her first day care inside her house in New Orleans’ Lower 9th Ward in 2004. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, her husband used his retirement savings to finance a new center, which the couple opened in New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood a year later under the name Wilcox Academy
Since then, Wilcox has managed to open two more day care centers in the area for children as young as 2 months and afterschool care to kids up to 10 years. The expansion is a rare feat in Louisiana, which has seen the number of child care options for local communities dwindle in recent years.
The majority of the state’s child care centers face a financial crisis, with nearly 8 in 10 providers saying in a recent survey that they are unsure if they can keep their doors open for the next six months, according to a recent report by the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. Most pointed to a rapid rise in insurance and supply costs as the reason why.
Wilcox says her own premiums have more than tripled in just a few years, forcing her to reduce the maximum pay she offers her most experienced staff.
“Centers are closing,” said Wilcox, who co-founded For Provid-
Rochelle Wilcox
ers By Providers, which supports and advocates for early education providers. “Parents are not getting what they need and our children are not entering school prepared.”
To ease the burden on providers, Wilcox argues, Louisiana must direct more state funding to early childhood education. That would help providers hire more workers, raise salaries and expand the number of children they can serve, she said The Advocate | The Times-Picayune recently spoke with Wilcox about why affordable early child care is vital for families and how to better support providers.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity
Why is early education so important for young children?
Early care and education is about social emotional learning and skills. You’re giving them the
tools, the language they need to manage their feelings. You’re reacting to what they need socially as well as academically
It’s important that when kids get to K-12 (schools), they’re good citizens. They understand boundaries. They can talk and tell somebody when they’re frustrated. They can be advocates for themselves instead of using their hands because they don’t have the words to articulate how they’re feeling.
Providers can also let parents know if their children aren’t meeting their milestones. We can catch it early, and early intervention is key The earlier we get them that intervention, the less likely they are to need it when they get to K-12. Sometimes a kid is behind but it isn’t caught until they’re in kindergarten, and at that point, the intervention they need can take longer What are the biggest challenges you’re currently facing as an early education provider?
(Our centers) used to pay $16$25 an hour, but we had to lower that to $16-$23 an hour because we just can’t afford it, mostly because our insurance has tripled.
Across our three early learning centers, our general liability insurance alone went from about $6,700 a year to $21,000. It’s unmanageable.
In New Orleans, we’re blessed because there are several public funding sources, including a millage tax (passed in 2022) that generates about $21 million annually for early childhood education. We’re also part of the Early Head
Start program (federally funded early education for children under 3 from low-income families), and we take private pay, so I’m able to make it work by using all of that funding to subsidize the things we need inside of our centers.
Other parishes don’t have that kind of funding. There are some that literally just survive on private pay and Child Care Assistance (a state program that helps low-income parents pay for child care).
How are early education providers being impacted by rising costs?
What we’re seeing is that providers are not paying themselves. They’re paying their staff, then they’re trying to pay all of their bills. If there’s anything left, then they’ll take maybe an owner’s draw or a small stipend for themselves.
I say all the time, “What business do you go into that you are expected to still live in poverty?”
Most of our providers across the state are living in poverty because they see the need in the community and want to help. They know this is about brain development. They know this is something that’s going to get our economy working, yet nobody respects that.
Why is state funding for early education so crucial?
There are centers that are struggling because they can’t charge families what they need to because families can’t afford it.
The true cost of care for an infant is about $20,000 a year Sometimes it’s even more than
WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THE STATE HOW TO TACKLE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING LOUISIANA SCHOOLS.
what it would cost for a semester in college. But on average, we can’t charge that. We might charge $12,000 a year or $10,000 or $8,000, but you can’t run an early learning center off those margins.
Child care, in some instances, can be over 50% of a parent’s salary It’s one of the highest expenses for a family And so, without financial help, parents have to decide: Do I stay home and educate my little person, or do I go back to work and see half my salary taken by child care?
What can be done to ease the
Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate.com.
MississippiCoast’s largestChristmas lights display opensfor business
BY POET WOLFE Staff writer
The day after Thanksgiving, nearly 2million lights will illuminate Gulfport’sJones Park and its nearby harbor in ashow billed as Mississippi’slargest holiday display
The annual Harbor Lights Winter Festival runs through Dec. 31, closing only on Christmas Eve, with hours from 5:30 to 10:30p.m. Launched in 2015, the eventhas growninbothscaleand attendance, reflecting the Mississippi Gulf Coast’sbroader tourism boom in recent years.And this year,the city is expectingeven larger crowds, especially now that Gulfport —the state’s second largest city —isone of five stops along the Amtrak MardiGras Line that debuted this summer
Thefestival has long drawn in locals and tourists from nearby cities like New Orleans, about a 90-minutedriveaway.But in recent years, it’s attracted visitors from as far as northern Mississippi and Mobile,Alabama, according to Ravin Floyd Nettles, thecommunity and marketing manager forthe City of Gulfport.
“It’sanattraction notonly for Gulfport, but forthe entire Coast,” Nettles said,“Families really just taking the opportunity, especially on aweekend, with kids to comeand celebrate that Christmas magic
SinceOctober,the city has been building out thedisplay,filling Jones Parkwith glittering red andgreen tunnels, anew light figure shaped like acrab, amassive glowing ornament and “dancing” Christmas treesthat moveinsync to holiday music. Therewillalso be carnival rides, warmingbooths and food and beverages madeby local vendors, including apizzeria, amobile coffee bar and a candy shop
The event plays asignificant role in the localtourism economy,draw-
ing visitors to boutique hotels and downtown restaurants, as wellas otherseasonalattractions at the Mississippi Aquarium and TrainTastic, atrain museum, in Gulfport.
“There’s just things foreverybody to do to enjoy,” Nettles said, “And let that little magic go throughout the night after you leave the festival as well.”
Because of its regional draw she recommends visiting Monday throughThursday to ease parking headaches and tobypass thelong linesofchildrenwaiting to meet Santa.
Free parking is available at the Coast Transit Authority parking garage, where shuttleswill take guests to and from the show every 15 to 30 minutes at no cost.
Tickets must be reservedonline.Admissionis$15 foradults on weekdays and during theweek after Christmas; $5 for children ages of 4and 12; and free for children 3and under.Adult tickets cost $20 on Fridays and Saturdays, except after Christmas. Email PoetWolfe at poet. wolfe@theadvocate.com
BY MARYPEREZ Sun Herald
Twofamily-run Southern eateriesclosedthis month afteryears of feeding po-boys and catfish to generations of hungry diners.
“After nearly35years of serving the Coast, Ihave madethe difficult decision to close the Deli,” Rena’sDeliownerRenaSimmons posted on Facebook. Her last day wasNov.20atthe sandwichshop tucked downtownnear Biloxi City Hall at 131 Lameuse St. Thirty minutesawayinJackson County,Crazy Sisters Catfish Cabin on Mississippi 57 in Vancleave closed Nov.3.The restaurant moved in 2022 fromasmall place on BallPark Road to the big log cabin on the highway,about a10 minutedrive from Ocean Springs.
People in southMississippi say they want more family restaurants with good,Southern cooking. But keeping them going is achallenge, withnew restaurants opening every week to add to the competition and food prices high. Rena’sDeli wasopen forlunchonly Monday through Thursday,and Crazy Sisters was open Thursday through Sunday
Rena’s Deli
It wasahard decision to close, theowners said, and manyoftheir fans stoppedinfor onelastmeal andtosay goodbye.
Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilichsaluted Rena (pronounced Rene) Simmons with aproclamation that spelledout howimportant her business was to the city
“Rena’sDeliwas more thana lunchspot —itwas asliceofBiloxi’sstory,” he said. “In acity that’schanged and rebuilt time andagain,Rena’sDeliremained steady —a reminder that good food, good people and alittle Gulf Coastcharm never go out of style.”
Simmons opened in 1991 and “thought to myself,ifIcan just make it 10 years, Iwould be so happy,” shesaid recently on Face-
book.“Iwould’venever guessed thatmytiny little restaurant would become aBiloxi staple for the next 34½ years.”
More than 100 people replied to herannouncement, talking about their favorite sandwich and the red beans and rice special on Monday
“Notonly hasRena’sDelihad the best lunch but the mostwonderful people,” one person commented.
“It’ssimple, it’ssmall, but alot of love is showninthis place,” another said.
Rena’sDeli was described as “a word-of-mouth” placewith25 seatsand aBiloxilighthousemural on the wall in a2003 Biloxi Sun Herald article.
“My philosophy is quick-andeasy,” the owner said. “We’re here for peopleina hurry because most people who workdowntownhave only ahalf-hour forlunch. It’s about 50-50 forthose whotake out and those whoeat in.”
CrazySisters Catfish Cabin
Tara Herrin said she waited too long to increase prices on the menu at Crazy Sisters Catfish Cabin as food costs continued to rise.
“That’sone thing Ididn’twant to do. The economy is so bad,” she said, “and Iwant everyone to be able to afford to come in and enjoy anight out.”
Still, Herrin had to makethe “emotional”decision to close as food costs continue to rise.
Herrinisleaving herlog cabin eaterybehind to focusonher other job.
“It’shardtomanagea full-time joband the restaurant,” she said. “So Imade the decision to close the restaurant.”
The community commented on how the restaurant gave local teens their first jobs and madea differenceintheir lives. Theytalked about going to the restaurant after Sunday church, the gumbo and “the best salad bar around.” “Ithas been atrue blessing serving all of you,” Herrin said.
BY NICOLE WINFIELD, ANDREW WILKS and SUZAN FRASER Associated Press
ISTANBUL Pope LeoXIV visited Istanbul’siconic Blue Mosque on Saturdaybut didn’tstop to pray,ashefocused more on bolstering ties with Orthodox patriarchs and promoting courageous stepsfor Eastern andWestern churches to be united. Leo took his shoes off and, in his white socks, toured the 17th-century mosque, looking up at its soaring tiled domes and the Arabic inscriptions on its columns as an imam pointedthem out to him.
The Vatican had saidLeo would observe ment of silent the mosque, but An imam of AsginTunca,s vited Leo to pray mosque was “Al but the pope decli Later,Vatica Matteo Bruni popeexperienc to the mosque aspirit of contemplatio listening, with for the place of those who gather prayer.”
Leo, history’ can pope, was the footstepso predecessors, high-profile visits tan Ahmed Mosqu officially known, of respect to Tu lim majority
Site visits rais
But the visits ways raised ques whether the pray in the Muslim worship, or at pause to gather meditative silence.
When Pope Benedict XVI visited Turkeyin2006, tensions were high because Benedict had offended
pray.The Holy See had to correct theofficialrecord of the visit after it originally kept the planned reference
macy of thepope. While ties have warmed, theyremain divided and otherschisms
have formed.
“It is our shared desire to continue the process of exploringapossiblesolution for celebrating together the Feast of Feasts every year,” the joint statement said, referring to Easter
The Vatican said in his remarks to the patriarchs gathered,Leo pointedto the next Holy Year to be celebrated by Christians, in 2033 on the anniversary of Christ’scrucifixion, and invited them to go to Jerusalem on “a journey that leads to full unity.”
Leo’sfinal event was a Catholic Mass in Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena forthe country’sCatholic community,who number 33,000 in a country of morethan 85 million people, most of whom are Sunni Muslim Renato Maraiwas among agroup of 26 visitors from Florence, Italy,who traveled to Istanbul to see the pope.
“It’swonderful to see him on his first foreign trip, areally importantmomentfor our group,” he said.
Tarcin Unlu, meanwhile, wasamong many Turkish attendees, arecent convert to Christianityfrom Islam. “I becameChristian because Ithought it was the best religionfor me butmyfamily is definitelynot happy,” Unlu said. Herfriend,Rodrick Nuel, originally fromNigeria’s Biafra region but now living in northern Cyprus, said the papal visitsenta “a powerfulmessage forthe global Christian community.”
“Also,asTurkeyis99.9% Muslim and just 0.1% Christian, it shows the pope is reaching out to other religions as well,” he added. Leo is scheduledtofly fromIstanbul to Beirut on Sundayafternoon forthe second leg of his inaugural trip as pope.
BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
LONDON British playwright TomStoppard,a playful,probingdramatist who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998’s “ShakespeareinLove,” has died. He was 88. In astatement Saturday, United Agents said the Czech-born Stoppard —often hailed as the greatest British playwright of his generation —died “peacefully” at his home in Dorset in southwest England, surrounded by his family.
“He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity,and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language,” they said. “It was an honor to work with Tom and to know him.”
Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger was among
those paying tribute,callingStoppard “a giantofthe English theater,both highly intellectualand very funny in all hisplays andscripts Brain-teasingplays Overasix-decade career, Stoppard’s brain-teasing plays fo rt heater,radio andscreen ranged from Shakespeare and science to philosophy and the historic tragedies of the20th century
cret of his plays was their “mixture of language, knowledge andfeeling. It’s those threethings in gear togetherwhich make him so remarkable.”
Five of them won Tony Awards forbestplay: “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern AreDead”in1968; “Travesties” in 1976; “TheReal Thing” in 1984; “TheCoast of Utopia” in 2007; and “Leopoldstadt” in 2023. Stoppard biographer Hermione Leesaidthe se-
The writer was born Tomás Sträusslerin1937 to aJewish family in Zlín in what was then Czechoslovakia.His father wasadoctor for theBata shoe company, and when Nazi Germany invaded in 1939 the family fled to Singapore, whereBata had afactory In late1941, as Japanese forces closed in on the city state,Tomas, his brother andtheir mother fledagain, this time to India. Hisfather stayed behind and later died when his ship was attacked. In 1946 his mother married an Englishofficer,Kenneth Stoppard, andthe family moved to threadbare postwar Britain. The 8-year-old Tom“put on Englishness like acoat,” he later said, grow-
BY SOPHIE BATES Associated Press
The barn in Mississippi where 14-year-old Emmett Till was tortured and killed will open to the public as a“sacred” memorial site by 2030, the new owner announced.
The Emmett Till Interpretive Center disclosed late Sunday that it had purchased the barn located in arural area outside the city of Drew aided by a$1.5 million donation from television producer and writer Shonda Rhimes.
“Wethink thatwhere the worst harmshave happened, the most healing is possible,” ETIC Executive Director Patrick Weems said
The center plans to open the barn as amemorial ahead of the 75th anniversaryof Till’slynching in 1955.
TwoWhite men publicly confessed to thekilling after being acquitted byan
all-White jury in Mississippi laterthat year,but aJustice Department report released in 2021 said at leastone more, unnamed personwas involvedin Till’sabduction. Experts who’ve studiedthe case believe others participated,froma half-dozen to more than14.
Till was abductedfrom hisgreat-uncle’shome on Aug. 28, 1955, after theChicago teenager was accused of whistlingata White woman in arural Mississippi grocery store. According to accounts, the men took Till to the barn, where they tortured and killedhim. His body was later foundinthe Tallahatchie River. At Till’sfuneral, his mother insisted on an open casket so the public could see the state of her son’sbattered body.Itwas apivotal moment in theemerging Civil Rights Movement.
Weemssaid hehopesopening the barn to thepublic
will encourage people to ask questions about adarkchapterinAmerican history
“Have we done enough? Is there justiceyet? Has our society moved in the direction of human rights so that this sort of thing never happens?” Weems said. The center will have the barn under 24-hour surveillance, and the property will be equippedwith floodlights and security cameras, Weems said, calling those measures precautionary Ahistorical marker,erected whereTill’sbody was discovered, has been replaced threetimes after being vandalized. Thefirst marker was stolen and thrown into the river in 2008. The secondwas shot more than 100 times by 2014. It was replaced in 2018, and shotanother 35 times Now themarkeristhe only bulletproof historical marker in the country,according to Weems
ing up to be aquintessential Englishman wholoved cricket and Shakespeare. Tragedyand humor He wrote playsfor radio andtelevision including “A Walk on theWater,” televised in 1963, and made his stage breakthrough with “Rosencrantzand Guildenstern Are Dead,” which reimagined Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”fromthe viewpoint of two hapless minor characters. Amix of tragedy and absurdist humor,it premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1966 and wasstagedatBritain’sNational Theatre, then run by LaurenceOlivier,before moving to Broadway Astream of exuberant, innovative plays followed, including meta-whodunnit “The Real Inspector Hound” (first staged in 1968); “Jumpers” (1972), ablend of physical andphilosophical gym-
nastics, and “Travesties” (1974),which set intellectuals including James Joyce andVladimirLenin colliding in Zurich during World WarI He often played with time and structure. “The Real Thing” (1982) wasa poignant romantic comedy about love and deception that featuredplays within a play,while “Arcadia” (1993) moved between the modern era andthe early19th century,where characters at an Englishcountry house debated poetry,gardening and chaos theory as fate had its waywith them
Stoppard began the 21st century with“The Coastof Utopia” (2002), an epic trilogy about pre-revolutionary Russian intellectuals, and drewonhis own background for “Rock ’n’ Roll” (2006), which contrasted the fates of the1960scounterculture in Britain and in Communist Czechoslovakia.
Stoppard also wrote many radio plays, anovel, television series including “Parade’sEnd” (2013) and many filmscreenplays. These included dystopian Terry Gilliam comedy “Brazil” (1985), Steven Spielberg-directed war drama “Empire of the Sun”(1987),Elizabethan romcom “Shakespearein Love” (1998) —for which he and Marc Norman shared a best adapted screenplay Oscar —code breaking thriller “Enigma”and Russianepic “Anna Karenina” (2012). He also wroteand directed a1990 film adaptation of “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” and translated numerous works into English.
Stoppard also hada sideline as aHollywood script doctor,lending sparkletothe dialogue of movies including “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and the Star Wars film “Revenge of the Sith.”
BY SOPHIE AUSTIN Associated Press
SACRAMENTO, Calif. On a recent day at Sacramento native LechoLopez’s comic shop in thecity, his5-yearold nephew readhis first word aloud: “bad.” It was from agraphic novel.
There was irony in that being his first word, because Lopez credits comic books with many positive things in his life. That is why he supports repealing acity ordinance datingbackto1949 that bars the distribution of many comic books to kidsand teens. It is not enforced today
“It’sasilly law,” said Lopez, who has ared-and-black tattoo of the Superman logo on his forearm, in an interview at his store, JLA Comics. “A lot of good things come out of comic books.”
ACity Council committee unanimously voted earlier this month to advance the repeal and designate the third week of Septemberas“Sacramento Comic Book Week.”
It now heads to the fullcouncil for avote. The ban prohibits distributing comic books prominently featuring an account of crimethat show images of illegalactssuch as arson, murder or rape to anyone under 18.
In the mid-20th century, as comic books were on the rise, fears spread over their impact on children, with some arguing they could lead to illiteracyorinspire violent crime. The industry decided to regulate itself, and local governments from Los Angeles County to Lafayette, Louisiana passed bans to shield certain comics from young people. While some cities like Sacramento still have those laws on thebooks, they are rarely if ever enforced.
Now,proponents of repealing the Sacramento law say it is necessarytoreflectthe value of comics and help protectagainst amodern wave of book bans Comic book author Eben Burgoon, who started apeti-
tion to overturn Sacramento’sban, saidcomics “have this really valuable ability to speak truth to power.”
“These antiquated laws kind of setupthisjeopardy where bad actors could work hard to make this medium imperiled,” he said at a hearing recently held by the city council’sLaw and Legislation Committee.
Sacramentoisagreat placetodevote aweek to celebratingcomics,Burgoonsaid. The city hasa “wonderful” comicbook community,hesaid,and hosts CrockerCon, acomics showcaseata local artmuseum, every year Sam Helmick, president of the American Library Association, said “there is no good reason”tohavea ban such as Sacramento’s on thebooks, saying it “flies in the face of modernFirst Amendmentnorms.”
The movement to censor comics decades ago was not an aberration in U.S. history, saidJeffTrexler,interim director of the ComicBook Legal Defense Fund, which fightstoprotect the freespeech rights of people who read or make comics. NewYork,for example,
createda commission in the 1920s dedicated to reviewing films to determine whether theyshould be licensed for public viewing, based on whether they were “obscene” or “sacrilegious” and could “corrupt morals” or “incite crime,” according to thestate archives.
“Every time there’s anew medium or anew way of distributingamedium, there is an outrage and an attemptto suppressit,” Trexler said.
The California Supreme Court ruled in 1959 that a Los Angeles Countypolicy banning thesale of so-called “crime” comic books to minors was unconstitutional because it was too broad. Sacramento’sban probably doesn’tpass muster for the samereason, Trexler said.
There is not alot of recent research on whether there is alink between comic books andviolent behavior, said ChristopherFerguson, a professor of psychology at Stetson University in Florida.But, he said, similarresearch into television and video games has not shown alinkto“clinically relevant changes in youth aggression or violent behavior.”
Leafing through comics
like EC Comics’ “Epitaphs from the Abyss” and DC’s and Marvel’scollaboration
“Batman/Deadpool,” Lopez showed an Associated Pressreporter imagesof characters smashing the windshield of acar,smacking someone across the face and attacking Batman using bows and arrows—the kinds of scenes thatmight be regulatedifSacramento’s ban wereenforced.
But comics withplotlines that include violence can contain positive messages, said Benjamin Morse, amedia studies lecturer at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
“Spider-Manisa very mature concept,”saidMorse, who became an “X-Men” fan as akid andlater workedat Marvelfor 10 years. “It’sa kid who’slost his parents, his uncle dies to violence and he vowstobasically be responsible.”
Lopez’smother bought him his first comic book, “UltimateSpider-Man #1,” when
he was around 9years old, he said. But it was “Kingdom Come,” acomic featuring DC’s Justice League, that changed his life at ayoung age, with its “hyperrealistic” art that looked like nothing he hadever seen before,he said. He said his interest in comic books helped him avoid getting involved with gangs growing up. Theyalsoimproved his readingskills as someone with dyslexia. “The only thing that Iwas really able to read that helped me absorb the information was comic books because you had avisual aid to help you explain what was going on in the book,” Lopez said. And acomic book can offer so muchmore, Burgoon said at this month’shearing.
“It makes imaginative thinkers,” he said. “It does notmakewidespread delinquency.Itdoes not make societal harm.”
‘Every day, we’ll have to work on new efficiencies’
BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer
Mayor-elect Helena Moreno doesn’t take over as New Orleans’ chief executive until Jan. 12, but as the City Council vice president and the city’s de facto leader, she’s taken an outsized role in crafting City Hall’s budget for next year.
On Tuesday she unveiled what she described as a “really tough budget” that includes nearly $150 million in cuts and would furlough more than 700 nonpublic-safety, nonessential services city workers one day per pay period. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the proposal on Monday
After she released her plan Moreno and members of her transition sat down with The Times-Picayune’s reporters and editors in a conference room at the Greater New Orleans Foundation to discuss the proposal, how the spending cuts will affect her ability to fulfill the promises she made on the campaign trail, and what she’s learned during the transition.
This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity
Your campaign had a number of priorities, mostly focused around improving quality of life and infrastructure. When you have to make these kinds of cuts, it slows that down How are you weighing that and what do you want voters to know?
The main issues that we’ve seen with this previous administration weren’t necessarily money issues. They were lack of leadership and lack of real management, and that’s going to be the real difference with my team. On the campaign trail, I talked about coordination, collaboration and urgency That doesn’t require money That just requires the
right leadership and getting everybody into a room and holding everybody accountable.
One of the things that I promised during my campaign was that I wanted to hire 100 new Department of Public Works employees to be the ones who are responsible for the routine street maintenance. Right now, we’re outsourcing that to different contractors, and it’s projected that that’s several million dollars extra that we’re spending every year As I scale back the contracts, I’ll build up that workforce.
This budget is just a starting point. Every day, we’ll have to work on new efficiencies and new plans for revenue
enhancement.
The budget you proposed utilizes every cent of revenue for operations, leaving none leftover for the fund balance. How do you plan to build that fund balance back up?
Obviously I wish I was already in office, but I’m not. But I’m already moving forward on things that I’m hoping will come to fruition very quickly in the beginning of my administration, including the disposition of some of our city properties and renegotiation of some leases that we have here in the city
We’ve got some major leases, predominantly in the downtown area, that we
Some decry zoo’s ‘tone deaf’ statement defending membership increase
BY CHAD CALDER Staff writer
The Audubon Nature Institute is facing a backlash from some members after doubling the price of its annual membership, which allows families to visit the zoo, the aquarium and other attractions throughout the year
Audubon issued a statement on social media Thursday morning defending the increase, which had come to light as members became aware of the changes as they showed up on Audubon’s web page for its 15% off holiday sale.
The price of a family membership is now $425 for two adults and two children and $500 for two adults and up to four children. Individual and dual memberships are $125 and $240, respectively, and it now costs $625 for a krewe membership.
The changes apply for gift memberships and take effect upon renewal.
The previous pricing is no longer indicated on the site, though members said the price of their family memberships doubled without notice.
Megan Olsen, who lives in the French Quarter with her husband and three children, said her family have been members for a decade and last paid $247, including taxes and fees, for a membership that would now cost $527 with taxes and fees.
Shopping center includes Whole Foods ä See AUDUBON, page 8B
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
The shopping center at 300 North Broad St. that is home to a Whole Foods Market has been sold by its longtime nonprofit owners to a family of Marksville investors, who say they plan to continue operating the center as a health hub for the area.
Site set for mixed-income apartments
BY BOB WARREN Staff writer
Construction
Drive for the Capstone at Covington Place, the complex being developed by the Banyan Foundation, a Birmingham, Alabama, group that has developed affordable and mixed-income sites across the southeast, including Baton Rouge and Lake Charles.
While apartment complex proposals in St.
Lowe’s Home Improvement big box store in an area that is already dotted with commercial developments. Bailey Coats, the development manager for the project, said the site was chosen due to its current zoning, which allows multifamily, and its proximity to the bustling U.S 190 commercial corridor north of Interstate 12. The apartments, she said, will
“complement” the existing businesses. She said the Banyan Foundation doesn’t develop sites where it will generate neighborhood opposition.
“If they don’t want it, we don’t want to step on anyone’s toes,” Coats said.
The development is using around $15 million in federal grant funding administered through the state of Louisiana to aid areas impacted by Hurricane Work starts on $31M complex near Covington
Broad Community Connections, the New Orleans nonprofit that developed the center in 2014 as a way to bring fresh food to the area and spur neighborhood revitalization, finalized the sale of the property to brothers Byron and Jacques Goudeau on Friday The price was not disclosed. The Goudeaus have extensive business interests in truck stops, convenience stores, video poker and RV resorts, according to information provided by the family They also operate several nonprofits, including an early childhood learning center, and established Main Street Marksville, a downtown revitalization initiative.
Flight instructor had big influence on others
BY ANITA LEE Sun Herald
Professional
Dickey, 30, had a big
ence on others before her life
Monday when the Cessna Skyhawk she was aboard plunged into Lake Pontchartrain.
She had worked since June 2024 as a contract
instructor with Apollo Flight Training and Aircraft Management, based at Million Air terminal at the GulfportBiloxi International Airport.
Dickey and her young student, who has not been officially identified, flew out of Gulfport at 5:43 p.m. Monday, according to FlightAware
Aviation Co.
The Lakefront Airport in New Orleans, where they were headed, lost track of the Cessna about 4 miles north of the airport. A search for the plane was suspended Wednesday afternoon. It is unclear whether Dickey or the student was piloting the plane because they trade seats during training flights.
The student, a Navy Seabee, also had built up a considerable number of hours, said Mark Carastro, Apollo’s owner.
Dickey moved to Biloxi to go to work as a contractor at Apollo in June 2024.
Her parents also relocated from North Carolina to Biloxi, said Dickey’s friend and fellow pilot Alice Furr, of Ocean Springs
Both Dickey and her parents, Randy and Peggy Dickey, shared her strong Christian faith, said Apollo owner Michael Carastro who verified her identity with their permission. Her parents were too grief-stricken to speak Friday But Randy Dickey, who is also a pilot, sent a text message that he said Carastro could share:
“We know that God is good, even when we have to walk through the valley Taylor loved flying She loved seeing God’s beauty flying over the ocean and bays. Seeing the sunsets and the sun rises. Peggy loved hearing her tell us about it
“… Best of all, knowing that she trusted Jesus brings us great peace and great hope, and knowing that we
will see her again …”
Taylor Dickey was all about sharing the profession she loved, especially with other women and girls.
“Taylor did some great things, and she was really loved,” said Alice Furr, who met Dickey through Apollo. “She made an impact.”
She said that Dickey always stepped up to volunteer for aviation events and was a founding member and chapter president of the Bayou Beacons Chapter of Women in Aviation International.
“As a dedicated certified flight instructor,” she wrote on her LinkedIn profile, “I focus on supporting the growth and development of aspiring pilots.”
Dickey had recently organized the chapter’s Girls in Aviation Day at Trent Lott Airport. She also helped out fellow Apollo instruc-
tor Furr, who serves as the NOLA Chapter president of The Ninety-Nines Inc. International Organization of Women Pilots.
Dickey, a chapter member, volunteered in the spring for the organization’s Let’s Fly Now! event that took on free flights women and girls interested in aviation.
“I could always count on her to volunteer for any events,” Furr said. “Taylor always went above and beyond for her students and for anyone in aviation.”
Furr described Dickey as “passionate and dedicated.”
Dickey even took students on tours of the airport’s air traffic control tower, although she was not paid to do so. She was easygoing and a friend to everyone she met, Furr said.
Carastro is also devastated over losing Dickey
BY QUINN COFFMAN
Staff writer
William Jenkins, who twice served as LSU president including during a crucial transition period in 2012, has died at 88. In addition to being a longstanding leader of both the Baton Rouge campus and the larger LSU system, Jenkins was an academic who served as the dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine and coauthored more than 60 scientific articles. A Saturday social media post from LSU announced Jenkins’ death, describing him as a “consummate Tiger a visionary leader and a beloved member of the LSU family whose life and career shaped our univer-
sity for decades.”
“Today, we remember and celebrate a remarkable life defined by service, compassion, leadership, and unwavering dedication to LSU and to the people of Louisiana. May his legacy continue to inspire future generations of Tigers,” LSU’s statement read Born in 1937 on a farm in South Africa, Jenkins earned his veterinary medicine degree at the University of Pretoria before coming to the U.S. to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in 1970. He first came to LSU in 1988 to serve as dean of the School of Veterinary Medi-
cine after years as an educator at Texas A&M, according to the School of Veterinary Medicine.
During his time as an educator, Jenkins lectured more than 200 times nationally and internationally He specialized in veterinary pharmacology, therapeutics and physiology
In addition to Jenkins’ articles, he coauthored a textbook on veterinary pharmacology In 1993, Jenkins became provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs before eventually serving as chancellor in 1996. As chancellor, Jenkins led the strategic reorganization
of the main campus administration to make it more efficient and responsive, efforts that were major factors in the later crafting of LSU’s Flagship Agenda, according to the veterinary school.
In 1999, Jenkins became the fourth system president of LSU. His tenure was marked by challenges, including the destruction of LSU institutions in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
While faced with a fiscal crisis and deep budget cuts that disrupted academic programs and forced the furloughs of thousands of LSU employees, Jenkins pressed for calm and reflective responses to the calamities from state education officials, according to a bio
from the School of Veterinary Medicine. These actions led to the rapid reopening of the university system’s urban research campus and its health care professional schools in New Orleans. While retiring as president emeritus in 2007, Jenkins returned to assist the university as interim president and chancellor during the “crucial transitional period” of 2012 to 2013 when the school faced millions of dollars in budget cuts. Jenkins earned a number of academic, charitable and public service awards during his tenure: n Communicator of the Year awarded by the Public Relations Association of Louisiana
He said that she and her family are just “very special people.”
Carastro realized that Dickey and her student did not survive the plunge into Lake Pontchartrain when U.S. Coast Guard searchers showed him a photograph of the debris field late Monday evening. He also knew from markings on the debris that the plane was Apollo’s Cessna.
The Coast Guard suspended its search on Wednesday afternoon, having received assistance from multiple agencies. The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the crash.
“To have such a bright future gone is just absolutely devastating to everyone in the Apollo family and to her family,” Carastro said.
n Distinguished Alumnus given by the University of Missouri n Communication and Leadership Award, presented by the regional chapter of Toastmasters International n Vision of Excellence Award 2000 by the New Orleans Regional Chamber of Commerce and the New Orleans Chapter of MetroVision n Honorary doctorate from his alma mater, the University of Pretoria, bestowed on Jenkins in September 2000 n Volunteer of the Year Award by the Southern Economic Development Conference in 2004. Jenkins is survived by his wife Peggy, his four children and their grandchildren.
Continued from page 1B
In a statement, the brothers said they intend to honor the center’s long-term leases, which, in addition to Whole Foods, include several nonprofits focused on health, education and nutrition.
“As a mission-driven owner, we embrace the responsibility that comes with investing in this central hub of community efforts,” the statement said. The brothers said they also intend to find “complementary tenants” to fill a space in the building vacated earlier this summer by Liberty’s Kitchen and plan to make repairs to the structure.
“We feel that our role as a property owner is to be an active participant in the betterment of the facility,” the statement said.
A good fit
Broad Community Connec-
tions is a Main Street organization, part of a broad network of nonprofits focused on revitalizing downtown and inner-city corridors through economic development programs and preservation. Founded in 2008, the organization has centered on North Broad Street and Bayou Road.
In 2011, it bought the 60,000-square-foot former Schwegmann’s Supermarket for $2.4 million with help from the city and another nonprofit partner, L+M De-
velopment Partners, a New York-based firm that specializes in low-income and market-rate housing.
It converted the property into the $20 million ReFresh Project, a health hub whose other tenants included the Goldring Center for Culinary Medicine, FirstLine Schools and Boys Town, as well as Liberty’s Kitchen, which trained young people to work in the hospitality and food-service sectors. The idea, Broad Community’s Executive Director Dasjon Jordan said, was to bring together nonprofits that all had “some kind of impact across the social determinants of public health.”
In 2020, another nonprofit, Alembic Community Development, which specializes in affordable housing development, bought out L+M’s stake in the project and has co-owned it with Broad Community ever since.
Alembic Principal Jonathan Leit said his group had been approached about selling the property several times over the years, but that none of the interested buyers was a good fit.
The Goudeaus, in contrast, were aligned with Broad Community’s and Alembic’s mission for maintaining a hub that will serve the neighborhood’s needs on many levels.
“They were a good fit,” Leit said. “They are committed to doing this right.”
The Goudeaus said in their statement they hope to “honor the work that has already
Continued from page 1B
Ida, Coats said. She said rents will fluctuate depending on income levels. Six percent of the units will be marketed to renters with annual incomes of less than $30,000 or less; 40% will be marketed to renters making $30,000$50,000; and 54% marketed to renters making $60,000$80,000.
“It is truly a mixed-income development,” Coats said.
Coats said the developers’ study of the region showed that the mixed-income
been done, and to grow genuine relationships with the nonprofits, companies, and community organizations that call the property home.”
‘Ongoing conversation’
When Broad Community Connections first bought the property in 2011, the city was in the throes of a post-Hurricane Katrina revitalization that was bringing back longneglected corridors across the city
St. Claude Avenue, Oretha Castle Haley Boulevard, Freret Street and South Rampart Street all were showing signs of new life, signaling hope for the city’s future.
Jeff Schwartz, then Broad Community Connection’s executive director who went on to serve as the city’s economic development director under Mayor LaToya Cantrell, suggested North Broad could be next, saying in 2012, “We want to make Broad Street a place where people want to linger and mingle.”
More than a decade later, Jordan said the organization and the ReFresh project have achieved many of their goals. The Whole Foods does a brisk business with a loyal and diverse customer base. Outside of Liberty’s Kitchen, the other tenants in the center have done well.
A half-mile away high-end coffee shops like LaMara and trendy eateries like Ruby Slipper coexist with longtime local businesses like nail salons and tattoo parlors. There are also discount stores and a
housing is needed. In recent years, a number of elected officials and economic development leaders have stressed the need for more affordable or workforce housing across St. Tammany Earlier this year, a group of parish officials said they had embarked on a housing analysis that might finally provide some concrete numbers of what kind of housing the parish needs more of. Home sales data from the New Orleans Metropolitan Association of Realtors shows the median price for houses sold in St. Tammany was $306,500 in October and $295,000 year-to-date.
lot of blighted properties.
Jordan said there is still much work to be done and that proceeds from the recent sale of the Whole Foods property will enable his organizations and others like it to expand their reach.
“We know we will be able to use the funds for more investments along the Broad Street corridor,” he said.
Builders in the parish have complained over the years about how difficult it can be to get the needed permits to build multifamily housing or subdivisions geared to lower-income homebuyers. But at the same time, many residents, feeling the pinch of public infrastructure that has not kept pace with the residential development, have urged their elected officials to hold the line on new development. Some officials have said they hope the housing analysis will help determine where, and what type of, housing is most needed, and possibly provide some answers to the riddle.
St Tammany Parish Council member Pat Phillips, who represents the area where the apartments will be built, said it seems like a good fit. “The area is already zoned appropriately for it,” he said. “And it’s a commercial area.”
Phillips said he strives to try and strike a “balance” between representing homeowners who worry about how growth might impact their property values and developers seeking to build new houses or apartments.
“In think it was a great balance,” in this case, he added.
“What does investment without displacement look like? I think shared ownership is a partial answer to that,” he said. “We have bene able to hold that diversity, but it is an ongoing conversation we need to continue to have.”
“We are also looking to other nearby neighborhoods.” He said the goal is to attract new investment while resisting displacement.
BoudreauxJr.,Edward
Becker,Robert Obituaries
Bernard, David Becker,Robert Joseph'Bob'
BoudreauxJr.,Edward
Bourgeois, Roland
Centanni,Dolores
EiselenIII, George
Gervais, Geraldine
Hasselbeck,Patricia
Henson, Barbara
James, Sheree
Kritikos,Beatrice
Laiche Jr., Paul
Lapara,Jr.,Nicholas
Manshel, Stephen
Minor Sr., Edward
Nugent,Adalynn
OrrIII, Henry
Pecarrere, Clare
Porter,Dolores
Potter,Cajet
Rees,Thelma
Richardson Jr., Robert Smith,Hoyt
Yuspeh,Larry EJefferson
Garden of Memories
OrrIII, Henry LA Muhleisen
Becker,Robert Leitz-Eagan
Hasselbeck,Patricia Laiche Jr., Paul Nugent,Adalynn NewOrleans
Greenwood
Centanni,Dolores
EiselenIII, George
Pecarrere, Clare
Richardson Jr., Robert
Lake Lawn Metairie
Bernard, David
Lapara,Jr.,Nicholas
Manshel, Stephen
Rees,Thelma Smith,Hoyt
Majestic Mortuary
Minor Sr., Edward River Parish
Hobson BrownFH
James, Sheree
St Tammany
EJ Fielding
Henson, Barbara West Bank
Mothe in Engineering Division during thedesignand construction of theOld River Auxiliary Structure.During the1970's, Boband his wife Ann were activewith Worldwide Marriage Encounter and served as a team couplewitha Catholic priestgiving weekend seminars to 25-30 married couples at atime in theNew Orleans area. Their goal was to help good marriages become even better. Bob and Ann found that it helpedtheir own marriage as much or morethanthe other attending couples. Bobattended Our LadyofDivine Providence Catholic Church in Metairie and served several years as a lector and Eucharistic Minister. Bob enjoyed the University of Nebraska football games and going to theCollege Baseball WorldSeriesinOmaha, Nebraska.
Robert (Bob) Joseph Beckerpassed awayon November7,2025 at the ageof90. Bob was the belovedhusband of Elizabeth Ann (Henry) Becker for 64 years. He is survived by hischildren Joseph(Kerri),Julie (Bill Way),Therese Hebert, Jennifer (Brian Mezzanares)and Steven. Hedearly loved hisgrandchildrenPayton(Whitney) Huskins,Jordan (Patrick Spann), Ryan (Megann Jones) Becker,Robert Becker, Sarah Hebert Owen Hebert,and Kyle Hebert, and two great grandchildrenBenjamin Huskins and Lillian Spann. He is also survivedbyhis sistersMarcia (LeRoy Marsh),Margie Heimes, and Judy (Tom Olson). He is preceded in death by his loving wife, hisparents, Bruno"Chalk" and Bernice (Schaller) Becker, his brotherRichard "Dick" (Velta Holdon)Becker and his sister Joyce(Charles Zuckerman). Bob was born April 19th, 1935, at his parents' farm house in St Helena,Nebraska. He grew up working on the farmand graduated as the salutatorian fromHoly TrinityHigh School in Hartington, Nebraska beforeattending St Benedict's College in Atchinson, Kansasfor two years. He then was aconstruction worker at Gavins PointDam on the Missouri River located just upstream of Yankton, S. Dakota during the construction of the concrete powerhouse. Bob volunteeredfor the draft into the US Army and served from 1956-58 with the HQ Battery,28th FieldArtillery Battalioninthe 8th InfantryDivision at Bismark Kasernein Schwabisch Gmund in West Germany.His duties werefiredirection control for the 155 mm howitzers in BatteriesA,Band C. Uponhis returntothe United States,heworked as aconcrete qualitycontrol technician in the early 1960's during the construction of underground vertical concretesilos in southeastNebraska to store Atlasintercontinentalballistic missiles (ICBM). Bob graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1963with aBSinCivil Engineering and from Oklahoma State in 1973 with an MS in Civil Engineering. He attended Purdue University for postgraduatestudies of construction materials of concrete,asphalt,and aggregates. Bob returnedto West Germany as acivilian civil engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers with his family from 19781980 for the rapidbuildup of militaryinstallations in West Germany, Holland, and Italy during the Cold Warwith the Soviet Union. He and his family lived in a civilian German apartment on FurstenbergerStrasse in Frankfurt, West Germany during these efforts. He completed a30+ year careerwiththe US Army Corps of Engineers, NewOrleans District, in 1995. While there,hewas ChiefofMaterials Section
In lieu of flowers or other gifts, Bobasked that any memorial donations be madetothe Building and Maintenance Fund at Our Lady of Divine Providence Catholic Church. In aprivateceremony, Bob's asheswillbe placed at theSoutheast LouisianaVeterans Cemetery in Slidell, Louisiana.
Amemorial servicewill be held at Our Ladyof Divine Providence Catholic Church, 8617 W. Metairie Ave.,MetairieonFriday, December 5th, with visitation from9:30 a.m. -10:00 a.m.,and aCatholicmass at 10:00 a.m.
We would like to extend our most gracious thanks to thestaff at Summer HouseVista Shoresfor their constant attention and affectiontowards our father in his last years. We saw God's love in your actions every day. Additionally,weare eternally grateful for thecare and compassion extended by theHospice Specialists of Louisiana, particularly Melvin McCree,(who will always be 'Lou')for his excellentserviceand care in thefinal years of our father's life.God sent us our indispensable brother when we needed him most Arrangements by L.A. Muhleisen &Son Funeral Home.Toshare memories or condolences, please visit www.muhleisen.com
Bernard,David Ellis
David Ellis Bernard, 78, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana for thepast50 years passed away on Saturday, November 22, 2025 at hishome.Hewas theson of thelate Herbert and Arthemise Bernard. He attended St.Charles Borromeo Grammar School and graduated from Holy Cross HighSchool in 1966. He then attended Southeastern in Hammond and Loyolaand UNOin NewOrleans, earning degreesinEconomics and Accounting.Hemarried theloveofhis life,Angie Ernst,who he met at UNO in an accounting course. They were married for 49 and ahalfyears. David spent his careerasanauditorworking forthe Department of Defense and laterMobil Oil, then endinghis worklife at the Department of theNavyin
Algiers. In his free time, he enjoyed researching information abouta variety of interests and then sharing it with friends and loved ones. David is survivedbyhis loving wife, Angie Ernst Bernard; sister-in-law, EstelleLemoine (Houston); nieces, CelesteCapace (the late Nicholas) and AliciaCockfield(Josh); and several great-nieces and nephews.
Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend hisfuneral services on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home,5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70124. Visitation is at 11:00 a.m and will be followedbya Funeral Mass at 1:00 p.m.
