The Times-Picayune 12-13-2025

SAINTS PLAYINGSPOILER IN NFCSOUTH, BUT

“This rule would turn theClean WaterAct on itshead.”

MARK DAVIS,director of Tulane University’s InstituteonWater Resources Lawand Policy

EPAplans to reduce wetlandprotections

Rule change couldopenmillionsofacres to development

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

Aproposed federalrule could dramatically reduce the numberof wetlandsinLouisiana that qualify forprotection under the Clean Water Act, amove that could expose millions of acres to development

Under the proposal from the Environmental Protection Agencyand the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, only wetlandswitha“continuous surface connection” to waters that are “relatively permanent” —meaning they hold water year-round or with only brief interruptions would remain federally protected. Wetlandsthatare seasonal, intermittent or connected only after storms would likely fall outside federaljurisdiction.

The changeisintended to conform with the U.S. Supreme Court’s2023 ruling in Sackett v. Environmental

Protection Agency,which sharply restricted how wetlands can be regulated

But the new proposed rule, issued lastmonth, goes further by removingseveral long-standing categories of protected water, such as interstate waters, and by formally definingterms that arelikely to make federaloversightevennarrower

“This rule would turn the Clean Water Act on itshead,” saidMark Davis,the director of Tulane University’sInstituteonWater Resources Lawand Policy

Areport from theNaturalResources Defense Council, an environmentaladvocacy nonprofit, estimatesthatupto3.9 millionacres of Louisiana wetlands—roughly half of thestate’sremaining wetlands —could loseprotection under the proposed rule. Nationally,the group projects that as muchas84% of wet-

lands protectedbefore theSackett ruling, or 55 million acres, could fall outside federal authority Since the1930s, Louisiana has lost more than2,000 square miles of wetlands.

TheEPA,led by Administrator Lee Zeldin,said theproposal is designed to provide legal clarity by defining a“Water of the United States,” or area protectedunder theCleanWaterAct.

“Democrat Administrations have weaponizedthe definitionofnavigable waters to seize more power from American farmers, landowners, entrepreneurs, andfamilies,” Zeldin said in astatement. “No longershould America’slandowners be forced to spend precious money hiring an attorney or consultant just to tell them whether aWater of the United States is on their property.”

ä See WETLANDS, page 4A

Dayofservice,festival to be held that weekend

BY BLAKEPATERSON Staff writer

Mayor-elect Helena Moreno’sinauguration weekend will feature acitywide day of service anda freefestivalinLafayette Square showcasingNew Orleans musicand culture ahead of a Jan.12ceremonyatthe SaengerTheatre, where she will take the oath of office. In adeparture from years past, Moreno will not hold an inauguralball. Theweekend of events will be fundedbyprivate donations andnot city funds, Moreno said.

“What we want to do with the inauguration is make sure that really the entire city feels like it is apartofit,” Moreno said Fridayatanews

See MORENO, page 5A

Cantrell vetoes Moreno’s budget

In one of her last official acts as the city’schief executive, Mayor LaToya Cantrell on Friday vetoed the 2026 budgetthat was largely put together by her successor Helena Moreno, who takes office on Jan. 12.

The New Orleans City Council earlier this month finalized a$1.6 billion municipal spending plan for2026 that it said would help stabilize

Deadly crashesalong newAmtrakroute causesafetyconcerns

Mississippiplans to installmorelights, gatesatcrossings

BY POET WOLFE and MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer/Sun Herald

Geneva Ellegant sat outsideher Alabama home on aTuesday morning, remembering her daughter’s witty humor,gift for painting and beautiful singing voice.

“She was my easy child,” Ellegant said of Tavianna, who went by Tavi.

Nearly three months earlier, Tavi Ellegant hadleft work with her boyfriend, Chase Craddock, to return to their home in Long Beach, Mississippi, where the couplecared forhis father and grandmother.Asthey crossed the tracks in Pass Christian, Mississippi, an Amtrak train on the new MardiGras route between New Orleansand Mobile struck their vehicle. Both were killed. She was 24, andhewas 31. Since the crash, Elleganthas feared that fatal collisions like the one in September could become more common along the line, where some crossings —including

the one where her daughter died —have only flashing lights and no gates.

Twomore crashes have occurred along the servicesince: One in Gautier,Mississippi, in November that killed a40-year-old man, and another in Irvington, Alabama, last week, in which the driver survived. Both of those crossings had gates and caution lights.

Therisingnumber of collisions since the line began operating in August has raised concernsamong some residents about whether existing safetymeasures are

ä See CRASHES, page 4A

STAFFFILE PHOTOBySOPHIAGERMER The Amtrak Mardi Gras line began service in August.

STAFFPHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Mayor-elect Helena Moreno speaksduring anews conferenceonFriday at Gallier Hall.

STAFF FILEPHOTO By JOHN McCUSKER

Wetlands surround ahomeinSlidell’sAvery Estates. Aproposed federal rule could dramatically reduce thenumber of wetlands in Louisiana that qualify for protection under the CleanWater Act.

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Shot Guard member

moved to rehabilitation

A West Virginia National Guard member who was shot last month in the nation’s capital is being transitioned from hospital acute care to inpatient rehabilitation, a doctor said Friday Staff. Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was airlifted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center with a critical gunshot wound to the head on Nov 26. Wolfe and Spc. Sarah Beckstrom were ambushed as they patrolled a subway station three blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died the next day Wolfe has “made extraordinary progress,” Dr Jeffrey Mai, a MedStar neurosurgeon, said in a news release “He is now breathing on his own and can stand with assistance — important milestones that reflect his strength and determination. Based on these improvements, he is now ready to transition from acute care to inpatient rehabilitation as the next step in his recovery journey.” Wolfe’s family chose not to disclose the location of his rehabilitation. His parents, Melody and Jason Wolfe, expressed gratitude to the hospital, its doctors, nurses and staff.

“The care has been remarkable, and they have told us Andy’s progress is miraculous,” the couple said in a statement released through the hospital.

EU indefinitely freezes Russian assets

BRUSSELS The European Union on Friday indefinitely froze Russia’s assets in Europe to ensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, can’t prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine.

Using a special procedure meant for economic emergencies, the EU blocked the assets until Russia gives up its war on Ukraine and compensates its neighbor for the heavy damage that it has inflicted for almost four years.

EU Council President António Costa said European leaders had committed in October “to keep Russian assets immobilized until Russia ends its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates for the damage caused. Today we delivered on that commitment.”

It’s a key step that will allow EU leaders to work out at a summit next week how to use the tens of billions of euros in Russian Central Bank assets to underwrite a huge loan to help Ukraine meet its financial and military needs over the next two years.

“Next step: securing Ukraine’s financial needs for 2026-27,” added Costa, who will chair the Dec. 18 summit.

The move also prevents the assets, estimated to total around $247 billion, from being used in any negotiations to end the war without European approval.

Pope urges ethics to Italian secret agents

ROME Pope Leo XIV met Friday with members of Italy’s intelligence services and warned them not to use confidential information for blackmailing or other nefarious purposes Leo urged the 007s, as the Italian agents are popularly known, to do their work professionally and ethically, always respecting the human dignity of those caught up in their investigations.

The audience was unusual, believed to be a first between a pope and Italy’s intelligence services, which are celebrating their centennial this year Italy’s secret agents work closely with Vatican law enforcement, particularly during this Holy Year when some 30 million pilgrims have flocked to Rome to visit the Vatican.

Leo thanked the agents for their work and acknowledged the difficulty and delicacy of their responsibilities. But he also reminded them of the limits of their authority and the need to keep a moral compass, warning them against falling to temptations He said they must remain “vigilant to ensure that confidential information is not used to intimidate, manipulate, blackmail, or discredit politicians journalists, or other actors in civil society.”

DOJ wants contempt probe blocked

Feds want judge’s inquiry into mass deportation case halted

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Justice Department asked an appeals court Friday to block a contempt investigation of the Trump administration for failing to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador in March.

The department also is seeking Chief Judge James Boasberg’s removal from the case, accusing him of a “radical, retaliatory, unconstitutional campaign” against the Trump administration.

It marks a dramatic escalation in the Justice Department’s lengthy feud with the judge appointed to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, setting the stage for a showdown over the judiciary’s

power to serve as a check on an administration that has pushed the boundaries of court orders.

The department wants the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to rule on its requests before Monday, when Boasberg is scheduled to hear testimony from a former government attorney who filed a whistleblower complaint Department officials claim Boasberg is biased and creating “a circus that threatens the separation of powers and the attorney-client privilege alike.”

“The forthcoming hearing has every appearance of an endless fishing expedition aimed at an everwidening list of witnesses and prolonged testimony That spectacle is not a genuine effort to uncover any relevant facts,” they wrote.

Boasberg has said that a recent ruling by the appeals court gave him the authority to proceed with the contempt inquiry The judge is trying to determine if there is sufficient evidence to refer the matter for prosecution.

Boasberg, who has been chief judge of the district court in Washington, D.C., since March 2023, has said the Trump administration may have “acted in bad faith” by trying to rush Venezuelan migrants out of the country in defiance of his order blocking their deportations to El Salvador

In an April 16 order, the judge said he gave the administration ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions” but concluded that “none of their responses has been satisfactory.”

“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it,” Boasberg wrote.

The Trump administration has denied any violation, saying the judge’s March 15 directive to return the planes was made verbally in court but not included in his written order

Trump called for impeaching Boasberg in March. In July the Justice Department filed a miscon-

Wash. flooding triggers rescues, evacuations

BY CEDAR ATTANASIO and CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Wash. — Record floodwa-

ters began slowly receding in Washington state on Friday after triggering evacuations, inundating communities and prompting dramatic rescues from rooftops and vehicles. But authorities warned that waters would still be high for days, and that danger from potential levee failures remained.

“This is not just a one- or two-day crisis,” Gov Bob Ferguson said at a news briefing. “These water levels have been historic, and they’re going to remain very high for an extended period of time.”

President Donald Trump has signed the state’s request for an emergency declaration, Ferguson said.

An unusually strong atmospheric river dumped a foot or more of rain in parts of western Washington over several days and swelled rivers. No deaths have been reported, Ferguson said.

Authorities have yet to estimate the costs, but photos and videos show widespread damage, with entire communities or neighborhoods flooded around western and central Washington. Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues, debris and mudslides have closed highways, and raging torrents have washed out roads or bridges.

Officials issued “go now” orders Wednesday to tens of thousands of residents in the Skagit River flood plain north of Seattle, including the farming city of Burlington, home to nearly 10,000 people. By Friday morning, muddy water overflowed a slough and rushed into homes, prompting more urgent warnings for Burlington

National Guard members knocked on hundreds of doors in Burlington early Friday to tell residents about the evacuation notice and help transport them to a shelter if needed By late morning the evacuation order was lifted for part of the city and waters were slowly receding. But the river remained high, and flash flooding remained a risk due to prolonged pressure on the levees.

The Skagit River drains a wide swath of the rugged Cascade Range before winding west across broad, low-lying farmlands and tulip fields on its way to Puget Sound. Cities like Burlington sit on that delta, leaving them especially vulnerable to floods.

The river crested overnight at 37 feet in the valley’s biggest city Mount Vernon, surpassing the previous record by

a few inches. A flood wall completed in Mount Vernon in 2018 held fast and protected the downtown area.

About 1,000 Burlington residents had to evacuate in the middle of the night, Ferguson said. The water was reportedly 2 to 3 feet deep in certain areas as it flooded homes, police department spokesperson Michael Lumpkin said.

Mario Rincón had been staying at a hotel with his family, including a week-old infant. They returned to their Burlington property Friday but couldn’t get inside to assess the damage, as murky floodwaters reached partway up the first floor He had moved some items upstairs in anticipation.

“It’s going to be a few days before the water recedes,” he said. “We’re going to be looking where to stay in the meantime, and it’s kind of difficult because my mom and my mother-in-law are visiting from Mexico until the end of December for the holidays.”

The heaviest rain is over in the region, but the impact remains widespread.

“It’s going to take a while for the floodwaters to recede,” said Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department’s emergency management division. “There’s a lot of water that fell in the mountains and it’s gonna take its time to work through the river drainages.”

More rain is expected beginning Sunday That will cause rivers to rise again, Ezelle said.

Near the U.S.-Canada border, Sumas, Nooksack and Everson — which together have about 6,500 residents were inundated. The border crossing at Sumas was closed.

Sumas Mayor Bruce Bosch said much of the city had been “devastated” — just four years after a similar flood. In a social media message, he acknowledged the community was anxious to return to their homes.

“Hang in there,” he wrote.

In King County, crews worked through the night to fill a sinkhole on a levee along the Green River in the Seattle suburb of Tukwila, county executive Girmay Zahilay said Friday Another county wastewater employee got trapped inside a treatment facility during flooding but continued to work for days to keep critical plant operations running, Zahilay said.

“That commitment protected public health for millions of people,” he said.

Authorities across Washington state in recent days have rescued people from cars and homes.

duct complaint accusing Boasberg of making improper public comments about Trump and his administration.

In a social media post Friday, Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Boasberg of engaging in “lawless judicial activism.”

“This radical, retaliatory, unconstitutional campaign against the Trump Administration will not stand,” Bondi wrote.

Boasberg has scheduled a hearing Monday for testimony by former Justice Department attorney Erez Reuveni, whose whistleblower complaint claims a top department official suggested the Trump administration might have to ignore court orders as it prepared to deport Venezuelan migrants.

The judge also scheduled a hearing Tuesday for testimony by Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign. The Justice Department has said Ensign conveyed Boasberg’s March 15 oral order and a subsequent written order to the Department of Homeland Security

Thai and Cambodian leaders agree to renew ceasefire, Trump says

BY AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said on Friday that Thai and Cambodian leaders have agreed to renew a truce after days of deadly clashes had threatened to undo a ceasefire the U.S. administration had helped broker earlier this year

Trump announced the agreement to restart the ceasefire in a social media posting following calls with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.

“They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” Trump said in his Truth Social posting.

Thai and Cambodian officials offered no immediate comment following

Trump’s announcement Anutin, after speaking with Trump but before the U.S. president’s social media posting, said he reiterated to Trump that Thailand’s position was to keep fighting until Cambodia no longer poses a threat to its sovereignty Trump, a Republican, said that Ibrahim played an important role in helping him push Thailand and Cambodia to once again agree to stop fighting.

“It is my Honor to work with Anutin and Hun in resolving what could have evolved into a major War between two otherwise wonderful and prosperous Countries!” Trump added. The original ceasefire in July was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEPHEN BRASHEAR

Eric Gustin paddles to dry land after rescuing one of several chickens from a flooded coop on Friday in Burlington, Wash.

Johnson unveilsGOP health care plan

Republicans scramble after Senate billsfail

BY KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Senate failed to get anywhere on the health care issue this week. Now it’sthe House’sturn to showwhat it can do.

Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled aRepublican alternative late Friday,alast-minute sprint as his party refusesto extend the enhanced taxsubsidies for those who buypolicies through the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare, which are expiring at the end of the year.Those subsidies help lower the cost of coverage. Johnson, R-Benton, huddled behind closed doors in the morning —ashedid days earlier this week— working to assemble the package for consideration as the House focuses the final days of its 2025 work on health care.

“House Republicans are tackling the real driversof health care costs to provide affordablecare,” Johnson said in astatement announcing the package. He said it would be voted on next week.

Time is running out for Congress to act. Democrats engineered the longest federal government shutdown ever this fallina failed effort to forceRepublicans to the negotiating table on health care. But after promising votes, the Senate failed thisweek to advance both a Republican health care plan and the Democratic-offered billtoextend the taxcredits for three years.

Now,with just days to go, Congress is about to wrapup its work with no consensus solution in sight.

Republican proposal

The House Republicans offered a100-plus page package that focuses on long-sought GOP proposals to enhance access to employer-sponsored health insurance plans and clamp down on so-called pharmacy benefit managers. Republicans proposeexpanding access to what’s

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, prepares to speak Wednesday following astrategy session withHouse Republicans at theCapitol in Washington.

referred toasassociation health plans, which would allowmoresmall businesses andself-employedindividuals to band together and purchasehealth coverage.

Proponents say such plans increase theleverage businesses have to negotiatea lower rate. But critics say the plansprovide skimpier coveragethan what is required under theAffordable CareAct

TheRepublicans’ proposal would also require more data frompharmacybenefit managers, or PBMs, as away to help control drug costs. Critics say PBMs have padded their bottom line and made it more difficult for independent pharmacists to survive. Additionally, theGOP plan includes mentionofcostsharingreductions for some lower-income people who rely on Obamacare, but those do nottakeeffect until January 2027.

The emerging package fromthe House Republicans does not include an extension of an enhanced tax credit formillions of Americans who get insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Put in place during the COVID-19crisis,that enhancedsubsidy expires Dec. 31,leaving mostfamiliesin the programfacing more than doubletheircurrent out-of-pocket premiums, and in some cases, much more.

What Trumpwants PresidentDonaldTrump, speaking at aholiday party

at the White House, saidhe believes Republicans are going to figure outa better planthanObamacare something he has promised for years —but he offered few details beyond his idea for providing Americans withstipends to help buy insurance.

“Wemakebeautiful, big payments directly to the people and they buytheir own health insurance,” Trumpsaid at Thursday night’s reception.

The president had touted his proposal for sending money directly to Americans to help offsetthe costs of healthcarepolicies, rather than extending the tax credits for those buyingpoliciesthrough Obamacare. It’sunclear howmuch money Trump envisions

The SenateGOP proposal that failed to advance would have provided payments to newhealth savings accounts of $1,000 ayear for adult enrollees,or$1,500 for those ages 50 to 64.

It appeared therewere no such health savings accounts in the newHouse GOP plan.

Politicalpressurebuilding

Going Johnson’sroute has left vulnerable House Republicans representing key battleground districts in a tough spot

Frustratedwith the delays, agroup of more centrist GOP lawmakers is aligning with Democrats to push their own proposals for continuing the tax credits, for now, so that Americans don’tface rising health care costs.

They arepursuing several paths forpassing atemporary ACA subsidy extension, co-sponsoring ahandful of bills. They are alsosigning onto so-called discharge petitions that could force a floor vote if amajority of the House signs on.

Such petitionsare designed to getaroundthe majority’s control andare rarely successful, butthisyearhas proved to be an exception. Lawmakers, for example, were able to useadischarge petition to force avote on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files held by the Department of Justice.

Maryland, on Fridayafter amandatorycheckatthe Immigration and

Enforcement office in Baltimore after he was released from

ajudge’s order

Immigrationofficials blocked from holdingAbregoGarcia

Federaljudge issues orderincaseof previously wrongfully deported man

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

BALTIMORE Afederal judge blocked U.S. immigration authorities on Fridayfrom re-detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia, sayingshe feared they might takehim into custody again just hours after she had ordered his releasefrom a detention center

The order came as Abrego Garcia appeared at ascheduled appointment at an Immigrationand Customs Enforcementfieldoffice roughly 14 hoursafter he walked outofimmigration detention facility in Pennsylvania. Hislawyers hadsentan urgent request to the judge, warning that ICE officials could immediately place him back intocustody.Instead,AbregoGarcia exited thebuilding after ashort appointment, emerging to cheers from supporters who had gathered outside. Speaking briefly to the crowd,heurged others to “stand tall” against what he described as injustices carried out by the government. Abrego Garciabecame aflashpoint of theTrump administration’s immigration crackdown earlier this year when he was wrongly deportedtoanotorious prison in El Salvador.He

was last taken intocustody in August during asimilar check-in.

Officials cannotre-detain him until the court conducts ahearing on the motion for the temporary restraining order,U.S. DistrictJudge Paula Xinis in Maryland said. She wrote that Abrego Garcia is likely to succeed on the meritsofany further request forrelief from ICE detention.

“Forthe publictohave anyfaith in theorderlyadministration of justice, the Court’snarrowly crafted remedy cannot be so quickly and easily upended without further briefingand consideration,” she wrote.

Abrego Garcia on Friday stopped at anewsconference outside thebuilding, escorted by agroup of supporters chanting “Weare all Kilmar!”

“I stand before you afree manand Iwant youtoremembermethis way, with my head held up high,” Abrego Garcia said through atranslator. “I come here today with so much hope andIthank God who has been with me sincethe start with my family.”

He urged people to keep fighting.

AfterAbrego Garcia spoke, he went through security at the field office, escorted by supporters.

When Abrego Garcia’s attorney,Simon SandovalMoshenberg,announced to the crowdassembled outside that his client would walkback out the field office’sdoors again, he stressed that the legal fight was not over

“Yesterday’sorderfrom Judge Xinis and now the temporary restraining orderthis morning represent avictory of law over power,” Sandoval-Moshenberg said. The agency freed him just before 5p.m. on Thursday in response to aruling fromXinis, who wrote federal authorities detained him after his return to the United States without any legal basis.

Abrego Garcia is aSalvadoran citizen with an American wife and child who has lived in Maryland for years. He immigrated to the U.S. illegally as ateenager to joinhis brother,who hadbecome aU.S.citizen. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protectionfrombeing deported back to hishomecountry, where he faces danger from agang that targeted his family While he wasallowedto live and work in the U.S. under ICE supervision, he was not given residency status. Earlier this year,hewas mistakenly deported and held in anotoriously brutal Salvadoranprisondespite having no criminal record.

BY KATE PAYNE Associated Press/ Reportfor America

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.

Florida officials are plowing ahead with aproposal to roll back certain vaccine mandates for the state’s schoolchildren, after Republican Gov.Ron DeSantis called for the state to become the first in thenation to eliminate all schoolvaccination requirements.

Pediatricians, infectious disease physicians and teachers have decried the push to undermine vaccines, which for generations have been a cornerstone of public health policy for keeping children and adults safe from potentially deadly —but preventable —diseases.

Experts have warned that doing away with the mandates could allow for adan-

gerousresurgenceofpreventable childhooddiseases and deaths, amounting toa reversal of one of the greatest advancements in public health history

Dozens of parents, physicians, educators and advocates crowded into ahotel conference room in Panama City Beach on Friday to testify on arule change proposed by the Florida Department of Health thatwould eliminate requirements that Florida children receive the hepatitis B, varicella andHaemophilusinfluenzae type b or Hibvaccinesinorder to attendpublic or privateK-12 schools. The proposal also doesaway with arequirement forthe pneumococcal conjugatevaccine for childrenattendingchild care facilities.

Otherstatemandates relatedto vaccines for polio,

mumps, tetanusand other diseases are enshrined in Florida law and would require legislative action tobe rolledback.

Pediatrician Eehab Kenawy,who practices in Panama City, detailed twounvaccinated childrenhis hospital has cared for in the past six months,both of whom contracted Hib, which can cause severe infections andbrain swelling.

“One child unfortunately succumbed at fourmonths of age. No vaccines,” Kenawy said.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who has long clashed with the medical establishment, has cast current requirements in schools and elsewhere as “immoral” intrusions on people’s rights thathamper parents’ability to make health decisions for their children.

ASSOCIATEDPERSS PHOTOBySTEPHANIE SCARBROUGH

Kilmar AbregoGarcia, center,leaveswith LydiaWalther-Rodriguez, right, of Casa in

Customs

detention on Thursdayunder

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

WETLANDS

Continued frompage1A

Amap produced by NRDC from federal data illustrates the potential impactinLouisiana. Coastal wetlandsthat are continuously connected to the Gulf of Mexicoare likely to remain protected. But inland wetlands —including wetlandsareasinparishes such as Avoyelles, Concordiaand St. Tammany —could lose federal safeguards.

Other parts of the state, including deep marshes in lower Terrebonne Parish and wetlands near the mouth of the Mississippi River,appear as gaps on the mapbecause water thereis considered sufficientlydeep and permanent to retain federal protections. The map focuses on areas whereprotection status is likely up for debate.

Even so,the analysis is only an estimate. Determiningwhether awetland is protected requires asitespecific assessment, which can be time-consuming and costly.That’sone reason the homebuilding and agricultural industries have pushed for anarrower federal rule.

“Whenthe Clean Water Act passed, it was the best thing that ever happened. We needed it,” said Randall Noel, the president of Reve Inc., ahomebuilding company in Laplace, and aformer president of the National Homebuilders Association, which supports the proposed rule. Butin

CRASHES

Continued from page1A

sufficient to prevent more crashes. Sometransportation leaders saythe recent incidents maybecoincidental and urge drivers along the route to be vigilant as train traffic increases.

Now,the safety measures along the Mississippi Coast are beginning to shift. The state’sDepartment of Transportation plans to install lights and gates at all crossings along the coast and intends to add more gates in Pass Christian in the coming months, according to Josh Stubbs, directorofaeronautics and rails at MDOT

The addition of Amtrak in aregion already busywith freightoperations means “more chances each day for something to happen,” Stubbs said. Louisiana and Alabama were among the top 10 states for highway-rail grade crossing collisions in 2024, with 176 collisions, 76 injuries and 9deaths combined, according to data provided by Operation Lifesaver

Still, Stubbs saiditremained unclear whether the crashes involving the Mardi Gras service pointed to broader safety issues, noting there are no comparable routes in the regiontoanalyzethe collision numbers.

“Hopefully,” he added, “it’s justsomesad coincidences.”

Amtrak’sreturnto the Gulf Coast has been popular.More than 420 people, on average, ride the trains

theyears since itwas first passed, Noelsaid thelaw’s scope has expandedpast its original intent. “A quarter of Americans can’t afford ahouse, in part duetothe costsrequired for wetlandsdeterminations at thebeginning of aproject,” he said.Noelpointedtoa sugar canefield he hoped to build on that was initially classified as awetland, adecisionhedisputed. He said thenew rule wouldmake thepermitting process more predictable.

But environmentalgroups saythe proposal would leave large portions of the state vulnerable. Wetlandsact as natural storm-surgebuffers, slow theflow of floodwaters, filter pollution and provide crucial habitat for fisheries. Thosefunctionscould be compromised if protections arelifted.

“It will reduce the number of streams, wetlandsand other waters that theClean Water Act protectsfrompollution and destruction,”said Matthew McKinzie, asenior director with the NRDC. “Even forthose waters that remaintechnically protected,itwillmakeitharder to enforce thelaw against illegalpolluters.”

Davis argues that the rule’slack of clarity means it couldmake permitting decisions more difficult.

The agency says awetland must be connected to a relatively permanent water body at leastduring the area’s wetseason,thoughthe rule does not define when that season occurs.

between New Orleans and Mobile each day.The Southern Rail Commission last week calledthe route “one of themostsuccessful service launches in Amtrak’s history.”

Transportationleaders sayAmtrak’sreturnalso carries severalrisks.The GulfCoast is apopulous area with dozensofrailroad crossings. Kimbler Sloan, the executive directorofa nonprofit rail safety group called MississippiOperation Lifesaver, said younger residentsacross theregion may still be getting used to more frequentAmtraktrains.

“Wetry our best to push safety,”saidSloan, who oftenreminds drivers that trains cannot stop quickly “But there’sonly so much that we can do to spread the message.”

On the Mississippi Coast, state and nonprofit leaders have sought to improve safety at railroadcrossings. Mississippi Operation Lifesaver placed billboards near railroad crossings inGulfport andBiloxi asking driversto be cautious near thetracks. The nonprofit has also targeted railroad crossingsafety advertisements that pop up on cellphones when people are neartraintracks.

MDOT finished leveling inclines around railroad crossings this year in Long Beach in an attempt to stop semi trucks from gettingstuck on the tracks, and there are plans to expand theproject to Pass Christian, Gulfport and Biloxi.

The safetyequipment at

Louisianawetlandstolose federal protection

Aproposed changefrom the Environmental Protection Agencywould strip huge swaths of wetlands of federal protection. In Louisiana, astate known for its wetlands, areport finds that up to 3.9million acres of wetlands could lose federal protection.

Wetlands likelyto lose protections

Wetlands likelyto retain protections

Land areas

Parish boundaries

“Whatisthe ‘wet season’? Nobody knows,” Davis said. “For something that’ssupposed to eliminate confu-

sion,itcreatesa lotofconfusion.”

The EPAand Army Corps publishedthe proposalon

Nov.17and are accepting public comments through Jan. 5. Afterthe comment period closes, the agencies

each crossing is installed and maintained by CSX, the large freight railroad that owns much of the track, after consultation with state andlocal highway officials, who determine thetype of equipment required,according to aCSX spokesperson.

Regulations forrailroad crossings vary by state, and Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama do not require gates or flashing warning signs at everycrossing, according to the U.S. DepartmentofTransportation. The only minimum requirement is acrossbuck sign.

Even at crossing gates, drivers sometimes go around them, Amtrak spokespersonMarcMagliari said. In Gautier and Irvington, the trains hit drivers whomaneuveredpast the lowered gates.

“The gates areanenhancement of awarning device,” Magliarisaid. “It’snot a force field.”

Thethreecrashes along the Gulf Coast corridor,he added, are “not necessarily somefactor of percentages morethan somewhere else.”

Magliari said Amtrak prepares for situations like the oneinIrvington by providingeducational materials on railroad safety,including guidanceonwhattodoif your vehicle is on the tracks as atrain approaches. He said the company plans to continue those efforts along the Gulf Coast, where there had been no Amtrak service for more than 20 years.

“We’re going to keep up theefforts,” Magliari said.

“We’re certainly not letting up.”

GenevaEllegant doesn’t have asolution to prevent crashes like theone that took herdaughter’slife, but she believes there should be stronger safetymeasures along the GulfCoast corridor

“These trains arecoming through residential areas,” she said, “and there needs to be better indicators because this is going to happen more

frequently,especially now that Amtrak is back.”

She spent Tuesday morning remembering her daughter’sloving nature and her close relationship with Chase Craddock, her boyfriend of morethantwo years. Ellegant showed a photograph of thecouple smiling.

“Ifyou look at her face in this picture,” she said, “That’sgenuine happiness.” She also described her

daughter’screative streak —her sketchbook filled with drawings she hadmade for her little brother,her Gothic fashion style and her love forsewing. The crash reopened a wound for Ellegant, who lost her son years ago. She said she is trying to push through the grief,adding, “You don’t get over this, but you do get through it.”

“Itjust, it hurts,” she said. “Itreally hurts.”

out-of-pocketcan comeasashock, leading people to put offorevengowithout care.

Simply put—without dentalinsurance, there maybe an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

Medicare doesn’t pay fordental care.

That’s right.Asgood as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocover everything. That means if you wantprotection, youneed to purchase individualinsurance.

Early detection canprevent smallproblems from becoming expensive ones.

The best way to preventlarge dental bills is preventivecare. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twicea year.

Staffgraphic by DANSWENSON

Louisiana, CVSagree to settle drug pricedispute

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Louisiana has agreed to settle two lawsuits against CVS Health that were filed earlier this year over the company’streatment of independent pharmaciesand its general business practices, court records show The terms of the settlement were not immediately available. On Friday, aspokesperson forAttorney General Liz Murrill said he could not yet provide details. Aspokesperson forCVS declined to comment. The cases represent twoofthree actions Murrill brought against CVS in June after state leaders

MORENO

Continued from page1A

clashed with the health care giant because it ownsbothapharmacy benefitmanager,orPBM, anda pharmacy retailchain.

PBMs act as middlemen between pharmacies,health careplans and drug manufacturers by negotiatingdrug prices. They are supposed to create lower prices, but critics say they have too much control over thedrug market, drive out competitionand limitwhere peoplecan fill their prescriptions.

Abill that sparked afierce fight betweenCVS andGov.Jeff Landry’sadministration inJune would have barred companies from owning both PBMs and pharmacies, which critics described as an unfair practice.

conference at Gallier Hall, unveiling theschedule forher “All In forNew Orleans” inaugural celebration.

“This weekend will belong to everyone. We are all in together,” added Gayle Benson, owner of theSaints and Pelicans and chair of Moreno’sinauguration committee.

The weekend of events beginsonthe morningofSaturday,Jan.10, with the “All In for Our Community: Citywide Day of Service,” in which volunteers will work alongside the nonprofit HandsOn New Orleanstocomplete beautification and improvement projects at New Orleans Recreation DevelopmentCommission parks,playgrounds and recreation facilities in all

VETOES

Continued from page1A

the city amidamonthslong fiscal crisis. Theplan was much changed from Cantrell’sproposed$1.6 billion budget, which Moreno said was “unworkable.”

In astatement Friday, Cantrell said that she vetoedthe budget ordinances approved by the council because the “amendments passed by the City Council rely on revenue that is uncertain, unverified, or based on one-time sources.”

“AsMayor, Ihave aresponsibility to ensure that New Orleans operates with abalanced, sustainable, and legally sound budget,” Cantrell said.

But Council President JP Morrell, District ACity Council member Joe Giarrusso, whochairsthe council budget committee and who Moreno has tapped as her next chief administrative officer,District Bcouncil member Lesli Harris and District Ccouncil member Freddie King said that they would vote to override Cantrell’sveto at their next meeting on Thursday

At leastfivevotes are neededtooverride amayoral veto.

