The Times-Picayune 12-20-2025

U.S. STRIKES IN SYRIA ARE ‘DECLARATION OF VENGEANCE’ 3A GAMEDAY: RETZLAFF LEADS WAVE AGAINST OLE MISS 1C

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Thousands of Epstein files released Department of Justice admits its disclosure incomplete

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK, ERIC TUCKER and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department released thousands of files Friday about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein but the incomplete document dump did not break significant ground about the

long-running criminal investigations of the financier or his ties to wealthy and powerful individuals.

The files included a small number of photos of President Donald Trump, sparing the White House for now from having to confront fresh revelations about an Epstein relationship that the administration for months has tried in vain to push past.

It did, however, feature a series of never-before-seen photos of Bill Clinton from a trip that the former president appears to have taken with Epstein decades ago.

Reaction to the disclosures broke along mostly partisan lines. Democrats and some Republicans seized on the limited release to accuse the Justice Department of failing to meet a congressionally set dead-

line to produce the Epstein files.

White House officials on social media gleefully promoted a photo of Clinton in a hot tub with a person with a blacked-out face. The Trump administration touted the release as a show of its Epstein commitment to transparency, ignoring the fact that the Justice Department just

ORLEANS PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

Leah Chase School vote delayed

months ago said no more files would be released. Congress then passed a law mandating it.

The records, consisting largely of pictures but also including call logs, grand jury testimony, interview transcripts and other documents, arrived amid extraordinary anticipation that they might offer the most detailed look yet at nearly two decades worth of government scrutiny of Epstein’s sexual abuse

ä See EPSTEIN, page 5A

Courcelle approved as U.S. attorney Paul Hollis to lead U.S. Mint

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

their case for keeping the school open during roughly an hour of public comment, and a student’s grandmother offered to donate $1.5 million to the school — if the board agreed to keep it open for two more years.

Board members Katie Baudouin, Leila Eames, Olin Parker, KaTrina Chantelle Griffin, Carlos Zervigon and Nolan Marshall voted in favor of putting off the vote.

Board member Gabriela Biro abstained.

The board also voted to accept the $1.5

WASHINGTON — David I. Courcelle was confirmed as U.S. Attorney and Paul Hollis cleared the final hurdle to become director of the U.S. Mint when the U.S. Senate approved 97 nominees at one time Thursday night.

The Senate voted 53-43 to confirm President Donald Trump’s nominees Courcelle shortly before closing down for 2025. The Senate returns to Capitol Hill in January after the holidays.

The Senate used a special procedure that expe- Hollis dites confirmation by taking a single vote on a large number of nominees, said Carl Tobias, a University of Richmond law professor who closely follows judicial nominations. Thursday night’s group had 97 nominees, another group in September had 48 and more than 90 were included in a group approved in October.

Courcelle will become the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana, based in New Orleans and covering 13 parishes in southeast Louisiana: Assumption, Jefferson, Lafourche, Orleans,

ä See VOTE, page 4A

ä See COURCELLE, page 5A

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Serenity Gaines, 6, holds up a sign supporting the Leah Chase School during an Orleans Parish School Board meeting on Thursday.

funds. Dozens of families, educators inception. “We’re asking for time.”

Dozens of supporters pack on and community members packed into the The decision followed a dramatic meetmeeting room to make plea meeting room to make an emotional plea ing when the school’s supporters made

for the board not to give up on the D-rated school.

But after all that, the hourslong meeting Staff writer ended without a final resolution. Instead, It was supposed to be the moment of the board opted to delay the vote until the truth for the Leah Chase School, the meet- first week of January, giving the school ing that would seal the fate of New Or- and its backers three weeks to fundraise and try to boost enrollment — which, at leans’ lone traditional public school.

After weeks of deliberation, the Or- about 340 students in grades K-6, is well leans Parish School Board was scheduled below the district’s target.

“It’s not a delay trying to put it off to to decide Thursday evening whether or not to shut down the school on South Car- vote against the school,” said board memrollton Avenue, which opened last year ber Leila Jacobs Eames, who has been a and already is underenrolled and short staunch supporter of the school from its

BY MARIE FAZIO

Council questions Habitat property sales Residents face rent hikes in wake of sell-off

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

City officials are demanding answers from the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate after the nonprofit sold off dozens of its New Orleans rental properties to a for-profit investor in a wholesale transaction.

The properties include four shotgun doubles, eight apartments in all, in Mu-

WEATHER HIGH 74 LOW 62 PAGE 12C

sicians’ Village, where longtime tenants in Habitat’s largest post-Katrina affordable housing development now face the prospect of unaffordable rent hikes under their new landlord, who has pledged not to evict anyone immediately.

At a community meeting Thursday, City Council member Eugene Green, whose district includes the affected properties, told residents that the city had little control over a private real estate transaction, but he and his fellow council members are “deeply concerned” over how the deal was

handled.

“I’m disappointed that the opportunity wasn’t given to some of the people who live in these properties to own them,” Green said.

New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity leadership said the Musicians’ Village apartments represent a small portion of a 43-building rental portfolio that the nonprofit had been seeking to sell for several years amid rising insurance costs. Habitat’s mission is primarily to build new affordable

STAFF PHOTO By JONAH MEADOWS

In September, New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity sold four duplexes on Bartholomew Street that had for years been kept as affordable rental housing for older artists as ä See HABITAT, page 4A part of its Musicians’ Village development.

Business ......................5B Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................6B Classified .....................5D Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C Comics-Puzzles .....1D-4D Nation-World................2A

13TH yEAR, NO. 130

2A ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Judge orders elections for Miss. Supreme Court

JACKSON, Miss. — A judge on Friday ordered special elections for the Mississippi Supreme Court after earlier finding that the electoral map used to select justices violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock in August ordered Mississippi to redraw the map, which was enacted in 1987, concluding the current configuration dilutes the power of Black voters. The Friday ruling gives the Mississippi Legislature until the end of its 2026 regular session to redraw the map.

Section 2, which is the primary way plaintiffs can push back against racially discriminatory election practices, is currently being challenged at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Once the legislature approves a new map, Aycock wrote that she will move quickly to meet any deadlines necessary to hold the special elections in November 2026.

Aycock also wrote that she will defer deciding which seats will be subject to a special election until after the new map has been adopted.

The order follows a 2022 lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union, which argued the current map cuts Mississippi’s Delta region — a historically Black area — in half, diminishing the Black vote in the Central District.

“Mississippi is nearly 40% Black, but has never had more than one Black Justice on the nine-member Court,” Ari Savitzky, a senior staff attorney with the ACLU’s Voting Rights Project, wrote in a statement.

“We couldn’t be happier to see justice on the horizon.”

In her August ruling, Aycock noted only four Black people have served on Mississippi’s Supreme Court. All of them held the same seat in the Central District and were first appointed to the position by a sitting governor.

Israeli fire kills at least 5 Palestinians in Gaza DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — Israeli troops fired over the ceasefire line in the northern Gaza Strip on Friday, killing at least five Palestinians, including a baby.

The tenuous Israel-Hamas truce has stalled in recent weeks.

The five died in Tuffah, an eastern neighborhood in Gaza City, said Rami Mhanna, managing director of Shifa Hospital.

Israel’s military said troops identified “a number of suspicious individuals … in command structures west of the Yellow Line,” and fired at them. The incident is under review and the military “regrets any harm to uninvolved individuals,” it added.

The Yellow Line divides the Israeli-held part of Gaza from the rest of the territory, and was drawn under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that went into effect in October.

U.S. says 2 strikes on alleged drug boats kill 5 WASHINGTON — The U.S. military said Thursday that it had conducted two more strikes against boats it said were smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing five people.

U.S. Southern Command posted on social media, “Intelligence confirmed that the vessels were transiting along known narcotrafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific and were engaged in narco-trafficking operations,” though it did not provide evidence. It posted videos of each boat speeding through water before being struck by an explosion.

The military said three people in one vessel and two in the other were killed.

The attacks brought the total number of known boat strikes to 28 while at least 104 people have been killed, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.

CORRECTION An article Friday on Tulane fans traveling to the College Football Playoff game at Ole Miss misstated the plans of one fan. Brian King is staying at his grandmother’s home near Memphis, not his mother’s.

lll

3 killed in Taiwan knife attack

By The Associated Press

TAIPEI, Taiwan — A man with at least one knife and smoke grenades attacked crowds indiscriminately in Taiwan’s capital on Friday evening, killing at least three people and injuring nine others, according to the national news agency and the city government. The suspect later fell to his death from a department store building.

Police said that the suspect was declared dead at a hospital after jumping from the building’s sixth floor, the Central News Agency reported.

The suspect, identified as a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen, threw smoke grenades near an underground exit of the Taipei Main metro station, close to the city’s main train station, and randomly attacked people with a “sharp object,” sending pedestrians running, according to media reports.

He then headed north to a popular shopping district, where he threw smoke grenades and stabbed multiple people on the

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHIANGyING-yING

Police cordon off the scene at a metro station after a knife attack in Taipei, Taiwan, on Friday. first and fourth floors of the Eslite Spectrum Nanxi department store, primarily in the neck, the news agency said, citing police.

Police later revealed that the suspect, between the two scenes, took an underground path to a hotel, where he fetched some “lethal weapon” — or some kind of edged

weapon — before showing up at a road outside the Zhongshan metro station, near the department store, according to the news agency.

Police said they were yet to find any accomplice and were investigating possible motives. Police said they recovered some “lethal weapons” in both the suspect’s

rental home in Taipei and the hotel room where he had stayed for three nights near Zhongshan.

Video footage aired on local television networks showed the suspect, who was wearing a gas mask and clad in black, dropping at least two smoke grenades at the Taipei Main metro station. He was later seen near Eslite and entering the department store while attacking passersby.

Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an told local media that a 57-year-old man immediately tried to stop the suspect at the metro station’s exit, but was fatally wounded. National Taiwan University Hospital told the news agency that the fatal wound was “a penetrating injury about five centimeters in length caused by a sharp object that reached from the right lung to the left atrium.”

Taipei Metro said that a staffer was hospitalized after he inhaled excessive smoke while responding to the attack.

Another man died after he was attacked near the department store, according to EBC News.

Fla. woman killed 2 ex-husbands on same day, police say

BY BRIAN NIEMIETZ

New york Daily News (TNS)

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

New signage, The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, is unveiled Friday on the Kennedy Center in Washington.

Trump’s name added to Kennedy Center building

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Kennedy Center on Friday quickly added Donald Trump’s name to the performing arts center Congress designated as a living memorial to John F. Kennedy, a day after the center’s board of trustees voted to make the change.

Blue tarps were hung in front of the building to obscure workers on scaffolding as they executed the transformation.

Hours later it had a new name: The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.

The board of trustees, handpicked by Trump, voted unanimously Thursday to add his name to what was enshrined as a living memorial to the Democratic president. Trump, a Republican, also is the board’s chairman.

Critics of the vote, including Democratic members of Congress who are exofficio board members, as well as some historians, insist that only Congress can change the name.

“The Kennedy Center was named by law. To change the name would require a revision of that 1964 law,” Ray Smock, a former House historian, said in an email.

“The Kennedy Center board is not a lawmaking entity. Congress makes laws.”

Congress named the performing arts center as a living memorial to Kennedy in 1964, the year after he was assassinated. The law explicitly prohibits the board of trustees from making the center into a memorial to anyone else, and from putting another person’s name on the building’s exterior.

The Kennedy Center is the latest building in Washington to have Trump’s name added to it. The U.S. Institute of Peace was recently renamed after him.

Workplace rights agency’s chair urges White men to report discrimination

BY CLAIRE SAVAGE Associated Press

The head of the U.S. agency for enforcing workplace civil rights posted a social media call-out urging White men to come forward if they have experienced race or sex discrimination at work.

“Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex? You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws,” U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Chair Andrea Lucas, a vocal critic of diversity, equity and inclusion, wrote in an X post Wednesday evening with a video of herself.

The post urged eligible workers to reach out Lucas to the agency “as soon as possible” and referred users to the agency’s fact sheet on “DEI-related discrimination” for more information.

Lucas’ post, viewed millions of times, was shared about two hours after Vice President JD Vance posted an article he said “describes the evil of DEI and its consequences,” which also received millions of views. Lucas responded to Vance’s post saying: “Absolutely right @JDVance. And precisely because this widespread, systemic, unlawful discrimination primarily harmed white men, elites didn’t just turn a blind eye; they celebrated it. Absolutely unaccept-

able; unlawful; immoral.”

She added that the EEOC “won’t rest until this discrimination is eliminated.”

A representative for Vance did not respond to a request for comment.

Lucas said Thursday evening that “the gaslighting surrounding what DEI initiatives have entailed in practice ends now.

We can’t attack and remedy a problem if we refuse to call it out for what it is — race or sex discrimination — or acknowledge who is harmed.” She added that “the EEOC’s doors are open to all,” and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 “protects everyone, including White men.”

Since being elevated to acting chair of the EEOC in January, Lucas has been shifting the agency’s focus to prioritize “rooting out unlawful DEI-motivated race and sex discrimination,” aligning with President Donald Trump’s own anti-DEI executive orders. Trump named Lucas as the agency’s chair in November.

Earlier this year, the EEOC along with the Department of Justice issued two “technical assistance” documents attempting to clarify what might constitute “DEI-related Discrimination at Work” and providing guidance on how workers can file complaints over such concerns. The documents took broad aim at practices such as training, employee resource groups and fellowship programs, warning such programs — depending on how they’re constructed — could run afoul of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race and gender.

A 48-year-old Florida woman is accused of killing both of her ex-husbands in separate incidents on the same day.

Manatee County authorities claim Susan Erica Avalon shot one of her victims two times shortly before 3 p.m. on Wednesday in Bradenton.

Detectives tracked Avalon down and found her at home cleaning her minivan with bleach and rags, according to Florida station WWSB. When authorities told her they had questions about her ex-husband, she reportedly asked, “Which one?”

That led investigators to her other alleged victim, whom they found fatally wounded by multiple gunshot wounds in Tampa.

The back door to his home showed signs of forced entry.

Police said they located

the suspect by reviewing video of her stealing food from the pickup window of a Panera Bread restaurant, which she brought to her first victim’s home.

When he opened the door, she allegedly opened fire.

The 54-year-old victim later died in an area hospital.

Avalon and the unidentified victim had reportedly been divorced for 11 years.

She was said to have been $4,000 behind in child support payments, which she was required to pay in part this month.

Authorities said the suspect had been involved in custody battles with both of her alleged victims.

Avalon was reportedly arrested on a child abuse charge in 2004, but other abuse cases against her were dropped. Avalon’s issues are believed to involve five children from her two marriages.

She was living with a boyfriend at the time of Wednesday’s murders.

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U.S. launches strikes in Syria against IS lll

also were used, one Hegseth says artillery official said. is not the beginning it’s ‘declaration of“This a war — it is a declaration of vengeance. The United of vengeance’ States of America, under President Trump’s leader-

BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, BEN FINLEY and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration launched military strikes Friday in Syria to “eliminate” Islamic State group fighters and weapons sites in retaliation for an ambush attack that killed two U.S. troops and an American interpreter almost a week ago.

A U.S. official described it as “a large-scale” strike that hit 70 targets in areas across central Syria that had IS infrastructure and weapons.

Another U.S. official, who also spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive operations, said more strikes should be expected.

The attack was conducted using F-15 Eagle jets, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AH-64 Apache helicopters, the officials said. F-16 fighter jets from Jordan and HIMARS rocket

ship, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on social media.

President Donald Trump had pledged “very serious retaliation” after the shooting in the Syrian desert, for which he blamed IS. The troops were among hundreds of U.S. troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the terrorist group.

Trump in a social media post said the strikes were targeting IS “strongholds.”

He reiterated his support for Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, who he said was “fully in support” of the U.S. effort to target the militant group.

Trump also offered an all-caps threat, warning the group against attacking U.S. personnel again.

“All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned — YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth salute Wednesday as carry teams move the transfer cases with the remains of two Iowa National Guard soldiers and a civilian interpreter who were killed in an attack in Syria during a casualty return at Dover Air Force Base, Del. THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A.,” the president added.

The attack was a major test for the warming ties between the United States and Syria since the ouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad a year ago. Trump has stressed that Syria was fighting alongside U.S. troops and said al-Sharaa was “extremely angry and disturbed by this

attack,” which came as the U.S. military is expanding its cooperation with Syrian security forces.

Syria’s foreign ministry in a statement on X following the launch of U.S. strikes said that last week’s attack “underscores the urgent necessity of strengthening international cooperation to combat terrorism in all its forms” and that Syria is committed “to fighting ISIS and ensuring that it has no safe

havens on Syrian territory and will continue to intensify military operations against it wherever it poses a threat.”

IS has not claimed responsibility for the attack on the U.S. service members, but the group has claimed responsibility for two attacks on Syrian security forces since, one of which killed four Syrian soldiers in Idlib province. The group in its statements described alSharaa’s government and army as “apostates.” While al-Sharaa once led a group affiliated with al-Qaida, he has had a long-running enmity with IS. Syrian state television reported that the U.S. strikes hit targets in rural areas of Deir ez-Zor and Raqqa provinces and in the Jabal al-Amour area near Palmyra. It said they targeted “weapons storage sites and headquarters used by ISIS as launching points for its operations in the region.”

Trump this week met privately with the families of the slain Americans at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware before he joined top military officials and other dignitaries on the tarmac for the dignified transfer,

a solemn and largely silent ritual honoring U.S. service members killed in action.

The guardsmen killed in Syria last Saturday were Sgt. Edgar Brian TorresTovar, 25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, according to the U.S. Army. Ayad Mansoor Sakat, of Macomb, Michigan, a U.S. civilian working as an interpreter, was also killed.

The shooting nearly a week ago also wounded three other U.S. troops as well as members of Syria’s security forces, and the gunman was killed. The assailant had joined Syria’s internal security forces as a base security guard two months ago and recently was reassigned because of suspicions that he might be affiliated with IS, Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba has said.

The man stormed a meeting between U.S. and Syrian security officials who were having lunch together and opened fire after clashing with Syrian guards.

When asked for further information, the Pentagon referred AP to Hegseth’s social media post.

Stefanik ends campaign for N.Y. governor, won’t seek reelection Representative had dustup with Speaker Johnson

BY ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE Associated Press

ALBANY, N.Y. — Rep. Elise Stefanik announced Friday that she is suspending her campaign for New York governor and will not seek reelection to Congress, abruptly bowing out of what was expected to be a bruising Republican primary and ending a once-promising tenure in the House.

Stefanik, a Republican ally of President Donald Trump, said in a statement that she was confident of her chances in the primary against Bruce Blakeman, a Republican county official in New York City’s suburbs. But she said, “It is not an effective use of our time” to stay in the race, and that she instead wants to spend more time with her young son and family.

“I have thought deeply

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN

President Donald Trump talks to Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.y., second from right, while Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Minn., far right, looks on during a bill signing ceremony with members of the 1980 U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey team Dec. 12 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. about this and I know that as a mother, I will feel profound regret if I don’t further focus on my young son’s safety, growth, and happiness — particularly at his tender age,” she said.

Stefanik was set to have a tough Republican primary against Blakeman, with both

politicians counting themselves as allies of President Donald Trump and attempting to court his support.

Though, the president had seemed keen on avoiding picking a side in the race, telling reporters recently: “He’s great, and she’s great.

They’re both great people.”

Trump eliminates Space Council

BY SANA PASHANKAR and LOREN GRUSH Bloomberg News (TNS)

President Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to return astronauts to the moon through NASA’s Artemis space program with an eye toward building a permanent lunar presence.

The directive reinforces NASA’s current plans for sending Americans back to the moon by 2028 and for Americans to begin establishing the outpost by 2030. It also reaffirms NASA’s plans to develop nuclear power in space, including readying reactors for launch by 2030.

Thursday’s order also calls for the elimination of the National Space Council with plans to transition its authority to the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

The National Space Council is a White House body first

created in 1989 to advise the president on issues of space policy and implementation.

The order further seeks to develop next-generation missile-defense technology by 2028 as part of Trump’s Golden Dome project and calls for developing capabilities to detect and track threats to the U.S. from low-Earth orbit and cislunar space.

The directive envisions the U.S. attracting at least $50 billion of additional investment in American space markets by 2028.

Earlier this year, the administration proposed phasing out the current Artemis architecture for returning humans to the moon and replacing it with more costeffective commercial replacements.

A number of Republican and Democratic lawmakers have since rallied around the Artemis program, warning that cutting it would put

the U.S. in a weaker position in its space race with China.

Beijing plans on sending its astronauts to the moon by the end of the decade.

NASA’s Artemis moonlanding program has been criticized by prominent figures like SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, who was a billionaire fintech executive before joining the agency.

Both have argued that there are more cost-effective ways to return to the moon.

Artemis, which relies on Boeing Co.’s Space Launch System rocket and Lockheed Martin Corp.’s Orion crew capsule, is expected to cost $93 billion by 2025 and has only flown a single mission.

Development of the Artemis architecture supports tens of thousands of jobs in Republican-controlled states like Texas, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida.

On Friday, Trump, writing on his Truth Social media platform, called Stefanik a “fantastic person and congresswoman.”

“Elise is a tremendous talent, regardless of what she does. She will have GREAT success, and I am with her all the way!” Trump wrote.

Stefanik, who represents a conservative congressional district in northern New York, has been an intense critic of incumbent Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who is also seeking reelection but faces a primary challenge from her own lieutenant governor, Antonio Delgado.

Stefanik was the youngest woman ever elected to Congress when she won her first campaign in 2014 at just 30 years old, representing a new generation of Republicans making inroads in Washington. She ultimately rose to her party’s leadership in the House when she became the chair of the House Republican Conference in 2021.

First viewed as a moderate when she came to Washington, Stefanik became far more conservative as Trump began to dominate the party.

Once someone who refused to say Trump’s name, she became one of his top defenders during his first impeachment inquiry. She would go on to vote against certifying the 2020 election results, even after a violent mob stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6.

Last year, Stefanik was tapped to become the president’s ambassador to the United Nations, though her nomination was later pulled over concerns about her party’s narrow margins in the House. She then began to angle toward a run for governor.

Stefanik’s decision follows a clash with Speaker Mike Johnson, whom she accused of lying before embarking on a series of media interviews criticizing him.

In one with The Wall Street Journal, she called Johnson a “political novice” and said he wouldn’t be reelected

speaker if the vote were held today.

The tumultuous early December episode appeared to cool when Johnson, R-Benton, said he and Stefanik had a “great talk.”

“I called her and I said, ‘Why wouldn’t you just come to me, you know?’” Johnson said. “So we had some intense fellowship about that.”

Still, Stefanik, the chairwoman of the House Republican leadership, has not fully walked back her criticisms. A Dec. 2 social media post remains online in which, after a provision she championed was omitted from a defense authorization bill, Stefanik accused Johnson of falsely claiming he was unaware of it, calling it “more lies from the Speaker.”

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4A ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

VOTE

Continued from page 1A million donation without restrictions, and Eames said she would ask the district to match the gift.

However, the student’s father, Chris Edmunds, said the offer was revoked because the board did not vote to keep the school open.

Bearing the name of an iconic New Orleans chef, the Leah Chase School has become a symbol in a long-running debate over the city’s school system: Should it remain a collection of independently run charter schools or start to incorporate traditional, district-run public schools?

The board has faced pressure from parents, teachers and community members who argue the school should be given more time.

Business leaders and New Schools for New Orleans, an education nonprofit, have spoken in favor of closing the school for financial and enrollment reasons. Members of Leah Chase’s family have weighed in on both sides.

At the Thursday evening board meeting, some of the school’s supporters sported pins that showed a pot of gumbo and read “TLC — We’re Still Cooking.” Others wore black Tshirts with slogans including “TLC Strong” and “Don’t be a quitter.”

During more than an hour of public comment supporting the school staying open, Bailey Watson, a Leah Chase School fourth grader, lowered the microphone at the podium before asking teachers, parents and students to stand.

More than half the room stood and

HABITAT

Continued from page 1A houses that residents can own, rather than managing rental properties.

“There’s actually nothing untoward going on,” said Marguerite Oestreicher, executive director of the local Habitat affiliate. “Selling the rental portfolio makes sense, so that Habitat can focus on our core mission, which really is about homeownership.”

In September, Habitat sold 32 properties in a pair of transactions for a total of about $1.73 million. Those properties — 12 single-family homes and 20 duplexes comprising more than 50 rental units — have a total value of more than $4.57 million, according to the Orleans Parish Assessor’s Office.

“This was not a real estate maximization decision.

It was a mission protection and financial stabilization decision,” explained Oestreicher, who did not attend Green’s meeting.

According to Habitat, the organization had been subsidizing renters to the tune of about $200,000 to $250,000 every year, and the majority of the properties it sold require costly maintenance upgrades.

The issue came to light earlier this month, after the new owner of the properties, Ihsan Madi, notified tenants that he intends to more than double their rents beginning in January. The units, on average, have rented for between $300 and $500 a month for nearly 20 years.

Madi declined to comment

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Relatives of Leah Chase sit in the front row during Thursday’s Orleans Parish School Board meeting. recited the school’s pledge: “We are courageous learners, we are culturally aware, we are TLC.” “Y’all are taking away the chance for my friends to achieve their goals,” she said. “If you close my school down, you’re closing the dream of other kids.”

Despite the reprieve given the school, some parents and teachers expressed frustration after Thursday’s emotional meeting because they still were unsure what would happen to the school.

“It’s disappointing to leave here tonight and not have peace of mind,” said Negette Valcour, a

for this story, but in an interview last month he said he has been trying to find a way to “make it work” for the current renters and that he made a “commitment” to Habitat to keep the units affordable for low-income renters.

“Obviously, there’s going to be clients who may not be able to pay rents — not all of the units — the vast majority are on government assistance,” he said.

Madi did not attend Green’s meeting, but a statement attributed to the new owners said they are working with tenants to come to “mutually beneficial agreements that ensure stability” for all parties.

“We want to be absolutely clear: We have no intention of evicting anyone,” it said.

Residents and attendees at Thursday’s meeting were skeptical.

“This was a mission-specific neighborhood, and it was never about ‘fair market value,’” said Brandi Kelly, a member of Mama Lola’s family of voodoo priestesses, and a sister of a longtime tenant.

“It was about bringing back our musicians and culture bearers to New Orleans.”

In an effort to help the affected tenants, the Housing Authority of New Orleans is working on a plan to increase Section 8 vouchers for residents who are already receiving them, HANO Executive Director Marjorianna Willman said.

The agency is also looking for ways to extend rental assistance to those who are not.

She also told attendees at Thursday’s meeting that she spoke to Madi and secured a commitment that no one

mother of eight who noted that her three children at Leah Chase are “excelling.”

“It’s not fair to us,” she added.

“It’s not fair to the teachers who show up like the village that we need.”

The idea for the Leah Chase School originated nearly two years ago after the school board shut down Lafayette Charter Academy, an F-rated charter school.

When no charter organization offered to take over the school, the School Board unanimously voted to replace it with the Leah Chase School, the first district-run pub-

would be evicted for at least a year.

M u s i c i a n s ’ Vi l l a g e launched in 2006 as a partnership between Habitat and local musicians Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis to provide affordable housing to the city’s culture bearers facing displacement in Katrina’s wake.

In the years that followed and with great fanfare and celebrity support, the nonprofit built 72 single-family homes and 10 duplex units, plus the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music, on the site of a former Upper 9th Ward middle school. The owneroccupied homes are not affected by the recent sale.

Habitat has continued to lease out four doubles to musicians — including blues guitarist Little Freddie King — and other artists who have lived there at affordable rates. Monthly rents have remained approximately unchanged since they were built.

“In retrospect, I suppose, Habitat should have started increasing rents in the Village every year, like every other landlord does, and we didn’t,” Oestreicher said.

Oestreicher said it did not make sense to offer the properties for sale to their present occupants before making the deal with Madi since the current residents would not be able to afford the purchase.

“If they had wanted to be homeowners, they could always have applied to Habitat for the homeownership program, but there were never any homeownership applications,” she said. “Homeownership is a wonderful thing, and we wholeheartedly believe in it, but it isn’t the

right fit for everyone.”

But several residents at Green’s meeting said they were willing and able to purchase the properties had Habitat ever given them an opportunity. The sales price that Habitat accepted came out to less than $35,000 per unit.

“Some of us could have bought those buildings.

They have people here who said they would have bought the buildings and kept us here. But Habitat said nothing,” said Lolet Boutte, a member of the famous musical family.

Oestreicher said Habitat

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Habitat homes who faced potential foreclosure due to skyrocketing home insurance.

“The Council stepped up in 2024 because we believe in Habitat’s mission and in keeping families housed,” council member Lesli Harris said in a statement. “That is why this situation is so concerning.”

Oestreicher said the city and the nonprofit signed an agreement in April and homeowners have been preparing the paperwork to apply for the funding, but none of it has been distributed yet.

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had attempted to sell its single-unit rentals individually but had only sold about 15 rental properties over the past few years.

“It was a very, very slow process,” she said. “We would list two or three, and it would take six months to a year to sell.”

As news of the sale spread in recent days, council members weighed in, issuing statements of concern about the potential displacement of culture bearers.

The council’s criticism was fueled in part by its decision last year to allocate $2 million to support owners of

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lic school to open in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina.

Lauren Jewett, a special education teacher at Leah Chase, said she attended the board meeting nearly two years ago when the district decided to open the school.

“I said at that time we had the chance to shift away from volatility and destabilization to something that would offer hope and trust for families,” Jewett said. “When you close a public school you’re not just shutting down a building, you’re breaking trust.”

Melissa Francis, a parent union organizer with the advocacy group

Step Up Louisiana, said parents are satisfied with the school.

“Stability really matters, especially in a city where schools are constantly being closed or being relocated,” she said.

Sojourner Gibbs, who lives on the West Bank, said she was considering sending her children to Leah Chase next year in part because it was a district-run school.

“School choice is more than just private schools and charter schools,” she said. “It should include city-run schools.”

After only about five months of planning and preparation, the district launched the Leah Chase School in August 2024. The school, which was envisioned as having an arts focus and a culturally rich curriculum, started with grades K-5 with plans to add a grade each year. This year, its enrollment was about 60 students below the 400-student target.

The board had allocated the school $3.8 million in startup funds. But this October, NOLA Public Schools CFO Nyesha Veal told board members that the school would run a $500,000 deficit in the 2025-26 school year, a figure that could triple in three years.

The board’s decision Thursday to give the school less than a month for fundraising puts the onus on board members and the school’s supporters to find private money to bridge the gap until the school can sustain itself.

Board members on Thursday also created the Leah Chase School Sustaining Fund, which will handle donations made to the school. Donations also can be made to the district on behalf of the school.

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 5A

lll

EPSTEIN

Continued from page 1A of young women and underage girls. Their release has long been demanded by a public hungry to learn whether any of Epstein’s associates knew about or participated in the abuse. Epstein’s accusers have also sought answers about why federal authorities shut down their initial investigation into the allegations in 2008.

Yet the release, replete with redactions. seemed unlikely to satisfy the public clamor for information given how many investigative records the department indicated it was continuing to withhold.

In a letter to Congress obtained

by The Associated Press, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote that the Justice Department was continuing to review files in its possession and expected additional disclosures by the end of the year. The department also said it was withholding some documents under exemptions allowed in the law and was redacting names of victims. The department expects to complete its document production by the end of the year, Blanche said.

Bowing to political pressure from fellow Republicans, Trump on Nov. 19 signed a bill giving the Justice Department 30 days to release most of its files and communications related to Epstein, including information about the investigation into his death in a federal jail. The law’s passage, which set a deadline for Friday, was a remarkable display of bipartisanship that overcame months of opposition from Trump and Republican leadership.

The released files include a small number of photos of Trump, which appear to have been known for decades, including two in which Trump and Epstein are posing with now-first lady Melania Trump in February 2000 at an event at Trump’s Palm Beach club, Mar-aLago, before the pair’s friendship ruptured.

Trump was friends with Epstein for years before the two had a fall-

COURCELLE

Continued from page 1A Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Terrebonne and Washington.

A graduate of De La Salle High School, the University of New Orleans and Loyola College of Law, Courcelle has been a city attorney in Harahan and parish attorney in Jefferson Parish. He is now a criminal defense lawyer in his Metairie firm.

Courcelle represented two defendants previously accused by the Justice Department of participating in the pro-Trump Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Those charges were dropped when Trump took office.

One of his recent high-profile defendants was Fouad Zeton, a politically engaged businessman whose text messages formed the linchpin of a now-sputtering federal probe of New Orleans’ Democratic Mayor LaToya Cantrell. Prosecutors accused Randy Farrell, a private electrical inspector, in a September indictment of funneling bribes to the may-

PROVIDED PHOTO

This redacted photo released by the U.S. Department of Justice shows Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor lying across several people’s laps with Ghislaine Maxwell standing above. ing-out. Neither he nor Clinton has ever been accused of wrongdoing in connection with Epstein, and the mere inclusion of someone’s name in files from the investigation does not imply otherwise.

Attorney General Pam Bondi said last month that she had ordered a top federal prosecutor to investigate Epstein’s ties to Trump’s political foes, including Clinton. Bondi acted after Trump pressed for such an inquiry, though he did not explain what supposed crimes he wanted the Justice Department to investigate.

In July, Trump dismissed some of his own supporters as “weaklings” for falling for “the Jeffrey Epstein hoax.” But both Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, RBenton, failed to prevent the legislation from coming to a vote.

Trump did a U-turn on the files

or through Zeton.

Hollis, of Covington and a lifelong coin collector, represents St. Tammany Parish and parts of Jefferson and Orleans parishes on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. He was a Republican member of the state House of Representatives between 2012 and 2024.

A bureau in the U.S. Treasury, the U.S. Mint makes nickels, dimes, quarters, and half dollars — but no longer pennies — at four facilities around the nation. Hollis also now becomes responsible for the nation’s gold reserves held in Fort Knox.

He is the son of the late state Sen. Ken Hollis, RCovington.

Hollis recalls that as a 7-year-old, his grandmother gave him a coin she had saved since the Great Depression in the 1930s. He keeps the coin in his pocket for major life milestones and brought it to Washington when he testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs in October.

He is a member of the American Numismatic Association and wrote a book

once it became clear that congressional action was inevitable. He insisted that the Epstein matter had become a distraction to the Republican agenda and that releasing the records was the best way to move on.

After nearly two decades of court action and prying by reporters, a voluminous number of records related to Epstein had already been public well before Friday, including flight logs, address books, email correspondence, police reports, grand jury records, courtroom testimony and transcripts of depositions of his accusers, his staffers and others.

Senior Trump White House aides took to X to promote photos in the Epstein files that show Clinton with women whose faces are redacted.

Karoline Leavitt, the White

House press secretary, wrote “Oh my!” and added a shocked face emoji in response to a photo of Clinton in a hot tub with a woman whose face was redacted.

“They can release as many grainy 20-plus-year-old photos as they want, but this isn’t about Bill Clinton,” Clinton spokesman Angel Ureña said in a statement.

“There are two types of people here,” he said. “The first group knew nothing and cut Epstein off before his crimes came to light.

The second group continued relationships after that. We’re in the first. No amount of stalling by people in the second group will change that.”

Police in Palm Beach, Florida, began investigating Epstein in 2005 after the family of a 14-yearold girl reported she had been molested at his mansion. The FBI

joined the investigation, and authorities gathered testimony from multiple underage girls who said they had been hired to give Epstein sexual massages.

Ultimately, though, prosecutors gave Epstein a deal that allowed him to avoid federal prosecution.

He pleaded guilty to state prostitution charges involving someone under age 18 and was sentenced to 18 months in jail.

Epstein’s accusers then spent years in civil litigation trying to get that plea deal set aside. One of those women, Virginia Giuffre, accused Epstein of arranging for her to have sexual encounters, starting at age 17, with numerous other men, including billionaires, famous academics, U.S. politicians and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, then known as Britain’s Prince Andrew. Mountbatten-Windsor denied ever having sex with Giuffre, but King Charles III stripped him of his royal titles this year after Giuffre’s memoir was published after she died.

Prosecutors never brought charges in connection with Giuffre’s claims, but her account fueled conspiracy theories about supposed government plots to protect the powerful. Giuffre died by suicide at her farm in Western Australia in April at age 41.

Federal prosecutors in New York brought new sex trafficking charges against Epstein in 2019, but he killed himself in jail a month after his arrest. Prosecutors then charged Epstein’s longtime confidant, British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, with recruiting underage girls for Epstein to abuse.

Maxwell was convicted in late 2021 and is serving a 20-year prison sentence, though she was moved from a low-security federal prison in Florida to a minimum-security prison camp in Texas after she was interviewed over the summer by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. Her lawyers argued that she never should have been tried or convicted.

The Justice Department in July said it had not found any information that could support prosecuting anyone else.

confirmation vote on former on the Western U.S. District titled “American Numisma- coinage.”

Later Thursday night, the acting U.S. Attorney Alexan- of Louisiana bench when the tist,” a history of the United States and the nation’s coin- Senate approved the final der C. Van Hook, of Shreve- chamber returns after the procedure that sets up a port, to sit as a federal judge holidays in January. age.

“Our nation’s coinage is far more than just metal; our coins encapsulate America’s history. Every coin carries with it a thoughtfully crafted design that is rooted in our shared heritage,” Hollis said. “Over the past 30 years, I have built a respected career in numismatics, CUSTOM BLINDS, SHADES, SHUTTERS & DRAPERY served 14 years in elected public office, and published a book on the history of U.S.

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6A ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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BROWN UNIVERSITY/MIT SHOOTINGS

Autopsy: Suspect died 2 days before body was found

BY KIMBERLEE KRUESI, ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ERIC TUCKER and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM

Diversity visa program paused

Associated Press

By The Associated Press

An autopsy determined that the man suspected in last weekend’s attack at Brown University and the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor days later had been dead for two days when his body was found, New Hampshire’s attorney general’s office said Friday Authorities found Claudio Neves Valente dead at a New Hampshire storage facility on Thursday night.

The autopsy determined that Neves Valente, a Portuguese national who Nevas Valente had been living in the U.S., died on Tuesday, the same day that his countryman, MIT professor Nuno F. G . L o u - Loureiro reiro died at a hospital, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella’s office said in a statement. It didn’t note an exact time of death.

Authorities believe that after killing two students and wounding nine others last Saturday at Brown, where he was a graduate student during the 2000-01 school year, Neves Valente shot Loureiro at his Boston-area home on Monday night.

Investigators on Friday were still trying to sort out why Neves Valente allegedly opened fire on the campus decades after he dropped out and later killed Loureiro, whom he attended school with in Portugal in the 1990s.

Neves Valente, 48, was

WASHINGTON — The Portuguese suspect in the Brown University and MIT shootings came to the United States through a little-known pathway called the diversity immigrant visa.

That program makes up to 50,000 green cards available every year by lottery to people from countries that weren’t well represented in the numbers of immigrant admissions to the U.S. in recent years. The visas are given out in a lottery system, and for people hoping to come to the U.S. who have no other way in, it is akin to winning big.

On Thursday night, once the suspect’s identity became clear, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on X that she was pausing the program and that the alleged shooter should have never been able to come to the U.S. The administration has repeatedly pointed to the difficulties of vetting those people as a reason for the restrictions. But experts say immigrants go through rigorous screening before they are allowed to enter the U.S. Critics say the measures to curtail legal immigration are a form of collective punishment.

The diversity visa was created by Congress in 1990 as a way to give people from countries that were underrepresented in the U.S. a chance to come.

Each year, the federal government looks at who’s entered the country in the past five years and where they’re from. Then the government sets aside visas for people from underrepresented regions or countries.

This year, 35,000 slots went to people from Africa, 15,000 to Asia, and 8,500 to Europeans.

Joseph Edlow, the head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the agency tasked with processing and approving all immigration-related benefits such as green cards, said in September that he wanted to see the diversity visa “gone.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROBERT F. BUKATy

Photos of Brown University shooting victims Mukhammad Aziz Umurzokov, left, and Ella Cook are seen among flowers at a makeshift memorial on Wednesday in Providence, R.I. found dead Thursday night from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said Providence’s police chief, Col. Oscar Perez.

The discovery of Neves Valente’s body at a New Hampshire storage facility ended the nearly weeklong hunt for the person who killed two students and wounded nine others in a Brown lecture hall last Saturday. Investigators believe the onetime Brown student killed Loureiro in his home in Brookline, a Boston suburb about 50 miles north of Providence, on Monday.

Perez said as far as investigators know, Neves Valente acted alone.

Portugal’s foreign minister, Paulo Rangel, said Friday that the government was taken aback by revelations that a Portuguese man is the main suspect in the mass shooting at Brown and the killing of Loureiro.

Police in Portugal said they were contacted by U.S. authorities Thursday once Neves Valente was named.

Rangel said Portugal has provided “very broad cooperation” in the case.

Suspect’s history

There are still “a lot of unknowns” in regard to moNeves Valente and Lou- tive, Rhode Island Attorreiro attended the same ney General Peter Neronha academic program at a uni- said. “We don’t know why versity in Portugal between now, why Brown, why these 1995 and 2000, U.S. attorney students and why this classfor Massachusetts Leah B. room,” he said.

Foley said. Loureiro graduated from the physics pro- Tip helped solve case gram at Instituto Superior Police credited a person Técnico, Portugal’s premier who had several encounters engineering school, in 2000, with Neves Valente for proaccording to his MIT faculty viding a crucial tip that led page. That same year, Neves authorities to him.

Valente was let go from his After police shared secutemporary student support rity video of a person of inand faculty liaison position terest, the witness — known at the Lisbon university, only as “John” in a Proviaccording to an archive of dence police affidavit — a termination notice from recognized him and posted the school’s president at the his suspicions on the social time. media forum Reddit. Reddit Neves Valente had come users urged him to tell the to Brown on a student visa. FBI, and John said he did.

He eventually obtained legal John said he encountered permanent resident status in Neves Valente about two September 2017, Foley said. hours before the attack in a It wasn’t immediately clear bathroom in the engineering where he was between tak- building, which was where ing a leave of absence from the shooting occurred, and the school in 2001 and get- noticed he was wearing inting the visa in 2017. His appropriate clothing for the last known residence was in weather, according to the afMiami. fidavit. Still before the attack,

he again bumped into Neves Valente a couple blocks away and saw him suddenly turn away from a Nissan sedan when he saw John.

“When you do crack it, you crack it. And that person led us to the car, which led us to the name,” Neronha said.

His tip pointed investigators to a Nissan Sentra with Florida plates. That enabled Providence police to tap into a network of more than 70 street cameras operated around the city by surveillance company Flock Safety.

Those cameras track license plates and other vehicle de-

tails.

After leaving Rhode Island, Providence officials said Neves Valente stuck a Maine license plate over his rental car’s plate to help conceal his identity.

Investigators found footage of Neves Valente entering an apartment building near Loureiro’s in a Boston suburb. About an hour later, Neves Valente was seen entering the Salem, New Hampshire, storage facility where he was found dead, Foley said. He had with him a satchel and two firearms, Neronha said.

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S at u r d ay, d e c e m b e r 20, 2025

1bN

Field set for N.O. legislative races Familiar faces, members of political families on ballot

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

The three-day qualifying period to fill a handful of New Orleans’ legislative seats on Friday has ended, setting the stage for new representation within the city’s delegation.

Voters will consider a field of familiar faces and names from well-known political families for

the Feb. 7 primary election, including the son of a former mayor, the son and the father of two sitting City Council members and the son of a longtime state senator.

Candidates, all Democrats, are vying for one of three open legislative seats after Reps. Jason Hughes and Matt Willard resigned this month for new posts on the City Council and Sen. Jo-

seph Bouie began his tenure as chancellor of Southern University.

Whoever fills those seats will join a Democratic-heavy city delegation that must balance the priorities of a new mayor and their own initiatives amid limited power in the Republican-led state Legislature.

The winter elections will follow a busy fall election cycle that

overhauled New Orleans leadership amid a budget crisis and dysfunction across City Hall. As such, political observers anticipate a sleepier legislative election than usual, marked by voter fatigue as the primary opens 10 days out from Mardi Gras. Early voting runs Jan. 24 through Jan. 31.

In the race for Senate District 3 vacated by Bouie, five

candidates are on the ballot to represent parts of Gentilly, New Orleans East, and riverfront neighborhoods from the Marigny to Holy Cross, the Lower 9th Ward and St. Bernard Parish.

The race has drawn Sidney Barthelemy II, a builder and the son of New Orleans’ second Black mayor; former Criminal District Court Clerk and State Rep. Arthur Morrell; former

ä See RACES, page 2B

Watchdog urges overhaul of planned hotel deal Taxpayers could save $100M, report says

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

A public finance watchdog is calling on the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and other public officials to overhaul the financing structure for the proposed $600 million Omni “headquarters” hotel, warning that the current deal would lock in decades of unnecessary tax subsidies while delivering little added value to the project.

A report released Thursday, authored by Bureau of Governmental Research CEO Rebecca Mowbray and analysts Stephen Stuart and Paul Rioux, argues that changes to the tax incentives could save the public roughly $100 million on a present-value basis — and about half a billion dollars over the full life of the agreement — without reducing Omni Hotels & Resorts’ expected profits or jeopardizing the long-planned development.

BGR emphasized that it does not oppose the hotel, which Convention Center leaders view as critical to competing for major national conventions. Instead, the report argues that the scale and duration of the public subsidies are poorly aligned with the project’s actual financial needs and far exceed common economic development practices.

“There is still time to recalibrate the public contribution,” the report said, pointing to a series of city and state approvals that remain outstanding.

In response, Convention Center CEO Jim Cook said the authority remains open to evaluating alternative financing approaches as the project moves forward.

“The Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority remains committed to defining a financing structure for Omni New Orleans that responsibly balances the project’s needs with the use of public resources,” Cook said via text. “Since the inception of this initiative, the Authority has continuously evaluated all available financing options and will continue to do so until the best possible option is determined.”

The Convention Center hopes to finalize a deal with Omni by March 2026. The company plans to build a 1,005-room hotel on the former Sugar Mill site along Convention Center Boulevard at the edge of the Warehouse District. The roughly 350-foot tower would be the city’s first hotel with at least 1,000 rooms built in more than 40 years and is scheduled to open in 2030 if approvals are secured.

The project has been pursued for more than a decade and has undergone repeated redesigns.

In November, the Convention Center board approved a new design and increased its direct cash

ä See WATCHDOG, page 2B

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

MAKING WAVES ABOVE: Tulane Green Wave fans cheer for the football players on Friday as they leave Tulane University’s James W. Wilson Jr. Center ahead of Saturday’s matchup against Ole Miss.

LEFT: The Tulane University marching band performs for the send-off.

St. Tammany council overrides president’s veto Move cuts raises, Safe Haven funding

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

The St. Tammany Parish Council voted Thursday night to override Parish President Mike Cooper’s veto of two spending cuts the council made to the Cooper administration’s 2026 parish budget, a $620,000 cut to the Safe Haven mental health campus and an elimination of about $955,000 for employee raises.

Those cuts were included in amendments the council made

to Cooper’s proposed budget before adopting it Dec. 5. Cooper on Monday announced he had vetoed the cuts.

