The Times-Picayune 12-06-2025

WAVE ROLLS

Tulane claims American Conference title andlikelyspotinCollege Football

Tulane quarterback JakeRetzlaffcelebrates after scoring atouchdown duringthe Green Wave's 34-21 win over North Texas in the American Conference championship game Fridayatyulman Stadium. Tulane's win likely earned the team aspot in the CollegeFootball Playoff.

Moreno seeksinfo on Border Patrol sweeps

Murrill warnschief about lack of supportfromNOPD

BY JOHN SIMERMAN, BEN MYERS and LARA NICHOLSON Staff writers

As New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno calledout Trumpadministrationofficialsover their secrecy surrounding the immigration sweeps that have gripped the region, U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was busy ordering cracklins and smiling forselfies on Friday afternoon inside aKenner convenience store.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, meanwhile, was warning New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick in aletter that an NOPD policy that limits support for immigration agents couldopenher up to a criminal charge.

ä ACLU drops lawsuit over Louisiana’s immigration enforcement interference law. PAGE 6A

Thethird dayof“Operation CatahoulaCrunch,” the latest round of immigration sweeps from President Donald Trump’sadministration after similar campaigns in Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina,brought arise of political tensions amidmore sightings of masked agents but fewofficialdetails on the number of people detained or forwhat. Morenoled thecalls fortransparency,joined

ä See SWEEPS, page 6A

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, criticized adecision Friday byaninfluential advisory panel to stop the three-decade-old practice of recommending allnewborns getthe hepatitis Bvaccine, issuing weaker guidance for some children. Supporters of the hepatitis Bvaccinations —including Cassidy,amedical doctor whohas extensive experiencewith the inoculation —say the practicehas led to anear eliminationofaninfection that untreated mothers pass to their babies and that sometimes leads to fatal liverdisease Panelcalls forend to hepatitis B vaccinefor babies

ä See VACCINE, page 7A

Building will be used by TheHistoricNew OrleansCollection

BY JONAHMEADOWS Staff writer

After more than ayear of con-

struction, The HistoricNew Orleans Collectionhas completed its $6.4 million renovation of theformer K-Paul’sLouisiana Kitchen in the heart of the French Quarter and renamed the buildingfor longtime owner and culinary icon Paul Prudhomme. Located at 416 Chartres St., the

ChefPaulPrudhomme Building, as the three-story structure is now known, will be used by the HNOC for back-of-house functions like constructing and staging exhibits andhousing IT systems. Two dozen staffers recently moved in. Completion of the project is an important milestone forthe HNOC, which hasexpanded its French Quarterfootprint in recent years. The nonprofit now has 14 buildings spread over several blocks in the French Quarter,including afreemuseum, research facility,lecture halls and shops. The Chef Paul Prudhomme

STAFF PHOTO By CHRISGRANGER NewOrleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno, right, talks with U.S. Rep.TroyCarter,D-NewOrleans, in ahallway at City Hall following aFridaynews conference.

PHOTO

ORLEANS COLLECTION

former K-Paul’sLouisiana Kitchen at 416 Chartres St.was purchased by The Historic New Orleans Collection in December 2023.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Education Department

workersordered back

WASHINGTON The Trumpadministration is bringingback dozens of EducationDepartment staffers who were slated to be laid off, saying their help is needed to tackle amounting backlog of discrimination complaints from students and families.

The staffers had beenonadministrative leave while thedepartment faced lawsuitschallenging layoffs in the agency’s Office for Civil Rights, which investigates possible discrimination in thenation’sschools and colleges. But in aFriday letter, department officials ordered the workers back to duty starting Dec. 15 to help clear civil rights cases.

More than 200 workers from the Office for Civil Rights were targeted in mass layoffs atthe department, but the firings have beentiedupinlegal battles since March. An appeals court cleared theway forthe cuts in September,but they’re again on hold because of aseparate lawsuit. In all, the Education Department workforce has shrunk from 4,100 when President Donald Trump took office to roughly half that size now,asthe president vows to wind down the agency

Thedepartment didnot say howmany workers are returning to duty.Some who have been on administrative leave for months have since left.

The backlog has grown to more than 25,000 discrimination cases,APreportinghas shown using department data.

Vanity Fair,Nuzzi split amid RFK Jr.controversy

NEW YORK VanityFair is parting ways with West Coast editor Olivia Nuzzi amid ongoing controversy over her relationship with profile subject Robert F. Kennedy Jr.while she was the Washington correspondent for New York magazine. She had been hired as its West Coast editor in September Nuzzi, 32, had been astar reporter forNew York magazine known for colorfully written political profiles until last fall, whenitwas revealed she had an intense personal relationship with Kennedy,now headofthe Department of Health and Human Services. Nuzzi was fired by New York for not disclosing her relationship.

This fall, she wrote amemoir, “American Canto,” that refersto Kennedyas“The Politician.” It was excerpted in Vanity Fair but simultaneously,Nuzzi’sformer fiancé, journalist Ryan Lizza, wrote aseries of Substackposts withembarrassing revelations.

The case gripped media insiders as Lizza alleged that Nuzzi had an affair with another profile subjectand had given Kennedy politicaladvice,both considered off limits for journalists.

Swallowed pendant recovered in the end

WELLINGTON, New Zealand— New Zealand Police said Friday they haverecovered astolen James Bond-inspired Fabergé pendant after six days of closelywatching theman accused of swallowing the jewelry in an Auckland store. They said the pendant was recoveredThursdaynight after it exited the suspect’sgastrointestinal tract naturally without medical intervention.

The limited-edition,Fabergé egg pendant was inspired by the1983 James Bond film“Octopussy,” in which ajewel-smugglingoperation involvesa fake Fabergé egg.

Aphoto supplied by New Zealand’s police Friday showeda gloved hand holding the recoveredpendant and its long, gold chain with an intact price tag showing the jewelry’s$19,000 value.

The man was arrestedinside Partridge JewelersinAuckland on Nov. 28 shortly after the allegedtheft.

Thestore’s websitesaysthe egg, one of only 50 made, was crafted from gold, painted with green enamel and encrusted with 183 diamonds and two sapphires. The pendant is 3.3 inches tall and is mounted on astand.

“The egg opens to reveal an 18ct yellow gold octopus nestled inside, adorned with white diamond suckers and black diamond eyes,” an item description said.

Epsteintranscripts maybepublic

Judgegives DOJpermissiontorelease proceedingsfromgrand jury

BY MIKE SCHNEIDER and MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press.

ORLANDO,Fla.— Afederal judge on Friday gave theJusticeDepartment permission to release transcripts of agrand jury investigationinto Jeffrey Epstein’sabuse of underage girlsinFlorida —acase that ultimately ended withoutany federalcharges being filed against themillionaire sex offender

U.S. DistrictJudge Rodney Smith said arecently passed federal laworderingthe release of records related to Epstein overrode the usual rules about grand jury secrecy

The law signedinNovember by President Donald Trumpcompels the Justice Department, FBI and federal prosecutors to release later this monththe vast troves of material they have amassed during investigations into Epstein that

dateback at least two decades. Friday’scourt ruling dealt with theearliestknown federal inquiry

In 2005, policeinPalmBeach, Florida, where Epstein had amansion, beganinterviewing teenage girlswho told of beinghiredto give thefinancier sexualized massages. The FBI later joined theinvestigation. Federal prosecutors in Florida preparedanindictment in 2007, but Epstein’slawyers attacked the credibilityofhis accusers publicly while secretly negotiating aplea bargain that would let him avoid serious jail time.

In 2008, Epstein pleaded guiltyto relativelyminor state chargesof soliciting prostitution fromsomeone under age 18. He served most of his 18-month sentence in awork releaseprogramthat let him spend his days in his office.

The U.S. attorney in Miami at the time, AlexAcosta, agreed not

to prosecute Epstein on federal charges —a decision that outraged Epstein’saccusers. After theMiami Herald reexamined the unusualplea bargain in aseries of stories in 2018, public outrage over Epstein’slight sentence led to Acosta’s resignation as Trump’s labor secretary AJustice Department report in 2020 found that Acosta exercised “poor judgment” in handling the investigation, but it also said he did not engage in professional misconduct Adifferent federal prosecutor, in New York, brought asex trafficking indictment against Epstein in 2019, mirroring someofthe same allegations involving underage girls that had been the subject of the aborted investigation. Epstein killed himself while awaitingtrial.His longtime confidant and ex-girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, was then tried on similar

charges, convicted andsentenced in 2022 to 20 years in prison.

Transcripts of the grand jury proceedings from the aborted federal case in Florida could shed morelight on federal prosecutors’ decision not to go forward with it. When the documents will be released is unknown. The JusticeDepartment asked the court to unseal them so they could be released withother records required to be disclosed underthe EpsteinFiles Transparency Act. The Justice Department hasn’tset atimetable forwhenitplans to start releasing information, but the law set a deadline of Dec.19.

Thelaw also allows theJustice Department to withhold files that it says could jeopardize an active federal investigation. Files can also be withheldifthey’re found to be classifiedorifthey pertainto national defense or foreign policy

One of the federal prosecutors on the Florida case did not answer aphone call Friday and the other declined to answer questions.

FIFA givesTrump inauguralpeace prize

BY SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trumpwas awarded the new FIFApeace prize on Friday at the 2026 World Cupdraw —giving thespectacle to set matchups for thequadrennial soccer tournament even more of aTrumpian flair Trump, who had openly campaigned for the Nobel Peace Prize,had been heavily expected to receive the newly created FIFAprize.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino, aclose ally of Trump, hassaid he thought Trump shouldhave won the Nobel for hisefforts to brokera ceasefire in Gaza.

In awarding the prize, Infantino told Trump it was a“beautifulmedal for you that you canwear everywhere you want to go.” Trump promptly placed the medalaround his neck. The certificatethat Infantino handed Trump recognizes the U.S. president for his actionsto“promote peace and unity around the world.”

Infantino also presented Trumpwith agoldtrophy with his name on it that depicts hands holding up the world

PRESS PHOTOByEVANVUCCI

PresidentDonald Trumpispresented withthe inaugural FIFAPeace PrizebyFIFA PresidentGianni Infantino on Fridayduring the 2026 FIFA WorldCup drawatthe KennedyCenter in Washington.

“You definitely deserve thefirstFIFAPeace Prize for your action, for what you have obtained in your way,” saidInfantino,who spoke after avideowas played that showed images of Trump meetingwith world leaders from countrieswhose conflicts he has taken credit for resolving.

Trump thanked his fam-

ily, includinghis wife,first lady MelaniaTrump, and praised the leaders of the othertwo host nations— Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum —inhis briefremarks, saying thecoordination with the countries has been “outstanding.”

“This is truly one of the

U.S.,Ukraine officialssay there’s progress on security framework

BYILLIA NOVIKOV and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine PresidentDonald Trump’s advisers andUkrainian officials said Friday they’ll meet for athirdday of talks after making progress on creating asecurity framework for postwar Ukraine andare urging Russiatocommit to peace.

Theofficials, who met for asecond day in Florida on Friday,issued a joint statement that offered broad brushstrokes about the progress they say that’s been made asTrump pushes Kyiv and Moscow to agree to aU.S.-mediated proposalto end nearly fouryears of war

“Both parties agreed that real progress toward any agreement depends on Russia’sreadiness to show serious commitment to long-term peace, including steps toward de-escalation and cessationofkillings,”the statement said. “Parties also separately reviewed the future prosperity agenda whichaimstosupport Ukraine’spostwar reconstruction,joint U.S.-Ukraine economic initiatives, and long-term recovery projects.”

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoffand Trump’sson-in-law Jared Kushner’s talksinFloridawith Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’slead negotiator,follow discussions between President Vladimir Putin and the U.S. envoysatthe Kremlin on Tuesday

Friday’ssession took place at the Shell Bay ClubinHallandale Beach,Florida, a high-end private golf andlifestyle destination owned by Witkoff’s realestate development company. Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyrZelenskyysaid hiscountry’sdelegation in Florida wanted to hear fromthe U.S.side aboutthe talks at theKremlin Zelenskyy,aswell as European leaders backing him, have repeatedly accused Putin of stalling in peace talks while the

Russian army tries to press forwardwith its invasion. Zelenskyy saidina videoaddress late Thursday thatofficials wanted to know “what other pretexts Putin has come up withtodrag out the war and to pressureUkraine.”

Speaking to Russianjournalist Pavel Zarubin on Friday,Kremlin foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov praised Kushner as potentially playinganimportant role in ending Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Ushakov also took part in Tuesday’stalks at the Kremlin.

Putinhas sought to sow division between Trump and Ukraine and Europe at amoment when Trump’simpatience with the conflict is mounting. Putinsaid his five-hour talks this week with Witkoff and Kushner were“necessary”and “useful,” but some proposals were unacceptable. Ushakov,who accompanied Putinona visit to India on Friday,repeated the Russian president’srecent criticism of Europe’sstance on thepeace talks.Kyiv’s European allies are concerned about possible Russianaggression beyond Ukraine and want aprospective peace deal to include strong security guarantees Kyiv’sallies in Europe are “constantly puttingforward demands that are unacceptable to Moscow,” Ushakov told Russia’sstate-owned ZvezdaTV. “Putting it mildly,the Europeansdon’t help Washington and Moscow reach asettlement on theUkrainian issues.”

Russiandrones struck ahouse in central Ukraine, killinga 12-year-oldboy,officials said, while long-range Ukrainian strikes reportedly targetedaRussian port and an oil refinery

The Russian attack on Thursday night in Ukraine’scentral Dnipropetrovsk regiondestroyed the house where theboy was killedand also two women were injured, according to the head of the regional militaryadministration.

great honors of my life,” Trump said, adding that “most important, Ijust want to thank everybody.The world is asafer place now.”

Infantinohas often spoken about soccer as aunifier forthe world, but the prizeisa departurefrom the federation’straditional focus on sport.

Infantino has been afre-

quentvisitor to theOval Office, including in Novemberwhen theadministration announced newefforts to expedite visa processing forWorldCup visitors. Infantino had aprimeseat at Trump’sJanuary inauguration andFIFAhas established an office at Trump Tower in Manhattan. FIFA has given no details aboutthe processfor choosingawinner.WhenInfantinofirst announced last month that the organization wouldgiveout apeace prize, someofits senior officialswerecaught offguard, learning about it through reports in the media. The FIFApresident was also on hand Thursday at the newly renamed DonaldJ.Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, where Trump andthe leaders of theDemocraticRepublic of Congo andRwanda signed adeal aimed at ending the conflict in eastern Congo. The Nobel for peace was awarded this year to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who said shortly after the prize wasannounced that she was dedicating it in part to Trump for “his decisive support of our cause.”

911 calls from floods were chaotic, desperate

Rushing waters stranded campers in attics and on roofs

BY JIM VERTUNO Associated Press

KERRVILLE, Texas

In an instant, frantic voices overwhelmed the two county emergency dispatchers on duty in the Texas Hill Country as catastrophic flooding inundated cabins and youth camps along the Guadalupe River

A firefighter clinging to a tree who watched his wife be swept away. A family breaking through their roof, hoping for rescue. A woman calling from an all-girls camp, waters swirling around and unsure how to escape.

Their panic-stricken pleas were among more than 400 calls for help across Kerr County last summer when unimaginable floods hit during the overnight hours on the July Fourth holiday, according to recordings of the calls released Friday

“There’s water filling up super fast, we can’t get out of our cabin,” a camp counselor told a dispatcher above the screams of campers in the background. “We can’t get out of our cabin, so how do we get to the boats?”

Amazingly, everyone in the cabin and the rest of campers at Camp La Junta were rescued.

The flooding killed at least 136 people statewide during the holiday weekend including 117 in Kerr County alone. Most were from Texas, but others came from Alabama, California and Florida,

Rain falls as Irene Valdez

along the Guadalupe

according to a list released by county officials.

One woman called for help as the water closed in on her house near Camp Mystic, a century-old summer camp for girls, where 25 campers and two teenage counselors died

“We’re OK, but we live a mile down the road from Camp Mystic and we had two little girls come down the river And we’ve gotten to them, but I’m not sure how many others are out there,” she said in a shaky voice.

A spokesperson for the parents of the children and counselors who died at Camp Mystic declined to comment on the release of the recordings.

People on rooftops and in trees

Many residents in the hard-hit

Texas Hill Country have said they were caught off guard and didn’t receive any warning when the floods overtopped the Guadalupe River Kerr County leaders have faced scrutiny about whether they did enough right away Two officials told Texas legislators this summer that they were asleep during the initial hours of the flooding, and a third was out of town.

Using recordings of first responder communications, weather service warnings, survivor videos and official testimony, The Associated Press assembled a chronology of the chaotic rescue effort The AP was one of the media outlets that filed public information requests for recordings of the 911 calls to be released.

Many people were rescued by boats and emergency vehicles. A

few desperate pleas came from people floating away in RVs. Some survivors were found in trees and on rooftops. But some of the calls released Friday came from people who did not survive, said Kerrville Police Chief Chris McCall, who warned that the audio is unsettling.

“The tree I’m in is starting to lean and it’s going to fall. Is there a helicopter close?” Bradley Perry, a firefighter calmly told a dispatcher, adding that he saw his wife, Tina, and their RV wash away

“I’ve probably got maybe five minutes left,” he said.

Bradley Perry did not survive.

His wife was later found clinging to a tree, still alive.

Moving higher and higher

In another heartbreaking call, a woman staying in a community of riverside cabins told a dispatcher the water was inundating their building

“We are flooding, and we have people in cabins we can’t get to,” she said. “We are flooding almost all the way to the top.”

The caller speaks slowly and deliberately The faint voices of what sounds like children can be heard in the background.

Some people called back multiple times, climbing higher and higher in houses to let rescuers know where they were and that their situations were getting more dire. Families called from second floors, then attics, then roofs sometimes in the course of 30 or 40 minutes, revealing how fast and how high the waters rose.

As daylight began to break, the call volume increased, with peo-

ple reporting survivors in trees or stuck on roofs, or cars floating down the river

Britt Eastland, the co-director of Camp Mystic, asked for search and rescue and the National Guard to be called, saying as many as 40 people there were missing. “We’re out of power We hardly have any cell service,” he said.

The 911 recordings show that relatives and friends outside of the unfolding disaster and those who had made it to safety had called to get help for loved ones trapped in the flooding.

One woman said a friend, an elderly man, was trapped in his home with water up to his head. She had realized his phone cut out as she was trying to relay instructions from a 911 operator

Dispatchers’ advice, comfort

Overwhelmed by the endless calls, dispatchers tried to comfort the panic-stricken callers yet were forced to move on to the next one. They advised many of those who were trapped to get to their rooftops or run to higher ground. In some calls, children could be heard screaming in the background.

“There is water everywhere, we cannot move. We are upstairs in a room and the water is rising,” said a woman who called from Camp Mystic.

The same woman called back later “How do we get to the roof if the water is so high?” she asked. “Can you already send someone here? With the boats?”

She asked the dispatcher when help would arrive.

“I don’t know,” the dispatcher said. “I don’t know.”

BY ERIC TUCKER, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The man accused of planting a pair of pipe bombs outside the headquarters of the Republican and Democratic national parties in Washington on the eve of the U.S. Capitol attack confessed to the act during an hourslong interview with investigators, two people familiar with the matter

told The Associated Press. Brian Cole Jr spoke to law enforcement officers for more than four hours after his arrest, a federal prosecutor, Charles Jones, said Friday during Cole’s initial court appearance. The prosecutor did not elaborate on what Cole said to investigators, but two people familiar with the matter told the AP he confessed to planting the devices on Jan. 5, 2021. Cole also indicated that he be-

lieved conspiracy theories around the 2020 election that President Donald Trump has insisted was stolen and expressed views supportive of Trump, said the people, who were not authorized to discuss by name an ongoing investigation and spoke on condition of anonymity

The details add to a still-emerging portrait of the 30-year-old suspect from Woodbridge, Virginia, and it was not immediately clear

what other information or perspectives he may have shared while cooperating with law enforcement following his arrest on Thursday U.S. Magistrate Moxila Upadhyaya ordered Cole to remain in jail. He did not enter a plea and is due back in court Dec. 15 for a detention hearing.

Nobody was hurt before the bombs were rendered safe, but the FBI has said both devices could have been lethal.

Federal authorities have not publicly disclosed any information about a possible motive or whether there is any connection to the attack on the Capitol the following day by Trump supporters.

An FBI affidavit says investigators identified Cole as a suspect through analysis of credit card charges related to the purchase of pipe bomb components, information from cellphone towers and a license plate reader

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ERIC GAy

visits a makeshift memorial for flood victims

River on July 13 in Kerrville, Texas.

Justices will take up birthright citizenship

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court agreed on Friday to take up the constitutionality of President Donald Trump’sorder onbirthright citizenship declaring that children born to parents who are in the United States illegally or temporarily are notAmerican citizens.

Thejustices will hear Trump’s appeal of alower-court ruling that struck down thecitizenship restrictions. They have not taken effect anywhere in the country

The case will be argued in the spring. Adefinitive ruling is expected by early summer

The birthright citizenship order, which Trump signed Jan. 20,the first day of his second term, is part of his Republican administration’s broadimmigration crackdown Other actions include immigration

enforcementsurges in several cities and the first peacetime invocation of the18th-centuryAlienEnemies Act.

The administration is facing multiple courtchallenges,and the high court has sent mixed signals in emergency orders it has issued.

The justiceseffectively stopped the use of the Alien Enemies Act to rapidly deport alleged Venezuelan gangmembers without court hearings.But theSupreme Court allowed the resumptionofsweeping immigrationstops in theLos Angelesarea afteralower court blocked thepractice of stopping people solely basedontheir race, language, job or location.

Thejusticesalsoare weighing the administration’semergency appeal to beallowedtodeploy National Guard troopsinthe Chicago area forimmigration enforcement actions. Alower court has indefi-

nitely prevented the deployment Birthright citizenship is thefirst Trumpimmigration-related policy to reach the court forafinalruling. Hisorder would upend more than 125 years of understanding that the Constitution’s14thAmendment confers citizenship on everyone born on American soil,with narrowexceptionsfor thechildren of foreign diplomats and those born to aforeign occupying force.

In aseries of decisions, lower courts have struck down theexecutive order as unconstitutional, or likely so, even after aSupreme Court ruling in lateJune thatlimited judges’use of nationwide injunctions.

TheSupreme Court, however, did not rule out other court orders that couldhavenationwide effects, including in class-actionlawsuits and those brought by states. The justices did not decide at that time

whetherthe underlyingcitizenship order was constitutional.

Every lower court that has looked at the issue has concluded thatTrump’sorder violates or likely violates the 14th Amendment, which was intended to ensure that Black people, includingformer slaves, hadcitizenship. Birthright citizenship automatically makes anyone born in the UnitedStates an American citizen, including children born to mothers who are in the country illegally,underlongstanding rules.

The case under review comes from New Hampshire. Afederal judge in July blocked the citizenship order in aclass-action lawsuit including allchildren who would be affected. TheAmerican Civil LibertiesUnion is leading the legalteam representing thechildren andtheir parentswho challenged Trump’sorder

Social Security Administration planstocut

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Social Security Administration is hoping to cut visitsto its field officesinhalf next year,amove that advocates for the agencyfearsignals more closures are coming. Field offices have long been community-based branches that serve as the public face of the SSA, which provide in-person help for people applying for retirement and disability benefits, getting SocialSecurity cards and other important services.

ANovemberinternal field office operating plan shared with The AssociatedPress outlines aproposed target of 50% fewer field office visitors in fiscalyear 2026 compared to fiscal year 2025, or no more than 15 millionfield officevisitsbymembersof thepublic. Agency fieldoffices sawmore than 31.6million field office visits from SSA recipientsfrom Oct. 1, 2024, to Sept.30, 2025, accordingtothe agency document Barton Mackey,aSocial Security spokesperson, said “field offices are, andwill alwaysremain,our front-line, providing in-person servicestothe approximately 75 million Americans who receive monthly payments

and more than330 million Americans withSocial Security numbers, whichthe Commissioner hasreiterated countlesstimessince his confirmation.”

“The Social Security Administration underPresident Trump’sleadership is servingmoreAmericans thanever before at quicker speeds, andmeeting customers where theywant to be served,” Mackey said. Nextgov/FCW first reported on theagency’splantoreduce field office foot traffic.

At least 7,000 SSA workers have been laid off from the agency this year as the Trump administration has proposed anumber of plans

to streamline services at the SSA

In March, after outcry from lawmakersand the public,SSA leadershippartially backtracked on aplan that would require all new andexistingbeneficiaries who are unable to use the agency’sonlineportal to travel to aSocial Security field office to verify their identity

“No president can change the 14th Amendment’sfundamental promiseofcitizenship,”Cecillia Wang, the ACLU’snationallegal director,said in astatement, adding, “Welook forward to putting this issue to rest once and for all in the SupremeCourt this term.”

The administration has asserted that children of noncitizensare not “subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States and therefore not entitled to citizenship.

“The Fourteenth Amendment’s Citizenship Clause was adopted to grantcitizenshiptonewly freed slavesand their children —not to the children of aliens illegally or temporarily in the UnitedStates,” top administration top Supreme Court lawyer,D.JohnSauer,wrote in urging the high court’sreview Twenty-four Republican-led states and 27 Republican lawmakers are backing the administration.

Severalfieldofficesinruralareas of theU.S.have already closed this year because of alack of staffing.

The Social Security website lists severaloffice closuresaswellasoffices that areonly able to assist by phone until further notice.

The agency says the closures are not permanent, rather, the offices are closed due to maintenance or facilities issues that the agency is working to resolve, the agency says. The 2026 operating plan also calls for all requested appointments to be scheduled within 30 days, instead of the current rate of 78.3% of allappointments

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

NEW YORK ANew York City high school

senior wasjailed Friday on afederalarson charge after authorities say he set afire that severely burned asleepingsubway passenger. Hiram Carrero, 18, was not required to enter aplea during his arraignmentinManhattan federal court.

U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni ordered Carrero detained, citing the“heinousness of the crime,” after prosecutors appealed Magistrate Judge Robert W. Lehrburger’sdecisiontoreleasehim to home confinement under his mother’ssupervision. “It’shard for me to understand whyan 18-year-oldyoung man who’sinhighschool is out at 3o’clock in themorning setting people on fire,” Caproni said.

Carreroisaccused in acriminal complaint of igniting apiece of paper and dropping it nearthe 56-year-old passengeraround 3a.m.Monday in midtown Manhattan.

Thepassenger stumbled to theplatform at the next station with his legs andtorso on fire, according to surveillance images includedinCarrero’scriminal complaint.Police officers quickly extinguishedthe flames and the passenger was taken to ahospital, where hewas listed in critical condition.

“The victim very well could have died in this case,” prosecutor Cameron Molis said.

Carrero was arrested Thursday in Harlem, where his lawyer said he lives with his disabled mother and acts as her primary caregiver,bringing her to medical appointments. She declined to speak toreporters.

According to the complaint, Carrero stepped onto the train, lit the fire and then fled the station while the passenger lay burning.

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IcametoLeBlancSpine Center with pain in my left arm, shoulder,and neck,and Ihad two fingersonmylefthandthatwerenumb. Ihad been dealingwiththisfor over 8monthsand hadtried shots, therapy, MRIs andX-raysbefore, butnothingwas really helping. Sincecominghere, I’ve improved about90%.The staff is amazing-alwaysknowledgeable, friendly,and helpful, andthe servicefromthe doctorsand team hasbeen great.WhatIlovemostisthe pain reduction, becauseit’sallowed me to take better care of my dadand grandkids, cutthe grass, do housework andeven fish again.IfeellikeIhavemoremobilityand I’mmorerelaxed nowthatIcan do moreactivities. Honestly,the only thingIdon’t love is thedrive-weneed an office in Gonzales!Theyare amazing, though. Please give them atry before anysurgeries.

KimLandry (Photographer) Hometown -St. Amant, LA

BeforecomingtoLeBlancSpine Center,Iwas dealingwithlow back pain andanSIjoint problem, andI hadnogel betweenmylower joints.Ihad been strugglingwiththisfor aboutayearand hadtried exercisesand wearingbelts just to getby. Sincestartingcarehere, I’dsay I’ve improved about80%.The pain relief hasmadearealdifference, andI’vealso noticedimprovedposture. Thestaff here is agreat grouptoworkwiththey really care andtreat youwell. Ican’t saythere’s anythingIdisliked aboutmycare, becauseeverythinghas been positive.I maynot be doing anythingbrand new, butI’m doingitwithlesspainthan before,and that hasmadelifebetter. Iwould definitely recommendLeBlancSpine Center to others becausethey’re agreat grouptoworkwith, they help improve posture, andmostimportantly,theyhelpreducepain.

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Schedule your FREE 17-point “Smashed Disc”Assessment at ourBaton RougeorKenneroffice -it’scompletely free forthe next 7daystoanyonethatissufferinginour communityand wantsanswers to what is causingtheir pain AT LEBLANCSPINE CENTER, we arehonestwithour patients andour consistent success rate stemsfromour commitment to only taking on patients whom we confidently believewecan help.It’simportant to notethatnot everyone is acandidate forSpinalDecompression, which is whyweprioritizea thorough individual assessment for each patient. We take specialized spinal x-rays to identify theexact source of pain andprovide atargetedtreatment plan

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View of LowerSpine

ACLU dropssuitoverenforcement interference law

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

As immigration sweeps continue in New Orleans, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana has dropped alawsuit challenging astate law that makesita crime to interfere with immigration enforcement office after theAttorney General’sOffice said speech wouldn’tbetargeted in mostcases

“The ACLU voluntarily dismissed its suit after it became

clear in acourt hearing yesterday that the suit was utterly frivolous,”

Attorney General LizMurrill said in astatement.

But the ACLU alsopainted the development asa victory because of alegal filing from Murrill’sofficethat saidthe law was directed toward conduct, notspeech.

“Withthe AG’s concessioninhand, we’ve secured assurance that Act 399 will not target speech or protected First Amendment actions,” the organization said in astatement.

“For that reason, we’re happy to announce that we aredismissing our lawsuit without prejudice.”

The full scopeofthe law remains unclear. Murrill’s office hasdeclined to take astance on whether the law would make it illegal to share information about thelocationofImmigration andCustoms Enforcement and BorderPatrol agents,orwhether it would be a crime to warn someone not to go to acertain locationbecauseofa possible immigration arrest

Passed this year,Act 399 expands thedefinition of obstruction of justice to include anyact “intended to hinder, delay, prevent, or otherwise interfere with or thwart federal immigration enforcement efforts.”

It drew attention after theU.S. BorderPatrollaunchedoperation “Catahoula Crunch” in the NewOrleansarea, part of President Donald Trump’scampaign to detain and deport immigrants in massive numbers.

Ahead of the operation, the ACLU said, Immigration Services and LegalAdvocacy, the main plaintiff in the lawsuit, stopped offering workshops advising immigrants of their legalrights for fear they would violate Act 399. Lawyers argued the lawviolated theFirst Amendment right to free speech. In acourt filing, Murrill’soffice said the law did not prohibit such activity and was geared toward “conduct, especially violent conduct.”

Friday by U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, and former Mayor Marc Morial, among others. Moreno said at anews conference that she’d sent aletter to Bovino demanding basic information about the stops and arrests his agents are making, their legal bases, any criminal charges and warrants.

Shealsodemanded that agents remove masks and show clear identification,and probable cause for arrests.

“Our points are just very simple,” she said. “I don’tbelievethat we’reasking for too much here.” Bovino demurred, however,as he strode armed down Martinique Avenue in Kenner with masked agents, in search of asuspect.

“I think this is about as transparent as it gets right here,” hesaid

Department of Homeland Security officialshave repeatedly declined to share specifics on people detained in their immigration sweeps,though they’ve said dozens have been arrested in the New Orleans area so far

Asked if the goal remained 5,000 arrests from the operation, as previously stated, Bovino responded: “The goal is as many as we possibly can. It could be 100,000, you never know.”

