The Times-Picayune 12-04-2025

COLLEGE FOOTBALL LSU,Tulane inkrecruits on

Border Patrol launches operationsinN.O.region

On firstday of sweeps,agentsmadearrests at stores, worksites; some businesses servingimmigrantsclosed

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

Federal agents on Wednesday launched immigration enforcementsweepsacross the New Orleans region, targeting south Louisiana as the next hostofthe escalating immigration crackdown from President Donald Trump’sadministration.

Agents detained dozens of peopleoutside home improvement stores, in shopping mall parking lotsand atworksitesin residential neighborhoods,according to eyewitnesses,immigrant rights groups and reporters who viewed some of the arrests. One witness described agents

INSIDE

ä Moreno ‘disturbed’ by Border Patrol activity in othercities. Page 5A

ä ACLU files suitchallenging state law blocking interference with immigration agents. Page 8A

ä See BORDER, page 7A

Agents make theirpresencefeltinKenner

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Althea Vallotton didn’tpay much attention to theroofers on topofher Marquette Drive home in Kenner when she left for work Wednesday.She told them “good morning” and wentonher way.Afterall, it was only aone-day jobtoput on anew metal roof.

Then the calls started coming in from

neighbors andrelatives. Videos of her housewerecirculating on Facebook.The U.S. Border Patrol was there.

At 12:30 p.m., just under adozen agents pulled up in atruck andSUV andsurrounded the two-story home. Several climbed up on topofthe roof, according to videospostedtosocialmedia anda neighborwho sawitall. Twoofthe 10 or so workers who had been pulling off the asphalt shingles andprepping for thenew

roof were put in handcuffs andcarted away,according to Vallotton,the neighbor and immigration advocacy group Union Migrante.

“My doorstep would have been the last place I’d have thought (Border Patrol) would have showed up,” Vallotton said as she stood amid the piles of cardboard, tarps and roofing materials scattered

ä See KENNER, page 5A

Nelson to lead La. community college system

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

The Louisiana Community and Technical College System on Wednesday selected its new president,giving thetop jobtoDepartment of RevenueSecretaryRichard Nelson.

Nelson will begin leading the state’scommunity college system, which includes 12 schools, effective Jan. 1.

“SecretaryNelsonisa problem solver,abridge builder,and aleader whorecognizes the critical role our colleges play in every region of Louisiana,” TimHardy,chair of the LCTCS board, said in astatement. Nelson has been at the helm of the Department of Revenue since early 2024, when he wastapped to lead the agency by Gov.Jeff Landry.Heisaformer state representative from Mandeville who ran for governorin 2023 but dropped out and endorsed Landry

CurrentPresident Monty Sullivan in October announced he would retire early next year.Hewas appointed to the role in 2014.

“Under Dr.Sullivan’s leadership, LCTCS nearly doubled its number of graduates, tripled foundationassets,and invested more than$500 millioninnew and modernized training facilitiesacrossthe state,” said an October news release announcing the departure.

Nelsonhas collected adiverse array of educational,professional andpolitical experiences over the years. Most recently,leading the state’s tax agency,hespearheaded aplan backed by Landry to slash the state’sindividual and corporate income tax rates, replacing the lost revenue with ahalf-cent increase to the sales tax rate. That was accomplished in aspecial session late last year

Before his bid for governor, during whichtax reform was a signature issue, Nelsonserved in the Louisiana House beginning in 2020. As astate lawmaker, Nelson eschewedculture-war fights in favor of policy debates.

Landry Cabinet member served as Department of Revenuesecretary ä See NELSON, page 8A

13TH yEAR, NO.114

Nelson

STAFF PHOTOSByCHRIS GRANGER

U.S. Border Patrol agents detain andhandcuffaman on Williams Boulevard in Kenner as theybegin their ‘Catahoula Crunch’ sweeps around the NewOrleans metro area on Wednesday. It wasn’t immediately clear whythe unidentified man wasbeing detained

Chief Patrol Agent of U.S. Customs and Border Protection GregoryBovino, center, tours the NewOrleans metro area on Wednesday.

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Power outage hits Cuba’swesternregion

HAVANA Ablackout hit Havana and the rest of the western half of Cuba on Wednesday,leaving millions of people without poweronanisland struggling with chronic outages blamed on acrumbling electric grid.

Lázaro Guerra, general director of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, said the massive outage wascaused by afailure on a transmissionline that connects two major plants. He saidpower would be restored gradually

In Havana, dozens of police officers were trying to direct trafficwhile many students who were already in school were sent back home. Small businesses that have generatorsresumed theirsales,especiallyoffood. Some areas had intermittent internet service, so manyresidents were left wonderingwhat had happened.

“There’snoconnection. No one knows why the powerisout …They’re not saying anything; it’sall silence,”grumbledRaúl Calderón,an82-year-old retiree, as he waited to hear official reportsonthe radio.

Atotal blackout hit Cuba in September,with officials blaming aging infrastructure and fuel shortages at power plants. The ongoing outages also affect waterserviceand impactthe island’sfragile business sector

Safety volunteercharged in shooting of protester

Asafetyvolunteeraccused of fatally shooting aman who was participating in a“No Kings” protest in Salt LakeCity in June has been charged with manslaughter,prosecutors announced Wednesday Matthew Alder allegedly fired at aman who was holdinga rifle during the demonstration, injuring that person and killing Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, abeloved Utah fashion designer Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gillalso announced that the man with the rifle, Arturo Roberto Gamboa, will not be charged Gamboa was initially arrested on suspicion of murder,accused of creating the dangeroussituation that led to Ah Loo’s death, police said at the time. Utah is an open-carry state, meaning people who can legally own a firearm are generally allowed to carry it on apublicstreet W.Va.reinstates school vaccination mandate

CHARLESTON, W.Va.— TheWest Virginia Board of Education on Tuesday reinstatedaschool vaccination mandate after the state Supreme Court paused a lower court’sruling that allowed parents to cite religious beliefs to opt out of shots required for their children to attend classes.

The SupremeCourt earlier Tuesday issued astay in last week’sruling by Raleigh County Circuit Judge Michael Froble in aclass-action lawsuit. In issuing an injunction, Froble said children of families who objected to thestate’s compulsory vaccination law on religious grounds would be allowed to attend school and participate in extracurricular sports.

The SupremeCourt halted Froble’sruling pending resolutionofappeals in the case. In light of that, the board saidina statement that it “is reinstating its directive to county boards of education not to accept religious exemptionstocompulsory vaccination laws. This directive will be in effect until theSupreme Court issues further guidance.”

The board had suspended the vaccine mandate last week after Froble’sruling,which saidthat astate policy barring parents from seeking religious exemptions violated the Equal Protection for Religion Act signed into law in 2023 by then-Republican Gov.Jim Justice. West Virginia was among just ahandful of states that granted only medical exemptions from school vaccinations when Republican Gov.Patrick Morrisey issued an executive order in January allowing religiousexemptions.InJune, the boarddirected public schools to ignore Morrisey’sexecutive order. Two groups had sued over the executive order,saying the Legislature,not thegovernor,has theauthority to make such decisions.

Trumppardons Texasrepresentative

Cuellaraccused of bribery, conspiracy

BY MICHELLEL.PRICE Associated Press

Democrat,ofgoing after the congressman and his wife “for speaking the TRUTH.”

to work. Nothing has changed. We will continue working hard.”

parents.

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump pardoned Texas Democratic Rep.HenryCuellarand his wife inafederal bribery andconspiracy case on Wednesday,citing whathecalled a“weaponized” justice system. Trump, who has argued thathis own legal troubles were apartisan witch hunt,said on social media withoutpresenting evidencethat Cuellar and his wife, Imelda Cuellar,were prosecuted because thecongressman had been critical of President Joe Biden’s immigration policies. Trump, aRepublican,saidin asocial mediapost thatCuellar “bravely spokeout againstOpen Borders” andaccused Biden, a

Federal authorities had charged Cuellarand hiswife with accepting thousands of dollars in exchange for thecongressman advancing theinterestsofanAzerbaijancontrolledenergy company and a bank in Mexico. Cuellar is accused of agreeing to influence legislation favorable to Azerbaijan and deliver apro-Azerbaijan speech on the floor of the U.S. House. Cuellarhas said he andhis wife are innocent. Thecouple’s trial had been set to begin next April.

“Henry,Idon’tknow you, but you can sleep well tonight,” Trump wrote in his social media postannouncing thepardon. “Your nightmareis finally over!”

Cuellar,who spoketoreporters outside his congressional office on Wednesday, thanked Trump in a briefstatement. “I think the facts have been clear about this, but Iwould also say Iwant to thank God for standing during this very difficult time with my family and I,” he said. “Now we can get back

Cuellar was asked if he was changing partiesand said, “No, like Isaid, nothing has changed.”

Aspokesperson for Biden did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

TheU.S.Constitution givesthe president broad power to grand pardons for federal crimes. The pardons don’terase arecipient’s criminalrecordbut can be seen as act of mercy or justice, often in cases that further public welfare.

Trump’spardons this year have included astring of unlikely beneficiaries whoare boldfaced names andfrequentlypolitically aligned with the president. He pardoned dozens of Republicansaccused of participating in his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. He gave clemency to all of 1,500plus people charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

In Trump’ssocial media post, he included acopyofa letter that Cuellar’stwo daughters, Christina and Catherine, had sent to him on Nov.12asking that he pardon their

Veteranwho savedlives on OmahaBeach dies

BY SYLVIE CORBET and JEFFREY SCHAEFFER Associated Press

PARIS Charles Shay, adecorated Native American veteranwho wasa 19-year-old U.S. Army medicwhen he landedonOmaha Beach on D-Dayand helped save lives, died on Wednesday.He was 101.

Shay died at his homeinBrettevilleL’OrgueilleuseinFrance’sNormandy region,his longtime friend and carer Marie-Pascale Legrand said.

Shay,ofthe Penobscot tribe and from Indian Island in theU.S.stateofMaine, was awarded the Silver Star forrepeatedly plunging into the seaand carrying critically woundedsoldiers to relative safety,saving themfrom drowning. He also received France’shighest award, the Legion of Honor,in2007.

Shay hadbeenliving in France since 2018,not far fromthe shores of Normandy where nearly 160,000 troopsfromBritain, the U.S., Canada and other nations landed on D-Day on June 6, 1944. The Battle of Normandy hastened Germany’s defeat, which camelessthan ayear later

“He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loved ones,”Legrand told The Associated Press.

TheCharles Shay Memorial group, which honors the memoryofabout 500 Native Americans who landed on the Normandybeaches, said in astatement posted onFacebook that “our heartsare deeply saddenedasweshare that our belovedCharles Norman Shay …has returned home to the Creator andthe Spirit World.”

“He was an incredibly loving father, grandfather,father-in-law, anduncle, a hero tomany, andanoverall amazing humanbeing,” thestatement said. “Charles leaves alegacy of love, service, courage, spirit, duty and family that continuesto shine brightly.”

Readytogivehis life

On D-Day,4,414 Allied troops losttheir lives,2,501 of them Americans. More than 5,000 were wounded. On theGermanside,several thousand were killed or wounded.Shay survived.

“I guessIwas prepared to give my life if Ihad to. Fortunately,Idid not have to,” Shay saidina2024 interview with The Associated Press.

“I had been given ajob,and the wayI looked at it, it was up to me to complete my job,” he recalled. “I did nothave time to worry aboutmysituation of being there andperhaps losing my life. There was notime for this.”

On thatnight, exhausted, he eventually fell asleep in agrove above the beach.

“When Iwoke up in the morning. It waslike Iwas sleeping in agraveyard because there were dead Americansand Germanssurrounding me,” he recalled. “I stayed there for not very long andI continued on my way.”

Shaythenpursuedhis mission in Normandy forseveral weeks, rescuing those wounded, beforeheading with American troopstoeastern France and Germany, wherehewas takenprisonerinMarch 1945 and liberated afew weeks later Spreadingamessage of peace

After World WarII, Shayreenlisted in themilitarybecause the situation of Native Americans in his homestate of Maine was too precarious due to poverty anddiscrimination. Maine would not allow individuals living on Native American reservations to vote until 1954.

Shay continued towitnesshistory— returning to combat as amedic during the KoreanWar,participatinginU.S. nuclear testinginthe Marshall Islands and later working at the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, Austria.

For over 60 years, he did not talk about his WorldWar II experience. But he beganattending D-Day commemorations in 2007 and in recent years, he has seized manyoccasions to give his powerful testimonyand spread amessage of peace.

During the COVID-19 pandemicin 2020-21, Shay’slonepresence marked commemoration ceremoniesastravel restrictions prevented other veterans or families of fallen soldiers from theU.S. Britainand other allied countries from making the trip to France. Sadnessatseeingwar back in Europe

For years, Shay used to perform asageburning ceremony,inhomage to those whodied, on abluffoverlookingOmaha Beach,where themonument bearing his namenow stands.

On June 6, 2022, he handed over theremembrance task to another Native American, Julia Kelly,a Gulf Warveteran from the Crowtribe. That was just over three months after Russia’sfull-scaleinvasion of Ukraine in what was to become the worst war on the continent since1945. Shay then expressed his sadnessatseeing war back on the continent. “Ukraine is averysad situation.I feel sorryfor thepeoplethereand Idon’t know why this war had to come,” he said. “In 1944, Ilanded on thesebeaches and we thought we’d bring peace to theworld. But it’snot possible.”

“When you and your family faced your own challenges, we understood that pain in avery human way,” Cuellar’sdaughters wrote in theirletter. “Wewatched from afar through the eyes of daughters who knew what it felt like to see parents under fire.”

In astatement, Imelda Cuellar’slawyers said Wednesday they were gratified by Trump’spardon of their client.

“She hasalwaysmaintainedher innocence,” the statement said.

Henry Cuellar still faces an Ethics Committee investigation in the House. It began in May 2024 shortly after his indictment and was reauthorizedinJuly.The committee saiditwas in contact withthe Justice Departmentaboutmitigatingthe risks associated withdual investigations while still meeting its obligations to safeguard the integrity of the House.

Cuellar,who has served in Congress for morethan 20 years, is amoderate Democrat who represents an area on the Texas-Mexico border

BY ANDREWDALTON Associated Press

LOSANGELES— Adoctor who pleaded guiltytosellingketaminetoMatthew Perry in the weeks before the “Friends” star’soverdose deathwas sentenced to 2½ yearsinprisonon Wednesday Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed downthe sentence plus twoyears of probation to 44-year-old Dr.Salvador Plasencia in a federal courtroom in Los Angeles.

The judge emphasized thatPlasencia didn’tprovide the ketamine that killed Perry,but told him, “You and others helped Mr Perry on the road to such an ending by continuing to feed his ketamine addiction.”

“You exploitedMr. Perry’s addictionfor your own profit,” she said.

Plasencia wasled from thecourtroom in handcuffs as his mothercried loudly in the audience.

Perry’smother, stepmother and two half sisters gave tearful victim impact statements.

“My brother’sdeath turned my world upside down,” sister Madeline Morrisonsaid, crying. “It puncheda crater in my life. His absence is everywhere.” Plasencia wasthe first to be sentencedofthe five defendants who have pleaded guilty in connection with Perry’sdeath at age 54 in 2023. The doctor admitted to taking advantage of Perry,knowing he was a struggling addict. Plasenciatexted anotherdoctor that Perry was a“moron” whocould be exploited for money,according to court filings.

Prosecutorshad asked for three years in prison, while the defense sought just aday in prison plus probation. Perry’s mothertalked aboutthe things he overcameinlife andthe strength he showed.

“You calledhim a‘moron,’”Suzanne Perry said, addressing Plasencia. “There is nothing moronic about that man.Hewas even asuccessful drug addict.”

Cuellar

Europeans accuse Putin of feigning interest in peace

Five hours of talks produce no breakthrough

BY LORNE COOK and ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press

KYIV Ukraine Ukraine and its European allies accused Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday of feigning interest in peace efforts after five hours of talks with U.S. envoys at the Kremlin produced no breakthrough.

The Russian leader “should end the bluster and the bloodshed and be ready to come to the table and to support a just and lasting peace,” said U.K Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha urged Putin to “stop wasting the world’s time.”

The remarks reflected the high tensions and gaping gulf between Russia on one side and Ukraine and its European allies on the other over how to end a war that Moscow started when it invaded its neighbor nearly four years ago.

A day earlier, Putin accused the Europeans of sabotaging the U.S.-led peace efforts and warned that, if provoked, Russia would be ready for war with Europe. Since the 2022 invasion, European governments, along with the U.S., have spent billions of dollars to support Kyiv financially and militarily Under President Donald Trump, however, the U.S. has tempered its support — and instead made

a push to end the war Putin’s foreign affairs adviser, Yuri Ushakov, said Tuesday’s talks at the Kremlin between Putin and U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner were “positive,” but he wouldn’t release any details.

Witkoff and Kushner are set to meet with Ukraine’s lead negotiator, Rustem Umerov, on Thursday in Miami for further talks, according to a senior Trump administration official who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity

Trump said Witkoff and Kushner came away from their marathon session

with Putin confident that he wants to find an end to the war “Their impression was very strongly that he’d like to make a deal,” Trump said.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said “the world clearly feels that the possibility of ending the war exists.”

In comments from his evening address posted on Telegram, Zelenskyy said the effort depends on “constructive diplomacy plus pressure on the aggressor Both components work towards peace.”

Where the peace talks go from here depends largely on whether the Trump administration decides to increase the pressure on Rus-

sia or on Ukraine to make concessions.

A U.S. peace proposal that became public last month was criticized for being tilted heavily toward Moscow because it granted some of the Kremlin’s core demands that Kyiv has rejected as nonstarters.

Many European leaders worry that if Putin gets what he wants in Ukraine, he will have free rein to threaten their countries, which already have faced incursions from Russian drones and fighter jets, and an alleged widespread sabotage campaign.

The Russian and American sides agreed Tuesday not to disclose the substance

of their Kremlin talks, but at least one major hurdle to a settlement remains — the fate of four Ukrainian regions Russia partially occupies and claims as its own.

After the talks, Ushakov told reporters that “so far, a compromise hasn’t been found” on the issue of territory, without which the Kremlin sees “no resolution to the crisis.” Ukraine has ruled out giving up territory that Russia has captured.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Wednesday it was “not correct” to say that Putin had rejected the U.S. peace plan. He declined to elaborate on the talks. Foreign ministers from

European NATO countries, meeting Wednesday in Brussels, showed little patience with Moscow “What we see is that Putin has not changed any course. He’s pushing more aggressively on the battlefield,” Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said. “It’s pretty obvious that he doesn’t want to have any kind of peace.”

Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen struck the same note. “So far we haven’t seen any concessions from the side of the aggressor, which is Russia and I think the best confidencebuilding measure would be to start with a full ceasefire,” she said.

BY JESSE BUNCH

The Philadelphia Inquirer (TNS)

A University of Delaware student who planned to target a campus police building with firearms was arrested last week and charged with federal weapons crimes, authorities said.

Luqmaan Khan, 25, of Wilmington, vowed to “kill all” as he mapped out violent schemes in his journal — ones that involved Glock pistols, stun grenades, an assault rifle, and other “urban warfare setups,” according to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI. New Castle County police discovered the alleged plot when, authorities say, they happened upon Khan behaving suspiciously in a disc golf park late last Monday When officers found Khan alone in a Toyota around midnight after the park had closed, they said, he repeatedly reached around in the vehicle and became nervous when questioned why he was there.

Khan was arrested for resisting arrest after he refused to get out of the driver’s seat. When officers searched the car, they found a loaded Glock .357 handgun, a brace for semiautomatic pistols that have been converted into machine

guns, four loaded extended ammunition magazines, body armor, binoculars, and a notebook, according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. That notebook is now the center of an investigation being handled by agents with the FBI’s Wilmington office. The marble composition book was littered with references to different firearms and the ideal scenarios for their use, the affidavit said.

Khan noted that an assault rifle was best for “open spaces,” while a Glock pistol was better for “fast transition fighting.” He suggested tear gas could be used for “room clearing,” the document said, while a sword or knife would allow for “no noise kills.”

Khan’s notebook also included a hand-drawn map of a building that federal authorities say appears to be the University of Delaware campus police station. It included notes about entry and exit points to the building at certain times of the day, the affidavit says. Meanwhile, Khan named a University of Delaware police officer as a “specific target” according to the affidavit, which did not identify the officer Khan, the document said, “intended to use the weap-

ons he amassed to commit ‘ambushes’ and ‘surprise attacks’ on targets” at the university

Laura Carlson, the university’s interim president, said in a letter to the campus community that Khan has been “temporarily separated” from the university as the investigation continues and is barred from accessing campus buildings.

Khan’s writings repeatedly mentioned becoming a “martyr,” authorities said. In an interview with the FBI after his arrest, the affidavit said, Khan told investigators that martyrdom was “one of the greatest things you can do.”

Khan, who was born in Pakistan and emigrated to America in his youth, is a U.S. citizen who lived alone and had no criminal convictions, federal authorities said.

Federal agents searched his residence last week and recovered an additional unregistered 9 mm Glock pistol with a machine gun conversation kit, an M4 rifle with a scope and red dot sight, 10 more extended magazines, and a second body armor plate.

Federal prosecutors charged Khan with possessing a machine gun and an unregistered firearm. If convicted, he faces a maxi-

mum sentence of 10 years in prison, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Of

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVGENIy MALOLETKA

A mother cries in front of the coffin of her son Oleh Borovyk, a Ukrainian serviceman who was killed in fighting with Russian forces near Pokrovsk, during his funeral ceremony in Boiarka, Ukraine, on Wednesday.

Hegseth faces more scrutiny from Congress

BY STEPHEN GROVES and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON Pete Hegseth bare-

ly squeaked through a grueling Senate confirmation process to become secretary of defense earlier this year, facing lawmakers wary of the Fox News Channel host and skeptical of his capacity, temperament and fitness for the job

Now, in what may be his most career-defining moment yet Hegseth is confronting questions about the use of military force and demands he release the videotapes after a special operations team reportedly attacked survivors of a strike on an alleged drug boat off the coast of Venezuela. Some lawmakers and legal experts say the second strike would have violated the laws of armed conflict.

“These are serious charges, and that’s the reason we’re going to have special oversight,” said Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the Republican chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee

The scrutiny surrounding Hegseth’s brash leadership style is surfacing what has been long-building discontent in Congress over President Donald Trump’s choice to helm the U.S. military And it’s posing a potentially existential moment for Hegseth as the congressional committees overseeing the military launch an investigation amid mounting calls from Democratic senators for his resignation.

Vowed a ‘warrior culture’

Since working to become defense secretary, Hegseth has vowed to

bring a “warrior culture” to the U.S. government’s most powerful and expensive department, from rebranding it as the Department of War to essentially discarding the rules that govern how soldiers conduct themselves when lives are on the line.

Hegseth on Tuesday cited the “fog of war” in defending the follow-up strike, saying that there were explosions and fire and that he did not see survivors in the water when the second strike was ordered and launched. He chided those second-guessing his actions as being part of the problem.

Yet the approach to the operation was in line with the direction of the military under Hegseth, a former infantry officer with the Army National Guard, part of the

post-Sept. 11 generation, who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and earned Bronze Stars.

During a speech in September, he told an unusual gathering of top military brass whom he had summoned from all corners of the globe to the Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia that they should not “fight with stupid rules of engagement.”

“We untie the hands of our warfighters to intimidate, demoralize hunt and kill the enemies of our country,” he said. “No more politically correct and overbearing rules of engagement, just common sense, maximum lethality and authority for warfighters.”

But now lawmakers and military and legal experts say the Sept. 2 attack borders on illegal military

action.

“Secretary Talk Show Host may have been experiencing the ‘fog of war,’ but that doesn’t change the fact that this was an extrajudicial killing amounting to murder or a war crime,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “He must resign.”

Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican who served 30 years active duty in the Air Force, finishing his career at the rank of brigadier general, said he hasn’t been a fan of Hegseth’s leadership. “I don’t think he was up to the task,” Bacon said. Will he keep Trump’s favor?

Trump, a Republican, has largely stood by his defense secretary among the most important Cabinet-level positions. But the decisions by Wicker, alongside House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers of Alabama and the top Democrats on the committees, to open investigations provide a rare moment of Congress asserting itself and its authority to conduct oversight of the Trump administration.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., who shepherded the defense secretary’s nomination to confirmation, has said the boat strikes are within Trump’s authority as commander in chief — and he noted that Hegseth serves at the pleasure of the president.

“I don’t have, at this point, an evaluation of the secretary,” Thune said at the start of the week. “Others can make those evaluations.”

But Hegseth also has strong allies on Capitol Hill, and it remains unclear how much Republicans would actually be willing to push back on the president, especially

Pentagon watchdog reports on Hegseth’s use of Signal

Secretary put U.S personnel at risk, findings say

BY LISA MASCARO and BEN FINLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Pentagon’s watchdog found that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth put U.S. personnel and their mission at risk when he used the Signal messaging app to convey sensitive information about a military strike against Yemen’s Houthi militants, two people familiar with the findings said Wednesday

Hegseth, however, has the ability to declassify material and the report did not find he did so improperly according to one of the people familiar with the findings who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the information. That person also said the report concluded that Hegseth violated Pentagon policy by using his personal device for official business and it recommended better training for all Pentagon officials.

Hegseth declined to sit for an interview with the Pentagon’s inspector general but provided a written statement, that person said. The defense secretary asserted that he was permitted to declassify information as he saw fit and only communicated details he thought would not endanger the mission.

The initial findings ramp up the pressure on the former Fox News Channel host after lawmakers had called for the independent inquiry into his use of the commercially available app. Lawmakers also just opened investigations into a

news report that a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean Sea in September killed survivors after Hegseth issued a verbal order to “kill everybody.”

Hegseth defended the strike as emerging in the “fog of war,” saying he didn’t see any survivors but also “didn’t stick around” for the rest of the mission and that the admiral in charge “made the right call” in ordering the second strike. He also did not admit fault following the Signal revelations, asserting that the information was unclassified.

“The Inspector General review is a TOTAL exoneration of Secretary Hegseth and proves what we knew all along no classified information was shared,” Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman, said in a statement. “This matter is resolved, and the case is closed.”

President Donald Trump “stands by” Hegseth, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement, adding that the probe affirms that “no classified information was leaked, and operational security was not compromised.”

In at least two separate Signal chats, Hegseth provided the exact timings of warplane launches and when bombs would drop — before the men and women carrying out those attacks on behalf of the United States were airborne.

Hegseth’s use of the app came to light when a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a Signal text chain by then-national security adviser Mike Waltz. It included Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi

Gabbard and others, brought together to discuss March 15 military operations against the Iranbacked Houthis Hegseth had created another Signal chat with 13 people that included his wife and brother where he shared similar details of the same strike, The Associated Press reported. Signal is encrypted but is not authorized for carrying classified information and is not part of the Pentagon’s secure communications network.

Hegseth previously has said none of the information shared in the chats was classified. Multiple current and former military officials have told the AP there was no way details with that specificity, especially before a strike took place, would have been OK to share on an unsecured device.

The review was delivered to lawmakers, who were able to review the report in a classified facility at the Capitol A partially redacted version of the report was expected to be released publicly later this week.

Hegseth said he viewed the investigation as a partisan exercise and did not trust the inspector general, according to one of the people familiar with the report’s findings. The review had to rely on screenshots of the Signal chat published by the Atlantic because Hegseth could not provide more than a small handful of his Signal messages, the person said.

When asked about the investigation in August, Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson told reporters that “we believe that this is a witch hunt and a total sham and being conducted in bad faith.”

The revelations sparked in-

tense scrutiny, with Democratic lawmakers and a small number of Republicans saying Hegseth posting the information to the Signal chats before the military jets had reached their targets potentially put those pilots’ lives at risk. They said lower-ranking members of the military would have been fired for such a lapse.

Some Democrats on the House and Senate intelligence committees suggested Wednesday that Hegseth’s actions would be a fireable offense for anyone else.

“This was not an isolated lapse It reflects a broader pattern of recklessness and poor judgment from a secretary who has repeatedly shown he is in over his head,” Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia said in a statement.

The Houthi rebels had started launching missile and drone attacks against commercial and military ships in late 2023 in what their leadership had described as an effort to end Israel’s offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Their campaign greatly reduced the flow of trade through the Red Sea corridor, which typically sees $1 trillion of goods move through it annually

Following the disclosure of Hegseth’s Signal chat that included the Atlantic’s editor the magazine released the entire thread in late March Hegseth had posted multiple details about an impending strike, using military language and laying out when a “strike window” starts, where a “target terrorist” was located, the time elements around the attack and when various weapons and aircraft would be used in the strike.

He mentioned that the U.S. was “currently clean” on operational security

when they have spent the first year in his administration yielding to his various demands.

Vice President JD Vance, who cast a rare tiebreaking vote to confirm Hegseth, has vigorously defended him in the attack. And Sen. Eric Schmitt, another close ally to Trump, dismissed criticism of Hegseth as “nonsense” and part of an effort to undermine Trump’s focus on Central and South America.

“He’s not part of the Washington elite,” said Schmitt, R-Mo. “He’s not a think tanker that people thought Trump was going to pick. And so, for that reason and others, they just, they don’t like him.” Tension between some Republican lawmakers and the Pentagon has been rising for months. Capitol Hill has been angered by recent moves to restrict how defense officials communicate with lawmakers and the slow pace of information on Trump’s campaign to destroy boats carrying drugs off the coast of Venezuela.

As he defends his job, Hegseth has spoken to both Wicker and Rogers, the top lawmakers overseeing the military Rogers said he was “satisfied” with Hegseth after that conversation, while Wicker said that he told Hegseth that he would like him to testify to Congress.

Hegseth at first tried to brush aside the initial report about the strike by posting a photo of the cartoon character Franklin the Turtle firing on a boat from a helicopter, but that only inflamed criticism of him and angered lawmakers who felt he was not taking the allegations seriously

Mom, stepdad charged in death of pregnant woman

BY MURI ASSUNÇÃO New york Daily News (TNS)

The mother and stepfather of a pregnant 22-year-old woman whose remains were found in a Michigan forest are accused of torturing her to death, prosecutors said. Cortney Bartholomew, 40, and Bradly Bartholomew, 47, were arrested this week on multiple felony charges, including murder, torture, assault of a pregnant person causing a miscarriage or stillbirth, and other offenses, the Michigan Attorney General’s Office said Tuesday

They’re accused of brutally murdering Rebecca Park, Cortney Bartholomew’s biological daughter, who was about 38 weeks pregnant when she was reported missing from her northern Michigan home on Nov 3.

Park’s body was found three weeks later along a hiking trail in the Manistee National Forest, a rural, wooded area in Boon Township, a small municipality of about 650 in Wexford County, roughly 100 miles north of Grand Rapids. Her baby was nowhere to be found.

The couple allegedly lured Park to their Wexford County home on Nov 3, then tortured her in an attempt to remove the unborn infant, resulting in the death of both, officials said.

“These two individuals created a plan, conducted research. Mr Bartholomew brought Rebecca to their home, forced her into another vehicle and took her into the woods where they stabbed her, forced her to lie on the ground while they cut her baby out, ultimately causing her death and the death of the baby,” Carey said, declaring the case “evil, personified.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, right, speaks Tuesday beside President Donald Trump during a Cabinet meeting at the White House in Washington.

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Mayor-elect Helena Moreno

said she’s“disturbed” by reports she has seen of U.S.Customsand Border Protection conductinother cities and that she willdowhatis within her power to ensure New Orleanians’ rights aren’tviolated, including by connectingresidents with attorneys who volunteered to provide free legal advice.

SpeakingonWednesdayatan event for the Women of the Storm at City Park, Moreno also said she worries that the BorderPatrol agents’ practice of concealing their faces and not wearing identifiable uniforms during im-

migration raids could cause confusion and lead to violence, noting that Louisianaallows residentsto carry concealed firearmswithout a permit.

“If you are a masked person and not necessarily identifiable as an officer,you’re coming up on people and grabbing them,itcan be areal safetyissue foreveryone around, including the Border Patrol or ICE agent,” Moreno said.

Moreno, who takes office on Jan. 12, said New Orleans Police Department SuperintendentAnne

Kirkpatrick madea“very strong request” withBorder Patrolthat their agents wear identifiable uniforms and not wear masks.

Federal officials saythe operation, which they’ve dubbed“CatahoulaCrunch,” is aimed at targeting violent offenders. But Moreno said that’snot what appears to have happenedonthe ground in other cities.

“Do we want the most violent criminals off of our streets? Absolutely.Yes. Idon’tthink anyone is going to object to that. We want the mostviolent criminals off of ourstreets, whether they’re legalorillegal,” Moreno said. “But what we’ve been seeing across the country and in other cities is that

Border Patrol appears to be targeting Brown people and potentially violating even some of their due process rights.”

Moreno also saidit’simportant for residents to document what theysee so that any abuses can be brought to light. The City Council on Wednesdaylaunchedanonline reporting system for witnesses of potential abuses to upload videos, pictures andrelated information. The site is accessible in Spanish, Vietnamese, English and Arabic andalso has handouts to educate people on their rights.

Moreno’stransition team put acall outtoattorneys willing to providefree legal advice to those caught up in the dragnet. She said

alocal law school is also providing training forthose volunteers, though she didn’tidentify which school. Her transition also published afact sheet to educate people on their rights.

Kirkpatrick, also speaking at Wednesday’sevent, said NOPD hasa long-standing policyagainst asking about people’simmigration status. She also said it’snot the responsibilityofNOPDtoenforce federal crimes associated with immigration violations.

“Wewant to make sure our immigrantcommunitydoes notfear us andtheysee allofusasone,” she said.

Staff writer Mike Smith contributed to this report.

in her front lawn, undera string of icicle lights. Aladder leading to the roof rested against the garage.

Vallotton’s home was among several sites where Border Patrol operations took place Wednesday,the firstday of the federal agency’simmigrationenforcement sweeps in the New Orleans area.

Though the full scopeof the operations wasn’tclear late Wednesday,Kenner appeared to be whereagents were focused.

Kenner,smallerand more suburban than NewOrleans, has the largest Hispanic population of any Louisiana city, with roughly 30% of its population identifying as Hispanic.

Police Chief Keith Conley is one of the few public officials in the area who have welcomed the enforcement operations.

Just afew miles away from Vallatton’shouse, on Lisa Drive, behindashopping center,Gregory Bovino, the controversial head of U.S. Border Patrol,made oneofhis firstpublic appearances after announcing his arrival to New Orleans on social media earlier that day.

“Welcome to Operation Catahoula Crunch,” Bovino told media at 1:25 p.m.

Wednesday

A fleet of federal vehicles departedthe shopping center shortly after, including a black-tinted SUV that would go on to detain two men in alandscaping truck on WilliamsBoulevard less than30

minutes later.Agentstook a photoofone ofthe menand lethim go,and handcuffed theother Kenner’smain thoroughfare, Williams Boulevard, is lined with Latin American restaurants with cuisines —Honduran, Guatemalan, Mexican,among others reflectingits diverseHispanicpopulation

Butleadingupto Border Patrol’s arrival on Wednesday, many of thosebusi-

nesses closeddown. Some closuresweredue to staffingshortagesasworkers opted to stayhome. Union Migrante organizer Rachel Tabersaidinaninterview Tuesday that in some restaurants, peoplesleptinside their establishments to avoid confrontations with agents.

SaulAlcazar,owner of the three-restaurant chain Cafetomas,said Wednesday morning that there had been

a“tension outside in theair” at allthree of hislocations in Kenner, Mandeville and Uptown New Orleans. Alcazar had made the decision last monthtoclose his Uptown location duetostaffing shortages.

He pointed outthe businessesnear his Williams Boulevardlocation that had closed down in light of the upcoming sweepsWednesdaymorning, during a break fromworking in the

kitchen.Heestimated as many as 15 in the immediate area were temporarily shut down.

Alcazar said that fear has gripped all members of the Hispanic community,not just those who are undocumented.

“People, with documents or illegalinthe United States, are afraid to go out because if youget busted, they(BorderPatrol) ask questions later,” Alcazar

said. “You don’tjust create panic with the person that is probably getting arrested. Youcreatepanic with the whole family.”

KennerMayor Michael Glaser declined to comment on Border Patrol’soperationsWednesday, saying it was “a federal lawenforcementissue.”

“After over 30 years in law enforcement, Iknow the importance of notinterfering with operations beyond your jurisdiction,” Glaser saidin astatement.