But on Thursday, the council unanimously voted 12-0 to override Cooper’s vetoes. Council members Maureen O’Brien and Rick Smith were absent.

“We need to override this and save the parish $1.6 million,” said council member Cheryl Tanner, who is chair of the parish’s Finance Committee and will become council chair in January.

The council, in its amendments, had shifted $244,000 of the Safe Haven spending to computer license costs for the Clerk of

Court’s Office and $350,000 for the costs of pending litigation that the parish’s insurance would not cover.

The parish is mandated to cover the expenses of the Clerk of Court’s Office, Tanner noted in an interview. The money for the litigation, meanwhile, will cover a pending lawsuit over zoning.

It had also been originally budgeted to cover legal representation in the St. Tammany Mosquito Abatement District’s lawsuit against the parish, but the district recently dropped the suit.

Any leftover money after litigation is over will go to the northshore District Attorney’s Office,

the northshore judges and the jail, Tanner said. Those agencies saw 30% reductions in funding in the 2026 budget, and in defending the cuts to Safe Haven, Tanner has noted that the parish is mandated to cover the costs of those criminal justice agencies, while it is not mandated to cover the costs of Safe Haven.

But the cuts to Safe Haven sparked criticism from people who work at the parish-owned campus. The parish rents space there to the National Alliance on Mental Illness’ Southeast Louisiana chapter, the Florida Parishes

ä See COUNCIL, page 2B

2B ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

COUNCIL

Continued from page 1B

Tulane Green Wave fans cheer for the football players on Friday as they leave Tulane University’s James W. Wilson Jr. Center ahead of Saturday’s matchup against Ole Miss.

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

WON’T BACK DOWN ABOVE: Tulane Green Wave wide receiver Anthony Brown-Stephens, followed by quarterback Jake Retzlaff, smile as fans cheer on.

LEFT: Defensive back E’zaiah Shine gives a fist bump to fan.

RACES

Continued from page 1B

New Orleans City Council member and state Sen. Jon Johnson; St. Bernard Parish resident Chad Lauga and attorney Kenn Barnes.

Contenders for House District 97 include Eugene Green III, a property management consultant and the son of City Council member Eugene Green II; Edwin T. Murray, an attorney and son of longtime former Sen. Edwin R. Murray; and David Cook, a private investigator. The district

WATCHDOG

Continued from page 1B

represents Gentilly and Pontchartrain Park, parts of Bayou St. John, the Lakefront and MidCity.

Six candidates are on the ballot for District 100, representing New Orleans East. They are political consultant Aeisha Kelly; Candice Taylor, who works in health care; business owner Patricia Boyd-Robertson; attorney Dana Henry; education leader Eric Jones; and attorney Kenya Rounds.

The number of candidates from political families this election cycle is unprecedented, according to political analysts. But those candidates can’t rely on name

recognition alone to win over voters.

“You’ve had people from political families run before. They have lost. That doesn’t necessarily give you an edge,” said political adviser and pollster Silas Lee. Winning, he said, depends on the race itself, the political climate and a host of other factors.

Political strategist Tyronne Walker said on the one hand, the politicos’ progeny represent “a new generation of leaders that are homegrown.” On the other, the candidates should work to distinguish themselves in a way that’s not a liability,

he said.

Candidates who aren’t politically connected through family could use that to their advantage. “They can say ‘Look, I’m not from a political dynasty or a machine family,’ ” he said.

The election’s timing also complicates factors, as candidates have less than two months to build a campaign and convince voters to show up for them, even though the city just settled a hotly contested municipal election cycle in November.

“You put all that together, and it really comes down to a groundfield operation,” Walker said.

Human Services Authority and St. Tammany Parish Public Schools.

Volunteers from NAMI Southeast Louisiana spoke against the cuts when the council adopted the budget. On Thursday, Cooper called Safe Haven an “incredible resource to our community.”

“It’s our obligation to maintain the campus so the children and teachers that are coming to the schools see a campus that is being maintained,” Cooper said.

The cuts will affect maintenance at the sprawling property near Mandeville. It will mean, for instance, there will be less grass cutting and no pest control on the campus, said Council Administrator Mary Burckell.

Still, Tanner said there will be around $800,000 cash on hand to run the campus in the coming months. That money comes from rent that some tenants pay and leftover money from an expired parish public health tax.

“It was very hard to do these cuts, but we have to start somewhere,” Tanner said. She has said the District Attorney’s Office, northshore judges and jail could face around more than 50% cuts in the 2027 budget.

Nick Richard, the executive director of NAMI Southeast Louisiana, said in an interview on Friday he has had meetings with the council, the schools and Florida Parishes Human Services Authority, as well as Cooper’s administration, about making Safe Haven work.

“They have made good faith efforts to talk to us, understand us,” Richard said of the council.

The parish, meanwhile, has invested around $18 million in state and federal grants for ongoing improvements at Safe Haven campus, said Jeanne Marino, the grants department director. The parish would have to return grant money if it sells the property before the term of the grant has expired. The last grant term is expected to end around 2034, Marino said.

About the cuts to the 2% cost-of-living raises for parish employees, as well as the 1% merit-based raises, Tanner noted the council had promised employees they would reevaluate the raises in the new year, once they have information about expected increases in employees’ health insurance costs, which the parish covers.

“This is not in any way intended to undermine them,” Tanner said.

Cooper, meanwhile, argued that the raises were in line with rising prices of grocery, housing and insurance.

“I can’t say enough how much our employees deserve a small cost-of-living adjustment,” he said.

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

lion to Omni, but would cost the public about $105.8 million in today’s dollars.

“That gap creates a clear opportunity,” the report said, to reduce or restructure the subsidies with little or no impact on Omni’s returns.

BGR outlined four alternative approaches that could reduce public costs by roughly half a billion dollars over the life of the deal, including shortening the rebate period to 20 years, replacing rebates with a lump-sum payment, and limiting any PILOT to 20 years with a phase-in to full taxation.

The report urges officials to examine the incentives before final approvals are granted. To stay on schedule, the project must still secure city zoning and height variances, approval of a property tax incentive, and the sale of part of John Churchill Chase Street, along with agreements from state entities to redirect tax revenues.

“The hotel can still move forward,” the report concludes, “while preserving substantial public resources for other critical needs.”

investment by $10 million, bringing its total contribution to $80 million.

Beyond that investment, the bulk of the public support comes through tax incentives. BGR estimates Omni would receive $836.7 million over 45 years through rebates of hotel occupancy and sales taxes, along with a reduced property tax obligation through a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, whose value has not yet been finalized.

The Convention Center will also spend an estimated $23.7 million to purchase the Sugar Mill site and part of John Churchill Chase Street. Omni would cover roughly $520 million in construction costs and be responsible for any overruns. Accounting for rent and profit-sharing payments, BGR estimates the net public contribution would still total about $669 million over 45 years.

Cook said Convention Center leaders believe the project’s benefits extend beyond the hotel itRENDERING PROVIDED By RULE JOy TRAMMEL + RUBIO self.

Email Anthony McAuley A rendering illustrates the new design for the Omni Hotel on Convention Center Boulevard on the edge of the “Our goal is to deliver the best tmcauley@theadvocate.com. project for the city, region and Warehouse District. state,” he said. “We appreciate the analysts at BGR recognizing Using the Convention Center’s Recommended practices The imbalance is amplified by LOTTERY the strategic importance of the projections, the report found the generally cap incentives at 20 how future dollars are valued. hotel and the significant value tax rebates may only be neces- years, BGR noted. Omni told the Omni applies an 11% corporate THURSDAY, DEC. 18, 2025 Omni New Orleans will bring.” sary for the first 11 years of oper- watchdog it typically receives discount rate, while public entiPICK 3: 0-7-4 ation for Omni to meet its stated 20 to 25 years of tax rebates ties typically use a lower rate Where BGR sees the problem PICK 4: 1-8-9-2 annual profit target of $57.2 mil- and has never before received closer to 5%.

PICK 5: 6-9-9-0-9 As a result, BGR estimates the BGR’s central concern is not lion. After that, projected profits incentives lasting 45 years, the $576 million in tax rebates paid that public subsidies exist, but exceed the target, yet the rebates report says.

Unofficial notification, that they last far longer than would continue for more than Omni did not immediately re- in the final 25 years would have keep your tickets. a present value of just $20.7 milneeded. three decades. spond to requests for comment.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 3B

lll

ICE officer accused of sexual abuse Suspect worked at Basile detention facility

tainee.

A bill of information was handed down Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Lafayette charging David Courvelle with one count of sexual abuse of a ward

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR or individual in federal Staff writer custody.

Courvelle was a detenAn officer at an ICE detention facility in Basile is tion officer at the Louisiana accused in federal court ICE Processing Center, a of sexually abusing a de- federal facility in Evange-

line Parish, according to the bill of information.

From around March 1 to around July 30, the federal document states, Courvelle engaged in sexual acts with an individual detained at the processing center “under the custodial supervision and disciplinary authority of Courvelle.”

He is scheduled to ap-

pear in federal court in Lafayette on Dec. 29 for a plea hearing.

A civil rights complaint was filed in September with the Department of Homeland Security alleging a former assistant warden, prison officers, and ICE employees at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile subjected a wom-

an and three transgender people to abuse from 2023 to 2025.

The facility is operated

by GEO Group Inc. and houses females and detainees of various gender identities.

The civil rights complaint specifically accuses former assistant warden Manuel Reyes of abusing detainees.

New Orleans Area Deaths Catalanotto, Thomas Franklin, Rodney Frederick, Elton Garner, Rickey Hunter, Clara Johnson, Mary LaNata, Kenneth Newton, Brandon Oberstar, Jean Schindler Sr., Ralph Shamis, Elizabeth

Court says AG can hire husband’s firm New Orleans Attorneys would help defend death sentences

Dennis Funeral Home

attorney general has said she’s intent on speeding up their path to the execution chamber, and a recent state law that Murrill supported forces many longdormant challenges forward.

With the ruling, Taylor Porter attorneys are expected to enroll in more capital post-conviction cases for the attorney general. The firm currently represents the state in four such cases, according to Murrill’s office, under a contract that allows it to charge up to $350 hourly.

Among them is the case of former New Orleans Police Department officer Antoinette Frank, the only condemned woman in Louisiana.

Murrill’s husband, John Murrill, is one of about three dozen partners in the Taylor Porter firm.

Capital defense advocates argued that the arrangement amounts to a conflict

ment work done by Taylor Porter has been carved out from their income since she took office early last year.

“Neither my husband nor I profit off of this work. We won’t be deterred from our mission to see that justice is served, despite frivolous bad faith attacks from anti-death penalty lawyers,” Murrill said Tuesday in a statement.

Defense advocates, however, point to reduced funding for capital defense and a higher workload under the deadlines of the new state law. They say the state is paying outside lawyers at three times the rate of capital appeals attorneys.

“It’s just outrageous,” said James Boren, immediate past president of the Louisiana Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

“What is absurd is after the attorney general and

governor and Legislature decrease funding for capital defense, increase the workload, decrease the amount of time to do it, the attorney general’s husband’s law firm is awarded a contract for hundreds of thousands of dollars for less work.”

Prosecutors and capital defense attorneys both say it’s unusual to see a private law firm step into a postconviction proceeding for the state. Taylor Porter is one of three contractors doing post-conviction work for Murrill’s office, according to state records.

While the court freed the firm, one of its lawyers remains barred from representing Murrill’s office on those cases. The ethics board found that Grant Willis, who previously led appeals for the attorney general, must sit out for two years. The blackout period for Willis ends next month.

Hunter, Clara

LSU nursing grad detained by ICE may self-deport

Obituaries

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office can employ the Baton Rouge law firm where her husband is a partner to help the agency defend death sentences, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled Tuesday.

The decision in the case of condemned inmate Darrell Draughn of Caddo Parish clears the way for Murrill’s office to employ the Taylor Porter firm in other capital post-conviction cases as well.

Murrill has stepped into a host of post-conviction cases involving death row prisoners since Louisiana resumed executions in the spring after a 15-year hiatus. The Republican

‘I feel hopeless all the time’

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Vilma Palacios had just graduated from the LSU Health New Orleans School of Nursing and accepted a job with Touro Infirmary when she was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and sent to the processing center in Basile — where she has been detained for six months.

Palacios, 22, said she was deemed ineligible for release on bond and may have no choice but to self-deport to Honduras, a country she fled with her parents when she was 6 years old, and continue waiting for a resolution of her case.

“The only thing now that I want is my freedom back,” Palacios said. “I don’t want to be enclosed

in a space where everything is controlled. I have no power to do anything. I feel hopeless all the time.

And nothing is moving to help me.”

As a child, she had applied for asylum. She had requested a work permit, which she had been granted previously, when ICE agents arrested her in June. She did not have any criminal convictions.

“On June 26, 2025, DHS law enforcement arrested Vilma Nicol PalaciosFuentes, an illegal alien from Honduras,” Tricia McLaughlin, assistant secretary for public affairs of the Department of Homeland Security, said in a statement. “She freely admitted to being in the U.S. illegally. She will receive full due process. To be clear, work authorization does not confer legal status.”

Friends, family and advocates have protested her detention, emphasizing her

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of interest.

Ethics experts say state law requires a higher stake than John Murrill’s 2.7% share of Taylor Porter to amount to a conflict. The state Ethics Board agreed in an advisory opinion in June, which the high court cited in its opinion.

The Louisiana Supreme Court earlier this year cleared Murrill’s office to represent the state in capital post-conviction cases when a district attorney requests it. Its ruling on Tuesday makes clear that the attorney general can outsource the work.

“Taylor Porter has been selected by the Attorney General pursuant to her clear statutory authority to hire private counsel to defend the warden and state. There is little as fundamental to a litigant as one’s ability to select the counsel of your choice,” the court stated.

Murrill says the govern-

contributions to the community and passion for nursing during a national shortage in the field.

“She’s doing it for the right reasons — she’s doing it because she wants to care for people,” Matthew Reese, one of Palacios’ nursing instructors, said.

“She’s naturally kind of caregiving and has a compassionate disposition.”

Martha Lowe, her immigration attorney, said Palacios feels depleted, which is why she agreed to voluntary deportation despite having few connections to Honduras.

“I’m a Republican, and this just isn’t flying with me,” Lowe said. “This is terrible.”

Six months in detention On June 26, Palacios was attempting to get her routine vehicle inspection sticker when she saw an unmarked car pull up behind her.

ICE agents approached and told her she was under arrest, she said. She was not aware her case had been placed back on the active docket, she said.

She texted her friend from nursing school, Fritza Moise, immediately — two quick messages with the information that she had been detained and was on the phone with her lawyer. “oh my god, are you by yourself?” Moise texted back, offering to help if she could. “I hope everything’s okay and if you can just give me an update” Soon after, Palacios’ phone was confiscated.

Over the following months, Palacios and her loved

ones oscillated between hope, confusion and disappointment as her case encountered setbacks, Moise said.

“After that, it became a lot,” Moise said. “We went through so much in nursing school together, and for me to be starting off my career without her is just so hard.”

Palacios said she has reached a state of emotional exhaustion after months languishing at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center. She does not have access to her belongings and spends her days in a dormitory with other detainees, she said.

On multiple occasions, she has had trouble accessing necessities like shampoo and menstrual products, with pads sometimes taking a week to be delivered after requesting them from officers, she said.

“There would be many circumstances like that where we ask for something that we need, and they would just deny it, or we would have to be constantly explaining why and asking them multiple times and asking different officers,” Palacios said.

In a statement from the Department of Homeland Security, McLaughlin denied the description of the conditions at the detention center.

“Any claim that there are subprime conditions at ICE facilities are FALSE,” McLaughlin said. “All detainees are provided with proper meals, medical treatment — including access to menstrual prod-

REASON 91

Our business and innovation coverage looked at what Louisiana can learn from South Carolina’s booming economy.

ucts, and have opportunities to communicate with their family members and lawyers. Ensuring the safety, security, and wellbeing of individuals in our custody is a top priority at ICE.” A spokesperson for ICE said the agency is regularly audited and inspected.

“This is the best health care that many aliens have received in their entire lives,” a statement from the agency Friday said.

‘Unimaginable’ A spokesperson for ICE said Palacios has been granted voluntary departure and “will be scheduled for removal to her home in Honduras.” If nothing changes in her case, Palacios said she was told by the judge at her bond hearing that the action would occur before Jan. 14.

“It’s very terrifying trying to picture how my life would be over there,” Palacios said. “It seems unimaginable.”

She and her family are still hoping for a miracle, she said.

“My dream and priority are still to be in this country and create my future here because it’s the only place I have called home,” Palacios said.

McLaughlin praised the self-deportation option at the end of her statement.

“We encourage all illegal aliens to take control of their departure with the CBP Home app,” McLaughlin said. “The American taxpayer is generously offering illegal aliens $1,000 and free flight home for the holidays.”

Gertrude Geddes Newton, Brandon Greenwood Schindler Sr., Ralph Majestic Mortuary

Garner, Rickey Johnson, Mary

St Tammany Audubon Shamis, Elizabeth Honaker

LaNata, Kenneth

West Bank Robinson FH

Franklin, Rodney Frederick, Elton Catalanotto, Captain Thomas

Captain Thomas J. Savoie Catalanotto, Retired Merchant Mariner, 87, native son of New Orleans, LA died Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at his home. He was born June 4, 1938 in New Orleans, LA to the late Joseph Catalanotta and Mary Cacioppo Catalanotto.

A retired Captain from the Merchant Marines, he dedicated a significant part of his life to navigating the vast oceans, reflecting his deep commitment to the maritime industry. His journeys were marked by tales of courage and camaraderie, earning the respect of his peers and colleagues.

Captain Tom, as he was affectionately known, was a master carpenter and an exceptional woodworker.

He was also known for his love of animals, gardening and fish ponds. An avid traveler, he embraced the world with open arms, collecting memories and experiences to share with family and friends.

Captain Tom is survived by the mother of his children, Diana Savoie; his five children, Toni Marie Ledet of Metairie, LA, Tammy Marie Savoie of New Orleans, LA, Thomas Joseph Savoie, Jr. at Covington, LA, Terri Marie Savoie of New Orleans, LA and Troy Joseph Savoie of Mandeville, LA; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren and his current wife, Judith Starre Catalanotto.

No services will be held

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4B ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

at this time.

He touched many lives through his work, hobbies, and friendships, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A message of condolence may be sent to the family by visiting www.harrisfuneral.com.

Harris Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Abbeville is assisting the Catalanotto family.

Franklin, Rodney 'Alleycat'

Rodney "Alleycat" Franklin, also affection‐ ately known as "Lucas", entered into eternal rest on Monday, December 15, 2025 at his home in Belle Chasse LA, at the age of 66.

He was born May 29, 1957 to the late Ranell Franklin and the late Helen Cole Franklin. A product of Plaquemines Parish School System, Rodney attended Scottsville High School, O. Perry Walker High School and the Job Corps. Known for his "heart of gold", Rodney loved riding his bi‐ cycle and spending time on the porch with his mother.

Rodney was the beloved and devoted companion of Bell Elaine Johnson. He was a devoted father to his daughter, Yosha Franklin, and bonus daughters Samantha Gastinell and Sherry Dews. He was the proud grandfather of Daryl Johnson, Barrion and Bran‐ don Watson, and Dae'janea Gastinell. Brother of Shelia Williams, Carolyn Miller (late Kevin), David (Patsy), Willie (late Wanda), Buddy (Melissa), Reginald (Judy) Franklin, and the late Ranell Jr. (late Janice), Leo Sr., Diane, Lillie, Ronald, Donald, and Ricky (Linda) Franklin. He is also sur‐ vived by a host of great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousin and de‐ voted friends. Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend the funeral service of Satur‐ day, December, 20, 2025 at Robinson Family Funeral Home, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse LA 70037. The visi‐ tation will begin at 9 a.m. followed by a 10 a.m. ser‐ vice. Rev. Barry Guillory will officiate. Funeral plan‐ ning entrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home (504) 208-2119. For online condo‐ lences, please visit www. robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com.

Phoenix High School, grad‐ uating with the Class of 1971. Shortly after gradua‐ tion, he enlisted in the States Army, United proudly following in his fa‐ footsteps, and ther’s served until August 1974.

He dedicated 37 years of loyal service to Alliance Refinery before retiring in 2014. Elton was also a proud member of the American Legion, Paul Nar‐ cisse Post 430. Elton lived with a deep joy for life and an open heart. Throughout his cancer journey, he chose to share his experi‐ ence with honesty, humor, and strength, offering en‐ laughter, couragement, and hope to others facing similar paths. His legacy lives on in the stories he told, the love he gave freely, and the countless lives he brightened simply by being himself. Services will be held at Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 8968 High‐ way 23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037 on Monday, Decem‐ ber 22, 2025. Visitation will begin at 8:00 a.m., with ex‐ pressions of remembrance offered from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m., officiated by Father Kyle V. Dave. Inter‐ ment will follow at West‐ lawn Memorial Park Ceme‐ tery, 1225 Whitney Avenue, Terrytown, Louisiana 70056.

Funeral planning entrusted to Robinson Family Funeral Home, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse, LA 70037. For on‐ line condolences, please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com.

Johnson, Mary Adams

Rickey Allen Garner en‐ tered into rest on Decem‐ ber 8, 2025. A Funeral Ser‐ vice will be held on Satur‐ day, December 20, 2025 at 11:00 am at Calvary Taber‐ nacle C.M.E. Church, 3629 Dryades St., New Orleans, LA 70115. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am. Burial will be private. Profes‐ sional arrangements en‐ trusted to Majestic Mortu‐ ary Service, Inc. (504) 5235872.

Frederick, Elton

Clara Lee Williams Hunter was born on January 26, 1935, to Isaac and Mary B. (Washington) Williams in Centreville, MS. She was the last surviving child of 12 siblings.

Educated at Finch Elem./ High School, Wilkinson County Sch. Sys. She married Clyde Hunter in 1956, they had five children: Clyde Jr., Claudette, Michael, Brenda and Rickey. She loved sharing her blessings with family and friends. Clara accepted Christ at an early age at Beulah Land COGIC, Centreville, MS. She moved to New Orleans, LA in the mid 1950's where she joined First COGIC, later she joined Jerusalem COGIC where she had several positions but her final position was one of the Church Mothers. Mother Clara Lee Williams Hunter departed this earthly life on Monday, December 8, 2025. She was preceded in death by her husband Clyde Hunter, son Rickey Hunter, grandson Rickey Hunter, Jr., God son Silas Brown and eleven siblings.

Cherishing memories are Clyde Hunter, Jr. (Sheila) if River Ridge, LA, Claudette Hunter (David), Michael Hunter, Brenda Burrell (Cornel), all of New Orleans, LA, and a host of grandchildren, great grandchildren and a great great grandchild, God daughters and a host of other relatives, church members and friends. The Celebration of Life will be Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Jerusalem Church of God In Christ, 3802 Martin Luther King Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70125,

Funeral Home, Inc., Slidell, LA.

Newton, Brandon Anthony

provide assistance for the elderly, and volunteering at ManorCare.

Jean was a voracious reader and crossword puzzle enthusiast. She will be much remembered for her love of travel, cooking, and independence—all of which she imparted to her children.

A private ceremony for family will be held in the coming weeks. Memorial contributions may be made to S.O.M.E. and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Schindler Sr., Ralph Anthony

Mary Adams Johnson entered into rest on De‐ cember 2, 2025. A Funeral Service will be held on Sat‐ urday, December 20, 2025 at 10:00 am at New Zion Baptist Church, 2319 Third St., New Orleans, LA 70113.

Visitation will begin at 9:00 am. Burial will be private.

Professional arrangements entrusted to Majestic Mor‐ tuary Service, Inc. (504) 523-5872.

LaNata, Kenneth W. 'Kenny'

Garner, Rickey Allen

Hunter, Clara Lee Williams

Elton Frederick, a native of Davant, Louisiana in Plaquemines Parish, was born on August 23, 1953, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

With his loving wife by his side, he entered eternal rest at his home in Belle Chasse, Louisiana on Tues‐ day, December 16, 2025, at the age of 72. He is sur‐ vived by his beloved wife 22 years, Michelle of Delacroix Frederick; his sons, Chad Frederick, Jared Frederick (Ashley), and Zach Frederick; his cher‐ grandchildren, ished Nathan and Jessie Freder‐ ick; and his siblings, Kevin Frederick and Inez Thi‐ bodeaux. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph Leopold Frederick and Veronica Tremè Fred‐ erick, and his brothers, Travis Clement Frederick and Joel Medric Frederick Sr. Elton will be remem‐ bered as a devoted hus‐ band, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and greatwhose presence uncle brought laughter wherever he went. He touched countless lives with his quick sense of humor, gen‐ uine warmth, and outgoing personality. Deeply de‐ voted to his family, he also meaningful cherished friendships, great food, and his unwavering loyalty as a lifelong New Orleans Saints fan. Elton found his greatest joy in time spent with those he loved, and he had a rare gift for putting people at ease, turning or‐ dinary moments into last‐ ing memories through his endless jokes and story‐ telling.

Elton attended

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Service 10:00 a.m., Visitation 9:00 a.m., Interment St. Vincent #2 Cemetery. Arrangements provided by Dennis Funeral Home, Dignified Personal Service, (504) 899-8252.

Kenneth “Kenny” W. LaNata was born at Touro Hospital in New Orleans just a few minutes after his twin brother, Arthur “Art” L. LaNata, Jr., to parents, Arthur and Irma LaNata.

Kenny served in the Navy at Belle Chasse Naval Air Station and was in the sub‐ marines. He was a civil maritime engineer and head of the engineering department at Avondale Shipyards. Kenny loved sailing and spearfishing.

He won numerous sailing races and regattas on his Catalina 22, Easterly 30, and Pearson sailboats, all named “Weather Witch.”

He won First Place in the USF&G Sugar Bowl Regatta in 1992; and First Place in the Nokia Sugar Bowl Re‐ gatta in 2001; and First Place in the Nokia Sugar Bowl Regatta in 2004. He was awarded the 2011 TYC Club Champion award by Tammy Yacht Club. He is a past Vice Commodore of the New Orleans Yacht Club. He was also a past board member of Tam‐ many Yacht Club. Kenny was a long-time member of the Sea Horses Diving Club, and past President of the Louisiana Council of Underwater Diving Club.

He won several spearfish and diving awards over his lifetime. Kenny was also an accomplished actor and thespian, appearing in nu‐ merous plays at Kenner Lit‐ tle Theatre; and also, sev‐ eral movies filmed in Louisiana, including play‐ ing the part of a Judge in the movie The Butler, and the part of a Senator in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Kenny was pre‐ ceded in death by his twin brother, Arthur “Art” LaNata, Jr., as well as his parents, Arthur L. LaNata, Sr. and Irma Burgau LaNata. He is survived by his wife, Carole Hubert LaNata, and his two chil‐ dren, Michael W. LaNata and Kendra LaNata Con‐ don. He is survived by his brother, Dr. Gregory LaNata (Sue); and by his youngest brother, Henry LaNata (Rhonda); and sis‐ ters, Darlene LaNata Car‐ ruth (Keith), and Donna LaNata Davis. He is also survived by his sister-inlaw, Carolyn LaNata. A pri‐ vate memorial will be held after the holidays. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Louisiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org).

Arrangements by Honaker

Brandon Anthony New‐ ton, age 41, was born on July 25, 1984, in New Or‐ leans, LA. He departed this life on Thursday, December 4, 2025. Brandon leaves to cherish his precious mem‐ ories, his mother Kathy Newton White (Darrin), fa‐ ther, Ronald Tyrone Bell, stepfather, Steven Anthony Martin Sr., two daughters, Ari Noelle M. Ritch-Newton and Brae R. Ritch-Newton; paternal siblings, Ronald Tyrone Green, Varronise Green and Keyuana Dant‐ zler; maternal siblings, Steven Anthony Martin, Jr. John' Paul Anthony Martin; grandparents, Helen Bell, Theresa Newton and Edna Newton, and James Plain; aunts, Versie Pellebon, Eva Terri Roberson, Opoku, Tracey Newton, LaDonna N. Nichols, and Olivia Newton; uncles, Jackie Bell, Glen Bell, Sr., Freddie Bell, Jr., Kevin Bell, and Damon Sr., godmother Clark Tammy J. Franklin; Godchil‐ dren, Serenity E. Snow and Jaqwan Rainey; several great aunts; one whom he lived with and cared for until his passing (Marylee Weathersby); 10 nephews, 8 nieces, countless number of cousins; mother of his daughters (Aviaonne Ritch) and friends. Brandon is preceded in eternal life by his grandfather's Freddie Bell Sr., and Ambrose New‐ ton Jr., grandmother, Di‐ anne J. Clark Plain; uncles Darrell L. Bell, and Am‐ brose Newton Ill, and god‐ father, Casimino L. Newton and aunt, Edrise M. New‐ ton, and other relatives and friends. Relatives and friends of the family, also Pastor, officers and mem‐ bers of Living the Word In‐ ternational Ministries, Pit‐ stop Car Wash, VA Hospi‐ tal, Martin L. King Elemen‐ tary and Rouse are invited to attend the Celebration of Life Service on Saturday, December 20, 2025 at Liv‐ ing the Word International Ministries, 2528 Old Span‐ ish Trail, Slidell, LA 70461 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.

Interment St. Roch #1 Cemetery, 1725 St. Roch Av‐ enue, New Orleans, LA 70117. You may sign the guest book on www.ger trudegeddeswillis.com.

Gertrude Geddes Willis Fu‐ neral Home, Inc. in charge (504) 522-2525.

It is with profound sad‐ ness that we announce the passing of Ralph Anthony Schindler, Sr., age 91, born in New Orleans to the late Henry Paul Schindler and Irma Williams Schindler.

He passed peacefully at his home on Sunday, Decem‐ ber 14, 2025. Ralph is sur‐ vived by the love of his life, married 71 years to Audrey Hart Schindler, children Ziebol, Mark Karen Schindler (Jeannie), Greg Schindler (Melissa), Kristie Zibilich (Danny), Kendra Coco (Matt) and Ralph Schindler, Jr. (Jenny). He was a cherished grandfa‐ ther to 20 grandchildren, including two who had gone before him, and a proud great-grandfather to 12 great-grandchildren. His legacy will live on in the hearts of all who know and love him. A graduate of St. Aloysius High School, Class of 1953, Ralph was known for his warmth, generosity, and unwavering commit‐ ment to his family and friends. He touched count‐ less lives with his kind‐ ness, wisdom, and gentle spirit. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Ralph’s life at a memorial service this Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at Greenwood Funeral Home, followed by burial at Greenwood Ceme‐ tery. This gathering will honor the many ways Ralph enriched the lives of others and the enduring impact of his love and guidance. In lieu of flow‐ ers, the family requests that donations be made to Martin High Brother School, 4401 Elysian Fields Ave., New Orleans, LA 70122, in Ralph’s memory. and condo‐ Memories lences can be shared at www.greenwoodfh.com.

Handley Shamis, of Slidell, Louisiana, passed away on December 17, 2025, at the age of 76. Born on February 2, 1949, in Lake Charles, she is the Louisiana, daughter of the late Gerald Parks Handley and Nevelyn Rose Faulk. Betsy is the beloved wife of Edward An‐ thony Shamis Jr., with whom she shared 55 mem‐ ory filled years of mar‐ riage; cherished mother of Ashley Caldwell (Eric) and Anthony Shamis (Collette); grandmother of proud Brian, Jack, Owen, Ivan, and Vera Caldwell, Andrew and Ava Shamis, and Liam, Madelyn, and Grayson Gre‐ gory; and adored sister of Gerald Parks Handley II. She also leaves behind a host of extended family members and friends, all of whom she loved dearly.

Betsy's academic journey led her to earn a Master of Arts in Special Education from Louisiana State Uni‐ versity, a field where she made significant contribu‐ tions through her dedica‐ tion and compassion for 30+ years. Her commit‐ ment to education and the well-being of her students was the cornerstone of her life's work. Betsy also held dear her role as a home‐ maker and cherished the time she spent with her family. A proud member of Gamma Sorority, Delta Betsy's sense of sisterhood and community service shone brightly. She was also a lifelong member of the Junior Auxiliary of Slidell and the Prayer War‐ riors prayer group, where her faith and desire to serve were evident to all who knew her; and she put her faith into action by helping anonymously those in need. Betsy's zest for life was contagious, and her special interests brought joy not only to her but also to those she loved.

Family gatherings, espe‐ cially the family crawfish boils, were events filled with laughter, love, and the warmth of shared stories.

The beach was a place of serenity and joy for Betsy.

An avid LSU Tigers football fan, she could always be found cheering on her alma mater whenever they played. Betsy Shamis lived a life marked by love, ser‐ vice, and faith. Her legacy will continue to live on in the hearts of her family, friends, and all who were fortunate enough to have been touched by her kind‐ ness and grace. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation on Mon‐ day, December 22, 2025, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Audubon Funeral Home in Slidell. A Funeral Mass will begin in the chapel at noon. Betsy will be laid to rest in Forest Lawn Cemetery following services. Memories and condolences may be ex‐ pressed at www.Audubon FuneralHome.com.

Shamis, Elizabeth Mae Handley 'Betsy'

Oberstar, Jean Kurth

Jean Kurth Oberstar of Bethesda, MD died on Tuesday, December 16, 2025. She was 79 years old.

Born in New Orleans, LA, Jean was the daughter of Charles and Mary Denechaud. She was a graduate of the Sacred Heart Academy and Louisiana State University.

After college, Jean moved to Washington, DC and, in 1971, married Charles B. Kurth. She helped her husband manage Kurth & Co. Inc., and aviation consulting firm, and became its president after her husband's death in 1991. She is survived by their son, Charles B. Kurth, Jr., and daughter, Corinne Q. Berger.

In 1993, Jean married Congressman James L. Oberstar. While continuing her work as an aviation consultant, she also became increasingly involved in philanthropic and community activities, serving on the board of Montgomery Hospice, advocating for those who

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BUSINESS

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 5B

N O L A.C O M/BIZ

DOW 48,134.89 183.04 0.38%

NASDAQ 23,307.62 301.26 1.31%

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Sony buys majority stake in ‘Peanuts’

Sony is buying a 41% stake in the Charles M. Schulz comic “Peanuts” and its characters including Snoopy and Charlie Brown from Canada’s WildBrain in a $457 million deal, the two companies said Friday.

The deal adds to Sony’s existing 39% stake, bringing its shareholding to 80%, according to a joint statement. The Schulz family will continue to own the remaining 20%.

“Peanuts” made its debut Oct. 2, 1950, in seven newspapers. The travails of the “little round-headed kid” Charlie Brown and pals including Linus, Lucy, Peppermint Patty and his pet beagle Snoopy eventually expanded to more than 2,600 newspapers, reaching millions of readers in 75 countries.

The strip offers enduring images of kites stuck in trees, Charlie Brown trying to kick a football, tart-tongued Lucy handing out advice for a nickel and Snoopy taking the occasional flight of fancy to the skies. Phrases such as “security blanket,” “good grief” and “happiness is a warm puppy” are a part of the global vernacular. Schulz died in 2000.

Sony acquired its first stake in Peanuts Holdings LLC in 2018 from Toronto-based WildBrain Ltd. In Friday’s transaction, Sony’s music and movie arms signed a “definitive agreement” with WildBrain to buy its remaining stake for $457 million.

Markets rise as AI stocks turn higher NEW YORK — Stocks gained ground on Wall Street Friday for a second straight day, wiping away losses from earlier in the week.

Technology stocks were once again the main force behind the market’s broader moves, especially companies with a focus on artificial intelligence. Both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq closed out the week with gains, despite several stumbles early this week.

Nvidia was the biggest force driving the market higher, with a 3.9% gain. Broadcom jumped 3.2%.

The technology sector has been fueling Wall Street throughout the year as companies with outsized values like Nvidia exert more pressure on markets. But, those pricey stock values have come under more scrutiny from investors wondering whether they are justifiable.

Nike slumped 10.5%, as the impact from tariffs overshadowed an otherwise strong quarterly profit report. Frozen potato maker Lamb Weston fell 25.9%, despite also beating Wall Street’s profit and revenue forecasts.

Wi n n e b a g o I n d u s t r i e s jumped 8.4% after turning in profits and revenue for its latest quarter that easily beat analysts’ estimates.

A survey from the University of Michigan showed that consumer sentiment in December improved slightly from November, but is deeply diminished from a year ago.

Consumer confidence has been weakening throughout the year as persistent inflation squeezes consumers. The job market is also slowing while retail sales weaken.

Ford recalls 270K-plus electric, hybrid vehicles Ford is recalling more than 270,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in the U.S. because of a parking function problem that could lead to them rolling away.

The Detroit automaker said that the recall includes certain 2022-26 F-150 Lightning BEV, 2024-26 Mustang Mach-E, and 2025-26 Maverick vehicles. At issue is the integrated park module, which may fail to lock into the park position when the driver shifts into park.

Ford said that it will implement a park module software update for free.

Vehicle owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332 for additional information.

S&P 500 6,834.50 59.74 0.88%

EURO 1.1711 -0.0013 -0.11%

CRUDE OIL 56.54 0.54 0.96%

GOLD 4,354.00 14.50 0.33%

6-MO T-BILLS 3.61 0.02 0.56%

30-YR T-BONDS 4.83 0.03 0.56%

Trump announces lower drug price deals they charged in other devel- patients who have no insurance launch in January and will allow Nine drugmakers to what coverage and little leverage to ne- people to buy drugs directly from oped countries.

As part of the deal, new drugs gotiate better deals on what they manufacturers. charge Medicaid what made by those companies will also pay. But even steep discounts of Companies such as Merck, GSK charged at the so-called “most- 50% found through the administra- and Bristol Myers Squibb also they charge in other be favored-nation” pricing across the tion’s website could still leave pa- agreed to donate significant supon any newly launched tients paying hundreds of dollars a plies of active pharmaceutical indeveloped countries country medications for all, including com- month for some prescriptions. gredients to a national reserve and

BY SALLY HO

Associated Press U.S. President Donald Trump announced Friday that nine drugmakers have agreed to lower the cost of their prescription drugs in the U.S. Pharmaceutical companies Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, GSK, Merck, Novartis and Sanofi will now rein in Medicaid drug prices to match

mercial and cash pay markets as well as Medicare and Medicaid.

Drug prices for patients in the U.S. can depend on a number of factors, including the competition a treatment faces and insurance coverage. Most people have coverage through work, the individual insurance market or government programs like Medicaid and Medicare, which shield them from much of the cost.

Lower drug prices also will help

William Padula, a pharmaceutical and health economics professor at USC, said Medicaid already has the most favorable drug rates which in some cases will be close to what the “most-favored-nation” price is so it remains to be seen what other impacts it could have, such as more research and development.

Trump administration officials said the drugmakers will also sell pharmacy-ready medicines on the TrumpRx platform, which is set to

to formulate and distribute them into medications such as antibiotics, rescue inhalers and blood thinners as needed in an emergency.

Bristol Myers Squibb further announced that it will be giving for free to the Medicaid program its signature blood thinner prescribed to reduce the risk of blood clots and stroke. Known as Eliquis, it is the company’s top prescribed drug as well as being one of Medicaid’s most widely-used medicines.

House backs bill to speed permitting Change to limit judicial review for new energy and infrastructure projects

BY MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The House approved legislation Thursday aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects that now take five or more years to complete, as lawmakers seek to meet growing demand for electricity and other forms of energy.

The bill, dubbed the SPEED Act, would also limit judicial review as Congress seeks to enact the most significant change in decades to the National Environmental Policy Act, a bedrock environmental law that requires federal agencies to consider a project’s possible environmental impacts before it is approved.

The bill was approved, 221-196, and now goes to the Senate.

Republicans and many Democrats believe the 55-year-old environmental policy law has become mired in red tape that routinely results in years-long delays for major projects.

The law requires detailed analysis for major projects and allows for public comments before approvals are issued. A recent study found that environmental reviews often total nearly 600 pages and take nearly five years to complete.

The House bill would place statutory limits on environmental reviews, broaden the scope of actions that don’t require review and set clear deadlines. It also limits who can bring legal challenges and legal remedies that courts can impose.

“The SPEED Act is a focused, bipartisan effort to restore common sense and accountability to federal permitting,” said Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Arkansas, the bill’s chief sponsor.

Clearing a ‘bureaucratic bottleneck’ While NEPA was passed “with the best of intentions,” it has become unwieldly in the decades since, said Westerman, who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee and has long pushed for permitting reform.

“Unfortunately, what was meant to facilitate responsible development has been twisted into a bureaucratic bottleneck that delays investments in the infrastructure and technologies that make our country run,” Westerman said Thursday on the House floor.

Democrats agreed that the permitting process has become unwieldy, but said the House bill does not address the real causes of delay and undercuts public input and participation while overly restricting judicial review.

“The SPEED Act treats environmental reviews as a nuisance rather than a tool to prevent costly, harmful mistakes,” said California

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By TED SHAFFREy

The House approved legislation Thursday aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects, such as data centers housing computer servers and hardware required to support modern internet use, including artificial intelligence.

Rep. Jared Huffman, the top Democrat on the Natural Resources panel.

“Weakening environmental review won’t fix permitting challenges (and) won’t help us build the clean energy future that we need,” Huffman said. “Gutting NEPA only invites more risk, more mistakes, more litigation, more damage to communities that already face too many environmental burdens.”

Eleven Democrats voted for the bill, while one Republican, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, opposed it.

Amendment would block offshore wind Huffman and other critics also complained that the bill could harm wind and solar projects that ae being shut down by the Trump administration. A last-minute change this week allows the administration to continue to block some offshore wind projects, bending to demands by conservatives who oppose offshore wind.

The American Clean Power Association, which represents wind developers, pulled its support for the bill because of the changes, which were demanded by Republican Reps.

Andy Harris of Maryland and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey.

The GOP amendment “fundamentally changed legislation that represented genuine bipartisan progress on permitting reform,” said Jason Grumet, the group’s CEO. “It’s disappointing that a partisan amendment .... has now jeopardized that progress, turning what should have been a win for American energy into another missed opportunity.”

Harris, who chairs the conservative House Freedom Caucus, defended the change, which he said “will protect legal actions the Trump administration has taken thus far to combat the Biden offshore wind agenda,” including a project in Maryland that the administration has moved to block.

Westerman called the change minor and said that without it, “we probably would not have gotten permitting reform done.”

Environmentalists raise alarm Business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, hailed the vote.

“Permitting reform is not just a business issue — it is a national priority,” said Rodney Davis, senior vice president for government affairs.

“Delays in project approvals hinder economic development, increase costs for consumers and undermine America’s ability to build and maintain critical infrastructure,” Davis said. “Modernizing this process will enable timely construction of projects that deliver affordable and reliable energy ... expand broadband connectivity (and) strengthen our ability to compete in the global race for AI innovation.”

Environmental groups said the bill undermines a fundamental environmental law while empowering the Trump administration to quickly permit polluting projects without adequate review.

“We urgently need to build the infrastructure necessary to address the climate crisis and to transition to a clean energy economy, but this bill is not the solution,” said Stephen Schima, a senior lawyer for Earthjustice Action.

“Far from helping build the clean energy projects of the future, the SPEED Act will only result in an abundance of contaminated air and water, dirty projects and chronic illnesses, with fewer opportunities to hold polluters accountable in court,” he said.

House approval of the permitting measure shifts focus to the Senate, where a broader deal that includes changes to the Clean Water Act to facilitate pipeline projects and transmission lines is being considered.

Home sales rise, but down from 2024 as prices climb million units, the National Associa- year earlier to $409,200, an all-time than a year.

Average long-term tion of Realtors said Friday.

Even so, affordability remains a high for any November on data goSales fell 1% compared with No- ing back to 1999. challenge for many aspiring homemortgage rates Home prices have risen on an an- owners, especially first-time buyers vember last year. The latest sales holding near their low figure came in slightly below the nual basis for 29 months in a row, who don’t have equity from an existmillion pace economists were even as the housing market has ing home to put toward a new home point for the year 4.14 expecting, according to FactSet. been mired in a slump that began purchase.

BY ALEX VEIGA Associated Press

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes rose in November from the previous month, but slowed compared to a year earlier for the first time since May despite average long-term mortgage rates holding near their low point for the year.

Existing home sales rose 0.5% in last month from October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.13

Through the first 11 months of this year, home sales are down 0.5% compared to the same period last year.

“It’s possible that 2025, unless December (sales) figures really improve, we may be technically slightly down from one year ago,” said Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist.

Despite sluggish sales, home prices continued to climb last month.

The national median sales price increased 1.2% in November from a

in 2022 when mortgage rates began climbing from historic lows. Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank last year to their lowest level in nearly 30 years.

Sales have been stuck at around a 4 million annual pace now going back to 2023. That’s well short of the 5.2 million annual pace that’s historically been the norm.

Home sales got a boost this fall as the average rate on a 30-year mortgage declined at the end of October to 6.17%, the lowest level in more

A shortage of homes for sale, especially in the more affordable end of the market, continues to weigh especially on first-time homebuyers.

They accounted for 30% of homes sales last month. Historically, they made up 40% of home sales.

An annual survey of homebuyers

by NAR showed first-time buyers accounted for an all-time low 21% of home purchases between July 2024 and June 2025, while the average age of such homebuyers rose to a record-high of 40.

6B ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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OPINION N O L A.C O M/opinions

ANOTHER VIEW

A lot of things you didn’t know about Christmas Christmas is the most celebrated day of the year. But we sometimes forget the holiday’s fascinating milestones.

Did you know? Jesus Christ was born between 6 BC and 4 BC, according to most biblical scholars, but the first Christmas observance sprang up organically between the second and ninth centuries.

During this period, the celebration took form, varying by region, with specific liturgies.

Christmas trees go back to the ancient Romans and Egyptians, who used evergreens during the winter solstice to reRon mind them that spring would soon return.

Faucheux In the Middle Ages, Christmas festivities were often rowdy affairs — not unlike today’s Mardi Gras revelries. In 1223, St. Francis of Assisi assembled the first Nativity scene. Candy canes first made their appearance when they were used by a choirmaster to keep children quiet in church.

In 1863, American political cartoonist Thomas Nast created a heavyset, pipe-smoking, red-faced, whitebearded Santa Claus, based on the olden tales of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a secret gift-giver. A jollier, tidier image was popularized by Coca-Cola in 1931. The story of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” first appeared in 1939, the product of a Montgomery Ward department store copywriter.

Louisiana and Christmas? Alabama was the first state to declare Christmas a holiday in 1836 and Louisiana followed in 1838. It wasn’t until 1870 that President Ulysses Grant made it a national holiday.

In the 19th century, Santa Claus in Louisiana was often called Papa Noel, Kris Kringle or La Christianne.

In Acadiana, German settlers celebrated St. Nicholas Day in early December. In the Barataria region, Trappers Christmas wasn’t celebrated until February. Many French Catholics started Christmas celebration with midnight Mass, followed by a Réveillon Dinner.

X marks the spot? Long before Elon Musk or Twitter, the abbreviation of Christmas as “Xmas” was used.

Christianity was spelled “Xianity” and “X” was the Greek first letter of Christ.