Morrell accused Cantrell of “having atempertantrum” and described her as a “rogue executive who wants to burn down everything on their way out.”

He defended the budget approved by the council as being based on “sustainable

five City Council districts.

Ultimately, House Bill 358 failed, andthe Louisiana Legislature instead passed adifferent bill establishing newrules around how PBMscan operate.

Butinthe following weeks, Murrill took theissuetocourt, filing three separate lawsuits, all alleging unfair trade practices.

Onelawsuit argued CVS used its size and control of insurers, PBMs anddrug stores to edge outcompetition and drive up drug costs. Another alleged the company exacted unfair fees on and systematically under-reimbursed independent pharmacies.

CVS disputedthose claims, arguing it delivered better value to patientsand easier access tocare.

Following that event, Moreno’sinaugurationcommittee will hold the “All in forOur Culture: Free Community Festival” in Lafayette Square, afree, open-to-the-public festival featuring NewOrleans musicians, food trucks, cultural organizations and familyfriendly activities.

On Sunday,Jan. 11, aMasswill be held at St.Louis Cathedral featuring interfaith blessings and music. The invitation-only event will be livestreamed for thepublic.

The festivities culminate with the inauguration ceremony at 9a.m. on Jan. 12 at theSaenger,whereMoreno and incoming council members will be sworn in and Moreno will give a speech. The ceremony will also include musical performances and will be livestreamed for the public.

Morenosaidthe private donors who

revenue streams without taxing citizens into oblivion.”

Aspokesperson for Cantrell did not immediatelyrespond to Morrell’s statement.

Todd Ragusa,a spokesperson for Moreno’stransition team, said Friday that “since beingelected,HelenaMoreno worked 24/7 with the City Council …tounanimously pass abalanced budget.”

“Mayor-elect Moreno inherited a$222.4 million budgetdeficit,” said Ragusa, referring to the city’sestimated deficit if spending in 2026 continued on track with this year.“Thebudget proposal was reviewed by the Louisiana Legislative Auditortoensurethe revenue estimates were real and conservative.”

The mayor’sveto follows her publiccriticism of Moreno’sbudgetproposal, whichshe hassaid was crafted in secret and without the input of top officials in heradministration. She accusedMorenoofsending her officials thebudget too late, with afinal draft sent the day of the council’svote. Morenoand othercouncil memberssaidinresponse that Cantrell refused to meet in the days leadinguptoits passage and that thebudget theyapproved is based on sound financial projections.

Though the city charter requires afinalized budget by Dec. 1, themayor may also, per the charter,veto ordinances within 10 calendar days of receiving them YetFriday marks 11 days sincethe councilpassedthe budget, over Cantrell’sob-

jections.

“By combining health caredelivery,pharmacy,health care benefits, andpharmacybenefitmanagement, we makeiteasier forpeople to have whattheywantthe most: aconnected care experience,” the company said in astatement at the time.

Murrill’soffice andCVS have agreed to settle both those cases, accordingtotwo separate Dec. 10 ordersbya federal judge whodismissedthe cases. The parties can seek toreopen them if they do not finalize asettlement agreement.

The cases were originally filed in St.Landry Parish but transferred to federalcourt in the Western District of Louisiana.

The third case came in response

contributed to her inauguration will be listedassponsors on eventprograms. She also committed to releasing the list of thedonors whocontributedtoher transition effort.

Theinauguration launched awebsite —AllInForNewOrleans.com—with more informationonthe weekend of events and howvolunteers andvendors can sign up to participate.

The inauguration committee cochairs also includeRico Alvendia, apersonalinjury lawyer andpartner at AKD Alvendia;Sheila Burns, thesenior vice president of Global Parking Systems; Jennifer Sneed Heebe, aformer state representative and former Jefferson Parish council member; BarryKern, president and CEO of Kern Studios and Mardi Gras World; andDottie Reese, co-founder and principal of DMM & Associates, aconsulting firm, andthe president of the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

on thetourismand service industries.

The council’sbudget included allofMoreno’srecommendedmeasures, including $74million in new revenue from the Sewerage &Water Board,unspent federal grants and from other sources identified by Moreno’stransition team. It also included once-per-payperiod furloughs for 14% of the city’s workforce, roughly 700 employees. In herstatement, Cantrell said that the additional revenues were “nevervetted” by the city’sRevenue Estimating Conference, which forecasts how much cash the city is likely to receive, and “carry significant risks.”

Cantrell pointedto$75 million in revenue next year that she says aren’t guaranteed, includingaclawback of federal pandemic aid to nonprofitorganizations, reimbursements fromthe Sewerage& Water Board and additional fees and fines that haven’tyet been imposed.

“These arenot guaranteed revenues, and building abudgetaround them puts the city’sfinancial stability at risk.The plan alsorelies on employee furloughs —an approach that would harm city services and unfairly burdenthe workforce that keepsour city running,” Cantrell said.

Cantrell’s2026 budget plan calledfor $200 million in cuts and 30% reductionstomany departments, whichMoreno said would hurt city services. It also called for increases in the city’ssanitation fee and a half-penny salestax increase

to abarrage of text messages CVS sent to customers as HB358 was being debatedinthe final days of the spring legislative session. The messages urgedopposition to the bill, which CVS said would force it to close 119 stores in Louisiana, affecting about 1million patients across the state. The state accusedCVS of improperly using its customers’ data to send thosemessages. CVS arguedthe texts werelegal and were an important waytoalert customers to the legislation, which emergedabruptly in the last days of the session. That case remains pending in the 27th Judicial District, which is based in St. Landry Parish.

GiarrussosaidFridaythat, despite receiving no communication from Cantrell’s team aboutthe veto, he was “absolutely unsurprised by this.”

“What’sfrustrating, though, is that this is punitive for the people of New Orleans,” Giarrusso said, noting that it was the Cantrell administration’s idea to seek money owed to the citybythe S&WB to

drum up revenue.

District Dcouncil member Eugene Green saidthat “significant work wasput into thebudget” and that “thiswas nottimefor an increase in fees andtaxes,” as Cantrell proposed. He did notsay whether he would override Cantrell’sveto.

District Ecouncil member Oliver Thomas called Cantrell’sveto a“slick legislative move,” arguing aveto override absolvesCantrell of any responsibility forthe

budget.

“It’sashrewdmove on her part, because now the council has to override her,and it’spurely the council’sbudget.” He did not say whetherhewould join others to override Cantrell. “My decisiontoday is about protecting essential city services,safeguarding our employees, and ensuring long-term stability for the residents of NewOrleans,” Cantrell said. Staff writer Joni Hess contributed to this story.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Banners hang on Gallier HallonFridaypromoting Mayorelect Helena Moreno’s‘All In for NewOrleans’ inauguration celebration.

HouseDemocrats releasephotosfromEpstein estate

Images include Trump, Clinton, former prince

BY STEPHENGROVES Associated Press

WASHINGTON House Democrats releasedaselection of photos from the estateof Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, includingsomeofDonald Trump, Bill Clinton and the former Prince Andrew

The 19 photos initially released by Democratic lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee were asmall part of more than 95,000 they received from the estate of Epstein, who died in aNew York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. They released roughly 70 more photos later Friday,including images of his home, Epstein taking abath, aphoto of him with aswollen lip, and aphoto of him posing with a book about the scandal

The photos released Friday were separate from the case files that the Department of Justice is now under compulsion to release, but anticipation is growing as theTrump administration faces adeadline next week to produce the Epstein files thathave been thesource of conspiracy theories and

speculation for years.

Thephotos were released without captions or context and included ablack-andwhite image of Trump alongside six women whose faces were blackedout.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the topDemocrat on theHouse Oversight Committee, did not say whether any of the women in the photos was a victim of abuse, but he added, “Our commitment from day one has been to redact any photo, any information that couldleadtoany sort of harm to any of the victims.”

White House spokespersonAbigail Jacksonaccused Democratsof“selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create afalse narrative” and called it part of a“Democrat hoax against President Trump.”

Many of the photos have already circulated in the public. Democrats pledged to continue to release photos in thedaysand weeks ahead, as they look to pressure Trump over his Republican administration’searlier refusalto release documents in the Epstein probe. Garciasaid hisstaff had looked through about aquarter of the images it had received from Epstein’s estate, which included photos that were senttohim or that he had in his possession.

nied wrongdoing. The photo release also includedimagesofthe rightwing political operative Steve Bannon, billionaires Richard Branson and Bill Gates, filmmakerWoodyAllen, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and law professor Alan Dershowitz. The menhavedeniedany wrongdoing in their associations with Epstein, who kept many high-profile figures in his circle of friends.

Amid an earlier release of emails between Summers andEpstein, Summers stepped away from his teaching position at Harvard University and faced other fallout to his standing in academic circles. Allen has faced allegations fromhis adopted daughter, DylanFarrow,ofmolesting her as achild. He has denied the allegations.

“Donald Trump rightnow needs to release the files to theAmerican public so that the truthcan come out and we canactuallyget some sense of justice forthe survivors,” Garcia added.

Trump, once aclose friend of Epstein, has said that he partedwayswithhim long before he faced thesex trafficking charges.Clinton, too, has minimized his relation-

Trumpsuedbypreservationists over WhiteHouse ballroom

BY BILL BARROW Associated Press

President Donald Trump was sued on Friday by preservationists asking afederal court to halt his White House ballroom project until it goes through multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, aprivately funded group, is asking the U.S. District Court to block Trump’s White House ballroom project, which already has involved razing the East Wing, until it goes through comprehensivedesign reviews, environmental assessments, public comments and congressional debate and ratification.

Trump’sprojecthas prompted criticisminthe historic preservation and architectural communities and among his political adversaries, but the lawsuit is the most tangible effort thus far to alter or stop the president’splans foranaddition that itself wouldbenearly twice the size of the White

House before the East Wing’s demolition.

“No president is legallyallowed to tear down portions of theWhite House without any review whatsoever not President Trump, not PresidentBiden, andnot anyone else,” the lawsuit states. “Andnopresident is legally allowed to construct a ballroom on public property without giving the public the opportunity to weigh in.”

Additionally,the Trust wants the court to declare that Trump, by fast-tracking the project,has committed multiple violations of the Administrative Procedures Act andthe National Environmental Policy Act, while also exceeding hisconstitutional authority by not consulting lawmakers

No more work should be done, the Trust argues, until administration officials “complete the required reviews —reviewsthatshould have taken place before the Defendants demolished the East Wing, and beforethey began construction of the Ballroom.”

White House press secretaryKaroline Leavitt did not immediately respondto Associated Press questions aboutthe lawsuitand the project, including whether the president had any intention of consulting Congress. Trump, aRepublican,has emphasized since announcing the project that he’s doing it with private money,including his own.But that would notnecessarily change how federal laws and procedures apply to what is still aU.S. government project

The president already has bypassed the federal government’susualbuilding practices andhistorical reviews with the East Wing demolition. He recentlyaddedanother architectural firm to the project. Trump haslongsaid a White House ballroom is overdue,complaining that eventswereheld outside under atent because the East Room andthe StateDining Room could not accommodatebigger crowds.Trump, among other complaints, said guestsget their feet wet if it rains during suchevents.

By The Associated Press

New York routinely issues commercial driver’slicenses to immigrants that may be valid long after they are legally authorized to be in the country,U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday and he threatened to withhold $73 million in highway funds unless the system is fixed and any flawedlicenses are revoked. State officials said they are following all the federal rules for the licenses and have been verifying drivers’ immigration status.

New York is the fourth state run by aDemocratic governorDuffy has targeted in his effort to makesure truckand bus drivers are qualified to get commercial licenses. He launched the review after atruck driver who was not authorized to be in the U.S. made an illegal U-turn and causeda crash in Florida that killed three people in August. But the rules on these licenses have been in placefor years The TransportationDepartment hassaid it is auditing thesenondomiciled licenses nationwide, but so

far no states run by Republican governorshave been targeted. But Duffy said Friday that this effort is notpolitical, andhehopes New York Gov.KathyHochul will take responsibilityand work with him. He said it is about makingsure everyonebehind the wheel of an 80,000-pound truckisqualified and safe.

“Let’s hold hands and sing Christmas music and fix your system,” Duffysaid. Instead, he said the response appears to be trying to “dodge,divert andweave” withouttaking responsibilityfor the problems.

ship with Epstein, acknowledging thathetraveledon Epstein’sprivate jet but sayingthrough aspokesperson that he hadnoknowledge of the late financier’s crimes. Clintonalso hasnever been accused of misconductby Epstein’sknown victims. However,Republicans on the House committee are pushing him andHillaryClinton to testify in their investigation.

Somelawmakers, however, believe that other high-powered figurescould be implicated in Epstein’sabuse if the full case files from the Justice Department are released.

Aspokespersonfor the Republican-controlledcommittee also said that nothing in thedocumentsthe committee has received shows “any wrongdoing” by Trump. Andrew lost his royal titles andprivilegesthis year amid new revelations of his ties to Epstein, though he has de-

Rep. ThomasMassie, a Kentucky Republican who was instrumental in passing abill to require the public release of the files, said it was agood sign that the Department of Justice has sought to have grand jury material released from several courts.

PHOTO PROVIDED By HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

An undated photo released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee shows former PresidentBill Clinton, Ghislaine Maxwell and JeffreyEpstein with Clinton’ssignature at the top of the photo.

NOLA.COM | Saturday, december 13, 2025 1bN

Student absences jump during sweeps

N.O.-area schools scramble to respond

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Educators across the New Orleans region are wrestling with an urgent question: What to do about students who are staying home during the immigration crackdown that has some parents too scared to send their kids to school.

Student attendance plummeted after U.S. Border Patrol agents launched their high-profile operation, dubbed “Catahoula Crunch,” on Dec. 3. In Jefferson Parish, the epicenter of the initial burst of enforcement activity, about 12% of students missed school the following day an increase of 3,500 absent students compared to the same day last year

Though the surge in absences eased this week, school leaders are still trying to figure out how to respond. They have debated whether

ORLEANS

Parish renews 13 charter school contracts

After review, no schools will close

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

The Orleans Parish School Board al-

lowed all 13 schools who were up for review this year to continue operating, marking the first time in several years the board has not closed a school for poor academic performance, financial woes or operational struggles. Charter schools are granted contracts to run schools for a period of three to 10 years. At the end of the period, schools undergo a renewal process, which includes a visit from the district and a review of the school’s state test scores and other performance metrics. The district’s school rating system is similar to the state’s but gives more weight to student growth.

“I’m delighted to report that I’m recommending all 13 schools be renewed,” NOLA Public Schools superintendent Fateama Fulmore said at a School Board meeting on Thursday The schools were offered new contracts ranging from five to eight years

The renewal decisions were issued as the district is grappling with a projected enrollment decline that has led to the voluntary closure of several schools. Last month, Einstein Charter Schools agreed to hand over the charter for Sarah T. Reed High School, a New Orleans East high school, and consolidate its three other schools into one. Orleans Parish School Board member Olin Parker noted that renewed schools operated through the COVID pandemic, the district’s recent financial crisis and now U.S. Border Patrol agents conducting immigration sweeps, which has caused a spike in absences.

“These are school leaders who have achieved tremendous things despite the obstacles that have been thrown at them,” Parker said.

The schools renewed for eight years are: Arthur Ashe Charter School, a Crated school run by FirstLine Schools; Audubon Gentilly, a B-rated school; Edward Hynes Charter at Parkview a C-rated school, Homer A. Plessy Community School, a C-rated school; KIPP Believe, a C-rated school; KIPP Morial, a C-rated school; and Langston

to excuse the absences and allow students to do virtual learning, while sometimes getting conflicting guidance from state and district officials.

Meanwhile, some educators have been quietly helping students get to school, even as some immigrant parents seek leniency from schools, said Cristiane Rosales-Fajardo, a community advocate in New Orleans East

“They’re still getting letters from school that they’re going to truancy court because their kids are not going to school,” she said, adding that several parents asked her to contact schools on their behalf

Besides being referred to truancy court, students with many unexcused absences also can be held back from the next grade level.

State policy specifies which absences can be excused, including when a student has a documented illness,

a family member dies or there is a natural disaster

Unless parents are granted an exception through an appeals process, keeping children home due to immigration enforcement would not appear to be an excused absence, and five unexcused absences can result in a truancy determination.

Yet state officials also say that school districts have some discretion. State Department of Education spokesman Ted Beasley said Friday that districts can consider “the individual circumstances of a student or family.”

State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley said attendance is mostly a local matter.

“We’ve just encouraged school leaders to work with their families and law enforcement as appropriate,” he said. “We haven’t necessarily engaged in that space.”

Sharon Clark, a state Board of

Education member and director of Sophie B. Wright High School in New Orleans, echoed the idea that schools make the final call, saying that whether absences are excused or not is “a local school decision.”

But just because schools might be able to excuse absences related to the immigration sweeps doesn’t mean they will Jefferson Parish district officials did not give a definitive answer

“Absences are excused when the appropriate documentation is provided in accordance with district policy,” said Jefferson Parish Schools spokesperson Kaela Lewis, who referred families to the district’s student handbook.

Meanwhile, some New Orleans charter school leaders have warned that students could be dropped from their rosters if they miss 15 consecutive school days. Crescent City Schools CEO Kate Mehok attributed the policy to state law

“Our schools are making sure they’re in contact with families and paying attention to that num-

ber,” she said during a school board meeting Tuesday “because we recognize that number is state law and we’ll follow the law.”

Beasley, the state Education Department spokesperson, said no such law exists.

“There is no state law or policy that requires schools to automatically unenroll a student after a specific number of absences,” he said in an email.

Another source of confusion is whether students who are afraid to leave home during the immigration crackdown can switch to virtual learning.

Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent James Gray was asked during a school board meeting last week whether schools can give absent students that option.

“The state is very clear about where we can offer online services,” Gray responded, “and this does not constitute an emergency that will require us to have online

Short-term rental rules get hearing

Commission defers on final recommendations

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

New Orleans planning commissioners and the public got their first opportunity this week to weigh in on proposed reforms to the city’s shortterm rental regulations, with residents seeking stricter limits and officials asking for the rules to be simplified.

The City Planning Commission on Tuesday held a public hearing on the transient lodging study, released in October Presented by the consultants who prepared it, the study was met with suggested changes from city staff and members of the public.

While the report broadly favored limiting short-term rentals in historic neighborhoods like Treme, Marigny and Bywater where pockets of mixed-use zoning have allowed for their proliferation commissioners indicated they had an appetite for even tighter regulations. Speakers during public comment likewise called for simpler rules, additional restrictions in other neighborhoods, nontransferable temporary licenses for short-term rentals and stronger enforcement of existing rules. Following nearly three hours of comments and discussion, commissioners voted to defer any final recommendations until their next meeting, but not before preparing their own list of requests.

BY DESIREE STENNETT Staff writer

Next fall, a new two-day festival at City Park hopes to help New Orleans take a brief break from rich roux and sugar-drenched beignets and instead put a renewed focus on movement and health, officials announced Thursday Called Fit Fete, the event is bringing a marathon back to New Orleans — the first time the city has hosted a 26.2-mile race since 2019. Created in partnership with the City Park Conservancy New Orleans

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

A cargo ship called the Astro Denebola and the Steamboat Natchez navigate the Mississippi River in New Orleans on Thursday

Clifton Faust, Bywater Bakery decorator, dies

‘He was a gentle giant’

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

Clifton Faust, a New Orleans photographer who impressed customers at Bywater Bakery with his dazzling king cake decorations honed through a life in the creative arts, has died. He was 55. He succumbed to a six-year battle with skin cancer, according to his mother, Lyndia Faust Faust, a New Orleans figure revered for a gentle spirit, left a lasting impact on co-workers, customers and the community of friends and family he left behind While he astonished bakery shoppers over the last eight years with his imaginative king cake designs, Faust was an accomplished photographer, and his artistic endeavors spread widely across the city, from teaching kids to helping with signs for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival He also performed as a zombie at The Mortuary Haunted Mansion At 6-foot-7, Faust’s presence was hard to miss, yet it was his generosity that defined him, friends and

STUDENT

Continued from page 1B

services.”

But Beasley said each school system sets its own remote learning policy, including whether to allow absent students to learn from home He also said districts can decide whether to count those

CHARTER

Continued from page 1B

Hughes Charter Academy, a C-rated FirstLine School.

Each of those schools earned an A rating for progress.

Livingston Collegiate Academy a C-rated high school run by Collegiate Academies, and Morris Jeff Community School, a C-rated K-12 school, were given seven-year contracts.

Dorothy Height Charter School, a C-rated school run by Crescent City Schools, was renewed for six years.

The schools renewed for five years are: Booker T. Washington High School, a C-rated high school run by KIPP New Orleans; KIPP Central City a C-rated

RENTAL

Continued from page 1B

Conducted by the firm Desire Line, the study suggested creating new definitions for different types of hotels and commercial short-term rentals.

It didn’t include an examination of what are known as noncommercial shortterm rentals, the owneroccupied rentals allowed in residential zoning districts and limited to one license per person and one rental per block.

“I know that’s hard to hear,” Desire Line CEO Alex Carter said “It was hard for us to hear It’s just not in the scope of work.” There are about 1,360 licensed noncommercial short-term rentals and 1,130 licensed commercial ones — plus another 900 illegal short-term rentals. After the city began requiring sites like Airbnb to limit their listings to licensed units over the summer, the number of unpermitted short-term rentals plummeted by nearly 90%, according to the report. No new commercial licenses have been issued since the City Council imposed a moratorium on them in 2023. That ban expired in November It’s been replaced by a requirement that any new commercial short-term rental, hotel or bed-and-breakfast get a conditional-use permit. So far, no one has applied for one. Ahead of Tuesday’s hearing, commission staff issued a supplemental report, which recommended giving small B&Bs more opportunities to expand, permitting hotels of up to 20 rooms in certain histor-

colleagues said “He was a gentle giant,” said Alton Osborn, a longtime friend and Bywater Bakery owner Faust had a sophisticated eye and was meticulous about everything he created, from constructing wooden sculptures to decorating cakes with Osborn.

The two New Orleanians met as young artists at Jazz Fest, bonding over shared aspirations and passions.

It wasn’t long after that that they began collaborating, transferring Faust’s photographs onto Osborn’s textiles.

“He was able to assist with anything I needed,” Osborn said. “He was there as a mensch. Really generous guy.”

When Osborn opened Bywater Bakery in 2017, Faust came on as a seasonal king cake decorator

“He had the long arms that could reach across the table, more than anybody else,” Osborn said “He was always there for us, always with a smile.” By the end of each shift, nearly

students as present in their attendance records.

“Whether a student can be marked present through remote learning depends on the school system’s policies and how attendance is defined in those plans,” he said.

Orleans Parish School Board member Olin Parker said the district’s policy is to only allow virtual learning during certain emergencies. But he said the board might

middle school; and Young Audiences at Crocker, a D-rated preK-8 school.

The district is currently revamping its rating system to reflect the state’s new accountability system, which puts more weight on student progress and shifts the focus for high schools from graduation rates to student test scores.

One school whose fate the district did not decide on Thursday is Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School.

Last year, the board voted to close MLK High School for poor academic performance and low enrollment but allowed the operator Friends of King, to continue running the elementary school on Coffin Avenue on a contingent three-year contract

This year, the elementary school received an F rating from the state

every surface was covered in sugar Faust always stayed to tidy up, mopping the floors so no one would have to pick up after him.

A photographer in bloom Born in Philadelphia, Faust moved with his family to New Orleans at 9. Growing up, Faust would come home from middle school with a notebook brimming with illustrations so accurate his mother was convinced they were traced.

Lyndia Faust was in awe of her son’s talent, eager to foster it however she could. When she got a Canon camera, Faust, a freshman at Warren Easton High School, where he graduated, was determined to learn about photography

They shared the Canon, taking turns looking through the lens and snapping photos of the world around them.

“He was always interested, and we would share going to the City Park or the zoo. That was one of our favorites,” Lyndia said.

As soon as it was offered, Clifton enrolled in a high school photography class and was captivated by developing pictures in the dark room. He studied under lo-

consider amending that rule if the immigration-related absences continue

Meanwhile, some local educators are trying to help get students to school or, short of that, support them while they’re at home. They’ve given rides to students whose parents are scared to go outside, delivered groceries to families and posted online assignments to keep students learning

cal artist Ron Bechet at Delgado Community College.

“That was his mentor up until the end,” Lyndia Faust said. Faust’s style of photography was born out of his time spent in college and at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, where he began to develop his style of overlaying photographs on a range of found materials.

After returning home, he was embraced by New Orleans’ artistic leaders like Keith Calhoun, Chandra McCormick and John Scott, who all pushed him to experiment with technique.

From the Jazz Fest village to the Joan Mitchell Center his art became a reflection of the city that shaped him — soulful, layered and rooted in community

“He had a lot of people who mentored him and just loved him,” Lyndia said.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his daughter Kaitlyn Faust, his twin sister Lorrie (Faust) Waye, a brother, Damon Faust, and his niece and goddaughter Imani Faust.

Services will be held at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church on Dec. 22 at 10 a.m., with a repast to follow

while they’re away, said teachers union leader Dave Cash.

“Teachers and school staff across the city are putting significant effort into supporting families and students who do not feel safe coming to school right now,” said Cash, who is president of United Teachers of New Orleans. Staff writers Elyse Carmosino and Marie Fazio contributed reporting.

Continued from page 1B

Ole Man River Half Marathon this weekend. The Louisiana Marathon is held in Baton Rouge.

Fit Fete’s New Orleans Marathon route is a double loop through City Park and along the lakefront, beginning at the New Orleans Museum of Art, rounding the eastern edge of Lakeshore Drive and finishing on City Park’s Roosevelt Mall. Runners who don’t make the cutoff point by a certain time will be sent to the finish line, but there will also be a half marathon, a marathon relay and a 5K race as part of Fit Fete.

“Fit Fete reflects exactly what City Park strives to be, a place where our community can grow stronger together,” said Rebecca Dietz, president and CEO of City Park Conservancy, in a statement

The weekend’s events also will be centered at Tad Gormley Stadium, where a new amphitheater is planned along with $8 million worth of upgrades over the next year and a half.

“Hosting this inaugural event at Tad Gormley Stadium and across the park underscores how vital accessible, active public spaces are to New Orleans’ future,” Dietz said. Health events all year

Besides the races, Fit Fete will include multisport community games for participants from local and regional companies. The games include a series of team and individual sports competitions where teams can earn points and other team-building exercises, a blood drive and a food drive.

Points will also be earned throughout the year to promote employee wellness and community engagement. The events start with the popular Crescent City Classic 10K in April, followed by the Pickle Ball Fest in August and other events yet to be announced.

For those less competitive, New Orleans-style brass-beat cardio and mobility classes are also planned, along with cooking demos that take Creole and Cajun classics and remix them with a lighter touch.

There’s even a shaded Breathe Courtyard for meditation and sound baths, an obstacle course area for children and on-site screening and physical therapy consultations.

“This is more than a series of events,” said Walt Leger III, president and CEO of New Orleans & Co. “It’s a movement. A moment where business meets betterment. Where beads, beats and balance collide Where we say ‘yes’ to living whole — not just on race day or game day, but every day.” Companies interested in participating can visit nolafitfete.com for more information.

ic and mixed-use districts, making sure commercial short-term rentals are temporary uses and making the rules for the short-term rentals in residential and commercial areas similar “It’s worth looking into having a single regime for short-term rentals — much more simple much more easy to keep track of,” said City Planning Commission Executive Director Robert Rivers. Representatives of neighborhood associations, hoteliers and advocacy nonprofits were among those who spoke during the public comment portion of the hearing.

“We are concerned that things need to be simplified,” said consultant Nicole Webre, speaking on behalf of the Greater New Orleans Hotel & Lodging Association “From an execution to an enforcement standpoint, having very simple terminology that people can follow is very important.” Angela Owczarek, the advocacy and programs director for the Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative, questioned the report’s underlying premise that New Orleans needs more tourist lodging at all. “I do want to emphasize the extent to which this

study did not consider the city as a place where people live so much as a place where land could be used various ways to suit tourists’ demands,” Owczarek said.

After hearing from the public, commissioners compiled their own list of suggestions for consultants and staff to consider ahead of their next meeting. They recommended exploring whether it’s possible to prevent previously permitted commercial short-term rentals to keep operating; scrapping the report’s proposed distinction between different types of hotels; adding data

on evictions; putting a limit on the number of guests in whole-house rentals; and banning them from the Central Business District. Commissioners also supported making the different categories of hotels, short-term rentals and other lodging simpler, and combining commercial and noncommercial STRs into a single designation.

They called for the French Quarter to be included among neighborhoods most affected by short-term rentals and for staff to look for ways to limit their proliferation in the CBD.

“I would also love to not

have grandfathering, in any sense,” Commissioner Lorey Flick told staff. “But again, just research the legality of that and how that plays out with the commercial short-term rental.”

Once the commission adopts a version of the study, which it could do as early as its next meeting on Jan. 13, the incoming City Council is expected to review it and draw up new STR regulations. There’s not yet a timeline for it to do so.

Whatever changes the council comes up with will need to withstand court scrutiny, as Airbnb is appealing a federal judge’s September ruling that upheld nearly all of the city’s existing short-term rental rules. Plus, regardless of what new STR regulations are established, commission staff noted the cash-strapped city government will need sufficient resources to enforce them.

“If it is not outside of the scope of this study,” said Commissioner Nick Poche, “I think we should consider prioritizing enforcement in this conversation, before we even consider new policy, period.”

Email Jonah Meadows at jonah.meadows@ theadvocate.com.

and was the district’s lowest scoring elementary school, leading to speculation that the district would

move to shut it down. But Fulmore did

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

The Faubourg Marigny is among the New Orleans neighborhoods most affected by the proliferation of short-term rentals

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Dorothy Height Charter School, a C-rated school run by Crescent City Schools, was renewed for six years.

Inmate awaiting extraditiondies

JPSO says he had been hospitalized with medical emergency

BY MICHELLEHUNTER Staff writer

The JeffersonParish Sher-

iff’s Office is investigating the death of an inmate who had been hospitalized after

sufferingamedical emergency atthe jail. The Jefferson Parish Coroner’sOffice identified the manasGregory Hamilton, 54, of Harvey Hamilton was pronounced dead about 3a.m. Friday at alocal hospital, accordingto Capt. Jason Rivarde,spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office.

An autopsy will be performed. Rivarde said there is no indication thatHam-

ilton’sdeathwas anything other than natural. Hamiltonwas first arrested Nov.20onseveral warrants, including afugitive warrant out of Liberty County,Texas,according to court records. On Dec. 2, Hamilton signed awaiverofextraditionto Texas to face acharge of being aconvicted felon in possession of afirearm, court records said. He was being held at the

JeffersonParish Correctional Center in Gretna several days ago when he suffered amedical emergency at the jail, Rivarde said. Hamilton was transported to thehospital and had been housed at themedical facility ever since. No other information was immediately available.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.

Chargesagainst parade founder dropped

NewOrleans districtattorneyto review case

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

Ajudge has dropped the theft charge that led to the arrest of Cecil Roebuck, who is planninganew Carnival parade to start the season.

Roebuck’splanstoproduce the Mystic Kings parade were interrupted on Wednesday,whenNew Orleans Police Department officers arrested him at his Mid-City den. Roebuck was booked on atheft charge, relating to theproduction of another Carnival parade in 2022.

On Thursday,Magistrate Judge Juana M. Lombardfound “no probable cause” to hold him, according to court records. He currently faces no charges, butthatcould change.

According to Keith Lampkin, the Orleans Parish

District Attorney’sOffice spokesperson, the charge againstRoebuck had originally filed by the NOPD as amisdemeanor theft, which promptedthe magistrate judge not topursue the case against Roebuck because the two-year time limit on the charge had passed

But, Lampkin said,the proper ruling by thejudge does not prevent the Dis-

trictAttorney’sOffice from pursuingcharges “if our review determines that other timely and appropriateoffenses exist.”

The District Attorney’sOffice will decide if thecase remains amisdemeanor or “whetherany additional or more serious charges may be supported.”

“That review is underway now,”Lampkin said. In atelephone interview

Friday, Roebuck said he’s been houndedbyaccusers as he attempts to provide New Orleans with anew parade.

“These people are being relentless against me,” he said. “They’re bringing up things that never existed.”

In April, Roebuck announcedplans to create the Mystic Kingsparade, asmall float procession celebrating the three wise menofthe New Testament that traveled to Bethlehem to behold the baby Jesus.

Sometraditionalists were rankledbyRoebuck’sintentiontoparade on Jan. 5, thereby starting the Carnival season aday early Thebudding parade was publicly criticized by City Council President JP Morrell.

Roebuck saidhe’sfearful of continued interference “I may be arrested today fornot cutting my grass,” he said.