He said they were in the area targeting someone with “a significant immigration history” but declined details.

“You know what? Nothingtofear if you’reanAmerican citizen,” Bovino told areporter.“If you’re not an American citizen, thenlook out. Legal residents tend to knowthat we’re friends. We’re friendswith all legal residents.”

While DHS has not provided a full list of those who they’ve detained, they have toutedsome of the arrests. On social media Friday,for example, DHS posted a photo of aman in avehicle.

“Another sicko off thestreets of New Orleans, Louisiana,” the department’saccount posted on the social media website X, without naming him. “This criminal

illegalalien from Honduras has arap sheet that includes charges forstrangulation, simple battery domestic abuse, child endangerment, andsimple battery. He will be REMOVED from our country!”

In recent Border Patrol sweeps in Chicagoand North Carolina, a vast majority of detainees had no criminalbackgrounds.Since the operation launched Wednesdayin Louisiana, allegations have mounted of agents detaining people with work permitsand American citizenship

Immigration Services and Legal Advocacy,which provides free legalassistance,has been contacted by loved ones of 15 detainees, said Homero Lopez, thegroup’sdirector.Hesaid amajority of those clients either havelegal status or are in the process of obtaining it.

“What we are hearing from our clientsisexactly what we have

seen happen in other cities.Folks are being arrested indiscriminately,targetedfor the color of their skin,the language they speak, the location where they are working,” Lopez said.

One videothat spread nationwide showed a23-year-old mother fleeing to her West Bank home as agents chased her.The woman told The Times-Picayune that an agent asked her to cometoward him as morebegan to approach. She said she twice told them shewas acitizen before running to her Marrero home.

In astatement Friday,the Department of Homeland Security called its pursuit of the woman part of atargeted operation against “a criminal illegal alien previously charged withfelony theftand convicted of illegalpossession of stolen property.”She’d matched the description of the wanted subject, andthe agents

identified themselves, DHSsaid.

“Agents immediately stopped upon reaching the property,determined the individual in question wasnot thetarget, andall agents departed the area,” the agency said. “No arrests weremade.”

But the mother of the Marrero woman rejected theagency’s explanation

“We’veseen this, andthey’re just trying to cover theira**** because they didnot identifythemselves or ask her,” said Ramona Anglin.

Morial, who headsthe National Urban League, said the tactics of the masked federal agents remindedhim of those of theKu Klux Klan.

“I do not suggest that ICE are theKuKlux Klan, but in this country,there are zero precedents for sworn law enforcement officers to mask themselves,” he said. “If they’reinsisting on wearing a

mask, they can ride in Rex, Zulu or Endymion.”

Bovino’s agents appeared to focustheir attention Friday outside of NewOrleans.

In Kenner, some locals blew whistles, recorded theagentsand yelledfor people to stay inside theirhomes.A trailofcarsfollowed Border Patrol agents. Some formed ablockade on Friday Bovino said roughly 30 carsin all“wereharassing Border Patrol andcausing severe traffic problems.”But Kenner police soon intervened, halting traffic on West Esplanade Avenue to help he and his agents clear out.

Bovino was soon praising Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley on social media, calling themove“the first that haseverhappenedbya state or local (agency).” Staff writer James Finn contributed to this report.

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Customs andBorder Patrol Commander GregoryBovino, left, greets asupporter at agas station in Kenner on Friday.

Building will enable the organization to separate its support operations from its public-facing museums and research spaces,where it planstofocusongrowing and attracting new visitors.

“What we now have is acomplicated campus of buildings throughout three blocks in the French Quarter,” said HNOC President and CEO Daniel Hammer.“We’ve been moving different functions of our operations around it over the years in order to find space for things as we’ve grown.”

The renovated restaurant,he said, represents the “last pieceof the puzzle.”

While the buildingwill notbe open to the public, some remnants of the culinary landmarkthat helped bring Louisiana cooking to aglobal audiencehave been preserved.

One of the few remaining original pepper-shaped handles from the restaurant was used to create amold, allowing for replicas to be placed on all the doors in the building. And aversion of the box that used to display K-Paul’sdaily menu on the front of the building

VACCINE

Continued from page1A

later in life. Since 1991,physicians have given infants their first hepatitis Bshot within 24 hours of birth. The babies then receive two more doses that are sometimesadministered with other vaccinations to children.

Amajority of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, whose memberswerehand-picked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., found that “vaccine safety risks are not well understood and were never assessed appropriately.”

ACIP voted on the proposals, which were rewritten several times, during the second dayof their meeting in Atlanta

The panel of physicians and scientists recommended that the Centers for Disease Control andPrevention keep vaccinating

nowfeatures ashort history of the site.

K-Paul’sdiningroom on the ground floor hasbeenreconfigured intolarge roomsfor assembling museum exhibits.Italsoincludes space forthe facilities staff that maintains the nonprofit’sportfolio of historicreal estate, which includessome of the city’soldest buildings.

On thesecond floor, the restaurant’s former bakery nowhouses HNOC’s networkinfrastructure, digital content production and fundraisingstaff.

Thethird floor,whereK-Paul’s hadaliquor closet,now features a studio space for creating multimediacontent.

The Chef Paul &LoriPrudhomme Foundation andMagic SeasoningBlends, theElmwood-based spice company that Prudhomme founded, made ajoint contribution toward themuseumtoensure the name of thefamed chefwould remain on the 175-year-old building.

“Weare gratefultosee his name and story honored in such ameaningful wayand we applaudthe Historic New Orleans Collection for preservingthe place where so much of his creativity came to life,” Magic Seasoning Blends President MartyCosgrove said in astatementfollowing adedication

newborns ofmothers who test positive forhepatitis B. Motherswho don’ttest positive should consult their physician to decide if and when the vaccinations are scheduled Thepanel recommended a“dose is administered no earlierthan 2 months ofage.”

The panel’sfindingsdon’tcarry the force of law but arerecommendations that the CDC leadership can adopt. Private insurance, Medicaid andchildhealthprogramsrelyonthe CDCrulings to decide which vaccinations will be covered.

“Thelanguagewill have no impact on availability of covered vaccines,”saidDr. Robert W. Malone, ACIP deputy chair and an adjunct professor at theLSU Pennington Biomedical Research Center Malone said he was concerned that children receive so manyvaccinationsthat thecommon components in vaccines could prove riskywhen all are added together during ashort time. That situation

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ceremony on Wednesday

Theundiscloseddonation will contribute to theHNOC’songoing $33.5 millionrenovation of its original location, the37,000-squarefoot complexofseven historic buildings andfive courtyardsat 533Royal St., Hammer said.

Scheduledfor completion in 2029, the project will replace outdated mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, addressflooding in courtyards and allow for the entire space to be opened to the public.

“This is really the ultimate culmination, if you will, of making these RoyalStreet buildings, which are our most historic buildings, fully capable of engaging the public,”Hammer said.

Theformer restaurant was originally part of aseries of four-story brick buildings built in 1834. Early tenants included aprinting company,woodworkers,tire dealers, storagespace anda chewing gum factory

The buildings suffered heavy damage from the 1915 hurricane, withone later used as aprinting shop andparking garage andthe other turned into the Austin Inn restaurant Prudhomme and his wife,Kay Hinrichs, opened K-Paul’sLouisiana Kitchen in 1979. It soon

has not been researched well.

“This topic has merit,” he said.

The decision enraged manyin themedical community, includingCassidy,who chairs the Senate HealthEducation Labor andPensions Committee. Cassidy recommended that the CDC not accept the new recommendations but instead retain thecurrent approach.

“Asaliver doctor who has treated patientswithhepatitis Bfor decades,this change to the vaccine schedule is amistake,” Cassidy wroteonX.“The hepatitis B vaccine is safeand effective. The birth dose is arecommendation, NOT amandate.”

Cassidy continued: “Before the birth dose was recommended, 20,000 newborns ayear wereinfected with hepatitisB.Now,it’s fewer than20. Ending the recommendation fornewborns makes it morelikely the number of cases will begin to increaseagain. This makes America sicker.”

SomeACIP membersexpressed doubts aboutthe majority’sdeci-

Many Americans arefortunate to have dental coverage fortheir entire working life, through employer-providedbenefits. Whenthose benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can comeasashock,leading people to put off or even go without care. Simply put —without dental insurance, there may be an importantgap in your healthcare coverage

When you’re comparingplans.

 Look forcoverage that

pay formajor services.Some plans may limit thenumber of procedures —orpay forpreventive care only.

 Look forcoveragewith no deductibles.Someplans may require youtopay hundreds out of pocket before benefitsare paid.

 Shop forcoverage with noannual maximum on cash benefits. Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1 That’s right. As good as Medicareis, it was never meanttocover everything.That means if you wantprotection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best way to preventlarge dental bills is preventive care. The American Dental

gainednational attentionfor spotlighting bold Cajun flavors amid anew wave of American cooking thatspotlightedregionalflavors. Prudhomme became acelebrity ambassador forLouisiana cooking, opening aseasoning company and anew locationinNew York, authoring abest-selling cookbook and hosting shows on public television.

In the early 1990s, an extensive renovation of K-Paul’scombined the two buildings —416-18 Chartresand 420 Chartres —into the 12,000-square-foot structure now dubbed the Chef Paul Prudhomme Building. After Prudhomme died in 2015, hisniece, BrendaPrudhomme,and herhusband,executive chef Paul Miller,took over the restaurant. It closed permanently during the pandemic.

The HNOC purchased the property for $5 million in December 2023, afteraColorado developer’s plans to turn it into an all-day breakfastspotfellthrough. Its location, adjacent to the HNOC’s Williams Research Center and annex, madeittoo good to pass up.

“It’s not every day that the building rightnextdoor to youisput up forsale,”Hammer said. “So certainly there wasanelement of opportunity there that we couldn’t

sion.

“Weare doing harm by changing this wording,”said Dr.H.Cody Meissner,ofTufts Medical Center anda panelist who voted no. “We will see hepatitis Bcome back.”

“I simply hope that the committeewillacceptits responsibility when this harm is caused,” said Dr Joseph R. Hibbeln, an ACIP member from the National Institutes of Healthand another no vote.

Adults often are infected with hepatitis Bfrom sharing needles or having sex. Moreoften thannot, adults survive the liver infection. Infants are often infected by their untreated mothers. Infected babies have a90% chance that more serious problems will develop later in life, such as cancer or cirrhosis.

One in 4people who die of liver diseasewereinfectedasnewborns.

ACIP members pointed to what they called uncertainty about true rates of incidence and transmission from mothertochild. Oth-

have planned for.”

The renovationofthe K-Paul building took about 18 months and was not without its complications, Hammer said.

Crewshad to reconcile asignificant difference in elevation between the front and rear of the building, install acousticisolation abovea ground-floor woodshop and address moisture intrusion in its brick masonry

“The existing structuralcomponents of two different building frametypes literally meeting in the middle of the building was the most challenging aspect of this project,” Katie Boyer,director of operational excellence forRyan Gootee General Contractors, said in astatement.

Now that building is complete, Hammer does notforesee acquiring anyadditionalbuildings any timesoon. Theorganization’sfocus now is on completing the renovation of its flagship complex on Royal Street.

“We’re really looking forward to the500 block of Royal Street being the center of museum activity in the FrenchQuarter,focused on the history and culture of NewOrleans,” he said. Email JonahMeadowsatjonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.

ers saidthe impact of thevaccine hasn’tbeen thoroughly researched.

Vicky Pebsworth, an ACIP member and PacificRegion director forthe National Association of Catholic Nurses, notedthatmany parents had expressed dissatisfactionwith theirbabiesgetting vaccinated.

Some committeemembers questioned vaccinating all newborns whendrugusers andthe sexually promiscuous are responsible for the spread of hepatitis Band don’t get tested or inoculated. Partofthe dramatic increase in cases was also linkedtoimmigrants moving to the country from countrieswitha highincidence of the infection.

Dr.Evelyn Griffin, amember of ACIP and an obstetrician in Baton Rouge who immigrated from Poland as achild, said moreneeds to be done to screen people moving into the country andmothers who don’tget tested forhepatitisB infections.

Life expectancy in La.improves

COVIDrecoveryboostsrates,according to federaldata

BY EMILYWOODRUFF Staff writer

Life expectancyinLouisiana is rising, rebounding from the deadliest early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to new federal data that shows the state still has far to go in catching up to theaverage life span for the rest of the U.S. Achild born in Louisiana is expected to live 73.8 years,accord-

Massey found guilty of rape, other charges

BY BOBWARREN Staff writer

Ajury in St. Tammany Parish has convicted Antoine Masseyof multiple charges, including rape and kidnapping, authorities said Massey,33, was oneof10prisonerswho escaped from theNew Orleans jail in May and remained on the run until June, when he was captured in arental home in Hollygrove. Massey was considered aringleaderin the escape, which shocked the region. Thecharges he faced in St. Tammany were separate from charges he now faces stemming from the jail escape.

In anewsrelease Thursday,the northshore District Attorney’s Office said evidence in Massey’strial in Covington showed that Massey beat, strangled and threatened to kill awoman in the early morning hours of Nov.10, 2024. The District Attorney’sOffice said that happened after Massey had gone throughthe woman’spurse and discovered adomestic violence report she had made to the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office.

Massey was accused of taking thevictim’skeys and phone, forcingher into hercar anddriving her to New Orleans, where theDistrict Attorney’sOffice said abuse continued.

Massey was accused of later raping the woman, the District Attorney’sOffice said in the news release. The victim provided statements to New Orleans police as well as St. Tammany sheriff’s deputies, describingthe attack and kidnapping, accordingtothe District Attorney’sOffice.

At one point, the victimtoldSt. Tammany deputies she wantedto drop the kidnapping charge, accordingtothe District Attorney’s Office.

The District Attorney’sOffice said that during her testimony,the victim “made clear that shedid not wish to be present.” The court also confiscated the phones of the victim and awoman in the courtroom after the victimwas observed using her phone to communicate with the woman while the victim testified, according to the District Attorney’sOffice. The District Attorney’sOffice said the woman had advocated for Masseyinearlier court filings.

The jury also heard jail recordings in which Massey coached the victim on how to testify and fabricateanexcuse for her injuries, accordingtothe District Attorney’s Office.

The jury late Wednesday found Massey guilty of second-degree rape, second-degree kidnapping, domestic abuse of adating partnerand second-offenseviolation

ingtoareport releasedFriday from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that used data from 2022. That figure is up 1.6 years from theprevious year’s report, outpacing the national averageincrease of 1.1 years.

Despite the gain, Louisiana still ranks 48th among the 50 states and theDistrict of Columbia. Only Kentucky, Mississippi and West Virginia reported lower life expec-

tancy,according to state life tables released by the National Center for Health Statistics on Thursday

The U.S.average is 77.5, andstates such as Hawaii, Massachusetts and New Jersey are around 80 years.

Thomas LaVeist, dean of theTulane SchoolofPublicHealth,said the improvement is good news, even if it may be due to starting at such alow point.

“The states thathave hadthe big-

gest improvementare thestates in thesoutheast, which are the states thathave the worst health profile in the nation,” LaVeist said. The gains reflect adecline in COVID-19 deathsalong with fewer drug overdose deaths, said report authors.Louisiana, as one of the stateswith higher COVID deaths andsoaring overdose deaths,had much lost ground to makeupfor Still, thegainsdid not erase

long-standing health disadvantages. Louisiana’slife expectancy remains nearly four years lower than the U.S. average and more than six years behind states with the longest lifespans.

Men in Louisiana continue to fare worse than women when it comes to life span. In 2022, Louisiana men had alifeexpectancy of 70.6 years, ranking second to last nationally Womenhad an average life

Wishing forsnow

Move to remove boardmembers fails

BYWILLIE SWETT Staff writer

St.Tammany Parish’smosquito control agency has come under firefromsome electedofficials in recent weeks, but thethree remaining members of the fivepersonboard that oversees the agency survived an attempt by some St. Tammany Parish Councilmembers to removethemon Thursday night. Council members Kathy Seiden andArthur Laughlin had authored aresolution that would have emptied the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District’s board of allofits members. Two other membersofthe board, Terri Lewis Stevens andJake Groby, hadresigned in recent months.

Seiden said the mosquito district’s recent lawsuit against the ParishCouncil stemming from the parish’sfinancial review of the district was awaste of taxpayer money.“Everyone here should be appalled that that money is being used the way it’s being used,” shesaid Thursday. “Theyvotedtosue us over nothing,” Laughlin added in an interview Friday The district’s board set aside $250,000 in the spring to payfor

avariety of professional services, including legalfees, MosquitoAbatement Director Kevin Caillouet said Friday.Hesaid as of Friday, the agency hadpaid $15,658in2025 to BradleyMurchison, thelaw firmrepresenting thedistrict in thelawsuit. In front of alarge crowd of mosquito district supporterson Thursday,Seiden and Laughlin moved to postpone the vote on the resolutiontoremove board members Vicki Traina-Dorge, Kathryn Townsend andGlen Boyer.

Butafterabout 20 people spoke againstpostponement, the councilvoted 9-5 against postponing. The council then votedunanimously to removethe itemfrom theagenda The debate over the proposal to remove theboard members came soon after the St. Tammany Government Efficiency CommitteeinNovember recommended sweeping changestothe mosquito district, including greater council oversight and the addition of “business experts” to the board. While the council appoints

members to the board,the board hascontroloverthe district’s budget. Those recommendations were in largepartbased on areviewof the district’sfinances thatnorthshore District AttorneyCollin Sims helpedconduct. Sims’ report found the district’sapproximately $9 million budget was larger than any other mosquito district in the state. The report probed the district’s recent investment in a$4 million helicopter and anew $8 millionbuilding with alab,drawing acomparison to contracting out helicopter service andusing LSU’s lab. The report questioned the amount of money the district spends on salaries and benefits and offered suggestions it said could savecosts. Caillouet hasdisputedmanyof the report’s findings and argues the district’sinvestments in the helicopter and lab areinline with best practices. He said St.Tammany’ssize, in terms of population and geographic area, poses unique mosquito-fighting challenges. The district filed alawsuit againstthe ParishCouncil over the review,asking ajudge to stop the investigation. With theincreased scrutiny of themosquitodistrict’sfinances, attention fromthe council turned to theMosquitoAbatement Board.The council appoints four

STAFF FILE PHOTOByWILLIE SWETT

Asupporter of the St.Tammany Parish Mosquito Abatement District holdsa sign at aParish Council meetinginNovember

Massey

STAFFPHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Andonthe 20thday before Christmas, asoftrain falls across the city of NewOrleans as astatue of Santa Claus looksupto thesky on St.Charles Avenue.

Mike Ginart, former St. Bernard council member, dies

Lawyer was also well-known civic activist

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

Mike Ginart, a lawyer whose civic work in St Bernard Parish helped him win a seat on the Parish Council as the parish was in the midst of the massive cleanup after Hurricane Katrina, died Nov 26 after an illness. He was 64. Ginart, a former St. Bernard Parish schoolteacher who studied law at night at Loyola University in New Orleans, was a longtime recreational league sports coach, an avid Saints fan and religiously attended the first Friday of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival each year, his family said.

Ginart had been self-employed as a lawyer since 1989 and was a founding partner of the Tonry & Ginart law firm, which in later years evolved into Ginart & Associates Trial Attorneys He was a past president of the St. Bernard Parish Bar Assoc iation, and in 2021, was nominated by Gov John Bel Edwards to chair the Louisiana State Public Defender Board. In 2007, Ginart rose to the top of a six-candidate field to win a Meraux-based seat on the St. Bernard Parish Council, which at the time was mired in the grueling task of rebuilding the parish following near wall-towall flooding after Katrina in 2005 Ginart served one

term on the council.

Though he left the council, his community work continued. Ginart was a founding board member of the Chalmette High School Alumni Association, and he was deeply involved in the St. Bernard Parish IrishItalian and Canary Island parade, for which he was king in 2010. Ginart was also king of the Knights of Nemesis in 2019.

In a news release last month announcing the selection of Ginart as the St. Bernard Business & Professional Women’s Club’s “Man of the Year,” St. Bernard Parish schools Superintendent Doris Voitier said he was one of her favorite students.

“Mike is a genuine good guy,” Voitier wrote. “He does so many things behind the scenes and never wants credit.”

Barry Lemoine, who be-

gan teaching in St. Bernard schools after Ginart left the system, said that although Ginart became a successful attorney, he never forgot his teaching roots.

Lemoine said Ginart funded “Terrific Teachers” several years ago to honor outstanding teachers by sending them and a guest to dinner

“He was always such a gentleman Always such a good human being,” Lemoine said.

Lemoine, himself a former “Man of the Year,” said he always asks himself: “How did I get in before Mike Ginart??!!”

Ginart, who was born in New Orleans, graduated from Chalmette High School and earned an athletic and academic scholarship to Northwestern State University, where he played football.

Survivors include his wife, Alice Johnson Ginart; his children, John Claude Ginart and Jayne Cecelia Ginart; his sisters, Debbie Ginart Mormino and Julie Ginart; his stepfather, Joseph Tanet; and Jacqueline Johnson Caminita, whom he cared for as guardian.

A funeral Mass will be said Saturday at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, 2621 Colonial Drive, Violet. Visitation will be Saturday at the church from 9 a.m. until Mass. Burial will be in St. Bernard Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Covenant House of New Orleans or the Ginart Family Scholarship, which will be given to a Chalmette High School student. Scholarship donations can be made to the St. Bernard Foundation, P.O. Box 212, Arabi, LA 70032.

Baton Rouge Zoo lawsuit dismissed by judge

Family sues after exotic bird nearly bit off child’s finger

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

When an exotic pigeon nearly bit off a toddler’s finger in an aviary at the Baton Rouge Zoo in 2022, BREC had no way of knowing the bird was dangerous, because it had never exhibited signs of aggression before, a judge determined on Thursday Baton Rouge District Judge Will Jorden listened to arguments from the parks system as well as rebuttals from a plaintiff attorney representing the toddler’s family At the end of the hearing inside the 19th Judicial District Courthouse, Jorden sided with BREC and dismissed the family’s lawsuit “I think it was close. But close is not the absolute answer It has to be on point,” Jordan said in granting BREC’s summary judgment motion.

State law says a plaintiff must show that an animal owner had knowledge of a previous attack by the animal in order to hold the owner liable for any subsequent attacks. It is a legal principle colloquially known as the “first bite rule.”

That bite occurred Jan. 26, 2022, when a Victoria crowned pigeon attacked a 2-year-old girl in an enclosed bird sanctuary open to the public. Jessi and Urian “Ryan” Clements filed suit against BREC in January 2023 on behalf of their daughter

The parents sued for damages and thousands of dollars in medical expenses, alleging that gross negligence by zoo officials at the wildlife park led to the unprovoked attack. According to the court records, a family nanny took the Clements’ daughter and two sons to the zoo for a “fun” outing. As the group was walking through the zoo’s Asian Aviary a medium-sized bird ran up to the toddler and, unprovoked, bit the middle finger on her left hand.

Family members who wit-

nessed the attack described the pigeon as a bluish-gray bird about the size of a large Shih Tzu dog — with red eyes and a sharp beak

They said it began squawking and making territorial noises, then fanned its wings out before it went into “attack mode” and charged toward the toddler, according to court records.

The bite wound was down to the tendon past the first knuckle on the child’s finger Her older siblings had to wrestle her hand from the bird’s grip, and relatives rushed the girl to the Lane Regional Medical Center emergency room in Zachary, where she underwent surgery Doctors restitched her detached fingertip.

During Thursday’s hearing, plaintiff attorney Collins Meredith accused the zoo’s bird curator, Lee Shoen, of willfully ignoring red flags that the Victoria crowned pigeon species had “dangerous propensities.”

He told the judge that Shoen admitted during his deposition that such a pigeon had snipped at him in the past. BREC lawyers noted that Shoen never implied it was either of the two

Victoria crowned pigeons housed at the Baton Rouge Zoo on the day of the toddler attack. But Meredith insisted zoo officials failed to take action to prevent such an incident.

“You cannot put your head in the sand and pretend that something is not a problem when it is,” he said. “He knew that these birds could get aggressive He could have done something about it. But he didn’t.”

Robert Schmidt, one of the attorneys for BREC, countered that 17 years of zoo records showed just seven instances of the pigeons chasing or pecking at other birds at the zoo, and there were no documented accounts of any threats or attacks on humans.

There were no zoological records of dangerous or aggressive behavior for the two particular Victoria crowned pigeons roaming the aviary the day of the attack.

Schmidt said zoo officials didn’t fail to protect zoo patrons because there were no signs of danger He argued the Clements could not show evidence that the birds were “unreasonably

dangerous” prior to the incident.

“The history of these birds was they they’d never attacked or bitten anybody, so that showing simply cannot be made,” Schmidt said.

Jorden, the judge, said his decision came down to the zoo caretakers’ awareness of any violent behavior from the birds. He determined there were “no genuine issues of material fact” to sustain the plaintiffs’ allegations.

“There is an absolute test for these things,” he told the Clements’ attorney “I don’t think you met the burden in this case to show that (Shoen) knew or should have known that this Victorian crown pigeon — this one in particular displayed aggressive tendencies toward people.

“I’m not saying that child asked to be a victim,” he added later “My heart goes out to that baby It was a horrible incident. But I just don’t think that the law was on your side in this case.”

Email Matt Bruce at matt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

Developer charged with financial crimes in BR

Investigation halts housing project funding

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

Staff writer

The developer of a stalled, multimillion-dollar East Baton Rouge Parish housing complex faces a raft of charges for alleged financial crimes. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office on Friday filed a bill of information charging 35-year-old Bradly Brown — owner of KMT Holdings and Development LLC — with theft over $25,000, bank fraud, illegal transfer of monetary funds, money laundering and filing false public records.

In 2021, the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council unanimously approved $6 million in federal dollars for Brown to build an $11 million affordable housing complex in Scotlandville known as “Housing for Heroes.”

State prosecutors say Brown intentionally stole funds from the city-parish defrauded three different banks of more $1.2 million, knowingly acquired money as a result of criminal activity and made false statements in documents filed with the city-parish. Brown and his company were the subject of federal grand jury subpoenas issued in May 2024. Federal authorities ordered the city-parish to turn in documents related to the Housing for Heroes project and emails, text messages and other communications between Brown and City Hall officials.

Murrill’s office declined to comment Friday, citing “additional ongoing criminal investigations.”

“When we can provide more information, we will,” a spokesperson said. It is unclear if the Attorney General Office’s case is related to the federal investigation.

Reached Friday, Brown denied wrongdoing but declined to comment further

To date, less than $1 million of the awarded funds have been paid to the developer Construction has yet to begin on the project, which was pitched as 36 low-income apartments for essential health care workers and professionals. The bill of information filed Friday includes three separate counts of bank fraud. On one count, prosecutors say Brown “executed or attempted to execute

a scheme” to defraud the Bank of Montgomery in the amount of $787,000 in December 2021.

According to a 2022 civil suit filed by the bank, Brown took out a $787,000 loan and used land slated for the Housing for Heroes development as collateral. Although he had been approved for federal funding at the time, none of that money had yet been disbursed.

Less than six months after approving the loan, the bank moved to seize the property — and later won that request even as the Housing for Heroes project was still underway

On the two other counts of fraud, prosecutors accuse Brown of defrauding or attempting to defraud Citizens Bank of $263,000 and Home Bank of $229,000.

The specifics on what fraudulent actions inves-

tigators believe took place were not spelled out in the charges filed Friday morning.

The Housing for Heroes project began during Sharon Weston Broome’s tenure as mayor-president. Emails obtained through a records request show that, as early as 2022, Broome slowed the project after learning of compliance concerns and instructed the developer and her staff to make sure it met federal guidelines.

Following Friday’s charges, current Mayor-President Sid Edwards — who took office at the start of 2025 said in a statement that his administration paused work on Housing for Heroes after investigators contacted his office.

“Shortly after taking office as mayor-president, I ordered a review of all fed-

LIFE

eral and state projects and programs to prevent any misuse of tax dollars,” Edwards said.

Community development policies were revised, the mayor said, and his administration changed processes to ensure compliance with legal regulations.

“Those changes included stopping funds from being distributed before work was performed on projects and before real invoices were presented by developers for reimbursement,” Edwards said “During the process of our reviews and reforms, we were contacted by investigative agencies about this case, and we complied with their requests for assistance and information. Also, during this time, we paused the work on this project in an effort to save tax dollars that might be otherwise at risk.”

expectancy of 77.2 years. The six-and-a-half-year gap between men and women in Louisiana mirrors broader patterns in the South tied to higher rates of chronic disease, injuries, violence and preventable deaths among men. Men in states like Louisiana tend to work jobs with more health risks, said LaVeist, like manufacturing, oil refinery jobs and agricultural positions.

Overall, higher rates of poverty seem to shape how long residents live, said LaVeist, pointing out that the states at the bottom of the list are the poorest. The gains seen in 2022 represent a rebound rather than an upward trajectory Life expectancy fell in Louisiana during the height of the pandemic, from almost 76 years in 2019 to 72 years in 2021.

Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

MASSEY

Continued from page 1B

Continued from page 1B of a protective order “This conviction reflects the difficult and often unseen reality of domestic abuse,” northshore District Attorney Collin Sims said in the news release. “Victims frequently recant out of fear, coercion, or emotional entanglement with their abusers, not because their initial disclosures were untrue.”

Massey’s attorney Bobby Hjortsberg said Massey is innocent of the charges he faced in St. Tammany, WWLTV reported.

“It’s concerning. It’s disappointing,” Hjortsberg said, according to the television station. “We certainly believe that he did not commit these crimes.” Sims praised the investigative work of the Sheriff’s Office, NOPD and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office.

Sentencing in St. Tammany is scheduled for Feb. 12.

COUNCIL

Continued from page 1B

out of the five members. The parish president appoints the other In November, Council member Joe Impastato proposed a resolution to remove Traina-Dorge, but the council removed it from the agenda. That meeting drew a crowd, as did Thursday’s meeting, where some voiced their frustration about the possibility of delaying the council’s decision about the board removals.

“We have done a very honest and conservative job in what we’re doing and we would like that to be brought to the attention, and we would like that to be voted on,” Traina-Dorge told the council.

Impastato, the chair of the council, urged a postponement of Thursday’s resolution, saying he’d had a good conversation with Caillouet a few days before about the council’s recommendations for the district. But council member Jerry Binder spoke out passionately against the postponement.

“It almost sounds like this council or at least its leadership is wanting to hold this board hostage,” Binder said.

Email Willie Swett at willie.swett@theadvocate. com.

THURSDAY, DEC. 4, 2025

3: 1-2-7

Ginart

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

A person walks on Scotland Avenue in the Scotlandville neighborhood of Baton Rouge, the site of a proposed $11 million affordable housing complex.

Advocatescriticize Louisiana’sindustryfocus

ButLED says plansare in best interestofstate

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

Ararely held hearing on Louisiana economic developmentthis week led to renewed debate overthe balance between industryand environmental concerns, with community activists and officials from Gov.Jeff Landry’sadministration disagreeing sharply

Required by state law for Louisiana agencies every six years, the hearing in Baton Rouge was meant for public comment on specific rules issued by the Louisiana Department of Economic Development

Ahandful of environmentalists andcommunity activists arguedthat a decades-long emphasis on heavy industry has placed a pollution burden on largely minority fence line communities without the promised financial gains. LED officials responded laterthat their policies were bringing jobs and opportunities to those very communities

Under Landry’srecent

LouisianaLightning Speed Initiative,the activists also charged, the state has been directed to push new projects too quickly— and under the secrecy ofnondisclosure agreements for projects like aplanned Hyundai Steel plant

“Economicdevelopment has not happened for us because of sweetheart deals, the same sweetheartdeal that’sbeen made with Hyundai and the restofthem. Thesedeals don’tdoanything but give moneyback to the people that promised to come and put economic developmentinour area,” said Gail LeBoeuf,co-founder of Inclusive Louisiana, aSt. JamesParish-basedenvironmental nonprofit. Joy Banner,co-founder of TheDescendants Project in St.John the Baptist, argued that instead of continuing to bringmore industry to the river region, the state should trytofocus on itscultural capital and expand tourism. She said it alreadycontributes $440 million annually to the region from ahandfulof parishesinits center

Her organization has been amongthose highlighting the Black and Creole history of the RiverParisheswhile telling the true story of life

on theregion’splantations for enslaved people.

