BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer
The placement of names on the 2026 New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival talent announcement isn’trandom. Where aname appears on that topdown listisoften negotiated between themarquee acts’representativesand the festival.
The first three, and thus most prominent, names on the2026 announce-
Newprojectsfocus on land bridges, notriver diversions
BY MIKESMITH Staff writer
Gov.JeffLandry’sadministration detailed amajor shiftinLouisiana’sstrategy for addressing coastal protection and restoration on Wednesday,proposing aslate of projects forthe next fiscal year that move definitively away from the large-scale river diversions long seenaslinchpins in the state’splans.
The draftproject budget for the state’s CoastalProtection and Restoration Authority forfiscal 2027, which begins in July,amounts to $1.27 billion, asignificant dropfromthe current year.But thatdrop is largely because the state has canceled the controversial Mid-Barataria and MidBreton sediment diversion projects while preparing alternatives to take their place. The state’scoastal leadership made clear that it intends to prioritize other types of
ä See COASTAL, page 6A
ment —officially unveiled Thursday after adraft version leaked the previousday —are classic rock JazzFest veterans:the Eagles, Stevie Nicks and Rod Stewart. The fourth name hails from adifferent generation of arena rock, but has also previously played theFair Grounds: Kings of Leon After Kings of Leon,the Jazz Fest lineup list pivots to fresh faces, including atattooed one.
Teddy Swims, theGeorgianative with afondness for upper body ink, first earned afollowing via YouTube videos of cover songs;heslips easily from R&B to soul to country to rock His own “Lose Control” catapulted him to international stardom. Lainey Wilson is oneofthe biggest new names in contemporarycountry music. In November,the native
Many policyholders still seeing hikes
BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer
One of Louisiana’sbiggest property insurers sent apromising signal this week, saying declining reinsurance costs are allowing the company to cut homeowners insurance premiums by an average of 7.5%.
The decision by SureChoice, the secondlargest home insurer in the state, is one sign of improvement in ayearslong insurance crisis that has stretched Louisiana homeowners’ budgets. But the newsisnot all positive. The rate cut comes just eight months
ä See INSURER, page 4A
Governor’s Office callscomments‘disappointing’
BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer
Showcasing rifts between Republicans on an issue that has roiled Louisiana, Gov.Jeff Landry’sofficeonThursdayscolded Lt.Gov
Billy Nungesser for criticizing Border Patrol’sweek-old immigra-
tion enforcementoperationinthe state, calling his comments “disappointing” andaccusing him of prioritizingforeign-born criminals over thestate’scitizens.
Nungessersaid Wednesday that the sweeps were hurting the economy,that agents have stoked fear in people legallyallowed to be here,and that he hasreceived numerouscalls from business owners who are having trouble convincing workersto clock in.
The statement put Nungesser,aRepublican, at odds with Landry andother local
Republican leadersona keyyet controversial portion of President Donald Trump’s agenda. Trump won60% of the vote in thestate last year
But Landry’sspokesperson, Kate Kelly,said Thursdaythat Nungesser wasshowing undue concern for
“They said, ‘We’re getting rid of thecriminals,’ ”saidNungesser, who is second-in-command to Landryand leadsthe state’s tourism efforts, on Wednesday.“These people,a lotofthem have played by therules and have awork visa and now are fearful.”
Trump signs order to halt state AI regulations
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at blocking states from crafting their own regulations for artificial intelligence, saying the burgeoning industry is at risk of being stifled by a patchwork of onerous rules while in a battle with Chinese competitors for supremacy
Members of Congress from both parties, as well as civil liberties and consumer rights groups, have pushed for more regulations on AI, saying there is not enough oversight for the powerful technology
But Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that “there’s only going to be one winner” as nations race to dominate artificial intelligence, and China’s central government gives its companies a single place to go for government approvals.
“We have the big investment coming, but if they had to get 50 different approvals from 50 different states, you can forget it because it’s impossible to do,” Trump said.
The executive order directs the attorney general to create a new task force to challenge state laws, and directs the Commerce Department to draw up a list of problematic regulations.
It also threatens to restrict funding from a broadband deployment program and other grant programs to states with AI laws.
M23 offensive in Congo kills over 400
GOMA, Congo More than 400 civilians have been killed since the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group escalated its offensive in the South Kivu province in eastern Congo, regional officials said, adding that Rwandan special forces were in the strategic city of Uvira.
“More than 413 civilians (have been) killed by bullets, grenades and bombs, including many women, children and young people” in localities between Uvira and Bukavu the regional capital, the South Kivu government spokesperson said in a statement late Wednesday
M23’s latest offensive comes despite a U.S.-mediated peace agreement signed last week by the Congolese and Rwandan presidents in Washington. The accord didn’t include the rebel group, which is negotiating separately with Congo and agreed earlier this year to a ceasefire that both sides accuse the other of violating However, it obliges Rwanda to halt support for armed groups and work to end hostilities.
MyPillow founder to run for Minn. governor
SHAKOPEE, Minn. — Mike Lindell, the fervent supporter of President Donald Trump known to TV viewers as the “MyPillow Guy,” officially entered the race for Minnesota governor Thursday in hopes of winning the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic Gov Tim Walz in 2026. Lindell made the announcement at a news conference at his MyPillow factory in the Minneapolis suburb of Shakopee that he streamed live on his Lindell TV conservative news platform. He said his political opponents had tried to shut him and his company down because of his support for Trump’s claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him.
“Well, it didn’t work. I’m still standing. MyPillow is still standing,” Lindell said. “And now I want you to know that I will stand for you as governor of the state of Minnesota.” Lindell later told reporters that he told Trump back in August he was considering running for governor But he declined to predict whether he will get the president’s endorsement.
A story that ran Thursday incorrectly stated that New Orleans’ Inspector General advised that the IG should regularly review the New Orleans Police Department’s complaint process. The IG advised that the NOPD regularly review its complaint process. The TimesPicayune regrets the error
BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press
WASHINGTON — The Senate on Thursday rejected legislation to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, essentially guaranteeing that millions of Americans will see a steep rise in costs at the beginning of the year.
As Republicans and Democrats have failed to find compromise, senators voted on two partisan bills instead that they knew would fail the Democratic bill to extend the subsidies, and a Republican alternative that would have created new health savings accounts.
It was an unceremonious end to a monthslong effort by Democrats to prevent the COVID-19-era subsidies from expiring on Jan 1, including a 43-day government shutdown that they forced over the issue.
Ahead of the votes, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, warned Republicans that if they did not vote to extend the tax credits, “there won’t be another chance to act,” before premiums rise for many people who buy insurance off the ACA marketplaces.
“Let’s avert a disaster,” Schumer said. “The American people are watching.”
Republicans and Democrats never engaged in meaningful or high-level negotiations on a solution, even after a small group of centrist Democrats struck a deal with Republicans last month to end the shutdown in exchange for a vote. Most Democratic lawmakers opposed the move as many Republicans made clear that they wanted the tax credits to expire.
The deal raised hopes for a compromise on health care. But that quickly faded with a lack of any real bipartisan talks.
“We failed,” said Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, one of four Republi-
cans who voted for the Democratic bill, after the vote. “We’ve got to do better We can’t just say ‘happy holidays, brace for next year.’”
A Republican alternative
The dueling Senate votes were the latest political messaging exercise in a Congress that has operated almost entirely on partisan terms, as Republicans pushed through a massive tax and spending cuts bill this summer using budget maneuvers that eliminated the need for Democratic votes In September Republicans tweaked Senate rules to push past a Democratic blockade of all of Trump’s nominees.
On health care, Republicans similarly negotiated among themselves without Democrats. The health savings accounts in the GOP bill that they eventually settled on would give money directly to consumers instead of to insurance companies, an idea that has been echoed by President Donald Trump.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said ahead of the vote that the Democrats’ simple extension of the subsidies is “an attempt to disguise the real impact of Obamacare’s spiraling health care costs.”
But Democrats immediately rejected the GOP plan, saying that the accounts wouldn’t be enough to cover costs for most consumers.
The Senate voted 51-48 not to move forward on the Democratic bill, with four Republicans Maine Sen. Susan Collins, Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and Alaska Sens. Murkowski and Dan Sullivan voting with Democrats. The legislation needed 60 votes to proceed, as did the Republican bill, which was also blocked on a 51-48 vote.
An intractable issue
The votes were the latest failed salvo in the debate over the Affordable Care Act, former President Barack Obama’s signature law that Democrats passed along party lines in 2010 to expand access to insurance coverage. Republicans have tried unsuccessfully since then to repeal or overhaul the law, arguing that health care is still too expensive. But they have struggled to find an alternative. In the meantime, Democrats have made the policy a central political issue in several elections, betting that the millions of people who buy health care on
the government marketplaces want to keep their coverage.
“When people’s monthly payments spike next year, they’ll know it was Republicans that made it happen,” Schumer said in November while making clear that Democrats would not seek a compromise. Even if they view it as a political win, the failed votes are a loss for Democrats who demanded an extension of the benefits during the shutdown — and for the millions of people facing premium increases on Jan. 1.
Maine Sen Angus King, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said the group tried to negotiate with Republicans after the shutdown ended. But, he said, the talks became unproductive when Republicans demanded language adding new limits for abortion coverage that were a “red line” for Democrats. He said Republicans were going to “own these increases.” House to try again
Republicans have used the looming expiration of the subsidies to renew their long-standing criticisms of the ACA, also called Obamacare, and to try, once more, to agree on what should be done.
In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, has promised a vote next week on some type of health care legislation. Republicans weighed different options in a conference meeting on Wednesday, with no apparent consensus. Murkowski and other Senate Republicans who want to extend the subsidies expressed hope that the House could find a way to do it. GOP leaders were considering bills that would not extend the tax credits, but some Republicans have launched long shot efforts to try to go around Johnson and force a vote.
“Hopefully some ideas emerge” before the new year, said Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, of North Carolina, who has been pushing his colleagues for a short-term extension.
BY TRAVIS LOLLER, JOHN SEEWER and MARC LEVY Associated Press
PHILIPSBURG, Pa. — Kilmar
Abrego Garcia was freed from immigration detention on a judge’s order Thursday while he fights to stay in the U.S., handing a major victory to the immigrant whose wrongful deportation to a notorious prison in El Salvador made him a flashpoint of the Trump administration’s
immigration crackdown.
U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement to let Abrego Garcia go immediately, writing that federal authorities had detained him again after his return to the United States without any legal basis.
Abrego Garcia’s attorney’s office confirmed he was released just before 5 p.m., the deadline the judge gave the government for an update on Abrego Garcia’s release. His attorney, Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, earlier told The Associated Press that Abrego Garcia plans
BY ISABELLA VOLMERT and OBED LAMY Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS Indiana’s Republican-led Senate decisively rejected a redrawn congressional map Thursday that would have favored their party, defying months of pressure from President Donald Trump and delivering a stark setback to the White House ahead of next year’s midterm elections. The vote was overwhelmingly against the proposed redistricting, with more Republicans opposing than supporting the measure, signaling the limits of Trump’s influence even in one of the country’s most conservative states.
Trump has been urging Republicans nationwide to redraw their congressional maps in an unusual campaign to help the party maintain its thin majority in the House of Representatives. Although Texas, Missouri, Ohio and North Carolina went along, Indiana did not despite cajoling and insults from the president and the possibility of primary challenges.
“The federal government should not dictate by threat or other means what should happen in our states,” said Spencer Deery, one of the Republican senators
to return to Maryland, where he has an American wife and child and where he has lived for years after originally immigrating to the U.S. illegally as a teenager Abrego Garcia had been held at Moshannon Valley Processing Center about 115 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Sandoval-Moshenberg said he’s not sure what comes next, but he’s prepared to defend his client against further deportation efforts.
“The government still has plenty of tools in their toolbox, plenty of tricks up their sleeve,” SandovalMoshenberg said, adding
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL CONROy Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith announces the results of a vote to redistrict the state’s congressional map on Thursday at the Statehouse in Indianapolis.
who voted no on Thursday
When the proposal failed, cheers could be heard inside the chamber as well as shouts of “thank you!” The debate had been shadowed by the possibility of violence, and some lawmakers have received threats.
The proposed map was designed to give Republicans control of all nine of Indiana’s congressional seats, up from the seven they currently hold. It would have effectively erased Indiana’s two Democrat-held districts by splitting Indianapolis among four districts that extend into rural areas, reshaping U.S. Rep. André Carson’s safe district in the city It would’ve also eliminated the northwest Indiana district held by U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan.
District boundaries are usually adjusted once a decade after a new census. But Trump has described redistricting as an existential issue for the party as Democrats push to regain power in Washington.
he fully expects the government to again take steps to deport his client. “We’re going to be there to fight to make sure there is a fair trial.”
The Department of Homeland Security sharply criticized the judge’s decision and vowed to appeal, calling the ruling “naked judicial activism” by a judge appointed during the Obama administration.
“This order lacks any valid legal basis, and we will continue to fight this tooth and nail in the courts,” said Tricia McLaughlin, the department’s assistant secretary Sandoval-Moshenberg, said the judge made it clear that the government can’t detain someone indefinitely without legal authority and that his client “has endured more than anyone should ever have to.”
He hadsupport of governor forthe position
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
Gov.Jeff Landry won an inside-the-State-Capitol victoryThursdaywhen Republicans in the Louisiana House of Representatives elected his favored candidate to be their next caucus chair
State Rep. Michael Echols, of Monroe, notched39votes to 33 for Rep. John Illg of Metairie. The election roiled the 73-member House Republican delegation because it pitted two of their members against each other in
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after SureChoice increased rates by 12.5%onits 73,000 home insurance policyholders. Both the increase and more recent decrease also applied to 17,000 dwelling policyholders. And overall, the average policyholder in Louisiana is still being hit with rate hikes Through November,insurers have collectivelyraised homeowners’ rates by another 4.9% in Louisiana, the latest in astring of escalating rates year over year State Farm, the state’s largest home insurer,filed for anearly 10% rate hike on its 300,000home insurance policyholders in September.That rate hikewas the result of the firm’shurricane modeling, “which projects higher future losses in Louisiana,” the Louisiana Departmentof Insurance said in astatement Thursday The data showsthat while rates arenolonger rising by double digits, Louisiana remains stuck in apattern of high homeowners insurance costs, driven by worsening natural disasters from climate change,inflation and supply chain shocks during the COVID pandemic. Insurance Commissioner TimTemple, aRepublican former insurance executive who took office in 2024,has ushered in aseries of changes that he says will create more competition and drive down costs. Those include backing new laws to makeit easier for insurers to raise rates and drop policyholders
“Addressing the affordability of homeowners insurance in Louisiana will require continued commitment to improving theinsurance marketplace, as well as aserious focus on strengthening the resilience of our homes and communities,” Temple said in astatement Thursday.“The Louisiana Fortify Homes Program is foundational to this effort, as is supporting the Coastal
an election with high stakes internally Echolshad pledged to put agreater focus on communicating the message— and
legislative victories —of House Republicans. Thursday’svote would normally attract little notice outside of the StateCapitol. But
Landry raised the temperature by telling House Republicans that he wanted them to elect Echols as the caucus chair —who organizes Republican strategy meetings during the legislative session, with thegovernor and his aides frequently attending to push his priorities. Governors have frequentlysoughttoget their preferred candidatenamed speaker or Senate president, butnonebeforeLandryhad pushed for theselection of a caucus chair Echols’ election marks a reversal from when John Bel Edwards, aDemocrat, was governor,and Republicans championed the idea of the Legislature being independent of the governor Illg has voted with Landry nearly all of the time during
Protection and Restoration Authority’smitigation efforts and embracing stronger —and better-enforced —building codes.”
Louisiana has seen rate hikes moderatefromhighs in 2023 and2024. Forinstance, the 4.9% rate increase this yearwould be thesmallestincrease since 2020, before thecrisis began, when ratesedgedup 1.9%.
Still, many homeowners are strugglingtopay premiums that have doubled or tripled,and haven’tcome down significantly since.
It’s notcleartowhatextentnew insurance companies are writing policies in south Louisiana. Temple said in arecent interview that several have gone through theregulatory process to do business here, but that his department doesn’ttrack how many policies they write.
Buthesaid he’sconfident the recent changes will improve rates amongexisting insurers.
“The reform effortsaren’t solelybased on just bringing newcompanies in,” Temple said. “Where you’re going to have the biggest impactthe quickest is with the existing market.”
Andreanecia Morris, head of the nonprofit HousingNOLA,said thecontinued rise in home insurance rates shows the state has notdone enough to stem the crisis. She said theSureChoice rate cut willgivesome peoplesome “breathing room,”
but that too many people are still strugglingtopay their premiums.
Morrishas pushedfor the state to mandatethat insurers offer certain levels of discounts forhomeowners withfortified roofs, and Temple recently saidhis office is exploring adding such amandate.
“Everyone agrees on the solutions,”Morris said. “It’s fortified roofs. We’re not doing that fastenough. We’re not doing that to scale.”
The cost of home insurance in Louisiana depends in large partonreinsurance, a global, looselyregulated industry that acts as an insurance backstop for insurance companies.
In other words, Louisiana homeowners pay higher costs not only because of hurricanes here, but because of increasingly destructivewildfires in California, storms in Floridaand tornadoes in theMidwest.
Louisiana insurersrely moreheavily on reinsurance than the average insurance company, making price hikes more acutely felthere. Andreinsurance costs spiraledfor years,from 2017 to 2024, according to thetrade publication Artemis, which tracks reinsurance costs.
But this year,reinsurance costs declined by 6.7%. The drop was largely the result of hugeprice hikes,which attracted aflood of capital into the marketand affected supply SureChoice’srate decrease was “primarily driv-
en by areduction in reinsurance costs,” theInsurance Department saidinastatement.
In the long term, many insuranceexperts believe costs will continue to rise as climate change brings increasingly destructive natural disasters.Louisiana is among severalstates encouraging the building of stronger roofs to better withstand hurricanes.
the governor’stwo years in office and never saw Landry as an enemy But numerous House members said Landry backed Echolsbecause Illg took astand against the governor’sbiggest priorityduring the2025 legislative session, ameasure thatgaveInsurance Commissioner TimTemple more powertoreject insurance rate increases. The bill would allowLandry to
blameTemple if insurance rates continue to rise. Before the vote, which was by asecret ballot, Illg expressed puzzlement with the governor’sopposition to him since he has been a steadfast supporter Echols is replacing state Rep. Mark Wright of Covington,who is running for aseat on the Public ServiceCommission that Eric Skrmettaisvacating because of term limits.
projects, particularly large-scale “land bridges” built with dredged sediment in the Terrebonne, Barataria and Breton basins. Barrier island restorations willalso be part of the strategy
The hope is that much of that work could be paid for with funding related to the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, using funds that had been designatedfor the diversions.
But much work remains ahead to evaluate the plans andgainapprovalfromtrusteesoverseeing theBPfunds.
“Wehave more funds available for all these projects …these land bridges, barrier islands, etc., and we’re going to be moving forward expeditiously,” said CPRAChair Gordon Dove.
The CPRA under Landry has faced scrutiny over the changes and concerns that the state’s50yearcoastal master plan, widely lauded for its scientific approach, would be diluted. Dovehas defended the change in focus, saying projects using dredged sediment build land more quickly andpredictably Coastal advocacy groups and scientists that long pushed for the diversions saw them as mimicking how south Louisianawas built in the first place, using the natural flow of sediment from the Mississippi River in away thatworks with nature.
They also point out that landbuilding projectserodelike the rest of the coast, whilediversions could continue to functiondecades into the future.
The diversions, however,were stronglyopposed by the commercial fishing industry and theirparish governments duetothe dramatic changes the influx of fresh water and sediment wouldbring to those areas.
Landry also criticizedthe escalating cost of the $3 billion Mid-
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criminals here illegally.
“It is disappointing that he would seek to give individuals who enter our country illegally and then commit crimes greater rights than American citizens,” said Kelly.“When an American citizen commits acrime, they are held accountable under the law and face jail time —the same standard should apply to everyone.”
Kelly did notaddressNungesser’sconcern about the impact the sweeps are having on immigrants with legal status.
Border Patrol agents launched their operation in the New Orleans area last week, seeking to arrest 5,000 people locally.Anactual number has been hard to quantify, as the agency has thus far only released snapshots of some arrests.
Late Thursday,however,the Department of Homeland Security said that federal agents have detained 250 people since the initiative began in Louisiana eight days ago. The operation has expanded to the Baton Rouge area, where at least three people were arrested earlier this week, according to eyewit-
Barataria project
More than $600 million had alreadybeenspent on Mid-Barataria alone, with the project having broken ground in 2023.The state is hoping to recoup some of those dollars through interest in remaining BP funds
While relatively minimal fundingisset aside for the large-scale land bridge projects in the new spending plan, thatamount would grow substantially if BP dollars are approved for them.
CPRA ExecutiveDirector Michael Hare said focusing on land bridgesand barrierislands brings thestate’s“floodfight to thecoastline.”
“We’re going back and reevaluating alignments that were in previous master plans and finding opportunities to create those acres of marsh right now and get those benefitsinplace,” said Hare.
Thestate is also planning to take afresh look at whether aproject to
nesses. In comparison, when agents operated in forcein Charlotte,North Carolina, forfivedays, 425 people were detained, according to theDepartment of Homeland Security There have been numerouslocal reportsthat U.S. citizens and peoplewith validpermits have been taken in forquestioning andlater released. One of thebusiness owners who contacted Nungesser,Scott Morse of BelleChassebased construction firm Morse Homes Inc., said hissubcontractorDarwing Padilla wasfollowed home by immigration agents on Wednesday Padilla ran into hishouse andspoke with agents from inside. They eventually left after Padilla and his wife, Leslie, aU.S. citizen,told them that Padilla hasa valid workpermit. But agentsreturned to Padilla’shouse on Thursday,the couple said, and posted anotice on the door requestingthatPadilla appearfor an interview with adeportation officer on Friday.
Morse said Padilla and other legally permittedemployees have been staying home from work, outoffear of getting picked up by immigration agents.
“It’sway beyond what I expected,” said Morse. “I
restore theEast Timbalier barrier island in Lafourche Parish could be revived. The island was effectively abandoned after millions were spent seeking to restore it to no availdue to alist of complicating factors.
While thediversions have been removed from the upcoming spending plan, many other projects long in the works remain. Of the130 active projects, bigger examples include:
n Another $105 million set aside for theMorganza to theGulf levee project.The 98-mile network to protectLafourcheand Terrebonne parisheshas atotal pricetag of some $4.9 billion.
n Afurther $39.2 million for the West Shore LakePontchartrain levee project for parts of St. Charles St.John the Baptist and St. James parishes. The total price for that project is $3.4 billion.
n Some $50.3 million for restoration of thedisappearing Chan-
expected them to go after criminals. …We’re in atoxic environment where there’s no question being asked until after.”
Alongtime registered Republican, Morse added that hisparty hasbecometoo extreme on immigration issues.
“I didvote for Trump. I didn’tvote for this,” said Morse.
Though local Democrats, including New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno,U.S. Rep.Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, and others have urged Border Patrol to be more transparent about who it arrests and to prove arrestsare not beingmadeunfairly,area Republicans have largely been silent or supportive of theeffort, save Nungesserand morerecently, Jefferson Parish Council member at-large Jennifer VanVrancken.
Nungesseralsosaid Wednesday that he has tried for months, unsuccessfully, to getameeting with Landry to discussimmigration enforcement and other issues.
Landry’s spokesperson on Thursdaydismissedthat claim.
“The lieutenantgovernor hasthe governor’scellphone —heismore thanwelcome to call or text him,”said Kelly.“The governor has
deleur Islands, with thetotal cost expected to be $383 million.
n $17.3 million for aproject underway that reintroduces Mississippi River water intoBayou Lafourche. The total cost is expected to be $230 million.
Coastal advocacy groups that had pressed forthe diversions expressed varyingcomments on the plan.The Restorethe Mississippi River Delta Coalition, which has been outspoken in itscriticism of the cancellations, urged the public to examine and weigh in on the state’sstrategy
“Weare still reviewing the details of this year’sannualplanto ensure that investments align with thecoastal master plan, that the program maintains astrong balance of restoration and protection and thatoil spill funds are both fully utilized and directed toward activities that address the devastating injuries Louisianasustained from the Deepwater Horizon oil
received no calls from him requesting ameeting.”
Askedfor comment Thursday on thegovernor’s response, Nungesserreiterated his earlier comments andsaidLandry hasnot responded to his office’smeet-
spill,” it said.
“Welook forward to celebrating the parts of this plan that merit praise, and we remain committed to holding this administrationaccountable if it strays away from the coastalmasterplan or undermines public trust.”
The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, the state’soldest organization committedtoaddressing land loss, said it “is excited to see an ambitious road map, witha focus on delivering projects from the coastal master plan.”
“There is impactful workcoming soon to our entire coast, from the massive marsh and hydrologic restorationprojectsinthe southwesttothe long-awaited MR-GO ecosystem restoration in the southeast,” said JamesKarst, the organization’scommunications director
The full plan can be found on the CPRA’s website. Public comments will be accepted until Feb.17, while aseries of public meetings will also be held as follows: n Jan.6at5:30 p.m., Coastal Center at Nicholls University,426 Ardoyne Drive, Thibodaux n Jan. 8at5:30 p.m., Joseph S. Yenni Building, Second Floor Council Chambers, 1221 Elmwood Park Blvd., Jefferson n Jan. 12 at 5:30 p.m., LSU AgCenter,1105 W. Port St., Abbeville n Jan. 15 virtual webinar at 1p.m.
The annual plan is not an agency budget, but instead aspending outline for projects. Funding comes from avariety of state and federal sources, as well as oilspill proceeds. The CPRA’s board and the state Legislature must approve the plan.
BP spill money has provided the state with billions in cash for restoration projects, but that money is due to expire at the
ing requests. He saidhebelieves law enforcementshould target criminals, but not put people with legal permits at risk.
“They are not sure what to do,” Nungessersaid in atext message, speaking about im-
migrants here legally.“Need someone to give someinformation that if they have (a) work permit, you are okay.”
Email Sophie Kasakove at sophie.kasakove@ theadvocate.com.
of Franklin Parish’stinyBaskin hosted the CountryMusicAssociation Awards telecastand won Entertainer of the Year More Jazz Fest first-timers turn up on the poster’ssecond line. They include Tyler Childers, the throwback country/bluegrass singer from Kentucky,and Raye, the Britishpop songwriter turned hitmaker in her own right.
They’re slated to join Lorde, David Byrne, T-Pain, the Black Keys, Nas, Widespread Panic, Earth Wind &Fire, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Tedeschi Trucks Band, St.Vincent, Alabama Shakes, HerbieHancock and ZiggyMarleyat the Fair Grounds, alongsideJon Batiste, The Revivalists, Trombone Shorty &Orleans Avenue, Irma Thomas and the hundredsof otherLouisiana acts that giveJazz Fest its distinct personality.
The festival’s two four-day 2026 weekends are April 23-26 and April 30-May 3.
The firstweekend features Nicks,Stewart, Kings of Leon, Lorde, Batiste, Childers, Byrne, Raye, Nas,Sean Paul, Isbell and the 400 Unit, St. Vincent, Thomas, TheIsley Brothers, TheRevivalists, Carlos Vives and Blind Boys of Alabama, among many others. Starsofthe second weekendinclude the Eagles, Wilson, Swims, The Black Keys, T-Pain, Widespread Panic, Earth, Wind &Fire, Tedeschi Trucks Band, Trombone Shorty &Orleans Avenue, Alabama Shakes, Herbie Hancock, ZiggyMarley,Lake Street Dive, Mavis Staples, DianneReeves, Big Freedia, Little Feat and Galactic featuringJellyJoseph Jazz Fest typically rolls out its roster in mid-January.But this year,staffers at Quint Davis’Festival Productions Inc.-New Orleans and AEG Presents were able to confirm the approximately 650 acts sooner than usual.
Releasing the lineup in December allows more time to market the festival and givesfans achanceto buy ticketsasChristmas presents. Four-day weekendticket packages go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday via nojazzfest.com, which redirects buyers to axs.com. In past years,ticket prices on the Jazz Fest website did not include additional fees and taxesaddedat checkout. This year,the priceson
Jazz Fest’sticketing page are “allin,” including fees Once again, Louisiana residents get adiscount. The all-in price for Louisiana residentsfor afour-day general admission pass is $319. Theprice fornonresidents is $399
Single-day tickets are not yet on sale, andlikely won’t be until the day-by-day schedule is announced in early 2026. Jamaica is the 2026 spotlight country at thefestival. Programmingatthe Cultural Exchange Pa-
vilion and elsewherethroughout the grounds will showcase the music and culture of Jamaica. The official 2026 Jazz Fest poster,byartistPaulRogers, is titled “Streetcar Ramble.” It depicts Louis Armstrong riding at the frontofthe St. CharlesAvenue streetcar with Troy “Trombone Shorty”Andrews, Jon Batiste and theTreme Brass Band’s“Uncle”
Lionel Batiste and Benny Jones.
The mix of big name acts on the 2026 roster adhere to the general blueprint the festival has followed for years: twoorthree arenasized classic rock acts, acouple of younger rock bands, at least one majorcountry star,acouple of pop artists and rappers and asampling of veteran R&B bands.
SinceSeptember 2024, theEagles have locked into aleisurely residency at Sphere, the sensory-immersive Las Vegasvenue They’vetypically performedfour times amonth at Sphere. The band’sfinal run of 2026 Sphere shows concludes on March28, freeing them up to land at the Fair Groundsa month later. They previously played Jazz Fest in 2012.
Nicks first performed at the fes-
tival with Fleetwood Mac in 2013. She was booked as asoloartist at the 2020 and 2021 Jazz Fests, both of whichwere canceled by COVID. She then drew one of the largest crowds of the 2022 festival, which was her first performance after the pandemic.
Former Talking Heads frontman Byrnedelivered awell-received, innovative set at the 2018 Jazz Fest and is back again this year Stewart, anotherveteran of the 2018 Jazz Fest, has embarkedon what he says will be his final tour Kentucky-born Childers, who filled the Smoothie King Center in April with his country/bluegrass hybrid, seemslike anatural fit for Jazz Fest. Both R&B legends Earth Wind &Fire and jam band Widespread Panic have made numerous appearances at Jazz Fest over the decades.
Lorde,the popsinger from New Zealand, played the Gentilly Stage on agray day in 2017. Go to nojazzfest.com for more details.
Email KeithSpera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.
La. projected to get $217M more in tax revenue
BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer
Louisiana state government is projected to rake in $217 million more in tax revenue than state leaders anticipated in the spring when they wrote this year’s budget and the forecast for the next budget year has jumped by $214 million.
The economists who create the state’s revenue forecasts say major changes to the tax code that Gov. Jeff Landry and the Legislature passed last year have not reduced revenue from income taxes by as much as previously expected. And the new, higher sales tax rate has brought in slightly more money than expected, too.
With the higher tax collections, the state is now on track for a surplus of $293 million when the current fiscal year ends on June 30.
The forecast is what state lawmakers use to craft a budget each year, which means the larger numbers will give them more money to spend. For the upcoming fiscal year that starts in July, they now have an expected surplus of about $159 million, rather than a shortfall of $131 million In November 2024, Landry and lawmakers cut the individual income tax rate, switching from a three-tiered system with the highest rate at 4.25% down to a flat rate of 3%. They also cut the corporate income tax, switching from a tiered system with a top rate of 7.5% to a flat rate of 5.5%.
To replace the lost revenue from those income tax cuts,
lawmakers raised the sales tax by a half-cent to 5%.
The income tax base from wages and some businesses “is stronger than expected,” said Greg Albrecht, an economist for the Legislature.
“You can definitely see the increase in the sales tax in the data,” he added. “Sales tax is coming in a little stronger Spending is coming in strong.”
Manfred Dix, another state economist, noted that last year’s tax system overhaul means Louisiana is “basically switching from an income taxation to a consumption taxation.”
As a result, individual income tax collections are slowly decreasing, while sales tax collections are higher, he said.
“The tax changes are working as intended,” Dix said.
He also highlighted the fact that, even though in-
dividual income tax collections are down, those revenues are stronger than he had previously expected.
Albrecht said that Louisiana’s employment picture is strong and, for the most part, has returned to prepandemic levels, though labor force participation is slightly lower than before COVID hit.
He also said the state is expected to see an average annual growth in income and wages of about 4%.
“That’s what I see as basically what’s gonna support us,” Albrecht said of the wage outlook. “As long as we have that reasonable level of growth, that keeps us growing, that keeps our revenue coming in.”
But he cautioned that if the U.S. economy starts to tank Louisiana’s economy will too.
“It’s really all about the U.S. economy,” he said.
BY HANNAH SCHOENBAUM
Associated Press
PROVO, Utah The 22-yearold Utah man charged with killing Charlie Kirk made his first in-person court appearance Thursday as his attorneys push to further limit media access in the high-profile criminal case.
A Utah judge is weighing the public’s right to know details in the prosecution of Tyler Robinson against his attorneys’ concerns that the swarm of media attention could interfere with his right to a fair trial.
Robinson’s legal team and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office have asked Judge Tony Graf to ban cameras in the courtroom.
Prosecutors have charged Robinson with aggravat-
ed murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, just a few miles north of the Provo courthouse. They plan to seek the death penalty Robinson arrived in court with restraints on his wrists and ankles and wearing a dress shirt, tie and slacks
He smiled at family members sitting in the front row of the courtroom, where his mother teared up and wiped her eyes with a tissue. Robinson’s father and brother sat next to her The defendant had previously appeared in court via video or audio feed from jail. A coalition of national and local news organizations, including The Associated Press, is fighting to preserve
media access in the case.
Graf has already made allowances to protect Robinson’s presumption of innocence before a trial agreeing that the case has drawn “extraordinary” public attention.