Email Doug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate. com.

Acadiana cowboysmakemarkatrodeo

Riders have attained high scores in competition

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

TwoAcadiana cowboys have turned their dreams intoreality as they made it to thefinal nights of the National FinalsRodeoin Las Vegas.

Bareback riders Waylon Bourgeois, of Church Point, and Kade Sonnier,of Carencro, are in the final stretch of the 10-day National Finals Rodeo championship,where both have emerged as top performers underthe brightestlights in rodeo.

“These guys have earned their spot here. Only 15 cowboys outofhundreds qualify,” said publicist Ted Harbin, who represents both riders.

Riders qualifyfor the National Finals Rodeo based on season-long earningsat nationwide events. Once in Las Vegas, contestants compete in all 10 rounds unless they are injured There are no eliminations; riders accumulate both prize money and points night after night, with each round offering an opportunity to outrank the nextrider.Each round can pay out up to $118,284, with$36,668 going to the winner and the rest distributed among the top six. Scores from every qualified ride are also built into arider’saggregate, aseparate standings racethat awards additional prize money at the end of the finals. Over 10 nights, abareback rider can earn more than $300,000 in Las Vegas alone. Success at the NFR is heavily influencedbythe draw.The 105horses selected for the finals are grouped into categories: hoppers, semi-eliminators, eliminators andthe TV pen Each rider cycles through those groups twice over10 nights, meaning they encounter arange from merciful horses to some of the

Former UNO studentbookedon terrorizingcount

He threatened to burn downschool, police say

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

Aman wasarrested in connection with allegedly threateningtoburndown theUniversity of New Orleansduringits commencement ceremony, theNew Orleans Police Department said Friday afternoon. Joseph Russo, 41, was booked into jail on one count each of terrorizing and of unlawfuldisruption of theoperation of a school. Flood Protection Authority Police Superintendent Joshua Rondeno identified Russo as aformerstudent.

Police said Russo called in the threat to UNO’scampus buildings at 10:45 a.m. School administrators contacted police, whoevacuated UNO’scampus,Hynes UNO Charter School and Benjamin Franklin High School. At 1:01 p.m., UNO spokesperson Sarah Bergez said the campus had reopened and the threat was cleared. The NOPD, FBI, Louisiana State Police, UNO Police and Levee District Police located Russo and arrestedhim without incident in the2300 block of St. Philip Street. Anyone with additional information maycontact NOPD Third District detectives at (504) 658-6030. Alex Lubben contributed to this report.

Organizers cancel Folsom horseparade

Town plans otherholiday activities

BY ANDREWCANULETTE Staff writer

most challenginginbareback riding. Some horses allow for high scores; others makeplacing extremely difficult.

Sonnier has faced what Harbin described as “unlucky draws” at timesbut stayed consistent, even whenthe horses he’sridden have made it challenging to earn checks His roadto Las Vegashas roots that extend back to 2018, long before his own NFRcareer.That year,Sonniertraveled to theNFR to watch his father,saddle bronc rider Joey Sonnier, make his first and only appearance at the championship. “I got to spend 10 days in Vegas to watchmydad,” Sonniersaid.“If it wouldn’t be for that, Iwouldn’tbe doing this.

Nowcompeting in hissecondNFR, Sonnierentered thisyear’sfinals ranked No. 5inthe world. He has postedqualifiedridesevery nightand hasamassed 594.5pointsacrosshis first seven horses, earning$102,000 so far.Heis currently tiedfor third in the overallrace, positioning him to potentially add more than $60,000

to his Las Vegas totalby Saturday.

“Sonnierneeded to focus on enjoying the moment,” Harbinsaid.“He’sone of the best barebackriders in the world. When he’shaving fun, it showsinhis riding.”

Bourgeoishas navigated asimilarweek of challenges and opportunities. He entered the NFR ranked No. 12 in the world and earned $96,000 through seven rounds,totaling 502.25 points after six qualified rides. Growing up surroundedbyhorses and cattle and afamily thatembraced thesaying, “Live your lifetothe fullest,” Bourgeois learned earlywhatitmeanttoride hard, live fastand chasehis dreams with everything he had.

“You’ve got to have a short memory andforget the nightbefore,”Harbin said. “Bourgeois is here for areason,and he’s shownhe can ride with the best of them.

Bourgeois opened the weekstrong, placing in the first three rounds, including an 88.75-point ridethat won Round 3before ano-

score in Round 5interrupted his momentum. HereboundedWednesday night withan85.5-point rideon Frontier Rodeo’sFullBaggage,one of the most decorated bareback horses in modernhistory

Despitecompeting individually,the two Acadiana riders sharea locker room in LasVegas. Their bond, according to Harbin,mirrors the camaraderiecommoninrough stockevents, where ridersfacetheir horsesmore thanthey face each other

“There’snoWaylon versus Kade,” Harbin said. “They want to seeeach other do well. It’sthemversus the horses,and whoever puts togetherthe best ride is going to win.”

Bothcowboys wereset to face another pen of eliminatorsFriday night.

The National Finals Rodeo concludes Saturday night. Fans can watch the final rounds live on The Cowboy Channel and stream them on The CowboyChannel Plus app. Email Ja’koriMadison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

OrganizersofFolsom’s annual Horse and Wagon Christmas Parade announced Thursday they’d canceled the small but popular holiday procession due to arecent outbreakofequineherpesin neighboring states. Though the virus has not been identified in St. Tammany Parish or elsewhere in Louisiana, according to parade organizerAbby Clelland, the choice to cancel wasdone out of an abundance of caution.

Theparade in thevillage of Folsom, about 15 miles north of Covington in northeast St.Tammany Parish, was to be held Saturday afternoon.

“The virus isn’tgoing around our area, but it’s an aggressive virus and we really don’twant to take the chance of putting any horses at any risk whatsoever,” Clelland said. “It’seasily transmittedfrom horse to horse. Even though the chances of it happening here are low,our horses are the main attraction of the parade. We’d be heartbroken if one or more of them got sick.”

Clelland said providing horsesseparate stalls and drinking water,aswell as hauling them in separate vehicles, reduces the risk of an infected horse contaminating others. She said thosesteps could have been taken in Folsom,but there really is no way of knowing if an animal wasaffected and without symptoms before arriving for the parade.

Dozensofhorse owners from around south Louisiana and afar take part in the parade, whichwas due to celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.Recent equine herpesoutbreaks in Texas and Mississippi gave her and fellow parade organizersreason to pause.

“The virus pops up everynow andagain and everyone hastotakeextraprecautions to quarantine really well,” she said. “If it was aproblem herenow,the state would shut down equine events. They haven’tdone that. This is just something we wanted to do, to be extra cautious.”

In itsplace, parade organizers plan to hold a Christmasinthe Country fair at Magnolia Parkin Folsom from 11 a.m. to about 4p.m. on Saturday About 30 vendors are expected to be on site Christmas caroling will beginatnoonand children can take freephotos with SantaClaus and the Grinch, Clelland said.

Displays of antique tractors, vehicles that have been astaple of the parade for more than a decade, will be at the park for viewing as well.

“It’safree event,” she said. “We’re avolunteer group and we do the parade each year for the merriment of thevillage. We’resad it won’t happen this year,but everyone involved has been so understanding andsupportive We’ll have agood event at Magnolia Park foreveryone, and we’re also going to honor my dad, Jimmy Kohn, who started the Christmas parade herein Folsom 20 yearsago.”

Email Andrew Canulette at acanulette@ sttammanyfarmer.net.

Ready to SimplifyYour Next Chapter by Downsizing or Securing a Stress-Free Future?

STAFF PHOTO By DOUG MacCASH

Cecil Roebuck hopes to produce anew Carnival-style parade by Jan. 5.

PROVIDED PHOTO By ROSEANNASALES

Barebackrider Waylon Bourgeois qualifies for the National Finals Rodeobased on seasonlong earnings at nationwide events.

Cox, Clifton

Deadmond, Colin Dunn, Patricia Fratello,Bernard Gambino, Virginia

HomburgJr.,Belden

2025. Visitation will begin at9:00amfollowedbyan 11amservice with military flag honors.Burialwillbe inForestLawnCemetery, adjacent to HonakerFu‐neral Home.Inlieuof flow‐ers,pleasesenddonations toThe NorthshoreHumane Society,20384 Harrison Ave Covington, LA 70433

Pleasevisit www.honaker forestlawn.comtosignthe guestbook.Arrangements byHonaker FuneralHome, Inc.,Slidell, LA

Keck III, William Lecompte,Karen Mayer, Christy Deadmond,Colin

Rinkle, Philip Stampley,Mac

Tate,Charles

EJefferson

Leitz-Eagan

Gambino, Virginia

NewOrleans

Greenwood

Fratello,Bernard

JacobSchoen

HomburgJr.,Belden

Tate,Charles St Tammany

Honaker

Cox, Clifton

Deadmond, Colin West Bank

Mothe

Lecompte,Karen

Obituaries

Cox, Clifton'Cliff'

Clifton“Cliff” Cox, 82,of Slidell, Louisiana, anda formerresidentofRiver Ridge,Louisiana,passed awaypeacefullyonSatur‐day,December6,2025.Cliff was born December 21, 1942, in LeCompte Louisiana,toEstus and Blanche Cox. He later moved to Clinton, Louisiana andthento Roseland, Louisiana, where heattendedAmite High and wasrecognized as the wittiestboy in hissenior class. In 1966, he married JoAnn Zundel in NewOr‐leans.After raisingtheir fourchildreninRiver Ridge,Cliff andJoAnn moved to Slidellin1993 Cliff, affectionately known as“PawPaw”, wasa loving husband,father, and grandfather.Heloved boating,cruising, playing cards,livemusic,“passing a good time”, andany ac‐tivitythatinvolvedfamily and friends. Cliffderived energyfrombeing with othersand nevermet a stranger. He will foreverbe rememberedbyhis grand‐childrenfor hisrendition of Pantsonthe Ground”dur‐ing afamilycruise. Cliff servedinthe United States Airforceand wasemployed for over 30 yearswithDelta Air Lineswhere he worked asanaircraftmechanic and analyst. Followingre‐tirementfromDelta,he workedfor theCityof Slidell as aconstructionin‐spector.Cliffloved to travel, andtraveledthe world by plane, cruise ship RV, andautomobile. He lived largeand wasalways ready fortravel, aparty, and agood time.Cliff was precededindeath by his wifeof59years,JoAnn, his parents EstusCox and Blanche (Forlouis) Cox, his brothersMiltonand Nelson Cox,niece June Cox, and nephewGlenn Cox. Cliffis survivedbyhis four chil‐dren, KarenHolden(Der‐rik), KathyNicolosi, Patti Broussard,Craig Cox; eight grandchildren,Patrick Holden, Benjamin Holden Kenneth “Trey” Nicolosi, Tyler Nicolosi,Kirsten Ni‐colosiRivers, Braden “Perry”Broussard,Bren‐nan Broussard, Peyton Broussard;six greatgrandchildren,Lucas and Avery Broussard, Daphne and EliseHolden, Krew Rivers, Stella Holden;and numerouslovingrelatives Funeral Services will be heldatHonaker Funeral Home, 1751Gause Blvd West, SlidellLA70460 on Tuesday, December 16

ColinDeadmond, 75,of Slidell, Louisiana, passed awayonWednesday,No‐vember5,2025, in La‐combe,Louisiana Colin was born May17, 1950, in LakeForest, Illinois,to Charles andJeanDead‐mond. In 1970 he joined the UnitedStatesAir Force. After leavingthe AirForce in1977, Colinmoved to New Orleans, workingfor the Department of Veter‐ans Affairs MedicalCenter, where he metSherryGun‐ther, whom he marriedin 1980. Thecoupleresided in St. BernardParishbefore movingtoSlidell in 2006 Colin wasprecededin death by ason,Colin WilliamDeadmond. Colinis survivedbyhis wife of 44 years,SherryGunther Deadmond; stepson, Michael John D’AntonioIV; and adaughter, Amanda JeanDeadmondMD. Grave‐sideFuneralServiceswill beheldatSoutheast Louisiana Veterans Ceme‐tery, in Slidell, Louisiana, onFriday, December 19, 2025, at 12:30 pm.Please visit www.honakerforestla wn.comtosignguestbook ArrangementsbyHonaker FuneralHome, Inc.,Slidell, LA.

Dunn, PatriciaHalverson

Patricia HalversonDunn, 70 yearsold,departed this worldand enteredinto eternallifeonthe morning of November 29, 2025 after along battlewithcancer Patricia hada love of musicall of herlife and played thepiano beautifully.She hada long career in thelegalindustrymost recently with Boykinand UtleyofNew Orleans. She wasbornthe 7th child to thelateEricJ.and Anna M. Halverson, and leavesbehind herson BradleyDunn (Jennifer) andgrandchildren, Elijah Dunn, Daniel Dunn, David Flores, Eimy Moreno, Litzy Moreno and Michael Moreno. She is also survivedbyher siblings,Ann LePre, Eric J. Halverson, Jr (Lorraine),ThomasJ Halverson, Sr.(Denise) Mary Burd, andJeannie Baker (Robert),aswellas ahostofnieces and nephews.She is also precededindeathbyher siblings Margaret King (Paul), andMichael Halverson. Therewill be amemorial heldonSaturday December 13, 2025 at 10:00 am at Lakeview Christian Center,5885 FleurdeLis Dr.Inlieuofflowers, please consider adonation to theCancer Society

Fratello,Bernard Luke

BernardLukeFratello, a lifelongresidentofthe New Orleansarea, passed awaypeacefullyonDe‐cember2,2025, at theage of90. He wasprecededin death by hisparents,Luke Fratelloand Catherine Bruno Fratello;his beloved wifeofmorethan fifty years, BarbaraJeanette

Wood Fratello;and hissis‐ter,RoseMargaretFratello Heissurvivedbyhis three daughters,Kimberlee Campbell(Bobby),Jamie Staub (Harold),and PamelaClark (Wesley);his brother,LukeFratello(Ser‐afin– dec.); andhis sisterin-law, Sheila Wood En‐clade (Kenny). He also leavesbehindtwo grand‐children, Justin Bernard Clark (Danielle)and Travis DonaldClark (Madison); one great-grandson, Everett NolanClark;and his godchild, Stephanie FratelloAdams (Butch) Bernard wasdeeply loved and will be remembered fondlybymanynieces, nephews,cousins,and friends.Bernard wasa proud graduate of Saint MatthiasGrade School and DeLaSalle High School.In 1962, he founded hisown wholesale sewing-notion business, L. Fratello and Sons, which he success‐fully operated formore than fiftyyears.Through dedicationand hard work, hefaithfully served depart‐mentstores, fabricshops, dressmakers,and costume makersacrossthe south‐eastern United States.One ofBernard’s earliest and mosttreasured memories was building thefamily beach houseinWaveland, Mississippi,alongside his fatherand brother. That homebecamethe back‐dropofcountless joyful summers,a traditionthat continues todayasthe familystill gathersthere to enjoy thecoastal life he cherished.Anavidout‐doorsman,Bernard found great joyinhunting. He spent many fulfillingdays athis camp in Tylertown, Mississippi,pursuing doves,deer,and turkeys. In his younger years, he espe‐cially enjoyedsquirreland rabbithunting, andhealso loved duck huntingwith friends andfamilyathis campinVenice. He andhis wifewarmlywelcomed loved ones to theirhome for unforgettablewildgamedinners that show‐cased both hisskill andhis hospitality.Bernard was alsoanaccomplished skeet shooter,competing innumeroustournaments asa member of theSouth Louisiana GunClub. Apas‐sionate gardener,hewas known forsharing the abundance of hisharvest particularlyhis remarkable crops of cuccuzi, toma‐toes, eggplants, beans, peppers,corn, broccoli, cabbage,and cauliflower Heevengrewthe fennel (finocchio) used in the family’straditional Pasta Milanisa fortheir St Josephcelebration.Heen‐joyed cooking, working crossword puzzles, and watchinghis favorite foot‐ballteams.The familyex‐tends heartfeltgratitude to PatriciaJohnson andher staff fortheir devoted care. Family andfriends are invitedtocelebrate Bernard’s life on Monday, December15, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Greenwood FuneralHome onCanal Boulevard. Inter‐mentwillfollowinGreen‐wood Cemetery.The family welcomesyourthoughts, memories, andcondo‐lencesonlineatwww greenwoodfh.com

Gambino,Virginia DiGiovanni

VirginiaDiGiovanni Gambino, bornNovember 17, 1939, passedaway on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at theage of 86. Beloved wife of Frank Anthony Gambino(deceased), loving motherofStephanie (Tim) and thelateDonna Marie,and proud grandmother of Frank Patrick. Daughter of thelate JosephS.and Alma Dubourg DiGiovanni,and sisterofJoseph R. DiGiovanni,Sr. (June,deceased). She is also survivedbynumerous nieces and nephews. Relatives and friends of thefamily are invitedtoattend theFuneral Mass at St.Matthew theApostle, 10021 Jefferson Highway, RiverRidge,onTuesday, December 16, 2025, at 11:30 am. Visitation from 10:30 am until thetime of the service. Aprivate interment will take placeata laterdate. In lieu of flowers, thefamily requests either massesordonations in memory of Virginiato Manning FamilyChildren's Hospital(504) 899-9511 (www.manningchildrens.or g).

HomburgJr.,Belden August 'Benny'

Belden “Benny”August Homburg,Jr.,ofPicayune, MS, passedawayonDe‐cember5,2025. He was75 years old. He left behind a legacyofdedicationtohis familyand youthsports. Hewas preceded in death byhis loving wife Deborah D.Homburg;his parents Anna Maeand Belden Homburg Sr.; andhis brother PatrickHomburg Benny is survived by his sonsMark(Jamie),Michael (Jessica),and daughter Maureen (Justin) andhis faithfulfour-leggedcom‐panionDekeaswellassix grandchildren:Sarah,Eric, Abigail, Thomas,Anna and Stella.Close familyand friends Dianne andRalph Wickman, Allisonand Ron‐nie Samanie, PeterWard, James Martin,Jimmy Bean, and Dr.Marty Houser Benny wasa native New Orleanian,and along-time residentofSlidell and Picayune.His construction career spannedover50 years,startingasa laborer in1968. Throughgrit, lead‐ership, anda deep pridein his work,heeventuallyre‐tired in 2020 as Vice Presi‐dentofLanecoConstruc‐tionSystems.Equally as important to himwas his commitmenttoyouth and community.Benny wasa longtimeyouth coachand board member of Slidell Youth Football Association (SYFA), SlidellBantam BaseballAssociation (SBBA), andSlidell Youth SoccerClub(SYSC). He alsocoached football,bas‐ketball,girls soccerand baseballatPopeJohnPaul II Catholic High School,im‐pacting countless athletes through hisinnateability toconnect with theyouth acrossgenerations.Benny willberememberedfor his loveofhis kids andgrand‐kids, supportand involve‐mentinyouth sports and loveofrescuedogs.His legacylives on throughthe manylives he touchedasa coach,mentor, colleague, and father.The familywill receive friendsTuesday, December16from5 p.m. until 9p.m.and again Wednesday,December17 from9 a.m. until service time. Mass will be at 10:15 a.m.inthe J. GaricSchoen Chapel. Intermenttofollow inGreenwood Cemetery ArrangementsbyJacob Schoen& SonFuneral Home. Condolencesmay beleftatwww.schoenfh. com

WilliamHenry Keck III, 80, of NewOrleans, Louisiana,passedaway peacefullyat4:00p.m.on Thursday,November27, 2025, surrounded by loved onesatAudubon Retire‐mentVillage.Hewas known to familyand friends as Bill.Billwas borninNew OrleansonOc‐tober 31, 1945, to William Henry Keck Jr.and Milli‐centCraigie Keck.Heat‐tendedSavannahHigh School andValparaisoUni‐versity,where he played football on afullscholar‐ship. He latertried outfor the ChicagoBears as a linebackerbut wasulti‐matelyedged outbythe famousDickButkus. On January 11, 1974, he mar‐riedJeannyAbbyadKeckin Beirut, Lebanon. Jeanny is a graduate of Tulane Uni‐versity.Billworkedasa civil engineer forAramco, McDermott, andthe S&WBNO, andalsoowned a smallcourier servicein the CentralBusinessDis‐trict over thecourseof50 years.His threechildren attendedIsidore Newman School andwentonto graduatefromIvy League universities. He wasa longtimeand proudmem‐ber of TheRound Table Club, where he held an honorarymembership. Bill isprecededindeath by his parents,William Henry KeckJr. andMillicent Craigie Keck,and by his younger brother, Michael Keck. He is survived by his wife, Jeanny Abbyad Keck; his children,Michael Charles Keck,Jason WilliamKeck, andJoAnne

Keck;his sisters, Millicent KeckQuamand Sandra KeckEverette;and his grandchildren,Savannah, Cole, Mariah,Mikey,Vivien, and MarloweKeck. Ser‐vices:Saturday, December 20, 2025, 10:00 a.m. –Visita‐tionatSchoenFuneral Home, 3827 CanalStreet 11:30 a.m. –FuneralService atSchoenFuneral Home, PastorGregory Manning officiating. Celebrationof Lifefollowing theservice atThe Round TableClub, 6330 St.Charles Ave. Memorials:Inlieuof flow‐ers,considerdonations to the Bill Keck Carrollton Boosters Fund (managed bythe GreaterNew Or‐leans Foundation), please mention Bill Keck under Tribute Informationvia the website https:// 2014givenow.kimbia.com/ carrollton.Checksmay be payable to GNOF,withCar‐rollton Boosters/BillKeck inthe memo line,mailed to: GNOF 919 St.Charles Ave NewOrleans,LA 70130, or adonationtothe Audubon Nature Institute: audubonnatureinsti‐tute.org.The familyof WilliamKeckextends our sincere thanks to the physiciansatOchsner and the staff of AudubonRe‐tirementVillage fortheir care.

Lecompte,Karen

Elizabeth

KarenElizabeth Lecomptepassedaway peacefully on Monday,De‐cember8,2025, at Ochsner Hospitalatthe ageof75. Karen wasbornonSep‐tember11, 1950, in Mar‐rero, LA.She retiredfrom Fifth District SavingsBank after 40 yearsofservice startingasa tellerthento branchmanager andeven‐tually assistantvicepresi‐dentofthe bank.She is precededindeath by her parents,Horaceand Myr‐leneFirminLeCompte, brother Jody LeCompte and sister Sandra Cambre She is survived by her niece Deanna Barrilleaux and herchildrenand grandchildren,her nephew Dwyne Cambre,her cousin Jeffrey Richard, andher two godsonsKevin and KollonRoach.She will be sadly missedbyCindy Leo, her dearestfriendand caregiver,aswellasmany friends andco-workers. The familywould like to sincerely thankthe nurses and doctorsinthe ICUat Ochsner Hospital forthe caretheygaveher.Family and friendsare invitedto attend afuneral mass on Monday, December 15 2025 at 11:00 am at our Harveylocation, 2100 WestbankExpressway, Harvey, LA.Visitation startsat9:30amand con‐tinuesuntil theservice time. Intermentwillbeat WestlawnMemorialPark, 1225 WhitenyAve Gretna LA. In lieu of flowers, pleasemakea donation to eitherthe national Kidney Foundationorthe Ameri‐can HeartFund.Familyand friends areinvited to share condolences andmemo‐riesbyvisitingher memor‐ial page at www.mothefu nerals.com.

Mayer, Christy Plumbers & Steamfitters Local Union60: Memorial serviceswill be held forour lateBrother ChristyMayer on Saturday, December 13, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. at Rockyand Carlo's, 613 WSt. Bernard Hwy, Chalmette,LA. By order of Jacob R. Newton President.

Attest:Ronald R. Rosser, Business Manager Rinkle, Philip John

PhilipJohnRinkle passedawaypeacefullyat St.Margaret's Hospice in NewOrleans,LAon Monday December 8, 2025. He was79yearsold. Phil wasbornon February 17, 1946 to MarthaRush andFrances Rinkle in Clairton, PA and is survived by hiswife, Paulette DupontRinkle. He wasthe loving father of AllisonRinkle (Andrea) and grandpa of Ava Woodbury Rinkle Philipservedhis countryhonorably in the US Army from 1967 to 1969. We wish to thankthe nurses, doctors andassistants at St.Margaret's and EJGH for theircare.

Amemorial service will

be held on January 24 at St.Martin'sChurch, 2216 MetairieRoad. Metairie, LA at 10:00am Stampley, Mac Arthur

On Wed.,Dec.3,2025, God calledone of his good andfaithful servants, Mac ArthurStampley to rest." Macwas born on Jan.27, 1942, to the lateRoy and Katie Frye Stampley of Stampley, Mississippi. He wasa devotedhusband to Betty Sanders Stampley; andfromthat unionthey hadfivechildren: Marnie of Marietta, GA, Tavia (StevenM.Cummings) of Wash D.C., Sophia of New Orleans, Marc (IndiaP Stampley) of Fayetteville GA, and thelateKeelan Stampley of NewOrleans; seven grandchildrenand twogreat grandchildren. Macwas adad brother, uncle, cousin, deacon,and acherished friendto many. Hisfuneral will be Sat., Dec. 13, 2025 at 10:30 am at theCrowder Blvd Church of Christ.Viewing begins at 9:30 am.

Charles"Richard" Tate 79, of NewOrleans, Louisiana,passedawayon December2,2025.

Born on June 10, 1946, Richardgrew upinBaton Rouge, Louisiana,where he built lifelongvaluesand rela‐tionships that shaped the man he became.Beforebe‐ginning hiscollege educa‐tion, Richardproudly servedfouryears in the UnitedStatesNavyduring the VietnamWar,where he was stationedoff thecoast ofAfrica. Hisservice re‐maineda meaningful and honorable part of hislife story.After completing his militaryservice,Richard attended LouisianaState Universityfor ayearbefore continuinghis studiesand ultimatelyearning hisun‐dergraduate degree from the University of Louisiana, formerlyknown as theUni‐versity of SouthLouisiana, located in Lafayette Louisiana.In1979, Richard passedthe Certified Public Accountant (CPA)examin Louisiana.Hewentonto build arespected career, running hisown private practiceand servingas Chief FinancialOfficerfor several prominentcompa‐niesthroughoutLouisiana His professionalism, in‐tegrity,and deep expertise madehim atrusted leader inevery organization he served. Richardwas alover ofall things NewOrleans the music, theculture,the food, andthe spirit of the cityhecalledhome. He found joyonthe water, spendingcountless hours boating andsharing those moments with thepeople heloved.Known forhis ap‐preciationofgood food, good drink, andgood com‐pany, Richardlived life withwarmth, humor,and a genuine love forexperienc‐ing theworld around him. His lifelong best friend, Kerry Frey,whomhemet at GlenOaksHighSchool,re‐mainedanimportant and cherished part of hislife. Kerry nowresides in Co‐lumbia, Maryland.Richard issurvivedbyKaren Walk, whomhemet laterinlife, felldeeply in love with,and joyfully welcomed into his familyin2023; hisdaugh‐ter,Amy Tate,and son-inlaw,William Mulholland III; his son, IanTate, and daughter-in-law,Jennifer Tate. He wasa devoted grandfather to Travis Sa‐gusti,Layne Sagusti, Col‐stonTate, Collin Chubb, Mac Mulholland IV,and CarsonMulholland; anda proud great-grandfatherto SophiaChubb. He will be rememberedfor hisspirit, his generosity,and theway hebrought people to‐gether. Hispresencewill bedeeply missedbyall who knew him. Afuneral service will be held at SchoenFuneralHomein New OrleansonSunday, December14, at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, dona‐tions maybemadetoPas‐sages HospiceofNew Or‐leans in Charles’smemory.

Keck III, William

Tate,Charles 'Richard'

Keck III, WilliamHenry

BRIEFS

ChatGPT’s allegedly involved in deadly crime

SAN FRANCISCO

The heirs of an 83-year-old Connecticut woman are suing ChatGPT maker OpenAI and its business partner Microsoft for wrongful death, alleging that the artificial intelligence chatbot intensified her son’s “paranoid delusions” and helped direct them at his mother before he killed her Police said Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, a former tech industry worker, fatally beat and strangled his mother, Suzanne Adams, and killed himself in early August at the home where they both lived in Greenwich, Connecticut.

The lawsuit filed by Adams’ estate on Thursday in California Superior Court in San Francisco alleges OpenAI “designed and distributed a defective product that validated a user’s paranoid delusions about his own mother.” It is one of a growing number of wrongful death legal actions against AI chatbot makers across the country OpenAI did not address the merits of the allegations in a statement issued by a spokesperson.

Airlines won’t cover expenses amid recalls

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued new guidance telling airlines they do not have to cover passenger expenses, such as meals or hotel stays, when flight cancellations or long delays are caused by aircraft recalls.

The guidance, released on Wednesday, comes after widespread disruptions last month amid the busy Thanksgiving travel period in the U.S stemming from inspections and software updates that carriers had to perform immediately for safety reasons on a widely used Airbus commercial aircraft. About 6,000 planes were impacted. Airlines worldwide scrambled to fix a computer code issue that may have contributed to a sudden drop in altitude on a JetBlue plane in October, which injured at least 15 people. Airbus said an examination of the JetBlue ordeal found a software glitch that could have affected flight-control systems on its A320 family of aircraft, the primary competitor to Boeing’s 737 planes.

In the U.S., airlines must provide full refunds when they cancel a flight, regardless of the reason. But the Transportation Department does not require them to cover lodging or meals for stranded passengers — even when a disruption is the airline’s fault.

Italy strike

disrupts transportation, schools

ROME A national strike called on Friday by Italy’s largest trade union in protest against the government’s budget plans widely disrupted transportation, health and school services across the country

The protest which targets the 2026 budget bill proposed by the conservative government of Premier Giorgia Meloni, comes just two weeks after another general strike organized by smaller trade unions, with the same motivations. The strike mainly hit railway transportation, with cancellations and delays registered for both long-distance and regional trains. Public schools across the country canceled classes, forcing students to stay home because of a lack of local public transportation in many cities. The CGIL union listed the reasons for the strike in a statement, including demands for greater investments in health care, education and housing rights, along with measures to tackle workplace safety CGIL secretary-general Maurizio Landini, who led a rally in Florence on Friday morning, criticized the budget as “unfair, wrong and dangerous.” He said that the main social emergency is now represented by low wages, and that government measures don’t address that.

Tens of thousands of workers took to the streets on Friday as demonstrations and rallies supporting the strike took place from north to south.

Wall Street sees worst day in 3 weeks

Tumbling tech stocks drag market down

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK More drops for superstar artificial-intelligence stocks knocked Wall Street off its record heights on Friday

The S&P 500 fell 1.1% from its all-time high for its worst day in three weeks. The weakness for tech stocks yanked the Nasdaq composite down by a marketleading 1.7%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gave back 245 points, or 0.5%, after setting its own record the day before.

Broadcom dragged the market lower and tumbled 11.4% even though the chip company reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Ana-

lysts called the performance solid, and CEO Hock Tan said strong 74% growth in AI semiconductor revenue helped lead the way

But investors may have been concerned with some of Broadcom’s financial forecasts, including how much profit it can squeeze out of each $1 of revenue. The AI heavyweight may also have simply run out of momentum after its stock came into the day with a surge of 75.3% for the year so far, more than quadruple the S&P 500’s gain.

Broadcom’s drop added to worries about the AI boom that flared a day before. That’s when Oracle plunged nearly 11% despite likewise reporting a bigger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Questions remain about whether all the spending that Oracle is doing on AI technology will produce

the kind of profits that make it worth the expense, along with how the tech giant will pay for it. Such doubts are dogging the AI industry broadly, even as many billions of dollars continue to flow in.

Broadcom was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 Friday, followed by Nvidia. The chip company that’s become the poster child of the AI boom fell 3.3%. Oracle fell another 4.5%.

The stock market also felt some pressure from the bond market, where the yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.18% from 4.14% late Thursday Higher yields can discourage investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments, particularly when critics say they already look too expensive.

Friday’s drops for AI superstars continue a jagged return toward Earth after they earlier had been

the main engine lifting Wall Street higher Other stocks that used to struggle with uncertainty about the U.S. economy’s strength and what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates, meanwhile, have been doing better

The stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which has much less of an emphasis on tech, rose 1% this past week. That’s much better than the Nasdaq composite’s drop of 1.6%.

Notwithstanding Friday’s rise in yields, investors have been feeling more optimistic about interest rates. The Fed earlier this week cut its main interest rate for the third time this year and indicated another cut may be ahead in 2026. Wall Street loves lower rates because they can boost the economy and send prices for investments higher, even if they potentially make inflation worse.

Holiday shopping not so merry

Poll reveals gifts are not as affordable

BY JOSH BOAK and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX Associated Press

WASHINGTON — This holiday season isn’t

quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Donald Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds.