‘BestinterestofLouisiana’ Department lawyersreceived thecomments, but, underthe standard terms of such agencyhearings, didn’t engage in questionand-answer.Ina statement later,however,department officials counteredthat the allegations were“an ambush” andthatSecretary SusanBourgeois would not respond to them directly

But, in the statement, state officials charged the claims were not based on the department’sactual work in “bringing jobsand opportunitytothe people of Louisiana.” The officials saidthat anyone “who wouldreject those opportunitiesclearly does not have thebest interest of Louisianacitizens at heart.”

“This state haslong suffered from afailure to diversifyour economy. What we have done over the past 23 monthsisunprecedented andtransformational economic growth that has finally turned thetide of losing our people,” department officials added.

Since Landrytook office, the department hasannounced tens of billions of

industrialinvestment with thousandsofjobsfor the river corridor,with most presenting air pollution impactsand hinging on carbon capture andcheap natural gas.

But, perhapstothe department’spoint about diversification, aday after the rules hearing, economic officials also announced a$4million expansion and modernization of jewelry-making studiosfor the Louisiana family-owned Boudreaux’s Jewelers. The operation is in Mandeville, however,far from theriver corridor,and theexpansionwill add two newjobsand retain 19 others.

Set in motion throughan executive order this fall, the Lightning Speed Initiative directs Bourgeois to pursue a“whole of government”approach towardbringing new projectstofruition.

New departmental liaisons are supposedtofocus with Bourgeois’ agency on priority economic development initiatives and “work collaboratively to align policy, permitting, infrastructure workforce, andregulatory processes to accelerateand sustain economic developmentstatewide.” In trying to make acase

for theinitiative,Landry’s Sept. 16 executive order cited anet loss of 12,000 jobs in the state between 2016 and 2023.

Nondisclosureagreements

Earlier this year,anindustry-financed study conducted by Louisiana economist Stephen Barnes found the “energy industry,” aterm thatincludesthe petrochemical and certain other manufacturing sectors, generated 25% of the state’s economy and 15% of its employment.

In theMississippi River corridor, that impact amounted to more than 134,600 energy jobs with $11.4 billion in earnings, according to the study from theLouisianaMid-Continent Oiland Gas Association, apetrochemical industry trade group. Pockets of the same region, however,still suffer from high poverty rates, including Modeste and Donaldsonville, two western Ascension Parish communitieswhere anew wave of industries hasbeen targeted by Landry’sadministration including Hyundai Steel.

A2024 study found the petrochemical sector’sshare of theLouisiana economy has fallenbymore than half

since 1999 as total jobs in the state have dropped and prospectsfor growth areweak in aglobal economy shifting from fossilfuels.The study called for more economic diversification that big state incentives focused on industry could crowd out. That analysis was done by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, agroup critical of other petrochemical and fossil fuel investments in Louisiana and the state incentives behind them

Despite requests dating back to Oct. 21, the groups also told economic officials on Wednesday they have been unable to geta copy of the cooperative endeavor agreementthe state has with Hyundai Steel for its plant proposed in Modeste. They also asserted they have had local leaderstellthem they can’ttalk about upcoming projects because of nondisclosure agreements. In the statement, state economic officials said the agreements are “standard practicefor economicdevelopment projects across the globe fordecades.”

DavidJ.Mitchellcan be reached at dmitchell@ theadvocate.com.

Carbon-capture projectmay emit more than planned

AirProducts proposal changes emission numbers

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

Acontroversial plan to store CO2 deep under Lake Maurepas was intended to greatly limit greenhouse gas emissions from anearby industrial plant, but anew proposal raises the possibility that significantly less will be sequestered. The company’srevised proposaltostate regulators has the potential to allow the hydrogen and ammonia plant in Ascension Parish to become one of the largest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases in Louisiana during its first yearsof operation.

Air Products, the company behind the project, has battlednearlyfouryears of community opposition over planstoinject andpermanently store CO2 and other greenhouse gases from the complexunder Lake Maurepas. It says the injection would prevent 95% of those greenhouse gases from reaching the atmosphere, where they would otherwise add to climate change But, just months after receivingthe state’sblessing for air emissions based on that low-carbon vision, Air Products has asked for adoover The proposedchange couldallow the Louisiana Clean Energy Complex to become among the top 25 industrial emitters of greenhouse gases in the state, based on LSU and federal annual emissions tallies since 2012. Thecompanysaysthe new proposal would merelygive the plant the flexibility it needs to operate, adding that its carbon-capture goals remain the same. But it comes at atime of deep uncertainty for the emergingcarbon-capture industry.Louisiana has paused new permit applications in the face of residents’ opposition, and criticism has grown louder over lucrative federal tax credits for the projects.

Some environmental groups, which have opposed carbon-capture projects because they claim they won’t live up to the storage rates being promised, speculated theair permit changesindicate the company is trying to hedge its bets. The company has already delayed the complex’sstartup by two years to 2028or 2029 for financial reasons, according to areportfrom RBN Energy,anindustry consulting and analytics firm.

AirProductshas said it is trying to “derisk” the $4.5 billioncomplex by finding buyers for its low-carbon products before new spending commitments. It also wantstosellthe complex’s proposed ammoniaplant and carbon-capture pieces —and potentially thecompany’srights to state-owned underground storage areas

“It’sall about making it a more valuableproperty for them to sell off,” saidDarryl Malek-Wiley,asenior organizer for the Sierra Club’s environmental justice programinLouisiana.

Partialstorage efforts

In the newpermit request filed in lateSeptember,Air Products wants permission to emit up to 2.16 million tons of greenhouse gases peryear,along with increases in sometoxic chemicals. The maximum estimate is nearly half ofthe totalthat Air Products had planned to inject under Lake Maurepas annually,ormore than 5.5 million tons per year Depending on theyear the projected maximum greenhouse gas emissions in the air would be onpar with the ExxonMobil refinery andchemical complex power plant in Baton Rouge, Entergy’spower plant in St Charles Parish andDow Chemical in Plaquemine, the LSU and federal emissions talliesshow AirProducts told thestate Department of Environmental Quality that when the company is commissioning the plant,itwon’t be able to inject CO2 underground for up to 25% of the time and that this inability

could last in the first few years. For the other 75% of thetime, thecompany saysitwill be able to inject under Lake Maurepas, as promised.

In astatement, an Air Products spokesperson said thepermit alterations don’t reflect achange in thecomplex’s design. It’saneffort to create “additional operational flexibility forthe facility,ensuring amore reliable supply of low-carbon ammonia andlow-carbon hydrogenproducts,” even in theevent “the off-site carbon capture operation is unavailable.”

“The 25% would be the maximum downtime allowed under thenew permit for the carbonsequestration operation,” said Christina Stephens,the company spokeswoman. “Ourintention is to operate thefacilitywithcarboncaptureoperationaltothe maximum extent possible,capturing 95% of our emissions.”

Sheadded thechanges would “also account for thepossibility that various aspects of thefacility may start up on slightlydifferent schedules.”

Greg Upton, executive director of theLSU Center for Energy Studies, said he could not comment directly on Air Products, but said suchcompanies often see economic value in ensuring options remainavailable.

“These large capital investments are madespanning decades, and so because there’s uncertainty over lots of factors, companies think of what’s called a ‘real option.’ And a‘real option’ is simply the following:

I’m going to build intomy capital plans theabilityto do things in the future, even if Imight or mightnot exercise that option,” he said.

AirProductsseesoptions

Despite industry enthusiasm for carbon capture and scientific backingof its safety,the concept has faced resistance from landowners, residents and local leaders.

For Air Products’ plans, a mix of environmentalists, Lake Maurepas fishermen and crabbers, residents, legislatorsand some parishcouncilmembers have opposed the project for safety,aesthetic andenvironmental reasons. Those include the visualimpact of platforms and well sites on thelake’ssurface, lakebottomdredging, wetlands destructionand what they see as groundwater threats.

The company and industry advocates say they are the victims of misinformation, defending carbon capture as safe and effective, with minimal disruption to Lake Maurepas andno real threat to drinking water sources becauseofthe depthofthe wells

In arecent hearing for theU.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers and state coastal permits, local legislators called for an extensive environmental analysis that would include not only Air Products’ plans but alsothe cumulative impact of other carbon-capture projects in the region. The work could take twoyears.

These officials also pointed to recent Southeastern LouisianaUniversityre-

searchshowing thatlake waters have heavymetal contaminationthat’slikely alsoinlake sediments.They said that could be stirredup by dredging forthe underwater pipeline network On land, thelines would also destroy afew hundred acres of high-value cypress and tupelo swamps in the Maurepas Wildlife Management Area.

Thecompany says it has takensteps to minimize the impact of the well andpipelinenetwork throughthe useofthe same rightofway formultiple lines and with a curtain to limit the spread of dredgedsediments Gov.Jeff Landry has also instituteda temporary moratorium on new underground carbon injection permit applications to prioritize areview of existing applications.Six projects were fast-tracked under the order,but Air Products’permit wasn’tone of them.

Earthjustice senior attorney Lauren Godshall noted that AirProductsishaving to “passionately defend the project” amid these headwinds,while also looking to sell off pieces of the complex. She added that “it feelslike cheating, in a way,topromise blue/clean energy” andthenpursuean airpermitthatwould allow options for so much CO2 emission

In aNov.6 earningscall, AirProducts CEO Eduardo Menezes saida permitwith theabilitytoemitCO2 is a key to negotiations to find partners for the carboncapture andammonia pieces of the complex. The company’s“potential counterparts askedusto have the flexibility of running theplant on agray mode if something happens with the CO2 sequestration thatwedid notexpect to do or still do not expect to do because the CO2 is abig contributor for theproj-

ect,” Menezes said “Graymode” means emitting waste carbon dioxide into the air.

Public storage

In an October 2021 deal with the state, Air Products gained exclusive rights to nearly122,500 acres of underground storage beneath Lake Maurepas, the nearby Maurepas Swamp Wildlife Management Area in St James Parish and Lake Sabine in Cameron Parish. LakeMaurepasand the wildlife management area are nearest to Air Products’ complex proposed for Sorrento. In the earnings call, MenezessaidAir Products started outtrying to developits own CO2 storage space underground so the company could benefit from federal 45Q tax credits. The company is nowtrying to effectively contract out the carbon capture and storageportion of theproject he said.

Thatwould mean selling thestoragearea —known as “pore space” —and have that company provide the serviceofsequestering the CO2 under Lake Maurepas or elsewhere. Evenifthe project falls through, the CEO said, the companycould try to “monetize” the pore space in someother way Under the state deal, Air Products can transfer its rights but only after approval from the State Mineral andEnergy Boardor theDepartment of Wildlife and Fisheries.

PatrickCourreges,a spokesman forthe state Department of Conservation and Energy,saidnocompany hasapproached the department or the Mineral Board about such atransfer Akey concern for the state will be who pays what’sowed underthe deal andwho will be responsible if aproblem occurs.

“Such transfers have been relatively routine fordecades,” he said.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON Boats gather towitness ademonstration of adetonation for AirProducts to help secure a permitfor asix-month seismographic surveyonLakeMaurepas on Dec.5,2022, in Akers.

LloydJosephFortune', a lifelongmechanicknown for hissteadyhands and steadfast heart, entered eternal rest on Thursday November27, 2025 at the age of 75. Sonofthe late LawrenceB., Sr.and Eva Mae Wills Fortune'. Beloved husband of Debo‐rah AnnFortune'. Devoted fatherofAprileJudeFor‐tune'. Cherishedgrandfa‐therofJacob Ryland Parker. BrotherofLucien (Phyllis) Fortune',Leroy (Sybil) Fortune', Lucious (Carolyn) Fortune',Lenette Fortune', Lydia(Keith) Hitchens, Judy (Fred) Hol‐loway,Claudette (Herman) Martin,Annette (Oyd)

Craddock andthe late LawrenceB.Fortune'Jr. Alsosurvivedbya host of nieces, nephews, extended relatives andmanylifelong friends.Staff andEmploy‐ees of Smuckers,SaraLee BunnyBread andOwensIllinois;AlumniofJosephS Clark High School andJef‐fersonParishPublic Schoolsare invitedtoat‐tendthe funeral. ACele‐bration servicehonoring the life andlegacyofthe lateLloyd Joseph Fortune willbeheldinthe Chapel ofCharbonnetLabat Glapion FuneralHome, 1615 St.PhilipStreet,New Orleans,LA70116 on Mon‐day,December8,2025 at 11 am, Pastor Mark Sandifer, Officiating. Visitation 10 aminthe chapel.Please signonlineguestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581-4411.

Schriber,Craig Allen

CraigAllen Schriber,a cherished son, brother, uncle,nephew, andfriend, passedawaypeacefully on November28, 2025, at the age of 62 in Jefferson, LA BornonFebruary27, 1963 inOld Metairie,LA, he was the belovedson of Lola BradfordSchriberand the lateMervinSchriber. He grewupalongside hissib‐lings,DawnMichelli (An‐thony), TiffanySchriber, and KevinSchriberand will bedearlymissedbyhis nieces: Lauren,Audrey, and JuliaSchriber. Aproud graduateofEastJefferson HighSchool,his profes‐sionaljourney wasmarked by dedicatedservice at

NAPA Autoparts, alocal Chryslerdealership, and SouthernSales,where he was notonlya valued em‐ployeebut also afriendto many. Craig'spassion for the outdoorswas unmis‐takable.Anavidoutdoors‐man,hefound solace and excitementinthe natural world,whether he wasex‐pertlynavigatinga boat, casting alineintothe water,orwaiting patiently ina huntingblind. Hislove for theopenroadwas just asstrong, andhecould often be found cruising withthe topdownand a smile on hisface. Cooking was anotherofCraig's pas‐sions.Hewas amaestro in the kitchen, oftenexperi‐menting with newrecipes and flavors. Thefamily would like to give aspecial thankstoDr. Thomas Morel andhis staff fortheir careofCraig.Relatives and friends areinvited to at‐tendthe Visitation at Gar‐den of Memories Funeral Home, 4900 AirlineDrive Metairie, LA 70001 on Sat‐urday,December13, 2025 from10:00 am until 12:00 noon.Inlieuof flowers, the familyhas requesteddona‐tionstothe NewOrleans

NOLA.COM/BIZ

BRIEFS

Fed’s preferred inflation gauge elevated in Sept.

WASHINGTON The Federal Reserve’s preferred measure of inflation changed little in September

Prices rose 0.3% in September from August, the Commerce Department said Friday, in a report that was delayed five weeks by the government shutdown. It matched the increase recorded during the previous month. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 0.2% in September from August, the same as August, and a pace that if it continued for a year would bring inflation closer to the Fed’s 2% target.

Compared with a year ago, overall prices rose 2.8%, up slightly from 2.7% in August. Core prices also rose 2.8% from a year earlier, a small decline from the previous month’s figure of 2.9%.

The data indicate that core inflation was muted in September and will bolster the case for a cut to the Fed’s key interest rate at its next meeting Dec 9-10. Inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target, partly because of President Donald Trump’s tariffs, but many Fed officials argue that weak hiring, modest economic growth, and slowing wage gains will steadily reduce price gains in the coming months.

Chicago Tribune sues Perplexity AI

The Chicago Tribune filed a copyright infringement lawsuit Thursday in New York federal court against Perplexity AI alleging the California-based startup has been unlawfully profiting off the newspaper’s content in building its AI-driven search engine.

The complaint challenges the unauthorized use of often fully reproduced Tribune reporting to provide answers on the Perplexity AI platforms, essentially bypassing the need to link to the newspaper’s website “Perplexity’s GenAI Products generate outputs that are identical or substantially similar to the Chicago Tribune’s content,” the lawsuit states “Upon information and belief, Perplexity has unlawfully copied millions of copyrighted Chicago Tribune stories, videos, images, and other works to power its products and tools.” A spokesperson for Perplexity AI did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday

In addition to lifting content verbatim, Perplexity is also prone to “hallucinations,” creating inaccurate results and attributing them to the Tribune, which the lawsuit alleges is likely to tarnish the newspaper’s brand and cause “serious damage to its worldwide reputation” as a truthful and accurate news source.

Wall Street rises to the edge of its all-time high

NEW YORK — The U.S. stock market rose to the edge of its all-time high on Friday

The S&P 500 added 0.2% and finished just 0.3% shy of its record closing level, which was set in October.

Ulta Beauty helped lead the market and jumped 12.7% after the retailer reported stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than expected. CEO Kecia Steelman said its customers are broadly feeling pressure, but Ulta saw growth across its categories, particularly in e-commerce.

Another encouraging signal for the holiday shopping season came from Victoria’s Secret & Co. It delivered a milder loss for the latest quarter than analysts expected, and it likewise raised its forecast for sales over the full year Its stock rallied 18%. On the losing end of Wall Street was SoFi Technologies The financial technology company fell 6.1% to $27.78 after saying it would add $1.5 billion worth of its stock into the market in order to raise cash. It’s selling the stock at a price of $27.50 per share.

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS and MATT OTT AP business writers

NEWYORK Netflix struck a deal Friday to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, the Hollywood giant behind “Harry Potter” and HBO Max, in a $72 billion deal that would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry. If approved by regulators, the merger would put two of the world’s biggest streaming services under the same ownership — and join Warner’s television and motion picture division, including DC Studios, with Netflix’s vast library and its production arm which has released popular titles such as “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game.”

The proposal could draw intense antitrust scrutiny, particularly for its effects on movie making and streaming subscriptions.

“Netflix is the top streaming service today Now combined with HBO Max, it will absolutely cement itself as the Goliath in the streaming industry,” said Mike Proulx, vice president and research director at Forrester, a market research company

The cash and stock deal is valued at $27.75 per Warner share, giving it a total enterprise value of $82.7 billion, including debt. The transaction is expected to close in the next 12 to 18 months, after Warner completes its previously announced separation of its cable operations Not included in the deal are networks such as CNN and Discovery

Will streaming services combine?

One of the big unanswered questions, Proulx added, is whether HBO Max and Netflix would “stay as separate streaming services or combine into a mega streaming service.”

But either way he said, customers could see some price relief in the form of a single subscription bill or bundle promotions, which would be a welcome change as streaming prices continue to rise and consumers feel the pinch of paying for multiple services.

Of course, that all depends on whether the deal goes through. Netflix on Friday maintained that the addition of HBO and HBO Max programming will give its members “even more high-quality titles” and “optimize its plans for consumers.”

Others warned that a Netflix-Warner combo could create an even bigger entertainment titan with ramifications for both consumers and people working across the film and TV industry Critics said the consequences could include job losses and a reduced variety of content.

Gaining Warner’s legacy studios would mark a notable shift for Netflix, particularly its presence in theaters. Under the proposed acquisition, Netflix has promised to continue theatrical releases for Warner’s studio films, honoring Warner’s contractual agreements. Netflix has kept most of its original content

within its core online platform. But there have been exceptions, including qualifying runs for its awards contenders, including this year’s “Frankenstein,” limited theater screenings of a “KPop Demon Hunters” sing-a-long and its coming “Stranger Things” series finale. Effect on theaters and filmmakers

Critics said a Netflix-Warner combo would be bad news for moviegoers and for people who work in theaters. Cinema United — a trade association that represents more than 30,000 movie screens in the U.S. and another 26,000 screens internationally — was quick to oppose the deal, which it said “poses an unprecedented threat to the global exhibition business.”

“Netflix’s stated business model does not support theatrical exhibition. In fact, it is the opposite,” Michael O’Leary, CEO of Cinema United, said Friday “Theaters will close, communities will suffer, jobs will be lost.”

The Writers Guild of America sounded a similar alarm and called for the merger to be blocked.

The Producers Guild of America said the Netflix deal must prove that it protects workers’ livelihoods and theatrical distribution. “Legacy studios are more than content libraries — within their vaults are the character and culture of our nation,” the union added.

Warner Bros., which is 102 years old, is one of the “big five” studios left in Hollywood. If the Netflix sale goes through, the remaining legacy studios would be Disney, Paramount, Sony Pictures and Universal.

The Netflix-Warner deal also sent shock waves through Washington, on both sides of the aisle.

Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a longtime antitrust hawk, said the proposed merger “looks like an anti-monopoly nightmare.” And Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican and close Trump ally, said the deal “raises serious red flags for consumers, creators, movie theaters and local businesses alike.”

Trump urged to drop plan for drilling off Florida coast

Congressional delegation cites threat to tourism

BY MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

WASHINGTON Florida’s Republican-dominated congressional delegation is urging the Trump administration to drop a plan that would allow new oil drilling for the first time in decades off the state’s coast.

A letter signed by Republican Sens. Rick Scott and Ashley Moody — as well as by all 28 House members from Florida — says the Interior Department plan would put the state’s thriving tourism industry at risk and disrupt military operations in a key training area.

“In 2020, you made the right decision to use executive action to extend the moratorium on oil and gas leasing off Florida’s Gulf and east coasts through 2032, recognizing the incredible value Florida’s pristine coasts have to our state’s economy, environ-

ment and military community,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter Thursday to President Donald Trump.

The letter represents a rare pushback against the Republican president by GOP lawmakers and demonstrates how important the state’s beaches and coastal waters are to Florida’s economy

The letter does not criticize Trump, whose Mara-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida would not be affected by the drilling plan. Instead lawmakers praised Trump’s action during his first term, when he imposed a moratorium on drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico through 2032 after similar pushback from Florida lawmakers to an earlier drilling plan.

The moratorium received overwhelming bipartisan support, the lawmakers noted.

“We urge you to uphold your existing moratorium and keep Florida’s coasts off the table for oil and gas leasing. Florida’s economy, environment and military readiness depend on this commitment,” they wrote.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced a five-year offshore drilling plan last month that includes new oil drilling off the California and Florida coasts for the first time in decades. The plan, which critics say could harm coastal communities and ecosystems, comes as Trump seeks to expand U.S. oil production to achieve what he calls “energy dominance” in the global market.

The oil industry has been seeking access to new offshore areas, including Southern California and off the Florida coast, as a way to boost U.S. energy security and jobs. The federal government has not allowed drilling in federal waters in the eastern Gulf of Mexico, which includes offshore Florida and part of offshore Alabama, since 1995, because of concerns about oil spills. California has some offshore oil rigs, but there has been no new leasing in federal waters since the mid-1980s.

Two lease sales are proposed near Florida, in 2029 and 2030, the Interior Department said.

Friday’s announcement followed a monthslong bidding war for Warner Rumors of interest from Netflix, as well as NBC owner Comcast, started bubbling up in the fall. Skydance-owned Paramount, which completed its own $8 billion merger in August, also reportedly made several all-cash offers.

While Netflix’s bid won over Warner’s approval, experts stressed that a bumpy regulatory road lies ahead.

“No doubt politics are going to come into play,” Proulx said. He pointed particularly to the Trump administration’s relationship with the family of Larry Ellison, whose son David runs Paramount, and reports of that company’s frustrations over Warner’s sale process — both of which, he noted, “can’t be ignored as part of the calculus as to the outcome of all of this.” Christina DePasquale, a Johns Hopkins University professor who specializes in antitrust issues, said the government might be skeptical of a streaming behemoth controlling both the production and distribution of content

Warner Bros. Discovery, which was formed just three and a half years ago, announced its intention to split its streaming and studio operations from its cable business back in June. The move arrived as more and more consumers continue to “cut the cord” and rely almost entirely on streaming.

The company outlined plans for HBO, HBO Max, as well as Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group and DC Studios, to become part of a new streaming and studios company That is what Netflix is now acquiring. Meanwhile, networks such as CNN, Discovery and TNT Sports and other digital products will make up a separate cable counterpart called Discovery Global. Warner signaled that it was open to a sale of all of parts of its business back in October, citing “unsolicited interest” it had received. Now that it’s agreed to Netflix’s bid, Discovery Global is set to become a new publicly traded company by the third quarter of 2026.

EU hits Musk’s X with $140 million fine

BY KELVIN CHAN Associated Press

LONDON European Union regulators on Friday fined X, Elon Musk’s social media platform, $140 million for breaches of the bloc’s digital regulations, in a move that risks rekindling tensions with Washington over free speech.

It’s the first time that the EU has issued a so-called non-compliance decision since rolling out the Digital Services Act. The sweeping rulebook requires platforms to take more responsibility for protecting European users and cleaning up harmful or illegal content and products on their sites, under threat of hefty fines.

The Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s executive arm, said it was punishing X because of three different breaches of the DSA’s transparency requirements.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on his X account that the Commission’s fine was akin to an attack on the American people. Musk later agreed with Rubio’s sentiment “The European Commission’s $140 million fine isn’t just an attack on @X, it’s an

attack on all American tech platforms and the American people by foreign governments,” Rubio wrote “The days of censoring Americans online are over.” Vice President JD Vance, posting on X ahead of the decision, accused the Commission of seeking to fine X “for not engaging in censorship.”

“The EU should be supporting free speech not attacking American companies over garbage,” he wrote.

Regulators said X’s blue checkmarks broke the rules because on “deceptive design practices” and could expose users to scams and manipulation.

Before Musk acquired X, when it was previously known as Twitter, the checkmarks mirrored verification badges common on social media

After Musk bought the site, it started issuing the badges to anyone who wanted to pay $8 per month. That means X does not meaningfully verify who’s behind the account, “making it difficult for users to judge the authenticity of accounts and content they engage with,” the Commission said in its announcement

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JAE C. HONG

The Warner Bros. water tower is seen at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, Calif., on Friday.

Netflix struck a deal Friday to buy Warner Bros. Discovery, the Hollywood giant behind ‘Harry Potter’ and HBO Max, in a $72 billion deal that would bring together two of the biggest players in television and film and potentially reshape the entertainment industry.

OPINION

ANOTHERVIEW

Asense of possibilityfor NewOrleans

There’sanattitude changeunderwayinNew Orleans. The recent city electionshave transformeda feeling of dysfunction and hopelessnessinto something more positive, more productive. The windowof opportunity is open

The elections of Helena Morenoas mayor and three new,youngmembers of theCityCouncil —Matthew Willard, Jason Hughes and Aimee McCarron —have created asense of possibility. The job each one does over the nextfouryears will shape the city’sfuture.And their jobs clearly won’tbestress-free.

Ron Faucheux

The new mayor hasplenty of obstaclesinher path —acitygovernment fossilized byold-style politics, alackof economic resources, poor coordinationamongdepartmentsand alimp managementculture.That’sinaddition to the current budget mess and the funding of essential services with borrowed money. Since the October mayoral election and City Council runoffs in November, there is agrowing sense that things are about to get better.After all, could they get much worse? Mayor LaToyaCantrell seemed to checkout alongtime ago, leaving the city with little or no leadership.

Ironically,the budget deficit mayturn outtobea blessing in disguise. While thenew administrationhas thetough task of patchingtogether solutions, many of which won’tbepopular, theextent of theproblem could force anew fiscal discipline on City Hall.

City governments havea distinct and important role in American life. They provide the basics:public safety, streets, sidewalks,trafficsignals,drinking water,drainage, permitting, wastecollection and disposal. The quality of these services sculpts the quality of life for city residents. Understanding this reality is critical.

When local governments giveintopolitical pressure and spend money on an array of programs that go beyond their coreresponsibilities,theyget into trouble. They usually lack the capacity to manage these programs and the revenuestreams toadequately fund them. They alsoneglect reviewing performanceovertime.

Once agovernment program takes root, political constituencies develop aroundit. Jobs and contracts flow from it. This makes it difficult to change or eliminate aprogram, even whenitbecomes clear it’snot working. The more such programs areallowedtoeat up public resources, the harder it is to focusongetting the basics right. It’stime to cleanout theunderbrush of city government. The budget crisismakes that easier to do. Morethanany otheroffice, mayors define theplaces they lead. If they’re bold andoptimistic, thecity is bold and optimistic. If they’re timid andineffective, the city is timid and ineffective.

We don’tyet know how Morenowill define her mayoralty. So far,she’sserious, focused,pragmatic and surprisingly nonpolitical for somebody who spent eight years running for thejob. Sheseems to be looking forreal solutionsand appears readyto work across political and parish linestofind them. That’s all encouraging.

Let’shope she avoids thecommon pitfalls of wellintentioned leaders. Let’shope shewon’tallowbureaucratic inertia to hold her back. Let’shope she won’tfeartaking on big reforms suchasoverhauling the Sewerage &Water Board, creating an innovative IT infrastructure that cuts costsand transforming the red-tape-laden, compliance-obsessedcivil service systeminto something that improvesmanagement and accountability Last but not least, let’shopethe newadministration and City Council instinctively look to smart management and priority-setting to solvefiscal problems, and not to tax increases that make cityliving even less affordable. All the “free stuff” and compensating tax increases thatthe next mayor of New York is promising are abad model for the nextmayor of NewOrleans Clear goals and performance metricsmust define what success looks like in theMorenoadministration. She and her team seem on boardwith this basic principle. Half-jokingly, former Mayor Moon Landrieuused to warn that, in city politics, no gooddeed goes unpunished. He was more than half right. But thathas to change. Whether you voted forMorenoornot,the city needs to pull together.There are plenty of good deeds to be done.

Ron Faucheux is anonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer based in Louisiana.

Accusations aboutLNG’s environmentalimpact should be questioned

The recent guest column, “Dredge spill in Cameron Parishhighlights worries with LNG megaprojects,” paintsanincompletepicture of dredging activityinLouisiana’swaterways.

The word “spill” may sound alarming, but thereality is that dredging is acarefully managed, routine and essential process for our environment.

The redistribution of sediment is anatural occurrence that supports biodiversity and plays an important role in keeping the deltasystem healthy.This ultimately benefits fishermen, shrimpers and the communities that rely on Louisiana’s working coast. The faster the dredging is completed, the less disruption there will be.

Iurge my neighbors to exercise caution when presented withthe alarmist explanations. We should absolutely hold companies accountable to existing environmental regulations, but the issue presented by theauthors is simply not one.

The work being done by manufacturing plantsand LNG export facilitiesisstrengthening the economy

along Louisiana’scoastline, not causing the calamity presented by theenvironmental activists. Natural gas companies in the region have even taken steps to preserve the coastline’slongevity by investing in restoration efforts.

When environmental activists continue to raise false alarms about Louisiana’seconomic powerhouses, they distract from the real progress being madetooffset reliance on Russian oil and gas overseas and bolster international security here at home.

According to Loren Scott’s LouisianaEconomic Forecast, LNG export facilities will bring tens of thousands of jobs to the state over thenext two years. And further,the development of theLNG export industry has “radically” increased the growthprospects of theregion. We should be applauding efforts to untether the world from Russian gas and creating good-paying jobs here in Louisiana, not actively working against them

CHARLIE MELANCON spokesman forLouisiana EnergyExport Partners (LEEP)Coalition

Spending on LITdevelopment should be examined

The powerful Port of New Orleans,inits claimed zeal to stay competitive with container ship operations along the Mississippi River,has spent and wasted at or over $100 million of state coffers.

Ourgovernor,who claims to be afiscal conservative, jumped onto that trainand has promoted the Louisiana International Terminal development in St.Bernard Parish, despitethe unified opposition by parishgovernment, the St. Bernard school district andpractically every elected official in the parish.