BoudreauxJr.,Edward Lee
Edward LeeBoudreaux Jr.,82, of NewOrleans, Louisiana,passedawayon Friday, September12, 2025
Hewas preceded in death byhis parents, Lena Foto Boudreaux andEdwardLee Boudreaux Sr andbyhis ex-wife,LeahValerie Boudreaux.Heissurvived byhis family: hischildren, Edward“Beau”L Boudreaux III, Nathan M. Boudreaux (Martha),and Alexis“Lexi”V.Kesner (Chase);his beloved grandchildren,Edward “Eddy”L.Boudreaux IV, Louise, Catherine, andEve‐lyn Boudreaux, andEmily and JamesKesner; hissis‐ter,MaryLee Gibbons (Tim);his nieces Rebecca Maught(Adrien)and RachelGouaux(Gene); grandnieces andgrand‐nephews:Evelyn, Cecile, AdrienIV, andAsher Maught; Paul,Tommy,and David Gouaux.Lee liveda fulllifedevoted to hisfam‐ily andcommunity.He leavesbehinda legacy of loveand dedication through hischildren- Lexi, Nathan, andBeau. Lee practiced theprinciple that charity begins at home by assisting friendsand fam‐ily in smallthoughtful ways. He will be deeply missedbyall who knew him.For decadesLee brought hiscamerato gatheringsand delighted intakingpictures. Hispho‐tographing waselevatedto the next levelwhenhe snappedupa digitalcam‐era andwas only limited byhis memory card.But whenLee bought an iPhone, he reachednew heights entirely.Hebegan memorializing allthose around himinvideosinad‐ditiontobothposed and candidphotos. In like fash‐ion,the familyset up an email forfriends to share stories andpictureswith usorfor thefuneral; pleasesendtothemto LeeAintDerNoMore@gmail com.Lee relished eating out with friends, especially seafood whether raw, boiled, or fried. He loved socializing with friends& familyinthe Contessa En‐tellina Society. Throughout his life,heenjoyed bring‐ing friendstosoakinlive theater throughout the city. He also enjoyedlive music from musicalartists like RoyOrbison to NewOr‐
leans’ ownThe BigEasy Boys. Leewillespeciallybe missedbythe many friends he made at the GretnaSeniorCenterand Our Lady of Wisdom Nurs‐ing Home.A FuneralMass willbeheldonSaturday, December13, 2025, at St CletusCatholicChurch, 3600 Claire Ave, Gretna,LA 70053. Visitation will take place from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m., followed by Mass. A repastwillbeheldafter‐wardatthe Knightsof ColumbusHallbehindthe church.Inlieuof flowers, the familyrequeststhat memorialcontributions be madeinLee’snametothe CampAbbeyScholarship Fund.Scholarshipsare awarded to familiesexpe‐riencinghardship, allowing morechildrentoexperi‐encethe joys of summer at CampAbbey. Donation checksshouldbemade payable to Camp Abbey Retreat Center andnote “LeeBoudreaux”inthe memoline. Lee’smemory willliveoninthe hearts of all who lovedhim.#loverof-all-kinds-of-music
Roland John Bourgeois, Sr.passed away on November 24, 2025 at the age of 85. He wasbornin NewOrleans to thelate William andJosephine Bourgeois. Loving father of Melissa (the lateMark) andthe lateRoland,Jr. Proudgrandfatherof Jessica, Mikhail, Jeremy and Alexandra andgreatgrandfather of William and Lilia. Brother of thelate William, Oliver andWayne. Roland is also survivedby many nieces, nephewsand dear friends.
Familyand friends are invited to attenda visitation for Roland on Monday, December 1, 2025 beginning at 10:00 AM until 1:00 PM at Westside/LeitzEagan Funeral Home, 5101 WestbankExpressway in Marrero.Funeral Mass will begin at 1:00 PM andimmediately followed by the interment at Westlawn Cemetery in Gretna.
To express condolences or share memories with thefamily, please visit www.westsideleitzeagan. com
On November 14, 2025
AlmightyGod Himselfbid His faithfuldaughter, Do‐lores M. Centanni,97, come intoHis divine presence aninvitationshe humbly accepted upon receivinga “goldenticket” to ascend directlytoher heavenly mansion.Dolores wasborn onMarch 28, 1928, in New Orleans,LA. Beloved daughterofthe late Wilson J.and Ursula Z. Menard sisterofthe late Claire Morvant, Mercedes
Yvonne andRaymond Menard, mother of thelate Dolores Centanni,and for‐mer spouse of thelate SamuelP.Centanni. Sheis survivedbythe lovesof her life,her dear children, Darlene,Ronald, andRené Centanni, andseveral niecesand nephews. Do‐lores wasanemployeeof the OrleansParishSchool Board fornearlythirtyeight years. Afterretiring, she enjoyedballroom dancing,watchingthe Saints, reading, meetingall her friendsatthe casinos, but most of all, spending timewithher cherished family. Relativesand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe visitation at 11:00 am, on Monday,December 1,2025, at Greenwood Fu‐neral Home,5200 Canal Blvd.,New Orleans, LA 70124, followed by aMass at1:00pm. Intermentwill beatGreenwood Ceme‐tery. We also invite youto share your thoughts,mem‐ories,and condolenceson‐lineatwww.greenwoodfh com
George J. Eiselen, III, 79 years of age, passedaway onTuesday,November25, 2025. Husbandofthe late Elizabeth Eiselen, sonof the late George J. Eiselen, Jr. andMarie RadostaEise‐len.Survivedbychildren, Brian (Carlina), Kristyand Katherine (Paul),grandfa‐therofVictoria, Elrick Hunter,Scarlettand Elijah, and greatgrandfather to Beaux.Alsosurvivedby sisterPauline Lane,nieces, nephews,cousins,and friends.Also, preceded in death by brother-in-law Jesse Lane.A graduate of RedemptoristHighSchool class of 1964. George servedinthe U.S. Army from1966 through1969 and inVietnam from 1967 through 1969. He retired fromthe United States Dis‐trict Courtfor theEastern DistrictofLouisiana with over37years of govern‐mentservice.A Catholic Massisscheduled for Tuesday,December2,2025, at1:00p.m.atGreenwood FuneralHome, 5200 Canal Boulevard,New Orleans, Louisiana 70124. Interment willfollowatGreenwood CemeteryMausoleum.In place of flowers, please donatetothe National ShrineofBlessedFrancis XavierSeelos, 919 Josephine Street,New Or‐leans,Louisiana 70130 (504) 525-2495.
4B ✦ Sunday, November 30, 2025
New Orleans, LA on June 19, 1931. Geraldine was married to her late husband, Forest Michael Gervais, Sr. She was the daughter of the late August and Dorothea Barilleau. She leaves behind her loving children, Cindy Carboni (Bob), Debra Rhemann (Ralph), Trish Gervais, Charlene Serigne (Jimmy) and Forest Gervais Jr. (Richard); her 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. Sheis preceded in death by her children, Linda Gervaisand Michele Gervaisand her grandchild, Bambi Gervais Relatives and friends are invited to attend a memorial gathering to be held at St. Bernard Memorial Funeral Home, 701 W. Virtue St., Chalmette, LA on Wednesday, December3, 2025, from 11:00 AM1:00PM. Amemorial service will begin at 1:00 PM. To view and sign the Family Guestbook,please visit www.stbernardmemo rial.com
Hasselbeck, Patricia LeClercq
Patricia LeClercq
Hasselbeck, born in New Orleans, LA on December 16, 1941, passedaway on November 22, 2025, at the age of 83. She was aresident of Kenner, LA Patricia wasaballet teacher for 40 years,owning and operating the LeClercq Ecole de Ballet She was the beloved wife of the late Bertrand Thomas Hasselbeck, Jr. for 26 years. Relatives and friendsof the family are invited the visitation at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, Metairie,LA on Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 10:00 am until 11:30 am. AMass of Christian Burial will follow at St. ClementofRome Catholic Church, Metairie, LA at 12:30pm. Burial will be in St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, New Orleans, LA.
James,Sheree Nelson
Sheree NelsonJames departedthis life on Friday November 14, 2025, Daughter of the late Evelyn Wilson andRev.Nathaniel Nelson, Wife of Ronald James, Mother of Amanda Morris, Shameiaand Keidra Nelson. Sheree is survived by ahost of grandchildren, siblings' otherrelatives. Age 65 Funeral Services will be held on Saturday November 29, 2025,at 10:00am at New Zion ChristianFellowship Church 216 WMainSt. Gramercy,LA, 70052. Rev. Emile Dean Mitchel, Officiating. Visitation at the church from 8am until service time.Interment in Mt. BethelCemetery, St Gabriel,LA Professional Serviceentrustedto caring staffofHobson Brown Funeral Home 134 Daisy St Garyville,La70051
Kritikos,Beatrice Joan 'BeJo' Harvey
tries as well as destina-
tions acrossthe United States.
BeJoloved abargain. She was particularlyfond of searching for value in antique shops, flea markets, and theoccasional pawn shop, having owned one herself whileincollege.She had an innate talent forinterior designand her homes reflected this, beautifullyfurnished with her "antiquing finds" and interesting artifactsfrom her travels. Her appreciation for art and antiques ledher to study at Christie's AuctionHouse in London with her daughter Lisa, an enriching experience she thoroughly cherished.
BeJoalso possessed a sharpwit and sense of humor,withjokesand laughterpeppering her conversations. She adored the oak trees of NewOrleans, declaring,"they knock me out!" and marveling at "the genius of Mother Nature."InPerdidoKey, Florida, she could be found on thebalcony of hercondo,gazing over thewaves, savoring adessert, and enjoying happy hour with a glass of wine or ginand tonic. In her lateryears, as her busy life slowed,she often joked that she was "living life in the fast lane!"
Orleans, he is preceded in death by his parents Paul Alfred Laiche, Sr and Louise Sutherland,and by his sisterJune Greer and by his longtime companion, Mimi Pate.Heissurvivedbyhis sisters and brother, Mary Keller (Don), Gregory (Lorene)and Patricia Laiche and many nieces and nephews. He attendedSacred Heart of Jesus Elementary School and was agraduate of the 1969 centennial class of St. Aloysius High School. He was trained in radiologyatHotelDieuand workedasa radiologic technician for many years in NewOrleans and in Slidell,LA. Thefamily wouldliketo thank thelovingcaregivers at Peace of Home Elder Care and Heart of Home Hospice Therewillbea funeral mass at St.Francis Xavier Church, 444 MetairieRoad, Metairie,LAonMonday, December 1, 2025. Visitation willbe9:00 am to 11:00amwith mass at 11:00 am. Interment will follow at AllSaints Mausoleum. In lieu of flowers,masses preferred or agift to the St.Aloysius 1969 Last Class Scholarship fund,c/o Brother MartinHigh School, 4401 Elysian Fields, 70122.
tion to "TheThree F's" family, food, and true friendships—Stephen lived life with passion andpurpose.His many interests includedsnowskiing,sailing, tennis, golf, andtraveling. He wasgenerouswith histimeand committedto supporting causescloseto hisheart.His community involvementincludedservingonthe Audubon Park Building Commission for thecreation of various newexhibits, serving as a Friends of Music Board Member, contributingto theTouro Synagogue Chapel Building Committee,and actingas PresidentofAIPAC of Louisiana.
Stephen will be rememberedfor themany ways he embraced life in the Big Easy—his love of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, his enthusiasm for JazzFest andMardi Gras as aproud member of theKrewe of Hermes, and hisenjoymentofthe Food and Wine Societyand the ChaînedeRôtisseurs.
Aprivateburialtook place on November 25th. A memorial service willbe held at alater dateatthe TouroSynagogue Chapel. Thefamilyrequeststhat donationsbemade in Stephen's memory to Jewish FamilyServicesor Second Harvest Food Bank.
TravisJohnson,Terriane Jefferson (Cleveland), and Therese Johnson. Cher‐ished grandfatherof14 and great-grandfatherof6 Heisalsosurvivedby brother Carlos Minor (Lerner), sister-in-law Theresa Minorand ahost ofnieces, nephews, cousins andother relatives and friends. He nowjoins ineternal rest hisparents Rathonise Honore’and JosephC.Minor,his first wife, BlancheM.Minor,son EdwardL.Minor Jr andhis siblingsVeronicaMinor, JosephMinor,Irene Smith, LorraineTroullier (Jerome) Eleanor Williams,Robert Minor,Alvarez Minor (Yvonne)and Harold Minor.Edwardownedand operatedGalvezCleaners for over 50 years, serving the 7thWardwithloveand dedication. He wasa funloving, fancy dressing prankster that always had a greatjoketotell. His kindness, faith,and gen‐erosity touchedcountless relatives,friends,neigh‐bors, andcustomers.Rela‐tives andfriends arein‐vited to attend theFuneral Service on Monday,De‐cember1,2025 at 10:00am atPilgrim’s Rest Baptist Church No.2,2200 Louisiana Ave. NewOr‐leans,LA70115. Visitation willbegin at 9:00am.Burial willbeinSoutheast Louisiana Veterans Ceme‐tery34888 Grantham Col‐legeDr. Slidell, LA 70460. In LieuOfFlowers Please SendPottedPlants. Profes‐sionalArrangementsEn‐trusted to Majestic Mortu‐ary Service, Inc. (504) 5235872.
BarbaraKeegan
Doubleday Henson passed away peacefullyon Tuesday, November 25, 2025. She was born in New Orleans, LA on August31, 1939. Her parents were Lorraine Burns Keegan Holland and Thomas WilliamKeegan Jr. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers, Thomas Keegan III and Dale Keegan. She is survived by her sisters, Gayle Savoie (Brandt) and Lacey Taylor (Charles), and her sister-in -law, JoAnn Keegan. Barbara leaves behind her five children: Rebecca "Becky" Doubleday Baiamonte (Mel), Roland Doubleday (Sherry), Randolph "Randy Doubleday, Brian Doubleday, and Gene Doubleday (Lana).
She loved spendingtime with her nine grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Her lifewas filled with kindness, laughter, and optimism. She never met astranger, and her handmade bead angels remain treasured symbols of her love.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral services at E. J. Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 W21st Avenue, Covington LA 70433 on December 3, 2025, at 12:00 PM with Mass beginning at 2:00 PM. Interment willfollow at St. Joseph Abbey Cemetery in Covington. E.J. FieldingFuneral Home has been entrusted with funeralarrangements. The family invites you to share thoughts, fondest memories, and condolences online at E.J Fielding Funeral Home Guest Book at www.ejfieldingfh.com.
Aboveall,family was BeJo's deepest devotion Her childrenwere her greatest achievement, and she treated them as her greatest gift.She was always theretosupport, guide,and remind. BeJo was theheart of thefamily,creating aloving home life wheremany treasured memories were made. Every holiday and birthday was an occasion to be celebrated with care: thoughtful giftsand festive decorations made each gathering memorable BeJo livedbythe highest moral standardsand always impartedthe importance of such alife to her children. Her empathy and willingness to help extended beyond her immediate family to friends, relatives, and neighborswhom she quietly supported through illness or hardship Steadfast and nurturing, she devoted her life to lifting others, ofteninways unseen.
NicholasJ.Lapara, Jr., of Metairie,Louisiana, passed away on Sunday, November 23, 2025. He was 79. Nicholas was born in NewOrleans on December 5, 1945. He was agraduate of Redemptorist High School and attended LoyolaUniversity. For27 years he worked as a minute clerk with Judge Richard Garveyinthe Civil District Court. He was a35 -year member and past King of the Krewe of Okeanos.
Edward LouisMinor,Sr. December26, 1929 –No‐vember10, 2025. Edward Louis “Pip”Minor,Sr.,age 95, passedawaypeacefully onNovember10, 2025, with his loving wife,Charlene Reimoninq Minorbyhis side. BelovedfatherofKim G.Minor (Orelia),Gia M. Bowens(Alonzo)and the lateEdwardL.Minor,Jr. He was afather figure to Ter‐renceJohnson (Kiana), Henson, Barbara Keegan Doubleday
BeJoissurvivedby threeofher children: Lisa Kritikos of NewOrleans, Louisiana; Gina Kritikos Burnett(Keith) of Nashville,Tennessee; and Nicole Kritikos Provosty (Pratt) of NewOrleans, Louisiana; as wellasher daughter-in-law, Marcia Brown Kritikos of Hendersonville,Tennessee. She is also survivedby eight grandchildren—Cameron (Tatiana),Kyle(Adriana), and ZoeBurnett; David, Amanda, and Andrew Kritikos; and Alexandre and Nicholas Provosty— and by her great-grandchild, Victor Burnett,as well as many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband,Theodore Achilles Kritikos; her son, TheodoreHarveyKritikos; her sister, Barbara Carroll; and her nephew, Kelly McGuire.
The family extends their heartfeltthanks to BeJo's devoted caregivers, lovingly referred to as Team BeJo—Deborah, Lillian, April, Tanya, Yvette,Angie Kina,Stephanie, Tana, Mimi, Melanie, Rhonda, Jennifer, Carla, Lexi,Alisa, Nikki,Jill,and Nicci—whose compassion, respect, and dedicated care brought comfort and dignity to her final years.
We are blessed to have had her as our beloved mother, and she willforever be dearlymissed.
Aprivate celebrationof life will be held in January in Nashville,Tennessee. In lieu of flowers,please considera memorial gift to the Ted Kritikos Endowed Scholarship Fund at the University of Oklahoma. Checksmay be madeto theOUFoundationwiththe fund name and in honorof Beatrice Kritikosonthe memo line and mailed to PO Box258856 Oklahoma City, OK 73125-8856 or online at give.oufo unda tio n.org / KritikosMemorial
LaicheJr., PaulAlfred
Beatrice Joan "BeJo Harvey Kritikospassed awayofnatural causes on Friday, October 3, 2025, peacefully at her daughter shome in Nashville, Tennessee, surroundedby her family. She was 94 yearsold. Born on December9,1930, in Vinita, Oklahoma, BeJo was the elder of two daughters of HarrietMarkley Harvey and Theodore Russell Harvey. She always spoke fondly abouther childhood, recountingwonderful memories of growing up in asmalltown with loving, kind parents and spending summers with her sister,Barbara,visiting their grandparents on the family farm in Kansas. After graduating from Vinita High School in 1948, where her father wasthe principal,she was the only girl in her class to go on to college.She attended the University of Oklahoma, whereshe earneda Bachelor of Arts degree in Education and met her future husband, Theodore "Ted"Achilles Kritikos. They marriedin1951, shortly before Ted's deployment to Korea. Upon his returnfromservice, they began their life together in Venice, Louisiana.During this time, BeJo was employedasan elementary school teacher. Shealsobecame an administrativeassistant, utilizing her exceptional shorthand and typing skills. With BeJo'ssteadfast support, Tedembarked upon his entrepreneurialand international careerinthe oil and gasindustry. Afew years later,they relocated to NewOrleans and started their family. Together,BeJo and Tedraised their four children—Lisa, Gina, Teddy, and Nicole. BeJo spent herlater years residing in OldMetairie, Louisiana,and most recently,with her daughter Gina and herfamily in Nashville, Tennessee. BeJopossessed arare combination of tenacity and grace. Shewas strong and determined, yetunfailingly poised, empathetic, and loving. Hersharpmind was matched by her wit and warmth; hertaste, by adiscerning eyefor beauty and meaning. Stylish, gracious,and fullofcompliments for others, she had agiftfor making people feelboth seen and valued To herchildrenand grandchildren, she was alife force—an example of strength, humor, courage, refinement, and resilience. Agifted cook and competitive bridge player, BeJo was also adevoted studentofher family'sgenealogy. Shewas alifelong learner,alwaysreading, especially about history, art, health and finance—and she took pride in keeping up with current events and maintaininga forward-looking perspective. Believing it to be the best education, BeJoenjoyedexperiencingdifferentcultures and relished traveling, visiting many European and Asiancoun-
Paul
Nicholas is survived by his wife of 43 years, CynthiaOcchipintiLapara; hisson, Dr. Nicholas J. Lapara, III(Roxie); his threegrandchildren Finley,Ezra, and Collins; his sister, Linda Lapara Andrews (Dr. Samuel); his twonieces, Erica Andrews and Kari Andrews Bradley (Jarred); and hisnephew, Jason Andrews (Renee) He was preceded in death by his parents, NicholasJ and Rita Bielenberg Lapara.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend the memorial Mass in the chapel of Lake Lawn Metairie FuneralHome, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in NewOrleans, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 12:00PM. Avisitation willbeheldatthe funeral home beginning at 11:00AM. The interment willfollow theMass in Metairie Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers,please considera donationin Nicholas'memory to the charityofyourchoice
To view and sign theonline guest book, please visit LakeLawnMetairie.com
Stephen D.
85, passed away on November 23rd, surrounded by his devoted wife of 62 years, Ellen Manshel; his daughters, WendyManshelWeinman and Julie EdwardsManshel; andhis grandchildren, Chloe Ellen Weinman and Nicholas Aaron Weinman. Stephen madeNew Orleans his home for the past 60 years—a city he deeply lovedand championedthroughout his life. As areal estate developer and hotelier, he took great pride in helping shapethe landscapeofthe city through thedevelopment of numerous hotels and othernotable projects Known forhis strong workethic and hisdevo-
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Adalynn Fauries Nugent, abeloved daughter, wife, mother, sister, nanny, aunt, niece, cousin, daughter-in-law, grandmother, and friend. She departed this life peacefully on November 14, 2025,at the age of 77.
Adalynn was married for 56 beautiful years to her high school sweetheart, the love of her life. She was adevoted mother to her two sons and a proud "Momo" to her three treasured grandchildren. Her greatest joy came from supporting her family—whether cheering from the stands at ballgames, attending school events, or simply savoring everyday moments together Watching her children and grandchildren pursue their passions brought herimmeasurablehappiness.
Aproud graduate of Redemptorist High School, Class of '66, Adalynn found lifelong friendship and fellowship within her Redemptorist lunch group, whose companionshipshe cherished deeply. She had aremarkabletalent for organizing celebrations and family gatherings, effortlessly bringing people together and ensuring every occasion feltspecial and full of love.
Those who knew Adalynn will remember her for her generosity, quiet strength, and steadfast loyalty. She was asource of comfort, stability, and heartfelt guidance to many. Her presence brought reassurance, and her capacity for selfless love left an indelible mark on countless lives.
Adalynn is survived by her mother, Ada; her devoted husband, Jerry;her sons, Jerryand Tim; and her beloved grandchildren, Owen, Griffin, and Zoey. She is also survived by her godson, Christopher; her brother, Laurence; and her daughters-in-law, Heidi andAlesandra. Additionally, she leaves behind her treasured inlaws—Anita,Jimmy, Joe, Beverly, John, Mary, and Don—as well as numerous extended familymembers and dear friendswho will forever hold her memoryin their hearts.
She was preceded in death by her father Laurence; her cousin, David; and her sister-inlaw, Shirley. Although Adalynn's earthly journey has ended, her love, warmth, and enduring spirit remain everpresent. Her legacy of devotion, resilience, and unconditional love lives on in her grandchildren and in all who were blessed to know her. She will be deeply missed, remembered always, and cherished forever.
Amemorial visitation will be held at Leitz-Eagan Funeral Home, located at 4747 Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Metairie, Louisiana, 70006,on December 4, 2025, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. A memorial mass will follow at the same location, beginning at 12:00 pm.
Pecarrere, ClareTaylor
ClareTaylorPecarrere a lifelong resident of New Orleans,passedaway peacefullyather home on November18, 2025. She was born on January18, 1924, to Gertrude Patterson Taylorand Robert Donnaud Taylor, thesecondoftheir three children.Clare wasa proud New Orleanianand a devoted Catholic through‐out herlife. Shegrewupin Saint Joseph Parish where manyofher relativesand lifelongfriends grew up She wasa longtime parish‐ioner of St.Joseph, St Stephen,and St.Henry Churches,where herfaith remaineda guidingforce She graduatedfromSt. JosephHighSchool andre‐mainedclosely connected tothe community shegrew upin. Shewas prede‐ceasedbyher loving hus‐bandof52years,JohnLeon Pecarrere,infantson Paul Pecarrere,and by herpar‐entsand hersiblings, RobertDonnaud Taylor,Jr. and Audrey Taylor Poynor Clare is survived by her children: EleanorPecarrere Mouledoux (Andre), John L. Pecarrere,Jr.,RobertD Pecarrere (Suzanne), and SimonePecarrere Godshall (Bill). Sheleavesbehinda lovinglegacyofgrandchil‐drenand great-grandchil‐dren, allofwhomshe cher‐ished deeply.Her 8grand‐children: Alison Moule‐doux, AndreMouledoux, Jr. Taylor Mouledoux, Jacques Mouledoux, Robert Pecarrere, III, Billy Godshall, SpencerGodshall and ConorGodshall; and8 great-grandchildren: Andre, III, Taylor,Jr.,Colin, Kate, Bryant andDaniel Mouledoux,and Eleanor and Evan Trapani. Clare workedfor many yearsas a Catering Supervisor and Wedding Coordinator, later continuingher career with the U.S. Army CorpsofEn‐gineers.Her dedication,or‐ganization, andwarmper‐sonalityenrichedevery workplace sheserved. She was an active member of her community and church,serving as Presi‐dentof theSt. Stephen Mother'sClub, amember ofthe Ladies of Charity, and an auxiliarymember ofthe De La Salle Knights ofColumbus. Shewas a volunteer at TouroHospital for many yearsand was awarded forher lengthy service.She also received the Catholic Charities, Se‐niorCitizen GroupAward A determined civicadvo‐cate, Clareplayedkey roles in effortstokeepthe NapoleonLibrary open,to stopthe proposed NapoleonAvenue River Bridge, andtoprevent the closure of St.Henry Church.Her commitment topreservingthe neighbor‐hoodsand institutions she loved left alasting impact Clare also found joyinher kitchen,especiallyduring the holidays whenshe lov‐ingly bakedher famous fruitcakestoshare with friends andfamily. Herlife was marked by devotion to her faith, herfamily, and her city.She will be re‐memberedwith tremen‐dousloveand gratitudeby all who know her. Relatives and friendsare invitedto attend thevisitationat 10:00 am on Tuesday, De‐cember2,2025, at Basilica ofSt. Stephen Catholic Church,1025 Napoleon Ave New Orleans, LA 70115, followed by aMass at11:00 am.Interment will beatGreenwood Ceme‐tery. We also invite youto share your thoughts,mem‐ories,and condolenceson‐lineatwww.greenwoodfh com
Cajet Potter entered eternal rest surrounded by her family on Sunday, November 16, 2025. She attendedSt. Peter Claver Corpus Christi,St. Mary's Academy and graduated fromFrancis T. Nicholls HighSchool. She attended Nunez CommunityCollege and earnedher teaching certificateinEarly ChildhoodEducation. She was employed at LilPal's Day Care Center, Gilda's Preschooland Cambridge Prep in Jacksonville, Florida.
Cajet was preceded in death by her parents, Elsie Walker Potter and Darrell John DeGruy and her brother-in-law, Clifton Jones Jr. She is survived by her son, Kevin Potter (Tiffany); her siblings, SylviaJones(Clifton), Donna Collins (Donald), Bruce Potter (Aleichia); grandchildren, Kamri and KaiPotter, and Nala White; greatgrandchild, Cross and ahost of nieces, nephews, other family and friends.
Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend her Mass of ChristianBurial on Monday, December 1, 2025, 11:00AM at St. Maria GorettiC.C., 7300 Crowder Blvd.,NOLA. Visitation 10:00AM until Mass. Interment St. Louis Cemetery #3.
Thelma May VogtRees passed away peacefully at home on November 17, 2025, at theage of 92. She wasborn on May14, 1933, to John P. Vogt, Sr. and Thelma B. Vogt. Thelma was thebeloved wife of Otto A. Rees, with whom she shared 58 years of devotedmarriage. She was thelovingmother of Michael A. Rees and mother-in-law of Susan S. Rees. Thelma was thecherished grandmother of MichelleL Rees, whom she adored She was born in New Orleans, LA and resided in Kenner, LA
Rummy and Po-Ke-No.
Thelma dedicatedcountless timetocharitable organizations, includingthe Leukemia &Lymphoma Society, the Women'sGuild of theNew Orleans Opera, theChefs' Charityfor Children, and theFriends of City Park.
Thelma was preceded in death by her parents, John P. Vogt, Sr. and Thelma B. Vogt; her brother John P. Vogt, Jr.; her father-in-law Otto J. Rees; her mother-inlawCatherine R. Rees; her sisters-in-law Gladys K. Vogtand MaryR.Cornibè; her brother-in-law Paul "Emmett" Cornibè;her nephew John P. Vogt, III; her niece Lorah C. Lewis; and many treasured cousins and friends.
Thelma is survivedby her son Michael A. Rees; her daughter-in-lawSusan S. Rees; her granddaughter MichelleL.Rees; her nephews TimothyD.Vogt and Robert E. Cornibè;her nieces Jamie C. LeBlanc and PaulaC.Duplantis; and ahost of grandnieces and grandnephews, greatgrandnieces and greatgrandnephews, cousins, and friends.
The family wouldliketo give special thanksto Thelma's caretakers, Connie, Karen, Yvette, Pam, and Myra, and the staff from Vital Care.
Funeral serviceswill take place at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 11:00 a.m Visitationwillbeheldfrom 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Interment willfollow at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum. Condolences may be expressedat lakelawnmetairie.com.
In lieu of flowers,the family asks that donations be madetoSpayMart, Inc., P.O. Box6493, Metairie,LA 70009 in memory of Thelma, who lovedcats.
Richardson Jr., Robert Glenn'Bob'
greenwoodfh.com.Your sharedmemorieswillhelp uscelebrate Bob’slifeand keep hismemoryalive
LakeLawnMetairie.com. In lieu of flowers, the familyrequests that donationsbemade in hismemorytoNew Orleans Mission, whichcan be donevia neworleansmission.org.
Yuspeh, Larry Marvin
Larry MarvinYuspeh passedaway on Sunday, November 16 in Cleveland, Ohio, after having suffered asevereheartattack afew days earlier.Larrywas a dedicated, loving,and inspirational husband, father, andgrandfather Larry wasbornonJune26, 1952, in NewOrleans, Louisiana. He graduated from Isidore Newman School in NewOrleans in 1970. He then graduated from theUniversity of Texas at Austin, earning hisBAdegree with high honorsineconomics and government in 1973. He wasalso electedasa member of PhiBetaKappa. Most of Larry's professional career was with Louisiana Workmen's Compensation Corporation (LWCC)based in Baton Rouge.Associated with his work at LWCC,hebecame apart-time instructor at theJohns Hopkins University School of Medicine,whichhecontinueduntilhis death.
HenryJosephOrr,III passedawayatthe ageof 87onNovember24, 2025 after alongbattlewith Alzheimer’s anddementia. Heissurvivedbyhis loving wifeand best friend of 58 years,Beverly Castenda Saucier Orr. Henrywas beloved father of Richard Saucier (Patty)and Angel Lavigne andproud grand‐fatherof6 grandchildren, 8 great grandchildren. Henry was preceded in deathby his parents, thelateHenry Orr, Jr andLolaEstopinal Orr. He retiredfromthe PortofNew OrleansDock Board after 30 yearsofser‐vice. Upon retirement he enjoyed travelingwithhis beloved wife andrestoring antique cars.Henry Orr willbesadly missedbyall who knew him. Family and friends areinvited to at‐tendthe visitation on Mon‐day,December1,2025, at GardenofMemoriesFu‐neralHomeand Cemetery, Porter, DoloresMarullo 'Boo Boo' Dolores M. Porter, 76, passed awaypeacefully on November 7, 2025,surroundedbythe love of her family. Boo Boo was adevoted wife of 58 years to LesterAllen Porter. Loving mother, grandmother,sister,and friend to many. A memorialservice will be held at 11:00am on Friday, December5,2025 at St. NicholasofMyra Mission Church, 21420 Chef Menteur Hwy.
Thelma was activelyinvolved in gardenclubs in theGreater NewOrleans area formorethan30 years. She joined the Greater Pines Village Garden Club in 1985 and served 4different terms as itspresident (1989, 2001, 2002, and 2003). She later joined theLakeview Botany Guild and served as theclub'streasurerfrom 2013-2017. Thelma participated in numerous events and activitiessponsored by her clubsand the Federated CouncilofNew Orleans Garden Clubs. In 2002, she won first place in the"Small Design" category of the "Art in Bloom" competitionsponsored by theNew Orleans Museum of Art. Also in 2002, Thelma fashioned thedecorations and floral arrangements forthe 68thAnnual Convention of the Louisiana Garden Club Federation. Thelma's artisticabilities blossomed at home, where she crafted elaboratedecorations for theChristmas door-decorating contest each year, earning amultitudeofribbons, and spent endless hoursnurturing her beautiful garden, winning "Gardenofthe Month" a number of times. Thelma raised butterfliesinher backyardgarden and was awardedthe Ann Gernhauser Butterfly Award in 1996. Adevout Catholic, Thelma was honored to help withthe floral arrangements when Pope John Paul II visitedthe St Louis Cathedral in 1987. She waschosen as "Woman of the Year"by theFederated Councilof NewOrleans GardenClubs forthe 2007-2008 year. In 2017, Thelma was nominated for the"CircleofRoses" of theLouisianaGarden Club Federationinrecognition of hermany years of time and talents. In addition to gardening, Thelma enjoyed painting, sculpting,cooking,sewing,bowling,dancing, traveling,and attending Broadway shows. She also enjoyed gettingtogetherwith friends to play Michigan
Robert “Bob”Glenn Richardson, Jr., passed awaypeacefullyinhis sleep at home on Novem‐ber 28, 2025, after abrief illness, at theage of 78. He was preceded in deathby his wife,ConnieJean Richardson; hisparents, RobertG.Richardson, Sr and FrancesSigur Richard‐son;and hisbrother,Brian EdwardRichardson. He is survivedbyhis sister MaryEllen Richardson Landry; andbyhis four children, JeffreyRichard‐son (Tina),Kevin Richard‐son (Chris), Conner Richardson(Michelle), and Megan Pinto(Steve).His grandchildren,who meant the worldtohim,are An‐drew, Colin, Maggie, Brooke, Emma,Miles, Mila Micah,and Sam. Along‐timeresidentofMetairie, Louisiana,Bob earned a degreeinarchitectureat the University of South‐western Louisiana(now the University of Louisiana atLafayette). He opened his ownarchitecture firm inthe 1970s. Hundreds of homes andother projects acrossthe NewOrleans areabearhis creative im‐print—fromstructuresat the former Pontchartrain Beach amusementparkto charmingresidencesinOld Metairie. Hisartistryalso spreadjoy throughthe lyricsand musichewrote and performedwithnu‐merousbands over the years,including four Friends Fest showsatRock N’ Bowl in NewOrleans withhis band,BeauSwank A FuneralMasswillbeheld Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 1:00 p.m. at the chapelatGreenwood Fu‐neral Home,5200 Canal Blvd.,New Orleans, Louisiana.A Celebrationof Lifeparty will follow at the school that he designed The Little RedSchoolhouse ofMetairie, 2055 Metairie Road, Metairie,Louisiana In lieu of flowers, please enjoy Bob’ssongs at BeauSwank.com,Apple Music,Spotify,orYouTube Nothing wouldmakeBob happier than knowinghis spiritlives on as people continue to enjoyhis music and lyrics.Relatives and friends areinvited to at‐tendthe FuneralMasson Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 1:00 PM in the ChapelofGreenwood Fu‐neral Home,5200 Canal Blvd.,New Orleans, LA 70124. We also invite youto share your thoughts,fond memories, andcondo‐lences online at www
Hoyt Ellingwood Smith aged 43, passed away peacefully on November 14th in NewOrleans.He wasbornonJune23rd, 1982, in NewOrleans Louisiana to Barbara Mequet OchsnerSmith and Robert Fulton Smith, Jr and wasa loving brother, son, and friend. He graduated from MetairieParkCountry DaySchool, wasanundergrad at University of Alabama, DKEFraternity, andgraduatedwith adegree in business at College of Charleston.Helater received hisMaster of Business Administration from theUniversity of New Orleans. He spent his working years in theoil andgas industry as a petroleum landman.He wasFounder,President & Director of Gonzales, Texas based Nobel Petroleum USA, Inc.,procuring over 400 leases andoverseeing thedrilling of andoilfield operationsand marketing of theproducedoil and gas. In 2019 Mr.Smith orchestrated themergerof Nobel into London Stock Exchange member PennPetro Energy PLC. His presentemploymentwas ManagingMemberand Director of LandatIsabel Petroleum LLC in New Orleans. Hoyt wasanavidfisherman and hunter. He was a past member of Southern Yacht Club, NewOrleans CountryClub, and among thesocial clubshis favorite washis membership in Pirate's School. Hoyt is survived by his parents; hisfiancé, Kimberleigh Denapolis; his child, Hoyt Ellingwood Smith, Jr.; hissiblings, Mequet Smith Werlin,her husband David, children Isabel andFulton; Alton OchsnerSmith, his wife Kellyand sons Akky and Briggs, along with numerousAunts,Unclesand Cousins.
Hoyt will be rememberedfor hissense of humor, thoughtfulness, and kindness to others.Heleft such alastingeffecton people, andeveryonewho met himloved him. His passion for painting and hiscreativity providedso many of us with hisartistic gifts that he gave outoften. Hoyt's strong Christian faithwas very importanttohim. His greatest achievementwas hisson whoheconstantly bragged aboutand shared photos. He always wanted to be afather andfound a great love in Kimberleigh and babyHoyt. He touched so many lives withhis vivacious spirit.Hewill be missed by all Amemorial gathering will be held at Lake Lawn MetairieFuneral Home & Cemeteries, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd,New OrleansonSaturday, December 6th from 10:30 until11am. ACelebration of Life willimmediatelyfollowinthe Chapel. Condolencesmay be expressed
To have known Larry wastobeinspired by him, andhis memory will live on loudly in theheartsand minds of those whoselives intersected with his. He hada generousheart,a quickmind, an enthusiasticlaugh,and an insatiable curiosity. Larry is survived by hisloving wife of 44 years, Margot. He and Margot haddecidedseveral years ago to move to the Clevelandareatobenear theirson.Heisalso survivedbyhis son, Andrew (Erica) of Cleveland, Ohio andtheir 9children; his daughterMargaret Young (Logan) of Chattanooga, Tennessee and their 2children,and hisbrother Alan (Janet) of Baltimore, Maryland alongwith his best pal Teddy, thetoy poodle.Hewas preceded in death by hisparents, Rose Fay and Michel Yuspeh.
The official hurricane season ends today, blessedly without asinglesuchstorm making landfall in the Gulf region. In future years, though, we maynot be so unexpectedly lucky,which means thecurrent aimlessnessofthe Federal Emergency Management Agencyisofdeepconcern FEMA merits awell-designed, well-provisioned mission, along with strongleadership.Alas, we have some reservationsabout President Donald Trump’snewest choice to lead FEMA
As his administration began, Trump worried many of us in hurricane country by repeatedly suggesting that FEMA should be disbandedentirely,with the states expected to take up emergency responses on their own. The very idea is ludicrous. We’re allfor devolving authority to states and localities when practical, but disaster relief ranks almost as high asnational defense in terms of being the properprovinceofthe national government.
No matter how well astate prepares for contingencies that anatural disaster might bring, the disaster itself obviously can destroythe very infrastructure and equipment on which states would rely for relief efforts. The nationalgovernment, operating from outsidethe disaster zone so that its preparations themselveswon’t be affected by the calamity,should be organized andready to provide emergencyassistancefor justsuch eventualities.
To his credit, Trump hassomewhat softened his anti-FEMA tone recently.Betteryet,a commissionheappointed to review FEMA operations actually suggested elevating FEMA’s statusby making it astand-alone, Cabinet-level agency rather than asometimes-ignored subsetof a Department of Homeland Security that’smore obsessedwith immigrationenforcement.
Still, Trump’sFEMA haslacked strong leadership. Its first acting director, CameronHamilton, left the job after onlyfourmonths, andhis replacement, David Richardson, resigned on Nov.17after just six months. Richardson’sterm wasmarkedbya widely criticized responseto deadly floods in Texas and by his admission that he didn’teven know such athing as“hurricane season” existed. Trump’snew choice, Karen Evans,isworrisome in her ownway.Atleast shehas solid management experience asFEMA’s former chief of staff, but her record indicatesshe is more interestedinslashingpersonnel and spending than in the actual, positive rolewith whichFEMA is tasked. Indeed, her nickname is “the terminator” for eliminating grants and worker positions Granted, FEMA long has been known forwaste and inefficiencies and for bureaucratic slowness in times when dispatch is required. If Evanscan make aleaner FEMA alsowork fasterand more effectively,morepowertoher
Still, FEMA’s focus should be less on saving money than on savinglives and helping survivors recover.Wenote thatthis year was thefirst since 2015without ahurricane making landfall. Because experience says the next hurricane season is unlikely to spare us, the whole country needs aFEMAthateffectivelyterminates human distress.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR
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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
The carbon capture insurgency just won’tdie.
Earlier this month,agroup called Save My Louisianafiled alawsuit in Baton Rouge, arguing that the process amounts to a“egregious and overt trampling” of property rights.
AndonNov.17, the Vernon ParishPolice Jury reversed an earlier decision and passed a resolution opposing thepractice.
These latest salvos are an indication of how carbon capture has scrambled conservative and Republican Party politics in this state, because much of theopposition to theprocess comes not from left-wing environmental justice types (though many of them oppose it, too), but from rock-ribbed conservatives in someofthe reddest regions of Louisiana.
thousands of feet underground and is performed by something knownasa carbon injection well, is safe, and that there is no danger of the CO2 leaching upward through theground into water supplies or to the surface.
Butthe opponents, including manylandowners, aren’tbuying it. They worry about the potential for pipeline failures, or that thecarbon could find its way into local aquifers. Someconservatives say carbon capture is unneeded because climate change is overblown.
Many of those who oppose it are clustered in the central part of the state, where there are anumber of proposed carbon storageareas.
To understand what is going on here, it’simportant to know what exactly is being proposed. Carbon capture and sequestration is an industrial process by which CO2and greenhouse gases produced as byproductsare captured and stored rather than released into theair
Proponents,including industry and business groups, argue that this makes production greener by releasing less CO2. They also contend that thestorage, which typically happens
As theyear comes to aclose, you will often see lists of thetop news stories and personalities. On theOpinion pages last year,westarted afeature called “Louisianan of the Year” to recognize someofthe biggest newsmakers from our state. Andaswedid last year,weare inviting you to participate. We will welcome your letters on thetopic of “Who should be Louisianan of the Year?” until themiddle of December.Feel free to nominate someonewell known or someone who perhaps works behind thescenes.
Earlier this year,itseemed that those who favored expansionofcarbon capture had theupper hand. Following a 2024 federal government decision that gave the state “primacy” in permitting carbon captureprojects, the Legislature rejected Republican-authored bills thatwould have givenlocal governmentsthe righttoveto injection wells, though lawmakers did tighten some rulesinlandowners’ favor Butthe opposition wouldn’tgoaway.
Lastmonth, in response, Gov.Jeff Landry issued amoratorium on new carbon capture permits. Ahandful already in the process werenot affected.
“Local government and citizens, through their local government, have aright to be heard to ensure safety, transparency,and local input,” Landry wrote in his order Notsurprisingly,carbon capture boosters werenot pleased. The movesends the “wrong message,” said David Cresson, of the Louisiana Chemical Association. Others warned of “obstacles” the state was putting in the way of expansion. So what we have here is apitched fight between, essentially,two different conservative constituencies who are both dug in.
On the one hand, you have business, industry and economic development types whosee the potential forgrowth. On the other,citizens and officials in manyofLouisiana’sreddest parishes who, in anotable development, echo manyofthe concerns that environmentalists have uttered foryears —and also assert traditional conservative values like property rights and local control. It’s too early to see how it will all play out. But if this oil and gas state ever turns on its biggest and most powerful industry,wemay point to carbon capture as the spark that ignited the flame.
Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.
Ourcriteria as we deliberateon this weighty question is fairly broad. The person must have strong ties to Louisiana. That meansitdoesn’thave to be anative Louisianan —someone who has long lived and worked in the statewould qualify.And Louisiananatives who have madeanimpact in the wider world would also be worthy of consideration even if they no longer live here. Then there is thequestion that has arisen this year about people
who may have strongLouisiana ancestrywho perhaps may or may not have been to thestate, sayacertain head of theCatholic Church. That remains an open question. We welcome your opinions on this issue. This is not aposthumous recognition. We know there are manyLouisianans we have lost throughout the year whohave madeimportant contributions to our state, nation and world. However,wevery much want to recognize someone living who has made an impact in the current year.The biggest question is perhaps whether that impact has to be for good. We take the position that apositive impact is preferable but not required, recognizing one person’s view of positive impact may not be another’s.
Lastly,inorder to keep it fresh, we have decided that someone previously recognized as our Louisianan of theYear cannot be considered in the current year.That meansGov.Jeff Landry,who we deemed madethe big-
gest impact last year,won’tbeonthe list this year We welcomeyour feedback on this question. Surprise us. We want to know whohas been making adifference in your community.Itdoesn’thave to be apolitical or civic leader.Itcould be an artist, entrepreneur,educator or pastor.Wewill publish the best of your nominees alongwith our selections at theend of theyear
Turning to our letters inbox, Ican give you the count forthe week of Oct. 30-Nov.6.Wereceived 69 letters in our inbox during the period. As this wasthe week after LSU’sloss to Texas A&M, it’snot surprising that LSU football wasthe hottest topic of conversation, prompting 10 letters. Next the government shutdownwas aconcern, with four letters on the topic. And because SNAP benefits were in jeopardy during the shutdown, we had an additional four letters on that subject.
Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | OpinionPageEditor.Emailher at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.
The interminable lawsuit by Plaquemines Parishagainst the Chevron Oil company,part of an evenmore interminable set of lawsuitsseeking money from oil companies to pay for wetlands loss, will reach yet another inflection point soon, this time at the U.S. Supreme Court. Even this inflection point, though, won’tbe the end of the ceaselesslawfare. What awaste of time. While oil companies absolutely should help pay to mitigate wetlands loss, asignificant portion of which has resulted from oilproduction activity, these lawsuits are the wrong way to make them do it. And this particular lawsuit against Chevron should lose. Moreover,win or lose, anew study says thesuit in the meantime has been really bad for Louisiana’seconomy
Quin Hillyer
On Nov.20, the SupremeCourt announced that it would hold oral arguments Jan. 12 in Chevron v. Plaquemines Parish. At issue
are not theactual merits of the plaintiffs’ claims against theoil companies, butthe procedural issue of whether thecases should be adjudicated in federal courts instead of the state courts that so far have ruled against the energyproducers. Still, if Chevron persuades theSupremeCourt to “remove” thecase to federal court, thepracticalresult —inthe words of a Harvard LawReviewarticle —“would be the immediate wipeoutofthe $745 million judgment” that Plaquemines won in astate jury trial in April. The parish would then need to prove itscase all over again in federal court. The rules for “removal” to federal courts are technical and somewhat complicated. The oil companies argue that thecase should have federal jurisdiction because theoil work began under national government instructions to produceand refineoil for use in World WarII. Suffice it to say that Ithink Chevron’sargument is solid —and thatitalso has even
morepersuasive arguments both procedurally and on the merits in their appeal to the Louisiana FourthCircuit Court of Appeal even if the Supreme Court decides the case should remain in statejurisdiction. In what Iadmit is an overly simplified form, the argument on themerits itself is that oil companies are being asked to pay for activity that was both legal at the time and, in some aspects, specifically approved by government authorities.
The procedural argument, which to me seems compelling, is that the state trial court judge repeatedly prohibited Chevron from even showing to the jury all theactual documents —permits, inspection reports and approvals —that should serve as evidence that it acted legally
In one major instance, thetrial judge completely reversed with neither written analysis nor change in facts —his earlier, sensible, lawful ruling that activities prior to a1980 state law were exempt from one line of legal attack.
How,pray tell, could Chevron’s defense be understood by the jury when thejury wasn’tallowed to see thedocuments supporting thedefense?
Meanwhile, as this case and other similar ones drag on (and on and on and….), anew study commissioned by the conservativePelican Institute think tank says thesuits are bad forLouisiana itself.
The report says the attempts to gain money forstate and parish governments (andfor the trial lawyers whokeep pushing these suits) are actuallycosting the statebothmoney and jobs.
The report by Gavin Roberts, a Ph.D. economist of Weber State University,says the lawsuits have driven oil business away from Louisiana. Production offLouisiana’scoast is downfar more than in the nation as awhole, as is employment, and state mineral revenues have been cut by more than half, meaning aloss of $2.3 billion to state coffers since the suitsbeganinearnest in 2013.
The report, issued Nov. 6, follows a2019 study by the same
economist that laid out an econometric model that, he said, would provide neutral measurements of whether,and how,the suits were affecting the economy Granted, such “what if”scenarios are hard foralayman to adjudge. When does correlation (lawsuits coinciding with diminished economic activity) becomecausation (with the lawsuits actually being the genesis of the slowdown)? Logic, though, does tend to support the reports’ conclusions, and from alayman’s perspective, the actual econometric analysis seems sound. Either way,asI have argued for morethan adecade, the fairest waytomake oil companies pay forcoastal protection and restoration, and the surest way for the state to actually know the money will come in, is forasmall, forward-looking tax or feefor which both sides dependably can plan, rather than the jackpot justice of dubious lawsuits that never,ever seem to end.
Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com
Icould fill this column several times over with reasons why the Trump administration’simmigration policies are cruel, unproductive and unfair.
live in our country,the land of the free.”
Stephanie Grace
Reading about widespread fears over the U.S. Border Patrol’simminent incursion into Louisiana last weekend, my mind focused on yetanother description for the unprecedented domestic crackdown by those self-describedconservatives in Washington: It’sactuallyanything but conservative.
At least in terms of the values that I’ve always heard conservatives claim to espouse.
For one thing, the crackdownis anti-business.
My colleague James Finn recounted an infuriating anecdote about asmall businessman —an entrepreneur who fits the mold of the people the Republican Party says it wants to help —losing abrand-new restaurant and struggling to keep an existing one functioning. In both cases, Julio Machado said hisproblems directly resulted from behavioral changes in response to President Donald Trump’spunishingpolicies in immigrant communities fullof people who work hard and don’t harm anyone.
Machado opened arestaurant to serve alarge such community in Kenner; it lasted less thana year,
U.S. Border Patrol agents detain atruck driver during an immigration enforcementoperationatatruck stop in Illinois.
as job applicantsand customers —whatfew therewere—told him theyare avoiding places that might get raided or saving money forimmigration lawyers or costs associated with deportation of family members. He’salso having trouble filling dishwasher jobs at an existingrestaurant in New Orleans.
“Thelackoflabor,it’skilling me,” Machado said.
The crackdownalso harms the sort of community institutions that conservativesbelieve should be strengthened, not weakened.
In schools that serve alarge Hispanic population, Finn reported, fewerkids are coming to class. That’sentirely understandable, considering the real possibility
During the New Orleansmayoral campaign, we learned that the citywas facing adeficit of about $65 million. That wasn’tgood.The city’sfiscal health became an important issue, especially for mayoral and City Council candidates —and ultimately for the state, which was looked at as abackstop for its largest city As time went on, however,there were guesses, grumblings and rumors that the deficit might be even larger In time, the estimate climbed, and it’snow $160 million
The city is not healthy
The city is not just sick
of studentsand theirparents being targeted there, or of students coming home to find theirparents gone without any information.
At Our Lady of Guadalupe, which boasts asignificant Central American presence in itscongregation and where New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno worships, fewer people are showing up to Spanish-speaking services —again, perfectly understandable given the images we’ve all seen of families rippedapart by pumpedup masked men, and of people being detained on the vaguest of pretenses.
“They’re afraid to leave their homes, to go shopping,” the church’spastor,the Rev.Tony Rigoli, said. “That is not away to
Like thecustomers and workerswho’ve ghosted Machado’s restaurants, these are mostly participants in our economywho are statistically less likely to commit crimes than citizens, who often pay taxes and who don’teven qualify for some of the benefits that those who labelthem adrain claim theyget.When the Border Patrol descended on Charlotte, North Carolina, for asimilar,far-fromthe-actual-border crackdown, CBS News reported, fewer than athird of the people arrested were classified internally by the Department of Homeland Security as “criminals.”
Of all the infuriating developmentsasthe administration has targetedimmigrant communities, one of the worst is the practice of grabbing people who show up to courtorimmigration appointments. Keeping official appointmentswith the government is, on its face, evidence of the person’s attempt to comply with the rules, however confusing and contradictory theymay be. That, back in the day,was another conservative value. Or so Ithought.
Earlier in this wrongheaded escapade, we saw afew reversals around here,when the people targetedwere so sympathetic that someone with the Trump administration’sear intervened. So good for U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise for helping widely loved constituent Donna Kashanianand for U.S. Sen.
John Kennedy forworking to secure arelease from detention for Paola Clouatre, amilitary spouse and momoftwo small children
Yetthese interventions are not proof that the system works but evidence that it doesn’t. Such consideration and sympathy seem available only to the few who manage to find their wayinto the headlines, not the many who are caught up in this mess, knowing that the rule of law might well not apply to them. That’sone more supposedly conservative casualty of this disgraceful chapter in our country’s history
That the Border Patrol is now headed our way hits particularly hard, because Louisiana is aproud melting pot that, on its best days, welcomes all who make life more interesting, more flavorful and more productive. Indeed, as recently as two decades ago, locals celebrated as heroes the immigrant workers who did so muchto put their lives back together after Hurricane Katrina,and in many instances stayed.
Louisiana maybeared state, but turning our backs now,for nothing more than awrongheaded political agenda, isn’tconservative in the least.
In fact, it’sradical. And hypocritical. And downright un-American. And if anyone should get that, it’sthe people who call our kind, welcoming state home.
EmailStephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.
erates, this is your chance.
Will Sutton
The city needs major surgery New Orleans doesn’tneed a visit to the doctorand aprescription for amedicine that will make it feel better.Itneeds ascheduled hospital stay with emergency surgery and atreatment plan. Still, part of being healthy means doing things that continuetomake us healthy,making healthy choices
anddealing withdisease, illness andsickness whenthey arise. New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno has received a disturbing yet realistic report from Mayor LaToya Cantrell’sadministration laying out more details about thetroubles we’ve seen andtroubles on the horizon. In the 422-page report, some of theitems identified as needing immediateattention include theobvious —budget constraints andsanitation contracts —and some significant needs,including emergency and hazard responses, dealing with state and federal government actions and adecliningpopulation as well as “vulnerable” buildingstock and assets. With thestart of anew year comingsoon,there’salso the matter of how to pay for all of the extra law enforcement help New Orleans needs during the Carnival season. That is achallenge. If you’veever wanted to know more about how New Orleans op-
Youcan get agood overview of the report and some pressing needs by reading astoryreported by this newspaper’sBlake Paterson and Sophie Kasakove afew days ago. If you want toknow more, call up thetransition report and dig in. It’sa lot todigest.I really want toknow more, much more, aboutwhat’s going on, so I used my old Evelyn Wood reading approach to look at the overall subject matter,tolook at the subsections and to determine how long it might takemetoread the report On average, for most of us, reading withregular pacing, it would take at least eight to 10 hours to read the entire document. I’m sure someofyou did better than Idid with Evelyn Wood, so maybe you can read it in as little as five or six hours. If you want touse thefastest path to finish, it might takeyou two hours to adequately skim theentire document If you want ashortcut toget
somekey insights, read the executive summary,read Cantrell’s accomplishments section for memories about somegood times, glance at thefirst pages of each department summaryand jump to projects summary. Warning: There are details such as names, titles,departmentnames, email addresses, street addresses, committee names andzeros where there is no money available for somethings. It’sgoing to take me sometime to get through this thing, but I thought I’d give you my preliminary impressions. Moreno and her 300-person-plus transition team have been hard at work digging into the city’sfinancial health woes, and now they have an extensive inside analysis. This is no Band-Aid situation. Cantrell handed off atroubled patient in need of an experienced budget and deficit specialists. Unfortunately,that’snot Mayor-elect Moreno. Fortunately,Moreno knew before she got the report that she’d have to build ateam
of specialists whocould jump into the report as soon as it was received so they can provide the chief surgeon with painful, toughto-swallow options to avoid permanent amputations.
This is going to hurt.
The city is in fordeep cuts, a reduction of already poor city services and more. Major surgery must be scheduled to remove all or someof what is causing pain and to repair or replace damaged tissue or organs.
Moreno’sproviding her own diagnosis, immediate triage to stabilize the city through the end of the year and asurgery plan to get it into and through the next budget year
One of the best things Moreno can do is to be honest, open and specific about what it’sgoing to take forustoget better —and, if she can, prescribe someanesthesia to limit the pain.
Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.
with meteorologist Damon Singleton
Continued from page 1B
could be looking at. The New Orleans Building Corp. is looking at the 30 top properties that they think could be decent money generators. And for some of those, if we do a sale, obviously that could help with fund balance. Even if we do a longterm lease, and we take all the payments up front, that could go toward the fund balance. We also have way too many cars. We have way too many people with take-home cars that are non-public-safety employees I can tell you that I’m getting rid of three of the mayor’s cars. I mean, she’s got four I don’t know why she needs four You sound confident that your administration will be able to find additional revenues. I don’t have another option but to get it done. I will work every single day to figure out new ways to capture additional revenue. And we have to work really urgently. The people of the city elected me in the primary with a mandate, because they want the work done and they want the work done now How will the budget cuts affect city services?
On the essential services side, we don’t plan to see any issues. But as a consequence of the mismanagement over the years, I have to furlough the 700 employees that are non-public-safety and nonessential services employees. That means things could take a little bit longer to get through things like the Planning Commission. There’s some things that maybe people would want to work a little faster that may not be possible Your budget includes nearly $39 million for overtime. You plan to put that in the chief administrative officer’s budget.Why?
The reason why we decid-
ed to put that in the CAO’s budget is to have more oversight and control. We want to make sure that we have
a full understanding as to what’s happening with overtime so if we see anything that seems to be a little bit off, we can figure it out right then, instead of once it’s way too far gone.
The New Orleans Police Department has come under scrutiny for its overtime practices.What changes do you want Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick to make? I want her to manage it. Because I think, unfortunately, what had been done over the past several years is that it was just kind of a free-for-all for overtime.
I do appreciate that now she’s gone back to the biometric system where officers, once they’re at work, they’re able to log in with a thumbprint. I think some even have eye scans or facial recognition to log them in.
She’s looking at some redeployments to reduce overtime as well. So I do appreciate her looking at all of that. And she’s also working with the inspector general on some potential abuses of overtime.
You’ve mentioned putting in place an “impact fee” that event organizers would have to pay for services like police protection for special events.Where is that proposal?
Walt Leger and his team at New Orleans & Company are leading that and are supposed to present something to us fairly soon. They are
taking a look at what other cities do It’s really a balance. No doubt about it, we need to have these impact fees. Some cities have fees where it’s like every tiny thing, like, you mess up some patches of grass, you get fined. We want to make sure that whatever we do is in line with what other cities do. Because what we don’t want to do is to lose out on events due to the fact that our impact fees are too high. One of the things that could be considered an impact fee is the $20-per-rider fee for Mardi Gras crews, which we believe could generate roughly half a million dollars during the Mardi Gras season, which could offset the cost of overtime for our sanitation workers and public safety
What have you learned about how City Hall operates as you’ve prepared to transition into the Mayor’s Office?
I’ll start with the bad and then get to the good. Obviously, the bad is that the financial problem is worse than we expect. Every time we kept peeling back the onion, we were like, oh, it’s actually worse than we thought. Also concerning is the real lack of understanding within the current administration as to what’s really going on and what’s what and where’s what.
That’s why, moving to the positive, I’m just so grate-
ful that this transition team has been on the ground with these great analysts to really figure out what’s really happening and what’s really going on and where is the real problem. Because to fix something, you have to really understand the problem first.
I think the other piece too that I’ve learned is that we have some really committed and amazing public servants currently working at City Hall who want to do a great job for the people of this city but they have felt just rudderless. They have felt that there’s been no leadership, and they have been kind of just flailing trying to figure out where to go. I see it in them, just this level of enthusiasm to take things to a new level and to feel like they have a leader
What are other costs that you’ve encountered at City Hall that were surprising to you?
It’s everything from the amount of cars to just different vendors and consultants and things like that. So we have to do a whole review that will be starting soon through the transition of all the different contracts and vendors and who’s making money at City Hall. We will have to start canceling some of those contracts as we start reviewing that, so those are some additional savings that we will find.
Even to the point of people just getting used to a lot of different things I mean, from, you know all the soft drinks and snacks and water bottles and water coolers all over City Hall, like, that’s just a lot of excess that’s probably not needed.
We’re getting information reports of many city employees that have two computers. Everything has to be looked at. I just don’t have a cent to waste anymore. People’s jobs are on the line, so every cent matters
Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@ theadvocate.comor contact him on Signal at blakepaterson.504
Continued from page 1B
Olsen said her family has prioritized their membership as a “well-loved expense” and used it to bring visiting family and friends to Audubon attractions, calling it “part of our traditions.”
“The insane price hike is unexpected and their messaging is tone deaf,” she said. “Better, more highly rated zoos cost significantly less and offer straightforward benefits: fair-cost access to a day at the zoo or aquarium.”
Audubon said in its statement that the increase reflects current economic realities and will improve members’ experience, noting the price has been largely unchanged for a decade.
Audubon said critical expenses including insurance, animal care and nutrition, veterinary care, medical supplies and habitat maintenance have increased considerably during this time And memberships cover more than half of animal care costs.
“These changes will help better support operation of our facilities and animal care and will offer more benefits for Audubon members,” the statement said. Commenters to Audu-
bon’s post announcing the changes, while understanding of the cost to care for animals and pay their keeper and zoo staff, were frustrated about the lack of warning and just how steep the increase is Some complained of high salaries on the upper end of management at Audubon.
One commenter, who said her family would not be renewing, noted families used to be able to have one free guest come with them, which now costs an extra $100.
“On top of the massive increase in cost,” Olsen agreed, “Audubon is nickeland-diming the addition of a grandparent or babysitter to the tune of an additional $100. It’s outrageous.”
Audubon said the new membership cost pays for itself within two visits, though another commenter noted it shouldn’t cost a family of four that much to go to the zoo for a single visit, “especially in a city with notoriously low wages.”
Audubon couldn’t be reached to answer additional questions Saturday morning. Audubon’s memberships provide free year-round admittance to the zoo, the Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Insectarium, plus access to more than 30 member-exclusive events.
NORMAN,Okla. In the longhistory of LSU football, there may never have beensuch an “Awshucks” tag attached toadisappointing come-from-ahead defeat as what took place here Saturday with the Tigers’17-13loss at No. 8Oklahoma.
That’sbecause while LSUwas losing abruising, blustery battle with the Sooners, Tiger fans everywhere had their attentionfixated on trying to win the war for Lane Kiffin.
in termsofits protracted fight withOle Miss for Kiffin’sservices. Butnothing is over until it’sover,isit? If this football season —the one that saw Brian Kelly’s demiseasthe LSUcoach and prompted the Tigers’ full-court press for Kiffin’sservices in the first place —has taught us anything, it’sthat you can’ttake anything for granted in the red zone.
By Saturday night, it appeared LSU was nearing thatvictory,with sourcesand multiple reports indicating that Kiffin would at some point beleaving Ole Miss to coach the Tigers. In other words,LSU was in the red zone
All of this madefor about 36 hours of enthralling, exhausting and ultimately excruciating theater At first,weall wondered whether there mightbesome announcement from Kiffinafter Ole Miss beat Mississippi State 38-19 Friday in the Egg Bowl. Then after hisson Knox’shigh school playoff game
Friday night. Then following ascheduled meeting (after hot yoga) Saturday morning with OleMiss athletic director Keith Carter that got pushed to Saturday afternoon. Then things got pushed to thefinal tick of Saturday night’s gamebetween Alabamaand Auburn, asuddenly relevant set piece in this slowly evolving dramabecause aBama loss in the Iron Bowl would have put Ole Miss in itsfirst-ever SEC championship gamenext Saturday Weaved into all of this melodrama was how bravely LSUcarried the fight to Oklahomaall afternoon, pushing the Sooners’ College Football Playoff hopes to the edge
BY TOYLOYBROWN III
Staff writer
Southern entered Saturday’sBayou Classic battle with Grambling desperatefor a season-ending victory during one ofits worst seasons in school history
TheJaguars’ desperation was rewarded as they took down Grambling 28-27 in the 52nd annual BayouClassic on Saturdayat the Caesars Superdome.They clawed back from 14 points down in thesecondquarter and took alead for the first time with7:16 left in the game.
The game marks the first time since2002 that Southern (2-10, 1-7 SWAC) beat Grambling with an inferior record in theBayou Classic, when it won 48-24 undercoach Pete Richardson.
“Wetried to overcome allour adversities during the course of this year,and we put together agoodgame plan to come in and focus on what we had to doon the course of the Bayou Classic,” said Southerninterim coach Fred McNair,whoseteam snapped a nine-game losing streak. “Mybiggest thing to these young men, ‘Don’tgive up. Don’t ever give up. Give up on this with something that you love,you give uponlife.’ ” The go-ahead touchdown was courtesy of Khalil Harris, who pulled in a34-yard pass from quarterback Cam’RonMcCoy,giving Southern aone-point advantage midway through the fourth quarter
The touchdown was the second big-time play made by McCoy in thequarter.The junior moved out of the pocket to evadepressure and threw adeep 51-yard pass to Cam Jefferson,who made adiving catch. That drive concluded with Trey Holly’s9-yard rushing touchdown that cut Grambling’s lead to 24-21 with 13:38 remaining. McCoygot the start Saturday,his first
ä See BAYOUCLASSIC, page 3C
Jefferson
Southernwide
atouchdownagainst Grambling
the second half of the 52ndannual BayouClassic on Saturdayatthe Caesars Superdome
TUL ANE CH ARL OT TE
REGULAR-SEASON RECORD: 10-2
STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER
Tulane running back Jamauri McClure, center,runs withthe ball with widereceiverShazz Preston, left, and offensive lineman Jack Hollifield close behindduringthe first half against the Charlotte 49ers on Saturdayatyulman Stadium. Tulane shut out Charlotte 27-0.
BY GUERRYSMITH Contributingwriter
With reports swirling about coach Jon Sumrall getting close to acceptingthe vacant Floridajob,plentyof drama surrounded Tulane’s regularseason finale againsthaplessCharlotte. Thegame itself hadnexttonointrigue.Asexpected,itwas over soon after it started. Punching itsticket to the American Conference championship game, Tulane scored easy touchdowns on its first two series sandwiched around athree-and-out from Charlotte on its way to a27-0 victory on SaturdaynightatYulmanStadium. The Green Wave waited abit to deliver theknockoutblow, committing backto-back turnovers,but athirdtouchdown right before halftime ended any remainingdoubt. Tulane (10-2, 7-1) will host North Texas(11-1,7-1) on 7p.m.Friday, with thewinner virtually guaranteed aspot in the College Football Playoff as one
of the five highest-ranked conference champions. Charlotte (1-11, 0-8) entered the gameoff of five consecutive losses of 21 points or more and had not played an FBS opponent within single digits allyear,earning its lone win against Monmouth of the FCS in early September Tulane running back Jamauri McClure, making hisfirst career start, ran right through the 49ers fora25yard gain on the opening drive. Even whenCharlotte had wide receiver Omari Hayes hemmed it at the sideline after ashovelpass, he brokea tackle on onesidelineatthe 17,reverseddirection and ranall the way acrossthe field before being pushed outofbounds at the1.Thatplayset up an old-school 1-yard scoring plunge by Javin Gordon, wholined up as a fullback. The Wave’sother two first-half touchdowns, also from 1yard out, were newschool tush pushes, with quarterback
See TULANE, page 6C
8a.m.Inter
By The Associated Press
ANN ARBOR, Michigan Julian Sayin
threw three touchdownpasses including a35-yarder to Jeremiah Smith on afourth down in the second quarter,and No. 1OhioState beat No. 15 Michigan 27-9 in a dominant performance on Saturday The defending national champion Buckeyes (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No. 1CFP) likely earned afirstround bye in the College Football Playoff. They can keep their top seed with awin against No. 2Indiana (12-0, 9-0, No. 2CFP) in the conferencechampionship game Saturday night in Indianapolis. Ryan Day should sleepwell, a year afterlosingThe Game when his team was favored by about three touchdowns. Theupset extended his losing streak in the series to four games and sparked speculation he might also lose his job.
“We’re going to win with humility,” Day said, choking up, on the field in an interview withFox.
The Wolverines (9-3, 7-2) started strong with two field goals andan interception on the firstthree possessions of the game, butcouldn’t generate pressure when Ohio State wanted to pass No. 12 VANDERBILT45, No. 18 TENNES-
SEE 24: In Knoxville, Tennessee, Diego Pavia threw for 268 yards and atouchdown and ran for 165 yards and another scoretolead Vanderbilt to awin over Tennessee. Sedrick Alexanderrushed for 115 yards and three touchdowns and Vanderbilt (10-2, 6-2 SEC, No. 14 CFP) generated 582 yards of total offense againstits instate rival while keeping its hopes for aberth in the CollegeFootball Playoff alive.
Joey Aguilar threw for 299 yards and aTDfor the Volunteers (8-4, 4-4, No. 19 CFP). DeSean Bishop had 97 rushing yards and two scores.
NO.13MIAMI 38, NO.24PITTSBURGH
7:InPittsburgh, Carson Beck passed for 267 yards with three touchdowns and an interception as MiamibeatPittsburghtokeep itsslimhopes foraspotinthe ACC title game alive,atleast for afew hours. The Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2 ACC) need several other outcomes across the league to go their way later Saturday to earna spot in the conference championship next week in Charlotte. Beck connected on 23 of 29 passestofinish the regular season
Lions centerRagnow fails physical, won’t play in ’25
FrankRagnow’sseasonisover before it started.
The four-time Pro Bowl centerfailed aphysicalbecause of a hamstring strain, days aftercoming out of retirement, the team announced Saturday
The Lionssay Ragnowreported to the team’straining facility Friday and an exam showed he has an injury that will prevent him from playing this season.
The29-year-old Ragnow wasreinstated off the retirement list on Wednesday in amovewelcomed by theLions, whohavemissed him on the offensive line this year.His replacement, Graham Glasgow, was ruledout withakneeinjury forthe gameagainst the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, a gameDetroit lost. Ragnow stepped away from the gamelast June.
The Pittsburgh Steelers placed left tackle Broderick Jones on injuredreserve Saturdayahead of a visit from the Buffalo Bills. Pittsburgh alreadyhad ruled Jonesout witha neck injury suffered in the fourth quarter of last week’sloss to the Chicago Bears. Jones now will miss at least the next four gamesfor Pittsburgh(6-5). Andrus Peat will start in place of Jones and will be in charge of protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blindside against the Bills (7-4). Pittsburgh also elevated cornerback AsanteSamuel Jr.tothe 53manroster. TheSteelerssignedthe four-year veterantotheir practice squadearlierthismonth. Samuel had been afree agent after undergoing neck surgery in the spring.
Ramswaive kicker Karty, want him on practice squad
TheLos AngelesRams have waived kicker Joshua Karty,who held the starting job for 11/2 seasons before being replaced by Harrison Mevis earlier this month.
witha74.7% completion percentage, tops in the FBS and anew programrecord.
No. 11 BYU 41, UCF 21: In Provo, Utah, Bear Bachmeier threw for 289yards anda touchdowntohelp BYU beat UCF
LJ Martin added 95 yards and three touchdowns on the ground for the Cougars (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No.11CFP) who clinched aspot in the Big 12 championship game next Saturdaywhere they will face Texas Tech for asecond time this season. Parker Kingston added 181 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.
BYUisplaying in aconference championshipgame for thefirst time since battling Air Force for theWAC title in 1998.
No.8 OREGON 26, WASHINGTON 14: In Seattle, Malik Benson hada season-long 64-yardtouchdown catch with 7:55 to go in regulation and Oregon beat Washington to all but cement aspotinthe CollegeFootball Playoff. The wide receivercaught apass from DanteMoore around midfield, split twoHuskies defenders and raced to the end zone to give Oregon (11-1, 8-1Big Ten, No. 6 CFP) a26-14lead.
DemondWilliams Jr.threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston with 8:54 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut thedeficit for Washington (8-4, 5-4) to 19-14. But the Ducks responded quickly with Benson’scatch-and-run.
No.7TEXASTECH49,WESTVIRGINIA 0: In Morgantown, West Virginia, Behren Morton threw for310 yards and three touchdowns, linebacker
Jacob Rodriguez scored hissecond offensive TD in as many games, and Texas Tech beat West Virginia in theRed Raiders’ finaltuneup before the Big 12 championship game. Texas Tech (11-1, 8-1Big 12, No 5CFP) hadalreadyclincheda spot in the title game against No. 11 BYU in Arlington, Texas, when Arizona State lost to Arizona on Fridaynight. But the Red Raiders had plenty of motivation, needing awin over theMountaineers to continue their trajectorytoward at least hosting afirst-round home game in theCollege Football Playoff TexasTech was dominant from thestart, scoring touchdowns on four of their first five drives. No. 17 VIRGINIA 27,VIRGINIA TECH 7: In Charlottesville, Virginia, J’Mari Taylor became thefirst Atlantic CoastConference running back since 2021 to run foratouchdown and throwfor ascore in the same gameasVirginia beat Virginia Tech to clinch aspot in the conference championship game.
Taylor ran for 80 yards and a score and quarterback Chandler Morris threwfor 182 yards and ran8 yards for atouchdown as the Cavaliers beat the Hokies for just the second timeinthe last 21 meetings between theschools Virginia (10-2, 7-1 ACC) turned an interceptionoff adeflectedpass on Tech’s firstpossessionintoa touchdown and never looked back. Late Friday
No.2 INDIANA 56, PURDUE 3: In West
Lafayette, Indiana, Kaelon Black had two touchdown runs andFernando Mendoza andRoman Hemby each ran for scores as Indiana beat rival Purdue, completing thefirstperfect regularseason in school history andsecuring aBig Tenchampionship game berth.
Indiana celebrated by hoistingthe OldOaken Bucket in the series’ 100th trophy game, while Curt Cignetti became the first Indianacoach sinceBoMcMillinin 1934-35 to win his first twomatchups against Purdue.
Purdue (2-10, 0-9) endured more misery in the coldest gameever played at Ross-Ade Stadium, witha kickoff temperatureof24 degrees Fahrenheit. The Boilermakers closed coach Barry Odom’sfirst season with a10th straight loss andpostedtheir second straight winless season in conference play,the first since 1919-20.
No. 16 TEXAS 27, No.3 TEXAS A&M 17: In Austin, Texas, ArchManning threw atouchdown pass andran for the clinching score late in the fourth quarterand Texasbeat TexasA&M to spoil the Aggies’ undefeated season and knock themout of theSoutheastern Conference championship game. Manning’s29-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo in the third quartergave Texas (9-3, 6-2 SEC, No, 16 CFP) a13-10 lead in what had been atight, defensive game. His35-yard run up the middle on third down with 7:04 left to play putthe Longhorns up 27-17. Texas, which startedthe seasonNo. 1and at one point was unranked, beat atop-10opponent for the third time this season to keep alive any faint hopes of making the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive time.
No. 25 ARIZONA 23, No. 20 ARIZONA STATE7: In Tempe,Arizona, Noah Fifitathrew for 286 yards and a touchdown,Arizona’sdefense forced fiveturnovers and the Wildcats spoiledrival Arizona State’sBig 12 championship game hopes withadominating win.
The reigning Big 12 champion Sun Devils (8-4, 6-3Big 12, No. 20 CFP) entered the most anticipated TerritorialCup game in adecade with aslim chance of reaching the title gameagain. Arizona (9-3, 6-3, No.25CFP) squeezed the life outoftheir chances withasuffocating defensethatfilled up their turnover sword andlimitedArizona State to 214total yards.
The Rams (9-2) made the move Friday before traveling to face Carolina on Sunday Los Angeles replaced Karty with Mevis three games ago, and Mevis has made13straight extra points and twofield goals without amiss, stabilizing the Rams’ chaotic kicking unit.
The Rams arehoping to re-sign Karty to their practice squad, coach Sean McVay said Friday He missed only three of his 34 field-goal attempts last season, but Karty missed five of his 15 fieldgoal attempts and missedthree extra-point attempts, sometimes because of pressure and blocks, before gettingbenched this season
Orioles acquire reliever Helsley on two-year deal
The Baltimore Oriolesadded Ryan Helsley to theirbullpenon Saturday,agreeingtoa two-year contract withthe free agent reliever
The 31-year-old Helsley has an opt-out after one season.
Baltimore has been active as it looks to bounce back from alastplacefinishinthe AL East this year.The Orioles wonthe division in 2023 and madethe playoffs as a wild card in 2024. Outfielder Taylor Ward wasacquired in atrade with the Los Angeles Angels on Nov.18.
Helsleybecame oneofbaseball’s best relievers while spending his first six-plus seasons with St. Louis. The right-hander went3-1 with a3.00ERA and21saves with the Cardinals last year before he was traded to the Mets.
Hawks guard Young set to miss two more weeks
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young is expected to missatleast twomoreweeksashecontinues his recovery from asprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
The Hawks on Saturday said Young continues to makegood progress after missing one month after the injury on Oct. 29 in a117112 win at Brooklyn. The team said Young will be reevaluated in two weeks. At the time of the injury,the Hawks said an MRI showed Young avoidedananteriorcruciate ligament injury
Young alreadyhas missed 15 games. He would miss at least seven additional games if his rehabilitation continues two more weeks.
For the first time since Aug. 30, Southern celebrated awin.The victorycameina game that practically embodied the challengesSouthern facedthis season. It trailed aftergoing down 14-0inthe first period. Grambling made standout offensiveplays that appearedtodemoralize Southern. Instead of bowing out, the Jaguars played harder and smarterinbig moments, such as Cam’Ron McCoy’s34-yard TD throwfor the go-ahead score. Southernmademistakes but continued to fight.
Thestrength of the offense wasalways supposed to be therunning game. In thebiggestgameof theseason, theJaguars’ tailbacks,along withtheir offensiveline, stepped up themost. Southernhad 204 rushing yards to Grambling’s85. BayouClassicMVP Barry Remo invigorated hisunitonthe second offensiveplayofthe thirdquarter.His 51-yardtouchdown rush changedthe tenor of thegame. Southerndoesn’t win without thesophomore’s 14.3 yards per carry
Southern’s undisputedleader,CkelbyGivens, was the playertoofficially ice thegamewitha fumble recovery with32seconds left.The reigning SWAC DefensivePlayerofthe year thought his senior year would see aconference championship game and aCelebration Bowl appearance.While that didn’t happen, Givensremained committed. Despite not having aSWACtitle aftermaking two championship game appearances, he still ended his four-year career at Southern meaningfully.Heneverlost to Grambling
recovered.
The drive home Fred McNair made each day from Southern University’s practice facilitywasn’talways easy since he took over as the Jaguars’ interim head coach.
There was alot for McNair to ponder as he tried to rally ateam that fell way below expectations this season.
So low,infact, that head coach Terrence Gravesgot fired afterseven games.
So low,the programwas on the verge of having its worst seasonin90years.
The noise around theprogram’sdismal season was blaring as loudasthe Human Jukebox’strumpet section.
“Many nights Ihave driven home from the stadium to the housetryingtothink of some encouraging wordsfor thenext day,” McNair said. “Countless hours and nights Ididn’tsleep just worrying about this program and where it’s going to go. Worried about these young men and the things they havetodotostay above water.”
Saturday was sink or swim for theJaguars.Theyhad one last chance to save a few scraps from arough season
They delivered witha stunning 28-27 victory over rival Grambling in the 52nd annual BayouClassic at Caesars Superdome.
Continued from page1C
since Oct. 11 when the Jaguars fell 45-14atBethune-Cookman.
When McNair wasasked about his quarterback’splay,hesaid he was happy with how McCoy rose to the occasion.
“I was always trying to teach them, you know,get rid of theball early,” McNairsaid. “I thought he did agreat job at times in getting rid the ball, and for the touchdown pass he threw,itwas on time. So I’mverypleasedwiththe wayhe stepped in and threw the football, and also he ran the football.” McCoy finished with 148yards passing and atouchdown,completing 6of18passes.
Southern nearly cost itself the game after it was penalized for running into Grambling kicker Josh McCormick on a54-yard field goal attempt, giving the Ti-
When you hear coaches speak at the Bayou Classic press conference on the Monday before thegame, you’re guaranteed to hear at least one of them say “throw the records out the window.”
Well, Southern would have been glad to throw its record out thewindow.The Jaguars had won just one game before Saturday. Their lone other win came way back in late August against SWAC cellar dweller Mississippi Valley State.
So it’sunderstandable why Southern fansand players erupted theway they did when Jaguars defensive end Ckelby Givenspounced on afumble with32secondsleft to seal the win. Youwould have thought theJags had punched aticket to theSWACtitle game, which is what the expectations were when the season began. They were picked to win theconference’swest division, but thingswent off therails early and they never quite
gers another set of downs. But theSoutherndefense responded to keep Grambling (7-4, 4-4) out of theend zone, leading to asecond failed field goal attempt by McCormick from 43 yards out with 2:18 remaining. On the next possession,Southern had athree-and-outafter after taking over at its own 26-yard line with 2:13 left. After aSouthernpunt, Grambling tookoveratits own 37 with 1:58 remaining.The Jaguars finally put the game to rest when defensive endCkelbyGivens recovered afumblebyGrambling running backAndre Crews with 32 seconds left. Demetrios Walker was credited with the forced fumble. The turnover allowed Southern to avoid becomingthe first Jaguars team since 1935 to finish the season with just one win. McCoy struggledearly to connect with hisreceivers. In his first four drives, there were three three-and-outs.
Butbeating Grambling made abitter season atad bit sweeter.Italways does, as Southern players reminded everyone in the Dome who stuck around forthe postgamecelebration.
Southern finished 2-10, butitwas another record that was posted on awhite board that was paraded around the field. It simply read “4-0,” which is how the Jaguars have fared over the past four seasons in the Bayou Classic.
With thewin, Southern avoided what would have been its first one-win season since 1935. Grambling finished 7-5, an improvement from last season when it went 5-7 in Joseph’sfirst season.Joseph says his team is heading in the right direction.
Jaguar Nation is hoping the samecan be said about Southern this timenext season as it tries torebound from atrying 2025.
It’ll be up to former NFL running back great Marshall Faulk to get them back on track. Faulk is expected to be officially named Southern’shead coach any day now
Faulk,whose football journey took him from Carver High School in New Orleanstothe ProFootball Hall of Fame, knows athing or two about what it takes
Thedefense kept the Jaguars in the game, putting pressure on the Grambling backfield. AfterGreysonLaFleur had afourth-down sack on Southern’s40-yard line during Grambling’sfirst drive, Jerome Wallace had athird-down sack to end Grambling’snext drive. Earlier in the possession, Wallace blewupanend-around play for aGrambling receiver The Tigers eventually reached the end zone in the first quarter Freshman quarterback Hayden Benoit threw aslant pass to wide receiver AndrewFrazier, who broke aSouthern tackle for a70yard reception and was brought down by safety ElijahWest9 yards from theend zone. Grambling went into ahurry-up offense andinstantlyearned atouchdown with a9-yardpass to Baron Miles for atouchdown with 3:44 left in thefirst quarter McNairtemporarily took McCoyout andreplacedhim with junior Ashton Strother with23
to be agood running back. So he will love having the duo of Barry Remoand Trey Holly,two backs whowill give him something to workwith. Remo(seven carries, 100 yards) and Holly (18 carries, 61 yards) combined for161 yards and three touchdowns in the Bayou Classic. The Jaguars now have bragging rights with Grambling forthe next 365 days. But in Baton Rouge, the standard is so much higher.They don’twant to just dominate the Tigers. They wanttodominate the SWAC.
It’s atall task, but one Faulk will be up forbased on somewords he spoke at his Hall of Fame induction in 2011 —the words of wisdom his father had imparted to him
“Ifyou are ever traveling on aroad and there are no speed bumps, you are headed foradead end,” Faulk said in that speech 14 years ago. “Lifeisachallenge.”
Southern had plenty of speed bumps this season. And getting back on track can be achallenge.
Just ask McNair,who was able to do it in the one gameSouthern fans wanted to winthe most.
Email RodWalkeratrwalker@ theadvocate.com.
seconds left in thefirst quarter Strother hadstarted the previous five games.
Strother threw apass high on third and 15 from his own 25-yard line. The ballwas tipped by Jefferson with one hand and intercepted by Grambling’sTyrell Raby,who was brought downatthe Southern 28-yard line.
Grambling tookadvantage of theturnover when Benoit came up with awell-throwntouchdown pass to the right side of theend zone to wideout Keith Jones. The Tigers tooka14-0 lead at the 10:52 markofthe second quarter
Grambling’sfirstsizable mistake helpeddeliverSouthern’sfirst score. With 9:31 left in the second period, Strother escaped the pocket from his own43-yard line on second and8.When Strother was fully out of bounds, defensive linemanBryce Cage tackledhim with his shoulder on the front of Strother’shelmet. Grambling was charged a15-
yard personal foul penalty, which landedSouthern on the Grambling 41. Strother remained on the groundfor severalminutesbut managed to walk to his own sideline. He was seen walking around on the sideline in the second half McCoy re-entered and on his first play,hecompleted his second pass in his first eight attempts to Harris fora27-yard gain. In the red zone, Southern relied on Holly,who punched in a2-yard touchdownup the middle.Southern trailed 14-7 with 6:52 left in the secondquarter. Grambling took a17-7 lead after a39-yard field goal with 4:39 left in the half Southern tailback Barry Remo injected enthusiasm into his team on the second play of its first drive after halftime. The sophomore ripped off a51-yard rushing touchdown, breaking four tackles in the process. After the extra point, Southern cut its deficit to 17-14. Remo finished with seven carries for107 yards and atouchdown.
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
LSU had chances to pull off an upset Saturday in its 17-13 loss to Oklahoma because its defense forced three turnovers and seven punts.
Its offense, however, just kept failing in key moments — as it has all season Because the Tigers (7-5) scored only 13 points on Saturday, they finished the regular season without a single game in which they scored more than 25 points against an FBS opponent for the first time since 1978, when Division I split into two levels.
Oklahoma, Sategna 9-121, Kanak 6-54, Burks 4-61, Jav.Gibson 3-66, Helms 1-16. MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.
LSU quarterback Michael Van Buren runs during the second half of a game Saturday in Norman, Okla., against the Sooners.
LSU picked up only 198 total yards against the No. 8 Sooners (10-2) 113 passing and 85 rushing. It picked up just nine first downs and converted only 2 of 14 third-down tries. The Tigers also punted nine times.
At halftime, LSU’s leading passer was a wide receiver — ZavionThomas He completed a 17-yard pass to tight end Bauer Sharp in the first quarter on a trick play
The play was one of just four on which the Tigers gained at least 15 yards.
The offensive struggles were one of the primary reasons why coach Brian Kelly and offensive coordinator Joe Sloan were fired after an Oct 25 loss to Texas A&M — and why Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin emerged as the primary focus of the search to find Kelly’s successor.
The Tigers began their loss to Oklahoma ranked 14th among SEC teams in total offense and 15th in scoring offense. The only time they scored more than 25 points this season was when they put up 56 points in a Week 4 win over Southeastern Louisiana of the FCS.
Entering the last week of the regular season, LSU was one of only four FBS teams that had scored at least 25 points only one time this year
Saban talks Kiffin
Former LSU and Alabama coach Nick Saban said Saturday on “College Gameday” that he thinks Ole Miss should let Kiffin coach in the postseason even if he accepts the head coaching job at LSU.
Kiffin said on Friday after the Rebels defeated Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl that he’d seek advice from Saban and longtime NFL coach Pete Carroll as he tries to come to a decision between Ole Miss and LSU.
“I think Lane’s decision is going down to one thing,” Saban said, “and that thing is just what (Marty Smith) said. Where is the place that I can recruit the best players? And I think one of Lane’s apprehensions is that he’s had to use the portal to build his team at Ole Miss each year
“And at LSU, he could probably recruit better talent and then just supplement his team by need with the portal. That’s probably the dilemma that he has, as well as his loyalty to his team that he’s coaching now that he wants to be able to continue to coach. It’s a tough thing.”
Curne injured
Freshman offensive lineman Carius Curne limped off the field during pregame warmups on Saturday, and an LSU spokesperson said he was out with a leg injury
The Tigers were already missing two offensive linemen for their game against Oklahoma center Braelin Moore and right tackle Ory Williams Moore suffered a mid-foot sprain last week against Western Kentucky, according to the team’s radio broadcast. He was ruled out Wednesday Curne started each of LSU’s last four games at left tackle in place of Tyree Adams, the redshirt sophomore who underwent tightrope surgery for a high-ankle sprain he suffered in the Tigers’ Oct. 18 loss to Vanderbilt. Adams returned to the field on Saturday He started at left tackle next to left guard Coen Echols center DJ Chester, right guard Josh Thompson and right tackle Weston Davis That reworked group didn’t help the LSU offense find a rhythm. The Tigers, in yet another disappointing showing, averaged only 2.9 sack-adjusted yards per carry Delane, Weeks return
Both linebacker Whit Weeks and cornerback Mansoor Delane returned to the field Saturday. Both stars were active for LSU’s win over the
Hilltoppers last week, but Weeks played only the first half, while Delane didn’t log a single snap. Delane revealed on Nov. 19 that he’s been battling a core muscle injury for most of the season. Weeks said on Tuesday that he had broken his surgically repaired ankle late in the Tigers’ Sept. 27 loss to Ole Miss. He played through that injury two weeks later in a win over South Carolina, then sat the next four contests.
On Saturday, Weeks recorded two tackles. Delane had five. Series history
Until Saturday LSU never had played a game at Oklahoma. The Tigers and the Sooners had met four times before – twice in the Sugar Bowl (1950 and 2004), once in the Peach Bowl (2019) and once in Tiger Stadium (last season). The 2004 meeting between the two teams doubled as that season’s BCS title game. LSU won 21-14 to take home its second national championship. Oklahoma now has two wins in the series’ five matchups.
BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer
NORMAN, Okla. — Frank Wilson stepped off a small stage outside the visitors locker room inside Oklahoma Memorial Stadium and looked at a handful of media members. He knew the LSU players had the chance to end a rough season on a high note if a few things had gone differently Saturday afternoon.
“I wanted it for them,” said Wilson, the LSU interim coach “They played hard.” LSU led No. 8 Oklahoma late in the fourth quarter, but it made a critical defensive mistake and couldn’t do enough on the offensive side in a 17-13 loss. Unable to complete the upset, LSU ended the regular season on a disappointing note as the Sooners likely secured their spot in the College Football Playoff. Locked in a defensive struggle on a windy and cold night, LSU led 13-10 in the fourth quarter. But a coverage bust let wide receiver Isaiah Sategna run wide open down the seam, and he caught a 58-yard touchdown with 4:16 remaining. Wilson and the players made available said they were “not sure” what went wrong without watching the film. LSU (7-5, 3-5 SEC) drove into Oklahoma territory on the ensuing possession, but sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren’s pass was knocked away as he rolled out on fourth and 2. With the game sealed, Oklahoma played “Set It Off” over the stadium loudspeakers. It was a tough loss for a team that
came well short of its goals. Playing its fourth game under Wilson, LSU had chances to knock Oklahoma (10-2, 6-2) out of playoff contention LSU intercepted Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer three times and made it difficult for Oklahoma to sustain drives. The Sooners went 4 for 15 on third down and 0 for 1 on fourth down.
They only averaged 2.7 yards per carry But Mateer also had seven completions of more than 15 yards, and LSU only turned one of his turnovers into points.
“I would say it was frustrating, but it’s football,” LSU running back Caden Durham said.
“Stuff’s going to happen, and we’ve got to bounce back.”
Playing what has been the best defense in the SEC without multiple starting offensive linemen, LSU had just 198 total yards It went 2 for 14 on third down and averaged 3.6 yards per play Still
filling in for injured senior Garrett Nussmeier Van Buren went 14 of 25 for 96 yards with one touchdown and an interception in his third straight start.
“We were going to do the things to allow the game to be in the balance at the back end of it,” Wilson said. “That may not have required us to drop back every play and try to launch it. They did, and it cost them three interceptions. Unfortunately, we didn’t cash in on all of them.”
The game followed a similar script to so many others this season for LSU. The defense kept the score close, but the offense could not capitalize on enough of its chances.
On Oklahoma’s opening drive,
LSU senior defensive end Patrick Payton deflected a pass on third down Redshirt junior linebacker Harold Perkins caught the ball and ran to the Oklahoma 4-yard line, giving LSU a prime opportunity to score early Instead, Van Buren threw an interception on the next play He rolled to his right and didn’t see tight end Bauer Sharp when he was open earlier in the route. Rather than try to run it in himself, Van Buren forced a pass that got picked off by defensive back Peyton Bowen. Tied 3-3 at halftime, LSU took the lead after an interception by senior safety AJ Haulcy Haulcy stepped in front of a throw as Oklahoma drove into LSU territory and returned it for 42 yards, setting up
the offense outside the red zone. Two plays later, Van Buren gained 23 yards on a third-down keeper With LSU at the goal line, it used some tricky pre-snap motion to get senior wide receiver Zavion Thomas wide open in the flat, and he scored the game’s first touchdown. Oklahoma tied the game when wide receiver Deion Burks turned a screen into a 45-yard touchdown But halfway through the fourth quarter, LSU put together a decent drive. Sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green got things started with a leaping grab for 30 yards. After Oklahoma defensive lineman Gracen Halton broke up a reverse for a 17-yard loss, Van Buren found Thomas again for an 18-yard gain that put Damian Ramos back in field goal range. He booted a 43-
in the scene of his last regular season game, and hugged other players and staff members as they came off the field. “We wanted to win,” Guillory said. “Everyone counted us out. We felt like only the people in this locker room felt like we
DEFENSECOMES TO PLAY
1
youknewifLSU was going to have achanceinthis game the Tigers were going to have to rely heavily on their defense. LSU intercepted John Mateerthree times, the second by AJ Haulcy to set up aMichael VanBuren to Zavion Thomas touchdown pass.Afourth-downstop near midfieldalsoset up asecond-quarter fieldgoal.TheTigers finallyhad ahugecoverage bust late in thegametoallow the winningOUscore.
OFFENSE STRUGGLES AGAIN
Considering Oklahoma had the best defense LSU faced allseason paired with ahowlingnorth wind makingdownfield passingdifficult, it wasn’tsurprising theTigers had difficulty movingthe ball onceagain.LSU managed just 198 total yards, but it took advantageofthe defensivesetups to do just enough to stayinthe game until the end.Afamiliarrefrain, the Tigers managed just three points on their firsttwo trips inside the OU 10.
Certainly this 2025 season has not been what LSU wantedorhopeditwould be. But despite all the firings, issuesand injuries, theTigersdeserve praise fornevergiving up afterBrian Kelly was fired Oct.26. Saturday’s near-upsetmade LSU2-2 in thepost-Kelly partofthe season, and 1-4 in road games,all against ranked teams.Again, not stellar,but underthe circumstances, something to build on for whatevercomes next.
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
LSU defensive coordinator BlakeBaker’sunit didn’thave much to play foron Saturday in Norman
The Tigers’ season had already gone off the rails. No CollegeFootball Playoff appearance. Anew coach was on his way. Allwhile being paired with anoffense that had disappointed week afterweek LSU had littletoplay for againstOklahoma, facing aSoonersteam that was a win away from clinching itsspot in the CFP. And yet, it wasLSU —and specifically, Baker’sdefense —thatplayed as if it was asingle victory from making the playoff for most of Saturday’sgame, not Oklahoma
LSU received little help from its offense again, butthree interceptions the second of which set up LSU’slone touchdown —were enough to nearly upset the Sooners in a17-13 defeat.
Despite the loss, it was still thekind of performance that may leave Tigerfans wondering how LSUcan retain Baker as the defensive coordinator moving forward, whether Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin becomes the next coach or not.
“Blake Baker and our defensive staff put those guys in position to dowhat they do well,” LSU interim coach Frank Wilson said. “They did so, they took to coaching. They bought in, and theyplayed compliments of one another.”
LSU’soffensehad just 66 totalyards at halftime. Sophomore quarterback Michael VanBuren had 7passing yards on four completionsinthatspan, finishing the game completing14of25throws for 96 yards.
Despite its offenseproducing next to nothing,LSU’sdefense held Oklahoma to 155 yards in the first half. The group forced three turnovers, aturnover on downs and five puntsbefore theSooners found the end zone.
LSU’sdefense didn’tcrack untilthe end of the third quarter when ascreen pass to wide receiver Deion Burks against ablitz turned into a45-yard touchdownthattied the score at 10.
“The game is important forus, and our intent always is to win the game,” Wilson said. “But forour footballteam, thebond,the brotherhoodhas been unbreakable through all that they’ve been
Continued from page1C
of extinction. It wasn’tuntil an enormous coverage bust on a 58-yard John Mateer to Isaiah Sategna touchdownpass with 4:16 left that the Tigers’ fatewas sealed. Within moments, theattention of all whofollow or cover LSU football turned from what would have beensomethingofa season-salvaging upset back to Kiffin Watch 2025
I’m just surprised the internet didn’tcrash from people clicking on their refreshbuttons from Tioga to Tupelo and well beyond, trying to figure out whether there was word on Kiffin’sdecision In the interest of full disclosure,
through, and they’ve been through quite alot. They haven’tgiven up on one another.”
The interceptions proved to be key for the Tigers, thesecond of which setup LSU’s lone touchdown. SeniorsafetyAJ Haulcy’sinterception early in the third quarter was returnedfor 42 yards, setting up afour-play,33-yard touchdown drive that handed LSUa10-3 lead.
LSU’sfirst interception from redshirt junior linebackerHaroldPerkins also placedthe Tigers in aprimespot to score, but VanBuren threw an interception on first andgoal to hand the ball right back to the Sooners. The Tigers’ third takeaway —freshman cornerback DJ Pickett’s second interception in as many weeks —prevented the Sooners from addingatleast three points.
“Wewanted to go out thereand make astatement,” fifth-yearseniordefensive tackle Jacobian Guillorysaid. “We wanted to take as much pressure off the offense as we did.”
LSU’sdefense played with speed, physicality and was well-coached from start to finish. But two mistakes prevented the unitfrom throwing atrue gem.The first error was the Burks touchdown. The sec-
Ijust hitthe refresh button on my computer as well. AndI’m checking everysocial-media notification on my phone just in case it’s
TheKiffin Notification.
After theOklahoma game, there was no senseofpanic from the LSU camp about Kiffin, but no sense of certainty,either Dispatches from national sports mediaoutlets keptfloating out on thechilly November air,but collectively this is all they said:
“Lane is leaving Ole Miss, unless he isn’t.”
And on and on andonitwent. I’mfairly certain thefolks in Punxsutawney are going to rename GroundhogDay to Lane KiffinDay (Hit refresh button, internet just froze, but still no final word). This is obviously thehangup:
ond mistake cost the Tigers the win.
Leading by afield goal with less than five minutestoplay, abusted coverage allowed widereceiverIsaiah Sategna to run wide open downfield foraneasy 58yard score. The touchdown proved to be thefinal nail in LSU’scoffin.
“I’m notreally sure,” sophomore cornerbackPJWoodland said when asked about what happened on the go-ahead touchdown. “Wejusthave to go back and watch film on it, but I’msure it was a little simple mistake.” Saturday was stilla playoff-worthy performance from LSU’sdefense, aunit that has played to that standard formost of theseason. LSU entered Saturday fourth in theSoutheasternConferencein pointsallowed per contest. It was also in the tophalf of the SEC in yards allowed per gamethrough theair and ground.
Much of that credit should go to Baker,especially given the subpar circumstances in which those results have been produced.LSU upgradedits talent defensively over the offseason, but it’salso a credit to Baker that it has seen improved play from returning contributors—Guillory andWoodland come to mind —while Pickett has emerged as astar freshman.
Kiffin wants the LSU job, but he wants to coach Ole Miss in the postseason almost as much. Ole Miss would rather never utter thewords “Hoddy Toddy” again than do that, though even acompromised Kiffinprobably would give theRebels their best hope to advance in the CFP Things got so stemwinding Saturday waiting for Kiffinnews, LSU fans actually wereinthe distastefulposition of rooting for Alabama to beat Auburninthe Iron Bowl so that OleMisswould not get to go to the SEC championship game, adetour that threatened to prolong the Kiffin marathon. That didn’thappen, though, as Alabama held on for a 27-20 victory The one thingabout all this high-priced delay of gameiswhat
“DJ is aphenomenal player,”Woodland said.“He’s an excellentplayer, goingto workeach andevery day, watchingfilm together,just building upon each other.” LSU is set to lose the majority of its starters on defense this offseason. Senior cornerback Mansoor Delane has arguably been the best cornerback in college football. Fifth-year senior defensive tackle BernardGoodenand Guillory have played consistently well on theinterior of the defense. Perkins’ speed will likely be missed. But if Baker has proved anything in this lost season,it’sthathe’sthe right man to rebuild the unit next year around the likes of Pickett and Woodland. Whether Kiffin —orwhoever is the Tigers’next coach —agrees is still anybody’sguess. “We’ll bring the team in on Monday and do all those important things, exit interviews,ifyou will, theback endof theseason,”Wilsonsaid.“To have real conversations with student athletes, andwhatwill become asigning day, followedbya portal(window). And how do we manage and love on and protectour team andadvise themproperly as they move forward? And so, no, it doesn’tstop forusatall.”
has been true about this whole saga since LSU fired Kelly on Oct. 26 and swiftly madeKiffin its top target.Kiffin had anearly infinite number of chances to end it all by signing acontract extension to stay at Ole Miss. He never did, and in the end, Ole Miss has to admit one painful but obvious thing: He’sjust not that into you. (Hit refre …no, I’dbetter not).
As for the Oklahomagame, the Tigers put the appropriate coda on this season that started with thepromise of a17-10 winatthenNo. 4Clemson and ended up going nowhere.
LSUplayers never gave up, never just mailed it in, but never could quite put it all together, either.The offense scored three pointsonits first twotrips to the
Oklahoma10-yard line, but later took advantage of aJohn Mateer interception to set up its lone touchdownofthe day The LSU defense picked off Mateer twoother times but couldn’t pick up Sategna when it counted. LSUisn’tanawful team,but at 7-5, therecordistelling. For thefirst time sincethe NCAA Division I-A/I-AA split in 1978, LSUhas gone andentire regularseason without scoring more than 25 pointsagainst aI-A/FBS opponent.Thatsaysasmuch aboutthe Tigers’ flawsasanything. And howmuchtheyneed Kiffin.
Let me just click that refresh button one moretime.
Email Scott Rabalais at srabalais@theadvocate.com
BY JOE MACALUSO Contributing writer
Now that cold fronts are taking care of the duck and goose hunters — yes, there are many more ducks in our state now than at this time last season — and deer hunters are enjoying chilly mornings in their stands, it’s good to know that fishermen both in freshwater and along the coast — are enjoying their outdoor time, too Even as early as Tuesday waterfowl hunters noticed a new influx of ducks and another late-in-theweek cold front held the promise of more birds.
Hunters need to have the proper licenses and, in some cases, special stamps and certificates to be legal.
For now, reports about terrific sac-a-lait catches and sporadic trout and redfish hauls pique fishermen’s interests while working the oxbow lakes and the coastal marshes and lakes
For bass fishermen, the news from Wildlife and Fisheries is Inland Fisheries Section biologists and managers have heard your pleas.
Earlier this month, the agency announced the first steps in “... developing the state’s first ever stakeholder-driven Black Bass Management Plan.”
The stated target is the conservation, management and increased fishing opportunities for largemouth, spotted and Florida-strain bass across our state.
It’s about time
There is little argument that bass are our state’s most popular sport fish and just about evert corner of Louisiana benefits from the economic effect bass fishermen bring to their locales
This new plan, Wildlife and Fisheries folks said, establishes “ a long-term vision for managing these iconic species and the diverse bass fishing opportunities that make Louisiana truly special.”
It calls for setting up a Stakeholder Working Group, a collaboration of fishermen, guides, tournament organizers and conservation organizations as a companion to the newly announced “comprehensive black bass angler survey” to develop a list of priorities for bass fishermen for the 10-year management plan.
The angler survey went online Nov 19. It invites bass fishermen to the agency’s website: surveymonkey.com/r/YC78TGP. The survey will accept input through Dec. 7. Wildlife and Fisheries biologist
Jan. 5 is the deadline for submitting activities and events for The 2026 Advocate Outdoors Calendar scheduled to be published Jan. 11. Please include the event’s name/title, time, date and location including the site, address and city Also include all fees, age limits or skill requirements, beneficiaries for fundraising events, and full name of the contact person with the area code & phone number and/or email address.
Email: jmacaluso@theadvocate. com
Joe Macaluso
Zane LeBlanc (email: zleblanc@wlf. la.gov) is heading up this program
Flounder
The season on flounder opens Monday after six weeks of a closed season. Coastal reports during the closed season holds the promise of
flounder on the table until the water temperatures get too cold.
Young hunters
Wildlife and Fisheries is teaming with the Louisiana Wildlife Federation to gather entries for the 2025 Youth Hunter of the Year Award contest.
A panel of judges will select one boy and one girl 15 and younger (at the time of his or her hunt during 2025) from Louisiana who “... best represented the joy, thrill and camaraderie of hunting.”
To enter the young hunter must complete and submit an application, then submit a photo from the hunt and short story written by the youth detailing the hunt. Only one submission per youngster and previous winners are not eligible. Apply on the federation’s website at lawildlifefed.org/youthhunter The deadline is Jan. 30. Agents academy
Wildlife and Fisheries is accepting applications for its 38th Enforcement Academy set to begin in March. Applications are available at civilservice.louisiana.gov and will be open Dec. 1-22. Once at that website, search for “Wildlife Enforcement Cadet.”
BY LES EAST Contributing writer
LSU’s first road trip of the season went quite well.
The Tigers won their first game away from the Pete Maravich Assembly Center by defeating Drake 71-62 on Friday in the Emerald Coast Classic, then routed DePaul 96-63 on Saturday night to win the championship in Niceville, Florida.
Pablo Tamba scored 14 points; Max Mackinnon, Mike Nwoko and Jalen Reece had 13 each; Dedan Thomas and Robert Miller scored 12 each; and Rashad King added 11 to lead LSU (7-0), which shot 69% from the floor Forward Jalen Reed, who’s averaging 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds this season, didn’t play after leaving Friday’s game late in the second half with a lowerleg injury
The Tigers won their five home games by an average of 28 points, and the smallest margin was 17. Head coach Matt McMahon said after Friday’s nine-point win that the team’s inability to “put away” Drake, which beat Georgia Tech 84-74 to claim third place on Saturday, “was good for us.”
The championship game looked a lot more like the home games against outmanned opponents, although it was LSU’s first game against a power-conference opponent. DePaul entered the game with a 5-2 record.
The Tigers led by 28 points at halftime and expanded the lead to as many as 35 points in the second half.
The next benchmark for the Tigers comes Wednesday night when they play on an opponent’s home court for the first time as they face Boston College in
Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, as part of the ACC/SEC Challenge. LSU, which trailed for just 14 seconds against Drake, never trailed against DePaul. The Tigers’ fast start was triggered by consistently scoring inside and sharing the scoring load. They scored the first six points of the game and led by six four more times before expanding the lead. Mackinnon scored five points, Thomas converted a three-point play and King became the seventh LSU player to score as the lead reached 27-10 midway through the first half. Kruz McClure, who scored a team-high 22 points for DePaul, made a jumper to end a threeminute scoring drought for the Blue Demons, but the Tigers pushed the lead to 18. CJ Green made a 3-pointer for DePaul, but LSU went on a 13-3 run to take a 43-18 lead.
The margin grew to 50-22 at halftime as eight Tigers scored and the team shot 68% from the floor 57% on 3-pointers and 80% on free throws.
Continued from page 1C
Jake Retzlaff getting assistance from tight end Justyn Reid after he went in motion and stopped right behind him.
Tulane running back Javin Gordon is flipped over the shoulder of Charlotte linebacker Shay Taylor on Saturday at yulman Stadium.
performance. Retzlaff never saw linebacker Kadin Schmitz on his first interception, and he underthrew Zycarl Lewis on a deep shot down the sideline in the third quarter allowing safety Ja’Qurious Conley to grab it.
MONDAY-TUESDAY
STATE COMMERCIAL FISHING
LICENSE RENEWAL: 9 a.m.-noon & 1-3:30 p.m., LDWF office, 1025 Tom Watson Road, Lake Charles. Also: Wednesday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-noon & 1-3:30 p.m., LDWF office, 200 Dulles Drive, Lafayette; Dec. 8-10, 8 a.m.noon & 1-3:30 p.m., LDWF office, 2045 Lakeshore Drive, Suite 438, New Orleans; Dec. 15-17m 8 a.m.-noon & 1-3:30 p.m., LDWF office, 468 Texas Gulf Road, Bourg. Call (225) 765-2898. THURSDAY LA. WILDLIFE & FISHERIES COM-
MISSION MEETING: 9:30 a.m., Joe Herring Room, state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, Quail Drive Baton Rouge.
HUNTING SEASONS
DOVES: South Zone, through Nov. 30 & Dec. 13-Jan. 11; North Zone closed.
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Nov. 30, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10, still-hunt only.
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Dec. 1-Jan. 4, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8, with/without dogs.
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Dec. 2, State Deer Area 2, still-hunt only
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Dec. 3-Jan. 11, State Deer Area 2, with/ without dogs.
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Dec. 5, State Deer Areas 1, 4 & 6, stillhunt only
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Dec. 5, State Deer Areas 5 & 9, bucks only except either-sex take allowed Nov. 30.
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Dec.
6-Jan. 4, State Deer Areas 1 &4, with/ without dogs.
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Dec. 6-Jan. 18, State Deer Areas 6, with/ without dogs.
DUCKS/WEST ZONE: Through Dec. 7, includes coots & mergansers.
GEESE: Through Dec. 7, West Waterfowl Zone. Includes Canada, blue, snow & Ross’ & specklebellies. Take of Canada geese prohibited in portions of Cameron & Vermilion parishes.
SNIPE: Through Dec. 7, first split, statewide.
DUCKS/EAST ZONE: Through Dec. 8, includes coots & mergansers.
GEESE/EAST ZONE: Through Dec. 8.
GEESE/CONSERVATION ORDER: West Zone, Dec. 8-19; East Zone, Dec. 9-19, first segments. Limited to take of blue, snow and Ross’ geese only. No daily nor possession limits. Hunters allowed to use electronic calls and shotguns capable of holding more than three shells.
RAILS/GALLINULES: Through Jan. 7, statewide.
DEER/ARCHERY: Through Jan. 15, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10. Eithersex take allowed.
DEER/ARCHERY: Through Jan. 31, State Deer Areas 1, 2 & 4. Either-sex take allowed.
DEER/ARCHERY: Through Feb. 15, State Deer Areas 5, 6 & 9, either-sex take allowed.
QUAIL, RABBITS & SQUIRRELS: Through Feb. 28, statewide, private lands only
AROUND THE CORNER
DEC. 10: BUGS & BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois Street, New Orleans. Fly tying.
DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Dec. 6-Jan. 18, State Deer Areas 5 & 9, with/without dogs, bucks only except either-sex take allowed Dec. 6-7 & Dec. 13-14.
Open to the public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com. Website: neworleansflyfishers.com
DEC. 11: JUNIOR SOUTHWEST
BASSMASTERS AWARDS BANQUET:
7 p.m., Seminar Room, Bass Pro Shops, Denham Springs. Call Jim Breaux (225) 772-3026.
DEC. 11: RED STICK FLY FISHERS
BANQUET: 7 p.m., Broadmoor Methodist Church, Sharp Road at Mollylea Drive, Baton Rouge. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@ gmail.com Website: rsff.org
FISHING/SHRIMPING
SHRIMP: Fall inshore & outside waters open statewide.
OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Gray triggerfish; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/ federal waters.
CLOSED SEASONS: Red snapper; flounder (recreational/commercial take closed through Nov. 30); greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed.
LDWF UPDATES
CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction).
ROAD CLOSURE: Section of La. 975 through Sherburne WMA closed through June 12, 2026 (replace bridge) access from U.S. 190 and I-10 open.
DRAWDOWNS: Underway on Henderson Lake, Lake Bistineau, Saline, Kepler, Iatt, Black & Clear lakes, Clear-Smithport Lake & Lake Martin. Email: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com
Even a spate of uncharacteristic giveaways three during the second and third quarters after Tulane had committed more than one only once in its first 11 games — did not cause any danger With the Wave about to go up 21-0 on its third possession, Retzlaff threw an interception in the back of the end zone on first and goal from the 2. At least he saved a long return by making a sliding tackle at the Charlotte 21.
One the next series, McClure fumbled and Charlotte’s Thailand Baldwin returned it 33 yards to the Tulane 12. Once again, Retzlaff made the saving tackle, this time more forcefully on the sideline.
The 49ers could not capitalize, picking up 5 yards in three plays before missing a 25-yard field goal. A bad snap on the next play cost Tulane 9 yards, leading to Alec Clark’s only punt through the first three quarters. Charlotte returned the favor when quarterback Grayson Lofton lofted a pass right to safety Kevin Adams for an interception. Starting at the 49ers’ 33, the Wave remembered how to hold on to the ball. A 17-yard pass to Shazz Preston on a rollout set up Retzlaff’s second touchdown with 1:09 left in the half.
Retzlaff, who entered the game tied with Justin McMillan for the Tulane single-season record for rushing touchdowns, added his 13th and 14th. Otherwise, it was a forgettable
A little later, Gordon fumbled out of bounds, and the ball bounced right to an angry Sumrall. On the first play of the fourth quarter, wide receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens fumbled after a reception in the middle of the field, but teammate Jordan Hall recovered it at the Charlotte 18, allowing Patrick Durkin to hit a 36-yard field goal for a 24-0 lead. The only thing uglier than Tulane’s ball security was the Charlotte offense. The Wave outgained the 49ers 171-46 in the first quarter, 274-72 by halftime and did not allow more than two first downs on any drive, posting its first shutout since blanking Navy in November 2024.
The game degenerated into a series of scuffles in the second half The highlight of the half might have been Tulane guard Shadre Hurst driving a Charlotte defender backward more than 20 yards away from a play, drawing an unnecessary roughness call when he finally pushed him to the ground.
The only points after the break came on field goals of 36 and 52 yards by Durkin.
Brown-Stephens, a redshirt junior transfer from Kentucky, had a career-best nine catches for 98 yards.
Retzlaff went 28-of-38 passing for 291 yards.
Tulane limited its fourth consecutive opponent to fewer than 100 yards rushing as Charlotte’s anemic ground game produced minus-3 yards on 21 attempts.
Crsntno 20 3-50-2 1-32 08
Egan 20-0 0-00-0 00 0 Escnills 15 2-70-0 2-20 16 Team 00-0 0-03-5 00 0
Totals 200 16-60 9-1412-30 10 15 53
Percentages: FG 26.667, FT .643. 3-Point Goals: 12-38, .316 (Henry 4-8, Tarul 3-10, Corsentino 2-4, Escanillas2-5,Piddock 1-3, Fischer 0-3, Williamsen 0-4, Bruschuk 0-1) BlockedShots:None. Turnovers: 28 (Piddock7,Fischer 5, Tarul 5, Henry 4, Bruschuk 3, Williamsen2,Corsentino 1, Egan 1) Steals: 5(Tarul2,Bruschuk 1, Fischer 1, Williamsen 1) Technical Fouls: None Marist 59 20 19 —53 LSU 21 37 31 24 —113 A_2,224
St. 42 Abilene Christian 38, Lamar University 20 South Dakota 38,Drake 17 South Dakota St. 41,New Hampshire3 Second Round Saturday, December 6 N. Dakota St. vs.IllinoisSt., noon UC Davis vs.Rhode Island, 2p.m. Lehigh vs.Villanova,11a.m. Tarleton St. vs.North Dakota, noon Mont. St. vs.Yale, 1p.m. SFAvs. Abilene Christian, noon Mercer vs.S.Dakota, 11 a.m. Montana vs.S.Dakota
Officials_Jeffrey Smith, RodCreech, Cynthia Do Men’s state schedule Thursday’s games None scheduled. Friday’s games Southeastern 76, Garner-Webb 68 Tulane 82, Nicholls 72 Jackson State 51, UL 45 LSU v71, Drake62 Saturday’s game LSU 96, DePaul 63 Southeastern 69, Navy 65 Louisiana Tech 83, Alcorn 58 Southern 75,NorthwesternState 73 Men’s national scores EAST Army81, Manhattan 78, OT Bowdoin 75, MIT 68 Bowie State 70, District of Columbia 63, OT Buffalo71, Canisius53 Colgate 85,SUNY-Oneonta 50 Columbia92, SarahLawrence44 Daemen 74, Clarion 64 Dartmouth 87, SaintPeter’s 61 Detroit Mercy 70, Niagara66 FarmingdaleState 75, Wesleyan (CT) 73 Gannon 95, VirginiaState 53 Glenville State 86, Seton Hill 76 Harvard56, Bryant 53 Hofstra78, Merrimack58 Johns Hopkins 81, Salisbury 48 Lafayette 55, Ball State 37 Le Moyne 83, Monmouth 79 Lehigh 78, TexasState 74, OT Lehman 92, Gallaudet70 Longwood 65, Maine 61 Maryland-Eastern Shore84, Gwynedd-Mercy 60 Mount St Marys79, Howard 75 Penn State 90, SacredHeart 59 Pennsylvania 73, La Salle 71 Pittsburgh-Greensburg94, Geneva 62 Siena 59, American 55 Southeastern Louisiana 69, Navy 65 St.
Percentages: FG 53.409, FT .833. 3-Point Goals: 4-16, .250 (F.Johnson 2-4 Richard1-2, Fulwiley 1-5, Williams 0-4,Bourrage 0-1)
BlockedShots:4(F.Johnson 1, Z.Johnson 1, Joyner 1, Knox1) Turnovers: 11 (Z.Johnson 4, Williams 2, Bourrage 1, Hines 1, F.Johnson 1, Richard1 Team 1) Steals: 22 (F.Johnson 4, Bourrage 3, Fulwiley 3, Knox3,Richard3,Koval 2, Hines 1, Z.Johnson 1, Joyner 1, Williams 1) Technical Fouls:None FG FT Reb MAR MinM-A M-AO-T APFPTS Fischer 34 0-8 2-42-6
Exacta (1-9)$97.00; Superfecta (1-9-7-8) $116.57;Trifecta(1-9-7) $185.75; Consolation Double (3-3) $1.80;Pic 3(2-3-1)$16.50; (2-3-3) $3.30 Late Scratches: Get Frosty,Sky LowLow Fourth Race -$55,000, Allowance, 3yo’s &up, Six Furlongs Synthetic (E. Nieves)$3.00 $2.20 $2.10 From Scratch (J. Loveberry) $2.80 $2.20 Canal Street (C.Hernandez) $2.40 Finish Time: 1:10.28 Daily Double (1-4)$17.70; Exacta (4-7)$3.60; Superfecta
(4-7-6-5) $1.48; Trifecta (4-7-6)$2.95; Pic 3(3-1-4)$11.10; (3-3-4) $1.65 Fifth Race -$14,000, Claiming $5,000, 3yo’s &up, SixFurlongs Nova’s Return (J. Riquelme) $131.40 $41.20 $13.80
Half WayThere (M. Murrill) $8.00 $4.60
Pasketee (M. Pedroza, Jr.) $3.00 Finish Time: 1:12.91
Daily Double(4-2)$67.30; Exacta (2-5) $419.60; Superfecta (2-5-10-1) $4,145.22; Trifecta (2-5-10) $1,868.20; Pic 3(1-4-2) $223.35; Pic 4(3/4/9-1-4-2) $941.90; Pic5(1/2/53/4/9-1-4-2)$2,145.95 Sixth Race-$54,000, Maiden special weight, 2yo, OneMile
Pretty Ribbon (IRE)(M. Pedroza, Jr.)$20.00 $8.40
$5.20 Struck At Midnight (P.Lopez) $4.00 $3.40
Ontology (D.Cannon) $4.40
Finish Time: 1:37.89
Daily Double(2-10) $432.80; Exacta (10-7) $39.10; Superfecta (10-7-4-9) $395.11; Trifecta (10-7-4) $102.50; Pic3
(4-2-10) $346.25
Late Scratches: Rainy Road, Click,Pleasing, Lewinsky Seventh Race -$28,000, Claiming$30,000, 3yo’s &up, One And One Sixteenth Miles
(I.Castillo)$11.80
OUT: RB Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle)
QUESTIONABLE: WR Chris Olave (back)
QUESTIONABLE: DB Rasul Douglas (foot/ankle), OT Austin Jackson (toe), DT Benito Jones(ankle), TE Darren Waller (pectoral)
1
Nothingelsewillmatterifthe Saints don’t solvetheir issues in thered zone.OrshouldI saythe dead zone,since theoffense seems to dieonceinside the20-yard line.The Saints havescored touchdowns just 34.5%ofthe timesthey’ve reachedthe red zone,which easily rankslastin theleague. They scored 58% last season,sothe drop-off has been significant under first-year coachKellenMoore.The Saints missed on aTDfromthe 1-yard line on twodifferent drives in last week’s loss againstthe Falcons. That can’thappenand beat the Dolphins.
Thisone maybeeasier said than done for aSaints offense that averages just 91.5 yardsrushing per game. It’ll be even more difficult since Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle)will be out.The Saints will have to rely on rookie Devin Nealwith adoseofTaysom Hill. Thegoodnewsisthe Dolphins aren’t greatatstopping the run, yielding 142.6 yards rushing per game, which also ranks 29th.Theygaveup172 yards on the ground in their last game twoweeksago againstthe Washington Commanders.But theyheld Bills RBJames Cook to just 53 yards the week beforethat
2
Miamirunning back De’Von Achane is theNFL’s fourth-leading rusher with 900yards.His 5.5yards per carryaverage ranks thirdinthe league.It’ll be averylongday for theSaintsifAchane is gettingyards in chunks like that.BackupRBOllie Gordon came in andrushedfor 45 yardsinthe Dolphins’last game to go with Achane’s 120 yards. TheSaintsdid adecent jobagainst AtlantaRBBijan Robinson (14carries,70yards) last week andanevenbetterjob againstCarolinaRBRicoDowdle (18carries,53yards)the game before that.They’ll need asimilar effort Sunday.
3
CREATE TURNOVERS
Snatching turnovers is possible against Miamiquarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whoistied with Raiders QB Geno Smithfor the league lead with 13 interceptions Saintssafety Justin Reid gotapick-six against the Falcons, the Saints’ lone touchdown of the game.The struggling offense coulduse all the help it can getfrom Brandon Staley’sdefense.Winning the turnoverbattle and giving the offense favorable field position would makethings easier.It’ll help if Saintsedgerushers Cam Jordan and Chase young can spend some time in Tagovailoa’sface and force him to makebad throws
4 Rod Walker
If you’ve been watching theNew Orleans Saintsthis season, you know their offense is less than stellar.
It’sthe holidayseason,soI’m trying to be kind here.
The Saints rank last in the NFL in scoring andhavemanaged to score just onetouchdown in the first quarterall season. Never have we felt further away from theDrew Brees-Sean Payton days than we do now.
Myriadreasonsexist as to why the unit is so bad, starting with thepersonnel.The quarterbacks areinexperienced,and the skill-position players lack explosiveness. Throw in an inconsistent interior offensive line,some shoddy execution andcurious play-calling by coach Kellen Moore, and, well, you have arecipe forananemic offense.
Butthere’sanother,less conspicuous issue that hasconspired to undermine the unit. It’scalledleadership,and the Saints havestruggled to find it on offense.
It’snot that theSaints don’thavegood people on that side of theball. Thereare plenty of them there. It’sjust that that Saints’ best offensive players have not always been their best leaders. And their best offensive leaders have not always beentheir best players. It tends to work best when youhaveboth,withBrees beingthe shining example. Truth be told, this hasbeen an issue forthe Saints for acoupleofyearsnow While the defense has enjoyed stalwart leadership from Demario Davis, Cam Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu andnow Justin Reid, the offense has struggled to find like-mindedleaders.
Chris Olave is aterrificplayer,but he’s quiet, more of alead-by-example type Ditto TaysomHill andAlvin Kamara. They’ve never been vocal, rah-rah guys. They lead with their play,production and daily presenceatpractice andingames. What’smore, Hill andKamarahavesuffered through subpar seasons andare on thewrong side of 30 with their best years likelybehind them.
Injuries to Kamara andErikMcCoy andthe recenttrade of BrandinCooks has exacerbated thesituation.Those were the three offensive captains. Now, they’re allout. Cook was released.McCoy is out for the season with atornpectoral muscle. And Kamara is sidelined by a balkyknee.
Thatleaves agapingvoid in leadership andexperience. Tight end Juwan Johnsonisthe only offensive starter olderthan27, andhejustturned 29 in September.The offensive starting lineup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday is expected to have three rookies and three second-year players.
But opportunity often exists in chaos, and the unusualcircumstances could force some of theyoung Saints to step up andgrow up in ahurry Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough and young tackles Kelvin Banks and Taliese Fuaga were captains in college. All three have been leadersontheir respective teams at previous levels. It’stheir time at this level.
“It’sall aboutopportunity for these guys,”Moore said. “... The voices are starting to rise, andI think that’sagood thing. Those guys are finding their space, howtheycan lead,and their ownpersonality andtheir own situation. Obviously, it’s going to be an important development thing for ourroster as we continue to grow.”
The obvious choice is Shough. One of the reasons the Saints liked Shough so much as adraft prospect was his strong leadership traits. Behind the scenes, he’s quietly asserting himself with teammates and coaches. With Kamara, McCoy and Cooksout of thepicture, he should become even morecomfortable in a leadership role. It’stime for him to take command.
To this point, Shough admirably has
been ago-along, get-along guy.Hefully understands and appreciates the hierarchy of the locker room and his place in it as arookie. But the offense is in desperate need of someone to take command. He might not feel ready,but the offense needs him to take charge.
“You have to (lead) in your ownway,” Shough said. “That’ssomething Ireally believe in, just being yourself. I’m hoping to do everything Ican to kind of voice all those things (as aleader). I’ve just been trying to take advantage of every opportunity and communicate the best Ican.” Shough’solder teammates say he has started to earn their respect with his confidence and comportment.
“You feel his presence,” Hill said. “You feel confident with him in the huddle. He knows what’sgoing on. He has put the time and energy into learning the system and understands the intricacies of what’sgoing on. He has areally positive, great presence in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage. As afan base, you can feel that. As ateammate and in the locker room, you feel that as well.”
Improving the leadership on offense should be atop priority in the offseason. Ideally,the Saints will find aveteran player or twoinfree agency to fill the void the way Davis and Reid have done on defense. It should also be top of mind in the draft.
Shough, Banks and Fuaga are anice core to build an offense around, but it can’tstop with them.
LUKE JOHNSON
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GERALD HERBERT
Saints safety JustinReid runs an interception backfor atouchdownasAtlanta Falcons wide receiver
David Sillstries to make atackle in the first half of agameNov.23atthe Caesars Superdome.
BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer
In three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Justin Reid won two straight Super Bowls. He made athird. The safety won so many games duringthose years that he became well-versed on the standardittakes to perform at such ahigh level week in and week out. In those three years,the Chiefs lost only 11 regular-season games.
Reid’sfirst season with the New Orleans Saints has been decidedly different.
“I’ve always been aguy who likestodive in where I’m at,” Reid said
That dive is why Reid hasn’tregrettedsigning with the Saints, monthsafterheinked athreeyear,$31.5million deal to join his hometown team. Yes, the losses —alreadynineofthem ahead of Sunday’sgame against the Miami Dolphins —have frustrated the Prairieville native. Andsure, the money probably helps. But in his eight years in the NFL, Reidhas realized he finds enjoyment in the journey.His four seasons with the Houston Texans might have, insome ways, provided as many valuable lessonsashis three with the Chiefs.
And he’sready to share with whoever’swilling to listen.
“Justin is an incredible leader,” coach Kellen Mooresaid.
“He’sveryvocal, very passionate,” rookie JonasSanker said.
During aseason thathas been as rough as many on theoutside expected,Reidhas emerged as an important voice in the team’s locker room.The 28-year-old captainhas not let the whiplash of goingfrom adynastytoa rebuild affect how he approachesmaking an impact for his new teammates. Instead, Reid is focusedonthe momentsthatshape games Take last week’sloss to the Atlanta Falcons.As fast as NewOrleans’ defensestartedagainst its divisional rival, Reid said he could tell that the Saints were “flyingaround so quickly”thatthe Falcons would eventually try ascreen passto gash the unit. And so, Reid warnedthose around him —and sure enough, he was right. In the fourth quarter,Atlanta’sBijan Robinsonbroke free on second-and-23 fora32-yard gain that helped ensure the Falcons neverlostthe lead. To Reid, the Robinson play wasn’ta reflection of the Saints failing to listen to him. It was more of an example of how the Saints can use themoment to grow “The NFL is the toughest sport in theworld, man,” Reid said. “I think Ibring some perspective, because I’ve lived almost everysideof the coin. Having areally good team that didn’tmake it through theplayoffsmy first two years, to ateam that struggled in my thirdand fourth year,to a dynastic team those next three years, to the season we’re in right now
“I felt that gives me alot of perspective on wherewe’re at and what we need to work on and continue to build. Ijust try to share that with the guys.”
This is where Reid wanted to be. During free agency, he seriously considered offers from three teams: The Saints, the TennesseeTitans and the Eagles. Of those, the Eagles would have provided Reid an opportunity to contend for another
championship. Philadelphia, after all, beat KansasCityinthe SuperBowl andislooking to go back-to-back.
But theallure of theSaintswas too much to pass up. It wasn’tjust that the money was right, or that his family memberstexted him to come home. Rather,asReid mulled the decision, he discussed hischoicewithhis brotherEric— a former LSU star who went on toplay for seven years in the NFL.
They lovedthe ideaof“having the whole state on lock,” Justin said. Therewas anostalgia playing forthe black andgold, andReidalsoloved theidea that his newborn daughter could grow up around hercousins andthe rest of the family
“It just made sense,” Reid said.
Thesentimental value of the move hasn’tquieted Reid’simpact —especially on the field. As much as the safetyhas provided as aleader this season, Reid has reinforced those words with his play.Hescored NewOrleans’ lone touchdown against theFalcons on apick-six, displaying an impressivecutback afterthe interception to get into theend zone.
Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said Reid’sperformance was the fourth straight game in which thesafety hasplayedata“really high level.” That also provides an example for Sanker and therest of the safeties on how to play, Staley said.
“He’s just oneofthese glue intangible guys that every defense would love to have,”the coordinator said.
Sanker agrees. By playing across from Reid, therookie said he’sable to learn so much from watching how theveteran “doesn’thesitate” on plays. He said he’s seen how Reid will recognize plays pre-snap andthentry to limitthose. Reid’s warning of Atlanta’seventualscreen was the kind of thing that happens every week with the safety,Sanker said.
Reid said playerscan’t be effectiveleaders without earning it with their play.But this, too, explains why his signing has been so crucial for the Saintsthis season.
Beforethe season,the Saints namedeight captains. In thelast two weeks, two —Brandin Cooks and Blake Grupe —have been released during unproductive campaigns. Anothertwo, AlvinKamaraand Erik McCoy,are sidelined with injuries. Thatleaves Reid, alongsnapper (Zach Wood)and twolong-time staples (Cam Jordan, Demario Davis). Jordan andDavis have also played well in 2025 but could be in their last year withthe Saints. In his first year with the franchise, Reid has perhaps provided aglimpse of thenext era.
Andif, for whatever reason, Reidis somehownot on the roster by thetime the Saintshave turned things around, he’ll still have helped get them there.
“His focus, his details, the way he plays, theway he prepares it’sreally,really special,” Mooresaid.
“He’s aguy that you just want to show alot of young guys,justsay,‘Hey, watch this guy.’ …He is the perfect example of what it means to be.
JEFF DUNCAN
DOLPHINS 20,SAINTS16: Amonth ago, this looked like a winnable game,but theDolphinshave come aliveinrecentweeks andare playingwellonbothsides of theball. TheSaintstookamajor step back againstthe Falconslastweekand will need to create some turnoverson defensetopulloff theupset
LUKE JOHNSON
DOLPHINS 23,SAINTS14: It wouldnot surprise me if rookie TylerShoughplays well enough to netthe Saints theirthird winof theyear. This is awinnablegame, even fora team goingthrough a season likethe onethe Saints are, butI’m still notgoing to pick New Orleans. Ilearned my lesson last week
MATTHEWPARAS
DOLPHINS 16,SAINTS10: Dolphins defensive coordinatorAnthony Weaver interviewedfor theSaints’ coaching joblastoffseason,and he hashis unit playingextremely well as of late —evenafter theteamtradedone of itstop pass rushersinJaelanPhillips. That should be enough to swingthis one.
DOLPHINS 24,SAINTS13: It’s hard to pick theSaintsafter watching the performanceagainst theFalcons TheDolphins, winnersofthree of theirlastfour, aretrendinginthe rightdirection whilethe Saints took
agameagainst the Kansas City
Texans stillchasing Colts
TheHouston Texans havewon three straight thanks largelytoasuffocating defensethatincreasinglyhas cranked up thepressureon quarterbacks.On Sunday, theTexanswill seeiftheycan take that show on theroad againstDaniel Jones andthe Indianapolis Colts. Joneshas hadseven turnovers andbeensacked15times in the last four games. He’s also dealing with asorelower leg. Houstonhas wonthree straightinthe series and thelasttwo AFCSouth titles.Awin Sundaywould cutthe Texans’twogame deficitinthe division race in half aftera slow start.