Graf held a closed hearing on Oct. 24 in which attorneys discussed Robinson’s courtroom attire and security protocols. Under a subsequent ruling by the judge, Robinson is allowed to wear street clothes in court during his pretrial hearings but must be physically restrained due to security concerns. Graf also prohibited media from filming or photographing Robinson’s restraints after his attorneys argued widespread images of him shackled and in jail clothing could prejudice future jurors.
Livingston facility
Epic Piping said it will upgrade its Livingston manufacturing facility, creating 76 direct jobs.
The new jobs will have an average salary of $58,377 and Louisiana Economic Development projects 136 indirect jobs as a result of the expansion. Epic Piping will retain 370 employees.
The $25 million expansion will create a large-diameter production line and update the material-handling systems to boost efficiency, positioning the company to support the state’s energy and data center industries, according to LED. Construction will start this month and finish in early 2027.
Epic Piping is a portfolio company of Bernhard Capital Partners Their corporate headquarters are in Baton Rouge with a distribution office in Houston. Epic operates facilities and distribution hubs in Livingston; Lake Providence; Baton Rouge; San Marcos, Texas; and Abu Dhabi.
Epic has worked on oil, renewable fuel, manufacturing and clean energy projects across Louisiana, Texas, Alabama, Wisconsin and overseas in Oman. In 2019, the company invested in a $40 million expansion that increased its manufacturing footprint by 30% across all facilities and relocated its corporate headquarters.
It will use the LED FastStart program, a workforce development service, $900,000 from the Economic Development Award Program, reimbursable grants from the HighImpact Jobs Program and the Industrial Tax Exemption Program to support the expansion.
U.S. jobless benefit applications increase
WASHINGTON The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits jumped last week, but remains in the same historically healthy range of the past few years despite growing concern over the health of the labor market.
U.S jobless claim applications for the week ending Dec. 6 climbed by 44,000 to 236,000 from the previous week’s 192,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s more than analysts’ forecast of 213,000 new applications. Despite what on the surface appears to be a historically healthy job market, the Federal Reserve trimmed its benchmark lending rate by a quarter-point on Wednesday, its third straight cut
For now, the U.S. job market appears stuck in a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemployment rate historically low
Average U.S. long-term mortgage rate at 6.22%
The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged higher this week, though it remains relatively near its low point so far this year The uptick brings the average long-term mortgage rate to 6.22% from 6.19% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday A year ago, the rate averaged 6.6% Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, also rose this week. The rate averaged 5.54%, up from 5.44% last week. A year ago, it averaged 5.84%, Freddie Mac said Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
The Fed doesn’t set mortgage rates, so even when it cuts its short-term rates that doesn’t necessarily mean rates on home loans will necessarily decline.
Deal to bring characters like Mickey Mouse to Sora AI video tool
BY KELVIN CHAN AP business writer
Disney is investing $1 billion in OpenAI and will bring characters such as Mickey Mouse, Cinderella and Luke Skywalker to the AI company’s Sora video generation tool, in a licensing deal that the two companies announced on Thursday At the same time, Disney went after Google, demanding the tech company stop exploiting its copyrighted characters to train its AI systems.
The OpenAI agreement makes the Walt Disney Co. the first major content licensing partner for Sora, which uses generative artificial in-
telligence to create short videos.
Under the three-year licensing deal, fans will be able to use Sora to generate and share videos based on more than 200 Disney, Marvel, Pixar and “Star Wars” characters.
AI video generators like Sora have wowed with their ability to quickly create realistic clips based merely on text prompts. But a flood of such videos on social media, including clips depicting celebrities and deceased public figures, has raised worries about “AI slop” crowding out human-created work alongside concerns about misinformation, deepfakes and copyright.
Disney and OpenAI said they are committed to responsible use of AI that protects the safety of users and the rights of creators.
“This agreement shows how AI companies and creative leaders can work together responsibly to promote innovation that benefits society, respect the importance of creativity, and help works reach vast new audiences,” OpenAI CEO
Sam Altman said. Disney CEO Robert Iger said the deal will “extend the reach of our storytelling through generative AI, while respecting and protecting creators and their works.”
As part of the deal, some usergenerated Sora videos will be made available on the Disney+ streaming service.
Disney will also become a “major customer” of OpenAI and use its technology to build new products, tools, and services. It will also roll out ChatGPT for employees.
Children’s advocates, however criticized the move. Josh Golin, executive director of Fairplay, said Disney’s decision to partner with OpenAI “is a betrayal of countless children around the world who adore Mickey Mouse, ‘Frozen,’ and ‘Toy Story.’ OpenAI claims children are prohibited from using Sora, yet here they are luring young kids to their platform using some of their favorite characters.” Disney, he added, is “aiding and
abetting OpenAI’s efforts to addict young children to its unsafe platform and products.”
Also Thursday, Disney sent Google a cease and desist letter, demanding that the tech company stop using Disney content without permission to feed and train its AI models, including its Veo video generator and Imagen and Nano Banana image generators. It has previously issued similar cease and desist letters to Meta and Character.AI and has filed litigation with NBCUniversal and Warner Bros. Discovery against AI image generator Midjourney and AI company Minimax.
Disney accused Google of “infringing Disney’s copyrights on a massive scale,” according to a copy of the letter dated Wednesday seen by The Associated Press. The letter included examples that it says Google’s AI systems easily generated, such as characters from “Star Wars,” “The Simpsons,” “Deadpool” and “The Lion King.”
BY STAN CHOE AP busines writer
NEW YORK Wall Street set records on Thurs-
day, even as a sell-off for Oracle and worries about a potential bubble in artificial-intelligence technology weighed on the market.
The S&P 500 inched up 0.2% and eked past its prior all-time closing high, which was set in October The Dow Jones Industrial leaped 646 points, or 1.3%, to top its own record set last month. The Nasdaq composite lagged behind and slipped 0.3% because of the weakness for AI stocks.
It’s the latest return to records for the market following what had appeared to be a debilitating set of worries. Some of the most recent included concerns about what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates and whether all the dollars flowing into AI chips and data centers will produce profits and productivity as prolific as proponents are promising.
Such worries sent Wall Street last month to some of its worst and scariest days since its sell-off during April, but it then got several boosts that helped it regain its footing. Key among them was a continuing parade of companies saying they’re making bigger profits than analysts expected. Stock prices tend to track with corporate profits over the long term.
The Fed also on Wednesday cut its main interest rate for the third time this year and indicated another cut may be ahead in 2026. Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they can boost the economy and send prices for investments higher even if they potentially make inflation worse.
The Fed’s chair, Jerome Powell, did hint that interest rates may be on hold for a while. But he helped soothe nerves when his comments appeared less harsh than some investors expected in shutting off the possibility of more cuts in 2026.
Easier interest rates can give the biggest benefits to the smallest companies, which are more likely to be losing money and often need to borrow to grow The Russell 2000 index of the smallest U.S. stocks jumped 1.2% to help lead the market.
Banks and other companies whose profits are closely tied to the strength of the economy also rallied. Gains of 2.5% for Goldman Sachs and 6.1% for Visa were the strongest forces
Trader William Lawrence works on the floor of the
Wall Street set records even as a sell-off for Oracle and worries about a potential bubble in artificial-intelligence technology weighed on the market.
pushing the Dow higher
The Walt Disney Co. added 2.4% after OpenAI said the entertainment giant is investing $1 billion in it.
Eli Lilly rose 1.6% after announcing encouraging results from a clinical trial for adult patients who are obese or overweight and have knee osteoarthritis, without diabetes. Planet Labs PBC soared 35% after the provider of satellite images used by governments and businesses reported stronger results for the latest quarter than analysts expected.
But a return to records for the U.S. stock market does not mean all worries are gone.
Oracle dropped 10.8% and had briefly been on track earlier in the day for its worst loss since 2001, when the dot-com bubble was still deflating.
Doubts remain about whether all the spending that Oracle is doing on AI technology will be worth it. Analysts said they were surprised after Oracle laid out on late Wednesday how much it will spend on investments this fiscal year, and questions continue about how the company will pay for it.
Such doubts are weighing on the AI industry broadly, even as many billions of dollars continue to flow in.
Nvidia, the chip company that’s become
the poster child of the AI boom and is raking in close to $20 billion each month, fell 1.5% Thursday It was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 because of its massive size.
Also on the losing end of Wall Street was Oxford Industries. The company behind Tommy Bahama and Lilly Pulitzer dropped 21.2% after highlighting how its customers have been seeking out deals and are “highly value-driven.”
CEO Tom Chubb said the start of the holiday shopping season has been weaker than the company expected, and it cut its forecast for revenue for the full year
Lower- and middle-income households are feeling the squeeze of high prices following years of high inflation, along with a slowing job market. That means a roughly 25% chance of a recession, according to Barry Bannister, chief equity strategist at Stifel.
Even all the spending underway for AI chips is “not enough to offset a consumer pull-back,” he said, and the U.S. stock market still broadly looks expensive relative to history
All told, the S&P 500 rose 14.32 points to 6,901.00. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 646.26 to 48,704.01, and the Nasdaq composite slipped 60.30 to 23,593.86.
BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer
The LSU Board of Supervisors on Thursday voted to establish a School of Construction and a bachelor’s degree in artificial intelligence, both in the College of Engineering. The new programs, contingent on approval by the Board of Regents, align with broad efforts to orient LSU toward industry and expand public-private partnerships. The expanded academic offer-
ings, approved unanimously by the supervisors, will have limited fiscal impact, according to summaries presented Thursday. The bachelor of science degree in artificial intelligence aims to employ two nontenure-track instructors and use existing classroom space and resources.
The School of Construction will offer current construction degrees, including construction management, but no new academic programs. The move is primarily a name change, elevating the Department of Construction Management “to reflect the program’s significant growth, strong student demand, robust employer interest, excellent placement outcomes, and high
levels of student engagement in experiential learning and industrysponsored activities,” a request to the board said.
College leaders are exploring adding degrees in digital construction and modular manufacturing to the new school, according to a spokesperson for LSU. The bachelor’s degree in AI will also emphasize work-based learning and industry partnerships, according to the request submitted to the board. It will build upon an existing capstone course in AI and industry, which held a showcase Monday night for alumni and Baton Rouge-area employers. The course has previously partnered with companies such as Entergy, BASF, Our
Lady of the Lake and The Advocate The request referenced the Amazon fulfillment center in Shreveport and Meta’s plans for a $10 billion data center in Richland Parish as evidence of the demand for AI talent in Louisiana. “Energy, petrochemical, health care, defense and logistics employers in the state are actively integrating AI for predictive analytics, optimization, autonomy, and digital transformation,” the summary for the board said. “LSU’s proposed degree directly addresses this need by producing graduates with the technical depth, ethical grounding and hands-on experience required to build and deploy reliable AI systems at scale.”
BY MEG KINNARD
Associated Press
Homeland Security Secre-
tary Kristi Noem on Thursday linked the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela to the Trump administration’s counterdrug efforts in Latin America as tensions escalate with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.
Noem’s assertion, which came during her testimony to the House Homeland Security Committee, provided the Republican administration’s most thorough assessment so far of why it took control of the vessel on Wednesday Incredibly unusual, the use of U.S. forces to seize a merchant ship was a sharp escalation in the administration’s pressure campaign on Maduro, who has been charged with narcoterrorism in the United States.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem raises her arm Thursday before the House Committee on Homeland Security on Capitol Hill in Washington.
ASSOCIATED
By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN
bifurcated answer saying the administration was “focused on doing many things in the Western Hemisphere.”
She noted that such seizures could continue, arguing that the commodities being transported were used to fund the illegal drug trade.
“We’re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narcoterrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world,” she said.
Asked what would happen to the oil aboard the tanker, Trump said, “Well, we keep it, I guess.”
Trump officials added to it Thursday by imposing sanctions on three of Maduro’s nephews. The Venezuelan leader discussed the rising tensions with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday The Kremlin said in a statement that Putin reaffirmed his support for Maduro’s policy of “protecting national interests and sovereignty in the face of growing external pressure.”
tanker seizure, Noem called it “a successful operation directed by the president to ensure that we’re pushing back on a regime that is systematically covering and flooding our country with deadly drugs and killing our next generation of Americans.”
she said had been kept from entering the U.S. as a result
Asked Thursday whether U.S. operations in the region were about drugs or oil, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also gave a
The Justice Department had obtained a warrant for the vessel because it had been known for “carrying black market, sanctioned oil,” Leavitt said, adding that “the United States does intend to get the oil” that was onboard the tanker Trump told reporters a day earlier at the White House that the tanker “was seized for a very good reason.”
The U.S. has built up the largest military presence in the region in decades and launched a series of deadly strikes on alleged drugsmuggling boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific Ocean, a campaign that is facing growing scrutiny from Congress. Trump, who has said land attacks are coming soon but has not offered more details, has broadly justified the moves as necessary to stem the flow of fentanyl and other illegal drugs into the U.S. Venezuela’s government said in a statement that the tanker seizure “constitutes a blatant theft and an act of international piracy.” Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S military operations is to force him from office.
Asked to delineate the U.S. Coast Guard’s role in the
Noem went on to lay out the “lethal doses of cocaine”
BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — A grand jury declined for a second time in a week to re-indict New York Attorney General Letitia James on Thursday in another major blow to the Justice Department’s efforts to prosecute the president’s political opponents.
James
The repeated failures amounted to a stunning rebuke of prosecutors’ bid to resurrect a criminal case President Donald Trump pressured them to bring, and hinted at a growing public leeriness of the administration’s retribution campaign.
A grand jury rejection is an unusual circumstance in any case, but is especially stinging for a Justice Department that has been steadfast in its determination to seek revenge against Trump foes like James and former FBI Director James Comey On
separate occasions, citizens have heard the government’s evidence against James and have come away underwhelmed, unwilling to rubber-stamp what prosecutors have attempted to portray as a clear-cut criminal case. A judge threw out the original indictments against James and Comey in November, ruling that the prosecutor who presented to the grand jury, Lindsey Halligan, was illegally appointed U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia
The Justice Department asked a grand jury in Alexandria, Virginia, to return an indictment Thursday after a different grand jury in Norfolk last week refused to do so. The failure to secure an indictment was confirmed by two people familiar with the matter who were not authorized to publicly discuss the case and spoke on the condition of anonymity It was not immediately
clear Thursday whether prosecutors would try for a third time to seek a new indictment. One of the people familiar with the matter said prosecutors were still evaluating next steps and stood behind the charges.
A lawyer for James, who has denied any wrongdoing, said the “unprecedented rejection makes even clearer that this case should never have seen the light of day.”
“This case already has been a stain on this Department’s reputation and raises troubling questions about its integrity,” defense attorney Abbe Lowell said in a statement. “Any further attempt to revive these discredited charges would be a mockery of our system of justice.”
James, a Democrat who infuriated Trump after his first term with a lawsuit alleging that he built his business empire on lies about his wealth, was initially charged with bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution in connection with a home purchase in 2020.
By The Associated Press
NEW YORK Onetime cryptocurrency mogul Do Kwon was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison after a $40 billion crash revealed his crypto ecosystem to be a fraud. Victims said the 34-year-old financial technology whiz weaponized their trust to convince them that the investment — secretly propped up by cash infusions was safe. Kwon, a Stanford graduate known by some as “the cryptocurrency king,” apologized
after listening as victims — one in court and others by telephone — described the scam’s toll: wiping out nest eggs, depleting charities and wrecking lives. One told the judge in a letter that he contemplated suicide after his father lost his retirement money in the scheme U.S District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer said at a daylong sentencing hearing in Manhattan federal court that the government’s recommendation of 12 years in prison was “unreasonably lenient” and that the defense’s
request for five years was “utterly unthinkable and wildly unreasonable.” Kwon faced a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
“Your offense caused real people to lose $40 billion in real money, not some paper loss,” Engelmayer told Kwon, who sat at the defense table in a yellow jail suit. The judge called it “a fraud on an epic, generational scale” and said Kwon had an “almost mystical hold” on investors and caused incalculable “human wreckage.”
PursuanttoAct1ofthe2025 FirstExtraordinarySession,the electionspreviouslyscheduledfor April18,2026andMay30,2026 withQualifyingonJanuary1416,2026havebeenrescheduled forMay16,2026andJune27, 2026withtheQualifyingdatesof February11-13,2026
continue at U.S.-led peace talks
BY ILLIA NOVIKOV and SUSIE BLANN Associated Press
KYIV,Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Thursday that negotiators are wrestling with the question of territorial possession in U.S.-led peace talks on ending the war with Russia, including the future of Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region and the Russian-occupiedZaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the world’s10biggest atomic plants.
Zelenskyy revealed details of the ongoing discussions before he headed into urgent talks with leaders and officials from about 30 countries that support Kyiv’sefforts to obtain fair termsin any settlement to haltnearly four years of fighting.
In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said President
Donald Trump’sspecialenvoy,Steve Witkoff, continued to be indiscussions with both sides. Shesaidthat“if there is areal chance of signing a peaceagreement,” thenthe U.S. couldsend arepresentative to the talks as soon as this weekend.
ButLeavitt added thatit’s “still up in the airwhether we believe real peace canbe achieved.”
Trump long boasted about beingabletosolve Russia’s war in Ukraineinaday,but in recent monthshas complainedbitterlyabout alack of progress. Leavitt echoed that during herbriefing with reporters on Thursday, saying the president is “extremely frustrated with both sides of this war.”
She said the administrationhad spent 30-plus hours just in recent weeks meeting with officials from Russia and Ukraine as well as Europe,and that Trump is “sick of meetings just forthe sake of meeting.”
“Hedoesn’t wantany more talk,” Leavitt said. “Hewants action ”
Ukraine has submitted a 20-point plan to the U.S., with each point possibly accompa-
nied by aseparate document detailing the settlement terms.
“Weare grateful thatthe U.S.isworking with us and trying to take abalanced position,” Zelenskyy told reporters in theUkrainian capital Kyiv.“But at this moment it is still difficult to say what thefinaldocuments will look like.”
Russia has in recent months made adetermined push to gain control of all partsofDonetsk and neigh-
boring Luhansk,which together make up Ukraine’s valuable Donbasindustrial region.
Ukraine doesn’taccept the surrender of Donbas, Zelenskyy said, saying that both sidesremaining wherethey currently stand along the line of contact would be “a fair outcome.”
American negotiators have put forward thepossibility of a“free economiczone” in the Donbas, with theRussians terming it a“demilitarized
zone,”according to Zelenskyy Russian officials have not publicly disclosed their proposals.
U.S. negotiators foresee Ukrainian forces withdrawing from the Donetsk region, with the compromise being that Russian forces do not enter that territory,Zelenskyy said.
ButhesaidthatifUkraine must withdraw its forces,the Russians should also withdraw by thesame distance.
There are many unanswered questions, including who wouldoversee theDonbas, he added. The Russians want to retain control of the Zaporizhzhia plant in southern Ukraine, which is notcurrently operating, but Ukraine opposes that.
TheAmericans havesuggested ajoint format to manage the plant, and negotiators are discussing howthat might work, Zelenskyy said. The leaders of Germany, Britainand France were amongthose taking part in the meeting of Ukraine’s allies, dubbed the Coalition of the Willing, via video link. Zelenskyy indicated the talks were hastilyarranged as Kyiv officials scramble to avoidgetting boxed in by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has disparaged theUkrainian leader, painted European leaders as weak, and set astrategy of improving Washington’srelationship with Moscow In the faceofTrump’sdemands for aswift settlement, European governmentsare trying to help steer the peace negotiations because they say theirown securityisat stake.
BY WAFAA SHURAFA, BASSEM MROUE and JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip
Rains drenched Gaza’stent camps and dropping temperatures chilled Palestinians huddlinginside them Thursday as winterstorm Byron descended on the warbattered territory,showing how two months of aceasefire have failed to sufficiently address the spiraling humanitarian crisis there. Families found their possessions and food supplies soaked inside their tents. Children’ssandaled feet disappeared under opaque brown water thatflooded the camps, running knee deep in some places. Dirt roads turned to mud. Pilesofgarbageand sewagecascaded like waterfalls “Wehave been drowned. Idon’thave clothes to wear and we have no mattresses left,” said Um Salman Abu Qenas, adisplaced mother in aKhan Younis tent camp. Shesaidthather family couldn’tsleep the night before,becauseofthe waterin the tent. Aid groupssay not enough sheltermaterialsare getting into Gaza during the truce. Figures recently released by Israel’smilitary suggest it hasn’tmet the ceasefire stipu-
lation of allowing 600 trucks of aid intoGaza aday,though Israel disputes thatfinding.
“Cold, overcrowded,and unsanitary environments heighten theriskofillness and infection,” the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA,said on X. “This suffering could be prevented by unhindered humanitarian aid,including medical support and proper shelter.”
Sabreen Qudeeh, also in the Khan Younis camp,ina squalid area known as Muwasi,saidthather family woke up to rain leaking from their tent’sceiling and water from the street soaking their mattresses.
“Mylittle daughterswere
BY CEDAR ATTANASIO and
RUSH
CLAIRE
Press
Associated
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. Surging floodwaters turned farmland into vast pools,washed out bridges and stranded people Thursday, with evacuation orders issued for tens of thousands of Washington state residents and authorities hoping levees prevent far worse damage.
“The floodinglevels we’re looking at are potentially historic in nature, so we just want to emphasizehow serious the situation is,” Gov Bob Ferguson said at anews briefing Thursday,one day after declaring astatewide emergency
About 78,000 residents of amajor agricultural region north of Seattle were orderedtoevacuate the Skagit
River’sfloodplain,officials said.
Alongthe riverinMount Vernon, teams knocked on doors inlow-lying areas Thursdaytoinform them of evacuation notices, city authorities said Furthernorthnearthe U.S.-Canadaborder,Sumas, Nooksack and Eversonwere evacuated after being inundated by floodwaters, while the border crossing at Sumas was closed, according to WhatcomCounty. Sumas
Mayor Bruce Bosch said much of the city hasbeen “devastated”bythe high waters just four yearsafter asimilar flood. “I am deeply sorry that our community is facing this hardship again, but I am relievedthatmost residents evacuated when advised,” he said in an online
statement.
Over 10,000 customers in Washington werewithout electricity late Thursday afternoon, according to PowerOutage.us. Dozens of roads wereinundated or washed out across thestate, some of which hadnodetour or estimatedtimefor reopening.
Amountainous section of U.S. 2was closed dueto rocks, trees and mud, while alargesection of state Route 410was closed because of water covering the roadway,according to the state transportation department.
Heavy rain and flooding washed out at least three bridges in the mountains of northwestern Montana, where an emergency shelter opened in achurch in the small town of Libby
screaming,” she said.
AhmadAbu Taha, also living in thecamp, saidthere wasn’tatentthatescaped theflooding.“Conditions are very bad, we have oldpeople, displaced, andsickpeople inside this camp,” he said.
Floods in south-central Israel trapped morethan a dozen people in their cars, according to Hebrew media. Israel’s rescue services, MDA,said that two young girls were slightly injured when atree fell on their school.
The contrasting scenes withGaza made clear how profoundly theIsrael-Hamas warhad damaged theterritory,destroying the majority
of homes. Gaza’spopulation of around 2million is almost entirely displaced, and most peopleliveinvast tent camps stretching along the coast, or set up among the shells of damaged buildings withoutadequate floodinginfrastructure and withcesspits dug near tents as toilets.
At least three buildings in Gaza City already damaged by Israeli bombardment during the war partially collapsed under the rain, Palestinian CivilDefensesaid. It warned people not to stay inside damaged buildings, saying they too could fall down on top of them
Theagency also saidthat sincethe stormbegan,they have receivedmorethan 2,500 distress calls from people across Gaza whose tents and shelters were damaged. With buckets and mops, Palestinians laboriously scooped water out of their tents. Aid groups say that Israel isn’tallowing enough aidinto Gaza to begin rebuilding the territory after years of war. Underthe agreement, Israel agreed to comply with aid stipulationsfromanearlier January truce, whichspecifiedthatitallow600 trucks of aideach dayintoGaza, It maintains it’sdoing so, but The Associated Press found that some of its own figures call that into question.
NOLA.COM | Friday, december 12, 2025 1bN
BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer
The Jefferson Parish Council passed its second-ever $1 billion budget with little discussion Wednesday as Parish President Cynthia Lee Sheng seeks more money to have an outside consultant help reinstate the parish’s withdrawn bond rating. The $1.03 billion spending plan is 2% less than the previous year’s budget and includes $139 million for capital projects like drainage and road improvements, as well as a 5% merit-based pay increase for employees.
Fiscal administrator faces single count of simple battery
BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer
The accountant who was appointed by a judge nearly a year ago to fix the city of Bogalusa’s troubled finances has been issued a summons following a “physical altercation” at a Bogalusa restaurant in September
Robert “Bob” Neilson, 78, is now scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 16 on one count of simple battery, according to court records. The misdemeanor charge stems from an altercation that occurred on Sept. 11 at La Sabrosa a Mexican and Honduran restaurant on South Columbia Street in Bogalusa, according to police records.
Neilson, an accountant with offices in Bogalusa and Covington, was appointed by a state judge in February to serve as Bogalusa’s fiscal administrator, after the state found the city had insufficient revenue to cover its expenditures.
Neilson has reshaped government since taking over, terminating around a dozen positions, making emergency repairs to the sewer system and promising to complete the city’s audits going back to 2022. He has also publicly feuded with Mayor Tyrin Truong and drawn criticism from some state legislators for boxing Truong out of the process. He told The Times-Picayune | The Advocate in June that he had been ignoring Truong’s emails. Bogalusa Police officers were dispatched to La Sabrosa at 12:35 p.m. on Sept. 11 in “reference to a physical altercation that occurred,” according to police records. The incident came three days after Neilson and Truong appeared in front of a slate of state legislators at the Capitol in Baton Rouge where they faced questions about their working relationship and a group of residents called for Neilson’s removal.
Neilson was issued a summons for simple battery on Sept. 17 by Assistant Police Chief Troy Tervalon at Hoppen Place, according to police records. Neilson’s accounting office in Bogalusa is on Hoppen Place, a street next to City Hall. No one else was issued a summons in connection with the incident. Tervalon declined to comment, citing an ongoing investigation.
Neilson did not respond to requests for comment.
Octavia Pique, 62, who is listed as one of the witnesses in the police report, said in an interview that she was getting lunch at La Sabrosa with her father-in-law and
About 86% of the Jefferson Parish budget is spoken for each year through voter-approved, dedicated property taxes and service charges on departments like recreation, libraries and drainage, unlike New Orleans’ $1.6 billion budget, in which leaders spent months debating how to divvy up funds and cut costs under a looming fiscal crisis. That technically leaves $141 million left to spend in the 2026 budget, but about 40% of that is taken up by state-obligated expenses, like funding the District Attorney’s Office and court system. The 2026 budget includes $737 million in operating expenses, $139
About 92% of those capital expenses will be used for public works, including $37 million for sewerage, $36 million for drainage, $26 million for water and $25 million for streets. The budget only includes $1.01 billion in revenues, but is balanced
said the parish will need to keenly aware operating shortfalls that may occur” moving forward, especially in the general fund and the drainage and streets departments, because of lingering
A customer bundled in a wide-brim hat, scarf and gloves stays warm as she chats with two
employees under the coffee stand’s iconic green canopy in New Orleans. Scarves and gloves will be needed next week as colder temperatures are expected to hit the region on Monday morning, forecasters with the National Weather Service said. It’s looking increasingly likely that the New Orleans area will experience a light freeze, NWS forecaster Phil Grigsby said Thursday. Sunday night lows in New Orleans could be just above freezing at around 34 degrees, according to the NWS. Wind chill will likely make the area feel even colder, though. ‘It’s going to be the coldest air that we’ve seen so far this winter season,’ Grigsby said.
Man admits to role in gang war, drug sales
BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer
After three days on trial in federal court in New Orleans, accused of fueling a bloody Central City street gang as its top drug supplier, Tim Jackson reconsidered his options Jackson, 36, agreed to plead guilty Thursday morning in exchange for a 30-year prison sentence, rather than risk life in prison with the jury, said his attorney, Aris Cox U.S. District Judge Jane Triche-Milazzo must still formally approve the agreement. The government was still presenting its case when Jackson had his change of heart. Witnesses tied him to copious heroin sales that prosecutors linked to a leadership role
in the Byrd Gang, a group with historic ties to the former Magnolia housing development. A long-running turf war with members of the rival Ghost Gang from the former Calliope projects spurred killings on both sides, authorities say An FBI agent has testified that by 2021, authorities had pinned nine murders on the feud. Prosecutors have described Jackson, who is confined to a wheelchair from a 2010 shooting in the back, as the Byrd Gang’s “most prolific” dealer in heroin, fentanyl, crack cocaine and marijuana. Jackson pleaded guilty to the main racketeering charge, a high-volume heroin conspiracy and a weapons conspiracy, Cox said He was the last of 10 defendants in the federal case. Jackson initially balked at a more favorable deal last year before relenting. It called for him to serve a little more than
BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer
Belle Chasse Marine Transportation, a family-run operator that has grown into a major force in Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico marine logistics, has purchased an office building in Metairie that will serve as the company’s corporate headquarters. The firm, now led by the second generation of the Konrad family, paid $9.3 million for the three-story Latter Center West building at 2800 Veterans Blvd., according to parish land records. The building, which covers about 100,000 square feet, will allow the company to bring together its 24 head office personnel under one roof for the first time. The property was sold by
SHRLA LLC, an Alpharetta, Georgia-based institutional real estate owner, in a transaction brokered by NAI Rampart. The purchase marks
BY CHAD CALDER Staff writer
A man died Wednesday afternoon in the Tangipahoa Parish jail, the Sheriff’s Office said. Eugene Hickerson, 55, was found unresponsive in his assigned dorm about 3 p.m. Medical staff began conducting lifesaving measures, but Hickerson did not survive He had been in custody at the jail in Amite since October after being picked up on several counts of simple burglary and for violating parole.
During the incident, another inmate in a separate dorm suffered a minor medical emergency that does not appear to be related, but jail staff conducted a contraband sweep and no illegal narcotics were found. The Sheriff’s Office’s Criminal Investigations Division is investigating Hickerson’s death, which will include an autopsy to determine the cause. No other information was made available
Email Chad Calder at ccalder@theadvocate com.
BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer
A St. Bernard Parish jury on Thursday convicted a former pastor of one count of indecent behavior with juveniles, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said.
Milton Otto Martin III, 58, awaits a Jan 15 sentencing by Judge Darren Roy He was booked into St. Bernard Parish jail at 5 p.m. Thursday jail records show Jurors were sworn in Tuesday, and the trial con-
cluded Wednesday afternoon, 34th Judicial District Court records show Assistant Attorney Generals Barry Milligan and Erica Moore subpoenaed the Worldwide Pentecostal Fellowship’s custodian of records to help build a case against Martin, who in 2023 was listed as the First Pentecostal Church of Chalmette’s pastor Jurors acquitted Martin of felony carnal knowledge of a juvenile. Martin had initially been arrested in March 2023 after Louisiana State Police determined he
had sex with a child multiple times from 2010 to 2013 when the child was between ages 14 and 17. He was booked on felony sexual battery and carnal knowledge of a juvenile. He was rebooked on indecent behavior with juveniles the following month, state troopers said, when investigators found a second victim whom Martin had sex with in 1991, when the victim was 14.
“We will never stop fighting to protect the children of Louisiana,” Murrill said in a statement.
BY MEGAN WYATT Staff writer
The University of Louisiana system announced a timeline on Thursday for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette presidential search, but it has yet to publicly release names of search committee members.
The system launched a website dedicated to the presidential search after a Thursday meeting of the system board, during which Chair Mark Romero announced it would nationally circulate a job posting for the position.
“I look forward to a productive and impactful search initiative with a distinct focus on interviewing and selecting the absolute best future leader of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette,” Romero said during the meeting.
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9-year-old daughter when she saw two older men getting into a “loud shouting match” and “calling each other idiots.”
They argued about whether one of the men, who had a veteran’s cap on, had been served a corn or flour tortilla and also about his bill, she said. A woman joined the argument, she said.
The dispute between the two men later picked up outside the restaurant, she said, and from inside she heard a loud commotion
It was not immediately clear from the police report if there were injuries A 911 dispatcher wrote that someone had a “minor hand injury” but was “not asking for EMS,” according to records.
The maximum penalty for a simple battery charge under Louisiana state law is a fine of $1,000 or six months imprisonment, but such charges often lead to no jail time.
The presidential search timeline is as follows:
n Thursday: Board chair appoints search committee
n Jan. 14: Inaugural search committee meeting held at UL
n Feb. 19: Committee meets in Baton Rouge to review applicant materials and to select semifinalists
n Feb. 23-24: On-campus interviews and finalists selected
n Feb. 27: Finalists presented to full board and interviews conducted during special board meeting.
After the meeting, Romero said he was finalizing the list of committee members and would release names publicly within a few days. “It’s going to be a great group to work with,” Romero said. “There’s a lot of different disciplines related to the university.”
He said the presidential
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10 years in prison on top of nearly 10 years he’s serving now on a conviction for gun and drug crimes.
But in August, Milazzo rejected that deal as too
Continued from page 1B
economic impacts from tariffs and inflation. Sales taxes make up a fifth of all parishwide revenues.
At-large Jefferson Parish Council member Jennifer Van Vrancken, who will take over as council chair next year, said she plans to closely monitor the parish’s spending to ensure it avoids dipping into its existing fund balance after the parish spent about $5 million from that pot in 2024.
The parish won’t have a sense of its actual revenues
job posting will not be public until after the committee approves it during its first meeting next month. In the meantime, he said an advertisement will be posted nationally to generate interest.