In addition to thepublic opposition,acommunity advocacy group has initiated lawsuits to prevent thedevelopment of the project that would destroy an entire community

Now,itisevident that the LIT is at astandstill, and there are major legal and infrastructure problems that cannot be overcome anytime in

theforeseeable future.

The executive director of the PortofNew Orleans and the board of directors have clearlybreached their fiduciaryresponsibilities and forged forward as aresult of their complete incompetence. Someone must be held accountable for this wanton waste of public money.Where is the Louisiana Legislative Auditor? How is it that the PortofNew Orleans has so much surplus money that it could justify spending these public funds on such apurely “speculative project,” according to Port of New Orleans

Executive Director Beth Branch in court testimony?

Gov.Jeff Landry should pull the plug on this debacleashedid on theMid-Barataria and Mid-Breton diversions.

PHILLIP DIFATTA

formercommissioner,St. Bernard Port Harbor and Terminal District

When will we admithurricane season forecasts areunreliable?

Hurricane season came to an end on Nov. 30. Since then, Ihave been waiting foranarticle to be written apologizing to the readers because the doom and gloom from major hurricanes impacting the United States, as predicted by weather forecasters and NOAA, never came to be. No hurricanes entered the Gulf of Mexico this year that could impact the United States. Each year,prior to and during the hurricane season, articles are written about the crisis and destruction sure to come soon.

Reality is that forecasters cannot predict what will happen from year to year,and Mother Nature is in complete control of what is to happen. It is adisservice to readers to constantly use unreliable forecasts to scare people. It is timetochange your ways and stop using the socalled experts whoare guessing at best as reliable newssources.

BRYANHALE Metairie

Time to changea broken system

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy finally proposed something Ican agree with. Yes, all congressional pay should stop during ashutdown. But how manyofhis fellow senators or representatives agree?

We,the ordinary people, find ourselves in asad situation, but one that is not different from what the colonists found. Our early colonists fought forindependence from a king whowas not listening to them

Our representatives, through their parties, have invented new kings. Our so-called representatives have ignored the people’s needs, and one party has madea king of our present president. Maybe we should follow the example we have been given, get rid of our kings and kingmakers. Let us find another way.This system is not working forus, the people.

Our early colonists changed things when the system wasn’t working forthem.Maybe it is time forustodothe same!

MERLE T. HARRIS

SPORTS

TULANE DEFEATSNORTH TEXAS34-21 TO EARN AMERICAN CONFERENCE CROWN

BRINGONCFP

Tulane’s dominant startenoughto topple high-powered NorthTexas

BY GUERRYSMITH

Contributing writer

season-high-tying drive of 16 plays andkeptthrowinghaymakersfrom there.

When the onslaught was over,the Wave led 31-7 lateinthe thirdquarter So much for North Texas being a 21/2-point favoriteonthe road. The Mean Green, which averaged 47.7 points in itsfirst12games,came up emptyonthree consecutiveseries to endthe first half.Tulanesacked redshirt freshman quarterback Drew Mestemaker,the nation’stop passer, four times in that span andforced afumble by running back Caleb Hawkins that started the tidal wave. Safety Jack Tchienchou popped theball loose. Teammate LJ Green scooped it up at theTulane 29 and

Tulanelinebacker Jean Claude Joseph, left, and safety Warren Roberts, right, hype up fans during thesecondhalf of the AmericanConferencechampionshipgame against North TexasonFriday at yulman Stadium. Tulane beat NorthTexas 34-21. ä See TULANE, page 5C

Facing North Texas’ previously unstoppable, FBS-leading offenseon Friday night, Tulane turned the Mean Green alittle green with envy. It was adominantperformance for three quarters, and by the time North Texas responded, it wastoo lateto change the result. Making up for back-to-back American championshipgamelosses, the Green Wave punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff, dealing a near knockout blow in the first half of the American Conference championship gameand winning34-21atYulman Stadium. After spotting North Texas a7-0 lead on a15-play,75-yard opening drive, Tulane hit back witha

To some, college football’sconference championship games need to become a relic of the past, like singlebar facemasks or players being true amateurs. Remember that version of college football? The College Football Playoff is taking up more and more of the air in the room —atleastthe air not reserved forbombastover Lane Kiffin’smove from Ole MisstoLSU. The playoff went from four teams to 12 in 2024, may expand to 14 or 16 teams in January, andthere are reports the Big Tenwantsittogrow to 24 to 28 teams. That said, when the first Saturday in Decembercomes ‘round, it’s the SEC championshipgame —the originalconference championshipgame started way back in 1992, the grandaddy of them all in that realm— that still takes center stage.

Holy Hullabaloo,Tulaneisgoing to theCollege

Holy Hullabaloo.

Tulane is going to the College Football Playoff. Let that sink in for amoment.

New Orleans’ venerable institution of higher learning, the school better known for its law and architecture schools than its athletics programs, will be one of 12 teams competing for college football’snational championship. The Green Wave earned its CFP invitation by virtue of an authoritative 34-21 victory against North Texas in theAmerican Conference championship gameFridaynight. The win, before araucous crowd of 23,986 at acold, soggy Yulman Stadium,vaulted the Green Wave

Football Playoff

Jeff Duncan

into the first round of the CFP in twoweeks, where they’ll play ayetto-be-determined opponent on the weekend of Nov.19-20. We’ll learn whoTulane plays and where on Sunday,when the CFP announces the pairings. Until then, the Boot might never close and the RMFW sweatshirts will continue to fly off the shelves at Campus Connection.

“It’severything, man,” Tulane coach Jon Sumrall said to ESPN amid amob of joyous fans and well-wishers during his postgame interview at midfield. “I’m so proud of this team.” Indeed, it will take awhile for

See DUNCAN, page 5C

OK, maybe not quitecenterstage on this first Saturday in December.There is that little tussle up in Indianapolis on Saturday night when No. 1Ohio Statesquares off with No. 2Indiana (still can’tbelieve I’m typing that) for the Big Tenchampionship. But this game in Atlanta between CFP No. 3Georgia (11-1) and No. 9Alabama (10-2) is still mighty important. Not just for the playoff implications but for the prize They’replaying for theS-E-C championship, and when it comes to conference titles, it is still the toughest one to win.

“You start the season —and this is the best conference in college football —and to be playing in this game, Itell our guys they earned this,” Alabamacoach Kalen DeBoer said. “This is what our program’s been built on, is winning championships. It starts with an SEC championship.” No teams in SEC history have won more

Scott Rabalais

STAFFPHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

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Penn State in talks to hire

Iowa St. coach Campbell

Penn State is in talks to name Iowa State’s Matt Campbell as its next head football coach according to reports.

Multiple outlets, citing anonymous sources, reported talks between Campbell and the Nittany Lions were progressing.

The potential hire comes nearly two months after the firing of longtime coach James Franklin midway through his 12th season following an 0-3 start in Big Ten play

6:30 p.m. Deportivo Cali vs. Club AméricaTRUTV TENNIS

7 a.m. London Grand Final TENNIS noon London Grand Final TENNIS

6 p.m. The Atlanta Cup TENNIS

No. 1 vs. No. 2 battle for Big Ten

BY MICHAEL MAROT AP sportswriter

INDIANAPOLIS Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has been here before Twice. His second-ranked Hoosiers, just like first-ranked Ohio State, have not.

For the first time in more than a decade and just the third time since conference championship games were standardized, the nation’s topranked teams will play for a title.

The two previous top-ranked conference title games were in the Southeastern Conference in 200809 when Florida and Alabama went back to back.

Cignetti was on Nick Saban’s Alabama coaching staff. And, yes, experience could matter

“A year late,” Cignetti joked after Indiana punched its ticket by routing Purdue. “I had the opportunity to be part of a couple of those at Alabama when we played Florida and (Tim) Tebow and Urban (Meyer) two years in a row It’s going to be a great atmosphere. I think — no I know — you’re playing this game for a reason. A Big Ten championship means an awful lot.”

The Buckeyes (12-0) and Hoosiers (12-0) are in similar positions

The are playoff locks, with good chances at a first-round bye no matter what happens in Indianapolis on Saturday

But the contrast between these programs couldn’t be starker Ohio State owns eight national championships, is closing in on program win No 1,000 and has claimed at least three Big Ten crowns in every decade from the 1930s through 2010s. Despite the steady parade of players from Columbus to the NFL, the Buckeyes watched the last four Big Ten title games from home — a drought that coincided with their four-game losing streak to dreaded Michigan That streak ended last week and this week the

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

defending national champs hope to fulfill another preseason goal by hoisting their first Big Ten trophy in five years

“We’re excited we put ourselves in a position to have a chance to play for the Big Ten championship,” All-American Caleb Downs said. “We’re going to go at it with a lot of energy and put everything into it this week and then go play as well as we can Saturday.”

As a program, the Hoosiers are relative newcomers to the big stage.

They finally shed the label of the FBS’ losingest program last month, then completed the first perfect regular season in school history and are now seeking their third Big Ten title The first came in 1945, the last in 1967, leaving Indiana tied with Minnesota for the conference’s longest active title drought.

The Hoosiers have an experienced roster with key players who have played for championships in previous stops and, oh yeah, Cignetti. They also can rely on the lessons learned from their only losses last season — at Ohio State and at national runner-up Notre Dame.

“We fell short in the moment,”

first team all-conference linebacker Aiden Fisher said, reflecting on those defeats “Coach Cignetti said it kind of got a little too big for us, and I think we went in with too much of an underdog mentality This year, every single game we’ve been in there’s been no doubt at all.

It’s never crept in that, ‘Oh, we might lose this game.’”

There’s no reason to change that philosophy now in a contest that features the nation’s two stingiest scoring defenses, two of the nation’s top-15 scoring offenses, the nation’s two most efficient quarterbacks and major college football’s

Indiana quarterback Fernando

a game against Purdue on Nov. 28

last two unbeaten teams.

“I don’t expect any handouts,” Cignetti said. “We’ve earned everything up to this point, and we’ve got to earn it on Saturday.”

Heisman battle

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin are going head to head as top Heisman Trophy contenders. Some believe this game could determine the trophy’s winner. Though nobody wants to talk about the race, there is some mutual admiration between the two.

“Julian Sayin and I never officially met, however, through high school we used a similar quarterback coach,” Mendoza said. “And this year we had a lot of overlap

games, and we were able to watch their film. I really respect Julian, he is effective and he fits the offense perfectly.”

On the move

Buckeyes offensive coordinator coach Brian Hartline accepted his first head coaching job, at South Florida, on Wednesday But unlike other coaches, Hartline isn’t going anywhere yet. Coach Ryan Day said Wednesday that Hartline would stay with his alma mater through the playoffs.

“The timing isn’t great, but that’s not Brian’s fault. Instead of being upset about it, we’re going to embrace it,” Day said. “I’m really happy for he and his family He’s put in a lot of hard work here.”

Texas Tech, BYU take first cracks at Big 12 title

BY STEPHEN HAWKINS AP sportswriter

ARLINGTON, Texas BYU coach Kalani Sitake and Texas Tech’s Joey McGuire have shared a few meals together, and they’ve talked about their teams making the Big 12 championship game.

“If you want me at my best, Joey understands this, it’s usually when we’re eating,” said Sitake, the former Cougars fullback now in his 10th season as their coach “If you want to talk about manifesting we talked about playing each other in the championship game. We manifested it, and now here we are They meet for the Big 12 title Saturday, when the Red Raiders (11-1, No. 4 CFP) are a virtual lock for a spot in the 12-team College Football Playoff no matter the outcome For the Big 12 to get a second team into the playoff when the bracket comes out Sunday, the Cougars (11-1, No 11 CFP) have to beat Tech this time, something they weren’t able to do four weeks ago in Lubbock.

Texas Tech, one of six teams to be part of all 30 Big 12 seasons, is in the championship game for the first time after investing millions of dollars in the transfer portal — this is the 24th title game with none between 2011-16. This is also the first

in the Big 12 for BYU, which joined the league in 2023 after 12 seasons as an independent. The Cougars’ last conference title game was the 1998 WAC game they lost to Air Force

“Two very physical teams. I think the two best teams in the conference are playing,” McGuire said.

“He’s a players’ coach like me. He loves his guys and and I’m just honored and fired up, so impressed with his team. I’m sitting here watching his last few games since we played, and they just keep getting better and better.”

The first meeting

Texas Tech won 29-7 on Nov 8 in one of the most-hyped games ever on the Lubbock campus. The game was spotlighted with ESPN’s “College GameDay” airing from there for the three hours before kickoff of what was the Big 12’s first conference matchup of top 10 teams since 2021.

With league rushing leader LJ Martin (102.4 yards per game) hampered by a shoulder injury that day the Cougars had season lows for total yards (255) and points.

They had three turnovers, with Tech standout linebacker Jacob Rodriguez having an interception and a fumble recovery while also doing a Heisman pose. BYU trailed

ä BYU vs.Texas Tech. SATURDAy 11 A.M., ESPN

26-0 before true freshman quarterback Bear Bachmeier (2,593 yards passing) threw a 6-yard TD pass to Chase Roberts midway through the fourth quarter

BYU hasn’t been held to fewer than 24 points any other time this season. Texas Tech scored on six of seven trips inside the 20, but that included five field goals.

“It’s hard to beat somebody twice. Your team’s why is very important on beating somebody twice,” McGuire said, who told his coaches to “really dig in to the first game of where we missed the mark and some stuff where they could take advantage of us, where we could take advantage of them.”

That “why” for the Red Raiders is winning their first outright Big 12 title. The closest they have been was a three-way tie with Oklahoma and Texas for the South Division lead in 2008, but they missed making the championship game on the tiebreaker

Healed up

Martin, who is from El Paso, Texas, and was recruited by the Red Raiders, has rushed for 405 yards

and six touchdowns in BYU’s three games since leaving Lubbock. Red Raiders quarterback Behren Morton (2,248 yards passing with 20 TDs and four interceptions) missed two games, including not playing in their loss at Arizona State, and got banged up before halftime in two others. He has been back the last four games, with an open date mixed in, and in the past two games completed 39 of 51 passes (76.5%) with four TDs and no interceptions.

“Whenever Behren plays well, we play a really high level,” McGuire said.

Staying around a while

Both McGuire and Sitake got new contracts this week.

Sitake had conversations with Penn State and was considered a top candidate for that vacancy until he agreed Tuesday to a long-term contract extension with the Cougars, where he is 83-44 with four 10-win seasons. McGuire, 34-17 in his fourth season, got a new contract that will pay him $6.5 million next season with $100,000 annual increases to $7.1 million by 2032. That replaces a six-year deal he got at the end of the 2022 season, also with $100,000 increases each year that would have topped out at $4.6 million in 2028.

The Nittany Lions began the year ranked No. 2 after advancing to last year’s CFP semifinals. They went 3-3 under interim coach Terry Smith and are currently awaiting a bowl assignment. Campbell signed a contract extension at Iowa State in August worth $5 million per year until 2032, with a buyout of $2 million.

LeBron’s double-digit scoring record now over LeBron James’ NBA-record run of 1,297 consecutive regularseason games with at least 10 points ended Thursday night at Toronto and he was the one who made the decision to have it end Instead of trying to score to win the game and extend his streak — he set up Rui Hachimura for the final shot.

Hachimura connected on a 3-pointer at the buzzer, James got the game-winning assist, and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Raptors 123-120.

James’ streak started Jan. 6, 2007, and lasted nearly two decades. It was, by far the longest such streak in NBA history, the next being Michael Jordan, who had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games

Commanders’ QB Daniels to start against Vikings

ASHBURN, Va. — Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will start Sunday at Minnesota after missing three games with a dislocated left elbow Daniels, the 2024 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year, got hurt in the final minutes of Washington’s 38-14 home loss against Seattle on Nov 2. Though the television replay prompted fear of a longterm concern, subsequent tests revealed Daniels did not suffer any significant structural damage.

The 2023 Heisman Trophy winner returned to practice on a limited basis last week and practiced in full on Thursday and Friday Coach Dan Quinn said Friday that the QB “threw a great week of practice” and has been cleared to play

Lions safety Branch has reportedly torn his Achilles DETROIT Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch tore his left Achilles tendon against the Dallas Cowboys, according to a person familiar with the situation.

Tests revealed the significant injury on Friday, the person told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the results were not announced.

Branch was hurt late in Detroit’s 44-30 win over Dallas on Thursday.

The injury is a major setback for the Lions, whose secondary is very banged up.

Free safety Thomas Harper, filling in for injured Kerby Joseph, suffered a concussion in the first quarter and wasn’t cleared to return and cornerback Terrion Arnold went on injured reserve earlier this week.

Young, Spaun part of 5-way tie in the Bahamas NASSAU,Bahamas U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun converted two of his three eagle chances, Cameron Young shot 30 on the back nine and Hideki Matsuyama was bogeyfree, all of them part of another five-way tie for the lead Friday in the Hero World Challenge.

Akshay Bhatia birdied the 18th for a 68 to join former U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark (68), Spaun (68), Matsuyama (66) and Young (64). They were at 10-under 134 at Albany Golf Club, where nearly half of the 20-man field was separated by two shots going into the weekend.

Spaun made only five eagles all season and then seized on the scoring holes. “Didn’t get a great start, but salvaged a pretty decent round,” Spaun said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DOUG MCSCHOOLER

Mendoza looks to pass the ball during

in West Lafayette, Ind.

LSUaddsthree highly ranked recruits

Five-starDLBrown amongsignees

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

LSU’s2026 recruiting class was builtthrough thedefensive trenches, and it was up to Lane Kiffin to keep it that way

That’swhatKiffin andhis staff accomplished Friday,the final day of the early signing period. LSU signed five-star defensive lineman Lamar Brown, four-star edge rusher Trenton Henderson and four-star defensive lineman Deuce Geralds, threeofthe 70 best players in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

The headliner on Friday was Brown, the No. 2player in America and the top recruit in Louisiana.

The University High star planned to sign with LSU on Wednesday, but Brown and five-star defensive lineman Richard Anderson’s agenttoldOn3 Sports that both recruits wouldnot sign their letters of intent with LSU during the early signing period

Anderson —who is an Edna Karr star and the No. 29 player in the nation and No. 2recruit in Louisiana —changedcourse Wednesday before LSU made his signing official Thursday.Brown waited five days to sign after his face-to-facemeeting with Kiffin on Sunday night.

Brown’sdelay in signing with LSU mostly had to do withthe uncertainty surrounding the defensive coaching staff after Kiffin’s arrival.

The former Ole Misscoach brought most of his offensive staff from Oxford to Baton Rouge, butquestions remainedastothe futures of defensive coordinator Blake Baker,secondary coach Corey Raymond and others asofFridayevening.Baker hastaken in-

U-High

Lamar Brown,shown

after blocking an extrapoint against Dunham in the RedstickRumble Jamboree on Aug. 28, signed withLSU on Friday

terviews for the open head coaching jobs at Tulane and Memphis, per WVUE-TV Alongwith the defensivestaff, LSUinterimcoach/recruitingcoordinator Frank Wilson’sfuture with the program is alsoupinthe air

Wilson, who built astrong rapport with Brown, worked under Kiffin at Tennessee and was seen meeting with him when he first arrived Sunday

“Our program here at LSU will be designedtop to bottom to be the No. 1destination for elite players in all of America,” Kiffin said. “That’swhy we’re here. Our immediate priority is assembling thebest staff in the country and securing toptalent.”

With Anderson,Brown,Geralds and Henderson, LSU has adefensive line class that is likely the most talented in modernprogram history

Anderson and Brown mark the first timeLSU has landed apair of five-star recruits on thedefensive lineinthe same classsince

247Sports began tracking recruiting rankings in 1999. The 2026 classisalso thefirst LSUclass to have four defensive linemen rankedamongthe top-100 players in thenation. Brown and Andersonwere the big names, but Henderson and Geraldswere also key additions. LSU reportedly fended off late recruiting surges from Ole Miss and Georgia Tech to land Geralds signature, per On3. With Henderson,Auburnallegedly made alate push Henderson,atop recruit at Pine ForestHigh in Pensacola, Florida, is theNo. 8edge rusher in the nation and the No. 7recruit in the state. Geralds is the No. 56 player in thenation and the No. 7recruit in Georgia. He attends CollinsHill High in Suwanee, Georgia.

LSUfinished theearly signing period withthe 13th-best recruitingclassinthe nation, but no school in the country had ahigher averageratingper recruit.Signing only 14 players held it back from cracking the top 10 of the

By BEN MCKEOWN

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

Darian Mensah throws over Wake Forestdefenders GabeKirschke, middle,and Dylan Hazen on SaturdayinDurham, N.C

Surprising Duke settoface Virginia in ACCtitle game

BYSTEVE REED Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C.— It’s the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game that was hard to imagine back in September— andone that could potentially complicate theCollege Football Playoff scenario.

Duke,byvirtueofwinning acomplicated five-team tiebreaker,will face No. 16

Virginia in Charlotte on Saturday night after both teams overcame steepoddsfor a chance to compete for their first ACC championship. Those on the College Football Playoff bubble will be keepinga close eye on this one. If Virginia (10-2, No. 17 CFP) wins, the Cavaliers will almost certainly earn aplayoff spot. Avictory by the unranked Blue Devils (7-5), a31/2-point underdog, opens up the possibility of the ACC being squeezed out of the 12team CFP entirely based on Tuesday night’srankings And then there’sascenario where both conference championshipcontenders could be shut out of theplayoffs while the conference’s top-rankedteam, No.12Miami (10-2, 6-2), gets in. Or,both Virginia and Mi-

ä ACCchampionship, Virginia vs.Duke. 7P.M. SATURDAy,ABC

ami could make it

That’sthe typeofstrange, unpredictable season it has been in the ACC, aconferencethathas largely been dominated by perennial national power Clemsonover the past decade.

Clemson, which has won eight of the past 10 ACC championships,entered the season as the overwhelming favorite to winitall behind Associated Press preseason first team All-American quarterback CadeKlubnik. ButDabo Swinney’s Tigers stumbled out of the blocks with back-to-back conference losses and never recovered, opening the door forother schoolstomake some noise.

Duke and Virginia, picked to finish sixthand 14th in the conference respectivelybefore the season, capitalized. The Cavaliers won their first outright regular-season championshipinschool history while the Blue Devils earned atrip to thetitle game despite five losses because of ahigher conference opponent winning percentagethan Miami,SMU, Pitt

andGeorgia Tech, theother teams that finished6-2 in ACC play

For Virginia, reaching the ACC title game in its fourth season under coach Tony Elliottrepresentsahuge step for theprogram.The Cavs were 5-7 last year

“I think it gives us confirmation. It gives us motivation. It gives us encouragement, alittlebit of validation that we’re definitely headed in theright direction to make this acompetitive rivalry and make Virginia aprogram of relevance locally andthenalso nationally,” Elliottsaid after the team clinched aberth in the championship game with a win over rival Virginia Tech last Saturday

The Blue Devils aren’t guaranteed aspot in the CFP even with awin, largely because of nonconference losses to Tulane and UConn. Duke coach Manny Diaz disagrees withthat scenario, saying theACC champion deservesa spot. “Wehavefive losses,and we wish we’d played better in those games,” Diaz said.

“But we lost to two 10-win teams, two nine-win teams and an eight-win team.Records have alot to do with schedules.

LSU BACKTRACKS ON RAISING SEASON-TICKET PRICES

LSU football season tickets will cost thesamein2026 as theydid this past season, the board of supervisorsand athletic department Saturday announced Friday.

It’sareversal from an October price hike.

“LSU has the best fans in thenation whoare passionate, loyaland loud. Because of that support, theLSU Board of Supervisors and LSU Athletics have decided that we will not raise the price of the football season ticket cost for next year,” the universitysaid in astatement.

As aresult of the proposed ticket price increase, LSUwould have pocketed more than $4.5 millioninadditional revenue, the school previously estimated.

Theincrease would have been appliedonspecificsections —“areas withhigh renewalrates and high secondarymarket values,”LSU said. LSU opens the 2026 season at homeagainst Clemson.

Jason Willis

national rankings.

LSUwent intoWednesday with 15 commitments, losing two pledges and adding one morebeforethe endofthe period. The Tigers lost four-star offensive lineman Bryson Cooley to Alabama and four-starsafety Dylan

PurtertoFlorida, but they also signed former Ole Miss commitment and four-star wide receiver Corey Barber

Additionally,justbefore the signing period started, LSU flippedthree commitments and lostthree pledges. Four-startight endJCAnderson, four-star wide receiverBrayden Allen and threestar offensive lineman Ryan Miret changed their commitments to cometoLSU. Anderson and Miret had been committedto KiffinatOle Miss, while Allen was an Oklahoma pledge

The pledges LSU lost included four-star wide receiver Kenny Darby,three-star offensive linemanJalan Chapmanand threestarwideoutKervin Johnson. Darbysigned with Kentucky on

Friday, while Chapmanand Johnsonbothsignedwith Ole Miss.

There is still alot of work to be done before Kiffin’steam is set for hisfirstseason in BatonRouge The transferportaldoesn’t open until Jan.2,and his coaching staff hasnot been finalized.

But for Kiffin, signing the No. 2 playerinthe nation andfourtop70 recruitsonthe defensive line was anicestart.

“Wehave big-picture thinking, too,” Kiffin said Monday.“We’re notreaching (and) we’re notsigning kids because they’re from this school or that school or anyofthat stuff, OK?

“I have zero concern about the interestofplayers withthat, because Iknow whatthe interest was of players nationally to come playfor us where we were just at, andnow whenyou putthat with this stadium and with that logo, I mean, (it) makes me want to get on the phone right now.”

Email Koki Rileyatkoki.riley@ theadvocate.com

Ex-SEC commissioner dies

BY EDDIE PELLS Associated Press

Pretty much every debate over who shouldplay for the national title, every argument about the staggering amounts of money, everyangry ti ra de abouthow college footballis nothing like what it used to be,traces back to aman whosaw alot of this coming,thenmade alot of it happen —Roy Kramer Kramer,the onetime football coach whobecame an athletic director at Vanderbilt,then, eventually,commissioner of the Southeastern Conference where he set the template for the multibillion-dollarbusiness collegesports would become, died Thursday in Vonore, Tennessee. He was 96.

Theman whocurrently holds hisformer job,Greg Sankey,said Kramer “will be remembered for his resolve through challenging times,his willingness to innovate in an industry driven by tradition and his unwavering belief in the value of student-athletes and education.”

Kramer helped transform his ownconference from the home base for a regional pastimeinto the leader of anational movementduring histenure as commissioner from 19902002. During that time, he reshaped the entire sport of college football by dreaming up the precursor to today’splayoffsystem —the Bowl Championship Series.

“He elevated this league and set the foundation” for Sankeyand Kramer’simmediate successor,Mike Slive, to build on, former Florida athletic director Jeremy Foley said.

Kramerwas thefirst to imagine aconferencetitle game, which divided his newly expanded 12-team league into divisions, then pitted the twochamps in a winner-take-all affair that generated millions in TV

revenue. The winner of the SEC title game often had an inside track to Kramer’s greatestcreation,the BCS, whichpivotedcollege football away from its long-held tradition of determining achampion via media and coaches’ polls.

Afour-team playoff replaced the BCS in 2014 and was expanded to 12 teams starting last season. One of Kramer’sfirst moves was to bring Arkansas of the Southwest Conference and independent South Carolina into the fold. Thatsmall expansion previewed aspasm of bigger reshufflings that continue to overrun thisindustry some35years later Kramer sold the rights to televise his newly created league titlegamefor five years to CBS for athenstaggering sum of $100 million. Alook at some numbers showswhatKramersaw before mostpeople: In his first year as commissioner,the SEC distributed $16.3 million to its member schools. In 2023-24, it was$808.4 million.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

defensive lineman

celebrating

SECCHAMPIONSHIP

ALABAMA GEORGIA

the SEC combined with 51 (LSU ranks fourth with 12).

Yes, everyone wantstomake it into the CFP,and that is the overriding goal. But if you don’tthink Kiffin and Krewe at LSU aren’t making this game agoal as well, you don’tknow Trinidad Chambliss from former Atlanta Braves hitter Chris Chambliss.

“It’sbeen agreat honor to play in” the SEC title game, Georgia coach Kirby Smart said. “Imean, to win SEC championships are one of the hardest things to do. You look how elusive they’ve been, how few programs have beenable to win them across the SEC.”

Winning SEC titles hasn’tbeen that hard for Georgia under Smart; they’ve done it three times, including last year’sdramatic 22-19 overtime victory against aTexas team making its maiden conferencevoyage.

SCOTTRABALAIS’

2

ypg rushing and has recorded190 or more yards on the ground in itspast three games.The Bulldogs must be good on the ground again. Quarterback Gunner Stockton has just one touchdown pass in the past twogames and threwfor only 70 yards against Georgia Tech. He also will work without injured center DrewBobo.

ATYPICAL ALABAMA Alackofa strong ground game (plus leading rusher Jam Miller is questionable) isn’t vintagechampionship Alabama. The Crimson Tide rode an explosive passing attack to Atlanta, with quarterback Ty Simpson throwing for 3,056 yards with 25 touchdowns with just four interceptions. Bama’spassing game withreceiversGermieBernard and Ryan Williams will have to be on point to best aGeorgia defense led by linebacker CJ Allen and 2024 SEC title game MVP Daylen Everette.

3

AND THEWINNER IS Georgiais116-20 under KirbySmart, but Alabama has been the Bulldogs’ Kryptonite with a7-1 record against UGAunder Smart. Statistically,this game is basically adead heat.And despite the factthe game is in Atlanta, the crowd should be pretty even as well.We’ll go with Georgiatowin the rematch (Bama won24-21 in Athens) because the Bulldogswill be able to runthe ball and keep it away from the Crimson Tide’sdangerous offense.

GEORGIA24,ALABAMA 21.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByVASHAHUNT

Georgia coachKirbySmart,left, and Alabamacoach Kalen DeBoer meet at midfield before agame on Sept. 28, 2024, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Both coaches will face each other again on Saturday at the SEC championship

Georgiaaimstoovercome itsone bugaboo: Alabama

BY CHARLES ODUM AP sportswriter

ATLANTA— After No. 3Georgia closed an 11-1 regular season with its eighth straight win over Georgia Tech last week, coach

Kirby Smart was asked about his seniorclass dominatingits toprivals through four seasons.

Smart replied with areminder thatGeorgia Tech, Florida, Auburn and Tennesseedonot form acomplete list of the Bulldogs’ biggest rivals.

“You know,there’s other ones out there we haven’tbeat,” Smart said.

Smart didn’t mentionNo. 10 Alabama, buthedidn’thave to.

Georgia players understand there’sunfinished businesswaiting in Saturday’sSoutheastern Conference championship game.

Awin over Alabama (10-2, No. 9 CFP) is theglaring omission on theGeorgia seniors’ four-year 50-5 record that includes the2022 national championship and two SEC titles.

“Everybody knowsthe history of Georgia-Alabama,” Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton said. “I mean, it’sthere.” There are reminders everywhere. Even in the pregame me-

Winning against Alabama has been hard. Forall of its success under Smart —116 total victories, those three SECtitles andtwo national championships —beating Alabama has been exceedingly rare. Smart’sDawgs are only 1-7 against theCrimson Tide. Yes, you can say he was 1-5 against Nick Saban’sAlabama teams. Join the club. But his teams are also 0-2 against DeBoer’sBammers, including a24-21 loss on Sept.27inAthens in which Georgia never led. Georgia is also 0-4 against Alabamainthisgame. Three of thefourhavebeen decided by atouchdown or less, but that doesn’tmakethe stone wall the Bulldogshavebeen bashing themselves against any less hard. Smart downplayedthe advantages/disadvantages of arematch from the regular season.

“Both teamshave thesame tape,” he said. “Both teamshave acommon threadthat we played each other.I think sometimes coaches overdo it, overthink it

dia notes prepared by Georgia (No. 3CFP), there is arecap of the seriestitled “The Elephant In The Room.”