Bucs trytosnapskid
Rams collidewithPanthers
2 1 3
TheTampa BayBuccaneersopenahome standwiththree gamesin18days whilelooking to snap athree-game losing streak to stay atop theNFC South. QuarterbackBaker Mayfieldisdealing with aleftshoulder sprain andhis status is uncertainsoTampa Bay mighthavetofaceArizona with backup TeddyBridgewater taking thesnaps Cardinalsbackupquarterback Jacoby Brissett makeshis seventhstart filling in forthe injuredKyler Murray. He has played well,thoughthe Cardinalsare 1-5 in hisstartsand havelosteight of nine overall. BucRBBucky Irving is expected to play
Niners face QB Sanders, Browns
TheSan Francisco49ers arelooking fortheir third straight winand to go into theirbye week with momentum when they travel to Clevelandtofacethe Browns on Sunday. QB BrockPurdy struggled in hissecondstart back from a toeinjury, butthe Niners endedup beating Carolina 20-9.Shedeur Sanderswill make hissecond startafter he became the firstBrownsrookieQB to winhis NFLdebut in 30 years. All-Propass rusher MylesGarrett is trying to become the first player with at leastthree sacksinthree straight games. Clevelandistryingtowin twostraightfor firsttimesince 2023
LosAngeles Ramsquarterback Matthew Stafford hasbeennearlyunstoppable this season.Heleads theleaguewith30 TD passes.OnSunday, he facesaCarolina Panthers secondarythat couldbemissing three keyplayers.Cornerback Jaycee Horn,who had twointerceptions against SanFrancisco’s BrockPurdy on Monday night, is in theconcussionprotocoland backup CoreyThorntonwentoninjured reservewithabrokenleg this week.Also, safety Tre’VonMoehrig is facing aonegame suspension forpunching49ers wide receiver JauanJenningsinthe groin. The Rams areplus-12 in turnover differential whilethe Panthers areminus-3
Broncos, Commanders on streaks
TheDenverBroncos havewon eightgames in a row, whilethe Washington Commanders have lost sixina row. Both teamswill putthose streaksonthe line Sunday nightwhenthe Broncos face theCommanders. Each team is coming offa byeweek andexpects to be relatively healthyfor thegame, though the Commanders will be withoutquarterback Jayden Daniels, whocontinues to recoverfromanelbow injury.Denvercontinues its fightfor thetop spot in theAFC with theNew EnglandPatriots, as the Broncosenter Sunday’sgameahalf-game back in theAFC 5 4
BY WILL GRAVES AP sportswriter
room disappearing forSteelers, Bills
PITTSBURGH There are many, many things Mike Tomlin loves about coachingfootball. Theurgency created by the limited number of chances to compete is near the top of the list.
“You get 17 opportunities tostate acase for yourself,” thelongtime Pittsburgh Steelers coachsaid And 11 of them are already gone for both Pittsburgh (6-5) and the Buffalo Bills (7-4), who visit Acrisure Stadium on Sunday in agame with playoff-like stakesfor two clubs who haven’talways looked like the playoff teams bothexpected to be when the season began Pittsburgh has dropped fourof six, while the erratic Bills have been chasingNew Englandmost of the season and could see their half-decade run atopthe AFC East all but end with athird loss in four games.
“Weunderstand wherewe’re at,” Buffalo quarterback andreigning NFL MVP Josh Allen said. “At the same time, we havefull confidence in ourselves. But ultimately it comes down to executing on game days. We’vehadsomegood, we’ve had some bad throughout the year.”
Thelatest episode of “bad” came aweek ago in Houston, where Allen absorbed acareer-high eight sacks. Now he faces aPittsburgh defense that he has toyed with at times during his career.Allen is 4-1 against theSteelers, includinganeasy victory in the opening round of the 2023 playoffs in which he passed forthree touchdownsand ranfor another
Not much has changed for either side since that meeting. Allenremains asingularforce, though the lack of helpfromhis supporting cast at times is one of the reasons the Bills findthemselves looking up at New Englandinthe standings as December looms.
WhilePittsburgh hasswitched quarterbacks severaltimes in the interim, with Aaron Rodgers getting the OK to return this weekend aftersitting outalosstoChicago with abroken left wrist last Sunday, howitfares against the Bills will rely heavily on whether its star-laden but underperforming defense can finally wrangle Allen.
The Steelers didn’tdomuch of it against the Bears, who took advantage of apoorgame planand apairofPittsburgh turnovers to become thefifth team to reach 31 points against the Steelersthis season.
Thereistimetoturnthings around, but the wiggle room that Pittsburgh enjoyed while getting off to a4-1 start is gone.
“It’s starting tohead intothat December area,” Steelers inside linebacker Patrick Queen said. “You kind of start getting that feeling. The airgetsalittle thin. It’scutthroat time.”
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByADAMHUNGER Cleveland Browns defensiveend MylesGarrett warms up before a game against the Newyork Jets on Nov. 9inEast Rutherford,N.J
BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter
Myles Garrett is not thinking about whether he can break theNFL’s single-seasonsack record The ClevelandBrowns AllPro pass rusher is convinced it’samatter of when. Garrett leadsthe league with 18 sacks and needs five in Cleveland’sfinal six games to surpass the 221/2 by Pro Football Hall of FamerMichael Strahan, who did it in 2001 with the New York Giants, and Pittsburgh pass rusher T.J. Watt, who tied it in 2021.
“I don’teventhink aboutit as awant —Ijust think about something that I’mgoing to knock down,” Garrett said Friday as the Browns prepare to host the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.“It’salready been written in my mind that it’sgoing just how far I’m goingtotake it. So, just going to go out there and do what Ido,
and whatever numberIend up at.”
Garretthad four sacksin last weekend’s24-10 win over theLas VegasRaiders and wasnamed the AFC Defensive Player of the Week.Hehas 14 sacksover thelastfive games, surpassing Strahan’s121/2 in 2001 forthe most in that span since sacks became an official stat in 1982. His 18 sacks are also acareer-high and team record. His previous markwas 16 in 2021 and 2022.
Garrett also knows how manysacks he wants to end up withatthe endofthe season. He told reporters, “It’swritten on my tape, so if y’all fortunate enough to seeit, thenyou all will know.” Associated Press photos of Garrett fromCleveland’sNov 9gameagainst the New York Jets and last week against the Raiders show the number 25 written on Garrett’sright wrist tape.
BY MIKE COPPAGE
Contributing writer
Regardless of record, ranking or seeding, John Curtis is never a team an opponent wantstosee in the playoffs.
The seventh-seeded Patriots, who have won more state titles than any program in Louisiana, scored touchdowns in the final minutes of the first and second quarters, then added athird TD from quarterback LondonPadgett to end No. 2Teurlings Catholic’s perfect season by a21-7 score in a Division Iselect quarterfinal playoffgame on Friday
“Our defense played great,” Patriots coach Jeff Curtis said. “We basically shut them out when they were averagingover 40 points per game ” Rebels quarterbackAlexMunoz, who hadthrownonlyone interception all year,was picked off by Curtisdefenders Jewellz Tapp,PrenticeMackyeon and CraigConnor. Lane Lecron had a fumble recovery and threw along pass to freshman Jaden Turner on afake punt on fourth and9 to set up atouchdown from Jacobi Boudreaux, who ran for 63 yards with
the first two TDs.
“Whata turning point in the game that was,” Curtis said of the fourth-downconversion. “Our defense played outstanding. They’re battle-tested in our(Catholic) league and California and against some of the best quarterbacks there are to offer.That showed tonightwith theschedulewe’ve played.”
AfterBoudreaux’sfirst TD on fourth andgoalfrom the 1, Mackyeonintercepted Munoz, but the Patriots lostthe ball and 15 yards on afumble on the next play.The Rebels (11-1) marched to thered zone, but Munoz was stopped on fourth down “Wemademistakes,and they made us pay,” said first-year Rebelscoach Michael Courville. “And when they made acouple, we didn’treally capitalize. They did avery good job upfront of getting off blocks. Their linebackers hadaheck of agame.Ithink that was the bestsecondarywesaw all year.They made plays. Tonight, they were just betterthan us.” Padgett, asophomore who is secondonthe team in rushing behind Boudreaux, completed five passes for 98 yards (two to DJ Horton for 50 yards). The Patriotsrotated four running backs, includingGavin Ledet(77 rushingyardson15carries), Isaac Hrabovsky,KolstonMartinez and Boudreaux, who hadabig catch on awheel route
4Catholic-Baton Rouge (10-2) at No. 1EdnaKarr (12-0)
7John Curtis (9-2)atNo. 3St. Augustine (11-1)
(10-2) at No.1 St. Charles (11-1)
at No. 6VandebiltCatholic (11-1)
(11-1)
(11-1) at No.2 NotreDame (10-2)
(10-2) at No. 1Westminster
For the Rebels, Ian Schwander and Spencer Meche combined for 47 yards rushing on 15 carries. Nicholas Celestine caught two passes for 27 yards. Andrew Viator had one catch for 16 yards
Tight end A.J. Price, who also played defense withend Andrew Fruge out,caught four passes for 48 yards andscored theone TD on areception from Munozlate in the fourthquarter “I’mreally proud of the de-
(11-1) at No. 2Riverside (10-1) Nonselect Division I No. 13 Zachary (9-3)atNo. 1Ruston (10-2) No. 14 Ouachita Parish (9-4)atNo. 2Neville (9-3) Division II No. 5Plaquemine (12-1)atNo. 1North DeSoto (12-0) No. 3Belle Chasse (11-1)atNo. 2Iowa(12-0)
Division III No. 12 Union Parish (8-5)atNo. 1Jena (11-1) No. 3. St. James (10-2) at No. 2Sterlington (10-2)
Division IV No. 4Jeanerette (11-1)atNo. 1Haynesville (12-0) No. 3South Plaquemines (9-2)atNo. 2Mangham (10-2)
BY DANGELSTON Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA The chants started early from fed-up Eagles fans, and they were booming as the inept offensive plays piled up in yet another loss.
“Fire Kevin! Fire Kevin!” Eagles fansmade their votetodump offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo heard throughout Friday’s24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears.
Coach Nick Sirianni made yet another call the fans won’tlike: Patullo is staying.
“We’re not changing the play-caller,” Sirianni said.
Sirianni already this week gave Patullo avote of confidence, just aday after the Eagles turned a21-0 lead into a24-21 loss at Dallas. He did it again Friday,even as questions continue to be raised about Patullo’s qualifications.
“It’snever about justone person,”Sirianni said.“I have confidence in the entire group. Iknow it will keep coming backtoKevin. If I thought it was one thing, then you make those changes. Obviously, it’salot of different things. Idon’tthinkitis Kevin.”
Sirianni could have made the easy fix —both to shift the perception that the Super Bowl championsare sinking and to shakeupastaid offense loaded with talent and dumped Patullo.
He’ll insteadstay loyal to Patullo, at least heading into the Eagles’ Dec. 8game at the Los Angeles Chargers.
Thenumbers against the Bearstell onepartofthe story: TheEaglesran just 17 plays and had two first downs(with 83 totalyards and 26 rushing) in the first half. Philadelphia ran only 51 plays for 317yards to Chicago’s 85 plays for 425yards. Thecalls that led to the ghastly numberswerejust baffling.
TheEagles had theball at their own 35 with 2:47 left in thefirst half and ranonly oneplay— a1-yard passto A.J. Brown —before letting theclock rundown to the two-minute warning. That unleashed one of thelouder waves of boos from fans thesame ones who roared 21/2 months ago whenthe SuperBowl championshipbannerwas unveiled.
Memories are short in sports. Theyardsgained by Philly on most rushingattempts? Evenshorter.
Saquon Barkley was outperformedbyformer Eagles runningbackD’Andre Swift and again had nowhere to run.
One glaring examplecame in thesecond quarter.Jalen Hurts hit DeVonta Smith for a30-yard gain —hethrew for only27 moreyards in the half —thatbroughtthe ball to the Bears 38. Barkleywas wrapped up fora 3-yardloss on seconddown and Hurts threwbehinda wide-open Smith on third down.The Eagles settled for afieldgoal. The Eagles continueto publicly backPatullo —even though no player wouldbeso foolish as to call fora coordi-
nator to be fired.
“I don’tthink something big needs to change,” Barkley said. “The sky’sfalling outside the locker room, we understandthat.But Ihave nothing but utmostconfidence in themen in this locker room,players andcoaches included. It’sgoing to take all of us to come together,block outthe noise.Can’t be pointing fingers.”
In the clearest sign yet theseEagles aren’tplaying like ateam that can make another run at the Super Bowl, even the beloved tush push doomed them in this one. Hurts lost afumble on the once-unstoppable play, leading to aBearstouchdown.
The highlights weresparse: Hurtsthrew a33-yardtouchdown pass to Brownand they connected again on alate score that made it 24-15 (the Eagles failed to convert the 2-point conversion).Brown’s complaints abouthis role in theoffense have largely been soothed withanother productive outing after he hadeight catches for 110 yards at Dallas.
Both of his big games were losses.
“We’ve got theright people in this locker room to get things fixed,” Brown said. “And Ibelieve that.”
Barkley has gone from slow start to abad season. He finished with an anemic 58 yardsrushing againsta Bearsdefense that had allowed 5.2 yards per rush and 138 yards rushing per game. The Eagles also had seven penalties and lostafumble.
fense,” Courville said. “Wehad some turnovers and fourth-down stops. Ifailedthe kids on that fake punt. That’ssomething that’sgoing to haunt me for abit.Thatwas agreat call and great execution.”
In his first season as ahead coach, Courville went up against the three winningest coaches in Louisiana history in Lewis Cook (Notre Dame),Jim Hightower(St Thomas More) andJ.T.CurtisJr., whodeparted immediately after
Friday’sgame to return to New Orleans forhis televisionshow
The Patriots (9-2) will get arematch against No. 3St. Augustine, which erased an early14-0deficit with ease in the regular-season meeting of the Catholic League foes.
“I feel really great aboutthe opportunitytobeable to play those guys with the opportunity to go to theDome,”Curtissaid of the seminal game. “Theyhad areceiver get injured,but they’re really good. They have atremendous amount of depth at receiver. They’rereally explosivewith Vashon Coulon. He’s been their guy making throws at quarterback.”
Curtiswon the opening toss and elected to receive, which isn’tthe case formost games. ThePatriots drove to the Rebels 28 but were stoppedfor no gain on thirdand fourth down.
“Ourdefense played really lights-out,” Courville said. “They kept us in the game.
“My heart goes out for Alex because this is going to bother him, but he’sone of the best football players and kids I’ve been around. We won 11 games behind his leadership. He went21-3asastarting quarterback.That’spretty darn good.Hemadeuslook good and look smart. Just areally incredible high school football player He’snot highlyrecruited or anything, but he should be.”
Baby steps. James Borrego knew that’s whatitwas going to take to get the New Orleans Pelicans pointed in the right direction.
Entering Saturday night’sgame against the GoldenState Warriors, the Pelicans had won just one of its first seven games since Borrego took over after Willie Green was fired Nov.15. “It’snot going to happen overnight,” Borrego said the day he got the interim tag. “There’snot going to be some magic wand Iwave and wehave this magic identity.It’sa process, day by day.Itstarts with me having clarity and giving directions.”
The wins haven’tcome, but there has been some progress. Andyes, winning is the only thing that matters, but thelosses haven’tbeen quite as bad.The Pelicans lost four of the 12 games under Green by at least 20 points
Three of those losses were by 30 or more. Under Borrego,there haven’tbeen any 20-pointlosses in his first seven games.
“Weare playing with alittle more fire right now,” Trey Murphy said. “As ateam, we are startingtorealize asenseofurgency and we can’tkeep losing games. Play with alot of energy and give yourselves achance to win.” It helps that the schedule has lightened up some, especially after Borrego’s first threegames against the GoldenState Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets. But there still have been some bad losses Games thePelicans let slip away.Particularlythe 118-115 loss to the Dallas Mavericks and Wednesday’s133-128 loss to a Memphis Grizzlies team playing without Ja Morant. But evenin the loss to Memphis, there was a different energy in the Smoothie King Center.Two days before that, the Pelicans had given Borregohis first win, a143-130 victory over the Chicago Bulls that snapped the Pels’ nine-game losing skid. It was amuch-needed win fora team that has won just three of its
last 26 gamesdating back to last season
“It’stoughtowin in this league,” Borregosaid after Wednesday’swin. “The losses pile up anditweighs on you. It wears on you. Mentally and physically, youcould feel theweight on our team.I’m just happy for the guys. They’ve beenworking. They’ve been wantingthis. They’ve been playingtheir tails off.”
Borrego has tried to do his part, too. He hasn’tbeen afraid to make achange or two when things aren’t going well.One of the first tweaks he made ashead coach wasinserting rookie Derik Queen intothe starting lineup. If Queen, or anyoneelse for that matter, isn’tgettingthe job done, Borrego hasn’thesitated to put them on the bench
“There is no entitlement in this league,” Borrego said. “You’re not gifted minutes, whether you’re the firstpick, 21st pick, secondround pick. There’snogifting of minutes. Playershave to go earn that. Ithink this young group hasshown they are willing to go
there. Butwhen they don’t, it’smy job to hold them accountable.” That was thecase in the win over the Bulls.The Pelicans have struggled in thethird quarter all season long. So to start the third quarter against Chicago, Borrego went withJose Alvarado and
Yves Missi instead of starters
Jeremiah Fears and Queen. He wanted to keep the juice going that Alvaradoand Missi had provided in the first half
Trying something new is somethingBorrego said he won’thesitate to do.
“My nature is moretodeal with stuff rather than let it linger,” Borrego said. “Ifthe gamerequires action from me, I’m going to takesome action. Sometimes it’srisky.Sometimes you’ve got to let agroup go and see. This group, I’m not sure if I’mgoing to wait around too long to see if they figure it out. I’mgoing to try somethingnew.”
Borrego used those sameprinciples during his timeasahead coach in Charlotte when the Hornetsalso had ayoung roster “The sooner Ipivoted and tried somethingelse, the better results
Ifound,” Borrego said. “Or at least making astatement to our guys that this ain’tworking and we’ve got to try something different. Whether it’sstrategic or it’s rotational, I’mready to (make a) movewhen it’scalled for.
Players like what they have seen. “I know he’sinatough spot with everything that went on,” forward Zion Williamson said. “He’sbeen doing agreat job finding our identity forthe team.The guys are behind him.The staffis behind him.We’re with him.” The victories have been fewand farbetween, but Borrego appreciates it when he does get one like he did Monday
“These are challenging moments forusasagroup,” Borrego said. “This group has been through alot over the last 12-plus months. Losing last year took a toll on manyofus, mostly the players. It’s tough to get off to the start we did this year.It’samental challenge. Aspiritual challenge morethan anything. You just wantsome validation that ‘Guys you’re doing great, you’re making progress.’ It’s hard to say that when you’re not getting wins. Youneed somevalidation as ahuman being.” Because of the schedule, the Pelicans haven’thad much actual practice timewith their interim coach. Borrego is having to adjust on the fly as he makes up forall the missed timehewould have had in training camp and the preseason. It’s whyhe’snot just focusing just on the results but also the process to get to those desired results.
“As acompetitor,I want us to winand Iwant us to makeevery shot,” Borrego said. “The results can overwhelm you at times. The best organizations I’ve been apart of are process-driven. They have an identity and they know what they believe in. They know what shots they are trying to create, whether they go in or not. Trust that this is where we need to go and the results will take care of themselves. We are getting closer to that. We are not near where we need to be, but we are getting close.”
Email RodWalkerat rwalker@theadvocate.com.
Jellycat Penguin
‘Wanting
my moneytogo whereitreally matters’
BY KIMBERLEY SINGLETARY
Contributing writer
New Orleans mom Lizz Busquetused to be ahuge big-box Black Friday shopper
“Those people you see onthe news getting up at 4a.m. to get in line at Walmart and fight through the crowds the dayafter Thanksgiving —that was me,” she said.
But not anymore.
“I just don’twant to do it anymore,”she said. “It’smultiple things: For one, the sales just aren’tasgood, butreally, with howthingsare rightnow in the world, IthinkI’m just experiencinga renewedpassion for shopping local. Iwant my money to stay in my community instead of goinginto some big corporation’spocket.”
In the New Orleans MomMetairie/Kenner Facebook group, Busquetrecently posted her intentions to skip Black Friday this year in favor of Small BusinessSaturday on Nov. 29. She listed some local stores and asked for suggestions.
“I was so surprised to seeso many small business owners reach out about what they do,” she said. “This is what Imean about wanting my money to go where it really matters.”
This year,Busquet said she’ll be heading to Zuka Baby for local themed items and clothing for her 8-month-old daughter, Emberella, that “you can’tget at thebig boxes,” along with to Trendz, Purple Tiger Boutique and Fleurty Girl for the tween girls on her shopping list.
Play things forthe imagination
Shopping local for toys gota little harder this past July,with the closing of Magazine Street staple Magic Box Toys after 30 years,but thereare stillsome great options —including a placethat parents of small childrenlikely already frequent.
Youdon’tneed amembership or aticket to visit the Louisiana Children’sMuseum’s gift shop, which specializesincurated,quality toys aimed at
ä See TOYS, page 7D
French commandant and Natchitoches founder Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis. The fort’s construction was completed in 1716.
BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer
There comes amagic moment each fall when dinosaurs appear in City Park.Theyare joined by giant toy soldiers, candy canes, huge Christmas ornaments and all the other colorful, lighted attractions that help make City Park’s Celebration in theOaks the centerpiece of New Orleans’ holiday festivities.
Starting Friday, thousands will wander the myriad twinkling displays in the Carousel Gardens Amusement Park, Children’sStory Land and theBotanical Garden, as strands of cars and bicycles wind through decorated roadways and the miniature train toots along its tracks.
Julie LaCour,director of Celebration in theOaks, saidshe’s been helping create theholidaydisplay for 20 years now,and she’sespecially excited aboutthe 2025 presentation. The big show is always changing, she pointed out,with new features to keep theexperience fresh. This year,visitors will be greeted by new15-foot lightedangels at the entrances, plus lighted Louisiana
wildlife along the train route and a dreamily lit promenade at theback of theBotanical Garden called the “Curtain of Enchantment.”
The populardripping icicle lights that have drapedthe enormous oak treeatthe center of the Botanical Garden for years have been removed,LaCoursaid. Regrettably, “the squirrels finally got thebetter of it,” she explained. However,she
said, the big oak hasbeen newly envelopedinscarletlights and redubbed “The Heart of the Garden.”LaCourpredicts it will be a magnet formarriage proposals.
Mr.Bingle, the iconic enchanted snowman who once hung on the bygone MaisonBlanche departmentstore on Canal Street, will, of
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
Draw aday-trip diameter around New Orleans,and the range of placeswhere youcan feel that desired release from the norm and still be back home the same night, is varied but not exactly endless.
So it was ajoy to discover how the new restaurant Saint Claire has created anew one that’sactually withinthe city limits.
Saint Claire will serve you alovely dinner,inthe vein of French country cooking filtered through Louisiana. It alsoanenchanting destination, thankstoa combinationofanold house with anew glow-up, the expansive, oak-laden grounds arounditand thewarmth of hospitality People go on retreats for the kindrestorativefeeling Itook away from an early Friday dinner around sunset.
Acountryside idyll Saint Claire is in Algiers, downriver from the more scenic Point (perhaps it’s“Algiers Off Point?”). The property is wellscreened from the street. Ayard sign marks your turn toward a circular driveway,and it’s as if you’ve somehow gone through a revolving doorand been delivered to the countryside.
The restaurant is not in agrand mansion, and that is part of the appeal. It feels like acountry house set up to welcome guests. WhenHollywood finds it and inevitably films awedding scene here, thatwill inform what people everywhere imagine Louisiana weddingsare like
Entering through the center hall by the staircase, Saint Claire looks so much like an inn thatI half expected to find aledger to sign, like in old-time lodgings.
To one side, asmall den has been converted to an enticing bar, compact and composed likethe club car on aGilded Age train journey Down the hall, you can catch passing glimpses of the kitchen, which looks like achef’s dreamof ahome kitchen, with copper and cast iron hung over the counter island.
The main dining room is set up as if to host tea rather than conventional restaurant service, with small tables and amix of spindleback and upholstered chairs, sofasand pews. It’sall taper candles and lamp glow cast on low ceilings, delicate porcelain,soft curtains and pleasing vignettes at every angle.
Teaming up
Saint Claire is the second restaurant from Chef Melissa Martin, who has earned afollowing by channeling her bayou Cajunroots into the family-style dining of her Mosquito Supper Club restaurant (and into apair of cookbooksthat stand as works of Cajun culinary
preservation).
She partnered in Saint Claire with Cassi Dymond, whose construction firm TheKalimera Group is behindnumerous beautifullocal restaurantspaces (Acamaya andCafé Malou are two recent examples).
LikeMosquito Supper Club, Saint Claire is arestaurant that comes with its own customer advisories, outlined online with guidance on your “energy” and local speed limits. It’spossible to feel abit chided before you even getthere.
Butthe lived experience of this place is soothing. Some restaurants have an immersive ambience; here it’smore like you sink into it.
It is the opposite of thebombast baked into restaurants designed to catch the scrolling eye on so-
cial media. Asimilar aesthetic carries across the menu.
Rustic flavors
Camille Cook, chef de cuisine from Mosquito Supper Club, collaborates with Martin in the same role at Saint Claire.
The same quality in sourcing and seasonality from the Uptown restaurant is evident.The cooking is well done, though this is not extravagant cuisine. It’srustic with some elegant touches, and does not shout above the soft ambience.
Cocktails are balanced and beautiful, leading intoashort wine list. The menu progresses from smaller plates, mostly in the $20s, to entree sized editions in $30 to $40 territory
Beets smoked over citrus wood have avelvety texture and mild
flavor,morelike adistant chimney than asmokehouse. Trout roe over creme fraiche add dimensions without over-manipulation.
There’satuna paillard, athin slice quickly seared on just one side withthe other leftglistening raw for apleasing contrast.
Rillettesare abit wetand loose, and the bread could have risen to theoccasion were it toasted. But in any case, this is aroom where you want charcuterie, so you can takesome time building bites and savoring the setting.
The gnocchi are extra large (two or three bites per dumpling), with deeply golden-brownedges and gorgeouscrabmeat to mix with the lemon butter sauce beneath.
Duck confit gives asatisfying inner texture of dark flesh under larded skin, over thin slices of country ham,thick slices of squash and streaks of apecan gremolatatogive abright spark.
The tall slice of chocolate cake is like the homecooking of my youth, airy with alight crumb, though with abit of sea salt and olive oil to differentiate it from thehomespun variety Historic property
The backstory of this property helps explainwhy it feels so different.
It was part of acampus that originally served as aquarantine station for vessels headed upriver to thecity’sdocks. The restaurant
itself wasonce aresidence for doctors serving that facility
The property later had other uses, including an internment camp during World WarII. In morerecent history,it’sjust been one of those riverfront-adjacent curiosities that dot the region. Today,from inside looking out, the setting gives long views towards the levee and through majestic oaks. It all contributes to the sense of transport.
Picnicsand onemoreround Reservations have been in high demand, but so long as the weather is right, don’tbeput off if the only ones available are outdoors. Thatmeansonascreened, covered deck,shelteredbut also putting youclosertothe oaks. The restaurant offers daytime picnicsonthe property and will setyou up with aprovisioned basketofcrudites, cheese, charcuterie,breads, crackers, sweets andmore. Youalso can drop in for adrink at the bar or take your glass outtothe front porch (and, starting this week, the open-air patio in back).
Afterdinner, Iwasn’tquite readytopry myself away from Saint Claire,sowesat in the bar for aspell as the peak dinner hour gotrolling. We watched new people streaming and saw their eyes go wide,asours had on arrival.
Ialreadywantedtoreturn and startedthinking what it would be like to see all the seasons Louisiana gives us play out in this wonderful place.
Email Ian McNultyat imcnulty@theadvocate.com.
Contact: nnolan@theadvocate.com
Taylor Pospisil, LaVerne Toombs
On arecent Saturday evening, theLouisiana Children’sMuseum was transformed into a lively lunarscape to raisefunds and fun. Plannedasa grand and whimsical adult celebration and presented by Manning Family’s Children, “Wild Things Moonlight Adventure” —inspired by Maurice Sendak’sbook,“Wherethe Wild Things Are” —furthered the museum’smission of elevating thepotentialofour community’schildren. And in so doing, the grownups had ablast.
In keeping with the title, all gave an affirmative bellow for Taylor SchmidtPospisil and LaVerne Toombs,who hailed “from behind thethornythickets” to co-chair PlaySoirée. Starting with aone-hour patron party,the fuller format embraced music, dancing and delish localcuisine. As for finery,the suggested attire was“Cocktail with atouch of whimsy,including furry accents, crowns,regal or jungle-inspiredflair.”Many acloset was raided.
Thanks galore tapped Lee MichaelsFine Jewelry for the Jewelry Raffle; the Goldring Family Foundation/Sazerac for the liquidspirits; DickieBrennan &Co. Catering and Events; and Coca-Cola and LouisianaSeafood for theirgenerous sponsorships
More largesse came from Imaginationcategorysponsors John and Marye Nickens,and as individuals in the following categories,Dr. SamirEl-Dahr,Anneand King Milling,Jack Blitch, Jeffery and Judy Doussan, Karen and Kevin Cobb,Lauren and Jeff Doussan,and LCM CEO Tifferney White The extensive host committee listed,infirst-name alphabetical order,board member Anamaria Villamarn-Lupin (and TimLupin), andcontinued withsuchboard member names, along with their spouses or partners, as Walt LegerIII, Mrs. HenryHefler Jr.(Liz), Dr Diego Lara,Dr. Stacy Drury, Damon Singleton, Joey Richard, Jack Blitch, JenRoberts, JenniferBernard, Jilla Tombar,G.Wogan Bernard, Eric Hoffman, Charles West, KrystleDuplessis, Lauren Doussan, Joseph Bonavita, Ford Wogan, MichaelHecht, Morgan Falterman, Nash Crews, Ed Lang,Doug Stokes, Michael Schmidt, Scott Burton, and Dr Calvin Mackie. Many made social tracks at theLCM’s 27th gala More tracks, even sprints, were directed to thedancing area where Royal Essence revved up the decibelsfor thetameand thewild alike.
n Waves
Beelines were made to the 13th annual Scales& Ales, which was co-hosted by the Audubon Aquarium and the Audubon Insectarium, and attracted asea-full of socializers. They delighted in the live music by Few Blue, the Mignon Faget Jewelry Pull, Paper Doll Productions models, Nobu’scuisine in the Caesars New Orleans VIP Lounge, and for the general partaking, food from 20-plusgenerous restaurants.Mardi Gras Productions did the overall décor.Additional attractionswere the glowing outdoor seating and, in the Maya Reef exhibit, the Wands &Wishes Mermaids. Awesome!
Walter Isaacson
n LunarLevity
“Harvest Moon Masquerade” titled Clover’s exciting ado at The Josephine on Napoleon that thanked Presenting Sponsors Cathyand Walter Isaacson and Gulf Coast Bank &Trust Company (CEO Guy and DaleWilliams). After Fever Candlelight Halloween entertained at the patron party,Raw Deal followed musical suit during the three-hour main eventthat was emceed by Malik Mingo and featured, as event chairs, Neal Bodenheimer (signature cocktail creator) andClover board chair Kea Sherman,and Jennyand Robb Vorhoff. At 8:30 p.m., the Costume Contest punctuated the partying with a host of amazing ensembles adding exclamation points. The closing words werefrom Clover CEO Keith Liederman,Ph.D whowas joined by spouse Luanne LeBlanc Liederman. Mayor-elect Helena Moreno‘s presence added another nametosuch notables as Ellie Beard,Allie Shapiro Dandryand BobbyDandry, Kate and DaviddeKay,Drs. TaniyadeSilva and Jameel Ahmed, Sheldon Lykes, LynneStern, Ernest Price and Crystal Marks-Price, LaVerneToombs, Penn and TJ Iarocci, and Margaret MontgomeryRichard, Ph.D., advisory council chair.Several figured on the host committee (Dandrys, deKays, Iaroccis, Richard, Toombs) as did Lindsey Brower Beard, Dickie Brennan (whose company purveyed), Carling Dinkler IV,Kit Fritchie, Regan and BillForrester,Mark Glago,Tania Hahn,Yvette Jones, Luke and Catherine Lemoine,JenniferMcMillan, ChristineMitchell, Lucero and Lenny Motwani, Lynn and Digges Morgan, and Charlotte Sapir
They and ahost of others responded to the online silent auction, which showcased deluxe staycations, aCarnival parade ride, aSaints package, afishing trip, and, as the top-seller,the Private Pinhook Bourbon Tasting donated by Sean Josephs and purchased by the Kevin W. Lord party
The visuals were vibrant and seasonally thrilling with homage paid to the “Masquerade” theme. Rich shades of purple, lavender and lilac wereaccented with thegold of centerpiece lanterns and candelabras. Credit went to Tapestry Linens &Décor.Ofcourse, the new venue, The Josephine, garnered every eye. Further features in theHalloween spirit weremagicians, tarot readers, and aflash mob performance. Outside, the mood was established —and given aMardi Gras nod in colors of purple, green and gold —byLED greeters with lit-up skirts and huge plumeheaddresses, and aclown-face stilt walker holding atiny purple umbrella.
STROUT ClaireAnderson, Heidi Guerra, Claire Fontenot
Reveling were Audubon Nature Institute President and CEO Michael J. Sawaya and Leslie;president emeritus Rob Forman with Sally and son McClain with fiancée Samantha Bach;Emily and Rene Pastorek;Joey and Randi Gioe; Dr Diane Rose; Howard Moses; Caroline and Dwight Barnes; executivechefs Paul Robert (CNO) and LawYee (Nobu, sushi);and scores morewho made Scales and Ales asuccess.
BY CHERÉ COEN Contributing writer
It’salways fun to ride the rails of ahistoric train, especially during themed rideswhere robbers board in old western attire or there’s a mystery to be solved during the two-hour excursion. This time of year,it’sall about the NorthPole and Santa. Here are nine Southern train rides that transport passengers onexuberant holiday outings.
DollywoodExpress:PigeonForge, Tennessee
Family friendly Dollywood is ajoy any time of yearbut especially magical at Christmas during its Smoky MountainChristmas. Visitorsmay wander through awinterwonderland glowing with more than six million lights —sometimes with snow Plus, Santa pays avisit, theatrical performances have aholiday theme,and visitors mayridethe adorned DollywoodExpress and sing asong or two. The authentic coal-fired steam engine pulls the open-air passenger cars through afive-mile excursion around the park. Learn more at dollywood. com.
Grapevine, Texas
The Christmas Capital of Texas, with its 1,400 holiday-inspired eventsfrom now until New Year’s, includes Santa’sNorth Pole Express that rolls from the town’sdepot and back for atwo-hour holiday ride.
Grapevine Vintage Railroad includes Christmas singalongs, special moments with Santa and his elves and visits withMrs.Claus during boarding. The train rolls through Dec. 30, except for Dec. 24, 25 and 26. Find out more at grapevi-
By ChristopherElliott
netexasusa.com/christmas-capitalof-texas/north-pole-express.
Americus,Georgia
The Savannah, Americus &Montgomery railroad cars have been restored for aridefrom the train’s original route from Cordele to Plains with astopinAmericus,Georgia
Passengers relax in climate-controlled carsfromGeorgia Veterans State Park, across Lake Blackshear, through Americus and on to Plains, where passengers mayenjoy atwohour exploration of Pres.Jimmy Carter’s hometown.
On Dec. 5-6, the train becomes the Candy CaneExpress.For aone-hour holiday ride, the SAM Shortline offers its Cordele Holiday Train with Santa and hot chocolate. For more information,visit www.samshortline.com.
BlueRidge,Georgia
TheBlue Ridge Scenic Railway leaves the quaint town of Blue Ridge, about two hours northofAtlanta,totravel through the Appalachian foothills of North Georgia to McCaysville,Tennessee.
ThroughDec. 24, thehistoric rail cars turn festive forthe annual onehour Holiday Express. Passengers listen to holidaymusic and areading of “The Night Before Christmas,” visit with Santa Claus and enjoy hot chocolate and other snacks available for purchase inside the concession car.For information, visit brscenic.com/holiday-special-rides.
BransonScenicRailway:Branson, Missouri
The Branson Scenic Railway transformsintoThe Polar Express during theholidays, traveling from downtownBranson and back on select dates from through Jan. 3. The special holiday excursion is arecreation of the children’s storyinwhich
passengers receive goldentickets for the ride and enjoy hot chocolate from dancingchefs,areading of the Chris VanAllsburg book anda special gift from Santa. For tickets and information, visit bransontrain. com/the-polar-express/. GreatSmoky Mountains Railroad: Bryson City,North Carolina
The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad rolling out of BrysonCity hostsits PolarExpress TrainRide through Dec. 31. Kids —and perhaps parents, too—don pajamas and enjoy treats, dancing and, of course,a visit withgift from Santa.
The trainroutinely runs through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Nantahala National Forest and over Fontana Lake with sightstosee such as historic trestlesand structures and roaring rivers. Find out more at gsmr.com
TennesseeValleyRailroad: Chattanooga, Tennessee
The TennesseeValley Railroad takes passengers on historic routes throughout the Chattanooga area and during the holidays offers numerous special railroad excursions. There’saChristmas Dinner Train, a Nightcap withSt. Nick for adults, an afternoon Christmas Tea, rideswith Santa andmore. There’s even train rides for NewYear’s.
See the full listattvrail.com.
HeartofDixie Railroad Museum: Calera,Alabama
The official railroad museum of Alabama, located in the center of the state,features trains,two restored depots, railroad artifactsand memorabilia and outdoor railroad cars, locomotives and cabooses. During theholidays, themuseum runs thehour-and-a-half Po-
larExpress with sweettreatsand
Santa and Mrs. Claus on weekends through Dec.20. Visit hodrrm.org/ north-pole-express.
WesternMarylandScenic Railroad’sPolar ExpressTrain Ride:Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland’sScenicRailroadoffersaPolar Express ride andtries to tie the experience as much to the popular Christmas movie that’s based on the children’s book. There’s asceneinthe film in whichthe trainraces down steep, rollercoaster-like tracksthathug mountain cliffs, and Maryland’s trainridelikensittothe Cumberland Narrows. During the film’s rooftopscene when thetunnel appears, riders along thetrain route can experience the “Brush Tunnel.”The one-hour trainride rolls throughDec.23. Visit wmsr.com/ the-polar-express-train-ride.
After Aer Lingus cancels James Jones’ flight from Paris to Philadelphia, he requests afull refund. The airline shorts him by $744 andthen it stops responding to his emails. What can he do to get the money back?
flight for reasons within its control, passengers are entitled to afull refund under European consumer regulations. But Aer Lingus left you in afinancial holding pattern.
Christopher Elliott
Q: My wife and Iwere scheduled to flyfrom Paris to Philadelphia.Aer Lingus canceled the flight due to“operational issues”and told me to request arefund.Ipaid $5,246 for the tickets, but the airline only refunded $4,502. I’ve emailed repeatedly about the missing $744 and keep getting new case numbers with promises to“contact me soon.”It’sbeen weeks with no resolution.What can Ido? James Jones,Naples,Fla.
A: When an airline cancels a
EU Regulation 261/2004, the European consumer protection law, requires an airline to fully refund you within seven days if you paid by credit card. Aer Lingus’ partial refund and radio silence violate bothits contractual obligations and EU consumer protections. Here’swhat should have happened: After canceling your flight, Aer Lingus needed to promptly refund the full $5,246 without you having to ask. Instead, it shortchanged you by $744 and ignored your follow-ups —a classic airline runaround.
Airlinesoften bank on travelers
giving up, but EU rules don’tlet themoff the hook. When you pay withacredit card, achargeback for the missing amount could pressure Aer Lingus to act (a step worthconsidering if this happens again)
Ican’tbelieve the airline would do this to you. The tickets you purchased were pricey business-class fares. AerLingus should have bent over backward to help you, considering your value as acustomer
Youdid the right thing by documenting every interaction. Paper trails are critical. Still, when companies stonewall, escalating to executives is key.I’vepublished contact details for Aer Lingus’ leadership team on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. Apolite but firm email to these decision-
makers often breaksthe logjam. It looks like youtried thecontacts, but theyignored you.
I’ve reviewed thecorrespondence between youand Aer Lingus, which, frankly, Ifind frustrating. The airline offered you afull refund, which youaccepted, and then it failed to followthrough. Instead of acoherentanswertoyourrepeated question,itjustkeptsending you new form responses with new case numbers. If anything, your case is aremindertoalways check your airline refund. Neverassume that just because the airline offered youa refund that you will receive allof it —orany of it.Check your credit card statement to make sure you received everything.
Whatitwouldsay —orrather do —isfixthis foryou. After I reached out to Aer Lingus on your behalf, it refunded the$744.
Christopher Elliott is the founderofElliott Advocacy,a nonprofitorganizationthathelps consumers solvetheirproblems. Email himatchris@elliott.org or get help by contacting himon hissite.
So why did Aer Lingus short you by $744? Based on theemails it sentyou,itlookslike it might have broken outtaxes into aseparate charge. Aer Lingusmighthave also recalculated your refund based on currency fluctuations. It’s difficult to knowfor certain. Iasked Aer Lingus aboutyour refund, but it would not tellmewhy it withheld the$744.
Oneofmyfavorite holiday stories is “Good Housekeeping,” aBailey White public radio commentary from some years back. It’s about White’scomic struggle to clean up her elderly mother’s house for Thanksgiving, achallenge complicated by theelder White’spassionfor savingeverything. Over the course of an exhaustingweekend, the house slowly surrenders its strange keepsakes, which include aturtle skull, “some deadly appliances from the early days of electricity,and an old mechanical milking machine with attachments for only three teats.”
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Sieur d’Iberville) were all part of France’soriginal expedition coming up the Mississippi River from Mobile in 1701,” said Logan Schlatre, director of programming for the Cane River Creole National Historic Park in Natchitoches. When they got to the mouth of the Mississippi River,Sieur d’Iberville Bienvillewent back to France to get more supplies and left his youngerbrother andSt. Denis to make the restofthe trip St. Denis eventually brokeaway to travel up the Red River At that time, the Natchitoches area was inhabited by the Natchitoches Indians, who made up what Schlatre calls a“confederacy,loosely based on aseries of Native American tribes.”
“The way that we try to interpret things here is that this is the traditional or the original Creole colony for Louisiana, which means that we have to start back with the Native American peoples who make up alarge portion of the culture,” Schlatre said. “The people that live here are part of what we call ‘the Caddo’ in culture, dating back to about 700or 800 AD. And by about 1000 AD, they have their ownsolidified culture.” Schlatre explained thatthe Caddo people had contactwith theFrench through St. Denis as a part of the expedition to explore Louisiana.
While the NatchitochesTribe inhabited the northwest Louisiana territory settledbySt. Denis, such tribes as the Houma, Bayougoula, Biloxi, Choctaw,Quinipissa, Acolapissa and Pascagoula inhabited the MississippiRiver deltaic plain and adjacentcoastal regions.
Jean-Baptiste Le MoyneBienville, meanwhile, ran into several obstacles in his exploration many of them spurred by politics back in France—before finally establishing New Orleans.
“Disillusioned and preoccupied with other matters, France grants acommercial monopoly to financier Antoine Crozat for the development of Louisiana (in 1712),” writes New Orleans author Richard Campanella for the PreservationResource Center of New Orleans. “Crozat hopes to discover gold and silver,raise to-
Idon’tthink of myself as apack rat in the Whitefamily tradition, although hoarders rarelyrecognize their worst tendencies.All of this came to mindasThanksgiving approached this year and nudgedme to look around ourown house with fresh eyes. Visitors were coming, and it wouldn’tdoto have anavalanche when an in-law opened abroom closet —ora trip to the emergency room if aguest
tripped on astack of paperbacks on theway to thedinnertable. In advanceofthe holidays, my wifeand Itook acoupleofdays off to declutter. Clearing cabinets, bookshelves and nightstands, Iwas struck by the oddsediment that settles within ahome as theriver of time flows through its rooms. Ithought aboutWhite’s mother —and my mother,too, whowas what you might callanaccumulator.After she died in 2008, we found 32 pairs of scissors when we emptied her house She’d lose onepair within the tangle of herhousehold, then buy areplacement, which would eventually sink into the multitude of
herbelongings and require yet another pair of scissors in its place. Am Ithis bad? Ihope not, although Idid come across four setsofpliers in our broom closet when my wife and Iwere tidying thingsup. Adozen rolls of Scotch tape surfaced from the dim corner of akitchen cupboard, along with other artifacts. Ifound three dog brushes forour terrier,who died in 2020. It wassurprising to learn that Iown seven bottles of glue, nine flashlights (each one broken),acoach’swhistle, eight switch plates, nine padlocks (four with keys), three balls of twine and 14 house keys, all forproperty no longerinthe family.Also,
six rulers, twoyardsticks and five power cords forphones we stopped using adecade ago. Combing through bits of this and that, Iwondered how all this stuff had crossed our threshold and staked its claim, amigration of material goods Ishould have noticed. Maybe it’sareminder for me to be morefully present in my own life, an ideal that has particular appeal as the holidays arrive. What Ifeel, after winnowing our roomsofwhat we no longer need, is abundance. In this season of gifts, Ialready have morethan what Icould ever want.
Email DannyHeitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.