For his part, Conley said Wednesdaythathis department hadnot been briefed by Border Patrol about their operations.

Jefferson Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng did not respond to arequest for commentlateWednesday afternoon but on Monday haddeferred comments on the matter to local law enforcement.

Vallotton, who works in a nearby public school, said that she’sseen alarge number of absences this week ahead of the Border Patrol’s arrival. She estimated that 60% of the student body identifies as Hispanic. Wednesday’sroof replacementwas supposed to be the first step toward repairing the rest of her home. But by the end of the day,she just hoped that the unfinished project would be sealed off by the timeitrained next. “This wassupposed to be the beginning of the start of redoing my house,” Vallotton said. “I was so excited about that, and not anymore.”

Email Lara Nicholsonat lnicholson@theadvocate. com.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street pulls near its all-time high

NEW YORK U.S. stocks rose near their record levels on Wednesday as mixed data on the economy kept alive hopes that a cut to interest rates is coming soon.

The biggest jump in the S&P 500 came from Microchip Technology, which leaped 12.2% after saying it expects sales and profit for the final months of the year to come in at the high end of the forecasted ranges it earlier gave. CEO Steve Sanghi said business is doing better than expected, and it’s reducing inventory levels

Marvell Technology was another winner and rose 7.9% after the supplier of semiconductor products delivered a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected CEO Matt Murphy credited demand for its data center products, while also announcing a purchase of Celestial AI to bolster its artificial-intelligence infrastructure business. The deal’s price tag could top $3.25 billion.

Stocks broadly got a lift from easing Treasury yields in the bond market. Yields fell after a report suggested U.S. employers outside of the government may have cut more jobs in November than they added

While the surprisingly weak report from ADP may be discouraging for people looking for jobs, it also bolstered expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate next week. If the Fed does, that would be the third cut of the year in hopes of helping the slowing job market.

Arizona attorney general sues Temu

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced Tuesday that Arizona is the latest state to sue Temu and its parent company PDD Holdings Inc. over allegations that the Chinese online retailer is stealing customers’ data.

Mayes said the app deceives customers about the quality of its low-cost products and collects what she described as a shocking amount of sensitive data without the consent of users, including GPS locations and a list of other apps on phones

According to the lawsuit, prosecutors are concerned about Temu being subject to laws in China that require Chinese companies to hand over data requested by the government, and that its code is designed to evade security reviews.

“It can detect everywhere you go, to a doctor’s office, to a public library, to a political event, to your friends’ houses,” Mayes said during a news conference.

“So the scope of this invasion of privacy is enormous, and that’s why I consider it possibly the gravest violation of the Arizona Consumer Fraud Act that we have ever seen in Arizona.”

In a statement, Temu denied the allegations.

Australia to enforce social media age limit

MELBOURNE, Australia Social media platforms must report monthly how many children’s accounts they close once Australia begins enforcing its 16year age limit next week, a minister said Wednesday Facebook, Instagram Kick, Reddit, Snapchat, Threads, TikTok, X and YouTube would face fines of up to $33 million from Dec. 10 if they fail to take reasonable steps to remove accounts of Australian children younger than 16. Livestreaming service Twitch was added to the list of age-restricted platforms less than two weeks ago.

The Australian eSafety Commissioner will send the 10 platforms notices on Dec 11 demanding information about the numbers of accounts removed Monthly notices would follow for six months.

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

San Francisco sues food manufacturers

City says top companies created ‘public health crisis’

BY JAIMIE DING Associated Press

The city of San Francisco filed a lawsuit against some of the nation’s top food manufacturers on Tuesday, arguing that ultraprocessed food from the likes of Coca-Cola and Nestle are responsible for a public health crisis.

City Attorney David Chiu named 10 companies in the lawsuit, which argues that ultraprocessed foods are linked to diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease and cancer

“They took food and made it un-

recognizable and harmful to the human body,” Chiu said in a news release. “These companies engineered a public health crisis, they profited handsomely, and now they need to take responsibility for the harm they have caused.”

Ultraprocessed foods include candy, chips, processed meats, sodas, energy drinks, breakfast cereals and other foods that are designed to “stimulate cravings and encourage overconsumption,” Chiu’s office said in the release. Such foods are “formulations of often chemically manipulated cheap ingredients with little if any whole food added,” Chiu wrote in the lawsuit.

The other companies named in the lawsuit are PepsiCo; Kraft Heinz Co.; Post Holdings; Mondelez International; General Mills;

Kellogg; Mars Incorporated; and ConAgra Brands. None of the companies named in the suit immediately responded to emailed requests for comment.

The Consumer Brands Association, a trade group that represents many food manufacturers, said companies adhere to the safety standards established by the Food and Drug Administration.

“There is currently no agreed upon scientific definition of ultraprocessed foods and attempting to classify foods as unhealthy simply because they are processed, or demonizing food by ignoring its full nutrient content, misleads consumers and exacerbates health disparities,” Sarah Gallo, senior vice president of product policy for the group, said in a statement.

In October, California Gov

Gavin Newsom signed a first-inthe-nation law to phase out certain ultraprocessed foods from school meals over the next decade.

San Francisco’s lawsuit cites several scientific studies on the negative impact of ultraprocessed foods on human health.

“Mounting research now links these products to serious diseases — including Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, heart disease, colorectal cancer, and even depression at younger ages,” University of California-San Francisco professor Kim Newell-Green said in the news release.

The lawsuit argues that by producing and promoting ultraprocessed foods, the companies violate California’s Unfair Competition Law and public nuisance statute.

Trump proposal weakens vehicle mileage rules that limits pollution

Fuel economy reductions would reverse Biden policy

BY MATTHEW DALY and ALEXA ST JOHN Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a proposal to weaken vehicle mileage rules for the auto industry, loosening regulatory pressure on automakers to control pollution from gasoline-powered cars and trucks.

The plan if finalized next year would significantly reduce fuel economy requirements, which set rules on how far new vehicles need to travel on a gallon of gasoline, through the 2031 model year The rules will increase Americans’ access to the full range of gasoline vehicles they need and can afford, officials said.

The administration projects that the new standards would set the industry fleetwide average for light-duty vehicles at roughly 34.5 miles per gallon in the 2031 model year

The move is the latest action by the Trump administration to reverse Biden-era policies that encouraged cleaner-running cars and trucks, including electric vehicles. Burning gasoline for vehicles is a major contributor to planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

“From day one I’ve been taking action to make buying a car more affordable,” Trump said at a White House event that included top executives from the three largest U.S automakers.

The rule reverses a Biden-era policy that “forced automakers to build cars using expensive technologies that drove up costs, drove up prices and made the car much worse,” Trump said.

Rule change will save money, Trump says

The action is expected to save consumers about $1,000 off the price of a new car Trump said. New cars sold for an average of $49,766 on average in October according to Kelley Blue Book.

Automakers applauded the planned changes They had complained that the Biden-era rules were difficult to meet.

Ford CEO Jim Farley said the planned rollback was “a win for customers and common sense.”

“As America’s largest auto producer, we appreciate President Trump’s leadership in aligning fuel economy standards with market realities,” Farley said.

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said the automaker appreciates the administration’s actions to “realign” the standards “with real world market conditions.”

Since taking office in January, Trump has relaxed auto tailpipe emissions rules, repealed fines for automakers that do not meet federal mileage standards and terminated consumer credits of up to $7,500 for EV purchases.

Environmentalists decried the rollback.

“In one stroke Trump is worsening three of our nation’s most vexing problems: the thirst for oil, high gas pump costs and global warming,” said Dan Becker, director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign for the Center for Biological Diversity

“Gutting the (gas-mileage) program will make cars burn more gas and American families burn more cash,” said Katherine García, director of the Sierra Club’s Clean Transportation for All program.

Trump has repeatedly pledged to end what he falsely calls an EV “mandate,” referring incorrectly to Democratic President Joe Biden’s target that half of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030.

EVs accounted for about 8% of new vehicle sales in the United States in 2024, ac-

cording to Cox Automotive.

No federal policy has required auto companies to sell EVs, although California and other states have imposed rules requiring that all new passenger vehicles sold in the state be zero-emission by 2035. Trump and congressional Republicans blocked the California law earlier this year

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy urged his agency to reverse existing fuel economy requirements, known as Corporate Average Fuel Economy, soon after taking office. In June, he said that standards set under Biden were illegal because they included use of electric vehicles in their calculation. EVs do not run on gasoline After the June rule revision, the traffic safety agency was empowered to update the requirements.

Under Biden, automakers were required to average about 50 mpg of gas for passenger cars by 2031, compared with about 39 mpg today The Biden administration also increased fuel-economy requirements by 2% each year for light-duty vehicles in every model year from 2027 to 2031, and 2% per year for SUVs and other light trucks from 2029 to 2031 At the same time, it called for stringent tailpipe rules meant to encourage EV adoption.

Google said Wednesday that anyone in Australia under 16 would be signed out of its platform YouTube from Dec. 10 and lose features accessible only to account holders such as playlists Comcast wants to combine assets with

BY MEG JAMES Los Angeles Times (TNS)

Paramount is raising the stakes in its bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, upping its offer for the assets with backing from Middle Eastern sovereign wealth funds, including Saudi Arabia, while rival Comcast has proposed creating a new entertainment entity Instead of offering cash, Comcast has proposed combining NBCUniversal with HBO and the Warner Bros. film and television studios to form a separate stand-alone entertainment company, according to people familiar with the bids but not authorized to comment.

Such a combination would marry robust film studios, deep libraries and middling streaming services, Warner’s HBO Max and NBCUniversal’s Peacock. It would give Universal’s theme parks a wealth of fan-favorite characters — including Batman, Harry Potter and Sheldon Cooper — to build new attractions.

Comcast, which would maintain the controlling stake, is not interested in absorbing Warner’s basic cable channels. Representatives of Paramount, Comcast, Netflix and Warner Bros. Discovery declined to comment, citing the confidential nature of the bids. Comcast, Netflix and Paramount each submitted second-round proposals to Warner’s bankers Monday Warner Bros. Discovery hopes to select an auction winner this month.

Paramount, controlled by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison and his family, has been pursuing Warner Bros. Discovery since September — one month after the billionaire family took the keys to Paramount from former owner Shari Redstone. With its latest offer, Paramount is hoping to stay competitive with a largely cash bid from streaming giant Netflix, which is interested in Warner Bros.’ enduring intellectual property and the studio’s prestigious 110-acre lot in Burbank. Bid amounts were unclear Tuesday evening. However, analysts say the various combinations could value Warner Bros. Discovery at nearly $70 billion — triple the company’s trading levels in early September Paramount is the only bidder interested in swallowing Warner’s portfolio of cable channels that

include CNN, TNT Food Network, Cartoon Network and TLC.

Paramount’s bid provides debt financing from Apollo Global Management and sovereign wealth funds from Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, the knowledgeable people said. Should Paramount win the Warner auction, the Ellison family and RedBird Capital Partners would maintain majority control of the bulked-up enterprise.

The Middle Eastern investors would have only a small stake, one of the knowledgeable people said. Variety and Bloomberg previously reported on the Middle Eastern wealth funds’ involvement in Paramount’s bid. Bloomberg first reported on Comcast‘s bid structure.

Each of the various deal configurations would face stiff regulatory scrutiny

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI

Ford President Jim Farley, center, in an Oval Office event on Wednesday, said President Donald Trump’s vehicle mileage rollback proposal is ‘a win for customers and common sense.’

The operation, which is expected to last for an indefinite period, follows immigration sweeps led by the U.S. Border Patrol in Chicago and several cities in North Carolina. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino, who has faced scrutiny for those operations’ tactics, arrived in New Orleans on Wednesday to lead the Louisiana effort.

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said the Louisiana operation had been christened “Catahoula Crunch.” Federal officials did not respond to requests for tallies of the number of people the operation had detained on Wednesday

The DHS spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, said agents would focus on detaining immigrants with serious criminal records. In Chicago and North Carolina, the majority of detainees had no criminal backgrounds.

A New Orleans-based advocacy group, Union Migrante, said federal agents had detained people at four large homebuilding stores: Lowe’s locations on Elysian Fields Avenue in New Orleans and on Veterans Boulevard in Metairie, and Home Depot stores in LaPlace and Gretna. The group also reported arrests at a car wash in LaPlace.

Reporters for The Times-Picayune | The Advocate witnessed Border Patrol agents making arrests on Williams Boulevard in Kenner, known for its large presence of immigrant-run businesses. Federal agents in tactical gear, some wearing masks, placed people in handcuffs as they moved through the area.

“Welcome to operation Catahoula Crunch,” Bovino told reporters.

Border Patrol’s arrival in the Crescent City brings a vanguard of Trump’s agenda to detain and deport millions of undocumented immigrants to a multicultural region whose music, cuisine, revival after major hurricanes and tourism-driven economy have long been shaped by those from other countries.

Hispanic residents — both those with and without legal status — were on edge for days before the official announcement. Advocates and immigration attorneys have circulated advice about what rights residents can exercise if Border Patrol agents show up at their homes and businesses.

The FBI and Louisiana State Police on Wednesday confirmed their involvement in the operation, saying the agencies would work together to “investigate and arrest anyone assaulting law enforcement officers, unlawfully impeding federal law enforcement activity or assisting anyone to commit this criminal activity,” according to a news release

The FBI opened an online tip line asking people to share video or audio of “any violent and/or criminal activity associated with Catahoula Crunch.”

“We will not tolerate assaults on law enforcement officers in Louisiana and there will be consequences,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Tapp, of the New Orleans Field Office Republican state leaders, including Gov Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill, have welcomed the immigration sweeps. Louisiana’s Republican supermajority state Legislature has passed laws seeking to penalize local officials who obstruct immigration agents and restricting public benefits available to people without legal status. Immigration advocates and the

American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana sued Murrill on Wednesday in New Orleans’ federal court over Louisiana Act 399, a law that threatens prosecution of people who interfere with immigration agents. They argued the law restricts First Amendment rights to free speech.

Landry said in a radio interview that the operation would aim to arrest violent offenders and tamp down on crime. New Orleans’ crime rate is at a historic low

“This is going to run until we get them all off the street,” Landry said.

Locally the operation has faced pushback from officials including Helena Moreno, New Orleans’ Democratic mayor-elect.

Moreno said in an interview Wednesday that she worried about Border Patrol officials masking their faces and not wearing identifiable uniforms while making arrests, which she warned could cause confusion and lead to violence.

“Do we want the most violent criminals off of our streets? Ab-

solutely Yes. I don’t think anyone is going to object to that,” Moreno said. “We want the most violent criminals off of our streets, whether they’re legal or illegal. But what we’ve been seeing across the country and in other cities is that Border Patrol appears to be targeting Brown people and potentially violating even some of their due process rights.”

The Louisiana operation marks a new phase in the administration’s broadened use of Border Patrol to carry out its immigration agenda. The agency has historically operated in border towns, port cities and along the country’s frontiers, rather than in urban centers.

Though Border Patrol has long had a presence in the Crescent City, the size and scope of the new operation exceeds its typical role. Around 250 Border Patrol agents plan to detain at least 5,000 people across a region stretching north to Baton Rouge and East into Mississippi, according to internal documents. That figure exceeds the number

detained in Chicago and North Carolina, according to DHS tallies.

About 4,000 people were detained in the weekslong Chicago sweeps, during which a federal judge accused Bovino of lying and improperly using chemical irritants against protesters.

Bovino has defended the agency’s tactics, saying agents use the least amount of force necessary to make arrests.

In Chicago’s Operation Midway Blitz, the Trump administration touted arrests of “pedophiles, abusers, rapists and other violent thugs.” But of about 4,000 people detained by federal agents there, officials identified just over 100 who had criminal records, news outlets have reported.

Those included some with violent offenses, including murder, as well as others with nonviolent charges, like crossing the border without authorization. Of 372 people arrested in Charlotte, 44 had criminal records, according to DHS tallies reported by The New York Times.

In New Orleans, agents arrived on familiar turf for Bovino. After rising through the agency he was promoted to lead its New Orleans sector in 2019, according to news releases from that period.

Arrests performed in and around New Orleans mirrored those reported in Chicago and Charlotte, with most occurring in public spaces such as parking lots outside large stores.

A man interviewed by The Times-Picayune | The Advocate, who declined to provide his name because he feared retaliation, said he was among a group of people looking for work between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. outside the Lowe’s on Elysian Fields Avenue. Five Border Patrol vehicles approached the group, asking them if they were “legal” or not, he said.

He estimated that 25 agents were at the scene.

The man said several people ran away, and that Border Patrol agents pursued them He said the agents detained about two dozen people.

The agents arrived and left in the span of about 25 minutes, he said.

The man was not among those detained.

The operation launched as New Orleans’ outgoing Democratic mayor, LaToya Cantrell, faces federal corruption charges brought by the Trump administration’s Justice Department. Federal prosecutors say she committed a series of crimes in a bid to conceal allegedly improper spending of public cash on an affair with her police bodyguard. Cantrell has pleaded not guilty Federal prosecutors earlier this year dropped corruption charges against another Democratic mayor, Eric Adams of New York City, in a deal that administration officials said would make it easier to carry out immigration sweeps. Cantrell has not responded to requests for comment on the immigration sweeps A Trump spokesperson did not respond to a phone message. Before the operation kicked off, signs of anxiety had rippled across New Orleans for days. Like other businesses in the Mid-City neighborhood, Taqueria Guerrero opened after Hurricane Katrina to serve a growing Latino population that came to help rebuild from the storm’s devastation. Amid news of the impending Border Patrol operation, the restaurant closed indefinitely this week, citing fear among staff and clientele of the impending sweeps.

Hundreds of people showed up to ply the restaurant with lunch orders and words of support on Sunday its last day open. By afternoon, the typically quiet spot had sold out of a slew of staples pupusas, huaraches, gorditas, horchata and nearly all its flavors of aguas frescas.

Signs plastered on the restaurant’s glass doors told immigration agents to stay away On Wednesday, the restaurant was dark and shuttered.

Other businesses popular with Hispanic residents later closed their doors, too.

“We’re temporarily closed until further notice,” read a sign posted in Spanish outside Los Hondurenos restaurant in Kenner Staff writers Lara Nicholson and Blake Paterson contributed to this report.

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

U.S. Border Patrol agents gather outside of their vehicles as Chief Patrol Agent of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Gregory Bovino, second from right, travels through Metairie and Kenner on day one of the ‘Catahoula Crunch’ sweeps on Wednesday.

U.S. Border Patrol agents stop and photograph a man on Williams Boulevard in Kenner on Wednesday.

ACLU sues La.overlaw blocking interference

Legalconflict developsas immigration operationbegins

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Anew statelaw against interfering with immigration officers is so broadly written that it violates the First Amendment by limiting free speech, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana argues in a newlawsuit.

Filed as immigration officers descend on southeast Louisiana for an operation dubbed“Catahoula Crunch,” the lawsuit, now pending in federal court in the Eastern District of Louisiana,targetsAct 399. That law,bystate Sen. Jay Morris, R-West Monroe, makes it acrime to “knowingly commitany actintended to hinder,delay,prevent,or otherwise interferewith orthwart federal immigration enforcement efforts.” The lawsuit also names Attorney General Liz Murrill, who has publicized the law aheadofthe Border Patrol’sarrival in New Orleans.

Immigration Servicesand Legal Advocacy,orISLA, the main plaintiff in the lawsuit,isa New Orleans-based organizationthat offers legal help to immigrants in Louisiana. In November,it stopped offering “Know Your Rights” workshops to immigrants because it feared doing so would violate Act 399, according to the lawsuit.

“ISLA wishes to advise people about the rights of immigrants during Operation Swamp Sweep, but the newly added language included in Act 399 makesdoing

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“EverythingI’veworked on —from improving Louisiana’stax structure to strengthening our economic competitiveness —leads back to one essential truth,” Nelson said in astatement. “Our state’sfuture depends on askilled workforceand strong pathways to opportunity.LCTCS is the engine that drives that progress.” Nelson said during abrief phone interview that advocating for the value of Louisiana’scommunity college system has been important to him throughout his time as alegislator and as aCabinet secretary

“The amount of money that we spent on the community and technical college system …Ifelt like that was probably some of the best dollars we spent as faras the benefitthat comes to the taxpayer,” he said.

The incoming LCTCS president also spent seven years in theU.S.Department of State Foreign Service before getting into politics. During that stint, he held postsin Washington, Germany and the country of Georgia. He has an undergraduate degreeinbiological engineering from LSU and alaw de-

so withoutlegal assurances virtuallyimpossible,” attorneysfor theACLUwrote, using an earlier name for the immigration crackdown in New Orleans.

Thelawsuit asksthe court to declare that thelaw violatesthe First Amendmentand to block thestate from enforcingitagainst ISLA. It also alleges the law violates the 14thAmendment because it is overly vague.

“I have not received serviceof process of this complaint appar-

ently filed today,” Murrill said in a statement Wednesday.“Ourlaw is constitutional andwelook forward to defending it in court ” Act399, which makes interfering with immigration enforcementoperations an obstruction of justice, took effect Aug. 1. People who break the law face up to six monthsinprison if theoffense involves an official act of agovernment agent,and up to oneyear in prisonifitinvolvesacivil immigration proceeding. Theycould

also face up to $5,000 in fines. Murrillhas repeatedly warned thepublic against breaking the law during the rollout of the Catahoula Crunch operation.

“Individuals who interfere with ICE, Border Patrol, or assault law enforcement are committing a Statecrime and will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,” she said in arelease Wednesday In thepast, ISLA has used Know Your Rights workshops to inform immigrants thatthey can demand ajudicial warrant if ICE appears at theirhomes, andthattheymay film ICE arrests, the ACLU’slawyers wrote. They halted that activity around Nov.18, after news broke thatthe BorderPatrol would be leading an immigration crackdowninsoutheast Louisiana and Mississippi, according to the lawsuit.

“The ability to challenge government action without facing arrest is what separates afree nation from apolicestate,” saidAlanah Odoms,executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana. “Louisiana is choosingthe policestate.We’regoing to court to protect every Louisianan’sFirst Amendment right to speak truth to power.”

Morris,who authored Act399, said he believes it will hold up in court

“Thereare lots of cases which support the constitutionalityof laws that restrict people from inhibiting law enforcement from doing their jobs,” he said.

Catahoula Crunchfollows Border Patrol-ledoperations in Chicago andNorth Carolina that drew backlash over the tactics federalagentsused. In Chicago, federal agentstackledprotesters, shotpepper balls at the heads of journalists and clergy members, used tear gas and rubber bullets without warning, and laughed as aprotester’sear bled, afederal

judge wroteina scathing review of those tactics informedbybody camera footage.

Greg Bovino, whoheads the BorderPatrol, hassaid the agency is protecting officers from threats they received after arriving in Chicago.

In Louisiana, 250BorderPatrol agents plan to detain at least 5,000 people across aregion stretching from Baton RougetoMississippi, according to internal documents reported last monthbyThe Associated Press.

Louisiana’sAct 399 also expanded the definition of malfeasance in office, making it acrime if apublic official or employee “takes any official action, fails to perform an official duty, or refuses alawful request for cooperation”from federal immigration authorities “with the intent to hinder,delay,prevent, or otherwise interfere, ignore, or thwartfederal immigration enforcement efforts.”

Nor can state or local law enforcementrelease people they know “illegally entered or unlawfully remained in theUnited States” without giving advance notice to ICE. Either of those actions would carry apenalty of up to 10 years in prison.

The lawconflicts with a 12-year-old settlement that bars the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office from holding somedetainees past theirreleasedates in order to help federalimmigrationauthorities. Underthe agreement, deputies maynot heed ICE detainer requests unless aperson wascharged withmurder, aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping,armed robberywitha firearmortreason

TheSheriff’sOffice didnot return arequest forcomment.

The AssociatedPress contributed to this report.

greefromthe LSU’sPaulM Hebert LawCenter

Askedabout stepping into arole in abrand-new industry,Nelson said that there maybealot to learn from “thenuts and bolts perspective, but Ithink the problems are generally the same.”

He notedthathenow has experience in the private sector,state government and the federal government, affording hima breadth of experience.

“I’m really an engineer, andI thinkengineers look for efficiencies, they look to solve problems, and I’ve just been able to do thateffectively in stategovernment

thus far,” he said.

Nelson’sappointment as LCTCS president marks the latest in aslew of leadership changeshappeningacross Louisianahigher education.

Southern UniversityPresident Dennis Shields confirmed at aBoard of Supervisors meetingthe day after Thanksgiving that he would stepdownatthe endofthe year,saying “the board wanted to go in adifferent direction.”

Earlier last month, LSU named Wade Rousse president of theLSU system. Rousse was previously serving as president at McNeese State University.Atthe same time, the university

selected James Dalton fora job as executive vice president LSUsystem and chancellor of the flagship campus in Baton Rouge. The two men replaced formerLSU President William Tate IV,who in June left

Louisiana for Rutgers University in New Jersey And the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is without apermanent president after JosephSavoieinJuly announced his retirement, leaving ajob he had been in

since 2008. The University of Louisiana system Board of Supervisors hassaidit intends to create asearch committeeto find apermanent replacement, though it’sunclear when that will happen.

Boardbeginsreviews forlibrary position

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

ASt. Tammany libraryboard committee met on Wednesday to formally begin reviewing the over 150applications board members say they’ve received from candidates interested in becoming the library system’snew director

TheLibrary Board of Control’s three-person search committee discussed aspects of the application process and answered some pointed questionsfrom thearound 10 people in the audienceatthe Covington library branch, before going into executive session to discuss privately most of the applications.

Theboard is seeking anew director for the parish’s12-branch library system, which hasbeen the subject of controversy over books with LGBTQ+ themes since 2022, following thedeparture of former library director Kelly LaRocca at the end of September,who took a job at the state library The search has not been without

some drama: In October,itbecame public that thejob posting for the newlibrary director position was created by Connie Phillips, who had filed more than 150 challenges of materialatthe library, at the request of thelibrary board President Chuck Branton. Branton said he asked Phillips to makethe job posting and that thedocumentshe made waswhat thepersonnel committee wanted. Phillips said she used Perplexity

SEASONSCHANGE

ATulane student walks across acarpet of fallen baldcypress tree needles on Gibson Quad, asure sign of winter settling in onthe Uptown campus in New Orleanson Wednesday

He’s wontwo Pulitzersinfour

BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer

Pulitzer Prize-winning editorialcartoonist Walt Handelsman is putting away his penand ink after decades of delighting Louisiana with his alternately humorous and poignant takes on the city’speculiar politics, personalities and events. Handelsman, 69, will re-

tire from The Ti mes-Picayune |The Advocate at the end of December “I’ve bee n thinking about it for awhile,” he said. “I’ve been doing daily cartooningfor roughly45 years. Ifelt likeit’stimeto takeabreak from daily deadlines, reflect on my career,relaxand look forward to doing other creativethings.”

artificial intelligencesoftware to generate the job posting.

Parish President Mike Cooper had questioned the appropriateness of Phillips’ involvement, and Cooper’sspokesperson, Michael Vinsanau, drew arebuke from Parish Council member David Cougle after Vinsanau referred to Phillips as an “activist.”

Cougle has proposed legislation

page 2B

stolen at airport,

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators have arrested asuspect accused of taking awedding gown and other propertythat belonged to aU.S. Army officer shortly after she landed at the New Orleans airport on holiday leave.

Unfortunately, authoritiesweren’t abletorecover the custom gown that 1st Lt. Amber Oglesby had madefor her whileshe wasdeployed overseas in Kosovo.

“I was so disappointed, so disappointed,” Oglesby saidWednesday “I waskind of holding out hope.”

But Town andCountry Bridal, apopular New Orleans boutique, reached out to Oglesby and offered to help herreplace herwedding dress.

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Sports betting technology company

Outlier, whichhas a five-person office in downtown New Orleans, has announced the close of a$10.7 million funding round.

Thecompany,founded in 2023 in Austin, Texas, runs asports betting analytics platform that’sdesigned to help subscribers make smarter,datadriven decisions.

Outlier co-founder and CEO Evan Kirkham said the company will use its

STAFF PHOTOByDAVID GRUNFELD

Handelsman

He’ll conclude his careerwith his annual year-end roundup of his favorite locallyand nationally themed2025 cartoons.He also plans to pen afarewell to readers featuring memorable cartoons from yearspast. His overall body of work spans an estimated 12,000 daily drawings plus cartoon strips, animations, nine booksofhis editorial cartoonsand one children’sbook. His cartoons, which he still handdraws before coloring them digitally,are syndicated by Tribune Content Agency to media outlets across the country.Atone point, they appeared in more than 200 newspapers nationwide.

“When Iwatch thenews, I’mtaking notes,” he said. “It’sinteresting to think about not having to respond to anews event right away in acartoon for the next day.” Life-changingclassified ad

Handelsmangrew up in Baltimore as the son of asurgeon. After graduating from theUniversity of Cincinnati in 1979,heplaced a classified ad in The Baltimore Sun seeking an entry-leveladvertising job.

One respondent was Howard Blankman, who, along with his wife Iris, ran Quality Composition,a Baltimore ad layout firm. At Quality,Handelsmanpasted up advertisements for grocery stores and other clients

The couple’sdaughter,Jodie, worked there as atypesetter.In 1982, she and Handelsman got married. At night, Handelsman practiced cartooning and hustled freelance assignments. In 1982, the Patuxent Publishing Corporation, achainof weekly newspapers in Maryland, hired him as an interim, full-time cartoonist.

He moved on to theScranton Times, adaily newspaper in Pennsylvania, in 1985. He launcheda weekly comic strip called “The Hound and the Bureaucrat,” won his first national award and signed anational syndication contract

SUSPECT

Continued from page1B

“I wanted her to have that magical moment restored, especially for someone who gives to much of themselves in the service of our country,” said boutiqueowner Mandy Wienhusen. Jesus Orellana Castillo, 59, of Kenner,acontract employee at Louis Armstrong New Orleans InternationalAirport in Kenner, was booked Tuesday with theft, according to Sgt. BrandonVeal, a Sheriff’s Office spokesperson.She works for company contractedto clean the parking garages at the airport, according to Veal. Oglesby, of Metairie,flew in on Nov.22after seven months of

LIBRARY

Continued from page1B

that sets new regulations for public information officers,which is expected to come beforethe Parish Council for introduction on Thursday The library board committee on Wednesday faced questions from some audience members about whether Phillips will be review-

STARTUP

Continued from page1B

expand its subscriber base, and continue building its team in New Orleans and elsewhere. The round includes$5.7 million in equity financing from Discerning Capital, athree-year-old venture capital firm based in Las Vegas. The additional $5 million comes in the form of aline of credit from Discerning’sHouseAdvantage Fund. Outlier was created in 2023 when partners Kirkham, Luis Lafer-Sousa and Peter Reggio pivotedfrom their first venture, asports talk app called Colorcast that debuted four years earlier The original company,which predated ESPN’s popular“ManningCast” featuring New Orleans sports heroes Peyton and Eli Manning, allowed users to turn down their TVs and listen to alternative broadcastersprovide play-by-play and analysis of games. Now,the trio’snew venture pro-

with Tribune. When editorial cartoonist Mike Luckovich leftThe Times-Picayune for The Atlanta JournalConstitution in 1989, Handelsman applied to replace him.

He andJodie had nevervisited New Orleansprior to his Picayune interview.Wandering the French Quarter,Handelsman, who had played harmonica in aScranton bluesband, liked what he sawand heard.

In New Orleans, theycultivated awide circleoffriends even as Louisiana’scustoms, quirks and, especially,its politiciansprovided

deployment,excited to seeher fiancé, Cody Kellum, and her1-yearold daughter,Legacy

She was carryingwith her a blackshoppingbag that contained the weddinggown as well as her pink leather purse. Oglesby said she lastsaw thebagsinthe shorttermparking garage while loading her luggage in their vehicle. After she noticed the items were missing, Oglesby tracked herAirPods, which had been inside her purse, to the airport’semployee parking lot. The AirPods later movedto an apartment buildingon Phoenix Street in Kenner,she said.

Kenner police had no luck when they arrived to knock on doors at theapartment building and search for Oglesby’sproperty Sheriff’sOffice investigators took over,reviewing surveillance

ing the applications.

The chair of thesearch committee, Glen Baham, said the onlypeoplewho had seen theapplications were thecommittee members—Baham,Branton and Tamarah Myers —and somelibrary staff.

“I can honestly say my wife hasn’tevenseen anyofthese,” Bahamsaid of the applications.

However,Baham noted that the library had receivedsome public records requests for the applica-

anever-ending source of material.

“Everything was perfect for cartooning andperfect forhaving afun life and meeting amillion friends,”hesaid.

ThelikesofEdwin Edwards, David Duke andMikeDitka populated his drawings, alongwith multiple presidentsand ordinary New Orleanians.

“The average person you meet hereturns out tobeacharacter That’spart of what’sfun aboutbeing acartoonisthereand just being here.”

In additionto five daily cartoons aweek, he produced his“Picayune

PHOTO PROVIDED By AMBER OGLESBy U.S. Army 1st Lt. Amber Oglesby, far right, holdsher daughter Legacy,with her fiancé, Cody Kellum. An arrest has been made after Oglesby’swedding gown went missingatLouis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

tions, which would be shared once they redacted personalinformation Baham praised thequality of the applications in an interview earlier this week and said he wanted the process to be open and transparent Applicants were giventhe option to have their applications discussed publicly or privately, Baham said. Some applicants may not want their employers to know theyare looking for ajob,

personoffice in downtown NewOrleans, has closed a$10.7million funding round.

vides subscribers —who pay between$20 and$80 amonth —information, statistics and research relatedtopro baseball, football and basketball as wellassome college sports.

The partners founded thecompany to take advantage of the growingsports betting industry,which is nowlegal in nearly 40 states. Kirkhamdescribes theOutlier platformasa kindof“betting

Toons” comic strip every Monday for years. He won the Pulitzer Prize forEditorial Cartooning in 1997, thesameyear thePicayune earned its first Pulitzer,for Public Service.

A move to NewYork

In 2000,the New York tabloid Newsday solicited Handelsman tochronicle the “Subway” World Series between theYankees and Mets. The next year,Newsdayoffered Handelsman ajob.

Leaving New Orleanswas “a very tough decision,” he said. But the opportunity to work at alargernewspaper in theNo. 1media marketand be closer to his aging parents prevailed.

During 12-plus years at Newsday,hewon another Pulitzer.Looking to stayrelevant as readers moved online, he started creating labor-intensive animations.

But New York was notNew Orleans, despite his family’sboisterous takeoverofa LongIsland sports bar during Saints games: “Socially,I recognizedpretty quickly that thewholefamily really missed New Orleans.”

He made multiple trips back after Hurricane Katrina, covering the aftermath forNewsday and helping friends andformer colleagues. Those visits “really bondedustothe city.Werecognizedhow muchwestill felt apart of this place.”

Return to NewOrleans

ANew Orleans newspaper war created an opportunityfor Handelsman to return.

In 2012, AdvanceMedia,which ownedThe Times-Picayune at the time, reduced homedelivery to three days aweek. Later that year,Baton Rougenewspaper The Advocatelaunched the daily New Orleans Advocate.

After John and DathelGeorges bought The Advocate in 2013,they, editor PeterKovacs andpublisher Dan Shea courted Handelsman to return to NewOrleans.

“Walt’s work stands withthe best editorial cartooning ever published,” said Rene Sanchez, current executive editor of the Times-Picayune.

After Georges Media Group

video at the airport. TheyidentifiedOrellana as the person who picked up Ogleby’sbags in the garageand thenconcealed them, Veal said. Orellana lives in the Phoneix Streetapartmentbuilding where Oglesby’sAirPods last pinged, according to authorities. The Sheriff’s Office serveda search warrantatthe residence Tuesday,but no property was recovered, Veal said.

Oglesby learned that the gown andher otheritems hadbeen thrown away

Her family has been touched by offers of support from thecommunity, particularly from brides who’ve offered their own wedding gowns for Oglesby’sspring wedding.

“It’s so sweet,” Oglesby said.

he noted, anditmay not be fair to applicants who are not qualified to discussthem publicly,hesaid. Twoapplicants who askedtobe discussedpublicly both met the basicrequirements, Branton said Wednesday,and would be moving on in the process. The rest wanted to be discussed privately Baham did not have an exact breakdown,but said he thought the majority of the applications were from people with master’s of library science. The board also

coach,” designedtohighlight potentially profitable bets in plain language, and with charts, maps andother user-friendly visuals designedtomake complicated information easier to digest.