Favorite holiday songs? Though Handel’s “Messiah” made its U.S. premier in 1818, a recent YouGov poll finds that the 10 most popular holiday songs in America are, in order: “Silent Night,” “All I Want for Christmas is You,” “O Holy Night,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “White Christmas,” “Carol of the Bells,” “The Christmas Song” (aka “chestnuts roasting…”), “Mary Did you Know,” “Little Drummer Boy” and “Jingle Bells.”

Jingle Bells started as a Thanksgiving song in the 19th century when it was called “One Horse Open Sleigh.”

The most recorded and copyrighted Christmas song is “Silent Night.” Among the most disliked holiday songs, according to the poll, are “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer,” “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas,” “Santa Baby,” “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

The hits keep on coming. Brenda Lee’s “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” recorded in 1958, finally hit No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 in 2023 — 65 years after it was released.

Other events that happened on Dec. 25: In 800, Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as Roman Emperor. In 1492, Christopher Columbus’ ship, the Santa Maria, sunk on the north coast of Hispaniola. W.C. Fields, Charlie Chaplin, James Brown, Dean Martin and Eartha Kitt died on Christmas Day — and Issac Newton, Humphrey Bogart, Justin Trudeau, Barbara Mandrell, Cab Calloway, Clara Barton and Jimmy Buffett were born.

General George Washington crossed the Delaware.

The Continental Army was struggling to hang on at the end of 1776. On Christmas Day, Washington led 2,400 troops on a perilous nighttime mission to cross the icy Delaware River. Washington’s forces made it and the next day attacked the Hessian encampment at Trenton, New Jersey.

The Hessians, hired by the British to help them fight, were not prepared for the raid, as they were still groggy from celebrating the holiday. Washington went on to win key battles, providing new hope for the exhausted Continental Army.

World War I’s Christmas truce. In 1914, German, British and French troops in Belgium called a spontaneous, unsanctioned cease-fire. Germans sang “Silent Night” and British troops sang “The First Noel.” They shook hands over bombed-out trenches, shared cigarettes and whiskey and played soccer. It was a rare example of fellowship during a time of war.

What a difference a day makes — especially this one.

Merry Christmas.

Ron Faucheux is a nonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer. A version of this column was first published in 2023.

YOUR VIEWS

Texas directive on Turning Point USA has ominous echoes

Don’t turn back on those who helped after Katrina The intrusion of Border Patrol and ICE into the New Orleans area is a violation of the sovereignty of local governments to manage their communities.

But the deeper, gut-punching violation is of the bond between citizens and the immigrants who made it possible for New Orleans to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

In the immediate aftermath of the storm in 2005, immigrants were the ones who jumped at the chance to work hard and rebuild our city.

Yes, there were men who gathered in Home Depot parking lots to find work, and there was a lot of work to be done.

While residents struggled to return, these men provided the

muscle to get things done.

In the first months following Katrina, there were predominantly men who arrived with little but a willingness to work hard, which was just what we needed.

Later, wives and children followed and changed the demographics of the area, enriching our population “gumbo” with new people from other countries. New Orleans has always celebrated diversity, and we owe a great debt to the brave men who rebuilt our city.

To think of Border Patrol and ICE prowling around parking lots and businesses to entrap hard-working people seems to be a woefully misguided mission.

Texas’ partnership with Turning Point USA to establish chapters in every Texas high school is reminiscent of Germany’s Hitler Youth, the sole official youth organization in Nazi Germany. Hitler Youth indoctrinated Germany’s youth in Aryanism, a racist philosophy that resulted in the incarceration and murder of millions. While espousing free speech, much of the Turning Point philosophy demonizes others, including Blacks, Hispanics and immigrants.

Gov. Greg Abbott promises “meaningful disciplinary action” against any opposition to Turning Point USA in Texas. Is the right to refuse to participate in a philosophy that many people find abhorrent permanently suspended in Texas?

BRIANN SHEAR Metairie

Scandinavian countries don’t get those freebies for nothing On Thanksgiving, you published a reader’s letter extolling the virtues of the welfare states in the demographically homogenous Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

In it, he implied that those countries have lower taxes on workers and higher corporate taxes than the U.S. In fact, the converse is true. To wit, all three countries have higher marginal income tax rates than the U.S., and rates are over 50% in two of them.

More importantly, those rates kick in at much lower income levels than here. Extrapolated to the U.S., the upper half of the middle class would be paying the highest marginal rate.

Regarding corporate taxes, the U.S. rate is 21% and, when combined with state and local taxes, averages 25.6%. The corporate rate is 22% in Denmark and Norway and 20.6 % in Sweden. How then do those countries complete funding for their single-payer health care and other systems? Like most channeling Bernie Sanders, he does not mention the Value Added Tax.

DEIDRE CHARLOT New Orleans

Trump’s drug war full of contradictions

For the uninitiated, a VAT is a hidden sales tax baked into the price of goods during production rather than at the point of sale. All the countries have a VAT of 25%, which is more than double the highest combined state and local sales taxes in the U.S., e.g., Louisiana, California.

With regard to health care, all three countries have single payer, universal access and, like Canada, Britain and our VA system, they have implicit rationing through the queue and no direct access to specialists.

The dirty secret on health care is that no country can afford unlimited, high-tech health care on demand to all, so the question is not if you ration but how.

Single payer may be desirable in the U.S. and is probably inevitable given the inexorable ratcheting down Hayek’s “road to serfdom” from Obamacare and other entitlements, but the transition won’t be simple, easy or cheap and can’t involve personal choice.

I am confused about President Donald Trump’s fight with the drug lords. We are fighting Venezuela because it is sending drugs to the U.S. We are pardoning a convicted drug distributor from Honduras.

Did the sons of El Chapo plead guilty so they could be pardoned after two years? So what is the message we are sending the world?

PRATIVADI PRASANKUMAR Metairie

Take redistricting out of Legislature’s hands The time has come for the state Legislature to relinquish the responsibility of drawing the congressional redistricting map to an unbiased computer algorithm.

The computer program should be programmed to draw the districts based solely on the population of the entire contiguous parishes.

DALE MORRIS Destrehan

STEVEN SAINT Hammond

FIVE-TIME WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE

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✦

saTurday, december 20, 2025

✦

1C

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PL AYOFF

T u l a n e a T o l e m i s s • 2 : 3 0 P. m . s a T u r d a y • T n T

sTaFF File PhoTo by soPhia Germer

ROAD TO REDEMP TION

retzlaff credits n.o.’s Jewish community with helping in his transition to Tulane

W

BY JEFF DUNCAN staff writer

hen Jake Retzlaff moved to New Orleans this summer, he knew one person.

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall had recruited him for Troy University a few years ago when Retzlaff was a standout junior-college quarterback in California. Otherwise, Retzlaff knew no one.

As the first Jewish quarterback in Tulane modern football history, he was not a lonely stranger for long. He quickly made friends, many of them through the city’s proud and extensive Jewish community.

The outreach was New Orleans at its best, a vivid example of the city’s renowned hospitality and joie de vie. And it facilitated a transition more seamless than anyone could have imagined after Retzlaff’s controversial midsummer transfer from Brigham Young.

As a result, Retzlaff and Tulane have made history. Since winning the starting job in preseason camp, he’s led the Green Wave to an 11-2 record, the second American Conference championship in school annals and a landmark berth in the College Football Playoff at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Ole Miss.

“God’s got a plan for me, and that’s extremely hard to realize when you’re in the middle of that horrible time and there’s so much uncertainty,” Retzlaff said.

“But here we are now in the College Football Playoff, and I get to meet all these people and create all these relationships (at Tulane and around New Orleans). It’s made me feel like I have a real connection to New Orleans and been super impactful on me.”

Retzlaff arrived at Tulane in July after leaving BYU to avoid a suspension for violating the school’s honor code. His suspension followed allegations of sexual assault in a civil lawsuit that was later dismissed. Retzlaff’s admission that he had engaged in premarital sex, which BYU prohibits, created the domino effect that led him to Tulane.

His road to redemption was anything but smooth.

ä see RETZLAFF, page 3C

2C ✦ Saturday Saturday, December Decem 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF C

BROADCAST INFORMATION TULANE at OLE MISS 2:30 p.m. Saturday Vaught Hemingway Stadium, Oxford, Miss.

TV: TNT | Line: Ole Miss by 17½ (56½) Radio: WKRN-FM, 106.7

TEAM SCHEDULES Tulane Date Opponent 8.30 Northwestern 9.6 at South Alabama 9.13 Duke 9.20 at Ole Miss 9.27 at Tulsa 10.9 East Carolina 10.18 Army 10.30 at UTSA 11.7 at Memphis 11.15 Florida Atlantic 11.22 at Temple 11.29 Charlotte 12.5 North Texas

Ole Miss Time/TV W, 23-3 W, 33-31 W, 34-27 L, 10-45 W, 31-14 W, 26-19 W, 24-7 L, 26-48 W, 38-32 W, 35-24 W, 37-13 W, 27-0 W, 34-21

Date 8.30 9.6 9.13 9.20 9.27 10.11 10.18 10.25 11.1 11.8 11.15 11.28

Opponent Ga. State at Kentucky Arkansas Tulane LSU Washington St. at Georgia at Oklahoma South Carolina The Citadel Florida at Miss. State

Time/TV W,63-7 W, 30-23 W, 41-35 W, 45-10 W, 24-19 W, 24-21 L, 43-35 W, 34-26 W, 30-14 W, 49-0 W, 34-24 W, 38-19

DEPTH CHARTS Tulane

Ole Miss

OFFENSE

OFFENSE

WIDE RECEIVER

1 Omari Hayes 5 Anthony Brown-Stephens -or11 Tre Shackleford

Wide receiver

7 Shazz Preston 16 Garrett Mmahat

WIDE RECEIVER

83 Bryce Bohanon 15 Zycarl Lewis

LEFT TACKLE

76 Derrick Graham 70 Juelz Baptiste

LEFT GUARD

56 Shadre Hurst 74 Landry Cannon

CENTER

58 Jack Hollifield 73 Elijah Baker

RIGHT GUARD

50 Jordan Hall -or73 Elijah Baker

RIGHT TACKLE

78 Reese Baker 77 Darion Reed

TIGHT END

82 Johnny Pascuzzi 85 Anthony Miller -or88 Justyn Reid

QUARTERBACK

12 Jake Retzlaff 6 Brendan Sullivan

RUNNING BACK

25 Jamauri McClure 23 Javin Gordon

5-9 5-10

170 170

So. Jr.

6-1

187

Sr.

6-0 6-0

206 190

Jr. Jr.

5-9 5-10

185 160

Sr. Fr.

6-4 6-5

314 295

Sr. Fr.

6-2 6-4

293 304

Jr. So.

6-4 6-3

300 280

Sr. Fr.

6-4

345

Sr.

6-3

280

Fr.

6-5 6-7

275 318

Fr. So.

6-4 6-5

241 265

Sr. So.

6-5

255

Jr.

6-1 6-4

205 220

Sr. Sr.

5-10 5-10

190 200

Fr. Fr.

WIDE RECEIVER

1 De’Zhaun Stribling 15 Izaiah Hartrup

WIDE RECEIVER

19 Cayden Lee 17 Winston Watkins

LEFT TACKLE

61 Diego Pounds 73 Percy Lewis

LEFT GUARD

51 Delano Townsend 71 PJ Wilkins

CENTER

62 Brycen Saunders 76 John Wayne Oliver

RIGHT GUARD

75 Patrick Kutas 55 Terez Davis

RIGHT TACKLE

50 Jayden Williams 70 Devin Harper

TIGHT END

8 Dae’Quan Wright 85 Trace Bruckler -or4 Caleb Odom

QUARTERBACK

6 Trinidad Chambliss 13 Austin Simmons

RUNNING BACK

5 Kewan Lacy 22 Logan Diggs

6 Kameron Hamilton 9 Jordan Norman

6-4 6-4

292 249

Sr. So.

95 Tre’Von McAlpine 94 Derrick Shepard -or92 Armondous Cooley

6-3 6-3

305 310

Jr. So.

6-3

305

Sr.

52 Will Echoles 96 Jamarious Brown

6-2 6-2

265 290

Jr. Sr.

DEFENSIVE END

6-1

305

So.

NOSE TACKLE

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

29 Santana Hopper 93 Elijah Champaigne -or90 Eliyt Nairne

BANDIT

51 Zxavian Harris 97 Kamron Beavers

4 Suntarine Perkins -or1 Princewill Umanmielen

250

Jr.

6-2

250

Sr.

6 TJ Dottery 38 Tyler Banks

15 Sam Howard 42 Makai Williams

6-2 6-1

220 225

Sr. Jr.

LINEBACKER

4 Chris Rodgers -or42 Makai Williams

6-1

223

Jr.

6-1

225

Jr.

SPUR

30 Jaden Yates 26 Tahj Chambers 32 Chris Graves 9 Ricky Fletcher

170

So.

5-10

175

Jr.

20 Jahiem Johnson 12 KC Eziomume

6-0 6-1

189 198

So. Sr.

1 Jack Tchenchou -or7 Kevin Adams III

5-10

181

So.

14 Kapena Gushiken 29 Nick Cull

5-10

185

So.

SAFETY

32 Bailey Despanie 30 Joshua Moore

6-1 6-2

204 202

Sr. So.

11 E’zaiah Shine 8 Isiaah Wadsworth

6-1 6-0

185 190

Fr. Sr.

STRONG SAFETY CORNERBACK

So.

6-2 6-0

210 185

Sr. Sr.

5-11 5-11

180 185

Jr. Fr.

6-6 6-7

335 380

Sr. Sr.

6-5 6-5

330 340

So. So.

6-6 6-5

310 300

So. Fr.

6-4 6-4

315 310

Jr. So.

6-4 6-4

320 315

Sr. Fr.

6-4 6-3

255 250

Sr. Sr.

6-5

235

So.

6-0 6-4

200 215

Sr. So.

5-11 6-0

210 200

So. Sr.

6-5 6-5

290 265

So. Jr.

6-8 6-3

330 290

Sr. Fr.

6-3 6-2

310 315

So. So.

6-2

220

Jr.

6-5

245

Jr.

6-2 6-2

230 245

Jr. Sr.

6-1 6-2

225 230

Jr. Sr.

6-0 6-3

185 200

Jr. Jr.

6-0 6-0

180 190

Jr. So.

6-0 6-0

190 190

Sr. Jr.

6-2 6-3

210 200

Sr. So.

6-0 6-0

200 200

Sr. Fr.

CORNERBACK 8 Antonio Kite 2 Jaylon Braxton

SAFETY

16 Wydett Williams 7 TJ Banks

SAFETY 3 Sage Ryan 20 Anthony Robinson

SPECIAL TEAMS

SPECIAL TEAMS

PUNTER

180

CORNERBACK

5-10

FREE SAFETY

6-0

LINEBACKER

3 Javion White -or13 TJ Smith

CORNERBACK

Sr.

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

6-3

WEAKSIDE LINEBACKER

200

DEFENSIVE TACKLE

5 Harvey Dyson -or0 Mo Westmoreland

MIDDLE LINEBACKER

6-1

DEFENSE 5 Kam Franklin 15 Da’Shawn Womack

PUNTER

38 Alec Clark 34 William Hudlow

6-1 5-11

184 217

So. So.

33 Oscar Bird 89 Mike Baker

6-4 5-9

210 185

Fr. Fr.

91 Patrick Durkin 35 Cooper Helmke

5-10 6-3

175 165

Fr. Fr.

17 Lucas Carneiro 89 Mike Baker

5-11 5-9

195 185

Jr. Fr.

91 Patrick Durkin 35 Cooper Hemke

5-10 6-3

175 165

Fr. Fr.

17 Lucas Carneiro 89 Mike Baker

5-11 5-9

195 185

Jr. Fr.

57 Jason Arredondo

5-10

240

Fr.

93 Carter Short

5-9

195

Sr.

38 Alec Clark

6-1

184

So.

33 Oscar Bird

6-4

210

Fr.

1 Omari Hayes 83 Bryce Bohanon

5-9 5-9

170 185

So. Sr.

2 Harrison Wallace 15 Izaiah Hartrup

6-1 6-0

200 185

Sr. Sr.

13 TJ Smith 2 Zuberi Mobley

5-10 5-10

175 196

Jr. Sr.

15 Izaiah Hartrup 11 Deuce Alexander

6-0 6-0

185 180

Sr. So.

KICKER

KICKOFFS

LONG SNAPPER HOLDER

PUNT RETURNER

KICKOFF RETURNER

KICKER

KICKOFFS

LONG SNAPPER HOLDER

PUNT RETURNER KICKOFF RETURNER

COACHES Jon Sumrall is 20-7 at Tulane entering his final game before taking over at Florida.

Defining moments Five crucial parts of Tulane’s run to CFP

DEFENSIVE END

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE END

WIDE RECEIVER

2 Harrison Wallace -or11 Deuce Alexander

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Tulane defensive backs Jahiem Johnson, left, and Javion White celebrate an interception against Duke on Sept. 13 at yulman Stadium.

Pete Golding is set for his first game as a head coach after taking over for Lane Kiffin.

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

The process was not always pretty, but Tulane ultimately produced a beautiful result, reaching the College Football Playoff for the first time by going 11-2 and winning the American Conference in coach Jon Sumrall’s second and final year.

Efficiency models hated the Green Wave, which got blown out twice and played with its food a little too much in a few of its victories, but this team is exactly where it wanted to be — getting ready for a rematch with Ole Miss on Saturday at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

The season began with an easy 23-3 victory at Yulman Stadium against Northwestern of the Big Ten, but truth be told, Wildcats quarterback Preston Stone was awful that day. The Wave defense looked a heck of a lot better than it actually was at that point, forcing five turnovers as a panicky Stone chucked the ball haphazardly when he felt pressure.

Here are the five defining moments that allowed Tulane to make history and keep Sumrall in New Orleans at least two more weeks after he agreed to become the Florida coach: Nickelback Javion White’s interception on South Alabama’s two-point conversion attempt with 59 seconds left on Sept. 6: After Tulane overcame a 14-0 deficit by outscoring South Alabama 33-3, Patrick Durkin missed an extra point that would have given the Wave a three-score lead in the fourth quarter. The Jaguars responded with a pair of touchdowns around a successful twopoint conversion in the final 5:27 and were threatening to send the game into overtime before White stepped up.

“We were in man coverage, and they tried to run a pick play with me and the corner,” he said. “I was pressed to man and got my eyes back and (quarter-

1

back Bishop Davenport) threw the ball right to me.”

A loss to a team that finished 4-8 would have been devastating. White, a sophomore who had intercepted two passes against Northwestern, made sure it did not happen.

The 34-27 win Sept. 13 against Duke and quarterback Darian Mensah: Although the Wave let a big lead shrink with a rough eight-minute stretch surrounding halftime, beating the Blue Devils provided a massive emotional boost.

No one begrudged Mensah leaving for about 10 times the amount of money Tulane could pay him, but it still felt sweet to stick it to his new team, as the wild celebration by the coaches in the press box proved when the final seconds ticked off the clock.

The game was not as tight as the score indicated. Facing a jacked-up, sellout crowd, Duke — which went on to win the ACC — never had the ball with a chance to tie after the first quarter ended.

The tying touchdown pass against Army right after the two-minute timeout on Oct. 18: If the Wave had lost this one at home, it is hard to envision a scenario where it recovered to reach the American championship game.

Army came oh-so-close to pulling off the upset, going ahead 17-10 in the fourth quarter on a methodical, 14-play, 80-yard touchdown drive. With two minutes left, Tulane faced a do-or-die fourth and 8 at the Army 12.

Realizing his route would not work against a zone defense when the Wave had expected man-to-man coverage, senior wideout Bryce Bohanon broke off his route and streaked to the end zone. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff bought enough time to find him and lofted the equalizer.

Army then went three-andout, and Shazz Preston spun

2

3

around for a spectacular, juggling catch off a deflected pass for the winning score with 17 seconds left.

An exquisite first half Nov. 7 at Memphis: Coming off an embarrassing 48-26 defeat at Texas-San Antonio, Tulane bounced back in a big way as an underdog in Memphis.

Retzlaff threw a 65-yard strike to Preston on the Wave’s first offensive snap, setting the tone for an eye-popping first half when he went 14-of-15 passing for 284 yards and three TDs, plus a 33-yard scoring run, as the Wave reached the end zone on five of its six series.

Ahead 35-17 at the break, Tulane barely held on to win 38-32, but the start in a must-win game for both teams was the season’s turning point, according to Sumrall.

“I knew this team was about to hit its stride,” he said. “I felt it.

When you have bad things happen in your season and you respond in the right way, man that gives you hope. That’s when I was really like, OK, we’re about to get rolling here.”

Defensive dominance for long stretches Dec. 5 against North Texas: An underdog on its home field for the American championship game, the Wave spotted the Mean Green an early touchdown and then shut out the nation’s highest-scoring offense until late in the third quarter. It was a defensive tour de force, with an early forced fumbled followed by three sacks in the next two possessions and a pick-six by linebacker Chris Rodgers.

By the time North Texas regained its equilibrium, Tulane led 31-7 while controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Wave’s 34-21 victory in its most complete performance of the year sent it into the CFP with plenty of hope for a better result than its 45-10 demolition at the hands of Ole Miss in September.

4

5

STAFF PREDICTIONS JEFF DUNCAN

SCOTT RABALAIS

ZACH EWING

GUERRY SMITH

OLE MISS 33, TULANE 30 It’s impossible for Tulane and Jake Retzlaff to play as poorly as they did in the teams’ September meeting. In fact, it would not shock me at all if Tulane pulled off the upset. I expect this game to be much more like the 2023 contest between these teams than the one earlier this year, with Ole Miss wearing down the Green Wave in the fourth quarter to escape with a hard-fought win.

OLE MISS 37, TULANE 14 The path to an upset starts with a distracted Rebels team playing without Lane Kiffin, but that seems unlikely. With Pete Golding in charge, Ole Miss may play a little more of a defensive, close-to-the-vest game, but the truth is it may not matter. Tulane should play better than it did in the first meeting, but that won’t be enough to bridge the very large gap between that result and a surprising win here.

OLE MISS 31, TULANE 21 There is respect between Tulane coach Jon Sumrall and new Ole Miss coach Pete Golding. There had better be respect by the Rebels for the Wave. Ole Miss dismisses Tulane based on their Sept. 20 meeting at its peril. Jake Retzlaff will play better than he did three months ago, and the Rebels offense will be dulled without Lane Kiffin. It’s a one-score game going to the fourth quarter before Ole Miss pulls it out.

OLE MISS 34, TULANE 27 Considering the upheaval in Oxford, Mississippi, caused by Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU, this should be a much closer affair than the mismatch in September, when Tulane’s passing game and secondary were still a work in progress. The Green Wave is hellbent on atoning for that dreadful performance, but Rebels quarterback Trinidad Chambliss is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. He’s the difference.

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The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 3C

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF C

RETZLAFF

OFFENSIVE LEADERS

Continued from page 1C The late move forced him to walk on to the Tulane roster and created a compressed timeline to learn the offense and bond with teammates.

He ingratiated himself with teammates and earned their respect through his work ethic and humble, earnest approach, personally conducting get-to-know-you sessions over meals with as many players as possible.

“Jake lives life by his own set of rules,” said his father, Steve Retzlaff. “He defines himself by his unbelievable personality, drive and ability.

His teammates buy in because they see he genuinely cares and is really just a good guy.

Of the many qualities that Jake has that help him be successful, none are more dominant than his leadership skills.”

Retzlaff won the starting job in a spirited competition with Brendan Sullivan in preseason camp but did not hit his stride until midseason. Along the way, there were subpar performances in ugly losses to Ole Miss (45-10) and TexasSan Antonio (48-26).

Since the UTSA loss, Retzlaff and Tulane have found their groove. The offense has averaged 34 points a game, and the Wave finished the year on a five-game winning streak.

Retzlaff finished the season with 2,862 yards passing and 14 touchdowns while also rushing for team-highs of 610 yards and 16 touchdowns, a school record for quarterbacks.

“Jake’s a seasoned guy,” Sumrall said. “He’s a tough, resilient, competitive dude.

I’m very proud of the way Jake has handled himself as this season’s gone on, and he’s really been a great leader for us.”

Known as “B.Y.-Jew” during his celebrated tenure at Brigham Young, Retzlaff is proud of his Jewish heritage and wears a Star of David amulet on his necklace. He scored a sponsorship deal last year with Manischewitz, the popular Jewish food and wine brand.

He has developed a cult following at Tulane, which has one of the largest Jewish enrollments in the nation, making up roughly 37% of the school’s 13,078 students. He’s a popular guest at the Chabad House, where he meets regularly with Rabbi Yochanan Rivkin. His “Bayou Jew” and “Shabbat Shotgun” T-shirts are among the best sellers at the Campus Connection, an off-campus merchandise shop. One of the school’s Jewish organizations even delivered a gift bag with a menorah before Hanukkah.

“The Jewish community in New Orleans has been unbelievable,” Steve Retzlaff said.

“We had no idea. He went through some unfortunate things, and for him to enjoy such an extraordinary level of success is beyond imagination and truly a blessing. It’s challenging my own concepts about fate.”

The outreach of New Orleans’ Jewish community has

Tulane

Ole Miss

PASSING

Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

Jake Retzlaff 222-356-62.36 Brendan Sullivan 19-29-65.52

2862 201

RUSHING

Player

Att

Jake Retzlaff Javin Gordon Jamauri McClure Arnold Barnes III

Net

118 122 68 51

14 2

6 2

5.2 4.1 6.7 4.3

16 5 2 0

38 35 35 31 23 12

598 466 463 417 322 184

15.74 13.31 13.23 13.45 14.00 15.33

4 2 1 2 2 1

40

Net

1279 470 168 123

3

Avg TD 5.0 4.0 6.7 7.2

20 6 3 0

Player

Rec Yards Avg TD

Harrison Wallace Deuce Alexander Cayden Lee De’zhaun Stribling Dae’quan Wright Winston Watkins

46 34 33 38 30 24

719 577 537 533 489 363

15.63 16.97 16.27 14.03 16.30 15.13

3 2 3 5 4 1

KICKING Player

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Patrick Durkin

Att

258 118 25 17

18

RECEIVING

KICKING Player

3016

RUSHING

Kewan Lacy Trinidad Chambliss Logan Diggs Deuce Alexander

Rec Yards Avg TD

Shazz Preston A. Brown-Stephens Omari Hayes Bryce Bohanon Zycari Lewis Jr. Tre Shackelford

218-333-65.47

Player

RECEIVING Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

T. Chambliss

Avg TD

610 505 456 217

PASSING

Player

41

24

27

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Lucas Carneiro

48

48

22

25

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Tulane quarterback Jake Retzlaff celebrates after scoring a touchdown against North Texas during the first half of the American Conference championship game on Dec. 5 at yulman Stadium. enhanced Retzlaff’s Tulane experience.

Since arriving in town, he’s sat courtside at a Pelicans game with attorney Morris Bart and mingled in a luxury suite at the Superdome for a Saints-Buccaneers game with Tulane graduate Jill Glazer and her husband, Avie, whose family owns the Buccaneers.

There have been countless meals, including lunches with local business magnate Bill Goldring and a private dinner at Saba hosted by James Beard Award-winning chef Alon Shaya.

“Anybody new moving to town deserves some introductions and support, whether you’re the quarterback of a football team or not,” Shaya said. “That’s very much a Jewish community thing and very much a New Orleans thing. I left my dinner with him thinking this guy has got what it takes from a leadership and confidence standpoint. I know this is just the beginning for him and what he’s going to do for the world.”

Retzlaff even returned the favor by hosting Goldring for Thanksgiving dinner at his Riverbend apartment last month. Goldring, a wealthy philanthropist and longtime Tulane donor, is the chairman of Sazerac Co., one of the largest liquor distributors in the nation.

The dinner, prepared by Jake’s father, was served on paper plates with plastic cutlery and featured beef brisket, roasted potatoes, carrots and asparagus. The red wine was served in red Solo cups.

“I can’t imagine Bill has had many Thanksgivings like that,” Retzlaff said. “But that’s what I like about Bill. He’s just a normal dude. He’s awesome.”

The two met initially at a Super Bowl LIX event sponsored

by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft in New Orleans in February. Goldring was one of the first people to contact Retzlaff after he committed to Tulane and moved to New Orleans.

“He’s just an impressive guy, one of those guys that you meet and you feel like you’ve known him a long time,” Goldring said.

“He gets the respect of the

people he works with. He’s very confident but not arrogant. He’s a leader and just a wonderful guy.

“And, we had a fabulous Thanksgiving meal.”

Retzlaff said his New Orleans connections are just one of many things he’s thankful for this year.

When he steps on the field Saturday at Vaught Hemingway Stadium, he will become the first Jewish quarterback to play in a college football national championship or playoff game, a milestone in a sport that has included Jewish signal callers such as Benny Friedman, Sid Luckman, Jay Fielder and Josh Rosen. “(The CFP) spotlight gives me a platform where I can bring positivity in the Jewish faith and Jewish people, because frankly there’s not enough positive Jewish stories, period,” Retzlaff said.

“I’m proud and confident in the Jewish people. We’ve been through a lot as it is — too much.”

The milestone CFP appearance will further burnish his legacy at Tulane — where he is the first Jewish quarterback to start since Dick Baumbach was under center in 1931 — and in the New Orleans Jewish community, a relationship that he plans to maintain long after he leaves town.

“I definitely dove into the deep end of New Orleans with all the people that make things go around here,” Retzlaff said. “It has actually been pretty crazy.

“A lot of transfers do this all over the country and feel like they’re just getting rented for a year, especially seniors.

They’re going to get in and get out. It’s been anything but that for me. This is a real impact on my life being in New Orleans.”

Retzlaff already has one thing going for him: He’s the first player ever to get Shaya to storm the field, which the chef did after Tulane’s win over North Texas in the American championship game two weeks ago.

“That’s a first for me,” Shaya said. “I went to culinary school. We didn’t have a football team, so it’s meant so much going to games and watching him crush it.”

DEFENSIVE LEADERS TACKLES

TACKLES

Player

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk

Player

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk

Jack Tchienchou Chris Rodgers Bailey Despanie Javion White Kevin Adams Sam Howard Jahiem Johnson E’zaiah Shine Makai Williams Dickson Agu Harvey Dyson Tre’von Mcalpine Santana Hopper Kameron Hamilton Joshua Moore Jorden Norman TJ Smith Gerrod Henderson LJ Green Jah’rie Garner

77 75 55 46 45 44 38 38 37 36 35 35 30 29 25 24 23 20 15 14

TJ Dottery Suntarine Perkins Wydett Williams Kam Franklin Will Echoles Jaden Yates Kapena Gushiken Zxavian Harris P. Umanmielen Tahj Chambers Andrew Jones Sage Ryan Antonio Kite Chris Graves Da’shawn Womack Jamarious Brown Jaylon Braxton TJ Banks Nick Cull Ricky Fletcher

77 64 55 53 51 49 46 43 32 31 31 26 25 22 20 18 16 15 11 11

50 49 33 32 31 25 30 30 22 15 16 20 16 11 15 15 20 8 12 5

27 26 22 14 14 19 8 8 15 21 19 15 14 18 10 9 3 12 3 9

2 6.5 1.5 3.5 1 8.5 1 2 3.5 2 10.5 2 9.5 4 0 8 2.5 1.5 0.5 1.5

1 2 0 0 0 4 0 0 1 0 7 1 4.5 3 0 6 1 0.5 0 0

36 32 34 27 25 14 31 21 12 17 19 18 20 13 9 6 8 7 9 10

41 32 21 26 26 35 15 22 20 14 12 8 5 9 11 12 8 8 2 1

4.5 6.5 1.0 6.5 8 1.5 0.5 7.5 10 0.5 2 0.5 0 0 4 1.5 0 0 0 0

0.5 2.0 0 3.5 4.5 0.5 0 3.0 6.5 0 0 0.5 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0

TEAM STATS OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 410.7

OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 498.1

Plays: 66.9

Plays: 74.9

PASS 240.5

RUSH 170.2

PASS 29.9

RUSH 37.0

Turnovers: 1.08 INTERCEPTIONS

FUMBLES

0.62

PASS 309.6 PASS 33.7

INTERCEPTIONS

RUSH 120.4

Turnovers forced: 1.84 INTERCEPTIONS 1.15

FUMBLES 0.69

Yards allowed: 333.1 PASS 182.6

SCORED ALLOWED

INTERCEPTIONS 0.58

FUMBLES 0.25

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

SCORED ALLOWED 38.6

37.3

22.6

20.6

2025

RUSH 150.5

Turnovers forced: 0.83

35.1

29.1

0.67

DEFENSE PER GAME

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

FUMBLES

0.33

DEFENSE PER GAME PASS 255.2

RUSH 41.2

Turnovers: 1.00

0.46

Yards allowed: 375.6

RUSH 188.5

20.1

14.4

2025

2024

2024

CONVERSION SUCCESS

CONVERSION SUCCESS

Third down

Fourth down

Third down

57.6%

36.8%

Fail

42.4%

Convert

Fail

63.2%

Convert

46.0%

54.0%

Fail

Convert

Fourth down

33.3% 66.7%

Fail

Convert

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Tuesday’s game

Tuesday’s games

Salute to Veterans Bowl

Boca Raton Bowl

Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13

Wednesday’s games Cure Bowl

Old Dominion 24, South Florida 10

68 Ventures Bowl Delaware 20, UL 13

Thursday’s games Xbox Bowl

Arkansas State 34, Missouri State 28

Friday’s games

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Kennesaw State 41, Western Michigan 6

Gasparilla Bowl

N.C. State 31, Memphis 7

College Football Playoff

First round No. 11 Alabama (10-3) at No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2), n

Saturday’s games

College Football Playoff

First round No. 10 Miami (Fla.) (10-2) at No. 7 Texas A&M (11-1), 11 a.m. (ESPN/ABC) No. 17 Tulane (11-2) at No. 6 Ole Miss (11-1), 2:30 p.m. (TNT/HBO Max) No. 19 James Madison (12-1) at No. 5 Oregon (11-1), 6:30 p.m. (TNT/HBO Max)

Monday’s game

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

Boise, Idaho Utah St. vs. Washington St., 1 p.m. (ESPN)

Boca Raton, Fla. Louisville vs. Toledo, 1 p.m. (ESPN)

New Orleans Bowl

New Orleans Western Kentucky vs. Southern Miss, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Frisco Bowl

Frisco, Texas Ohio vs. UNLV, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Wednesday’s game Hawai’i Bowl

Honolulu Cal vs. Hawaii, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Dec. 26 games

GameAbove Sports Bowl

Detroit Central Michigan vs. Northwestern, noon (ESPN)

Rate Bowl

Phoenix New Mexico vs. Minnesota, 3:30 p.m.

(ESPN)

First Responder Bowl

Dallas FIU vs. UTSA, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Dec. 27 games Military Bowl

Fenway Bowl

Alamo Bowl

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Dec. 31 games

Boston UConn vs. Army, 1:15 p.m. (ESPN) Orlando, Fla. No. 12 BYU vs. No. 24 Georgia Tech, 2:30 p.m.

(ABC)

Arizona Bowl

Tucson, Ariz.

Fresno St. vs. Miami (OH), 3:30 p.m. (CW Network)

ReliaQuest Bowl

Tampa, Fla. No. 13 Vanderbilt vs. No. 23 Iowa, 11 a.m.

(ESPN)

Sun Bowl

New Mexico Bowl

El Paso, Texas Arizona St. vs. Duke, 1 p.m. (CBS)

Gator Bowl

Orlando, Fla. No. 14 Texas vs. No. 18 Michigan, 2 p.m.

(ABC)

Jan. 2 Armed Forces Bowl

Fort Worth, Texas Texas State vs. Rice, noon (ESPN)

Liberty Bowl

Memphis, Tenn.

No. 22 Navy vs. Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

Charlotte, N.C. Mississippi St. vs. Wake Forest, 7 p.m.

(ESPN)

Albuquerque, N.M. No. 23 North Texas vs. San Diego St., 4:45 p.m. (ESPN)

Citrus Bowl

Jacksonville, Fla. No. 25 Missouri vs. NO. 20 Virginia, 6:30 p.m.

(ABC)

Las Vegas Bowl

San Diego, Calif.

No. 21 Arizona vs. SMU, 7 p.m. (FOX)

Las Vegas No. 15 Utah vs. Nebraska, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Jan. 8

Houston LSU vs. No. 21 Houston, 8:15 p.m. (ESPN)

College Football Playoff

Quarterfinals At Cotton Bowl, Arlington, Texas Miami/Texas A&M winner at No. 3 Ohio St., 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

College Football Playoff

Semifinals At Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Ariz.

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

Jan. 1

Jan. 9

Texas Bowl

Dec. 29 game Birmingham Bowl

Birmingham, Ala. Georgia Southern vs. Appalachian State, 1 p.m. (ESPN)

Dec. 30 games Independence Bowl

Annapolis, Md. Pittsburgh vs. East Carolina, 10 a.m. (ESPN)

Shreveport Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech, 1 p.m.

(ESPN)

Bronx, N.Y. Clemson vs. Penn St., 11 a.m. (ABC)

Nashville, Tenn.

Tennessee vs. Illinois, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Pinstripe Bowl

San Antonio No. 16 Southern Cal vs. TCU, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Music City Bowl

College Football Playoff

Quarterfinals At Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens, Fla. James Madison/Oregon winner at No. 4 Texas Tech, 11 a.m. (ESPN) At Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.

Alabama/Oklahoma winner at No. 1 Indiana, 3 p.m. (ESPN) At Sugar Bowl, New Orleans Tulane/Mississippi winner at No. 2 Georgia, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

Holiday Bowl

College Football Playoff Semifinals At Peach Bowl, Atlanta TBD, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Jan. 19 College Football Playoff

National Championship At Miami Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

4C ✦ Saturday Saturday, December Decemb 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

C COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF Sumrall mourns his father’s death before Ole Miss game

James Madison’s team celebrates after winning the Sun Belt championship game against Troy on Dec. 5 in Harrisonburg, Va.

By The Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Bets are off

lists the Buckeyes at +225 to Gambling interest wanes winBetMGM the national championship; Indiana is right behind at +275. Third-seeded Georfor first round of the CFP gia is the next closest at +500.

Bettors have seen this movie. Ohio State went into last season’s playoffs off a conAP sportswriter founding loss to Michigan, but then rolled through the postseason to win the national With the notable exception of Friday championship. Each victory was by double night’s Alabama-Oklahoma showdown, digits.

“Ohio State is the No. 1 most-bet team by bettors weren’t exactly rushing to place wagers on the opening week of the College a wide margin, but their price has been so short all year,” Magee said. “My prediction Football Playoff.

The presence of two Group of Five rep- is Ohio State over Indiana. You saw it last resentatives — 11th-seeded Tulane and year Ohio State losing to Michigan, they 12th-seed James Madison — in matchups lose to Indiana this year, but you see what in which they are big underdogs has taken this team is capable of come playoff time.” a lot of the luster off of the first round.

Sixth-seeded Ole Miss is favored by 171/ 2 Ole Miss a mystery points over Tulane, and No. 5-seeded OrLane Kiffin wanted to remain the Ole egon is a 201/ 2-point favorite over James Miss coach in the playoff after taking the LSU job, but he was told his services were Madison.

“It’s not as hyped up and exciting as it no longer required in Oxford.

What that means for the Rebels’ fortunes has been in years prior,” said Joey Feazel, head of football at Caesars Sportsbook. is tough to know. They were considered “But I’m sure when we get to the next borderline national championship conround, it will be exciting and we’ll garner tenders under Kiffin, but other than an exa lot of handle there.” pected victory in the first round, how far The New Year’s Eve and Day quarter- the Rebels go is far from certain. They are finals could have a number of intriguing listed at 25-1 at BetMGM to win the title, matchups, but there is a real possibility behind eight other teams.

Marshall said quarterback Trinidad this weekend will end with a couple of Chambliss’ growth under Kiffin could be blowouts. difficult to duplicate.

Buckeyes still team to beat “Kiffin was so involved in the mechanics Second-seeded Ohio State might have of that and the play calling, (his absence) lost the Big Ten title game to Indiana, ced- might actually hurt Ole Miss a bit,” CBS ing the top seed to the Hoosiers, but the SportsLine handicapper Bruce Marshall said. “It could work both ways.” odds still favor the Buckeyes.

BY MARK ANDERSON

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall mourned the death of his father on Friday, a day before the Green Wave makes its College Football Playoff debut against Ole Miss.

Sumrall said his father died in his sleep Thursday night after lengthy health issues. George Sumrall was 77.

“God gave us more time with my dad than we thought we would get,” Sumrall said in a message posted on social media. “Dad was a fighter. I learned so much from him ... being a man of faith, grit, hard work, attitude, service and more.”

Sumrall said he will always remember how his father was well enough to attend Tulane’s 34-21 win over North Texas in the American Con-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall hugs his father George Sumrall after a win against Charlotte on Nov. 29 at yulman Stadium.

George Sumrall died Thursday at age 77. ference championship two weeks ago at Yulman Stadium and the news conference held at Gainesville, Florida, announcing Sumrall’s hiring as the new Florida coach.

“He was always there for

me, and I know he will be watching,” Sumrall said.

He then credited his parents for setting great examples and closed his note by writing, “Love you always Dad!”

Archie Manning gives talk to Ole Miss team before big game

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Archie Manning spoke to the Ole Miss football team Friday at the invitation of Rebels coach Pete Golding.

Manning, who starred for Ole Miss from 1968-70, said it’s the first time he’s spoken to a team from his alma mater, which hosts Tulane on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

“I used an old Bum Phillips line, ‘They can kill ya, but they can’t eat ya,’ ” Archie

said. “Bum used to always say that to the kickoff (coverage) team to start the game.”

Manning Manning developed a relationship with Golding a few years ago when he served as the lead recruiter for his grandson, Arch Manning, who eventually signed with Texas. Golding will be making his head coaching debut Saturday after land-

ing the job when Lane Kiffin left for LSU on Nov. 30.

“It was nice of Pete to ask,” the elder Manning said. “Pete’s a good guy and a terrific coach. I’m excited to see him at Ole Miss.”

Manning plans to attend the game with friends and family, including youngest son Eli, who also starred at quarterback for Ole Miss from 2000-03.

“I think it’s going to be a good game,” the elder Manning said. “We’re looking forward to see who wins and goes on to the Sugar Bowl.”

WE PROUDLY ROLL WITH THE WAVE!

CONGRATULATIONS On A Great Season.

BEAT OLE MISS!

www.robertfreshmarket.com

Proud Sponsor of Tulane Football

OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

SPORTS

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S at u r d ay, d e c e m b e r 20, 2025

5cN

LSU turns back Southeastern Louisiana Tigers start fast, hold off Lions in return to PMAC

BY TOYLOY BROWN III

Staff writer

LSU enjoyed its first home game in 28 days.

After its most recent game, a 12-point win over SMU at the Smoothie King Center last Saturday, the Tigers replicated that sharp play at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center as coach Matt McMahon’s team took down Southeastern Louisiana 78-65 on Friday.

LSU (10-1) was led by Marquel Sutton, who had 17 points and nine rebounds. The senior shot went 7 of 9 from the field. Mike Nwoko had 18 points on 6-of-6 shooting and six rebounds, and Dedan Thomas had 14 points and four assists for the Tigers.

LSU executed at a high level from the onset. The team wanted

to play at a fast pace after misses, but it didn’t rush its offensive sets once it crossed the half-court line.

Players patiently found their open teammates, and that resulted in plays such as an alley-oop dunk

by Nwoko, with the pass coming from Max Mackinnon. Another snappy play was a right corner 3-pointer from Sutton coming off a skip pass by Nwoko, who isn’t normally a playmaker, from the top of the key.

LSU started the game making 6 of 7 shots to take a 14-6 lead with 15:45 remaining in the first half.

Mackinnon, the team’s best outside shooter, came off an elite 3-point shooting game as he made 6 of 7 3-pointers to score 22 points against SMU. The Australian who transferred from Portland remained hot, opening Friday’s game

by making his first three. He finished with 14 points and was 3 of 5 from the 3-point line.

LSU opened the game 9 of 10 from the field, but the offense cooled off once its floor general, Thomas, was substituted out with 11:38 remaining in the first half.

When backup freshman point guard Jalen Reece entered alongside wings Rashad King and Ron Zipper, the scoring efficiency dwindled. The team started to shoot more shots later in the shot clock, and the quality of looks was not as high.

The Tigers had a 27-11 lead when Thomas went to the bench. When he returned at the 5:31 mark, they were up 35-24.

Southeastern (4-8) wasn’t able

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU guard Max Mackinnon drives the ball around Southeastern Louisiana guard Jalen Forrest on Friday night at the PMAC. MacKinnon, an Australia ä See LSU, page 12C native, finished with 14 points in the Tigers’ 78-65 win.

JE T S AT SAIN T S • NOON SUNDAy • CBS

Spurned Saints

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF

Aggies not happy just being here

Texas A&M looking for breakthrough vs. Miami

BY KRISTIE RIEKEN AP sportswriter

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PHELAN M. EBENHACK

New york Jets coach Aaron Glenn speaks during a news conference conference after Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Jacksonville, Fla. A former Saints assistant coach, Glenn will lead his new team against New Orleans on Sunday in the Caesars Superdome.

Glenn makes first trip to Dome after choosing Jets coaching job over N.O. Eleven months ago, Aaron Glenn had some people thinking the New Orleans Saints head coaching job was the worst one in the league.

That’s when Glenn, who played for the Saints and also served as an assistant coach in New Orleans, chose not to even do an in-person interview with the organization. He did a virtual interview, then accepted the gig with the New York Jets, the team that drafted him in 1994.

Choosing the Jets over the Saints stung for New Orleans, especially considering the Jets had missed the playoffs 14 seasons in a row. That’s the longest postseason drought in any of the four major sports. This year makes 15 straight for

Rod Walker the Jets, the team Glenn played for during his first eight NFL seasons.

Yet that was the job Glenn chose, leaving many Saints fans saying: “Dang, he chose the Jets over us?”

But at the time, the Saints were more than $50 million over the salary cap, had

a roster that was getting old and plenty of long-term uncertainty at quarterback with Derek Carr penciled in as the starter.

Glenn, who spent the past four seasons as defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions, was toward the top of Saints general manager Mickey Loomis’ wish list.

Loomis ended up hiring Kellen Moore, whose previous six seasons included offensive coordinator stints with the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles.

So which team ended up getting the best coach?

ä See WALKER, page 7C

Borrego: Practice key to N.O.’s defensive uptick place in a Pelicans top Rockets took span of 23 days, included for third straight win which three sets of back-

BY LES EAST

Contributing writer The New Orleans Pelicans have won three games in a row for the first time this season.

It’s no coincidence that this stretch has come during the least condensed part of the schedule since James Borrego took over as interim head coach last month.

The first 13 games under Borrego (of which 12 were losses)

to-back games.

That left virtually no time for meaningful practices.

But since that Borrego stretch ended, 11 days have passed and Borrego has had six practices surrounding the three victories, including Friday’s workout that was squeezed between a dramatic 133-128 overtime victory against Houston on Thursday and the game against

ä Pacers at Pelicans.

6 P.M. SATURDAy,WVUE

Indiana at 6 p.m. Saturday in the Smoothie King Center.

“We spent a lot of time on the defensive end,” Borrego said before the game against the Rockets. “We’ve been bleeding on that end of the floor.”