Jean-Baptiste Le Moynede Bienville was aFrench explorer who, with his brother, Pierre LeMoyne d’Iberville, explored BayouSt. John in 1699. He established the settlement that evolved intoNew Orleans in 1719.
baccoand tradewith Spain, while theFrench Crown is content to unburden itself of Louisiana.” Campanella, also ageographer andassociate dean forresearch
with the Tulane School of Architecture, created adetailed timeline of New Orleans’ founding in his article, “What led tothe founding of New Orleans in 1718?” for thecenter’sbimonthly July 2018 edition of Preservation in Print commemorating the city’s300th anniversary
The timelinepoints out how Crozat became disillusioned with his exploration of Louisiana, opening the way for John Law and his newly formed Company of the West’s 25-year charter to develop theterritory
“The Company of the West, according to its ledger,‘resolved to establish, thirty leagues up theriver,aburg which should be called LaNouvelle Orléans, where landing would be possible from either theriver or Lake Pontchartrain’(on Sept. 9, 1717),” Campanella writes. “The name of the envisioned city aimed to flatter theproject’sroyal sponsor, Philippe, theDuke of Orleans, without whom Law’sventure would have been impossible.”
In the winter of 1718, Bienville received orderstomovetothe new destination and began preparing six vessels withsupplies and a
crew of 43 men for the voyage.
“In lateMarch or early April, Bienville’sexpedition anchors off today’supper French Quarter to begin work on NewOrleans,” Campanella writes. ‘“Bienville cut the first cane,’ recalled one colonist of that undated moment. Afterward, 30 workers, all convicts, proceeded to clear the‘dense canebrake’ probably around present-day 500-600 Decatur Street, at atimewhen the river flowed closer inland.” New Orleans sculptor Angela Gregory’smonument of Bienville now standsat400 Decatur St., only acouple of blocks from the founder’s landing.
Back in Natchitoches, St. Denis began working to establishing trade with the Spanish at nearby Los Adaes. Los Adaes State Historic Site now commemorates the Spanish fort site along La. 6, some 21 miles west of Natchitoches.
“The French governor (Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac) sent St.Denis to talk with Father (Francisco) Hidalgo, amissionary who worked with the Tejas (Texas) Indians, whoinsinuated that he would help open up trade between theFrench and the Span-
(504)975-9763
ish,” Schaltre said. “So it wasSt. Denis’ job to establish atrading post then go find the Spanish to begin opening up that trade network. That’swhat led to him arriving in late 1714, and commissioning the construction of a barracks forthe 40 soldiers that he has under his command and a storehouse forall the trade goods, their food and things like that.”
Those barracks would become Fort St. Jean Baptiste in 1716. A state historic site within Natchitoches city limits commemorates this fort with afull reproduction of the original, though the historic site doesn’tstand on the original fort site.
“The fort moved afew times,” Schlatre said.
Today,according to 2020 census data, morethan 37,000 people live in Natchitoches, while New Orleans has morethan 383,000 residents.
Do you have aquestionabout something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phonenumber andthe city where you live.
BY DOUG GRAHAM Staff writer
“A Girl’s Life in New Orleans: The Diary of Ella Grunewald 1884-1886,” edited by Hans Rasmussen, LSU Press, 161 pages
Ella Grunewald’s life as a Louisiana teenager should sound familiar to many: school, church, a large family, membership in several clubs and a busy social calendar including parades and concerts. She was also a talented musician who spent hours practicing piano and often performed in public.
But her life in New Orleans toward the end of the 19th century was far different from her modern peers.
Illness and death were all too familiar in the Crescent City in the Gilded Age, fire was an everpresent danger, travel about town could be more arduous, and communication did not come at the touch of a button.
Ella left behind a gift that reveals a glimpse into that life, which is presented in “A Girl’s Life in New Orleans: The Diary of Ella Grunewald 1884-1886.”
The book includes a diary of her last two years of high school, as well as a log of her family’s trip to Europe in 1890 when she was 22 years old.
She describes all parts of her life as part of an affluent upper-middle-class family Her father Louis Grunewald, was a dealer of sheet music and musi-
cal instruments before opening Grunewald Hall, a combination concert hall and music store near Canal Street. This gave Ella regular exposure to the theater, and she describes the performances of some of the period’s most famous plays, musicals and performers.
Her upbringing also included graduation from the Southern Academic Institute a private school that had four members of its graduating class in April 1886. It was an unusual level of education for New Orleans teens at the time.
Ella writes about everyday life, including meals with her parents, conducting chemistry experiments at school, meetings of the St. Cecelia Society (a musical club), attending lectures, and experiences like riding tricycles, which apparently was a rare treat for the time
A main event in her life was the World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, which opened in New Orleans in 1884.
She describes making many trips to the event, marveling at displays of fossils, stuffed animals and birds, garments from around the world, as well as works of art.
The second section of the book consists of Ella’s description of her family’s trip to Europe in May and June 1890 The travel diary covers stops in Italian cities like Milan, Pisa Rome Naples and Venice The young
woman gives details of the sites and experiences, including a journey up the side of Mount Vesuvius that sounds fairly arduous. The trip continued into Bavaria, and Ella gives a glowing review of a passion play the family attended in Munich, which she describes as “soul-stirring.”
Tragically, this is the last entry in her diary, as she died less than two weeks later of malaria which she contracted while in Italy It was hinted at with her earlier description of receiving a dose of quinine, a treatment for the disease. She was 22 years old.
The final part of the book includes touching memorials to her in local newspapers and descriptions of her funeral.
The book, edited by Hans Rasmussen, offers comprehensive notes that give readers further insight into the events and people included in Ella’s writing. The notes also offer a few corrections to Ella’s observations without stepping on her writing. The publishers say the transcription reproduces the diary exactly as written, making it feel even more real.
While the history of New Orleans has been well documented, this diary offers a firsthand view from someone who lived it as a teenage girl, making it a rare record and a worthwhile one to experience.
Email Doug Graham at doug. graham@theadvocate.com.
BY JUDY BERGERON
Staff writer
“Everybody needs a little escape,” says Jennifer Moorhead.
The Louisiana author gladly gifts that to readers in the pages of her second thriller, “Poison Wood.” Shreveport resident Moorhead’s first riveting riddle, “Broken Bayou,” published in July 2024, quickly became an Amazon bestseller Leaning in to that successful formula a Louisiana setting both scenic and sinister, a strong female protagonist and no shortage of secrets — Moorhead crafted “Poison Wood” not as a followup to “Broken Bayou,” but as a companion book. Both stand alone, although the author does elevate a character from the first book, crime reporter Rita Meade, into the lead role for “Poison Wood.”
“I’m nursing a scotch at the sleek, backlit motherof-pearl bar at the Serai hotel in Miami Beach when I first hear whispers of a body being found,” Rita relates in “Poison Wood’s” opening. “I’m always listening for whispers like that. My ears are trained to home in on words like bloody and crime.”
tivals.
Moorhead says she’s immersed in story inspiration all around her semi-rural north Louisiana homestead.
“I live on a wild piece of property where I get to experience swamps, woods and trails as well as all of the critters that live in those places,” she says. “I’m immersed in the sights, smells and sounds of Louisiana every day, and I love sharing those things in my writing.” Moorhead fell in love with creative writing after taking a poetry class at LSU.
“I didn’t pursue it much then,” she recalled in 2024. “It would be years later, in a continuing education class on creative writing, that I learned my love for writing novels.” When she’s working on a book, Moorhead said she attempts to write every day
Meanwhile, back in the Bayou State, a local historical preservation society discovers a human skull while cleaning up an abandoned all-girls boarding school, Poison Wood Therapeutic Academy for Girls. Located deep in the Kisatchie National Forest, the school is turning 100 and a celebration is being organized, thus the sprucing up and surprising skull finding.
tually led to its closure.
The news brings Rita right home, on the case, and reliving her unfortunate stint as a student at the school, where her friend had disappeared years before. That was one of the many mysterious occurrences at the boarding school that even-
Researching Louisiana boarding schools for her book was how Moorhead stumbled upon this abandoned girls’ school in the Kisatchie Forest and secured the backdrop for her story The eerie, two-story structure is depicted in the book’s cover illustration. Inside the old
school, the author said she saw writing still on the chalkboards, files strewn about and demolished stairs.
For Rita, suppressed memories, emotions and secrets rise to the surface as she revisits the old school and her past. As
the investigation expands, her own family tree enters the picture, taking a turn readers never saw coming. Will she get to the bottom of all this and finally get some closure on her long-lost friend? Cozy up with this page-turner and find out.
Moorhead, a general studies graduate of LSU, is not only an author but also a filmmaker The three indie short films she’s written and produced have all made the top 20 at the Louisiana Film Prize and won awards at global fes-
“If the words aren’t flowing, I find it’s best to walk away and let my subconscious work on it a little. I like to write in the mornings, and I have an office in my house, but I can write anywhere — the kitchen, a coffee shop, outside on the porch,” she said. “It’s all about word count for me. I have a word count I like to reach every day When I reach it, I’m done for the day.” Moorhead is currently counting words for her third book. And the protagonist this time? Still a
encouraging imaginativeplay.Options here range from infant toys up through elementary school.
For families who love totravel, or grandparentswho wantsomething easy to set up at their house, afew fun options are the Pop-OhVerPlay Stove and Pop-Oh-Ver Builder Set. These fabric creations pop over any regularchair and transform it into playtimefun. Both aimed at ages 3-7,the Play Stove includes an oven,stovetop and microwave. Youcan get just thestove for $29.95 or adeluxe version that includes play foodand accessories for $59.95.
For the budding builder,the PopOh-Ver Builder Set transforms a chair into aplay workbench. The 39-piece set includes wooden tools and accessories and atool belt for $59.95.
The gift shop also includes an array of items from PiedPiper Crafts, acompany out of Min-
PROVIDED PHOTOS
The Pop-Oh-Ver PlayStove is a fabriccreation that canpop over anyregular chair and transformit into playtime fun.
neapolis, owned by amother and Waldorf instructor that focuses on marrying imagination and nature. Thecompany offers multiple kits using simple materials like wood and fabric to make asailboat, awindcar or atreasure map. The most elaborate option is the FairyHouse Kit, which includesa glue gun and all the naturalmaterials you need to build andfurnish athree-story fairy
house. Designed for ages 6and up,it’spriced at $53. Thegameoflife?
Another great way to keep kids busy during theholiday break is to teach them anew game, like chess.
Here,the Louisiana Children’s Museum offers aChess Designer Kit that encourages kids to use bothsides of their brain. Designed forages5 andup, the kit includes achess board, afull set of undecorated wood chesspieces and an artspinner withpaintsand stickers that thechild usestocustomize their own chess pieces.
The set includes directions on how to play chess, and the spinner cancontinue to be usedall year long for art activities like decorating eggs at Easter or flowerpots. It’spriced at $40.
While the clientele for French Charter children’sshop Nola Kids tends to be moretourists than locals, owner Katie Goudeau said she’s been receiving lotsofcalls about one specific kind of toy
“Weare oneofthe fewstores in thecitythatstill carries Jellycat
Families
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course, be in attendance.Bingle will glow in the lights of anew archway, designed for selfies.
Celebration in theOaksfirst flickered into being in 1984, when Botanical Garden directorPaulSoniatsuggested inviting local artists to decorate asmall grove of Christmas trees. Three years later, a $155,000 donation from NOPSI (NewOrleans Public Service Inc.) gave rise to the sprawling lighted extravaganza we’ve come to expect, which hasgrown exponentially since.
Celebration in the Oaks survived Hurricane Katrina, despite thedevastating flooding of City Park, but it wasn’t until 2020 that the driving tourofthe lights resumed Celebrationinthe Oaks lastsonly through New Year’sDay,but its effectsare felt year-round.The holiday displayisthe City Park Conservancy’slargest fundraiser,with proceeds used to defray the costs of the largely self-supported park. Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@ theadvocate.com.
plush toys,” she said. “A fewyears ago, these high-qualitystuffed toys exploded on TikTok and Instagramand they’ve been hard to getahold of ever since.”
Goudeau said she currently has two of the most popular new Jellycat items in stock. The first is Peanut Penguin Snowboarding, a4.7-inchstuffedpenguin riding asnowboard that retails for$33.
The second is Bartholomew Bear “Snow Suit” —a10-inch stuffed bear that includes aremovable snowsuit that retails for$65.
It’s (nearly) Carnival time!
Just up Magazine Street, achildren’sboutique calledPippenLane has been serving area families for 27 years. OwnerShane Guidry said she’s been receiving lots of calls and requests from parents looking to spend this holiday season starting to celebrate forthe next.
“Mardi Gras is so early this year that we have hada lotofparents looking to surprise their kids with Mardi Gras themed items,like bows and clothesfor the older kids, and stuffed toys and pajamas
forthe little ones,” Guidry said. Guidry said her most popular pajamas arefrom afamily-owned bamboo clothing company called Southern Slumber Specifically,the company’sblue “Southern Sweets” pajamas are selling fast.The light blue pajamas —available in sizesnewborn to 24 months —feature colorful depictions of beignets, king cake, taffy and sno-balls. They’re priced at $39.
Dear Annie: Ifeel foolish even writing this, but Icannot tell if Iamoverreacting or if Ihave a real problem on my hands.
My best friend, “Dana,” and I have been close for more than 20 years. We have raised ourkids together, shared holidays, taken tripsand weathered the usual storms of adult life.
Lately,though, something has shifted. Whenever we are together,she is glued to her phone. Notjust checking it occasionally but scrolling, texting, laughing at messages and taking calls in themiddle of our conversations. Lastweek, we went out for dinner to celebrate her birthday Ispent moretimewatching her type than Idid talking to her When Ifinally said, “I feel like I’m third-wheeling with your phone,”she brushed it off and said she was“multitasking.” I tried to let it go, but it stung. I had planned awhole evening for her,and she barely looked up. Here is thepart that really bothers me.WhenI mentioned it again afew dayslater,she toldmeI was “too sensitive” andshould“just relax.” Annie,I am allfor relaxing, but it is hard to feel close to someone who seemsmore interested in ascreen than ahumanbeing sittingright in frontofher Is this the new normal for friendships, or do Ineed to rethinkmine? —Feeling Second to Her Phone
the friendship, she will put the phone down. If she cannot manage that, you may be investing morethan she is.
Dear FeelingSecond: Youare not overreacting.Being ignored in favor of ascreen is frustrating, and it is rude. Being on thephone may be “normal life”these days,but it should not takecenter stagewhen twofriends are trying to connect. Youhandled it kindly by bringing it up. Her dismissing your feelings is the real problem.A good friendlistens when somethinghurts, even if they did not mean to cause it.
Tryone simple, honest line:
“I misstalking without interruptions.” Say it calmly and let her respond. If she values
DearAnnie: Earlier this year, my family moved into a new neighborhood after decades in our old community.Iarrived with so muchoptimism. The street wascharming, the neighbors seemed warm, and there wasthis lovely sense that we hadstepped into aplace where people truly knew one another Butasthe months passed, the dynamic shifted.We’ve hosted smallgatheringsand always show up when someoneneeds ahand, yetinvitations rarelycome our way.Mynext-door neighbors chat happily withothers on the block,but withus, it stopsatpolitehellos. The grouptextfor the neighborhood was even morediscouraging. Ikeptseeing photos of events andparties Ihadn’tknown aboutuntil after they happened. It’s as if everyone receivedanunspoken welcome packet except us Is this just part of adjusting to anew place? Am Iimagining something that isn’treally there? How do adults find real connection in acommunity without coming across as needy or overeager? —Feeling LeftOut on Maple Dear LeftOut: Moving to anew neighborhood can feel abit like showing up to aparty where everyone else already knowsthe inside jokes. It’s lonely,and yes, it can sting, but take heart. Most long-established communities don’tmean to exclude newcomers. They’re simply moving along old, familiar grooves. For now,ease up on feeling like you have to winanyone over Stay kind, stay open, and let these relationships develop at their own pace. Goodneighbors aren’tmade overnight. And if anyone can soften astreet full of routines, it sounds like you can.
Send yourquestions forAnnie Lane to dearannie@creators. com.
Doug MacCash
The must-see New Orleans art exhibitofthe fall isn’twhere you’d expect it. “Degenerate! Hitler’sWar on Modern Art,” a collection of small avant-garde drawings, paintings and sculpture by modern European masters,can be found among the antique airplanes and tanks of The National WWII Museum. The “Degenerate!” show may not cover war perse, but the exhibit simmers with the historical irony of the early Nazi era that led to the cataclysmic 1939-45 conflict. Specifically,itilluminates the time that Adolf Hitler produced one of the most popular art exhibits in history —ashow that was meant to be apropaganda coup, but backfired spectacularly It was 1937, and the Nazis were envisioning their conquest of Europe. In the meantime,Der Führer,who’d once been an aspiring landscape painter,turnedhis attention to what he saw as the downfall of German art. Hitler had come to believe that modernism was the wrong path. Many of the artists of the era sought to authentically portray the pointless horror of the First World Warand the humiliating deprivation and desperationthat followed. The art may have been honest, but it was the antithesis of the dreamy vision Hitler hadfor the fatherland.
As WWII Museum curatorErin Clancy explained duringapreview of theexhibit, Hitler hated the new,audacious stylesand blamed the phenomena on his favorite scapegoats. In his view, expressionism, cubism, surrealismand such were the productof communists, Jews, foreignersand the insane. In Nazi-speak,modernism was “degenerate.”
The Nazis didn’tjust burn books, Clancy said, they confiscated and destroyed objectionable artworks as well. But in their zeal to eradi-
PROVIDED PHOTO
Elfriede Lohse-Wächtler’swatercolor ‘Lissy,’ of 1931, luridly captures the desperation of Depression-era Germany.Itwas alevel of social realism that theNazis could not abide.
cate modernart, they inadvertently celebrated it.
To make the point that modern art didnot properly reflect German values, Hitler and his minions orchestrated apairofenormous exhibitsinMunich. One celebrated the neoclassicism, romantic realism and nationalism that the Nazis felt appropriate for their burgeoning Third Reich.
The other was ahuge collection of “degenerate” works by internationalstarssuchasPicasso, Matisseand Chagal, as well as home-grown German artistssuch as Otto Dix, Paul Klee, George Gross, KätheKollwitz,Ernst Kirschner andothers, that had beenconfiscated from German museums.
Weirdly,Emil Nolde, whose expressionistwork was considered as degenerate as any in the show, hadlong been achampion of the Nazi party
The degenerate” art exhibit wasmeant to ridicule and dismiss
modernaesthetics.Anytime the wordart was used in thedisplay,it wasput in quotation marks.
More than2million Germans flocked to thetwin exhibits.Molly Dubin, the chief curator of the JewishMuseum of Milwaukee, wherethe “Degenerate!”show originated, said theaudacious avant-garde artwas the main draw
“One of the greatest ironies,” Dubin said, “is thatthe Nazis’ enthusiasmtosuppress modern artfueled interest.” The “Degenerate!”show was “hugely” more popular thanits high-minded traditional counterpart, she said.
“You tell people something is corrupt and immoral, and people will come to seewhat’s causing suchafuss,” Dubin said.
In away,the Nazi’s1937 “Degenerate!” artshow was asymbolic preview of what was to come. As curator Clancy put it, “If you can conceive reasons to eradicate art, you can probably figure out how
Then,lookforward to 12 newselectionsevery threemonthsand enjoya$30 Omaha Steaks E-Reward Card witheachfutureclubcase. You’ll also save 10%onevery12+ bottle purchase andget free delivery everytimeyou order. There’s no commitmenttocontinueand everybottle comeswith our100%guarantee Ordernow at GetOSWine.com/Sip317 or call 1.844.639.0738 andmention code AHNE001 Savings offretailprice.Offer subjecttoavailabilityand club enrollment. OmahaSteaksWineisoperatedindependently from OmahaSteaks, LLC. Full termsand conditions online.Voidwhereprohibitedbylaw
The ‘Degenerate! Hitler’sWar on
by
‘DEGENERATE!’
WHEN: Through May10, 9a.m. to 5p.m.daily WHERE: The National WWII Museum TICKETS: $26 and up INFO: nationalww2museum.org
to eliminate people.”
Modernism survived the Nazis. By sensationalizing the styles he despised, Hitler probably just added to the mystique of the audacious avant-garde artists, many of whom fled the country Soon, German influences, such as the “less-is-more” philosophy of the Bauhaus school of design, came to dominate global architecture. Likewise, the absurdism of German dadaists such as Max Ernst inspired generations of future conceptualists. And as late as the1980s, German Expressionism remained amodel for passionate young painters fromBerlin to
New York City andbeyond.
All New Orleansartists and artloversshould put atrip to the WWII Museum on their not-tomiss list. The show is afeastof intimate artworks that even veteran museumgoershave probably neverseen.Plus, the staff of the museum added aNew Orleans-orientedcomponentto the show. Though jazz music was officially verboten, the German people lovedthe auditory contraband. The last room of the “Degenerate!”showisdevoted to jazz’s paradoxicalpopularity
“Degenerate!Hitler’sWar on Modern Art” continues through May10atThe National WWII Museum, 945 Magazine St. Open daily 9a.m.to5 p.m. Admission to the museum starts at $26. For tickets andmoreinformation visit the museum website. Email Doug MacCashat dmaccash@theadvocate.com.
care. Simply put—without dentalinsurance, there maybe an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.
Medicare doesn’t pay fordental care. That’s right.Asgood as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocover everything. That means if you wantprotection, youneed to purchase individualinsurance.
Early detection canprevent smallproblems from becoming expensive ones.
The best way to preventlarge dental bills is preventivecare. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.
BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer
One of my favorite soups to order in town is shrimp and corn soup. When Igot “Chef Celeste’sLouisiana Kitchen” cookbook by Celeste Gill, Iturned to the first recipe, shrimp and corn soup, andIfelt it was time to finally try it on my own I’m also hoping that, by cooking this recipe, I’ll coax the weather into some cooler temperatures that call for arich and creamy soup. Detroit native chef Gill came to the “soulful kitchens” of Baton Rouge and integrated Louisiana flavors into her growing repertory of culinary dishes. In addition to cooking professionally,owning restaurants and conducting cooking demonstrations, Gill loves to teach and mentor younger chefs, including students in East Baton Rouge Parish public schools and inmates at local prisons.
“Through the simple act of preparing andsharing ameal, connections are forged, stories are exchanged and bonds are woven,” Gill wrote in her cookbook’sintroduction.
For 20 years, until 2023, Gill coordinated the Main Street Market cooking demonstrations in downtownBa-
ton Rouge.She also closed hertwo bistros in 2024 to shift into teachingthrough media. This cookbook is one of her media ventures to spread her cooking knowledge. In the introduction, shewrites, “I wanttoempowercooksof alllevelsto re-createintheir own kitchenswhatI considerremarkable dishes.”
Gill’sshrimpand corn soup recipeisfairly simple. The only thingIdid differently was substitute chicken stock instead of the shrimp stock because Idid
not have any on hand, nor did Ihave time to peel any shrimp. Iadded asmidge of thewater Iused to defrost theshrimptothe chicken stock for alittle depth of shrimpflavor
Oneother small departure from Gill’srecipe: I used moregarlic than she called for and added some
By The Associated Press
Today is Sunday,Nov.30, the 334th day of 2025.There are 31 days left in the year
Todayinhistory: On Nov.30, 1999, an estimated 40,000 demonstrators clashed with police as they protested against the World Trade Organization as the WTO convened in Seattle. Also on this date: In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articlesinParis for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris was signed in September 1783. In 1993, President BillClinton signed the Brady Bill, which required afive-day waiting period for handgun purchases and background checks of prospective buyers.
In 2004, “Jeopardy!” fans saw Ken Jennings end his 74-game winning streak as he lost to real estate agent Nancy Zerg. Years later, Jennings became the host of “Jeopardy!”
In 2012, Israel approved the construction of 3,000 homes in Jewish settlements on occupied lands, drawing swiftcondemnation from Palestinians aday after their successful bid for recognition by the United Nations.
In 2013, actor Paul Walker, star of the “Fast &Furious” movie series,was killed in a single-car accident north of LosAngeles; Walker’s friend Roger Rodas, who was driving the car,also died. Walker was 40 years old.
In 2018, former President George H.W. Bush, a World WarIIhero who rose through the political ranks to the nation’shighest office, died at his Houston home at the age of 94; his wife of more than 70 years,Barbara Bush, had died in April
In 2024, Syrian insurgents took over most of Aleppo, the country’slargestcity,facing little or no resistance from government troops. The insurgents wouldcapture the capital of Damascus days laterinDecember as President Bashar al-Assad fled the country,ending his family’s decades-long rule of Syria Today’sbirthdays: Filmmaker Woody Allen is 90. Filmmaker Ridley Scott is 88. Historian and screenwriter Geoffrey C. Ward is 85. Filmmaker Terrence Malick is 82. Playwright David Mamet is 78. Actor Mandy Patinkin is 73. Singer Billy Idol is 70. Historian Michael Beschloss is 70. ComedianColin
land Security Secretary Kristi Noem is 54. Singer ClayAikenis47. Actor-filmmaker Gael García Bernal is 47. Actor ElishaCuthbertis 43. Actor Kaley Cuoco is 40. Model Chrissy Teigenis40. Chessgrandmaster Magnus Carlsen is 35.
garlic salt to theseasonings.
Ilearned from this experience to prep theshrimp and cut the vegetables before starting tomelt the butter in thepot. Doing a couple of steps simultaneously is possible, but I would advise giving yourself about 30 minutes of set
up prior to heating up your pot. This way, you can give each task your full attention.
Istrongly recommendusing fresh sweet corn off the cob forthat extra sweetness, but canned corn could work in apinch. The recipe calls forone cup, and Iused twofull corn cobs, but I could have used one more, honestly
Here’stohoping this recipe yields somesweater weather
Shrimp andcornsoup
Serves 6
Recipe is by Celeste Gill, featured in “Chef Celeste’s Louisiana Kitchen”
2tablespoons vegetableoil or butter 1cup freshlycut cornoff thecob 1/4 cup choppedcelery
2tablespoons chopped yellowonion
2tablespoons choppedgreen bell pepper
2tablespoons
1/4
BY STEPHANIERIEGEL Staff writer
When Jim Bernhard sold TheShaw Group to CB&I in 2013, somethought he might retire.
‘‘He focused alot of time andeffort on the state. He could have gone anywhere. He stayedheretotry to makeitbetter for the people who lived here. That will live on foralong time.
’’JerryHebert, CEO of Grace Design Studios
Then nearing 60, Bernhard had grown his companyfrom asmall BatonRougebased pipe fabricationcompany into a publicly traded powerhouse with25,000 employees, $6 billion in annual revenues and aglobal footprint in industrial infrastructure,energy and disaster mitigation services. Already one of thewealthiest andmostsuccessful businessmeninLouisiana, it wouldn’thave been unreasonable if he had opted to kick backinhis retirement —orpursue asecond act in politics, where he was aninfluential Democratic Party donor Instead, Bernard assembled ateamofhis top executives from Shaw and went on to buildBernhard Capital Partners. The private equity firm, with $5.5 billion under management, is now the largest between Houston and Atlanta and one of the fastest growing in the country
Over the past decade, the firm has launched five funds,raisingmoney from large institutional investors and amassing aportfolio of 21 companies.
Today,Bernhard Capital’scompanies have 20,000 employees, nearly as many as The Shaw Groupdid at itspeak
In the wake of Bernhard’sdeathon Nov.16, those who knew and worked with him have been reflecting on the size and scope of whathe created during acareer that spanned nearly five de-
cades. To build acompany of The Shaw Group’s stature wouldbea feat for anyonetoaccomplish in their lifetime.
Bernhardessentially did it twice.
“He was abig-picture guy,” said Lenny Lemoine, President and CEO of The Lemoine Company,aBaton Rougebased construction firmthatBernhard Capital acquired in 2019 and has since tripled in size. “Whatsomeofusconsider large scale was, to Jim, just what it should be.”
The story of howBernhard builtThe ShawGroup is well known. He founded the company as apipeand steel fabricator in 1986 and it quickly grew,expanding into construction and, eventually, energy services.Inthe 1990s,hetook thecompany public,branching intonew geographic marketsand sectors like di-
saster management and nuclear power
Among its 30 acquisitions over the years were IT Group, Stone &Webster, and Westinghouse Electric Corp. When he sold the company for$3 billionincashand stock, CB&Ipaida 70% premium relativetothe company’s stock price, which, at the time, was one of the largest premiums everpaid fora public company,records show Less well known is what Bernhard Capital does and how significant its impact is, notably in Louisiana, where10 of its portfolio companies are based and 18 others have apresence. Together, they include nearly7,000 Louisianabased employees. Bernhard Capitalstarted outa little more than adecadeago with an initial investmentfundand four companies
—Epic Piping, apipe fabricator; ATC Associates, an environmental consulting firm;Bernhard, LLC, acommercial constructionand engineeringfirm; and, Brown and Root, formed when Bernhard Capitalacquired Wink Engineering and the industrialservices group from Houston-based KBR. Thefundexceeded itsinitial $750 milliontarget and its four companies began to grow exponentially.Bernhard LLC, in 2016, acquired four more companies, including the firm founded by Jim Bernhard’sgrandfather in 1919,BernhardMechanical.The new, larger companyprovideda varietyof energy-related services, as wellasmechanical and electrical construction and
ä See BERNHARD, page 2E
BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer
Chanel Sellers woreabandana overher noseand mouth to block out the dust and mold. Gloves protected her hands from rusty nails and at least one brown recluse spider as she dug through dusty boxes in ashed at aLafayette estate sale last March. She was about to give up when she spotted the day’sprize:awaddedup but otherwise intact M.C. Escher-style Grateful Dead T-shirt from the 1990s. The experience wasn’t as dramatic as, say,Indiana Jones finding theHoly Grail.But in Sellers’ line of work, it was still atriumph. Afteryears of experience, she knew she’d be able to buythe rare
shirt forafew dollars and resell it for hundreds in her Lafayette store— Frenchy’s HouseofVintage —oronane-commerce platform like eBay It’sall in aday’swork for Sellers andother vintageclothing dealers during the post-pandemic vintage craze, which has seen usedapparel pricesrise, ways to sell multiply and competition intensify Since2021, theglobal secondhandapparel market has grown from about $150 billion to more than $250 billion, as young clothes shoppersprioritize sustainability and affordability,CNBC recently reported. In 2023 alone, theU.S.apparel resale grew at seven times therate of the retail industryoverall, supporting about 25,000 resale stores in
the U.S. and agrowing number of e-commerce platforms. Social media and technology have fueled the trend.
In Louisiana, the vintage clothing boom has helped launch new vintage stores and brought more resellers to estate salesand thrift stores looking for the hidden gems that will fetch big bucks on the resale market Sellers, who left her accounting job at an oiland gascompany to work in vintage, sees her choice as away to make aliving while keeping clothes out of landfills.
“Unlike today’s‘fast fashion,’ all the money is staying here: the original owner of the clothes, the estate sale company,the reseller and members of the vintage community are alllocal,” said Sellers.
“It’slike farming clothes, andI’m
The Trump administration has been exploring the idea of offering a50-year mortgage as away to make homeownership more affordable.
Michelle Singletary
THE COLOR OF MONEy
In asocial media post this month, Bill Pulte, the nation’s top housing official, confirmed that the administration was “indeed working” on the proposal with the potential to be “a complete game changer.” Agreed. But not in agood way True, ahalfcentury mortgage means monthly payments are lower than amore traditional 30-year loan. But there are no real “savings,”asmore of those payments would be earmarked for interest. Meaning it won’thelp families build generational wealth. It’smore like being aperpetual renter
Arecent analysis by LendingTree summarized the trade-offs with stretching mortgage payments over five decades. It would probably carry ahigher interest rate —the typical 30-year loan is now just above6%— and bor-
Continued from page1E
buying fromlocal farmers.
The number of vintage shops in New Orleans has grown from ahandful before the pandemic —including stalwarts like Miss Claudia’sonMagazineStreet and Glue on Oak Street —toatleast 23 today, according to amap of the scene published this month by Carly Turner,owner of Southern Kitsch Vintage. Other cities around the state havewelcomed newvintage stores of their own at asmaller scale.
Many other vintage dealerssell used clothes at pop-up events, in boothsatmulti-vendor marketplaces or on e-commerce platforms like eBay,Etsy,The RealReal and Whatnot.
In August, the first Louisiana Vintage Fest attracted 40 vendors and more than 2,000 attendees to theHouse of Blues in theFrench Quarter.Other nationaltouring thrifting and vintage events are making stops in the state as well.
None of this would be happening without the buyers,who are embracing vintage clothes for a variety of reasons, including nostalgia, rebellion and quality of construction. Stillothers are buying secondhand to save money or to prevent textile waste.
“Studies show we canstop making clothes for acrazynumber of yearsand we wouldstill have tons of clothing,” saidAiden Heap, owner of 90sKid’sCloset, aNew Orleans vendor of Y2K fashion. “There’ssomuch waste.
Secondhand clothingstores aren’t new.Shoppers have hunted for bargains at thrift or consignment stores for generations. The differentiator for vintage stores, their owners say,iscuration.Resellers acquire items from aspecific era or mix items from different decades to evoke amood
“It’snot justabout trying to get something cheap,” said ChrisOlsen, co-owner of the Vice &Graft and Swamp Rags vintagestores in the French Quarter and organizer
Continued from page1E
maintenance for clients that included state office buildings, hospitals and LSU. (Bernhard Capital sold Bernhard in 2021, which has since rebranded as ENFRA.)
Bernhard Capitallaunchedmore funds and raised more money
It acquired local architecture and construction companies, like Grace Design and Lemoine, both of whichhavesince expanded into newservices and markets.
More recently,ithas branched into regulated utilities. It now ownsseven natural gas, water and wastewater utilities, with another utility deal in New Mexico pending regulatory approval. Among its holdings is Delta Utilities, which purchased Entergy’s naturalgas business earlier this year andnow operates from corporate offices in downtown New Orleans, serving 800,000 customers and employing nearly 900 workers
“We’re anational company,” said Jeff Jenkins, whogot his start under BernhardatShaw and co-founded Bernhard Capitalwith him. “Obviously,weare
rowers would end up paying significantly more interest over the loan’sduration.Asaresult, they would accumulateequitymore slowly than with current mortgage options.
“I totally get the allure of lower monthlypayments,” said Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree. “But the truth is, in the long run, thedifference in costs is justsohigh that it’shard to ignore.”
Schulzdid the math on a30yearand a50-year mortgage on a $500,000 loan
To simplify the comparison, LendingTreeusedthe sameunderlying interestrate. Butthe longer the loan term, the more lenders typically charge borrowers to offset thehigher risk of defaultand theeffects of inflation over alonger period.
Let’slook at thenumbers.
Aborrower takes out a30-year mortgagefor $500,000 at 6.1% interest. The monthly payment not including taxes and insurance —would be$3,030, according to LendingTree. The homeowner would pay $590,791 in total interest.
With a50-year mortgage, the paymentswould drop to $2,669.
That $361 difference could be used to help withother financial priorities, such as building an emergency fund or contributing to aretirement account.
However,the total interest paid would amount to astaggering $1.1 million —220% of the original balance.
The same calculation applies regardless of where rates are. At alower rate of 4%, for example, a $500,000 loan over 50 years would cost $657,121 in total interest, compared with $359,348 for a30year loan.
If thatweren’tbad enough, it would take longer to build up any equity. Keep in mind thatinthe early years of your mortgage, most of your monthly payments go toward interest rather than reducing the original loan balance. The longer it takes to build equity,the fewer options you’ll have to access thatmoney if you need extra funds.
After 10 years of a30-year mortgage, LendingTree found, aborrower would have paid off about $80,000 of the $500,000 loan, or 16% of the original balance. Butwith a50-year mortgage, you would have paid only about $21,000, roughly 4% of the way through paying off that balance.
“Home-owning has been one of the best waystobuild wealth traditionally …and the difference in how quickly you can build that equity between a30-year and 50-year mortgage is really significant,” Schulz said. This also makes abig difference if you want to apply forahome-equity loan, which carries alower rate than acredit card, he added. “If you don’tbuild that equity you just don’thave that option,” he said.
Another challenge: You’re asking borrowers to foresee their financial situation 50 years from now.The truth is that personal and professional circumstances can change significantly over such along period. A50-year mortgagecan be financially problematic for families whohave to sell their homesooner than they expect because of ajob loss or family reasons. In those cases, manyborrowers might end up upside down on theirmortgage, meaning they owe morethan the homeisworth. Even with aconventional 30year mortgage, it can already takeeight to 10 years to break even on the money spent purchasing the home, said Simon
PamelaWood helps acustomer duringa
of Louisiana VintageFest. At the moment,Y2K fashion from the early 2000s is the most popularcategory, retailers say “The demand is out of control, whether it’sfor fairy girly stuff, or gothlooks, or beaded low-rise jeans,” Sellers said.
Turner at Southern Kitch Vintage also has leanedinto turnof-the-century fashions along withher collections from earlier decades. She has abootleg Ozzy Osborne/Motley Crue shirt that probablysold in aconcert parking lotfor $20 when itwas first made. Now it’sgoingfor $500.
Heap started selling Y2K clothes from his parents’ garage in Abita Springs in 2018. Now his Uptown shop,filledwithmusic and sports
concentrated across thesouth but ourfootprintisnational.”
Doing dealsasa private equity
firm better suited Bernhard than running apublicly tradedcompany.AtShaw,hefamously disliked theshort-term focus on quarterly earnings, the investor calls andthe tiresome questionsabout everydecision.
At Bernhard Capital, he could take alonger-term approach.
“Beingprivate, it is not about quarterly earnings and revenues but building great companiesto lastforever,” Jenkins said.
Granted, private equity firms are justasfocused on creating returns fortheirinvestors as are publicly traded companies; theyjust do it differently.And Bernhard Capital has provenadept at it.Over the past decade, it has “exited” or sold sixofits companies, most recently Brown &Root, with aseventh recently announced Though thesize of theexits are notpublic, PitchBook has ranked its funds among thebest performing in the country in total returns, which have averaged 20% netreturns Those who knew andworked with Bernhard say oneofthe reasons he was so successful was that
gear,attracts local students, professional athletes andonline personalities. Pamela Wood’sSet aSpell store, meanwhile, takes the curation to thenext level. Astylistfor TV shows like “Queen Sugar,”she keepstrack of hercustomers’ sizes and style preferences and essentially acts as apersonal shopperasshe combsthrift store bins from coast to coast.
She opens her shop, arenovated corner store in Central City,once amonth for abag sale and vintage celebration.
All this demand for vintage clothes and other items has changedthe dynamic at estate sales, where retirees are now joined by 20-somethings.
he understood businessesmuch better than most.
“He was one of the smartest guys Iever met,” said Jerry Hebert, CEO of Grace DesignStudios, the Baton Rouge-based architecture anddesign firm that Bernhard Capital acquired in 2022 and subsequently quintupled in size.
Hebertremembers that in 2017, he called Bernhard, whom he knew only casually at the time,seeking to “pick his brain” about growing the firm.They metfor lunch at the City Club in Baton Rouge and Bernhard spent morethan an hour giving Hebert advice.
“Bythe time we weredone, Irealized he thought awhole different way,” Hebert said. “Wewere trying to make aliving. He was trying to grow companies.”
Fiveyears later,Bernhard Capital offered to buy amajority share in the firm.Inthe yearssince, Grace Design has acquired seven more firms around the country andnow has24offices with 480 employees.
“He was focusedonmaking our businessthe bestitcould be,” Hebert said.
Lemoine, who watched Bernhard diversify and grow his Baton Rouge-based construction compa-
Blanchard, adean’sprofessor at Georgetown University’sMcDonough School of Business and an expert in consumer finance. There’salso the very real possibility that people won’tbeable to take advantage of the monthly savings. Will they save moreor reduce debt? Or will they use it to spend more?
“Tofully leverage the lower payments from a50-year mortgage requires people to be really good with their money and fully anticipate the risks,” Blanchard said. “And if it’shard on a30-year mortgage, it’sgoing to be harder on a50.” And here’ssomething else to consider: Will introducing this extraordinarily expensive product ultimately increase homeownership rates?
“It’simportant to point out that this really delays the point at which you actually start to own your home,” Blanchard said. Despite the longer loan term,a 50-year mortgage isn’tlikely to makeowning ahome any more accessible or affordable.
Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.
She said there’sbeen an influx of college kids and young couples in hershops andather sales, which she promotes on Instagram and TikTok.The increased interest meansincreased competition.
“There are so many stores,” she said. “It usedtobemeand Goodwill and the Salvation Army.”
All of the state’svintage vendors have twoatleastthings in common:hard work and low margins.
“These are lifestyle businesses,” said Chris Olsen, the Vintage Fest organizers. “You’re not going to get rich off of them.” He said that’swhy he’sdiversifying, opening his own estate sale companyand launching theevent series.
Chanel Sellers said people sometimes complain about resellers marking up prices, butthey don’t understandthe workinvolved in getting an item onto astore’s shelves.
“I’ll drive threehours there and back,then wash clothes, steam them, research them and price them,” she said. “That’sontop of rent,” she said. “You can’timagine thetime it takes —and Iusually leave sales withblack fingernails.”
Rafael Monson, second-generation owner of the Metairie estate sale company Ages Ago, said he usedtodonate unsold clothes to thrift stores, but now he’sgot options. And instead of selling everythingaton-site estate sales, he’ll sometimes bring ahouse’s contents to his warehouse,where he cansellitems onebyone online. He ships 30 to 40 boxes weekly
KayMorrison,owner of theOccasional Wife,said the vintage boom helpedher growher business. Starting in 2007 with adecluttering andorganizing service, she hasexpanded to running a handful of sales every weekend andoverseeing sixconsignment stores around the region.
ny from $400 million in revenues in 2019 to about$1.2 billiontoday, saidanother reason forBernhard’s success washis “relentless drive to keep pushing.”
“Most people had no clue of just howambitious and how fearless he was,” Lemoine said.
While domineering —intimidating, to some —with abig personality,Bernhard knew where not to tread,and how to let the companies he bought and built continue doing what madethem attractive in the first place. He was an executive, nota micromanager,amentor with sound advice.
“Hehad agreat sense of where he could influence something,” Lemoine said. “He would sitback andwatch you, but when you needed histouch, he loved helping thinkabout puttingorganizations together.”
Bernhard’sdeath, local business leaders say,leaves avoid in a Louisiana economic landscape that haslostseveral corporate headquarters and, by extension,their executives in recentyears. But Bernhard Capital’sJenkins said its companies will continue growing.
“Weare just getting started,” he said. “Weare only 12 years old. We have an amazingteam that
Claudia Baumgarten, owner of MissClaudia’s on Magazine Street, has the perspective of someone who has been in business since the 1990s.She’s seen many shops come and go, so she’scheering for this newwaveofoperatorsevenas she worries if they’re prepared for what’stocome.
“A lotofstoresthatusedtobe here have closed becauserents are too high and summershere areimpossible,” shesaid. “I have endured by selling costumes and being able to help customers who always seem to need something by tomorrow.”
For her part, Turner at Southern Kitsch said money isn’ther primary motivator
“I’m areally bad capitalist,”she said. “I want to makesure my customers have agood experience, andaslongasIcan pay the bills, I’mhappy.”
Email RichCollins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com
has been together since the beginning.”
The firm’slatest fund has a$2 billiontarget, its largest yet, records filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission show Bernhard Capital is small comparedtonational heavyweights like Blackstone, which has more than $1 trillion under management. Butithas establisheditself as a “middle market” player,roughly definedasfirmswithbetween $6 billionand $10 billionunder management —with afocus on energy services and infrastructure.
“Webuild great companiesinthe middle market and the larger PE firmstake them to the next level,” Jenkins said.
As BernhardCapital continues to do that, those who worked with Bernhard said his legacy will live on in thedeals, the investments and the jobs they create.
“He focused alot of time and effort on the state,” Hebert said. “He could have gone anywhere.He stayed here to try to makeitbetter forthe people who lived here. That will live on foralong time.” Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.
Future products focus on protein blends
BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor
Nestled in the flat farmlands of southern Acadia Parish is a company that is responsible for most of the nutrients you’ll find in breakfast cereal, sports drinks and supplements.
The Wright Group has grown to become a global leader in nutritional blends and enriched products 135 years after it was founded in Crowley by an Indiana rice farmer
Ask current president and CEO
Salmon L. “Sam” Wright IV about the company’s history, and he’ll show you a museum-type display inside. Wright, the great-grandson of founder Salmon L. “Sol” Wright, bought the company 21 years ago.
“We’re very unique,” Wright said.
“We’re actually the last original family with a business like this. All the other families we competed against over the years have sold out to foreign corporations. We’re the last homegrown American company like this.”
The Wright Group has offices in California and Ohio and recently bought the former Wholesale Electric headquarters in Lafayette for $5.5 million. It also has a presence in China, Mexico, Australia, Brazil and across Europe.