Thegoal is to make it easier to research bets, which canrequire studying statsondozensifnot hundreds of websites and digging up data from sportsbooks —the companies that accept bets on the outcomes of sporting events —tosee howsimilar bets have panned out in thepast. Outlier then presents theinformation to its subscribers in easily digestible ways.

“You canmakethe most informed betofyourlife in undera minute,” Kirkham said.

The company says it has hundreds of thousands of users in the United States,the United Kingdom andAustralia. Kirkham and Reggio live and work in Austin, where there area few other employees. Lafer-Sousa leads the bigger team in NewOrleans,where he moved four years ago to be closer to his wife’sfamily

The Outlier office is at the corner

bought The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com fromAdvance in 2019, Handelsman’scartoonswererestored to the Picayune’seditorial page.

Aperiodic cartoon caption contest he launched at Newsday grew in popularity.ANovember 2025 contest garnered 1,200 entries. He gradually shifted thecaption contest away frompolitical themes to lighter topics. “Politics are so negative now. This is areprieve fromall that negativity.It’s been adelightful thing formeto do.” As retirement looms, he’sreflected on the difficult times in his life.His younger sister,Jane, and her husband, Pryor,died in a1989 plane crash whileonvacation in Mexico. Older brother Bruce, a painter and photographer,died of lymphoma in 1992. (Another brother,Steve, is aretired Washington, D.C.-based NBCcorrespondent.)

In a1997 photograph of Handelsmancelebrating his Pulitzer win, alumpisvisible on hisupraised arm.The lump turned out to be asarcoma. The cancer returned during his tenure at Newsday and was once againtreated successfully

“I wasveryfortunate,” he said “Itcertainlymakes youappreciate the positive things thathave happened in your life when you see how tricky life can be.”

In the constant rush of a24-hour news cycle, selecting acartoon topic that will still be relevant the next day is achallenge. Hence the titleofhis mostrecentbook,“I’m Drawing As Fast As ICan.” “That’show it feels sometimes,” he said. “There’ssomuch to keep up with.”

He’slooking forward to traveling with Jodie,illustrating her children’sbooksand spending more time with their two adult children. But he’llmisscartooning and interacting with readers. “That’ssomething I’ve done since Iwas in my 20s. But at the same time, I’m looking forward to stepping back from that task and seeing what else lies ahead.”

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

“Everybody’swedding dress holds such aspecial place in their heart.” Wienhusen heard about Oglesby’s missing weddinggown from her daughter’sclassmate.

“Bridal gowns hold so much symbolism,” Wienhusen said. “I can’timagine the emotional impact this must carry forher.” She reached out to Oglesby with an offer to help find anew gown.

“She deserves something so special,” Wienhusen said.

Oglesby is working on replacing her passport and has made plans to visit Town and Country before she returns to Kosovo in the next fewdays.

“Hopefully,Iwill find something all my own,” she said.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

opened the jobuptopeople with a master’sofbusiness administration, as permitted by recent legislative change Baham said the committee plans to recommend five or six names to the full library board, which in turn will be pared down to three finalists from which the board will choosethe next director during a public meeting.

EmailWillie Swett at willie. swett@theadvocate.com.

of Julia and Carondelet streets in the Warehouse District

Outlier is participating in astate taxcredit program thatprovides up to 25% cashrebate on payroll expenses and 18% rebate on some production costs. GNO Inc.President and CEO Michael Hechtsaidina statement that Outlieris“helping position Louisiana as anational leader in sports data and betting technology.”

Email RichCollins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Outlier founders Peter Reggio,LuisLafer-Sousaand Evan Kirkham have announced their sports bettingtechnologycompany, which has a five-

ABOVE: A2014 Walt Handelsmancartoon about former NewOrleans MayorRay Nagin’s legal troubles. BELOW: A2015 Walt Handelsman cartoon about BobbyJindal’sshort-lived presidential campaign.

Environmentaladvocate

Willie Fontenot dies at 82

He wasgiven unique role in La.government

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

William “Willie” Fontenot somehow became an environmental activist with realpower in Louisiana no small feat in astate that has long embracedthe oil and petrochemical industries.

That power was eventuallytaken away,but not before Fontenot forged a lasting legacy working on behalf of Louisiana communities He is now being remembered for those efforts, with the renowned environmental activistwho held aunique role in state government having died on Nov.23at his home in BatonRouge. He was 82.

nity organizer,”said Billy Goodell, an attorney who worked alongsideFontenot at the AttorneyGeneral’s Office. His firing was “pure politics,” he added. The role Fontenot vacated would not be filled. It existed for him, and only him. He had served in the role under three attorneys general “Wedon’thave anybody like Willie nowingovernment. We haven’thad anyone like thatfor along time,” saidAudrey Evans, whoworked alongsideFontenot as acommunity outreach coordinatorwith the Tulane Environmental LawClinic

His career intersected with aperiod of Louisiana’s history when,underanenvironmentally minded attorney general, Fontenot was tasked with organizing community groups and helping them leverage state powers to confront polluting industries. That was aposition that was created for Fontenot, and one that would not be filled afterhewas forced outof hisjob in 2005 following a tense interaction with law enforcement outside an Exxon refinery

“As far as Ican tell,Ihave the only job in any governmental agency where part of my jobistogoout and help organize citizens,” Fontenot said in arecorded interview.“It sounds like maybe it’sthe only job like it in the world.”

He found community and common cause in the environmental movement, which was his political home for more than five decades. He got his start with the Sierra Club’schapter in New Orleans, where he focusedonissues related to coastal wetlands.InBaton Rouge, he worked with the Louisiana Wildlife Federation, starting in 1975.

Then, under Louisiana Attorney General William Guste, he worked as an environmentalcommunity liaison —ajob that was created in 1978 specifically for Fontenot —organizing communities facing environmental problems.

“Attorney General Guste said, ‘The citizens need somehelpdealing withenvironmentalproblems, how to file acomplaint,how to figure out what their problems are, how to workwith public officials and the news media,’ ”Fontenot told The Times-Picayune in 2005.

“He put his whole heart into his work,” said Marylee Orr,the executive director and aco-founder with Fontenot of the Louisiana Environmental Action Network (LEAN).

He seemed to know everyone in the environmental space and everything about local environmental issues.

“He was like Wikipedia before they had such a thing,” Orr said.

‘Aneffective advocate’

But the politicaltides shifted, and in 2005,Fontenot was pushed out of the position he had held for 27 years

He had recently taken agroup of students on a community tour near the ExxonMobil refineryin Baton Rouge that exploded on Christmas Eve in 1989, killing two workers and injuring four others. For years, Fontenot led tours near industry sitesinLouisiana.But that day, guards confronted the group and told Fontenottocollect the students’ driver’slicenses. He refused.

Twoweeks later,the attorney general, Charles Foti Jr., gave Fontenota choice: He could retire or face disciplinary hearings that would lead to his firing.

“He was such an effective advocate and commu-

NewOrleans Area Deaths

BrownJr.,Michael Buffone,Anthony

Cazaubon, Rita Davison, Genevieve Duncan,Haili

Eugene Sr., Bertrand Fisher II, Keith Ginart,Michael Jones, Penelope Knight,Betty

Marziale,Elizabeth

Powell, Johnny

Richardson, Darnell

Obituaries

BrownJr.,Michael Claudell

“Whatwelose with him,ifwe don’tremember that there ever was someonelike Willie Fontenot in the state government,isthe concept that the government could evenserve the function of helpingpeople to understand what to do when they’re faced withan environmental situation ”

‘Focused on solutions’

But neither his firing from the Attorney General’s Office northe loss of hissight kept Fontenot from environmental justice work. The Opelousas native continued to advocate alongside the Sierra Club and LEAN, and advised communities that sought hisexpertise. Indeed, for the last three decades of his life, Fontenot was legally blind, sufferingfrom aconditionthat caused him to lose sight in the center of his fieldof vision. But somehow,he alwaysseemed toknow exactly wherehewas, his family and friends said.

After Fontenot could no longerdrive, his son, Jacques, got aspecial driver’slicense at 13 that allowedhim to ferryhis father to and from community meetings

“Weweredriving over theAtchafalayaSpillway on theinterstate—you know,along that road,everything looks the same, right?” said Jacques Fontenot. “He said,‘In amile, there’sgoing to be acypress treeoff to theright with asquare cut in it.’

Someone, years prior,had cut into ittomake ajewelry box, Fontenot told his son “In one mile, there it was,”his son said.“People would getlost, and think, ‘Man,Iwish we had that blind guy around to direct us.’” In much the same way that he wasable to find his way in thelandscapewith akind of oracular second sense, those close tohim described Fontenot as able to steer the energy of the environmental movement in the state over his long career as an activist. He was amodest and calming presence, someonewho didn’tget overwhelmed in theface of adversity,and with aslow persistence, made change.

“I never,ever heard my dadcomplainabout industry,about the people who he was workingagainst,” said his daughter,Dona Fontenot. He didn’t fixate on the problem. He focused on solutions.”

Acelebration of life will be held from 1to3p.m. Dec. 28 at TheGuru, in the Circa 1857 complex at thecorner of Government and 19th streets in Baton Rouge.

Seeling, Rose

Shannon, Mattie

Smith,Jean

Smith,Theresa

Sullivan,Doris

TassinSr.,Richard Thomas,Myrnell

Tucker,Martha

Vodopija Jr., Matthew Washington, Michael

York,Logan

Zeringue,Sterling

EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Cazaubon, Rita

Marziale,Elizabeth TassinSr.,Richard

Richardson FH

Richardson, Darnell

NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Washington, Michael

Charbonnet

Fisher II, Keith

Knight,Betty

Smith,Jean Thomas,Myrnell

York,Logan

DW Rhodes

Duncan,Haili

Powell, Johnny

Smith,Theresa

Sullivan,Doris

Estelle JWilson

Shannon, Mattie

Lake Lawn Metairie

Buffone,Anthony

Seeling, Rose

River Parish

HC Alexander

Zeringue,Sterling St Bernard St Bernard

Ginart,Michael West Bank

DavisMortuary

Davison, Genevieve Eugene Sr., Bertrand Mothe

Tucker,Martha

Robinson FH

BrownJr.,Michael Jones, Penelope

MichaelClaudellBrown Jr.,was born on February 26, 2005 to MichaelClaudell Brown Sr andShakelKiera WalkerSylve.Michael ac‐ceptedJesus as hisLord and Savior at nine years old andwas baptizedat Greater MacedoniaBaptist Church under theleader‐shipofPastorMandrel R. Pansy Sr.Michael wasedu‐cated in thePlaquemines Parishschool system where he enjoyedplaying football andbaseball. He was a2023 graduate of South PlaqueminesHigh School where he leaves fondmemoriestohis classmatesand peers. Michael enjoyedplaying his game,dancing,singing, telling jokesand always lovingonhis Mother Michael will always be re‐memberedfor hisener‐getic personality, hiskind‐nesstowards others and his many danceoffs with his sister.Michael enlisted inthe United States Navy onNovember14, 2023 com‐pleting hisbasic training in Great Lakes, IL,and was stationed on theUSS LasseninMayport,Fl. On MondayNovember17, 2025, at thetenderage of 20, GODgaveMichael his finalordersthathis march‐ing time here on earthwas completeand he’llberelo‐catingtohis newhome. Michael wasprecededin death by hisgreat grand‐parents Thad andColia White, Jesse andEmma Brown Sr.Jeromeand Catherine SmithSr. His grandparentsMichael Hamptonand Arthemese Brumfield. Michaelleaves tocherish hislifeand memoriestohis parents Shakeland Dwaine Sylve Jr.,His father MichaelC Brown Sr,his siblings Mahki’yah andMikahla Brown, MichaelGeorgeand Hunter Azema; Hisgrand‐parents Norden andCathy MayfieldJr.,Terry Wash‐ington, Anthonyand EsandeHenry Sr Hisgreat grandparentsClarenceand ConnieAnderson, Mary Branchand Lonnieand Joyce Sylve. Uncles An‐thony HenryJr.,and Tyrone Smith.AuntsMarkeisha Bray, DorothySmith RynikaBrumfield, Joni Parker, DoreeHenry and Shelley (Sidney) Bush.Spe‐cialfriendTiteyon Mills and ahostofgreat uncles, aunts, cousins, coworkers and otherrelatives and friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thefuneral service on Saturday,De‐cember6,2025 at Greater Macedonia BaptistChurch located at 27796 LA-23, Port Sulphur LA.70083. Thevisi‐tationwillbegin at 9AM followedbyan11AMser‐vice. Pastor Mandrell Pansy Sr.willofficiate. FUll MilitaryHonorswillberen‐dered immediatelyfollow‐ing theservice.Interment willtakeplace in the Southeast LouisianaVeter‐ans Cemetery locatedat 34888 Grantham College Dr.,Slidell LA., 70460 on Monday, December 8, 2025 at9 a.m. Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome(504) 208-2119. Foronlinecondo‐lencespleasevisit www Robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

Jude Schwab. Tony waspreceded in death by hisparents, Cecilia andOctave Buffone, Sr.; as well as his siblings: OctaveBuffone Jr., JamesBuffone,Mabel Managno,and Samuel Buffone. An avidcommercial fisherman, Tonywas well known for his dedication to hisprofession and hispassion for the water.

Acelebration of life will be held on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 from 2 PM -5PMatR &O Restaurant, 216 MetairieHammond Hwy, Metairie, LA.

Cazaubon,RitaChaisson

Davison, Genevieve McKinnies

GenevieveMcKinnies

Davison,age 84, peacefully slept away into thearmsof Jesus on Saturday,Novem‐ber 22, 2025, surrounded by loved ones.She wasa na‐tiveofNew Orleans, LA and aresidentofMarrero, LA. “Jenny”, as shewas af‐fectionatelyknown to fam‐ily andfriends,was agrad‐uateofL.B.LandryHigh School classof1958. She continued herstudies at Delgado Community Col‐lege, obtaininga degree in MortuaryScience.Thisca‐reer path ledtoemploy‐mentasanembalmerand funeral director,serving bereavedfamilies during a timeofemotional need throughoutthe Greater New Orleansarea. As a woman centered in faith she served tirelesslybe‐sideher husband,who was alsoher pastor,atEphesus MissionaryBaptist Church asa Deaconess, Sunday School Superintendent, Choir Director,Vacation Bible School Superinten‐dent, Church Secretaryand President of Sick andShut inMinistry, to just name a few.She lether lightshine, and folksdid seeher good works.Her compassionate, humbleand generous spiritwillliveoninthe heartsofeveryonewho knewher.Beloved wife of 44years to Pastor Robert L. Davison,Sr. Loving mother ofFelicia Stafford, Marshellia(Joseph)Wash‐ington, Avis Stamps, BlendaRoberson, Corrine (Harvey)Seymore,Robert L.Davison,Jr.,and thelate Karen Donseraux. Grand‐motherofthe late Byron Donseraux.Great-grand‐motherofthe late Q’Byan Stafford.Daughterofthe lateBrady andMartha McKinnies.Devoted sister ofRev.JohnnyMcKinnies, JosephMcKinnies,and the lateBrady,Jessie, andJC McKinnies,MarionWare, MarthaMcKennley,and CathrineBernard.Also cherishingher memories are herbestfriendofover 60years,BrendaMeredith, 19grandchildren,37greatgrandchildren,2 greatgreat-grandchildren,and a hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives, and friends. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also pastors,officers,and members of EphesusMis‐sionary BaptistChurch,Is‐realBaptist Church,and all neighboring churches are invited to attend theCele‐bration of Life at Ephesus MissionaryBaptist Church 831 WayneAvenue,West‐wego, LA on Friday,Decem‐ber 5, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Rev.Herbert Moore, offici‐ating.Visitationwillbegin at8:00a.m.until service timeatthe church.Inter‐ment: Restlawn Park Cemetery-Avondale,LA. ArrangementsbyDavis MortuaryService,230 Mon‐roe St., Gretna,LA. To view and sign theguestbook pleasegotowww.davismo rtuaryservice.com.Face masks arerecommended

HailiGabrielle Duncan age 25, beautifuldaughter and

Vodopija Jr., Matthew

Anthony "Tony" Buffone, of Bucktown, Metairie,Louisiana,passed away at theage of 86, November 25, 2025. Born on May 12, 1939, at Delacroix Island, St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, Tony was the beloved childofCecilia and Octave Buffone, Sr. Tony is survivedbyhis devotedwife,Agnes Chaplain Buffone; his daughter, JudithBuffone; and his cherished grandchildren, LexisNunez (Walter) and LaceySchwab (Jared). Tony's legacy also liveson throughhis great-grandchildren: Tyler and Katie Nunez,and Lola,Nora, and

Rita Chaisson Cazaubon, a beacon of warmth and kindness, passedaway peacefully on November 23, 2025, at theage of 87 in Jefferson,Louisiana.Born onOctober 18, 1938, in Grand Isle,Louisiana, Rita'slifewas atestament tolove, family, andfaith She spentover70years in a loving marriage with her husband,DanielF.Caza‐ubon, Jr., creating alegacy ofdevotionthatwas evi‐denttoall who knew them Rita'slifewas oneofun‐waveringdedicationtoher family. Shewas abeloved mothertoher children RachelCazaubonCedor, Jeanine Cazaubon Brown, DanielF.CazaubonIII (Ali‐son), andSuzanne E. Caza‐ubon. Hergrandchildren, JeromeCazaubonand Brandon J. Brown, were the applesofher eye, andshe cherished everymoment spent with them.She was the daughter of thelate Charles Chaisson, Sr.and Eva BilliotChaissonand grewupalongside herlov‐ing siblings,lateLouella ChaissonGraves, Hilda Molbert (Roland) and Charles Chaisson, Jr (Linda).Rita'sfamilycircle extendedtoher numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and ahostofrelatives and friends who felt the warmthofher presence in their lives. Professionally, Ritawas respectedand valuedfor herworkwith Tucker& SchonekasLaw Firmand theDepartment ofEnergy. Hercolleagues willrememberher as a personofintegrity,dedica‐tion, andkindness, who brought notjusther skills but also herheart to her work. Rita's faith wasthe cornerstone of herlife. As a long-timeparishioner of St. AgnesCatholicChurch she livedher faith through her actions, exudinga grace andcompassionthat drewpeopletoher.She was awoman who found strengthinher beliefs, and her faith-filled life wasan inspiration to many.Be‐yondher work andfaith Ritahad azestfor life and sharedmanyjoyfulmo‐ments with herhusband at the NewOrleans Fair‐groundsand Jefferson Downs,supportinghim in his career as athorough‐bredtrainer.These experi‐ences were notonlya tes‐tamenttotheir shared in‐terests butalsototheir mutualsupport andcom‐panionship. Rita's charac‐ter wasthe epitomeoflove and kindness. Sheap‐proachedlifewitha gentle heart anda generous spirit, touching thelives of everyoneshe met. As we bid farewelltoRitaChais‐son Cazaubon,wecele‐brate alifebeautifully lived.Her influenceand lovewillcontinuetores‐onate within theheartsof those who were fortunate enoughtoknowher.Rita was admiredand likedby all who crossedher path and shewillbemissed dearly. Herlegacyoflove, kindness, andfaith will en‐dure, atestament to alife well-lived anda woman well-loved. Family and friends areinvited to at‐tendher serviceonSatur‐day,December6,2025 at GardenofMemoriesFu‐neral Home andCemetery, 4900 AirlineDrive,Metairie, La. 70001. Visitation will begin at 12:00 pm with a Massat2:00pm. Interment willbeimmediatelythere‐after.All guestare wel‐cometojointhe family backinthe FuneralHome after theburialfor arecep‐tion. In Lieu of flowers, pleaseconsidera donation inRita'snameto: St.Agnes Catholic Church,3310 Jef‐

Fontenot

ferson Hwy. Jefferson, LA 70121

Duncan,Haili Gabrielle

Buffone, Anthony

4B ✦ Thursday,December 4,2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ TheTimes-Picayune anda deep commitmentto learning. Herdedicationto engineering wasun‐matched.She wasknown for hergenuine,bubbly, and vibrantpersonality witha contagious laughter thatbrought joyand happi‐nesstoeveryonearound her.She hada hugeheart filled with love forall.She loved sports,video games, exploring cities,and spendingtimewith her familyand friends. She alsoenjoyed workingand spendingtimewith her Texas Roadhousefamilyin Lafayette,Louisiana.Haili, asshe wasaffectionately known,was ashining light inthe livesofall who had the privilege of knowing her.Her journeyonthis earth wasone marked by love, compassion,and un‐waveringfaith in God. Haili lived by theverse she loved Philippians4:13, “I can do allthingsthrough Christwho strengthens me.”Her life is joyfully cel‐ebrated by herlovingpar‐ents, Roland andValencia, and hersisterHeidi.She is the cherishedgranddaugh‐ter of Alvinand Elaine Blouin, thelateRoland Duncan, Sr andthe late Loretta Helton Johnson. She leaves behind ahostof aunts, uncles,and cousins who adored herdearlyand willcherish hermemories for decadestocome. ACel‐ebrationofLifeService will beheldonSaturday, De‐cember6,2025,at11:00am atSt. MariaGoretti Catholic Church 7300Crow‐der Blvd,New Orleans, Louisiana 70127, with visi‐tationbeginning at 9:00am Thoughher earthlyjourney has ended, herspiritlives on. Relativesand friendsof the family, University of Louisiana at Lafayette Stu‐dents,Faculty andStaff Texas RoadhouseLafayette,Louisiana,Toyota Motor Manufacturing,Inc., InspireNOLACharter Schools Facultyand Staff, and St.Mary’sAcademy HighSchool Alumnae, Fac‐ultyand Staff areinvited to attend herfuneral service. Internment:Mount Olivet Cemetery2050Caton St New Orleans, Louisiana 70122. Arrangements en‐trusted to D.W. Rhodes Fu‐neral Home 3933 Washing‐ton Ave, NewOrleans, Louisiana 70125. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral. com to sign theonline guestbook,share memo‐riesand condolenceswith the family.

Eugene Sr., Bertrand Leo

Bertrand LeoEugene, Sr entered into eternalrest onThursday,November13, 2025, at theage of 88. He was anativeofNew Or‐leans,LAand aresidentof Avondale, LA.Bertrandwas a graduate of Joseph S. Clark High School.He servedhis countryinthe UnitedStatesAir Forcefor 4 years. Bertrand wasa formeremployeewith KaiserAluminum,and a barberwithFirst Impres‐sions Barber Shop.Beloved husband of thelateAu‐

gustaEugene. Devotedfa‐therofAndrial George,and the late Bertrand Eugene, Jr. Grandfatherofthe late CaressGeorge. Sonofthe lateEdwardEugene, Sr and LeonaEugene. Brother ofYvonne Sloan, Paul Eu‐gene, Sr., andthe late Doristine Magee, Joann Kelly,EdwardEugene, Jr., MorrisEugene, andMelvin Eugene, Sr.Bertrandisalso survivedby9 grandchil‐dren, 13 great-grandchil‐dren, anda host of nieces, nephews,cousins,other relatives andfriends.Rela‐tives and friendsofthe family, also pastors, offi‐cers, andmembers of New HomeMinistries, andall neighboring churches are invited to attend theCele‐bration of Life at New Home Ministries,1616 CarondeletSt.,New Or‐leans,LAonFriday, Decem‐ber 5, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. BishopRobertC.Blakes, Jr.,presiding bishop; Bishop Samuel R. Blakes seniorpastor; Bishop Henry Bolden,III officiat‐ing.Visitationwillbegin at 8:30am until servicetime atthe above-named church.Interment:Rest‐lawnParkCemetery-Avon‐dale, LA.Arrangementsby Davis Mortuary Service, 230 Monroe St., Gretna,LA. Toviewand sign theguest‐book,pleasegotowww davismortuaryservice.com. Face masksare recom‐mended.

KeithAnthony Fisher,II, age 37,formerlyofSpring, TXwent to be with his HeavenlyFatheronMon‐day,November24, 2025 Keith wasbornonMay 30, 1988 to KeithAnthony Fisher, Sr.(Angela)and RhondaCobbJoseph (Christopher) in NewOr‐leans,LA. He attended Im‐maculateHeart of Mary MarianCentral Middle School,Central Medical MagnetHighSchool andis a graduate of St.Augustine HighSchool c/o2006. He continued hiseducational journey throughbasketball scholarships, by receiving anAssociateDegreeinLib‐eralArtsfromBevill State Community College, a BachelorofArtsinHealth and Physical Education fromTougalooCollege and a Master of ScienceinKi‐nesiology from LamarUni‐versity.After receivinghis MasterofScience in 2012, Keith acceptedemploy‐mentat24HourFitness in the Woodlands, TX as a MasterTrainer.Hewas an avidpowerlifter, fitness trainer andmostofall,had a true love forthe game of basketball. In addition to his parents, Keithisalso survivedbyhis devoted sister, MikaylaHubbard; grandmother,Cynthia Cobb; aunt/sister, Melanie Cobb; Godchild,TaylerAnn Batiste;Godparents, Mark S.Pauland KimM.Char‐bonnet, as well as ahostof other aunts, uncles, cousins,other relatives, friends andteammates.He wasprecededindeath by

hispaternalgrandparents, Lawrenceand Yvonne Fisher; uncle,David Paul; bestfriends,Thaddeus Francis,Jr. andAshton Mitchell. AMassofChrist‐ian burial honoring thelife and legacy of thelateKeith Anthony Fisher,II, will be heldatSt. PeterClaver Catholic Church,1923 St PhilipSt.,New Orleans, LA 70116, on Saturday,Decem‐ber 6, 2025 at 10 am,Father R.TonyRicard, Cele‐brant.Visitation9 am in the church.Interment Mt OlivetCemetery, 4000 Nor‐man MayerAve., NewOr‐leans,LA70122. Please signthe online guestbook atwww.charbonnetfuner alhome.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504) 581-4411.

Ginart, MichaelC

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of MichaelCharles Ginart,Jr.,lovingly known as Mike. He passedaway peacefully, surrounded by his family,onNovember 26, 2025, at theage of 64.

BornonSeptember 10, 1961, in NewOrleans, Louisiana Mike ledanextraordinary and remarkable life filled with purpose, generosity, and unwavering strength

He is preceded in death by hisparents, Michael Charles Ginart, Sr. and Cecelia"Celie" Ginart Tanet; hisgrandparents Anthony "Tony" Schiro and EllenDeCourcy Ginart Schiro; his treasuredin laws, Howard "Bud JohnsonJr. and Jane Cadella Johnson; his belovedbrother, John Arthur Ginart;his brother in law, Howard "Buddy" JohnsonIII;his uncle, Rev. Arthur "Fr. Red" Ginart;his former law partner and friend, Richard "Rick" Tonry. He is survivedbyhis loving wife of 45 years, Alice JohnsonGinart;his children, John Claude Ginart (Ashley) andJayne CeceliaGinart (Jacob); and hischerished grandchildren,Michael, Averi,and Beau; his sisters, Debbie Ginart Mormino (Bart) and Julie Ginart (Steve); his step father Joseph Tanet; and by Jacqueline Johnson Caminita (Jack) whomhe lovinglycared for as her guardian; along withhis 13 Godchildren,nieces, nephews, cousins,and lifelong friends.

Mike attended Chalmette High School and earneda fullathletic and academicscholarship to Northwestern State University whereheexcelledonthe footballfield and became aproud firstgeneration college graduate.

After completing his undergraduate degree in business and distributive education,Mike began working as ateacherwith St.Bernard Parish School Boardwhileattending

LoyolaLaw School at night.

Mike graduated with his JurisDoctor degree in 1988. He has been self employed in thepractice of lawsince 1989. Thismarked abeginning of along, prosperous and deeplyrespectedcareer serving thepeopleof St.BernardParish as an attorney. Mike wasa founding partner of Tonry & Ginart which over time evolvedinto Tonry & Ginart &Jones, Ginart & Jones, and most recently Ginart &Associates Trial Attorneys. Mike was apast president of St.Bernard Parish Bar Associationand was nominated by Governor John Bel EdwardstobeChairman of the LouisianaState Public Defender Boardin 2021.

Beyondhis legalaccomplishments, Mike dedicated himself to thecommunity which he loved. Mike was alittleleague coach forRebel Park pre-Katrina and continuedonpost Katrina forSt. Bernard Parish Recreation.In2007, Mike was elected councilman of District Dwhere he continued his lifelong commitment to publicservice He is afounding Board member of Chalmette High School Alumni Association andSt. Bernard Parish Irish -Italian Islenosand Canary Islandparadefor which he served as King in 2010. Mike was also aproud member of the Knights of Nemesis Carnival club and served as King in 2019 and he was honored as the 2003 King of Lourdes. Mike and his family are also parishioners of Our Ladyof Prompt SuccorCatholic Church and previously St. Mark'sCatholic Church. Growing up in atightknit family,Mike's grandparents taught him theculture of NewOrleans and sparkedhis love for the city, its people,and the traditions it holds.His father, awellrespected citizenasthe SBFD Training Chief and longtime Rebel Park coach, inspired Mike's passionfor community and serving others. His mother shaped him into theman he became, teaching himwhat mattered most in life-Godand family.His latebrother Johnny, Mike's best friend and thesourceofendless laughter, helped him always see thegoodinthe world.And his sisters were foreverbyhis side,supporting him in everything he did and reminding him that family is thefoundation of every joy. Theseroots shaped every partofwho Mike was his personality, his passions, and theway he moved throughlife. He carried their lessons and traditions with him in everythingheloved to do.An avid Saints fan and loyal seasonticketholder, he livedfor tailgating and cheering on theBlack and Gold. On Fridaynights, you couldfind him supporting theChalmette High FightingOwls, aritual he rarely missed. He spent MardiGras on St.Charles Avenue,soaking in the magicofthe city with his family by his side. Andhe cherished thepeace and laughter of earlymorning fishing tripswithhis closest friends. Mike also loved horse racing making the road trip to Kentucky for theDerbymorethana dozentimes, owning horses, and frequenting the Fair Grounds, he shared that traditionwithhis familyand friends. Music was

oneof Mike's love languages, attending the first Friday of Jazz &Heritage Festivalreligiously for over 30 years. Outside of Jazz Fest, Mike was afamiliar patron of Pat O'Brien's and theHouse of Blueswhere he foundgoodmusic and goodcompany. Mike had theremarkableand innateabilityto make life better for anyone fortunate enough to meet him. He wastruly agift to this world, and will be deeply missed by all,but hislegacywill live on through his familyfor generationstocome. Some of Mike's last advice to his familywas to slow down andenjoy thecherished time with oneanother,we share this information to you as well.Mike wouldhave been overwhelmed withthe outpouringofkindness, support, andlove that hassurroundedhis familyinthis time.Inlieuofflowers, we ask that donations be made to oneofMike's belovedcauses: Covenant HouseNew OrleansorThe Ginart FamilyScholarship, whichwillprovide an annual scholarship to a Chalmette High School student. To contribute to thescholarship,please mail donations to "The SpiritofSt. Bernard Foundation," P.O. Box 212, Arabi, LA 70032.

Relativesand friends are invited to attenda visitation on Friday, December 5, 2025 from 5:00 PM -9:00 PM at ST. BERNARD MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 701 W. Virtue St., Chalmette,LA. Visitation on Saturday, December 6, 2025 will be held at OURLADYOF LOURDES CATHOLIC CHURCH, 2621 Colonial Blvd Violet, LA from 9:00 AM -11:00 AM.A Funeral Mass will begin at 11:00 AM.Hewill be laidtorest in St.BernardMemorial Gardens. To view andsign theFamilyGuestbook, please visit www.stbernar dmemorial.com.

Penelope “Penny”Jones wenttoher eternalreston November25, 2025. She was 73. Pennywas born to the late Robert andRuth BrooksJones on October6 1952. Pennywas thegrand‐daughterofthe late Alfred and MableKingBrooks. She is preceded in death byAunts/Unclesand Brother,JacquelineBrooks, Patsy Brooks,Audreyand ErnestProut,Josephine and George Brooks, Ada Brooks, Alfred andIrene Brooks, Marguerite Brooks and Robert Jones, Jr.She graduated from Scottville HighSchool andlater at‐tendedSouthernUniversity ofNew Orleans, where she majored in Accounting. Penny worked forBrown & RuthinBelle Chasse fora numberofyears,followed bythe NewOrleans Sewer and WaterBoard,and stayedatThe Louisiana Weekly for20+ yearsuntil her death. Pennywas sur‐vived by herson,Richard A.Jones Sr.(Bridgett) threegrandchildren,

Devan, RichardJr.,and James (Dupree),and one great-granddaughter,Kar‐ria Joshua. Sheleavesbe‐hindone Sister,Rosalin A. (Robert)Johnson,one Brother,Phillip (Natalie), two aunts, Catherine (Dave)Butler, JuanitaF Brooks, threeuncles, Clif‐ford, Clinton, andRev.Dr. JosephA.Brooks. Her beloved nieces Jacqueline Jones,JenniferJones,and Gabrielle Jones. Her beloved nephews, Derrick Jones,Aaron (Christi) Jones,and Joseph Delay. Godchildren Sheila LeBlanc and CedraBrooksSylve She is also survived by a hostofnieces(greatnieces),nephews (greatnephews), relatives, and friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyas wellaspastors,officers, and membersofall area churches areinvited to at‐tendthe funeralservice on Saturday, December 6, 2025 atGreater MorningStar MissionaryBaptist Church located at 14747 LA-23, Naomi LA.70037. Thevisi‐tationwillbegin at 8AM followedbya 10AMser‐vice. Dr.JosephBrookswill officiateand entombment willfollowinBahyi Ceme‐tery15187 Hwy, 23 in Rushville LA.Funeralplan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse,LA 70037. (504) 208-2119. For onlinecondolences please visit Robinsonfamilyfuner‐alhome.com.