The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts in recent months, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Roughly half of Americans say it’s harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they would normally

It’s a sobering assessment for the Republican president, who returned to the White House in large part by promising to lower prices, only to find that inflation remains a threat to his popularity just as it did for Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency The poll’s findings look very similar to an AP-NORC poll from December 2022, when Biden was president and the country was grappling with higher rates of inflation. Trump’s series of tariffs have added to inflationary pressures and generated anxiety about the stability of the U.S. economy, keeping prices at levels that many Americans find frustrating.

The president has insisted there is “no” inflation and the U.S. economy is booming, as he expressed frustration that the public feels differently

“When will people understand what is happening?” Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. “When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago?”

Most U.S. adults, 68%, continue to say the country’s economy is “poor,” which is unchanged from December 2024, before Trump returned to the presidency

White House officials plan to send Trump barnstorming across the country in hopes of bucking up people’s faith in the economy be-

fore next year’s midterm elections But the president this week in Pennsylvania defended the price increases tied to his tariffs by suggesting that Americans should buy fewer dolls and pencils for children. His message is a jarring contrast with what respondents expressed in the poll, even among people who backed him in the 2024 election.

Sergio Ruiz, 44, of Tucson, Arizona, said he is using more buy now, pay later programs to spread out over time the expense of gifts for his children He doesn’t put a huge emphasis on politics, but he voted for Trump last year and would like to see lower interest rates to help boost his real estate business He believes that more Americans having higher incomes would help to manage any affordability issues.

“Prices are up. What can you do? You need to make more money,” Ruiz said.

The poll found that when they do shop, about half of Americans are finding the lowest price more than they would normally About 4 in 10 are dipping into their savings more than at other times.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they’re cutting back on expenses or looking for low prices, but many Republicans are budgeting more than usual as well.

About 4 in 10 Republicans are looking for low prices more than they usually would, while a similar share are shopping for nonessential items less than usual.

People felt similarly dismal about holiday shopping and the economy when Biden was president in 2022. Inflation had spiked to a four-decade high that summer Three years later, inflation has eased substantially, but it’s still running at 3%, a full percentage point above the Federal Reserve’s target as the job market appears to have entered a deep freeze.

The survey indicates that it’s the level of prices — and not just the rate of inflation — that is the point of pain for many families. Roughly 9 in 10 U.S. adults, 87%, say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries in the past few months, while about two-thirds say they’ve experienced higher prices than usual for electricity and holiday gifts. About half say they’ve seen higher than normal prices for gas recently

The findings on groceries and holiday gifts are only slightly lower than in the 2022 poll, despite the slowdown from an inflation rate that hit a four-decade peak in the middle of that year

Fed officials split over risks to U.S. economy in 2026

BY JONNELLE MARTE, CATARINA SARAIVA and ENDA CURRAN

Bloomberg News (TNS)

Federal Reserve officials — including two who will become voters in 2026 — offered strongly opposing views Friday on what to do with interest rates, continuing a debate that will grip the U.S. central bank into the new year

Three policymakers focused in their comments on inflation risks, though one of them suggested he was advocating only a temporary pause to rate cuts to confirm inflation is subsiding. A fourth emphasized risks to the labor market as the bigger concern

The remarks were the first since Wednesday, when the Fed cut its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point for a third consecutive meeting in response to rising unemployment. Dissenting votes

against the decision indicated the string of cuts has become increasingly contentious amid lingering inflation, and projections showed the median official only expects one reduction in 2026. “Part of the committee would prefer to be more cautious. They want to see more data on inflation, more data on the labor market,” said Marco Casiraghi, a senior economist at Evercore ISI. With a new Fed chair coming in and expected to push for lower rates, “it’s going to be a bit of a bargaining process over how many cuts might be reasonable in 2026,” he said.

Two officials — Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee and his Kansas City counterpart, Jeff Schmid — issued statements Friday outlining the rationale for their dissents against Wednesday’s rate cut. It was Goolsbee’s first dissenting vote since joining the Fed in 2023, while

Schmid’s followed a dissent against the previous rate reduction in October

The Chicago Fed chief said in his statement he “felt the more prudent course would have been to wait for more information” before cutting rates again after a government shutdown delayed several key economic reports in October and November, given some “concerning” data on inflation prior to the shutdown.

Speaking later in the morning on CNBC, Goolsbee added that he projected more rate cuts in 2026 than most of his colleagues: “I’m one of the most optimistic folks about how rates can go down in the coming year,” he said. Schmid was less equivocal.

“Inflation remains too high, the economy shows continued momentum and the labor market — though cooling remains largely in balance,” he said in his statement. “I

view the current stance of monetary policy as being only modestly, if at all, restrictive.”

The Chicago and Kansas City Fed presidents will rotate off the Fed’s voting panel in 2026. Two of their incoming replacements also spoke Friday — one emphasizing concerns about inflation and the other warning of risks to the labor market.

Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, at an event in Cincinnati, said the central bank should keep rates high enough to continue putting downward pressure on inflation.

Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson, who with Hammack will rotate into the FOMC’s voting ranks next year, was the only one of the four officials speaking Friday who emphasized ongoing risks to the labor market despite the central bank’s recent efforts to adjust rates toward a more neutral setting.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE

PHOTO By MEGAN VARNER

Shoppers browse through Kohl’s department store for Black Friday deals in Woodstock, Ga.

ANOTHERVIEW

American institutions face confidencecrisis

Founded on bedrock principlesofdemocracy,natural rights andfreedom, Americaisuniquely shaped by its institutions. They provide stability,innovation, economic dynamism and global influence

Ron Faucheux

But with populist uprisings on the rightand left taking aim at established power centers, America’s institutions have lost public confidence to adangerous degree.

Apoll from the Partnership for Public Service found thattrust in government has declinedfrom alow 35% in 2022 to adismal 23% in 2024. Only 15%ofthose polled believegovernmentis transparent (down six points) and awhopping 66% think it’s incompetent (up 10 points). Shockingly,only 29% said democracy is working and 68% said it’snot.

Publicconfidencehas fallen during both Democratic and Republican administrations. The latest Pew Research survey found, for example,that only 17% of Americans now say they trust government in Washington,down from 77% in 1964.That’snot justadrop, it’s acollapse.

The institution in the worst shape,accordingtothe Economist/YouGov survey,isCongress. Just 10% of Americans express high levels of confidenceinit. What does this say about the 9out of10citizens who feel otherwise?

Among the three branchesofnational government, the presidency rates 30% and the U.S. Supreme Court 24%—bothlow,but betterthanCongress. Theseresultsshould set off alarm bells.Yet Americanshavegrown so accustomedtopolls showing low levels of trust in government that bad numbers areno longer ajolt.

But tumbling confidenceisnot limitedtoprimarily political institutions. The Economist/YouGov poll tests institutions in multiplesectors.The military is theonly onethatdraws aclear majority of Americans (54%) expressing high confidenceinit.

Republicans think much betterofthe military than do Democrats; Whites think betterofitthandoBlacks and Hispanics. There is awide generationaldivide: U.S. adults 45 andolder are farmorelikely than those under 45 to have strong confidence in the military

Coming in second in confidencerankings is small business. It does best among men, Republicans, seniors and Whites. While small businessranks well compared to other institutions, it still wins this trust from only 50% of Americans surveyed.

Second to last on the list of institutions is bigbusiness, with only 14%expressing high confidence in it. As you cansee, size matters. Inthe public mind, small business is associatedwith localmom-and-pop shops struggling to stay afloat. Big business conjures images of rich, remote corporations andtheir lavishly paid executives. This distinctiongoes to theheartof populist unrest; it explainswhy voters, by a57% to 25% margin, think the federalgovernment should try to reduce the gap in wealth between the richestand poorest Americans.”

Notably,banks (32%) and organizedlabor (26%)rank above big business and belowsmall business

Of all institutions assessed, police rank third at 38%. But group divides are substantial: 55% of Republicans and 31% of Democrats have high levels of confidence in police —asdo44% of Whites, 29% of Hispanicsand 19% of Blacks.

Only 21% of U.S. adultshave high confidence in the criminal justice system —substantially less than in police. Interestingly, atad moreHispanics(24%) than Blacks(21%) or Whites (19%)have confidence in the entire system.

Nextisthe medicalsystem, at 35%. Democrats have much more confidence in it than do Republicans. Publicschools follow at 32%; Blacks,morethan Hispanics and Whites, have high confidence in them. Democrats also have more confidence thanRepublicans in public schools.

The church, or organized religion, scores28%,and draws its highest levels oftrust from astriking coalition —Republicans, Blacks and 18 to 29 year olds. How about the media? Newspapers do better (23%) than television news(17%), but both measure low. Higher-income Americans have the mostconfidence in newspapers, while lower-income earners havethe most confidence in television news.

“Weare at apunctuationpoint in humanhistory,” wrote business and technology guru Don Tapscott, arguing that our institutions have “essentially run out of gas.” Most Americans would probably agreewith this sentiment —and that, in itself, is athreattothe foundation of our democracy

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

Military membersneed officialswho tell thetruth

Well, folks, we survived the 1960s and early 1970s, but now we are faced with another prospect of a president involving our country in another unnecessary war.Wedon’t need to provoke Venezuela intoa conflict just to appease someofour leaders’ desire to show thepowerful might of our military

Ican’tbelieve we are blowing boatsout of the water and not using our Coast Guard to stop and apprehend these individuals. We cannot andshould not allow our military to act as judge and executioner when dealing withthese accused drug traffickers.

What would we do if some country

decided to bombaboat coming out of Texas just as it got into international waters? Could they justifyit by saying they felt like the boat was running illegal substances out of the U.S. and into their country? When are themembers of Congress going to come forward and retake their appropriate position within our government?

Don’tallow our president to send troops into another conflict without justification and proof.I’m aproud Vietnam veteran whodoesn’twant our military subjected to the same lies that we had to deal with.

RICHARD STAGNOLI Central

Columnistgives no basisfor attack on Mamdani

Quin Hillyer should be absolutely ashamed of himself for his recent “opinion” piece discussing theelection of Zohran Mamdani in New York City. He shamelessly and baselessly describes Mamdani as a “near-radical Islamic” and “proto-socialist” (whatever that even means) Having an opinion on the killings of innocent people in Gaza does not makeyou aradical Islamist. And having adesire to make the most expensive cityinAmerica alittle more affordable for 8.5 million people does not makeyou atraitor toyour country This is pure and simple, unmasked right-wing fear-mongering and propaganda, theexact kind of harmful rhetoric that even Marjorie Taylor

Greene now acknowledges needs to stop.

Ihave no issue whatsoever with giving space for right-leaning views. Iamwell aware that we live in Louisiana.

AndifMamdani had been elected mayor of New Orleans or Baton Rouge, Imight even be alittle moretolerant of the criticism. But Mamdani’selection has absolutely nothing to do with Louisianaatall. New Yorkers elected him,and if he fails, they will pay the price. But if he succeeds, then maybe Mamdani’s approach may start to gain traction elsewhere. Andthat, of course, is what really frightens them. MATT FRASER NewOrleans

LSU’ssagawithKiffinisworthyofsatire

Iamintrigued by your recent sportscolumn starting, “Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter,members of the football team and even the state’stop public safety officer are challenging theveracity of Lane Kiffin’sportrayal of the events surrounding his departure to LSU.” Iwish that James Gill, your late columnist, was still with us. Iknow

that he would havesomething humorousand sardonic to say about theLSU coachingsituation. Perhaps your regrettably retiring editorial cartoonist, Walt Handelsman, could give us one more cartoon contest using this subject? The humor level would be at an all-timehigh. QUIN BATES Marrero

Immigration enforcement targetsthose whocamewhen help wasneeded

Gov. Jeff Landry’sapproval of President Donald Trump’scall for National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol to New Orleans is apolitical decision. It is not justified by the facts on the ground.

Trumpannounced this whole initiative to makesure that undocumented criminal elements were not staying illegally in the U.S. The recent footage of an ICEoperative punching amother while she sits in her car,defending her minor children whoare in the back, is not AI.Itisreal. Samewith people holding valid green cards or other valid citizenship proof being detained, treated inhumanely and then released without apology If you walkalong Crescent Park in NewOrleans, you will find a statue, erected in 2018, dedicated to the significant contributions of workers from Latin America to the successful rebuilding of New Orleans and the area after the devastating events of 2005. There are so manysectors of the economy of this state and New Orleans that benefit from our Hispanic neighbors. This “round up everyone who looks Latino” approach is abhorrent and results in terrifying innocent people, increasing tension and wrenching lives apart.

We are hearing reports that people whohave been released from detention because they are Louisiana residents (i.e., Landry’s constituents), are not getting their personal belongings back, including things like cellphones and engagement rings. Nobody deserves that treatment. Even federal prisons do better than that with their convicted inmates, and these people were only “guilty” of looking Latino. So, when the risks of such a “shock and awe” approach are this high, Ifind myself asking: “Where’sthe emergency? What’s the big danger?”

SALLIE DAVIS NewOrleans

Collective focus

Saints can play spoilerinNFC South, butmore’satstake

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints have longbeenout of the running forthe NFC South.

Buttheystill have achance to impact the race. Heck,they already have.

New Orleans’ win over theTampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend threw awrench into whathas surprisingly been acompetitive division. The loss movedTampaBay into a tie for first with theCarolinaPanthers,who justsohappentobethe team theSaints host Sundayatthe Caesars Superdome.

And after the Atlanta Falcons pulled offanupset over Tampa Bay on “Thursday Night Football,” the Panthers nowlead thedivisionoutright, increasing the stakes of Sunday’sgame even further.New Orleans,too, beat Carolina earlier this season

When eliminated fromthe playoffs, almost every team embraces the opportunity to playspoiler.But for the rebuilding Saints, swinging therace would takeon

BY RODWALKER Staff writer

“WAIT,WHAT?”

That was New Orleans Saintsdefensive endCarlGranderson’simmediate response. That reaction waspretty much like all the others by histeammates Wednesday as they glanced at the four guys onthe picture shown to them. It was the guy on the farleft with the shaggy,mop-top haircut that prompted similarresponsesthat went alittle something likethis “Coach wasaHeisman finalist?”asked receiver MasonTipton.

“I didn’teven realize he was young enough to have played at the sametime as CamNewton,”saidcornerback Isaac Yiadom.

extrasignificance. Beatingteamsatthe topofthe division would be another important sign that coach Kellen Moore’svision is actually taking hold.

“Ourfocus can go alot of differentwaysthistime of year,and so Iappreciate the way our guys have handled this,” Mooresaid. “Ultimately,it’sacollective focus of what we’retrying to accomplish week in andweekout.

And we want to play meaningful December football.

“We’ve got to createthose habits this year and moving forward.

The Saints have madestrides in creating those habits. On defense, players regularly echo defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’smessageand after arough slateofopponents to beginthe year,the unit is close to ranking in the top 10 —and hasbeen playing at atop-fivelevel for thelast month.Onoffense,rookie quarterback Tyler Shough has shown plenty of promise and has won two of his first five starts.

Shough said he’sless concerned about impacting

ä See SAINTS, page 5C

LSU, Mulkey set forrare matchup vs.La. Tech

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

ä LSU vs: Louisiana Tech

5P.M. SATURDAy

Theopportunitytoplay aroad game against Louisiana Tech has presented itself to coach KimMulkey before, but she has alwaysturned it down. Mulkeyiswilling to putthe Lady Techsters on one of her nonconference schedules. She has already done so during her timeatBaylor,and she did again ahead of this Tigers season. However,the LSU women’sbasketballcoach will never stage agame in Ruston— the small town in North Louisiana where she played her college hoops andlaunchedher Hall-ofFame coaching career “There’stoo manyemotions there,” Mulkey said. “There’stoo many.Icouldn’t walkinthat gym and be agood coach.” So,a neutralsite will have to suffice instead. At 5p.m.Saturday(ESPNU),the Smoothie King Center will host only the secondmatchup between oneofMulkey’steams and her almamater,Louisiana Tech. The No. 5Tigers (10-0) and the Lady Techsters are set to meet in the Compete 4Cause Classic —a doubleheader that also featuresa 7:30 p.m. men’sgamebetween LSU and SMU. Mulkey is aLouisiana Tech legend. She played point guard for the Lady Techsters from 1980-84, then worked as an assistant coach forthe next 16 seasons. Tech reached the Final Four 11 times in the 19 total seasons Mulkey spent there and took home three national titles (in1981, 1982 and 1988). In December 2009, Mulkey’sBaylor team defeated the Lady Techsters 77-67 in Waco, Texas. Mulkey hasn’t facedher alma matersince, not even after she leftthe Bears in 2021, so she could revive LSU’swomen’sbasketball program. The Tigers faced almost every otherLouisianaschool— from Grambling

The holidays are here and so is bowl season. Make that bowl/playoff season.

The College Football Playoff may be takingupmostofthe postseason oxygen, but there are still plenty of bowlgames to be played. That includes LSU’sfinal destination in theTexas Bowl, Dec. 27 against Houston. Apair of teams with huge regional interest also maketheir first foray into the CFP when Tulane plays Dec. 20 at Ole Miss. The whole epic show begins Saturday withapair of bowlgames, followed by thestartofthe CFP next Friday,running through the CFP national championship game on Jan. 19 in Miami. Here’sa look at the whole schedule, with facts and predictionsabout all the matchups currently set Enjoy thepostseason, everyone. CFP first-roundgames

FRIDAY,DEC.19 No.9 Alabama(10-3) at No.8 Oklahoma (10-2) 7p.m.,ABC/ESPN

Extrapoint: Sooners won23-21 in Tuscaloosa OU,20-17. SATURDAY,DEC. 20 No. 10 Miami (10-2) at No. 7Texas A&M(11-1) 11 a.m.,ABC/ESPN

Extrapoint: Aggies’ MarcelReed has thrown six interceptions in the past five games… The U, 32-29. No. 11 Tulane (11-2) at No. 6Ole Miss(11-1) 2:30 p.m.,TNT/TruTV Extrapoint: Rebels’Trinidad Chambliss outpassed Green Wave’s JakeRetzlaff307-56 on Sept. 20 UM,31-21. No. 12 James Madison (12-1) at No. 5Oregon (11-1) 6:30 p.m.,TNT/TruTV Extrapoint: Ducks were one-and-done in CFP last year as No. 1seed …UO, 41-18. CFPquarterfinals WEDNESDAY,DEC. 31 Cotton Bowl (Arlington,Texas) Miami-TexasA&M winner vs. No. 2Ohio State (12-1) 6:30 p.m., ESPN Extrapoint:

Scott Rabalais

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACOB KUPFERMAN

Saints cornerbackAlontae Taylor celebrates intercepting apass intended for Carolina Panthers wide receiverTetairoa McMillan during the second half of agame on Nov. 9inCharlotte, N.C. The Saints will host thePanthers on Sunday at the Superdome

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK Heisman Trophy finalists, from left, LSU’s JoeBurrow, Ohio State’sJustin Fields, Oklahoma’sJalen Hurtsand Ohio State’s Chase young pose with the Heisman Trophy on Dec. 13, 2019, in Newyork.

4:30

5 p.m.

11

6

Tulane striving for consistency

BY GUERRY SMITH

Contributing writer

By coach Ron Hunter’s reckoning, the Tulane men’s basketball team has played four good halves out of six in its three biggest tests of the year The other two halves reflected the total lack of consistency the Green Wave (7-3) 8 has exhibited as is learns to play without center Gregg Glenn while working in three key transfers Hunter is not sure which group will show up Saturday night at 11 in Las Vegas for test No. 4 against 2025 NCAA tournament participant UC San Diego (8-1) in a standalone game at the Jack Jones Classic.

UC San Diego, which went 30-5 last season and nearly upset Michigan in the first round of the South Region, was picked fourth in the Big West after losing its top six scorers and coach Eric Olen (to New Mexico). Guard Aidan Burke is the lone returning player who logged significant minutes. The Tritons lost to the only top-100 team they faced in Nevada Their highest rated victim was No. 134 Towson. Tulane was tabbed third in the American Conference but the

ä Tulane vs. UC San Diego 11 P.M. SATURDAy, BALLERTV

Wave is languishing at No. 256 in the early-season NET ratings while the Tritons are 60th.

“This challenges us because we’re playing a late game, and then we’re playing a really good team,” Hunter said. “The encouraging part is at some point the consistency will come. When we’re playing consistent basketball for 35 to 40 minutes, we’re going to be really hard to beat.”

Tulane handed Boston College (56) of the Atlantic Coast Conference one of its three overtime losses (another came to LSU), getting 32 points from Curtis Williams and 27 from Rowan Brumbaugh in a solid performance. Two days earlier, the Wave was tied with 2025 NCAA tourney team Utah State (8-1) at halftime before losing by 21. Last Saturday, the Wave led twotime defending Mid-American tournament champion and preseason MAC favorite Akron by six midway through the first half but was done in by dismal outside shooting, falling by 17 while going 7 of 33 from long range.

All eight players in Hunter’s regular rotation have been sharp at times, and all eight have struggled on other occasions. Finding the right mix absent Glenn, who

drowned in late July, remains a challenge. Sophomore Tyler Ringgold moved to the post from the perimeter, scoring in double figures for the first three games but only twice since then. Touted transfer forward Scotty Middleton was active defensively from the start but averaged less than six points until scoring 14 against Tougaloo on Wednesday Look for Hunter to go back to his standard starting lineup after experimenting with Josiah Moore at guard while bringing senior Asher Woods off the bench against Tougaloo. Woods responded with 17 points, but Moore scored three in the final 35 minutes after getting five quick ones.

Lagniappe

The game will be available on pay streaming network BallerTV Tulane’s previous trip to Las Vegas was an 89-60 loss to USC in the first round of the College Basketball Crown postseason tournament last April. UC San Diego 6-foot-8 forward Leo Beath is shooting 57.5% from the floor and is 18 of 37 (48.6%) from 3-point range.

LSU men look to fix scoring against SMU

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Adding weight to any game isn’t something Matt McMahon is going to do.

Entering LSU’s contest against SMU, its final high-major foe before Southeastern Conference play, the fourth-year coach said Thursday that he wants his team to play with a purpose every game, regardless of the opponent. However, he knows his players have extra motivation this time after they were “disappointed” with an 82-58 loss to No. 16 Texas Tech last Sunday That was the Tigers’ first game against a team ranked in the top 100 by the analytics website KenPom.com.

“Our players understand the importance of not only bouncing back from Sunday,” McMahon said, “(but) playing against a Quad One opponent in the computer rankings and another Power Five game against a really good team. So we approach every game the same way, but I do think our players have a sense of urgency to respond the right way.”

The response LSU (8-1) has against SMU (9-1) will happen in the Compete 4 Cause Classic at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Smoothie King Center. Before Friday’s games, SMU was ranked 40th on KenPom, one spot below LSU.

McMahon called the Mustangs a top-25 caliber team that will likely

LSU

Continued from page 1C

and UL-Monroe to McNeese and Tulane in her first four seasons, but not the storied program that plays its home games about 200 miles north of Baton Rouge.

“The history of women’s basketball in this state doesn’t belong to LSU,” Mulkey said “It belongs to Louisiana Tech. (The) Seimone Augustus era was outstanding. Our little five-year era here is outstand-

be in the NCAA tournament. He wants to add an impressive win to his team’s résumé

To do that, the Tigers will need to remedy their offense.

“When you look at our last 60 minutes of basketball, excluding the overtime period in Boston, we have struggled to score,” McMahon said “It’s just the reality I think the number that probably jumps out to everyone would be that we have not shot the ball well from 3. That is clearly a concern.”

LSU went 4 of 24 from beyond the arc in its last game. The game before that, it went 3 of 19 in a 7869 overtime win at Boston College.

LSU is last in the SEC in made 3-pointers at 6.7 per game. Mc-

Mahon also highlighted a need for more efficient two-point scoring, as the Tigers went 7 of 22 in the first half against Texas Tech.

McMahon said he has confidence in his shooters and is “not worried about that.” The Tigers’ 3-point shooters are Dedan Thomas, Marquel Sutton and Max Mackinnon in the starting lineup and Rashad King, Ron Zipper and PJ Carter off the bench.

If a 3-point shot isn’t falling for a wing player, McMahon said he’ll be willing to make changes sooner in games.

“There’s not great separation in the wing rotation,” McMahon said.

“So I think some of it right now is for the first time in several weeks, we’ve had some opportunity to

ing, but when you take the cumulative history of women’s basketball in this state, go look at what Louisiana Tech was able to accomplish.”

The Lady Techsters were a national power under legendary coaches Sonja Hogg and Leon Barmore Hogg guided them to a pair of national championships and more than 300 wins across nine seasons, then turned the program over to Barmore, who led them to another national title and 11 30-win campaigns. Hogg and Barmore were co-head coaches from 1982-85.

practice and have more competitive practices versus just preparing for the next game. So I think there’s opportunities available there for other guys to step forward

“Certainly, there’s a lot more that goes into it than just the ability to shoot the 3, but we also understand the importance of that in today’s game. We’ve got to be able to space the floor, and it’s on myself to make sure, from a scheme standpoint and design, that we’re creating highpercentage 3s,” he said.

With the additional practice time, McMahon said he has also had a chance to make internal adjustments without redshirt junior Jalen Reed, who injured his left Achilles tendon on Nov 28 and will be out for the remainder of the season.

Reed, who was averaging 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 18 minutes, will be missed for the scoring versatility as a forward and center McMahon said the loss is devastating, especially after he missed last season with a torn right ACL in the eighth game.

McMahon said Reed is committed to coming back once more from this latest injury and will travel with the team to New Orleans. The first two weeks after the injury, he wasn’t around in person since his movements were limited after surgery SMU is a team that heavily relies on its starters, as all five average double-figure points. The top two

Mulkey almost took over for Barmore in 2000. She had turned down head coaching offers before to stay in Ruston, but when it came time to choose between her alma mater and Baylor, she decided on coaching the Bears. Louisiana Tech, at the time, wouldn’t offer her the five-year deal — and the extra job security she wanted. Their paths then diverged. Mulkey won three national titles at Baylor and one at LSU, while Louisiana Tech hasn’t made it back to the Final Four The Lady Techsters haven’t even advanced past

LSU junior RB Jackson to enter transfer portal

LSU junior running back Kaleb Jackson plans on entering the transfer portal, he announced on social media Friday.

Jackson had 331 rushing yards on 82 carries across three years with the Tigers. He burst onto the scene as a freshman, scoring four touchdowns and averaging over 5 yards per rush, but struggled from that point on Jackson had a chance to establish himself in LSU’s backfield, given the Tigers’ relative youth heading into the season. Sophomore Caden Durham had returned, but besides him, LSU had just two freshmen and a sophomore with little experience. Johnson announced on Wednesday that he was planning on entering the portal. LSU did not sign any running backs in its 2026 recruiting class.

Clark returns to court after injury-filled season

DURHAM,N.C.— Caitlin Clark had to remind herself to smile, have fun and not be so self-critical. The opening day of USA Basketball camp Friday was her first time playing competitively in nearly five months after the Indiana Fever All-Star missed most of the WNBA season with a variety of injuries.

Clark said she gained a greater appreciation for basketball after only being able to play in 13 games this past season. This was Clark’s first time playing with the senior national team. The 23-year-old had been invited to camps when she was in college, but the timing didn’t work out for her to attend.

Clark is one of about a dozen first-timers at the camp, including Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese.

Steelers LB Watt has a ‘successful surgery’ on lung PITTSBURGH Steelers star T.J Watt had a “partially collapsed lung” following a dry needling treatment and underwent surgery to treat it, his brother J.J. posted on social media Friday Steelers coach Mike Tomlin ruled Watt out for Monday night’s game against the Dolphins, but J.J. Watt indicated that the Steelers’ pass rusher was at least well enough to leave the hospital.

ä LSU vs. SMU 7:30 P.M. SATURDAy SECN

players are point guard Boopie Miller and wing Jaron Pierre, a New Orleans native.

Each player averages about 20 points, and Miller is tied for first in assists per game (6.8) in the Atlantic Coast Conference LSU’s Thomas, who averages 15.2 points and leads the SEC with 6.3 assists, likely will be assigned to Miller LSU most recently struggled against an elite primary playmaker in Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson, who had 27 points and 10 assists.

“I think we learned a lot from it, from film study,” McMahon said. So we’ll have to do a much better job individually and as a team in defending elite point guards like that.”

Preparing for challenges like the one SMU presents and learning from the only loss of the year is what LSU needs as the year progresses.

“We know the games like Texas Tech, the games like SMU prepare you for the 18-game gauntlet that you’re going to go through when you get to SEC play,” McMahon said “I think our players understand; they know what their goals are in the long term for the season and understand the importance of games like this. So I expect we’ll be locked in and ready to go on Saturday night.”

the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2004, and they’ve cracked that field of teams only twice in the last 20 seasons. Mulkey, on the other hand, has spent those two decades chasing championships. The fifth of her head coaching career could come as soon as this season — a year that includes a rare matchup with the program that shaped her “I’ve been here five years now,” Mulkey said, “but your memories last forever, and the memories I have of my 19 years at Louisiana Tech will never dissolve.”

“Yesterday TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility,” the elder Watt wrote on social media. “Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today.”

Vonn wins first World Cup downhill since 2018

In her 125th career World Cup downhill start, 24 years after her debut and eight years since her last major win, Lindsey Vonn sped to a stunning victory in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Friday

It was as if Vonn announced to the world that not only is she back after a six-year retirement, the 41-year-old American slopes legend is ready to rule downhill skiing again at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February

Vonn is the only American woman to win an Olympics gold medal in downhill, having done so at the 2010 Vancouver Games. She also won bronze medals in the super-G 2010 and downhill in 2018.

Vonn will take part in another downhill race Saturday and a super-G on Sunday

Royals, 3B Garcia agree to 5-year, $57M contract

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a five-year, $57.5 million contract that includes a club option for a sixth season, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending a physical. Garcia was arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2026, so the deal essentially buys out his arbitration years and potentially his first two years of free agency.

The 25-year-old Garcia is coming off a breakout season both in the field, where he won

16

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Tulane guard Asher Woods goes for a layup in a game against Samford on Nov. 3 at Devlin Fieldhouse.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ANDREWBURTON

The four Heisman Trophyfinalists from left, Boise State quarterback Kellen Moore, Stanford quarterback AndrewLuck, Auburn quarterbackCam Newton and Oregonrunning back LaMichael James,pose for a photo with the Heisman Trophyduring anewsconference on Dec.10, 2010, in Newyork.

HEISMAN

Continued from page1C

andAndrewLuck(Stanford)and running back LaMichael James (Oregon). All four were vying for the most coveted award in all of college football.

Newton won it.

Moore, who threw for 3,845 yards and 35 touchdowns for a Boise State team that went12-1, finished fourth.

Although he didn’twin it, he relishes that weekend in the Big Apple.

“Itwas acoolexperience,” Moore said. “It was the first time aguy from Boise State had ever been to anythinglikethat, so it wascool to represent the schooland be apart of that moment. It was fun.”

The following year,Moore threw for 3,800 yards and 43 touchdowns as the Broncoswent 12-1 again. He finished eighth in the Heisman voting that season, three spots behind LSU star and future Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu. Baylor’sRobertGriffinIII won it that year

Another winner will add his name to the prestigious list Saturday night. Best guess hereisthat it’ll be Indiana quarterback Fer-

RABALAIS

Continued from page1C

THURSDAY,JAN. 1

Orange Bowl (Miami)

James Madison-Oregon winner vs. No. 4Texas Tech (12-1)

11 a.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: RedRaiders allowed more than 20 points only once in 2025. Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)

Alabama-Oklahoma winner vs. No. 1Indiana (13-0)

3p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Hoosiers have second-most lossesever(715), Bama third-most wins (984). Sugar Bowl (Caesars Superdome)

Tulane-Ole Miss winner vs. No. 3 Georgia (12-1)

7p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Bulldogs lost Sugar Bowl to Notre Dame in January, 23-10.

CFPsemifinals

THURSDAY,JAN. 8 Fiesta Bowl (Glendale,Ariz.)

6:30 p.m., ESPN

FRIDAY,JAN. 9

Peach Bowl (Atlanta)

6:30 p.m., ESPN

CFPNational Championship

MONDAY,JAN. 19

6:30 p.m., ESPN (Miami)

Otherbowlgames

SATURDAY Celebration Bowl (Atlanta)

South Carolina State (9-3) vs PrairieView(10-3)

11 a.m.,ABC

Extrapoint: PrairieViewhas allowed 10 points or less in fiveof last sevengames …PVU,24-17. LA Bowl (Inglewood,Calif.)

Boise St.(9-4) vs.Washington (8-4)

7p.m.,ABC

Extrapoint: BoiseState coming off third straight Mountain West title …BSU,33-29.

TUESDAY Salute to Veterans Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.)