Thursday’s board meeting comes one month after a special meeting that addressed speculation that the board would forgo a search and install a president at the university without any input from faculty staff or students.
After backlash from faculty members and others, the board announced during the Nov 13 meeting that it would form a search committee for the permanent job and named Ramesh Kolluru, UL’s vice president for research, innovation and economic development, as interim president.
Kolluru’s appointment came at the recommenda-
lenient. Her decision followed a trial in April of three others — Terran Williams, Javonta Doleman and Tyrone Bovia who were convicted in an infamous 2017 gun attack that left two alleged gang rivals dead outside an Edna Karr High School basketball game.
tion of Jaimie Hebert, who had been serving as interim president since Aug. 1, and who asked to return to his former job as provost.
Both Kolluru and Hebert asked on Nov. 10 to be considered for the permanent presidential position, according to documents The Acadiana Advocate received through a public records request.
UL has been without a permanent leader since July when longtime President Joseph Savoie stepped down as the university’s financial troubles came to public light.
During a packed town hall meeting Wednesday, Kolluru outlined more steps to address the university’s financial woes. Kolluru told more than 200 attendees that he and Hebert had taken steps to eliminate most of UL’s $25 million deficit and $25 mil-
lion recurring annual budget shortfall.
The deficit for the current fiscal year has been reduced from $50 million to about $10.5 million, Kolluru said, through cost-cutting measures, including contract cancellations and position eliminations.
Getting to that financial position is, in part, contingent on departments cutting 10% of their spending, Kolluru said.
The payroll reductions this fall included the elimination or consolidation of more than 80 positions, including among vice presidents on campus.
While Hebert was leading the school, he announced the deficit and implemented many of the cuts and changes that have been made this fall.
Staff writer Ashley White contributed to this report.
operations, the firm employs 285 people, most of whom are on the vessels and at support locations, according to Rob Konrad. “We spent about two years looking for the right property so we could bring everybody working in the corporate functions under one roof,” he said. The global reach of the Konrad family’s operations extends beyond Belle Chasse. Shawn Konrad is based in Panama, where the company’s affiliate Maxum Oil Service de Panama is headquartered, reflecting the family’s international footprint in maritime logistics.
Why the move
The acquisition of Latter Center West will allow BCMT to consolidate its administrative and management teams, which have long worked out of several separate locations in Harahan. The move also signals the company’s commitment to long-term growth in the New Orleans region, even as it continues to operate across the Gulf Coast and abroad, Rob Konrad said. BCMT plans to invest “seven figures” to make improvements to the building, which was built in 1979, Rob Konrad said. The upgrades are designed not only for the firm’s relocation but also to retain and enhance conditions for the more than 24 existing tenants, including Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center, which occupies space in the facility With BCMT moving in, it will bring occupancy to 97%.
Metairie office market
Witnesses highlighted Jackson’s role in the gang during that trial, though he was in jail at the time of the Edna Karr killings.
and expenditures for 2025 until next March.
“We have to catch it early so that we can adjust our spending and bring it back in line,” Van Vrancken said.
The parish approved its spending plan Wednesday as it works itself out of a withdrawn bond rating and year-late audit with the help of an increasingly pricey outside consultant.
Jefferson Parish lost its bond rating earlier this year for failure to submit its 2023 and 2024 audits in a timely manner, making it significantly more difficult for the parish to issue bonds until it gets its financial house in order
In a document filed in connection with his negated guilty pleas, Jackson admitted to being a drug dealer and gunman for the group. He confessed to numerous heroin sales and to arranging
The parish hired the firm Deloitte and Touche to overhaul the finance department and get it back on track, and originally agreed to pay the firm $5.7 million. In September, it bumped that price up to $8 million.
The administration requested another contract cap increase Wednesday to $15 million, although Van Vrancken requested a deferral on the item so the council could get a better sense of what the total contract amount is going to be before approving another increase, because the cost of the contract will be spread across departments.
the 2016 murder of Javon “Tokyo” Johnigan, a rising rapper from the former Calliope. Jackson “feared that the rival group from the Calliope Projects would get stronger if one of their associates hit it big as a rapper and got rich” and ordered the hit, the document states.
Interim finance director Victor LaRocca said Thursday that the administration and Deloitte have briefed the council multiple times “on the status of the contract as well as the ongoing efforts,” which at-large member Scott Walker affirmed.
The Parish Council also approved a contract amendment in September requesting that Deloitte provide regularly-updated work plans to the council. LaRocca said the first of those updates will go out next month.
Email Lara Nicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate. com.
Brian Rourke, the sellers’ agent with NAI Rampart, said the sale underscores the resiliency of Metairie’s office market. “This transaction and the planned improvements highlight the continued strength of the Metairie office submarket,” he said in news release announcing the transaction. The building has benefited from shifting preferences among tenants who have moved from downtown highrise towers to more accessible suburban office environments since the pandemic. Its visibility and ease of access along Veterans Boulevard have helped maintain occupancy as other parts of the metro office market struggle with vacancy
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Officialssay he hadrelationship with student
BY MICHELLEHUNTER Staff writer
AJefferson Parish judge on Wednesday set bail for aformer math teacher who is accused of carrying on asexual relationship with a15-year-old student.
Blake Hazeltine, 27, appeared in Magistrate Court for the bail hearing nearly aweek after Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office investigators arrested him Dec. 5on countsincluding carnal knowledgeofajuvenile, indecent behavior with a juvenile and molestation of ajuvenile between the ages of 13 and 16.
Criminal Commissioner David Wolff set Hazeltine’sbail at $120,000 and issued aprotective order barring him from contact with the victim and her family,according to court records.
The victim attended EastJefferson High School where Hazeltine worked as ateacher, authorities said. Hazeltine was selected as the school’steacher of the month in December 2024, according to an East Jefferson High School Facebook post.
Thegirland Hazeltine met in the spring. After they determined they had feelings for one another Hazeltine spoke to the girl’sparents, according to authorities.
Thegirl toldSheriff’s Office investigatorsthat her parents agreed to condone the pair’srelationship as long as they kept things “cordial,” according to authorities
Thegirl’sparents told Hazeltine he could pursue aromantic relationship with her after she turned 18, authorities said.
The Sheriff’s Office opened acriminal investigation into the matter in late September when a nurse at ahospital where the girl was being treated noticed Hazeltine kissing and caressing the girl during avisit, according to theSheriff’s Office
The nurse notifiedstate child welfare officials as well as law enforcement.
Detectives uncovered evidence that Hazeltine and the girl were in a sexual relationship, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Hazeltine was being held Thursday at the JeffersonParish Correctional Center in Gretna. If he makes bail, Wolff ordered that Hazeltine be placed on home incarceration and GPS monitoring.
Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@ theadvocate.com
Antoine, Brenda Arceneaux, Betty Bagneris, Shyrl BrownJr.,Albert Brumfield, Milton Culasso,Miguel Damis,Lenord Davis, Linda Dunn, Patricia Fenk,April Lane-Turner, Mamie LewisSr.,Howard Marrero,Edward McKenzie,Hannah
Mobley,Dorothy Mouton, Ethel North,Diane Phillip,Robert Pugh, Donovan Rappaport, Robert RudigerSr.,Edward Schmitt, Joan Schomaker,Julia Shorty,Debra Smith,Kevin Spindler,JoAnn Veals, Beulah Whitaker, Perner Wright,Charlie EJefferson
Garden of Memories Schomaker,Julia Richardson FH LewisSr.,Howard Whitaker, Perner NewOrleans Boyd Family
Marrero,Edward Mobley,Dorothy Veals, Beulah
Charbonnet
Antoine, Brenda
Bagneris, Shyrl McKenzie,Hannah
Pugh, Donovan DW Rhodes
Damis,Lenord Shorty,Debra
Gertrude Geddes Davis, Linda Greenwood
Schmitt, Joan Lake Lawn Metairie
Rappaport, Robert Littlejohn FH
Brumfield, Milton Lane-Turner, Mamie Mouton, Ethel St Bernard
CharbonnetLabat
BrownJr.,Albert St Tammany
EJ Fielding
RudigerSr.,Edward Honaker
Culasso,Miguel West Bank
DavisMortuary
Antoine, Brenda Duplessis'Bren Bren'
Brenda Duplessis“Bren Bren” Antoine, adedicated servant of God, transi‐tionedpeacefullyintoeter‐nal rest on Monday,De‐cember1,2025, at theage of79inNew Orleans, LA Mrs.Antoine wasbornon January 3, 1946 to thelate Wilfredand DorisB.Dup‐lessis. In addition to her parents,she is also pre‐ceded in deathbyher hus‐band, Ernest Antoine, Jr.; daughter, Suzanne;sib‐lings,Paulette,Elvar,Lydia, Ann Marie, Larry,Sr. and Gary, Sr.Brendaattended GeorgeW.CarverHigh School,New Orleans, LA and wasa faithfulparish‐ioner of St.Phillip the Apostle andOur Lady Star ofthe SeaCatholic Churches,where shewas dedicated to making sure thatall families had Thanksgivingmeals.She was awardedthe St.Louis Medal by theArchbishop PhilipM.Hannan, DD on May 20, 1993. Brenda was employedbyVincent Spaghetti Houseand Char‐lie Brownrestaurants Leaving to cherishher memoriesare five children Monica(Dave), Bryant,Wil‐fred(Crystal),Terry Ann and Ernest (Rose);twenty grandchildren,twelve great-grandchildren;one brother,Michael Duplessis, Sr.; five brothers-in-law, six sisters-in-lawand ade‐voted cousin,Antoinette Rudolph,aswellasa host ofnieces, nephews, other cousins andfriends.Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare allinvited to at‐tendthe funeral. AMassof Christian burial honoring the life andlegacyofthe lateBrendaDuplessisAn‐toine will be held at St Josephine Bahkita(for‐merly St.Maryofthe An‐gelsChurch), 3501 N. Miro Street,New Orleans, LA on Saturday, December 13 2025, 10 am,FatherExpid‐ito Arinaitwe, FMH, Cele‐brant.Interment Mount OlivetCemetery. Visitation 9 am in thechurch.Please signonlineguestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581-4411.
Arceneaux, Betty Jean Jones
dren,TequillaArceneaux and WilliamArceneaux III Betty andWilliam’s part‐nership wasa modelofen‐duringcompanionship and friendship; theirunity and joy were evidenttoall who knewthem. Apillarinher church andcommunity Betty’s powerful voiceup‐liftedmanyasshe sang in the choir, andher stead‐fastprayers provided com‐fortand strength as a faithfulprayerwarrior.She inspiredgenerations through hertestimony, wisdom, andthe personal stories shesharedinSun‐day school,touching countless liveswithher faith.Betty deeply valued familyand thecreationof lasting memories.Her wit, humor,and practicallife lessons left alasting im‐pressiononeveryoneshe encountered.Her kindness, generosity, andgrace will belovinglyrememberedby all.She is survived by her devoted husband,William Arceneaux;her children CarlJohnson (Shauntay), PaulWilsonJr. (Kelly), De‐vronWilson, andNedra Wilson;stepdaughter, TequillaArceneaux-Robin‐son (Patrick); grandchil‐dren: ZenobyaBrown Kayla Johnson, DalynWil‐son,Mayea’Wilson-Brit‐ton,Deryn Wilson,and Makhi Wilson;step-grand‐children: Darrelland Tyrell Walker; great-great-grand‐children: Mahundya Abron and Brighton Wilson;sis‐ters: Mary Jones, Susie Jones,Deborah Johnson (Leonard),and Shirley Kennedy (Willie);sistersin-law: Elaine Francis, Joyce Arceneaux, Oneita Austin(Michael),Rhonda Arceneaux,Wanda Thomas (Raynell),and StacyYoung (Eugene); goddaughter:Dr. Sonya Hazel; bonus chil‐dren: LatashaHales,Shan‐quelMorgan, QueniceMor‐gan,VictoriaMorganWilliams,Cherlyn Rogers, Myron Rogers,Vernitra BlakesShivers,Terry Delille,MonyeaBritton David Franklin,BishopTy‐roneJefferson,and De‐mondMorton. Special Friends:Audry Morgan Ralph Woodruff, KarenPat‐terson, Reginald Patterson Sr.,CharleneReed,Katricia Franklin, KiTani andNelson Lemieux,Elder Cynthia Dexter, ElderDeanna Ap‐pleberry anda largeex‐tendedfamilyofnieces, nephews,cousins,and friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyas wellaspastors,officers, and membersofMount Calvary Church Interna‐tional, Little Zion Baptist Church of Avondale,LA, NinevehBaptist Church of
Metairie,Oakland Baptist Church andPilgrim Baptist Church of Kenner arein‐vited to attend thefuneral servicesonSaturday, De‐cember13, 2025, Mount Calvary Church Interna‐tionallocated at 1600 WestwoodDrive Marrero, LA70072. Thevisitationwill begin at 9AMfollowedbya 10AMservice.Apostle Terry Gullagewillofficiate, and entombment will fol‐low in Restlawn Park Cemeteryand Mausoleum 3540 US-90, Avondale,LA 70094. Funeralplanningen‐trusted to Robinson Family FuneralHome, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse,LA70037 (504) 208-2119. Foronline condolences please visit robinsonfamilyfuneral‐home.com
Bagneris,Shyrl AnnPatterson
ShyrlAnn Patterson Bagneris, Esquire, beloved wifeofJohnHaroldBag‐neris anddevoted mother ofShyrl PhallonBagneris, transitionedtobewithour Lordand Savior on Thurs‐day,December4,2025. She was theyoungestof five childrenborntothe union ofElmenia Thomas Hornsby andWilliePatter‐son,Jr. Shyrlaccepted Christatanearly ageand was baptized at Mt.Moriah Baptist Church by thelate Rev.Ruben A. Hack,under the leadership of thelate Rev.SimmieLee Harvey She wasanactivemember ofMt. Moriah,participating inSundaySchool,Ideal Baptist Training,the Youth Choir andserving as Queen of theSunday School Parade.Educatedin the Orleansparishschool system, ShyrlattendedMc‐Donogh #24Elementary and Alfred C. PriestleyMid‐dle School.She went on to makehistory as oneofthe firststudentstointegrate Fortier High School (The Willow),graduatingin 1970. Even in themidst of
social change,she excelled academicallyand socially, earning recognitionasa memberofthe HonorSoci‐ety,Project Opportunity, Tarponettes, Tarpon Rep, Human RelationsCouncil and BlackHistory Club Fromanearly age, Shyrl was awoman who stepped boldlyintonew spaces Her courageatFortier laid the foundation fora life‐timeoftrailblazing. She continued hereducation at Louisiana StateUniversity withthatsamedetermina‐tionand purpose. During her time there, shebecame a CharterMemberofThe Iota ThetaChapter of Delta Sigma ThetaSorority, Inc., the firstBlack Greek-letter organizationfounded on LSU’s campus.Following thishistoricachievement she earned herBachelorof Science before embarking onthe love storythat would define heradult life In 1975, shemet theloveof her life,JohnHaroldBag‐neris.Indedicationand de‐votiontotheir union,she later convertedtoCatholi‐cismsotheycould worship togetherasa family. Shyrl’s professional career began as aCustomerSer‐viceRepresentativeatBell South.However,her life‐longdesiretopursuelaw led hertoenrollatTulane University, where she earnedher JurisDoctorate inMay 1981. Shesuccess‐fully passedthe baronher firstattempt andwas ad‐mittedtopracticelaw later thatyear. Herillustrious legal career included ser‐vicewiththe City of New Orleans Department of PublicWorks as aHearing Officer, theOrleans Indi‐gentDefenderProgram as a Criminal DefenseAttor‐ney,SouthernUniversityof New OrleansasanAdjunct Professor;the City of New Orleans CivilService Com‐mission as aHearing Offi‐cer,the City of NewOr‐leans Department of Fi‐nance in Notarial Services and theCityofNew Or‐leans Department of Streets| ParkingAdjudica‐tionBureauasHear‐ing/Chief Officer. Shealso proudly served as Legal Counsel forthe Delta Sigma ThetaNew Orleans Alumnae ChapterFounda‐tion. In addition to herhus‐bandand daughter,Shyrl alsoleavestocherish her memory, “fur baby,” Miss Lucky; sisters, Melvina McCoy,Louella Patterson and Portia P. Campbell, along with ahostofnieces, nephews,cousins,other relatives andfriends who loved herdearly. In addi‐tiontoher parents, Sheis also preceded in deathby
Phillip,Robert Mothe
Spindler,JoAnn
Robinson FH
Arceneaux, Betty Wright,Charlie
Betty Jean JonesArce‐neaux."He will wipe every tearfromtheir eyes.There willbenomoredeath or mourningorcryingorpain, for theold orderofthings has passedaway."— Reve‐lation21:4. With hearts full ofbothsorrowand grati‐tude, we gather to cele‐brate theextraordinary life ofBetty Arceneaux. Ade‐voted Christianand tire‐lessprayerwarrior,Betty lived as aradiant example offaith andcompassion. Her melodiousvoice lifted countless soulsinsong, while hersteadfastloveas a wife,the very embodi‐mentofmotherhood,nur‐turinggrandmother,loyal friend, andcherished sis‐ter touchedall who knew her.Above all, Betty was God's Child—a beacon of His love,grace,and unwa‐veringdevotionBetty Jean Jones Arceneaux, born De‐cember20, 1951, in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana,peace‐fully departed this life on November29, 2025, leaving behinda legacy of love faith,and service. Shewas the cherisheddaughterof the late Rafe JonesSr. and Susie MaeWhitsettJones A proudproduct of theJef‐fersonParishschool sys‐tem,Betty dedicatedher professionallifetothe samecommunity that nur‐tured her, servingwithdis‐tinctionuntil herretire‐ment. Betty’s life was markedbyprofound love and devotion to herfamily. She was firstunitedin marriagetoPaulWilson, and together they were blessedwithfourchildren: Carl, Paul Jr., Devron,and Nedra.InApril 1996, Betty married WilliamArceneaux Jr.,her beloved“King,” and welcomed twostepchil‐
4B
✦ Friday, December 12, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune abrother,WillieJ.Patter‐son,III; “fur baby”Shanna; nephews,Romel McCoy and Randal Meilleur;broth‐ers-in-law, Roosevelt McCoy andLaniche Joseph L.J.”Prevost;mother-inlaw,Laura Jarrow;fatherin-law, OnealJarrow and mother-in-law,Helen Da Salle Bagneris.Shyrl lived a life marked by faith,ser‐vice, excellence andlove. Her legacy continuesin every life shetouched, every person sheuplifted and everyspace she filled withwisdomand grace. May herlight foreverguide usand mayher memory remaina blessing to all who knew her. AMassof Celebration honoring the lifeand legacy of thelate Shyrl AnnPatterson Bag‐neris,Esquire,willbeheld atSt. PeterClaverCatholic Church,1923St. Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Saturday,Decem‐ber 13, 2025 at 10 am Omega OmegaCeremony, conducted by theNew Or‐leans AlumnaeChapter of Delta SigmaTheta Sorority Inc.,willbegin at 8:30 am, followedbyvisitationat9 aminthe church.Inter‐mentMount Olivet Ceme‐tery. Please sign online guestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion, Directors (504) 581-4411.
Albert "Al" Brown, Jr a devoted husband,father, veteran,musician, fisher‐man andman of faith, en‐tered eternalreston Wednesday,November26, 2025. Born on September6 1957 in NewOrleans,Albert isthe sonofthe late Pearler Lambert-Johnson and Albert Brown, Sr.Heis the belovedhusband of Erica SylvesterBrown for 33years andthe loving fa‐therofJalen (Dantrell), Andre (Jasmine)and Erian Brown.Heisalsosurvived byAlbertBrown IV and FrancheskaHolden; sib‐lings,Lydia (Donald) Stew‐art,YvetteThomas, Alvinette Johnson, Valerie (Willie)Hampton, Sonya Johnson,and SybilJohn‐son,along with ahostof grandchildren,nieces, nephews,cousins,other relatives andfriends.Rela‐tives andfriends;Pastor, officers andmembers of Third BaptistMissionary Church,GardenofPrayer FamilyWorship Center and all otherneighboring churchesofPlaquemines, Orleans andJefferson Parishes; employees of Al‐liedUniversal Security Atmos Energy andPlaque‐mines Parish Government are invitedtoattend the funeral.A Celebrationser‐vicehonoringthe life and legacyofthe late Albert Brown,Jr. will be held at The Garden of Prayer Fam‐ily WorshipCenter, 2605 Munster Blvd., Meraux,LA 70075, on Saturday,Decem‐ber 13, 2025 at 11 am,Pas‐tor Martin C. Sylvester, Of‐ficiating. IntermentProvi‐dence Memorial Park Metairie, LA.Visitation9 aminthe church.Final arrangementsentrusted to CharbonnetFamilySer‐vices (504) 302-1520.
Milton “Boo” Brumfield entered eternalreston Tuesday,December2,2025 Hewas thethird childof the late Milton Cryerand Wilhelmina Barnes-Morri‐son.Milton wasbornon June28, 1974, in NewOr‐leans,Louisiana.Heat‐tendedJohnF.Kennedy HighSchool. Managerat Popeyes for15+ years. At‐tendedUTI Automotive Schoolacquiredcertifica‐tionfor an automobile me‐chanic. Lead Mechanic at Kirks Automotive in Baton Rouge,LA. Milton waspre‐ceded in passingbyhis motherand father,and his son MyronRivera. He was a manoffaith,trustingand believing in JesusChrist. He wasa caring andde‐
votedhusband,father, grandfather,brother uncle,cousin, andfriend. Heleavestocherish his memoryhis wife Keneitha Morris-Brumfield, hischil‐dren, Milton Howell Cre’Shone Scott, Maya Rivera, JasmineClark,De‐dron Lawson,Makiala Brumfieldand Mekhi BrumfieldofBaton Rouge, LA; HissisterRachael Craig (Erwin) of Moreno Valley, CA; 2brothers, Lattimore BrumfieldofHouston,Tx, and Marlon Brumfieldof Baton Rouge, LA;2 sistersin-lawKeiyana Morris and Sharlanna Wells(Sam) of Texas;4 grandchildren MarleighHowell, LaKent AlexisJr.,K’LaniPoray,and Ja’RiyahPoole; andbest friends KevinVanBuren, Freddie Banks, CornellJef‐ferson, Carlos Trask, JonathanWilliam anda hostofnieces, nephews, relatives,and friends. Rela‐tives andfriends,alsopas‐tor,officers andmembers ofTrueVineBaptist Church and Beacon LightCathe‐dralofBaton Rouge, La employees of Kirk’s Tire and AccessoriesofBaton Rouge,La.,BlueCross and BlueShieldofLa. and MorenoValleyUnified School District areinvited toattendthe funeralser‐viceonSaturday, Decem‐ber 13,2025, at True Vine Baptist Church,2008 Marigny Street,beginning 10am. Rev. Donald C. Jean‐jacques,Sr.,pastoroffici‐ating.Church visitation 9 amuntil servicetime. In‐terment Providence Memo‐rialPark. Professional Ser‐vices Entrustedto: Little‐johnFuneralHome, 2163 Aubry Street,Cal K. John‐son,Manager/FuneralDi‐rector.Info: 504-940-0045
Dr.MiguelAngel Cu‐lasso passed away on De‐cember1,2025, in Slidell, Louisiana,after an illness. Hewas 78 yearsold.Born onFebruary19, 1947, in Es‐peranza,Argentina,Dr. Cu‐lasso devotedhis life to the service of others through medicine.In1979, hebegan practicing as a familyphysician in the Slidell area,where he be‐camea trustedand stead‐fastpresenceinthe com‐munity forover four decades.His unwavering commitment to hispa‐tientsand hisprofession was evidentinevery as‐pectofhis work—henever wishedtoretireand found daily joyincaringfor those who relied on him. He en‐joyed hostingfriends in his legendary “asados”.Dr. Culasso’s perseverance and dedication left alast‐ing impact notonlyonthe lives of hispatientsbut alsoonthose who hadthe privilege of knowinghim personally. Hislegacyis one of compassion,re‐silience, andtirelessser‐vice. He is deeply mourned byhis loving wife of 47 years,Angie K. Culasso;his son,MiguelAntonio Cu‐lasso anddaughter-in-law Karen Culasso;his daugh‐ter,LisaCulasso andsonin-lawHernanCifre;and his cherished grandchil‐dren, Chloe(7) andLeo (3). Hewas preceded in death byhis belovedson Daniel Culasso andbyhis par‐ents, Antonioand Emilia Culasso.Dr. Culasso will be rememberedwithpro‐found respect andaffec‐tionbyall whose liveshe touched.May hismemory bring comforttothose who knewhim andcontinue to inspire dedication and kindnessinothers. ArrangementsbyHonaker FuneralHome, Inc.,Slidell LA.
Damis, Lenord With sadnessweshare the passingofLenord Damis,onNovember28, 2025. Please visitwww.rho desfuneral.comtoview service information, sign onlineguestbook,send flowersand sharecondo‐lences.
LindaFay Davis, age67, was born on December 1, 1957 departed this earthly lifeonMonday, November 24, 2025. Shewas alifelong residentonNew Orleans, LA, while brieflylivingin Alexandria, LA.She at‐tendedJames Weldon Johnson Elementary and was agraduateofAlcee Fortier High School and XavierUniversity. Linda was amemberofDelta Sigma ThetaSororityIn‐corporated. Shewas also a devoted member of the Evening Star Missionary Baptist Church formore than60years,where she servedasthe church sec‐retary. Ms.Davis wasa dedicated employee for the United States Depart‐mentofAgriculture for over40years.Linda was the beloveddaughterof RubyDavis.Lovingmother ofJames Crockett, Sr.(Jes‐sica).Devoted sister of Lorenzo Davis, Sr.(Joyce) SamuelE.Davis (Cassan‐dra), Albert Davis(Laura) and TammyDavis (Lloyd). She wasalsosurvivedby9 grandchildren,Jasmine Jordan, Tia, Jada,Kelsey, Simone, Ahmad, Grace, and James II,12great-grand‐children, 8niecesand nephews,Lorenzo,Jr.,Mar‐quisha, Kimberly,Brian Tiffany, Emmanuel, Bre‐anna,Mia anda host of cousins,familyand friends.She waspreceded indeath by herfather SamuelE.Davis,her daughterShantellM.Davis and heraunt Burnetta C. Davis.Relatives and friends of thefamily, also Pastor, officers andmem‐bersofNew Hope B.C. and Evening Star M.B.C. arein‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Saturday, December 13, 2025 at NewHopeBaptist Church,1807 Rev. John Raphael Jr.Way,New Or‐leans,LA70113 at 10:00 a.m.Visitationfrom9:00 a.m.until 10:00 a.m. Inter‐mentSt. Mary's Cemetery, 1900 HillaryStreet,New Or‐leans,LA70118. Youmay signthe guestbook on http://www.gertrudeged deswillis.com. Gertrude GeddesWillisFuneral Home, Inc. in charge (504) 522-2525.
Patricia HalversonDunn, 70 years old, departedthis world and entered into eternal life on themorning of November 29, 2025 after alongbattlewithcancer. Patriciahad aloveofmusic all of her life and played thepiano beautifully.She had alongcareer in thelegalindustry most recently with Boykin and Utley of NewOrleans. She was born the7th childtothe late EricJ.and Anna M. Halverson, and leaves behind her son Bradley Dunn (Jennifer) and grandchildren, Elijah Dunn, Daniel Dunn, David Flores, Eimy Moreno, Litzy Morenoand Michael Moreno. She is also survivedbyher siblings, Ann LePre, EricJ.Halverson, Jr. (Lorraine),Thomas J. Halverson, Sr.(Denise), Mary Burd, and Jeannie Baker (Robert), as wellas ahost of niecesand nephews. She is also preceded in death by her siblings Margaret King (Paul), and Michael Halverson. Therewillbea memorial heldonSaturday December 13, 2025 at 10:00 am at Lakeview Christian Center, 5885 Fleur de Lis Dr. In lieu of flowers, please consider adonation to theCancerSociety Brumfield,Milton'Boo'
Belovedmotherof Ethan,Eli andEzra. Cherished Daughter to Jesus and Paula adored sibling of Larry, Shawn Jesus, Anna and Aaron. Friendtoall she met.April was alongtime server in theNew Orleans restaurant scene,known and lovedbyall.She willbe mourned, she willbe missed and she willberemembered forher outstanding kindness toward all
Lane-Turner, Mamie
MamieLane-Turner was bornonMarch 9, 1936, in Woodville, Mississippi to the union of thelateSonny Laneand FrancesLane. In September 1948, Mamie acceptedChristasher Lordand Savior andwas baptizedatthe St Matthews#1Missionary Baptist Church in Woodville, Mississippi.She was educated in the WilkinsonCountySchool system, where shemet the loveofher life,Roosevelt Turner, Sr.Mamie andRoo‐seveltwereunitedinholy matrimony in June 1960 and to this union,six chil‐drenwereborn: Roosevelt Jr. (Joann),Emmanuel, Frankie Sr.(Odeen)Chris‐tine, Darren Sr.(Lucille), and RichardTurner. Mamie and herhusband lovingly raisedher nephew,Curtis Lane, as theirown. Mamie was employed by theOr‐leans Parish School Board asa teacher'saideand workedfor many yearsat AndrewJackson Elemen‐tarySchool.After herem‐ploymentinthe Orleans Parishschool system,she was self-employedasa caregiver andprovidedpri‐vatesitting services.After retirement, sheand her latehusband ventured into realestate. Mamieespe‐cially enjoyedhosting HomeInteriorDecorating events. Mamiewillbere‐memberedfor hercompas‐sionate heartand willing‐nesstohelpanyonein need,alwaysputting the needsofothersbeforeher own. Shewas afaithful memberofthe James ChapelMissionaryBaptist Church andservedonsev‐eralcommittees andauxil‐iaries, until herhealthdid not permit hertodoso. On Tuesday,December2,2025 Mamie departed this earth for herheavenlyhome after sheheard thevoice ofher Almighty Savior say‐ing,"Well Done,Good and FaithfulServant." She leavestocherish hermem‐ory,her kids,RooseveltJr., Frankie Sr.Christine,Dar‐ren Turner;CurtisLane, and AdaSmith;three sib‐lings,ErmaLee Johnson, Henry,and EvelinaLane; fourteen grandchildren, Stacey, RooseveltIII, Toni Shelita,David,Tyecha, Brit‐tany, Jennifer,DarrenJr. (Brittany-Lynn),Tamica, Byron,Trey, Jordy, and Jason;a host of greatgrandchildren;nieces, nephews,extendedfamily, and friends. Shewas pre‐ceded in deathbyher par‐ents, Sonnyand Frances Lane; herhusband,Roo‐seveltTurner, five siblings, Dan,Richard,Herman, Ellen,and OllieLane; two sons, Richardand Em‐manuelTurner; twogrand‐children, ChristopherMc‐Crory andFrankie Turner Jr. Relativesand friends, alsopastor, officers and members of JamesChapel Baptist Church areinvited toattend theCelebration ofLifeServicesonSatur‐day,December13, 2025, at James Chapel Missionary Baptist Church,4228 Thalia Street in NewOrleans,LA. PastorHermanBrown Sr officiating. Visitation 9am10am. CelebrationofLife Serviceswillbegin at 10 am. IntermentProvidence MemorialPark. Profes‐sionalservicesentrusted toLittlejohnFuneralHome, 2163 AubryStreet,Cal K. Johnson,Manager-Funeral Director.Info: 504-940-0045.
Howard L. Lewis, Sr.enteredintoeternal rest on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at the age of 53. He is survived by hisloving wife NatashaLewis, and his childrenHoward,Michael, Juanita, andJoshuaLewis; hisparents Howard (Clara) Butler andGwendolyn Morgan; as well as ahost of familymembersand friends. Members of Faith of Hope M. B. C., employeesofBrown's Dairy, RoofingProducts, CocaCola Bottling Company, RenalAssociatesofBaton Rouge,and all familyand friends are invited to attend theFamilyand Friends Fellowship on Friday, December 12, 2025, from 5:00-7:00pm at Faith of Hope M. B. C., 314 Oxley Street,Kenner,LA70062. Afuneral service will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025. Visitation is from 9:0010:00am, followed by the service at 10:00am at SweetHome Christian Center,434 Jackson Street Kenner,LA70062, with Pastor John Brown officiating. Intermentwill take place at Jefferson Memorial Garden,St. Rose, LA. Funeral servicesentrustedtoRichardson Funeral Home of Jefferson, RiverRidge, LA.www.richa rdsonfuneralhomeofjeffers on.com
Edward “Ed” Marrero, 69 years old, passedawayon Thursday,November27, 2025, in Mobile,AL. He is survivedbyhis devoted wife, Juliette Marrero, motherHenrietta Marrero Washington, sons,Rich‐mondMarrero Sr.and Ryan Marrero;and threegrand‐children, Richmond Mar‐reroJr.,Dior’ Armani Mar‐rero-Haley, andDivineMar‐rero. He is also survived by a host of loving relatives and friends. He waspre‐ceded in deathbyhis fa‐ther, FrankWashington, and hisbeloved aunts. Familyand friendsare in‐vited to attend hisCelebra‐tionofLifeService on Sat‐urday,December13, 2025, atHolyCross Lutheran Church,6154 PressDrive, New Orleans, LA 70126. Vis‐itation begins at 10:00 a.m., withservicesat11:00 a.m. Rev.AubreyJ.WatsonJr. officiating. Intermentwill followatMt. Olivet Ceme‐tery, 4000 Norman Mayer Ave., NewOrleans,LA 70122. Employees of Lib‐ertyBank& Trustand members of Holy Cross LutheranChurch arein‐vited to attend in honorof his life andlegacy. Guest‐book Online:www.anewtra ditionbegins.com(504)2820600. Linear Brooks Boyd and DonavinD.BoydOwn‐ers/Funeral Directors.
touchedeveryoneblessed toknowher.Hannahis survivedbyher children, Alfreda McKenzie,Melvin McKenzie, Sr Michael McKenzie, TalethaDuncan and CassandraDuncan, thirteen grandchildrenand thirteen great-grandchil‐dren, each of whomshe cherished with allofher heart.She is preceded in death by herbeloved son, Shawn Duncan;grandsons, DwightCrier,Jr. andFrank McKenzie, herparents foursisters and five broth‐ers.Thoughmanyofher loved ones have gone be‐foreher,theyare nowre‐unitedineternal peace. A Celebration servicehonor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late Hannah Lee McKenziewillbeheldat Faith Impact Ministry,8612 ChefMenteur Hwy, New Orleans,LA70127 on Satur‐day,December13, 2025 at 10am. Interment Resthaven Memorial Park 10400 OldGentillyRoad, New Orleans, LA 70127. Vis‐itation 9aminthe Church The familyextends their heartfelt gratitudefor the prayers,loveand support shown during this difficult time. Hannah’s warm pres‐ence, beautifulspiritand unwavering love forher familywillforever live on inthe hearts of thoseshe leavesbehind. Please sign onlineguestbook at www charbonnetfuneralhome com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504)581 4411.