Borrego cited “better communication in transition” and rebounding as two areas where the team has been “really digging in.”

“If we can stabilize those two areas, we’re going to have a chance

to guard,” he said. “We’re going to give ourselves a chance.”

Those areas of improvement were evident when New Orleans matched its second-lowest point total allowed this season in a 114104 victory at Chicago on Sunday.

The Pelicans outrebounded the Bulls 43-33, but Borrego was concerned about how the Pelicans would match up with the Rockets — the No. 1 team in the NBA in offensive rebounds, total rebounds and rebounding margin.

Houston easily won the

ä See PELICANS, page 10C

COLLEGE STATION,Texas — Texas A&M coach Mike Elko had to take a moment to compose himself when he was asked whether this season was championship or bust or whether his Aggies were simply happy to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time as they prepared for Saturday’s game against Miami.

“I’m trying to be nice,” Elko said.

Then he continä Miami at ued.

“I don’t know Texas A&M. that you define it 11 A.M. SATURDAy, that way,” he said.

ABC “We’re in Year 2.

We’re trying to establish a championship type of program. We haven’t won a championship around here since 1939, so that’s a lot of busts if that’s the only marker.

“I think we’re obviously in this thing to compete for a national championship, for sure. We believe ... we’re one of the teams that’s capable of going out there and winning it, but I don’t know that you define seasons like that.”

Like the Aggies, the Hurricanes are in the playoff for the first time, though their championship drought is much shorter than Texas A&M’s. Miami has won five national titles with the most recent one coming in 2001.

Seventh-seeded Texas A&M (111) knew it would get a spot in the playoff well ahead of the bracket announcement Dec. 7 after losing its only game in the regular-season finale to rival Texas. For the Hurricanes, there was a lot more consternation, especially considering that they didn’t get a spot last season despite an identical 10-2 record.

The No. 10-seeded Hurricanes

ä See AGGIES, page 8C

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOT

Texas A&M wide receiver Ashton Bethel-Roman, left, reacts with quarterback Marcel Reed after scoring a touchdown against Samford on Nov. 22 in College Station, Texas.

6C ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 11 a.m. Oakland vs. Michigan St. BTN 11:30 a.m. St. John’s vs. Kentucky CBS 11:30 a.m. Liberty at Dayton USA 1 p.m.

Colorado St. at Utah St. CBSSN 2 p.m.

North Carolina vs. Ohio St. CBS 3 p.m.

Memphis at Mississippi St. ESPN 3 p.m.

Northwestern vs. Butler Peacock 4:30 p.m. Houston vs. Arkansas CBS 5 p.m.

Bucknell at Iowa BTN 5 p.m.

Maryland at Virginia ESPN 5:30 p.m. Auburn vs. Purdue Peacock 7 p.m.

Penn at Rutgers BTN 7 p.m.

Duke vs. Texas Tech ESPN 7 p.m.

Stanford vs. Colorado ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Xavier at Georgetown FS1 7:30 p.m. Marquette at Creighton Peacock 9:30 p.m. San Diego St. vs. Arizona ESPN2 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 10 a.m. Louisville vs. Tennessee Fox

12:30 p.m. Iowa vs. UConn Fox COLLEGE FOOTBALL 11 a.m. CFP: Miami at Texas A&M ABC, ESPN 2:30 p.m. CFP: Tulane at Mississippi TBS, TNT 3 p.m.

FCS semi.: Montana at Montana St. ABC 3 p.m.

D-II Champ.: Harding vs. Ferris St. ESPN2 6:30 p.m. FCS semi: Illinois St. at Villanova ESPN2 6:30 p.m. CFP: James Madison at Oregon TBS, TNT GOLF 3 a.m.

AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open Golf 1:30 p.m. PNC Championship NBC HORSE RACING 1:30 p.m. America’s Day at the Races FS1 NBA 4 p.m.

Houston at Denver NBATV 6 p.m.

Indiana at New Orleans WVUE 6:30 p.m. Charlotte at Detroit NBATV 9:30 p.m. L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers NBATV NBA G-LEAGUE 11 a.m. South Bay vs. Sioux Falls NBATV 1:30 p.m. Westchester vs. R.G. Valley NBATV

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

2:30 p.m. Capital City vs. Okla. City ESPNEWS 5 p.m.

Memphis vs. Windy City ESPNU 7:30 p.m. Motor City vs. Valley ESPNEWS NFL 4 p.m.

Philadelphia at Washington Fox 7:20 p.m. Green Bay at Chicago Fox NHL 11:30 a.m. Detroit at Washington NHLN 6 p.m.

Vancouver at Boston NHLN SKIING/SNOWBOARDING 12:30 p.m. FIS: World Cup CNBC MEN’S SOCCER 6:25 a.m. Coventry City at Southampton CBSSN 6:30 a.m. Chelsea at Newcastle United USA 8:55 a.m. Middlesbrough at Bristol City CBSSN 9 a.m.

West Ham at Man. City USA 11:30 a.m. Liverpool at Tottenham Hotspur NBC 2 p.m.

Crystal Palace at Leeds United USA TENNIS 10 a.m. Next Gen Finals: Semifinals Tennis

Special teams key to Seahawks’ season

BY ANDREW DESTIN Associated Press

RENTON, Wash. — If there was a single play that embodied how impactful Seattle’s special teams units have been in 2025, it came midway through the fourth quarter Thursday night with the Seahawks in desperate need of a spark.

Trailing the Los Angeles Rams 30-14, Rashid Shaheed returned a punt 58 yards for a touchdown, and ignited a dormant Lumen Field crowd in the process with 8:03 remaining in regulation.

The Seahawks went on to win 38-37 in overtime.

“It gave us life,” safety Julian Love said. “We felt like for this game, our special was a weapAnalysis teams on. We have a really good unit. When we got Rashid this year, it gave us a whole new sense of focus and energy on special teams, just knowing that he can return a kick at any moment.”

The Seahawks rank fourth in average yards per kick return (15.6) and are tied for fourth in average yards per punt return (27.9).

Seattle is also tied for the league lead in both punt return touchdowns (2) and kickoff return touchdowns (1), and Jason Myers leads the league with the most made field goals (37).

Add all of that to the NFL’s fourth-best scoring offense, and the result is a 12-3 team that has clinched a playoff spot and moved into position for the top seed in the NFC. “I mean, our special teams unit has just been a massive catalyst for us,” coach Mike Macdonald said.

While Seattle’s offense rose to the occasion down the stretch on Thursday, that wasn’t the case last week in a gut-wrenching 18-16 win against the Indianapolis Colts. Myers kicked six field goals that afternoon and converted all of them.

“Our next goal is to win the division,” Macdonald said. “Now, you can’t do that unless you win the

SANTA ANA, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels reached a confidential settlement Friday with the family of late pitcher Tyler Skaggs after a lengthy trial that detailed drug use by players.

The two-month trial centered on whether the Angels bore responsibility for Skaggs’ 2019 overdose death on a team trip to Texas after he’d been given a counterfeit oxycodone pill laced with fentanyl by the team’s then-communications director, Eric Kay. The last-minute settlement was reached as jurors were nearing the end of their deliberations, they said.

The jury had concluded the Angels were negligent and had moved on to determining what percentage of responsibility the team shared for Skaggs’ death.

NASCAR driver Keselowski breaks right leg on ski trip CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR driver Brad Keselowski, a former series champion who is now co-owner of RFK Racing, broke his right leg while on a ski trip, the team announced Friday.

Keselowski underwent surgery Thursday and doctors have told him to expect a quick recovery that will have him back for the season-opening Daytona 500 in February. He is winless in 16 starts in the showcase race as he enters the final years of his driving career.

“Life has a way of reminding you to slow down,” Keselowski posted on social media with photos of him in the hospital surrounded by his wife and children, an image of the break and video of him using a walker.

Royals reunite with Strahm after trade with Phillies ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LINDSEy WASSON

Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed runs for a touchdown against the Rams on Thursday in Seattle. next one, so it’s the same message.

Obviously, really excited to be in the dance. Anything can happen once you get in, but we got a division title on the line that we need to go capture.”

What’s working Tight end AJ Barner has done a fine job as the Seahawks’ No. 1 option at the position while fellow tight end Elijah Arroyo is out with a knee issue. Barner had four receptions for 49 yards and a touchdown, one which allowed the Seahawks to even the score at 30all in the fourth quarter.

The touchdown was Barner’s career-high fifth of the season.

What needs help The Seahawks secondary dealt with its fair share of injuries Thursday, but even before those happened, the Rams had their way through the air.

Despite Los Angeles playing without the NFL’s touchdown receptions leader in Davante Ad-

ams, Matthew Stafford had 457 yards passing — the third-most of his career.

Puka Nacua finished with 12 catches for 225 yards and two TDs. Macdonald acknowledged the Seahawks’ defense, which entered the evening ranking fourth in total yards allowed per game, needed to do better than allow 581 yards of total offense.

“We got to play better and got to game plan better, call it better,” Macdonald said. “I wasn’t good enough on the defensive front. We know that.”

he had 100 yards rushing, his most since galloping for 105 yards in a Week 2 victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Stock down

Wide receiver Cooper Kupp had three receptions for 39 yards receiving, as well as a two-point conversion catch, on Thursday.

He also fumbled deep in Los Angeles territory late in the second quarter after catching a pass on a post route. Kupp fumbled the ball after absorbing a big hit, and it was his first fumble of the season.

Kupp bounced back with key Stock up catches toward the end of the Running back Kenneth Walker game. rushed for a 55-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, his lon- Injuries gest run since his rookie season.

Macdonald did not have any Walker had a 60-yard run on Jan. updates on safety Coby Bryant 1, 2023, against the New York (knee) or cornerback Riq WoolJets. en (knee), both of whom left the The fourth-year tailback was game early. Both defensive backs limited to season-lows of nine were having imaging done Friday. carries and 17 yards in last week’s Safety Nick Emmanwori cleared win over the Colts. On Thursday, concussion protocol.

Lawrence finally looks like Jags’ generational QB

BY MARK LONG Associated Press

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Trevor Lawrence spun and rolled left to avoid pressure, squared his shoulders as much as possible with a defender in his face and heaved the ball 50 yards toward the sideline.

It looked like a potential throwaway.

It was actually a perfectly placed pass to Parker Washington, who was sprinting across the field.

Lawrence smiled and shrugged his shoulders toward Jacksonville’s bench — an acknowledgement that it was the second time in as many weeks he turned a busted play into a big gain — and moved on. There really wasn’t much else to say as the best performance of Lawrence’s five-year NFL career unfolded against the New York Jets.

Lawrence finished with 330 yards passing, five touchdowns and a career-high 136.7 passer rating. He also ran for 51 yards and a score. Three days later, Lawrence was named AFC offensive player of the week.

He has a shot at being the league’s conference player of the month for December, especially if he continues to ascend when the surprising Jaguars (10-4) play at stingy Denver (12-2) on Sunday.

“I feel like I’m seeing it really well,” Lawrence said. “I think

Angels settle lawsuit with family of pitcher Skaggs

AP PHOTO By JOHN RAOUX

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence looks on during a game against the New york Jets on Sunday in Jacksonville, Fla. I’m throwing it well. Offensively, in general, it’s never about one guy. As an offense, we’re really synced up right now, especially in the passing game and protecting up front.

“We all have a lot of confidence in what we’re doing. It seems like we’ve got the ball rolling the last few weeks, so it feels good.”

Lawrence has thrown for at least 225 yards and two TDs in four consecutive weeks. He also has no turnovers in his last three games — Lawrence’s longest, mistake-free stretch since the Jaguars drafted him as the top

pick in 2021.

There are reasons for his recent surge.

Coach Liam Coen tops the list.

The play-caller and Lawrence have figured each other out, building a level of consistency and cohesion Lawrence rarely found as a rookie under coach Urban Meyer or in three years under Doug Pederson, who changed passing game coordinators and gave up play-calling duties after his first season in Jacksonville.

Coen has drawn rave reviews inside the team facility for his communication skills and his will-

ingness to adjust — no moves bigger than trading for sure-handed receivers Jakobi Meyers and Tim Patrick, inserting backup left tackle Cole Van Lanen into the starting lineup and remaining committed to a ground game that helps keep Lawrence upright and healthy.

“As you’re building, you just have to make sure you’re doing right by the whole place and putting the best 11 out there,” Coen said. “Individual success is extremely important to us. You want every player to get what they truly deserve and earn. … But it has to come back to the team first.

“Ultimately, everything we’re trying to do is to do that. Put the team first, protect the team and give ourselves the best chance to go win on Sunday.”

The Jaguars have won five in a row and six of seven since their bye, the only loss being the biggest collapse in franchise history.

They are averaging 34.2 points a game during the winning streak, with Lawrence getting — and deserving — much of the credit.

He finally looks like the generational quarterback the Jaguars thought they were getting nearly five years ago when the previously winless Jets beat the Los Angeles Rams and Cleveland in consecutive weeks late in the 2020 season to essentially hand the top draft pick to Jacksonville.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals reunited with veteran lefthander Matt Strahm on Friday, acquiring the former All-Star from the Philadelphia Phillies in a trade for right-hander Jonathan Bowlan in a move that each club hopes will improve its bullpen.

The 34-year-old Strahm was drafted by the Royals in 2012 out of Neosho County Community College in Chanute, Kansas, and he went on to spend his first two big league seasons with them. Strahm has spent the past three years in Philadelphia.

“We’ve been saying all along we need to address our outfield and raise the floor of our outfield,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said, “but also on our list was our bullpen. We’ve been able to address it probably in a timetable quicker than we thought.”

Wawrinka announces next year to be his last on tour Three-time major winner Stan Wawrinka says 2026 will be his last year on tour.

Since Wawrinka turned pro in 2002, the Swiss has won 16 tour singles titles. He beat the No. 1-ranked player in the finals of the 2014 Australian Open (Rafael Nadal), 2015 French Open (Novak Djokovic) and 2016 U.S. Open (Djokovic).

“One last push,” Wawrinka wrote on social media on Friday. “Every book needs an ending. It’s time to write the final chapter of my career as a professional tennis player.

2026 will be my last year on tour.”

Wawrinka, 40, and Roger Federer won the 2008 Beijing Olympics doubles gold medal and helped Switzerland win its only Davis Cup in 2014.

Chiefs close to leaving for new home in Kansas KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The Kansas City Chiefs appear to be mere days away from taking a big step toward a move across the state line and eventually leaving their longtime home at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri for a new and likely covered stadium in Kansas.

With a year-end deadline approaching, the Legislative Coordinating Council is scheduled to meet Monday in Topeka, Kansas, where it will consider approving bonds that would fund up to 70% of a stadium project to help lure the NFL franchise to the state.

The Chiefs and the Kansas City Royals have played for more than 50 years in side-by-side stadiums in Jackson County, Missouri. But those leases are due to expire in January 2031, and the two franchises have been working for years on their futures.

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Saints place emerging WR Vele on IR Smyth signs

Running back Alvin Kamara will miss his fourth straight game Sunday after he and two other Saints players were ruled out ahead of the team’s matchup with the New York Jets.

Kamara was listed with knee and ankle injuries, but coach Kellen Moore has said it’s the knee that is primarily bothering the veteran. The 30-year-old landed awkwardly in a Nov. 23 loss to the Atlanta Falcons

and was limited to just 11 snaps.

In addition to Kamara’s absence, offensive linemen Cesar Ruiz and Asim Richards will miss the game with ankle injuries. Guard William Sherman is expected to start in Ruiz’s place, while Xavier Truss could be the team’s swing tackle in place of Richards — who’s out for the second straight week.

The Saints also listed wide receiver Mason Tipton (illness), defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd (anke and knee) and tight end Zaire Mitchell-Paden (knee) as questionable.

Safety Justin Reid will return from a two-game absence as he was cleared to play after a knee injury.

Though Kamara has been out for the last month, Moore defended the team’s decision not to place the running back on injured reserve — which would have cleared a roster spot and forced Kamara to miss a minimum of four games.

“We’re just keeping an eye on that one,” Moore said. “We’ll see how it progresses. Timelines are different for all these guys.”

Moore said Kamara’s injury hasn’t “necessarily” lasted longer than the Saints expected. With Kamara out, and backups Devin Neal and Kendre Miller done for the year, running backs Audric Estime and Evan Hull are expected to take most of the carries against the Jets.

meeting between the first-year head coaches, they have faced off twice as coordinators.

Two seasons ago, when Moore was with the Chargers and Glenn with the Lions, Detroit won 41-38.

Three seasons ago when Moore was in Dallas, the Cowboys beat the Lions 24-6.

“I’ve always had a ton of respect for Aaron, especially from a defensive perspective,” Moore said. “Just the way they play.

Play style, the effort, the ball attacking.

“They’ve had such a history of that going back to Detroit. When we’ve played him, it’s been a challenge.

“Obviously, he’s building something there. And he’s building it

the right way, and he’s going to build something really special.”

Saints defensive end Jonah Williams played in Detroit under Glenn last season.

“The first thing that stood out was his energy,” Williams said.

“He’s so intense in the meetings, and he demanded a lot of his players. I knew he was capable (of being a head coach) the way he led the room.”

Moore is more laid back.

Saints defensive end Carl Granderson now has been around both. Glenn coached defensive backs for the Saints from 201620, and Granderson was here for the last two years of that span.

“I think it’s a different type of energy between the two,” Grand-

erson said. “Kellen’s energy is more like a happy energy. AG’s energy is more intense. That’s the only difference.”

Inevitably, the only difference that will matter is wins and losses.

Time will tell.

BY LUKE JOHNSON, MATTHEW PARAS AND JEFF DUNCAN Staff writers

Just as he was starting to become a major piece of the New Orleans Saints offense, Devaughn Vele‘s 2025 season has come to a close.

The Saints placed Vele on injured reserve Friday, clearing a rosNotebook ter spot for kicker Charlie Smyth. The second-year wide receiver injured his shoulder during last week’s win against the Carolina Panthers.

Vele finished his season with 25 receptions for 293 yards and two touchdowns — production that, on the surface, does not match the price the Saints paid when they traded a 2026 fourth-round pick to the Denver Broncos to acquire Vele before the start of the season.

But in recent weeks, the 6-foot-5 Vele had looked worth the cost.

In the last three weeks, Vele caught 16 of his 19 targets for 202 yards and a touchdown — including an excellent performance in a losing effort against Miami when he caught eight passes for 93 yards and a score in the final two quarters to ignite a rally.

Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough clearly trusted Vele in crucial situations. Since Shough took over as the starter in Week 9, he’s completed five of his seven pass attempts

WALKER

Continued from page 5C The answer to that question won’t be known until years down the road, when we get a better sense of how the rebuilding projects in the Big Apple and the Big Easy have gone.

Both Moore and Glenn have gotten off to rough starts in their inaugural seasons.

The Saints are 4-10 but are seemingly trending slowly but surely in the right direction.

The Jets are 3-11 and have fired their defensive coordinator and traded away their two best defensive players (cornerback Sauce

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele catches the ball against the New England Patriots in the first half of a game in the Caesars Superdome on Oct. 12. Vele was place on injured reserve on Friday. intended for Vele on third down.

The only one of those completions that did not go for a first down came when Vele gained 15 yards on third and 17.

In general, Shough had a 111.3 passer rating when targeting Vele since he took over as a starter, completing 20 of 28 pass attempts for 254 yards with a touchdown and 15 first-down conversions.

Vele still has two years remaining on his rookie contract.

Gardner and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams) this season.

The Saints, with the emergence of rookie Tyler Shough, have at least figured out their quarterback situation.

The Jets still haven’t. They will start undrafted rookie Brady Cook on Sunday at Caesars Superdome in a game that is somewhat meaningless other than two bad teams jockeying for draft position.

The fact the Saints have found their quarterback of the future suggests that Loomis may have made the right hire. Would the Saints have their answer at quarterback if the defensive-minded Glenn was running the show?

Although this will be the first

Kamara out again

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Smyth has signed a three-year contract with the Saints and has been elevated to the active roster, his agent, Paul Sheehy, said in a social-media post Friday.

Terms of the deal were not released.

Smyth, a 24-year-old native Northern Irishman, has made four of his five field goal attempts, with a long of 56, and each of his five extra points since taking over the starting kicking job from Blake Grupe in Week 13. His lone miss came from 48 yards in a driving rain in Tampa, Florida.

The Saints elevated Smyth from the practice squad for each of the last three games, making it necessary to sign him to the active roster because he is now out of elevation options.

Smyth entered the NFL through the International Player Pathway.

He is the second kicker to come from Northern Ireland through the IPP to kick in a game, joining Jude McAtamney, and the first to make the leap directly from Ireland without American college experience.

Smyth has spent his entire time with the Saints to this point on the practice squad — something that has been made possible because of the roster exemption the Saints have received because of Smyth’s status as an international player.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

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NC State hammers Memphis to win Gasparilla Bowl

By The Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROBERT SIMMONS

James Madison coach Bob Chesney, second from right, and running back Wayne Knight, right, celebrate after winning the Sun Belt championship on Dec. 5 in Harrisonburg, Va. The Dukes face Oregon on Saturday in the College Football Playoff.

Ducks host newcomer to College Football Playoff

BY ANNE M. PETERSON

ä James Madison at Oregon .

and rushed for 544 yards and 14 more TDs. Named the Sun Belt’s Player of the Year, Barnett has nothing but respect for Oregon.

But that doesn’t mean he fears the Ducks.

“You can’t psych yourself out and lose the game before you start the game,” Barnett said.

“You have to remember from day one why you started playing this game as a kid. I think if you were to ask everybody on this team, especially this generation, who was your favorite football team growing up, people would probably say Oregon. They had the flashy jerseys, Marcus Mariota, Darron Thomas, Kenjon Barner.

I was one of those kids who grew up watching Oregon. This is one of those environments you dream about playing in. If you are who you say you are, you can’t shut down when the lights are bright.”

AP sportswriter

6:30 P.M. SATURDAy,TNT

The College Football Playoff is pretty much business as usual for Oregon, which is more accustomed to playing at this level.

The story is different in several ways for James Madison, a newcomer to the playoff.

James Madison coach Bob Chesney will lead the Dukes in Saturday’s first-round game — and possible beyond if the Dukes win — but he’s already been hired as the new head coach at UCLA. His replacement, former Florida head coach Billy Napier, was hired by JMU last week.

“There’s going to be a little juggling that’s going to occur here in my life,” Chesney said in his introductory news conference at UCLA. So an already challenging situation for a first-time participant will be made even more so by the logistics.

Oregon (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) was seeded fifth going into the game at Autzen Stadium. The winner will go on to play fourth-seeded Texas Tech in a quarterfinal game at the Orange Bowl.

James Madison is the No. 12 seed after finishing 12-1 this season and 8-0 in the Sun Belt, capping it off with the program’s first-ever conference championship. The Dukes’ lone loss this season came to Louisville, the team’s only Power Four opponent this year.

“We’re really proud to be one of the 12 teams in this College Football Playoff. It’s rare for teams in the Group of Five to make it and I think to have two in here is pretty exciting,” Chesney said. “Certainly a lot of work went into it, a lot of commitment over the years from our university. We’re excited to get out there, to have a chance to play one of the best teams in the country and we certainly understand

the opportunity and the excitement around it.”

In contrast, the Ducks have been in this position before. Oregon went to the CFP quarterfinals last season but fell at the Rose Bowl to Ohio State. So while the Ducks are hoping to improve on that outcome, nothing is changing about their usual preparation — except they’ve had some 21 days in the run-up to the game.

“I mean, ultimately, the process is the part you have in place,” coach Dan Lanning said. “The process has to be very similar to a normal game, but the stakes are certainly really high, knowing that if you don’t take care of business, you don’t get a redo, you don’t get another opportunity. So there is a difference, but I think that the piece for us is to focus on what allows you to have success and what Ducks receivers returning? creates the result you want. And The layoff between games has that’s maintaining that process.” given Oregon’s depleted receiving staff some time to get healthy, alMore juggling though what that will mean on SatChesney isn’t the only one bal- urday remains to be seen.

Dynamic freshman Dakorien ancing a new job while sticking around for the playoff. Oregon of- Moore has missed four games fensive coordinator Will Stein is with a knee injury, while Gary the new head coach at Kentucky, Bryant Jr. has missed three. Each while defensive coordinator Tosh has caught four touchdown passes Lupoi has been hired to coach Cali- from quarterback Dante Moore. fornia. Both will be with the Ducks Evan Stewart has been out all seathrough the playoffs, however long son. they might last, while also accli“Everybody is closer than they mating themselves to their new were yesterday,” Lanning said, without tipping his hand. All three jobs.

Stein told reporters he’d feel like were at practice earlier in the a “complete fraud” if he bailed on week, although it was unclear how Oregon as it mounted a playoff run. much they participated.

Despite the absences, Dante “The last thing I’d ever do would be Moore has thrown for 2,733 yards to leave these players,” he added. with 24 touchdowns and six interRespect ceptions this season, and is facing James Madison quarterback questions about whether he’ll stay Alonza Barnett III has thrown for at Oregon or declare for the NFL 2,533 yards with 21 touchdowns, draft in the offseason.

AGGIES

Continued from page 5C got the last at-large spot over Notre Dame thanks to their 27-24 win over the Fighting Irish in the season opener.

Miami quarterback Carson Beck, who is in his first season with the team after a transfer from Georgia, said making the playoff “means everything.”

“This is what I came here for,” Beck said. “There’s been a lot of adversity that we’ve had to face as a team, that I’ve had to face individually. In that moment to see The U come up on the TV, I obviously was extremely excited and ready for the opportunity. This team is excited to compete.”

The only common opponent between these teams is the Fighting Irish, who Texas A&M beat 41-40 on Sept. 13 for Notre Dame’s only other loss this season.

The Aggies have pointed to that victory as a key moment in the season that helped build their confidence. It’s a confidence that wasn’t

shaken despite the loss to Texas.

“It was a rough loss, and you hate to lose that game, but we’ve got hopefully four more games left,” right tackle Dametrious Crownover said. “We can’t afford the time to sit and sulk. We had our time off to sit and sulk about it, and now we’ve got to go win a national championship.”

The winner advances to the Cotton Bowl to play No. 2-seeded Ohio State on Dec. 31.

The Hurricanes will have to buck a 20-year trend if they’re going to extend their season.

Going back to November 2005, the Hurricanes are 0-13 when they travel outside of Miami to play a team ranked 10th or better in the AP Top 25 poll. In 10 of those games, Miami wound up losing by at least 13 points.

The Hurricanes are 1-0 against top-10 teams this season with the victory over Notre Dame in first week of the season.

Coach Mario Cristobal called Kyle Field one of the best environments in sports and knows his team will have to be focused to deal with a crowd that’s certain to

exceed 100,000.

“It comes down to your preparation because at the end of the day, this is going to come down to the 22 that are on the field, that are actually executing against each other, and execution is at a premium,” he said.

Texas A&M star running back Le’Veon Moss, an Istrouma graduate, has missed the last six games with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable for Saturday. He had 70 carries for 389 yards and six touchdowns in six games this season, highlighted by a careerhigh 139 yards in a win over Auburn.

If he can’t go, Texas A&M will continue to rely on Rueben Owens to power the running game.

He leads the team with 618 yards rushing but has managed just 76 yards combined in his last two games.

Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney needs 30 yards to post the eighth 1,000-yard receiving season in school history. The secondteam All-American as a freshman has had 25 catches for 272 yards in his last two games alone.

TAMPA, Fla. — CJ Bailey threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns and scored another on the ground as NC State took down Memphis 31-7 in the Gasparilla Bowl on Friday.

The Wolfpack concluded their season at 8-5 and won a bowl game for the first time since the 2017 Sun Bowl.

Jayden Scott racked up 108 yards rushing to pace the NC State offense. Wesley Grimes led with 48 yards receiving and a score on three catches and six targets.

NC State struck first on its opening drive as Bailey scampered for a 14-yard touchdown run. The Wolfpack scored on all but two of their first-half drives to take a 31-7 lead into halftime.

Grimes hauled in a 31-yard touchdown; Teddy Hoffman took his only catch for a 40-yard score; and Will Wilson tacked on a 1-yard rushing touchdown before time expired in the first half.

The Tigers (8-5) got on the board with Jamari Hawkins’ 28yard reception. Hawkins had four catches for 32 yards.

Myrtle Beach Bowl WESTERN MICHIGAN 41, KENNESAW STATE 6: In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Jalen Buckley ran for 174 yards, and Western Michigan scored on a fumble recovery and a pick-six on its way to rolling

Kennesaw State.

The Broncos finished their season at 10-4 and became the first team in program history to win a conference championship and a bowl game. They reached 10 wins for the second time, joining the 13-1 2016 team.

Western Michigan jumped ahead early on its first play of the game, as Buckley broke free for a 65-yard rushing touchdown for his only score of the game. They scored again less than a minute later as defensive lineman Kershawn Fisher scored on a 47-yard fumble recovery.

Blake Bosma and Mareyohn Hrabowski each caught touchdowns before the end of the first quarter and Devin Miles added a rushing score in the second.

Western Michigan led 34-0 at halftime.

Joey Pope’s 75-yard pick-six to start the third quarter completed the scoring for the Broncos.

Javon Rogers caught an 82yard touchdown pass from Amari Odom to get Kennesaw State (10-4) on the board. Odom was 18of-35 passing for 209 yards and was intercepted twice.

The Myrtle Beach Bowl was the only bowl game this season, outside of the College Football Playoff, to feature two conference champions. Western Michigan beat Miami of Ohio to win the Mid-American Conference and Kennesaw State beat Jacksonville State to win Conference USA.

LSU expects to hire D-line coach from SEC team

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

LSU football targeted South Carolina assistant coach Sterling Lucas and expects to hire him onto the defensive staff, multiple sources told The Advocate on Friday.

Though Lucas coached defensive ends and outside linebackers for the past four seasons at South Carolina, a source said he will coach the interior defensive line for the Tigers. LSU already has an edge rushers coach in Kevin Peoples, who’s entering his third season.

The terms of the deal are not yet known.

With LSU defensive line coach Kyle Williams expected to step away after one season as a college coach, LSU initially targeted Syracuse co-defensive coordinator and defensive line coach Elijah Robinson. There was an expectation at one point that LSU would hire Robinson, a former Texas A&M defensive line coach, but it began interviewing other candidates over the past two weeks.

Lucas, a native of Orangeburg, South Carolina, played linebacker at NC State from 2008-12 before he began his coaching career. He spent six years in various roles with the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars before going to South Carolina. He also held the title of defensive run game coordinator last season.

During his time with the Gamecocks, Lucas coached standout defensive ends Dylan Stewart and Kyle Kennard, one of the most productive tandems in the country in 2024. Kennard won the Bronco Nagurski Award as the nation’s top defensive player

that season. Stewart, a former five-star recruit, has amassed 221/ 2 tackles for loss and 11 sacks over the past two years. He was a second-team All-SEC selection this fall.

Under new head coach Lane Kiffin, LSU retained most of its defensive staff after defensive coordinator Blake Baker turned down offers from Tulane and Memphis to stay at LSU with a new contract. With Baker returning, LSU is expected to keep Peoples, safeties coach Jake Olsen and cornerbacks coach Corey Raymond. A role is being discussed for Chris Kiffin, who coached linebackers at Ole Miss this past season.

If Lucas stays for a few years, he may provide continuity to the interior defensive line. LSU hasn’t kept the same defensive line coach in place for two full years in a decade, and it had a different coach at the position every season for the past six years.

Once the hire gets finalized, Lucas will have a rebuilding project on his hands. LSU has to replace three of its top four defensive linemen in sixth-year senior Jacobian Guillory, fifth-year senior Bernard Gooden and sophomore Ahmad Breaux. Guillory and Gooden exhausted their eligibility, and Breaux is entering the transfer portal.

LSU has two defensive tackles who played more than 100 snaps who can return in sophomore Dominick McKinley and freshman Walter Mathis. It has other young defensive tackles and signed five-star Richard Anderson and four-star Deuce Geralds.

But without much returning experience, LSU is expected to look in the transfer portal for defensive linemen.

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GOOD LUCK GREEN WAVE FROM A FELLOW TULANIAN!

Near City Park & Yacht Club! Indoor-Outdoor Appeal in 15-yr old home.

Custom built home has 2 large porches, heated-salt water pool! Open Floor Plan w/ 6 Beds, 3.5 Baths, 3964 SqFt of Living area, Formal Rooms, Huge Chef’s Kitchen & Den w/ great architectural detailing. 2-car garage & 3-car parking pad. Whole house generator, gas burning frplc & many other features!

Linda Babineaux • 504-957-8014 J. Babineaux • 504-813-8460 COMPASS • Uptown/Maple St. 504-861-7575

gbachlb@gmail.com glenndabach.latter-blum.com

2727 Prytania St., Ste 15 in The Rink NOLA 70130

200 Broadway, Suite 142, NOLA 70118

WATER FRONT

NEW

DON’T MISS OUT!

1530 Seventh Street, Unit 1530 • Garden District

$789,000

$1,650,000 308 Italian Isle Road • Gautier, MS

Gorgeous Beachfront 4 Bed, 4.5 Bath, 3,252 SqFt home on .3 acre corner lot

by Biloxi lighthouse. Custom home with high ceilings, custom cabinets, antique heart pine flooring and doors, beautiful courtyard, steel-framed construction. 18 ft. Elevation. And a 2 Bed, 1 Bath, 1,057 SqFt Guesthouse!

Sherry L. Owen Owen & Co. Real Estate LLC

228-760-2815 228-822-9870

NEW

$1,998,000 133 Reynoir Street, Unit 1 • Biloxi

New Construction! The First Sant Beach Homes in Biloxi! PGT hurricaneresistant windows and doors with impact glass and a Gold Fortified rating.

5 Beds, 5.5 Baths, 4,065 SqFt featuring engineered wood floors, custom cabinets, ceramic-tiled bathrooms and showers, custom iron front door, glass railings, high ceilings, 8’ doors and 12’ ceilings on the first floor.

Sherry L. Owen 228-760-2815 Owen & Co. Real Estate LLC 228-822-9870

TRULY A MUST SEE!

$2,149,000 22102 Nolan Road • Covington

Stunning 3-Story Private Oasis Just Steps from St. Charles Ave! Lots of recent upgrades. 5 Beds, 7.5 Baths, over 8,200 total sqft gated compound & parking for 6+ vehicles. Main house (5,575 s) w/ 4 en-suite bdrms + 5th bdrm/ofc or gym, formal liv & din w/ wet bar & expansive kit/den/din area w/ 20’ ceilg,frplc & Fr doors leading to a private courtyard w/ pool. Walking distance to Audubon Pk! Toni Van Zandt 504-913-8665 Reve | Realtors 504-300-0700

NEW

$895,000 1502 General Pershing Street • Uptown

PEACE & QUIET

$1,200,000

Fabulous single family on a corner lot w/ 2 apts in a superb location!

1 block to St Charles & Napoleon Ave. Perfect for investor or owner occupy (reap benefits of $2700/mo rental income). Front & back porches, backyard for entertaining! Plus so much more to see. Walk to restaurants, watch the Mardi Gras parades or take the street-car to Audubon Park!

Charlotte Dorion • 504-237-8615 Chris Dorion • 504-451-4274 Berkshire Hathaway HS Preferred, REALTORS 504-799-1702

NEW

PRICE

$425,000 Springwood Estates / Belle Chasse • 112 Jasmine Court $519,500

Custom-built 4 Bed, 3 Bath, 2,789 SqFt home on 2.13 acres just past Circle in Abita Springs, offering privacy & convenience. Oversized rooms, great flow, huge screened porch, pond, & winding tree-lined drive. Includes metal roof, new LVP floors, granite kitchen, sunroom, & workshop. Minutes to schools, dining, Covington, & Mandeville commute.

Jean Hunn !!!GEAUX GREEN WAVE!!!

RE/MAX N.O. Properties

$2,850,000

This stunning 5 Bed, 5.5 Bath, 6,600 SqFt property is nestled on 2.1 acres on the Gulf. Completely renovated, even a new roof. Open floor plan with beautiful gourmet kitchen. An entertainer’s dream. Bulkheaded with a boat house, lifts, air-conditioned fish cleaning station, water views from almost every room, and outdoor space for entertaining. Fully furnished. A true must see!

Sherry L. Owen 228-760-2815 Owen & Co. Real Estate LLC 228-822-9870

LISTING

Perfect Location & Incredible Opportunity! Beautiful 4 Bed, 4.5 Bath, 3,000 SqFt Townhouse across the street from Beau Rivage, Mary Mahoney’s, boutique shopping & restaurant. Stucco exterior, brick courtyard & wroughtiron gates give this home a New Orleans feel. Two primary suites, one with a kitchenette. This home is currently a VRBO with excellent rental income!

Sherry L. Owen 228-760-2815 Owen & Co. Real Estate LLC 228-822-9870

BELOW LOWE DAVIS ROAD

Luxury Townhouse at The Charles House—one of only two! Two gated parking spaces, private entrance, balcony, patio, & pool access. Elegant interiors feature travertine floors, crown molding, spacious living/dining, flexible den/3rd bdrm, and two en-suite bdrms. New roof, whole-house generator, ample storage, rooftop grill, & unbeatable walkability to St. Charles Avenue. A Must See! Kay Randels 504-451-8537 COMPASS • Uptown Office 504-866-2785

LISTING

LISTING

1633 Dufossat Street • Uptown

TRULY

NEW

LISTING

$3,780,000 1016 Beach Boulevard • Biloxi

A one-of-a-kind 5 Bed, 5.2 Bath, 5,856 SqFt estate on 1.7 acres in Goose Pointe Subdivision sits on 2 waterfront lots. Remodeled home 3 years ago.

Grand living space, gourmet kitchen with beautiful cabinetry, countertops & light fixtures. In-law suite, a pool area with an outdoor kitchen & fireplace.

6-car garage, dock & boathouse. Fully furnished. Truly A Must See! Sherry L. Owen 228-760-2815 Owen & Co. Real Estate LLC 228-822-9870

1853 & 1855 Beach Boulevard • Biloxi

UNIQUE

GLENNDA BACH

Sold@eleanorfarnsworth.com www.eleanorfarnsworth.com

440 Green Teal Court • Biloxi

$1,349,000

Luxury Portfolio C: 504-583-2792 O: 504-866-2785

Top Residential Producer CRS, GRI, BRC, HRS Cell: 504-669-0211 Office: 504-891-1142

NEW

6925 Canal Boulevard • Lakeview

ROLL WAVE!

ELEANOR FARNSWORTH

LISTING

NEW

PRICE

Beautiful home located on a cul de sac Street, featuring an open floor plan with 12 f t. ceilings, fireplace, 4 bedrooms and 3 baths (one is an ensuite) lots of natural light, formal dining room and breakfast area, rear yard access, huge back yard. X Flood zone.

504-232-3570 Bonnie J. Morel 504-866-7733 Compass • Algiers

EACH OFFICE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED | LICENSED IN LOUISIANA

504-912-9997 504-362-1823

10C ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

SCOREBOARD Odds

Rice Boise State at ARIZONA

Sports Betting Line NFL

NBA

Saturday

Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Philadelphia 4½ 6½ (44½) at WASH Green Bay 3 1½ (46½) at CHICAGO

Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Tampa Bay 2½ 3 (45½) at CAR at DALLAS 2½ 1½ (49½) LA Chargers Kansas City 11½ 3½ (37½) at TEN Buffalo 8½ 10½ (42½) at CLE Cincinnati 2½ 1½ (50½) at MIAMI at NO 2½ 4½ (40½) NY Jets Minnesota 1½ 2½ (43½) at GIANTS at DENVER 3 3 (45½) Jacksonville Atlanta 1½ 2½ (47½) at ARIZONA at DETROIT 6½ 6½ (50½) Pittsburgh at HOUSTN 11½ 14½ (37½) Las Vegas at BALT 2½ 2½ (47½) New Eng

Monday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG San Francisco 6½ 5½ (46½) at IND

College Football Saturday

CFP First Round — Game 2 FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Texas A&M 3½ 3½ (51½) Miami (FL) CFP First Round — Game 3 FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Ole Miss 16½ 17½ (56½) Tulane CFP First Round — Game 4 FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Oregon 20½ 21½ (49½) J. Madison

Monday

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U Utah State 1½ 2½ (52½) Tuesday Boca Raton Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U Louisville 9½ 7½ (44½) New Orleans Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U W. Kentucky 3½ 4½ (55½) Frisco Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNLV 3½ 4½ (62½)

Wednesday

1½ 3½ 14½

UNDERDOG Wash St UNDERDOG Toledo UNDERDOG S. Miss UNDERDOG Ohio

Hawai’i Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Cal 1½ 1½ (54½) Hawaii

COLLEGE BASKETBALL Saturday

FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at LOUISVILLE 30½ Montana at MICHIGAN ST 20½ Oakland at KANSAS STATE 21½ South Dakota at DAYTON 9½ Liberty St. John’s 3½ at KENTUCKY at W. MICHIGAN 1 Buffalo at APPALACHIN ST 10½ Georgia State at OLD DOMINION 4½ Coastal Carolina at UTAH STATE 8½ Colorado State Miami (OH) 10½ at BALL STATE Kent State 1½ at UMASS at VIRGINIA TECH 14 Elon at TROY 4½ Marshall at N. ILLINOIS 2½ C. Michigan at N. COLORADO 9½ Denver North Carolina 3½ at OHIO STATE Louisiana 1½ at UL MONROE at TEXAS STATE 1½ South Alabama at OHIO 1½ Bowling Green at WYOMING 2½ Grand Canyon at BUTLER 1½ Northwestern at TENNESSEE TECH 1½ UT Martin at MISSISSIPPI ST 3½ Memphis at E. TENNESSEE ST 11½ Jacksonville St. at SYRACUSE 14½ Northeastern at TENNESSEE ST 1½ S. Missouri St Arkansas State 2½ at SOUTHERN MISS Morehead State 1½ at S. INDIANA at SANTA CLARA 17½ Loyola Chicago at GA SOUTHERN 2½ James Madison at WASHINGTON ST 7½ Mercer Houston 4½ at ARKANSAS at RICHMOND 20½ Citadel at VIRGINIA 16½ Maryland at PURDUE 8½ Auburn at UNLV 7½ Fresno State at UTAH 11½ E. Washington at TULANE 3½ Portland State at RUTGERS 11½ Pennsylvania at DUKE 8½ Texas Tech at COLORADO 2½ Stanford at CAL BAPTIST 13½ Sacramento St at ST. THOMAS 13½ UC Riverside at GEORGETOWN 4½ Xavier at CREIGHTON 7½ Marquette at NEW MEXICO 13½ San Jose State at WEBER STATE 4½ Utah Tech

FAVORITE LINE at DENVER 1 at NEW ORLEANS 2½ at PHILADELPHIA OFF at TORONTO OFF at DETROIT OFF at MEMPHIS OFF at GOLDEN STATE 5½ at UTAH OFF at SACRAMENTO OFF at LA CLIPPERS OFF

O/U UNDERDOG (236½) Houston (235½) Indiana (OFF) Dallas (OFF) Boston (OFF) Charlotte (OFF) Washington (227½) Phoenix (OFF) Orlando (OFF) Portland (OFF) LA Lakers

NHL

Saturday

FAVORITE LINE at WASHINGTON -168 at N.Y RANGERS -136 at OTTAWA -262 at MINNESOTA -122 at BUFFALO -150 at FLORIDA -180 Toronto -126 at BOSTON -161 at MONTREAL -146 at TAMPA BAY OFF at ANAHEIM -114 Vegas -131 at SAN JOSE -115

at PEPPERDINE at NEVADA San Diego State

UNDERDOG Detroit Philadelphia Chicago Edmonton N.Y Islanders St. Louis at NASHVILLE Vancouver Pittsburgh Carolina Columbus at CALGARY Seattle

LINE +141 +114 +211 +102 +126 +149 +105 +135 +122 OFF -106 +110 -105

Pro basketball

New York Toronto Boston Philadelphia Brooklyn

W 19 17 15 14 7

L 7 11 11 11 19

Pct .731 .607 .577 .560 .269

GB — 3 4 4½ 12

Orlando Miami Atlanta Charlotte Washington

W 15 15 15 9 4

L 12 12 13 18 21

Pct .556 .556 .536 .333 .160

GB — — ½ 6 10

Detroit Cleveland Chicago Milwaukee Indiana

W 21 15 11 11 6

L 6 13 15 17 21

Pct .778 .536 .423 .393 .222

GB — 6½ 9½ 10½ 15

Southeast Division

Central Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Southwest Division

HOU

FG

FT

Reb

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Durant 42:41 12-15 4-4 0-7 2 2 32 Smith Jr. 44:08 5-18 1-2 4-12 2 4 12 Sengun 35:42 11-26 6-10 6-11 8 5 28 Okogie 30:10 3-7 3-3 3-4 3 1 10 Thompsn 40:36 11-14 1-1 3-6 4 2 23 Adams 27:49 2-10 2-5 6-10 3 3 6 Sheppard 26:57 4-12 0-0 0-4 7 1 11 Holiday 10:18 1-3 0-0 0-1 1 2 3 Capela 6:40 1-2 1-2 3-3 0 1 3 Totals 265 50-10718-2725-58 30 21 128 Percentages: FG .467, FT .667.

3-Point Goals: 10-32, .313 (Durant 4-6, Sheppard 3-10, Okogie 1-2, Holiday 1-3, Smith Jr. 1-6, Thompson 0-1, Sengun 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 14. Team Turnovers: 2.

Blocked Shots: 8 (Durant 4, Sengun 2, Adams, Thompson).

Turnovers: 18 (Durant 6, Smith Jr. 4, Thompson 4, Sengun 2, Adams, Capela).

Steals: 6 (Sengun 2, Adams, Durant, Sheppard, Thompson).

Technical Fouls: None.

FG FT Reb

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Bey 34:19 11-18 4-4 1-9 1 0 29 Murphy 38:29 9-13 7-7 2-3 2 2 27 Queen 35:21 7-16 2-3 3-12 3 4 16 Fears 20:12 4-8 1-2 1-3 4 0 9 Jones 38:13 7-14 2-2 1-3 3 6 18 Alvarado 30:22 2-5 2-3 1-3 6 3 7 Poole 24:32 5-13 3-3 0-1 2 2 15 Willimsn 21:26 3-9 3-4 2-3 5 3 9 Matkovic 11:07 1-1 0-0 1-2 1 2 3 Missi 6:24 0-0 0-0 1-2 0 1 0 McGowns 4:35 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 1 0 Totals 265 49-9724-2813-41 27 24 133 Percentages: FG .505, FT .857.

3-Point Goals: 11-27, .407 (Bey 3-5, Murphy III 2-2, Jones 2-6, Poole 2-7, Matkovic 1-1, Alvarado 1-3, Fears 0-1, Queen 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: None.

Blocked Shots: 7 (Queen 3, Jones, Matkovic, Murphy III, Williamson).

Turnovers: 12 (Queen 3, Poole 2, Williamson 2, Bey, Fears, Jones, Matkovic, Missi).

Steals: 15 (Jones 8, Poole 3, Bey 2, Alvarado, Murphy III).

Technical Fouls: None.

Houston 33 34 32 20 9 — 128 New Orleans 24 21 38 36 14 — 133 A_16,766 (16,867). T_2:39.