On June 14, 1944, Betty JanePhillipsKnight(Betty Jean) wasborninDetroit, MI, thesecondofthirteen childrenofthe late Sallie Mabel Phillips Allen. At the young ageof five,Betty moved to NewOrleans withher mother andsib‐lings.She received hered‐ucation in theOrleans ParishPublicSchool Sys‐tem,graduatingfrom GeorgeWashingtonCarver SeniorHighSchool.Betty earnedanAssociateDe‐greeand aCDA from Del‐gadoCommunity College inEarly Childhood Devel‐opment. Hernurturing spiritand compassion for children, ledher to aca‐reer in teaching with Total Community Action’s Head Start Program,for over 40 years.She lovedputting on kindergartengraduations and otherprograms. Upon movingtoNew Orleans, Betty united with theAME church,under theleader‐shipofRev.ClarenceC Bourgeois at Bethel AME Church.The love of her Pastor’sspiritual leader‐shipled hertofollowhis movetoSaint Luke AME Church,where shewas a faithfuland dedicatedser‐vant. Betty served on many committees andboards, overseeingmanyprojects. She worked on aproject to provide mealstothe chil‐drenand families in theSt. Luke community andgave

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Fisher II, KeithAnthony

Knight,Betty Jane Phillips

Jones, Penelope 'Penny'

of hertimefreely, when the opportunity arose. In 1961, Bettywas joined in Holymatrimony andbe‐camethe mother of four She instilled in herchil‐dren, grandchildrenand great-grandchildren,a love ofChrist, self-respect and tohavecompassionfor everyone. Shewas the motherand grandmother who selflesslygaveofher‐selfbysacrificing her needsfor theneedsofher family. In addition to her mother, Bettyisalsopre‐ceded in deathbyher daughter, Denise Marie Knight; siblings,Delores Boutte,Emily Jones, Mans‐fieldPhillipsand Lionel Smith (and wife,ElaineH Smith); nieces and nephews,Cynthia Jones, TakeishaPhillips, Eric,An‐thony andMaurice Boutte She leaves to cherisha beautiful legacy,her chil‐dren, Velvet,Lisaand Wayne Knight,Sr; grand‐children, Reonda (Raphfel) Moss, WayneKnight, Jr WhitneyLockett, Renise Blakney,Devin Knight,Dev‐ell Knight,Sr.,Dwayne Knight, Eliska Banksand Royal Smith: great-grand‐children, Jarvares Tobias Moss, Cam’RonFisher, Roshawn Banks, Elise Banks,Kennedy Lockett, Semaj Murphy,Cassidy Lockett, Sydney Murphy Khloe Lockett, JamesMur‐phy,AubrieKnight, Rashad Blakney,Devin Knight, Jr.,TravisSmith,aswellas a host of sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. ACelebration Service honoring thelife and legacy of thelate Betty Jean Phillips Knight willbeheldatSaint Luke A.M.E Church ,2500 Louisa Street,New Orleans, LA 70117 on Saturday,Decem‐ber 6, 2025 at 10 am.Inter‐mentTaylorHillCemetery, Madison,MS(OffofHwy 463/ InglesideSubdivision) immediatelyfollowing ser‐vice. Visitation 9aminthe church. Please sign online guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504)5814411

Marziale,Elizabeth

Elizabeth“Betty” Thi‐bodeaux Marziale,beloved wife, mother,grand‐mother, andgreat-grand‐mother, passed away on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at theage of 85. She was born in NewOrleans, LA, on February 19, 1940, to the late ElizabethDriscoll Thibodeauxand George H. Thibodeaux, Jr.Betty was married to theloveofher life, Ferdinand“Jake Marziale, for59years until his passing. Sheissurvived byher daughter,LisaM Wells,and son-in-law,G Patrick Wells,Jr. Beloved Grandma of Joshua P. Wells (Johanna), ErikaW.Manuel (Trevor), andRachelWellsLaraway (Josh);affection‐ately knownas"GiGi"to her adored great-grand‐children: Kaylie Wells, Sophiaand Emma Wells, Jackson andNorah Grace Manuel, andTaysomLar‐away. Sheisalsosurvived byher brother-in-law Richard O'Callaghan, and his sons,Kevin andPatrick; her cousin,Robert“Bobby” Schell; herThibodeaux niecesand nephews, and manylovingneighbors and friends.She waspreceded indeath by herparents; her husband,Jake; her beloved son, BrianJ Marzialewho sheloved so deeply;her brothers, GeorgeH.ThibodeauxIII and RichardJ.Thibodeaux; and hersister-in-law JacquelineM.O'Callaghan Betty wasknown forher dedicationand strong workethic throughout her life. Sheworkedfor South Central Bell, LykesLines, Hibernia, and, most proudly,EastJefferson General Hospital,where she formed many lasting friendships.She absolutely loved theSmoky Moun‐tains,the Lake Catherine fishingcamp, bowling, car‐nival parades, tripstoDol‐lywood,and joyfully over‐stuffing Christmasstock‐ingsfor hergrandchildren A devotedSaintsfan from day one, Betty livedlifeen‐tirelyonher ownterms Her spirited personality earnedher theaffection‐ate nickname “Feisty Betty”, atitle shecarried proudly.Her strength, humor,and love will be for‐everrememberedbyall who knew her. Relatives and friendsare invitedto attend theFuneralServices atGardenofMemoriesFu‐neral Home &Cemetery, 4900 AirlineDrive Metairie,

LA 70001 on Saturday,De‐cember6,2025. Visitation willbegin at 10:00amwith a Mass starting at12:00 noon followed by burial.To order flowersoroffer con‐dolences, please visit www.gardenofmemorie smetairie.com.

Powell, Johnny With sadnessweshare the passingofJohnnyPow‐ell,onNovember19, 2025 Pleasevisit www.rhodesf uneral.comtoviewservice information,signonline guestbook,send flowers and sharecondolences

Richardson, Darnell

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Darnell Richardson, Sr.,who entered into eternal rest on Wednesday,November 19, 2025,atthe age of 73. AnativeofAmite, LA, and a resident of Hammond, LA, he willbegreatly missed by his family and friends. Viewing willbeheldon Friday, December5,2025, from 5:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., as well as on Saturday, December6,2025,9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. The Celebration of Lifewillfollow at 11:00 a.m. allwilltake placeat Gordon Richardson Temple of DeliveranceChurchof God in Christ,10390Hwy 1045,Amite, LA 70422. Interment willfollow at Gordon-Richardson Cemetery, Amite,LA. Richardson Funeral Home of Jefferson,River Ridge,LAisincharge of arrangements. www.richards onfuneralhomeofjefferson. com.

Rose Catalano Seeling, 90, entered the arms of her Lord and Savioron November 30, 2025, surroundedbythe love of her family.Born on July 23, 1935,Rose liveda life overflowing with love,energy, and an unwavering devotion to the peopleshe cherished.

Rose was married for69 beautiful years to the love of her life,StanleySeeling, Sr., who preceded her in death. Together they built ahome filledwith laughter, warmth, and the kind of love that shaped generations.

Sheleaves behindfour children and theirspouses, VickiSeeling Toups (Donald), StanleySeeling Jr.(Maria),Brian Seeling (Maria), and Gregory Seeling (Nicole). She is reunited in Heaven with her beloved daughter, Deborah Seeling Worthy,whose husband, GaryWorthy, remains acherished part of the family.

Rose,lovingly knownas "MeMaw" and "MawMaw" continues her legacy through herninegrandchildren,Tonya Toups Gautreau (Cade), J'Nelle Toups West (Kevin), Gary Worthy (Heidi), Nick Worthy (Kira), Jessica Seeling Quigley (Brennan), Jennifer Seeling-Wu (Howard), Taylor Seeling, AlexSeeling, and Payton Seeling and her thirteen great-grandchildren Austin, Gaines, Nash, Kevin, Kolton, Kinsley, Xander,Graham, Melody Lucy, Blythe, Brighton, and Sadie.

Sheisalsosurvived by her sister,Theresa Cahill, along with countless nieces and nephews. She was precededindeath by her parents, John Catalano and CarmellaReggio Catalano, as wellasmany siblings and extendedfamilymembers.

Rose was known for her passionate spirit, generous heart, and lively personali-

ty.She madeeveryone feel like family.Her home was famous forits open doors, warm meals at any hour, and long conversations. She lovedhosting holiday gatherings, going on cruises, traveling,and latenight cupsofcoffeewhile watching her beloved Golden Girls.

Her faith was thefoundation of herlife.Rose lovedGod wholeheartedly, knewJesus as her Savior, and prayedcountless hours over her family and friends. She taught those around herthe importance and power of prayer,planting seeds of faith that will continue to grow forgenerations.

The family wouldliketo thank thenurses and caregivers, The Blakeat Colonial Club,Christine Frickey, and Passages Hospice fortheir compassion, attentiveness, and heartfelt care. Services willbeheldon Friday, December 5, 2025, at Lake Lawn Metairie FuneralHome, 5100 PontchartrainBlvd.New Orleans, LA.Visitation will be held from 9AM -11AM with aMass to beginat 11AM. Interment willfollow at Lake Lawn Park Mausoleum.

MattieS.Shannon en‐tered eternalrestonTues‐day,November18, 2025 following alengthy illness, ather home surrounded by family. Shewas 90 years old.Mrs Shannonwas born inHazlehurst,MSand lived inNew Orleansfor thepast 74years.She wasa retired beautician. Survivorsin‐clude herson,Randolph (Donna)Shannon,her grandsonand adoptedson, EddieShannon,III anda stepson,Billy Wayne(Jen‐nifer); twograndchildren, Angel Weston andSeth (Mariah)Shannon,two bonus grandchildrenMal‐lory(Alexander) Smithand Kegan Lambert; sixgreat grandchildren,Malia,An‐thony,Mason,Noah, Ar‐maniand Seven. Shealso leavesone brother, Thomas(Deloris) Shannon ofEastSt. Louis, onesister BarbraReeseofHazle‐hurst,MS, asister-in-law RosaShannon of Atlanta, GA. andtwo specialdaugh‐tersofthe heart, Irma Dixon andDebbieWare. She also leaves to cherish her memory ahostof nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Membersand friends of Second Baptist Church 6thDistrictare in‐vited to avisitationtobe heldonFriday, December 5, 2025, at Second Baptist Church 6thDistrict4218 LaurelStreet,New Orleans, LA. Rev. Dr.SamuelGibbs Jr.,Pastor, officiating. Viewing from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. with fu‐neral servicetofollow. A secondviewing will take place at Hazelhurst Funeral Home16130 Highway51 Hazlehurst,MS. 39083 on Saturday, December 6, 2025 from9:00a.m.until 10:30 a.m.followedbya grave‐sideservice at 11:00 a.m. at Greater NewZionMission‐ary BaptistChurch Ceme‐tery4063 AntiochRoad, Ha‐zlehurst,MS. 39083. Estelle J.WilsonFuneralHome, Inc.,New Orleans, LA.and Hazlehurst FuneralHome, Hazlehurst,MS. in charge ArrangementsEntrusted ToEstelle J. Wilson Funeral Home, Inc. 2715 Danneel Street,NOLA70113. Infor‐mation: (504)895-4903. To sign online guestbook

please visitwww.estelle jwilsonfh.com

Smith, Jean MarieMetoyer

Mrs. Jean MarieMetoyer Smith,age 89, passedaway peacefullyather home in New OrleansonSunday, November23, 2025. Born on December7,1935, Jean is the daughter of theZulu SocialAid andPleasure ClubFounder,the late John L.Metoyer,Sr. andCather‐ine Clay Metoyer. Alifelong New Orleanian, shegrew uponPerdido Street and attendedBooker T. Wash‐ingtonHighSchool.She workedatthe Claiborne TowersHotel,the Louisiana Superdomedur‐ing specialeventsand later at the1984 Louisiana World’s Fair.Jeanwas known forher caring na‐tureand signatureNew Or‐leans hospitality. Herhome was always open,her cookingalwayssharedand her spirit wasdirect, loving and full of humor,leaving a lasting impression on all who knew her. Affection‐ately called “Ms. Chancel‐lor”for herelegant style, Jeanenjoyed casino out‐ings, brassbandmusic and timespent with family. She was preceded in deathby her husband of 40 years, O’NealManor Smith; two children, Donna Mitchell and Walter McGee. Sur‐vivorsinclude four chil‐dren, Lawrence McGee, Linda McGee, Nicole Smith Guidry(Calvin)and Karen Lewis-Holmes(Joel); sister and best friend of nearly 90 years,Jocelyn Metoyer Lewis;her sister Priscilla Metoyer,aswellasa large, lovingfamilyincluding elevengrandchildren,thir‐teen great-grandchildren, one great- great-grand‐child,a host of nieces nephews,other devoted familymembers and friends.Jean’slifewas markedbyfaith,resilience, and devotion to thoseshe loved.She leaves behind a legacyofgenerosity, laughterand unwavering lovefor herfamily. AFu‐neral servicehonoringthe lifeand legacy of thelate JeanMarie MetoyerSmith willbeheldinthe Chapel ofthe RosesatCharbonnet Labat GlapionFuneral Home, 1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Saturday,Decem‐ber 6, 2025 at 10 am,Dr. Rev.Keith Mackey,Officiat‐ing.Interment Resthaven Cemetery, 10400 OldGen‐tilly Rd., NewOrleans,LA 70116. Visitation 9amin the chapel.A repass will followthe intermentat Chateau Menteur, 8726 ChefMenteur Hwy.,New Orleans,LA70116. Please signthe online guestbook atwww.charbonnetfuner alhome.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion, Directors (504)581 4411.

TheresaSmith,a life‐longresidentofNew Or‐leans,Louisiana,entered intoeternal rest on Tues‐day,November25, 2025 at the ageof75. Shewas the fifthchild born to theunion of Rev. Willie Smithand

Gertrude ElizabethSmith in New Orleans, LA on Sep‐tember16, 1950. Theresa attended JamesLewis Ele‐mentary School,CarterG WoodsonMiddleSchool and graduatedfrom Booker T. Washington Se‐niorHighSchool,Class of 1968. Shelater went on to attend andgraduatefrom Meadows-DraughonBusi‐nessCollege fortheir Busi‐nessAdministrator andAc‐countingprogram.Theresa workedmanyyears for WalkHaydel& Associates and then City Government and wasaffectionately known as “Ms. Tee” by coworkers and“Aunt Tee” by her nieces andnephews She enjoyedspendingtime withher great-great nephewand nieces Bent‐ley,Gisele, GiaVonni,and Mazi. Sheisprecededin death by herparents Rev. Willie andGertrudeSmith, lifepartner JohnnyYoung brothersHerbert “Pat” Lewis andSims“Bubba” Smith,sisterDawnMarie Freeman (Vernon).She is survivedbyher only child and loving daughter RhondaSmith.She is also survivedbyher sistersIra JeanAddisonRobinson (Lanis),WillieMae Winding (Otis), nephewsWilliam “Bill”HarveyAddisonJr., Hillery Addison, Sr Horace GainesJr.,and nieces Erica Hollowayand Erin Free‐man.Relatives andfriends ofthe family, membersof Delta SigmaTheta Sorority New OrleansAlumnae Chapter,employees of Deep SouthCenterfor En‐vironmental Justice, staff ofMICUOchsner Medical CenterMainCampus, and members of Rising Star Baptist Church areinvited toattend aChristian Ser‐viceonFriday, December 5, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. at D. W. RhodesFuneral Home,3933 WashingtonAve NewOr‐leans,LA70125. Visitation willbegin at 9:00 a.m. until the time of service. Offi‐ciant Bishop Karl V. Perry ofNew JourneyWord Church.Interment:Provi‐dence Memorial Park Cemetery, 8200 Airline Drive,Metairie, LA 70003 Arrangement entrustedto D.W.RhodesFuneral Home, 3933 Washington Ave.Pleasevisit www.rho desfuneral.comtosignthe onlineguestbook.Funeral willbelive-streamed at www.facebook.com/D.W RhodesFuneralHome/live

Sullivan,Doris Barnes With sadnessweshare the passingofDoris Barnes Sullivan, on November 19 2025. Please visitwww.rho desfuneral.comtoview service information, sign onlineguestbook,send flowersand sharecondo‐lences.

RichardJosephTassin, Sr.,a devotedhusband,fa‐ther, grandfather, andser‐vantofChrist, passed peacefully from this life on November28, 2025, leaving behinda legacy builton faith,humility, andunwa‐veringlove. Born in Gretna Louisiana on March13, 1945, Richardwas the beloved sonofAntoine JosephTassinofSt. Rose, LA, andMarjorieSmith TassinofNew Orleans, LA For 62 blessedyears Richard wasmarried to the loveofhis life,Victoria CarterTassin, with whom heshareda lifetime of steadfastcompanionship, laughter, hard work,and devotion. Together they raiseda familythat brought himimmeasurable joy:Richard (Michele) Tassin,Jr Kevin(Amy) Tassin, Eric Tassin, and Kristen (Jason)Williams. Richard wasthe proud grandfather of Ashley (Matthew)Miller,Courtney (Richard) Edwards, Bren‐don (Brittany) Tassin, Bradley (Kady) Tassin, Tyler Tassin, SarahTassin, Lauren(Timothy) May, ColeWilliams, Samuel Tassin, Carter Williams, and ChaseWilliams, and the adoringgreat-grandfa‐therofIsabelle, Jackson, Bryleigh, Cason, Sadie James,Riley, Levi,Blake Lane, Rylan, Brooks, Cameron,BabyTassin, Charlotte,Eliza,Parker, and Reed.Eachone of themcarried apiece of his heart.Heissurvivedbyhis siblingsCharles Tassinand Darlene (John) Whitney, and preceded in deathby Laverne (Cob)Crespo, Florine Tassin, andMarve‐lyn Dauzat.Richard is also rememberedwithloveby manyniecesand nephews who were dear to him. A man of deep andgenuine faith,Richard spenthis life caringfor hischurch—not for recognition, butout of devotion. Whethermain‐taining thegrounds, repair‐ing whatneeded fixing,or simplyensuringthe doors openedtoa warm andwel‐comingplace,heserved quietly andfaithfully.His lovefor hischurchfamily and neighborswas lived out throughsmall acts of kindness, steady service, and ahumbleheart that reflectedChristinall he did.Richard worked for mostofhis life as aMaster Plumber andthe proud ownerofTassinPlumbing & Heating, knownfor his craftsmanship,integrity and dedication to thepeo‐ple he served.Outside of work, he found joyintrav‐elingwithhis wife—espe‐cially during thecrisp beautyoffall, hisfavorite season—andinadmiring the splendor of sunsets, moments in which he saw God’s handiworkmadevis‐ible. Hisfavoritepastime was fishing, asimpleplea‐surethatbrought him peace.Whether castinga lineinquiet solitude or alongside familyand friends,hetreasured the rhythmofthe water, the anticipation, andthe sto‐ries shared.Those mo‐

Shannon, MattieS

Thibodeaux 'Betty'

Seeling, Rose Catalano

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Smith, Theresa

OUR VIEWS

Thankyou, MacKenzieScott, forshowering La. HBCUswithlove

In this seasonofgiving, we would be remiss not to recognize one of themost significant philanthropic giftsour statehas seeninrecent years. MacKenzie Scott, whofounded Amazon with ex-husband Jeff Bezos, has beenquietly giving away her fortune tononprofits, universities and charities around thecountry.But we note how particularly generous shehas been to Louisiana

Nearly 50 organizations around thestate have receivedalmost$240million from Scott since 2020. Those organizationsrangefromLafayette Habitat forHumanity to Capital AreaUnited WayinBaton Rouge to Cafe Reconcile in New Orleans. But by far the biggest focus of Scott’slargesse is education, especiallyHistorically Black Colleges and Universities. Her latestgifts, announced last month, include$38 millionto Xavier University,the nation’s only Black and Catholic HBCU, and $19 million to DillardUniversity,the state’soldest HBCU. Both gifts were the largest in each school’shistory.And thatis saying something. Xavier, founded inNew Orleans by Saint Catharine Drexel, is celebrating its100th anniversary this year. And Dillard is 156 years old.

It is Scott’ssecond roundofgifts to these schools. Dillard received$5million in 2020, and Xavier received $20 million that year.This year, it is estimated that she gave around$900 million to HBCUs.

Many HBCU leaders arecallingthe gifts transformative as they face headwinds due to federal cuts. Xavier University wasforced to lay off 46 employees in October,and a$20 millionfederal grant to Dillard forcampusinfrastructure was recently canceled.

The Trump administration did direct more nearly $500 million more to historically Black and tribal institutions earlier thisyear. Butthat money came largely due to cutstootherprograms that benefited minoritystudents

In atime of such uncertainty,Scott’sphilanthropy is especially usefulasitcomes in the form of unrestricted gifts, allowingthe universities to use the funds as they see fit. Scott offers ashining example of howphilanthropy can shore up institutionsthathave long producedfar greaterresults with farfewer resources thanthey deserve. Thefact that she does so with little fanfare reflects the realization that evenwith these massivegifts,many HBCUsremainchronically underfunded.

It’sclear that Scott and her advisers aredoing theirhomework and seeing the contributions that HBCUs make to our society. They educate asignificant proportionofBlack professionals, including 40% of all Black engineers and70% of Black doctors.

Generations of Louisiana studentswill benefit from these gifts. We don’tknowwhatdrove Scott’sattention to astate where she hasnoobvious connections. But we like to think that perhaps somewhere in her circle is apersonwhose life has been changed by these Louisiana institutions. It would be more than fitting if theseHBCUs and nonprofits are now reaping the fruits of what they sowed long ago.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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OPINION

YOUR VIEWS

Fear beingusedto controlAmericans

There are anumber of problems directing American politics these days, but one is significantly influential. It is fear

I’m an old woman. Imagine that I’m willing to go out and say it.I’ve seen political heroes and devils, political fads and desperation, but today manyofusare affected by fear It’sa historic way todominateus and aclassic way to force homage. We are afraid of being deported; we are afraid our cities are not safe; we are afraid we won’tbeable to pay forhealth care, get themedication we need, have to auction off our trophies and memories to do so. To lose jobs. We are afraid we may go to war afraid to say what we think, of general loss and losing the country that brave soldiers fought for.Our armed forces are well-trained to defend us, aid democracy and are on call. They should not be patrolling

As Iwatch Donald Trumpprepare to attack Venezuela while using bellicose rhetoric about invading Nigeria, this action begs thequestion: What do these two countries have in common?

Trumpinsists, withnovisible evidence, that Venezuela is amajor source of drugs coming tothe U.S. and flatly asserts, again lacking all credibility,that thegovernment of Nigeria is murdering Christians wholesale. Again, Iask myself, what is the common link between these two nations? Alas,the most notable attributeshared by each country seems to be oil, Trump’sfavoritesource of energy.And while we are already theworld’slargest oilproducer,even themost casual observer knows that in Trump’s world, more is always better Ican find no other plausible explanation to linkthese two geographically distant, ethnically unrelated, militarily challenged countries. Attackingthese two would certainly makeexciting television, (always a major consideration for Trump) and

thestreets of cities and given guns to use against fellow citizens.

As achild, Iwitnessed dinner table discussions about jobs, safety andsecurity.These were sometimes followed by not having the government of choice that term, but it was America and those in office were to be respected forhaving been chosen todothe job. Better luck in the next election. Youall saw the Jan. 6riots. Those insurgents were not patriots; they were thugs out for the blood of the vice president and elected officials who were doing their job. This was properly dealt with, and the invaders called to justice. But President Donald Trumppardoned all of them. Look up, America, and open your eyes to reality.Doyou wanttocontinue to livewith fear? I, forone, just want agood night’ssleep.

LAURABARNES NewOrleans

he could declare victory andleave before theguerrilla forces had time to organize and involve the U.S. in a protracted land war Simultaneously,public attention would be diverted from the Epstein matter,aswell as the fact that he demolished half of oneofthis country’smost important historical buildings so that he could build a monument tohis vanity, arococo bordello of abuilding which, at best will not be finished before he leaves office and probably not in his lifetime, if ever Meanwhile, theRepublican Congress, that chorus of sycophants muzzled by cowardice, is relentlessly failing to summon the crumbs of courage that it would take to rein in this madness. How,then, are those who have escaped this insanity supposed to proceed to reverse thedanger that Trumpisleading our country into? How long will it take to repair the damage?

JIM GRICE NewOrleans

Isee Louisiana is only ranked eighth in cancer deaths. Also, the Louisiana Environmental Action Network, anonprofit group, has set up air-monitoring stations all over that have already detected spikes in pollution levels from industry, such as chemical and petrochemical plants.

Iknow the Legislature and Gov. Jeff Landry recently lowered of levels of environmental regulation with fewerenforcement actions, and they are working with the Trumpadministration to raise levels of cancer-causing chemicals in our air and water,but they can do better By lowering standards and halting enforcement, we can get Louisiana to be No.1incancer deaths!

Iknow our Republican legislators and Landry’sadministration can do this. Since we are last in education, heath care and lifeexpectancy,wehave to strive to be No.1 in something. We need to step up and promote Cancer Alley as atourist attraction to makeupfor the 35% of Canadian tourists whoare no longer coming to Louisiana. We can do this! Ican see Lt. Gov.Billy Nungesser coming up with anew slogan, “People are dying to visit Cancer Alley.”

GLENN MCGOVERN Metairie

To all those whoare upset about the Super Bowlhalftime performance: Given that the Super Bowlisabout big money, do you think the NFLislooking to attract bigoted Americans or the whole world? What would you think is the best business move? And if you refuse to watch the halftime show,will you also refuse to watch the Super Bowl?

STEVE SCHMITT NewOrleans

Why is it that Zion Williamson is hurt every season and on the bench? Is this fair to the thousands of devoted fans that attend the Pelicans games?

NICHOLAS LAPARA Metairie

N.O. loseswithout cooperation

NewOrleans Mayor LaToyaCantrell

is still in office.

New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena

Moreno is still in office.

There’sone mayor at atime.

Cantrell is the incumbent mayor,with all the duties, privileges, rights and authoritythat come with the office, which the people of the cityvested in her when they gave her asecond term with an overwhelming vote of confidence by nearly 65% of the electorate in November 2021. Moreno is the incumbent City Council vice president,with duties, privileges, rights and authoritythat come with theoffice that the peopleofthe city vested in her when they gave her asecond term with an overwhelming vote of confidencebynearly 85%ofthe electorate in November 2021.

wielded thegavel as chair of the RevenueEstimating Conference, which is responsible for providing the best estimates about anticipating revenue that might be expected tokeep thecity running. Cantrell didn’tallow the REC to share an updatewith newrevenue estimates, then vote to recommend anew estimate.That action was delayed until Mayor Moreno can chair theconference committee soon after she’ssworn in next month.

Will Sutton

Theactual, official, peaceful New Orleans transfer of power doesn’ttakeplace for afew weeks yet butwhat Isaw Monday wasn’tpretty, and Ihopeeyebrows are lowered, tempers aremellowed, side-eyes are set asideand pleasantries will be thevisuals we see on Inauguration Day

Because what Isaw Monday was not pleasant

ployees —including budget administrator Brandye DeLarge, Moreno staffer Sayde Finkel, Giarrusso staffer LeeAnnMoss and others —who worked their butts off through the holiday weekend with Moreno transition team leader Emily Arata to pull together a budget that could be considered and approved.

What Isaw was disappointment, frustration, finger-pointing and namecalling as our elected city leaders did what needed to be done.

The two roles are different. Quite different. One holds the city’s topelected executive position. The other has the No. 2legislative position, arole that rotates between the two city legislators elected citywide. When amajority of voters put each in office, they had dreams, hopes and expectations.

Four years ago,voters didn’tcast their ballots in the midst of aterrible fiscal crisis. This summer and fall, however,voters learned that abouta large deficit that grew even larger as ourelected and appointedleaders and campaign candidates—shared drips, drops then gushes of bad news. There was one mayor then. There’s one mayor now On Monday,wewitnessed incumbent Mayor LaToya Cantrell exercise her voter-granted authority as she refused to allow City CouncilBudget Chair Joe Giarrusso the opportunitytoshare new ideas,new information,new numbers that might get the city outofanembarrassing financial mess. Maybe. Ifthe estimated numbers are accurate.

On Monday,wewitnessed Cantrell’s resolve, strength and tenacity as she

What Isaw was an outgoing mayor pissed off because she didn’tget the financial information she requested from Moreno’smayoral transition team

WhatI saw was an incoming mayor pissedoff because theincumbent mayor didn’tplay along withthe plan to have the REC consider new revenue estimatesthatsupport her amended 2026 city budget, revenues that theincumbent mayorconsideredunacceptable becauseshe and her team didn’thave time to reviewand verify the data.

What Isaw was an incumbent mayor blamingthe entire City Council for letting thebudgetprocess end this way withoutincluding her significant fix-it suggestionsthat would have increased anumber of city fees andtaxes.

WhatIsaw was an incoming mayor blaming the incumbent mayor for a failure to communicate and cooperate during the Thanksgiving weekend to urgently prepareupdated revenue estimates and an updated budget in time forthe NewOrleans Home Rule Charter Dec. 1deadline for CityCouncil to approveanannual budget What Isaw was abunch of cityem-

There are several weeks left before incumbent Mayor Cantrell becomes Citizen Cantrell and before incumbent City Council Vice President Moreno becomes Mayor Moreno. Cantrell lostthe confidence of many New Orleanians sometime ago. Moreno gained theconfidence of an overwhelming majority of New Orleanians in October,without arunoff, withabout 55% of the vote. The mayor andthe CityCouncil have plentyofbusiness left between now and Dec. 31, and in the first 11.5 days of January

Ihope what Isaw Monday is not an indication of what we’re in for each day or each week as this precious city goes about ensuring that all 5,000 city employees are paid through the end of the year and as all elected and appointed officials prepare for asmooth transition.

Cantrell has mayoral authority,and she can choose touse it for thegood of the city or for personal or political vendettas

Moreno has thecity’sgoodwill, and she can choose touse it for thegood of the city or for personal or political vendettas

I’m hopeful that both will cool their hands, heads and heels and work together,even through representative pointsofcontact if necessary Monday wasn’tpretty,but thingscan change.

Ipray they will.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate.com.

Paythe American inheritanceforward

The St. Tammany Parish Council should delay cuts in funding for the Safe Haven mental health campus until it fully understands all the ramifications.

Someone need not be an expert in the parish’s finances, but just be familiar with how public budgets work and cognizant of the importance of mental health care, in order to see that apotential “major shutdown” of the campus could be a disaster in both fiscal and human terms.

Worse, this is part of an apparently larger problem statewide, with mentalhealth services often getting short shrift.

As reported by this newspaper’sWillie Swett, the council seems poised to cut $620,000 from Safe Haven. Yetnobody seems sure what that will meanfor the campus’ three tenants —the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools, the Florida Parishes Human Services Authority and the National Alliance of Mental Illness Southeast Louisiana (NAMI SELA). Council memberCheryl Tanner said she thinks the campus can use about $800,000 in leftover funds to keep operating for an unspecified time period. Parish spokesman Michael Vinsanau said the administration of Parish President Mike Cooper is unsure how soon cuts in maintenance would occur or whetherthe proposed budget cuts would result in “a partial, moderate, major or complete shutdown.”

Common sense says answers should come before decisions.

Normally,atthis time of year, I dedicate acolumn to reflecting on the various innovations that have saved us from the normal human condition —which is to say,a life of frequent discomforts punctuated by even greater miseries. If you are temptedto rhapsodize about some imagined Edenic past ask yourself whether you really have the fortitude to bury halfyour children before they finish puberty.Ipersonally do not. Iamsoft and pronetomelancholy.SoIwill be forever grateful that fortune deliveredmetothis placeand this time, where Ican wallow in peace and prosperity

This year,however, I’ve been reflecting on another thing we oughttobe more grateful for:America herself. We have been taking her too much for granted recently,assumingthat she will keep showering her gifts uponus without so much as athank-you note We’re like trust-funders whoslander capitalism and squander their incomes, secureinthe knowledge that the checks will keep coming They will not, unless we once again start treating America as something we have to earn, rather than something we’re entitled to. Recently,Ihad the privilegeofhearing atalk by Gordon Wood, thegreat historian of the American Revolution. He reminded the audience that“the United States is not anation likeother nations,and it never has been.”

“Most of the European states,” he continued, “were created out of aprior sense of acommon ethnicityorlanguage …undergirded by peoples who had apreexisting sense of their own distinctiveness, their own nationhood. In the United States, the process was reversed. Americans created astate before they were anation,and much of American history has been an effort to define the nature of thatnationhood.”

America had to invent itselfout of whatever parts happened to be lying around: 13 colonies, dozensofethnicities and language groups, uncounted religious sects. Yetout of this unlikely material, Americans wroughta miracle. They patched together acountry that not only held together butkept

gettingbigger, richer,freer and more essential to humanity Hindsight blinds us to how difficult that project was andhow many times it almost failed. If George Washington had not been such an able general, the revolution might have been quashed. If the Founding Fathers had been less able statesmen, our fledgling nation might have disintegrated into 13 rival countries. Or it could have fallen apart in the 1860s, when the country ripped itself to shreds over the great flaw in ourConstitution: its allowance of slavery in thelandofthe free and the home of thebrave. That flaw could well have proved fatal Instead,we fixed it, at enormous cost In the years since, we have repaired many other holes that appeared in the patchwork. The results have not been perfect, andtherewill undoubtedly be more patching to be done in thefuture. Butit’slasted longer than it had any right to, and it remainsa hell of abirthright. Such inheritances do not last unless they are tended to. Youcan’tjust assume everything will hold together Youhavetobewilling to do someofthe mending. Unfortunately,that’s gone out of style amongthe elites who are supposed to be knittingtogether this improbable nation.Overthe past couple decades,

thepeople in charge of our great sensemaking institutions —academia, the media, entertainment and the arts —decided that their main job was pointing out where theholes were and demanding that everyone else get busy fixing them. An emerging counter-elite of populist upstarts decided that it was much morefun to rip new holes than to figure out the boring work of governing. Both groups tended to see their opponentsasmortal enemies, rather than fellow Americans. Both spent alot of time pointing out flaws in Americanstyle free market democracy and little time reflecting on how pleasant,prosperous and free their lives were under that same system. Andboth groups were implicitly assuming that the work of keeping America in one piece belonged to someoneelse. It doesn’tbelong to anyone else. It belongs to all of us and each of us. No American can afford to be alazy trust-funder,living off passive income. We have to be active stewards of our legacy Fortunately,that trust still has alot of capital left, and no damage has been done that cannot be repaired with alittle hard work. Andweshould get busy MeganMcArdle is in on X, @asymmetricinfo.

Meanwhile, if Safe Haven closes, Vinsanau said the parish probably will need to return grant money it already has received and stop pursuing grants it expects to receive, including atotal of $14.3 million(combined) forveterans’ housing, for anew cafeteria and for drainage improvements. If just over $600,000 is, essentially,leveraging more than 20 times that muchingrant money, then that’sreason enough to scrape up the money in just about any way possible.Yes,St. Tammany voters have made life extremely hard for parish budgeteers by refusing in 2023 to renew the parish’spublic health millage, not to mention six refusals by parish voters since2016 to accept taxes dedicated to the criminaljustice system. Still, cuts to mental health programs in general tend to be counterproductive. Law enforcement and the criminal justice system often feel the brunt when mentalhealth services are curtailed, and of course,untreated mental health problems and crises can necessitate medical care down the line thatisfar more expensive than preventive programs are. Mental health care providers cite copious studies, quite believably,that say future savings can range from twofold all the way to tenfold compared to the costs of early intervention.

The human cost is even worse. Ayear agotoday,this newspaper reported that St. Tammany, for example, has asuicide rate 18% higher than the state average, with parish coronerChristopher Tape citing difficulties accessing mental health care as aleading culprit. Overdose deaths, also akey part of the mental health crisis, are more than twice as frequent as suicides. Louisiana as awhole has asuicide rate higher than neighboring Mississippi and Texas, and the rate has risen from 14.3 per 100,000 to 15.557in 10 years. NAMI SELA reports that statewide, more than half of those diagnosed with amental health condition can’tget needed services. NAMI SELA alone, representing just nine of Louisiana’s64parishes, helps more than 50,000 people each year access support for mental health care for themselves or family members. If the parish closes the Safe Haven campus, it will leave NAMI SELA scrambling for alocation from which to operate programs, including one where 500 sheriff’s deputies are slated in 2026 to be trained in providing mental health first aid. For all those reasons, the parish council should move heaven and earth to keep Safe Haven open. Meanwhile, the state as awhole does fartoo little to prevent and treat mental health problems. On Nov.7,this paper’sJillian Kramerreported that “on average, murderand manslaughter defendants statewide spent nearly seven months last year waiting for abed at the Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System,” adding to an already huge backlog of major-crimes trials. Indeed, both New Orleans and BatonRouge are among the slowest jurisdictions in the nation in moving homicide prosecutions to trial and completion, and the situation statewide isn’tmuch better.When people with mental health needs can’tget help, they usually can’t be brought to trial —and, whetherinnocentor guilty,they suffer in jails while waiting without treatment.

In sum, Louisiana state and local governments should fully fund mental health servicesasa key priority,rather than putting such services high on the chopping block if budgets are tight. By refusing to defund Safe Haven, St. Tammany can be an exemplar of how to act.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com

Quin Hillyer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

Miniature American flags flutter in windgusts across the National Mall near the Capitol in Washington, D.C.

ega McArdle

M n

with meteorologist DamonSingleton

mentstaughthim pa‐tience, gratitude, andjoy lessons he carried into every part of hislife. Above all,Richard’s greatest de‐votionwas to hisfamily. Hedelighted in everyday moments:quiet evenings athome, mealsshared around atable full of laughter, andthe simple joy of beingtogether.His homewas aplace of warmth, wisdom,and un‐waveringsupport—anan‐chorfor thoseheloved Richard’s absencewillbe deeply felt,but hislegacy lives on in thelives of his family, thechurch he faith‐fully served,and thecount‐lesspeoplewho were touched by hiskindness. A Celebration of Life will be heldonFriday, December 5, 2025 at RioVista Baptist Church, 3800 Jefferson Hwy,Jefferson,LA70121 for 12PM.Visitationbegins at10AM. Intermentwillfol‐low at Garden of Memories Cemetery, 4900 AirlineDr. Metairie, LA 70001.Inlieu of flowers, thefamilyre‐queststhatdonations be madetothe Lottie Moon Christmas Offering through thewww.imb.org May hismemorybea blessingtoall who knew and lovedhim

DEATHS continued from tices, shewanted, like every parent,the best for her kids.She dedicated over40years of herlife, nurturing andinspiring countless young minds withher patience,kind‐nessand love of life.Myr‐nellwas atalentedbeauti‐cianinher younger years and aloving“Mimi”toher grandchildren.A mother figure to allthe children in the neighborhood andalso some adults who called her mom. Myrnellwas a devoted member of Saint Maria GorettiChurch.Sur‐vivorsinclude herchildren, David Thomas,Sandra Broussard-Thomas, Debo‐rah Thomas,Pamela Thomas, MichaelThomas and PatrickCarter; grand‐children, Adrienne Cheyenne Jasmine, Ju‐lianne,Christopher,Derek, Raven,ErnestJunior, Aaron Carterand Darren Carter.A Massofcelebration honor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late MyrnellDelores ThomaswillbeheldatSt. Maria GorettiCatholic Church,7300 Crowder Blvd.,New Orleans, LA 70127 on Friday,December 5,2025 at 11 am.Interment Providence Memorial Park Visitation10aminthe church.A repass will follow inthe Charbonnet Family Center, 1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116. Please sign online guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion, Directors (504) 581-4411.

greatlymissedbydaugh‐ter Lauren Tucker,son DrewTucker, sonMason Tucker, andgood friend MarkTucker. Martha wasa stayathomemotheruntil her children enteredele‐mentary school.She then becamea successful sales representativeinthe oil fieldservice industry.Later she dedicatedher time caringfor herfather. When her sister became illwith caner,she became her caretaker also.Marthaen‐joyed cookingand baking for herfamilyand friends. She also excelled coordi‐nating, decorating,and hosting partiesand re‐unions. From Cookie Mon‐stertobakingcookies, Martha'screativityand en‐thusiasmwas evidentin everythingshe did. ACele‐bration of Life will be held for familyand friendson December13, 2025.