DorothyPateMobley passedawayonDecember 3,2025, at theage of 76 years.She is survived by her husbandof57years Elisha Mobley Jr.; son Courey(Miriam)Mobley; three granddaughters: Janae Benson,Courtney and Courtlyn Mobley;three great grandsons: Jayce, Roryand Jayden;three brothers: Matthew,Jr. (Let‐rice),William (Elnora) and James (Louise) Pate;four sisters,RubyHull(Israel), Joyce,Kathy andCarol Pate; sixin-laws:Jimmy Wilcox,ElvertBijou,Hilda Morgan, Annetta Walker (Neal)and Donald Mobley (Frankie).She waspre‐ceded in deathbyher par‐entsHattieand Matthew Pate, Sr onebrother: RobertPateand threesis‐ters: Audrey Wilcox,Odele Lewis andBernadine Rogers.She also leaves her legacytonieces, nephews, relatives,churchmembers and friends. Youare invited toattend her finalservice onSaturday, December 13 2025, at TheAsiaBaptist Church,1400 Sere St New Orleans,LA. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. andthe Homegoing Servicewill start at 10:00 a.m. Pastor Kenneth,officiating. Inter‐mentwillfollowatMt. OlivetCemetery, 4000 Nor‐man MayerAve., NewOr‐leans,LA70122. Repast fol‐lowingatThe Asia B.C. Guestbook Online:www anewtraditionbegins.com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors
Hannah LeeMcKenzie, age 84, passedaway peacefully on Sunday,De‐cember7,2025, surrounded byher loving family. Born onJuly26, 1941 in St.Fran‐cisville, LA,Hannahde‐voted herlifetoher family, her faith andthe people she loved. Shespent many years workingatTulane UniversityHospital, where she served with dedication and compassion until her retirement. Herkindness, strength andgentlespirit
Ethel“Madear”Mouton was born in Neco Town, LA.,tothe late Trinity Williams andMarthaCurtis Williams.Ethel marriedthe lateRonaldMoutonSr. and from theirunion came fourbeloved children.To knowMadearwas to expe‐riencea greatstrength, wisdom, anda spirit that liftedthose around her. She cherishedtimespent withfamilyand friends, and shetouched everylife withlove, encouragement, and grace. On November 26, 2025, at theage of 103, Ethel peacefully departed thislife, slipping into eter‐nal rest with herdaughter Linda tenderly by herside. She leaves behind alegacy wovenwithfaith,persever‐
ance,and immeasurable love. Ethelisprecededin death by herparents;her husbands, Ronald Mouton Sr. andLouis JonesSr.;her siblings, Ruby Williams, Lu‐cille Benjamin,Jonoth Williams,and Classie Williams;three of herchil‐dren, Ronald Mouton Jr., RubyWilliams, andWesley MorrisMouton; andher grandchildren Anthony Mouton, Yvonne Williams, Yvette Jackson, Joan Shep‐pard, Clarence Williams and Jerome Mouton.She is survivedbyher devoted daughter, LindaMouton, daughter-in-law IdaMae Mouton(Wesley Morris) and hergrandchildren: AlexMouton(Anita), Richard Benoit (Veronica) Kenneth Mouton (Jeanette), Rhonda Mou‐ton,PauletteSheppard, Kenneth Sheppard (Juanita),Gregory Mouton Vanessa Mouton,Monique Mouton, Wilmer Elmore (Monet),and Stanlecia Fisher(John).She also leavesbehinda host of great-grandchildren,greatgreat-grandchildren, nieces,nephews,and countless friendswho loved herdearly. Ethel Madear”Moutonlived a liferichwithpurpose and anchoredbyfaith.Her legacyiscarried forwardin every life shetouched every lesson shetaught, and everymomentoflove she shared.Her presence willbedeeply missed, but her lightwillcontinue to shine throughthe genera‐tions sheleavesbehind. Relatives andfriends of familyare invitedtoattend the FuneralService on Sat‐urday,December13, 2025 beginning 11:00 a.m. at St StephensBaptist Church 1738 L.B. Landry Ave. Church visitation from 9:00 a.m.until thehourofser‐vice. Entombment Garden ofMemoriesCemetery. Rev.David M. PatinSr. and GwienaMagee Patin, Fu‐neral Directors. Profes‐sionalService Entrusted to: Littlejohn Funeral Home, 2163 AubryStreet, Cal K. Johnson, FuneralDi‐rector/Manager, Info:(504) 940-0045.
North,DianeFord
DianeLucilleNorth, 82 years of age, passed on Tuesday, December 9, 2025, at her home in Hahnville. Diane was born September 19, 1943, in Luling to the late Patrick Sr. and Nettie Ford. She was one of six children. Preceded in death by Patsy Faucheaux (Clay), Warren (Buddy) Ford (Carole, still living), and Beryl Trepina (Larry). She is survived by Mona Eusea (Beano), Patrick Ford Jr., and halfbrothers James, John and Michael Ford. She was a proud mother of Deacon Jason (Gretchen) Binet, Melissa (David) Williamson, and John (Jennifer) Binet. Diane is the wife of Barry North "Gramps" for 22 years. Barry's stepchildren are Deborah Corrao Chanda Burge (James), Jasper Fahrig (Teresa) William Fahrig (Melinda), Jonny Fahrig (Shirlyn), Rachel Brown, the late Christian Fahrig and niece, Catherine Nichols (Rick), nephew, Alex North. They enjoyed the company of large family gatheringsat their home. She was grandmother "Granny" to Nicholas (Amy), Daniel (Kayleigh), Andrew (Miranda), Grant, Christian, Sara,and Luke. She is also agreatgrandmother to Millie. Together with Gramps, Granny shared and was treasured by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren numerous nieces, nephews, greatand greatgreat nieces and nephews on both Barry's side of the family along with the Fords and Binets,creating a large, blended family. Her love of serving familyand friends at home extended to her career feeding the children in the school cafeterias for St. Charles Parish. Diane was afaithful lifelong parishioner of St. Anthony of PaduaCatholic Church in Luling. She spent many hours each day in prayer and following her spiritual guides like Padre Pio or Mother Angelica. She loved the clergy and attending Mass at St. Anthony. Visitation willbefrom 10:00 am until 12:00 pm on Monday, December 15, 2025 at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, Luling, LA. AMass of Christian Burial willbecelebratedat12:00 pm with burial to follow in St.
Charles Cemetery, Luling, LA. In lieuofflowers donationstoEWTN Global CatholicNetwork Falgout Funeral Homeis entrusted with arrangements.
Phillip, Robert J.
Robert J. Phillip, age85, entered into eternalrestat Ochsner MedicalCenter WestbankonMonday, De‐cember1,2025. He wasa nativeofShrewsbury, LA and aresidentofBridge City, LA.Robert retired fromJefferson Parish StreetsDepartment, after 30years of dedicatedser‐vice. Belovedhusband of Diana S. Phillip. Loving son the late Joseph andLucille Phillip.Robertisalsosur‐vived by ahostofother rel‐ativesand friends. Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the CelebrationofLifeat Davis Mortuary Service, 6820 WestbankExpress‐way,Marrero,LAonSatur‐day,December13, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will begin at 8:30 a.m. until ser‐vicetime at theparlor. In‐terment:RestlawnPark Cemetery-Avondale,LA. To viewand sign theguest‐book,pleasegotowww davismortuaryservice.com. Face masksare recom‐mended.
DonovanHesiodPugh entered thearmsofthe LordonWednesday,De‐cember3,2025 at theage of21. He wasa lifelong res‐ident of New Orleans, LA Donovan wasa graduate of WarrenEastonHighSchool and attended Southern Universitywhere he ma‐jored in Criminal Justice. Donovan wasdeeplyfam‐ily-orientedand knownfor his gentle spirit,his loyalty and hisabilitytomake everyonearound himfeel welcomedand loved. Beloved sonofWendy Hansell-Pugh andDonald Pugh, Sr.Grandsonof Tammy Pugh-Matthews and Wayne Matthews; great-grandsonofWinnie Wilmore. BrotherofDonald Pugh, Jr.(Choch).Cher‐ished nephew of Hessy Hansell-Burton, Tawanna Matthews, Orlander Cor‐nelius, Jr., andWayne Matthews. Godson of John Cannon, CherrelleDoaty and TonyaCannon. De‐voted partnerofHavilland T.Sutton. Donovanisalso survivedbya host of cousins,other relatives and friendswhomheloved and adored.Heispreceded indeath by hisgrand‐motherLeona Ellisia Hansell;great-grand‐motherBarbara AnnCor‐neliusand grandfather, Charles “Skip” Wilmore. A celebration servicehonor‐ing thelifeand legacy of the late DonovanH.Pugh willbeheldatRockofAges Baptist Church,2515 FranklinAve NewOrleans LA70117 on Saturday,De‐cember13, 2025 at 10 am PastorBrandon Boutin,Of‐ficiating. IntermentMount OlivetCemetery, 2050 Caton Street,New Orleans, LA. Visitation will beginat 8 am in thechurch.Please signonlineguestbook at www.charbonnetfuneralho me.com. Charbonnet Labat Glapion,Directors (504) 581 4411.
ashortillness. He was the son of Gussie Hirsch Rappaport and SamuelA Rappaport and grew up in Philadelphia, PA.Hegraduated fromCentral High School in Philadelphiaand served as an officer in the US Navy.Healso attended theUniversity of Pennsylvania, Town School where he earneda Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. Robert also attended the Massachusetts Instituteof Technologyand earneda Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Robert enjoyed alongcareer in mechanical and electricalengineering, working on industrial projectsall around thecity of NewOrleans and in Washington DC and Houston,Texas.Hefinishedhis careerinBridge City, LA,managing his own company, servingthe electrical needs of businesses on theWestBank in New Orleans. Robert is preceded in death by his loving and belovedwife,Ann WilmotGauthier Rappaport. He is survived by his daughters, Carrie R. Murthaand Jessica Rappaport; his stepchildren:Julie Gauthier and her husband,Bill; David Gauthier and hiswife, Noel,son-in-law Laurent LaBien and preceded in death by stepdaughter Mimi Gauthier. He is also survivedbyhis sister, Susan Rappaport Marwil and preceded in death by her husband,Brand Marwil as wellastheir children: Jeff Marwiland his wife Michelle, and theirchildren Sophie,Jake and Harry, Sammi and Andrew Bernick; Bruce Marwil and his children, Sloane and Darby; Jo Marwil and her partner AndreaHansen and their daughter, Amelia. Also mourning Robert's loss are his beloved grandchildren, Zachary Murtha, MorganLuft Murtha, Alyssa Murtha, Michael Vega and Jack LaBien,as well as his greatgrandchildren,Everett Murtha, Briggs Murthaand Jackson Murtha-Vega. Robert loved his family and treasured hisfriends. He willbe deeplymissedbyall of them. Agraveside service willbeheldinMetairie Cemetery, located at 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.,New Orleans, LA,70124. The service is scheduled for December 12, 2025, 10:00am.
RudigerSr.,Edward F. 'Ed'
Hammond.Heproudly served in theLouisianaAir National Guard.During his careerheworkedfor the National Aeronautical Space Administrationat "NASA's" Michoud Facility, J. Ray McDermott, The Chrysler Corporation, and Mechanical Equipment Company (MECO). He retired in 1995. He and Betty Janelived in Metairie fortwenty-two years and were parishioners of St. Christopher theMartyr Parish. He supported various Catholic charities and schools over theyears. In 1997, he built their dreamhome on the Bogue Falaya Riverin Covington, Louisiana, to enjoya slowerpace of life. They enjoyed cruisingup and downthe river, especiallyatsunset. Over the years, Ed enjoyed both freshwater and saltwater fishing, birdwatching, astronomy, reading, and watching Saintsfootball and rooting on LSU. He especially lovedattending his grandchildren's events. Two causes close to his heart were The Towers to Tunnels Foundationand St. JudeChildren's Hospital. He willbedeeply missed by allwho knew and lovedhim. In lieu of flowers,a Mass can be said in his name and/ora memorial gift can be made in Ed's honortothe Edward F. Rudiger Memorial Scholarship at DestinHighSchool:http:// www.DestinHighSchool.or g/RudigerScholarship.
Familyand friendsare invited to attend thefuneral services at St. Peter Catholic Church, 125 E. 19th Avenue,Covington, LA on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, with visitationin church at 9:30 A.Mand mass at 11:00 A.M. Interment willfollow in St. JosephAbbey Cemeteryin Covington. ACelebration of Life will follow at Tchefuncte Country Club in Covington, Louisiana.
E.J. Fielding Funeral Home has been entrusted with funeralarrangements. The Rudiger family invites youtoshare thoughts, fondest memories,and condolences in theonline guest book at www.ejfieldingfh.com.
Edward "Ed" F. Rudiger, Sr went home to be with theLord, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025. He was born in NewOrleans, LA, on October29, 1935, an eighthgeneration New Orleanian,and was adescendent of Jacques Julien Esnoul Francoisde Livaudais, one of the key figures in colonizing New Orleans. He liveda life marked by adeeplove for hisfamily and friends. He is survivedbyhis belovedwife of 61 years, Elizabeth "Betty" Jane Grass Rudiger; he was honored to havehis son, Edward F. Rudiger, Jr. (Laura), of Covington, Louisiana, carry on his name, as wellashaving several of his grandsons and great-grandsons being namedinhis honor. He is also survivedbyhis daughter Heidi Rudiger LoCicero (Brian) of Destin, Florida; grandchildren, Peyton LoCicero Trist (Beau) and Andrew Edward LoCicero (Ann Elizabeth); Patrick Robert Rudiger,and Thomas Edward Rudiger; Matthew Drachenberg (Eliece)and great-grandchildren Edward Grea LoCicero, Walker LoCicero,Elizabeth Blake Trist,James Trist, and Harvey Drachenberg. He is also survivedbyhis sister, Mary Rudiger Galmiche,and was afavorite uncle to his nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Alice Livaudais Rudiger and Otto J. Rudiger,Sr.;and his brother, Otto J. Rudiger, Jr. (Mary Lynn); and hissister Nancy R. Foley(Jack); and his brother-in-law, Paul Galmiche Ed graduated fromSt. AloysiusHighSchool in NewOrleans in 1954 and attended Southeastern LouisianaUniversityin
herpassing.For many years Joan wasonthe committee forthe RHS Alumnifundraisers.She assistedinorganizingher Class of ’57class reunions and helped organize her ladies’ lunchgroup meet‐ingsthatshe looked for‐wardtoevery othermonth Joanand Arthur also thor‐oughlyenjoyed thecom‐panionshipand friendships oftheir breakfastgroup, who mettwice aweek Joanenjoyed traveling, es‐peciallythe 30 yearsof going annually with theex‐tendedfamilytoCallaway Gardens,where everyone looked forwardtoher meal ofcrawfish delicacy.So manymemorieswere madethere,and don’tfor‐get many eventful camping and amusementparktrips Joanisalsosurvivedby her belovedchildren, Dionne SchmittDaigle(Ar‐mand),ArthurL.Schmitt, Jr. (Donna), Warren F. Schmitt (Brandi),Jeanne Schmitt Bergeron (Michael),and JeffreyM Schmitt (Ursula);her amazing grandchildren, Peryn E. Schmitt, Armand P.Daigle, III (Elizabeth), Blake A. Schmitt, Dr.Julia DaigleLee (Jonathan), Emily Daigle Zamjahn (Tyler),CourtneyR Schmitt (Aaron), Mark Sal‐vadore(Sacha),JoelM Bergeron(Ali),DaneD Schmitt, JonahN.Schmitt and Mischa A. Bodin; her adorablegreat-grandchil‐dren, MilesSalvadore,Ilia LaGraize, Eloise andNora Daigle, MicahLee, andun‐bornBabyGirlZamjahn; her oneand only dear sis‐ter,JeanCucciaHand, and brother-in-law, G. Patrick Hand, Jr.; herniece,Stacey HandSerro (Tony/Harrison Hayden, Heston), and nephews,G.Patrick Hand III (Kim/Evan, Ryan)and Timothy F. Hand (Katie/Olivia,Ben); her brother-in-law, J. Martin Schmitt; hermany“grand‐doggers”; anda host of cousins,nieces, nephews, and friends. In addition to her parents, Joan waspre‐deceasedbyher dear mother-in-law,Hildred MartinSchmitt, hersistersin-law, Rita SchmittRoc‐caforteand Lynn Berrill Schmitt, herbrother-inlaw,Francis B. Roccaforte, and herdearfriends Au‐dreyand FrankNeumann A celebrationofa beautiful wifeand wonderfullifewill beheldonSaturday, De‐cember13, 2025, at St Mary’sAssumption Church at2030 ConstanceStreet (corner of JosephineSt), New Orleans, LA,withvisi‐tationfrom8:30amto 11:15 am.Masswillfollow at11:30 am.Directlyafter mass, intermentwillbein Greenwood Cemetery.A gathering of familyand friends will be held in the Boulevard Room at Green‐wood FuneralHome. If you would like,pleasewear yourfestive,colorful, holi‐day attire forthiscelebra‐tionofJoan. In lieu of flow‐ers,the familyasksthat you please make adona‐tiontothe charityofyour choiceinJoan’smemory. Wealsoinviteyou to share yourthoughts, fond memo‐ries, andcondolences on‐lineatwww.greenwoodfh com.Yoursharedmemo‐rieswillhelpuscelebrate Joan’slifeand keep her memoryalive
shewas relocating andre‐buildingafter Hurricane Katrina or recovering from hip surgeryatthe ageof 92. AfterHap’s passing, Julia made thepermanent movebacktoher home‐townofRayne,where she was able to reconnectwith manyfamiliarfaces.Julia isprecededindeath by her husband of 63 years, Hap Schomaker,her mother and father,RobertHarry and Jeanne Bull,Sr. of Rayne Louisianaand her siblingsRobertHarry (Wal‐terine) Bull,Jr. of Biloxi Mississippi,Ethel (Lawrence)Schexnayder of Rayne,La.,Charles Bull of Welsh,La.,Edward (Theresa) Bull of Arabi, La., Margaret(Ed)ForeofMis‐sissippi,Mildred(Phillip) Sylvestri,Sr. of NewJersey; nephews CharlesFore, Charles TimothyBull, John EdwardBull, DavidBulland WalterJosephBull; nieces Jeanne Worthingtonand Catherine Bull andgreat niece Dana Bull Hambau‐ugh.Julia is survived by her threechildren, Harold Schomaker Jr.(Lucindy), Stephen SchomakerSr. (Denyse)and Peggy Schomaker Prejean (Michael),her grandchil‐dren, Carly(Rob) Evens, LaurenSchomaker Stephen (Ashley) Schomaker Jr Meghan (Brian) Widmann, Sean Mc‐Govern, Michael(Hannah) Prejean,II, Zachary(Kati) Prejean andgreat-grand‐childrenEleanor,Myles, Oliver, Wyatt, Wade,Emmy, Eli,Ellen,Cecelia,Ila,and Sylvie. Sheisalsosurvived byher twin brotherJulian BullofTexas,sister-in-law Lydia Bull andmanynieces (great),and nephews (great).The familywould liketoexpress theirdeep‐est gratitudetoa very dear familyfriendDebra Ozone, and Julia’ssitters Michelle Nonette,Geraldine Cormier,RamonaSemere, EllaBurleighalong with the staff of LeadingHomeCare ofCrowley,Ochsner Lafayette GeneralICU nurses, andCalcutta House at HospiceofAcadi‐ana fortheir compassion and care.The familyhas requested thevisitationto beheldatDuhon Funeral HomeinRayne,Louisiana onThursday, December 11 2025, from 5:00 p.m. until 9:00p.m.A Rosary will be recited on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.inthe FuneralHome Chapel. Visitation will re‐sumeonSaturday, Decem‐ber 13, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. until time of serviceall at St. ChristopherCatholic Church in Metairie.A Mass ofChristian Burial will be heldonSaturday, Decem‐ber 13, 2025, at 12:30 p.m. atSt. ChristopherCatholic Church in Metairie Louisiana andburialat GardenofMemories. In lieuof flowers, Juliare‐quested donationstogo to: CharitySchool of Nurs‐ing Alumni Assoc.,P OBox 19103, NewOrleans,LA 70179. To offeronlinecon‐dolences, send flowersto the family, or planta tree inmemoryofJulia B. Schomaker,pleasevisit www.gardenofmemorie smetairie.com.
Joan Cuccia Schmitt was born in St.Alphonsus Church parish within the soundsofSt. Mary’s As‐sumption Church bell tower in theIrish Channel onMarch 1, 1939, to her beloved mother,Althea TastetCuccia, anddevoted father, FrancisJ.Cuccia, who both preceded herin death.She passedon peacefullytoher Heavenly Fatherwithfamilynearon December3,2025. Sheis survivedbyher loving hus‐bandof65plusyears Arthur L. Schmitt, Sr.Joan attendedRedemptorist HighSchool where shewas a cheerleader.She gradu‐atedasclass salutatorian and wasvoted Most Ideal Girlbythe classof1957, as wellasQueen of Aries(The Rams).Itwas at Redemp‐toristwhere shemet the loveofher life,Arthur,ata RHS Christmasdance their freshmanyear. Sixyears later,onDecember26, 1959, they were marriedat St. AlphonsusChurch,and the twobecameone.Be‐ginning in December of 1960, Joan gave birthto and nurturedtheir five children. Shewas their strongest advocate.Joan becamea homemakerand headcheerleader forall her children andgrandchil‐dren, watching them grow spiritually andacademi‐cally,and beingpresent at every sporting event, school activity,play, dance revue,award ceremony, and graduation.She espe‐cially enjoyedher puzzlemakingsessionswiththe kidsand grandkids. Start‐ing in 2022, shewas blessedwith five great grandchildren,the joys of her life.Expecting asixth a greatgranddaughter,she was entrustedwiththe baby’snameand kept it a secretfromthe entire fam‐ily.Joanwas very trustwor‐thy in that way! Joan’s worklifebegan while in highschool with asecre‐tarialjob at HouseholdFi‐nance.She then took on her most importantjob as a homemakeruntil herlast child startedschool.At thattime, shebegan aca‐reer as theExecutive As‐sistant to thePostmaster ofNew Orleans. She workedwithfourdifferent postmasters until herre‐tirement. Shewentonto holdpart-time positions withTrueTitle,p-l-a-i-d inc, andParis Findsuntil
JuliaMarie Bull Schomaker,94, of Rayne, Louisiana,diedpeacefully inthe presence of family onSaturday, December 6, 2025, at Calcutta House Hospice in Lafayette,LA. Julia wasborninRayne, Louisiana on September19, 1931. Shegraduated from Rayne High School and later from CharitySchool ofNursing in NewOrleans Class of 1952. During her timeinNew Orleans, she discoveredher love of nursing andher love for her future husband, Harold “Hap” Schomaker, Sr.After marryingonFebruary10, 1952, Juliaand Hapresided inMetairie, LA where they raisedtheir threechildren, HaroldJr.,Stephen and Peggy.Theywereparish‐ionersofSt. Christopher Catholic Church in Metairie where Juliaservedinthe Altar Societyand contin‐ued hernursing career.At home, Juliawas knownfor her skills in thegardenand inthe kitchen. From grow‐ing avariety of plants, fruitsand vegetables to cookingCajun recipes, Julia wasalwaysproviding for others in oneway or another.Julia wasthe epit‐omeofresiliency,whether
DebraF.Shorty, aretired SocialAnalyst II, passed awayonSaturday, Novem‐ber 29, 2025, at West Jeffer‐son Hospital in Marrero, Louisiana.Ms. Shorty was a long time resident of New Orleans. Shewas 73 She received theCertifi‐cateofMerit Awardfor Outstanding Service, signedbyMayor Sidney Barthelemy. Shewas the beloved mother of Catina Williams,Derrick Williams, and ChanellWilliams; sis‐ter of thelateGussieJack‐son;grandmother to her cherished grandson Ryan Rivieriaand granddaugh‐ter NataliaWilliamsand is survivedbya host of niecesand nephews. She alsoleavesbehindher lov‐ing pets,Roxyand Ms.Bee Debra graduatedfrom Booker T. Washington High School,earnedanAssoci‐ate Degree in Business Ad‐ministrationfromDelgado Community College, a BachelorofArtsinBusi‐nessAdministrationfrom SouthernUniversityofNew Orleans,and latercom‐pleteda Master of Arts in CriminalJustice.Relatives and friendsofthe family are invitedtoattend aFu‐neral ServiceatD.W RhodesFuneral Home,1020 VirgilSt.,Gretna, La.70053 onSaturday, December 13, 2025 at 12:30 pm.Visitation willbegin at 11:30 am until
RobertRappaport passedawaypeacefully at home on Tuesday, December9,2025 following See more DEATHS page
Back in 1978, Iwrote an article for the Atlantic Monthly with the headline, “I Have Seen the Future, and It’s Houston.”New Orleans, where Ilived, was stagnating with little hope of economic revival —and so was the state of Louisiana. Businesses and people were moving to Houston and points east and west. Since Iwrote that article, New Orleans has lost 200,000 residents while Houston hasgained 850,000. Louisiana’spopulationhas risen by 300,000, whileTexas is up more than 17 million
James K.
Imoved away manyyears ago, and Istill love Louisiana. But its economy,which once thrived on diversified manufacturing, is dominated by asingleindustry,oil and gas. Meanwhile, the state hasalso grown to rely on the federalgovernment —which aloneprovided $76billion, or about $150,000per New Orleanian, in the wake of Ka-
trina— and on bigawards secured by triallawyersfrom compliant state courts, the latest being $411 millionfor an injurytoa refinery worker.This is no way to boostaneconomy But the most outrageous casestarget energy producers —yes,the same companies that comprise the one bright spot in the state’s economy The suits contend that the energy business is responsible for land loss and erosionover more than 80 years. In April,the first of the cases reached ajury verdictin PlaqueminesParishwithajudgment againstChevron of $745 million. The decision, reported The Associated Press, “could set aprecedent leaving other oil and gasfirmsonthe hook for billions of dollars in damages.”
Chevrondidn’tdeny that land eroded but said that nothing it did was illegal. The regulation in question went into effect in 1980 and
did not apply tooil and gas activity before then, Chevron argued. The energy companies saythe U.S. government directed them to produce petroleum at practically any costtohelp win World WarII.
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide soon whether these cases belong in federal court (asthe companies contend) or state court, wherejudgesare chosen in partisanelections and, naturally,are subject to political pressures.
Backing the producers in an amicus brief is theU.S. government itself, which stated that thecompanies were acting under afederal order and so areentitled to seek a federal forum for thesesuitsfor their wartime activities.
Gov.Jeff Landry, aRepublican, has embraced the lawsuits, which run directly counter to Donald Trump’senergy goals. Landry has earned the ire of such vocal allies of the president as Laura Loomer, who wrote on Xthat thegovernor is “blatantly contradicting [his] professed support for President
In January,New Orleans will seat anew mayor and City Council who will need to address housing affordability and the insurance crisis. Thesetwo problems are seen as compounding one another: Unaffordable insurance makes affordable housing unattainable. But with the prudent allocationofpublic resources, the insurancecrisis could also fuel the growth of the affordable housing stock, strengthen our developers and lenders and help the city be a more welcoming place tolive We are familiar withthe conventional version of this story
Trump’sAmerica First energy dominance agenda.”
In 2016, Landry,who was then the state’s attorney general, intervened in legal actions by three southern parishes against BP, Chevron and Shell. He even outsourced the AG office’sprosecutorialauthority to John Carmouche, aprominent Louisiana trial lawyer.Since then, the suits have multiplied with the governor fully on board.
The real losers are the people of Louisiana. Landry and his friends in parish governments and local law firms are creating ahostile climatethatwill discourage the state’s remaining private-sector growth engine frommaking new investments.
“Empirical analysis demonstratesthatlitigation risk costs Louisiana $44 millionto$113 million annually,reduces offshore drilling activity and eliminates thousands of jobs,” concluded the Pelican Institute forPublic Policy, anonprofit Louisiana think tank.
It’sthe wrong message to send to all businesses, not just oil and gas. “What we’re essentially saying is, ‘Comeonin, invest in Louisiana, and then in about 20 years or so, we’re going to sue the hell out of you,’”said Marc Ehrhardt, executive director of the Grow Louisiana Coalition.
When he took office, Landry said he wantedto“create abetter prospective business climate.” He’s doing the opposite. The future doesn’thave to be Houston, but it should be aLouisiana whose economyoffers its citizens the chance for better lives. That won’thappen if the state keeps trying to shake down its No.1 industry for billions of dollars.
James K. Glassman is aformer U.S. undersecretary of state for public diplomacy andpublic Affairsand aseniorfellowin economics at theAmerican Enterprise Institute. He was a co-founderin1972 of theNew Orleans weekly Figaro.
ABA services. Yetmore than adecade after the program launched, the Department of Defense continues to insist that ABA falls short of the evidence standards required forcoverage under TRICARE.
William B. Bradshaw
People are leaving New Orleans because they can’tafford the rents, and theycan’tafford the rents because property operating costsare up, especially insurance. In this way,bothrenters and property owners feel pinched in the current economy The less familiar part is that these increased insurance costspush good projects toward default, and such trends affectproperty markets on abroad scale. If a lender has too much exposure to astruggling property market, it could weaken the lender
The city could inject new capital intostruggling projects in exchange for converting market units to affordable ones, instead of investingexclusively in housing projects that need to be constructed.
Those investments carry no development risk, create affordable housing immediately andcan be targeted in high opportunitylocations where it is difficult to acquire good sites. Beyond this, investments of thistype would recapitalize good developers and protect the health of community lenders.
So how would this work in practice? The city couldapproach commercial loan servicers, askingthem to refer projects that are distressed. In these cases, relatively small investments in struggling projects could recapitalize them in ways that eliminate the distress. In addition, the developers could potentially avail themselves of other resources toleverage additional capital when necessary
Imagine a10-unit building that has a $750,000 loan and its owner struggles tomake payments, sometimes paying out of pocket to keep the bills current.
This property is in distress. Assume the building was previously paying $8,000 for insurance and clearing $20,000 in annual income, and then the insurance jumped by $22,000 to $30,000 per year.After that jump, the $20,000 profit is gone, and the building is losing $2,000 per year.This is the kind of change New Orleans property owners have seen over the last few years. If the city provided $600,000 in capital ($60,000 per unit, which is notably less than
Riverside Retreat, a70-unit affordable senior housing development that opened in August, is the first newresidential construction at the former U.S. NavalBase in Algiers since theNavy’s departure in 2011.
half the investmentcap for most city programs), that could eliminate80% of the debt on the property,create 10 affordable units for the next15or20years and put theproject in a position to cash flow, even with lower affordable rents.
Andifyou repeated this process with distressed loans in acommunity bank portfolio, you improve the healthofthe community bank. This puts banks in abetter position to lend, helping moreprojects happen.
ButNew Orleans has a$160 million deficit.
How can we make investments in affordable housing? We have resources for this type of investmentinplace and doubled down by approving abond measure for affordable housing last month. In November 2024, we approved using 2% of the general fund to create an affordable housing trust fund that will be available in 2026.
Ihopeyou will join me in working to ensure thatour CityCouncil and mayor invest in housing affordability in all theways we can. Specifically,the newbond funds should add to the affordable housing trust fund, not replace it. And we should use bothpotsofmoney to invest in new projectsand existing projectsthat are struggling. This secondgroup of investments can createaffordability while right-sizing project financing, turning challenges created by the insurance crisis intoanaffordable housing opportunity.
William Bradshaw is aNew Orleans-based real estateinvestor.Heteaches real estate finance and development at Tulane.
Raising achildwith autism can be challenging under the best of circumstances. But formilitary families, that labor of love can be even moredifficult. More than 20,000 children of active-duty military service membershave been diagnosed withautism. Yetfor years, thehealth plan for these families, TRICARE, has refused to cover one of the most effective treatments for autismspectrum disorder as abasic benefit atherapy known as applied behavior analysis, or ABA. Families andclinicians have long been mystified, even outraged, by themilitary’sstance on this issue. Last month, the prestigious National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine joined their ranks.
Hanna Rue GUEST
This claim flies in the face of years of established scientific research —and now the new report from the National Academies.
Nearly four years ago, Congress tasked the independent committee of experts behind the new study with evaluating TRICARE’sABA demonstration. They concluded that “ABA fits DOD’sCriteria forReliable Evidence of Proven Medical Effectiveness.”