Troy (8-5) vs. Jacksonville St. (8-5)

8p.m ESPN

Extrapoint: One of twobowl matchups of in-state rivals (Alabama) …JSU,26-20.

WEDNESDAY Cure Bowl (Orlando, Fla.)

nandoMendoza.The otherfinalists are Vanderbilt quarterback DiegoPavia,OhioState quarterbackJulianSayin andNotre Damerunning back Jeremiyah Love.

All four are guaranteed to enjoy their time in New York, said Saints defensiveend ChaseYoung.

Sixyearsago,Youngwas afinalistafter recording 161/2 sacks at Ohio State.

“It wascrazyand ahelluva environment with alot going on,”

Young said. “It was surreal. I wouldn’tsay growing up Idreamed about going to the Heisman,because that wasn’tsomething Iever thought about. It was one of those things that just happened. Iwas just blessedtobethere.”

Young, like Moore, finished fourth behind LSU’sJoe Burrow, Oklahoma’sJalen Hurts and Ohio State teammateJustinFields.

Youngwould have been the first defensive player to win it since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. Young still remembers the wordsWoodson told himthatnight

“You know if you didn’tget suspended, youwould have wonthis thing,” Woodson said.

Young got suspended for two games that season for getting an unauthorizedloan from a

Old Dominion (9-3) vs. South Florida (9-3)

4p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: ODU QB Colton Josephintransfer portal, as did USF coach Alex Golesh (Auburn) …USF 28-24.

68 Ventures Bowl (Mobile,Ala.)

UL (6-6) vs. Delaware (6-6)

7:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Eighth straight bowl for Cajuns, first for Blue Hens …UL, 27-23.

THURSDAY

Xbox Bowl (Frisco,Texas)

Missouri St. (7-5) vs.Arkansas St.(6-6)

8p.m., ESPN2

Extrapoint: Game being played at The Star,Dallas Cowboys’ indoor facility …MSU,35-24.

FRIDAY

Myrtle Beach Bowl (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)

KennesawState (10-3) vs. WesternMichigan (9-4) 10 a.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: WMUtop 15 in scoring and total defense… WMU, 28-14.

Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa,Fla.)

Memphis(8-4) vs. NC State(7-5)

1:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Memphis lost four of past six and coach Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas) …NCSU,38-20.

MONDAY,DEC.22

Famous IdahoPotato Bowl (Boise, Idaho)

Washington St. (6-6) vs. Utah St. (6-6)

1p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Wazzu lost coach JimmyRogers to Iowa State …USU 27-22.

TUESDAY, DEC.23

Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Fla.)

Toledo (8-4) vs. Louisville (8-4)

1p.m,, ESPN

Extrapoint:Toledolost its coach andDCtotwo different schools UL, 34-14.

New Orleans Bowl (Caesars Superdome)

WesternKentucky (8-4) vs. SouthernMiss (7-5)

4:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: USM went from onetoseven wins but lost coach Charles Huff (Memphis) …WKU 38-19. Frisco Bowl (Frisco,Texas)

UNLV(10-3) vs. Ohio (8-4)

8p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Dan Mullen’sUNLV team trying to tie school record for

BY LARRYLAGEAND ED WHITE Associated Press

ANN ARBOR,Mich. Fired Universi-

ty of Michigan football coachSherroneMoore “barged his way” into theapartment of awoman with whom he hadbeen having an affair andthreatenedtokill himself after she reported the relationship to the school and he lost his job, prosecutorssaid Friday Moorewas charged with three crimes, including felony home invasion andstalking.

Moore’sbehalf by District Court Magistrate Odetalla Odetalla, and he was released from jail after meeting the$25,000 bond. Moore said very little in court besides acknowledging that he must have no contact with the woman,among other conditions.

The court hearing washeld just 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) from MichiganStadiumwhere Moore, whois married andhas three children, coached his last game against rivalOhioState in frontofmorethan 100,000 fans on Nov.29.

family friend.

“I could have had six more sacks withthosetwo games,” Young said. “I was unblockable that year.”

Chances are, it wouldn’thave been enough to beat thevideo gamenumbers Burrow put up during LSU’snational championship season. But if Young had somehow won it, he would have joined alist of Saints players who have hoisted the trophy Former Saintstowin the honor areEarlCampbell, George Rogers, Danny Wuerffel, Ricky Williams, Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram and Jameis Winston. Winning theHeisman, of course, doesn’tguarantee successinthe NFL. But being one of thefinalists is something Young doesn’ttake for granted.

“I tell people this all the time,” Young said. “It doesn’tmatter if you spend threeyearsinthe league, two years in theleague or oneyearinthe league. Thefact that we madeittothe Heisman ceremony,you’re alegend.” Young’shead coach would probably agree. Evenifsome of his playersare tooyoung to remember it

Email RodWalker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

wins …UNLV, 37-24. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24

Hawaii Bowl (Honolulu)

California (7-5) vs. Hawaii (8-4)

7p.m., ESPN

Extra point: Cal QB sensation Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is from Oahu …UH, 33-32. FRIDAY,DEC.26

GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit)

Central Mich. (7-5) vs. Northwestern(6-6)

Noon, ESPN

Extra point: Wildcats aiming for sixth straight bowl win …NU, 28-10. Rate Bowl (Phoenix)

NewMexico (9-3) vs. Minnesota (7-5)

3:30 p.m ESPN

Extra point: Golden Gophers have woneight straight bowls, but …UNM,26-24.

First Responder Bowl (Dallas)

FIU(7-5) vs. UTSA(6-6)

7p.m., ESPN

Extra point: Roadrunners race to awinning record …UTSA, 37-24.

SATURDAY,DEC.27

Military Bowl (Annapolis, Md.)

Pittsburgh(8-4) vs.East Carolina (8-4)

10 a.m.,ESPN

Extra point: Tougher team, bigger conference …UP, 34-27.

Pinstripe Bowl(New York)

Penn St.(6-6) vs.Clemson (7-5)

11 a.m.,ABC

Extra point: Penn State was ranked No.2 in preseason, Clemson No.4 CU,23-20. Fenway Bowl (Boston)

UConn (9-3) vs.Army(6-5)

1:15 p.m., ESPN

Extra point: UConn vying for first 10-winseason but without coach Jim Mora Jr.(ColoradoState)… UC, 27-26. Pop-TartsBowl (Orlando, Fla.)

Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. ByU (11-2)

2:30 p.m.,ABC

Extra point: This would have been Notre Dame’sbowlifthe Irish had not opted out ByU,25-20.

ArizonaBowl (Tucson,Ariz.)

Miami, Ohio (7-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4)

3:30 p.m.,The CW Network

Extrapoint: Snoop Dogg’sname is on this bowl, so go with Bulldogs …FSU,24-19. NewMexico Bowl(Albuquerque, N.M.)

North Texas(11-2) vs. San Diego

St. (9-3)

4:45 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: NorthTexas lost AAC

As he watched by videofrom jail, authoritieslaid out extraordinary allegationsagainst Moore and provideddetails that answered a key question: Whatled Michigan to suddenly oust the 39-year-old coach Wednesday after his second season at thehelmofthe storied football program?

Moore and the woman had been having an affair “for anumber of years” before she ended the relationship Monday,said KatiRezmierski, Washtenaw County first assistant prosecutor

Moorerepeatedly calledthe woman and texted her,but she refused to respond, Rezmierski said.

“Eventuallyshe presentedherselftothe University of Michigan. Cooperated in some form of an investigation. As we all now know(Moore) was fired from his employment,” the prosecutor said.

Moore was dismissed for an inappropriaterelationship with astaff member,the school said Wednesday without offering details.

Shortly after losing his job, Moore stormed into the woman’s apartment, “then proceeded to a kitchen drawer,grabbed several butter knives and apair of kitchen scissors. And began to threaten his own life,” Rezmierski said.

The prosecutor quoted Moore as telling the woman:“I’m going to kill myself.I’m going to makeyou watch. My blood is on your hands. You’ve ruined my life.”

“She was terrorized,” Rezmierski said.

Anot-guilty plea wasentered on

final to Tulane to miss CFP.Bummer …SDSU, 31-29.

Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Fla.)

Virginia (10-3)vs. Missouri (8-4)

6:30 p.m ABC

Extrapoint: Can Cavaliers contain Mizzou’sAhmad Hardy? No …UM, 22-20.

Texas Bowl (Houston)

LSU (7-5) vs. Houston (9-3)

8:15 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint:Tigers 6-1inpast sevenbowls,onlyloss in 2022Texas Bowl to Kansas State…UH,20-16.

MONDAY,DEC.29

Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.)

Ga.Southern(6-6) vs.App. State (5-7)

1p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Georgia Southern wonregular-season meeting 25-23 …GSU,26-24.

TUESDAY,DEC.30

Independence Bowl (Shreveport)

Coastal Carolina (6-6) vs. Louisiana Tech (7-5)

1p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Close to home-field advantagefor the Bulldogs…LT, 34-17.

Music CityBowl (Nashville, Tenn.)

Defense attorney Joe Simon said Moore was taken to ahospital for amentalhealthevaluationafter his arrest Wednesday and then returned to the jail.

He saidMoore would “absolutely comply” with the judge’sorder for an additional evaluation.Moore must weara GPStracking device, stay in Michigan and abstain from alcohol. The next court hearing was set forJan. 22.

“There’snoevidence to suggest he’sathreat,” Simon said. Moore signed afive-year contract withabase annualsalary of $5.5 million last year.According to theterms of his deal,the universitywill nothavetobuy outthe remaining years of his contract because he was fired forcause. Moore, the team’sformer offensive coordinator, waspromotedto lead theWolverinesafter they won the national title. He succeeded Jim Harbaugh, whoreturned to theNFL to lead theLos Angeles Chargers.

Michigan is set to play No.14 Texas on Dec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl. Biff Poggi, who filled in for Moore when he was suspended earlierthis season in relation to a Harbaugh-era sign-stealing scandal, will serve as interim coach. While the school seeks anew head coach,the Wolverinesmay lose players in the transfer portal this winter anddonorswho help fund revenue-sharing andNIL deals may hesitate to invest in the winningest program in college football history

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Tennessee (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4)

4:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Expect points aplenty in this one …UT, 38-34. Alamo Bowl (SanAntonio)

USC(9-3) vs.TCU(8-4)

8p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Trojans’ star WR Makai Lemon among opt outs, still …USC, 31-28.

WEDNESDAY,DEC. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Fla.)

Iowa (8-4) vs.Vanderbilt (10-2)

11 a.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Commodores seeking first final AP top-10 ranking ever. VU,31-17. Sun Bowl (ElPaso,Texas)

Arizona St. (8-4) vs. Duke(8-5)

1p.m., CBS

Extrapoint: SunDevils or Blue Devils? Back the blue …DU, 26-23. CitrusBowl (Orlando, Fla.)

Michigan (9-3) vs.Texas (9-3) 2p.m.,ABC

Extrapoint: Howwill Wolverines respond afterSherrone Moore firing?Not well …UT, 28-16.

Las VegasBowl (LasVegas) Nebraska (7-5) vs. Utah (10-2)

Extrapoint: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham contemplating retirement …UU, 38-17.

FRIDAY,JAN. 2

Armed Forces Bowl (FortWorth, Texas) Rice (5-7) vs.Texas State (6-6) Noon, ESPN

Extrapoint: Rice gotindespite record because of opt-outs,APR TSU, 35-24.

LibertyBowl (Memphis,Tenn.)

Navy (9-2) vs. Cincinnati(7-5) 3:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: BlakeHorvath, Midshipmen weighanchor on the Mississippi …USNA, 30-24.

Duke’sMayoBowl (Charlotte, N.C.) Wake Forest (8-4) vs.Miss.State (5-7)

7p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Demon Deacons for the win —and the mayo dump WF,31-28.

HolidayBowl (San Diego) Arizona (9-3) vs. SMU (8-4) 7p.m., Fox Extrapoint: Exciting end to bowl season with this one …SMU 27-25.

THE VARSITY ZONE

St. Charles slips past Shaw in final

Top-seeded Comets kick winning field goal with 5 seconds left

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Unable to make the tying extra point, St. Charles senior Tyler Milioto came through with the winning field goal.

Milioto kicked a 44-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining, and the top-seeded Comets defeated No. 7 Shaw 23-21 in the LHSAA Division II select state championship Friday at Caesars Superdome.

Milioto missed what would have been the tying extra point with 35 seconds remaining, but he got a second chance to make good for his team after Shaw was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct on the first play of the next possession, which ultimately kept the Eagles from kneeling out the clock and forcing them to punt.

A Shaw player removed his helmet in celebration after a kneeldown on first down, apparently thinking the clock would expire, and the penalty caused the clock to stop without St. Charles having to use either of its two remaining timeouts.

Two plays — and two timeouts — later, a shanked punt let St. Charles (13-1) take possession at the Shaw 32 with 17 seconds left, and after a short pass for 5 yards, Milioto returned to the field for his winning field goal that gave the school its fourth state championship.

Before the missed extra point, St. Charles drove 82 yards and senior Skyler Edwards burrowed into the

end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run that made the score 21-20.

In the third quarter Shaw quarterback Allen Shaw ran for two touchdowns and lifted his team to a 21-14 advantage before the period ended.

His first touchdown came two plays after a fake punt pass from sophomore upback Ted Reine, whose completion to tight end

Elliott Love went for a gain of 38 yards to get deep into St. Charles territory and Allen Shaw ran 8 yards for a touchdown that tied the score at 14-14. The Shaw defense forced a punt, and Allen Shaw scored on the first play of the next possession when he ran 81 yards through an opening on the left side and outran the entire St. Charles defense with 3

seconds remaining in the period.

The Shaw defense forced another punt, and senior DeAndree Franklin ran 43 yards to get deep into St. Charles territory, but a missed field goal kept it a onescore game. In the early going for St. Charles, Edwards capped the opening drive with a touchdown on fourth-andgoal from the 1. Shaw defenders

thought they stopped Edwards short of the goal line and celebrated as they ran toward the sideline just as the side judge raised his arms to signal a touchdown. Shaw coach Hank Tierney called timeout to appeal the play, and the touchdown was upheld after a video review Shaw (9-5) evened the score in the second quarter when Love slipped by the last St Charles defender and caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Allen Shaw

St. Charles regained the lead with two big catches by tight end Gabe Kugler, including his sliding grab in the end zone for a 14-yard touchdown reception less than 2 minutes before halftime. Kugler had an earlier catch on third down that went 43 yards to get deep into Shaw territory

St. Charles scored the opening touchdown after senior ChrisDon McClain returned a kickoff to the Shaw 29.

St. Charles reached the state finals for the sixth time in seven years, in search of a fourth state championship. The Comets had a string of five state finals appearances snapped last season with an uncharacteristic 4-7 season.

Shaw returned to the Dome as reigning state champions following the first title for the school since Hank Tierney coached the Eagles to the 1987 Class 4A title during his first stint at the school, before he returned in 2022.

St. Charles beat Shaw 24-0 when the teams met in Week 10 this season, and the state final was the fifth meeting between the schools in four seasons.

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

For Edna Karr, this is more of the same Another return trip to the Caesars Superdome. Another chance at winning a state championship Another chance at posting an undefeated record.

While St. Augustine supporters celebrate the chance to play for a state title in the Dome for the first time in nearly five decades, Karr can have the been-there, done-that approach to the LHSAA Division I select state final set for 3:30 p.m.

Saturday

since the first title in 1993, departed the Superdome last season knowing it would have several key contributors back from that team.

“With any team, the expectation as Karr is to do it again,” said Brown, whose team has won 26 consecutive games since it last lost in a state semifinal two years ago against Acadiana.

“My thought was, no excuses,” said Johnson, a West Virginia signee. “We bring a lot of people back from last season, especially on defense. So, it’s really no excuses, taking it game by game and not getting complacent.”

Johnson threw three touchdown passes and ran for two scores as he completed 26 of 35 passes for 342 yards in a 42-21 victory the first time Karr faced St. Augustine this season.

The three seniors are among 15 Karr players already signed to play football in college, all of them early qualifiers who will attend college starting in January

“It’s really a beautiful thing, especially the way they’ve done it academically, all of them going to school early,” Karr coach Brice Brown said. “To have them here in

Dual-threat quarterback John Johnson is a third-year starter and was selected as the outstanding player in the state final last season after he accounted for more than 350 rushing and passing yards and five touchdowns in a 53-8 drubbing of Alexandria Also back from that team last season is defensive tackle Richard Anderson, an LSU signee who made a big-time impact on the final last season with six tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including one for a safety Aiden Hall, another LSU signee, returned an interception for a touchdown to help initiate the running clock midway through the third quarter on the way to the school’s seventh football state title.

their last game, going against their city rival you know the picture can’t be painted much better for them. The only thing left is to do some clean-up things and we have to finish the job on Saturday.” Karr can take a business-as-usual approach because the Cougars have reached this point so many times in the past. The Cougars have won five state titles in the past nine seasons, all under Brown. Karr, a seven-time state winner

Karr took a 21-7 lead into the break, and Johnson led a 99-yard touchdown drive after the Karr defense made a fourth-down stop at the 1 to start the second half.

Karr would like nothing more than to have a repeat performance, one that would land the Cougars yet another state championship.

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

Mendoza looking to add Heisman win for Indiana to college ride

BY MICHAEL MAROT Associated Press

The first time Fernando Mendoza put his hands on a Heisman Trophy, he did it on a whim while on a recruiting trip to Yale. On Saturday he’ll be on stage for the real deal. Mendoza enters this weekend having won the Associated Press Player of the Year Award and as the favorite to win college football’s most prestigious individual award. He would be the first winner from Indiana University and the third with Hispanic roots — titles not lost on the once lightly recruited Miami native who started contemplating this storybook ending a few months ago.

“At the beginning of the year, I saw the list of the top 10 Heisman contenders and evidently (my name) wasn’t there,” he said. “I was like, ‘Wow I want to make a goal for myself.’ I prayed about, like, if I could make it to the ceremony, how cool that would be. Now that it’s come to fruition, I’m able to share that moment with people who appreciate it. It’s such a cool

moment.”

For Mendoza, his first and likely only season in Bloomington has been filled with memories.

As fans watched him throw winning touchdown passes late in games against Iowa, Oregon and Penn State, what he did behind the scenes — forcing bonds with new teammates, embracing family time and savoring all those special celebrations — helped deliver program-changing victories like last Saturday’s 13-10 victory over No. 1 Ohio State that gave Indiana its first Big Ten title since 1967, a 13-0 mark and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. Along the way, Mendoza cherished his time studying film with his younger brother Alberto, meeting with coaches and hearing students serenade him with chants of “HeisMendoza.” The funny thing is Fernando Mendoza never sought the spotlight. He just wanted to win

“He’s just the ultimate professional and a wonderful teammate,” starting center Pat Coogan said.

“He prepares like no one I’ve ever seen. He works his butt off like no

one I’ve ever seen. He’s just an awesome locker room guy on top of that.” When Mendoza entered the transfer portal last winter, he could have gone essentially anywhere. He chose Indiana because he knew coach Curt Cignetti would push him hard to improve.

Mendoza knew of Cignetti’s reputation for developing quarterbacks.

At North Carolina State Cignetti worked with Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist Philip Rivers and helped recruit Super Bowl champ Russell Wilson. Then as Cignetti guided the most successful transition from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision he helped three quarterbacks win conference player of the year awards in five seasons.

Last year, his first at Indiana, Cignetti brought in 2023 MidAmerican Conference Player of the Year Kurtis Rourke, who led the Hoosiers to a school record 11 victories and their first playoff bid while earning second-team all-Big Ten honors. Rourke finished ninth

in the Heisman voting.

When Cignetti did his homework on Mendoza, he saw something different from the late-bloomer

“Being the film junkie I am, and making all the different cutups, occasionally I’d see plays from Fernando at Cal,” Cignetti said. “When he went in the portal, obviously we watched a lot of game tape on him and just really liked his stuff — the quick release, the arm, the mobility He’s a great person. He really prepares. He’s really smart, and he’s developed quite a bit since he’s been here.”

Mendoza’s mobility might not have been as evident in 2024 when he was sacked 41 times.

But Cignetti embraced taking a two-year starter from a Power Four school with a rich tradition of producing quarterbacks. He was impressed by Mendoza’s crafty work ethic, selfless leadership style and his inspirational journey from grandson of Cuban immigrants to one of America’s best college quarterbacks all while watching his mother battle multiple sclerosis. The adversity has helped Men-

doza maintain a positive approach with the kind of real-life perspective rarely found in a 22-yearold with the spotlight shining so brightly on him.

“I’ve been lucky enough to have such a great team that I’ve always been in a good position to win games,” Mendoza said. “That’s what’s helped elevate me to the position I’ll be in Saturday night.” It didn’t take Mendoza long to win the hearts of Hoosiers fans, who have waited decades to cheer a legitimate Heisman contender

The last time was 2001 when quarterback Antwaan Randle El finished sixth in the voting. The best finish by an Indiana player was 1989 when running back Anthony Thompson finished second.

“The (other finalists) are fantastic players. I think everybody, when you’re a finalist, you’ve got to prepare a speech because anything could happen,” Mendoza said before discussing the Heisman being a goal. “I thought of it, but it was a little bit more of a dream and a long-range goal or a goal you reach a little farther than you think you could reach.”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Edna Karr coach Brice Brown and the Cougars return to the Dome on Saturday for a state championship matchup with St. Augustine.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

St Charles Catholic tight end Gabriel Kugler runs the ball against Archbishop Shaw during the Division II select state championship game on Friday at the Caesars Superdome.

with meteorologist Damon Singleton

For Thunder, the Cup is the trophy that got away

BY TIM REYNOLDS

cap it all off by winning NBA Finals MVP Only one thing was missing Silly as it might sound for a team that went 68-14 in the regular season and won the NBA title and is off to a record-tying 24-1 start this season, the NBA Cup is very much a motivator for the Thunder They played in the Cup final last year and lost. They’re back in Las Vegas for the Cup semifinals this season, knowing the only trophy that got away last year is just two wins away “It would be phenomenal,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, whose Thunder are a staggering 88-17, including playoffs, since losing last season’s Cup final to Milwaukee. “Every game I play, we play as a team, we wake up in the morning and before the game starts we want to win the game. Whenever you get a chance to play for something and win, it’s always the goal to win. It’s always the same feeling. So it would be phenomenal to win, that’s for sure.” The semifinals are Saturday: New York vs. Orlando from the Eastern Conference side of the bracket, San Antonio — with Victor Wembanyama back vs. Oklahoma City on the Western Conference side.

“Their record is that for a reason,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “And until someone knocks them off, obviously they are the champs.”

The winners will play Tuesday in the title game, one that won’t count in the season’s stats or standings.

“You’ve got to give the NBA credit,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “Everybody naturally fights change or wants to say something against change. I was one of those guys when they came up with the Cup idea, I was like, ‘Oh, man, for what? In the middle of the season?

We are trying to do this and that

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KyLE PHILLIPS

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots during the second half of an NBA Cup game against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday in Oklahoma City

and practice and blah, blah, blah.’

Initially I doubted them on the Cup, initially I doubted them on the play-in games, and they are both phenomenal. So, I really don’t know what the hell I’m talking about.” Brown lauded Commissioner Adam Silver for the innovations like the NBA Cup and the Play-In Tournament, both of which have been widely considered as smashing successes. The motivator for the play-in games is simple: A spot in the playoffs is on the line. The motivator for Cup games is also simple: There’s money up for grabs. The teams that are here have clinched $106,187 in prize money per player (half that amount for two-way players) so far. Semifinal winners see their total pushed to $212,373 and for winning the Cup, the number goes to $530,933. So, no, Tuesday night won’t count in the standings, but more than $300,000 per player is at stake.

“When you are playing for something extra like that, you want to go after it,” Orlando forward Paolo Banchero said. “And then I think as far as besides the money, I think it’s just the atmosphere that is created when it’s a Cup game, whether it’s at home or on the road.

I wouldn’t say it’s a playoff environment, but it’s definitely not a normal regular-season game environment. Stuff is a little elevated. Teams play a little harder.”

It’s a small sample size — this is only Year 3 of the Cup event — but teams that have made it to Vegas in the past have insisted that there were tangible, positive benefits. Indiana made it to the final against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023-24 and the Pacers said that fueled that run to the East finals in each of the following two postseasons. And the Thunder said losing to Milwaukee provided valuable lessons on their road to last season’s title.

The Spurs haven’t been to the NBA Finals since 2014. The Magic, not since 2009. The Knicks, not since 1999. The Cup isn’t the finals, but seeds could be planted here to give some sort of glimpse of what that level looks like.

“I think it’s great for our guys the bright lights, the stakes,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said.

“I think these guys understand what is at stake and the intensity, the focus, the game planning that you have to go through. Those are such great pieces for us to experience.”

Fever star Clark says CBA negotiations are the ‘biggest moment in WNBA history’

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

DURHAM, N.C. — Caitlin Clark understands the gravity of the WNBA’s current collective bargaining negotiations, calling it the “biggest moment in the history” of the league.

“It’s not something that can be messed up,” the Indiana Fever All-Star guard said after USA Basketball camp practice Friday

“We’re going to fight for everything we deserve, but at the same time we need to play basketball. That’s what our fans crave. You want the product on the floor In the end of the day that’s how you’re marketable, that’s what the fans want to show up for “ Players and owners are currently in negotiations and meeting regularly They extended a Nov 30 deadline until Jan. 9 a few weeks ago. Increased salaries and revenue sharing are two big areas that the sides aren’t close on. The league offered a max salary that would have a guaranteed a $1 million base, with projected revenue sharing pushing total earnings for max players to more than $1.2 million in 2026, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on Nov 30 on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations. The person confirmed Friday that the numbers were still accurate but could go up in the negotiations.

“It’s business, it’s a negotiation. There has to be compromise on both sides. It’s starting to get down to the wire a little bit. Obviously I want to help in anyway I can,” Clark said. “There are different things that we can say ‘we deserve that’ and aren’t going to compromise that, and other things that we can probably compromise on. Like I said, this is the biggest moment in the history of the WNBA and I don’t want that to be forgotten.” Clark, who has helped bring so much attention to the league since getting drafted No. 1 in 2024, has been educating herself

on key issues as well as talking to members of the negotiating team, including Fever teammate Brianna Turner Clark went to a meeting during All-Star weekend but hasn’t been to one since.

USA teammate Angel Reese, who has also helped bring more attention to the league since she was a rookie in 2024, appreciates what the union negotiators are doing.

“The vets have done a great job speaking up for us Nneka (Ogwumike), Satou (Sabally), (Napheesa Collier), all of them have done a great job,” Reese said. “They are doing it for our generation and the next to come. It’s going back and forth, but it’s really important for us to continue to be involved, collectively coming together and being one and not stopping until we get everything we want.”

Kelsey Plum is part of that executive committee for the union and has been active in the negotiations. She’s been a bit disappointed by the lack of progress.

“To be honest, it’s been disheartening, frustration in the negotiation and how far away we are,” she said. “What I’m proud of is we play with a group of women who are united and are standing on something. It’s not just about us, it’s about the future and women in general. Fighting for what needs to be done Stand on that and chip away and hopefully get to something that we’re really proud of.”

AP PHOTO By MATT KELLEy

Caitlin Clark dribbles the ball upcourt during a training camp for the U.S women’s national team on Friday in Durham, N.C.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Let your charm lead the way, and you'll dazzle. Focus on personal gain, growth and quality of life. Your confident attitude will make onlookers gravitate toward you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) A change in routine or pastimes will broaden your outlook and encourage you to get out and meet interesting people. Check out what's available in your community, and personal growth will sprout.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Mental and physical interaction will encourage you to share your thoughts and strive for a richer, fuller everyday routine. Improve your life without spending money.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Take a step back and a moment to recognize what's working for you and what isn't. Distance yourself from takers and people who drain and deplete you mentally, physically and financially.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Pay attention, nurture meaningful relationships and update your appeal and pastimes to suit your mood and schedule. Change begins with you Take the initiative and don't look back.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Homeimprovements and open discussions with loved ones will pave the way to a better environment. Honesty is necessary if you want to reach common ground.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Beonthelookout for opportunities. Make a difference by donating your time and offering your

skills, knowledge and experience to a cause that motivates you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Take a serious look at what you've accomplished and what's left undone. Thoughts followed by actions will lead to new beginnings; they're never easy, but they're always rewarding.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Socializing will be a blast if you stick to what you can afford and handle. Indulgence may tempt you, but the best results will come from dedicating your time, patience and expenses to something that makes you feel good.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take a moment to rejuvenate. Consider what's working for you and let go of what isn't. It's time to explore the possibilities, make changes and fulfill your long-term desires.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Travel, consider options and initiate change. Don't rely on others or settle for living someone else's dream. Be the master of your destiny.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) A change of scenery will alter your perspective and help you explore your dreams from various angles. Realizing that you don't need to overspend or indulge to be happy will help you pay off debt and ease stress.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2021 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

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

TODAy'S CLUE: K EQUALS B

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe peAnUtS zItS

And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

Sudoku

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

After the opener bidsone of asuitand the next player makes atakeout double, if the responder redoubles, it shows at least 10 high-card points and often a desire to try to penalize the opponents. So, if fourth hand (the advancer) bids a suit, the opener (unless he can double with length there) typically passes to give his partner achance to double.

In contrast, what does it mean if the opener bids immediately, in front of his partner?

The answer is that the opener has a minimum or subminimum opening bid with offensive, not defensive, values. An example is theNorth hand in the diagram. He has only 11 high-card points and ahand that is built for declarer play, not defense. South, atad disappointed, signs offinthree no-trump.

West leads the heartthree, and East putsinthe eight.After winning withhis king, how should declarer proceed?

Southstartswith only five top tricks: onespade,twoheartsandtwodiamonds. However, he can hope to win at least six diamondtricks,ifnotseven.Buthemust be careful not to play adiamond to dummy’s jack. Then he would fall foul of the foul 4-0 split

Instead,declarer must finessedummy’s nine on thefirst round. Here, he ends with 11 tricks: onespade, two hearts,sevendiamondsandoneclub.But even if East could take the first diamond trick, the contract wouldbesafe. Finally, notethat many expertsplay an immediate jump rebid by opener also indicates abare11or12points,witha hand having even more winnersand scant defensive values. ©2025 by nEa,inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

wuzzles

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIOns: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed tODAY’s WORD OARsMEn: ORZ-men: Thosewho row, especially in aracing crew.

Average mark37words Timelimit 60 minutes Can you find 51 or morewords in OARSMEN?

YEstERDAY’s WORD —ADMIRER

admire aide aimed aired amid amir arid armed dame dare dear

dime dire dram dream drier made maid mare marred married mead

media mire idea idem raid raider ramie rare read ream rear

rearm ride rider rime emir

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles hidato

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.