MyrnellDelores Thomas crossedoverpeacefullyon Friday, November 21, 2025, surrounded by herloving family. Born on June 16, 1940 in Laurel,MS, Sheis the beloveddaughterof Grady andArchbishopAl‐freda Dixon. Myrnell, alov‐ing mother of five children dedicated herlifetomak‐ing sure they experienced everythingneeded in life to becomegood human be‐ings, while also making suretheyknewthe word of God.Fromdance school archery,karate, ballet,the arts, pianoand fashion modeling,tobandprac‐

Captain Matthew J. VodopijaJr.,68, lifelong residentofBuras,La.,left thislifeonNovember26th. Beloved husband of the lateBlanche Franicevich Vodopija. Brotherof Catherine Vodopija,Ben Vodopija(Tania),Valerie Taylor(Timmy),Jerry Vodopija(Mikell),Stepson ofKitty Vodopija.Brotherin-lawtoLouis Franicevich, Trechel Ramagos (Mar‐shal) MarishaSmith (Jared) andMonette Marange (Douglas). Pre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐entsMatthew J. Vodopija Sr. andJeanette A. Nicks. Mattwas arespected and wellskilled TugboatCap‐tainfor over 40 yearsem‐ployedbyMadere& Sons, BonvillionTowing, Johnny Graham& many,many more. Hishobbies were music,watchingold clas‐sicsand lovedtellinghis jokes.Heissurvivedbynu‐merousnieces, nephews, cousins andtwo grandchil‐dren.Sincere thankyou to

ChristinaNetter(ourHos‐piceNurse)and Alexis Cheramie(CMA) forthe wonderful andkindcare given to Matt. Celebration ofLifewillbeheldonDe‐cember6,at2:00pmat Trinity ChristianCommu‐nityChurch locatedat 36674 Hwy. 11, Buras, La followedbya community gathering in thebackto share ameal. Interment willbeprivately held on Monday, December 8, 2025, atWestlawnCemeterylo‐cated at 1225 Whitney, Av‐enue,Gretna, LA 70056. Fu‐neral planning entrustedto RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse,LA70037. Foron‐linecondolences,please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com.

Washington,Michael J.

MichaelJ.Washington passedawaypeacefully at his home on November 24 2025, at theage of 67. He is survivedbyhis loving wife, Aloma Washington;his daughter, Labria Richards; three granddaughters;and three great-grandsons. He isalsosurvivedbytwo brothers: Kennethand Ed‐ward; threesisters:Patri‐cia,Desiree, andMichelle Alsosurvivedbya host of nieces, nephews, otherrel‐atives, andlifelongfriends who will forevercherish his memory.Michael is precededindeath by his son,Joseph“Mook” Ducros, andhis parents, Minnieand Joseph Wash‐ington. Relatives, family, friends,and former coworkers of John Gen‐dusaand Leidenheimer Bakeriesare invitedtoat‐tendMichael’s Celebration ofLifeonFriday, December 5,2025, at Holy Anointed House of Prayer,1447 Sen‐ate Street,New Orleans, LA 70122. Visitation will begin at9:00a.m.followedbythe FuneralService at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Lionel Robert‐

sonofficiating. Interment isprivate.Guestbook On‐line: www.anewtraditionbe gins.com(504) 282-0600 LinearBrooksBoydand Donavin D. Boyd Own‐ers/FuneralDirectors

York,LoganXavier FuneralServicesfor LoganXavierYorkwillbe heldinthe Chapel of Char‐bonnetLabat GlapionFu‐neral Home,1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Thursday,Decem‐ber 4, 2025 at 10 am.Inter‐mentPrivate.Visitation9 aminthe chapel.Please signonlineguestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504) 581-4411.

SterlingPaulZeringue, 84, aprominent business owner, loving husband, prouddad,and fun-loving grandpa andgreat grandpa, passed away peacefully in hissleep surrounded in spirit by thefamilyhe cherished above all else on December 1, 2025. Born with aquick smile and an easy laugh,Sterling broughtjoy wherever he went.In1963, he andhis brotherRoy laidthe foundation for Zeringue's Plumbing,a businessbuilt on hard work, trust, and thekindofgoodhumor that turnscustomersinto lifelongfriends. He wasthe belovedhusbandof62yearsofSharon Falgoust Zeringue. Father of Kay ZCarter (Troy), David PZeringue (Angela), Debbie ZRobicheaux (Shawn), Michael T Zeringue(Therese), and Matthew CZeringue (Amelie).Proud grandfa-

ther of Ashley, Austin, and MasonCarter,Wesleyand Dylan(Chloe) Zeringue, LaurenR Pender(Matt), ErinR Brunson (Ethan), GwenR Burch(Landon), Amelieand Alyse Gautreaux, Quinnand Ceci Zeringue, andgreat-grandchild, NoraBrunson. He is also survived by hissisterin-law,Mary JaneZeringue (Roy), and brothers-in-law, Michael (JoAnn) andGlenn Falgoust, and ahost of nieces, nephews, andfamily members. He is preceded in death by hisparents,Toussaint and Gertrude Troxclair Zeringueand siblings Enola Trosclair, Carl, Roy, Melvin,and Curtis Zeringue. Sterlingenjoyedhunting, fishing, shrimping and spendingtimewithfamily andfriends at his camps in Grand Isle, LA andMills FarminWoodville, MS.He especially took great pleasure in cooking "Thursday NightSupper" in theClub Housefor all his"podnas" Sterlingwill be greatly missed by all whowere blessed to know him. Serviceswill be held at SacredHeart Catholic Church,401 Spruce St Norco,LA, on Friday, December 5, 2025. Visitation willbeginat9AM with Mass at 11AM. Intermenttofollow at St Charles Borromeo Cemetery,13396 RiverRd. Destrehan,LA. In lieu of flowers, please donate to a cause close to yourheart

Vodopija Jr., Captain Matthew J.

Zeringue, Sterling Paul

Thomas,Myrnell Delores

SHOUGH PUTTING IN THE WORK

EARLY SIGNING PERIOD

Tulane signs 13 despite Sumrall’s departure

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall’s decision to take the Florida job did not prevent at least 13 commitments from signing with Tulane on Wednesday, and all of them will be arriving from outside of Louisiana while he leaves the state.

Colby Simpson, a 6-foot-5, three-star tight end from Westlake Village (Calif.) Oaks Christian, explained his reasoning for sticking with his original choice.

“It wasn’t really a hard decision for me at all,” he said. “From the day I’ve been there (he took an official visit in June), I’ve always known that was the place that I wanted to go. I talked to some of the other recruits, and we all just want to ride with the Wave and be the best recruiting class Tulane has ever had.”

Simpson said he talked to fellow signee and close friend Trace Johnson, a three-star quarterback from Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita Catholic, as well as Friendswood (Texas) three-star defensive lineman Jordyn Crites and Thomasville (Ga.) Thomas County Central offensive lineman Deontavis Cooper before all of them held to their commitments. Simpson also felt good about West Monroe offensive guard Tylan George, another three-star prospect who was a reported flip to Florida on Sunday but had not signed anywhere as

ä See TULANE, page 4C

After ‘rocky’

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

When all was said and done, Richard Anderson stood before a purple and gold backdrop with an LSU hat atop his head, just as the five-star defensive lineman from Edna Karr had planned for more than a year Only the recent coaching change that brought Lane Kiffin from Ole Miss to LSU caused the 6-foot-4, 340-pound defensive line standout to have second thoughts about his decision to sign with LSU Anderson is a five-star by most major recruiting services.

NO ER

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

It hasn’t been a normal recruiting cycle for LSU. Far from it, to say the least

The Tigers signed 11 players on Wednesday, the opening of the early signing period for the 2026 class, but that news was only the tip of the iceberg.

Six LSU commitments decided to hold off on putting pen to paper with the Tigers on Wednesday The most notable among those recruits is five-star University High defensive lineman Lamar Brown, the No. 2 player in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings

Brown, who declined to comment on the situation when approached by The Advocate on Wednesday, was expected to be the crown jewel of LSU’s class. The U-High star has been committed to the Tigers since July, but Brown’s agent told On3 Sports on Tuesday night that he and LSU’s other five-star commitment, defensive lineman Richard Anderson, would not sign with LSU during the early signing period.

stretch run, Karr’s Anderson inks with LSU

“It was good,” Anderson said of the talk with Kiffin. “I was like, I’m staying home. No better place than LSU.” Karr coach Brice Brown said Kiffin listed the potential coaches Anderson could have at his position once he arrives in Baton Rouge.

“I’ll let coach Kiffin share that message because he’s the head coach at LSU,” Brown said “For us, our thing was to make sure that our player, our student was in the best position possible.”

A three-time all-District 9-5A selection with multiple all-state honors among his accolades, Anderson will conclude his high school career with more than 200 tackles and 20 tackles for loss along with six forced fumbles during his three seasons on the Karr varsity team.

ä See ANDERSON, page 2C

“It got a little rocky toward the end with the signing date,” Anderson said, adding that “I was just in my head a lot At the end of the day, I got another game to go win, so I had to get it over with and stay home ” Anderson spoke Tuesday night with Kiffin and defensive coordinator Blake Baker, he said Wednesday, and that conversation solidified his long-held choice of LSU.

It got a little rocky toward the end with the signing date. I was just in my head a lot. At the end of the day, I got another game to go win, so I had to get it over with and stay home.”

RICHARD ANDERSON, Edna Karr defensive lineman

STAFF PHOTO By CHRISTOPHER DABE

Richard Anderson is surrounded by Edna Karr football players and family as he signs with LSU on Wednesday at Edna Karr High School

AP PHOTO LAURENCE KESTERSON Tulane coach Jon Sumrall talks to players before a game against Temple on Nov 22 in Philadelphia. Sumrall spoke to Tulane commitments on Wednesday.

THE RUNDOWN

Sizing up theTigers’ Classof2026(so far)

Alook at howthe LSU football program fared on the first day of the early signing period

HOWMANY PLAYERS

DID LSU SIGN?

Eleven, withatleast ahandful expected to followsuit. LSU had 15 recruits committed to its 2026 class when it hired coach Lane Kiffin. Since then, three left the group and four joined, giving the Tigers 16 verbal pledges ahead of the startofthe early signing period. LSU is still waiting for five of those players to sign —and three of those five are top-100 recruits, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. Somecould send in their paperwork by the end of the week. Others could wait until February. What’s important to note is that the class, likemanythings in and aroundthe program right now, is still awork in progress.

TOPTIGER

It’simportant —essential, really —that LSU gets asignature from Lamar Brown. If he signs with the Tigers, which he did not do Wednesday, then he’ll enroll as one of the most highly rated recruits LSU ever has landed. BrownisaUniversity High defensivelineman and the No. 2overall playerinthe 2026 class. On3 reported Tuesday that both Brown and five-star recruit and Edna Karrdefensive lineman Richard Anderson were waiting until Kiffin finalized his staff to sign, but Anderson reversed course and put pen to paper Wednesday.The Tigers are hoping that Brown will follow suit.

KEEP AN EYE ON

BlakeBaker,the young energetic LSU defensive coordinator.Kiffinwants to keep him on staff, but he couldsoon accept ahead coaching job.He interviewedfor the Tulane gig on Monday. Baker represents the domino that needs to fall before Kiffincan startassembling his defensivestaff —something ahandful of recruits want to see him do before theysign on the dotted line.Top-100 edge rusher Trenton Henderson did not sign Wednesday. Neither did top-100 defensivelineman Deuce Geralds, whosaid Wednesdaythat he’dsubmit his paperwork Friday.

WORK LEFT TO DO

Most of Kiffin’soffensivestaff is alreadyinplace, and that group of coaches is reportedly trying to makelastminute pushes to flip recruits whoaren’t committed to LSU or Ole Miss. Rivals recruiting expertSteve Wilfong,for instance, predicted Wednesdaythat four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth would flip his pledgefrom SouthCarolinatoLSU.Kiffinis alsoreportedly making arun at four-star Mississippi wide receiver and Auburnpledge Jase Mathews, whotold Rivals on Wednesdaythat the Tigers and Rebels are trying to swoop in and add him to their classes at the last minute. He will sign on Friday.

—ReedDarcey

Wild signingday agoodstart forKiffin

OK, now it truly hits home as to how untenablethe calendar is in collegefootball. Whether you think Lane Kiffin should have left Ole Miss for LSU with theRebels on the verge of a CollegeFootball Playoff appearance or not, the reality is that he is at LSU now.At LSUtrying to form hiscoaching staff and piece together aquality recruitingclass as much as possible within the three-day early signingwindow that opened Wednesday. If it all smacksofcrisis management, it is. It is, to borrow aline from Apollo 13 after the explosion in outer space, “a bad wayto fly.”And unfair to all concerned

But back to signing day.Kiffinleft Oxford for Baton Rouge because he thoughtLSU would be abetter place in the seasons to comeeventhough Ole Miss is better right now

How much better he and LSU can makethis coming season hingesonhow they do with this high school recruitingclass and into the transfer portal.

If you factor in all of thesignings and commitments, theTigers currently havea small but quality class of 16 highschool prospects in total. In the overall On3.com rankings, which take into account rankingsfrom other sites, LSUis arespectable 10th

However,based on theaverage ranking of the Tigers’ prospects, LSUis No. 1. Which metric you put the most stock in is up to you. But thefact that LSU is No. 1accordingtoany sort of recruiting yardstick is remarkable consideringthe upheavalofthe past six weeks, starting Oct. 26 with Brian Kelly’s firing

It was awild 48 hours, the day leading up to the startofthe signingperiodand after. By nightfall Wednesday, LSUhad announced 10 prospects signed —though that numberdidn’tinclude the nation’sNo. 1defensivetackle, RichardAnderson of Edna Karr Anderson told reporters that he signed with LSU after areassur-

ANDERSON

Continued from page1C

The top-seeded Cougars will face Catholic-Baton Rouge in an LHSAADivision Iselect semifinal

LSU

Continued from page1C

Anderson ended up reversing course Wednesday,announcing thathewould put pen to paper with LSU. Although LSU hasnot officially announced the signing as of 5p.m.Wednesday,Anderson is the No. 29 player in thenation and the No.2 recruit in Louisianaand is theNo. 11 person in the LSU class to supposedlysignWednesday “I talked to Lane Kiffin(last) night,” Andersontoldreporters after his announcement. “Itwas good. So Iwas like, ‘I’m staying home.’ “

Andersonsaidthat he had spoken with Brown before signing, addingthathewas the first person whoknew that Anderson officially would signwith LSU. However,he didn’tknow about Brown’sstatus as apotential signee as of midday Wednesday.

“He said he was going to hit me back later,” Anderson said in an interview with The Advocate.

The delay for most of LSU’sunsigned commitments has to do with the uncertainty that clouds LSU’s defensive staff and interim head coach/running backs coach Frank Wilson’sfuture withthe program Wilson, who has developed a strong relationship with Brown, is also the LSU recruiting coordinator. Alongwith Wilson, secondary coach Corey Raymond anddefensive coordinator Blake Baker have played abig role in recruiting Brown and LSU’sother remaining unsigned commitments.

LSUwouldliketoretainBaker, but he also has interviewed with Tulaneand Memphis for their open head coaching jobs, according to WVUE-TV.IfBaker were to stayat LSU, that could clarify Raymond’s future on the staff.

As for Wilson, he worked underKiffinatTennessee andmet with thenew LSUcoach Sunday. However,there has been no clear indication as to whether he’ll have

ing talk with Kiffinand defensive coordinator BlakeBaker Baker’sfuture, and that of membersofhis defensive staff, is amajor wild card in all of this. It’scertainly one of the factors that kept one of the nation’stop prospects, UniversityHigh defensive lineman Lamar Brown, from sending LSUhis signature Wednesday Kiffinreportedly wants to keep Baker on staff, but there are reportsout there that he’sbeing courted for the head coaching jobsatTulane, his almamater, and Memphis. Then there’sthe future of Frank Wilson, the interim LSUcoach and longtime running backs coach under Kelly Andtied to Baker’sfuture may be that of popular defensive backs coach Corey Raymond. There were early reports Wednesday that Tigers commitmentHavon Finney,afour-star cornerback from California, was going to delay signing with LSUlike Brown did, ostensibly because there is no clear word on

on Friday in Algiers as they seek a return trip to thestate championship in theCaesars Superdome. Andersondominated the state final last season with sixtackles behind the line of scrimmageina 53-8 victory over Alexandria. Andersonwas partofa15-play-

Raymond’sstatus.

However,Finney sent in his paperwork Wednesday afternoon. Does this mean Raymond has a solidified spot on Kiffin’sretooled staff? Has Kiffinsold Finney on thenext defensive backs coach to enter the building?

As Itold you, it’sbeen wild.

The wildness may continue through Friday,asLSU hopes to finally land Brownand continues (as of this writing) to workon flipping four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth away from SouthCarolina. LSU’srecruiting class is heavyondefensive linemen,especially if Browneventually signs as expected, but thin on quarterbacks. As in zero to this point.Whether LSU signs Duckworth or not, it probably needs a quarterback from the high school ranks and thetransfer portal in this recruiting cycle.

Signficiantly, LSU did not hold a news conference Wednesday with either KiffinorWilson, as the school normally would to hype up theday’ssignees. By the way,

er signing class fromKarr, which celebrated those signings before a backdrop that included the purple and gold school colors. SafetyAiden Hall, another LSU commitment, was among those signees.

For Hall, with more than 100 ca-

LSU RECRUITING CLASS OF 2026

PLAYER POS. HT.WT. HOMETOWN(SCHOOL)RATING

Richard Anderson DL 6-4 340New Orleans (Edna Karr) HHHHH

Brysten Martinez OT 6-5 300Gonzales (EastAscension) HHHH

HavonFinneyCB6-2 170 Chastworth, Ca.(Sierra Canyon) HHHH

Jabari Mack WR 6-0 200Destrehan (Destrehan) HHHH

CoreyBarber WR 6-0 180Pinson,Ala.(Clay-Chalkville) HHHH

Aiden Hall S6-2 195New Orleans (Edna Karr) HHHH

JC Anderson TE 6-6 240Mt. Zion, Ill. (Mt.Zion) HHHH

Isaiah Washington S6-2 170Haynesville (Haynesville) HHHH

Brayden Allen WR 6-1 170Lafayette (Lafayette Christian) HHHH

Dezyrian Ellis CB 6-2 175 Winnsboro (Franklin Parish) HHHH

Ryan Miret IOL 6-4 290Miami (Miami Southridge) HHH

aposition on Kiffin’srevamped offensive staff.

“(Frankand I) spent alot of time together in the last 24 hours as I’ve been here,” Kiffinsaid during hisintroductory news conference on Monday.“There’s alot of complicated moving parts(with the coaching staff),but we’ll definitely have that answer for you soon.” LSU commitments besides Brownwho have yettosigninclude four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds,four-star edge rusher Trenton Henderson, four-star offensivetackleBrysonCooleyand four-star safety Dylan Purter Hendersonand Purter planto sign on Thursday,but On3Sports has reported that Purter is expected to flip his pledge to Florida andsignwith the Gators instead. Geralds and Cooley are scheduled to sign on Friday,per On3. The recruiting website also has reported that Alabama andOle Miss are working to flip Cooley’spledge, and Georgia Tech and OleMiss areattempting to do thesame with Geralds. Even beforeWednesday, LSU hadlost commitments frommultiple recruits,including four-star wide receiverKenny Darby, threestar wideoutKervin Johnsonand three-star offensive lineman Jalan Chapman.

On the surface, losing so many commitments would signal arough start to Kiffin’stenure in Baton Rouge. On the flip side, new opportunities to add recruits have come

By SOPHIA GERMER

Edna Karrdefensivelineman

Richard Anderson holds the ball during agame against John Curtis on Oct. 31 at the Shrine on Airline in Metairie. Anderson signed with LSU on Wednesday.

as aresult of him and his new staff jumpingonboard. One of the biggest potentialadditions is four-star quarterback Landon Duckworth, who is the No. 10 quarterback in the nation. On3 has predicted that he will flip his pledge to LSU,becoming the first high school quarterback LSU hassigned since Colin Hurley in the2024 class. LSU still has Hurley and sophomore Michael VanBureneligible to returnatthe position next season, but Duckworth would be Kiffin’s first bigmove at apositionof

remember that Kiffinsaid Monday that Wilson would continue to lead this team on the field through whatever bowlgame the Tigers play in.

As much as Iama proponent professionally of full disclosure at all times, Iget it personally.Either KiffinorWilson would have gotten peppered with alot of nonrecruiting questions; Kiffinabout the coaching staffand Wilson about his status with LSU going forward.

Both probably would have been short on answers. Wednesday wasastart forLSU and Kiffin, apromising start. But there is much worktodowith the start of the transfer window a month from now and in the spring signing period. There is simply very little way to predict whowill be on the roster in 2026. Time, which is in short supply,iswhat Kiffinand LSU need as much as anything. Time to figure out whowill coach and whothey will be coaching come next season.

reer tackles, seven interceptions and three touchdowns, the decision wasmadeeasier by thefact that he “wasn’tcommittedtoacoach,” he said. “I was committed to aschool.” Contact ChristopherDabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

need forthe Tigers.

Another major domino that could fall LSU’s wayisfour-star wide receiverJase Matthews. TheNo. 13 wide receiver in the nation and a five-star recruit in On3’srankings, Matthewsiscommitted to Auburn but hasdecidednot to sign until Friday in large part because of interest from LSU and Ole Miss. On3 also hasmentioned LSUas ateam in the mixto flip the pledge of Ohio State four-star wide receiver Jerquaden Guilford, who had showninterest in KiffinatOle Miss before making his pledge to the Buckeyes. He is the No. 22 wide receiver in the nation and the No. 1recruit in Indiana.

Kiffinand his new staffalready have flippedpledges from four recruits, allofwhomsignedon Wednesday.Four-star wide receiver Corey Barber,four-star tight endJCAndersonand three-staroffensive linemanRyanMiretwere committed to Kiffin at OleMiss before making the switch to LSU The new staffalso gained acommitment from four-starwide receiver Brayden Allen, aprospect at Lafayette Christian who originally pledged to Oklahoma. Joining the latest additions to the class as signees weresix recruits who hadalreadybeen committedtoLSU under the previous regime.The Tigers signedfourstar offensivelineman Brysten Martinez, four-starcornerback Havon Finney,four-star safety Aiden Hall, four-starwide receiver Jabari Mack, four-star cornerback Dez Ellis andfour-star safety Isaiah Washington. On Monday,Kiffindidn’tmake any promises as to what his first recruiting class at LSU would shape into, only guaranteeing that LSUwould try to sign thebest class possible Wednesday As it turns out, LSU fans will have to waituntil at least Friday to see the final results.

“(The recruiting class) was the number one priority andisthe numberone priorityright now,” Kiffinsaid. “We’re on that.”

STAFFPHOTO

Brown

Duckworth

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

NewLSU football coach Lane Kiffingives an opening statement at an introductorynewsconferenceon MondayatTiger Stadium

Scott Rabalais

WR Mack ‘never wavered’

Destrehan four-star prospect stuck with LSU amid coaching change to Kiffin

BY SPENCER URQUHART

Staff writer

Jabari Mack never doubted he would sign with LSU despite a coaching change that caused a shakeup in the Tigers’ early signing class

The Destrehan four-star wide receiver was one of 11 players to sign with LSU on Wednesday, the first day of the early signing period. Some LSU commitments, such as University High five-star recruit Lamar Brown, delayed signing as new LSU coach Lane Kiffin finalized his coaching staff, but there was no hesitation from Mack

The 6-foot, 200-pound Mack, who also played wildcat quarterback and on defense, committed to LSU in March and was the first player to sign with the Tigers on Wednesday morning.

“For me, it was about loyalty,” Mack said. “LSU is always an outstanding program no matter who’s coaching. My commitment never wavered. (The coaching change) never made me want to change my decision because I knew LSU was going to hire a great coach.”

The versatile Mack projects as a wide receiver at LSU and could also make a contribution in the return game. Before signing, Mack spoke with Kiffin about his potential role with the Tigers.

“(Kiffin) is a crazy offensive mind,” Mack said. “That’s really exciting for me because I know I’m going to get the ball in my hands. His message to me was that he wants me, and he feels like I’m going to be a great asset to the team.” Mack, who had offers from Alabama, Texas and several others, finished with more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage as a junior and recorded an interception in Week 1 of his senior year that he returned the length of the field for a touchdown.

Destrehan’s Jabari Mack leaps over Hahnville’s Xavier Champagne on Nov. 1, 2024, in Destrehan.

Mack said he will enroll early at LSU and will continue the tradition of Destrehan football stars playing at LSU. That list includes Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson “There’s no doubt that (Mack) will go out and contribute in different ways to (LSU),” Destrehan coach Marcus Scott said.

Other Destrehan signees

game this year against Karr got millions of social media views.

Tech, where he is projected to play cornerback.

“Guys that played (at Destrehan) before always reach back and offer advice to the younger players.”

Destrehan quarterback Jackson Fields, cornerback Damien Richard and offensive lineman Earl Collins joined Mack as Division I football signees on Wednesday Fields signed with Incarnate Word after committing this summer A three-year starter, Fields drew attention after a long throw to Mack during Destrehan’s spring

Most agree college football calendar needs an overhaul

More angst-filled coaching changes

BY MARK LONG AP sportswriter

Lane Kiffin’s awkward and angstfilled departure from Ole Miss will happen again.

It’s inevitable unless college administrators and football coaches agree to reimagine an imperfect calendar that has been a mess for decades. Under the current format, national signing day happens during conference championship week, the transfer portal opens during the College Football Playoff and some coaches are secretly interviewing for other jobs before Halloween.

Clunky and clumsy at best. Chaotic and conflicted might be more accurate.

No one has an ideal solution. Even the thought of adopting an NFL-like format seems flawed

“You want the best idea? Blow it up and start from scratch,” UNLV coach Dan Mullen said. “It’s a shame you’re going to lose a lot of things that are great in college football, but you already have.”

Three Southeastern Conference programs — Florida, LSU and Ole Miss courted Kiffin for weeks before he finally picked the Tigers and left the other two fanbases in emotional shambles. The Gators pivoted to Tulane coach Jon Sumrall; the Rebels stayed in-house and promoted defensive coordinator Pete Golding.

Florida and Ole Miss were left trying to convince themselves they’re better off without Kiffin.

Anyone who has witnessed his messy exits from basically every job he’s held might not have needed much convincing.

But the real villain is a college football calendar that essentially forces teams to scramble to get coaches in place before signing day for high school recruits, which

was moved last year from the third to the first Wednesday in December

Even in an era of the quick fix through the transfer portal, football teams need high school athletes to build out rosters. What happens when things go bad? Take a look at Penn State, which fired its coach in October but has yet to hire a replacement. The Nittany Lions have lost dozens of commitments in recent days, have locked down just a handful of signees, all of which has prominent boosters demanding answers.

Finishing it out

A handful of Power Four schools hired Group of Five head coaches and allowed them to remain in place even though it made for a trickier signing day

Kiffin, meanwhile, said he wanted to coach the Rebels through the CFP but was told no thanks; Ole Miss officials surely didn’t want him having daily contact with players who could follow him to Baton Rouge.

“Somebody’s got to get all this stuff under control,” said new Oklahoma State coach Eric Morris, who is remaining with North Texas through the season. “Just makes no sense at any level that we’re sitting here talking about people that are going to be in the College Football Playoff, a team and their coach isn’t going to be there to help them get through the whole entire season.

“It’s not sustainable. There are so many things that are not sustainable right now in what we’re doing.”

A moving target

Since the early 1980s, the muchanticipated — often overhyped — signing day had been in early February It seemed perfectly placed, set weeks after the last

bowl games had been played and a national champion had been crowned.

But coaches grew tired of having to continuously court high school kids during the football season and wanted a chance to lock them up long before February In response, the NCAA delivered an early signing period in 2017.

That worked well for a while. But with the CFP expanding the postseason and stretching games well into January, the early signing period started to muddy the calendar

It prompts ADs to fire struggling coaches in the middle of the season to get a jump on their search for a replacement, and the transfer portal made roster management even messier

“It’s a game of musical chairs, and we all know what happens to the guy who doesn’t get a seat,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin said.

Stricklin has a solution, or at least a working theory of something that might work. His idea includes eliminating spring practice, moving signing day back to February, opening the transfer portal between March and April, and mandating that only players who were with a team last season can take part in offseason conditioning programs. And then newcomers would be allowed to join for summer workouts that would include the 15 practices normally held in the spring.

“Coaches don’t want to hear that because they think, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got to have eight months before I kick the ball off with these kids,’ ” Stricklin said.

“The football schedules combined with the semester structure, and the idea that everybody wants their teams put together in January, unless we fix that it’s never going to work.”

“(Fields) has played a ton of snaps in some very big games,” Scott said. “He won’t be rattled and will be able to keep his composure under pressure and perform. (Incarnate Word) is getting a very cerebral player and are also getting a kid that will outwork everyone around him.”

Richard signed with Louisiana

Collins signed with Alabama A&M. His younger brother Jordan Collins is getting attention as a Class of 2028 recruit.

“It’s always good when kids get their opportunity to take their talents to the next level,” Scott said. “It speaks volumes to the support that they receive from their families, the community and their teammates.”

Texas Tech coach Joey McGuire had a different suggestion He wants to start the season a week earlier than usual, play conference title games over Thanksgiving weekend and play postseason games every seven days.

“You could play the national championship on January 1st and then the portal would open on January 2nd so the season would actually be over,” he said. “Until you do that, we’re still going to have this.” NFL-style calendar?

There has been rampant talk about college football adopting an NFL-style calendar, which would mean coaching movement after the season in January and February, player movement in March and then team workouts after And there are penalties for tampering with coaches and players under contract. McGuire said colleges should consider something similar He offered that teams who hire coaches who leave other teams in the middle of a playoff run — much like Kiffin did at Ole Miss — would be ineligible for the CFP the following year He added that those coaches making a jump would not be allowed to bring players with them.

“They can get in the transfer portal, but they’ve got to go somewhere else; they can’t follow you,” he said. “Until there’s some penalties in that, we’re going to get the same thing over and over.” And it will lead to more Kiffinlike exits and fanbase excitability

“Does anybody have a perfect solution? No,” Mullen said. “Here’s why: There are 136 Division I teams. There’s a lot of different conferences. Every one of those 136 teams operates on a different schedule. I know it’s like, ‘Hey, let’s look at a pro model.’” Maybe the biggest problem with the pro model is that, even though college sports look more like the pros every day, there is still school and a school calendar involved.

“Then let’s go to every president and every chancellor and say, ‘If you’re a Division I school, classes start on this day and end on that day.’ That’s a way to fix it because then you can really set the calendar But it’s hard when some people are on quarters, some people are on trimester, some are on semester When everybody’s working on a different calendar, it’s hard to come up with the exact thing.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRIS WATKINS New Florida coach Jon Sumrall speaks during a news conference Monday in Gainesville, Fla. Sumrall will coach Tulane in the American Conference championship game on Saturday and would also coach the Green Wave if it reaches the

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

‘Exceptional’ group

signingclass

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Reigning football state champion Edna Karr celebrated a15-player signing class that had five-star defensive lineman Richard Anderson and four-star safety Aiden Hall going to LSU, four-star cornerback Hayward Howard to Texas and offensive tackle Leon Noil to Mississippi State.

Other signings included defensive backMaurice Williams to Colorado, running back TreGarrison and defensiveback Torrence Sanders each to WashingtonState and receiver Xavier Owens to Fresno State.

The class also included linebacker Kevin Martin and defensive end Romeo Brown each to Nicholls State, offensive lineman Caden Adams and tight end Cameron Mumford each to Alabama A&M and wideout Jakai Anderson,a former all-state playeratMcDonogh 35 and never made eligible at Karr by the LHSAA, going to SMU. Then came thequarterbackreceiver duo of John Johnson and Greg Wilfred, each springing asigning-day surprise Wednesday when they both chose West Virginia —after each had previously committed to another school in recentweeks.

Amid all that, the celebration in the Karr gymnasium cameduring aweek when the top-seeded Cougars (12-0) are preparing to face No. 4Catholic-Baton Rouge(10-2) in an LHSAA Division Iselect state semifinal Friday at Morris F.X. Jeff St. Stadium in Algiers.

All 15 are fully eligible to attend their colleges starting in January,Karr coach Brice Brown said shortly after the celebration began.

“The main thing is to put it in perspective that this is notnormal,” Brown said. “This is exceptional. This is ablessing, and we appreciate these players, and we appreciate these parents.”

Johnson andWilfredhad previously committed to Washington

TULANE

Continued from page1C

of Wednesdaynight and may wait until the February late signingperiod.

“When Sumrall left, I’m sure everyone was kindoffreaking out a little bit, like, are we goingtoFlorida, what’sthe deal?” Simpson said. “Wejust all said we’ve got tocome together,ride it all out as brothers anddothe bestwecan withthe situation.”

Tulane’sother signees were Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons wide receiver Gary Hadley, Jr Montgomery (Ala.) Catholic defensive endCaydenDees, Butler (Ga.) Taylor County linebacker Chan Lumpkin,Tuscaloosa(Ala.) Central offensive linemanNick Witherspoon, Cleveland (Tenn.) defensive lineman AJ Westfield, Madison (Miss.) Germantown wide receiver Keyshaun Coleman, Concord (Mass.) Middlesex cornerback Orion Saunders,Germantown (Tenn.) offensive lineman Andre Amos and Kathleen (Ga.) Veterans safety LJ Moton. All but Moton, who had zero stars, are rated three-star prospects by 247Sports.

TheWavewas also expectedto ink Lake Wales (Fla.) safety Myrone Jean but had not made it of-

State and UTSA, respectively,but West Virginia contacted the two players separately in recentdays, bothsaid.

Johnson, athree-year starter at quarterback for Karr,chose West Virginia for thechance to remain at that position after Washington State planned to use him at receiver andinthe return game, he said.

“They’re basedaroundbeinga read-option team, and we run alot of that here,” said Johnson, who has amassedmore than 10,000 total yards onoffense and130 touchdowns rushing and passing while at Karr.“They liked how quick I am at reading the D-ends and the rover andstuff. They said Imatch thescheme.”

Wilfred, who previously attended Destrehan,chose West Virginia for how “they’re going to put the ball in my hands quick,”hesaid. “They likemeinthe slot,they like me in the punt return game, the kick return game.”

Andersonand Hall kept their LSU commitments through the coaching change thatbrought Lane Kiffinfrom Ole Misstoreplace firedcoach Brian Kelly

The large signing class is atestamenttothe strengthofaprogram in searchofaneighth statechampionship, and another one this season would be thesixth in aspan of 10 years.

“You’ll never see another team like this again,” said Mumford, mostly ablocking tight end who has five touchdowns in his Karr career.“We got 15 Division Iplayers signed, andthat’s just today,”not counting the players who will sign during the second signing period in February.

Karr will face Catholic in asemifinalfor thesecondyear in rowand for the fifth time in aspan of seven seasons. The teams have split their pastfour meetings, including the 21-19 victory for Karr in the semifinal last season.