Alabama casts ashadow Georgia has struggled to escape.

“Like,the team is pretty aware,” linebacker Raylen Wilson said.

With each team trying to improve its national championship hopes as well as claim the SEC title, there is more on theline than just theseries history between theconference powers.

“It’sdefinitely going to be a great battle, one for the centuries, like it alwaysiswhenAlabama andGeorgia play,” Alabama nose tackle TimKeenan said.

Alabama will play for itsfirst title with coach Kalen DeBoer Alabama beat Georgia forits seventh SEC championship in 2023 with former coach Nick Saban.

Georgia fell to 1-7against Alabama under Smart with a 24-21 loss on Sept. 27. It was the Bulldogs’ firsthome loss in six years. The Bulldogs are 0-3 in the series in the last fouryears, including a27-24 loss in the 2023 SEC championship game when Georgia was No. 1, undefeated and comingoff back-to-

back national championships.

Awin Saturday would give Alabama atwo-game sweep of the Bulldogs this season, with both games in thestate of Georgia.

“We’re notevenworried about having bragging rights or anything,” Alabama linebacker Deontae Lawson said. “Wejust know this is anothersteppingstone on our way to get to where we wanttogo. That’sreally our main focus.”

Georgia hasnot topped the Crimson Tide since a33-18 win in the 2021 national championship gamefor its first title in 41 years. Each team entersSaturday’s gameatMercedes-Benz Stadium motivated to improve its chances in this year’sCollege Football Playoff. Georgia will be playing to protect its position for afirstround bye

Alabama wants to avoid athird loss that could endangerits spot in the 12-team field. The Crimson Tide’smove up onespotinthis week’sCFP ranking may mean Alabama will make the playoff field even with aloss to Georgia, but whymakethe committee make thatcall?

“Man, Ifeel like honestly we’ve kind of had that mindsetever since our first loss,” Lawson said.

Ijust think it boils down to who blocks, who tackles, who prepares the best, who mentally prepares the best, who handles it thebest.” Whenthe season began, Alabama lookedlike anything but achampionshipcontender. The CrimsonTide was left crimson

with embarrassment after getting run off thefield31-17 by a Florida State team that went 2-10 in 2024 —and would wind up 5-7this season.DeBoer’s bunch looked soft, andhis railwas being preparedfor him to be run outof Tuscaloosa on

ButBama bounced back.The Tide went 4-1against ranked teams— losing somewhat inexplicably 23-21 to an Oklahoma team it outgained406-212. Only ablowout loss to Georgia,which appears unlikely,islikely to keep Alabama outofthe CFP.

“Allofour experiences that have shaped whatthis team is, howwe’vecome through, only make us believe even more, give us that much moreconfidence,” DeBoer said. There was adistraction earlier in theweek that DeBoer was being sizedupfor thePennState job,though that search ended Fridaywiththe announcementof Iowa State coach Matt Campbell to theNittanyLions. DeBoer doesn’t want to be thefirst Alabama coach to lose to Georgia in this particulargame.

That’sbecause it’s forthe SEC championship.

“I believe there still is validity” in this game, SEC commissioner Greg Sankeysaid. You’dbetter believe it

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByVASHAHUNT

Alabama quarterback Ty Simpsonlooks to make apass against Oklahoma on Nov. 15 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Saints safety Burgessready for‘second chance’

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Terrell Burgess had been outof football for almost ayear when he received acall from the New Orleans Saints thispastoffseason. Having coached the safety when Burgess was arookie, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley wasn’tconcerned about the inactivity.Hewasn’tbothered by how Burgess had gotten “lost,” bouncing from team to team since they last workedtogether on the Los AngelesRams. Staley instead thought back to his initial impression of the former 2020 third-round pick.

Staley remembered aversatile rookie withgreat coverage skills who easilyfit in on one of the best defenses incollege at Utahand then again for the league’stoprated defense in Los Angeles.

“Sometimes, you just need asecond chance at it,” Staley said. “And going to the right fit. …Hewas hungry.Hewas humble.” Burgess’ second chance withStaleyhas led him to Sunday,when he’sset to start in place of an injured Justin Reid (knee) on the road against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’ll be just thesixth start ofhis career in 54 games, ajourney that hasnow spanned five teams. His opportunity,too, marks another way theSaints have hadtoadapt at safety this season. Originally,the Saintssigned Reid to athree-year,$31.5 milliondealand ex-

DUNCAN

Continued from page1C

Tulane and its student body to come down from the cloudsafter the milestone victory,one of the biggest and most significant in schoolhistory

It was one of those magical nights where everything went Tulane’sway.Every break and bounce of the ball, each replay review and official’scall.Awayward Tulane punt bounced off the backside of aNorth Texas player inside his team’s20-yard line, gift-wrapping atouchdown to the Green Wave. Atipped pass found the waiting arms of Tulane linebacker Chris Rodgers, who returned it 35 yards for another touchdown. It was that kind of night. North Texas scored atouchdown on its opening drive,then watched the Green Wave reel off 31 unanswered points to seize command and remove all drama from the contest.

Even Mother Nature appeared to be wearing olive and blue Shortly after Tulane opened up a 17-7 lead in the second quarter, the heavens opened and swamped North Texas’ offense, which entered the game ranked No.1 in the nation in scoring and total offense. Not that the Tulane defense needed much help. The Green Wave sackedNorth Texas’ splendidfreshmen quarterback, Drew Mestemaker,five times andintercepted him three other times to fuel the onslaught. They added two fumble recoveries to the ledger.

Thedefensive effort, combined with abalanced and efficientoffensive attack led by running back Jamauri McClure’s121 yards rushing, was more than enough for the Green Wave to record its five consecutive win and fourth straight by adouble-digit margin. If the Tulane defense can carry over its performance to theCFP,

TULANE

Continued from page1C

returned it to the NorthTexas 37. The Wave needed two plays to take the lead for good. Redshirt freshman running back Jamauri McClure powered his way for 30 yards, driving apile back for the final 10 with the help of his offensive linemen. McClure then took ahandoffand cut to his right immediately,cruising into the end zone with 12:29 left in the second quarter. Defensive linemen SantanaHopper and Harvey Dyson dropped Mestemaker on aseries that lost 17 yards. Hopper sacked himagain to force apunt on the next series. Only an off-targetpass from Jake Retzlaff on thirdand 2from the North Texas 12 stopped adrivethat ended in a30-yard Patrick Durkin fieldgoal for a17-7 Tulane lead.

Tchienchou then grabbed a muffed puntthat hit off the backside of aNorth Texas up man at the North Texas 13 with 50 seconds left in the half, setting up Retzlaff’s tush-push sneakonfourth andgoal from inside the 1astime ran out. The play was reviewed and upheld, allowing Tulane to go up 24-7 at halftime. The real clincher came on the

ä Saints at Buccaneers SUNDAy,NOON, CBS

pected to pair himwithTyrannMathieu.

Butonce Mathieu unexpectedly retired before training camp, theSaintsbrought in veteranJulian Blackmon —who lasted just onegame before suffering aseasonendinginjury that paved the way for rookie Jonas Sanker

Burgess has been ready through it all.

Despite not making the team’sinitial 53manroster,the safety hada strongtrainingcamp that was slowed by his own hamstring injury.After joining the practice squad following cuts, Burgess didn’thave to wait long before he was signed to the active roster two weeks into the season.

Until the Miamigame, when he replaced Reid, Burgess hadplayed sparinglybut always seemed to make apositive impact.

At the lectern this week,coach Kellen Moore said that’sareflection of the veteran’spreparation. He pointed to Burgess’ lone snap two weeksago against the Atlanta Falcons, when he broke up apasson third down to forceapunt.And how Burgess came offthe bench for apivotalpass breakup on aflea flickerinNew Orleans’ Week 5win over the New York Giants

“Yeah,it’sa 53-man roster —wereally sawhim, viewed him as (player)54then,” Moore said. “Because he was readytogo from the beginning. He’sjust the ultimate pro, the ultimate vet.”

Told of Moore’scomments, Burgess’

eyes lit up at his locker.That’show he felt throughout camp, the safety said. Even though he wasinitially part of cuts, Burgess was excited for any rolewith the Saints.

He admitted he didn’tknow whether he’d receive anotheropportunity after the Buffalo Bills released him with an injurysettlement just before the start of the 2024 season.

The Saints called in May to request atryout.

Burgesswould have worked outfor anyteam, but there was something extrameaningful about reuniting withStaley.He credited the coordinator for helping himgrowasa player,sayinghelearned to play quarters coveragein the NFL because of Staley He hadn’tplayed the concept at all in Utah,hesaid.The Utes primarily ran aman-to-man defense.

“He’sdefinitely somebody that always had belief in me,” Burgess said. “Asathletes, from when you’re akid to when you’re up at the highest level now,Ithink (there’s) something about acoach believing in you that’sgoing to help you play better.”

Burgess wasone of ahandful of players with ties to Staley thatthe

theGreen Wave will prove to be ahandfulfor whoever they play It’ll take that kindofeffort for them to avoid aone-and-done.

Still, that Tulane reached college football’smost prestigious event with its head coach already workingpart-time forthe University of Florida and beforetraditionalpowers like Southern Cal, Florida, Nebraska, Tennessee and Miami have earned aspot in the tournament is oneofthe best stories in college football.

It’scertainly THE story for local fans, who otherwise haven’thad much to cheer for this football season.

There was atime not long ago when the notion of Tulane making it to the big football dance would have been folly.But the Green Wave programhas gradually built towards thismoment over thelast half-decade, accu-

Mean’s Green first possession of thethird quarter when linebacker Chris Rodgers intercepted adeflected fourth-down passand returned it 35 yards for atouchdown That score was reviewed after Mestemaker forced afumble as Rodgers crossed the goal line, but the call on the field was upheld again.

Mestemaker tossed another interception on first and goal from theTulane 2the next time North Texas had the ball,throwing behind open receiver Wyatt Young in the endzone. The ball deflected off Young’shands to Tchienchou, who was named the game’sMVP, just across the goal line. North Texas, whichhad scored 30-plus pointsinevery game, did not reach double digits until Mestemaker’s59-yardhook-up with Miles Coleman 19 seconds before theend ofthe third quarter.Cornerback Isaiah Wadsworth broke up atwo-point conversion,preserving athree-score lead at 31-13.

The Wave had afew nervous momentswhenthe Mean Green converted afourthand 7onan88-yard drive that took only 2:54 and made atwo-point conversion to cutthe deficitto31-21 with 9:26 left, but theanxiety didnot lastlong.

ARetzlaff third-down pass went right through the hands of adefensivebackand to receiver Zycarl

mulating bowl wins, conference championships and victories over Power Fourprogramstobolster its confidence and itsbona fides.

“This is afootball school,” Sumrall said. “I’m so proud of this university.”

The win meansatleast another two weeksofdouble duty for Sumrall, who plans to travel to Floridafor three days next week to mindbusiness at UF before returning to New Orleanson Tuesday to begin preparations at Tulane for the CFP

“I love these guys, and I’m so proud of this team,” Sumrall said during thepostgame trophy ceremony.“We’regoing to stick around and finish the job.”

Sumrall gladly will wait tostart his Floridaresidency.Heand his staff have morework to do. The biggest gameinTulane history awaits.

Lewis, moving the chains at the beginning of the next drive.After an interference penaltygave the Wave 15 yards, eight straight runs and aDurkin field goal took all but 2:51 off the clock.

Mestemaker tossedanother interception in theend zone in the final minute, giving him six picks in his two defeatsand only one in his 11 wins.

“There’snoway to turn theball over fivetimes against ateam like this and expect to win,” North Texas coach Eric Morris said. “That was aformula for losing.”

Retzlaff had aquiet passing day, going 13 of 22 for 145 yards, but he added two more rushing touchdowns, padding his school-record total for aquarterback to16. McClure —the fifth-stringrunning back until lateinthe season —had 121 yards rushing on 22 attempts.

Mestemaker’s294 yards passing weremostly empty,with alarge share coming after North Texas fell behind 31-7.

The Mean Green rushed for only 121 yards after averaging more than 200 in its pastsix games. Running back Caleb Hawkins,the league rookie of the year,got dinged on his shoulder on the opening possesion, triedtoplay through it but was ruled out for thesecond half.

Saintsbrought in before the season, joining edge rusher Chris Rumphand defensive tackles Jonathan Bullardand Jonah Williams. All of them have carved out roles throughout the year —with Burgessbeing the latest. “He’s performedexactly like he did back then (with the Rams),” Staley said. “We’re glad we have him.”

Email Matthew Paras at matt.paras@theadvocate. com

Saints willingtoallow

BY MATTHEW PARAS and LUKE JOHNSON Staffwriters

If the New Orleans Saints have to attempt agame-winning kick in Sunday’sgame against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, special teams coordinator Phil Galiano revealed the range from which they’d be willing to send kicker Charlie Smyth out there.

And it’sadoozy Galiano said Thursday he told coach Kellen Moore during last week’sloss to the Miami Dolphins that he’d be comfortable with Smyth attempting akick from the 50 —asinthe 50-yard line. That would equate to a68yard field goal, which, if made, would tie the NFL record.

Smyth, who made his professional debut last week, made his lone attempt of 56 yards against Miami. But the Ireland native has demonstrated that he has quite the leg in practice, notably making a65-yarder during apractice at Tulane in 2024. He also hit a66-yarder in warmups before the Dolphins game.

“Wealways talk about what our line is in anormal field goal range and if it’sthe last kick of the half, or of the game, and I felt confident if we were on the 45 (yard line) or in, then we can kick afieldgoal in anormal situation,” Galiano said. “And then if it was goingtobethe last kick of thegame, Itold Kellen if we can getthe ball to the 50, we can kickit.” Jacksonville kicker Cam Little broke theleague’srecordfor longestkicklastmonth when he drilleda68-yarderagainst the Las VegasRaiders. Little also hit a70-yarderduring the preseason. Smyth has been on the Saints practicesquadfor the past two seasons,taking up aspot as part of the league’s International Pathway Program. But he became the Saints new kicker afterthe team waived BlakeGrupe last week. Galiano said he was pleased with Smyth’sfirst outing, which also included thekicker hitting an onside kickthat the Saintsrecovered Galiano also said Smyth’s 56-yarderwouldhavelikely still beengoodevenifitwas attemptedfromafarther distance. “I wouldhave said (from) 70, and that’sjustmelooking at it,” Galiano said.

3startersout

Three keySaints starters will not play against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and another is questionable for the game. The Saints ruled out running back Alvin Kamara (knee), offensive tackle Taliese Fuaga (ankle) and safety Justin Reid (knee) for Sunday’s game in TampaBay Wide receiver Chris Olave (back) is questionable.

This will mark the second consecutive game missed by

Kamara, who has not practiced since the Friday before he injured his knee in the first quarter against the Atlanta Falcons.

Rookie DevinNeal handled the primary running back duties last week in Kamara’sabsence, rushing for 47 yards on 14 carries against the Miami Dolphins.

Reid suffered his knee injury on the first play from scrimmage against Miami. Neither he nor Fuaga practiced this week. After playing nearly every offensive snap as arookie, Fuaga will miss his fourth gamedue to injuries this season. He missed the Week 3gameagainst the Seattle Seahawks with knee and back injuries, then missed Weeks 10 and 12 with an injury to the opposite ankle that he’scurrently dealing with. Olave missed Wednesday’s practice with aback injury that first cropped up aweek prior,but he returned to the field for the subsequent Thursday and Friday sessions. He was also questionable for last week’sgame in Miami, but he played nearly 90% of the Saints offensive snaps in that contest.

Rookie safety Jonas Sanker, who popped up on the injury report Thursday with ahead injury,was afull participant in Friday’spractice.

No Mike Evans

TampaBay receiver Mike Evans will not make his return from injured reserve against the Saints. Evans, who last season clinched his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season on the final play of aWeek 18 game against the Saints, has only appeared in four games this season. He has been on injured reserve since he suffered a broken collarbone in Week 7 against the Detroit Lions. In 21 career games against the Saints, Evans has caught 72 passes for 1,083 yards and five touchdowns.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Tulane linebacker Chris Rodgers gets the ball from NorthTexas during thesecond half of the American Conference championship on Friday at yulman Stadium.

AP PHOTO By LyNNE SLADKy Saints kicker Charlie Smyth kicks a field goal during agame against the Miami Dolphins Sunday in Miami Gardens, Fla

Saints safety Terrell Burgess

AP FILE

PHOTO By RUSTy JONES

THE VARSITYZONE

wide receiver DerrickBennett attempts to evade atackle during aDivision Iselect semifinal game against John Curtis on FridayatTad GormleyStadium.

All48minutes

St.Aug scores with no time remainingto stun Curtis

BY DARRELL WILLIAMS

Contributing writer

St. Augustine senior quarterback Vashaun Coulon threw two second-halfinterceptions that all but sucked the momentum out of the Purple Knights in their Division I select semifinal game against John Curtis on Friday at TadGormley Stadium.

But after Curtis scoredthe goahead touchdown with 39 seconds left, Coulon had time for redemption.

Coulon took over at the St. Augustine 30 and went 70 yardsinsix plays, capped by a3-yard touchdown pass to receiver Derrick Bennettwith no time left on the clock, to give the Purple Knightsa heart-stopping 31-29 victory over Curtis.

Thevictory sends No.3-seeded St. Augustine (12-1) into the state championship game next week against No. 1seed and reigning champion Karr in arematch between the district rivals

It is the first football state championship appearance for St. Augustine, astate power in the 1970s, since 1979.

“I’m just super excited for the kids,”St. Augustinecoach Robert Valdez said. “This came down to the last second. I’m just lost for words I’m so excited.”

Coulon completeda pass to running back Khilil Lewis for afirst down to the 43,then completed short passes to Bennett. Apass interference call on athrow intended for Bennett put the Knights at the Curtis 23 with 15 secondsleft Coulon scrambledtothe 10, where he ran out of bounds with 11 seconds left. The next play,a pass to receiver VerchaunSimms, went to the 3with four seconds left,where it was ruled he went out of bounds.

Patriots coach J.T.Curtis dis-

Karr’s four takeaways toomuchfor Catholic

BY CHRISTOPHERDABE Staff writer

The Catholic-Baton Rouge ball carrier had what looked to be a clear path to the end zone when Edna Karr linebacker Kylon Jones put his arms around him and Ronell Kindell knocked the ball loose.

That takeawaybythe Karr defense was its fourth of the game and sealed a17-10 victory Friday at Morris F.X. Jeff Sr.Stadium in Algiers that advanced the topseeded Cougars (13-0) back to the LHSAA Division Iselect state final next week at theCaesars Superdome. Defensive endRomeo Brown recoveredthe football that let Karr regain possession with 1:27 remaining, and senior running back TreGarrison (26 carries, 121 yards) ran 12 yards for the first down that allowed the Cougars to kneel out theclock. Catholic (10-3) hadthe ball at the Karr 20 afterapassinterference call on fourth down let the visiting Bears keep possession, but thenextplayresulted in the fumble that all but sealed the win for Karr

Karr will face St. Augustine in the state final —arematch from when the Cougars won 42-21 in theregular season.

“Week 15 again, at 4400, that sounds good to me,” Karr coach Brice Brownsaid in reference to the General Meyer Avenue address for the high school. Karr and Catholic played a closely contended semifinal for the second year in arow after last season’sgame resulted in a21-19 victoryfor the Cougars on their way to winning aseventh state championship.

In this one, Karrquarterback JohnJohnsonran for onetouchdownand threw foranother,all before halftime, as neither team scored after the break.

The other three Karr takeaways came on interceptions, the first two by Maurice Williamsjust before halftime and LSU signee AidenHallonanunderthrown pass near the goal line.

Jones, whowrapped up the ball carrier that led to the fumble, caught apass tipped by defensive tackle Richard Anderson —another LSU signee —for the other takeaway

Another key play cameona fourth-downstopdeepinKarr territory when quarterback Baylor Graves tried to escape pressure and threw incomplete to the end zone.

“Turnovers —ina margin-of-error game, aone-possession game —things like that are going to make abig difference,”Catholic coach Hudson Fuller said. The lead changedhandsthree times before halftime. Karrsenior Xavier Owens caught a36yard pass to the end zone for a 7-3lead late in thefirst quarter Catholic responded when Graves scored on a36-yard keeper around the left end. Johnson put the Cougars back in front with an 11-yard keeper up the right sideline fora14-10 lead.

Karr took a17-10 lead into halftimewhen Brayan Castellon kicked a25-yard field goal with less than aminute remaining. Karr wonwith14players on the field who signedwithDivisionI collegesonWednesdayagainst a Catholic team that also hadOhio State signee Blaine Bradford on defense along with UL signee Harrison Kidder at linebacker

agreed that he made it out of bounds

“After (Simms) caught thepass, his butt hits theground, then he slid outofbounds,” said Curtis, inferring theclock should have continued to run On thenextplay, Coulon passed to Bennettwith no time left on the clock for atouchdown.

“I knew Icoulddepend on my receivers,” Coulon said. “I calledan out pass. It was adouble-move, a slant (inside), then an out.”

It markedthe second time this season the Knights bestedthe Patriots, whohave won 27 state titles, the most recent coming in 2022.

St.Aug beatCurtis 55-28 on Nov.7 during the regular season. The Knights’ only lossthisseason came to Karr,42-21, on Oct. 3. St.Augustine’swinning streak has reached eight games since then.

“Wedid whatwehad to do; we just didn’tmake aplay (onthe final St. Aug drive),” Curtissaid. “I’d say the difference in this game was(St.Augustine’s) quarterback andhis passing.”

The Knights took a25-22 lead on a7-yard run up the middle by running back Cohann Davis with 6:59 left in the game. Curtis,the No. 7seed and third-place finisher

in District 9-5A,thentook the ensuing kickoff and went 69 yards. Quarterback London Padgett’s18yard touchdownpasstorunning back Jarvis Stevensonwith 39 seconds left put Curtis ahead. Curtiswon its first eight games of theseason before losingbackto-back to Karrand St.Aug to end theregular season.The Patriots then beat St.ThomasMorein the playoffs before stunning No. 2seed Tuerlings Catholic in the quarterfinals. The Purple Knightsled 13-7 at halftime after a77-yarddrive on their first possession and on ahuge scoring play.After Curtispunted at the 10:26 mark of thefirst quarter,the Knightsembarked on a10play march thatended on Lewis’ 1-yard plunge at the6:10 markfor aquick lead.

St. Augustine stretched the lead to 13-0after thePatriots fumbled. Twoplays later,Coulon found Bennettopen for a10-yard pass on the ride side.Bennett, however,eluded one defender then raced the remaining distance fora55-yard scoring play at 1:55 of the first Curtis then wentona 20-play drive that covered 67 yards. Padgett’s1-yard touchdown run at the5:03 markthe score to 13-7.

Riversidepulls away in second half

BY ANDREW VALENTI

Contributing writer

No. 2Riverside is headed back to the Caesars Superdome.

The Rebels held aone-touchdown lead at halftime,and running back Jayden Obiekwe found the end zone four times after intermission to lead his team to a42-14 win against No. 6Ascension Episcopal in aDivision IV select semifinal game at Mickey Roussel Field on Friday night. Riverside (11-1) will make its second state championship appearance in three years when it was the runner-up in2023. TheRebels will play No. 5Ascension Catholic in the championship game on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. Riverside hasnot wona state title since 2016 “This is the standard andthe goal when youtakethe jobhere,”Riverside coach Lee Roussel said.“This is not something that just happens

It’salot of hard work from these kids, andevery group is different This is asmallersenior group, but it’sreally heavy on senior leadership.That’swhy we’re at this point we’re in.”

Ascension Episcopal (11-2) knotted up thescore at 14-14 after DJ Kelly scored on a1-yard touchdown runwith 4:21 left in the third quarter

That’swhen Obiekwe took over Thesenior raced past defenders for a50-yard touchdown on Riverside’s next possessionfor the21-14 lead with 1:51 left in the third quarter.Obiekwealsoscoredonruns of 7, 12 and 32 yardsfor the Rebels to endthe game. He finishedthe game with 278 yards and sixtouchdowns on 36 carries.

“I was really frustrated, and my coach told me we hada lot of game left to play,” Obiekwe said. “I want to thank God for everything he does for me. Once my offensive line blocked,and

the defense made plays, we just executed.”

TheRiverside defense heldthe Blue Gators to 207 yards of totaloffense and39yards on theground. Ascension Episcopal’s dual-threat quarterback Branon Mitchell was held in check with 165 yards passingwitha touchdownand twointerceptions. Mitchell hada 20-yard touchdown pass to Preston Peebles that tied the game at 7-7 with 5:13 left before halftime. Friday wasanother slow start for theRebels before pulling away like in their quarterfinal game against Ouachita Christian last week. Ouachita Christian scored on the third play from scrimmage before Riverside won 38-14.

“I think this group is tough,” Roussel said. “I know that word can mean alot of things. Youcan easily tank it and pout and feel sorry for yourself. When things don’t go great,that’s this team. They respond.

Shaw returnstotitle game with ashutout

BY JIM DERRY

Contributingwriter

Coming offa state championship that featurednearly an entire offense full of seniors, no one legitimately gave Shaw achance to makeitback to the Caesars Superdome for achance to defend its Division II select title.

Andwemean no one outside of those wearing green and white on thestreets of Marrero. Even someofthem didn’tbelieve.

What those people forgot about was that the state championship defense remained mostly intact, which meant everything on the road Friday night in the state semifinals.

On acoldand rainynight at Buddy Marcello Stadium,the No. 7Eagles stuffed No. 6Vandebilt Catholic 27-0 to advance. The victorymarks the first timeinHank Tierney’s40-plus years of coaching he will manthe sidelines in the Superdomeinback-to-back seasons.

“It should have happened five times.That’sbad coaching by me,” Tierneyjoked.“Seriously,I am so happyfor thesekids, this school, the program. It’sbeen a really great run.”

As fantastic as the defense was for Shaw (9-4) —itallowed just 58 total yards to the Terriers through three quarters —itled just 3-0 at halftime. Shaw missed an opportunity to score just before intermission, but there was plenty of confusion with the clock on the final twoplays.

The Eagles thought they should have had onemoreplay from the 2-yard line, but the officials ruled timeexpired on an incomplete pass. They took it out on their opponent to start the second half by goingonan11-play,40-yard drive

that ate up nearlyhalfofthe third quarter,and DeAndree Franklin scored the first of his twotouchdowns.

Considering Vandebilt Catholic (11-2) neverran asingle playin Shawterritory after that, the only question wasthe final score. If thatwasn’tenough, junior Ethan Lentz picked off twoEthan Heneypasses, includingone fora touchdownfor the cherry on top.

“(The defense) had afew meetings at the beginning of the season and said we needed to step up,” said Lentz, whofinished off his third multi-interception game of the season. “Weplayed together as ateam. Sometimes ouroffense struggles, and sometimes the defense struggles. We know we are going to have each other’s backs.”

In all, the defense allowed just 48 yards rushing to ateam that had scored 30 points or more in seven of its 13 games this season, including bothprevious playoff matchups.

TheEaglessentamessage early,not allowing afirstdown until the 8:11 markofthe second quarter

“Wehad atremendous challenge, and they have aheck of a quarterback,” Shaw defensive coordinator Adam Giglio said. “He has played really good football all year.They have agreat offensive line and agreat coach. Our boys stepped off the bus knowing they were in forafight, and they went outand didwhattheyneededto do.”

Shaw now has arematch with district rival St. Charles in next week’s Division II select title game. The last timethe teams played, the Comets won 24-0 and allowed 11 total yards of offense.

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

St. Augustine

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

St. Augustine defensiveend Jacques Robichaux cries in his father’sarms after the Purple Knights wontheir game on Friday

THE VARSITY ZONE

Easton lineman chooses Ole Miss

Chapman previously had been committed to LSU

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Warren Easton offensive lineman Jalan Chapman made Ole Miss his future home and celebrated that decision on the final day of the early signing period Friday at the high school. The former LSU commitment reopened his recruitment early in the week and heard from Ole Miss coach Pete Golding and offensive line coach John Garrison on Tuesday. Chapman, a four-year varsity starter at multiple spots on the offensive line, switched schools amid the coaching staff change with head coach Lane Kiffin arriving in Baton Rouge in place of fired head coach Brian Kelly Chapman said the new coaching staff “wanted to go another way”

and that “they’re going to pick up who they want to pick up,” adding that “you pick your shoulders up, poke your chest out and move on.” Chapman first spoke with Garrison on Tuesday, and “he was like, ‘We know the unfortunate circum-

stances (with LSU), but we got a place up here for you, so are you coming to be a Rebel or what?’”

Easton coach Jerry Phillips described the 6-foot-4, 305-pound Chapman as a “mauler” who “plays angry,” and that “when he

PREP REPORT

University High falls short in overtime to St. Charles

Comets block extra-point attempt to force overtime

BY SPENCER URQUHART

Staff writer

St. Charles and University High went to overtime in the postseason for the second time in three years, and St. Charles was able to prevail again.

U-High was trailing St Charles by 13 points at halftime on Friday during a Division II select semifinals matchup at Frank Monica Field in LaPlace but staged a second-half comeback to force overtime. St. Charles got the ball first in overtime and scored a touchdown, which was all it needed in a 34-27 overtime win. St. Charles’ defense came up with a fourth-down stand in overtime to end U-High’s season and advance to the state championship game. Comets quarterback Landree LeBlanc found the end zone from 10 yards out in overtime, finishing with 121 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns.

“(The state championship game) is the standard here,” St. Charles coach Wayne Stein said “Our kids know that’s the expec-

tation, and they found a way to get it done. (U-High’s) offense kind of us got us playing on our heels, but then our defense really dug in.”

U-High quarterback Ethan McGlynn found wide receiver Lawson Dixon for a 47-yard touchdown with 1:30 to go in regulation to tie the game at 27. St. Charles blocked the extra-point attempt, leading to overtime

“We got back in it, but (St Charles) blocked an extra point, which was big,” U-High coach Andy Martin said. “We would’ve probably taken the lead there and it would’ve been our first lead. It was a big point in the game there that I wish we would’ve had.”

LeBlanc set the tone with a 23-yard touchdown run on St. Charles’ first drive of the game to put the Comets up by seven early St. Charles kicker Tyler Milioto was responsible for the next six points with field goals from 33 and 32 yards out to go up 13-0.

Evan Duffour caught a 3-yard pass from LeBlanc to put St. Charles up by 20. U-High cut the lead to 13 before halftime after quarterback Ethan McGlynn found the end zone from 17 yards out

McGlynn completed 17 of 22 passes for 163 and a touchdown, and Dixon was U-High’s leading

receiver with eight catches for 114 yards.

U-High scored the first points of the second half when Corbin Odell found the end zone on a 2-yard run. St. Charles quickly answered with a 39-yard touchdown run by LeBlanc, who completed 12 of 18 passes for 85 yards and played a part in all four Comets touchdowns.

Odell found the end zone again from 18 yards out to cut the St. Charles lead to six points. He finished with 36 rushing yards on nine carries, with Ingram finishing as U-High’s lead rusher with 105 yards on 18 carries.

Duffour was St Charles’ lead receiver with 39 yards on three catches. Skyler Edwards finished with 64 rushing yards on 19 caries for the Comets along with five catches for 20 yards.

No. 1-seeded St. Charles (121) will face the defending state champion Shaw, the No. 7 seed in Division II select. It will be a rematch from the regular season, which St. Charles won 24-0.

No 4-seeded U-High’s season ends with a 10-3 record.

“Can’t say enough about this group,” Martin said. “The senior class was amazing.”

Email Spencer Urquhart at surquhart@theadvocate.com.