The Wright Group is growing and has challenges along with that growth, which is one reason why Wright wants to raise more awareness of what the company does. He recently hosted area mayors, state legislators and other public officials to take a tour of the company
Among the products on the way: A rice flour that is high in protein and low in sugar and a high-protein sports drink in conjunction with LSU that “could be their next Gatorade,” he said.
In this week’s edition of Talking Business, Wright talks about how
finding employees has become a significant hurdle, the protein phenomenon in the U.S. and how he initially did not get involved with the family business after he graduated from college. This interview has been edited for clarity
The company expanded in the 1950s to provide custom vitamin and mineral premixes.Tell me a bit about the nutritional side of the business. In 1994, we were awarded all of the Kellogg (cereals) fortification. We make custom nutrient premixes that these companies add to their product in the process.
So all of those nutrients in (them) come from one of our facilities. Our bandwidth is anything that has nutrients or protein or anything that’s added to food or dietary supplements anything from pet food to pharmaceutical application. What’s been the challenge for you in finding employees?
The mayor of Crowley pointed out that 46% of the population here lives in poverty. Most of the housing in Crowley doesn’t (make) code, but the city can’t enforce that because they would have to demolish half the town. Before
they can provide good labor to us, they’ve got to fix that problem but also educate. A lot of these kids can’t make it to school. There’s a big problem in these rural areas where businesses want to provide jobs, but the labor is not meeting the standard. What can you do as an employer to mitigate the issue? When you get an employee over here, you have to start over and raise them all over again. Or you have migrants that can’t speak English and don’t understand what you’re trying to get them to do. That’s a common complaint from
all the industries in town. The solution that the Legislature came up with was prison labor, where they bus Angola prisoners to work for a day and bus them back. The FDA will not let us do that.
Protein is a big buzzword in prepared foods nowadays.What’s the deal with protein? Why is there such a surge in customer demand? Ozempic and Wegovy the weight loss drugs. What happens is your body loses 60% water and 40% muscle. So you need to hydrate, and you need to consume more protein and fiber. If you just consume protein, you have constipation. You need a fiber element. With our new Wright Pro custom protein blends, we’re mixing protein, fiber and hydration nutrients so that you can take that and add it to any food.
Tell me about your background. How did you take over the business from your dad and mold it to what it is today?
I have a degree in industrial engineering, and I was hired on with UPS in 1984. After about six years, they threw me into operations, and I got a call from my dad. He said, “Look, I need your help.” So I came back in 1989 and just basically learned the business from the ground up. I took it over as president in 2003 and bought the company from the family in 2004. It’s been me and trying to maximize what we have here and then look for opportunities to grow Is your son, Sloan, the next in line to run the company?
He came on this year He’s only been with us for about three months. He’s getting married in March, and he’s got the monkey to have No. 6 (generation).
Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@ theadvocate.com.
BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer
After years of unsuccessful attempts at revitalizing Shreveport’s historic downtown, internationally renowned rap artist Curtis
“50 Cent” Jackson is promising to transform the area into an entertainment district that will serve as the headquarters of his film and television production empire.
Over the past two years, Jackson has spent millions buying up historic buildings downtown, negotiated leases for two city-owned facilities for events and film production, secured a special taxing district for his properties and received approval for his planned designs of a strip of nightclubs and venues along the riverfront.
Recently, the public got its first look at some of those plans, which local regulators described as having a “high energy” vibe akin to “casinos, clubs and themed entertainment venues.”
It’s a project that Jackson has said will cost at least $50 million and has already put Shreveport on the map in new ways, bringing big stars to town for an entertainment festival Humor & Harmony that Jackson produced in 2024 and hopes to bring back next year
The rap mogul has also become something of a celebrity ambassador for his new home base, promoting the north Louisiana city relentlessly — he recently encouraged New Yorkers dismayed by Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory to consider Shreveport
“I just want to say, in a short period of time, I’ve come to like the people of Shreveport in a different way, like it feels like a home away from home for me, and it will eventually be home, because I have so
much work here,” Jackson told the city council in March.
Jackson’s ambitious plans have been broadly met with open arms in a community hungry for new investment. But as the project timeline has slipped in recent months, some have raised questions about over-reliance on a single investor to save the city’s downtown.
State Sen Sam Jenkins, a Democrat whose district includes downtown Shreveport, urged city leaders to “just be careful how far we go and begin to look at some performances based upon what we’ve already pledged or promised to do.”
Jackson, 50, burst onto the rap scene in the early 2000s, when he was discovered by Eminem and Dr Dre. His debut album, “Get Rich or Die Trying,” established him as one of the industry’s biggest stars.
He co-founded the rap group “GUnit” — short for Guerrilla Unit — starred in movies, produced video games and netted a reported $100 million from the sale of Vitaminwater to Coca-Cola.
Along the way, he filed for bankruptcy in 2015, emerging two years later to ink a $150 million deal with premium cable network Starz, for which he produced the popular “Power” franchise. He has since gone on to own his own streaming television channel, premium liquor brand and clothing label.
Since 2023, he’s had his sights set on Shreveport, where his G-Unit Film and Television Louisiana has spent at least $3.4 million acquiring nearly a dozen downtown properties.
G-Unit Film and Television also secured leases for a pair of cityowned properties: Millennium Stu-
dios, a 70,000-square-foot vacant former sound stage, and Stageworks, a 77,000-square-foot sports and event venue. Under the terms of the 30-year leases, G-Unit’s monthly rent for both is $400.
Jackson has also said he plans to build a permanent “G-Dome” on property he owns downtown, though Mayor Tom Arceneaux has since indicated the facility may not be complete in time for a second Humor & Harmony festival in March.
In order to support 50 Cent’s ambitions to create a hub for film, television, sports and entertainment — much as Tyler Perry has done in Atlanta — the Shreveport City Council recently established a new special taxing district encompassing G-Unit’s properties. Purchases of goods and services inside the district are subject to
a supplemental 2% tax. That extra revenue goes into a trust fund dedicated exclusively to projects that support the entertainment industry or that create at least $1 million of investment or 10 new full-time jobs.
Mike Busada, a Shreveport bond attorney who helped draw up the district, said there is no guarantee that G-Unit will be successful in rejuvenating the area. But even if the effort fizzles out, taxpayers won’t have to spend anything on it unless they choose to patronize a business inside the new taxing zone.
“He goes and spends $20 million and isn’t able to make a restaurant successful, he gets nothing, but we get a new building,” Busada told the City Council in September “And so that’s the thought process here. If you believe you can do it we will incentivize you.”
Jenkins, the state senator, has questioned the wisdom of putting so many of the city’s proverbial eggs in one basket. Jenkins said last year he applauded the city’s relationship with 50 Cent but called for “due care” when it comes to public property
“It may not be prudent to tie up the vast majority of city assets with any one investor,” Jenkins said.
In response, a majority of members of the Shreveport City Council issued full-throated endorsements of G-Unit following Jenkins’ remarks. Jackson also fired back on social media, suggesting Jenkins “must not want things to turn around in Shreveport.”
Jackson’s real estate broker, Gerod Durden, said it’s important to put what Jackson is trying to do in context.
“Without him, we don’t have nobody else in line that even would think about Shreveport,” Durden said. “People’s like, ‘Hey, man, you think one person gonna save Shreveport?’ I was like, ‘Hey he’s not trying to save Shreveport.’”
The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate staff contributed reporting.
Economists call it a symptom of the stark wealth divide
BY SUHAUNA HUSSAIN
Los Angeles Times (TNS)
In the early 2000s, after a severe
slump McDonald’s orchestrated a major turnaround, with the introduction of its Dollar Menu
The menu, whose items all cost $1, illustrated just how important it was to market to low-income consumers — who value getting the most bang for their buck.
Coming at a time of flagging growth, tumbling stock and the company’s first report of a quarterly loss, the Dollar Menu reversed the fast-food giant’s bad fortune. It paved the way for three years of sales growth at stores open at least a year and ballooned revenue by 33%, news outlets reported at the time.
But no longer
Industry-wide, fast-food restaurants have seen traffic from one of its core customer bases, low-income households, drop by double digits, McDonald’s chief executive Christopher Kempczinski told investors earlier this month. Meanwhile, traffic from higher earners increased by nearly as much, he said.
The struggle of the Golden Arches in particular — long synonymous with cheap food for the masses — reflects a larger trend upending the consumer economy and makes “affordability” a hot policy topic, experts say McDonald’s executives say the higher costs of restaurant essentials, such as beef and salaries, have pushed food prices up and driven away lower-income customers who already are being squeezed by the rising cost of groceries, clothes, rent and child care. With prices for everything rising, consumer companies concerned about the pressures on lowincome Americans include food,
automotive and airline businesses, among others, analyst Adam Josephson said. “The list goes on and on,” he said.
“Happy Meals at McDonald’s are prohibitively expensive for some people, because there’s been so much inflation,” Josephson said. Josephson and other economists say the shrinking traffic of lowincome consumers is emblematic of a larger trend of Americans diverging in their spending, with wealthier customers flexing their purchasing power and lowerincome shoppers pulling back — what some call a “K-shaped economy.”
A recent earnings report from Delta offers yet another illustration. While Delta’s main cabin rev-
enue fell 5% for the June quarter compared to a year ago, premium ticket sales rose 5%, highlighting the divide between affluent customers and those forced to be more economical.
At hotel chains, luxury brands are holding up better than low-budget options. Revenue at brands including Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis is up 2.9% this year, while economy hotels experienced a 3.1% decline for the same period, according to industry tracker CoStar “There are examples everywhere you look,” Josephson said. Consumer credit delinquency rates show just how much lowincome households are hurting, with households that make less
Thehealthcareindustryhas asingle constant:change.
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nomical” rent increases, Bandebo said.
A report released this year by researchers with Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University found that half of all renters, 22.6 million people, were cost-burdened in 2023, meaning they spent more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities, up 3.2 percentage points since 2019 and 9 percentage points since 2001. Twenty-seven percent of renters are severely burdened, spending more than 50% of their income on housing.
As rents have grown, the amount families have left after paying for housing and utilities has fallen to record lows. In 2023, renters with annual household incomes under $30,000 had a median of just $250 per month in residual income to spend on other needs, an amount that’s fallen 55% since 2001, with the steepest declines since the pandemic, according to the Harvard study
“It’s getting tougher and tougher every month for low-income households to make ends meet,” Bandebo said.
than $45,000 annually experiencing “huge year-over-year increases,” even as delinquency rates for high- and middle-income households have flattened and stabilized, said Rikard Bandebo, chief strategy officer and chief economist at VantageScore. After COVID-19-related stimulus programs ended, these households were the first to experience dramatically increased delinquency rates, and haven’t had a dip in delinquencies since 2022, according to data from VantageScore on 60-day, past-due delinquencies from January 2020 to September 2025 And although inflation has come down from its peak in 2022, people still are struggling with relatively higher prices and “astro-
Prices at limited-service restaurants, which include fast-food restaurants, are up 3.2% year over year, at a rate higher than inflation “and that’s climbing,” said Marisa DiNatale, an economist at Moody’s Analytics.
On top of that, price increases because of tariffs disproportionately affect lower-income households, because they spend a greater portion of their income on goods rather than services, which are not directly impacted by tariffs. Wages also are stagnating more for these households compared to higher- and middle-income households, DiNatale said.
“It has always been the case that more well-off people have done better But a lot of the economic and policy headwinds are disproportionately affecting lower-income households, and [McDonald’s losing low-income customers] is a reflection of that,” DiNatale said.
Digitalhealthcareinthe United States is continuously shaped by acomplex patchwork of federaland statelawsand regulations.
Federallawsgovernprivacy,while federal agencies regulate medicaldevices and certainsoftware. Telehealth rulesvaryby state, though Medicare andmanystates have expanded coverage andlicensure flexibility,and oversightcomes from multiple agencies. However, challengespersist regardingthe regulation of AI,cross-state telehealth practices, cybersecurity, anddata notcovered by federallaw,sopolicymakers continue to pursue reformstoensure innovationaligns with patientprotections
Ourfirm is proudtohelpleadthe wayforward forLouisiana healthcare providersand supportcompanies as they undergo digitaltransformationand navigatethisevolving andcomplex legal andregulatoryenvironment.
Staff report
South Louisiana businesses have recently announced the following promotionsand new hires.
NewOrleans
Morton Jensen has been appointed to the role of chief operating officer of Port NOLA, where he’ll be tasked with overseeing port operations and delivery of theLouisiana InternationalTerminal. Most recently,Jensen was terminal investment director for Terminal Investment Ltd. in Geneva, which is one of Port NOLA’s financial partners for the planned new Violet terminal.
Dean
Boys Town Louisiana announced two new members of its board of directors: Torry Dean,the operations director for the Junior League of New Orleans who alsosits on the boards of New Orleans OperaAssociation and the Grambling State University National Alumni Association, and Jacinta Massey,the diversity and inclusion director and Title IX/ADA coordinator for Nunez Community College.
DarrylCanon has been promoted to become hotel manager of Hyatt Regency New Orleans and general manager of Hyatt House New Orleans/Downtown Canon began his Hyatt career 23 years agoinNew Orleans and returned in 2016 to oversee sales and events.
The national disaster recovery nonprofitSBP announced two leadership changes: Reese May,a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center’sTask Force on Reforming Disaster Response and Recovery, was promoted to chief operating officer from chief strategyand innovation officer; and Lauren Darnell,
May
Darnell
previously theexecutive director of theMade in New Orleans Foundation and LoveYour City programdirector,was hired as chief of staff.
The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine announced its firstever team of associate deans. They include: Dr Rajiv Gala,associate dean for education andacademic affairs; Dr.Brian Moore,associate dean for clinical affairs; Dr.Eboni PriceHaywood,associate dean for health equity and public health; Dr.Tamika Webb-Detiege,associate dean for student affairs, RandalLangford and Edward Phillips,co-associate deans for finance andadministration; Drs. Nneka Ifejika and Kaneisha Bailey Akinpelumi,co-interim associate deans for research.
DePaul Community Health Centersannounced the hiring of six newhealth care providers. Darielle Santiago willwork in adult primary care at DCHC Gentilly; Shani Campbell will work in adult primary care at DCHC Metairie; Drs Emily Vigour and Jennifer O’Sullivan will bothwork in pediatrics at DCHCs in Algiers and Harvey; Dr.Genesis Ricard will work at DCHC Carrollton; and Dan-
ielle Ragsdale,anemergency nurse recognized as oneofLouisiana’s “Great 100 Nurses,”will work in urgent care at DCHCAlgiers. The Metairie law firm Larzelere Picou Wells SimpsonLonero, including partners JayLonero and MorganWells,will merge withthe New Orleans firm Mouledoux, Bland, Legrand &Brackett, whosename will be retained for thecombined defense firm BatonRouge
RenitaWardWilliams hasbeen named vicechancellor of institutional affairs and strategic planning for Baton Rouge CommunityCollege. She will oversee human resources, governance, policydevelopment and institutional strategy while managing external legal affairs and leading compliance oversight. Ward Williams spent the prior two years working for the Louisiana Community and Technical College System as chief compliance, regulatoryand legal affairs officer
The Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Foundation elected three new memberstoits board of directors.
Dr.Sheldon Johnson, Carl“Mike” Schexnayder and Kenith “Ken” Woodall are each set to serve threeyear terms on the nonprofit’s board. Nine newboardcertified health careproviders withacombined 181 years of experience this month joi ned FMOL Health |Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Urology: Drs.AngeloAnnaloro Jr , Henry“Drew” Hollier, Thomas “Tom” Wills Stephen “Randy” Vick, James“Jimmy” Morris, Mark Posner, nurse practitioner Michelle Genre,and physician assistants Johanna De Silvia and Alicia Vick SethGold has been appointed Medicaid director of the LouisianaDepartmentofHealth.Gold
previously served as astaffer for the U.S.House Committee on Energy and Commerce and a health-policy adviser for former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio.
BayouParishes
Nicholls State University has appointed two adjunctfaculty membersasinstructors in its new Master of Business Administration program in human resources. Claire Pitre,a labor and employment attorney with Jackson Lewis, who will teacher aclass on labor and employment law, while human resources consultant Casey Boudreux will teach aclass on strategic HR management.
Around Louisiana
The Louisiana Endowment for theHumanities announced four newboard members. They are: Leigh Anne Chambers,auniversity administrator from Bossier City, Becky Gottsegen,anartist from Baton Rouge, Stephanie Halphen,anaccountantcertified in financial forensics from Lafayette, and Drew Tessier,a senior director of public affairs from BatonRouge.
Do you have personnel changes to shareorother ideas for our business coverage? Drop us aline at biztips@theadvocate.com.
Askthe Fool: Stockexpectations
Some stocks rise on good news about the companywhile others don’t.Why? T.H.,Venice,Florida It all depends on what investors have been expecting. For example, if they’ve expected earnings to grow by 12% and the company reports 10% growth, the stock might drop. Somenews may already be baked into the stock price, too. Acompany’s shares might jumpwhen it announces plans to enter China, but not movemuch once it actually does open its first China location. Not all newsisreally news.
Can Igive stock certificates forsingle shares as holidaypresents to my grandkids? —J.P., Lubbock,Texas Yes, but it’s notnecessarily thebestmove. It’s certainly great to introduceyoung people to investing by giving them some skin in thegame, but thesedays, many companiesnolongerissue paper certificates,astrading is widely conducted electronically If acompany still produces paper certificates, you might ask it —oryour brokerage, which is usually simpler for one, but the fee could be several hundred dollars. And cashing in apaper certificate is ahassle, too. Some websites, such as GiveAShare.com, will sell you certificates for single shares of stock, but they might charge you muchmore than the share actually costs.
Another way to give shares of stock to kids is by transferring one or more shares of stock(s) you ownfrom your brokerage account to an account belonging to them. If they’re minors, they’ll need custodial accounts, with aparent or other adult serving as custodian.
However you go about it, consider starting with companies they know and admire —perhaps Apple, Lululemon, Nike, Starbucks, Ulta Beauty or Walt Disney
BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer
Tax incentives are one of the most controversial tools in the economic development tool kit
Proponents, including economic development officials, business leaders, developers and industry executives, say without tax breaks, it wouldn’t make financial sense to do certain deals, build job-creating plants or revitalize old buildings.
Critics charge that most incentive programs give lucrative tax breaks to private industry and wealthy companies at the expense of tax rolls and the environment. They say the giveaways often haven’t paid for themselves and have mixed job results
In 2023, Louisiana provided more than $500 million in tax incentives including $150 million to the Quality Jobs Program, $134 million to the Motion Picture Investor Tax Credit and $86 million to the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures Tax Credit, according to the Department of Revenue. The return on that investment depends on how you slice the numbers In this installment of One Big Question, an occasional feature where we pose the same question to experts with diverse perspectives, we ask: What have been the best economic development incentives in Louisiana, and what have been the worst?
The following answers have been edited for brevity
MICHAEL HECHT
President and CEO, Greater New Orleans, Inc
Probably the best example of an incentive that I can think of is the historic tax credits that have allowed downtowns to be rebuilt not just in New Orleans but across Louisiana and across the country — that otherwise would not have been economical to adaptively reuse, because that’s an incentive that definitively passes the “ifnot-but-for” test, and the result is catalytic.
The enterprise zone tax credit, or the EZ program, is an example of an incentive that has not worked, because the income and franchise tax credits and the sales tax rebate was not significant enough to change behavior And so it simply ended up incentivizing investment that would have happened already, and it did not catalyze new investment that was not financially viable otherwise.
JAN MOLLER
Executive director, Invest in Louisiana
The one that I think is the worst is really ITEP the Industrial Tax Exemption Program. We have a nonelected state board giving away local property taxes with little to no input from the local citizens and elected officials, who are, in many cases, losing tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue. We are literally giv-
ing tax breaks to companies that make investments that kill jobs. I think the LED Fast Start program is one that is good, because it’s smaller, it’s customized and it’s focused on providing customized training and workforce development for specific needs. In general, the best economic development incentive that Louisiana or any state could have is an educated, highquality workforce, strong reliable infrastructure, safe streets, good schools and the kind of communities where people want to move in.
DANIEL ERSPAMER
CEO, Pelican Institute for Public Policy
We are generally skeptical of economic development programs that put the government in the position of picking winners and losers. However, in analysis of the existing programs, we would say the broadest base and most open
opportunities are the best. And the best investments tend to be things like pre-site selection and efforts that are about identifying the best opportunities for businesses to come here. The worst, I would say is likely the film tax credit. While it is certainly fun to have movies and TV shows filmed in our state — and they likely still would be this is an incentive that has largely gone to out-of-state companies through the trading of these credits. And it’s hard to point to any long term, real economic impact on actual workers and citizens of Louisiana.
PATRICK BUTTON
Tulane University economics professor; Connolly Alexander Institute for Data Science executive director
One type of incentive that tends to work well is one that’s very tar-
geted. It could be targeted toward some kind of barrier to being able to enter a market — that could be that you aren’t able to come up with a capital financing, or you’re a small business and you’re trying to manage the paperwork process, anything that can help with some of those barriers can allow people to enter a market when they otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Less effective have been: most incentives in general. My research and other research tend to show that tax incentives to the film industry don’t tend to create a local film industry or lead to significant amounts of jobs. There’s similar research on, say, incentives for million-dollar plants to relocate. It tends to be the case that the only time that those incentives seem to matter might be at the final stage, where the business is deciding between two top places that they would have gone to anyway
SUSAN BOURGEOIS
Secretary, Louisiana Economic Development
The good and the bad might be two sides of the same coin: our tax policy Prior to November of last year, that was on the bad side. Businesses looked at that and both the complicated nature of our tax policy and then the actual financial burden, was a real deterrent for companies growing, locating and expanding in Louisiana. We can do incentives all day long, but at the end of the day you need to get the fundamentals and that’s a fundamental.
The flip side of that, for the good — and the statistics are bearing this out is the changes that we made last November are moving us dramatically up the rankings, and rankings matter We just moved from 29th to 10th in the country for corporate tax policy and favorability. At the end of the day, I always like to call our incentives sort of like a coupon at the end that pushes a deal over the line, but our tax policy gets us deals.
Submitted article
Brought to youbythe Louisiana Commercial Fishing Coalition,LLC
Louisiana’scoast has always demanded balance. Our working waters support thousands of families and drivemorethan $419 million in annual economic output At the same time, our state is home to some of America’smost productivecoastal ecosystems.Decisions about howweprotect these waters must be rooted in science, grounded in local experience, and shaped through compromise.
Thatiswhy the Louisiana Wildlifeand Fisheries Commission’snew Noticeof Intent (NOI) to adjust menhaden buffer zones deserves to be understoodfor what it truly is: a science-guided compromise thatstrengthens protections in the most sensitivepartsofourcoastwhilerefiningrules inareaswherefishinghashistoricallyoccurred and cancontinue safely without harming the resource.
Science at the Center of the Commission’s Work
The Commission directed the Louisiana DepartmentofWildlifeandFisheries(LDWF)
staff to conduct arigorous analysis of existing buffer areas and identifywhereprotections should be strengthened and wherehistoric fishing accesscould be responsibly restored. The result is aplan that actuallyexpands the buffer zone by morethan 4percent, from 264 to 276squaremiles,while refining boundaries to makethemmoreenforceable and morealigned with ecological needs Under the NOI: • ProtectionsincreasearoundtheChandeleur
Islands and Isle Dernieres
• Technicalupgrades,including GPS coordinates, clarified language, and reorganized zones,makeenforcement clearer
Open-wateraccessisrestoredinhistoric fishing areas wherescience showsminimal environmental risk.
This is precisionregulation thatexpands protections wheretheymattermost and relies on data,not politics,todetermine where fishing canoccur responsibly
Addressing Concerns with Facts,Not Fear
Some organizations have argued thatany adjustmenttonearshorebuffersrepresents a step backward.But Louisiana’sown data tells adifferentstory
The state’s $1 million taxpayerfunded bycatchstudy shows that:
Reddrumharvestedbythe menhaden
fishery accounts for only 3.4percent of all reddrum landingsinLouisiana Total bycatchacrossall species remains belowthe 5percentstatutory cap established by the Legislature.
•Areas reopened underthe newNOI show no measurable impact on reddrum recruitmentorpopulation health Louisiana canprotect its most sensitive fisheriesandsupportoneofitsmostimportant working-waterindustries at thesame time.
AFleet ThatHas Already Modernized for Today’sChallenges
Louisiana’smenhaden industry has spent the past severalyearsinvesting heavily in safer, moresustainable equipment. Thoseinvestments,totalingmorethan $6.5 million, include:
• Spectraand Plateena net technology, which is significantly moredurable than traditional nets and helps preventtears and accidental releaseevents.
• Hose-endcagesystemsthathavereduced incidentalreddrummortalityby24percent.
• Newprotocols forrapid response, spill containment, crew training, and reporting. Theseactions representone of themost significantvoluntarymodernizationprograms of anycommercial fishery in the Gulf. And theyreflectthe fleet’scommitmentto continuous improvement, even beyond what regulation requires The Commission’sNOI mirrorsthis same philosophy. It improves protections wheretheyare most neededwhile allowing responsible, science-supported fishing where risksare minimal.
ProtectingPeopleand aWay of Life Formanyparishes,the menhaden sector is not an abstract industry.Itisaneconomic backbone. More than2,000 Louisianans work in thefishery and its supply chain. Local businesses,including machinists, truckers,
welders, processors,and equipmentsuppliers, depend on the fleet’soperations
Theseare year-roundjobswith benefits, supporting families in communities that have seen manyother industries disappear Menhaden fishing hasanchored thesetowns forgenerations,providing stable livelihoods while powering essentialsupply chains such as U.S. aquaculture, pet food, and animal feed. ProtectingLouisiana’scoast means protecting thesepeople as well.
Building aPathForwardTogether
The futureofour coast cannot be built on division.Itmust be built on shared stewardship.Weremain committedto working with the Commission, LDWF staff, legislators, conservationgroups, charter captains,recreationalanglers, andscientists to improve transparency,enforcement, and public trust This is howresponsible management works. It is built through dialogue, data,and accountability, not confrontation.
ACoast Protected, ACommunitySustained The Commission’sNOI is nota victoryfor anyone group.Itisapragmatic step forward thatacknowledges Louisiana canprotect its fragilehabitatsand preserveits workingwaterheritage. It recognizes thatscience, not rhetoric, must guide our choices.And it reflects the realitythatcompromiseisnot weakness. It is howLouisiana has always movedforward Our coast is worth protecting. So are the people who depend on it.This proposal does both.
Gallagherhelps protectbusinesses of all sizesand acrossall sectors —not only through the insurancecoverweprovidebut also by offering arange of risk managementand consultancy servicesthatwecan tailor to your business.
Connect with your local broker today.
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•Collaborate with artdirectors anden‐vironmentartists to maintain visual consistency.
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NOTICE IN THEMATTEROF THESUCCESSION
JEWELRY/WATCHES Ladies Beaut. 10k
Join us downtown on Saturday,December 6 4thannualManning Family Children’sHolida Kick off the holidayseasonintrue NewOrlean 30 holiday-themed floats, high flying helium b more than adozen dancing groupsand marc Theparade benefitsthe vitalmission of Mann Children’s, bringing world-class care close to Louisiana’s kids. Don’tmissthe magic! Saturday,December 6 l 11 a
BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer
Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder can be debilitating for some students. Common symptoms include difficulty staying on task or being organized — making it almost impossible for students to complete assignments on time.
In 2023, an estimated 15.5 million of American adults over the age of 18 had a diagnosis of ADHD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of those diagnosis happened in adulthood.
Computer science and engineering associate professor David Shepherd is out to change that — or at least help make completing tasks, assignments and homework easier for students
Nestled in the digital media center at LSU, at the end of a long hallway lined with glass offices chock full of charts, graphs, equations and scribbled ideas in dry-erase ink, sits Shepherd’s virtual reality lab where he works with two doctorate students.
Though lesser known, disease fairly common
BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer
Type 1.5 diabetes isn’t a myth. It shares features of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes — it develops in adults, like Type 2, but involves an autoimmune process, like Type 1. Because symptoms often appear gradually, it’s commonly mistaken for Type 2 diabetes.
Also known as Latent Autoimmune Disease in Adults, Type 1.5 diabetes an autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas causing insulin resistance. It typically develops in adults between 30 and 50.
“Over the past years, it’s become clear that there is a Type 1.5 diabetes in adults that’s a little bit different than Type 2 and Type 1,” said Dr Joseph Heneghan, an internist at Ochsner Health Center in Prairieville.
Even though many people haven’t heard of it, Type 1.5 is fairly common. Studies suggest that between 4% and 12% of people who initially receive a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis end up having LADA. To put that in perspective, about 530 million adults worldwide have Type 2, according to the Cleveland Clinic
Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas that creates insulin, is typically diagnosed in the teenage years or younger Patients with Type 1 lack sufficient insulin, a chemical in the body that tells consumed sugar to go into cells.
When there is excess sugar in the body that can’t go into cells, those sugars stay in the blood vessels, causing damage and inflammation. Typical treatment for patients with Type 1 diabetes are injections of insulin in various forms.
Type 2 diabetes is categorized as insulin resistance, where a patient is producing insulin, but an overconsumption of sugar overwhelms the insulin-producing pancreas and the body cannot produce enough insulin to react to sugars in the body
Surgical oncologists of
Hospital learn how to glass blow at
Owner Jean Blair helps Paris Wade, 9, hold a pallet for her mother, Dr Katrina
BY MARGARET DeLANEY
Staff writer
For more than 60 years, Jean Blair has become very familiar working with doctors in several hospitals around the country But rather than in the hospital setting, Blair takes them to her office, filled with hot furnaces, torches, blowpipes, paddles, jacks and sheers.
Blair is the founder of the New Orleans School of Glassworks and Printmaking Studio two blocks from The National WWII Museum in downtown New Orleans. Whenever the stars align and schedules meld, Blair and her team at the Magazine Street studio host doctors, surgeons, nurses, technicians, physician assistants and more to take a moment out of their busy lives saving people and make some art of their own.
From cups to glass hearts to Christmas ornaments, guests can make it in the studio.
Blair started this project 40 years ago, around the time she opened shop After moving to New Orleans from New York City where she worked for Time Life, she connected with John Ochsner, the founder of the Ochsner hospital system.
“(He) asked me to photograph for his slide lectures in the operating room of his heart surgeries and transplants,” Blair said.
Since that time, Blair has grown to appreciate the health care community and has made it her mission to show that appreciation to health care workers in New Orleans and around the country
“One of our specialties has been inviting doctors and their staffs in to show them that blowing glass is similar to surgery,” Blair said “The use of instruments you use to maneuver the molten glass into shape without touch-
ing it is similar to using medical instruments.”
Blair and her team have hosted Dr Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist from New York University Lagoon Hospital, who made glass hearts, thoracic surgeons who made glass lungs and other surgeons who have made glass brains and glass livers during their time in the studio.
Depending on availability, Blair hosts health care workers as often as she can
to thank them for their knowledge and “TLC” with patients every day
“Having been involved with hospitals for so many years, I have noticed a tremendous need to thank the doctors and the hospital working staff for the generosity given to so many of the patients,” Blair said. “You only have to be a patient — or relative of a patient — to realize the numerous people that come in and out of your room who are responsible for taking care of you.”
In November, Blair invited eight colleagues and team members of Dr Katrina Wade, a surgical oncologist at Ochsner Hospital. The doctors and colleagues become captivated with what they are able to create while blowing glass, according to Blair
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.
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This month, the team of three received a total of $1.8 million in grant funding to continue to study how virtual reality spaces can assist students with ADHD in completing their homework and staying on task.
The overall grant is in collaboration with Joshua Langberg, Rutgers University chief wellness officer and Department of Clinical Psychology professor
The study is a clinical trial, combining efforts with the LSU Student Health Center to find 200 students to participate.
Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Shepherd and Langberg came up with the idea to use virtual reality to increase the productivity of software engineers at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020. It wasn’t until a student with ADHD noted the possible benefits of the program for doing homework and staying focused that the team switched focus.
“Software engineers get interrupted all of the time,” Shepherd said. “We thought VR headsets could make it so that even if (software engineers) are working in open cubicles, they’re not that in-
terrupted.”
The virtual reality space was created to reflect a good working environment with a simulation of a computer screen with only the current assignments and tasks visible on the screen. Shepherd brought the program with him to LSU when he joined the university two years ago. Now, two doctoral students work with him to sort through new case studies, address glitches in the gaming-like system and compile data from homework sessions.
How it works
The virtual reality program uses coding to detect when students are going off-focus in multiple one-hour study sessions. The technology tracks keyboard strokes, mouse activity and eye movement to track productivity
The first 10 minutes of each study session begin with reading comprehension and a series of questions about the content in order to gauge the level of productivity a student has going into the session For the next 40 minutes, students are doing their actual homework on an uninterrupted screen. No notifications. No popups. No ads No opportunities to get distracted. According to Shepherd, students cannot use the virtual reality goggles for more than two ses-
sions in one day
“It defeats the purpose,” he said.
Another unofficial symptom of ADHD is hyper fixation — an intense focus on one topic, activity food or television show that can cause a person to become oblivious to the passing of time.
It’s also common for students with ADHD to zone out, or daydream, when trying to focus.
“That’s pretty easy to detect because there’s no keyboard, no mouse activity,” Shepherd said. “If you have the headset on, we can detect that nothing is happening. We look for that in order to nudge them back on track.”
At the end of the session, there is a self-reported survey to assess a student’s cvoncentration, motivation and effort.
“We plan to compare the selfreported data to the objective data that we collect on our end,” Shepherd said.
Fatemeh Jamalinabijan is the data collector She looks at screenshots taken every minute of each session. The grant’s aim is to get 200 students with ADHD to participate in the clinical trial at the end of a three-year period. That’s 2,400 one-hour sessions and 144,000 screenshots to look over Matheus Costa created the study work environment and finds and fixes bugs in the system if the need arises.
“They both put some blood, sweat and tears into this project,” Shepherd said.
Going forward, if the clinical trial proves to be a success, Shepherd predicts that it could become an accommodation provided by some universities for students with ADHD.
“If you are in a dorm room especially you could have one of these VR sets to make your homework situation better,” he said. “The headsets are just going to get lighter and higher-res. I think that’s going to be a legitimate avenue of getting homework done in a noisy place within a year or two.”
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.
Brutti ma buoni: Ugly but good, andperfect forholidaygifting!
Theholidaysareatimeforsharing love,laughterand,ofcourse, cookies!Thisseason,whynottrya treatthat’sascharmingasitisindulgent? bruttimabuoni,Italianfor“uglybut good,”arebite-sizedchocolatedelights withareputationthatfarexceedstheir humbleappearance.Inspiredbythelittle treatsservedafterdinneratDomenica insideTheRooseveltHotelinNew Orleans,thesecookiesareasweetending toanymealorathoughtfulhomemade giftforfriendsandfamily.
Whatmakesthisversionspecial? Made withalmondflourandzero-sugarplantbasedsweeteners,theselittlecookiesare naturallylow-carbandgluten-free,soyou canfeelgoodaboutsharingthemwith everyoneonyourlist(naughtyornice) They’rerich,chocolateyandjusttheright sizeforpoppingintoaholidaygiftbag.
BruttiMaBuoniRecipe Makesapproximately40minicookies
2tablespoonsalmondflour 1tablespooncoconutflour ½teaspoonbakingpowder ½teaspoonsalt
3tablespoonsunsweetenedchocolate (100%cocoa),chopped ½cuprounded,darkchocolate(atleast 70%cocoa),chopped
2tablespoonsunsaltedbutter,softened 1wholeegg+1eggwhite, roomtemperature ½cupSwerveGranular
1tablespoonfinelygroundespresso 1teaspoonvanillaextract ½cupstevia-sweetenedsemi-sweet chocolatechips(suchasLily’s),frozen 2tablespoons SwerveConfectioners,sifted
Siftflours,bakingpowderandsaltinto abowl,andsetaside.
Meltbothvarietiesofunsweetened chocolateinadoubleboiler,taking carenottoburnthechocolateonce itismelted.Whiskinbutter.
Inaseparatebowl,whisktogether eggsandSwerveGranularuntil mixturebecomesverythickandpale incolor,approximately6-8minutes. Slowlystirinmeltedchocolate, occasionallyscrapingthesidesof thebowl.Foldinflourmixtureand scrapethebowlagain.
Addespressoandvanillaextractand mixuntilcombined.Donotovermix orthemixturewillgettoocrumbly. Foldinfrozenstevia-sweetened chocolatechips.Spreadmixture ontoaparchment-linedsheetpan. Coverlightlyandrefrigeratefor12 hoursorovernight.
Rollchilledmixtureintoballsabout oneinchindiameter.Pressgentlyto flatten.Placecookiesinthefreezer foratleastonehour.
Preheattheovento350degrees RollbatterinSwerveConfectioners, thenarrangeonabakingsheet.Bake for10-12minutes,untilthecookies areslightlypuffedandfinelinesor cracksappear.Removefromthe ovenandtransfertoparchmentpaper tocool.SprinklewithadditionalSwerve Confectioners,ifdesired,beforeserving.
Perserving(1cookie):35calories,3grams fat,1.5gramssaturatedfat,40mgsodium, 3gramscarbohydrate(2gramsnetcarbs), 1gramfiber,<1gramsugar(0added sugar),<1gramprotein.
MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.
BY THENUMBERS
Findthisrecipeandmorein“TheEat FitCookbook.”Findlocalretailersor purchaseonlineatEatFitCookbook.com BesuretousepromocodeADVOCATEat checkoutfor10%off
Thecurrent population survey estimates there were 9.8 million oneparent households in 2023in the U.S. The percentage of children living in single-parent households nearly tripled between 1960 and 2023,increasing from 9% to 25%.
Almost aquarter of Americanchildren under the ageof18livewith one parent and no other adults —more than three times the rate of children in other countries around the worldwho live under the same circumstances. The global averageofsingle-adult households, excluding the U.S.,hovered at 7% in 2019, according to aPEW Research Center study.
These parishes had the lowest percentageofsingle-parent households, in ascending order: n Cameron, 12% single-parenthomes; n Plaquemines, 14% single-parent homes; n Livingston, 21% single-parent homes;
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“Thatsugar hangingonthe blood vessels causesalot of information and damage, which then leads to heart attacks and strokes,” Heneghan said.
Typical treatment for Type 2diabetesinoralmedication.Medicinal options, like Metformin, can work for ashort periodfor patients with Type 1.5, but do not work in the long run to treat LADA.
Over time, as the autoimmune process progresses, patients typically lose insulin production and eventually requireinsulin therapy, like those with Type 1diabetes.
Symptoms of Type 1.5 are similar to Type 1, including: n being verythirsty n needing to pee more often,
n Beauregard, Jefferson Davis and Vernon, 22% single-parent homes; n Ascension and Lafourche, 25% single-parent homes; n Grant and St. Martin, 26% singleparent homes.
Theseparishes had the highest percentageofsingle-parent households, in descending order:
n East Carroll, 75% single-parent homes;
n Madison, 59% single-parent homes; n Claiborne, 57% single-parent homes;
n Concordia, 54% single-parent homes;
n St.Helena and Tensas parishes, 53% single-parent homes;
n Orleans, 50% single-parent homes; n Winn, 49% single-parent homes; n West Feliciana, 47% single-parent homes; n Morehouse, 46% single-parish homes.
n losing weightunexpectedly n blurred vision, n fatigue, n or itchy,dry skin.
Diagnosis of Type 1.5 typically involvesblood tests thatcheck for diabetes-related autoantibodies and C-peptide levels to measure insulin production. Doctors may recommend additional lab tests to rule out other causes or confirm autoimmune involvement. If antibodiesare present and insulin levels are low,the patient likely has LADA rather than Type 2diabetes.
“Autoimmune diseasesdorun in families,”Heneghan said. “If your parentshad an autoimmune disease, and someone who’shad any autoimmune disease is thenmorelikely to get asecond autoimmune disease.”
Astatewide concern
Diabetes, as awhole, is on the
rise in Louisiana.In2022, there were over half amillion Louisiana adults who had been diagnosed with diabetes at some point in their lives, according to data from the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention.
On average, 13% of Louisiana adults hadadiabetes diagnosis —higher than theU.S. average at 11.6%.
People withdiabetes areathigh risk of heart disease, stroke and other serious complications, the CDC says —including kidney failure, blindness and lower-limb amputations.
Diet, according to Heneghan, is asignificant preventive measure to reduce the risk of developing Type 2diabetes. Both Type 1and Type 1.5 aregenetic, autoimmune disorders.
“There’ssomuchprocessed food these days, so we’re seeing
really highrates of diabetes,” Heneghansaid. “I always tell patients,think of George Washington.Can youpicture George Washington with aCoke and aTwinkie?
Probably not.”
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, healthdiscoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to livewell.
Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing healthfor thestate of Louisiana. Do youhavea healthstory? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit healthquestions,stories and more
Following a competitive review process, the National Institutes of Health funding for Pennington
Biomedical’s Metabolic Basis of Disease Center of Biomedical Research Excellence was renewed for an additional five years This Phase II renewal builds on the momentum achieved since the center’s establishment in 2020, enabling continued support for young scientists who are focused on the mechanisms through which nutrition and metabolism contribute to health.
The Louisiana Department of Health announces the application period for the second round of the HERO Fund. Approximately $6 million will be distributed among recipients.
The fund, which provides matching two-year grants to health care training and education programs, helps grow the health care workforce pipeline in Louisiana. The application period will close Jan. 16.
Tulane University School of Medicine researcher Dr Jia Fan has been awarded a $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to improve how doctors identify and treat infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria, a growing public health concern worldwide.
NTM infections, which can cause serious lung and soft-tissue diseases, are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. Treatment varies by species, and delays or inaccuracies in diagnosis can lead to ineffective therapies, drug toxicity or the emergence of drugresistant strains.
Fan’s lab is developing an advanced diagnostic platform called MycoID, which uses mass spectrometry and machine learning to identify NTM species and predict how they’ll respond to antibiotics. The technology analyzes tiny differences in the proteins secreted by bacteria, known as peptide sequence variants, to distinguish between closely related species and even subspecies.
Our Lady of the Lake welcomes new providers
FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Urology has welcomed nine new boardcertified providers. The following providers join the group from Baton Rouge Urology and have a combined 181 years of experience:
n Dr Angelo Annaloro Jr
n Dr Henry “Drew” Hollier
n Dr Thomas “Tom” Wills
n Dr Stephen “Randy” Vick
n Dr James “Jimmy” Morris
n Dr Mark P Posner
n Nurse practitioner Michelle Genre
n Physician assistant Johanna De Silvia
n Physician assistant Alicia Vick
LSU recognizes Dr. Neil Maki for critical milestone
Orthopedic history was made in Thibodaux in 1989, when Dr Neil Maki, a clinical associate professor of orthopedics at LSU, developed and performed the first intra-articular arthroscopic Bankart suture repair technique. This groundbreaking advance offered a safer, more effective alternative to existing surgical methods for shoulder instability
Maki presented his pioneering work to the 1990 American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, where it drew national attention His technique was later published in Orthopedics Today, Orthopedic & Sports Medicine News and in renowned surgeon Dr Lanny Johnson’s textbook on shoulder arthroscopy
Maki’s suture-based approach demonstrated clear advantages over metal staples, including reduced complications and improved healing potential.
This innovation became the foundation for later advancements in arthroscopic shoulder surgery — paving the way for the use of suture anchors, suture passers and modern arthroscopic knot-tying instrumentation and techniques.
Ochsner LSU Health welcomes specialists
Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport welcomes four new specialists, expanding care in the region and surrounding communities:
n Dr Adam Blancher, an ear, nose and throat doctor joins Ochsner LSU Health’s Ambulatory Care Center at 1606 Kings Highway;
n Dr Chelsea Gertze joins as a board-certified and fellowshiptrained hospitalist and will see patients at Ochsner LSU Health’s Academic Medical Center at 1541 Kings Highway;
n Dr Hans-Magne Hamnvag, a pathologist, will see patients at Ochsner LSU Health’s Academic Medical Center;
n Dr Sara Mohamed, who went to medical school in Alexandria, Egypt, is a neonatologist and will see patients at Ochsner LSU Health’s St. Mary Medical Center at 1 St. Mary Place.
Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret delaney@theadvocate.com.
BY SHELBY LUM and LAURAN NEERGAARD Associated Press
A doctor advising sleepaway camp? That’s how a 12-year-old diagnosed with lupus found himself laughing on a high-ropes course as fellow campers hoisted him into the air
“It’s really fun,” said Dylan Aristy Mota, thrilled that he got a chance at the rite of childhood thanks to doctors reassuring his mom that they’d be at this upstate New York camp, too. Dylan felt good knowing if “anything else pops up, they can catch it faster than if we had to wait til we got home.”