W 19 16 13 11 6

L 7 8 14 17 22

Pct .731 .667 .481 .393 .214

GB — 2 6½ 9 14

Oklahoma City Denver Minnesota Portland Utah

W 25 20 17 11 10

L 2 6 10 16 16

Pct .926 .769 .630 .407 .385

GB — 4½ 8 14 14½

W New England 11 Buffalo 10 e-Miami 6 e-N.Y. Jets 3

L 3 4 8 11

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .786 .714 .429 .214

PF 382 411 296 276

PA 276 324 324 397

L.A. Lakers Phoenix Golden State Sacramento L.A. Clippers

W 19 15 13 6 6

L 7 12 15 21 21

Pct .731 .556 .464 .222 .222

GB — 4½ 7 13½ 13½

Jacksonville Houston Indianapolis e-Tennessee

W 10 9 8 2

L 4 5 6 12

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .714 .643 .571 .143

PF 376 323 392 225

PA 292 228 303 394

Pittsburgh Baltimore e-Cincinnati e-Cleveland

W 8 7 4 3

L 6 7 10 11

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .571 .500 .286 .214

PF 336 335 314 226

PA 326 320 437 332

W x-Denver 12 L.A. Chargers 10 e-Kansas City 6 e-Las Vegas 2

L 2 4 8 12

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .857 .714 .429 .143

PF 342 315 328 196

PA 261 284 268 363

W Philadelphia 9 Dallas 6 e-Washington 4 e-N.Y. Giants 2

L 5 7 10 12

T 0 1 0 0

Pct .643 .464 .286 .143

PF 320 407 291 300

PA 271 420 375 396

W 7 7

L 7 7

T 0 0

Pct .500 .500

PF 327 264

PA 354 317

Pacific Division

Thursday’s Games

Charlotte 133, Atlanta 126 New York 114, Indiana 113 Miami 106, Brooklyn 95 San Antonio 119, Washington 94 Oklahoma City 122, L.A. Clippers 101 Toronto 111, Milwaukee 105 New Orleans 133, Houston 128, OT Denver 126, Orlando 115 Dallas 116, Detroit 114, OT Phoenix 99, Golden State 98 L.A. Lakers 143, Utah 135 Portland 134, Sacramento 133, OT

Pro football

South

North

West

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East

Friday’s Games

Miami at Boston, n Philadelphia at New York, n Chicago at Cleveland, n San Antonio at Atlanta, n Oklahoma City at Minnesota, n

South

Saturday’s Games

Houston at Denver, 4 p.m.

Boston at Toronto, 6 p.m.

Tampa Bay Carolina

0 0

.357 .286

281 226

341 332

W Chicago 10 Green Bay 9 Detroit 8 e-Minnesota 6

L 4 4 6 8

T 0 1 0 0

Pct .714 .679 .571 .429

PF 365 348 428 289

PA 338 281 345 307

W Seattle 12 x-L.A. Rams 11 San Francisco 10 e-Arizona 3

L 3 4 4 11

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .800 .733 .714 .214

PF 443 457 344 302

PA 279 299 293 388

e-Eliminated from playoffs x-clinched playoff spot Thursday’s Games Seattle 38, L.A. Rams 37, OT

Saturday’s Games

Philadelphia at Washington, 4 p.m.

Green Bay at Chicago, 7:20 p.m.

Sunday’s Games

Buffalo at Cleveland, noon Cincinnati at Miami, noon Kansas City at Tennessee, noon L.A. Chargers at Dallas, noon Minnesota at N.Y. Giants, noon N.Y. Jets at New Orleans, noon Tampa Bay at Carolina, noon Atlanta at Arizona, 3:05 p.m.

Jacksonville at Denver, 3:05 p.m.

Las Vegas at Houston, 3:25 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Detroit, 3:25 p.m.

New England at Baltimore, 7:20 p.m.

N.C. State 31, Memphis 7

College Football Playoff

First Round No. 11 Alabama at No. 8 Oklahoma, n Saturday’s games EAST FCS Semifinal 1 at Villanova, Pa.: Villanova (12-2) vs. Illinois St. (11-4), 7:30 p.m.

SOUTH

College Football Playoff First Round - Game 3 at Oxford, Miss.: Mississippi (11-1) vs.

Tulane (11-2), 3:30 p.m.

SOUTHWEST

College Football Playoff First Round - Game 2 at College Station, Texas: Texas A&M (111) vs. Miami (10-2), Noon

FAR WEST

FCS Semifinal 2 at Bozeman, Mont.: Montana St. (12-2) vs. Montana (13-1), 4 p.m.

College Football Playoff First Round - Game 4 at Eugene, Ore.: Oregon (11-1) vs. James Madison (12-1), 7:30 p.m.

College basketball State men’s schedule Thursday’s games

Southern Miss 62, UL 54 Grambling 80, Norfolk State 68

Friday’s games

Grambling 81, Hampton 72 LSU 78, Southeastern 68

Saturday’s games

San Francisco at Indianapolis, 7:15 p.m.

SUNO at Northwestern State, 1 p.m.

UL at UL-Monroe, 2 p.m.

Portland State at Tulane, 6:30 p.m.

Late Thursday

State women’s schedule

Seattle 38, L.A. Rams 37, OT

Thursday’s games

Monday’s Games

L.A. Rams 3 10 10 7 7 — 37 Seattle 7 0 7 16 8 — 38 First Quarter Sea_Charbonnet 4 run (Myers kick), 7:09.

LAR_FG Mevis 23, 1:43.

Second Quarter LAR_FG Mevis 28, 12:45.

LAR_Ferguson 3 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 3:43.

Third Quarter Sea_Walker 55 run (Myers kick), 12:57.

LAR_FG Mevis 41, 8:37.

LAR_Corum 1 run (Mevis kick), 6:30.

Fourth Quarter LAR_Nacua 1 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 13:34.

Sea_Shaheed 58 punt return (Kupp pass from Darnold), 8:03.

Sea_Barner 26 pass from Darnold (Charbonnet run), 6:23.

First Overtime LAR_Nacua 41 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 6:27.

Sea_Smith-Njigba 4 pass from Darnold (Saubert pass from Darnold), 3:13.

A_68,853.

NFL AMERICAN CONFERENCE East

9 10

West

San Antonio Houston Memphis Dallas New Orleans

Northwest Division

e-Atlanta 5 e-New Orleans 4

North

Late Thursday New Orleans 133, Houston 128

NO

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division

Dallas at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Indiana at New Orleans, 6 p.m.

Charlotte at Detroit, 6:30 p.m.

Washington at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Phoenix at Golden State, 7:30 p.m.

Orlando at Utah, 8:30 p.m.

Portland at Sacramento, 9 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at L.A. Clippers, 9:30 p.m.

LAR Sea First downs 26 22 Total Net Yards 581 415 Rushes-yards 39-124 25-171 Passing 457 244 Punt Returns 1-31 1-58 Kickoff Returns 6-127 0-0 Interceptions Ret. 2-66 0-0 Comp-Att-Int 29-49-0 22-34-2 Sacked-Yards Lost 0-0 4-26 Punts 4-38.75 5-48.0 Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1 Penalties-Yards 8-54 5-40 Time of Possession 40:33 26:14 INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_L.A. Rams, K.Williams 23-70, Corum 14-48, Stafford 2-6. Seattle, Walker 11100, Charbonnet 9-32, Shaheed 1-31, Darnold 3-7, Barner 1-1.

PASSING_L.A. Rams, Stafford 29-49-0-457.

Seattle, Darnold 22-34-2-270.

RECEIVING_L.A. Rams, Nacua 12-225, Mumpfield 3-40, Ferguson 3-33, K.Williams 3-15, X.Smith 2-57, Allen 2-34, Parkinson 2-21, Whittington 1-19, Corum 1-13. Seattle, Smith-Njigba 8-96, Barner 4-49, Charbonnet 4-22, Walker 3-64, Kupp 3-39.

MISSED FIELD GOALS_L.A. Rams, Mevis 48.

College football Thursday’s game

Xbox Bowl Frisco, Texas Arkansas State 34, Missouri State 28

Friday’s games Myrtle Beach Bowl

Conway, S.C. Western Michigan 41, Kennesaw State 6

Gasparilla Bowl Tampa, Fla.

UIW 79, UNO 68 Nicholls 70, Houston Christian 47 Baylor 77, Southern 60

Friday’s games None scheduled.

Saturday’s games

Delaware State at Tulane, noon UL-Monroe at Texas State, noon UL at Southern Miss, 1 p.m.

Memphis at Southeastern, 1 p.m.

Central Baptist at Louisiana Tech, 2 p.m.

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Hired Carlos Rodriguez as assistant general manager.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS — Acquired LHP Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for RHP Jonathan Bowlan.

TAMPA BAY RAYS — Acquired C Caden Bodine, OF Slater de Brun, RHP Michael Forret, OF Austin Overn and a competitive balance round A selection (No. 33 overall) in the 2026 first-year player draft from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for RHP Shane Baz. National League ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS — Acquired OF Avery Owusu-Asiedu from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for LHP Kyle Backhus.

SAN DIEGO PADRES — Agreed to terms with RHP Michael King on a three-year contract.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS — Agreed to terms with RHP Adrian Houser on a two-year contract.

FOOTBALL

National Football League CINCINNATI BENGALS — Placed DT Kris Jenkins on injured reserve. Activated DE Shemar Stewart from injured reserve.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Signed WR Jakobi Meyers to a three-year contract extension.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS — Placed LT Christian Darrisaw on injured reserve.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS — Signed LS Cal Adomitis to the practice squad. Released LB Kana’i Mauga from the practice squad.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — Placed WR Devaughn Vele on injured reserve.

HOCKEY

National Hockey League COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS — Recalled C/F Luca Del Bel Belluz from Cleveland (AHL).

EDMONTON OILERS — Transferred C/F Jack Roslovic to long-term injured reserve.

Placed G Tristan Jarry on injured reserve.

MINNESOTA WILD — Assigned C/F Nicolas Aube-Kubel and D David Spacek to Iowa (AHL).

OTTAWA SENATORS — Assigned D Dennis Gilbert to Belleville (AHL).

ST. LOUIS BLUES — Assigned F Matt Luff to Springfield (AHL).

SATURDAY’S FAIR GROUNDS ENTRIES Post Time: 12:45PM First Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special weight, 2 yo, F (fillies) Five And A Half Furlongs-Turf 01 Hidden Map (C McMahon) 6-1 02 Sonare (B Curtis) 8-1 03 Stellar Knickie (J Mudd) 20-1 04 Spare Me (L Saez) 8-1 05 She’s an Earner (J Graham) 10-1 06 Rani (P Lopez) 9-2 07 Fregata (J Loveberry) 8-1 08 Raging Current (B Hernandez, Jr.) 10-1 09 Bugs Malone (A Concepcion) 10-1 10 Mothertwotheblues (I Castillo) 20-1 11 Acquazurra (J Ortiz) 7-2 12 Baby Hello (M Murrill) 20-1 13 Angelic Katie (J Loveberry) 10-1 14 Sharp Mindset (P Lopez) 6-1 Second Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special weight, 2 yo, F (fillies) Six Furlongs-Dirt 01 Missin Missy (M Pedroza, Jr.) 3-1 02 Restless Mind (I Castillo) 12-1 03 Miss Shane (D Magnon) 12-1 04 What’s Love (B Hernandez, Jr.) 6-1 05 La Maxima (J Ortiz) 6-1 06 Miss Super Mo (A Concepcion) 9-2 07 Nova Nova Nova (S Vives) 20-1 08 Braken Poppa (P Lopez) 4-1 09 Tied the Knot (J Loveberry) 6-1 10 Longshot Baby (O Chavez) 30-1 Third Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special

weight, 2 yo Six Furlongs-Dirt 01 Fancy Fairlane (D Cannon) 8-1 02 Easy Munnings (P Lopez) 10-1 03 Golden Tempo (J Ortiz) 4-1 04 Coronado (L Saez) 3-1 05 Opt In (S Vives) 8-1 06 Walkers Creek (C McMahon) 12-1 07 Obelus (A Concepcion) 5-1 08 Samcelot (J Loveberry) 12-1 09 Tapcon (J Graham) 8-1 10 Hot Days Ahead (B Hernandez, Jr.) 10-1 Fourth Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special weight, 2 yo, F (fillies) Six Furlongs-Dirt 01 M K’s Rockette (L Saez) 9-2 02 Speightress (B Curtis) 15-1 03 Funny Bunny (B Hernandez, Jr.) 8-1 04 Island Flower (J Ortiz) 5-1 05 Irish Punch (A Concepcion) 12-1 06 White Smoke (E Nieves) 6-1 07 Quick Kiss (J Loveberry) 3-1 08 Niche (I Castillo) 8-1 09 Gerber Daisy (D Cannon) 12-1 10 Leedu (P Lopez) 6-1 Fifth Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special weight, 3 yo’s & up, F & M (fillies and mares) One And One Sixteenth Miles-Turf 01 Enticing Beauty (B Hernandez, Jr.) 10-1 02 Velveteen (M Murrill) 30-1 03 Faded Jeans (GB) (M Pedroza, Jr.) 8-1 04 Eskenforave and Ak (B Curtis) 15-1 05 Classy Beach (C Hernandez) 8-1

06 Channel Check (GB) (I Castillo) 8-1 07 Awesomesauce (P Lopez) 8-1 08 Lady Iva (A Concepcion) 9-2 09 Don’t Come Looking (D Cannon) 6-1 10 Aurora Sky (J Ortiz) 7-2 11 Rodina (J Graham) 20-1 12 Galatina (L Saez) 12-1 13 Cloud Number Nine (J Loveberry) 20-1 Sixth Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special weight, 2 yo Six Furlongs-Dirt 01 Barracks (C Hernandez) 12-1 02 Throttle (J Graham) 8-1 03 Reagan’s Honor (B Curtis) 8-1 04 Royal Seal (A Concepcion) 8-1 05 Sockdolager (P Lopez) 10-1 06 Trouble Calling (D Cannon) 4-1 07 Cowboy Roy (M Pedroza, Jr.) 5-1 08 Mischief Ride (C McMahon) 20-1 09 Gethsemane (L Saez) 3-1 10 Tapit’s Gunner (B Hernandez, Jr.) 8-1 Seventh Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special weight, 2 yo One Mile-Turf 01 Look No Mo (H Rea) 15-1 02 He’s a Charmer (C McMahon) 10-1 03 Prepped (B Hernandez, Jr.) 9-2 04 Aces Honor (M Pedroza, Jr.) 10-1 05 Karate Island (B Curtis) 8-1 06 Sweet Retreat (P Lopez) 12-1 07 Rippin (L Saez) 12-1 08 Ramblin (J Graham) 12-1 09 Road Trippin (A Concepcion) 12-1

10 Cruisin Chuck (S Vives) 6-1 11 Prince of Light (J Ortiz) 7-2 12 Matching Funds (J Loveberry) 10-1 13 Shuggy (A Concepcion) 8-1 14 Robert Lee (M Pedroza, Jr.) 20-1 Eighth Race, Purse $100,000, Stakes, 3 yo’s & up One And One Sixteenth Miles-Dirt 01 Komorebino Omoide (JPN) (P Lopez) 4-1 02 Just a Touch (L Saez) 7-5 03 Will Take It (A Concepcion) 20-1 04 Stowaway (J Loveberry) 12-1 05 San Siro (B Curtis) 20-1 06 Sir Greylind (B Hernandez, Jr.) 6-1 07 Not This Boy (J Ortiz) 2-1 08 Number One Dude (C Hernandez) 30-1 Ninth Race, Purse $100,000, Stakes, 3 yo’s & up One And One Sixteenth Miles-Turf 01 Point Proven (T Thornton) 12-1 02 Kupuna (B Curtis) 7-2 03 Secret Chat (C McMahon) 20-1 04 Sand Pipes (P Lopez) 6-1 05 Emmanuel (J Loveberry) 4-1 06 Legalize (B Hernandez, Jr.) 8-1 07 Theismann (L Saez) 6-1 08 Idratherbeblessed (M Pedroza, Jr.) 12-1 09 Gigante (J Ortiz) 3-1 Tenth Race, Purse $100,000, Stakes, 2 yo, F (fillies) One Mile Seventy Yards-Dirt 01 Luv Your Neighbor (A Concepcion) 6-1 02 Have Faith (P Lopez) 9-2 03 Hit Parade (L Saez) 5-2

04 Hurricane Kate (I Castillo) 20-1 05 Funny Bunny (J Loveberry) 12-1 06 Miss Call (B Hernandez, Jr.) 3-1 07 Pashmina (B Curtis) 5-1 08 Actis (J Ortiz) 6-1 Eleventh Race, Purse $100,000, Stakes, 2 yo One And One Sixteenth Miles-Dirt 01 Mesquite (J Ortiz) 9-2 02 Chip Honcho (P Lopez) 9-2 03 Liberty National (B Hernandez, Jr.) 7-2 04 Quality Mischief (M Pedroza, Jr.) 10-1 05 Crown the Buckeye (J Loveberry) 5-1 06 Arabia Wild (A Concepcion) 8-1 07 Very Connected (C Hernandez) 9-2 08 Mister Punch (L Saez) 6-1 Twelfth Race, Purse $55,000, Maiden special weight, 2 yo One And One Sixteenth Miles-Dirt 01 Raaq Tansani (J Graham) 12-1 02 Swerve (C Hernandez) 20-1 03 Thunder Buck (L Saez) 8-1 04 Kelz (B Hernandez, Jr.) 12-1 05 Market Runner (D Cannon) 8-1 06 Ocelli (B Curtis) 8-1 07 Maximum Effort (I Castillo) 8-1 08 Special Ops (P Lopez) 12-1 09 Awesome Gun (J Loveberry) 8-1 10 Black Hornet (M Pedroza, Jr.) 8-1 11 Liberty Valance (A Concepcion) 4-1 12 Roguishness (J Ortiz) 5-1

FRIDAY’S FAIR GROUNDS RESULTS First Race - $19,000, Claiming $15,000, 3 yo’s & up, Six Furlongs Upturned Brim (Pedroza) $21.80 $8.40 $3.40 American City (C. McMahon) $6.40 $3.40 Indian Cat (J. Ortiz) $2.60 Finish Time: 1:10.56 Exacta (4-5) $64.80; Superfecta (4-5-1-2) $32.22; Trifecta (4-5-1) $104.15 Late Scratches: Bernin Tune Second Race - $54,000, Maiden special weight, 2 yo, Five And A Half Furlongs Dr. My Eyes (M. Pedroza) $30.00 $5.00 $2.80 Thebabeslayer (J. Ortiz) $2.10 $2.10 Vitruvius (P. Lopez) $2.20 Finish Time: 1:02.64 Daily Double (4-8) $193.50; Exacta (8-5) $30.80; Superfecta (8-5-9-2) $21.30; Trifecta (8-5-9) $35.45

PELICANS

Continued from page 5C rebounding battle, 58-41, on Thursday but the Pelicans held their own after a first half in which the Rockets were plus-15 on the boards and grabbed a 22-point halftime lead.

Additionally, after Houston took a 25-point lead one minute into the third quarter, New Orleans outscored the Rockets 86-56 the rest of the way.

“We were getting stops,” Borrego said Friday of the turnaround.

“Then we get out and run. It’s tough to score in transition if you’re not

Third Race - $14,000, Maiden Claiming $10,000, 3 yo’s & up, Six Furlongs My Man Brandon (Curtis) $6.60 $4.40 $2.60 Bayou Time (J. Rodriguez) $5.80 $4.80 Taurean (M. Pedroza, Jr.) $8.60 Finish Time: 1:12.56 Daily Double (8-9) $60.00; Exacta (9-5) $14.20; Superfecta (9-5-10-8) $177.02; Trifecta (9-510) $83.50; Consolation Double (8-2) $13.20; Pic 3 (4-8-9) $388.20; (4-8-2) $114.30 Late Scratches: Beach Trippin, Runner Runner Fourth Race - $15,000, Maiden Claiming $12,500, 3 yo’s & up, Six Furlongs Purple Heart (J. Graham) $4.20 $3.20 $2.80 (dh)Daredevil Doug (M. Murrill) $3.80 $3.60 (dh)El Maximo (S. Vives) $11.20 $7.60 Finish Time: 1:11.47 Daily Double (9-5) $9.70; Exacta (5-7) $7.70;

Exacta (5-8) $29.40; Superfecta (5-7-8-4) $146.86; Superfecta (5-8-7-4) $379.80; Trifecta (5-7-8) $72.15; Trifecta (5-8-7) $142.30; Pic 3 (8-9-5) $79.55; (8-2-5) $22.05 Fifth Race - $55,000, AOC $12,500, 3 yo’s & up, One Mile Clearsugar (C. McMahon) $25.60 $10.20 $6.80 Diva Beach (A. Concepcion) $4.60 $4.40 Run Bambi Run (J. Loveberry) $18.00 Finish Time: 1:37.17 Daily Double (5-8) $22.20; Exacta (8-11) $61.60; Superfecta (8-11-10-2) $739.43; Trifecta (8-11-10) $565.50; Pic 3 (9-5-8) $47.85; Pic 4 (8-9-5-8) $1,206.10; Pic 5 (4-8-9-5-8) $10,918.85 Sixth Race - $15,000, Claiming $5,000, 3 yo’s & up, One And One Sixteenth Miles Proven Hope (I. Castillo) $3.80 $2.80 $2.10

Daryl’s Bolt (P. Lopez) $6.00 $2.80 Soul Coaxing (M. Pedroza, Jr.) $2.60 Finish Time: 1:45.26 Daily Double (8-5) $20.50; Exacta (5-4) $9.60; Superfecta (5-4-8-7) $31.75; Trifecta (5-4-8) $11.45; Consolation Double (8-1) $9.20; Pic 3 (5-8-5) $30.75; (5-8-1) $13.70 Late Scratches: Overanalytical, Carthage Cajun, Master Game Seventh Race - $30,000, Maiden optional claiming $50,000, 2 yo, Five And A Half Furlongs P. O. S. H. Posh (Graham) $29.40 $13.20 $8.00 Mo Town Renee (E. Murray) $12.80 $8.80 Look At Me Nah (D. Cannon) $8.20 Finish Time: 1:03.70 Daily Double (5-2) $24.70; Exacta (2-5) $149.50; Superfecta (2-5-10-3) $1,533.75; Trifecta (2-5-10) $836.80; Pic 3 (8-5-2) $152.25;

(8-1-2) $86.60 Late Scratches: Pam’s Friend Eighth Race - $14,000, Maiden Claiming $10,000, 3 yo’s & up, Six Furlongs Wosiemaks (M. Pedroza, Jr.) $4.00 $2.80 $2.60 Francesnfriends (C. McMahon) $4.60 $4.40 Mary Claire (S. Vives) $5.00 Finish Time: 1:14.44 Daily Double (2-1) $47.10; Exacta (1-9) $10.50; Superfecta (1-9-4-7) $17.34; Trifecta (1-9-4) $26.15; Consolation Double (2-12) $14.10; Consolation Double (2-5) $14.10; Pic 3 (5-2-1) $39.30; (5-2-12) $13.95; (5-2-5) $13.95; Pic 4 (8-1/3/5/10-2-1/5/12/13/14) $324.50; Pic 5 (5-8-1/3/5/10-2-1/5/12/13/14) $786.85; Pic 6 (9-5-8-1/3/5/10-2-1/5/12/13/14) $2,286.30 Late Scratches: Southern Love, Vickie’s Halo, Charlie Brahms, Kisses for Cooper

getting stops. Your pace is limited.

You’re taking it out, feeling sorry for yourself, heads are hanging.

“When you’re aggressive and you’re getting stops and getting out and running, good stuff happens. We tend to share it more too when we’re getting stops. You tend to play more as a team when you’re getting stops.”

Herb Jones, a former NBA AllDefensive first-team selection, was the catalyst for the defensive turnaround. He had a career-high eight steals, which Borrego called “elite.”

The steals not only prevented Houston from scoring on eight

possessions but also led directly to 10 points for New Orleans.

“That’s a massive momentum swing,” Borrego said. “We can’t just steal the ball. We’re trying to convert those into easy points the other way, and we did that. Herb was phenomenal.”

The Pelicans tied a franchise record by winning a game in which they trailed by as many as 25 points, and they overcame that margin in the second half for the first time in franchise history.

But Borrego noted the flip side to the historic comeback: “We’ve got to get off to better starts.”

“We take a punch and then we

find our way back, which is a great characteristic to have in a team,” he said. “You want that resiliency, that toughness to be an elite team, which is where we want to get to. “(But) we want to be more steady. We want to be more consistent where we’re hitting them for 48 minutes, and we’re not just reacting when we’re down 15, 20, 25 points and then we become the aggressor.

“I don’t want to live in that world.

That’s not sustainable.”

Borrego acknowledged that even in the game against Chicago the defense “still had some breakdowns.”

“One-on-one defense is one of the areas we’re really identifying for our guys where there’s accountability on guarding your guy oneon-one,” he said. “There’s no hiding from it. You can watch the video and say, did I guard my guy or did I not?

“And these guys are seeing their numbers there. There’s no excuse behind it. You’ve got to be able to guard one-on-one, and there’s got to be a pride in that one-on-one defense.”

The Pelicans (6-22) will try to extend their winning streak against the Pacers (6-21) before closing this three-game home stand against Dallas on Monday night.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 11C

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LIV Golf’s roster part of talks on ranking points

BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRES FILE PHOTO

Gary Woodland, left, celebrates after winning the U.S. Open with his father, Dan, on June 16, 2019, in Pebble Beach, Calif. Woodland is still recovering from brain surgery, and his father recently beat cancer.

After health scares, Woodland and father celebrate life together

BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gary Woodland returned to golf four months after doctors had to cut a baseball-sized hole in his head to remove a lesion on part of the brain that caused unfounded fears of dying. He felt fortunate to still be playing, and the emotions were strong.

Turns out the former U.S. Open champion was coping with much more at the 2024 Sony Open.

He received a phone call from his mother on the Saturday before that event that his father, Dan, had been diagnosed with an aggressive form of lymphoma. It’s been a lot, and that’s what makes playing in the PNC Championship so special.

“This is a special week for both of us for perspective,” Woodland said.

Woodland and his father are newcomers to the 36-hole event that pairs major champions with a family member. There are 20 teams and a long waiting list to get in. Woodland was thrilled to get an invitation, which was followed by a memorable phone call to his father in Kansas.

“I can’t think of a better way to start the holidays. Got the whole family here — the grandkids here, my daughter’s here, my wife’s here. I’m excited,” Dan Woodland said, his voice at times cracking.

He had five months of chemotherapy — six days in the hospital every three weeks — and was able to ring the cancer-free bell late last year.

“I can tell you, I’ve hit more golf balls the last month-and-a-half than I have the last 25 years,” Dan Woodland said. “But how can you

turn this opportunity down? It’s awesome.”

The format is a scramble — both players each hit from the best shot — so this tournament on NBC is more about fun and than pressure. It began as the Father-Son Challenge, a chance to see the children of major champions and has morphed in other family members.

Annika Sorenstam is playing with her son, 14-year-old Will, who beat her for the first time this summer during a round at Turnberry. Steve Stricker is playing with daughter Izzi, a sophomore at Wisconsin who won the Wisconsin Women’s Amateur and Match Play Championship this year.

Woodland said he has been watching this event for years.

When he won the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, “one of the first things that came to mind was that we’d have an opportunity to play in this.”

So it’s a celebration of being a major champion, and for Woodland, a celebration of much more.

Woodland still is in recovery mode, and while he’s not back to where he wants to be, there were some small successes. He narrowly made the PGA Tour postseason, missing the FedEx Cup playoffs by two spots at No. 72. He made it to his first Ryder Cup as an assistant to U.S. captain Keegan Bradley, a popular choice among the players.

“I’m still healing,” Woodland said. “At the end of the day, I’ve still got a tumor in my head on my brain. It hasn’t grown in two years, so we’re good with that, but it’s in a part of the brain that causes me a lot of issues, and I’m still battling

and grinding with it.

“The surgeons and doctors are happy with where I’m at, but I have a long way to go”.

There are times he needs a dark room and quiet, not always easy to find with 8-year-old Jaxson and 6-year-old twin daughters Maddox and Lennox.

“It’s a learning process every day,” he said. “I’ve taken off the last couple months to focus more on my health. ... It’s a long year and try to battle and get through it. It’s getting better. It’s still a long way from where we want it to be.”

Woodland is as athletic as anyone on the PGA Tour, a three-sport star in high school who eventually had to choose among baseball, basketball and golf. His father thought baseball was his best sport and basketball his greatest love.

“And here we are playing golf,” Dan Woodland said with a laugh, as his wife sat to the side using her phone to take video of their interview.

Woodland’s parents went to about 15 tournaments a year when Woodland was a rookie, not as many now.

But they were at Pebble Beach when he drilled a 3-wood onto the par-5 14th green in the final round, and when he hit a flop shot off the green to the other side on the 17th for a par saved that sealed it. His father missed the iconic lob wedge on the 17th.

“I was heading to 18,” he said.

“But to watch that last putt go in ... incredible.”

It’s what brought him to the PNC Championship, nearly two years after his cancer diagnosis, nearly two years after his son returned from brain surgery. A special week, indeed.

ORLANDO, Fla. — Trevor Immelman said Friday he is in constant contact with the CEO of LIV Golf in his role as chairman of the Official World Golf Ranking as the board tries to work through issues that include how the Saudifunded circuit populates its 54man league.

LIV Golf has not received world ranking points since it launched in June 2022, and only six of its players are among the top 100 in the world from points earned in majors or events on the Asian Tour or European tour.

LIV’s first application to be part of the OWGR system was rejected in October 2023. It filed a new application last summer under Scott O’Neil, the CEO hired to replace Greg Norman.

Immelman, the former Masters champion and now a CBS golf analyst, took over as OWGR champion in April. He said he speaks regularly with O’Neil and even texted with him during his pro-am Friday at the PNC Championship.

“We’ve been all working hard together, trying to get answers, trying to figure out what they want to do,” Immelman said.

“They’re trying to figure out how their league is going to be evolving. They’ve decided to go to 72 holes. They’re going to be growing their field a little bit, it appears, from what I’ve been told, and could possibly want to grow even further.

“It’s a very collaborative process right now between Scott and I and our board to figure it out.”

LIV Golf’s next season starts Feb. 4 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

When asked if a decision could be reached before then, Immelman replied, “I think there’s a chance.”

LIV started with 54-hole events with no cuts and decided to go to 72 holes for the 2026 season. Immelman said how many holes are played has never been a big issue.

Instead, he pointed toward how the 24 tours that are part of the OWGR operate, leaning into the concept of meritocracy.

LIV Golf finally had some notable turnover this year, with 49-year-old Henrik Stenson among six who finished out of the top 48 and was relegated.

Luis Masaveu, a 23-year-old from Spain, was signed to the

Fireballs team this year. He played eight LIV events, was replaced by former U.S. Amateur champion Josele Ballester, played seven Challenge Tour events in Europe without a top 10, and then was re-signed to LIV for 2026.

“When you look at the OWGR and how it’s made up of eligible tours around the world ... it’s about meritocracy,” Immelman said. “That’s one of the beauties of our sport is earning your way onto a tour, fighting to keep your job on that tour.

“And so it’s really been along those lines of working with them on understandings their league from that standpoint — meritocracy, promotion and relegation and just really at the end of the day, the self-selection aspect of how their league is made up.”

Immelman does not have a vote as chairman. He said the sevenmember board decides on tours joining the OWGR. Unlike the last vote, PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and European tour CEO Guy Kinnings have a vote. They were recused from the previous OWGR discussion involving LIV, partly because there was ongoing litigation during those meetings.

LIV Golf lured away several top players with massive signing bonuses when it launched in 2022 and it has been viewed as a closed shop. Only one player made it into the league from a promotions event for this season.

For 2026, two players were taken from the Asian Tour International Series and two more will get spots through LIV’s version of Q-school next month.

“If a particular league wants to get points, we have longstanding regulations that every other eligible tour has abided by in order to be part of the OWGR,” Immelman said. “Meritocracy is a big aspect of that, how you get promoted and relegated on and off of the tour. Really, that’s been a large part of what I’ve been talking to Scott about.”

World ranking points are seen as vital to the credibility of LIV Golf, and to help its members get into the majors, all of which rely on the OWGR as part of their criteria. LIV players only get ranking points at the majors and when they play other circuits outside the PGA Tour, which has banned them.

International team captain Trevor Immelman waves toward the gallery at the Presidents Cup on Sept.

22, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Report: Rockets ownership involved in talks to purchase Sun

BY EMILY ADAMS

Hartford Courant (TNS) HARTFORD, Conn. — After months of uncertainty, the Connecticut Sun is progressing toward a deal to sell and relocate the team to Houston, according to a report from ESPN. ESPN reported Friday that Houston Rockets ownership is in “substantive talks” with the Mohegan Tribe and has improved its offer to a number the tribe “might find acceptable.” Previous bids to purchase the Sun from ownership groups in Boston and Hartford both exceeded $325 million, with additional funds promised toward a dedicated team practice facility. While a Houston offer has been discussed, ESPN reported that no exclusivity agreement has been signed by the parties.

The potential sale and relocation of the Sun has been chaotic from the start. The Mohegan Tribe originally reached an agreement in July to sell the team to former Celtics minority governor Steve Pagliuca, who would have moved the team to Boston. A group in Hartford, led by former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, submitted a competing bid, but the WNBA indicated it would not approve

the franchise relocating to either city.

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont supported a proposal for the state to purchase a minority stake in the team, though there is no indication that the league would be supportive of that move, either. The proposed use of public funds to invest in the Sun also drew criticism from state Republicans.

Reports have long suggested that the WNBA’s preferred destination for the Sun is Houston, which submitted a bid for a team, led

by Rockets owner Tilman Feritta, during the league’s most recent round of expansion. The WNBA has established a pattern of preference toward NBA ownership groups in its expansion process, and it seems that preference also extends to the Sun’s potential buyer. Of the six expansion teams awarded since 2023, all have gone to bids led by current NBA owners: Golden State, Portland, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia.

Houston ultimately missed out on an expansion franchise because its bid was at least $50 million short of the $250 million fee paid by Cleveland, Detroit and Philadelphia, according to the Houston Chronicle. Cleveland will join the league in

2028, followed by Detroit in 2029 and Philadelphia in 2030.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said back in June that Houston “would be up next, for sure” to receive a team. The Houston Comets, which folded in 2008, were one of the league’s eight original franchises, and they are still tied for the most championships in WNBA history with four straight from 1997-2000.

It will be challenging for any final decisions to be made about a sale until the league approves its new collective bargaining agreement, set to take effect in 2026. The WNBA Players’ Association opted out of the current CBA in October 2024, but negotiations have moved slowly, and the parties have already extended the deadline to approve a new CBA twice. The current deadline to reach a deal is Jan. 9.

The WNBPA also announced Thursday that its membership voted to authorize the union’s executive council to call a strike, if necessary. The support for a potential strike was overwhelming with 93% of players participating and 98% voting in favor.

Player salaries are expected to increase dramatically

under a new CBA, but it is unclear what the structure will look like, especially as the union pushes for greater revenue-sharing opportunities. ESPN reported that the

WNBA hopes to have clarity about the future of the Sun before free agency begins with only two veterans in the league under contract entering 2026. But free agency

also cannot open without a new CBA in place, so the timeline for a resolution remains uncertain.

The Mohegan Tribe has owned the Sun since 2003.

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12C ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

with meteorologist Damon Singleton

TODAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

Mostly cloudy and warmer

A couple of showers

Cloudy with a passing shower

Sunny, nice and warm

Partly sunny and pleasant

Nice and warm with some sun

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

LOW

LOW

74°

62° 74° 61°

LOW

73° 60°

LOW

76° 60°

LOW

75° 60°

It is another cold morning here in Southeast Louisiana. North Shore temperatures are in the 30s, South Shore temperatures in the 40s.

Expect temperatures this afternoon, under mostly sunny skies to rise to the low 70s. Winds will be lighter than yesterday and out of the south at 5-10 mph. Rain chances today remain at zero. If you’re headed to Oxford, to cheer on the Green Wave, expect sunny skies and temperatures in the low 60s. Rain chances rise to 30% tomorrow as temperatures rise to the low 70s.

LOW

77° 60°

New Orleans through 5 p.m. Friday

TEMPERATURE

Monroe 71/59

Shreveport 75/61 Longview 75/58

High/low Normal high Normal low Record high Record low

Jackson 71/59

FLOOD

Port Arthur 74/64

Baton Rouge 76/62

Lafayette 76/64

Beaumont 77/64

New Orleans 74/62

Lake Charles 76/65 Houma 76/63

Shown is today’s weather.

Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

City

Austin Boston Dallas Denver Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami

Hi

TODAY

Lo W

76 53 pc 40 34 pc 76 48 s 53 29 c -26 -40 pc 82 73 sh 66 49 pc 56 32 pc 84 70 sh

Hi

SUN.

Lo W

70 55 s 46 24 c 58 52 r 59 42 pc -30 -39 s 82 74 sh 69 48 pc 44 27 s 84 70 s

City

TODAY

READING 65 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

MODERATE

PRECIPITATION

24-hour total Month to date Normal month to date year to date Normal year to date

0.00” 4.25” 2.70” 57.49” 61.23”

GOOD

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

Hattiesburg 73/57

Alexandria 74/63

Many 75/61

66°/53° 64° 48° 82° in 1967 26° in 1996

YESTERDAY

Nashville Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

Hi

TODAY

60 77 40 78 47 53 55 64 76

Lo W

40 s 56 s 34 pc 53 s 29 c 35 s 27 pc 50 pc 60 s

Hi

54 80 48 81 35 61 42 66 79

SUN.

Lo W

33 c 59 s 26 pc 54 s 19 s 29 s 31 pc 55 pc 60 s

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

FRI.

24-HOUR

MISSISSIPPI STAGE STAGE CHANGE Memphis 34 -6.80 -0.40 Vidalia-Natchez 48 12.20 -0.70 Red River Landing 48 16.80 -0.60 Baton Rouge 35 6.60 +0.10 Donaldsonville 27 4.20 +0.40 Reserve 22 2.90 +0.02 New Orleans 17 2.50 +0.47 OHIO Cairo 40 8.98 +1.05 COMITE Near Olive 19 -1.38 -0.02 AMITE Near Darlington 18 -0.71 -0.20 Denham Springs 29 10.82 -0.32 Port Vincent 8 1.76 none TICKFAW Montpelier 13 2.01 -0.26 Holden 15 1.28 -0.12 ATCHAFALAYA Simmesport 47 4.95 -0.43 Melville 34 3.45 -0.22 Krotz Springs 29 3.69 +0.21 Butte La Rose 20 2.81 -0.01 Bayou Sorrel 12 2.40 +0.50 Morgan City 6 3.00 +0.32

data as of 7 a.m. Friday

TODAY’S TIDES HIGH FT. LOW FT. Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) 7:07a 0.6 7:03p -0.2 Shell Beach 1:09a 1.5 12:47p -0.3 South Point, Marsh Island 6:19p 1.6 7:55a -0.7 Cypremort Point 9:23p 1.6 11:53a -0.2 Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) 9:31p 1.1 8:19a -0.5 Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) 8:46p 1.4 6:29a -0.6 Wine Island 10:39p 1.3 9:21a -0.6

Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

6:52 a.m.

5:05 p.m.

7:35 a.m.

5:34 p.m.

FIRST

FULL

LAST

NEW

DEC 27

JAN 3

JAN 10

JAN 18

HIGH

---------------

FT.

---------------

LOW

FT.

--- ----- --8:09p 1.5 --- ----- ----- ----- ---

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.

MAJOR MINOR MAJOR MINOR

Today 11:02a 4:49a 11:28p 5:15p Sunday 11:26a 5:42a ---- 6:08p Monday 12:24a 6:37a 12:49p 7:02p Tuesday 1:19a 7:31a 1:43p 7:55p Wednesday 2:12a 8:24a 2:35p 8:47p Thursday 3:03a 9:15a 3:26p 9:37p Friday 3:52a 10:03a 4:14p 10:25p

Forecasts and graphics, except Damon’s Outlook, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2025

Pope John Paul II hires former NBA tweaks its rules Mount Carmel volleyball coach on reporting injuries

BY JOSEPH HALM Staff writer

Pope John Paul II has a new volleyball coach, and it’s a very experienced hire.

School administrators announced on Dec. 18 that former Mount Carmel c o a c h Ta y l o r Ricaud will be the Jaguars’ next head coach.

“I live in Slidell, and we’ve been Ricaud here for about seven years,” Ricaud said. “My son is starting school over there, so it is easier for me to be close to home. It’s a fresh, new start.

I’ve been at Mount Carmel for the past 11 seasons, and I really enjoyed it. It was just time for a

fresh start with a different group of athletes. I’m excited to head over to Pope and help them build the program.”

Ricaud has been on the Mount Carmel volleyball coaching staff since 2015 and served as head coach for the last three seasons.

Mount Carmel was her first head coaching stop, where she amassed a 108-25 record and led the team to two state semifinal appearances.

In addition, Ricaud, who will teach PE, has spent the past eight years coaching club volleyball with WD Nation.

“I am most excited to rebuild the program while instilling confidence in our girls, helping them grow as athletes, and believe that through hard work and faith, they can achieve anything,” Ricaud said.

She is a graduate of Cabrini High School and Southeastern Louisiana University. She also won a state title with Cabrini during her junior season in 2011.

PJP II athletic director Richard Dieudonné said Ricaud’s leadership abilities set her apart.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Coach Ricaud as part of the Jaguar Family. Her résumé and vision are a perfect match for what we are looking for in a leader for our female athletes,” Dieudonné said.

Ricaud takes over for Erica Williams, who is now the head coach at Cabrini. Williams amassed a 60-48 record in her three seasons at PJP II, including a quarterfinal appearance.

Contact Joseph Halm at jhalm@sttammanyfarmer.net.

LSU

Continued from page 5C to get within single digits at halftime, trailing 50-36.

In the second half, LSU remained dominant when its starters were on the court. Nwoko proved to be too daunting physically at 6-foot-10, 261 pounds. The junior Mississippi State transfer either scored through contact or was fouled often. The 66.7% freethrow shooter went 6 of 7 from the line.

After LSU led by as many as 18 points two minutes into the second half, Southeastern clawed back thanks to increased intensity on both ends. The Lions cut the deficit to eight points, trailing 6557 with eight minutes remaining.

After only one turnover in the first half, LSU had five in the second half at that point.

The Tigers were 4 of 12 from the field as well.

Nwoko was the one to settle the team down with back-to-back post scores with his nondominant left hand. The run increased to 7-0 once Sutton drilled a left corner 3-pointer. Sutton, last year’s Sum-

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU guard Dedan Thomas passes the ball against Southeastern on Friday in the PMAC. Thomas had 14 points and four assists.

mit League Player of the Year, put about two minutes left. the finishing touches on the game LSU’s next game is against Praias he tacked on five more points rie View at 6 p.m. Monday at the to give LSU a 16-point lead with PMAC.

BY TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press

The NBA reminded its teams on Friday that it wants to control which types of bets are offered on its games, an indicator that it will continue negotiating with sportsbooks and regulatory agencies to make that happen.

The moves come about two months after the arrests of Miami guard Terry Rozier and Portland coach Chauncey Billups on separate gambling-related charges, and the league acknowledged that what was announced Friday was to “further promote understanding of and adherence to the league’s betting rules.”

In a memo, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press, the league detailed a list of changes — some minor, some notso-minor — that it will implement as part of its policies regarding injury reporting, the issue of “tanking,” safety measures for players and coaches, and more.

Among the changes: n Except on the second day of back-to-back games, teams will be required to resubmit injury reports on game days. For games that tip off at 5 p.m. or earlier, the additional report would come between 8-10 a.m.; otherwise, the additional report would come between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. The league said the move would “further promote transparency regarding players’ game participation status, and thereby diminish the value of confidential information that could be ‘tipped’ ” to bettors or others.

Rozier is accused of disclosing to friends that he would be leaving a game early when he was with the Charlotte Hornets in March 2023, prompting bettors to make successful “under” wagers on his prop bet values for that night. n The league said more “training touchpoints” would be made throughout the season to educate all league and team personnel on betting rules. The NBA also plans to have new “compliance measures (for) individuals who are not employed by a team and may have access to confidential team information.”

n The league will update its Fan Code of Conduct “to better protect NBA players, coaches, and other team personnel from harassment or threats by sports bettors.” Players and coaches have long said that fans often voice displeasure when they make unsuccessful wagers.

The league said it’ll make more moves to protect its coaches and players, including advocating for “stronger anti-harassment protections in federal or state laws and regulations.” n Tanking remains a major concern, and the NBA is again reviewing potential policy changes. None were announced Friday. n The league will do more, it said, to better utilize artificial intelligence and other tools to protect the game from unusual betting activity. It also will continue pushing for changes on the so-called “prop bets,” which the NBA hopes will reduce the risk of having player performances manipulated.

Referee reinstated Also Friday, the NBA said Eric Lewis has been reinstated to the league’s officiating program as an NBA G League official. He will begin officiating games at this weekend at the G League Winter Showcase in Orlando, with a potential path toward returning to the NBA. Lewis retired in August 2023 when he was under investigation by the NBA for potential violations of its social media policy.

“In order to be eligible to rejoin the program, Lewis cleared several benchmarks, including stress management counseling and training on responsible use of social media,” the league said.

Lewis has worked as an NCAA referee for the past two seasons.

“Over nearly 20 years, Eric established himself as one of the NBA’s premier game officials,” said Byron Spruell, the NBA’s president overseeing league operations. “While he made a mistake in engaging on social media, our investigation concluded that his behavior did not impact his ability to officiate games fairly and with integrity. We are confident he has learned from that experience and can properly serve the game again.”

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 1D

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FrAnK And erneSt

bIG nAte

zItS

zodIAC SAGIttARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to your surroundings. Don't overlook something you depend on deteriorating right before your eyes. Honesty and durability will lead to good results. cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Pick up the pace and do your own thing. Refuse to let anyone stand in your way or lead you astray. Make your own opportunities instead of waiting for someone else to do it for you.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Attend functions that offer insight into something that concerns you. Don't share your secrets or your plans with anyone until you have everything in place.

PIScES (Feb. 20-March 20) Put your energy to good use. Do your research, sign up for courses that keep you up to date, and put yourself on the short list for future advancement. It's how you play the game that counts. = ARIES (March 21-April 19) Make each moment count and every decision worthwhile. Use your intellect, talk to experts and get things right the first time. Clarify, simplify and go about your business. tAuRuS (April 20-May 20) You can bend a little, but don't give in when dealing with something that matters to you or affects your integrity. Attitude is everything when it comes to getting along with others.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) People who can lead you astray will capture your attention. Ask questions, proceed with cau-

tion and choose not to buy into or donate to something you know little about. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Give some thought to your prospects and consider what might help you fulfill your dreams. Be true to yourself, put your energy where it counts and explore what intrigues and excites you.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) It's up to you to initiate change. If you wait for someone to make the first move, you'll fall behind.

Your attitude and demeanor will set the tempo, and your actions will seal the deal.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take flight.