LSU DC Baker staying on Kiffin’s staff

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker is staying on the Tigers’ staff under head coach Lane Kiffin after receiving head coaching interest, Kiffin confirmed

Conference championship game against North Texas. Baker is entering the last year of the three-year, $2.5 million deal he signed upon coming to LSU from Missouri He restored LSU’s defense over the past two years, and the Tigers ended the regular season ranked 15th nationally in scoring defense after allowing 18.3 points per game. LSU likely won’t undergo much change on the defensive side of the ball now that Baker has decided to stay, other than the interior defensive line.

first walked through the doors (at Easton), he was the man.”

The four-year starter made his first start as a freshman against eventual state runner-up Ruston and frequently showed his aggressiveness on the field.

Phillips recalled one play when Chapman was a sophomore where he “took a kid and drove him like 15, 20 yards down the field, and then like, dumped him, like something you see on ‘The Blind Side,’” Phillips said in reference to the movie about former Ole Miss and NFL lineman Michael Oher

“He got a penalty for that, saying he was too aggressive,” Phillips said. “I’m like it’s football.

That’s just who he is. Off the field, he’s kind-hearted, you won’t even know he’s in the room. On the field, he’s a monster.” Chapman did not play a full season the last two years because of a meniscus tear in the fourth game of his junior year and a broken hand in the sixth game as a senior He tried to play with a cast on the hand, but the cast broke, and Phillips said he decided Chapman

should end the season there.

“At the end of the day, of course we wanted him to play,” Phillips said, adding that “I’m one of those coaches that sees the big picture, and the big picture is this,” he said as he motioned toward the signingday celebration held Friday in the Easton library Chapman began playing football at age 9 at Joe Brown Park and started to realize his potential at age 13 when he played for the New Orleans Dolphins travel team, he said.

“That’s what I love about the sport,” Chapman said about the aggressiveness he shows on the field. “You can legally take a man from his will and make him do what you do.” Chapman will be the first midyear enrollee out of Easton in school history, Phillips said Easton offensive lineman David Baker signed with UL during the early period. The school will celebrate his signing during the traditional signing period in February

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

to a new contract extension.

Turnovers spell doom for Belle Chasse at Iowa

BY RODERICK ANDERSON Contributing writer

Belle Chasse trailed by one at halftime, but turnovers proved to be its undoing in a game dominated by defense on Friday in the Division II nonselect semifinals, as No. 3 Belle Chasse turned the ball over four times in a 28-21 loss at No. 2 Iowa.

“We played hard,” Belle Chasse head coach Stephen Meyers said.

“I thought it went down to the end. We just didn’t make enough plays.

“We hurt ourselves. We turned it over a few times They (Iowa) capitalized, and that was the ball game,” Meyers said. Iowa junior Kaston Lewis accounted for three of Belle Chasse’s turnovers with an interception and two fumble recoveries and scored three times to lead the Yellow Jackets (13-0) to the state championship game for the first time in the program’s history Belle Chasse (11-2) was trying to reach the state championship game for the first time since the program’s only state championship in 2008.

“Like I just told the seniors, the seniors have won 35 games in four years,” Meyers said “That is a ton of wins. They have done a great job, and this team has done really well. They did well this year.”

The Cardinals trailed Iowa 8-7

coming out of halftime, but things went south quickly

Belle Chasse fumbled twice in less than six minutes, and Iowa used it to build a 20-7 lead. Lewis recovered one of those fumbles, returned it to the Cardinals’ 2-yard line and took it into the end zone on the next play for a 14-7 lead 32 seconds into the third quarter

Belle Chasse outgained Iowa by 53 yards, 213-160, and held Iowa to just 70 total yards in the first half, but their only lead was brief

After forcing Iowa to punt for the second time in the first quarter, the Cardinals mounted a 66yard, 12-play drive and converted on third or fourth down three times.

Ambrose capped it off with a 5-yard touchdown run with 8:48 left in the second quarter.

But Iowa came right back with a score of its own on a 3-yard run by Lewis after a 60-yard drive. Lewis punched in the two-point conversion for an 8-7 lead with 5:13 left in the first half. Belle Chasse running back Dillan Carter scored twice in the second half, including a huge 53-yard score with 5:08 left in the third quarter to cut Iowa’s lead to 2014. He scored again with a little over six minutes left in the game and finished with 155 yards on 21 carries.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRISTOPHER DABE

Warren Easton offensive lineman Jalan Chapman, center, sits with his parents and siblings as coach Jerry Phillips stands behind them during a signing ceremony on Friday at Warren Easton High School.

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker is staying on staff under Lane Kiffin.

PHOTO By RODRICK ANDERSON

Belle Chasse running back Dillan Carter, center, tries to escape Iowa defenders Jordan Bushnell and Kaston Lewis during a Division II nonselect semifinal game on Friday at Memorial Stadium in Iowa.

sAGITTARIus (nov.23-Dec.21) Asteady pace is the best waytoreach your goal. Do what works best for youand refuse to take on others' responsibilities at a costthat dampens personalgains and satisfaction.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Select your pathand turn your aspirations into a reality. Invest time and money in your future, and apositive lifestyle change will be yours. If you believeitand dream about it, you can make it happen.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Achange at home may not initiallydelight you, but once it starts to unfold, you will see thebenefits. Utilizeyourskills to your advantage, and channel your energy intohelping those who need your support

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Confusion will set in if you let outsiders interfere in thechoices you make. Take advantage of an opportunity to socialize, learn something new or expand your interests and circle of friends.

ARIEs(March 21-April 19) Emotions and overreacting willlead to trouble. Use your intelligence and imagination to pursue people, places and pastimes that put asmile on yourface.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Nurturing connections with those who can help you advance or improve your lifestyle will pay off. Be sure to abide by the rules and regulations to avoid setbacks

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Pay attention to how you present yourself to others.

Anew look will attract attention and boostyourego.Let your intelligence prevail when dealing with concerns.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Youremotions will be front and center. Gauge how you respond to avoidrevealing your feelings. Don't be shy about showing what youcan do.Demonstrate your skills.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Sign up forsomething you enjoy, and you'll meet someonespecial. It's time to enhanceyour life through connections, pastimes or self-improvement projects that boost your confidence.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Observe and learn. Not everyone will be upfront with you. Take your time, notice any discrepancies andask questionsto clarify information. You are overdue for achange, even if youdon't wantit initially.

LIBRA(sept. 23-oct. 23) Apick-me-up will brighten your day. Distance yourself from anyone trying to upset or take advantage of you. Clear aspace to house aproject youwant to pursue scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Speakup; be honest and bold about howyou feel, what your intentions are and where your plans will take you. Refusetolet someone else control or dictate the outcome.

Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

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

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

bIG

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle basedona 9x9 gridwith severalgiven numbers The object is to place thenumbers 1to9inthe emptysquares so that each row,eachcolumn and each 3x3 box contains thesame number onlyonce.The difficultylevelofthe sudoku increasesfrommonday to sunday

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER

In “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” Tom Stoppard (my favorite playwright)pointedout:“Eternity’saterrible thought. Imean, where’sitall going to end?” In today’s deal, the trump split is terrible and seems to enddeclarer’s chance of making six hearts. But he can survive. West leads the spade queen. South wins with his ace and cashes the heartace to get the bad news. How must declarer continue?

It is rare that an auctionstarting oneof amajor -two of amajorends in aslam. However, that Southhand is very strong. When South rebid three clubs, North assumed thiswas ahelp-suit game-try and jumped to four hearts because he had agood club holding and amaximum —aces are wonderful. South then carefully employed Blackwood before bidding the small slam. It seems as though South must lose two trump tricks. But if South can reach an ending withthe king-jack of hearts and aloser, while West still has his last three trumps, West can be trapped.

Toachievethisending,Southmustruff threediamondsinhishandandfindWest with exactly 3-4-4-2 distribution. At trick three, declarer plays adiamondtodummy’sace.Hecontinueswith adiamond ruffinhis hand, the club king, aclub to dummy’s ace, another diamond ruff, the spade king, aspade ruff on the board, and, at trick 10, the third diamond ruff.

wuzzles

When that passes offquietly, South leads his last club. West must ruff and play away from his queen-10 of hearts into South’s king-jack. Beautiful! ©2025 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrewsmcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOngOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InsTRucTIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Wordsthat acquire four letters by theaddition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

explicit words arenot allowed. ToDAy’s WoRD cAPRIcIous: kuh-PRISH-us: Impulsive; unpredictable.

Average mark 35 words

Timelimit 60 minutes

contention, beforeitbemeddled with.” Proverbs17:14

loCKhorNs

Don’t saysomething thatyou will regret later. Youwill be glad thatyou held your tongue. G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

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. For more information on tournamentsand clubs, email naspa –northamerican sCraBBlE playersassociation: info@scrabbleplayers.org.Visit ourwebsite:www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzleinquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com Hasbro andits logo sCraBBlE

ken ken

WiShinG Well

InstructIons: 1 -Eachrow and each columnmust contain the numbers 1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, calledcages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to producethe target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the numberinthe top-left corner. HErEisaplEasanT liTTlE

the number of letters is

bers, left to right. Then read

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

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cordancewithlaw,no‐ticeisherebygiven that Rulonda SmithGreen,the dulyappointedand act‐ing Administrator of the SuccessionofCorey Green,proposestosell the aforementionedim‐movable properties,at private sale,for theprice and upon theterms and conditionsaforesaid,and the heirsand creditors are required to make op‐position, if anytheyhave orcan,tosuchsale, withinseven (7) days,in‐cluding Sundaysand hol‐iday, from thedate whereon thelastpublica‐tionthisNoticeappears CLERKOFCOURT CIVILDISTRICTCOURT FORTHE PARISH OF ORLEANS ATTORNEY: John F. Shreves(#17139) PUBLICATION: Times-Picayune LouisianaWeekly Once andthen21days later ADDRESS: 30th FloorEnergy Centre 1100 PoydrasStreet NewOrleans,Louisiana 70163-3000 TELEPHONE: (504) 569-2030 168460-dec6-dec 27-2t $225.22

PUBLIC NOTICE CIVILDISTRICTCOURT FORTHE PARISH OF OR‐LEANS STATEOFLOUISIANA CASE NUMBER:2024-2956 DIVISION:“C”

ALVIN FRANCOIS,SR.

BOUTTEE BAPTISTE WIFE OF AND OSCARS.BAPTISTE, AS DECEASED ABSENTEES WHOSEHEIRS HAVE NOT BEEN JUDICIALLY RECOGNIZED FILED: DEPUTY CLERK NOTICE OF APPLICATION FORAUTHORITY

p sentative of theSucces‐sions of Audrey Baptiste Francoisand AlvinFran‐cois, Sr hasmadeappli‐cationtothe Courtfor authority to sell at public auction theimmovable propertyhereinafter de‐scribed,towit: ACERTAIN LOTOF GROUND, together with all thebuildings andim‐provementsthereon,and all therights, ways,privi‐leges,servitudes, appur‐tenancesand advan‐tages thereuntobelong‐ing or in anywiseapper‐taining,situatedinthe Third District of NewOr‐leans in Square 758 bounded by Derbigny Columbus, Laharpeand Claiborne Avenue,said lot of ground is com‐posed of thefront por‐tionoforiginalLot 15 as shown on aplanmadeby Bergeol,lateSurveyor, dated April10th, 1839 and measures thirty feet, seven inches,nolines (30'7"0"') frontonDer‐bigny Street,bya depth ofsixty-eight feet (68') between equaland paral‐lel lines. Andinaccor‐dance with survey made byE.L.Eustis, CivilEngi‐neer andSurveyor, dated July15th, 1944, aprint of which is attached to act passedbeforeLouis H, Yarrut, Notary Public dated July 28th, 1944 saidlot of ground is des‐ignated by theLetter"B" iscomposedofthe front portion of original Lot15, beginsata distance of sixty-three feet,two inches, no lines(63'2"0") fromthe corner of Der‐bigny andColumbus Streets, andmeasures thirty-onefeet, seven inches, no lines(31'7"0"') front on Derbigny Street bya depth between equal andparallellines ofsixty-eight feet (68'). The improvements thereon bear Municipal Nos.1508-10 Derbigny Street Beingthe same property acquiredbyLoganMeyer fromWilhelmina Perkinds, datedSeptem‐ber 22, 1947, by act passedbeforeJohnPat Little, Notary Public,reg‐istered in C.O.B. 554, folio 113 andrecordedinMOB 1725, folio485. Said applicationhas been made pursuant to Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure articles 3271 and 3443, andLouisiana Revised Statutes 9:1521 and 9:3172, requesting thatsaidimmovable propertybesoldatpub‐lic auctionbythe Orleans ParishCivil Sheriff, in the mannerand form pre‐scribed by lawfor judi‐cialsales Notice is hereby givento all partieswhomitmay concern,including the heirs andcreditors of the decedents andofthese successions,tomake any opposition which theymay have to such application at anytime prior to theissuanceof the orderorjudgment authorizing,approving and homologating such application,and that suchorder or judgment may be issued afterthe expirationofseven (7) daysfromthe date of the lastpublication of this notice, allinaccordance withlaw BY ORDEROFTHE COURT

CLERK Attorney:Hunter J. Forbes Address: 2121 N. Cause‐way Blvd Suite200 Metairie,LA70001 Phone: (504) 285-0474 Email: hunter@ brownweimer.com 169547-dec6-27-2t $136.28

NOTICE CIVILDISTRICTCOURT FORTHE PARISH OF OR‐LEANS STATEOFLOUISIANA NO.2006-5182 DIVISION “B”DOCKETNO. SU CCE SSI ON OF MORRISBURRELL, JR andwifeCLARA BURRELL FILED: DEPUTY CLERK NOTICE OF SUCCESSION NOTICE IS GIVENthatEric C.Burrell, Administrator ofthe Succession of Mor‐ris Burrell, Jr andwife Clara Burrell, is applying for authoritytosellat private sale,onterms of FIFTEEN THOUSAND AND 10/100 ($15,000.00) DOL‐LARSunder asale, the immovableproperty ownedbyThe Succes‐sionofMorrisBurrell, Jr described below. PARCEL 1:

ACERTAIN LOTOF GROUND, situated in whatisknown as GEN‐TILLY PARK PLACEinthe THIRD DISTRICT OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS and as delineated on a surveymadebyR.S Daniel, CivilEngineer dated May14, 1912, and which property is situ‐atedinthatportion of the ThirdDistrictknown asGentillyBoulevard saidlot is describedas follows,to-wit: LOTNO. 7ofSQUARENO. 5,bounded by Jasmine Street,VioletStreet, ElaineStreet,and Mid‐lothian Street,saidlot measuresthirtyfeet (30') front on Elaine Street by a depthofone hundred ten feet (110')between equal andparallellines Theimprovements thereon bear theMunici‐pal No.52393 Elaine Street,New Orleans, LA 70126. PARCEL 2:

y front on Elaine Street by a depthofone hundred ten feet (110')between

TILLY PARK PLACEinthe THIRD DISTRICT OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS and as delineated on a surveymadebyR.S Daniel, CivilEngineer dated May14, 1912, and which property is situ‐atedinthatportion of the ThirdDistrictknown asGentillyBoulevard saidlot is describedas follows,to-wit: LOTNO. 9ofSQUARENO. 5,bounded by Jasmine Street,VioletStreet ElaineStreet,and Mid‐lothian Street,saidlot measuresthirtyfeet (30') front on Elaine Street by a depthofone hundred ten feet (110')between equal andparallellines

Theimprovements thereon bear theMunici‐pal No.52395 Elaine Street,New Orleans, LA 70126. Beingthe same property acquiredbyJoanRussell fromThe Succession of ReverendMorrisBurrell Sr.,byJudgmentofPos‐session datedDecember 7,2006, registered under CIN 334868, Orleans Parish, LA Beingfurther acquired by ReverendMorrisBurrell Sr.,Alvin PeterBurrell and Morris Burrell, Jr fromThe Succession of DesmoniaMelvina Growe,wifeofReverend MorrisBurrell, Sr by JudgmentofPossession dated July 17, 1972, regis‐tered under COB711 folio 276, OrleansParish, LA. Beingfurther acquired by DesmoniaMelvina Growe Burrell, wife of/and Rev‐erend Morris Burrell, Sr fromSam CohenbyAct ofCashSalebeforeHer‐man L. Midlo, Notary Public, datedDecember 3,1946, registered under COB 549, folio 50, Orleans Parish, LA An orderauthorizing Ad‐ministrator to do so may beissuedafter ten(10) daysfromthe date of the publication of this notice Anopposition to theap‐plication maybe filedat any time priortothe is‐suanceofsuchanorder By Orderofthe Court, CLERK OF COURT ADAML.LALIBERTE,LBN 39950 8020 CrowderBlvd. NewOrleans,LA70127 (504)

ElizabethBur‐rell, Executrixofthe Suc‐cession of AlvinPeter Burrell, is applying for authority to sell at pri‐vatesale, on termsof FIFTEEN THOUSAND AND 10/100 ($15,000.00) DOL‐LARSunder asale, the immovableproperty ownedbyThe Succes‐sionofAlvin PeterBur‐rell, describedbelow PARCEL 1: ACERTAIN LOTOF GROUND, situated in whatisknown as GEN‐TILLY PARK PLACEinthe THIRD DISTRICT OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS and as delineated on a surveymadebyR.S Daniel, CivilEngineer dated May14, 1912, and which property is situ‐atedinthatportion of the ThirdDistrictknown asGentillyBoulevard saidlot is describedas follows,to-wit: LOTNO. 7ofSQUARENO. 5,bounded by Jasmine Street,VioletStreet ElaineStreet,and Mid‐lothian Street,saidlot measuresthirtyfeet (30') front on Elaine Street by a depthofone hundred ten feet (110')between equal andparallellines Theimprovements thereon bear theMunici‐pal No.52393 Elaine Street,New Orleans, LA 70126. PARCEL 2: ACERTAIN LOTOF GROUND, situated in whatisknown as GEN‐TILLY PARK PLACEinthe THIRD DISTRICT OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS and as delineated on a surveymadebyR.S Daniel, CivilEngineer dated May14, 1912, and which property is situ‐atedinthatportion of the ThirdDistrictknown asGentillyBoulevard saidlot is describedas follows,to-wit: LOTNO. 8ofSQUARENO. 5,bounded by Jasmine Street,VioletStreet ElaineStreet,and Mid‐lothian Street,saidlot measuresthirtyfeet (30') front on Elaine Street by a depthofone hundred ten feet (110')between equal andparallellines Theimprovements thereon bear theMunici‐pal No.52394 Elaine Street,New Orleans, LA 70126. PARCEL 3: ACERTAIN LOTOF GROUND, situated in whatisknown as GEN‐TILLYPARKPLACE in the

THIRDDISTRICTOFTHE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS and as delineated on a surveymadebyR.S Daniel, CivilEngineer, dated May14, 1912, and which property is situ‐atedinthatportion of the ThirdDistrictknown asGentillyBoulevard saidlot is describedas follows,to-wit: LOTNO. 9ofSQUARENO. 5,bounded by Jasmine Street,VioletStreet ElaineStreet,and Mid‐lothian Street,saidlot measuresthirtyfeet (30') front on Elaine Street by a depth of onehundred ten feet (110')between equal andparallellines Theimprovements thereon bear theMunici‐pal No.52395 Elaine Street,New Orleans, LA 70126. Beingthe same property acquiredbyJoanRussell fromThe Succession of ReverendMorrisBurrell Sr.,byJudgmentofPos‐session datedDecember 7,2006, registered under CIN 334868, Orleans Parish, LA Beingfurther acquired by ReverendMorrisBurrell Sr.,Alvin PeterBurrell and Morris Burrell, Jr fromThe Succession of DesmoniaMelvina Growe,wifeofReverend MorrisBurrell, Sr by JudgmentofPossession dated July 17, 1972, regis‐tered under COB711 folio 276, OrleansParish, LA. Beingfurther acquired by DesmoniaMelvina Growe Burrell, wife of/and Rev‐erend Morris Burrell, Sr., fromSam CohenbyAct ofCashSalebeforeHer‐man L. Midlo, Notary Public, datedDecember 3,1946, registered under COB 549, folio 50, Orleans Parish, LA An orderauthorizing Ex‐ecutrix to do so maybe issuedafter ten(10) days fromthe date of thepub‐licationofthisnotice. An oppositiontothe appli‐cationmay be filedat any time priortothe is‐suanceofsuchanorder By Orderofthe Court, CLERK OF COURT ADAML.LALIBERTE,LBN 39950 8020 CrowderBlvd. NewOrleans,LA70127 (504) 242-7882 adam@bayoutitle.com 169479-DEC6-1T $93.78

ACERTAIN LOTOF GROUND, situated in whatisknown as GEN‐TILLY PARK PLACEinthe THIRD DISTRICT OF THE CITYOFNEW ORLEANS and as delineated on a surveymadebyR.S Daniel, CivilEngineer dated May14, 1912, and which property is situ‐atedinthatportion of the ThirdDistrictknown asGentillyBoulevard saidlot is describedas follows,to-wit: LOTNO. 8ofSQUARENO. 5,bounded by Jasmine Street,VioletStreet, ElaineStreet,and Mid‐lothian Street,saidlot measures thirty feet (30') f l i b

TIMELESSDESIGN

HOME | DESIGN | GARDEN | REAL ESTATE

When Elizabeth andAdam Keckler bought their 1865 Greek Revival home in the Garden District, it was move-in ready, having been previously owned by an interior designer.Despite its “finished” status, they still found ways to make it feel like their own. See thestory on Page12, and see the house in person Dec. 13-14 on thePRC Holiday Home Tour. Poinsettias, holiday cactuses and

INSIDEOUT EDITOR: Karen Taylor Gist, kataylor@theadvocate.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Karen Taylor Gist

even tinytrees are all ways to add personal touches to your indoor holiday decor.Dan Gill explains how to get themost out of them.That’s on Page 4. In this week’sOne in aMillion house, anewly constructed home on Arlington Drive in Metairie is waiting for personal touches from its first owner, but it offers luxe interiorsand lots of space for just under $2.3 million. See it on Page16.

The InsideOut home and gardensection is published every Saturday by TheTimes-Picayune Questions about InsideOut should be directed to the editor

Victor Andrews, Louis J.Aubert, Jyl Benson, Dan Gill

COVER DESIGN: Cassandra Brown COVERPHOTO: LizJurey| PRC TO BE FEATURED: Send information and photos to insideout@theadvocate. com

GREENTHUMB Poinsettias, holiday cactuses and more. PAGE 4

GARDEN ADVICE 3tips forkeeping your holidaytreefresh. PAGE 5

INSIDE INFO Home &garden happenings PAGE 11

InsideOut’smission is to give readers peeks inside the many different ways that people in the New Orleans area live. We profile spaces that are opulent, or just offbeat; sophisticated or simple; functional or light-hearted; historic or brand-spanking new.And anything in between.

Please help us by sending information and JPEG photos of your home, or specific spaces inside it, to insideout@theadvocate. com. We love gardens and outdoor spaces, too. And we’re waiting to hear from you.

COVERSTORY

Timelessappeal in an 1865 Greek Revival. PAGE 12 ONEINAMILLION

Aluxenew home in Metairie for$2.3M.PAGE16

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS Recent transactions in the metroarea. PAGE 18

3928 EdenbornAvenue• Metairie

$1,665,000

Elegance meetscomfortinthiscoveted 6Bd, 5.5+Ba,5,251SqFt Metairie lakefronthome on thelevee,steps from sunset views. Agrand foyeropens to light-filled living spaces &chef’skitchen w/ custom cabinetry, granite, lrg island &premium appliances.Enjoy a1st-flrprimary suite&abackyardoasis w/ pool,outdoor kit&frplc—perfect forrefinedliving&effortlessentertaining.

Melissa“Missy” Martin 504-390-7002 Prieur Properties, LLC504-352-9800

1502 GeneralPershing•Uptown$1,200,000

Fabulous single familyona corner lot w/ 2aptsina superb location! 1block to St Charles&NapoleonAve.Perfect forinvestororowner occupy (reapbenefits of $2700/mo rental income). Front&backporches, backyard forentertaining!Plussomuchmore to see. Walk to restaurants, watchthe MardiGrasparades or take thestreetcar to AudubonPark! CharlotteDorion• 504-237-8615 Chris Dorion •504-451-4274 BerkshireHathawayHSPreferred,REALTORS504-799-1702

223W.Maple RidgeDrive •HeartofOld Metairie $720,000

Rare OldMetairiegem on a70x150lot w/ alush, resort-style backyard, oversizedpool& expansivedeck/patio fortrueindoor-outdoor living &great for entertaining.Inside: high ceilings,plantationshutters, open layout,oversized 2bedrooms +ofc/flex room &abundantstorage.Add’l features:metal roof, Bermudashutters, irrigation, Cat-5wiring, &ample prkg w/ dble garage Michelle Soliman 504-327-0888 MirambellRealty504-889-9850

6925 CanalBoulevard •Lakeview$1,349,000

Near City Park &Yacht Club!Indoor-OutdoorAppealin15-yr oldhome. Custom built home has2large porches, heated-saltwater pool!OpenFloor Plan w/ 6Beds, 3.5Baths,3964SqFtofLiving area,FormalRooms,Huge Chef’s Kitchen &Den w/ great architectural detailing. 2-cargarage& 3-car parking pad. Wholehouse generator,gas burning frplc&manyother features! LindaBabineaux •504-957-8014J.Babineaux •504-813-8460 COMPASS•Uptown/MapleSt. 504-861-7575

4808 Neyrey Drive•Metairie$825,000

Rare levee-frontcul-de-sac5Bd,3.5Ba,3,992 SqFt home w/ 105ftoflakefacing frontage &exceptional privacy. Freshlyrepainted interiorsfeelbright& modern w/ newlighting, fans &anelectricfrplc.Aversatile 3rd-flrsuite boasts anew balcony overlookingthe levee. Recent updates:new columns, alarm system,refreshed landscaping&aroofunder 5yrs—fully move-inready! SarahF.Vallon504-717-0990 Vallon Real Estate 504-486-5437

MERRY &

BRIGHT

The holiday season is made morebeautiful by thespecial plants thatweuse to decorate our homes

your plant doesn’tget crushed or tippedover in the car.

leaves if allowed to wilt.

Poinsettias, Thanksgiving and Christmas cactuses and small, potted Christmas trees all play an important part in decking the halls. How well you care for them plays an important part in how long theystayattractive.

Afterpurchasing aholiday plant, be sure to protect it while bringing it home. Don’tleave it in your car for along period while you shop. Make sure

Poinsettiasare particularly fragile, so handle them with care. It’s best to have them sleeved before you take them out of the store.

Light and water are two key pointstoconsider in caring for your plants. They should, of course, be located forattractivedisplay,but aspot where they will receive somenatural light will do alot to help keep them healthy and attractive.

Proper watering is critical. Feel thesoil every day with your finger,and when the soil begins to feel somewhat dry, water thoroughly.Never let aholiday plant wilt. Poinsettias will yellow and drop their

Ifind the most effective way to water adecorative plant is at the sink. The pots of holiday plants are often sold wrapped in colorful foil or with adecorative pot cover.Take the inner pot out of the decorative cover and apply enough water so that some comes out of the drainage holes. Then let it drain at the sink. After it fully drains, replace the pot cover and put the plant back where you want to display it.

Allowing them to dry out, a low-light location, low humidity,drafts and placing them near sources of heat can all shorten the attractive life

Dan Gill GREEN THUMB

GETTy IMAGES PHOTO Poinsettiasare aholiday mainstay forindoor decor

Keep your Christmas tree freshand healthy

BY DANGILL Contributing writer

What is the best waytokeepmy Christmas tree fresh and green foras long as possible? What about preservatives? —George

Garden advice

Youcan think of your Christmas tree as a flower arrangement: Much of what we doto keep acut flower arrangement fresh as longaspossible also applies to acut Christmas tree. Keeping your Christmas tree fresh and green, however, is more than just amatterof keeping it attractive. Christmas trees become more of a fire hazard once they dry out.

First, make sure the tree you buy is fresh. Then do three important things:

1. RECUT THE TRUNK of the tree so it can absorb water from its

base. Youcan generally have this done where you buy your tree. It is better,however,to do it yourself once you get the tree home.That way you can put thetree into the water immediately after thefresh cut is made, andthisenhances the trunk’sability to absorb water

If you donot intend to set up anddecorate yourtreeright away,place it in abucket of water in ashady area outside. Otherwise, putitina tree stand with agenerous water reservoir,place it where it will be on display and fill thestand with water.

2. NEVER LET THETREE run out of water.Ifyou ever let the base dry out, it may seal over and then won’tproperly absorb water even if you refill the stand’sreservoir.The addition of preservatives to thewater is optional. They may help, but providingthe tree with acon-

stant supply of water is most essential.

3. LEAVE THE DECORATIVE LIGHTS on as little as possible. The heat generated by thelights causes thetree to lose water and dry out faster.Never leave the lights on when you are leaving thehouse or going to bed.

IhaveaSunshine ligustrum that appears to be dying.There is awhite, fuzzy materialcoating many of the branches. What is this, and is there anyway to save my plant? Robert

Your Sunshine ligustrum (Ligustrum sinensis ‘Sunshine’) is infested with privet scale, an insect pest that can be very damaging. Privet scale sucks thesap out of the plant and injects toxins as it does. This leads to the death of sections of the shrub that are heavily infested (the white coating on branches.)

STAFF FILE PHOTOByLESLIE WESTBROOK Makesure the

GREENTHUMB

ACCENTS

Continued from page 4

of your holiday plant. With a little care and attention, you can make sure that your holiday plants will provide a beautiful display throughout the season.

Find the right poinsettias

The poinsettia is the most popular and decorative plant for the Christmas season. The brightly colored red, pink, salmon, creamy white or variegated “petals” are actually modified leaves called bracts. The true flowers are small and clustered in the center of the bracts. When selecting your poinsettia, make sure the true flowers haven’t all fallen off and your plants will remain attractive longer

Poinsettias have long been considered poisonous, but extensive research has shown that they are not. Still, prevent small children and pets from chewing on them, as they could choke on pieces of the leaves.

Poinsettias should stay attractive until January and beyond given proper care. After the holidays, don’t feel guilty if you decide to simply discard the plants, much as you would a bouquet of flowers (chop them up and put them

Gifts for gardeners

If there is someone on your gift-giving list who enjoys gardening, there are lots of garden-related items that might be appropriate.

A simple vase is perfect for an avid flower gardener A gift certificate from a vegetable seed catalog would bring a “Whoopee!” from a vegetable gardener.

Unless you are very confident you know what they like, generally avoid giving garden art, plaques, statuary and other decorative garden items. Gardeners — who are often penny-pinchers when buying tools for themselves — al-

FILE PHOTO By

Christmas cactus blooms in wintertime, just in time for the holidays, triggered by longer, cooler nights.

in your compost pile).

Cactuses bloom just in time

Thanksgiving cactuses and Christmas cactuses have been hybridized with each other to the point that they are often grouped under the catchall name holiday cactus. These attractive plants bloom from November through January with beautiful flowers in shades of magenta, red, pink, orange, gold or white.

When they finish blooming, holiday cactuses should not be discarded. After all the flowers have dropped off, move the plant to a bright window and allow the soil to become somewhat dry before watering. An

east or west window will provide plenty of light. They will also thrive on a porch or patio in a semi-shaded position during the summer

To get them to bloom next year, leave them outside in the fall to experience the long nights and chilly temperatures needed to set buds. Bring them indoors for display when the small buds appear.