It may sound surprising but diseases like lupus, myositis and some forms of arthritis — when your immune system attacks your body instead of protecting it don’t just strike adults. With the exception of Type 1 diabetes, these autoimmune diseases are more rare in kids but they do happen.
People often ask, “Can kids have arthritis? Can kids have lupus?” said Dr Natalia Vasquez-Canizares, a pediatric rheumatologist at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, which partnered with Frost Valley YMCA last summer so some of those youngsters could try a traditional sleepaway camp despite a strict medicine schedule and nervous parents.
“Imagine for an adult, it’s difficult. If you have that disease since you’re young, it’s very difficult to, you know cope with,” she said.
Special challenges for kids
The younger that someone is
when certain illnesses hit, especially before puberty, the more severe symptoms may be. And while genes can make people of any age more vulnerable to autoimmune conditions, usually it takes other factors that stress the immune system, such as infections, to cause the disease to develop.
But genes are more to blame when disease strikes early in life, said Dr Laura Lewandowski of the National Institutes of Health who helps lead international research into genetic changes that fuel childhood lupus.
Symptoms among children can be sneaky and hard to pinpoint. Rather than expressing joint pain, a very young child might walk with a limp or regress to crawling, Vasquez-Canizares said.
“Before, I looked like everybody else, like normal,” Dylan said Then, “my face turned like the bright pink, and it started to like get more and more red.”
His family thought it must be allergies, and Dylan recalled many doctor appointments before being diagnosed with lupus last January
Treatment has unique challenges, too. Medicines that tamp down symptoms do so by suppressing young immune systems — just as they’re learning to fend off germs. They can also can affect whether kids build strong bones.
Research underway to help kids
But there are promising treatments in development. Seattle Children’s Hospital recently opened the first clinical trial of what’s called CAR-T therapy for pediat-
ric lupus. Those “living drugs” are made by reprogramming some of patients’ own immune soldiers, T cells, to find and kill another type, B cells, that can run amok. Tests in adults with lupus and a growing list of other autoimmune diseases are showing early promise, putting some people in long-term, drugfree remission.
And occasionally a mother’s autoimmune disease can harm her child, such as a rare fetal heart defect that requires a lifelong pacemaker if the baby survives. Dr Jill Buyon at NYU Langone Health is studying how to block that defect — and just reported a healthy girl born to a mom with mild lupus.
“This is a rare example where we know the exact point in time at which this is going to happen,” allowing a chance at prevention, said Dr Philip Carlucci, an NYU rheumatology fellow and study co-author
What happens: A kind of antibody, found in lupus, Sjögren’s and certain other autoimmune diseases, can damage the heart’s ability to beat properly if enough crosses the placenta during key cardiac development. Some treatments can lower but not eliminate the risk. Buyon’s team is testing if a drug used to treat a different autoimmune disease could better shield the fetus.
Kelsey Kim jumped at the experimental treatment in her last pregnancy, “partly in the hopes of saving my own baby and partly in the hopes of saving other people’s babies and saving them from the pain that I had experienced.”
Number of new products looking to cash in on trend rises
BY DEE-ANN DURBIN Associated Press
U.S. consumers who have had their fill of finding protein added to everything from cereal to ice cream are about to meet the next big food fad: fiber
Americans have been boosting their protein intake for years; even Pop-Tarts and Starbucks are selling protein-enhanced products. But the number of new products promoted with high or added fiber saw a big uptick in the U.S. this year, according to market research team Mintel. Hundreds of videos on social media celebrate the benefits of dietary fiber and share recipes to help viewers get more of it.
There’s even a term for trying to meet or exceed the recommended daily fiber intake: fibermaxxing
“I think fiber will be the next protein,” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said during a recent conference call with investors Consumers are starting to understand that fiber is the benefit that they need.” Fiber’s benefits
Unlike muscle-building protein, fiber isn’t sexy It’s a carbohydrate found in plants that your body can’t break down. It helps feed gut bacteria and move food through the digestive system.
“Folks don’t want to talk about it at a dinner party,” said Debbie Pe-
titpain, a registered dietitian and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. There are two main types of fiber Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material that feeds gut bacteria It’s found in foods like oats, peas, beans, apples and carrots. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and moves food through the digestive system. It’s found in whole wheat flour, popcorn, wheat bran, nuts, green beans and potatoes.
Studies have shown that fiber lowers cholesterol levels, regulates blood sugar and promotes weight loss, since high-fiber foods tend to make eaters feel more full. It may also protect against heart disease, diabetes, diverticulitis
and colon cancer, according to the American Heart Association. Petitpain said rising use of GLP1 weight loss drugs could be one reason for the renewed focus on fiber, since GLP-1s naturally slow digestion, and fiber can prevent constipation She said fiber has seen similar spikes in interest when people wanted to alleviate symptoms from high-fat diets like Atkins or keto. How much fiber do we need?
Most people in Western countries could use more fiber because their diets are low in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, said Sander Kersten, director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University
Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines, adults should aim for 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories they consume. That’s about 25 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men each day Petitpain said Americans generally only get about two-thirds of that amount.
For reference, 1 cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber, while a banana contains 3.2 grams, according to the USDA One-half cup of avocado contains 5 grams of fiber and 1 cup of lima beans contains 13.2 grams. Fiber One, a bran cereal, packs 18 grams of fiber into a serving of two-thirds of a cup.
Good ways to increase fiber
Kersten said long-term studies about the benefits of fiber have looked at the consumption of whole foods and not packaged products with added fiber
“The way it is consumed as an additive and part of a diet that doesn’t contain a lot of fiber may be different than a naturally fiberrich diet,” Kersten said “You can eat a very processed, Western diet and consume foods that are enriched, but we don’t know if it confers the same benefit.”
Whole foods also help the body in other ways, Petitpain said. An apple contains 4.8 grams of fiber as well as water, vitamins and minerals, for example. Here are some recommendations from the Mayo Clinic for adding fiber to your diet:
n Choose a breakfast cereal with 5 grams or more of fiber a serving. Top it with a sliced banana or berries. n Choose breads with at least
2 grams of fiber per serving and try other grains like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and quinoa.
n When baking, substitute wholegrain flour for white flour Add wheat bran to muffins and cookies.
n Try to eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily If you eat canned fruit, make sure it’s canned in fruit juice and not syrup, and make sure canned vegetables are low in sodium.
Think twice about fibermaxxing
There is no defined upper limit for fiber intake, Kersten said But increasing fiber can cause painful gas and bloating, especially if it’s done quickly
Petitpain said people should increase their fiber intake gradually and drink plenty of water
“You’re feeding gut bacteria a food, and you can’t break it down. You rely on them, and if you give them second, third and fourth servings, there’s not enough of them to handle the extra load,” Petitpain said.
Certain populations should also be extra careful about their fiber intake, Petitpain said.
People who are sensitive to gluten or allergic to foods like soy, shellfish or psyllium husk should read labels carefully since some foods with added fiber contain those ingredients.
More broadly, Kersten questions the trend of focusing on one nutrient, whether it’s protein or fiber
“We don’t need nutrients, we need foods. Ultimately, what you want to be striving for is a healthy diet, and you should choose foods that are considered to be an important part of a healthy diet,” he said.
By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com
Thisstory is brought to you by OchsnerHealth.
The holidays areaseason of joy, connection and celebration, but they canalsobeone of the most stressful times of the year foryour heart.Ochsner Health has tips to followand triggersto avoid thatwill help keep your heart strong this season and beyond.
“The holidays canbehectic forall of us.It’sachangeinroutine. Our stresslevel canbeelevatedwith travel plans,work and family events,and it canlead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which cancauseheart problems,” said Randy del Mundo,MD, FACP,primary care specialist,Ochsner Health Center –Prairieville. “During the holidays,we aresobusy, and individuals maynot be paying attention to heart symptoms,such as being tired or fatigued. Thesesymptoms maybeoverlooked or just chalked up to the busyseason.
RandydelMundo,MD,FACP
Statistics from the Centers forDiseaseControl and Prevention showthatanAmericandies of aheart-relateddiseaseevery 60 seconds Heart diseaseisthe leading causeofdeath in Louisiana,and the state ranksfifth in the nation in heart attack death rates. National research alsoshows thatmoreheart attacks happen in December and January than at anyother time of year
Michael L. Bernard, MD,section head of electrophysiology, Ochsner Medical Center–New Orleans,said his team often sees ariseinheart rhythm disturbances around the holidays,which is sometimes referred to as “holidayheart.”
“Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common arrhythmia in adults.Itistypically triggered by excessstressand pressureput on the heart by triggerssuch as lack of sleep,stress, alcohol and dehydration,”Dr. Bernardsaid. “In addition, holidayfoods areoften high in fat, sugar and salt,which tend to raiseblood pressureand put morepressureonthe heart.Wesee alcohol have an effect,aswell. Alcohol calms the body initially but eventually raises blood pressureand causes fluid retention and dehydration. Some alcohol levels canlead to a transientstunning of the heart —when the heart temporarily weakens due to the direct toxic effects of alcohol— which canlead to other cardiac problems.”
in the jaworleft arm. However, women aremorelikely to experience other symptoms thatcan be mistaken forcommon ailments,likeindigestion or exhaustion.
“Women with heart diseaseoften have fatigue, nausea or aburning sensation in the chestthatcan be mistaken foracid reflux,”Dr. Williams said. “Thesesymptoms areoften non-specificormimic other diseases.”
MichaelL.Bernard,MD
Dr.Williams said anyone who experiences commonheart attack symptoms should seek medical care immediately.Iftheir symptoms areatypical, she urged people to consider whether theyoccur during times of heightened activity.
“If someone notices that they don’tfeel well, have aburning sensation, become nauseous or sweat profusely when they do an activity, thatcan be asign of aserious heart problem and is something theyshould be concerned about,” she said. “Also, if you have tried treating acid reflux with overthe-countermedications and don’tsee any improvement, thatisanother sign thatit mightnot be acid reflux. It maybesomething else.
Dr.Williamsalsosuggested practicing gratitude, journaling, going forwalks and carving out quiet time as ways to reduce stress.
weeks, thosehormones persist.Theycan increaseblood pressure and blood sugars, which put astrain on the heart.”
Dr.Fontenot said he encourages people to stick to the basics during the holidays in order to maintain wellness. That means adhering to aregular sleep schedule, staying well-hydrated, limiting alcohol, eating smaller portion sizes and practicing mindfulnessand restful hobbies Exerciseisalsoimportant, even if it is not especially vigorous
Dr.Bernardsaid the good news is that there areseveral steps people cantaketo keep their hearts healthyduring the holidayseason. Moderation is key, especially when it comes to alcohol. Dr.Bernardrecommends limiting alcohol to no morethan twodrinksper dayorabstainingaltogether and choosing creativealcohol-freedrinks instead. Scheduling time forphysical activityand rest is alsoimportant. People who strugglewith mental health areurged to keep their provider’s contact information closeby, so it is easily accessible if needed.
Dominique Williams,MD, director of the Women’sCardiovascular Clinic at Ochsner Medical Center –NewOrleans,said part of the challengeisrecognizing symptoms early,especially among women, who mayexperience different warning signs than men. Dr.Williams said women maynotice classicsymptoms of heart problems, such as chest pain, shortness of breath or pain
“Wetreat the holidayseason as aspecial time, but don’tforgetyour normal health routines,” Dr.Bernardadded.
JeffreyD.Fontenot,MD, primary care specialist,Ochsner Health Center -Broussard,said one of the most common mistakes people makeistossing out healthyhabits entirely once theholidayseason starts and telling themselves they’ll getback on track after the newyear.Dr. Fontenot said prolonged periods of excessiveeating and drinking, lessexerciseand ahectic schedule canhaveboth short-term and long-term effects on aperson’sheart health.
“Sometimes we getsohung up on trying to makesureour holidays look likea Hallmark movie,”hesaid. “Thatexpectation canput alot of stresson people. Cortisol is one of our stresshormones,and we know thatincreased cortisol levels raiseblood pressure. When stresspersists forseveral days or
“Yoga, Pilatesorbody weightexercises aregoodfor our physical and mental health, and theycan be done indoors,”hesaid. “You don’thavetobeoverly ambitious.Even lightexercisehelps.”
As the leading healthcareprovider in Louisiana,Ochsner professionals areprepared to provide the best cardiac care in the state.Dr. del Mundo said seeking medical treatmentevenfor mild symptoms gives doctorsmoretime to assess heart disease and risk factors. It alsoprovides an opportunitytodiscusslong-term lifestyle changes relatedtoweight, exerciseand keeping blood pressure,blood sugarand cholesterol in check. If necessary,areferraltoacardiologist canbeeasily facilitated.
“We[primary care specialists] arethe quarterbacksofheart health,”hesaid. “Talk to us about symptoms you have been experiencing. We canguide you, as well as make individual assessments concerning heart disease.”
Dr.Williams said thatcareisincreasingly
Theholidayscanbehectic forallofus.It’sachange inroutine.Ourstress levelcanbeelevated withtravelplans,work andfamilyevents,and itcanleadtoanincrease inheartrateandblood pressure,whichcancause heartproblems.
RandydelMundo,MD,FACP
informed by the latest research, including howcardiovascular problems aredifferent between men and women, and the role that hormones playinheart health.
“Everyone at Ochsner has an increased awarenessabout heart diseaseand apassion fortaking care of all patients,” she said. “Our doctorsare very well-aware of everything thatcomes with the holidayseason, as well as whatthe most recentresearch tells us.Weare heretohelp.”
OchsnerChildren’swasnamedthe#1children’shospitalinNewOrleans andrankedamongthenation’sbestinpediatricCardiology&HeartSurgery andGastroenterology&GISurgerybyU.S.News&WorldReportforthe 5thyearinarow.ButtherealprizeisseeingkidslikeWells,IslaandLawson healthyandhappy
Meetyourexpertcareteamatochsner.org/childrens
youngadultslookbeyondcomputerscreens to meet newpeople
BY LEECUTRONE
Contributing writer
Some young adults are trading digital platforms and algorithms for old-school, in-person ways to meet people.
Nationwide, participation in adult sports leagues and speed dating events are on the rise in Louisiana, too.
In New Orleans at 7p.m. on aWednesday in October,dozens of women from Playnola’sLadies Kickball League were on thefieldatWisnerPlayground. The league has 120 members, primarily in the 20sto40s agerange. The evening’s attendance also included significant others, kidsand spectators, some ensconced in folding chairs near the infield.
After severalhours of play,Wisner Wednesdays end across the street at Grits Bar for postgame drinks.
“Thereare competitive peopleout there, and there are people putting on tennis shoes for the first time,” said Caitlin Carrère, agregarious millennial and longtime league player.“It’smore about the camaraderie, and you meet new people.”
Millennial Caroline Charbonnet, proprietor of the recently openedDa Weenie’s hotdog barlocatedinMick’s IrishPub in MidCity, said theeventsare an outlet for socializing and sports.
“Weput our phonesinour bags and have funonthe field andatthe barafter,”Charbonnet said.
The same week, coed soccer,men’s flag football, coed softball and volleyball wereamongthe adult leagues scheduled at locations around theCrescentCity. Weekly games are at night toaccommo-
date players’ work schedules and other adult responsibilities.
Camp Kent, co-ownerofPlaynola,a sports and social club with the marketingtag “WeDoSocial,” saysthe growth of adultsports leaguesinNew Orleans is on parwithother cities in theUnited States. Kent noted that the number of participants“exploded” after the pandemic as peoplewere eager to get back out into the world and socialize.
Away fornewbies to meet
More recently,numbers have leveled off as some playersage out of the organization’starget demographic —postcollege adultsages 23 to 45 —and as the metro area’spopulation has declined.
Butparticipation remains strong.
Playnolaisthe largest of theadult sports league companies in NewOrleans with roughly 4,000 participantsannually andaroster of leagues in all four seasons.Itoffersmen’s,women’sand coed leagues and has arange of sports, all of which emphasize inclusivity and fun.
“Thirty percent of our players are new to New Orleans,” saidKent, alifelong New Orleanian. “A lot of people use (league sports) to meet people.”
League sports deliver the mind-body benefits of physical activity along with themental and social benefits of human connection. Participants say friendships,datingrelationships,businesscontacts, clientsand even marriages come out of the leagues. Engaging in ashared interest makes them aprime source for meeting potential partners andgives new meaning to “playing thefield.”
Sarah Jane Lowery, editor of the La-
dies Kickball newsletterand amemberofmultiple leagues over the years, met her boyfriendoffive years through ClubWAKA’s coed dodgeball.
Steven Galliotoand Kerry Portie, both members of volleyball leagues, met on opposing teams randomly selected through atournament at Coconut Beach Sand Volleyball Complex in Kenner
They began playing on the same team and are now engaged. Gallioto says unlikedating apps,which often dead-endin onlineinteraction, leagues “give you an opportunitytomeet face to face.”
“It’sahuge community,” said Gallioto, who knows of many couples who met through volleyball. “You’vegot to seeit to understand.”
Sevencouples metplaying Pickleball
The Exchange Pickleball +Bar owner Renée Melchiode sees thesame thing happening at herfacility where drinks are servedcourtside.
The Exchange holds “open play,” which brings together everyone from locals to tourists. The venue has seen the sport expand beyond theover 50 crowd to younger players. Their largest growing age demographic is 25 to 35.
“I have seven couples who met playing pickleballatThe Exchange,” Melchiode said. “I think it’sthe ideal opportunity to meet people in real time rather than swiping left and right.”
While some leagueorganizations head to neighborhood bars for after-party mingling, afew have on-site watering holes. Coconut Beach,the largest sand sports complex in the country in Kenner, hasa restaurant/bar with tropical island mojo.
Of thefacility’s20volleyball courts, 13 are used forleagueswhichplayfive nightsa week during thespring, summer and fall seasons
Volleyball director Mick Stein says Coconut Beach has adouble advantage for socializing: it’s home to an easy-to-learn, fun sport where players can “talk face to face across thenet,” as well as arestaurant/bar where spectators can watch and where“people stick around” after In thecapital city
In Baton Rouge,Mango’sBeach Volleyball, now in its 30th year,offers a similar combination: sand, sun, palm trees, 13 beach volleyballcourts, friendly league sports anda beachy bar with an outdoor deck overlooking the courts. Owners Timand Tina Bourgeois say 11 skill levels and afamily-friendly,laidback atmosphere draw everyone from Olympic team playersKristen Nuss and
ä See FACE, page 2Y
Last week, shortly after Ihad been negotiating with my own calendar like it wasahostage standoff, Istumbled on the idea of aholiday “not-to-do list.” In the days since, Ihaven’tbeen able to shake the idea out of my mind. I’ve been considering what I could cross off my season before it even begins. The key,I decided, is to get specific. Saying “I will not overplan” sounds nice, but it doesn’tchange anything. Saying “I will not make plans forTuesday,Wednesday or Thursday evenings” is something Ican actually follow.I’m claiming that one forDecember with the only exception of Dec. 31, when we have our annual Long Dinner with friends.
With the guiding question of “What specific choices will make the next month better?,” afew itemspresented themselves quickly:
n On my days off, Iwill not plan anything to do before 10 a.m.
n Iwill not wearuncomfortable shoes simply because they are cute.
n Iwill not play kickball.
n Iwill not keep buying gifts forone or the other of our daughters just because Iwant to make sure things are even. (I’m not sure they notice —I just sleep better believing the scales are balanced.)
Curious about how others dealt with the sametug-of-war between expectations and sanity,I asked friends what they were cutting out this year
In NewOrleans, Amanda Self said, “I will not rush everyone into the car after breakfast to travel house to house forChristmas dinners to appease the masses.”
Angi Davis, in Lafayette, said, “I will not buy any gifts from Amazon.”
In Baton Rouge, Kathy Perry said, “I will not waituntil Christmas Eve to wrap all the presents.” Idecided to ask the samequestion to folks in the newspapers’ newsrooms: Joy Holden said, “NoElf on the Shelf.”
Matthew Albright said, “My notto-do list is to do Christmas at the beach. Iwas told ‘Hey,wegot a great deal on abeach house,’ and responded, ‘Yes, and you know whyyou got agreat deal on a beach house in December?’”
Jennifer Brownsaid, “I will not talk politics with anyone.”
Matt Bruce said, “I will not go into debt. And forthe love of God, no matching onesie jammies this Christmas.”
Jerry DiColo said, “I will not wake up before 6a.m. Christmas morning.”
BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer
Melinda Taylor began her Habitat for Humanity career in 1993 as executive director of the Hattiesburg Area Habitat for Humanity in Mississippi. Since 2000, she has been the executive director of Lafayette Habitat for Humanity
Under her leadership, Lafayette Habitat has built or rehabilitated more than 150homes in partnership with local first-time homebuyers who would otherwise have been unable to purchase ahome of their own.The organization is dedicated to creating vibrant neighborhoods and supporting resident-led revitalization initiatives in Lafayette’surban core.
Taylor believes that thelongterm solutions forpoverty,health disparities and economic inequality are rooted in healthy and resilient communities.
This interview was edited for length and clarity
Beyond building homes, what programs does Habitat for Humanity Lafayette offer? Homeownershipisour key focus with Habitat,but we’re moving into home preservation. In addition to building new homes, we have been repairing homes as we are able to get differentsources of funding to cover repairs.
This year,wegot alargegrant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to repair up to 65 homesoverthe
in the realm of homeownership development and preservation is climate change —and we’re increasingly seeing longtime homeowners who are having dramatic increases in their insuranceescrow and arestruggling to make theirpayments.
We’re approachingitinacouple of ways.First, we trytokeepour homeownershipopportunitiesaffordable, and we do that by being the lender for the homeswebuild. We also collect the funds to put in their escrow account to pay their taxes andinsurance. We’re building homes to fortified standards as well, in particular fortified roofs. With anew focus on homepreservation, arethere anynew constructionmethods that Habitat is using that focus on sustainability?
ette Consolidated Government when they do their hazardous wastedisposal days. We receive used paint andsellitatthe store
What volunteeropportunities are you most in need of rightnow?
We have opportunities both at theconstruction site and at the ReStore. We’reespecially interested in getting more volunteer groups andindividuals to help at the store, because it’s amassive undertakingtomanage the volume of goodsthat comethrough.
On our construction sites, we have at least onevolunteer house going most of the time. Those are good opportunities for businesses or organizations thatwant to do a team building day.
“I don’tknowhow theydoit. I couldn’tbalance everything that they’rebalancing withkids and sometimes more than one job.” To come back andsee the house when it’sfinished is another thing. It’sgreat to be able to see, at the endofthe day, thatyou did something. That something is physically on alot thatwasn’tthere before youstarted. Youcan’tbeat thatsatisfaction.
What is theimportanceofafamily living in aneighborhood, surrounded by neighbors who aretheretohelp?
That’s arealstrengthofLafayette’score neighborhoods, their front porch culture
course of the next three yearsto address critical buildingsystems
We’re focusedonLafayette’s urban core neighborhoods —onthe north side of Lafayette in neighborhoods that have been historically disinvested in Our approach is alwaystogoin listening, asking, “Whatdoyou wantto see us do, and what are the things we’re doing that you would like to see us do differently?”
Oneofthe things we consistently hear is, “Why can’tyou help us address some of these deferred maintenance issues with older homes and preserve homeownership?”
One thing thataffects allofus
We’vereallychanged theway we build over thelast 15 years to where thesidingweuse is wind resistant. Again, we’re using that fortified technique in allofour homes. With that certificate, you can get alower rate on homeowners insurance.
We operate aReStore location, which is another sustainabilityfocused aspect of our operation. Alot of people need an affordable source for buildingmaterials and home goods if they’re reestablishing themselves in housing, getting anew home or improving an existing one. ReStore exists to serve that market. We also partner with theLafay-
Being apartofbuilding ahouse from startto finish offers an incredible sense of accomplishment.Whathavevolunteers told youabout the experience and what it means to them?
For one, people get to know our homeowners. Whatever thoughts they may have hadabout the neighborhoodswhere we build or thepartners we build with, frequently they comeawaywith a different perspective
Alot of folkshave not been in some of the neighborhoods where we’re building,and when they meet ourhomeowners, they’re consistently impressed with the level of hardworkand dedication they have. Alot of our homeowners are singlemoms, and many of ourvolunteers have told me,
Youhearstories from older folks from when they were growing up —theycouldn’tget away with anything, because as soon as they did something after school, somebody else would telltheir parents. Their parents would knowbythe time they got home because therewas this cohesive culture of people looking out for each other,neighbors helping neighbors.
In the core neighborhoods, you see astrong neighborhood fabric being built thatisgratifying. Thathappens naturally with Habitatbecause we try to build severalhousestogether.Wetry to acquireseveralhomes in the same general area so that we cancreate asetting wherethat alchemycan happen between neighbors.
Email Lauren Cheramieat lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.
Taryn Kloth Brasherto“people who’ve never held avolleyball before.”
They’ve seen an uptick in the number of young adult players.
“We’re usually the 25- to 60-year-olds, butweare getting more and more of the 20-yearolds,” TimBourgeois said.
Other ways that adults ditch theirscreens in favor of in-theflesh meet ups are bike social clubs, which organize group rides and events. BatonRouge hasmultiple bike social resources with events throughout the month, and bartrivia nights where teams take part in friendly competition.
Speed dating, enjoying asurge of renewed interest in the United States, is also gaining traction at thelocal level. Contentcreator andentrepreneur Hannah Wilson started Nola Speed Dating in April 2024, hosting events for a variety of demographics atlocations around the city.The business has thedistinction of being billedasthe No. 1attended speed dating in the U.S. on Eventbrite.
Wilson met her boyfriend through Hinge but regularly sought outacross-section of groups and events when single andisafierce proponent of tryingthingsoutsideofone’scomfort zone.
“The goal is to give peoplean-
creator and entrepreneur
other way to meet people,” Wilsonsaid.“Online dating is anew landscape for us. It’s always better, in my experience, to broaden yourcircle as much as you can.”
In an era of remote work and datingapps,Wilson sees speed dating as abetter return on one’s investmentoftime, effortand money
“I’ve gone on plenty of dates
where Icould tell within five minutes if Iwanted to be there or not,” shesaid. “A speed dating event is five to 15 dates instead of one. It’salittle better use of your time.” In October,Wilson, aChicago transplant who attended LSU andnow calls New Orleans home, expanded the business to BatonRouge underthe name
RedStick Speed Dating.The inaugural eventdrew11men and 14 women.
Wilson says that the events vary,but even when attendees arenervous, “after one or two dates,they enduphaving fun.”
“Even if youdon’t meet someone, you might makeafriend,” Wilsonsaid. “It’sall aboutgetting outand making connections.”
Continued from page1y
After DiColo shared his not-to-do list item,I told him about my own trick forsleeping until asemi-reasonable hour on Christmas morning without missing the magic. When my daughters wereinelementary school —about the same age as his children are now —I started alittle holiday ritual. After bedtimestories and final prayers, I’dmake adramatic show of putting Scotch tape across their bedroom door to the door jam.(Bathroom access remained, of course.) The tape had to stay intact until Ipeeled it off in the morning. It worked every time.
Ihope the DiColo household finds alittle extra rest and maybe even someextra fun because of it. Listening to everyone reminded me that, as full as this season gets, we still get to decide what we carry and what we set down. Anot-todo list won’tuntangle every knot in December,but it might give us back alittle peace, alittle sanity alittle room to movethrough the month like actual humans instead of holiday pack mules.
Turns out, mostofusare protecting the samething: asliver of breathing room,alittle space to be ourselves in amonth that tries hard to swallow us whole. We’re allowed to step out of the current now and then. And you? What are you adding to your not-to-do list this year?
Vans help residents applyfor assistance in BatonRouge
BY MORGAN KING
Contributing writer
In October,Sharon Stephens drove acommunity outreach van to the retirement office in downtown Baton Rouge to assistsenior citizens with electricitybills.
As the driver of one of the mobile units intended to broaden the reach of social services across East Baton Rouge Parish, Stephens has already seen the impact of her work.
“Arriving at the site, the excitement on people’sfaces when they pull up makes me smile,” Stephens said.
She drives one of the two large vans rolled out about 18 months ago to help BatonRouge residents apply for assistance for payment of rent, mortgages,medical services, utility bills and more.
The mobile units are aproject of the Metro-Parish Division of Human Development &Services and the Office of Social Services
They assist people who don’thave access to the agencies’ officesbecause of transportation or other accessibility challenges
These mobile units provide LowIncome Home Energy Assistance Program for householdsthat are eligible for home energyservices basedonincome. And Community Service Block grant provides sustainabilityresources,including rent,mortgageand medication payments. Applications for assistance are provided by the unit, but recipients must come prepared with required documents
Pamela Stokes, program administrator for the Office of Social Services, said they have received an abundance of applications since thetwo mobile units have served the community
“Not everyone has access to community centers,sothesemobile units brought resources directly to them,” Stokes said.“That
impact made possible through CSBG federal grants (Community Service Block Grants) for emergencyassistance is essential to our work.”
Stephens said social mediapromotion has helped spread the word.
Forinstance, one stop at the Main Library of the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Libraryon Goodwood Avenue brought in over 350 applications. Six to eight assistants accompanied themobile unit to help at that event because of the turnout.
“When we place it on socialme-
dia,it’sshareda lot,” Stephens said. “When they see we will be in acertain location, it helps us because they alsosee what documentation they need to bring with them.”
The units are equippedwith WiFi andprinters to help workers verify information while people fill out their applications. Stephens said the workers can even print electronic check stubs, which makes for one less steptoworry about, Stephens said.
The office hasalso partnered with the Gardere Initiative to visit the Gardere neighborhood once
each quarter,Stokes said. MurelleHarrison, Gardere Initiative’sexecutive director,said the lack of regular public transportationmakes the mobile units especially helpful.
Harrison said she hasdiscussed with East Baton Rouge parish representatives how to leverage the resources andfunding in the communities.
“Wereally appreciate this collaboration. It’sbeen very helpful forustouse this resource,” Harrison said She said 59% of the Gardere community members are econom-
ically stressed, even though they exceed thefederal government’s poverty threshold. She said energy bills have been high and program assistance helps those whoare low-incomeorona fixed income makethese payments.
To follow the mobile units, visit facebook.com/cityofbatonrouge. This story was reported and written by astudent withthe support of the nonprofit Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the HenryLuce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations.
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BY ADELLE M BANKS
Contributing writer
A new exhibition of the work of Gordon Parks, a photographer renowned for documenting African American life, turns its focus on Parks’ exploration of Black religion and spirituality
“Although Gordon Parks’s personal religious beliefs vacillated across his lifetime, he applied a working knowledge of Black religious culture with a commitment to humanism as an approach to documentary photography and photojournalism,” reads the introductory wall text for “Temples of Hope, Rituals of Survival: Gordon Parks and Black Religious Life” at Howard University in Washington.
The exhibition, which runs through Dec. 1, is a collaboration between the Gordon Parks Foundation and Howard, whose Moorland-Spingarn Research Center acquired a collection of 244 of Parks’ photos from the foundation in 2022.
The more than 40 photos and artifacts on display at Howard highlight the life and leaders of the Black church, the Nation of Islam and broader Black spirituality over the course of Parks’ half-century of work as a photographer, in which he became a chronicler first of Black working people and street life and later of the Civil Rights Movement. Parks, who died in 2006 at age 93, also made his mark as a filmmaker, musician and writer
The exhibition also includes images of Watson, a member of a Spiritualist church in Washington, receiving an anointment in one and, in the other, caring for children in view of a home shrine that features saintly figures and a Bible.
In a recent interview, Melanee C. Harvey, an associate professor at Howard who has made Parks a focus of her scholarship and who curated the exhibition, said that, before his arrival in D.C., Black photographers there, notably those at the Scurlock Studio, preferred posed portraits. Parks, she said, chose “a different approach, of him documenting it as he’s witnessing it, versus the more studio business approach.”
Mostly self-taught, Parks captured the lives of Americans while working for the Farm Security Administration in the 1940s as the agency sought to aid farm-
in the late 1980s
ers and migrant workers in the wake of the Great Depression. He moved on to work for prominent magazines, including Ebony and Vogue, before he became a staff photographer for Life magazine for more than 20 years.
It was while he was working for Life that Parks produced a 1953 series of photos exploring the ministry of the Rev Ernest Franklin Ledbetter Sr and his Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, a more than 100-year-old church on the city’s west side. “They had a stately structure, it was filled to the brim every Sunday, and they had a lasting impact in terms of the social gospel ministries,” said Harvey, who edited a book containing the series that will be released in December
Parks’ photos show Ledbetter, known for his dramatic sermons, preaching from the pulpit to the packed sanctuary of the large church. In one, his arms are outstretched as a white-uniformed usher stands at a distance behind him at attention, her left arm tucked behind her
“It is a temple of hope to thousands of Negro people caught in the backyard of this vast city,” Parks wrote in an unpublished essay about the church. “It is a haven in a world of unending trouble. It offers leadership and a powerful-preaching minister.”
Harvey said Parks also recorded images of women doing the more prosaic work of ministering to people on Chicago’s streets.
One woman Beatrice Williams, “would go around the community and minister to the drunks, the children, those marginalized in society,” said Harvey, with Parks trailing her with his camera.
Ariel Rainey, a visitor to the exhibition from Chicago, said
the images reminded her of decades past in her hometown and stories of church life she heard from her mother
“The Malcolm Xes, the Ledbetters and all these different people were actually in our community,” said Rainey, an activist who has supported innercity mothers who have lost their young children to gun violence. “And that’s what these pictures are showing. We have to go to the people.”
Life’s editors had sought for years to get images of the growing Nation of Islam movement, based in Chicago, and Parks was able to get permission from Elijah Muhammad, leader of the racially centered Muslim sect and a mentor to Malcolm X. Muhammad agreed only after Parks declined Muhammad’s offer of half a million dollars to leave Life and instead produce a movie about the movement.
The exhibition includes images from the 1960s of Malcolm X with leaders such as the Rev Adam Clayton Powell Jr., then-pastor of New York City’s Abyssinian Baptist Church, and talking with his hand on the shoulder of a man at Temple No 7 Restaurant in Chicago.
“He becomes so close to Mal-
colm X to the point where Gordon Parks is actually the godfather of one of Malcolm X’s daughters,” Harvey said. “Gordon Parks travels with Malcolm X to Chicago to Brooklyn, to Harlem and also Los Angeles to photograph the Nation.”
Having gained Malcolm X’s trust, Parks used the relationship to gain access to other figures and a wider Black culture. “He had a methodology of connecting with an individual that served as his kind of tour guide through this community,” Harvey said. Watson and Ledbetter served in those roles in the ’40s and ’50s, respectively Many of the images, Harvey pointed out, are without title, allowing the viewer to discern the story they have to tell by closer examination. She drew attention to a 1956 color photo showing two women talking, with one inside a church and the other standing at its window “Here we see two women look like they’re maybe gossiping or just exchanging important community information, but then when you look closer, you see that the woman inside the church is actually breastfeeding,” she said. “These very intimate, life-
sustaining things happen in that space.”
The exhibition includes examples of Parks’ films and poetry, such as a 1984 poem titled “Homecoming” with its reference to the divine. “Gordon Parks was a Renaissance man photography, filmmaking, and he also was an avid poet,” said Harvey “He ends this poem by saying: ‘My hope now is that each of us can find what GOD put us here to find – LOVE!’”
The exhibition includes two selfportraits, as well as a group picture outside a Fort Scott, Kansas, church when Parks was 9. Harvey has identified it as an African Methodist Episcopal congregation.
Harvey said she appreciated what she called “the serendipity of timing” that the exhibition opened in the current sociopolitical times of the nation.
“At a time where, especially in Washington, D.C, we’re experiencing a lot of gestures to change history, to whitewash history, this type of exhibition is kind of necessary,” she said. “It’s like serendipity or just perfect timing that this is offered as a kind of guidebook or a salve for this kind of moment.”
Scientist’s goal is to protect angel sharks
BY IBTISAM AGFEER
Contributing writer
A mountain headquarters might seem a curious choice for a marine biologist. But to Sara Almabruk, it’s the ideal base from which to work on saving one of the most endangered species in the Mediterranean: the angel shark.
Wearing a sky-blue bracelet painted with images of sharks, Ms. Almabruk enthusiastically shows off the new home of the Marine Biology in Libya Society, where the walls are decorated with fish models and handmade fishing nets. Ms. Almabruk is the general director of the group, which also includes a team of bright young researchers.
“This is where we’ll have the training halls,” she says, smiling as she gestures. “Here’s the office overlooking the balcony so the youth can relax. And here’s the lab — it still needs organizing, but you can see it’s taking shape.”
From this new headquarters, to which the group moved this summer, Ms. Almabruk is strategizing how to ensure the survival of Mediterranean angel sharks. She describes the bottom-dwelling sharks as “custodians of the seafloor” whose robust presence can indicate a healthy ecosystem But they are endangered in Libyan waters because of overfishing, bycatch, habitat loss, weak enforcement of environmental laws, and the species’ low reproduction rate of only six to seven young in a lifetime.
Through information reported by divers and commercial fishers on social media and collected from coastal field visits, Ms. Almabruk and her team monitor data on the species and raise awareness
PROVIDED PHOTO
Researcher Sara Almabruk studies an angel shark specimen at the offices of the Marine Biology in Libya Society Ms. Almabruk describes the bottom-dwelling sharks as ‘custodians of the seafloor,’ whose presence is one indicator of a healthy ecosystem.
among fishers that their trawling nets could inadvertently drag up large numbers of sharks. The team’s project focuses on building trust with fishing communities through dialogue and education rather than condemnation.
“When angel sharks disappear, it often signals deeper ecological stress,” Ms. Almabruk says. “Protecting angel sharks means protecting the foundation of coastal livelihoods and ecological integrity.”
An unlikely interest
The sea was never part of Ms. Almabruk’s childhood in the rugged Shahat region of northeastern Libya, and she didn’t plan to become a marine biology researcher In 2003, she enrolled in medical school but left three years later and joined the zoology program at Omar Al-Mukhtar University in Al-Bayda. By 2014, she had com-
pleted her master’s degree in fish biology It wasn’t until 2018 that sharks captured Ms. Almabruk’s research interest A diver reached out to her inquiring about the identity of a group of sharks he had photographed. The image prompted her to contact a friend in Greece, who identified the three fish as Mediterranean angel sharks and expressed amazement that they were sighted in Libyan waters.
“This is where my learning journey about this creature began its environment, behaviors, and classification on the Red List of endangered species,” says Ms. Almabruk, referring to an inventory maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
She discovered that three types of the shark exist in Libya. Fishers refer to them as shakatli, spotted shakatli, and thorny shakatli. They are also called safin in some areas.
Though she lacked financial support or an established formal partnership with other researchers, Ms. Almabruk took her first steps documenting the presence of angel sharks in Libya. “I used social media to connect with fishermen, asking them to share photos and experiences with the species when they encountered it in their nets,” she explains.
In 2019, Ms. Almabruk attended a regional workshop on angel sharks in Tunisia, where she met members of the Angel Shark Conservation Network. A year later she helped start the Marine Biology in Libya Society This enabled her to secure initial funding from the Save Our Seas Foundation, a prominent nonprofit, to conduct what she says was Libya’s first comprehensive research project on angel sharks.
Assembling a team of six researchers and marine field enthusiasts, Ms. Almabruk then formed partnerships with organizations throughout Libya to study the shark’s populations Facebook groups became treasure troves of information as divers and fishers posted images and footage of fish they encountered.
Ms. Almabruk’s team then expanded its data collection to the ports of Benghazi, Tripoli and Misrata. She says that the data has shown notable concentrations of the species specifically in the Gulf of Sidra. “This finding completely contradicted the prevailing belief before 2020 that this species was nearly extinct in the Mediterranean,” she adds proudly After five years of persistent work, Ms. Almabruk and her team identified the gulf as a vital breeding ground for angel sharks and documented more than 50 individuals between 2020 and 2021. A national database has been created to track the sharks.
The project also has taught fishers how to recognize the species and how to release the sharks caught in their nets.
Community engagement
At her Al-Bayda headquarters in the Green Mountains, about 12 miles from the Mediterranean coast, Ms. Almabruk places an angel shark specimen on a table and begins examining it carefully, describing its parts with obvious affection, turning it gently, and then lifting it up with a broad smile. She knows every detail of the specimen by heart. With flattened bodies and winglike fins, angel sharks resemble rays but are truly sharks — ambush predators that lie buried in sandy seabeds, waiting to surprise their prey Local fishers have embraced Ms. Almabruk’s conservation message. Ali Qanabi, a fisherman from Misrata, says that angel sharks have reappeared after years of absence and that local fishers have stopped selling them because of awareness campaigns led by Ms. Almabruk and her team. “Fishermen no longer deliberately target the species, and it’s lost its commercial value due to reduced market demand,” he says. Fawzi Dahan, from the nonprofit Bado Environmental Association for Marine and Wildlife Protection, notes an active partnership that developed with Ms. Almabruk’s team after a seminar. “We’ve made strides in raising awareness, like fishermen throwing back sharks they caught,” he says. “But amateur fishermen continue to use destructive fishing tools.”
Ms. Almabruk retains hope, despite the challenges.
“We achieved a lot with only social media,” she says. “I’m confident we’ll protect those angel sharks.”
SUNDAY, November 30, 2025
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.
instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
todAY's Word — idoLAtrY: eye-DAHLih-tree: The worship of a physical object as a god.
Average mark 50 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 63 or more words in IDOLATRY?
instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner
instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday
directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
North’s three-heart bid promised some useful values. It was stronger than four hearts South tried a spade cue bid and then bid slam when North could cue bid four diamonds. South won the opening trump lead and liked his chances. There was no certain entry to dummy, but a 3-2 club split would solve all his problems. He could get to dummy with the fourth round of clubs and discard his low spade on dummy’s ace of diamonds.
Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.
SUBJECT: BIBLICAL CHARACTERS
(e.g., The central figure of Christianity Answer: Jesus Christ.)
FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. He received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Answer________
He built an ark. Answer________ 3. He killed the giant Goliath. Answer________ 4. He sinned in the Garden of Eden.
South cashed another heart, drawing trumps, and then cashed the king and queen of diamonds. He cashed the ace of clubs, intending to play three rounds of the suit, but he paused when East played the 10 on the first club. Might clubs be splitting 4-1? Declarer took precautions by leading a low club instead of the king. Should both opponents follow suit, he could claim. West won with the jack but found himself end-played. He had to play a spade or a club, providing an entry to dummy either way It wasluckyforSouththatWestwas
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec. 21) Evaluate your home environment, finances and health. Incorporate a positive lifestyle. The time you spend with someone you love will enhance your relationship.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Stop hesitating. Check out the possibilities and enforce positive changes that will make your life easier your relationships better
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Expect to face interference, making it essential to abide by the rules and regulations to avoid financial and physical setbacks. Avoid taking
out of diamonds, but if West had a diamond to play, South would have discarded his remaining low club on the ace of diamonds and fallen back on the spade finesse for his contract.
Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency
risks that could compromise your physical well-being.
PISCES (Feb 20-March 20) Enforce the changes you want to make, and follow through. Don’t expect everyone to agree with your plans, but be willing to leave detractors behind if necessary
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Energy and enthusiasm will lead to knowledge and better choices. Interact, engage, ask questions and pursue positive change. Say no to temptation and indulgence.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Clearing a space specifically for a project you
want to pursue will encourage you to stop procrastinating. Make an effort to communicate your feelings for someone using both words and gestures.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Indulge in activities that are conducive to meeting new people or developing a closer connection to someone you love.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Participation and interaction will lead to opportunities for positive lifestyle changes. Think outside the box, use your imagination and be the one to make things happen.
This apostle was originally named Simon.
He is considered
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Consider new ways to promote what you have to offer, and you’ll find a way to combat boredom. Social events, romance and challenging yourself physically will boost your ego.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Keep tabs on what’s happening at home and with meaningful relationships. It’s best to nurture any signs of discontent before they grow into something unmanageable.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Focus your energy on rearranging your space to promote better workouts, healthier habits and increased produc-
tivity Make changes that attract positive people and outcomes, fostering love and affection.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Share your story and engage in activities that raise your level of awareness. Personal gain, interaction and initiating change are featured. The effort and energy you put out will pay off.
The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication
Answers to puzzles
1. Moses. 2. Noah. 3. David. 4. Adam.5.Peter 6. Joshua. 7. Solomon.8.Abraham. 9. Jacob 10. Methuselah. 11. Paul. 12. Isaac. 13. Samson. 14. Jonah. 15. Seth
SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?
Cryptoquote Answer
Saturday's Cryptoquote: People who love to eat are always the bestpeople. —Julia Child
word GAme Answer super quiz
sudoKu Answer jumble Answer
Crossword Answers
sCrAbble Answers
wuzzles Answers
Ken Ken Answers hidAtoAnswers