Spending less time at home will provide insight into what isn't working in your personal or domestic lives. Embrace pastimes that elevate you and bring you in contact with like-minded people.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct. 23) Making a move or rearranging your surroundings to facilitate your pursuits will give you the push you need to follow through with your plans. You'll discover who is on your team by the help and support you receive.

ScoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Put a cap on your spending. Leave nothing to chance when working to get what you want. It's time to size up situations and make your move.

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

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

toDAy'S cLuE: y EQuALS u

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

2D ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

lll

Sudoku InstructIons: sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 3D

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B.C.

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Defense is the hardest part of the game, as we all know. But most pairs spend little time discussing it, preferring to concentrate on bidding.

If you feel your partner’s basic defense needs sharpening, buy her or him “Defensive Play at Bridge: A Quizbook”

by Barbara Seagram and David Bird (Master Point Press). This book is aimed at near-beginners and intermediates.

The book starts with 10 pages of basic instruction. Then there are four pages specifically about no-trump contracts, followed by 34 quiz questions on a righthand page with the full deal and answer on the next left-hand page. Next, there are two pages about suit contracts, followed by 30 quizzes. Finally, there is a glossary. In addition, there are valuable “points to remember” on each question and each answer page.

The book is excellent for its market.

Here is one of the no-trump questions.

Look only at the North and West hands.

South is in three no-trump. West leads the spade six. East wins with his queen and returns the spade 10, South playing the five and the eight. How should West defend?

South must be holding up the spade ace.

But it is the only unseen spade. So, West should overtake his partner’s 10 with the

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

king (or jack) and lead another spade to dislodge that ace. Then, with this layout, the contract can no longer be made.

If West does not overtake, East will have to shift. Then South has time to dislodge West’s diamond king and take one spade, three hearts, four diamonds and one club. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InStRuctIonS: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’S WoRD — GREEDILy: GREED-ih-lee: Selfishly; with a desire for wealth

Bizarro

marmaduKe

and possessions.

Average mark 40 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 57 or more words in GREEDILY? yEStERDAy’S WoRD — VAcuouSnESS vacuous vane vase venous acne cane canoe case cause cave census

cone cove coven cuss usance uvea oases ocean once onus ounce

oven sane sans sauce save scan scone season sensuous sone souse

suave nauseous nave ness nevus noes nova

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” Romans 6:1-2 Real Christians want to please the Lord by living for him. — G.E. Dean

4D ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

muttS

roSe iS roSe

lll

Scrabble GramS 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.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

jump Start

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email naspa – north american sCraBBlE players association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Get fuzzy

Hasbro and its logo sCraBBlE associated logo, the design of the distinctive sCraBBlE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United states and Canada. ©2021 Hasbro. all rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content agency, llC.

ken ken

animal crackerS

DuStin

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.

Wallace the brave

Drabble

WiShinG Well breWSter rockit

luann

HErE is a plEasanT liTTlE gamE that will give you a message every day. it’s a numerical puzzle designed to spell out your fortune. Count the letters in your first name. if the number of letters is 6 or more, subtract 4. if the number is less than 6, add 3. The result is your key number. start at the upper left-hand corner and check each of your key numbers, left to right. Then read the message the checked figures give you.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 5D

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classifieds.nola.com Search & Place Ads Ads Onlines at classifieds.nola.com • Call Monday Us Monday - Friday 8AM - 5PMatat(504) (504)636-7435 636-7435 Search & Place Onlines at classifieds.nola.com - Friday 8AM - 5PM

Announcements Special Thanks to Almighty God, Holy Spirit, St Anthony & St Joseph for favors granted. L.S. & M.P. Anyone having any information about or knowing the whereabouts of Stacy Vincent Santemore, Jr. please contact Attorney Erin A. Fisher at 504-304-4944.

171382-12/20-21-22-3t $97.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Danielle Boseman Maxwell a/k/a Danielle Maxwell a/k/a Danielle Boseman and/or Eugene Maxwell please contact Attorney Keith A. Doley 504-943-7071.

171038-12/18-19-20-3t $109.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Heirs of Robert Neal Sr. and/or Lilly Perkins please contact Attorney David J. Motter, 3500 N. Hullen Street, Metairie, LA 70002.

504-388-7005.

170895-Dec 18-20, 3t $109 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Patrick Bell, Jr., please contact Atty. Jonathan Williams at 504-3385066.

171452-12/20-21-22-3t $85.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Sonna J. Angelle, please contact David Fos, attorney, at 504.343-3725 or dsfoslaw@outlook.com.

171369-Dec 20-22, 3t $85 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the heirs and/or legatees of EDWARD COON, JR and/or JOSIE SEEGER COON, please contact Attorney Landis Prestigiacomo at 504-468-1100 or landis@bohannanlaw.com.

171227-12/20-21-2t $113.00 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the heirs of Pamela Ann Breaux, please contact Thomas P. Sanderson, Curator Ad Hoc, at (504) 586-0064, 4224 Canal St., NOLA 70119, or tps@boninlawfirm.com. Property rights involved.

171063-Dec 18-20, 3t $121 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the heirs of The Unopened Successions of Arthur A. Foley, Sr and/or Dolores Ceasar Foley please contact Attorney Keith A. Doley 504943-7071.

171195-Dec 20-22, 3t $109 Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of Brian Lusk, please contact Atty. Alex J. Bellow at 504544-4055.

171132-Dec 20-22, 3t $85 Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of Debra Marie Stansberry Hall, please contact Atty.

Alex J. Bellow at 504-544-4055.

171135-12/20-21-22-3t $85.00 Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of Luretha Howard, please contact Atty. Alex J. Bellow at 504-544-4055.

171129-Dec 20-22, 3t $85 Newspaper Legal Notice Publication I AM APPLYING to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell alcoholic beverages of high and low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of Orleans at the following address: Rampart Hotel Ventures, LLC d/b/a New Orleans Courtyard Hotel. 1101 N. Rampart St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70116. /s/ D. Randolph Waeche, Manager 171223-Dec 20, 1t $106.38

Self Storage will sell at public auction December 30,2025 personal property belonging to the following tenants to the highest bidder for CASH ONLY. The sale shall be held at www.StorageAuctions.com, 225 River Road, Jefferson La. 70121 504834-0888, concluding at 1:00PM. Monchel Melrose (1311) Chair, Totes, Mirror, Dresser. Dominic Mobley (1508) Table, Boxes, Sofa, Bags. Mary Lou Borne (4218) Totes, Bags, Boxes. Tiffany Robichaux (1708) Mirror, Bins, Clothes. William Duplessie (1910) Chairs, Tables, Chester Draw. All sales are subject to prior cancellation. Sales rules and regulations are available the time of sale.

171131-12/20-1t $175.24 Notice of Public Sale Pursuant to the lien granted by the Louisiana Self-Service Storage Facility Act – LA RS: 4759, Storage Post will sell at public auction on December 30th, 2025, at 10:00 am, personal property belonging to the following tenants to the highest bidder. The sale shall be held at Storage Post, 10259 Airline Hwy St Rose, Louisiana 70087 504-466-2023., Keith L. Jones A015- Chairs, bags, tools, saw, HHGS, and totes. Heather M Giordano A038- Freezer, wicker, dresser, clock, cedar robes, HHGS, and boxes. Toni M Nicholson A115Pictures, trash cans, bed frame, bags, and boxes. Avery Usand B164Tool Box, Car Parts, and a welder.

Misty Meyer B258- Matts, chairs, bags, totes and boxes. Niayonda A Taylor B282- Mirror, bed frame, TV, and boxes. Elton J Johnson B289- TV, mower, weed eater, fish tank, tools, and boxes. All sales are subject to prior cancellation. Sale rules and regulations are available at the time of sale.

170972-Dec 20, 1t $181.54 Upmann PC LLC d/b/a Café Conmigo is applying to the Office of Alcohol & Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell beverages of high and low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of Orleans at the following address: 2511 Jena Street, New Orleans, LA 70115 171438-12/20-1t $87.60 WE ARE APPLYING TO THE COMMISSIONER OF THE OFFICE OF ALCOHOL & TOBACCO CONTROL OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR A PERMIT TO SELL BEVERAGES OF HIGH AND LOW ALCOHOLIC CONTENT IN THE PARISH OF ORLEANS AT THE FOLLOWING ADDRESS: PLUCK WINES 722 LLC D/B/A GO PLUCK, 722 GIROD STREET, SUITE A, NEW ORLEANS, LA 70130.

SAMANTHA LATORRE, MEMBER. 171221-12/20-1t $106.38

Employment EDUCATION Hynes Charter School Corporation is soliciting applications for teachers cer‐ tified in special education (Grade 1-8).

To learn more about this position and to apply online, visit our website: www.hynesschool.com/careers/ and select apply now. Only online appli‐ cations via our recruitment portal will be reviewed by our Recruiting Team.

Merchandise MISC FOR SALE Antique (Foreign) Tea Pots 10-12 Must See $300 Take All 504-994-7385

WANT TO BUY I Buy Books Will drive to U Today! $1 504-226-1398

Newspaper Legal Notice Publication I AM APPLYING to the Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control of the State of Louisiana for a permit to sell alcoholic beverages of high and low alcohol content at retail in the Parish of Orleans at the following address: J Hospitality & Development, LLC d/b/a Le Richelieu. 1234 Charters St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70116. /s/ D. Randolph Waeche, Manager 171220-Dec 20, 1t $106.38 NOTICE OF PUBLIC SALE Pursuant to the lien granted by the Louisiana Self-Service Storage Facility Act–LA RS:4759, Storage Post

WANT TO BUY I buy old bourbon bottles. Wild Turkey, Weller, Old Grand Dad etc.

Call or text $300 (225)456-3434

METAIRIE 3201 RICHLAND AVENUE 1/2 Block off Vets * by Paretti Jaguar 1 Bed * Prkg * Pool * Rent $675/mo 504-320-6958 * 504-454-1333

WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $700up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

CEMETERY PLOTS Westlawn Cemetery Mausoleum, in the Chapel. Corr IV, Tier A, holds 6 interments $18,000. 504-259-0505

FURNITURE full size old carved wood bed with mattress sheets and comforter $150 504-295-4327 FURNITURE hex shaped end table has storage space all wood maple colored $50 504-295-4327

FURNITURE king size old bed maple wood with mattress topper sheets $300 504295-4327

518 N. LABARRE RD $1,600/Mo Precious Raised Cottage between Met Rd & railroad tracks.

2BD/1BA. Lrg Liv Rm w/wd flrs.

Wooden fence separating home f/ N. Labarre for privacy. Gated Yd. Refrig/Oven + W&D are available.

Sandy Ward * 504-259-2616.

Re/Max Living * 504-475-1011. Ea ofc indpntly owned & operated.

New Orleans Rental ALGIERS 5708 A-Tullis Dr., 4BR/2BA, ADA Compliant, w/d hkup, ref, stove, Off St. Pk, 504-454-3847 504-512-2814 ESPLANADE RIDGE The Carson Company, Inc. 5900 Hayne Blvd., 1Bd/1Ba..........$695 2900 Third St. #10, 1Bd/1Ba.........$700 5301 Burgundy St., 2Bds/1Ba.......$895 4425 Woodland (Up), 2Bds/2Bas.$895 1124 Columbus St., 3Bds/1Ba......$995 2441 N. Robertson St., 2/1...........$1200 2731 Bruxelles St., 3Bds/1Ba......$1250 753 S Genois St., 2/1 (Sec 8 Ok).$1384 2924 Mandeville 3/2 (Sec 8 OK).$1592 5737 Franklin Ave., 3/2 (Sngl)....$1795 821-1858 * 822-8432 * 427-4646 GENTILLY 2544 ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD. NEWLY RENOVATED!!!

1-2 Bdrm Apts * From $800/mo Parking * Sec Gate 504-250-1446 * 504-454-1333 KENNER

2850 IDAHO AVENUE 1 Block to Vets & Williams All Amenities * Pool * Parking Studio/1 Bed Apt * Starting $650/Mo 504-236-1971 * 504-454-1333

METAIRIE

DOGS Yorkies. teacup & toy. Vet cert. CKC, microchipped, s/w 601-498-7521

Automotive

DOGS Australian Shepards - 13 CKC Aussie pups $800, 2 CKC Lhasa Apsos $1200 Lisa (601) 470-8306

JEWELRY/WATCHES Ladies Beaut. 10k yg Diam.

Clustered Heart Ring Must See $350 504-994-7385

MISC FOR SALE Fur Coat Ladies beautiful leopard pattern, exc cond, size M. $200.

504-994-7385

DOGS AKC German Shepherd pups. Ready 12/23. $800 Kentwood 985 244-0173

DOGS AKC Maltese puppies, Ready for Christ‐ mas 1-F. (225) 235-9433 or (225) 235-7619

JEWELRY/WATCHES Ladies beaut. 10k-14k gold diamond cross & chn $350 504-994-7385

MISC FOR SALE Black Leather Jacket, Ladies Size Med. Exc Cond. $150. 504-994-7385

CATS Young Male Cat, Gray Colors, Have too many cats, Looking for another home for him. Please call 504-861-9617 ($50)

METAIRIE

FURNITURE lg chester drawer 7 draws wood maple good shape $100 504-295-4327

JEWELRY/WATCHES Ladies beautiful 10k gold diamond wishbone ring. $300. 504-994-7385

DOGS Teacup POODLES POMS MALTIPOOS YORKIES miniature/Toy GOLDENDOO‐ DLES CAVALIERS - 504-259-2222 2yr guarantee UTD S/W Tcups $995 up $495.00 up

METAIRIE

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

EXERCISE EQUIP teeter elliptical exercise bike gas pedal style pedals $500 504-295-4327

Pets

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --Legal Notice of Bids LACPC This bid is intended to service the following members of the LAMATS ADMINISTERED COOPER‐ ATIVE PURCHASING COM‐ MISSION (LACPC) for the Calendar Year: 2026 Gretna, LA; Gonzales, LA; LA and Opelousas, Natchitoches, LA. Each city is responsible for any and all payments under the resulting con‐ tract.

Proposals will be ac‐ cepted until 2:00 pm, on December 22, 2025, for Liquid Chlorine Ton Cylin‐ ders commencing on or about January 1, 2025, until December 31, 2025 (for a period of one year). If necessary, sup‐ electronic plemental price bids may be sched‐ uled on or after Decem‐ ber 22, 2025, to receive best and final price bids.

Proposals will be ac‐ by electronic cepted only.

Bidders means register with must LAMATS e-Auction & Bid at https:// Services to lamats.easibuy.com access the full specifica‐ tions and to submit bids.

Submission of bids is only through this web‐ site. No bid may be with‐ drawn for at least fifteen (15) days after close of bidding. For questions re‐ garding the electronic bidding process please contact Paul Holmes, Contracts Administrator, at LACPC@lamats.net.

The LACPC reserves the right to reject a bid or all bids, and to waive infor‐ malities.

The LACPC and each city intend to enter into a supply contract with the most responsible and re‐ sponsive bidders who can deliver the required product. The specifica‐ tions and requirements of this solicitation are found in the document ti‐ tled: “Specifications & Requirements”.

A supply contract will be negotiated with the low bidder(s), and the final terms and conditions may include provisions for renewal options or price increases (or de‐ creases) due to inflation or other factors. The final contract signed by a sup‐ plier will prime any con‐ flicting terms or condi‐ tions found in this RFP. 170270-dec 13-20-2t $455.12

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --24TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATE OF LOUISIANA DOCKET NO: 834-362

Legal Notices

DIVISION: "O" SUCCESSION OF MELVINA GORDON NOTICE TO SELL IMMOVEABLE PROPERTY AT PRIVATE SALE WHEREAS Odile Gordon, Administratrix, of the above estate has made application to the Court for sale, at private sale, of the immoveable prop‐ erty herein-described towit: Certain portions of ground, together with all the buildings and im‐ provements thereon, all rights, ways, privileges, servitudes, appurte‐ nances and advantages thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining sit‐ uated in the Parish of Jef‐ ferson, State of La., on the “est Bank of the Mis‐ sissippi River, in the sub‐ division known as HAR‐ VEY CANAL SUBDIVISION, all as more fully shown on copy of map of por‐ tion of said subdivision

by C. A. Robert, C.E., dated November 5, 1952, copy on file in the office of the Clerk of Court, Jef‐ ferson Parish, and desig‐ nated and described in accordance with said map as all of LOT #4 and portion of LOT #3 adjoin‐ ing Lot #4, in SQUARE #51, said square being bounded by Estalote and Pailet Avenues, 34th and 36th Streets.

Portion of Lot #3 mea‐ sures 3 feet 3 inches front on Pailet Avenue, a width in the rear of 19 feet 4 inches by a depth on the side line separat‐ ing it from Lot #4 of 120 feet, a depth on the other side line of 121 feet 0 inches 5 lines. Said por‐ tion of Lot #3 immedi‐ ately adjoins Lot #4.

Lot #4 measures 25 feet front on Pailet Avenue, similar width in the rear, by a depth of 120 feet be‐ tween equal and parallel lines.

Being part of the same property acquired by William S. Resor from Dom, Inc. by act before John F. Stafford, N.P., on December 31, 1954, regis‐ tered in COB. 371 folio 227, Parish of Jefferson, La. The Administratrix, seeks an order authoriz‐ ing her to sell the es‐ tate’s undivided one-half (1/2) interest in the aforedescribed property for the price and consid‐ eration of Thirty-Five Dollars Thousand ($35,000.00) for Dece‐ dent’s share of the undi‐ above-described vided immoveable prop‐ erty.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO ALL PARTIES whom it may concern, in‐ cluding the heirs and creditors of the Decedent herein, and of this estate, be ordered to make any opposition which they have, or may have, to such application, at any time, prior to the is‐ suance of the order or authorizing, judgment approving and homolo‐ gating such application, and that such order or judgment may be issued after the expiration of ( ) d f h

lll

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

p seven (7) days, from the date of the last publica‐ tion of such notice, all in accordance with law.

p cies and could be deemed prohibited under federal law.

Accordingly, Hancock Whitney desires that (1) the name of the Fund be changed from the “Mar‐ ian Hoey Stem Loan Fund” to the “Marion Hoey Stem Scholarship Endowed Fund” to re‐ move the reference to loan and to correct the spelling of the Testator’s mother’s first name from Marian to Marion; (2) the purpose of the Fund be modified to remove race and national origin as awarding criteria; and (3) the Fund language be up‐ dated from students who are “average, decent, clean and worthy” to “students with financial need.”

Hancock Whitney re‐ quests that the name and purpose of the Fund be modified as follows:

BY ORDER OF THE COURT: CLERK 171319-dec 20-1t PUBLIC NOTICE --CIVIL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE PARISH OF ORLEANS STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 2025-11170 DIVISION “B” SECTION 11 IN RE: MARIAN HOEY STEM LOAN FUND ENDOWMENT FILED: November 21, 2025 DEPUTY CLERK NOTICE NOTICE IS GIVEN that Hancock Whitney Bank, as Trustee of the Clifford Stem Trust Hoey (“Trust”), has filed a peti‐ tion to modify the Marian Hoey Stem Loan Fund (“Fund”), an endowment fund that was created from a bequest in the Last Will and Testament of Clifford Hoey Stem dated August 4, 1962 (“Will”), under which the Trust was established.

In his Will, Clifford Hoey Stem (“Testator”) be‐ queathed the residue of his estate unto the Whit‐ ney National Bank of New Orleans as Trustee (now “Hancock Whitney” or “Trustee”) of the Trust for the benefit of The Ad‐ ministrators of the Tu‐ lane Educational Fund (“Tulane”) as principal beneficiary (specifically to benefit the School of Engineering) subject to the lifetime usufructs of Nellie Williams Stem, Rita Stem Reynick, and Avis Bigelow Reynick Walker. The Testator died on or about December 12, 1963.

On March 19, 1964, Tu‐ lane passed a Resolution accepting the Testator’s bequest establishing a trust fund for the benefit of the School of Engi‐ neering of Tulane Univer‐ sity. The bequest was de‐ livered to Hancock Whit‐ ney pursuant to an Act of Delivery of Legacy exe‐ cuted on June 7, 1966. On or about January 22, 2023, the last surviving passed usufructuary away, and the usufruct terminated.

The Trustee is ready to distribute the trust as‐ sets to Tulane to fund the Fund. For several rea‐ sons, however, it is im‐ possible for Tulane to ad‐ minister the Fund as set forth in the Testator’s Will as currently written.

First, the Will uses the term “loan,” but Tulane administers generally these types of funds as scholarships. Notably, it appears that the Testa‐ tor’s intent was to pro‐ vide students scholar‐ ships because there are no terms for repayment set forth in the Trust.

Second, the Testator’s criteria for selecting stu‐ dents is based on race, specifically “white Cau‐ casian” and citizenship, “native specifically American,” presumably referencing natural born citizens. Such criteria are not in keeping with Tu‐ lane’s institutional poli‐ i d ld b

RESOLVED, that the Mar‐ ion Hoey Stem Scholar‐ ship Endowed Fund be and hereby is estab‐ lished in perpetuity as an endowed fund, the in‐ come from which shall be used to provide schol‐ arship support for stu‐ dents in the Tulane Uni‐ versity School of Science and Engineering, or its successor. It is the donor’s wish that the scholarship should not necessarily be given to students with the high‐ est scholastic standings but to students with fi‐ nancial need.

Pursuant to La. R.S. 9:2332, the Petition can be granted after this no‐ tice is published once per week for thirty days in Orleans Parish; any opposition to the petition must be filed prior to the Court granting the re‐ quested relief.

New Orleans, Louisiana this 24th day of Novem‐ ber 2025. s/ Chelsey Richard Napoleon Clerk of Court Miriam W. Henry, Bar No. 25090 Brett Venn, Bar No. 32954 Rose S. Sher, Bar No. 33368 Jones Walker LLP 201 St. Charles Avenue – 51st Floor New Orleans, LA 70170-5100 Telephone: (504) 582-8000 168558-nov 29-dec 6-1320-4t PUBLIC NOTICE --CIVIL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE PARISH OF ORLEANS STATE OF LOUISIANA NO. 202410035, DIVISION "E-7” JOHNNY HARRIS, ET AL. VS. THOMAS HARRIS, JR. PUBLIC NOTICEPARTITION BY PRIVATE SALE By virtue of an order of this Honorable Court in the above and titled mat‐ ter, Margaret Harris, will proceed to sell, by pri‐ vate sale, the immovable property described as: Lot Nos. 24 and 25, Square No. 11 of Plum Or‐ chard Subdivision, bounded by Tulip, Selma, Pecan Streets and Dreux

Legal Notices

Legal Notices

avenue,

pp q tor of the Company:

improvements The thereon bear the Munici‐ pal No. 4710 Tulip St., New Orleans, LA 70126

Berger Management, L.L.C. 100 Conti Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130

Under the terms and the price as set out in the Pe‐ tition for Partition by Pri‐ vate Sale and the judg‐ ment entered in the above referenced case, said sale to take place on January 23, 2026, at 9 AM at Title Stream, 3939 N. Causeway Blvd., Suite 105, Metairie, LA 171323-dec 20-jan 19-2t $58.00 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION OF DISSOLUTION OF DLBF MARKETPLACE/SS, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Revised Louisiana 12:1334 and Statutes 12:1336 of the Louisiana Limited Liability Com‐ pany Law, DLBF Market‐ L.L.C. a place/SS, Louisiana limited liability (the "Com‐ company pany"), shall be liqui‐ dated out of court, and that the following has been appointed liquida‐ tor of the Company: Berger Management, L.L.C. 100 Conti Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 171098-dec 18-1t $104.54 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATIONOF DISSOLUTION OF JACKSON BREWERY MILLHOUSE II, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Revised Louisiana 12:1334 and Statutes 12:1336 of the Louisiana Limited Liability Com‐ pany Law, Jackson Brew‐ ery Millhouse II, L.L.C. a Louisiana limited liability (the "Com‐ company pany"), shall be liqui‐ dated out of court, and that the following has been appointed liquida‐ tor of the Company: Berger Management, L.L.C. 100 Conti Street New Orleans, Louisiana

171100-dec 20-1t $104.54 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION OF DISSOLUTION OF JSI3 MANAGER, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Revised Louisiana 12:1334 and Statutes 12:1336 of the Louisiana Limited Liability Com‐ pany Law, JSI3 Manager, L.L.C. a Louisiana limited liability company (the "Company"), shall be liq‐ uidated out of court, and that the following has been appointed liquida‐ tor of the Company: Berger Management, L.L.C. 100 Conti Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70130 171096-dec 20-1t $99.43 PUBLIC NOTICE --Notice of Dissolution of Jackson Square Investment Corporation Notice is hereby given pursuant to La. R.S. 12:11407 that Jackson Square Investment Corporation, a Louisiana corporation, has been dissolved.

Notices of any claims against Jackson Square Investment Corporation must be sent to Berger Management, L.L.C. at 100 Conti Street, New Or‐ leans, LA 70130. The no‐ tice of claim must in‐ clude the name, address, telephone number, and email of the person sub‐ mitting the claim, a de‐ tailed description of the nature of the claim, and the amount of the claim.

A claim against Jackson Square Investment Cor‐ poration will be extin‐ guished by peremption unless a proceeding to enforce the claim is com‐ within three menced years after the publica‐ tion of this notice.

171092-dec 20-1t $127.50

171099-dec 20-1t $101.99

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF AUTHORIZATION OF DISSOLUTION OF JACKSON SQUARE INVESTMENT II, L.L.C. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that pursuant to Revised Louisiana 12:1334 and Statutes 12:1336 of the Louisiana Limited Liability Com‐ Law, Jackson pany Square Investment II, L.L.C. a Louisiana limited liability company (the "Company"), shall be liq‐ uidated out of court, and that the following has been appointed liquida‐ f h

THIS NOTICE BY PUBLICA‐ TION IS NOTIFICATION THAT YOUR RIGHTS OR INTEREST IN THE FOL‐ LOWING DESCRIBED PROPERTY LOCATED IN THE CITY OF NEW OR‐ LEANS, LOUISIANA MAY BE TERMINATED BY OP‐ ERATION OF LAW IF YOU DO NOT TAKE FURTHER ACTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH LAW: Tax Bill 4030-MITHRAST THE ESTATE OF KERMIT J. BRAZLEY JR., Tulane Pay Plans, Inc., Kermit Braz‐ ley Jr., Marie Randall Bra‐ zley, City of New Orleans, ficarra jr., mark PRISCILLA FICARRA HITE, brossi ficarra, DEBRA BRAZLEY DILES, Kermit

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Public Notices Successions

Legal Notices

leans, LA 70117

Brazley III, Terry Brazley Sr., Calvin Isaac Brazley Sr., SHIRLEY R BARNES, ARMOND RIZAN PERKINS, MATTHEW M PERKINS, BRANDON M PERKINS, PERKINS COURTNEY JONES, CRYSTAL PERKINS CURTIS, WILLIAM EUGENE Lillie Marie HALSELL, Halsell, CITY OF NEW OR‐ LEANS PONTCHARTRAIN PK SQ 24 LOT 5 MITHRA 50 X 120 SGLE/FR 7/RM C/R Improvements thereon bear Municipal No. 4030 Mithra St, New Orleans, LA 70126 Tax Bill 6518-VIRGILIANST U.S. SMALL BUSINESS AD‐ MINISTRATION, Patricia Brooks Curtis, John Allen Gayle Francis Curtis, Prattini, Monteleone Francis Phillip Prattini, Associates Home Equity Services, Inc., City of Orleans, karen New brooks green, gwendolyn tricia nance, brooks, curtis, francis donna prattini jr., paul prattini, robert joseph prattini, michael christopher prattini, CITIMORTGAGE, INC., c t corporation sys‐ tem PINE VILLAGE SQ 19 LOT VIRGILIAN 60X122 10 SGLE/BR/FR 5/RM A/R Improvements thereon bear Municipal No. 6518 Virgilian St, New Orleans, LA 70126 Tax Bill 7741-BREVARDAV TERRIUS D. HILLIARD, LAKECIA P HILLIARD, U.S. Small Business Adminis‐ tration, City of New Or‐ leans VILLA SITES SQ 41 LOT M 60X100 BREVARD SGLE/BR/FR 7/RM A/R GARAGE Improvements thereon bear Municipal No. 7741 Brevard Ave, New Or‐ leans, LA 70127 Tax Bill 739-SSALCEDOST OLGA RITA BLACK PLATT, BLACK KIRK‐ MURIEL PATRICK, CITY OF NEW LINDA J ORLEANS, Walker, LINDA JAMES CHERAY LIANA HALL, CHANIN JOI KISSE, MICHAEL WILLIAMS, PLATT, SANDRA ANDER‐ SON, REGINALD KIRK‐ PATRICK SQ 651 LOT 27 SOUTH SALCEDO 30' X 102' 9'' M/A CHNG 6/20/03 Improvements thereon bear Municipal No. 739 S Salcedo St, New Orleans, LA 70119 Tax Bill 1345-TEN‐ NESSEEST ATAC 1, LLC, City of New Orleans, corporation ser‐ company, roger vice samek, Helen Clay War‐ ren, James Franklin Reed Warren, Commercial Se‐ curities Company, Inc., Tommie J. Dyer, Sun Fi‐ nance Company, Mooring Tax Asset Group II, LLC, brian daube, c t corpora‐ tion system, AUDUBON HOLDING CO., INC., an‐ gelique dyer, damaris dyer, dennis dyer, dionne dyer, ebony dyer, patrice thommie dyer, dyer, thomas dyer, thomas jerome dyer, marissa felicia nixon, lindley, trent theodore SQS 546 583 LOT 25 TEN‐ NESSEE 40 X 120 BR V SGLE 7/RM A/R SEE E RECORD TAX SALE 0228048 237543 6/4/02 TAX INST#269456 SALE NA#03-5 8706 10/29/03 $832.26 2001 T AXES TAX DEED 12/29/03 SALE 276141 04-06966 $871.97 Improvements thereon bear Municipal No. 1345 Tennessee St, New Or‐

TAX SALE TITLE TO THE ABOVE DESCRIBED PROP‐ ERTY HAS BEEN SOLD FOR FAILURE TO PAY TAXES. YOU HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS A PERSON WHO MAY HAVE AN IN‐ TEREST IN THIS PROP‐ ERTY. YOUR INTEREST IN THE PROPERTY WILL BE TER‐ MINATED IF YOU DO NOT REDEEM THE PROPERTY

BY MAKING ALL RE‐ QUIRED PAYMENTS TO THE TAX COLLECTOR LISTED BELOW OR FILE A LAWSUIT IN ACCOR‐ DANCE WITH LAW WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THE FIRST PUB‐ LICATION OF THIS NO‐ TICE, OR THE RECORDING OF AN ACT TRANSFER‐ RING OWNERSHIP, IF LATER. CITY OF NEW ORLEANS 1300 PERDIDO STREET ROOM 1W40 NEW ORLEANS, LA 70112 (866) 709-4513 171322-DEC 20-1T $85.02

Public Notices Successions

PUBLIC NOTICE --24TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT PARISH OF JEFFERSON STATE OF LOUISIANA NO: 685-794 DIVISION: “L” SUCCESSION OF CLEVELAND GORDON NOTICE TO SELL IMMOVEABLE PROPERTY AT PRIVATE SALE WHEREAS Odile Gordon, Administratrix, of the above estate has made application to the Court for sale, at private sale, of the immoveable prop‐ erty herein-described towit:

p tion of Lot #3 immedi‐ ately adjoins Lot #4.

Lot #4 measures 25 feet front on Pailet Avenue, similar width in the rear, by a depth of 120 feet be‐ tween equal and parallel lines.

Being part of the same property acquired by William S. Resor from Dom, Inc. by act before John F. Stafford, N.P., on December 31, 1954, regis‐ tered in COB. 371 folio 227, Parish of Jefferson, La. The Administratrix, seeks an order authoriz‐ ing her to sell the es‐ tate’s undivided one-half (1/2) interest in the aforedescribed property for the price and consid‐ eration of Thirty-Five Dollars Thousand ($35,000.00) for Dece‐ dent’s share of the undi‐ above-described vided immoveable prop‐ erty.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO ALL PARTIES whom it may concern, in‐ cluding the heirs and creditors of the Decedent herein, and of this estate, be ordered to make any opposition which they have, or may have, to such application, at any time, prior to the is‐ suance of the order or authorizing, judgment approving and homolo‐ gating such application, and that such order or judgment may be issued after the expiration of seven (7) days, from the date of the last publica‐ tion of such notice, all in accordance with law.

BY ORDER OF THE COURT: CLERK 171313-dec 20-1t $68.51

Certain portions of ground, together with all the buildings and im‐ provements thereon, all rights, ways, privileges, servitudes, appurte‐ nances and advantages thereunto belonging or in anywise appertaining sit‐ uated in the Parish of Jef‐ ferson, State of La., on the “est Bank of the Mis‐ sissippi River, in the sub‐ division known as HAR‐ VEY CANAL SUBDIVISION, all as more fully shown on copy of map of por‐ tion of said subdivision

by C. A. Robert, C.E., dated November 5, 1952, copy on file in the office of the Clerk of Court, Jef‐ ferson Parish, and desig‐ nated and described in accordance with said map as all of LOT #4 and portion of LOT #3 adjoin‐ ing Lot #4, in SQUARE #51, said square being bounded by Estalote and Pailet Avenues, 34th and 36th Streets.

Reporting you can trust on stories that matter

Portion of Lot #3 mea‐ sures 3 feet 3 inches front on Pailet Avenue, a width in the rear of 19 feet 4 inches by a depth on the side line separat‐ ing it from Lot #4 of 120 feet, a depth on the other side line of 121 feet 0 inches 5 lines. Said por‐ i f i di

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THE TIMES-PICAYUNE | DECEMBER 20, 2025

HOME

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DESIGN

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R E A L E S TAT E

ELEGANCE RENEWED Victorian cottage gets meticulous care

THIS WEEKEND

PATIO PLANTERS HOME TOUR

A small but posh French Quarter reno

Page 8

2 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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GREEN THUMB

Cold-weather care in the garden. PAGE 4

HOME

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French Quarter in the spotlight New owners of a two-bay Greek Re- neighbors. Victor Andrews give us a vival home have worked to restore its peek inside on Page 20.

Decorating with ornaments historic identity, all while turnand wreaths, bows and berries, ing the small space into a posh and figures from Santa Claus refuge. See it inside on Page 8, to the Christ child is a happy or in person on Sunday on the slice of holiday life, a way to Patio Planters holiday home add joy to the season while tour, which helps fund Carolflexing creative muscles. But ing in Jackson Square.

Karen what goes up must eventually While you’re in the Quarter, Taylor Gist come down. Interior designer check out this week’s One in Louis J. Aubert has tips for ora Million house at 1220 Dauphine St., on sale for $2.9 million. The ganizing as the cache is stored away thee-story home is only 9 years old, — something that will pay off next but fits in seamlessly with its historic year. See Page 12.

INSIDE STORY

A small but posh Vieux Carre home on tour. PAGE 8

Tell us about your spaces

INSIDE INFO

Home & garden happenings. PAGE 11

HOME WORK WITH LOUIS

Managing decorations after the holidays. PAGE 12

COVER STORY

Elegance honed over time in Broadmoor. PAGE 14

ONE IN A MILLION

A modern Quarter home for $2.9M. PAGE 20

The InsideOut home and garden section is published every Saturday by The Times-Picayune. Questions about InsideOut should be directed to the editor.

INSIDEOUT EDITOR: Karen Taylor Gist, COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel kataylor@theadvocate.com COVER PHOTO: Chris Granger CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: TO BE FEATURED: Send information Victor Andrews, Louis J.Aubert, Jyl Benson, and photos to insideout@theadvocate.

Dan Gill com

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-3/!2-3!311-

* ( " ( % & * + ' ! # ) $ !$"#

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REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS

Recent transactions in the metro area. PAGE 22

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

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

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 3

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941 Allen Toussaint Blvd. • Lakeshore

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4 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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GREEN THUMB

Dan Gill GREEN THUMB

This week we experienced this winter’s second round of subfreezing temperatures. In areas that stayed around 30 degrees or above, damage to plants was likely light overall.

Areas farther north that experienced a hard freeze in the mid- to upper-20s will see more extensive damage.

Where those temperatures oc-

FREEZE REFRESHER

A reminder on how to care for your plants before and after the cold curred, warm-season bedding plants and vegetables have been badly damaged or killed.

While many tropical landscape plants may have been damaged, they have likely survived. But winter is just getting started.

At this point, it’s time to assess the effects of these recent freezes, and to evaluate how

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well what you did to protect plants helped to minimize damage. Perhaps you left a potted plant outside that should have been brought indoors and it has sustained cold damage. Learn from this and make a point of bringing the plant indoors in the future.

What to do after a freeze Unless you intend to keep them inside for the rest of the winter, move container plants you brought inside back to their spots outside once the freezing episode is over. It does not bother these plants to go from outside to briefly inside and back out again as needed through the winter.

And, unless you have excellent growing conditions indoors or have a greenhouse, these container plants would likely be happiest spending most of the winter outside — coming inside only when needed.

If you placed your container plants altogether under a porch or covered patio and covered them with sheets or plastic, uncover them and move them back to their original locations. Or you may decide it would be easier to leave them where they are. This is fine as long as you space them apart and make sure they get adequate light.

Plants growing in the ground cannot be brought indoors and must be sheltered in place. This is generally accomplished by covering them.

Don’t be overly distressed if that tropical plant you carefully covered and tucked in for the night shows freeze damage despite your efforts. When we cover plants, we do not expect them to come through the freezes in perfect condition.

For plants growing in the

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

A homeowner near uses a heavy rock to secure a tarp over their tropical plants. Tropical plants should be covered before a freeze, with the cover secured at the bottom to keep wind out. ground, cold protection is done to preserve the life of the tropical plant — not to bring it through the winter without damage. Only plants in pots that could be moved into a greenhouse or brightly lit locations indoors would be expected to go through the winter in excellent shape.

For plants that you cover with clear plastic, you must remove or vent covers to prevent excessive heat buildup if the next day is sunny and mild.

You do not need to completely remove the cover if it will freeze again the next night.

You can leave plants covered with blankets or sheets for several days without harming them.

Leaves of tropical plants will freeze where they touched plastic covers (this does not happen as much

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Unless you have excellent growing conditions indoors or have a greenhouse, most container plants would likely be happiest spending most of the winter outside — coming inside ä See REFRESHER, page 6 only when needed.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 5

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GREEN THUMB

Wax-covered amaryllis bulb can grow without water or soil, but it’s unlikely to bloom again

BY DAN GILL

Contributing writer

I bought an amaryllis with the bulb covered in red wax. It was amazing that the bulb bloomed without planting it in soil. The flowers were while they lasted, but Garden beautiful now they are finished. No direcadvice tions came with the bulb as to what to do next. — Lee Waxed amaryllis bulbs are amazing in their ability to grow a flower stalk and bloom just sitting on a table with no soil or water. This is possible because water and food are stored in the large bulb — enough to allow the bulb to bloom even if not planted.

But the process takes a terrible toll on the bulb. Much of the stored water and food are used up in the blooming process. This leaves the bulb depleted and weak. For this reason, waxed amaryllis bulbs are generally best discarded after blooming. It’s hard for the weakened bulb to recover.

If you like, however, you can try to carefully remove all the wax from the bulb. Avoid damaging the bulb and the

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DARLENE DENSTORFF

Amaryllis bulbs that come in wax may not survive after blooming, but with good care, they can eventually be planted into the garden. basal part of the bulb as you remove the wax.

When the wax is removed, plant the

GARDEN TIPS WEED FREE: Keep garden beds free from weeds even in winter. A 2to 3-inch layer of mulch will prevent most cool-season weed seeds from sprouting. It is more effective to keep weeds under control with regular efforts than to try to correct a situation that has gotten out of control due to inattention.

SLEEPING ROSES: New shipments of rose bushes will be arriving at area garden centers over the next couple of months.

These should be planted while still dormant, so January through early March is an excellent time to purchase and plant them into

well-prepared, sunny beds with excellent drainage.

CAMELLIA TIP: Camellias have been blooming beautifully. Their open flowers are susceptible to damage during hard freezes, and it’s a shame to see them ruined.

But closed buds are hardy and will bloom nicely later.

CACTUS CARE: After your Christmas cactus plant stops blooming, don’t discard it. Move it to a sunny window for the rest of the winter. Allow the soil to dry slightly before watering. Keeping the soil constantly wet promotes root rot. With proper care, this plant will bloom for years to come.

CHRISTMAS TREE TLC: If you leave your Christmas tree up well beyond Christmas Day (many people leave them up until King’s Day on Jan. 6), don’t forget to check the water level in the tree stand every few days and apply more water as needed.

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Realtor M: 504.616.4154 O: 504.866.2785 margaret. stewart@ compass.com Compass is a licensed real estate broker. All material is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. No statement is made as to the accuracy of any description or measurements (including square footage).

This is not intended to solicit property already listed. No financial or legal advice provided.

Equal Housing Opportunity. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.

6 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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The first thing that many gardeners want to do right after a freeze is to get out and start whacking everything back. Do not prune anything for a week or more after a freeze. It often takes at least a week for all of the damage to become evident.

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with fabric covers). For this reason, if you simply draped a plastic cover over a plant it is typical for the outer leaves to look burned. But you still protected the inner part of the plant, so the cover did provide protection.

To minimize leaf burn, however, you can support the plastic cover up off the foliage. A tomato cage works well for this. Or simply drive three stakes that stick up slightly taller than the plant into the ground around it before you cover it.

Remember, covers usually work well to protect plants from freezes on chilly, clear nights or when temperatures will not go below the mid-20s.

For more severe freezes, you can minimize damage better by providing heat under the cover. Draping the plant with small, incandescent outdoor Christmas lights before you

Dealing with cold damage The first thing that many gardeners want to do right after a freeze is to get out and start whacking everything back. Do not prune anything for a week or more after a freeze. It often takes at least a week for all of the damage to become evident.

Damaged growth on herbaceous or nonwoody plants, such as cannas, elephant ears, birds-of-paradise, begonias, impatiens, philodendron and gingers, may be pruned away back to living tissue. This STAFF FILE PHOTO By pruning is optional and is done TRAVIS SPRADLING more to neaten things up than to benefit the plants. However, Scratch the stem of angel’s if the damaged tissue is oozy, trumpets and other woody mushy, slimy and smells foul, it should be removed. tropicals with your thumb to Most of these plants have see if there’s green underneath fleshy below-ground parts, the bark. Or, wait until it’s time such as bulbs or rhizomes, to sprout to be sure whether which will survive the winter they’re dead or alive. and grow next year. A 4-inch layer of mulch over the ground is all that is needed to protect cover it and leaving them on all night is a good way to do ä See REFRESHER, page 7 this.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 7

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GREEN THUMB ADVICE

Continued from page 5 bulb in a pot with potting soil and put it in a sunny window.

Water regularly as the surface of the soil gets dry. Hopefully, leaves will emerge and grow. If after a few weeks, leaves have failed to appear, discard the bulb.

If the bulb sprouts leaves in April, you can plant the growing bulb in your garden where, although it may take a couple of years to recover, it will bloom in the spring for many years to come.

I have been trying to grow an avocado plant from a seed following instructions on the internet. But I cannot get the seed to sprout and grow into a plant.

Can you offer any advice on what will work? — Greg The problem is likely not the technique you are using to sprout the seeds. There are a variety of ways of starting avocado seeds — and they all work. The issue is usually with the seeds themselves. Not all of them are viable. Avocado fruit

REFRESHER Continued from page 6

these below-ground parts.

You may remove the damaged foliage from banana trees but do not cut back the trunks unless they have been killed (this usually takes temperatures in the teens). A dead trunk will look brown, feel mushy, feel loose in the soil and will bleed a lot if punctured.

Generally, it’s a good idea to delay hard pruning of woody tropical plants, such as hibiscus, tibouchina, angel trumpet, croton, ixora, ti plant, schefflera, copper plant and rubber tree, until new growth begins in the spring and you can more accurately determine which parts are alive and what is dead. Dead leaves on woody tropical plants can be picked

As the plant grows taller, however, gardeners who what their sweet olive to take on a more tree-like form should begin to remove the lower branches to expose the trunk(s).

Prune the lower branches, maintaining about half the height of the plant leafy canopy. Continue to remove lower branches over the years STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER to raise the canopy and create a tree form.

Pruning of a sweet olive bush Pruning is best done in the is best done in the spring after spring after flowing ends.

Research indicates that the flowering ends. use of pruning paints, wound dressings or pruning sealers the tree is full of blooms, so we haven’t done any pruning yet. Can you advise us? are of no benefit when painted When we prune, do you recommend seal- over pruning cuts, and in some instances may even inhibit ing the cuts? — George Sweet olives (Osmanthus fra- healing. They are not recomPROVIDED PHOTO By PIXABAy grans) are large shrub- to small mended.

Avocado trees can grow from pits, but buying a grafted tree will tree-size plants that generally assure you’re getting a superior tree that’s a duplicate of a named don’t grow taller than about 15 Dan Gill is a retired feet. Growth rate is relatively consumer horticulture variety. slow, and these plants generspecialist with the LSU is harvested when it is immaOur sweet olive has been in the ground ally spend the early part of AgCenter. He hosts the their lives functioning more as “Garden Show” on WWL-AM ture, and this affects the viabil- for about four years and is about 6 feet Saturdays at 9 a.m. Email shrubs than trees. While they ity of the seeds and their ability tall.We’ve heard these trees can grow gardening questions to are in that phase, it is fine to to sprout. Keep trying. You are to be about 12 to 14 feet tall. I’d like to prune off some of the lower limbs to train have a bushy plant with lots of gnogardening@agcenter.lsu. bound to find a seed that will it to be more tree-like. However, right now low-growing branches. edu. sprout for you eventually.

off to make things look neater.

If you can clearly determine what parts are dead on a woody plant, you can prune them back. Scratch the bark with your thumbnail. If the

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tissue underneath is green, it’s still alive. If the tissue is tan or brown, that part of the plant is dead. Start at the top and work your way down to see how far back the plant was killed.

There will likely be additional damage this winter.

Don’t get discouraged at this point. Although you may see a fair amount of damage to landscape tropicals, particularly

where it got into the mid- to upper-20s, most of the tropicals are still alive and will appreciate continuing protection as needed through the rest of the winter.

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8 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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INSIDE STORY

PHOTO By JEFF STROUT

Early retirees Katie Kolthoff and Larry Heilbronner worked with celebrated architect and historian Robert Cangelossi to restore their small French Quarter home to more closely reflect its origins after a 1960s renovation by a prior owner stripped out many architectural details. The staircase was redesigned in a more classical style with finely turned wooden spindles reaching a handrail from the treads, and wooden balustrades enclosing the upstairs opening. The room is illuminated by an Austrian crystal chandelier in the Maria Theresa style.

Good things, small package French Quarter house morphs into owners’ opulent refuge

BY JYL BENSON

Quarter with a trio of teeny-tiny rescue Chihuahuas — Igor, Vassily and Boris — who freEarly retirees Katie Kolthoff quently travel with the couple, and Larry Heilbronner have especially 31/2-pound Igor, the built a charmed life in a narsenior member of the trio. On a recent frigid afternoon, they row two-story, two-bay Greek huddled with their plush toys Revival home in the French

Contributing writer

for warmth on a pile of luxurious faux-fur throws before a portable heater.