Puzzle Answer 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

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe

DuStin

Drabble

Wallace the brave

breWSter rockit

luann

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of Isaiah Thornyon,Jr. please contactAttorney MarieA.Bookman at (504) 635-0070 170466-12/13-14-15-3t $85.00

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of JasonJ.Kees a/k/aJason Kees please contactAttorney KeithA Doley504-943-7071. 170097-12/13-14-15-3t

STUDIO544 LLC WE AREAPPLYING TO THE COMMISSIONER OF THEOFFICE OF ALCOHOL& TOBACCO CONTROLOF THESTATE OF LOUISIANAFOR A PERMIT TO SELL BEVERAGESOF

WANT TO BUY Oldtoy electric trains,any condition, Lionel Am.Flyer cash paid,504-452-1000

WANT TO BUY Will drivetoU Today! $1 504-226-1398

GENTILLY 2544 ALLENTOUSSAINT BLVD NEWLYRENOVATED!!! 1-2BdrmApts* From $800/mo Parking* SecGate 504-250-1446 *504-454-1333

knowingthe whereabouts of thespouse, heirs, successors,or assignsofRodneyPenton, contact Patricia Bonneau,Attorney,985-966-

JESSE WADE YEOMANS, MEMBER 170125-Dec13, 1t $112.64

until all units aresold. The lien sale is to be held at the online auction website, www.storagetreasures.com, whereindicated. Foronline lien sales, bids will be accepted until 2hoursafter thetime of the sale specified. PUBLIC STORAGE #07025, 12320 I-10 Service Rd, NewOrleans, LA 70128, (504) 224-9067

Time: 09:30 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com 1025 -Grace, David; 1028 -King, Watrina; 1058 -Villavaso, Derek; 1068 -Porter,Latasha; 1112 -Schexnayder Kentrice; 1239 -Turner, Brenda; 1256 -Bell, Gerald; 1279 -Horn, Jakia; 2108 -Malone, Taylor; 2542 -Jr, Alfred Ranton; 2604 -Kiper,Joseph;3006 -honore,melika; 3010 -Rounds,Joshua; 3013 -honore, melika; 3040Butler,Simone; 3064 -Griffin, Taranesha;4065 -Fletcher,Jennifer PUBLICSTORAGE #07120, 1850 Lapalco Blvd, Harvey, LA 70058, (504) 229-4188

Time: 09:45 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com

A125-GVG Enterprise LLC Davis, Jennard; A215 -Mcknight, Shamaul;A387 -Arceneaux, Donielle;E015Bright, Alexis; E060 -fairmzn, Deaaron PUBLIC STORAGE #20175, 3440 SCarrollton Ave, NewOrleans, LA 70118, (504) 308-1583

Time: 10:00 AM

Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com

0013 -Perry,Jeremia; 0111 -Green, Ernest; 0115 -Varnado, Phil; 0126 -Richards, Tymuneka; 0141 -Sensley, Destinee;0156 -Williams, Vershawn; 0194 -Crockett, Angel; 0228 -Joseph, John; 0256 -Atkins, Leonard; 0261 -Milligan,Aaron; 0335 -Wal ace, Summer; 0444 -Franklin, Sanchez; 0460 -Douglas, Corinthous; 0501 -Richards,Tymuneka; 0665 -Cobb, Shantrell; 0723 -Brown, Christopher; 0826 -Godbolt,Nakresha; 0910 -Martinez, Janet; 0917 -Abron, Yasmine; 0940 -Benoit, Donavon; 0945 -Barnes, Antoinette; 1040Douglas, Cher; 1058 -Davis, Tremika; 1060 -Weston, Sommer; 1126 -Brooks, Renyana; 1187 -Harris, Jerry; 1207 -simmons,Kiyah

PUBLIC STORAGE #21704, 3000 Belle Chasse Hwy,Gretna, LA 70053, (504) 229-4180

Time: 10:15 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

B018 -Russell, Majai; B030 -Bell, John; B039 -Moten, Showna; B047 -Ushi Doshi Private Sushi EventsLlc Keomanichanh, Mario; C118 -Marmol, Erik; C165 -Allen, DyAisha; C194 -James, Cyera; C239 -mcnaughton, Jamar; D014 -slaughter,Kristin ;D023 -CLARK, JAMARA; D050 -vazquez, david; D068 -Manson, Juan; D084 -guardado,josue; E021 -FOSTER, MONIQUE;E087 -Thompson, Teresa; G025 -Moten, Showna; G041 -Gibson, LaTonya;G086-Hawkins, Eboni

PUBLIC STORAGE #21802,2930 Clearview Pkwy, Metairie, LA 70006, (504) 229-4204

Time: 10:30 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com

B102 -Hebert, Isabella; B110 -Navas, Bianka; B209 -smith,Gene;B259 -BLAKENEY,AVANTE; B311BROWNE, GLENISHA; C338 -Bowers, Charles; C373 -Porrovecchio, Frank; C402 -MALDONADO GARCIA ALEX; C465 -Encalade, Tangeal; C466 -velasquez, Gladys; C472 -Walden, Howard; C474 -Robinson, Tierra; C497 -Reed,Joseph

PUBLIC STORAGE #22055, 34570 LA Highway 16, Denham Springs, LA 70706, (225) 665-5770

Time: 10:45 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

B28 -Jackson, Jermaine; D14 -Tejeda, Lester

PUBLIC STORAGE #25740, 4507 Washington Ave, New Orleans,LA70125, (504) 308-1275

Time: 11:00 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com. 1004 -Bourgeois, Pagalyn; 1138 -Victor III, James; 151 -Alton, Buxton; 2045 -Carter,Brian; 2050 -Cole, Gayle; 2093 -Alexander,Felita;2102 -Ignacio, Vincent; 2167 -lawson, kenneth; 2177 -RAILEY, KETOSHA; 3075 -Devezin, Xavier;3207 -Scott, Dewon; 3240 -Pittman, Greg; RV8-Victor,James

PUBLIC STORAGE #26983, 5730 Citrus Blvd, Elmwood, LA 70123, (504) 930-4129

Time: 11:15 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com. 2015 -Evans, Santrell; 2027 -Evans, Samuel; 2055 -Green, Anthony ;2321 -Cross, Sharon; 2505 -Freeman, Shaquita; 2603 -Walker-Payne, Dee; 3029 -Williams, Bricara; 3031 -Green, Ashia; 3070 -Delay,Aaliyah; 3402 -Ancar,Kyle; 3410 -Thomas, Tawana; 3418 -Wesley,Connie; 3513 -Payton, Patricia; 3608 -Evans, Fayleah; 3730 -Ratliff,Jerome; N1008-Rankins, Lindsay

PUBLIC STORAGE #26984, 2820 Tulane Ave, NewOrleans, LA 70119, (504) 584-4619

Time: 11:30 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

1009 -Thomas, Janeen; 1018 -Washington, Grant; 1029 -Robertson, Monique; 1043 -Weinhold, Harrison; 1106 -Burgess, Ashley; 1108 -birden, Aisha; 2020 -Granger,Alphonse; 2035 -Glover,Tedrine Quenell;2066 -Lea, Lovly; 2106 -Ellis, Shetoia; 2112 -Meyers, Domonique; 3026 -west, Kenard; 3084 -Walsh, Eris; 3094Bennett,Omar; 3125 -lastie,Angelle; 3132 -Kelly,Tiaj; 4048 -Parquet, Tashika; 4055 -Mccaskill, Kirstin; 4078 -Loftin, Michael Brad; 4098 -shallcross, sanghia; 4150 -King, Romander; 5006 -isom, Victoria; 5061 -Wales, Kizzy; 5063 -Johnson, Kabrisha; 5066 -Blackmon, Shaterra; 5117 -Young, Winston; 5128 -jones, keriane

PUBLIC STORAGE #28188,3900 Tchoupitoulas Street, New Orleans, LA 70115, (504) 224-9167

Time: 11:45 AM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com

0030 -Westerfield, Spencer; 0629 -Dillon, Lloyd; 0809 -BELL, SHEREL

PUBLICSTORAGE #29112, 1901 St Charles Ave, NewOrleans,LA70130, (504) 308-1566

Time: 12:00 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com

1213 -sr, Ronald jolly; 1802 -siribor,Nana; 2108 -poole,Jessica; 2124 -Anderson, Vincent; 2230 -Green, Corey; 4307 -Williams,Olivia; 5406 -Okoroji, Onyeka; 6108 -Gibson, Deshawn; 6400 -Allen, Roderick; M501 -Burton, Cheryl

PUBLIC STORAGE #29222,10010 I-10 Service Rd, NewOrleans,LA70127, (504) 224-9213

Time: 12:15 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com 1019 -Washington, Rose; 1052 -Roberts, Geranell; 1086 -Thomas, Davoate; 1093 -Turner,Dywayne; 1101gresham, Joshua; 1134 -Marshall, Eckley; 1172 -Davis, Roland; 1179 -Riley,Trina; 1187 -Roberts, Geranell; 2112 -saleem, noah; 2119 -August, Jasper; 2121 -Banks, Leah; 2132 -Brazile, Landrea; 2138 -Comeger, Dwayne; 2167 -Bunch, Ronjana; 2176 -Moore,Tyler; 2240 -Brumfield, Tayvia; 2249 -Martin, Anthony; 3049 -Lewis, Walter; 3061 -Smith,Ariana; 3062 -green, melvin l; 3097 -James, Richard; 3110 -Dodson, Weathersby; 3118 -Mckay,Chandra; 3120 -Brown, Troy; 3128 -Moore, Nicholas AntionioSamuel; 3133 -Brown, Damia; 3134 -Anderson, Teandias; 3174 -Hunter,Rhondra; 3205 -lloyd, Chaelsie; 3221 -Davis, Joseph; 3244 -Mitchell, Nahja; 3273 -Knapper,Delbert; 3292 -Dorsey,Nathaniel;3299 -Jones, Kevin PUBLIC STORAGE #23799, 2257S Range Ave, Denham Springs, LA 70726, (225) 468-5877

Time: 12:45 PM Sale to be held at www.storagetreasures.com.

0223 -Jones, Kerica; 0501-Osborne Jr,Lawrence; 0507 -Wilkerson, Decory; 0544 -Eduardo, Jorge; 0630Andrews, Justin; 0717 -Garden,Brenda Publicsale terms,rules, and regulations will be made available prior to the sale. Allsales aresubject to cancellation. We reserve the right to refuse anybid.

of court.Ifany person has a claim againstFolsom LandHoldings, LLC, the claimantmustsendno‐ticetoScott T. Slatten, liquidatorofFolsomLand Holdings, LLCwiththe following information: (1) claimant's full name; (2) claimant's mailing address; and(3) ade‐scription of theevents givingrisetosuchclaim The claimmustbe mailedtoc/o Folsom LandHoldings, LLC, 201 St. CharlesAvenue,Suite 3600, NewOrleans,LA 70170, Attention: Laura WalkerPlunkett. Aclaim against Folsom Land Holdings, LLC, will be ex‐tinguishedbyperemp‐tionunlessa proceeding toenforce theclaim commenced within six monthsafter publication ofthisnotice. 170170-dec13-1t $127.50

STEM LOAN FUND ENDOWMENT FILED: November 21, 2025 DEPUTY CLERK NOTICE NOTICE IS GIVENthat Hancock WhitneyBank, asTrustee of theClifford HoeyStemTrust (“Trust”),has fileda peti‐tiontomodifythe Marian HoeyStemLoanFund (“Fund”),anendowment fund that wascreated froma bequestinthe LastWilland Testament ofClifford Hoey Stem dated August 4, 1962 (“Will”), under which the Trust wasestablished In hisWill, Clifford Hoey Stem(“Testator”)be‐queathedthe residueof his estate untothe Whit‐ney National Bank of New OrleansasTrustee (now“HancockWhitney or“Trustee”)ofthe Trust for thebenefitofThe Ad‐ministratorsofthe Tu‐laneEducational Fund (“Tulane”) as principal beneficiary(specifically tobenefitthe School of Engineering) subjectto the lifetime usufructsof NellieWilliams Stem RitaStemReynick,and AvisBigelow Reynick Walker. TheTestatordied onorabout December 12, 1963. On March19, 1964, Tu‐lanepasseda Resolution acceptingthe Testator’s bequest establishing a trust fund forthe benefit ofthe School of Engi‐neeringofTulaneUniver‐sity. Thebequest wasde‐livered to HancockWhit‐ney pursuanttoanAct of DeliveryofLegacyexe‐

p minister theFund as set forth in theTestator’s Will as currentlywritten. First,the Will uses the term“loan,” butTulane generally administers these typesoffunds as scholarships. Notably, it appears that theTesta‐tor’s intent wastopro‐videstudentsscholar‐ships becausethere are noterms forrepayment set forthinthe Trust. Second, theTestator’s criteriafor selectingstu‐dents is basedonrace, specifically“white Cau‐casian” andcitizenship specifically“native American,”presumably referencing naturalborn citizens. Such criteria are not in keepingwithTu‐lane’sinstitutional poli‐ciesand couldbe deemed prohibited under federal law. Accordingly, Hancock Whitneydesires that (1) the name of theFund be changed from the“Mar‐ian Hoey Stem Loan Fund to the“Marion HoeyStemScholarship Endowed Fund”tore‐movethe referenceto loanand to correctthe spellingofthe Testator’s mother’s firstnamefrom MariantoMarion; (2) the purpose of theFund be modified to remove race and national origin as awardingcriteria; and(3) the Fund language be up‐dated from students who are “average,decent, clean andworthy” to students with financial need.” HancockWhitney re‐queststhatthe name and purposeofthe Fund bemodified as follows: RESOLVED,thatthe Mar‐ion Hoey Stem Scholar‐shipEndowed Fund be and hereby is estab‐lishedinperpetuityasan endowed fund,the in‐comefromwhich shall beusedtoprovide schol‐arship supportfor stu‐d i h l i

p pp dents intheTulaneUni‐versity School of Science and Engineering, or its successor.Itisthe donor’s wish that the scholarship should not necessarily be givento studentswiththe high‐est scholastic standings but to students with fi‐nancial need

Pursuant to La.R.S 9:2332, thePetitioncan begranted after this no‐ticeispublished once per week forthirtydays inOrleans Parish;any opposition to thepetition mustbe filedprior to the Court granting there‐quested relief NewOrleans,Louisiana this24thday of Novem‐ber 2025. s/ ChelseyRichard Napoleon ClerkofCourt Miriam W. Henry, BarNo. 25090 BrettVenn, BarNo. 32954 Rose S. Sher BarNo. 33368 JonesWalkerLLP 201St. CharlesAvenue –51st Floor NewOrleans,LA 70170-5100 Telephone: (504) 582-8000 168558-nov29-dec6-1320-4t

L.L.C. (Respondent) AgencyInterestNumber 4005, have enteredinto a proposedsettlement agreement,Settlement TrackingNo. SA-AE-250071, concerning the State's allegationsofen‐vironmental violations by Respondentatits facility inJefferson Parish Louisiana,which allega‐tions areset forthinNo‐ticeofPotential Penalty, Enforcement Tracking No. AE-PP-23-00196. TheDepartmentofEnvi‐ronmental Qualitywill accept commentsonthe proposedsettlementfor the next forty-five (45) days. Thepublicisin‐vited andencouragedto submitwrittencom‐ments to theLouisiana DepartmentofEnviron‐mentalQuality,Office of the Secretary, LegalDivi‐sion, Post Office Box 4302, BatonRouge Louisiana 70821-4302, At‐tention:Michael J. Daniels,Attorney. All commentswillbecon‐sidered by theDepart‐mentofEnvironmental Quality in reaching ade‐cisiononwhether to makethe settlement final. Termsand conditions of the proposed settlement agreement maybere‐viewedonthe Depart‐mentofEnvironmental Quality’s websiteat www.deq.louisiana.gov, by selecting AboutLDEQ Enforcement, and Settle‐ments Thedocument may also be viewed at and copies obtained from, theLouisiana De‐partmentofEnvironmen‐tal Quality, Public Records Center,Room 127, Galvez Building,602 North FifthStreet,Baton Rouge,Louisiana 70802 To requesta copy of the proposed settlement submit acompleted Pub‐licRecordRequest Form ( )

q (DEQFormISD-0005-01) Theformand instruc‐tionsfor completion may be found on theDEQ Websiteatthe following address: http://deq louisiana.gov/assets/ docs/General/PublicR ecordsRequestForm.pdf or by callingthe Cus‐tomerService Center at 1-866-896-5337. Pursuant to La.R.S 30:2050.7(D),the Depart‐mentofEnvironmental Quality mayholda public hearing regardingthis proposedsettlement wheneitherofthe fol‐lowingconditionsare met:1)a writtenrequest for public hearinghas been filedbytwenty-five (25) persons, by agov‐ernmental subdivisionor agency, or by an associa‐tionhavingnot less than twenty-five (25) mem‐berswho reside in the parishinwhich thefacil‐ity is located; or 2) the secretary findsa signifi‐cantdegreeofpublicin‐terestinthissettlement. Forfurther information, you maycallthe Legal Divisionofthe Louisiana DepartmentofEnviron‐mentalQuality at (225) 219-3985. 170264-dec13-1t

PUBLIC NOTICE THIS NOTICE BY PUBLICA‐TION IS NOTIFICATION THAT YOUR RIGHTS OR INTEREST IN THEFOL‐LOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY LOCATEDIN THEPARISHOFORLEANS LOUISIANAMAY BE TER‐MINATEDBYOPERATION OF LAWIFYOU DO NOT TAKE FURTHERACTIONIN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW: TaxBill39W709212 Occupant/Tenant; State ofLouisiana;Financial Casualty& Surety;Ida Rae Funchess Jackson; Heirs andEstateofOra Lee AbramKing, James EdwardAbram (aka Ables), Martha MaeBax‐ter,VertieBelle Barnes Julia Nell Fortenberry SQ 1903 LOT12PIETY 43X109FRSGLE10/RM A/R ST PHILIP ST Improvements thereon bearMunicipal

Emily andchef Alon Shaya stand in their large,light-filled and airyUptownkitchen.

HOME | DESIGN | GARDEN | REAL ESTATE

Wherethe kitchenisking

ONEINAMILLION

Townhome on St. Charlesparade routefor $1.6M.

PAGE 4

INSIDE SOURCES

Karen Taylor Gist

Alon Shaya and his wife, Emily,are renovating their Uptown home. But,as you might expect from theBeard Award-winning chef, the huge kitchen and dining area are amongthe first rooms to be ready.Weget apeek inside as they prepare aHanukkah dinner.See Page 12.

Ever wanted to live along the St. Charles Avenue parade route? Atown house that’s

less than 30 years old could give you thechance, offering four bedrooms and 3,300 square feet of space for $1.59 million. Take alook around on Page 4.

AMetairie company uses copper,brass and stainless steel to handcraft lanterns thatare high-end accessories for homes, bothinside and out.Learn more about Flambeaux Lighting on Page 6.

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

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

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS:

Victor Andrews, Jyl Benson, Dan Gill, Justin Mitchell

COVER DESIGN: AndreaDaniel

COVER PHOTO: Jeff Strout

TO BE FEATURED: Send information and photos to insideout@theadvocate. com

Historic-style home lanterns are handcraftedin Metairie. PAGE 6

GREENTHUMB

Whattodonow in the garden. PAGE 8

INSIDE INFO

Home &garden happenings. PAGE 11

COVERSTORY

Hanukkahathome with chef Alon Shaya. PAGE 12

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS

Recent transactions in the metroarea.

PAGE 18

InsideOut’smission is to give readerspeeks inside themanydifferentwaysthatpeople in theNew Orleansarea live.Weprofile spaces that are opulent, or just offbeat; sophisticated or simple;functional or light-hearted;historic or brand-spanking new. And anythinginbetween

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

830St. PeterStreet •Heartofthe French Quarter$1,050,000 Historic home blends classicelegance &N.O.charm w/ sunburst paneling, stainedglass &originalpine floors.Manyarchitectural details, 12’6”ceilings, elegantparlors w/ fireplaces,gourmet chef’s kitchen &expansive primary suite&en-suitebathplusprivate courtyard. Guest& thirdbedroomsoffer flexibility. Serene brickcourtyard stepsfromworld-class dining,music &culture. Team Right Side 504-233-2551 Compass•HistoricDistrict504-948-3011

54 BeresfordDr. •MetairieEstates CountryClub$3,100,000

Spectaculargated-community estate on thelargest lotoverlooking the golf course.Nearly7,000SF w/ 6Bdrms,5.5 Baths, 1st-flrprimary suite, home theatre, chef’s kitchen& multiple laundryrooms.Outdoor oasisw/ alazy-riverpool, spa, grotto,waterfalls, firepit, cabana w/ full bath,plus basketball court&detached2-car garage.Unmatched luxury &privacy Dawnne Keeney 504-650-3912 Crescent Sotheby’sInternational Realty 504-944-3605

6925 CanalBoulevard •Lakeview$1,349,000

Near City Park &Yacht Club!Indoor-OutdoorAppeal in 15-yrold home

Custom built home has2large porches, heated-saltwater pool!OpenFloor Planw/6Beds,3.5Baths,3964SqFtofLivingarea,FormalRooms,HugeChef’s Kitchen &Den w/ great architectural detailing.2-car garage &3-car parking pad. Wholehouse generator,gas burningfrplc &manyother features! LindaBabineaux •504-957-8014J.Babineaux •504-813-8460 COMPASS•Uptown/MapleSt. 504-861-7575

1502 GeneralPershing•Uptown$1,200,000

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

Parking for two cars behind an automatic gate is a bonus for the town house at 3216 St. Charles Ave.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

An awing provides shade during the sunnier times, making the courtyard-style back patio a hospitable spot for al fresco dining or entertaining

Townhome on the avenue is parade-route

BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer

Set in a tidy row of townhomes that conjure images of old New Orleans, 3216 St Charles Ave. is a handsome two-story home with a brick parking forecourt and verdant surroundings. It looks like it could have been there when Jean Lafitte and his cohorts were passing a “bon temps” in the city

But at less than 30 years old, this newcomer to the Garden District fits well in its locale, offering four bedrooms, three full baths and an eyebrow-raising 3,300 square feet of space for $1.59 million.

For some, the best part of all is the location. The bulk of the city’s Carnival parades will pass right by the front door, with convenient parking being part of this home’s very attractive package.

Inside, the home is a deft blend of vintage appeal and contemporary living.

A spacious foyer is an inviting spot to welcome guests into the home. Wood floors create

With a sitting room to the left, stairs to the bedrooms to the right and the hall leading to the den ahead, the foyer is a welcoming entry point to the luxury and comfort inside.

a warm tone and run throughout the hall that traverses the dwelling. A wide staircase leads to the bedrooms upstairs.

A powder room is tucked beneath the stairs for convenience.

A double doorway opens onto a cozy living room, with windows along the front wall. Plantation shutters allow for manipulating the light and pri-

vacy in the room. Wainscotting adds an elegant touch.

The kitchen is a bright, wellconfigured space with tile floors and stainless appliances. A pantry and plentiful cabinets offer a plethora of storage options.

A peninsula separates the kitchen and dining room space, with a recessed ceiling and more wainscotting.

From the dining room, awide opening provides access to the large family room that stretches across the entire backofthe home. It’s also accessible from the centralhall. Plantation shutters fit over two large windows, while double glass doors and atransomalso provide light and aview of the enchanting patio.Along one wall, adjustable shelvesand cabinets are primefor displayingobjetsd’art,electronics or literature.

The back walled-in, brick patio hasthe ambience of aFrench Quartercourtyard, complete with an awning to provideshade

On thesecondfloor,the primary suite takesup thefront of the house and stretchesthe width of the home. Three floor-length windowstake advantage of the plantationshutters plus offer access to the front balcony (for prime beadcatching positions). There is also awalk-in closet, plus an additional large closetinthe room.

Theprimary bathfeaturesmatching vanities, and awet room with ajettedsoaking tub and standing shower

Twoadditional bedrooms on the floor share a large bath with twin vanities.

On the third floor is abonus room that can easily be used as amedia room or bunkroom for extended family.Afullbathand twowalk-in closets are also located in the space, which enjoyslight from windows in the dormers.

There is an option to add an elevatorinthe home.

Theproperty is listedbyJudith Oudt,ofLatter &Blum|Compass, (504)866-2785

One in aMillion is an occasional series featuringupscale homes forsaleinthe metro area.

ONEINAMILLION

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: The dining room is aconvenient neighbor to the kitchen in the layout of the town house.

Windows abound in the family room, overlooking the backpatiothat conjures imagesofFrench Quarter courtyards.

Adoubledoor provides ready accesstothe patio. Abonus room caneasily be used as agrand hideawayand sleeping chamber foryounger generations or as amedia room, guestsuite or more.

PROVIDED PHOTOS By FLAMBEAUX LIGHTING Flambeaux Lighting lanterns are designed to complement New Orleans architecture.

BY JYL BENSON Contributing writer

If lighting is the jewelry of the home, a flickering lantern near the front door is a big rock of a diamond.

At Flambeaux Lighting in Metairie, experienced craftsmen build gas and electric lanterns that are designed to be historically relevant. The French Quarter Lantern is considered the original style, with four sides. Other styles are six-sided.

“There’s nothing quite like a handmade copper

lantern,” said Stephen Guepet, managing partner andbusiness director.“That’sone of the reasons designers often come to us when they’re looking for that ‘wow’ factor as a centerpiece to show aclient.

“Weprimarily fabricate from copper,but alsofrom brass and stainlesssteel. Each fixture is hand-riveted at our factory,located next to the LouisArmstrong Airport.”

He co-owns the 25-year-old company with DennisCalamusa, Randy Gaspard andVincent Valenti.

ABOUT THE DESIGNS: All of Flambeaux Lighting’sproducts are designed to have aNew Orleans flavor that complements the city’shistoric architecture. Customers can choose their finish and pick between gasflames or electric power. Deciding on astainless steel lantern instead of acopper one offers amore contemporary look.

“Our legacy designs are here to stay,” Guepetsaid, “butwe are always creating new, modernstyles, too. While we are known locally for our gas lanterns, each light is also available in electric. Nationally, electric lighting is asignificant part of our business.”

Flambeaux Lightingalso makes mailboxes and pendant lamps, as well as brackets for hanging or mounting its signature lanterns.

WHATYOU’LL PAY: Prices start at $745 for aColonial Signature Series lantern with aflush mount and rise to over $2,000 for aMetropolitan Signature Series lantern. Lanternsinthe Signature Series are lined with agold-tone metal that enriches

Inside Sources is a column that tracks trends and provides consumer information from experts in their home and gardening fields.

INSIDESOURCES

Flambeaux Lighting makeslanterns in both traditional and modern styles.

and magnifies thelight for a warm glow. Any lantern can be manufactured in stainless steel instead of copper for an additional $200.

OFF-THE-RACK MODELS: The company’snew QuickShip Collection features gleaming brass fixtures.These ship in one to two weeks, whereas copper or stainless lanterns from the

Signature series take closer to eight weeks to ship. Lanterns in the QuickShip line start at $495.

CLIENTS YOU’LL RECOGNIZE: FlambeauxLighting has

fabricated lanterns forWalt Disney,Universal Studios and Tommy Bahamaclothing. The company has been featured on “Property Brothers” and “This Old House.”

Stunning countryretreat just 11 milesfromdowntownNew Orleans. Tucked alonghistoric Mississippi RiverRoadinAlgiers, this rare 7-bed,6.5-bathgem spans 4.41 privateacres.Features include afencedpasture with 2-stallbarn, workshop,and over 8,000sqftoftimelesselegance. Builtin1984ona 5-foot slab with oil-rig-gradesteel framing. The raised main flooroffersa1,000+ sqft greathall, antiquewood flooring,120-year-old cypress doors, soaringfireplace, library, formaldining,and primarysuite. Upstairs andgroundfloorsoffer spaciousliving. Don’tmissyour chance to ownthisuniqueestate.

GARDEN TIPS

THINK ABOUT FRUIT: December and Januaryare ideal months for planting hardyfruit trees, bushes and vines such as apples, pears, plums,peaches, nectarines, grapes, blueberries, blackberries, persimmons and others. Plant citrus trees in late FebruaryorearlyMarch after the coldest partofthe winter is past,since hardfreezes could severely damageorkill the young trees.Tropical fruit, such as avocados, bananas and papayas, should not be planted until April.

HERBS NOW: Hardyherbs that can be planted nowinclude thyme, sage, rosemary, oregano, French tarragon, lavender,chives, cilantro, dill,mints andparsley.

CAMELLIA CARE: Open flowers of camellias can be damaged by hard freezes in the mid-20sduring their bloom season, but the buds are generally not damaged.Theywill bloom out normally later.Camellia bushes appreciate a mulch 2or3 inches thick overtheirrootsto help keep the soil evenly moist. Extended spells of dryweather can stress camellia and cause buds not to open.

AMATTER OF TASTE: Most ornamental grasses, other than pampas grass and pink muhlygrass, go dormant for the winter and turn brown.youcan cut them back hard when the foliageisbrown and no longer attractive. On the other hand, withtheir flower plumes and graceful foliage, manygardenerslikethe wayornamental grasses look when dormant, so leave them if youlike. Makesure to cut them back by early March at the latest.

COLD FACTS F GREENTHUMB

THINGS TO DO IN yOUR GARDEN DESPITE CHILLy WEATHER

Make sure youhaveeverything on hand to coverplants should temperatures dip to freezing

Winter,what we gardeners call the “cool season,” is not necessarily atime of rest for south Louisiana gardeners. We enjoy long stretches of chilly to mild weather punctuated by relatively short episodes of intense cold. This allows us to stay active in our gardens through the cool season that runs from October to March.

The pace of things does slow down abit at this time of year,though. Although we will continue to plant, prepare beds, harvest vegetables and enjoy

STAFF FILE PHOTOByDAVID GRUNFELD

Dan Gill GREEN THUMB

GREENTHUMB

Christmas cactuses need specific care to rebloom

BY DAN GILL

Contributing writer

My Christmas cactus is not blooming. It was in beautiful bloom when I purchased it last year, and I was looking forward to flowers this year. It is growing in a dining room window and looks healthy. Is there something I need to do to make it bloom? — Jennifer

Christmas cactuses will reliably bloom year after year if handled properly It may be too late for your plant to bloom this year, but follow these recommendations, and it will bloom next year.

Thanksgiving and Christmas cactuses are stimulated to bloom by long nights (like we have in fall and winter) and/or chilly temperatures. The problem is that, sitting in your dining room window, the plant did not get chilly nighttime temperatures below 65 degrees, and lights were likely turned on in the evening.

You can trigger blooming by leaving or placing your plant outside in late September so it will receive naturally long nights (do not place the plant in a location where porch lights shine on it) and chilly night temperatures in October and November. Bring the plant inside if nighttime temperatures will fall below 40 degrees and put it back out when temperatures allow.

Thanksgiving and Christmas cactuses will bloom in windows inside as long as the room gets chilly at night and/ or bright lights in the room are not turned on at night.

Beginning in September, allow the soil to dry out more before watering and stop fertilizing. When you begin to see the little buds forming at the tips of the branches, water often enough to keep the soil evenly moist. Do not keep it constantly wet.

If the plant is outside, move

Christmas

it indoors when the buds are about an eighth of an inch long and place it in a window for display If the branches are pendulous and hang down, boost up the pot so the branches hang gracefully

We have identified citrus canker on our 9-year-old Meyer lemon tree. Is it terminal, and if we were to plant a new one, is it contagious? — Pat and Michele

Yes, it is eventually fatal, and it is contagious. You should remove the infected tree before planting a new tree. The bacterium that causes this disease is not active in the soil, however So, once the infected tree is

It’s not the time to divide crinums. Wait until the coldest part of the winter is past and transplant them in the spring around March or early April.

STAFF

DENNIS

removed, you do not have to be concerned about planting a new Meyer lemon.

I would like to divide some clumps of crinums. Is now a good time? Will the small bulbs bloom? — Margaret Crinums are outstanding summer-flowering bulbs for this area. This large group of species, hybrids and cultivars has a long history as Southern garden plants. Crinums are tender, evergreen plants that produce large bulbs, and though the foliage is subject to freeze injury during the winter, the bulbs reliably survive. Crinums and other tropical plants subject to cold dam-

age generally should not be divided or transplanted in the late fall or winter Disturbing them produces transplant stress and lowers their vigor, making them more susceptible to cold injury.

Wait until the coldest part of the winter is past and transplant them in the spring, around March or early April. Flowering often is reduced the year after the clump is divided. Division is recommended only when the clump grows too large for the location or

if you wish to propagate the plant.

The small bulbs will eventually bloom with good care, but it may take a few years or more.

Dan Gill is a retired consumer horticulture specialist with the LSU AgCenter. He hosts the “Garden Show” on WWL-AM Saturdays at 9 a.m. Email gardening questions to gnogardening@agcenter.lsu. edu.

PROVIDED PHOTO By LSU AGCENTER

cactus plants need long nights and chilly temperatures to bloom

FILE

GREENTHUMB

COLD

Continued frompage8

beautiful flowers, manyjobs like mowing lawns, shearing hedges, fertilizing andwatering are not needed now

Lawn grasses and shrubsare dormant,somowing,pruning and fertilizing are reduced or discontinued. And cooler,wetter weatherlessens theneed for extra irrigation.

But there are still thingsto do on beautiful, milddays Here areafew suggestions for gardening activities common thistime of the year

Consult theowner’smanual of your power equipment for specific information on proper servicing and winter storage. If any piece of power equipmentneeds repair or service, now is agood time to get that done so everything is in good shape and readyfor work h you need it next year

Keep your garden tools cleaned and ready forthe spring

REUSE FALLEN LEAVES

In lawns, abroadleaf weed killer appropriate to use on the type of grass you have will do a good job eliminating most coolseason weeds. Spray during periods of mild weather.Coolseason annual weeds, however, don’treally cause that much trouble and disappear whenthe weather warms in spring and we start mowing regularly.So, treatment with herbicides is not always critical.

PLANFOR THE COLD

It has already gotten cold enough to cause some damage to tropical plants in our landscapes. We are bound to get additional severe freezes this winter that will be more damaging.

It is important to protect tropicals from hard to severe freezes. Decide whichplants you will continue to protect, and make sure you have enoughmaterials on hand to cover them. Youmay prune off cold-damaged parts now to keep the landscape looking neat.

Move container tropicals indoors or into agarage when freezes are predicted. If you cover tropicals growing in

year.Or, you may have some packetsorpartial packets of seeds left over.Tokeep the seeds fresh and viable, place them in aplastic or glass container with atight-fitting lid and store them in your refrigerator

Make sure you label the seeds withthe type of plant and when they were harvested or purchased. Trytouse seeds within ayear of harvesting or purchasing them.

the ground, make sure the cover extendsall the way to the ground and weigh down the edges with bricks. Add incandescent Christmas lightsunder thecover if temperatures in the low 20s or lower are predictedtoprovideadditional protection.