In anew 310-page report, the National Academies concluded that ABA is amedically necessary therapy that should be offered to all children of military members who need it.The report went so farasto say,“Scientific evidence indicates that ABA is an appropriate intervention to support health outcomes for autistic individuals.”
It’stime for the Department of Defense to acknowledge this obvious truth and give military families theessential medical support they deserve.
ABA uses scientifically based insights and techniques to promote positive behavior —and discourage problematic behavior —inchildren with autism. The medical and scientific communities have acknowledged its benefits foryears.
Arecent reviewofthe scientific literature in thejournal Research in AutismSpectrumDisorders concluded that “ABA programsare moderately to highly effective bringing significant benefits forchildren with ASD.”
As far back as 1999, the U.S. DepartmentofHealth and Human Services recognized ABA as the gold standard in autism care.
The Department of Defense, however,has been unconvinced. It was only in 2014 that TRICARE began offering ABA to families as part of a “demonstration program”aimed at studying thetherapy’seffectiveness.
That demonstration is still up and running —and currently provides about 16,000 military families with
The report goes on to recommend, in no uncertain terms, that “The Defense Health Agency should discontinue the Comprehensive Autism Care Demonstration (ACD)and authorize coverage of applied behavior analysis (ABA) as aBasic benefit under the TRICARE program.”
But it doesn’tstop there. The committee also finds that the DOD’s demonstration program has needlessly obstructed access to ABA for military families. And it implores the Defense Health Agency to “take steps to ensure that administrative processes do not impede access to care.”
In short, this expert panel has corroborated what autism advocates and military families have knownfor years. The DODhas deliberately restricted access to medically necessary care formilitary-connected children. And it has inflicted enormous harm on service members and their families in doing so.
Active-duty armed services members sacrifice every day forthe safety and security of our nation. Denying necessary medical care to these Americans —aswell as to their children —isshameful.
It shouldn’thave taken an expert report to point out this fact. But now that the NASEM has madeplain the military’snegligence, the DepartmentofDefense should waste little timeincorrecting its mistake —and making ABA abasic health benefit foractive-duty military families.
HannaRue is chiefclinical officer at LEARN Behavioral and aboard certifiedbehavioranalyst.
Over the last weeks, agentswith theU.S.Border Patrol have establishedthemselves in the NewOrleans area, detainingpeople suspected of being in thecountry unlawfully.These sweeps have drawn heatedreactions in NewOrleans, as in other cities.Whilemanyhaveprotested Border Patrol’spresence and decried their methods, othershavewelcomedfederal agents as neededenforcers of the law. Hereare twoperspectives.
While Mayor-elect HelenaMorenoand the City Councilclutch pearls over masked federal agents and demand“transparency” during Operation Catahoula Crunch, the rest of us are wondering where thisoutrage was when violent criminals were terrorizingNew Orleans. Because right now,the only thing being “crunched” is the absurd notion that removingillegalaliens with criminal records is somehow the real problem in a city that was just named the most dangerous city in America by WalletHub with a$222 million budget deficit that no one saw coming. Let’sget the facts straight. The Department of Homeland Security launched Operation Catahoula Crunch specifically to target criminal illegalaliens who were previously arrested, released andallowed to roam free. Despite the sob story youhave been fed,these are people withrap sheets Forthose of us who have worked in the criminal justice system in NewOrleans,the scripted cries for transparency by Moreno arefalling on deafears. Wherewas the demand fortransparency when our district attorney andjudgeswere releasing violent criminals who murdered our citizens and our tourists? Manyofthose offenders had multiple prior arrests at the timetheycommitted murder and therewas neverone single newsconference.
more in public services than it pays in taxes —overwhelmingly in education and medical care. That’smoney that doesn’tgotofix potholes, retain police officers or repair the Hard Rock sitefive years later
When an illegal alien works off the books in construction or hospitality industries that dominateNew Orleans —they often pay zero federal income tax and little to no Social Securityor Medicare. Yetthey still drive on our roads, send their kids to our schools andshow up at our emergency rooms —without insurance.
The citizens who play by therules get stuck with the tab. Property taxes go up. Sales taxes go up. Fees go up. Services get cut.All so politicianscan virtue-signal about“humanity” while ignoring the humanity of theworking class.
HelenaMoreno’sfive demands toImmigration and Customs Enforcement read like kindergarten classroom rules: Uncover your face,give daily updates, promise due process (they already have it), don’tscare people, pretty please be nice. Here’sacounter-demand from the taxpayers footing the bill: Howabout you demand that judges stop releasing murderers? How aboutyou figure out how you missed a$222 million budget deficit after reviewing the budget for thepast 8years? Howabout you stop holding news conferences flanked by recycled politicians to incite violence?
We are living through adefining momentinthe American story —one that forces us to ask not just whogets to come to this country,but whoweare once they do. Immigration is not peripheral to our politics; it sits at the core of our national identity
SouthLouisiana —always amelting pot —has seen this clearly.After Hurricane Katrina, as we faced the long, painful rebuilding of our communities. It was often immigrant workers —many undocumented —who cleared rubble, repaired homes and revived neighborhoods. They believed in thepromiseofAmerica and helped rebuild New Orleans.
Venezuela and Haiti with protected status, Afghan allies whohelped U.S. forces —are being swept up in broad enforcement dragnets. It’s shock and awe, designed to sow fear rather than deliver safety
And yes, crime in New Orleansisdown in 2025 —but let’snot pretend the city is suddenly Mayberry.Orleans Parish still has one of the highest homiciderates of most large metropolitan cities in America.There were 4separate shootings just on Saturday. We are on pace for roughly 140-150 murders this year,triple the national average and higher than cities twice our size.
Now let’stalk about money —because nothing exposes hypocrisy faster thanfollowing the tax dollars.
Louisiana is home to roughly 97,000100,000 illegal immigrants. TheFederation for American Immigration Reform calculates thenet cost of illegal immigrationnationally between $150-$200 billion annually That’saround $1,212 for every legalAmericantaxpayer every single year
In New Orleans specifically,thatburden falls hardest on acity already drowning in a$1.5 billion pension, insurance andinfrastructure deficit. According to FAIR,every illegalhousehold with U.S.-born children consumes an average of $30,000-$55,000
Operation Catahoula Crunch isn’t“causing harm”toNew Orleans. It’srepairing harm caused by decades of local leaders who care more about national media praise thanthe safety of their own constituents.
To every U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Department of Homeland Security agent walking the streetsof New Orleans right now: Thank you. Thank youfor doing your job despitethe endless dramatized coverage of our media, the caravans of carstailing you through thestreets, blastingair horns and whistles, screaming at you,filming you. Thank you for removing criminals and easingthe crushing tax burden on citizens. Thankyou for ignoring theloud minority that is fueled by media hysterics. Thank you forrefusing to back down. Thank you for doing your job. That’ssomething we aren’t usedtoinNew Orleans.
Laura Canizzaro Rodrigue is aformer Orleans Parishprosecutor and founder of the Bayou Mama Bears, an advocacy group.
President Ronald Reagan understood this promise. In his farewell address, he described America as a“shining city on ahill” with doors “open to anyone with thewill and the heart to get here.” He reminded us that America is defined not by bloodline or birthplace but by belief —infreedom,opportunity and one another.Itisuniquely American to believe that where you’re born should not define what you can become.
Today,that promise is under threat.
Instead of seeing immigrants as neighbors, teammates and future Americans, President Donald Trump, TomHoman and Stephen Miller hope we see them as scapegoats. Immigration enforcement has becomeatheater of cruelty,playing out not just in Washington or alongthe southernborder,but in parks, schools, farms and neighborhoods across the country —including here in Louisiana.
As we speak, Border Patrol agents are descending on our city, creating fear and chaos. Unlike police, they operate under alower threshold than “probable cause,” meaning they can stop people based on vague suspicion.
In practice, that means stopping people for looking Latino. As we’ve seen already across the country,even native-born citizens can get swept up.
Earlier this year,Donna Kashanian, an Iranian immigrant who fled the revolution over 50 years ago andbuilt alifein New Orleans, was abruptly taken her from her home and locked in aholding facility in rural Louisiana.
Her story is not unique. Across the country,immigrantswho pose no threat to public safety—warehouse workers on visas, day laborers,migrants from
There is adangerous agenda at play: dividing America by turning “outsiders” into enemies. It’s a politics of “othering” that undermines the principle at the heart of our Great Seal and our democracy: EPluribus Unum —out of many, one. And Ifear this is only the beginning. Earlier this year,Congress allocated $170 billion formilitarized massdeportations. This makes ICE’s budget bigger than every military budget in the world except the U.S. and China. The operation underway today is just the beginning.
The good newsisthe public is turning. Americans are tough, not cruel. They wantanimmigration system that is legal, fair and controlled. Most agree that it begins with strong border enforcement—nonation can exist without borders —and clear rules that determine whocomes and whodoesn’t. Americans also agree that people whocommit serious crimes should be deported.
Bishop Mark Seitz of El Paso put it plainly: “These are signs that we are losing the story of whoweare as acountry.” He’sright. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops criticized Trump’s“indiscriminate deportation campaign” and noted they are “praying foranend to the dehumanizing rhetoric and violence.” Pope Leo has backed them up. Istand with them
This is not just apolicy crisis —it’sa crisis of identity and morality.Are we still anation that values human dignity? Anation of immigrants striving toward amore perfect union? Anation that believes in “out of many, one?” As America approaches its 250th birthday,wemust answer the samequestion generations before us have faced: Who do we want to be? In south Louisiana, we know better.Let’sensure the answer honors our past and builds on the uniquely American promise of abetter future forall of us.
Mitch Landrieuisa former mayor of NewOrleans and lieutenant governor of Louisiana.
with meteorologist DamonSingleton
If youenjoyed the weatheryesterday, you definitely will enjoythe weathertoday. Expect anothermostlysunny to partly cloudyand mild day. Winds will be out of thesouth at about 5 mph. Temperatures this afternoon willriseto the upper60s to low70s. Unlike yesterday, there is aslight chanceofraininthe forecast for today. If you’re makingplans for high school footballchampionships tomorrow, your tailgating forecastispartlycloudyskies with temperatures in the mid-70 and 20% rain chance.
12:30 pm.Interment: Evening Star Baptist Church Cemetery,817 Gre‐fer St., Harvey,Louisiana Arrangementsentrusted to D.W.RhodesFuneralHome, 1020 Virgil Street,Gretna, La. 70053. Please visit www.rhodesfuneral.com to signthe online guestbook, share memories andcon‐dolenceswithfamily.
Kevin Smith 63, of New Orleans,LA entered eternal rest on Saturday,December 6,2025 at home.Beloved son of Cynthia Johnson(Harry) and the late Bobby Smith Sr. Brother of Bobby Smith Jr.(Mellolene) Sisters Jimmet, Tarez and Tahira Smith. Father of Kevin Edwards(Kayvonnie), Shina Edwards-Metoyer( Johnny), Kevin Anderson( Tylisha), Molika Cates(Steven) and Keriaon Smith. Host of Grandchildren and one Great-Grandson. Kevin is proceeded in death by Father Bobby Smith Sr. Grandparents Prophet and Dorothy Fox andAunt Sandra Fox Richards. Memorial will be held on Saturday, December 20,2025 at 5703 Read Blvd NOLA 70127 11am-2pm, burial will be private
DEATHS continued from Terrytownresident, peace‐fully passedawaysur‐rounded by familyonSat‐urday,December6,2025 at the ageof84. Loving and devoted wife of 64 wonder‐ful yearstoFrank C. Spindler, Jr.Daughterand stepdaughterofthe late Mildred SchulzHardouin and John F. Hardouin.Lov‐ing anddevoted mother of Julie A. Spindler and Cheryl S.Dobson(Ernest). Grand‐motherofMarlena Mon‐sour(Joshua), ChrisWin‐ter,Jr. (Kelly), Darryl Win‐ter (Holly), JacobDobson, Rebecca Dobson,EricDob‐son andJessica Winter Great grandmotherof Justinand Athena Monsour and Aubree andHarlee Winter.Beloved sister of ElaineHardouinLandauer (thelateDavid), Jean Ann HardouinCedatol (Emmet) and thelateAlanJohn Silva.JoAnn is thebeloved aunt of many nieces and nephews.She wasa gradu‐ate of McDonogh High School (Class of ’59) where she wasanavid athlete, playing softball,skating prepsquad,and herfa‐vorite, bowling. She bowledinmanyleagues throughoutthe years, in‐cluding “The SlickChicks” “TheWildcatters”, and Carter Cuties”. Aftergrad‐uatingfrom high school, she marriedthe love of her lifeonApril 8, 1961, and workedfor afew yearsbe‐foredecidingtotakeona new role as amotherin 1964. Shebelievedthere was much beauty to see hereinthe United States and enjoyedroad-tripping overmanyyears to seea total of 38 states.Along‐sidetraveling around the States, shethoroughlyen‐joyed taking cruise ships withher familytothe Caribbean andAlaska. She took herroles as ahome‐maker,wife, mother and grandmother as herhigh‐est priority,truly making her family feel lovedand welcome.Familyand friends areinvited to at‐tendthe Visitation at Mothe FuneralHome, 2100 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, LouisianaonSatur‐day,December13, 2025 from 10 a.m. until 12:45 p.m.The Rosary will be re‐cited at thefuneral home onSaturdaybeginning at 12:45 andthe FuneralMass willbegin at 1p.m.Inter‐mentwillbeinWestlawn MemorialParkCemetery, 1225 WhitneyAvenue, Gretna, Louisiana. Thefam‐ily invitesyou to share thoughts,fond memories
andcondolences online at mothefunerals.com
Beulah
Beulah M. Veals, aresi‐dentofNew Orleans, LA passedawaypeacefully at her home on December 1, 2025. Shewas 86 yearsold Familyand friendsare in‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Saturday, December 13 2025, for10:00 a.m. at The BoydFamilyFuneral Home 5001 Chef MenteurHigh‐way,New Orleans, LA 70126. Visitation will begin at9:00a.m.ReverendRoo‐seveltWashingtonofthe Regular BaptistChurch is officiating. Intermentwill followatHolly Garden Cemetery, NorthHolly Street,Hammond,LA 70401. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors
celledattrack and football.Perner joined theU.S. Army and served in Vietnam. He was gainfully employed with Marathon Oilfor many years and NuPak Oakum untilhis retirement.
He was known for his many virtues: kind,hardworking,and aboveall,devotedtohis family.He leavesanindelible mark on allwho had theprivilege of knowing him.
He is preceded in death by hisparents, Leroy & Cora Whitaker, his brothers-in-law, Wallace Milburn &TommieButler.
He is remembered by his wife, Vanessa Manuel Whitaker; his sons, PJ and Jeremiah Whitaker; his sisters, Veola Milburn and MaryButler; hisin-laws, William &Gladys Weathersby; Keith & DeborahOliver, Denice & KennethSpurlock and a host of nieces, nephews, otherrelativesand friends. His celebrationoflife willbeheldonSaturday, December 13, 2025 at New Generation Fellowship Church, 1000 Clay St., Kenner, LA 70062. Visitation willbeat9:00 am to 10:00 am with the servicebeginning at 10:00. Bishop E. CraigWilson, Officiating.Interment will be on Monday, December 15, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. at Southeast Louisiana Veterans Cemetery, Slidell, LA Richardson Funeral Home of Jefferson, River Ridge, LA is in chargeofarrangements. www.richards onfuneralhomeofjefferson com
vey, Louisiana. Shewas bornonJanuary 5, 1935 to the late Lucille Taylor & MorrisSimmons both of Blackjack,Texas.She was married to thelateRoger Wrightand is themother toSharon(Pastor Harvey) Johnson Sr of Harvey,LA, and Gail (Wayne)Brown of Round Rock,Texas.Sister ofthe late AdaSimmons, and Gwennette (late Johnny) Norman Sr.Grand‐motherofKevin (Erica), Johnson,MinisterHarvey (Chantrelle)Johnson Jr Stepgrandmother of Ari‐anne Johnson, greatgrand‐motherofLayla Johnson and Kiersten Johnson. She isalsosurvivedbya host ofnieces, nephews, other relatives anddevoted friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyalso pastors officers andmem‐bersofChristthe Savior Baptist Church,Westside MissionaryBaptist Associ‐ation,WestbankBaptist SundaySchool Fellowship ofChurches,aswellas otherneighboring
churches andassociations are invitedtoattendthe celebration of life service which will be held on Sat‐urday,December13, 2025, atNew SunriseBaptist Church locatedat1325 Leboeuf Street Gretna,LA 70053. Thevisitationwill begin at 8a.m andthe service will beginat10 a.m.PastorHarveyJohn‐son is officiatingand Pas‐tor CornellSisleristhe hostpastor. Funeralplan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneral Home 9611 LA- 23, Belle Chasse,LA 70037, (504) 208 -2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com
BY LUKEJOHNSON Staff writer
Call it proximity bias if you want, but Alontae Taylor had aboldprediction ready when askedabout the recent performanceofhis New Orleans Saints teammates Kool-Aid McKinstry and Quincy Riley
“Those are going to be,Ithink, thebest duo in the league next season,” Taylor said.
Best in the league is atad ambitious, but the point remains:The futurefeels very bright for the Saints’ young outside corner tandem.
McKinstry is 23 yearsold and Riley is 24. Both have had moments this season where teams have taken advantage of their inexperience, butasthe seasonhas progressed, both arecontributing in big ways to asuddenly stingy defense
Going into Sunday’sgame againstthe Carolina Panthers, the Saints have the
against the ChicagoBears on Oct. 19 in Chicago.
BY NOAH TRISTER
sportswriter
BALTIMORE At most schools, players trytostay hyper-focused on thetaskat hand. Future opp on ents can wait. No looking ahead. It is, needless to say,different at Army and Navy “Wesay ‘Beat Navy’ for365
days of theyear,” Army linebacker Gavin Shields said. “It’s the wholemotto of ourteam.” Army and Navy meet SaturdayinBaltimore fortheir annual clash. It’sthe game players think about all season, and the one coaches have an eye on, too. “This game is thought about far more than
ä See PREVIEW, page 5C
BY LESEAST Contributingwriter
Trey Murphy scored 24 points, five teammates alsoscored in double figures, andthe New OrleansPelicansendeda sevengame losing streak by defeating thePortland Trail Blazers 143-120 on Thursday night in theSmoothie King Center BryceMcGowens tied acareerhigh by scoring 23 points; Jordan Poole returned from an 18-game absencebecause of aquadstrain to score 22; Jeremiah Fearshad 19; Derik Queen added 17; and Saddiq Beyput in 15. Forward Herb Jones was ejected with onesecond left in the second quarterafter getting two technical fouls. ThePelicans(4-22) will visitthe Chicago Bulls on Sunday Shaedon Sharpe had 21; Sidy Cissoko scored 20; JeramiGrant and Deni Avdija added16; ToumaniCamarascored 15; and Rayan Rupert had 14 to lead the Blazers (9-15), whobeat thePelicans125-117 on Nov.12inthe Smoothie King Center Grantmadea 3-pointer to start the second-half scoring and to give the Blazers a71-70 lead.Thatwas thefirst of eight lead changes in the period, the last coming when Bey madetwo free throws to give the Pelicans a92-91 lead.They held a105-97 lead at the end of the thirdquarter
Idon’tknow how manygames Lane Kiffinisgoing to wininhis first season at LSU. There is alot of roster workto do and acoaching stafftofinish before we can have any idea about that.
For certain, though, Kiffin’spresence at LSU will deliver the drama. Especially when it comes to the Tigers’ 2026 road schedule. The Southeastern Conference released the dates fornext season’s games Thursday night with great fanfare on the SEC Network. There are alot of rivalries and big games to anticipate, but the dates of LSU’s games at Ole Miss and Tennessee were among the biggest, boldest headlines.
That’sbecause Kiffinjust leftOle Miss forLSU acouple of weeks ago, and he leftTennessee back in 2009 after one season in Knoxville to coach Southern California.
Sept. 19 is the date forLSU’s SEC opener at Ole Miss, while Nov. 14 is when the Tigers’ face their test at Tennessee. Those are going to be redletter days in both locales. In fact, these could well be the two mostanticipated road games in LSU football history,atleast this farout. Nothing probably eclipses No.1LSU at No.2Alabamain2011 and 2019, but we didn’tknow how massive those games would be when the schedules were first released.
In the case of LSU-Ole Miss and LSUTennessee, we know now
The last timeKiffin coached in Knoxville, leading Ole Miss to a31-26 win there in 2021, fans threw golf balls and mustard bottles in his direction. Volunteers fans wholiterally rioted in their fury over Kiffinleaving their program after just one season to go to USCnever have forgotten his pitstop in Knoxville. It’s unlikely he will have slipped their memorybynext November As forOle Miss, well, Kiffinhas becomepublic enemy No. 1inOxford after leaving the Rebels on the College Football Playoffaltar late last month to take the LSU job. He’sbeen pilloried farbeyond Mississippi forhis move, but now the schedule forces him to
BY LARRY LAGE AP sportswriter
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Sherrone
Moore’s rise was stirring, a rugged lineman at Oklahoma who climbed the ranks to lead Michigan, the winningest program in college football, and a rare Black head coach at the top of the sport.
“If you work your tail off, dreams can come true,” Moore said when he was hired nearly two years ago His downfall has been stunning
The 39-year-old Moore was fired and arrested in a matter of hours Wednesday, and remained jailed a day lafter ahead of an arraignment scheduled for Friday as police investigate an alleged assault. His firing was related to what the school called an inappropriate relationship with a staff member
Moore has been through a lot in his career, especially with the Wolverines. From being a late-bloomer on the field to a top coach in the sport, Moore’s journey has been at times inspiring while peppered with scandal.
More on Moore
Moore is married with three young daughters. He is from Derby, Kansas, and didn’t start playing football until his junior year of high school. Moore played for Butler County Community College in Kansas and was an offensive lineman for coach Bob Stoops at Oklahoma during the 2006 and 2007 seasons.
Climbing the ladder
Moore’s coaching career began as a graduate assistant at Louisville in 2009 before moving on in 2014 to Central Michigan, where he caught then-Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s attention. Harbaugh hired him in 2018 as tight ends coach for the Wolverines.
Moore was promoted to offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator in 2021, when the Wolverines bounced back from a 2-4, pandemic-shortened season and began a three-year run of excellence that culminated in the school’s first national title in 26 years. He was well-liked by players, who appreciated how often he smiled and engaged them in con-
versations about football and life.
“He is a dynamic, fierce and competitive individual who gets the best out of the players he mentors,” athletic director Warde Manuel said when he hired Moore.
“The players love playing for him and being with him in the building every day.”
Big break
Moore made the most of his first opportunity to lead the Wolverines, going 4-0, including a win over rival Ohio State, during the 2023 national championship season while Harbaugh served two suspensions for rules violations.
That helped to put him in a position to be promoted when Harbaugh returned to the NFL to lead the Los Angeles Chargers in January 2024.
“The only person I would want to do the job,” Harbaugh wrote in a text message that month. “I have 100% conviction that he will make us all very proud!!!”
Players on the team at the time, including former running back
“If anybody
him,” Edwards said then.
Previous trouble
Moore was punished twice by the NCAA for rules violations. He was suspended for two games this year as part of self-imposed sanctions for NCAA violations related to the school’s high-profile signstealing scandal. The NCAA added a third game to the suspension, which would have kept Moore off the sideline for next season’s opener against Western Michigan.
Moore previously deleted an entire 52-message text thread with former Michigan staffer Connor Stalions, who was at the center of the team’s sign-stealing operation.
The texts were later recovered and shared with the NCAA. Moore also served a one-game suspension in 2023 due to recruiting infractions.
Short stint
His debut season in 2024 got off
to a rough start before rallying to win the last three games, including against the second-ranked Buckeyes and 11th-ranked Alabama in a bowl, to finish 8-5 overall and 5-4 in conference. His biggest win might have been landing heralded quarterback Bryce Underwood, one of the top recruits in the country Moore led the Wolverines to a 9-3 record this year including a 7-2 mark in the Big Ten. They finished the regular season ranked No. 18 in the AP Top 25 with a Citrus Bowl bid against No. 14 Texas on Dec. 31. The program’s four-game winning streak against archival and defending national champion Ohio State came to an end.
Lost wages Moore signed a five-year contract with a starting base salary of $5.5 million last year According to the terms of his deal, the university will not have to buy out the remaining years of his contract because he was fired for cause.
BY MIKE FITZPATRICK
AP baseball writer
NEW YORK Brandon Nimmo
went first. Then it was Edwin Díaz and Pete Alonso on back-to-back days at baseball’s winter meetings. Three fan favorites headed out the door in 2 ½ weeks a powerful gut punch to angry New York Mets fans wondering what on earth the front office is thinking. As the club embarks on a major makeover, suffice to say owner Steve Cohen and president of baseball operations David Stearns are not the most popular couple in Queens right now
“I’m very optimistic about where our offseason is headed,” Stearns said Tuesday in Florida, before news of Alonso’s signing with Baltimore. “We certainly have work to do, but there are many good players out there. I’m confident we’ll like where our team is once we get to opening day.” What a difference a year makes, though. Cohen and Stearns were the toast of the town last December, beating out the crosstown New York Yankees for prized free agent Juan Soto with a record $765 million contract.
That came on the heels of an unanticipated thrill ride to the 2024 National League Championship Series, after Stearns scored big with several unheralded acquisitions during his first year in charge: Sean Manaea Luis Severino, Jose Iglesias and Tyrone Taylor Surely with Cohen’s bankroll and Stearns’ brain, the Mets were poised to take a large bite out of the Big Apple for years to come.
Yankees, be damned. Dodgers, on notice. Phillies, fuhgeddaboudit!
But as their top rivals continued to flourish this year the Mets finished 83-79 and missed the playoffs. Baseball’s second-biggest spenders, at $429 million in payroll and projected luxury tax, went 38-55 in a stunning collapse after building the best record in the majors (45-24) through June 12.
The day after the season ended, Stearns took the blame for failing at the trade deadline and Cohen apologized to fans on social media. The coaching staff under manager Carlos Mendoza was soon overhauled.
Many figured Cohen, one of the wealthiest owners in sports, would quickly reach into his robust wallet this winter — at least to keep Díaz and Alonso from leaving in free agency But that hasn’t really happened
“Steve gives us everything we need,” Stearns said this week. “We have a lot of resources. No team has unending resources.”
After the Mets signed two-time All-Star reliever Devin Williams to a $51 million, three-year contract, Díaz agreed to a $69 million, three-year deal with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, subject to a successful physical.
Media reports indicated New York was outbid by only about $3 million for Díaz, who arrived in 2019 and ranks third in franchise history with 144 saves.
Then on Wednesday, news broke that Alonso agreed to a $155 million, five-year contract with Baltimore, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press. The person spoke to
the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a physical
The person said the Mets expressed interest in again retaining the slugging first baseman, which they did last offseason, but decided to wait and see what happened between Alonso and other teams rather than press a pursuit themselves.
“I’m flabbergasted,” Mets broadcast analyst and former pitcher Ron Darling said on MLB Network.
“Maybe they get in the Kyle Tucker race now, for a legit bat in the outfield. But it’s just, these last two days have to really be hard on Mets fans.”
All this after Nimmo, the ebullient outfielder who was the longest-tenured player on the team, waived the no-trade provision in his contract last month and accepted a deal to Texas for Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien.
“That’s three unbelievably great players, beloved by the fan base, have proven that they can pitch or play in New York. That’s not an easy thing, right?” Darling said. “And now, all gone.” Alonso and Nimmo combined for 63 homers and 218 RBIs last season.
“They’ve now paid Soto ($765) million to walk 150 times next year,” Darling said. Stearns grew up in Manhattan rooting for the Mets, and Cohen was a fervent fan even before buying the club five years ago. But they’ve shown little sentimentality when it comes to valuing core players, and Stearns said after trading Nimmo that “running back the exact same group wasn’t the right thing to do.”
Steelers’ Watt has been hospitalized for lung issue
PITTSBURGH Steelers All-Pro outside linebacker T.J. Watt remained in a Pittsburgh hospital on Thursday afternoon as he continued to be evaluated for a lung issue. His availability for Monday night’s game against the Miami Dolphins is in question. According to Steelers coach Mike Tomlin, Watt experienced discomfort at the team’s practice facility on Wednesday, went to the hospital and remained there overnight for further medical evaluation. After the Steelers practiced without Watt on Thursday Tomlin indicated that Watt was still hospitalized.
Watt has not missed a game since Week 8 of the 2022 season, a stretch of 56 consecutive games.
If he cannot play against the Dolphins, Watt will be replaced by Nick Herbig.
Bengals DE Hendrickson placed on injured reserve
CINCINNATI Trey Hendrickson was placed on injured reserve by the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday, ending his season.
The All-Pro defensive end will undergo core muscle surgery He has missed six games this season, including the last five, due to a hip/ pelvis injury
The move to injured reserve finishes a frustrating season for Hendrickson, who led the NFL with 17 ½ sacks last season. He is in the final year of a restructured contract worth $29 million after holding out during training camp. In seven games this year, Hendrickson had 16 tackles and four sacks.
Hendrickson is not expected to be back with the Bengals next season as he becomes a free agent.
Grizzlies center Edey out with ankle injury
MEMPHIS, Tenn Zach Edey is expected to miss at least a month due to the latest ankle injury for the Memphis Grizzlies center
The Grizzlies said Thursday that Edey had been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his left ankle. The team said he would be evaluated again in about four weeks after a period of rest and rehabilitation and that a full recovery was expected.
Edey had surgery on his left ankle last June, after he was voted to the All-Rookie first team. He missed the first 13 games of this season while recovering before making his season debut Nov 15 and playing in the last 11. He missed 12 games early in his rookie season because of a sprained left ankle.
Indiana QB Mendoza is AP player of the year
Reports of clubhouse tension emerged in recent weeks, though Mendoza challenged that notion.
Alonso holds the franchise record with 264 home runs. He and Nimmo join a notable list of homegrown Mets stalwarts who eventually went elsewhere — from Tug McGraw, Tom Seaver, Jerry Koosman and Jon Matlack to Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, José Reyes and Jacob deGrom.
David Wright remains one of the few star position players to spend his entire career in blue and orange. The pressure on Stearns, a small-market success in Milwaukee, now increases exponentially to plug several big holes and rebuild a contender Third baseman Mark Vientos could shift to first as Alonso’s replacement, but New York’s particular plans are unclear And the more quality players who leave, the harder it becomes to convince free agents the Mets are currently equipped to win. These things are certain: Defense and baserunning are priorities for Stearns.
He seems very reluctant to give players in their 30s contracts longer than three years.
And he believes in putting youth on the field, seeking roster flexibility and space at positions that will provide playing opportunities for the promising hitters in a highly rated farm system such as Carson Benge, Jett Williams and Ryan Clifford.
“Our resources that we have here are an enormous advantage,” Stearns said. “And as long as we allocate those resources intelligently they’re going to continue to be an enormous advantage.”
Fernando Mendoza was named Associated Press player of the year on Thursday after leading unbeaten and top-ranked Indiana to its first Big Ten championship since 1967 and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
The redshirt junior quarterback was the overwhelming choice over fellow Heisman Trophy finalists Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt, Jeremiah Love of Notre Dame and Julian Sayin of Ohio State. Mendoza received 32 of 51 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of media members who cover college football. Pavia got nine to lead the rest of the group, which also included Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech. Mendoza is in his first year at Indiana after transferring from California.
Braves, reliever Suarez reach 3-year contract
ATLANTA Two-time All-Star reliever Robert Suarez and the Atlanta Braves agreed Thursday to a $45 million, three-year contract. He gets a $13 million salary in 2026 and $16 million in each of the following two seasons.
Suarez will donate 1% of his salary to the Atlanta Braves Foundation.
The 34-year-old was 4-6 with 40 saves and a 2.97 ERA this year and has 76 saves over the past two season.
He is 22-13 with a 2.91 ERA and 77 saves in four major league seasons, all with San Diego. He didn’t make his MLB debut until he was 31 years old, but he has had an ERA under 3.00 in three of four seasons.
Left-hander Ryan Rolison was designated for assignment.
Rebels erase disappointment of 2023 by holdingoff AscensionCatholic
BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer
Riversidetookpossessionfor the final time knowing it needed to onlykneel out the remaining 1:15 before it could secure afootball state championship.
And for once, the second-seeded Rebelscould exhale.Whathad been athree-touchdownlead got whittled to seven pointsinthe fourth quarter before sophomore William Rauch kicked a40-yard field goal that putthe game outof reach in a31-21 victory over No. 5Ascension Catholic in the LHSAA Division IV select state final Thursday at CaesarsSuperdome.
Senior Brock Bourgeois threw two touchdown passes,including one to outstandingplayerselection Christopher Becnel, whoalso threw atouchdown pass to senior Jayden Obiekwe, whose other touchdown cameona shortrun.
Ascension Catholic went 80-plus yards on scoring drives of 14 and 11 plays to get within 28-21 before Rauch kicked the lead-extending fieldgoal with just over two minutes remaining.
The Riverside defense forced afinal turnover on downs when standout junior defensive tackle AhmadCage hit the quarterback as he released the final incomplete pass that let the Rebels (13-1) seal their second LHSAA state title and first since 2016.
Ascension Catholic senior running back Trevin Simonran 30 times for 150 yards,well below the per-game average he posted on the way to settingstate records for rushing yards (3,915) and touchdowns (58) in aseason.
Simon opened the scoring when he ran 41 yards foratouchdown through an opening on the left side of the line but did not break many long runs after that.
Riverside containedSimon by “getting him to turn his shoulder pads sideways,” Riverside coach
RiversideAcademy’sChristopher Becnel scores atouchdownagainst Ascension Catholic during the Division IV select state championship game on Thursdayatthe Caesars Superdome. Riverside defeated Ascension Catholic31-21, and Becnel was named the game’s outstanding player
vs No. 3St. Augustine (12-1),3:30 p.m.