“If you look at the history of Karr and Catholic, it always comes down to the fourth quarter,and we anticipate that on Friday,” Brown said. “Buttoday is acelebration.I know they’re celebrating at Catholic. They’re signing players too.”

ContactChristopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

TULANE SIGNING CLASS OF 2026

PLAYER POS.HT. WT.HOMETOWN(SCHOOL) RATING

Gary Hadley Jr.WR6-2 185FortLauderdale, Fla.(Gibbons)

Cayden Dees DE 6-2 235Montgomery,Ala.(Catholic)

Chan Lumpkin LB 6-4 220Butler,Ga. (TaylorCounty)

Nick Witherspoon OL 6-3 290Tuscaloosa,Ala.(Central) HHH

AJ Westfield DL 6-2 281Cleveland,Tenn. (Cleveland)

KeyshaunColemanWR6-2 195 Madison, Miss. (Germantown) HHH

Orion Saunders CB 6-3 175Concord, Mass. (Middlesex)

Andre Amos OL 6-4 310Germantown,Tenn.

LJ Moton S6-3 175Kathleen,Ga. (Veterans)

ColbySimpson TE 6-5222 Westlake Village,Calif. (Oaks Christian)

Trace Johnson QB 6-0 180 Santa Margarita,Calif.(Sta Marg.Catholic)

Jordyn Crites DL 6-6 255Friendswood,Texas

Deontavis Cooper OL 6-3 295Thomasville,Ga.(Thomas County Central)

ficial as of Wednesday night

As is unavoidable during acoachingtransition, Tulane had some defections. Friendswood (Texas) offensive tackle Noah Abebe signed with Houston, while Shaw safety Jackson Williams signed with Washington State and Collierville (Tenn.) running back Lawrence Autry signed with West Virginia afterall three de-committed this week. West Monroe wide receiver Trez Davis, afour-star prospect wholeft thefold last week, signed with Washington.

Sumrallsaidhedid hispartto keep the class together,joining Tulane athletic director Davis Harris on aZoom call with commitments at 4:30 p.m. Sunday an hour-and-a-

half beforeconducting asimilar session with Florida commitments

“I feel good aboutit,” Sumrall said. “Naturally there’salways going to be some guys anytime there’sacoachingchancenot feel the same way about going there, but Itold both classes, hey,you’ve madethe decision, you’re going to aplace that’sgot great football opportunities, is agreat place to live andyou are going to have agood coaching staff. Ifeel strongly they aregoing to do agoodjob filling my role here.Ijust tried to help everybody understand that in this time of uncertainty, don’tforget you chose (Tulane) because you thought the fitfor you was right.” Simpson certainly felt thatway

AREA SIGNEES

POWER CONFERENCE SIGNEES/COMMITMENTS

RICHARDANDERSON

Edna Karr(signed with LSU)

No. 1-rated defensivelinemanin

Louisiana standing at 6-foot-4, 340 pounds and is one of twoLouisiana recruits to earn a five-star rating at 247Sports. Stuck withLSU despite hisrecruiting process getting “a little rocky at the end.

AIDEN HALL

Karr (signed with LSU)

No. 2-rated safetyinLouisiana standing at 6-2, 195 pounds, and is oneoftwo Louisiana safeties listed as afour-star recruit at 247Sports.

JABARI MACK

Destrehan (signed with LSU)

No. 3-rated wide receiver in Louisiana standing at 6feet, 200 pounds and is one of three Louisiana wide receiverslisted as a four-star recruit at 247Sports.

HAYWARD HOWARD

Karr (signed with Texas)

No. 1-rated cornerback recruit in Louisiana standing at 6-2, 175 pounds whorecently earned afourstar rating at 247Sports.

JAKAI ANDERSON

Karr (signed with SMU)

No. 7-rated wide receiver in Louisiana standing at 6feet, 160 pounds.TransferredtoKarrfor senior season but had to sit out

LEON NOIL

Karr (signed with Mississippi St.) No.2-ratedinterior offensive lineman in Louisiana standing at 6-5, 255 pounds. Flipped commitmenttoMississippi State fromNebraska.

HEIJ JACKSON

McDonogh 35 (signed with Cincinnati) No. 12-rated wide receiver in Louisiana standing at 6-4, 190 pounds. Flipped commitmentto Cincinnati from South Alabama.

MAURICE WILLIAMS

Karr (signed with Colorado) No. 3-rated cornerback in Louisiana at 5-11, 172 pounds. Flipped commitmenttoColorado fromLiberty GROUP OF FIVE SIGNEES/COMMITMENTS

XAVIER OWENS

Karr (signed with Fresno State) The 6-2,155-pound wide receiver transferredtoKarrfrom California.

KE’RYNN SMITH

Holy Cross (signed with UL) Area’stop-ratedrunning back recruit at 5-9, 182 pounds.

JOHN JOHNSON

Karr (signed with West Virginia) Listed as a6-foot, 180-pound athlete and starts at quarterback for Karr. FlippedcommitmenttoWest Virginia from Washington State after initially committing to Liberty.

TRE GARRISON

Karr (signed with Washington St.)

A5-11, 195-pound running back, Garrison flippedcommitmentto Washington State from Nicholls.

JEREMIAHBIRDLOW

Slidell (signed with UL)

Ratedasthe top tight endrecruit in Louisiana at 6-4, 220 pounds.

TORRENCE SANDERS

Karr(signed with Washington State)

A6-foot, 170-pound cornerback, Sanders committedtoWashington State this week.

TYRAYDARENSBURG

Chalmette (signed with South Alabama)

Area’s top-ratedlinebacker recruit at 6feet,205 pounds.

JACKSON WILLIAMS

Shaw(signed with Washington State)

A6-2, 180-pound defensiveback, Williams flippedcommitmentto Washington State from Tulane

TY DOMINIQUE

St.Augustine (signed with UL)

A6-3, 235-pound edgerusherwho has experience at defensivetackle

GREG WILFRED

Karr(signed with West Virginia)

A5-9, 165-pound wide receiver, Wilfred flippedcommitmenttoWest Virginia from UTSA.

SAVION BARTHELEMY

Belle Chasse (signed with Washington State)

A6-3, 280-pound defensive lineman, Barthelemy flipped commitment to Washington State from Texas State

COREY DUDLEY

John Ehret (signed with Troy)

A6-5, 330-pound offensivetackle forthe Patriots.

DAMIEN RICHARD

Destrehan (signed with Louisiana Tech)

A5-11, 170-pound cornerback for the Wildcats.

DAVID BAKER

Warren Easton (signed with UL)

A6-4, 360-pound offensivelineman forthe Eagles.

FCSSIGNEES/ COMMITMENTS

Caden Adams,KarrOL(signed with Alabama A&M); Jiwaun Brock,CovingtonWR(signedwith SoutheasternLouisiana) Gage Brown,CovingtonDT(signedwith Southeastern); Romeo Brown, Edna KarrDL(signedwith Nicholls State); EarlCollins,Destrehan OL (signed with Alabama A&M); Cody Corales,St. Paul’sRB(signedwith SoutheasternLouisiana); Frederic Downing,Hahnville OL (signed with SoutheasternLouisiana); Jackson Fields, Destrehan QB (signed with UIW); Kevin Martin, Edna KarrLB(signedwith Nicholls State); CamMunford,Edna Karr TE (signed with Alabama A&M); Bennett Naquin,Hahnville WR (signed with Southeastern); Dylan Post,St. Paul’sLB(signedwith SoutheasternLouisiana) *Ratings,heightsandweightsfrom 247Sports SpencerUrquhart

He pointed to Tulane’sfourth consecutive appearance in the American Conference championship game —aleague record— as a huge plus forthe future.

“They are probably going to get it againnextyear,” he said. “It just shows that program is really consistent, and whateverthey are doing over there, they are doing it theright way. Everyone (in his signingclass)issoboughtintothis program.”

Lagniappe

Simpson said he would enrollat Tulane for the spring semester, flying to New OrleansonJan.7.He added he knew Johnson and Crites also wouldenroll earlyand be available for springdrills. …Tulane’sclass was rated 81st nationally by 247Sports as of Wednesday night, placing fourth in the American behind Temple,Memphis and South Florida.

STAFFFILE PHOTOByJOHNMcCUSKER

Edna Karr celebrates 15-playerDiv.I

STAFF FILEPHOTO By BRETTDUKE Karrsafety Aiden Hall will join defensivelineman Richard Anderson at LSU

STAFF FILEPHOTO By JOHN McCUSKER

Karrrunning back TreGarrison is taken out of boundsbyShawdefender Rontrae Carter on Sept. 5. Garrison, one of 15 Cougars to sign Division Ischolarships on Wednesday, will continue his career at WashingtonState

SPORTS

FOOTINGTHE BUILD

Saints pleasedwithrookieQBShough’sfootworkprogress

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

TheNew OrleansSaints want Tyler Shough to step up. But not in the way you think.

For months, the Saints have worked on the rookie quarterback’smovement in and outside the pocket.They want him to step up, or climb, when edge rushers start to collapse the outside walls, keeping Shough safe. They want him to drift to extend plays. They wanthim to have a feel for when to take off and whentostay patient. All of this has been emphasized in practice, from the start of individual drills to even when Shough spent weeks running the scout team earlier in the season Everyteam hammershomefootwork for quarterbacks. But the time on task has been especially crucial for Shough, the40thoverallpickwho wasdinged in

thedraft process by several analysts for having apoor reaction to oncoming pressure.

“Obviously,wedrafted him high enoughtothink that’snot as big of an issue as maybe some people (did),” Saints quarterbacks coach Scott Tolzien said. “I mean, that’sall Ihear from theoutside world.

“So, that’s fine. We’rejust going to keep working at it.”

TheSaints have been pleased withthe progress.

Shough’snumbers under pressure this season haven’tbeen particularly impressive, but they aren’tout of the ordinary for arookie. What has been apleasant surpriseisthe waythatthe 26-year-old hasnavigated thepocket, either to avoid pressure all together by steppingupor to create something out of nothing when on themove.

Shough’stwo touchdown passes in the

second half of Sunday’sloss to the Miami Dolphins illustrate the latter point. Coach Kellen Moore specifically noted Shough’s “quick ability” to find open space and hit ChrisOlave on themoveafter theDolphins’ rush forced him off his spot. In the fourth quarter,Shough rolled to his right to find Devaughn Vele in the back of the end zone.

Neither play technically counted as Shough facing pressure, according to Next Gen Stats’ charting service. But that’sa credit to Shough for moving out of the way and avoiding trouble.

“A lot of the best quarterbacks in this league play off schedule,” Moore said. “When you embrace there’sa second phase to aplay,big plays happen because of it. So, while you’realways trying to fine-tune the initial intent of the play there’s still bigplaysthatare outthere

ä See SAINTS, page 10C

Pels concentrateonend-of-game situations

BYROD WALKER Staff writer

The New Orleans Pelicans

film session Wednesday morning wasthe 19th one this season that came after aloss. This one was perhaps the toughest one to watch.

Many of the 18 previouslosses were blowouts or games that were decidedbythe timethe end of the fourth quarter came around.

Tuesday’sovertime loss to the Minnesota Timberwolveswas not only agame the Pelicans could have won but also one they should have won. The Pels led 129-125 when

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Aweek-long layoff and five-hour

flight provided theLSU women’sbasketball team someobstacles when it landedina tropical localethe week of Thanksgiving.

Coach Kim Mulkey always expects to seesome sloppiness on such trips. But she didn’tsee muchonthe most recent one, atwo-game stint in which her Tigers picked up lopsided wins over Marist and Washington State to taketheir divisionofthe Paradise Jam Tournament in theU.S.Virgin Islands. LSU rolled through those matchups Friday and Saturday,winning by a combined score of 225-88 and widening their NCAA-record streak to eight games of 100 or morepoints.

“What Ilearned is what I’ve been knowing,” MulkeytoldThe Advocate on Friday.“I’ve got alot of talent. I’ve gotalot of weapons.”

Mulkeywill learn more aboutthe No. 5Tigers (8-0) on Thursday when they face Duke on the road at 8p.m. in an ACC/SEC Challenge matchup (ESPN) The game was supposedtobeabattle between top-10teams,but the Blue Devils —who were No. 7inthe preseason AP poll andthe ACC coaches’pickto win their league —have dropped five of their first eight contests andfallen out of the AP Top25, taking away LSU’s only chance to playa rankedteam before SEC playbegins in January It’sstill an important game for the Tigers. Theyneed to prove thattheir record-setting start is more than a mirage, and that theycan continue to followinthe footsteps of LSU’s202223 national championship team. This season is starting to shake outjust like that onedid.

In 2022, LSUhad nine newcomers,a five-gamestreakof100-point outings and anonconference schedule without arankedopponent

Those Tigers, through their first eight contests, scored 98.3 points per game while shooting52% fromthe fieldand 34% from 3-point range. They won by an averagemarginof49.8 ppg, andthey received an average of 26.1 ppg from theirbench

Jose Alvaradorebounded a missedshot by Donte DiVinceno with just 46.4 seconds remaining. But Alvaradoturned the ball over,leading to aTimberwolves’ baskettomakeita two-pointgame. Jeremiah Fears missed acontested layup with 13.6 secondsleft, and Minnesota called atimeout with seven seconds left trailing 129-127. Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards drove to the basket fora layup to send the gameto

ä See PELICANS, page 7C

during aplayreviewduring

at the Smoothie King Center on

Tulane in SugarBowlnot as crazyasitsounds

What if Itold you Tulanemight play in the Sugar Bowl?

ä Timberwolves at Pelicans, 7P.M.THURSDAy,WVUE ä North Texas at Tulane, 7P.M.FRIDAy,ABC

Theyalso scored 126.2 pointsper 100 possessions against alloftheir nonconferenceopponents,accordingtoHer Hoop Stats data.

This LSUteam is scoring 137.6 points per100 possessions

It’s putting up 112 ppg while shooting56% from the fieldand 44%from 3-point range.The 2025-26 Tigers also have won their first eight games by an average marginof59.8 points, andtheir benchiscontributing 52.6 ppg. LSU leads Division Iteams in all of those statistical categories. Andits defensive numberslook impressive,too.

The Tigers’ first eight opponents scored only 52.3 ppg, shot just 31% from the field and turned the ball over

It’snot as crazy as it might sound. It actually could happen if afew things fall into place. Aclear,albeit serpentine,path exists for the Green Wave to play in the Caesars Superdome on Jan. 1. The odds are stacked against it, but it’snot far-fetched. Crazier things certainly have happened in college football. There are essentially three piecestothe puzzle. Stick with me whilewethread the needle. Phase one involves the Green

Wave landing the No. 11 seed in the College Football Playoff standings. This is arealpossibility.Itwould require Tulane and Duketowin their American and Atlantic Coast conferencechampionship games, respectively Beating North Texas on Friday night atYulmanStadium won’t be easy forTulane.The Mean Green is 11-1and leads thenationintotal offense (511.8 yards agame) and scoringoffense (46.7 points agame).North Texasisfavored by21/2 points because it is agood team. Still, Tulane is unbeaten at

home this season and counts among itsvictims apair of bowlbound Power Four programs, Duke and Northwestern, so beating NorthTexas is certainly doable. AGreen Wave victory would earniteither theNo. 11 or No. 12 seed in the CFP,depending on what happens in the ACCchampionship game between Duke and Virginia.IfVirginia wins, thenthe Green Wave would be seeded No. 12 becausethe 17thseeded Cavaliersare seeded higher thanthe No. 20 Wave. In thatscenario, Tulane likely would play at Oregoninthe first round of the CFP.But if Duke scores the upset, thenTulane would earnthe No. 11 seed by

virtue of itshigher CFP ranking thaneither Duke or James Madison, if the Dukeswin the Sun Belt championship game and areranked higherthan the Blue Devils From there comesthe second phase, which requires the Sugar Bowl to securethe No. 3-seeded team. This will all play out on Saturday According to CFP rules, the highest-ranked SEC or Big 12 team in the CFP goes to the Sugar Bowl. Right now,that’s third-seeded Georgia, which plays Alabama in the SEC championship game Saturday.Itcould alsobeTexas Tech, if Georgia

ä See DUNCAN, page 8C

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons at the Caesars Superdome on Nov. 23.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Pelicans interim head coach James Borregotalks with the team

agameagainst the Golden State Warriors

Nov. 16

Jeff Duncan

STAFF FILE PHOTOByMICHAEL JOHNSON

LSUguard Mikaylah Williams drives to the basket in agame against SoutheasternonNov.6 at the Pete Maravich AssemblyCenter

Sayin, Mendoza chase title, Heisman

BY MICHAEL MAROT AP sportswriter

INDIANAPOLIS Ohio State quar-

terback Julian Sayin and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza each have one prize in mind for their showdown this weekend in Indianapolis: a Big Ten championship.

It’s another one — Heisman Trophy winner that will consume most of next week’s debate.

The two first-year starters at their respective schools each played their way into frontrunner status by leading their teams to unbeaten regular seasons, posting outstanding numbers and delivering when the stakes have been highest. They get final chances to pad those Heisman resumes when No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana square off in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Sayin and Mendoza appear tailor-made for the moment

“With the spotlight, with the pressure of it, comes a privilege,” said Mendoza, a two-year starter at California before arriving in Bloomington.

Mendoza has been deferential to his teammates and coaches all season, routinely using his platform to build up those who helped him reach the precipice of becoming the first Indiana player to win college football’s most prestigious award.

Sayin, meanwhile, has spent most of this season trying to get acclimated to being the starter for the defending national champs and more recently with a revolving door of receivers caused by injuries. He started his career at Alabama and redshirted last season in Columbus. He would be Ohio State’s first Heisman winner since Troy Smith in 2006.

Mendoza and Sayin find themselves as the feature attractions in a rare, late-season head-to-head matchup between the Football Bowl Subdivision’s last two unbeaten teams. The tale of the tape is every bit as close as one might expect Sayin’ staggering 78.9% completion rate leads the nation as does his passing efficiency of

ä Indiana vs Ohio St. 7 P.M. SATURDAy,FOX

184.85. His 30 touchdown passes rank second nationally He’s 13th in passing yards with 3,065 and tied for 15th in points responsible for with 180.

Mendoza leads the FBS with 32 TD passes, ranks second in passing efficiency at 183.71 and points responsible for at 228, fifth in completion percentage (72.0%) and 27th in yards passing with 2,758. Both are 12-0 overall, 9-0 in conference play and have five interceptions. The biggest difference

statistically — Mendoza averages 13.07 yards per throw, No. 24 nationally, while Sayin ranks 62nd. And while Sayin’s signature moment came last week when he snapped a four-game losing streak to the dreaded Wolverines, Mendoza delivered two of this season’s biggest plays — beating an Iowa blitz with a tiebreaking, 49-yard TD pass to Elijah Sarratt with 1;28 left in a 20-15 victory and the incredible 7-yard TD pass to Omar Cooper Jr in the final minute to beat Penn State 27-24.

After throwing a tying Pick-6 late at then-No. 3 Oregon, Mendo-

za responded by taking Hoosiers on a 75-yard scoring march and throwing the go-ahead TD pass to Sarratt for a 30-20 victory that cemented Indiana’s spot in the national championship conversation.

“The Oregon game, I think, gave us a lot of credibility,” second-year Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said.

“That was a step we had to take as a program go on the road, play a top five team and come back with a win. Oregon’s a great team and Dan Lanning is a great football coach and so, I think, from that point on, there has been a little bit more acceptance of where we’re at as a program.”

Mendoza has a chance to put an exclamation on Indiana’s second straight record-breaking season — if Indiana beats the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988, claims its first conference crown since 1967 and reaches to No. 1 in

The Associated Press poll for the first time in school history

Sayin is trying to extend the nation’s longest active winning streak to 17 games, capture Ohio State’s first conference crown since 2020 and help the Buckeyes become back-to-back national champions for the first time in school history

Cignetti knows just how challenging it will be to derail those plans.

“Julian Sayin is a tremendous football player He’s young but doesn’t play like he’s young,” he said. “Super quick release, very accurate and he’s mobile They’ve got great weapons on the outside.”

But as coaches and players stay focused on Saturday’s contest, the quarterbacks are downplaying the game inside the game — whether the winner has the inside track to winning the Heisman.

“A lot of quarterbacks have struggled with (Ohio State’s defense) throughout the entire season, and there’s a reason for that,” Mendoza said. “I think it’s a great opportunity and a great challenge for the Indiana offense to play the Indiana brand of ball we want to play against such a great defense.”

ACC commissioner pushing for league to get 2 CFP berths

BY AARON BEARD

Associated Press

Atlantic Coast Conference com-

missioner Jim Phillips is pushing for No. 12 Miami to earn a bid to the College Football Playoff along with the winner of the league championship game between No. 16 Virginia and Duke.

That comes with the ACC facing at least the chance of being squeezed out of the 12-team CFP entirely based on Tuesday night’s rankings.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Phillips was emphatic in making his case for the Hurricanes and then the league’s eventual champion. That comes after the ACC had a logjam of four 6-2 teams behind the Cavaliers, triggering a tiebreaker policy that worked through multiple steps before sending the five-loss Blue Devils ahead of the Hurricanes and others for Saturday night’s title game in Charlotte.

“I have conviction and confidence in our teams, starting with Miami,” Phillips told the AP. “The second piece of that is the Virginia-Duke winner should absolutely be in this College Football Playoff.”

Current scenario

The Hurricanes (10-2) have closed strong as the league’s highest-ranked team in the AP Top 25 and CFP rankings, while the Cavaliers (10-2) finished as the lone 7-1 ACC team.

Duke’s inclusion, triggered by then-ranked SMU losing at California last weekend, represents a potential chaos agent. Automatic CFP bids go to the five highest-ranked league champions. That theoretically accounts

first for the “Power Four” champions from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. Then would come the highest-ranked champ from a Group of Five league: the American, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West and Sun Belt conferences.

In Tuesday’s CFP rankings, Miami is a bubble team for an at-large bid at No. 12 while the Cavaliers are 17th for a simple win-and-in scenario in Charlotte.

But Duke (7-5) is unranked.

Meanwhile, the American has both of its title-game teams (North Texas and Tulane) in the CFP rankings, putting that winner in line for a win-and-in ticket.

And then there’s James Madison (11-1), which entered the CFP rankings at No. 25 before Friday’s Sun Belt title game against Troy That, along with a Duke win against Virginia could potentially give the Sun Belt the fifth champion’s spot and leave the ACC’s CFP hopes resting with the on-thebubble Hurricanes.

Phillips who has previously been optimistic about landing multiple bids, knows the scenarios. He’s undeterred that the ACC deserves two bids all the same.

“I’m not naive,” he said, “but I have conviction about it.”

Miami’s case

Miami’s position stands out with the Hurricanes having a head-tohead win with Notre Dame, which sits two spots ahead in the CFP rankings despite that 27-24 season-opening loss.

That result would seemingly be a differentiator considering the teams have matching 10-2 records and comparable ESPN strength-of-schedule rankings

(Notre Dame 42nd, Miami 44th).

The Hurricanes have more wins against top-40 teams in ESPN’s College Football Power Index (five) than the Fighting Irish (two) and a better record against AP-ranked teams at the time of the matchup (Miami at 4-0, Notre Dame at 2-2).

Additionally, the teams had matching games against two bowleligible teams — home against N.C. State, at then-ranked Pittsburgh — among their four common opponents. The Hurricanes beat the Wolfpack and Panthers by a combined 65 points, more than the Irish’s 51 points in those games.

“I remain steadfast in my conviction, which has only grown stronger over the season — especially these last four weeks,” Phillips said. “The eye test, the stats, the results — they’ve earned a spot in the playoff.”

Those comparisons have also been a topic for Miami athletic director Dan Radakovich in socialmedia posts this week, with one noting: “Head-to-head not ‘a’ data point but ‘the’ data point!”

Phillips said he was “incredibly surprised and very disappointed” to see the Hurricanes didn’t rise after a 38-7 win against a Pitt team ranked 22nd in the CFP rankings last week. But Phillips pointed to selection committee chairman Hunter Yurachek saying no teams are locked into position, even if they’re not playing this week. Phillips said the ACC has been in constant contact with the committee “and that’s going to continue up to the selections.”

“We know the final rankings aren’t until Sunday, so there’s time for course correction by the committee,” Phillips said. “The

Kansas State football coach Klieman to retire

Kansas State football coach

Chris Klieman announced his retirement Wednesday after nearly 35 years in coaching and the last seven leading the Wildcats, a run that included a Big 12 championship three years ago and a bowl trip every season but one.

Klieman was planning to announce his decision later this week, but it was quickly moved up when word began to leak. He spoke briefly during a news conference originally called to discuss national signing day, then left without taking questions, leaving his close friend and Kansas State athletic director Gene Taylor to fill in the gaps.

Taylor proceeded to rip the the state of college athletics for its role in driving the 58-year-old Klieman away from the game.

Bills pass rusher Bosa dealing with hamstring

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y Bills coach Sean McDermott on Wednesday listed edge rusher Joey Bosa as being week to week because of a hamstring issue that will further affect Buffalo’s already injurydepleted defense.

McDermott did not provide a definitive timeline of how many weeks Bosa will miss except to say “we’re hoping it’s on the shorter end of it.”

The 10th-year player was hurt in the second half of Buffalo’s 26-7 win at Pittsburgh on Sunday It was a game in which Bosa helped turned the tide with a strip-sack of Aaron Rodgers, with Christian Benford returned 17 yards for a touchdown on the opening snap of the third quarter

Belichick, Kraft are finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft, two of the key pillars in the New England Patriots’ dynasty, were picked as finalists for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class. Belichick was picked as the coaching candidate and Kraft was picked as the contributor in results announced on Wednesday Three seniors candidates also made the final stage with Ken Anderson, Roger Craig and L.C. Greenwood all advancing.

The members of the 50-person selection committee can vote for three of the finalists. A maximum of three candidates can reach that threshold.

The committee will also vote on 15 modern-era finalists that are still to be determined with between three and five of those candidates guaranteed to get into the Hall.

NBA champion, 15-year veteran Campbell, 57, dies

committee’s made it clear that idle teams can move up in the final rankings. And we’re going to continue our efforts, as there’s no question Miami’s a playoff team and they’ve earned a spot in the playoff.”

The Duke question

Virginia moved up a spot in Tuesday’s CFP rankings — “Pleased to see them move up, although I believe they should be higher,” Phillips said — to put them a win from the playoff. A Duke win could make things dicier But Phillips was ready to make that case, too, leaning largely on schedule strength.

The Blue Devils won the ACC tiebreaker with the Hurricanes, Georgia Tech, SMU and Pitt by virtue of its ACC opponents having the best combined winning percentage in league play (.500).

Beating the Cavaliers would mark a seventh win against a Power Four opponent, while Duke’s five losses came to teams — including at Tulane in the American with a combined record of 4614 (.767).

By comparison, newly ranked James Madison lost its only game to a Power Four team (at ACC member Louisville), while only one of its wins came against a team with a winning record compared to Duke’s four

The Blue Devils’ opponents have a combined 98-58 (.628) record compared to JMU’s going 74-82 (.474), while ESPN ranks Duke’s strength of schedule at 74th compared to JMU’s at 118th.

“The management committee has made it clear this offseason that strength of schedule must be prioritized,” Phillips said.

Elden Campbell, a center who played 15 seasons in the NBA — including nine with the Los Angeles Lakers — and later won a championship with the Detroit Pistons, has died. He was 57.

Campbell’s family told the Pistons he died Monday No cause was given.

The 6-foot-11 Campbell was born in Los Angeles and excelled at Morningside High before heading to Clemson He was a first-team ACC selection in the 1989-90 season. He played nine seasons in Los Angeles, but he didn’t win a championship ring until later in his career with the Pistons — beating the Lakers in five games in 2004. Campbell played in 1,044 NBA games and averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

NBA fines Sixers $100K over Embiid injury report

The NBA fined the Philadelphia 76ers $100,000 for violating league injury reporting rules regarding Joel Embiid. The 76ers failed to accurately disclose the game availability status of Embiid prior to Sunday’s contest against the Atlanta Hawks. Embiid was listed as out in Philadelphia’s initial injury report but subsequently played in the game.

The fine takes into account the 76ers’ prior history of fines for violating injury reporting rules. Embiid did sit out Tuesday against Washington. The 76ers play again Thursday against Golden State. The often-injured Embiid has played in only seven games so far this season. The game against the Hawks is the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RyAN SUN

Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin throws during the first half of a game against Michigan on Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DOUG MCSCHOOLER

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza looks to pass the ball during the second half of a game against Purdue on Friday in West Lafayette, Ind.

Thomas’ heroicssaveLSU from 2nd-half collapse

BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer

LSU’ssecond-half performance

was unlike the composed 20 minutes it put together in the first half against Boston College.

After leading by as manyas14 points in the first half, LSU found itself trailingbyfourpointswith 1:09 left in the game.

But thanks to Dedan Thomas’ heroics, LSU survived an upset againstBostonCollege,winning 78-69 in the ACC/SEC Challenge on Wednesday at Conte Forum in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The contest was the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

This was the first true roadgame of the season for LSU (8-0) after it won its last two games in the Emerald Coast Classic in Florida.It is now 2-1 in the third year of the ACC/SEC Challenge.

Thomas made his first field goal of the second half with 52 seconds left in the game to cut LSU’sdeficit to two points. Afterstopping Boston College (4-5),Thomas went coast-to-coast for aclutch layup to tiethe gameat61-61and force overtime.

LSU’s first four points of the extra five-minute period came from Thomas.The Tigers took a67-61 lead after ajump hook by Mike Nwoko with 3:20left. The team remained in control after Thomas setupMax Mackinnon for an open 3-pointertotake a 70-63 lead with 1:27 left Thomas had aseason-high 23 points and seven assists,making 8 of 21 shots. Marquel Sutton had 16 points and 13 rebounds.

Nwoko’spresence wasfelt on the first possession when he finished an alley-oop dunk offa pass

from the top of the key by Pablo Tamaba. Nwoko scored the first six pointsfor LSU.

The Tigers grabbed three offensive rebounds and forced four turnovers within the first eight minutes ofthe game. They were8 of 16 from the field while Boston Collegewas 3of8

But Nwoko picked up two early

fouls on back-to-back offensive possessions. He had aloose-ball foul followed by an illegal screen at the 10:48 markofthe first half, limiting him to six minutes before halftime.

After he left the game, Boston College went on a6-0 run to cut its deficit to 16-13 with9:52remaining in the first half.

Struggling Clippers cuttieswithPaul

BY GREG BEACHAM and TIM REYNOLDS AP sportswriters

Chris Paul’sreturn stintwiththe Los Angeles Clippers has come to an abrupt and stunning end, the franchise parting ways with one of its greatest players in alate-night meeting that will add another layer of drama to the team’sterrible start this season.

The news was delivered in ameeting in Atlanta that ended around 2a.m. Eastern time Wednesday,Clippers basketball operations presidentLawrence Frank said. Frank said he made the decisiontosever ties withPaul on Sunday,then told the franchise’s career assist leader that he needed to see him on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Frank did not confirm speculation that Paul and Clippers coach Tyronn Luehave been clashing or not speaking to one another,insisting the decision hadmultiplelay-

ers. Frank also insisted that Lue is safe,despite theClippers’ 5-16 start to this season.

“This decision had nothing to do with oneincident, onemeeting that did or didnot happen,” Frank said in avideoconference with reporters.“Some of our business, respectfully,I have to keep in house.But this didn’tcome down to one incident or one meeting. It just wasn’tthe right fit.”

Paul made the announcement on social media shortly before 3a.m.Wednesday,posting “Just FoundOut I’mBeing Sent Home” and adding apeace emoji. The Clipperswere in Atlanta fora road gameagainst theHawkson Wednesday night. Los Angeles lost at Miami on Monday night to extend its wildly disappointing start to theseason

TheClippers’ flight to Atlanta from Miami on Tuesday was delayed forabout 41/2 hours, accordingto flightrecords, whichled

“(It’san) area of growth. Youput yourselfinthose positions andnow you’ve gottoclose. We are at the goal lineand we’ve gotto figureout howtoclose.It’smaturity.It’sexecution. It’spoise.It’sconfidence.”

JAMES BORREGO,Pelicans interim coach on end-of-game situations

PELICANS

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overtime and Minnesotapulled away.The Pelicans had afoul to give on the Edwards’ drive but didn’tuse it.

So it’seasy to understand why Pelicans interim coachJames Borrego used Wednesday’s practice to focus solely on endof-game situations.

“(It’san) area of growth,” Borrego said. “You put yourself in those positions and now you’ve got to close. We are at thegoal line and we’ve got to figureout how to close. It’smaturity. It’s execution. It’spoise. It’sconfidence.”

The Pelicans (3-19) don’thave to wait long to see if the practice helped. They get another shot at theTimberwolves (13-8) on Thursday at the Smoothie King Center. Losses in the clutch serve as teachable moments for ayoung team, particularly rookies such as Derik Queenand Fears.

“Just be more disciplined,” Queen said. “Close out the game better.Noturnovers. No second chances for them. And just execute.”

Borrego’sWednesday practice consisted of the teamgoing through various end-of-game scenarios. It ranged from being up by two with 30 seconds lefttobeing down by 2with 30 seconds left and everything in between

“Do it until youlike whatyou see,” Borrego said. “Make sure we are all talkingabout it,what we are looking for,and try to replicate it as much as possible.

Youcan’tget thepressure level or stress level that you’ll get tomorrow nightorin agame, but youcan certainlysimulate it as much as you can.”

Borregofocuses on the details and is allabout repetition until theteam gets it right. Because of theway theschedule has played out, this was just his fourth actual practice withthe team since taking over for WillieGreen.A lot of the practice time hasfocused on what Borrego calls “morefoundational stuff.”

“This team has to dominate themargins,” Borregosaid.

“That’sthe goalright now.”

Themargins are how the team does after atimeout, and at the end of quarters and games.

“Those situations we want to dominate,” Borrego said. “It’s very doable. It’s not rocket science. (It takes)some focus.

You’ve got to give it attention.

You’ve gottodeal with it.Makingsureguysknow where they need to be. It allcomes down to the details there.

“(Wednesday) was probably themost detailed,end-of-thegame practice I’vehad in a while. It’s beena minute.Itfelt good.Wefelt thepainoflast night. We owned it. That’sthe beauty of this team. Nobody’s hanging their heads.”

to the late-night sessionbetween Frank and Paul. The team didn’t land in Atlanta until shortly before 10 a.m.

“Because of the nature of the conversation it was along, long, long, long, long, long meeting,” Frank said.

The 40-year-old Paul is playinghis 21st NBA season, andhe strongly hinted last month that it will be hislast. The 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalisthas earned four All-NBA first-team selections and he ranks secondinNBA history with 12,552 assists. He was the firstplayertoscoreatleast 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists; LeBron James andRussellWestbrook have both since done that as well.

“I don’tthink it will necessarily help our team,” Lue saidbefore the gameinAtlanta. “I don’tthink the reason why we’re 5-16 is because of CP.I just thinkthat it wasn’t a

This was LSU’ssecond game without Jalen Reed and first since theprogram ruled him out forthe remainder of theseason after suffering an Achillestendoninjury against Drake on Friday.His absence wasfelt early when Matt McMahonbriefly used alineup with the 6-foot-7 Tambaatcenter and 6-9 Sutton at power forward

with 8:23 leftinthe first half

Sutton gave LSU its 18th point on afastbreak layup to break adry spellthatincludedeight straight missed shots. Thomas ampeduphis scoring aggression as theoffense struggledwithout Nwoko.After Sutton’sscore, Thomas drove by a defender on the right baseline and finished an and-one layup. His prettiest finish cameoff a behind-the-back move that led him downhill on theleft side of thebasket, where he made alayup with his non-dominant right hand. That gave LSUa 35-23 lead with 1:06left in the first half Thomas had 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting and three assists at halftimeasLSU led 37-26.