TLCFOR TOOLS ANDEQUIPMENT

Don’tyou dare bagupand throwaway all those valuable leaves thatcontinue to fall from deciduous trees. Add themtoyour compost piles or usethemtomulch around shrubs, vegetablesand flowerbeds. Shred theleaves by running over them with amower (bagattached) and they will decompose faster.Commercial leaf shredders are also available online. As youbuild up your compost pile, sprinkle some fertilizer thatcontains nitrogenover each 1-foot layer of leaves to encourage decomposition(organic gardeners can use blood meal).And don’tforget to keep the pile moist(not wet).

WEEDSDON’T TAKE THE WINTER OFF

SAVE THOSE SEEDS

Youmay havesaved some seeds from your summer flowers or vegetables to plant next

Alwaysclean and sharpen tools you won’tbeusing for awhile before you put them away.It’sa good idea to wipe themetal blades with an oily cloth. Coating them with athin layer of protective oil helps prevent corrosion (use steel wool toremove any rust before doing this). Coat wooden handles withwood sealer,tung oil or varnish to keep them in good shape.

Weeds will continue to grow here through the cool season. Don’tlet theseunwanted bullies take over your flowerbeds or vegetable garden. Your best defense is to keep the soil surface of beds covered with 2to3 inches of mulch.

Make it apoint to weed beds regularly and don’tallow problems to get out of hand before acting.

PLANT SPRING BULBS

As the rush of the holiday season begins to slow downin late December or early January,it’stimetoplant springflowering tulip and hyacinth bulbs that have been chilled in the refrigerator forsix to eight weeks. Plant them about 5inches deep and 4to5inches apart in sunny,well-drained beds. It is generally moreeffective andattractive to plant bulbs in groups or masses of five or morerather than in asingle row.

Youmay see spring bulbs offered at low sale prices in late December or January.Avoid tulips and hyacinths as there is no timeleft to properly chill them.Other types of bulbs, such as daffodils and lilies, may bloom if planted that late. Trynot to get too farbehind with your gardening chores during this busy holiday season. Sometimes it’snice to get away from all the hectic activity and spend somequiet time in your gardens weeding a bed, planting somecool-season flowers or applying some mulch.

FILEPHOTO By ELLISLUCIA

Save raked leavesand use them in your compost pile.

STAFF FILEPHOTO Forspringtulips, plant bulbs thathavebeen chilled in late December to earlyJanuary.

FILE PHOTO By ROBIN MAy Keeps the seeds you’ve collected freshand viable by storing in the refrigerator.

FILE PHOTO By DINAH ROGERS

INSIDEINFO

Tour Garden District homes this weekend

The Preservation Resource Center will host its annual Garden District home tour Saturday and Sunday,starting at Louise S. McGehee School, 2343 Prytania St., in New Orleans.

The self-guided walking tour of five homes allows participants to explore interiors, gardens and classic New Orleans architecture at their own pace, with live music performances, local shopping and seasonal cheer

Tickets start at $35. Go to prcno.org.

French Quarter dons

holiday looksfor tour

The Patio Planters will sponsor tours of homes in the Vieux Carre for the annual French QuarterHoliday Home tour from noon to 4p.m. Dec. 21.

The self-guided walking tour starts at Jackson Square, 700 DecaturSt.

Privateresidenceswith varying architecturalstyles, decorated for the season, will be open to tour

Tickets, which support the annual Caroling in Jackson Square, are $35 in advance and $40 day of. See patioplanters.net.

Creole Christmasopens

Vieux Carre homes

Six French Quarter historic homes will be part of the Friends of the Cabildo’sCreole Christmas Tour from 10 a.m. to 3p.m. Dec. 27-28.

The historic buildings include the BK House, Gallier House, Hermann-Grima House, 1850 House, The Historic New Orleans Collection and Spring Fiesta House.

Tickets start at $44.52 via Eventbrite. Visit friendsofthecabildo.org.

Celebrate holidaysat

Destrehan Plantation

Destrehan Plantation,13034

The Spring Fiestahouse on St.

River Pa tours tours ma Oaks an mo an child it Vo ab an City

FILEPHOTO By DINAHL.ROGERS

Ann Street in the French Quarter will be partof theFriends of the Cabildo Creole Christmas tour.

A ofpinch history

In the 1960s, a previous homeowner raised the house, enclosed the underside — which rested on a slab — to create living space, and moved and heightened the central staircase from the outside to the inside of the house.

A previous renovation altered the home’s exterior to more closely resemble a double-galleried, fivebay French Colonial plantation-style house.

PHOTOS By JEFF STROUT Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights. The festival is observed by lighting a ninebranched menorah, adding one candle each night. The Shayas’ cherished menorah is the Pomegranate Kosher design by Michael J Aram.

The Shayas’ 10-foot seated island is topped in Cipollino marble. The counters tiles on the walls are by Prat and Larson from Stafford Tile and Stone. The

restore their home’s 1880s look, but add some modern touches

BY JYL BENSON Contributing writer

For Alon Shaya, it was all about the bouncy house.

When the celebrated chef and his spouse and business partner, Emily Ostuw Shaya, bought their former Mid-City sidehall cottage 12 years ago, they did so as a childless couple. That changed four years ago with the arrival of their daughter, and again 18 months ago with the arrival of their son.

“We needed a yard with room for a bouncy house for birthday parties,”

Alon Shaya said. “It was no longer all about us.”

The couple spent a year looking for the right home. They wanted to be Uptown near the offices of their restaurant management company, Pomegranate Hospitality, and their children’s school.

In November 2024, they closed on a circa-1880 Greek Revival centerhall cottage on a tree-lined street in the Milan neighborhood, blocks from the Uptown parade route.

“I wanted a house with a yard on four sides,” said Emily Shaya, director of new projects for Pomegranate

Hospitality “I ended up with a house on a corner lot — so a yard on three sides.”

In the 1960s, previous homeowners had undertaken an extensive renovation that raised the house, enclosed the underside — which rested on a slab — to create living space, and moved and heightened the central staircase from the outside to the inside of the house.

The result altered the home’s exterior to more closely resemble a double-galleried, five-bay French

ä See SHAYAS, page 15

CHEF ALON SHAYA’S HANUKKAH MENU

Latkes with Labneh and Caviar | 16 Cured Salmon with Fresh Dill | 14 Roasted Beets and Horseradish | below My Mom’s (Aliza Shaya) Chopped Liver and Toast with Eggs | 15

Roasted beets served with labneh and creamy horseradish are staples on the Hanukkah table.

Roasted Beets with Horseradish

Serves 8-10

3 pounds red beets, preferably small 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon Morton kosher salt For serving: Jarred creamy horseradish

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees with a rack in the center of the oven.

2. Scrub the beets well (no need to peel them) and trim their roots and stringy ends. If they’re big, cut them in half or quarters, so they’re no more than 3 inches wide at their biggest point.

3. Toss the beets in the olive oil and salt. Wrap the beets in foil, two or three to a package, and crimp the edges tightly to make little packets. Lay all the packets side by side on a baking sheet; roast for 40 to 50 minutes, until you can pierce them with a fork. Let them cool in their packets.

4. When the beets are cool enough to handle, pull them out of the foil and rub off the skins; they should peel off without much resistance. Cut them into 1-inch wedges and serve with creamy horseradish on the side.

counters are topped in Albion white marble. The kitchen cabinets are plain sawn white oak veneer, by Mars Millwork. The glossy peach subway bonbon-style pendant lights are French antiques.

Alon Shaya’s recipes bridge local, Jewish culinary traditions

Chef Alon Shaya credits the late Mildred Covert, author of the “Kosher Cajun Cookbook,” “Kosher Creole Cookbook” and others, with instilling in him the courage to imprint his own interpretations upon the relationships between New Orleans cuisine and Jewish culinary traditions.

“Mildred was the first person who gave me the confidence to pursue all the Passover and Hanukkah meals that I introduced at Domenica (opened in 2009),” he said, referring to the restaurant where he once served as chef de cuisine.

In the years since, the two-time James Beard Award-winning chef has been associated with several restaurants, most notably Saba, his own tribute to the culinary merging of the two cultures.

In 2026, he and his wife will open Safta’s Table, a casual, all-day neighborhood restaurant in Lakeview that will serve as a tribute to Alon Shaya’s late grandmother Matilda Gerassi.

The restaurant will join Saba, Saba’s Lounge, Miss River and the Chandelier Bar — the latter two are located within Four Seasons New Orleans — as well as Ceci! Italian Lounge in Denver in Pomegranate Hospitality’s growing portfolio

Alon Shaya is also the author of “Shaya: An Odyssey of Food, My Journey Back to Israel,” published in 2018.

The Shayas recently invited Inside Out into the kitchen of their Uptown home as they prepared an early Hanukkah dinner for friends and family.

Hanukkah is an eight-day Jewish festival of lights that commemorates a miracle: After a victory over oppressors in the second century BCE, oil for a menorah that illuminated the ancient Jewish Temple in Jerusalem lasted for eight days instead of just one.

The festival is observed by lighting a ninebranched menorah (the hanukkiah), adding one candle each night, and is celebrated with traditions such as eating fried foods like latkes to honor the oil, playing dreidel, giving gifts and supporting charitable causes

— Jyl Benson

Dill-Cured Salmon

Serves 8-10

RUB:

1. Mix salt and sugar well. Spread half of the mixture evenly on a sheet pan, then add the salmon on top, skin side down. Sprinkle the remaining salt and sugar mixture over the salmon flesh, ensuring there is more on the thicker areas than the thinner tail end.

2. Place in the refrigerator for 48 hours. Remove and rinse off the cure, then pat the salmon dry

Alon Shaya prepared DillCured Salmon for a traditional Hanukkah meal. Chopped boiled egg, herbs, salmon roe and black American Sturgeon caviar are classic accompaniments to cured salmon.

Put it back in the refrigerator, uncovered, for at least eight hours or overnight to form a pellicle (a skin or coating).

3. Remove from the refrigerator and rub the dill and lemon zest mixture all over the salmon. Wrap the salmon in plastic wrap until ready to serve, then slice very thinly on a bias.

PHOTOS By JEFF STROUT

recipes are courtesy of chef Alon Shaya

SHAYAS

Continued frompage13

Colonial plantation-style house, apredominant style from 1720 to 1820.

While the exteriorof the home had stepped back in time, the interior had taken a forward leap.

The floating staircase “looked cool and modern,” said Alon Shaya, “but there were no rails. It was just open. Not good for afamily with old dogs and kids.”

The couple prepares dinner in front of Alon Shaya’s treasured BlueStar 48-inch custom pro-style dual fuel range, finished with white lacquer and featuring brass knobs.

Much of the interior ornamental woodwork and plasterwork had beenremoved, in keeping withthe sleek aesthetic common to midcentury homes. The heart pine floors throughout the home’s secondfloor living spaces had been covered with pale blue-gray wall-to-wall carpet, and the ceiling had beensprayed with apopcorn finish.

Mercifully,the double-hung, floor-to-ceiling windows that opened onto thesecond-floor gallery were left intact. Several of them still have their original glass.

“Wewanted to bring the house back to its originallook, but we also wanted to move some things around. We didn’t feel so guilty aboutchanging things because someone else hadalreadybeaten us to it,”

Chopped Liverwith Eggs and Toast

1pound chicken livers

2tablespoonsduck fat or ghee

1small yellow onion, diced 2cloves of garlic, minced 2teaspoons smoked sweet paprika

2teaspoons Morton kosher salt

13/4 teaspoons black pepper, ground

1sprig rosemary

11/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil

3tablespoonsMarsala wine

4hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Slicedtoasted bread, forserving

1. Rinse and dry the chicken livers well. Set aside.

2. In asaute pan on medium heat, add the duck fat, then the onions and garlic. Season with the paprika, salt and pepper,then add the rosemary sprig. Cook, stirring, until the onions are translucent and lightly golden. Remove and discard the rosemary,then transfer the onions to aseparate bowland set aside.

3. Turn the heat up to medium-high, add the extra virgin olive oil to the pan, and heat until it shimmers.

said Emily Shaya,anative of Calhoun, Georgia.She came to New Orleans to study finance andSpanish at Tulane University,met herhusbandand then obtainedher MBA.

The couple worked with EdificeBuilders as their general contractor and architect Lauren Hickman, of thefirm Office La. Emily Shayaworked with Hickman on theinterior design for their restaurant Saba andthe upcoming Softa’s Table,aswellasthe family’s home.

Emily Shaya is responsible for the pale peach andgreen color palette she carried through the home’sshowplace kitchen. “Itisthe same color palette as thePavilion of the TwoSisters,”she said.

“Emily is modest,” said Alon Shaya.“She hasanincredible eye.

“I alwayssaidIwanted

ä See SHAYAS, page 16

4. Add the reserved chicken livers in an even layer, taking care not to stack them on top of each other to achieve even coloration. Cook forabout 11/2 minutes, without disturbing them, until golden. Flip and continue to cook on the other side forabout one minute.

5. Add the marsala to deglaze the pan. Add the onions back to the pan and stir.Continue cooking until the liquid has cooked downconsiderably —the livers should still have a pink hue on the inside. The finished product should be alittle saucy but not overly cooked.

6. While still hot, add the mixture to afood processor with the hard-boiled eggs. Pulse until finely chopped but not overly pureed, about five seconds or so.

7. Transfer to aserving vessel and chill in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with toasted bread.

The Shayas flipped the floor plan for their kitchen and dining room to make more space forthe kitchen. The dining room’s trio of windowslooks down upon the gardenfrom thesecond floor,giving the feeling of being in atreehouse

Latkes

Makes 8-10

3 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled

1/2 yellow onion

3 eggs, separated

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 cup cornstarch

1 cup sliced scallions

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Zest and juice from half lemon

1 tablespoon kosher salt

11/2 cups ghee

Caviar or roe, applesauce, labneh or sour cream, jarred creamy horseradish and/or pickled beets, for serving

SHAYAS

Continued from page 15

1. Grate the potatoes and onion on the coarse side of a box grater. Add to a strainer lined with a clean dish towel and wring it out to remove as much liquid as possible.

2. Add the egg whites and cream of tartar to a mixing bowl and whisk vigorously until the whites are very frothy and almost make soft peaks when you lift the whisk. Set aside.

3. Put the grated potatoes and onion in a separate bowl and fold in the cornstarch, scallions, nutmeg and lemon zest, and juice until fully incorporated. Add the egg yolks and salt. Stir to incorporate.

4. Add the whisked egg whites and use a spatula or wooden spoon to incorporate very gently.

5. Warm the ghee in a large skillet over medium heat. Use a 1/2-cup measure to scoop the batter into the pan, taking care not to overcrowd them. Cook until the latkes are deeply golden on both sides, three to four minutes per side.

6. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat with the remaining latkes. Serve with desired toppings.

dren’s playroom, a gym and a home office.

a kitchen as big as a living room, so we took over one of the home’s parlors and made a great big kitchen. What had been the kitchen became the dining room.”

In addition to a kitchen, dining room and spacious living room, the home’s second floor houses bedrooms and bathrooms for the Shayas and their children. The first floor houses a casual family room, a chil-

The Shayas find the layout to be beneficial. “Having the living space on the second floor makes it feel like we are living in a treehouse,” said Emily Shaya.

The 4,700-square-foot home also features an attached rear guest room for the family’s frequent out-of-town guests.

The Shayas moved into the renovated home in October.

“We’re still breaking in the house,” said Alon Shaya, a native of Israel who grew up in the Philadelphia area before

Shaya collects amusing vintage glasses, dinnerware, and culinary implements like this whimsical corkscrew.

moving to Hyde Park, New York, to attend the Culinary Institute of America. He came to New Orleans in 2003 to work in the hospitality industry

“We feel like we have found the perfect home and neighborhood for our family,” he said.

“Great restaurants surround us, and we are close to everything.

“We came to the neighborhood for Mardi Gras to get a feel for what it would be like. The bands really turn it up when they turn onto St. Charles off Napoleon. It’s really exciting. We love it.”

PHOTOS By JEFF STROUT

Light, crispy potato latkes are a tradition on the Hanukkah table.

Emily

BY JUSTIN MITCHELL Staff writer

You can see more features and photos by checking out the Zillow listing. Waterfront manse hidden in Biloxi

At the end of a winding road dotted with upscale homes, a mansion nestled along the water just hit the market for nearly $4 million, offering amenities rarely seen on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

The massive, modern home sits on 1.7 acres in the back of the Goose Pointe subdivision, just off bustling Pass Road in Biloxi. It boasts five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, an eight-car garage, a swimming pool, a turf football field and a basketball court.

The home has a plethora of custom finishes, including a wine rack wall and an Instagram-worthy bar with neon signs, mirrors and flashy seating. The primary bedroom has views of Big Lake and the office has a custom gift-wrapping station.

Located at 440 Green Teal Court, the property is listed at $3.78 million, making it one of the most expensive homes for sale right now on the Mississippi Coast. Sherry Owen, a Realtor for Owen & Co., is the agent representing the sellers.

PROVIDED PHOTO By ZILLLOW

A massive home on 1.7 acres in a Biloxi subdivision boasts five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, an eight-car garage, a swimming pool, a turf football field and a

REALESTATETRANSFERS

NEW ORLEANS

TRANSFERS ISSUED DEC. 1-5

DISTRICT 1

CONSTANCE ST. 1216, 1218:

$305,000, Eric S. Patrick to Arthur J. Soroken and Jennifer Lynne Soroken.

FRERET ST. 1235-1237: $55,000, Guste Homes Resident Management Corp. to Eshel Properties LLC.

ST. CHARLES AVE. 1205: $165,000, Charles Dirk Binder revocable trust to Lori Knull.

S. GENOIS ST. 742-744: $85,000, Terry Brumfield to Sens Real Estate Services LLC.

DISTRICT 2

CONTI ST. 5221-23: donation, no

value stated, Denise Savoie to Alfred Tonguis Jr. and Karen Vinet.

DOVE ST. 70: donation, no value

URSULINES AVE. 1233: $284,000, Gerald Russell and Candace Russell Trust to Andreas Eric Cross.

WEST END BLVD. 6535: $515,000, Brittany Boeneke Graffagnini and Ryan Anthony Graffagnini to Ashton Richard and Haley Blache.

WUERPEL ST. 6585: $222,000, Oracle Services LLC to Karen Billeaudeau Weinmann.

DISTRICT 3

BACCICH ST. 6220: $344,000, Hof Investments LLC to Maris Elizabeth Bynum and Samuel Morris Bynum.

BUFFALO ROAD 8014: $170,000, Trenice Martin McMillian to Cynthia Marie Cheatham.

stated, Marianne Pensa Spangenberg to Marc Richard Spangenberg.

DUMAINE ST. 2549, N. DORGENOIS ST. 902: $555,000, Innovative Historic Restoration II LLC to Nplex LLC.

GEN. HAIG ST. 6001: $275,000, Succession of Jeanne B. Durning and Justin J. Durning Sr. to Allison Nebbergall Asher and Jeffrey Matthew Asher.

GOV. NICHOLLS ST. 2623: $215,000, AAIA RML LLC to Lin Feng LLC.

MARSHAL FOCH ST. 6451: $365,000, Laura Belle Comiskey Murphy, Laura Devlin Murphy Jonau and Michael James Murphy to Brittany Kristina Salerian and Gregory Haig Salerian.

MEMPHIS ST. 5920: $885,000, Brenda Labruzzo Fullen and Robert F. Fullen to Carl Allen Woods III and Leah Seddelmeyer Woods.

MILNE BLVD. 6565: $725,000, Christian Amedee to Melissa Maia and Patrick James Eagan.

MOSS ST. 720: $850,000, Cultural Properties LLC to Christopher James Wolfe.

PARK ISLAND DRIVE 15:

$1,085,000, Chez Nous Holdings LLC to Emily Arlene Bishop Leftwich and Kevin Teague Leftwich.

ST. LOUIS ST. 1908-1910: $438,000, Wells One Investments LLC to Tiguida Kaba Mathieu.

ST. PHILIP ST. 2000: $475,000, Madeline Margaret White and Nancy Hartman White to Jennifer Masserano.

SOLOMON PLACE 815-17: donation, no value stated, Patricia M. Lovelady to Stephen T. Lovelady

S. PETERS ST. 700, UNIT 511: $690,000, Succession of Margaret Anne Hines Godfrey to George Edward Duran and Naomi Martin Duran.

to Royal Orbit Investments LLC.

KNIGHTWAY DRIVE 14111: $16,000, MGA Builders LLC to Dall Wholesailing LLC.

MANDEVILLE ST. 6214-16: $185,000, Theresa Fernandez Dupart and Walter Joseph Dupart to Dupart Property Group LLC.

NEW ORLEANS ST. 4628: $285,000, German Ernesto Osorio Canales to Chelsea E. Grant Trust.

N. PRIEUR ST. 2565-65½, 256767½: $205,000, Amy Blake Dennis and Nathan E. Dennis to 4th Quarter Investment LLC.

N. RAMPART ST. 2412: $1,200,000, Nora Ghobrial to McKeller Real Estate LLC.

N. RAMPART ST. 2535-37: $350,000, Bayou Closets Inc. to Kristen Radakovich Living Trust.

CAMERON BLVD. 5143: $244,440, Benjamin Daniel Smith and Michael David Phillips to James Harrison Pagones, Michael Pagones and Sara L. Pagones.

CAMERON BLVD. 6241: $210,000, Craig B. Schneider and Lynne Barton Schneider to Michael J. Wingerter Jr.

CHARTRES ST. 2121: $6,000,000, 201 North Rampart LLC to Endeavor 21 LLC.

CURIE ST. 6206-6208: $217,000, Timothy Paul Kingsmill Jr. to Khedrick Gerard Blackmon Jr.

DAUPHINE ST. 3829: $679,000, Dorothy Davis Ball Campagna to Brent Harris.

DREUX AVE. 2757: $145,000, Barbara J. Waelde Crusoe to Frederico Q. Carvalhais and Leda Ferreira Dos Santos Carvalhais.

EASTVIEW DRIVE 4800: $166,500, Leslie J. Stewart to Keishawna Johnson.

EGANIA ST. 2001, 2005: $33,500, Jose Alex Merino Munoz to Rosalina Beltran De Martinez.

ESPLANADE AVE. 427: $352,500, Armstrong Nola Real Estate LLC to We Rent Nola LLC.

EXPLORERS AVE. 13640: $160,000, Sunset Harbour LLC to Isiah Glynn Riley and Yvette Thurman Riley.

GALLIER ST. 2306-08: $75,000, Rose Equity Group LLC to 8017 Macon Street LLC.

GERVAIS ST. 8520-22: $180,000, Shannon Ellis Johnson to Amanda Renee Wright.

GRAND BAYOU DRIVE 5457: $175,000, Exclusive Access LLC to Patrice Briyette Bastian.

HORSESHOE BEND 101: $35,000, Tuxor Realty to Keenan Jarreau Harrison and Yamille N. Harrison.

IRBY ST. 9801-03: $142,500, Hildred Acker and Patricia Guyton

PAUGER ST. 2933-35: $150,000, Kevin Johnson and Leslie Johnson Brown to Brandon Eatman and Danaeha Michele Dave Eatman.

PEONY ST. 6628: $192,500, TB and F LLC to Shaquan Coleman.

PIETY ST. 2142: $24,000, New Orleans Redevelopment Authority to Dast Construction LLC.

PORT ST. 2421-23: $40,000, Rose Gilbert Bienvenu to Angelique Dugas Bean.

PRIMROSE DRIVE 7500: $190,000, Sun Realty LLC to Robert Harris.

ROSEMONT PLACE 4616: $175,000, Derrick R. Richardson Sr. and Jamaal R. Richardson to Michelle Hubbard Lee.

ST. ANTHONY ST. 1345: $60,000, The Morris Brown African Methodist Episcopal Church to Dawn Bradley Fletcher.

ST. DENIS ST. 1222-24: $424,000, Ortiz Brothers Construction LLC to Chuan Dianna Bolden and Lee Faine Doss Jr.

SANDALWOOD ST. 4927: $260,000, Ahsaag Homes LLC to Valerie Burton.

SERE ST. 1277: $230,000, Fidelity Bank and Fidelity Homestead Savings Bank to Jordan Angelle Sanders.

THIRD ST. 1823-25: $960,000, Robert Bandzuch to Andrea Denise Muschenborn Charlaix.

TRIESTE ST. 4431: $38,000, Brittany Fortmayer Meche and Paul Kyle Meche to Benjamin G. Cahn Jr. and Rosia Garcia Cahn.

VALENCE ST. 2209-2211: $387,000, Marilyn Jean Alexander to Brenna C. MacNamara.

WILL STUTLEY DRIVE 11327: $22,000, Mega Real Estate Investments LLC to Bramex Homes LLC.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

DISTRICT 4

EIGHTH ST.1431: $100, B&M Lovemate Trust to Deer Run Holdings LLC.

EIGHTH ST.1713-1715: $280,000, Gregory V. Hamilton andPaulette Clark Hamilton to Neeraj Sharma and PriyaRamlutch Sharma.

JOSEPHINE ST.1026-28: $625,000, Lachney and Lachney Properties LLCtoKenn Hoe.

ST.CHARLES AVE. 2111,UNIT519: $135, Succession of Mildred Corley O’Kane to DebraL.Jones.

THIRD ST.915: $625,000, Kenneth Wesley Michaels to Jacquelyn Cole Waxand James WaxJr.

DISTRICT 5

COPERNICUS ST.4826: $169,000, Johnsons Real Estate LLCto Jesse Allen Black.

CROYDEN AVE. 4531: $55,000, Bella MunoztoRosmeryAlicia PerezLopez.

LEBOEUF ST.519: $59,000,VRMTG Asset Trust to Myndset Investments LLC.

DISTRICT 6

BROADWAYST. 255: $780,000, Charles Jordan Smith and Stephanie Lazar Smith to ConorW.Diel.

CADIZ ST.2139-391/2: $375,000, August Milton Jr. to Jennifer Pichon Milton and Steven Pichon Milton.

ELEONORE ST.624: $100,EricPaul Gilberti andSarah E. Ackerman Gilberti to LenoreSueone Cho.

GEN. TAYLOR ST.3020-22: $190,000, Alex DavidOney to CNGVentures LLC.

JEFFERSONAVE. 2437,VALMONT ST.2432-34: $100 and other good and valuable consideration, Jennifer James McFadden and Paul Michael McFadden to Carli Beckett Simpson and Kevin C. Simpson.

JOSEPH ST.2021: $560,000, Christopher D. Bravenderand Rebecca P. Rogers Bravender to Kalina MinchevaVandenboom and Thomas R. Vandenboom.

JOSEPH ST.417: $714,500, Jennifer Calzada Cazalot andYvonne Mercedes Cazalot Calzada to Layla Nicole Huff and Ryan Edward Huff.

LOUISIANA AVE. PARKWAY 3711: $85,000, Leandez McGee to Hall1 Estate LLC.

MARENGO ST.1002: no value stated, Adrien Evan WildtoAlison Aedwina Wild and Lana Pendlton Banks.

NASHVILLE AVE. 1528: $100, Henry L. RosenbergtoDaniel G. Casey and LisaMary Jaubert.

PITT ST.4018: $770,000, Ludger

David LLCtoMckeller Real Estate LLC.

S. DUPRE ST.1313: $72,500, Ashley Beasley Bowser to G&G Rentals andInvestmentsLLC.

WEBSTER ST.1328: $3,250,000, Elizabeth F. Bucher and Michael Bucher to Keith Deshautreaux and StephanieHarkness Deshautreaux.

DISTRICT 7

22ND ST.408: $230,000, Melvin Schneider to JessicaCarlisle.

38TH ST.345: $215,000,Linda Diane Perry to Misty Boudreaux Schoenhardt and NormanCharles Schoenhardt.

AVE. A6450: $685,400, Adele Leonor Jeanne Duplantis and JustinRobert Duplantis to Meghan C. BiasGaddis.

GREEN ST.8239: $575,000, BernhardLudwig Felix Fraling and Margarete G. Webnig Fraling to Karla Christensen

LAKE MARINA DRIVE 500:

$119,500, Kenan B. Buchert Jr. to Charles Glenn Powell II and Wendy Yamileth Mann Lemus Powell.

PONTCHARTRAIN BLVD.8605:

$537,500, Kristine Elizabeth McguireManagement Trust to Robert J. Tusa.

SEATTLE ST.301: $130,000, Wade Michael Gabourel to Hunter Thomas.

S. CARROLLTONAVE. 1532:

$200,000, Sarah Ruth Merideth Walle to Crescent City Apartment Rentals LLC.

SYCAMORE ST.8432: $140,000, Earmastine Brock Nelsonand Melvin J. Verrett to Bailey Property Management Group LLC.

EAST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FOR11-26 TO 12-5

HARAHAN

ASHAWN DRIVE 542: Margaret A.C. Ingram to ClaytonT.Constant, $149,000.

MICHAEL PLACE 7030: James J. Licciardi IV to Thomas W. Burger Jr., $310,000.

JEFFERSON

AUDUBON TRACE 1601: Domenick Maselli to Susan Callia, $250,000.

DODGEAVE. 685: Frank A. Bocklud to Samantha C. Butler, $319,000.

HONORE DRIVE 551: Post InvestmentProperties LLCtoJan M. Becnel, $395,000.

JAMES ST.2213-15: Theodore G. Kennedy Jr.toJulie VDiana, $230,000.

MAGNOLIAPLACE 14: Investment Holdings LLCtoJennifer Dupre, $680,000.

KENNER

CLAYST. 1412: Idania P. Torres to Thomas H. Lionel, $310,000.

CONNECTICUT AVE. 3811: Donald F. JerollemanJr. to Marco T. Trejo, $165,000.

FAIRWAY DRIVE 1229: Jessica Arnoult to PennyTrosclair, $170,000.

KEPLAR COURT2: DebraA.T. Trainor to Alexis Cantero, $365,000.

LOYOLA DRIVE E. 4164: Idell P. Gray to Manuela I.C. Ayala, $50,000.

MAINE AVE. 1009: KevinM.Coles

to Amanda Mcdaniels, donation, no value stated.

MICHIGAN AVE. 2012: Manuela I.C. Ayala to Eun Y. Cho, $443,879.

OAKLANDST. 150: Cesar R. Burgos to OneHundred Fifty Oakland LLC, donation, no value stated.

RICHLAND ST.2400: Folks Investments LLCtoGalvez Properties LLC, $775,000.

RUE CHARDONNAYAVE.CONDO D45: Nationstar Mortgage LLC to Secretary of Veterans Affairs, $40,000.

TIFTON ST.2738-40: Mary Warren to Dilip K. Das,$145,000.

TULANE DRIVE 3860: D. Marshall to JeremyMazuca, $173,000.

WASHINGTONST. 3129: Delmar Garner III to Delmar GarnerJr., donation, no value stated.

WASHINGTONST. 3129: Michael L. Garner to Delmar GarnerJr., donation, no value stated.

WASHINGTONST. 3129: Shawn E. Garner to Delmar GarnerJr., donation, no value stated.

METAIRIE

26TH ST.3012: RobertA.Westerlund to Twenty SixthStreet LLC, $1,300,000.

39TH ST.3108: Portta LLCtoJason R. Schellhaas, $1,150,000.

ARLINGTONDRIVE 112: Dardel Properties LLCtoArlington Drive LLC, $2,695,000.

ATHANIA PARKWAY 2821: George A. MauceletoMan K. Ho, $215,000.

AVE. E209: Edwin R. RodriguezIII to Todd A. McPherson,$2,350,000.

BELL ST.700-702: Arianni Zuna to Laurel S. Garatie, $272,000. BELMONT PLACE2104: Judith A.G.

HenleytoAnthonyL.Anderson Jr., $307,500.

BRIDGETST. 5905: Kelly Boros to R. Mintz, $390,000.

BROCKENBRAUGH COURT 856: Concrete By Design LLCtoAnne W.M. Boudreaux, $615,000.

CARROLLTONAVE.738: FidelityBank to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., $220,560.

CHICASAW AVE. 1301: Richard Laborde to Hoby B. Givens, $649,000.

DANNY PARK 2812: Angelle N. PridgentoAster InvestmentLLC, $241,000.

EDENBORN AVE. 2637 UNITS 203-04: JCPWProperties LLCto Healing Room LLC, $230,000.

FRANCISAVE.1901: Finance of America ReverseLLC to Quy Pham, $191,000.

FULTONST. 8904: David C. North to Jessica M. Meyer,$150,000.

GREEN ACRES ROAD 1117: Tracy M. Oestriecher to Emily R. Staurulakis,$735,000.

GREEN ACRES ROAD 2217: Gary M. Otillio to Thor Rohr, $238,000.

GREEN ACRES ROAD 1800: Thien D. Le to DarleneCibilic, $360,000. GREEN ACRES ROAD 3601: Jessica B. WarthtoMichaelA.Cordilla, $417,500.