Lee Roussel said. “Instead of when he gets downhill in the A-gap, and that’swhen he’ssplitting safeties andgoing80yards.”
For Riverside, Obiekwe(16 car-
ries, 69 yards) scored two touchdownsbeforehalftime,the first one on apass from thesophomore Becnel, who caught ashotgun snap and found Obiekwe open for a46-yard catch andrun that tied thescore at 7-7. The second touchdown came on a2-yard run for a 14-7 lead. Riverside opened the secondhalf with atouchdown when Bourgeois (7-of-12 passing, 142yards) hit Becnel in stride on acrossing pattern for a37-yardtouchdown and a21-7 lead. The lead grew when Bourgeoisconnected with sophomoreKenric Johnson, whose nifty movenear the sideline gave him a clear path to theend zone to make it 28-7.
The two long touchdown drives for Ascension Catholic (11-3) included aconversion on fourth and 1before Joshua Barber scored the first of thosetouchdowns. Quarterback Gregory Fernandez capped the second drive with a3-yard keeper
Afterashort kickoff, Riverside took possessionnear midfield and picked up apair of first downs to get into field goal range.Roussel called upon his kicker after afalse start on fourth and 2set the Rebels back to the 23-yard line.
“Wewereright on the fringe of where we feel comfortable kicking it,” Roussel said, adding that he thought that was the
longest fieldgoal this season for Rauch.
Thekickwent between the uprights, andRauch “wasfiredup,” Rousselsaid. “I can’t sayenough the importanceweput on special teams. For it to show up in the last game, that’sabig-timekick.”
The win came two years after Riverside rallied to lead in the fourth quarter but lost to Southern Lab in the state final.
“Walking off thefieldin2023, I was really sad,” said Bourgeois, astarter at quarterback over the past three seasons. “But you know, we were hungry,and we really wanted to get back. I’mjust really proud of the guys.”
BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer
For St. Charles Catholic, this is more like it.
The Comets had gone to the state finals five years in arow before last year’sdownturn that ended with a4-7 record. This season, top-seeded St. Charles (12-1) will take anearly flawless recordback to the Caesars Superdome, where it will face No. 7Shaw (9-4) in the LHSAA Division II select state championship game setfor 7p.m. Friday “Last year,welost the games that you were accustomed to seeing St. Charles Catholic come out and find away to win, kind of like Friday vs. U-High,” St. Charles coach Wayne Stein said. “Wewereina bunchof gamesand had opportunitiesand couldn’tget it done. We learned a lot from thatexperience.”
Few teams could grind out wins like St. Charlesdid during that five-year stretch that included two state championshipvictories against Lafayette Christian in 2021 and Dunham in 2022.
After arunner-up finish to Calvary Baptist in 2023, the Comets
graduated several players from thatsenior-heavy team, leaving them not with atalentgap comparedtopreviousseasons, but with “a seriousexperience gap,” Stein said Oneyear later, St.Charles has another team on the brink of possibly winningastatechampionship with senior Skyler Edwards (1,293 yards rushing, 25 touchdowns) as the leading rusher and junior quarterback Landree LeBlanc as asecond-year starter throwing passes to his sure-handed cousin, senior Walker LeBlanc. Thedefense isled by senior linebacker Brooks Monica(138 tackles)and safetyDax Pregeant (three INTs) along with Creed Marix (124 tackles) and Byron Bailey, the nose tacklewho put ahanduptoblock an extrapoint that kept the score tied before St. Charles wonthe semifinal in overtime against University High.
St. Charles coaches and players collectively decided after the4-7 season that “we will neverhave thattype of team again, where there’sturmoil andwe’re notprepared. We all took ownership of that failure and I’m proud that our
kids and our staff learned from it, and Ithink you see theresults this year.”
The difference from last year to this season required “just sticking with each other,” Edwards said. “Making sure we’re together as a team and not doing our own thing. Making sure we’re studying more, working out ”
St.Charles lost one gamethis season when it allowed atouchdown on the final play from scrimmage against St.James, “which I think was apositive for us,”Stein said.
The Comets have sincewon eight consecutive games, including a24-0 shutout againstShaw in amatchup between the teams thatwill meet again Friday in the Dome.
St.Charles went into that Week 10 game already with the No. 1 seed secured. Shaw ended the season with two consecutive shutout losses, alow point for coach Hank Tierney’steam.
“Week 10 Idon’tthink is an indication of where our programs were,” said Stein, whoanticipates amore closely fought football gamethis time around.
The St.CharlesComets
BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer
Bryce Young historically has struggled against the New Orleans Saints. But one player, in particular, seems to really bother the Carolina Panthers quarterback Enter Alontae Taylor
ing, for instance, set up a gameclinching touchdown for New Orleans. He had another pivotal stop on third and 1.
Taylor also notably had three sacks on Young in last year’s season-opening win over the Panthers.
Young is 1-4 against New Orleans since he was drafted first overall in 2023.
safety New Orleans used a tandem of Jordan Howden and Terrell Burgess to make up for Reid’s absence, while rookie Jonas Sanker started on the other side.
Elsewhere, the Saints were again without running back Alvin Kamara (knee) and tackle Asim Richards (ankle).
“I think I just prepare the right way,” the Saints cornerback said, referring to his success over Carolina and not Young directly. “I feel very comfortable knowing their receivers. I feel very comfortable with knowing their scheme, knowing their formations. And (I’m) just very confident in our defensive calls.”
Taylor’s best games in his four-year career largely have come against the Panthers, and he’ll try to match that Sunday when the Saints host Carolina. Since 2022, the 27-yearold has recorded 29 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks and an interception when facing Carolina. He has especially bothered Young, who has a 75.1 passer rating when targeting Taylor on 23-of-35 passing for 174 yards, one touchdown and an interception, according to Pro Football Focus.
While that’s higher than Young’s overall passing rating against New Orleans (61.1 in five games), Taylor has come up huge in critical moments. His fourth-quarter interception in last month’s meet-
“There’s some intangibles with that where sometimes you just play well against a team and you feel it go the right way,” defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said.
“You’re one game away from feeling humbled in this league I know that as well. All of us. You’ve just got to take that for what it’s worth.
“But Alontae, when he’s played at his best is when he keeps it simple, when he plays his game, when he stays within himself because then the quality really shows up to everybody.”
Reid returns
Justin Reid has returned to practice.
The New Orleans Saints safety participated in Thursday’s session on a limited basis after missing last week’s game because of a knee injury Reid sat out Wednesday’s session but was spotted off to the side working with trainers — an indication his return was near
If Reid returns for Sunday’s game against the Panthers, the Saints would regain their starting
The Saints also saw tackle Taliese Fuaga (ankle) practice for a second straight day Running back Devin Neal (abdomen) was limited, while defensive end Chris Rumph (wrist) was upgraded to full.
Old man Rivers
Philip Rivers has been the talk of the NFL this week, so much so that Saints coach Kellen Moore brought him up unprompted during a news conference when asked about Tyler Shough being an older quarterback prospect
“Phillip Rivers is potentially playing at 44, so I think Tyler is going to be OK,” Moore said with a laugh.
Yes, the Indianapolis Colts signed the 44-year-old Rivers to the practice squad this week after losing starter Daniel Jones to a season-ending Achilles injury over the weekend — despite Rivers having last played five years ago. Despite the absence, Rivers is likely in line to start Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks as backup Riley Leonard is also dealing with a knee injury Moore said he thought it was “re-
ally cool” to see Rivers attempt a comeback. A former quarterback, Moore was also asked whether he thought he could have come out of retirement five years in like Rivers. The first-year coach, who was a Heisman finalist at Boise State and
a backup in the NFL from 201217, joked he had gained about 30 pounds.
“(I’d) throw a lot of check downs,” Moore said.
Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com
BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer
A’ja Wilson stood atop the WNBA again in 2025, winning an unprecedented fourth MVP as her Las Vegas Aces earned a third championship in four seasons.
For that, she earned The Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year on Wednesday for the first time in her career It’s the second consecutive year a basketball player won the award after Caitlin Clark was honored in 2024.
“It’s an honor when you think about the group of women who have won before,” Wilson said in a phone interview “Just to have my name be a part of it, I’m blessed.” Wilson is only the fifth basketball player to be honored as the Female Athlete of the Year since it was first presented in 1931, joining Sheryl Swoopes (1993), Rebecca Lobo (1995), Candace Parker (2008, 2021) and Clark.
A group of 47 sports journalists from the AP and its members voted. Wilson received 17 votes, tennis star Aryna Sabalenka was second with nine and Paige Bueckers was third with five.
“The things she’s done on the court have never been done. To me, she’s in a category all her own,” Aces coach Becky Hammon said of Wilson. “People always ask who’s on your Mount Rushmore? I’m saying she’s on Everest — there’s nobody up there with her.”
Shohei Ohtani won the AP Male Athlete of the Year on Tuesday for the fourth time.
Hammon has been impressed with everything about Wilson in her four years coaching in Las Ve-
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No. 6 pass defense, and they’ve been getting better as the season progresses Since Week 10, when they beat Carolina on the road, New Orleans ranks No. 5 in the NFL in opponent passer rating (69.0) and No. 1 in passing yards allowed per game (134.5).
The corners aren’t responsible for all of that, but they are of course a critical piece of it.
Take McKinstry, the 2024 second-round draft pick who took over as a starter midway through last season. He’s made his share of plays on the ball, logging team-best numbers in interceptions (three) and passes defended (10), but it’s been his physicality and intelligence that have shown up lately
He made two of the biggest defensive plays in the Nov 30 game against Miami. There was his interception of Tua Tagovailoa, a play he made because of his athleticism but also his ability to process and recognize the play that was coming. And then, late in the game, he chased down running back Ollie Gordon from the backside of the play to drop him for a loss on fourth down and give New
gas. “Her relatability, her being down to earth makes her a great superstar,” Hammon said. “Her skill set is unmatched, but she’s also the easiest player to coach. To have that mixture of humility, grace and
Orleans a chance at a go-ahead drive.
“Just a great trigger play by him,” Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said. “ You saw his instincts on display and his play recognition, which are a couple of his top qualities. “ Then last week against Tampa Bay, McKinstry contributed another fourth-down stop when he drove hard on a pass to Chris Godwin on the sideline The Buccaneers receiver essentially had secured a catch that would have moved the chains, but McKinstry arrived with violence and jarred the ball free.
It hasn’t been a perfect season for McKinstry by any stretch
The Rams went after him with star receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, both of whom beat him for scores. The one explosive they’ve given up recently came with McKinstry trailing Falcons receiver Darnell Mooney on a 49-yard touchdown.
But the highs have been notable, too. McKinstry earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week honors earlier this season after picking off Giants rookie Jaxson Dart twice.
“It’s really hard to play coverage in the NFL No one should ever take that for granted, but
skill, there’s a reason why she’s doing things that have never been done.”
This season was different for Wilson and the Aces, who had cruised to their previous two titles as a heavy favorite. This year, with a
that’s the job that we signed up for,” Saints cornerbacks coach Grady Brown said. “There have been games where he’s played really well. There have been games where it felt like he played bad, and he really didn’t — he played maybe average on one play But that’s the nature of our position.”
To Brown, the important thing is that when McKinstry has been beaten, he’s often still been in position to make a play
“We can build on that,” Brown said. On the other side is Riley, a fourth-round pick in this year’s draft. He emerged in the scouting process this year for the Saints as having some of the best ball skills among corners in this year’s draft, and that trait showed up early in training camp.
“He made some plays in practice, seemed to make a pick every few days,” head coach Kellen Moore said. Riley once credited his ball skills with his background as a baseball center fielder, but Brown had a different explanation: Riley has a rare ability to track multiple things at once a trait that helps put Riley in position to make plays.
“He can cover his guy and still see the quarterback,” Brown said.
month to go, the Aces were sitting at .500 and were in danger of missing the playoffs after coming off a record 53-point loss against Minnesota. Wilson rallied her team to wins in the final 16 regular-season games to secure the No. 2 seed, and Las Vegas went on to win the championship.
“This season I found myself through the adversity and mud we went through,” she said.
Despite her numbers being on par with her unanimous MVP season the year before, Wilson heard the chatter that she wasn’t playing as well and that she wasn’t the frontrunner to repeat as the league’s top player
The 29-year-old used that as fuel on the court. She led the league with 23.4 points and 2.3 blocks per game.
“The way they talk about us, the way they talk about me, I’m ready for that, I’m ready for the noise,” Wilson said “It’s always going to be something. If we sit here and try to please everybody, we’re going to go insane. I’m just going to continue to prove why I’m one of the greatest and why my team is part of a dynamic dynasty.”
Wilson raised her game even further in the playoffs, helping the Aces survive decisive winner-takeall games in the quarterfinals and semifinals. She then helped Las Vegas sweep Phoenix in the WNBA Finals, hitting the winning shot in Game 3.
“It’s fair to say the expectations for her are so sky high now she’ll be compared to a degree to the unanimous MVP she was the year before,” ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo said. “Even though she wasn’t
“Some guys try to do that, and they’re looking at the quarterback, and that’s an eye violation — they never see their guy.”
Riley opened the season playing almost exclusively on special teams, but he started carving out a role on defense by Week 3. When opening-day starter Isaac Yiadom suffered a hamstring injury, the door opened and Riley never looked back.
He’s been starting since Week 5, though he still comes off the field for Taylor when the Saints are in the base defense. According to Next Gen Stats, Riley has allowed just 16 completions on 29 targets as the nearest defender this season, and opposing passers have a 62.0 rating when throwing his way
Riley may not have opened the season as a starter but he’s fully seized his opportunity and doesn’t look like a player who will give the job up any time soon. When Brown looks at Riley, he sees someone whose skill set marries well with what the Saints want to do defensively
“This experience that he’s gaining right now is priceless,” Brown said. “It’ll be an exciting career for him if we stay on track.”
Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.
unanimous MVP this year, the journey she had this season was different and she was playing the best basketball of her career in the playoffs.”
“Every year, you wonder how she’ll get better and she always does.”
Wilson became the first player in either the WNBA or NBA to win the MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Finals MVP and lead the league in scoring in the same season.
Wilson broke a tie with Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and Lauren Jackson, who all won the WNBA MVP three times. She plans to have another relaxing offseason as she won’t play overseas or in Unrivaled, the domestic 3-on-3 league. Wilson became a free agent at the end of the season and could be in for a significant raise as the league and players union negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, but she is widely expected to return to the Aces.
She’s already crossed one thing off her bucket list, meeting her idol Beyonce at the Formula 1 race in Las Vegas last month.
“It was super cool, Beyonce is someone that I’ve always wanted to meet because I just admired her work,” Wilson said.
The Aces great is that way herself for so many She launched a shoe and clothing line with Nike. Her shoe sold out minutes after it went on sale.
“It’s amazing, something that I think about every day when I look around and see people just wearing my shoe. Every day it’s a gentle reminder that you know it’s a special moment that we’re living in and I’m so grateful when I look back on it.”
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visiting San Antonio Spurs 135132 on Monday, had two full practices between games for the first time since interim coach James Borrego replaced Willie Green on Nov 15.
Borrego focused on defense in those practices after New Orleans allowed an average of 36.4 points in its last five first quarters, which Borrego called “unacceptable.”
The Pelicans showed marginal improvement early on, then shut down the Blazers in the second half. They already had a 14-6 lead when Poole entered the game with 7:08 remaining in the first quarter He went on to match Murphy’s eight first-quarter points, and New Orleans had a 39-30 lead at the end of the period.
McGowens’ 3-pointer started the second-quarter scoring and gave the Pelicans their largest lead of the half. Portland charged back, and the lead changed hands eight times before Bey broke the eighth tie of the period with a dunk that gave New Orleans a 70-68 halftime lead.
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
Mark your calendars. New LSU head coach Lane Kiffin will make his highly anticipated return to Oxford, Mississippi, next season on Sept. 19. That game againstOle Miss will be the firstSEC battle on theTigers’ newlook schedule, which ESPN unveiled Thursday night when it set kickoff dates for every matchup between SEC teams in 2026.
LSUwillhostTexas A&M on Sept. 26, Mississippi State on Oct. 17, Alabama on Nov
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make aswift comeback.
7and Texas on Nov. 14
The Tigers will hit the road to faceKentucky on Oct. 10, AuburnonOct.24, Tennessee on Nov.21and Arkansas on Nov.28 in addition to their early clash with theRebels.
LSU still will have its customary open datebefore its matchup with Alabama. Next year,for the first time ever,SEC teams will play nine league gamesinstead of eight. Each programhas threecontestsagainst annual rivals and sixagainst a rotatinggroup of opponents.
LSU willface its three annual foes —Texas A&M,
Ithink maybe Iwouldjustcall in sick that day.But something tells me Kiffin wouldn’tmiss this trip to Ole Miss for the world. If the Rebels want their revenge on the coach who gave them 55 wins over six seasons, then flewacross the border to coach one of their most hated rivals, Iimagine he is eager to pay them back for their animosity just as much.
LSU and Ole Miss, of course, will be permanent rivals in the SEC’snew nine-game scheduling format that debuts next season. As long as Kiffin is at LSU, this rivalry is likely to rise to alevel of volatility not seen since the days of Billy Cannon and Johnny Vaught.
It’simportant to remember that the SEC set the home-and-away opponents for each team for the 2026-29seasons back in September,long before there was an LSU job opening for Kiffin to fill. Truly, it just worked out this way.A fluke of the calendar or computer or whatever However it happened, it’sgoing to be appointment viewing for sure. Those road games overshadow the Tigers’ home schedule, but they should not. It may be the most compelling slate of LSU
Arkansas and OleMiss— every season untilatleast 2029. The other 12 teams in theSEC will each meet with the Tigers twice over that four-year stretch.
The league officially approvedthatnew format in August, then revealed the annual opponentsfor everyteaminSeptember. The SEC said it considered geography,competitivebalance and traditional rivalries when it decidedthose yearly matchups, which will be reevaluated ahead of the 2030 season.
Thefirst year of the format will put old SEC West ri-
valries back on the schedule for LSU,while also giving the Tigers achancetotake some trips they hardly ever took when the league was split intotwo divisions.
LSU, for instance, will soon play Auburn and Mississippi Statefor the first time since 2023 —the year beforeTexas and Oklahoma joined the SEC,leadingthe conference to dissolve its east and west divisions. The Tigers also will travel both to Lexington,Kentucky,and to Knoxville, Tennessee, for just the fifth time since 2000.
Kiffin coached theVolunteers in 2009 beforeheleft
abruptlytotakethe Southern Cal head coaching job. Now,inhis first year at LSU, Kiffin will visit not one buttwo of hisformer schools: Ole Miss andTennessee. The Tigers have played road gamesagainst those twoteams in the same season only six timesever— andjust twiceacrossthe last 25 years. The Tigers have scheduledall threenonconference games for2026. They’ll host Clemson on Sept.5,Louisiana Tech on Sept. 12 andMcNeese State on Oct. 3. LSU finalizedanagreementtoplay the Bulldogs on Wednesday
LSU’S
Sept.5:vs. Clemson Sept.12: vs.Louisiana Tech
Sept.19: at Ole Miss
Sept.26: vs.TexasA&M
Oct.3:vs. McNeese
Oct.10: at Kentucky
Oct.17: vs.Mississippi State
Oct.24: at Auburn
Oct.31: Open date
Nov. 7: vs.Alabama
Nov. 14: vs.Texas
Nov. 21: at Tennessee
Nov. 28: at Arkansas
home games I’ve ever seen. After openingthe season in Tiger Stadium on Sept.5against Clemson, which will be making its first-ever visittoBaton Rouge, LSU will host TexasA&M on Sept. 26, Alabama onNov.7and Texas on Nov 14. Thelatter will be the Longhorns’ first visit to Tiger Stadium
since 1953. Arch Manning quarterbacking Texas in Tiger Stadium?Who isn’t looking forward to that?
Old SEC West Division rivals Mississippi State(homeonOct. 17) and Auburn (away on Oct. 24) also return to the schedule, as does Kentucky (away on Oct. 10),
NewLSU football coachLane Kiffin walks into the South StadiumClubat TigerStadium for hisintroductory news conference on Dec.1.Kiffin’s agent Jimmy Sexton, right, and LSU board of supervisors chairman Scott Ballard, left,flank him.
ateam LSU played every year from 1952-2002. And, as expected, permanentopponents LSU and Arkansas (away on Nov. 28) look like they will again be seasonending opponents, as they were mostyears from the Razorbacks’ arrival in the SEC in 1992 through 2013.
But those tworoad games at Ole Miss and Tennessee, man,those are the gold and silver medal-winning contests on the schedule. To borrow aKiffin phrase, “Get your popcorn.”
Email Scott Rabalais at srabalais@theadvocate.com
n “Light Up The Night on the Mississippi”isthe key phrase for CHANUKAH AT THE RIVERWALK, thestart to an eight-day celebration that includes the lighting of the menorah, with latkes, dreidels, Jewish music, kosher food booths and more starting at 4p.m. Sundayatthe Riverwalk’s Spanish Plaza at the foot of Canal Street. TheChabad Lubavitch of Louisiana, celebrating50years, will conduct the menorah ceremonyat5 p.m. chabadneworleans.com/ riverwalk.
Leslie Odom J ‘Hamilton,’new aheadofChri
BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer
Leslie Odom Jr.became
shooting Alexander Hamilton
He originatedthe role o Burr, whokilled Hamiltonin in the smash Broadway m named for Burr’snemesis. then, Odom’smultidiscipl career has spanned TV and fi memoir and multiple albums jazz-based singer
His 2025 Christmastour, d ing which he intermingles ho daystandards and“Hamilton hits, stops in New Orleans a the Orpheum TheateronDec 17. Tickets are still available, starting at $62. In the following interview, lightly edited for lengthand clarity,the 44-year-old expounds on why he recently returned to “Hamilton,” the most critical decision of hiscareer,and his effort to make amovie about Sammy Davis Jr.’sdeal with the devil.
During your Christmasshow,doyou sing anyChristmas songs inthe voice of Aaron Burr?
Idonot. It is my pleasur to play Aaron Burr any tim Iget the opportunity. But it’s real treatasanactor to step astage as myself, without t artificeof character.Not hav abarrier between me and th dience is really wonderful. Twoofyour first four albumswere mas albums. Youobviously enjoythe the season. For sure. But it was afan-p thing. The first one, 2016’s Christmas,” is the thingIhea about after “Hamilton.”
Iwas gettingthese tweets ri initial run of “Hamilton” end got the perfect voice for Chr Please make aChristmas alb that Inoticed it. Thechallenge is,can we cr that is true to us? Can we cr that isn’tsaccharine and lame thetradition? We arrivedat I’m proud of, and it’sreally people.
O as fA in lm, u e h e s r e u c r
n For“MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH THELPO,” the symphony provides the livesoundtrack to the classicJim Henson retellingofthe Charles Dickens’ holiday story of Scroogeplayedby Michael Caine, Kermit as Bob Crachit, Miss Piggy as Emily Cratchit and the iconicMuppets as the various characters from the tale. The Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts at 1419 Basin St. will be the site at 7:30 p.m. Friday.Tickets startat$34. lpomusic.com.
BELOW: Leslie Odom Jr.performs Dec. 17 at OrpheumTheater INSET: Leslie Odom Jr.as Aaron Burrin“Hamilton.”| PROVIDED PHOTOS
Brandy andMonica’s TheBoy Is Mine Tour broughtsleek production,nostalgia
BY KEITH SPERA Staff writer
Late in Brandy and Monica’s highly choreographed co-headlining performance at afull Smoothie King Center on Dec.5,the show paused unexpectedly Brandy wanted to celebrate her mother Sonja Norwood’s birthday.The plan wasfor opening act and “American Idol” season 23 winner Jamal Roberts —who, like the Norwoods, hails from Mississippi —toserenade her Cradling ahuge bouquet of roses, Sonja Norwood stood on the floor as staffers tried to figure out how to get her onto the stage.
“Forgive us forthis part of the show,” Brandy said. “It’snot rehearsed.”
Every other moment was. Brandy and Monica’sThe Boy Is Mine Tour —named for their smash, Grammywinning 1998 duet and presented by the Black Promoters Collective boasts atop-notch production. From concept to costumechanges (many) to choreography (by 10 male dancers) to cinematic film clips and live camera work on the massive LED stage backdrop, it looked and felt like ashow worthy of arenas.
Less of aco-headlining set which implies separate performances by equally billed artists this was moreofa true collaboration. Throughout the two-hour main set, Brandy Norwood and Monica Arnold wereoften onstage together or swapping in and out every couple of songs. Most of those songs —about three dozen in all —were truncated. To varying degrees, many included prerecorded vocals. No musicians were visible, though three backing vocalists made appearances. But if the show’spurpose was to commemorate the catalogs of two of contemporary R&B’syoung hitmakers from the 1990s and early 2000s —and play up their extensive backstory —then it largely succeeded. No longer puppets
Following opening sets by Roberts and Destiny’sChild alumnus
By The Associated Press
Today is Friday,Dec. 12, the 346th day of 2025. There are 19 days left in the year
Todayinhistory:
On Dec. 12, 2000, George W. Bush became president-elect as adivided U.S Supreme Court reversed astate court recount decision in Florida’stightly contested presidential election.
Also on this date:
In 1870, Joseph H. Rainey,ofSouth Carolina, became the first Black lawmaker sworn into the U.S House of Representatives.
In 1963, the east African nation of Kenya declared independencefrom Britain; it became arepublic exactly ayear later
In 1985, 248 American soldiers and eight crew members were killed when an Arrow Air charter crashed after takeoff from Gander,Newfoundland
In 2015, nearly 200 nations meeting in Paris adopted the first global pact to fight climate change, calling on the world to collectively cut greenhouse
Continued from page1D
In 2020, we hadn’tplanned to record another Christmas album so soon, but we were in the house like everybody else (during the pandemic shutdown). We were trying to think of what way we might be useful. So we made “The Christmas Album.” At such asorrowful, mournful time, we tried to make ajoyful record. When you performed at the 2018 New Orleans Jazz &HeritageFestival, you seemed to have agreat time. Ireally did. Iwas so nervous, because Jazz Fest has such prestige. It’ssuch an honor to be given any spot on that roster We were performing(in the Jazz Tent) at the same time as Sting (on the main stage).I thought nobody would be there.Ifelt so bad for myself: “I’m going to be in an empty tent!”
But the organizers obviously know what they’re doing. They know there’s something for everybody Our tent was full of that New Orleans hospitality.People showed us so much love.
Ican’tsay enough about what aconfidence boost it was to not only be asked to performatthe JazzFestival but to have asuccessful set Me andthe band will never forget it.
Youattended an arts magnet high school in Philadelphia. How importantwas that background to your career?
It was prettyimportant. When Italk to young people, Itell them if thereisa room anywhere in your life in which you feel seen, valued and validated, stay in that room as long as you can. Try to build your life around that room and that feeling. It didn’tmatter to me ifI was pulling the curtainin
gas emissions but imposingnosanctionsoncountries that didn’tdoso. In 2020, thousandsof supporters of President Donald Trumpgathered in Washington for rallies to backhis efforts to subvert theelection he lost to Joe Biden In 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,capping a whirlwindtwo-day visit to Washington, D.C., urged Congress to approvemore assistance to fightRussia’s invasionofhis country Today’sbirthdays: Basketball Hall of Famer BobPettit is 93. SingerDionne Warwickis85. Hall of Fame race car driverEmerson Fittipaldi is 79. Actor Bill Nighy is 76.Gymnast-actor Cathy Rigby is 73. SingermusicianSheila E. is 68. Actor Sheree J. Wilson is 67. Tennis HallofFamer Tracy Austin is 63. Football Hall of Famer JohnRandle is 58. Actor JenniferConnelly is 55. Actor Regina Hall is 55. Actor Mayim Bialik is 50. Model-actor Bridget Hallis48. Actor Lucas Hedgesis29. Actor and rapper Sky Katz is 21.
Kelly Rowland,afilm clip depicted Monica and Brandy,stoic behind shades, exiting abuilding’slobby in an ornate vintage elevator Areproduction of the elevator rose from thestage floor.The doors opened to reveal Brandy and Monica, still stoic in their shades. They stepped out and stepped off. Monica moved to theside among the dancers as Brandy opened with “What About Us.” Brandy then stepped aside for Monica’s“Knock Knock.”
They handed off without pause across Brandy’s“I Wanna Be Down,” Monica’s “Don’tTake It Personal (Just OneofDem Days),” Brandy’s“BestFriend” and Monica’s“LikeThis and LikeThat.”
They slipped offstage to change during aquick-cut montageofTVclips from Brandy’syears as the teenage star of “Moesha” and a Whitney Houston-produced TV production of “Cinderella.” Brandy also released her double-platinum debut album at age 15. In old footage, both Hous-
some venue, if Iwas shining thespotlight on Broadway, if Iwas building the set or making the costumes —I just wantedtobepartofthis (theater) world. It feltlike this was my community,like these were my kind ofpeople. Ibuilt my life around that feeling.
In late 2013,you were cast in anew NBC drama called “State of Affairs.” But instead you joined the cast of a new,radically different musical being developed off-Broadway called “Hamilton. State ofAffairs”lasted only one season, and “Hamilton” essentially changed Broadway.Was that decision the pivotal moment of your career?
Ithink so. It was bigger than the decision. There were so many beautiful lessons locked inside that Ihad to arriveatthe courage to followmyheart instead of my bank account.
“State of Affairs” was payingmany,manymultiplesof what “Hamilton” was going to pay (initially). Iwas going to make more in aweek at “State of Affairs” than for theentire run of “Hamilton” off-Broadway It was also the trickiness of how to get out of my “State of Affairs” contract with NBC, aftermonths of losing sleep over it. Do Iget alawyer?
Imagine me having alawyer againstNBC —they’ve got a floor of lawyers.
Aftermonths of tryingto figure this out …why don’tI just go ask nicely? The president of NBC, Bob Greenblatt, was like, “Ifyou’re crazy enough to pass on our showtogodoanoff-Broadway show …Iguess so.”
He wassotaken with my passion that he invested in “Hamilton.” So Ithink Bob Greenblatt’sdoing all right We bothdid all right. Afteranine-year break, this fall you reprised your role as Aaron Burr in “Hamilton,”which is still running at theRichardRodgersTheatre.What enticed you back?
The fact that that’sa oncein-a-lifetime opportunity I’ve done afew shows ain’tnone of ’em still in the same building nine years later.For ashow to hang around, to grow in popularity “Hamilton”has no signs of stopping. This is not something on itslast legs. It’sstill connecting.
The fact that Ican still do it physically,that people still want to seemedoit, is also once-in-a-lifetime. My mother got to come back and see it,and my children were there to see it.Mychildren
ton and Britney Spears sang Brandy’spraises.
Now 46 —but still flashing the big, broad smile that helped makeher ateen star —she returned to thestage for asolo set.
Avideo retrospective about Monica, who is 45 —and who, like Brandy,released her hit debut album at age 15 —hinted at the personal tragedies she endured and noted that Houston also supported her Lookingregal in alush coat and surrounded by the hard-working dancers, she opened her mini-solo set with “Street Symphony.”
Phrasessuch as “Backstage Brawl” and “Rumor Mill” flashed on the LED wall, an acknowledgment of the drama —much of it media-generated —that swirled around Brandy and Monica back in the day.Afilm clip depicted the singers as puppets on astring. The strings were thencut,symbolizing their adult independence. Brandy rose up on an elevated platform with an apparently pantomiming piano player for theballad “Brokenhearted.”Monica wagged and pointed her finger for emphasis during “U Should’ve Known Better.” Draped on an ornate love
weren’tborn the last time. It’s been so healing and wonderful. Iwentback for 12 weeks and Igot everythingthat Icame for Wasiteasy to stepback intoAaron Burr’sboots or did you have to warm up alittle?
Ihad to warm up alot.It was noteasy in anyway That showisnot easy; that role is not easy
Butit’sabout something that’snot easy,this show aboutthe founding of anation.Itcontinues to remind us this idea of America is not an easy one, butit’sa really good idea and it’s something we should keep working for An exercisethat big, an idea that big, maybe shouldn’tbe easy.That’satleast what I told myself on Thursdays when my back was hurting and my anklesdon’twant to squeeze themselvesinto (Burr’s) boots again. Youearned anAcademyAward nomination for playing singerSam Cookein the 2020 film “One Night In Miami,” which wasshot in New Orleans. Portrayinga singerinamovie that originated as aplayseems likeanatural fit for you.Did you slip into it easily? No! None of it’seasy! Eventually we locked in. We had the extraordinary leadership of (director) Regina King and thatgorgeous script that Kemp Powers gave us. And the guys were so talented. So no,itwasn’t easy finding the vein. But once you find the vein, once you find the rhythm, …sometimes we’dhave those days of shooting thatwere like, “Wow,that was really cool.” And the next dayitkicks your butt like youwere at thebeginning all over again. Ithought Iwas going to be in thechorus of Broadway shows my whole life. Inever sawAcademy Award nominations. That Ihave acareer marked with that kind of distinction is so deeply satisfying. You2018 memoir,“Falling Up:
seat on ariser,she dug into “Love All Over Me.”
Brandy,inared jacket to match the reds and oranges of ablazing sun onscreen, showed off her pipes on the kiss-offballad “Almost Doesn’tCount.”
‘Befuddled’byobsession
Following “Before You Walk Out of My Life,” Monica displayed apair of white, heeled sandals like the pair she wore 30 years ago in the song’svideo. Those shoes have become something of a social media meme.“When y’all gonna get over these white shoes?” Monica asked in mock exasperation. “I am befuddled.”