Dan Gill is a retired consumer horticulture specialist with the LSU AgCenter. He hosts the “Garden Show” on WWLAM Saturdays at 9 a.m. Email gardening questions to gnogardening@agcenter.lsu. edu.

ways appreciate receiving quality tools such as garden forks, shovels, spades, garden hoses, trowels or hand pruners. Garden tillers, compost bins, pole pruners for pruning trees and watering cans make great gifts. And don’t overlook garden carts, knee pads or a fine pair of garden gloves. Stocking stuffers like packs of seed, small packages of fertilizer, water nozzles and plant labels are inexpensive and useful. Books also make super gifts for holiday giving. Ask the gardener if there is a particular book they want. Or select a book that covers a topic

they are especially interested in, such as indoor gardening, orchids or landscaping. Make sure books on general gardening or vegetable gardening are written for Louisiana or the Gulf Coastal South. With all these options, finding the perfect gift for that gardener on your list should be easy Spend some time browsing at your local nursery or garden center, and you will find many other ideas waiting to be discovered. If you’re still not sure, most nurseries offer gift certificates that allow the receiver to purchase exactly what they want.

HEATHER KIRK-BALLARD

TRENDING PURPLE: Varieties of certain shrubs,such as azaleas,nandinas and junipers, will develop apurplish or burgundytint to their foliage during cold weather.This is natural andnocause for worry. Theywill turngreen again in the spring.

VEGGIES NOW: Vegetables to plant in December include beets,cabbage,carrots, celery(transplants),Chinese cabbage,collards,garlic (toes),kale,kohlrabi,leeks (transplants),lettuce,mustard, onions (transplants or sets), radish,rutabaga,shallots (sets),spinach,Swiss chard, turnips and Brussels sprouts (transplants).

ANEW LEAF: Do not allow alayer of fallenleavesto accumulate over thelawnfor more than aweek.The leaves block light from reaching the grass andcan weaken it.Rake or otherwise remove the leaves weekly.Use the leavesfor mulch or put them in your compost pile.

STORETOOLS: If youdon’t garden as much in the winter and won’t be using tools until spring,it’simportanttostore them properly.Clean tools thoroughly and coat the metal with alight film of oil to prevent rust.Drain the lawnmowergas tank and clean.

FROM SEED: Cool-season flower seedsthat maybesown nowinclude alyssum,candytuft, forget-me-not,poppies, ornamental cabbageand kale, lobelia,dianthus,calendula, sweet pea,larkspur,cornflower and annual phlox.Transplants of these and other typesofcoolseason bedding plants can also be purchased from area nurseries and planted now.

GREENTHUMB

Sunshine ligustrumcan becomeinfested withprivet scale, an insect pest that can be very damaging

ADVICE

Continued from page 5

Prune out anydead parts and dispose of them. Then spray the plant thoroughly with ahorticultural oil like Year-Round SprayOil or All Seasons Spray Oil. Make two or three applications follow-

inglabel directions. Thoroughly coat all surfaces of the plantand brancheswhen youspray. Oils kill by coating and suffocating the insect pest.

If the damage is nottoo extensive at this point, thereis agood chance your Sunshine ligustrum will recover.

The acorncrop frommyoak tree this year has been enormous!Is

there anything that can be applied to prevent their germinationinthe grass and flowerbeds? Sandra While thereare preemergenceherbicides that will prevent weed seeds from germinating, Idon’tknow of anything that you can apply to prevent the germination of acorns. Removing the acorns with alawn vacuum or aleaf blower that will also vacuum

would be away to remove and dispose of mostofthem.

Dan Gill is aretired consumerhorticulture specialist withthe LSU AgCenter.Hehosts the “Garden Show” on WWL-AM Saturdays at 9a.m.Email gardeningquestions to gnogardening@agcenter.lsu. edu

Nestledonthe coveted2nd hole of theEnglish Turn Golf Course, this exceptionalresidenceoffersserene waterviews andstunningsunsets that will take your breath away.Step into thetraditional yetsophisticated living spaces, wheresolid wood floors andsoaring ceilingscreate an invitingatmospherefilled with naturallight.The heartofthe home is acustom-designed Italian Poliform contemporary kitchen, a masterpiece of both functionality andtechnical excellence.The luxuriousfirst-floor primarysuite offersa tranquil retreat, featuring beautifultravertineflooringand custom draperies. Copper gutters anddownspoutsfurther enhance thehome’stimelessappeal.

PHOTO By RANDyLABAUVE/LSU AGCENTER

HOMEWORKWITHLOUIS

PAGE TURNERS

12 holidaybook

ideasonhomes, gardensand New Orleans’ mystique

Louis Aubert

True confession: Iam abibliophile. My subjects of choice are books about architecture, interior design, gardening and most any book about our wonderful city, New Orleans.

Many years ago, while exchanging presents on Christmas morning, Iwas given abook. Upon seeing this gift, my dear mother looked up and announced, “Louis alreadyhas abook!” Yes, even then, my librarywas rapidly expanding. And her concern was well placed.

So today,I’m sharing alistof books from my shelves that would likely please anyone who also enjoys my favorite topics. The choices are acombination of the new and the classic.

DESIGN TODAY

“LiveWiththe

Things YouLove”

By Mary Randolph Carter,2025

In this wonderful guide for the collector,antique dealers, stylists andartists open their homes to show how they display their own incredible collections that range from the grand to the goofy.Occasionally,the goofy is thebest part.

OVIDED PHOTOS

“Celebrating Home”

By James T. Farmer III, 2022

This well-illustrated guide to celebrating both holidays and the changing seasons includes tablescapes, floral arrangements, family traditions and good old Southern interior decorating. Party-theme ideas get pretty specific: There’s one for a luncheon to celebrate camellia season.

GROWING CONCERN

“Martha Stewart’s Gardening Handbook”

By

Martha Stewart, 2025

Martha approaches the subject of gardening as only Martha can. Although not specially written for the Deep South, this is a lavishly illustrated and comprehensive guide that includes instructions on planning specialty gardens, such as a shade garden or a white-blooming garden.

As she says: “If you want to be happy for a year, get married. If you want to be happy for a decade, get a dog. If you want to be happy for the rest of your life, make a garden.”

ODES TO NEW ORLEANS

“Bohemian Soul”

By Valorie Hart, photos by Sara Essex Bradley, 2024

This love letter to New Orleans, subtitled “The Vanishing Interiors of New Orleans,” celebrates the many different

ways that people furnish and live in their homes in America’s most interesting city Seventeen distinctive homes are featured, with an essay about each and the owners’ relationship to the city Glorious photographs capture the spirit of the spaces, No stylists moved things about, so you see each home as it truly exists. The focus was simply to present a home as a reflection of those who live there.

Full disclosure: My home is one of the 17 featured in this book.

“Painting the Town”

Preservation Resource Center, 2024

Essays with subjects rang-

ing from the history of color and the development of paint to the historic use of color in the city pair with Chris Granger’s photographs that capture the explosion of color scattered across the historic districts of New Orleans. It’s more than a coffee table book, but the photos alone make this a must-have for anyone who loves our city

CLASSIC NEW ORLEANS

“Cityscapes of New Orleans”

By Richard Campanella, 2017

Yes, this is yet another book by the gifted and prolific author Campanella. This time, he explores the distinctive urbanism and eccentricities

that shaped the city. The book is filled with bits and pieces of our shared history that may surprise even the most devoted native Orleanian.

As Walter Isaacson wrote, “Campanella understands that New Orleans is a city of distinct and flavorful neighborhoods, and in this book he captures their essence.”

“Inventing New Orleans: Writings of Lafcadio Hearn”

Edited by S. Frederick Starr, 2001

Between 1877 and 1888, Hearn lived in New Orleans, absorbing the folklore and culture of the city He then

sold the stories the city inspired to a variety of periodicals such as the New Orleans Daily Item and Times-Democrat, Harper’s Weekly and Scribner’s Magazine. His fascinating tales caught the attention of the country, setting New Orleans apart as a place unlike any other. This mystique so intrigued the nation that visitors flocked to the city

In effect, Hearn’s writings established the basis of today’s New Orleans tourism. Otherworldliness was enticing in the 19th century, and it remains so in the 21st.

ä See PAGE, page 10

Continued from page 9

“Creole World”

By

Richard Sexton, 2014

Subtitled “Photographs of New Orleans and the Latin Caribbean Sphere,” Sexton’s book explores the connection between New Orleans and our cultural cousins in Haiti, Colombia, Argentina, Cuba, Bolivia and Ecuador by way of architecture, color and culture.

His outstanding photography serves to highlight the European, West African and Indigenous influences that come

HOMEWORKWITHLOUIS

together in New Orleans. This book is a visual representation of why New Orleans is so often compared to our neighbors to the south.

CLASSIC DESIGN

“Creating a New Old House”

By Russell Versaci, 2003

Seventeen new, old-style homes are featured here. Architect Versaci explains in detail how to create a new home with the charm and detail of an old house. Architectural periods are explored and illustrated with detailed photos, including an outstanding Louisiana Creole cottage that appears to have evolved over a period of time.

ELEGANTWAREHOUSE LOFT LIVING

528BARONNE STREET UNIT 504

Topfloor residence within-demand architecturalfeatures locatedadjacenttothe Virgin Hotelwithdeededgarage parking! 1Bed /1 Bath w/ room to add2nd bed/study.Over 1328sf of tastefully designed spacethatoffersaflexible floorplan andlivingoptionson1level.Wide plank heart pine floors,exposedbrickwalls.Doubleinsulated windows Open kitchenwith48" maplecabinets, stonecounters, SS kitchenappliances. Great storage. Intimate andquiet buildinginthe convenient LafayetteSquareHistoric Dist 1block to Poydras Street andRouse's Market andashort walk to all of theeventsatthe Superdome andArena.

$549,900

SHAUNTALBOT

(504)975-9763

“The Finer Things”

By Christine LeMieux,

2014

Avoid trendy mistakes as you explore timeless furniture, textiles and details and gain insight with information gathered from dozens of wallpaper and paint specialists, textile fabricators, artisans and interior designers. This is a comprehensive look at the many materials and design techniques that compose a distinctive home. The book is well illustrated with photos of both vintage and current interiors.

“An Affair With a House”

By Bunny Williams, 2005

Published 20 years ago, this has become a classic study of how to create a comfortable and beautiful country home.

Acclaimed New York interior designer Bunny Williams takes us step by step in turning her Connecticut home into her dream retreat. More than just

(504)525-9763 www.talbot-realty.com

classic decor, Williams tackles how to stock a pantry, organize a linen closet and most every other chore that goes into making a beautiful and functional home.

While the original book remains available, just published in October was a collector’s edition containing a new introduc-

tion and a chapter detailing how the house and its rooms have changed over the years.

“Legendary Decorators of the Twentieth Century”

1992, By Mark Hampton

Interior designer Mark Hampton explores the distinctive styles of 22 men and women who influenced the past, influenced each other and still influence interior design to this day.

The overview of design history helps us to understand just how design has evolved. The book is beautifully illustrated with wonderful watercolors by the author.

Louis J. Aubert is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers and an avid preservationist. Some of his most visible New Orleans projects include making interior color selections for Gallier Hall, Trinity Episcopal Church and the Louisiana Supreme Court Royal Street Courthouse, and both interior and exterior selections for St. Stephen’s Basilica. Contact him at mrcolour@aol.com.

INSIDEINFO

Brother Martin home tour set in Lake Vista

This year’s BrotherMartin HolidayHome Tour will feature five Lake Vista homes, each belongingtoamember of the Gallo family

David and Jeanne Gallowill host the patron party ($80) beginning at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at their new contemporary home. The self-guided walking tours($45) run from noon to 3p.m.

Begin thetour at anyofthe homes: 17 Swallow St., 19 Gull St., 40 Gull St., 2Heron St.and 49 Wren St. All homes are easily accessible via the paths that connect the community through the centralLake Vista parks. For tickets or more information, visit brothermartin. com/holiday-home-tour

Children’sChristmas in French Quarter slated

The Historic BK House & Gardens, 1113 Chartres St. in the French Quarter,will host a pre-Christmas party for ages 2-11 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Saturday. Activities include making gingerbread houses, story time with Mrs.Noel anda visit from Santa. Tickets start at $10 for caregivers and $35 for children 2-12; siblings under 2admitted free. Visit bkhouse.org.

Garden District homes to open for tour

The Preservation Resource Center’swill host its annual GardenDistrict home tour Dec. 13-14, starting atLouise S. McGehee School, 2343 Prytania St., New Orleans.

The self-guided walking tour of five homesallowsparticipants to explore interiors, gardensand classic New Orleans’ architecture at their own pace, with live music performances, local shopping andseasonal cheer

Tickets start at $35. See prcno.org.

French Quarter dons holiday looksfor tour

The Patio Planters will spon-

sortours of homesinthe Vieux Carre for the annual French Quarter Holiday Hometour from noon to 4p.m. Dec. 21.

Theself-guided walking tour startsatJackson Square, 700 Decatur St.Privateresidences with varyingarchitectural stylesand home furnishings, decorated for the season, will be open totour

Tickets supports theannual Caroling in Jackson Square andare $35 in advance and $40 day of. See patioplanters.net.

Wreath-making workshop planned

Magnolia wreaths,aholiday statement of Southern decor, will be the featured “how to” workshop Saturday at Longue VueHouse and Gardens, 7 BambooRoad, in New Orleans. Leigh Gradiz, headgardener at the historic dwelling, will leadparticipants in using the leavesfromthe trees at 1p.m.

The workshop is $85 and includesall materials. It is open to all ages, but children must be accompanied by an adult, with amaximum of two children per ticketed adult.

Forinformation and to register, visit longuevue.com.

Celebrate holidays at Destrehan Plantation

Destrehan Plantation,13034

RiverRoad in St. Charles Parish, will offer combination

tours of thehouse and walking tours of the Spirit of Christmas Lightinginthe AlleyofOaks starting at 6p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7p.m. and 7:30 p.m. through Dec. 30.

The light show features more than 100 lighted frames and 50 Christmastrees. Admission starts at $5, with children2 and under free. Visit destrehanplantation.org.

Checkout holiday marketsfor acool Yule

CHRISTKINDLMARKT: Deutsches

Haus will hold its Christmas market Saturday andSunday, 1700 Moss St.inNew Orleans. Markethours are3-8 p.m. Friday,11a.m.-8 p.m.Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday.The market will offer food,drink, handmade giftsand crafts, along with traditional Christmasmusic and singing. Free. deutscheshaus.org.

OLD METAIRIE CHRISTMAS MARKET: St.Francis Xavier Church and School host the marketfrom 9a.m. to 2p.m. Saturdayat 444 Metairie Road with more than 100 vendors, parade of prizes, food andbeverages, plus Santa.

KALEIDOSCOPE HOLIDAYPOP-UP: The pop-up market in New Orleans Eastwill be held 3-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday outdoors at theOld Save Mart Parking Lot on thecorner of Read and Lake Forest boulevards, 9999 Lake Forest Blvd. in New Or-

leans.Vendors will offerholiday decorations, handcrafted jewelryand more. Details on Eventbrite.

MERRYMARKET: Longue Vue House and Gardens will host a holidaymarket10a.m.-4p.m. Sundayat7Bamboo Road in New Orleans. Local vendors will be on hand; gardens admission is free for Louisiana residents and $15 for out-ofstate visitors. longuevue.com.

HOLIDAY MARKET &MELODIES: The historic Pitot House, the1799 West Indies-style home and gardens andhometothe first U.S.mayor of NewOrleans James Pitot, will hold amarket 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday at 1440 Moss St.inNew Orleans. www. pitothouse.org.

Volunteer projects abound at City Park Avarietyofcleanup days andinitiativesare on tap at City Park to improve and maintain the extensive urban green space. Those coming up include: n Super Saturday: 9a.m., Volunteer Center,1031 Harrison Ave. n Big Lake Native Plant Trail Restoration Project: 9a.m. Friday.Big Lake Native Trail near 7Friedrichs Ave.

Register forthe programs and find out more about what to bring at friendsofcitypark.volunteerhub.com.

Have ahome and garden eventcoming up? Send it to events@theadvocate.com.

FINISHING T Artwork makes a move-in ready house feel like home

BY HANNAH LEVITAN | Preservation Resource Center

Elizabeth Keckler almost didn’t go to the showing of the double-gallery Greek Revival house built in 1865. She and her husband, Adam, had been house hunting for months, and she was tired of walking through spaces that didn’t feel quite right.

“But the moment I stepped inside, I knew this house was different,” she said, crediting the entryway’s historical Zuber wallpaper, which resembles a mural.

Previously owned and renovated by interior designer Michelle Smith, the Garden District house was practically move-in ready. Will Erickson, a friend and owner of Yazoo Restorations, sealed the deal with one comment: All she needed was a toothbrush. He was right, Elizabeth Keckler said.

ä See TOUCHES, page 14

This chandelier in the library is a favorite find, sourced locally from Karla Katz Antiques Sorgue, France, on a family trip last summer.

Elizabeth and Adam Keckler’s double-gallery Greek Revival house was built in 1865.

TOUCHES

The Kecklers mix high and low elements throughout the house. This kitchen dining area has a Saarinenknockoff table paired with chairs by the Japanese designer Isamu Kenmochi which were purchased at auction.

A courtyard with expansive flagstone is layered with lush, manicured greenery.

PHOTOS By LIZ JUREy | PRC

The Kecklers brought it from their previous house The pair of midcentury lamps were found in a market in L’Isle-sur-la-

HOLIDAY HOME TOUR

What: THE PRC’s 50th annual tour, presented by McEnery Residential. Five Garden District homes dressed for the holidays are open on the self-guided walking tour.

When: Dec. 13-14, 10 a.m to 4 p.m.

Where: Holiday boutique and tour headquarters are at Louise S. McGehee School, 2343 Prytania St., New Orleans

Tickets: $35-$50. prcno.org. Pick up tickets at McGehee School.

TOUCHES

Continued from page 12

Aside from a few minor tweaks, like staining the floors, the couple left the home largely untouched — preserving timeless elements by well-known local architect Myrlin McCullar and innovative designs left by Smith.

It’s one of five homes that will be open for the Preservation Resource Center’s 50th annual Holiday Home Tour on Dec. 13-14.

The Kecklers had finished a two-year renovation on their previous Foucher Street residence in 2017. After Harry’s Ace Hardware — a wellknown Uptown landmark next door — sold to real estate

developers, the couple was ready for a quieter neighborhood to raise their two young daughters, Lily and Kathryn. It took little convincing for Adam Keckler to agree.

“Walking into this historically rich house and being able to add modern details made it feel like home,” Elizabeth Keckler said.

Adam works for an engineering firm, EDG Inc., and Elizabeth partners with her family on a lakeside development in Mississippi called Splinter Creek.

Her mother’s natural eye for design helped pull everything together. Decorating has always been a family affair, Elizabeth said.

“We take the floor plan and map out furniture placement with blue painter’s tape

Originally a dark, wood-paneled den, this room was transformed into a light-filled kitchen opening onto the back patio. The Carolyn Evans painting, found locally at Cole Pratt Gallery, was the Kecklers’ first art purchase. The color and warmth blend beautifully with the natural light from the windows and doors.

PHOTOS By LIZ JUREy | PRC

The dining table was fabricated by a Washington, D.C., craftsman inspired by designer Darryl Carter.

directly on the floors,” she explained.

“Sometimes my sister even flies in from D.C. just to join in.”

Since moving this past August, the Kecklers have transformed the historic residence to make it their own, filling the space with an assemblage of works from the likes of famed New Orleans artist George Dunbar and national artist Todd Murphy.

A sculpture of standing oars by Raine Bedsole, another local artist they admire, rests in the corner

“Art is what ties everything together and makes a house feel like your own,” Elizabeth said, noting that the majority of the art was original to their other home.

Lighting has also been a priority throughout the decorating process, she said, especially in the dining room, where they chose a contemporary Lindsey Adelman light fixture to illuminate the rustic dining table below

Another striking light fixture is their Noguchi ceiling lamp, which hangs at the end of their entryway, cascading from the ceiling like a sculptural centerpiece.

For their holiday decorations, Elizabeth wanted to complement the home’s current color palette, largely de-

fined by rich greens and cozy, neutral tones. She hired Ben Miller — the decorator for boutique hotel The Chloe — to bring her vision to life with a modern-inspired Christmas tree.

“It’s a different vibe,” she said, “but I feel like this house speaks for itself.

This story was reported by The Preservation Resource Center, a nonprofit whose mission is to preserve New Orleans’ historic architecture, neighborhoods and cultural identity. For information, visit prcno.org.

The ceramic stools in the foyer are from Katie Koch Home.

The entryway’s historical Zuber wallpaper resembles a mural and depicts the American Revolutionary War in 1776.

Elizabeth Keckler says that art defines a space. The couple placed a dramatic Todd Murphy photograph of a palmetto dress in the living room to set the tone.

New Metairie home offers luxe touches

BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer

The chance to put a personal stamp on a home can be a treasured aspect of life.

Such is the case with 111 Arlington Drive in Old Metairie, a new home waiting to blossom under the care of a first owner. It offers four bedrooms, more than four baths and almost 4,500 square feet of space.

And at just under $2.3 million, this Old Metairie dwelling is just waiting to be called “home.”

The new construction incorporates many of the aspects of contemporary style modern families seek, from the layout of the rooms to extras located throughout the property.

Set behind mature oaks and tidy landscaping, the home sports a front-facing garage opening framed by carriage lanterns and a parking pad for extra vehicles.

The recessed front door is shielded from weather by a front porch that welcomes guests.

The broad central hall draws traffic into the home, past the first-floor primary

suite. An expansive assemblage of spaces, the suite features a sleeping chamber

The kitchen space in the great room of the house features a built-in dining area, plus a vast wet bar with storage for wine and display shelving A pantry is nearby.

packed with built-in elements for storage and convenience.

The trio of tall windows overlooking the front porch provides abundant natural light for the space, while wood floors add texture and tone.

The primary bath is a glistening spa-inspired space trimmed in brushed golden metallic touches. The soaking tub and the standing glass shower enjoy light from clerestory windows, which reflects off the mirrors over the expansive double vanity

The walk-in closet is a boutique-style enclave of custom shelving and hanging space. It also includes a central cabinet and an additional dressing table.

Across the hall and within easy reach is the laundry facility and a powder room for guests. And just past the stairs to the upper floor is another flexible room that could serve as a home office or a separate dining area.

At the end of the hall is the vast space that serves as the heart of the home, with the living room, kitchen and eating areas all within the grand space.

ONEINAMILLION

Aspa-likeambience thrivesinthe primary bath of thehome, with asoaking tub,standing shower with aseat and adoublevanity.A boutique-stylecloset sits at the end of the space.

The living room section, under the beamed ceilingwith exposed wood, is anchored by afireplace flanked by wood cabinets.

The wooden tones are echoed in the island and legs of the built-inkitchen table.

Almost seamlessly tucked along one wall, the culinary space features concealed appliances highlighted bya professional-grade gasstove and adjacent to aconvenient wet bar with wine storage.

Coming off the back of the house and at aright angleto the kitchen is awindow-laden dining area. Opposite thedining space and behind thewet bar is apantry loaded with storage and extra counter space, plus an additional sink.

The back wall of theliving room is atriptych of glass panels that open onto the covered back patio (and disappear to create avast passageway).

The protected al fresco space has an outdoor kitchen gleaming with stainless appliances, including agas grill, refrigerator and sink. The backyard space is handsome greenspace for recreation or a

potential water feature.

Upstairs, three en suites enjoy much lightand space.

Theupper floor hasits own laundry room and additional storage, plus astorage closet at thetop of thestairs. Theupper floor alsohas its own den on thefront of the housewith adoor to theupper galleryoverlookingthe lawn and street below

The outdoor kitchen is ahallmark of the covered area off the great room in the house.

Securitycameras and surround sound are included, and thehome is prewired for a generator

The property is listed by Julie PrieurVarisco with Prieur Properties,(504) 352-9800.

One in aMillion is an occasional series featuring upscale homes for sale in the metro area.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

NEWORLEANS

n TRANSFERS ISSUED NOV. 24-28

DISTRICT 1

CAMP ST.336: $540,000, 336 Camp LLCtoCamp Jeff Ventures LLC.

COMMERCE ST.700: $243,000, ElizabethEulalia Joblin to William B. HooverII.

MAGAZINE ST.700: $550,000, L3KSl4 LLCtoBenjaminA.Thorson Trust and Laura H. Thorson Trust.

S. GAYOSO ST.412: $298,000, Dobrev Trust to KimElizabeth Stevens and WayneMichael Stevens.

WARFIELD ST.7209: $131,000, Wilbert and Mossierine Murphy revocabletrust to Erin Hamilton.

DISTRICT 2

ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD.650:

$350,000, 650 Robert E. LeeLLC to Roxanne Thulin and TedThulin.

CATINA ST.6561: $245,000,Freddie Mac SLST 2022-1 Participation Interest Trust to Kerry Crossley and MonikaCrossley

COLBERTST. 6661: $665,000, Scott P. Angle and William W. Brunson to Jacquelyn Brady and Matthew Brady

GOV. NICHOLLS ST.2021: $65,000, Frank AnthonyViltz to Eastover Ventures Inc.

HARDING DRIVE 945: $495,000, Kathleen LouiseSmith to Kelly Morgan.

ST.ANN ST.930-932: $575,000, Curt Carothers, Joanne Sealyand John Curtis Carothers to FigTree Investments LLC.

URSULINES AVE. 616: $100 and other valuable consideration, Hotel Villa Convento LLCtoBayou Tree HoldingsLLC

DISTRICT 3

A.P.TUREAUD AVE. 2815: $261,500, Glenda M.McKinley and Jaquenette CookeDean to Roxanne Moore.

BERG ST.7701-05: $290,000, Terel Santiago to NidiaHill.

BURGUNDYST. 4205-4207: $475,000, Erica Mason Welbourne and Susanna R. Welbourne Mason to Julio Hudson Diaz.

CARTIER DRIVE 6400: $730,000, Herman J. FeltonJr. and Katherine Bush FeltontoHsiaopo Cheng and JinkeTang.

CATHERINE ST.3601, 3605, 3606, 3600: $149,000, 3605 Catherine LLCtoGeyner Arroliga Custom Cabinets LLC.

CHARTRES ST.5005, REYNES ST. 601: donation, no valuestated, Clement Conway Wilson and EleanorBruno Wilson to C&E Wilson revocable living trust.

CHEF MENTEUR HIGHWAY23022:

$136,000, LloydProperties LLCto LennetteIbrom Conn.

CLOUET ST.827: $705,000, Brandon Ausburn Page to AmyMeoli.

CLOUET ST.2234: $25,000, Derrick M. Johnson and Paula Mallett to Joseph C. Jones.

CURRAN ROAD 13701: donation, no value stated, Darvel F. Burgess Jr. and Trinity Burgess to Terrilyn Decou Burgess.

DESIRE ST.1442: $50,000, Zeitoun Builder LLCtoAnasM.Zayed.

DESIRE ST.1704: $200,000, Madom Contractors LLC to DanielJaeson Wiet and Nicolette Walano Wiet. DWYER BLVD.13134: $63,000, Asset Backed Funding Corporation Asset Backed Certificates Series 2006 HE1 to QuyPham.

ELYSIAN FIELDS AVE. 5301:

$775,000, CGSLL CtoElysian Fields Holding Co. LLC.

FELICIANA ST.2026: $290,000, ArgentMaison LLCtoEugene Dwayne Mitchell.

FRENCHMEN ST.718: $180,000, Graciela Tripodi Montani to Clayton L. Bennett and Debra Lee Bennett.

LADYGRAYST. 7701: $200,000, EG Constructionand Remodeling LLC and Seddon Investments Co. to Bryant KeithLewis.

LARK ST.2246: $330,000, Monique BoissiereDejoietoKylynn Boissiere.

LOUISAST. 910: $580,450, Merrill H. StewartIII to Jacks Lasting Living Trust.

LOUISAST. 2647-2649: $78,000, CascadeFunding Mortgage Trust HB8 to KathyA.Tolliver.

LYNHUBER DRIVE 4848: $186,000, Demond Alton Williams and Kelvin Bush Jr.toDasaniJohnson

MAUREPAS ST.2930: $463,000,

Lisa Beebe JenningstoRobertA DauteriveJr.

MONTEGUT ST.2009-11: $37,500, Mae Lois Parker Edwards Martin to Seventeen WardsLLC

N. DORGENOIS ST.3319: $75,500, Jody Anderson to Genwealth Rental Properties LLC.

N. GALVEZ ST.2448, 2454-56: $40,000, David G. Hedges to MeganGraber.

N. RAMPARTST. 2514: $612,500, Lorraine RamonaFrench to Melanie Boehm Powers.

PARKSIDE COURT7127: donation, no value stated, Trevor G. Bryan and VioletH.Bryan to Alma Bryan Powell.

PINEBROOK DRIVE 7201: $40,500, 2018WY26LLC to BenjaminNhat Dong Tran.

ROBIN HOOD DRIVE 4700: $15,000, Pelican StateVentures LLCtoDavid Berkeand Debbie O. Berke.

ROYALST. 5626: donation, no value stated, Dean Joseph Buske

andTiffanyElise BusketoJoshua Daniel Andersonand Kallee Mae BuskeAnderson.

SPAIN ST.4440: $440,000, Carmela Rappazzo Carrolland Mark Carroll to Aaron James Narcisse and Katrina Maria Zech Thibodeaux.

ST.CLAUDE AVE. 2933-35: $250,000, KerrieK.RamsdellNolan to Matthew Jade West.

ST.ROCHAVE. 814: $575,000, 2467 Dauphine LLCand Siddhartha PadmanabhatoCarl T. Mickman.

STONEWOOD ST.7663: $90,000, Derek PrograisJr., Dustin Prograis, Tanisha PrograisWatson and Terry Stewart PrograistoDacia Weber

SUMPTER ST.1925: $255,000, Maceo Bevrotte to Andree Nelson Baptiste and VanBaptiste.

WISTERIA ST.2622: $180,000, DeborahWilliams Sanders to Michelle Simms.

YORKTOWNDRIVE 7131-7133: $179,000, Michael Thomas Hausser to Melinda Christina Foy.

DISTRICT 4

JACKSON AVE. 1441: $372,000, Mikhail K. LevintoDeborahLaida Sawyer andRichard Sawyer.

PHILIP ST.2725: $199,000, Calla Felicity to TiffanyChemin Ward. PRYTANIA ST.2809: $100 andother good andvaluable consideration, Caroline Powers Pies andShaun Farrell Pies to Dolores Renee HarrisAustell andTheodore Austell III.

ST.ANDREW ST.1215: $850,000, Jerome M. Volk III to EvaOtoupalovaBalachandran andManu Balachandran.

ST.MARYST. 928-930: $383,000, James C. Kibler andKristin WatsonKibler to Heidi A. Merriman Linares andRamses G. Merriman.

DISTRICT 5

CASTLE PINES DRIVE 38: $765,000, Judy Stamps PeliteretoArthur Allen Jr.

CASTLE PINES DRIVE 38: donation, no value stated, Arthur Allen Jr. to KimyaM.Holmes.

CHELSEA DRIVE 2711: $273,900, Geiner Ovidio Vega GarciatoKelisha White andRyanC.White.

CYPRESS GROVE COURT70: donation, no value stated, Joseph D. Wiley andLisa Reese Wiley to Alicia Wiley.

DANNY DRIVE 116: $169,000, Chavdar M. Vatev andJulienne Becker Vatev to Rachel Marie Von Bodungen.

DICKENS DRIVE 3620: $25,000, Agnes E. Conner,Derrick Jackson, Jaret Conner,Jaret Don Conner, ä See ORLEANS, page 19

EAST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FOR NOV. 22-25 HARAHAN

ASHBORNE DRIVE 7400: Melanie

R. Singletary to Sharon A. S Clark, $515,000.

W. MAGNOLIA BLVD. 6735: Isabelle C. Pichoff to Yinet Y. A. Mentado, $205,000.

JEFFERSON

BERWICK ST. 2816: Virginia C. A. Habel to Morgan Fontenot, $199,000.

IRIS AVE. 240: Jct Construction Company Inc. to Fryp LLC, $450,000.

LABARRE ROAD 513: Helen S. Baffes to Cowboy Millworks LLC, $125,000.