HOMESTEAD AVE. 338: Christopher W. Dorion to Kelsey X Trosclair, $775,000.

HOUMA BLVD.3805 UNIT 121A: Donna GodberytoMark L. Cunninham, $105,000.

HOUMA BLVD.3805 UNIT 201B: Mary L. Trang to Michele Linden, $169,900.

JASPERST. 4001: Abbey M.R. CobbtoGabrielle D.S. Ciaccio,

REALESTATETRANSFERS

Luxury Lower Garden District3-story brick townhouse(10 years old), 2,090 sq. ft., 3BR’s(2en-suite), 3.5 BA’s, wood/stone floors (no carpet), 10.5’ ceilings, surround sound, open floor plan, gourmetkitchen/lots natural light/JennAir stainless/quartz, front patio &balcony,PLUSgarage& 1 parking spot in rear lot, 2central a/h units, ENJOYTHE SOPHISTICATED LIFESTYLE.

Completely restored in 2019,thisc.1906Beaux Arts school building wasconverted to avariety of 26 oneand twobedroom residences withonsite parkingand apool. Units offer thoughtfully designedliving spaces,soaring ceilings, oversizedwindows, reclaimed hardwood floors,and modern kitchens andbaths.Located in theheart of Mid-City, near theFairGrounds, BayouStJohn, EsplanadeAve. Restaurantsand City Park Ownapiece of NewOrleans History!

EAST

Continuedfrom page19

$335,000.

LAFRENIERE ST.6501: Manship SmithIII to Estela R.B. Hernandez, $225,275.

LINDEN ST.408: John B. Swift to Ian K. Poche, $252,500.

LINWOOD AVE. 1301: Holly D. Bender to Jessica B. Alexander, $268,050.

MARGUERITE ROAD 516: Kristyn S. Corcoran to Margaret T. Patterson,$592,000.

METAIRIE HEIGHTS AVE. 3532: SamuelS.Lama to Peter F. III Algero, $450,000.

N. TURNBULL DRIVE 1805: David

WEST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FORNOV.26TO DEC. 5 AVONDALE

LANDSDOWNEDRIVE 4180: DSLD LLCtoEmily Foto, $291,805. RETREATDRIVE 3841: DSLD LLCto Juanquianos Ward,$294.

B. Schlater to AJ HomesLLC, $143,000.

N. TURNBULL DRIVE 4017: Terri M. Fletcher to Emily Faschan, $336,440.

N. WOODLAWN AVE. 1608: Frank W. Andrade to Angelina Kelly, $355,000.

NORA ST.6317: KeithP.Habisreitinger to Ww Construction LLC, $105,000.

RYEST. 5024: Erik J. Casey to Alyssa T. Scurria, $375,000.

SMITH DRIVE 817: RoyalBleu Siding LLCtoJonathan Nguyen, $935,000.

TOLMAS DRIVE 4000: Jeanne Lemmon to TMclanahan, $592,000.

TRANSCONTINENTAL DRIVE 4604: EarlF.Sundmaker III to JayA.

BARATARIA

PRIVATEER BLVD.2634: Joshua Desselles to Savannah Barquero, $239,000.

BRIDGE CITY

LANDER ST.836: Angela G. Grant to BritneyH.Zapata, $197,500. OAKAVE. 724: Brandon G. Raines to MaryE.Elliott,$199,500.

GRANDISLE

LA. 12653: Blandco Construction LLCtoFamily Thyme LLC, $483,500.

LA. 11687: Rice Paddy LLCto Sunset Cove LLC, $50,000.

GRETNA

11TH ST.938: Baron Construction C.O. to Katie G. Sellers,$400,000.

35TH ST.1005: Mary A.O. Sanchez to Mitch A. Gahagan, $173,000.

BANNERWOOD DRIVE428: R&I Investments LLCtoCristhian J.M. Sierra, $253,000.

FOURTH ST.539: RobertT.Baker to Quad On 4th LLC, $497,500.

HICKORYST. 729: ChildsRobert Lewis Testamentary Trustto WildaM.Desire, $160,000.

HOLLY DRIVE 21: SandraL.Boudreaux to Baron Construction C.O.,$200,000.

HUNTERBROOK DRIVE 680: Rivera ConstructionLLC Hermanos to Dina IAbdelmajid,$250,000.

WEYER ST.2305: NC Cooper Construction LLCtoWhitneyGraber, $245,000.

Melancon, $570,000.

TRANSCONTINENTAL DRIVE 525: SJS Holdings LLCtoKeith Habisreitinger, $197,000.

TRUDEAUDRIVE 1005: Ivy A. Cosse to Sdaglin ICepeda, $185,000.

VEGAS DRIVE 1509: Gianni Iadanza to WendyM.M. Varela, $245,000.

VEGAS DRIVE 1601: Randy J. CarusoJr. to Nelly A.L. Rodas, $257,500.

WOODROWAVE.1829: Casimere Dicristina to BrittanyH.Burke, $290,000.

RIVERRIDGE

CROCHET AVE. 8941: KBodin to KeithL.Black, $410,000.

to David Townsend, $237,000.

ESTHER ST.1631: Willean A. WilsontoKeith Mauer,$165,000.

FIRST AVE. 546: Celeste J.M. Thoulion to Rebecca R. Fitzgerald, $222,000.

JOYA LOMA ST.13: LB Igloo Series VI TrusttoClaudeProperty LLC, $187,000.

KILLINGTONDRIVE 2200: GS Mortgage Backed SecuritiesTrust 2023 RPL2 to Ali Harb, $170,000. PETERS ROAD 2226: Mcpherson Cos.Inc. to Phuong Properties LLC, $425,000.

SECOND AVE. 816: H. Bourg to Peyton Dufour, $259,000.

MARRERO

BUCCOLAAVE.1649: Joseph S. Weber Jr. to Lori T. Weber,donation, no value stated.

CREOLE CT 2717: Beau Alexie to Logan M. Brady,$350,000.

MICHAELST. 640: Thanh T.T. Huynh to Vinh T. Tran, donation, no value stated.

MOUNTRUSHMORE DRIVE 5109: Aaron M. Melancon Sr. to New Orleans Property Ventures Inc., $50,000.

OAKST. 937: Oanh K.D.HotoVan Q. Tran, $121,408.

VICTORIA DRIVE 2837: Wendy Adams to Gwendolyn Adams, donation, no value stated.

TERRYTOWN

BRUCEAVE.405: Frank E. Evans III to Eddy D. Sosa, $68,000. WAGGAMAN

HARVEY

CURTIS ST.1564: Darry J. Delaune

CYNTHIA ST.42: Jose E. Coello Sr. to Joshua Myers, $193,000. ä See WEST, page 21

REALESTATETRANSFERS

ST. TAMMANy

n TRANSFERS FOR NOV. 17-21 ABITA

SPRINGS

HILLCREST COUNTRY CLUB SUBDIVISION, LOTS 19, 20, SQUARE 75: Kym R. Dillworth to Ishaq J. Celestine, $15,000.

NEAR ABITA SPRINGS, PORTION OF GROUND: Robert B. Economides and Kim M. Economides to Marvin E. Vann III and Ashley T. Vann, $567,000.

NEAR ABITA SPRINGS, PORTION OF GROUND: Dewayne T. Hines and Marcia B. Hines to Nicholas Cruise and Ashley Cruise, $299,900.

ORCHARD ROW 100: Succession of Robert H. McCullough Jr. to Eric Ankersen, $440,000

QUIMET DRIVE, LOT 41: Dupont Quality Homes LLC to Trux Air Conditioning Inc., $12,000.

RYAN AVE. 406: Kerney F. Craft III and Brittany N. Craft to Hanz E. Harris and Charis Harris, $285,000.

ST. CHARLES STREET, LOTS 3, 4: Ryan C. Gravolet and Julianne D. Gravolet to Ryan A. O’Regan, $50,000.

COVINGTON

ABITA RIDGE SUBDIVISION, PHASE 3B, LOT 8: Darling Design Homes Inc. to Christian L. Sarrat and Angelina R. Sarrat, $115,500.

ABITA RIVER DRIVE 1352: Wesley E. Harwell and Julianna M. Maricelli to Hunter M. Campbell and Emily N. Campbell, $490,000.

ALLEN ROAD 74415: Davis Living Trust to Dewayne T. Hines and Marcia B. Hines, $242,001.

WEST

Continued from page 20

HELIS DRIVE 200: Keith Lawrence to Two Hundred Helis Dr LLC, $79,382.

MORNING GLORY LANE 132: New Orleans Property Ventures Inc. to Reagan E. E. Harp, $198,000.

SWEET BAY LANE 9512: Tracy R. Garrett to Robinson Enterprise LLC Leonal, $350,000.

WESTWEGO

EDGEWOOD COURT 3641: OJ Constructions LLC to Brianna Burbank, $284,200.

MORGAN COURT 117: Lillian A. Sanders to Joaquim Mitchell, $72,500.

AUTUMN WOODS DRIVE 306: Marcia M. Mahoney to Steven C. Rapalo and Heather C. Rapalo, $320,000.

BELLE TERRE BLVD. 107: Succession of Jo Anne H. Basanez to Abide Holdings LLC, $295,000.

CARROL DRIVE 76455: Mary A. Caldwell Brockhaus, Suzette B. Babcock and others to Douglas Cooper and Cynthia Cooper, $410,000.

COTTONWOOD CREEK LANE 456: Ronny Bolden and Charleen Bolden to Maria V. Landry, $535,000.

CYPRESS POINT DRIVE 4233: Jaco Construction LLC to Gina L. Miestchovich Scott, $629,800.

DIVISION OF NEW COVINGTON SUBDIVISION, LOTS 1, 2, ALLEY, SQUARE 2201: Over Yonder LLC to John S. Alford and Blair B. Alford, $675,000.

E. CREEK COURT 1088: Brian E. Cowan to Sarah B. Cowan, donation, no value stated.

EIGHTH ST. 70393: Amanda L. LeBlanc to Arthur J. Short IV, $210,000.

EMERALD FOREST BLVD. 350, PHASE 2, UNIT 22107-1: Mary H. Salzer to Timothy A. Bateson and Chris A. Boudreaux Bateson, $145,000.

EMERALD FOREST BLVD. 350, UNIT 16205: Janelle P. Baranco to Kelly R. Evans LLC, $112,444.

LOUISIANA 1082 79071: Christopher R. Gallagher and Amber S. Gallagher to William P. Strain and Erin M. Roach Strain, $545,000.

HOMESTEAD ST. 72372: Ernest M. Gonzales Jr. to Kyle Duplantis and Danielle Bourg Duplantis, $332,000.

LAKE TAHOE DRIVE 14352: J Mendoza Homes LLC to Brandon E. McBride, $325,000.

LAKE VISTA ESTATES, PHASE I, LOT 103: Gordon L. Hanna and Karen B. Hanna to Virgil R. Hanna, donation, no value stated.

LINDEN ST. 20086: Russell A. Besancon to Gregory S. Ham and Kelly S. Ham, $352,000.

MILITARY ROAD 72409: Dennis H. Carriere and Aimee C. Lacoste to Stephen O. Carriere and Yvonne R. Carriere, $326,666.

MOORE BLVD. 533: Amy Holliman to Christopher R. Gardebled, $285,000.

NEAR COVINGTON, LOT A1: Hwy 190 Carwash LLC to 500 Hwy 190 Land LLC, $300,000.

NEAR COVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: Jenkins Homes LLC to Robert H. Halk, $309,000.

PARMA CIRCLE 12521: Jessica Zemen to Thomas B. Growden, $281,500.

RIVER CLUB SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1, LOT 92: Jeffrey A. Liepelt and Julie A. Muhlig Liepelt to River Club Development LLC, $800,000.

RIVER FORK DRIVE 21752: DSLD Homes LLC to Iyonna Williams, $314,220.

RIVER ROAD 75271: Bradley R. Waite, Taylor Waite and Landon Waite to Diane S. Delaney LLC, $141,000.

RIVERDALE DRIVE 118: Peter W. Joslyn and Brittany Rae Melvin Joslyn to Phiski LLC, $630,000.

ROBINDALE SUBDIVISION, PHASE 2, LOT 1, SQUARE 7: Jenkins Homes LLC to Donald Naylor Jr. and Marja W. Naylor, $485,000.

S. TAYLOR ST. 607: Gary A. Keown to Youssef B. Akkawi, $189,000.

S. VAN BUREN ST. 721: John C. Shorrock to Gene Yenari and Amy E. Childress Yenari, $172,500.

SIXTH ST. 70423: Habitat for Hu-

manity St. Tammany West Inc. to Shaniqua M. Marks, $229,900.

SIXTH ST. 70427: Habitat for Humanity St. Tammany West Inc. to Dawn Nagim Sanchez, $219,900.

SLEMMER ROAD 19339: Banbury Enterprises LLC to Lexi Wicker, $90,000.

SOLOMON DRIVE 632: Regions Mortgage to Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., $223,963.

ST. MARY DRIVE 224: Allty Investments LLC to Joseph M. Fontana and Taylor C. Alphonso, $82,000.

W. 28TH AVE. 625: West 30’s Redemption Co. Inc. to Robert Frederick, $37,871.

W. 31ST AVE. 611: West 30’s Redemption Co. Inc. to Joseph Mortey, $171,259.

W. 32ND AVE. 808: West 30’s Redemption Co. Inc. to Sable Jackson, $101,447.

W. 32ND AVE. 909: West 30’s Redemption Co. Inc. to Carlita M. Smith, $87,517.

W. 32ND AVE. 913: West 30’s Redemption Co. Inc. to Joseph Erwin, $87,517.

W. 33RD AVE. 1005: West 30’sn Redemption Co. Inc. to Shronda Richardson, $92,500.

W. 33RD AVE. 929: West 30’S Redemption Co. Inc. to Gary Ray, $80,000.

ZACHERY COURT 1444: DSLD Homes LLC to April Bourlet, $322,700.

ZINNIA DRIVE 103: Rhett C. Hickman to MC7 Investments LLC, $470,000.

FOLSOM

BRANLY DRIVE 79423: Gregory S. Ham and Kelly S. Ham to Etienne D. Cambon and Sharon A. Cam-

bon, $672,000.

HONEYSUCKLE ESTATES, PHASE 1, PORTION OF GROUND: Succession of Felder F. Fitzmorris to Gary B. Forester and Brenda F. Forester, $45,000.

NEAR FOLSOM, PORTION OF GROUND: Keith Talley to Jose Rivera and Kimberly A. Rivera, $65,000.

LACOMBE

ANNETTE ST. 60069, 60077: Kelvin G. Deglandon and Kimberly E. Deglandon to Ivette E. Zuercher, $278,850.

BERRY TODD ROAD 28535: J&L Homes LLC to Matthew C. Conaway and Brianna Conaway, $244,900.

FAIRFAX DRIVE 60857: DSLD Homes LLC to Paul Speed, $292,275.

LYNNWOOD DRIVE, LOT D: John J. Avery Jr. to Stephanie B. Barbre, $7,250.

NEAR LACOMBE, PORTION OF GROUND: Davis family irrevocable trust to Randall K. DeCastro and Jacquelyn M. DeCastro, $140,000. ROWLEY DRIVE 30768: Raymond Wood to Teresita M. Walsh, donation, no value stated.

SHANNON DRIVE 31281: Tiffany Hooks and Darryl Hill to AMG 550 LLC, $165,000.

SHANNON DRIVE 31281: AMG 550 LLC to Salt & Light Property Solutions LLC, $205,000.

TRIBUTE DRIVE 65377: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Felicia D. Meek, $276,900.

MADISONVILLE

BEDICO CREEK SUBDIVISION,

ä See TAMMANY, page 22

REALESTATETRANSFERS

TAMMANY

Continued from page 21

LOTS 990, 991, 1006: Santa Maria Interest LLC to Alvarez Construction Co. LLC, $277,700

BLACK RIVER ESTATES, PHASE 8, LOT 57: Andrew C. Zeringue to Peter Joslyn, $910,000.

BROWN THRASHER LOOP 625: Charlotte Pusa, Susan P. Boehnlein and Glenn S. Boehnlein to Tommy R. Wall and Therese Wall, $305,000.

GOLDEN OAK LANE 5015: VarunKumar Pala and Anila Kanna to Dane Drew and Kendyl Drew, $486,500.

HANO ROAD 111, 113: Edward W. Davis to Emily I. Fernandez, $1,886,000.

MARINA BEAU CHENE TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM, UNIT 7: Marina Bluffs LLC to Mire Real Estate Holdings LLC, $480,000.

MARINA BEAU CHENE TOWNHOMES CONDOMINIUM, UNIT 7: Troy M. Sider to Marina Bluffs LLC, $400,000.

NEAR MADISONVILLE, LOT A1: Car Wash LLC to Hwy 190 Carwash LLC, $2,400,000.

SPIKE DRIVE 71544: DSLD Homes LLC to Isabella Dabdoub, Davor Dekaris and Kristy Dekaris, $239,345.

SPIKE DRIVE 71603: DSLD Homes LLC to Sherran B. Sparacello, $227,250.

SPIKE DRIVE 71773: DSLD Homes LLC to Gabrielle Ferger, $216,070.

TALLOW TREE DRIVE 516: Wendell T. York to Ryan Krummel and Crystal Krummel, $490,000.

THREE RIVERS HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION, LOT 367: Magdeline Laba

Enjoyquiet French Quarterlivinginthis delightful3-story 3BD/ 2.5BAhomein acoveted dog-friendlyneighborhood. Walk to restaurantsand shopping French doorsprovide access to a privatewalledcourtyardwithsoothing fountain andtropicalplantings. Beautifulprimary escape Wonderful Viewsinall directions. Ahalfblock to aNORDdog and children’spark. Easy Maintenance& LowEnergyBills $930,000 MLS#2499896

to SACC Develop and Build LLC, $25,000.

THREE RIVERS HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION, LOT 369: Eugenia Laba and Joanne Laba Jennings to SACC Develop and Build LLC, $25,000.

VENETTE COURT 28645: Erin M. Connolly to Sydney Morise and Cannon J. Morise, $353,000.

WILLIAMSBURG DRIVE 328: Tod E. Lewis and Lori Jean Pharr Lewis to James C. Potter and Andrea E. Potter, $605,000.

MANDEVILLE

BIGNER ROAD 200: Michael D. Pendry to Christopher Lecce, $369,000.

BUTTONWILLOW COURT 519: MTGLQ Investors LP to GMA Properties LLC, $276,500.

CARDINAL LANE 47: Brianne B. Wilson to Marcus Thompson and Jana Kennedy Thompson, $1,195,000.

CHINCHUBA SUBDIVISION, LOTS 4-6, SQUARE 12: Mark C. Wiggin and Diane E. Wiggin to Jefferson Muslim Association, $60,000.

DELTA DRIVE 235: Ryan J. Olivier and Dominique R. Olivier to Adam M. Toups, $725,000.

DESTIN ST. 1923: HBGNO LLC to John R. Whanger, $175,100.

DEVON DRIVE 408: Kyle M. Gardner to Caroline Hirschey, donation, no value sated.

HUNTERS GLEN SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1, LOT 48: Debra L. Hanchey to Ryan T. Zimmerman and Kaymi W. Zimmerman, $410,000.

JUNIPER COURT 100: Cheryl M. D’Antonio to 100 Juniper Court Holding LLC, $2,312,750.

LAKESHORE DRIVE 2801: South Louisiana Property Ventures LLC to Caroline Raasch Alquist and

William E. Alquist revocable trust, $1,115,000.

MANDEVILLE ANNEX SUBDIVISION, LOTS 29A, 30A, SQUARE 7: Peace Enterprises LLC to Lunar Investments LLC, $32,000.

N. CAUSEWAY BLVD. 735: 735 N. Causeway LLC to JD Bank, $3,175,000.

NANCY ST. 625: Tristen H. Blanton to Byron Huyghues-Despointes, $238,000.

OAK DRIVE 257: Lida N. Urbanek to Linda L. Miller, $50,000.

RUE BAYONNE 1446: Michelle B. Toomey to Curt Murphy and Maegan D. Thornton Murphy, $523,000

STREAM COURT 3501: David H. Franks to Ramona A. Bacino, $480,000.

TETE L’OURS DRIVE 640, UNIT 28: Malloy R. French III and Kimberly M. French to Sarah E. Seal, $230,000.

UNIVERSITY DRIVE 1927: DeMelo Team LLC to Justin Edgecombe, $410,000.

UNIVERSITY DRIVE 1951: Alan E. Cristina and Emily J. Cristina to Caitlyn Breath, $375,000.

W. FLORIDA ST. EXTENSION 3960: Florida Gateway Center LLC to 3360 Investments LLC, $1,000,000.

WHITETAIL DRIVE 1082: Alan H. Moore Jr. and Delisa H. Moore to Anthony J. Scurria, $760,000.

PEARL RIVER

CRADDOCK LANE 39172: Succession of Sylvia B. Champagne to Edward G. Bell Jr., $127,000.

NEAR PEARL RIVER, PORTION OF GROUND: James N. Strahan Jr. to Carolyn A. Burcham, $47,000.

VILLAGE OF GUTHRIE SUBDIVISION, LOT 8, SQUARE 24: Debra G. Garrett Levis and Billie L. Garrett Semmes to Charles E. Weaver, $17,000.

WINGFIELD SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1, LOT 17: Michael J. Cashio Sr. and Tina R. Cashio to Jon P. Bajon and Simone C. deBrueys Bajon, $206,817.

SIXTH WARD

BOB LEVY ROAD 76330: Katharine K. Breithaupt to Robert L. Rogers II, donation, no value stated.

SLIDELL

AVERY ESTATES, LOT 42, SQUARE 3: Earl J. Chabaud Jr. to St. Tammany Parish, $26,000.

BAYOU VIEW PLACE 3109: Steuart Lulue to James Bertuccii, $240,000.

BIRDIE DRIVE 31, UNIT 47-C: Regions Mortgage to Federal National Mortgage Association, $81,850.

BLUEBIRD ST. 2306: Goins Homes

LLC to Marilyn M. Madere, $198,500.

BOND DRIVE 35221: Thad R. Smith to Lagniappe Novelty and Outdoor LLC, $110,000.

BROOKHAVEN COURT 301: Pelican Realty Brokreage LLC to Callina J. McMillan, $180,000.

CANAL ST. 4412: Jennifer F. Comeaux Deleon to Kayori Henry and Keira Dunkley, $211,000.

CARR DRIVE 350: Connie F. McIntyre to Michael J. McMyne, $320,000.

CHARLES COURT 433: Carl A. Caloian Jr. and Shantel M. Caloian Jr. to Jordan D. Brown, $260,000.

CHATEAU DRIVE 248: Sandra J. Donohue Living Trust to Thomas F. Sharp Sr. and Katherine Sharp, $380,000.

CRANE ST. 2522: Elena A. Henderson to Kylie M. Abney, $210,000.

CULPER DRIVE 60454: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Brandon J. Simon, $244,900.

CYPRESS LAKES DRIVE 273: Vincent Singh to Michael L. Perkins Sr. and Maureen G. Perkins, $380,000.

DOUGLAS DRIVE 1203: Donald B. Cameron and Kelly E. Cameron to Cody Holland and Shavon Holland, $355,000.

EDEN ISLES DRIVE 305: Adam Stuart and Paige Stuart to Francis J. Karnick and Margherita Comaianni, $320,000.

EFFIE ST. 3069: Michael J. Kollar and Wallace A. Degennaro to Jeffrey D. Bruce and Jennifer J. Bruce, $88,000.

FIFTH ST. 128: William R. Populis, Daniel T. Populis and Johnathan A. Populis to James Shilo, donation, no value stated.

FOXBRIAR ST. 134: Darryl Johnston and Ashlee B. Johnston to Peter J. Johnson and Ariel M. Price Johnson, $188,500.

FOXBRIAR ST. 231: Succession of Gameel Gabriel to Gaspar Locicero III and Barbara E. Locicero, $77,000.

FRANKLIN COURT 800: John P. Rushe and Glenda H. Rushe to Alex Osborne Jr., $315,000.

KINGSPOINT SUBDIVISION, PHASE 6, LOT 22, SQUARE 1: Succession of Gameel Gabriel to BMRC Properties LLC, $102,850.

LOOP DRIVE 213: Cornelio Pacheco and Luz Espinosa to Brenn Butts and Kristin Butts, $299,000.

MARINA DRIVE 1285: Nickolas J. Christakis and Helen W. Amarena to Wendy H. Freeman and Elva A. Howell, $255,500.

MARLIN DRIVE 118: Mark J. Gassen and Melodie G. Gassen to Rhyne P. Sepcich Sr. and Janalyn C. Sepcich, $505,000.

MATTHEWS DRIVE 106: Ronald J.

Mayeux Jr. and Angela B. Mayeux to Christopher M. Navarre and Savannah M. Navarre, $210,000.

MICHIGAN AVE. 1037: Charles F. Hollingsworth III and Brandi S. Hollingsworth to Matthew E. Brunet, $142,000.

MOONRAKER DRIVE 232: Todd Davis Sr. and Terri M. Davis to Stephen G. Stieffel, $395,000.

PEARL ACRES ROAD 58445: Cola Skin LLC to H&K Gretna Properties LLC, $1,150,000.

PIRATES HARBOR ROAD 187: Larry E. Johnson to Larry A. Westcott and Darleen W. McCormick, $45,000.

REGAL PARK ESTATES, LOT 54: Sandra J. Donohue Living Trust to Thomas F. Sharp Sr. and Katherine Sharp, $50,000.

ROBIN ST. 2111: Succession of James R. Alpoonse, Angelina A. Jarman and others to BRM Properties LLC, $125,000.

RUE DE LA PARC 514: Dana L. Steger Demond and Susan F. Steger Harvey to Dwayne G. Sundquist, $175,000.

SAN CRISTOBAL COURT 469: John A. Marble and Sara J. Marble to Kyle D. Taylor and Stacy A. Taylor, $1,140,000.

SCHOKLEY DRIVE 210: Noelle Leon to St. Tammany Parish, $15,000.

SEICSHNAYDRE DRIVE 206: Keo VK. Vongvilay and Lany V. Gaudet to St. Tammany Parish, $26,000.

SPARTAN LOOP 416: Kyle E. Saha to Ricco Punilei-Johnston, $235,000.

SPILLWAY MANOR DRIVE 5105: D.R. Horton Inc. to Allison M. Brauner, $291,555.

SPILLWAY MANOR DRIVE 5117: D.R. Horton Inc. Gulf Coast to Dwayne Meyers, $273,900.

SUNSET ST. 300: Succession of Aileen G. Smith to Thad J. Smith, $45,000.

TERRY DRIVE 213: Shelby A. Duay Jr. to AAA and L Properties LLC, $90,000.

WALNUT ST. 1232: Nanette F. Williams to Robert S. Bergens, $60,000.

WILLIAM DRIVE 1012: William S. Wajda and Dianna Wajda to Basheba Cambre, $295,000. WINDSOR DRIVE 35210: Bottner Properties LLC to LeeAnne Contreras, $151,000.

SUN/BUSH

CRUMP ROAD 79179: Tommy J. Rodriguez to Shannon B. Rodriguez, donation, no value stated. ERBIN TALLEY ROAD 83404: Erbin E. Talley to William H. Ayers III and Joshua R. Crawford, $45,000. MARTI DRIVE 28044: Marti Drive LLC to Brittany N. Turner, $122,000.

Mother must letloved ones make ownchoices

By The Associated Press

lowed. He would later be acquitted by theSenate.

DearAnnie: My daughter, 31, left home at 19 to attend university.Within weeks, she began dating a boy she’d met throughthe school’sFacebook group. Coming from our cultural background, we weren’tcomfortable with relationships outside marriage, but after two years, she moved in with him, mostly on her terms. They lived together for six years, bought ahouse, got a dog, eventually married and, 21/2 years later,had my precious granddaughter

My daughter has always dominated her marriage. Everythinghas to be on her terms. She’sintelligent, determined and successful, butalso bossy,pushy and demanding. Outwardly she can be sweet, but behind closed doors, she often belittled her husband, and his laid-back nature just let her have her way

About ayear and ahalf ago, while Iwas babysitting, my daughtersuddenly announced shenolonger loved her husband and wanted to separate. Iwas shocked, but she bulldozed through the conversation and didn’tlet me saya word. Deep down, Iwas sure another manwas involved. Within six months, the house was sold,assets divided and custody arranged, with little thought to the impact on their young daughter.Mydaughter was also left with the dog, which my son-in-lawwanted no part of anymore.

It’sbeen nearly ayear since the split. My daughter appears to have anew partner,though she won’tconfirm it, only dropping hints to “familiarize” us with this new relationship, while her not-yet-ex-husband has turned to online dating. My granddaughter now splits timebetween them.

At her father’shouse, she still sees her other grandparents weekly.But with us,my

daughter controlsevery visit and barely lets us into her life. We went from caring for our granddaughter regularly to limited contact with her and onlywhen my daughter is present. She usesher daughter as leverage, essentially saying to us, “Accept my choices or lose contact.”

Being around her feelslike walkingoneggshells. If Idisagree, I’m met with silence, manipulation or explosive behavior.Icry every night, heartbroken over what feels likelosing alimb. Ifeel formy son-in-law,who Ibelieve was wronged, and Iache formy granddaughter,tornbetween two homes and two very different upbringings.Most of all, Iamataloss for how to move forward.

Deep down, my instincts tell me this new relationship won’tlast, but Idon’tknow how to standbymyvalues and stillhold onto my only grandchild. How canI stayin her life withoutsurrendering completely to my daughter’s demands? —Heartbroken Grandmother

Dear Heartbroken Grandmother: You’ve been handed adifficult situation andone that’snot yours to fix. Your daughter is makingchoices youdon’t agree with, but she’sanadult, and unfortunately,fighting her will onlyjeopardize the time youhave with your granddaughter.

Youdon’thave to endorse your daughter’sdecisions; you just have to stop giving her reasons to shut youout Keep your focus simple and on what matters most. Your granddaughter needs stable, consistent and loving adults in her corner,and youcan be just that, even if not as often as you’d like.

Hold your values quietly and lettime do some of the heavy lifting. Calm consistency has away of opening doorsthat force never will.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@ creators.com

Today is Saturday,Dec. 13, the 347thday of 2025. There are18days left in the year.

Todayinhistory:

On Dec. 13, 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces while hiding in ahole under afarmhouse in Adwar,Iraq, near his hometown of Tikrit

Also on this date:

In 1862, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside launchedfailed frontal assaults againstentrenched Confederate soldiers during the Civil WarBattle of Fredericksburg; thesoundly defeated Northern troopswithdrew twodays later after suffering heavy casualties

In 1937, during theSecond Sino-JapaneseWar, Japanesesoldierscaptured the Chinese city of Nanjing and began what would be a weekslong massacreofan estimated 200,000 to 300,000 citizens,war prisoners and soldiers.

In 1996, theU.N. Security Council chose Kofi Annan of Ghana to become theworld body’sseventh secretarygeneral.

In 2000, Republican George W. Bush claimed the presidency aday after the U.S. Supreme Court shut down further recounts of disputed ballotsinFlorida; Democrat Al Goreconceded, delivering acall for national unity.

In 2001, thePentagon publicly released acaptured videotape of Osama bin Laden in which theal-Qaida leader said the deaths and destructionachieved by theSept. 11 attacks exceeded his “most optimistic”expectations.

In 2014, thousands of protesters marched in New York, Washington and other U.S. cities to call attention to the killing of unarmed Black men by Whitepolice officers.

In 2019, theHouseJudiciaryCommittee approved twoarticlesofimpeachment accusing President Donald Trump of abuse of power in his dealings withUkraine and obstruction of Congress in the investigation that fol-

In 2022, President Joe Biden signedthe Respect for Marriage Actproviding federal recognition and protection for same-sex and interracial marriages, calling it “a blow againsthate in all its forms.”

Today’sbirthdays: Actor-comedian Dick Van Dyke is 100. Music/film producer Lou Adler is 92. Singer-TV host John Davidson is 84. Baseball Hall of Famer Ferguson

Jenkins is 83. Rock musician Jeff “Skunk” Baxter is 77. Rock musician TedNugent is 77. Country singer-musician Randy Owen (Alabama) is 76. Actor Wendie Malick is 75. Country musician John Anderson is 71. Actor Steve Buscemi is 68. Singer-actor Morris Day is 68. Football Hall of Famer Richard Dent is 65. Actorcomedian JamieFoxx is 58. Actor-reality TV star NeNe Leakes is 58. Hockey Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov is 56. Rock singermusician Tom Delonge (Blink-182) is 50. Rock singer AmyLee (Evanescence) is 44. Singer-songwriter Taylor Swiftis36. Actor Maisy Stella is 22.

Annie Lane

DEAR ANNIE

VanDyke