She referred to “telling y’all my business,” before adding, with aknowing grin, that she’s“not as bad as Ray.” That quip referenced Brandy’syounger brother William Ray “Ray J” Norwood Jr., the co-star of KimKardashian’sinfamous2007 sex tape. More recently,Ray Jwas arrested Nov. 27 after livestreaming aheated argument with his ex-wife.
The concluding segment featured Brandy and Monica onstage together again in sharp white outfits. After ashort Whitney Houston
How To Take Risks, AimHigher and Never StopLearning,”is finally out in paperback. The publishers cameto me andsaid, “Whatmight you say to graduating seniors?” Iremembered what that felt like, so Iwas able to tap into what Iwish someone had told me: The greater the risk, the greater the reward. And intention matters. You want your intention to be as pure as possible, because thathas abig effect on its impact.
Whenyou gave theTulane University commencementaddressin2023, you received an honorarydegree. Is it on your wall? It might be on my office wall. Thereare trophies around the house.It’sgood for them to be displayed. But mostlyI’m thinkingabout what’snow and what’snext. Yourecently acquired themovie rights to a2024 Rolling Stone article about Sammy Davis Jr.’sconnection to the Church of Satan. You’re the screenwriter and thestar. What attractedyou to the project?
Everything. EversinceI was akid,I’ve loved horror movies. Horror movies were like my bedtimestories. I didn’tknowhow strange that was.
Growing up the way Idid, with acertain amount of trauma andtoxicity, horror movieswere theonly thing worse than the environment Iwas growing up in. Ahorror movie wasthe only thing scarier than bedtime at my house. And I’ve always felt this affinity forSammy Davis Jr The first gig Iwas offered after “Hamilton” was aSammy biopic forHBO. Iturned it down. It was too daunting andIdidn’tfeel likeitwas the right time or the right movefor me.
Telling his story and exploring these themes (in the upcoming movie) is kind of like the “Hamilton” thing. WhenI would tell people “Hamilton” is this hip-hop
video montage, they traded lines on Houston’s“IWanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me).” “Whitney told me she wanted us to stick together,” Brandy said to Monica. Brandy then orchestrated the birthday tribute forher mom, whonever did make it onstage; Jamal Roberts looked downtoserenade her as she wept. Brandy and Monica sat side-by-side forthe former’s “Have YouEver” and the latter’s“For YouI Will,” which Monica dedicated to her current beau, the man she credited with turning her struggle into strength, her pain into pleasure. The singers embraced, briefly disappeared, then emerged on risers to trade lines on “The Boy Is Mine,” the duet that gave the tour its name. After all that had preceded it, the finale song felt anticlimactic, even with ashower of confetti. The elevator returned. Monica and Brandy rode it downunder the stage, bringing the show,and the dramatic arc of their long shared history,toalogical conclusion.
Email KeithSpera at kspera@theadvocate.com.
musical about the Founding Fathers …it’sincongruous. It only made sense whenit camethrough Lin-Manuel Miranda, who understood all of those worlds so well. This Sammy Davis Jr property,mixed with this horror element, this psychological horror …I’m going to makeitmake sense. Whenyou say“horror,” you’re not talking about supernatural horror It’s more of apsychological thriller about whyhewentdownthis road? Ihad to understand what would drive arguably the greatest entertainer of all time into the arms of Satan. It’ssoweird. To not believe in Godisone thing. But to pledge allegianceand align with Satan …that is abelief in God, then to choose its opposite. Ihad to gettothe bottom of that. I’mwellintothe writing of the script. I’m excited to bring the movie that I’ve alreadyseen in my head into the physical realm Will youdosome Sammy Davisstyle tap dancing in the movie? Youbetter believe it. I want to capture as muchof the magic of Sammy as possible.This isn’tgoing to be thedefinitive movie about Sammy Davis Jr.This will be about one time in his life. ButtotellSammy’sstory well, this person whoI don’t think the world ever gave his due …totell his story is to tell all of ourstory.All of us that are multi-hyphenates, asong-and-dance man …any of us that walk around with alittle bit of talent owe something to the greatest talent of all time.
So yeah,it’sa really personal story,that’sfor sure.
This interview is excerpted from arecentepisode of “Let’sTalk withKeith Spera,” whichairson WLAE-TV andWWNO89.9 FM. Email KeithSpera at kspera@theadvocate.com.
sAGIttARIus (nov 23-Dec 21) Hasty choices will backfire, leaving you in a quandary that can cost you if you aren't careful. Ease into situations, mull over information and consider what works best for you before making a move.
cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Reach out to those you look up to for information with caution. Ask questions and listen carefully, but when it comes time to make a choice, rely on your instincts.
AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Participating in something you enjoy will help you relax. Distancing yourself from stress will help you gain perspective on what's meaningful to you and how to cope with life's little challenges.
PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Stick close to home and engage in something creative. Make positive changes to your routine and revamp your plans to encourage healthy lifestyle choices.
ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Focus on gaining experience and knowledge. Participate in events that address causes and concerns you are passionate about. Socializing with the wrong people will cost you.
tAuRus (April 20-May 20) You are overdue for a change. Consider how you can use your space to help develop new skills or pursue a project that can bring in extra cash. Be compassionate and understanding.
GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Don't sit back when interacting with others; it will
spark your imagination and get you moving in a new direction. Be a good listener, observer and communicator.
cAncER (June 21-July 22) Use your connections wisely and share your ideas only with those you trust. Avoid anyone who tends to dominate or bully. Discuss budgets, shared expenses and domestic matters to avoid financial setbacks.
LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Engage in activities and conversations that offer insight into what those close to you want to do. Participating in social events and physical activities can connect you to someone special.
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) You may desire change, but you are likely to meet with opposition if you move too quickly. Ask an expert, verify information and consider less risky alternatives.
LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Scout around your neighborhood, ask questions, gather information and make domestic choices that improve your living space or arrangements. Know when to say no and walk away.
scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Chase knowledge and life experience What you learn will offer greater awareness of the possibilities. Discipline regarding the use of money will be necessary.
The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication
InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of thesudoku increases from monday to sunday.
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer
By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge
Yesterday, we saw that if the opener bids one of a suit, the next player makes a takeout double, and the responder bids a lower-ranking suit at the two-level, this showsaweakhand.So,whatdoesitmean iftheresponderredoublesfirst,thenbids a new suit on the second round?
Right logically, it must be forcing. The responder has promised at least 10 high-card points and the hunt is on for the right contract for the opening side.
Intoday’sdeal,afterresponder’sthreeclub rebid, South might continue with a three-diamond bid. Then North would presumably cue-bid three hearts to ask his partner to bid three no-trump with a heart stopper. Here, of course, South would be happy to oblige. And, as in the given sequence, South just plunges straight into our favorite contract when we have game values but no major-suit fit. (Note that five clubs fails, but five diamonds makes.) West leads the heart king. What should South do?
Unless the heart suit is blocked, if declarerlosesatrickbeforehehastaken nine, he rates to concede at least that lost trick and four hearts. So, South should concentrate on getting seven diamond winners.
After taking the first (or second) heart trick, South cashes the diamond ace.
Then, when West discards, declarer must be careful to unblock dummy’s 10. Next, South leads a spade to the board, plays the diamond five to his nine, runs that suit, and cruises home with an overtrick. Always watch the spot-cards closely to see if a suit blockage is threatened. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication
Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,”
today’s thought “And when the Jews were gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles sought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath.” Acts 13:42
dIrectIons: make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. all the words are in the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.
ken ken
InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a
Puzzle Answer
before there‐lease of thesourcing event: COMMODITYCODE(s): 906; 912; 925; 925-13; 92517;925-33;925-35,925-36; 925-70 TheCityofNew Orleans stronglyencouragesmi‐nority-ownedand women-ownedbusi‐nesses, socially andeco‐nomically disadvantaged businessesand small businessestorespond to thissolicitation, or to participate in subcon‐tractingopportunities pursuanttothissolicita‐tion. Formoreinformation about this sourcing event,goto www.nola. govand clickon“BRASS SupplierPortal” under BIDS &CONTRACTS”. Onceonthe SupplierPor‐tal,search“Open Events. Thankyou foryourinter‐est in doingbusiness withthe City of NewOr‐leans JamesC.Simmons,Jr. ChiefProcurement Officer
AdvertisingDates: December 12, 19, 2025 andJanuary 2, 2026 NOCP 8819 170036-dec 12-19-jan2-3t $120.42
BANK,N.A,AS TRUSTEE, ON BEHALF OF THE HOLDERSOF THEASSET BACKED SECURI‐TIES CORPORA‐TION HOME EQ‐UITY LOAN TRUST, SERIES AMQ2007-HE2 ASSETBACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES AMQ 2007-HE2 VS CARLOS RUS‐SELL ANDDE‐SHANON COBB RUSSELL(A/K/A DESHANON COBB, DESHANON RUS‐SELL)
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated June 13 2024, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21,2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OF GROUND, together with all improve‐ments thereon, all rights,ways, servitudes, and privilegesthere‐untobelonging lying andsitu‐atedinthe Stateof Louisiana, i h f ff
, Parish of Jeffer‐son in that sub‐divisionknown asSt. Mary Subdivision, lo‐cated anddes‐ignated with a planofresubdi‐visionby Michael W. Flores,dated May 20, 1985 ap‐provedbythe Jefferson Parish counsel under OrdinanceNum‐ber 16513, filed inCOB 1313, folio 60, desig‐nated as Lot10, of Square C, bounded by Santa Maria Drive,10th Street,Cande‐light Drive, (side)and theMayronne Canal Rightof Way.Lot 10 measures62 feetfront on Santa Maria Drive, 62.01 feet inthe rear,by depthsof94.55 feetalong the southernlymost sideline and 93.29 feet along the northernly‐mostsideline. All as more fully shown on survey by J.J. Krebs &Sons, Inc.,dated May 16, 1991.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026
Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:860-979
SERVBANK,SB VS LUIS ARMANDO MARTINEZ (A/K/A LUIS A. MARTINEZ,LUIS MARTINEZ)AND TANIAMAR‐TINEZ
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe
p p erty to wit: A PORTIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall of the rights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe City of Kenner, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known asUniversity City Subdivision, and which portionof ground,accord‐ing to theplan thereof by Rene A Harris,Inc., Con‐sulting Engi‐neers,dated Au‐gust15, 1962 recordedatCOB 561, folio381, as re‐vised by subse‐quent plan of ReneA.Harris, Inc.,Consulting Engineers, des‐ignated as fol‐lows: Lot20-A, Square 74.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-752 LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VS MAURICE SANDERSAND MURIELE SANDERSA/K/A MURIELE.REED SANDERS
p p erty to wit: ThatCertain Piece or Portion ofGround,To‐getherWithAll ofthe Buildings and Improvements Thereon, Situ‐atedinthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in That Part Thereof Known asLakeVista of Jefferson,Being a Subdivisionof a Portion of theElmwood lafreniere Plan‐tation, Accord‐ing to aSurvey MadebyJ.L Fontcuberta, Surveyor,Dated August2,1956
SaidLot is Des‐ignated by the No. 18 in Square no.22, Bounded by TobyLane, Lake Avenue,Craig Avenue and39th Street (formerly 21st Street) Measures60 Feet Fronton TobyLane, Simi‐lar Widthin Therear, by a Depth of 130.85 Feet Between Equal andParal‐lel Linesand Be‐ginsat aDistanceof 180 Feet From the Corner of 39thStreet (For‐merly 21st Street)and Toby Lane;sub‐jecttorestric‐tions,servi‐tudes,rights-ofway andout‐standingmin‐eral rights of record affectingthe property. MunicipalNo. 5013 Toby Ln Kenner, LA 70065
y terests, mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
EMILYA MUELLER
AMYR.ORTIS Attorney for
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated March14, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐t t it
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐rior security in‐t t t
MOTION: VIII-01-07292025
RESOLUTION: VIII-01-07292025
LADOTD.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS,the Lakefront Management Authority (“Management Authority”) is apolitical subdivision of the State of Louisiana and the governing authority of the non-flood protection assets of the Orleans Levee District (“District”); WHEREAS,the Management Authority manages, operates and administers the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, which is anon-flood protection asset owned by the Orleans Levee District, located on the south shoreofLake Pontchartrain in the City of New Orleans, State of Louisiana, (the “Airport”);
WHEREAS,the Management Authority and District areco-public sponsors of the Airport for grant funding for Airportimprovement Projects from the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Aviation Division (“LADOTD”);
WHEREAS,the Staffofthe Management Authority issued an Advertisement for Bids for workon the projectidentified as the “Phase Two Taxiway Bravo Rehabilitation Project,” (the “Project”), in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Public Bid Law (“LPBL”), La. Rev.Stat. 38:2211, et seq;
WHEREAS,the cost of the Project is eligible for full reimbursement through funding under FAAGrant No. 3-22-0038-045-2024 approved by the FAA(95%), and through grant funding approved by LADOTD (5%), which grants wereaccepted by the Management Authority,onits behalf and on behalf of the District, as the co-public sponsors of the Airport;
WHEREAS,the LPBL requires that the contract be awarded to a responsible bidder that submitted the lowest responsive bid for the scope of work on aLouisiana public works project; WHEREAS,Madden Gulf Coast, LLC, aLouisiana limited liability company,(the “contractor”), submitted the lowest responsive bid for the Project, in the amount of $1,698,471.00; and, WHEREAS,the Management Authority after considering the bid submitted for the Project and the recommendations of the Engineer of Recordand Staffofthe Management Authority resolved that it was in the best interest of the District and the Airporttoaccept the bid and approve acontract with the contractor for the Project, for the price and sum of $1,698,471.00, conditioned grant funding for cost of the Project from the FAAand LADOTD. NOW,THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Lakefront Management Authority approves acontract with Madden Gulf Coast, LLC, for the price and sum of $1,698,471.00, for the Phase TwoTaxiway Bravo Rehabilitation Project, at the New Orleans LakefrontAirport,conditioned on grant funding for the cost of the Project from the FAAand LADOTD. BE IT FURTHER HEREBY RESOLVED that the Chair or Executive Director of the Lakefront management Authority be and is hereby authorized to sign any and all documents necessary to carryout the above. The foregoing was submitted to avote, the vote thereon was as follows: YEAS: NAYS: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: RESOLUTIONADOPTED:
BY:COMMISSIONER RICHARD
SECONDED BY:COMMISSIONER THOMAS
29, 2025 1) Motion to approve acontract with Madden GulfCoast, LLC for the Phase TwoTaxiway Bravo Remediation Project at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, for the price and sum of $1,698,471.00, conditioned on grant funding for the cost of the Project from the FAAand LADOTD.
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS,the Lakefront Management Authority (“Management Authority”) is apolitical subdivision of the State of Louisiana and the governing authority of the non-flood protection assets of the Orleans Levee District (“District”); WHEREAS,the Management Authority manages, operates and administers the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, which is anon-flood protection asset owned by the Orleans Levee District, located on the south shoreofLake Pontchartrain in the City of New Orleans, State of Louisiana, (the “Airport”);
WHEREAS,the Management Authority and District areco-public sponsors of the Airport for grant funding for Airport improvement Projects from the Federal Aviation Administration (“FAA”) and Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development, Aviation Division (“LADOTD”); WHEREAS,the Staffofthe Management Authority issued an Advertisement for Bids for work on the project identified as the “Phase Two Taxiway Bravo Rehabilitation Project,” (the “Project”), in accordance with the provisions of the Louisiana Public Bid Law (“LPBL”), La. Rev.Stat. 8:2211,et seq;
WHEREAS,the cost of the Project is eligible for full reimbursement through funding under FAAGrant No. 3-22-0038-045-2024 approved by the FAA(95%), and through grant funding approved by LADOTD (5%), which grants wereaccepted by the Management Authority,onits behalf and on behalf of the District, as the co-public sponsors of the Airport;
WHEREAS,the LPBL requires that the contract be awarded to a responsible bidder that submitted the lowest responsive bid for the scope of work on aLouisiana public works project;
WHEREAS,Madden GulfCoast, LLC, aLouisiana limited liability company,(the “contractor”), submitted the lowest responsive bid for the Project, in the amount of $1,698,471.00; and,
WHEREAS,the Management Authority after considering the bid submitted for the Project and the recommendations of the Engineer of Recordand Staffofthe Management Authority resolved that it was in the best interest of the District and the Airport to accept the bid and approve a contract with the contractor for the Project, for the price and sum of $1,698,471.00, conditioned grant funding for cost of the Project from the FAAand LADOTD. NOW,THEREFORE BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED, that the Lakefront Management Authority approves acontract with Madden GulfCoast, LLC, for the price and sum of $1,698,471.00, for the Phase TwoTaxiway Bravo
Rehabilitation Project, at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport, conditioned on grant funding for the cost of the Project from the FAAand LADOTD. BE IT FURTHER HEREBY RESOLVED that the Chair or Executive Director of the Lakefront management Authority be and is hereby authorized to sign any and all documents necessary to carry out the above. The foregoing was submitted to avote, the vote thereon was as follows:
YEAS: WILLIAMS, RODGERS, COHN, DROUANT,EGANA, EXPOSE, HEATON, HERBERT, ODINET
NAYS: NONE
ABSTAIN: SCOTT,THOMAS
ABSENT:GERHART, CLINTON, CARR, BRIEN
RESOLUTION ADOPTED: PASSED
This resolution was declared adopted this 29th day of June 2025.
MOTION: VII-02-07292025
RESOLUTION: VII-02-07292025
BY:COMMISSIONER
SECONDED: COMMISSIONER
RESOLUTION
JULY29, 2025
2)Motion to approve rescheduling the August 2025, BoardMeeting of the Lakefront Management Authority from August 22, 2025, to August 28, 2025.
WHEREAS,the Lakefront Management Authority (“Management Authority”) is apolitical subdivision of the State of Louisiana and the governing authority of the non-flood protection assets of the Orleans Levee District (“District”); WHEREAS,the By-Laws of the Management Authority provide that the Management Authority shall hold its regular monthly meetings on the fourth Thursday of every month, except in the month of November,and that the regular monthly meeting may be held on another day of the month as determined by amajority vote of the total present voting membership of the Management Authority at aregular or special meeting.
WHEREAS,when the Boardadopted the schedule for the monthly Boardmeetings for 2025, the schedule mistakenly stated that the meeting inAugust2025 would be held on Friday August 22, 2025, instead of on the fourth Thursday in August, 2025, August 28, 2025; and, WHEREAS,a Motion to reschedule the August meeting to Thursday August 28, 2025 was made and seconded and after discussion was duly adopted by the Management Authority THEREFORE, BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED,that the August 2025 regular monthly meeting of the LakefrontManagement Authority be and is hereby rescheduled and shall be held on Thursday,August 28, 2025, at 5:30 p.m. in the Conference Center in the Terminal at the New Orleans Lakefront Airport. BEITHEREBY FURTHER RESOLVED that the Management Authority Chairman or Executive Director be and is hereby authorized to execute any and all documents necessary to carry out the above.
YEAS: WILLIAMS, RODGERS, COHN, DROUANT,EGANA, EXPOSE, HEATON, HERBERT, ODINET,SCOTT,THOMAS
NAYS: NONE
ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT:GERHART, CLINTON, CARR, BRIEN
RESOLUTION ADOPTED: PASSED
This resolution was declared adopted this 29th day of June 2025.
VIII. Announcement of the next BoardMeeting IX. Adjourn
PROCEEDINGSOFTHE LAKEFRONT MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY’S FULL BOARD MEETING
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28, 2025 –5:30 P.M. 6001 Stars and Stripes Blvd.
and all other terms and conditions of the Resolution shall remain in full force and effect.
BE IT FURTHER HEREBY RESOLVED that the Management Authority Chairman or Executive Director be and is hereby authorized to execute all documents necessary to carry out the above.
The foregoing was submitted to avote, the vote thereon was as follows: YEAS: RICHARD, WILLIAMS, RODGERS, BRIEN, COHN, DROUANT EXPOSE, SCOTT,THOMAS NAYS: NONE ABSTAIN: NONE ABSENT:CARR,
bered and enti
tled cause, dated March7, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: Onecertain piece or portion ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes, appurtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining, situated in the ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known as Willowdale Sub‐division, Section 1,inSquare13, bounded by Elizabeth and Boutall Streets, Rosalie Court,Elise Av‐enue andYork Street,desig‐nated as Lot106 onthe survey made by Gilbert,Kelly & Couturie, Inc., Surveying,&I Engineering, dated November 15 1979, redated October 15,1980 and September 10, 1983, accord‐ing to which said lot formsthe cornerofEliza‐bethand Boutall Streetsand measures 45.38feet front onElizabeth Street,thence a further fronton acurve having di f
g radius of 25feet,a dis‐tance of 48.87 feet,thence a depth andfront onBoutall Streetof76. 19 feet,a width in the rear of 40 feet,bya depth onthe opposite sidelineof105 feet.All as more fully shown on sur‐vey made by Gilbert,Kelly,& Couturie, Inc., dated December 12 1996.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
DENNISWIG‐GINS,JR. Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:865-593
NEWREZ LLC D/B/ASHELL‐POINTMORT‐GAGE SERVIC‐
ING VERSUS PORTER L. ED‐WARDS, JR. Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated June 5, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21,2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: ONECERTAIN LOT OR GROUND, TO‐GETHERWITH ALL THEBUILD‐INGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THERIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐LEGES, SERVITUDES, ANDADVAN‐TAGES BELONG‐INGORINANY‐WISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON, STATEOF LOUISIANA, IN THE SUBDIVI‐SIONKNOWN AS BAYOU ESTATES, BEING A RESUBDIVISION OF LOTS H-100-A AND H-404-AOF AMESFARMS AND ACCORDINGTO A SURVEY BY J.J. KREBS &SONS, C.E., DATEDNO‐VEMBER 20,1967, AP‐PROVEDBYTHE JEFFERSON PARISH COUN‐CIL ON JANUARY 11, 1968, UNDEROR‐
DINANCENO. 8600, REGIS‐TERED IN COB 671, FOLIO 320, SAID LOTISDES‐IGNATEDAND MEASURESAS
FOLLOWS: LOT32, SQUARE
D,BOUNDED BY ST. JOHN AV‐ENUE, SAUVAGE AVENUE, A DRAINAGE CANALAND CADDY DRIVE, LOT 32 FORMS THE CORNER OF ST. JOHN AVENUE AND CADDY DRIVE AND MEASURES57.74 FEET FRONTON ST. JOHN AVENUE,A WIDTH IN THE REAROF65FEET BYA DEPTH AND FRONT ON CADDY DRIVE OF 100.26 FEET AND DEPTH ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE‐LINE OF 100 FEET ALL ASMOREFULLY SHOWN ON PLANOFSUR‐VEY MADE BY RENE A. HARRIS, C.E., DATEDAU‐GUST26, 1970, A COPYOFWHICH IS ANNEXEDTO VENDOR'SAC‐QUISITION AT COB 722, FOLIO 575, JEFFERSON PARISH,LA.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
AMYR.ORTIS
Attorney for Plaintiff
Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026
Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA
NO:863-655
REAL TIME RES‐OLUTIONS,INC., AS ATTORNEYIN-FACTFOR AVIATOR PROPERTIES, LLC VERSUS WAYNEJOHN DESCANT
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated April23, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: ONECERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OFGROUND, withall of the improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,advan‐tagesand t
g appurtenances thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known asSection "A ofthe Bridgedale Sub‐division, in SquareNo. 23 bounded by Zin‐nia Avenue on the West, West Metairie Avenue on the North,Kenner Avenue on the South and a canal on its East side and designatedas Lot #47; situ‐atedinthe Southeastern District of Louisianain Section 44 Township12 South,Range 10 East. Whichsaid lot measures in ac‐cordancewith planofSection A &B of Bridgedale, pre‐pared by H.W. Nugent,C.E dated June 24, 1926, acopyof which is at‐tachedtoanact before Chas I. Denechaud,N.P onOctober 15, 1934, beingsale byMrs.F.T Borah to AssetRealiza‐tionCo.,Inc.as follows: Lot#47 begins ata distance of 292 feet,more orless, from the cornerofZinnia Avenue and WestMetairie Avenue and measures thence less. 50 feetfront on Zinnia Avenue,similar width in the rear, by adepth between equal and parallel lines of 120 feet,moreor less; subjectto restrictions, servitudes, i h f
rights-of-way and outstanding mineral rights ofrecordaffect‐ing theprop‐erty.
Theimprove‐ments bear the municipalad‐dress 729 Zinnia Ave,Metairie, LA70001.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
ZACHARYGAR‐RETT YOUNG Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: December 12 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-779
HSBC BANK USA, N.A.,AS TRUSTEEONBE‐HALF OF ACESE‐CURITIES CORP HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST ANDFOR THE REGISTERED HOLDERSOF ACE SECURITIES
CORP.HOMEEQ‐UITY LOAN TRUST, SERIES 2006-ASAP6, ASSET BACKED PASSTHROUGHCER‐TIFICATES VERSUS SONYAREED GREEN,INHER CAPACITY AS IN‐DEPENDENTEX‐ECUTRIXOF THESUCCES‐SION OF VERON‐ICAMARSH REED ANDGER‐ALDP.REED,SR. Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated April1, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: Allthatcertain lot or parcel of ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,means, servitudes, prescriptions, appurtenances, advantages and component partsthereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining, lyingand being situatedinthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana, in thatpart thereof known as Park Place bdi i i
as Park Place
Subdivision, Section 2, being a resubdivision of LotsinSquare6, 7,and 9ofPark Place Subdivi‐sion, Section2 and accordingto a planofresubdi‐visionbyJ.J Krebs &Sons, Inc.,Civil Engi‐neer & Surveyors, datedNovem‐ber 9, 1983, re‐vised February 21, 1984, ap‐provedbythe JeffersonParish Council on March 14, 1984 under Ordi‐nance Number 15927, said portionof ground is desig‐nated as Lot 239A,Square7, which square is bounded by Kingsway Drive East, Westside Drive,Plaquem‐inesParishand Northerly boundaryof Subdivision,and saidlot com‐mencesata dis‐tance of 521 feet fromthe inter‐section of Kingsway Drive East and WestsideDrive, and measures thence50feet front on Kingsway Drive East, same width in the rear, by adepth of102 feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
COREYJ.GIROIR
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III
Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12 2025, January16, 2026
Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:866-839
KIRKLAND FI‐NANCIALLLC VERSUS NAILOR SER‐VICES, LLC
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated July 17 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit:
**TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY**
ATTACHMENT
“A”
THAT CERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings andimprove‐ments thereon, and allofthe rights, ways privileges, servitudes appurtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise situ‐atedinthe Parish of Jeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known asORLEANS VILLLAGE,SEC‐TIONONE,being a part of there‐subivisionLots H-401, H-402, and H-403 of Ames Farm, Township 14South,Range 23East, South‐westLandDis‐trict of Louisiana, West ofthe Missis‐sippi River, which resubdi‐visionwas ap‐provedbythe JeffersonParish Council on May 14, 1978, under Ordinance No 9654, same being registered in COB 715,folio 582, Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, whichsaidordi‐nance
wasinaccor‐dance with a certain plan of surveybyJ.J Krebs &Sons, Inc.,dated August 11,1964 and according tosaidsurvey, saidlot is desig‐nated andmea‐sures as follows, towit: LOT24, SQUARE F,bounded by Rue Racine Sauvage Avenue (side)Rue Louis Phillppe;Caddy Drive,Rue Mon‐tespan(side) and Ruse Racine (side). Said Lot 24 begins 432.31 feetfromthe cornerofRue Racineand Rue LouisePhillppe and measures thence 60 feet front on Rue Racine, the samewidth in the rear,by a depth of 85 feet be‐tween equal and parallel lines.All in ac‐cordancewith a planofsurvey by J.J. Krebs& Sons, Inc.,dated March 8, 1971. Allasismore fully shownon the Mandle Sur‐veying, Inc., dated April4 1996, annexedtoan act registered in C.O.B.2938,folio 75.
Theimprove‐ments thereon bearthe munici‐pal No.2129 Rue Racine, Marrero, LA 70072
ATTACHMENT “B
ferson TitleCo. OfGretna, Louisiana,and according to which sketch addition "A"of townsiteNo. 3, saidlot is desig‐nated as LOTSix (6) of BlockNumber Seven (7), bounded by Cross Street, Fifth andSixth Avenuesand AmesBoule‐vard, said Lot NumberSix (6) adjoins Lot NumberFive(5) and measures Forty-five and 09/100 (45.09') feet fronton AmesBoule‐vard, Forty-five and no/100 feet (45.00')in width on the rearlinealong a drainageditch, One Hundred Forty-two and90/100 (142.90') feet in depth on the North Line ad‐joining LotNum‐ber 5, and a depth on the other side Line along SixthAv‐enue of One Hundred Fortyfourand 92/100 feet (144.92')
Theimprove‐ments thereon bearthe munici‐pal No.1321 AmesBoule‐vard, Marrero LA 70072
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
JUDICIAL
ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA
NO:868-964
ADMINISTRA‐TOR, U.S. SMALL BUSINESS AD‐MINISTRATION, AN AGENCY OF THEUNITED STATES GOV‐ERNMENT VS MICHELLE ANN HOUSEA/K/A
MICHELLE A. HOUSEA/K/A MICHELLE HOUSE
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated October 6,2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit:
gages, liensand privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
ALLISONN BEASLEY Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:868-857
STANDARD MORTGAGE CORPORATION VS HEIDYCELIS PINEDA,DI‐VORCED WIFE BY FIRSTMAR‐RIAGEOF WILLIAM RODRIGUEZ, NOWWIFEOF CARLOS VEGA
mences at the pointin a northerly direc‐tionof180 feet fromthe inter‐section of Shamrockand Compromise Streetsand run‐ninginthe di‐rection of theL & ARailroad right-of-way, said Lot5 mea‐sures 50.75 feet front on Com‐promise Street, samewidth in the rear by adepth of 163.76 feet be‐tween equal and parallel lines.Lot 5is composedof the extremenorth‐ern portionof ArpentLot 350-C and theextreme southernpor‐tionof Arpent Lot 382.B.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
Acertain lotor portion of ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, all rights, ways servitudes, and advantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywiseapper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson,State ofLouisiana,sit‐uated in Addition "A" ofTownsite NumberThree (3),according to a plan or map showing subdivisionof Farma9ofthe AmesFarms at Southside Parish of Jeffer‐son,State of Louisiana, made for theAmes FarmLandCo., Inc.,ofNew Or‐leans, Louisiana, a blue printof saidmap being annexedtoan act passed be‐foreFrank J. Tilotson, Notary Public onJune 19,1924, the said Farm Lot "a9" being shown on amap made by J.W.T. Stephens, C., and M.E.,dated New Orleans, Louisiana March6, 1920, acopyof which is in the office of the Clerk of Court for theParishof Jefferson , andalsointhe office of theJef‐
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
W. A. MAIORANA,JR. Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:866-388
WELLSFARGO BANK,N.A VERSUS VINCENTP DAVISAND DAWN LEFORT DAVIS, (A/K/A DAWN LEFORT DAWN DAVIS)
beredand enti‐tledcause dated July 8, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: Acertain lotof ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, and allthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand ad‐vantagesthere‐unto belongingorin anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson,State of Louisiana, within theCity ofWestwego, in thatpart thereof known asWestPark HeightsSubdivi‐sion, andac‐cording to sur‐vey by DonA Garland,C.E dated July 24, 1971, said lotis designatedas Lot No.81of SquareNo. 106, which said squarein bounded by KenneyDrive, 13thStreet, LeCompte Drive, and 17thStreet, and according thereto, said lot commences at a distanceof569 feetfromthe in‐tersection of Kenney Drive and 13thStreet and measures thence71feet front on Kenney Drive, thesamewidth inthe rear,by a depth of 70.75 feetbetween equal andparal‐lel lines.
Having amunic‐ipaladdress of 1237 Kenney Drive,West‐wego, LA 70094.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
PENNY M. DAIGREPONT Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12 2025, January16, 2026
Dec12-jan16-2t
Thelandassoci‐atedwiththe propertyad‐dress referred tointhisreport issituatedin theCityofKen‐ner,Parishof Jefferson and State of Louisiana,and described as follows: Onecertain lot orportion of ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments, thereonand all ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand advantage thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Stateof Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐son,CityofKen‐ner,inthatarea known as Southlake VillageSection 1,Phase Aand inaccordance withKenner CityOrdinance No. 7661, registered in COB 2881, folio 268, which was approved by the planofresubdi‐vision by J. J. Krebs and Sons,Inc dated August 8, 1993, said lotis designatedas Lot 14 in Square D, and measures65 feetfront on Cy‐press Bayou Lane, by the samewidth in therearby a depth of 120 feetfront on eachsidelines
L. GRAHAM ARCENEAUX Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:868-766
FEDERALHOME LOAN MORT‐GAGE CORPORA‐TION AS TRUSTEEFOR FREDDIEMAC SEASONED CREDIT RISK TRANSFER TRUST, SERIES 2019 3 VS TRUDY BADEAUXBACK INDIVIDUALLY ANDASSURVIV‐INGSPOUSEIN COMMUNITY WITH DARRYL G. BACK A/K/A DARRYL GLENN BACK
Parish Sheriff's Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: That certain piece or portion ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements andimprove‐ments thereon, and allrights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes, appurtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining, situated in the State of Louisiana Parish of Jeffer‐son in that part known as Southwood West Subdivi‐sion, SectionB Accordingto a Subdivision Plan of J. J. Krebs& Sons, Inc.,C.E.&S dated July 10, 1974, revised December16, 1974, approved by the Jefferson Parish Council under Ordinance No 11923, adopted February 6, 1975, registered inC.O.B.830, Folio 776, which subdivision plan is recorded in Jef‐fersonParish PlanBook 88 Folio 1, which ordinance was ratified and amended by Or‐dinance No 12299, adopted February19, 1976, registered inCOB 855Follo 659, and also ac‐cording to the surveyofJ.J Krebs &Sons, Inc.,dated 1-30-76, revised 2/12/76 and 3/17/76 and resurveyedto showimprove‐ments 6/23/76, said property is designatedas Lot 7ofSquare E,and said Lot commences 335.55 feet from thein‐tersectionof Sugarpine Drive, and theNorth Boundaryofthe subdivisionas shown on the saidsurveyof J.J.Krebs & Sons, datedJan‐uary30, 1976, andmea‐sures thence 60 feet fronton Sugarpine Drive, sameinwidth in the rear,bydepths of113.15 feet each.