The room where they gathered bore windows draped floor to ceiling in silk the color of the winter sky. A festive Christmas tree was adorned with gold ornaments and strung with gold beads and white lights. The room was furnished with fine European antiques and family

Heilbronner, Kolthoff and their three rescue Chihuahuas in their renovated French Quarter home

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 9

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INSIDE STORY PATIO PLANTERS HOLIDAY HOME TOUR WHAT: A self-guided tour of Lower French Quarter homes of various interior and architectural styles.

WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m.

Sunday

ADMISSION: Advance tickets are $35 online; day-of tickets are $40, cash only. Children 12 and under get in free. Pick up in the alcove of The Cabildo, 701 Chartres St., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Get directions to the houses there. it. There were no hotel rooms available. Their house was dangerous and uninhabitable.

“So, we couch surfed,” Kolthoff said. “Not ideal.”

The results of the considerable labor and expense that Kolthoff and Heilbronner poured into the historic home and its charming tropical patio garden will be on display along with several others on Sunday for the annual Patio Planters of the Vieux Carre Holiday Home Tour.

The home’s history The windows are draped floor to ceiling in silk the color of the winter sky. A festive Christmas tree is adorned with gold ornaments and strung with gold beads and white lights. The living room is furnished with fine European antiques and family heirlooms.

The midcentury atomic bar cabinet was purchased from a consignment shop. heirlooms, illuminated by a shimmering Austrian crystal chandelier in the Maria Theresa style. The air in the room was perfumed with the faint comingled scent of jasmine, magnolia and gardenia.

While the 1,500-square-foot home is an opulent refuge now, that was not always the case.

When the couple bought the home in early 2021, after resettling from the Northeast a couple of years before and renting a place down the block, they immediately set about having it restored under the guidance of celebrated architect and historian Robert Cangelosi. As Mardi Gras approached, the couple learned the original hardwood floors on the first floor of their home were completely rotten and unsalvageable.

“It was like a trampoline,” Kolthoff said. “The sander they were using on the floors was bouncing up and down;

they were so warped. We had to pull them out.”

Floor, subflooring, floor joists, all gone.

At the time, Kolthoff had a business that relied on Mardi Gras traffic to meet its annual quotas, so she could not close

The home was built as a onestory, 18-foot-wide structure in the early 1840s by Juan Tintorer, an Old Levee Street grocer who acquired the lot in 1841 and sold it in 1853.

That timing is confirmed by the home’s crossette-framed front doorway; other buildings were already present on the site when Tintorer purchased it.

This was a time of rapid transition as the neighborhood shifted from Creole to American dominance and struggled with early urban challenges

LAGNIAPPE: This fundraiser is a prelude to Caroling in Jackson Square that Patio Planters sponsors at 6 p.m.

such as drainage and rampant disease. The mutual loathing between the Americans and Creoles — the haughty Creoles thought the Americans were barbarians — was pushing commerce and banking across Canal Street to the thriving American Sector, leaving the French Quarter to decline as the Creole population spread up and across Esplanade Av-

enue, and free people of color settled in Treme.

In or around 1885, under the ownership of Henry Bier, builder John B. Fournier added the home’s second story and joined the rear slave quarter dependency to the main house.

At this time, decorative

ä See REFUGE, page 10

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10 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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INSIDE STORY

PHOTOS By JEFF STROUT

What is now the home’s kitchen was once a detached slave quarter. The buildings were joined in 1885. The couple renovated the kitchen with an abundance of cabinets for storage. It overlooks a side patio.

The small upstairs gallery is located off the primary bedroom — an opulent study in shades of soft blues, greens, gilded wood furnishings, and French doors of aged natural cypress swaddled in plush silk draperies. It overlooks the quiet street below.

REFUGE

The elegant carved side chair was gifted to Katie Kolthoff by her mother.

Kolthoff had it recovered in this fanciful pattern.

Continued from page 9 exterior millwork was added, and the building became typical of the Victorian style with a wooden balustrade balcony and a bracketsupported overhang with a scalloped vergeboard. The wooden balustrade and vergeboard were removed during a 1960s renovation and replaced with the iron balustrade the home now bears.

Today’s version

The view from the gallery outside of the primary bedroom affords a stunning view of the residential part of the neighborhood.

The small upstairs gallery is located off the primary bedroom — an opulent study in shades of soft blues, greens, gilded wood furnishings and French doors of aged natural cypress, swaddled in plush silk draperies. It overlooks the quiet street below.

“The upstairs balcony was a lifesaver during the pandemic,” Kolthoff said. “Neighbors would gather on their balconies at night and pass bottles of wine while listening to a band that practiced in a garage down the street. People who don’t live here overlook the strong sense of community we share.

That’s what drew us here and binds us here.”

The exterior of the house was already painted a luscious shade

evocative of a Creamsicle, with shutters and a front door in a rich blue-gray. It looked appropriate to the neighborhood and its history.

The 1960s renovation that removed the wooden balustrade also transformed the already perilously steep interior staircase — the ceilings are 12 feet high — into a The path to renovation floating, open version with no railThe interior was a different story. ings.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 11

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INSIDE INFO French Quarter dons holiday looks for tour

This painted door, a unique find, waits while its owners look for the perfect spot to use it.

“It was kind of psychedelic,” Kolthoff said. “It was treacherous.”

The couple wanted to restore the interior of their home to better reflect its origins. After replacing the flooring on the first floor with oak boards, the staircase, still challengingly pitched, was redesigned in a more classical style with finely turned wooden spindles reaching a handrail from the treads, and wooden balustrades enclosing the upstairs opening.

The kitchen, housed in the former slave quarters with old brick flooring and access to the courtyard garden, was gutted and renovated, with an abundance of white cabinetry featuring raised panels to maximize storage.

The home’s only bathroom, located on the second floor, was similarly renovated with breezy white tile and cabinetry to maximize the light from a large window overlooking the courtyard below.

“We had to surrender to get here,” Kolthoff said.

“It’s things like rotten floors, peeling plaster and wondering if water is just water or a leak or something more, that is just part of what living in an ancient house in the French Quarter is all about.

There is a rubric: You can have convenience, or you can have charm, but you can’t have both. You must have an element of surrender to live here.”

The Patio Planters will sponsor tours of homes in the Vieux Carre for the annual French Quarter Holiday Home tour from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday.

The self-guided walking tour starts at Jackson Square, 700 Decatur St. Private residences with varying architectural styles, 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.

Vieux Carré homes open for tours Six French Quarter historic homes will be part of the Friends of the Cabildo’s Creole Christmas Tour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 27-28, including the BK House, Gallier House, Hermann-Grima House, 1850 House, Historic New Orleans Collection and Spring Fiesta House.

Tickets start at $44.52 via eventbrite.com. For information, visit friendsofthecabildo.org.

See the decor at Destrehan Plantation Destrehan Plantation,

Help City Park pick up litter around the grounds on Tuesday.

FILE PHOTO By MATT ROPPOLO

The dining room mantel at Destrehan Plantation is decorated for Christmas with trimmings of tree branches and fruit.

13034 River Road, in St. Charles Parish will offer combination tours of the house and walking tours of the Spirit of Christmas Lighting in the Alley of Oaks at 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. through Dec. 30.

The light show features more than 100 lighted frames and 50 Christmas trees. Admission starts at $5, with children 2 and under free. Visit destrehanplantation.org.

Volunteer projects abound at City Park City Park is looking for volunteers for its Litter Cleanup Krewe, which will be working to improve and maintain the extensive urban green space from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Volunteers will meet at the

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12 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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HOME WORK WITH LOUIS

PACK AWAY PACK AWAY

PACKAWAYALL

Here’s how to store decorations so they’re organized and protected With the holiday season in full force, decorations are embellishing almost everything in sight, including our beloved streetcars! Thank you to whoever decided to add garlands and wreaths to our rolling, National Register-listed landmarks.

Whether simple or elaborate, holiday decorations are ingrained as an important part of the season.

Many families honor traditions passed down from earlier generations. For instance, at one time, it was common for the figure of the Christ child not to be inserted into the Nativity scene until Christmas Day. As a small child, when I learned the story of the Maji visiting Jesus, I insisted that the kings not join the other figurines in the display until the Epiphany, or Twelfth Night. I moved them around the living room, each day getting a little closer to the stable.

But as even small children know, what goes up must come down.

Whether or not you follow tradition

A collection of nutcrackers is on display now, but will be stored together for ease of finding next year.

PHOTOS By LOUIS J. AUBERT

QUICK STORAGE TIPS

Louis Aubert and leave your tree up until after the Epiphany on Jan. 6, at some point soon, you will have to take down, organize and store your holiday decor.

The consensus among organized and experienced people I’ve consulted is that organization and careful storage of decorations are well worth the effort. So, while everything is still on display, this is the perfect time to inventory and organize as you prepare to pack it up until next year.

Once organized, you will be able to locate that illusive piece that tends to hide each year and necessitates unpacking every single box in order to complete that favorite tabletop ar-

n Purchase multiple storage bins, as bins from the same manufacturer stack easily. n Organize ornaments by color or theme. n Store strings of lights carefully to avoid the annual horror of untangling multiple strings. n Purchase specially designed storage pieces for wreaths and trees.

Tree ornaments can be easily stored in clear bins, with ornaments separated by color.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 13

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HOME WORK WITH LOUIS ing much easier. Flat paper or wooden ornaments can be stored in cookie tins. Cushion the tins with tissue paper, label each tin as to contents and then store multiple tins in a bin.

For centerpieces, garlands Bins again are the answer.

Packed carefully with tissue paper, an arrangement will be fine year after year. Garlands, plain or decorated, will also survive uncrushed.

The designated space A berry wreath, which here has become part of a table centerpiece, can be stored in a specially shaped container. rangement. Yes, I am referring to that small reindeer with mini lights tangled in his antlers.

You will also be able to more easily scale down your decorations to display only the most important or most meaningful pieces.

Start with the lights Starting with strings of lights, which are the most dreaded of all decorations, consider storing them in plastic grocery bags. One string per bag, with each labeled as to its location (i.e. front porch lights).

This may seem excessive unless you have ever been given the horror-story chore of untangling a blob of lights.

Then the tree The popularity of faux trees has resulted in creation of the “tree bag.” The tree goes into a bag to be stored upright so its shape isn’t damaged. A waterproof bag with reinforced zippers will keep out both moisture and pests.

Some bags feature handles, which make moving the tree much easier.

Brace yourselves, traditionalists: There are people who wire unbreakable ornaments to an artificial tree, and are happy to just bag it as is until next year.

Consider the wreath Like trees, there are special containers in which to store a wreath. My favorite is the

zippered canvas-like bag that secures the wreath in place and has a handle to make it easy to carry and a card slot so that you can identify what is stored inside.

Easy with the ornaments Delicate Old-World-type glass ornaments are best carefully placed in storage bins with cardboard dividers or kept in their original packaging and corralled into storage bins.

This is also the best way to store vintage glass ornaments and the priceless pieces made by children.

A great quantity of plastic ornaments can simply be stored in bins organized by color. This makes color-themed decorat-

Ideally everything is stored in one place. It may have seemed like to good idea to stash some little thing in a nearby drawer, but will you remember this a year later?

A dry storage area without extreme temperature change is desirable. An unfinished attic may not be the best location for vintage pieces as summer heat may be a problem.

Closets and storage under a staircase are ideal, and there are the added advantages that you do not have to climb into the attic and that the decorations are stored near where they will be used.

Organizing and adding labels Last but absolutely not least is the importance of inventorying and labeling each storage bin as to content. For example: mantel decorations, red ornaments, gold ornaments, etc.

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A master list of the contents of all bins is a good idea. I have also found it wise to include a contents list inside each bin that contains disparate items such as German glass, vintage glass and souvenir pieces.

Looking ahead to next year Consider adding ornaments or other decorative pieces when retailers rush the season.

The selection is better and you get to decide when the holiday decorating season begins.

A nice tradition is to let children select a new ornament to add to the tree each year. The selection will reflect the child’s interest, and it will become a happy memory.

While the real estate mantra is “location, location, location,” the holiday decor storage mantra is “label, label, label.”

Louis J. Aubert is a professional member of the American Society of Interior Designers and an avid preservationist. Some of his most visible New Orleans projects include making interior color selections for Gallier Hall, Trinity Episcopal Church and the Louisiana Supreme Court Royal Street Courthouse, and both interior and exterior selections for St. Stephen’s Basilica. Contact him at mrcolour@aol.com.

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14 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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C OV ER S T OR y

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

When Michelle Rousseau Newman purchased the circa-1900 Victorian centerhall cottage in Broadmoor in the late ’90s, ‘It had all the bones I wanted, 13-foot ceilings and off-street parking, too.’

Moving

forward A Broadmoor home evolves along with its owner’s lifestyle

BY JYL BENSON

Contributing writer Michelle Rousseau Newman is a take-charge, take-no-prisoners kind of woman.

The 7th Ward native is the founder and president of In the Event, from which she retired in 2019. With Newman at the helm, the New Orleans-based, high-powered event planning company counted among its national coterie of clients the NFL, the city of New Orleans,

the House of Blues Foundation, Sigma Pi Phi, the Congressional Black Caucus Institute and the National Urban League.

She doesn’t waste time and doesn’t mess around.

She knew right away that the 2,400-square-foot, circa-1900 Victorian centerhall cottage she purchased in 2000 in the Broadmoor neighborhood was the one for her.

“I found the house over

ä See EVOLVES, page 17

Like the rest of Newman’s home, the living room is filled in jewel tones and neutrals. A Murano glass chande

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elier from Italy illuminates the room.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 15

Michelle Newman tends to guests in her kitchen before the holiday dinner. Behind her is a work of art created by the women of the Galapagos Islands.

Chef Dana Honn makes full use of every surface in Michelle Newman’s kitchen as he prepares a tropical meal for her holiday dinner party. Recipes from the holiday meal are on Pages 16-18.

16 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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International flair is evident in holiday party

In keeping with an international focus for her new company, A Curated Life, Michelle Rousseau Newman tapped chefs/spouses Dana and Christina Honn, of Nikkei Izakaya, to cater her recent intimate, tropical-themed holiday dinner party at her home.

The chefs opened Nikkei with longtime chef/collaborator Wataru Saeki at The Broadside event venue this spring, prior to which they owned and operated the celebrated Café Carmo in the Warehouse District for 15 years. They work exclusively with Gulf seafood.

“We’ve known Michelle for a few years, and our relationship began at Carmo, where

she was a frequent customer.

It has grown into a friendship.

This is the first party we’ve done for her,” said Dana Honn, a 2023 James Beard Award nominee.

“There are people who think Nikkei is a Peruvian style of Japanese food, but there are Nikkei communities all over the world,” Honn said. “We are trying to highlight the cuisine of all Japanese immigrants.”

His restaurant’s menu features Japanese fusion from all over the world, including a Canadian-Japanese mash-up.

The chefs brought both Nikkei and tropical flavors to Newman’s table.

— Jyl Benson

HOLIDAYS IN THE TROPICS MENU Peruvian Nikkei Ceviche* Caribbean Winter Salad* Asopao de Gandules (Pigeon Pea Stew) Turkey Molé Gulf Seafood Moqueca* Mousse de Maracujá (Passion Fruit Mousse) *Recipe follows

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

One of Newman’s friends likes to give her Betty Boop cartoon character items.

In the background, chefs Christina and Dana Honn, of Nikkei Izakaya, prepare a tropical-themed dinner in Newman’s kitchen.

Moqueca Baiana (Brazilian Fish & Shrimp Stew with Pirão and Rice) Chef Honn explained: “For more than three centuries, people in Brazil’s northeast have been making Moqueca, a dish whose name comes from moquém — an Indigenous cooking method in which fish or meat, often with root vegetables, was wrapped in leaves and roasted over an open fire. Enslaved Africans later transformed the dish, introducing dendê (red palm oil) and coconut milk, and cooking it slowly in clay pots rather than leaves.

“By the mid-19th century, Moqueca had become a staple across Brazil. This version is representative of the most iconic style, which is from the northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia.

This traditional Brazilian fish stew is served with cassava grits (pirão) and rice, honoring the dish’s Indigenous and Afro-Brazilian roots while keeping it firmly grounded in home-style cooking.”

Christina Honn found this unusual, rustic clay vessel in South America. To keep it safe she flew home to New Orleans with the vessel in her lap. Here, it is filled with a luscious Gulf Seafood Moqueca.

Serves 6-8 2 white onions, diced 6 cloves garlic, finely diced 1 red bell pepper, cut into rings 1 green pepper, cut into rings 1/2 cup olive oil, divided 4 tablespoons highquality dendê (red palm oil) 3 ripe medium tomatoes, diced

1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk 2 pounds firm white fish fillets, cut into 2-inch by 2-inch pieces 2 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined Juice of 1 lime 1 cup cilantro, chopped 1/4 cup sweet basil, chopped

1/2 cup green onions, diced Sea salt, to taste Pirão (Cassava Grits), method follows Hot, cooked long-grain rice (season the cooking water with 3 tablespoons sea salt and 3 tablespoons olive oil) Brazilian-style hot sauce (recipe follows)

In a cast-iron or heavy pot over high heat, sauté onions, garlic and peppers in 1 /4 cup olive oil and 2 tablespoons dendê until fragrant and lightly browned.

Add tomatoes and half of the can of coconut milk, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 15 minutes, allowing the base to come together.

Meanwhile, add two tablespoons of olive oil to a separate skillet over high heat. Lightly brown the fish on both sides (about one to two minutes per side).

Add cilantro, green onions, basil, lime juice, shrimp, fish, remaining coconut milk and remaining dendê to the pot with the stew. Gently simmer until shrimp and fish are just cooked through.

The shrimp should be firm, pink and opaque — take care not to overcook.

Finish the stew with the remaining olive oil and adjust the seasoning with salt to taste.

Moqueca is best enjoyed family-style.

For each portion, spoon rice onto the plate, top with a generous portion of Moqueca, add a few tablespoons of Pirão on the side, and finish with hot sauce to taste.

NOTES n A good Louisiana-style fermented

or vinegar-based cayenne hot sauce can be substituted

All recipes courtesy of chefs Dana and Christina Honn, Nikkei Izakaya

Pirão (Cassava Grits)

1 cup farinha de mandioca (manioc flour), available at Brazilian and Latin American markets 2 cups of hot liquid from cooking the Moqueca Sea salt to taste In a skillet over medium heat, whisk 2 cups of hot liquid from the Moqueca into 1 cup farinha de mandioca. Stir constantly until smooth, thickened but still fluid. Season lightly with salt if needed.

Brazilian-style Hot Sauce

Makes about 1⁄3 cup 2 tablespoons minced hot peppers (try a mixture of serrano and habanero, or other aromatic chile), minced 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 teaspoon sea salt 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice Grind the peppers, olive oil and salt in a mortar and pestle until smooth.

Add lime juice and mix thoroughly.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 17

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Ceviche de Pescado con Chicharrón de Camarón (Nikkei-style Ceviche with Fried Shrimp) Serves 4-6 Dana Honn said he adapted this recipe from a classic Peruvian street preparation known as Ceviche de Pescado con Chicharrón de Camarón — fish ceviche topped with crispy fried shrimp.

Honn’s version leans into Nikkei flavors, reflecting For the marinade: Juice of 5 limes 1 tablespoon tamari (gluten-free if needed) 1 teaspoon sesame oil 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoons ají amarillo paste (available in Asian markets) For the sweet potatoes: 1 teaspoon sea salt 6 whole cloves 1 cinnamon stick 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled

the culinary influence of Japanese immigrants in Peru.

“Bright citrus, clean umami and restrained heat meet the richness of fried shrimp, creating a ceviche that’s both bracing and deeply satisfying — best enjoyed immediately, while everything is at its peak,” he said.

For the fried shrimp: 4 cups neutral oil, for frying 1/2 cup tapioca flour 1/2 cup cassava meal (may substitute cornmeal) 1 teaspoon sea salt 1 pound wild, medium Gulf shrimp (41-50 count), peeled and deveined For the ceviche: 1 pound firm, skinless white Gulf fish, such as Almaco Jack, snapper, sheepshead, or triggerfish, diced into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces

Combine all marinade ingredients in a glass bowl. Set aside.

Cook the sweet potatoes: Bring 4 cups of water to a simmer with salt, cloves and cinnamon. Add the whole sweet potatoes and boil until fork-tender, about 20 minutes.

While the sweet potatoes are cooking, prepare an ice bath.

When the sweet potatoes are fork-tender, shock them in the ice, then drain well. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch rounds or dice into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

Fry the shrimp: Heat oil to 360 degrees in a heavy pan.

Mix the tapioca flour, cassava meal and salt in a bowl.

Toss shrimp to coat thoroughly.

Quickly fry the shrimp until golden and curled into a nearly closed crescent. Drain well and set aside.

Cure the fish: Place diced fish in a glass bowl. Sprinkle with sea salt and gently massage to distribute evenly. Allow to rest for

1 teaspoon sea salt Half of a medium red onion, thinly sliced 2 mild peppers, diced 1 medium-hot pepper, such as ají amarillo, Fresno, or manzana, finely diced 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Garnish 1/2 cup canchita (toasted Peruvian corn) or corn nuts, optional Leaves from 6 sprigs fresh cilantro

NOTES n Fish dice size should

reflect firmness: Firmer fish (like almaco jack) can be cut smaller; flakier fish (like snapper) benefits from a slightly larger cut. n Ají amarillo paste is widely available at Latin markets. You can also make your own by blending fresh medium-heat peppers (Ají amarillo, jalapeño, Fresno, serrano) with a small amount of olive oil and water and grinding in a mortar and pestle.

five minutes. Add the reserved marinade and allow to cure for another seven minutes.

Add onion, peppers, cilantro and black pepper to the fish.

Toss gently to combine.

To serve, spoon 5 ounces of ceviche, including some of the juice, into individual bowls.

Top each serving with five or six fried shrimp. Garnish each portion with canchita and cilantro. Add three to four slices of sweet potato to each plate.

Serve right away.

Located just off the kitchen, this enclosed outdoor porch is the perfect gathering place for pre-dinner hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. The cozy space overlooks the swimming pool and the rear tropical garden.

EVOLVES

for four years while running her business.

Lesson learned, she repaired, restored, finished and waterproofed her home’s basement, bringing the inhabitable space to 4,800 square feet.

sweetheart from 30 years earlier, that he was still “the one.”

At the time, “Coach New” was an NBA coach with the San Antonio Spurs.

“True love doesn’t mean you can never break up,” Michelle Newman said. “It just means you will always get back together. Two people who are meant to be will always find a way back. They may take a while to find one another, but they are never lost.”

They married in 2010.

The couple split their time between San Antonio and New Orleans and later between New Orleans and Washington, D.C., when Donald Newman coached the Washington Wizards.

In 2016, he retired from the NBA after 17 years, and the couple returned to their native New Orleans for good.

“The house always won,” Michelle Newman said. “We always came back to the house in New Orleans.”

Romantic interlude

The outside story

In 2008, Michelle Rousseau was struck with certainty once again. She knew right away, upon reconnecting with “Duck” Donald David Newman, her 7th Ward childhood

She designed the tropical garden that encompasses the 8,200-square-foot lot. The couple installed a swimming

Continued from page 14 Christmas in 1999, immediately put in an offer and closed 28 days later,” Newman said.

“It had all the bones I wanted, 13-foot ceilings and off-street parking, too.”

Different incarnations She immediately set to shoring up the house with a new roof and gutters. Today, after two decades of meticulous improvements, the impeccably maintained ochre-hued home features a deep front porch, a recessed entry vestibule, stately doric columns, a graceful, canted bay window and a pair of matching dormers set with colored glass.

It is one of those stately homes that beckon heads to swivel and cars to slow as they pass.

But in 2005, when Hurrican Katrina hit Broadmoor hard, it flooded the home’s basement to the ceiling rafters, upending Newman’s life and sending her to Minnesota, where her brother lived and she had gone to college. She rented a corporate apartment and stayed there

Lit Christmas garland wraps around the spiral staircase.

ä See EVOLVES, page 18

18 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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Winter Citrus Salad with Chile Vinaigrette Serves 6-8 This is an infinitely adaptable, cold-weather salad, meant to bring a bit of warmth and brightness to the table when it’s needed most.

3 pounds (combination of two or more) root vegetables such as sweet potatoes, purple or golden beets, russet or yellow potatoes, potatoes (russet or yellow), yams, winter squash or pumpkin (butternut, calabaza, etc.)

2 tablespoons olive oil Sea salt to taste 1 pound mixed salad greens 2 avocados, sliced 5 satsumas or small oranges, segmented with membranes removed 1 can hearts of palm, rinsed and sliced into rounds 2 red onions, thinly sliced Citrus-Chile Vinaigrette (recipe at right)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Peel and cut the root vegetables into 2-inch cubes. Toss the vegetables with olive oil and sea salt on a sheet pan. Roast until tender and lightly caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool about 20 minutes, then toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

The chefs suggest serving this salad familystyle.

Arrange components in sections on a large platter — roasted root vegetables in the center, greens on either side — then layer with avocado, citrus, hearts of palm and red onion.

Drizzle each element with vinaigrette and serve additional dressing on the side.

Caribbean Winter Salad is a symphony of colors and textures with root vegetables, citrus, avocado, hearts of palm, and ribbons of red onion in a bracing Chile-Citrus Vinaigrette.

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

Citrus-Chile Vinaigrette Makes about 1/2 cups 9 ounces olive oil 2 ounces apple cider vinegar Juice of 1 lime Juice of 1 orange

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning 1 tablespoon honey (use agave for vegan)

1 clove garlic, chopped 1 tablespoon water 1 shallot, chopped

2-3 fresh mediumheat chiles, stemmed and seeded (serrano, Fresno, jalapeño) Sea salt and black pepper, to taste.

EVOLVES

sippi River’s finest into ionized, alkaline water.

Continued from page 17

Personal changes

pool and built an enclosed porch outside the kitchen to overlook it.

They traveled the world together, collecting art and adornments for their home, and shared their lives with Cotton, a Bichon Frise, now 15.

Donald Newman died in 2018 after a long battle with cancer.

Michelle Newman recalled a particularly endearing action at the time he was ill. “He bricked in a patio on the side of the house — all by himself — when he was really, really sick and in the throes of chemotherapy. He’s still the one.”

More restorations Michelle Newman tried to retire in 2019.

After that, she restored all the original double-hung windows in her home. She renovated her kitchen to be

Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a blender.

Blend until fully emulsified and smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

The swimming pool area is adorned for the holiday and ready to welcome Santa. the envy of any chef, with a 10-foot-by-4-foot seated

quartzite island. She renovated the primary bathroom.

She installed a Kangen water system to convert the Missis-

“What I began to see when I was retired was that my world got really small because I was no longer in the mix. I am not interested in going to bars.

You can only eat out so much.”

Newman’s home is now the gathering, planning and entertainment headquarters for A Curated Life. The group, including Laura Tennyson, Andrea Thompson and Danielle Marshall, held a gala blowout there in October to launch the new business, which focuses on bespoke local, national and international travel, fine dining, historical tours and more.

And with that, the stately Broadmoor home has become the de facto headquarters for another international company.

“Now my goal with business is to do something I enjoy,” Newman said. “I guess I just can’t stop.”

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 19

5 rules for hosting your holiday dinner

A holiday meal has a lot of moving parts, especially with figuring in all your courses and seating arrangements. Instead of attempting to create four unique and complicated courses, choose one item for your meal to revolve around.

This can be as simple as an opening cocktail or a dessert.

Having one thing you know will blow everyone away is much better than trying to outdo each menu item during your first dinner party, private chef Gaby Dalkin told Glamour.

“Bringing that (dessert) out after the meal to blow everyone’s minds is a real pro move in my opinion,” she said.

Dalkin also called an opening cocktail “a lovely icebreaker,” saying “immediately when they walk into your house there’s something for them to do in case they don’t know everybody.”

Find ideas on social media You may not be looking to add more hours to your weekly phone screen time, but social media can be a great way to find easy, showstopper recipes and ideas.

Don’t break the bank There is no need to go all out and and completely restock

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Pick one fun meal item

Your first holiday dinner should not be a stressful experience. One area you should stress about, however, is timing.

Nothing is worse than keeping your guests waiting too long to eat or ruining a dish because you did not time things properly.

“I always suggest reading the entire recipe first because a lot of things have resting time or cooling time,” Dalkin said. “You FILE PHOTO By RUSTy COSTANZA can look at it as a puzzle and see how it all fits together.”

When hosting your friends and Use your phone’s timers to family for a holiday dinner, ensure you don’t miss anything and make sure the time you remember to be confident. invite people to come will work your pantry. Keep costs low and with your schedule. use what you already have at Be confident home in creating your menu.

“Pasta is a really easy way It may be your first time hostto feed a crowd. If you’ve got ing, but nobody needs to know some Parmesan in your fridge that. Start with simple menu and some lemon, you can make items you know will shine and a really delightful pasta,” focus your energy on making Dalkin said. “It looks very sure everyone has a good time. fancy, but in reality it’s four The point of holiday getingredients and you feel like togethers is to see relatives and you’re in Italy.” old friends and just relax, so do It is also important to set a not spend time stressing about budget and stick to it, although all the little intricacies, Dalkin it is tempting to buy more than said. you need for fears of running “The way I developed all my out. confidence in the kitchen was Yahoo UK recommends repetition. Doing stuff where focusing more of your meal you’re very confident and then around vegetable options, you move up and you’re not because those are typically as confident, but then you get cheaper than meat. there,” Dalkin added.

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screen so kids and pets can admire from a safe distance.

Using space heaters instead?

Keep a wide “no-go zone” around them and never leave them running unattended.

Winter warmth doesn’t have to come with risk.

Plants, scents and air quality: Traditional greenery like poinsettias, holly, lilies and mistletoe looks great, but can make kids and pets sick if they take a nibble. Choose décor that lives above arm’s (or paw’s) reach, or switch to realistic artificial options.

Holiday scents also factor in: Candles, dusty ornaments and shedding trees can irritate sensitive lungs. A seasonal refresh helps. Vacuum carpets, clean under furniture and consider a HEPA-filter air purifier. If you’re burning candles, keep them supervised and up high, with plenty of ventilation.

Bring in the pros when needed: Most safety upgrades can be DIY, but there’s no shame in calling an expert if the job goes beyond a quick fix. Consider professional help if: n Store-bought safety gates don’t fit your space n Heavy decorations need secure, permanent anchors n You’re unsure about your home’s electrical load or floor outlets n The fireplace hasn’t been inspected in a while n Allergies spike and you need HVAC or deep-cleaning support Childproofers, electricians, chimney professionals and house cleaners can all help ensure your holidays stay focused on fun, not hazards.

Bottom line: The holidays should sparkle without adding surprises for toddlers or four-legged family members.

A few smart precautions give you peace of mind, so everyone can enjoy the magic of the season safely.

— Angie Hicks, Ask Angie (TNS)

You likely have been to countless holiday dinners, starting before you could even remember. As you grow older, relatives, close friends and coworkers have hosted dinners of their own, impressing you with new recipes and a great atmosphere.

However, the reality of hosting your own dinner party is different from attending. Seating, feeding and entertaining people for the first time can be a mind-boggling experience.

Being a great host comes naturally for some, but it is never too late to learn. There are a few key points to know when planning. Keep these in mind and hopefully the rest of the night will be carried by holiday spirit and good vibes.

ND

The holiday season brings joy, gatherings and glittering decor. But for families with pets and young children, it also introduces new hazards.

With a little planning, you can keep everyone safe while still enjoying the festivities.

Guard high-risk zones: Decorations can transform ordinary spaces into curiosity magnets. Lit fireplaces, staircase decorations and fragile displays are big attractions for small hands and paws.

Safety gates are your friend here. Place them around tree areas, fireplaces, kitchen work zones and any spot where breakables live. Even a short-term barrier can prevent a long-term accident.

Secure decor, furniture: Holiday decorating often means adding tall, tippy objects, such as oversized nutcrackers, heavy decorations or towering artificial trees. Anchor anything that could topple.

Furniture straps are inexpensive and discreet, and they help you safeguard not just holiday decor, but televisions, bookshelves and large cabinets year-round.

Rethink wires and lights: Extension cords and twinkling lights are part of the charm until someone trips over them or a pet decides they’re chew toys. Run cords along walls and behind furniture and add cord covers where needed. Outdoors, keep plugs elevated and away from puddles. Before you plug in the light show, check that you’re not overloading a single outlet or power strip. Use surge protectors and spread electrical demand across multiple circuits to prevent sparks or heat buildup.

Warm up responsibly: Few holiday moments beat a crackling fire, so long as you keep it safe. Keep the hearth properly ventilated, and don’t light up unless an adult can supervise. Install a sturdy

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (TNS)

PE

TIPS FOR CHILDPROOFING

Be cognizant of time

BY MORAYO OGUNBAYO

114 MULBERRY DRIVE OLD METAIRIE $1,399,000 5 Beds, 4 Baths 4,650 sq ft

OLD AURORA $249,000 5 Beds, 3 Baths Whole House Generator 2,388 sq ft

518 TUCKER AVENUE LE FOR AS E

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$1,900/MONTH 3 Beds, 1 Baths 1,350 sq ft

SOLD! 3860 TULANE DRIVE ...........................................................3 Beds / 1.5 Baths ..........................$175,000 FOR LEASE 1023-25 JENA STREET.....................................................2 Beds / 1 Bath.................. $2,200/MONTH FOR LEASE - $500 OFF 1ST MONTH - HOUSING VOUCHERS WELCOMED 2520 LEONIDAS 2 Beds / 1 Bath . $1,200/MONTH

20 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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ONE IN A MILLION

GOOD

FIT Luxurious French Quarter home for $2.875M looks historic but is only 9 years old

BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer

The appearance of 1220 Dauphine St. fits seamlessly into the ambiance of the French Quarter, with shuttered windows, a recessed doorway and a wrought iron-framed upper gallery accessible by a trio of French doors.

Yes, it looks like it has stood with the Vieux Carre for the past few centuries.

But the upscale development is a mere 9 years old, incorporating the look and feel of many of the older homes with the conveniences and easeof-living found in contemporary dwellings for $2.875 million.

Unit A, perched on the street with a view of Cabrini Park, has four bedrooms, all en suite, plus a half-bath and more than 3,100 square feet of luxury space.

Slate tile steps lead to the stately yet unassuming front entrance, yielding to the stylish interior that features elegant molding, rich dark-wood floors and plentiful natural light from abundant windows. The hall stretches to the back of the house, offering a glimpse of the broad stairs and the great room beyond. A powder room is conveniently located next to the stairs.

At the front of the home, the formal dining room enjoys twin windows overlooking the park on one side and a wall of floor-length windows on the side wall, creating abundant illumination.

A butler’s pantry provides addi-

PROVIDED PHOTOS By SNAP REAL ESTATE PHOTOGRAPHyLLC

Across the street from the French Quarter’s Cabrini Park, 1220 Dauphine St. Unit A is part of a development built in 2016 that mirrors the look of vintage Vieux Carre architecture.

A home workspace is a tantalizing spot for business or perhaps just a good book, with broad windows providing views of the outdoors and a doorway to the home’s side gallery. tional storage and space, leading to the kitchen and great room. Wine storage and a wet bar are part of the space, as are display shelves for glassware or decorative items.

A warm and inviting space, the great room feels expansive, with the open stairway running along the side of the room, a fireplace along one wall, two sets of doors to the back patio space

and the kitchen at one end.

Framed by double windows, the gas fireplace features an elegant stone mantel and surround that balance the room with the kitchen.

An island forms the demarcation between living room and culinary center, with seating for four on the white stone-topped segment. With the exception of the steel Le Cornue range, the

Rich wood floors run from the front door throughout the home on Dauphine Street, creating a unified appearance for the luxurious dwelling.

kitchen shines in all white with stone surfaces, custom cabinets and professional-grade appliances clad in matching fronts. Picking up on the brass elements from the stove, the hardware of the kitchen provides a golden touch.

Upstairs are three bedrooms, including the primary suite that features a sunlit-swept office space opening onto a side balcony. Step through to the

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 21

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ONE IN A MILLION Eating, conversation and a bit of aquatic adventure are all part of the covered back patio.

Two doorways open onto the outdoor space from the central living area of the unit, balanced with the kitchen on one side and a gas fireplace on the other. primary sleeping chamber, which has French doors with side lights opening to the same balcony.

The primary bath is a spa experience in the making. A sculptural soaking tub sits in an extension of the room with four windows, two sets of which are openable. A standing shower has two walls of glass. Twin vanities stand on either side of the room, with a separate water closet and walk-in closet as well.

Two additional suites are located on the second floor, as well as a laundry facility.

The third floor is a large space which can be an additional bedroom or serve as a casual family area. A full bath is behind a barn door, and two dormers provide additional light in the space.

Outside, a slate-covered patio is a grand entertaining space featuring a kitchen, dining area, fireplace, living room area and a petite pool (the development includes a community pool as well).

The “smart” home also includes two cooling and heating units, outdoor speakers, security cameras and an assigned parking space behind the gated cobblestone drive.

One in a Million is an occasional series featuring upscale homes for sale in the metro area.

Two walls of glass allow natural light to wash into the shower area, while the soaking tub offers a nook of windows.

FRENCH QUARTER PIED A TERRE

The home is listed by Allison Forister, of Rêve Realtors, (903) 815-2376.

Lane Lacoy

504-957-5116 504-948-3011

Historic Home Specialist Associate Broker/Realtor

840 Elysian Fields Ave., New Orleans LA 70117 Licensed in Louisiana

JUST LISTED 2113 PRYTANIA ST.

$799,000

Luxury Lower Garden District 3-story brick townhouse (10 years old), 2,090 sq. ft., 3 BR’s (2 en-suite), 3.5 BA’s, wood/stone floors (no carpet), 10.5’ ceilings, surround sound, open floor plan, gourmet kitchen/lots natural light/ JennAir stainless/quartz, front patio & balcony, PLUS garage & 1 parking spot in rear lot, 2 central a/h units, ENJOY THE SOPHISTICATED LIFESTYLE. www.lanelacoy.com • lane@lanelacoy.com

716 GOVERNOR NICHOLLS UNIT C Best residential location in the French Quarter! A classic 2nd floor 1 bedroom residence with a private balcony overlooking coveted & quiet Gov Nicholls Street. Unit C offers a blend of classic elegance w/ contemporary finishes. Light & airy floorplan, 4 sets of french doors, lush courtyard & fountain. Wonderful architectural details w/ wood throughout, fully equipped kitchen w/ natural stone, renovated bathroom, geo-thermal HVAC system. One of 12 Units within the historically significant Spanish Stables development.

$469,900

SHAUN TALBOT (504) 975-9763

(504) 525-9763 www.talbot-realty.com

22 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS NEW ORLEANS

N. PRIEUR ST. 5441, 48188: $13,500, Julie A. Brown to Safiyyullah Sadaqah Yusuf.

ST. ANN ST. 4213-15: $640,000, George Geoffrey Lutz to Lindsey Bock Accardo and Mark Accardo.

ST. LOUIS ST. 920: $170,000, Batelco Investments LLC to Alison Elizabeth Cope Hodgkiss and Daniel Patrick Hodgkiss.

VIRGINIA COURT 20: $320,000, Robert Joseph Palestina to Amanda Walker.

TRANSFERS ISSUED DEC. 10-14

DISTRICT 1 BANKS ST. 2525-27: $157,500, Hof Reo 1 Inc. to Gina L. Tabor.

BAUDIN ST. 4320: $69,500, New Orleans Land Holdings LLC to 4320 Baudin Street LLC. BAUDIN ST. 4324-26: $69,500, New Orleans Land Holdings LLC to 4320 Baudin Street LLC. CAMP ST. 127: $926,250, Faithful Navigator LLC to Billy Goals LLC. RACE ST. 1013: $100 and other goods and valuable consideration, Rory Oliver Ohanlon to Lionel William Gegenheimer III. ST. CHARLES AVE. 1205, UNIT 1111: $180,000, Doris Porta Cadow to Veronica T. Marco.

ST. CHARLES AVE. 1205: $123,000, Gerald Gereighty to Steffanie Jenkins.

S. LIBERTY ST. 380: $100 and other goods and valuable consideration, NORF 3 S. Liberty LLC to Administrators of The Tulane Educational Fund.

S. NORMAN C. FRANCIS PARKWAY 332-334: $259,000, Selina E. Kidd to Alona Carson and Robert Wilson Carson.

S. PETERS ST. 700, UNIT 312: $665,000, George Edward Duran and Naomi Martin Duran to Donald Thomas Sullivan Jr. and Joyce W. Sullivan.

DISTRICT 2 ALLEN TOUSSAINT BLVD. 1129: $550,000, David C. Chapman, Jonathan Ryan Zeitzer, Kelsey Leigh Zeitzer Haddow and Patrick Dalferes to Lorraine Yeomans Faust

DISTRICT 3

and William Bryant Faust IV. BOURBON ST. 1203: donation, no value stated, Rose J. Lemarie to Donald Talbert McElroy.

BURGUNDY ST. 817: $407,500, David Gower Dicks and Karen Anne Ernst Dicks to John Daley and Nancy Gail Daley.

CANAL BLVD. 5880: $329,000, Jacquelyn Smith Palumbo and Vincent John Palumbo to Marc B. Stewart.

CATINA ST. 5902: $949,000, Elizabeth Thibaut Laborde to Joshua J. Guidry and Renee Adams Guidry.

DUMAINE ST. 1814: $355,000, Desmond Carl Deshea Beckwith and Joyce Cyriaque Beckwith to Candy Haser and Jon Alan Haser.

DUMAINE ST. 3312: $603,000, Allan D. Madin and Lillian Webb Madin to Celeste Delaune.

DUMAINE ST. 4198: $495,000, Carolyn Sue Taylor Rumsfeld and

We sell a home every 3 days!

Licensed in Louisiana 138 N. Cortez St. New Orleans, LA 70119

(50 (504) 210-2014 tommycrane.com

2318 Vienna St (lot)$49,000

616

Cadiz St

$955,000

4634 Willow St Washington Oaks

$339,000 $199,000

Moss St $1,350,00 Dumaine St $524,900 Banks St $545,000 Iberville St $425,000 Passera Ct $389,000 Conti St $375,000 S. Genois $149,000

St. Claude Ave $724,000 Touro St #2 $299,000 Touro St #4 $275,000 Chartres St $250,000 S. Peters St $225,000 Burgundy St $225,000 St. Claude Ave $150,000

Wondering What Your Property Is Worth?

Call today for a FREE comparative market analysis! Our team of professionals is ready to help you buy, sell or invest. 504.210.2014 • cranenola.com

James W. Rumsfeld to Anthony Tyquan Coleman Kasriel and Daniel Adam Kasriel.

ESPLANADE AVE. 1328: $960,000, Jeanne Shannon Hess to Andy Minh Nguyen.

HAWK ST. 25: $670,000, Bonnie Elizabeth Torres Gurtner and Thomas Anthony Gurtner to John W. Miller II and Polly Garmon Miller.

HOSPITAL ST. 830-32: $945,000, Reside Realty Inc. to Big Easy Bears LLC. IBERVILLE ST. 4533-35: $500,000, Anna Thomassie Soniat and William M. Soniat Jr. to Markus Daniel.

LOUISVILLE ST. 5814: $1,030,000, Alfonso P. Campos and Leah R. Hill Campos to Andrea Riccardo De Guttadauro.

N. DORGENOIS ST. 929: donation, no value stated, Kevin A. Washington to Right Hand Investment Corp.

ANNETTE ST. 1725: $82,000, Betty Walker, Dolores A. Pipkins, Fernandez Prados and Randy Anderson to AP Direct LLC. BARTHOLOMEW ST. 2014: $325,000, J&B Home Investments LLC to Shakiera Causey.

CHARLENE DRIVE 4924: $230,000, Lucas Construction Corp. to Lawana Marie Rogers.

CHEF MENTEUR HIGHWAY 25800: $500,000, Arlington Avenue Properties LLC to Danelle Sullivan and Michael Sullivan.

DABADIE ST. 2227: $215,000, Alfred Andrews III and Keshanica Lewis Andrews to Carrie Rebecca Wilson Schlotman.

DAUPHINE ST. 6231-33: $85,000, Vonda Venae Simmons to Michael A. Forrestier and Monica Johnson Forrestier.

DAUPHINE ST. 4420: no value stated, NSAEB 603 LLC to Finance Authority of New Orleans.

DESLONDE ST. 2034: $221,600, Robert H. Armstrong to Macy Alexis Parker.

EADS ST. 5522: $160,000, BMAC Real Estate LLC to Alesha Allen.

E. WHEATON CIRCLE 9962: $240,000, Thu Trang Le to Keric

825 BARRACKS STREET • FRENCH QUARTER Enjoy quiet French Quarter living in this delightful 3-story 3 BD / 2.5 BA home in a coveted dog-friendly neighborhood.

Walk to restaurants and shopping.

French doors provide access to a private walled courtyard with soothing fountain and tropical plantings.

Beautiful primary escape.

Wonderful Views in all directions.

A half block to a NORD dog and children’s park.

Easy Maintenance & Low Energy Bills. $930,000 MLS # 2499896 CARMEN L. DUNCAN

MBA, CRS, ABR, HHS, CLHMS “Your Real Estate Resource” Direct: (504) 452-6439 carmenlduncan9@gmail.com

G Y IN RB K R EA PA T N O SP

RE/MAX n.o. properties

(504) 866-7733 8001 Maple Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70118

Licensed in Louisiana. Each office independently owned and operated

Christopher Lieteau.

EDGE ST. 2712: $49,000, Jeremy Darby, Jerry Darby Jr. and Norma Causey Darby to Sandradee Gray Werts.

ESPLANADE AVE. 1262, UNIT 1: $1,400, Karen Madoni and Richard Madoni to Storyville Holding Inc. ESPLANADE AVE. 2033-35: $775,000, Deborah Jean Verderaime Inherited Trust to Gary W. Rauber.

FRENCHMEN ST. 519, UNIT 101: $100 and other good and valuable consideration, Festiva Development Group Inc. and Festiva Real Estate Holdings LLC to JDM 519 LLC. HANSBROUGH AVE. 7331: donation, no value stated, Bernard H. Robertson Jr. to Patricia S. Robertson.

LEPAGE ST. 2913: $850,769, McCall Gottlieb Hardy to Nicholas C. Nesbit.

MADRID ST. 1315: $70,000, Parivash Taji Rahnama to Nola Buys Houses LLC. MARAIS ST. 6019: $5,000, Jec Development LLC to Safiyyullah Yusuf.

MARIGNY ST. 526: $149,000, 511 LLC to 526 Marigny St. LLC. MARTINIQUE ALLEY 1024: $313,500, Marcie M. Blanchard to Hollis C. Henry Jr., Lynn Aspinall Henry and William L. Aspinall.

MAYO ROAD 6859: $200, Mayo La LLC to Robert Marks.