Boston College played impressively throughout the second half The Eaglesscored eight unanswered points to trim their deficit to 45-41 at the14:23 mark. At that point, they were 6of9from the fieldinthat span while theTigers were 3of9

The home team’sbackup point guard, Luka Toews, ledthe comeback as he madeafew pull-up jumpers and organized the offense. Toewshad 12 of his 14 points after halftime. Boston College tied thegame at 51-51 with 8:31 remaining, and LSUtrailed forthe first time with 6:23 leftinthe game. Jayden Hastings scored ajump hook in the middle of thepaint over Sutton to give Boston College a53-31 lead. LSU’snext game will be against its first ranked opponent, No. 19 TexasTech (6-2). The Tigers will playthe RedRaiders at 2p.m. Sunday at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, in the Coast 2Coast Challenge.

good fitfor what he waslooking for “DoIwant to see people go out like this? No,Ihavealot of respect for him.He’sbeen afriend

LSUWOMEN

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awhopping 27 timesper game. On Saturday, Washington State found itselfonthe wrong end of a44-0 run thatLSU built acrossthe last five minutes of thethird quarter andthe first nine of the fourth. “We’rebetter (ondefense),” Mulkeysaidafter that game, “but we’re still awork in progress.

We’vegot to communicate and talk moreonthe defensive end, particularly when we’re gonna switch alot. We hadtonight several times where twowereguarding the ball and didn’tcommunicate andopenour mouths. “Wethink we can just read each other,and youcan’t do that on the defensive endofthe floor.” Duke almost reached the Final Four last season.Ifitloses to LSU on Thursday,itwill fall to 3-6. The Blue Devils have played one of the

toughest schedulesinthe country, but they’re scoring only67.8 ppg —the fourth-lowest

LSUguard Flau’jae Johnson, right, reacts on the court during a timeout against Charlotte on Nov. 12 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

STAFFPHOTO

By HILARy SCHEINUK

STAFFPHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU guard Dedan Thomas drives the ball down the courtasOmaha guard Khamani Cooper defends on Nov. 21 at the Pete MaravichAssembly Center. Thomas scored 23 points Wednesday against Boston College.

of mine over the years, and you don’twant to see agreat go out like this. But I’m pretty sure he will find something, because he’s agreat player.”

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

PHOTOByJAE C. HONG

Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul warms up before the team’sNBA Cupgameagainst the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 25 in Los Angeles

Chalmette makes appeal to LHSAA over placement

School makes case again against joining the Catholic League

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Chalmette High School has made a second request to the LHSAA executive committee that the school not be put in the Catholic League for the next two-year districting cycle that will begin in the fall of

2026, according to documents provided during the third classification meeting Wednesday in Baton Rouge.

In an email from Chalmette principal Will Schneider to LHSAA assistant executive director Michael Federico, Schneider asked for the second time that the school be placed in District 6-5A, which consists entirely of schools in St. Tammany and Tangipahoa parishes.

“We recognize that our initial request was denied,” Schneider wrote. “However, we ask that the

committee reconsider based on the core LHSAA values of fairness, student welfare, competitive balance, and community integrity.”

The email noted that Chalmette in District 9-5A would be the only public, nonselect school in the district, making it the only school that cannot draw students from outside of its attendance zone.

The current proposed makeup of District 9-5A consists entirely of private schools that can draw students from outside their attendance zones, plus Edna Karr, a

Fast and deadly

BY GUERRY SMITH

Contributing writer

Coach Jon Sumrall was only half joking when he asked for a monsoon on Friday night when 20thranked Tulane (10-2) hosts No. 24 North Texas (11-1) in the American Conference championship game. Even if a forecast of messy conditions materializes, the challenge of facing the nation’s leading offense in points and yards will be less than ideal.

What makes the Mean Green special is not the fast pace of the top FBS offense in scoring and yards. Tulane, a 21/2-point underdog despite playing at Yulman Stadium, faced even quicker tempos from Florida Atlantic, East Carolina, Tulsa and Ole Miss earlier this year

The difference is the effectiveness of North Texas’s ground game in an Air Raid scheme under coach Eric Morris.

Since suffering its lone loss to South Florida on Oct. 10, North Texas has averaged 203.2 yards rushing in its final six games — a total that would rank among the top 20 teams in the nation if it were over a full season. The Mean Green also is second to Florida Atlantic among FBS teams in yards passing per game (325.7) Yikes.

“They’ve always been explosive offensively and still are,” Sumrall said. “The biggest misconception of them is they just spread it out and throw it around, which they do, but they run it really well, too, so we will have our work cut out for us.” American Conference offensive

DUNCAN

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loses to Bama and the fourth-seeded Red Raiders beat BYU in the Big 12 title game, allowing them to climb past the Bulldogs in the CFP rankings. There is a caveat to ensure this happens, though. Ohio State and Indiana need to play a close, competitive game in the Big Ten championship game. If either one suffers a blowout (I’m looking at you, Indiana), and Georgia takes care of business against Alabama, then the Bulldogs easily could climb to No. 2 in the CFP and detonate the entire equation.

But for now, let’s just assume the status quo stays intact, with Ohio State edging Indiana in a close game and Georgia beats Bama,

ä North Texas at Tulane.

7 P.M.FRIDAy,ABC

player of the year Drew Meste-

maker a growing legend who never started at quarterback in high school, has thrown for 4,228 yards in 13 games since replacing transfer-portal entrant Chandler Morris as a freshman in the 2024 First Responder Bowl Freshman running back Caleb Hawkins, the league’s rookie of the year, has rushed for 669 yards and 16 touchdowns in the past four games more than all but five other backs have scored all season Double yikes.

“The two biggest things I’ve noticed with their offense is their O-line is significantly improved from last year, and then Hawkins is a special player,” Sumrall said.

“He’s really dynamic. He’s physical. He runs with leverage. He has good speed. You look up each week and it’s normal for them to score 50 points.”

That is exactly what happened in five of North Texas’s past six games. The exception was a 31-17 win against Navy, giving the Midshipmen their only league defeat.

The Mean Green has five common opponents with the Green Wave and scored more points in all of them, including a 55-17 trouncing of Texas-San Antonio at home 12 days before the Roadrunners raced past Tulane 48-26.

Tulane’s task is to make North Texas uncomfortable in the same way South Florida did while picking off Mestemaker three times (he threw only one interception in

maintaining the No. 3 seed. That would send the Bulldogs to New Orleans for the second consecutive season, where they’d meet the winner of the game between the Nos. 6 and 11 seeds, which, if the aforementioned scenarios occur, would be a rematch of the Ole Miss-Tulane game from Sept. 20.

Then, Tulane would just need to upset the Rebels in Oxford, Mississippi, to earn a trip to the CFP quarterfinals against Georgia in the Superdome. Sure, that would require a significant reversal of form, given Ole Miss’ 45-10 victory in September over the Green Wave. But it’s not out of the realm of possibility Tulane will have revenge on its side, and Ole Miss is navigating the chaos of losing head coach Lane Kiffin and half of its coaching staff. There you have it. If everything falls into place, Tulane would play

New Orleans public school.

“We are limited to only St. Bernard Parish — a clear competitive disadvantage,” Schneider wrote.

Chalmette currently competes in District 7-5A with Fontainebleau, Northshore, Salmen and Slidell.

The current districting proposal for the next two-year cycle has Fontainebleau, Northshore and Slidell rejoining 6-5A to create an eight-team district, as Salmen will be in the 4A district.

The email said St Tammany Parish Public Schools superinten-

dent Frank Jabbia told Chalmette superintendent Doris Voitier that “his schools are open and not opposed to Chalmette High School becoming a part of District 6.”

The placement of Chalmette in 6-5A would create a nine-team district.

The LHSAA executive committee was expected to decide on the appeal Wednesday, with the decision expected to be made public later in the week.

Staff writer Jackson Reyes contributed to this report.

New Southern coach Faulk

lays out what to expect from him

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Marshall Faulk’s job as Southern football coach got underway when he met the team about an hour after answering reporters’ questions.

the other 11 games) and limiting the Mean Green to a season-low 107 yards rushing. The three opponents who have won more than six times held North Texas well below its average of 511.8 yards and 46.8 points.

“Their quarterback and their run game is what makes them go,” linebacker Sam Howard said. “You have to stop that run game, make them one-dimensional and get after the quarterback and disrupt his timing because he’s an on-time thrower who makes great decisions.”

Tackling will be at a premium. North Texas gets its receivers in space in one-on-one opportunities and forces defenders to make plays or give up a long gain.

“We’ve done an OK job (with tackling),” Sumrall said. “We’ve tackled better in the box as of late. From the Memphis game moving forward you’ve felt us in the run game. On the perimeter, it’s been hit or miss. In the first part of the year not great.

“I’ve seen some good things, but not consistent enough to feel like we’re going to go into this one and dominate We’ve got to play our best.”

The pressure will be on players like safety Jack Tchienchou and linebacker Chris Rodgers, the Wave’s co-leaders in tackles.

“We have to keep everything in front, allow nothing over the top and make the play when it comes to us,” Tchienchou said. “At the end of the day we have to stop the run, win those third downs, make them uncomfortable and get off the field.”

Georgia or Texas Tech in the Sugar Bowl/CFP quarterfinals on New Year’s night. There’s also a similar scenario where Tulane would make it to New Orleans as the No. 12 seed, but that would require an even greater stretch of the imagination

Still, Tulane vs. Georgia is a possibility And what a sight that would be. Tulane hasn’t played in the Dome since moving on campus to Yulman in 2014. The last time it played in the Sugar Bowl was 1939, when Coach Red Dawson’s No. 5-ranked Green Wave lost a 14-13 heartbreaker to No. 1 Texas A&M. A Tulane appearance in the Sugar Bowl would be cathartic for Green Wave fans and the story in college football. Sure, it might be a pipe dream, but after this crazy football season in south Louisiana, anything seems possible.

look forward to putting a winning

team out there that you’re happy to support, that you look forward to not just winning, but to dominate.”

The Pro Football Hall of Famer turned 22nd head coach of the Jaguars entered his first news conference Monday with great fanfare. Southern football great Aeneas Williams, a fellow NFL Hall of Famer, spoke glowingly about Faulk, his former teammate. Southern basketball legend Avery Johnson, a former NBA player and coach, did the same Baton Rouge mayor-president Sid Edwards shook Faulk’s hand after he walked into the Leon R. Tarver II Cultural and Heritage Center to the horns and drums of the Human Jukebox and the cheers of the Southern faithful. When the celebratory welcome ended, Faulk answered questions about how he would fulfill his duties as Southern coach. Among the topics Faulk was quizzed about was his coaching staff. Just as it would be for any coach, Faulk’s assistants will be crucial, especially as a first-time head coach. He didn’t reveal any names, but he explained how far along he is in the process.

“Got a nice piece of it,” Faulk said. “We got to submit the names. They got to do the vetting. So pretty much 90% of the staff is put together already It’s just, we don’t want to release names, just in case (something changes). But, yeah, looking forward to working with the guys that we’re going to have on staff.”

When he was asked about the possibility of bringing coaches back from the 2025 Southern team, he said he doesn’t know whether he will.

“I’ll meet with some of the guys and make that decision,” Faulk said. “I really don’t know as of yet.”

Faulk’s only previous coaching job was as the running backs coach at Colorado this season under Deion Sanders. The Buffaloes went 3-9 and averaged 123.3 yards rushing per game. While that was second-to-last in the Big 12, it was an improvement from last year’s 65.2 yards for the Buffaloes.

Before Faulk answered questions, he told Southern fans and the administration in attendance that his ultimate goal is to win plenty of football games.

“I look forward to putting a

winning football team out there that you’re happy to support, that you look forward to not just winning, but to dominate,” Faulk said. “One of the things that I used to love to hear Michael Irvin say was, ‘To beat a man, you attack his weakness. To break a man, you attack his strength.’ ” This sentiment aligned with his answer on his coaching style. He said his coaching philosophy is not married to any single way to win games.

“I’ll never lose because I need to be in my identity, I’ll never do that,” Faulk said. “Whatever (opponents) are bad at, that’s what we are going to do, that’s it. It’s hard enough to win games, (but) to decide how you’re going to win games, with style or whatever, I just don’t believe in that.

“I’m a guy who loved to throw the ball, and I’m a running back. I played in a passing offense, and at times we ran the ball more than we passed it. So I just believe in the thing that matters the most is you have more points than the opposition when the clock hits zero.”

Faulk was asked what his first-year expectations are, and he said he doesn’t know yet because he doesn’t know his team.

On Monday, a Southern staff member mentioned the program is 278 days from kickoff for the 2026 season. Faulk said that about halfway between then and now, he’ll be equipped to have expectations.

“I wish I could tell you, like, ‘Oh yeah, we’re going to be this,’ ” Faulk said. “I’ve watched these interviews a lot of times, and a lot of people have stood up here and just lied to you. And I’m not going to do that. What we’re going to do is we’re going to work our butt off and go out there and take advantage of the opportunities that are given to us.”

Faulk gave some insight into how he’ll be with players on a personal level After stating how he hadn’t met with players yet, he continued his answer and, within it, expressed his approach in fostering relationships.

“I remember being that kid sitting in there and listening to some coach talk to me,” Faulk said. “I’m gonna have a conversation with them. They’re going to get the right to ask me questions.

“They need to know me. They need to know that I care.”

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Tulane Green Wave wide receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens (5) and Green Wave kicker Patrick Durkin (91) celebrate after Durkin scores a field goal against the Charlotte 49ers during the second half of a game at yulman Stadium on Saturday.

Faulk

“I

football

MARSHALL FAULK, Southern coach

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Tulane safety Jack Tchienchou breaks up a pass intended for East Carolina tight end Desirrio Riles on Oct. 9 at yulman Stadium Tchienchou and the Green Wave will have their work cut out in Friday’s American Conference championship game against North Texas.

Four key starters for Saints miss practice

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Four of the New Orleans Saints’ most important starters were not on the practice field as the team began its preparations for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Receiver Chris Olave, running back Alvin Kamara, offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga and safety Justin Reid did not practice with the team during the open media viewing portion of Wednesday’s practice.

Kamara missed last week’s game against the Miami Dolphins with a knee injury and was described as “week to week” by coach Kellen Moore before the game. Reid injured his knee on the first play from scrimmage against the Dolphins and played only a few more snaps before exiting the game.

Olave popped up on the injury report a week ago with a back issue and was questionable for the Dolphins game but wound up playing 87.5% of the snaps — slightly above his season average. He was also listed with a back injury on the practice report

Wednesday

Fuaga returned to action last week after missing the previous two games with a knee injury He injured his ankle against the Dolphins — the opposite ankle that he injured earlier in the season.

They were the only players on the injury report

Wednesday Everyone else was a full participant.

On the Buccaneers side, standout left tackle Tristan Wirfs (oblique) was the only player who did not practice, though several others were limited — including star wide receiver Mike Evans, who has been on injured reserve since fracturing his collarbone against the Detroit Lions in October.

Hill touches Taysom Hill finished last week’s game against the Dolphins with two touches, and Moore said Wednesday that he needs to get Hill more involved.

New Orleans went into that game with a plan to use Hill in heavy offensive sets that featured two or three tight ends. But the way the Dolphins defended those formations caused Moore to shift more toward running the ball out of three wide receiver sets.

Because of that, Moore said, Hill’s chances were

SAINTS

Continued from page 5C

and available.”

Shough’s initial feel for the pocket was one of the hurdles for him seeing the field. During the spring and summer, the second-round pick seemed a step slow when dealing with a pass rush. Shough had to get used to the game’s speed, but while that was happening, Spencer Rattler was distancing himself in the quarterback competition in part because of his own improvement under pressure Before he was benched, Rattler noticeably cut his sack rate percentage from his rookie year In 2024, he took a sack on 8.9% of his drop backs compared to 6.57% in 2025. That difference meant that Rattler went from having the league’s ninth-highest sack rate to 18th among 36 qualified passers in 2025 Rattler was also very efficient under pressure, posting the league’s best completion percentage of 62.1% and the eighth-highest quarterback rating, according to Next Gen Stats. If Rattler’s improvement was related in any way to

limited. He finished the game playing 12 offensive snaps.

“That’s on me,” Moore said. “I think he’s done an awesome job. Two previous weeks, he had a nice impact on both those games playing close to 25 snaps, and that’s probably where it should be more often than not.”

About a year removed from a major knee injury that required extensive rehabilitation this offseason, Hill has yet to be a major factor for the Saints.

Though he’s had some nice moments — particularly against the Carolina Panthers, when he iced the game with several clutch runs in the closing minutes — Hill is averaging 2.2 yards per carry this season, well below his career average (5.3).

Transactions

The Saints filled the two open spots on their roster by signing wide receiver Dante Pettis and offensive lineman William Sherman off their practice squad.

The spots were made available Tuesday, when the Saints waived receiver Kevin

working with this coaching staff, that could be a good sign for Shough as he continues to mature. In six games, four of which have been starts, Shough has a 51.2% completion rate under pressure and a sack rate of 7.8%.

“We’re coached really well to not take negative plays in the pocket,” Rattler said. Moore has said the drills the Saints run in practice are aimed at helping with that movement. While the drills are what most quarterbacks have seen by the time they get to the league, Tolzien said he utilizes what he has learned from his seven years as an NFL quarterback and his previous coaching stop with the Dallas Cowboys. The plan, he said, is to build muscle memory so the footwork comes naturally He’ll run mostly the same drills every practice to keep “the main dish,” but he will add new wrinkles to mix up “the sides.” Rattler said Tolzien will try to add a competitive element in certain moments to keep things fun.

“I’m a believer in that, no different from Steph Curry using the same pre-game routine for 82 games in an NBA season, there’s going

BY LARRY LAGE AP sportswriter

DETROIT The Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys are the top two teams in the hunt for an NFC wild card and are still holding on to hopes of competing for division championships.

Hutchinson has 8 1/2 sacks, a career-high four forced fumbles and 24 quarterback hits this season.

jobs for us,” Campbell said.

Potential shootout

Austin and offensive lineman

Barry Wesley Pettis was out of practice squad elevations, having served as the team’s primary punt returner and kick returner since the team sent Rashid Shaheed to the Seattle Seahawks at the trade deadline.

The 30-year-old Pettis has played only nine offensive snaps with the Saints this season, catching his lone target for 14 yards, but he has averaged 25.2 yards per kick return while also returning seven punts for 30 total yards with a long return of 11 yards.

He also filled in as a returner last season after Shaheed suffered a season-ending injury, contributing a 53-yard punt return and a 38-yard kick return.

Sherman was a sixthround selection of the New England Patriots in 2021, but he’s played sparingly in his five NFL seasons. He appeared in two games with the Saints this season, playing two offensive snaps and seven special-teams snaps against the Falcons and Panthers.

to be drills that we’re going to repeat, and that’s OK because that’s how you build habits,” Tolzien said.

Shough also credits his improvement to his time with the scout team. Each week, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley installed game-specific blitzes that gave Shough a better sense of what to expect, even when he was running the other teams’ concepts.

Shough’s second start, a win over the Carolina Panthers, showed just how comfortable the quarterback had seemingly become. He hasn’t been perfect since then — Shough’s turnovers (four interceptions and two fumbles) are another area he needs to clean up — but he’s made plenty of strides in an area that many thought would be a concern

“On scout team, more often than not, (the pocket) is not in your favor,” Shough said.

“There’s guys in your face

You’re throwing in different lanes. So I was just super intentional about two hands, trying to move up, trying to escape in different ways.

I’m going to continue to try and do that.”

Email Matthew Paras at matt.paras@theadvocate.

Detroit (7-5) hosts Dallas (6-5-1) on Thursday night and the winner will improve its position in the playoff picture while the loser may not have time to recover from the setback over the last month of the regular season.

“Our margin for error is very small right now,” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We’ve got to find a way to win this next one in front of us.

“Time’s running out.”

After starting 5-2, the two-time defending NFC North champions have lost three of five to fall behind division-leading Chicago (93) and second-place Green Bay (8-3-1)

The Cowboys, meanwhile, are surging into postseason contention behind a revitalized defense.

They’re over .500 for the first time this year thanks to three straight victories including one over Philadelphia — to potentially challenge the NFC Eastleading Eagles (8-3) for the division title.

Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott acknowledged he looked up the NFC playoff picture this week after he saw the AFC rundown on TV

“We just win and handle our business, we’ll put ourselves in a great spot,” Prescott said.

Call it a comeback

Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson broke his left leg in two places in last year’s 47-9 early-season win at Dallas, ending his season.

“Knowing how good of a player he is, we’ll have eyes on him and as many hands as we can,” Prescott said.

While Hutchinson has had an impact in most games, he did not have a sack or a QB hit in last week’s loss to Green Bay

Testing a trend

Detroit has played 56 regular-season games over three-plus years without losing two in a row If the Lions win on Thursday night, the streak without consecutive setbacks will be the league’s longest since New England’s 57-game run that ended in 2006, according to Sportradar

Rubber match

The Cowboys and Lions are playing for the third straight year after splitting the last two memorable matchups in Dallas.

Detroit ended a six-game losing streak against Dallas with a 47-9 victory at AT&T Stadium last season. It was the most lopsided loss under owner Jerry Jones, who bought the Cowboys in 1989.

Two years ago, Detroit lost at Dallas 20-19 after a 2-point conversion pass to offensive lineman Taylor Decker was negated because the officials said offensive lineman Dan Skipper reported as eligible and Decker did not.

Each time Skipper has reported as eligible at home games since then, the crowd has roared for a player who has become an unlikely fan favorite.

“He’s reliable, dependable, and he does a lot of

Dallas has the NFL’s topranked offense, averaging 393 yards a game, and ranks second with 29.3 points per game. Detroit averages 376 yards of offense, ranking third, and 29.2 points to tie for third in the league.

The game will feature teams averaging at least 375 yards and 29 points for just the fifth time since 1970.

Still no Diggs

Dallas’ secondary has enjoyed the return of several injured players, most notably starting safeties Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson But the Cowboys will have to wait at least another week to see 2021 All-Pro cornerback Trevon Diggs back on the field.

Diggs was ruled out for the seventh consecutive game with a concussion and issues with both knees, including a left knee that has been surgically repaired twice in the past two years. He was initially sidelined by the concussion, which he suffered in an accident at home.

The former Alabama player has never come close to matching his league-leading 11 interceptions in 2021, and he’s had a tumultuous year that included a workout bonus in his contract being withheld and a brief benching by first-year coach Brian Schottenheimer

“I know who I am,” Diggs told reporters this week, declining to go into detail on the circumstances of the concussion. “I know what I can do on the field, and I’m going to put that out there and show if they forgot, I’m going to make sure to remind them.”

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave is tackled by Atlanta Falcons cornerback Mike Hughes during the second half of the game on Nov. 23 at the Caesars Superdome.

Turning up the heat

Chongqing chicken gets atouch of fire

BY GRETCHEN McKAY Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)

Do you love hot and spicy food? Long for adishthatsets your mouth on fire?

Me, too. That’swhy,whenever Idecide to try my hand at making Chinese food, Ialways reach for recipes that hang their hat on the crunchy,spicy condiment known as chilicrisp And when I’m in the mood for something really exhilarating? That calls for adishthat features Sichuan peppercorns and those tiny dried redchiles you just know are going to make you break out in asweat

If you’re unfamiliar,Sichuan peppercorns are the small, reddish-pink berriesthat often put the fire into Sichuan cuisine, which is known for its bold and spicy flavors.Sometimes ground into apowdery spice or used to infuse oil with azesty kick, the husky peppercornsinduceanintense tingling sensation on the lips and tongue that you’ll think will overstay its welcome. But after acouple of swallows, they actually leave behind woodsy,citrusy notes

The numbing sensation is due to acompound called hydroxy-alpha-sanshoolthat causes abiting astringency on your mouth’s“touch” receptors. When combined with chiles or spices like star anise, garlic and ginger,it’sknown as mala —anumbing sensation combined with aspicy flavor This Cook’sIllustrated recipe for Chongqing chicken, atraditional, spicy dish of chicken and dried red chiles,isasdramatic as it is mouthwatering

The first thing you notice is the rather intimidating amount of dried chiles that give the stir-fry its amazing presentation. (No worries: Youaren’t expected to eat that sea of red but rather dig through it with your chopsticks on your way to the tender,battered chicken.)

Second is the dish’sintoxicating aroma. Along with toasted Sichuan peppercorns and all those fragrant chiles, the stir-fry includes the Chinese version of the “holy trinity” in Cajun and Creole cooking ginger,garlicand scallions. The recipe might seem like alot of work because the list of ingredients is on the long side, and you have to fry the batteredchicken twice so that every piece browns deeply.But in the end, it really doesn’ttake all that long and who doesn’t like aone-pan dish?

In China, the dish is often made with chicken on the bone and fried naked, but here it’s crafted with boneless, skinless chicken thigh cut into bitesized pieces that’s been dipped in acornstarch-based batter In apinch, you could forgo the crispy coating and simply sear the chicken with afew tablespoons of oil in areally hot wok until every piece is browned and crisp on all sides.

FOR THE CABBAGE ROLLS: 1-2 heads of cabbage(cut and gently remove 10 largeouterleaves)

1pound of lean ground beef (or ground turkey)

1tablespoon salt

1teaspoon cracked pepper

1teaspoon cayenne pepper

1cup cooked rice

½onion(chopped) 1egg

3tablespoonsfresh parsley (chopped)

½can dicedtomato (I usedRotel brand “hot” forextraspice) FOR THE SAUCE: 2tablespoonsolive oil ½onion(diced)

2garliccloves (smashed and diced)

1(28-ounce)can of crushed tomatoes

1(28-ounce)can tomato sauce (plain, not spaghetti sauce)

1tablespoon brown sugar

1tablespoon apple cidervinegar

1tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1tablespoon salt

1teaspoon cracked black pepper

3tablespoonschoppedfresh parsley

1. Bring alarge pot of salted water to aboil. While waiting for the water to boil, cut about an inch off the end of the cabbage and gently pry off the outer leaves. The larger outer, greener leaves work best for rolling.

2. Removethe hard center rib fromthe bottom of the cabbage leaves. Carefully place the prepared cabbage leaves into the boiling water for about 4-5 minutes, then gentlytransfer the leaves to acolander to drain and cool. (Note: Ilike to save the inner smallerleaves to make cole slaw.) Alternatively,ifthe leaves are too tight and hard to pull off,you can place the whole cabbage in the boiling water and simmeruntil theleaves begin to fall away.Remove the leaves to dry in acolander

3. In alargemixingbowl place the ground meat, cooked rice, diced tomatoes, egg, salt, pepperand cayenne pepper. Mix together and set aside.

4. To make thesauce:Ina large pot over medium heat, add the olive oil and diced onion. Stir the onion in the hot oil until it is translucent. Thenadd the finely choppedgarlic. Stir for a couple of minutes.

Go for comfortthis holiday seasonwith stuffed cabbage rolls,roasted root vegetables andaspritz

The

first time that I tried this dish was when my mother-inlaw,Mae Faul, made me her delicious version of the classic comfort dish.

Mae grew cabbage in her vegetable garden, and over theyears, she successfully experimented cultivating bothgreen cabbage and napa cabbage. Her homegrown cabbage had large green leaves with intricate white veins. The leaves were strongand ideal as awrapper for meat and rice. She worked in her garden in themorning and cooked what she grewinthe evening. This taught me that freshproduce grown with careadds alot to

ameal.

Liz Faul

At arecent farmers market, Inoticed thatseveral vendors had large, green,leafy cabbage for sale. While using thattomake several trays of cabbage rolls,I realizedthat the green leaves simmering in a light red tomato sauce madeitanideal holiday dish to share. In Louisiana, cabbage rolls areinexpensive comfort food eaten at weeknight meals and servedatholiday tables. Like gumbo,there seems to be hundreds of recipes and culturalnuances for stuffed cabbage rolls. In France, cabbage rolls arecalled “chou farci;” in Ukraine, “holubtsi;”

ä See COMFORT, page 2D

BY CHRIS HEWETT TheMinnesota Star Tribune (TNS)

5. Addthe tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Simmer and stir.Then add the brown sugar,apple cider vinegar,and Worcestershire sauce.Stirthe sauceand letitsimmer.Then add fresh chopped parsley

6. Preheatthe ovento350 F. While the oven heats up, stuff the cabbage rolls.

7. To stuff aroll, place about ¼cup of the rawmeat andrice mixture toward the bottom end of the cabbage leaf, fold over the sides and roll to enclose the meat within the leaf

8. Place the prepared cabbage rolls in an oven-proof casserole dish, then cover the rolls with tomato sauce. Coverthe casserole dish with tin foiland bake for30-45 minutes. Serve the rolls with agarnish of freshly chopped parsley

the experts trumpeted anew, supposedly better way to mash, with the usual ingredients (potatoes, milk, butter,salt and pepper) but anew technique. We were intrigued, but decided we better not messwith akey component of our supertraditional holiday dinner.It’s not that we thought abasic mashwas unimprovable —itis

PHOTO By LIZ FAUL

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/ TNS PHOTO By GRETCHEN McKAy Chongqing Chicken

By The Associated Press

Today is Thursday, Dec. 4, the 338th day of 2025. There are 27 days left in the year

Today in history: On Dec. 4, 1991, after being abducted and held hostage for nearly seven years by Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, Associated Press correspondent Terry Anderson was freed from captivity.

Also on this date:

In 1956, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, dubbed the “Million Dollar Quartet,” gathered for the first and only time for a jam session at Sun Records in Memphis.

In 1964, police arrested some 800 students at the University of California, Berkeley, one day after the students stormed the administration building and staged a massive sit-in to protest university restrictions on political activity on campus.

In 1965, the United States launched Gemini 7 with Air Force Lt. Col. Frank Borman and Navy Cmdr James A. Lovell aboard on a two-week mission. (While Gemini 7 was in orbit, its sister ship, Gemini 6A, was launched on Dec. 15 on a one-day mission; the two spacecraft were able to rendezvous within a foot of each other.)

In 1969, Fred Hampton and Mark Clark, of the Black Panther Party, were shot and killed during a raid by Chicago police.

In 2016, a North Carolina man fired several shots from an as-

sault rifle inside Comet Ping Pong, a Washington, D.C., pizzeria, as he attempted to investigate an online conspiracy theory that prominent Democrats were harboring child sex slaves at the restaurant; no one was hurt, and the man surrendered. (Edgar Maddison Welch was later sentenced to four years in prison; in 2025, police shot and killed him during a traffic stop in which officials said he pulled out a handgun and pointed it at one of the officers.)

In 2018, long lines of people wound through the Capitol Rotunda to view the casket of former President George H.W Bush.

In 2024, United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot on a midtown Manhattan sidewalk (The accused shooter, Luigi Mangione, has pleaded not guilty to state and federal charges.)

Today’s birthdays: Actor-producer Max Baer Jr is 88. Actor Gemma Jones is 83. Actor Jeff Bridges is 76. Actor Patricia Wettig is 74. Jazz singer Cassandra Wilson is 70. Basketball Hall of Famer Bernard King is 69. Baseball Hall of Famer Lee Smith is 68. Olympic pole vault gold medalist Sergey Bubka is 62. Actor Marisa Tomei is 61. Actor-comedian Fred Armisen is 59. Rapper Jay-Z is 56. Actor Kevin Sussman is 55. Actormodel Tyra Banks is 52. Football Hall of Famer Joe Thomas is 41. Musician Jelly Roll is 41. Singersongwriter Jin (BTS) is 33.

Milk-Simmered Mashed Potatoes

Serves 8. Recipe is adapted from Milk Street Kitchen.

4

Roasted Root Vegetables

turnip and shallots on the baking tray Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and add the salt, pepper and fresh herbs. Toss the vegetables in the oil and spices. Then spread them evenly on the baking sheet in one layer

3. Place the tray of vegetables into the oven and roast for about 45 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and toasted.

Cranberry Spritz Cocktail

the

and in Poland, “golumpki.” It is fascinating how this combination of ingredients tender cabbage wrapped around meat and rice — has become a common meal loved all around the world.

4. Place the roasted vegetables in a serving bowl and for extra spice and flavor toss them in the harissa yogurt dressing.

pot so they stay together while cooking. If your roll rips, you can always patch it with part of another cabbage leaf. Preparing this dish takes a little practice, but even if your cabbage rolls aren’t made with perfect precision, the end result is just as tasty

juice, garlic, honey and olive oil.

2. Bring to a simmer (don’t boil) and cook on low until most of the milk is absorbed and the potatoes are tender (it took mine about 50 minutes). Stir frequently to avoid scorching

3. Remove from the heat, add butter and mash with a hand masher seasoning with additional salt and pepper to taste.

1. Place potatoes in a big pot with the milk, which should almost cover the potatoes, and salt.

POTATOES

Continued from page 1D

improvable, which is why heretics sometimes add garlic, sour cream or Gruyere — but a lastminute switcheroo seemed like a bad idea without having tried it first. Cut to me in October, trying it. My friend Peter and I set up a control group with the usual method: boil cut-up potatoes (I like Yukon Gold) in water, pulverize them and then add in milk and butter At the same time, we also tried the “Milk Street” method, in which you simmer the potatoes in milk (you don’t want to boil, which would scald the milk) until it’s almost all absorbed, then mash the butter in In both cases, I used a hand masher rather than a ricer or food processor Long story short: The “Milk Street” method is better Way better.

The control group was still good but, when tasted side-byside with the cooked-in-milk version, they seemed watery and as bland as mashed potatoes are always accused of being Cooking potatoes in milk makes them richer, with almost a caramelized element, and with a much creamier consistency, as if

they’ve been whipped. They feel fancier restaurant-y, but I’m confident they’d go great with the rest of a family feast.

This recommendation comes with some cautions:

n If you have people wedded to those mashed potatoes they’ve enjoyed since the Carter administration, they will notice the difference.

n I like my mashed potatoes a little less creamy, so I’d cut a half cup of milk next time.

n Watch out for the salt because, unlike the usual method, you’re not going to be pouring off any of it with the cooking water

n The Milk Street potatoes may be a bit lumpy, possibly because the milk is there from the get-go, instead of being added after you’ve mashed the potatoes until smooth

The biggest concern may be that, unless you make them ahead, these potatoes place additional demands on your holiday-challenged stovetop. They cook at a much lower heat than the boiled-in-water variety, which means they’re on the range for more than twice as long, competing for space with everything else.

But if you have a six-burner model or special appliances to take the heat off your stove, these mashed potatoes are worth a try at the holidays. Or at least an experiment 11 months later

My mother-in-law’s version of the dish came with a warning to be careful not to eat the toothpicks, which she used to ensure the meat filling did not fall out of the cabbage wrapping during cooking. This method of securing the rolls is effective, but there are other ways to fasten cabbage rolls together You can roll them and place them seam-side down in the

HEAT

Continued from page 1D

Despite its fiery looks, the dish is not all that intense on the palate. But it probably helps to have a bowl of steamed white rice at the ready just in case.

You can find Sichuan peppercorns, chili flakes and dried Sichuan chiles in any Asian market.

Chongqing Chicken

Serves 4-6. Recipe is from Cook’s Illustrated. Steamed jasmine rice is traditionally served with this dish. In fact, some would say it’s essential because it helps soak up the numbing flavor of the Sichuan peppercorns. To round it out with vegetables, add some garlicky broccoli or bok choy on the side.

FOR BATTER:

2⁄3 cup cornstarch

1⁄3 cup flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 cup water

FOR CHICKEN:

11/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thigh, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon soy sauce 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine

Peanut or vegetable oil for frying

¼ cup Sichuan chili flakes

11/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

A colorful tray of roasted root vegetables pairs perfectly with stuffed cabbage rolls. I used carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips and sweet potatoes, but you can follow this recipe and use only your favorite vegetables. To add a little spice and flavor, try making a harissayogurt dressing to drizzle over the roasted vegetables. Harissa is a hot chili pepper paste of Tunisian origin made from roasted chiles, garlic, cumin, coriander and caraway seeds. Mix it with yogurt, lemon

¼ teaspoon monosodium glutamate, optional

6 garlic cloves, minces

4 scallions, chopped

1-inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced into thin matchsticks

4 ounces small dried Sichuan chiles

2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

1. Make batter: Whisk cornstarch, flour and baking powder together in a bowl. Whisk in water until smooth, then refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, toss chicken, soy sauce and wine in second bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet Set second wire rack in second sheet and line with paper towels.

4. Add oil to a large Dutch oven until it measures 11/2 inches deep and heat over medium heat to 400 F.

5. Whisk batter to recombine. Add chicken and toss to coat.

6. Using hands, remove half of chicken from batter and place in single layer on unlined rack. Let rest for 1 minute to allow excess batter to drip off.

7. Working quickly, use spider skimmer or slotted spoon to lower chicken pieces into hot oil. Using tongs or cooking chopsticks, separate pieces so they fry separately. (Be careful not to splash hot oil!)