LONGO Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe abovenum‐
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests, mort‐
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated Septem‐ber 24, 2025, I haveseizedand willproceed to selltothe high‐est bidder at publicauction, atthe Jefferson ParishSheriff's Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: ONECERTAIN LOT OF GROUND together with all thebuildings and improve‐ments thereon, situ‐atedinthe TownofKenner, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana and designated as Lot 5ona sur‐vey by R. P. Ror‐dam,C.E., dated Decem‐ber 5, 1950, a copy of which is annexed to an act registered in COB 302, folio 84, andaccord‐ing to said survey,Lot 5 is situated in thattract of landbounded byWilliam Shamrockand Compromise Streetsand the right-of-wayof the L& ARail‐road,and com‐
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated Septem‐ber 19, 2025, I haveseizedand willproceed to selltothe high‐est bidder at publicauction, at theJefferson
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
KATE SOTO‐
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:868-068 PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC VERSUS LARRYPRICE AKALARRY D. PRICEAND VEL‐VARREIMO‐NENQ Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated August 22, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit:
THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OFGROUND, lo‐cated in the ParishofJeffer‐son Stateof Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known asLIVEOAK PLANTATIONES‐TATES SUBDIVISION, ADDITION No.2 asshown on a PlanofSubdivi‐sionbyRich‐mondW Krebsapproved bythe Jefferson ParishCouncil Ordinance 22817, regis‐tered as Instrument # 10648932 andas shown thereon saidlot or par‐cel is desig‐nated as: LOT54SQUARE 2:subject to re‐strictions, servi‐tudes,rights-ofway andout‐standing mineralrights ofrecordaffect‐ing theprop‐erty.
TheImprove‐ments thereon bearthe Munici‐pal No.9509 EastTerran Lane, Waggaman, LA 70094.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
When youneed thenews. Wherever youreadthe
TERMS -The full purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
CANDACEA COURTEAU
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III
Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026
Dec12-jan16-2t
p opposite side where said Lot9 adjoins Lot10of 83.32 feet;alsoinac‐cordancewith a surveymadeby BFM Corpora‐tiondated March 17 1988, acopyof which is an‐nexed to ActNo. 8812515. Ac‐cording to asur‐vey by Gilbert, Kelly & Couturie, Inc., dated March7 1990, said lot has thesame location, designationand measurements as setout above;subject torestrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecordaffect‐ing theproperty
Improvements bear Municipal No. 1712 Neyrey Drive
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
CANDACEA COURTEAU
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III
q bounded by 10thStreet, (formerly HamptonAv‐enue), Hudson Street,12th Street,(for‐merly Oxford Avenue) andTaylor Street,(for‐merly Gardner Street), accord‐ing to aplanof subdivision dated May15, 1941,by AdloseOrr, C.E., on file in theof‐fice of theclerk ofcourt,Parish of Jefferson; Lots 25and 26 ad‐joining and measure each 25feet fronton TaylorStreet, (formerlyGard‐ner Street) sameinwidth in the rear,by a depth of 120 feet between equaland paral‐lel lines, Lot25 forms thecor‐ner of Taylor Street and12th Street,all as more fully shown on sur‐vey by J. J. Krebs &Sons, dated April16, 1966, annexed to an actbefore Helen C. Man‐ale,Notary, dated May24, 1966.
Allasmorefully shown on sur‐vey by Sterling Mandle, dated May 14,1966
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
y East lineof subdivision, Versailles Street (late Gail Street) and Lynette Drive,desig‐nated as Lot No.128 on the surveymadeby Gilbert,Kelly and Couturie, Inc.,Surveying and Engineering, datedAugust 24, 1978, andredated July 24, 1983. Forrefer‐ence, and accordingto saidsurvey, saidLot No.128 commences at a distanceof200 feetfrom thecornerof Curry Courtand LynnetteDrive, and measures thence60feet front on Curry Court, the sameinwithin the rear,by a depth of 100 feetbetween equal and parallel lines. This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
FOERSTNERG MEYER
Attorney for Plaintiff
andmeasuring inaccordance with mapofW.F.Ca‐longne, C.E. &S., dated Novem‐ber 12, 1947, on file in theOffice of theClerk of Court forthe ParishofJeffer‐son,Louisiana inaccordance withplanof survey by J.J. Krebs &Sons, Inc.,Surveyors dated May11, 1967, acopyof which is annexedand madepartofan act passed be‐foreEdwardM Dussom, Jr., N.P., on June 5, 1967, and also as morefully shown in accor‐dance with the surveyofJ.L Fontcuberta, Surveyor,dated January 16, 1976, acopyof which is an‐nexed to COB 854, folio 481 as follows,to-wit:
2025, December12, 2025
nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:851-842
WELLSFARGO BANK,N.A VS HERMAN JACK‐SONAND RI‐NENNY MARIA
GIRODA/K/A RI‐NENNY M. GIROD
A/K/ARINENNY GIROD
Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:835-702
WELLSFARGO BANK,NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATIONAS TRUSTEEFOR OPTION
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated October 2,2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: ACERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TIONOF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes appurtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining situated in the State of Louisiana, Parish of Jeffer‐son,inthatpart thereof known as JEFFERSON DRIVESUBDIVI‐SION, EXTEN‐SIONNO. 1, in SQUARENO. 5, bounded by NeyreyDrive, 43rdStreet, North Turnbull Drive,the West Lineofthe Subdivision and 39thStreet,des‐ignated as LOT NO. 9ona sur‐vey made by Gilbert, Kelly& Cou‐turie,Inc., Sur‐veyingand Engi‐neering, dated July19, 1972, a copyof whichisan‐nexed to ActNo. 568380; said lot commences at a distanceof499 feet from thecorner ofNeyreyDrive and 43rdStreet and measures thence62feet front on Neyrey Drive, the same in width in the rear, by adepth onthe side of Lot 8of 83.09feet,and a depth on the i id
Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:869-003
PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES LLC VS THEUNOPENED SUCCESSION OF ANDUNKNOWN HEIRSOFCAR‐OLYN SOWELL A/K/A CAROLYNSOW‐ELL
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
COREYJ.GIROIR
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III
Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: December 12 2025, January16, 2026
Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III
Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 Dec12-jan16-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:862-062
Said portionof Lot 12, in Square Number3,Han‐son PlaceSub‐division, com‐mences at adistanceof 250 feet from the corner of MindenAvenue and Palisade Streetand measures thence 50 feet front on Minden Avenue,samein width in the rear, by a depthof120 feetbetween equal andparal‐lel lines; subject torestrictions, servitudes, rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecordaffect‐ing theproperty
The improve‐ments thereon bearthe Munici‐pal Number 1023 Minden Av‐enue Kenner, Louisiana70062
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated October 6,2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058,onJanu‐ary 21,2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: That portionof ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments,thereon andall of the rights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in any wise apper‐taining,situated inthe City of Kenner, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana,in thatpartthere ofknown as Morningside Park, designated as Lots25and 26 ofSquare8 which square is
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:869-116
LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VS JEANNE PHILIPS POWELL WIFE OF/AND JAMES E. POWELL
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated October 8,2025,I have seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21,2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit:
ACERTAIN LOT ORPORTION OF GROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, situ‐atedinthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in Square No.11, LynnParkSub‐division, bounded by Curry Court,
LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VS JOEY DOMINGUE ANDCRYSTAL DOMINGUE A/K/ACRYSTAL JONES DOMINGUE Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated February 20, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: THAT PORTION OFGROUND, to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall rights, ways privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson, Stateof Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known asHansonPlace Subdivision and designated as a portion of Lot12 inSquareNum‐ber 3, bounded byCurtisAv‐enue Palisade Street, MindenAvenue andOrion Street
ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025
nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:858-799
U.S. BANK AND TRUSTNA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, NOTIN ITSINDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS OWNER
TRUSTEEFOR RCF2 ACQUISI‐TION TRUST VERSUS PATRICK HAROLD MAL‐ONEAND VIR‐GINIAPAPE MALONE
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of FIERI FACIASfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause datedAugust h
g 15, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: That Certain Piece Or Portion OfGround,to‐getherwithall the buildings, constructions, component parts, fixtures and improve‐ments thereon, and allofthe rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereunto belongingorin anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson,State of Louisiana, in the partthereof known as Live Oak ManorSub‐division, allas per plan of subdivision dated June 9, 1959, approved under Ordi‐nance No.4152, adoptedby theJefferson ParishCouncil filedofrecord under EntryNo. 159352 in COB 486, folio469, andas per ActofDedi‐cationbefore HaroldJ Zeringer, Jr No‐taryPublic, datedSeptem‐ber 16, 1959, filedofrecord under EntryNo. 160982 in COB 488, folio 343, said lot being more par‐ticularly de‐scribed as fol‐lows, to-wit: Lot17, Square 12, which squareis bounded by James Drive (formerly James Street), Judith Street, Jay Place(side), Helis Drive (side), and Richelle Street (side), andsaid lotcommences ata distance of 111 feet from the intersection ofJudithStreet and JamesDrive, and measures thence56feet front on James Drive,same width across therear, by a depth of 95 feet between equal and parallel lines.All as lo‐cated and measures on thatsurveyby Surveys,Incor‐porated dated July3,1986; subject to restrictions, servitudes rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecord affectingthe property.
Theimprove‐ments thereon bearthe munici‐pal address253 James Drive, Waggaman, Louisiana
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
CANDACEA COURTEAU
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III
Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: November 7,
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated June 17, 2024, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: That certain piece or portion ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall rights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ad‐vantagesand appurtenances thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known asSouth Avon‐daleHomes Subdivision, SectionIII, ac‐cording to a planofWilliam Maier,C.E., dated August 24, 1964, approved bythe Jefferson ParishCouncil under Ordi‐nance No.6792, and filed forrecordas Entry No 303,279, regis‐tered in COB 559, folio505 and in Plan Book 50,Plan58, of the recordsof the Clerkof Court forthe ParishofJeffer‐son,according to which the saidlot is desig‐nated as LotNo. 7,Square18 thereof bounded by Julia Dorothyand RuthDrives, and South Jamie Boulevard,and measures52 feet fronton DorothyDrive the same in width in the rear, by adepth of100 feet be‐tween equal andparallel lines
ONEMORTGAGE LOAN TRUST 2007-4, ASSETBACKED CER‐TIFICATES, SERIES 2007-4 VS MASOOD AB KHAN,(A/K/A MASOOD KHAN MASOOD A. KHAN)AND ZA‐REENA SULTANAKHAN, (A/K/A ZA‐REENASUL‐TANA,ZAREENA S. KHAN,ZA‐REENA KHAN)
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated Decem‐ber 13, 2022, I haveseizedand willproceed to selltothe high‐est bidder at publicauction, atthe Jefferson ParishSheriff's Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey Louisiana, 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit:
g LouisianaPower & LightCom‐panygranted by NeyreyPark, Inc. in actacknowl‐edged before Henry G. Neyrey Jr.,N.P., dated January 25, 1962, reg. COB347, Folio 319. Restrictions containedinact beforeHenry G. Neyrey, Jr., N.P. dated Dec. 13 1961, reg. COB544 Folio 354, which are identicalto those in COB 500, Folio207. Whichhas the addressof3916 NeyreyDrive, Metairie, LA 70002
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
EMILYE HOLLEY
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
COREYJ.GIROIR
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew
That certain piece or portion ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andthe rights, ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jeffer‐son,Louisiana, inNeyreyPark Extension No.1, being aportion ofLot 4RosedalePlan‐tation, which saidlotsare de‐scribed accord‐ing to aplanof subdivisionby J.J.Krebs & Sons, Surveyors, dated June 21, 1960, revised March 15, 1961, as follows: Lot8 of Square 4,which said squareis bounded by NeyreyDrive, 17thStreet, WesternBound‐ary of Subdivi‐sionand 13th Street.Lot 8 commences at a distanceof 433.87 feet from the corner of NeyreyDrive and 17thStreet and measures thence60 feet fronton NeyreyDrive, sameinwidth in the rear,by a depth on the sideline adjoiningLot No. 7of111.01 feet,and a depth on the opposite side‐lineadjoining Lot No.9 of 111.23 feet.All as more fully shownon print of survey madebyJ.J Krebs & Sons,Surveyors, dated June 1, 1962, resur‐veyed January 6,1965. Made andAc‐ceptedsubject to:
Right of Wayto i i
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:829-882 HOME POINTFI‐NANCIAL VS TAMY T. NGUYEN A/K/A TAMY NGUYEN ANDMUI T. LE A/K/AMUI LE Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated July 15, 2022, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: Onecertain lot orparcelof ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand advantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson, State ofLouisiana,in thatpartknown asWestgate Subdivision beinga resubdivisionof a portionof Highway Park Subdivision,ac‐cording to a planofWest‐gate Subdivision by Roessle& Gal‐loway,Consult‐ing Engineers, dated June 30 1935, recorded in Plan Book 27, folio 29,
revisedJanuary 17, 1956, recordedinPlan
Book
28,folio 45
which portionof ground is desig‐nated as fol‐
lows:
Lot25ofSquare
L of Westgate
Subdivision and saidportion of ground that has the same designa‐tionona certifi‐cateofsurvey byAdloe Orr, Jr and Associates, dated March1,1957.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA
NO:867-919
DEUTSCHE BANK TRUSTCOM‐PANY AMERI‐CAS, AS TRUSTEEFOR SAXON
ASSETSECURI‐TIES TRUST 2005-4, MORT‐GAGE LOAN
INC.,C.E DATED JULY20, 1981, APPROVED BY THEJEFFER‐SON PARISH COUNCIL,DE‐CEMBER1,1982, AND REGIS‐TERED IN COB1037 FOLIO 998, AND ASAMENDED PER ORDINANCE NO. 15646, REGISTERED IN COB 1055 FOLIO 715, JEFFERSON PARISH, BEINGA RESUBDIVISION OF PLOTSA AND B,HOOTER HEIGHTS SUBDI‐VISION, SAID LOTISDESIG‐NATED AS FOL‐LOWS, TO-WIT: LOTNO. 16, SQUARED IS BOUNDED BY BRIDGECITYAV‐ENUE(LA HWY. NO. 18), N.O. PUBLIC BELTRAILROAD, PATOSTREET AND HOOTER ROAD. SAID LOT16MEA‐SURES THENCE FIFTY AND NO/100 C50') FEET FRONTON HOOTER ROAD SAMEWIDTH ACROSSTHE REARBYA DEPTH OF ONE HUNDREDFIFTY AND NO/100 (150')BETWEEN EQUAL AND PARALLELLINES ALL IN ACCOR‐DANCE WITH PLAN OF SUR‐VEY BY WILTON J.DUFRENE,L.S., DATEDAPRIL 24 1984.
ALLINACCOR‐DANCE WITH SURVEYBYDAD‐ING, MARQUES & ASSOCIATES INC.,DATED AU‐GUST30, 1989 EXCEPTSAID LOT COM‐MENCESATA DISTANCE OF 1158.92 FEET FROMTHE IN‐TERSECTIONOF HOOTERROAD ANDBRIDGE CITYAVENUE.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
STATES RE‐SOURCESCORP. VS DAMIAN J. BROWN, AND ROSHAWNHEN‐DERSON
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated July 29, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit:
1908, registeredin COB 27, folio 234, of theCon‐veyance Recordsofthe Parishof Jefferson, State ofLouisiana This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
GRAY H. MCCRAW,III Attorney for Plaintiff
measuringas per plan of re‐subdivision by J. J.Krebs & Sons,Inc., C.E. & S., datedNo‐vember8,1979 approved by the Jefferson Parish Councilunder Ordinance No 14223 on Febru‐ary 20, 1980, and recordedinCOB 978, folio 397, and according tothe aforesaid, propertyisde‐scribed as fol‐lows:
MARK E. POW‐ELLA/K/A MARK POWELL,HEIRS OF JOAN HALL POWELL
ASSETBACKED CERTIFICATES SERIES 2005-4 VERSUS HENRYPOOLE ANDTHE UN‐OPENED SUC‐CESSION OF GLADYS WILLIAMS By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated August 26, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: THAT CERTAIN PIECE OR POR‐TIONOF GROUND, TO‐GETHERWITH ALL THE BUILDINGSAND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, WAYS PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES, APPURTE‐NANCES AND ADVANTAGES THEREUNTOBE‐LONGING OR IN ANYWISE AP‐PERTAINING, SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF JEF‐FERSON, STATE OFLOUISIANA, IN THAT PART
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
EMILYA MUELLER Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025
nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:867-119
LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVICING, LLC VS BEVERLY SPIEGELLOPEZ A/K/ABEVERLY SPIEGELVAU‐RIGUAD LOPEZ
cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: ACERTAIN LOT OFGROUND, to‐getherwithall buildings and improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand advantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson, State ofLouisiana westofthe Mis‐sissippi River, and in accor‐dance with a plan of subdivi‐sionmadeby F.G.Stewart, Surveyor, dated June 1, 1954 certified correctNovem‐ber 1, 1954 and revised March 23, 1955,said propertyissitu‐atedin Normandy Park Subdivision in Square"C" thereof,which SquareC,inac‐cordance with said plan ofsubdivision isbounded by Wiegand Drive, PatoStreet,the Eastern BoundaryLine ofsaidsubdivi‐sion, andbyan unmarkedpor‐tionofsquareof ground on itssouth side, which un‐markedportion ofground fronts onHighway No 30, said lotbeing desig‐nated as Lot NumberNine‐teen (19) and measures63 feet fronton WiegandDrive, samewidth in the rear,by a depth between equal andparal‐lel lines of 100 feet,all asmorefully shown on asur‐vey made by F. G.Stewart,Sur‐veyor, datedOctober 1,1955;saidlot commences at a distanceof 1,892.72feet fromthe corner of Wie‐gandDrive and Highway No.30; subject to re‐strictions, servi‐tudes rights-of-way andoutstanding mineral rights ofrecordaffect‐ing theproperty
Improvements thereonbear the Municipal Number929 (former 641) Wiegand Drive, Westwego, LA 70094 aka929 Wiegand Drive, BridgeCity, LA 70094.
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff
ONECERTAIN LOT OF GROUND together with all of therights, ways, privi‐leges servitudes,ad‐vantagesand appurtenances thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise appertaining; situate, lying and beinginthe CityofWest‐wego, Parish of Jefferson, Stateof Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known asSEGNETTE ESTATES,in accordance with theplanof resubdivision by Dufrene Survey‐ing &Engineer‐ing,Inc datedatHarvey Louisiana,No‐vember2,2004, approved by the CityCouncil for the City of West‐wegounder Or‐dinance No 1296, adopted January 10, 2005 and approved by the Mayor of the CityofWest‐wegoonJanu‐ary 11, 2005, and which ordinanceis registered underEntry No 105O7160, in COB 3139, folio 842, of the Conveyance Recordsofthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,and alsoin accordance with aplanof surveyby Dufrene Survey‐ing andEngi‐neering,Inc., dated at Harvey, Louisiana,Au‐gust23, 2022; and according tosaidplans saidlot is designated as LOT THREE(3) ofSQUAREFOUR (4),which said squareis bounded by Osprey Drive, Pintail Drive, La‐palco Boulevard and ParcelsC and J; and accordingto saidplan, said Lot 3measures NINETYAND 48/100 (90.48') FEET front on Osprey Drive, witha width in the rear of NINETYAND 33/100 (90.33’)
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson TheNew Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12 2025
nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:866-867
WELLSFARGO BANK,N.A., AS TRUSTEEFOR PARK PLACESE‐CURITIES,INC ASSET-BACKED PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES SERIES 2005WHQ2 VERSUS KESTON TARON MIMMITT (A/K/A KESTON MIMMITT, KAS‐TONMIMMITT SR., KASTON T. MIM‐MITT SR KE‐STON T. MIM‐MITT,KESTON MIMMITTSR.) AND THEUNOPENED SUCCESSION OF JOANNWASH‐INGTON MIM‐MITT (A/K/A JOANNWASH‐INGTON,JOANN MIMMITT)
LOT204 OF SQUARE8, which square is bounded by FAIRFAX DRIVE, KJNGSWAY DRIVEEAST (side), WEST‐SIDEDRIVE,THE JEFFERSONPLAQUEMINES LINE (side),THE PLANTERSBYPASSCANAL (side), THEAL‐GIERS OUTFALL CANAL ANDTHE WEST BOUNDARYOF SUBDIVISION andwhich lot commences 545.01 feet from the cornerofWest‐sideDrive and Fairfax Drive and measures thence60 feet fronton Fairfax Drive, samewidth in the rear,by a depth of 120 feetbetween equaland paral‐lel lines. Allin accordance with survey by J.J.Krebs & Sons, Inc., C.E. &S dated March 15, 1988. Andaccording toa survey madebyS.Z.S Consultants datedDecem‐ber 9, 1992, the above-de‐scribedprop‐ertyhas the samelocation, designation and dimensionsas hereinaboveset forth
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated June 5, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: That certain parcelof ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand advantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson, State ofLouisiana,in thatpart thereof known asLakeTimber‐laneEstates, resubdivision approved by or‐dinance no 14581, recorded inCOB 996 folio 813, January, 1981
The property being described asLot 124, Square5,Sec‐tion1
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
g property to wit: TWO CERTAIN LOTSORPOR‐TIONS OF GROUND, to‐getherwithall ofthe buildingsand improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights ways, privi‐leges servitudes,ap‐purtenances, andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise appertaining situated in the ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in thatpart thereofknown as, RIDGELAKE ADDITION,and designatedas LOT NOS. 15 and 16 in SQUARE 90, bounded by HarlemAvenue (nowCauseway Boulevard), 44th and 45th Streetsand the West Line of the Subdivision orAthania Park‐way,which lots measureac‐cording to a map of S.A. Ca‐longne'sSons, C.E.& S.,dated January 25 1940, ablue print of which is attachedtoact beforeJohnF Stafford,N.P dated February 1940 asfollows:Said Lot Nos. 15 and 16inSquare90, adjoineach other andmeasure each24feet front on 45th Street,similar width in the year, by adepth of 120 feet be‐tween equal and parallel lines.SaidLot No. 15 lies nearertoand commences 342 feet from the cornerof45th Street and HarlemAvenue (now Causeway Blvd.) All in accor‐dance with a surveybyAdloe Orr, Jr.& Associ‐ates, C.E. &S., dated March 11,1963. THIS ACTIS MADE, EXE‐CUTED,AND AC‐CEPTEDSUB‐JECTTOTHE FOLLOWING:
y Personal Check withBankLetter ofCredit.
ASHLEY E. MORRIS Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
THEREOF KNOWNAS HOOTER HEIGHTSEXTEN‐SIONSUBDIVI‐SION, ANDAC‐CORDING TO PLAN BY J.J. KREBS& SONS
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated July 29, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:867-082
FEET,bya depthonthe sidelineadjoin‐ing Lot2 of ONE HUNDRED NINE AND 30/100 (109.30’) FEET and a depth on the sidelineadjoin‐ing Lot4 of ONE HUNDRED TEN AND NO/100 (110.00')
FEET
BEINGA POR‐TIONOFTHE SAMEPROP‐ERTYwhich was acquiredby Marrero Land andIm‐provement As‐sociation,Lim‐itedfromSouth‐sidePlantation Company,by actbeforeA.W Cooper,lateNo‐taryPublicof Orleans Parish, datedMarch 2,
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated July 30, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: That certain piece or portion ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall ofthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes, appurtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining, situated in the ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in thatpart thereof known as PARK PLACE SUBDIVISION, SECTION2 being aresubdi‐visionofParcel Z-1 of Park Placeand Parcel26por‐tionofCazalar PlantationT 14 S,R 24 E, into Lots178 through421, all locatedand
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
EMILYA MUELLER Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:865-516 U.S. BANK NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, AS TRUSTEE, FOR THEGSAMP TRUST 2006-HE6MORT‐GAGE PASSTHROUGHCER‐TIFICATES, SE‐RIES 2006-HE6 VERSUS MAIKEN AVERY BUTLER A/K/A MAIKEN A. BUT‐LERA/K/A MAIKEN BUT‐LER, JONATHAN AARON BUTLER A/K/A JONATHAN A. BUTLER A/K/A JONATHAN BUTLER,JASON ANWARBUTLER A/K/AJASON A. BUTLER A/K/A JASON BUTLER AND MARK ERICK POWELL A/K/A
COREYJ.GIROIR
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT
24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:864-285 PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC VERSUS DEMI CUPITAND DELMACUPIT,III
By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated April29, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described i
1. Restrictive Covenants con‐tainedinact, recordedatCOB 169, Page 411, of the official records ofJefferson Parish, Louisiana.
2. Allsuchdedi‐cations,restric‐tions, covenants, easements, rights-of-ways, servitudes reservations, mineralcon‐veyances, setbacklines,en‐croachments, overlaps,and to all othermat‐terswhich might appear onthe official subdivision map ora currentand accuratesurvey ofthe property, and anyrights appearingof record in theoffice of the Clerkand Recorderfor the ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana; subjecttore‐strictions, servi‐tudes,rights-ofway andout‐standingmin‐eralrightsof record affecting the property TheImprove‐ments thereon bearthe Munici‐pal Number 3231 45TH STREET METAIRIE,LA 70001
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, MoneyOrder,or
JUDICIAL ADVERTISE‐MENT 24THJUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:868-674 CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SER‐VICESLLC VS DOROTHY GLASSROBBINS A/K/ADOROTHY G. ROBBINS A/K/ADOROTHY ROBBINS By virtue of and inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause, dated Septem‐ber 23, 2025, I haveseizedand willproceed to selltothe high‐est bidder at publicauction, atthe Jefferson ParishSheriff's Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit: That portionof ground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improve‐ments thereon and allthe rights, ways, privi‐leges,servi‐tudes,appurte‐nancesand ad‐vantagesthere‐unto belongingorin anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Parish of Jefferson,State of Louisiana, in De‐limon Place Subdivision,in SquareD bounded by Rue St. Ann, beinga prolon‐gationofDe‐limon Boule‐vard, Metairie Road, thewest‐ern boundary line of thesubdivi‐sionand Plot B, designatedas Lot 104 on a planofsubdivi‐sionbyJ.J Krebs& Sons, Inc.,dated De‐cember9,1980, approved by or‐dinance no 14694, registered in COB 1002, folio 433 andaccord‐ing theretosaid lot commences 699.35 feet from thein‐tersectionof Delimon Boule‐vardand MetairieRoad and measures thence a first front of 1.34 feet toa pointand thencea further front of 23.82 feet front on RueSt. Ann, a widthinthe rearof24feet, bya depthof 112.36 feet on the side nearestto MetairieRoad and adepth on the opposite sideof104.82 feet
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice is dueatthe
time of thesale.
NOTE: Allfunds mustbe
Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
COREYJ.GIROIR
Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III
Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans
Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025
nov7-dec 12-2t
Complex, 1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana, 70058,onDe‐cember17, 2025 at10o'clock a.m.the follow‐ing described propertytowit:
ONECERTAIN LOT OF GROUND togetherwith all thebuildings and improve‐ments thereon, andall the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes and appurtenances thereunto belonging, or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe VILLAGE OFHARVEY, Parish of Jefferson, State of Louisiana,ac‐cording to a planofsaid subdivision made by JamesS.Webb, C.E., datedAu‐gust18, 1938, and revisedAu‐gust2,1939, a copyof whichplanis annexedtoand madea part of anAct of Sale passedbefore ErnestM Conzelmann, Notary Public, dated February 25, 1942, andac‐cording to said plan said lotisdesig‐nated as fol‐lows:
LOTNO. 3of BLOCK 2, which saidBlock is bounded by Fifth Street,De‐strehan Avenue and First Street (Av‐enue)and Tract No. 1, nowor formerlyofthe Standard OilCompany, and which said lot measures 45.07 feet on First Avenue,45 feetin width on the rearline, by a depth of 128.51 feetseparating itfromLot No.4 by
y 125.95 feet sep‐arating it from Lot No.2.Ac‐cording to asur‐vey made by Wilton S. Dufrene, Land Surveyor, dated October 24, 1972, resur‐veyed Septem‐ber 1, 1978
theabove de‐scribed prop‐ertyhas the samelocation, designation and measurements as detailed hereinabove, said lotisalso bounded by Sixth Street and saidlot is showntocom‐mence at adis‐tance of 105.17 feet from thein‐tersectionof First Avenue and Fifth Street
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
AMYR.ORTIS Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
The New Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12, 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
JEFFERSON STATEOF LOUISIANA NO:867-943
U.S. BANK TRUSTCOM‐PANY,NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS TRUSTEE, AS SUCCESSOR-ININTEREST TO U.S. BANK NA‐TIONAL ASSOCI‐ATION, AS TRUSTEEFOR CITIGROUP MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST INC.,MORTGAGE PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-5 VERSUS MARY MAUK RODRIGUEZAND THEOPENED SUCCESSION OF MANUEL A. RODRIGUEZ, SR ANDTHE OPENED SUC‐CESSION OF DANIEL JOSEPH RODRIGUEZ, SR ANDHILDA MARIEMATH‐ERNE AND MANUEL ADAM RODRIGUEZ, JR. ANDJULIE ANN PLAISANCEAND OLIVER JOSEPH RODRIGUEZAND TROY ANTHONY RODRIGUEZAND DANIEL J. RO‐DRIGUEZ, JR. ANDCRAIG JOSEPH RO‐DRIGUEZ
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of SEIZURE AND SALEfromthe 24thJudicial DistrictCourt, ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,inthe above num‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated August 26, 2025, Ihave seizedand will proceed to sell tothe highest bidderatpublic auction,atthe Jefferson Parish Sheriff'sOffice Complex,1233 WestbankEx‐pressway, Har‐vey,Louisiana 70058, on De‐cember17, 2025 at 10 o'clock
a.m. thefollow‐ing described propertytowit:
That certain piece or portion ofground,to‐getherwithall the buildings and improvements thereon, andall the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,ap‐purtenances andadvantages thereuntobe‐longing or in anywise apper‐taining,situated inthe Bridge City Sub‐division, situ‐atedinthe ParishofJeffer‐son,State of Louisiana,in that part thereof known as West ParkHeights Subdivision with theCityof Westwego, andaccording toa survey by Don A. Garland, C.E., datedJuly 24, 1971, said lot is designated as Lot 89 of Square 106 thereof, which said squareis bounded by Kenney Drive, 13thStreet, LeCompte Drive and 17thStreet, and commences ata distance of 1137 feetfromthe in‐tersectionof 13thStreet, and KenneyDrive, and measures thence 71 feet front on Kenny Drive,the same width in the rear, by adepth of 70.75 feet be‐tween equal and parallel lines.Further in accordance with asurvey datedSept. 6, 1972 by Gilbert, Kelly &Cou‐turie,Inc
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS -The full purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
AMYR.ORTIS Attorney for Plaintiff JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: November 7, 2025, December 12 2025 nov7-dec 12-2t
g g
Byvirtueofand inobedience to a Writ of FIERI FACIASfromthe First Parish Court,Parishof Jefferson,State ofLouisiana,in the abovenum‐bered andenti‐tledcause dated Septem‐ber 4, 2024, I haveseizedand willproceed to selltothe high‐est bidder at publicauction
Office Complex, 1233 Westbank Expressway, Harvey, Louisiana, 70058, on Janu‐ary 21, 2026 at 10o'clock a.m. the following described prop‐ertytowit: THAT CERTAIN CONDOMINIUM PARCEL in RIVERSIDE COURTCONDO‐MINIUM, acondominium created by that certain Declara‐tionCreating and Establish‐ing a Condominium Regime for Riverside Court Condominium executed by Berkshire Development Corporation, datedNovem‐ber 14, 1983, filedinthe Of‐fice of theClerk of Courtfor the ParishofJeffer‐son on Novem‐ber 14, 1983, under EntryNo. 8348065 designated as UNIT413, to‐getherwithan undivided .557 per cent inter‐est in the commonele‐ments,PHASE I ofsaidcondo‐miniumand is situatedonLots 2-Y and 2-R, Bissonnet Plaza,Jefferson Parrish,as shown on the surveyby Walker& Avery, Inc.,dated Au‐gust22, 1983, a copyofwhich is filedwiththe Declaration of Condominium abovereferred. Theimprove‐ments thereon bearMunicipal Number6200 Ackel,Unit413, Metairie, LA 70003. Beingthe same propertyac‐quiredbyGuy W.Grieves from Federal National MortgageAsso‐i i b f
ciationbyact of caresaledated February16, 1990, recorded atCOB 2301, folio 0304, records of Jef‐fersonParish, Louisiana
This sale is sub‐jecttoall supe‐riorsecurityin‐terests,mort‐gages,liens and privileges.
TERMS- Thefull purchaseprice isdue at the timeofthe sale
NOTE:All funds mustbe Cashier's Check, Certified Check, Money Order, or PersonalCheck withBankLetter ofCredit.
ROCH P. POELMAN Attorney for Plaintiff
JOSEPH P. LOPINTO, III Sheriff Parish of Jefferson
TheNew Orleans Advocate: December 12, 2025, January16, 2026 dec12-jan16-2t