MORRISON ROAD 11131: $80,000, Darlena Patin Cole, Mario Shaun Cole and Zoe Maria Cole to Da Elite Investments Rentals LLC. MORRISON ROAD 5800: $98,734, City of New Orleans to Bratva Realty LLC. MORRISON ROAD 9923: $85,000, M&R Property Holdings LLC to TSD Properties LLC. MYRTLE ST. 2662: $60,000, Brian A. Woods, Donna Leverier, Jimmie J. Woods III, Rita Humphrey Woods and Rodney James Woods Sr. to United Nola Property LLC. N. ROCHEBLAVE ST. 1632: $145,968, Keisha Hailes to TSD Properties LLC. N. ROMAN ST. 1874-76: $45,000, Jose Humberto Mejia MacIas to Edgar M. Moran.

PAUGER ST. 4312: $50,500, Emile Robert Hall III to Larry Morrow Properties Inc. and Ram Investments New Orleans LLC. POITEVENT AVE. 7341: $110,000, M&R Property Holdings LLC to KC LA Land LLC. PORT ST. 1332-34: $181,000, Aaron

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 23

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REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS C. Walker and Yukiko Yamaguci Walker to Emily Rodriguez.

RED MAPLE DRIVE 5690: $172,000, Clyde Smith Jr. to Beverly Pleasant.

SAMOVAR DRIVE 5600: $201,500, Doris Ann Johnson and Tammie Jones to Felecia Marlene Love.

SPAIN ST. 4647: $386,550, David Moore to Colleen Haley Templeton.

ST. BERNARD AVE. 4922: $315,000, Lauren N. Barbazon Adkins to Jason Ralph Luther and Laura MacQueen.

ST. ROCH AV 2611: $35,902, City of New Orleans to Ironclad Construction and Holding Co. LLC. TENNESSEE ST. 1808: $187,000, Tiffany M. Rockwell Johnston to John Joseph Sullivan.

VENUS ST. 4674: $295,000, Christel Sweet Burris to Afrika Williams Johnnie and Desmond Johnnie.

WILLOWBROOK DRIVE 13245: $250,000, Chris H. Pham to Kim Anh Chau Cao and Nam Phuong Cao. WISTERIA ST. 2340: $91,400, Cascade Funding Mortgage Trust HB7 to Saeid Kamrani.

DISTRICT 4 DANNEEL ST. 2914: $62,500, Danton Haardt Moses to Ducar Real Estate Investments LLC. DANNEEL ST. 2918: $62,500, Danton Haardt Moses to Ducar Real Estate Investments LLC. JACKSON AVE. 2624-2626: $159,900, Nola MFR Strategy LLC to Eddy Jolly.

JOSEPHINE ST. 1917-1919, 1921-23: $574,900, C&J Property Rentals LLC to AB RE Holdings LLC. PRYTANIA ST. 2801: $2,120,000, Leigh Pratt Bell and William Harrison Bell III to James Clifton Hall III and Wendy Blanchard Hall.

DISTRICT 5 GREENSPOINT DRIVE 1016: $75,000, Greg Stephen Castillo to Trey S. Autin.

LAMARQUE ST. 2024: $151,500, Michael Patrick Welch and Morgana H. King to Lexus Lynn Andry and Tommy James Moore Jr. LAWRENCE ST. 2901-2903: $109,000, Dominique Marie Chopin Jordan, John E. Trahan Sr., Kevin Trahan, succession of Linda Lee Randolph, Michelle Randolph Joseph, Trina Randolph Johnson, Troy Randolph and Walter Randolph to Redgestate Investments Inc. NUNEZ ST. 717: $350,000, Brett

Barr and Jennifer Bass Barr to Cherri J. Schmidt and Mark A. Schmidt.

PELICAN AVE. 905-907: $355,000, Jordan M. Hilton Stylman to Racquel Jeter.

SHIRLEY DRIVE 1780: donation, no value stated, Mark J. Hunter to Donna Ancar.

SOMERSET DRIVE 2728: $195,000, Sibyl M. Pitre to Eric P. Jupiter.

VERRET ST. 926-928;: $230,000, Angel Kennedy and Michael Kennedy to Marjorie Ann Pokorny.

DISTRICT 6 ANNUNCIATION ST. 4623: $1,000, 4623 Annunciation LLC to 3700 Constance LLC. AUDUBON ST. 474: $100 and other good and valuable consideration, Charles F. Schadt Jr. and Susan McCrory Schadt to Julio Alberto Diaz and Reghan Foster Diaz.

CHESTNUT ST. 3628: $900,000, Molly Holbrook Tracey Living Trust, Virginia Holbroook, Robert A. Elphage Landry and succession of Nancy C. Holbrook to Bayou Bloom Holdings LLC. CHESTNUT ST. 7008: $525,000, 7008 Chestnut LLC to Rachel Haney.

CONSTANCE ST. 5010: $246,668, Kim C. Meyers and Rachelle Connor Prevost to Kalaina Benson Connor and Raymond C. Connor Jr. CONSTANTINOPLE ST. 1203: $292,000, Jacobus C. Bosma to Ashley Lane and Wendy Trahan Lane.

DELACHAISE ST. 3611-13: $120,450, Shellpoint Mortgage Servicing to 1st Choice Commercial and Residential Environmental Services LLC.

DELACHAISE ST. 3619-3621, 36233625: $315,000, Anthony D. Pierre to Juan Jackson.

JEFFERSON AVE. 1824-26: $1,300,000, Lorraine Benson Oliphant and Samuel D. Oliphant to Anne Reily Sutherlin.

LAUREL ST. 4600-4606, UNIT C-6: $100,000, Arthur V. Hays Jr., James H. Cooper and Martha A. Taylor to Leon G. Zoller.

LAUREL ST. 5020-22: $633,600, Monica Nijoka Winkler and Steven Winkler to Celeste Nicole Cahn and Elise Katherine Cahn Augustin.

LOUISIANA AVE. 721: $290,000, Patricia Gail Briant to SP Mgmt LLC. LOUISIANA AVE. 915: $1,538,000, Todd A. McPherson to Jessica Neal Strain and Matthew Donald Strain.

LOWERLINE ST. 1111: donation, no value stated, Tamer Acikalin to Aylin Acikalin Maklansky.

NAPOLEON AVE. 832: $479,000, Charlotte Simpson Menard and Toby Thomas Menard to Donna Cloud Cansler.

NERON PLACE 71: $833,000, Kendra Elliott Bruno to Cory Hume and Virginia L. Strong Hume.

OCTAVIA ST. 3439: $645,000, Britt Anthony Maggio and Lashon Newman Maggio to Dorothy Hernandez and Leclare Bush Ratterree IV. STATE ST. DRIVE 3339: $429,000, Dorothy A. Hernandez and Leclare B. Ratterree IV to Joshua Jacob Spencer and Julia Elizabeth Lindsay Martin Spencer.

CAMBRONNE ST. 1116: $290,000, Steven L. Bertheaud to Henry Davis Bertheaud, Kyle Thomas Whittington and Lauren Lynn Walter.

CAMBRONNE ST. 1701, GREEN ST. 8333: $382,000, RCAF Acquisition Trust to Paige Trepagnier and Sidney Trepagnier.

CHEROKEE ST. 248: $179,000, Bhavna Mehta Nitin Desai and Parth Nitin Desai to Eugene Charles Booher.

EAGLE ST. 1721: $280,000, TJT Management Co. LLC to John William V. Fawcett and Julia Fawcett.

FERN ST. 1133-35: $564,000, Oak Fern LLC to HR Fern LLC. FORSHEY ST. 8724: $303,000, Idantal LLC to Dujuan Green, Roger Smith and William Smith.

FORSHEY ST. 8836: donation, no value stated, Eric J. Williams

and Patricia A. Davis to Rayvan Davis II. HAMPSON ST. 7435-37: donation, no value stated, Myron Bernard Katz to Julian Francois Raoul Katz.

JEANNETTE ST. 7739: $1,117,000, Donald Achilles Deynoodt Jr. and Mary Holtgreve Deynoodt to Alexander Trostorff.

LEONIDAS ST. 1424: $59,900, Cascade Funding Mortgage Trust HB7 to Kristen Goff.

MISTLETOE ST. 2628: donation, no value stated, Booker T. Vanderhorst and Idrianna Todd to Sarah Mohab Abd Elaziz Vanderhorst.

OAK ST. 8616: $370,000, John P. Schutte and Mary Moe Schutte to Arthur Whitfield Huguley IV. SHORT ST. 1526: $715,000, Jessica Bacques Worden and Matthew Worden to Jaimee Sandlin and Slate Sandlin.

SHERRY L. OWEN CRS, GRI, SFR, ABR

228-760-2815 • 228-822-9870 OWENSHERRYL@AOL.COM 2208 18TH ST, SUITE B, GULFPORT, MS 39501 WWW.OWENANDCO.COM

BEACHFRONT BILOXI

DOWNTOWN BILOXI NEW LISTING

DISTRICT 7

1853 & 1855 BEACH BLVD. $1,998,000

133 REYNOIR ST. UNIT #1 • $895,000

BURDETTE ST. 1218-20: $120,000, Succession of Alberta Clivens Wilson to Nola Buys Houses LLC.

The First Sand Beach Homes in Biloxi!

Perfect location! Across the street from the PGT hurricane-resistant windows and Beau Rivage, Mary Mahoney’s, boutique doors with impact glass and a Gold shopping, and restaurants. Stucco exterior, Fortified rating. They feature engineered brick courtyard, and wrought-iron gates give wood floors, custom cabinets, ceramicthis home a New Orleans feel. Two primary tiled bathrooms and showers, custom iron suites, one with a kitchenette. This home is front door, glass railings, high ceilings, 8’ doors, and 12’ ceilings on the first floor. currently a VRBO with excellent rental income!

1773-75 N. DORGENOIS ST. • PRICE DROPTO $447,000 OPEN TODAY 11 - 1 PM Renovated 4 Beds / 4 Baths 2 Separate Driveways Huge Right Side Yard Near Jazz Fest / City Park

5 Beds / 5.5 Baths / 4,065 Sq. Ft.

4 Beds / 4.5 Baths / 3,000 Sq. Ft.

BEACHFRONT GULFPORT JUST REDUCED

WATERFRONT GULFPORT

6925 CANAL BLVD. • $50K PRICE DROP

OPEN SUN 2 - 4 PM

2010 Luxury Master-Built Smart Technology Home 6 Bdrms / 3.5 Baths Huge Primary Suite Heated Salt-Water Pool Babineaux & Babineaux, Home Sale Partners Realtors Licensed in Louisiana

Linda Babineaux 504-957-8014 (c) J. Babineaux 504-813-8460 (c) At Compass Historic Maple Street Office 7934 Maple St. N.O., LA 70118 | 504-861-7575 (O)

5200 W. BEACH BLVD. $550,000

2 Beds / 2 Baths / 1,312 Sq. Ft.

Beachfront bungalow located just steps from The Gulf. Panoramic water views!

Fortified Gold Construction, elevator, and workshop. Perfect full time residence, vacation home, or investment property.

15 VILLA COVE DRIVE $378,000

3 Beds/ 2 Baths / 2,115 Sq. Ft.

On the Bayou in the desirable Bayou View neighborhood! Nestled on a corner lot in a quiet cul-de-sac. Expansive back deck overlooking a beautifully landscaped 0.24-acre yard that leads directly to the bayou. Concrete bulkhead, private dock, and fenced yard, offering ideal water access for fishing, kayaking, or simply taking in the view.

24 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS EAST JEFFERSON n TRANSFERS FOR DEC. 6-12

HARAHAN GORDON AVE. 501: Eric J. Fruchnicht to Jessica L.K. Swales, $422,000.

OAK AVE. 936: Scott R. Steudlein to Freddie Mac Seasoned Loans Structured Transaction Trust, $190,000.

JEFFERSON JEFFERSON HEIGHTS AVE. 118: William M. Gravois to Denise L. Wood, $190,000.

SONIA PLACE 30: Meredith C. Williams to Charles E. Howard, $242,000.

LESLIE HEINDEL

504-975-4252

KENNER CALIFORNIA AVE. 3417: Empire Group LLC to DKE Builders LLC, $55,000.

CONNECTICUT AVE. 3321: Lawrence Bertoniere to MAS Housing LLC, $50,000.

DRIFTWOOD BLVD. 35: Debra A. Lytal to Tubas LLC, $180,000.

GEORGIA AVE. 4136: Katherine E.W. Bradley to Gabriela A. Laitano, $505,200.

GEORGIA AVE. 4144: Katherine E.W. Bradley to Afif S.D. Gabrie, $484,200.

HUDSON ST. 1243: Juan F.L. Bautista to Mills Commercial Capital LLC, $75,000.

HUDSON ST. 1243: Mary E.H. Bordelon to Katherine Rodriguez, $130,000.

ILLINOIS AVE. 3217: Shawn S.

3205 Orleans Avenue NOLA 70119 504-327-5303 www.beneworleans.com Licensed in Louisiana

HEATHER SHIELDS

504-450-9672

FEATURED LISTING 110 ATLANTIC AVE JUST LISTED

ALGIERS POINT $475,000 3 Beds • 1 Bath 1,674 SqFt

Banks to Shuyi Ye, $245,000.

JANICE AVE. 4616: Leon E. Perret Jr. to William R. Cameron, $330,000.

MAINE AVE. 1108: Jan M. Migilorie to Bertucci Property Development LLC, $100,000.

MASSACHUSETTS AVE. 1804: Leeann G.P. Scontrino to Gabrielle L.T. Adams, $199,000.

MOISANT ST. 1509: Nola Spray Foam LLC to Tamara S. Isayev, $335,000.

TUPELO ST. 2608: Mary B. Warren to Padmanabha Swami, $155,000.

WILLIAMS BLVD. 1824: SJS Holdings LLC to RRCBM Investments LLC, $535,000.

METAIRIE AMHURST ST. 6116: Aubin Lane LLC to Nicholas Urrutia, $295,000.

BEVERLY GARDEN DRIVE 1341: Christopher M. Cali to Patrick M. Green, $405,000.

BLANKE ST. 7213: Mohammed Hbos to Haifa Hamide, donation, no value stated.

CALVERT AVE. 820: Stanford Parkman Jr. to Carla C.P. Stamps, donation, no value stated.

CEDAR AVE. 725: Leslie D. Heindel to Crystal M. Chien, $220,000.

CHALFANT DRIVE 4621: Dorothy S. Fayard to Charles E. Wilson Jr., $320,000.

CLEARY AVE. 2013: Julie A. Eumont

WEST JEFFERSON n TRANSFERS FOR DEC. 6-12

AVONDALE

935 BELLEVILLE ST

OAKLAWN DRIVE 745: Elegant Houses LLC to Lloyd J. Dantagnan, $316,000.

PALM VISTA DRIVE 3128: Bharathi M. Tummala to Aref R. Mansour, $730,000.

PHOSPHOR AVE. 1101: Krake Properties LLC to Ryan Moreau, $500,000.

PHOSPHOR AVE. 303: Iris B. Liuzza to Andra M. P. Morris, $400,000.

RICHLAND AVE. 1108: Denis T. Mire to Caroline Crowell, $320,000.

RICKEY ST. 5921: Nicole M. Bonneval to Anna L. Munoz, $285,000.

ROSALIE COURT 6201: Legacy Capital Group Inc. to Brent Moran, $170,000.

SUNNY PLACE 4909: Joiin F. Kouloubis to Lindsay S. Haskins, $358,000.

TRANSCONTINENTAL DRIVE 1600: Stella A.D. Rouse to DTJ Properties LLC, $250,000.

VERSAILLES ST. 8126: Jennifer S.W. Powderly to Stella A.D. Rouse, $225,000.

W. METAIRIE AVE. N. 3205: Osmar L. Viana Jr. to Nxu Investments LLC, donation, no value stated.

to Joni Finamore, $294,628.

URSULA DRIVE 161: Antonio Sanchez to Yaneisi Sanchez, donation, no value stated.

Edwards to Tanner Usey, $51,000.

BRIDGE CITY

LINDSEY COURT 4160: DSLD LLC

839 BELLEVILLE ST

to Kimberly Carlson, $337,400.

DUMAINE ST. 1001: Kevin V. Miller to Aleia R. Stgermain, $425,000.

FULTON ST. 8809: AJ Homes LLC to Luis E. Ramirez, $580,000.

HIGH AVE. 1701: Michael Dupre Jr. to Alexander Stapp, $257,000.

HOMER ST. 1903: Richard L. Alford to Portta LLC, $405,000.

HOUMA BLVD. 3805 UNIT 116B: Dana B. Fiorello to Kelsey L. Liljeberg, $135,000.

JADE AVE. 405: Karol T. Buras to Khaled Leit, $212,000.

LABARRE DRIVE 520: William R. Carter to Shannon H. Nolan, $477,000.

LAKE AVE. 1436, UNIT H: Bronson Fong to Patricia M. Pangelinan, $254,000.

MASON SMITH AVE. 1513: Denise Stromain to Tamer S.A. Hussein, $245,000.

MELODY DRIVE 107: Emily Faciane to Kivah Zola, $471,000.

METAIRIE HAMMOND HIGHWAY 400, UNIT F, BUILDING L: Carole S. Lombard to Virginia G. Weichert, $100,000.

MONETT ST. 7805: Emily Flooring LLC to Jenny Bardales, $199,000.

N. CUMBERLAND ST. 304: Jarrett LLC M. A. to Johnny I Gomez, $131,000.

NEWLANDS ST. 4816: Amy E. Thomas to Lynn F. Bouillion, $280,000.

HOOTER ROAD 680: Maggie T.

SHEILA JULIEN 504-782-8180 sheila.julien@compass.com

ALGIERS POINT • $360,000 3 Beds • 2.5 Baths • 1,719 SqFt

ALGIERS POINT • $375,000 3 Beds • 2 Baths • 1,847 SqFt

5909 GENERAL MEYER

531 OLIVIER

Historic Office | 504-948-3011 840 Elysian Fields Avenue, NOLA 70117

JUST LISTED INVESTMENT OPP.

FURNISHED CONDO

NEW PRICE

RIVER RIDGE ARNOLD AVE. 501: Tammy J.S. Garrick to Jennifer D. Ottmar, $235,000.

GRAND ISLE BLACKBERRY LANE 166: Joan C. Delaine to Lacy J. Harber, $90,000.

GRAND ISLE PARKWAY 105: Julie P. Roy to Linsey D. Louque, $65,000.

HATTERAS DRIVE 97: VML Resources LLC to Keli D. Bonvillain, $295,000.

LA. 1 2032: Three Hundred Sixty Five Properties LLC to Chat N. Chill LLC, $402,000.

PINE LANE 138: Vickie N. Boudreaux to Amy N. Varnado, $360,000.

VERLEY LANE 131: Blair S. Rozas to Shannon C. Marchadie, $360,000.

GRETNA

NEW ORLEANS • $375,000 3 Beds • 2 Baths • 1,754 SqFt

ALGIERS POINT • $529,900 4 Beds • 3 Baths • 2,650 SqFt

4205 ST. ANTHONY AVENUE 3 BEDS, 1 BATH, 1,048 SQ FT

1201 CANAL ST. UNIT 561 $235,000 1 BED, 1 BATH, 640 SQ FT

4601 REYNES ST. $103,000 2 BEDS, 1 BATH, 1,032 SQ FT

BRIARGROVE ST. 308: HPA III Acquisitions 1. LLC to Courtney D. Simms, $219,900.

CHRISTANA PLACE 921: Marcella R.H. Dendy to Brittany C. Bankson, $369,000.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 25

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REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS ESPLANADE PLACE 2141: Clyde A. Dubuc Jr. to Maynor A. Robles, $189,000.

GRINELL PLACE 748: Tre Warren to Linh T. Do, $140,000.

JASON LANE 3349: Cynthia Baum to Etta Reed, $230,000.

LAFAYETTE ST. 2604: Chris Touro to Nghe V Ho, $65,000.

MOUNT LAUREL DRIVE 2773: Julio C. Teran to Canaan LLC, $133,500.

MYSTIC AVE. 760: Fred E. Klegin to Stacy Willoz, $140,000.

OAKWOOD DRIVE 524: Lionel Guidroz Jr. to Joyce Reviere, $120,000.

PALFREY ST. 919: Leonard Family Investments LLC to Arm Properties LLC, $13,000.

PARK PLACE DRIVE 2310: Two Thousand Three Hundred Ten PP LLC to Fontenette Inc., $445,000.

TENTH ST. 423: TCK Property Marketplace LLC to Gtam Services LLC, $385,000.

HARVEY BELLANGER ST. 516: Hope Gardener to Stephen Wright, $115,000.

BRADFORD PLACE 1805: Mary Nguyen to JCT Properties LLC, $260,000.

MARVIN COURT 1076: Wilbert S. Lemoine Jr. to Ashley Deslatte, $130,000.

ORANGE BLOSSOM LANE 10401042: Paul A. Paciera Jr. to Crystal Clear Commercial Capital LLC, $225,000.

POST DRIVE 4056: Elegant Houses LLC to Rogers Druhet, $289,000.

PRICE DRIVE 1061: Theresa M.G. Camus to Chloe Ieong, $170,000.

SATURN ST. 2633: Brandi Bozzelle to Terry W. Joseph Jr., $275,000.

MARRERO AMES BLVD. 4218: Ted Chaisson to Mandie C. Ezelle, donation, no value stated.

ANDERSON PLACE 5800: Jennifer J. Long to Clinton L. Williams, $323,000.

AVE. L 454: Craig Collongues to Wayne L. Bush, $185,000.

BURNLEY DRIVE 1740: RCAF Acquisition Trust to Lester Epherson, $114,000.

CARMADELLE ST. 1117: Hai L. Lin to Lin Estates LLC, $75,000.

CROSS CREEK DRIVE 5211: Marilyn A. Mondy to Briley R. Hohensee, $105,000.

DOVE AVE. 2740: AG Investment LLC to Andrea Gauthreaux,

$279,125.

FERNANDO COURT 2024: HPA III Acquisitions 1. LLC to Ligia Garcia, $136,000.

FOURTH ST. 6310: DCAD LLC to Blutcher Services LLC, $380,000.

HIGHLAND DRIVE 5165: Barclays 2022 RPL1 Reo Corp. to Kristy E. A. Mancia, $139,900.

IRMA ST. 1728: Alisha L.G. Hicks to Rs N. Sl Properties, $77,000.

KIRKWOOD DRIVE 2632: William H. Trawick to Charles M. Dufrene Jr., donation, no value stated.

KISMET ST. 2560: Justin J. Vicknair to Dennis E. Murphy, $282,500.

MICHAEL ST. 659: Michael A. Cheramie to Michaela R. Brown, $181,500.

OAKLEY DRIVE 37: Rhonda Rodriguez to Brandi Blanchard, $460,000.

POTOMAC DRIVE 2129: David C. Richoux to David S. Ruiz, $270,000.

WAGGAMAN DANDELION DRIVE 968: Coast Builders LLC to Joseph B. Coleman, $367,100.

DOLORES DRIVE 32: JD Roux 1.

LLC to Rita Oatis, $156,000.

WESTWEGO GLEN DELLA DRIVE 309: Jericka G. Shoulder to Mornika B. Bradley, $194,000.

RUTH DRIVE 536: Theresa A.B. Wieclaw to New Orleans Property Ventures Inc., $60,000.

TONI VAN ZANDT

504-913-8665

toni@reverealtors.com 1935 OCTAVIA STREET

ST. TAMMANy n TRANSFERS FOR NOV. 24 TO

DEC. 1

ABITA SPRINGS HILLCREST COUNTRY CLUB ESTATES, PORTION OF GROUND: Succession of Carol L. Brugier and Frank A. Brugier to Justin P. St. Germain, $30,000.

OAK KNOLL ESTATES, LOT C: Chris H. Edwards to John Bertucci and Debora Bertucci, $390,000.

PEG KELLER ROAD 74444: John R. Myrick and Kathleen M. Myrick to Barry Creppel and Cynthia R. Creppel, $494,000.

COVINGTON ALAMOSA PARK SUBDIVISION, PHASE 3A, LOT 44B: Alamosa Park LLC to Gebbia Heaslip Properties LLC, $176,000.

BEGONIA DRIVE 62: Yvonne Everhardt to Richard C. Powell Jr. and Alison Hulick, $230,000.

BUDS LANE 73030: Robert L. Dewitt and Rhonda L. Dewitt to Brent D. Butler and Krista N. Butler, $394,000.

CAMELLIA DRIVE 48: Charlene M. Sinclair to Patrick M. Hull and Sarah W. Hull, $380,000.

CLOVER KNOLL DRIVE 11340: James C. Parker to Nicolas Jackson and Kristin C. Jackson, $287,000.

CRAPEMYRTLE CIRCLE 105: Elizabeth T. Gremillion Vavasseur to Cory J. Carpenter and Stephanie K. Carpenter, $445,000.

DIVISION OF NEW COVINGTON SUBDIVISION, PORTION OF GROUND: Jimsu Partnership to Mele Family Holdings LLC,

UPTOWN

$2,149,000

Stunning 3-Story Private Oasis Just Steps from St. Charles Ave! Lots of Recent Upgrades. Gated Compound offers over 8,200 total sqft, including 5 Beds, 7.5 Baths & prkg for 6+ vehicles & much more!

Robert Miller and Patricia Miller Living Trust to Luis S. Perez, $225,000.

S. CORNICHE DU LAC 849: Rhon Culicchia to NAF Cash LLC, $712,500.

TOWN OF CLAIBORNE, LOTS 1-8, SQUARE 28, LOTS 1, 8, SQUARE 29: Larry D. Terrell to Seth J. Laigast, $1,250,000.

WESTON WAY 679: Brian P. Adams to Ryan P. Adams and Megan I. Adams, $520,000.

FOLSOM LA. 25 83078: Folsom Valley LLC to Brent D. Robbins and Sandra W. Robbins, $400,000.

LEE SETTLEMENT ROAD 11496: Frank A. Richerand and Clo’Lynn B. Richerand to Matthew J. Jones and Lindsay R. Jones, $80,000.

N. FACTORY ROAD 84012: Dennis Glass Construction Co. LLC to Joseph C. Meynier III, $550,000.

NEAL CEMETERY ROAD 83332: Dwayne A. Melancon to Atlas Commercial Capital LLC, $102,500.

NEAR FOLSOM, LOTS 4-6: Wolfe Property Holdings LLC to Jessica M. Celestin, $305,000.

LACOMBE CYPRIAN DRIVE 29339: Kellie T. Compton to Your Xclusive Xperience LLC, $33,000.

FAIRFAX DRIVE 60837: DSLD Homes LLC to Madison E. Kempff, $246,851.

PUTT MORAN LOOP 31104: Edward J. Paul Jr. and Yankee P. Edwards to Joseph S. Rigol, $131,000.

TIMBERBEND DRIVE 61272:

ä See TAMMANY, page 26

SANDY WARD

4827 Prytania St., NOLA 70115 504-300-0700

504-259-2616

Licensed in Louisiana

LIVING

504-475-1011

HomesBySandyWard.com

UPTOWN

Licensed in Louisiana

EACH OFFICE INDEPENDENTLY OWNED & OPERATED.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

$1,886,000

Exquisite 4 Bd/4.5 Ba Home where classic charm meet hi-end contemp w/ pool, gated prkg, lush gardens, lux finishes. Prim local near park, top schools, colleges & Freret St. corridor. And so much more....a must see!

1633 DUFOSSAT STREET

$3,956,750.

ELK RIDGE 623: DSLD Homes LLC to Robert S. Taylor Jr., $431,220.

ELK RIDGE 697: DSLD Homes LLC to Bach Van Doan, $402,320.

EMERAL FOREST BLVD. 350, UNIT 30109, PARKING SPACE 166: Allen M. Bourgeois to Denise W. Christian, $127,500.

EUGENE WALLACE ROAD 76343: Christopher P. Forstall Jr. to Samuel R. Benson, $262,000.

GARLAND ST. 20205: D&P Carpenter LLC to Northlake Investments LLC, $61,000.

I ST. 70443: Edward L. Conner and Rose M. Conner to Noah A. Saragusa and Skyler Saragusa, $196,000.

INDUSTRY ST. 610: Jon A. Cromwell and Sally B. Cromwell to MBSB Holdings LLC, $600,000.

LAKE RAMSEY HEIGHTS SUBDIVISION, LOT 55A: Benjamin L. Shaw and Kimberly P. Shaw to Rochelle A. Swanson, $250,000.

LOWE DAVIS ROAD 25136: Richard J. Bramlett to Jerilynne B. Theriot, $260,000.

MAGNOLIA DRIVE 110: Succession of Deborah Ann Peperone Resor to William S. McKenzie and Amy S. McKenzie, $345,000.

MAGNOLIA GARDENS DRIVE 24: Jan Jumonville to Marcelle J. Viator, donation, no value stated.

MEMPHIS TRACE 331: Kenneth R. Adams III to Sudipta Sarkar and Tandra Chakraborty, $1,128,000.

N. COLLINS BLVD. 1229: Baker Family Holding LLC to Riguer J. Silva Sr., $2,225,000.

N. VERONA DRIVE 501: Jason P. Moran and Melissa M. Moran to Michael G. Leonard IV and Abigail Coogan Leonard, $350,000.

NIDDA SUBDIVISION, LOTS 19- 22:

1500 W. ESPLANADE #22B

904 N. SIBLEY DRIVE

600 PORT OF NEW ORLEANS UNIT 6F • ONE RIVER PLACE / FRENCH QUARTER

$2,475,000

Elegant 2 Bed, 2.5 Bath, 2,639 SqFt. Corner Unit w/ Breathing Panoramic.

Views of Iconic Fr Qtr. & Mississippi River.& prkg for 6+ vehicles & much more!

KENNER - $175,000

Fabulous 3bdrm / 3 bath condo.

Completely Renovated.

Beautiful wood floors, Quartz c-tops, Plantation Shutters, 2 Fireplaces, crown molding. 1747s.f.

OWNER FINANCING AVAILABLE

221 AVANT GARDE

POOL ACCESS - 2 BDRM/ 1/1/2 BATH $148,000

METAIRIE - $259,000

Updtd Home w/ REAR YD ACCESS! Two Large Bedrooms, Jetted Tub + Sep tiled Shower. Wd + Tile flrs, New Roof, New A/C evaporator coil, Double Insulated windows.

2700 WHITNEY PLACE #829

1 BEDROOM CONDO AT WHITNEY PLACE UNDER CONTRACT $115,000

26 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

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REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS TAMMANY

Continued from page 25

Michael L. Prevey and Melissa V. Prevey to Steven A. Brown Jr. and Katherine L. Bouchoux, $345,000.

VINSON ROAD 28326: Maria V. Landry to Charles R. Verret, $587,500.

W. SPRUCE ST. 25594: Michele M. Brustowicz to Zilch LLC, $95,000.

MADISONVILLE KOEPP ROAD 100: Refugio Gonzales Sr. and Soyla Gonzales to Stephanie C. Torres, $310,000.

KRISTIAN COURT 601: JMA Builders LLC to Derek J. Mysza and Tyler Mysza, $640,000.

MAGNOLIA RIDGE DRIVE 62: Wayne Krentel and Brianna McDaniel Krentel to Sean B. Apetrei and Alexandra L. Stutes Apetrei, $776,000.

NIGHT HERON LANE 595: Ashton Munoz to Kacie Laborde, donation, no value stated.

SPIKE DRIVE 71592: DSLD Homes LLC to Skylar J. Salem, $217,070.

WHITE HERON DRIVE 122: Kristi Verrette to Haley Brizzolara, $255,000.

MANDEVILLE BLUE HERON DRIVE 120: Richard K. Looper III and Danielle Looper to Jiggs R. Howick and Susan D. Howick revocable living trust, $536,000.

BROOKSTONE SUBDIVISION, PHASE 3, LOT 21: GMI Construction Inc. to Korey W. Blanchard and Jennifer D. Blanchard, $1,639,000.

CHATEAU SONESTA 308: Succession of Mary D. Lee and James J. Lee Jr. to Henry Butler and Callie L. Butler, $585,000.

DESTIN ST. 863: Charles T. Fradella and Mindy D. Fradella to Dennis Dobson Sr. and Cynthia B. Dobson, $250,000.

DUPRE ST. 1720: Ashley D. Neenan to Calvin J. McQuitty, $259,000.

EVERGREEN DRIVE 302: Elizabeth Serpas to Carsten H. Menn and Elizabeth C. Menn, $465,000.

FRENCHMEN DRIVE 106: Vincent J. Piranio to Leo J. Falgout Jr. and Paula Petit Falgout, $375,000.

GARDEN AVE. 395: Garden Avenue Trust to Gregory Callanan and Brooke Callanan, $420,000.

N. BEAU CHENE DRIVE 729: Lucille W. St. Romain to Stephen Jonson and Cintia A. Jonson, $600,000.

NANCY ROAD 70042: Charlie Rick III and Carla S. Rick to Paws & Pray, $399,000.

SANDY LANE 19104, UNIT 14: Patricia E. Greaux to Connor J. Martinez, $206,000.

SCOTCHPINE DRIVE 310: Michael J. Dodick and Anissa J. Dodick to Kaylie E. Klein, $435,000.

SYCAMORE PLACE 1431: Jason A. Hayes to Michael C. Chalverus III, $320,000.

TOWN OF MANDEVILLE, PORTION OF GROUND: Thomas L. Periou to Rubys Roadhouse LLC, $350,000.

TRINITY LANE 308: Succession of Willis D. Street to Tina S. Street, $25,000.

TRINITY LANE 308: Succession of Willis Dale Street to Tina S. Street, $12,500.

WOODRIDGE BLVD. 121: Claire L. Borne to Danielle J. Allo, $265,000.

WOODRIDGE BLVD. 729: Danny M. Steib and Cynthia M. Steib to Icon Developments LLC, $15,000.

Find Us on the List of “FORTIFIED” APPROVED Contractors & Schedule a FREE Estimate!

Get A $10,000 Tax Credit • Schedule Your Inspection Today

ScogginsRoofing.com

HAND NAILED ROOF • STATE LICENSED • CLASS 4 IMPACT SHINGLES

PEARL RIVER LA. 41 69129: Doris Blackwell to Zachary Smith, donation, no value stated.

NEAR PEARL RIVER, PORTION OF GROUND: William J. McConnell Estate to Reel Estate Housing LLC, $39,000.

RHONDA ROAD, LOT B2: Cory Foil to Steven C. Eagle, $30,000.

SIXTH ST. 645: Brittany L. Marchant to Ronald T. Latapie, donation, no value stated.

SLIDELL ABNEY DRIVE 760: Christie Benasco to Alisha M. Page and Patricia D. Page, $220,000.

AVERY DRIVE 509: Anthony P. Caronia to Eric J. Brown, $352,750.

BANKS VIEW ST. 1442: Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Calvin L. Sparks and Brenda E. Sparks, $250,000.

BEACHVIEW SUBDIVISION, LOTS 5, 6, SQUARE 4: Wayne M. Wild, Evelyn S. Wild and others to Chrishele M. Mangipano, $9,000.

CUTTYSARK COVE 1545: Andrew C. Lazzara to Tyler C. Beebe, Destynie R. Beebe and Traci A. Beebe, $86,000.

CYPRESS LAKES OF OAK HARBOR SUBDIVISION, LOT 317: John P. Willis III to Terry Gibson and Alonda Gibson, $347,000.

E. ASHTON COURT 1391: Succession of Doreen Yi-Ju Tai to Keith Mars, $300,000.

EASTWOOD DRIVE 1657: Derek Kolbus and Annie M. Kolbus to Gerard J. Flanagan Jr., $224,500.

GARDEN DRIVE 35281: Arthur R. Schneider to Garry N. Roark II, $144,000.

GOLDENWOOD DRIVE 206: Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Serhil Tullulia and Margaryta Bosiieva, $200,990.

HOLLY DRIVE 4306: Aimee B. Lavergne to P&L Real Estate Investments, $155,000.

HONEY DEW DRIVE 200: Melissa A. Degueyter to St. Tammany Parish, $246,000.

HOOK ISLAND LANE 3957: Shannon Antoine-Hardy to Cassandra L. Williams, $345,000.

JANE DRIVE 117: Paul P. McKone and Sandra C. McKone to Jessica J. Branyon, $199,000.

LA. 433 54035: Daniel J. Rein to Paul H. Schenk and Janice B. Schenk, $175,000.

LA. 433 54383: Henry A. Charles

Knieper and Mary E. Knieper to Joseph W. Bergeron Jr., $68,000.

LA QUINTA DRIVE 8: Cynthia I. Andrews to Agnes J. Meyers and Dontrell Dylan Patterson, $363,000.

LA QUINTA DRIVE 9: Julius C. Rich and Simone N. Rich to Sharon A. Singleton, $370,000.

MOONRAKER DRIVE 194: Carol T. Metzger to Cerissa I. Rushlow, $255,000.

OLD SPANISH TRAIL 662-668: Anthony C. Plescia III, Kim M. Plescia and Stephanie Plescia to Boat Stuf Holdings LLC, $537,500.

PARKER ROAD, PORTION OF GROUND: Leonard J. Parker Jr. to Danielle A. Parker, $15,000.

PEARL DRIVE 310: PNC Bank NA to Federal National Mortgage Association, $234,667.

PINE FOREST DRIVE 405: Ryan J. Bonnet and Kathryn S. Bonnet to Debra C. Corcoran, $205,000.

PINE TREE ST. 808: Christina L. Wagner Arnold to Farron L. Coursey, $145,000.

PLIMSOL COURT 205: Kristin B. Henderson to Amy M. Rathbun, $114,000.

QUEENS DRIVE 224: Scott J. Sissac and Brittany T. Sissac to Michael P. Walker and Brigitte A. Parker, $180,000.

ROBIN ST. 2523: Trina Y. Mason to Angel M. Jacob, $198,500.

SOMERSET DRIVE 320: Randy L. Pearson and Althea W. Pearson to Lacy Binafegha and Allen A. Ritch, $435,000.

SPILLWAY MANOR DRIVE 5121: D. R. Horton Inc.-Gulf Coast to Charles L. Thomas Jr., $294,900.

SPILLWAY MANOR DRIVE 5129: D. R. Horton Inc. to Dan R. Llana and Delanna L. Llana, $273,900.

WEATHERLY COVE 111: Jeffrey A. Thomas to Lisa Barber, donation, no value stated.

WEST MORGAN SUBDIVISION, LOTS 22-35, SQUARE 41: Robert M. Weddell Jr. to Sierra L. Sampia, Dayna Mckinley and others, $42,000.

SUN/BUSH LA. 1083 78232: Peter J. Brisolara and Joseph A. Brisolara to Lane V. Lore II and Kelley S. Lore, $319,000.

WHIPPOORWILL GROVE ON MONEY HILL SUBDIVISION, PHASE 7, LOT 254A: Thomas A. Groom and Leonia L. Groom to Jason K. Adams and Tammy M. Adams, $570,000.

The Times-Picayune ✦ nola.com ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ 27

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Beware of this big bad beau or spiritual type. None of that has changed. But being over 50 and on disability with medical issues is not at the top of anyone’s desires for a partner.

I just don’t know what to do. I can go back to him and settle for good insurance and financial help, or I can be alone. Also, I still live far away from my family. My children live a few hours away, and I am very alone.

What is your advice? — Mulling Over My Lost Marriage Dear Mulling: Rekindling a relationship with your exhusband would serve a means to several ends — but is that really a good reason to do so?

Remember, this is the same man who broke your trust, was unfaithful to you and left you to single-handedly build and maintain a home and life for your children. Just short of physically hurting you, he has wreaked havoc on your mental health and personal peace in every possible way.

What might seem like a tempting choice now will only turn out to be disastrous in the long run. You already know the ending to this story. I promise that being single and on your own is the less isolating and lonely choice compared with settling for a person who has proved time and again they aren’t anywhere close

to being worthy of you.

Dear Annie: The holiday season is in full swing, and with it comes time for something I dread: GROUP TEXTS! I realize we are in a convenience society, but if you are really serious about wishing ME a happy/merry whatever, please take just a few seconds to send something personal to me instead of grouping everyone together.

Inevitably, you get the group text followed by 20-plus annoying dings from people you don’t even know saying the same thing back to the person who sent the group text. Am I the only one who feels this way, or am I being a bah humbug? — Don’t Group Me Dear Don’t Group Me: With the exception of family or close friend group chats, you’re right that these sort of mass messages lessen the thoughtfulness and cheer of a holiday greeting text.

At the very least, the person starting the text could copy and paste the same message to each of their friends individually. If it really bothers you, you can always remove yourself from the text group and message the sender privately to discuss the holidays one-on-one.

Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@ creators.com.

REGAN KANE 228-363-0331 REGANKANE@BELLSOUTH.NET Licensed In Mississippi

By The Associated Press Today is Saturday, Dec. 20, the 354th day of 2025. There are 11 days left in the year.

Today in history: On Dec. 20, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was completed as ownership of the territory was formally transferred from France to the United States.

Also on this date: In 1860, South Carolina became the first state to secede from the Union on a vote of delegates at a secession convention, emboldening other Southern states to follow suit and helping to trigger the American Civil War. In 1946, the classic holiday film “It’s a Wonderful Life” premiered at the Globe Theater in New York City.

In 1986, three Black men were attacked by a group of White youths in the Howard Beach neighborhood of Queens, New York, resulting in the death of one of the men, Michael Griffith.

In 1987, more than 4,300 people were killed when the Doña Paz, a Philippine passenger ship, collided with the tanker Vector off Mindoro island.

In 1989, the United States launched Operation Just Cause, sending troops into Panama to topple the government of Gen. Manuel Noriega.

In 1995, American Airlines Flight 965 from Miami to Cali, Colombia, crashed into a mountain near Buga, Colom-

PROVIDED IMAGE By NBC

James Stewart, center, and Donna Reed star in Frank Capra’s ‘It’s A Wonderful Life.’

The classic movie premiered Dec. 20, 1946.

bia, at night while descending into the Cali area, killing all but four of the 163 passengers and crew aboard.

In 2019, the U.S. Space Force was established when President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2020.

Today’s birthdays: Rock drummer Peter Criss (Kiss) is 80.

Producer Dick Wolf (“Law & Order”) is 79. Musician Alan Parsons is 77. Author Sandra Cisneros is 71. Actor Michael Badalucco is 71. Rock singer Chris Robinson (The Black Crowes) is 59. Filmmaker Todd Phillips is 55. Actor Jonah Hill is 42. Soccer player Kylian Mbappé is 27.

Wendy Hinyub 228-467-5500 117 US-90, Bay St Louis, MS 39520 www.johnmcdonaldrealty.net

138-40 MAIN STREET • VACANT LAND

559-4808

www.wendyhinyub.com Licensed in Louisiana

3500 N. Causeway, Suite 350 | Metairie, LA 70002 Independently Owned & Operated

236 GUM BAYOU LANE

3713 LAUSAT STREET

SOLD

NEW PRICE

Beautiful 5bd home in Kenner, Updtd kit, floors and a/c, move-in ready

Renov’d 3 bdrm home in Gilmore Subd, new siding, windows, kitchen.

Southlake Villages • $630,000

Metairie • $215,000

LIS NEW TIN G

Dear Annie: In 1996, I met a man while traveling. At the time, I was a single mom of three in a new city and state away from family. I was struggling Annie with finances, Lane child care and DEAR ANNIE transportation.

My family and I weren’t close and had many disagreements, so I moved far away. When I arrived at my destination, this man got off with me and did not continue his journey.

Within three weeks, we were married. Shortly after that, we had full custody of his young son.

We were married for 17 years. During those years, my husband did everything but beat me. He had countless affairs, didn’t always contribute financially and took no responsibility for the home or the kids. I was the main breadwinner and took on all that was required of the home and children.

The last affair he had was with a woman who I considered, as well as her husband, to be a friend. One day, she called me and said she was pregnant with his child. She divorced her husband and pursued mine with a force. He decided to part ways with me, my children and his family. He bought them a house and married her.

A year later, he called and told me the baby wasn’t his but that he was staying because he had cut ties with everyone and the child was all he had.

Fast-forward the clock eight years and now he is divorcing her because she didn’t contribute in any way to the household and she was having affairs. Now he wants me back.

At the end of our marriage, I became ill and went on disability. With the increase in everything, I need financial help.

Even in our marriage, he was never my physical, emotional

TODAY IN HISTORY

3260 E. LAFOURCHE COURT

1509 VEGAS DRIVE

SOLD

SOLD

3bd/2ba home in Grandlake Estates, screened patio, lg bkyd, extra den

3bd/1.5ba, rear yard access, big lot, move-in ready!

Kenner • $275,000

Metairie • $249,000

40 DELOAKS DRIVE

Madisonville • $375,000

BAY ST. LOUIS, MS • $895,000

Prime Commercial property in the heart of Old Town Bay St. Louis.

Large lot consisting of three parcels, 83’ of frontage on Main Street. Property is zoned C-1 (Central Business District), Condo, Multi-Family, Hotel, Restaurant, Mixed used allowed by right.

One owner, 4bd/2.5ba, Prim down, big bkyd, great for entertaining!

28 ✦ Saturday, December 20, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

lll

APRIL BROWN REALTOR® | Broker / Owner aprilgo1@gmail.com

WHY

PAY MORE? CALL TODAY FOR A FREE HOME VALUATION 504-606-0466 3500 N Causeway Blvd., STE 116 Metairie, LA 70002 | Licensed in Louisiana

504-606-0466 www.HospitalityRealty.net

LICENSED BY THE LOUISIANA REAL ESTATE COMMISSION

LIST YOUR HOME FOR 1% NEW LISTING

214 SAUVE ROAD

NEW LISTING

18 GRASS COURT

NEW PRICE

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

RIVER RIDGE • $1,200,000

RIVER RIDGE • $1,155,000

LAKEWOOD SOUTH • $999,000

5593 JACQUELYN COURT

78656 TURNPIKE ROAD

7045 WEST END BLVD.

NEW PRICE OWNER FINANCING

NEW PRICE

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

141 MEADOWBROOK DRIVE

26 OAK ALLEY BOULEVARD

4808 CHATEAU DRIVE

342 EDINBURGH STREET

NEW LISTING

NEW LISTING

3220 METAIRIE COURT

821 PERDIDO ST., #3C

59 YELLOWSTONE STREET

4520 ALPHONSE STREET

3717 WANDA LYNNE DRIVE

11 RUE SAINT LOUIS AVENUE

METAIRIE • $440,000

METAIRIE • $395,000

NEW ORLEANS • $899,000

OPEN SUNDAY 2 - 4

COMMERCIAL 342 RED ALLEN WAY

NEW ORLEANS • $749,000

FOLSOM • $950,000

METAIRIE • $680,000

GRETNA • $590,500

MARRERO • $585,000

METAIRIE • $550,000

NEW PRICE

NEW ORLEANS • $440,000

METAIRIE • $395,000

KENNER • $430,000

KENNER • $365,000

4624 BARNETT STREET

3 MARY RIDGE COURT

103 SOUTH DRIVE

1446 ST. MARY STREET, #1

METAIRIE • $425,000

COVINGTON • $350,000

RIVER RIDGE • $395,000

NEW ORLEANS • $250,000

CONTACT OUR HOSPITALITY TEAM

Ivan Echegarrua 504-339-2905

Colleen Amedio Pattie Brooks Schof 504-430-9258 504-491-6732

Erica J. Plaia 504-784-8188

Marie Jurich 504-236-7114

Lacey Plaisance 504-520-9298

Alexis Morgan 504-287-6503

Debra Weber 504-236-6697

Michelle Pool 504-338-7767

Melia Montet 225-422-9550