NEELY ST. 2200: Thomas E. Beron to Two Thousand Two Hundred Neely LLC, $150,000.

KENNER

ANTIGUA DRIVE 57: Sheryl A. Gros to Monika W. Sood, $90,000.

COMPROMISE ST. 1309: Eugene Ridgley to Eric Ridgley Sr., donation, no value stated.

DAVID DRIVE 5421: Joan H Sanderson to Madeline Vogt, $308,000.

PANAMA ST. 2803: Raymond

ORLEANS

Continued from page 18

Nelson Dajhon Thomas, Tiffany Kentrell Shayon Conner and Vanessa Ann Conner Reynard to PG Realty Pro LLC.

GREENSPOINT DRIVE 1007: donation, no value stated, Joseph D Wiley and Lisa Reese Wiley to Aisha E. Wiley

HYMAN PLACE 2437: $155,000, Brent L. Maloney, Patrick J. Maloney and Tammy M. Demille to Mark J. Azzinari.

PACIFIC AVE. 335-337: $364,285, Mark D. Hill to Anyssa Rodriguez Velasquez and Elias Manuel Velasquez.

RUE ANDREE ST. 3631: $160,000, Garret J. Quartana, Gavin P. Quartana and Karen Ann Quartana Odonley to Michael Davis.

ST. NICK DRIVE 2018: $235,000, Antoinette Breaux Bourgeois to Doris Sarahi Rosa Lorenzana.

TIMBER WOLF LANE 3605:

$180,000, Shantelle Renee Landry to Lisa Ann Fields.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

J. Rehage to Jomo Carter, $159,000.

VANDERBILT LANE 905: Ery C. S. Pineda to Heidi S. Viera, $200,000.

WEST ESPLANADE AVE. 1500: I & U Investment LLC to Jesse Weber, $85,000.

WEST ESPLANADE AVE. 1500 APT 33E: Fifteen Hundred West Esplanade 33e LLC to Celeste J. Leblanc, $104,000.

YELLOWSTONE ST. 120: Hopkins LLC John to Stavroula L. Petrou, $340,300.

METAIRIE

ARIS ST. 1040: Pak Y. Ng to Don S. Ng, donation, no value stated.

BELLE DRIVE 4404: Cnb Enterprises LLC to Erin Vasseur, $420,000.

COURTLAND DRIVE 4424: Lori L. Swalley to Thomas Evans Jr., $332,500.

FRANKEL AVE. 1517: Christopher Korst to Ullah Inc., $215,000.

HARING ROAD 1213: Bronwyn Leblanc to Jason M. Schiffman, $310,000.

HARVARD AVE. 4323: Bumble Bee & Lady Bug LLC to Norma J. Solano, $450,000.

HOMESTEAD AVE. 949: Tmt Building LLC to Lisa M. H. Dudenhefer, $1,080,000.

LAKE AVE. 1114: Diane M. Brau to Vanessa B. Picone, $125,000.

WILLOW DRIVE 13774: $150,000, Gulf Coast Bank & Trust to Hummel Construction LLC.

DISTRICT 6

DELACHAISE ST. 3107: $84,000, Dell Stewart Simmons to Glenda Louise Spears, Janet Lee Spears Pinkins and Sherita Trenese Pinkins McCaleb.

FONTAINEBLEAU DRIVE 4413:

$301,000, David Andrew James and Jennifer Estelle James to Darin Britt.

FOUCHER ST. 2013: $418,500, Charles Andrew Capone and Phillip Odell Woodruff to Jordan Shaunty and Sahran Al Busaidy

GEN. PERSHING ST. 1300-04: $985,000, James Michael Doherty to Amber Lynn Cornwell.

PITT ST. 5228-30: $455,000, Randall Ann Harris and Robert Stevens Newsham Jr. to Kurt Aaron Eischen and Leah Claire Antin Eischen.

S. JOHNSON ST. 3717: $145,000, Cleveland Davison, Dan Davison, Glennis Everrith and Orin Godfrey to Frenchstone Partners LLC.

S. JOHNSON ST. 4231: $418,000,

LAKE VILLA 3700: Emily C. Crespo to Claire Kirtland, donation, no value stated.

LAKE VILLA 3700: Emily C. Crespo to Tascha C. Landry, donation, no value stated.

LINDEN ST. 637: Pws Properties LLC to G1st Construction & Renovations LLC, $100,000.

LUFKIN ST. 4033: Mark S. Matherne to Brandon C. Vivien, $275,000.

ORPHEUM AVE. 1432, UNIT D: Samuel J. Tobio to Melvin P. Guillard, $145,000.

SHAW ST. 4509 U103: David Williams to John W. Williams Sr., donation, no value stated.

SIGUR AVE. 1359: David L. Tucker Jr. to David L. Tucker Jr., $439,243.

STOCKTON ST. 4315-17: Patrick S. Mccarty to Michael Kospelich Jr., $318,000.

SYLVIA AVE. 1400: Phyllis K. Jones to Phyllis C. Jones, donation, no value stated.

WEST ESPLANADE AVE. 4912: Virginia P. Gonzales to Angela T Bourgeois, $356,000.

RIVER RIDGE

HENNESSEY COURT 42: Greg J. Marchand to Meredith Williams, $274,999.

STEWART AVE. 237: Christopher B. Cortez to Dalton A. Peneguy, $278,000.

Anne Summer Myers Campbell and Kyle Michael Campbell to Alexis Sciarratta Boyer and William W. Boyer III.

STATE ST. DRIVE 3140: $650,000, Lisa Premock Kelly to Celia C. Candies.

ZIMPLE ST. 7310: $560,000, Richard K. Elsky to 7310 Zempel LLC.

DISTRICT 7

BELLAIRE DRIVE 5874: $1,800,000, Patrick Swilling and Robin Robertson Swilling to Jennifer Moncada and Luis Moncada.

BELLAIRE DRIVE 6539: $380,000, Bethany Eppling Chavez and Xavier Antonio Chavez Reyes to Sydney Grace Gaskamp.

COHN ST. 8510: $439,000, Cohn LLC to Lindsay A. Hernandez.

GEN. OGDEN ST. 1421-23: $66,500, 1421 General Ogden Corporation to 1421 Gen Ogden LLC.

LOWERLINE ST. 2100: donation, no value stated, Susan Defourneaux Aultman to Jeana Patricia Aultman.

28TH ST. 324: donation, no value stated, Theodore J. Lala to Sophia A. Estopinal.

WEST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FOR NOV. 22-25 AVONDALE

CHERRYGROVE DRIVE 3608: Dsld LLC to Ariel Joseph, $288,990.

CHERRYGROVE DRIVE 3624: Dsld LLC to Shawanda Mason, $276,550.

ELSA DRIVE 321: Doris Chapron to Jody Camardelle, $30,000.

ELSA DRIVE 321: Marilyn Chapron to Jody Camardelle, $30,000.

BRIDGE CITY

BRIDGE CITY AVE. 1710: Shirley

M. M. Toups to Thuy T. N. Pham, $78,500.

GRAND ISLE

CATHERINE LANE 205: Robert L. Faul to Calvin B. Andre, $146,000. GRETNA

4TH ST. 625: Ashley B. Matherne to Lisa Breland, donation, no value stated.

MARLENE DRIVE 801: Tommy Ngo to Cheryl Thiaville, $230,000.

TULIP DRIVE 42: Rivera Power Up Construction LLC to Nathaly P. U. Bondartchuk, $217,000.

HARVEY

DEERGLEN DRIVE 4032: Zmmy LLC to Cindy F. Gonzales, $255,000.

GLENOAK DRIVE 3808: Sidney Carriere to Bryden Reality LLC, $107,000.

ä See WEST, page 20

WEST

Continued frompage19

PAILET AVE. 1925: JohnnyM.Mckinnies Sr. to VeronicaRangel, $170,000.

SANDALWOOD DRIVE 1053: Lien N. Ngoc to Wanda Robertson,$178,000.

SPENCER ST.3827: Tedel Enterprises Inc. to KreweofKing Arthur&Merlin Inc., $315,000.

LAFITTE

JEAN LAFITTE BLVD.485: Lakeview Loan Servicing LLCtoDoyle A. Gisclair, $63,000.

MARRERO

FARRINGTONDRIVE 1640: Darren Henning to Donna Williams, $225,000.

GRILLETTACOURT 3953: Anh T. VNguyen to LuceroR.W.Chavero,$245,000.

JARED LANE 2539: Larissa J. B.Pruitt to Gia K. L. Bui, $355,000.

SPRIG DRIVE 2728: Chiasson Property & Management LLCtoTai T. Vo,$260,000.

TRINITY DRIVE 5517: Henry M. Brockhoeft to Helena D. Jackson, $255,000.

TERRYTOWN

APPLETREE LANE218: Appletree Padilla LLCtoRsN.SlPropertiesLLC, $160,000.

DEERFIELD ROAD 560: Jeffrey M. Reine to C&JProperty Rentals LLC,$184,000.

WAGGAMAN

W. PRISCILLA LANE 29: CoastBuilders LLCtoCorey M. SmithSr., $546,400.

WESTWEGO

8TH ST.115: Dwyane A. Edwards to Seecharran SantokeSr., $35,000.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

ST.TAMMANy

n TRANSFERS FORNOV.10-14

ABITASPRINGS

SOUTHEAST DIVISIONOF

ABITASPRINGS SUBDIVISION, LOT1AA, SQUARE 8: Robert A. LyonsIII and Jacqueline Pollet to KevinP.Reed and Marie M. Pollingue, $92,500.

TRAILHEAD DRIVE 478: Ralph J. Tortorich Jr.and Kayla B. Tortorich to Nicolas Weinfeld and Mary K. Duhon, $1,030,000.

COVINGTON

ALEXIUSVILLE SUBDIVISION, LOTS 1-4, SQUARE 20: Zenith Interest Partnership and Heather Barrange Case to Rabs DemoLLC,$100,000.

BEGONIA DRIVE 46: Michael Pellissierand JordanP.Pellisier to MichaelS.Owings and Hailey DuPont Owings, $315,000.

BERTEL DRIVE 168: Helen R. Cassell to Ross L. Mongrue and Lindsey L. Mongrue, $489,000.

CLELAND ROAD 2521: Virena D. Ladner and Emily J. Ladner to Joseph Hanson II and Alaina Hanson, $350,000.

COUNTRY CLUB DRIVE 122: KevinJ.McCarron and Anne F. McCarron to Robert W. Abell and Kaitlyn C. Abell, $400,000.

DELTA LANE 1161: Ryan J. Krummeland CrystalM. KrummeltoABC Assets LLC, $551,500.

EAGLE ROAD 107: Succession of George O. Starke,

Ulrich Starkeand Monica Humphreys to Brennon T. Goodreauand Christian J. CandlishGoodreau, $450,000.

EMERALD OAKS DRIVE 158, UNIT 32: Cheri O’Banion Vining to Adolph Klundt and Paulette A. Guerra, $240,000.

GABRIEL DRIVE 2118: DSLD Homes LLCtoRyanMatheny and Linda Fierro, $322,030.

HONEYSUCKLE ESTATES LOOP 79299: James D. Fitzmorristo Dawn M. Fitzmorris, donation, no value stated.

HOPSCOTCHROAD504: Highland Homes Inc. to Herbert Satterlee Jr.and Mary S. Satterlee, $598,884.

LA BRANCHE PLACE 432: Terra Bella Group LLCtoHighland Homes Inc., $107,500.

LA BRANCHE PLACE 461: Terra Bella Group LLCtoHighland Homes Inc., $102,500.

LAKE RAMSEY SUBDIVISION, PHASE 4, LOT105A: Jerry L. RhodusJr. and Melissa R. RhodustoDanielM.Cousins and BarbaraD.Cousins, $140,000.

N. CORNICHEDULAC 520: Panno ConstructionLLC to Bradley R. Billonand Anna Billon, $826,830.

NEAR COVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: KimberlyH.Jarrell to William J. Bloecher III, $150,000.

NEAR COVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: 7R Properties LLCtoBobbyF.Williams Jr. and Christine G. Williams, $56,275.

NEAR COVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: Adolph S. Klundt and Paulette A. Guerrato Robert E. WaltmanIII and

AshleyM.Waltman,$425,000.

ORLEANS AVE. 325: Shane Lacrouts to Reanna Lacrouts, donation, no value stated.

OX BOWCOURT1061: Rinaldi Holdings LLCtoGeorgeT Rinaldiand Deborah J. Rinaldi, $420,000.

ST.GERTRUDE DRIVE 17240: Gregory S. Shelton andJamie B. Shelton to Roland J. Robert Jr.and Catherine H. Robert, $820,000.

16THAVE. 904: Aaron Richie and Julie Richie Living Trust to LeonardM.Bazile Jr., $375,000.

SPRUCE DRIVE 15: Cole Palmer to Westley Bonck and Janet Reyes-Bonck, $365,085.

TAMMANY HILLS SUBDIVISION, LOT17A, SQUARE 17: Givin G. Wright to Jarnel W. Smith, $254,900.

TERRA BELLASUBDIVISION, PHASE 1A-13, LOTS 382, 444, 454, 455: TerraBella Group LLCtoHaaswood Development LLC, $430,000.

TERRACE LAKE DRIVE 543: TimothyA.Bateson andChris A. Bateson to WilliamB.Roy and Joni V. Roy,$360,000.

TICE ROAD 19445, 19501, 19503: Marilyn M. Madere and Dana M. MaderetoShaw Investments LLC, $210,000.

TUSCANY WEST ESTATES, LOT27: RRR Properties LLCto ThomasB.Smiley andBeverly Myers Smiley,$65,000.

VINTAGEDRIVE 232: DavidE Parsons and Robbin D. Knipe Parsons to GavenBrooksand Darien Mincey,$275,000.

W. 19THAVE. 923: Samuel N. Jonesand Charlotte V. Jones to Paula R. Lee, $295,000.

ZACHERYCOURT1445: DSLD HomesLLC to EdwardPellow andBrittanyPellow, $368,550.

FOLSOM

ERINDALE DRIVE 15375: RichardD.Walthall andCynthia P. Walthall to BesharaNehme, $476,000.

NEARFOLSOM, PORTION OF GROUND: Aundrea C. Jarrell Tate to RobertD.Jarrell, $6,500.

NEARFOLSOM, PORTION OF GROUND: C. J. Real Estate Investments LLCtoAllisonH. Lee, $260,000.

NEARFOLSOM, PORTION OF GROUND: Michael E. Cimino to RobertJ.Wiener,$80,000.

NEARFOLSOM, PORTION OF GROUND: Joseph PieriJr. to DavidL.Bourque andBreanna J. Bourque, $80,000.

LACOMBE

BERRYTODD ROAD 28657: CarringtonMortgage Services LLCtoSecretaryofHousing andUrban Development, $134,870.

FISH HATCHERYROAD62217: Succession of June Hymel McGeetoChari McGee Aguirre, $8,000.

FISH HATCHERYROAD62217: Succession of June H. McGee to Joshua R. Jones, $250,000. W. HARBOR LANE 59145: Chapman Family Trust to Eric W. Olsen andAnn R. Olsen, $725,000.

MADISONVILLE

CALUMET DRIVE 236: Hector Mackay andMilo W. Mackay to Katie Nguyen, $325,000.

MOSS POINT LANE 3033: Ross Mongrue and Lindsey MongruetoMichael C. Frederick Hess, $377,000.

MOSS POINT LANE 3033: Michael C. FrederickHess to Morgan M. King,donation,no value stated.

PINE CREST DRIVE 209: LeeR.Rosas andOlgaM Hernandez-Monreal to Jeffrey S. Vezain andSusanVezain, $470,000.

RUE MON JARDIN 216: Lance B. Williams andFrances K. Yamamura Williams to Hector Mackay andMilo Mackay, $590,000.

S. BROWN THRASHER LOOP 300: Joshua J. Mannon and LauraJ.MannontoAllen J. Ellender III, $355,000.

SANDYBROOK CIRCLE 325: Ryan W. Nunez andMargaret

F. Nunez to Rivers A. Jacques Jr. and Wendy M. Jacques, $663,000.

SHADY OAKS SUBDIVISION, PHASE 2, LOT 74: Leslie T. Brewer and Laurie T. Del Valle to Alexander A. Shows and Jenny O. Shows, $265,000.

MANDEVILLE

ANTIOCH DRIVE 67562: Edwin L. Busch and Augustina Penesa B. Busch to Brett C. Casperson and Shauna L. Reginelli, $535,000.

CAROLINE ST. 1350: Succession of Brandon J. Betz to Kristal H. Gautreaux, $199,000.

DUPARD ST. 2328: Beverly A. Rainey to John G. Young, $210,000

LOUISIANA 22 3809: B&B Petroleum LLC to NNN Reit LP, $100. LOUISIANA 59 68106: Lopes Petroleum LLC to Kent Store Development LLC, $100.

N. BEAU CHENE DRIVE 665, UNIT 189: Bradley A. Lazaro Sr. and Colleen E. Ward Lazaro to William Blackwell and Joanne Blackwell, $255,000.

NEAR MANDEVILLE, LOT OPIB4: William R. Ledoux and Sharon Palmisano Ledoux to John W. Michaelis LLC, $700,000.

NORTH LANE, PORTION OF GROUND: North Ventures LLC to CEDD Holdings LLC, $112,000.

RANGE COURT 3201: Priscilla C. Glazer to Cynthia Randall and Christopher Randall, $425,000.

ROBYN PLACE 74: Brett C. Casperson and Shauna L. Reginelli Casperson to Carl Bourgeois and Dawn Bourgeois, $918,400.

S. RICHLAND DRIVE 135: Johnson L. Hale III and Jennifer L. Hale to Jennifer L. Hale, no value stated.

S. VILLAGE LANE 635, UNITS A-C: Ryan W. Welch to Joseph A. Perdigao and Ana M. Sanchez Perdigao, $625,000.

TARA LANE 34: Douglas K. Ferguson and Robyn K. Ferguson to Andrew Frichter and Kaitlin C. Frichter, $554,900.

TORTOISE DRIVE 2340: Katherine B. Overman Cook to Marilyn D Warner, $260,000.

TOWN OF MANDEVILLE, PORTION OF GROUND: David M. Stoessell to Bayou Castine Estates LLC, $500,000.

WOODLANDS SUBDIVISION, PHASE 7B, LOT 191: Brad S. Raziano and Samantha B. Raziano to Travis L. Combel and Erin F. Combel, $535,000.

PEARL RIVER

CHRIS KENNEDY ROAD 67343: Ruth B. Whitfield to Brett R. Bennett, $180,000.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

CREEKSIDE PLACE 30: Lori D Walgamotte to Evan P. Sauvage, $194,000.

FARMING LANE 39705: DSLD Homes LLC to Edward Daigle, $338,675.

MORGAN BLUFF ROAD 848: John Sabathe and Bridget S. Sabathe to Michael J. Martin and Juliana R. Lentz, $181,500.

SLIDELL

ADMIRAL NELSON DRIVE 1255: Victoria L. Laurent to Robin M. Vitatoe-Williams, $291,000.

ASHTON PARC 238: Christopher E. Hiestand and Francys Del Valle Salcedo Hiestand to Joseph A Peters, $625,000.

BROOK LANE 4218: Ibrahim Elghorayeby and Sherihan Elghorayeby to Brandi M. Elghorayeby, $202,000.

BROOKHAVEN COURT 200: Succession of Ronald J. Abney to Alicia Terre and Angelle M. Abney Terre, $170,000.

BROOKHAVEN COURT 200: Angelle M. Abney Terre and Alicia Terre to AHA-T LLC, donation, no value stated.

CANAL ST. 4568: ARC Realty LLC to Willie Johnson, $199,750.

CANDLEWOOD DRIVE 422: Succession of Gameel Gabriel to Gibbs Real Estate Interests LLC, $175,000.

CARA MAE ST. 40531: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Diana Wilkins, $232,900.

CARDINAL DRIVE 319: Jashaun R. Kelley and Nya C. Slay to Timothy Scott, $171,906.

DEFIANCE DRIVE 151: Brenn R. Butts and Kristin L. Butts to Payton Evans, $230,000.

FAIRFIELD LOOP 653: Bipinbhai

M. Patel to Yorby C. Mejia, $255,000.

FIFTH ST. 327: Sherry T. Lee to Frank L. Temple Jr. and Emeli A. Temple, donation, no value stated.

FORNEA GLEN WAY 5464: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Ivy R. Peterson, $249,900.

FRANCES ST. 105: Linda Augenstein, Clarence J. Roussell and others to Alejandro Leon, $25,000.

FREMAUX AVE. 545: Succession of Timmy D. Monroe and Steven E. Monroe to Shannon S. Blestel, $38,000.

LAKESHORE VILLAGE DRIVE 729: Roy B. Carter to Rebecca R. Wilson, $380,500.

LAURENT ROAD 34062: Velocity Commercial Capital LLC to Aixiang Chen, $124,500.

MAPLE LEAF CIRCLE 351: Connie B. Chester to Madison T. Ryan, $174,000.

MARLIN DRIVE 119: Audra Newton to Joseph Barcelona Jr. and Rebecca B. Barcelona, $700,000.

MARSHA DRIVE 1754: Joyce F. McDonald to Ray McDonald Jr., donation, no value stated.

MOONRAKER DRIVE 277: Lisa B. Langley, Debra W. Bruce and succession of Sylvia S. Bruce to Kenneth W. Sayers III, $225,000.

OLEANDER DRIVE 311: Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing to Hebi Ye and Aixiang Chen, $141,800.

PONTCHARTRAIN DRIVE 4780: Kelly Ann Love to Sandpiper Condo 101 LLC, $65,000.

POPLAR DRIVE 505: Jack A. Kellum, Marife L. Gutib-Kellum and others to Trevor B. Nixon and Destanie W. Nixon, $282,500.

RANCH ROAD 40708: Ricky G. Cormier to O’Neil Foster,

$179,000.

RANCH ROAD 40709: Chandra Crain to Erik Hernandez and Tarah Hernandez, $180,000.

REBECCA REID DRIVE 1109: Kacy J. Fillingame to Jeremy P. Barraco and Lauren Carruth Barraco, $255,000.

SPRING DRIVE 59398: Spring Home Investments Inc. to Cameron Alphonso and Annaleise Genter Alphonso, $249,900.

ST. PETERS DRIVE 1026: Travis Mason to Damien Mason, donation, no value stated.

TAYLORS TRAIL 40145, UNIT 202: Larry E. Fogg, Kevin J. Foggs Sr. and Keith T. Fogg to Alan D. Landeche and Rosemary V Landeche, $191,000.

10TH ST. 2001: Hidden Vault LLC to P&L Real Estate Investment LLC, $800,000.

VILLAGE DRIVE 142: Annaleise

Genter to Brett Curole and Jessica Curole, $109,000.

WAKE RESERVE ROAD 5408: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Archie O. Allen, $373,900.

WHITNEY DRIVE 651: Succession of Shirley J. O. Rodriguez, Sharon Rodriguez and others to Thomas Ray and Terri G. Ray, $314,500.

SUN/BUSH

KELSO COURT 100: Jeffery S Vezain and Susan A. Vezain to Paul G. Villani, $452,000.

TURKEY RIDGE ROAD 26402: Joanne S. Davis to Michael K. Davis, donation, no value stated.

WALLACE KING ROAD 21440: Terry D. Jenkins and Sandra W. Jenkins to Brandon Hollingsworth and Elizabeth T. Hollingsworth, $270,000.

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5Beds/ 5.5Baths/6,600 Sq.Ft. This stunning property is nestled on 2.1acres on theGulf. Completely renovated. Bulkheadedwithaboathouse, lifts, airconditioned fishcleaning station, water viewsfromalmostevery room,and outdoorspace forentertaining. Fullyfurnished.Atruemustsee!

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LSU AgCenter

If you follow trends, you’ve probably noticed photos of cottage gardens floating around the internet in recent years. Characterized by abundant, mixed plantings that burst with color and texture, this style of garden has an informal, romantic air that feels like something out of a fairytale.

Cottage gardens have been around for a long time, originating in the English countryside in the 15th century. People took small plots of land and turned them into multipurpose gardens densely planted with vegetables, fruits, herbs and, yes, even a few flowers — although they typically were grown for culinary and medicinal uses back then. Some of these gardens even doubled as space for keeping livestock and beehives.

By the 19th century, cottage gardens began to shift from practical to ornamental. Their carefree charm became popular among the middle and upper classes and inspired countless works of art. It was during these times that the modern vision of cottage gardens took form.

Their resurgence is no surprise: Cottage gardens’ natural, whimsical vibe lends itself to minimal maintenance and the use of pollinator-friendly and native plants — things that resonate with many gardeners today Cottage gardens are budget conscious and perfect for small areas, and there is plenty of room for creativity

and self-expression.

Want to create a cottage garden of your own? Now is a great opportunity to set the stage for a powerful springtime bloom.

Start with seeds

Cottage gardens thrive on mass plantings of flowers, which are easy to achieve by sowing seeds directly into the ground. Direct seeding is a cost-effective practice for this kind of garden, as seeds generally are less expensive than transplants.

Plus, it can be fun to watch tiny seeds sprout and grow into awe-inspiring flowers. Try these flowers in Louisiana

Now is a great time to sow cool-season annuals, springblooming plants and some perennials into the garden in Louisiana. Many of these species are fantastic for cottage gardens.

Some annuals you can plant now include poppies, larkspur, delphinium, calendula and spurred snapdragon. These sometimes self-seed. For perennials that will return year after year, try purple coneflower, rudbeckia and coreopsis.

This is just a starting point. As time goes on, layer in plants that bloom at different times to keep the garden colorful and lively all year long.

You can mix in other plants (including transplants) to add variety. As a throwback to the original cottage garden concept from medieval times, you may want to include some edible plants.

A lush, layered effect

One of cottage gardens’ most defining features is their effortless blending of a diverse assortment of plants.

Sow seeds of plants that grow tallest toward the back

and center of the garden. Add in some medium-height fillers and place low-growing plants toward the front and edges. Read your seed packets for information on how high each plant grows. Include a variety of colors and textures. You can pair airy, delicate plants with bolder foliage and flowers.

The structure of a cottage garden matters, too When planting your seeds, work in drifts, not rows. Sow seeds in clusters and sweeping curves to create a natural look. Overlap different types of seeds to soften the transitions between colors and textures. Finally, be sure to add some vertical interest. Use trellises or other objects for climbing plants to draw the eye upward and give depth to the garden. Grasses can provide vertical, swaying elements as well as shelter for pollinators.

LSU AGCENTER FILE PHOTO

Thesocialweight of adinnerplate

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday,Dec. 6, the 340th day of 2025. There are 25 days left in the year.

Todayinhistory:

to provide concert security

In 1973, Republican House Minority Leader Gerald R. Ford was sworn in as vice president after he wasselected by President Richard Nixonto replace Spiro T. Agnew,who resigned amid an extortion and tax evasion scandal.

Dear Annie: Ihave agood friend “Amy,”who is agreat lady.We’ve knowneach other for about 15 years,but we reconnected about two years ago and started attending events together,including dinners that range from casual to fine dining.We’re both in our late 40s and single. She’samom of three almost-grown adults who she raised without her ex-husband present, including financially.Ihave alot of respect for her

The issue is her table manners. Ifirst noticed them when Iinvited her over for acasual cookout, and Ijust overlooked it.

I’m not asnob, but Iknow others noticed how she was eating —for example, talking with food in her mouth with her elbows on the table and not returning condiments to the middle of the table for others to access easily

The way she held her utensils and kept her headalmost in her plate was noticeable, and some people moved to another table.

I’m so embarrassed for her.She is an educated woman who grew up in amidsize city,soitseems she would have picked up some better manners. My daughter believes she is oblivious to herself. We really likeAmy, and Itried to acquaint her with some eligible mento date, but her manners are so off-putting.

How can Ihelp her polish her table manners without offending her? Ihave made deliberate yet subtle suggestions, but she doesn’thear me. —Embarrassed at the Table

Dear Embarrassed: You’re right that table manners matter,but so does tact. Since you’ve already tried mentioning it without success, focus on scaling back your get-togethers, keeping them casual. If asituation calls for something more formal, decide whether Amy’sthe right fit for that setting beforeextending the invite.

If she ever asks youdirectly for advice on dating or,morebroadly,onhow she carries herself, that’syour cue to speak up kindlyand more directly than youhave before.

Your daughter may be right that she’soblivious to thesesocialfaux pas, or maybe she justdoesn’t feel they carrythat much weight. Either way,you can’t fix what she doesn’twantto change.

Dear Annie: Idon’tnormally write in, but your adviceto “Balancing Burdens,” the woman who was on the fence about telling her stressed and busy daughter about the recurrence of her cancer,

was spot-on. To this day, IregretthatIwas notwith my mother when she diedfrom heart disease.

It was Christmas, so Iwas busy with athousand things and Ididn’tthink it was a bigdeal that she was going to the hospitalfor a“minor heart procedure.” She never woke up, leaving my dad —who was suffering from Parkinson’s—alone to cope. IwishI hadknown,and after that, Ivowed to always be honest with my son and daughterabout my health.

Miss My Mom

Dear Miss My Mom: Thank you for sharing your story.Even when people have good intentions behind their silence, likewanting to spare those they lovefrom pain, it’s not as kind achoiceashonesty. By coming clean, we allow our loved ones to share the weight of our burdens now insteadofcarrying the regretand sadness of them later.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@ creators.com.

On Dec. 6, 1865, the 13th Amendment tothe U.S. Constitution,abolishing slavery,was ratified as Georgiabecamethe 27thstate to endorse it.

Also on this date:

In 1907, at least 361 menand boys died in acoal mine explosioninMonongah, West Virginia; it was the worst mining disaster in U.S. history

In 1917, more than 1,700 people were killed when an explosives-laden French cargo ship, the Mont Blanc, collided withthe Norwegianmerchant vessel SS Imo in the harbor in Halifax, Nova Scotia, setting off ablast that devastated the Canadian city

In 1923, apresidential address was broadcast nationally on radio for thefirst time as Calvin Coolidge spoke to ajoint sessionofCongress.

In 1957, America’s first attempted satellitelaunch failed as Vanguard TV3 rose about four feet off aCape Canaveral launch pad before crashing down and exploding.

In 1969, afreeconcert by The Rolling Stones at the Altamont Speedway in Alameda County, California, was marred by the deaths of four people, including one who was stabbed by a member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club that washired

In 1998, in Venezuela, former Lt. Col. Hugo Chávez, who had staged abloody coup attempt against the government six years earlier,was elected president.

In 2017, President Donald Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’scapital, announcing plans to move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv

In 2021, ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi was sentenced to four years (later reduced to two) for inciting public unrest and breaching COVID-19 protocols; she is currently serving a27-year prison sentence after aseries of cases brought by the military that had seized power from her elected government.

Today’sbirthdays: Actor JoBeth Williamsis77. Craigslist founder Craig Newmarkis73. Actor TomHulce is 72. Comedian Steven Wright is 70. Rock musician Peter Buck (R.E.M.) is 69. Animator Nick Park is 67. Actor Janine Turner is 63. Writer-director Judd Apatow is 58. Actor Sarah Rafferty is 53. NBAstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is 31. Actor Stefanie Scott is 29.

Lane

ANNIE

LISTYOUR HOME FOR 1%

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ARIVERRUNSTHROUGH IT. Nestledalong theBabyTchefuncte Riveratthe crossroads of St.Tammany andTangipahoa Parishes,this22-acre estate offers privacy, peace, andnatural beauty.The custom-built home features wraparound porches, panoramicwoodedviews,abundantnatural light, andachef’skitchen with Thermador stove,doubleoven, Hoshizakiice maker, anddualrefrigerators.Outdoors, enjoyanartesian-fedpond, privatesandbeach,gardenbeds, nature trails,and multiple outbuildings.Includestractor,lawnmower,golfcart, kayaks,hot tub, andbirdfeeders.