During the holiday season, it’s fun to have a signature holiday cocktail ready to make. The Aperol spritz is very popular during the summer months because it is light and refreshing. This variation is made with cranberry juice and garnished with a sprig of rosemary, so it looks very seasonal and offers a light and refreshing pre-meal beverage. To make a nonalcoholic version, simply mix cranberry juice and soda water and add a slice of orange.

Cheers to cooking comfort foods this holiday season!

Liz Sullivan Faul is a registered dietitian nutritionist who enjoys cooking and sharing meals with her friends and family

8. Fry chicken until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 375 and 400 F.

9. Using spider skimmer, transfer chicken to paper towel-lined rack. Return oil to 400 F and repeat with remaining chicken, then transfer to rack.

10. Return oil to 400 F over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry chicken a second time until deep golden brown and crisp, 2-4 minutes. Return chicken to rack lined with fresh paper towels.

11. Whisk chili flakes, sugar, salt and MSG, if using, in a small bowl. Measure out 1/4 cup frying oil and set aside (Discard remaining oil or save for another use.)

12. Heat an empty 14-inch flatbottom wok over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke. Reduce heat to medium-low, drizzle reserved oil around perimeter of wok and heat until just smoking.

13. Add garlic, scallions and ginger and cook, tossing constantly, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

14. Add chiles and peppercorns and cook, tossing constantly, until just toasted, about 1 minute.

15. Add chicken and sprinkle spice mix evenly over top. Cook, tossing constantly, until chicken is well coated, about 1 minute.

16. Off heat, add cilantro and toss gently to incorporate. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve.

PHOTO By LIZ FAUL

Roasted Root Vegetables and Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

sAGIttARIus(nov. 23-Dec. 21) Making amove, clearing space to start anew project or getting back to basics and doing what makes you happy will have acalming effect. Relax and live in the moment.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Shareyour ideas,and it will lead to advancement. A partnership lookspromising,and financial gains are in the stars. Pay attention to detail and changes that are transpiring. Consider how you can utilize what's unfolding to your benefit.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Display your attributes and offeryour services. Set your sights on what you want, and don't stop untilyou are satisfied with the results. Actions speak louder than words; give it your bestshot.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Take better care of your physical andemotional well-being. Use intelligence to navigate your way forward. Put your energy where it brings the highestreturns.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) You're sitting on atime-sensitive opportunity. If you snooze, you lose. Do your due diligence and take credit wherecredit is due. Own the spotlight,and make things happen.

tAuRus (April 20-May20) Pay attention, and nurture relationships that matter. Address domestic issues, resolve personal problemsand deviseinnovative plansthatpromote good health and longevity.

GEMInI (May21-June 20) Be yourself,display your values andmove in adirec-

tion that motivates and inspires you to complete your mission. Recognize what you want and how to get it.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Explore the possibilities and open doorsthatlead to financial opportunities. Refusetolet insecurity standbetween you and your desires. Speak up, get what you want in writing and be the one to make things happen.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Youcan have fun withoutgoingoverboard.Anadventure, getting back to natureorsetting personal goalsthat excite you will enhance your life and give you something to strive for and lookforward to.

VIRGo(Aug. 23-sept. 22) Avoid altercationswithassociates,those you live with and love interests. Take amoment to digestwhat's happening and figure out who the players arebeforeyou engage.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Reach out to someone you miss or want to reunite with. Attendareunion or take atrip somewherethat motivates you to followyour heartand dreams.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Doingsomething you love will give you theboost you needtocarry on andtake care of your responsibilities. Atrip to visit a place or person who sparks your imagination will be rejuvenating.

Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature,isnot basedonscientific fact. ©2025 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, pastand present. Each letterinthe cipher stands foranother.

toDAy's cLuE: PEQuALs J

CeLebrItY CIpher

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM SherMAn’S LAGoon

bIG

Sudoku

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

CalvinCoolidge said, “Never go out to meet trouble. If you will just sit still, nine cases outof10someone will intercept it before it reaches you.”

Does that applyatthe bridge table? Probably one’simmediate reaction is that it does not.However, thinksome more and youwill remember the times when youthought youwere going down in your contract, but suddenly adefender came to your rescue. At othertimes though, matters are in your own hands. Youmust take apositive step to ensure that you do not get into trouble—asin thisdeal South cruises into three no-trump. West leads the spade jack and East plays his king. How should South steer?

Declarer starts with six top tricks: two spades (given the first trick), two hearts, onediamondand one club. As the other three winners must comefrom clubs, it is tempting either to cash the club ace or to cross to dummy’s heartace andcall for the club queen As you can see, after either of these lines, South’s shipsinks.

Thereisa safety-play that guarantees smoothsailing even if clubs split 4-0. At trick two, South should lead alow club fromhishand.Here,Easttakesdummy’s jack with hisking and returnsa spade.

wuzzles

South wins, plays aheart to dummy’s ace, leads aclub to his nine, cashes the club ace, and sails safely into port. If West hadstarted with four clubs, dummy’squeen wouldhavewon thesecondtrick. Declarerwouldhave played aclub to his ace andled another club through West’s king. ©2025 by nEa, inc., dist.Byandrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzleisa word riddle which creates adisguised word,phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by theaddition 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 RADIAnt: RAY-dee-ent: Vividly bright and shining.

Averagemark 20 words

Time limit 30 minutes

Can you find 24 or more words in RADIANT?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD —unsEEInG

unseen using nene nine seeing seen segue seine siege sign signee sine sing singe snug suing sung egis engine ennui ensign ensue ensuing ingenue gene genie genius genuine genus guise

loCKhorNs Dear followerofthe

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato mallard

dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 -Eachrow and each column must contain the numbers 1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within theheavily outlinedboxes, calledcages, mustcombine using thegiven operation (in any order) to producethe target numbers in thetop-left corners 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages withthe numberinthe top-left corner.

WiShinG Well

HErE is aplEasanT

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe

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more than ever m Christmas

Christmas givethe gift of

presented by

The Times-Picayune Doll &Toy Fund helps makeChristmas dreams come truefor children in our six parish area.Your donationisued to buy what they want morethan anything –the magic of dolls,toys, games andgifts. Your generosity bringsthe joy of Christmas to some very special children.

years giving for

The Times-Picayune Doll &Toy Fund helpsmake Christmas dreams come truefor children in our six parisharea.Your donation is uedtobuy what they want more than anything –the magicofdolls, toys, games and gifts. Your generosity brings the joy of Christmas to some very special children.

don’t miss don’t miss don’t miss

gretna’s christmas parade and tree lighting ighting

The West Bank city gets all gussied up as Santa roars through for the holidays at 5 p.m. Sunday. The parade will roll along Fifth Street from Fried Street to Huey P. Long Avenue, then loops between First and 10th streets before finishing at Sixth Street for the tree lighting. gretnala.com.

christkindlemarkt

ABOUT LAGNIAPPE

The Lagniappe section is published each Thursday by The Times-Picayune | The New Orleans Advocate. All inquiries about Lagniappe should be directed to the editor.

LAGNIAPPE EDITOR: Lauren Walck, lauren. walck@theadvocate.com

COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Victor Andrews, Leslie Cardé, Hannah Levitan, Doug MacCash, Dean M. Shapiro, Keith Spera

GET LISTED IN LAGNIAPPE

Submit events to Lagniappe at least two weeks in advance by sending an email to events@theadvocate.com.

ON THE COVER

A giant balloon depticing the children’s book character Frosty the Snowman is ferried through the French Quarter during the 2024 Manning Family Children’s Holiday Parade. Photo by David Grunfeld Doug MacCash previews the parade on Page 6.

Frohe Weihnachten! Find gluhwein (warm mulled wine), food, handmade gifts and live music, plus St. Nicholas, at the annual homage to European holiday markets at Deutsches Haus, 1700 Moss St. The three-day event is from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. deutschesdaus.org.

latkes with a twist

Chef Susan Spicer and her Rosedale restaurant host the 11th annual Hanukkah celebration at 6:30 p.m. Sunday at the Press Street Station at NOCCA, 5 Homer Plessy Way. The seasonal event benefiting the Jewish Children’s Relief Services will feature a latke buffet, plus specially crafted beverages, and music with Joe Gelini and his trio. Tickets start at $54. jcrs.org.

The West Bank is illuminated when the Algiers Economic Development Foundation stages its annual lighting, with music, food from local vendors and a holiday crafts market, beginning at 4 p.m. Saturday at 200 Morgan St. algierseconomic.com.

christmas at loyola

Music, community and holiday spirit merge into a seasonal celebration at the Uptown campus of the Jesuit university when more than 100 students and faculty in the vocal and instrumental ensembles present the much-anticipated, free concert. Time-honored carols will be part of a sing-along, and various musical groups present a broad spectrum of holiday music from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at Holy Name of Jesus Church, 6367 St. Charles Ave. loyno.edu.

drinks drinks drinks classical christmas: ‘messiah’

The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra offers two chances to hear selections from Handel’s oratorio — on both shores of Lake Pontchartrain. Matthew Kraemer conducts the orchestra playing highlights from the 1741 work that traces the prophecy, arrival, passion and resurrection of Jesus (noted by the “Hallelujah” chorus). Blythe ReedBands, Claire Shackleton, Jeremiah Tyson and Ivan Griffin will sing. Works will also include Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto” and Finzi’s “In Terra Pax.” The Northshore Classics concert is at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Fuhrmann Auditorium, 128 W. 23rd Ave., Covington. The New Orleans show is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Orpheum Theater, 129 Roosevelt Way. Preconcert talks will be at 6:30 p.m. Tickets start at $25. lpomusic.com.

’Tis

the season for festive cocktails and holiday pop-ups

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

Any holiday in New Orleans is often celebrated with a specialty drink, but only a few times a year can you sip on a cocktail while sitting in a tinsel-wrapped wonderland (not including Snake & Jakes’ yearround holiday spectacle).

After digging up your favorite ugly sweater and ornamenting your home with cozy, seasonal touches, there’s really only one thing left to do: locate the nearest holiday pop-up.

And with the air crisper and holiday cheer growing louder, it’s time, as Mariah Carey once said, to find your new favorite place to celebrate.

Here’s a list of the city’s jolliest spots, open through the holiday season.

MIRACLE ON MAGAZINE

Barrel Proof, 1201 Magazine St.

4 p.m. to midnight through Dec. 21

SANTA’S STUDY

Eliza Jane Hotel, 315 Magazine St. Noon to midnight daily through Jan. 1

SIPPIN’ SANTA

Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29, 321 N. Peter St.

4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday through Jan. 1

BLITZEN’S BAR

Omni Royal Hotel, 621 St. Louis St.

11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday through Jan. 4

HOLIDAY HIDEAWAY

Sidecar & Rusty Nail, 1100 Constance St.

4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 31 (closed Dec. 24-25)

Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 hosts its annual Sippin’ Santa pop-up cocktail bar throughout December.

SNAKE AND JAKE’S

CHRISTMAS CLUB LOUNGE

7612 Oak St.

7 p.m. ’til on Monday, 5 p.m. ’til on Tuesday, 7 p.m. ’til on Wednesday and Thursday, 5 p.m. ’til on Friday, 7 p.m. ’til on Saturday-Sunday year-round

DIMMI CHRISTMAS BAR

Tell Me Bar, 1235 St. Thomas St.

4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 p.m. ’til on Friday and Saturday, noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 6

BAR HUMBUG

The Bower, 1320 Magazine St.

4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday through Dec. 31

CAJUN CHRISTMAS

Virgin Hotel, 550 Baronne St.

5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday beginning Saturday through Dec. 21

FILE PHOTO By J.T. BLATTy

stages stages stages

‘Winterlight’journeysthrough darkness at MOH

BY DEAN M. SHAPIRO

Contributing writer

Following its tradition of offering original winter holiday ballets, the Marigny Opera Ballet this month presents the premiere of “Winterlight,” a dramatic and joyful full-lengthwork celebrating the winter solstice.

Opening Friday at theMarigny Opera House, the venue’sresident dance company will offer six performances over two weekends through Dec. 14.

The two-act contemporary ballet was created by internationally acclaimed choreographer Christian Denice for the company’seight dancers.

“Winterlight” is described by Marigny Opera House Executive Director Dave Hurlbert as “a journey through the longest night of the year to the rising of the sun and acelebration of aworld restored.”

“This is certainly notanother ‘Nutcracker,’”hesaid. “It’snot aVictorian party.It’sanintimate experience. People clinging to their hopes and finding love at the end, with the rising of the winter sun.”

Set in the upper latitudes of northern Europe, above the Arctic Circle where the sun is mostly absentinwinter,a lone man wandering in the darkness enters avillage where the residents are preparing for an annual celebration of the sun’sreturn.

The ballet follows theunnamedhero, portrayed by principal dancer BlakeBellanger,and the Winter Sun, performed by principal dancer Allyssa Nelson. The solar cycle is played out by the lighting effects generated by technical director Tammy Srinivas. The other dancers, portraying the villagers,include Edward Spots, Joshua P. Bell, Kennedy Walker,Cullen Barrileaux, Chloe Roberts and Lauren Guynes.

The cast rehearses ‘Winterlight’ ahead of the MarignyOpera Ballet’sseason opener,which is set for Friday.

PROVIDED PHOTO BY ALEX

ANDRÉ

the previous season in December 2024, said Hurlbert approached himabout anarrative balletthemed around the holidays

Denice, whodesigned an original piece titled “Echoes,”whichopened

“Most of my worktends to be in the contemporary/abstract style, dealing mostlywithemotion andfeelings,”Denice said.

“So it was exciting to present this ideafor thewinter solstice and followthis character dealing with the seasons, coming into this darkness and finding the light, ultimately finding the sun andfollowing it.”

The musical score, performed live by New Orleans’ Delachaise Ensemble, is aspecial collection of Nordic folk music arranged by the Danish String Quartet. The quartet includes violinists Moisesand Elizabeth Cunha, Catherine Matushek on viola and JakeFowler on cello.

“It wouldn’thavebeen something I normally would have chosen for my-

‘WINTERLIGHT’

WHO: MarignyOpera Ballet

WHAT: WINTERLIGHT, an original full-length contemporaryholidayballet

WHEN: 8p.m.Fridaythrough Sundayand Dec. 12-14

WHERE: MarignyOpera House, 725 St. Ferdinand St., NewOrleans TICKETS: $40-$75 at door and online at marignyoperahouse.org

self,” Denicesaidofthe score, “but it fitreally wellwith the story andittook me to aplace of beingabletocreate in this very sort of Danish Nordic folk style.”

“The dancers have just been wonderfulinbringing these characterstolife,” the choreographer said. “I think the musicisgoing to sound incredible.”

Based in Los Angeles, Denice has choreographed andperformed for dozens of dancecompanies throughout

North America and abroad. He was working in Philadelphia at the timeof this interview and, in his temporary absence, rehearsals at the Marigny Opera House were overseen by Diogo de Lima, the company’sartistic director,and Guynes, the company manager. The dancers’ original costumes were designed by local designer Magdalene Paris.

To me it’saperfect holiday ballet, and we wanted to get away from ‘The Nutcracker’ for alittle bit,” Hurlbert said.

“We’re known for our original work,” Hurlbert continued, describing the 14-year-old company’srepertoire.

“How original can we be and still deliver the goods for the holiday? We didn’t want to have aSanta Claus onstage. So we asked ourselves, ‘How do we signify the holidays?’ and we decided that the winter solstice is abeautiful way to do it. It lends itself to avery theatrical presentation because we’re visually portraying the darkness becoming light.”

Nelson

Bellanger

Denice

stages stages stages

PARTNERS IN TIME

Martyand Doc fightto get‘Back to theFuture’ at theSaenger

Time travel, the longest night and a fancy spin on holidaydecor are some of the seasonal selections offered for New Orleans metro audiences as musicals, ballet and abit of kid-friendly funoffer more entertainment.

With so much to see, it would be good to have atime machine and hop back to catch more shows.

‘1.21gigawatts?’

It was 40 years ago that ateen named Marty McFly hopped into asouped-up DeLorean and traveled back to the 1950sand changed history —in moreways than one.

David Josefsberg and Lucas Hallauer appear with thetime-traveling DeLorean in ‘Back to theFuture: TheMusical’ opening at the Saenger Theatre.

In the film, Marty messeswith the timeline and almost obliterates his family.Inreality,the Oscar-winning movie spawned two sequels and now aBroadwaymusical that plans to make the jump to New Orleans.

“Back to the Future: The Musical” will head to the Saenger Theatre as part of the Broadway in New Orleans series, opening Tuesday and running through Dec. 14.

Based on the movie, the story focuses on the hapless teen who has befriended scientist Emmett “Doc” Brown. Ina strange twist of fate, Marty engages the time-traveling ability of Doc’scarturned-time machine and is hurled back to the time his parents were teens, just beforethey fell in love. Subtle changes to the timeline have rippling effects, and Marty must fixthings before he (and his family) vanish.

And the gigawatts? That’show much power is needed to make the time elements of the DeLorean work to send Marty “Back to the Future.”

With songs from the original movie like “The Power of Love” and “Johnny B. Goode,” Emmy and Grammy winner Alan Silvestri and GlenBallard have

LEFT: Michael Breathe, from left, plays Dad, NinaSchneider is Jojo, Taylor Nguyen is Nancyand Anna Birbiglia is Mom in the upcoming holidayproduction of ‘Fancy NancySplendiferous Christmas’ at Rivertown Theaters for the PerformingArts, opening Friday. RIGHT: Lillian Miller also portrays ‘Fancy Nancy.’

penned new music for Tony-winner John Rando’sproduction.

The show is at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Dec. 13, plus 2p.m.Dec. 13, and at 1p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14 at the Saenger,1111 Canal St.Tickets start at $39. Visit saengernola.com.

FancyNancy at Rivertown

Seasonal celebrations continue at Rivertown Theaters for the Performing Artswhen lovable literary character

Fancy Nancy gets in the holiday spirit

“Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Christmas” is based on Jane O’Connor’sbooks as the title character prepares for afestiveyule.

From tree trimming to sparkling fashions,all seems to be going well —until a holiday mishap strikes.

With songs, laughs and abig dose of celebratory magic, the show is atreat for allages.

Alternating the title role in the Kelly Fouchi-directed and choreographed

show will be LillianMiller and Taylor Nguyen. Also in the cast are Nina Schneider,Anna Birbiglia, Michael Breathe and AndrewAntoine.

The show is at 7p.m.Fridays, 2p.m. Saturdays, 1p.m.Sundays, plus an additional 11 a.m. Dec. 6and 4p.m. Dec. 14 at 325 Minor St.inKenner.Tickets startat $20. Visit rivertowntheaters.com.

In production

“A CHRISTMAS CAROL”: 6p.m.Dec. 11; The Josephine, 2400 Napoleon Ave. Crescent CityStage’sone-night-only reading of the popular adaptation by Patrick Barlow with Michael A. Newcomer as Scrooge and four actors taking on the rest of the characters. Ticketswillhelp fund Crescent City’sseason and studio programming, start at $54. crescentcitystage.com.

“ANNIE”: Opening 7:30 p.m.Fridays and Saturdays, 2p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 21; Slidell Little Theatre, 2024 Nellie Drive. The Broadway

smash aboutaDepression-era orphan selected to spend theholidays withmega-rich“Daddy” Warbucks; filledwith singing orphans and memorablesongs like “Tomorrow” and “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without aSmile.” Tickets start at $25. slidelllittletheatre.org

“IT’SAWONDERFULLIFEY’ALL”: Opening 7:30 p.m. Fridays,Saturdays and Dec. 18, and2 p.m. on Sundays through Dec. 21; RivertownTheaters forthe Performing Arts, 325 Minor St., Kenner.Local entertainment icon RickyGraham hasturned his focustomelding CrescentCity character witha holiday hallmark in this takeoffofthe 1946 Jimmy Stewartstarring film. The movie is abouta man who gets to see whatlife is like without him, hasbecome standard fare forholidaywatching, withNew Orleanstouches that will appeal to allages. Tickets start at $43. rivertowntheaters.com.

“RUDOLPHTHERED-NOSED REINDEER”: Opening 7:30 p.m. Fridays and 2p.m. Saturdays andSundays through Dec. 14; Jefferson Performing Arts Center,6400 Airline Drive,Metairie. Thesongs and characters from the Rankin/Bass stopmotionTVshoware allthere, from Rudolph andHermey (theelf whowants to be adentist) to Santa, YukonCornelius, Clarice, Bumble (theabominablesnowman) and allthe elvesand misfittoysin this production by Jefferson Performing Arts. Tickets start at $28. jpas.org.

“’TWASTHE NIGHT BEFORECHRISTMAS”: 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2p.m. Sundays through Dec. 14; PlaymakersTheater,19106 Playmakers Road, Covington. Holiday show abouta mouse, elfand littlegirlwho won’ttake no forananswer.Tickets start at $23. playmakersinc.com.

Email Victor Andrewsatvandrews@ theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO By EVAN ZIMMERMAN

PROVIDED PHOTOSByKELLyFOUCHI

Victor Andrews

events events events

City sidewalks. Busy sidewalks.

DRESSEDIN HOLIDAY STYLE

ManningFamilyparadereturns to NewOrleans with new floats andChristmas festivity

The holiday seasongetsstarted NewOrleans-style on Saturday when the fourth annualManning Family Children’s Holiday Parade hitsthe streets of the French Quarter and Warehouse District. Theparade presenter,ManningFamily Children’shospital, was formerly known as Children’sHospital.

The Carnival-style procession will include 30 Kern Studios floats, with seasonal themes including atoy factory, achoo-choo train, holiday calliope and Jack Frost. Santa will, of course, bea featured rider.

The Children’sHoliday Parade is the only New Orleans procession that also features large-scale, shaped,helium balloons that drift past along with floats, bands and other elements.

This year,look for afew new balloon designs, including apiggy bank, a pudgy Christmas tree, Santaand Mrs. Claus ornaments and an enhanced Hanukkah ornament.

Also new this year is aCarnival-style marching troupe called “The Heartbeats,” composed of LCMC Healthsystem staff members.

Crowds gathered alongthe route will catch holiday-themed beads, small toys and hand-decoratedornaments created by patients at the ManningFamilyChildren’shospital. Reigning over the pa-

STAFF FILEPHOTOSByDAVID GRUNFELD

The Rolling Elvikrewe,one dressed as the Grinch,ride motorcycles in the2024 Manning Family Children’s Holiday Parade in NewOrleans.

rade will be co-queens 7-year-old Jules and 9-year-old Abigailand king 11-yearold Abron, who are all hospital patients. Unlike Mardi Gras season parades, the Children’sHoliday Parade is sponsored by corporations and other institutions, which advertiseonthe floats and other elements. Expect branded floatsbyChick-fil-A, Tulane University, LCMC Health and others. WDSU television will broadcast parade coverage starting at 10 a.m. with an hourlong telethon benefiting Manning Family Children’s.

The parade rolls at 11 a.m. at the corner of Esplanade Avenue and North PetersStreet, merging onto Decatur Street and past Jackson Square, where it will merge back ontoNorth Peters. It will turn right on Canal Street, Uturn on Burgundy Street and return on Canal, turning right on Tchoupitoulas Street and ending at St.Joseph Street. For information, visit nolaholidayparade.com.

Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@ theadvocate.com.

Doug MacCash

LEFT: Dancers perform. BELOW: Walkers supporting giant balloons manuevertheir waydownthe parade route.

events events events

Krampuscrafts acreepy Christmas

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Prepare to beware. Based on an age-oldAlpine custom, theupcoming Krewe of Krampus parade is meant to remind naughty kids—you knowwho you are—toreturnto the path of righteousness.

The stars of the 100-person foot paradeare pitchfork-wielding, chain-rattling goat men sproutinghorns andantlers fromtheir furry heads.The scary, hairy creaturesare joined by equally creepy, silent ice princesses, an emotionally distantSt. Nick and other chilly characters, some of whomdispense lumps of coal in lieu of stocking stuffers.

In short, the Krampus parade providesanalternative to the warmth of ordinary,sometimes-oppressive seasonal cheer.

The annual event was thebrainchild of Philadelphia transplants Mike and Diana Esordi, who recognizedalack of holiday horror in theiradopted hometown. In 2017, the first Krampusparadestalked the Bywater.In2020 and 2021, thecoronavirus prompted the krewetoproducepopular “stationary parades,” which drew hundreds of drive-thru attendees to the New Orleans RecreationDevelopment Commission headquarters on Franklin Avenue. With

thepassing of the pandemic, thegoat men, ice princesses et al returned to their regular downtown trek. Mike Esordi said Krampus fans can expect the usual “spectacular spookiness” this year,with afew new features, including aguest singing group known as Spiritus Mundi, who will perform“medieval and word music” during theprocession. The parade will also begin and end with caroling, featuring the classic Rogers and Hammerstein song “Edelweiss,” which is meant to “symbolizing resilience, hope and unity.”

This year’sKrampus king is Jonny Liss, coowner of JAMNOLA. Throws will include the krewe’ssignature recycled glass doubloons, as well as other ecologically inclined, handmade baubles.

Despite theKrewe of Krampus’ monstrous reputation, it has pioneered adecidedly humaneparade custom. For the past threeyears, Krampus designated astretch of the parade routeas“AccessibilityRow,” aplace where paradegoers withspecial needs will find accommodations. This year,the zone will include a “Sensory Tent,” aquiet,softly lit space where especially sensitive attendees can find respite.

The otherwise weird and misanthropic parade also helps theU.S. Marine Corps collect Toys for Tots

The Krampus NOLAuf (Krampus in NOLA) parade setsout at 7:30 p.m.Saturday at the corner of Royal and Lesseps streets. The parade followsRoyal upriver,turning right on Independence Street (which is designated Accessibility Row), leftofBurgundy Street andleftagain on Piety Street, ending at the intersection of Royal Street. Forinformation, visit kreweofkrampus.com.

Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate. com.

RIGHT and BELOW: Members of the Krewe of Krampuswalk throughthe streets of the Bywater during the 2019 NOLAuf parade. STAFF FILE PHOTOSByDOUGMacCASH

Black Film Fest NOLA puts focus on stories less told

BY LESLIE CARDÉ Contributing writer

When Black Film Fest NOLA returns on Saturday, expect an eclectic array of entertainment that fits with this year’s theme, “Poetry in Motion” reflecting the way film, music and literature connect different forms of storytelling. In that vein, anticipate everything from films about love triangles and the supernatural to music videos highlighting the city’s musicians, and even a special poetry reading by Tarriona “Tank” Ball, of the award-winning musical group Tank and the Bangas.

The festival’s founder and executive director is Gian Smith, a spoken-word poet and filmmaker. He put the festival together in 2018 so Black filmmakers and those writing about the Black diaspora wouldn’t have to create their projects in isolation, but through a supportive community

“You know, Black film festivals were born out of the lack of representation,” Smith said. “Had we just seen ourselves on screen more in the past, maybe we wouldn’t have felt disenfranchised about it. We wouldn’t, perhaps, have needed to create a space.

“I definitely have had White filmmakers who have had films screen at this festival. In fact, I had a White filmmaker actually win the Best Film award one year. My criteria are, if you are exhibiting Black life and culture in a positive way on screen, with good intent, then as a White filmmaker, you should be rewarded for taking that risk. Ultimately, that’s what we’ve been asking for as a community.”

Opening night at Café Istanbul includes a Smith film, “Seven,” about a love triangle set in the New Orleans arts and culture scene. Writer/director Smith, who once coached athletics at Lusher (now The Willow High School), exhibits some amazing insight into women coming into their own.

“If I had to synopsize this short film, I’d say it’s about a woman realizing her own power in being able to choose what she wants,” Smith said. “Ultimately, she gets to call her own shots.”

Another film on the opening night lineup is Jon Isaac Jackson’s “Black Narratives” featuring Wendell Pierce, a native New Orleanian who’s made a name for himself in film, television and as a Tony winner on the Broadway stage. Jackson’s prior films have been feature documentaries, but this short explores the Black experience between the years 1618 and 2143, and began as his MFA thesis at Vermont College (now part of Cal Arts in California).

“I began the film in 1618, the year before the first Africans touched down in the Americas, and of course 2143 is the distant future,” Jackson said. “It’s about looking at the past, and then looking into the future, where I explore (artificial intelligence). My intention was to make a film that wasn’t traumatizing to Blacks, was accessible to everyone who was interested in engaging with the Black experience, while making it a point to never use trauma as a crutch.”

The film is visually stunning, which is a feather in the cap of Jackson, who

also serves as director of photography In fact, Jackson began his education at Howard University, specifically for its cinematography program, and admires Ernest Roscoe Dickerson, a cinematographer and director who often collaborates with Spike Lee. Not surprisingly, he’s also a fan of Terrence Malick, whose film work often delves into the meaning of life.

Opening night also involves the work of another filmmaker, Wendy Fleetwood, who has two films in this year’s festival. “Creole Recipe” tells the story of one woman’s struggle with her mother’s dementia, and stars legendary singer Sharon Martin. Both mother and daughter are chanteuses, but when mom forgets the words to a song during a recording session, life unravels for both women.

Writer/director Fleetwood sees this short as a family-based pilot which could go on to probe deeper into how dementia and Alzheimer’s take a toll on the family and friends. Fleetwood’s uncle Leo Nocentelli, of The Meters,

makes an appearance in the film as a hot-shot record producer about to sign the daughter to a recording contract. Fleetwood’s second film, “Revival” will really hit home with locals as the cinematography (DP Jose Rivera) captures the essence of New Orleans. The immersive scenes swirl around a classic love story in a historic house that many think is haunted. And, no spoilers here, but you won’t see the twist ending coming, as the puzzle pieces slowly reveal themselves. The cast seems made for their roles in this paranormal narrative short.

“I played with so many different endings to get the tone and the love story just right,” Fleetwood said. “I got very lucky with my casting, as my male lead Brandon Stacy had just come off a JJ Abrams television gig and was available for the shoot. My entire cast melded together in a way you can only hope for as a director.”

There’s so much more to see at this year’s festival, which is free and open to the public. For a complete list of films and events, go to bffno.com.

Email Leslie Cardé at lesliecardejournalist@gmail.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO By GIAN SMITH

Actors Martin ‘BATS’ Bradford and Ten Spencer play a game of cat and mouse in Gian Smith’s short film ‘Seven.’ Smith

Jackson

Fleetwood

music music music

THEBLACK KEYS’‘RECORD HANG’

THURSDAY,SATURN BAR

Guitarist/vocalist Dan Auerbach anddrummer Patrick Carney,ofThe Black Keys, areresponsible for an extensive catalog of recordedmusic, the latest beingthispastsummer’s“No Rain,NoFlowers” album.But they are also huge music fans who seem to enjoy showcasingother musicians’ songs as much as their own. Auerbach’s Easy EyeSound record label has aroster of nearly three dozenartists, many from the rootsier side of themusicspectrum. And in an example of taking themusicdirectly to the people, Auerbach andCarney havefor at least

thepast couple years hosted occasional “Record Hang” shows at clubs in various cities in the United States and abroad. These “hangs” are marathon DJ sets, during which Auerbach and Carney take turns spinning vinyl 45s. The late-night shows are billed as an evening of “dancing, drinks and vinyl.”

On Thursday,Auerbach and Carney host a“Record Hang” at New Orleans’ Saturn Bar,3067 St.Claude Ave. They’ll be joined, as they often are, by DJ El Michels, an alumnus of Sharon Jones &the Dap-Kings who is amember of the Black Keys’ touring band. No advance tickets will be sold. Ticketswill be available on a first-come, first-served basis at $20 apiece. Showtimeis10p.m.

The Black Keys

BRANDY &MONICA

FRIDAY,SMOOTHIE KING CENTER

Back in 1998, themono-named R&Bsingers Brandy and Monica joined forces on thetitle track of Monica’s album “TheBoy Is Mine.”Theirduetbecame one of the few singles in contemporary music history to spend at least 13 consecutive weeks at No.1 on theBillboardHot 100. Since then,Brandy Norwood hascontinued to alternate music andTV/movie roles; her memoir,“Phases,” is setfor release in early 2026. Monica Arnold has also made onscreen appearances, even as herrecorded output has slowed.

More than aquarter-century aftertheir hit duet, Monica and Brandyhaveteamed up as co-headliners of “The BoyIsMine Tour.” The stacked bill alsoincludes Kelly Rowland, whorose to prominence as a member of Destiny’s Child, plus Mya (filling in for an ailing Muni Long) and “American Idol” season 23 winnerJamal Roberts. Thetwo dozen dates of “The Boy Is Mine Tour” includeFriday’sstop at what will be a full Smoothie King Center.At press time, resale tickets started at $180. Ahandful of side-viewtickets priced at $312 apiece were thenext-cheapest tickets available. Showtime is 8p.m.

It’s asolid week forlivemusic in NewOrleans,with twobig showsatthe Smoothie King Center and severalholiday-themedeventsand benefitconcerts.

OTHERNOTEWORTHYSHOWS THURSDAY

Tipitina’shosts “Tunes For Toys,” featuring the Dirty Dozen Brass Band augmented by Troy “Trombone Shorty”Andrews and Widespread Panic keyboardist Jojo Hermann.Studentsfrom the Trombone Shorty Academy will also perform. Admission is free with thedonation of anew toy; go to tipitinas.com to click on an Amazon link to the benefit’s“wish list” of toys. TheTrombone ShortyFoundation and theGia Maione Prima Foundation are theevent’s sponsors.

Famed smoothjazz saxophonist Kirk Whalum does two shows at 7p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at the New Orleans Jazz & Blues Market in Central City. Tickets start at $41 for the early show and $20

forthe late show.

Cuban-born, NewOrleans-based percussionist AlexeyMarti celebrates his birthday by playing twoshows, at 7:30 p.m.and 9:30 p.m., with his band AfroGumbo at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro. Tickets are $30.

Saxophonist Brad Walker’s weekly Thursday residency at Chickie Wah Wahcontinues with special guest Jordan Anderson, of Jand the Causeways. Tickets are $18.

FRIDAY

JohnnySketch &the DirtyNotes hitTipitina’s, with WhisperParty opening. Tickets are $15.

Trumpeter Kevin Louis &the Palm Court Jazz Band play traditional New Orleans jazz at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m.and 9:30 p.m.($35).

Keith Spera

SOUND CHECK

Monica and Brandy

SATURDAY

music music music

The annual “Home for the Holidays” fundraiser, presented by the NOCCA Foundation and the family of Daniel Price, takes over the House of Blues with a roster that includes Irma Thomas — performing only at the event’s patron party — as well as Big Freedia, Kermit Ruffins, the Soul Rebels and New Orleans Center for Creative Arts student River Eckert. General admission tickets start at $55.

The New Breed Brass Band celebrates the release of its “Second Line Sunday” album with a show at Tipitina’s featuring special guests Troy “Trombone Shorty”Andrews, Kermit Ruffins,Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph and Partners-N-Crime Tickets are $22.

Twenty years after hit-making sibling trio the Jonas Brothers broke out of New Jersey with a string of pop-rock hits and Disney Channel appearances — including the Disney movies “Camp Rock” and its sequel — Nick, Joe and Kevin Jonas bring their “JONAS20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour” to the Smoothie King Center on Saturday. Opening acts include Jesse McCartney, Franklin Jonas and Deleasa Tickets start at $115. Showtime is 7:30 p.m.

Trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis anchors a sextet at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($40).

The Western-leaning Desert Nudes are joined by Radiators guitarist and vocalist Dave Malone at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets are $20.

SUNDAY

Tipitina’s presents a double bill of two of New Orleans’ most evocative singer-songwriters, Andrew Duhon and Kristin Diable. Showtim 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25.

Jazz vocalist Jane Monheit stages her “Holiday S at the New Orleans Jazz Blues Market at 7:30 p Tickets start at $31.

Keyboardist Jon Clear continues his “Kitchen Sink Concerts” collaboration with percussionist Pedro Segundo, in which he plays a variety of instruments, at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $35.

TUESDAY

Drummer Gerald T.Watkins Jr. presents “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” playing the soundtrack music of Vince Guaraldi, at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $30.

Hard-rocking Sevendust brings its Southside Double-Wide Tour to the Fillmore for a reserved-seat show; tickets are $62.

Esther Rose and Dean Johnson team up at Chickie Wah Wah. Tickets are $25.

WEDNESDAY

asco & the U.N. hold at Tipitina’s as part the “Growing Pains ur.” Tickets are $25. ombonist Terrance plin leads the Uptown zz Orchestra at Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ($45).

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate. com.

Jane Monheit

Jonas Brothers